The Filipino Mom Blog's Christmas Party

the FMB mommies, Cookie, moi, Cess, Chats, Lynn and Julie


pics from Teacher Julie


kids exchanging gifts (pic from Lynn)

Holiday Greetings

Comments & Myspace layouts

My Davao Trip (Dec.12-15, 2008)

Eden Nature Park


the road going to the Eden Nature Park (the place looks like Baguio)


with my friend, Vice Gov. Lady Ann of Sulu Province


Christmas tree at the Waterfront Hotel lobby


me and my friend's grandson


Davao's baywalk


entrance to the park/zoo


the sleeping crocodile


squirrels


moi with the ostrich


let me call this the green snake, he he he


the bengal tiger named Datu


rainbow lorry


davao's eagle


a shy lorry

Random Pics

Beatrice listening to music


Nicole and Pio clowning around


my only son enjoying his pancakes at McDonalds


my family (taken at the Venezia Hotel, Subic)

Home Safety

RE-POST FROM NESTLE CLUB (just want to share this to my readers esp. to my mommy-blogger friends)

How to prevent accidents and injuries around the house? The Nestlé Club shares with you some practical home safety tips to help you make everyday safe.

Watch out for dangerous substances. Lock cabinets in your bathroom to prevent children from acquiring hazardous chemicals like cleansers and detergents. Avoid transferring cleaning fluids, kerosene and other hazardous chemicals into beverage bottles or cans for they might be ingested. If needed, properly label (with big font) cans and bottles. Make sure you do not store poisonous items with food items.

Do not grope in the dark. Can’t always find the light switch? Place simple glow-in-the-dark stickers, easily purchased at department stores, near the light switch.

Prevent slips and falls. Tiles and porcelain surfaces can be slippery when they are wet or soapy. To prevent falls, invest in rubber mats on the bathroom floor.

Stop, Drop, and Roll. If your clothes catch fire, immediately drop to the floor and roll over and over until the flames are put out. This is especially important to practice with kids so they will know what to do in case of a fire accident.

Know how to use a fire extinguisher. Not all fire extinguishers are alike. Check the expiration date and replace the content when necessary.

List down Emergency Numbers. Place your telephone or mobile phone near you when you sleep so you can easily be contacted in case of emergency. Post the list of emergency numbers near the phone lines.

Switch off the lights. When not in use, switch off all appliances. This will help you save electricity too. Make sure the extension cords where the appliances are plugged will not be overloaded before switching them on.

Watch where you’re going. Brighten hallways and stairways with lamps, nightlights or bulbs. This will prevent tripping and missing steps.

Simple and practical!

The Historical Shoes...

I've seen this on the news, can't help but laugh...

My First Sony Experience Is With My Tape Recorder

Way back in high school, I always make sure I take down notes every time the teacher discusses our lessons. When the habit becomes tiring for me, I brought my Sony tape recorder given by my mom in school. So there, all the voices, noise and even the sighs are recorded. Nevertheless, the tape recorder helped me when I was reviewing for my exams. When I reached college, I still have my tape recorder with me in the university, my constant companion. And it never failed me. After school, I would listen over and over again to the recorded lectures. During lunch breaks, my friend and I would listen to Frank Sinatra's music on the recorder/player.

I remembered I even used the recorder while interviewing Senators at the Old Congress building when we had our research for our History class. Months after graduation, I am still using the said recorder when I had my first job at the Philippine Senate.

Came law school and review classes, the ever reliable Sony tape recorder is always at hand to help me on my further studies. I am now encouraging my kid to do the same. She may not use the old one I've had, for there are now so many great Sony products/models to choose from. But the one I had, it definitely gave significance in my life just like the Sony’s World’s First Noise Canceling Notebook Computer: VAIO T Series which would help me acquire more knowledge and bring enjoyment as well to my family.

I Find Comfort in Our Home....

As usual I was late again for the Filipino Mom Blog's Fab Holiday Finds Meme. I got the comforter during a sale at Our Home shop. Got it at half the price. See my son is enjoying it...he doesn't want to sleep back on his bed again.

The Twilight Movie

Twilight is a young adult vampire-romance novel written by author Stephenie Meyer. It was originally published in hardcover in 2005. It is the first book of the Twilight series, and introduces seventeen-year-old Isabella "Bella" Swan who moves from Phoenix, Arizona, to Forks, Washington, and finds her life in danger when she falls in love with a vampire, Edward Cullen. The novel is followed by New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn.

Twilight has been adapted into a film by Summit Entertainment. The film was directed by Catherine Hardwicke and stars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson as protagonists Isabella Swan and Edward Cullen, respectively. The screenplay was adapted by Melissa Rosenberg. The movie was released last November 21, 2008.

The Plot- Seventeen-year-old Isabella "Bella" Swan moves to the small town of Forks, Washington, to live with her father, Charlie. There, she finds herself drawn to a mysterious classmate, Edward Cullen, who is revealed to be a 108-year-old vampire, but is physically seventeen. Although Edward discourages the romance at first, they soon fall deeply in love. When the arrival of three nomadic vampires, James, Victoria, and Laurent, puts Bella's life in danger, Edward and his family, Alice, Carlisle, Esme, Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie, put their lives at stake to save her.

*I've watched the film with my kid, we both enjoyed the movie. Although some say that the book is much better than the movie version. I still give it a 3 star for my rating for the effects and the story-line. Maybe the actors' (both Bella and Edward)performance would improved on the next movie.

And the Heavens Smiled on Us

Last night on my way home after watching Twilight with my kid Nicole, we saw a smiley face in the sky. I was amazed by the sight that I stopped driving and admired this once in a lifetime event. Hurriedly, I went home, asked my kids to go out and drove around to see a clearer view. We are so happy and felt good about this real good sign from heaven.

As I began plurking about it, my fellow plurkies and bloggers are also looking in the sky. It turned out, as astronomers say Venus and Jupiter and a crescent moon formed a smiley face last night, with the planets forming the eyes and the moon forming the mouth.

Venus and Jupiter have appeared side by side in the evening sky over the last week or so, but last night was the best night when the "face" appeared, astronomers say.

Viewers in Western Australia saw the best view of the effect, with the moon appearing closer to the "eyes".

Stargazers in Europe and Africa missed out completely. By the time the sun sets for them, the moon appeared between the planets.

In the United States, the effect was inverted and appeared as a frown.

David Widdowson, from astronomy calendar website Astrovisuals, said the heavens might be trying to send us a message to shrug off bad financial times and be happy.

How to Go on a Holiday Binge Without Showing It...

This is a re-post from Nestle Club website.

During holidays, anywhere and everywhere, there is just so much good and tempting food that watching one’s weight at this time is either impossible or a complete torture. But it need not be.

Actually, you can still be very much a part of the festivities – yes, even the part that says, “Eat! Eat! Eat!” – without necessarily gaining a lot of pounds. Here are a few things you might want to bear in mind:

Attitude. Be a little less hard on yourself. If your aim or ideal weight is, say, 120 pounds, during the Holiday season, maybe you can raise that target to about 125-130. Stay within the limits of what is healthy, though, and what is easy to get rid of once the holidays are over. Don’t feel pressured to eat more just because it’s Christmas. Have fun without pigging out during parties; this does not make you a killjoy. Some people, sad to say, overeat not because they’re that hungry or they find it hard to resist food, but because they feel that it’s the normal thing to do during the Season, or that it’s impolite to refuse food from one’s zealous hosts. Set aside a rest day or days—that is, at least one day or two in a week when one will, if not cut back, at least eat normally.

The Party. Eat a little something before you go, some crackers or fruit maybe, or take a low-calorie beverage to acquire a sense of fullness. If you hit a party starving for food, chances are you’re going to eat considerably more. In a buffet line start at one end of the table and make mental notes of what is there. Save your calories for new and interesting dishes; if you are not the adventurous kind, go for something you really like. Go for variety as much as possible, so you won’t overdo any one item. Make experiencing a variety of tastes you objective, instead of stuffing yourself. It is also one way to educate one’s taste buds. In a sit-down dinner, try to sit beside someone you like. By doing so, you can talk more and eat less.

Holiday drinking. Drink alcoholic beverages only after you’ve eaten. If you drink before you eat, you’re asking for trouble. Alcohol lowers your inhibitions (including your will-power) and it also increases hunger. Keep away from sour whiskey, beer, eggnogs, and the like. Instead, go with lower calorie white wine, vodka, and gin. Or better still, either stay away from alcohol completely or nurse one drink to last the night.

Routine. Eat within regular meals and snacks. This is better than cutting back during meals but snacking endlessly on candies, cakes, and sweets during the rest of the day. If you are a regular exerciser, maybe you can add more to your routine or to the time devoted to exercise. At the very least, try not to neglect your exercises. Remember, you are trying to burn more fats and calories. You might want to try jogging or brisk walking after Simbang Gabi. The chilly air and Christmas atmosphere make this exercise not only easy, but fun and exhilarating as well.

* food pics from Triple V site

Kiddie Snacks in School

I'm so, so late with this meme from FMB (Filipino Mom Blog). Normally, I just give money to my kids for their lunch or snacks which are available in the school's cafeteria. Other times, they have cookies/biscuits or pastries partnered with either Moo or Chuckie choco drinks. This time, they had....

chocolates


cinnamon bread


pancit canton

Weekend Snapshots: November Random Pics

Before November ends, just want to post weekend random pics in my computer files. Am supposed to post our Subic trip recently, but since I lost my phone, gone were the pics too. Anyway, I wanted the pics below posted on this blog, my journal ,so my kids and I would remember these activities.

Halloween's Trick or Treatin' at Trinoma


Nicole just picked roses in our garden....


Pio posing at the lobby of TV5 before his audition

Spying Over Burn After Reading

I want to see this movie simply because I'm such a huge fan of Brad Pitt and George Clooney. I have never missed their movies. Am sure, this movie would be fun to watch.

And of course, I want to be with my fellow Nuffnangers.



Click here, to check it out.

Weekend Snapshots: Roses in the Garden

Hubby and I bought plants for the garden. Here's what we have now, roses, lots of it. I don't have to ask hubby to buy one for me come Christmas.

smallest rose I've seen