Friday, May 30, 2014

Mathemagis: Singapore Math Enrichment Program

Every year, once school opening is near, I let the kids start doing math worksheets just to get their minds oiled up and working. I think a rusty mind is a student’s worst enemy. For my youngest, I just have him answer multiplication drills so he can refresh on his multiplication. And he also does a few sets of word problems taken from his old Singapore Math books. I do not trust myself to give advance Math lessons as I do not want to confuse him, because his school follow the Singapore Math curriculum.


I am sure a lot of parents feel this way about Singapore Math because we did not grow up learning Math this way.  If you feel like you want to help your kids feel more confident about Math, but are hesitant to do it yourself, then you can join the Singapore Math Workshop conducted by Mathemagis this coming June 4, 2014.  Although it is for teachers, but if you plan to teach your grade-schoolers or pre-schoolers Singapore Math, then this would surely be beneficial for you!

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Weekend Footnotes

PLDT HOME DSL invited us to join them for the blocked screening of X-Men: Days of Future Past at the Shangri-La Mall last Friday.  The kids were so excited to watch the movie because the latest installment is said to be the best ever.  And to add even more to my kids' happiness, PLDT took care of their cinema bar food binge also.  Big thanks PLDT HOME DSL for making sure that we have family-sized connections both online and offline!

We went early and had dinner at Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen at the East Wing.

Saturday was spent by being very productive in the kitchen.  I made sure that everyone was kept busy with something. J made our lunch of Beef Tenderloin with Brocolli.  While I took the 2 kids with me and made them help me with making Spinach Artichoke and Spinach Mushroom Dip.  The Spinach Artichoke Dip is a special project of B - she wanted to make some to share with her friends.  While I made the |Spinach Mushroom Dip because I wanted to have something always on stand-by in the fridge for my hungry brood. The kids ate up the celery sticks without a word when I served them with some of the Spinach Dip. We still have some mangoes left and I decided to make some Mango Royale to be shared with friends.  Yes, none for the family this time. :)  But I did prepare Kani Salad with Mango for dinner.

On Sunday, the message of Pastor Peter was such a blessing, as usual.  Small problems, Big God.  If we encounter what is seemingly a big problem, then it is time for God to show us that He is ALWAYS bigger than any problem.  If you want to be blessed with his message, click on this link to listen to the service:  http://www.ccf.org.ph/videos/view/when-you-stumble-get-up-and-grow-up#.U4LEsfmSySo

We had lunch at Maple at Shangri-la Mall.
 After what they ate, I couldn't believe they still have some more room for pancakes!

I am loving J's outfit from last weekend.  But too bad, I couldn't borrow her shoes! Her feet has grown so big that even with a cork, or socks, or even double socks.. they wouldn't fit me.. no matter how hard I try! hahaha! She is 3 sizes bigger than me! Boohoo!

Sunday late afternoon, we brought the kids to one of our favorite places, outdoors!!!  We realized that summer is about to end and we haven't had a single day of biking yet!  B took to the bike the whole afternoon, while R decided it would be fun to try to ride two scooters at once... to go faster daw!  kulit!:)

That was our weekend!  Hope you enjoyed yours.  Till the next one!


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Monday, May 26, 2014

"Ask Diego" Answers Questions Through PLDT HOME DSL

Have you ever seen this handsome and smart little boy?
 
His name is Diego Ledesma, and you’ve most probably seen him in PLDT HOME DSL’s TV commercial. Aside from being a total showstopper in the TV commercial, his other claim to fame is his advice column on Facebook, “Ask Diego”.

Friday, May 23, 2014

Mango Royale Recipe


It all started with this basket of the sweetest mangoes.
They were definitely sweet to be eaten on its own; perfect when just slightly chilled. The kids also loved them added to their smoothies. But, I wondered what else I could do with them. And after searching on the web, I came upon … Mango Royale!

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Weekend Footnotes & A Belated Mother's Day Post

Last week, we were the luckiest recipients of a huge basketful of the sweetest mangoes.  So during the weekend, the kids wanted to make Mango Royale.  It was one of the easiest desserts to make and one of the yummiest, too!  I just supervised the 2 younger kids while they made this. Will post the recipe on the blog tomorrow, so watch out for it!:)

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Japan Day 3: (Eastern Kyoto) Kodaiji Temple. Maruyama-Koen. Yasaka Shrine

Kodai-ji Temple is right in the middle of the Southern Higashiyma district so you won't miss it.  We did not go in anymore as the temples are of no particularly value to us religiously, except for sightseeing.  I did not want to pay another admission fee for one more temple that day. hahaha!:)
The Kodai-ji landscaped gardens are beautiful, and this weeping cherry blossom tree stands in the middle of it.


Monday, May 19, 2014

Me and Dad Camp 2014 {Year 3}

It's been awhile since C took the kids camping. The last one was in 2010, 4 years ago already! Has it really been that long? This year, C bravely took on the challenge of bringing ALL three kids to camp. I was hesitant because I feel like three kids could overwhelm him. But he is confident he can take it on!  It's his third time to go camping, after all. Do you think the third time's the charm?  hahaha!

Seems like it was just yesterday when C first took our eldest camping - a first for both of them. It was the type of camping trip where they had to set-up their tents and sleeping bags. It didn't exactly turn out that well since it rained on their camping day..."They returned to their tent late afternoon to take a rest from the afternoon's activities, only to find that the rain had found a way inside their "water-proof" tent. Everything was soaking wet. From the sleeping bags that they attentively laid out, to the shirts, toiletries and cooking/grilling utensils..." click here to read more about their first camping trip. 

The second time around was better, because it did not involve sleeping in tents... " The facilitators prepared a survival training course patterned after the TV show, Survival. As with the TV show, the teams competed against each other for luxuries; in this case, sleeping accommodations. Housing was dependent on how the teams fared in the challenges. Accommodations were a choice of either a cottage (with single beds and an ensuite bathroom) or a cabin (where sleeping is tatami style)..." click here to read more about their second camping trip.

This year's camping trip is an upgrade from the previous years... and could qualify as "glamping" (glamour camping).  Look at the facility of the CCF, Mt Makiling Re-Creation Center in Sto Tomas, Batangas.
All 5 photos below are from the CCF Mt. Makiling Re-Creation Center FB page.


Friday, May 16, 2014

Japan Day 3: (Eastern Kyoto) Preserved Historic Streets of Higashiyama


While I was doing my research for our trip, I decided that part of my attraction for Eastern Kyoto was mostly becasue I wanted to spend some time walking the preserved historic streets of Southern Higashiyama (Ninen-Zaka, Sannen-zaka, Nene-no-Michi Lane, Ishibei-Koji). 

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Japan Day 3: (Eastern Kyoto) Kiyomizudera

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Less than an hour's journey from our base of Osaka, the city of Kyoto is a must-visit for anybody traveling in Kansai. Once the political capital of Japan, Kyoto is now the nation's undisputed cultural capital. Sightseeing in Kyoto is also a richly rewarding experience, with 17 properties listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Among the many beautiful places we visited in Kyoto, I found Southern Higashiyama to be one of the most lovely sightseeing district in Kyoto. It contains everything from dazzling temples, to preserved lanes, to the city’s main geisha district.

Our Day 3 adventure started when we left our hotel at around 9am, and got to Kyoto station at nearly 11am. Inspite of my best-laid plans to leave the hotel as early as possible, I am also a mom who finds it hard to wake up my kids when they look like they are still in deep sleep. It says in my itinerary wake-up time is 7:30, but everyday, the kids and husband woke up around 8:30 ish.

Kyoto station is a behemoth beauty. I love the ceiling and find it an artwork unto itself.

Monday, May 12, 2014

Pylones: Putting The Quirk In School Work

Are your kids as crazy over Pylones as mine are?  They always love going in this store because of its colorful displays.  Now that Pylones has introduced Happy Packs, I am sure my girls will be begging me to shop at Pylones for their school supplies.

Pylones (prounounced as pee-loan) was started in 1985 in a makeshift workshop in Paris by a couple of friends whose common wish was to produce fun, useful, playful and practical gift objects. 

When Pylones Philippines invited the SoMoms to introduce us to their Happy Packs, I just had to say yes because I wanted to know more about the brand that my girls are crazy about.

Thursday, May 8, 2014

A Mother's Legacy at Sofitel Philippine Plaza

Mother's Day is coming up soon.  Have you planned how you are going to celebrate it?  In my family, we just treat it like any other ordinary Sunday; we go to Sunday worship and have lunch together. Although, I always expect hand-written notes from my kids. That is the highlight of my Mother's Day. Notes, are enough for me, but the girls usually give me something bought with their own savings, too.  

A few days ago, Sofitel Philippine Plaza invited some of the SoMoms to attend the press launching of their Mother's Day event, A Mother's Legacy.  

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Japan Day 2: Ippudo Ramen @ Osaka

After our day at Universal Studios, we arranged to meet up with my sisters for dinner.  We wanted somewhere near both of our hotels since we've had little rest from our flight the previous day and we were expecting to do a lot of walking for our Kyoto (Southern Higashiyama) schedule the next day.  I wanted the kids to rest early.  We finally decided on Ippudo Ramen since it is located just right across our hotel, Fraser Residences.

Monday, May 5, 2014

Japan Day 2: Universal Studios Japan

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Universal Studios Japan is a fun place for the whole family  so it was not a surprise that this was one of the top spots on our list of places to visit when we made our itinerary,

Universal Studios Japan is located within the main city of Osaka itself, so traveling via bus or train is convenient. The park opened in 2001, and is the first Universal park to open in Asia. The hottest rides in the theme park are the rides based on popular movies such as Spiderman, Back to the Future, Terminator 2 and Jurassic Park. In July 2014, the Harry Potter attraction is scheduled to be added. My daughters love Harry Potter, and they are sad that we are a few months early and would not be able to catch the opening.

The operating hours at Universal Studios Japan vary greatly during the year. It is a good idea to check the park operation hours before going to avoid any ruining your plans, because some days it is only open until 6 pm: You can check the park hours here: http://www.usj.co.jp/e/parkguide/calendar.html

The requisite photo op before we enter the Universal Studios gate.


Friday, May 2, 2014

Japan Day 1: Arrival at Osaka International Airport

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All the kids were excited for the trip that waking them up at 4 in the morning was no trouble at all. Our Cathay pacific flight was scheduled to depart at 8:45 am. 

NAIA terminal 1 is undergoing some renovations so C anticipated some delay in checking in. 
I am happy to note that MIASCOR has undergone some minor face lift, and is not so tired looking anymore. It is worthy to note that the new couches have uplifted the overall mood of the lounge a bit.