Ezy Roller and Other Fun Toys and Gifts

Just after spending on Christmas gifts and food last December, Fred and I had to think again what food to prepare and gifts to buy this January. Gabby and Sunday’s birthdays fall this month. My kids love receiving gifts, as most kids do. They still keep the catalogues from the toy stores and remind us that we haven’t bought them some of the toys that they like on those catalogues.

Whenever Christmas and birthdays come, Fred and I get a little bit worried because we know that Sunday would be receiving less number of gifts than Gabby. Most of Gabby’s godparents still give him toys while we lost contact of most of Sunday’s godparents. So whenever some of our friends who became Gabby’s godparents drop by at our house, we would either politely tell them to also prepare something for Sunday even if it’s just a bar of chocolate. Or we buy her toys, wrap them and pass them secretly to Gabby’s godparents to give to Sunday. But oftentimes, our friends are sensitive enough to buy gifts for both of them. :)

And when it’s our time to buy them their Christmas or birthday gifts, we always bring them along to make sure that they like what we buy them. Just last December, I asked Gabby if he wants something like Ezy Roller. Funny because Gabby said no but Fred said yes! Fred even said that if there was something like that for adults, he would buy one! :)

Buying gifts for Gabby is very easy. Robots, cars, and dinosaurs will always do. But buying for Sunday? She likes many things! She even likes robots! And I won’t be surprised if she would say yes to personalized pillowcases or nap mat which she can use on their 10am nap in school.

But always, I want to give Gabby and Sunday toys and all that they need. Just seeing the smile on their faces whenever they receive gifts is enough to forget those toys’ price tags!

SCTEx before 2010

Before 2010 ushered in, we went to the province. The kids were so excited about it days before because they're like me. We all love the countryside!:)

On our way there, we took the SCTEx route because it was faster and the view is better. I was able to pass by SCTEx before when I did photo shoots for a menu in a hotel. But I didn't appreciate it then because it was past 1pm and I was thinking of work. And now that we passed there leisurely, I really enjoyed the view!Mt. Arayat seemed nearer when viewed from SCTEx.Green everywhere!Countryside here!A portion of the longest tollway in the PhilippinesI don't know how I should feel about this. The mountain is divided in two, leveled and cemented to give way to the construction of the tollway. What a price nature has to pay for our comfort
and modernization of life! A part of the mountain made stronger by cemented
rocks to prevent landslideAnother mountain crying here!My kids taking a rest in a hammock
Honestly, I felt sad when I saw those mountains. But then again, I felt good when I saw my kids happy and relaxed when we reached our destination in no time. The tollway helped us travel faster. I just hope that with modernization comes our responsibility to take care of nature, too. By letting my kids discover places and teaching them to love Mother Nature, I know I have started them on the right track. I just hope they're good learners!

Have a happy week ahead! :)

Keeping Memories with School Keepsake Book

There are many moms out there who love to take pictures of their kids and keep whatever it is that will remind them of their kids’ childhood. I am one of them.

When my kids were born, would you believe that I kept their umbilical stumps in zip lock plastics and hid them in an envelope? I also kept strands of their hair when they had their first haircut. When they received gifts like feeding bottles, baby dresses, and nap mat, I would take pictures of them so I will remember how my kids were loved and lavished when they were young. But when a strong typhoon sent knee-deep waters on our house, we lost some of my kids’ keepsakes. I just wish I was wiser then to buy stuffs like penny laine baby book to keep some of my kids’ childhood mementos and place them in a place safe from flood and fire.

And when my kids started going to school, I was all the more excited! I wanted to keep almost all the things that will remind me of their first year in preschool or even their years in big school. I kept all their test papers, their artworks, their cutouts and even their doodles! But I realized as I was cleaning our cabinets, I cannot keep all their test papers because they will pile up! So I decided to scan most of them, especially the ones they took in preschool and saved them in disks. But saving them on disks has some disadvantages. When some of their godparents drop by and ask how they were doing in school, I cannot easily show them my kids’ test papers. They just have to content themselves in listening to my kids answer our encyclopedic questions. Of course, they can’t answer all of them correctly! We’re just proud that Gabby loves to answer trivia questions and Sunday loves to explain things the way she sees them.:) But then again, I just wish I have a school keepsake book so I can keep track of their activities and performance in school and show them to people who are concerned about their studies. I think I should buy one soon!

It's Sunday's 6th Birthday!

How time flies! Sunday is now six years old. And before I knew it, she would be sixteen in no time. I really should be spending more time with her before some men takes her attention! Or before she prefers to tag along with her girl friends than to tug at my dress and ask me for a stroll at the mall! (Am I worrying too early?)

Anyway, last January 4, we celebrated her birthday at our house. We should have celebrated it the day before but we waited for her Tita Barbie who came Sunday night from UK. Sunday before she mingled with her guests
Her birthday cakeWe were happy because although it was a Monday,
some of her cousins still attended and celebrated with her.

Happy Birthday to my princess! :)