WG8: Greens and All Things Fresh

I've mentioned in one of my previous posts that I always wanted to go to the province to breathe some fresh air.

And whenever I wish for something, I always do something to achieve or have it. So off to the province we went last Saturday. We have more important things to do, and though the finances tell us that that weekend is best spent at home, we still pushed through with that impromptu getaway.
Nothing is more relaxing than to see greens all around you.Sunday always falls in love with my mother's garden.
Her Lola grows eggplants, stringbeans, pineapples, camote tops, etc.I wished we have this hammock at home!
Gabby and Sunday enjoyed this so much!I grew up climbing trees with my sisters.
I want my kids to experience it and so up the mango tree we climbed!Monkeys from Manila! :)

Spending a day or two away from the hustle and bustle of the city is really one relaxing getaway! We enjoyed it a lot! :)

WG7: Shrine of Valor Visit

I’ve always wanted to revisit Dambana ng Kagitingan (Shrine of Valor) in Mt. Samat, Pilar, Bataan.

I’ve been there twice before when I was still single. Now that I have kids, I wanted Gabby and Sunday to visit it too and experience how it is like having a bird’s eye view of Bataan and its surrounding provinces, including the buildings in Roxas Boulevard and some parts of Cavite!

Saturday was a perfect day because it was sunny and the kids were in good health. (Thank God for the latter --or both!) So we went there and the kids were so excited and had so much fun while running around and learning a bit of our nation’s history.
This huge white cross also serves as view deck with an elevator that will lead you to the left and right wings/arms of the cross.The view from the left wing. Very scenic!Many foreign and local tourists were there that day but for reasons I don't know, I was able to take a pic of the shrine without any guests!Gabby and Sunday having fun with their Dad!This time, I made sure that I wasn't only the photographer, I was also
the subject! :) I was at the left wing of the cross here.Eating time after viewingBye Mount Samat! Thanks for the fun and lessons in history! :)

For more pics, view Ate Beng's post on this!
Have a happy week everyone! :)

I honestly and badly need a makeover!

On several bloghops, I told some of my blogger friends that I am in dire need to diet. My clothes won’t just fit anymore and I have gained so much weight since I started working at home. Working from home has disadvantages. I can eat whenever I want to or rest when I get tired. And that’s where the temptation to eat comes in. And honestly, before I knew it, I have ballooned and have started realizing that heavy is not just a feeling or sense, it’s also a measurement or size!

Some blogger friends resorted to South Beach Diet. But I don’t have the time to buy and prepare that. Some resorted to medicines or preparations that speed up one’s metabolic rate which in turn burns up fatty deposits in our body. I’ve also seen links on Beverly Hills liposuction and even clicked on them just so I will get inspired or dare myself to lose weight. And that got me to thinking, “Will I go that far to go back to the weight that I want? Will being under the knife really worth it? I’ve seen many celebrities here who went through operations and they really looked good after that! Some even resorted to rhinoplasty and other plastic surgery operations just to look better. Hmmm…maybe I just have to lose weight the natural way for the meantime.

Anyway, since I’m not a celebrity but a doting mom to my kids, maybe all I need is Mommy Makeover. My idea of that makeover for now will be a quick visit to the salon for a haircut or to the mall for bulge-masking clothes. :) After all, I know that my family still loves me regardless of the size I’m in!

PS: I'm honestly getting bigger and wider, and I don't want this. :(

Electrolux Frontload Washer And My Passion For Clean Clothes

Being a work-at-home mom, I always have my hands full with chores and design jobs. Preparing meals for the kids, doing household chores and designing take so much of my time. If only I could hire some help, I would---just so I’ll have more time! More time means more chances to meet with prospective clients and more projects for me. And that clearly translates to more earnings, right?

One thing that takes so much of my time is doing the laundry. If only I can just do my designs in the computer while the clothes were being washed without me checking it.
Good thing there’s Electrolux Frontload Washer. Its ENV Time Manager reduces cycle time by at least 70%. That means shorter wash cycle, more clean clothes in less time! I think my hubby, who has a very active lifestyle, would love this feature because he's such a sucker for clean and good smelling clothes. ENV Time Manager also has Delay Start Function which you can set to delay washing at a time convenient to you. So on times when I have to help the kids with their homework, I can just load the washing machine and set it to start washing at a time I presume we’re finished with the school works. What great help!

Electrolux Frontload Washer is not yet mine, but I so love to have one! It’s such a dream-washing machine-come-true that I am sharing with you on how you can have one, too!

There are two ways to win:
1. Answer their survey here.
2. And/Or blog about Electrolux Frontload washer or this contest from April 20 to June 30, 2009. Subject of the blog must be “How will an Electrolux Frontload washer complement your passion for clothes?” The blog must not be more than 300 words and send the link of your post to downloadafrontload@electrolux.com.

Join now and wash those laundry blues away! :)

WG6: An Outing at Pisa Dive, Batangas

As promised in one of my previous posts, here are the pics of our trip to an island resort in Pisa, Batangas last year. It was a company outing and the kids had fun because the place was so peaceful and all they had to do was swim, play and sleep.

Pisa is one of the barangays of the municipality of Tingloy, Batangas. Tingloy is famous for its over 30 dive points.

The beach is so beautiful! The sand is kinda rocky, but it's alright because once you dip into the water, you will find Nemos and other sea creatures swimming near you!

as usual, I was the photographer...Gabby and Sunday with the kids of my former officemateslazy afternoon
It was so fun there! The island is so peaceful and life is so simple.

Happy week ahead! :)

WG5: A Day At The Park

Last Saturday, we were bored and wanted to spend the afternoon in a different cheap yet fun way. Tired of going to the mall on weekends, we decided to head to Rizal Park!

The kids were excited because they miss our nights on Harbor Square or on the bay of SM Mall of Asia. Gabby and Sunday are just like me---we all love to sit and watch the sunset. When we reached the place, I didn’t expect that there were activities that families can do there!
Rizal monumentone of the many attractions in Rizal ParkThey're not birds, they're not planes...they're kites! P60 for small and P100++ for big onesThere's a playground near Manila Ocean Park where kids
can play. Actually, I spotted some adults who played there, too! :)Gabby and Sunday spent almost the rest of the afternoon hereI tried this one, too! It's fun!
(Okay, I was one of the adults mentioned above :)
I think we will go back there before the summer vacation ends. We want to try kite-flying! I haven't done that in years! Happy rest of the week! :)

Art Activity1: Salty Art

As promised, here is art activity #1. This is so easy to do and the kids will surely have fun time doing this. The purpose of this activity is for them to see the reaction of the salt with color. This activity is good in teaching Science and Art at the same time. Enjoy! :)
Materials needed: Matte white or light-colored paper,
watercolor, salt and brushes (of course!)
Art Time:1. Using watercolor and brush, let your kid/s draw any object/s
that they want to. (Best subject: underwater or skyscape).2. Once done with their watercolor art, let your kids sprinkle
salt on their still-wet drawing. The salt absorbs the watercolor,
creating a texture that cannot be achieved by plain painting.
3. Leave their paintings to dry and when it's completely dry,
brush off the salt.
Sunday's Salty Art
Tips:
*Don't sprinkle too much salt to achieve a natural effect.
*Don't arrange the salt on your painting. Sprinkle in random.
*Don't sprinkle on too dry or too wet wash or paints.
*Any salt is good but ground rock salt is better.

WG4: Casa Leonida, Pansol

We spent Good Friday and half of Black Saturday at Casa Leonida in Pansol, Laguna. My sister invited us and of course, I didn't say no because the kids were so excited about it. They also had bonding moments with their cousins. Gabby and Sunday had so much fun!

You can be sure that the water on the pool is clean because they fill it up just when you're about to arrive

Gabby looking down at the swimming pools from the second floor where the bedrooms are

Time to swim in the two hot spring swimming pools for adults and kids

The kids enjoyed singing at the videoke after eating dinner

 

sleep time!

The following morning, the kids swam for about two hours more and played billiards

I really think they'll miss this resort. Sunday even told me that she can live here forever! :)

Furniture For My Mom's House

My father-in-law is very good in carpentry. He can build bookshelves, tables and chairs from planks of wood which you think should be thrown away. He once made a bookshelf for Gabby and Sunday and he painted it brown. But because he used substandard wood, it became wobbly and the drawers broke apart just after a year. But I still trust him in making furniture which I dream of giving to my mother who lives in the province. If my father-in-law ever sees the rustic furniture on Scenic Furniture, he surely will get excited and will have inspiration from the furniture offered there.
I like the Red Oak Barnwood Hutch. I have been dreaming of giving that kind of furniture to my mother. Her pieces of furniture are mostly made of wood and that hutch will complement them. I just wish she would have an island table so my mother can just do the food preparation in one place.

Tall Order: Pamper Your Pets!

I once worked in a pharmaceutical company dealing with veterinary and human medicines. The job entails that I design booths and standees and set them up on location. The company usually joins dog shows and other trade shows related to animal care so I always had fun tagging along since I love dogs! I was able to know and photograph some rare dog breeds and be amazed at how their owners spend so much in taking care of them.After every booth set-up, we usually hang around to check the other exhibitors’ products like dog food, dog clothes and dog carriers. One of the products on display that caught my attention was the elevated dog feeder. I thought, “What a well-cared-for dog must it be if his owner buys him this!” The staff manning that booth explained to me that dogs, especially the tall ones, experience stress when eating from low-lying bowls. Hmm, so Great Dane and Afghan Hound must love these feeders!

It's really good attending trade shows, you learn so much! :)