How to Make Fabric Jar Covers

For Christmas giveaways, I decided to give out personalized gifts to the teachers of my kids and some friends as well. We have accumulated a number of nice looking jars at home. Instead of throwing them away, I decided to re-use and recycle. I also want to set a good example to my kids- my daughter even got to help out too! The result- a simple, rustic looking goodies-filled jars, crafted with a lot of heart! :)

Things you need:

jar with lid
fabric
plate or any round template (2" wider than the jar lids)
pinking shears or scissors
glue gun and glue stick or double-sided tape
string, twine or ribbon
pencil/pen



Step 1

Measure your Jar lid. Look for a round template that is 2 inches bigger than your jar lid.

Step 2

Pick any fabric that you want to use. I used the fabric from my daughter's old dress. :) Turn the fabric wrong side up and using your pencil or pen, trace your template on the fabric.

Step 3

Cut around the circle/pattern. I chose a template with a curved design around the edge. If your template is just a plain round circle, you could easily create a pattern with your pinking shears.

Step 4

Iron the fabric to smooth out the creases. Position the fabric on top of the lid. Use a glue gun or a double sided tape to secure the fabric on the jar lid.

Step 5

Tie a ribbon or twine around the lid and attach the tag. Fill it up with goodies and give it away! I filled up my jars with chocolate covered heart cookies and marshmallows for a contrast in colors.

My Family ARE My Friends

Facebook is really great! You are able to peek through the lives of different people: People who once had a very active status in your life and people who now have a very active status in your life. The chismosa in me makes me curious about the lives of my friends from way back. I have had a lot of good friends. I had friends to laugh and have fun with, friends whom I can share my dreams and frustrations with. Now, I don't get to see them often. Some, I don't get to see at all. We somehow lost touch with one another. The busy tide of life may have allowed us to drift away in all sorts of directions. Being too far away from each other may have stretched the strings of friendship too long and too taut at the brink of snapping. Some do snap but some strings just kept on growing longer and longer, giving you time to be busy. Knowing that someday life will find a way to bring back the friendship as strong as it used too. 

Being a stay at home mom with a work at home job has it perks: 

1. You don't have to deal with the poor transportation system in our country- heavy traffic and broken down MRT.

2. You get to spend quality time with your children. My favorite part is that I am able to cuddle, kiss and hug them, anytime of the day. You are able to help them with school and teach them good values, discipline, and the importance of being happy and loving God and their faith.

3. You are able to take in home duties, mom and wife responsibilities with ease.  

But I admit, I sometimes feel a pang of loneliness. Working outside of home allows you to develop friendships with your colleagues. Facebook is great but sometimes it's not too great too. Especially, when you are in a hormone charged emotional- just before your period-mode. Looking at the happy faces of your friends from a certain stage of your life having bonding moments with their current friends makes you feel a little left out. You lose a sense of belonging. You know in your heart that you are completely positively happy for them. But you also know in your heart that you also yearn to belong once more to a certain group of friends, whom you can simply be happy with.

I recently attended the Kerygma Conference, "Lifted High" by Bo Sanchez. He preached about a very simple message: People before things. He applied this principle in having a relationship with your friends. He said that if you place your friends (people) before things. If you give value to your friendships, then in times of need, your friends will be there for you. Again, it had me thinking, "Who are my friends?" It seems as if I had no one left. But then Bro. Bo said, "Your friends are those people who are willing to give his/her life up for you." And then it dawned to me that I do have very good friends.





60th Birthday Celebration of Mama and Papa

They are willing to risk their lives for me. They are taking care of me- have been taking care of me, ever since we were little. I was dependent on them as a child and even until now as a grown woman. They are looking after me. Giving me words of advice every now and then. Giving me suggestions and freedom to choose. They will always be there for me. They will love me, no matter who or what I become. And I will always look up to them and emulate them and love them no matter who or what they become too. They are my siblings...my sisters, my brothers, my sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law and my parents. They are my friends. My family, my friends.

The other half of Sunshine 9 in California, USA

I am surrounded by very good people. I couldn't ask for more. I once thought that friendship is a different concept from the relationship you have with your family. God made me realize that it's not. You can be friends with your husband, your children, your parents, your siblings and anyone you are related to. Look around you. Life is not so lonely after all.

My Loving In-Laws

God really knows me well. He knows that I am a homebody, an introvert. He knows that I am not outgoing and would prefer to stay at home than to party hard. God placed me smack in the middle of a vary large family. He gave me people whom I can rely on in this motherhood/parenthood/married life journey. God is giving me the right kind of 'friends' at the right kind of time. And for that I am truly blessed and thankful.

Girl Bonding? Absolutely Mommy!

Girl Bonding

I love going on "dates" with my daughter. She is sweet, smart and fun to be with. Going on dates with her helps me to get to know her better. It develops our relationship. I also get to teach her some of life's lessons. 

When I was invited by Ban Kee Trading to an intimate gathering of Moms, organized by Absolutely Mommy, I thought of asking Claire out on a date. And since her Daddy would be working, we were left to fend for ourselves, at least in terms of commuting from Fairview all the way to Shangri-La Plaza Mall. As we got ready for our commute, I knew that our simple date will turn out to be a memorable adventure.

Absolutely Mommy's Invitation

The Art of Commuting

I want Claire to experience the art of commuting. We do ride a jeep going to SM Fairview for our after-school dates. But this is the first time that we will be travelling together outside our vicinity using public transportation. During the commute, I taught her about money. I let her count the money, pay and get the change.  She learns self-confidence as she says, "Para po." and as she inserts the MRT ticket into the slot. She also learns how to be considerate of others- to keep her voice down and not to move too much, especially when crammed inside a PUV (public utility vehicle). 

Riding the MRT

A Gathering of Moms

You just know in your heart that a "Mom" organized an event just by taking a look at all the details. There was a table laden with toys. My daughter's eyes almost popped out of their sockets. There was a table for kid's activities: coloring, stenciling (art), book reading- to keep them busy. There was a dessert table filled with goodies and sweets. The food served by Craving's Restaurant was scrumptious. Every detail was well taken cared of.

Toys and more toys!

Dessert Table

The event started at 12:30 PM. We were welcomed by Absolutely Mommy. Lunch was served and Ms. Jenny Fernandez, Advertising and Promotions Manager of Ban Kee Trading made a short presentation about toys. It was a fun and relaxing event. I got to chat with other moms and played with the kids. There was even a hands-on tutorial on making your own loom band bracelet.  The event was capped off by an awarding of prizes and a raffle. My daughter Claire won the best in coloring award and got to take home her very own Chill Factor. My name was picked in the raffle and I got to bring home a Leap Frog AlphaPup! All moms got to bring home goodies from the event courtesy of Ban Kee Trading, so no one went home empty handed. 

Arts and Crafts

Getting a hang of making my own Loom Bands bracelet

Loom Band Bracelet crafted by Mommy Bluey!

It was such a memorable event for me and Claire. An adventure that we would always remember. Kudos to Absolutely Mommy for putting the event together. Check out their website for cool, fun and up to date parenting tips: http://www.absolutelymommy.com/

Not Just Mere Child's Play

Ms. Jenny T. Fernandez, Advertising and Promotions Manager of Ban Kee Trading explained the importance of play in children. She said that toys have evolved throughout the years to keep up with today's generation. From playing out in the streets, children are now exposed to a wide array of toys.  Toys do play a big role in our child's development. But sometimes too much exposure can also be a big problem. Like for example our gadgets / tablets. My kids like playing with the apps in our iPad. In no time, they become very adept at navigating the apps. My daughter, only 7 y/o can even easily access videos at You Tube. Without grown up supervision, this can be a very dangerous thing. And for this reason, Ms. Jenny introduced Leap Pad - the tablet made especially for kids. It has all the features of our tablet but the apps are educational and the content, child friendly. 

The girls are going crazy over this Lalaloopsy doll!

Ban Kee Trading is the leading distributor of high- quality toys and baby products here in the Philippines. LeapFrog, Graco, The First Years, Lalaloopsy, Lamaze and Zhuzhu pets are among the brands they carry. These brands ensure the safety and quality of toys. These toys have undergone research and testing. It considers the developmental age of our children to make sure that our kids learn while playing. Now, we moms can relax and play with our kids without any second thoughts. Check out their website for more info: http://www.bankee.com.ph/

Goodies and Giveaways!

My Goodies! Thank you, Ban Kee Trading!

Claire won best in coloring, her prize: Chill Factor!

My name was picked in the raffle! I won this AlphaPup for my son, Ivan :)

On Being a RareJob Teacher

Teaching is a treasure that I would hold dearly in my heart. When I started teaching here at RareJob, I fell in love with it. I never knew that it could develop me as a person while I was helping others learn.  Teaching gave me a sense of fulfillment. It felt good knowing that I am making a difference in a person’s life. 

Learning a new language is indeed life changing. It breaks down the wall that separates you from the whole world. It bridges the gap that cultural differences bring. It helps you understand others and even yourself better. Teachers are instruments of change. Who would ever know that I would end up in this job and loving it as well. 

So far, my journey has been amazing! I love my students! They are generally very polite, kind and hardworking. Some are funny and easy to talk to while others are serious and can be challenging. Most of them are disciplined and determined to learn the English language. Those who go to work wake up and have English lessons as early as 6:00 am. Some prefer to have lessons as late as 10:30 at night after work. They are very dedicated. I have had the opportunity of conducting lessons to Japanese students from various parts of the world and from all walks of life. 

Sometimes I think about how lucky we Filipinos are for being immersed with the language at such an early age. The Japanese needed to exert more effort to learn and reach out to the world with a language alien to them. We Filipinos are given the opportunity to use what we know. Maybe we have the responsibility to pass on to others the knowledge that we have. Or maybe we have the responsibility to put into good use what we know and make the most out of it. 

As a stay at home mom, this job is truly a blessing. I am able to take care of my husband and my two beautiful children. At the same time I am able to do something productive in my spare time: teach others, learn from others and earn too!

20th Tutor Gathering and Workshop (RareJob Office, April 23, 2014); Kato-san RareJob's CEO

Selfie with my Orange Burst Sisters! (From L-R: Gracee, Khrisna, Me, Jeanilyn)

Our Lunch

I won The Extra Mile Award: for exerting the effort of looking and smelling good! :)

With RareJob Japan Customer Service  (shoes are not allowed inside the office so we slipped  into comfy slippers)

Hanging out at Starbucks after the Workshop

With The Early Birds (L-R Erly, Angel, Me)

19th Tutor Gathering For A Cause (The Circle Events Place, December 7, 2013)  

With Gaku-san COO of RareJob Philippines

With Tutor Maria... She referred me to RareJob. Thanks! :)

With Kato-san RareJob's CEO and Gaku-san RareJob's COO and my co-tutor

RareJob, Chances for Everyone, Everywhere. Work at YOUR PLACE at YOUR own PACE. Be an Online English Tutor. If you want to work as an English Tutor at RareJob, All you need is the following: 

• Must be at least 18 years old.
• Has stable non-USB internet connection.
• Has the needed computer requirements
• Proficient in English

Tips on Helping Your Child To Read

As a stay at home mom, I have the luxury of being with my children almost all the time. I enjoy reading books to them. But since my daughter is already in Kindergarten and is learning the basics of reading at school, I decided that it is time for her to REALLY learn how to read. I want her to discover the joys of reading. I want her to experience the book coming to life. I want her to spark her imagination and explore a new world that reading books offers. I want her to effortlessly do the reading on her own.

 

She knows her alphabet and the letter sounds. She can read 3 letter words such as CAT, DOG, etc. My challenge is teaching her how to read words with combination sounds. I noticed that whenever she encounters words with complicated letter combinations, she struggles and gets discouraged. She makes a lot of excuses so she won't read anymore- from being tired, sleepy to being hungry and thirsty.  It can get very frustrating for me as her mom and for her as my "student". It requires patience and hard work for both of us. I don't have a formal teaching background. So I had to find a way of teaching her  how to read "special words" so she can gain confidence and enjoy reading as much as I do.

Here's what I did:

1. I tried observing her as we read together and I took note of the words that she's having a hard time reading. For example, she had a hard time sounding off words with "EA" as in BEAN and LEAP.

2. I made a list of these words and classifed them as "EA" words. I made tiny flashcards featuring these words. I did the same thing with words having "OU", "IGH", "ING", "OI" and others- the list goes on. Claire was getting curious about what I am up to and I told her, I'm doing this to help her learn how to read. After I'm done, she wanted to try reading it out right away.

3. My goal was to let her read these cards everyday. I tried to make it fun for her so she will be motivated to read. So, we made it into a game. I asked her to stand at the end of the room and whenever she reads a word correctly, I would ask her to take a step forward until she reaches me. This developed her self-esteem and self-confidence. She began to realize that she's reading the words on her own. She felt so happy about it.

4. To practice on the new words that she has learned to read, I asked her to pick out a book and I let her read it to me- just a couple of pages per day. We did this everyday. Reading drill first (with the flash cards) then reading a book afterwards. Until I noticed that her reading skills are slowly improving.

5. I invest on easy to read books or books for beginning readers. These books have topics that kids like Claire, find interesting and amusing. The words are also not too hard to read.

Now, after all the reading excercises that we have been doing, Claire has greatly improved her reading skills. She even finished reading an entire book all by herself, in one sitting. I am one proud Mommy!  :)

Note:

As I was searching the Internet for more resources on teaching your child how to read, I stumbled upon a website that classified the words that sound the same. Just like what I've been doing. They are called Phonograms. You might want to check it out: http://www.freereading.net/index.php?title=Word_families_(phonograms)

Also, my sister introduced me to Starfall.com. It is a great website for kids learning how to read. Claire absolutely loves this website.

Happy Reading! 

How to Make a Crepe Paper Lei

United Nations Day at OB Montessori Center, Fairview was celebrated last October 12, 2012. Claire was assigned to wear a Hawaiian Costume representing the continent of North America. She wore a grassskirt, bought from Quiapo for P120- I have her Ninang Precious to thank for this. :) It came with a lei for the head, arms and legs but I still opted to make lei for her.

 

Grass skirt and lei

 

Here's how I did it:

 

1. Cut crepe paper into 1 1/2 inches.

 

 

 



 

 

2. Make a running stitch in the middle of the crepe paper.

 

 

3. Scrunch up the crepe paper -like a paper fan



4. Continue doing the running stitch until desired length is achieved. Tie the two ends together and arrange the crepe paper.

 

 

 




Claire's Costume





Claire (middle) flaunting her Hawaiian Costume.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Travelling with the Kids: Hong Kong and Macau Dream Tour

My whole family, for the first time ever has travelled out of the country. We were so excited! But I was a bit apprehensive at first because we will be travelling with 3 kids (my 18 month old infant, a two year old toddler-my niece and my 5 year old preschooler). But then again, we travelled in a group of seven adults and 3 kids: My family, my sis-in-law's family, my parents-in-law plus an aunt. We were able to handle the kids well but we had to say goodbye to a relaxing kind of getaway. Ours was the crazy, chaotic, fun kind of a getaway. It was tiring yes(because of running after the kids!) but we had a great bonding time with the family and it was all worth it.

Here's a rundown of our travel experience: expenses, itinerary, what we packed, and comments on the  tour and hotel we stayed in. Read on!

Destination:

Hong Kong and Macau Tour for 4Days and 3Nights

Airfare Per Person:
1. Roundtrip Airfare (Adults and Kids 2 yrs. old and up) - P 9,708.63
2. Infant - less than 2 yrs. old) - P1,125.20
(Airfare may vary depending on the available flight, inclusions and promos.)

Travel Tax and Terminal Fee (Philippine Airport)
1. Adults- P1,620 (Travel Tax); 550 (Terminal Fee)
2. Kids- Children below 11 years of age may apply for a reduced travel taxt certificate. It will cost you P200 plus the reduced travel tax rate of P810 = P 1,010 per child. This can be applied at the DFA booth at the airport.
3. For Infants (2 years old and below)- you can apply for travel tax exemption directly at the DFA booth at the airport.
(Requirements for the reduced rate and travel tax exemption certificates are: Certified True Copy of Birth Certificate and Photocopy of Passport)

Pocket Money: HKD5,000 per family

Hotel Accomodation at Shamrock Hotel Plus Tour and breakfast:
1. Adult - USD 359
2. Kid (4 y/o) - USD 240
3. Infant- 2 y/o) - USD 75
(Our family availed of the tour package offered by Mosconi Travel and Tours near SM Fairview Supermarket)

 

We enjoyed our stay at the Shamrock Hotel. The staff are friendly and courteous. We were given a room that is quite small for my family. We requested to be transferred to a room with the same rate but big enough to accomodate us. They obliged and we were happy with our new room. The rooms are clean and the beds are comfy. I am particular with bathrooms, and theirs are nice and clean. It has a bathtub and hot and cold shower.  

 

We had our breakfast at the hotel. Since ours was a tour package, our breakfast was set up each morning. We were not a part of the buffet breakfast at the hotel. The food was tasty and filling. But it lacked variety. We were served hotdog, fried rice, scrambled eggs and coffee. The next day was the same but instead of rice we were served bread. I was hoping we would get fruits. My 5 year old was served the same meal. My 18 month old was not included in the breakfast, so I brought cerelac and cereals for him. The staff are nice enough to give him yogurts and eggs for free!:)

 

On our last day, we checked out early because we wanted to do more sightseeing since our flight was not until 7:30PM. The hotel kept our luggage in their lobby for safekeeping, until it was time for us to leave.

 

Trip Intinerary:
Day 1 9:55am arrival then transfer to Shamrock hotel -Free Time
Day 2 Whole Day Disneyland Tour
Day 3 Macau Tour with Lunch
Day 4 Free Time until 4PM transfer to Hong Kong Airport
(Day 2,3,4 inclusive of breakfast)

What I Packed- Essentials for the Kids:
1. Change of Clothes and Undies: 3 sets of clothes per day (1 Pyjamas, 2 Day Clothes). 
2. Diaper (4 diapers per day) for my 18 month old
3. Milk bottles for my 18 month old
4. Milk Powder
5. Small basin for washing the bottles
6. Bottle brush and bottle cleaner (no need to sterilize)
7. Snacks: cereal packs, biscuits, cerelac
8. Drinking water
9. Vitamins, Anti-allergy Med and Paracetamol for Fever
10. Baby Soap and Shampoo
11. Towel for the Kids
12. Baby Wipes and Drapolene (anti diaper rash cream)
13. Hair Clips and Hair Tie for my little girl
14. Cloth Diaper/Bib for wiping- comfort thingy of my 18 month baby. :)
15. Toy/ ipad to keep boredom at bay
16. Harness (Safety First) for my 18 month old boy- a big lifesaver. Especially because he tends to walk around pretty much everywhere.

 

I brought with me a back pack big enough to fit in my kids' essentials for the day: change of clothes, drinking water, 3 milk bottles, wipes and drapolene, small soap, snacks, my camera, wallet and travelling documents. I just replenish the supplies before we go in our next adventure. It really helps to be organized, so you can enjoy and have fun with the kids.

DAY1

We arrived at the airport at 9:55 am. There, we met with Anita, our tour guide from Holidays World Tours and she explained to us the itinerary of the whole trip.  She offered to give us a tour of the Victoria's Peak for HKD 280 per adult. Since this was our first day and it was our free day as well, we decided to avail of the tour. We were all tired from the lack of sleep and travel that we just went along with what she offered. It was a good enough deal because we did not go through the hassle of queueing for the tram ride up to the peak and the view was really nice. We even availed of having our picture taken at the highest point of Victoria's Peak. But take note: There's an entrance fee and you have to pay, if you want your picture to be taken and printed on the spot.

After that, we went to Mongkok Night Market. It was similar to divisoria in Manila but I noticed it was cleaner and there were even shops that carry different branded goods. We were all tired and hungry, so we were not able to do much shopping. We chose to eat at McDonalds. The selection of food is limited to burgers, fries, chicken and chicken nuggets. In the end we all settled for a Big Mac Meal. There was no rice and no spaghetti for the kids. For Claire, I ordered Happy Meal of chicken nuggets in sweet and sour sauce and steamed corn kernels. I ordered Fried Chicken for Ivan. He was so hungry and wanted to eat it all up right away. But I was surprised to find him crying after the first bite. I gave him one more bite and he screamed in pain. When I tasted the chicken, it was really spicy! Poor Ivan. Lesson learned for Mommy, taste the food first before feeding it to your child. :( I gave him milk instead.
 

DAY 2

Our second day was supposed to be a whole day Disneyland Tour. But when we arrived at the airport, Anita our guide was explaining that the itinerary for this day will be a half day city tour with a Disneyland Tour afterwards. We asked if it's ok to forgo the City Tour and just go directly to Disney. But it was a compulsory tour. We decided to go along with it-as if we had a choice-thinking that at least we would be able to see as much of Kowloon as we can.

 

KOWLOON CITY TOUR: We went to the Avenue of the Stars by the Bay Area. They brought a photographer with them and he took pictures of all of us. Later on the pictures were printed in Hong Kong Souvenir plates, which were sold to us at a special price. 

 

Next stop is TSL Workshop, a jewelry shop or factory. Here, we got to see up close, how they make their jewelries. Afterwards, we were directed to the shop where you get to purchase your own necklace if you want to. They have free refreshments on the side.  

 

The Souvenir Outlet is the last stop of the city tour. This shop does not look like an outlet, it looks more like a warehouse where you get to buy clothes, bags, cookies, teas and other items for pasalubong. The shirts here are of better quality than those shirts sold at the night market. But it was more expensive.

 

DISNEYLAND TOUR: We arrived at Disneyland at around 1:30 PM so the first thing we did (after taking pictures at the entrance) was to go look for some place to eat. We found a Chinese restaurant, and tried their lunch set menu. It was a good meal and we were fully satisfied. Energized, we then went out to explore. We had so much fun and I felt like a kid again. Disneyland closes at 8 PM- also the time wherein they showcase an elaborate fireworks display. The Disney tour was awesome. But we were not able to try out all the rides and visit all the areas. Half day at Disneyland is not enough. You should spend at least 1 whole day to be able to see all the attractions and line up for the rides. One more tip, go to Disneyland on a weekday. So you can avoid the crowd of locals and tourists who visit the park on weekends.

 

 

DAY 3

 

MACAU TOUR: We practically just went along with the flow. We rode the free transfer bus going to the Ferry Terminal. We bought our tickets. Then we lined up for the immigration check before boarding our Ferry going to Macau. Don't forget to bring your passports/travel documents with you.

At Macau, we went to the usual sights and had our pictures taken- Ruins of St. Paul, The Old City Wall, NaCha Temple, Fisherman's Wharf and A-ma Temple and Casino. The last stop is at the Venetian Hotel.

The view at night is beautiful, especially when the lights in the hotel/casinos are all lit up. I felt like I was in Vegas. Even the inside of The Venetian Hotel is the same as the one in Las Vegas. We took lots of pictures. We wanted to check out the casino, but sadly, kids are not allowed.

 

DAY 4

We checked out early from the hotel, because we still haven't had the chance to do some real shopping! We went to Mongkok (Night Market), where prices are not too steep. We rode the MTR going there. It was challenging because we are not familiar with the places. But we had a map and it was manageable. The MTR and the whole transport system in Hong Kong is so efficient. The fare is not expensive and you can pretty much go where ever you want using public transport. We rarely encountered heavy traffic in the streets.

We walked around Mongkok and whenever we see somebody, who looks "Pinoy" we call on them and ask for tips on where best to shop. They became our personal guide. I also learned a new shopping trick: Chinese merchants often drop their prices for the first customer who checks out their goods. The reason? They believe that if the first customer of the day did not purchase anything from their shop- the whole day will be unlucky- in terms of sales. I experienced this first hand. I asked a stall for the price of their bags, the merchant said HKD150. I decided to leave to look for something cheaper. To my surprise, she seemed frantic and dropped the price to HKD50! So, I bought 2 bags from her.

From Mongkok, we rode a taxi going back to our hotel and had a quick lunch. We were then picked up by the free transfer going back to the Airport for our flight back home.

***

Travelling abroad on a guided tour has its advantages: First, you don't need to worry about the different sights to visit because they have it all mapped out for you.  Second, there is a tour guide explaining the history and culture of the places you're visiting. They even suggest of the best places to dine and shop. Lastly, it is convenient especially if you have kids towed along. No time is wasted on navigating unfamiliar streets on your own.

Disadvantage: Everything is structured. You have to be on a certain place at a certain time. Sometimes, we wanted to stay longer but we are only allowed to explore for 30 mins.-1 hour. Although we had the choice to stay longer, transportation will be up to us. And it will be difficult to commute with sleepy, tired and cranky kids.