Last Wednesday, February 3, the hubby and I were invited, together with fellow bloggers to have a taste of Old Vine Grille and Kuse cuisines (Continental and Filipino) in Venize Piazza at McKinley Hill. It was a sumptuous Pre Valentine Dinner, to say the least. The ambiance was divine and laid back. It was fun how the restaurants’ managing partner, Larry Cortez sat with us for random chit chats – from the history of the Tessie Tomas Salad to our (the bloggers’) passion for photography. I was delighted to know that they are the same company behind UncleCheffy Restaurant in Eastwood Libis.
Uncle Cheffy is where we dined in on our 8th wedding anniversary last December. It made an impact on me because their staff were extra courteous and honest. We forgot some of our stuff in the restaurant and one of them actually went out of his way to come looking for us. We hopped to another restaurant and there he was with all our things – intact. I was meaning to make a blog post of our anniversary dinner but because of the crazy holiday schedule, I never got down to doing just that.
Here are a few of the shots that I took from our divine dinner treat courtesy of Old Vine Grille and Kuse.
Old Vine Grille entrance
inside Old Vine Grille
private room (should accommodate at least 30 people)
I appreciate the people behind Effective Parenting and their partnership with us parents, especially on giving these valuable insights. Sometimes as intentional as we are, we can still get too busy to look at the bigger picture.
To date, I still cannot say if our little guy will be more like Daniel or Samson. Regardless of whatever strengths and weaknesses he has or are still yet to manifest in the future, we hope to be able to continue doing the parenting skills that are shared in this article. Praying that we will be able to instill in him the things he will need to keep strong and press on towards glorifying God in his life.
Is Your Child a Daniel or a Samson?
Daniel was a good-looking young man and quite skilled and intelligent, qualified to serve in the king’s court. He also was a young man of conviction, determined to do what’s right yet creative and respectful with authority. God blessed him and he advanced to a high position in the kingdom.
Samson was also a good-looking young man and quite skilled and intelligent. But he was demanding, selfish, and lacked personal conviction. He was determined to do the wrong thing and had a particular weakness when it came to relationships with women.
What if I told you that right now, someone is choosing if you were gonna live or die. What if I told you that this choice wasn’t base on what you could or couldn’t do, what you’ve done in the past or what you would do in the future.
And what if I told you, you could do nothing about it. Fellow students and teachers, thousands of children are right now in that very situation. Someone is choosing without even knowing them, whether they are gonna live or die. That someone is their mother and that choice is abortion.
Everyday 115,000 children are dying through abortion. A hndred and fifteen thousand. That means that 5,000 children die every hour, all those lives gone. All that potential gone and all that hope and future gone.
Now I know what some of you might be thinking, “It’s not really killing after all. A fetus isn’t a child,” right? Why do we think that just because a fetus can’t talk or do what we do, it isn’t a human being yet? The word fetus comes from the Latin word meaning “young one” or “young child.” Some babies are born after only 5 months, is this baby not human? We would never say that but abortions are performed on 5 month old fetuses all the time. Or we only call them humans if they are wanted. No, fetuses are definitely humans. Knit together in their mothers wombs by their wonderful Creator, who knows them all by name. Some people might say that since abortion is legal now it doesn’t matter, it’s not our business. But if an action is unjust, it needs to be illegal and it has to be our business. And this particular law has a huge impact on our society.
After a while of waiting, a package containing this book (Where is God by Dr. John Townsend) came in. I am happy that I am finally able to go back to my reading. Not that I am not. I have been reading a handful of books, shifting from one to another. Thus, hardly finishing one.
Mandaluyong, Metro Manila (January 21, 2010) — OMF Literature joins in the celebration of National Bible Week by affirming the Bible’s value to everyday life and encouraging daily Bible reading.
On January 25-February 6, the OMF Lit Bookshop offers 30% off all imported Bibles. Customers also get a free devotional for every P1,000 single receipt purchase that includes a Bible.
OMF Lit hopes to help revitalize the Bible reading experience of many through these promotions.
It has been a while since I last wrote about our little guy and some of his milestones. Most of those that are academic related can be found in ChristianHomeschooler.info.
Jed fetching water for Mama. This was a couple of weeks afterOndoy struck. Explaining why Jed isn’t wearing shorts and the kitchen still in disarray. Most clothes are still in the laundry shop. Don’t worry, I asked permission if I could share this photo and he readily said okay. I will have to wait until he grows up, though. I might have to take the photos down when he changes his mind.
Something that I have been meaning to share is his being even more helpful around the house. Right from when he was two years old, he already insisted on helping me with the laundry – sorting and handing me the clothes hanger. He would volunteer himself for every possible task that he thinks he can help me with. As much as I could make use of help, really, there is no way a three year old be able to do anything major. Read the rest of this entry »
The hubby and I were able to attend the launch of SMilDS Connect last week. It was an interesting introduction to a very promising business software solution that will prove to be very convenient for online enthusiasts and entrepreneurs. Here’s to give you a glimpse of what this complete E-Commerce solution is all about.
Kikay Corner has been selling organic thanakha online for close to a year now and the launch of SMilDS could not have been more timely because I have plans to switch to a dedicated online store from its current state of being a mere page in my beauty blog.
I knew I just had to blog about it when I found out for myself how easy passport renewal is done via Pilipinas Teleserv. We are scheduled to fly to Malaysia this year and we knew we had to get this done as soon as we were able. My mom who has used Pilipinas Teleserv in the travels that she has done in the last couple of years, was the one who gave me the number to call, (02)737-1000.
I was pleasantly surprised that it was not so hard to access the Pilipinas Teleserv hotline. What I hate about processing documents through the government is having to go through all its hassles. I did not have to endure it this time. I think it helped a lot that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has partnered with third party companies like Pilipinas Teleserv and 2GO courier service.
When I called the hotline the first time, I was told the things to take care of for both passport renewal and first time passport application. I need my passport renewed, while I have to apply a brand new one for my 4 year old son. Too bad, the hubby cannot avail of Pilipinas Teleserv’s services because he lost his old passport and has got to apply directly, the old school way.
Here are the requirements for passport renewal and first time passport application for a minor:
Passport Renewal Requirements
Old passport
Photocopies of pages 1 to 4 and last page of old passport
3 copies passport sized pictures with royal blue background (no jewelry, wear something that is plain dark with collar)
P1,300 processing fee
Passport Application Requirements (Minor)
Original birth certificate (NSO copy)
Photocopy of parent’s or guardian’s passport (page 1)
One cause of failure of marriage is selfishness. Selfishness points out to the very root of a person’s being – sin. This is why a lot of people will agree with us when we say that marriage is a humbling experience. What could be more humbling than giving up some of the things that you want for the benefit of your spouse. And it does not just happen in one day. An endless cycle of giving is required of every married person to ensure a harmonious relationship. It’s either that or it becomes a one way street.
Of course no one enters into marriage with the intention of failing. But still the sad part is, many do. If we look a step back, we can see that couples are naturally close during dating and then become gradually distant when they get married. It seems so natural for us to want to please our partner when we are still dating but when we become more familiar with them in marriage, the very things that attract you to your mate are now the cause of irritation. The difference is magnified many times over and couples find themselves pulling away from each other as time goes by. If only couples will work harder to please each other as they were in their courtship stage, then things will be a little lot brighter.
I am not looking any further. I am going to talk about our marriage. No matter how much my husband and I love each other, because we are two different individuals, we sometimes want to do things our own way. It is good when we agree on issues, but what happens when we don’t? The truth of the matter is, it is easier to spot selfishness in my mate than myself. What comes next will be a matter of choice for both of us.
Any person who knows how packed my schedule already is could very well conclude that I am crazy for launching another blog — a photography blog, this time. But don’t label me that just yet. I actually consider this as a reward for myself. To finally be able to do what I love to do and actually get better at it.
The hubby is back practicing his favorite game of all time — football. It has been a while since he last joined his team mates in Marikina United. I cannot be more happy for him. He is always so thrilled every time he gets the chance to play in a real tournament.
What characterizes a healthy family? This is what moms and dads seriously think about when problems or tests are encountered at home. They try to evaluate their own family and hope that there comes a time for their family to get past the tests.
So, how does a family become healthy? What must a family have for them to be called healthy? But before I try to answer that question from observing many different families and my own, let me first say that when I talk about family it may refer to two kinds of relationship – the parent-child relationship and the husband-wife relationship.
A good acronym to use for the characteristics of healthy families is no other than the word FAMILY. I will be using those letters to show elements of a health family.
When my son and I attended the launch of Pampers Yoga Stretchycise last week at Gymboree in Manila Polo Club, I cannot help but remember the times when he was still the ever so dependent baby. It was such a short, sweet time. Babies grow up too fast, really. My son now is 4 years old and even though he sat down with me for a bit during the talk, he really preferred to be left alone in the play area with the other kids.
The partnership of baby experts Pampers, the Mother and Child Nurses Association of the Philippines (MCNAP) and Gymboree Play and Music, developed the Pampers Yoga Stretchycise. It is a routine that a parent/guardian does with the baby that combines stretching and yoga moves. It is said to help encourage the development of the baby’s mind and body.
We’re still looking for a health coverage for our little guy. Believe it or not, we have given all the requirements asked of us as soon as I got the copy of my son’s birth certificate a month after giving birth to him. Up until now, we still do not have news if the hubby’s insurance will cover it. It is really frustrating, to say the least. We have been given words that we need to follow it up and all. After several calls, the hubby was told over again to follow it up. We have been following it up for over four years now, for crying out loud.
