At first, I was not too sure if the hubby will approve when he finds out that the i-Shine at Singing workshop will be held at Center for Pop. While I know for a fact that Center for Pop has quite a handful of products who have made names for themselves, we really are leaning towards the classical way of singing, where you just don’t open your mouth and try to produce a melodious sound without much consideration on its dynamics. We have learned for sometime now, even as we are essentially a singing family, that sing the wrong way and you are bound to hurt your throat one way or another. This is precisely why we trust the services of Teacher Pau (our son’s voice coach and Music teacher). She hails from my reputable Alma Mater, UST. She’s from Conservatory of Music. But that’s another blog post altogether.
Coach Weng instructs Jed to do some vocal exercise
We always knew that our son has a knack for singing. He has been humming tunes since he can barely talk and even up to now, he’d either sing or hum first thing in the morning. This is also how we know he’s already awake. This is also why we would love for him to nurture his gift in singing. He has always been in tune since he was an infant and now he is already able to do second voice on his own. His Papa sure is thrilled to be driving as he listens to his son singing second voice to the one playing on radio. I can’t even, for the life of me, get myself to even listen to a second voice. Much less sing to one. Read the rest of this entry »
It sure is going to be an eventful two weeks for our family. Aside from the LA Galaxy Football Clinic that our son is going to attend this coming Friday and the friendly game of The Philippine Azkals vs. LA Galaxy, we are flying to Hongkong for our 10th anniversary celebration!
For those who have joined Marriage and Beyond’s 4th Anniversary Giveaway, please expect the winners to be announced a week after the contest. You have until 11:59PM, December 8, 2011 to join.
Meanwhile, we’ve been told that there is a sudden dip of temperature in Hongkong.
As soon as the hubby got hold of tickets for LA Galaxy and Philippine Azkal’s Friendly Game set on December 3, 2011, we immediately inquired about the Football Clinic that LA Galaxy is holding the day before. After learning that only the first 150 children would be accommodated, there was practically no deliberation. It was to be an experience of a lifetime. Yes, we are probably more excited than the little guy. Haha! Registration cost is P14,000/head, which is inclusive of LA Galaxy equipment (jersey, shorts, snacks and a soccer bag).
Although the LA Galaxy Football Clinic might not sound very cheap, I think with what’s included in the package plus the two chaperones who are allowed totally justify the cost. And it’s the LA Galaxy Football Club for crying out loud! It’s the cost we pay for being with the top team. How often do we get the chance to be with David Beckham, Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane anyway? Read the rest of this entry »
Our son is really enjoying the time he’s been spending with his Ninong Ted and Tita Rose lately. Aside from their regular “tea times,” they’ve also been busy recording music this last couple of weeks. I have already synced a few of them to my phone.
Ted told me this is the first recording he and Jed did. They sure had fun recording this and they both were plenty silly.
When I thought about retracing how My Nuffnang Story started, I’d easily see myself transported back to my early years of “working from home” through blogging. After installing the codes across all my blogs, I basically just left them there. It was not long when I received an offer I could not resist. I was tasked to do a couple of advertorials with rates that only my international clients could afford to pay back then. From then on, I was pretty convinced that Nuffnang is one legit entity. I have had seven decent payouts to date. Yay!
While the income that I receive from Nuffnang is something – it does not wholly comprise My Nuffnang Story. In fact, the income part really is NOTHING compared to how Nuffnang was instrumental to impacting my personal life.
Trixie of Nuffnang contacted me in August to write for Philstar Unblogged. I deliberated with myself quite a bit. With already too many shoes I need to fill in, I had my doubts but went right along anyway. With regular blogging, we bloggers basically get away with just about anything – typos that we easily overlook, for the most part. With a mom for a grammar nazi and certified OC at that, there was no other person more qualified to proofread for me. For reference, I have archived articles contributed to Philstar Unblogged by Marriage and Beyond.
At the bottom of one of Mama’s proofreading feedback she sent over email reads…
That was the note I almost missed. Mama was proofreading my “Life in a Fishbowl” article. It was her response to my sentiments about my growing up feeling rejected. This is what vulnerability does to you when you blog.
Before our son turned two years old, Jeff was already set on having him enroll in Trumpets. I think they still had classes at Shangri-la Mall that time. Our leaning was always towards Trumpets as opposed to the more popular pop school because my husband wanted our son to learn about music and sing the correct way. Since it was already a given that our son is musically inclined from before he could utter a straight word, it was best that his inclinations be nurtured the correct way right from the start. I remember showing my husband a free workshop offered by a pop school and all I got was a frown. Teehee!
At 2 years old Jed can play the drums along his favorite Kids Praise songs and w/correct timing, at that.
As for Trumpets, we were not able to go beyond telephone inquiry and we decided to avail of the services of the very talented Teacher Pau of UST Conservatory of Music instead. It was very convenient that Teacher Pau does music lessons right at our home. But when my husband and I got an invite from Promil for its i-Shine at Acting Trumpets Playshop event, we just had to check it out. Another convenience of homeschooling is that we can call off our classes and go take advantage of things like this. The workshop was held at the STI Center of Arts in The Fort, Taguig.
Promil Pre-School and Trumpets Playshop and the Philippine Association for the Gifted, offered some tips for parents to help them hone their child’s potential at home. Cecile Tamura, Vice President for Parents of the Philippine Association of the Gifted, said that the pre-school age is the stage of development where kids begin to apply what they have learned in their earlier years, with emotional development beginning to partner with their cognitive development.
Trumpets conducted an intimate workshop for the kids who were present
If there is one thing we cannot ignore in our monthly roster of bills, it is the electricity bill — Meralco bill, for us who are based in Manila. Trying to ignore it is really not an option. Else you will find your family literally walk in the dark. I have mentioned in a few of my previous posts that I have a mom who is very prudent. I would like to think that this is one of the few values I acquired from her through my growing years.
Meralco AppCal (Meralco Appliance Calculator)
I grew up being conscious of our Meralco bill/electricity consumption. Hence, it is a default for me to not just turn off but unplug appliances that are not in use. My 6 year old son is benefiting as well even as I see him doing the same. It was during an event by Meralco last week that I learned that the Meralco AppCal is now available for download via our gadgets - iPhone, Blackberry and Android. Talk about giving us zero excuse to not be informed when it comes to us being able to take control of our electricity consumption. Thank you, Meralco! My mom will really love this App! I will have to get her an Android unit though. Wait, did I mention that one of her routines during the day (aside from blogging and her soap operas) is checking the electric meters and jotting the readings on her notebook? It used to really annoy me. But then again, it’s the OC in her that we all can actually learn from. Maybe to help us become better stewards of things that are given us. :-)
When my husband and I decided on a whiff to celebrate his 36th birthday at The Boutique Bed & Breakfast in Tagaytay, we were talking about about our cancelled Boracay vacation. We were then in the hospital room where our son was confined for Dengue.
The Boutique B&B was the one place we have been meaning to check out. But for some reason we end up in another Bed & Breakfast in Tagaytay whenever we go swing by. Our son was discharged from the hospital late afternoon on my husband’s birthday. Because my man’s birthday is worth celebrating, I made arrangements as we waited for our clearance from the hospital. We also got our son’s doctor’s approval that it is safe for him to travel. We did realize that it was going to be night time when we arrive Tagaytay but decided to press on even if our B&B stay will not be maximized. This day of celebration was it! We headed home, packed the bags real quick and drove straight to Tagaytay.
The lobby feels of a classic European design, with a quintessential chandelier and a couple of unique box couches.
From the receptionist when I called earlier that day to the staff who accommodated us upon walk in, to the chef who served us our dinner that night and later served us a cake to celebrate Jeff’s birthday, we were very pleased with how they all treated us through and through.
We were led to this quaint powder room as soon as we checked in where we got to choose the scents that we want from The Boutique’s very own “Pamper Me” collection. We chose the scents for our bath soaps, shampoo, conditioner, lotion and room scent. Being a scent person, this totally won me over. And we have not settled in our room just yet!
Our basket of scents
My boys chose Apricot soap and I, Lavender. Lavender for the room scent too, Milk & Honey for Shampoo and Conditioner and Aloe Vera lotion
When I called earlier that day I was told that the “i dream” room is not booked. But we chose the “i desire” room when we walked in because we were told that there is no booking scheduled the next day for this room. This means we can extend our stay an hour longer for free. Before we finalized our room of choice, we got to check out the respective spaces. The only difference of the “i dream” room and the “i desire” room is the wall color. Chocolate for the “i dream” and white for the “i desire” room.
As promised, I am giving a more detailed entry aboutHi-Precision Diagnostics Laboratory‘s role in the early detection of our son’s bout with Dengue fever. We first had our son take the Dengue NS1 test when he had fever last June. It turned out to be viral.
Hi-Precision Diagnostics has a total of 14 branches. I still did not know before that they have a branch in Pasig, or if it was already open then. So our default was to their main branch in Del Monte Avenue, Quezon City. Whenever I go to have my son’s blood tested, I always get asked if I had a doctor’s request. Both times, I don’t. I always choose to have the necessary laboratory result ready when we go to the doctor. That’s just me being prudent and practical. It is for my own peace of mind as well. Even if the doctor won’t request for a laboratory test, with the Dengue fever incidents in the Philippines growing at such alarming rate, it really is better to be safe.
I was asked to fill out the Patient Registration Slip as soon as we got there. During our first visit, I also had my son’s blood and Rh (Rhesus Factor) typing done, while he was already there for blood testing anyway. This earned him his Hi-Precision Diagnostics Patient Card.
The Hi-Precision Diagnostics Patient Card serves as his blood type card as well. My son’s blood type is printed on the covered portion of his card (above photo). This card also serves as a discount card, 10% off on all laboratory tests.
I flew back home yesterday from Davao practically groggy from lack of sleep. Spent time with my son while attempting to work on the side. He was blabbering about the many things he has been reading. But before that, we played “Hospital Story” on my phone for a while after our afternoon nap. I just had to sleep off the migraine that was kicking in.
When he just would not stop telling me about the solar system, facts about the moon, how a particular desert was once fertile enough that farmers toiled on it, I just thought I’d just stop trying to work altogether and give him my undivided attention. I thought of recording a video while he was deep in his thoughts.
Last Sunday, Jeff preached about how God uses our friendships in our spiritual growth. It was yet again another insightful message he shared with us that day. He reiterated how people are wired for relationships and we should nurture our friendships by:
1. Helping each other grow. Romans 12:10 “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love…”
2. Praying for each other’s growth. Ephesians 3:14-19 “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
3. Admitting our own mistakes.
James 5:16 “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
One of the more interesting things I learned that day was about a study made by UCLA. It was discovered that to be a healthy, fulfilled, satisfied adult; we all need 8-10 meaningful touches a day. For me, that’s a real lot! Coming from a family of origin where being demonstrative was not exactly a strength, I’d think I’ll be good with just five. This is in the same principle why some babies who are not caressed fail to thrive. (Failure to Thrive Syndrome)
Today is our 9 years and 6 month celebration. Six months until we turn 10 years old. I can’t believe we’re turning a decade old! Where has time flown? For married couples, the monthly celebration is a good excuse to just get away from their usual schedule. We were like that during our first few years of marriage. But our drifting away from that practice does not mean that we love each other less. It’s just one of the phases of relationships that happens.
The backlogs that I have in publishing entries all across our sites can be overwhelming, so I’m choosing to get back to regular programming by posting an entry on Jed’s 6th birthday celebration in Surigao City that happened early this month. A lot has happened this month. We traveled with Jeff’s family to Davao early this month. Then roadtrip to Surigao City. Daily Vacation Bible School and 8th Anniversary of SBC-Makati as soon as we flew back from Davao and our most recent Bohol trip. Whew! All that sandwiched in one whole month!
Our birthday celebrator and me as we waited for Jeff at Gateway Hotel in Surigao City. Jeff was totally hands on as the family prepared for Jed’s simple birthday celebration that happened at short notice. He bought stuff for the loot bag, grocery shopped for the ingredients of the food and ordered the cake. Thanks to the rest of the family who were all game in helping with the preparations.
The tickets for both our Davao and Bohol Getaway were bought September last year via the 21st Philippine Travel Mart in Megatrade Hall. Each ticket only cost us P270, round trip, all in. A steal, I know! Makes the 4 hours of waiting in line worth it. Save for the one hour delay on our schedule going to Davao, our AirPhil Express experience was fine. This is a first for us to fly Air Phil Express. The one hour delay was forgivable. I have heard quite a number of horrible experiences some blogger friends had with them. But I think they are shaping up, basing from our experience in both round trip flights.
Rarely does a Facebook application catch my attention. Aside from the occasional games I tried for sometime (all of which I have totally abandoned to date), this I Star App has got me thinking. All of us, girls, are sure to be good at one thing or another. Most of which, we hardly know about each other. So I thought it was fun to just stop and think of something that we star at.
I star at being able to juggle homeschooling with the rest of my online and homemaking tasks. It’s a challenge that I thank God I was able to pull through. Although I have already hired an assistant before 2010 ended, I was practically helper free for all the 9 years I was married. This, for me, is something, especially so that I grew up with a house help (a nanny when I was younger) for most of my single days.
The iRig that the hubby ordered through Amazon arrived via Johnny Air last week. He has been on it every single night fiddling with its effects, settings and whatever other things I probably might never get myself to figure out. There are just so many buttons! He also downloaded different applications he will need as he goes about his brand new music recording hobby.
Here are few of the apps that he downloaded from iTunes: (got the list from the email from iTunes ). But I’m not really sure what he used for this particular music.
1. GarageBand, v1.0, Developer: iTunes S.a.r.l. (4+) $4.99
2. AmpliTube FREE for iPad, Complete Fender Bundle, Developer: IK Multimedia US, LLC $14.99
3. AmpliTube FREE for iPad, Flanger, Developer: IK Multimedia US, LLC $2.99
4. AmpliTube FREE for iPad, Chorus, Developer: IK Multimedia US, LLC $2.99
5. AmpliTube FREE for iPad, Wah, Developer: IK Multimedia US, LLC $2.99
6. AmpliTube FREE for iPad, Clean Amp, Developer: IK Multimedia US, LLC $4.99
As soon as we got back from the the dentist’s office this morning, the hubby sat down and recorded the different instruments for the music. The song he chose to record was Hillsong Australia’s “Here in My Life.”Read the rest of this entry »
