28 April 2018

Sophia's McDonald's Kiddie Crew Workshop Experience

Sophia just finished her first summer activity as a McDonald's Kiddie Crew member yesterday. At first, I thought it will just be an ordinary experience for her but turns out she really had a blast. Sulit our Php 695! She just didn't get her McDo t-shirt, bag, apron, cap, chef's hat and notebook but she got to eat there, too – for 5 days! I thought nga that McDo didn't earn anything from it but naku, the parents and guardians waiting for the kids can't help but buy talaga. Guilty mom here for having iced coffee vanilla and spaghetti and chicken and cheeseburger. LOL.


We enrolled her in the branch near us; it's the most calm store among all McDo stores in Marikina. Not that there's no foot traffic but it's situated beside Palmera Center, an exclusive subdivision in Marikina Heights. I expected the kids (and their guardians) to be just a peaceful bunch. But of course, there will always be rowdy boys and adults who do nothing about it. Ha! And please don't start with families who are always late. I mean, Sophia's schedule was 1 PM but there was one family who just kept on coming 30 minutes after... from Day 1 until the grand graduation. I actually didn't care but they have distracted the kids from what they were already doing for each day they came in late. Worse, they are so entitled to having their kids' photos taken. Sorry if I sound so rant-y, moms! I know this is like a regular thing in your kids' schools – annoying mommies, that is. But I'm not just used to it after two years in Sophia's school. Parents there are empathic and decent.

24 April 2018

5 Tips to Get Your Baby Sleep Through the Night

When Sophia was one month old, whenever I'd feel like crying because I don't know what to do with a wailing infant at 2 in the morning, my mama would be in our room to rescue her granddaughter from the crazy, clueless me. Nine years after, now with Samantha, I am practically on my own. Well, I love my baby bear so much but I have to be honest, it's exhausting! So much so that my backpain's agreeing as I write this. Sure, she doesn't wail like her big sister but gosh, putting her to sleep is such a big production number! Fine, let's be fair. It's only tough in the beginning. Once she gets in a deep sleep, she lets me sleep, too – like a true caring boss. Ha!


So how do I do it? Here are my simple but very doable Tips to Get Your Baby Sleep Through the Night that actually work! 

20 April 2018

Chicken Tinola

Having a child who's now in her big kid years surely has its many benefits. One of them is no longer needing to make her food cute just she'd eat it. We are now done with broccoli trees, rice mountain and scrambled egg sand. Well, the baby will soon eat solid food but not those I've mentioned yet so I'm now enjoying the freedom to serve real adult dishes. I'm glad my daughter eats most veggies that I serve her. I trained her to eat whatever's on the table, that's why. It wasn't a walk in the park; there were soooo many table discussions about how blessed she is to have me at home, how blessed she is to have warm meals and how blessed she is to eat more than three times a day. I think it got to her. She now eats well like a sensible adult. I mean, there are older people than me who decided to be picky eaters for the rest of their lives. 


Anyway, one thing that a lot of parents are wrongly doing when preparing food for their kids is serving them a kid-unfriendly dish. And they'd be mad all of a sudden 'cause they expect their kids to eat and like it! So cruel. Folks, food has to be pleasant to the eyes and the palate of a kid, okay. They will eventually learn to love what you love to eat now. Just train them gradually but not in a forceful way. I did that and guess what Sophia's first favorite real ulam that has veggies? TINOLA!

So if you're always lost in the kitchen but wants to sometimes impress the fam with a warm Filipino family dinner, here's my recipe to help you out –

17 April 2018

#MyBabyMyWay Should Be the Official Hashtag of Your Mom Life

My firstborn will be turning 10 on September. That also means, I will be celebrating my first decade as a mother. I claim no expertise on parenting yet but if there's one very important thing that I can impart with new and upcoming moms, it will be this – refuse to raise cookie cutter kids. While it is best for baked goodies, it isn't for children. There is no exact formula on how our little humans should be reared. Each family has its own way, each family is different. However, I strongly believe that our choices as parents reflect the way our kids will be in the future so I hope that we will be more careful in giving what is "best" for them.


How about I share my stories about some of the controversial parenting topics that actually caused a lot of mom battles, caused so many mama dramas? Are you ready to fight me – er, read it? Game. 


Pork Adobo with String Beans

Sophia and I were cleaning the house when she requested her ultimate favorite ulam for lunch. And since we still have veggies left from our Nueca Ecija trip, I cooked Pork Adobo with String Beans! You might have already read or seen a hundred ways to cook this super easy Pinoy dish but if you want a base recipe that you can always go back to for days when you can't think of anything to cook, here it is.