MY DANNIE AND GABBIE

This is my Dannie and Gabbie performing on stage at Montessori de sto nino. It's so amazing to see that they are now growing up smart. My heart leaps whenever I see them on stage..

disheartened

Al Jazeera English - Asia-Pacific - Witness: 'We just followed orders'.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2009/11/2009112654959580381.html

I haven't updated my blog for about a month now because of my busy schedule but, the news break about the Maguindanao massacre really dampened my spirit which I need to share in my blog. It is disheartening to realize that there are a lot of people now without conscience, no human spirit...they consider themselves most powerful and they are willing to trade lives for their hunger for power. Up to now I still can't believe of the gruesome incident that had happened. This is now the world and the country that we live in, it is so depressing...I pray that the victims will be given justice if not in this life, definitely on the next.Let us pray for our country especially for those who hold position in the government.

I got a link of the news exclusive interview of a witness..an eye opener.

PMS What is it???

I think this is one of the important things any guy and every husband should know about----PMS - Pre Menstrual Syndrome.. Every month, I am not spared of experiencing this syndrome. Aside from having my migrane which leads to vomitting, and disminorrhea, It is a point in my life that I feel very depressed, irritable, impatient. I feel that I am worthless and life seems gloomy. At times, I cannot even control my temper and emotions.. Sometimes, I even think I am nuts because of this unusual behavior, and this is one of the culprit, PMS!

What is PMS? Here's one of my research:

Premenstrual Syndrome: PMS is a disorder characterized by a set of hormonal changes that trigger disruptive symptoms in a significant number of women for up to two weeks prior to menstruation. Of the estimated 40 million suffers, more than 5 million require medical treatment for marked mood and behavioral changes. Often symptoms tend to taper off with menstruation and women remain symptom-free until the two weeks or so prior to the next menstrual period. These regularly recurring symptoms from ovulation until menses typify PMS, premenstrual syndrome.

Characteristics:

Over 150 symptoms have been attributed to PMS. After complaints of feeling "out-of-control", anxious, depressed and having uncontrollable crying spells, the most common complaints are headache and fatigue. But symptoms may vary from month to month and there may even be symptom-free months. No women present with all the PMS symptoms. Characteristically symptoms may be both physical and emotional. They may include physical symptoms as headache, migraine, fluid retention, fatigue, constipation, painful joints, backache, abdominal cramping, heart palpitations and weight gain. Emotional and behavioral changes may include anxiety, depression, irritability, panic attacks, tension,lack of co-ordination, decreased work or social performance and altered libido.

So women need not feel that they are going crazy for these two weeks every month. They are experiencing an exaggeration of normal function. PMS IS REAL--

So, guys and Husbands I hope that you will find patience and understanding to your partner during this period. I tell you it's not easy. You just have to be quiet and let time pass until these hormones regulate...hehehe....Ba'jo

BREEZE

Time really flies so fast. I woke up this morning and I can already feel the christmas breeze. Christmas carols are now starting to play in the air, and decorations are already out in the market. Set designs of our studios in GMA are now filled with christmas shades. I have lots of plans this season. I'm planning to go to Divisoria before the start of December and buy materials for my personalized gifts for the holidays. I hope to make it this time because every year I am always part of the Christmas rush. I wanted also to do a general cleaning and do the house make over.. I want to organize, together with salingket kids, a christmas party in an orphange or charitable institution to share some of our blessings and to impart to them the joy of giving..I'm not sure if I can make all these plans that is why I am putting it in writing, it will be my reminder..

BATIBOT

pagmulat ng mata,
langit nakatawa
sa batibot,
sa batibot
tayo nang magpunta
tuklasin sa batibot
ang tuwa, ang saya
doon sa batibot
tayo na, tayo na
mga bata sa batibot
maliksi, masigla. (2x)
dali, sundan natin
ang ngiti ng araw
doon sa batibot (2x)
tayo nang magpunta
tuklasin sa batibot
ang tuwa, ang saya
doon sa batibot
tayo na, tayo na
mga bata sa batibot
maliksi, masigla. (2x)

I am pretty much sure that anyone of my age is singing this song in mind while reading it.. Who would forget Batibot? This is a daily routine of any Filipino child, decades ago...It was when there were only five channels to choose from, and every pinoy child is glued to the tv screens around 9am in the morning..

I can still remember when me and my brother would watch for the colorful puppets Pong pagong, Kiko matsing, Manang bola, ate Ningning and Gingging, irma daldal, kapitan basa... we would always wait for the stories of kuya Bodgie and advice of ate Sienna for the kids..Who would forget manang bola and her perlas na bilog huwag tutulog tulog...isdadada isda, Ako ay kapitbahay, kapitbahay nyo laging handang tumulong sa inyo..bangkang papel, alagang alaga namin si puti, telepono telepono kay daling gamitin..

I still have vivid memories of Batibot,especially their uplifting songs which they have instilled in my young thoughts..It talks about simple things which any child of that time could relate. It is about innocence, friendship, and hope. I believe that it played a great role in our generation..Until now, I always sing their songs to my twins and tell stories of the characters.

It was sad to know that the sprout of cable shows from Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon, the newer children’s show of local stations and the licensing problems swept Batibot from its regular airing.. I really wish that it will be aired again soon and hoping that it will be in our KAPUSO network, GMA 7.

a happy tip

I Love reading books of Andrew Matthews.Some of his works are: Being Happy, Follow your Heart and Happiness now.It tells about coping through life's difficulties, real instances and how to get over it. Here's some of his tips that is very true and should be applied on our day to day activities:

"YOU GET MORE OF WHAT YOU DWELL UPON" - when you are thankful to God for what you have- for the friends you have, and for the good things you got-you attract more good people and good things.

People who always complain about what they don't have, stay stuck. Complainers attract more things to complain about..

Just be happy with what you have now and more will come to you.. Everytime you say a silent word "thank you" to our Creator you become more peaceful and powerful.

This is a helpful tip especially if we have a bad day. I even post this saying on my signature emails. :)

OUR OUTREACH

outreach

nanang preparing for the repacking

twins helping to prepare the stubs

emon distributing the goods

sack of clothes that we solicited

They came one at a time

packs of goods already loaded

this is ruel and his daughter, husband of our helper years ago

This morning, my husband and I had our own outreach for the people in Northville, Lambakin, Marilao who are greatly affected by the typhoon Ondoy. This is our way of thanking our Creator for blessing us and keeping us safe.. I cannot also ignore the people from our community yearning for help..

Yesterday, we bought some canned goods and noodles at the grocery store nearby. I prepared 100 stubs so that everything will be in order, and emon personally distributed it to the houses of the affected families in the area... I also went to my Tita bubot's house to solicit their old clothes. It was a team activity of our family..My nanang and emon did the repacking of the goods while The twins and manang our helper did the repacking of the clothes..We ended just in time for our dinner..

Everything went well.. The smiles and the salamat po of the people coming are enough fulfillment for our efforts..

kapuso foundation and gma artist center

our team with vice mayor, councilor, and kapuso artists

artist center pips

with councilor shalani and my haggard look,hehehe

crowd

the crowd

truck of relief goods

This is a day worth remembering...thousands of typhoon victims from Polo, Valenzuela.. Artistas, Staff, friends with only one goal..to Help...

My eve of Ondoy's onslaught

It's an ordinary friday for me last September 25, 2009. I did my usual routine of waking up the twins, dressing them up for school and going to the office. I was tasked to go to Makati that day with our admin manager to observe a research for the primetime shows and artists of our network. After office, my friends and I will be going to a surprise birthday treat of our friend angie... We went to Manila Pavillion Hotel to watch Marissa Sanchez' show... Right after, we were really surprised because our next destination is... Manila Yacht Club.. It was a couple's night out, we went out with our husbands and were really excited, for it is the first time that were going to ride a yacht.. Rain is outpouring while we are sailing along Manila Bay going to the yacht.. We had so much fun that night while it is raining, we didn't bother, we didn't even know that there is a typhoon..Right after our ride, we went to Cafe Adriatico to eat lugaw to feed our empty stomach.. then we went home...

I was supposed to post our escapade last Saturday and was excited to upload the pictures of our adventure until Ondoy came..This post should be about the fun and the adventure that we had that time..Now I have to write it on a different note, the incident and the experience had hit me..I together with my friends who are also parents of young children, were to close to become the victims...We were at Manila Bay hours before its onslaught..The roads and the places that we passed hours ago were totally devastated.. I haven't uttered any word except, "thank You, Lord" for sparing me, my husband and my friends..

I cannot clearly describe how i feel until now...God is the only one in control of our lives.. and whatever blessings and any condition that we have been spared, we should acknowledge him..He made a point, and that bacame clear thru this calamity..This is the only way I can think of thanking HIM, to help those who are still left in the dark in my own little way, in whatever manner it may be...

-ba'jo^

knock, knock...

It was already 4am when my husband and i got home from a birthday celebration of our friend.. Since then the rain hasn't stopped..When i woke up i saw the dark clouds and heavy rains outside our window but didnt bother, I just thought that this typhoon will leave anytime soon..I then took our usual afternoon nap with my twins..Emon prepared lugaw for our merienda. While he's cooking, someone came knocking at our door..It was Indang's family, our helper years ago.. with her 4 year old daughter,two nieces,and her neighbor with a 3 year old boy..their clothes soaking wet, bodies chilling and starving for food..They came to ask for help because their house and all their belongings were literally washed out by flood..She told their struggle of how they left their town and save their lives.They went to the barangay and evacuation centers but unfortunately it was already crowded until they thought of coming to us..Raymond immediately served them with lugaw that he cooked, gave them clothes and prepared the bed for them to rest and sleep..We gave the children milk and biscuits..


I had a sudden mix of feelings this time..I was guilty of complaining all day because there was no electricity, i havent charged my laptop to access my facebook,i couldnt play farmville, had a bad network signal of smart, and i haven't had enough sleep..I felt bad because Im whining over these petty things while other families are struggling for their lives, lost all their belongings and clueless how will they start another day..It was then that I realized that I have so many things to be thankful for..I thank God that all of my loved ones and friends are safe.. More than that, there was a feeling of fulfillment for the capacity to help and extend a hand for other people in need..I pray for the victims of this typhoon..These too shall pass..

The foundation

These are our core values, vision, and mission...painted inside our classroom wall...Our foundation,desire,dedication...Let your child experience SALINGKET...your child's first step to the big leap..

one brave girl

This is a one lazy saturday for me and my twins, we woke up around 9am and go straight to the dentist for gabbie's pulpectomy session(root canal). I admire her for such a brave girl opening her mouth on the dental chair.. This is our weekend routine because she needs to see her dentist regularly to avoid of her toothaches.. We have been doing this for almost a year because her dentist doesn't want to extract her tooth at an early stage. This might bring her trauma in her next few visits to the dentist.. Because of my admiration of her bravery I couldn't help myself but to reward her for her character.. this time, she got dunkin donuts with icy choco which she shared with her ate dannie, kuya andrei, twins ate tania and toni..

MY BIRTHDAY BASH

friends since grade three with rhian

dannie and tita ninang

kikay, gabbie, and tita ninang

divine daldal

just the start

our nanang and krystal

the extrovert band

the gwapings and rhian

mga kapuso friends

legaspi's

It's past six days but I still haven't gotten over my birthday celebration last Saturday. It was really a bash that day because my husband and i prepared something extraordinary for our friends neighbors and our relatives.. As hours passed, my husband prepared the food, the chairs and tables, the drinks, the tent, the sound system, and the platform..yes! platform. we created a mini stage for the street party celebration.

Despite heavy rains, our guests were coming in, around seven in the evening...the buffet table was ready with lechon, steak ala pobre, lengua, pancit canton, shrimp, rice...puto on it. the extrovert band started playing while the guests were having dinner. Krystal Reyes, my anak anakan, also a child actress in GMA and Rhian Ramos surprised me in gracing my party.. Drinks were served as the guests started to party and bursting out with laughter because of my stand up comedian and a very good friend, Divine Daldal..Our relatives, friends, and colleagues from GMA started dancing as we partied all night long..

This is a very memorable birthday for me because I have gathered most of my friends and neighbors who are close to our family. More than just the celebration, my wish of somehow having a live band for my occasion was fulfilled. The music, the laughter and the gathering are more than enough gift for my special day.

EFFORTS

09.09.09 This is a stormy birthday for me...My husband dressed the twins and they went off to school. He didn't bother waking me up for my special day... The weather is so cold that I didn't even notice that they left.. I was still under my blanket and cuddling my pillows.. When I woke up, I read my mobile phone with 23 unread messages greeting me a very happy birthday...

I get off the bed and was surprised to see a gift from my hubby outside our room..It was wrapped in a pink wrapper and with a message on it. I was touched by his gesture because I know that it is an effort for him going to the mall and such an effort also picking a gift, having it wrapped and placing a message on it because he is not the type who loves to do such things. But surprisingly, he did and I am very happy... When I get down the stairs, I saw the white board of my twins with messages on it also. I noticed that my tears shed out of joy...I was walking outside and my nanang greeted, smiled and hugged me...I opened my facebook account and a lot of greetings were also there...My family from Dubai and my brother osep called to say that they remembered me on my day.. These are what birthdays are all about.. being able to see our worth..being able to feel that we are truly appreciated.

At this point in my life, I am very blessed to have a loving family who values me more than anything, a good health, a circle of true friends, a career, a growing business...I couln't ask for anything more...More than anything, I thank God for everything he keeps pouring my life...

LEARNING HAVEN

This is our seven month old daycare center...It is called "SALINGKET" which refers to an individual who is made a member of a group even though he or she does not possess all the requirements for membership. Derived from the words "sali" meaning to join and "pusa" meaning cat. "Pusa" acts here as a placeholder;

The center caters to the early preparation of kids before the formal schooling... We now have 28 students. Half of it is from the morning session and the other half is the afternoon session. Most of the kids age ranges from two and a half to four years old.

Building this daycare center is not easy but I would also say not that hard for me and my mom who is an educator for almost 30 years now.. except that we really need to establish it within our limited budget.. It is not that hard because it is my Mom's passion to teach and mold the minds and characters of the kids.It is her calling...The center is built out of the desire to produce well rounded and competent individuals with good character..More than just the business, it is a fulfillment to see a child's progress thru proper teaching and education..

I will be posting more about salingket in the next few days...our mission/vision and our core values..

Have you ever taught your children how to pay respect in a Filipino way, like "pagmamano"? Ask even a two year old child from Salingket and they will teach your children how...

SALINGKET DAYCARE AND LEARNING CENTER
"Your Child's first step to the big leap"
2nd floor Ma. Fe Building, El Camino road, Sto. Nino Meycauyan, Bulacan

MY PAIR OF HEAVEN

This is one of my most treasured videos which I want to share and post on this blog..My twins' ultrasound 16 weeks old..this is the top view of two babies inside my womb, it is just so amazing..We are very blessed to have this pair of heaven..Thank you, Lord...

monetize

My blog is 6 days old..It was last sunday when I tried to write something and finally arrived on - create a blog at blogger.com. It's very easy and user friendly..I've read so many reviews and forums on how to create a blog and was surprised that you can earn also from it.. I have no idea on how it works, but I just told myself to give it a try..I have read the forums and it says that you can earn thru adsense but it really takes a while to get approved, the forum said that it takes a month or 20 posts or so...I was not really expecting to be approved, I just enjoyed writing new post..I added widgets , pictures, and I was excited to write new experiences here..Finally, just this morning, I was so happy to see this in my mailbox....

Congratulations!

Your Google AdSense application has been approved. You can now activate
your account and get started with AdSense in minutes.

I'm really not sure how this works as an extra income, but I will definitely post the procedures..Thank you, Mr. Google! This is simple, but one of the best part of my today...

a seed of faith

"God is good, God is great..Thank You Lord for this day, Bless us in our way, and make us good children always...Amen.


This is the simple prayer of my twins, everyday..I am very happy that at a young age, we were able to teach them how to pray...we are able to make them realize the concept of our Creator, the concept of gratitude and a simple seed of faith.. My constant prayer is to give them a good heart and a life worthy of the Lord..with these I know that everything else will follow..

It's crafty time

My free times are best spent on my craft works, this is where my creative juices splurge and my best ideas sets in..I love the end results of my art works as it represents my positive, happy and simple things in life..It is when my mind is focused and free from any worries..I love to do trinkets and crafty things, until my highschool friend introduced me of POLYMER CLAYS..I initially bought one in deovir SM North only a few bars of it until I enjoyed doing so.. these are not ordinary clays that we buy from any bookstore as it requires baking them in an oven toaster for a few minutes or so..here are some of the works that i would like to post.. iwill be posting more in the next few days..ciao!!

STARS

Nothing really touches my heart than seeing my twins grew up very fast...from the hands that grasp their little bottles to fill their small tummies to the hands that brings joy everyday from school with stars on it...

everyday is a good job, an affirmation that my husband and I have stars also in our hearts as we tread paths of raising our kids...way to go, dannie and gabbie...