HALLOWEEN HANGOVER

Halloween gives me an excuse to play dress up. Good thing I work in a preschool so I get to do this every October. This year, I chose to be JESSIE from Toy Story and I totally enjoyed being a southern belle for a day.

Allow me to share with you my transformation to Jessie. You really don’t have to buy an expensive costume. All you need is an inspiration and a little bit of imagination. 

I bought a cheap cowboy hat at dollar store and painted it red using a fabric paint. 

I used red yarn and I braided it just like so...

...then I attached it to the hat. To complete the look, I tied a white ribbon around the hat.

Then for the top, I put yellow accents using crepe paper and double sided tape.

For the pants, I used white felt paper and cut it the same size as the lower part of the jeans.

Then I made cow prints using black Pentel pen.

And again, taped it on to the pants.

Finally, I'm ready for trick or treating!

Here are some of the costumes I've worn in the past:

 

I wonder what will I be next year? Hmmm...

I HEART HALLOWEEN KIDDIE COSTUMES

Ever year, I look forward to Halloween.

Aren't kids in costume the cutest ever? Thanks to pinterest, I've collected the Cuuuuuutest Cooooolest Kiddie costumes I can find. If your kid doesn't know what to wear yet...get creative and imagine the endless possibilities.

These are my favorites :)

This  cuddly baby shark can bite me all he wants!

Hoot-hoot...little owl.

The prettiest peacock ever.

This black kitty cat can't bring me bad luck.

Another cutie fowl.

Mini Audrey Hepburn from Breakfast at Tiffany's

Little Red Riding Hood

Queen of Hearts...lovely!

Have a SPOOK-tacular and a BOO-tiful Hallow's Eve y'all! 

COLORED PANCAKES

I love spending time with my nieces Jersey and Sydney. They are the daughters I will never have. I am lucky that my sister and my brother in law don't mind sharing them with me every once in awhile. And I thank God for their family everyday! :) 

One time, we decided to cook pancakes for snacks and we ended up experimenting with food coloring to make rainbow pancakes. :) My nieces loved it! They actually loved making it more than eating it because they love being involved in the process. The excitement on their faces while waiting for the result is priceless. 

Serve with a smile! :)

OCTOBER FEST :)

Happiness is BOOK SALE!

There is an inexplicable joy that BOOKS give me, and double joy when they are on SALE!

About a month ago, NBS had a BIG TIME SALE for as low as 70-80% off. And I can't believe how lucky I was with my purchases. I took advantage of the opportune moment to buy Children's books that I could add to my collection. Check out how much I saved. 

Originally priced at Php579.00 but I got it for Php50.00 only! 

Whoopi Goldberg's Big Book of Manners: Original price was Php249.00 but was reduced to Php30.00.

This book I got for Php30.00 from Php99.00.

This version of Goldilocks is putting more weight on the 3 bears point of view.  Original price: Php575.00. Sale price: Php50.00 only. 

Can you imagine? I only paid a total of Php160.00 for 4 children's books? It should have been Php1,502.00   if they were not on "sale". 

This definitely counts as one of the simple things that make me "HAPPY". 

* (Now I can practice reading these stories to my nieces so I'll know if these books are really good and effective. Maybe next time I can post reviews from my 3-year old and 6-year old nieces.) 

Return To Pooh Corner

PRESCHOOL MATTERS

Please take time to read this review from a parent searching for the right preschool for her daughter. The criteria she used might help other parents who are already preschool hunting even before their little ones are ready for schooling.

http://mizhelle.blogspot.com/2011/01/journey-to-finding-good-preschool-first.html

BAHAY KUBO

Aaaawww! Cute beyond words!

"Bahay Kubo" is a tagalog song and hearing it being sung by a foreign kid is simply adorable!

 * Bahay Kubo or Nipa Hut is a traditional native house, recognized as the national home in the Philippines made from bamboo, palm and other natural plant in the country.

HAPPY PLACE

A kid's room should always be a "happy place".

Here are 3 room inspirations that I've designed using the magic of http://www.polyvore.com and pure imagination. Someday, I would love to be able to design a real "happy place" for children.

*crossing fingers*

PINK PRINCESS

Pink princess by BabyBlueBlush on Polyvore.com

NEVERLAND

NEVERLAND by BabyBlueBlush on Polyvore.com


MONTESSORI-INSPIRED

Montessori-inspired Kid's Bedroom by BabyBlueBlush on Polyvore.com

OUR GREATEST NATURAL RESOURCE IS THE MINDS OF OUR CHILDREN

"Laughter is timeless, imagination has no age and dreams are forever" - Tinkerbell

"Innocent eyes see Fairies at the bottom of the garden" - Tinkerbell

"Children make you want to start life over" - Muhammad Ali

"Truly wonderful the mind of a child is" - Yoda

"There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven million" - Walt Streightiff

"He who teaches children, learn more than they do" - German proverb

"We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today" - Stacia Tauscher

"Children will not remember you for the material things you provided but for the feeling that you cherished them" - Anonymous

"A child can teach an adult three things: to be happy for no reason, to always be busy with something and to know how to demand with all his might that which he desires" - Paulo Coelho

...I believe that the quotes we live by say a lot about who we are. I draw so much strength and inspiration from proverbs about children. They keep me grounded and they remind me to not take life too seriously. Stay a child while you can be a child.

HIGH FIVE FOR FIRST KISS

TO ALL THE COOL MOMMIES OUT THERE

One of my favorite website is Gwyneth Paltrow's GOOP. I love everything about it and I look forward to receiving their newsletter all the time.

Check out http://goop.com/

I happen to come across this really cool website by Amanda Griffin. I know I am not yet a mom, but I am all for parenting in style.

Check out http://glamomamas.com/

Another cool mom is Jenni Epperson. I also follow her blogs and it never fails to amaze me with her great finds, yummy treats and interesting stories.

Check out http://www.welovejenni.blogspot.com/

So Mommies, stay yummy! Enjoy surfing!

SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAM FOR KIDS

A big shout out to those who live in the South area near Alabang. Come and join us in our Afternoon Enrichment Program festival OPEN HOUSE this Saturday. We are located at Alabang Town Centre beside The Spa, near Supermarket. 


SUMMER AFTERNOON ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS

COUNTING CHEFS

Cookery and Math

- A cooking class that is associated with Math. The students measure and count the ingredients according to use. It also establishes healthy eating habits aside from learning the different kinds and types of food.

LITTLE SUPERSTARS

Performing Arts

- Your kids will enter into the magical world of fairytales and rhymes, poems and fables through storybooks and theater plays. They will be developing the skills in the performing arts through theatrical plays, dramatization and interpretative dance.

WINDOWS on LITERACY

Reading Program

- The program carefully develops literacy skills as it introduces children to the world of ideas and knowledge using NGS (National Geographic Series) with its eye-catching photographs and engaging formats that provide strong text support.

ABC MUSIC and ME

Music and Movements

- ABC Music and Me is an award-winning music enrichment program for 2-6 years old.  Research shows that music improves your child’s memory, cognitive development, learning skills, and ability to express emotion.  Music makes your child a better learner, teaches self-control, improves coordination, enhances creativity, and inspires your child with a lifelong appreciation of music and movement. Plus, it’s fun!

TAEKWONDO

- is an overall physical sport. It is a sport for the whole physical system where all the muscles and joints of the human body are moved. It develops the muscles and stimulates the brains, thus, developing the will to action. Everyone regardless of age and sex for health and physical fitness can practice taekwondo. For the young, Taekwondo provides a venue for the direction of their boundless energies toward self-deployment. It also naturally appeals to the adventurous nature of youth and provides competitive spirit.

JELIC / MPM

Math Manipulatives

JELIC Brain Power Engine is a comprehensive curriculum of hands-on exercises for mental development especially designed for 3 to 6 years old.  Beside the knowledge development, it also motivates children’s thinking and creative abilities through manipulative experience.  Judgement, Emotional, Logic, Intelligence, and Creative Quotient and operation skills are cultivated through the learning and working process. Math can be fun and can really be easy to learn. Children will have the opportunity to learn the basic concepts of Mathematics in a fun way.

KINDER MUSIK (for babies)

- is for newborn to 1½ years of age. It incorporates the most current research on early childhood development and provides families a special place for learning and connecting with other parents and babies through music and movement. High quality, professionally created class and At Home materials include Kindermusik Foundations of Learning, insights based on current research that educate parents about their babies' unique development.

GOING BACK TO BASIC

Kids nowadays are so exposed to multiple high-tech gadgets. They truly are the "Techy Generation". What makes them such?

* One Kinder student brought an Ipad in school one time and he was very casual about it, like it was just another toy to him.

* You leave a cellular phone to a 2-year old child and he/she would be able to manipulate it in a matter of minutes.

* Preschoolers talk about playing "Angry birds" and Fruit Ninja". (Fyi: These are downloadable games)

* Play time to them means PSP time. It amazes me how focused they can get in playing video games when they normally have very short attention span in school.

These are just some of my observations working in a Preschool. I get more intimidated by "anything computerized" rather than these high-tech kids who can easily figure out how to use an Iphone without reading the manual. Yes, it is actually pretty impressive but I just feel like they are also missing out a lot on the natural way of having fun and enjoying their childhood, which compelled me to inspire parents and teachers to go back to basics. Whatever happened to outdoor play? Personally, I am anti-PSP and all other video-gaming devices for children. Or parents should at least regulate the use of these gadgets and really monitor their kids while playing.

Better yet, why not try the following with your kids:

Kite flying

Water fun: Swimming or go crazy with the sprinkler in your garden

Cook, bake or learn a new skill 

Get a pet

Make learning fun 

Try yoga for kids

Set up a tent at your backyard and "pretend camping"

Let them paint, doodle and scribble on their own freedom wall

Develop creative minds with Play-Doh 

The list goes on and on, but the real challenge is for parents to really give time and make an effort to take an active part in their kids' life especially in their formative years. Working parents shouldn't try to compensate their absence by buying their kids expensive high-tech stuff like the latest models of play stations, wii or Xbox. They shouldn't also get used to leaving their children in "Time zone" for several hours or let kids get addicted to playing DOTA or any of those violent video games. Maybe it's just me, but I strongly believe that kids have better alternatives and we should teach them to make better choices at an early age.