Busy...

I am busy with these kids. I find joy being a major part in their over- all development. I am also busy with my husband. I feel happy and satisfied that he makes it a point to finish the food with less salt, less sugar and less oil I prepared/cooked especially for him.
And I am as busy as them.

Photo 1: My 2008 pre school children. How nice to see them smile on camera.

Photo 2: My husband with me at Narita Airport. How nice to see him so healthy and fit.

Photo 3: My twin grandkids. How nice to see them at play.

Oh, I've really been soooo busy. Do I complain ? No, I never did. How come one person asked me to take a break? Wow! If she only knew that my being busy is a play for me. Yes dearie, I am busy but I am happy. Can you beat that?

A Teachable Moment at GAP

"Hmmm, all these sunglasses look good for me and my sisters.."
"Wow! This piece suits me."
"Big sis, this is the colour I like."
"Well, well, we have chosen what we like. We can go now."

For children like my grandkids, shopping is just so simple. They will just select the items they like and presto, they can bring the items home. Just like what they did with those sunglasses. They kept them inside their individual pockets and got out of the store without my daughter and me or even the sales clerk noticing that they had those.

When we were inside the car, my daughter noticed those sunglasses. I took that as an opportunity to teach them values in life. I asked my daughter to go back to the store to explain what happened before paying them. With that experience my grandkids learnt that things in the store are meant to be paid. They cannot bring home things that they have not yet paid. Mostly, they learnt that they have to ask permission from their Mom before they can take things away from the store.

This was just a simple situation wherein we adults can make use of the"teachable moment" to young kids. When we make use of those teachable moments, it will be easier for children to understand and remember values and facts of life.

So the next time you go on shopping with your kids, look out for those teachable moments. Don't let those moments slip away without your kids not learning from the situation.

Three Angels

We miss you girls.

We miss you angels.

We love you!

See you soon, again!

Happy Lunar New Year

Happy Lunar New Year to everybody!!!!
May the Year of the Rat brings happiness and prosperity to all!!!

I've tried to post something since I came back from Williamsburg. But I was not able to.

Then, unexpectedly (of course!!) my husband suffered a mild stroke. That was why we spent our Christmas and New Year in the hospital. My husband's condition made us more closer as a family. We learnt to appreciate the importance of each other and the simple things in life. I can still say that we are still lucky. We are so thankful to God for all the blessings.

My family is also very thankful to the SCDF people, NUH doctors and High Dependency nurses, TTSH Rehab Hospital doctors and nurses and especially to Pei Fen and KC, my husband's PT and OT. We thank all of you wonderful people for all the help and care you showed to my husband.

And to this day, though there are a lot of changes in our lifestyle and everyday life, my family and my husband especially, are so very positive in looking at life and in the greatness of God.

So with this new year, we all wish everybody the best of everything.

For My Singapore Stories

Things to tell

There are so many good things and stories about Singapore that I can tell to my grandkids. Chicken rice, the beautiful flowers and the garden park and playground will be the first things I will surely discuss to them. If only I can bring all those to them, it will be more interesting. But wait, the photos above can already make their imagination work.

Alpha and Omega

These past few days I have been busy surfing the net and visiting websites. One comment caught my attention. Here it is:

"... is the alpha and omega of everything bad that's happening in this country today. How can such liliputian person have such gargantuan greed, evil in her bones, is really quite frightening."

Do you want to know who that person the commenter is referring to?

Okay. Do visit this well known blog site: www.ellentordesillas.com

Thank God For You

I received this card from one of my student. I was really touched. And the card is really nice. So extraordinary. It is embroidered. If you want to know details about the card, do visit the company website at www.shevron.com.sg.

Well, I am aware that being an early childhood educator or pre school teacher, is a lowly profession as perceived by uninformed others. But most parents and children alike elevated my profession to a higher level. I am happy.

As they thank God for having me as an important person in their lives, I am also thankful and happy that I have been a part of their lives too.

Desperate Housewives and the Colour Green

Though most playgrounds here in SG look like this neighbourhood playground, it is dear to me as it is where I used to bring my children in the centre for outdoor activities. The neighbourhood views are wonderful. So green and I like green.

For those who want to know what colour green signify, here they are:

Green is the color of nature, fertility, life. Grass green is the most restful color. Green symbolizes self-respect and well being. Green is the color of balance. It also means learning, growth and harmony. Green is a safe color, if you don't know what color to use anywhere use green.

Green is favored by well balanced people. Green symbolizes the master healer and the life force. It often symbolizes money. It was believed green was healing for the eyes. Egyptians wore green eyeliner. Green eyeshades are still used. You should eat raw green foods for good health. Friday is the day of green. Green jade is a sacred stone of Asia.

Green Energy

Green contains the powerful energies of nature, growth, desire to expand or increase. Balance and a sense of order are found in the color green. Change and transformation is necessary for growth, and so this ability to sustain changes is also a part of the energy of green.
Put some green in your life when you want:
*a new state of balance
*feel a need for change or growth
*freedom to pursue new ideas
*protection from fears and anxieties connected with the demands of others

*from http://www.crystal-cure.com/

Months ago, my husband told me that when he was in Mumbai airport, he noticed an advertisement printed on the local newspaper there informing readers about enrollment for Doctor of Medicine in the Philippines. I was surprised and proud of course upon hearing that. It was a proof that other nationalities have faith in Philippine medical schools outside of Manila.

And now that I heard that insulting remark by Teri Hatcher of Desperate Housewives, I feel sad. My daughter commented that since many Filipinos are all over the world making their marks in different professions, remarks like that cannot just be ignored.

So it is just apt that the people concerned should make a public apology.

And for our part, we should also look at it in a positive light. As what the colour green suggest: a need for change or growth.

Chicken Macaroni Salad

I am now home most of the time in preparation for our trip. We booked our tickets last week of August and paid for them a month ago. Why that early when our trip will be the last week of October? We were thinking then that if we pay earlier, the tickets would be cheaper. One thing my husband wanted that to be settled at once. But now that the newspaper ads are showing cheaper tickets, I really don’t know now if we really made the right decision to book and pay our tickets that early.

Going back to my staying at home, well, I really planned to have a sort of short vacation before our flight so I can do chores here like cooking for my daughters.

Before, whenever my daughters have examination, I always see to it that I cook pasta for them. Since my youngest will have an exam tomorrow, she requested a chicken macaroni salad. How can I decline my bunso? I told her that I will prepare the best for her.

The problem was I have not cooked or prepared that salad for a long time. And I already forgot how to do it well. It was easily solved as I searched the net how to prepare it. I read the pinoy cook’s post about it and another one from allrecipes.com. Guess which recipe I followed? I combined the two. Though those recipes and their cooking are excellent, I could not say that about mine. Wahh, I am not a real good cook kasi. But you know what, my chicken macaroni salad turned out to be good. I am proud. Just look….

O di ba puede na rin..... My shredded lettuce, Sun-Maid raisins and a tablespoon of Kraft Zesty Italian dressing made a difference. And pinoy cook's suggestion of chopped chicken instead of himay was a plus.

So maybe my bunso can show me an HD result.. Sana....