It Shouldn't Really Work

Green Mango Ice Cream with Warm Bagoong Topping. What sort of sick mind dreamed this up? Who would think of this? It's too crazy I thought for sure that it was a joke.  This can't be real! Don't get me wrong, I love Green Mango and Bagoong...I die for this stuff.

But ice cream and bagoong together is just too crazy to work!! Or is it? I went there skeptical...I left a believer! It was an experience I can't wait to have again. Oh Sebastian's Ice Cream...why did you have to open near my school?

Homeschooling Helper

My daughter went to a great progressive preschool for 2 years before starting homeschooling for her Prep year. It's great in a way, because she has learned so much in that school. The drawback is that, I am now forced to "re-teach" things she has already learned because that's the required curriculum for Prep. 

The academic adviser was kind enough to really help me customize Andrea's lessons more fitting her strengths and weaknesses. For example, she wasn't given a reading text book because her reading level is already way past what is required. Instead, we were advised to read her longer story books instead. 

I realized that more than the lessons I need to teach her this year. I want to mold her character and her independence.  I have taken to leaving her when she works but she always goes to me to ask if she's already completed the pages for that day so I decided to use my handy dandy (and very colorful) flags.

Basically, our arrangement has been:

• Blue - Monday
• Green - Tuesday
• Yellow - Wednesday
• Pink - Thursday
• Orange - Friday

SHE LOVES IT. She has this sense of satisfaction every time she gets to peel off the flag after finishing the activity. 


We use it for her daily bible reading. 

For her textbooks. 

And even for her story books!

And guess what, I use these flags for my books as well.

I bought those flags for only 20 pesos and I've been using it incessantly and I have barely made a dent on it!

15 Things That Make Me Happy

I watched a show from Bravo where celebrities talk about 10 things they love and basically define their life at that certain point. I thought that was so interesting! I wanted to go around my house and look at the things that make me happy. This of course does not include people...so here it goes.

1. Bible

I have been trying to read the bible every day and it has been very comforting to me. This bible was a gift from my husband just because I really really really need cute things in my life. =)

2. Wedding Ring

This is not the best shot of my wedding ring but it's what I have on hand. My ring has 4 sapphires and 3 diamonds arranged in a half eternity. I like it cause it's different. I like it cause inside it says "Love you more".

3. Pinterest

I ADORE PINTEREST. I can spend hours over there getting ideas as to what I want to do in the future. I actually do try most of the things I find on pinterest and they have all been awesome. I LOVE LOVE LOVE pinterest. I can't get enough of it.

4. YouTube

Another favorite time-waster. My daughter and I both love youtube. My husband does too! I watch the Kardashians, Real Housewives, Scary shows, Makeup Tutorials

5. Buko Juice

If I could drink Buko Juice every day I would. When I feel like my body needs cleansing I drink this and it clears up my skin.

6. Amazing Grace by Philosophy

This scent just gives me a sense of relaxation and peace...and happiness!

7.  Ghost Adventures the TV Show

I love scary documentaries and this is my favorite for this month. Ruy and I watch this to relax because God knows how stressed we have been.

8. Notebooks

I love notebooks. I have so many and I still keep on wanting more. I always, always need to have one with me to write anything.

9. Tumblers

I love water bottles and tumblers. I have soooo many and it's completely irrational!

10.  Laptop and Wifi

I am addicted to all thing web related. It makes me happy. It makes my day complete

11.  Chocolate

Le Maison du Chocolat, Chocnut, Goya, Kitkat,....I LOVE THEM ALL. Too much actually

12. iPod

I am constantly on my ipod. I use it for everything and I mean everything. It's my alarm clock, it's where I put lists. I put contacts in, my schedule. I play music, I take photos, I take videos. I read books.  I don't know what I'd do without it to be honest.

13. Plastic Organizers

 I'm a plastic organizer/container junkie and I swear if my husband doesn't stop me, I'd probably be living in a house with nothing but tumblers, plastic containers and notebooks. I use them for storing my make-up. My daughter's puzzles, my daughter's art supplies. My pens and office supplies, etc.

14. Iced, Brewed Tea or Sweet Tea

I learned how to brew and make my own sweet tea at home late last year and I've been hooked since. I just cannot be satisfied with the instant kind now. Drinking it makes me feel pampered and happy. It feels utterly indulgent and it doesn't even cost that much. I have refused to share my recipe to anyone and everyone...even my husband is not privy to my recipe. =)

15. Chats/Talks with girl friends. 

I can go on and on chatting with my girl friends...any of them. I can chat with them for 6 hours straight and still leave feeling like the time wasn't enough. I love people who can hold conversations and that is why I love my wonderful ladies. 

Rekindling my Creativity

This talk has literally changed my output about schooling and education. I have gone from being a staunch advocate of strict, disciplined, private school education to being a homeschooling parent. If what he is asserting is true...if schooling does indeed kill creativity, then my creativity is at it's death bed. I have been in school since I was three and I'm still in school as I started homeschooling my daughter I became a little bit more interested in exploring my creative side. I wasn't ready to jump into sculpture and charcoal painting but I thought it would be fun to start coloring.

I printed a cool print, got some coloring pencils...my ipod and locked myself inside my library.

I fell in love with this print and I really wanted to just relax and do something I wouldn't normally do. I spent 30 minutes and this is what I came up with....

I thought that my work is pathetic. That's it? 30 minutes and that's all I have? Sheesh. Ken Robinson is right, my creativity is dead. Good thing I have more prints to work on.