A Peppa Pig birthday party

February 21, 2015, 5:55 pm

I've been asking Miley for the longest time what theme she wanted for her 5th birthday and we've been pretty much set on a rockstar party. I've already had the colors all picked out for the decors (something like pink, black and gold) and have been eyeing giveaways (like those bubbles that come in microphone shaped bottles).

But a few weeks before, she suddenly changed her mind and said she wanted a Peppa Pig party because it was cute! The thing is, she was addicted to Peppa Pig last year then sort of grew out of it. It's actually her younger brother Sabe who watches it all the time now. But I was still happy to work with that theme since she has so many Peppa Pig toys that we can use. :)

Our princess with her Peppa Pig doll. Taken by Sugarpuff Photography.

I started with her invites first. I decided to use the Peppa Pig princess fairy character since Miley even has the crown and magic wand toy. I also decided to incorporate polka dots in the whole theme (check out the washi tape I used to seal the envelopes).

I then made cupcake toppers and used colorful polkadots as the border:

I was looking for loot bags to match the designs I did and I came across these party supplies from Metro Department store. Look at how the colors matched my cupcake toppers exactly! I was literally jumping for joy when I found these. I just had to get them even though they were a bit pricey at P169 for 8 pcs. I also decided to get the matching Happy Birthday banner which cost P179.

The only problem with the loot bags were that they were a little bit narrow. But I figured it was ok since I wouldn't have to buy so much candy to fill them up. ;p

I love buying stuff to fill the loot bags and one thing I found was these KooKoo Birds surprise bags which I got on sale for just P20 each last year from Toys R Us!

I also got these jelly beans from 168 Mall in Divisoria. I love how the colors matched my whole polkadots theme too. The whole set cost P160 and it had 20 bottles.

For Miley's girl classmates, I added these bracelets and rings:

And of course, more goodies!

I also made personalized name tags for each loot bag:

To make it easier for the kids to carry the loot bags, I punched holes in the top and added strings for the handles.

For the kids' juice, Miley helped me pick these out which were colored pink and yellow. I just made bottle labels to cover the brand.

Got these balloons from Divisoria as well. I bought a lot of the star balloons which I also gave out as giveaways to all her classmates. I just wished they came with a stick though, since I wanted them to be like Peppa's magic wand. But the kids loved them nonetheless and they kept saying it was a shooting star hehe. :)

For the cake, I just bought a simple one which cost less that P500 and used the kids' Peppa and George toys as toppers. Cute right? :)

And even though she was celebrating her party in school, I made sure to make a nice set up at home to surprise the birthday girl when she woke up! And of course, so that I can take lots of pics hehe. Oh, and notice the table cloth I used? That's actually the kids' bed sheet which again matched the colorful polkadots perfectly! I just love it when everything comes together with items I already own. :)

So again, happy 5th birthday to our little princess! We love you so much!

↧

The Girl + The Bull

February 27, 2015, 6:42 am

≫ Next: Acuaverde photodiary

≪ Previous: A Peppa Pig birthday party

For our wedding anniversary, we decided to finally eat in The Girl + The Bull in BF Paranaque. We've been hearing such good reviews of the place and seeing a lot of posts about it on social media for the longest time.

People say the place is a bit hard to find and we did have to keep our eyes peeled in order to spot their logo on the building's signage.

In fact, the restaurant's name is nowhere to be found from the facade...

Instead, what greets you when you enter the door are the words "Yep! You've found us"as if you've finally come to the end of a treasure hunt... :)

The inside of the restaurant is very minimal, but that's because I think they've recently undergone a renovation. I do love the chairs and the pictures on the wall.

They have a 1-page menu with only 13 items:

What we really wanted to try was their famous Buttermilk Fried Chicken, which is only available every Friday & Saturday. Check out the presentation, half of the plate lang talaga lol! Parang dapat may rice sa kabila noh? ;p

Anyway, it certainly lived up to the hype for me. I loved the flavors, especially that butternut pumpkin sauce. Yummy! :)

Buttermilk Fried Chicken, smoked paprika, balsamic maple syrup, butternut pumpkin, kale (P430)

We also ordered the Grass-Fed Beef Tenderloin and the meat was very soft and tender.

Grass-Fed Beef Tenderloin, blue cheese emulsion, brown butter, squid ink potato puree, maple red cabbage, torched mushrooms, leeks (P530)

We also ordered the Chicken Bibimbap since this was the only rice dish on the menu. I'm not such a fan of bibimbap in general, but hubby absolutely loved it!

Chicken Bibimbap, gochujang, kimchi fried rice, slow-poached egg, black sesame, nori, market vegetables (P410)

Other thoughts:
- All their servers are young 20-something kids (who all seem so sosy hehe)
- They don't have any alcohol / beer
- I absolutely need rice in my life so I was bummed they didn't even have any plain rice
- It was cash only basis when we were there, but again probably because of the renovations
- The place was full when we went, so better make a reservation

Anyway, this place is a definite must-try. Hope to be back to try their other items on the menu. :)

The Girl + The Bull

346 Aguirre Avenue, BF Homes, Parañaque

0905-5722556

12:00 PM – 3:00 PM, 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM (closed on TUESDAYS and WEDNESDAYS)

Website: thegirlandthebull.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thegirlandthebull

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Acuaverde photodiary

March 3, 2015, 7:09 pm

≫ Next: Tio Pedro: Authentic Mexican Cafe, Resto, Bar

≪ Previous: The Girl + The Bull

We took a quick overnight trip to Acuaverde a few weeks ago. We've already stayed here a couple of times and if you want more details about the resort, check out my post HERE. Anyway, what was nice when we went was that the weather was sunny and cool, since this was the end of January. It felt great to just lounge in the cabanas with the fresh breeze making you want to take a nap. And we hung out at the beach immediately after lunch since it wasn't that hot. Not like during the summer when we'd wait until it was about 4pm to leave our rooms. Plus, you couldn't even sit in the lounge chairs since it would be scorching hot!

Anyway, here are some pics from our stay :)

hello bright yellow trash can photobomber!

"Daddy, don't let go of me!" hehe face of pure panic! Don't worry Sky, we're right here!

first time to semi-swim in the ocean

his and hers

so much happier playing the sand, away from the water ;p

while these two were contented with playing in the shower!

naku, mana kay Daddy! ;p

cheers Dad!

with Mama and Lolo

footprints in the sand

my loves

Can't wait for summer to officially start though! What about you, have you planned your summer vacations yet? :)

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Tio Pedro: Authentic Mexican Cafe, Resto, Bar

March 7, 2015, 3:00 am

≫ Next: Baby Care Rituals for Happy, Healthy Development

≪ Previous: Acuaverde photodiary

Hubby and I were craving for Mexican food one night and finally decided to try this place we had passed by countless times. It was Tio Pedro, which is located in a small space right beside where Chic-Boy used to be in President's Ave. Paranaque.

Thank goodness for this huge banner, because you could literally miss this place without it.

The place is like a hole in the wall joint, which can accommodate about 12 people inside (15 max). Personally, I loved how cozy and intimate it was. The colors were so vibrant and really reminded me of a Mexican fiesta. :)

Good thing they made use of the outside area by adding more tables and chairs (whose colors I love!). Nice place to drink and make tambay at night. ;p

Anyway, don't you just love menus written on chalkboards? :) And I especially love how affordable everything was!

This is what we ended up getting, all of which were so good! And the servings were really very generous, considering the price! Did I mention the burritos are 12" long? Definitely value for money. :)

Nacho Supremo (P90)

Hard Shell Beef Taco (P150)

12" Chicken Burrito (P120)

Needless to say, we really love this place! From the ambiance, to the taste, to the price! Will definitely be back to try more for sure. :)

TIO PEDRO CAFE, RESTO, BAR
27 President's Avenue, BF Homes, Parañaque City (beside the old Chic-Boy)
543-2211

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Baby Care Rituals for Happy, Healthy Development

March 9, 2015, 9:30 am

≫ Next: Updated Family Silhouette Art

≪ Previous: Tio Pedro: Authentic Mexican Cafe, Resto, Bar

Johnson’s® shares how moms and dads can

stimulate their baby’s senses through these baby care rituals

JOHNSON’S® understands that for Filipino parents, their baby’s health and development is of primary importance. This is why we’ve developed sensorial rituals that parents can consistently enjoy doing with their babies. When used with our specially-formulated JOHNSON’S® products, these rituals can unlock the full power of the senses and help baby develop healthily and happily.

We encourage parents to learn more about these rituals, and regularly practice them with their children from birth up until their toddler years.

Newborns aged 0-6 months use their five senses to survive. Their senses allow them to feel safe, stable and secure. JOHNSON’S® advocates newborn rituals for sensory security.

1. 4-Step Newborn Bathing Ritual– Calms the baby’s senses to help him feel more safe and secure.

a. Step 1: Massage baby with JOHNSON’S® Baby Oil to leave a warm protective barrier on his skin.

b. Step 2: Wrap baby in a swaddle to mimic the feeling of the baby while inside the mother’s womb. This will make him feel safe and secure as you lower him down in a tub of lukewarm water. Using JOHNSON’S® Top-to-Toe Wash, start cleaning baby’s face first, and then slowly unwrap him to clean his body. This ensures that he isn’t stripped of his skin’s natural moisture.

c. Step 3: Rinse baby and dry. Lock in the moisture with JOHNSON’S® Baby Pink Lotion.

d. Step 4: Apply JOHNSON’S® Baby Powder on baby’s body, including the nappy area, to protect him from irritation-causing wetness and keep him comfortable.

2. 2-Step Soothing Nappy Care Ritual– Protects baby from irritation.

a. Step 1: Use JOHNSON’S® Baby Skin Care Wipes, which has moisturizing essences that cleans and protects baby’s skin better than water and soap alone.

b. Step 2: Before changing baby’s diaper, give baby’s skin complete protection with JOHNSON’S® Baby Complete Care Powder, which effectively absorbs and repels wetness, reduces skin friction, and soothes skin irritation from wearing diapers.

Infants (7 months to 2 years) use their senses to explore for rapid brain development. JOHNSON’S® advocates daily rituals for sensory discovery such as a playful bath of textures, sights and scents, and a calming bedtime routine for better sleep.

3. 4-Step Infant Bathing Ritual – Stimulates baby’s senses to help his development and growth.

a. Step 1: Massage baby with JOHNSON’S® Baby Oil to leave a warm protective barrier on his skin.

b. Step 2: Cleanse baby with JOHNSON’S® Baby Milk + Rice Bath to nourish his developing skin.

c. Step 3: Rinse baby and dry. Lock in the moisture with JOHNSON’S® Baby Milk + Rice Lotion to strengthen growing skin with 200%* more nourishing ingredients.

d. Step 4: Apply JOHNSON’S® Baby Powder Milk + Rice on baby’s body, including the nappy area, to complete skin nourishment and keep baby’s skin healthy, soft and smooth.

4. 4-Step Bedtime Ritual – Proven to improve baby’s sleep to help him grow and develop to his full potential.

a. Step 1: Massage baby with JOHNSON’S® Baby Bedtime Oil with NATURALCALM™ essences that help baby feel calm, relaxed and ready for better sleep.

b. Step 2: Bathe baby with JOHNSON’S® Baby Bedtime Bath to help your little one let go of the day’s excitement

c. Step 3: Rinse baby and dry. Massage with JOHNSON’S® Baby Bedtime Lotion to foster mom and baby bonding and sooth & strengthen baby's skin.

d. Step 4: Protect baby from wetness while helping him sleep better with JOHNSON’S® Baby Bedtime Powder.

Children aged 2-5 years use their five senses to build an understanding of everything in the world. Their senses must be stimulated with hands-on activities that are the foundation for learning. JOHNSON’S® advocates sensory mastery, which includes getting ready for play and stimulation of each of the five physical senses.

5. 3-Step Playtime Ritual– Supports growing kid’s healthy sensorial development by making him ready for play

a. Step 1: Bathe baby with JOHNSON’S® Baby Active Fresh Bath. Its easy rinse formula is infused with ActiveFresh™ technology that leaves skin clean and smelling fresh all-day.

b. Step 2: To let your child play outdoor more pleasantly, use JOHNSON’S® Baby Active Fresh Powder. It contains ActiveFresh™ technology bursts with fragrance upon contact with sweat, for long lasting fragrance all day.

c. Step 3: Keep baby smelling fresh with JOHNSON’S® Baby Cologne that instantly energizes with an invigorating scent.

All of these rituals are made possible because every JOHNSON’S® product has Triple Baby Protection, which promises:

1) Only the safest ingredients that are proven to be appropriate for babies

2) Mild formulations to avoid irritation on baby’s skin

3) Effectiveness in helping to keep skin’s natural moisture

We encourage moms and dads to make bath time and the other baby care rituals mean so much more to maximize their happy and healthy development. Make sure to spend more quality time with your babies in these different rituals – massage them more, talk to them more, play with them more– to help nurture their ability to learn, think, love, and grow.

*press release

↧

Updated Family Silhouette Art

March 11, 2015, 9:30 am

≫ Next: Removing mounting tape from your walls

≪ Previous: Baby Care Rituals for Happy, Healthy Development

I made a DIY silhouette art of our family back in 2012 when it was just me, hubby, Miley and Sabe.

Removing mounting tape from your walls

March 13, 2015, 9:30 am

≫ Next: Hi-5 House Hits at the Meralco Theater

≪ Previous: Updated Family Silhouette Art

Most of the frames in our house are hung on the walls using double-sided mounting tape.

bought this in National Bookstore for P30

This is mainly because of these reasons:

1. I'm scared and don't know how to use the electric drill

2. Hubby hates drilling holes in our walls so useless to ask him for help (well, he did drill some bathroom stuff for me once after I begged him to!)

3. I have a lot of frames and wanted the option of removing or rearranging them later on without having to deal with holes in the wall

Well, all those frames I've put up the past couple of years have remained untouched, until recently when I updated our family silhouette art. I was nervous since I didn't have a good experience in taking off those adhesive hooks before, which also used the same type of tape. The tape in one hook ripped the paint off my wall when I removed it. :(

Anyway, after all this, I now know that mounting tape is super strong stuff! When they say heavy duty, they mean it! And the thing is, I used quite a lot because I was afraid of the frames falling and breaking later on (none ever did). Now I'm learning the hard way. It was a pain to remove! The frames really wouldn't budge no matter how hard I tugged on them.

What I finally did was to get a knife and tried to slice carefully through the tape. It was challenging since I didn't want to destroy the walls by peeling off whole chunks of paint which would have been much worse than drilling a hole in the first place. Plus I really needed to put some force for the knife to cut through the adhesive. It did work but there was a lot of stuff left on the walls.

At first I thought I had definitely damaged the wall, but it was all just leftover tape. I ended up peeling what I could little by little (because it does come off naman). It wasn't easy though and my hands and fingers were so sore after a while...

I asked hubby for help and what he did was put baby oil on the remaining adhesive to soften it up. Then he used an old toothbrush to scrape off what was left and finally a washcloth to scrub and clean everything up. And it worked! It took a bit of effort but the walls were damage free, aside from a bit of discoloration from where the frames used to be.

yey good as new! :)

So the question is, did I use mounting tape again considering how hard it was to remove?

YES, I DID. ;p

But this time, I used less and only on the sides, not anymore in the middle (since that was the hardest part to remove with the knife). The main thing for me was that mounting tape does its job of hanging the frames and even though can be a pain to remove, at least no holes in my walls!

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Hi-5 House Hits at the Meralco Theater

March 15, 2015, 7:49 pm

≫ Next: Multiple Intelligence & a Progress Preschool Gold BLOG GIVEAWAY

≪ Previous: Removing mounting tape from your walls

We've been wanting to watch Hi-5 a couple of times in the past but it never really worked out. And then the kids sort of grew out of their addiction (although they'd still watch them on TV every now and then). Plus, all the members are new except for Stevie (the blonde guy) so they weren't that familiar yet with this cast. Anyway, we weren't really planning on watching anymore when we heard they were going to be back last February 28 and March 1. But then tickets were offered at 50% off so we figured it was a pretty good deal.

Concert was held at the Meralco Theater this time around. I haven't been here in a loooong time (I believe the last time was when I watched The Little Mermaid years ago when I was in college pa!).

A lot of people were buying souvenirs and merchandise, but they were really expensive. The foam Hi-5 hand was I think about P400! And I knew they wanted it right then, but would forget about it later on (trash na naman sa house). Good thing we were able to convince them not to buy na lang hehe. There was also a Meet and Greet pass being offered at P2,500 for each kid. Maybe if this was the old cast that the kids were familiar with I would have considered? But still, it was super expensive!

There were 3 seating sections: VIP, Gold, & Silver. I originally wanted to get Gold but the ticketing guy said there were no more good seats in that section and better to get na lang in Silver which had available seats in the center. The venue was small lang naman so it was ok since our seats were in the 2nd row of the Silver Center section. However, when we entered the theater, we were surprised to find this when we sat down - THE SOUND STAGE WAS RIGHT SMACK IN FRONT OF US.

the sound booth right in front of the Silver Center section

Since we were in the 2nd row, we could still kinda see over it but it was the kids I was concerned about. They would have to stand on their seats to see properly or have them go to the aisle when the show started. Plus, the tech guys and the lights in their table was totally distracting! I was really getting upset since if I knew about this, I would have gotten seats in the sides na lang and not in the middle.

Anyway, I approached an usher and voiced my concerns. And I wasn't shouting or being a bitch or anything like that ha, I just seriously wanted to let them know that they should have informed ticket buyers about this beforehand. And I think they were already prepared for people to complain since after apologizing, she immediately said that she would transfer our seats... to the GOLD SECTION! It took a couple of minutes for them to find seats but they were able to right when the show was about to start (we were in the right side this time). So thank goodness everything did work out in the end! :)

yey, so much closer to the stage!

bubbles!

totally engrossed...

they had these giant balloons bouncing around in the audience but it only reached the VIP section hehe

dancing to L.O.V.E

Other thoughts for those who will watch in Meralco Theater next time:
- No food allowed inside. We had to deposit the kids' snacks and drinks before entering the theater. We also made sure to exit immediately after the show so we could get our stuff quickly, since we didn't want to get stuck in the long line of people claiming their bags.
- It was very cold inside the theater. Bring jackets.
- The theater is quite small so anywhere you sit is quite fine really. If it wasn't for that sound booth in front of us, our seats would have been perfect. Buti na lang talaga they were able to transfer us. :)

It was a fun show and I'm glad we decided to watch. And the new cast was great too! So nice to see all the kids (and even the parents!) singing and dancing along to the songs. :)

↧

Multiple Intelligence & a Progress Preschool Gold BLOG GIVEAWAY

March 17, 2015, 1:11 am

≫ Next: Saunter your way into summer

≪ Previous: Hi-5 House Hits at the Meralco Theater

The theory of Multiple Intelligences was developed by Dr. Howard Gardner, professor of education at Harvard University, in 1983 to help better understand how children process and learn information.

Basically, there are different kinds of intelligences that a child may possess namely:

Don’t you notice how some children are more talented when it comes to singing and dancing? Or maybe some kids are more creative and artistic, while others gravitate more towards sports. Kids also tend to prefer certain subjects over others like English, Social Studies, Math or Science.

Exposing your child to these different types of intelligences is important so that we may know what their preferred learning style is. Then, we can capitalize on it and help them develop more. I can already tell that my 5-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son are stronger in certain areas compared to others. This is perfectly fine since I can already support their interests and skills and encourage them to be whatever they want to be when they grow up.

BRAIN SMART

My daughter is very creative and loves to draw, doodle, color and do arts and crafts activities. She also likes doing puzzles which she could already complete on her own at a young age! She also has a very active imagination and loves to make up stories and characters as well.

Both my kids have extensive vocabularies and I’m sometimes amazed at the words they use. Like my 5-year old daughter will say, “That’s hilarious!”, “That’s so disappointing.”, “Stop pestering me!” and many more words which I’m surprised she even knows the meaning of! My son has also learned to read on his own when he was just 2 years old just by observing the words he would see when he watches cartoons.

BODY SMART
A child is Body Smartwhen he excels in sports, enjoys physical activities and has excellent fine-motor coordination.

My son can hardly sit still! He just loves to move and touch things. His teacher also told us that he can kick the ball very well which is why she suggested we enroll him in soccer classes. He is also such a good dancer and can copy dance steps like a pro (I swear, he can groove to Gangnam Style just like Psy hehe!).

But don’t worry if it looks like your child is only strong in a couple of areas because that’s perfectly normal. And all the forms of Intelligences are equally valuable and will possibly mold our children into who they will be in the future and what careers they will take. Just look for cues to their preferred learning style and let them express themselves freely. And proper nutrition is definitely important to help give your child the edge with Multiple Intelligence.

BLOG GIVEAWAY!

So mommies and daddies, what Multiple Intelligences does your child possess? Share them with me and get a chance to win a special gift pack from Progress Preschool Gold with special toys for your kids that will further promote and practice Multiple Intelligence.

It’s very easy to join. Just follow the steps below via Rafflecopter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Step 1: Leave a comment below sharing your experience with your child’s Multiple Intelligence. Also leave your name and email address.

Example:

My child has Naturalistic Intelligence because she enjoys nature and likes to play outdoors. She loves going to museums and the zoo. She likes taking care of pets too and wants to become a veterinarian someday.

Name:

Email Address:

Step 2: Follow me on Instagram @mrsmommyholic

Step 3: Follow me on Twitter @helene888
Step 4: Post about the giveaway on your Facebook wall

This contest is open nationwide to my blog readers in the Philippines. It will run from today until March 31, 2015.

See, it’s super simple! So help give your child the edge with Multiple Intelligence and join now. Good luck! :)

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Saunter your way into summer

March 19, 2015, 9:30 am

≫ Next: Hole in the Wall

≪ Previous: Multiple Intelligence & a Progress Preschool Gold BLOG GIVEAWAY

A girl can never have too many shoes. Or sandals for that matter. And with summer just around the corner, it's time to show those legs and let our feet do the talking.

My high school friend Patricia has just started her shoe business called SAUNTER (which means walking in a relaxed manner). And her brand's first offering is the Athena sandals, which come in tan and black.

Made from PURE LEATHER, the sandals are not only stylish but sturdy and comfy as well.

Sizes are as follows:

38 = 6

39 = 7

40 = 8

41 = 9

42 = 10

For orders and inquiries, please email patriciacgayo@gmail.com. And watch out for more styles and exciting things coming soon from Saunter!

↧

Hole in the Wall

March 22, 2015, 9:45 pm

≫ Next: Make your own colors with the Crayola Marker Maker

≪ Previous: Saunter your way into summer

Hole in the Wall in Century City Mall is definitely not your average food court. In fact, this is probably the nicest, chicest, most sosyal food court I've been to in Manila hehe. We decided to eat here a few weeks ago after watching the Hi-5 concert and it was still on soft opening that time.

I just love all the designs and furniture in the different seating sections. Reminds me of the food courts in the Singapore malls.

Every corner is picture perfect, with lots of attention to detail...

the cutest taho vendors!

so many nice places to take pics

Love the table we got right behind this skateboard wall. And can I take home those chairs? ;p

There are lots of food choices, but of course everything was a bit more expensive than what you would find in a regular food court...

this stall had the longest line when we were there...

In the end, we decided to order at Bad Bird, since it had the longest line so we figured it must be good. This was the Dirty Rice Plate (P320). You can also choose the level of spiciness for your chicken so we got "Safe" (for me and the kids) and "Spicy" (for hubby). Although warning, the Spicy chicken was really spicy! Hubby has a high level of tolerance but he was sweating buckets after eating lol! The chicken was really flavorful and I enjoyed the rice too. Definitely a thumbs-up!

oops. someone's taking a swipe of the spicy chicken!

We also got the Street Tacos (P290) from Posporo. Flavors were Adobo Carnitas, Chiken Inasal, and Grilled Tocino. The taste was something different but definitely interesting.

Hubby also bought beer from Mister Delicious. It was good according to him, pero ang mahal lang diba? Kasing price na ng isang meal lol ;p

Overall, I loved the whole ambiance and experience. We will definitely be back to try the other food stalls. :)

HOLE IN THE WALL

4/F Century City Mall, Kalayaan cor. Salamanca St. Makati City

Facebook: www.facebook.com/holeinthewallPH

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Make your own colors with the Crayola Marker Maker

March 26, 2015, 10:16 pm

≫ Next: Gaspi's in SM BF

≪ Previous: Hole in the Wall

My kids have so much toys already that whenever someone asks me what they can give them as a gift, I immediately think of arts and crafts stuff. So for Miley's birthday, we gave her this Crayola Marker Maker. She loves to draw and write using markers (not so much crayons) so I knew she would love this.

I love the whole DIY concept and creating your own custom colors. And if you ever wondered how markers are made, I can now tell you that it's so simple and fun! :)

The kit comes with only 3 ink bottles - red, yellow, and blue. But you can make so many colors by using the mixing guide provided, or just creating your own.

Here's the "core" of the markers which will be filled with color later on. It's like a sponge so it absorbs the ink really quickly (reminds me of a tampon lol! ;p).

And there are all kinds of wacky tips to choose from!

Here's the assembled kit with all the parts:

At first, hubby and I were the ones putting the ink in the measuring tubes. But it really is so easy to do that after a while, Miley was the one doing all the steps!

look at that intense concentration

Our favorite part was putting the core in the tube and watching the ink get absorbed. You can see the ink quickly spreading upward the entire white core which was pretty cool hehe! ;p

After, you just use the tweezers provided to transfer the core to the plastic barrel. Then use the machine to snap it shut inside the pen.

You just have to wait a few minutes for the color to completely spread out, then the markers are ready to use!

I also love how the markers came with labels which you can write the color you made on. And there was also a box which you can further color and personalize.

Of course, this is so much cheaper in the States (almost half the price) but it is also available here for P1,700. I even saw a girl version in Toys R Us, which I wish was the one I had bought for Miley. But either way, I really think this is such a great gift idea for any kid since it's something the whole family can enjoy too. And don't worry if you finish up the ink or made all the pens already. You can buy refills as well! :)

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Gaspi's in SM BF

March 31, 2015, 7:33 am

≫ Next: Skyler's Travel Themed 1st Birthday Party: Supplier Ratings

≪ Previous: Make your own colors with the Crayola Marker Maker

We've practically tried all the restaurants in SM BF already, so we decided to eat here in Gaspi's for the first time one afternoon when we were craving for Spanish food.

First of all, I totally love the interiors especially those brick walls and that glass archway...

Here's their menu:

This is their free bread which was served at the start of the meal. The bread was soft and there was a lot of butter given as well.

For our appetizers, we got Croquetas and Calamares. Both were just ok for me, nothing special.

Croquetas
Chicken croquettes in bechamel sauce
P260

Calamares Fritos
P210

For our main dish, we got the Salpicado and Paella. If I remember correctly, the Salpicado came with rice but since we ordered paella already, we decided to get onion rings instead. However, the onion rings were not crunchy at all and also a bit cold. The salpicao was ok but for the price, the serving was definitely small.

Salpicado with Onion Rings
P450

closer look at the Salpicado

The best thing about our meal was the paella, but even that was just average tasting for us...

Paella de Arroz ala Cubana
P350

Overall, I'm sorry to say that the food was disappointing for us. I don't know if we ordered the wrong things but we definitely have tasted better elsewhere. And for the price we paid (about P1500) sana we ate na lang in Vikings or something hehe. ;p

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Skyler's Travel Themed 1st Birthday Party: Supplier Ratings

April 5, 2015, 3:32 am

≫ Next: Skyler's Travel Themed 1st Birthday Party: DIY elements

≪ Previous: Gaspi's in SM BF

Finally, here's my supplier ratings for Sky's 1st birthday party. Sorry it took so long, it's just that I tend to procrastinate whenever I have to sort through so many pictures. ;p Anyway, I'll just get straight to the point so here goes. Warning, long read hehe!

I have to start with the invite which was the basis for all the design elements and colors of the party which you will see later on. The template of the invite and the airplane visual were stuff I found online.

Caterer & Stylist: PARTY TIME PHILIPPINES
Website: www.partytimephilippines.com
Email: partytimephilippines@yahoo.com

First of all, I have to say I am so glad I found this supplier because they have definitely exceeded my expectations. I loved how the whole party tuned out overall, down to the last detail. Out of my 3 kids' 1st birthday parties, I have to say this was the prettiest in terms of styling because they really helped me achieve the look I wanted. :)

At first, I was thinking of just doing DIY styling but I just didn't want to be stressed out anymore on the day of the party. I considered a couple of caterers and party decorators separately, but what ultimately sold me to finally book Party Time was that they provided both services for a very good price. Upon computing, they turned out cheaper than if I got the separate suppliers I was eyeing at first. And I liked how I just had to talk to 1 point person since it made planning so much easier.

I emailed them asking for a pricelist and they got back to me very quickly. In fact, it was such a breeze corresponding with them. I asked if they had samples of other travel themed parties they did before and they sent me pictures which I was very happy with. What I especially liked about them was that balloon decor for the venue was included in their package already.

Their computation for the balloon decor depends on the menu you choose. For example, if you get the Budget Menu (which I did), number of balloons to be used is 150% of the number of guests. So let's say I have 100 guests, they will use 150 balloons. Of course, balloon number increases the higher the menu package. And I was super happy that they used swags which made the venue look so much better.

I have to say that I was blown away when I first saw how they had styled the venue! And the Tiffany Chairs made everything look so classy.

My favorite part was definitely the stage set up. It was exactly what I dreamed of and more! When we were finalizing the details of the party, I said I didn't want a styro backdrop and was leaning towards the wooden planks I had seen in their other pictures. I was so surprised when I saw the final product because they had also taken the airplane visual with Skyler's name from the invitation I sent them and recreated it! And they also added the maps on either side using the colors from the party. It was such a nice detail that tied everything together.

I super loved all the details at the bottom of the stage as well. So pretty and beautifully styled!

I also loved how they incorporated some of the items I provided like these postcards I made with travel quotes.

Table centerpieces are also included in their package. But instead of the usual flowers, they used luggage bags, maps and other details like the small Eiffel Tower, envelopes, glass bottles, and wooden stumps. What I did was provide whatever additional travel themed items I had like small globes, wooden airplanes and some frames with Sky's pictures. I also made some postcards like I mentioned above which I was planning on just scattering on the tables. But they provided picture frames (the colorful ones) and also small easel stands which worked so much better!

all the picture frames with Sky's picture was provided by me

I also loved how each table centerpiece was different from one another. It made it more interesting for me. :)

For the food, I got their BUDGET MENU which was the cheapest at P300 per person (I had 140 guests). Since the party was in the afternoon, I figured it was ok not to have too many main dishes since it was merienda naman. Party Time has so many good food choices it was a bit difficult to choose. But in the end, this was our menu:

Baked Spaghetti

Beef Pot Roast in Mushroom Gravy Sauce

Mini Pizza

Chocolate Mousse in shot glasses

Citrus Lemon Iced Tea

Steamed Rice

Party Time has different promos depending on how early you pay the deposit. This buffet styro backdrop which matched the stage set up was a freebie. I really loved how it made the buffet set up look so much better. :)

Sorry but I don't have pictures of the food. :( The thing was, I didn't hire a professional photographer anymore and just asked my sister to take the pics. I asked her to take photos of everything but of course she still forgot haaay. Un dessert lang un nakunan lol. But everyone said that the food was delicious especially the beef pot roast. Thumbs up overall!

I also had food carts which I got from Party Time but again sorry no pics. But I got the following:

- 100 Servings Flavored French Fries (BBQ, Sour Cream, Cheese)

- 100 Servings Arce dairy Ice Cream Cart

Everyone was asking me throughout the party who my caterer and stylist was since everyone was so impressed. Their rates are very reasonable and I think they made my party look so much more expensive than what it really cost. I would definitely recommend Party Time to anyone and would absolutely use them again for any of my kids future parties. :)

Party Host & Magician: WIZZO
Contact Number: 0927-6022392
Website: http://wizzo.cabanova.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/magic.by.wizzo

I again searched online for recommendations on different party hosts. Wizzo had a lot of good reviews, his price was within my budget, and most importantly he was available on my party date.

He arrived right on time, was very professional, and had a complete set of equipment (sound system is included in the package) with a couple of assistants. He spoke English very well, kept the audience engaged all throughout his program, and made sure to end on time.

While waiting for the other guests to arrive, his team provided coloring materials to the kids which they greatly enjoyed.

To be honest, I wasn't able to really focus on his games and other activities since I was busy entertaining guests. But from what I saw, all the kids and even adults were having a blast. :)

He also did simple balloon twisting...

And a ventri puppet show which the kids really enjoyed (my daughter Miley said it was her favorite part since it was so funny hehe).

I believe it was his magic show that really captivated the audience though. He asked me beforehand if I wanted to add his 2 special illusions ("Metamorphosis" and "Anti Gravity Ladder Illusion") for an extra fee but I didn't get it na. The magic he performed though was really good and even the adults were in awe of the tricks. Galing na galing sila!

One trick also required the special participation of hubby hehe ;p

Take note though that from what I saw, Wizzo is not your stand-up comic type of guy. If you want a more hilarious, slapstick host, then you should look elsewhere. But all my guests were really impressed with his program and I had a lot of people ask me after for his contact details. I was actually supposed to book him again for another family event this month but he wasn't available anymore. :)

So I have to say that yes, Wizzo was money well spent since he kept all the guests entertained and kept the party fun for everyone.

Cake: SHORTCRUST by PEACHY JUBAN
Contact Number: 0920-9184324
Email: shortcrust@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Shortcrust-by-Peachy-Juban

I just emailed my invite for reference on the colors and design and this is the beautiful output! Only the bottom layer is cake (chocolate flavor) btw. And we didn't serve the cake during the party since I was really planning to use it for our cake smash session a few days after.

I loved the overall look and details of this cake! I almost didn't want to ruin it during our photoshoot but the pictures turned out great (which I have yet to blog about). And whatever cake we were able to taste after was delicious hehe. ;p

Giveaways: HANDICRAFTS ATBP.
Email: order@handicraftsatbp.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/handicrafts.atbp

I had always wanted to order these wooden stools and I figured it would be a nice giveaway for the party. The airplane visual was from the invite and I chose 3 different colors. I got 30 pieces at P95 each. They also charged me P450 for the shipping fee for the stools to be delivered to my house.

The thing was, I got the Mini Stool 1 and didn't realize how small it was until it was delivered to me. The height was 6" and diameter was also 6". They provided naman the dimensions when I was ordering but I guess I just didn't think it would be that tiny (sorry mahina din ako sa math lol!).

This is how small it is compared to a regular sized kiddie chair. To be honest, it looks cute but it's useless to sit on. Pang decoration na lang talaga. It's my fault naman for not checking the size so lesson learned na lang. ;p

Prizes: DIVISORIA and various Toy Stores

I got most of my prizes from Divisoria (check out my shopping trip HERE) and other stuff I saw on sale during the Christmas season. It was so funny since Miley and Sabe are very competitive and won a lot of games so we ended up taking most of the prizes home din lol! ;p

For the DIY elements I did, click HERE.

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Skyler's Travel Themed 1st Birthday Party: DIY elements

April 8, 2015, 8:17 pm

≫ Next: Moms' day out

≪ Previous: Skyler's Travel Themed 1st Birthday Party: Supplier Ratings

This post will be all about the DIY elements I did for the party. For my supplier ratings, read HERE.

TRAVEL POSTCARDS

I just searched online for visuals of travel quotes and had had them printed in 4R size.

I was just planning to scatter them on the tables but my stylist, Party Time Philippines, was kind enough to provide picture frames to place them in...

And also used them in the stage backdrop...

PICTURE FRAMES FOR THE TABLES

I also wanted to use Skyler's photoshoot pics from Luxe Photography and include them in the table centerpieces. I think this is a good enhancement to any centerpiece and certainly adds a more personalized feel. I was lucky to find these picture frames during our trip to Korea last year which was just 1,000 Won each (P40). Super good deal!

PHOTO PROPS

I love looking at etsy.com for party layouts and I found this listing for super cute airplane photobooth props.

I just printed them out and stuck them to BBQ sticks...

I also used the airplane visual from the invite and added the hashtag for the party...

Then I just stuck these in the glass vases in the tables...

THANK YOU TAGS

I just made these tags and attached them to the wooden stool giveaways using baker's twine.

MONTHLY PHOTO WALL

Remember Skyler's monthly photos? I printed them out and hung them on a divider.

Then I just outlined Skyler's name on a map visual I got online and cut the letters out.

Hope you were able to get some ideas for your own party. :)

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Moms' day out

April 13, 2015, 7:18 pm

≫ Next: Food trip at the Salcedo Saturday Market

≪ Previous: Skyler's Travel Themed 1st Birthday Party: DIY elements

I admit that ever since I became a mom, my focus has shifted dramatically to my kids. If before, I'm game for all kinds of gimmicks, late night parties, out of town trips... now I'd much rather stay at home. And I enjoy it! ;p

I love spending time with my family. Lazy mornings just watching cartoons, doing the grocery, bringing the kids to the playdates are what excite me these days!

Of course, there are times that I crave for adult company and conversation too. Especially when the kids are tearing the house apart or fighting with each other... and hubby's at work! That's when I wish I could transport myself to a dream vacation somewhere. Not having to worry about anything but just myself... :)

That's why I was excited when my friends and I decided to have a girls' night out. Aside from our hubbies working together, we are all fellow housewives and moms too. So we all could definitely relate to one another on a personal level.

We decided to start our day by having some pamper time at The Spa in BGC.

Then after we walked around High Street for what else, shopping! We went to Pottery Barn and I had to control myself from going crazy in the kids section. Everything was so cute and pretty!

We capped of the night by having dinner in Olive Tree. We had so much fun talking and laughing that we didn't realize we had stayed until almost 11pm already! See, us moms can party too lol! ;p

good food and company

It was definitely a good break for us and I can't wait for the next one. :)

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Food trip at the Salcedo Saturday Market

April 16, 2015, 9:30 am

≫ Next: NIU by Vikings at SM Aura

≪ Previous: Moms' day out

Surprisingly, this was my first ever trip to the Salcedo Market. I've been to the Legaspi one a few years ago and if I remember correctly, Salcedo is definitely bigger and has more stuff. We went at about 11am, and luckily we were still able to find a pretty good parking spot. It wasn't as hot as I was anticipating thanks to a light breeze, but be prepared to still get a little sweaty (especially now that it's summer). So wear comfortable clothes and shoes! Plus a fan and an umbrella (in case it rains) would also help. ;p

Anyway, be sure to go there on an empty stomach since there's so much food to eat and buy! Here's just some I was able to take pics of:

bread and pastries

sauces and spreads

Delimondo at 5% off

fresh seafood

kale mix chips

Filipino delicacies

There's also other products aside from food that you can check out:

native items

There's a seating area but it was already full, so we just bought stuff and ate while walking around.

wagyu shawarma (which was huge!)

tapa rice

Ilocos empanada

churros

Btw, my friend also had a stall there - Dibs Spreads. These homemade dips/spreads are freshly made, so yummy and perfect for snacking. You can eat them with crackers, chips, veggie sticks, sandwiches, or whatever! They have lots of different flavors but I ended up getting the Basil Pesto which hubby and I finished in almost one sitting. For orders, you can text 0917-8585377 or email dibs.spreads@gmail.com. :)

I'm so glad I was able to check this out and for sure it won't be my last time. ;p

Salcedo Community Market
Jaime C. Velasquez Park, Salcedo Village, Makati, Metro Manila

Saturdays, 7:00 am - 2:00 pm

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NIU by Vikings at SM Aura

April 19, 2015, 9:30 am

≫ Next: A Power Rangers birthday party

≪ Previous: Food trip at the Salcedo Saturday Market

Finally got a chance to check out NIU a few weeks ago with some friends. We were originally supposed to eat at Vikings in SM BF but decided to see what the difference was.

nicely decorated interiors (love those white chairs)

very European feel

rooms for larger groups or private functions (named after European countries)

With regards to food, there were definitely more choices. There were also stuff that I didn't see in other Vikings restaurants, like caviar, foie gras, sake, gelato (in short, mga sosy food lol). Anyway, I'll just let all the pics do the talking. :)

cold cuts

appetizers including caviar and a wider selection of cheese

Niu definitely has more MEAT to choose from!

And I love how they plate the food from the grilling station and bring it to your table.

Of course, the best part according to the boys was the drinks. Everything was already included in the cost like wine, sake, and imported beer. Cheers!

There were the usual fruits, cakes, and pastries for dessert, but there was also yogurt and gelato instead of ice cream. But we were so full na from all the food that I could only manage one scoop of chocolate gelato hehe. ;p

The price of the buffet was definitely much more expensive. We ate during dinner so we ended up paying around P1500 per person. But honestly, I don't think I'll eat here na again unless someone will treat me hehe. Kasi parang hindi naman sulit sakin coz I didn't get to eat that much. I think pwede na sa regular Vikings where you'll spend half the price and still get to eat good food. :)

NIU by Vikings
6th Flr. SM Aura Premier
478-3888, 847-3888, 0917-586-6888, 0919-999-6888
Website: niu.ph
Facebook: www.facebook.com/niubyvikings

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A Power Rangers birthday party

April 22, 2015, 9:52 pm

≫ Next: Our stay at the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel

≪ Previous: NIU by Vikings at SM Aura

It's my little boy's 4th birthday, and the theme for this year was a no-brainer since he's super into Power Rangers!

You should see all the poses he does whenever he watches the show! So intense lol! And check out this quick and easy DIY Samurai Ranger shirt I did. I just got a plain shirt, placed some masking tape to form the "Y" pattern, and used black pentel pen to draw the lines in the center. ;p

I used colored art paper for the banner and just cut the letters out of bond paper. I didn't put the buntings on a string anymore and just stuck them on the wall with masking tape. I liked the geometric pattern this formed. :)

If you've been following my other DIY birthday posts, you know I love using my kids' toys as cake toppers! And just printed out the Power Rangers logo for an added touch. :)

make a wish!

Power Rangers cupcake toppers

Check out his birthday gift which he just LOVES!!! He hasn't let go of this since he got it a few days ago. :)

So again, happy happy 4th birthday to our very own Power Ranger. Don't stop being so sweet, funny, thoughtful, and a big ball of energy! We love you so much! :)

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Our stay at the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel

April 25, 2015, 9:30 am

≫ Next: Japan Surplus Store (BF Paranque)

≪ Previous: A Power Rangers birthday party

Summer is definitely here! In fact, it is so hot right now that I'm reminiscing about our family vacation to Hong Kong last November. The weather was great (cold but not that cold) and it didn't rain the whole time we were there.

Anyway, when we were planning our trip, we knew we were going to Disney but didn't know if we should book at the Disneyland Hotel or the Hollywood Hotel. Based on the reviews I read online, Hollywood Hotel was cheaper, but the rooms were also smaller. On aesthetic though, Hollywood Hotel seemed more modern. A lot of reviews also said that most of the good restaurants were at Disneyland Hotel so it was more convenient staying there. Since this was the first time our kids were going to Disney, we decided to go with Disneyland Hotel na lang. Go big or go home right! ;p

There are always different promos in their website, but during the time we booked, the best deal was the Early Bird package. We got a 1-night stay in a Deluxe Room and 2-Day Ticket Package for 2 persons for HKD 3,987 (P23,500). We just bought the kids' park tickets separately online. On a side note, my credit card got charged twice so make sure to check your bills carefully. Good thing they were able to refund me the amount pretty quickly.

Disneyland opens at 10:00am but check-in time is still at 3:00pm, So we got there at 10am to get our tickets for the park and just left our luggage at their deposit counter.

It was also a great time to go to Disneyland because all the Christmas decorations were already up. This giant Christmas tree greets you the moment you enter the lobby. Everything just looks and feels more festive that time of year. :)

Anyway, we booked the DELUXE room which can come with either 2 double beds or 1 king bed. We got the double beds and they were more like queen-sized to me. In fact, all 4 of us could fit in 1 bed lol! The room was also very big and spacious. But I wasn't such a fan of the overall look of the room since I prefer a more modern vibe. Parang for the price, eto na un? And there were Disney elements but it was very subtle for me. I was thinking lang na since this was the Disneyland Hotel, dapat mas bagay for kids un design or something. I know Victorian talaga ang theme pero sana it could have felt more Disney gets? So I think I would have liked the Hollywood Hotel rooms better siguro...

Based on the rates, the cheapest is the Standard room followed by the Deluxe. I believe it's exactly the same size, the only difference is there's a balcony in the Deluxe. However, the balcony was useless for us since we were on the lower floor and had a crappy view. We didn't even open the doors or step foot outside. So if you want to save a few bucks, just get the Standard room unless you can guarantee a great view (or maybe if you smoke?).

our view was the side of the hotel

The bathroom was a nice size and had a bathtub which the kids enjoyed.

Of course, I brought all of these bathroom stuff home as souvenirs hehe! ;p

I admit, the most exciting part for me about staying in this hotel was the garden maze. The kids just wanted to run around here and we had to remind them that we still had to go to Disneyland pa! Basta, dream come true for me talaga that we were able to see this. :)

grounds at the back of the hotel

you can also see the ocean from here

I decided not to book a character dining meal anymore since I felt hindi pa siya sulit with my kids. They're at that age where they're a bit scared of mascots pa kasi. In fact, when I was explaining to them the concept that Mickey and the other characters will go to our table while eating, naku umiyak lang sila! So wag na lang. And for the price, sayang lang since my kids don't eat pa a lot. But we did check out the Enchanted Garden Restaurant and hopefully we could eat here next time.

For little girls, there was the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique where your child can get all dolled up like her favorite princess with a photoshoot session after. It was expensive for me, but if you have money to spare then go for it. I'm sure every little girl would love to experience this. :)

We saw a lot of little girls wearing gowns and wigs around Disney (Elsa was the clear favorite). Miley wanted to buy one as well, pero it was just too expensive especially if you compare it to the costumes in SM or even Divisoria. I definitely wish I could have just brought my daughter's princess dresses from home na lang. Next time!

Both the Disneyland Hotel and the Hollywood Hotel have swimming pools, but the Disneyland Hotel had an indoor pool which was ideal during the cold weather. I really made sure the kids were able to swim para masulit naman un stay namin here lol.

wearing her Disney hotel robe

Other thoughts:
- At the hotel, check-in time is after 3pm, and check-out time is before 11am. So I think ideal to stay at least 2 nights to really maximize the hotel amenities. Parang if you're going to spend so much for the hotel, then dapat buong day ka talaga dun right? ;p
- Looking back, I think it would have been ok for us to stay at Hollywood Hotel since we were at Disneyland park most of the time. We didn't even eat at any of the hotel restaurants (we ate sa Disneyland na mismo). There were activities for kids at the hotel too, but we weren't even able to check any of those out since our priority was really the theme park. So next time, I'll definitely book at Hollywood Hotel so we can see the difference.
- The shuttle from the hotel to Disneyland park (and vice versa) was very spacious and there was one every few minutes so you never waited too long.

Anyway, I'll also be posting more about our Disneyland experience next, :)

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