Mommy Moments (Look at that Mess!!)

Mommy Moments for this week is about mess...
Oh yeah.... Kids are messy ,, with food , with toys with playing and almost everything...... But as they make a mess sometimes we cant help but laugh it off,,, get cranky, or just take a photo of the mess..... 

Whatever they do,,, make a mess, follow your request to clean  or worst part IGNORE your constant nagging about CLEAN UP YOR MESS!!!!!!!  When they are having FUN,, they are having FUN and we the mums are cleaning up......  Hayy..... 

This is one thing that my kids love to do,,, play on the puddle,,,, jump...... run ...... stomp... kick..... touch....... one big wet mess!!!!! Thats what they love!!!!

Go and visit Mommy Moments to look at some more MESS

MJ's Birthday

Well... My teenage daughter who woke up early morning excitedly and woke up the lil sis  so she can get all the attention today.... hey we are all in bed and we have to sing a Happy Birthday to her!!!! Yup... Thats MJ...!!!!!  She was all ready to school anticipating all the well wishers and gifts from friends,,, and before she left going to school,, she was counting how many text messages she received early 7:10 am!!!!!!!

8:15 I received a text message from her asking me to pick up a bouquet of flowers that her friends gave me..... Mind You!!!!!! She was in a class !!!!!!!!  she left the flowers in the reception and I picked it up after dropping Braiden off to school.....  hayyyy,, things you do for your kids....TEEN AGE kids!!!!!!

Before I picked up B1 from school I bought a Mango Cheesecake,, it is MJ and my fave cake... then picked up B2 from preschool,,, went straight home ,, MJ was already home from school ,, she comes home early and takes a bus .... Dad J was still at work,, he missed the cutting of the cake ,, we have to cut the cake early because MJ had to be in school by 5:00 for the musical in school and will be home late at 10:30 pm...

So it was just the 4 of us....

Anyway,, MJ had fun getting gifts from us..... didnt splurge much,, but she was excited with the gift card that I gave to her,, she can shop whatever she wants...

B1 took this pic,, thats why it was bit fuzzy....
Big Sis MJ singing Happy Birthday To me!!!!

Birthday Girl

Its Micah's birthday today,, as she turns 15 there are heaps of changes ,, she is no longer my lil chubby curly haired bubba....

I wish her all the best and remember that Mum, Dad, Braiden and Bianca love you !!!!!!!!

Cute Clothes

I took a photo of my friends Cute lil boy Mitchel ,, he is so adorable and growing fast,, considering he was born premature 5 months ago ....!!!! 

His mum is so excited shopping for cute  and trendy clothes for him, there are heaps cool clothes to choose from, when went out shopping the other day , Marge, (Mitchel's mum) there was a BABY week so they have sale on Babies  and toddlers clothes , babies toys and furniture and nursery ....

Marge got excited when she saw a Ralph Lauren  rugby shirts....  How CUTE!!!!!!  I also wanted to buy that shirt for Braiden....

I was so excited to get good bargains from my fave store for my lil princess..   Pumpkin patch had a storewide sale for around 60 % off ,, so went there and bought her stuff that I can also keep for next years season ,, 

I love to dress up Bianca and she likes being dressed up too and pretends that she is a model.. There are huge range of Girls clothing .... I also saw some cute Baby Phat outfits ,, love them so,, very urban and hip...

And as boy young Mitchel; I know that he will grow up to be a trendy boy with all those nice clothes around....

Flowers for Me

The unglamorous Me was surprised by a bouquet of beautiful flowers by my Hubby last Thursday.... 

The ever thoughtful Joe strikes again with a pleasant surprise, No occasion at all..   How I love it when he does that...

The day before I was on my way the shops and was looking at some flowers for my dining table... well,,, I came home with a $6 dollar bunch of flowers that was on sale ,,   hubby thought that I deserve some really nice flowers since I love to decorate the house... Yup,, he made my day...  

Good thing when he came home ; I was cooking a sumptuous dinner for him ,, so it was worth it....... he he he

A fun filled weekend

This is my entry for Weekend Snapshot... Enjoy




Yes.... it was a fun filled weekend!!!! we took the kids to watch the Disney Princess Saturday 25th of July...

When we arrived at the Acer arena ,, there were kids dressed up as princesses and they all looked excited !!!! It was lovely to see them all dressed up....  

My lil B2 was dressed up as Snow White in a cold winter day.....!!!

The show was great.... seeing all the Disney Princess and how elegant and graceful they were skating and swaying to the music together with their prince...

Mickey and Minnie

TinkerBell

Snow white and the prince and the seven Dwarfs 

Sleeping Beauty and Prince Phillip

Mulan and Li Shang

Little Mermaid and Prince Eric

Jasmine and Alladin

Beauty  and the Beast

Cinderella and Prince Charming

Last year , we went to see Nemo on Ice and this year it was the Princess Wishes and next year , Braiden was excited because he saw the trailer of  Incredibles on ice....

FUN way to keep the kids amused and mum and dad to spend heaps... oh yeah talking about the commercialism ....  that is why Lil miss B2 was crying on the way out because she wants to buy some more stuff on the way out... whoo,, we spent too much,, and thats enough,, we watched a good show and time to go home!!!!1

This is the show that we watched yesterday....

Note.. I did not take this video but found this on You tube  and I think she video the whole show!!!!! ,, posted by BettMLin ...Thanks 

 I just took the pictures and enjoyed the whole show!!!!!

Update

Days are passing by and our house is still on the market more than 3 weeks now and the anxiousness and stress are still felt in our household,, Its a tough market .. The house is wonderful with a warthm ambience as you walk through,, Buyers who came to look at the house commented on how well presented it was,, I am proud to say that I make it sure that it is always Spotless whenever  there is a viewing!!!   But it all comes down to the size of the house, there were comments that the house is small for the asking price, although my hubby and I think otherwise...

There were offers but less than our asking price,, well we thought that we have to say no and keep on going on till the contract from the agent ceased..  We are not in a rush ... if the house sold straight away,, we have to move and rent a place for some time once we are building.... so it means we still have big expenses, that is why we dont want to sell the house on a lowest price,, its not worth it....We are waiting for the right offer to come in ...

Well.. The exciting news is that we already have our house plan drawn up.....

It is nice to see and visualize the plan and Im looking forward on decorating the whole house,,, I am planning to prepare a scrapbook / compilation of decor' , furniture and white goods that will go in the house...  Im always  net surfing ; checking out catalouge and decorating magazines for some ideas ad inspiration...  

I stumbled upon Direct Buy Mountain View  which offers the best way to buy everything for home furnishing without paying retail markup.  Buying directly to the manufacturer is the best way since I will  save heaps !!!!!  

Just like what we are planning for our building,, most of the building supplies would be coming direct form the manufacturer since my hubby will have access to a builder's account..

but knowing that there is  place like the Direct Buy where you can purchase Name Brand items which are even lower than the Sale price from a retailer is really good... Just have to plan ahead and get the most .....  I wonder if there is a Direct buy here in Australia,, it would be good to get a big savings........

Super MJ

SUPER MJ!!!!!!

My eldest daughter was having fun and playing as a Super hero.....

Feet....

My first time to join I heart Faces and this weeks theme is feet......

Not a TOY HUNT

Nope its not TOY HUNT!!!!!!  Gosh..... I miss my TOY HUNT, anyway,,, these are the toys that I purchased for the kids last week during the Big W   toy sale, 

 I  said that I will be good with my purchase and not to hoard the toys!!!!!  Yup... I guess I did ok.....  

The 6.99 Barbie was all sold out ,but I ended up buying the Bratz

And to add to Braiden's Thomas the Tank Take along collection,, Hector and Patrick

So Dora DS games,  Disney Princess' DVD and a Mario DS bag,, that I was eyeing ages ago...

Well,,  there's another tempatation coming up next week ,, Its TARGET's  TOY SALE...  

and trust me,, when they have a Sale ,,, they have good sale!!!!!

I visited the website to take a peek of the catalouge... and there are few toys there that I like!!!  ( ooopss,, my kids would like)..... anyway,,, I'll be good again!!!!!!  I MUST   I MUST.......

take a peek of their catalouge  here  TOY SALE

Carry Bag

There was a new change at TARGET stores that started 6 weeks ago...    

They removed the Plastic bags and replaced with a more alternative compostable bag and a reusable bag that you can purchase...  So instead of buying a compostable bag I bring my own carry bag and this handy   Donna Hay free carry bag that was given free when I purchased a Donna Hay cookbook  a few years back....  It is very handy since I can fold it and keep it in my bag ...

 Now I ve got a good use of it.... and Im taking part in helping the environment!!!

What is our compostable bag made from?
It's made from corn starch and is compostable, biodegradable and non-toxic.
What standards does it meet?

It is fully compliant with Australian Standard AS 4736-2006.
Why are we charging 10-20c per bag?

We're charging 10 to 20c per compostable bag to encourage our customers to use durable, reusable bags and only buy they bags they really need.

Where is the best place to dispose of this bag?

This bag is compostable at organic recycling facilities used by councils offering a kerbside green waste collection service. Please check with your local council.

How quickly will the bag break down?
In a professionally run organic recycling facility, it will break down within 7 days and be completely broken down within 45 days.


What sizes do they come in and how much are Target’s Red Bags?
Medium reusable Red Bag $1.00
Fold up reusable Red Bag $1.50
Large reusable Red Bag $2.00

Where do the profits go?
All profits from the sale of Target’s reusable Red Bags go to The Alannah and Madeline Foundation’s Buddy Bags Program. On 1 May 2009 a cheque for $102,000 was presented to The Alannah and Madeline Foundation from profits raised through the sale of these bags since they were launched in Target stores nationally in November 2008.

What is the Alannah and Madeline Foundation?
The Alannah and Madeline Foundation is a national charity protecting children from violence and its devastating impact. The Foundation was set up
in memory of Alannah and Madeline Mikac, aged 6 and 3, who were tragically killed with their mother and 32 others at Port Arthur, Tasmania on 28 April 1996.

Visit Target.com.au for more

Mommy Moments (Playing time )

I know that we are all overwhelmed by an array of TOYs that are available in the market today!!!! Loads of them!!!!! and we search for the best toys that our children would enjoy...

LIFe is play.....

play for children is a very serious business for your children, it is one of the best ways to learn about their world, themselves and other people.. 

It is essential for learning and development.. as I see my B1 and B2 play I know that they are learning and creating their world of imagination... and as their  type of play evolve from , solitary to parallel and now the interactive and cooperative play , I saw them progress...

Now they are playing together interacting and creating ..

It makes me happy to see them play along well,, although there would be some days that they would fight for one toy , but they would quickly resolve it and move on .....

MY KIDS at PLAY.........

QUIET PLAY

Picture books, bead stringing, peg boards , puzzles, dollplay , drawing

CREATIVE Play Painting, drawing, problem solving, music , dancin, play dough sand collage, use of imagination




ACTIVE play

Balls, slides, climbing,bikes and trikes, running

But whatever type of PLAY they would engage into , I know that they would have lots of FUN and hours of enjoyment ,,,
so if you see them at play ,, engage with them and join them as you as a Parent would be more creative and soon you would be giggling with them !!!! 

ENJOY and have FUN mommies!!!!!

see more at Mommy Moments

Early Christmas Gifts

Yup...... Its Christmas in July here in OZ.......

Actually I already started wrapping my Christmas pressies for my relatives in the Philippines....

and soon I'll be sending them through FOREX,, It should take around 8 weeks to reach our place,,  aside from the Christmas gifts ,, I am also preparing some stuff that we are going to use , yup,,, we are going  to spend Christmas in the Philippines,,,

But before that , we will stay in Hong Kong for 4 days , we will take the kids to Disneyland and do some shopping,, we are going to be with my sis and her family who are based in Riyadh , my sis JENL, my brother , my Mum and my niece and nephew who are flying from Manila and we will all meet in HK , then on the 24th of December we will fly to Manila and stay there till the 16th of January.....  

It will be exciting ,, because this will be the first time for my Lil B1 and B2 to travel to Manila... although , its quite scary with all the buzz about swine flu , but hopefully everything will run smoothly..

Our attention was distracted with the selling of the house and soon to  build a new house,, the holiday has been side tracked ,, but it will push through,, we already bought the tickets 2 months ago... so no more backing out...

For sure I have to control my SHOPPING!!!!!! we are going to build a house and it will be very costly ,, so I told hubby I'll be good with my shopping!!!!!  we might not even go on a Bora trip or any kind of trip,,,  well,,it doesnt matter,,, whats important is for  my Mum to see my kids and spend time with my relatives and eat at Jollibee   ha ha ha,, super miss ko na yata si bubuyog!!!!!!

How to clean Sticker marks

There is a solution to a sticky problem!!! Yup ,, I found a best solution to resolve those sticky and messy, nasty leftover sticker glue...

Ages ago, I sticked some plastic Disney Princess sticker on Bianca's drawers, I think it was really cute,, but when she got tired of it she decided to peel it off,,, the sticker was off but there were leftover nasty sticker that make it more messy and attracts  dirt it was unsightly...  

I tried everything by scrubbing it off, tried different solutions,, and then as I was watching LUSH HOUSE by Shannon Lush,, she tackled about this problem,,,,, so immediately I bought the necessary solution,, It was a TEA TREE OIL  and used what she mentioned ,, an old pantyhouse,,,,,

So to my amazement it worked!!!!! Just a small amount of tea tree oil on the pantyhose and wiped the sticker,,, it was easy and no mess!!!!!  As good as new....  So I went around the house and checked all the walls and doors for some sticky marks....... and cleaned it all up!!!!

Mommy Moments (Pouting Face )

This week's theme is POUTING FACE for Mommy Moments...

I enjoyed putting my kids pics on a collage ,, most of them have pouting faces...

MICAH my eldest daughter who is endowed with  full lips enjoys having her photos taken  and accentuate her pouting lips....



  and Like her BIG SIS   ,, Lil Miss Bianca have similar pose too.....

Go and visit Mommy Moments for more pouting faces!!!!

Busy Girl

Yes my lil girl is busy as a bee... I took a snap of her while cleaning up.. I didn't tell her to clean up.. she said ,she wanted to dust my dresser.. so with a  winter gloves on her hand; she started dusting off,,

 I just watched her ,,,I was having goose bumps as I saw how good she was ,, she was reaching every nook and cranny .. 

She likes doing it and I always praise her for helping me...

The other when she was in the bathroom after taking a shower, I was in the other room and wondrin why it was taking her so long to brush her teeth,,, she was cleaning up the sink and the toilet!!!!!!

Of all my children she is the only one who is sensible ,,, she likes helping me and she knows how to clean up...   and whenever Im cleaning up ,, she would say "You're a good cleaner Mum!!"" and she would ask if I need a help...

 I am so Happy with my 4 year old Bianca!!!!

Here are some tips to help you teach your children neatness and organization:

1. Your child learns by example. If the only clear area of your home is the path from the sofa to the television to the refrigerator and back, then it's time to commit to organizing your home! Make the process a family project so that your children can learn that everyone must pitch in to keep the home tidy.

2. Establish a routine and stick with it! Teach your child that beds are made and toys are picked up every day. It is easier for a child to clean a room a little every day, rather than be faced with a huge mess all at once.

3. Provide plenty of storage - shelves, plastic storage containers, hampers, etc. Create a special storage area out of a plastic storage unit made for storing garden tools. Attach laundry bags in colorful colors to the hooks meant for rakes and shovels. Spray paint the unit in a cheerful color to match the room. Voila! A fun storage area!

4. Reward your child's cleaning and organizing efforts with fun! Make a checklist of tasks with a reward when the tasks are completed such as permission to watch a favorite show, time to play a favorite computer game, a special story time with you or staying up an hour past bedtime. Simple rewards such as these will provide an incentive to keep up the good work! Make a game of cleaning! This works especially well with young children. A game of "Pick Up" to see which of you can pick up more clothes within a certain time limit or a game of "Hide the Clothes in the Hamper" will make cleaning more fun!

5. Be specific. Telling a child to "clean that room" can set the stage for failure and frustration. The task may seem overwhelming! But telling your child to pick up the clothes which are on the floor allows your child to focus in on a specific, achievable task.

6. Limit the amount of "stuff" your child has. Once a month, go through your child's room together and give toys and clothes that have been outgrown and are no longer needed to those less fortunate. Not only will your child's room stay cleaner, but they will learn a valuable lesson in sharing and giving.

Although you may think it inevitable, the process of keeping your child's bedroom clean need not be a war! If you are consistent with the rules, your child will learn what is expected and do it (eventually!). If you are inconsistent, you have already lost the battle! Better stock up on flashlights and compasses in case you need to find your way to their closet!

About the Author:

Pamela Cole Harris is a writer with over 35 years experience. Her expertise on decorating on a budget comes from her own experience. Visit her website www.homeandgardenmakeover.com , for her unique view of home decorating and remodeling and a free monthly newsletter. 

My Garden

After living in my place for more than  7 years now,  I have never seen my plants grow healthier and looking good even its in the middle of winter here in Oz....   I felt like that they are showing off now that the house is on sale.... It took a long time for the plants to thrive....  I thought I had a "black thumb" and anything that I plant dies... but  I was wrong.. and my hubby used to tease me about gardening....   It just took a while for the plants to thrive..  I never water plants .. ever... neglect must be the way they wanted to live.. ha ha ha... So its sad to go and seeing them healthy when I have to start all over again... what a bummer!!!!!  

So one day , with a shovel and  a hand- pick on my hands ,, I started digging ,, I was sweating as I pulled the spiky ferns off the ground..... I have to put this in the pot so I can take it with me when we sold the house.... this is expensive and really hardy plant ... and I have to dig some more ,, I have heaps of Birds of paradise to dig...

Have a break

After doing all my household chores.. polishing, mopping, sweeping , tidying and doing the beds , A nice break is absolutely a HEAVEN.....   

Give yourself a BREAK!!!! Kitkat said....

So here I was wearing my  daggy winter shoes, legs up with a Foxtel remote on my hand and watching Ellen...... a cup of tea would be nice .... but its lunch time .... hummm.... Im thinking of a Mcdonalds  chicken burger for lunch.... Yummmm.. but ended but having left over roasted veggies from last night.......

Mommy Moments (Encounter with Animals /Pet)

Mommy Moments for this week is Encounter with Pets or animals..

Last year we took the kids at the farm so they can pat and feed the baby animals since they love doing it...

Daddy Joe is always around to reassure the kids that its ok to pat the baby animals , since Bianca is hesitant to get close with them...

We are planning to take care of lambs , chickens , ducks or birds and a dog once we built our most awaited house..... cant wait for it!!!

Ill be a farmer's wife  soon!!!!!!

TOY SALE!!!!!!!!!!

YUp ,,, its this time of the year again as the Big W and K mart start their half yearly TOY SALE madness!!!!

Yes me....!! A TOY HUNTER  who loves TOY !!!!!! but I try to hold myself from buying too much toys... because I just decluttered  my kids rooms  and now they are stashed in the garage ,, anyway,,, SELF CONTROL is the key,, hey I told myself that I am not going to buy bulky toys ,, I just have 3 toys that I'm eyeing at the moment...  Take along Thomas the Tank and Friends train,, its 40% off ,, so Im getting the trains that will add to Braiden's  Thomas collection,,, and the Mrs Potato head....

and for the Lil Miss the half price Barbie ...
View the catalouge here Big W catalouge

So I did my daily clean up first this morning then off I went to the shops,,, they closed the mall and people are on their way out ,, there was a Power failure ... they said that it will take 3 hours to restore the power.. so I drove back home and will come back later.....

Kmart is also having a TOY SALE but its  far from my place ,, so couldnt bother to travel that far,,,  here is Kmart's Catalouge..

They offer a  NO DEPOSIT lay by and will hold the toys till Christmas eve,, I used to do that every year ,, but since this year we are going to celebrate Christmas in the Philippines so there is no point to buy gifts for the kids,, I'll just do my shopping in Hong Kong since we are going to HK for 4 days before we fly to the Philippines...