Wordless Wednesdays #4 - Happy Birthday Little Bro!!!

Here's wishing you many more years to come! Good luck in all that you do! Take care always.

(That is Akyra holding the cake...)

Find more Wordless Wednesday participants at
MomDot, 5 Minutes For Mom and Extraordinary Mothers.

Children and Their Hobbies

It's six days and counting until the big day of Roberta's first ballet recital - Little Mermaid!

This whole week, hubby and I will be busy being stage parents for Roberta's ballet practices since it will be everyday until the big performance day this coming Sunday. Whew! Imagine nearly three hours of ballet practices everyday for a six year old prima ballerina wannabe. It's a good thing that she is enjoying all this and doesn't mind the hectic schedule.

I personally think it is important for kids to have extra curricular activities outside of the regular schoolwork that they normally get. This is a good way for them to relax and recharge from the daily "kiddie" stress that they have. It is also a good way to find our children's different talents based from the hobbies or things they like to do and develop them.

Roberta at the moment enjoys doing many other things aside from her school work. She likes to sing. She likes to dance. She likes to paint, draw, make crafts, build or create things. She likes to write and read. She also enjoys different sports such as swimming, playing softball, volleyball, basketball and wants to try taekwondo. She also likes to cook though of course she can't yet since she's too young so she just pretends she does and likes to watch me in the kitchen. At her age, it's like she wants to do so many things at the same time but that's okay because later on she will discover one or two things that she likes to do more than the other and will focus on it.

I would like to share this informative article I read about Childrens Hobbies and how we can help our children discover and enjoy their different interests.

How about your little ones? What hobbies do they like to do?

Done with Preschool

School is out for our little one. She is officially done with preschool. Last Friday, it was the Prep Culminating Activity in school and at the same time the last day of school for all prep students. It was very entertaining to watch all of the prep sections prepare a special program number. But hubby and I were beaming with pride for our little princess, she was part of the opening number doing a short ballet dance with five other girls. (I will post the video later. )

It was a happy feeling to see Roberta finish preschool. Good thing she only had two years of it - Kindergarten and Preparatory. Because I know some parents who have there kids in preschool for almost four years if I am not mistaked - Nursery, Kinder 1, Kinder 2 and Prep. Whew!

Dada Vince and I felt sad that our baby will be in Grade 1 next year. This means she will be doing big school things such as:

1. eat lunch in school not just recess
   
2. more subjects to study from five in Prep to eleven in Grade 1
3. more books to bring in the bag
   
4. wear the big girls' standard school uniform and not the pastel-colored one-piece dresses
5. be home from school in the afternoon not by lunch since full day schedule already

Waaa!!! I think I am having separation anxiety here just thinking what it will be like this coming school year when Roberta starts Grade 1.

Wordless Wednesdays #3 - Kaleidoscope World by Francis M (sang by Tito, Vic & Joey)

In memory of a well-loved and very talented Filipino artist who definitely left a mark in the hearts of many Filipinos worldwide...

Mabuhay ka Francis M!



(take note that in 5:22 of the video..the balloons momentarily formed the map of the Philippines..it's like a sign from Francis M..)

Personal Priority Setting

Doesn't it feel good when you accomplish so many things in the limited hours that we have in a day? That's how I felt today. And it felt good! =)

I have actually had this feeling since Monday of this week. Last Friday, I made an important decision and gave up one of my work commitments so that I can free up more time in the day. It's not like I won the Lotto and instantly became a multi-millionaire and did not need the extra income. I still need the extra income but I needed more time as well so I can do other more important things in my life aside from earning money - that's being with my family.

I decided to set my priorities in the important areas of my life properly before entering the last month of the first quarter of the year. I guess I have always been the type of person whose decisions in life are based on my personal priorities.

These are presently my personal important areas in my life:

1. Family (Vince and Roberta)
   
2. Relationships (with extended family and friends)
   
3. Finance (encompasses business and career)
   
4. Health and well-being (I'm not exactly getting younger..hehe)
   
5. Spiritual (for inner peace)
   
6. Self-improvement (unlearn bad habits and attitudes)
   
7. Education (learning something new and constantly feeding my mind with new information)
   

Personally, I think this is a good practice to do from time to time so that I can review the things I am presently doing and see if I am on the right track of living my life fully and being happy at the same time. Usually, when I start to feel a little less positive about a particular area, it just means that I need to do a raincheck and see how I can fix things.

I know it may sound a little O.C. (obsessive compulsive) or something to do something like this. But it helps me stay in the right direction. Without properly setting my personal priorities, it's like I am taking my car out for a drive without a specific destination to go to. Now, that does not make sense right?

Do you do something like this in your own life from time to time?

Aloha Friday #3

Yeah! It's Friday again! Welcome to my 3rd edition of Aloha Friday!

In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that to take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too.

Come and join me in Aloha Friday! It's easy to play along.

I ask a simple question and you give a simple answer! Nothing that requires a lenghty response.

After you answer my question & leave your link below, post a question on your own blog and leave your link over at An Island Life. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! This is a great way to make new friends here in blogosphere!

My question for this week is:

How many hours a day do you spend online?

I spend nearly practically the whole day since I teach online from Monday to Friday. Not to mention the blog visits, updates, surfing etc.

A Thousand Words Thursday #3 - Caught in the Act

2003: Roberta caught in the act of playing with the cotton buds from the cotton bud holder while seated in bed right beside her sleeping Dada.
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Come and join me in A Thousand Words Thursday!

Read, leave a comment & your link below, post a memorable picture on your own blog and leave your link at Cheaper Than Therapy. Don’t forget to visit the other participants!

Want to know how this all started? Read more at The Story Behind A Thousand Words Thursday.

Forever Our Baby

I just got home from driving my daughter, Roberta to school. She usually takes the school bus in the morning. But I let her sleep in a little more since she slept late last night.

While I was walking away from the gate of the school back to my car and watching other parents drop off their daughters, I realized that my baby is now a little lady. I still see her as my baby forever even though she is already six turning seven in a few months.

How time flies for us and our kids doesn't it? I can still remember clearly how Roberta was when she was barely even six months old. My husband, Vince and I tried our best to spend as much time with her as we can so as not to miss those special moments and bonding times. We would work at home and bring her everywhere with us. Up to now, that is what we are still trying to do. But you really can't stop time. Kids just grow up so fast.

I am just thankful that Vince and I were given the opportunity to spend as much time as we can in taking care of our little princess. I know that there are some parents who would love to but can't because of work or other important and uncontrollable matters. We are very grateful.

Even if it seems that the time spent with our Roberta is not enough, It makes it all worth it when she tells us nonstop that she loves her Mama and Dada very much ahd gives us a big hug and kiss when ever she gets a chance.

Back in the Swing

It's so great to be back in the swing of things!! Boy, did I miss this especially all of you...

The past few days have been crazy hectic for me. Whew!!

As you all now, I was nursing a sore throat and was trying to get as much rest as I can so that I can have my voice back. Not to mention juggling so many other things at the same time - taking care of my daughter who was on and off with her feeling well and not, attending to hubby and his needs, keeping an eye over my senior citizen aunt who's blood pressure has been shooting up lately, feeding my crazy dogs, house chores, and work from noon til midnight!

Waaa! That was a handful wasn't it?

Anyhow, I am off to visit some bloggy friends' sites and other duties. Yipee!!

I never thought that being away for just a few days seemed like eternity. It's like something was missing. Drama right? Hehe. Well, you know what I mean.

I am sure that's how you feel too when you are gone for a few days. It's like something is missing in your day right?

Is that how you feel too?