School Time-Second Quarter

Last week was the end of the first quarter in school. My kids had the usual first quarter exams. There were three of them (1-first year high school, 1-5th grader, and my 1st grader). It was so exhausting for me to prepare worksheets and review them for all the topics that have to be reviewed. My 1st grader is a first timer in a big school. First year high school is so different from grade school. And my 5th grader's goal is to achieve a "General Scholastic Awards". I just have to be on their every step!

Thanks to the internet, I got to get free worksheets to help them in their review. Some of them are:

http://www.tlsbooks.com
http://www.schoolexpress.com
http://www.ezschool.com
http://www.homeschoolmath.net
http://www.homeschoolingadventures.com
http://www.softschool.com
http://www.schoolkid.ph
http://www.abcteach.com


Now, second quarter is about to start and I'm helping my kids set up their goals for this quarter. I am also trying to arrange and schedule my activities so I can fully hand them more of my time. I cannot do it alone, I know, but with God's grace I know I can manage. As many of us mommies do!

Fixing our garden

My husband and I are in the process of fixing our garden. We decided to plant some flowers, herbs and spices, some fruit-bearing plants and vegetables around the area. In the process, we also taught it best to put some bricks as pathway. After purchasing almost 500pcs of bricks, here's how it looks...





We're going to put bermuda grass in the middle to make it looks larger and the plants will have to be on the side. We still need around 300pcs more of bricks before we can start planting. I just can't wait for us to finish it...I'm so excited on how its going to turn out!

My Sister's Wedding

It was my sister's wedding last July 16, 2010. She's the youngest in our family, though not that young anymore. It was a civil wedding and we wanted to make it a very special intimate wedding for the family. We did all the invitations, ordered the giveaways, the physical preparations in the restaurant (including the candy bar)in less than a month! Tiring but satisfying... take a peek...

My sister, Jovy and her husband, Smruti

The Guests registration table

The Reception Entrance

The wedding reception area

The giveaways

The Wedding Cake

The Candy or Sweets Bar

And our wacky family!

At the end of it all, my only wish is for the newly wed to live a beautiful life together as one... Love you two!!!

Mommy and Me Monday #1

Our wackiest photo taken in a Chinese restaurant after school.

Hosted by Krystyn

Mommy Moments: I Love Books

When I decided to be a full-time mom, I invested some of my early retirement money to books which I know will be useful for my kids. Here are some of them:



I believe all the encouragements and exposures we've done for the kids paid off when I see them read books on their own. They were not the "bookworm" type but I'm glad they like to read books. They made efforts to borrow books from the school library and if the books they like is not yet available, that is the only time they request us to buy them one. Some of their favorites are: pokemon, geronimo stilton, tomo and Percy Jackson.



My youngest is only following what his brothers are reading but what he really wants is to read books about cars!



My eldest son, amazed me when I learned that he now likes to read the Holy Bible! He even requested that I buy him his own bible to read. Now is the time for us to support them with what they want. . . .

Mommy Moments - Grocery Day

Our grocery day is scheduled at least twice a month. Usually, its done after the 5th of every month (the cut-off of our credit card!). Its used to be a big day for the kids because they got to pick out stuff from the shelves. But now that my two boys are growing up, they choose to stay home and play with their computers than join me in doing the grocery. Good thing I still got my 6 year old son, Phoebo, to join me in doing the grocery!

Aside from doing the grocery twice a month, I also go to the market for fresh meat, fish, fruits and vegetables. This one I do all alone because my kids dont like wet markets. I usually schedule it in the morning after I brought them to school.

Nissan or Hyundai

We were thinking of getting the all new Hyundai Tucson because, for me, it looks good (you see, I don't know anything about cars). When we saw the new Nissan Xtrail CVT, and we thought its more like it since its Japanese technology and we've already been using an automatic '04 Nissan Xtrail.

Last week, our Nissan Xtrail's engine just stopped while I'm driving! I tried to start its engine and it took me about 3 to 4 trials before it went on again. It was one of the things that I hate happening because I have all of my kids with me in the car aside from having to stop in the middle of a busy street. Is very stressful especially when the other cars and buses keep on sounding their horns! Stressful, also for the kids!

We had it checked by Nissan last weekend, hoping that would fixed the problem. But yesterday, it happened again! And this time the engine kept on stopping like every 3 - 4 minutes! I got stressed but I pulled myself together and acted as if everything is alright just for the sake of my kids - so they wont get stress also.

We ended up leaving the car in the parking lot and we rode a tricycle going home! I made it look like a new adventure for them so everyone will be excited. We made a short stopped at McDonald's on our way home. Then, I found my youngest son so quiet. When asked why, he said he's got a little scared riding the tricycle because its his firstime but got use to it anyway.

We'll have the car fix again and I hope this time they will really fix the problem because I heard from some friends about the same problem they encountered with Nissan cars (engine stopping out of the blues). So now, we are having second thoughts of acquiring the all-new Nissan Xtrail-CVT.

1-0 in favor of Hyundai Tucson. . .