DIY Cupcake Tower

My blogger friend and fellow mommy, Rachel posted about how they made a cupcake tower for her son's birthday in August. I was inspired to make one for my parents' double birthday celebration last weekend and I did save a lot of money for that. In fact, I only spent less than a hundred bucks for the cupcake tower I made!

For the project, I used square styrofoam boards, gift wrapping fabric (at 20 pesos per sheet), white glue, and bamboo toothpicks. The procedure is same as Rachel's but I did not wrap the styrofoam boards completely with the fabric and concentrated only on the edges. Also, I twisted the second level to make it appear like a diamond. I wasn't able to find styrofoam cubes so I just glued the scraps together to make stands and wrapped them with the gift wrapping fabric.

The mind gets more creative when one's on a tight budget, don't you think? Oh, and if you've noticed, the top most level has no cupcakes at all. That's a Red Ribbon cake that my cousin bought as a gift. I made 60 butter cupcakes but my nieces and nephews attacked the tower even before my folks got the chance to blow their cake, haha! Will definitely share the butter cupcake and marshmallow fondant recipes soon. :)

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Remembering Ondoy

It's been a year since Ondoy devastated our humble town of Cainta. Although we were lucky that our property was spared from the flooding but I still had no reason to be happy that day. My sister's house was not spared and the flood covered 3/4 of their bungalow.




When the flood subsided, our town resembled a war-torn place. The roads were covered in mud and scattered appliances and home furnishings were everywhere. I remember that we had to go to as far as Quezon City just so we can buy all the things we need from the supermarket. It was truly a sad day.

Last Sunday, while cooking the feast for our parents' double celebration, my sister and I had the chance to look back and reflect on our lives now after Ondoy. Both of us agreed that it changed the way we prioritize things now. For instance, before buying stuff for our respective homes, we now take time to think whether it can withstand another Ondoy.

When I had our garden's landscape redesigned, I shooed away from what's lavish and chose what's simple and essential. For instance, the landscape lighting fixtures we installed are the simplest and the most inexpensive we found. We are also now inclined on making DIY projects than buying ready-made stuff. At least, if another disaster strikes and destroys it, it would offer me consolation to think that I did not spend so much on those things.

More importantly, Ondoy has taught us to value our family members more. When my husband and son are out of the house, I take time to send an SMS just to remind them that I love them. We also made improvements on the kennels of our two dogs. The night after the flood came, my younger brother and brother-in-law slept on top of my dad's SUV with a roof just 2 feet lower than the garage. With them were my sister's 3 dogs. Our pets are part of our family too, aren't they?

Do you have an unforgettable Ondoy experience? How has it changed you? Do you think we have already learned our lesson after a year? I'd love to read about what you think.

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KMBI's Microentrepreneurs' Summit 2010 in Negros Occidental

A few months ago, I posted a list of institutions where Filipinos can avail of small business loans. The Kabalikat para sa Maunlad na Buhay (KMBI) is part of the list. This coming October, KMBI members in Negros Occidental will convene in this year's much-awaited Microentrepreneurs' (ME) Summit. This year's summit focuses on the theme, "Sulong ENTREP: Lahing Kayumanggi.

The ME Summit was first launched in October 2007 to help members of the Kabalikat para sa Maunlad na Buhay (KMBI) an opportunity to learn useful information and practical tips that they can use in their livelihood. The summit is anchored on KMBI's flagship program, ENTREP or Entrepreneurial Nurturing through Transformation, Reformation, and Empowerment Program. Thus, the summit reinforces KMBI's aim of facilitating the transformation of the spiritual, economic, environment, and social dimensions of the lives of its members.

The ME Summit 2010 will be held on October 23, 2010 at the Victorias Sports and Amusement Center in Victorias City, Negros Occidental. Mari Kaimo will be the moderator of the summit while Pastor Bong Saquing, Pastor Philip Tarroja, and Anthony Pangilinan and Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan will share their expertise to around 5,000 program members who will attend the event. A total of 1.9 million pesos in prizes will be given out in the Tulong sa Negosyo Raffle.

Since 1986, KMBI has been helping poor Filipino women microentrepreneurs to have access to loans, insurance and capital build-up. From serving 37 clients, it now serves more than 202,000 women all over the country with its 61 branches and 1,300 staff.

In the heart of its microfinance operations is the compassion to serve and facilitate transformation beginning with these women. KMBI puts a premium on values formation, capacity building and women empowerment. Visit the KMBI website to find out more about them.


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Mead Johnson Nutrition clarifies issues on Philippine FDA order

Were you worried about giving Sustagen Junior® and AlactaGrow® to your child after reading/hearing the news about the recall? Mead Johnson Nutrition assures the public that the said products are safe for human consumption.

The company has issued clarifications on the Philippine FDA order that was imposed on the two brands just recently. Here are some facts that you should know:

The Philippine FDA has issued a Class III order, the lowest level, which is used for products that have technical compliance issues. The regulatory definition of a Class III order specifically states that the use of or exposure to the product “is not likely to cause adverse health consequences.”

According to Paul Richards, President and General Manager of Mead Johnson Nutrition Philippines, all of the company’s products are "produced in accordance with the CODEX Code of Hygienic Practice for Foods for Infants and Children.” CODEX is an international organization that develops and promotes food standards. The Philippine FDA said it was issuing the order because the fat content in the products is below the new standard listed in the revised CODEX Standards for Follow-Up Formula, which it has recently adopted in the Philippines.

In fairness to Mead Johnson, and I watched the Philippine FDA official say this in the news this morning, it has proactively cooperated and has stayed in frequent communication with the Philippine FDA to ensure that their products would continue to be available for the families that use them, and in compliance with the new regulations.

However, it should be understood that the process of reformulating the said products according to the new CODEX regulations requires a considerable amount of time. Because of this, Mead Johnson requested a renewed Certificate of Product Registration (CPR) prior to the end of the product’s term. Richards said they were surprised by the recall orders, but said they are committed to resolving the issue with the Philippine FDA so that Mead Johnson can continue to offer the children in the Philippines the many nutritional benefits of AlactaGrow and Sustagen Junior.

While the fat level requirement does not relate to the safety or quality of the product, Mead Johnson is taking steps to meet that requirement also.

A reformulated version of AlactaGrow® that meets the new regulatory requirements is being launched today. Meanwhile, work is underway to develop a version of Sustagen Junior® that will meet the revised standards.

Richards emphasized that Mead Johnson is committed to its mission to nourish the world’s children for the best start in life. Mead Johnson is involved in efforts to address malnutrition through a country-wide feeding and growth-monitoring program called Feeding Hope in partnership with Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the non-government organization Kabisig ng Kalahi. In addition, since 1991 Mead Johnson has provided sustained support to children afflicted with rare metabolic diseases.

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Discerning Mommy Bloggers Visit Amherst Plant

Do you ever wonder where our kids' Ceelin, Disudrin, Dolan, and Biogesic syrups are made? I do. They are manufactured in Unilab's Amherst Plant in Mamplasan, Biñan, Laguna. I and five other mommy bloggers toured this world-class facility last September 13, 2010 as part of the pharmaceutical company's Discerning Mommy advocacy.



The Discerning Mommy advocacy is the digital component of Unilab's corporate branding program, "Unilab ba 'yan?" Basically, the company recognizes mothers as the prime decision makers when it comes to choosing products for the family. Thus, as explained by Jack Orendain, Unilab's Corporate Affairs Senior Manager, The Discerning Mommy advocacy encourages us moms to make the right choices for our family's health.

Upon arriving at the plant, we first learned the basics of having a fever and how it's important to take care of a child who has fever. All of these were presented by Dr. Royce Mangubat, pediatrician and Medical Director for Unilab Pediatrica Division.

Then came the exciting part, touring around the plant! We were like school children on a field trip, haha!

Ving Abolino, Amherst Plant Director, answered all our queries while leading us through the Quality and Assurance Area, the Solids Plant, the warehouse for the raw and packaging materials, and the liquids plant. Can you see me wearing a bunny suit and a hard hat?

Honestly, in choosing products for my family, I abide by these requirements: safety, effectiveness, quality, and affordability. After touring the Amherst Plant, I can now say that Unilab's products truly maintain these standards.

With all the health risks we are facing, it is important for us to ensure our families' health by making quality health choices. You can start doing so by knowing more about Unilab's world-class products. Follow them on Twitter and on Facebook to be updated on their latest products and promos.

Oh, and don't forget, my Dolan raffle is still on-going! Read this post to find out how to join.

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Holiday Cards VS Christmas E-Cards

When I was still little, one of the many things I look forward to during the Christmas season were the Christmas cards being sent to us from our loved ones abroad. A cousin of mine who used to work in Kuwait would always address my Christmas cards in school and I would beam with pride every time it's delivered in our classroom. I received the coolest cards ever! They were the ones that play music when you open them.



I stopped receiving Christmas cards more than a decade ago. I also stopped sending some to relatives and friends. I guess, this is one of the downsides of technology and the Internet. E-cards are now the way to go. They're more inexpensive and they don't use paper.

Then again, I would love my son to experience sending and receiving holiday cards to our relatives and friends. This year, I have ordered Christmas cards and I will have him write and send some to his closest friends. I want him to have a more personal relationship with the people around him this Christmas. And besides, wouldn't it be sweet to re-read old Christmas cards after a few years?

What's your take on this? Cards or e-cards?


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Back to regular programming...

When I go on vacation, I always find it hard to go back to my daily routine. Even though I brought my laptop along with me when we went to the province this weekend, I still haven't had the time to check and respond to all of my emails.

I'm back to regular programming as what my blogger friends say after a hiatus. Whether I like it or not, I need to go back to work and start collating information about the best diet pills for women. Oh my, sometimes I wish I were uber rich that my husband and I won't need to work anymore and we'll just travel around the world.


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A Directory For Moms

Have you ever found the need to look for food delivery numbers, caterers and party suppliers, or just the number of a supplier of a particular service? I bet you turn to Google to find them because I do that, too. That's why I'm thinking of putting up a directory page in this blog. I am planning to collate brief information and contact details of the usual suppliers and services that we moms need.

Now that I am starting to plan for the free directory I'll be putting up in this site, I would like to ask your help in putting this up. You can comment to this post with your requests or contributions. Let's help each other and other mommies who are not that tech savvy. Let's admit it, some moms don't even know how to Google. ;-)


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Spa 2x a week!

This week, I've been to the spa twice! Guess I'm just one lucky mommy. Or should I say, I'm just one lucky mommy blogger. ;-)

I'm lucky to have been treated to the spa twice this week because of the two blog events I attended this week. Last Monday, our friends from Unilab treated us mom bloggers for an hour of full body massage at The Spa in Alabang. Two days after, people from the traditional media and us bloggers enjoyed an hour of foot and back massage at the Blue Water Day Spa in Greenhills. I'll be writing about these two events when I get back to Manila. :)

Do you like going to spas? I know someone who doesn't because her body always aches after having a massage. She'd rather go to a tanning salon and have tanning bed lotion smothered on her than having oils applied to her during a Swedish massage. I, on the other hand, enjoy getting my body massaged and Swedish massage is a favorite.

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Hello from our "maogmang lugar!"

Hello from festive Naga City! My family went on a long drive early this morning to Naga City just so we can be a part of the 300th anniversary of Our Lady of Peñafrancia. We had no choice but to ask permission from my son's class adviser for him to skip school today and on Monday. Tomorrow will be mine and Ralph's first time to witness the fluvial procession.

Around 2.5 million people is reportedly expected to participate in this tradition but we're braving the crowds tomorrow. I want my boy to experience this tradition. Actually, I envy my husband for growing up in the province and spending his childhood in a city with this kind of festival. My mom is also a Bicolana but my siblings and I were all born and raised in Manila.

Tonight is the eve of the fiesta and the fiesta mood is felt throughout the city. Just for this weekend, I'm allowing myself to eat a little more than I use to but still not too much to make me want to take Extreme weight loss pills. I'm also keeping a tight watch on my sugar intake as usual.

Hope you enjoy the weekend, everyone! I know I will.

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RECIPE: Spicy Hickory Pork Strips

I thought that I finally stopped cooking lunches when the school year started. My boy and I agreed that it's time for him to have lunch money instead. My husband, on the other hand, started bringing lunch to work which left me cooking once again and I'm complaining about it. Here's one dish I was able to whip up with what's available in my fridge.



Here's how it's done:

1. Marinate pork strips with Mc Cormick Hickory Smoked Seasoning Mix for 30 minutes to an hour. I was quite hesitant to use it with the pork strips I had at first because it's supposed to be used with chicken, LOL! But, hey, it tasted good!

2. Saute chopped garlic and onions. The usual pang-gisa cut will do.

3. Add pork strips followed by the chopped potatoes after around 5 minutes.

4. Season with salt, pepper, sugar, and hot sauce according to taste. I use freshly ground pepper by the way. You can also use ketchup instead of hot sauce if you don't want it too spicy.

5. Add the bell pepper strips and corn kernels. Then, add around 1/4 cup of water for the sauce.

6. Simmer until pork and potatoes are cooked.

Sorry if I don't give the exact measurements. It's just that I'm more of a ouido cook when it comes to cooking dishes. Rap calls me Tsamba Cook because of that. Funny how I thought of whipping up this dish in the middle of writing appetite suppressant reviews. How ironic!

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S&R Members Treat Sale From September 15 to 19, 2010!

I was about to go to sleep when I chanced upon a couple of tweets and plurks about the S&R sale that started today. My goodness, I gathered that the lines were so long! Some people even went there in the morning only to check out hours after.

Is it really worth the effort? I've never been brave enough to go to an S$R sale yet. But I am a little tempted judging from the tweets I read. Then again, I bet the good finds will be gone by tomorrow. I wonder if they have office furniture for sale. Hmmm...

Who's been to the S&R sale today? How was it?


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Credit Card Discipline

My husband's new credit card arrived today and I was the one who received it. It's still the same account and the card is just a replacement of the old one he's using. Unlike my husband who has just one card to his name, I have two credit cards from the same bank. I accepted the 2nd card because of the miles rewards program of the bank. Besides, I don't pay annual fees because I always ask them to be waived every year. These 3 are the only cards we maintain.

Keeping our credit score acceptable is one of our main financial goals. Part of the plan is to pay our card expenses in full every month. To be able to do that, we promised each other that we only have to charge what we can pay. That means, given the limited personal income I have, I only get to charge a maximum of 1,000 pesos per card. It takes a lot of courage to do that especially when I go to the mall and I find something I like to buy. But really, who wants to drown in rising credit card bills?

How do you manage your credit card bills? Care to share?

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When your child has fever

More than a decade ago, we brought our son to a nearby community hospital because he was saw suffering from fever that ranged 39 to 40 degrees. I was in a state of panic because, aside from being a new mom, I experienced seeing a younger brother having convulsions every time he had high-grade fevers. The scene that followed was unforgettable. The male nurse who took my baby gave him a sponge bath of ice cold water. My son was wailing and I knew he felt chilly but we were told that it was "first aid." Well, guess what? I learned two days ago that it is NOT. (I learned about this during The Discerning Mommy bloggers' tour of Unilab's Amherst Plant which I will be writing about in a few days.)

WHAT IS FEVER

A fever is a medical sign characterized by a body temperature that is higher than the normal core temperature of 37.9 degrees Celsius. The core temperature is the temperature of the blood that surrounds the hypothalamus in the brain and it is different from the surrounding body or skin temperature. The average human body temperature is 36.4 to 37.2 degrees Celsius. The body becomes feverish when it responds from a pyrogen brought about by a viral or bacterial infection.

MEASURING BODY TEMPERATURE

There are four sites in the body where you can take a more accurate temperature reading in case of fever and they are: the rectum, the mouth, the ear, and the armpit. If there's fever, a reading of more than 38.8 degrees C will register if taken through the rectum, more than 37.8 degrees C in the mouth, more than 37.2 degrees C in the armpit, and more than 38 degrees C if taken through an ear thermometer. Doctors recommend using an ear thermometer especially for small children to prevent accidental breakage of a mercury thermometer.

WHY DO WE HAVE TO TREAT FEVER IN CHILDREN?

Normally, most people recover from fever without specific medical attention. Taking in lots of liquids and fruits rich in vitamin C helps in recuperating. Sponge baths using tap water are also advised. However, it is best to give medicine to children with fever especially to those with chronic cardiopulmonary diseases, metabolic disorders, neurological diseases, and those at risk for febrile seizures.

Febrile seizures or Benign Febrile Convulsions (BFC) are considered as a condition that is not so serious for children between 6 months to 6 years of age. This condition is hereditary and the patient's condition usually returns to normal after the seizure. However, children having convulsions should be brought to the doctor for proper diagnosis. I remember that my brother was around 3 to 4 years old when he had seizures and this always happens when his fever reaches 39 to 40 degrees C. When he was confined, his doctor took some liquid from his spinal column to rule out the possibility of meningitis. Thankfully, it was just benign febrile convulsion.

PARACETAMOL VS IBUPROFEN

Common medications given to children in treating fever are Paracetamol and Ibuprofen. Paracetamol is given every 4-6 hours while Ibuprofen is given every 6-8 hours which shows that the latter has a more lasting effect. However, Ibuprofen should not be taken by people allergic to the said substance and they should be given Paracetamol instead. If the patient is allergic to Paracetamol, Ibuprofen is the best alternative.

(IBUPROFEN) DOLAN FP

I take Ibuprofen for my migraine and, at least for me, it works better than Paracetamol. But aside from being a pain reliever and an anti-inflammatory (anti-pamamaga) drug, it is also effective in treating fever. The orange flavored syrup of Dolan FP will definitely be appealing to kids. I should know because I tasted it during the event, haha!

WIN THIS!



I'm raffling out these Dolan FP goodies to one lucky "discerning mommy." You can get a Dolan FP water tumbler, a Dolan FP cap, some Dolan FP samplers, and a digital thermometer. Here's how you can win:

• EARN 2 RAFFLE POINTS: Be a fan by liking The 24 Hour Mommy Page. Then click the Facebook Share button at the beginning of this post and share a tip about caring for a child with fever by posting this in your Facebook wall:
  
  
  @The 24 Hour Mommy, when my child has fever I _________________________________ to make him/her feel better.
  
  Please be reminded that your post's privacy setting should be set to EVERYONE for it to appear in the fan page wall. If in case you are having problems in making your posts appear in the fan page wall, don't hesitate to place a comment to this post so I can help you.
• EARN 1 RAFFLE POINT: Share your tip about caring for a child with fever by placing a comment in this post.

SPECIAL PRIZE!



I'll be picking the best tip among the lot and award 1 Myra Vita Moisture Lip Balm! This means that you can win the Dolan FP goodies in the raffle and win this lip balm, too. :)

This contest is open to all Philippine residents as I'll be shipping the prizes to the winners. Deadline of submitting entries is on September 30, 2010 11:59 p.m. I'll be announcing the winners on October 2, 2010.

Special thanks goes to Unilab for starting The Discerning Mommy program and for sharing these wonderful treats. You can follow the Unilab Facebook page or follow them over Twitter to be updated on their latest products and promos.

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Woot, Lady Gaga!

I am a Lady Gaga fan! Sorry moms, she may look weird but I do find her fashion style rather brave and entertaining. I love her music as well and it has been my work out buddy since The Fame came out. That's why I'm so happy that Lady Gaga got 13 nominations at the recently held MTV Video Music Awards and bagged the Best Video of the Year for "Bad Romance." She took home 8 awards in all, woot!

While it is a fact that I do love Lady Gaga, I haven't mustered enough courage yet to follow her fashion style. (Can you imagine me looking like her? Eek!) I also did not watch her concert not because I can't afford lady gaga tickets but because I had so many things to do that I can't take a day off for a Lady Gaga concert.

Congrats, Lady Gaga! May you have more outrageously-fun-to-watch videos so you can sweep more awards on next year's VMA!

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LSM Grade 4 Math 1st Trim Exam SY 2010 -2011
You are free to reprint it should you find it useful as long as the watermark is left unaltered. The contents of this reviewer should only be used for personal purposes. I would also appreciate link backs to my site. :)

Contents:

• Place Value
• Reading and writing numbers
• Rounding off whole numbers
• Expanded Form and Expanded Exponential Notation
• Roman Numerals
• Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division
• Finding the average

The worksheets I am posting were either used by my son or the students in my tutorial center. As such, the course guides that were used in making these reviewers were only the ones issued by their respective schools. For worksheet requests or for sharing your kid's course guide, send me a message through mail [at] the24hourmommy [dot] com. I will try to furnish one but that will still depend on my available time and references. :)
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LSM 1st Trimester Exam Reviewer for Grade 4 HEKASI

LSM Grade 4 Hekasi 1st Trim Exam SY 2010 -2011

You are free to reprint it should you find it useful as long as the watermark is left unaltered. The contents of this reviewer should only be used for personal purposes. I would also appreciate link backs to my site. :)

Contents:

• Ang Mundo
• Heograpiya
• Pag-aaral sa Mapa at Globo
• Metro Manila
• Rehiyon I
• Rehiyon II

The worksheets I am posting were either used by my son or the students in my tutorial center. As such, the course guides that were used in making these reviewers were only the ones issued by their respective schools. For worksheet requests or for sharing your kid's course guide, send me a message through mail [at] the24hourmommy [dot] com. I will try to furnish one but that will still depend on my available time and references. :)

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RECIPE: Palitaw

Since my boy turned 10 this year, I thought of having him help me in the kitchen for simple recipes. It was also timely that fourth graders in their school are now requested to cook simple recipes in their Work Education class. In one of my trips to the supermarket, I found this:



It pleased me to know that there is rice flour available in the supermarket. So I decided one afternoon to teach my boy how to cook palitaw. To those who are not familiar with this Filipino native delicacy, palitaw is flattened rice cakes sprinkled with grated coconut and sugar. The name comes from the Filipino word litaw because the rice cakes will float on top of the boiling water when they're already cooked.

Cooking palitaw is very easy so kids will need little supervision except when the rice cakes are dropped and taken out of the boiling water. Here are the steps in making palitaw.

Step 1: Mix rice flour with water. The consistency should be thick enough for you to roll the dough into balls later on.



Step 2: Roll the dough into balls and flatten them.



Step 3: Drop the flattened dough pieces in a pot of boiling water.



Step 4: Once the dough pieces float, take them out of the water, wait for them to cool a little, and dry with paper towels.



Step 5: Roll the pieces in grated coconut.



Step 6: Sprinkle with sugar and toasted sesame seeds



Step 7: Serve and enjoy!



My boy enjoyed eating palitaw because he knows he helped in cooking it. Not only has the experience taught him how to cook this native delicacy, it also gave us the chance to bond. :)



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The Future Politico

After watching the evening news last night, my son blurted out these words: "I wanna be in politics someday." I asked him if he was serious and I reminded him how he told me sometime ago that he wanted to be a priest. Apparently, he's disgusted about how things are going in the government today and he thinks he can make a huge difference in being a government official than being a priest. Uh-oh. I guess he had too much of the news last night but I can't just scratch the news from his TV viewing schedule as he needs to be updated with current affairs.

It felt good to hear my son planning his future and I sensed the sincerity in his voice. He said he wanted to become a lawyer first so he'll be an expert in our laws. I told him that he can take up Accountancy for Pre-Law but he insisted that he'll take up Political Science like me instead. Yes, I'm a Poli Sci graduate but I ended up taking up a Masters degree in Education instead. I was tempted to ask "And what do I do for a living now, Anak?" Of course, I kept my mouth shut. There's no point in spoiling his plans for his future.

Actually, Poli Sci was my parents' choice. I bet my mom would have insisted me taking up a medical course if she saw the health care job sites available in the Internet today. I really wanted to become an electrical engineer or any profession that deals with computers. My husband says that I'm better than him when it comes to computers. He's actually planning to let me study a certification course but I think I can't at the moment because of my hectic schedule.

My experience has taught me the importance of letting our children have a say in what their future will be. I believe that it will make them better individuals because they know what their interests are and what they're fully capable of. All we can do is to help them choose the good from the bad and, if it isn't too much, the better from the good as well.

Just my two cents.


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LSM 1st Trimester Exam Reviewer for Grade 4 English

LSM Grade 4 English 1st Trim Exam SY 2010 -2011

You are free to reprint it should you find it useful as long as the watermark is left unaltered. The contents of this reviewer should only be used for personal purposes. I would also appreciate link backs to my site. :)

Contents:

• Rootwords and Prefixes
• Sentences and Phrases
• Subject and Predicate
• Kinds of Sentences
• Proper Nouns and Common Nouns
• Concrete Nouns and Abstract Nouns
• Possessive Nouns
• Gender of Nouns
• Count Nouns and Mass Nouns
• Parts of A Book

The worksheets I am posting were either used by my son or the students in my tutorial center. As such, the course guides that were used in making these reviewers were only the ones issued by their respective schools. For worksheet requests or for sharing your kid's course guide, send me a message through mail [at] the24hourmommy [dot] com. I will try to furnish one but that will still depend on my available time and references. :)

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LSM 1st Trimester Exam Reviewer for Grade 4 Science

LSM Grade 4 Science 1st Trim Exam SY 2010 -2011

You are free to reprint it should you find it useful as long as the watermark is left unaltered. The contents of this reviewer should only be used for personal purposes. I would also appreciate link backs to my site. :)

Contents:

• The Scientific Process
• The Skeletal System
• The Digestive System
• The Muscular System
• Animals

The worksheets I am posting were either used by my son or the students in my tutorial center. As such, the course guides that were used in making these reviewers were only the ones issued by their respective schools. For worksheet requests or for sharing your kid's course guide, send me a message through mail [at] the24hourmommy [dot] com. I will try to furnish one but that will still depend on my available time and references. :)

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LSM 1st Trimester Exam Reviewer for Grade 4 Filipino

LSM Grade 4 Filipino 1st Trim Exam SY 2010 -2011

You are free to reprint it should you find it useful as long as the watermark is left unaltered. The contents of this reviewer should only be used for personal purposes. I would also appreciate link backs to my site. :)

Contents:

• Kayarian ng Salita
• Ayos/Bahagi ng Pangungusap
• Pagtukoy sa Gamit, Ayos, at Kayarian ng Pangungusap
• Pag-uuri ng mga Pangngalan
• Pagbibigay ng Katumbas na Kasarian
• Pagtukoy sa Gamit ng Pangngalan sa Pangungusap
• Magkasinghulugan at Magkasalungat na Kahulugan
• Pagkikilala sa mga Ugnayang Sanhi at Bunga
• Pagtukoy sa mga Sangkap ng Kwento
• Paggamit ng Malalaking Titik
• Sawikain / Idiyoma
• Panggamit sa mga Patnubay na Salita sa Diksyonaryo

The worksheets I am posting were either used by my son or the students in my tutorial center. As such, the course guides that were used in making these reviewers were only the ones issued by their respective schools. For worksheet requests or for sharing your kid's course guide, send me a message through mail [at] the24hourmommy [dot] com. I will try to furnish one but that will still depend on my available time and references. :)


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My Husband's Best Friend

It is common notion that man's best friend is the dog. We have two dogs in my household but both are inclined to follow the houseboy more than my husband, haha! In reality, my husband's best friend is a big square box in the living room which is conveniently placed in front of a comfy couch. I guess you know what that square thing is by now. Yes, my husband has this special bond with our TV set!

He's so into TV sets that, when we go to the mall, expect him to be mesmerized by TV sets on display. The bigger they are, the more hypnotized he becomes. And when this happens, my son and I just look at each other, roll our eyes, and snicker quietly as if saying "There he goes again."

Our TV set in the living room is a 29" set and we have a 19" LCD TV in my son's room. For me, these two are enough to last until they break down of wear and tear. Not for the husband, no. He's eyeing a Samsung HDTV ever since he saw the 3D television sets being displayed in SM Megamall last summer. I wouldn't buy it even if we have the budget for it. I do hope the heavens help me in restraining my husband from buying that TV.

Who's your husband's bestfriend? Is it also a square box found in the living room? ;-p

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LSM 1st Trimester Exam Reviewer for Grade 4 Christian Living

LSM Grade 4 CLED 1st Trim Exam SY 2010 -2011

You are free to reprint it should you find it useful as long as the watermark is left unaltered. The contents of this reviewer should only be used for personal purposes. I would also appreciate link backs to my site. :)

Contents:

• Gifts of the Holy Spirit
• Fruits/Signs of the Holy Spirit
• Names, Titles, and Symbols of the Holy Spirit
• The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
• Common prayers

The worksheets I am posting were either used by my son or the students in my tutorial center. As such, the course guides that were used in making these reviewers were only the ones issued by their respective schools. For worksheet requests or for sharing your kid's course guide, send me a message through mail [at] the24hourmommy [dot] com. I will try to furnish one but that will still depend on my available time and references. :)


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LSM 1st Trimester Exam Reviewer for Grade 4 Music and Arts

LSM Grade 4 Music and Arts 1st Trim Exam SY 2010-2011

You are free to reprint it should you find it useful as long as the watermark is left unaltered. The contents of this reviewer should only be used for personal purposes. I would also appreciate link backs to my site. :)

Contents:

• Music and Sound
• A capella
• Instrumental Music and Its Composers
• Filipino Bands
• Filipino Singers
• Filipino composers
• Lines
• Shapes
• Forms
• Colors
• Textures

The worksheets I am posting were either used by my son or the students in my tutorial center. As such, the course guides that were used in making these reviewers were only the ones issued by their respective schools. For worksheet requests or for sharing your kid's course guide, send me a message through mail [at] the24hourmommy [dot] com. I will try to furnish one but that will still depend on my available time and references. :)



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Term Life Insurance?

A family friend is offering a term life insurance but I politely declined. For one, I'm not really familiar on what a term life insurance is. What I'm more familiar with is the traditional permanent life insurance. I tried to do some researching but the financial terms are eating up my weary mind! Argh! I'm sorry but I am really a noob when it comes to numbers.

The only thing I was able to grasp was that term life insurance is the cheapest form of life insurance. It is cheaper because you can specify the years of coverage. In doing so, you can provide security for your family and save money at the same time. The money that you save can be used to invest in other financial ventures.

I tried an online term life insurance site and was able to compare the rates of different insurance companies. I guess, the best thing to do to get clearer answers is to call my friend again and let him explain about term life insurance more. Probably, it'll be better if I call him than him calling me so that I'll be a more attentive lister. What do you think?


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Smell good the whole day with Downy's Passion and Attraction

My household is a heavy user of fabric conditioner mainly because of two reasons: 1) Our clothes become softer that some don't even need ironing anymore, and 2) I hate the smell of "kulob" of which clothes become prone of during the rainy season. So when I was invited to witness the launch of Downy's new Perfume series, I happily accepted the invite and went to the launch last August 30, 2010 at the Manila Peninsula.


Ms. Christine Jacob with perfume experts Hector Esquinca and Shingo Ishii.

"Merry Christmas" in September

All non-Pinoys in Twitterland went nuts yesterday when "merry christmas" started trending. They were wondering why "merry christmas" has become one of the top tweets yesterday. Of course, we know why. It's the first day of September and we Pinoys are known to celebrate the longest Christmas season ever!

How was the first day of September for you so far? I was actually waiting to here my first Christmas song for the year but I haven't listened to the FM radio yet. I was also in a "not so jolly" mood yesterday as the rains started to lash in the evening. It scared the wits out of me! Remember, Ondoy came in September last year?

So, anyway, "Merry Christmas!" I do hope you have a happy Christmas. I'm sure we'll have one this year even when I know that we'll have to minimize our gift-buying budget and Christmas season spending this year. Sorry self, still no spanking new ugg boots for you this Christmas. Awww.... Then again, I may find a nice pair in the ukay store in Sta. Lu! ;-p


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