What To Do On My Staycation

First, what is a "staycation?"

"A staycation (also spelled stay-cation, stacation, or staykation) (in the United Kingdom: stoliday or holistay) is a neologism for a period of time in which an individual or family stays at home and relaxes at home or takes day trips from their home to area attractions. Staycations have achieved high popularity in the US during the financial crisis of 2007–2010 in which unemploymentlevels and gas prices were high. Staycations also became a popular phenomenon in the UK in 2009 as a weak pound made overseas holidays significantly more expensive.The term was added to the 2009 version of the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Common activities of a staycation include use of the backyard pool, visits to local parks and museums, and attendance at local festivals. Some staycationers also like to follow a set of rules, such as setting a start and end date, planning ahead, and avoiding routine, with the goal of creating the feel of a traditional vacation."

As a homeschooling family, staycation had taken on a whole new meaning to us. On my staycation, it is best to COMPARTMENTALIZE all these little voices inside of me begging and aching to be heard. Alright, one at a time. Right now, I'm thinking from outside of our homeschool compartment, so, WALL.

1.Dust off my sewing machine and "road test" it with lots and lots of oil. Been awhile since I last created a masterpiece.(eh-hem) Maybe scrounge around for fabric materials and start making a wall quilt. Lately, I've been dreaming of kaleidoscopes of quilting patches falling off from our ceiling.

2.Organize, organize, organize...the clutter riotously tucked in our closets; the piles of stuffs which I cannot find a name for at the laundry area; set up a system at our lil school library including our DVD's, our family's document, old receipts, papers we can't get rid of.

3.Finish the scrapbook project I started creating last March for our 10th wedding anniversary mementos. My husband made a promise to finish it with me. He thinks that it should be a family hands-on activity (awwww...).

4.Bake more cakes. I see a lot of unwanted emotions being displaced as I sift and fold and blend and mix through the wet and dry ingredients.

5.Finish all the many a number of books I've started reading and bragged about at Goodreads. It's time to be consistent!

6.Give this blog a make-over, one that would look like a pro and maybe when I'm emotionally and mentally ready, create my own traffic and set-up my own on-line store that would sell my own organic soaps and herbs.

Gaga Over My Baby Part 2

One of the greatest rewards of being a stay-at-home mom is that you get to witness on a 24/7 basis how your baby or babies metamorphose from being "cute" to "superlatively cute". The development of their speech is critical especially for boys who tend to develop it later than girls. My girl who’s now 7 y/o, started mumbling one-syllabic words and humming familiar melodies when she was just 4 1/2mos. When she turned 1y/o, she could talk just like any of us adults around her. My boy, on the other hand, was the total opposite of his Ate. When my boy turned 1y/o, he could only say "Mommy" and "Daddy" and a few indistinctive words which probably meant I want this, I hate this, give me this, I’m pissed off…usually followed by fits of crying. 

Now that my boy turned 2, things have changed a lot with his speech. He would make sure every now and then that his message would come across and taken seriously no matter how they sounded. Unfamiliar the sounds may be to me, but from a toddler's perspective they were coming from somewhere known and understood. No excuses there. Just recently, I felt inspired to list down every lil word my boy developed. I must admit I felt thrilled each time I sat down and recall my boy’s growing vocab. Everyday is a work in progress decoding and deciphering his unique words. Re-discovering a new form of entertainment such as this fills my mama-heart with so much joy and it's FREE.

Noah’s Amazing Vocabulary and Pronunciation Guide

Names of Things

Duh-pee-tr - diaper
Duh-bee-deem - his blankie / “pangutungan” / just like Linus' security blanket
Perdee-guy - his long pants / long trousers
Wow-ey - flower
Wee-wew - butterfly
Kuh-kee-koh - tricycle or any wheeled vehicle for that matter
Koh-gay - Colgate when it’s brushing time
Eeed duh buk - read the book when he likes to read his books
Owie - when he gets hurt
Kee-koh kee-koh - twinkle twinkle
Gee-tawrrr - guitar
Koh-keh - chocolate
Luhl-luh - banana
Baa-baa - milk
Freeem - ice cream
Keyk - cake
Dee-dey - birthday
Baah-nee - Barney
Dee-jay - BJ friend of Barney
Bee-bop - Baby Bop
Eh-em - SM, the mall
Chooss - juice
Bee-bowww - rainbow
Sheee - sea or any body of water like river,- lake, waterfall ,Cup of water,- soup in a bowl, water in bucket and Basin
Aaht / cone - hot / cold
Shweesh wan - give me this one
Suh-seet! - that’s it!
Moh-morrr! - no more!
Tee-tuh - Fita biscuit
Guy - malunggay

Names of Animals

Doggie - dog
Hoh-see - horse
Eew - cat
Tsk-tsk-tsk - lizard
Poh-keee - monkey
Kee-ken - chicken
Fee-shie - fish

Names of Persons

Daddy - Daddy
Mommy - Mommy
Bee - Ate Bethany
Mee-mee - Tita Nini
Vreee - Tito Henri
Nunn-aay - Nay-nay for Lola
Munnh - Noeme, our helper in Puerto
Nehn-nee - Leny, our helper in Batangas

More to come… puyat na.

Find Gaga Over My Baby Part 1 Here

Gaga Over My Baby Part 1

Conversations with “Mr. Noah,” Son of “Funny-Daddy Clown”

Originally Written in July 29, 2008

Noah : Mommy!!!Mommy!!! Meee shee poh-keee! poh-keee!pokeee! Gee-tawrr! Gee-tawr” (pointing to the dvd screen right in front of him).

Mom : Yes honey (puts red pen down and stops checking Ate Euy’s Math lifepac), that looks funny (pretending to look on the small dvd screen and tried to look “excited” like Noah).

Noah : Mommy!!!Mommy!!! Meee shee “poh-keee! poh-keee!pokee! Gee-tawrr! Gee-tawr” (pointing to the dvd screen right in front of him) (this second time louder and a lil bit annoyed)

Mom : Oh! That’s a very pretty dance number anak, I love it too…( again, pretending to look on the small dvd screen and tried to look “excited” like Noah).

Noah : Mommy!!!Mommy!!! Meee shee “poh-keee! poh-keee!pokee! Gee-tawrr! Gee-tawr” (pointing to the dvd screen right in front of him) (this third time louder and a lil bit annoyed that he knows Mommy is just pretending to pay attention, the atmosphere is getting more serious…)

Mom : Okay anak, but what’s a poh-keee, poh-keee,poh-keee?

Noah : Mommy!!!Mommy!!! Meee shee “poh-keee! poh-keee!pokee! Gee-tawrr! Gee-tawr!Gee-tawrr! Gee-tawr! Poh-keee,poh-keee,poh-keee!

Mom : Okay anak, Mom is so slow today, I’m so sorry I don’t know what a “poh-keee” is.

Noah : Poh-keee,poh-keee,poh-keee! Gee-tawrr! Gee-tawr!

Mom : Let’s see anak, hmmmm… what does the “poh-keee,poh-kee,poh-kee” say?

Noah : Hoooo! Hoooo! Hoooo! Hooooo! Hooooo!

Mimicking the “poh-keee,” I mean, the “monkey” right on the dvd screen he’s watching. The monkey looked clever playing his “gee-tawr,” I mean, “guitar” and Noah was having a bowl! The guitar is his number two favorite after the harmonica. Hoooo! Hoooo! Hoooo! VERY WELL SAID, NOAH…

Find Gaga Over My Baby Part 2 Here

The Little Sparkle Is Now A Big Helper Diva

August 8, 2008

AVAILABILITY / AVAILABLE

Definitions:

-Qualified and willing to be of service or assistance

-Capable of bringing about a beneficial result or effect

(www.thefreedictionary.com)

“AVAILABILITY,” a character trait awarded to Eunice Bethany when she was on K-5 during their Moving-up Ceremony last July 28, 2007 at The Master’s Academy Homeschool, Christ’s Commission Fellowship 3rd Flr. Auditorium, St. Francis Square Bldg, Mandaluyong City. Text was written and read by Mom. At TMA Homeschool we believe in honoring the parents as we received recognition on the same day for “surviving” the entire school year “unscathed.” We also believe in honoring our children for putting up with us, parents. Kidding aside, here’s a verse from the Bible that continues to inspire us to school at home where our classroom is the world:

“And He (Jesus) went down with them (His parents) and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” Luke 2:51-52

We used to call Euy The Little Sparkle around the house because of her effervescent disposition. Being the only child for a time, she really brightened-up every dull spot in the house and kept everyone entertained each time she said something. It’ s really amazing that our “Little Sparkle”, with the coming of a baby boy last July 8, 2006, has transformed into becoming our “Big Helper Diva” around the house.

Euy has welcomed baby brother as a new member of the family with great anticipation. She was ready to become a big sister and friend to him. She has been an ever present hand-maid to Mom when it’s nappy changing time. She prepares milk for him (never-mind the little spills), assists during bath-time making sure puts away what was left and she can even be responsible in looking after him when Mom’s in the shower. She reads to him a lot, sweeps the floor without complaining, does the dishes, and buys “suka”, “toyo”, whathaveyou’s from the store across. 

It’s really amazing that she willingly does all these on a daily basis and is getting better at doing them as days go by. Being such a Big Helper Diva, she exhudes a happy disposition that is contagious as  she brings delight to us as her parents and we couldn't be more proud of her. 

Dreaming With My Eyes Open

I see pictures of me and my hubby and my kids building sand castles by the sea shore; I see my daughter wearing her new colorful swimsuit as she gets her tan. And of course I see myself in my new body wearing that two-piece swimsuit which I have resolved since long time ago would never become a reality he he I see pictures of us eating at our favorite restaurants; pictures of us frolicking with our own shadows as we chased each other at the park kahit sa kapitolyo lang. I see pictures of my hubby behind the wheels and I just seating nicely by him; 2 kids on the back singing along with the car stereo; I see 4 trolley bags, 1 for each family member stacked up behind us in the car; I see our speeding car breeze through the Startoll way. 

Herbs Are For Savoring

Aromatic but overly mature herbs can be literally intoxicating. I'd spent an entire gloomy afternoon sorting out those that go in the bin and those that need to be hung in open air to dry.

Thank God for my youngest sister Nini, for passionately chopping these little dynamites of fresh and dried aromatic herbs such as sage, rosemary, basil, oregano, and dill.

There's a lot going on in this balsamic vinaigrette: red cane vinegar, ground pepper, assortment of finely chopped herbs, EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)... Nini was always confident in concocting our vinaigrettes!

Two straight months of El Nino summer and we are finally ushered to the La Nina rainy season. I speak herbs, I breathe herbs, I talk herbs, I blog herbs...No matter what the season maybe, herbs have become a family staple. And why not? For this rainy season, a few days before bidding summer goodbye, I have finally pruned and harvested some of my green pets, some overly mature, and some super overly-overly mature, ha, ha...that's because I simply love to bask in them during hot days when they're at their greenest, just to keep them there for a lil longer. So I thought a little BRAGGING here wouldn't hurt. Brag a little about the 1-2-3 of how these herbs have made it from my greenhouse to the kitchen and into my beloved family's heart and hungry belly. They will definitely help keep us warm this rainy season. This bottle of savory vinaigrette was just one among the many collaborations I've had with Nini. And like the others, it rests in my pantry for now until our next meal together. Perhaps later...

Rainy Season Is In The Offing

Sightings of snakes in the past on this neighborhood being surrounded by a lush-thick forest had been an established indication that rainy season is in the offing. 

She can't get scared even if she felt so scared, she wanted to scream but just couldn't scream because her kids were watching her react to the situation. Last night,  her lil boy spotted a black and chunky 2-feet long snake at the garden writhing towards the greenhouse. Funny, lil boy was about to pee in one of her pots but instead, he went back to mom and nonchalantly announced, "Mommeee, there's a snake in the garden..." 

Adrenalin rushed this woman and her 2 intrepid kids to the garage, she grabbed her SAMURAI in the car (now you know what she's capable of doing) and went back to face the unwanted passer-by. But snakes would be snakes, alas, it's gone in split seconds!

She's thankful to God for His loving protection upon her family; for the unseen angels that God sent to keep watch over them. Even so, God's words that became her source of strength: "Evil can't get close to you, harm can't get through the door. He ordered his angels to guard you wherever you go. If you stumble, they'll catch you; their job is to keep you from falling. You'll walk unharmed among lions and snakes, and kick young lions and serpents from the path." 

Ps.91:10-13 The Message

June 13 

SEVEN DAYS later...the thought of the unlikely visitor would crop up from time to time as if she had yet to settle an unfinished business any given time. WHAT IF that lame beast is just around the corner or came back with company? That's ridiculous! She tamed herself, "haven't you just had your pots re-arranged immediately the next morning? The garden cleared out of hovering and towering leaves to the point of losing your well kempt shade and exposed a "crew cut?" WHAT IF another snake passed by again, this time not outdoor but INDOOR? WHAT IF her WEAPONS OF WARFARE such as the SAMURAI, the 2-feet BOLO, the machete, and the 3 parasol umbrellas (all pointed) which she placed in strategic spots all around the house didn't work when situation arises? WHAT IF her friendly neighbor who sounded like a snake aficionado was 100% right when he said that only a durable bamboo stick would do the trick? WHAT IF? WHAT IF? 

How many times had this woman's bravery been put to the test all these years? And how many times had she proven them wrong, including herself? In the name of motherhood, she's all that. Aaah, what's the fuss all about? In the name of motherhood, TAME HER...

July 7

Over a month has gone by after this woman encountered the most frightening incident of her life. She's finally moved on, could go to sleep without having to fear any creepy crawlers invading her house of sort. No more goose bumps on her way to the rest room in wee hours of the morning. She can also manage to water her greenhouse again without the icky feeling of getting bitten by a writhing creature.

Today. She's putting an end to her month-long stint with snake phobia; one could give it a name, ophidiophobia, wheww...big word...but something has to give and that something is THIS. TTFNF...ta ta for now and forever.

She must have been a big girl so you thought, for being able to see through the situation and manage to call ophidiophobia goodbye. Well, let's take a look at a few things which she had to put into consideration before she chooses to be utterly scared of snakes day and night.

1. She has an audience that adores her. Her audience has a keen sense of understanding what's going on with her; how she handles tight situations like the sighting of a snake! Audience: Girl - 9, Boy - 4; watching her every move; the twitch of her fingers, the movement of her lips. You see, it's hard to be in the limelight at times.

2. She has an image to protect, that these kids thought she was a Wonder Mom; a pipe-fitter, an electrician, a doctor, a nurse, a clown, a driver, a doll, a chef, a warrior-queen. You see, they have this idea that Mommeee is all these and do you think she can afford to wreck her, ho humm, untainted image to her children? No. In fact, Girl - 9 told her one time that she thinks "Mommeee, you're like Jesus." "Why did you think so Sweetheart? Sometimes I could be a WITCH." "But Mommeee, you do everything for us without asking for anything in return. Right, Jesus was like that when He died on the cross for us?" That said, this woman kept mum, and controlled herself from breaking in to tears.

3. And though this woman puts on a show when she's with her audience, you'll find her terrified and broken on the inside; crying her lungs out in a secret chamber where only her Daddy-God can hear and see her. What could have Daddy-God told her lately you might ask? He must have said something to cause this woman to get back to her senses to conclude her fear of snakes.

Daddy-God must have told her that anxiety is disobedience to Him, that when someone gets anxious about something, we sort of make light of what God can do to protect and keep us safe from all harm. It is not surprising though that Uncle Joshua who lived during the Bible times was summoned by God three times and was told to be strong and be brave when he led the Israelites to the promised land. He knew that his final word must come from Daddy-God. God commanded him to "fear not for I am with thee", not once, not twice, but thrice! He must have been terrified by the hurdles they were about to face in conquering the promised land BIG TIME!

As of this writing, she's still a bit scared for the thought of it, but it's a kind of feeling that she can just shove off to the back of her mind without being troubled for more than a second.

Patches Are Forever Part 1

These quilted patches tell of many a different stories...

A special Christmas gift from the maker of our "honeymoon quilt", my best buddy, Rina. Was told that she had to stay up late rushing this purple patchwork for Christmas as a present to me and my daughter to share. It came with two matching pillow cases galore!

Just recently, October 2009, another gift from the maker of our "honeymoon quilt". One good thing about quilts is that they get "comfier" as they get older.

A bible clad in hand-sewn patches created by "moi". One of my early attempts to sew patches way back 1995, was told by a mentor-friend that one rule for a good patchwork is to align the corners well...this project being my very first was a contrary to that..

Patches are forever. We call this quilt our "honeymoon quilt" as this was given to us by a very dear friend as her wedding gift to us on March 25, 2000. Our "honeymoon quilt" just turned 10 yrs old with us as we celebrate a decade of bliss and splendor being together. A witness to our deepest secrets and escapades. The laughter, the tears...of changing diapers, of taming colic babes, of endless debates from politics to showbiz, of cold nights when one had to sleep on the floor and the other on the couch downstairs, of drools and snots on sick days, of love and intimacy. This lifeless quilt, with its good-as-new condition could talk and tell of a love-story made in heaven...perhaps in the next 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 years and beyond...

Find Patches Are Forever Part 2 Here

Growing Herbs Photo Essay

Assembled Botany Lapbook Project

Apologia Science...Exploring Creation with Botany Lapbook Lessons 1-5

Making Progress On Our 6th Year Of Homeschooling

My husband and I have always remarked that raising up smart kids is easier than training them to be kids with Godly character. Our second quarter saw Part 2 of disciplining our student in the area of diligence on a daily basis; Part 1 was during the 1st quarter. I was agonized by the fact that the area of diligence has been our major problem for years now; student taking forever to finish book pages assigned to her per day. Thus, more work pile up on the next day. 

Now that she's 9yrs old, and we're running on our 6th yr schooling at home, I'm expecting more from my daughter to be more diligent in finishing the daily tasks assigned to her. I was about to call it "burnout" until one day my student surprised me about how she shared the love of Jesus to a neighborhood friend, a girl her age who just lost her father months ago. 

Euy and her friend became very close since that incident. I once heard Euy encouraged her friend that everything will be fine because God loves her. That's evangelism at work! She also invited this friend along with her older sister to join us on our feeding program where they met the poor kids that we feed at church. 

For about two months now, Euy has been actively participating at our church's feeding program where she is able to encourage other kids to trust the Lord despite their condition in life. It gives us so much joy and humility to see poor kids from our community swarm around our children whenever we arrive at church. Our pastor, Euy's uncle, even said that because she had been memorizing Tagalog Bible verses with them, eating lunch with them, and cleaning the church with them, these kids felt that they were really important in the eyes of God. 

When asked why she loved joining the poor kids at our feeding program, Euy said that she feels happy to see these kids know more about Jesus and how despite being poor, some being orphans or abused by their parents, are fun to be with. 

Euy has been diligent in writing on her Sunday journal, a notebook where she jots down the sermon every week and where she also writes a brief reflection of what she learned. Looking back this past second quarter, we learned that it's critical not to cause our children to abhor homeschooling by STRESSING OURSELVES TOO MUCH in accomplishing our portfolios or curriculum according to our target dates and set goals. 

We may just have to improve on setting goals that are both realizable and enjoyable to us but not compromising the lessons that had to be covered per quarter. And for this, lapbooking had always come to the rescue. Our discovery of making lapbooks last year had been a major breakthrough to putting life and "fun" into our discussions. My daughter finds it easier to be asked orally and then write down her answers in pre-cut minibooks from memory. 

Euy reads her Botany book on her own and orally recounts to me the new discoveries she learned for the day. This is her strong point, remembering details from what she read. I noticed that she retains information as I allow her to do all the talking without my interruption. Civics, Wika, and even Reading (TLP, Total Language Plus) and Grammar (SRW, Speak, Read, and Write) involved plenty of written activites from the textbooks. And this is where her weak point surfaces.

Although Euy loved reading and discovering new things, it's the question-(written)answer part that she finds uninteresting. We hope to be more patient in handling these subjects in the future. 

At the end of the day, as parents, we learned that homeschooling may have given us the opportunity to be in control of what to teach our kids, but there is still a part of their lives which we don't and can't have control of; that's the time when we as parents can trust the Lord for His grace knowing that our Heavenly Father picks up from where we stop. Rest assured that our Father can handle the areas we can't see for our kids or we may have overlooked teaching them.