Mt. Carmel: My Refuge

One of my favorite places to go to here in Lipa Batangas is the Mt. Carmel Church. When things don't go the way I want it, there are problems (whether personal, family matters or financial aspect) or I just want to seek refuge and be alone, this is my place to be. It has a different feeling every time I go here and just seat and pray. During my birthday and my daughters birthdays, this is where we usually hear mass at 6:00 a.m. I love the feeling of JUST being here....

the facade of

Mt. Carmel Church

this is the side place

of Mt. Carmel Church

inside the church

this inside the church as well

the right wing of the Church

this is located on top of the

store of the church

the place where our

Lady of Mediatrix of All Grace

appeared. It is now open to the

public

May is about to end...Bye-bye Summer

The past few days it has been raining here in our place. I believe that summer is about to end and we have to welcome the rainy season. I can't believe my eyes that the month of May is about to end in 3 more days. That means, it is BACK TO SCHOOL already. Oh my! Have you guys finished doing your school shopping? Me almost. Why almost, I have to wait the list of things that I have to buy for my daughter who will be an incoming freshman, high school at Lipa City Colleges. Plus the fact that the notebooks that I have to purchase at the school where Joie goes to, does not have any stocks yet. Susme! May 31 pa ang dating ng stocks, ngarag mode na naman ako.

I still have few more mommy duties that still have to be done. Like as follows:

1. The follow up check up of my kids to their pediatricians plus their flu shots before going back to school.

2. My 2 older daughter's check up to their dentist.

3. I have to go back to LCC for the uniforms of my youngest daughter, it is paid already but they don't have any stocks yet.

So you see my dear blog readers, I am still pretty busy up to the last minute before the school opens. Haay... How about you my dear readers, are you ready for the coming school year opening?!

School Shopping 2012

Last Week I started my school shopping, this is besides the books and the notebooks ha. Thursday last week I went to the mall, ALONE, so that I could concentrate on what to buy and these are the basic things my daughters needs for this coming school year. The following are the things I bought for my 3 daughters.

1. A pack of handkerchiefs. By pack I mean 3 pieces of hankies in a box. And this cost me around 170.00 a pack, and I bought 2 for my older daughters.

2. A pack, which has 6 pieces of undies in each pack, for my 2 older daughters which cost me 269.75 each.

3. A pack of small white towels, which has 3 pieces in it, for my youngest daughter and it just cost me 40.00

4. Socks, in a pack consists of 3 pairs of socks and for the cost, 199.75 each for my 2 older daughters.

the socks above belongs

to Ate Arielle

this pair of socks belongs to

Ate Joie...

the socks above

belongs to Amaya

The last picture, the socks of Amaya is more expensive than her sisters', because it is knee-length kind of socks and it cost 249.75 a pack which has 3 pairs in it already. Then last Saturday Francis bought the school shoes of the girls already.

this is the school shoes of

Amaya, Dora the Explorer

and it cost 849.50

The pair of shoes above

belongs to Ate Joie and the brand

is Gibi Shoes and it cost

1,799.75

The above shoes belongs to

Ate Arielle and from Gibi as

well. It cost 1,699.75

If you would notice the socks of my kids, they are colored on the soles. I learned this actually from my Francis, SO THAT IT WILL NOT BE TOO DIFFICULT to wash the socks. Aminin parents, especially Mommies, there are times that kids are playing and they sometimes remove their shoes and if it is pure white ang sole ng socks, it is difficult paputiin. So every time I buy school socks, yung soles eh colored talaga.

Another thing, I make it appoint to buy the shoes, any type/kind, DURING THE AFTERNOON. I have read somewhere that our feet usually expands in the afternoon, or parang relax na yung feet. And then I usually bring an old pair of school socks when buying new shoes, para I could know the fit of the shoes. I usually buy my daughter's shoes one size bigger. I don't know if that is a good thing or not, but for me that is what I usually do. Kasi if I buy yung half a size lang, the school year hasn't ended yet, buy na naman kasi masikip na. And be sure to buy shoes, or any thing for that matter, MADE OF GOOD QUALITY MATERIALS.

Enrollment Season

Yesterday I, together with my eldest and the youngest, went to Lipa City Colleges for their respective enrollments. Ate Arielle will be an incoming first year high school (oh my! may high school na kami!!!) and Amaya will be in Kinder this coming school year (yehey! excited but at the same time nervous for her...hahaha!). Anyway, we left the house at 9:00 in the morning because there are a lot of things to be done especially sa eldest ko.

Here are a few tips I would like to share with you my dear bloggers if you will be doing your enrollment for your kids:

1. Be sure to wear comfortable clothes. As in. Remember it is NOT YET rainy season. Yesterday I wore my cut-off pants and a cotton shirt. Amaya wore this simple dress while Ate Arielle wore her cut-off pants and simple shirt as well.

2. Be sure to bring ballpens/ all the receipts if you have paid for the reservation because the cashier will be looking for it.

3. Bring extra bag(s). So that the school will not be giving you plastic bags where they will be placing the books and uniforms.

4. If the uniforms are being sold ONLY at the school where your kids are enrolled BE SURE bring along your kids so that they could fit the school uniforms and P.E. uniforms before you leave. This will definitely save you time from going back and forth to the school.

These are just few of the things I could share with you my dear blogger readers especially to the mothers who will be busy enrolling their kids.

Grech: A Mother

A lot of my friends way back in high school and college can't believe their eyes that I CHOSE TO BE A STAY AT HOME MOM. Why? Because when I was still single, I really love to go out with my friends. In short, happy go lucky. If my friends invites me to go somewhere, go agad. I really did enjoyed my being single. I was able to watch my first ever Side-A concert somewhere in Greenhills with a good old friend named Lia, (forgot her surname already, sorry...). Had a blast during my first time of going to Enchanted Kingdom with my high school friends. Had a great time with my cousins here in Lipa during our family get togethers.

But when motherhood came knocking at my door when I was 24, I had a 360 degrees turn of my life. My mother told me everything about having a child...blah...blah...blah... And to be honest I got scared. Because I was so used to just think of myself, of what I need, of I what I want. But these things changed when I had my eldest. Then a year after my 2nd. I had a hard time juggling my time with my 2 kids. The "ME" thing is now gone. I have to think of my 2 kids, at that time. I chose to be a stay at home mother because I wanted to be there for my 2 growing up kids. I never regret any of my decisions because I could see how my 2 older girls are turning out to be. #patintheback

And after my 2nd, 7 years after at the age of 32 years old, the youngest came. I could tell all of you my dear readers that IT WAS THE MOST difficult pregnancy I had. But it is all worth it. This time I was more mature in looking after her. I know what to do.

Seeing my girls turning into fine young teens and a pre-schooler as well. I tried, and still trying, my very best to instill in them of how to be RESPECTFUL of others especially to the older ones. How to be LOVING of each other because, like I always tell them, IT IS JUST THE 3 OF YOU, so each of you should love and respect each other, care for each other. I instill in them the value of EDUCATION, aminin natin mga parents this is the only TREASURE we could impart on them. If they are educated they could do anything already. They are the ones to make their own lives, not us.

I am NOT A PERFECT MOTHER but I know I am on the right track, because I could hear what other people tell of my kids, especially of my 2 older ones. My kids know I AM NOT PERFECT as well but they know that no matter what happens I AM ALWAYS HERE FOR THEM.

I am so blessed to have KATHERINE ARIELLE, JOSEPHINE THERESE, and AMAYA ISABELL in my life. Aside from my husband, these three girls are my source of STRENGTH, they make me LAUGH, SMILE and LOVED. I wouldn't trade of me, being a STAY AT HOME MOTHER. I respect working moms but this is my choice and I hope that you respect me as well. I love you girls so much. Thank you for making me "INSANE" once in a while. Thank you for the LOVE you're giving me and thank you for just being you girls....

To all the mothers, mama, mader, mudra, mom, inay and nanay in the entire world, HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

Amaya's Assessment

Yesterday morning Amaya, Ate Arielle and I went to Silvercrest for Amaya's assessment so that we could know if she will be in preparatory due to her age (she is 5 years old) or will start at kindergarten. So Tr. Johnel Aguilera attended to her. He brought her to the playroom/library for the kids. The assessment took 20 minutes. When they came back, Tr. Johnel and I talked. He told me that when it comes to verbal and conversation, numbers, Amaya is doing a great job. But she is not yet that familiar with the letters and is not yet good in writing.

Tr. Johnel told me that there 3 types of learner: THE VISUAL LEARNER, AUDITORY LEARNER and THE KINESTHETIC LEARNER. Amaya belongs to the 3rd group. Meaning that she could focus on 2 different things at the same time. I have learned a lot from the explanations of Tr. Johnel. He told me that I should be the one to adjust to Amaya instead of the other way around. If that will be the case ndi din naman ma-aabsorb ni Amaya yung tinuturo ko if I will pursue what I want. This is not SPOILING her, it is just her needs when it comes to learning is some what different from other kids her age.

So when I got home yesterday, I google what is really a KINESTHETIC LEARNER and here is what I found in Wikipedia.

KINESTHETIC LEARNING - is a learning style in which learning takes place by the student actually carrying out a physical activity rather that listening to a lecture or merely watching a demonstration. It is also referred to as TACTILE LEARNING. People with kinesthetic learning style are also commonly known as doers. These type of learners make about 5% of the population.

So right now instead of the basic up-down, straight lines and others that I her to learn, I might have to teach her how to write the letters and numbers already. Whew! I believe patience and understanding will have to be my best buddies in the coming days.

Arielle's Graduating from Elementary

Time really flies so fast (LITERALLY). It was just like yesterday when my eldest daughter, Arielle, graduated from kindergarten and then last March 31, 2012 at CAP building, this time she will graduate from elementary. Let the pictures do the talking.

while waiting for the march of the

graduating class, picture taking

muna kami...

that's me, putting some lipstick

on ate Arielle. hahaha! stage

mother talaga.

that's our ate Arielle, finally graduating

from elementary....

sorry for the blurred picture. that's

me and Arielle walking already.

that's Mrs. Rosita Tisbe the

school Directress of

Early Start Learning Center

Arielle together with her

classmate Angelo Tisbe

as the emcees of the

program.

Arielle received a Diligence Award

and she wanted that her

Tatay will pin the award.

Proud father....

while Tr. Madel was giving her

impromptu speech, Arielle

was crying. She will miss

her teachers and classmates.

receiving her diploma from

their principal Bro. Boy Lanuncia

Arielle with her friends from school

Arielle with her class adviser,

Tr. Shiela Llanes

With Tr. Gareth, her adviser

in their school paper

With her former teacher, Tr. Johnel Aguilera

Again, congratulations to our Ate Arielle... We love you so much...

NSO Experience

This morning I went to National Statistics Office here at Fiesta World Mall, Lipa City. Since I have to finish my household chores here at home, I left my place at 10:00 in the morning and arrived there at 10:30 a.m. It is Monday that is why traffic is all over the place. Anyway, as soon as I arrived, I saw this long, long line. As in. I almost backed out but I told myself that I have to sacrifice because I really need an NSO copy of my kids birth certificates and mine as well.

So as not to waste my time, I asked somebody where to get the form to that is needed to be screened. Someone pointed to window 2. So off I went to the window and got 4 forms for the birth certificates. I have to fill each form so be sure to BRING YOUR OWN BALLPEN. After filling up all the forms, I started to go to the last person in line so that I could be next. It took me 15 to 20 minutes just to get to the SCREEN WINDOW. The lady behind this window will just encircle the names and the dates that they need. The lady will stamp your forms with a number that will be called for the payment process. So guess what my number was, 1006 to 1009.

In fairness to them it took me another 20 minutes to be called for my payment. After paying, you get the receipts and have the patience until your number is called. In my case, I asked the lady how long do I have to wait, from the time I paid. She told me and hour to 2 hours maximum. So while waiting for the time, I decided to eat lunch, with my friend, Elaine. We decided to go back to the main office of NSO at around 2:15, and after 15 minutes my name was called. I almost shouted because I can't believe that I am almost finished.

There are few things that I noticed in the main office of NSO.

1. The aircondition is broken. Just imagine our perspiration and all. To think lahat ng amoy ng tao na nandun naghawa-hawa na. The only "cold" part is when lining up to the windows when you are called.

2. Be sure to bring a fan, water, biscuits and pen.

3. If you are going to get documents, PLEASE DO NOT BRING YOUR KIDS with you especially if they are babies or toddlers. I really pity the children who were brought by their parents with them.