Kid's Fear Food Factor

Thanks to Em and Marnellie for this meme.


Kuya loves to eat, as you can see in the picture. He tries new food just as long as it smells okay to him. I've seen him eat raw veggies like cucumber dipped in vinegar and celery dipped in mayo. He even eats boiled camote tops with tomatoes, onions and fish paste.
Japanese food is not a problem since he can eat as many as 6 California maki rolls in one sitting. He also loves broccoli, cauliflower and sauce with anything. Last night, he dipped a cholocate wafer in pumpkin soup and loved it.

My Mickey Mouse Kowi is a picky eater. I don't blame her, she's at the horrible threes stage. But she will eat carrots and beans without much fuss. She loves to eat fruits. Her mid-morning snacks are either apples, bananas and grapes. Her afternoon snacks are Kuya's daily cheese cupcakes. The weird thing about her is that she loves peanut butter on bananas. Well, it's not really weird because that's the way I eat my bananas, too! Oh, she absolutely loves batchoy. Maybe she gets it from my dad's side of the family. They're Ilonggo.


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1.) Name something strange that your kids love to eat. Doesn’t matter how many.
2.) Post an image of him or her enjoying ‘the’ strange food liking. If none, just a photo of him having a feast.
3.) Add your kids name in the linky love with the blog where you posted this meme.
4.) Get back to Living the Healthy Life Blog by leaving a comment so your kids’ name be added to the master list.
5.) Tag as many of your friends with kids.

Kids who joined the fear food factor: ETHAN / MARTHA/ JJ/ Kuya and Kowi/ Your kids' names here with your blog URL

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08.08.08

I know of at least three couples getting married tomorrow. They'll be taking their place in history. After all, 08.08.08 will come only once.

One couple is my cousin and his fiancé. They'll be getting married tomorrow in Quezon City. And they've asked Kowi to be one of their flower girls. (Stage mother alert!)

I just got the gown yesterday. Apparently, it wasn't a joke when they told me last summer that the motif was definitely Chinese red and gold. Kowi's gown was really red with gold trim. The funny thing is we're not Chinese. I'm not so sure that my cousin's fiancé is one, too.

Good thing Kowi liked the dress when she tried it on. She felt 'like a princess' in that red gown with a large petticoat which weighed more that her. The dress can actually stand on it's own. I was a bit scared that she won't wear it because it's not pink.

So this morning I'm busy preparing the outfits for everyone. Kuya's and Hubby's Barong (just in case he can attend), Kowi's gown and extra dress, my dress, all the shoes plus accessories. My car actually looks like it's going to a movie set rather than a wedding.

Haay...back to work.

Kuya and Money

This year, Hubby and I decided that Kuya should finally be given a daily allowance. Seven years old is a suitable age for Kuya to start developing a relationship with money. Since he's learning about it in his Math class, why not make it a practical learning opportunity? This is a great tool to teach him how to handle money and know that it doesn't grow on trees. Although, I know, we all wish it did.

This allowance is really not tied to any basic chore or a certain grade. He does chores around the house because, as a member of the family, he needs to help out and maintain a decent grade. This is his "work." So fixing his bed and cleaning up after his mess is expected of him. But I do give him an allowance for setting the table, sweeping the backyard and tidying up the plates. These are extra tasks.

I give him Php5.00 a day. I know, I know, Hubby says I'm a big tightwad. But it's a good, round figure to start with.

Kuya and I agreed on certain things before I gave him his daily allowance. He is not allowed to buy candy. If he wanted to buy anything that costs more that Php20.00, he will have to let me know first. If he wanted to buy something extra, like a magazine or a toy, it'll have to come out of his allowance. And that I will match whatever money is saved up in his piggy bank by December 1.

The last item was thrown in for good measure. I didn't want him to go spend his Php5.00 daily allowance on snacks. It is an incentive for him to save. The more money he drops in his piggy bank, the more money he'll have by December--hopefully.

Practical Parenting

If you're a parent, you know that kids = expense. The minute you saw that stick turn pink, you know that you're going to have to shell out money for monthly doctor's appointments, pre-natal vitamins and milk, cute maternity clothes, larger and comfier flat shoes to match the new clothes because stiletto heels just won't do anymore, extra lunch money for those can't-just-wait-I-have-to-have-it-now cravings and the list goes on. And all these even before the baby arrives! Yes, parenting has never been easy on the pocket.

Of course, once they come out there's your hospital bill, doctor's fee, layette, bassinet if you're not co-sleeping, breast pump, formula and feeding bottles if you're not breastfeeding, strollers if you're not baby wearing, car seat, a contant supply of baby wipes, diapers, a diaper genie, baby products like baby bath, anti-rash creams, nail clippers, socks, hats, bibs, blankets and the list still goes on and on and on...oh, and this is just for your baby's first month of life. This long list continues on until your baby leaves the nest in about 20 so and so years.

When you calculate wardrobe change for your baby from the day one until he turns a year old, brace yourself, it's not cheap. Especially when it's all out of pocket, your pocket. And wardrobe isn't the only thing you spend for your baby. There's monthly check-ups and vaccines, diapers, wipes, baby products, still the list goes on...

Maybe this was why the practical parent was born. And I'm announcing to the world that I am a practical parent. At today's fuel and food prices, is there any other kind?

Brillante Award

Thanks to Jody for the award.









The Above recipients of the Brillante Weblog are welcomed to put the Logo on their personal blogs and have the honor of passing this award to seven other bloggers.

Here are the rules for passing on the award:

1. Put the logo on your blog
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you.
3. Nominate at least seven other blogs
4. Add links to those blogs on your blog
5. Leave a message for your nominee on their blog.

Now passing this award to Cee, Melisse, Nanay Belen, Ivan Girl, Vida, Yenzz and Mommy Allehs.

separated at birth?

Kuya's To Do List

Kuya has officially made a list of things he has to do before Aina's party on Saturday. He has been writing and rewriting since yesterday, tearing away several pages from my scratch pad in the process.

First on the to do list is to buy a gift for Aina. I said it will be coming out of his allowance. He says it's fine. So we'll be hitting the mall this week to find a gift for Aina. What do 7-year-old girls like? I have no idea at all. Actually, I'm letting Kuya choose first and we'll go from there.

I'm hoping he won't choose cupcakes! Hehe.

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Join the conversation and earn while doing it.

No more raindance

Last Friday, for purely selfish reasons, I asked for the rains to stay. Hubby was supposed to leave for two months for work reasons.

But the rains have delayed (again) his departure. He came home on Saturday and Sunday night. Yay. And up to now, he's still here, thanks to Typhoon Julian.

What I didn't expect was the flood that followed the rains. Ooops, sorry. Next time, I won't do my raindance as vigorously. Promise.

Super excited

Kuya came home today super excited. I was waiting for his school bus to turn the corner when I heard him shouting, "Mommy, Mommy. I got an invitation."

He jumped from the school bus and ran inside the house. Then he started to open up his bag to get the invitation. "See, Mommy?" he said while holding up the card to my face.

See what?

Yes, it was definetly an invitation. Judging from the Dora theme, it was a girl's birthday party. When I opened it up, it was an invitation to Aina's birthday. Remember Aina, the cheese cupcake girl?

He was was so excited to get an invite. Apparently, the party is only for a select number of classmates. Kuya said Aina distributed the invites to a few of them, him included. After all, he's the 7th bestfriend.

While I am writing this and eating the cupcake supply for the day, Kuya is writing a thank you note to Aina for inviting him.

The redder the feet...

My mom takes traveling very seriously. She gets the whole salon treatment before going out on any trip. This includes a hair trim, a retouch on her lowlights ang highlights, manicure and pedicure, a foot spa, the works.

On a recent trip to Hong Kong, my mom, Kuya and I were waiting for the gates to open for boarding. Kuya was really bored and can't wait to go to Disneyland. Then he noticed that my mom's feet were a bit redder than usual.

He whispered to my mom, "Mamu, why are your feet red?"

Before Mamu could answer, Kuya added, "Is it because you're old?"