Living the Dream

I had a dream.

As a child, there are two things that i have always loved.  Writing and dancing. Through the years,  it has taken a backseat and would only show up once in a while but never permanently.  The past years have made me realize that life is to short to procrastinate.

On Writing...

I started writing at a very young age.  When i was 10 years old, I'd write in my diary almost every night.  Stories were recorded and locked safely with this little key hidden in a secret drawer in my room.  I remember writing my own pocketbooks back in high school.  I was able to finish writing three [note]books from cover to cover and had my cousin edit them for me.  I wanted to take up journalism as a college degree but never really pushed through for various reasons.  In 2006, i started writing in my personal multiply site about my journey as a mom. In 2011, i decided to write again and this time in a public blog. This is where i am now. Sharing my thoughts and experiences on this blog. Somehow living my writing dream.

On Dancing...


Ever since i was little, i had a passion for dancing. I love to dance. I have enrolled in various dance schools - from ballet to street dancing.  Though my skills are far from exceptional,  dancing has always made me feel happy.  I've dreamed of becoming a ballet dancer ever since i was a child. My mom enrolled me in a summer program when i was about 5 years old and I just fell in love with it.  However, since my mom was concerned that continuous ballet would ruin my feet, that dream had to be set aside. After graduating from college, i wanted to enroll in ballet school once again. Enrolling in ballet meant not being able to work at all since the schedule was very rigid. I felt that it was not the most responsible thing to do at that time so i decided to join the corporate bandwagon instead.

15 years and two kids later, i wondered if i will be able to pursue my love for dancing. Then i thought, if i don't do anything now, i may never really be able to do it anymore. I am very well in my 30s and some people have asked me 'Why now?'...well, i thought to myself 'If not now, then when?' Today is the youngest i will ever be.

I had a dream. And after over 30 years, i am now on my way to living the dream. In a few hours, i will be putting on my pink ballet shoes and dancing to my heart's content. Life is too short to waste another day just dreaming. It's time to step up and make your dreams come true. I just did.

Read more...

I Missed You, Carpaccio!

Before Italianis and all other commercial Italian restaurants became popular, there was Carpaccio. It's a small restaurant along Yakal in Makati that serves authentic Italian food. I vividly remember the paintings on the wall. They were reminiscent of the gondolas in Venice and cobblestones in Paris. It was such a lovely little nook in Makati.

We would have some lunch meetings with our foreign guests there some fifteen years ago. Dens and i would also frequent the place during our anniversaries and other special occassion. It was my favorite Italian restaurant then. Years later, new restaurants popped up in Makati and i forgot about Carpaccio. Once in a while i would remember it but thought it must be pretty run-down by now.

Last Friday, Dens and i were on our way home and was stuck in flood and traffic along Yakal Street.  Fate has it that we were pretty much stranded in front of the old Carpaccio. We wondered about the place and decided to check it out for old times' sake. What greeted us was such a surprise.

The place has moved to the 2nd floor of the same building.  It has been renovated with much modern interiors. They kept the wine rack to retain its vintage feel but everything else was sleek and stylish. Though i have fond memories of the old place, I really liked the new vibe that they've injected to the renovated restaurant.

The second thought that came to mind when i saw the place was 'uh-oh, prices must have also sky-rocketed with the upgraded interiors.  But then again, i was happy to see that they have remained reasonable considering the service and the good food.

We decided to split a pizza and a pasta between the two of us. Our bill came up to P800+ which is not bad for the fine dining experience. To start our meal, they served us warm bread and different spreads.

This was followed by a complimentary lamb patty as an appetizer. I am not a lamb person but it was very tasty. I guess i was more floored by the fact that this was free! #ilovefreebies

And then our main course came. All pasta dish come in two serving sizes. You can order it in appetizer portion or the main course. We decided to just get the appetizer portion since we were already splitting an entire pizza between the two of us. It was a good decision since it turned out that the appetizer portion was plenty enough already. The size is similar to a single-serving pasta dish in other established restaurants.

Marinara Pasta

Al Frutti di Mare Pizza (Seafood)

After our meal, my old love for Carpaccio has returned.  i told Dens that Carpaccio is still my favorite Italian restaurant of all time. I am sure we will be back. Maybe we'll see you there too?

Here is the entire MENU for your reference.

 

CARPACCIO RISTORANTE ITALIANO

7431 Yakal Street, San Antonio Village,
Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines
Tel: (63) 843-7286 / 867-3164
F: (63) 892-9271
E-mail: dining_at_yakal@werdenberg.com

Website: http://www.werdenberg.com/carpaccio/index.html

Read more...

Kidnapped by the Kids

How well do you communicate with your family?

During our church's couples camp, Dens and i realized that we need to improve on communication. I honestly never really thought we had a problem in that area. We always talk anyway.  We talk about the kids, our daily activities, business ideas, and a whole lot of other things. But i realized that we never really take time to talk about how to improve our relationship. We go by the mentality of 'Why fix what's not broken?' But when we started evaluating our relationship during the camp, we realized that there are things that i like Dens to improve on and vise versa. On the flip side, it was also nice for us to hear how we appreciate the things that the other person has been doing but we never took time to say it out loud.

Last week, Patty talked about this new TV show entitled Kidnapped by the Kids. It sounded interesting so i looked it up. The episode that i watched talked about a mom who lost the connection with her eldest son because she avoided communicating with him and didn't want to deal with the issue. Each time she sensed there is a problem, she would use her job as a way to keep herself busy so that she doesn't have to face the music. I'd like to share the entire episode with you (cut into 4 parts). I feel that it's a good insight to how our children feel when we don't spend enough quality time with them. Communication is key in all relationships within the family. It's not only important to communicate better with your children but also with our spouse. Each day is another chance for us to do better.

Rick Warren, the pastor of saddleback church, illustrated this nicely. He said that some of us tend to always sweep family issues under the carpet. We know it's there but we hide it because we don't want to deal with it. The problem is that we keep sweeping all of these issues under the rug and before you know it, there's already a big pile of mess underneath.  Until one day, you find yourself tripping over the carpet and hurting yourself or your love ones even more.

Spend time communicating with each other. It's a great investment for your family.

Read more...

Are You Ready For Your Date?

When was the last time you went out on a date........with your kids?

Before I got married, I have read so many books saying couples tend to forget each other once the children are born.  The focus would normally shift from the spouse to the children and the schedule would usually revolve around them.  With that, Dens and I promised to have a date night every Friday to also make sure we have time for ourselves.

 

Last Saturday, i learned something new from our New Beginnings talk with Coach Pia. You will also need to schedule date nights with each of your child. Just like your spouse, you're together most of the time at home but the bonding is also different when you go out on dates and experience new things together.

 

Then I remembered seeing some parent-child date pictures on Facebook from my good friends Jackson and Ann.  Their date nights are particularly special because they have 7 kids! Imagine that! Joshua (11), Jericho (10), Ariana(9), Jacob (7), Jonah (6), Andrea (16 months), Angela (1 month). I truly admire how they have raised very behaved and well-mannered kids. Ann stays home to take care of the kids and tutor all of them. You would think their home would be chaotic but it's amazingly not. Both of them have done a wonderful job raising confident and happy kids.

I decided to interview Jack and get a dad's perspective on how he manages to let each child feel unique and loved.

 

How do you manage to provide individual attention to all 7 kids?

 

[Jackson] I make sure we have simple bonding moments after their school activities. Joshua has guitar and math classes, Jericho has student council meetings, and Ariana has piano classes every Saturday morning. I would pick them up and it would be a good opportunity to spend time with them.

 

Jacob and Jonah usually spend time with me a home, playing and enjoying games. Our favorite right now is working on our Lego collections and our "Tickle Time".  For Andrea and Angela, I make sure to provide time to bring them and Ann for a stroll during Sundays. 
 

I remember seeing pictures of your dates with your children, why did you think of having this?

[Jackson] Presence matters. What I have learned is that ordinary moments may become the biggest treasured memory for our children. Having one-on-one dates with our kids provide them our full attention which they so desire. This gives them a sense of security that they are important no matter what their place in the family. They know that you care for them and love spending time with them individually. 



Date with Joshua

Love for them is spelled as "Quality Time" and you cannot do that with all of them at the same time! It is during these one-on-one dates that we can fully understand their personalities, behaviors, and even their secrets.

As a father, you get to instill the right values in them. You get to talk about faith and help them have strong convictions when they grow older. You get to really know them and allow them to also get to know who their dad is.  But most of all, to plant in each one of them a strong family identity built around Christ. I want my sons to know they can approach me anytime they want, with full access and no inhibitions. I want my daughters to know that her first love is daddy, and that the word "I Love You" is spoken every time at home.

Besides getting to know them more, what other benefits do you see in spending individual time with each child?


Date with Jericho

[Jackson] Wow, the benefits are life changing! You begin to better understand the call for fatherhood.  I want to build a legacy based on my faith in God and His instructions.  Our kids will grow in confidence and in love. That will be their guide as they grow older. You put the matter of self-worth in its proper perspective - that is, Christ's great love for our sons and daughters. 

 

Doesn’t the other child feel jealous when it’s the turn of his/her siblings?

[Jackson] There are sibling rivalries once in awhile.  But as long as we explain that everyone gets a chance to be with daddy, everything turns out to be okay, I guess (hahaha).  Ann is doing a great job educating them about time sharing.  They get to do fun things while their brother or sister spends time with me. 

Any other tips on giving attention to kids?

[Jackson] Share A Hobby! We love Lego's! And this is where we get to spend time together.  We also use it as a teaching tool for kids!

Thank you, Jack, for sharing your fatherhood experiences. 

I personally like what Jack shared about self-worth. I find this especially true when dads go on dates with the little girls. By the time our daughters grows up, she will already know how a lady should be treated on a date because her dad has set the benchmark. She will have more self worth and not be attracted to guys who disrespect her. Sometimes, uncles or grandfathers can also step in as the father-figure when the father is not present. (Think Rory of Gilmore Girls).

Here are some additional tips i have learned from our New Beginnings talk with Coach Pia:

• It should be one-on-one. This means that either Mom with child or Dad with child. If both parents go, the tendency is for the parents to talk most of the time so the value of the date with the child is diminished.
• Let the child make the agenda for the date.  Ask them what they want to do and where they wan to go.
• Start your dates when the child knows how to communicate already. This is usually around 1.5 to 2.5 years old.
• Don't use the dates as a bargaining tool for discipline. Some parents might say 'If you do not do your homework, we will not go out on the date!'. The child has to know that this is something that you personally look forward to and are not just doing it for them. It's better to say 'Please finish your assignments already. Mommy will be so sad if we can't go out on our date tonight'.
• Label It! Let the child know that this is a 'date'. If you don't tell them, they might not recognize that it's a date with them.
• Finally, thank them for the date when you get home! You can say 'You know I really had fun tonight.  Thank you for going out on a date with Mommy'.

So what are we waiting for? Start scheduling your week and planning your dates with your children. I know it takes some effort to consistently do it but i can assure you that it's tremendously rewarding.

Happy Dating!
 

 

 

 

 

Read more...

Mums of New Beginnings

It's very hard being a first time mom.

They always say that the first child is often a product of [discipline] trial and error. Learning how to be a good parent is never easy.  I have bought countless parenting books and have interviewed veteran moms on several occassions.  There is always something new to learn.  This is why I was more than happy to say YES when i was invited to be part of a new community for progressive moms last June.      

New Beginnings is a community where moms grow together. Watch the video below and learn more about New Beginnings.

Meet the Mums of New Beginnings

Like us on Facebook [http://www.facebook.com/newbeginnings.com.ph] and chat with other moms about the joys and pains of motherhood.

Read more...

My Faith Chronicles



Troy's footprints on Day 1

I have an observation.  

Once a woman decides to start a family, natural motherhood instincts worries kick in. Just when you thought you're over the worst parenting anxiety, the next one comes up.

Worry #1 - Will i get pregnant? How soon? Will we encounter difficulty conceiving?

Worry #2 - You're pregnant. Yay! Will the baby be okay? Will my baby be healthy and normal?

Worry #3 - Congratulations! You have given birth to a healthy baby! Will I be able to breastfeed? Is she getting enough nutrition? Will she sleep through the night? To vaccine or not to vaccine?

Worry #4 - You're chasing your happy toddler around and you're wondering...why isn't she talking yet??? is there something wrong?

Worry #5 - You now have an inquisitive pre-school. Then you start doing your research. What is the best school for my child? Will she ace the entrance exam?

Worry #6 - Primary School, here we go.  Will my gradeschool kid do well in school? 

Worry #7 - Welcome to teen parenting. You now start to think of the best way to remain 'friends' with your child. How will i ensure the she still confides in me? I hope she doesn't get into a relationship too soon.

Worry #7 - What a milestone! You now have a graduating child! Will she get into a good college? gosh, here we go again with those entrance exams!

Worry #8 - Whew! Done with college. Oh, i hope she gets a good paying job and finds the right lifetime partner.

Worry #9 - Best wishes to my child. I can't believe she's married!

Worry #10 - Will she get pregnant? How soon? Will they encounter difficulty conceiving?

...and the cycle goes on.

Well, i've got good new for us worriers out there.  

God is our creator. He did not only create us but he formed these little beings inside of us. He knew them even before we did.

Psalms 139:13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.

God loves our children more than we ever could. Hard to imagine? It's true.

Isaiah 49:15 “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!

And i leave you with my all-time favorite verse.

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Have faith. Our children are safe in the loving arms of our Lord. God knows best.

Read more...

5 more minutes, please???

Even though my 2 kids have their own rooms, my husband and i still prefer that they sleep with us at night. My son has his own make-shift toddler bed (we used the Scatola sofa bed designed by Rajo Laurel for Uratex) that we placed beside our bed, and my daughter sleeps in her crib on the other side of the room.

My son adores her baby sister. He would always wake up very early in the morning, go to the crib and check whether his sister is already awake. If she is, he'd immediately wake me up and ask me to carry her to our bed. If she isn't, then he'd find a way to wake her up.

They would spend around 15 minutes playing while my husband and i will spend the entire time watching them. Troy would either choose a movie on my phone or teach his sister how to play a new app on the iPhone. Dawn would attentively listen to her brother even though am pretty sure she doesn't understand any of the instructions he is teaching her.

I remember when i was younger and would always request for 5 minutes more when i am being awakened to go to school. Now as i look at my two precious children playing by themselves early in the morning, my mind is requesting the same thing before i start to get ready for work.

My heart swells with gratitude each and every day I see them.

I will be forever grateful for each and every moment I spend with them. They are God’s wonderful blessings to us and living testimonies of God’s faithfulness and love.

Read more...