Posts

The "Mommy Book": Mommy Travels

The "Mommy Book": Mommy Travels : Kota Kinabalu for non-climbers Part Three: Strolling around Suria Sabah      When my husband got free tickets from Ai...

The "Mommy Book": Mommy Travels

The "Mommy Book": Mommy Travels : Kota Kinabalu for non-climbers Part Two: Dining at the KK Waterfront      When my husband got free tickets from Air As...

Do Everything on Your To-Do List AND Save the World Too?!

Do Everything on Your To-Do List AND Save the World Too?!

Kota Kinabalu for non-climbers

Image
The Sunday market at Gaya Street is a must-visit in Kota Kinabalu.  Haggling is a must too! (Photo by Richard Ramos) When my husband got free tickets from Air Asia to Kota Kinabalu, I didn’t hit the roof with excitement.   But it is an amazing treat!   So I figured there must be other attractions in this Malaysian city for non-climbers like me. True enough there were other adventures (albeit tamer) that we found to make our four-day stay truly awesome. Part One:   Shopping at Gaya Street Our first adventure was the Gaya Sunday Street Market.   All kinds of wares were for sale from the classic Muslim shawl to Sabah coffee and chocolates, to plants and animals including a dehydrated Persian cat.    The street hawkers displayed their goods on tables under tents all lined up and down the street on a weekly market that is open from six in the morning till one o’clock in the afternoon. So I asked one seller, “Why do you close at 1 o’clock?”   “Because it’s v

Family out-of-town-trip Survival Tips for Mommies

Image
Family out-of-town-trip Survival Tips for Mommies Actually, happiness comes in bursts of laughing moments.  The boys just love it up north.      You know what’s funny?   We go out of our way to go on out-of-town trips with our family in the “pursuit of happiness”.   But when we do, we end up with just “pursuit” most of the time WITHOUT the “happiness”!        Let me prove my point.   My husband and I packed everything up (including our two kids) in our small compact car to drive four hours up north so we can have a happy, fun holiday.   We ended up enduring the entire drive listening to two boys arguing on just about everything – and that’s not even mentioning the return trip!         When we arrived the beach was as appealing as the Pacific Ocean developing a tsunami, and spending time playing computer games in a neighborhood internet café was the highlight of our entire stay! To tell you the truth, beaches up north are to die for.  This was taken i

Pura: An Ode to Mama

Image

The "Mommy Book": Mommy Arts & Crafts

The "Mommy Book": Mommy Arts & Crafts : Find-the-egg Scrolls    I was mulling on the idea of holding a stay-at-home Easter Egg Hunt for the boys and I wanted it to b...

The "Mommy Book": Career Mommy

The "Mommy Book": Career Mommy : I work in my Pajamas I work hard every day, in my pajamas, in my bedroom, in bed.   No, no, no!  It’s not what you’re thinking.  I’m ...

New Year’s Resolutions that I KNOW won’t work this year

Image
Update:  Okay, so I re-read this in 2020 and I admit it didn't sound right - for those with other things in mind.  This article was meant to be satirical.  Please try to remove any form of malice?  All in the name of fun please.  Much thanks!  And terms that might connote negativity in American setting was not meant to be so by this writer who is a Filipina mother.  Peace :)  We all start our year with resolutions right?   Well now that the first quarter is over, it is time to do a little assessment.   I did mine, so before I make any more false promises to myself, I have identified my top three new year’s resolutions that I KNOW won’t work this year. Number One – Diet I already know what I need to do to lose weight – eat more fruits, exercise, reduce consumption of rice, don’t drink creamy coffee, and don’t eat too many sweets.   I know all that, I just don’t do all that.      Sweets follow me wherever I go.  How can I say no? Let’s face it.   I love to do the

Drive Through

Image
My son Raffy is a much better driver than I am.   Maybe I should settle for cars like these...      Who among you here drive their own car?   Then you would know what I’m going through right now.   I’m in a state you would call the Drive-Through.   No, I’m not referring to a McDonald’s Drive thru, or a Jollibee Drive thru.   I’m not talking about food at all!            I’m talking about learning how to drive and all the things you have to go through while learning.               I’m on a drive-through!      All right, you might be wondering, “She’s learning how to drive? Wait, how old is she?”   I know, I know, I’m in my thirties! (Actually author is in her forties.) I get it!   I’m way too old to still not know how to drive.   Heck, kids these days drive their own wheels to the prom!      But yes, at thirty-two (Make that 45), I am learning how to drive.   My first victim was my younger brother March.   Yes you heard right.   My name is April and I have