Our Simple Celebration of Mama Mary's Birthday

We started our celebration with pancake breakfast. These were our cakes for Mama Mary. We thought of using M&M chocolates to make the pancakes colorful and to form the letter M on the pancakes but there were no M&M chocolates in the nearby convenience store when our helper went. This disappointed my eldest son. Good thing, I was able to convince him eventually to use a substitute. I used our chocolate syrup instead to form a letter M on top of my kids' pancakes. I'm glad it still put a smile on their faces when they ate their breakfast and snack for the day.

 

 

Last Sunday night, my husband started teaching our kids how to sing the Hail Mary. He also wrote the chords of the song in my eldest son's notebook so our eldest can practice playing the song even while he was in the office the following day.

 

Before lunch yesterday, my eldest son practiced the piece. He also practiced singing the song.

 

  

Later, he played the birthday song in the piano while his younger brother sang Happy Birthday to Mama Mary.

 

I wanted to paint with kids yesterday but as usual, it took a while before the boys went to sleep after lunch. Thus, they woke up late and we only had just enough time to get ready for the evening Mass.

 

We had dinner and dressed up for the Mass. I dressed the boys in long-sleeved polo shirts just like their Dad and told them that blue is one of the colors associated with Mama Mary. I wanted to wear blue also but I don't something blue that fits my pregnant body. So I just wore a white top with dark blue stripes.

 

We also had a chance to have a family photo taken
with the baby Mary after the Mass. 

 

We were blessed to be asked to offer the host and wine during the Mass. The boys walked with me and my husband as we offered them. I thank God for this special blessing.

 

We wanted to buy roses and let the boys offer them to Mama Mary but there were no more roses for sale outside the church when we checked. Anyway, I think Mama Mary was still pleased with the boys as they sang their hearts out during the Mass.

 

I prayed to Mama Mary that I would be more like her in raising my kids. I know that I need much grace from God to be a better mom. I also asked her to pray for my kids that they would grow to be god-loving and that they would live their lives according to God's Will.

 

We were not able to push through with our original plans on how we wanted to celebrate Mama Mary's birthday but I still thank God that we got to celebrate it in a simple and meaningful way.

The Rain is Here: A Book Review

“The rain is here!” my son would shout from our window as soon as he sees the dark clouds in the sky.

Then, he would ask our maid to bring in the newly-laundered clothes which are hanged in a clothes’ line at the back of our house.

“The rain is here!”

This line has become our favorite expression every time we notice that it’s about to rain. We got this from one of our favorite books THE RAIN IS HERE. This was written by Lina B. Diaz de Rivera (a retired English and Reading teacher) and illustrated by Maria Bernadette Solina-Wolf. This is one of the titles under Chikiting Books published by LG&M, the children’s book imprint of Vibal.

We found this at Vibal’s booth while we were at the Manila International Book Fair years ago and got it at a discounted price of only P56.00. You might want to check it out in the next Manila International Book Fair which will happen soon on September 17-21.

We liked it right away and it has become our favorite read during rainy days.

Since it has been raining more frequently in the past days, my kids and I brought this out once more to be one of our regular reads.

Let me enumerate the things that we like about this book.

1.    We love the book cover design. It shows different people trying to protect themselves from the getting wet while the rain pours. Most of them were holding umbrellas but there was also a boy and a man wearing a raincoat and another man using a salakot and the leaf of a local plant as raincoat. There’s also a man using a newspaper to cover his head and a woman who just finished the laundry covering her head with a basin. The kids and I found these amusing.

2.    We love the beautiful illustrations. The setting is in the province complete with a bahay kubo and local farm animals. The colors were bright making the pages look attractive. Even the pages where the rain was already pouring were illustrated brilliantly. They didn’t look gloomy. The illustrations were also clean and clear.

3.    Like in most children’s books that I liked, the text printed on every page was appropriate even for very young children. Short simple sentences were used. In some pages, there were just phrases. You’ll notice that the words used in the book were carefully chosen because although the sentences were short and simple, they communicate well the message that the book wanted to impart. Moreover, the text is placed strategically; thus, making it easy to read them. This also prevents the pages from looking cluttered. The font size used also facilitates easy reading.

4.    I liked the message conveyed by the illustrations. In one spread, you’ll see the little girl helping her mother hang the clothes, while one of her brothers watched and played with a younger brother. When it started to rain, you’ll see in the next pages all the kids helping out to bring the clothes inside the house. In another page, you’ll see the kids happily singing and entertaining themselves at home while it was raining outside. There were also pages where the kids decided to play in the rain. Lastly, there’s a page where the kids happily welcomed their father home after working in the field. I think that these illustrations depict good Filipino values that we should pass on to the next generation.

I’m happy that these illustrations support the values that I teach my kids at home. That helping out in household chores is a way of life and that they can have fun even inside the house while it rains. They need not be sad when it rains. Most importantly, I want them to show excitement and eagerness to welcome their Dad when he comes home from work.

5.    There’s also an activity page after the story where the kids can color pictures of items that can help protect us from the rain. These include not just an umbrella but also a banana leaf, a gabi leaf and an anahaw leaf. It’s a good way to introduce these local plants to our kids who mostly live in the city and are not familiar with these plants unless we bring them to the province.

I highly recommend this book to parents with young children. It’s a nice read aloud book that even kids who can already read would enjoy listening to. 

Some of the activities that my kids and I had after reading this book and other books about the rain are the following: drawing rain drops, drawing clouds and lightning, singing nursery songs about the rain, painting rainbows, making clouds using cotton and showing the kids how the clouds accumulate water using cotton also. 

If you're wondering if you should buy a copy of this book soon, check out Pag-asa's weather forecast for the month of September here.

What are some of your favorite books about the rain? Feel free to leave a comment. Would love to hear from you. Aside from this book, we also like reading The Cat in the Hat and Si Jepoy Dyip.

An Interview with a Hands-on Mom: Mommy Kat of Mommyfide PH

I first learned about her through a Facebook group that I was a part of. One of the members in the group mentioned her and her business. I was also in the process of finishing the e-book version of BREASTFEEDING: A Journey Worth Taking and I made a mental note to get in touch with her in case she's interested to have her breastfeeding-related business listed in my e-book.

 

My e-book has been launched and has become an Amazon bestseller and I'm thankful to the many people who in one way or another helped make this book project possible. Among them is Mommy Kat of Mommyfide PH.

 

Then, I thought of running a Facebook contest last month in celebration of National Breastfeeding Awareness Month. Mommy Kat was also among my generous sponsors. So, I thought of interviewing her to get to know more the wonderful woman behind this talked about nursing wear brand.

 

I was happy to meet her for the first time last Saturday at the Breastfeeding Forum at Asian Hospital where there was also a Moms and Babies Fair. Mommy Kat and I were among the mompreneurs who joined the bazaar.

Mommy Kat and Mommy TG at the Moms and Babies Fair, Asian Hospital.

 

Let me share with you my interview with Mommy Kat of Mommyfide PH.

 

Mommy TG: What was your work before you started your own business?

Mommy Kat: Before I was “Mommy Kat”, I wore all sorts of hats. First I helped manage our family business, Planet Exchange, a one stop fashion shop in SM City Cebu, then I tried doing the boutique business myself and then I worked for my uncle to manage his mini grocery in Ormoc and then I worked at PAGCOR as a card dealer and then at Citibank for a short period of time as an insurance specialist. I was quite restless and young and could not figure out what I really wanted. Nothing really fulfilled me.

 

Mommy TG: What/who inspired you to start your own business?

 

Mommy Kat: Liane Girl. When I look at my daughter, I just want to be the best version of myself, my supportive husband, R whose passion for people and integrity inspires me and my mom whose influence in business and fashion ever since I was little; it is actually as if she prepared me for this.

 

Mommy Kat with her inspirations.

 

Mommy TG: How and when did you start your business?

 

Mommy Kat: December 2013. I started with only 10 pieces of 2 Flow Pastel Tops which surprisingly sold out within minutes.

Mommy TG: How/Why did you choose Mommyfide PH as your business/brand name?

Mommy Kat: Originally, it was Mommyfied—because I was so inspired to transform ordinary clothes into Mommywear. My love for comfortable fashion and having a closet full of clothes I could not wear really encouraged me to pursue it thinking how many young moms like me are having a hard time choosing an outfit that is breastfeeding friendly and at the same time, still feel good with herself.

Mommyfide is derived from “bona fide” or original Mommywear.

 

Mommy TG:  How do you come up with the designs of your products?

Mommy Kat: Honestly, I think about it. I imagine it. I have a prototype made. We put them to the test before I have them mass produced. The truth is our tops and dresses have evolved so much in the year that has passed!

 

Mommy TG:  Who makes your nursing tops and clothes?

Mommy Kat: I am proud to say they are all Philippine made.

 

Mommy TG:  What are your bestselling designs/products?

Mommy Kat: FLOW Collection: tops, dresses, rompers and jumpsuits, Mommy-OH Tops and GO Collection Tops

 

Mommy TG: What do you consider your biggest business lessons so far?

Mommy Kat: The most valuable lesson I learned is that Mommyfide is founded in love and advocacy. The love for my baby, the love for breastfeeding, in turn, this love has driven me to share it to moms and babies to make their breastfeeding journey easier, pleasurable and comfortable by providing affordable, quality and fashionable clothes.

 

Mommy TG: What does your typical day as hands-on mom and mompreneur look like?

Mommy Kat: Liane always comes first. My day is tailor fit around her needs. I meet suppliers with her. We eat, read and play together. When she naps, it is when I do things for myself. It also helps that L has always had a schedule. At 8PM she is sound asleep, which gives me time to upload new items once a week or watch something together with my husband. A reliable nanny is also a huge help. Although L is always with me, an extra pair of hands assisting me in the other room or looking after L when we’re in a meeting allows me to do more things without having to worry that she’s bored or something.

Mommy TG: What do you think are the advantages of having a home-based business?

Mommy Kat: The best thing about it is being able to fulfill personal goals, earn, save, meet new moms, share my experience and advocacy, doing what I love while being able to spend time with the most important people in my life, my little family.

 

Mommy Kat with her husband and daughter, Liane.

 

If you are pregnant and you plan to breastfeed or if you are already breastfeeding and wants to invest on nursing clothes, I suggest that you head to Mommyfide PH's Facebook Page and check out their products.

Here's a sneak peek to their new designs.

Photo source here.

 

Flow nursing tee in my favorite color.
Perfect for denim pants or slacks.
Photo source here.

I was happy to have my own Mommyfide PH nursing tops last Saturday! Her nursing clothes can also fit pregnant women. This makes them good investments for moms who plan to breastfeed eventually when they give birth. I'm excited to wear the white Flow top I got together with my black blazer and slacks this coming Saturday when conduct a team building workshop for one of my clients.

   

What I plan to wear this Saturday
with my black blazer and slacks.
Photo source here.