2008 is a good year!

Sez who?  Sez many who see the last number 8 as a perfect number.  The two circles on top and bottom to form the number are symbolic of wealth and proportion.  Since 8 is also an even number, this also increases its positive connotation.

With this interpretation, then we should all make use of it and make this year a real blessing not only to us but to everybody.

Happy New Year!

birthstone for January

Garnet is the birthstone for the month of January.

lots of garbage this Christmas

The kid in the house received lots of gifts this Christmas, most of which cause more clutter in the house.  Well, she enjoyed playing with these toys for a day or two but after that there is no chance of finding the other parts or pieces to keep these toys intact.

1. toy clay----she received this at school----she was jubilant about it for each colored clay was beautifully packaged in colorful jars with cute animal molders and all placed inside a see-through bag---well, I was happy about it for a while for it kept her busy molding and shaping all sorts of stuff for a couple of days.  Then the clay, containers, etc. started to disappear and much of the clay is plastered on the marble floor!  I found out that  clay plastered on the floor is not easy to remove.  You need to really scrape the whole thing off with something sharp.  Oh boy.

2.  toy money---the bills and coins are too numerous to count---on day two, they're everywhere on the floor----day 3, I started throwing them into the garbage bin

3.  make-up set----small tiny pieces of make-up pieces complete with tiny hair brushes, toy lipstick, mirror, cologne bottle, hair clips, etc.---all in the garbage bin

4. tiny ones made in China dolls----the extremities of these dolls are so frail they get detached the moment you touch them----all mangled and meant to be thrown into the trash can.

5. small jigsaw puzzles---my, they're everywhere! Grrrr...

And a lot more.  In giving toy gifts to a kid, I suggest choosing something that is large and easy to locate and keep.

toys that end up in the garbage

With a five-year-old around the house, garbage has a weird way of piling every second of the day.  Most toys, especially the tiny ones, usually end up as garbage.  They look so attractive in their display packages in the store but when your kid starts to unwrap and play with those teeny weeny parts, you can be sure that they will comprise the day's garbage in a matter of minutes.  Of course, you try to keep them for a while before realizing that the kid is no longer interested in the toy or toys and they just add up to your mountain of toy garbage.  Cheap dolls especially always end up mangled, their body parts nowhere to be found.  Toy kitchen sets, bowling sets, tea sets, beach sets, doctor's or nurses' set, make-up set, and a lot more most likely end up as garbage.  Toys that are especially Made in China are frail and break very easily so they get thrown away very quickly.  Big and durable toys are ideal because they get to last and get to be seen very easily.

New Year's beliefs in this side of the world

There are a number of beliefs that most people in our country follow and observe on New Year's eve in order to get a good start.

A.  wearing dotted dress or clothes with big circles could bring in more moolah the whole new year because the round figures symbolize money; the bigger the circles, the bigger the money

B. have 13 round fruits of different types on the table before New Year's eve; the round fruits also symbolize wealth

C.  make noise in order to drive away evil spirits

D.  you have to be with the person you would like to spend your life with at the strike of midnight if you want to be with him/her the whole year round

E.  Jump as high as you can if you wanna grow :)

Merry X'mas!

Merry, merry X'mas and a prosperous New Year!  Greet your friends now!  Go to http://www.cute-spot.com  and get your glitters and cool graphics to greet your friends and loved ones.

peppermints for a dad

What to give her dad this Christmas is the problem of one forum member.  She is asking for suggestions on the best gift to make her father happy this Christmas.  She gave everyone a background of her dad, that her dad is a very simple man who probably is content of having 10 shirts and ten pairs of pants of the same kind, who only loves to stay home and face his pc which is by the way complete with accessories, etc.  One thing stands out though among all her descriptions.  Her dad does not go out without peppermints.  He always has peppermints in the house and she noticed lately that his supply of peppermints runs out very fast because grandkids in the house would often sneak them away.  So everybody in the forum suggested that it is best to give her dad bags of peppermints this Christmas since this seems to be the only item that will make the old guy happy.


Hmmmm....peppermints this Christmas?  Why not?

ice cream & cotton candy after a ride

This is one of the coolest gifts to its people as the Bais City government once more treats its constituents and visitors with free rides, ice cream, and cotton candy.  We are talking about the province's famous Christmas city where the biggest rotating and colorful Christmas tree is situated.  Running around this huge X'mas tree is a train in which people, especially kids, can have a ride around the X'mas tree.  What is amazing is the ice cream treat handed to each rider after a round-trip.  Another attraction this year is the rotating dolphins which also take kids and even parents to an almost real dolphin ride complete with sea water.  After each ride, the riders are given cotton candies.

The whole plaza of Bais City really looks fantastic especially in the evening and people from all walks of life gather here to simply have fun.

no. 3 choice: tulips

the stephanotis

No. 2 wedding bouquet

the rose

No. 1 choice flower

top ten wedding bouquets

Rose is still number one as the choicest flower for a bridal bouquet. It is followed by Stephanotis, then tulip, Lily of the Valley, hydrangea, daisy, peonies, hyacinth, orchid, Lily.

Brides have their own favorites but some flowers may not be available in your area. It is best to choose one that is easily accessible so your problem is lessened.

Graveyard of Fireflies

Hey guys, if you haven't watched this touching Japanese anime yet, I suggest that you find a copy of it and watch it. The story will really wring your hearts.

fairies, butterflies, angels

It was an evening of color, dance, costumes, and lots of wings of all shapes, colors, and sizes. The participants in the show we watched depicted creatures with wings in the most glittering and colorful interpretations, with appropriate music and choreography thrown in.

The first number was given by a group that did bats. Another group interpreted the stages of life of butterflies. There were fairies, bees, angels, winged vampires, birds and a lot more.

It was surely an evening of enchantment which kids should not fail to watch.

Sharing of love and joy

The true essence of Christmas should be seen and felt through simple ways of sharing love and joy to everyone. It is not in the material gifts that you give that makes Christmas meaningful. It is the love and the happiness you cause on people, the simple smile that happens when you share something to a needy stranger.

Nowadays people seem to be moving away from the real spirit of the occasion. There seems to be more focus on the giving of material things, neglecting the most important item which is bonding with the people around us through simple togetherness and being with each other in fun and laughter.

Christmas with much focus on the material aspects will be a sad Christmas when the celebration is over for you will be left with nothing but probably debts or an empty pocket.

Happiness and joy can happen even when you are penniless. The pure joy of being simply together with your family sharing the simplest of meals can be beyond compare.

Have a very merry X'mas and a prosperous New Year!

Christmas tree and gifts

Do you deck your Christmas tree with real gifts? Years ago, I used to wrap artificial gifts to be used only to decorate our Christmas tree. I'd really spend time wrapping boxes to make them look real.

This year I want the gifts to be real. So far as of today, I already got two gifts under our Christmas tree. There's one gift for my granddaughter and another one for myself. We intend to open all the gifts in the evening of Dec. 24.

Gift-giving early can have its purpose, like what I said, your gift can deck an otherwise dull-looking X'mas tree.

Parade

One of the most awaited events in our small city is the parade by Cosca students and personnel. Their floats this year will be inspired by Disneyland, costumes will be likewise Disneyland in motif and since it is Christmas time, the blend of Disney and Christmas will make the parade really a sight to watch.

cutest holiday greetings

Get your cutest holiday greetings from http://www.cute-spot.com all for free! In the same site you also get to play games for various ages. It is a super cute site to go with loads and loads of fun, colors, and glitters. Check it our for yourself and you will be amazed.

COSCA turns 48

One of the pioneering Catholic schools in our city, Colegio de Sta. Catalina de Alejandria will be celebrating its 48th anniversary starting on the 6th of this month. A series of fun-filled activities are lined up for everyone to see and enjoy. One of the most awaited events of the said school is the most expensive and glamorous parade in which costumes and elaborate floats will wow the entire city with its Disneyland theme. It is going to be one grand foundation anniversary this year with Fr. Enrique Balongag as school President.

have you put up your kid's sock yet?

It is Dec. 2 and one tradition some parents follow is the putting up of huge socks for each of their children who excitedly wake up every morning to check if Santa left something for them in there.

Our five-year-old kid had been asking for her sock which we hadn't mounted yet because the moment it is there, we would have to see to it that there is something in there every morning. This can be really a source of headache for sometimes we forget to buy something for her and so when morning comes we'd have to scamper and look for any thing to surprise her. If you got five kids, that can be like a lot.

But the good thing is, it ends after Christmas and you can at least make your kids behave this season or else Santa won't have something for them.

Ho-ho-ho-ho...

what a blast!

Andrea's 2nd birthday party today was purely enchanting. Held at the Palms and Pines, the place was so beautiful, everywhere you looked was a sight to behold. First off, the venue has a playground where the party kids can unwind and have fun with other kids. Then there's a vast green yard where kids can freely run without being hurt. The landscape was a beauty. Cotton candy carts, ice cream, Mister Donuts, waffles, etc. truly satisfied the kids as well as adults. The two sea fairies kept the kids busy by engaging them in games. The food? It was superb!