What I gave for presents this Christmas

It's in a white envelope and it's colored violet...... oh yes it's "money". This Christmas "money" is what I give out to my godchildren, nieces and nephews.

Why? Because although I have time to go shopping, I don't know what is the best gift to give away on each one of them. Last Christmas 2010, I gave away things that I have picked personally based on what I think they will like but since its normal for some kid to be envious (especially those with the same ages) they want what the other one has received and vice versa. I am hurt whenever I see them asking if they can exchange gifts with each other, so now, I decided to just give them money and let them choose what they want to have.

When we were young, we usually received money as a gift because our godmother and some relatives are at very far away places so they just see us during reunions and don't know how much we've grown since the last time they have seen us, so giving money is the safest thing they can give. Others said that giving money is not cool at all since the parent of the child is the one getting it and enjoying Christmas. Well, somehow it's true but if the parent did get the money that their children received I believe that they will use it for their children's sake too, so for me it's okay.

I remember my mom always get my gift money when I was a child and she used it to buy new shoes, clothes or school supplies because her earnings was just enough for our everyday needs. So, it's only during Christmas we get new things in the closet.

One more reason that I don't feel like giving away tangible gifts this year is that I am not feeling the season much because of the tragedy that typhoon Sendong did at Mindanao. I would like to help those people even how little or simple it is. I think it's better than giving nothing at all.

I saw that the most number of casualty were children so as a mom, I am deeply hurt to see it. We didn't even buy a lot of food for our Noche Buena since I know some don't have any to eat at all.

Next year I hope to have more sidelines and opportunities so that I can save some for my family and give more to others.

Merry Christmas everyone and hoping for a better New Year!

Where to send donations to the victims of Typhoon Sendong (Washi)

I haven't been online for a couple of days because I had to rest and I was not feeling well. As much as I wanted to make a post here, my head is in so much pain and I could not even stand up. But, my pain is just small compared to the sufferings that my brothers and sisters in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan have experienced when Typhoon Sendong washed away their properties and even killed some of their families.

When we lost our house from a fire last year, my mother, together with my siblings have experienced sleeping in an open and noisy space at an evacuation center. We also experienced falling in a long line just to wait for the relief goods, so I know what our brothers and sisters are facing there right now.

Fortunately, my family is still complete and no one die on that fire accident but at Cagayan de Oro, there are already 700 casualties and I can't imagine how hard it is to lose some one you love.

This Christmas season, we are still lucky, so even though we don't have much, my family didn't hesitate to share our blessings to them. I know you also want to do the same so here are some ways for you to help our brothers and sisters at Mindanao.


For Cash and Checks Donations:
Cebuana Lhuiller Pawnshop (Nationwide)

Direct deposits may be made online from any BPI branches, pay to:

SIMBAHANG LINGKOD NG BAYAN (Account Name/Payee)
Bank of the Philippine Islands (Loyola-Katipunan Branch)
BPI Peso Checking Account Number: 3081-1111-61
BPI Dollar Savings Account Number: 3084-0420-12

Donate via
SMS

Text REDAMOUNT to 2899 (Globe) or 4143 (Smart)

G-Cash
Text DONATEAMOUNT4-digit M-PINREDCROSS to 2882

You can donate the following denominations:
Globe: 5, 25, 100, 300, 500 or 1000
Smart: 10, 25, 50, 100, 300, 500 or 1000

or deposit here:
Philippine Red Cross
Bank accounts for Donations
Banco De Oro
Peso: 00-453-0018647
Dollar: 10-453-0039482

Metrobank
Peso: 151-3-041631228
Dollar: 151-2-15100218-2

Philippine National Bank
Peso: 3752 8350 0034
Dollar: 3752 8350 0042

Unionbank of the Philippines
Peso: 1015 4000 0201
Dollar: 1315 4000 0090

for goods, you can bring it directly to any LBC outlets Nationwide

or if you know someone at Cagayan de Oro or Iligan, and want to send them your donations directly, you can also send it through JRS Express

or bring it to:

Sagip Kapamilya donations in kind, you can drop them off at: ABS-CBN Foundation Sagip Kapamilya Warehouse #137 Mother Ignacia Ave., Quezon City Warehouse

Material donations may be delivered to the GMA Kapuso Foundation office Mondays to Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Aside from old clothes, food items and medicines, we also accept hygiene products, mats, blankets, medical equipments, toys as well as other things that are helpful to our beneficiaries.

PLEASE SHARE YOUR BLESSINGS AND HELP OUR BROTHERS and SISTERS!!!

Gift Guide: Toys for Boys and Girls

I have not done my Christmas shopping yet, visiting toy stores gives me a terrible headache since I don't know what to give to my goddaughters and godsons.

There are lots of things I consider in buying presents:

1. It must have a good quality and free from harmful chemicals like lead.
2. The toys must help a kid improve his/her skills (fine motor skills, hand and eye coordination and pretend play).
2. It should be durable, so that it will last longer than a month
3. It must be less expensive. I have no work, so the price must be pocket friendly
4. It must be something that even I would like to play.

With that in mind, I searched for toys that will pass on my criteria.

For Girls:

RUSS stuff toys - they look cute and cudly. Your little girls will surely like to pretend mommy and baby with these adorable and high quality plush toys.

photo via: exmoorteddybears.com

Gelarti Designer Studio- Let your child make her own stickers with this one.  They can paint, peel, decorate and stick it anywhere they want.  P1,299.75 at Rustan's and Toy Kingdom (5+)

Plan Toys Meat Set- This toy will help enhance your little chef's fine motor skills. P995 at Rustan's (3+)

Balance Ice Cream Tower- This toy is cheap for a price of P399.75 at Rustan's.  Challenge your little kids to pile the ice cream without knocking them down, or he can make  make believe ice cream party and serve the guests with ice cream.

Doll House - A member of Pinay Mommies Community is selling a wooden doll house.  Kids will learn not only the different areas inside a house but most especially on how to take good care of it.  Playing with it may be the first step on what they will become in the future (Engineer, Architect, Interior Designer etc). You can buy this for only P800.00

Kid Kraft Chelsea Dollhouse- This is a lot more expensive than the wooden dollhouse featured above.  It cost around P9,500 .  So, better think twice or thrice before you buy it.

For Boys:

Leap Frog LeapPad Explorer Tablet - My son loves to play with his iPod touch but this toy from Leap Frog that  has been awarded as the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award Platinum Seal 2011,  I think will help him learn more.  It comes with a built-in camera and video recorder, educational apps, microphone, interactive e-books, art, photo studios and a lot more.  It may be expensive for a price of P7,999.75 but I think it is worth it.

photo via: tabletforchildren.com

Pictureka's Kubes- Boys bore easily compared to girls their age.  With this toy, they will be occupied for an hour or more, and it can even promote a lot of interaction.  It should be played by 2 or more persons and the rule is simple: find the picture first and find it fast. P899.75 from Toy Stores

Viking Toys-  Have you read my review about this toy? If not, check it HERE and read why I am in love with these toys.

Educational Wooden Toys - Another member from Pinay Mommies Community is selling educational wooden toys (check it out HERE). These toys are safe, non-toxic and most are tested by EN71(European standard safety requirements for toys). Some of the toys for sale are even used in Montessori's way of teaching like this Geometric Blocks.

only P300.00

These are just a few of the toys I am eying for this Holiday season.  If you think toys are not practical, you can switch for clothes or shoes to give out (watch out for my next post about kids' fashion).

Nido Lite- new product from Nestle

I seldom watch local television so I am not aware of what is the latest items in the market nowadays, so it always surprises me whenever I see a new products in the supermarket racks.  Last time I went to the grocery to shop, I saw that Nido milk now offers a new variety and it's called Nido Lite.  The packaging tells that it is 80% less fat and 30% less calories.  

It looks interesting because now I am limiting my son to eat foods with high sugar contents, such as candies, packed juices, and even sodas.  Since sugar is high in calories, this new milk which says that they have 30% less calories will be beneficial to him.  

For me to know more about this new Nido milk, I called the Nestle Customer Service since I can't find any information on the web right now.  The customer representative told me that this milk is imported from Chile and also has dietary fibers that is suited for kids ages 4 years old and above especially those who are overweight.  The sugar content of Nido Lite is only 0.26gm.   

Well,  when Ren finished his stock of Nido Fortified I will buy this new item and see if my son will like it.  

Anyways, if you don't have anything in mind to do this weekend then why don't you bring your kids to Nido Fortified Science Discovery Center at SM Mall of Asia.  You can have your tickets for FREE or at a discounted price just by presenting any pack of Nido milk (see the table below)

This promo is until March 17, 2012, check out the Nestle website for more details.

Buy specially marked P&G promo packs to help a child become an "e.Studyante"

We can't deny the fact that getting a good and quality education here in the Philippines is very hard. I usually see in the news that some remote areas still doesn't have schools in their community and the children needs to wake up before the sun even comes up just to start walking since the nearest school is kilometers away from their area. There are some who even needs to cross a river just to reach the school.

Here is a good news to all students in public school, Procter and Gamble (P&G) Philippines is taking its commitment to education to the next level, P&G will provide technology and connectivity to Filipino students nationwide with its e.Studyante program.

Along with partner Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) and Synergeia Foundation, the e.Studyante program will provide kids from selected schools with an XO Laptop from the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) Association.

The XO laptop is a rugged, low-power, connected laptop especially designed to make learning more engaging and more fun for students.

Students can use their laptops not just to learn but to share and connect with each other, with their communities and with the world - helping them all become an “e.Studyante.”

The goal is simple: Give out 1,000,000 laptops in time for P&G’s 100th year, and we can help to make this possible.

“For children all over the country, the challenge of education begins even before they step into the classroom. Some have to wake up at the crack of dawn and walk miles through unpaved roads, through woods and rivers, just to get to school. We are doing this for these students. We want to make this journey worthwhile for them by giving them the tool that will place the world’s knowledge at their fingertips – through a laptop and internet connectivity,” said Chad Sotelo, e.Studyante Country Marketing Manager.

“But it’s not something we can do alone,” Sotelo added. “To help us reach our goal of 1,000,000 students, we would like to invite moms all over the country to support the e.Studyante program by buying P&G promo packs.”

Through the “e.Studyante” program, you can help give a child a laptop by buying specially marked P&G promo packs available nationwide. You not only save up to 40% on your favorite P&G products but you also help provide a child with a world of educational materials and fun activities that will inspire them to learn and achieve even more.

Participating brands include Safeguard, Tide, Pampers, Downy, Ariel, Pantene, Head & Shoulders, Joy, Rejoice, Whisper, Olay, Gillette, Vicks and Ambi-Pur.

Helping those in need has never been easier. You can help make each child’s journey to school more worthwhile.

Isang laptop, mas malawak na kaalaman, mas magandang bukas.

Pinay Mommies Community supports the P&G e.Studyante Program.  

Support the e.Studyante program and help gift each student with a brighter future!

Photos via: MorethanjustaSahm (check more pictures HERE)

The Wonka Imaginarium at Grand Atrium Shangrila Plaza!

Yesterday I was invited to visit the Wonka Imaginarium at the Grand Atrium in Shangrila Plaza Mandaluyong. I brought my son along with my niece to see and have fun at the place. Since my son only wanted to stay in one place inside the enchanted factory, I just  asked my niece take some photos of the event, but since she was overwhelmed of the place, there were only a few good photos taken (well, she is only 9 years old)

The Imaginarium was brought to the Philippines (the first of it's kind) by Candy Corner, in partnership with Wonka.  It is a four day exhibit starting from December 1 to 4 at Grand Atrium plaza.

On the exhibit, you'll be able to see a magical forest with giant bugs and talking trees and I am sure your kids will love it there. You and the kids could check out the tunnel of lost wishes and forgotten dreams; experience to fly and fall from the sky; and learn some cool magic straight from a pretty purple witch in order to find the the enchanted rainbow.

All you have to do to get a Golden Ticket is to buy a minimum of P100.00 worth of Wonka Products (that includes the best selling Nerds, Pixy Stick, Gobstopper, BottleCaps, Runts and Laffy Taffy).

This weekend, I advise you to visit the place and have fun! (Billige Mietwagen Preise)

These are the candies that my son took home after the event. My son and niece were so happy, thanks Candy Corner and Wonka!