“I Love My Family!” is ParenTIN.tv’s Valentine event, which was held at The Podium Mall last Sunday, February 6, 2011. I was there, together with other mommy bloggers and members of ParenTIN.tv. ParenTIN.tv is the first Philippine online parenting show created and hosted by Ms. Tin-Tin Bersola-Babao. For this Valentine event, the show was hosted by Ms. Rosell Velasco-Taberna.


Ms. Tin-Tin Bersola-Babao with mommy bloggers and ParenTIN.tv members


Ms. Rosell Velasco-Taberna and Ms. Tin-Tin Bersola-Babao
The first guest speaker, Ms. Maribel Dionisio, talked about the emotional needs of men and women. Willard Harley, Jr., a marriage expert, identified five emotional needs of men and women in his book His Needs and Her Needs. According to Ms. Dionisio, fulfilling these needs is crucial in maintaining a healthy and happy married life. Men’s emotional needs are attractive spouse, recreational companionship, admiration, domestic support, and sexual fulfilment. Women’s emotional needs, on the other hand, include family commitment, financial stability, affection, conversation, and honesty and openness.


Ms. Maribel Dionisio, family and parenting expert
The next guest speaker was Dr. Arvin Faundo of CordLife Philippines. He talked about stem cell research and the importance of cord blood banking.


Dr. Arvin Faundo of CordLife Philippines
Then, marriage consultants Tibbs and Vangie Evalle talked about the Five Love Languages according to Gary Chapman. These five love languages are (1) Words of Affirmation, (2) Quality time, (3) Receiving gifts, (4) Acts of Service, and (5) Physical Touch. According to Tibbs and Vangie Evalle, we must be willing to know our spouse’s love language if we are to be effective communicators of love.


Marriage experts Tibbs and Vangie Evalle
Finally, Crystal Henares, Dr. Vicki Belo’s daughter and General Manager of Belo Essentials was there to discuss how to properly care for the skin with the help of Belo Essentials’ skin products for both men and women.


Ms. Crystal Henares, General Manager of Belo Essentials
Here are the intermission numbers during the show:


One of the Ainon Baby mascots dancing to the delight of the kids


Winners of “Mom and Me Art Contest”


Launching of Baby Company’s Mom Card that lets cardholders earn points for every purchase


Child artist Angel Hukom did on-the-spot painting. She is shown here with her finished product (in front) of her and some of her previous works.


Eureka Performance Arts doing a stage play


The Rainmakers
Earlier in the show, three mommies were chosen to receive a beauty makeover worth Php5,000 each based on the letter that their husbands sent to ParenTIN.tv. They went to David’s Salon first for manicure, pedicure, hair styling/color, then to Bayo to select clothes that match their new look, and they were given Belo Essentials gift packs for more pampering.


Mommies before the makeover


Mommies after the makeoever
We enjoyed the show, the chitchat with mommy bloggers, and of course, the photo opps!


Mommy bloggers


With Ms. Maribel Dionisio and her husband


With Ms. Tin-Tin Bersola-Babao
We’re all looking forward to the next ParenTIN.tv event!

Because it’s been our tradition to celebrate Christmas with the entire family, all four of us (Justin, his Dad, me and his yaya) trooped to my parents’ place in Dasmariñas, Cavite last December 24.

We actually did not have a Noche Buena because we really intended to have our Christmas family get-together on Christmas Day itself. That’s because we still had to wait for my father’s older sister (Auntie Mameng) who has celebrated Christmas with us for several years now. She’s our original Santa Claus.

It’s from her that I inherited the habit of giving gifts to family and friends on Christmas Day, no matter if I’m not able to buy anything for myself anymore. LOL! Christmas is giving, right? So I give ‘til it hurts! Ouch! But I’m happy to share my blessings with the people I love; that happiness is my Christmas gift to myself.

First things first, we needed to eat. Here’s what we had for lunch on Christmas.


Yummy!
Of course, we had our photos taken beside our sumptuous Christmas feast.


Ed, Tetcha and Justin


Ate Cristy, her husband Kuya Jhun and their children Tin-Tin (oldest), Hazel and Ron; Ate Ayie is missing in action!


My younger brother Dennis, his wife Meg and their daughter Em-Em


My younger sister Meann


Auntie Mameng and family


All of us!
After eating, we proceeded to the living room for our traditional gift-giving and exchange gifts. We took more pictures of us before that, though.

The cousins


The couples and the single again


Gift-giving time!


Time to open the gifts


So happy with what I received! Thanks, Tin!


Justin playing with his new toy


Exchange gifts!
Then, it was singing time!










Isn’t it obvious that everybody wanted to sing? My son hogged the limelight, too. Never mind if he sang the same two songs over and over again. LOL! We all wished there were more karaoke machines to accommodate everyone.

As you can see from the pictures, we all had great fun on our Christmas family reunion. We’re all looking forward to a grander Christmas celebration next year!

Last week has been a hectic week for me at work. I usually stop working at 5pm, but for three straight days, I ended up working between 7 to 8pm. That is why I decided last Friday after abruptly ending my work that the following day, Saturday, would be leisure time for me and the entire family. I did my grocery shopping on Friday night, early--I usually do this on a Saturday--to make my Saturday afternoon free.

First things first; I had to make a quick trip to Makati Medical Center in the morning for my lipid profile test to recheck my triglyceride, good and bad cholesterol, and total cholesterol levels. Then after lunch, we went straight to Market! Market!

Of course, we had to give in to our son’s whims first, so we took Justin to Blanche Kiddie Rides to ride a motorbike and a car (or was it a jeep?). He really enjoyed driving the motorbike ; he actually rode it twice. He spent a total of 40 minutes in the kiddie rides, and we spent Php200.00 ($4). And guess who we saw yesterday? Niko of Niko’s Blog was also there with her lovely daughter Yena and Yena’s cousins, I think.


“Look, Mom, I’m driving!”


Niko and Yena with Tetcha and Justin

Then, it was eating time. Because I’m done with my blood test, I decided to give myself a break from my self-imposed low-cholesterol diet. I vowed to eat what I wanted, and we went to one of our favorite dining places before, Shakey’s. They have an ongoing promo right now, and we chose to order a package good for 5 to 6 persons. They call this package Deal 2, and it costs Php835.00 ($19) plus service charge). The package consists of a spaghetti platter served with garlic bread, a large thin crust Manager’s Choice Pizza, Buddy Pack Chick’n’Chips (5 pieces), and a pitcher of house blend iced tea.


Why aren’t you smiling, Daddy?


Yummy spaghetti!


Manager’s Choice Pizza

Chick ’n’ Chips
I missed eating here, really, and I enjoyed what we ordered. We had leftovers that we took home for our dinner later.

Next stop was Fashion Market. This is a shopper’s haven. It’a tiangge (flea market) where you can find all sorts of items where you can haggle the prices of the items you want to buy. I bought a bolero, a polo shirt, and two sleeveless tops for only Php1,050.00 ($23). Hubby bought a pair of jeans worth only Php350.00 ($8). I also bought a Secosana bag on our way out. It’s on sale, by the way! I was alive!

A little shopping was what I needed to revitalize after a really stressful work week. We will go back again to this place one of these days to see some of their kids’ stuff. Justin was happily eating ice cream while Mommy and Daddy looked around. Before we finally left the mall, Justin spotted a train book (a book shaped like a train) that he asked his Daddy to buy for him.

We all went home happy: Justin had a grand time at at Blanche Kiddie Rides, we enjoyed good food at Shakey’s, and we shopped a little, too. I wish we can do this everyday!

An alarming text message from my younger sister yesterday afternoon made me totally forget the CAD drawing that I was supposed to download for a friend. She said she was bitten by a stray cat outside their house earlier that day which resulted in three deep wounds in her right leg (1 tooth mark in front and two lacerations at the back). Because the bite wounds were bleeding and because she didn’t know what to do, she pressed all her wounds to let the blood out and poured alcohol on them. She learned later that what she did was wrong. She should have just washed the wounds well with soap and water before going to the doctor.

My sister went to a private hospital in Laguna to have her bite wounds checked, but she was told she needed Php35,000.00 for all the injections that she needed. A hospital staff suggested she seek treatment at RITM Hospital in Alabang, which she did. At RITM, she was given 2 shots in her left arm, one in her right arm and another one in her right butt. She paid almost Php1,200.00 for those shots, which she said were a combination of anti-tetanus and anti-rabies injections.

My sister was supposed to receive more injections yesterday, but she was short of cash. The hospital doesn’t accept credit card payment; she couldn’t withdraw also because the hospital would be closed at 5pm, and she wouldn’t make it to the hospital before closing time to get her treatment if she left. The doctor who examined her, however, assured her that it’s perfectly fine to have the rest of her shots when she returns to the hospital on Monday for which she’ll have to pay another Php3,000.00. She’ll have two more hospital visits after that. She’s currently taking oral antibiotics.

In her text message, my sister said a stray cat ruined her day, her leg, and her pocket! On my part, I’m just glad that she’s okay. I told her to be extra careful next time and to report the incident to their homeowners’ association.

We had a very fun family outing at Dona Jovita Garden Resort in Calamba, Laguna last Friday and Saturday, March 26 and 27, 2010. We planned this special event for the following reasons: (1) it’s Nanay’s 59th birthday on March 31, (2) it’s Nanay and Tatay’s 39th wedding anniversary on March 31 also, and (3) we have a new nurse in the family; Justin’s Ate Ayie, my niece, passed the December 2009 Nursing Licensure Exam and has recently taken her professional oath.

This swimming party was a success because we had 100% attendance. We rented one cottage, which was enough to accommodate all 16 of us (13 adults and 3 kids). We brought our own home-cooked food (grilled fish and pork, chicken and pork adobo, spaghetti, and ensaladang mangga at kamatis [green mango and tomato salad]). We all enjoyed dipping in the various pools at the resort and just being with family.


From left to right: Nanay, Tita Meann, Tito Orlan, Ate April with Kuya Ron, Ate Ayie with Justin, Tetcha and Ate Hazel (front)


Tetcha and my niece Ayie, our new nurse!


Justin pretending he knows how to swim. LOL!


Dennis, Meann, Ayie, and Tetcha


Justin’s cousins: Ate Ayie, Ate Tin-Tin, and Kuya Ron (Where’s Ate Hazel?)


Justin’s Daddy and Tito Dennis


Charlie’s Angels: Ayie, Meann, and Tin-Tin


All of us before leaving the resort
Nestled at the foot of Mount Makiling, Dona Jovita Garden Resort has an assortment of pools and Jacuzzis that can be supplied with Hot Spring water as desired. The pools can also be reserved for exclusive use. Ornamental plants and trees adorn the place as well, which makes for a more relaxing vacation. You can also enjoy a game of billiards with friends, sing your heart out with the resort’s videoke machines, or go horseback riding around the area. Admission fees are as follows: Children below 3 ft. (free), children 3 ft. to 3.9 ft. (Php130.00), children 4 ft. and above and adults (Php150.00).