6.25.2010

Mom-Finds: Draw Books

Last Friday of the month:  Mom-Finds under P500

This is an impromptu post.  I just bumped off a Mom-Finds entry I was composing earlier and opted instead for this more inspiring, proud-mommy moment.

I rarely brag about my kids.  But with this artwork, my boy has really amazed me, and once again proved how good he is at drawing. People who've seen his drawings often asks me if he had art lessons. We wanted to, but he didn't.


So what's my Mom-Find?

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6.20.2010

Tale of Two Dads

"Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father!" -- Lydia M. Child

A tale of two daddy J's -- my J and my papa J

Soon after I took this shot of J and my papa on our recent family outing, I showed this to him (J) and teased him that they looked like a sweet gay couple and I just started laughing my eyes out!  They were actually having a serious conversation here. I never would have thought I'd be able to share this snapshot to the world, but this is just very apt so I happily dedicate it to these top two dads of mine.

No poignant father-son / father-daughter photos here for today. These dads don't like drama. Just a little humor and a heartfelt Happy Father's Day greeting from me to you.  Hope this already counts as my gift (wink, wink)!

And by the way, if you haven't granted your daddy's wishes yet, maybe you can delight him with these instead.  This is such a cliche on Father's Day, but I stumbled upon this novel tie site, Tiepedia which is all about neckties and featured these fanciful tie cakes. Cute no? And I heard Red Ribbon bakeshop has something like these on offer for a limited time, so you can go buy your daddy one now.




Cheers to all the fathers, and soon-to-be dads out there!

Note:
Intro quote from the book "The Language of Parenting"
Tie cakes photos as featured on tiepedia.com
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6.18.2010

Fun Friday: Colorful Kiddie Crafts

Third Friday of the month:  Recreation and Hobbies 


It's back to school for the kids this week and allocating time for hobbies and recreation is still a must to keep them sane -- and mommies too!  So for this post and the next, I'll be sharing a few interesting stuff to busy their little hands.



Between doing homework, projects and simple chores, most young children enjoy watercolor painting, drawing and arts and crafts, aside from a few hours of TV time.  I know I did (way back when)!  This also holds true for my little man who has fancied these colorful pipe cleaners and pompom balls that I bought months ago at his school's art fair.  On a separate occasion, I also bought some wooden laundry clips for them to toy with.

These art materials are far from being fancy, and are really quite unassuming you would not even think of buying them since they are pretty common items you'll see in art class. Sold in super affordable bundle packs and pail kits at bookstores, these colorful balls and bendable furry wires allow kids to get really creative while enhancing their fine motor skills.

Creating his 'sea monster'

Stick on some crazy wiggly eyes and the kids can bring their imaginary characters to life! And did I mention you can leave them alone* bending, twirling and twisting away while mommy does some chores and spend a nice, quiet 'alone' time too? Now that's hitting two birds with one pompom ball!  Of course, this can very well serve as a bonding activity that the whole family can enjoy.

 

Just a thought -- have the kids surprise dad with his furry look-alike for Father's Day on Sunday!

I thought this looked so much like the DJ in the show 'Yo Gabba Gabba'

Have a happy, crafty weekend!!!


Note:
Use hot glue (with glue gun) to paste parts together. Only adults should handle the glue gun.

Not advisable for kids below 3 years old.
Choking and fire hazard.
Exposed wire tips may scratch or poke fingers.

* Unsupervised, but not out of sight. Keep them within view as they play.
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6.15.2010

The Daddy (Hubby) Wish List

It's time for the man of the house to have HIS day on Sunday.  Though, honestly, I've noticed that Moms' day has always been a bigger deal than Dads' day don't you think?  :-)

Anyhow, for this Father's Day week, I have compiled some really cool stuff that has ranked high on the daddy / hubby 'wish list' poll I did the past week.

Samsung LNT5265F 
52-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV
I must admit, most of the items here cost an arm and a leg.  If you're on a budget but still want to give (or receive) any of these, then I suggest you save (or no gifts at all) on all the annual occasions (Father's day, birthday, anniversary, Christmas, etc.) to afford one big-ticket item at the end of the year that your spouse or father truly desires and would definitely appreciate.  That's what J & I actually do.
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6.11.2010

His Needs, Her Needs: Marriage in the 21st Century

Second Friday of the month:  Marriage

“The greatest thing that a parent can do for their children is to love and respect their spouse.”

Photo from wallpaper-s.org


Parenting is rooted in good husband and wife relationship. And having a strong relationship is vital in child rearing.  This is what consultants Tibbs and Vangie Evalle are espousing as advocates of good parenting and child development. They were the guest speakers from the third and final parenting seminar organized by DML Montessori Pre-School early this year, the first being about wellness and nutrition, followed by helpful parenting advice here. Like the past seminars I have attended, this talk on marriage was very enlightening, candid and straightforward as well.

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6.04.2010

Mom-Friday's Peanut Butter & Banana French Toast

First Friday of the month:  Food, Mom-Cook

I am counting the days 'til school opens and just planning what food to pack for the kids, among other things, is raising my stress levels lately.

Honestly, I only have a few (count five fingers!) old-reliables that passed the test from my picky eaters. Now, with a first-grader and a pre-schooler to think about, I would really like to put more effort into the preparation of their food from scratch.

We all know homemade is always better than commercially manufactured foods. Of course, it would also entail a greater amount of time and effort to prepare, but you are assured of the quality of its contents which would benefit your child.


One of the most requested snack is this Peanut Butter and Banana French Toast.  They instantly loved it the first time I made one for them so they can expect this yummy healthy treat in their lunch boxes when they're back to school.

I made a simple Raisin Bread French Toast in the past but this version packs a meaner punch with the creamy, protein-enriched goodness of peanut butter and nutritious bananas.

Eagerly helping out with prep work with their own mini wire whisk


PEANUT BUTTER & BANANA FRENCH TOAST

What you need:

2 slices of bread, any soft bread you prefer (ideally a few days old)
Half a banana, sliced
Peanut butter
1 egg
Milk
butter
vanilla extract and/or cinnamon (optional)

Spread your favorite peanut butter on the 2 slices of bread.
Arrange sliced bananas on your sandwich.
In a wide bowl, whisk together 1 egg and around 2 tablespoons of liquid milk.
Add a few drops of vanilla and dash of cinnamon if you wish.
Soak the sandwich, both sides, in the wet mixture.

Heat a tablespoon of butter in a non-stick pan then toast sandwich on both sides until golden brown.


Serve with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon if desired.
Makes 1 delicious fully-loaded french toast sandwich.


An ideal breakfast and snack, this is one of the best french toast I've made! You have to try it yourself.

You may replace peanut butter with a favorite jam or chocolate spread like Nutella (hazelnut cocoa spread). Skip the peanut spread in case you or your kids have allergies or aversions to peanut butter/nuts.  I also use almond milk or rice milk for this, as an alternative to dairy milk.

Finally enjoying the fruits of their labor

If you have great food ideas for the kids' baon (packed lunch/snack), please share them here as most moms like me would need all the suggestions we could get!  :-)

P.S.
Alternative preparation tip:  
After assembling the sandwich, slice it in 6 or 9 squares before dipping pieces in the liquid mixture.  Then fry as instructed. This will allow you to serve it in bite-sized pieces :)  Enjoy!

As seen in
Mom-Friday's Peanut Butter & Banana French Toast on FoodistaMom-Friday's Peanut Butter & Banana French Toast

Learn more about nutrition and food tips from this series of posts:
Talks on Wellness and Nutrition, part 4
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