DVD Review: The Read And Share™ Bible on DVD

I have found that the best way to see if DVD's for kids are any good is to test them on the kids. Well, I did. Believe me when I say that my kids are DVD addicts. They love watching them and when they like something they have a tendency to watch them repeatedly to the point that they know the soundtracks and dialogue by heart.

When I got this from Thomas Nelson, my kids were so glad to have a new DVD to watch and immediately asked if they can watch it. So we all sat down and started watching. As you can probably surmise, the DVD is a collection of thirteen stories from the Bible. The Stories include: The Beginning, Adam & Eve, The Flood, Abram, Isaac & Rebekah, Jacob & Esau, Rachel, Jacob & God, John the Baptist, Jesus is Born, Jesus is Tempted, Jesus Love Children, and One Lost Sheep. If you haven't told your kids about these stories, then this is a good starting point for you.

They were very much enraptured from the moment the first story came on. Because it's in English, it's easier to understand for them. The narration was subtle, just the right tone for storytelling for kids. The language was also pretty straightforward so kids won't be too overwhelmed if they were to watch the DVD by themselves.

The best part about it is that the stories themselves are very short and quick that works well for kids and their short attention spans. Before they even get bored a new one starts so that's good.

I consider the The Read And Share™ Bible on DVD (Vol. 1) a success because when the DVD was finished, my kids wanted to watch it all over again. :)

Room renovations are done!! woohoo!!!

April 26, 2009 - After about a month of buying, delivery, construction and finishing both the bathroom and the bedroom are done!!! YEAH BABY!!!

Just to give you a recap, it all started when we decided to replace the old and install the new windows in the bedroom. This bedroom used to be a space for all our junk but we had to fix everything up when the nanny arrived. Fast forward, the nanny left, we had new windows but my cabinet broke and we wanted customized cabinets, hence the construction of the bathroom (which has lain dormant for all the time that the house was constructed. It was never completed) and the renovation of the existing & adjoining bedroom. We tapped my cousin who has his own construction firm (Ramil Roque Construction) to do the job. He designed the layout, we discussed the materials and finally construction started. As a little promotion, you may want to email me here if you want to contact him if you're in the market for some repairs, renovation, construction and all that :)

So, you want to see pictures, who am I to disappoint you hahahaha

Before pictures:






After pictures:









Having fun


It took a little over a month for the project to be completed. It was stressful but worth it. It was expensive but worth it. The workers really did a great job, they were worth it! We Love It!!

I'm sure my Mom would love it too.

Dana Aces her Entrance Exam!!

Over the course of the previous days, we have spent them preoccupied with the room renovations - buying the materials, watching them lay the fixtures and tiles, painting the room and cabinets - that sometimes our heads are spinning with all that's happening.

But the good news is that Dana aced her entrance exam! I have posted a while back about the search for a school. Patrick and I have decided that our priority is somewhere close so that the kids won't be tired from the travel as early as this. So, we thought that maybe Sta. Catalina College may be a good choice because that's where I'm from and so with all my siblings and cousins. Even Den graduated from there. There's also the added plus that they still know me and my family so that's something good going for Dana (we think). In terms of standards, they're still pretty high because if not, then Den wouldn't have been able to pass her entrance exam to UST before.

Anyway, Dana went with her Ate Den to the school because it was raining and I didn't want to bring Dylan out too. So, they were just supposed to submit the requirements to the school so that they'll be able to schedule her for an entrance exam. But to my surprise, Den sent me a text message saying that Dana was already taking her exam!!! I was so nervous for her but at the same time I was confident too, pretty confusing, huh? ahhahaha An hour passed and I called Den, asking why there's no update yet. It turned out that while they were checking Dana's paper, she remained inside the room playing with the other teachers there and she was talking to them too hahaha

When they finished checking, she got 92/100!!! and they were all surprised because she was one of the highest and she was more advanced than those who have had previous schooling experience. They'll place her in Kinder 2 (which is still Prep), but she skipped Kinder 1 already. When Den started out, she had to pass Kinder 1 because of age requirements.

Anyway, just wanted to share this milestone in Dana's life.. Now, it's just a matter of paying the tuition and buying the school stuff :)

Swimming in Marikina, April 9, 2009

Okay, it's probably not what you were thinking but it still speaks of what happened hahahha


We went to Stevie's house in Marikina last Holy Thursday to bring their share of the balikbayan box that Tita Flor brought with her when she came to Manila last March 5. Yes, it took a month for the goodies to reach Stevie and Dimples but it's only because we can't find matching schedules to see each other's families. Since it's Holy Thursday, most offices are on holiday which was the perfect time to go for a visit. Unfortunately, since Dimples works in a call center, she didn't have any vacation time on this day.


It turned out that Stevie and Toni bought a huge inflatable pool for the summer and we were told to bring the kids' suits so that they can have fun in the pool. So that's what the kids did.. they had fun! Dylan was tired and bored faster than Dana because he was preoccupied with the bike and wanted to ride that more than he wanted to swim LOL

Dana had a boo-boo because she accidentally swallowed the water and she ended throwing up in the pool! LOL

The kids stopped playing and swimming when it was snack time ;) wchich gave the adults enough time to catch up on each other's news as well.

2009 Manila International Auto Show

Ever since Patrick took up that writer's position for Top Gear Online Digital Magazine, our weekends have often been spent at car shows. Last April 2-5, the 2009 Manila International Auto Show was held at the World Trade Center in Pasay City and we spent both Saturday and Sunday there LOL

Trip to Go Soc and Wilcon Builders Depot

One of the best parts about renovating or reconstructing a house is buying the materials.. Since we're fixing our bathroom and the connecting bedroom, it's been very exciting to see it all come together. So last April 2nd, Lolo Ben, Den, the kids and I went to Balintawak to browse the numerous shops there for ceramic tiles, sanitary wares, plumbing fixtures etc.

Since I didn't have any idea what color the bathroom would be, I decided going to a shop with a showroom may be a good idea. At least they have all the fixtures laid out and it's simply a matter of replicating them in your own bathroom. So that's what we did. I asked my Dad to drive us around since he had a bigger car hehe

We finally saw what we liked at GO SOC & SONS SY GUI HUAT, INC. . The big plus was that they were on sale too! Who could pass up a deal like that?! hahaha So we simply went around the huge warehouse until we were directed to the showroom in the next building. Here we went crazy looking at the different designs. You can even feel free to grave the tiles off the shelves and mix and match your own. The staff was pretty helpful and tolerant (whew! they were really nice to speak with!) and the service was pretty fast. We bought all of the tiles we needed from here because they were

Next, we went to Wilcon Builders Depot for our sanitary wares. It was also nearby, just a few minutes away. I was floored when I saw how big it was!! Man, I was in heaven hahahaha The first building we went to was their showroom and it was so fun and exciting to be roaming it LOL When I asked about a particular package they directed us to their "warehouse" type of building where all the other products were located. It was awesome and immense!!


I've always had my eye on a dual-flush toilet. First, it's economical and second it looks cool hahaha but given my budget I wasn't too sure I could afford it. But when I got there, the first thing I asked our salesclerk was to show me the low-cost packages of dual flush toilets. Well, fortuntely for me, they were on sale! woohoo!! From the original price of P8790, it was down to P7,032. I was staggered because usually dual flush toilets were in the range of P10K and above. I settled for the Royal Tern brand because we had the same brand in our house and it never broke down. Patronize Filipino products I say LOL Plus, the toilet bowl was bigger compared to some and that was a consideration Patrick raised before when we were looking at toilets LOL His big butt needed to fit in it LOL Together with this, we also bought a telephone shower, a bathroom mirror, a handheld bidet, a towel rack, a glass shelf and floor drains :)

The drive home was funny.. We were moving so slow because my Dad's van was a little lowered at the back from the weight of all those tiles and sanitary wares LOL I did give him some money for the day for the wear and tear and for the service LOL

It was a fun and exciting day! Good day of bonding for Lolo Ben and the kids :)

In search of a school

April 1st - Happy April Fool's Day!

What a great day to look for a school or so I thought. School has been on my mind since my daughter, Dana, turned 3. I knew kids as young as 1 were already put in preschool/day care/nursery or whatever you call it. Though I didn't put her in school, I did teach her at home and by 2 she already knew her alphabet, her numbers, her colors and shapes. She can even express herself in clear, concise sentences. Though that's probably normal for other kids :)

Well, now that she's 5, I thought that's the right time to put a child in school. So we, my aunt and I and the 2 kids, went to nearby schools to check for their admission requirements and to check whether Dana liked the school.

The first school we went to don't admit kids her age if they haven't been to a preschool. They preferred that the children who are enrolling in their school are already adjusted to the school scenario.. well hooray for them (and I mean this sarcastically) Just because a kid didn't go to school yet doesn't mean he can't adjust to school life.. and if he can't yet, then shouldn't the school do everything in its power to help him adjust???!!!

And the funny thing was when they said that if Dana hasn't been to school maybe she'll have a hard time with the mode of instruction, which was English! Well helloooo.. news flash!! my kid speaks English because it's her first language!!! To cut may rant short.. that school was out!!

Next school. They accepted kids without having previous school experience. Great!! but there was a catch. She'll be demoted !!! I was like, you're not even going to test her? No. They said. They placed kids based on age and not intelligence.. well, needless to say, that school was out...

Talk about frustration!!Where have all the good schools gone? I remember it was just Kinder and then Grade 1 when I was young. When Den went to school, she had to go through Kinder 1 and Kinder 2 before Grade 1. Now, it's becoming a requirement to go through all 3 stages - Nursery, Kinder, Preparatory, before you reach Grade 1. Imagine the cost of education for parents!! We're talking P15K at the least and some even go as high as P60K for these preschool years. Won't kids get tired of all this schooling??? I wonder..

Now, I'm looking at schools that will test your child and then make the determination for which grade level she should be in. They may cost a little more than other schools but it's better to start right, right?