The last post in this blog declared an end to a quarter full of challenges to our family and posed a question as the new quarter began- "Will it be a quarter for writing and blogging?"

As I reviewed the past three months, I still can answer the above question in the affirmative mostly because of Mama Sez's writing and blogging that contributed majority of our combined efforts.  Here's a rundown of her output in the past 110 days or so, starting with the latest:

Hubs for the Holiday Season
Gifts that Tickle Your Senses
Buy Christmas Decorations Online
Gift Ideas for Men: Buy Mens Leather Belts Online
Buy Halloween Costumes for Toddlers, Kids, Teenagers and Adults Online

Hubs in response to requests for information on infant care
Dos and Don’ts in Introducing Solid Food to your Baby
How to Successfully Switch Infant Formula Milk



A Hub in response to the alarming increase in Dengue Fever cases
Practical and Effective Ways to Treat Thrombocytopenia and to Prevent Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever

A tribute to her sister's 21st Birthday
Free Apprenticeship to Motherhood

As for me, I only published two articles in Hubpages: Top 5 Reasons Why Eating Insects is Better for Us and Globe WiMAX, Smart Bro, PLDT myDSL: Broadband Service Comparison. The latter received fairly good traffic as many people are looking for reliable internet service providers in the Philippines.

In Parenting Journey, of the 11 postings, eight were written by Mama Sez:

About the candidacy of my father-in-law for Barangay Chairmanship
Campaign Jingle with Lyrics
Barangay and SK Elections 2010

About the joys and challenges of caring for four kids
Moments
Every Child is a Blessing
LEVEL UP in Parentingville

About how proud she is with her kids' achievements
It's a Gold Medal for Leon!
Fashion- Don't You Wanna See Those Clothes on Me

About spreading information on a practical remedy for Dengue
Sharing Information about Dengue Herbal Medication

As for me, the three blogs were about my disappointment with PLDT's customer service or lack thereof, a tribute to the late Dr. Eliseo P. Cadapan, and fun dance exercise videos that Mama Sez and I occasionally use to fulfill the minimum requirements for health benefits.

In Island Travel, there were only five postings:

About living again in a typhoon-prone area
Typhoon Basyang Reminded Us about the Downside of Living in Laguna
Road Trips during the Typhoon Season in the Philippines

About a long-postponed trip to the far north
We're off to Central and Northern Luzon
Insect Adobo and Exotic Foods in Northern and Central Luzon

About the Banamos Festival
It's Banamos Festival here in Los Banos

Posted in our other blogsites are:
DAILY HAPPINESS TIP - Look Beyond the Dark Clouds
DAILY HAPPINESS TIP - Always Look on the Bright Side of Life
DAILY HAPPINESS TIP - Put a Smile on a Sad Face
Happy Quote of the Day
Happy Image of the Day

I hope the writing and blogging continues this last quarter of the year. Our ten-year-old daughter seems to be interested in writing some articles and book reviews this semestral break.

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Yes, you read it right...it's ISLAND TRAVEL for the whole family this summer.  We are not talking here about a couple of weeks of island hopping, it's a splurge as we're looking at two months of touring the whole Philippines from south to north and back.  It's a splurge and a big deal for us considering our history and natural tendencies, which I wrote about in a hub Happiness is an Island Travel Adventure.  Mama Sez also wrote about it as she announced the big plan and started the countdown.  

We had it in our minds for a long time already.  We kept mum about it to guard us against our tendency to be impatient.  So the right time just came.  It's a GO as the factors that were holding us back changed:

1. Work.  We have no commitment except for our online writing and marketing.  Thankfully, this can be done almost anywhere and so we're reaping this huge benefit from our decision to do what we love.
2. Kids.  Our youngest kids are now more ready (and hardy) for an adventure like this.  The older ones can take time off from school but we decided to wait for classes to end anyway.
3. Money.  Not that we won the lottery but our attitude about money changed as we gave ourselves time to think about what it is that we really want in life.  We think of it as an investment with so much profit before, during and long-after the activity not only for us, but most especially for the kids.  This is explain fully in this hub.
4. Attitude.  Not only did our attitude about money changed, but more importantly our attitude about life is now more focused on flow, pleasure and meaning that are components of true and lasting happiness.  Words like positivity, optimism, gratitude, health, laughter and the phrase "buying experience, not stuff" that all relates to happiness are in our minds in recent months as reflected in what we write in these websites:

• Papa Sez on HubPages
• Mama Sez on HubPages 
• Parenting Journey 
• Fatherhood Adventures  
• WannaBeHappyNow.com
• Daily Happiness Tips
• Daily Laughs
• Daily Thank You 
• Happy Quotes Happy Images

The final trigger was when an airline advertised a two-day sale that prompted us to book a flight in March 24 for eight people.  As we contact relatives and friends to coordinate about the trip, some new factors had to be considered such as the cost of renting a van in Luzon.  Renting a van for an out-of-town road trip over a weekend could cost 15,000 pesos (~$320) depending on distance, and we're of course not just thinking of one weekend trip.  So my father-in-law made a suggestion to ship our family car to Manila so we can use it in Luzon.  Since we have done this before (we bought the car from Batangas in Luzon and shipped it to Davao), I had a pretty good idea on how much it would cost.

As I consider that it would cost more than 20,000 pesos (~$425) to put the car on a ferry to Manila, I said to myself "Why not take a road trip and spend that money in a leisurely drive to Luzon?"  The kids would surely enjoy it and the experience unparalleled.  When I mentioned it to Mama Sez, she was amenable to the idea as it was really what we wanted- to drive from Davao to Manila with the kids.

The next question is how about the plane tickets we bought.  From what I read, heard and understood before buying the ticket, they can be rebooked, transferred or put in a travel fund that can be used within 90 days from canceling.  But boy was I wrong.  It turned out that the particular promo seats we got are only rebookable for a fee and are actually non-transferable and definitely cannot be placed in a travel fund if canceled.

I probably would have been enraged! and took it on the ticketing clerk and then be resentful of my mistake (or the unclear fine prints of the document in their website) have I not learned to control my response to an unexpected negative stimulus and to look on the bright side of what happens to me.  I have proven to myself that I have some progress in this as I somehow able take it in stride.  Not that I was not bothered about the likelihood of losing 8,500 pesos (~$180) because of a rush decision (because of a sale!).  But I am looking at the bright side that the "sale" triggered actions from me to facilitate this long awaited trip.

For now, we haven't made up our minds on how we are going to Laguna to A) fly in and ship the car or B) to hit the road and rebook (there's a penalty charge of about $15 each ticket to rebook, most likely to a non-promo seat, which is double the ticket price we purchased; and we don't really need to travel again in the months after this vacation) or C) hit the road and just forget about the tickets and learn from the costly mistake.

Hmmm what do you think?  I'll give you updates as the date gets nearer.  For now, your suggestions would be much appreciated.

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It was a lovely Sunday indeed. We did our usual Sunday activities of going to church in the morning, playing with our kids, taking a nap and preparing for the coming week.

Dart Set (Santa’s Gift to My Son)

The morning was generally overcast with the sun playing peek-a-boo. Thus staying outdoors was pleasant so the decision was to play darts, which was the preference of my seven-year old son, over memory game or scrabble that my nine-year old daughter favored.

After a bit of resistance, the latter enthusiastically played the game that went like this. With three darts, the older kids and I took turns hitting the board. The person next in line would add up the score of the current player and retrieve the darts so s/he can take his/her turn. After a while, it became clear that they both need lots of practice as the darts would not even hit or stick to the board. It was my daughter’s first time to play, but it was my son’s second after he opened the gift early this month (we had to pace the opening of gifts to allow them to appreciate each item…during the holidays, it’s easy for kids to ignore some of the toys and pay attention to only one or two).

What he learned in our first play session was already gone. After a few rounds, I asked him to throw small stones instead. His first objective was to throw it as far as he could to an adjacent vacant lot. This he enjoyed as he tried every other way/style, including switching between right and left hand (he seemed to have not truly decided yet…or maybe he’s ambidextrous).

Just like me, athleticism is not his card. So the objective was for him to experience physical activities to enjoy and perhaps develop accuracy, rather than strength. So after much freestyle stone-throwing, the next stage was for him to hit a wooden pole about four meters away and not stop until he’s able to do so. He reported to have hit it when I arrived from grocery (see below), whereas my daughter, who continued with dart throwing, saw some improvements in her game and was most proud of her hitting the bulls-eye once.

So I am thankful for the chance to play with my kids.

Neighborhood Grocer

The weekly grocery shopping had to be carried out today as my wife and I were in the flow yesterday writing articles (and did some administrative tweaking) for Hubpages.com and WannaBeHappyNow.com (Daily Happiness Tips, Daily Laughs and Happy Quotes Happy Images). During the holidays, we happen to drop by a neighborhood store to do an emergency purchase of milk and diapers. We found out that it has expanded to include fresh produce, and the prices are at par or, in certain daily items, even below those of the big grocery store in the mall where we normally shop.

Not only did we save time and fuel, as it’s only a kilometer away, we also made some savings on our daily items like milk and certain vegetables. So we made it back home on time for lunch and I am thankful for these.

Talk on Appreciation

Okay, okay it was more of a lecture than a mere talk. I took issue with my daughter when she kept on playing with her Nintendo DS instead of meeting us when we arrived home from the store. It also stemmed from her call (through the cell phone of one of our helpers) when we were out, just to inform us that she wants to stop playing darts. The issue was not just the use (and cost) of another person’s phone (and money) for a non-emergency concern, but knowing her, she only wanted clearance and justification for her laziness to continue practicing a new skill (playing darts) outside the house and preferring instead to play Nintendo on a sofa in the living room. More importantly, the call was made mere five minutes after we left, which means only five minutes of extra practice.

As a consequence, the rules on using their Nintendos, particularly when to and the duration of use, were tightened.

At lunch, my wife and I pointed out that every home (=parents) have unique parenting styles and priorities. The rules were loosened a bit over the holidays when we had two other families living with us. Back then, there were lots of time for playing Nintendo/ computer games and watching video/television programs with their cousins; much goodies were available to munch almost anytime (after all it’s the holidays); and there were plenty of activities/interactions and more than the usual going out and family trips.

As we readjust to our normal routine, we had to remind our kids of the basic rules of the house. There was a need to point out that it was conscious effort on the part of their parents to spend time with them (playing and eating together, and having conversations). Because as much as it was easy for kids to spend so much time on Nintendo, computer games and television, it is also rather easy for parents to lose oneself in their respective job, be engrossed with computer, television or hobbies, and be unmindful of the opportunities lost to interact with their children.

These reminders made an impact on my daughter that she cried, whereas my son asked if being too strict can make a “hole” in one’s heart. We found out that it was a way for one of his teachers to explain about a heart condition that would not allow her to be too bothered or upset about her students’ rowdy behavior. We had to answer that anything too much, like too strict, is not good; and that everyone needs to be respectful, mindful and considerate to others.

I am thankful for the opportunity to have these conversations with my kids.

Long Afternoon Nap

The afternoon was cooler because of the rain that poured (and continued into the night). My usual after lunch (and newspaper scanning) nap extended well into the late afternoon. Midway to that long nap, my wife got envious that she decided to turn off the laptop and join me. I guess my body compensated for the inadequate sleep last night as I worked on online marketing, and I also have the weather to thank for that good afternoon sleep.

Bucket Filling

A commitment I made when I gave my daughter my book “How Full is Your Bucket” was to read it with her. This was necessary as the book is intended for grown-up reading and she’s only in the fourth grade. I will write about how this became hers in the next few days.

The topic about positive interaction forced me to pay attention and calm down as she read a few pages from the book. You see, I was quite anxious to immediately start to write as I was already behind with what I intended to do in the afternoon due to my extended nap. But my daughter, who’s been waiting for me to wake up as we earlier resolved during lunch that school assignments had to be done in the afternoon to avoid last-minute cramming in the evening, was holding me to my commitments. When I am unable to focus on what I want to do, I get distressed and it’ll show in the conversation.

But since the book was about the benefits of positive interactions, I cannot be anything but positive. As she read and I explain to her those portions she cannot understand, I was reminded of the things I ought to be doing to create a positive environment for my kids. And I am thankful for that…

Gratitude Ritual

Our toddler and baby were asleep early in the evening so the older kids had all our attention at dinner and in the ensuing nightly gratitude ritual. The lively conversation during dinner continued in the gratitude ritual that we restarted just a few days ago. I was again reminded of the heightened activities, positive interactions and all-around positive energy in the house during the holiday visit of our relatives that we unconsciously forego of the ritual. There was just little chance for it to happen at that time as we were on separate tables, usually grouped according to age (and gender in the case of the kids) as a matter of course during meals. Conversations also extended after dinner and separate groups had different topics of interest. All these happened almost every night for more than two weeks.

As I see the happy faces of my family around the table while talking about the food, the activities and other things that we are grateful for today, I was additionally pleased that we were doing it again. Lengthy topics include my daughter’s darkened skin because of a pool party with friends, how she should not worry about and just accept her natural color because it cannot be changed…while asking her to recite the serenity prayer*… but she has to take care of her skin better than her parents did with theirs; my son’s idea of putting a green substance over the skin, which can be removed, to protect the skin when swimming; about where each got his/her skin color, nose, ears, eyes, etc.; about their great grandparents…and finding out that one is still alive…my wife’s grandma “Lola Sexy”…who we may get to see again in the summer if she has not gone back to the United States by then; and so on…

I am so thankful that the family has gone back to our normal routine and we are getting comfortable with it again.

*Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to do the things that I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.                                                              -Reinhold Niebuhr

DAILY THANK YOU

You may also want to write your daily thanks and share them to spread the positive energy. It's like gratitude banking; who knows, you might need to be reminded of these blessings at some point in your life. So make deposits starting now by writing and sharing them at DAILY THANK YOU.

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Yesterday was the last Sunday before my brother’s family leaves for Australia, and therefore the last chance for a joint (advanced) birthday celebration of my daughter and my niece whose birthdays fall just three days apart. On Saturday, they were allowed to plan what they would like to do. After several back-and-forth consultations with me about their choices and the considerations behind them, they finally settled for a pool party in a resort up on a hill.

However, after attending the Sunday morning mass, it became quite clear that it’s not going to be a sunny day (and then light rain actually ensued). So as not to disappoint the kids (they were already in their swim wears), I got busy on the phone looking for an alternative pool…an indoor pool. In between calls, I urged the celebrants to think of “Plan B”. Stubborn as she is, my daughter won’t hear of it! Her mind was already made up the previous day and so the original plan has to happen!

Finally, we arrived at a conclusion that there is no indoor pool in the whole city. So a quick suggestion had to be offered as the kids were getting restless. By then my soon-to-be-ten-year-old daughter was already crying and still insisting that they were going to swim that day, even after much explanation about having no control over the weather.

Going to the movies to watch the sequel of “Alvin and the Chipmunks” was the magic suggestion that brighten the faces of the younger kids. To make it more appealing to my daughter, we reminded her of the “girls’ night out” she had last year with her closest friends and how exciting it would be to do a similar celebration with her cousins and family…i.e. making the choice on where to dine, ordering the food by herself, and playing in the mall arcade, this time after watching a movie. Her co-celebrant already bought the idea when my daughter finally agreed.

In the end, she still asked her mom if she can cry a bit more and promised to turn her mood around. She was assured that she may and that crying can relieve the frustration she’s feeling. Indeed, it turned out to be a fun, wonderful, and tiring day at the mall for kids and adults alike.

Being as stubborn as she is, my wife and I knew how she felt and are confident that she’d eventually learn to manage the unplanned, the unexpected better than we did in the various phases of our lives…for indeed life is full of surprises and our attitude towards these is the only power we have over them.

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The semester had just ended with the school’s Foundation Day show.  I’ve started thinking about what the kids can do during the break as early as last month.  Careful planning is needed as budget is tight, and we’ve also been itching to go on a road trip (once the baby is easier to handle). 

Pressure built on me as classes was increasingly devoted to rehearsals for the show.  Nothing concrete happened until the last day when we saw parents of other kids and invites for parties started turning out.

So it won’t be boring after all.  Here’s the list so far:

1. The semestral breakers hit off with two birthday parties in separate days but coincidentally in the same restaurant of a global fast food chain.
2. A sleepover for my eldest together with her small group of friends.
3. Halloween trick-or-treating for everyone.  It will be our kids’ first to actually roam about house to house, as we were contented with preparing candies and handing out treats to neighborhood kids in the past.  So with an old dress and crown for our eldest, a hand-me-down superhero costume for our toddler, and a cheap mask, paraphernalia and costume used in the show for our son, my wife and I came up with an activity that our kids could look forward to in the next few days.
4. A get-together with some friends and their kids that we’ve been putting off is finally going to happen on Sunday.  It’s also an opportunity to try a barbecue recipe my wife got from an online friend across the globe.
5. A family gathering to celebrate my brother’s birthday and a visit to my mom’s grave are scheduled for tomorrow.

So what I feared to be a long and expensive semester break might not be too bad after all.  I still have a few more days to fill before school is back again, so some more ideas not involving travel and a lot of spending would be greatly appreciated.  Would you be so kind to let me know?

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