So Raine is at that age. She insists that she’s a teen because she’s one-teen. And of course, with the ‘teen’ word (even if it’s pre-teen) comes the new world that we have to navigate as mother and daughter, a world filled with shifting moods, changing bodies, and evolving relationships. To be honest, I’m not sure […]
Review: Taming the Lecture Bug and Getting Your Kids to Think Video
March 15, 2018 by Leave a Comment
When she was younger (and much less wiser!), Raine told me, out of the blue, “What if I had two moms? I’d have a fun mom…and you.” And while I found it hilarious, it was also heartbreaking. I know I’m not the silly/funny parent (guess who is), but I was a fun person. At least I […]
The HPs’ Annual MIBF Field Trip
September 18, 2017 by Leave a Comment
I have been going to the Manila International Book Fair longer than The Hubby and I have been together (17 years in November!). It used to be held at the World Trade Center on the corner of Roxas Boulevard and Buendia Avenue, which was about two blocks down from where I lived. My mom and […]
DIY Japanese-Themed Party
May 1, 2017 by 7 Comments
I grew up with birthdays celebrated with joie de vivre, handmade invitations, and homecooked food. And these parties always had a theme. My aunts and uncles all pitched in to make the invitations and décor, and games and entertainment. As an adult, I loved themed get-togethers, even if it was just friends coming over. We’d […]
Postcards from the Edge (and Wherever Else I Happen to Be)
January 31, 2017 by Leave a Comment
I’ve been traveling for work often in the past four years, twice a year at the least. Once, I had five out-of-the-country trips and at least four local trips all in one year. That was the year that I flew in from Malaysia late afternoon, and early the morning the next day, I flew out […]
The HP Academy of Homeschool Shmool
August 25, 2016 by Leave a Comment
This year, we finally took the plunge and decided to homeschool the girls. It wasn’t a sudden decision; I informally homeschooled the girls before we put them in for Kinder, and it was always one of the options, albeit not the most likely one. Until now. Why did we decide to homeschool? Three main reasons. […]
Lemon Bars, Child Labor, and Tough Love
May 20, 2016 by Leave a Comment
This is really a recipe post. The girls baked a scrumptious batch of lemon bars this afternoon. But I have a longish intro; scroll down if you want to skip it and go straight to the recipe. Raine, who turned 9 a couple of months ago, decided that she was old enough to bake on […]
Child’s Play
July 8, 2014 by Leave a Comment
There used to be an ad (Milo, I think) that said something like, “A child playing is a child at work.” And true enough; Maria Montessori says that play is the work of a child. Play is how kids learn to deal with the world around them, how they practice skills—from motor to social to […]
Review: My First Hands-On Bible
January 6, 2012 by 5 Comments
I have been trying to incorporate the Word and Bible reading into the girls’ daily life (and mine—but that’s another story). Raine’s had several Bible story books over the years, and we’ve been reading those off and on, but I wanted something deeper and more meaningful. We also tried memorizing one verse a week, […]
The Adventures of Supercow
March 18, 2011 by 12 Comments
Welcome to the first Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (March). To celebrate National Women’s Month, our participants share how breastfeeding has changed them as a woman. Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants. I have been breastfeeding for four years straight. I breastfed Raine, my oldest daughter […]
