Wednesday 29 February 2012

Goodbye Old Steve....

Old Steve is the name given to our Dodge Caravan minivan. Don't ask me how and why it got its name cause I don't really know. My daughter, Leena started it one day and everyone in the family just followed along. We had Steve for quite a while and has given us great service. We used it almost everyday for the last six years and never had any major problem. These last few week though it started to show some signs of wear and tear that we decided it's time to let go and better get a new transportation for the family. With three kids on the go, school, work, extra curricular activities to go to and me as a new driver (who can't deal with extra stress while driving) we can't risk having the car break down on us right on the spot.

My husband and I went looking for one for two weeks and Boy! Im telling you it was tiring. There were just so many family cars to choose from. Me, who doesnt have much knowledge about choosing a car or cars in general, didn't know which one to go for so I let my husband hunt for what he thought the right ones for us and I would then take a look and test drive it. ;)

I guess it all boils down to what you really want from a car and what you can afford. The more we looked, the more I realized that if you want some you have to sacrifice some. Anyway, we finally found one that fits our needs after two weeks of hunting and I am very happy with it.

We decided to get the same but a newer version of the Old Steve. A Dodge Grand Caravan SE. It has some nice features like the stow away seats and definitely more space. We don't really care much of the add ons but they are still nice to have. :) The most important thing for us is a car we can rely on. Now we can plan road trips again without hesitations and maybe go camping sometime in the summer. Isn't that exciting? :)

Of course, we sadly said our goodbyes and thank yous to Old Steve for his great service before we drove home with the new one. I could see the kids likes the new minivan and so far no new name has been mentioned yet but I know it won't be long..

What about you? For a family car, would you choose comfort for economy or the other way around?

Sunday 26 February 2012

For the Love of Dancing

When I showed this video to some friends a couple weeks ago, it gained a few smiles, Oohhs and WOW's to our little Sean. Thought I post this video today as we were so busy this past week and I didn't had the chance to post anything. Besides we need a break from our crazy skeds and deserve a little entertainment. :)  Sean got these little moves that just too cute to pass.  He loves to dance..so sit back and relax folks and enjoy the show!


Monday 20 February 2012

RECALL

Tassimo Recall!         

Last night, a friend told me about Tassimo brewers being recalled. I have one and I know a few  friends who have those coffee makers too.  I looked around and here's what I found:
Health Canada posted a recall on Tassimo Single CupCoffee Makers under Bosch brand – manufactured between June 2008- February 2012 and Tassimo Nabob and Gevalia brandExpresso T discs- manufactured August 2011- January 2012

According to Health Canada: The T disc that holds the coffee or tea can burst and spray hot liquid, coffee grounds and/or  tea leaves onto consumers using the brewer and onto bystander, posing a burn hazard.

Visit the Tassimo Recall Website or call the Tassimo hotline 1-866 918 8763 for more information.






Friday 17 February 2012

The All-In-One Gift..

My husband (Khalid) and I had a talk. We have three weeks vacation in June that we have to prepare. With three kids in tow, we have to travel on a budget and really have to plan ahead of time. For the last 3-4 years, we've been going back to the Philippines at least once a year and every time we usually allocate 3-4 days stay on a beach. Though we had lots of fun on those trips, this year I'd like it to be different. Its hard to admit folks, I'm turning 35 this year and I have this promise to myself years ago that every five years (started ten years ago) I have to do something new or visit places I've never been to and so this is the year.2012.


Anyway, back to the talk, I suggested a few places and Khalid did too. Somehow he mentioned the place that I thought just perfect for us to visit! To be fair, I gave him exactly three seconds to take it back.(haha!) I know men rarely change their mind and given just 3 seconds fast, he never had the chance. :D  Even if he did though, I wouldn't have heard it anyway because I was already busy applauding and telling him how smart he was to suggest the perfect place. You can imagine how ecstatic I was at that time and I guess, my sweet husband just saw me glowing of excitement. From there the decision was made.

 


We are going to... Paris, France!


Oh Paris ,I'm coming to see yah!!!


The kids and I are very excited. We can't wait to see The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, the Cathedral Notre Dame and the famous Champs Elysées. To have petite pain au chocolat for breakfast and drink latte at a sidewalk cafe in the afternoon watching people go by in that beautiful city is just pure pleasure. Haayy (day dreaming)


Wake up, Me! :)


The trip is only a few months away that means I have lots of planning to do and of course budgeting as well. Speaking of budgetting, the kids agreed to save their money from the newspaper delivery for the trip. I also told my husband that he doesn't have to get me anything on Valentines Day or Mother's Day or my birthday or even on our anniversary. Ain't that nice of me. ;)haha..  Lets just call the trip to Paris, the All-in-One Gift.  So far everyone is on board and working together to make this awesome vacation a success.

For our friends/readers, please free to leave us stories, tips and suggestions  that you may have about family travelling to Europe (comment box below). I will gladly appreciate it. Thanks.









Wednesday 15 February 2012

Product Review: Elfishki and the Giant Cake


Elfishki and the Giant Cake
Interactive iPad book for kids
          Once upon a time, on the beautiful Rainbow Island in the middle of the Sparkling Sea lived magical little people called Elfishki. Some of them could fly like butterflies, and some could swim like mermaids. They shared the island with animals who could speak, and trees who did not talk but understood everything. All in all, this was a place where miracles happened every day.
Elfizz was an owner of a gloomy restaurant named Chest of Ghosts where the staff was eager to please ghosts. On the opposite side of the square was a bakery, Gingerbread Nook, run by a pretty plump Elfishki lady called Maggie. The two were at odds with each other until one day they had to work side by side..... 




  
 Here's what you find in the iPad application:
1.Original, not found anywhere else captivating texts, designed to develop your child’s conscious reading skills - according to the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.
2. Stunning interactive art, classic animation and videos.
3. Professional Audio Voice over of the story, so your child can listen along with the text.
4. THREE (3) Questions on every page of the book specifically designed to help your child analyze the text, boost their imagination and make predictions about the story.
5.  A bonus game specifically designed to boost your child’s imagination - Decorate the Cake - where you can save and share your child’s fantastic creation.













Awesome iPad Book!!
I love the colorful layout and the interactive play of this app. My four year old son loves this book, though he’s not really reading yet, he likes to go through the pages and looks at the pictures. He specially likes to touch the objects that make cute little movements. This book makes reading a lot more interesting and super fun.
I also like that you can choose to Read or Listen to the narrator. Don't get me wrong I love reading to my kids but being asked to read a favorite book, 3 times in one sitting, can be tiring. The three questions on each page are a great way to follow-up understanding and encourage kids creative mind :)
“Decorate your Cake” is an amazing game. You get to decorate your own cake, take a picture and put a caption on it. All my kids (3) had fun decorating their cake and now, I have a dozen pictures on my iPad. Another plus is you could email those pictures to friends or use them as a simple e-card.
Room for Improvement?:
*      It’ll be nice to be able to put your own personal greetings or caption on the picture.
*      More bedtime stories. J

If you want to know more about this app, here's the you tube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=tw3eEv2oA-Q

Product Website: http://www.elfishki.com/fairy_tales_myths_and_legends.php
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.tomoson.com/?code=BOTTOMf8bca49d5d3303c0cbf425b6b779d37d">Tomoson.com</a>. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.


Saturday 11 February 2012

Hawaii- Quick Getaway

2011 was a fun year for the family.  We had a few quick getaway trips and one of them was to  Honolulu, Hawaii....

April, 2011

The family went to Hawaii for 4 days with friends.  The kids were ecstatic to have their friend, Kaitlyn (our friends 10yr old daughter) on vacation. yehheey!! Like they say, the more the merrier!
I should say, we did alot on that 4 day trip. We wanted to do something different each day to make it more fun and eventful. Here's a quick run through...


Day 1: Off to the beach.!!, . That's the main reason of going to Hawaii, right?  :)) We had our fill of the crashing waves, warm sand, the heat and the sun..... that also goes to say, we all got toasted on the very first day :/ but it was alright, everybody was happy and satisfied.
Enjoying the beach!!
Day 2: The road trip! Everyone wanted to see the rest of  Honolulu so we decided to rent cars  and off for a drive around the island.  I wanted to visit the Macadamia Nut Farm Outlet, the kids wanted to venture the maze at The Dole Pineapple Plantation, little Sean asked for a swim again, another wanted to visit Pearl Harbor and the list goes on...
Backpacks loaded with snacks and drinks, route all planned out, maps ready..we started early morning on our second day..


Day 3: Snokeling!!  Hanauma Bay's most popular activity is snorkeling. Swimming above the rocks and spotting a variety of sea creature was a fun way to spend the day.. 

 Day 4: Our last day :( We had breakfast at the hotel, went out for a quick swim and did our last minute shopping. Time just went so fast that it was then time to pack our bags and fly back home. 

We had lots of fun in Hawaii. The kids loved the experience so much that they've been talking about it for months. One thing I know for sure, we will be coming back...soon

Here are some little things to remember: 
  1. Sunscreens: Bring tons and remember to apply before you leave the hotel and every 2 hours if you are on the beach even if the label says "Waterproof". 
  2. Plan your day. It's alot easier if you know what you want to do and where you want to go. 
  3. It's always handy to have a stash of on-the-go snacks and drinks specially with kids.
  4. Don't forget the cameras, extra memory cards and battery chargers. 
  5. Small First-aid kit.
I'm sure there are more of the "little things" to to keep in mind, please feel free to share some of yours.

Sunday 5 February 2012

The Preschooler

When we started Sean on preschool last September, I should say it was a bit of a struggle. I remember the "leg-hugging don't go away mommy" cry and "I have a tummy ache so I need to stay home" excuses. I knew it was going to be a challenge as he had never been to a daycare or any play group before. Like any other family here in North America, me and my husband are on work-stay home shifts. When hubby works, I stay home and on his days off, I go to work.  When Sean turned three, we thought it's time to introduce him to the real world, to socialize and meet new friends. Well, he took four months  to adjust (but hey, he can take as much time as he want, haha :)) and to like the goodness of the preschool life. Now he loves school and always looking forward to see his friends. As the proud mama, I say you're the coolest Sean!

Likes doing art and playing with glue!
Learning about texture.......yeheey sand!
Sean and friends






Saturday 4 February 2012

Welcome

Hi. My name is Emee, mother of three  silly pumpkins: Leena (11), Yvo (10) and Sean (almost 4),  married to a wonderful hubby K.. We're pretty much the regular family who loves to do fun stuffs like  camping, swimming and skiing.  We also love to travel, see new places and most especially we love to take pictures. I'm not a big blogger kinda type but I like to share my pics to friends and family. Hope you enjoy our family blog :)

Christmas 2011