Music is Like a Magnet

I am glad that my  kids had some great memories  with my FIL before he got Alzheimer's.    They miss the Pap that they knew but  I am happy that they still wants to see him  even though Dad  doesn't engage to the conversation sometimes.  I always tell them  to remember all the happy times that we had with him.

My kids may not  realized it but a lot of the old folks at Gables Care Center really likes it when they play piano.  It always starts just my FIL as the audience and then  music lover senior would come and watch as well.  Music is like a magnet that  connects people together.

I told my kids that God gave them some talent so they have to share it to others.

I remember one old guy  stopped by and  listend then before he left, he told my husband and I to  encourage   our kids to keep playing.  He said they remind him of his daughter who also love playing piano growing up.  It's very refreshing when you can connect to other people though music.  I think if  would be born again, I would love to be able to  leanr how to  play instruments such as this MF's tama superstar set.  I always admire  a person that can do it.  Anyway, below is a video of one  of the song she's been practicing at home.

Serenading Grandpa

Prior to Alzheimer's, my father-in-law  loved it when we visit him at his house and my  daughter would play in the piano for him.  Now that he stays at a senior place, my daughter would still play for my FIL whenever we visit him there.  He might now be able to remember about the past but  one thing is for sure, he does love listening  to the piano music.    I am glad that her love  of playing piano   continues, she  just love serenading her Pap when we visit.  I remember when we were looking for  dwals on a violin for her, I ran accross the woodwind and brasswind coupons but nothing for violin.  We bought her one anyway.  We are still waiting for the violin teacher in the area.  My daughter's  piano teacher said that the violin teacher is out of  the country uintil mid-February.  She is looking forward to start  sa lesson for it.

Enjoy Your Weekend High Tea At These Places

Delicate trays of tiny sandwiches and delectable cakes, exquisite blends of tea served in the finest tea sets, the chatter of voices over the tinkling of cutlery on china. This is high tea at its very best.

 

While it may be something of a British tradition, afternoon tea has become incredibly popular in Singapore. Whether it’s a special treat for a special occasion, or simply a chance to catch up and enjoy the company of friends and family, high tea is something to be savoured and enjoyed.

 

So, where should you go for high tea in Singapore? With so many delightful high teas on offer, it can be difficult choosing where to go. To help you out, we’ve put together a list of some of the afternoon tea options you simply must try.

Time for Tea

With its exceptional outlook onto the Marina Bay waterfront, The Landing Point at The Fullerton Bay Hotel provides a wonderful spot to experience a delectable afternoon tea. Stylish and chic, this beautiful bar offers a comfortable setting to relax and enjoy its glorious range of afternoon tea goodies.

Opt for an al fresco seat, or sit inside if the afternoon is too warm, then pick from a splendid selection of teas – or mix it up with any of the bar’s wondrous artisanal cocktails! Tempt your tastebuds with a lovely range of savoury delights and sweet treats – not to be missed are the scrumptious scones, complete with berry jam and clotted cream. Music completes the experience, as the resident pianist entertains with ballads and the classics.

Over at The Fullerton Hotel, The Courtyard offers another enchanting afternoon tea experience. Located in the hotel’s stylish sunlit atrium, The Courtyard is both elegantly sophisticated and wonderfully relaxed, providing a superb selection of high tea treats and a full list of magnificent teas, accompanied by exquisite music from their harpist. 

Savoury options include the otak-otak and quail egg sandwich with walnut bread, brie, plum jelly and pistachio on a hazelnut cracker, and smoked salmon mille feuille with avruga caviar. As for those sweets, be sure to try the vanilla crème brûlée, the chocolate éclair, and of course, the scones.

Offering a luxurious high tea buffet, 10 SCOTTS is another popular spot for high tea in Singapore. Situated within Grand Hyatt Singapore, 10 SCOTTS provides a stylishly tranquil atmosphere, overlooking the hotel’s cascading two-storey waterfall.

Choose from an excellent range of gourmet teas and coffee made with 100% certified organic Arabica beans, or splash out to enjoy high tea with free-flowing Perrier Jouët champagne. Then, simply pick your way through the astonishing selection of savoury and sweet items, filled with indulgent high tea favourites.

For an authentic afternoon tea experience, head to the Lobby Lounge at InterContinental Singapore. With its chic yet inviting setting, and its tremendous range of afternoon tea delicacies, the Lobby Lounge most definitely deserves a spot on the must-visit afternoon tea list.

Enjoy a leisurely afternoon tea in this unique heritage setting, surrounded by old-world charm that radiates elegance. Bringing together live music, warm lighting and a delectable array of sweet and savoury delights, this is what afternoon tea is all about.

Birthday and a Travel Plan

This is a sponsored post but all opinions are mine.

There are  so many things I want to do this year if given a chance.  First  and foremost is to visit my mother in the Philippines.  It has been  8 years since I last  saw and hug my Mom and it would be nice to see her  this year.  She is  celebrating her  64th birthday tomorrow and I can only wish that I am there  beside her so I can  give her a tight hug and tell her how much I love her.  She  recently got sick and  it makes me realized  that  I really have to see her now more than ever.  My kids were   little when they first met their Lola and it would be great  if we could all get together this year.  

I would like to  find a cheaper rate for airfare so we can all go  this summer  when the kids are off to school so I am browsing the  Groupon Coupons  site for deals on hotel accommodation when we  arrive in Manila.  My Mom lives  far  from the city so when  our flight  landed in Manila, we need a place to  stay before proceeding to my Mom's place.

I found  some airfare deals through Hotwire via Groupon Coupons and I am currently  checking out what dates  are cheaper to fly.  Some days have higher rates and there are few days where the rate is low so that is what I am looking for.  For the four of us to fly, the lowest I can find is $1070 plus tax each for a roundtrip tickets.  Just for the  plane tickets, we will need around  five thousand dollars.   I have no savings for it yet but I am hoping that I can find a much cheaper  airfare so we can at least save  money to spend for other things.  

 My children are  so excited to see  their cousins  in the Philippines.  They also  love the fact that my Mom lives by the ocean so they can swim all they want.  They are  now bigger enough to swim with the whaleshark so that is something that they are excited about  if we  will be able to push through with our plan.

 We live in a mountain state so  going to place where they can swim is very exciting.  The photos here  were taken when we went to Tappan Lake in Ohio last year.  It was the closest we could  go to before they went back to school.  Before Tappan lake, we also had our summer  vacation in Williamsburg Virginia where we  enjoyed an afternoon  of splashing and swimming at  Jamestown beach.  

 Our Tappan Lake  trip was  just one of those unplanned trip  we did last year.  I like spontaneous  travels  like this because it always end up a fun trip for all of us.  

 My kids had a lot of fun swimming in the water.  Even though I couldn't join them that day, it's  fun for me to watch them have so much fun in the water.  

 If we ever have a chance to push through with our international travel, it would be great.  Not only we  could reunite with my family back home  but we  will also be able to have a chance to visit  other places in the Philippines that we haven't been to.  My kids wants to see the chocolate hills in Bohol  or visit Baguio City.

 We will see what we  come up with.  I will keep you updated.

How to Express Personality in a Bedroom

There is no better place in the home to express your personality than your bedroom. It is the one place in the house that is often off-limits to visitors, so you can be as creative as you like when it comes to an interior style. 

The Bedroom Theme

Have you always loved the 1920s? Do you adore the bold colors of the 1960s? Are you a fan of country living? If so, use the theme to create your dream bedroom design, because you can be as brave and inventive as you like. For example, if you love 1920s style, consider installing a beautiful chandelier, which can be complemented by an armoire, art deco dressing table and a waterfall dresser. Click here for bedroom inspiration.

Cosy Bedding

Once you have your theme set, it is time to think about your bedding. Opt for bed linens that work in harmony with your interior design, whilst also selecting a comfortable, elegant style that will make a bed more inviting after a busy day at work or within the home. Cotton bedding is a great choice for a bedroom, because it is soft and hardwearing, so it will not lose its softness or color wash after wash.

Add Your Prized Possessions

Show off your achievements, passions and personality through your decorative accessories. Create a homely atmosphere by featuring photo frames, candles and trophies. You could add your childhood teddy bear onto your bed, or can showcase an instrument in your bedroom. The best way to add a touch of personality to a bedroom is to highlight the items and interests that are close to your heart.

A Stunning Scent

Scents are personal to an individual. So, the room’s interior goes beyond your choice of wallpaper or bedding. You should therefore create an alluring scent that complements your taste, whilst ensuring a room smells fresh and fragrant. You can achieve a beautiful smelling bedroom through different candle scents, incense sticks or a home air freshener.

Use Your Spaces

Do you love nothing more than reading a good book in your bedroom? Why not create a cosy little nook for a comfortable reading area? For example, you can fill an alcove with cushions and pillows, so you have an enjoyable place to read your favourite novel. You could even incorporate a bookcase that features your favourite works of fiction, which will offer an insight into your literary taste.

If you love to dress up and put on makeup, consider incorporating an elegant dressing table, which will show any guests that you take pride in both your appearance and your bedroom. Are you a lover of all things fashion? Instead of adding a traditional wardrobe, why not opt for a more modern rolling rack, which allows you to put your favourite items on display within your bedroom. You can could even use your decorative dresser knobs to hang your favourite jewellery items, which complements your interior whilst offering a great storage option.

Simple Hacks for Hosting a Party

Our son  turned  double digits this month.  We   celebrated his birthday party with close friends at our home last Saturday.  It's been a while since I hosted a birthday party so I was a bit nervous but knowing the people we invited, I was confident that the party will  go just fine.  This is actually our first time having a party at our new home so we were excited.  

We only invited few close friends as it wasn't that big of a party.  Two families are  our former neighbors  whom we call our family.  

 The Fancher's  are my children's  grandparents in the neighborhood, they  were there for my babies ever since we moved to our first home.  They have been our family for  ten years now, my kids call them Lolo and Lola (Filipino terms for grandma and grandpa).

 Our other neighbor whom we also call our family are the Howells.

 We also invited  EJ's Godparents, the Kinder's and the Brady's.

 EJ was happy to see his  god sisters Sophie and Jennifer.

Hosting a party can be  stressful but with good planning and preparation, you can relax  while waiting for the guests.  Here are simple hacks for a relaxing party.  

• Make sure that you have a stack of  bathroom tissues in the bathroom.

• Aside from towels, make sure that you have extra facial tissues in the  bathroom just in case  some guest  might want to  wipe their  face.

• At this time of the year, chances are, you will have a guest that has cold or sniffle so make sure that you have  tissues in every part of the  room where guests will walk around.

• Instead of   cooking all the food, spare yourself from too much  stress and order some food instead.  I prepared some dishes   but  I also ordered  some food  such as jojo potatoes, chicken strips, and pizza.  I also ordered  the cake since I am not really a baker.  Believe me I envy those Moms who can  bake their  children's birthday cake, I think that is very special.  I will post  a separate  one for all the  goodies at my food blog.

• I used to use silverware and plates when  used to have our children's birthday party but found it hard to clean up after the party so I just buy paper plates and other disposable  material to use.  That way, they can just toss it  out in the garbage when they are done eating.  

•  Prepare different kinds of beverage for your guests that way they h ave  a few variety to choose from.  

 I am glad that we have a  bigger house now because everyone has  a place to sit and  chit-chat.

 Since our son  loves football, we got him a  cake with a football design, he loves it.

 I really can't believe that my youngest, my only son, is  now ten years old.  Time really fly  very fast.  I am thankful that I am always home to  see every milestone my children has.  I rarely miss any event and I get to take care of them everyday.  That's the luxury of  working from home.  It might not be ideal financially  but it is ideal for my children's sake.

 He love all the gifts!  He  accumulated 100 dollars  from his birthday so he  now have a  small chunk  into his wallet.  He  has been saving his money because he wants to buy his own car when he is old enough to drive.  We will see if his savings will be enough to buy a car  in five years lol.

 Although he is into electronic/gadget, he still love to play   games like Nerf guns and other games so he was excited to see his new Nerf .guns.  He's got  many  already but I  actually put all of them in a container as I got tired of picking up  the bullets for him lol.

 One of the gifts that  he love also is the bounce off.

 We all had fun playing it.  Even when the  guests left, the four of us  played.

 I don't have many Filipino friends around here, I only invited those who are close and I interact often.

 It was a fun night for all of us.  I hope that we could get together again soon.

 My husband's birthday is  next month so maybe we can all get together again.

 Before they left, we took some family photo.

 Disclosure:  I received these Emerald tissue products from Shoplet but was not financially compensated for it.  I love that  these are made from by-products such as  sugarcane bagasse and wheat straw.  Emerald brand eliminates the need to cut down trees by utilizing   the traditionally wasted by-products I have mentioned  and turn them into  high quality paper and packaging solutions

Shoplet is a one-stop shop  for all your need in your home office or business.  They have  Office Supplies,   Medical Supplies, Cleaning Supplies and many more.  Thank you once again Shoplet and Pilot!

6 Great Tips for Working Moms

If you have returned to work after having children, you’ll know how difficult it can be balancing work with your home life. If you are currently considering returning to work, it could be one of the hardest decisions you will ever make. Either way, know that it can be done. These fantastic tips should help you cope with, and perhaps even enjoy being, a working mom.

Find a Flexible Career

If you already have a career that you love, speak to either your manager or HR department about the possibilities of working flexibly. This could include working some days from home, working part time, or working some shorter days, making the hours up elsewhere. You might be pleasantly surprised to find your needs can be accommodated. If you are looking for a career change, consider some of these more flexible workplaces:

·        Schools. There are many careers within a school, all of which offer great hours and term time working. Some of the best, aside from teaching, are receptionist, kitchen assistant, school nurse or counselor at school. If counseling is something you could be interested in, see Wake Forest University for some great counseling programs online.

·        Healthcare practices. Working as a doctor, nurse or admin assistant within a healthcare practice is a much more flexible alternative to some other places of work within the healthcare sector. Practices often attract those with families for this reason.

·        Retail. Working in retail might not pay the most, but with many retail staff working evenings and weekends around school, there are a lot of opportunities for those wanting to work during school hours.

·        Freelancing. If you have any skills, like writing or design, you could use them to make money as a freelancer from home.

Ask for Help

This might mean asking your partner to pick the kids up some days, or asking a family member to babysit so you can get a break. Whatever it is, ask. Moms don’t have to do everything, and needing help does not mean you’ve failed.

Routine

Get the kids into a great routine. This can include everything from dinner and bedtimes, to when they do their homework and play games. Try to stick to a childcare routine if you need it. Structure and routine are important to your child’s development, and can also make your life a lot easier.

Organization

Keep a diary, and write everything down. Your work shifts, where the kids need to be, any appointments or meetings. Even consider writing down meals and housework that needs doing if it makes things easier.

Look After Yourself

Make sure you eat a healthy diet, drink 8glasses of water a day, sleep enough and get some exercise. That might sound a lot, but it will keep your energy levels up and help you avoid getting slowed down by illness.

Whatever your reasons for choosing to return to work, don’t feel guilty about them. As long as you feel you are doing what’s right for you and your family, don’t let society tell you any different. Try finding fun ways to involve your children, take them to visit your workplace if you can, or play games that include your job. Family and work don’t necessarily need to be completely separate.

Last Glance at Busch Garden

Busch Garden is a fun place but man, you  have to be ready to have lots of energy when you go there so you can enjoy exploring without feeling spent lol.  Going on an amusement park is fun especially if you have kids but man, it's a lot of walking.  I am not complaining because walking is the only part that I enjoy because I don't like rides.  

With all the news I see about freak accidents in amusement rides, I have no intention in riding any of these fast and high rides.  

The only ride I  always go to is the  train ride as it is relaxing and not that fast.  You can basically see the whole  place by  riding the  train.  We should have done this when we visited Disney World few years ago but we didn't, we ran out of time.

Here's a short video clip of how much fun you can get in Busch Gardens.
 

Yes, we did go to Water Country as well.  It was fun although the heat was unbearable.  

I love the landscape at the front, we can't leave without  some photos just because.. it might be the last time we will ever go there.

The entrance booth  is very quaint.

Even the parking lot sign is quite nice.

Leaving the Busch Garden vicinity, we have  seen some places where we could  explore.

We planned on going to this place but we didn't have much time.  Maybe  next time when we visit  Williamsburg again, we will.

There's  so much things to do and see in Williamsburg, Virginia, you just have to have plenty of time and moolah of course.  It was fun for all of us and definitely one memories that we would love to reminisce.  So here you go, our last glimpse of Busch Garden.  It would take years before we could visit again.. or not.