Simbang Gabi time again ... :)

It is that time of the year again when we give thanks for all the wonderful blessings we have received and pray for strength to face the challenges of the year ahead.  I've written about Simbang Gabi before.  This time around, I'd like to focus on saying thanks for the wonderful blessings our family has received this year.  We have so much to be thankful for, with our pregnancy being on top of the list.  During the Simbang Gabi last year, we prayed that we'll be able to give Ben a sibling.  To be honest, there was a point when I was scared that maybe it wasn't part of God's plan.  Then we got confirmation that we'll be having twins.  I guess He was just telling us to wait a while because He has something different in store for us.  As we enter the final stretch of the novena, I pray that He continues to bless the pregnancy and to give Bry and I the strength (and the energy, hehe) to be loving parents to Ben, B1 and B2.

How about you, what's your Christmas wish?

Ben's Christmas Program at School

Delayed post but still in time for the season .. :)

Sharing some simple photos from Ben's Christmas program at school last week.  The programs were done by class to give the families of the students quality time with each other.  The one for Ben's class was short and quite intimate, just right for their age group.  I'm proud not just of Ben but of the other kids as well.  It's brave of them to stand up in front of a group of adults.  Good job, Teachers Karen, Esther, Tere and Yaya Lalaine.  Yes, it took four adults to prepare a program for six kids, hehe!

The photos are from the MWF batch of Ben's class.  The TTH class did well, too!  It was nice meeting the other parents and sharing stories about how our kids talk about each other outside class at home.

The kids clapped, tapped and danced to the Christmas songs

They took turns playing instruments , too!

All together, now!!

And .. bow!!! Yehey!!!

Hope everyone is having a fun and relaxing holiday break .. :) Ben sends his love to all!

Mommy Reviews: MightyMind Educational Toys

Searching for gift ideas for the kids this Christmas? How about trying MightyMind Educational Toys?   A set of MightyMind contains a set of cards and colorful shapes of different sizes.  The goal is to use the shapes provided to put together the picture showed in the cards.  The cards are ranked according to difficulty.  The cards of easier levels have extra clues as to which shapes to use.  Each set if MigbtyMind has a theme and you can start with simple ones for kids as young as 3 yrs old.  I was glad that when I ordered for Ben, they suggested that I get the magnetic ones.  They come with a tin can container with magnets and a small pouch for the shapes.  It makes handling of the little pieces easier and more convenient for travelling.

Ben enjoys playing with MightyMind with his dad.  It seems that he inherited  Bry's love for puzzles.  During our last parent-teacher conference, the teachers are very happy with Ben's progress in identifying shapes and colors and I think that playing with MightyMind helped.  I can't wait to try out the other themes once he's ready.

For more information on MightyMind, do check out their Facebook page here.

How about you guys?  Any cool gift ideas for the holidays? Please do share :)

Why we love Shangrila Boracay

"I like it here." said our little master during our first afternoon at Shangrila Resort in Boracay.  We were blessed to have been invited to a wedding there last month and really enjoyed our stay.  I am so thankful Bry decided that we book a room there to make things easier since I am pregnant.  Here are some of the many reasons why we liked it there:

1. Hassle free transfers - we were well taken cared from from the time we arrived at the airport.  The jetty ride to the resort was fast and rather fun.  The staff made sure our luggages were all accounted for.

2. Personalized Service - From the moment we checked in, the staff  addressed us as Mr. and Mrs. Tan.  They did this even during the reception.  Our server was quite observant.  I asked for some ice for my drink only once and she kept on refilling it when needed.  It's not hard to do but I still appreciated it.

3. Fun Playroom - Their kids playroom will impress both kids and kids at heart.  There's a lot of toys, a place to rest and a big slide.  Ben and his cousin Basti had a great time there.

4. Yummy food - I enjoyed our meals, even Ben's kiddie servings.  Adobo is always my comfort food and their version didn't disappont.  Needless to say, the food during the reception was superb.

5. The salon - I liked the efficient service of the salon where I had my hair and make-up done.  I didn't feel rushed but was done within an hour.  Their stylist understood the simple, neat and pretty look I was going for.

6. The afternoon turn down service - Aside from making sure our room is clean in the middle of the day, we got fruits and pastries to fill our tummies. 

7. Wifi availability - a definite plus for techies like Bryant and I.  We're glad wireless internet was available in the rooms.  It makes uploading photos easier .

8. Handling of evrnts - John and Deb, the lovely couple, had a great team helping them style and plan their wedding.  It's a good thing also that the hotel management and staff were able to efficiently help them implement their plans.  This may not be a big deal but among my favorites were the lemon water and cold towels offered during the wedding ceremony.  It's the little things that leave a big impression.

9. Spacious Rooms - we only booked their basic room  but it was already quite big with a balcony to sit on and get some fresh air.  There's a  bathtub, too, which Ben really enjoyed :) The bed was big enough for the three of us considering Ben moves around a lot while sleeping.

10. After check-out service - to be perfectly honest, I might not have written about our experience if not for this one.  The day after we checked out, we realized we might have left something in the resort.  Bry emailed them and the staff immediately called back and said they found it and will send it to our hosts so it can be returned back to us.  I was quite impressed that they got back to our email with an actual phone call. 

Too bad we couldn't share many photos, it was a challenge documenting our stay while running after Ben.  Hopefully we'll get a chance to go back there soon.  Thanks J and D for inviting us and for Shangrila Boracay for making our stay relaxing and fun :)