DIY: Travel Theme Snack Buffet

My first attempt on making a DIY candy buffet was on my own wedding but it is a major fail so I decided to not show it here anymore on the blog, the second try was on Jashley's first birthday and I guess it was a success this time. when my soon-to-be sister in law then, saw it, she asked me if I can also make one for her wedding, I'm a little hesistant at first because unlike for birthdays, which guests are mostly kids, preparing a treat is a lot more easier, than for wedding which guest are mostly adults. But I accept it anyway.

Their theme was travel and the color motiff was yellow and brown. Since this is a wedding I thought that it is more apropriate if I will serve snacks that adult can enjoy, rather than candies.

What I did was to find bought store snacks that is either yellow or brown. So here are the list of the snacks I found at SM supermarket.

*Yellow Wafer Stick (Cheese flavor)

*Brown Wafer Stick (Chocolate flavor)

*Chocolate Chip Cookies

*Mini Mamon Cupcakes

*Yellow Marshmallows (Mango flavor)

*Brown Marshmallows (Chocolate flavor)

*Dew Berry Cookies (Peaches & Mango flavor)

*Orange Candy Coated Chocolate (the yellow color where out stock that time so I use the orange color instead)

To incorporate the Wedding's theme I printed out signages which says "In flight Snacks", food labels which has a navigator style background, country flags cupcake toppers.

Luckily I found a scrapbooking travel theme kit on my scrapbooking stash, I used the map background papers to wrap the letters A and M (which is the couples initial) cardboard that I bought from Divisoria and stick travel stickers for the ampersand sign.

I also made a yellow & brown paper airplanes which I attached to a thin wire that I got from Daiso that serves as a stem, and arrange it like a bouquet of flower and put it in a vase.

The yellow paper cups was from Divisoria too, 60php for 50 pcs. The jars and plates used was the same items that I used on Jashley's candy buffet on her first birthday except for the cupcake stand, since I cannot find a yellow cupcake tower cardboard like the one I use on Jashley's birthday, I just decided to buy this one which is made of a plastic material at SM Megamall department store for around 250php, and because that is made out of plastic materials that means I can use it again and again on my next DIY buffets.

Hope you like my DIY Travel theme snack buffet. Till next time. Bye bye.

Reasons Reasons

Hello world, excuse me again for being so busy for the past weeks, we were so busy preparing for my brother in-law's wedding. Ever since they came home from Thailand we were in the mall almost everyday (after office) to shop for the remaining things needed for the said wedding, They arrived here a week before the wedding. That time I haven't finished yet the DIY's (which I will show you on my next posts) that was assigned to me, so that makes me even busier.

The wedding day was also the exact date of Jashley's 2nd Birthday, since we were so busy planning for the wedding we skipped the idea of having a grand celebration for Jashley's birthday instead we just settled to have a simple dinner somewhere the next day after the wedding.

Few days after that Jashley got sick, cough & colds, and an on and off fever, we were worried already so we had her checked na on the third day, thank God all the test were negative. The doctor said it was a flu and we were given some meds for that.

Then after Jashley, Mama (my MIL) also got flu, actually my FIL also got flu a week before Jashley which is the week before the wedding, so I think nagka-hawaan silang tatlo. Anyway MIL wasn't able to take care of Jashley for a week so Hubby and I take turns on taking a work leave. When she finally got well, after a couple of days, she got into a minor accident naman at home, I just arrived at the office then when Hubby called and told me that Mama fell down and broke her right arm while getting something on the top of the kitchen cupboard. Her right arm needs to be on cement cast for one and a half month due to her dislocated wrist bone. Again Hubby wasn't able to come to office for 3 days to take care of Jashley, because the temporary Kasambahay we got is not yet available until Sunday of that week. I cannot take a work leave anymore because, first, we have to finish a project that was due for that week, second, I don't have paid leaves anymore, and third, the friday of that week also was the schedule of our office Halloween party so we were busy also decorating our department room.

Good thing we were allowed to bring our kids on the said event because the office also organized a trick or treat activity for the employees children. Hubby was able to come to work that day because I brought Jashley with me at the office. I will show you on my succeeding post the happenings on that day plus our DIY Halloween decorations. Anyway that explains my month long absence here.

2nd Birthday Letter for Jashley

My Dearest Jashley,

It's amazing how it's only been 24 months since I gave birth to you. But you have definitely gotten bigger & smarter and every day we marvel at how much of a person you have become. You used to just cry out from your crib but now you carry on connversations like a little adult. You use to just put on your mouth anything that your hand can grab but you now can name almost all of them from alphabets to shapes to numbers to some animals, fruits & vegetables. You use cellphones with such mastery as if you were born with it. You know how to appreciate even the smallest of things by saying endless thank yous if you received something. You love nature so much, the trees, the sky, the flowers, the grass, the animals. You say please when asking for a favor. You always share your foods and toys. You are always confident to try new things we introduced to you. You know how to listen on Daddy's & Mommy's instruction. You are obedient on most of Daddy's and Mommy's rules at home. You don't want when people are quarreling and arguing, and will tell them "no, fighting please". You always insist on kneeling down whenever we pray and love leading the prayer on meal time. Until now I still wonder how you learn so fast! My favorite is when you run to me and just out of the blue hug and kiss me. It's enough to make me cry with joy. You are smart, sweet, caring, thoughtful, respectful and God-fearing. These are characteristics we always pray you will have. You are indeed a blessing to us. And as you grow, me and Daddy will do our best to continue being good examples to you.Happy happy birthday my love! I love you and I will forever do.

Love,

Mommy

Product Review: Human Heart Nature Kids Natural Shampoo & Body Wash

I have been hearing and reading a lot of good reviews about Human Heart Nature even before I became a Mom, I have tried also some of their skin care products, and was very satisfied with them.

For the record, Jashley has thin and very fine hair, it seems like it is taking too long to grow,  she has few hair (almost bald) when she was born and we only cut her hair once.

I already tried different baby shampoos on her hoping that I can find a perfect shampoo for her that can help her hair grow thicker & longer.

So when I spotted this Human Heart Nature Kids Natural Shampoo & Body Wash at Rustan Supermarket, Shangrila, I quickly grab one. Knowing that HHN products are completely free of harmful chemicals, and like any other organic products this sure will make her hair and skin healthy and naturally fresh & clean.

It comes with different scents but I only bought the Ocean Apple Scent, to try first if it will do the trick on getting Jashley's hair grows thicker.

Now lets go to the review proper, aside from being organic and locally made, another thing that I love is its scent, it smells sweet and fresh perfect for little girls, Jashley and I both loves the fun packaging, small amount goes a long way and easy to rinse as well, it can be used as body wash too (in that case I don't need to bring extra body soap when we're having out-of-town trips), she never had any skin irritation, her head doesn't smell like sour sweat, and finally it made Jashley's hair a bit thicker and darker.

I love it so much that before she emptied the first bottle I purchased a new one, this time I bought the Tangerine Tarsier variant, but sad to say unlike the Ocean Apple scent this one makes her head smells sour, I don't know if it is because of the citrus scent that makes her sweat to be more sour like smell, hmmm... that makes me wanna try the product on myself and see if it will have the same reaction on my sweat, lols.

Anyway, I have bought again another bottle of the Ocean Apple variant, and just use the Tangerine Tarsier variant as her body wash so we don't need to waste anything, after all it is moisturizing enough to make her skin soft and supple.

Overall we're a happy customer and will surely purchase it again.

Tangerine Tarsier scent and our second bottle of Ocean Apple scent both in 200ml which priced at Php129.75

Also available in:
50ml- Php44.75
500ml- Php289.75

Snack time

My Babybear love eating snacks, that's why I always make sure to stock up snacks at home. I actually disagrre with some people who thinks that snack is unhealthy because for me its is a way to combat hunger in between meals. plus you can get extra energy and nutrients that your body needs, you just have to pick the right snack. That is why I'm always on the look-out for different snacks on the groceries, Before, whenever she likes a particular snack I hoard them and stock up at home, then I noticed she gets "umay" on those snacks because I repeatedly offer it to her for like twice a day in 2 to 3 days (thinking that she likes that snack so much). But now what I do is I buy a piece or two of different snacks, and let her choose what she wants whenever she ask for something to eat. In that way I will not be force to eat those snacks she wasn't able to consume, and able to lessen also our food wastage.I'm glad that most of snacks that can be found at the groceries are on single packs.

These are Jashley's supply of snacks for two weeks. We do our grocery shopping every 2 weeks, I make sure to replenish them every 2 weeks, those snacks that she wan't able to consume I bring them in the office to snack on them if they still fit to consume otherwise we throw them away.

Snacking wouldn't be complete without a refreshing drinks. And here are her favorites yakult and dutchmill and her favorite jelly pudding, I hide them on those plastic containers. because eversince she learned how to open the refrigerator on her own, she can easily sneak out those snacks. When it's near meal time na kasi we don't allow her to eat snacks anymore so she's able to eat her meal.

I sometimes let her indulge on these sweet treats also. I know these are not healthy at all but I don't want her to deprive on this kind of treats naman, after all she's a kid so she deserves to experience this from time to time. I just have to control her intake of these and always make sure that she brushes her teeth after she take those sweets.

I also don't forget to bring some of those snacks whenever were out for a trip or going to church, I always bring extra because my little girl loves sharing her food with her friends on church, then lately some of her friend's Mommies also started bringing extra snacks so their kids can share also, It's so nice that the kids is learning how to share their foods to each other.

How about you Mommies, care to share your kids favorite snacks?

DIY Fabric Fishing Toy

Hello my fellow Mommies out there, today I wanna share with you the fabric fishing toy that I made few weeks ago for my little Jashley.

I found some leftover fabrics and other materials from my previous DIYs. Basically you need the following:

- fabric (I use felt fabric)
- fish shape template (I just draw a fish shape on a piece of cardboard and cut it out.)
- thread
- needle
- pins
- scissor
- brads
- magnet
- wooden stick/dowel (not included in the photo)
- yarn (length is depends on your prefered length)
- cushion stuffing (not included in the photo, I just got some from an old pillow)

Instruction for the fabric fish:

1. Since you will be needing 2 pieces of these fish cut outs to make 1 fabric fish, you may cut both side simultaneously by laying 2 layers of fabric together and pinning the pattern to the top.  

2. Poke the fabric fish cut out using  a needle so you can easily insert a brad on that small hole (I place mine on where the fish eyes should be,)

 
3. Turn over your fabric fish cut out and secure the brad by separating their tiny arms and bending them in different directions. Do this on both fabric cut outs. To make them more secure I adhere the 2 brads on their back using a double sided tape. You may use hot glue if you want.

4. Lay the cut outs side by side together and sew them all the way around. Leave a 2" open space.

5. Stuff fish with the fabric stuffings. Keep it light so that the brads and magnet are sure to hold while fishing.

6. Sew the 2" opening together.

Instruction for the fishing rod:

1. I used a wooden chopstick since thats the only one I can find at home. Stick them together on their tips using a masking tape to make them long.

2. Tie the one end of the yarn on your wooden stick and the magnet on the other end of the yarn.

Tadaa!! Finish product.

When I let my little fisherman go fishing I noticed she's having a hard time stick the magnet to the brads, as the yarn is quite too long for her height, she have to raise her arms. So I decided to shorten the yarn. Eventually I have also shortened the wooden stick by just unsticking them. In that way it is a lot easier for her catch the fishes. 

  

 Happy fishing!!! 

Ang Tagapagtanggol

Is it only me or every Mommies out there is experiencing the same dilemma I have with my  toddler right now. These past few weeks I noticed that Jashley is becoming a little bratty and pasaway. If she cannont get what she wants she'll have tantrums, if you make her saway she'll whine. And just recently I don't know where she learned this "ikaw kasi huh" phrase that she always says anytime someone saway her or disturbed her on whatever she is doing. Like for example, I made her saway, she will say "si Mommy kasi huh" complete with pagkunot ng noo and a hand gesture that looks like she'll gonna hit you. If you accidentally bumped into her, or you interrupted her while she's watching, or you said no to her request, she will say "Mommy/Daddy kasi huh" as if she's blaming you.  I don't know where she learned that, we don't allow her to watch naman mga palabas sa TV, mostly educational lang pinapanood nya. She seldom plays outside din para matutunan nya yan sa labas.

Then last night while she's holding a hanger, I heard her ask Mama (my MIL) "gusto mo palo?", this one I know she got it from us because I asked her that same question kapag sobrang pasaway na siya, though I don't hit her naman, more on "amba" lang except on some occasions na super bad yung ginawa niya. I talked to her after that,

Me: Jashley, I don't like what you did to Mama awhile ago, that's not nice, don't do that again ok?
Jashley: Opo
Me: Promise me you will not hit someone again ok?
Jashley: Yes

I have been practicing this kind of conversation even before she turned one everytime she did something wrong, pero last night lang ako naka-receive ng ganyang reply from her. Usualy when i talk to her she will cry and make tantrums or she'll hug me or she'll run to her Daddy. So nagulat talaga ako sa sagot nya, well thats good though, I hope lang na sana she really understand me when she said yes, anyway uulit ulitin ko yan sa kanya unti she finally understand it. Good thing din siguro that when I talked to her dalawa lang kami, so she cannot run to anyone for help.

I also talked to Hubby last night on how we will discipline Jashley about this, He spoiled her kasi, same with my parents in law, they don't want to make saway Jashley because she's too young pa daw to be scolded and understand that what she's doing is not right, masayadong spoiled palibhasa nagiisang apo, ayan tuloy akala nung bata it's ok to hit someone, na laro laro lang ang paluan, tatawa pa talaga yan after she hit someone. For me kasi eversince she was a baby I didn't allow her to do that to me. If you will instruct her to hit me, titingin lang yan sakin and tititigan ko lang din siya, then she will say "No", she knows kasi that I will get mad if she hit me. When she asked my MIL last night, "gusto mo palo?", my MIL replied "Sige itanong mo yan sa Mommy mo kung gusto nya palo", when she saw me, she immediately said "No" , I asked her to give the hangerto me but she said "No, Mommy please" and put the hanger back to where she got it.

I told that story to Hubby, and explain to him that maybe Jashley got confused with how we disciplined her, that we were sending a wrong signal to her, that we should be on the same side always in disciplining her, for me lasi it looks like Jashley thought that It's ok to hit anyone except Mommy because I'm the only one who gets mad whenever she does that. And from now on when one of us is scolding her, wag aamuhin ng isa ung bata, yan kasi si "eto na ang  tagapagtanggol", as in when I'm scolding Jashley, he will shout that tapos lalapitan yung bata at aamuhin. Hay pasaway, dapat siguro si Hubby muna ang disiplinahin ano? Watcha think Mommies?