Buwan ng Wika

Kailan ba ako huling nagsulat sa ating Wikang Pambansa? Hmmm ... hindi ko na maalala kaya bilang paggunita sa Buwan ng Wika, sabi ko sa sarili ko, pipilitin kong magsulat muli sa Filipino. Gusto ko na sanang sumuko dahil sa totoo lang nagdudugo na ang ilong ko ngayon pa lang. Pero sige, sa ngalan ng pagmamahal sa ating wika ay ibubuhos ko ang lahat ng alam kong Tagalog/Filipino.

Noong nakaraang linggo ay sinimulan sa Rosemont ang iba't ibang aktibidad upang ipagdiwang ang Buwan ng Wika. Ang Senior Kinder ay nagkaroon ng Munting Salo-Salu kung saan ang bawat estudyante ay naatasang magdala ng isang pagkaing Filipino. Si Ethan ay naatasang magdala ng bibingka.Sayang at hindi ko nakita ang ibang mga pagkaing dala ng kanyang mga kaklase (ibig kong sabihin sayang at di ko natikaman ang pansit at chicharon na ayon kay Ethan ay masarap hehehe). 

Bago nagkaroon ng salo-salo, ang mga bata ay naglaro muna ng iba't ibang larong Filipino. Kahit hindi man masabi ni Ethan sa akin kung ano ang kanilang nilaro, sa tingin ko naging masaya naman siya (dahil sa mga premyong laman ng kanyang baunan : D

Isang linggo din na mga palabas tungkol sa mga Katutubong sayaw ang ipinapanood sa kanilang klase. Tinuruan din sila ng ilang kanta at sayaw. Pati na rin ang pagbibilang sa Filipino. Hindi ko malaman kung matatawa o maaawa kay Ethan dahil pagdating ng anim ay hirap na siya kung ano ang susunod! Hay naku, may mali yata ako kasi hindi ko man lang siya tinuruan! Tsk tsk tsk.

Nitong Huwebes, Agosto 19, ay nagkaroon ng isang parada ang mga bata kung saan ay suot nila ang iba't ibang katutubong kasuotan. Si Ethan ay nagdamit ng Kasuotang Muslim (ay sana tama ang Tagalog ko!). Narito ang mga larawan ng naturang pagdiriwang.

Pagkatapos ng parada ay isa isang ipinakita ng bawat klase ang kanilang inihandang sayaw o kaya naman ay kanta. Ang klase nila Ethan ay hinati sa dalawa. Ang unang grupo kung saan kabilang si Ethan ay sumayaw ng Cariñosa.

Tuwang tuwa ako habang pinagmamasdan si Ethan na sumasayaw! Naikwento nga sa akin ni Teacher Pie na si Ethan ang ginagawa niyang halimbawa sa mga kaklase nitong lalaki upang sundin kapag sila ay nag-eensayong sumayaw!

Ngayon ang huling araw ng Agosto at katapusan na ng Buwan ng Wika. Sana'y kahit lamang sa paggamit at pagkilala sa ating wika ay lubos nating maintindihan ang kahalagahan ng pagkakaroon nito.

Salamat sa pagbabasa. Kailangan ko na ng panyo at dumudugo na  ilong ko! : D

-Pia

Idol Ko Si Dad

It's no wonder Ethan idolizes his dad a lot! He pretends to be a photographer and pretends to be the "boss" whenever he goes to check our small biz, he loves to build like his dad, they share the same interests on most of things except for dancing hehehe.

These pictures were taken last Father's Day after dinner at Antonio's Grill.
 

materials used: cardstock - Bazzill; patterned papers - Bella Boulevard and Prima; letter sticker - Prima; chipboard - Bella Blvd.,brad - Chatterbox; pen - Uniball Signo

Repertory Philippine's Sleeping Beauty

The whole Rosemont and Ridgefield School community watched "Sleeping Beauty" at the Onstage Theater in Greenbelt last Aug. 13. It was free seating so we made sure we were early at the venue. We were lucky to find seats at the first row of the right orchestra. Ethan once again had a very good view of the play.

We enjoyed the show and had fun doing the charades with the "fairies". We like Trollerina and the Fawn - both are interesting characters and the actors who played were great! Trollerina was played by a male and boy was he really deserving of the audience's applaud! We love watching stage plays - far better than movies because you get to be "part" of it.

Here are some of the pictures we took right after the play when all of the characters went out of the stage again to meet the students/audience.

The Fawn with the Fairy, Minerva

The King and The Queen

The Prince

The Herald

Trollerina

In case you are looking for Sleeping Beauty, it was no surprise for me that Ethan didn't bother come to her hehehe. It's not because she was not good, but maybe because Ethan doesn't find a lead character fascinating at all : D Last year, when we watched Jack and the Beanstalk, Ethan didn't like "Jack" but wants a picture taken with the "Giant"!

Next week, Ethan will be celebrating the National Language Month in their school. He will  not be wearing his Barong Tagalog for a change. He has worn a Barong tagalog for 2 consecutive years already hehehe. Perhaps for his last preschool year he can wear something our brothers from Mindanao are wearing! Oh we're so excited!

-Pia

We'll Be Home Soon

I have kept a flyer of our condominium unit and told myself that I will scrap about it someday. I cut the condo unit's floor plan and the facade of the building and used them as the main pictures of my layout.

I made this layout using The Color Room Palette #18. So far, I find this color palette challenging. I ended up bringing out all of my papers and embellishments to look for the colors of this palette!  I actually meant, every paper and embellishment that I have, including those that are almost forgotten hehehe! I was able to breathe after I finished the layout!

I used K&Co., Daisy Bucket, Websters, Tinkering Ink, Bella Blvd. and Scrapworks papers; Bazzill cardstock; embellishments - Chatterbox, Fancy Pants felt shapes, 7 Gypsies, K&Co., Daisy Bucket rub ons; letters - American Crafts, Jillibean Soup; pen - Zig

-Pia

Poser Boy

Sharing another layout using Fancy Pants Like Father, Like Son. This is Ethan before he started schooling, he was only 3 years old then. These pictures make me smile and remember Ethan's chubby cheeks.

I'm happy that he's very confident about himself and doesn't mind posing for the camera. I didn't teach him how, he's such a natural!

The sketch was inspired by The Color Room Palette #15 (Sketch).

materials used: Fancy Pants Like Father, Like Son collection kit,American Crafts letter stickers, buttons, Uniball pen

"Quickies"

Just sharing some "quickie" and simple layouts! I used lots of white space - such a breather for all those super duper detailed and "chaotic" layouts of mine.

Ethan's favorites at age 4 include: eating lumpiang shanghai, Jollibee hotdog classic sandwhich (he eats the cheese and the mustard before the hotdog!), Frutos candies, rice in a box or yang chow fried rice, chocolate sundae/ice cream, doughnuts, Kellog's Frosties and his all time favorite Fuji apples (he needs to eat it everyday); anything related to outer space, his cars and city toys; Little Einsteins, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Go Diego Go.

materials used: Sassafras Lass pps and chipboard stickers, Lime Rickey pp, Autumn Leaves rub ons, Uniball pen

Here's Ethan with his grandparents (my side) during the Grandparents' Day at Rosemont. He's such a lucky boy because he has both of his grandparents (on my and Jeff's side of the family) who loves him very dearly. He's the first "apo" just like me and Jeff that's why he's enjoying all the attention and the love right now.

materials used: Lily Bee and Prima pps, Jillibean Soup pp, Bazzill cs, American Crafts Tickers, Daisy Bucket rub ons, Prima flowers, Uniball pen

That's it for now, I'm quite in a hurry. Till the next post.

For Daddy and Me!

Here are two of my recent layouts.

Last May, I was lucky enough to win another contest from Fancy Pants. My prize includes their 2 collections - Wishful Thinking and Like Father, Like Son. This is just one of the many layouts yet to come from these kits!

These photos were taken at Lake View Hotel in Tagaytay. I love these pictures - rare occasions where Jeff and Ethan had really good photos!

materials used: Fancy Pants Like Father, Like Son, Stampers Anonymous, Making Memories paint, Uniball pen

materials used: Jillibean Soup (Chicken Noodle Collection) , October Afternoon (Farm Fresh), Shabby Green Door (Farmer's Market) , American Crafts letter stickers, Making Memories letter stickers, Shabby Green Door Baker's twine, buttons, Uniball pen

This layout is for Lasting Impression. What I love about this layout is that all the three line of papers used in this layout have "farm themed patterns" and they scream PERFECT for these "barn pictures"! The photos were taken during Mother's Day celebration at Ethan's school. He was more excited than I am because the affair was held in Fun Ranch - perhaps one of the best places for him.

-Pia

Ethan's Insect Report

Last Friday, July 30, Ethan presented his insect report infront of the class. The report is about the heaviest and largest insect on Earth which is the goliath beetle. I could have wished for beetles that we have here in the Philippines so it could have been easier to bring it on class, perhaps the uwang (rhinoceros beetle) or the salaginto (golden tortoise beetle) or the salagubang.  But no, it was the goliath beetle which could  only be found in Africa. We  were contented to print a picture of this beetle in its' actual size so Ethan's classmates can have an idea how it looks and how big it is (as big as the palm of their hands!). 

Ethan was quite shy when he started with his report.  His voice was a little lower than the way we practiced it at home. But I can see he was confident and that he knew what he's talking about. He read most of his report but he did it so well that some parents who were also watching were impressed of his reading skills. They were also impressed with the slide show - credit goes to my ever artistic hubby who makes the best slide shows and other audio visual presentations since college!

 

Ethan's teachers and classmates were also pleased with the insects we shared with the class - ladybugs, stink bugs, praying mantis, grasshoppers, dragonflies, a salagubang and a  firefly which both unfortunately died : ( It made me more thankful that we live in Cavite where insects are still abundant. 

It was an enjoyable and learning experience for the whole family. Everybody contributed to the report. Jeff did the slide show, I did the research, my maid as well as my staff helped in gathering of the insects. Even my mom's co-teacher sent a praying mantis and salagubang from her garden in Pampanga!

We left the insects with the class because his teachers wanted to show them to the morning class  on Monday. I fervently pray they are still alive by then. I broke my promise to these insects that I will free them as soon as Ethan's done with his report. Yup, you read it right, I talked to them because I fear they'll get back on me one way or another hehehe.

I love this report activity. It made the children more confident to speak infront of the class. It's a good parent-child bonding activity and it rekindled the love to collect insects again - I mean for me and Jeff! It was a lot of fun to collect bugs with your child, isn't? The parents present during the report also learned from the kids as each child presented his/her report.

I'm such a proud mom to Ethan! Great job, my baby!

On another note, I'd like to welcome this month with my layout published at Scrapstreet ezine. My layout, Fave Hobby is featured on the article, "Little Artists". The article is about incorporating and preserving our children's artworks. You can view the full article here. My other Filipina friends are also featured in this issue. You may view Iris' layout here, Janis' LO here, LG's LO here, and Donna's card here. It's always nice to see Filpina talent featured in various scrapbook sites.

-Pia