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Happy New Year! It’s the 4th day of the year 2024 but I am just starting to reflect on what happened to me in the year 2023. As usual, I am always late when it comes to this thing but at least, nagagawa ko pa rin. Hehehe! 

A Man Called Otto 

My goal of reading 12 books in a year was a failure because I was busy traveling, crafting, and watching Korean series. Although I still read books but I was not able to finish those books. I don’t know why, but I feel that I am having a hard time reading small letters, parang effort sa pagbabasa. Kapapalit ko pa lang naman ng eyeglasses ng last quarter of 2021 so hindi ko talaga maintindihan.

We live in a digital age and there are so many available networking sites out there. I have different social media accounts that I use for personal or business but I don’t introduce social media to my son. I try to delay it so he won’t waste his time on them. But last year when he started his online class I have no choice but to create his own Facebook account so he can join his school’s Facebook page and classroom group chat. 

Hello December, they say it is the most wonderful time of the year but for me, it is the most stressful month. Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas Holidays but I just feel that there are so many things that I like to do and finish before the year ends. It just so happened that I enrolled in another course so life became swamped with lessons again. My head is aching because of too much information but I’m hoping that I can manage everything.

As of this writing, our Christmas tree is not up yet and I don’t know if we will put one or not. There are Christmas Parties and get-together invitation from left to right. I’m contemplating which one will I say yes and which one will I say no because I am not a superwoman so I can’t say yes to everything. Lastly, my Christmas gift list is almost finished since I started buying gifts early but those gifts are still waiting to be wrapped. Hehehe!

Speaking of gifts, are you done with your Christmas list? If not you can add this to your gift ideas. This is a nice gift if you have kids, nieces, nephews or godchildren from 0-10 years old. It is a personalized book where your child is a star. Yes, your kid is the main character of the story. If you remember, I bought the “Super Duper Birthday Party” book when my son was 7 years old. We are still keeping the book as a birthday souvenir too. You can check my review here. How I wish, I bought another book like “Magical Christmas Adventure”. Sayang, my son is already a tween. Anyway, there are more books that you can choose from.



My Magical Christmas Adventure
Super Duper Birthday Party
Underwater Adventure
My Great Space Race for Boys or for Girls
Look Who’s a Big Brother or Big Sister
The Crowning of a Fairy Princess
A Super Hero Saves The Day or A Super Heroine Saves
The Day My Book of Nursery Rhymes
Welcome to the World

What I like in this personalized book is you can check each pages so you will get an idea of the flow of the story, the look of each pages and how can you personalize the book. You can do a book tour on their website.

Aside from the personalized books, you can also order personalized coloring books, wrapping paper, wall art, placemats, notebooks, folded notecards, flat notecards, gift labels, wall clocks. One more thing, they offer worldwide shipping. For more information check the link.

Donate a Book is one of the projects of #SMShareMovement and I think it’s been years already that I’ve been seeing this every Back to School season but I’ve never donated my son’s books. I always keep my son’s school books for future use. And if I feel that he no longer needs it, I will give it to family or friends.


But I think they never used my son’s books din kasi nakita ko na nakatambak din siya and nabaha na nga lang so I stopped giving my son’s books so from Grade 1 to Grade 4, nakatambak siya sa house. When I went to SM, I saw “Donate a Book” project again but since I was busy for my back to school preparation, hindi ko siya naasikaso.

Then last weekend, I saw one FB post, she donated 57 books and got 57 coupons so it means, one coupon per book. And because of that, I decided to give it a try so we went to SM Sta Rosa to donate my son’s books. I only bring Grade 1 books para hindi naman mabigat dalhin. Good thing I did that because we still looked for the staff pa kasi wala tao sa booth. So imagine kung ilang books ang dala ko habang naghahanap ng staff, ang bigat lang.

I thought I will get one coupon per book but I was wrong. The staff informed me na kapag may sulat na daw yung book, per bundle daw. So 5 books = 1 coupon so in the end, I only got two P50 Off Coupon. Imagine I spent P7000+ for this set of books and P100 na lang value niya after gamitin. But of course, it is better than nothing. Wala naman ko nakuha sa Nursery to Kinder books na pinamigay ko din. Hehehe! At least may pakunswelo si SM sa pagdonate mo, nakatulong ka sa ibang bata and nabawasan ka ng tambak sa bahay mo.

But keep in mind that there are terms and conditions in using the coupon. P50 Off Coupon with a minimum of P500 single-receipt purchase of regular-priced items from the SM Store’s Stationery Department Store.

1. Can only be redeemed on regular priced SM Stationery items from the SM store. May 20, 2019 - July 07, 2020.
2. Offer is not in conjunction with other ongoing promos or discounts.
3. Only one dicount coupon may be used per transaction.
4. Folded, crumpled or stapled savings coupons may still be accepted by the SM Store given that bar codes are not encroached and security features are still intact.
5. Must be surrendered to the cashier upon redemption.

I already used my one coupon and I still have one coupon pa, next time na lang pag worth P500 na yung bibilhin ko. Next year, I will donate our Grade 2 school books naman.

We cannot deny that life is series of ups and downs, I’m pretty sure that once in our life, we feel sad or empty. Being down from time to time is normal but if the feelings already affect your daily routine, you don’t enjoy life or worst you want to end your life; you need to seek help. 

Depression is not equal to sadness it is much more than that. Some people say that they feel so empty, helpless, or lifeless. There are signs and symptoms of depression that you need to watch out for if you are feeling suicidal, you really need to ask for help and support. 

I won’t go into details about depression but I just want you to know that life is a gift to be enjoyed, don’t give up because the best is yet to come. I cannot say that I’ve experienced depression but I admit that I felt sad and empty before, yung feeling na I’m just existing but not living the life that I want.

I felt that when I resigned from my job and became a full-time mom, I have no salary and career. I did not dream to be a homemaker but now I no longer work. Sad at first but I have to remind myself



So if you are feeling sad, I do recommend you read this book “From Depressed to Determined - A 6 Step Guide to Thrive and Have Personal Success” by Viviene Bigornia 

This book will give you the step by step guide on how you are going to end the sadness and at the same time learn how to achieve your dreams and goals in life. What I like in this ebook is “Your Turn”, there are activities that you need to do in order to apply the 6 steps. An activity that will help you to understand yourself and write down your thoughts, wants, and goals in life. There are activities that will encourage you to do more and stay motivated. 

Sharing with you some points that inspire and motivate me... 






You can download this ebook for $2.99. Click here

I’m pretty sure that all of us wanted to earn unlimited income while we sleep, but is there such a thing like that? Is it possible to earn while sleeping? It looks so impossible but the truth is, it is possible. Yes, you can earn income even while you sleep and that is called passive income. 
What is Passive Income? 

Passive income is a kind of income that you gain without working so hard, without making so much effort, and without giving out so much of your time. It allows you to be the boss of your finances, time, and life. 

It is very different from active income wherein you have to work 9 hours a day or more in order to receive salary, commissions, or bonuses. If you don’t work, you don’t have an income. 

Of course, you will not just sleep in order to earn a passive income because you have to work first. You need to invest time and effort to establish your business or product to gain profit in the long run. Working hard at first and collect income after. 

I’m a full-time mom so I don’t have an active income but I earn something through passive income. 

1. Guest Post Space 

I started this blog without thinking about income. I just really wanted to have my own space where I can share information then after few months, I received opportunities to earn. I consider that a passive income, it may not be a big moolah but at least I earn something to pay for my domain. :) 

2. Dividend Investing 

If you invested your money in the stock market, you will earn a dividend from the company that you have shares. The amount varies depending on company performance. 

3. Take Surveys 

I earn by taking surveys, the pay is not really that big because it is not easy to accumulate points but it is still an income. All it needs is a little time to finish the surveys. 

These three are examples of earning passive income, I know that it will not make me retire rich so I’m still searching and learning how to increase my passive income. I’m glad I’ve read the Passive Income ebook by Samantha Connor. Click the link below if you want to purchase it. 

Passive Income: The Ultimate Guide To Becoming A Money Machine And Have Unlimited Income Even While You Sleep (Passive income, business ideas, make money, income stream Book 1) 

I’ve enjoyed reading the book because it gives me more ideas on how to increase my passive income. The ebook is so easy to understand and you can finish it in one sitting. So if you want to learn how to earn additional income, read this ebook. Passive Income ebook will inform you that there are so many ways to earn money even while you sleep.

When I had my son, I have no idea that I will be having a hard time teaching him the Filipino language. My husband and I speak Filipino in our home while my son is learning The English language because he always watches educational videos so even we talk to him in Tagalog he will not understand so we ended up speaking in English too. #nosebleed 


When he started going to school, that is the only time that his Filipino vocabulary increases because of his classmates. We have no problem with school until he reached Kinder Level.

It is really a challenge for us to get good grades in Filipino and Araling Panlipunan subjects. Whenever we study or review these subjects, the calm mom became a monster mom in the end. hehehe! #stressdrilon He dislikes those subjects because he can’t understand all the words and sentences. He is having a hard time composing a sentence in Filipino. 

There are limited resources that you can find in the bookstore and even online so I was really happy when I learned about Buribox last year. I was planning to subscribe this summer but thanks to May of fullyhousewifed.com for the invite to try Buribox. 



What is Buribox?

Buribox is a monthly subscription box that will help you in developing kids literacy, critical thinking and gross and fine motor skills. It is designed for Filipino child so expect that the materials are bilingual and refer to Filipino culture. 

There are 2 subscriptions that you can choose from. 

Toddler Buribox P799 

Recommended age: 3-5 years old 
4-5 New preschool books every month 
Multiple activities/worksheets and art materials every month 

Young Reader Buribox P799 

Recommended age: 6-8 years old 
5 New storybooks each month 
Multiple activities/worksheets and Art Materials every month 

Young Reader Buribox 

My son is 7 years old so I subscribed to Young Reader Buribox, I lived outside Metro Manila so I paid P150 for shipping fee via Paypal. 

We received our first Buribox last month and my son was really happy with his new stuff. The box includes 5 books, worksheets/activities, and art materials. There is a Parent guide to guide you in the different activities. We started our activity after his periodical test but until now we haven’t finished all the activities because we are so busy with homework and quizzes.



I’m planning to continue my subscription after school year so at least we have something to do this summer. I wish this subscription box is available when my son was still in Preschool years because we have more time. Anyway, if you are homeschooling, if you are looking for additional activities or if you are having a hard time to teach Filipino, try Buribox. 


Likes 

1. We like Buribox because it is a nice way of teaching Filipino. I like the bilingual books because it makes my life easier in translating the story. The box includes worksheets and activities that will help kids in understanding the story. The art materials are already included in the box.

2. If you want to cancel the subscription, all you need to do is log in and unsubscribe. 

Things to Improve 

1. The only payment option is Paypal. 

2. I hope there is an option for me to put comments regarding my delivery. In other online shopping sites, I can put weekday delivery only. So when they shipped the package last January 15, hindi ako makaalis ng bahay ng weekend waiting for the package. I can’t even track the package because there is no tracking number. Lol I received the package January 19. There is a note of 2 -3 days delivery but I want to make sure that I'm home. 



3. Make sure that the activities or worksheets are correct. We’re supposed to receive carabao but we received cat.

Buribox 
Facebook
Website

I’ve been checking Look It’s About Me site for the last two years because I wanted to order a personalized book for my son. But my son is not a bookworm so I’m not really sure if he will like this book. The price is expensive for my budget so I want to make sure that it is worth it. 


Finally, last month I saw their 15% off promo so I decided to order a “Super Duper Birthday Party” book for his 7th birthday. I placed the order last September 19, 2015 and I’m hoping that it will be delivered before his birthday. I inquired last Oct 1, 2015 regarding the status and they informed me that it was already delivered last September 30, 2015. But unfortunately, it was delivered after my son’s birthday. I don’t know why it took them (Xend) 5 days to deliver the book, Makati to Cavite, ang tagal lang. 



Anyway, my son was surprised to see the package after he arrived from school. He liked the book and it is also a great souvenir for his 7th birthday. It is a personalized book so you can see his name “Ethan” on every page of the book.


This is also a nice gift this coming Christmas. Aside from the personalized book, you can order a personalized clock, placemat, card, coloring book, and many more. For more information, just visit their site. You can do a book tour also so you will have an idea of the story, look and feel of the book. 




Note: This post contains affiliate link/s. If you decide to make a purchase, I will earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.

This year, one of my goals is to read at least one book per month and last month I went to the bookstore looking for books that I can read but I did not find any. After few days, I had this opportunity to review this ebook of “7 Things Every Wife Should Know” by Viviene Bigornia.

Growing up in a broken home is not easy because there are times I feel that fairy tales are just fantasy, love stories are for pocketbooks, and there is no happy ending. I don’t want a failed relationship and marriage, maybe this is the reason why I didn’t really entertain suitors because I’m scared of getting hurt and I don’t want to take a risk and fail. 

But of course, part of me still believes that the right guy will come and I just have to wait for the perfect time. I promised myself that my first boyfriend will be my husband too. I will only say “yes” to a guy if I can see this guy as my future husband. God is so good to me because I’ve met my ex-boyfriend now husband before I graduated from college then the rest is already history. 

We’re not a newlywed, in fact, we’re going to celebrate our 9th wedding anniversary two weeks from now. Our marriage is not perfect, we also have our share of dramas and struggles each year. But I can honestly say that our marriage is the best thing that ever happened to me because I now feel complete. It doesn’t mean that I’m incomplete before but it is good to know that I have someone beside me as I face the future. 

Being a wife is not an easy role, there are times that I wish I grew up in a complete family so I have role models that I may look up to and I know how to be a good wife. I’m glad that there are more ways to be equipped like attending a seminar, observing other married couples, and reading inspirational books like “7 Things Every Wife Should Know”. 

I love reading this book because it inspires me to be a fascinating wife, it reminds me of my role as a wife and it motivates me to believe that there is a happy ending if we do not give up.

This book is not only for almost weds or newlyweds because even I’m hitting my 9th year wedding anniversary, I still learned a lot from this book. My favorite part of this book is “Real Lives, Real Wives” because I know it is not a fairy tale story or romantic Hollywood movie. A real story that you can relate to and apply in your life. 

Sharing with you some of my favorites in this book. 

 “The important thing is to discover your husband’s basic needs and ways in which you can meet them. Your meeting those needs will enhance his sense of self-worth and fulfillment” 

“Trust that he will provide and protect” 

“The happiest wives have a sense of purpose and passion in work and cause outside of the home” 

“Honeymoon should never end! Marital intimacy is a priority! Never ever stop dating.”

Dating is one thing that we don’t have in our marriage, we stopped dating when we had our son. We don’t have Yaya or a helper at home and we can’t just leave him to anyone so wherever we go, he goes. I don’t even know the feeling of having a date. A real date that spends the time together and not on gadgets. 

Anyway, I won’t enumerate the 7 things that you should know because I do recommend you to read this book especially for moms who tend to forget that they are wives too and not just mothers. Read and learn that "It is not only marrying the right partner...it is being the right partner - Wilfred Arian Peterson". 

I didn’t grow up in a rich family, we also live from paycheck to paycheck. The salary is enough to provide for the needs but not the wants. If you want something like new toys and new clothes, you have to wait for your birthday or Christmas. We don’t have a family date every weekend, no summer outing or summer classes.

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