Michi Photostory

I was really busy and I can’t believe that I haven’t posted our Legoland Malaysia experience. Anyway, we visited this place last February because my son loves Lego and we even watched the Lego movie before our trip, #everythingisawesome 

Summer vacation and no activities at all are not good, I can see that my son is getting bored in the house. We still have our own activity every day, I let him answer all the pages in his school books but I know that it is not enough to keep him busy so I enrolled him in Summer Class for six weeks (2 hours a day). No swimming lesson this year and we’re still contemplating if we will enroll him in Karate Class. Aside from that, I took advantage of this K5 Learning Free Trial offer.


I've been given a 6-week free trial to test and write a review of their program. K5 is an online reading and math program for kids from kindergarten through grade 5. It will help kids in building reading, math, and study skills through independent study. K5 is designed for home use and can be used for after-school, weekend, and summertime supplemental study or in conjunction with a homeschooling program. If you’re not a blogger, you can also try their two weeks free trial here. Registering is easy and no credit card is required so rest assured that it is really free.

My son immediately tried the lesson using the iPad and it was not working so I emailed them regarding my concern and they replied immediately that K5 is not working with a tablet or iPad, because we’re so excited to try we forgot to read the FAQ’s.

I let my son use my laptop so he can access the lesson and of course, I was there to supervise him because he doesn’t know how to use my computer. I have to teach him the basics. I checked the lessons too and after two days I requested an assessment because I feel that the lessons are too easy for my five-year-old son. My son took the assessment so they will know what appropriate lessons to be assigned.





Likes 

I like K5 Learning because it is so easy to use, my five-year-old son did not have a hard time studying while I’m doing something. The programs are engaging and exciting because sometimes there are bonus games after lessons. The lessons are structured and goal-oriented and sometimes my son will get more rhyming lessons if he is not yet familiar with them before moving to the next lesson.

My son did not only enhance his reading and math skills but he also learned how to use the computer. At first, he will just click the monitor of my laptop to answer all lessons (thank God for a touchscreen laptop) but before the end of six weeks, he learned how to use the mouse and even type the answer using the keyboard. (Math lesson).


He also learned how to listen and follow instructions. He needs to listen first so he knows what to do with the activity. Even though I’m not supervising him, I can see my son's progress by checking the reports. I noticed that my son loves Math more than English. He is good in all areas of Math compared to English.

Dislikes  

My son did not like the Spelling lessons and Math Facts, he is having a hard time spelling words like ‘’They” and “Them”. Maybe my five-year-old son prefers to spell words with pictures like animals, things, places, or words that he is more familiar with.

My son doesn’t like Math Facts because there’s a time limit and speed is needed so even though he knows the answer, the result is not good because he is so slow in typing the answer. Of course, my five-year-old son is not familiar with the keyboard. The lesson is simple, 1+1, 1+8, 1+5, and I know my son knows the answer because he will shout the answer while looking at the numbers on the keyboard.

My son is not familiar with US money so he had a hard time answering the questions (assessment).

Overall, I do recommend K5 Learning if you want to enhance your kid’s reading and math skills. If you want additional lessons or activities during school or summer vacation. Click here if you want to subscribe to their lessons.  I like their free worksheets which make my life easier. I download and print it so my son can answer more exercises.

We only have a few days left to enjoy the summer vacation because next Monday my son will go to school already. They’ll be having 4 days of orientation for new students so we’re indeed back to school.

Few more weeks left and summer vacation will end and honestly, I haven’t felt the vacation yet. Hehehe! I’ve been so busy and it is obvious because I seldom post on my blog unlike before. Well, I became busy last week because I started preparing for this school year.

After two months, I went back to the school only to find out that there was a price increase in tuition, books, supplies, and uniform. Waah! I have to readjust my budget again. I mentioned in my post before, click here that we transferred our son to a traditional school so we need new school uniforms. We went to school to fit in his uniform and buy some school supplies. 

I have to go back yesterday just to buy books because they did not let me last week because there’s a schedule for that. It took me an hour just to buy books. #firsttime #welcometobigschool I went there before 8AM and I was already in the 3rd row, #habangpila But I’m still happy because my friend spent almost 3 hours when she bought books.

May Computer na Preschool.

I started putting labels on my son’s stuff, and now I can feel that I really have a school kid because for the past two years I did not experience this. Life is so easy before, I just enrolled my kid and bought books, uniforms, and a portfolio (includes folder, clearbook, and notebook). Cover the books and that’s it. No trip to National Bookstore or Department Store. 

Click here for DIY School Labels

Click here for DIY Scratch pad

For more than a year I did not have any problem with my son using the Ipad because he just plays a game and after that, he stops using it. My husband and I can still use the iPad without borrowing from him because he prefers watching movies or cartoons. 

Last February, we said goodbye to our broadband and say hello to our PLDT DSL/FIBR. We’re so happy because of the fast connection but we have no idea that it will also start our YouTube Dilemma. 

My son learned to use the YouTube apps and enjoys it because no more buffering. I just let him because he is just watching and listening to “Frozen” theme songs. 

But few weeks had passed and we’re noticing changes of behavior. Such as 

1. He always wanted to stay at home. As if he can stay at home, we don’t have yaya nor helper so wherever we go, he goes. 

Me: Ethan, take a bath now. We will go to the grocery (lola’s house, school etc.) 
Ethan: I’ll stay. 

2. He always says “Let’s go home”. Whenever we’re out he always says, mommy let’s go home or daddy let’s go home. 

3. He is so much affected when there is a slow connection, intermittent connection or no internet. 

Ex. My husband was driving and when we’re 5 to 7 houses away from our place, my son cried and we asked why and he said. 

Ethan: No YouTube 
Me: There’s no internet in the car. 

4. He is so addicted. He can stay for hours watching YouTube if you will not stop him. He doesn’t want to share the iPad anymore. 

One time, I was busy doing household chores and I heard my five-year-old son said Oh my g*sh, sh*t and motherf*cker. I was really shocked and I asked him, “What did you say?” and he said “nothing”. I asked again “What did you say?”. He did not answer anymore and I told him that I don’t want him to say those bad words.

I checked the YouTube and he is watching Minecraft Tutorial video. Waah! We don’t have Minecraft games so why he is watching it. He learned those bad words in that video. I told my son “Do not watch this video again” 

I’m happy that he obeyed me and I no longer hear those bad words but still, we’re finding ways to stop or at least lessen his addiction to YouTube. 

1. We hide the YouTube apps but he cried. My husband even said “Grabe iyak nito, daig pa pag umaalis ako (out of town or out of the country)” 

2. I declared no YouTube days. 

3. Lastly, my husband brings the iPad in the office so he can’t use it.

Kids are smart, one time I saw him watching YouTube using my phone. I told him he can’t use my phone. He said, watch sa computer (Laptop), of course, I said no. He said, watch YouTube sa TV. I said no internet sa room. (His dad showed him before that he can watch YouTube on our TV), again I said no.

It’s been more than two or three weeks already that my husband brings the iPad in the office and until now whenever he wakes up he will say. 

Ethan: Mommy, I’m sad. 
Me: Why? 
Ethan: I can’t watch YouTube. 

Well, at least now he is so excited to see his daddy, of course, he is waiting for the iPad. He always says whenever I call his dad. 

Ethan: Daddy go home na, drive fast ha. 

Or 

Ethan: Tagal man daddy. 

I hope someday the addiction will stop and I pray that he won’t be like this when school day starts.

Care to share some tips. 

Update: YouTube is no longer my problem. My son follows our rules, no iPad during weekdays. No iPad if he did something not nice. We are using YouTube app for kids. 

If I will choose between pasta and pansit, I prefer pansit but I don’t cook pansit at home except for instant pansit canton. Maybe because I feel that my home cooked pansit is not yummy, minsan matabang and minsan maalat. Hehehe! So I prefer buying pansit if I want one. 




A couple of weeks ago before our home renovation, I saw ‘’Inang’s Pansit Malabon” so we ate pansit malabon and pichi-pichi for lunch. It is good to know that we can buy Pansit Malabon in Binan, Laguna. It is something that I really missed because I used to eat this if there’s celebration when we live in Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela. The price is not expensive too and it is available in different sizes.




Inang’s Pansit Malabon
122A Nepa Highway San Vicente Binan, Laguna 

Nanay’s Pansit Malabon 
37 Gov. Pascual Ave. Concepcion, Malabon City

Mother’s Day or Father’s Day is not really a big deal for us because we don’t really plan anything for this day and I don’t expect anything from my husband and son. I don’t assume that they will treat me, give me a gift or I could have a day off. Even they will not greet me, it is fine because I believe that Mother’s Day is not only every second Sunday of May. The truth is, not everyone in the world celebrate Mother’s Day on the same day but I believe most of the countries celebrate every second Sunday of May. 

Honestly, I can’t even remember how I celebrated my first Mother’s Day, all I can remember is from 2011 to 2013 because of this blog.

I received my first Mother’s Day card last 2011 from my son. 

I received my second Mother’s Day card last 2012 and we spent Mother’s Day in Taal Vista Hotel. #staycation

Last 2013, I spent Mother’s day in my OB’s clinic due to UTI and this year, I was supposed to be in my OB’s clinic again for my follow up check-up due to UTI again but I missed my check-up and I did not attend Asian Psorclub outing because we’re so busy at home. We’re having mini home improvement so we need to stay at home and supervise it. 

But I’m happy it was already finished though I still have a pile of work to do such as cleaning the mess of our home improvement, decluttering the house, finishing my laundry and ironing the clothes. Hay, iisipin ko pa lang napapagod na, hehehe! 



Though I wasn’t really expecting anything because I know we’re all busy, my son gave me his third Mother’s Day card and my husband gave me a book “A Wife after God’s Own Heart.” We had an early celebration last Saturday at D’Banquet, sort of celebration but the truth is we don’t have food at home because I can’t cook because of the home improvement. #hehehe 



As I posted in my Instagram “Thank you for the love and thank you for making my life more meaningful and beautiful. I would be forever thankful to God for giving me the privilege to be a wife and mom. Having you in my life is enough to complete me and I could not ask for more” 

It is better to be late than never, I would like to thank those people who remembered me last Sunday and Belated Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers.

If you still remember my post, I tried LZM Restaurant just this year and we enjoyed our bulalo order.  When we visited Solenad 2 last March, we saw the LZM restaurant so we tried it too. 



We ordered Pork Binagoongan P270, Sizzling Squid P310 and Rice P110. As I was checking the menu, I noticed that the price is not the same or I don’t know if there’s price increase already. 



My husband enjoyed the sizzling squid but I was disappointed with my pork binagoongan, I can really taste the garlic and it makes the dish bitter. The interiors are very different from the Cavite branch but the place is much smaller. I like the service here because it is fast and efficient.

My son’s lesson in his summer class is “Telling Time” and I heard his teacher reminding them to study their lesson. So when we got home, I checked his notebook and I saw his seatwork 5/10. My son got only 5 correct answer and I can’t blame him because he is not really familiar with clock. 

When he was in Nursery, they learned how to tell time per hour. This school year, they taught how to tell time per 30 minutes. I always tell him that 1 = 5 minutes, 2 = 10 minutes and so on. But he is still having a hard time so I made a DIY clock yesterday so it will be easy for him to remember.

I checked whatever materials I can use at home. 



2 paper plates 
Numbers from scrapbook materials. 
Sharpie Pen Fastener 
Glue 
Paper and Washi Tape 




1.Pasted all the numbers at the side of the paper plate. 
2.I made 2 clock hands, one short and one long and cover it with washi tape to make it colorful. 
3.Fasten the clock hands and paper plate. 
4.Cut the side of the paper plate per number and write the conversion at the back.

It’s been almost a week of not blogging because I was not feeling well since Wednesday, good thing that May 1 was a holiday and my husband was on leave last May 2 so I was able to rest. Anyway, I was checking my photos on my phone and I saw food photos when we ate in Don Henrico’s two months ago. Hehehe! It was not my first time in Don Henrico’s, my first time was when I was still in College. My Baguio trip will not be complete without eating in Don Henrico’s at Session Road. 





It was really nice revisiting this restaurant again but this time not in Baguio but in Festival Mall. Of course, I ordered my favorite which is Lasagna P290 and Don Henrico’s Supreme Pizza P310. We always visit Festival Mall but I did not know that they have a branch here medyo tago kasi yung location nila.

Update: September 2017

We had a staycation at Makati Shangri-la Hotel and since hotel foods are expensive we went to the mall for our lunch. We ate at Don Henrico's and ordered lasagna, pizza and iced tea. I just noticed na iba ang presentation ng lasagna sa Glorietta branch. But taste is the same, lasagna is my favorite pasta.

Teaching kids how to save is one thing that we should teach our children as early as possible so they will know the value of money. Nobody taught me how to save and nobody told me to save but I learned it through experience and through reading. You can read more here.


I have a five-year-old kid who is not familiar with coins and paper bills. Well, they have money lesson in school where they introduce different coins and paper bills. But of course he doesn’t know how to use it, I never gave him money to buy something in store or grocery. He has no allowance in school so I was having dilemma before on how to teach my son to save money. I shared that story here. 

If you remember my Smurfs 2 post, my son and I watched a movie together with his classmates. Yes, we had fun but after watching a movie and waiting for his daddy to pick us up, we stroll around the mall. One of his friends wanted to buy Minion so his mom bought the toy. Another friend wanted to buy the same toy and his mom bought it too. They were having fun with the stuffed toy and suddenly one kid said to my son “Kami meron nito, bakit ikaw wala?” 

At that moment, my son was sad and felt that he is missing something. He is not saying anything to me but I can see in his eyes and I feel that he wanted me to buy the toy. But I did not buy it. I received a call from his daddy that he was already in the parking lot so I said goodbye to my friends and we left. While walking to the parking lot, my son was walking so slow and I told him to walk fast because his daddy is waiting then when I looked at him, he was already in tears. I asked him, why he is crying?. He said “I want Minion”. I told him that we don’t have money for Minion so I just carried him all the way to the car. 

Of course, his daddy asked me why my son was crying and I told him the story. He asked me “Magkano ba yun?”, I said the price and he said: “Mura lang pala bakit di mo binili, kawawa naman Tantan ko (Ethan)”. I can’t remember the exact price but range is P120-170 for mini Minion stuff toy which is not expensive. But I did not buy it because we went to the mall to watch Smurfs 2 and not to buy anything. 

I want my son to learn... 



Ex. His friend has a minion toy. My son asks for a minion toy and I will buy a minion toy. What if his friend has an iPad and my son wanted an iPad?




So few days before his birthday, we bought a piggy bank. I told him to save so we can buy Minion and last weekend we opened the piggy bank and he was able to save P702.55. Since he has no allowance he got coins from loose change, sukli sa pinamalengke, sukli sa tolgate and coins from his daddy’s pocket.


I asked him, what he wanted to buy and he said: “I want Minion”.


Deep inside I can still feel the pain “di pala nakalimutan ng anak ko yung time na hindi ko siya binili ng minion” but on the other hand I feel happy because he still remembers what I’ve said. “If you want to buy minion, save for it”. This is just the start of teaching him how to save, I know we have a long way to go. 

Care to share some tips.

I was in High School when I first tasted a lengua dish and I like it at first taste. The meat is so soft compared to other part of beef or pork. I don’t want to imagine that I’m eating tongue so I can enjoy my food. Since then Creamy Lengua in Mushroom Sauce became one of my favorite dish so I was really happy if I see this on the menu in any restaurant. There are times that I buy frozen lengua in Contis. 

Actually cooking this dish is easy, the only thing I dislike is it took me 5 hours to cook the dish, that is the main reason why I seldom cook this at home. I have to boil the meat for 4 hours or until tender then I have to clean and slice it. You can check you tube on how to clean beef/pork tongue. 



Sharing with you my recipe

1 beef tongue (lengua) 
1 tbsp garlic minced 
Oil to toast the garlic 
2 tbsp butter
1 onion 
1 pack of all purpose cream 
1 small can of slice mushroom 
1 can of cream of mushroom 
Salt and pepper to taste 
Optional: Dried Parsley 




1. Clean, boiled and slice the tongue. 
2. Toast the garlic. Set aside. I
3. In the same pan, add the butter and pan-fry the sliced beef tongue 3-4 minutes each side. Set aside. 
4. In the same pan, saute the onion and slice mushroom. 
5. Add the all purpose cream and cream of mushroom. Cook for 5 minutes. 
6. Add salt and pepper to taste. 
7. Put the slice beef tongue in the sauce and simmer for 5-10 minutes in low fire. 
8. Transfer to serving dish and add the toasted garlic.
9. Serve.

When we first visited Singapore, Universal Studio was not yet there so it is the main reason why I wanted to go back again. We celebrated our 8th Wedding Anniversary in Universal Studio Singapore. Yes, no fancy dinner nor an expensive gift but I was indeed happy because we’re in Singapore again and my son will enjoy USS. Traveling makes me happy. 



We rode MRT to VivoCity Shopping mall and take a leisure stroll to Resorts World Sentosa where USS is located. The Sentosa Boardwalk is 700 meters long but you won’t get tired because there are travelators and you will enjoy the panoramic view of the bay. Take a quick stop for pictures. Click here for the video



At the end, you will see a booth where you can buy tickets and pay $SG1 for Sentosa entrance fee. The waiting time is long so if you have time, make sure you have your tickets already. Book your tickets here.  Adult $SG74 Kid $SG54  

Upon entering the theme park, we secured a map and schedule of shows and we immediately look for New York Zone to watch the Sesame Street Stage Show. 


Then we moved to Sci-Fi City Zone to ride Transformers The Ride: Ultimate 3D Battle and Accelerator. Next stop is the Ancient Egypt Zone, my husband rode the Revenge of the Mummy and after that, we tried the Treasure Hunters.