We have finished watching The Strongest Deliveryman (2017) on Netflix and I find the characters very relatable. Maybe it’s because I’m Asian and I have experienced some of the challenges that they went through. Whatever your race may be, read on and you will definitely find yourself nodding in agreement.

Watch this series on your mobile or laptop to get that “Netflix and chill” vibe.

“I’ll do it later.” “We will do it next time.” Most of us are prone to dilly-dallying, thinking that we always have plenty of time for ourselves to do what needs to be done. I, for one, am guilty of letting procrastination take over my schedule. This usually happens when I am taking a break after my chores or while lying down with my kids for nap time. Yes, rest is important to recharge our mind and body, but sometimes, I tend to overdo it, thinking that I owe myself an extra hour to extend and rest some more. This over-extension affects my ME LIST, the list I created for myself to work on my personal projects. Yesterday, procrastination made me realize that I don’t have that much time. I don’t mean to sound morbid here, but, I suddenly get reminded of what is written in Psalm 90:12, which says:

My family and I have been going to the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale ever since BookXcess, the company behind this highly anticipated event, started conducting annual book fairs here in the Philippines in 2018. When COVID-19 hit the whole world and cast the pandemic, massive annual events such as the Big Bad Wolf were naturally put to a halt. It was a huge surprise for fans and book lovers like me that for this year, the people behind BBW decided to bring their PH book fair online and it starts tomorrow, June 30, 2021. Hooray!!!

When they started making teaser posts on their Facebook page (see below) PH fans waited with bated breath (I can just imagine!) for more details as to how it is going to be managed this 2021. In the previous years, BBW used to do it at different schedules on selected locations here in the Philippines. But this 2021, followers were so glad and extremely excited, that Big Bad Wolf PH will be done online!

I am a homeschooling mom of two. I started homeschooling my firstborn when he was three years old. Recently, his little sister started joining our classes, too. She thinks that his big brother and I are having fun and she doesn’t want to be left out. If I were to describe our homeschooling life, I would say that it’s comparable to a rollercoaster ride. There are highs and lows as well as smiles and tears. But, just like that exhilarating theme park ride, I don’t regret homeschooling my children; I would do this over and over again. On that note, I would like to share with you the hows and whys of our homeschooling journey.

I was craving for the cream cheese brownies that we used to buy from our favorite bakery at the mall. Most of the time, when I’m craving for something, I want it stat. So, I Googled for an easy brownie-from-scratch recipe and found one for a 5-ingredient brownie. I then combined it with cream cheese for a nice and creamy swirl and sprinkles of walnuts, peanuts, cashews and almonds for an added crunch. In less than an hour, our family of four were enjoying slices of my easy, homemade and chewy All Nuts Cream Cheese Brownies!

Disclaimer: Before our trip, I have ensured that it is safe for us, especially for our children, to visit the farm. I have researched and made sure that we are not breaking any law. I have also asked the staff about their safety protocols. We visited the farm on December 18, 2020 and we were all wearing face masks and face shields and practicing social distancing.

After 9 months of staying indoors, our children were so ecstatic to finally go outdoors. What better way to do it than spend a day with animals and enjoy nature? And so, my husband and I decided to go to Yoki’s Farm to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Finally, my kids would be free to explore and have fun!

How was your Christmas and New Year? I hope that you were able to find joy in this season amidst the pandemic that is still happening around the world.

But, how are you lately? They said that the holidays usually prompt people to reflect on their lives. I supposed that the increased amount of time that we spend at home has given us plenty of time to think things through, more than we want to. 

We’ve got the first half of the books that we ordered last November 24! In case you missed it, MIBF online is extended up to January 3, 2021. Go check out my previous post for more details about it.

We’ve been going to the Manila International Book Fair as a family for three years already. It is one of the big events that we look forward to each year. My husband and I love reading and thankfully, our children are equally delighted in books. This is why we allot time and money for large-scale, annual book fairs.

I hope this finds you well.

In the past couple of weeks, the Philippines had to battle with two extra strong tropical cyclones – first was Super Typhoon Rolly and next was Typhoon Ulysses. The former has ravaged the Bicol region, most severely, Camarines Sur and Catanduanes, while the latter has engulfed the provinces up North, specifically Tuguegarao in Cagayan and the province of Isabela in water that reached a very critical level of 13.3 meters.  Apart from Typhoon Ulysses, the Magat Dam, located between Alfonso Lista of Ifugao and Ramon of Isabela, contributed to the massive rise of water level in Cagayan and Isabela as its operators “rushed to open [the dam] gates only at the height of Ulysses”* How does this dam made such a huge impact to the nearby areas? Well for one, we must be aware that it is one of the largest dams in the Philippines. According to Wikipedia, the Magat Dam which was built from 1975 up to 1982, was primarily made to irrigate 85,000 hectares of agricultural lands, for flood control, and to supply electricity via the Magat Hydroelectric Power Plant.** As of this writing, November 18, the Cagayan River Basin and the Magat Dam Sub-basin are still under the Flood Watch status of PAGASA based on its Flood Information.***