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[celinii]

It’s me, hi.

Hi, second half of 2023. It’s been a long while since I’ve popped up. A billion things transpire every single day and I haven’t had any time nor energy to write again. So here I am, attempting to write again while waiting for my turn at blood extraction in a clinic. (No worries, it’s just an annual exam.) 2022 was a whirlwind. Some time after the PH elections, the UP Men’s Basketball Team won…

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PH 2022

Indeed, it was a a polarizing, heart-wrenching May 2022 for the Philippines. A lot has been said and written down on what has transpired before, during, and after the last Philippine elections. I also have a myriad of questions still left unanswered. Yet, by God’s grace, He has led to His Word time and time again. I look forward to the coming of Christ; only in Him will our longings and desires…

[celinii]

4 Years of Homeschooling (and counting)

4 Years of Homeschooling (and counting)

We all know that the Covid pandemic brought with it unprecedented concerns to the entire educational system all over the world. Praise God that He prepared us beforehand for this! It was in 2018 when I first acknowledged God’s leading to homeschool. It was not an easy decision, but something we prayed for and decided on as a family (kids included!). I wrote down some of my homeschool realizations…

[celinii]

Two Years into a Pandemic

It was March 2020 when the Philippines first locked down due to the Covid pandemic. As expected, there were a lot of uncertainties, worries, unknowns. Everything shut down and our family of four was boxed within the four corners of our condo unit. Despite the challenges, God has again proved Himself faithful. In the past two years, we have come to greatly appreciate what we had in this life. And…

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A little over a month ago, our homeschool group went to Lakbay Museo, an interactive museum that allows you to explore the different Philippine regions, its rich history, and different cultures.

Before you enter, you can opt to put on traditional Filipino garments and fabrics. The good thing is, they have these garments available in kid sizes! Each guest receives 12 “chips,” which they can use to purchase local snacks (such as fishballs, gulaman, biscuits, etc.) inside the museum.

Upon entry, you are greeted by typical Filipino stores — a sari-sari store (mom-and-pop store), a vegetable and fruit stand, and a palengke (wet market). I was really impressed by their ‘plastic food’ items! So realistic, and they really thought about how these food items are usually displayed in the actual stores.

There are 18 regions in the Philippines across its three main regions — Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The museum space is a bit smaller than I expected; and naturally, a few regions had to be merged in the museum displays. This is fine, since the information can really be overwhelming, especially for kids. However, it would’ve been quite helpful if there were bigger spaces allotted per display area. Since the displays are pretty close-knit, it’s easy to confuse one display with a different region.

If your child is studying Philippine regions, this would be a great jump off point for lessons. It helps too that the displays are interactive and there are snapshots of regional information. There was a puppet show and a dance performance to aid in cultural exposure and interaction. I found the puto and suman seats really cute!

Puppet Show and Dance Performances

Luzon

Luzon

Luzon

Luzon

Luzon

Luzon

Luzon

Luzon

Luzon

Visayas

Visayas

Visayas

Visayas

Visayas

Mindanao

Mindanao

Mindanao

Mindanao

Mindanao

When visiting with small kids, there is a tendency to just ‘play around’ and enjoy/ take photos of the exhibits. Kids will not read the regional information, even if it’s presented quite nicely. To maximize the visit, I think it would be best if there could be short talks per region by the museum personnel/ guides. Alternatively, pick one or two things that are special per region and discuss it more thoroughly with your kids. That way, they can retain a bit more of the regional information.

Overall, Lakbay Museo is a great way to introduce and/or brush up on Philippine regional information for kids and adults alike. Do visit when you get a chance! 🙂

  Address: Level 1, S Maison, Marina Way, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City. Opening Hours: 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM, Daily Start of Tour: Every 15 minutes, last admission 9:00 PM

Lakbay Museo A little over a month ago, our homeschool group went to Lakbay Museo, an interactive museum that allows you to explore the different Philippine regions, its rich history, and different cultures.

[celinii]

Thank you, Jesus!

I remember that I asked Jesus to come into my heart at age seven, during Sunday School. Because I knew Jesus at a young age, and have made non-Christlike decisions in my growing-up years, I have always questioned my salvation countless times. There was no “life changing event” or “difficult crossroad” that I have had to face in order for me to look for Jesus. At times, I would be envious of…

[celinii]

Thankful for the opportunity to be a part of “和 WA: Japan in Harmony” Cultural Photo and Literary Exhibit. Opened tonight at #shangrilamall East Atrium. Sharing some of the photos and haiku here. Do catch the full exhibit set, until July 24 only. ❤️ Thank you @jijodeguzman and @jan.aliling for taking me in on this! 😊 All photos © @jijodeguzman and @jan.aliling. All haiku © @celinii. https://www.instagram.com/p/B0GmWaJHCfLPqx0OHv3qfWL0eM-OHPbuj-NRkQ0/?igshid=mtyhoglj4g8u

[celinii]

和 (Wa): Harmony

I am thrilled to have been made a part of a cultural photography and literary exhibit entitled: 和 (Wa): Japan in Harmony. Wa (和) is a Japanese cultural concept usually translated into English as “harmony.” It implies a peaceful unity and conformity within a group; the capacity of blending opposing entities, and reaching a tradition of consensus.

The intent of the exhibit is to present different…

[celinii]

Skydive!

I got to cross out an exciting activity on my bucket list when we went to Melbourne!

I scheduled the skydive on the first day after arrival to the city. I figured, if the activity had to be cancelled due to weather conditions, there would be enough time for us to reschedule. It was raining the day we arrived, but thankfully, it was cool and sunny on our scheduled dive – there were no clouds in…

[celinii]

Last May, the husband and I were blessed with the chance to visit Australia as we celebrated our anniversary. It has been one of the (many) destinations on my travel list and was so glad we got to go to Sydney and Melbourne. ❤️ Traveling with my husband is always a great way for us to learn more about each other and gives us that needed “just-us-time.” It’s a magnified super date! All thanks to God for His provision and grace, our family also helped us a lot as the two kids stayed with them for the time being.

We had an awesome, awesome trip! Not only were we able to tour the two cities, but we were able to catch up with family and friends. My brother lives in Melbourne and a good friend lives in Sydney. Their hospitality and tips saved us time and money! 😜

This trip was also memorable for me, as I crossed out another activity on my bucket list. I really wanted to skydive, and Australia was the perfect place for me to give it a go. See here!

Melbourne was our first stop and our itinerary was:

Day 1: Skydive, St Kilda, Brighton Beach

Day 2: Yarra Valley Chocolaterie, Dairy, and Wineries

Day 3: City Tour

Day 4: Great Ocean Road Tour

What I loved: Skydive Australia, Free Melbourne Walking Tour, K-Mart (!), Yarra Valley Wineries and Dairy, Great Ocean Road’s Loch and Gorge. ❤️❤️❤️

  Moved to Sydney afterwards!

Day 1: Sydney Harbor, Manly and Shelley Beach

Day 2: Paramatta Forest Reserve, Darling Harbor, Korea Town

Day 3: Blue Mountains/ Scenic World

Day 4: Around the City

What I loved: Kangaroo Pizza at Australian Heritage Hotel, Scenic World, Forest Reserves, Parks (!!!), Sydney Harbor, Free Sydney Walking Tour, and the Botanical Gardens. ❤️❤️❤️

  Thank you Lord, for the gift of travel!

Land Down Under Last May, the husband and I were blessed with the chance to visit Australia as we celebrated our anniversary.

[celinii]

My girls will be turning eight and six in the next 12 days! 🥳 Time does indeed pass by quickly! Gone are the sleepless nights, breastfeeding and diaper days, numerous toys on the floor, strollers, and baby bags. Now it’s books, glittery bags, colored markers, need for active play time, making veggies and fruits more interesting to eat, and answering the tough, tough questions. I don’t even want…

[celinii]

2018

In so many ways, it felt like 2018 went by in a blur. I guess it somehow feels the same for recent years that have passed — the fast-paced, ‘busyness’ of every day makes us feel that the year went by without us knowing what really happened. We are constantly updated with what is happening via the WWW; Facebook and Instagram keeps us connected every single minute on the latest happening in…

[celinii]

Kuala Lumpur

Our annual date this year brought us to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Timed with Rob’s work trip, we spent a three-day, laid-back, just-us tour of the city.

KL is, in a lot of ways, just like Manila. Dominated by corporate businesses and malls, it is quite difficult to find areas to visit within the city which are homegrown.

The only interesting places we were able to visit were the iconic Petronas…

[celinii]

Homeschool Realizations

It has only been three months in, but there are some things I’ve come to realize about homeschooling. A homeschool journey is very personal and each family is different. These are just my thoughts on our personal homeschool journey. 🙂 Can you share yours?

The only way to learn about homeschooling is to try it. Since it’s not just a single format, you can find a format that will fit you.…

[celinii]

Singapore

Long overdue post!

It was our first time to take the kids on an out-of-country trip last May and we wanted a kid-friendly place that both Rob and I were a bit more familiar with..and hopefully within budget, of course! We decided on Singapore since it’s quite near (4-hour plane ride), both Rob and I have been there at least twice, it was easy to get around with the kids, and there were plenty of…

[celinii]

Pinnacle of Domestication

Those who know me well would know that being a stay at home mom is the farthest thing on my mind. I have always been a corporate slave, a hard worker, and I actually liked what goes with it – work hours, pressure, deadlines and what have you.

Yet, four years after leaving corporate, I am exactly that. And even MORE.

I am a stay at home Mom.

I have had no househelp or yaya for about two years and…

[celinii]

Last weekend, we visited Inflatable Island PH. I have been seeing this colorful and vibrant summer escapade all over my feed and decided to try it out 🙂

You can get a full day pass, half-day pass, 2-hour or 1-hour passes. These passes include all-day access to the beach but restricted access to the inflatables. We decided on a 2-hour pass which starts at 8AM (first time slot). Kids below 3.5 feet are free, but would still need to pay full amount if you want them to enter the inflatables area. Adult must accompany kids below height requirement.

It was FUN, and the inflatables were great! But it can be tiring as well. There are slides of different sizes and areas — but you have to climb up the slippery wall (think water wall climbing) before you can slide down. There’s a towering wall climb area where you will just have to literally jump from when you hit the top. There are trampolines, floaters, rope swings, monkey bars, human launcher… It’s a lot like American ninja warrior on a beach!

Check out our photos here:

  Inflatable Island PH Last weekend, we visited Inflatable Island PH. I have been seeing this colorful and vibrant summer escapade all over my feed and decided to try it out 🙂