“Life itself is the proper binge.” – Julia Child Cooking is something I enjoy. I’m not artful at it, but I like to try to new recipes or to recreate childhood comforts. In the three weeks that we’ve been in isolation, I’ve been cooking more. It brings me calm to be in the kitchen silentlyContinue reading “Cooking & Finding Calm in Isolation”
Tag Archives: kids
Focusing on Wellbeing and Family Time During Self Isolation
“In times of test, family is best.” – Burmese Proverb Three weeks & several meltdowns later, we’re finding our groove with this stay/work/school at home 24/7 without killing each other thing. We’re accepting things are not business as usual & letting go of the pressure to keep things as such. As scary & uncertain asContinue reading “Focusing on Wellbeing and Family Time During Self Isolation”
“Go for it. Step on all the puddles!”
“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” – Heraclitus It’s been two weeks since we’ve started our self isolation, when everything came to a standstill. I am thankful my family is safe and healthy and that we’ve only been lightly inconvenienced.Continue reading ““Go for it. Step on all the puddles!””
Our Fixer Upper Renovation – One Year Later
“There’s no place like home.” – Dorothy, The Wizard of Oz A year ago this week, our family made the leap and moved into our house. The hubby and I had previously lived in a small townhouse for over 10 years. T spent three wonderful years in that condo with us, but it was evidentContinue reading “Our Fixer Upper Renovation – One Year Later”
Supporting My Little One During These Challenging Times
“Even a happy life has a sad day. We fail to provide a context which says it’s okay to cry, it’s okay to be sad.” – Marianne Williamson Against the backdrop of a beautiful warm Spring afternoon, our little T finally broke down in tears for the first time since our self isolation started. TheContinue reading “Supporting My Little One During These Challenging Times”
Celebrating My Birthday in Self Isolation
“There is still no cure for the common birthday.” – John Glenn Today is the first time – and hopefully only time in a hopefully long life to still unfold – that I will celebrate my birthday in self isolation during a global pandemic. Schools are closed but supposed to be officially back in businessContinue reading “Celebrating My Birthday in Self Isolation”
Ideas to Keep Our Little One Learning During Social Distancing
“Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it, you can never get it back.” – Harvey MacKay I am thankful that T is oblivious to how serious the COVID-19 pandemic is. We’ve let him know there isContinue reading “Ideas to Keep Our Little One Learning During Social Distancing”
COVID-19: Our Little One and His Wonderful Bubble of Oblivion
“It’s calm under the waves, in the blue of my oblivion.” – Fiona Apple When I was a boy growing up in the Philippines, I remember schools being closed because of typhoons. I would then spend the day or days playing, not a care or worry in the world. I thought about this as IContinue reading “COVID-19: Our Little One and His Wonderful Bubble of Oblivion”
My 5 Year Old‘s Surprising Connection to the Real Life Dennis the Menace
“Mischief just seems to follow wherever Dennis appears, but it is the product of good intentions, misdirected helpfulness, good-hearted generosity…” – Hank Ketcham Sixty nine years ago today, Dennis the Menace made his comic book debut and soon became a worldwide success. At its peak, the comic strip ran in over 1,000 newspapers, 50 countriesContinue reading “My 5 Year Old‘s Surprising Connection to the Real Life Dennis the Menace”
Evening Walks with My Little One Are the Best Part of My Day
“Freedom: To walk free and own no superior.” – Walt Whitman Spring is not officially here till next weekend but you can feel it in the air. We just had our first warm sunny weekend. Families and kids came out of winter hibernation to play in our park. My evening walks with T, which weContinue reading “Evening Walks with My Little One Are the Best Part of My Day”
Celebrating 17 Years with the Hubby
“It’s been a while.” – Britney Spears, Break the Ice Anniversaries are important to me. I celebrate these milestones to remind us where we’ve come from and of the journey still ahead. March 8 is the day that the hubby and I started dating 17 years ago. It was around 3 in the morning, inContinue reading “Celebrating 17 Years with the Hubby”
“I Love You, Alexa!” – Technology & the Child with Special Needs
“It’s not a faith in technology. It’s faith in people.” – Steve Jobs I was washing dishes one morning when I overheard T talking with our smart home assistant device, Alexa. T: “Alexa… I love you.” Alexa: “That’s nice of you to say.” T: *Repeats over and over again* “Alexa…” Alexa: “Sorry, I’m having troubleContinue reading ““I Love You, Alexa!” – Technology & the Child with Special Needs”
The Healing Therapy of Pets for Children
“An animal’s eyes have the power to speak a great language.” – Martin Buber When we lived in our former home, T and I would enjoy early Saturday morning walks in the park. At around 9, a group of regulars would gather with their dogs and T would never be shy or afraid about goingContinue reading “The Healing Therapy of Pets for Children”
My 5 Year Old Takes Photos With My Phone Without My Knowing & For My Later Surprise
“There’s no greater joy than that seen through the eyes of a child, and there’s a little bit of a child in all of us.” – “Walt Disney,” Saving Mr. Banks One of the things I love most about being a parent is seeing the world, experiencing the joys of childhood, and living the firsts through the eyes of our little boy. The worldContinue reading “My 5 Year Old Takes Photos With My Phone Without My Knowing & For My Later Surprise”
Watching Our Little One Learn About Friendship
“We didn’t realize we were making memories, we just knew we were having fun.” – Winnie the Pooh On a recent Friday evening, my hubby and I were watching T play at our local McDonald’s PlaySpace; it’s our weekly weekend ritual. T ran around in his usual excited way, making loud dinosaur roars. After aContinue reading “Watching Our Little One Learn About Friendship”
Focusing on Potential and a Growth Mindset
“Everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you’re climbing it.” – Andy Rooney At the last parent-teacher interview at the Montessori, the last year before T got booted out, I went into the conversation expecting how it would transpire and I was right. The teacher toldContinue reading “Focusing on Potential and a Growth Mindset”
Love You Forever
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud… It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” – 1 Corinthians, 13:4-7 Among the many wonderful books we’ve been gifted by family and friends for T’s personal library are those written by Canadian author Robert Munsch. HeContinue reading “Love You Forever”
Sharing A Love of the Outdoors with Our Son
“The ghostly winter silence had given way to the great spring murmur of awakening life.” – Jack London, The Call of the Wild. This Canadian winter feels forever. It’s now the time when registration for summer camp sites opens and it makes me long for hiking through forests, swimming in lakes, and eating campfire food.Continue reading “Sharing A Love of the Outdoors with Our Son”
The Story We Tell Our Son About His Adoption
“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds that you plant.” – Robert Louis Stevenson February marks the 3rd anniversary that our adoption was finalized and when our sweet little boy turns 5. Where did the time go?! There was a time when T enjoyed hearing stories after our bedtimeContinue reading “The Story We Tell Our Son About His Adoption”
Building Forts and Burning Our Hyperactive Boy’s Endless Energy
“If you build it, he will come.” – Shoeless Joe Jackson On the first morning of the new decade, our four-year-old entered our room bright and early. I pretended to play dead and hoped he’d go to the hubby. No luck. “Papa, I want you to play in the fort with me,” he said. IContinue reading “Building Forts and Burning Our Hyperactive Boy’s Endless Energy”