A Makeup Workshop Like No Other

People have always been asking me if I do makeup workshops or seminars, etc.  And I always turn them down and recommend them to my other friends who are better teachers.  I just never had the gift of teaching.  My mind is just one unorganized closet and I can jump from one topic to another, rambling on and on.  I end up being the only one who understands myself. Haha! And I’m a very shy person.  I freak out when asked to speak in front of people.  Singing in front of people, I can handle.  Speaking, I just can’t.

And then, one day, I got a text message from Teacher Dez, one of Damien’s teachers in his summer classes at The Learning Jungle.  She asked me if I could be one of their guests for show and tell 🙂 Since it was Mother’s Day Week, they wanted mothers to share with the kids about what we do 🙂  Teacher Dez also invited two other mothers to speak in Damien’s class.  Took me a while before I could reply…  I was thinking, speaking in front of a group of three year olds???  Where do I even start??? Should I start with the basics like skin care?  Or the right foundation for their skin tone? LOL.  I ended up saying YES.  I also wanted to see how Damien was in class. Hehe

Here I am in school, waiting for the kids to finish their lunch 🙂  My only thought was… I hope they like me.

Setting up for my “presentation”. Damien was such a great assistant! Helped me set up my kit 🙂

My audience, about 10-15, three to four year old kids… 🙂

I really didn’t know how to begin my talk with these kids.  Thank God for the Teachers who guided me all through out 🙂  So we began with… “Let us make Teacher Raissa a Princess!”

I was so glad I brought my colorful false eyelashes!!! The kids loved them… It was like MAGIC.

Here is Teacher Raissa wearing rainbow lashes 🙂 Turned her into Rainbow Brite. (SO SORRY ABOUT THAT, TEACHER RAISSA!) Was just following the kids’ instructions. Haha! 🙂

I was so happy that the kids were so interested!!! 🙂  Even the boys were telling me what color I should put on Teacher’s eyes.  “Put blue!”, “We like purple!”,  “Wow, it’s like painting!”.

Again, the lashes were a big hit with the kids!!! Thank God I brought my Shu Uemura feather lashes. We transformed Teacher Raissa into an enchanted bird! 🙂

For the final look, the kids wanted me to put orange lipstick on Teacher Raissa 🙂  It actually looked pretty 🙂

Thank you so much, Teacher Dez, Teacher Raissa and Teacher James for inviting me to speak in front of Damien’s class 🙂  It was the most fun makeup workshop I’ve ever conducted!!! 🙂  Hmmm… maybe I should start doing makeup workshops for kids.  How fun is that! 🙂

See you all again in a few weeks when Nursery 1 begins… 🙂

A Mother’s Day

I thank the Lord everyday…

For giving me a son…

Who loves me for who I am…

Even if I’m not perfect…

And for giving me a mother…

Who is.

Crowsaurus’ Moving Up Day

Last week was a very important week for our little Damien Crow.  It was his last week at school for Pre-Nursery class.  He is now moving up to Nursery!  🙂

Crow goes to this great school at the Fort called The Learning Jungle.  He has changed so much from his first day at school.  I remember when he wouldn’t want to be left alone in the classroom.  But after a few months, when I would drop him off at school, he would say “bye, Mama!” so quickly! He became independent, more sociable and could express himself through words.  More importantly, he enjoyed being in school with his wonderful teachers and classmates.  He would even cry when he finds out that classes are suspended. LOL! Hope he’ll still be that way in a few years 🙂

This is the stage where all the kids will perform 🙂 "Captured" is the title of the school program. There is Teacher Kit on stage showing Crow where to stand during their dance number.

Here's Teacher Kit preparing the kids for the program. The Pre-Nursery kids are going to be dinosaurs 🙂

It's Crowsaurus with Leilasaurus 🙂

This is Leila, Crow's classmate 🙂 He calls her Princess Leila 🙂

This is Sean with Crow warming up for the program 🙂 I don't know who the kid behind Crow was. But I can tell he wanted to be a dinosaur, too 🙂

Crow with his Grandma Dora 🙂 he calls her "Wata".

Crow with his Papa. Program hasn't started yet and Crow was getting a little sleepy already.

The attire for the program was green shirt, white pants and white shoes. So happy I found this cute pair of white sneakers in Landmark! For only Php189.75! Thanks to Dante who found these shoes! Of course, when it comes to shoes, Dante knows best 🙂

Leila, Sean, Crow and Rhylan getting ready for their final class photo 🙂

Here is the Pre-Nursery Morning Class: Teacher Kit, Josh, Leila, Sean, Crow, Roman, Rhylan and Teacher Bianca 🙂 Plus Gab, Gio and David, three more of Crow's classmates who aren't in this photo.

And below are the beautiful teachers of Crow, Teacher Bianca on the left and Teacher Kit on the right 🙂  I love how patient they are with Crow and you really see how much they love and care for every single one of their students! 🙂 Whenever we would have PTC meetings, they would talk about Crow like he is family 🙂

I think this is one of the toughest jobs ever!  Imagine taking care of nine children (in their case, eight boys and one girl), three hours a day, five days a week!  You need to have superpowers for that! Crow loves them so much.  He would always talk about his teachers at home and he remembers the things they teach him.  Simple things, like to wait for his turn, sharing his toys and not to bite his friends when angry. LOL!

We’re so proud of you, little B!  And we love you very much! 🙂 Congratulations again and we’re ready for the next adventure… Nursery! 🙂

A Valentine’s Date to Remember

Yesterday, it was Damien’s second field trip 🙂 It was also like a Valentine’s Day Date for the kids and parents.  The moment I got the letter from the teachers regarding this field trip, Dante and I immediately blocked off the morning of February 14 so we could be with Damien.  This was the first time we celebrated Valentine’s Day as a family 🙂

I came prepared with our Valentine's Day snacks.

Meeting time at The Learning Jungle was at 8am. Kids were all given their ID's.

Teacher Kit and Teacher Bianca quickly discussing the guidelines for our field trip.

Damien still sleepy.

Pre-Nursery Class is at Bus #1.

Excited to ride the bus!

One of the reasons why we were so excited for this field trip was because we were going to Museo Pambata, a Children’s Museum along Roxas Boulevard, Manila.

So happy that Dante was able to join us, too! 🙂

Waiting in line for our tour to begin.

First leg of the tour.

This was the entrance to the first section of our tour.  Damien got so freaked out with this huge head and refused to enter through its mouth or even go near it 😦  Museo Pambata staff said they will be changing this entrance soon because a lot of kids get scared. Haha! 🙂  It is kinda freaky.  The lipstick actually looks like blood. Haha!

Damien was so stressed out, he only wanted to sit with Papa on the floor.

I thought, oh no, he is not going to enjoy it here.  So I looked around and spotted this other room.  Looks like a happier place to be in.  So I tried to tell Damien that there was a really cool room in the other side.

Thankfully, he agreed to go with us to this empty play room 🙂

Damien playing with the plastic food toys 🙂 Whew! Now, he's enjoying 🙂

What Damien had for breakfast.

There are so many things that the kids can play with.  I love the fact that this Museum is so interactive.  Kids can touch and play with everything! 🙂

Damien playing with a plastic brain 🙂 He thinks these are spaceships. Haha!

I hear the other kids....

Miniature Bahay Kubo

This museum is so great to teach the children about Pinoy culture.

Entering the miniature market place 🙂

One order of ketchup, please?

Finally, we’re back with the rest of the group 🙂

Damien loving the miniature Church. Time to hear mass 🙂

Those are chopsticks, not lightsabers, Damien!

Damien wanted to have his picture taken with the Jeepney.

Map of Manila. Love Manila.

Old school computers

The kids got the chance to play with Filipino instruments.

Made me want to start crocheting again 🙂

My choice of rice 🙂

Someone enjoyed being an octopus! 🙂

Happy to be with Papa.

What an action-packed morning for the boys!

Waiting for Bus #1.

Was so tempted to take some green mangoes home! 🙂

To all my fellow parents, Museo Pambata is such a great place to take your kids.  It was so clean.  The kids are allowed to run around freely and they are able to learn more about Filipino culture and history.  What a great field trip! Thanks so much to The Learning Jungle teachers for taking us here to bond with our kids 🙂  And thank you also to our dearest Damien Crow for giving us this wonderful present for Valentine’s Day… Cereal pops! 🙂

Happy Valentine’s Day to you all! Hope you all had a great time with your loved ones! 🙂

Kids Go Nuts for Gonuts Donuts!

My son’s birthday falls on a holiday.  November 1, All Saints Day 🙂 So we had to celebrate his birthday party in school a week after 🙂 I looooove organizing kiddie parties, bridal showers, surprise parties or any kind of party actually 🙂 I was very excited to put together a simple party the kids will enjoy 🙂

I don’t cook.  I can’t even fry an egg. LOL! 🙂 I kept thinking of a place where I can buy fun treats for the kids.  My mother had this brilliant idea to get snacks from Gonuts Donuts 🙂 We were so lucky that at that time they had a special treat called Dip n’ Donuts with the Cars characters on the box PLUS free stickers! 🙂 Each box contained about 6-7 of these little glazed donut balls with a dip that came in several flavors.  Of course, we chose chocolate for the kids.  This box was about P40-50 🙂

My son absolutely loves Mickey Mouse.  Gonuts Donuts have these Mickey Mouse shaped donuts as well as other Disney characters.  It was so perfect for our Disney-themed party 🙂 These frosted donuts are the best.  They’re not too sweet.  They’re just right 🙂 Perfect with coffee for the adults.  Orange juice for the kids 🙂

Sometimes I crave for pizza but I can’t order a whole box if I’m the only one who’s going to eat it.  Well… Gonuts Donuts also has PIZZA! 🙂 And they’re cute, small and can satisfy an instant pizza craving! We got pepperoni 🙂 They also have Hawaiian, too 🙂 You should try these mini pizzas… they are so yummy 🙂

Damien Crow goes to a school called The Learning Jungle at the Fort 🙂 These are his adorable classmates and beautiful Teacher Kit and Teacher Bianca 🙂 I will post more photos where you can see more of their faces 🙂 LOL! In Crow’s class, there are 8 boys and 1 girl 🙂 Quite a rowdy bunch! I love it! 🙂 This school is the perfect fit for Crow 🙂

Look at their home-made elevator.  Here’s Crow showing off to his proud mama and papa 🙂

Crow enjoyed his party so much! 🙂 Kids really do appreciate everything! Just one look at Crow’s smile, I knew that party was a big success! 🙂 GoMOM! 🙂 Thanks to Gonuts Donuts! 🙂