Toddler Travel 101 {Tip 3 of 101}

At the rate I'm going, Mischka would probably be in big school by the time I finish this series.  She will no longer be a toddler, that's for sure! Oh well. I'm just grateful I still find time to update this blog. No matter how little time it may be. 

Moving on to tip no. 3. We talked about what to pack, here and what not to ever forget, here. The act of packing though is just as important as what to pack. And the role is not just made for us, mothers! Breaking news, right?! Involve your little one in the process and give him/her a bag of her own where she can pack her own  personal things. They're usually toys, snacks, and whatnots of their choice. Make them understand that no one else is responsible for this bag but themselves. 

From our trip back from the US months ago, I was firm in telling Mischka that if she decides to bring her trunki, she has to take care of it, and that I won't be able to carry it as I won't have spare hands with everything that we had to lug! It was just us two travelling back. 

I gave her a choice and she chose to pack her trunki and lug it herself while travelling. What's amazing is the sense of responsibility children learn from just a simple task. We we're a funny sight, am sure. Misch though was quite charming she managed to get two kind grown men help her with her trunki! Hah! 

Three!

She blurted that phrase out with so much conviction when asked what her wish is. She's three and sure doesn't sound like one. She may talk about castles, princesses, and tutu skirts excessively of late but everyday, I swear, I learn more from her than she does from me. 

Her tea party didn't go as planned but I was determined to give her a princess experience no matter what the circumstances were. We're not big on material extravagance and excessiveness but value creativity more than anything else. A lot of the details were DIY and the cardboard castle was my surprise for her.  (It was a HUGE hit!) 

She was very much involved in the planning so to cancel it was just not an option. So tea we had and rainbow cake we stuffed ourselves silly with.  

Project// Valentines

Whenever there's an occasion, Mischka and I try to do a little project. Guess its our nice excuse to get messy and crafty. For Valentines, we've been meaning to do this Wild For You Valentine project. It's easy and economical since we have most of the materials at home. I asked her to look for toy animals we can use to prepare cards for her classmates. We didn't have enough for all of them and her teachers so we decided to make just one for our man. We're gonna ask him to be our Valentine, send this to his office along with a little surprise. Let's see how that goes. 

Have you planned something fancy tonight or are you opting to stay home to avoid the madness like we are? Whatever it is, we hope you have a grand time. 

Mischmash Travels {San Francisco}

As we take you to a round-up of our San Francisco adventure, we're using one of our favorite reads as a guide. You see, it's good to prepare a child for a big trip way before you leave. That way, they are really able to appreciate the place and soak up on the sights. That is of course if they can grasp at least a little understanding already. But even when you think they're too young to understand, reading to them won't hurt. And you'll surely reap the rewards before you know it.

We've seen most of the places and characters mentioned in the book the first time we took Mischka to land of the rising sour dough at age 1. The sea lions, the fisherman's wharf, the Golden Gate Bridge, the crooked Lombard St.. those are all staples that are not to be missed in this child-friendly city.

This time around, we had more time to just bask in the pleasant weather and take our time getting to know the city more.

To walk in the park with a cup of Peet's to keep us warm.

To stop and smell the flowers in bloom.

To visit a museum for kids that adults can enjoy just as much.

To ride a carousel that's a century-old.

To visit a museum for adults that kids can enjoy just as much.

To visit a place where there were endless things to explore.

To dance with 3 colorful shadows...

..to feel the fog build up..

and to have good 'ole fun with Mama Bear and Papa Bear.

To drive down south and say hi to our marine friends.

And just simply to go out and dance in the sun.

"Goodnight, San Franciscans. Thank you for sharing a wonderful day."

www.goodnightourworld.com

It's a Great Time to Get Kinected

We value our 'just us three' moments every weekend. It doesn't necessarily mean that we have to be out somewhere. Sometimes we just stay in. And when we do, we bask in activities that involve all three of us. No one is spared. From water color painting, to building blocks, to several rounds of Jenga, to watching  family-oriented movies and just last weekend-- to getting Kinected!

It's only recently that Mischka appreciated Kinect. Before she was content with just watching her Dad play his Xbox. Now that she's more agile, she joins in the fun! We may have to move the whole Xbox enterprise to a room with less furniture as we foresee more Kinecting in the near future. 

I am sometimes bothered by the fact that Mischka is growing up surrounded by too much technology. I fear that such is hindering her from nurturing creativity the old fashion way. 

Technology however is inevitable. It is here to stay. And for that I am grateful. Thus, I have long learned that the key is to strike a good balance between the old and the new. She may play soccer on Kinect but we also take her to the field for a some kicks whenever we could. Both moments are special and bonding. 

Weekend Tidbits

Sharing with you a few snaps I took from the weekend. It was filled-to-brim as usual but my most fave was the just-us-three portion. We tagged along Dada to his swing practice and got a whiff of fresh air. Someone had a whale of fun trying her hand in putting. 

Famished from the (short) walk and the unforgiving heat, we headed out to Wine Depot Cafe for some lunch capped off with this Vittoria Affogato you ought to try.

Teepees

We've been trying to divise a plan to get Le Misch to sleep on her own bed through the night. She starts off there but ends up in between us in the morning. While we are enjoying these priceless bonding moments, we know at the back of our heads that this has got to stop someday, somehow. 

She loves the idea of camping in the room so I thought, why not build a teepee since I don't really like a camping-looking-tent in sight, all the time. Aside from the fact that teepees are more appealing than the tents they sell in toy stores, it looks like something that our all-around handyman can do. I'm thinking of painting the canvas, stripes, just like what we did with the table cloth for hubby's 35th. What do you think?

The idea still has safety issues I need to tackle and of course I don't expect a teepee to answer our sleeping dilemma but it's a start, right? A teepee might just give her a sense of independence and security when sleeping. And if it doesn't work, it would still look nice in a playroom.

(images of teepees via pinterest)

beautiful random things + a little project

I instantly fell in love with this wall (via pinterest). I shared it with Le Misch and we have decided to launch Project: Alphabet Wall. We will be as resourceful and creative as we can be and collect letters of the alphabet for the next months. Target completion date is sometime in December. So dear readers, if you happen to find a letter or two, do tell. We need as much help as we could get as we have a tendency to procrastinate. 

So far, we already have letters M and P. Got them from Anthropologie last year. 24 to go. Every time we find a letter we'll share with you here. This should be fun. 

dissection of an ensemble {mini version}

The little miss has been cooped up much lately and all of our trips out have only been to the doctor's clinic. Dire efforts to cheer up the household have brought me to dress her up in happy bold colors.

Yesterday she was channeling Gucci Spring 2011.

 Well at least the use of bold colors set against gold accessories. Teehee!

The Elements:

Magenta Owl Top, SM

Teal Harem Pants, SM

Gold Mary Janes, Pediped

'Tis just one of my little ways to cope with caring for a sick child. That and loads and loads of unconditional love. 

How do you cope?

Nixon 42 20 Chrono

If you have been following my weekly fantasy closet visits, you should be aware by now how much of a fan I am of Nixon. My heart goes out to the 42 20 Chrono which comes in an array of colors and variations, making it very difficult for me to pick one. Just one.

It took me forever to decide which one I would splurge on. It's not exactly cheap but neither is it expensive compared to signature watches we're so used to seeing out there. I'm not big on the brand, I'm big on the SIZE.

Ever since the advent of oversized watches on teeny tiny wrists, I've never looked back. For me, a watch is not a watch when it's not oversized.

Through Newtrends International, Nixon has recent presence in the Philippines. Their store, Segnatempo carries the brand and I learned from the sales people there that their Nixon pieces are selling fast! Too bad they don't carry the gold tones, as according to them gold tone watches usually have the lowest sell throughs.

Anyhoo, I scoured online shops carrying Nixon. From Net-a-porter, to Amazon, to Nordstorm. I finally found what I was looking for in Ebay! Yes in Ebay! At an offering no other store has.

It was a tough choice between the all-gold tone and the antique gold tone. I finally settled for the antique gold, which someone else was happy with too, apparently.

 P.S. She is strongly convinced that the gold studded Jean&Rosz bracelet is hers(!) and that I'm only borrowing. She would cry and fuss if she sees me wearing it without asking for permission. My goodness, what have I created?

Recipe for a Leisurely Picnic with a Toddler

Okay, so we finally had a picnic- in BACOLOD! In case you're wondering where there, you'd be surprise. And if you're from there, you'd think it's funny.

Here's what you need.

 SUPPLIES:

a picnic basket

a mat or a large blanket

a ball
1 large bowl

measuring cup and spoon

INGREDIENTS:

1 clear, breezy afternoon

1 small carton of milk

1 small carton of juice

1 bottle of Chardonnay

1 basketful of snacks

6 lb. of grass

1 gallon of excitement

2 cups of laughter

1 pint of creativity

10 loads of energy

Preheat your afternoon to a pleasant 25°Celsius. Mix in all ingredients in a large bowl except for the grass and the ball. Pour into a pan and bake for 20 minutes. When done, sprinkle with grass and top with a ball. Serve with a smile, some small toys, and a light read. Enjoy for 2 hours.  

Suffice to say, it was a success. Thanks to the hedonist in us, Le Misch and I are able to find yet another pleasurable and enriching activity without having to spend a lot.

Try it! It's such an easy recipe!