Saturday, January 31, 2009

Mom TV


"Mom TV", Sun.Star Davao, Jan. 31, 2009

Armed with my ever reliable remote control, I was channel surfing one day when my husband Gary commented that there seems to be a proliferation of mommy shows on TV.

“Well, good for us, mommies!”, I said.

With our hectic schedules, having the free time to watch TV is such a treat. And, it’s definitely a bonus if we also learn valuable tips on becoming better mothers from fellow moms through these programs.

So, sit back, relax and prepare to be ‘mommyfied’ by these ‘Mom TV’ shows. Here are my top picks:

Wonder Mom

Hosted by award-winning broadcast journalist, 2008 Ten Outstanding Young Men awardee and mother of two young boys, Karen Davila, Wonder Mom is a one-hour weekly show with a parenting magazine format.

In Wonder Mom, Karen uses a softer, mother’s-point-of-view approach to her interviews which comes out as personal, effective and sincere.

Past episodes have featured diverse topics such as managing child tantrums, organizing children’s birthday parties, differentiating the role of yayas and mothers, making memories last, among others.

With the show’s tagline, “Sagot Kita!”, housewives and career-oriented moms have found a trusted partner in Karen. Through the program, Filipina moms are empowered to face day-to-day parenting challenges with confidence and ease.

Join Karen as she transforms ordinary moms to super mommies in this reality parenting show....Now where did I leave my cape?

Wonder Mom airs on ABS-CBN every Saturday at 9:45 a.m.

MomWorks

Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan is one of my most admired celebrity moms. With her sunny disposition, you will be amazed at how she makes motherhood seem so uncomplicated. With four active kids, a successful career as an actress, author, lifestyle columnist, businesswoman and parenting advocate as well as loving wife to Anthony, how does she manage to still look fresh and fab?

MomWorks is a thirty-minute show that “focuses on the struggles and triumphs of our modern superheroes and the many roles that they play—as wife, mother and career woman” (Source: www.thelifeyoulive.tv). It premiered on the Lifestyle Network on June 18, 2008.

According to Lifestyle Network’s local production team, “The program is a venue for concerns and interests that are unique to the Filipina working mom. Segments feature everyday moms discussing issues and insights and applying tips and techniques for greater work-life balance”.

I just loved the episodes where they showed the gender bender role of househusbands, different views of parents about homeschooling versus traditional and progressive schools, fashion tips for the changing mommy figure, to name a few.

Watch out for MomWorks’ all-new episodes coming soon on the Lifestyle Network.

Moments

Normally, I don’t channel surf all the way to Net 25 but Gladys Reyes-Sommereux’s (yes, the versatile actress known for her kontrabida roles) Moments talk show became a good reason to give Net 25 my undivided attention. Gladys, who is a mother of two, proves in Moments that acting is not her only forte. She brilliantly shines as a gifted host in this parenting program.

“Moments is a one-hour talk show for 25 to 45-year old mothers with 0-12-year old children. The show is aimed at providing a practical guide to motherhood”. (Source: www.net-25.com)
Moments’ popular segments include:

“Certified by Moms: An infomercial segment focused on products and services targeted to mothers and children

Mom on the Go: Fast and practical tips on homemaking and child-rearing

Moms ABC: Step-by-step guide to taking care of the kids from the point of view of experts

Momstyle: Different mothers show various techniques in child rearing and how they perform their role as “domestic engineers”

24/7: Celebrity moms and common mothers prove that motherhood is a non-stop job
Momstop: Pressure free bonding moments between mothers and their kids”

Catch Moments every Saturday at 6:30 p.m. on Net 25.

Quickfire

Mothers who work in the kitchen for hours to serve special family dishes day in and day out are becoming a rare breed. These days, there is simply too little time as we try to juggle parenting, marital life, work and household responsibilities.

That’s why cooking shows such as Quickfire by chef-mom Rosebud Benitez is an answered prayer to working moms. Believe it or not, it beats Rachael Ray’s “30-minute Meals” by 20 minutes!

In Quickfire, Chef Rosebud whips up 10-minute kitchen wonders through a step-by-step guide to delectable everyday meals using ingredients that are locally available. (Don’t you hate it when you watch some cooking shows and they have these hard-to-find ingredients that make preparing the dish impossible).

Yummy family-friendly recipes such as prawn tempura, pad thai, chicken kiev, Vietnamese pesto pasta, chicken kebabs are a cinch to make with Chef Rosebud’s time-saving techniques.

Delight in Chef Rosebud’s speedy culinary creations on QTV, Monday to Friday: 10:30 am, 11:50am, 6pm and 7:10pm; Saturday: 9pm; and Sunday: 9pm and 11pm. Check out http://quickfire.multiply.com for more scrumptious recipes.

Happy mommy viewing!!!

Photo credits: Wonder Mom (www.abs-cbnglobal.com); MomWorks (www.thelifeyoulive.tv); Moments (www.net-25.com); Quickfire (http://quickfire.multiply.com) and cartoon images (www.beforeyouarrived.com; www.tv-season-on-dvd.com)

E-mail the author at mom.about.town.dvo@gmail.com. Visit www.mom-about-town.blogspot.com.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Timeless Sesame Street party


"Timeless Sesame Street party"
Sun.Star Davao, Jan. 24, 2009

“Sunny Day Sweepin' the clouds away
On my way to where the air is sweet
Can you tell me how to get,
How to get to Sesame Street”

Who isn’t familiar with the catchy theme song of American television’s longest running children’s educational program?

Before anyone heard of Barney, Dora the Explorer and Blue’s Clues, only one kiddie TV show reigned supreme—Sesame Street!
As a preschooler, I remember being glued to the show as I learned letters and numbers and became fascinated with Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Ernie, Bert, Grover, Oscar the Grouch, Count Von Count and Mr. Snuffleupagus.

So, it was with feelings of nostalgia and excitement that my kids and I attended the recent Sesame Street-inspired first birthday party of Rianne Shanice Lee Ong.

“We wanted the party’s theme to be classic so we decided to go for the children’s all-time favorite show, Sesame Street. Since it has already been around since the 1960s, not only would the kids be able to relate to our party’s theme but the parents as well”, shares Rianne’s mom Sharon.

“Also, Rianne’s first gift when she was 3 months old was a chattering Elmo stuffed toy. Until now, the toy never fails to make Rianne giggle every time she hears Elmo laughing”, discloses Sharon.

Sharon and husband Rad collaborated with one of Davao’s most sought-after party organizers, Annie Paz-Lim, and came up with a sensational Sesame Street affair that was truly delightful.

“Rad and I started planning out with Annie as early as June 2008. We wanted to avoid the Christmas rush on the “ber” months, so we already prepared and bought everything we needed two to three months before the party”, says the organized mom.

The Marco Polo Hotel’s grand ballroom had a cheerful atmosphere as Elmo, Big Bird and Cookie Monster in vibrant hues of red, yellow and blue were ingeniously used as the main party decorations in the form of mylar balloons, stage backdrop, table centerpieces, among others.

A fanciful four-tiered fondant Sesame Street birthday cake by Booboo Carandang-Maramba of Natalie’s Cakes was the piece de resistance featuring Elmo, Big Bird and Cookie Monster characters interspersed with colorful alphabet blocks.

Upon registration, kids received Sesame Street party tickets for “Shoot the Elmo ABC”, “Cookie Monster Cookies”, “Sesame Street Photo Me”, “Dart A Balloon” and “Shanice’s Favorite Fashion Accessories”.

At the coloring booth, creative children carefully colored their Sesame Street characters in the hope of winning a prize for their works of art. Meanwhile, other energetic tots had a blast playing non-stop at the indoor Bounce ‘N Round inflatable slide.

The guests were also treated to refreshing fruit drinks from All That Juice, crunchy popcorn from Popperoo and delectable Allegro Ice Cream as they watched Sesame Street DVDs on a big screen. Afterwards, a short audio visual presentation of Rianne’s precious milestones was likewise shown.

In-demand party host James Infiesto entertained the audience with his magic tricks, thrilling games and witty repartee.

For give-aways, kids received adorable Elmo stuffed toys and Elmo coin banks stuffed with all sorts of tasty goodies.

As the happy and contented faces of Rianne’s party guests have proven, the magic of Sesame Street is indeed timeless and will continue to enchant generations to come!

I am sharing to you the party photos courtesy of Imagine Digital Fotofun Express.

E-mail the author at mom.about.town.dvo@gmail.com. Visit www.mom-about-town.blogspot.com.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Ravin' over Ratatouille


"Ravin’ over Ratatouille"
Sun.Star Davao, Jan. 17, 2009

Megan Paige Yu’s first birthday party was every little chef’s dream come true!

Held at the Davao Convention and Trade Center recently, toques and aprons welcomed the young boys and girls who attended the spectacular Ratatouille-themed birthday bash.

Ratatouille is Pixar Film’s computer-animated movie about Remy, a rat who dreams to become a chef with the help of a restaurant garbage boy, Alfredo Linguini. In 2008, Ratatouille received the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, among other honors.

“The chef theme is close to my heart because when I was pregnant with Paige, I took up a short culinary course. Also, since Paige just loves to eat, Ratatouille suits her penchant for food”, shares Maybelle, the proud mom of Paige.

Together with husband Cliff, Maybelle prepared for the ‘gastronomic’ party in just over a month.

For invitations, the Yus gave Ratatouille movie DVDs creatively adorned with dainty ribbons and stickers about the party details.

Astrochairs executed the imaginative party decorations. Colorful Ratatouille mylar balloons and kiddie cookware toys served as the table centerpieces while balloon columns and gigantic styrofoam standees of Remy and Linguini were utilized as the stage backdrop design.

The culinary-inspired activities included “Make Your Own Cupcake” where Center for Asian Culinary Studies Davao’s Chef Booboo Carandang-Maramba showed the eager kids how to put icing and different candy frosting on the scrumptious cupcakes. Later, each child got to decorate their own cupcake.

Well-loved party host James Infiesto was dressed as a professional chef himself as he facilitated the exciting program.

In addition, the “Chef Relay” was one of the most thrilling games where kids balanced kitchenware toys on a plate while trying to be the first group to finish the race.

Chef Booboo who is also the owner of Natalie’s Cakes masterfully created the splendid three-tiered fondant Ratatouille cake which earned raves from the guests.

The bottom layer had a toque-wearing Remy surrounded by eggplants, carrots, onions and red bell peppers, the essential ingredients of a signature ratatouille dish. A slice of cheese, spatula, oven mitts and knives consisted of the middle portion’s decor. On the other hand, a “steaming” purple-colored pot with a flower design was used on the top layer.

Aside from the sumptuous buffet by DAVCON, guests likewise savored the lip-smacking food and drinks from Allegro Ice Cream, All That Juice and Potato Corner.

Imagine Fotofun Digital Express set up a party booth with Ratatouille picture cards as souvenirs while Ratatouille futon chairs were the party give-aways.

A feast for the eyes, a treat for the tummy...the Yu family cooked up a yummy Ratatouille party!

Special thanks to Imagine Digital Fotofun Express for the party photos.

E-mail the author at mom.about.town.dvo@gmail.com. Visit www.mom-about-town.blogspot.com.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Precious moments extravaganza


"Precious Moments extravaganza"
Sun.Star Davao, Jan. 10, 2009

Singapore-based mom Aileen “T-one” Brigole-Abadilla is undoubtedly one of Precious Moments’ most ardent fans.

When she got married to her husband Christian in January 2007, their intimate wedding carried the whimsical Precious Moments theme from the invitations and décor, down to the souvenirs and cake.
And, at their beloved daughter Jamie Ailianne’s first birthday at the Grand Men Seng Hotel recently, guess what their theme was for the important celebration? Why, Precious Moments, of course!

“My husband and I loved the Precious Moments theme because of the inspiration it brings”, shares T-one.

Precious Moments (PM) is a Christian entity created by Sam Butcher, initially as a way of expressing his love and appreciation for family and friends through greeting cards with illustrations of children having distinctive teardrop-shaped eyes. Later on, it also served as Butcher’s way of spreading the Good News.

T-one works as a Corporate Sales Executive at StarHub, Ltd. Interestingly, Christian is employed at StarHub’s number 1 competitor, Singapore Telecoms Inc., where he is one of the Customer Care Representatives in the Salvage Team.

“Both of us have been based in Singapore for almost two years and are now Permanent Residents, including our daughter Jamie”, says T-one.

Endearing effect

“Would you believe, I started planning details for the first birthday party when I was still pregnant with Jamie?!”, T-one chuckles.

“I oversaw every little detail of the party, ensuring that the sweet, endearing effect of Precious Moments were present in the different elements of the party but not overdone”, describes the hands-on mom.

Most of the party ware was from Singapore – from the dinner plates, beverage cups, dessert plates, table napkins, birthday banners, mylar balloons for pillars and table centerpieces, even all the party favors.

The invites were Precious Moments invitation cards from Singapore, with an illustration of five PM children holding up a birthday banner. This design could be seen in all dinner elements of the party – the dinner plates, dessert plates, table napkins, beverage cups and birthday banners.

“The entrance was decorated with a life size Precious Moments girl welcome standee, holding the PM logo. There was likewise a Precious Moments magnetic name frame with Jamie’s name.

Each entrance door was bedecked with a pastel combination of yellow, pink, blue and lavender balloon pillar with a Precious Moments princess mylar head”, illustrates T-one.

Overseas coordination

Bai Lim’s Astrochairs was the decorator and party organizer of the affair.

“I was truly pleased with Astrochairs’ service. I am truly impressed with their customer service, the way they replied immediately to my different requests for proposals, my specific instructions and constantly changing ideas. They responded with patience and they always tried hard to answer my every question --- an experience I truly appreciated since I coordinated everything all the way from Singapore. I could only communicate with them through email, chat and mobile phone. I only met them at the party itself”, discloses T-one.
Astrochairs beautifully decorated the stage as the ballroom’s focal point, with its Precious Moments backdrop, balloon pillars and floating pastel balloons.

On the other hand, elegant fabric treatment of pastel yellow, pink, aqua and lavender comprised the ceiling works. At the center was the balloon burst, and each corner was adorned with metallic pastel balloon clusters with droppings.

The buffet table was accented with a supersize Precious Moments Princess balloon.
“For our table centerpieces, we used different Precious Moments mylar balloons for kiddie tables and another PM design for adult tables. PM plush toys were the base of each adult table centerpiece, surrounded with chocolates and candies as table sprinkles”, describes T-one.

“The booths included Fun Cuts Kiddie Salon open to all kids for hair art, hair styling, hair accessories, nail art, manicure, pedicure, and Precious Moments tattoos; BluGre Onsite Coffee Bar for adult guests with Jamie’s Specials: Brewed Coffee, Latte, Cappuccino, Durian Gatchpuccino, Larcepuccino Mocha and Larcepuccino Cookies and Cream. We also had Superscoop Ice Cream cart and a chocolate fountain corner”, enumerates the meticulous mom.

Precious Moments extravaganza

Kiddie giveaways were Precious Moments loot bags with goodies and toys and PM stickers. Each loot bag had its own metallic take home balloon.

For the female tweens, the Abadillas gave out heart-shaped Precious Moments tin cans with PM fortune cookies and candies; while for the male tweens, blue PM pens.

The adults received pink baby bottle favor boxes with the PM fortune cookies as well as assorted PM favor boxes with different fruit-flavored candies.

The two-tiered fondant birthday choco mud-flavored cake was a masterpiece by Natalie’s Cakes’ Booboo Maramba. The top tier was a sweet pastel yellow color creation with flowers, hearts and leaves as fondant accents, topped by a porcelain Precious Moments figurine stating “God Made Night and Day”. The bottom tier was a 12-inch round pink checkered cake patterned after the tin can giveaways.

In addition, the cake table contained other creations from Booboo---a cupcake tower with fondant toppers of flowers and butterflies, and cookie-lollies with fondant balloons and confetti patterned after the stage backdrop.

“For the entertainment, I was very delighted that my niece and nephews rendered a dance number. Astrochairs provided a clown who did a balloon twisting show, lots of games and a balloon burst. The finale was a bubble show with a dance number from the party hosts”, shares T-one.

Thanksgiving party

“When I was pregnant with Jamie in Singapore, she was actually diagnosed there to have Down syndrome. My husband and the entire family struggled in prayer, believing that since Jamie was a blessing from the Lord then He will give no problems to her (Proverbs 10:22 “The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, and He adds no trouble to it.”).

True enough, Jamie turned out completely normal and beautiful!”, exclaims T-one who together with husband Christian are both active members of Mosaic Ministries, the Singapore branch of Bread of Life Philippines, their church here in Davao.

The most recent trial occurred in Jamie’s first real birth date, November 18, 2008. The Abadillas had initially booked a birthday party for Jamie at McDonald’s to celebrate with family and friends in their absence.

“Unfortunately, Jamie had dengue fever three days prior to her birthday and so she had to celebrate her very first birthday in San Pedro Hospital, and worse, without us. That’s why my husband and I decided to throw Jamie a nice thanksgiving party which was unique, fun and truly unforgettable, as a way of making up for everything”, divulges T-one.

“In God’s goodness, our daughter recovered fast and our small, young family is now complete and together during the holidays. This is the reason for the very belated birthday party. Christian and I wanted to throw a thanksgiving party in honor of God’s goodness and faithfulness in our family, especially in our daughter’s life”, relates T-one.

After the memorable affair, the proud parents felt happy, relieved and overwhelmed, most especially since Jamie was hyper and in high spirits that night.

“It almost seemed like she understood she was the star of the night. Most of all, I felt very thankful to everyone, especially to our parents for their unending love and support for us and our daughter. I feel blessed that Jamie has them as her grandparents”, expresses T-one.

For the Abadillas, special occasions like these are indeed life’s most precious moments.

E-mail the author at mom.about.town.dvo@gmail.com. Visit www.mom-about-town.blogspot.com.

Saturday, January 3, 2009

The warrior is a child


"The warrior is a child"
Sun.Star Davao, Jan. 3, 2009

At first glance, Kevin Golosino seems just like any typical nine-year old boy. Precocious, ‘makulit’ and energetic, you wouldn’t think that he has already survived four surgical operations in his young life.

Born to Iluminado “Nady” and Stella Golosino in June 30, 1999, Kevin was diagnosed with an imperforate anus when he was a newborn.

“An imperforate anus is a defect that occurs during the fifth to seventh weeks of fetal development. With these defects, the anus (opening at the end of the large intestine through which stool passes) and the rectum (area of the large intestine just above the anus) do not develop properly”. (Source: www.cincinnatichildrens.org)

“One hour after being born, the doctors performed a colostomy on Kevin. As a result, his stools were moved through the intestine drain into a bag attached to the abdomen. At two years old, he had a second operation na ginawaan ng butas ang puwet niya. After three months, through another surgery, the colostomy was closed”, shares dad Nady.

The heart of the matter

Other disorders associated with an imperforate anus include “spinal abnormalities, kidney and urinary tract malformations, tracheal and esophageal defects and disorders and congenital heart defects”.

In Kevin’s case, through a two-dimensional echocardiography or 2D Echo, a heart murmur was discovered. He had a congenital heart disease.

At five years old, Kevin encountered a problem with his heart. His nails turned blue and he was easily out of breath.

The doctor advised the Golosinos to bring Kevin to the Philippine Heart Center in Manila. He needed a surgical operation to correct the Tetralogy of Fallot.

“Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is an uncommon condition involving defects within the heart structures of infants and young children. Together, these defects result in oxygen-poor blood flowing out of the heart and into the body. It occurs in about five out of every 10,000 babies. With early diagnosis followed by appropriate treatment, the majority of children with TOF live into adulthood”. (Source: www.mayoclinic.com)

To prepare for the heart operation in 2005, Nady applied for loans at the Davao City Water District (DCWD) where he is employed as a Principal Engineer Supervisor, and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).

But, unfortunately, even with the loans, they still had a difficult time raising the amount of five hundred thousand pesos to pay for the operation’s costs.

“We signed up for the Philippine Heart Center’s charity case. We waited and waited but there were a lot of cases that were piled up”, Nady sighs in frustration.

Nady also sought the help of a few political leaders but with disappointing results.
After six months of waiting, the money they loaned ran out and they had to go back to Davao.

Conquering tomorrow

Back in Davao, Kevin was so happy to be reunited with his caring and supportive siblings, Kimberly (20), Robrea (18), Kenneth (17) and Regin (15). He was also quite excited to be back in Maa Christian School and see his teachers and classmates.

However, the Golosinos were wary every time Kevin got sick with colds or cough. He would immediately be brought to the hospital for check-up.

“According to the doctor, some congenital heart disease patients suffer not from cardiac arrest but from complications. The heart cannot filter the blood properly. So, when Kevin has colds or cough, there is a tendency for the phlegm to reach the brain through the blood. Magkakaroon ng brain abscess”, illustrates Nady.

Last October 2008, one of the Golosinos’ worst fears came true, Kevin had brain abscess and had to undergo an operation that would cost two hundred thousand pesos.

The Golosinos’ compassionate community from the Couples for Christ, Singles for Christ and the Youth for Christ promptly organized a dinner for a cause dubbed as “A Night that Can Help a Child Conquer Tomorrow”. A total of one hundred thousand pesos was raised from the event.

“I am so thankful to my CFC community and our other relatives and friends for their generous donation. It really means a lot to our family”, expresses Nady.

Although the brain abscess was successfully taken out from Kevin, his neurosurgeon has warned that there is a chance for this condition to recur in less than a year.

“Until the surgical operation to correct the TOF is performed, Kevin is at risk and susceptible to infection”, explains Nady.

The warrior is a child

In spite of the many trials he has faced, Kevin’s unwavering faith in God has not faltered. The grade three honor student has a sunny disposition and continues to bring joy and happiness to the people around him.

He thanks God every time “he is stronger than yesterday” and considers every new day as a blessing.

As I watched the audio-visual presentation produced by the Youth for Christ showing Kevin’s life, I found it so appropriate that they chose the Christian song “The Warrior is A Child” by Twila Paris (locally performed by Gary Valenciano) as the theme song:
“Lately I've been winning battles left and right
But even winners can get wounded in the fight
People say that I'm amazing
Strong beyond my years
But they don't see inside of meI'm hiding all the tears
And they don't know that I go running home when I fall down
They don't know who picks me up when no one is around
I drop my sword and cry for just a while
'Cause deep inside this armor
The warrior is a child”

“Let us be agents of survival for a warrior who wants to win his battle”, the AVP ends with this touching message.

This 2009, I encourage everyone to make a meaningful difference in Kevin’s life by helping him conquer tomorrow! For pledges of support, you may reach Nady Golosino at (0919)4757191.

A Blessed New Year to all!

E-mail the author at mom.about.town.dvo@gmail.com. Visit www.mom-about-town.blogpsot.com.