Making Mommy Time

Was glad I find this kind of meme- Mom-Me Time hosted by RJ's mom. It's a reminder for all moms out there to find a few minutes (or more!) each day to relax and focus on yourself. 

As a mom to a two-year-old boy and a pre-school teacher, I badly need a "Me" time to just relax and recharge. Usually on weekdays I don't have a second to spare from the moment I wake up 'til the moment I hit my head on the pillow. So, I see to it that on weekends, I find mommy time vital to be refreshed and ready to be mom again!

What did I do yesterday? After church I took a nap with Hyzyd. When we woke up, I let him watch his favorite cartoon while I relax by reading a good book – Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. I'm still on page 50 and I plan to continue reading it in school during my lunch breaks. Here's the synopsis of the novel:

California’s gold country, 1850. A time when men sold their souls for a bag of gold and women sold their bodies for a place to sleep. Angel expects nothing from men but betrayal. Sold into prostitution as a child, she survives by keeping her hatred alive. And what she hates most are the men who use her, leaving her empty and dead inside. Then she meets Michael Hosea. A man who seeks his Father’s heart in everything, Michael Hosea obeys God’s call to marry Angel and to love her unconditionally. Slowly, day by day, he defies Angel’s every bitter expectation until, despite her resistance her frozen heart begins to thaw. But with her unexpected softening come overwhelming feelings of unworthiness and fear. And so Angel runs. Back to the darkness, away from her husband’s pursuing love, terrified of the truth she can no longer deny: Her final healing must come from the One who loves her even more than Michael Hosea does…the One who will never let her go. A life-changing story of God’s unconditional, redemptive, all-consuming love. Over 1 million copies sold!

I also treat myself by watching movie. Last night, I watched a family fantasy flick "Zokkomon" . ZOKKOMON is an action adventure film about an ordinary boy who overcomes extraordinary challenges. Kunal, played by Darsheel Safary, is an orphaned boy, who discovers how cruel life is when he is abandoned by his heartless uncle. Left to fend for himself, Kunal discovers the hero within and begins his epic journey of adventure and transformation to become ZOKKOMON. I tell you, the film is an easy, breezy watch but is deeper than your normal fluff in the name of children’s films. There are some nice dialogues, an interesting premise where the protagonists use superstition to get the villagers to stop believing in it, and some great songs.

 I can't wait to explore next time some other ME time aside from reading and watching. Manicure? Pedicure? Spa or taking OxyElite Pro could be considered Mom-Me time? Perhaps,Yes, because I took the time to treat the tubby spots of my body..he..he..don't you think?

I can't wait to visit other mom's entries. I'm eager to know how they spend their Mom-Me Time.

Fun things to do in your backyard

If you're sick and tired of modern technology and sometimes you just want to get away, have you ever thought that your own backyard could be a perfect place to relax and enjoy?

Here are some fun things you can do in your backyard:
1. Grab a blanket, spread it on the grass and watch the cloud.
2. Invite friends for a scavenger hunt!
3. Play hide and seek.
4. Take a nap outside under the shade of a tree.
5. If you have any good trees, climb them!
6. Bring couch outside, sit down there with a book and a glass of lemonade.
7. You could build a fire pit. Having a nice glowing fire pit around creates nice ambiance.
8. Start gardening and get heaps of flowers or vegetables!
9. Backyard picnics. They're both convenient and fun.
10. Backyard barbecue. Whether you're cooking steaks or hot dogs--almost everything tastes better when you cook it outside.

There are so many ways to have fun in your backyard. Care to share some?

Just Beautiful: Up in the sky

I found it captivating seeing Hyzyd's finger pointing to the clouds on his first flight going to Philippines.

From being a night owl to an early riser

“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise” – Ben Franklin

What time do you wake up? As for me , I developed this habit of waking at 3:00 AM for more than a year now. I was once a night owl but was first forced to switch to an early riser when I got a toddler and had discovered my passion in blogging. It has been a godsend breakthrough. I couldn't specifically pinpoint any health benefits of rising early but I could cite some great benefits of rising early.  It has helped me in so many ways that I’d never go back. Here are just a few:

Photo Via:Medical
Assistant

1. Have a meaningful time with God. Doctors tell us that the most important meal of the day is breakfast. It often determines our energy levels, alertness, and even moods for the day. Likewise, we need a "spiritual breakfast" to start our day off right. In the morning our minds are uncluttered from the day's activities. Our thoughts are fresh, we're rested; tensions have not yet come on us, and it's usually the quietest time. With a kid around the house and work as a pre-school teacher,  early morning is my only time when it is quiet and I can be alone with God. It works for me.

2. Amazing start. I used to start my day by jumping out of bed, late as usual, and rushing to get myself  ready and come in to work late. I would walk into work, looking rumpled and barely awake, grumpy and behind everyone else. Not a great start to my day. Now that I have a renewing morning ritual, I’ve gotten so much done before 7 a.m. We ate breakfast at 6:00 a.m and arrived at school before 7:30. 

3.Have time for Breakfast. Rise early and you actually have time for breakfast. As I mentioned earlier,  it’s one of the most important meals of the day. Without breakfast, your body is running on fumes until you are so hungry at lunchtime that you eat whatever unhealthy thing you can find- usually with lots of fats and sugar. But eat breakfast, and you are sated until later. 

4. Exercise. There are other times to exercise besides the early morning, of course, but I’ve found that while exercising right after work is also very enjoyable, it’s also liable to be canceled because of other things that come up. Morning exercise is virtually never canceled.

5. Productivity. Mornings, for me at least, are the most productive time of day. I like to do some writing in the morning, when there are no distractions, before I check my email , blog stats, and Facebook. I get so much more done by starting on my work in the morning. Then, when evening rolls around, I have no work that I need to do, and I can spend it with family.