Cintai Corito's Garden: Our Villa

Before summer is completely over, we were able to take one more little vacation with the family. This time, we went to Cintai Corito's Garden in Batangas. I chanced upon this place from a friend's photos in Facebook. After asking her about it and doing some research of my own, I decided to book an overnight stay through Agoda.com. I was able to get a Garden Villa, good for 6 adults with breakfast, for P11,550 (kids 12 y/o below who will be sharing beds with parents are free of charge).

We got there a little early at around 12noon, but we were advised that we could check-in at 1:30pm. I read from reviews that the food here was a little pricey (P550 per head) and not that great, so we opted to have lunch outside. There are a few restaurants just 10 minutes away near the Lipa area, like Hap Chan, Max's and Uncle Cheffy (where we ate).

We were ready to check-in by the time we got back. Since the place is really huge and sprawling, it was a bit confusing getting to our villa from the reception area. We had to drive the car around the back road so that it would be nearer our room and easier to unload our stuff (and with 6 adults and 2 kids, we had a LOT of stuff). Plus, we still had to walk quite a bit from the drop-off point. But once we saw our villa, we got all excited!

hooray for full-length "mirror" sliding doors!

love the high ceiling and the kulambo factor on the middle bed ;p

the kids loved jumping on the bed - my poor Sabe fell though and got a bukol :(

there was also a small daybed but we just used it to place all our stuff (pang overnight ba kamo? ;p)

There is no TV and Wi-Fi in the rooms (you have to go to their game room), but I brought my laptop and a portable DVD player to keep everyone busy. There is also a refrigerator (with complementary bottled water) and an electric kettle.

And I totally loved the large bathroom! I swear, it was even bigger than a hotel room I've stayed in haha! With a lot of people staying in one room, double sinks and a huge shower really help save time. :)

the shower area was so big my mom and I were able to give both kids a bath at the same time! 

There was a lounge area and a kubo outside the room that was also perfect for just making tambay or having drinks.

Sabe enjoying the welcome drinks

ready to go swimming!

can I just say, my little girl knows how to pose better than me! lol! ;p

They also have a personal butler service, which is basically a staff assigned to you to assist you during your stay. She was the one who showed us where the facilities were, arranged our breakfast, and all the other activities we wanted to do. Since the place is really huge, I guess a butler is really a must since the amenities are so far from one another. She also gave us a lot of mangoes to take home before we left which was really nice! ;p

You can read my post HERE on the rest of the resort's facilities and HERE on the activities we did. :)

Cintai Corito’s Garden

 Sitio Pandayan, Malabanan Balete, Batangas | View Map
 Mobile: +63917.833.1508 / +63917.833.1728
 coritosgarden@gmail.com

How we chose our daughter's preschool

A few months ago, I posted about how I was looking for a preschool for my 3 year old daughter Miley. We went on a tour of 4 schools near our area and Miley had trial classes in 2 of them. I hope you understand if I don't share the names of the schools here in my blog. It's just that I want to keep where my kids would go to school private. :) Anyway, I'll just share with you the pros and cons of each school and how we ended up with our final choice. I'm sure like every parent, choosing the right school for your child can be quite a challenge.

School 1 was the nearest to our place. It was also the smallest among all the schools we visited. There was only 1 classroom per level, so about 4 classrooms total. Hubby liked it because since it was so small, he figured Miley wouldn't be overwhlemed and matututukan un kids. But I felt that it lacked the school setting that would prepare her for big school. The tuition fee was reasonable but I kinda wasn't feeling the teachers when Miley had her trial class...

Miley showing her artwork after trial class

School 2 was one of the top choices in the area. It also had the most expensive tuition fee at a whopping 100k! But you could see why because the school was immaculate, the classrooms were big, the facilities looked clean and new, plus they had a huge play area for the kids. We had a number of friends whose kids go here and they kept raving about the place. So it was so hard because even though we would love to send our kids here in a heartbeat, the tuition fee was just no joke.

we had quite a hard time asking Miley to leave the play area ;p

School 3 was also a highly recommended school in our area. In fact, the daughter of a friend goes there. We went on a school tour and although everything looked impressive, I felt that the atmosphere was too strict and the teaching style wasn't for me. The tuition fee was also really expensive (a small difference with School 2).

School 4 was where Miley had her 1st trial class. I guess she had the most fun here because when we would ask her after where she wanted to go to school, she would consistently say this one. The school was just the right size and it had all the facilities I was lacking in School 1 - an activity area and even a kitchen for cooking and art activities. I also liked the teachers - in fact, the directress also lives in our village (um, pwede maki-carpool? lol!). The tuition fee was also very reasonable.

all set for school!

After much deliberation, we figured that although we would love to send our children to the top preschool, it really isn't practical at this time. Basically, most of their time would be spent playing and singing and dancing. It's really the interaction with other kids and discipline we want to foster. And as my father-in-law said, it's not about the school, the most important thing is having good teachers. Plus, with my son starting school next year as well, we have to be practical considering we're a single-income family. I mean, we have about 18 years of tuition to pay for (x2! eeep!). Maybe I really should start working again? ;p

Well, I'm happy to say that School 4 satisfied all our requirements - location (about 15 minutes from our place), teaching method (progressive), good facilities (they're currently renovating and improving some of the classrooms and other areas), teacher-student ratio (8 kids per class with a teacher & aide), and of course, a reasonable tuition fee (in fact this was the cheapest among the 4 schools yey!).

We enrolled her in the afternoon section since she has a hard time waking up (because she sleeps late!). Plus, it's just more convenient for our schedules.

They encourage incoming new students to take a summer program to prepare them for when classes start in June. We enrolled Miley and it was so much fun! I'll tell you all about it in my coming posts. :)

One fine day

I have to admit, there are days that I just want to stay at home to watch TV, catch up on my blogging, and find time to do all my DIY projects. Of course going to the mall is another thing, I'm always game for that. :) But what I'm saying is that sometimes, I tend to forget that my kids need to experience and play in the outdoors too. I'm embarrassed to say that there are moments when I have such a hard time prying my kids away from watching cartoons or playing with the iPad. I guess turning on the TV or handing them the iPad is such a easy excuse to get a little time for yourself. But what I need to keep reminding myself is to allow them to experience the simple joys in life, just like what we had before all this technology was invented.

So one afternoon, we all trooped to the park for a little picnic and tea time. I brought Miley's teacups and saucers and that's where we drank juice and ate cookies. I swear, I think I was the one who was enjoying the most! It just brought me back to when I was a kid with me and my cousins. Back then, we loved spending time in the playground, or just laying around in the grass looking for bugs and picking flowers.

cheers!

After, it was time for some kite flying. The kids kept running around trying to get the kite up. The breeze wasn't that strong at first but after a few tries, Miley had some luck!

We were just in time for "golden hour", which is the last hour of sunlight during the day. They say this is the best time to take pictures because it produces really dramatic results. What do you think? I totally love all the shots hubby took, especially the ones below with the sunlight piercing through the trees. And I totally didn't realize it, but both Sabe and I ended up going barefoot! We took our shoes off when we were having our picnic and once we started flying the kite, I guess we just forgot to put them back on. And let me tell you, the feeling was so liberating haha!

this is my absolute favorite shot from the day :)

I swear, this was one of the best afternoons we've had. I promise myself that I will make time for more of these moments, so the kids can learn to appreciate nature and bonding with family all the more. :)

Best Starts with Dad

Growing up, my father was never around since he had to work abroad. I remember how our relationship was formed through letters and long distance phone calls (I have to say that Facetime and Skype is really such a blessing now!). I remember being so jealous of my other classmates and friends when their dads would pick them up from school or be around for family day. In my case, I got to spend time with my dad when we would visit him during the summer. 

I remember one particular time when it was my 10^th birthday and my dad was finally able to go home. He took me and my friends out to a movie and then to Glico’s after (remember that place in Glorietta? It was the coolest hangout for us kids back then! ;p). I remember being so proud and happy that my dad was finally there in the flesh.

Even though my dad wasn’t there physically most of the time, he still taught me valuable lessons in life. Like how to be a strong and independent woman. I learned to be tough at a young age because it was just me and my mom. I became an achiever in school. I strived more and was determined to succeed and make everyone, especially my dad, proud of me.

Now, having children myself, I’m so thankful that they can spend time with their dad growing up, unlike me. Like my mom, I also became a housewife so that I can be the one to raise my kids. Of course most children are really more attached to their mothers at a young age because it’s the moms, especially stay-at-home ones, who spend the most time with them. I’m sure every father has felt unappreciated and even unwanted at some point in their lives. I remember this post I saw online about how when the kids are with their moms, they ask so many questions like “Mom can I eat this?”, “Mom, can I go out?”, “Mom, can I watch this?” etc etc. But when they’re left alone with their dad, they only ask one thing – “WHERE’S MOM?” hahaha! Actually I can relate, but that doesn’t mean that a father’s role is any less important.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - I am so thankful to my hubby for being so encouraging and allowing me to stay at home while he works to support us. I know he, like many other fathers, has missed out on special moments and milestones. They sacrifice this in order to give their family the best life possible. But it just proves how strong they are because I’m sure any dad would gladly give anything to spend more time with his kids if he could.

That is why I find it so great that Mead Johnson Nutrition recognizes not just mothers but fathers as well in giving the best starts for their kids. Hubby has been so hands on as a father ever since and he still is until now. I know I wouldn’t have handled being a new mother as well without him being there every step of the way. But I’ll be honest. There are times that I go crazy at home with 2 rowdy kids turning the house upside down, fighting with each other, wanting my undivided attention when all I want is a minute to myself. This is when hubby steps in, taking the kids while I take a few deep breaths to calm myself down. After a while, I find them in their room, laughing and playing with their dad like nothing was wrong 10 minutes ago (I guess good cop / bad cop really does work ;p). But seriously, I think dads are there to balance out us crazy, dramatic moms! And when the kids don’t want to listen to me, I find that asking dad to talk to them sometimes works better. ;p

As our kids are growing up so quickly, I’m glad that I have their dad here to help me raise our children to be strong, well-rounded individuals. I recall this quote “Any man can be a father. It takes someone special to be a dad.” And I am lucky that the man I married has turned out to be such a loving, devoted and wonderful dad. Even though he comes home tired from work, he makes an effort to play with the kids, take them to the park, and the most important duty of all - wash their butts after they do number 2 (he really is an expert already haha!). We still have a long road ahead of us (both kids will be in school already by next year, and I don’t even want to think about the teenage years!) but I think we have a pretty good foundation which hopefully will translate well even as our kids become adults in the future. J

With Father’s Day coming up, celebrate your child's Best Starts in life with Dad with Mead Johnson Nutrition, makers of Enfakid A+ and Lactum 3+ & 6+, by sharing your best father and child photo. Like the Best Starts with Dad Facebook page, upload your photo and you can get a chance to win a MacBook Air, iPhone 5, and iPad Minis.

You can even get a FREE photo shoot for your kids with their dad (follow Best Starts with Dad for details) and use it as an entry. Visit the Shangri-La Plaza Atrium on May 18-19 and get that Best Start father and child moment captured on camera!

Below is a heartwarming video from Mead Johnson Nutrition that features REAL fathers (not actors). Watch them deliver messages of hopes and wishes for their children.

What is your Best Start with Dad?

Cheers to dads everywhere! ;p

*sponsored post

My future artist

I bought Miley her very first set of finger paints since I really want to encourage her creativity. I'd always loved drawing and painting ever since I was a kid and I hope that by starting her young, she would grow up to love it too. :)

She was so excited when I opened the colors up and showed her that she should use her hands to draw whatever she liked. She was a bit hesitant at first, just using the tips of her fingers all the while with a look on her face that was like "are you SURE you're letting me do this mommy?" haha!

After she was convinced that I was okay with whatever mess she would make, that's when she started to REALLY get into it...

After a while, she was so amazed with the paint on her hands that she started to paint HERSELF with it! I let her have her fun for about 5 more minutes, then we went straight to the shower (even I was covered in paint haha!). Just remember to always make sure you get non-toxic, washable paint so that it's safe for the kids and easy to wash off. :)

After a few weeks, I bought her new paints, a canvas, and some brushes (although she did end up still using her hands). I loved how she would keep mixing the colors while saying stuff like "red plus blue is purple!" (yes, even I'm amazed at the things she knows). She did so much better this time and we were so impressed with the finished product!

Isn't it gorgeous? It totally looks like a legit abstract painting to me and I can't wait to hang it up! Who knows, it might actually be worth something someday right? ;p

I voted today! Did you?

I'm proud to say that I've voted in every election since I became a registered voter. I almost broke the streak today since I'm still registered in my old precinct and I wasn't really looking forward to going all the way there just to vote (I'm amazed at people who go home to their provinces just to vote! kudos to them ;p). Luckily, we were able to stay with my mom during the weekend, so we just extended to today so I could go with her. :)

Anyway, we headed to the voting area bright and early at 7am. On the way there, people were handing out sample ballots like those below. It's so obvious who were giving them out since they really highlight  who to vote for, especially for the mayor and councilors.

so who will you vote for?

the school where the voting was held in our area

we still had a hard time finding our classroom despite this map

There were already quite a number of people there when we arrived. In our assigned classroom, there were probably 10 people ahead of us in line, but they kept letting senior citizens and pregnant women go first. This was understandable, but then we noticed that there was this 1 woman who didn't even seem pregnant who cut in line (not to be mean but she was on the heavy side and had a big stomach). The volunteers were clear that they were only prioritizing pregnant women 7 months up. Now I've been pregnant twice and I sure know what a pregnant woman looks like. But this girl's stomach honestly just seemed flabby. And even if she was pregnant, it sure wasn't 7 months. She and her other companions were kind of laughing like they got away with it. Even the other people in line started to notice and complain and they notified the volunteers. Good thing the woman did go back to the line after they questioned her. I was just so annoyed that people would do anything just to gain a few extra minutes. If we all just line up properly (and honestly) I'm sure things would go much quickly and smoothly.

the waiting room where you find your precinct number by looking for your name on the list

We were finally able to enter the voting room with the PCOS machine. Again, there were people who they allowed to go first since they were from the COMELEC daw (but shouldn't these people set a good example by lining up properly like the rest of us? haaaaay). Also, I noticed that they didn't even ask for IDs. :(

It only took me a few minutes to vote, but there were some people who were taking so long it was like they were taking an actual exam hehe! And some were still asking how many senators or councilors to vote for even if it was clearly stated in the ballot (can I just say I happened to see someone just vote for 1 senator?! I happened to glance by his ballot when we were lining up to submit it and he just had 1 black mark in the senator section... Uh-oh!).

Anyway, it took us a total of 1 hour to vote. I guess it wasn't so bad compared to others, but I also saw on FB that some only took 10 minutes in their area. As they say, you really can't complain about the people in office if you didn't exercise your right to vote. I'm just hoping and praying that qualified and deserving people get elected to office.

Happy Mother's Day!

To all the beautiful moms out there, today is our day! :)

source

And take a look at this card Miley made me from her summer school. Awwww, isn't it the sweetest? :) Looking forward to more cards like this in the future from my kids... ;p

Have a great Sunday everyone!