something funny

Here's a funny story. As we were getting ready to head out this morning, the little guy pointed at me and said, "Mama look like Dora!". I just had to take a quick shot of what I was wearing to show you. Then he continued to say, "Bud is Boots.". Haha!

If it's any consolation, I'm glad his comment sounded very straight, if you know what I mean.

What made you laugh out loud today?

p.s.
In case you are not familiar with Dora, she's a precocious little girl who wears orange shorts.

the navy blazer

This spring, one of my closet staples is the navy blazer. Without fail, it makes any casual outfit look more put together while still looking relaxed. It just goes well with everything, don't you agree?

blue jeans

colored pants

 

cargo pants

 

shorts

 

an all white ensemble

photos from here, here, here , here and here

pretend play

Do you recall back in the day when playtime meant playing bahay-bahayan (house), office-office and tinda-tindahan (market)? I remember getting a kick out of pretending to be an office manager writing checks and receipts, answering the telephone and pounding on the calculator. When we weren't playing office, we would be outside pretending to be market vendors selling meat and vegetables using carefully selected rocks and leaves. Those were the good old days. Playtime didn't necessarily involve toys. All we needed were a few props and a lot of imagination.

As a parent, I am a huge advocate of pretend play. The Mister and I really make a conscious effort to refrain ourselves from buying the little guy too many toys. We encourage him to find creative ways of playing with everyday things and use his imagination. Today, I brought out some items from the pantry and gave him two paper bags so he could play market-market. He had a blast putting his groceries in his paper bag and hauling them to his imaginary car then arranging them back onto his makeshift pantry shelves. That kept him busy for an hour or so. Just enough time for me to finish up some chores before we headed out to the playground.

How do you keep your toddlers busy?

spring cleaning

Today is officially the first day of spring. You know what that means? It's time for the annual spring cleanup! Sorry to be the one to break the news to you, Bunnies. Let me make it up to you by sharing this helpful checklist from our favorite domestic diva, Martha Stewart, to make the work more manageable.

Happy cleaning!

playground season

Bunnies, I have a confession to make. Lately, I have been obsessing about getting myself a pair of yellow sneakers. My current pair of canvas sneakers needs to be retired soon and I have been on the lookout for a replacement. After seeing this photo, I've been convinced that a a new pair of sneakers in yellow would be perfect for playground season. Serendipitously, as I clicked on my favorite blogs this morning, I was greeted by this post. Fate?

 

Wearing yellow just gives that extra spring into your step, don't you think?

spring colors

 gastrochic

Spring doesn't officially start until March 20 but it already feels like it here in our part of the world. I just love that we can finally take walks outside again without being uncomfortably cold. We even visited the zoo this weekend and had an outdoor lunch picnic to celebrate the warm-er weather.

Speaking of celebrating spring, don't you just love these bright-colored outfits? I never thought of mixing pink and yellow until today. And I'm totally lusting over her yellow jacket! I want!

toddler-approved recipe: nutella-dipped strawberries

Now here's another yummy way to eat strawberries - dip them in Nutella! Well, it's more like smother it with some of that chocolate hazelnut goodness.

Did you know that a tablespoon of Nutella is only 100 calories? Doesn't sound so sinful, does it? So, go ahead, indulge and let me know how you like it.

travel wardrobe staples

Do you have favorite items in your closet that you just grab and pack when you need to travel? I do! Here are some pieces I could count on to give me a lot of style mileage when I need to pack light. A mix of basic tops, flirty prints and pops of color. Add a chambray shirt and a couple of jersey dresses and I am ready to go.

As for shoes, I always bring a pair of nude flats, my trusty pair of neon yellow leather sandals, and a pair of tan wedges for dressier occasions and nights out.

What are your travel staples?

sun, sand & surf

In case you were wondering why I've been awfully silent lately, it was because we went home to Manila for a much awaited reunion with our families. Of course, no vacation in the Philippines is complete without a visit to the beach. On our first week in the homeland, we headed straight to Boracay for a 5-day getaway. It was a warm welcome to feel the sun on my skin again after months of being bundled up in winterwear. But it was the little guy who really had a blast! As soon as we got to our resort, he ran to the beach, picked up a handful of sand and jumped in the water. He was fearless. I had to keep reminding myself it was okay to be spontaneous, we were on holiday.

5 days in Boracay was not enough even if all we did was swim, lounge and eat. We didn't even have time to do any of the touristy stuff like hop from island to island, snorkle, sail or ride the flyfish. Speaking of tourist-traps, can I just say, the fruit shakes from Jonah's are highly overrated. A fruit shake is a fruit shake. You can get the same fruit shake from other establishments like Jony's (just a few doors down from Jonah's) for a few pesos less. And one more thing about the shakes - I know Philippine mangoes are sweet but not that sweet. The shakes are laced with so much sugar so I always request mine prepared with only half recipe of the syrup.

If you've never been to Boracay, you definitely must go at least once to experience the powdery white sands and the clear waters. If you're looking to stay in Station 1, Sur is a great boutique resort to try. It's located right beside Two Seasons but rooms are a fraction of the cost. The staff are friendly and rooms are clean and comfortable. Even the food was unexpectedly good.