Wednesdays!

I'm coded on Wednesdays, and it kinda sucks to stay overtime at the office just waiting for the clock to say it's fine to leave. I mean, I don't mind working extra, but it gets kinda scary working all alone when you know 95% of the building's occupants have left.

I don't really enjoy hump days.

Well... except for deals like this from Daiso Japan (formerly called Saizen) that only happen on Wednesdays.

Yes, if there is one thing I hoard, it is tissue - what with kids with allergic rhinitis and all the sneezing. So this here is one welcome Wednesday treat.

*NOTE: The Wednesday Tissue Madness Promo is valid at Daiso Japan (Saizen) Robinsons Metro East and Robinsons Galleria only.

~~~*~~~

Visit a Daiso Japan store near you! 

Robinsons Galleria 
Trinoma 
Robinsons Place Manila 
Market! Market! 
Robinsons Metro East 
Robinsons Magnolia 
Pavillion Mall 
Robinsons Place Calasiao 
The District Mall Imus 
Robinsons Place Malabon 
Robinsons Place Palawan 
Robinsons Place Bacolod 
EMA Town Center Meycauayan 
Robinsons Centrio 
Robinsons Place CDO 
Robinsons Place Iloilo 
Ayala Center Cebu 
Robinsons Place Malolos 
Robinsons Place Butuan 
Ayala Abreeza Mall Davao 
Robinsons Place Tacloban 

Soon to Open: 
Robinsons Place Roxas 
Robinsons Place Isabela

| Check out Daiso Japan/ Saizen on Facebook
| Twitter: @SaizenbyDaiso
| Instagram: @saizenPH

FIVE!

My little boy turned five last month. I can't believe it. He will soon be out of his toddler years, and that makes me sad. To me, he is still my baby, but I know he can't stay small forever.

We weren't really planning a party for his 5th, but the kids at his school make it a point to celebrate their birthdays there, so RL was kinda expecting the same. That, plus the BentoMommas were sorta pushing for a bento party so I can practice my bento catering skills. LOL! So, this BentoMomma gathered all her energy to prep for a 30-minute bento party (yes, 30 minutes, maybe even less, because that's all the time you get for recess at the little boy's school).

We were going for Spidey, but thought it would be best to reserve Spidey for another occasion. Besides, Lightning McQueen would be easier for this Momma. So after researching and some serious net surfing, Momma came up with this:

Disney Cars Bento Party!

I made Lightning McQueen out of Spiced Ham (the taste suited the spaghetti, plus I liked its reddish hue), bread, cheese and nori. It sits on a bed of my special tri-noodle spaghetti. I served this with a cheese cake imprinted with Disney Cars characters, 3 pieces of chicken nuggets, a piece of gala apple sliced to resemble a checkered flag, and some gummy race cars. Yep, this Momma made 25 of these! 25! Can't say it was easy, but the results were very rewarding.

A closer look at Lightning McQueen...

I found some red reusable containers at the supermarket, and used that to hold the bento meals. Printed out a party tag and voila, this BentoMomma is now ready to do a little bit of bento catering (I hope I don't regret saying that, LOL). The thing with RL's preschool is - everything had to be reusable, so I was really careful with how I packaged everything.

I decorated the wooden utensils with red star washi tapes from Paper Chic Studio.

I ordered a Lightning McQueen cake from the neighborhood bakery (our favorite Orange Chiffon with their signature marshmallow icing!). It was a hit with the kids, although they didn't quite get to taste it, because after RL blew out the candles, it was time to head back to class.

They were thoughtful enough to incorporate the number 5 on McQueen's body. 

For giveaways, I used our leftover cups from the Family Day Bazaar and filled them with goodies - gelatin cups, M&Ms, Pocky, Chupa Chups, rainbow mentos, Chocolait drink, etc.

I found this cool Lightning McQueen candle, and RL actually had a total of 6 candles (5 small ones plus this one)
which I thought was a wrong move on my part, because he kept asking me "why 6". LOL!

It was a simple party, if you discount the prep time for the bento meals. I loved how the kids reacted to their meals (although it wasn't much of a surprise because these kids were used to seeing my little boy's bento lunch). I love how they appreciated what I prepared, so this was a very fulfilling experience.

This little girl was really digging into my tri-noodle spaghetti, and she kept saying it was "so good".
I can make you spaghetti forever, S!

The not-so-little boy posing with his birthday cake.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RL! 

To see more of my imBento work, follow me on Instagram at @momma_makes_imbento.
Looking for Bento tools? Check out the BentoMommas Facebook page here. 

Through the Years: RL on Disney Junior's Birthday Book

I've been sending RL's photo to Disney Junior Asia for more than a couple of years now. The goal is to get his photo on their December Birthday Book. The first year I tried, 2010, the post office either misplaced my snail mail or the photos didn't get to their SG office on time - never mind that I sent it months before December (August, I think that was). So the following year, I did the next best thing, I sent it via courier. Last year, they made it easier for us stage moms and allowed submission via email. This year, you aren't allowed to send it earlier than two months before your child's birthday, and you had to submit via their website.

A lot of my friends have been asking how to go about this (I am not alone!) so I am posting a quick explanation here.

From the Disney Junior Asia FB page:

"If you would like to see your children on Disney Junior's Birthday Book, simply submit the photographs of your children on Disney Junior's website http://www.disneyjunior-asia.com/birthday-book/ and also provide us details such as the Child's Name, Birth-date, your email address, name cable operator and subscriber number. 

Submit your child's best picture today and your child could be seen on Disney Junior's Birthday Book! Hurry, you need to send in the photograph 2 months before your child's birthday month!"

Easy, you think? Here are some points to take note of:

CABLE SUBSCRIBER 
You need to be a cable subscriber first. And your subscription must carry the Disney Junior channel. If your child gets to watch the channel at the grandfolks, then yes, go ahead and use their name and cable subscription number for your entry.

PHOTO SELECTION
Photos must be clear (no blurred photos!), current, featuring just your child and must be at least 1MB in size. So don't try getting yourself in the picture. Disney Junior will not choose that photo with you on it. Hehe.

TIME FRAME
Don't miss out on the time frame. The submission per birth month is open only on the month two months prior. So say, you want your child's photo to come out on February's Birthday Book, you must submit the photo within the month of December. Miss one day after December and the app on the website won't accept your entry. Also, only the first 100 entries will be accepted.

Good luck!

2011


2012


And finally, this year...


Catch RL on Disney Junior's Birthday Book for December! Happy Birthday, Little Man!

When Life Gets in the Way.

I guess you probably guessed that the last quarter of the year isn't exactly blogging season for me. A lot of things happen during this time, and I always find myself missing from the blog. Truthfully, as much as I want to get some writing done, something or someone would always get in the way.

It started towards the start of October, what with buying duties for the office, A getting Dengue, work overseas, meeting overseas, more buying for the office, the kids' family days in school, Christmas Sale at the office, R coming home, R leaving, R coming home again... You get the picture.

A getting her blood work done for the Dengue NS1 test, which later came out positive!

Work on Superstar Virgo for the Starfield gig.

Meeting with Hillsong in HongKong right when Yolanda hit the Visayas.

Family Day with the BentoMommas!

Today, I promised I'd get some writing done. But as I looked at that sheet of "Things to Write About", I felt I needed to get an explanation out first. Yes, the last quarter of the year will always be busy for me.

And no, I haven't had any Christmas shopping, what more wrapping and delivery, done. So far, I've only been able to plan. RL's birthday is happening next week, and already, I am stressing over how I'm going to get those Bento meals done for, wait for it, 25 people plus maybe one more (23 kids, 1 teacher, 1 teaching assistant and maybe the lady guard up front by the school gate). Just thinking about it is making me regret even texting RL's teacher that I was planning something for Monday.

Then all those parties. Did I mention I haven't done any of my Christmas shopping? I used to get about 80% done by September. Argh!

So yes, life is getting in the way, but do know I am thinking about you, readers. I owe you tons.