Missus Bounty Basket

My phone rang or so I thought, it was an alarm for a reminder--1 st year anniversary.Oh!yes, first year. How time flies. Last year we've got married and signing another name after using my father's for a long, long time was weird. Some people would ask me, after weeks into married life, if things changed. At that time, I would say that nothing had changed, it felt like having my boyfriend around me everyday, having misunderstanding and then patching things up. Is it different after a year into marriage? Well, we still have misunderstanding, and now-- my ever present mood swings, his clutter, my desire to have our humble abode spic and span, his no-stress approach, my now attitude, etc.etc., and there's Karen. She made our lives a lot more different. Our priorities have changed, the apartment is turned upside down and as a couple,we are still learning our own "mode d'emploi" of marriage. So just like Karen who is making improvement everyday, our marriage i

Now that Karen is 7 months old, it's time for me to find a job but the thought of not being there all the time is upsetting. I feel that I am not ready yet for this kind of separation. We are just starting to get to know each other and she is beginning to get used to my company. We are starting to have fun and I want to be near her when she needs Nanay. To be there when she cries and wants a cuddle. To see her day to day improvement. There are so many " what if's" in my mind that paralyze me. I know that this is not good. Then the need to justify myself sets in--that I am a first time mother--but deep inside I also know for a fact that millions of mothers went through this and that to be a full time Nanay is not an option for now. So in the meantime, between job-hunting and making the apartment safe for her , I forge a loving relationship with my daughter. The one with quality time. Something she will always cherish and be proud of.

I have seen these in a shop near us and thought that this is a clever way to recycle those tetra packs. Just look at that zesto belt. These products made from Olongapo City, are distributed by Magasin du monde .They carry many handicrafts,cosmetics and food products from around the world.

He claimed that he took french course during college and that his name can attest to that. Well, beau which means handsome really sounds Bo when you pronounce it. Bo or Beau, it doesn't really matter. What's important is the man behind that name who is an accomplished person and is changing people's lives. After England and Scotland, Bro.Bo Sanchez ' final stop was Switzerland. It was at the John Paul XXlll Parish Church in Petit Saconnex where he was warmly welcomed by the Pinoys living in Genève. His talk was centered on ways to be happy. I would like to share them in the hope that someone will be filled with happines and positive outlook in life. Four Ways To Be Happy Always be grateful (l Thessalonians 5:18) Focus on the good, on the blessings that God has given you. Always be trusting (1 Peter 5:7) Unload all your worries on Him,since He is looking after you! Focus on what you can control, worry not about the things you can't. Be passionate. Have an excit

Early afternoon: I was feeding Karen and zapping at the same time when my attention was caught by a reportage in ABE shown at TV5. They were talking about the test on feeding bottles containing Bisphenol A . They tested several plastic feeding bottles and the one my daughter is using was no.1 in their list. This worried me so much and the rest of my afternoon was spent trying to find glass feeding bottles. My first stop was Orchestra--nada, then off to Autour de Bébé, and there, I was told that after the reportage was shown last June 10,they ran out of stock and though it was unbelievably hot, away I went to another store. At last in Aubert, there were still two glass feeding bottles left on the shelf and I sighed with relief. I have thrown away my plastic feeding bottles but kept the rings and the nipples, hoping that I can replace them with glass. During my milk pumping days :) we bought the Medela paraphernalias minus the nipples,so now all I have to do is order them.Medela's

It seems that summer is here at last. After days of rain and gloomy weather,sun is shining. Flowers are blooming.They are sight to behold. I'd like to jump for joy but my hay fever is getting in the way. For sometime now my only shield are my eyeglasses with light green lenses.It somehow protect my eyes from the pollen but aside from that I still have itchy nose and throat and I sneeze a lot. I was prescribed eye drops and anti histamine tablets but didn't take the latter because I am still nursing Karen. I still can't bring myself to follow my doctor's advice,that what he prescribed will not affect my child. Sorry doc. Call me bullheaded but I don't take medicines that easily.My aversion from taking medication go back a long way and it won't be easy to change all that now. My only wish is that my daughter will not have this allergy.

Here in Genève we have celebrated the 110 th Independence Day of the Philippines last Saturday(June 14).The very first for my daughter. Having skipped the previous celebrations, I have proudly worn my team Manila shirt to make up for my absences ;). It was an exciting day for me as a mother because it felt like giving her a special gift. By being there,I hope to imbibe in her the love for the Philippines-it's history and the heroes who fought for the independence of our country.I'd like to show her that even in a foreign land,Filipinos have a sense of community. I want to let her know that she belongs to a country of great people. "One Nation,One Community,One Spirit" We came half way through the celebration.(with good excuse!)There were several lined up food stalls from various groups and mini tiangge.I have taken several brochures from the stall of Philippine Mission and yes...I know that Papa Piolo is coming soon!The afternoon was fired up by different presen

His Pavlova with whipped cream and fresh fruits is heavenly and this is just one of his many creations in his domain. A polyglot who still wants to expand his knowledge, Lorenzo dreams of travelling around the world and there is no stopping him! Who the heck is Lorenzo and why am I writing his story here? He is a part of 11 million OFWs - the New Heroes of our country, he is a son, a brother, a partner, whose sense of adventure and curiosity led him to where he is now. Where did it all begin? A 5 yr. stint as yacht steward in Greece made him realized the potentials he has. This served as the catalyst for him to move to Genève. His life in the city of Calvin suits him well,where he feels at home. Here, work is where his creativity is at its best and the kitchen is his own playground. Full of color, rich, and amusing. There are many projects for the future--french and german courses, more culinary training, B & B in Austria--the list is endless. But where will his gaze take him?

G enève is considered to be the 7th costly European city and finding ways to penny pinch needs more than just buying on sale. I consider myself a neophyte on frugal living and am looking forward to be in the ranking of the Frugal Zealot. ; ) So, how do I spend less? magazines --where to get them for free or under 5sf? family/friends-I let them know my interest on these. local library- they have loads of reading materials which can be taken home. American library -they sell magazines really cheap and recently I found the latest issue of The Garden for only 2sf. books --I still can't be 100% thrifty on these. Though I indulge myself from time to time to get a new one, mostly, I buy second hand-where? book sale Renfile Caritas kermesse (church/school) Karen's clothes --gifts from family and friends, otherwise I go to "Bourse aux Vêtements", they sell inexpensive children clothes in very good condition. The places I have mentioned are just few examples whe

Genève. Sunday. Weather--unpleasant. Mood? Ummm... Gear up ! Direction--open market in Plainpalais. Fruits, veggies, flowers, dry goods, croissants, etc.. and maybe, just maybe you will stumble across a bloodhound dog.

The Jet d'Eau, situated in Lake Geneva has also dressed up for the Euro 2008. Despite the gloomy weather there were a great number of Turkish and Portuguese fans that came to see their national team play today at 20h45 at the Stade de Genève. The Suisse national team will be playing against the Czech Republic in Bâle at 18h. I am not really a football fan, but seeing those enthusiastic people in the street with their team's paraphernalia was really amusing. While police hovered around, one supporter would start shouting his country's name --soon others would follow, then it was the opponent's fans turn and it just went on and on and on. The street became so alive with excitement, people started to smile, the gray surrounding suddenly looked so vibrant---it's just wonderful!! I love football!! Wait!! I think I have just seen a Ronaldo(#17-Portugese player) look-a-like! Again--I -am--not---a fan!! ; ) I repeat....

My friend and I set a play date for our daughters coz we both agree that it is very important for the two girls to get together as we are both keen for them to speak Tagalog. I think that this is a key role in forging their relationship. These two girls were both born in November--9 days apart. At 7 months old, it's great to see them try new things and "talk" to each other. We fondly call them "kape't gatas (café and milk). See those identical pj's?? Aside from talking to Karen in Tagalog, I also sing and recite the rhymes. Having a limited list, I sometimes ran out of songs and rhymes. But while visiting my family back home, my nephews and niece added one to my list. Do you know Tagalog rhymes and baby songs? Please don't hesitate to share yours. I'm sure a lot of Nanays out there will be happy to add them to their repertoire.

This is my birthday cake for Karen's godmother(Ninang) Fibs. Actually this is my second attempt. The first time I made it the cake was a bit purple, so this time I have added more food coloring and voila! It's better. A comment from a friend--she thought that the taste of the egg was prominent I wonder why??

When I was in the Philippines, I have turned a small plot into a flower and herbal garden following the techniques in square foot gardening. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to see them grow--I was told that the basil flourished. In the same plot, my Itay decided to grow a passion fruit , but after a year or so, it didn't bear fruit, so he just uprooted it. My desire to cultivate plants led me to opt for a window garden. We are living in an apartment without a terrace but we are lucky to have two large windows. So this is the only solution for me to have a garden within my reach. I have basil, parsley, coriander and lavender. Seeing that they are doing okay, I am planning to add four more plants to my collection. Do you want to share your window garden techniques? Feel free to post your ideas here.

I am a Cavitenã living here in Geneva, Switzerland. It has been almost two years since I have left the Philippines and my life has gotten into a new level now--I am married and have a 7 month old baby girl. This new experience called family life is so exciting and at the same time somewhat overwhelming. Being a first time Nanay, I have listened to a lot of advice from well meaning family and friends. I have scoured the flea market and the thrift shops for books on babies and parenting and I am still learning. I have found out that having someone from a different cultural background takes a lot of understanding, communication and acceptance on each other's part. This is my own observation and I am not talking about other people's experience. This is my story...

Friends asked me why I wanted to be called Nanay instead of Mommy,Mama or Mamman. Even my husband resisted to calling me that way. Bakit nga ba? First, I really love its sound, listening to someone calls you Nanay is like being transported back to one's childhood-reading Doon po sa amin. ; ) Secondly, I had called my grandmothers Nanay and these two women inspired me a lot. They had brought up their children with so much courage and love and somehow teaching my daughter Karen to call me Nanay is like instilling into her the unconditional love that my two Nanays had given their families. Lastly, I am talking to her in Tagalog (while my husband in french) and for me Nanay is the most appropriate term she can use to call me. I can't wait to hear her first word.