Happy Year of the Sheep

Me and my husband are born in year of the sheep (a giveaway of our age :) )
Let's learn more about it.

1.The Chinese Zodiac : Sheep

Book:  Charlie Needs a Cloak.

It is about sheep's wool and how to make it.

An informative book, combined with very cute drawings of Tomie dePaola.

Recalling a Field Trip at the Zoo

I remember the sheep we saw at the zoo, it bleated as my daughter came near it. She kept on repeating saying baaaaaa and never forgot them.

Photo taken at Avilon Zoo

Playing and Learning

Before the new year arrived we were playing with our sheep toys together with a book of course!

daughter riding this sheep with a giddy-yup

Chinese Language

 Chinese Word Yang means sheep,
written at the red lantern little bear is holding

Suggested Field Trip:  

Once I saw a sheep being sheared, maybe one day I could bring my kids and see them.

Since it is not a common in our country, (we are a tropical country and we have more goats than sheep) you might feel a little uncomfortable when the sheep's being pinned down for shearing.

Photo from Wikipedia

2. Chinese New Year festivities

Glutinous Rice

This year we were not able to go to Chinatown, but bought Tikoy instead. Gave away to friends,  lucky to receive one they say.

bought a nearby Chinese store

Gold Chocolate Coins at the table

Best part of it? Eating the chocolates of course!

Happy Chinese New Year, may luck be with every decision you make!

Making Money & Guama's Birthday

We came to a habit of reading in line with upcoming events or whatever comes up with my daughter's ideas. If it is her idea, her interest is high, and learning is easy.

A grandmother's birthday is coming for Ruby and Max in this book.

Going out to buy, counting and spending with a budget was our main goal. The real shopping, we leave it for later. For now it is a pretend day!

1. Craft: Let's make money.

hope making real  money is easy as this

2. Math: Lets's count money

how much do we need?

3. Celebrations: Birthday and its significance

Gift for Guama (Grandmother)

4. Creativity: Pretend Play

my daughter said 'when my brother grows up, he'll be Max and me Ruby'
(book characters),  as of now, I am the stand in for Max

5. Experiencing it: Celebrating the day

excited for chocolate cake

Happy birthday to my Guama!

It's Fiesta!

Fiesta, a festival, a tradition we inheritted from the Spaniards, means food, dance and music and the don't forget the most important reason of its celebration is done in honor of a saint.

St John Bosco's feast day is 31st of January, hence celebrated on the nearest Sunday.

1. Read: Getting to know Don Bosco

Available at Don Bosco Makati Bookstore

2. Listen: Part of the celebration is the band that plays annually.

Several bands played around the Barangay

3. Movement: Learning to march

- daughter and I are marching around the house

left & right, walking in coordination as we practice to march like them

4. Read along book

- We read this before, and seeing the band play the instruments made my daughter smile even more.

The neighborhood enjoyed all the festivities, from the pageants, to bingo bonanza! 

But keep in mind the essence of the fiesta is to let the life of the saints be a reminder of how we can spend our life in the service of others.