Honey, I shrunk the Chinoiserie

You know it's a trend when even kids clothes following it.

Thus is the case of the Chinoiserie that has been mentioned here a few days ago. During a routine visit to The SM Store, this super cute and super fashionable ensemble caught my eye.

The top is a Chinese-inspired denim polo from Just Kids. It''s actually a boy's polo, but it'll also work for little girls. I actually got this for my apo, Sab. Luckily, they had a skort made of a similar material, and that's what I got to pair it with.

This ensemble is a perfect example of "small in size, big in style."

Taco treats!

After 3 years, the townhouse finally held the annual trick-or-treat activity!

The kids were undoubtedly excited and came out decked in their best costumes.

But my favorite part was our neighbor’s cute dog - Taco. He gamely manned their candy station, and it was really a treat to see him taking part of the festivities.

It really was a treat!

No tricks, all treats!

While there isn't an official Trick or Treat activity in our compound - and it's the 2nd year that we haven't had it - that doesn't stop us from putting together something for the neighbourhood kiddes.

The kids are actually regular visitors here at home. They drop by for lollipops and gummies from our snack pantry. And seeing them drop by brings joy to everyone here at home.

This is going to be a Halloween surprise for them, so they're in for a treat!

Let the Children's laughter...

Among the things that Alejandra wanted to accomplish while she was in Cebu was to visit and orphanage and spend time with kids.

Thanks to the speedy efforts of Kevin, he was able to coordinate with The Little Sisters of Christ The King - an orphanage and shelter being run by Franciscan Nuns in Talamban.

Both Ale and Kevin pooled their resources to buy lunch for the kids, as well as supplies that was much needed by orphanage. Since they're not funded by the government, they need all the help they can get for their daily living. Sister was saying that the rice, sugar, canned goods and other goodies will go a long way in helping them help the 24 kids under their care.

All the 24 kids introduced themselves and shared their dreams for the future. In the room, there were aspiring doctors, teachers, lawyers, flight attendants, accountants, chefs and journalists. Amazingly, their dreams were aligned with who we were, and this was a source of thrill for the kids.

Then, they had a dance number which was all about love and sharing love. It was so apt for the company and the prevalent feeling in the room that morning.

This was followed by lunch, and almost an hour of just talking to and interacting with the kids. It was so gratifying to hear the children laugh and enjoy the time they spent with us.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and it was time for us to go back to the city. Our flight was in a few hours and we still had to fix our stuff. 

It was bittersweet because we all wanted to spend more time with the kids of The Little Sisters. But as I promised one of the girls I spoke to, we'll be back soon.

Un-Bear-Able!

The kids might have grown up, but they're still hella cute! Especially if you place them along a big, fuzzy, stuffed bear.

Cuteness overload!

D' Kids are growing up

It feels just like yesterday when they were wee little babies that we'd carry and pass around.

Now, they're gregarious kids who run around, make friends with other kids in the restaurant, and - best of all - prepare a Happy Birthday dance for me as a gift. They even have an official title for it - "Flying Hearts."

They're growing up to be really great kids.

D' Kids are all right

This is one of the highlights of last night's birthday bash. Seeing Audrey, Becca and Lucas baking!

Yup, D' Kids are really taking after their parents, titos and titas.

Kidding aside

Wasn't it just yesterday when Audrey and Lucas were teeny tiny tots?

Now, the kids are growing up! Audrey is a K2 student and Lucas is a gregarious and talkative little chap!

I'll echo what's running in the minds of their parents:

"Don't grow up too fast. Please."

Disconnected

It was a sight that can best be described as rare, novel and joyful.

At 5pm, the streets of our townhouse community were filled with kids. Some were riding their bikes, some were on scooters, some were playing tag, and some were just walking around. There were groups huddled together exchanging stories, while some were playing badminton under the natural light. And for a rare moment, the neighborhood was filled with the sound of kids.

The reason? Glenda caused a power outage that rendered all these kids gadget-less. So, they went back to basics and played outside.

As I told my brother-in-law, this was the one of the good things that came out of the power outage. I think kids should leave their gadgets - even for a day - and interact with other kids. They should stop living in a virtual world and enjoy the real world.

Because when they're disconnected from the internet and the computer, that's the only time they're connected to people around them.

This should happen more often. (NOT the brownouts, just the kids playing outside.)

P.S. By 8pm, the electricity was back, and the streets were quiet once more.

Japanice!

As a fan of all things Japan, I was enamored by these two shirts the moment I saw them.

The reference to Japanese food was very clever, and the copy on the shirt was so cool. The design is nicely made, and the colors are nicely combined.

This design is something I can't get enough of. It's true to the copy - it really is so cute!

So cute in fact, I couldn't help but buy it for a cutie - Aidan!

Can't wait to see him wear these shirts.

Stuck in this Direction

Shash's daughters - one of whom is my goddaughter - are very much into One Direction. Honestly, if it weren't for these girls, as well as those huge Penshoppe billboards - I wouldn't know what One Direction is. This is a clear indication of what an old fogey I've become.

Needless to say, I wanted to get them One Direction items for Christmas. And to do that more effectively, I had to research on the group. This led me to more than a hundred fan sites, and a countless fan made youtube videos.

That's where I found out that they were the kids responsible for this song:

(courtesy of youtube)

I've heard of this song before and found it catchy. I'd go far as saying that I like this song. Like it so much, in fact, that it's now stuck in my head as my LSS. Yes, a syrupy pop song by pre-pubescents is currently on replay in my brain. And it's not as bad as I thought it would be.

Maybe i'm not such an old fogey after all.