Mommy's PlayPEN

10 things I love about living in NZ

Simple things, really. But these are the reasons that I'm starting to love moving here in New Zealand. :-)

1. The greenery. Lots and lots of it. It's always postcard-perfect!

Cows have plenty of grass to eat!

On the road going to Rotorua

View from the top of One Tree Hill

2. Playgrounds. They're everywhere! And the best part is that they're FREE! No entrance fees. Clean. Nice. Family-friendly.

Outside the mall

In parks

3. Parks. Every area has at least one. They're green. They're clean. They're free. :)

4. Museums. FREE entrance, too! Call me a cheapskate, but who doesn't like no-entrance-fees?! ;)

5. Bus schedules. Though sometimes late, I welcome this organized scheme of having specific bus stops and schedules. Makes life a little less complicated.

This has become my BFF since we got here ;)

6. Clean toilets. Yeah, they call it "toilet" here, as opposed to how we call it "CR" or "restroom" back in the Philippines. When you're busting, you'd appreciate how public toilets here (whether at the park, inside malls, or just by the side street) are clean, and equipped with lots of toilet paper and clean water. I've seen some that are automated, too, with robot-like voices greeting you as you enter the loo. Hehehe ;)

7. Now talking about toilets, this is another thing that's lovely here: Parents' room. See, there's a Ladies room for the females, a Men's room for the males, and a Parents' room for the, yes you got it, Parents! How cool is that! ;) It's a toilet ++. There's a cubicle with plenty of room for both parent and child, even a stroller could fit too! Then there's a play corner for kids. There are also curtained partitions for nursing moms. And guess what? Dads are welcome in this room too! :-) So moms don't have to worry about leaving our young children (even girls) with just Dad while we go on our shopping spree ;). When Dad's busting, he could just bring along all the kids inside the Parents' room, let them play by the corner, and have his time in the loo. :P

Play area for kids inside a Parents room

8. Foreigners. We all are. Well, most of us, that is. Asians, Indians, Persians, Europeans, British, Americans, Australians. Name it, they probably have at least one here. Makes it easier to be "one of them".

9. Cashless society. They call it EFTPOS. You have a card, swipe it, and you're ready to go. Everything's online. Even a dollar can be EFTPOSed.

10. Family time. Here, it's all about work-life balance. Family always comes first. You can file sick leave if your partner or child is sick. Malls close at 5 PM so that everyone's home by dinner time. Family bonding. Priceless!

Where in the world is Chatty?

Been wondering where I've been?

Always busy, that's me! The past couple of months have been the busiest of all. And with a blink of an eye,

Tadaa!!! We're here!!!

Did you guess it right? ;)

Yes, we've just packed all our bags, left on a plane (sing with me: "packed my bags, I'm ready to go... 'coz I'm leaving on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again..."), and come to live in this beautiful place called New Zealand!

Wish us luck on our journey! It's gonna be the start of something wonderful! :)

Investing in the Stock Market

It's almost the end of the year, which means Christmas is fast approaching. Who isn't looking forward to Christmas packages, bonuses, and 13th month pays? Wow! Feeling rich soon? ;)

Mall SALEs are everywhere! It's so easy to catch the Sale Fever!

But Wait! Before rushing with the crowd and spending all of your money, why not Stop, Think, and Save before you Splurge.

Been wanting to invest in the stock market but just don't know how to get started?

photo source: pesosandsense

Bo Sanchez shares with us how! Check out The Truly Rich Club and learn how easy it is to get started! :-)

Now is the best time to start, what with all the extra money you're expecting to receive soon. Put it to good investments and not just throw everything away. You'll be amazed at how much your money will grow till your next bonus! Good luck! :-)

Cute Crocs for the little lady

My daughter is really growing up. She's now more of a little lady than my baby. It's evident on her choices of clothes, bags, accessories, and shoes. She likes to wear pretty dresses (and hates it when I tell her to wear "just shorts" to the mall). She borrows my small handbags so she can have her own bag when we go out. One time, at the skin care station where I have my facials, the facialist mistook the bag that C was carrying to be MY bag! hahaha :) I told her in jest that my daughter is "kikay" and likes "lady" stuff instead of the kiddie-type bags. :-) Most of the time, strangers or people we just meet when we're at the mall or in a resto would comment how pretty and lady-like C is. That's probably because she's wearing a complete set of jewelry: earrings, necklace, bracelet, watch, and ring. But of course, they're just the fancy ones. ;) As for her shoes, she also likes wearing sandals (with heels!) and wedges. While checking the online store of Crocs, I asked her to pick what she wants. I thought she'd like those with cartoon characters like Disney princesses, Mickey mouse, or Hello Kitty. But no! Instead, she picked these. All in her favorite colors of purple and pink. :) Oh, I really have a little lady now!

This is her first choice. Dainty flats.

These are cute, I think. :)

Even the rubber shoes are dainty! ;-)

*Note: Photos captured from the Crocs website.

My daughter has always loved Crocs because they look and feel good, very comfortable to wear, plus really sturdy, too! Even if she wears her Crocs almost all the time, they still look good and can still be passed on to her younger cousins after she outgrows them. Well, you know how kids' feet really grow fast, and it's time to buy C her new pair of Crocs. :-)

2014 Philippine Holidays

Here's the reason to be merry: Malacanang has announced the official holidays for 2014! Time to mark your calendars and plan your vacations :-)

Prayer to Saint Padre Pio

Today, I share with you the Prayer to Saint Padre Pio on his feast day. Thank you, Padre Pio, for interceding for us!

Christmas Wish List

With less than 100 days till Christmas, I'm starting to prepare gifts for relatives and friends. I always make a list of all the people we want to give gifts to. It's our little way of saying "thanks" for their presence in our lives. Of course, at the top of my list are my hubby and our daughter!

So, I'm hoping to get some extra funds the next couple of months so I can buy these for them. :-)

C recently broke her tablet (buti na lang mura lang din yun! hehehe ;)), and she has been openly saying she wants to ask another one from Santa for Christmas. I saw this at Lazada, with good reviews, so I'm thinking maybe this could be the one for her!

Reward for hubby's hard work! :-)

Have you started your own Christmas lists?

Craving for JCo Donuts!

This cold, rainy morning makes me want to eat donuts!
What's your favorite JCo donut? :-)

Have a sweet weekend! :)

The Countdown Begins

Chic cafes at Molito: Designer Blooms Cafe and Le Petit Cheri

I found two chic cafes at the Molito Lifestyle Center in Alabang. They're the perfect place to sit back, relax, and enjoy the afternoon, whether alone or with your girl friends.

First is the Designer Blooms Cafe.

I've always thought this little shop was just a flower shop, up until a friend suggested we meet up here. I was in for a nice surprise! It's not just your usual Designer Blooms flower shop! It's a flower shop and a cafe in one! Such a nice treat, indeed, with all the beautiful flowers surrounding you while you sip coffee or chat with a friend.

Cute little nook

We spotted Matteo Guidicelli who bought a red rose. I wonder for whom? ^_^

Thumbs up for this great recommendation from the waiter! This lasagna is soooo delicious!!!

I love the colorful timers! Orange for mild, royal blue for medium, sky blue for strong.

Vases of different shapes, colors, and sizes

Little details that make the cafe so cute!

Next up, just a few meters away, is Le Petit Cheri.

The large windows make the cafe bright and airy. The winding staircase makes one feel like a princess in a fairy tale. But the thing I like most are the large bookshelves with lots of nice books for young and old alike. The next time I'm back, I'll be sure to spend a little more time just to read. :)