Last Monday, we accompanied Nathan to the Myth of the Human Body Exhibit at Neobabylon Bldg, Taguig. For an entrance fee P350, you get a crash course on the human anatomy while looking at real body parts. Yes, this exhibit displays actual human corpses that were preserved through a process called “plastination”. It can be eerie and disturbing to some, but more than anything, to me it was an interesting display of the complexities of God’s creation.
Category Archives: Family Activities
KICKING CHRIST OUT OF CHRISTMAS
We just finished watching the movie “Elf”, a funny and touching Christmas movie that our family watches every Christmas. Though we love this movie, it is sad that it and even most Christmas movies don’t really talk about the real essence of Christmas. Not just movies, but even the songs that we hear playing on the radio hardly talk about real meaning of Christmas. Interestingly enough, the top 5 Christmas songs for this year are: White Christmas, The Chipmunk Song, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, and Jingle Bell Rock, none of which really mention the coming of Jesus. Pop culture has kicked Christ out of Christmas.
I hope that we spend some time to sit down with our kids to bring their focus to what’s really important this season: JESUS. Last night we had a family huddle, which we call Advent night. We sang Christmas carols like Away in a Manger and In Excelsis Deo, and started reading the events leading up to the birth of Jesus. We have an Advent night once a week, just to make sure our kids are not too distracted with all the parties and presents and forget what we are really celebrating.
Paolo reading to the kids
Nathan plays the piano as we sing Christmas carols
Inspite of our hectic schedule this month, we need to make an effort and deliberately teach our kids the reason behind the season.
WE LOVE CHRISTMAS
The smiles that make all the preparations worth it!
WE LOVE CHRISTMAS
The smiles that make all the preparations worth it!
A TREE OF MEMORIES
Every year, we kick off the Christmas season by decorating our tree together as a family. It warmed my heart when Janina exclaimed how she loves our tree because of the different ornaments we have collected over the years and said that she wants to continue the tradition with her own family. This tradition was inspired by our pastors Steve and Deborah Murrell, and it gave a more special meaning to our Christmas tree. Our kids always look forward to opening our box of christmas decor and reminiscing memories attached to each ornament.
Decorating our tree is only one of the different activities we do as part of our Christmas traditions to make the holidays memorable for our children. Here are some of the Punzalan collection:
Our very first ornament from Shakey's Pizza 1995;D
Ryan's first ornament 2003
Ornament from our Paris trip 2009
Disneyland ornament from when we celebrated Christmas in the U.S 2005
Janina's 2010 ornament. This is the year she got her black lab, Vanilla
Nathan's ornament because he loves to play the piano
LAUGH OUT LOUD
The other night as I was washing up, I noticed a band-aid plastered on my back. I know I didn’t put it there. Then I realized, it was my daughter Janina who did! No wonder, she kept on hugging me earlier! So I did what a loving mother would do. I got my own band-aid, snuck inside their room and plastered it on her forehead as she lay sleeping. Imagine her surprise, when she looked in the mirror the following day! We had a good laugh about it!
One thing about our family is we love to laugh! We love tickle fights, making fun of each other, telling jokes, acting silly and pulling pranks on one another. I remember one April fool’s, when i drank salty water because my kids put salt in my glass of water. When stuck in traffic, we would decide to talk in rhymes and just end up laughing at the silly things we come up with.
Laughing together doesn’t just strengthen your family bonding, but it actually does affect your health too. It’s always been said that “Laughter is the best medicine.” Research (helpguide.org) has shown that:
* Laughter relaxes the whole body. A good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after.
* Laughter boosts the immune system. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease.
* Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.
* Laughter protects the heart. Laughter improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow, which can help protect you against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.
So go ahead! LAUGH OUT LOUD!
Proverbs 17:22: “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
THE “BER” MONTHS ARE HERE!
Yikes! I can’t believe it’s September 1! It was just like yesterday we were opening our Christmas gifts by our tree. Why does time have to fly so fast? I remember last September when I was walking in the mall, tears filled my eyes when I heard Christmas songs being played. I am always overcome with a feeling of nostalgia at the thought of Christmas. For the most part it’s because of a lot of happy memories of past Christmases, but also it makes me sentimental to think that another year has flown by just like that.
Christmas 2006
Christmas 2007
Christmas 2008
It is never too early to prepare for Christmas. Especially here in the Philippines where Christmas trees are already being set up as early as October, it is always good to plan ahead. Here are some tips that year after year I remind myself of but never actually get to do. Haha. 
Well, I hope to do better this year.
1. Update your Christmas gift list. If you know who’s on your list and some sort of idea what to get them, you can start picking out their gifts in the next few months whenever you make a trip to the mall.
2. Schedule your family portrait photo shoot. I always tell myself to do this early but end up doing it late. Hence, the not so nice pictures.
3. If you are planning a Christmas getaway out of town, it is best to book your accommodations early. Or if you are planning to stay at the hotel for New Year’s Eve, better make your reservations now. Christmas is peak season and these places get fully-booked fast.
4. Make an inventory of your Christmas decorations. Give away or throw the ones that you don’t want to keep anymore and dust the things you plan to use.
5. Remember your Christmas family traditions. Our family has our own traditions that we keep, year after year, like decorating the tree together followed by pizza dinner, giving goodies to street children, making chocolate lollipops, to name a few.
And most importantly, get your children involved in all the preparations. We don’t want to get so busy and realize we have overlooked our children. Let us do our best to give them happy Christmas memories that will stay with them long after we are gone.
MONEY FROM HEAVEN
We just finished dinner in the mall and our son Ryan wanted to buy some cotton candy. One bag costs P25.00. I knew I didn’t have enough cash anymore so I rummaged through my wallet and bag and came up with one 20 peso bill and 4 peso coins. I was short by P1.00. I asked Paolo if he had any coins in his pocket but just like me, he was broke. My poor Ryan, he was so looking forward to enjoying his cotton candy. We proposed for him to sing in front of people and maybe someone will throw in a few coins. Or he could give the saleslady at the cotton candy stall his most pitiful, heart-rending look and maybe she would take pity on him and accept his P24.00. Of course, he didn’t agree to do any of these. I told Nathan to do one of his magic tricks and get one coin from my ear. Well, he tried, but he came up empty-handed. So finally, I said, “Ok let’s pray that somehow God will make a one-peso coin appear from nowhere.” That seemed like a ridiculous prayer, right?
As we were preparing to leave the restaurant, I turned to grab Joaquin’s baby bag, and lo and behold, there was a shiny silver one peso coin just sitting on top of it!! I asked Paolo if he was playing a trick on me and put the coin there, but he really didn’t! God did literally make that coin appear from nowhere! How amazing is that!
Rom 4:17 the God who gives life to the dead and who creates something out of nothing. (NCV)
1 Timothy 6:17
… but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
SUMMER ENDS
Nathan starts school tomorrow. We had our last summer getaway at White Rock with some of our good friends.
Here are some pics and videos:
Though the heat was a bit too much this year, and our electric bill soared, over all it was a really fun, memorable summer for our family. Aside from the occasional “I’m bored,” we managed to keep the kids occupied. Nathan was enrolled in a streetdancing class, Janina in musical theater, Ryan in basketball and art. The highlight of our summer was our trip to Coron, Palawan.
As the rain starts pouring, and classes begin, we say goodbye to summer. I let out a small sigh of relief too as our lives go back into a routine.
SUMMER ENDS
Nathan starts school tomorrow. We had our last summer getaway at White Rock with some of our good friends.
Here are some pics and videos:
Though the heat was a bit too much this year, and our electric bill soared, over all it was a really fun, memorable summer for our family. Aside from the occasional “I’m bored,” we managed to keep the kids occupied. Nathan was enrolled in a streetdancing class, Janina in musical theater, Ryan in basketball and art. The highlight of our summer was our trip to Coron, Palawan.
As the rain starts pouring, and classes begin, we say goodbye to summer. I let out a small sigh of relief too as our lives go back into a routine.
