Sinigang na Mackerel + Uni-Pak Giveaway

When it comes to the kitchen, Tsep Dad is our "bida" and I'm glad to be his assistant. I usually help with the preparation. We cook together for me to learn and also this is our "us" time. But the Tsep usually gives the instructions and determine the final taste. 

Sinigang is a favorite Pinoy dish at home. My kids love its sour and savory taste. So, we decided to make Sinigang with a "twist" using Uni-Pak Mackerel instead of the usual pork. 

Ingredients:

2 cans of 425g Uni-Pak Mackerel in Natural oil, drained (set aside the broth)
1 medium sized Onion, sliced
2 pcs Tomatoes, quartered
1-2 cups of Water
Sinigang Mix
Salt and pepper to taste
Kangkong leaves
Okra, cut into 3 pieces
Eggplant, cut into mouth size

How to cook:

1. Place the water, onion, and tomatoes. Bring to boil until the tomatoes are tender.
2. Add the Uni-Pak Mackerel broth and simmer.
3. Add salt, pepper and Sinigang mix.
4. Add the vegetables: okra, eggplant, and kangkong.
5. Add the Mackerel and simmer.
6. Serve hot.

Wow! That's one easy dish for the entire family! My kids really like it and my little one can't stop saying "Yummy!". We tried doing Sinigang in the past using Cream Dory since my boys don't like Bangus. But now that we discovered Uni-Pak Mackerel for our Sinigang, this is the best alternative. We have a new addition to our grocery list, hindi basta nakasanayan the best na yan!

Mackerel is also loaded with DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) that helps lessen the chance of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease. It also helps reduce symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Uni-Pak is a high-quality brand manufactured by SLORD Develoment Corporation. It is rich in omega-3 fatty acid, vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients, kaya basta Mackerel dapat tatak Uni-Pak!

GIVEAWAY MECHANICS:

Because Uni-Pak would like to bless you, I am hosting a giveaway and one (1) winner will receive a gift pack from Uni-Pack. Simply follow the steps below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway will run from October 01 - October 22, 2017. The announcement of the winner will be posted on this blog and in Qarah Moments Facebook Page. The winners will also receive a personal message. I hope you can join!

Sinigang na Mackerel + Uni-Pak Giveaway

When it comes to the kitchen, Tsep Dad is our "bida" and I'm glad to be his assistant. I usually help with the preparation. We cook together for me to learn and also this is our "us" time. But the Tsep usually gives the instructions and determine the final taste. 

Sinigang na Mackerel + Uni-Pak Giveaway

When it comes to the kitchen, Tsep Dad is our "bida" and I'm glad to be his assistant. I usually help with the preparation. We cook together for me to learn and also this is our "us" time. But the Tsep usually gives the instructions and determine the final taste. 

Sinigang is a favorite Pinoy dish at home. My kids love its sour and savory taste. So, we decided to make Sinigang with a "twist" using Uni-Pak Mackerel instead of the usual pork. 

Ingredients:

2 cans of 425g Uni-Pak Mackerel in Natural oil, drained (set aside the broth)
1 medium sized Onion, sliced
2 pcs Tomatoes, quartered
1-2 cups of Water
Sinigang Mix
Salt and pepper to taste
Kangkong leaves
Okra, cut into 3 pieces
Eggplant, cut into mouth size

How to cook:

1. Place the water, onion, and tomatoes. Bring to boil until the tomatoes are tender.
2. Add the Uni-Pak Mackerel broth and simmer.
3. Add salt, pepper and Sinigang mix.
4. Add the vegetables: okra, eggplant, and kangkong.
5. Add the Mackerel and simmer.
6. Serve hot.

Wow! That's one easy dish for the entire family! My kids really like it and my little one can't stop saying "Yummy!". We tried doing Sinigang in the past using Cream Dory since my boys don't like Bangus. But now that we discovered Uni-Pak Mackerel for our Sinigang, this is the best alternative. We have a new addition to our grocery list, hindi basta nakasanayan the best na yan!

Mackerel is also loaded with DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) that helps lessen the chance of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease. It also helps reduce symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Uni-Pak is a high-quality brand manufactured by SLORD Develoment Corporation. It is rich in omega-3 fatty acid, vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients, kaya basta Mackerel dapat tatak Uni-Pak!

GIVEAWAY MECHANICS:

Because Uni-Pak would like to bless you, I am hosting a giveaway and one (1) winner will receive a gift pack from Uni-Pack. Simply follow the steps below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway will run from October 01 - October 22, 2017. The announcement of the winner will be posted on this blog and in Qarah Moments Facebook Page. The winners will also receive a personal message. I hope you can join!

AmblesideOnline Year 1

Here's a glimpse of our first year using the Charlotte Mason Education and Ambleside Online Curriculum.

AO Year 1 Schedule

Loop Schedule

This is how our day looks like (don't mind the misspelled word, hehe). I learned about Loop Schedule from my friend Jona and it has been very effective for us. Though I wish I'll be more faithful in following the scheduled time because honestly, I don't (Haha). There are changes every now and then due to some interruptions along the way. But I made sure to stick with short lessons (20 minutes per subject except for copywork which is 10 minutes) and narrations after reading.

Our Morning Basket includes the 4 B's (Bed, Breakfast, Bible, Bath) and Hymn. Here are the Hymns we studied for this year:

Term 1
"Silent Night"
"O Come All Ye Faithful"
"O God Our Help In Ages Past"

Term 2
"May The Mind Of Christ My Savior"
"Guide me Oh Thou Great Jehovah"
 "I Greet Thee Who My Sure Redeemer Art"

Term 3
 "He Leadeth Me Oh Blessed Thought"
"It Is Well With My Soul"
"Be Thou My Vision"

Perhaps we do not attach enough importance to the habit of praise in our children’s devotion. Praise and thanksgiving come freely from the young heart; gladness is natural and holy, and music is a delight. The singing of hymns at home and of the hymns and canticles in church should be a special delight; and the habit of soft and reverent singing, of offering our very best in praise, should be carefully formed.

But the duty of praise is not for occasional or rare seasons; it waits at our doors every day. ~ Charlotte Mason

For the list of Recitation and Memory Work, you can read it here.

Bible
We followed the scheduled Bible rotation in Ambleside Online and at the same time, "Who Am I and What Am I Doing Here" by Apologia Press.

Math

We are using Singapore Math for our Math curriculum. We borrowed books from our friend since it's too costly to purchase an entire set.

History

Since my son is fond of drawing, I was encouraged to have him do a Drawing Narration. He enjoyed it very much though the downside is, it is very time-consuming. Sometimes, he will finish it the next day because he wants to put more drawings. So, I do not encourage doing this every day, during free time maybe.

Drawing Narration of Our Island Story

We made sure to have our own timeline for history as well. I used two timelines, one is a drawing timeline and the other one is an accordion for the list of all people and events we discussed along the way. I got this idea from Gina Guerrero-Roldan of Our Living, Learning Children.

Drawing Book of Centuries

Accordion Timeline

Vikings Invasion

“It is a great thing to possess a pageant of history in the background of one’s thoughts.” (Charlotte Mason, Vol. 6, p. 178)

Geography

Paddle-to-the-Sea is one of our favorites for this year. We enjoyed following Paddle's journey.

Science

My son drew some birds from Burgess Bird but eventually grew tired of it. But that's ok with me, he can always do it on free time and just for leisure, not really a requirement.

We also used Zoology 2: Swimming Creatures of the 5th Day by Apologia Press and here is our Ocean Box:

A post shared by RomelEvelyn Marfa (@qarah_moments) on Aug 15, 2017 at 4:51am PDT

I guess this will be my last required busy work for my child.

Copywork

I love how the method is helping my son to improve his handwriting.

We are also learning Spanish as Foreign Language using Duolingo. We picked Spanish since there are thousands of Spanish loanwords used in our Philippine Language.

Riches is one of the things I need to get serious with. We often neglect to do this part especially if we are running out of time or in case I have chores to do. Hopefully, I'll be more faithful with this next year.

For our handicraft, we did yarn weaving in a cardboard loom, check it here.

Nature Study

If we cannot go far, we usually do nature study in our front yard. We were growing calamansi, chili, oregano, and tomato.

We also do indoor nature study. We used some photos of insect that we had on the laptop.

Here are some of our nature finds, this is not really much but it reminds me to do nature walk more often.

"Children should be made early intimate with the trees, too; should pick out half a dozen trees, oak, elm, ash, beech, in their winter nakedness, and take these to be their year-long friends."–– Charlotte Mason

You can also check my compiled AO Chronicles of my kids here.

Here are my son's favorite books from this year:

Other books not in the picture:

Our Island Story, Burgess Bird, Blue Fairy Book, Red Fairy Book (we read them on e-book). Paddle-to-the-Sea, James Herriot and Pinocchio (books were borrowed/currently borrowed by another friend).

He really loves our readings for this year and we are both excited for more!

We are grateful to God for leading us to this generous and rich curriculum. Thanks also to Charlotte Mason for her legacy and to all who created Ambleside Online. Our homeschooling journey has never been this exciting!

AmblesideOnline Year 1

Here's a glimpse of our first year using the Charlotte Mason Education and Ambleside Online Curriculum.

AmblesideOnline Year 1

Here's a glimpse of our first year using the Charlotte Mason Education and Ambleside Online Curriculum.

AO Year 1 Schedule

Loop Schedule

This is how our day looks like (don't mind the misspelled word, hehe). I learned about Loop Schedule from my friend Jona and it has been very effective for us. Though I wish I'll be more faithful in following the scheduled time because honestly, I don't (Haha). There are changes every now and then due to some interruptions along the way. But I made sure to stick with short lessons (20 minutes per subject except for copywork which is 10 minutes) and narrations after reading.

Our Morning Basket includes the 4 B's (Bed, Breakfast, Bible, Bath) and Hymn. Here are the Hymns we studied for this year:

Term 1
"Silent Night"
"O Come All Ye Faithful"
"O God Our Help In Ages Past"

Term 2
"May The Mind Of Christ My Savior"
"Guide me Oh Thou Great Jehovah"
 "I Greet Thee Who My Sure Redeemer Art"

Term 3
 "He Leadeth Me Oh Blessed Thought"
"It Is Well With My Soul"
"Be Thou My Vision"

Perhaps we do not attach enough importance to the habit of praise in our children’s devotion. Praise and thanksgiving come freely from the young heart; gladness is natural and holy, and music is a delight. The singing of hymns at home and of the hymns and canticles in church should be a special delight; and the habit of soft and reverent singing, of offering our very best in praise, should be carefully formed.

But the duty of praise is not for occasional or rare seasons; it waits at our doors every day. ~ Charlotte Mason

For the list of Recitation and Memory Work, you can read it here.

Bible
We followed the scheduled Bible rotation in Ambleside Online and at the same time, "Who Am I and What Am I Doing Here" by Apologia Press.

Math

We are using Singapore Math for our Math curriculum. We borrowed books from our friend since it's too costly to purchase an entire set.

History

Since my son is fond of drawing, I was encouraged to have him do a Drawing Narration. He enjoyed it very much though the downside is, it is very time-consuming. Sometimes, he will finish it the next day because he wants to put more drawings. So, I do not encourage doing this every day, during free time maybe.

Drawing Narration of Our Island Story

We made sure to have our own timeline for history as well. I used two timelines, one is a drawing timeline and the other one is an accordion for the list of all people and events we discussed along the way. I got this idea from Gina Guerrero-Roldan of Our Living, Learning Children.

Drawing Book of Centuries

Accordion Timeline

Vikings Invasion

“It is a great thing to possess a pageant of history in the background of one’s thoughts.” (Charlotte Mason, Vol. 6, p. 178)

Geography

Paddle-to-the-Sea is one of our favorites for this year. We enjoyed following Paddle's journey.

Science

My son drew some birds from Burgess Bird but eventually grew tired of it. But that's ok with me, he can always do it on free time and just for leisure, not really a requirement.

We also used Zoology 2: Swimming Creatures of the 5th Day by Apologia Press and here is our Ocean Box:

A post shared by RomelEvelyn Marfa (@qarah_moments) on Aug 15, 2017 at 4:51am PDT

I guess this will be my last required busy work for my child.

Copywork

I love how the method is helping my son to improve his handwriting.

We are also learning Spanish as Foreign Language using Duolingo. We picked Spanish since there are thousands of Spanish loanwords used in our Philippine Language.

Riches is one of the things I need to get serious with. We often neglect to do this part especially if we are running out of time or in case I have chores to do. Hopefully, I'll be more faithful with this next year.

For our handicraft, we did yarn weaving in a cardboard loom, check it here.

Nature Study

If we cannot go far, we usually do nature study in our front yard. We were growing calamansi, chili, oregano, and tomato.

We also do indoor nature study. We used some photos of insect that we had on the laptop.

Here are some of our nature finds, this is not really much but it reminds me to do nature walk more often.

"Children should be made early intimate with the trees, too; should pick out half a dozen trees, oak, elm, ash, beech, in their winter nakedness, and take these to be their year-long friends."–– Charlotte Mason

You can also check my compiled AO Chronicles of my kids here.

Here are my son's favorite books from this year:

Other books not in the picture:

Our Island Story, Burgess Bird, Blue Fairy Book, Red Fairy Book (we read them on e-book). Paddle-to-the-Sea, James Herriot and Pinocchio (books were borrowed/currently borrowed by another friend).

He really loves our readings for this year and we are both excited for more!

We are grateful to God for leading us to this generous and rich curriculum. Thanks also to Charlotte Mason for her legacy and to all who created Ambleside Online. Our homeschooling journey has never been this exciting!

Treat Your Feet: What to Expect on Your First Pedicure

Would you agree that our feet deserve to be spoiled and pampered once in a while?

Statistics shows, women are more susceptible to experience severe foot pain than men. That is mostly because of high-heeled shoes. As for me, I gave up on those shoes a long time ago. Especially now that I always have my kids around me. But it doesn't exempt me from having a tired, aching feet.

Pedicures are a common treatment in beauty salons, but if you have never had your feet pampered before, your first appointment can be a little daunting. However, a pedicure can be the ultimate form of pampering, soothing aching feet and boosting your mood. So, what can you expect from your first pedicure?

Be Prepared:

It is always a good idea to schedule your appointment in advance at the beauty salon. Melbourne CBD businesses will often allow “walk-in” clients, but to get the best out of your pedicure, you need to be prepared. You will need to wear open-toed shoes such as sandals or thongs and if you prefer your own nail polish. You need to allow at least an hour for your pedicure. Your appointment may be completed in 30 minutes, but it is a good idea to wait in the salon to ensure your polish is completely dry before putting on your shoes and leaving.

Remember, that you may be seated in an open area, so wear clothing that you feel comfortable in when your feet are in the air. Short skirts or tight leg pants can prove problematic, so give your wardrobe a little thought.

The Stages of Your Pedicure:

When it comes to beauty services, Melbourne salons often have their own techniques, but there are some common elements of a pedicure. The first step will be to remove any nail polish you have on your toes. Your feet will be soaked in soothing warm water before the nails are cut and shaped using emery boards and clippers. This is my favorite part! Most technicians will offer you a choice of whether you prefer a squared or rounded shape. I always go for a square shape.

Once the nails are shaped, the technician will treat your cuticles. A cuticle lotion will be applied to the edges of your toenails, and the technician will use a wand and trimmers to push back the cuticle and trim any dead skin.

The technician will now use a pumice stone to remove any dead skin and callouses from your feet. Your feet will be given a final soak before being patted dry with a fluffy, clean towel.

Most salons will apply lotion to the feet and legs, massaging the skin. The technician will separate the toes using inserts or cotton, so nail polish can be applied. Typically, two coats of colour will be applied before a final topcoat. You will be asked to sit for ten minutes until the polish is dry enough to remove the dividers. You can then sit in the waiting area until you are fully dry and you can ease on your footwear and show off your beautiful toes.

If you are interested in beauty services, Melbourne’s Totally Skin & Beauty is here to help. They offer a wide range of services to enhance your beauty. Melbourne CBD visitors will find it easy to locate or call them for salon details.