Free Summer Family Filmfest

There are free family movies shown at our local cinema every Tuesdays and Wednesday mornings. Check out the article and chedules here at the Antioch Press.

I took the younger kids to the movies. Magu and Selena saw Barnyard (PG) with Y. Syrel. Monica and I saw Charlotte's Web (G).




We navigated through day-campers, filed-trippers, special needs kids in wheelchairs, and moms/teachers passing out large buckets of popcorn to share. Seems like all the frugal moms were there, too!

It was such a fun time for Monica and I. She was free to ask many questions. Our seatmates did not mind that she had to go to the restroom. Crying infants were tolerated. The kids were free to squeal and clap with delight.

It was quite enjoyable for me, too--as the last time I watched Charlotte's Web was in it's original animated version when I was 8.

We then trouped to the nearest Baskin Robbins and availed of their $1 Tuesdays promo--every cone for a dollar versus $2.49.

I say, if we don't have much money, we should make a lot of time to spend with our kids. Great and frugal fun!

Finding God in the BART and in Berkeley

Whenever I have to take BART, I find myself quite excited. First, because I won't run into the usual traffic. Second, I get to catch up with my reading or crochet. And third, because it always seems to turn into a spiritual experience for me.

When we were starting out, I felt so poor until I saw a man in front of me in the BART reading the paper 2 days ago. He probably picked it up in the trash can. So then, God gave me a new perspective.

I have been joined by a couple of knitters and/or crocheters and we compared notes as seat mates until our destinations. And just sitting with kindred spirits for a while is enough to know how similar everyone is.

And many times, the signs around the BART offer me some sort of divine message, it has become fun to look around. I remember i was in doubt about how to bring my caboodle to Lake Tahoe and was resistant about my husband's plans because it was just a big hassle. The BART sign in front of me said, "Give Snow A Chance." We went to Tahoe and the kids saw their first snowfall in what couldn't be a more perfect day.

When I let my imagination go and just look at the view from the BART, many moments of clarity and inspiration have sprung up. I guess just looking out the window is a form of meditation for me--my mind and heart are open to possibilities. . .and they come.

Today, I came from Berkeley and met a friend for our usual intense bonding and validation sessions, very rare and precious in the USA. We explored the place and saw a couple of interesting eateries and bookstores. But most of all, we taught ourselves how to be more positive about life and how we must express this into our thinking and actions.

On the way home via BART, I was reading Joel Osteen's
Your Best Life Now and digested this message: "We receive what we believe."

I felt so full of grace and though it is Sunday, I feel that my day's experience beat Mass--where sometimes we sit absent-mindedly and out of obligation.

I hope you can find and feel God everywhere, too.

Frugal Entrance Furniture

Our patio overlooks a beautiful rose garden. I am pondering on composing a cozy sitting area in the patio. I am still scouring Craigslist.Org for the perfect wicker love seat.

Meanwhile, I found 2 cane chairs ($15 for 2)and 1 rattan side table ($10) to put out on the entrance, to make it look more welcoming. Accessories and a great doormat are next on the list.

Entrance furniture cost: $25.

Frugal Kids' Activities

Summer vacation is here and since I am not one to shuttle my 5 kids from soccer, ballet, Kumon, and karate, I have to be creative about what activities to plan for them.

My eldest 2 boys are in Manila for a vacation. I have to make sure that the younger 3 are reasonably occupied. "Reasonably" means just that. I don't want to overwhelm them with back-to-back activites. They must have time left to do nothing, to get bored, todaydream, make-believe, and activate their imagination.

I remember when I was young, growing up with my cousins in Manila, there were only 4 TV channels, and absolutely no cable or VCR's. We spent out days out playing with sticks, stones, the small fish in the small canal, playing tag, making (and selling) pancakes, riding our bikes, and negotiating endless soccer games,and patintero. We also converted many a parent's bedroom we could into a haunted house, complete with thread-spider webs, pop-up zombies, and howling sound effects--and charged each other 25 cents to get in.

Today, we live near a community pool and my kids like to swim a lot. We have new pet parakeets that they tend to. The rest of the day is spent playing house, playing doctor, investigating the garden, or soaking in the tub, with their water toys.

Cost: $0.



But on days when I have to broaden their horizons, I take them to free library activities. Last week, there was an Audio Book Presentation, where the kids did activities while listening to a book.

Cost: $0.

After the Library, we browsed a thrift store. They got 1 cute toy each.


Cost: $2.

I found that I had time in the week-end, and after taking them to the grocery, we made some sugar cookies. They tasted good but I overcooked them. The time spent mixing and cookie-cutting, though, was bonding time worth more than ballet lessons.




My husband bought this frozen banana kit and made some treats with the girls, too.



And although clean-up was a challenge, these are precious times. . .