Reaching for the Stars

My daughter took home a Smart529 form last week. Smart529 is a our state's college savings plan and they always host an essay writing contest for every students in West Virginia to participate to. I always encourage my kids top send in an entry even though the chance of winning is very slim. This gives them an avenue to express their creativity towards writing. This year's topic is about what they want ot be when they grow up. A perfect topic to have them start thinking about their future. This is a chance for them to jot down their thoughts on what they want to be. My daughter is only 8 years old so she does not much of an experience on how to write a good essay so a website like promptessay.com can really be a good help for an aspiring writer like my daughter.

The essay writing contest is dubbed as "Reaching for the Stars".  The grand prize is five thousand dollars and they can use it towards their school expenses.  We saw an update of this on TV  yesterday morning.  The contest committee said that they  don't have a lot of entry due to snow days where most schools were closed for so many days.  This prompted our daughter to start writing her entry and hopefully we could send it in before  the due date  comes.

Hobby Lobby Heaven

Hobby Lobby is the perfect place for our little crafty lady. It is right up in her alley, arts and crafts. She was so delighted seeing different stuff that are not available in Joann's Fabric store lol.  She asked "How come we never came here before".  I told her  that it is way  far from our home to be able to come here frequently.  She was surprised that I did not buy anything.  I know how to control my spending habit, that's why, wink.

She said that it feels like heaven being inside the store.  We bought her a paint set  and  the little man  chose some commando set toy.

Firearm Safety and Gun Violence

 Individuals who are concerned about gun control need to make sure that they can use metal detectors in schools to prevent gun violence in schools.  This is something many people are highly concerned about. Gun violence is something that is affecting individuals and more specifically, our children. Even though the horrific school shootings grab all of the headlines, the number of children affected by firearms in the home are many. Ways that you can protect against gun violence are numerous and it all starts in the home. There are some things that individuals can do to protect children. Ways to protect children both in and out of the home are important. 

Studies have shown that many of these firearm shootings are actually accidental shootings that happen in the home. In fact guns in the home hurt or kill 10,000 children in the U.S. every year. 39 percent of US homes have firearms and properly securing these weapons are very important to make sure that children stay safe. This is fundamental to making sure less children are hurt or killed by firearms every year.

The majority of shooting in the home can be prevented by the use of safety devices, safety devices like locked gun cases for instance. With more than 20 children per day being injured by gun violence, it only makes sense that individuals should do whatever they can to protect children against gun violence in the home. The extraordinary number of children that are killed by gun violence have reinforced the fact that gun safety in America needs to be dealt with. Brain and spinal cord injuries account for the largest numbers of deaths from guns and or gun injuries in the US. Of the gun statistics that have been cited, the vast majority almost 5,000, come from assaults. 2000 injuries roughly came from accidents and the rest were from suicide attempts.

Studies have looked at making it illegal for anyone in the US under 21 to own a handgun. Even thought you have to be 21 to drink in alcohol, in many states an 18 year old can purchase a gun legally from a gun show, or from a private seller. The fact that young people can purchase guns also makes them something that could be used in school shootings. The people who are involved in shooting in the schools are almost all under 21.
Most of he school shooters have been teenagers. Making sure that 18 years can not legally purchase a gun may be a step in the right direction to making sure that children are protected while they are in a school setting. Striving to keep guns out of the hands of young people may be one of the ways to keep guns away from children. 

Another thing training personnel in schools may help These are very important steps need to taken to protect children. This is one of the things schools need to do to protect their students. Every school should also install a metal dectector to help prevent school shootings.

Gymnastics #FlyingEaglesGymnastics&Cheerleading

We enrolled our son to gymnastics at Flying Eagles Gymnastics located  in Steubenville Ohio.  The fee is $45 a month but we paid $130  as it included other fees.  We figured that he would like it because he is constantly full of energy.  He went there twice already, it is only an hour  lessons in a week.  I think that he likes it because he keeps practicing at home.

I am glad that he is into something.  We did not want him to think that we are not giving him  attention like we do with his  sister.  I hope that he would stay in the program.  This would  promote physical strength for him.  During the first  time he went, he was very nervous as you can see, he  is pulling his fingers  in the picture.  He does that when he is  stressed out.

Sending Birthday Money for My Mom

It's my mother's birthday today so I gave her an overseas call last night. We talked for more than an hour. I updated her with my status here and the growth of my kids and and all and she told me everything about our family back home. It was a nice but emotional  conversation that we have not  had in a long time. I was not able to talk to her last Christmas because  the signal at our place was very bad.  I am so relieved that I finally talked to her.  I told her to visit my sister in the city because I am sending the money this week. I want her to have a break for a day or two and enjoy her birthday.   Me and hubby are the only one that supports my Mom.  I feel bad that sometimes, we can't send her as much as we would like to.  We have to wait for the best exchange rate so the money we  are sending  will have enough for her.  

I am so glad that there are  International money transfer that offers the best rate there is.  I will have to double up the amount I have to send this month because my youngest sister whom we are sending to college will be paying her tuition fee also.  I am happy that she is on the last league of the  course she is taking.  Hopefully, she could find a job as soon as she graduates so we can also help my youngest brother who also want to go to school.

A photo of us with Mama by the beach

I miss my Mom so much.  It's been 5 years since we last seen each other  when we  came to visit.  We celebrated  my husband and son's birthday there.I want to end this post by  sending my love to my dearest mother, happy birthday and always remember that we love you!

Birthday in School

My son turned 7  a week ago and since it fell on a school day, we brought some snacks for his classmates.  I talked to his teacher and asked if we could bring some treat for the kids and she   gave us permission.  I am so glad that my husband took a day off that day, I had help  in serving the children their snack (cupcakes, ice cream, and juice only).  I wish that I could make some Filipino gfood for them but they are not use to it so they might not like it.  

My Burritos, love their first grade teacher so much.  Mrs. G is such a nice and very kind teacher.  She is one of our favorites in school because she is so down to earth.  She would   stop her car when she sees us at our front yard  playing or out walking.

My daughter's birthday falls on Summer break so she never get to experienced  celebrating birthday in school.  I remember when she was in  kindergarten, the teacher gave her a very early celebration for her birthday  at their classroom, I thought that was very sweet.

Coloring Pages for KIds

My children's school is closed today which I am very happy because it is frigid outside and walking out is not a good feeling. So what are we going to do on their off-days? Well, we are doing some arts and crafts and I am checking out the available coloring pages at www.coloringpageskid.com.  We will also be doing some  reading later on and I will let them play their video games after we got done with all the other things that we plan to do today. If you are planning to  have something to do with your kids, visit  http://www.coloringpageskid.com and check out their coloring pages available, they have a ton.  You can download it for free.  Below are some photos of my kids coloring, one of their favorite past time and hobby.

Do this count? Lol.

To avoid  that kind of mess, go to the website and print your kids something to color on.