Halloween 2018 Events for Kids: Hotel Edition

Halloween is almost upon us and there are a lot of celebrations happening around the metro. This year, I listed and created the Halloween 2018 Events for kids: Hotel Edition for those who want to avoid the hustle and bustle at the malls. I'm sure your kids will have a SPOOKTACULAR time trick or treating in their costumes this weekend. 

Alabang

Acacia Hotel

Where: Acacia Grand Ballroom, Acacia Hotel Manila, 5400 East Asia Drive corner Commerce Avenue, Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang, Muntinlupa City
When: October 31, 2018 11 am to 2 pm 
Ticket Price: Php 1188 nett per person
For more details, click here.

The Bellevue Manila

Where: Grand ballroom, The Bellevue Manila, North Brideway, Filinvest City, Alabang, Muntinlupa City
When: October 27, 2018 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm 
Ticket Price: Php 1,100 nett per person
For more details, click here.

Crimson Hotel 

Where: Crimson Hotel, 2609 Civic Drive, Filinvest City, Alabang, Muntilupa City
When: October 27, 10:00 am to 4: 00 pm 
Ticket Price: Php 1,100 nett per person
For more details, click here.


Bonifacio Global City 

Shangri-la at the Fort 

Where: Adventure Zone, Kerry Sports Manila, Level 5, Shangri-la at the Fort, Taguig City

When: October 28, 2018 1:30 pm

Ticket Price: Non-members: Php 3,500 Members: Php 2,500

For more details, click here.

F1 Hotel 

Where: Infinity Ballroom, F1 Hotel, 32nd Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

When: October 27, 2018 10:00 am to 3:00 pm

Ticket Price: Php 1,700 nett

For more details, call 908-7888 or email inquiry@f1hotelsandresorts.com

Makati City

Berjaya Hotel 

Where: Berjaya Makati Hotel, Makati Avenue cor Eduque Street, Makati City

When: October 27, 2018 3:00 to 6:00 pm

Ticket Price: Php 700
For more details, call (02) 750-7500 or email manila.inquiry@berjayahotel.com

Dusit Thani Manila 

Where: Dusit Thani Manila, Ayala Center, Ayala Avenue corner Pasay Road, Makati

When: October 31, 2018 during lunch and dinner

For more details, call (02) 238-0888

Mandaluyong City

EDSA Shangri-la

Where: Marquee Tent, EDSA Shangri-la, 1 Garden Way, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City

When: October 28, 2018, 1:00 pm
Ticket Price: Php 2,200 nett per person
For more details, click here.

Manila 

Diamond Hotel 

Where: Diamond Ballroom, Diamond Hotel, Roxas Blvd, Manila

When: October 28, 2018 10:00 am to 2:00 pm

Ticket Price: Php 1,000 net per person
For more details, click here.

Hotel Jen

Where: Latitude, Hotel Jen, Roxas Blvd., Manila

When: October 28, 2018 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Ticket Price: Php 980 nett per person, Php 500 per kids (4-11 years old)
For more details, click here.

Quezon City

Eastwood Richmonde Hotel

Where:Eastwood Richmonde Hotel

When: October 28, 2018 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Ticket Price: Php 900 nett per person
For more details, click here.

Hive Hotel & Convention Place

Where: HIVE Hotel & Convention Place, #68 Scout Tuazon corner Mandarin Street, South Triangle, Quezon City
When: October 28, 2018 9:00 am to 4:00 pm 
Ticket Price: Php 1000. nett per person
For more details, click here.

If you want to share an event and add it to this list then send me a message at ditas@henrysmom.com or on my Facebook Page. Don't forget to bookmark this page for updates.

Awesome Easter Egg Hunt Parties in Metro Manila 2018

In two weeks, we will be celebrating Easter Sunday. If you still don't know where you will be celebrating, there are a lot of Easter events that will be happening around the metro. 

To help you in your decision, I handpicked a bunch of awesome Easter egg hunt parties as well as amazing Easter weekend staycation promos that will make your kids really EGGcited. Check them out below: 

Mom, Santa Claus isn't real

At this age, I can say that I’m still a kid at heart. I’m like a 10-year old trapped in a 20-something year old’s body. I still love all things magical and I still wish that fairytales can happen in real life. This is why I want to preserve Henry’s childhood as much as possible. I want him to believe in magical things, that the Easter Bunny, the tooth fairy and Santa Claus are all true because they give him something to look forward to.

However, just last week, he went home from school and said to me, “Mom, Santa Claus isn’t real, my classmate said so.” He believed it which crushed my heart a little. I couldn’t convince him that Santa really do existed.

But one day, at the mall. This happened.

Yup, Santa was standing in a corner. Henry was like, “Mommy, he’s here. what is he doing here? He’s real after all.” And just like that, he believed again. Hopefully, he’ll do anything to stay on Santa’s nice list.

Does your child still believe in Santa Claus?

New Year, New Tradition

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all had a fun NYE celebration. Our family had a simple celebration at home.

Usually, after we have our Media Noche, the hubby and I would go to our neighbor's house to grab a few drinks. It was a tradition the he has kept with someof our neighbors (his childhood friends).

This year, we did things differently and stayed at home. After our Media Noche preps, the hubby and the father-in-law decided to have their drinks.

My father-in-law then had the brilliant idea of playing a board game. So hubby brought out the Scrabble game board. The two of them plus the mother-in-law and I gathered around and played while we waited fo the New Year countdown. We had so much. The game brought out each one's competitive side.

Started in 2012, Finished in 2013

When the clock struck 12, we all ran outside and paused our game. We watched as fireworks displays from different houses filled the sky. I told Henry to jump as many times as he could. So he would grow taller, the elders would say. Since we didn't have firecrackers, our little guy enjoyed blowing the air horn.

Fireworks!

After the fireworks display, we went back inside to finish our game. Which was followed by another round of Scrabble and then another. It was such a fun family bonding. Especially since my father-in-law, an OFW, goes home from Saudi only during the holiday season. We ended up having four rounds of Scrabble, 2 of which my mother-in-law won. We all stayed up until 6am just playing, laughing and sharing stories.

It was a celebration that we all enjoyed and it made us closer as a family. This was one New Year's Eve that we would all never forget. We decided to make Scrabble a part of our NYE tradition. And when Henry grows a little bit more, hopefully he will join us as well.

Our simple NYE celebration
P.S. The mother-in-law doesn't drink, she was just holding the bottle.

Does your family have a New Year's Eve tradition? How did you spend New Year's Eve?

Oh, How Pinteresting! 5 Kiddie Christmas crafts to try {A Spend-Less Holidays post}

I’m participating in the Spend-Less Holidays: Saving While Savoring the Season Blog Carnival, hosted by The Frugal Fil-Am and Dainty Mom. We’ll be sharing our tips on how to spend less this holiday season, so that we can have a more meaningful Christmas. Please scroll down to the end of the post to see the list of carnival entries.

I've been thinking of ways to get little Henry into the Christmas spirit. Since he started going to school, he always liked showing me his art works that he brings home. So I thought of rounding up some Christmas art activities that I found on Pinterest that I think he would like. Best of all, these crafts require materials that can easily be found around the house, so there's no need to break the bank just to give the little one some Christmas fun. They're such great ideas that I'd be too selfish not to share them with you. 

To go to the actual pin, just click on the picture.

1. Handprinted Christmas Ball - Our tree is already up but I haven't got the chance to decorate it yet. I'd like to try this so that Henry can have his own special ornament. There's no need to buy a new Christmas ball for this, just let your kids choose from what you already have. 

Source: megduerksen.typepad.com via Ditas on Pinterest

2. Popsicle Nativity Scene - I love this one! It looks like it's so easy to make. I may also use this activity to throw in the story of the first Christmas.

Source: dollarstoremom.com via Ditas on Pinterest

3. Thumbprint Christmas Lights strand card -  I bet Henry's grandparents would love to get a card made by their only grandchild. Henry loves finger painting so I am sure he will enjoy this one.

Source: meetthedubiens.blogspot.com via Maria'nMatt on Pinterest

4. The Footprint Tree - This would have been a great keepsake for a baby's first Christmas. Unfortunately, Pinterest wasn't around yet when I had Henry. But, you know what they say, better late than never, right? I want to write Henry's name and the year it was made in gold ink then put it in a frame. This one I'm really excited about.

Source: craftrookie.blogspot.com via Ditas on Pinterest

5.  Paper Plate Angel - Paper plate, glitters, buttons - these are the things needed to create this angel. You can hang it on your tree or put it on top. I'm sure the kiddo will be beaming with joy when he sees that his angel is the star of your Christmas tree.

Source: beafunmum.com via Sue on Pinterest

These fun activities can keep your kids occupied while you prepare for your holiday celebration. Or, you can do as a family and have fun bonding making these crafts. Just look around there house, there are many materials that you can use. 

Will you being doing some crafts with your kids this Christmas season? I'd love to know if you have other craft ideas for this coming holiday. Please feel free to share. You can email me or comment on the box below. 

Don't forget to visit the rest of the participants in this Christmas Spend-less Carnival!

• Domesticated Goddess
• The Learning Basket
• Apple's World
• A WAHMs Life
• Changing Nappies in High Heels
• Savvy Saving Couple
• Kids Party Hub
• My Life in Letters
• Super Mommy Wannabee
• The Frugal Fil-Am
• Henry's Mom
• Roller Coaster Ride 
• Saved By the Miracle of Baked Mac
• Mommy Journey
• City Girl, Country Home
• Ate Maui
• The World is Our Classroom
• Lique's Antics
• Mommy Bares All
• Consumer Queen
• Truly Rich Mom
• Dainty Mom
• Saving Well, Spending Less
• Mrs C's Sugarcoated Life

Mommy Dillemma: Who will he be going as this year?

The search for the next costume is on.

Since Henry turned two, Halloween has become one of my favorite holidays. It's that time of the year when I can turn him into something scary.  See, I wanted to do away with the usual kiddie costumes, i.e. super heroes, animals, cartoon characters. It's a given, all kids are cute, so I didn't find it a challenge to make them even cuter with these costumes. But turning a cute kid into something scary, now that's a challenge. 

Henry's first Halloween party was at preschool when he was two. Since this one was at preschool, I just turned him into a little devil. I know he wasn't at all scary in this but all I could think of when I got this was Junior from Problem Child. Now who wouldn't be scared to have a child like him?

Henry, my little devil.

Junior from Problem Child

However, when it was time for the Trick or Treat party at our village that year, I turned him into this... 

Yep, I turned my son into Toshio. And, the only things that I needed were baby powder, lipstick and eye shadow.  Most of the small kids,and some of the big ones, got scared of him. He almost won the scariest costume that year. He was the 2nd placer. 

Last year, everyone was talking about The Walking Dead. So, I turned him into a zombie doctor. Again, baby powder and lipstick did the trick. The scrubs were pasalubong (gift) from the States. 

His dad was one of the judges for best costume that year, so obviously, he didn't get to win. But he did end up in 2nd place again. 

I still have do not know what Henry will go as this Halloween. Here are some of the ideas that I have:

Hopefully, we get to pull one of these off. And, maybe finally win best costume this year. What do you think? Do you have any suggestions?