MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan

An Avp Script To Call My Own (Sorta)

December 13, 2012 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan Leave a Comment

Working from home for the last six and a half months has been great. If anything, I feel fulfilled knowing that I’ve managed to accomplish something I’ve always wanted to do, and that is to be hands-on with my kid while still making my own money. For the most part, my output as a WAHM has been nothing out of the ordinary. A few event scripts, some speeches for some pretty significant people, AVP material and a bunch of SEO articles.

In the beginning, one thing I really missed when I left the workforce was that feeling that I was part of something big. Don’t get me wrong, I know that playing an active role in my son’s life IS something big. But if you’ve ever worked before, you’d know what I mean. I was looking for that fulfillment that came with doing something, no matter how small, that was part of someone else’s big picture. I knew I’d get there someday, and I reminded myself often that I was still new to this work-at-home business.

And then one day, it happened. I became part of something big, a project that meant something to so many people. It was a project that actually touched lives. My name may not be on the final product, but just knowing that I played a part in the creation of something great is enough. Now I’m sure I’m in the right place, and that I’m doing the best thing for me. That being said, I really hope you guys take the time to watch this video.

To all the WAHMs out there, what’s been your most successful or rewarding work moment as a WAHM? I’d love to hear from you!

Much love and happiness,

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Real Coffee Boracay’s Famous Calamansi Muffins

December 10, 2012 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 2 Comments

One of my friends told me not to leave Boracay without trying Real Coffee’s calamansi muffin. So on our last day on the island, Mr C and I went in search of the coffee shop after an early morning mass in Bisaya. It took us a while, but we finally found the quaint little place in one of the alleys off the beach area.

The first thing I noticed when we entered was how wonderful the whole place smelled. The aroma of all the goodies baking in their ovens made my tummy grumble and my mouth water! Mr C, of course, was more interested in the coffee than the pastries.

The menu. I knew right away what I wanted. That’s a first!

While waiting for our orders to arrive, I took a quick look around the place. It has a very homey, provincial feel to it, with photos and sayings on each of the tables. The area where they prepare and pack their backed goods can be seen from the dining area, and the people who work there are really nice, and smile at customers as they come in or leave.

Words of wisdom scribbled on paper and displayed at our table.

That’s where the yummy smells were coming from.

I just had to get up at take a closer look. Here are some oatmeal cookies and calamansi muffins waiting for their turn to bake.

I have a super sweet tooth, and so I was initially disappointed when I saw that the servings were kinda small. But after having a few bites of the pastries, I realized that they were so rich, and the servings were just right! I had an Iced Coffee because it was so hot and humid that morning, while Mr C decided to try the Real Coffee.

Real Coffee (PHP 100.00)
Brewed coffee plus a shot of espresso

Iced coffee (PHP 80.00)
Brewed coffee over ice

Brownies for Sweet Lovers (PHP 80.00)
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Brownies

Our visit to Real Coffee was a good way to start our last day in Boracay. The next time we’re in the area, I’d like to try their breakfast meals and other pastries. Can’t wait to bring the little guy there too. I’m sure he would love it. In the meantime, I’m curious to try Pepper.ph’s Calamansi Muffin Food Hack. If it’s as good as the real thing, then it’s a definite win!

REAL COFFEE AND TEA CAFE

Station 2 (Above Sea World)

Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan

(+63 36) 288-5340

PS Don’t you think my holiday watermarks on these photos are so cute? Haha! Just sayin’!

Much love and happiness,

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Recipe: No-Bake Graham Cracker Crust

December 8, 2012 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 1 Comment

We’re having a get-together at home tomorrow, and my mom asked me to make something for dessert. We have this big container of frozen mangoes that she really wants to use already, so we decided on a mango mousse with graham cracker crust.

I’ve never made this before so I went to my favorite website, marthastewart.com to look for a recipe. I found a recipe for a frozen mango cream cake recipe with macadamia crust that looks really good. Since we already bought bags of graham crackers, I decided to use a different recipe for the crust.

I’m feeling lazy today since it’s a Saturday, so I wanted a no-bake recipe. I ended up using this one from All Recipes.

No-Bake Graham Cracker Crust

1 1/2 Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
6 Tbsp Butter, Softened
1/3 Cup Granulated Sugar

You’ll also need a 9″ Pie Plate, a Mixing Bowl, a Fork/Spoon and Measuring Cups

NOTE: Don’t forget to crush the graham crackers if you didn’t buy them already crushed, and soften the butter beforehand. It helps to cube the bar of butter so it softens quickly, although to tell you the truth, getting butter all soft and gooey has never been a problem in this hot country.

Here’s my assistant crushing the graham crackers

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Or, if you are lazy like me, bring out your handy dandy food processor and pulse away!

You’ll know it’s ready when it looks like this. Can you guess what Tristan said it looks like? Haha!

Press the crust firmly into the bottom and sides of a 9″ pie plate. You can use a spoon, a fork or your hands. I use a fork and spoon combo – the fork to distribute everything evenly, and the spoon to smooth out the surface. I don’t really like to get my hands dirty, and I find it’s more hygienic. Yes, there’s a little bit of OC in me.

Once it’s all nice and pretty, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or until set. Make sure the plastic wrap doesn’t touch the crust ok? Otherwise parts of it may stick to the plastic once you remove it.

And that’s it, nice and easy! You can fill this baby up with a whole lot of different things. My favorite is still Blueberry Cheesecake, but I really hope this Mango Mousse will come in a close second. Keeping my fingers crossed!

What other fillings would you recommend?

A Kiddie Party, A Wedding, and A Coffee Shop Meeting

December 7, 2012 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 5 Comments

In case you’re wondering, I’m doing Fashion Friday in an attempt to encourage myself to look my best, and not give in to my Frumpy Mommy tendencies! Yes, I do tend to dress grungy sometimes, as you can read in one of my previous posts. The idea of doing a Fashion Friday post was actually inspired by this post from Topaz Horizon.

So, without further ado, here are my top three looks of the week.

1. A Kiddie Party
Manika’s 2nd Birthday Party
McDonald’s Venice Piazza Mall, McKinley
December 1, 2012
Blouse: Cotton On, Makeup: Colour Collection
Sorry, I forgot to take a photo of the whole outfit. I wore black pants and platform shoes with this top. LOL Fashion Friday Fail! Anyway, that’s Me and Mr C with the little boy and my niece, Manika.

Comfy Mommy Look

2. A Wedding
Jonnah & Emmans’ Wedding
UST Church, Espana
December 2, 2012
Dress: Erzullie, Shoes: Payless, Clutch: Celine, Makeup: Colour Collection, Jewelry: From my relatives

My Pretty Pink Princess look!

3. A Coffee Shop Meeting

Meeting with my Executive Producer for an upcoming event
Meeting at Starbucks, Alabang Town Center; Photograph taken at home
December 7, 2012

Jeans: Moda Plus, Top: Marikina Tiangge, Shrug: Cuenca Bazaar, Shoes (not in photo, leopard-print ballet flats): Greenhills

Disclaimer: I took this photo myself with a camera on self timer. That’s why it looks so awkward!

What do you guys think of my first Fashion Friday post? Now I know I really should make sure I have someone take my photo with my own camera! This took A LOT of effort though, so show me some love! =P

Much love and happiness,

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{Event} Yes Mommy: How to Talk so your Child will Listen and Understand

December 6, 2012 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan Leave a Comment

Communication is essential in any relationship. It would obviously be very difficult to understand each other and live harmoniously together is if we aren’t able to effectively relay to others what it is we want to say. One of the most difficult things to do is to effectively talk to your young children in a way that they will surely understand and listen. Many mommies struggle with this challenge. I know I have, and still do, even though my child is now six years old and has amazing comprehension skills. I guess sometimes it’s not just the listener, but also the person speaking who should learn to adjust in order to be able to ensure that his or her message is clear.

The good news is, Optimommy and Manila Workshops have put together a one-day workshop to address this issue, and teach parents how to communicate effectively with their children. The workshop is called “Yes Mommy: How to Talk so your Child will Listen and Understand”

About the Yes Mommy Workshop
At “Yes Mommy” we’ll talk about practical tips and tools to build a foundation of good communication with our young children. Topics include:

Self Talk for Mommies: Why positive communication begins with you
How to understand your child’s personality
How to adjust your communication style based on your child’s personality
The Three Elements of Positive Communication: Crucial factors to encourage your children to listen and understand
How to say “no” by saying “yes”

“Yes Mommy” is called a workshop. But Optimommy, Jayme, sees it as really more of a sharing session where moms can connect with other moms, you can feel safe to share what we know and don’t know, and you can have comfort knowing that we are not alone in this parenting journey. After “Yes Mommy”, you ca expect to gain:

Tools to start your day with calmness and intention
Patience in dealing with your children
Resources to communicate persuasively
A network of like minded moms who can give encouragement and support

Here are the EVENT DETAILS and RATES:
Date: Saturday, December 15, 2012 Time: 9:00 am to 4:45 pm
Venue: COWO – Ground Floor, Suntree Tower, #27 Sapphire Road, Ortigas Center, Pasig City

Regular Rate of Php 1,400 / participant
Early Bird Rate of Php 1,200 / participant (PAID before Dec. 1, 2012 or via Okayokay.com until Dec. 10)
Group Discount of Php 1,000 for 3 or more participants

*Lunch and afternoon snack are included
*Payment may be via Okayokay.com or deposit to a UnionBank or BPI Account or via Paypal (Please add Php 50 for Paypal charges).

Since it’s almost Christmas, Optimommy and I would like to treat all of the readers of Mrs C’s Sugarcoated Life to a special discounted rate on this workshop. If you sign up using my promo code OptimommyPATTY, you get a 50% discount on the registration fee. That means you’ll only need to pay Php500 to join this fabulous workshop! Isn’t that wonderful?

Join now! All you have to do is sign up through this form. Don’t forget to use the Promo Code OptimommyPATTY to get the discount!

Much love and happiness,

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The Blame Game

December 4, 2012 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan Leave a Comment

My dear mommy friends, I need your insights. Lately, I’ve noticed that my 6-year old has started making up stories, stretching the truth, and hiding the truth to avoid getting into trouble.

It started a few months ago when his teacher talked to me after class as I was picking him up. She informed me that he had to be moved to a different seat because he and his seatmate would talk to each other a lot during class. When I asked him about this, he said it was the other boy who kept talking to him, that’s why they were separated. This was the first time that my attention was called, and it was over a small behavioral issue, so I just let it slide.

Last week, there was a note in his assignment notebook from the teacher asking that we remind the kiddo to refrain from shouting, especially when he gets excited over something. When I asked him about this, he told me that he was trying to stop his classmate from running. Since his classmate was already farther down the hall than he was, he had to shout so the other kid would hear him. I explained to him that disciplining his classmates is not his responsibility, and that he should just let his teacher deal with situations like that so that he doesn’t get in trouble too.

Yesterday, when we picked him up from school, the little guy tolm my mom and I that he wasn’t able to finish a seatwork in class because there wasn’t enough time. I asked if the other kids were able to finish, and he said that some of them did. He named some names of kids who supposedly didn’t finish either. I asked what happened, and why he didn’t finish. He told me again that there wasn’t enough time. I then asked how come the others finished and he didn’t. I wanted to find out what happened to him. He eventually told me that a classmate was talking and talking, and that he got annoyed and told her to be quiet. That’s why he didn’t finish.

I knew there was something fishy with his explanation so I suggested that maybe he was talking to his seatmate too, which was why she kept talking to him. Of course, I was right. Sorry little guy, mommy’s been there and done that.

Again, that same afternoon, he told me a story of how someone might have put pressure on his eye, and that it hurt a little. I get really upset when kids play too rough and end up hurting each other, so I asked what he was doing when this happened. He immediately changed his story and said he was the one who put pressure on his eye, not someone else. And he said it was because the teacher asked them to put their heads on the table and he pressed his head down on his arm too hard. Honestly, I’m not sure which parts of this story are true, and which ones are made up.

That afternoon got me thinking about the times he had gotten into some sort of trouble, big or small. Like if a pencil was missing, he’d say that someone borrowed it and never gave it back. Or if he didn’t write his homework for the day properly, he’d say that someone was distracting him while he was copying off the board. I talked to my mom about this, since she witnessed our discussion after school, and her take on it is that maybe it’s his way of covering his butt.

This strikes a negative chord on me for two reasons – one, he has started telling white lies, and two, he is playing the blame game. I don’t know if he does the same thing with other people, but I’m sure he’s pulled a white lie on me more than once. I understand his need to cover his butt, and that he doesn’t want to get into trouble, but I am pretty upset that he does it by fibbing and the making up stories. I especially don’t like the fact that he blames people for things.

What do I do? He’s an only child, so it’s pretty hard getting him to understand these things without us being able to point out actual instances with another kid. We do try to practice what we preach at home, and really do our best to set good examples.

I wrote a note to his teacher asking why he wasn’t able to finish his work, and if he was the only one. Maybe she can shed some light on what goes on inside the classroom.

Meanwhile, any advice from mommies out there with older kids, or with kids of the same age? Is this normal? What can we do as parents to right these wrongs? Is it our fault? Help! Please, someone enlighten me.

Much love and happiness,

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