Treasure Jar

Some people I know have already finished their shopping as of this writing although I know and I can feel that there are still lots who are cramming into stores looking for the affordable perfect gift to give to their  loved ones.

We always say year after year that “Next year, I will do my Christmas shopping as early as September.” Yeah right.

So what is that so-called “perfect gift?”

There are so many gift ideas to choose from but in the end, the gift still will depend on what the receiver needs or would be able to enjoy. Or these would depend if the giver is spending a frugal Christmas like me.

A light rain jacket for someone who enjoys biking. A set of cookware for someone who enjoys cooking. Books for the bookworm. Puzzles and board games to keep children occupied. A new pup for the dog lover.

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Tags: Christmas, Frugal Christmas, gifts

One of the few songs that I love to listen to is the song “The Water is Wide/Deep River” as sung by Barbara Streisand. Click here to listen to her sing. The song has a relation to my entry, in terms of its lyrics, and NOT its interpretation.

Below is a photo of a river whose bed rose because of the sand deposits from the lahar flows as aftermath of the Mount Pinatubo eruption which happened in the early 1990s, after being dormant for 500 years.

Click here to read about its effect.

The Macolcol River was not a wide river before the volcanic eruption but it became so due to the forces of nature that men can not stop. The water has stopped flowing too. To think this river suffered only minor damage compared to other river system just shows how nature is really a force to reckon with.

Pardon the photo quality because we were in transit when I took a snapshot while on the new and taller bridge crossing the river:

The river is not flowing anymore, except maybe during typhoon season. It looks like a wide expanse of white desert with pine trees on either side and the mountains as its backdrop.

I wonder if Pomegranate trees will survive here?

The water should flow towards the sea, though I have not seen that happen in a long time.

photohunt

Tags: nature photo, Philippines, Photo Hunter, river, Zambales

The littlest pet shop toys are wonderful toys for children. Their feet have small magnets. They have teeny tiny accessories like bones and hats.

These are not for young children to play wth because of the small parts that can either get lost or swallowed (I hope not).

I got these on sale, by the way 🙂

Tags: For Little Hands, Littlest Pet Shop toys, Purse Strings, toys

Having said that I am going to spend a frugal Christmas, I have one after the other, slowly getting the things I need to see my plan of action into a reality

I got several things to use to be able to afford baking goodies as gifts

Sure, I shelled out some but I know these are for long-term use so I am still able to save, I think

Anyway, I got a silver 9 x 9 baking pan which was not bought on purpose but rather as an alternative The nonstick baking pan I was setting my sights on was not in stock so I settled for the silver baking pan which incidentally, is the FilipinoMomBlog’s Fab Holiday Finds week 3 theme

Here is a photo with the butterscotch bars that I and the kids baked last week, cooling in the silver baking pan 🙂

Tags: Christmas, family bonding, FilipinoMomBlog, food, Frugal Christmas, Purse Strings

Lasang Pinoy Sundays for this week is about Christmas Goodies.

I would have featured a few of the Christmas donuts that we had for the past two weekends but these were too “westernized” for me.

I have decided then to feature the butterscotch bars that the kids and I baked last week. This was in preparation for my Frugal Christmas theme. Yeah, even if I still have to practice baking which means I will shell out more than I have to, sige na, pangatawanan ko na 😀

Ok, I cheated.

I used a ready mix butterscotch/brownie mix (whatever) for this. I don’t know, it tasted like how a butterscotch bar should taste like. It was a bit, a teeny wee bit crunchy on top and soft and moist in the inside.

All sliced pieces baked from the 9 x 9 baking pan were gone before 24 hours were up (should I mention that we still had a pack of food for the gods given to us during that time). Maybe these were good to be given as goodies after all 😉

Tags: baked goodies, Christmas, Frugal Christmas, gifts, LaPiS, my family

1. Travel :: Family bonding
2. Expensive :: education
3. Backspace :: backyard garden
4. Traffic noise :: deafening
5. Now see here :: my children
6. Vegetables :: good for you
7. Chat :: talk nonsense
8. Your calling :: Single? Married? Religious?
9. Weekly :: Mutterings
10. Oh! :: No!

Tags: Unconscious Mutterings, Word Play