Avidly, The Avengers.

Spoiler alert!  Spoiler alert!  Spoiler alert!  Spoiler alert!  Spoiler alert!

After lining up forever for tickets, then lining up forever for popcorn, I can safely say that The Avengers was worth all the brand new blisters on our feet.

Some will say the plot was old.  Bad dude aiming for world domination via an unexplained secret weapon which opens a portal to another dimension, thus, releasing an army of creepies --not so original, eh?  Well, for the first time, I don't really care much about the plot.  The big thing here is the... assembly!  Marvel giants all squoosed together in one film!  Top that off with endless fisticuffs, car chases, firepower and lighting power, explosion here and there, HULK SMASH!
I've been hanging out with my boys too much.

Iron Man was his usual badass self.  In fact, 30 to 45 minutes of the movie was an iron Man movie.  Not that I mind.  He's the bomb!  I never really thought much about Thor or Captain America, but when they're in a hilarious banter with Iron Man, they're suddenly worth my while.
My second favorite will have to be Loki.  He's the bad dude, he's funny, and he has evenly flipped hair that I envy.  Nothing beats a power-hungry yet adorably humorous antagonist.  It made the mood lighter for the kids. They get to spend more time enjoying the movie than fearing the bad guy.
A new fave is HawkEye.  Because he was bad when the film started.  I have a thing for bad boys.  You see the pattern here?
Finally, the ending.  Call me a cheap punchline addict, but when the totally leveled STARK tower pulled out from frame and what was left of the STARK name was just the letter A that's exactly the same A on THE AVENGERS... I gasped and goosebumped all over!
Whaaat!  I told you I'm a cheap punchline addict, didn't I?!

Anyway, our boys totally ate up the whole film.  And why not?  It was light, it was exciting, it was heroic.
In fact, they even came home with action figures which were strategically being peddled right outside the cinema.  That they did.  Good job on merchandising and robbing me of my last cash, Marvel!  Grrr.... HULK SMASH!

Sweet Surprise

Being completely honest here:  I am not much of a romantic person.  All that mushy stuff and sweet surprises --I'm just not designed to plan those kinds of things.  I'm more of the world domination planner type.  *sigh* 

In contrast, my hubby Jing is all that and more!  He loves cooking up complex schemes to surprise me on Valentine's' Day, Mothers' Day, and every birthday.  Each one had been a wonderful success!

Well, this April was his birthday and I figured I'd take baby steps into this strange world of mushiness and unexpectedness.

I had planned a swim trip for the family (and, before I could stop myself, had classless-ly told him that it was my birthday present for him...ayayay.) to the Village Sports Club.  It wasn't anything special, really, since this was our third time to VSC.  So when we got there, that was when I decided to push this birthday thing up a notch.

While the boys played, I snuck out of sight --actually, I made some lame excuse about looking for a friend who works there, ugh!-- and made it to the sports club pool deck.  There, I've coerced the lifeguards and dining attendants to help me out with a birthday cake.  After a lot of dodging (Jing has a tendency to always look for me because I have a tendency to always get lost), I finally found the perfect cake at the sports club's main resto.

I had wanted to be mushy and unexpected, right?  So here it is --a heart cake!  How surprisingly sweet is that!  (read:  I am not a hearts person either. *sigh*)

The VSC attendants were so accommodating and so forgiving of my lack of birthday surprise expertise.  We talked about the exact time when the cake would be rolled out, where exactly the cake would be sent (it was a huge place with a lot of pools and my boys were just about everywhere), and when the candle would be lighted.  OHMYGOD!  THE CANDLE!  There's a cute story about that.  Of course, if I had planned this better, I would have brought my own birthday cake candle, right?  But, being a newbie, I didn't.  And a birthday cake without a birthday candle was just insane.  Thank goodness one of the waiters happen to be a part time sculptor (I kid you not!).  He got a chapel altar candle and effortlessly chiseled it to be a tiny candle with a lovely red ribbon tied around it, too!  Excellent!

But, rounding up the boys for the surprise was just as difficult as the cake drama.  Finally, Jing had to ask, "You're planning something, aren't you?"  I was SO obvious!  I pace a lot when I plan.  Duh.

It was all worth it when the VSC staff finally came out with the cake though.  Jing's classic surprised reaction sealed the deal.  It's like a mixed happy + embarrassed kind of reaction.  Lol!  Love it!

Blowing out that fine, handcrafted candle.

Happy shot.

Digging in!

Ok, so it wasn't a big surprise.  Nor was it the best.  But it was a good start in a brand new career in sweetness and unexpectedness... and my husband was actually impressed.  Yep, I'm pretty proud of myself. :)
Thanks for helping me pull it off, VSC!

PLDT myDsl and Nuffnang bring you The Avengers

It takes some kind of superhero ability to be able to be a work-from-home writer/mom.
Able to leap from one online requirement to another in a single bound, more powerful than a death defying webcam presentation, faster than a speeding deadline.  In between all this, there's also helping the kids with their online research, downloading soundtracks and games, and surfing for upcoming family movies.

That's exactly how I found out about The Avengers well ahead of the trailers on the tube and the cinema.

The very same epic movie PLDT myDsl and Nuffnang Philippines have united for to create an exclusive screening for Nuffnangers on April 26, 2012 at the Shangri-la Cineplex.

All this online madness is all in a day's work.  But evil is afoot.
Enter Super Mom's nemesis... the Evil Slow Internet!  And it's mischevous henchmen, Expensive Rates.

Now that's when I reach for the best super power available to man:  Skyrocketing to you this summer, it's The PLDT myDsl Great Payday Sale!  It's the biggest Internet sales on the strongest connections from home happening on April 27-29, 2012. 

All I have to do is register at the nearest PLDT Home booth or malls nationwide on April 27-29 2012 armed with one valid ID.  Without any cash out whatsoever, my Internet then gets upgraded to mad speed.  Freebies like a WiFi+Modem with free installation and 1 month DSL subscription will be given away, too.  Why, that's as much as Php5,000 worth of savings!

If that isn't a super move for this Super Mom, I don't know what is.  If I'm hell busy, I can even apply online at www.pldtmydsl.com.

I'm off to recharge my Internet and my super powers with a great deal and a most awesome movie.  If you have the ability, you should be assembling with me, too.

Papier Mache: All Boxed Up Edition

Don't you sometimes find yourself drowning in empty cereal boxes, popcorn boxes, vitamin boxes, potato chip canisters, and discarded toy cardboard backings?  Weekends, I'd be knee-deep in these things.  You can dump them all in the trash bin 'til the garbage truck comes around, or you can do something more productive with them.
Me and my boys, we always go with the second option.

You know how an empty box is the simplest yet richest toy you can give your child, right?  It's readily available, and its simplicity fuels your child's imagination to no end.  That's exactly how my boys look at a box... provided it comes with glue, newspaper, and rolls and rolls of tissue.

Let me present to you our Family Project Weekend Papier Mache Collection:  The All Boxed Up Edition!  Drum roll please!

Bowser's Castle is made out of a Zest-O 8-pack juice box, Pringles and Cheetos canisters.

Ellie's house of Pixar's UP is made solely out of microwave popcorn boxes.

Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory is made out of old cellphone boxes and tissue cardboard rolls.

Back to the Future's Clock Tower is made out of a Koko Crunch box and old flashcard boxes.

Twilight Zone's Tower of Terror is made out of microwave dinner boxes, a Cherifer box, and a Make-Your-Own-Dino box.

This Mayan Temple is made out of old business card boxes and Lego toy boxes.

The 20th Century Fox structure is made out of Mixed Nuts canisters, a Panda cookie box, and a Cookie Crisp box.

Going fully cliche here, the possibilities are indeed endless.  All there is to it is a box and your kid's boundless imagination.  What do you get?  Instant creative family bonding with an ultra fulfilling end result to boot!

Time to look at an old box as something more than a piece of trash, don't you think?  It's an art piece, a home made toy.  Why, it might just be your next weekend family addiction to look forward to and enjoy.

Now, excuse me while I take this opportunity to hoard. :)

Science at the Park

Nerdy moms out there, the playground of our dreams has finally arrived!
The Mind Museum's Science at the Park!

When this world class museum said it will give you the full science experience, it wasn't kidding.  Even the kiddie playground is brimming with scientific knowledge.

The Sound Dome creates echoes... echoes... echoes...

Solar powered windmill.

Yell through one end and hear your voice come out as an animal sound.

There's balance in imbalance.

The different sounds wood, metal, and glass chimes make.

Resonate!

Water propulsion and precision shooting.

And when you get tired, there are these musical chairs... literally.

Kids get to play and learn at the same time in an environment of hands-on fun and wonderment.  And isn't that what we practical, obsessive, nutjob moms have always wanted.  Haha!

Now I must end this post in a way only the most awesome nerds know how --"Science is cool!"
Right here at the Mind Museum.

Mind-Blowing Mind Museum

Oh, wow!  Where do I begin?  Writing about the country's biggest interactive science museum is just as overwhelming as when we were there to see it.  There's so much to say.  And not enough words to give the extraordinary experience justice.

In a word:  BIG.  We're taking about 2 levels of vast floor space with over 250 exhibits you can enjoy hands-on.  The sanest way to do this is to present the awesomeness by galleries.  So brace yourself as I take you through my family's mind-blowing Mind Museum encounter.  I guarantee it's going to be a helluva ride.

It starts off with the cutest welcoming committee --the robot, Aedi.  See the sweet red bow? 

Then, a prelude to greatness as you walk into the Hall of Philippine Science.  The best part here is the native animal knowledge game where you get to put each specie in its proper habitat.  Loads of fun!

Now, the real action begins!
Welcome to the Story of the Atom.

This gallery is larger than life --literally!  It takes you down to the size of a speck to experience what it is to be the smallest unit in existence.  I bet that chocolate bar is saying, "Who's your daddy now?!".

The Story of Life features the biggest brain exhibit in the history of science.  It lights up as you touch areas and annotates how each part of your mind functions.

 

Along with this majestic display is a peep into the natural habitats of other life forms, as well as an actual 'breaking down of molecules' and an in-depth encounter with DNA.  You get to check your own BP, too.

The Story of the Earth is by far our second favorite area.  I mean, a 40-foot T-Rex?!  Who doesn't dig that!  Dig.  Get it?  Hehe...

(This T-Rex is Stan.  You can read his life story written on the walls.  Very moving.)

Here, you get to look at real life Jurassic Park relics through microscope orbs.  You get to simulate natural calamities, too!  The earthquake and whirlpool simulators are guaranteed big hits among kids 1 to 92.

Now we enter the Story of Technology.  Aedi's cousin Mimo --a motion sensor robot-- runs these parts.  It roves around the area striking up conversation with people and chases you if you even dare ignore it.  Lol!

Bouncing off lasers to hit a target is a fun sport here.  That x-ray pad beats the iPad 2 anytime!  And that light bridge is a trip down glorious info overload lane. 

But I'd have to give props to the alternative power section.  Running around a wheel to heat water.  Winding up a hand generator to power a city.  Solid proof that man's ingenuity is the shiznit when he uses it for good versus evil. 

The final frontier but definitely the first on our gallery love list --The Story of the Universe... universe... universe...

Fancy a voyage through space right here, right now?  This foot bridge will take you to that exact feeling (minus the lack of oxygen, of course).  The galaxy walls turn, and so will your stomach.  What about manipulating the solar system on your own?  Controlling the moon's phases according to your whim?  Listening to space sounds that only astronauts can here in the comfort of a space age audio orb chair? Those happen here, too.
A good last stop would be the Space Shell.  A lie-down planetarium that shows space movies.  No, I'm serious.  You do lie down on moon cushions to watch.  You do lie down to watch the stars, don't you?

That's the low down and the complete high at the Mind Museum!  5 and a half hours perfectly, mind-blowingly, spent in a geeky family's life.

Tickets are sold online.  To book a visit schedule, you can choose from several 3-hour blocks right here.  But my recommendation is to take the All Day Pass for a few more extra bucks.  Why?  Because science cannot be contained in a mere 3 hours.  And, going in with that VIP orange band is kinda snazzy.