Unlike the previous Scholastic Warehouse Sale when bookworms enjoy the much-awaited Box-All-You-Can Book Buffet, Scholastic Summer Warehouse Sale 2018 offers books for as low as three (3) for ₱100 and ₱50 each. 

Eric Carle books that usually cost ₱300+ are on sale at three (3) for ₱100

Hardbound Captain Underpants in full color at ₱50 only

Some copies of Diary of a Wimpy Kid cost only ₱50. Yay!

There are also books that cost ₱100 to ₱200 each. 

This books originally costs ₱425 but is now being sold at ₱100 only.

More self-help books for kids are on sale.

Hardbound Diary of a Wimpy Kid at ₱100? Yes, it is!

Klutz hardbound books cost only ₱100.

If you think that you will not save that much due to the absence of the Box-All-You-Can Book Buffet promo, you are totally wrong. Why? Because most of the book selections are best sellers and award-winning and they are being sold by Scholastic at a fraction of a price. Let me give you a glimpse of what Kuya and I scored during the sale  plus our recommended finds.

Our Scholastic Summer Warehouse Sale 2018 haul

These are the amazing finds that we got from the three (3) for ₱100 selections. Imagine, we scored Eric Carle books, teacher's manuals, and other expensive books, and best sellers both paperback and hardbound at three (3) for ₱100?

These books originally cost ₱400+ but at Scholastic Warehouse Sale, you can get them at three (3) for ₱100.

All these award-winning books, books from famous authors, and collector's item books were only ₱50 to ₱150 each. 

Calvin and Hobbes fans out there! This thick book is for you!

The award-winning book, Kira-Kira costs ₱50 only.

Scholastic has a lot of award-winning books to love!

Paulo Coelho books are a steal for ₱100 each!

Jungle Book belongs to three (3) for ₱100.

Hardbound "The Clockwork Three" costs ₱150.

For only ₱2,000, we got a total amount of approximately ₱11,000+ when we computed the estimated original prices of the books that we got. Why estimated? Because not all original prices of books were reflected on the sales order. But since I use to hang out on bookstores when I have a chance to go out, more or less I know the prices of those books. I am also a regular patron of Scholastic Warehouse Sale. Browsing its books makes me more familiar with their previous prices.

By the way, if I may share, having a date with my post graduate friend that I didn't see in person for 19 years made our visit extra memorable and fun too!

Thanks to Scholastic Philippines! We can read award-winning and best selling books without breaking the bank. We are looking forward to the next Scholastic Warehouse Sale! According to the staff that I have asked, it will be held sometime in November 2018. While waiting for it, I invite you to visit the ongoing sale at 70 Raymundo Street, Pasig City. You will never regret it. 

Book worms will jump and shout for joy when they see this piles and piles of good reads!

Sa henerasyong ito na karamihan sa mga kabataan ay nahihilig sa paggamit ng kanilang mga "gadgets" upang libangin ang kanilang mga sarili sa paglalaro at panonood ng mga palabas, bilang mga responsableng mga magulang ay huwag nating kalilimutan ang pagtuturo sa ating mga anak ng pagbabasa ng aklat, ito man ay gawa sa papel o elektroniko (eBooks). Ang kasanayan sa pagbabasa ay mahalaga sa kanilang pag-unlad sa lahat ng aspeto sapagkat ito ang pundasyon sa pagtuklas at pag-aaral ng iba bang kaalaman. Kaya naman ang pag-aaral ng pagbasa ay huwag bale-walain sapagkat ang batang marunong magbasa ay tiyak na makasusunod sa mga panuntunan at mas magkakatoon ng pagkakataong matuto pa ng higit kahit kaunti lamang ang gabay mula sa kanilang mga magulang, guro, o tagapag-alaga.

Sa pagtuturo ng pagbasa sa mga kabataan, dapat ang mga magulang ay maging mapili sa mga aklat na kanilang ipababasa o babasahin sa kanilang mga anak. Ang pagbasa ay isang epektibong pamamaraan upang ibahagi ang kagandahang asal maliban pa sa mga bagay na kailangang matutuhan ng kabataan na may relasyon sa akademika. 

Kaya naman, bilang isang ina ay sinusoportahan ko ang mga Pinoy at Pinay na may-akda upang malaman ng aking mga anak ang kulturang Pinoy lalo na ang magagandang asal na talagang likas sa mga Pilipino na kailangan nilang matutuhan at linangin upang maging mabuting mamayan saan man siyang bahagi ng mundo mapunta.

Isa sa mga Pinay na manunulat na aking minamahal at sinusuportahan ay si Bb. Meanne Mabesa Mijares sapagkat ang kanyang mga isinulat na kwentong pambata ay kapupulutan ng aral at nakapagpapasigla ng kagandahang loob at pananalig sa Diyos.

Sa kanyang isinulat na aklat na pinamagatang "Si Dina Daldal at Si Mikmik Tahimik" kanyang naipakikita ang realidad ng buhay na ito ay puno ng pagsubok at mga bagay at pangyayaring hindi kanais-nais na dala ng pagmamalabis ng ibang tao. Ngunit kung ang isang tao ay matatag ang pananampalataya sa Diyos at laging pinipili ang paggawa ng kabutihan at ipinaglalaban ito kung kinakailangan para sa kanyang sarili, kaibigan, mahal sa buhay, at kanyang kapwa, tiyak na magiging maganda ang kalalabasan ng adhikaing ito. Pinatutunayan ng kwentong ito na ang bawat isa ay dapat huwag maging manhid, magbulag-bulagan o magbingi-bingihan sa mga taong nangangailangan ng tulong upang ang katarungan at kabutihan at laging manaig at sumulong.

Gayun din naman, kung tayo ay minimithi sa buhay, huwag tayong mahiyang magdasal sa Poong Maykapal. Ang Ating Diyos Ama ay may nakalaang biyaya sa ating lahat, ito man ay nakikita o hindi, ispiritwal man o temporal, talento, mabuting kalooban, at marami pang iba. Hinihintay lamang Niya tayong hilingin ang mga ito at Kanya namang ibibigay sa tamang panahon. Huwag nating sayangin ang pagkakataon. Manalig lamang tayo at magpasalamat. Ang mga ito ay itinuturo ng kwentong pinamagatang "The Pearl Boxes of Blessings: A Christmas Story from Heaven Above".

Sa kwentong "Emma Kali-Kaliwete! Emma U-utal-utal" ay makikita natin na kahit ano pa man ang ating kakulangan o kaibahan sa ibang tao, tayo ay kailangang maging matatag at maniwalang makakayanan natin ang kahit anong pagsubok na dumating sa ating buhay gawa ng ating pagiging "iba". Ang pananalig sa Diyos at paniniwala sa sarili ang siyang magpapatatag sa atin kasama na tunay na pagmamahal ng ating pamilya. Pagpapatawad, pagbangon hatid ng pagkakadapa dahil sa mga pagsubok, kababaang-loob, pagmamahal, at pagpapatawad, ang ilan sa napakaraming aral na itinuturo ng aklat na ito.

Aking inaanyayahan na kayo ay magbasa kasama ng inyong mga anak kahit ano pa man ang kanilang edad ang mga kwentong aking nabanggit. Ang mga aklat na sumusunod ay mabibili sa lahat ng St . Pauls Bookstores sa buong bansa: "Emma Kali-Kaliwete! Emma U-utal-utal", "Si Dina Daldal at Si Mikmik Tahimik", at "The Pearl Boxes of Blessings: A Christmas Story from Heaven Above". Ang aklat naman na "Diego Meets the Pope/Makikilala ni Diego ang Santo Papa" ay mabibili sa National Book Store. Tayo nang suportahan ang mga natatanging aklat ng natatanging may-akda na si Bb. Meanne Mabesa Mijares at turuan ng kagandahang-asal, kagandahang-loob, at pananalig sa Diyos ang ating mga anak. 

"If you want to bring happiness to the whole world, go home and love your family.”

- Mother Theresa

I am feeling under the weather today and reading just a few pages of this book has lifted me up literally and figuratively. Thank you so much for sharing your gift of writing, Miss @michelealignay! Thank you, @brotherbosanchez and Shepherd's Voice Publication, Inc., for sending me this book through the initiative of Miss @tinasrodriguez. It's such a lovely gift. God bless you. 💕 . My thoughts about this book soon! 😉 . . #allaroundpinaymama #aapmmustread #aapmrecommends #shepherdsvoice #book #bookstagram #inspire #family #relationships #bookworm #blessed #grateful #loved

A post shared by Gng. SJ Valdez (@allaroundpinaymama) on Jul 5, 2017 at 1:08am PDT

Are we having a harmonious relationship?

Do we deal with trials and problems properly?

Am I fulfilling my duties as a wife and mom?

Do I fully understand that each member of my family is different and be treated with utmost respect, loyalty, and love?

Am I a mindful person all the time?

I am not being hard on myself but sometimes I feel inadequate as a mom and wife. I am not perfect. I also feel tired and burned-out. When I am so exhausted, sometimes I do things only out of obligation.

I also whined, felt so empty that nothing was left for myself figuratively and literally. Maybe, you had the same experience. Like me, surely you also felt guilty.

After reading this book,  I felt that there's nothing wrong with acknowledging our true feelings. What would matter most would be knowing how to channel our efforts positively and making sure that we would be basing our decisions for the good of the entire family.

Obviously, there are so things to be done and learned as I live with my family. This book has helped me in so many ways to improve my relationship with my spouse and kids. Honestly, I am still a work in progress. I would like to share some excerpts from the book that struck me.

1 "The heart of family bonding is more than the place where the family is or the occasions we celebrate. It's more than the food on the table or the activity we share. The heart is that portion of ourselves we willingly share with our family, without losing the essence of individuality. That 'I' in the family builds the healthy beautiful 'we'."

2  "You can enrich your relationships and converse in a deeper gut level by having the guts to talk, to laugh, to whine, and to mutually connect with the very people who hold you dear. Go and talk. Share yourself, especially what you feel. Do not be afraid to be vulnerable. Listen to the other person. Free yourself from judgments and giving opinions. Listen more and empathize. Just be who you are. Then see the wonders it does in deepening your relationship!"

3  "Mindfulness is being present in the moment. It is not fretting over what could have been. It's not judging ourselves for what we should be. It's allowing our thoughts as they are, observing them and checking ourselves against taped ideas."

5  "The emotional exchanges are crucial to our relationships. Sometimes, our relationships gets scarred, bitter, or estranged when we have more unpleasant emotional outburts. But why do we exhibit more emotions and become more transparent with our feelings when we got closer to someone? Because intimacy in relationships and the feelings of closeness only happen if there is a sharing of emotions. Our feelings are part of who we are. That feeling is uniquely ours. These feelings are actually part of God's great design for us."

6  "A resilient family views stress and crisis as opportunities for inner transformation and growth." 

7  "'It's not that we are busy, but what are we busy about.' Our core values will always be the center from which our life energy will flow. If we sre deadlocked in decision-making, aligning our realities snd priorities to our core values should make things clear." 

 8  "Why settle for spark when you can have fire."

9  "The best gift parents can give their children is a happy marriage. Happy parents and fulfilled married life bring about happy children and fulfilling parenting."

10 "ACCEPT. ACKNOWLEDGE. AFFIRM. They're like a magic formula for unloving the mysteries of loving relationships. It's living beyond the box. It's a conscious decision we live out each day as we express appreciation for our spouse."

12  "Let's forego of our 'shoulds' to see and appreciate what is in front of us. Let's allow ourselves to be free from our to-do list so we can connect with our loved ones. We need to touch them, to look at their faces, to connect not only with what we say but connect through their eyes, mind, heart and even their soul. And our nonverbal communications do not lie. Relationships will not thrive if we do not experience the other person-- in the flesh through our senses."

I recommend this book to all parents, husbands, wives, and those who are planning to get married and raise a family. I agree with what Brother Bo Sanchez said, "I'm so happy that Michele is giving us this important gift: clear, powerful, and wise guidance on how you can make your own family great." His statement sums up the magic that this book can bring to every family.

Courtesy: Michele S. Alignay

***************************

Having a household without helper and composed of two active kids, one of which has Mild Autism, is obviously a very busy one. Paps and I share with the bulk of work in doing the chores and raising our kids aside from our personal jobs. Paps is a high school teacher by the day and he teaches in the school where Kuya studies while I take care of Bunso who is now attending Special School and Occupational Therapy. Paps and I still work for our homebased business from the moment that our kids are asleep. This staying up late at night happens all the time because we have no choice but to extend our efforts. It is merely impossible for me to cover for him and do his share in the business task after dropping Bunso to school and while he is staying there for two to three hours because doing so at this point is most of the time being substituted with chores. From the moment that Bunso and I are already home, my time revolves around him alone because he needs it and he is my priority. Then late in the afternoon, in the evening, or late at night when the two big boys arrive, as the schedule permits, our focus as parents mainly is to have a brief family time with our kids during and after dinner time and do the chores thereafter. And the cycle goes on and on and on...

Paps and I are not complaining. We love our job as parents and we also like what we do for a living. We also have the same hobbies and we are happy with our present condition. We always wish to live longer and watch our kids grow and build their own lives separately but would constantly look for each other closely.

Living longer entails hard work and discipline. I have also learned just recently that a study has been made that parenting can lead to longer life. Well, mainly it's because parents have more reasons to live longer. They have to look after their kids until they die. It's a motivation that is so hard to break because parents love their kids unconditionally.

When I say hard work and discipline, it includes having a healthy lifestyle. Gone were the days when we would indulge in fatty and oily food or binge eating with junk food. We eat a balanced meal and tend to indulge or have ourselves a treat with dairy or chips once in a while. We don't want our kids to be ignorant with food. We believe that balance is always the key. We also don't take too much medicines and we take them only when they are badly and truly needed. We always resort to natural alternatives which includes choosing the right food in healing a specific disease. Sometimes, skipping medication is not an option but still it should be reinforced with taking food alternatives to heal the target disease.

Like for instance, drinking lots of water, cranberry juice, and coconut water is good for Urinary Tract Infection and Canker Sores because they kill and wash off the bacteria that cause them.  There are so many articles found in the world wide web about the healing wonders of fruits, vegetables, and herbs and sometimes it takes time to search and look for the right ones. Most of the correct information based on experience comes from  Chinese or Asian sources.

I don't do that anymore at the moment because now I have with me this tiny book with huge information about Chinese and Asian superfoods turned into smoothies, which are considered to be the convenient way to bring nutrition and refreshment into our daily living. Healthy Smoothies---Traditional Chinese Medicine Inspired Recipes by Kimberly Ashton (health coach and food educator) and Zhang Yifang (Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor) teaches us how to make healthy smoothies while making us understand about food therapy that is suited to our individual constitution. Body constitution, by the way, makes up our physical state, including the function of the systems of our body and metabolism and of course, our mental and spiritual states too.

How do we know our individual constitution in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)? 

The authors mention in the book that the features of one's constitution can be detected in three areas: the personal physical build, the body's internal functions, and the psychological state. A person's constitution also depends on the stage of life he or she is facing, such as puberty or menopause perhaps.

There are also two origins of constitution: congenital natural disposition and post-natal lifestyle (nature and nurture, in short). Moreover, there are so many factors that influence the formation of the constitution when speaking about the "nature" part like parents' physical and mental health, at the time of conception or the mother's pregnancy condition. When it comes to "nurture", our own lifestyles and actions influence our constitution.

To help us maintain our present state of being or constitution,  we have to learn first the basic healthy food that can help us maintain, relax, or heal it. In this book, a self-assessment is included to find that out.  The result can help us know what foods to choose according to our individual constitution. Isn't it cool? We can just try and test different smoothies that we think can help us gain healthier bodies with a concrete basis. We are being guided properly by this book by knowing the basics of TCM and the first thing to do is to know more about what we really need.

Next step is teaching the preparation of functional liquids and bases. TCM also stresses that aside from matching our food therapy to our individual constitution, we should also consider the season we are in and what effects we want the smoothie to have in our health. The liquids and bases that are the key parts to smoothie making are divided into three kinds: cooling, warming, and neutral. After this step, choosing suitable food and building our very own TCM smoothie follow, may it be for nourishing nutrition, immune system strength, detoxification, refreshment, or digestion aid. There are almost 40 recipes to choose from that are explained in a very simple manner which includes usage, ingredients, method of preparing, and most of all contraindication. Each recipe is supported with colorful photographs that make reading this book and learning from it enticing and fun.

I recommend this book for the reasons that I've mentioned above. It serves as a reliable guide for us to achieve optimum health and well-being. Dr. Ann Wignore, a Lithuanian-American holistic health practitioner, once said, "When we learn to eat properly we begin to rebuild our bodies and to fulfill our purpose on this planet to grow in health, creativity, wisdom, and compassion." This book can help us do it rightly to achieve this goal.

Chinese dishes are my most favorite next to Filipino dishes. Their colors, textures, and flavors are so enticing and literally burst in my mouth. Whenever our family and loved-ones celebrate special occasions, we opt to reserve in our favorite Chinese restaurant because we are always sure that our guests would truly be satisfied and the compliments that we get are truly heartwarming.

My kids and husband can't say no to Chinese food like I do. For a cook like me who is fond of preparing quick and easy dishes due to my very busy schedule, my reliable source in giving me suggestions in finding easy Chinese recipes is my best friend Google (Moms, I know that you can relate. LOL!). I would search for the easiest and quickest recipes and of course, it also takes time to find the right ones and I would always end up cooking the dishes that I know--- Pancit, Lumpiang Shanghai, Yang Chow Fried Rice, Egg Drop Soup, and Siomai (using ready made wanton wrapper). Seriously, nakasasawa na and I also would always say to myself, "Sana mayroon namang iba."

Google search for this matter is finally over at the moment because now I have with me a copy of Easy Chinese Recipes --- Family Favorites from Dim Sum to Kung Pao by by Bee Yinn Low. It has over 70 great-tasting recipes to keep us covered when we crave for Chinese dishes- from appetizers; soups; dim sum and dumplings; beef, pork, poultry, seafood, vegetables, tofu, and egg dishes; noodles and rice; desserts; and drinks that are so easy to prepare and I guarantee that are so delicious.

How did Bee Yinn Low come up with this cookbook?

As mentioned in the book's preface, Bee Yinn Low grew up in a Chinese household in Malaysia. She watched her mother cook as she was growing up but wasn't allowed to help that much. After a few years as a working woman in California, her love for Chinese food kept her determined to replicate the unforgettable flavors that she tasted during her youth despite having limited time in the kitchen. She did her best to develop her own versions of her favorite dishes using the readily available ingredients in local supermarkets. She experimented, read, and tasted until her passion became an expertise. Thereafter, her meals became well-loved by her friends and loved ones that prompted her to share her love of Asian Cuisine through her blog, RasaMalaysia.com. Moreover, this website has become the internet's most popular Asian food site.

When I started reading this cookbook, I immediately felt the author's generosity in sharing her skills. All the contents were written and explained in a very simple manner, supported with detailed and enticing photographs that even people who still haven't experienced cooking or find it difficult to cook could follow.

Due to so much excitement, Paps, who is better and expert in the kitchen, cooked Sweet and Sour Chicken based on the Sweet and Sour Fish found on page 102. Wow! It tasted so good that he decided to cook it again the following day!

If I will be subjected to Marshmallow Test, I think I'll fail. Nah! Just kidding! This EASY CHINESE RECIPES, FAMILY FAVORITES from DIM SUM to KUNG PAO book by BEE YINN LOW from @tuttlepublishing is a winner! I can't help but share this ASAP before my scheduled review about it because hubby and I are so glad to have this in our cookbook collection! . . Last night, Paps @type2cell cooked Sweet and Sour Chicken based on the Sweet and Sour Fish recipe on page 102. It tasted so authentic but so easy to do. . . There are over a hundred authentic quick and easy to prepare Chinese recipes to try. Aside from that, the author developed versions of her favorite Chinese dishes that had all the taste but were a lot less work! Amazing! . . It's a must-have for cooking enthusiasts. Two thumbs up! . . #allaroundpinaymama #aapmfavorites #bibliophile #tuttlepublishing #BeeYinnLow #bookstagram #book #spotmyfood #chinesefood #yummyph #huffposttaste #buzzfoodfeed #wimyummy #momswhoblogph #mommybloggersphilippines #certifiedbloggers #momblogger #foodblogger #7september2016 #igersmanila #makeitblissful

A post shared by SJ Valdez (@allaroundpinaymama) on Sep 6, 2016 at 11:24pm PDT

Bee Yinn Low would like her readers to nail Chinese cooking by first giving basic cooking techniques and tips, basic tools in utensils, and understanding Chinese ingredients. She even included the basics on how to cook steamed rice, make sauces, condiments, and dipping condiments that would compliment the recipes in the book. The content on this part of the book that our family enjoyed the most was how to make homemade dumpling wrappers from scratch (page 31). Our kids were giggling while doing this maybe because it was truly fun and amazing!


Lumpiang Shanghai is a dish that Kuya and Loley love so much. Knowing how to wrap and cook them properly (page 65) makes him love it more. This shows that even kids can follow Binn Yin Low's recipes and replicating her creations here at home make our palates and tummies satisfied at the same time creating wonderful bonding moments while cooking and eating them with the family.

It's Grandparent's Day here in the #Philippines that's why we've cooked Loley's favorite Lumpiang Shanghai for lunch. @beeyinnlow's Spring Roll wrapping technique found on her book, EASY CHINESE RECIPES from @tuttlepublishing makes cooking Lumpia hassle-free! See the photo to know how. . . #allroundpinaymama #aapmfavorites #aapmreviews #aapmcollaboration #lumpia #springrolls #cookingtips #spotmyfood #foodie #chinesefood #momblogger #foodblogger #mommybloggersphilippines

A post shared by SJ Valdez (@allaroundpinaymama) on Sep 10, 2016 at 11:07pm PDT

It is indeed difficult to live in a world that is full of standards. Those standards, sad to say, are based on what the majority thinks are appropriate based on how they see themselves. If we are not like them, most probably they think that we don't belong.

In the story, Emma, a young school-aged girl, is just average in physical attributes but she looks very pleasant. She is good and studious but she is left-handed and she stutters when she talks. Those traits of hers make her prone to bullying because some of her classmates feel that she is not normal as they are.

Due to this predicament, Emma feels that she is inferior and doesn't belong which prompts her to write using her right hand instead. She also stops participating in recitations due fear of being teased. Her classmates make her feel that she's abnormal. What makes her situation difficult for her is that some of her relatives, teachers, and friends consider her abnormal and they don't even extend their efforts and patience to help her cope up.

Despite being treated differently, Emma chooses not to fight back. She does her very best to show her classmates that she is not ashamed of who she is. Her strong faith in the God and the belief that those challenges shall pass keep her moving forward. 

When her teacher gives her a chance to be her class' representative for the spelling contest, some of her classmates show that they are not in favor of her. Their teacher defends Emma and encourages her that it's her chance to show everybody that she is a good student and she can succeed.

Emma does her very best. She studies very well as she prepares for the upcoming spelling contest with the support of her parents. She's able to win and she wins the hearts of those who treat her unkindly.

They ask forgiveness from Emma. Instead of getting getting angry and thinking of revenge, Emma forgives her classmates.

Emma has a good heart. This story proves that nobody can put a good person down and our greatest enemy is ourselves. Instead of channeling our energy to think of revenge, focusing on self -improvement together with prayer is one the best ways to conquer our fears and challenges. No matter what other people say about us, the acceptance and love of our family can keep us going against all odds.

Courtesy: im-just-a-girl.tumbler

Reading this book together with my Bunso who was diagnosed with mild autism two years ago made me relate it to his current situation. It is inevitable that not all people are going to understand his special needs. We can't shield him forever from people who don't understand and don't even bother to educate themselves that children with special needs may be different in our normal standards but they are unique in their own right and they see the world in a different perspective. We may be surprised that they see things differently and most of the time, it's amazing. It is only if we go inside their world that we can see how they think. They think better, love more, forgive easily, and show affection without hesitations or judgment and we should learn from them. What makes them different from our normal standards makes them more beautiful. If we only accept them the way we want others to accept us and if we only forgive the way they forgive, this world is going to be a better place.

Courtesy: picturequotes.com

I encourage you, dear parents, to get a copy of this book. It teaches so many values that your kids can imitate and they can pass those values to their children in the future. The book is filled with life's lessons about showing respect, treating others the way we want to be treated, conquering challenges and fears, strong relationship with God through prayer, being self-directed, honing God's given talents, being forgiving, and being beautiful inside out.

Courtesy: jarofquotes.com

Talking about quality, the book is made with high quality printing materials and surely, your kids can keep it, just make sure that it is handled and stored with care, until it's time for them to raise a family when they can read it again with their children.

Emma Kali-kaliwete! Emma U-utal-utal! by Meanne Mabesa Mijares is available in all St. Pauls Philippines branches. Grab a copy now and you'll love it too.