How's everyone doing? If you'd ask me, I've been my busiest and most sick self (so far this 2013) these past two weeks. In a span of those days, I've travelled to Albay (saw Mt. Mayon for the first time) and Tarlac for work, I've had flu (super couldn't get up from bed the whole day, clogged nose, dry cough and body pains) and pharyngitis which made me miss our team's strategic planning, 1 missed band hotel gig plus a gig with an almost-didn't-make-it-voice, a company-sponsored family outing at 8 Waves and lastly attended a Vikings MOA buffet children's birthday party.

Why do I blog?  Without sounding serious or formal, I sincerely blog out of passion for writing, sharing and helping.  I've written this on my About Me page when I launched Mommy Practicality last July, 2012.  I haven't edited it since then.  Looking back to when I started Mommy Practicality, I am happy to say that after attending Blog Inspired Workshop, my purpose for blogging was reaffirmed and made me say to myself, I am doing ok and I started this with a correct mindset.

Hello Loves!  I've written in my past post about a TVC project that I couldn't disclose yet at that time.  Well now, here it is!  I've been itching to tell you about it last month, but I really cannot until it's already airing on local channels.

The scene with Michael V which is seen at the first part of the 30s TV Commercial.  Bitoy was very professional! This was shot at 11:30 am up to past 12:00 noon.  Grabe!  I was directed to do "Ooohs and Aahhs" reaction.

Outbbox Media Productions Agency was able to stage Baby Blast 4 very successfully which happened last April 14, at the Trinoma Activity Center.  Baby Blast 4 was a well-attended event by Moms, Dads and super cute and mega adorable kids!

Baby Blast 4 Event at the Trinoma Activity Center

What do you think of cloth diapering or using "lampin" for your children?  Did you or do you want to do it because it's more economical, it's cost-efficient or because it's eco-friendly?  Actually, it's all of the above.   I cloth diapered my first-born using the traditional "lampin" back in 2003.  It was natural, it was cool to my baby's bottoms, it was practical and little did I know at that time, that I was already helping save the Mother Earth in my own little way.

I realized this even more when Bamboo Dappy, in partnership with WWF and Holy Carabao, invited me with few other fab moms for an intimate tea party to talk about how we could save the environment.




  
 The intimate gathering just stressed to us the importance of doing small things to help save and heal our environment.  Here are some of the things you could also do to contribute:

• Segregate your trash
• Use washable hand towel instead of tissue or paper towels
• Use both sides of the paper; Use scratch papers
• Use eco-bags for your groceries
• Use paper products instead of plastic or styro ones
• Use milk cans as plant pots
• Unplug mobile phone when fully charged
• Turn off lights when not in use

 It was a star-struck moment for me to meet one of my blogger icons, Mommy Fluer!  Glad to meet new friends as well such as Vim, who shares the same desire to help save our Mother Earth.
The small group of moms and a dad bloggers during the Bamboo Dappy Tea Talks who all pledged to do their parts to help heal our environment.

Check out Bamboo Dappy's website or their Facebook Page to know more about their cause and their eco-friendly products.

How about you?  What are the things you do to help conserve our environment?

Hello loves!  It had been a very busy week for me at work, with my acoustic band, with my friends, with personal errands, with events and most especially with my family.  That's why I haven't been writing last week as often as I want to.  How's everyone? Hope you're all having a great weekend so far!

This time, I wish to share some of the practical finds I got for my kids and myself last week.  First of all let me tell you a (not-so) secret about reading.  I cannot stress how important it is for me to expose my children to books or any form of reading material.  That's why even if with the mobile phone, X-box, TV and laptop around, I still manage to read to my very active and techie toddler and make my not-so-bookish 9 year-old son read and write essays.

I regularly buy hardbound or flap books for my toddler.  But since brand new books come in pricey tags, I buy books from Book Sale and at the stationery section of Pure Gold in Araneta Ave. cor. E. Rodriguez, Q.C. branch.

Tonka hardbound book with drawing board Php 120.00 at BookSale

On the other hand, my 9 year-old who used to love reading books, showed less interest in reading when he turned 7 years old.  So when I found out that he's interested in comic books, I started buying him K-Zone magazines to still make him read.  He has a stack of these kids' magazine and I buy him every now and then, to still encourage him to read.

Back issues of K-Zone to add to my son's collection. P35.00 - P50.00 only at Book Sale

For myself, since my foundation is sagad na to the last drop, I bought a new mineral liquid foundation from Maybelline.  What's great was that it was on 30% off at Landmark's store sale!  That's a valuable deal for me.  Make-ups could be really expensive.  My practical brand of choice has always been Maybelline.

Maybelline Pure Liquid Mineral Foundation at 30% off!

Practical Find: Great deal!  From P499.00 down to P349.30

Last Friday, I was super rushing going to Luxent Hotel for our acoustic night gig.  I was late because traffic was really bad from Makati to Manila to Quezon City.  I applied make up in the cab.  Sadly, because I was taranta already, I left my almost 2 year-old Avon powder eyebrow make-up at the backseat.  It was time to let go, it served its purpose very well.  Avon doesn't sell that product/SKU anymore, so I bought

I was able to try this brand of eyebrow powder last week too. I borrowed from a good friend in the office when I realized mine was lost.

Lookie!  It's priced from P299.75 down to P254.75!  Great deal!

I'm a self-confessed bargain hunter.  So expect more of this kind of deals from me.  How about you?  Did you have any practical or bargain finds recently?

While it may be true that you have heard that cliche a million times, but forgive me because I just had a very happy experience earlier when I got home from work.

I was the most exhausted and haggard-looking me coming home to my still awake 9 year old son at past 10 pm.  He stayed awake because he prepared a surprise for me!

After giving my "pasalubong" or treats to him, he dragged me to his room and showed me this:

At 2 years and 6 months, I started toilet training my toddler for the day.  My elder son was toilet trained at around the same age back then.  I just recalled the signs of preparedness and the drills we did before and applied the same to my toddler.  I'm very pleased that it worked for the little one too!

From what I have been reading about toilet training, the average age for toilet training has increased from 18 months to 39 months for boys and 35 months for girls.  Studies show that the rise in the average age is actually a good thing because pressuring our little ones to toilet training may not be constructive for them.

I would like to share with you how I am toilet training my toddler (and still in the process of it - it's a continuous effort until he stays diaper-free at night).

Luxent Hotel
51 Timog Avenue, 1103 Quezon City
Luxent Hotel Facebook Page
Luxent Hotel Website

Hello loves, I'm pleased to share with you that my 7 year old acoustic band called Euphony, is still alive and kicking.  In fact we are one of the two featured bands this month playing at the relatively new hotel in Timog, Quezon City, Luxent Hotel.

They say every meal time is family time.  A time to bond, talk, celebrate and connect with the people you love.  What better experience it could be if done extraordinarily right?  How about boodle style?  Sounds exciting especially for the children!

One Sunday afternoon after coming from church, we decided to let our kids experience boodle eating at Blackbeard's Seafood Island Restaurant in Robinsons Magnolia.  I first experienced Seafood Island Restauirant in Araneta Center branch back in 2008 when my friend met me there for some drinks.  Since then, I've been coming back for the experience which I also share to family and friends.

Blackbeard's Seafood Island, Seafood Bonding Extreme!