When I said last August that I already miss travelling and I wish to travel soon, I remember not wishing it to happen immediately and frequently.  "Be careful with what you wish for.." that's what most people say.  Well, a week after that post on my FB timeline, I got what I wished for.  I was given a special task at work which will require me to travel to different parts in Visayas once a week.

My first assignment was in Cebu.  Whenever I go to this lovely city, I usually stay overnight and make sure I pass by the following places: Sto. Nino Basilica, La Vie Perisienne, Zubuchon and Taboan too.  But last week, I didn't because I decided to just fly in and out so I could go home to my family quickly.  Ginawang parang Quiapo lang ang Cebu right?

My Cebu trip won't be complete without devouring a lechon!

Relationships, Marriages, Love - let's talk about that.  There are so many ways to show your loved ones how much you love them.  Some say it's easy, just tell your partner or your spouse everyday those three (I-LOVE-YOU) or five (I-LOVE-YOU-VERY-MUCH) words and you're fine. But for me, it's more than just saying it.

I do follow the five languages of love conscientiously.  These are:

Source

Personally among all five, the hardest and one that demands all the other languages combined or rolled into one is: Acts Of Service.

As simple as cooking for your spouse his favorite food, preparing clean clothes to use everyday, and most especially taking care of him while he is sick are the Acts of Service to show my love for him.

Milestones in any point of life, love, career or business is to be celebrated wonderfully!  This was just exactly what Celeteque PH did as they reached their 3rd year in the industry last August 26 and hosted lunch buffet at Prime 101 Restaurant.

What made the celebration grander was the launch of their two new products: Céleteque DermoScience Acne Solutions Acne-Clearing Concealer and Céleteque DermoScience Advanced Anti-aging Cleansing Oil.  I was there to witness this milestone and of course to celebrate with them.

Céleteque DermoScience Acne Solutions Acne-Clearing Concealer and Céleteque DermoScience Advanced Anti-aging Cleansing Oil.

One of the things that relieves our stresses from the daily work-life grind is to have a perfectly paced massage day.  What would make the pampering experience better and uber relaxing than to having it done at one of the best wellness centers in the city - The SPA.

I'm happy I was finally able to use the The SPA gift certificates I received last Mother's Day.  I know, I know.. what took me that long to use it right?  June and July came as two of the saddest and busiest this year.  I wrote about that HERE.

Wow!  That long weekend went by so fast I must say.  While most of my colleagues used the long weekend for an out-of-town or out-of-the-country trips, my family and I just stayed home and used the weekend to relax (at least for them.)

We didn't plan a trip because we're saving up for the boys' birthday party next month.  But I spent the weekend productively and happily by being domesticated.  I must admit, since I am a full-time working momma, I only cook breakfasts daily and whole-day meal during weekends and only get to clean the whole second floor every three days, how I wish I could do it everyday.

This long weekend was spent pamamalengke (as in the wet market, usually the helper does that), cooking, eating, playing with kids and semi-general cleaning: decluttering and re-arranging our living space.  I tell you, general-cleaning is very therapeutic and liberating to do so.  I got rid of things we no longer need and could even be considered trash which we've been keeping for so long.  I was only able to do this chore in our living room/area and I'm planning to do so in the other parts of the house soon.

Let me show you my domesticated side (yes I have! haha!)  I happily cooked for the family and even the hardworking Daddy Practicality also cooked for us:

Mommy's Turbo Chicken Recipe and my Buttered Potatoes and Carrots

Let's talk about one semi-guilty pleasures here.  Shopping.  I take SM's 3-Day-SALE seriously.  It's like an important life event, well at least in the shopping calendar.  Would you agree that any woman would faint if given a million to spend to shop til she drops?  But since I am not in slumber, of course I don't have a million (but I still wish I do!), I just have a decent shopping money and I want to make sure I use it wisely and stretch the budget so I could fill my loot with inexpensive but quality merchandise.

But where will you get quality merchandise at a low price?  Of course during mall SALEs!  That's why I take advantage of this and make sure I saved up for it.  Hence, shopping is just a semi-guilty pleasure for me because I don't really splurge without thinking or planning.  Recently SM City Sta. Mesa had its 3-Day SM Store Sale.  Hubby and I have been waiting for this because the house needs a little re-decorating and our kids, like balloons, had grown bigger in a span of a year and need wardrobe size updating.

Just to share, here are my wonderful and practical shopping finds:

FOR THE HOME:
Blue-Grey Chevron-designed Window Curtain - Php 250.00/panel
Buy 1 Take 1 White Chiffon Curtain - Php 250.00
Matching throw pillow cases - Php 50.00 each

Curtain Set #2 - Total: Php 750.00 (Savings of Php 750)

FOR THE KIDS:
Printed Polo Shirt with Red Collar - Php 250.00 (originally Php 500.00)
Long-sleeved Striped Polo - Php 250.00 (originally Php 500.00)
Bossini Blue Polo Shirt - Php 300.00 (originally Php 529.75)
JusTees Green Striped Shirt - Php 100.00 (originally Php 199.75)

Four Tops for the little one: Total: Php 900.00 (Savings of Phop 829.50)

For Kuya:
Denim Shorts: Php 450 (originally Php 649.00)
Plaid Button-down Shirt Php 250.00 (originally Php 500)

Kuya's wardrobe.  Total: Php 700 (Savings of Php 449.00)

My shopping finds at SM Store totaled to Php 4,575.00!  If I had not been patient enough to wait for the sale season, all these merchandise would have costed me Php 7,678.50!  I saved Php 3,103.50, not bad right?  Not bad at all! :)

I love shopping!  But I love it more when I am able to stretch my shopping budget a lot more when it's SALE!  Do you also feel the same way loves?  So happy about my shopping loot!

When I was younger and already working, I used to get quickly irritated by Insurance agents bothering me (bordering to sobrang kakulitan) to get an insurance from them.  I was annoyed because I (thought I) didn't need one, that it's an additional expense and that I don't understand what it's for.

So much for my ignorance back then. I realized its importance when I was already in my 30s (ggetting insured is one of the things that should be accomplished by this time) I immediately got myself insured back in 2012 (after carefully studying each proposals sent.)  I kept on saying to myself that I should have started when I was younger.  But I believe that it's never late to start, the important thing is, I started and now I feel more secured.

That's exactly what our letter sender this week asked, let's read her short letter:

Yes, there's a new fad that's taking the digital space by storm right now in our country!  If you haven't heard or seen a #makeuptransformation post on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, then I don't know where you've been lately?

I usually dive into a funny and entertaining craze such as this #makeuptransformation.  Even hubby also created his entry.  Yesterday, we were in my in-law's house with other friends and during our mini get together, there was a time when we'd all just burst into contagious laughter one after the other while holding our mobile phones.  I'm sure you could easily get why, because we're individually browsing photo entries to this craze.

But first, let me show you my #makeuptransformation entry:

My #makeuptransformation to Iza Calzado

Hubby's Mark Pingris #makeuptransformation entry:
Entries of friends:

My friend Paelo as Paolo Avelino

From my sweet friend Jane of @sugar_n_spice_88

From Richie Zamora's The Pickiest Eater's FB Page

Funny #makeuptransformation Photos:
If you have Instgram or Facebook (of course you do!)  Go search for the hashtag: #makeuptransformation and you'll see tons of entries from different people.  I chose some hilarious and creative posts from the timeline.  I'm sharing them with you to make you smile! :)

From Bogart The Explorer's FB Page

We all know the difference between males and our species, females, in all aspects.  Be it psychological, mental, biological make-up and of course the most obvious - physical.  One of the many physical differences is our reproductive organs (a bird is different from the flower - as how we teach our kids about these body parts), the appearance of women's breasts (of course ours are larger and serves a lot of purpose) and lastly hair growth and its aesthetics.  While some guys look really hot with a mustache and a beard or look really macho with chest hairs (but not too much) and hairy legs, for women, looking HOT with these hair appearances is a big NO, in fact could be a turn-off and sometimes not hygienic.

That's why waxing and threading salons sprouted all over the metro to attend to these hair removal musts.  I personally have my eyebrows threaded to make sure they look well-groomed, my underarms waxed once every two months and I've tried Brazilian twice pa lang (looking forward to more - when I am more brave enough.)  Why?  Because apart from it makes me look better with groomed brows, I feel clean and even feel more confident with waxed underarms.  Hindi ako mahihiyang mag-sleeveless top or hail a cab diba?

I recently discovered a nearby (near my office that is) waxing salon called Satin Finish Nail and Waxing Salon.  It's located at UG 7, Cityland 10 Tower 1, Salcedo Village, 1224 Makati.  Let me take you around their small but cozy and clean salon for your better appreciation:

Hello loves!  How's your mid-week so far?  Mine was a busy start, but I'm on leave from work earlier because my son has fever.  Help me please pray for his speedy recovery.  Thank you.

Anyway, our #DearMommyPracticality letter sender for the week is from a mom who is (still as of this writing) separated from her 2yo son and wants to get him back.  Let's read her letter now: