It's definitely back to school already!  And as a mom of two schoolboys, my eldest being in high school and my second in gradeschool, I am very aware of their baon preferences. 

Both of my boys spend the whole day in school so I pack them lunches.  My eldest has monetary baon but is as practical as I am, he still wants to bring lunch with him.  He then saves money so he could buy what he wants or put it in his investment.  But it can't be just any lunch by the way.  He prefers a packed lunch that is still warm, otherwise, he will bring it home untouched.

I've tried many food containers and even lunch bags, that failed to fulfill its promises of keeping food warm from morning until lunchtime.  Until I used Asvel's Luntus insulated compact lunchbox.
As moms we want to give our best to our children and provide what they need and even want right?  Giving them not only a nutritious baon but in their preferred temperature, is for me going an extra mile.  Ganyan naman tayong moms, we go lengths for our kids right? 

Asvel gives us the best items for our homes.  That's why Ms. Kris Aquino uses and recommends this brand.  We get to experience Japan-standard quality and design with their line of products such as rice dispensers, lunchboxes, mugs, tumblers, pitchers, and more!

What I like about the Asvel Compact LunchBox:

• It comes in a color we like.  The lunchbox is available in pink and in navy blue by the way.

• It keeps food warm for up to 5 hours (My son leaves the house at 6:30 and eats lunch at 11:30am, it's still warm!)

• It's made of durable materials that are microwave-safe and dishwasher safe.  

• It's very versatile because it could pack rice and viand plus soup/rice and viand plus snacks or desserts/rice and viand plus vegetables.

• It has two stackable compartments.

• It's really compact and comes in a minimalist design - no non-sense.

• It's easy to clean.

Asvel offers an extensive lineup of items for hime and kitchen needs. 
Check them all out in different branches such as The Podium, SM Home at The SM Store, in select Rustan's branches, select National Book Store branches, Noteworthy (Greenbelt and Podium), Robinsons Filinvest, select Wilcon Depot, Make Room & More, and also online via Shopee and Lazada.

For more information, follow them on their social media pages: https://facebook.com/asvelph/ https://www.instagram.com/asvelph/

Having a male-dominated family means there are so many movements going on in our lives. That just means that we're always out and about.  We love the outdoors, we love traveling, we love activities, they love sports, and we love swimming. In short we love the SUN! But we all know that too much sun exposure is highly dangerous to our skins.  That's why it's important to always apply sunscreen that's safe for our skin and doesn't contain harmful ingredients as well.

Gladly, we discovered a brand that protects both the skin and the environment as well with Banana Boat Simply Protect.  It's now even better as it's available for babies, for kids, and adults as well.
Banana Boat, the brand synonymous to skin protection just elevated the playing field to a new level with this latest sunscreen lotion – the Banana Boat Simply Protect.

Banana Boat Simply Protect provides SPF50+ broad spectrum of UVA/UVB protection. It is made with 25% fewer ingredients making the phrase “Less is More“ literally appropriate for the product. It is very light on the skin because it is formulated with no additional fragrances and oils and stays on skin in 7 conditions – sun, heat, wind, pool water, ocean water, sweat, and sand.
Banana Boat Simply Protect also replaced Oxybenzone and Parabens – ingredients that are said to create cellular damage in coral reefs with natural ingredients that are safe and effective in filtering out the sun’s harmful rays but are environmentally friendly.  “ Banana Boat Simply Protect is a product that gives maximum sunscreen protection with very minimal ingredients, making it safe for everyone in the family. It is also micro-plastic free and does not contain Oxybenzone and Parabens making it safe for the environment as well “ said Maricel Quevedo, Banana Boat Brand Manager.

In the Philippines, Banana Boat Simply Protect comes in three (3) variants - the Simply Protect Sports, designed for those who enjoy the active outdoor lifestyles. Simply Protect Kids for kids 4 years old and above, Simply Protect Baby for babies 6 months to 3 years old. Both variants are sting-free and tear-free product made mild and gentle enough even for the most delicate and sensitive skin.
Simply Protect Sports and Simply Protect Kids are available in both Aerosol Spray and Lotion forms while Simply Protect Baby is available in the same lightweight lotion form.  Banana Boat Simply Protect is a product that it is highly recommended by The Skin Cancer Foundation when it comes to protection against harmful rays of the sun. Banana Boat Simply Protect is a global brand manufactured by Edgewell Personal Care and being imported, marketed and distributed in the Philippines by Getz Healthcare.

Would you agree that moms love preparing ahead of time?  That's why even if it's still summer, at least in my calendar, almost everyone seems to be busy with back to school stuff.
I admit that just like you, it's one of the seasons I am most excited about because it means shopping for new school supplies for our student children.  I have a fascination with smelling new papers, feeling the leaves of crisp notebooks, appreciating perfect edges of fragrant erasers, and testing mechanisms of unused pencil cases.  It brings so much joy to me because I am reminded about my childhood whenever I shop at National Book Store with my mom.

National Book Store, it's everyone's book store right?  I don't know anyone who didn't grow up with NBS.  Good timing for shopping because they are having a Grand Back To School Fair on May 24 - 26, 2019 at Glorietta Activity Center Palm Drive!  This then is a perfect time for mommies to shop for their children's school needs.

National Book Store Grand Back To School Fair

What's in store for you:

• Variety of school supplies and More from different brands! 
• Special offers from brands available only during the fair
• On -stage program for three days like workshops, demos, games, and more! 
• A chance to win up to PHP10K worth of National Book Store Gift Card and PHP 1000 worth of school supplies

List of on-stage demos, workshops for the 3-day Grand Back To School Fair

Raffle promo for a chance to win up to Php 10,000 worth of NBS Gift Card!

I am honored to once again participate in the Baby Dove photo shoot with two of my kids.  Hindi ko na pwede isama syempre ang teenager, because hindi na "baby" yun, pang men's na nga ang gamit niya.  I wasn't able to share on the blog about these photos but nevertheless, here it is.
The photo shoots were for Baby Dove's Mother's Day #RealMoms 2018 and 2019 campaigns.  I am really grateful and proud to be part of this project the first time around and also the second time!  I am happy because my little ones are authentic Baby Dove users especially my youngest so these shoots were memorable!

Locations were shot in beautiful houses with huge windows which helped photographers get bright photos of their subjects.  The setups in the houses were done by INCY ROOMS (you could find their pages here, here and here). All photos were captured by Little Heartbeat Photography.

SHOOTING WITH A TODDLER - An AWESOME Experience with Little Heartbeat Photography
Every Baby Dove shoots I had with my toddler was a #RealMom story..eeerr struggle.  All the photos were real!  Little Heartbeat Photography's team was AWESOME!  Hands down to their talented team for still capturing the beauty of motherhood amidst the chaos, the tantrums, and little cranks of my toddler.

Beyond the skills, it's the eye for a magical moment, for the outburst of joy, for the realness of the connection of their subjects that sets them apart.

Little Heartbeat Photography is a young team with absolutely patient photographers.  They understand how short the attention span of little ones is.  They are quick to shoot.  They know what to capture.  They know how to make the subjects smile or laugh or be distracted.  They are also sensitive to the mommy subjects who may be feeling a bit frustrated with their kids who threw tantrums (that's me actually) and probably are a little bit embarrassed.  They make the moms feel comfortable (that's me again) and let them know that it's okay.
They have an eye for what's beautiful, in fact, all the moments captured even the not-so-beautiful scenarios were made beautiful in their lenses.  What magic is that?  Answer me Little Heartbeat Photography, please? :)
The crew was so friendly, always smiling (even if I know they're exhausted from whole day shoot and energies depleted from all the kids who also magically took the energies away from them), and warm.  A lot of help also came from the beauties from Bridges PR.
We had fun with the two shoots we did with Little Heartbeat Photography.  The photos were so wonderful! Thank you, guys! :)

#REALMOMS 
But that's what I love about the Baby Dove campaign.  The more real mom situations from not only me but other participating moms, the better.  Because their message is that there really aren't perfect moms, only real ones.  Social media photos with perfect smiles from kids and well-arranged houses could be deceiving or sometimes could put pressure on many moms like you and me.  It makes you think am I doing it right?  Am I doing enough?  Am I good enough?
YES MOMMY!  You are enough!  You do YOU!  You're the BEST MOM there is for your kids and no one could ever replace you.  Motherhood indeed has no manual, our kids are unique that's why our ways may not be compared with others.  Your children, your choice - how to parent them, how to discipline them, what and how to feed them.

THANK YOU!
Thanks Little Heartbeat Photography and Baby Dove PH for this campaign and for the wonderful gift you've given me as a mother - beautiful pictures capturing real moments of motherhood!  I hope to have more shoots with you!  I am grateful!

Hello to all my mom readers and supporters!  First of all, Mother's Day month isn't over, so let me greet everyone a belated HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!  For this, I owe you a quick peek into my sort of new life!

UPDATE ABOUT MY LIFE: FROM SAHM NOW A WAHM!!!
I have been a SAHM successfully for exactly a year and two months and I would have loved it if I'd extended that SAHM life (kahit nakakapagod) until Damien is schooling.  But I guess God has a different plan for me.  I never complained about being a SAHM even if it's the most exhausting job I've ever handled.  In fact, I did it dutifully, passionately, intentionally, and joyfully.  But a job offer came from a local multi-platform marketing and events agency focusing on mom and family (the community I LOVE), which I felt so fitting for my new life's focus and my working momma skills.  I thought to myself that I wasn't ready for accepting any job offers (I've turned down three wonderful job offers because their timings were bad.)  But my husband and I discussed and prayed about it, and all roads led to saying YES to the offer.  I'm now officially WAHM!

I'm pretty busy with the new work from home job that I quite recently accepted hence the not so updated blog which I usually do about twice a week.  But I know, it's not an excuse.  I have a lot to share to everyone like my practical shopping finds from the ExpoMom, new discovery of products, our Baguio vacation, review of the Graco car seat, summer lessons of my kids - Bert Lozada Swim School for Wes and Ready Steady Go Kids for Damien, and many many more actually. 

BUT, before all those blog posts happen, let me launch a MOTHER'S MONTH GIVEAWAY!!!

Giveaway Mechanics
1. FOLLOW Mommy Practicality on Facebook, Instagram, and subscribe to YouTube channel

• Facebook: https://facebook.com/mommypracticality
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/mommypracticality
• YouTube: https://youtube/com/ldfandino

2.  REPOST this photo publicly on ANY or ALL (for more entries and more chances of winning) of your social media accounts.

3.  COMMENT on your choice of prize Mommy Loot or Baby Loot.

4.  TAG 2 friends (real accounts and real friends only please)

5.  Include the hashtag #MPMothersMonthGiveaway

6. The giveaway shall run from May 20 until May 31.

7.  Announcement of winners will be made on June 2.

Prizes
Baby Loot includes the following items:

• 1 set of Pampers Baby Mat
• 1 Pampers Baby bag/changing mat
• 1 Baby Dove Soap
• 1 Baby Dove Shampoo
• 1 Baby Dove Lotion
• 1 Organic Baby Wipes
• 1 Tiny Buds Baby Wash
• 3 Vicks Baby Rub
• 1 Bite Block Insect Repellent
• 1 pack Huggies NB Baby Diaper
• 1 small bottle of 123 Baby Bottle washer
• 1 Holy Seat Pea bag

TERMS & CONDITIONS:

1. Must be WILLING TO PERSONALLY MEET UP WITH ME for LUNCH or COFFEE to claim prize.  Shipping, even on the account of winner, is not an option.
2. Prizes are non-transferable and not convertible to cash.
3. Prizes unclaimed within 30 days from announcement shall be forfeited and another winner shall be announced.

There you have it momshies!  If you're one of my long-time followers, you know so well that I really would LOVE to MEET my readers and get to know a bit of them.  This is why claiming personally is really a must for this giveaway and moving forward.  All prizes are from me and no sponsors were tapped this time, unlike in my previous giveaways.

THANK YOU so much to everyone who stuck around and still know me when they see me in events.  I owe you my presence in the bloggy world I'm in amidst the many newbies who are all so talented as well and even more consistent.  The more content, the better for many! :)

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY/MONTH TO ALL MOTHERS! :)

I've taken self-care more seriously since I turned my back from corporate life.  I realized that I have been working and stressing for years to meet deadlines, launch projects, to present marketing plans, deliver blog duties plus other passion projects, and the most important of all is fulfill my wife and mom duties at home.  I rarely take notice of caring for myself. Mindful self-care wasn't regular.

I neglected my skin.  Because of this, I get acne breakouts (hormonal and because of not having regular facials) and my skin started to show signs of aging like sagging, the appearance of fine lines and having a double chin.  Though I've been religiously following a skincare routine at night, topical skin care isn't enough to get my desired skin rejuvenation.  Though many have said I don't look my age, there are still some skin aging issues that I want to be addressed.

I was referred by a dear friend to the beautiful Dr. Yanee Vasquez, founder and Medical Director of Aesthetic Science Clinic.  Dr. Yanee and I met in their Makati branch (there's another in Alabang) to check the condition of my skin and recommend the best facial treatment to address whatever concerns I have.

But I don't want any surgery. I can't afford downtime.  Invasive treatment isn't my thing.  

Dr. Yanee said not to worry.  Aesthetic Science has what they call NEWTHERA an anti-aging treatment perfect for individuals whose faces have shown signs of aging especially on the face and neck area.

They say, usually sagging jaw or the neck areas are age giveaways.  For these there's Newthera.

WHAT IS NEWTHERA?

• Newthera is a non-invasive and non-ablative treatment for tightening and firming of the skin of the face and the neck. 
• It restores youthful look without dermal fillers or plastic surgery.
• Newthera can deliver instant results, visible lifting will be noticed over time.
• This uses safe ultrasound technology to regenerate collagen and give a visible but natural-looking lift to the jawline after a few weeks.
• A single session of Newthera can already tone and tighten mildly loose skin on the
• Makes you look younger than your real age
• It uses a High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound machine from South Korea
• One session could last you a year or depending on skin condition.

MY NEWTHERA TREATMENT EXPERIENCE
A week before having my treatment, I visited Aesthetic Science Clinic Makati for a consultation.  Since I kind of neglected my facial skin health, my face showed sun spots, acne marks, whiteheads, blackheads, and discoloration.  I had facial with diamond peel which will better prepare my skin for the Newthera treatment I was about to take a week after.

Now I know why Aesthetic Science Clinic offers THE. BEST. FACIAL. IN. MANILA!  The facial therapist had very gentle hands, thorough in cleaning, was pleasant yet professional, no pain at all, and my face was clean, fresh, and soft after!  I was glowing.

A week after, I came back for Newthera.  On a normal patient, the treatment includes topical anesthesia and a cool healing cream after the procedure. I would like to consider myself special because I still breastfeed my youngest.  The topical anesthesia which was supposed to stay on my face for a good 45 minutes could enter my bloodstream chances are, my son would take it in somehow.  I opted not to have any anesthesia nor the healing cream.

You may watch my treatment experience vlog below:
Yes especially if you have a low tolerance for pain or your skin is sensitive or you've never had a laser treatment before.  But during the talk with Dr. Van (Dr. Yanee wasn't available that time), she was able to manage my expectations and explained to me the risks, what I could possibly feel without the anesthesia.  I assessed and said I'd go for it.

What oral medication is recommended?
Patients who are not allergic to Paracetamol are advised to take one capsule before bedtime on the day before the procedure, one capsule after breakfast on the day of the procedure and one capsule one hour before the NT procedure.  This is to manage or relieve any pain that I may experience.

Is facial before Newthera treatment necessary?
A clean face is always better to begin with than one that's not.  I had facial with diamond peel a week before Newthera.

Other treatment protocols: Newthera may be done after a Diamond Peel procedure.  Botox may be done on the same day after Newthera procedure. However, for patients who have had Botox done, they should be advised to have the Botox treatment after 3 to 4 weeks of NT procedure/

How's the procedure?
1. My treatment started with cleaning my face
2. Dr. Van outlined my face with targeted areas for contouring and tightening and marked X the areas which cannot be touched.
3. A cool gel was applied on my face for repelling the heat coming from the machine upon impact on my face.
4. Start of treatment.

Was it painful?
To be honest, because I've had Revlite treatments in the past which gave me "gulat" factors every contact of the machine on my face, I didn't feel any pain on the face.  I felt the impact on boney areas which are my jaws and forehead.  But had I have anesthesia, I wouldn't feel anything on those areas too.

How long was the procedure?
After around 30 minutes, wow, we're done!  Yes, it was that quick!  Add the time for consulting, cleaning, it took me around one hour tops. They applied a collagen mask instead of the healing cream (which has steroids by the way) on me to calm my skin.  I went home after the treatment.

Was there a downtime?
Downtime means, if my regular work or routine is compromised or stopped temporarily due to the treatment.  There's none.  No Downtime. But the effects of the impact on my jaw areas were felt for about two weeks. Do you know the feeling of lightly bruised for hitting a surface?  It's something like that.  It made me feel that the treatment was still activated in the deep layers of my skin and that's how I know it's going to give me great results.

What are the other possible side effects of the treatment?
1.     Swelling
2.     Transient erythema or redness
3.     Temporary numbness
4.     Soreness of area treated
5.     Occasional pain and slight discomfort of the area treated
6.     Headache
7.     Urticaria/Linear Striations and Edema


VISIBLE EFFECTS AFTER NEWTHERA

2 months after the Newthera treatment at Aesthetic Science Clinic.  Face is younger-looking and tighter as well!

"Wow mare, your face is tighter, and the jaw ha, parang more pronounced?  What did you do?"

- Joy Yap, mom of two, professional make-up artist, beauty consultant, mompreneur

"Louise, parang lately lalo kang bumabata!  Ang liit din ng face mo lalo ngayon!" 

- Maricel Prado, Executive Assitant,, churchmate, appreciates beauty.

"Ate, napansin ko yung jaw areas mo para ngang nagcontour, and yung skin nag-tighten!"

- Ehm Santos, sister-in-law, mom of three, mompreneur.

"Kaya pala ang ganda ng skin mo momsh...Nakatitig ako sa yo last Saturday, kasi younger-looking skin."

- Shishi Cruz De Leon, mom of one, career woman, and vlogger.

These were just some of the comments I received after the treatment.  I didn't tell them about the treatment, but I was so happy to hear them say something good about the way my face looked younger.  They noticed the tightening and contouring on my face.  After receiving these wonderful and flattering comments, I told them about Newthera.

Indeed the treatment gives visible results as early as 2 weeks.  Up to this day, my face gets tighter and looks younger!  There was no hyperpigmentation, again no downtime.  I highly recommend this to friends who are intentional about skincare and would like to address some aging concerns.  As Doc Van said during the treatment, this is best recommended to ages 35 and up.  How often?  It actually depends on the condition of your skin.  It may be once or 2x a year.


According to Aesthetic Science Clinic, here are some indications for treatment:

1.     Tightening of the Skin in The Face and Neck Area
2.     Improvement of the Nasolabial Fold and Marionette Lines
3.     Contouring of the Face
4.     Lifting of the Jaw Line/ Improvement of Sagging of the Jowls
5.     Lifting of Sagging and Drooping of Eyelids
6.   Tightening of Double Chin
7.     Instant and Immediate Skin Rejuvenation of Face and Neck

OVERALL EXPERIENCE
On the treatment:

The Newthera treatment itself wasn't painful for me and it was fast.  Doc Van explained every step clearly and told me some skincare tips plus facts about collagen.  She made the treatment comfortable for me as well.  The slight discomfort or soreness post-treatment was bearable and not something that I would need to rest it out.  Post-treatment care instructions were given which I followed religiously.

On staff and physical clinic:

Doc Van was really kind, detailed, and informative.  She's so pleasant!  Ate Belle the one that assisted during the treatment (she's good din daw with body massage and body scrubs!  I will try that soon!), was always smiling and it shows that she enjoys what she's doing and she loves her job.  The reception staff in their Makati clinic are all professionals yet warm, they make sure their clients are comfortable and attended to right away.  The clinic's ambiance has the right mood lighting, not too bright, which makes their clients feel relaxed like how you are in a spa upon entry.
On results and effectiveness: 
To say that I am highly satisfied with the results of the Newthera treatment is an understatement.  I still get super positive comments about my skin!  I am happy it's really tighter, I look younger than my age of 40, and I can even go out confidently without makeup! The result started to be noticeable 2 weeks post-treatment.


I am a HAPPY Aesthetic Science Clinic patient/client!  I will definitely go back to try more services! Special thanks to Doc Yanee for allowing me experience the Newthera treatment!

To know more about the Newthera treatment, other available services, and promos, visit their website http://www.aestheticscienceclinic.com/ and follow them on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/aestheticscienceclinic/ and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/aestheticscienceclinic/.  You may also follow their stories with this hashtag: #bestfacialinmanila

BRANCHES: 

AESTHETIC SCIENCE ALABANG
G/F Kennedy Center Building Prime St. corner Venture St. Madrigal Business Park Alabang, Muntinlupa City
(632) 809-8021
(63917) 808-2921
Clinic Hours:
10AM to 7PM (Mon-Sat)
12PM-6PM (Sun)

AESTHETIC SCIENCE MAKATI
G/F Jupiter Place Building Jupiter Street,
Bel-Air, Makati City
(632) 899-3643
(63917) 808-2926
Clinic Hours:

11AM to 9PM (Mon-Sat)

All moms have the same prayers for their families, to have a family that’s complete, safe from harm, and a family that’s healthy.  To live a highly comfortable life is secondary for those who know better.  When we talk about health, the first thing we think about is usually food, then hygiene.  We can make our husband and kids eat healthy food by following the food pyramid.  On hygiene, washing hands before and after eating or using the restroom make us less susceptible to sickness.  Good hygiene also includes regular bathing, brushing teeth, and sanitizing some body parts and even our surroundings.  Why do we do that?  Because we all believe that having a tip-top hygiene will save us from getting ill such as getting worms.
When I was younger, panakot ng parents ko sa akin ang worms when she would tell me to take a bath.  I would be really scared and get disgusted at the thought of crawling worms inside my body.  But now that I know better, I don’t use the same panakot to my kids.  Because I now know better that it’s a misconception that worms can only be obtained by having poor hygiene.  Guess what?  WORMS ARE EVERYWHERE!  Now that would be scarier to my kids if I use that line right?  Walang pinipili ang worms, kasi napapasa siya!

Seeing differently as a SAHM makes my family happier and healthier.

When this family photo was taken, I was still working as a program manager and campaigns strategist in a fast paced industry - at a time when my life was already slowing down. Little did I know that during this time, God was preparing me to become a stay at home mom. The fast paced career no longer fit my life as a new mom to my third child. My priorities, my plans and my motivations slowly and beautifully changed.

As a SAHM, I now #CDifferently

Suddenly, what I thought was too important for me to give up (my stressful career) lost its luster that I turned my back on it and focused on what gave me fulfillment and happiness the most - my family, especially my children.  This was a major life and family decision I and my husband made.  It was beyond the comfort zone I have been living for almost 20 years (as a working mom with regular pay and generous company benefits).

A year into being a SAHM now, I see things very differently.  I was wrong into thinking that there's lesser life (to none at all) after resigning from the corporate jungle.  In fact, I blossomed, I made real connections to more people, I gained new friends, I rekindled old ones, I get to do things my heart yearns, and pursue more dreams too.  The fears I had shattered instantly as I continuously pray for God's guidance as I obey His will and achieve what we prayed for - His provisions and the realizations of His plans for me.

I love being with my youngest all the time!  Here's Damien with playmate Ysha.

To share with you, here are some of the things I now see differently as a Stay-At-Home-Mom or SAHM:

1.  Staying at home is harder than I thought. Being a corporate mom all my life made me too proud that I thought because I work in an office and bring home half the bacon, I was doing a lot for the family.  My career was too important to me that time and to be honest, I never ever imagined myself to resign and stay at home.  I've always envisioned myself to be working until I physically am able and to retire until all my kids finish school.  But God has other plans for me.  AND I am glad He did.  My life slowly transformed after my mom died, when I got married, and when my husband and I accepted Jesus in our hearts.  Now I realize how harder it really is to stay at home and do all the mom duties.  It's physically exhausting, mentally challenging, and patience testing.  I was humbled by this experience and though taxing as it is, I wouldn't ever regret deciding to stay home and focus on my ministry - my family.

2.  No amount of money could compensate a mom's presence for her children.  Like what I mentioned, I was full of myself when I was still working - I thought I could always compensate for lost time and spend quality time when I am physically present with my kids.  Now I see that both quantity and quality of time are important to help make your kids grow well-rounded, secured, and feel loved.  For how can I have quality time when quantity is compromised?  I learned this from a parenting talk I attended a few months ago.  It stuck in my head and helped me become more intentional in spending time with my kids and being really "present" for them by being with them in full attention and not half-wandering off to social media lalaland or other work commitments or getting dibs on online shopping sales!

3.  Work at home never ends. I used to be a project manager and campaigns strategist who used to create concepts and execute them given a well-calculated timetable.  But when office hours end, my work ends or maybe extend a bit, but it ends til the following day.  Now, I can attest and I am with many SAHMs in saying that work at home never ends.  From the moment my eyes are wide open in the morning, until it's about to close late night (and sometimes even in dreams), I work. I try to reach an extra mile in everything I do for the family and for the home, out of pure love for my family and obedience to God's plans for me.

4.  Self care is a NEED not a WANT.  Since work never ends at home and I tend to give my all to my children, I need to take a break by doing self care.  How can I give from an empty cup?  I need to refill that cup with self-love.  Having time for self-care or self-love is not selfish.  It's refocusing the used up energies from the daily draining grinds at least once a week so I would be rejuvenated and feel good about myself.  Most of the time, my number one enemy is myself.  I beat myself up with mom-guilt, with incompetency, with feeling I'm not enough, and feeling like a failure.  I realize that no one is perfect anyway.  A messy house is a sign of a home where real people live.  A mountain of dishes or laundry means a well-fed and well-dressed family.  I may not always have an Instagram-worthy house, but at least I know I am present for my family and they are happy to see me there, taking care of them.  I stopped beating myself with all these guilt because with God, my supportive husband, and smiling kids on my side, I know I am enough.  But still let's go back that though I know my value, I still get so exhausted and recharging is a must.  Happily my husband supports this and never sees this as a time away from them nor make me feel guilty for not spending time with them instead.  I do self-care by going to a nearby salon, by having an hour of massage for those overused and tired muscles, attend events or simply meet up with friends to connect to the world outside home.  Self-care is a need for every stay-at-home-moms and we shouldn't feel guilty about loving ourselves.

5.  Prioritizing Health Is Self Care Too.  Because as a SAHM I feel I am overworked, HEALTH becomes a priority self-care for me.  Now I see the importance of health all the more.  Among anyone in the household I feel that I should be the last one to get sick, my husband tells that too (at least we're on the same page!)  I've also never took our health and wellness more seriously when I became a SAHM.  Now, I take extra steps when it comes to my family's health. My husband and I never miss taking our dose of Vitamin C for immunity to sickness.  But this isn't any Vitamin C.  We recently switched from Ascorbic Acid to taking Sodium Ascorbate.  We switched to Vitagreen-C, a non-acidic and safer Vitamin C supplement which doesn't harm our bodily environment.  Prioritizing health is prioritizing ME.  Moms need this kind of self-care too!
Why Do We All Need Vitamin C?


Why Vitagreen-C?

• 100% plant-based Vitamic C
• It's non-acidic making it stomach-friendly.
• It's easily absorbed in our bodies and retains better.
• It's anti-stress, anti-aging, and anti-allergy.
• It protects against cancer (which thrives in an acidic environment)
• Helps in glycemic control and heart decease.

I learned that cancer and other critical illnesses I am so afraid of, thrive in an acidic environment in our bodies. That's why I switched our Vitamin C brand to a safer and non-acidic one -Vitagreen-C. I wouldn't have noticed these things and discover many more if I didn't turn my back from corporate and decide it's time to be a more present, involved, and become a more intentional mom.
I'm sure these wonderful moms also believe in the product and had made a switch as well! :)
But apart from taking this daily, it's also important to live a healthier lifestyle by doing these:

• Drink plenty of water.
• Eat vegetables and fruits daily.
• Exercise regularly - move move move!
• Avoid junk food and sodas.
• Be careful with sugar and salt intake.
• Steamed, boiled, grilled foods are better than fried.
• Take mental health seriously - always pray.

I recommend that you also make a healthier switch of your brand of Vitamin C.  Switch to a safer and non-acidic one, switch to Vitagreen C.  Vitagreen-C is available from BETTER HEALTH PH on Facebook and Instagram.

How about you? Have you made a life-changing decision that let you see things differently? Please do share!

Even before I became a stay-at-home-mom, I already love cooking.  I started cooking  when I was still single and starting a career in the marketing and communications field.  Being able to earn a living independently and purchase grocery items that time was my entry to real adulting.  As a single career woman finding her place in the jungle called the corporate world, I felt so accomplished when I did my grocery shopping, decided what to use in the pantry, brought food on the table figuratively and literally.  So it's not accurate when one equates cooking to just being a mom.  Anyone can cook whether you're a mom or not yet one.  Even dads and single men do.
Cooking is like therapy to me.  Cooking is also a love language for me - service.  I love cooking.  That's why I always get excited to be invited in food-related events or discover new cooking partner such as the newest Knorr SavorRich Liquid Meaty Seasoning.
Yesterday, the first ever meaty seasoning in liquid form in the country was launched by Knorr at the Greenbelt 3 Open Park.

What made the experience more fun was discovering the new and special cooking ingredient with mom friends I love and to get to meet new ones too!
Turn your ordinary dishes into an extraordinary one.  Elevate your fried chicken to the best tasting one.  Make every dish you prepare for yourself and your family, mom or not, rich and intense in flavor with every bite.  Take home a Knorr SavorRich Liquid Meaty Seasoning and try it at home.  Recipes will soon be uploaded onto Knorr's official website www.knorr.com/ph.

The new Knorr SavorRich Liquid Meaty Seasoning is available in Chicken and Pork flavors in leading supermarkets and groceries nationwide, at a suggested retail price of Php6/16g, Php85/240g, and Php150/480g.