Hello Loves!  Remember my Mother's Day Beauty & ME-Time "Joys Of Being A Mother" giveaway?  It ended last May 22.  I seriously went through all your answers to the question: "What are your joys of being a Mother?"  I had a hard time choosing because all your entries were wonderful and moved me.  I even asked help from hubby to shortlist the entries.  Finally, I've chosen 3 winners!  There's one entry that actually made it to top 2.  Unfortunately, upon validation, she didn't completely followed the tasks enumerated in the Rafflecopter.  So I had to choose another winner.  Sayang!

So, without further adieu, the winners of my Mother's Day Beauty & ME-Time "Joys Of Being A Mother" giveaway are:


I would like to share their beautiful entries:


Cherry Alcala-Malvar 
My joys of being a MOTHER?
When my kids were still babies... I love it when going to the mall, the first thing I look for was cute mittens, booties, new baby bag designs, branded baby shirts, cheap diapers, colorful baby bottles, scrapbook materials for my baby books, play area fees per hour and everything on those baby section!

When my kids started playing... I love it when I smell their armpits, kiss their wounded hands and knees, carry their water jug, spend hours in the park running and make merienda after.

Now that my kids started schooling... I love it when I buy, wrap and label each school supplies, make reviewers for them and attend school programs to watch them dance like no other.

My joys of being a mother never ends...

Van Cruz-Gabaza
My joys of being a mother is being able to hug and kiss my little one every single day. Being able to nourish him with my home made food and of course being able to provide him with the best nourishment I could give, my breastmilk. I love my son to bits and I am so joyful that my husband and I are blessed with such a sweet, happy and healthy baby. I really could not explain the feeling everytime I see my son because I always remember the time when he was still in my womb. Now, everytime I touch him, it reminds me that he came from inside of me, the feeling of his skin to my touch is so magical and it really makes me happy. I also feel overjoyed whenever I see my husband with my baby, I see the two most beautiful persons in my life! :-)

Cecille Capatan
Can't describe nor any words could ever begin to explain the joy of being a mother but then but when you have a child, there are no words that accurately describe the immense, overwhelming. powerful love you feel for your baby! It is the MOST amazing and wonderful feeling in the whole world!!! I can't tell you how much love pours throughout my body just watching my little one...some days I can just watch his sleep, and the joy brings tears to my eyes! Becoming a mother has completely fulfilled my life and made my whole life complete! Being a mother and raising a child is the most heart-warming feeling I could ever ask for!

Hello loves!  How's your week so far?  Mine has been good so far!  A lot of things going on at work, where I spend most of my time in the day.  But I'm so glad I've learned to live a more Zen kind of work life and let stress melt away quickly.  That would be another great post isn't it?

Anyhoo, last week, we were surprised, most especially the kids, to see a package from Nestle Kimy Playstix!  We were sent two packages of 10 Nestle Kimy ice cream each!


Kimy Lava and Kimy Swirl happen to be my son's favorite flavors, so he got really excited! I immediately took photos of it on my Instagram.


Nestle Kimy Playstix are fun, multi-colored, and versatile sticks that kids could connect and build amazing toys with. This is a type of toy that I recommend because it fosters imagination and encourages creativity from our kids by building something out of a Playstix.

Here are some of the things you can build with it:


With Nestle Kimy Playstix, you can Bend & Lock, Slot and Twist or simply Slot Together.  You can find one in every pack of Nestle Kimy ice cream.



Here's my son enjoying his Kimy Lava.  So much that he finished two in one sitting!  Look at the Kimy Playstix he's holding.  Galing!  Instead of the usual popsicle sticks which hold ice creams, with Nestle Kimy ice cream, you get a platstix.  Just wash it afterwards, collect other playstix and our kids could build wonderful creations out of them!

What's super win for me is that all Nestle Kimy ice cream products contain only the recommended amount of sugar and are 100% free from artificial coloring.

Last week, I was in Lolo Dad's in 6750 and was also one of the mommies invited by Wyeth Nutrition to discuss different topics on pregnancy and debunk some of the most common myths.  Having attended the event, I realized that being pregnant in the past with my two sons, I was misguided with a number of myths or "kasabihan ng matatanda" about my pregnancy.  I didn't 100% believe in them, but I still followed anyway because "wala namang mawawala."

Myths such as how to know the gender of my baby just by looking at my physical changes.  If I'm darker with a big namamaga nose, then it's a boy, otherwise, it's a girl.

Some of those weird myths I followed, but still not believed them, were:
I could not sit at the staircase because I might have a miscarriage
I should not wear any necklace or put a scarf around my neck because my unborn child might be strangled  by my umbilical cord.

Did you hear the same things or maybe you have additional myths you were told while you were pregnant too?

While in attendance to Wyeth Nutrition's ProMama press conference,  these were some of the myths debunked by celebrity hosts and pregnancy experts:

When you're pregnant, you have to eat for two.
You can't run, swim, or do yoga for the benefit of a baby's health.
Coffee can increase your risk of miscarriage.

These may sound logical; but believe it or not, these are some of the most common pregnancy myths around. Once you’ve announced your pregnancy, you’re sure to be bombarded with homespun advice from family, friends and even strangers who base their beliefs on hearsay or accepted ideologies.

So how do you distinguish fact from myth?

Listening to Wyeth ProMama’s team of Fit and Fab Mamas Amanda Griffin-Jacob, Delamar Arias and Tricia Chiongbian-Concepcion is a good place to start.  The team is joined by respected pregnancy experts Dra. Christia Padolina and Dra. Angel Bandola, who are tasked to empower expectant moms against pregnancy myths and misconceptions.  The road from feeling fat to being PHAT – pregnant, hot and trendy— begins now.

Fit and Fab Moms Amanda Griffin, Delamar Arias and Tricia Chiongbian-Concepcion with pregnancy experts Dra. Christia Padolina and Dra. Angel Bandola on stage discussing about pregnancy and debunking some myths.

One big pregnancy myth 
“Pregnant mothers hear things like ‘You can’t exercise’ or ‘You can’t travel because it may harm your baby.’ These are things that confuse first time moms, making them believe that there are so many ‘Can’ts’ during pregnancy,” says ProMama product manager Gino Anonuevo.

“One of the biggest pregnancy myths is that a mother’s life should take a backseat to her child’s. When a woman’s belly grows, the mom may begin to feel more like a vessel than a woman. Many give in to the mindset that beauty, youth, and energy—all those things that make up a woman’s femininity—are no longer theirs.

“This doesn’t have to be the case. Expectant mothers can say, ‘Yes!’ to a lot of things that they feel or have heard they can’t.”
The ProMama council of fit and fab moms Amanda Griffin-Jacob, Delamar Arias and Tricia Chiongbian-Concepcion are walking testaments to the fact that life is further enriched by pregnancy. Tricia, a known health enthusiast, still continues on with her fit lifestyle that includes running a couple of miles a day in spite of expecting her second child this September;

Delamar who’s part of a popular radio show, doesn’t let morning sickness or hormones tone done her natural exuberance and humor in hosting her program;

Delamar with her fan, myself, taken after the event. She's one of the fit and fab mom hosts and I adore her!

And finally, 2-time mom Amanda Griffin-Jacob hasn’t succumbed to what she calls the “mommy meltdown” and is still considered to be one of the most beautiful faces in Philippine showbiz.

“It’s our goal for pregnant women to live and love their pregnancy,” says Amanda. “Every pregnancy should be celebrated; women should feel nurtured by doing the things that can make them feel confident. Being fit and fab during pregnancy should be every expecting mother’s goal!”

To a fit and fab pregnancy
If there’s one thing that’s definitely not a myth, it’s the fact that pregnant women should take special care of their nutritional needs.

Wyeth Nutrition, makers of ProMama, understands this, and wants every woman to fully enjoy the journey of pregnancy. A nutritional milk drink designed to support women—and not just the unborn baby—during pregnancy.  ProMama focuses on the life giver to address the needs of both mother and child.

“The fulcrum of each family is the mother. Without her, the family would fall apart—emotionally, mentally, physically, psychologically. Wyeth Nutrition fully acknowledges these values with ProMama, the milk that takes care of mothers so they can take care of their children,” says Anonuevo.

Only ProMama contains the Pro-Nutri Builders, ingredients that support the health and development of both mother and child during pregnancy.  These include Maternal Immunity Enhancers like Beta Carotene, which has antioxidant and immunostimulatory properties, and Vitamins C, E and A, which also helps promote good vision and cellular growth.
Pro-Nutri Builders are also targeted for the growing baby. ProMama has Mental Enhancers like DHA, a nutrient important for a child’s visual and mental development; Folic Acid, which is essential for the development of the nervous system and in preventing neural tube defects; and Zinc, which assists in fetal neurodevelopment. ProMama’s formula also contains Bone and Muscle Builders such as Vitamin D, important for calcium metabolism and to support an unborn baby’s bone and teeth development; Protein, the building block of all tissues; and Calcium, which supports bone development.

ProMama, which is available in Vanilla Delight Flavor, has only 15 percent of calories from fat. Just two servings of ProMama daily can help promote appropriate weight gain during pregnancy.

Yes You Can
The road to dispelling the biggest pregnancy myth of them all is now on the rise – and Wyeth Nutrition hopes that expecting mothers will eventually embrace the value of putting effort into looking and feeling great during pregnancy.

“When I was pregnant, nothing stopped me from doing yoga, wearing heels, hosting my TV show, travelling and even wearing a bikini. I enjoyed life as much as I enjoyed my pregnancy and it paid off. My 2 boys are happy and healthy,” shares Amanda. There’s nothing quite like experiencing motherhood firsthand.”

“When moms are healthy and happy, so are their babies—even while they’re still in the womb. Moms should not be afraid to say 'Yes!' to form-fitting clothes, traveling to experience the world, wearing heels, and even exercising. Getting through the roadblock of feeling fat to feeling pregnant, hot and tempting aids in a healthy, beautiful pregnancy," adds Amanda.

About Wyeth Nutrition
Wyeth Nutrition, formerly Pfizer Nutrition, is part of Nestlé S.A.  Wyeth Nutrition develops premium-quality nutritional products scientifically-designed to meet the needs of infants and young children, pregnant and lactating mothers, and adults. As pioneers in infant nutritional science, our mission is to provide the best nutritional support for future healthy outcomes. For nearly a century, Wyeth Nutrition has leveraged scientific research, world class manufacturing and product safety standards to drive scientifically-sound solutions that offer parents confidence, help nourish children and support their healthy futures. It employs the same level of excellence in delivering nutrient-rich products to adults.

Alagang Wilkins: Moms Know Best contest received stories that best embodies a mother's love and care for her family. There was an enormous amount of support from moms nationwide. And that’s no surprise as Wilkins is the most trusted water brand by moms.

The stories gathered serve as a reminder of how unconditional a mother’s love is. You can be inspired by these stories from this link: http://bit.ly/YH4ZrU

The exciting news is, among the entries, Wilkins chose one story and as promised, it was turned into a TVC mini-series.  Congratulations to the mommy winner, I'm sure she's very thrilled right now!  Apart from this, she also received Php 10,000 cash and P5,000 gift certificates for Wilkins products.

Watch out for it on the Alagang Wilkins Moms Microsite or on this link and see why a mother's love is truly the best. http://bit.ly/145KnYB

Hello loves! How was your week so far? Mine has been hectic at work as usual. This day is even not far from over. I'm actually on the road (yup! Blogging from my mobile phone) right now, rushing to our gig tonight at Luxent Hotel in QC. So if you're around the area, hope you could drop by.

Let me share as well, last Friday, I had a pleasant surprise when a blogger friend, Lourdes, passed by Luxent Hotel to see/hear us play. I was really touched!


Lourdes is the blogger behind Nanay Lunches With Love

Well on to my practical fashion outfit yesterday, I looked like a Navy Girl! I think about the navy when I see stripes, navy blue, white and red.

Hello loves!  How was your long weekend?  How was Mother's Day as well?  To answer those questions myself, I had a great Mother's Day experience last weekend.  We went to Kedon Residences in Pansol, Laguna (really nice place, will blog about it soon) to swim together with hubby's family/friends where we also celebrated Mother's Day.  Early in the morning, I received a surprise Mother's Day card made by my elder son.  He's the sweetest!   I simply love being a MOM!

Anyway, I've been perennially asked by family and friends to post a video of my latest TV commercial project for Joy Ultra with Michael V. (entitled "Barangay")t.  But to my dismay, I still couldn't provide.  Also, believe it or not, I've seen myself on the commercial only twice.  I'm not a TV junkie really that's why.  Plus being a full-time working person, with kids to play/bond with when I get home and weekends devoted to going out with the family, watching TV is a leisure for me already.  The closest I have to showing you a video copy of the TV Commercial (which hopefully I could get soon from my agent) is this:


-- a TV screenshot of the commercial, took by hubby.  That's me, the girl in pink with big eyes and open mouth. :)

I promise, once I get a hold of the video, I will post it here.  For now, I wish I could see the full-length commercial myself soon.

Til' then!  Goodnight loves!  Have a great week ahead!

Are you done shopping for your children's back-to-school needs? Honestly, I'm not yet done, but I already started. After almost experiencing a heart attack when I enrolled my son, we went to SM Manila to do some shopping using the SM Accessories gift vouchers I received in the mail and of course our budgeted back-to-school shopping money.

In my recent post about SM Accessories Kids Cool School Savers, I mentioned that they've got discounted merchandise which will give any moms big savings! I've bought the big ticketed items for him such as his school bag, lunch kit, uniforms, shoes and other accessories. I haven't ticked any item yet on his books and school supplies list. :)

I just want to share the great deal I got from my recent shopping at SM. When they said, "We've got it all for you" they really weren't joking.

School Bag
Since my now Grade 4 student son is no longer fond of character-designed bags, he spotted this plain trolley bag sitting at one corner.  When I picked it up, I was so surprised that it was on 50% discounted sale!  From P1,700.00 it was down to P800.00 +!  Imagine that huge drop in price?  If I were to buy him the character-branded bags of this size, it would have been a slash of P3,000 on my budget!  The material of the bag is very durable and made of quality.  You could tell with the stitches and the canvass used.  I'm so glad we noticed this bag!


Lunch Kit.
My son's a basketball player and aspires to be a member of their school's varsity.  Since his bag is already plain, he chose an insulated lunch kit with a basketball design.  This is the closest we got to the basketball themed lunch kit.  Why is this value for money?  It's made by quality bag manufacturer, Hawk Bags.  It has a lifetime warranty.  Wow!  Lifetime!  I could just bring it to ANY SM store if there are problems with its stitches, zippers and have it repaired.  Another winning factor is that, it came with a free 300ml water jug! :)  Got it for P600.00 only.  Other quality insulated lunch kits (without warranty) cost P1,000 and above.

School Shoes.
Would you believe, that this very EXACT brand and design of school shoes is what we've been buying for the last 4 years?  Yes and it's my son's choice to begin with, and because it's really durable, it has become my favorite as well!  Hardytogs Shoes is my choice for active kids such as mine.  Imagine, my son had ran (spell r-a-c-e) with it, kicked ball with it, slid with it, walked it in puddles/mud during rainy season, and had been through hell with it.  But still at the end of the school year, it's still in one compact piece!  Talk about durability and quality talaga!  But I guess, this will be the last year that he'll get the same design, because we already got the biggest size for this SKU.  His feet grow big really fast!

Take a closer look at the stitches of this shoes.  It's double-stitched and the rubber used for the sole is the non-slippery but really thick one.  I'm so glad I saw this shoes back when he was in grade one and he's had happy feet in school ever since. :) Oh this quality shoes is P1,200+ only.

School Uniform.
Nelson is the brand of choice when it comes to school uniforms.  I used to look for them in Divisoria and each time I wanted to buy him Nelsons there (it's cheaper in Divisoria) they're already out of stock.  They say that the sewers of Nelson are the original but really old ones.  So whatever production they have, they just distribute it to SM branches and the quantity left, are sold in stalls in Divisoria.  They don't over-produce because they say the sewers get tired easily.  That's what I was told. :)

I bought him five polos, last time I bought was when he was in grade 2.  He has grown so big since that time.  As for the pants, I bought him three for now.  The polo costs P229.00 each while the bottoms were at P349.00 each.

Undergarments.
I always buy him this brand because of quality, durability and comfort.  No need to expound. Each pack of three, costs P320 each.

Socks and other Accessories.
The socks were on sale as well as this canvass wallet with chain.   Not shown in the picture is his ala-Aviator Sunglasses.  Pumoporma na si Kuya! :)

So there you have it my back-to-school shopping where I scored huge discounts and got myself great deals! How about you?  Did you find any exciting deal like I did during your back-to-school shopping?

Few more weeks to go and it's BACK-TO-SCHOOL Moms and Dads!  Have you enrolled your child in school?   I already did just yesterday.  I almost had a heart attack while paying at the cashier for his tuition, spell GASTOS!  School supplies and books not yet included as well as his new uniform, school shoes, bag, lunch kit, tumbler, socks and other pa-gwapo accessories!  But of course, I want to give the best for my kids so OK lang! :)

Speaking of giving the best, SM Accessories Kids has everything on my back-to-school list of things to buy!  Now, let me tinker which among these Cool School Savers must-haves should I purchase for my grade-schooler:

SM Accessories Cool School Savers Must-haves!

I can't wait for these discount coupons to be distributed in-store and printed in major broadsheets this month of May!

Front of SM Accessories Kids  Discount Coupon

Back of SM Accessories Kids Discount Coupon

• Please surrender coupon upon payment
• Only one coupon can be used per transaction
• This coupon cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion or discount
• This coupon is valid from May 1 -31, 2013
• Valid in all SM Branches nationwide

Hello loves ! If you've been a reader of my humble blog, you'd know that I have an acoustic band and that we regularly play this month at Luxent Hotel. It's also the time when I dress like a lady (as in dresses, short skirts, shiny shimmering tops and exaggerated accessories) and wear full make-up.

Euphony Band