Hello loves, how are you this Holy Week?  Some of you may have gone home to their provinces to spend the long weekend there and some of you are enjoying a staycation in a hotel (which we used to do) and some, like our family, just stayed at home.

This long weekend is giving me some time to pause, rest, reflect and of course pray.  When we do pause and reflect, we get to think of the many blessings we have in our lives and it becomes a very humbling moment.  I have a lot to thank for to God for the outpouring of His blessings this first quarter of 2015.
First, as the title of this post suggests, the Wet Wedding Proposal.  Okay, I'm already sober from the surprise of my life which my loving life partner gave me.  I'm happy to share with you that finally after years of being together, Macky staged a wedding proposal to me with the help of his family and friends, who altogether made the plot and script convincing that I didn't have a single hint it was coming at all!  That beautiful and memorable day was 28th of March, our couple power number.

Here are photos of the life-changing surprise of my life.

The simple white gold diamond engagement ring.

Holy Week is just a few days from now.  It's a time for us to reflect on the love of Jesus has for all of us and the things He did for all of us in order for us all to be saved.  And on Easter Sunday, we always celebrate Jesus' rising from the dead.

If you want to celebrate Christ's glorious resurrection with Bro. Bo Sanchez and the rest of the Kerygma preachers, then come on over to Kerygma's Grand Easter Feast happening on April 5 at the SM MOA Arena.

UPDATE:
Winners of the #BELOKOJIC Giveaway are seen below!  Congratulations!!! :)


I've shared over my blog and my other social media sites especially in Instagram that I love travelling!  Hence the hashtag #MPTravels to #InsertNewCityHere was born.  I'm happy that my work gives me the opportunity to travel to different places, because personally, experiencing a new culture or heritage makes me feel so alive.  And when I travel with the family, the first thing that comes to mind is - head the BEACH!  Enjoy the sand, the sea and of course the SUN!  Although I put sunblock on my face, hand and body, still, I get dark in some places and it's uneven.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 A few weekends ago, my son and I were invited by Rica Tai of Archery Academy Manila to swing by their archery center located at Intrawest Centre along Annapolis St. Greenhills, and try the sport.
I didn't have any second thoughts about giving in to the invitation, so saying yes was easy for me.  Besides, it will be my and Dandré 's first encounter with Archery and it definitely is worth a try!  I of course wanted to be a Katniss Everdeen for a day!  My son was excited when I told him that we' ll be taught how to use a bow and arrow, and actually shoot a target.  Who wouldn't right?

Upon reaching their archery studio, we were immediately oriented about the sport by Coach Gio Endaya.
He taught us the basics of Archery such as first how to test your eye dominance, how to properly hold the arrow and rest it on the bow, parts of the bow and different draw weights, how to hold it properly, correct stance, how to shoot, and finally how to retrieve the arrows correctly to avoid any accidents.
It wasn't as easy as it looked like.  It's not like getting an arrow, setting it on a bow and shooting.  It's a precision solo sport which takes a lot of discipline and determination.  Archery, like dance, involves graceful movements, correct steps, and body coordination to be able to execute it nicely.  Glad that Coach Gio was patient with the kids, that includes me, and passionately took us through each step of the Archery basics.
My son brought his friend to try the sport and they learned so much about Archery and it got both of them very interested and also curious at the same time.  They were very enthusiastic.  They are 11 and 9 years of age, which are good ages to learn Archery. They got the proper stance, basic shooting steps and careful handling of the bow and arrow in 2-3 tries!  While the Mommy Practicality was fumbling and not aiming her target very well.   But I didn't give up.  Few more tries and I was already hitting the targets (which was within the white space of the paper, good enough right? Haha!)
Coach Gio said that my son and his buddy were very good students.  They learned pretty fast compared to others.  Rica, Gio, and their other partner Rachelle Sison, all archers for years before starting their baby passion project the Archery Academy, all noticed that it was easy to instruct my son and his buddy because they are athletes.  My son and his friend play basketball and are very active.  My son is pretty curious that he with his friend asked a lot of questions.  Coach Gio let them try the bows with stronger/heavier strings (for beginners, Archery Academy lets students use 16lbs).
 Apart from the whole wonderful experience, what we all like about the studio of Archery Academy are the fun murals on the wall, the depth of the place perfect for shooters of long range, and it provides an environment of focus and learning.  After our trial, I could say that Archery is definitely a sport worth trying, both adults and Kids!
SUMMER PROGRAM
The good news is, Archery Academy is offering summer programs starting April!  So you and your kids could also try this challenging but fulfilling sport!

Their minimum age requirement for kids is 9 years old to ensure that the child could handle the bow and arrow properly and shoot the arrow with enough force to hit the target.  Here are more details about their Summer Program:
This summer, they are offering classes thrice a week (MWF) for 8 meetings with 2 hours each for only Php8,500 for first time enrollees. Returning students will only be charged Php6,500. This is because the first time enrollees fee includes their own string, arm guard, finger tab and a shirt, which they will be using for the entirety of their Archery classes.

Apart from their Summer Program, the Archery Academy Manila also has a year-round Weekend Program (P5,600/new student and P3,600/returning student) which includes 4 sessions of 2 hours each, every Saturdays and Sundays from 9-11am.   A per session rate is also available for only P550/head an hour.  The Archery Academy Manila can accommodate a maximum of 8 persons at a time, so it's important to call ahead of time to schedule your slot.

For more information about the Archery Academy Manila Summer and Year-round Programs, like The Archery Academy Manila on Facebook (facebook.com/TheArcheryAcademy) or follow them on Instagram (instagram.com/TheArcheryAcademy). 

We all know how pain affects the quality of life of any person.  For instance, a terrible headache would immediately ruin a great day out in a park with the family.  It limits the play time and bonding time with the kids and even your husband because you're in discomfort and in pain.

Personally, the pain I experience more often than not is headache.  Honestly, work is affected because I couldn't concentrate and sometimes I have to take a leave just to rest and wait until it goes away.  If that happens, even when I am home with my kids, I couldn't enjoy my time with them because the pain hinders me from doing so.  It's heartbreaking to let quality time with my family wait and suffer as I deal with my headache. True there are pain medications available but it doesn't just do its job quickly as needed.

Make super moments pain-free with (Paracetamol)Panadol®

We'll be welcoming Holy Week earlier this year because it's happening on the first week of April (April 2 to 5).  Due to readers and supporters who refer to my blog for events list for the children, I am compiling the 2015 Easter Egg Hunting Events in Metro Manila already.

Last Valentine's Day, M and I decided to celebrate the day over our favorite past time, FOOD.  And what better way to devour (lots of) food than to experience it over buffet, the- Chef Laudico Guevarra's Buffet - way!

I admit, I'm not a contender to the Most Valuable Domesticated Mommy award.  Because as a full-time working mom, I rarely have time to cook or bake anything.  But like any other working mom, I'm kind of sure of this, I wish I could stay more at home and fulfill the domesticated roles like, first and foremost, take care of the kids, next cook all meals for the family and maybe sometimes bake or prepare dessert for them.   But don't get me wrong, I do cook, and my family says I cook well (they're a fan or they must really love me that much).  Unfortunately, I only get to cook real meal on weekends and desserts occasionally.

Such as this one time.

I checked the refrigerator, found two packs of all purpose cream and a can of condensed milk.  So I said why not whip up something my kids love, Mango Float!  It's very easy to do and no baking needed, only the ingredients, a good piling mechanism, and refrigerator.

So here's my Simple Mango Float Recipe!

What you'll need:

• 2 cups of Ripe Mangoes
• 2 tetra packs of All Purpose Cream
• 3/4 cup of Condensed Milk
• 1 pack of Grahams Cracker

Since the time I became a mom, bath time for my kids has always been a pleasant and fun experience for them and me as well.  I love the scent of the oil I use to massage them before bathing, their shampoo and their baby soap as well.  More than just cleansing, I really have seen bath time as a time for bonding, playing and having fun with the kids.  A lot of singing, bubble playing, bath time story-telling going on in the bathroom.

After attending Johnson's Baby So Much More global launch event a few weeks ago, I found out that while treating bath time as a bonding time with kids and cleansing, it's also important for the child's congnitive development.  I guess I belong to the whopping 45% of the parents surveyed in the Philippines who didn't see this importance hence, Philippines has the shortest bath time duration for babies - 15 minutes vs. the global average of 23 minutes.