It's already Tuesday loves and I've been meaning to share with you what my Friday at work and the family's weekend was made of.  As you read it, it was a fun one with a sweet ending for me and hubby.

First of all, to working ladies reading this, have you applied the 5S workplace management in your office?  For those not familiar, 5S office management is a name of a workplace organization method which applies the five Japanese words already translated to English.  5S means: Sort (which ones to retain, return or get rid of), Set in Order or organize stuff in short, Shine (make workplace spic and span), Standardize (maintain and make sort, set in order and shine a regular habit), and Sustain (keep it that way to make one more efficient at work.)  I heard there's an additional 3S and these are: Safety, Security and Satisfaction.

So last Friday, I got down my knees, kept my office shoes and other personal stuff (spell b-a-h-a-y) inside my pedestal and lateral cabinets.  It was actually a therapeutic activity because I discovered that I've been keeping trash in my work area that I don't use, accumulate dust and take up space. I'm proud to present to you my new (and hopefully sustainable) 5S work place:

“Mom, may I please come with my friends to watch Guardians of The Galaxy and go to arcade tomorrow?”  It was a very simple yet powerful question from my 10-year old boy.

It struck me that my fear of THE day when he will ask me to be with his friends – had finally unfolded right before my very eyes.

I had to face reality.  I’m already a mom of an almost adolescent kid and that instant, a lot ran through my sometimes-over-analytic-mind like:

“Naku, he’ll have his girlfriend soon!”

“Oh no, he might have plenty of facial pimples!”

"He might not want to be with me anymore, at all."

Of course I allowed him, but not without me as a chaperone.  After all he is just 10 and not an official teenager.  Wait, what?  Me?  Already a chaperone and no longer his main companion?  Do you know how that feels?  I was emotionally affected, OA pero yun ako.  I vividly remember him as my first-born, a healthy toddler, an active preschooler, an adjusting grade-schooler, and now he wants to be more independent and go out with his friends.  I could be exaggerating if I tell you that my world was shattering and my heart was being cut in half, crying and breaking, when I was asked that question.

So last Saturday, I chaperoned him to his very first and official lakwatsa: movie and arcade with his school friends.  As expected, his classmates' parents also played the role of chaperones.  There was a feeling of relief that I'm not alone in going through this adjustment to my child's new developmental stage.  We were talking and agreed when we said, they are no longer our babies.

It's not a hidden fact that I am a "kuracha" Mommy.  "Kuracha" in contemporary Filipino language means one who does a lot of things at a time or one who wears different hats and seems like she never gets tired doing so.  Here are the life roles I play: A wifey, a working mom, a blogger, a band vocalist, a part-time TV commercial talent, a part-time memorial plan sales agent, and a businesswoman too.

Sa panahon ngayon, we should be practical diba? That's why I believe in monetizing your skills or talents and I cannot stress enough how important investing in yourself is (even wrote about it HERE and HERE.)  For me, practicality means getting a quality of life without sacrificing your family's budget.  AND also you should know how to make money and save too!  I have been asked by mommy friends and even colleagues this question, "Talaga bang Mommy Practicality ka?"  They would run plenty of jokes to prove that I'm not (but they don't succeed of course!) to challenge how practical I could get.
Wow ha!  For someone who even during sale season in malls thinks twice about getting that really nice dress or purchasing that marked down stilettos, who brings lunch baon to work (almost daily), who enrolls to mobile/data unli-promos and never stops thinking of ways to earn, who would even think I am impractical?  But mind you, I am not stingy when it comes to expenses, I just prioritize where our money goes and also make sure that we get the best value in every peso spent.  Nakaka-relate ba kayo mommies?

Here's one practical example on our mobile subscription.  Did you know that I could get my 2 pesos worth a long way?  That's possible with SUN Cellular's #SunAdd2.  I just add 2 pesos to my selected Sun Prepaid load and I could already have all day unlimited Facebook especially when I need to update my Mommy Practicality FB Page, OR I could also have all day unlimited chat to family and friends here and abroad through Viber, WeChat and Line OR I could also have all day mobile surfing of up to 5MB to get the latest news, share inspiring contents and even blog during commuting hours!  Now that's getting MORE value for money talaga loves!  To avail of #SunAdd2 just dial *247#2# on your Sun Prepaid phone.

For those of you who don't have a skin regimen yet, you better start now.  Whether you are in your young 20s, maturing 30s and especially 40s and above, skin care is one of the most important parts of our daily hygiene.  We all know that proper skin care will result to better appearance and over-all health and well-being.  Being that our skin is the largest organ of our body and protects us from harmful bacteria, viruses and even from the rays of the sun, we have a duty to care for it too.

How?  I was taught by my mom and by the dermatologists I consulted from that the proper way to care for the facial skin is to cleanse, tone and moisturize.  For the rest of the body, it's to cleanse and put lotions and sunblock as well.  But did you know that skin care now goes beyond caring for the outside?  It's called Holistic Skin Care - Beautiful Skin From Within.  While creams, sunblocks, lotions could do wonders for our skin, these should be complemented with a healthy lifestyle.  Recent studies show, that that's the real secret to healthy, young-looking and glowing skin.

I was reminded of how important Holistic Skin Care really is when I received a Myra Holistic Skin Care package.

Package Contents: Kor Water Bottle (the hydration vessel of Oprah, and Gwyneth Paltrow) Yummy Recipe Book, Myra-E 300 and Myra-E 400

Our first letter sender for our #DearMommyPracticality Season 2 (very TV-series-like) comes from a very hardworking wife who is having some concerns about their current family financial set-up.

Let's now read about her dilemma:

#DearMommyPracticality,

Hi.Good Day!  Hello sis you (may) call me Bluemorpho nalang.

Actually sis i don't know kung big problem ba talaga 'to or ginagawa ko lang big deal for me.  I have two kids (2 boys) the one is turning to 6 yrs old and the other is turning into 1 yr old.  We know already na mahirap ang buhay ngayon.  The problem is nagresign po kasi husband ko sa work so ako nalang po nagwowork.and he decided na sya nalang mag-alaga sa two kids po namin.  Alam po natin na madaming expenses right now tulad ng tuition fees etc.

Sa tingin mo ba sis big deal yung problem ko?

Thank you sis.

Sincerely,
Bluemorpho

Wes is almost four years old and is qualified for Nursery this school year.  However, as written in my post about introducing school to my son, he got turned off and didn't have a pleasurable experience.  For this reason, we decided not to enroll him this school year.  We didn't want to force him into schooling when his orientation of the institution started off on a wrong foot.  What we wanted to achieve was for him to find learning fun.

We looked for playschools nearby but failed to find one that looks serious in giving quality learning and lessons that are age-appropriate.  We found these and more at Gymboree Play & Music.  We frequent Robinsons Magnolia Town Center that's why we inquired in their branch there and found out that they have different classes to support early child development (ages 0 to 5) by fostering their creativity and confidence.

I visited my best friend Karina and her baby last week to celebrate the little one's first month birthday.  I took her in my arms and smelled her hair, neck and mouth!  AAAAAHHHHH!!!!  Nothing ever smells so heavenly than a baby's scent.  I went crazy AGAIN over the thought of having another baby!

This idea has been toying in my mind since early this year.   Both my sons celebrate their birthdays on September (10 and 18) and I want my third (if we'll still be blessed with one more) to also be born on the same month.  So that he or she won't be left out, plus it's practical and I find it cute.

I think even my colleagues have been waiting for me to show signs of baby on the way.  Me being pregnant has been a constant joke in my place of work, probably because I constantly have a big belly?  Waah!  Ang panget!

Is there something stopping me?  I would say yes.  But do I want to get pregnant again?  I would say yes too!  Let me share what I think about this big monumental step in our family life.

Photo Source

So Why do I want to be Pregnant again?
First, having a big family has been a dream of mine since I was younger.  I don't wish for ten kids, that's too much for me to handle.  But since I had my first-born and experienced raising him, sending him to school, putting up with his kakulitan and when my patience was stretched to its maximum level, it changed.  Hirap pala, isa pa lang that time, then Wes came after seven years (which I believe is a very good gap).  As it is, our home is already crazy and my life is turning upside down already.  But two is too little for me.  Maybe one more I said (to myself) would be good.

Second, I have two boys and don't have a daughter yet.  Having just boys was what I really prayed for.  I only wanted boys so that I will be the only maldita or queen in the house.  Yup I know, I know it's a selfish reason.  But when I took care of my mom when she was sick and also decided for most of the important family decisions, I realized the importance of having a girl in the family.  But having a daughter is like having a best friend and a companion until a mother gets old.  Boys will get married, start their own family and leave their mothers.  But daughters usually stay.

Third, if not now, when?  If I don't get pregnant anytime soon (looking at within the year until next) then I think I will have a hard time carrying a baby at an older age.  There will be more risks when I get pregnant at a later age plus the toll that's going to give my body.

So What's Stopping me from getting Pregnant again?
Fear of the unknown.  I had a terrible childbirth experience with my first when I was 50/50 over a week after giving birth due to internal hemorrhage.  Which is one of the reasons why my second came after seven years.  God was so good to give me an almost painless labor and childbirth for my second time around.  Now if I get pregnant again, I just fear about what I might experience during childbirth.

Practicality.  They say having one or two children per family today is enough.  It's enough for a middle-class family to be able to support each child without having to tighten the belt each time and to be able to let the children experience a rather comfortable life.  They say having three or more children could spell impractical because of the higher cost of living.  But my take on this actually is God really provides and I know we could get through.  Even Daddy Practicality says that we both have sources of income and comparing ourselves to others who don't have regular jobs and still manage to raise more than four children, definitely we could afford another baby.

Looking at the above, looks like I want to get pregnant more than I don't.  But actually, and probably you're thinking of this too, it's not up to me to decide.  It's God's will that will be followed if he will be blessing me with another miracle, with another tiny human being growing inside me, with another replica of myself and Daddy Practicality and with another addition to our riot and happy family, then I would be the happiest!  If not and He says, two is enough, then I would accept it just the same and be happy about that too.

So until that miracle comes (or not), I vow to keep myself stress-free, positive, eat healthier, be more active and to fulfill my duties at home, at work and in the community with loving dedication and joy.  And I think, whether I yearn to be pregnant or yearn for something else, these things should be done.  You too could practice the same in order for you to have a stress-free, healthier and more positive life!  Who knows, you might get pregnant earlier than I do! :)

Reflecting on all these, they just boil down to three: Love God;  Love Others; and one that we often forget to do, Love Yourself.

Have a great week ahead loves!

Back when I was still in high school up until today, I have occasions of acne popping especially nearing my period and I still do get dark (like chocolate brown dark) after swimming and it would take long months even years to go back to its original tone.  My acnes go away, but the marks don’t and I am giving up on my arms’ skin tone (which by the way is not balanced with the color of the rest of my body.)  I’ve tried several sorts of exfoliating scrubs, solutions, astringents lotions and creams from the expensive ones sent by my Tita from the US to the cheaper ones sold at a nearby drugstore.  It read Salicylic Acids, Tea Tree Oil, Tretinoine, AHA and Kojic Acid too.  The marks still don’t go away and my arms still haven’t gotten lighter like how it used to.

Until I recently tried Belo Intensive Whitening Bar (Kojic Acid + Tranexamic Acid).  This whitening bar boasts of a unique combination of today’s two most powerful whitening actives – Kojic Acid and Tranexamic Acid.  Kojic Acid is known to be an organic compound that gives the skin a visibly lighter appearance.  While Tranexamic Acid (first time I’ve heard of it!) is a peptide proven to inhibit inflammation and melanin formation. It is ideal for stubborn dark spots that do not respond to other skin lightening ingredients.  With the combination of the two active ingredients, no doubt this product will sway the beauty product preference of Filipinas who like me, are looking for an effective product from a trusted brand and one that is not expensive.  Practical dapat!

New from Belo Essentials: Belo Intensive Whitening Bar (Kojic + Tranexamic Acid)