Hello loves!  If you’ve noticed, I’ve been updating my blog with fresh content on my thoughts about life in the pandemic.  I also talk about our family dreams and how to achieve them.  I just realized that I haven’t been blogging as much as I used to and I feel sad about that.  My 2020 had been busy with many campaigns that involved social media that I kind of neglected my blog.  I’m happy with those campaigns but not about how I parked writing on his space which I was first known for.

I remember when I was just starting, I used to invest my time in following other bloggers, researching about their success stories, doing what they said were effective to drive readers, and even reading a lot about SEO.  I even checked out Ignite Digital, an SEO company based in Toronto that offers services for digital content creators and website owners such as myself.  I learned a thing or two about optimizing my content, have a website analysis, and see self-check on areas I need to improve on.  Learning something new got me really excited.

That’s also the reason in less than a year, my blog rang a bell to brands and PRs who got me as their brand ambassador.  Everything was new to me then, being a beginner in the industry which only started as a passion for writing and sharing experiences that other moms could relate.

So why did I lay low on writing last year?  I know I shouldn’t.  But as a human being finding her way how to get through the pandemic, I got side-tracked and lost focus.  Then I was again reminded of my whys for doing this and being in this digital world.  What’s my purpose?  What again is my WHY for content creation.  I want to go back to the times I was starting when the zest and excitement for writing used to put me on fire!  I guess I need some kind of a force gauge that may be applied to digital assessment or measurement of push and pull into creating content.  So that when I see my force or efforts aren’t enough, it will signal me to find balance and exert more to be able to bring my writing dojo back.  But the good news is, it’s coming back and I am happy that you are here right now to read my thoughts about this.

But good news is, I plan to be more active again.  Go back to my whys, write about my experiences as a mom of boys, as a former single mom, and as a person who activates practical living.  I am sure if you’ve been a follower of my blog since I started in 2012, you’ll be guaranteed value-adding content.  Who knows I might have big brand clients again who’ll need my blog services like how it used to be in the glory days of blogging?  I’m excited to be signing contracts once more where I’ll need legal assistance such as Kazmi Law to notarize my MOAs!  Well, that’s cherry on top of my writing cake!  For now, let me ease back to my first love in the digital content creation, blogging.

Happy mid-week everyone!  

Every newly-wed couples dream of having their own homes for their family to live in.  Well, that’s the way it really should be.  But, living in the Philippines, where it’s culturally accepted that married couples still live with their parents, sometimes delays that plan or that dream.  And why not?  It’s practical, it’s convenient, and having your extended family around you makes it a livelier and safer environment to live in.

 

But personally, no matter how it’s more practical to just live with our parents, we still believe that every family unit should have their own place of dwelling.   That’s what we’re aiming for.  We still live with my dad, who’s widowed by my mom a few years ago.  I can’t just leave him because I look after my senior citizen father.  But as a Christian, I know that we have to leave and cleave.  This means, once married, we should leave our parents and cleave or live with our spouses.  Given that, we’ve prayed hard for this plan to happen, and though there’s still no finality (that’s why I still haven’t shared it publicly).

Sharing today some of the nice to haves in our very own home someday:

• Swimming pool – I am a water baby and I love swimming.  It’s the only sport I know I am quite good at.  It would be really nice to have your own pool where I could do my daily lapses and even teach my younger kids how to swim.  Especially these past few months when we’re staying home most of the time due to the pandemic.  Having our own pool could most probably help me keep a fitter body.

• Multi-media studio – For those of you who still don’t know, my husband and I are bandmates since 2006.  We used to perform in bars, hotel lounges, and private events.  My husband is a musician and I am a vocalist.  We’d love to have a small multimedia room where we could record songs, do our vlog filming, record voice overs, and teach our kids to play the instrument.

• A basketball court – My eldest is a basketball player and dreams to be a professional player someday.  A basketball court that has a Calhoun Cover-All so he could play with his dad or his teammates rain or shine.  This cover-all on our court could also have many uses such as when gathering is permitted, we could hold parties for families and friends during special occasions.

• Bath Tub – It may be hard to maintain, but I still want a tub in our master’s bedroom!  That tub should of course have a heating system that’s useful especially on colder days.  I saw that it’s possible to equip existing water pipelines with this technology here: https://heatline.com/product/retro-line/. 

• Solar panels – We go inspired by the house of #TeamKramer where they used solar panel technology to power their lighting and home appliances.  I also wish the same for our own home.  I also researched that there’s another technology where hydro solar air can turn to water heat pump.  How cool is that?  Now that’s what my swimming pool and bath tub needs!

I’ll be sharing our house pegs in the blog soon.  Meanwhile, how nice it really is to plan for your very own dwelling right?  If you’ve experienced day dreaming and wish listing like this, please do share! 

Happy 2021!  Wow I can’t believe that 2020 flew by so fast.  This year my ultimate priority is to ensure that my family and I have good health.  With all the health scare that’s happening around the globe, I realized that we only need the essentials in our lives, nothing more, nothing less.

What am I talking about?  I’m sure it’s the same with you all, first is to have a strong faith, maintain beautiful relationship with my family, and last but not least, family.  With this, I learned to live simply and be grateful for every little blessing that our family receives.

 

Made me think, wow, my priorities and what I perceived to be needs, adjusted to the changing times. Speaking of those perceived needs, they have something to do with luxuries which I really thought we needed.  I remember I was asking my husband to please buy espresso machine immediately, since we are both coffee lovers!  Every time there were sale activities via Lazada or Shopee or Amazon, and even other international e-commerce sites, I would excitedly let him take a look at those what I added to my cart.  I don’t know why it kept on delaying, then BOOM.  Towards the end of 2020, I was rushed to the emergency room of the hospital nearby.  It was my first time to palpitate due to too much caffeine in my system.  It was a life scare for me because it was a first for me.  So that espresso machine in my cart that kept on delaying, I let it go.  I was told to stop drinking coffee and other colored drinks for the time being while I was experiencing palpitations.

My husband also had a realization on his perceived needs and what truly are the essentials.  He actually wanted to purchase a new family vehicle after having been fully paid with our first family car.  But then 2020 happened and we all know what that meant.  It was as if the world took a pause for all of us to recalibrate, reset, and reflect on our lives.  Because of the pandemic, we set that plan aside, even if we were already set to purchase one complete with comprehensive insurance, and even found a really good motor deal here now, we didn’t press that plan.  We thought, there’s a right timing for everything, and besides, we still have a service we could use in case we need to go somewhere.  Funny thing, last year, the car wasn’t fully utilized because we didn’t go out unless really needed.

You see, even if we plan ahead, if God says it’s not what He wants for you, things will not go our way.  And that’s okay.  That made us consider to always have an analytical balance (if only that can be scientifically measured like how scientists do) on everything in our lives.  That balance applies to all our priorities, our needs, wants, the essentials, and also in human relationships we have with everyone we know.

How about you?  What were some of your realizations of priorities, needs, and wants?  Share them on the comments below.

Moms like us tend to do more for others and forget about rewarding ourselves.  We either lack time or we remember and actually go out, but feel guilty afterwards.  

Isn't that true for you?  If it is, you're not alone.  But mommas, we deserve a break and some pampering time - and we shouldn't feel any mom guilt for it.  Especially these past few months when we've been locked down at home.  Our skin have become drier, duller, and look more haggard than ever before.  I admit to having bad skin lately that's why I'm thankful for the break I took recently to have a Revitalight Facial at Skin Station PH.

What is Revitalight Facial?

It is the newest facial service of SkinStation that uses a combination of facial, diamond peel and Nd-Yag laser to refresh and rejuvenate tired, dull skin.  It revitalizes our skin in an instant to make it more youthful looking.  It also rejuvenates our skin to turn it from dull to glowing.  Since the laser's heat penetrates within, it promotes collagen formation.  Collagen is the one responsible for making our skin supple and having good elasticity.  Plus, for more mature individuals like me, it helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles and minimizes pore size.

The Procedure.

Before visiting any SkinStation branch for the treatment, you have to first book your appointment.  You may contact Ms. Marga of SkinStation Marketing via their Instagram account.  Ms Marga is very responsive and also so nice to talk to.  Once you've booked an appointment, you'll receive an email confirmation/reminder of your schedule.  Be sure to reply with your health declaration form.  Be sure to also show up on your scheduled appointment day and time.

FACIAL - This is the very fist step of the Revitalight Facial treatment.  Every procedure should start with a clean face.  This is what facials do.  Cleansing is like how you do it when you apply facial soap or foam on your face, but in facials, of course a skin professional does it for you.   What I love about facials is the facial massage!  It relaxes my tensed facial muscles that usually are flexed during online learning and reviewing of the lessons or when you have to fix a messy room multiple times a day, like 100 times.  Pricking is part of facial.  I used to be traumatized just hearing that word because I had a bad experience in my 20s.  But I've come fat since, and now I know my acne, whiteheads, and blackheads are in good hands with SkinStation.  After extraction of the unwanted extras caused by our facial sebum seated in our pores, a procedure to close the pores will be done.

DIAMOND PEEL - Diamond peel works wonders for our skin especially when done regularly.  It is level up cleansing and clearing of our faces because it removes dead skin cells, deep-seated dirt, and also excess oil on our faces.  The motion I felt was like every centimeter of my face was being sucked by a small hole or pipe.  It felt good knowing that the other unwanted elements of my face are taken away.  This step is necessary before the laser treatment which is up next.

ND-YAG LASER - This is the last step of the whole Revitalight Facial treatment.  It uses a machine that has adjustable frequency or strength of the intense beam of light energy being emitted and directed at the skin. The laser beam heats the underlying skin (dermis), which stimulates collagen production over time, resulting in better skin tone and texture.  This is the reason for glowing of the skin, tightening feeling, and minimized pores of the face after the treatment.

If you're new to laser facial treatment, you may feel a little shock but you'll get used to it. I've had more than five laser facial treatments before this, so my face quite knows what type of shock it should expect, so to speak.  But overall, the laser treatment went smoothly, no discomforts and no pain.

Instant Effects, after-treatment care, and Q/A

After the whole treatment, there was an instant lift or tightness of my skin.  It felt really clean and bright.  It's important not to wash the face for 6 hours after the treatment.  No application of make-up or creams after the treatment.  It's also important to apply sunblock every time you'd be going out.  As usual, do your skincare routine especially these three: Cleanse, Tone, and Moisturize.

I'll be answering some questions you may have: 

Overall, I had a pleasant experience during my very first visit at SkinStation.  I chose their Greenhills because it's one of the nearest branches to me.  The clinic was divinely clean.  The clinic practices strict health protocols to comply with the city's regulations. Ate Belle, my skin specialist was such an expert, she's so courteous, and you know she knows what she's doing.  Promos are available in the clinic as well as their website and social media accounts.  

So mommas, invest in yourselves.  Make sure you pamper yourselves and not feel any amount of guilt at all.  You deserve this!  For more information and inquiries, visit SkinStation's website: https://skinstation.ph/ or follow them on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/skinstationph/and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/skinstationph

What? Potatoes come in different forms? The answer is, YES!  But first let me tell you about the time I fell in love with potatoes.

 

When I was a toddler, the potato is the first vegetable I ever ate and actually loved!  It was an introduction to the wonderful healthy veggie world.  I loved it because it didn’t taste bitter nor smelled funky.  And that’s what I did for my children, too!  I started their veggie journey with the simple yet super nutritious potatoes!

 

The humble spud is essentially a super food. Did you know that the nutrients in potatoes help boost our energy and strengthen our immune system? They are a good source of complex carbohydrates, vitamins like Vitamin C and Vitamin B6, and minerals such as protein and iron. All of which help keep us strong and protect us from common illnesses.  Yummy and healthy. That’s what the entire family needs!

 

And speaking of taters, make sure you’re consuming top-quality U.S. potatoes. They are delicious, versatile, easily available, and affordable. U.S. potatoes can be used in all types of dishes and cuisines. It’s your all-around kitchen partner.

 

Potatoes can be enjoyed fried, boiled, baked, steamed, grilled, and many other ways! This brings us to the initial question… Did you know that potatoes come in different forms?  I also was not aware of this. Then I read up more about this veggie I consume almost every day. Here’s what I found out.

 

U.S. Fresh / Table-stock Potatoes – these are the potatoes most of us are familiar with.  This is what we see in stores everywhere.  Did you know that there are more than a hundred U.S fresh potato varieties, but they fall under these seven categories: russet, red, white, yellow, blue-purple, fingerling, and petite. Now, U.S. fresh potatoes are not always available in the Philippines. Good news is they’re currently in stock in supermarkets in Manila and Cebu! Check them out in the produce section of the store nearest you.

 

U.S. Frozen Potatoes – these come in different varieties and are easily available in leading supermarkets nationwide. U.S. frozen potatoes use state-of-the-art technology to meet high industry standards and are instantly quick-frozen to lock in the flavor and nutrients. Some of the cuts available are frozen half shells, wedges, slices, straight cuts, crinkle cuts, loop/curly or popularly known as twister fries, lattice/basket weave, tater tots, and hash browns. We usually buy straight-cut fries and hash browns.  I am more comfortable cooking them at home because I know exactly what kind of cooking oil and how much salt I use. 

Good old-fashion Fries with Catsup or Mayo

 

U.S. Dehydrated Potatoes – I also didn’t know about this type until I read about them!  When you hear the word dehydrated it automatically means lack of water, right?  Dehydrated potatoes are real potatoes just with all the water removed.  U.S. dehydrated potato products deliver all the flavor, nutrition, and versatility of potatoes in a more convenient package – and are the perfect ingredient for everything from soups and salads to main dishes and desserts.  If you’re a newbie, like me, try making the basic mashed potato. It’ so quick and easy, you’d be done in minutes! Here in the Philippines, you can usually find them in baking supply stores. 

Suggested Recipe: Quick and Easy Mashed Potato

 

As a mom who loves to cook, knowing that one of my favorite veggies has this much to offer makes me giddy with excitement! U.S. potatoes truly present a world of POTATOBILITIES in the kitchen.

 

Make sure to include U.S. potatoes in your next grocery run! Find more information on U.S. potatoes by visiting their website. Like and follow Potatoes USA-Philippines on Facebook and Instagram for more potato trivia and recipes.

 

I’m hosting a giveaway, so watch out for it on my social media. 

Needless to say, the pandemic and the consequent quarantines it has caused are nothing short of stressful. Aside from having to adjust to working from home, most moms also have to take on the responsibility of being their kids’ primary educator on top of being the main manager of their homes. All these, and more, make it incredibly important for moms to take the time to care for themselves. After all, self-care is a necessary practice that promises benefits -- not just to the person doing it but also for the people around him or her.

If you are a busy mom who is at a loss as to how she can start engaging in self-care activities, here are some ideas that can help you get started:

Regulating your news intake 

While staying on top of things and of current events is of utmost importance during these trying times, exposing yourself to an unhealthy amount of bad news on a daily basis can be detrimental to your mental health. This practice can exacerbate feelings of vulnerability, fear and danger. Furthermore, it can also generate a sense of hopelessness, helplessness and feelings of not being enough. To keep such unfavorable emotions at bay, learn how to filter what you read. As highlighted in our previous post ‘How to Stay Positive While in Quarantine’, it would also be in your best interest to subscribe to positive and inspiring content that will either make you laugh or encourage you to do good things. Besides unplugging, Medical News Today noted that you can also try shifting your focus to the things that you can solve. For instance, you can put up small food drives that can help your immediate community or offer additional support to frontliners.

Establishing a skincare routine

There are many reasons why skincare is among one of the most popular activities that encourage self-care. As explained in an article published by Everyday Health, a skincare routine can provide stability, inhibit intrusive thoughts, boost self-esteem and trigger the release of feel-good hormones. If you are new to this activity, the best option for you would be to build a basic routine that includes the most important products like a gentle cleanser, a light moisturizer with SPF, a serum and a toner. It would also be a good idea to not limit yourself to just products that improve skin health from just the outside. Try to invest in items that can improve your skin from within such as supplements. Case in point: the Frozen Collagen Supplements on PrettyMe are said to tighten the skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines, the size of your pores and the likelihood of acne breakouts.

Engaging your sense of smell while meditating

Meditating as a way of engaging in self-care offers a myriad of physiological and psychological advantages. Healthline mentioned how this tried and tested activity can aid in reducing stress and age-related memory loss, controlling anxiety, enhancing self-awareness and lengthening attention span. Moreover, meditation in whatever form can also help fight addiction, improve sleep, regulate pain and decrease blood pressure. To make meditative sessions even more relaxing, you can accompany it with aromatherapy. Depending on the kind you want to use, essential oils can induce calm and alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression. For instance, Plant Therapy's set of essential oils featured on Elle calm the mind and the body, reduce anxiety, fight seasonal allergies and boost energy.

Although it may seem like things are slowly turning out for the better and the fear that people have over the pandemic is finally subsiding, those are not enough reasons for busy moms like you to slack off on caring for themselves. Try out some of the ideas we presented and take the time to look for a self-care activity that works best for you.

2020 is just around the corner, and yet we are still in quarantine plus a lot of unfortunate events happened all throughout the year.  Covid-19 hit us hard, typhoons Rolly and Ulysses devastated a number of cities and contributed to a number of homeless and hungry kababayans, a huge fire in our neighborhood displaced some 500 families, and a good friend passed away recently.

I could go on but still I am grateful for the gift of family and true friends, for God's provisions, for good health, for roof over our heads, for a stable job for my husband, projects here and there, and capability to help others in need.  

Thinking about it, there are still a lot to be thankful for and worth celebrating lalo na sa dadating na Pasko.  Kaya naman #TuloyPaRinAngPasko and what better way to celebrate it than to have the star of the Christmas table, ang Virginia Festive Hams and samahan na rin natin ng Virginia Noche Buena treats!

Virginia Food, Inc. helps us all be reminded that no matter what circumstances we may be in, this season is worth celebrating.  For me, the real reason for the season is the birth of our savior Jesus Christ.  Even if 2020 wasn't that too good (for how can I feel good if others don't), I am still grateful that we're still alive.

Tuloy na tuloy pa rin ang Pasko.  Though we cannot celebrate the way we used to like family gatherings and reunions, we can still celebrate safely at home or give gifts to our loved ones.  A good idea would be giving them one of these delectable Virginia Festive Hams:

• Virginia Pear-Shaped Ham
• Virginia Chicken Pear-Shaped Ham
• Virginia Hamon de Bola
• Virginia Black Forest Ham
• Virginia Season's Delight Ham
• Virginia Pineapple Ball Ham
• Virginia Brick Ham
• Virginia Chinese Fortune Ham

When you come across 3M, what comes to your minds?  For me, I think of Post-it Notes, Scotch, and Scotch-Brite.  I bet most of us do because these are just some of the most iconic brands that nearly everyone across the globe grew up with.  I started using post-its in high school and still use it to this day!  These all come from their mother company - 3M, which applies science in collaborative ways to improve our daily lives whether you're a mom, a career person, a student, and just about anything - we use 3M's innovative products.  3M is one of the strongest science advocates in the market.

We encounter 3M products every day, everywhere. In fact, the most recognizable products like the colorful Post-it® Notes we’ve come to rely on as great reminders, the supreme adhesive quality of Scotch® Magic Tape we often use for wrapping gifts, and the iconic yellow and green dishwashing sponges by Scotch-Brite Brand that is a staple at the kitchen sink. These are all so embedded in our daily lives as Filipinos. 

In a recent 3M Virtual Innovation Tour I attended, I was amazed to know how much 3M I've been using in my life and how it's truly embedded in our everyday lives.  I learned that our mobile phones and laptops likely have multiple 3M applications inside it. The tint in our car is also 3M and it's been there for 5 years but still looks new with almost no sign of wear!  Even the road signs are made possible with science and technology from 3M (called retro-reflective, by the way). The vast breadth of 3M’s products and technologies continue to grow and even as we transition to a changed reality due to the pandemic, the innovation company shows no sign of stopping.

There's science behind every 3M products.  While each product was produced to make our lives easier, safer and more convenient, all of 3M products were thoroughly studied to bring magic to our lives and ensure highest efficiency with every use.  For example, when washing dishes, abrasive minerals were embedded in their scouring pads to allow for superior cleaning of our pots and pans.  Their Command™ Hooks have the best adhesives that won’t damage walls yet still holds on strongly.  Seeing and understanding what makes the classic disposable N95 particulate respirator of 3M special was also eye-opening. It is their unique filter media technology that goes into their respirators that allows for greater passage of air, while keeping us safe from the nasty contaminants. This also offered better appreciation on why face masks are for general public and why the N95 respirators are better left for the healthcare workers. 

It was also refreshing to know that a big company like 3M still manages to be active in supporting the country through various charitable activities and also sharing their knowledge in science like their Science at Home program, ultimately staying true to their vision of improving lives. 

We were also given a taste of one Science at Home experiment by the 3M engineers, on chromatography which is definitely doable with kids at home with available materials. 3M is  actively advocating for continuing education with Science at Home, a series of science education modules that parents and kids can do together, to supplement science lessons in school. 

Financial grants have also been provided for Project Damayan of Caritas Manila and Philippine Business for Social Progress. On the other hand, personal protection equipment (PPE) donations have been made to Philippine National Red Cross and several private and public hospitals in the country aimed to support those affected by the pandemic. Earlier in the year during the height of the Taal Volcano eruption, 3M Philippines also provided PPE donations to World Vision Philippines, the Philippine National Red Cross and other first responders. 

To know more about 3M Philippines, its products, and advocacies head over to https://www.3mphilippines.com.ph/ for more information.

When you order a kit, you'll receive the complete set of ingredients to be able to make Quaker Oats Cream Pie Recipe except butter and egg.  The recipe card is even easy to follow!  The result is even better!  Instructions said to use a mixer, but I don't have one so I mixed it by hand.   Make sure that while you're mixing all the ingredients, you're pre-heating the oven to get ready for baking.
Look at that!

Everything seems to be online these days diba? Online learning, online meetings, online events, online workshops and talks, and my favorite of all - ONLINE SHOPPING.  I love doing things online and to be honest, I am embracing this new normal with open arms because as I grow more mature, I enjoy the comforts of home and just being with my loved ones.  My favorite of all those online activities is: ONLINE SHOPPING!

Why?  First, it's convenient I don't need to go out, fall in line, brave the traffic or look for parking.  Second, it's practical for me because it saves time, effort, and even expense (no unnecessary spending on food kahit hindi naman ako gutom or impulse buying and no travel expense which is more expensive than courier fees.)  Lastly mommies like me na madiskarte, did you know that you can actually SAVE MONEY while you SPEND it for shopping?  Pwede yan with ShopBack!  

What is ShopBack?

Shopback is the #1 rewards and discovery platform in APAC. It's a platform that lets users earn up to 30% cashback when shopping online.  In short, you get cashback whenever you shop using your favorite shopping platforms.  Shopback has partnered kasi with 500+ merchants including our favorites like Shopee, Zalora, Nike, Aliexpress, Foodpanda, Booking.com, Lazada, etc.  Each time you make a transaction, you get a percentage of your money back. Aside from redeeming discounts and promo codes, cashback is another way of getting savings from online purchases.

How To Use ShopBack?

1. DOWNLOAD ShopBack APP for free via Play Store or Apple Store or you could also sign up via web.  SIGN UP for a free-to-use ShopBack account.  Signing up is easy peasy too!
   
   
2. BROWSE on the shops, explore categories (food, groceries, fashion, electronics, beauty, and more!), check exclusive voucher offerings. Click on your chosen online store and SHOP as usual.
   
   
3. GET CASHBACK in your ShopBack account in 72 hours!

Could there be anything cuter than these?  I've used Tiny Buds and purchased PatPat items for my little ones before and I guarantee that you'll be getting your money's worth for your purchases!

So mommies and soon to be moms, are you up for saving or earning while you spend for shopping?  Who isn't?  I AM! Basta don't forget to open ShopBack first when you're planning to do your online shopping (especially during the SALE periods), so you can maximize potential savings in every peso you spend.  Yan ang totoong practical right?  Hindi lang basta nagtitipid, kailangan nag-e-earn din kahit pa nag-sspend for shopping.  That's only possible through ShopBack!

Download the app today and sign-up easily!  Your cashbacks from Shopback, you can treat it as your secret mommy savings para guilt-free shopping ka na by the time you withdraw from ShopBack.  For more information, visit https://www.shopback.ph/ and follow them on their social media accounts Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopbackph/ and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShopBackPhilippines