What's Inside our Travel Kit

My hands had been full for the past few months, and so is our schedule.  I had missed being to the beach and luckily my youngest brother was so generous that he gifted our family with airfare tickets. So, off to a beach we shall go before this year ends.  But before that, I need to ensure a worry free vacation and this means I have to check travel essentials. Now, for us, travel essentials include my trusted medicines and other products from Unilab.

I have grown seeing Biogesic as a staple medicine in our first aid cabinet.  When I had my family and kids, it is still my go-to medicine for headaches and minor aches and pains.  

Recently, the little princess has been diagnosed with Allergic Rhinitis and since then I ensure that we have Allerkid and NasoClear handy if ever she needs it.  Mahirap na hindi maging ready lalo na at island ang destinasyon namin.

The past few years I have witnessed how my skin turns dull and dry every time that the Amihan season is here.  I am glad to find an affordable moisturizer that suits my skin's needs.  Celeteque Dermoscience Facial Moisturizer is so nice to use since it is water-based and oil free.  I never tried any other facial moisturizer since I started using Celeteque a few years ago.  

Becoming a Child again at Movie Stars Cafe

When I was a young girl, I have always been fascinated with movies and how they are made.  I was a teenager when I dreamed to become one but my family did not supported my ambition hence I did not pushed with it.  Visiting MovieStars Cafe last April 26 fulfilled my dream of becoming a star even just for a night. What with all the characters that I was able to mingle with who wouldn't feel like a star for a night.

It is good that we came in really early because we had the chance to take lots of photo before the area was filled up.  The place wasn't hard to find especially during the night because they have search lights and they say that it can be seen to as far as 4 kilometers from the place.  Mala Batman lang ang peg!
But since we came in when the sun was still up, these are the signs greeted us.

Spiderman, the Alien and Jack Skellington and her bride

goofing around with Kingkong

Our food attendant told us that the area could really get cramped up during weekends so it's good that we have a reservation.  The place has a sitting capacity of 300 persons.  Once we get in, we were greeted by their nice staff and we were seated right away to an area near the buffet table.  I immediately noticed that they do have an open kitchen which is a plus factor for us.  My firstborn loves to see how food is being prepared so it was already an entertaining thing for him.  I was not able to check out the restroom though because I was soooo busy taking photos of the place.  Hubby was the one who took care of changing the little princess' nappy when it was time to do so.  He gave the restroom area two thumbs up because there was a diaper changing area even on the Men's restroom.

inside Movie Stars Cafe

Having two men who are hungry and two ladies who wants to sample most of the items on the buffet table, we did not hesitated on going for the Dino Buffet for the four of us.  The kid was able to satisfy his burger cravings because he was actually able to create his own masterpiece.  The other dishes were good but I loved their pasta most.  The pasta was al dente and the sauces were oh-so-good that it made me come back for more. Oh and I forgot to mention that their DIY Salad bar contains really crisp and fresh green.

Even if there is not much on the buffet table, I would say that the price was reasonable enough.  Remember that you not only enjoy good food here but great entertainment, too.  That's money spent wisely 'no?

Buffet Price:
 
Dinner Buffet starts at 6:00PM-10:00PM 
Php 699.00 add Php 99.00 Drink all you can (soda, coffee/tea, iced tea, juice, draft/beer)
Php 400.00 (6-12 years old)
Php 299.00 (3-5 years old)
FREE (0-2 years old)
Add Php 100 on Fri, Sat, Sun, Holiday and the day before Holidays and Holidays

Midnight Buffet (10PM- 2AM) Php 599.00 All you can drink 

Now about the shows.  It was a Saturday, when we went there and the main performance was the Lion King.  It was a good decision to wait for the main performance because it brought me back to the days when I sat in front of our good ol' TV set and enjoyed the movie while it was being played in video.

 I was amazed that I still remember the lyrics of the songs and could still sing along with most of it.  The lady played the Priest has such a very powerful voice.  I literally thug my group to have our picture taken with the cast.

The show is every 30 minutes and most of the shows lasted at about 10 minutes.  But for me, the whole time that we spend inside the resto was a big part show. You get to rub elbows with your childhood superheroes or teenage crushes.  I even became Mime's love interest that night since we seem to wear a couples' shirt.

If you want to experience good food and great entertainment, hop on over to Movie Stars Cafe. Want to get discounts, just use code TFID-2204 and get 10% off your bill.

For reservations and more information, contact details are as follows:

Cellphone Numbers:

Globe: 0905-277-9999
Smart: 0908-200-9999
Email Add: info@moviestarscafe.com
Business Hours:
Monday-Saturdays: 12pm - 2am
Holiday-Sunday: 12pm-12am
Address: Seaside Blvd, SM MAll of Asia, Pasay City, Philippines
Hot line: (02) 550-1234

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MovieStarsCafe

Thanks Movie Stars Cafe and Mommy Bloggers Philippines for making my dream of becoming a star to come true. 

NASOCLEAR: Breaking away with Allergic Rhinitis in 1-2-3

My family had always been dealing with allergic rhinitis and we all know that summer time is not a nice time for people with allergic rhinitis.  In as much as we want to go out and smell the flowers per se, we just couldn't, since it triggers our allergies.  Not to mention that it is during the dry season that air pollutants are also in abundance.  Good thing that Unilab already came out with Nasoclear.

Nasoclear is made of 0.65% Saline solution and 0.02% Benzalkonium chloride that goes by the generic name Sodium Chloride.  We have always been told by ENT doctors that saline solution works better in declogging runny nose due to allergic rhinitis than taking antihistamines.  According to them, nasal spray are the first line of defense against allergic rhinitis.  It's even better than taking medicines since it is just like irrigating your nasal cavities with saline solution. It helps in moisturizing the nasal cavity thus relieving nasal congestion.  

Nasoclear comes in a pump spray mist that is not just easy to use but also very handy.  What I like most about this is that it comes with its own safety clip and cap.  This will ensure that the product wont get sprayed on unless you remove the clip and cap.  My son has shown really good improvement since he has been using this daily.  I bet this will be a staple item in our first aid kit box.

Do not be intimidated by the look of NasoClear.  Using it is as easy as 1-2-3. 

1. After removing the safety clip and cap,tilt your head forward and breathe out. Hold the nozzle between your fingers and squeeze.
2. Spray the solution into one nostril while covering the other nostril.
3. Spray 2 times in each nostril in the morning and at night.

We are no first timers in using nasal sprays but my son swears that just after 2 days of using Nasoclear, he noticed the improvement unlike with others wherein he needs to finish the 5 day usage term that is allowed by ENTs.  I would suggest you ask a doctor, an ENT specialist, if you feel that the product is not helping you in such a way it is supposed to do. 

Nasoclear is distributed by UNILAB.  To know more about Nasoclear and other health products from UNILAB, follow them on Twitter or like them on Facebook.

Let Naturhouse help you lose two pounds healthily in one week

Summertime has always been associated with swimwears, beach parties and sexy bodies. If you are like me who just gave birth a few months ago, chances are you are looking for a healthy way to shed off fats.  Fret not then, Spanish dietetics specialist Naturhouse is looking to expand its presence in Asia, with its first shop scheduled to be inaugurated on 6 April this year, here in the Philippines.

Naturhouse has expressed bullishness on the Philippine market citing that Filipinos are now ready for the type of unique health and wellness service that it provides. “Filipinos have been very health conscious the past few years and we took note of this in our preparations.” according to Naturhouse Philippines President Jon Rocha. It speaks volumes about Filipinos' increased awareness and desire towards living a healthy lifestyle, which is what Naturhouse is really all about and offers.

Naturhouse expects potential business in the Philippines to reach more than € 2 million in the coming years as it slowly expands northward and southward to other urban centers. “ We will not only introduce a way of living healthy to the Philippine  market, but also create jobs in the process” according to Rocha.

Dietetics defined as the science of applying nutritional principles to the planning and preparation of foods and regulation of the diet in relation to both health and disease, is what Naturhouse offers the Filipino.

Over the years, a marked increase in cases of non-communicable/chronic/lifestyle diseases has been observed not only globally, but also in the Philippines. According to the Department of Health (DOH), more than 44 million Filipinos either suffer from obesity, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and chronic respiratory diseases.

Because of this, the World Health Organization, through the DOH, commissioned the Nutritionist-Dietitian's Association of the Philippines to establish a set of guidelines on healthy eating which will serve as a basis for a certification program for food manufacturers and establishments.

You might be wondering how Naturhouse differs from other businesses that promises weight loss. At Naturhouse, programs are geared toward the promotion of healthy living among Filipinos. A nutritionist will guide every client to reach their desired weight goals. There will be no crash diets or hit-miss diets said Melody Melo, Head Nutritionist for Naturhouse.

Naturhouse will provide specific nutritional guidelines that have been developed by dietary professionals who provide advice along with details on how to lose weight and address issues like stress, cellulite, among others. Each solution is designed with specific nutritional characteristics to speed up the required results in each case.

"It is our mission to educate people how to eat properly and how to retain their ideal weight," said Rick Cabanban, Lead project manager who trained in offices in Spain and France for the operations of Naturhouse Philippines.

Currently there are 2,000 Naturhouse establishments around the world. Nearly 900 of these establishments are located outside of Spain. In 2011 alone, over 240 shops have been opened abroad. 4 million satisfied clients from around the globe have lost weight with the Naturhouse method.

Naturhouse is owned by the Kiluva Group of Spain, the leading Spanish corporation in dietetics and nutrition sector. It provides specialized services and exclusive products of the highest quality for the health conscious markets such as Naturhouse. C.F. Sharp Trading, Inc. is the Master Franchise holder of Naturhouse for the Philippines.

Aside from the Philippines, Naturhouse is also expanding in other Asian markets such as China, Malaysia and Singapore.

If you want to be one of the very first to try out Naturhouse, please head on to their first branch on April 6, 2014 at 10am, located at SM City North Edsa lower ground floor main building.

Wondering if its possible?
Head on to their website to know more!

For more information, you may visit and like their facebook page: Natur House Philippines

The rose that made me cry

My eldest child graduated from Elementary two days ago.  A part of me is wishing that I could brag about him getting medal for academic excellence but he did not have that kind of award.  Despite of that I am still beaming with pride not only because he will soon be in grade 7 but because he was awarded for being the most helpful in class.  He was given the award because after typhoon Yolanda devastated the Visayas region, he suggested to his teachers that instead of buying prizes and candies from their Christmas savings perhaps they could just send the full amount to the Yolanda victims.  He even asked the teacher to ask the class if they are willing to give every cent to the victims.  What makes me more proud is that he asked the teacher not to drop his name when the suggestion is blurted out to the class.  The whole school took the cue from that generous act.  All the classes decided to offer their class' christmas savings to the typhoon victims.  He was beaming with pride when he told me about this but he kept quiet whenever talks about the mystery person who suggested about the project to the school.

I was teary eyed when the program ended but it was not because of him moving up to high school.  It was because he took an effort to pick the only pink flower among all the white ones that decorated the stage.  She gave it to me and kissed me after saying his gratitude.  Unlike his classmates who no longer wants hugs and kisses from their parents, my soon-to-be-12-year-old-boy still kisses me in public.  A lot of parents raised an eyebrow when my son kissed me but to us it's not something to be ashamed of.  I always tell him to take pride he has a family and to not be afraid and shy to show affection whenever he feels like.  Please do not think that we don't have rough days in our house because we do have, and we have a bunch.  There are a lot of instances when my son would tell me I'm too bossy and I'm such a nagging mom.  But I guess in the end, he still loves me wholeheartedly and that really made my day.  

In the end, it's really not about the medals or trophies that matter during recognition day/ graduation day.  At least for me, it's more of the knowledge and the attitude that has been embedded on the next generation. 

What to do if your Child has Chicken Pox

According to webMd, Chicken Pox is caused by varicella zoster virus.  It normally starts with flu-like symptoms (headache, decreased appetite, colds, sore throat and fever). It is highly contagious and most common in school children.  An infected person shoud stay home until the rash is completely healed.

My eldest went home two weeks ago looking pale and tired than usual.  He told me he was not feeling well and even asked if I could check his temperature since he seems feverish.  I obliged and found some blisters that looks like peck marks of chicken on his torso.  I immediately asked him to go far from his sister.  We went to see a doctor and ask for treatment.  Doctor said that the chicken pox itself will heal on its own and no medicine can make it go away faster.  Like all viral infection, it will heal all by itself.  He was only prescribed antihistamines for the itching and paracetamol for the fever.  He was also advised to continue to drink his Vitamin C to boost his immune system and to drink more fluids especially water to keep himself hydrated.

So what do you do when your kids is downed with Chicken Pox (I hope not!)? But if ever, you may find the following handy.

• Contrary to what our Lolas do in the past, doctors instructs patients to take a bath, and it could be numerous baths in a day because it helps tone down the itch.  Addition of finely ground oatmeal in your bath water can also help a lot.
• After taking a bath, pat dry the skin but DO NOT rub.
• To help relieve pain (from some of the blisters, especially those at the mouth are), you may take over-the-counter pain relievers.
• Doctors can also prescribe antihistamines for the itchiness.
• Take your Vitamin C supplement to boost your immune system.
• No matter how hard it is, try not to scratch.  Scratching can cause skin cuts and you might develop bacterial infections from them.
• If you have other kids at home, isolate the infected kid or adult to avoid exposing the other kids to the virus.
• Antibiotics won't help so do not try to drink any.
• Since I am breastfeeding and had been able to see the wonders of breastmilk over skin rashes, I put on breastmilk on my son's scars, hoping it would easily lighten them.

A child can be vaccinated at the 12-15 months of age but for the vaccine to work they need to get a booster at age 4-6.  My son had been vaccinated but we forgot to have him injected with the booster hence he still contacted the virus.  To our dismay, even if he has been isolated, our daughter was still infected with it 2 weeks after our eldest does.  I might need to pump more breastmilk so that I can constantly put some on my kids scars.

A Dose of Sunshine

"Always smile back at little children.  To ignore them is to destroy their belief that the world is good." 

Seeing her flash a smile is my daily dose of sunshine.  It always brighten my days no matter how gloomy I feel.  When I see her smile like this, I just wanna stop and linger at the moment.  I wanna capture my children's every smile because I know that when they grow up they will smile differently.  If only I can!


This photo is submitted to the I Heart Photo Challenge | Smile.  Do you to see more smiling faces?  Just drop over there and see some smiling actions captured on photos. 

Seeing Doubles: MedelaMoms' Multiples Support Group

My mom was a working mother of the 70's (until the 80's).  This is the reason why I was left to be taken cared of by my grandmother.  And the same reason why I was not breastfed.  I guess the idea of pumping and storing milk was not yet introduced back then.  While growing up, I had always been fascinated with breastfeeding moms.  For me, it is the most wonderful way of giving because the mother is actually giving herself to her child. This is the reason why I made a promise to myself that when motherhood enters my life, I will breastfeed my baby.

My first born was breastfed for two years.  She only tasted formula milk when he was weaned on the month of his birthday.  He had been a very good example for my relatives and friends to see the beauty of breastfeeding.  He was a very healthy and active child.  Last year, we were blessed with another child but this time it was more challenging.  I gave birth to a premature baby who weighs only 1100 grams.  She had to stay in the NICU for 2 months and battled a lot of complications because of prematurity.  She tips the scale at 1800 grams when she went home.  But with the wonder of breastmilk she gained 600 grams in a span of 2 weeks.  This made believe more that yes, indeed, Breast(milk) is Best!  To date, my second child is now six months, weighs 5.5 kls and unlike other preemies, we never had any problems since she came home 4 months ago.

I have always (politely!) inform moms and soon-to-be moms about the benefits of breastfeeding (or at least those benefits that I know about).  It's super nice nowadays that there are already support groups for breastfeeding moms.  

Speaking of support groups, MedelaMoms will be launching "Seeing Doubles" a support group for moms with multiples.  Committed to being more than just the Philippines' authorized distributor of the most well-known and trusted brand of breastfeeding products, MedelaMoms is all about supporting mothers and babies in their breastfeeding journey. This is why they organize learning events related to breastfeeding and parenting, provide breastfeeding counseling if needed, and help coordinate breast milk donations whenever necessary, among other things. MedelaMoms wants to be one with you, moms out there, in breastfeeding. 

Committed to being more than just the Philippines' authorized distributor of the most well-known and trusted brand of breastfeeding products, MedelaMoms is all about supporting mothers and babies in their breastfeeding journey. This is why they organize learning events related to breastfeeding and parenting, provide breastfeeding counseling if needed, and help coordinate breast milk donations whenever necessary, among other things. MedelaMoms wants to be one with you, moms out there, in breastfeeding.

Everyone knows that breastfeeding can be challenging and nursing multiples -- twins or more -- may be even more demanding. At the same time, nurturing and raising multiples has its own set of "rewards" and sense of fulfillment. MedelaMom Beng knows this firsthand, having her own set of double blessings.

It is with great pleasure then that MedelaMoms invites all couples expecting multiples to come to the Medela House on February 8, Saturday, 9 a.m., to the launch of the "Seeing Doubles" Multiples Support Group. Different mommies with twins will share their precious time to talk about their experiences carrying, giving birth to, breastfeeding, and raising multiples! This is the time for all parents with multiples to ask their questions and satisfy their curiosity, and maybe even find the answers to all their concerns and worries. The "multiples moms" who have been invited by MedelaMoms to speak are ready to help parents for the arrival of their own sets of multiples.

Alongside the launch of “Seeing Doubles,” SweetPea, a cocktail/formal nursing wear company will also be launching its line through a fashion show. Walnut Melbourne PH will be providing the shoewear of the children in the show. Celebrity Moms Amanda Jacob and Marilen Faustino-Montenegro and children will be dropping by, too, to share their own modern day mom breastfeeding experiences. 

Amanda will also be conducting a book signing and a limited number of her book, Project Mom, co-authored with Bianca Araneta-Elizalde, will be on sale that day.

The event is free of charge but attendees are required to pre-register by texting or calling MedelaMoms at 0917-8110821 or sending an email to medelamoms@gmail.com. Sign up now to experience the first support group for mommies of multiples in the country! Giveaways, special promos, a candy buffet, and other treats are in store for participating mommies.

To get the latest updates from MedelaMoms, connect with them through their Facebook page (Medela Breastfeeding Products) or better yet, add them as a "friend" on Facebook (http://facebook.com/medelamoms).

Goodbye, Year of the Snake

The Snake Year 2013 had left me with one living remembrance.  I gave life to our precious daughter this year. To say that the snake year was a year of struggle for us was an understatement.  After being hospitalized for ten days, I was rushed to the Delivery Room for an emergency ceasarian operation since my doctor can't control my blood pressure and they found out that my baby has been suffering in my womb because of my hypertension.  I delivered her prematurely at 32 weeks.  She was so tiny but she is a warrior.  She fought for her dear life and stayed at the NICU of the hospital for two months. She battled Pneumonia, Neonatal Sepsis, Jaundice and Necrotizing Enterocolitis. She undergone four blood transfusions.  On the other hand, we were battling with ballooning medical expenses because of this.  Friends and families helped us to live through our problems and because of that I will forever be indebted to these people.  Life is indeed a precious blessing, that's my biggest lesson for this year.  And because of this 2013 will always be a year etched in my heart forever.

Guidelines in Naming a New Baby

The name of a person is analogous to a brand for a product. It is something that will be forever part of who that person is. To would be parents, naming their new baby is perhaps one of the things that eat up time and yes, even their thinking. Different folks have different ways of naming a baby. There is a ethnic group here in the Philippines that names their newborns with the first sound that the mother hears right after giving birth. Hence, the names Aw-Aw (a dog's bark) or Tilaok (a rooster crowing). Then there are also families who have their own naming traditions. I know one family that honors the patriarch by naming all firstborn sons with his name. Can you imagine attending your family reunion and hearing your name being called only to realize it's not only you answering the call.

We are now on the process of naming our little princess as we only have roughly three more months before we get to see her. We have trimmed down our choices to three names. Well even before we got pregnant, we I already have a few names chosen if we will have a baby girl in the family. For me, how to name a new baby should be the couple's decision, not just the Mom or the Dad. But yes, there should be guidelines, at least, on how to choose a baby's name. Here are what we follow when we name our firstborn, the same guides we are using to choose a name for our little princess.

• Uniqueness.  I was actually the one who wants to give my babies unique names.  Unique, in the sense that I do not want them to turn their heads whenever their name is being called only to find out that it's not really them being called.  My name is a very common one and I do not want my children to suffer the same fate.  An unfamiliar name will definitely make your child stand out from the crowd.  But just a warning though, you may wanna balance uniqueness with melodious sound and not too hard to spell out names.
• A name should have a meaning.  This is the part that Hubby is very picky about.  He wants a name that has nice meanings.  He said that a child lives up to his name.  The reason why our firstborn was named "Jian Cyrus" was because Hubby read in a baby name book that Jian is a variation of the name Jiang which means throne.  And Cyrus is from the famous Persian king. You see, even names had evolved, hence you may also want to look at how your choice of name has been derived on other languages.
• Give a twist to old names or perhaps a name from your family tree.  I have always adored my Mom and my grandmother.  I remember a conversation with my Mom where I told her if I will have a daughter, I will name her with my grandmothers' name or a variation of it.  But Hubby does not favor the name of my grandmother because he said it sounds too sad (blame it on Adele and her songs).  So we're looking into giving it a twist.  Hubby agreed adding another letter before it and playing with the spelling a  bit.  

At the end of the day, the most important thing is that you and your partner will agree on the name of the baby. 

Twelve Lessons from our Twelve Years of Marriage

Being married for twelve years is not an easy feat, specially in today's world. I am proud that we surpassed all the shortcomings of the last twelve years. Twelve years ago we only have each other to hold on to, but now we have our son, and soon our daughter to see us through each day. Everyday is a chance to learn something in a marriage. I am glad to share twelve lessons we learned from our twelve year of being married.

1. The reason for marriage should always be because you cannot live without the other person. I always advise would-be-couples to ask themselves why they want to jump into marriage. Mostly, I hear the same response; "I love him/her.", seldom do I hear " I want to spend the rest of my life with him". Young lovers nowadays always equate marriage to love ALONE. But what if the love is gone? The Philippines does not have a divorce law, so they either go to the tedious and super-expensive annulment process or live a broken family. Love is not just a noun, it is a verb that needs to be acted on. It is a decision that needs to be done daily.

2. A marriage is the union of two very good forgivers. Early in our marriage, Hubby calls me a historian. Why? because I always bring back past misunderstandings when we argue on a new one. It was a good thing that Hubby is such a good forgiver and I learned to be like him over time.

3. You cannot always win in an argument. I have always been the hardheaded girl but soon in our marriage, I learned that there is just no way that you can always be the winner. Sometimes, you have to give in to your partner.

4. The person that you married will mature and so are you. But this does not mean that you can no longer be a child at heart. Both Hubby and I still enjoys the arcade, the occasional kiddie games with our son and even the carnivals. But there will come a time that you will see it in your partner's face that they had gone old, perhaps balding or with a few wrinkles here and there. Aging is a natural process, you just have to accept it and be happy with it because others are not given the ability to grow old because they die young.

5. You have to choose to love your spouse everyday even when in days that they are not lovable. Admit it or not, there are days that a person does not seem to be lovable. Talk about PMSing women or lying men. But again, love is a choice that needs to be made everyday. We have to choose to love them as they are, even at their most unlovable state.

6. Never underestimate the power of a hug. At the start of our marriage, Hubby is not the type who woo whenever we had an argument. But he learned that a hug can do wonders. Sometimes, I don't have to win an argument,all I need is just a hug and I will eventually give in to his desires.

7. Kids are always a happy addition to a marriage. A positive pregnancy test came in early in our marriage. We were both worried then but we were also extremely happy as we were not expecting a child to be added in our marriage this early. I know some married couple who does not want a child early on in their lives. Isn't procreation one of the purpose of marriage? A child will not only make your union happy but believe me, it will also strengthen your bond as you will get to see how your spouse will transform into someone you might not expect him to become.

8. For the wives: Sometimes, you will have to spoil your partner. Yeah, ladies, we have to be the spoiler sometimes and not the one always being spoiled. Men are easy to please, a back massage, a foot rub or just good old home cooked meals are enough to make them smile.

9. For the husbands: Never forget important dates. And with dates I mean, birthdays, anniversaries and special holidays that has to be remembered. We do not need grandiose gifts, just knowing that you remember those dates are more than enough to make us happy. A simple SMS, a call or perhaps an early morning greeting on that day will make it extra special for us.

10. Spend sometime alone. Sometimes, all you need to bring the romance back is a time alone with your spouse. You don't have to go to some fancy place, you just have to be together, just the two of you. Admittedly, for couples with chidren, we always look at our spouses as the better half of the parenting process and not as the person we exchanged vows with when we got married. A movie date, a dinner or just a walk on the park with your spouse alone will definitely spark the romance back to your union.

11. Compliment each other often.. Okay, this does not mean that you have to lie to your spouse. It's more on looking for something good in them and complimenting them even for the slightest good in them. This does not only make your spouse happy but it also makes you see the good in them, no matter how small they may seem.

12. Lastly, never forget to be sexually intimate with each other. This is a usual mistake of the wives. Early on in the marriage, we are so into each other but then time flies and we get too preoccupied with all the hullabaloos of the day-to-day lives that we forget intimacy with our spouses. Or perhaps the wives are too shy to start on being intimate. Just a tip though ladies, just dress the part and your husbands will definitely pick it up from there.

Our marriage is not something that merits a trophy or an award but we are taking it one day at a time. We do have our times of disagreements, times when we would want to call it quits but again at the end of the day, keeping a marriage in tact is a choice that we make daily.

Dada, Happy 12th wedding anniversary and here's to twelve dozens more of years together!

Motherhood is a Happy Journey

When I got pregnant the first time, I was only 25 years old and was married for only six months. It was unexpected since I had been having irregular menses eversince I began having them. But God was really full of surprises, he sent us our firstborn the time that the family needs a bundle of joy because we found out that our Mom was suffering from a rare type of Cancer.

What's nice about my first encounter with mommyhood is that I have my Mom to guide me. She never fails to give me insights on how to deal with the roller-coaster ride of emotions a first-timer mom could ever imagine. Although she was not there to accompany me during my delivery, she ensures I am in good hands by helping me choose the hospital to deliver my firstborn.

Seven years after my firstborn, I experienced what could be the one of the worst experiences a mother could have, a miscarriage. I missed my Mom during those times because had she been alive, she could have comforted me more than anyone else because she herself knows the way I was feeling those time having experienced miscarriage for her supposed to be third child.

Now, that I am on my third pregnancy, I still miss her. I know she will be very happy for us especially since we are having a princess. She knows how much we wanted to have another child. Sadly though, she is not near me anymore. I miss all the foods she sends my way specially those that I craved for. But, eventhoug, she is no longer here with us, I am thankful because I have people around me who ensures I get to have a happy pregnancy. There's my husband whose such a dedicated father and he never misses all my OB-Gyn appointments. And since, my firstborn is already grown up, he takes care of me when his father is not around. It also helps a lot that I have lots of friends and relatives who never fails to lighten my mood or just sends a smile either via SMS or a call.

Happiness is really a choice that we have to choice for ourselves. And we have to do it everyday, preggy or not. At the end of the day, we are the ones who dictates the mood of our life. Afterall, we are the first ones that is affected by whatever choice we make.

Pregnancy and PUPPP

It has been more than two months since the last time that I shared something here. Forgive me, but I have been preoccupied with all the pregnancy related things that I have been experiencing. I had been suffering from pregnancy related rashes aptly called PUPPP (Pruritic Urticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy).It was a monster of a rash. I could not sleep as the itchiness seems to attack during nighttime. To make it worst, summertime in the Philippines is equivalent to hot, humid weather which aggravates my case. Its a good thing that I found something that could at least give me some relief. I have asked my doctor if there is something that we can do about this but he said he can only give me something to at least lessen the itchiness, but nothing to make it stop or make the rash go away. I was so frustrated that I tried getting help from the net. I know that it is not a great idea as there are lots of unqualified information roaming on the internet. But I told myself that as long as it is something that would not have any chemicals with it, I will be willing to give it a go. And so I checked and checked each and every sites that talks about PUPPP. After days of research, I was able to find out that most westerners are relieved when they take an oatmeal bath. Now, there goes another problem, drugstores here does not sell oatmeal baths and we don't have a bath tub. So what I did was to grind about three cupfuls of oatmeal and put them in an old clean socks and then inflate a kiddie pool and soak myself in. It was a great relief just soaking there. I did this for about 5 times in a span of two weeks and the rashes seems to subside. It was also then that I was able to see a lotion made of oatmeal that is also paraben free. I immediately bought it and since then used it all over my body taking extra effort on massaging those that have the pesky rashes. I am still not rash-free. My doctor actually said that the rashes wil only go away after I have given birth. I will be on my 24th week tomorrow and I can say that at least now I can sleep through the night and smile on those maternity pictures that I love taking a lot.

Me and my firstborn soaking on his pool with our own oatmeal bath concoction

Guidelines for a Good Life

When my Mom was still alive, we normally have conversations while in bed, mostly after we woke up from our afternoon nap.  Those are the times that I really miss now.  I did not understood it then but she was always giving me small advices during those small talks.  When she passed away, it was then that I came to realize the lessons she was slowly teaching me.

Summarizing those lessons, I realized that Mom was giving me guidelines to live my life with.

1. Goodness begets goodness.  Mama was the type of person who alaways sees the goodness in other. There are even times that we tend to disagree with her, she makes us realize that if we plant goodness, sooner these goodness will be given back to us.  True enough, we witnessed how her goodness was generously given back not just to her but to us, as her family, when she was sick and even when she passed away.  Relatives' and friends' support kept on coming, in the all sorts of form.  Mama might not know it then but it was the law of karma that she was teaching us.

2.  Give, even if sometimes it hurts.  I only understood the essence of true giving when I became a Mom myself.  Becoming a Mom entails a lot of giving, and yes most of the times it hurts.  It starts when you get pregnant.  Pregnancy is indeed a happy journey, but most moms would agree that there are also unpleasant experiences along the way.  Just think about the morning sickness, the nausea, the backpains and actual delivery itself.  But it is a process women had to endure to give life to her offspring and to give happiness to her husband.  And delivery is not the end of it all.  We continue to give while breastfeeding and while we let our kids take the most part of us, we sometimes forget about ourselves.  

3.  Let Go and Let God.  This is the best lesson that Mom taught me by being a true example.  When she got sick (she died of Bone Cancer), I have seen how she let go of every worries and let God to take care of her.  She did not let her sickness to win over her body.  While she was sick, she continued serving God and the church, in her ways.  She prayed for her recovery, yes, but she also asked God to help us if in case she won't make it.  And make it, she did.  She might not have won the battle over Cancer but she showed us that if we stay together, we can work wonders.

Mom may be gone forever but her lessons linger.  I promised myself to passed on these lessons to my kids and even hopes that others will also be benefited from these guidelines.

 

Craving for Mangoes

Have you ever felt the urge to take a bite on a food that's nowhere in sight? Well, I do.  Just recently, I have this crazy cravings for ripe mangoes.  Blame it on the pregnancy.  It's good that the fruit I crave much is  readily available. Philippine mangoes are in abundance from the month of  December but it reaches it's peak season during the summertime.  It was so nice that my husband is very supportive that he extend all effort to get me the food I want to eat.

So what is it about pregnancy and food cravings?  I read that the reason why pregnant women crave for a certain food is because they are in need of the nutrient contained in that specific food item.  Some even says that food aversions have something to do with the gender of the child in your tummy.  If it's the citrusy type then it's going to be a girl (yehey!) and if it's the spicy type, it will be a boy.   But what about those who craves for really crazy foods? (Trust me, I know some of them!)  Old wives' tale says that it is actually just a way of pregnant moms to get the assurance that they can still get what they want even if they are no longer the pretty, sexy lady that their husband's adore.

The funny thing about my craving is that I actually don't want to eat these mangoes and all I want is just sniff on them for as long as I can.  I just love their smell and I believe it eases out the nausea I am experiencing during nighttime.


Wanna see what's with the letter C? Please head on to ABC Wednesday to see some other entries.

 

Blessings

The  year of the dragon is about to bid us goodbye a few days from now.  Being the dragon baby that I am, yes I was born on 1976, I hoped for the best when the dragon year entered.  True to its promise, it was indeed a year full of blessings for us.  Hubby's small business picked up its pace.  Projects kept coming in and there were very few problems in the operations of the business. Though I bid my job goodbye, I was given opportunities outside the office.  I had the privilege of assisting a friend in starting up a business venture.  I was able to help out in developing a website for that same business.There are offers to work from home that are still coming in up until now.  I declined most of them because I enjoyed being a full time mom again after almost six years.  I've seen how my kid enjoyed every day that I spent with him and I've come to realized what I had missed back when I was still working.   Apart from reviving my housewife status, I was also able to relieve my childhood memories thru a reunion for a cause with my elementary batchmates.  It was nice to give back and share some of the blessings that were being poured onto us.  The smiles from the kids were more than enough to wave off the tiredness that we felt for the preparation of the gifts and the foods.   More so, knowing that a lot of kids felt blessed that day is another reason to smile about.

One thing that 2012 has taught us is that we have to count our blessings instead of lingering on our problems.  Problems just come and go, and it is actually a reason for us to still smile.  Why? because it is only the living that is sorrounded with problems hence they are an indication that we are still alive.

2013 have come in and the Chinese year of the snake is about to start by the 10th of February but I am not lonely at all.  I am bidding the Dragon with a happy heart and welcoming the Snake is a very positive outlook.  Who wouldn't if you were given this kind of a blessing?

Yes, there's bun in the oven and we are praying that there will be no problem this time.  We have been trying to conceive for almost four years now so you can see the reason for that big smile.

I am sure that more people have a lot of B inspired writings, kindly click on the badge below to see some of them. 

A Reunion for a Cause

       "We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” 

                                                                  ― Winston S. Churchill 

 Last year was a good year for us. We were given opportunities and was showered with so many small blessings. One of the best thing that happened last year is that both Hubby and me were able to reconnect with old friends. Hubby had a reunion with his high school friends and he was one of the organizers. He asked me to come with him on the day of their reunion. It was nice meeting people who were part of Hubby's teenage days. Hearing them tell stories about their high school life made me want to see my high school friends too. Not that we don't see each other often, it's just that I suddenly miss them.

On the other hand, I also got myself too busy since I spearheaded a little project of our batch from my elementary grade school. This is the reason why I was not able to blog plus my aching hand which is going to be another story. It is the 23rd year of graduation from elementary last year and my batchmates have been wanting to have a reunion. The problem is no one is actually taking charge, hence, they asked me to spearhead the reunion. I obliged but I have also asked them something in return. I told them I will organize the reunion provided that it's going to be for a cause. The idea of "Reunion for a Cause ng mga Batang Malanday 1989" was then born.

Oh yes , we have a vision for this project. We thought of giving gifts to each student of the school but later realized that because of fund restraints we can only accommodate a portion of the school's population. We managed to raise enough funds to more than 10% of the students, thanks to batchmates who were kind enough in giving not just money but time and effort as well. We went to Divisoria to buy the gifts for the 250 indigent children of our beloved school. We wrapped the gifts and we also cooked foods for the kids.

Seeing them smile is more than enough for us to realize how lucky we were then and how blessed we are right now. We hope that we can continue this as a yearly affair.

A is for "Attraversiamo"

ATTRAVERSIAMO, an Italian word that means "let's cross over." I am no Italian but this has been my favorite A word ever since I have watched "Eat, Pray, Love". It tells of how a married woman find her appetite for life back, how she deals with her own issues in life with the help of the people she meets along her journey. I don't have any marital problems whatsoever but this word reminds me that one day as a mother I will have to cross over some things or situations for my son. I will have to learn how to let him go if he no longer needs my assistance. I will have to let him be the person he wants to be and not the person I want him to become. And judging from how he is fast growing, this could be sooner than later. Oh well, I guess I'll just say Attraversiamo when that time comes! And also my first name starts with the letter A. Care to guess what my first name is? It's a very common name so it won't be hard to guess. For more of A inspired writings, please check out

Santa Claus on Sale

If you have been to the Philippines, then you surely know that Christmas from where I am starts as early as September. Chistmas songs are played on the radio and malls starts to dispose their previous inventory via big Sale. You would see a lot of christmas decors everywhere. Speaking of decors, the kid and I went to a bookstore last weekend and we saw these paint-your-own Santa Claus set. It comes with four Santa Claus porcelain figures, a brush and a paint set. I want to add a different flair to our Christmas tree this year and thought that this could be what I wanted. And the kid was really bugging me in getting them. He said he wants to paint them and that it would be a good bonding moment for us. Makes sense, right?

 So this is how they look like inside the box.

Once they were out of the box, I found out that they seem to be heavy for something to be hanging on a tree. I guess, I better find a different place for them instead. On top of a side table perhaps?

And here they are after they have been painted.

Pardon the fourth one, it was not fully painted yet. My bad, i got all sleepy when we were painting them. I guess painting porcelain figurines would help me in my sleeping habits, too. And, did I tell you, these are really cheap deals? This stash only cost  P 169.75 (around 4 US dollars). Another thing is that it's on sale, you get to have another box for free when you buy it. So that means eight Santa Claus figurines instead of four. Good buy, isn't it?

 I still wish I have enough money though because I would really like to buy this Santa Claus.  He will surely be a great addition to our garden come Christmastime.  Hmm, perhaps next year?