DEAR HANS, PLEASE DON'T GROW TOO FAST!

 I used to hear or read statement like this when I was still single and young. Things like "How time flies", "Why so fast, anak?". And hindi ako maka-relate. Why would they say things like that? Isn't it great na mabilis lumaki ang mga anak nila? Until, I have my own...

When Hans was born, everything has changed. As in lahat! Yung views ko sa buhay, my decisions and priorities. Lahat yun, nagbago because of the little bundle of joy I was holding at that magical moment. Para bang, I do not care about anything, as long as safe ang anak ko. That's the only thing that matters to me that time.

One of my favorite photos ni Hans.

 The above picture was taken I think mga 6 months yata sya or younger. Pinaka favorite ko yan sa lahat ng pictures nya because it can speak thousand of words kumbaga.

1st Birthday :)

And then came his first birthday. He did not start walking by then. But he never crawl as well. He used his bottom to move around, paupo at pausad. Kakaiba nga eh.

2nd Birthday

 He started walking by his own nung 1 year and 5 months na sya. Mas nauna syang magsalita at kumanta. See how he holds the mic? He lost so much weight because he became sickly. That was the worst part of me being a mom watching him on the hospital bed na namamaga na ang mga kamay at paa sa dextrose.

3rd Birthday

He developed a lot of skills and interests. He already knew what he wants and loves to do. Number 1 na ang minions. He was crazy about it before. Except of course kay Jollibee.

Playschool times

4th Birthday at Day Care Center

At the age of 3 and a half, we enrolled him sa The Mind Planet. It is a playschool for early learning and basic education for toddlers. But, he had a hard time kasi ayaw nya magpaiwan. Grabe yung sepanx nya so we did not continue. But then, I don't want him to be left behind so pinasalimpusa ko sya sa day care center dito sa baranggay, and I saw how he enjoyed being there.

Recognition Day

We started to condition his mind so we can prepare him sa big school nya this year. Slowly, he started to understand na he is already big now and he has to be on his own. But of course, the hesitation and concern e nandoo pa rin. Maraming what if's. What if, ayaw nya sa school na pinili namin for him? What if di nya magustuhan ang school kasi iba na ang environment?

Wearing his new uniform.

On his first day, of course I have to be there. I saw how excited he was, so sabi ko, great! Pero nung second and third day na, hala..crying galore na ang bata. So, I have to do something.

I asked him, "Do you like school?" Yes, mommy. "Happy ka ba sa school?" Opo, mommy. "May nambu-bully ba sayo sa school? You can tell mommy if meron." Wala po, mommy. " Mabait ba si Teacher?". Yes, mommy.

So, okay naman pala ang lahat. Ang gusto nya lang daw e samahan sya ni mama (lola ) hanggang door ng room. I explained him why it is not a good idea. Hans is the type of kid na mabilis makaintindi basta you have to explain it to him. You have to tell him all. Just don't sugarcoat because he will going to use it against you at some point. Believe me, laging victim ang Daddy nyan. Sa aming dalawa, mas sya ang nagsu-sugarcoat sa anak.

And also, we did an agreement. Once na iiyak na naman sya zero gadget sya the whole day. Makakahawak lang sya the next day if no crying time na. So, pagdating na pagdating nyan, aakyat yan sa home office ko just to report his activities sa school kasama na doon kung ilang stars ang nakuha at kung umiyak nga. I always tell him, NO LIES. He has to tell me the truth at all times.

Day by day, I can see the improvement and I cannot complain anymore. I think I am on the right track. But seeing him grow everyday, my goodness! I just cannot believe na ang laki laki na nya. It is as if it was only yesterday that I gave birth to this little cutie standing before me. 😍

JAPAN'S BEAUTY COW SOAP PRODUCT REVIEW

When I started selling soaps online, Cow Beauty Soap is one of the first product I tried and later on, introduced. I saw this soap online and I was intrigued because I have read great feed backs and reviews about this one. And to think it is being manufactured in Japan, so I have high hopes.

 So, I ordered one piece first just to try it and see how effective it is. When my order arrived, I excitedly opened the box, and wow, the smell was overwhelming. It smelled so good! If you could remember during our childhood days, there's a candy that we usually buy in sari-sari store, the cola flavored-candy.That's how the smell likes. Even in an unopened box, you can still smell the scent.

That is how the packaging looks like. Beware of fakes by the way. You have to make sure that you bought the original one. See the white, matte-like soft plastic package when you remove it from the box? It must have it's manufacturer's logo and trademark which is a cow in a box with COW printed below. 

FRONT

BACK

And also, it comes in 3 for every pack. And you can buy a whole box of 72 pieces as a wholesale. I was told that it is like DOVE in Japan so I guess it is way cheaper there. How lucky! I wish I could go there and buy as may as I can get. 😍 The manufacturer is COW BRAND SOAP KYOSHINSHA CO., LTD. and they started making this soap since May 1909. Very old-fashioned but elegant.

MY ENDORSER :)

And now, for the result. When I used it, I felt the smoothness since it is made from cow's milk and milk fats. Foamy when I lathered to my skin. The bar soap itself is softer compared to Dove. The smell was very relaxing. It is 135 grams so it is a good deal anyhow. After using it, you can feel your skin getting smoother and softer everyday. There is no need to use lotions or moisturizers. Perfect for sensitive skin as well.

So there, I highly recommend it! I actually partnered it to my GOLD BAR SOAP. See my blog for the review. Just click below.

GOLD BAR SOAP PRODUCT REVIEW

You can buy this soap to this online shop. HanShoppe

 Try this one and share your experience too!

 

TRIPLE BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION IN MILKY WAY CAFE...WHERE THE LOVE BEGUN 😍

We have 3 birthdays happening this month of June. So, we decide to celebrate it in one time big time dinner for the family. Para sulit 😅. Jomel's mama, papa and youngest brother will be having their birthdays. Not too long ago, his father told us the story of how their love blossomed..uhuh! Cheesy! His mama and papa were used to work here in Milky Way. That was late 80's. The restaurant was situated beside Landmark where the Anson is now located. 

But now they have 2 stores, in Arnaiz Ave. and in Powerplant Mall, both in Makati City. They still offer offer the same menu since they started and still has the same flavor. And the most super sarap of all is their Milky Way Halo-Halo.

Pardon for super low resolution ng picture. Promise I will buy good camera next time. So, ayan na yung halo-halo and it costs Php 175.00

We ordered these...

Grilled Pork Belly Php 325.00

Kare-Kare Php 495.00

 Lumpiang Ubod Php 115.00

Dinuguan at Puto Php 265.00

Kare-Kare Php 495.00

Ox Tongue Asado Php 395.00

 Sinigang na Salmon Php 395.00

Hans' instant favorite: SKYSCAPER Php 275.00

 The sinigang na salmon was terrific! The thickness of the soup was perfect! And the salmon, it was cooked to goodness. The halo-halo still maintained its originality. The taste was great! Hans' favorite, the Skyscraper was good too! He loves banana so it really suits his taste (sorry, the you cannot figure the banana in the picture). It has an ice cream with sweet ice shavings and milk, plus strawberry syrup and cherry on top.

After we finished the sumptuous dinner, time to blow the cake...

 Of course, when you get to be a lolo and lola, the apo will blow the cake for you 😅

Then we asked Kuya the attendant to take our photos..

Sorry, I forgot to mention. We bought the cakes in Conti's Bakeshop and Restaurant in Greenbelt 2, Makati, just few minutes away from Milky Way Cafe. We chose the ever famous Mango Bravo and Almond Choco Sans Rival.

After all the ruckus.. picture picture na...

 When grampa and grandkids strike a pose..

 Something to remember daw :)

 The apo's :)

Celebrating life like no other 😍😎

Really, we had a blast that day. Full tummy, check! Super happy, check! We will sure to come back.

How Did I Lose 8 lbs in Just One Week.

Losing weight is my forever battle, I think. I guess I already tried everything just to lose pounds. But the big problem with me is that, I am inconsistent in dieting 😢 Since I am staying at home now, working on-line, the tendency is to eat whenever I feel hungry. I do eat a lot. 

Few months ago, I am following this routine and it seems to worked for me. I am doing INTERMITTENT DIET.

 -this is like having a schedule for your meals. It is like setting a time. In my case, my first meal will start at 11:00am. I can eat from that time up to 7:00pm. After that, I am not allowed to eat anything. Water only. So I have 12 hours fasting..And the cycle goes on. I have 2 cheat days, Saturday and Sunday. On those days, I can eat anything at any given time.

I stopped doing this when I started working at home. Not applicable, why? Because food is just in a corner 😁 I eat everything. Diet plans and routines went down the drain. And to top it all, my sister came home from Saudi, well I am pretty sure you already know what it means..CHOCOLATES!! Boom! there you go diet!! 

I started feeling bloated, heavy and sluggish. And I have this sign that I am starting to gain weight. My ankle starts to ache and I am having trouble getting up in the morning, ahhh! I am getting heavier already.

So, this is it! I have to find ways to shred these super extra pounds. I came across to one of my favorites fitness guru, the BLOGILATES and she has this body reset program. She took all the glutens and carbs. Naaah, I cannot perfectly follow hers, so I made my own version.

 

 First, I did a list of what I think is available. Then, I sped to the market for stocking and storing.

I got this all for less than Php 500.00. I really love going to the market early in the morning because that's the time that everything is fresh and cheap. Here in Binan, there's a tiangge everyday. Starts at 10:00pm up to 7:00am. In my case, I am doing market every Sunday morning at 4:30am to buy our supplies for the week.

Okay, so I am done doing my list of meal plan. First, I have to take note my weight first before starting. So I would if there's any changes.

Oh, lala! 74 kgs!!  Okay, I started Tuesday because I failed to follow my supposed-to-be-Monday meal.

TUESDAY MEAL

• Breakfast - black coffee with muscovado sugar, apple slices and boiled camote
• Lunch - boiled camote, apple slices and ginataang langka
• PM Snack - carrots slices, camote slices and lettuce 
• Dinner - brown rice and corn, ginataang calabasa and kangkong tops and dried fish

 WEDNESDAY MEAL

• Breakfast - boiled egg,boiled camote, tomato slices and pickled bamboo shoot
• Lunch - boiled potato and camote, ginataang kalabasa and jackfruit humba
• Snack - boiled plantains and dried fish
• Dinner - plantains and monggo guisado

 THURSDAY MEAL

• Breakfast - boiled egg, boiled camote, and apple slices
• Lunch - boiled potato, fish and banana
• Snack - carrots, tomato and lettuce
• Dinner - boiled calabasa, pineapple, watermelon and boiled chicken breast

 FRIDAY MEAL

• Breakfast -  boiled egg, banana and boiled potato
• Lunch - fish, kangkong, apple slice and boiled kamote
• Snack - cucumber, lettuce, tomato and camote slices
• Dinner - boiled chicken breast, camote tops, pineapple, watermelon,cucumber and brown rice

SATURDAY MEAL

• Breakfast - boiled egg, apple slices, mashed potato and lettuce
• Lunch - brown rice, green mango, fish and bamboo shoot
• Snack - cucumber, green mango and carrots
• Dinner - ripe plantains, chicken feet adobo and humba..then fruits (pineapple, watermelon, carrots.)

Woah! That was very hard. Without the white rice and the bread... But I was able to pass it. And, do not forget to do some exercise at least 10 minutes a day. Just to help your body burn fats..My reward? Look here...

 70 kgs!! Yey! But, as I have mentioned, I got a problem with myself. I am very inconsistent with dieting. So I will need tons of discipline to carry this out. And I hope I will be able to achieve my goal weight. I am getting tired of being heavy and well, rounded! 😋

Aaand, I was able to achieve this with the help of this super amazing colon cleanser...

 I keep on promoting this great drink in my online store because I really do believe that it can help to wash away toxins and will clean up our colons. The reason why we cannot get rid of those extra fats is because our colon is sick. Sick colon cannot function well. Poor digestion can lead to multiple health issues.

I hope this can help you in any way. You don't have to follow everything on the menu. You can mix and match or switch with something healthy of course. Also, I do not know how much calories but my guess, it is below 1,000 calories at least.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a professional, expert or dietician. This is only based on my own ideas. If you feel you need to undergo any specific diet and you have some health issues, I would strongly advise, you have to see your doctors first.

Haa! Wish me luck for the next battle 😜

2017 Summer Daytrip in Laiya, Batangas

It's long overdue, I know. Summer has just ended but, boy! ang init init pa rin. We are still using AC every night because of this unbearable heat. Kawawa ang mga bata. Anyways, I will tell story about our summer escapade last April 14, 2017, Sabado de Gloria. It was just an abrupt and unplanned family outing. Basta nagkayayaan lang the other day, pack and go ang drama. We did not do any reservations sa kahit anong resort. Bahala na ang peg 😁 We left home at 3:00am so we can be there at 6 or 7:00am. So okay, medyo naligaw pa kami but we were able to reach the place. While looking for a place we can park, I had a feeling na "naku, mukhang puno na." Ang dami dami ng tao kahit madilim-dilim pa. My gash! Where do these people came from anyway? And true to my hunch, puno na nga ang mga resorts..patay!

See the crowd? Luckily, we were able to secure a very simple cottage. It cost us Php 3,000 for the whole day. It was actually Php 3,500 but of course di naman ako papayag na di tumawad 😂. Sabi ko nga kay Kuya Owner Php 2,800 na lang, ayaw! Lol!

Before we could set-up, the kids were too excited to take a dip and no one could ever stop them.

They don't care kahit mainit pa. Good thing may baon kaming sunblock. Every now and then ang apply ko kay Hans. I do not want him to have sunburn.

This little jar did help a lot! No sunburn kahit nagbabad pa ng halos buong araw.

Ayaw paawat ng anak ko. He really loves water. And seeing him having fun is enough for me to let him be.

Then before lunch, may lumapit sa aming manong offering an island hopping package. It costs 100 per pax, free na ang kids. So we decided to try it.

At first, I was a bit skeptical kasi parang ang liit ng boat. I asked manong over and over again if it is safe because kasama anak ko eh. I want to make sure it is before diving in. Then I asked if they have lifejackets for everyone. Meron nman and I also asked around if they think the boat is really safe. They said it was okay naman, so go!

When we reached the island destination, I was surprised na mas maganda ung sand and super clear ang water.

This is the sand looked like in the island. Way different from the main. Parang mga pebbles sya. Relaxing sa paa.

And look at the water. So clear! We can literally see the small fishes at the bottom.

After 30 minutes, we went to what they call snorkeling part of the island. But hindi pa kami masyado nakakalayo, I realized that something is missing, ang EYEGLASSES ko! So I asked kuya if we can still go back. Bumalik kami, kaso I cannot find it anywhere. I think nalunod na 😢

My super brave Hans took a dip with his Grampa. Parang gusto ko mainggit but cannot swim! Lol.. The water is very inviting. You can see the coral formation under. After they got tired waddling, we headed back to the main island. 

Before we call it a day, the kids took advantage and head back to the water again. Walang kasawaan. But it was all worth it. During our trip back to Laguna, bagsak ang lahat sa pagod. 😍