When i got pregnant with my two older kids years back, i really didn't care much about trying different products which are deemed safe for pregnant women. In fact, never in my mind did i thought of changing the usual skin care products i use before i conceived. I really don't know why, but maybe because i was not that meticulous yet with product ingredients for the skin that might harm me and my baby. Plus the fact that i really didn't have much problems with hormones, except for pimples! I guess they are the most common either pregnant or not.

If there would be lessons that has made an impact in my life and somehow contributed to my core values today, those were learned during my childhood. Just like everyone else, we had experience childhood. Nobody will get to his or her age without becoming a child for once in this lifetime. I can't say that i had the perfect nonage, but neither do i had a worst one. I had a normal and pretty good share of childhood memories and experiences that i treasure a lot. And I've always been so grateful because i am blessed to have a solid family foundation- my parents who had instill good moral values when i was a child.

More than the values they've taught me, i am thankful for the life experiences that they allowed me to face, it has shaped my character and has taken me to places that i never thought i'd be. And now that i am a Mom, I'd like to pass on these values and life lessons i learned from my childhood to my offspring and to all the children and my co-parents as well.

One of my resolutions for the year is to read more and surf less. I've been putting this thing on my yearly resolution but i always fail. I'd like to believe that it's normal for the kind of work i have right now- taking reading out of the equation. However, reading has always been my favorite thing to do. I read because i love reading and i love books apart from the knowledgeable take aways i get from it. And when i don't read, it makes me feel dull and empty. While e-books are much more convenient nowadays, still, nothing beats the feeling of holding a real book, turning pages, and the smell of it. Bookworms can relate to this, yeah? 

Being confined with routines and all the same things can be boring & so, i'm always in the look out for new experiences that can lead me to new hobbies and enthusiasm. I have always wanted to try archery, apart from the very truth that i am an avid fan of Oliver Queen, the fictional hero on the TV series Green Arrow played by Stephen Amell plus i'm an inborn Sagittarian by zodiac. While my kids admire Katniss Everdeen too, from the movie Hunger Games, i thought that maybe, it's about time to unleash our potential in the archery department yesterday after a disappointing itinerary.

It's been a lovely day at Tagaytay weeks ago, despite the typhoon forecast that was expected to hit Luzon area in the afternoon of that Wednesday. I was able to brave the 1-hour drive via Talisay Road from Batangas, with views of the Taal Lake from the zigzag road going up. 

Together with amazing bloggers, media personnel and the organizers of Avida X Make It Blissful event, our day had been blissful indeed.

(If you are an avid reader of my blogs) I have mentioned before that my kids are not a fan of grand celebrations or fancy birthday parties. In fact, during my son's 7th birthday he opted not to have a big party but rather chose to travel to Legoland. Two years later, my daughter's 7th birthday just ring a bell and believe me, i was the one excited for a grand celebration! But guess what? It didn't happen. Because just like my son, my daughter doesn't want to have a big party neither. No matter how many times i tried to convince her with a glittering tiara, a Cinderella gown, and a dazzling 7th birthday party theme, she answers NO. So, all the magical moments in my head just popped. Boom! No party! All she ever wanted was to travel to Disneyland (wiser choice) and that's the best birthday gift ever (all kids says that!). Fast forward, wish granted! But of course, as a mom, i did not want to just let her special day pass by without preparing something special, but not grand. After all, every natal day deserves a thanksgiving and so i thought of throwing a DIY party for her. 

Just a month before the school year ends, some institutions just like my kids' school were up to something grand, like the yearly foundation week. Our school's founding anniversary this year seems to be very special with so many highlights as they were celebrating their 10th year in the academe. In line with this remarkable milestone, my daughter was chosen to be one of those students in their class who will join a group poem recitation. Nothing seems to be very special about her role, but as a mom, of course, i knew i should be proud.

The past week has brought a lot of trouble and anxiety for parents, not only in our municipality in Bauan but in the whole Southern Tagalog Region. The alarming news about child abductions and kidnapping with reference to four police reports about missing children was really disturbing. As a parent, I couldn’t help but worry about my kids who were at school the whole time and I’m sure a lot of parents are just the same. 

Let me just share to you my thoughts about these current issues that are affecting us today as moms. Apart from my busy day to day schedules, I’ve decided not to open my facebook newsfeed because I never want to bother myself all the more with all the posts that the netizens are spreading on the internet. I’m not saying, I don’t care about the situation, but there are more reliable sources that are worthy of my time and attention. 

Photo Source

The past week has been a busy week for me working for MumsDailyPH and the kids too. Adjusting to their schedules and school works plus my maiden bentosiasm in preparing their everyday lunch boxes is quite a tough job! But i thank God i just made it through the week and survived some business works all done ahead of my time schedule. So i find the weekend a perfect day to drive all the way to Alabang to visit ExpoMom Goes South- a MommyMundo event that I'm sure everyone is always looking forward to! I've got a few things to buy on my list and the whole Sunday is just enough for us to squeeze everything before the sun sets. So here's the highlight of our weekend!

Heading back to school signals a time of transition. For parents it could be the start of a midyear roller coaster because of the added routinary schedules of our day to day lives. But more than our own personal grief on transitions, the adjustment is actually most difficult for our kids. After a long summer vacation, getting your kids into the mood for studies can be an uphill battle. Their enthusiasm may be low or non-existent at all. But it shouldn't be something to be worried about, it's normal. 

"The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray."

Proverbs 12:26

When it comes to friends, I am the CHOOSY one. And maybe at this age i can call myself one lucky girl who managed to win some friends. Friends that i can call my sisters at heart. Some have been there for decades, some were still in the getting-to-know-each-other level but we hang around like we've known each other since birth. And just like anybody else, I also got friends who laughs with me and admires me face to face like genuine people, and all of the sudden they'll change or should i say, it's not the person who changed, but it's the mask that falls off. Sometimes, i wanted to believe in the saying that "Life is a masquerade, everywhere you look are people hiding behind masks." As usual, friends come and go but i really feel blessed to be surrounded by a few but amazing friends in my life whom i know will be there for me and will accept me and love me in any circumstances.

The past weeks of my life was been an emotional roller coaster, full of twists and turns from different aspects be it work, family, friends, relationships and the list goes on. And I must admit, that I'm really having a hard time catching up with everything including blogging, reading, facebook-ing (Lol! I was actually trying to minimize that habit) and some home improvements on the list, not to mention the weekly occasions and family gatherings that i know i shouldn't miss plus me getting sick! It really occupied my entire calendar and I thought i can embrace everything but i failed! 

Anyhoo, I'd like to start my come back with something enlightening and inspirational and for sure, others may find this life-changing. I thought of reblogging this article for everyone to reconnect on what really matters and to refocus our habits to realize how happier we can be and how we can become a better person. Hey! It's never too late for that great change! BE HAPPY!

If there's one thing that i shall order in Yellowcab aside from its delectable pizzas, its the Charlie Chan Chicken Pasta! I need to have a box of it either for dine-in with my big pizza or for take home to enjoy it for a midnight snack. I just love the savory goodness of its sweet and spicy flavours and the peanuts that made it more mouth-watering and really scrumptious! 

While rolling on my newsfeed, I came across a post from a friend and got so engrossed with her recipe of this favorite pasta that i wanted to have it just that very moment. I've been wanting to recreate a recipe of it at home long time ago so I asked her to give me a copy of her recipe and she unselfishly shared it in my inbox. Happily, I cooked my pasta at home and was just so satisfied with the result. I shared my photo on Facebook and was surprised that a lot of friends also love the pasta just as much as I love it! So for them, i thought of sharing the recipe on this blog. Please note! 

I've been so busy the past two weeks, working on a series of blogs digesting my whereabouts and some articles that I wanted to share when I found myself just reading my lists because I really don't know where and how to start. So while conditioning my thoughts and preparing myself for another blog roll, I thought of sharing an article from one of my favorites, The Praying Woman. The message is just so timely and these are just some of the learnings in life that I've been applying in my day to day struggle with people from all walks of life. It is true, that you can’t control how others treat you, but you can control how you respond to them. Hope you'll find these applications useful.

They say “the most dangerous lies are the lies that you believe about yourself. ”

Oftentimes, I was experiencing some sort of struggle over things in life that I know I have control over with, like the things that I should've done, and behaviors that I need to improve but was too sluggish to make a move and to make progress. There are also thoughts about life and some predicaments that I know I have the answers and I know to whom I should trust and believe, but then sometimes, there's a certain force that is holding me back. Well, its true, Faith is not something to grasp, it is a state to grow into.

Before i start my work today let me just share to you how our weekend went all well, especially our Sunday's Best. Going to church every Sunday is one thing that me and my husband would like to implement within the members of our household especially to our young kids.

Attending church services is one thing that I've been used to since my childhood. I grew up into a family of Christians, where my mom is very strict when it comes to worship and religion. And now that i have my own family, one of my priority is to raise Godly children, who knows how to pray and to be reminded that there is one big GOD who is above everything in this universe. And i would like to encourage other parents too, because I do believe that having our youths drawn into walking with God and teaching them how to be righteous in all ways will change (maybe) not the universe in a snap but the environment where they belong and then gradually they can change the world. And this will not be possible without having a relationship. A relationship between us parents and our dear children, and a relationship with God.

Target Shooting is one of the sports that I really wanted to try if given  the luxury of time and money! My first encounter with a real gun, was during my younger years when my Dad was still in the service of Philippine National Police as a Senior Police Officer. He introduced me to firearms since I was the eldest and he doesn't have a son who'll probably continue his legacy. Anyway, firearms has been a "common" thing at home since my father was a police.

During my high school days when I was a cadet officer, I was chosen from the brigade to compete for the handling- assemble and disassemble activity for firearms which I'm proud to have a remarkable record of 38seconds and I owe it to my Dad for being my trainer that time.

Cockfighting is one sport that most Filipinos like. A bloody game between two roosters or gamecocks, fighting for their lives inside a ring. My hubby is one fan of it. Some sort of recreation and or entertainment for him. Out of curiosity, I agreed to spend a day at the cockpit arena.