HappilyOrganizedMom

Nature Essentials | 100% Pure Maracuja Oil

2015-03-27T20:11:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago Nature Essential was so kind to send me a sample of this Maracuja oil and I've been using it since the first day I received it. This face oil comes in a beautiful dark purple glass bottle, with a glass dropper. The Maracuja Oil was lighter than I expected and it smells like coconut oil but it was not over powering. This oil is cold-pressed from the maracuja fruit (passion fruit as we all know), native to Brazil. It is loaded with antioxidants and fatty acids that are good for your skin. It moisturizes a number of skin types from dry to oily and combination. It has a lot of healthy nutrients to moisturize dry skin but because they’re “good” oils they’ll keep your skin moisturized without causing your skin to accumulate the bad oils that cause breakouts and pimples.

Here’s how I do it. I clean my face, pat dry, tone my face with my sake toner, and finish with this oil. I apply a few drops on the tip of my finger and gently dab the oil on different areas of my face, focusing more on the area around the nose, then I slowly spread it out to cover my entire face. I do not rub but rather “press” it in. Whatever is left, I pat it on my neck.

Within the next few days, the condition of my skin improved so much (I cannot stress this enough but rather this product speaks for it self). I don’t see dry patches/crazy flakes around my nose anymore and my skin feels a lot more supple. I've also been getting less and less of those nasty, painful pimples (which I get from my monthly period) and the ones that are already on my face seem to dry up and heal pretty fast and it also helps fade the scarring too!

Unlike Argan oil, the Maracuja oil feels incredibly light and thin, spreads easily and absorbs quickly! It doesn't take more than a minute for it to fully absorb and I don’t find it to leave any sticky, greasy, filmy feel on my skin at all. If you happen to somehow find it too greasy for your taste, try mixing it with your moisturizer so that it sinks in better.

~Please keep in mind~

My skin type: Dry, Asian

Age: 25-35

Pros

Absorbed in the skin well and fast
Doesn't leave the skin sticky in humid weather
Didn't cause me any breakouts
Skin is plumped and brightens when I wake up in the morning
a bottle would last very long as you only need 3-4 drops for whole face and neck
PURE OIL
paraben and preservative free
Affordable!

Cons

The smell was not ok for me compared to kiehl's midnight recovery concentrate. Pero tolerable naman. No big deal for me.

Will I recommend it? Definitely. Just try it for yourself and see the difference.

I finally found my Holy Grail!

2015-02-24T17:52:00.001-08:00

Hi there gorgeous! how are you doing? I hope all the people that read my blog are doing well. I am fall behind on posting here on my blog last week because my Mom and Dad was in town and we spent quality time while they are here, but I do visit my blog (of course) daily to to see your posts and what’s going on with you.

So today, I will be sharing with you ladies (and guys.. if any) something that I've been trying out for almost half a year now and the result is surprisingly good. Lately, I've been asked by few friends and acquaintances “Kris, what are you doing to your skin? It looks more radiant than usual!” which I respond by giving them a sweet smile...

(Syempre, I was flattered to hear compliments about my skin. Not only me who noticed that my skin becomes healthy and brighter.) ...and said: "Sake and rice water." My skin is far from being perfect. I have wrinkles on my neck area because I neglected it in the past (but I'm working on it now). It took me years and years looking for the best for my skin and I've finally found my holy grail!

Sake and rice water has been my little secret. I used it as a toner (literally, I put sake in my palm and pat it on my face) in the evening followed by my favorite serum and moisturizer, and in the morning I wash my face with rice water. I don't pat my face dry, instead, I let the rice water absorbed by my skin and when its completely dry I put moisturizer. It really helps reduce my pimple marks and age-spots. I also drink it (one shot-glass) every night. Kanpai!!!

Benefits to skin:

Proven effective in helping our skin stay healthy and smooth.
Sake will not only control the production of melanin but it will also keep skin hydrated.
Sake has Kojic acid ingredient that acts as a natural skin brightener.
It has anti-aging properties (can you guess what's my age is..? =))

Sake is not only good for skin brightening (it also combats the pigments that make freckles and dark spots) but it’s also good for the body! It prevents cancer because it has a bunch of amino acids and can also help with bad cholesterol. *Recent studies proved that sake really works in making the skin healthy, nourished, smooth and beautiful.

(a bottle of sake cost me 300php and I also consider a low alcohol content when buying sake so it doesn't dry up my skin.)

How about you, have you found your skincare's "holy grail"? If you do, you can share it to me, too! Just put it in the comment section below. Or if you already made a blog post about your skincare staples you can put the links below. I would love reading those!

Thank you for stopping by! =)

REVIEW: Naruko Rose & Botanic HA Aqua Cubic

2015-02-13T02:26:00.002-08:00

Let's take a break for a while with my monthly organizing series (of course I didn't want to get burnt out from organizing the kitchen and pantry for two weeks straight haha, like other mommies out there, I need some girly girl thing too) and make some product review/first impression that I recently got laid my hands into.

(picture credit to my older sister)

Naruko has been on my to-try skincare list for the longest time since I saw it in Fuzkittie's (real name: Juichia C.) video on youtube four years ago and she raved about this skincare line. Naruko produces one of best product especially for dry and dehydrated skin. Their product is also paraben and preservative free. That is why when I saw it in the nearest mall from where I live in, I get super excited and bought two products to try it out! (actually I just bought one and my sister paid for the other one hehe thanks ate Cha!)

*Kindly note that this is not a mere attempt to endorse their products for the sake of receiving compensations. With that said, I am in no way affiliated with Naruko, nor am I getting paid to do these reviews. So, without further do, let's get to it.

Rose & Botanic HA Aqua Cubic Night Gelly EX and Rose & Botanic HA Aqua Cubic Hydrator EX ♥♥♥

Rose & Botanic HA Aqua Cubic Night Gelly EX

As per the website said:
NARUKO Rose & Botanic HA Aqua Cubic Night Gelly EX is specially formulated for dehydrated skin. The perfect combination of Bulgarian Rose, Palmrosa, Rose Wood and Green Citrus essential oils helps to

• promote skin’s metabolism,
• hydrates skin immensely to supply and lock in water

• strengthens skin's health and oil balance

• prevent aging and smooth away fine lines
• reduce visible pores and firm up skin

• brightens skin and improves dullness

This intensive hydrating night gelly hydrates your skin from deep within during nighttime, combating and repairing skin dryness, fine lines and visible pores, giving you a supple, dewy and healthy skin.

Rose & Botanic HA Aqua Cubic Hydrator EX

As per the website said:

NARUKO Rose & Botanic HA Aqua Cubic Hydrator Ex can alleviate the problem of water shortage in the skin, hydrates, smoothes wrinkles and strengthens elasticity. With patented extract of white willow bark, together with hyaluronic acid, white fungus and other high moisture extraction components, skin is healed and replenished with moisture. The unique formula seals in moisture and promotes suppleness, hence reducing the appearance of fine lines and large pores.

~Please keep in mind~

My skin type: Dry, Asian

Age: 25-35

Pros

Absorbed in the skin well and fast
Doesn't leave the skin sticky in humid weather
Didn't cause me any breakouts
Skin is plumped and brightens when I wake up in the morning
Smells good
a bottle would last very long as you only need 3-4 drops and a pea-size (for the night gelly) for whole face and neck
It has so many other natural ingredients to improve skin condition
paraben and preservative free
Affordable!

Cons

Sm Watsons doesn't have a wide variety to choose from

My first impression
I use Naruko Rose & Botanic HA Aqua Cubic Night Gelly EX and Rose & Botanic HA Aqua Cubic Hydrator EX (whew! that was a mouthful product name) on my face and neck as night treatment.

When I woke up this morning, my face is plumped and it brightens my skin too. Would I recommend it? Definitely, as I have experienced good in my skin condition, elasticity and softness!

That would wrap up my first impression review!

(comment below if you want to see more first impression reviews or if you have any suggestions thanks!)

Back by Kids' Demand: Hi5 House Hits Returns to Manila!

2015-02-10T18:48:00.002-08:00

With 12 sold out shows in December, Hi-5’s biggest concert ever returns to Manila for more shows to delight their Filipino fans! Entitled “Hi-5 House Hits!”, the show will have a rerun on February 28 and March 1, 2015 at the Meralco Theater with 6 more shows.

"Hi-5 House Hits" features all of Hi-5's most favorite, best loved songs for you to sing and dance to. These songs have been chosen by some very special people... all of you of course!

Date of Performances:

Feb. 28, 2015 (Saturday)

11:00AM, 3:00PM, 7:00PM

March 1, 2015 (Sunday)

11:00AM, 3:00PM, 7:00PM

Venue:

Meralco Theater

Ortigas cor. Meralco Avenue,

Ortigas Center, Pasig City

Ticket Prices:

Seat Regular HSBC Cardholder

Category Ticket Prices Prices 10% OFF

VIP PHP4,000 PHP3,600

GOLD PHP3,400 PHP3,060

SILVER PHP2,800 PHP2,520

For more info go to HI-5 Facebook page

Monthly Organizing Series | February Week 2: Pantry

2015-02-09T20:37:00.001-08:00

Last week we talked about how to organize and stationed our kitchen. This second week of my monthly organizing series, I’m sharing with you how I organize the food items in my pantry. I split up the kitchen and pantry because I think the pantry is a separate task to do (and also its in a separate room in my home). You will see in the pictures below that we don't have much going on (just enough to entertain my family of three) or should I say we only store food in our pantry that we ONLY eat and consume within a month or so. Ok, enough with the blabbering and let's get organized!

WEEK TWO TASK/TO-DO'S

✓ Empty out the whole pantry and clean it inside.
✓ Discard anything that is no longer fit to eat.
✓ Sort and categorize the rest.
✓ Determine the types of containers you need.
✓ Put everything back.
✓ Label each bin or hang a tag on the basket.

OUR PANTRY

I keep my son's morning meals and snacks in an easy-access spot.

Consider a see-through storage. (I re-purpose these coffee glass containers and made it to store my son's milk, pancake mix, oats, and cereal)

Give your kid(s) a spot in the pantry. A place where they can learn to serve themselves (with your approval, of course). We’re into teaching our kid(s) to learn how to take care of themselves (and others) at an early age, and this includes meal time. *Of course, I don’t just feed my kid(s) cupcakes and cereals, these go alongside with his grab-and-go fruits and veggies snack in the fridge.

How can I not have a spot in the pantry..

I made a do-it-yourself stair-step shelves for my canned goods so that I can see the back row of cans in view.

That's about it! I hope to inspire you to organize yours!

Thanks for stopping by!

*This is only a "guide" to help you get started. Customize your pantry to fit the needs of your family.

Intro

FEB Week 1 | KITCHEN

FEB Week 2 | Pantry

FEB Week 3 | Meal Planning

FEB Week 4 | Organizing your fridge

InLinkz.com

Monthly Organizing Series| February Week 1: KITCHEN

2015-02-01T17:58:00.000-08:00

Today is the first day of my monthly organizing series on clearing out clutter and organizing the entire home. This month we will start in the kitchen, the heart of our home. First, we need to plan our kitchen so that we know how we can strategically place things and to make our kitchen more functional. I admit, when my family moved in to our new home three years ago I absolutely had no strategy for organization. My cooking utensils were in a cupboard neatly placed, but it was on the opposite side of the kitchen away from stove! They appeared to have just put in a cupboard with no thoughts (kaloka!).

To begin the process, I like to think of my kitchen as being divided into stations, like taking a cue from restaurant kitchen were there is assigned station for all the task to do (prepping, cooking, cleaning, putting food away, storage) so that there's as little unnecessary movement as possible. Using "station" strategy prevent you from having to retrieve items from all over your kitchen during meal preparation.

So here is the basic plan of how I have “stationed” my kitchen (we are going to tackle the pantry on the second week of the month).

As you can see in the picture my meal prep area is beside the stove and my kitchen utensils is just right above for easy access. In my coffee station: mugs, coffee, sugar, creamer, cinnamon, cocoa and teaspoons are all together. Of course dish drying area is beside the sink. Try to keep in mind some of the planning strategies to see which ones apply to your situation.

Here is another angle of our kitchen. Oils, soy sauce, fish sauce, vinegar, onion, garlic, and ginger stay on the counter! Easy access. The other side is for my dry plates, drinking glasses, bowls, food storage, etc. all in one place too.

Once you are finished planning out your designated station in your kitchen, its time to put on your comfy clothes, tie your hair up, and turn on the music. Clear all the clutter and lets get organized!!!

WEEK ONE TASK/TO-DO'S

Every space should be emptied out (cabinet, cupboard, drawer, fridge) so that we can see it clearly what we have.

CHECK LIST:

✓Clear out and wipe all cabinet, drawer, cupboard, and counter top

✓Purge everything that is not used, what you don't need, expired, and things that are just collecting dust

✓Clean out the refrigerator

✓Clean the stove (under & behind), oven, and exhaust filter (they need some TLC too)

✓Clean and organize under the kitchen sink

✓ mop the floor

Once everything is cleaned, sort all items into "categories" and put it back in an organized manner. The items that you use and need on a daily basis should be put onto the counter top. Take note of the word I use "you only use and need on a daily basis" we don't want to over-crowd our working area.

ORGANIZED SPACES IN MY KITCHEN

✓ Dish placement

✓ Plastic storage

✓ Rarely used things

✓ Spices & condiments cabinet

✓ Pots & pan cabinet

✓ Kitchen utensils cabinet

✓ Coffee station

✓ Under the sink

Stacking plates, bowls, and glasses doubles up your cabinet space!!! These stack-able shelves are from Hypermarket (I believe Shopwise have one). I transfer my food containers to this space where i used to place my kitchen utensils (I use color coded system for my food container. I already made a post on this one. Link here). Water bottles and dishes that I only use once in a while for entertaining are on the top shelf out of the way since these don’t get used every day.

SPICES & CONDIMENTS CABINET

Here in my spice cabinet I put news paper over the liner so it can easily replace once a week or as needed. Bottled spices and refills are stored in an easy to pull container.

Chopping/Cutting board was supposed to be placed vertically for easy pull out, but since my cabinet is not deep and high enough I just put it horizontally (it works for me since I don't have anything up there).

For my white and brown rice, I store it in fita containers and put labels on it (gotta work what I have and think out of the box) .

*My kitchen won’t be “magazine worthy”, nor did it have granite counter-tops or beautiful cupboards but hey, who cares??? As long as my kitchen function well, clean, and organized I am extremely happy, thankful and grateful for it!!! =)

Now its TIME for you to get busy organizing your kitchen!

Share the process of how you can organize yours. You can take as long as you need, and once you are finished organizing your space, come back here to this post and link up your blog (with pictures) to share with all of us. Good luck and see you back here soon!

Intro

FEB Week 1 | KITCHEN

FEB Week 2 | Pantry

FEB Week 3 | Meal Planning

FEB Week 4 | Organizing your fridge

InLinkz.com

A Monthly Organizing Series

2015-01-27T17:54:00.000-08:00

Hello there gorgeous mommies! Hope you all doing great this morning. I am extremely excited of what will be happening here on my blog! On my previous post I mentioned that I started organizing my home last October but I wasn't able to fully organize (in fact, there are a lot of areas in my home that aren't quite finished) because of school activities, Christmas parties, and Holiday is fast approaching.

So... this year of 2015 I will continue what I already started and guess what? I will be sharing it with you on how I organize every space in my home and I hope you’ll join me in keeping it real and fun! Let's inspire and motivate each other, mommies.

It is all about working together and sharing ideas. Besides, organizing is so much fun when you have someone to do it with, Right? Don't worry it is not an overwhelming process. We're gonna make our organizing project one step at a time. Each month we will be focusing on different areas of our home and each task will be broken down into smaller and more do-able parts. Then at the end of this series we are going to tackle month by month on how to maintain an organized home.

So, are you up for this, bloggy mommies? Are you ready to make your home clutter-free and organized? Join me and let's do this together! My posts will be (mostly) short and sweet and are simply intended to give you ideas for organizing your home frugally. This series begins on Monday, February 2, 2015. Each week I will be posting our task/to-do's on my Facebook and we all have 7 days to do it. Don't forget to take before and after photos. Write a blog about our weekly tasks. Share your before and after pictures (I also need some motivation from you too, mommies), and/or share it over at Mommy Bloggers Philippines group. SHARING IS CARING! ;)

See you then!!

Intro

FEB Week 1 | KITCHEN

FEB Week 2 | Pantry

FEB Week 3 | Meal Planning

FEB Week 4 | Organizing your fridge

InLinkz.com

How I Organize food in the fridge and freezer

2015-01-25T05:08:00.000-08:00

Today I’m going to share with you how I organize my fridge and freezer. I find that keeping the fridge & freezer organised is one of my Must-Do tasks. What are the benefits?

✔ Food won’t spoil

✔ Food will keep longer

✔ You can easily tell what food you have and what you need to buy

✔ Makes a quick busy cooking time so much quicker

✔ Preparing school lunches is quicker.

I like to cut up and store all my fruit and vegetables in clear containers. I have done this for quite some time now and it becomes a habit. When I come home from a grocery shop I pack all the grocery items away and leave all the items I need to chop or put in a container on the kitchen counter. I open my cupboard and reach in to grab a container designated for my fruits and vegetables only, then I have a small bin next to the chopping board for all my scraps and start chopping the fruit and veg. This will take me about 15-20 minutes.

What type of containers I use in the fridge? We all know that using glass containers is way way better than plastic container that's why I am in a hunt of affordable glass container that will fit perfectly to my fridge. I have a standard size refrigerator so maximizing space is a must. But for now I am using BPA free clear containers that has #5 RECYCLING CODE (which is "safer" to use according to world public union article).

I chop just about everything, except fruits we eat whole like apples, pears, peaches etc. But the main items I always ensure are chopped up carrots, cauliflower, squash, string beans, okra, cabbage. I also store whole vegetables in a containers like potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplant.

This is all items I like to keep in containers in the fridge:

broccoli
cauliflower
okra
squash
string beans
potato, washed
shredded cabage
cucumber, cubed
tomatoes, washed
carrot, sliced and diced
grapes, washed and off stalks
orange, peeled and diced
watermelon, cubed (Having fruit already peeled and diced makes it so much easier to make a quick fruit juice for my son after school.)

It’s easy to see what’s in the containers because they are transparent and they fit really well in my fridge.

I removed a shelf from my fridge so it is easier to access all the containers.

I store my leafy greens at the vegetable crisper.

IN THE FREEZER

I also use BPA free color coded containers in the freezer to avoid contamination.

✔ Blue = fish

✔ Violet = poultry

✔ Green = pork

✔ Red = beef

Hope you have enjoyed a tour of my fridge. Having it organised like this just makes it so much easier for me to pack lunches, make dinner and choose healthier snack options.

Intro

FEB Week 1 | KITCHEN

FEB Week 2 | Pantry

FEB Week 3 | Meal Planning

FEB Week 4 | Organizing your fridge

InLinkz.com

How I Meal Plan for a Week

2015-01-25T00:03:00.000-08:00

Hello there mommies! Happy positive New Year to you! How are you all doing? It's been 9 months since the last time I posted here in my blog (I know.. crazy right?) Today I'm going to share with you something that change my life. I started organizing my home last year of October and it helps me A LOT. From laundry to closet, supermarket to pantry, refrigerator to table, sink to cupboard, to-do's and schedules, and the list goes on and on and on. It's really nice when everything in your home has a place, it's easier to put everything in it's place.

It's Friday, which means making plans for this coming week. By the time this post was up I'm probably sitting down with my coffee on my side and making meal plans for next week's menu. Why did I pick Friday for my meal planning if you may ask? Well, Sunday is meal prep which is chopping and storing fruits, vegetables, and frozen meats. And Saturday is grocery shopping day. Meal planning helps me a lot. It saves time, money, helps my family eat healthier, reduce food waste (which I really don't like), and lastly it helps me to stay sane, no more worries about what to have for dinner(lunch or breakfast) to feed my family. I know what and when to pull food out of the freezer.

(You do not have to follow the same schedule as I do here, but adjust your days to fit your schedule. There will be unexpected changes that come up, but that is okay. The key is to plan ahead so you can cook nutritious meals at home more often and not rely on the drive-thru or take-out.)

I make a list of all the (favorite) recipes that my family usually eat.

(Select 5-7 meals to cook, depending on your schedule. In my case...) I cook two meals per day breakfast and one huge meal for lunch and dinner, that's Mon-Fri and three meals on weekends. Once I have meal options in hand, I let my kid and hubby choose which ones appeal to them the most. This can cut down complaints when dinner actually makes it to the table.

Write Your Meal Plan on Paper. I use a piece of scratch paper. I list the days of the week down the left side to log my meals, and I use the right side of the paper to make my grocery list. I can then easily bring my plan with me to the grocery store.

I plan one week at a time, but you could also plan two to three weeks or even a month’s worth of meals. Post the plan on the refrigerator for everyone to see.

A typical weekly menu for my family of three looks like this:

Monday - B: Beef tapa, egg, fried saba | L&D: Tinola

Tuesday - B: Tinapang bangus, kamatis, fried rice with veg. | L&D: Pininyahang manok

Wednesday - B: Nuggets, egg, fried eggplant, brown rice | L&D: Nilaga

Thursday - B: Herb and cheese omelette, bacon, bread | L&D: Chopseuy

Friday - B: Longanisa, egg, fried saba | L&D: Sinigang na bangus

Saturday - B: Champorado and tuyo | L: Giniling with tomato sauce | D: Chicken curry

Sunday - B: Pancake, hotdog, oat meal with fruits | L: Porkchop, corn and carrots | D: Spaghetti

I make a grocery list from my selected recipes. Nothing is worse than starting to cook then realizing you are missing a key ingredient. Don't forget to check the pantry and fridge to make sure you have the essentials like milk, eggs, butter, canned goods, pasta, oatmeal, brown rice and bread/buns, ziplock, etc..
Then I go to the Grocery store. Another place to get kid(s) involved in family meals is by taking them to the grocery store. Ask them to help pick out the fruits and vegetables that are on your list.
Prep ingredients for the entire week and begin to separate them by putting into a ziplock bags and label them with a marker. (I will be making a blog post on this one this week)
Refer to Your Meal Plan Daily.

I make sure that I don’t forget to check my meal plan daily to see what I need to defrost, and to make any adjustments based on last-minute schedule changes.

There you have it mommies this is how I plan a meal for my family for the past three months. I hope this will help (encourage/inspire) you to get started, to make an effort to do meal planning at home. Not only does eating at home save you money but I guarantee that home cooked meals are more nutritious. Thanks for stopping by!

Intro

FEB Week 1 | KITCHEN

FEB Week 2 | Pantry

FEB Week 3 | Meal Planning

FEB Week 4 | Organizing your fridge

InLinkz.com

How to teach our child to be polite at the table

2014-03-15T16:48:00.000-07:00

Did you ever experienced or feel as if you were at the end of your rope with how he/she behaves at the table? If yes, then give your self time to read this post as I share with you simple steps that will end suppertime shenanigans once and for all.

1. Say "Please" and "Thank you"

We taught our child these words when he(she) was two or three, but maybe he(she) uses them inconsistently or only with reminders from us. So to get these words to become automatic for our child we can emphasize and enforce them at every meal. For example; "Please come to the table for breakfast." or when your child says he(she) wants juice/milk don't pour it until he(she) says "please" and wait until he(she) says "thank you" to hand him the glass.

2. Have a sit.

By the time kids are five or six, they should be able to sit at the table and remain relatively wiggle-free for at least 20 minutes. Find a comfy yet appropriate position for your child. If you are no longer use booster seat at the table and chairs are designed for adults, a cushion or throw pillow might help. At restaurants - when you know the meal is going to last for an hour talk to your child in advance about what to do if something goes wrong, like a crayon falls or if he(she) spills a drink.

3. Make friends with spoon and fork

Five and six years old eat so many finger foods that they can legitimately be confused about what parts of their meal require utensils. Let our child know that if he's unsure, it is best to ask "mama". Another way to get our child to be more comfortable with utensils is to put him in charge of setting the table. We can say something like, "Now that you're getting older, I think you're ready for a grown-up job of getting the table ready for dinner. We'll do it together the first few days, and then you can do it by yourself." We can also talk to our child about what to expect at the restaurants. Like, its ok to wipe his mouth with a fancy cloth napkin in a restaurant. Many kids at this age thinks we will be upset with them if they get the napkin dirty.

4. Show respect...

All the "please" and "thank yous" in the world will seem insignificant if our child responds, "Eww, that looks gross" when our friend or relative asks him(her) if she'd like a tuna salad sandwich. We can teach our child that if she doesn't want to eat the food offered at someone else's house, he simply has to respond "No thank you".

Look mommies isn't It nice to have table napkins like this for our kids to remind table manners.

Image is from WildPlumEmbroidery

1) Say please and thank you
2) Use your fork not your fingers
3) Elbows off the table
4) Thank the cook
5) Chew with your mouth closed
6) Take your dishes to the sink
7) Try it you might like it
8) Put your napkin in your lap
9) Don't speak rude of the food
10) Ask to be excused from the table
11) If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy (insert last name)
12) No texting at the table

So that's about it mommies.

Thank you for your time reading my blog.

Have a nice weekend!

2014 Summer of Fun and Learning!!!

2014-03-14T23:22:00.000-07:00

Grow your creativity and imagine the possibilities of learning art-based science experiments at Hobbes and Landes Bonifacio High Street as they will be having their fifth summer art lab workshop this coming April and May! Their hands-on art classes are taught by artist-teachers, all graduates of art courses from the University of the Philippines, Diliman. They encourage values of learning, caring, relationship-building and inspiration through fun and discovery. I bet your kids are going to love it when they create the art they never thought they could. It is highly recommended to register early, due to limited slots.

click the image to enlarge

Workshop Schedule:
1st batch - April 7, 9, 11, 14, 16, 21, 23, 25, 28, and 30.
2nd batch - May 7, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 21, 23, 26 and 28
Workshop fee is P5,700 inclusive of VAT and all the materials.
Workshop is only available at Hobbes and Landes Bonifacio High Street.
Workshop is for ages 4 - 12 years old.
Walk-in participants: P750 per session.
Early registration is highly recommended due to limited slots at the following

Hobbes and Landes branches:

Bonifacio High Street

Greenbelt 5

Rockwell Power Plant

Greenhills Promenade
Enrollment ends on March 31, 2014.
Late enrollees will be accommodated as long as there are slots available.

Should you have any questions or inquiries

you can email them at customerservice@hobbesandlandes.com

or call 8560935.

Visit and Like their Facebook Page for the latest updates.
Hobbes and Landes

Probably my worst night ever as a first time mom

2014-03-07T23:21:00.000-08:00

Past 9:00 in the evening of March 6, I was getting ready for bed (you know doing some mommy routine) while Nathan went to his bedroom/playroom to get his lego toys to play with. Big Daddy was in our living room doing some stuff. When I was done, I grabbed a magazine to read para pang patulog ko sana, then Nathan went back into our bedroom with a handful of lego. Halfway through my magazine, I reminded him NOT to put his toys into his mouth at baka nga malunok nya. Wala pa isang minuto kong pinaalala sakanya narinig ko nalang na umubo sya na para bang nacho-choke nag panic talaga ako grabe... I shouted on top of my lungs to call my husband. I was so worried na baka nasa
airway nya yung lego. My husband took charge from there because I don't know what to do, my hands were shaking and I was crying. Thank God na ginabayan nya asawa ko maging kalmado para hindi maging worse yung mga nangyayari sa kabila ng sobrang pag aalala din nya kay Nathan. Daddy checked everything, his throat, his breathing if there is whistling sound, he asked if there was pain in his chest, stomach, etc. (basta lahat ng itatanong tinanong nya na). Nathan answered all the question of his dad, seems like the lego probably passed into his stomach.

On the other hand when I was a little bit calm the veins in my forehead started to throb. I asked him if he was ok, if his throat hurts, if it went all the way down and a few more questions that I can’t remember right now, and then I asked him “why did you put a lego in your mouth!?!? Di ba sinabihan kita na wag na wag mo isusubo ang mga toys mo lalo na yang lego??!” then he said "sorry mama... T_T" "nako anak kung alam mo lang kung gaano kami nag alala ng papa mo sayo..." (seriously, my mother’s voice and words keeps coming outta my mouth?)

Anyway, hubby said, he’ll be fine as long as the object does not find it’s way into the windpipe or may be stuck in the esophagus, which is a much more serious situation. Now we are waiting for him to poo and let him get checked by his pediatrician tomorrow. Hubby and I had a talk about what could of happened. After that I had to pack up all his lego toys and told him na he can't have his lego until he knows how to play with it properly or until he is ten (period. End of discussion.).

But you know what has him really upset? The fact that he will never, ever get back the lego that he swallowed. Hindi nya na daw mabubuo yung lego tanks nya. Funny right?

REVIEW: Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate

2014-03-05T23:19:00.000-08:00

My all time favorite skincare product that tend to be the one that simply works. A product that speaks for itself and the one that does exactly what it says on the bottle. Year 2012 when I first use Kiehl's product as part of my skincare regimen and until now it never fails me. That was two years ago (crazy right?), so I decided to write a review here on my mommy blog since I already use this product more than two years now.

Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate is an overnight elixir that contains 99.8% naturally derived ingredients like Squalane (Kiehl’s signature ingredient) a botanical lipid similar in molecular structure to natural skin lipids. Omega-6 fatty acids,
Evening Primrose Oil, and other essential oils including Lavender (NO parabens or mineral oil) that really works to replenish our skin with moisture. It works overnight to help our skin recover radiance, and to make our skin feel plump, smoother and supple.

The serum is packaged in a heavy and expensive looking bottle

with a little medicine dropper.

Just use 2-3 drops on cleansed face, and gently press it on your skin before massaging it in. I paired my Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate serum with The Body Shop face roller massager.

It is very silky and easily absorbed.

I love to apply this right before going to bed. I use more than 2 drops to cover up to my neck area. The little bottle feels lush and the smell helps me relax my nerves. The lavender oil scent really stands out above all others, which is absolutely perfect since lavender is my favorite sleepy-time scent and that makes me feel extra special.

I’m wondering how I ever lived without it (lol).

The question is "at magkano naman yan aber?" It’s 2,800.00 pesos at Kiehl's Trinoma Branch and 2,688.50 pesos at StraberryNET.com, (Yup I know, I know mahal sya but) it is absolutely worth it (in my opinion) kasi matagal sya maubos seryoso!, 2-3 drops goes a very long way. I highly recommend it especially to us moms na nasa late 20's, 30's and 40's. It is meant for all skin types, and will work wonders for the glow of our skin plus it has an anti-aging properties.

DISCLAIMER:

This is NOT a sponsored review. I am not paid to review the product that I mention above. I just want to share my full honest opinions/review about the product, thank you.

Get that Glowing Skin in an Instant

2014-03-04T23:18:00.000-08:00

Hello there mommies! I just want to share with you a DIY body scrub that is a very affordable alternative to those expensive body scrubs you can buy at spas and specialty shops. It is one of my faves to make whenever I want to indulge myself in the comfort of my own home. I promise you that it is easy to make (easy as 1, 2, 3).

What you'll need:

Coffee grounds
Extra Virgin Olive oil or jojoba oil
Honey (optional)

Mix all together and you're done.

Apply to the face and body using circular motions.
Leave for 3-5 minutes then rinse skin thoroughly with warm water.

Your skin should feel smooth and supple, and will have a healthy glow in an instant.

Benefits of Coffee Scrub

Exfoliating body scrubs typically contain a granulated ingredient, whether or not they're homemade. Some body scrubs use sugar or sea salt. These granular agents polish away dead skin cells to reveal fresh, new skin beneath. Coffee grounds, which are also granular in nature, can have the same effect. Coffee contains caffeine (of course we all know that), however, it has potent anti-inflammatory properties that make it ideal for reducing inflammation and redness in our skin. Using caffeine in this delicate area can easily tighten fine lines and smoothen puffy surfaces. It can help improve the appearance of varicose veins and thread veins and can also help reduce the appearance of cellulite.

Try this at home mommies and let me know your thoughts...

Books benefit our kids in so many ways

2014-02-28T16:45:00.001-08:00

Reading to our child at a very young age is the first step in installing to them the love for reading. It also helps to prepare them in learning how to read on their own because it promotes language and early literacy. If we read to them in a way that captures their interest and participation, our child would begin to look for these books. I started reading with Nathan as early as two years old. He has some favorite books that he took with him everywhere he goes and ask me or his dad to read to him again and again. He discover, learn, and asks so many questions. Of course he can't read pa at that age but I can tell that he love books (like his dad).

Reading to your child fuels their imagination and encourage them to think. And when your child enjoys reading time, whether because of the pictures or the stories you read with him, he will associate reading with learning and fun.

So when our child goes to school, he will be eager to listen and learn new things.

Mommy tips on how we can make reading fun for our child:

Read daily. Make it a part of our child's everyday routine. Reading before bedtime is a perfect wind-down activity.
Keep it short and sweet. Limit storytelling to five to ten minutes everyday, especially for very young toddlers. Don't force your child to finish if he's no longer interested.
Be animated. Use different voices, silly tones, or exaggerated actions to illustrate the story. Para damang-dama ng mga bata yung mga kaganapan sa kwento.
Point. Point. Point. When we read, point the words on the page. When we refer to a certain character, point to its illustration. This will help our child to associate the word with the picture. And lastly,
Make it interactive. Talk about the picture, and don't restrict yourself to the words on the page. We can ask our child a questions to encourage him to think. Invite questions too, and let him turn the pages of the book.

The goal is not to learn to read early but for our kids to develop a love for reading that will benefit them even well into their adulthood.

Hope this one helps. Thanks for dropping by mommies!

A little Secret

2014-02-28T16:45:00.000-08:00

Feb. 26, an ordinary morning, same routine... cooked breakfast, walis dito walis doon, Nathan watching TV and hubby doing his routine. After breakfast, Nathan asked if he could have some bubblegum for desert.

I said yes, since he finished all his food. 20 minutes later, I asked him to spit it out the gum beacuse the noisy chewing sounds he makes really annoy me. And yes, (as expected) he refused. May lasa pa daw kasi ang bubblegum nya. Instead of arguing with my son I choose to walk away do some laundry and update my blog. 15 minutes after my conversation with him I was in front of the computer and noticed Nathan walked through the kitchen and heard some water pouring into a glass. The next thing, he walked to me, hugged me tight, then cried.

he said while he was crying:
"mama, nalunok ko po yung bubblegum.."
then I was like "HALA!" (in an exaggerated way hahaha)
"kasi kala ko food tapos nalunok ko, tapos nag drink ako ng water.." he explained. I felt his heart beating so fast (kabado ang anak ko haha) he was really afraid talaga na baka kung ano mangyari sakanya.

"mama, don't tell papa ha?"
"why don't you want me to tell papa?"
"kasi ooperahan ako... hihiwain yung tummy ko, masakit yun diba? Kaya wag mo po sasabihin kay papa ha? Secret natin yun." (still crying)
"ok, I won't tell papa if you promise me that you are not gonna have bubblegum anymore". "ok, I promise." Nathan with his pinky swear gesture.

So after we made a deal there are so many thoughts run through my head. Like, this little guy trusted me with his little secret.. so innocent.. (not knowing that his mom also did this when she was young). Part wanted to tell my hubby what happened because I thought it was cute, but at the same time I couldn't, because I made a promise to this little guy and he trusts me.

Saying "I Love You" Often no Matter How Old Our Kid is

2014-02-26T16:45:00.000-08:00

Our relationship with our kid contributes a lot to his general health and well-being. A better bond between a mother and child usually means a happier, more secure, more independent, and more responsible kid. One way of strengthening bond to our child is by saying "I Love You" often, no matter how old he(she) is. We can tell to our kid what we love about them. A genuine appreciation build trust and self-esteem.

It also helps to keep a unique and personal relationship with each of our child. For example: schedule a one-on-one bonding time with each of them. It could be a short talk or story time (me and my son like to have a story telling every night before going to bed) or special alone days doing something fun like cooking, malling or visiting the zoo.

This helps in making our kid know that he(she) has a special place in our heart that no one else can fill. And that is priceless as it is healthy.

Pop that Soda Habit

2014-02-25T16:44:00.000-08:00

The amount of sugar in softdrinks is not advisable for our child's health. As a substitute, we can get them into habit of drinking fresh fruit or vegetable juice, smoothies, or shakes. Preparing the beverages our self ensures that our kids consume only the right kind of ingredients and natural sugars. Mix things up by combining different fruits such as mango, avocado, pineapple, banana, apple, lychee, berries, etc. We can even secretly slip in vegetables such as carrots, kangkong, camote tops, malungay leaves, collards, spinach, kale, etc. to their smoothie (shake or juice).

Here is one of my favorite smoothie recipe to make for my son.

Ingredients:

1 cup of frozen pineapple

1 banana

1 lemon juice

1 handful of spinach and 1 handful of camote tops

2 cups of Tipco carrot juice

(you can use whatever juice you want eg. apple juice, coconut juice, etc.)

blend all together until smooth...

Try this recipe and I assure you that your kids gonna love it too! =)

Not Forever Young

2014-02-23T16:43:00.000-08:00

How often are you photographed with your child? Personally, I dislike being photographed (specially whole body shot). When I see photos of my self, I can't help but wish that the light was more forgiving, that I was 10 pounds lighter or that I wore something flattering. I just accepted this anti-photo quirk as a part of me.

However, when I read Allison Tate's honest and enlivening article on the Huffington post about moms being in the picture, I had to rethink this habit of avoiding being photographed even with my child. Tate was right. Our kids want us in the picture. We should take advantage of this moment with them because when they grow up they don't even like to be kiss, hug (lalo na pag ihahatid sa school, kasama mga kaibigan nila, ayaw na tayo kasama sa mall), or to take picture with them.

Think of your own childhood photos with your mom. Do you even notice how she looks in it? Do you detect her superficial flaws? Or are you just so glad to see those photos of your mom with you? The article ends with a challenge that I think we, as moms, should all accept to be in the picture because they are not forever young, treasure every moment with them ngayon nag papahalik pa sila, clingy, etc.

This morning when I was reading magazine, my son noticed the gorgeous woman on the cover and asked me an interesting question. "Is she beautiful mama?" "I think so honey. Why? Who do you think is beautiful?" I asked. "You." he answered so simply and it clearly took my breath away. So I grab that camera and flash that smile!

What's for Sunday Breakfast?

2014-02-22T16:43:00.000-08:00

Nothing says "weekend" like easy homemade pancakes for breakfast. My easy pancake with chocolate chip recipe will help you easily whip up this weekend favorite in less than 30 minutes! When you see how easy it is to make delicious, light, and fluffy homemade pancakes from scratch, you'll wonder why you never tried this before!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup chocolate chip or grated chocolate
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, or vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Assorted toppings, such as butter, maple syrup, confectioners' sugar, honey, jams, preserves, sweetened whipped cream, or chocolate syrup

DIRECTIONS

STEP 1
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
STEP 2
In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, butter (or oil), and egg. Add dry ingredients to milk mixture; whisk until just moistened (do not over mix; a few small lumps are fine), and then add the chocolate chip or grated chocolate to the mixture.
STEP 3
Heat a large skillet (nonstick or cast-iron) or griddle over medium. Fold a sheet of paper towel in half, and moisten with oil; carefully rub skillet with oiled paper towel.
STEP 4
For each pancake, spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of batter onto skillet, using the back of the spoon to spread batter into a round (you should be able to fit 2 to 3 in a large skillet).
STEP 5
Cook until surface of pancakes have some bubbles and a few have burst, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip carefully with a thin spatula, and cook until browned on the underside, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a baking sheet or platter; cover loosely with aluminum foil, and keep it warm. (You'll have 12 to 15 pancakes.) Serve warm, with desired toppings.

Meet the girl behind this blog!

2014-02-14T04:16:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! Welcome to my mommy world. I'm MK (mommykris), wife to Arnold and mom to 6 year-old Nathaniel. As a stay at home mom, one of my biggest challenges is to balance everything. Raising my son, keeping the house clean and organize, trying to whittle down this mommy belly (you moms know what I'm talking about!), saving money at the grocery store, cooking, and learning how to be a better Christian Catholic, wife and mother.

I blog about:

Home Organizing- Home inspiration, Balancing and organizing life
Mommy's Corner- DIY's, Skin care, Married life, Mommy-hood, Faith talk
Random Thoughts - Parenting, Memory keeping, Restaurants we go to, Family travel/vacation

2014-02-14T03:51:00.000-08:00

BLOG POLICY

I spent a lot of time writing, editing, and taking pictures for this blog. A lot of time, effort, and consideration goes into each post, so I don't appreciate blatant theft of any content and/or photos. All content published on the blog is under strict copyright law. Any unauthorized copying, reproduction, republishing, uploading, posting, transmitting or duplicating of any of the material is prohibited without my express written permission. If you want to use content on your own site, you must ask permission and send me an email at happilyorganizedmom@gmail.com first before you do so under these restrictions.

DISCLAIMER

Most of the products reviewed on this blog are bought and paid by me. I am not affiliated with any companies or brands, therefore the opinions expressed in this blog are solely my own. Sometimes, companies will send me products to review, but that will never affect my opinion about the product in any way. If a post contain a product or products that have been sent for review purposes, I will be sure that there is a desclaimer indicated at the bottom of the post. All reviews are based on my personal experience with the product, so what works for me may or may not work for you.