My Happy Beginnings

Te Amo mi Corazon

2022-02-13T12:29:00.001+08:00

On this day of Love, I’d like to remember about my first love, my mother Corazon. Her name means heart in Spanish and I think she was aptly name because as a wife and a mother, she was the light and the Heart of our family.

My mother was the third daughter in eight siblings. She was born in Cotabato, studied and got married in Davao. She met my dad at UM when she was studying Chemical Engineering, my dad was a student of Mechanical Engineering. They eloped and started a family in Masara, Davao Del Norte where my father was living at the time. My mother worked in the Laboratory in the mining company while my dad was with the Human Resources department. My mother gave birth to two boys, my brothers Edwin and Aldrin and me. We moved to Davao when I was five because they got a house there and the good schools were there for my brother who was in college.

My mother was strict as most parents in the 80s were, she wants me to follow my routines, sleep early, eat well, get home before sunset. I only recall a few times when she hit me when I was being naughty. I remember that she loves me and my family so much. She stopped working to look after us. She wakes up early, prepare my bath, my breakfast and get me to school, she was at my school in the parents lounge area from kinder to grade 5. I have a service pool going to school and then she will commute and get to school and bring my lunch. If I don’t like to eat she spoon feed me. She reserves the swing for me in the playground. She would “talk” to the kids who are mean to me. She changes my clothes every lunch time at school, put baby powder because I will get sweaty after playing. She does this every day and didn’t complain. I was aware of her and my dad’s sacrifices, how they worked hard for us so I tried to be a good daughter, tried my best at school and I finished my bachelor’s degree. I know I had made them proud as they would like to tell their friends of my achievements.

When I had my first job at Laguna, I was there by myself and got sick after a few months of Dengue fever and she was there the next day I was admitted at the hospital. It was her first time to fly by herself, she brought me Jollibee. She helped me feel better and stayed with me for a few months. I only stayed with that job for a few years because I miss my family especially my mom so much. I am a mamas girl. I learned independence but still want to be with my mom. she still prepares my bath and my breakfast and baon every day until the day I moved from home and got married.

When I had Kulay, my mother was the first person to see him. We stayed at my parents house and my mom helped me look after my son.

When we lost my Kuya Edwin and Kuya Aldrin, my mother was never the same. I could only imagine the pain she had burying her two sons just a few years apart. She started to be forgetful, not officially diagnosed but she started to have dementia.

One of my best memories with my mom was when we would go to Merco, just the two of us and eat our favourite halo-halo. She had simple joys, she don’t go out much, lost touch with friends, she’s always there for us. She rarely get sick, I only remember one time I was young when she had hyperacidity and spent some days at the hospital. She was always healthy and dependable not just for us but for our relatives.

I tried my best looking after her and my dad when they were older and I hope it was enough. I hope that my mom felt the love I had for her. I hope she knows that all her sacrifices, her care and love for me were not in vain.

I had braced myself for the day I will lose my mom but when the day came, it is painful. I prayed I can go home to Davao and spend more time with them but she has passed. We will never be together again in this world. I pray someday we would be whole as a family again. I hope she is happy now with my brothers and family who has passed. I pray for her peace. I pray my father and I will get through this.

I love you mama, my mama Corazon, a big piece of my heart belongs to you.

Losing

2021-11-02T00:09:00.006+08:00

This weekend was a revelation of how me and my son deal with losing. We talked him into joining his first Judo tournament and seeing he was the only white belt amongst the orange and greens his chances were slim. He tried his best. He had fun. He didnt feel bad about losing. He didnt get hurt and that was the foremost thing in my mind that he wouldn't break any bone in his body.He said he will compete again.

He also ran for student leader. I encouraged him before but he submitted his candidacy without much prodding from me. We made campaign posters and made a speech. The result came today and only 8 were chosen out of 20+ candidates and he wasn't one of them. He said he felt disappointed but he is okay and happy one of his mates got in. I felt very disappointed for him( not and never with him). I really wanted him to have the best experience during this formative years of his primary education. I wanted him to excel, push himself to be the version he can be...I think i wanted him to be more like me....on the honor roll...a teachers pet. Because i turned out okay didn't I?

Passion

2019-02-11T22:11:00.003+08:00

I suddenly felt the need to write. Right at this very instant.I felt this need to have a conversation with myself or just think out loud.I think what triggered it was the search for my passion.

Let me take a step back and evaluate my life at the moment.

I am 39 years old, married to my favorite person to annoy and have two lovely kids whom I also love to annoy. We are in a country which has become our second home and has given us lots of opportunities.I have a work which I can't say I love but is bearable and has given me flexibility to have the life work balance that I wanted. My boss asked me last week about my career plans. I honestly don't have one, i just want to have a job and earn money to support my family and pay the bills. I told him I just wanted to be where I am and learn more. So he asked if I'm interested to take some courses.I told him I'll think about it. So maybe this got me thinking about where I am in my life and what else do I want to do or achieve. Career wise, nope I don't have any more ambition to climb up the corporate ladder, I don't like the responsibility or the pressure. Should I push myself more? Nope, I've always lived by the anecdote of the Happiest Man in the world, the fisherman story. But maybe there's room to pursue my other passion outside of work? The first thing that really comes to mind is writing. I love writing. Not write to become famous or write an award winning book. Just write, dissect my thoughts, emotions and put it into something tangible.So now while writing this , I've come to the resolution that I should write more until I figure out what my other passions are.

My job hunting journey down under

2016-12-02T10:00:00.000+08:00

When we came here to West Australia last July, the first order of the day was to find a job. Job searching became a full time occupation for me. I send customized applications online to 2 or more companies per day. Here you can't send a generic application. You have to relate your work experience to the position you are applying for so the Employers could immediately see if there is a match. After sending out dozens of application, I got rejection letters. That is one good thing here because you will be informed whether you are being considered for the job selection process or not.

After almost two months of application I got my first job interview with Company A. I was telling myself that it is now my chance to showcase my work experience. I was very nervous that day because it was a panel interview with three interviewers (one in telecon) and I think I barely survived it. After two weeks, I got a letter from them informing me that I did not get the job. I was terribly disappointed because it was the only company who gave me a chance for an interview. I still gracefully sent Company A a Thank you email though and let them know that I hope they will keep me in mind if any similar position will come up.

Shortly after that, my husband got a job so the pressure for job hunting is off. I happily settled in my new role as a Stay At Home Mom. I tried looking for home based job but I had no luck either so I got my hands busy with the chores and my son's school work.

Then two weeks ago (two months after my interview) Company A called me up for another invitation for an interview since there is a similar position which opened up that fits my qualification. One of the managers who interviewed me the first time remembered me and was the one who refered me to the new position. The interview was like deja vu, same location and almost same people. A week after the interview I got invited for a walkthrough and a quick chat with the site Manager. After a few days I was asked for a Medical exam and after that I was offered the job.

It seemed that time went by pretty quickly and I am due to start my work a week from now. I feel really thankful and apprehensive at the same time. I am worried about the welfare of my children as I will be leaving them to strangers. I am also nervous about the job but I am hoping for the best. I am forever grateful that God gave me this opportunity and I know He will be with me the rest of the way in this new chapter in my life.

Becoming a Housewife

2016-10-04T23:53:00.004+08:00

I've always wanted to be a housewife. I can still vividly recall in one of my job interviews when I was fresh out of college, I was asked how I see myself in the future, I blurted out that I want to be a housewife. Obviously, I didn't get the job.I have seen how my mother have sacrificed her career as a Laboratory Analyst (she's a Chemical Engineer)to take care of our family. Growing up with my mom always by my side was the best part of my childhood and even my adult life. When I got married, I was the one working and my husband was the one at home to take care of the kids. I've always told him that I want to trade places with him.

Now, in the land down under my wish is granted. Two months after we got here in Oz, my husband was the first one to get a job. I have applied non stop and rejection letters came after the other. Now I finally have a full time job of being a Stay At Home Mom(SAHM). Honestly I am having a difficult time to adjust. I have been working for the past 15 years thus the difficulty. I'm not complaining because I love spending time with my kids but I'm missing work. I miss coming to the office and turning on my computer and opening excel files. I miss crunching numbers and doing analysis. I miss interacting with my colleagues.Being at home sometimes can be a bit boring and I miss the intellectual challenges of work.

I know that I am still adjusting and in time I can find my beat in my day to day life. In the meantime I am counting my blessings and treasuring the time I spend with my kids. In the morning I don't have to rush. I can lazily stretch in the bed and watch my kids stir from dreamland to the real world. I love seeing them open their eyes and smile at the sight of me.I love cooking for them though my abilities in the kitchen are limited to cereals and the frying pan. Well I am still in my training period as a stay at home mom and I know in time I will learn and get used to the drill.;)

How To Wash Cloth Diapers

2016-04-15T08:58:00.002+08:00

Cloth diapering seems like rocket science and leave many first time users confused from choosing the type of diaper to use and then to washing it. I use pocket type diapers and I would like to share how I wash them.

1.Used diapers should be washed after 1 to 3 days of use.I place the used diapers in a dry open pail.

2.On the day of washing, remove the inserts from the pocket.

3.For diapers soiled with poop, remove the poop first by spraying before mixing it with the other diapers.

4.Place the used inserts and pockets in cold water. Do not put detergent. Wash it first in water through hand or machine.

5.Drain water and then fill it up again and this time you can add in the detergent. It is advisable to use all-natural and enzyme free detergent such as Human Nature's Tough Love and Calla. I prefer the latter since it is cheaper and available in supermarkets.Also, use only a little amount of detergent, half the amount of what you normally use.

6.Wash in normal cycle.

7.Rinse and rinse until all the suds and bubbles disappear. I normally wash it twice or thrice.

8.Hang to dry. You can use hangers with clips for the inserts. For the pockets you can use hangers or place directly in the clothesline. Just make sure that you hang it parallel to protect the garters from loosening.

9.Let Mr. Sun do all the work. He can make those stains and smell disappear! :-)

My Australian Skilled Independent Visa Subclass 189 Application Journey

2016-03-30T17:38:00.001+08:00

Before I started my application for any Australian Visa, I checked http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa-1 to know what are the possible visas I could apply for.

Based on my reading I have decided that the best Visa that I should apply for is Skilled Independent Visa Subclass 189.

This visa is for points-tested skilled workers who are not sponsored by an employer or family member or nominated by a state or territory government. It allows you to live and work in Australia as a permanent resident.

I read the point system on that page and learned that I need 60 points. Point are awarded based on Age, English language ability, Skilled Employment, Qualifications, Australian Study Requirement and Other Factors.

Next is to find if my course is in the Skilled Occupations List which would mean that I could apply for Visa 189 and that I can nominate my occupation and get points. Fortunately, my course Industrial Engineering is in the List:

Occupation	ANZSCO Code	Assessing Authority
Industrial Engineer	233511	Engineers Australia

Based on the list, the assessing authority for my occupation is Engineers Australia. So I checked it out and downloaded the Migration Skills Assessment booklet and read it to know the steps and requirements to get my assessment. I then registered for an account online.

One of the requirements for assessment is proving your proficiency in the English Language and the most known type of exam is the IELTS. As per Engineers Autralia, I need to take the IELTS General and have a score of at least 7 in all bands. I paid P8,990 and registered for an exam under British Council. I have no time to attend review classes so I did a self study for 3 months and last May 30, 2015 I took an exam at Grand Regal Hotel Davao.

After I got the IELTS result, I completed the documents required by Engineer Australia or EA, paid 1,120 AUD and submitted it on their website using my EA account last January 16, 2016.

February 2, 2016- I received my positive EA assessment as a Profesional Engineer with 14 year plus relevant skilled employment.

I immediately made an account at Skillselect so I can submit my Expression Of Interest.

Skilled workers and business people interested in migrating to Australia can be considered for a skilled visa by submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI) through SkillSelect. An EOI is an indication that you would like to be considered for a skilled visa. An EOI is not a visa application.

I was able to get 65 points meaning I was able to meet the 60 points needed to apply for Visa 189.

Age- 25

English language ability-10 (based on IELTS result)

Skilled Employment-15 (based on EA assessment)

Qualification-15 (based on EA assessment)

After filling up the EOI form online I submitted it.

February 3, 2016- Immediately the following day to my great surprise, I received an Invitation to Apply for Visa 189 in my email. The invitation is valid for 60 days. It means I should be able to lodge an application for a Visa before April 3, 2016

I gathered all the necessary documents as evidence for the points I claimed such as Certificate of Employment, Payslips, School Diploma and etc. Most importantly I need to find money to pay the visa fee of 7,200 AUD for our family (plus husband and 2 kids).

The usual path is to pay the visa and upload documents then wait for the Case Officer to contact you and ask for Medical and NBI. However, I learned that you can have your Medical and NBI before lodging the visa so I did it.

February 6,2016-My family had our medical at Nationwide as they are the only accredited clinic in Davao. They performed urine test, blood test, chest x-ray and physical test with a Doctor. We paid P4,000 for adults and P2,000 for kids.

February 12, 2016- My husband and I applied for NBI clearance for International travel. We both paid P140. He got his clearance immediately while I got mine after 15 days because I had a hit.

February 26, 2016- Finally, I lodged our visa online thru www.immi.gov.au and paid using credit card.

March 19, 2016- After 22 days of waiting, we finally received the Golden Mail, our visa was granted. Thank you Lord!

Fujifilm Instax Mini 70

2015-12-23T20:00:00.000+08:00

Ever since we got a Fuji Instax Mini 8 as a gift I developed a love for Instax.We really love it! It is great for capturing wonderful moments of our family and we get to have an instant print for display in our wall or store in our album. Now I am crushing on the newly released Fuji Instax Mini 70 which has lots of cool features.

Auto Exposure Control Function

It can capture both the main subject and background in natural brightness. You don't need to configure a special setting. Just press the shutter button, and the camera can automatically detect the surrounding brightness then adjust the shutter speed and flash amount accordingly. The resulting images has a natural brightness, even those taken indoors or at weddings, which tend to have darker backgrounds when captured with conventional cameras.

Selfie Mode

I am not into selfies but there are just times that you need to take a selfie when there is no other person around. I can't do this with the Mini 8 but the new instax mini 70 can! You just choose the Selfie mode so the camera can automatically adjust the brightness and shooting distance to the level optimized for selfie shots. There’s even a selfie mirror beside the lens so you can check the framing to achieve the best angle. Features such as the self-timer function and tripod mount are useful for all your family and group shots.

Other Shooting Modes

Other convenient shooting modes that allow you to enjoy photography in a variety of situations include the “Macro” mode for close-up shots at a minimum of 30cm from the subject and the “Landscape” mode for far away landscape pictures of your holiday getaways.

All these cool features and more are packed into a modern and stylish body that comes in three colors to suit a variety of styles: Canary Yellow, Island Blue, and Moon White. The new instax mini 70 makes for a trendy fashion accessory you can bring around anywhere.

And oh did I mention that the lovely Miss Bea Alonzo is Fujifilm's newest ambassador?

Fujifilm Instax also has Gift Packages perfect for this Holiday season!

The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Holiday Launch 2015

2015-12-13T23:12:00.000+08:00

Last November 7, 2015 we were invited to the launch of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf at their branch at SM Lanang. It is their first time to have a Holiday launch at Davao and it was truly an enriching experience.

They launched the 2015 Giving Journal (you may check how to get it here) and we also had a Watercolor Lettering Session with April San Pedro, the crafter behind I Am Artisan blog.

I was very much interested to learn because I have such bad hand writing and I wanted to turn it into an art. Lettering and Calligraphy is becoming a popular hobby nowadays because it makes great decoration and gifts.

April taught us to practice the drills first which I think I did pretty well based on my seriousness to learn haha

Then we learned about the cursive and print fonts and the most important lesson of all is to "give your work some personality based on your own style". Then we were given a card where we should write using watercolor lettering our power word for 2016. In addition we cam embellish our cards with Fujifilm Instax Photo Prints which I think gives it more personal flavor.

I will not show my actual work because it is so blah. I forgot that you cannot erase watercolor and my letters were so cramped. My power word is "Australia '16" because I plan to visit it next year.

After the session we had some raffles and they all gave us the Giving Journal and I got to choose my favorite color Purple! I am so happy and excited to use the journal and plan to fill it with not just with words but with Fujifilm Instax Prints to capture those memorable moments that I'm gonna have next year.

The Magic of Christmas

2015-12-09T01:35:00.000+08:00

Even now that I am a mother with two kids I still feel like a kid myself during Christmas. Every time I hear Christmas songs I feel instantly transported to my younger years where I wake up with much excitement during Christmas morning to see what Santa has left for me. I would wake up early and hurry to the Christmas tree where I hung my sock. I would not immediately peek inside but I try to feel first with my tiny hands and try to guess the item inside the sock. It is usually apples or chocolates and I would feel very happy with that. There was a time I remember that the sock was empty and I felt really disappointed but my mother told me that the gift wouldn't fit inside the sock so Santa placed it underneath the tree. I squealed with glee to find a toy robot underneath the tree. Yes I wanted a toy robot then. I actually wanted Optimus Prime because the boy next door had one and I was really envious.The Transformer robot must have been pretty expensive back then because all I got was a small R2D2 of Star Wars but boy I do love that robot because it moves and lights up!

My parents and brothers all colluded to make me believe in Santa Claus. I only discovered the hard truth when I was in Grade 5 where I learned from my classmate who the real Santa Claus is. My world shattered then but because I still got presents from my parents I moved on.

Now as a parent, I also want my children to experience the magic of Christmas. My husband and I started the tradition of putting socks for them but we explained to Kulay that Santa Claus used us to give him and Lili presents.

Apart from the magic of Santa Claus, I want them to experience a real kind of magic...the magic of putting a smile on other kids face. The magic of loving and sharing. I asked Kulay to sort his toys so we would donate those he doesn't want to play with anymore.

Some of the stuffed toys we Donated to Naprey's The Gift Giving Project which we left at My Skin drop box

I hope through this we would instill in him positive values that would allow him to see the good and something magical in this world.

McHappy Day Stripes Run 2015

2015-12-05T00:00:00.000+08:00

I never joined a fun run. I don't think that the idea of running a few kilometers under the heat of the sun is fun. However, when I've heard of McHappy Day Stripes Run I got interested to join because of ~~the iconic striped socks~~ there is a category for a Family run meaning I could drag along Mike and the kids. Also this fun run is for a cause, it would help more Filipino kids learn how to read. Through the Stripes Run in Davao and Manila, McDonald's aims to raise 2 Million Pesos to share the gift of reading to more kids nationwide. McDonald's has touched lives of 11.5 million students among 7,500 partner schools.

Last November 28 at People's Park, more than 2000 Dabawenyo runners joined the first ever McHappy Day Stripes Run in Davao. It was hosted by Jackie Lou Blanco and Mikee Aportadera.

The mood was very festive when we got there with all various activity booths like Birdie the Tower, Ronald Recall, Photobooth and Face Painting. It certainly looks like a big birthday party than a fun run and my kids totally loved it!

The kids were busy playing but still had lots of energy for the race. We joined the McDonald's Family Dash 3K which we finished in almost an hour, Hurray! We really had fun and look forward to McHappy Stripes Run in the future. Each of us brought home cool shirts, iconic striped socks, loot bags and of course wonderful memories while helping the kids in need.

5 Tips to Boost Your Immunity during the Holidays

2015-11-30T16:26:00.001+08:00

December is my most awaited time of the year not only because it is my son and I's birth month but because of Christmas. I really feel giddy with anticipation when the calendar hits the ber months and the weather starts to get cold. Christmas for me is a celebration of love because we celebrate the birth of our savior Jesus Christ who showed us the true meaning of love.

It is the time for sharing our blessings to our loved ones and especially to those who need it the most like victims of calamities, abandoned elders, street children and etc. Christmas is a perfect opportunity to show acts of kindness and compassion.

It is also the time for Christmas parties, family gatherings and reunions. There are lots of people at the mall buying gifts. Traffic becomes heavy because there are lots of places we want to visit.There are lots of things to do that makes everyone excited about Christmas.However this excitement also comes with stress thus one must not get too caught up with the Christmas cheers and forget to take care of themselves. I would like to share these five tips in boosting your energy this Holidays because nobody wants to get sick this season right?

1. Feel happy and be happy in the happiest season of the year!

Being happy is great on its own but there are also health benefits attributed to it. There are lots of scientific studies attributing health decline because of negative emotions thus steer away from negativity and adopt a positive outlook in life. Do the things that makes you happy like spending quality time with your family and friends and Christmas is the perfect time to bond with them.

2. Exercise daily.

Despite the hectic schedules with Christmas parties, shopping for gifts and practicing for choirs and other activities, we must not forget our daily routines for fitness. We can squeeze in a bit of exercise in our Christmas activities like brisk walking when attending Simbang Gabi or caroling around the neighborhood. You can also walk around the poorest part of the city and distribute toys or gifts to the young and old.

3.Rest!

Christmas parties might end up a little late at night and sometimes even at wee hours of the morning.It is important though that you don't forget to rest. You have to say no sometimes to after party events that could deprive you of sleep. It is still very essential to maintain at least eight hours of sleep to let your body rest and recover your energy...so you can attend another party the following day!

4. No to excessive intake of unhealthy food.

This is perhaps the hardest thing to do this Christmas as we are tempted to devour all the delicious food served in various parties. Hello there lechon, spaghetti, patatim and overflowing desserts! That is why I said "excessive" because we don't need to deprive ourselves but we just need to be mindful of our food intakes. It is important to eat a balanced diet by eating the right amount of calories that your body needs and eat a wide range of nutritious food which includes fish, fruits and vegetables.

5.Consume your daily dose of Vitamin C!

Vitamin C , according to experts is one of the safest and most effective nutrients. We can get it from fruits and vegetable but to ensure one meets the daily supplemental need we often take supplements. A good and accessible source of vitamin C is Fern-C.

Fern-C is an immune-system booster because it provides protection against immune system deficiencies. I personally take Fern-C and every time I feel that I am coming down with colds or flu I take 3 to 4 capsules with lots of water and rest. It really works for me and I feel instantly better. For daily use I take one to two capsules.

Fern-C is a potent anti-oxidant. Anti-oxidants are beneficial to the body.It blocks some of the damage caused by free radicals which are substances that damage DNA. The build up of free radicals over time may contribute to the aging process and the development of health conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and arthritis.

Fern-C contains Sodium Ascorbate. It is composed of Sodium and Vitamin C. Sodium acts as a buffer that creates a less acidic supplement than that of Ascorbic acid.It is bioavailable and “alkaline” which does not cause stomach upsets unlike Ascorbic acid. You can take it on an empty stomach and not feel any acidity.

You can check and follow the below-social Media Accounts or more information on Fern-C.

Fern-C Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fernconline/

Fern-C Twitter: https://twitter.com/FERNCOnline

Fern-C Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ferncofficial/

So don't forget to enjoy the holidays and the 5 tips I shared which is as easy to remember as the initials FERN-C !

Happy Holidays Everyone! :-)

Note: All photos are taken by my husband and used with permission except for the Fern-C photo grabbed from thefilipinodoctor.com

For daily maintenance, take 1-2 capsules

Bloggers' Night Spa Escape at Olive Leaf Wellness Spa

2015-11-15T12:19:00.000+08:00

It was a cold rainy Monday night. It would have been a good idea to head home, have a hearty dinner and crawl early to bed but a wonderful option was available. The lovely owner of Olive Leaf Wellness Spa, Miss Christine invited Davao Bloggers to try out their services.

L to R: Miah, Me, Miss Christine, Chamee, Vanessa (Photo Courtesy of Vanessa)

The establishment is located inside Juna Subdivision, Matina which is away from the hustle and the bustle of the city.

You will be immediately set into a relaxing mood when you enter the place with the dim lighting, warm colored interiors, calming music and ginger tea.

I read their menu of services and found it unique because it is inspired by Greek Mythology.

Photo Grabbed from Olive Leaf Facebook Page

It took me a while to decide on what service to try out but I eventually settled on The Chocolate Truffle Scrub. I am a chocolate lover so you can see the attraction of being treated to and exfoliating treatment with Belgian Chocolate and Mediteranean Sea Salt.

Me and Mommy Miah Getting Prepped for our Spa(Photo Courtesy of Vanessa)

So I laid there and had my body generously scrubbed while breathing in the wonderful scent of chocolate. After the half hour scrub, I took a warm bath and then had my one hour massage with olive oil. It was truly a luxurious experience and a rare treat to a working Mom like me who needs to de-tress every once in a while. Every hard working souls out there needs to pamper themselves and having a spa is a perfect way to do it!

What I love about Olive Leaf Wellness Spa is that they use organic products that are safe for most skin types and really more effective and nourishing. They also offer a customized massage where you can choose the duration, pressure and area of the body that you want the therapist to focus on. I believe this is the first spa that offers this type of massage in Davao.

In addition they offer packages for couples, moms, dads, bride or husband to be and can even accommodate spa parties which are perfect for birthdays or bridal showers.

What I don't love about it is that it is a bit far from where I live but of course that wouldn't stop me from visiting them again after having a wonderful experience! ;-)

Olive Leaf Wellness Spa

Location: #603, Door 2, Macopa Street, Juna Subdivision, Matina Crossing, 8000 Davao City, Philippines

Facebook Page: Olive Leaf Wellness Spa
Business Hours: Mon-Thurs 2:00 pm - 12:00 am, Fri-Sun 2:00pm - 2:00am
Contact No. 0917-392-4868 / 0917-682-8919 / 0922-218-1088 / (082) 273-0570
E-mail Ad: oliveleafspa@yahoo.com

My First Escape Room Experience

2015-11-07T23:45:00.000+08:00

I am a huge fan of puzzles and mysteries. I love reading Nancy Drew, Sherlock Holmes and other detective novels. I also love to watch mystery movies and crime series like CSI, Sherlock and etc. I love listening to mysterious songs too! Okay the last line is an exaggeration.

Ever since I've heard of live Escape rooms in Manila I've always wanted to go. Escape Room games are live adventure wherein players are locked inside a room and they have to observe and use the things inside the room to find clues and hidden objects, solve puzzles and escape the room within a set limit time.

When I've heard that one will be opening in Davao, I didn't pass up the chance to visit it when they invited Davao Bloggers to try it out.

Excited to Channel Sherlock Holmes and oh that's my husband on the mirror

There are 3 rooms which are Lucila's curse, Secret Agents on a Mission and Murder at Apartment 999.

Your team which is composed of a maximum of 6 members will be given an hour to escape the room. When your time is up and you still haven't escaped the room then ~~your doomed~~ you will automatically be let out of the room.

Before entering the room there will be a game master assigned to brief you on your task. The game master will also accompany your team inside the room but will only observe and not participate.

There are three levels of difficulty, Houdini, Difficult and Easy. Houdini level means no clue, Difficult level gives you two clues and Easy level gives you five. The clues will be given by the game master but you have to ask for the right questions first thus each question should be carefully thought of. You can have a chance to downgrade your level once inside the room. Only those who chose Houdini level will have a chance to be featured in the leader board.

So here's our escape experience, there are four members in our team namely my husband, Lovely and Mickey.

We came, we lost but we had fun!

We chose to be detectives and solve the Murder at Apartment 999. We also chose the Houdini level but after a few minutes we downgraded to difficult and after more minutes we downgraded to easy but still we failed to escape the room *sigh* I felt disappointed with myself but I am very challenged to try it again soon and hopefully be able to escape in time.

MysterEscape

Location: Mezzanine floor of Adelfa Building,
Km.6 J.P Laurel Avenue, Lanang, Davao City, Philippines

Operating Hours: 1:00 PM to 9:00 PM on Wednesdays to Sundays Tuesdays

Website: http://www.mysterescape.com

Facebook Page: MysterEscape

Music and musings

2015-06-07T23:34:00.001+08:00

I often listen to music when doing something, household chores or work. The music provides a jumbled background of melodies and words as I concentrate on my task but every once in a while a line from a song just refuses to be unheard. Right now it is this line...

''I think you and the Moon and Neptune got it right çause now I'm shining bright "

Jollibee invades Davao with the Jollitown Funtasy Land

2015-05-14T00:23:00.000+08:00

Last May 9, Jollibee Kids Club members in Davao experienced an extra sarap summer as the Jollitown Funtasy Land caravan hits town at the SMX Convention Center in SM Lanang, Davao.

My family did not let this event pass since my son, Kulay is a big fun of Jollibee and friends.My entire family went there and Kulay was ecstatic bouncing around the Rainbow Slide and Jollibee House. He bravely fell in line with other kids so he could go back repeatedly to the slide but he was scared to try the Dingdangdong Clingers.

The kids and young at heart enjoyed posing at the various Jollitown Themed photo booths scattered around thr venue.

The place was filled with various adventure such as this Enchanted Maze with magical characters!

There were also a magic well which fascinated everyone.

My lone year old daughter loved riding the Jolli car ride.

Everyone had a chance to chat with Jollibee at the Jolliphone booth.

There were a lot more activities that kids enjoyed during the event but I guess the highlight was watching and even dancing with Jollibee, Hetty, Twirlie and Champ.

All kids were given loot bags and some purchased special Jollitown Souvenirs like the Jollibee stuffed toy to bring home with them and add to their collection.

My family really had a blast and we look forward to more events from Jollibee like this! You can also become a JKC member now a to have exclusive access to other fun-filled activities! Log on to www.Jollibeekidsclub.com for more details.

Crocs Super Sale Davao 2015

2015-03-25T23:07:00.000+08:00

Liwanag's First Birthday: A Shabby Chic Sunshine Party

2015-03-21T23:37:00.000+08:00

We celebrated Liwanag's Birthday at the same day as her Baptism last March 8, 2015. This is an advance celebration as her birthday is on March 11. I decided to have a Sunshine theme inspired by her name which means "light". I also wanted to have a non-pink color scheme since this seems as a default color for girls. Don't get me wrong, I love pink! In fact it is my favorite color and I actually hate yellow because I think it is a loud color.

When I was searching for party inspirations, i stumbled upon the theme Shabby Chic so I adapted a few concept from that theme thus the "Shabby Chic Sunshine" theme.

We had her baptism at St.Joseph the Worker Parish and had the reception at Pippin's Restaurant. Both places are very near our residence.

Our decoration for the venue are all DIY which my husband and I both made with love. I made the pinwheels and cloud pom poms while my husband made the 3 ft letter standee and the sunshine Pinata.

For the table centerpieces, I recycled mayo jars and adorned it with doily and ribbon and placed baby's breath flowers. I attached a balloon per vase. I wanted to add framed photos but we forgot to print the photos, so there.

I ordered the 6 inches icing sunshine cake (P700) and sunflower cupcakes (P29) from Sweet Aroma who did a great job in copying the design I gave them. I chose them specifically because their cakes are really yummy and I don't want a fondant cake because I don't like the taste much.

The loot bags are bought from stores and I just added the doily and ribbon.

For giveaways to god parents I had sugar cookies made by Jan Alalong.

So here we are, the yellow team

and here is the birthday girl, our little miss Liwanag. She has truly brought happiness and light to our lives. God bless you always baby! Mama, Papa and Kuya loves you very much!

Liwanag's Fisrt Birthday Photoshoot

2015-03-21T16:37:00.000+08:00

Wow it's been a really long while since my last post. There have been a lot of things that have kept me busy and one of them is my daughter Liwanag or Lili as we fondly call her. We celebrated her first birthday last March 11 but before the birthday. We had a photoshoot with of course her Dad, Kulay Potograpiya as our photographer. Sharing our favorite photos on that shoot.

Location: Riverfront Corporate Center or most commonly known as outside Crocodile Park

OOTD: Pillow Dress made by local WAHM, Smartmum Online, Headband crocheted by my friend Ailyn, shoes from Crib Couture

OOTD: Denim Jacket from Gap, Tee from Old Navy, Skirt from Cotton On, Tutu Skirt made by my friend Roselle

MCNP is 3 Anniversary Raffle

2014-09-27T01:51:00.000+08:00

Modern Cloth Nappying Pinay FB group is turning 3! In celebration of their third year "Transforming the world... one nappy at a time!", they are giving away 3 MYSTERY BOXES to help 3 mommies build their stash!

When I saw the poster above, I decided to join though I know that we have a slim chance of winning since there were around 230 plus entries. This was our entry with the following caption

"We don't need to possess superpowers to be super heroes.
We only need to care for the environment and help save the world and be superheroes in our own way.
Our family chose to use CLOTH DIAPERS over disposable ones because it is reusable and help reduce waste.
Thus calling other mommies, daddies and babies, be a superhero and choose cloth diaper."

We had fun doing the shoot with hubby as our photographer and Kuya Kulay as his ~~troublemaker~~ assistant. Lili was very cooperative and didn't make much fuss.

Some Behind the Scenes Shots

The winners were announced last September 7 and we were really overjoyed that our entry won as Admin Choice! We almost did not win as our entry tied with another deserving entry but thankful that we won after the tie breaker.

This afternoon we just got our prize which is the FLUFFIEST MAIL that we've ever received!

We are so really THANKFUL to MCNP and to the sponsors of this contest

next9
Asya's Cradle
Baby Chic Boutique
Smart Mum Online
The Marshmallow Baby Online Shop
BABY LEAF
Tickled Moms
Cottonytail
Earthbaby

The prizes we received will be very helpful in our cloth diapering journey!:-)

Our Cloth Diapering Journey

2014-08-31T22:22:00.000+08:00

Before our first son was born my husband and I agreed to make him wear lampin. We thought that disposable diapers are costly, wasteful and could cause diaper rash. So when Kulay was born last 2010 we made him wear good old lampin with pins for three months using only disposables at night and when going out.

Our First Born in Lampin

We eventually succumbed to using 100% disposable diapers because we got tired of doing the laundry , we have no helper. It was not just the lampins but also the bed sheets, blankets and etc because of pee or poop leaks. I was aware then about modern lampins or cloth diaper but I found it too expensive (around P500 and up) since most of available brands are US made.

With our second child, Liwanag, I did more research on cloth diapers and found the Modern Cloth Nappying Pinays Group in Facebook. The group was really informative and all I learned all about the modern lampin from that page. A friend who was also pregnant found online stores which sell China made nappies like Alva so we ordered together to avail of the wholesale price and save on shipping fee , I bought 5 pieces initially. I chose Alva 3.0 pocket cloth diapers because it is cheap and it would fit newborn babies up to 2 and a half year old kids.

I got the actual diapers when I was still 7 months pregnant and it was love at first sight. The designs are so cute and it feels so soft to touch. I can’t help but order again, so I bought 5 more CDs.

When my daughter was finally born last March, I waited for 4 weeks before I made her wear the CDs, making sure that the meconium (that black sticky stuff) on her poop was gone. I thought the diaper was too big for her but then I later realized that I didn’t adjust the snaps properly.

my second child wearing her first CD at 27 days old

We survived exclusively cloth diapering her with the 10 diapers but it was too tiring to do the laundry each day. I handwash the cds myself at night before going to sleep so I decided to buy additional Cds.

Whenever I am online I stalked the MCNP group and made sure to check the for sale/trade album. I eventually bought more second hand pocket diapers, brought covers and tried other pocket diaper brands until I found out what worked for us.

Now my daughter is almost 6 months, medium wetter and we have 25 CDs in rotation which is mostly composed of Sunbaby Size 2 pocket diapers. She uses around 6 to 8 CDs per day so we need to do the laundry every other day not to run out of CDs.

Loving our Sunbaby CDs

I never regretted choosing cloth diapers and am always encouraging other mommies to try it out. It really has lots of benefits,will post more about it next time.

Breastfeeding, A Winning Goal for Life!

2014-08-22T23:49:00.002+08:00

"Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (August). For this month, we write about the World Breastfeeding Week 2014 - Breastfeeding: A Winning Goal for Life and share how breastfeeding can help the Philippines achieve the 8 Millennium Development Goals developed by the government and the United Nations. Participants will share their thoughts, experiences, hopes and suggestions on the topic. Please scroll down to the end of the post to see the list of carnival entries."

The moment that a woman gives birth she does not only give life to the newborn child but also she also gives birth to her new persona, becoming a mother. Becoming a mother is no easy task as you are given a big responsibility or rather a gift of nurturing a new life. Women are designed by nature to nourish their children and this is through breastfeeding.

When I was still single and even when I had my first child four years ago, I didn't give breastfeeding much thought. I just thought that it will come naturally. Well it does come naturally but I didn't know that it was an act of conscious commitment. With my first child, I did not know much about breastfeeding. I gave in to the wrong beliefs about it and ended up giving my child formula on his third day and mix feeding him until he totally gave up on my breast at five months. I thought that it was enough that I was able to breastfeed him for a while. When I became pregnant again last year it was a very fortunate incident that I got to talk to a fellow pregnant mother who taught me a lot about breastfeeding. Now I think it's my turn to share my thoughts on breastfeeding.

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

My husband and I have a reversal of the more common husband and wife roles. He stays at home to take care of the children while I go to work. With my second child since I was more committed to breastfeeding it became a challenge for me to continue to feed my baby with breast milk when I got back to work after my two month maternity leave. I decided to express breast milk at work and store it for my baby's consumption. Pumping breast milk is not easy especially when you get busy at work. I realized then that women are really designed to stay at home at take care of their children. I am not being an anti-feminist here or being old fashioned but it seems nature designed it that way though if a mother decides to work there are lots of way to still continue breastfeeding and find support at work especially now that our government released the Breastfeeding Act. My point is that a mother who stays home and takes care of her kids is a job in itself and a very difficult and important job. I used to think that for a woman to be successful or competitive she must be professional and have a very good career. Now that I am a mother I realized otherwise.

Breastfeeding is a very empowering act for women because through it we sustain life and provide our children with their much needed nourishment.

Breatfeeding my Baby Lili Anywhere, Everywhere

COMBAT DISEASES

I just learned that a mother's breastmilk is called "liquid gold". Through reading and talking with fellow breastfeeding moms I learned a lot about how precious breast milk is just as gold.From Unicef.org

Breast milk provides all of the nutrients, vitamins and minerals an infant needs for growth for the first six months, and no other liquids or food are needed. In addition, breast milk carries antibodies from the mother that help combat disease. The act of breastfeeding itself stimulates proper growth of the mouth and jaw, and secretion of hormones for digestion and satiety. Breastfeeding creates a special bond between mother and baby and the interaction between the mother and child during breastfeeding has positive repercussions for life, in terms of stimulation, behaviour, speech, sense of wellbeing and security and how the child relates to other people. Breastfeeding also lowers the risk of chronic conditions later in life, such as obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, childhood asthma and childhood leukaemias. Studies have shown that breastfed infants do better on intelligence and behaviour tests into adulthood than formula-fed babies.

See how truly perfect breast milk is that I really see it such a waste of precious liquid gold when I see children being fed with formula.
I just also learned that even when a mother is sick she can still continue to breastfeed her baby to help the baby produce antibody for combating the disease. And i have proven this just recently, two weeks ago my eldest came down with colds which developed into a cough and my husband and I also caught it. I still continued to breastfeed my 5 month old but made sure that I cover my mouth when I sneeze or cough and ensure to always wash my hands when I hold her. In the two weeks time that we are battling the virus, my daughter did not catch the disease. She did not get contaminated with colds or cough, thank goodness!

I really hope more mothers, stay at home, work at home or working away from home would choose to breastfeed their babies as long as they can. There are a lot of benefits from breastfeeding and it will not help our family but also our nation. God gave us this gift which we should use wisely in raising up our children, the next generation.

#BF1st1000days

Here are many thoughts and reasons why we should all advocate for mothers to breastfeed for the first 1,000 days of life #BF1st1000days Jenny shares experiencing the One Asia Breastfeeding Forum
Mec insists to do the Math and breastfeed!
Ams, The Passionate Mom says Breastfeed for a Better Future
Pat says breastfeeding saves money and the planet
Cheryl, the Multi-Tasking Mama, tackles maternal health as addressed by breastfeeding
2011 CNN Hero Ibu Robin highlights gentle births and breasfeeding, even in disaster zones
Felyn stresses that Healthy Moms = Healthy Babies
Monique reminds us that there are second chances in breastfeeding
Normi relates how breastfeeding gave her strength and purpose
Nats thanks Dr. Jack Newman for showing how breastfeeding can be a win-win situation
Em believes breastfeeding is a solution to societal problems
Marge shares what breastfeeding has taught them
Kaity was empowered financially and as a woman through breastfeeding
Madel relates her breastfeeding saga
Jen of Next9 reminds us to do our research and share what we know
Celerhina Aubrey vows to work on one mother at a time
Grace wants to put an end to stories of toasted coffee and similar stuff over breast milk
Diane shares how she prevailed when things did not go according to plan
Hazel appreciates mommy support groups
Roan combines two passions, breastfeeding and architecture
Queenie tackled breastfeeding as the best choice for the environment as well and breastfeeding myths and poverty
Rosa shares how the picture she thought of was realized
Sally believes breastfeeding benefits mankind and our planet Earth
Floraine reminds us that breastfeeding helps combat diseases
Crislyn was happy to realize that she improved her own health by breastfeeding
Armi reminds us how breastfeeding during emergencies is crucial
Arvi tells us how breastfeeding made her look at her body a different way
Clarice elaborates on how breastfeeding saves lives and the planet
Giane reminds us that women empowerment can begin by seeing breastfeeding as more than a feeding issue
Liza thought she was only breastfeeding for her child

My 2nd birthing experience

2014-03-26T14:34:00.001+08:00

I thought giving birth to Kulay was the greatest of my life but then I had a repeat performance. Here's what happened.

March 10

10:30 am
I went to my OB for my weekly check up. I am at 38 weeks 3 days. She conducted an IE for the first time and found my cervix still closed. She then told me she would insert three Evening Primrose Oil Capsule to soften my cervix and let me lie down for 20 minutes. She then prepared my admission for labor papers just in case.

7:30 pm
I noticed blood and mucus on my undies and urine when I was peeing at Gmall. I didn't feel any pain or strong contractions so we had dinner at KFC with hubby and son and had our grocery and went home.

10:00 pm
Still no labor but I decided to go to the hospital for a check up. Car won't start so we waited for a taxi.

11:00 pm
Arrived at Davao Doctor's, the OB at the Delivery room conducted an IE and found my cervix to be opened at 1-2cm she then inserted more EPrim caps. As per my OBs instruction I was advised for admission since labor might start at an unholy hour. And so I spent the night at the Labor Room while Mike slept at the OB ward.

March 11

5:00 am
Still no labor and they conducted another IE and cervix is at 3cm. She also performed a membrane sweep.

10:30 am
My OB arrived and conducted another IE and cervix is opened at 4-5cm. My OB joked that I should give birth before 4pm because she have classes.

2:30 pm
My contractions are becoming stronger and is starting to be painful, I told the midwife. The resident OB conducted an IE and cervix is opened at 7cm and it is fully effaced. They then prepped me for delivery and brought me to the Delivery room. We waited for my OB and during the wait, I heard a pop and my water bag broke and then the pain intensified. I feel the urge to push but they told me to wait. I tried to fight the pain by breathing.
My OB arrived and so I started to push...after 3 push...Liwanag came out at 3:07pm..wailing loudly and was placed on my chest.

Thank you Lord for a safe delivery and a healthy baby.

A pregnancy Scare

2014-02-20T08:56:00.000+08:00

A couple of weeks ago, well January 30 to be quite exact I had a pregnancy scare. My officemates and I were on our way to Compostela because we have a meeting there. We stopped by Gaisano Mall Tagum for lunch and when I went to the bathroom to pee, I noticed blood on my undies and urine. I didn’t feel any pain or contractions so I didn’t panic but I was really worried. I was still 32 weeks pregnant then. I told my officemates that I won’t go with them to Comval and contacted some of my officemates who were fortunately at Mawab (30 mins away from Tagum) to accompany me back to Davao. I waited at Gaisano Mall in Tagum and became really paranoid when I felt abdominal pains. Thankfully my officemates from Mawab came quickly to my rescue and the abdominal pain subsided. ...maybe it was just the nerves...being alone in a place far from home and bleeding.

The driver then brought me directly to Davao Doctors and we arrived at around 2pm. I went directly to my OB and husband and son met me there. She conducted a pap smear and confirmed there was indeed bleeding and cleaned me up. She also requested for an Abdominal and Transvaginal ultrasound. Her initial diagnosis was placenta previa, meaning the placenta is low lying and might be causing the bleeding.

Luckily I was still accommodated by the Ultrasound Section even if it was already past 4pm. I was the last patient and was quite surprised to see a male OB/SOnologist doing the test. He conducted the ultrasound and found my placenta to be in place, the baby to be fine and everything is fine and that my cervix haven’t opened or dilated yet, Thank God! He also showed us the baby’s face and he was very kind to give us a 4D print out even if we only paid for the normal ultrasound. He didn’t check the gender though as my OB specified “NO Gender” in the request but it was enough for me to see the baby’s face who looked like his Kuya Kulay. It was a really scary day but turned out to be quite rewarding at the end.

Keeping the Baby's Gender a Surprise

2014-01-13T12:32:00.003+08:00

Photo Source: www.popsugar.com

I am now 30 weeks pregnant or at my 7 month of pregnancy and we do not know yet the gender our baby...by choice. We wanted to keep it a surprise to make it more thrilling. We both wanted a girl since we already had a boy that's why we don't want to know until the last minute. We figured that in our parent's time they don't know the gender and highly anticipates the actual day of birth for the gender. I want to experience the "It's a boy or girl moment" when the baby eventually comes out. I wanted the gender to be an extra motivation during labor.

I had a trans-vaginal ultrasound at 8 weeks and at that time the gender can't be determined yet. After that I haven't had any ultrasound. My OB also encourages me to keep the gender a surprise and promised not to tell me the gender even when I will undergo an ultrasound as she is also a Sonologist and will conduct my ultrasound.

During my pregnancy with my first born there was no surprise about the gender because at my trans-vaginal ultrasound at 13 weeks the testicles can be clearly seen so we know early on that it is a Boy.

I honestly question the wisdom of our decision to keep the gender a surprise. I often have dreams (sometimes nightmare) about the gender of the baby. It is difficult to look for unisex clothing. I don't enjoy shopping as much as I long to buy cute boy or girl outfits. Every people I meet would immediately ask me whether I'm having a boy or a girl and of course they have their own predictions. Most of them thinks that it's a girl judging from my appearance and shape of belly.
What's more important right now is to be fit and prepare myself for the big day. And of course what I pray most in the world is a healthy and normal baby and a safe and normal delivery irregardless of the gender.Wish me luck! :-)