Mommy Practicality

My youngest is turning one year old next month and we're all excited about it! What excites me a lot more is the preparations I'm doing for the birthday party of our son. Of course as a practical mom, the first thing to do when organizing a birthday party is to set a budget, decide on a theme, book a venue or restaurant, choose a menu, look for affordable but quality suppliers and then go micro with the details.

This will be a series of blog posts about our baby's birthday party! Today, I want to talk about our chosen theme and my pegs. Instead of cartoon or movie characters, we decided to go for a Baby Jungle Safari theme, Aren't baby animals one of the cutest things you could find on earth? Yeah?! With a fiesta of colors in baby hues plus cutie lion, giraffe, elephant, zebra, and monkey faces, I believe we wouldn't go wrong with this theme.

As usual, I've created a Pinterest board to collect all my Jungle Safari birthday party theme inspirations. That's been a habit of mine whenever I would organize an event (a passion I would someday pursue!) of my children. I've collected pegs for the following: venue decoration, pictorial or pre-birthday shoot styling, dessert table, cake, giveaways, costume, and invitation. Let me share them now with you:

INVITATION
We pretty much patterned our invitation to this below (but ours is cuter, syempre love your own!)
We incorporated the use of wooden planks as background, the cute animals, leaves, and used a modern thin font for our baby's Save The Date, Invitation, and Map.

DIY LOOT BAG

I'm actually still undecided if I will once again do the DIY route to the loot bags. If ever I will, I might use this idea (brown paper bags, animal prints and cut out characters, with treats inside). But if not, I might call the wooden stool supplier and order safari themed kiddie stools from them. We'll see

BABY SAFARI CAKE

I love this cake and my cake supplier friend, Delishaes' Cakes will do a matching

2D cupcakes with yummy icing to go with this.

Or this, still hasn't decided which cake to go for. :)

JUNGLE SAFARI COSTUME
I'm planning to just use the existing khaki shorts and white shirt of my baby. We'll probably just buy a khaki collared shirt and a safari hat plus binoculars as well. Our family plans to come in this costume as well, making use of existing wardrobe.

PARTY HATS

I don't have any idea where to buy this safari hat which I plan to give out to all kids. I saw in one post that they sell on ebay, but quite expensive. I might go to Divisoria to search for this type of hat and match each with binoculars.

DESSERT BUFFET BACK DROP

If there's one thing I like doing when it comes to my sons' celebrations, it's doing their dessert buffets. I'll DIY the backdrop and wish to attain this backdrop with his name on it.

DESSERT BUFFET

With the DIY dessert buffet, I plan to make use of existing wooden boxes here in the house which I got from some gifts sent to me by brands. I'll accentuate the table with old luggage which I got from mom, look for a brown or animal-pattern printed cloth, then white ceramic trays to put the treats in or on. I want a healthier dessert buffet table so it will probably have more of cookies, wafers, and cupcakes, water bottles, and marshmallows too.

The wooden boxes which I plan to put on the DIY dessert table look like these.

VENUE DECOR

We're having the party in a pizza place in QC area. We considered renting an events venue but it's costly, so instead of putting money in the rental, we'll allocate that for food instead. Practically speaking, we're paying for the minimum order requirement to have the venue for us for free and pay a small amount for every hour extension. I've already gotten a supplier for the venue decor which includes the styro backdrop, the balloon pillars, cake arc, welcome signage, table centerpieces, hosting, magic show, face painting, and unlimited shots for photobooth. For its package price, not bad at all.

Still so many things to do but so little time because I still have no yaya and I am JUNGLE-ing all my tasks at home, at work, for the blog, so you know, NKKLK to the highest degree!

But still my excitement is way beyond the moon and back for our baby's 1st year milestone! I'll be sharing more of the preparations, list of suppliers, venue, and the party itself in the coming weeks or months maybe. So for moms like me who are also preparing for their little one's party, happy party planning to us!

JUNE is a month to remember by every Filipino because of it's a month we celebrate the National Independence Day. F1 Hotel Manila clearly never forgets for it's the month they launch their annual Filipino Feast LuzViMinda 5. This year's LuzViMinda has a theme of Gastronomical Fusion featuring three talented guest chefs Mikel Zaguirre (representing Luzon), Dennis Uy (representing Visayas) and Kalel Chan (representing Mindanao), headed by Executive Chef Decker Gokioco.

This wasn't the first time we experienced a dining euphoria in F1 Hotel Manila, the first one was in 2014 which I wrote about HERE. So when we got a chance to devour yet another round of F1 Hotel Manila's LuzViMinda dishes, we're just so happy that diet isn't part of our family's vocabulary.

So let me tour you around the Philippine islands through one thing that will bring peace to everyone: FOOD!

LUZON
The dishes which Chef Mikel Zaguirre prepared were inspired by heirloom recipes which were meticulously crafted by research and adjusted a little bit to adapt the modern palate.

Crispy Pata Roulade

People close to me know that I adore Crispy Pata minus the bones! So this special roulade made it easier for me to have a generous serving and enjoy the crispy balat and tender meat at the same time!

Adobong Short Ribs Sa Gata

Anything with gata for me is a winner dish! What more if it's added to a traditional lutong bahay recipe using short ribs? Aaaahhh... Jackpot!

Balaw-Balaw (Linatik na Hipon)

The shrimp bits come with just the right amount of saltiness that will make you really ask for extra rice! I see this dish is also perfect as a ice cold beer match!

VISAYAS
Chef Dennis Uy’s dishes were inspired from his travels around the archipelago. The Visayan dishes are familiar to my palette since I've traveled to different cities in this region. There's a special place in my heart for Visayas, and so is their food of course!

Chicken Inasal

Who wouldn't love Bacolod's specialty? This grilled chicken recipe is loved by many! Arrgh... chicken oil (drooool!)

Cochinillo de Cebu

Any brother or relative of lechon is my instant best friend! This is one dish you surely would first dig in to! Never miss the chance to savor this one!

KBL (Kadyos, Baboy, at Langka)

My husband gave this dish a 10! Our family loves soup-based dishes, especially the kids. It gives us instant comfort as the warm soup enters our hungry bellies!

Chicharon CarCar

I kennnnaaaat resist eating chicharon even if I know I shouldn't do it often. I eat chicharon by itself with vinegar and I eat chicharon with rice too! This is clearly heaven to me! Just look at the chicharon with laman (aka pork fat yan!) I have an untold relationship with chicharon since I was five years old when my daddy introduced me to it.

MINDANAO
Chef Kalel Chan, presented an array of sumptuous dishes which were all worth trying! Mindanao is where my mom's family is from (Gen. Santos City!) and where she and dad secretly married (Polomolok!) before her hand was officially asked for marriage (wedding in church, so if my lolo didn't give his blessings, wala na rin sila magagawa.) Anyway, the dishes were all new to me but I surely enjoyed the Mindanao cuisine.

Grilled Bagaybay on Oysters

The husband had a few of this dish and it appealed to his taste. We also found out that Bagaybay is a fish's sperm pala! The teriyaki sauce and the lime made this dish bursting with flavor.

Rib Eye Rendang

This has got to be one of my top choices in the LuzViMinda spread! The meat is really tender and flavorful because of the herbs and spices in the Rendang recipe.

Bulalo Tiyula Itum

This is the first time I'm acquainted to this dish, bulalo with a twist. The dish has a rich flavor, the bulalo meat is well-cooked, very tender. What gives it the dark color is it was cooked with burnt coconut which added an interesting flavor to the dish! This also made it to my top choices among the LuzViMinda spread!

Sweet Potato Ukoy

If you're an ukoy lover, you'll love this dish! Dip it in vinegar with crushed red chili to add spiciness in every bite! Eat it with rice or not, your choice! It's good enough to be eaten as is.

Chicken Piyanggang

This recipe is a Mindanao specialty where chicken is cooked with burnt coconut with different spices. It was my first time to taste this dish and it certainly didn't disappoint me! I love the flavor play in my mouth as I devour this chicken recipe!

DESSERTS!!!!!!!!

I knoooow! So many exclamation points right??? Because I am such a sweet tooth which my kids got from me and any meal isn't complete without desserts! Believe me, even at home, there's gotta be one after a meal. So the dessert spread deserves a spotlight! I'll tell you which one is my favorite! For now, please drool at the sight of these beauties.

On my plate were: Kamote Fries, Palitaw, Buko Pie Pudding, Grilled Ensaymada, Ube Napoleones and Brazo Langka.

Laguna Rice Pudding

Halo-Halo Crumble

Turon con Leche and Banana Que

Ice Cream (Avocado, Cheese, Chocnut, and Ube)

Mangosteen Avocado Cake

The K.T.G. Growing Family

Our family is grateful to share the unforgettable gastronomic experience with this bunch of warm and fun foodies. Happy to be back to reunite with old friends and meet new ones!

Oh, and by the way, my boys adore this guy whom they call their ice cream buddy! They bond over ice cream every time we see each other! Thank you boss Spanky!

To sum up our LuzViMinda Buffet experience, it's totally worth driving or commuting or walking (what the heck, do RUN!) all the way to F1 Hotel Manila's F All-Day Dining. Don't miss this opportunity to devour unique themed cuisines, try it now until June 30 to experience a gastronomic fusion for only Php1,699 for lunch or dinner buffet.

For reservations and inquiries:

Call 908-7888

Visit: www.f1hotelmanila.com

Like them on Facebook

#F1Luzviminda

As a mom of three, I couldn't stress how important personal hygiene is for me and the family. It's one way to prevent and protect ourselves from sickness, di’ba? I teach my kids the importance of bathing, brushing teeth and washing hands, to name a few. And for any homemaker, having a clean house (take note, I didn't say organized) is also important in keeping the family safe and healthy. Cleanliness is one of the top priorities of a mom, like you and me. Whether it's for ourselves or the house (actually everywhere!), we use WATER (we cannot live without it!!!!) for cleaning.

But have you ever wondered where the used water goes and its journey in our eco-system? What we know is after using them in the sink in the bathroom or in the toilet, they go down the drain. And we stop there. We don't really care or pay much attention to it, kasi after all, it's already waste.

I realized, we actually should CARE about wastewater management! We really should! Why? You know the saying "Ang basurang tinapon mo, babalik din sa’yo."? It's the same principle pala with our water use. I learned all about this from Maynilad.

We all need and want CLEAN water to siyempre help us clean ourselves and our surroundings, right? But if we don't have reliable and efficient wastewater management services and facilities, this won't be achieved.

I'm so relieved to know that our area (they call it the West Zone covering the Greater Manila Area - Tondo, Sampaloc, South Manila, Malabon, Navotas, Caloocan, portions of Quezon City, Magallanes Village in Makati City, and Ayala Alabang Village and surrounding areas in Muntinlupa City) is already covered by Maynilad's sewerage services.

Maynilad collects, transports, cleans and disposes used water so that it can be cleaned and safely discharged to receiving bodies of water.

What does that mean exactly?

Households and business establishments in the covered areas are connected to a sewerage system, which conveys wastewater from households to facilities where it is processed before it is discharged to a receiving body of water.

Watch this video to know how Maynilad's Wastewater Management really works:

Do you know what could happen if we just discharge wastewater without proper treatment back to the oceans? We'll all get sick one way or another. If wastewater is untreated through treatment plants like Maynilad's, we get back not so clean water.

For the sake na lang of our children and the environment, we should really pay attention to wastewater management so that we can avoid diseases, maintain a clean environment, and protect our ecosystem.

As of 2016, Maynilad serves more than 1.4 million people with sewerage services in the covered areas I mentioned earlier. But whether you're covered already or not, we could do our parts in ensuring we help have a clean environment, clean water; while keep our families healthy. And this is by supporting Maynilad in many ways such as:

1. For sewered areas, connect to Maynilad sewer lines to ensure that your used water is discharged properly

2. Avail of the septic tank cleaning service when it is offered at your barangay every 5-7 years (it comes at no extra cost!)

3. Practice proper solid waste segregation

4. Avoid throwing garbage, chemicals, and oil down drains since they may clog sewer facilities

Maliit na bagay but malaki ang magagawa in helping Maynilad protect the environment and the health of communities it serves through wastewater management.

So if you're in Maynilad's sewered areas, you may avail of the services through an application form available at the Maynilad Business Area Offices. Those who are in areas not yet covered by Maynilad, may avail of the septic tank cleaning services.

The requirements to avail of septic tank cleaning services at no extra cost are as follows:

Updated Maynilad Water Bill showing no outstanding balance
The septic tank has not been cleaned by Maynilad within 5-7 years
There is a manhole opening leading to the septic tank that measures at least 2ft by 2ft

With Maynilad's septic tank cleaning services, customers are assured that their wastes are properly collected, treated and disposed because Maynilad abides by all necessary government regulations and operates world-class wastewater treatment plants (ISO-certified).

For more information and updates on Wastewater Management of Maynilad

and other water tips and promotions,

like them on Facebook www.facebook.com/MayniladWater

follow them on Twitter @Maynilad

call them at 0998-8641446 or 1626 on landline

www.mayniladwater.com.ph

LOVE – You will never know what you’ve got until it’s gone. This applies to WATER! My gosh, have you ever been in a situation where you’re full soapy suds and just when you’re about to rinse, there isn’t even a drop of water in the shower? And you can’t even open your already sore and irritated eyes, which are also covered with soap or shampoo, and hindi mo na alam what to do?! If not, then lucky you! If yes, then you would understand the desperation and helplessness I felt that time. And why? Because I wasn’t informed!

Well, actually, the fault was entirely mine. There was an announcement regarding the water interruption in our area but I forgot to take note of the day and time. That’s why the unfortunate thing happened to me in the shower.

In the few times that water services are interrupted due to emergency maintenance activities or dry spells, it’s really important that we have pails of water stored up for emergency purposes. Had I noted the schedule of maintenance, I would have prepared better. But you know what? I remember writing it down somewhere, I guess the small note got lost or thrown away.

Good thing, Maynilad now has a program called TxtTubig wherein household managers like us could keep abreast with announcements and advisories concerning our water supply. I think this program is very convenient, especially since our hands and eyes seem glued to our phones all day anyway. I don’t need to worry about small notes getting lost because I will get pro-active advisories and updates via text.

This means that if there will be a scheduled water service interruption due to maintenance activities that will affect my household, Maynilad will send me a text message ahead of time so I can prepare by storing enough water for the duration of the water cut-off.

How can you get these free messages? To enroll via text, just type MAYNILAD<space>ADVISORY<space>ON<space>Customer’s Contract Account Number<space>NAME<space>MOBILE NUMBER to 0908-8968278. The registration fee is only P1.00. But registration is FREE for social moms or digital mommas like us, if we enroll through Maynilad’s social media pages (Facebook and Twitter). Just send your Maynilad Contract Account Number (as shown on top of your water bill), the account name, address, and mobile number through direct/private message)to enroll.

I know it’s super hassle whenever there are maintenance activities, but the good thing with TxtTubig is we will be informed so we could prepare ahead of time. Plus, at least we know that the maintenance activities are scheduled to improve and sustain our water services. So TxtTubig na!

Father's day weekend went by so quickly without me being able to really celebrate it with my dad. The busyness of yaya-finding, work, and taking care of my own family took the celebration a backseat. So I want to give tribute to my dad in this post.

Ever since my mom passed away three years ago yesterday, my dad became both the Ilaw at Haligi ng Tahanan. Not that he does the things my mom did when she was still with us. But Daddy goes beyond what he usually does every day to show me how much he loves me and my kids, and express his extra concern about me especially whenever I would get sick or I was on medical bedrest when I got pregnant last year, and when my kids lost their yayas. Dad would bring or buy me my favorite food or remind me of my meds and he would even help me wash dishes even if he didn't have to. He would volunteer to look after the kids. He just wanted to unload me of the house chores especially after coming home from work or from a physically draining task. These are the things he started doing for me when mom passed away. He became more present and more expressive of his love.

Indeed, he's a SUPER DAD.

My handsome 77-year old Daddy, from whom I got my good looks and singing voice.

I grew up closer to mom who was a housewife because dad was always in the office working hard to provide for the family. He sent us to good schools, we lived decently, we were able to go to many places, and he was able to buy both our needs and some wants. He taught us many values that kept us grounded, contented, and responsible. Now that I have my own family, I understand why he was always away. And I now know, for the times he was away from us every day just to work, how he wanted to just be at home and spend time for us. But he sacrificed that, because he's a DAD - our SuperDad.

I remembered my Dad in this heartwarming Father’s Day tribute, three real-life fathers share the ups and downs of being the man of the house.

(Sandali, pause reading, and get a box of tissue please!)

How they work hard to be able to provide their family everything they need and how affected they are when they see their children go through heartaches.

Meet Daddy Harold, Daddy Mario and Daddy Rowel who talk about how much they love their families, and why they don’t mind making sacrifices if it means seeing their children grow up happy and well, and most importantly, that their families remain intact.

After watching the video, I really cried hard and realized that although I always tell my dad how much I appreciate everything he does for me, feeling ko it's still not enough. I should be spending more time with him and do more things for him, kasi tapos na siya sa mga obligations niya sa akin. But he's so selfless! I guess I will forever be the little and only girl in his eyes.

Just like the contentment and happiness in the eyes of the three fathers in the tribute video, I'm sure my dad will also feel the same way with an extra mile gesture from me and my siblings to show him our appreciation not only during Father's Day season, but for the rest of his life with us.

Daddy, I love you and Happy Belated Father's Day!

Now how do you celebrate your father's love?

We don't know anymore if we should or shouldn't be bringing our umbrellas whenever we go out of our houses because the weather is unpredictable. So to protect ourselves from the weather, we better bring it anyway. Pero iba na ang usapan pagdating sa mga bata, our children, we could be overprotective sometimes. I think that's okay especially that uso ang colds and cough because of sudden changes in weather.

And since, a new school year has started for most kids already, it also means rainy season is here too. And while kids are in school, we can't help but worry whenever they are away from home. We get anxious about almost anything from the biggest to the most trivial things we could think of like:

"Paano kapag natuyuan ng pawis sa laro?"

"Ang maduduming kamay baka maisubo!"

"Baka hindi kainin ang baon niyang hinanda ko."

"Paano kung may ubo sipon ang kakalase niya, baka mahawa si bunso."

"Naku tag-ulan na, baka magkasakit kaagad pag nabasa!"

The list of our worries goes on and on right? But, personally, after three kids (with two of them already in school), I learned to let go of my worries and do what I can within my control to give my kids the extra care and protection they need.

Here are some things I do to protect my children:

1. Give constant reminders on what-to-dos lovingly. To combat our worries about what happens to them when we are not around to be the one to wipe their backs from sweat or put powder/cologne to keep smelling fresh or to apply mosquito repellent when playing outdoors or to regularly wash hands before eating and after touching dirty surfaces, all we have to do is to repeatedly remind them. Believe me, our reminders will play on their minds like a broken record when they are by themselves. Besides, they are in school and their teachers are our helpers in teaching proper hygiene which will keep them off sickness such as common colds and cough passed through infected hands.

2. Pack his hooded jacket or raincoat or umbrella during rainy days. We all know June-September (and sometime it extends to October) are rainy months. So instead of being paranoid about them getting all wet when it rains, let's be pro-active in letting them wear a jacket during colder months or packing a small umbrella and a raincoat on rainy days. Make sure before he leaves the house you give clear instructions where to get them and when to use these rain gears. 3. Prepare a nutritious and well-balanced baon every day. Being creative is a plus.

I've started to intentionally prepare nutritious or balanced baon for my gradeschooler this year, wish I had done this sooner. I also document his baon everyday and post it on social media (check #WesBaonToday album on my FB Page) to help me become more conscious on what I prepare for him. Nutritious and well-balanced baon means there's source of protein, Vitamin C, carbohadrates, and water too. With this, you could pack cookies, biscuits, fruits, meat, rice or pasta, vegetables, juice and water. Worried that he might not finish his baon? That's when creativity is needed. I noticed when I started to put a little effort in baon-making for Wes, he comes home with emptied food containers. The visually appealling baon helps level up the kids' appetites and therefore also helps in making them finish their food. Finishing what you prepared just means you are somehow assured that he's getting some nutritional value from the food you prepared yourself. 4. Give him food supplements or medicine that's just RITE for him. To have a feeling of relief that your child is protected from possible sicknesses and getting enough nutrition he needs apart from vitamins and minerals from food (because sometimes naman talaga they don't get to finish their baons right?) I recommend giving food supplements. I've done this for all my children and I believe having food supplements help boost their immunity from sicknesses, especially this rainy season when colds and cough are prevalent. I'm currently giving RM Multivitamins + CGF Syrup which has just the right mix of vitamins and minerals he needs such as CGF, Taurine, Vitamin A, C, D, B-Complex, Lysine, and Zinc. I also give him an additional immune booster, Vitamin C. RiteMED for Kids also has RM Ascorbic Acid 100mgSyrup which he takes every day.

What if he gets sick?
If ever my son gets sick naman, his pediatric doctor always tell me to give a dose of Vitamin C with Zinc (for easier absorption) and the right dose of Paracetamol too. I'm happy that RiteMED for Kids has RM Zinc-C (Ascorbic + Zinc Syrup) food supplement and also RM Paracetamol to shoo the fever away. Just make sure when giving food supplements or any medicines, check with your child's pedia doctor first. Also always follow the prescribed dosage and give these food supplements and medicines at the right time.

What I also like about RiteMED for Kids is that it's less expensive by around 25% than other known brands which has the same generic name. So if you're a practical mom like me, you'll really opt for RiteMED for Kids food supplements and medicines. RiteMed for Kids are now available in drugstores such as, Mercury Drugstore, Southstar, Watsons, and Rose Pharmacy.

So there are my mommy tips on making sure our kids are protected this rainy season. When we do these things, it's almost as if we're wrapping our loving arms around them in a tight mommy hug! Do you have other tips on protecting our kids? Please do share on the comments section below!

Have a great day!

For more information about the available RiteMED for Kids food supplements

and medicines, visit their website, ritemed.com.ph.

For updates and other tips, like them also on Facebook: @RiteMedOfficialPage

and follow them on Instagam: @RiteMedicine

#RiteForKids

Raising three boys is no joke. Boys are more active, more playful, rougher and tougher to handle. Given that, they all need nutritious foods that would help boost their energies and immunity to sickness. Let’s take for example my eldest child who is a basketball varsity. He trains every day after school. I can just imagine how tired and drained he could be coming home every night right after their training. To be able to keep up and not be sickly, he really needs to eat properly. As a mom, it’s my duty to make sure that he and his brothers take in nutritious food and avoid junk that will not help make them healthy at all.

That means giving my kids meat, fruits and vegetables. Since they need a lot of energy for their daily activities, I’ve always known that what their bodies need are foods rich in potassium and vitamin C. Surprisingly, the staple vegetable present in our household, has all the nutrition they need: US Potatoes! Honestly, I didn’t know that my BFF potatoes are that nutritious! I’m glad it’s my and my children's favorite.

Source

My kids and I love potatoes in different forms like fries, mashed potatoes, hash browns, baked potatoes, buttered potatoes, and potato croquettes. I also use potatoes in our household dishes with soup, with corned beef, in omelets, in Menudo, ground pork medley, and many more! US Potatoes are enjoyable, easy to eat and delicious. The best part is, knowing that something this delicious could be super nutritious.

Nutritional Benefits of Potatoes

Potassium– Did you know that it has even more potassium content than banana? This would help my basketball varsity child keep up with the muscle strengthening activities during his daily trainings. It will also give energy boost to him and my playful grade-schooler! Potatoes could fuel both the body and the brain because it’s also a good supply of water and ions in the body. The concentration is highest in the skin and just beneath it. So, eating the potato with its skin is always beneficial. They also contain calcium, iron, and phosphorus. Gladly we eat clean potato skin of baked or steamed potatoes.
Vitamin C - Potatoes are known for the large amounts of Vitamin C present in them. Typically, 100 gm will contain about 17 mg of Vitamin C. This is great for boosting immunity against illnesses!
Vitamin A, B and P – All these vitamins help the brain function well. When you have kids in school, you need all these brain foods right?
Brain Food - Proper functioning of the brain depends largely on the glucose level, oxygen supply, various components of the vitamin-B complex and certain hormones, amino acids and fatty acids like omega-3. Potatoes cater to almost all the needs mentioned above.
Carbohydrates – Potatoes are high in carbohydrates, and thereby maintain good levels of glucose in the blood. This prevents the brain from letting fatigue creep in and it keeps your cognitive activity and performance high.
Other vitamins and minerals- Potatoes contain iron which is what the blood and brain needs. Since it’s a brain food, it also contains phosphorus, zinc, and the B complex vitamins. They also help in the maintenance of bone strength and structure, especially for kids at earlier stages. My baby boy who’s turning one next week also loves mashed potatoes and steamed potatoes with rice!

Were you also surprised to know that the power potatoes are that nutritious?

Now let me share with you a simple US Potato Recipe which you and your kids will surely love! I’m sharing our homemade mashed potato recipe:

Mashed Potato Recipe:

Peel and cut 8 medium-sized US Potatoes.
Put the potatoes in a large pan, add enough water and bring to a boil for 15-20 mins.
Drain water and put on low fire.
Mash the potatoes.
Add 2 tablespoons of butter, salt, pepper, and ¼ cup milk. Mix all ingredients.
Make sure there are no lumps and the mashed potato is creamy.
Serve with a smile.

Oh, I must add this, that not only US Potatoes are good for kids, they are also beneficial to us too because it potatoes can lessen the risk of heart ailments and can aid in living a healthier eating lifestyle. Also if you’re living an active lifestyle or an athletic person, the nutritional values of US Potatoes could help boost athletic performance!

So go grab a potato today for you and your kids! For potato lovers like us, you could purchase US Potatoes at leading supermarkets nationwide. For more information, recipes, and tips, like Potatoes USA on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/PotatoesUSAPhilippines.

Hello momshies, mudrabelles, muther, maders, mamangs, mommies or mamitas! :)

Dahil sa super ka-busyhan ng inyong lola, I almost forgot that Mommy Practicality turned 5 years last July 1, 2017! WOW! I mean, wait whut, 5 years?! For me, that's a milestone that is worth celebrating.

I knew back then that I really want to blog and start sharing my experiences on being a practical mom (like most moms are diba?) and parang be a voice that speaks for the average mommy in the Philippines. Yung practical and medyo mabudget or mabilang talaga pero hindi naman tipid or makunat. I feel that this "gift" of practicality is what pushed me to start blogging about it. Of course I got this talent from the Lola Practicality, my mom (Hello mommy in heaven!).

Anyway, wow, I still can't believe that I've come this far I mean in terms of years of writing, blog redesigns, and sharing through my life's ups and downs, yayaless life phases, from pregnancy to breastfeeding journey and beyond, raising three childhood stages at the same time (a teen, a young child, and an infant). Kasama ko kayo here in my blog and I am thankful for this digital avenue, a home for my heart and thoughts which I share to people I know and don't know.

Waah! I have so many things I want to say, basta, I am overwhelmed and grateful for the five years of blogging. It has blessed me far more than I can imagine it would. I am happy it's still alive and I actually have regular readers or social media followers na totoo. Hahaha! I know wala namang fake, but I mean, sometimes I'm really wondering if there's anyone reading my posts. Though my analytics say there are, but I want to engage my readers more. I want to get to know my readers more and actually see in real time who I am talking to or writing for. :)

I am also happy that my blog is a trusted partner of some brands I've collaborated with. Super thank you to all the brands who chose to work with me to be able to reach out to you and share the good news! Through the years, I've been an ambassador (of beauty and good will - charot lang!) of these amazing brands:

Samsung KidsTime
Sun Cellular (Year 1 & 2)
Wilkins Distilled Drinking Water
Del Monte Pineapple
Propan TLC
RiteMED for Kids, and a lot more...

And I've also been mentioned and featured as one of the Top Mommy Bloggers in the Philippines by:

M2Comms Agency:http://www.m2comms.com/blog/2015/10/6/28-engaging-filipino-mommy-blogs-to-follow
Money Max: https://www.moneymax.ph/blog/top-10-budget-savvy-mommy-blogs
Skilled Entrepreneur: https://www.skilledentrepreneur.com/mommy-bloggers-philippines/

That's why, a crazy idea came up one time to do an FB Live on my Facebook Page and just talk through a Q&A about anything under the sun. Which I was so glad I made that crazy decision. Sa totoo lang, SHY kasi ako kahit alam ko most of you hindi naniniwala. I kind of have some fears or insecurities about going live (I know perform in a band and do TVCs, but seriously I'm shy). So with the surprising result of the FB Live, I'm doing it every month and will streamline the topics para mas may structure tayo.

Now, to celebrate or make fun of myself (I like making fun of myself and laughing at myself with you...) I launched #ChallengeMommyPracticality as the blog turned 5 years last July 1. I also found out that reaching out to my readers through a video whether live or not is something where I could see more instant results whether you like the content or what I offer or not.

So here's the video I posted my on FB Page and IG:

Mommy Practicality turns 5 today! 😍😍😍 Hurray! I want to celebrate it through a FUN MOMMY CHALLENGE giveaway. Mechanics in this video momshies. Thank you for all your support to this blog. Grabe! 5 years naa! So comment away and you might get a chance to win a coffee date plus a gift pack from me. Consolation prizes await Mommy Challenge idea generators too! #ChallengeMommyPracticality #MommyPracticalityTurns5 P.S. Pagbigyan ang stuttering ko, it, a busy and yayaless weekend. Almost forgot nga it's my blogversary! 😂😂😂
A post shared by Louise Fandiño-Santos (@mommypracticality) on Jul 1, 2017 at 12:54am PDT

So again, in text, here's the full mechanics:

Comment what Mommy challenge you want me to do.
I'll choose the most entertaining/funny/interesting na doable challenge.
Winner will have a coffee date with me and win a goody bag too.
I'll release a Vlog of me doing the winning challenge.
Consolation prizes shall be given to the other interesting challenges as well.

So far, I'm liking the challenges that you moms are posting for me. Let me share too some:

Cook a main dish under 30 mins WHILE doing homework with my child
Apply a mascara while breastfeeding
Apply whole everyday make-up under 5 mins to the tune of my favorite song
Let kids choose my office outfits for a week and I should wear them take OOTDs too
Cover a book within a minute while singing

You have until this Friday, July 7 to send me your CHALLENGES so I could pick na and do the challenge via Vlog. Kapag na-aliw ako na pagtawanan sarili ko sa kagagawa ng challenges na binigay niyo, I might just do all the challenges that you posted! Hahahaha!

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING MY BLOG

Before I end my post, I would just like to say my sincerest and warmest THANK YOU for still hanging around, still reading my blog posts, and for all the support that you've given me and my blog. Kasi totoo naman if wala kayo, I mean sino namang nilalang magbabasa ng blog ko right? Ako lang din at asawa ko. So from the bottom of my heart, super BIG THANKS!!!! I owe my blog's milestone to all of you! Thank you thank you thank you!

What does it take for moms and their children to create happy memories together? I would answer that in two important words, LOVE and TIME.

One cannot create a happy memory without LOVE or an absence of TIME. Each of these elements should co-exist. I am a mom of three and even though I know I've been doing pretty well in being present for my kids, still I feel like I could do more. I dream of a home filled with hugs, kisses, laughter, prayers, dream-building, pleasant routines or joyful surprises to nourish our hearts, minds, and souls. And of course, I give them yummy food and drink to nourish the body. Yes, it has to be YUMMY!

My kids and I created a bedtime routine by giving them a glass of milk, chatting over both silly and serious things, reading books, and playing. On some weekends, either we go out as a family or do arts and crafts at home. We may think these are trivial things, but the children, every bonding time with their parents help them grow confident, build good self-esteem, and collect happy memories.

Oh and you must already know by now that I have three boys (if not yet, then there, now you know.) and they're really big kids. I guess it has a lot to do with giving in to their favorite yummy milk drink whenever they want it. I give them ALASKA Powdered Milk.

I want to share with you now an arts and crafts bonding project which you could do as well with your kids. My grade-schooler Wes is so fond of coloring and drawing, so I am doing this activity with him. With the use of drawing and coloring materials, we're going to make a personalized tumbler.

Here are the things you'll need and step by step procedure:

1.Let your child choose what drink or treat he wants to take before doing the activity. This will influence them to have a good mood. Remember, giving them what they want makes them happy. My son likes to have a glass of ALASKA Powdered Milk, because he says it's YUMMY and it makes him warm, like Mommy's hugs.

2.Bring out art materials you and your child could work on to create something beautiful.

3.Let your child draw and color how he sees his Mommy (you'll be surprised to see how beautiful you are in his eyes!)

4.You draw and color one fond memory you have of your children too.

5.Insert the cutout paper/board that will fit a tumbler which could be personalized (tumblers could be bought online.)

6.DONE!

Here's a video of how we did this project together. Watch ‘til the end to see the SURPRISE!!!!!

I'm so kilig with the output of the project! We both could use the tumblers whenever we take our bedtime drink, Alaska Powdered Milk for him and Alaska Chocolate Milk drink for me. And while drinking from these special tumblers, we will always be reminded of our happy TIMEs together, of the LOVE we show each other. And what put a dent on that special project we did, was the transformation of his loving Mommy artwork into a piece of jewelry made by Bubba Doodles which I will truly treasure.

I cried buckets of tears when I received the box of jewelry. He wondered why and asked if he made me sad. I said "No anak, of course not. You made mommy extremely joyful and that's what I also want you and your brothers to feel every time we're together."

He just hugged me tightly, kissed me on my cheek and asked, "Mommy, where's my milk please?" Hahaha, gatas lang masaya na siya! Basta ALASKA, happy and contented. Ako rin of course because he enjoys milk a lot! And one way of showing my love as a mom is giving the kids proper nutrition they need so that when they grow up, they will grow strong, healthy, and happy!

You see, our house may be not grand, but it's a large HOME filled with happy and yummy memories or what we call “Milk Story” that will last a lifetime.

So Mommy, what is your “Milk Story”?

If there is one thing that I know about motherhood, it's that it's the BUSIEST and MOST draining (physically, mentally, and emotionally) job in the whole wide universe!

If you're a mom, I'm sure you would 101% agree with what I just said. That's why we NEED all the help we could get from our husbands, the rest of our tribe and even technology to be able to raise the children well, provide what they need and be able to be able to cherish special moments with them.

On the technology aspect, if we use it correctly it could really make motherhood easier. One example apart from smart phones, internet, and Facebook, I just love what my Canon PIXMA E Series Printer could do for me and my kids. Every morning kasi (the busiest time for me) I make an extra effort in preparing baon for my grade school and I take photos of it every day. I also love taking photos when we travel or attend a school activity. The photos I take every day I share them almost instantly on social media. But like old times, I want to be able to print them and actually have a tangible copy of memorable times I had with my children.

With the new Canon PIXMA E Series printer, this is possible! Not only that, as a full-time working mom who also has other passion projects (I love DIY-ing our parties hence printing artworks is a must; I blog and need to scan and copy documents every now and then too) having a reliable printer saves a lot of time and effort so I could give more of these to my family.

I am happy to witness the launch of the Canon PIXMA E Series Printers last June 30. Here were the event highlights (read til the end to know what I like about my new Canon PIXMA printer!)

So, I'm excited to share with you what I love about the Canon PIXMA MG3070s:

It's an ALL-IN-ONE Printer which can PRINT, COPY, and SCAN! - I love its multitasking functionality (because it's so like me) because I don't have to go out and find a photocopier machine to reproduce pages of some books for my kids or documents for work and my blog. I could do all that with my new Canon PIXMA printer!
It has a built-in WiFi! - Oh diba, perfect family printer because si Daddy, Mommy, and Kuya who may be ding work/homework and need to print or scan remotely all at the same time, PWEDE! It really ideal for sharing with the whole family.
Mobile Device Printing - If this is not the best part, then what is? Imagine, I could just transfer photos taken from my phone to the Canon PIXMA MG3070s and I could print them right away! It can print photos from Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, even documents in PDF from Google Drive or Dropbox (naku madalas ako niyan because of my blog kaya super happy ako!) because of its PIXMA Cloud Link application which makes this remote printing possible. It supports different OS such as Android, iOS, Windows 10 Mobile and Windows RT. Life-saver! Now I can do old school photograph collection without looking old school, thanks to the technology of Canon PIXMA E Series printers!
Lower Priced Ink Cartridges - Tayong mga practical mommies of course want to save as much as possible with our expenses. I'm happy to know that our new family printer's ink cartridges will not be a pain in our mommy budget. If you have a student at home or are into passion projects or you need to reproduce documents, we use the printer very often. With low priced ink cartridges, okay lang to print away whenever we need to.

Winner diba? Now here are the other Canon PIXMA E Series printers which also has awesome features each.

The Canon PIXMA E410 is perfect for moms who help put together her children’s numerous drafts of artworks, sketches and projects with its ability to print up to 400 black and white documents, and 180 colored pages.
The design savvy student will enjoy the PIXMA E470’s built-in Wi-Fi features that can help print from anywhere to meet that deadline when paired with the Google Cloud Print*1 service.
Teens in the family can immortalize their best photos on Facebook through the PIXMA MG3070s with its PIXMA Cloud Link application for remote printing of Facebook albums and online contents with mobile devices.
While the compact PIXMA E480 model is best suited for aspiring entrepreneurs in the family with its on-the-go faxing and scanning features.

Galing right? Wow, if we use technology wisely, it will actually help bring the families closer to each other and not set them apart. For me, that's what my Canon PIXMA printer does for us. I'm a certified #PIXMom!

So what does your printer do for you and your family? Do share mommies! Happy bonding! Happy Printing!

For more information, visit www.canon.com.ph and www.shopcanon.ph.

Hello there mommies! Sooooo the birthday party weekend is already done and over with and here's what to expect from me... Of course I'll be sharing a series of our son's 1st-year-birthday-related blog posts beginning today because I'm elated about the turn out of our little one's milestone celebration.
First on the series is Damien's pre-birthday photo shoot. We did the shoot two weeks before the event.

THE VENUE: Ayala Triangle Garden
Since we planned for a Jungle Safari themed party, every element should be well-coordinated. For the pre-birthday photo shoot session, I thought of a spacious grassy venue. My choices were the Ayala Triangles Garden and Circuit Makati. We opted for the former because the family friendly grassy area was nearby restaurants where we could dine in first so that Damien will be full and well-rested. There are also trees to give shade, wala nun sa other venue we had in mind. We did the photo shoot on a holiday Monday, so the garden wasn't populated at that time compared to normal days or weekends. We didn't pay for any fees nor got a permit in advance. But I called the management to inquire if we could do a shoot for personal use and they said yes. If you plan to use the garden as your venue for pre-nup or commercial purposes, that's the time they charge for some fees and when you need to get a permit from the admin. So yes, first step which was to pick the venue, check.

PREPARATIONS: Zoologist Costume and Props
Second, preparing the star for his shoot. Costume muna, instead of him being one of the cute animals in the Safari, Damien and the rest of the family played as the Zoologist. So top of mind outfit would be khaki collared top with pockets, khaki shorts, white inner shirt, a hat (which he didn't like to wear so props na lang), binoculars (which I didn't have enough time to buy), and boots.

For the props, I used our animal print fleece blanket as latag, 2 pieces of vintage brown luggage (which my mom had and pinamana sa akin) and animal stuffed toys, hunter's/zoologist hat, and DIY name banner (used jute string, recycled a used brown envelope, bond paper cut in triangles and handwritten Damien's name) and DIY name plate to cover his polo's embroidered brand patch.

THE PHOTOGRAPHER: R & L PHOTOGRAPHY
When I was searching for a supplier which could give photo and video services at a friendly value. I posted my requirement in a Party Planning group on Facebook, where you could post what you're looking for and suppliers comment or PM you their packages and the services they offer.

To be honest, yes I was looking for a package that will fit my budget, but I won't bite naman basta basta to the cheapest offer that I could get. My tip is, set a budget in mind. Get all the referrals or suppliers' packages, filter or shortlist only those that meet your budget requirement or yung mahal lang ng konting konti. Then make sure you ask each of the shortlisted supplier what services they offer for the price that you have. Next, make sure you ask for sample output of photos or videos. Do their photo or video shots look professionally done or amateurish? Given the package price, do the sample outputs look tinipid talaga or value for money? These little things matter a lot. When choosing, it shouldn't always be the cheapest. Choose what's value for money and one whose sample works obviously show shots coming form an artist's eye, a professional, and one made with love. Makikita naman eh.

So, the photo and video supplier I got passed all my selection checklist. We got Royele and Arriane of R & L Prints | Make-Up | Photography.

Yes mga momshies, I highly recommend this photo/video (and make-up) supplier. Royelle and Arianne, a young married couple, are full-time in this print, photography and make-up business they put together. When I first met them, magaan na agad ang loob ko sa kanila. They came on time, they are both professionals, quick to respond, courteous, and kind.

I already knew, even before I saw the pictures, that they will take wonderful shots of Damien and the whole family. And yes, they did!

The package I got from them consists of the following services:

- Pre-birthday shoot

- Save The Date Video Photography

- Photo and Video Coverage with MTV of event highlights

- Unlimited shots, turn over of all raw files

The couple are very warm, professional, makikita mong kind-hearted and gives a great customer servicing. They are easy to talk to, replies immediately, and always on time. And the cost of the package was super sulit, really value for money. Sa totoo lang I got more than my money's worth. Kung sa ka-relasyon, jackpot kami sa kanila! :)

Ito pa, Arriane is also a professional make-up artist (for weddings, debuts, and other events) so I had my make-up done by her during the party na. I will also rave about her make-up skills. PAK talaga ang ganda ko (sabi ng asawa ko and mga anak ko!) We had 30 minutes to do the make-up and just like a TV game show, she was able to do my face at such a short time na hindi mukhang minadali. I even had my falsies pa ha. Thanks Arriane.

So the rest of the photos taken at Ayala Triangle Garden are here. Enjoy the cute photos and I recommend Royele and Arriane of R & L.

I love the pictures they took! All natural looking, bright, and without my detailed direction or requests, they were able to capture real happy moments of our family as we celebrate a milestone in our bunso's life. Thank you Royele and Arriane for accepting us as your client and for the nice pictures you took of our family! I'm excited about the party video and the photo book as well! :)

To inquire about their rates and other services,

like them on Facebook: R & L Prints | Make-up | Photography

I love parties. I love both organizing and attending it. And if it happens to be the party of any of my children, I make sure I pour my heart out to it, through effort and time, so that it may be made more memorable and special.

My youngest just one year old last July 4 (YEY!) and had his party on a Saturday of his birthday week. While preparing for it, I've scouted a number of venues, both clubhouses and restaurants (which I will share on another blog post) and also scouted suppliers for the party needs. Whenever I was about to book a venue or a supplier, I always tend to think twice if I would really need the supplier or not, if I could DIY it or not. If I could DIY and I still have time and resources, I would do it. Let's take for example the DIY Jungle Safari Themed Dessert Buffet during the party. :)

Sharing with you my labor of love during my son's 1st birthday party, my DIY Jungle Safari Themed Dessert Buffet:

My dessert buffet spread consisted of the following sweet treats:
- 50 assorted variants of cupcakes
- Stick Os
- Marshmallow twists
- Gem Biscuits
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Assorted gummy candies

For the backdrop and the hanging leaves, I used the following materials:
- Brown and orange crepe papers (3 pcs each color)
- Foil balloon letters
- Masking tape
- Wooden clips (which I recycled from my rustic themed wedding DIY projects)
- 4 rolls of Green cartolina

Other decors which I just got from the house were:
- Vintage luggage bags
- Animal stuffed toys
- clear vases
- leaves I just cut from our garage plant boxes
(Table with table cloth came from the restaurant)

The whole set up including the desserts only costed me a total of: Php 150 (materials) + Php 820 (treates) = Php 970

Diba? DIY projects really help you save a lot from getting a candy buffet or dessert buffet supplier, if you think you can do it if you have skills, patience, determination, enough time (before the party), if you can handle grace under pressure (we know how us moms could get really stressed out during ingress or before a party starts) and if you really want to save.

Practical Tips On Doing a DIY Dessert Buffet:
1. Do some research or get some pegs online.. (I go to Pinterest to get some inspiration!)
2. Draw your desired look. I always do this so I have a better visualization of how I want everything arranged.
3. Make use of whatever you have at home already. I used mom's white ceramic serving plates, a cake stand I got as a gift, mom's vintage luggage for decor, my kids' stuffed toys, wooden boxes to elevate the plates, the leaves from our garage and vases too.
4. Manage your time for ingress before the party to be able to arrange the dessert buffet without rush.
5. Make sure your hands and whoever is helping you prepare the dessert buffet, are clean/sanitized and make use of gloves because you're handling food.
6. Enjoy!

So there you have it loves! Hope you got some inspiration from this post on doing your own party dessert buffet. Let me know your thoughts. :)

Related to this post:

Speaking to fellow moms at the Belle De Jour's #BellaMommies event was one of my July's highlights. Admittedly, I was nervous about this particular speaking engagement. But when I first got an email about the topic that I will be talking about, I didn't have any second thoughts. I readily said YES. Why? I got the topic which was closest to my heart, the topic which could actually tell my whole life story, and the topic which I could passionately talk about to moms who may also be experiencing things I am experiencing as a MULTI-TASKER working mom.

As I prepared my slides (which I did like a college student would do - cramming style), I already had the outline and points of elaboration written all over my head from the time I got BDJ's email. As I've said it was a topic I could talk about to anyone the whole day. The challenge to me was putting all my thoughts in slides and present it at a limited time. I was thinking, yes, I may have a lot of things to share but will the audience listen to me? Will they believe what I will be talking about. Well, siguro naman.

Come July 22, I was quite early for my call time. I parked and stayed in the car for a while to take deep breaths and motivate myself. I didn't know what to expect or how the audience will receive my talk, all I just wanted to do was share. Questions like, "Do I look okay?" I guess yes/ "Does my hair look as if I've taken care of three fighting toddlers?" Unfortunately, yes to that too!/ "Am I at all prepared for it?" Definitely! --- occupied my mind that afternoon.

But when the program started and my name was called, ay, ibang usapan na. I just imagined that I was going to a singing gig, para mas madali. Anyway, to cut the long story short, ay ang saya! :)

4 REASONS WHY BELLE DE JOUR'S #BELLAMOMMIES EVENT WAS A BLAST:

1. You #BellaMommies are the best! I was able to engage many moms in the audience during my talk. I guess ang dami talagang nakaka-relate sa pagka-loka-loka ng mga multi-tasking moms like us.

2. So many prizes and giveaways from sponsors - Grabe, the moms took home so many prizes and giveaways from the generous sponsors. If you weren't there, you surely missed a lot! Nobody went home without a bag of goodies on hand.

3. Valuable learning from speakers Aahm, I didn't only mean myself ha (buhat-bangko portion). I stayed until the whole event was done because I also wanted to learn from other speakers! Ginger Arboleda was there to talk about Momprenurship.

Shari Macainag talked about Fashion and Beauty for moms.

Ian Banzon talked about health and fitness.

To sum up the talks:
- Plan your day and learn the art of Time Management especially if you're a multi-tasking mom like me.
- Prioritize your family.
- Pursue your passion and dreams and learn how to monetize them.
- Moms have a right to Self-Care and that's what salons, spas, make-up, shopping, coffee time, meet ups with friends, and also dressing up well come into play
- Moms should put more importance to health and fitness. We all want to live longer and see our children marry the love of their lives and have children of their own. We owe it to ourselves to take care of our healths so we could do so much more.

4. I met some of my blog readers. If there's one thing that I took more seriously by heart, it's the pleasure and joy of meeting my blog followers. When blogging times get tough, I go back to this empowering memory. It reminds me of my blog purpose and the Whys of my blog. Meeting my readers motivates me, energizes me, and brings me back on track. You have no idea how your feedback, comments, and kind words mean so much to me. So thank you so much!

Nice meeting all of you!

Thank you so much Belle De Jour for inviting me to be one of your speakers in your #BellaMommies event. It was a pleasure to share my experiences and be connected with the audience for an afternoon full of learning, food, giveaways, raffle prizes, and meeting people.

For future BDJ events, promos, planner updates, and many more, visit Belle De Jour's website https://ilovebdj.com, follow them on Facebook, https://facebook.com/bdjbuzz on Instagram, https://instagram.com/bdjbuzz/ and Twitter, https://twitter.com/bdjbuzz.

Sooo... all I could say is time flies really fast too fast actually. In fact, I could still remember how I used to stay at home and enjoy my three-month maternity leave, go out to give my baby some needed sunshine, breastfeed all day, every day, anytime, and even anywhere. How sentimental it is for me to vividly remember the sound of his infant small cry to now a commanding and demanding talking/goo-goo-gaga tone (much like the movie Boss Baby, hehe.) He started walking before at 10 months and now past one, he's walking, running and jumping until he feels tired. He's learning a lot at a faster pace compared to his brothers when they were babies.

So yeah, we all happily celebrated his 1st year birthday at Papa John's in QC with a Jungle Safari theme. We've scouted many venues and restaurants around Quezon City, we really wanted a pizza-chicken-pasta party, but not in a venues we've had parties before. Thanks to the internet, saw that Papa John's QC is open for parties with complete party packages and food we prefer, we booked our party. Though they offer party packages, we opted not to get them so I may maximize the services and package inclusions I got from other party suppliers.

Good thing about Papa John's they didn't charge unbelievable corkage fees (like others do) for party suppliers. So today in this post, I will be sharing with you the Jungle Safari themed party elements which we executed that happy day. Party suppliers will also be shared below so in case you'd also want to get them, you could check out their services and rates. Enjoy! :)

VENUE DECOR:

I found Reds Party Shop in a Facebook Group for party planning. I compared rates from other suppliers and theirs came the most sulit, not necessarily the cheapest. I was fortunate to also book them during their promo period. The package I got included the following decor:
Themed stage backdrop with Damien's name

Welcome Signage

Balloons:

- 100 pcs Ceiling balloons

- 12 Table centerpieces

Two (2) Pillars

One (1) Cake Arc

FAMILY COSTUME:
Instead of dressing up Damien as one of the Safari animals, I dressed him up as the Zoologist. He leads our team. The rest of the family wore a white top and khaki cargo shorts.
I just bought Damien's top khaki polo for less than Php 300 (it was on sale!) and shoes for Php350 (which we forgot to let him wear!) But what he was wearing here was the brown sandals which I bought from Divisoria for only Php100. I DIYed his name plate by the way. :)

DESSERT BUFFET TABLE:

I proudly and joyfully DIYed the dessert table.

I didn't want too many candies so the dessert buffet was comprised

with the following treats which both kids and kids-at-heart love:

Cupcakes

Marshmallows

Stik-O's

Gem Biscuits

Gummy Candies
I bought the dessert treats from the supermarket. Used mom's white trays, used the gifted wooden boxes to elevate the plates. I also made use of the cake stand I also got as a gift. The vintage luggage were my mom's and the stuffed animals were just sitting somewhere in my kids' room played roles in keeping up with the theme. The mylar letter balloons were Php15 each at Divisoria. The backdrop used for the gold letter balloons were from orange and brown crepe papers which I cut in strips and stuck one by one at a long jute string (also just sitting in my arts and crafts box).

CAKE AND CUPCAKES:

I have a Pinterest account and when you are planning for an event, any event like birthday, weddings, baptism or anything else, Pinterest is heaven for inspirations. The cake was done by Damien's ninang, Shae Mendoza-Conducto of Delishaes cake. I gave her my pegs and she executed it waaay better, plus I tell you the taste of her MOIST CHOCOLATE cake is as good as how the cake looks. As her gift, She gave the cupcakes as freebies to me!

SAFARI LOOT BOX/PARTY GIVEAWAY:

Because I am not a fan of hard candies, I chose cookies, chocolates, marshmallows, and gelatin as content in the loot boxes. I included small toys like blowing bubbles, clay, and pencil as well. I bought the Safari boxes online through a mompreneur, but these are available in Divisoria.

The Thank You sticker label was personally made by us.

INVITATION

I think ever since we started throwing our children their birthday parties, we'd always personally design them. Again thanks to the internet because that's where we get our pegs for the design.

Husband made this invitation and map to the venue via Adobe Photoshop. He also got pegs from Pinterest as well. Thanks also to Google Maps by the way! :)
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PHOTOBOOTH

The photobooth was part of the package I got from Reds Party Shop. But I want to show you the design of the photo prints which the supplier designed based on Damien's party invitation and photo shoot. I love the quality of the pictures and the photo prints as well. It came with a cardboard frame. The photos, both raw individual photos and the photo layout, were uploaded the following day.

PAPA JOHN'S FOOD

We had a total of 100 adults and 30 kids during the party. Initially we ordered food good for only 120pax anticipating that some of our invitees wouldn't be able to make it. So we ordered 12 of their BIG TIME FEAST good for 12 pax per feast which includes:

22 Family Pizzas (Specialty, Pepperoni, Cheese)

32 Pasta Platters (Spaghetti and Carbonara)

12 dozens of Flavored Wings (Soy Honey, Buffalo and Hickory BBQ)

22 pitchers of Iced Tea

PARTY ACTIVITIES/PROGRAM:

The Host/Magician was part of Reds Party Shop's package. The kids enjoyed the games and entertainment so much that they were going crazy laughing and engaging with the magician all throughout (feeling ko sugar rush ata from the dessert buffet eh!)

I also had a Best In Costume contest and the winners were soooooo adorable! Ang cuuute!

Side activity, face painting, was open from while waiting for the party to start until it finished. The artist and the activity was also part of the package I got from Reds Party Shop. I bought 60 pcs of game prizes for kids and 20 prizes for adults as well. Everybody came home with something and sobrang daming prizes na nag-iisip na lang kami in the end ng extra games to be able to give them all away. I also raffled prizes for the adults! It was so much fun to give and give and give! :)

So there you have it, Damien's super fun Jungle Safari themed 1st birthday party. I'm sure this is the part of the post which you've been waiting for, the list of suppliers and our party expense right? Here you go:

SUPPLIERS/COST:
1. Photo and Video services (plus make-up!) - R & L Prints/Photography: Php 6,500
2. Venue Decor/Entertainment (Hosting/Magic Show/Face painting)/Photobooth - Reds Party Shop: Php 13,500
3. Cake - Delishaes Cakes Php 2,500 (cupcakes were given as gifts)
4. Papa John's Food (good for 130 pax) - Php 26,600
5. Dessert Buffet (plus props) - P500
6. Prizes and Loot boxes giveaways/content - Php 1,000
7. Costume/Clothes - Php 600
TOTAL: PHP 51,200

So if you are planning for your child's party, my only tip is always have a budget in mind. Learn to let go of things that will not fit the budget. There are so many nice to have, but can you afford it? Ask also yourself if the party wouldn't be as fun if you didn't include an element?

To all moms out there planning their child's birthday party, may you find this post helpful and inspirational. Happy planning and God bless you and your children! :)

A full-time working mom's life becomes less crazy, less tiring, more manageable, and actually possible with the help of a YAYA. Finding a good yaya is like finding a pot of gold nowadays. Yes, seriously! I've had my share of yaya horror stories and worse, losing a yaya for a good solid 4 months, while still working in the corporate world AND without any available help from anyone.

Being yayaless recently almost made me decide to resign. Not because I was becoming hopeless and helpless, but because I was having the time of my life being a working-at-home mom. On some days when I know I couldn't keep up with work plus mommy tasks, I tell my boss I couldn't work and just take a leave.

Honestly, I miss those yayaless days. I felt more needed, busier, yes physically drained tired (but helped me lose some weight), and best of all more fulfilled. I saw myself making it successfully should I decide to take the WAHM or SAHM life. But every single time my husband and I would decide to finally pass my resignation letter, help came (either stay-out yaya comes at the right time or someone loans me their yaya).

It was God's way of telling me and my husband, not yet time to let go of my corporate job.

But truly, I miss my yayaless days. Here are some of the reasons why:

1. I witnessed my baby's milestones - I was there when Damien first walked! That alone is an awesome reason why I wouldn't ever exchange that tiring and lakas maka-losyang day to any day in my work life, not even when I got promoted.

2. More smiles, hugs and kisses from kids - My older kids also adjusted to our new temporary normal. They saw me every single day at home and it gave them a positive, happy, excited, feeling. The energy, especially of my 6yo Wes, was so high that his happiness radiated all over the house. It was contagious. I also got to monitor their school works, and help them with assignments. The daily bathing time with Damien was something I looked forward to doing every day. I got to try and test the different recommended baby bath and after-bath products on him myself. I got to see his developments and his growing love for the water. Bath time became our morning bonding ritual. Bath time is also a good touch therapy for Damien which is helpful for calming him, making him feel loved and secured. Being at home also meant unli-latch for Damien which helped me also increase my milk output when I got back to work.

3. I miss hand washing my baby's little clothes - There's something about the scent of baby laundry detergent that makes me want to do this mommy chore every day. (By the way, I'm using the whole line of Cycles Mild Laundry Detergent for Babies - liquid detergent, powder detergent as well as the stain soaker). I feel so fulfilled whenever I finish a week's worth of my baby's laundry using Cycles. I used to hate laundry because my hands are really sensitive and they bruise easily (I don't know why), but Cycles' mild to the hand washer, mild also to baby's clothes, and it's natural baby fragrance is quite addicting, makes laundry time a pleasant one. I cherish the time I spend wringing the clothes after rinse, hanging them one by one using clothespin, and finally bringing them up to our drying rack while intently smelling (in slow mo) the scent of freshly washed baby clothes. Aaaahhh, it's the smell of success!

4. I miss cooking lunch and dinner- Food is a big thing for the family. Eating time is when we commune, we talk, we laugh, we share, we connect. It's one of the family activities we all look forward to. We love food. My family loves it better if either I or my husband cooks the meal. I love hearing their appreciation for cooking their fave meal or when they think it's delish (or nambobola lang). Mas nakakabusog to hear those words of affirmation than the food itself. Meal time, especially when I cook, spells happiness. And of course, I love preparing and feeding the baby myself.

5. The house looked like a real house, not a storage area. Since I had the house all to myself, I was able to organize the furniture, the kitchen counters, throw expired whatevers (medicine, food, drinks, condiments, lahaaat), clean the rooms, rearrange everything in it, organize toys, declutter, and be true to homemaking, applying every lesson I learned in home economics back in high school, without anyone's help and even opinion. I had the greatest freedom in the house. Of course I do this during kids' nap time, while taking a (work-from-home) break. I threw so many things and kept the house neat and in order. My prize, a clean house, a healthier breathing and living space, and praises from my children and of course my husband. I agree that a clean/well-organized house affects the moods of the people living in it. Less stress and anxiety for everyone and welcomes harmonious feelings which affects relationships positively.

6. I am the QUEEN, the Domestic Queen - Ito seryoso, when at work, we don't really feel like a queen unless we're the CEO or owner of the company right. Even if you're with the upper management, you still have a boss whom you have to serve a list of major deliverable. But at home, I am the one and only QUEEN and I can never be a queen anywhere else but there. Being yayaless, though super mega tired all day every single yayaless day, I manage my own time, I set my own pace, and the only bosses I have are my children which are always my pleasure to serve.

THE LESSONS & REALIZATIONS
For any working mom, losing a yaya is really difficult. But my past yayaless experience made me realize so many things and reminded me that our children need their parents to be fully present in their lives. That the children should be the source of our joy and not stress. That our ways (how we act and speak) influence how our children perceive God. That our children's happiness is immeasurable when they know they have their moms and dads with them. Being yayaless reminded me that whatever happens FAMILY should come first and be prioritized at all times. Lastly, that as a working mom, I'm not indispensable but as a mother I am.

I work full time out of home and one of the things that I cannot compromise is the peace of mind knowing that even when I'm out of the house, I know that my kids are safe, unharmed, and in proper care of the yaya I entrusted my kids with.

Remember the news that came out on TV and also online about abusive and evil I must say na yayas to their alaga? It got me so paranoid down to my veins. I'm sure many working moms and dads could relate to this paranoia and wouldn't want that unfortunate thing to happen to their children. Going back to employers who caught their yayas abusing their children, the common denominator is catching them on CCTV or IP Camera.

That definitely sold me to the idea of installing one especially after firing the last two yayas for preventive reasons. I know I should have installed one a long time ago, so at least now I've realized its importance.

There are so many CCTV and IP Cameras, branded or generic, available in store and online which overwhelmed me, due to vastness of available brands and very technical features and benefits. But since I'm a digital mom, I prefer getting an IP camera.

But let me talk to you about a mom's requirements for choosing one:
- Should be user-friendly
- Output should be clear as in HD during day and even at night or when dark
- I can monitor it anytime and anywhere
- It's budget-friendly

I found all these and more in Qihoo 360 Smart Camera Kit.

Here are the TECHNICAL Specifications and Features for your reference of the Qihoo 360 D606 Wifi Smart Camera:

Image Resolution: 1080pixel
Audio: Built in 5M Omni Directional Noise reduction
Microphone and speakers Opus Dynamic Audio Codec.
Size: Height 105mm Head Width 58mm
Base width 68mm Base Height 22.3mm
Thickness 29.8mm
Operating Temperature: 5-70C Indoor Use
Power: Input 5V-1A

Key Features:

Full HD
Night Vision
Motion Detection
Facial Detection
Real-Time Phone Alerts
SD Card or Cloud Recording Option
150 Degree viewing angle
No computer and network cable required, easy wireless WiFi connection
Built-in microphone and speaker, support two-way real-time talk
Support remotely real-time monitoring via smartphone

Now here is a MOMMY's Review, What I like about Qihoo 360 Smart Camera Kit (D606):

It's easy to install. Usually, I'm a bit afraid of anything tech, that's why I married an IT expert. But this Smart IP Camera is so idiot-proof. It's easy to install! I used to be threatened by IP cameras because I thought I would have so many things and cables to connect and I get paralyzed at the word installation. But when I opened the box, I saw only 5 things: the cute Qihoo Smart WiFi Camera, a long cable, the adaptor plug you connect the cable to, the manual, and the surface sticker (if you don't plan to magnetize the camera on steel).
It's easy to use. The steps I had to do lang were: Plug the camera to turn on, install the App where you register an account, pair your smartphone with the camera, attach the camera where you want it. That's it! Easy peasy!
It has an APP downloadable for FREE on Play Store or Apple Store. Juat look for 360 Smart Camera. The App is where you'll be able to view live what's happening in the area where you installed your camera.
I can see my kids, the house, anytime I want. When I want to see what's happening, I just open the app view the super HD clear videos with fast shutter speed, meaning it's not lagged or slowmo or yung nakakainis na buffering pa. Plus it has 8x digital zoom. So if I want a closer shot of my yaya and my child, pwede and its clear ha! Even when it's dark, I can view the area clearly with the help of its night vision feature.
It has a built-in mic and speaker. Hurray for this feature! It's like a Walkie Talkie. When I see my baby in the living room I singa or talk to him and yaya through the camera. So even when I'm away for a day at the office or when I have an official business trip, my kids and I would still feel as if I'm not really away. I can still be "present" even when I'm away.
It's budget-friendly. For me this Qihoo 360 Smart is worth more than the amount you'll pay for purchasing it. I've searched and shortlisted some IP Cameras, but the Qihoo 360 Smart Camera passed all our Mommy Practicality and Daddy Technicality requirements and tests.

Overall, features, benefits, actual usage, connectivity to WiFi and smartphone /App use, and practicality, pasado. It's a good investment for moms and dads like me who want to achieve some peace of mind when you go out everyday for work or business trips. The Qihoo 360 Smart Camera Kit is available in Lazada and Shopee.

It's that time of the year again when moms and dads would actively prepare for the trick or treat events in Metro Manila this coming Halloween season. Would you agree if I say that Trick or Treat is now a big thing among Filipinos especially in Metro Manila? Yes it really is! Ako nga I compile a list of Halloween events, activities, parties annually. This 2017, I'm doing it again for all of you who like me would also want to prepare ahead so we could save up for costume and ticket expenses right?

As parents, it's so exciting and cute to see our kids parading in ready-made or made-to-order or DIY costumes. I'm always amazed myself whenever we attend Halloween Trick or Treat events. For kids naman, what they are most excited about are of course the fun activities and the candies or chocolates and other prized they could put in that pumpkin tub they carry with them!

Without further adieu, here's my 2017 List of Halloween Trick or Treat Events for Kids in Metro Manila

F1 HOTEL MANILA
WHEN: October 28, 2017
WHERE: Infinity Ballroom of F1 Hotel Manila
WHAT: Magic show, face painting, cupcake decorating, and more fun games, plus trick or treat.
FEE: Php 695 (Early Bird Rate) Php 998 Regular Rate comes with Brunch Buffet and entrance to the Halloween party
For more information, like them on Facebook or visit their website.

ACTIVE FUN
WHEN: October 28, 2017
WHERE: BGC, SM Megamall, Ayala Malls The 30th, Power Plant Mall, Evia Lifestyle Center
WHAT: Fun-filled costume Halloween party
FEE:

For more info, contact 869-0800/869-9509, email promos@activefun.ph visit their

website or like them on FACEBOOK

CRIMSON HOTEL
WHEN: October 28, 2017
WHAT: Hero or Villain, come in your favorite character costume and unleash your superpowers at Crimson Hotel Filinvest City, Manila’s amazing Halloween Celebration! Activities: Costume Contest, Trick or Treat
For inquiries, please call 863-2222 local 1205 or email cfcmevents@crimsonhotel.com
Like them on Facebook for updates.

LUXENT HOTEL
WHEN: October 29, 2017, 10:30 PM to 2:30 PM
WHERE: Seasons Ballroom
WHAT: Costume Contest, games and many more!
For more info like them on Facebook or call 863-7777

BELLEVUE HOTEL MANILA
WHEN: October 28, 2017, 2:00PM
WHERE: TBA
WHAT: Superhero costume party, games, and many more!
For more info, like them on Facebook

There you have it moms and dads! BOOKMARK this blog post because I will be updating this frequently as more hotels, stores, restaurants and other establishments or organizations will announce their own Halloween Trick or Treat events in the coming days and weeks!

I hope to see you in one of these events loves! Happy Halloween! :)

Our dear Wes turned 7 last week and of course it's a milestone to celebrate. We did so by having a simple birthday lunch treat for his classmates, going to the mall to buy his gift, dining out with the whole family, and playing in Kidzoona. His 7th birthday party happened last Saturday which I will be talking about more on a separate blog post. Now, I want to first share with you the quick and fun photo shoot we did at Terra 28th Park, BGC (which is photo-friendly, no fees no permits needed!)

Originally, we wanted to have it done in a kart track, but when I asked if there's a fee, it was a jaw-dropping 1/4 of my party budget. Whoa! But, because BGC on a weekend morning isn't a busy street, the venue was perfect for our Cars/Racing/Road/Traffic themed shoot.

I was glad the photographer we got during Damien's party wasn't available because we discovered another talented photographer, Arthur Martinez. As I've shared before, when choosing a supplier, I look not only on which I would be able to save most just because it's the cheapest, but more importantly, the quality of shots.

Sharing with you some of the photos from our shoot which made us happy. Ang sarap pala mag-photoshoot talaga because it freezes a moment in your time which you could always look back on when the kids grow taller than you are, when we get older. We might be doing this annually na. Here they are:

Arthur came alone, no assistants and no complicated accessories or gadgets. He was just with his talent, artistic eyes, concepts in mind, and time. I highly appreciated hiw fast our photoshoot went by.

I got him to cover (photo and video) Wes' birthday party. And para I only talk to one person for all documentation needs, I also got him to supply my phtotobooth needs. We're happy with his service and professionalism. I'll share photos and the video of the party soon!

So for your family's next photo/video coverage, I recommend trying Arthur's services. He won't disappoint you and your budget as well. Check his Facebook Page for more information and samples of his other projects: Arthur Martinez Photography

It's no secret that I'm a DIY enthusiast. Every chance I could get to DIY some personal party or event, I would. My first DIY event project was my very own Rustic-themed wedding. Since then I got hooked to doing DIYs in succeeding special occasions of my family.

The recent birthday party of my son was Disney Cars-themed. It was the same character which my eldest got hooked to since he was 2 years of age back in 2005, galing! We celebrated Wes' 7th birthday party at McDonald's Granada. The manager and crew allowed us to dress up the focal front table with this chosen theme. After all, it's our birthday boy's special request.

So, here's the latest DIY party project I did for my son's party. When I think of Cars or Racing, I think of the color red and black and white checkered flags. I played around those ideas and from those came the road and traffic signs I had fun doing.

Here were my DIY projects for my son's Disney Cars/Car Racing themed 7th birthday party:

DESSERT TABLE

As you may know now, I love assembling dessert tables for my children's parties. There's something about symmetry, leveling, balance, and sweets that make me giddy excited. I prepared cookies, marshmallows, cupcakes, stick-os, gummy candies, and the cake was the centerpiece of this DIY creation.

RACING BUNTINGS AND BACKDROP FRINGES

I printed the black and white checkered patterns on bond papers, cut them in triangles, hung them on a string and voila, racing buntings.

For the backdrop fringes, I used red and yellow crepe papers, cut them in strips and taped them on a string. Husband helped in setting the fringe backdrop up on the front wall set the theme.

WELCOME VIGNETTE

This area was set up to welcome guests and give them a brief feel of what theme to expect before the enter the party premises. I made the traffic light out of illustration board and art papers cut in circles. The orange paper road cones were made from cartolina. And of course the flags were from the many printed out black and white checkered papers attached to staws.

The red and yellow early warning devices for vehicles were from the trunk of our car. And lastly, instead of putting ONE WAY, I printed WES' PARTY to direct the guests to the party venue.

TABLE CENTERPIECES

The table centerpiece I used were also the DIY road cones and racing flags placed on top of the racing flag mats. We were supposed to add balloons but due to lack of ingress time, my friend supplier wasn't able to do so anymore. The centerpieces made quite a cute racing or road traffic feel and for that I believe we succeeded without removing or covering McDonald's own theme/presence.

Now sharing also with you other Cars-themed party elements which we implemented during our son's simple 7th birthday party at McDonald's Granada.

INVITATION
This invitation was made by my husband and the inspiration of course came from Pinterest. If you're a DIY enthusiast and want to get a lot of ideas on how to do a project or at least get pegs, Pinterest is the place to be.

MATCHING FAMILY OUTFITS
I got our matching shirts two days before the party from Landmark Makati. My question was: "How could these good quality shirts come in less than Php500 price tags each?" Well, only in Landmark, Makati Philippines baby! :)

2-LAYERED DISNEY CARS 3 FONDANT CAKE
My cake supplier has always been our dear friend Shae of Delishaes Cakes. I gave her the look or peg of the cake that Wes likes and she executes it perfectly. Her cake and cupcakes are always moist and just has the right kind of sweetness.

CARS 2D CUPCAKES
As a bonus, Shae gave Wes free 2D cupcakes as gifts but these are also available for sale or as part of a package. Just message her on Facebook. The guests enjoyed the yummy moist choco cupcakes.

CARS THEMED GAME PRIZES
Since it's a Cars-themed party, of course I have to go all out with Cars even with prizes or most of it. I added around 30 pcs of prizes to McDonald's prizes. It was such a fun party and almost all the kids came home with something. You also wouldn't believe that I got these items for only Php10 - P15 each.

SPECIAL PRIZES
Apart from the game prizes, I prepared something for the Best Dressed or Best in Costume and Early Birds too! I bought these special prizes from the department store and the kids were all eyes on the prizes!

CARS 3 NECK PILLOWS AS GIVEAWAYS
I had the neck pillows customized. I'm so happy about the quality of the print and the plumpness of the pillows too. The supplier was so easy to transact with and the items were also delivered to me. These were done by Cuztomate and each piece is lower than Php80 each.

RACING COSTUME
I already received more than a dozen of inquiries about where I got Wes' racing costume. I had it tailor-made from Len of Costume Manila. RTW Racing costumes are available in some department stores but I didn't like the quality of the cloth. I just had to add a few hundred pesos to get this quality and tailor-fit costume for the birthday boy. The costume also came with a cap which completed the whole racing outfit of Wes.

PHOTO BOOTH PICTURE LAYOUT
The package I got from my photographer came with photo booth services. The design was of course aligned to the whole Disney Cars theme. The photo paper was thick glossy and print is high quality. Each photo came with a board frame and was immediately posted on the supplier's Facebook page.

Our party was so much fun! These Disney Cars party elements made the party more alive and put together! Having a theme for your parties make it also look more organized and great on photos. It also sets the party mood for the kids especially for the birthday celebrator. But the most important of all is even without party themes, your birthday celebrator child is happy and that you show and make him feel all the love in the world. Birthdays are milestones of our children's lives and personally, whether with a party (at home or in a venue outside home) or a vacation. it's worth celebrating!

It's always great weekend when you get to relax and sleep on freshly laundered clean white sheets (which I dont ever have to worry about if it gets soiled.) Am I right tired moms? And to save me pa from the stress of long driving and packing too much, I got to vacay with my family within the heart of the city. Greenhillls Elan Hotel Modern became our home one weekend and I did nothing but just Eat.Sleep.Swim.Repeat.

Upon entrance to the hotel doors, you'll be greeted by a bright, spacious and elegant lobby where you will also find their friendly and warm front office staff who will greet you all smiles.

If you come from my generation, the Generation X, you will feel nostalgic when you get a chance to stay at Greenhills Elan Hotel Modern. The interior design of the hotel sends an 80s clean modern feel. Growing up during the 80s mean seeing classic and homey pieces. So personally, staying in this hotel became a home away from home.

We were booked in a 1-BR suite which sent us a familiar feeling of being very close to home. The suite was a clean mini-version of a family dwelling where you'll find a small dining area, living room, the bedroom of course, a bathroom with a bath tub (definitely a bonus for us especially the kids!), and a kitchenette. My husband and I were talking that it's a livable space for a family, bigger than most condominium.

Upon entry to the room, a fruit platter greeted us. How thoughtful of Greenhills Elan Hotel to be extending this welcome gesture to their guests.

Let me take you around our spacious room (which could really pass as a whole house actually!) This is a living area. I wasn't able to take a photo of the TV on the wall. Guests can actually lounge here, watch a movie or just rest or even sleep. I tell you there's plenty of space.

Here's another angle of the room coming from the door. What a huge room, agree? I never felt like I couldn't breathe because it was really spacious.

The room had one (1) King-sized bed which fits 2 adults, a young child and our baby. Baby still nurses from me so he's been co-sleeping with me since he was born. We requested for an extra bed set up in this same room for my teenager son.

You'll also find a huge desk perfect for doing some work (which I didn't bother doing) or for drawing or playing, which my 7 year old son happily did. :)

One of the things we love about hotel staycationing is feeling the softness of the clean white sheets where we press our tired bodies on. My baby soundly and comfortably slept through the night and even just before we swam the next day.

HOTEL SERVICE & AMENITIES

What I highly appreciate during our stay that weekend, aside from the breakfast buffet which came with the room, was the completeness of the toiletries and then some extra items which in some hotels, you wouldn't find or you'd have to request for (and sometimes for a fee.).

You wouldn't complain at all with the high-powered air-conditioning system. There's one in the room and another in the living room. Lighting is perfect for me, not too dark and not too bright as well.

Inside their huge bathroom, you'll find these:

Bath towels
Hand towels
Dental Kit
Bedroom Slippers
Sewing kit
Shampoo, Conditioner, Liquid Soap
Bath Tub
H&C Shower
Toilet Paper/Facial Tissue
Iron + Board
Safety Deposit Box
Bath Robes
Closet
Hair Dryer

The room also came with:

Two card keys plus a card key going to the pool area
Coffee and Tea Making facility
Two (2) Complimentary bottles of mineral water
Newspaper
Plate of fresh fruits

BREAKFAST BUFFET
Breakfast buffet opens as early as 6am and ends at 110am. We were up as early as 6am because the kids didn't want to waste any minute of our second day which they dedicated to swimming.

We are heavy breakfast eaters that's why in all of our hotel or resort stays we higly appreciate a complete.and not bitin breakfast buffet spreads that have a lot to choose from.

First buffet station we stopped by was their rice and viand spread which consisted of rice, scrambled egg, soup, and three meats. You may request for omelette or strips of crispy bacon.

If you're a cereal person, you may choose from these four cereal types together with your bowl of fresh milk.

There was also a generous spread of breads available for guests who opt these for their morning carbo-loading. Wheat and white loaf bread slices, pandesal, pan de coco, and a lot more were available that day. You may toast them on site too for a freshly warmed or crunched bread.

If you're the type who favors salads in the morning, you're definitely going to love this salad station which comes with a number of dressings to choose from.

This was my dear Wessie, helping himself with a bowl of his favorite corn flakes with milk.

Coffee, pineapple juice and water station is very accessible to guests.

And if you're already up for sweets or desserts., fruits and sponge cake slices are also available.

HOTEL FACILITIES:
We always consider staying in a hotel with swimming pools because it's the only activity which my children look forward to whenever we staycation or even go on an out of town trip. I would like to believe that they got the love for the water from me! I used to swim a lot in high school and growing up until I travel for work, I would always pack a swimsuit for the "just in case there'll be a pool" moments. So from my eldest to my baby boy, they all love to swim.

Greenhills Elan Hotel Modern's swimming pools are found on the Penthouse. There's a huge one for adults or older kids and a kiddie pool as well. There's also a jacuzzi but it wasn't working during our stay.

If you're a health and fitness enthusiast (which I aim to be one in the near future) the hotel also has a gym and spa which could be found also on the Penthouse. There are machines available for cardio exercises or weight lifting. Oh how I miss stepping on the treadmill and sweating it all out. Soon soon again I will.

What we also liked about during our stay was their WiFi! You know how kids during their rest times like to connect their gadgets to the internet right? Also parking spaces for the guests are available at the basement floors. The hotel is right in the heart of San Juan City and is accessible to many restaurants, bars and entertainment hubs, Spas and salons, and of course Greenhills Shopping Center.

Overall, two thumbs up go Greenhills Elan Modern for many reasons. Top for us would be great customer service thanks to the warm and highly courteous hotel staff. Next, location is accessible and not difficult to navigate. Third, cleanliness and completeness of hotel amenities are unquestionable. Fourth, rooms are spacious and well-maintained. Last but not the least, room rates and promos are value for money.

Thank you Greenhills Elan Hotel Modern for making our quick getaway a comfortable, relaxing, and memorable one.

ON GOING HOTEL PROMOTIONS

Speaking of promos, they have on-going room promos EXCLUSIVELY for Mommy Practicality's readers, perfect for quick family or barkada getaway which you would certainly like:

Use promo code FAMKADA to get a special room package for a group of four (4) from October 16 to December 30, 2017. Each room gets four (4) FREE Buffet Breakfasts plus use of pool, gym, jacuzzi, with complimentary daily newspaper and four (4) water bottles.

Also, you may use promo code GREENHILLSELAN to get 55% OFF their Best Available Rates online. The 55% discount is applicable to all their available room types during stay from October 16, 2017 to March 18, 2018.

CLICK HERE TO RESERVE NOW.

For more information and updates:

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www.greenhillselanhotelmodern.com

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