Tag: recent-years

You’ll Always Be Our Babies

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“You’re my baby,” I would say.
“I’m not a baby anymore, I’m a big girl,” Rain would reply.
“But you’re my baby,” I’d repeat, part joking, part serious like ‘I don’t care what you say, buddy, you’re mine!’
“No, no, Mommy, I’m not! I’m a big girl. See, I’m 5,” she would insist, raising her hand up and showing all of her 5 little fingers.
“Mommy, you have to listen to Rainy,” Dawn would chime in, taking her sister’s side.

There are two ways this conversation can go.

One, I’d ask them to pretend they’re still babies, and if they say yes, I’d tickle them and kiss them and carry them like babies and tickle them some more. “Just pretend, okay?” Rain would confirm, and I’d reply with a quick “ok, ok!”

Two, I’d agree with them and affirm that yes, they are indeed big girls now. (Music to Rain’s ears, by the way.)

The truth is, while the four of us enjoy teasing and disagreeing with each other (it’s one of our favorite pasttimes), I sometimes feel like the twins are not joking too. They really want to be treated as big girls na, to act like it, to be called such.

And don’t we all, have these moments growing up?

It’s an interesting phase. Also, it’s humbling, crazy, intense, entertaining, beautiful, tiring, stretching—all at the same time!

And just like my babies (who I’m going to refer to as “my babies” for the rest of this post because I say so, hah!), every day I can feel in my bones that years—and growth—are being added to my life too.

Note to self: Try to be more conscious about not calling them “babies” as much, even though I know deep inside they’ll always be mine.

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Since we’re in the subject of growing up, these two are literally outgrowing everything so fast.

Clothes, toys, TV shows, songs, books, even places. That playground in the mall they labeled as the “best place ever” just last month? Yep. Not anymore.

Sometimes I catch myself holding on to things a little too tightly. Like that dress they loved to wear when they were 2 years old which now falls about 5 inches above the knees; or that worn out baby blanket that held so much memories.

There’s a box of toys they don’t play with anymore, a pink doll house we got them for Christmas that they already want to trade for a bigger one, a plushie (or two) gathering dusts under the bed. 

I know we need to let them go at some point but I thought, maybe, if I keep them a little longer, time will slow down a little bit too.  (Or fine, I’m just a busy mom who doesn’t want to deal with the wrath of two feisty 5-year old girls just yet.)

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Excuse the puffy eyes. We took these photos in the morning and they.. (hashtag) wokeuplikethis.

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Few weeks ago we received a crate of goodies from Johnson & Johnson and the smiles on the girls’ faces were priceless.

They’re familiar with every item in the crate because they literally grew up with these J&J products—always included in the grocery list, present on the bedside table, stashed in the side pockets of their diaper bag.

From the time they were babies until now, each product represents a season, a favorite time of day, a treasured memory.

Like the sweet scent of baby lotion that reminds us of co-sleeping and bedtime cuddles. The handy dandy pack of baby wipes that takes us back to those diaper days. The bottle of baby shampoo that makes them want to dive into a tub of bubbles. The baby powder we still carry in our purses 20 years later.

Time flies, babies grow, and kids outgrow stuff, but some things do grow with us.

Thank you, Johnson & Johnson, for being one with the village and helping us give our babies only the best—from then til now.

This story was written for Johnson & Johnson. Read my full disclosure policy here.

Investing in Good Children’s Books

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Just the other week I had a random chat with Paula about how hard it is to find good children’s books in this side of the world. For me, “good children’s books” ones that are first of all well-written, have beautiful illustration, preferably not based on popular cartoon characters, and with content that sparks creativity and opens a child’s eyes to the world. Plus points for stories that parents will enjoy themselves. ;)

We do have a few Peppa Pig and My Little Pony books lying around the house but only because these character books can’t be avoided in local bookstores. Every now and then I give in to the girls’ requests for a Peppa Pig activity book or that My Little Pony Busy Book that’s famous among little girls.

But oh how I long for a wider selection of children’s books here in the Philippines! I know I wouldn’t mind splurging on children’s books more than I would spend on toys.

Our twins, at 5 years old, love it when we read to them and with them, and that’s something I will never take for granted. I always look forward to reading time because I know we achieve a couple of things just by sitting down together to read: It develops reading and comprehension, it widens their creative imagination, it deepens their vocabulary, it develops their appreciation for the arts and the written word, and it’s also an opportunity for parents and children to bond in a different level.

On a personal note, I do get inspired reading children’s books myself. The very nature of children’s books—that they’re simple enough for kids to understand and creative enough to capture attention and encourage imagination—makes them a great source of inspiration for adults too.

I find myself having profound realizations whenever I read children’s books, especially as they allow us to see the world in the eyes of a child. It takes us back to our younger years, even for a moment, where everything is simple and magical and possible. It inspires us to dream big, not for ourselves anymore but for our children and future generations.

And these are the reasons why I consider children’s books an investment. The ROI is beyond measure.

Our children’s book haul from Big Bad Wolf, Manila

When the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale came to Manila last February, we specifically went for the children’s books. Normally I would check out the Christian literature section or maybe business/self-help books, but there wasn’t a lot of those at the Big Bad Wolf. What they do have PLENTY of are children’s books! (YAS!)

We spent not more than 5,000 Php for everything. Not bad at all! I mean, if you see other people’s hauls, ours is very conservative in comparison! :D

Disclosure: Some of these links are affiliate links, read my full disclosure policy here.

Bible-based Board Books

We got a few bible-based titles— My First Bible Words by Sarah Vince (this is a good supplement to children’s Bible as it shows illustrations of individual names and elements of popular bible stories); The Plans I Have for You by Amy Parker, and God is Watching Over You by P.J. Lyons.

We got these easy-to-read board books that Dawn loves taking out with her because they come with plastic handles— The Story of Jesus, My Very First Prayers, and All Things Bright and Beautiful, which is Dawn’s absolute favorite! The words on the last book are exactly as on the hymn, so we taught her how to sing it and she loves it! She calls it her Bible song book. (Can’t find reference for the first two.)

These adorable board books from the My Little World series are literally everywhere you go at the Big Bad Wolf. They’re along the isles, on random piles, by the counters, you name it. These were easy picks by Dawn and Rain themselves, who are just starting to learn to read on their own. There were more titles from this series but we got these three: Love, I Love Mummy & I Love Daddy.

Reference Books / Activity Books

I was happy to come across some of these familiar covers (I see them a lot on trending lists, Instagram accounts, and blogs). Inside Out New York by Josh Cochran is a seek-and-find book that spreads into a wall poster. Rain is currently into seek-and-find books so I got this one for her. Hello London by Marion Billet is a cute board book for younger kids, but I got it anyway because it’s.. cute. And London, of course. Dawn loves this!

Picture Books

I also picked up these fiction books that have adorable illustrations! Stanley the Sock Monster Goes to the Moon by Jedda Roboard, Whisper by Joe Fitzpatrick, and Rocket Writes a Story by Tad Hills. Although the girls are not yet into reading these types of books, they do love looking at the pictures and listening to us read them aloud. I know in a year or so they will appreciate them more. Their Mommy enjoys reading them, though. :D

The Crayon Box, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers

My personal favorite (and by “favorite” I mean I was jumping up and down and screaming at my husband’s ears when I found it)… is the Crayon Box, written by Drew Daywelt, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers. I’ve read reviews about these books, and they wouldn’t be best-sellers for nothing. I have Oliver Jeffers titles in my Book Depository wishlist forever so I’m very happy to have snagged them at a discounted price!

So yes yes yes! Definitely ecstatic to find, not just The Day the Crayons Quit, but The Day the Crayons Came Home too—all in one happy Crayon Box! :)

These crayon books speak to both kids and adults, and my husband and I had a good laugh with these two! (Like, hysterical laugh.) So maybe the twins don’t appreciate the humour yet, but I’ll be happy to keep these books until they do. In the meantime, they’re mine. The girls can borrow if they want. LOL.

Not in the pictures are a couple of activity books (writing and math) that we can use for their homeschooling. There are many general reference books and arts and crafts books too, and I can’t wait for Big Bad Wolf to come back, they say, in July.

Something for the parents

Children’s books aside, my husband and I got ONE item each from the sale. We would have bought more if we found something we really really like for ourselves. I chanced upon a single copy of Jeff Goin’s Wrecked, so I picked it up without a doubt.

And my husband got himself a Juggling set haha. He’s obviously inspired by Patrick Demsey and Harry Styles’s juggling abilities, so okay babe, you can get that one.

And there you go, our Big Bad Wolf book haul that’s made up of children’s books mostly.

Did you go to the Big Bad Wolf book sale too? What are your most favorite finds? And don’t you wish we have more Children’s book selections in our local bookstores too?

Discovering the Book Depository

Finding a place to hoard books is a treasure, especially here in the Philippines. One time, a friend of mine who’s in the book business, told me about the Book Depository. It’s a UK-based online book seller founded by a former Amazon employee, and was eventually bought by Amazon.

If you’re a book lover in the Philippines, y’all know how unreasonably expensive it is to buy books from Amazon because of the shipping costs. And isn’t that the deal breaker when shopping books online?

But what if I tell you that Book Depository does FREE SHIPPING ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD? (Sorry for the caps guys, but yes, consider me screaming when you read that one.)

You’ll notice that their items have higher price points but, FREE SHIPPING? Anywhere? That’s quite the deal. So next time you’re dying to get your hands on book titles that have not yet reached our islands, the definitive answer is Book Depository. You’re welcome. ;)

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Avon’s Pink Lipstick Collection

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As a mother who works from home, you’d be surprised at the amount of lipsticks I spend money on. “It’s an investment, babe“, I half-jokingly say to my husband, who gladly supports my splurges anyway. (Note: Find a man who supports your weird and sometimes unnecessary obsessions, lol.)

In all seriousness, even though I rarely leave the house, these little magical sticks are just some of my daily essentials. Naturally, I don’t put on full makeup when I’m just at home—who has the time for that, really? But I do love swiping lip color everyday.

It’s an instant pick-me-upper when you’re feeling blah (or in Pinoy slang, loshang), it makes you look put together even when you only slept 4 hours the night before, and best of all, it doesn’t take a minute to apply. Plus, I love how I can choose lipstick shades depending on my mood for the day!

Avon seems to see this whole lipstick story the same way. With their recent Pink is For Every Pinay campaign, Avon offers more than just the prettiest shades of pink but swipes of confidence and beauty, for every milestone and everyday use.

This pink collection comes with both True Ultra Color (satin finish) and Perfectly Matte lipsticks.

My faves from the Avon True Color line, left to right: Discovery Pink, Sunny Pink, and Pink Dream.

And my faves from the Perfectly Matte shades: Pure Pink, Rose Awakening, and Mauve Matters.

For lipstick shades, I’m usually into nudes, browns, and corals, so I love that Avon’s pink collection has these new shades that I would normally pick and try on.

While I occasionally splurge on high-end lipstick brands, my everyday lipsticks are ones that I buy guilt-less! Proudly Filipino made, Avon’s price points are also made for Pinays. The Perfectly Matte lipsticks retail for P399 each, while the True Ultra Color collection go for P379 each. So yes, ladies, you can definitely get yourself several shades without the fear of breaking the bank!

“Beauty for a Purpose”

I grew up watching my Mom put on her favorite Avon lipstick. Decades later, I get to enjoy my own Avon collection too!

From then until now, Avon has always been passionate about creating quality beauty products for all types of Filipina, with price points for all types of Filipina. Avon has stood the test of time for a reason—the values that they stand for—which makes me appreciate their products even more. Why great job, Avon! And thank you. :)

PS. Ohh dear, did I just publish my first ever beauty blog post? Just thought I’d clarify that I’m not going that direction. ;) However, I may be creating beauty-related content every now and then, but only when it applies to mommy life and the work-from-everywhere creative lifestyle. That said, Avon sent me this thoughtful PR package and since lipsticks are just some of the little things that are part of my every day (hashtag mommyhacks), it inspired to write this post. Hope you enjoyed reading it!

PPS. I’m giving away some Avon lipsticks!! Check out my Instagram to know how to win. ;)

Shop Avon

Visit Avon’s online shop or through any Avon Representative. Avon is the Company that for 130 years has proudly stood for beauty, innovation, optimism and, above all, for women.

When in Baguio with Kids for 36 Hours

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Sometimes, you just have to go for it. Even when the idea crossed your mind just 24 hours ago and you didn’t have a clear plan or Baguio itinerary.

In fact (as we all have proven time and time again), the trips that usually push through are the ones we didn’t overthink.

This was the story of our quick Baguio trip and our loosely planned itinerary.

My brother, who was celebrating his birthday (coincidentally a day before his wife’s birthday), blurted out while we were chatting about something totally unrelated, “we want sana to celebrate our birthdays in Baguio.” Without much thinking, I replied, “So why not? Sama kame! Let’s go!”

The next 24 hours looked like this: An excited approval from my husband. Hitting my Agoda and Airbnb apps to find and book accommodation. Quick trip to the nearby supermarket to buy some snacks and toiletries. Rummaging our closets for long-sleeved shirts, scarves, and knits. Getting the girls all hyped up for the trip, and then forcing them to sleep early. Packing up clothes for 4 people. Alarm clock at 3am. Up and running just before sunrise.

We would figure out where to go and what to do when we get there, but I’d really like to accomplish a few simple things:

  1. Eat strawberry taho
  2. Have some strawberry cake at Vizco’s
  3. Maybe get some strawberry ice cream too, if there’s time
  4. Take home some fresh strawberries

Spoiler alert: I got everything in my simple strawberry bucket list checked!

Here’s our loosely planned, anything-goes Baguio itinerary

DAY ONE

  • 4:30 AM – Start trip from Manila. We drove a private vehicle so we had the luxury of time, leisurely taking pit stops whenever we need.
  • 10:00 AM – Arrive at Baguio. First stop, Camp John Hay.
  • 10:30 AM – Brunch at Pizza Volante at Techno Hub.
  • 11:00 AM – Drive around Camp John Hay, get coffee.
  • 12:00 PM – Check-in at Azalea Residences, drop off bags.
  • 2:00 PM – Botanical Garden, find strawberry taho and take photos (annnnd we stop taking photos at this point).
  • 3:30 PM – Off to SM Baguio for snacks, and the first round of pasalubong shopping. (We lost so much time waiting for parking space, tsssk!)
  • 5:00 PM – Early dinner.
  • 6:00 PM – Coffee and dessert at Pamana.
  • 7:00 PM – Back at Azalea to rest for a bit.
  • 8:30 PM – Leave the kids at the hotel with their Lola so that the adults *ehem* can double-date. Off to Session Road to buy some drinks and take home some strawberry cake from Vizco’s.
  • 10:00 PM – Take out some Korean beef and noodles from Samgyeoppocha for midnight snack.
  • 11:00 PM – Back at Azalea in time for birthday eve celebration.
  • 12:30 AM – Lights Off.

DAY TWO

  • 9:30 AM – Late breakfast buffet.
  • 11:00 AM – Pack-up and early checkout.
  • 12:00 NN – Bike at Burnham Park and pasalubong shopping at the Baguio City Market.
  • 1:30 PM – Late lunch at SM Baguio.
  • 2:30 PM – Back at Camp John Hay for one last round of photo sessions, plus a visit to the old picturesque Starbucks.
  • 4:30 PM – One last drive around Baguio to hunt for strawberry taho, and strawberry ice cream.
  • 6:00 PM – Drive back to Manila, stopover at NLEX for dinner.

It’s been more than a decade since the last time I’ve been to Baguio but, other than the massive existence of SM City on top of Session Road, Baguio doesn’t really feel different all that much.

When we were kids, our parents took us to Baguio frequently. To them, Baguio trips were part of church ministry; to us siblings, those were some of our most treasured childhood memories. So it made me happy to have Dawn and Rain experience some of the things we loved about Baguio growing up.

First stop, Camp John Hay (of course)

Our first stop was Camp John Hay Techno Hub, had brunch at Pizza Volante, dropped by Vizco’s for some pastries-to-go, and then some coffee-to-go from Starbucks. We also stopped by the butterfly sanctuary for the kids. Needless to say, we drove around Camp John Hay with our windows down so we could feel the cool Baguio breeze.

We know there are a lot of things to do in Baguio but we kept it chill and familiar for this trip. :)

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Off to find those stawberries.

Found strawberry taho at Botanical Garden.

There are a lot of taho vendors on the streets of Baguio, but that’s the challenge right there—they’re on the streets, roaming around. We didn’t know specific spots. They say there’s a hub of taho vendors near the strawberry farm in La Trinidad so we had that in our list. But as we drove past Botanical Garden (which wasn’t really part of our itinerary), we spotted a taho vendor by its entrance. Score! We didn’t need to go to La Trinidad after all.

Happy camper. ;)  Strawberry taho, check!

And since we were already at the Botanical Garden, might as well take photos. Of course.

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We thought of going to Ben Cab Museum to get a bit of Baguio art and culture. But obviously the strawberry taho could not wait, hence the Botanical Garden became the closest thing we got to some Baguio history. It was also very close to Azalea Residences—our homebase for the duration of our stay.

Stayed at Azalea Residences, Baguio

It wasn’t the most affordable choice you’ll find in Agoda, but we didn’t want to risk on budget accommodations in such short notice. You do get what you pay for with this one. We were very happy with our 2-bedroom unit at the Azalea Residences! :)

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy here.

Plus points for having a 24-hour Korean restaurant just outside the Azalea compound! We went to get some takeout Samgyeopsal and Ramen for midnight birthday salubong snacks—just what the birthday celebrants ordered. ;)

Earlier we also got some strawberry cake from Vizco’s because that’s just what you do if you’re celebrating your birthday in Baguio. (Strawberry shortcake, check!)

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Happy birthday Kuya Nikos and Ate Kaye!

We loved waking up to pine trees and mountains by our window, and the natural Baguio cold inside our aircon-less room. Also, a big breakfast!

Thank you, Azalea Residences for that memorable stay!

Loved this quaint Starbucks at Camp John Hay

Ahh, one of the cutest Starbucks I’ve seen! I love how Starbucks—with its hundreds of branches around the world—preserves a city’s unique culture and tradition through the architectural and interior design of select shops (like this one in Kyoto).

I mean, even the electrical wires are very telling of its location! (Only in the Pilipins haha.)

Kidding (and electrical wires) aside, this Starbucks branch maybe a little worn out around the edges but still very charming and picturesque. If you’re in Baguio for the quiet, or you’re in a reflective mood, the old Starbucks at Camp John Hay is worth the trip!

For the family album

Lastly, a quick photo session by the pine trees. These are the photos that will make it to the family photo album, for sure. ;)

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Photographs by the pine trees, check.

On our final stretch, we went for a quick bike ride at Burnham Park (because, as my brother says, every child needs to experience biking at Burnham Park), dropped by the public playground, and did pasalubong shopping at the Baguio market. This is also the part where we stopped taking photos, haha.

On the way home, we kept our eyes open for strawberry ice cream vendors. It was already getting dark and the chances were very slim but just before we made it to Kennon Road, we got the final item on our list checked!

One for the road! Strawberry ice cream, check.

I’m fully aware that my Baguio bucket list mostly involved strawberries, but where else can you find an abundance of strawberries in this country??!

The Quest for Strawberries

Just to review my strawberry bucket list (because there isn’t enough info about strawberries on travel blogs):

  • Strawberry taho. There is a stall in SM City Baguio that sells all sorts of taho, and we tried that too. HOWEVER, there’s nothing compared to the ones being sold in the streets. We found a taho vendor at the entrance of Botanical Garden. We hear there are some taho vendors also in Ben Cab Museum. Of course, if you don’t mind making the trip to La Trinidad, the strawberry farm is a sure hub for all things strawberry, so I’m certain there are taho vendors there also.
  • Strawberry shortcake. Vizco’s Restaurant and Cake Shop is the only place in Baguio I would buy Strawberry Shortcake from. They have a branch at Ayala TechnoHub, Camp John Hay. We got ours from their branch along Session Road.
  • Strawberry ice cream. Sorry I couldn’t say an exact spot for this one. Keep your eyes open for manong sorbetero!
  • Fresh strawberries. Again, if you don’t mind going to La Trinidad, that’s the place to be for all your strawberry needs. :) But the Baguio Public Market is also complete with every pasalubong you can think of, including fresh strawberries. That’s where we got our stash.

Hope this helps!

Today as I was looking at these photos, I couldn’t be more grateful for strawberries, family, and childhood memories we can share with our kids. Til now, Dawn and Rain still thank Jesus for taking them “to the mountains” in their bedtime prayers and tell us “we should go back to the mountains!” every now and then. We really should. :)

Baguio 2018, in the books!

A Year of Seeking and Finding

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I had to catch my breath. 2017 was like running an invisible marathon—I mean, wasn’t that the fastest year ever? It sure felt that way to me.

Today, in tradition of processing the past year, here’s me wrapping up 2017 in a nice little bow. Also in tradition of cataloging each year by its corresponding One Word, here it is for 2017: SEEK.

Year 2017 in One Word: Seek

When 2017 started, I was obsessed (for lack of a better word) with seeking the answer to the question “what’s next, Lord?” Continue reading “A Year of Seeking and Finding” →