Saturday, September 16, 2017

What I saw at the Metro Sidewalk Sale

It was my first time to visit a Metro Department Store ever and, boy oh boy, did I find a lot of goodies!

I was at BGC yesterday to get a check and because it's payday Friday pala (when you're a freelancer, you forget kinsenas), ang traffic! So nagpalamig muna ako ng ulo sa Market! Market! and sa kakaikot ko, naakit ako ng mga posters that said there's a big Sidewalk Sale sa Metro Department Store. I'm so lucky, mamas, because apparently Metro Malls all over the country have this sale once a year only and I happened to drop by on the first day!

Ang dami kong gustong bilhin, mamas!!! Look look look!

For the mama looking to spruce up her home:
Kitchen and storage stuff!
Bedsheets and towels and linens!
P2,099 for the biggest tree! What!
These are absolutely gorgeous colored vases and jars.
If you don't like colored glass, here's a collection for you.
This is the most beautiful thing and it's only P500!
I really really REALLY want these garden stools...
... especially these two!
Two-in-one: a divider and a shelf. Yes, you can remove the shelves!

For the mamas who want to update their wardrobe:

And because I'm a mama who needs to shop for new clothes for my boys because they are growing up so fast!
For their newfound interest in swimming 
Shorts and shirts and pants! 
Also, these super fun play tents for a steal!
Coloring sets that come out at P74.50 each!
A bike for Piero for only P2,800!
Because my family loves Adventure Time
The latest trend in athleisure shoes - woven material - for matching parent-and-kid OOTDs
And my most favorite must-buy: superhero-themed shoes!

Gosh, I miss doing posts like this! Just me taking random pics and writing random stuff and you and me having silly fun. But silly or not, blogging takes time. There was once a time when I had time, you know? Now, my days are a blur of fixing breakfast, preparing baon, doing the laundry, helping with homework, fixing lunch, attending meetings, meeting (missing) deadlines, picking up the boys from school, more homework, more meal preparation, bedtime stories (or bedtime tantrums from me), then exhausted sleep.

I'm not complaining, mamas. Now that the kids are in big school, I have found pockets of time for a mani-pedi, a haircut, a massage, and books. I'm finally coming up for air, and it is glorious. I am too near the infant-and-toddler years to miss those heart-warming yet soul-sapping and mind-numbing years. Right now I'm just excited about the hour or two I find for myself.


And yesterday, because of the traffic and the impossibility of getting a cab and an Uber, I found two hours to while away at window shopping. I had fun! I'm going back this morning because my husband approved of some of my picks for the kids and so I'm shopping today!!! Why??? Because I just found out from another mommy who was also at Metro yesterday that there is a BIG RAFFLE OF APPLE GADGETS!!! Because I need a new phone, I hope I win one of the six 32gb iPhone 7 phones they're giving away, although I'll also be happy if I win one of the six 32gb Apple TV, too!

If you're near a Metro Mall, drop by for their fabulous Sidewalk Sale! Everything is on sale and only this weekend! Up to 50% off, mamas! And hindi lang sa department store—pati yung supermarket on sale din pala so grocery items are now even more affordable! Me, I'm going there for the kiddie stuff talaga. I'll do another blog post showing you what I got. So if you see me, say hi!


For more information on The Metro Sidewalk Sale, please visit www.metroretail.com.ph. You can also like their Facebook page and follow their Instagram handle @themetrostores.ph.

 This post is brought to you by Metro Retail Stores Group.

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Friday, September 08, 2017

Frances Finds: Yummy Scott's DHA Gummies for my kids' brains!

We just survived the school year's first quarter, mamas! It wasn't so bad—it was only bad for me because I was sick almost all of August and could barely help my kids Vito and Iñigo review for their end-of-quarter tests. I was so worried they'd not do well because I seriously had to get as much sleep as I could (after chores and work) or else I'd get even worse. So I couldn't prioritise helping my kids study at all.

Well, mamas, I shouldn't have worried! They did well on their exams. As their mother, I'd like to think it's because they're smart. And they are! They make me so proud! But intelligence needs to be cared for. As a mommy, I need to nurture and cultivate and nourish and encourage their brain development with good books, documentaries, the right games and apps, lots of conversations (mamas, admit it: answering all those why's is not easy!), and of course proper nutrition.

And candy.
What are these healthy gummies???

Say whaaaaat?

Yes! I give my kids candy, too! All work and no play make my kids dull boys. So it's not all homework and study—we play a lot, too. It's not all fruits and vegetables—we eat fun stuff, too. But because I'm a sneaky mama, I make sure that some of the sweets they eat are good for them. So hooray for my new mama find: Scott's DHA Gummies!

While Vito practiced his Chinese strokes and his brothers drew, I surprised them with this!
Zoom in to Iñigo hahaha

I discovered Scott's DHA Gummies a few weeks ago at the KidDiscovery event at Glorietta. I really thought it was just multivitamins, which is cool, but when Iñigo and I found out it's actually gummy candies, we were like, "No way! And it's yummy, too!" We popped quite a few in our mouths during the event because, being candy, you don't have to limit yourself to just one. But, being candy, I still had to limit my kids' access to three a day—a reward of sorts for when they finished their homework.

So let's break it down, why Scott's DHA Gummies is good for kids (and for grownups, too haha).


 1. It is full of DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid), an essential fatty acid for healthy brain development for babies in utero and for normal brain growth in children. 

I dunno if your obstetrician prescribed fish oil vitamins to you while you were pregnant, but mine did, because fish oil is a good source of DHA and she wanted to make sure my babies' brain development in my womb was fully supported. 

Now that my kids are outside my body, I still need to nourish those big brains of theirs! With DHA, their rapidly developing brains function better at learning, paying attention, holding memories, and solving problems.


 2. It's perfect for kids who are lactose intolerant and don't like eating fish. 

As you might be aware, a lot of milk now are fortified with vitamins and minerals, yes, even with DHA. But some kids don't like milk, can't finish a full glass of milk, or are lactose intolerant. If this is your kid I just described, they can still get lots of DHA from fish. But some kids don't like fish either! What to do to get them DHA??? Through the yummy gummy candies that is Scott's DHA Gummies!


 3. The gummies are soft, chewy and delicious!

No fishy taste. No medicinal taste. Just soft and chewy candy love! Scott's DHA Gummies are available in orange and strawberry flavors. Three gummies are all your child needs in a day because just three gummies provide 15% of the recommended intake of DHA+EPA daily. Each gummy is microencapsulated with a patented technology that locks in the goodness of fish oil without the unpleasant taste and smell. 

"Can I have mo' pweease?" "Just three a day, Piero!"

Heehee! The kids DID NOT POSE for these photos, mamas. They really do love their Scott's DHA Gummies and I do love how I'm such a good mommy—making them happy with sweets while promoting their brain development. Mommy of the Year!

Scott’s DHA Gummies is available in packs of 3 (a daily dose at P24.00), 15 (five days of healthy sweets at P117.50, and 60 (good for 20 days for just P433.00). You can find Scott's DHA Gummies at Mercury Drug, Watsons, and leading supermarkets nationwide.

For more information on how DHA helps your child's brain development, please go here: www.scottskids.com/ph. You can also like their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ScottsPh/.

This post is brought to you by Scott's DHA Gummies.


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Thursday, September 07, 2017

Our yummy Inside Out Broccoli and Cheese Pizza recipe

Over the weekend, my kids were watching Disney Pixar's Inside Out and that gave me the idea of making the infamous broccoli pizza in Riley's new neighborhood. Because of the movie, my kids now had this idea that broccoli pizza wasn't yummy and I just had to prove that their two favorite dishes—they love roasted broccoli and they gobble up pizza—would taste great together. 

My boys LOVED it! This is such an easy and quick recipe to make that my cooking son, Iñigo, helped me make it and we were done in 30 minutes. Yes, quick and easy, yummy and healthy! Definitely what a working mama like me appreciates!

Here's the recipe, mamas:

Inside Out Cheese & Broccoli Pizza

1 medium head of broccoli, washed, dried and cut into florets
3 tbsp olive oil 
1/2 tsp salt 
1/2 tsp dried thyme
4 small store-bought pizza dough (or 1 regular-sized one)
1/2 cup bechamel sauce
1/2 cup grated California Cheese Cheddar, grated
1/2 cup grated California Cheese Colby Jack Cheese, grated

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. Season broccoli florets with olive oil, salt and thyme.
3. Place broccoli in a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10 minutes.
4. While broccoli is in the oven, grate the cheeses. 
5. Spread bechamel sauce on the pizza bread.
6. Sprinkle California Cheese cheddar.
7. Take out the roasted broccoli and put on the pizzas.
8. Finish by topping everything off with California Colby Jack Cheese.
9. Place the pizzas in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. 

Serves 2 adults or 4 kids so double the recipe for the family.


 The great thing about this recipe is you can tweak it to suit your taste. You don't have to use thyme, for example. You can use oregano or minced garlic. I used bechamel sauce but you can use Alfredo sauce, maybe even a tomato sauce. And if you love cheese, then by all means pile it up! I think you can even make this into a four-cheese pizza!

Speaking of cheese, I used California cheese for this recipe. 

I found California cheese at the dairy section of Robinsons Supermarket, although they are also available in select supermarkets and S&R. They have ice cream ,too! Not cheese ice cream, though, but ice cream made from California milk! You can find this special ice cream at Landers Superstore and Royal Duty Free.

California cheeses and ice creams come in branded and unbranded variants. To identify if the cheese product is California-made, it should have the Real California Milk or Cheese seal.
For more cheese recipes and information on California cheese, like the Real California Milk Philippines Facebook page, and follow the hashtags #ReturnToReal and #LookForTheSeal on Instagram. You can also check out the website of Real California Milk. Hope you like our Inside Out Broccoli and Cheese Pizza, mamas!

This post is brought to you by Real California Milk Philippines.
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