Sunday, September 23, 2018

Looking for fulfillment? Here's how to change your life 100%


Do you ever feel like there's something missing in your life? Maybe you feel like you're not doing enough or you're not experiencing life to its fullest. To be very honest, we moms really should rethink that feeling because with kids to raise, a marriage to keep, a home to run, and—if you're a working mom like me—a job to do, there's already more than enough on our plate and a huge purpose to live out. Let's tell ourselves every day that being a mom is a lot! 

But I know that awful feeling that life is passing you by. Or, more accurately, your life is being poured out to your husband and kids and you fear that you have nothing left for yourself. And you want something for yourself. I get it. That's why I insist on blogging even though I can't find the time and energy for it now that I'm so busy. I still keep going at it when I can because it's mine. It's my little space in the world—my thoughts, my voice, my convictions.

If you're thinking about how to make your life more fulfilling, there are several things you could do to be happier.

Find New Hobbies
Having things to do in your spare time should help you feel like there's more in your life that you can enjoy. Okay, moms usually don't have spare time, I admit. But if you look very hard, you can find little pockets of time you can devote to something only you can enjoy. Your hobbies can help you learn new things, meet new people, and perhaps even make things that you're proud of.

I love watching home shows on Netflix, for example. It's my new thing. And I'm picking up a lot of helpful information on tending plants, arranging furniture, design ideas, and even making your home earn money! I'll blog about this soon! 

Volunteer Your Time
If you want another way to make the most of your free time, consider finding a way to volunteer. There are lots of ways to volunteer your time to causes that you want to support. You can volunteer to drive the carpool. You can help out at your church events. You can hug kids at an orphanage. You can bake or cook food for the street kids. You can also use your professional skills to mentor students or new college graduates or help a charity or nonprofit.

You don't have to even leave your house to donate your time. I support World Vision. I don't have the time to actually go and distribute school supplies to our less fortunate students. What I do have is a blog and writing skills, so I help World Vision spread news or calls for help whenever they ask me to. It's just a few minutes of my time, but every time I finish a blog post about my World Vision advocacy and share it with my followers, I feel very good inside!

Travel with Your Kids
Okay, travelling with kids is not fun haha Moms find it very stressful because we have to book hotels that are family friendly, buy the cheapest plane tickets, plot out a child-friendly itinerary, look for restaurants that have a kids' menu. The list is endless!

But travelling is a great way to expand your children's world view and try lots of new experiences. In fact, minus the stress, I enjoy travelling with my kids because my old and jaded eyes see the world through their eyes and so I get a fresh perspective on people and life. And that's always a good thing!

Because travelling for a family of 5 can be expensive and stressful, I don't even plan on going to another country. I just bring the kids out to visit a museum, a park, a city out of town. We eat street food (on the street!) or check out a new themed restaurant. Whether your trip is near or far, you can always see and do interesting things. You'll meet a diverse range of people and see life from lots of different perspectives too—and doing this with your kids make it all the more meaningful.

Change Your Career
If you need to work to live, your career might as well bring you fulfillment. It's a big part of your life and your time, so it's worth making sure that you enjoy it. Some of the most rewarding careers can be found in the nonprofit sector, where you can do worthwhile work.


*Infographic Design By USC Online


Friday, September 21, 2018

Need a washing machine? The Electrolux UltimateCare washer dryer is here!

I've said it many times: Doing the laundry is my favorite chore! But it only became that way when I got an Electrolux washer dryer in 2015. Before then, I'd literally spend the whole day doing the laundry.

Yep, that's one whole day. It starts with sorting the clothes, babad sa bleach, kuskos sa mantsa, then throw into the old top-loading washing machine. Because the old washer/spin dryer used so much water, yung una at pangalawang banlaw, I do by hand sa malaking planggana. Then the final rinse with fabric conditioner is sa washer ulit, then spin dry by batch kasi if you pack in it, it won't spin. So mga 2 to 3 batches yan. Then hindi pa masyadong tuyo so sampay pa after. Literally the whole day!  

But when the Electrolux TimeSaver came into my life, my time was truly saved and I got back my precious hours and my life changed. Yes, this is a love story!


So when Electrolux invited me to the launch of their FashionCare Campaign recently, I just had to go kasi I want to support a brand I've believed in since I was a child. Plus, I wanted to spread the news so that my fellow mamas na hirap na hirap sa labada will be rescued from this chore!

True enough, at the event where we were served the most delicious lunch, we found out about Pinoy moms' struggles with laundry, thanks to the Mommy Mundo community:

"When asked about what fabrics they were afraid to wash using their washing machine, 67% of the respondents say that they are afraid to machine wash their silk clothing, followed by delicate wear (52%), cashmere (40%), and wool (39%). 

"Among the top reasons why women hesitate to put their clothes in washing machines are more than half of them (58%) think it might ruin the clothes, while some think that machine wash can cause fabric shrinkage (17%) or fading of colours (4%). 

"When it comes to doing laundry, women worry about more than just cleaning. Fabric care remains one of the unfulfilled needs of women as 77% of them look for fabric care features when they buy washing machines, and among their top 3 laundry concerns are pilling  (himulmol) of clothes, stubborn stains and misshaping of clothes – two of which are related to caring for the fabric." 

As an Electrolux washing machine owner, I'm here to say that I now never worry about my delicates, shrinking, color fading, and stains. It's not exaggeration to say that my washing machine washes my troubles away. In fact, confession time, I even get calm and relaxed when I watch my clothes spinning round and round. Talagang I love doing the laundry! 

Three people who also love their Electrolux washing machine are Electrolux Philippines FashionCare Ambassador Rajo Laurel and FashionCare Council Members Amina Aranaz-Alunan and Janice Villanueva. They put the new UltimateCare™ washer dryer to the test when they threw in their designer dress, silk scarf, and wool jacket. While the machine did its work, the three ambassadors gave advice on how to care for clothes (for example: Put beaded and embroidered items in a pillowcase before putting in the washing machine). 

By the time they finished chatting and we our lunch, the clothes were done and dry! Here's what the Electrolux personalities had to say about the UltimateCare™ washer dryer:

Amina Aranaz-Alunan: "I could keep using this over and over again thanks to Electrolux’s UltimateCare™ washer dryer which has features that care for delicate pieces and keeps them looking new and vibrant."

Janice Villlanueva: "I used to hand wash wool sweaters like this one because I was afraid it would get stretched out of shape. So I’m excited that the Electrolux’s UltimateCare™ washer dryer can safely wash woollen items and make sure they look their best."

Rajo Laurel: "I know that Electrolux understands how important our clothes are to us, and I’m grateful for it. I feel safe knowing that my clothes are in good hands with Electrolux’s UltimateCare™ washing machines."

So, mamas, if hirap na hirap ka na sa labada at kailangan mo na ng washing machine who will not just clean and care for your clothes but also save you time and money, then you must check out the Electrolux UltimateCare™ washing machines that come with UltraMix™ technology. Whether your family's clothes are soft shirts and hardy denim to Sunday best and designer duds, they'll come out of the washer dryer still perfect!

Here are more reasons why you should consider getting the Electrolux UltimateCare™ washing machine:

1. The UltraMix™ technology gives women the results of a hot wash for better stain and dirt removal, yet uses a lower, gentler temperature. Detergent and water are pre-mixed in a special chamber before the beginning of the cycle to maximize cleaning power at a lower temperature. It delivers deeper clean and 31% better colour care, to ensure your favorites look newer for longer.

2. Besides the powerful yet gentle cleaning of UltraMix™, Electrolux UltimateCare™ washing machines extend the life of clothes with Vapour Action, designed to soften fabric while reducing allergens by up to 99.9% that’s gives women the assurance of better care for your clothes for years to come. The Woolmark certified cycle approved by the Woolmark Company, the global authority on wool, will safely launder these precious garments. 

3. Electrolux UltimateCare™ washing machines also has Eco Inverter technology that offers high energy efficiency that reduces energy consumption by 75% and save time by 44%. Women can also enjoy the flexibility and convenience to toss in forgotten items during the washing cycle with add clothes feature. 

4. Because of the FashionCare campaign, Electrolux is offering several great deals on its washing machines, with offers up to 25% off on selected front load washing machines and washer- dryers. Women can also avail of selected Electrolux Front Load Washing Machines and get 25% off on an Electrolux Front Load Dryer. Also included is a free stacking kit and installation valued at PhP 3,049 with this fantastic bundle deal. Promo period runs from July 1 to September 30, 2018. 



To learn more how Electrolux can help keep favourites clothes looking new for longer, vist at bit.ly/ElectroluxFashionCare and follow @ElectroluxPhilippines on Facebook and Instagram. Per DTI-FTEB Permit No. 7072 Series of 2018

Thursday, September 13, 2018

Vito is 8!

A month ago today, the boy who changed my life forever celebrated his 8th birthday. The great thing about having many kids is you have an instant party anytime, all the time, but especially at celebration time. And a birthday is always a party at our house!


Three little boys so happy to celebrate! I love these three kiddos. They are the happiest little creatures I've ever met. Reminds me not to be so serious.


For his birthday, all Vito wanted was a rainbow cake and a day at Kidzania. So that's what we did. We got him a Red Ribbon rainbow cake that I decorated with Minecraft icing buttons and candy confetti. And we trooped to Kidzania so the boys can pretend to be grownups for a day.


We didn't realize how strange it would feel for your son to not ask for toys anymore. Vito asked for an experience, a day of fun. No physical reminders of his big day, just memories. 

And maybe that's the first sign he's not a little boy anymore.


Here he is quietly contemplating his birthday wish as we all loudly sing him his birthday song. Thinking about his wish is the only time his face grows serious. I wonder what he was thinking of at this very moment. We never ask. A birthday wish is the only secret they can keep, I tell them. And they usually do keep it to themselves but blurt it out anyway hours after.


This year, Vito didn't reveal his birthday wish. We never ask, remember? But this year, because he didn't say anything to me at all, I couldn't help it. A few days later, I finally asked. "What did you wish for when you blew out your birthday candle?" "I didn't wish for anything, Mama," he said. "I already have everything I want." *heart melts* "Everything?" "Well," he finally said. "I want more Skylanders but I can ask those from Santa."

He still believes in Santa. Vito still believes in Santa Claus! He's still my little boy!


Look at that boy. How did I ever make such a perfect child? He's a reminder every day of how good life is, how our family is a celebration of love and grace, how blessed I am. All I have to do is just look at him and his brothers. But I'm usually too focused on chores, work, getting things done... And so I forget.

Look at that boy, I say to myself when I finally look up from all I need to do as a mother. Just look at him. And never forget how amazing life has been especially these past 8 years.

Happy birthday, my sunshine! You are our joy forever!

Saturday, September 01, 2018

Frances Finds: Basic Invite for fabulous invitations!

It's always party season in our side of the world but when the -ber months come rolling around, there's a party almost every other day! Hello, September! And I'm already getting lots of invites to events. Now that my kids are in school, I have a little time now so I'm going to try to attend all (?!) the parties I'm invited to. It's always nice to see old friends and meet new ones!

An unforgettable invite from IG: @theinspirationseekers C and L

I noticed everyone sends save-the-date notices and invitations through Facebook Events these days, and it may be because I'm from the 20th century but I really seriously frown on that. For really special occasions (like weddings!), the invitation should be sent over mail or handed over personally. The invitation tells your guests so many things. Aside from the who, what, when and where, it also tells your guests if it's a formal affair or a fun get-together, if they need to dress up or dress down, if it's a social media moment or if it's strictly private. The invitation sets the stage for the event to come and should therefore be thought out and delivered with care.

Because I'm such a fan of "Shop for anything online!", let me tell you about this amazing website I'm currently crushing on. It's BasicInvite.com! I just discovered it last week and I'm going over everything, not for party invites, but for design inspiration for a possible blog makeover. Basic Invite lets it possible for you to create truly custom invitations—no art director or artist needed. Just look at these pretty samples:

Simple and personalized with the couple's happy photo
Loving the floral design and matching envelope and seal sticker!
Friendly fonts and an ombre background. Simple but stylish!
Clear and chic invitations! Imagine it against your photo or the place where you'll get married (ex. beach)!

Beyond gorgeous, right? The ones above are all made on Basic Invite (I got them from the site!) and they're just a showcase of how you can design wedding invitations online. If you do it on your own using this fab website, you can really let your personality show. Your colors, your style, instantly!


For example, if you have a no-nonsense personality like me, you'd love the stark look and classic design of this invitation. To some it may look boring, but I appreciate the fact that I'm not distracted by so many design details that I lose sight of the important ones.
 

You're bound to find something you love because there are over 800 wedding invitation sets on Basic Invite. Each set includes "save the date" notices to wedding invitations and enclosure cards, wedding menus, wedding programs, and even matching "thank you" cards!


There are also so many kinds and colors of envelopes! And I'm not talking about just colors. Just look at that envelope above with its matching design of flowers and leaves! I love how Basic Invite understands that when it comes to envelopes, we have to make our invitations stand out even before it is opened. I also like the matching sticker—just peel and seal!

Basic Invite also allows customers to order a printed sample of their actual invitation first. This lets us see exactly how it will print as well as the paper quality before we ever have to place our final order.


Aaaand if you're setting up your own wedding website, Basic Invite also offers free wedding websites that are completely customizable! These wedding websites are mobile friendly and super easy to use. You can instantly upload everything your guests need to know—all of your wedding details, the best photos of your prenup shoot, your wedding registry, a map to your venue with directions. A website is a great place to collect all the information your guests need so they wouldn't need to ask you and distract you from your wedding planning!

Now, I've been married over a decade so I'm not designing a wedding invitation suite anytime soon. I do know that the -ber months is the wedding season so consider this post as a little public service announcement in case you're looking for wedding suppliers or a bit of inspiration.

But if you're a mommy like me (and most of my readers are!), then you'll love the greeting cards, event invitations, and stationery available at Basic Invite, too! Just look at my sample holiday card!



I love how everything is completely customizable! There are almost unlimited colors and with real names, not font color codes like #FFD700 for Gold. On Basic Invite, there are many kinds of gold and for my card, I chose the gold named Christmas.  Of course! Anyway, this is not the final card. I need a better family photo—preferably with all my children smiling at the camera!

I suggest if you've just gotten engaged, planning to throw a party, want your own personalized stationery, customize yours today with BasicInvite.com! Use the code 15FF51 at checkout for 15% off!

For more inspiration on invitations, cards, and stationery for all occasions, check out @basicinvite on FacebookPinterestInstagram and Twitter


*This post is brought to you by BasicInvite.com.

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

My top toilet-training tips revealed!


This picture is making me all sentimental and gooey inside. I took this photo for my BabyLove diaper review just a few months ago, when we started toilet training in earnest. It was Piero's third summer and we really hoped he'd be potty-trained before his fourth birthday. Sure enough, before we even finished the pack of diapers—I didn't realize it would be his very last!—Piero was using the toilet and he's strutting around now like a big boy. "I peed in the toy-wet, mama!"

And now I see this photo, a photo of his last days as a baby, and it makes me so emotional!!! As in naiyak ako, mamas. Kainez. I was surprised at my reaction. I have been so ready for the kid stage and so proud Piero went through potty training like a champ, but now that it's here, I guess I'm also wistful for the baby days.

But not wistful enough to want another baby! Nope. I am done! I am finished! I never have to do potty training again! Here's a short post on our tips on how we toilet-trained our three boys (because, yes, I can finally claim to be an expert!):

1. Watch for child's readiness.
I know babies can be potty-trained, and by babies, I mean 2 months old to less than a year old. But doctors say that is not a good idea at all. You can protest all you want but I'm going with the medical experts. Pediatric urologist Steve J. Hodges, MD, advocates for late potty training. His recommended age is 3 years old. Because any earlier than that is harmful. He writes in parenting website, Babble, "It’s typically the kids who trained earliest and most easily who develop the most serious problems. I see about 100 kids a week at my clinic, and about half are dysfunctional voiders; most of them trained before 3." Read his eye-opening article here: The Dangers of Potty Training Too Early.

How do you know a child is ready? When she can say she's ready, when she can run to the toilet and sit on it herself, and when she can pull down and pull up her underwear herself. So what does that mean? A child is ready for potty training when she can talk, walk, and have enough motor skills to not fall into the toilet bowl and manage the business of underwear on her own. Depending on your child, that could be anywhere from 2 to 3 years old.

Our kids were toilet-trained at these ages: Vito at 4 years and 2 months old, Iñigo at exactly 3 years old, and Piero at exactly 4 years old. We waited for their readiness, and because they were raring to do it, too, we were done in about 3 days, with hardly any mess and dismay.

2. Be ready yourself!
A few years ago, I was talking to a taxi driver while we were stuck in traffic. He was complaining about his kid, who had a kid herself. "Limang taong gulang na anak niya, hindi pa rin nagbabanyo mag-isa. Paano, tinatamad yung anak kong turuan yung anak niya!" So there, mga mommies. Kapag handa na si baby, kailangang handa na rin kayo!

Yes, while there are parents who are very eager to get their kids out of diapers, there are also parents on the other end of the spectrum. Many times parents are loathe to potty-train because it will be messy. They just don't want to deal with the mess and the frustration. As a former preschool teacher, I can attest to the many times a parent has asked, "Do you toilet train the kids as part of the curriculum?" O.M.G. talaga. Toilet training is a parent's job, guys.

I have a list of what to prepare when you're in the toilet-training stage to help you deal better with the mess and accidents. Click here!

3. Buy fun underwear.
In our experience, letting the kids see you in your underwear motivates them to want to wear their own. It helps them feel grown-up. If you have a boy, let him see daddy in his briefs or boxers. If you have a girl, let her see you wearing panties. Not all the time. Just when you're dressing up and when they ask about the clothes you're putting on. 

Then the next time you go to the mall, ask them to check out the kiddie undergarments section. Let them have a choice. I personally prefer plain white briefs for my kids but they picked out colorful briefs emblazoned with superheroes so that's what we got them. Whatever makes them enthusiastic about graduating to underwear is welcome!


4. Try training pants.
Now that you've made your child excited to wear big-boy briefs or big-girl panties, you can help train them with the pull-down/pull-up movement with training pants. Training pants are diapers that have an elastic waistband. This makes it easier for your child to pull down his diaper when he needs to go the toilet. It also helps him feel secure because if accidents do happen, the mess will be contained in the training pants and can be discarded. It's easier for both the child and the parent (or yaya).

In our case, we only used training pants with Piero, our last child. That's how I know it really helps ease the anxiety and frustration of everyone involved in this messy business. I mean, we were able to toilet train Vito and Iñigo without training pants but with Piero, everyone was more relaxed. We used BabyLove Premium Gold Pants. Piero calls them "dia-pants" and these training pants definitely made the whole potty-training episode a happy affair. Plus, he loved his dia-pants so much, he was almost sorry when he realized he didn't need them anymore! Try the BabyLove Premium Gold Pants, mamas. Topaz Mommy approved!

5. Reward successful attempts.
It's important to be wildly happy about every successful trip to the toilet, mamas. Like, make it a HUGE deal. "Oh my goodness, you peed in the toilet! I'm so happy! Are you happy? Did that make you feel like a big boy? I bet! I can't wait for you to do that again! Good job!" Yes, that wildly happy.

Another thing they respond positively to is rewards. Whether it's a sticker on a chart or a small toy, you two decide. With Vito, he had to be motivated by Lego minifigs. With Iñigo, he was just happy with the praise. I mean, we had toys ready for him, too, but he was happier with the hugs and kisses. With Piero, he asked for a big toy—a Pacific Rim Jaeger action figure that we had to order all the way from China. So he was determined to learn to use the toilet quickly.

And of course, never punish a child for accidents. Don't even express disappointment. Always be encouraging. I know some parents get angry and say things like, "You're such a baby! You're so dirty!" And they spank the child for every time he or she doesn't get to the toilet on time. The child then learns to control his or her peeing and pooping out of fear. I've read research indicating that punishing a child during toilet training may result to two things: when the child grows up, he or she becomes sexually frigid or sexually deviant. The now-adult associate their sexual organs with filth, anger, and disappointing the important people in their life. So they either cannot feel sexual pleasure or they will only want sex that not normal. So please please please make potty training a positive experience!!!

Aaaaand there you go, mamas! My top toilet-training tips for that exciting, frustrating and messy time in you and your toddler's life!


Now, if you need diapers to contain the mess, help train your kid, or because your child's not ready yet for undies, there's a Shopee BabyLove Fair happening now till August 29, 2018. The promo says diapers are up to 50% discounted! Plus, you get a chance to get a bag of diapers for only P99. Those are big savings! Shop here!!!

*This post is brought to you by BabyLove.