Thursday, February 13, 2020

I'm back! I'm still alive!

Hello, everyone!!! Just a quick note on ze blog since some of my dearest Loyal Readers have been sending me messages wondering why I've suddenly disappeared. Thank you for your love and concern!

Well, I got sick. I had a nagging cough that plagued me on and off for 3 weeks. I would feel better around Wednesday, then start coughing again when Friday hits. So weird! Since there's that awful novel coronavirus going around, I was definitely more anxious about my cough than I usually am. It wasn't bad enough to give me asthma attacks (thank You, God!), but it was bad enough so that I felt sorry for myself and for everyone around me when I coughed. Even when I wore a face mask (n95 levels!), I really saw everyone around me cringe.

I promise I don't have the nCoV, guys! It was just acute bronchitis. Still a biggie but, yeah, being sick in these times is extra anxiety-inducing than ever. Stay safe, everyone! Wash your hands and don't touch your face!

Don't touch your face!!!
So I haven't blogged in 3 weeks. Boy, I missed a lot! I have drafts here of what I think of the Harry and Meghan royal exit, how JLo and Shakira's Super Bowl performance affected me, my beauty hauls from Calyxta and BeautyMNL, our play day at Cheeky Monkeys, my suggestions for wedding gifts, and a few work-related stories like tips on blogging and freelancing. I'll still publish those, okay???

To make your visit today to the blog worth it, let me do a little Valentine's Day giveaway! Just comment down below which delayed blog post you'd like me to publish! That's all and please leave your Facebook name OR Instagram handle so I know how to contact you in case you win.

This is the prize: a K-Glow Facial with Rejuvelite from Flawless Skin & Body Clinic!!!

I'll do a review of this fabulous facial soon. It's a deeply hydrating facial that will give you that enviable glass skin of Koreans! I haven't tried it yet. I'm scheduling it last week of February and you can bet I am so excited to try it! Try it, too! Join my giveaway! I'll pick a winner on Monday. Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

Monday, January 27, 2020

What my Dragon fortune says about my 2020


Xin nian kuai le! Happy New Year! I feel like celebrating because I may have been sick when the Lunar New Year came in but I am still alive. So here I am with my glass of Welch's Sparkling Grape Juice to toast the new year yet again. I'm always looking for a reason to pop open a bottle of this bubbly goodness!

I'm a Fire Dragon and I can't help myself - I always check what my horoscope says. I don't believe it (the same way I don't believe in my Scorpio horoscope either) but I like to look anyway. At the end of the year, I am either disappointed or relieved when the predictions don't come true. And they never do. Last year, it was predicted that in 2019, I would earn so much money my head will spin. Well, I earned money but not in the off-the-charts scale I was promised. Oh well! 

So let's see what the heavens say my 2020 will be like! There are a lot of predictions online but I checked only two: Chinese Fortune Calendar and Your Chinese Astrology. Here's what they had to say about my:

LOVE LIFE
Both sites agree Dragons are going to have great fortune in love this 2020. Well, I like that! 

CAREER
Both sites say it will be a good year for my career but only because I'll have a career. I won't move up the ladder, I won't become famous. I'll just be on a steady cruise. That said I'm advised to seize career opportunities so that there's growth. Well, that sounds like good general advice, right? 

WEALTH
I like what Chinese Fortune Calendar says about my luck. Money will be falling like rain. Hooray! But its next sentence says, "Rain will stop eventually." Oh well. Nothing lasts forever.

To that, Your Chinese Astrology advises that I try new ways to make money. Like, join contests. Did they mean the Lotto??? Yes, yes they did: "Have a chance to win the prize in lottery activities and get a lot of unexpected wealth through gifting, winning prizes and other ways."  

Well, winning the Lotto or any contest is a game of luck. What has always worked for me is plain and simple hard work and good relationships. As long as I put in the work, make my clients happy, I will keep earning. We make our luck! For example, I'm so happy that Welch's 100% Grape Juice is sponsoring my blog again this 2020. Hooray! More opportunities for me to share with you healthy recipes and why grape juice is good for our health. Speaking of health...

HEALTH
Chinese Fortune Calendar says I "should have more outdoor activities in the sun," like "walking, hiking, jogging, cycling, sunbathing, gardening, picnic, bird-watching, fruit-picking, and playing ball." Rat is a water sign which isn't good for Fire Dragon me so I should watch out, especially to be careful when it comes to my heart, blood, cardiovascular system, kidneys, bladder, and the urinary system. Woah. Sounds scary. 

Your Chinese Astrology has a better outlook. Just "minor illness in daily life." But they still advise me to "put your health first in any situation." Well, that's always good advice especially since my health wasn't that great last year.

It's really my intention to prioritize my health this year. What use are a great career, lots of money, and wonderful relationships when I'm dead? I was already aware of this last year, even blogging several times that I need to take care of my health because my body was really weird. It could just be me getting old, or me super stressed at work, or me needing a kasambahay so I can sleep hehe. 

So join me this 2020, mamas, in putting our health first! Let's sleep more, give up vices, exercise, eat good food and always in moderation, and drink more water and healthy juices like Welch's 100% Grape Juice! This year, I'll be sharing with you why Welch's grape juice is good for your entire body—from your skin and bones all the way to your heart.

Welch's is available at your favorite supermarket.

*This post is brought to you by Welch's 100% Grape Juice. For more information and healthy tips, visit www.welchs.com, like Welch's PH on Facbook, and follow @welchs_ph on Instagram.

Friday, January 24, 2020

New year, new furniture finds at MY MC Home

I visited my friend Ginger Arboleda, COO of Taxumo, at BGC last week (because it's taxes time!). After our nice lunch, I decided to pass by home store MY MC Home, which is just two buildings away from Taxumo HQ. And I promptly fell in love with these dusty rose chairs!


Soooo pretty! But we don't need chairs for the living room. What I need is a chair for my work desk. Check out this beauty.


We turned the former dining area into the study area. My desk is there and so are the boys' desks. They need a lamp each. I think this blue jelly-like piece will look perfect.

It comes in sunny yellow, too!
I also want to replace our living room carpet. There are three big piles of rugs and carpets at MY MC Home. They have a lot of designs and are quite affordable.


I found this fluffy white carpet. It's sooo deep and soft! I want it I want it I want it! I want it for our bedroom. I just don't know how to keep it white when I live in a house full of little boys.


Actually, we also need more space for the kids' clothes. Now that they're bigger, their clothes are bigger, too. They don't fit in the baby closets anymore!


In the end, I remembered that what Vince really wants are new pillows. Actually, it's not a want anymore. We need new pillows! Our pillows are as old as our marriage. Sweet? Gross haha So I found these. They're just P300+! And so soft and nice!


But I bought bedsheets instead! I'll go back and buy pillows. As soon as I wash them, I'll show you our bed dressed up in our new sheets - which are on sale until supply lasts! So drop by MY MC Home now and shop!

MY MC Home has 3 branches: Level 3 MET LIVE Mall, Diosdado Macapagal Blvd, 1302 Pasay City, at MC Home Depot San Fernando Interchange, Jose Abad Santos Avenue, 2000 San Fernando, Pampanga, and at MC Home Depot BGC, Taguig. You may also find more furniture and promos on their Facebook page www.facebook.com/mymchome and Instagram www.instagram.com/mymchome.


*This post is brought to you by My MC Home.