Mom-Grocer: Yakult Light Everyday

I grew up with Yakult, and has been drinking it since elementary days. I still remember Yakult ladies in blue, pushing their carts with a smile and selling packs of these little cold probiotic drinks from house to house -- and I think they still do to this day.  Yakult has been part of our grocery list for the longest time, and everyone I know drinks, or at least have tried, this delicious health beverage, adults and kids alike. And just recently, they came out with Yakult Light, same yummy goodness but with less calories!

Yakult invited me to a plant tour in their Calamba, Laguna factory last June 7, but sadly, I was not able to make it.  It would have been awesome to see where and how our favorite cultured milk is made. Incidentally, Yakult is celebrating it's 35th anniversary and I believe they still remain to be the top probiotic drink.

I was thrilled to receive sample packs of Yakult Light for the whole family to try.  We're down to our last Yakult pack (red) so it's time to enjoy the new light version with this cool blue label. Compare their Nutrition Facts, side by side above.

Yakult = 60 calories vs. Yakult Light = 45 calories

• Also contains 8 billion live lactobacillus casei Shirota strain
• Sweet and tart, same great taste we love, but I noticed a slightly "thinner" consistency (hubby thinks there's hardly any difference)
• Helps increase good bacteria and decrease bad bacteria = healthier, stronger intestines = better digestion

In my home, the kids prefer other milk drinks.  It's actually J and I who drink Yakult everyday! One main reason is because of Probiotics.  I wrote about it's benefits here before (wellness and nutrition feature):

"Probiotics are good bacteria for the intestinal tract...for better absorption of nutrients, especially helpful if the child is not eating vegetables.  Part of our regular grocery items include Yakult..."

Yakult Light is priced a bit higher with SRP at PhP10 /80ml bottle. But I saw a pack of 5 in the grocery priced below PhP50, while regular Yakult is less than PhP40 per pack of 5.  I think I'll buy this Yakult Light for J from now on (since having less calories will benefit him more than me, heehee), while I can have any variant I want! =)  

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Mom-Finds: TIGER Lightweight Stainless Steel Bottle

Last Friday of the month:  Shopping / Finds & Faves

We have several stainless steel bottles / tumblers / jug, whatever you call it, since we're trying to lessen our use of plastic bottles.  I actually stopped buying plastic bottles a long time ago. Anyway, many of the bottles are used by the kids since they bring their own water wherever we go, not just to school. I also end up carrying my own bottle if I have a big bag, but I pity my bag and my shoulder with the extra load! Tiger, the ubiquitous lunch box brand from Japan that I grew up with, came out with a fantastic solution with this new flask.

Occasionally, I ask my kids to share their water with me when I'm too lazy to bring one.  There's no need for that now as I have my own Ultralight Stainless Steel Bottle, thanks to my friend from TIGER! Woohoo! And look, it fits right in with all the essentials I have in the bag. I've been taking this everywhere with me for two weeks now.  Love, love, love the pearl white finish, so sleek and classy, don't you agree? =)

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What I like about TIGER Ultralight Stainless Steel Bottle:

• As the name suggests, it's ultralight - weighs 130g only
• 7 inches small, compact and portable
• Single serving size - 300 ml / 9.5 oz
• Stainless steel body with Advanced Super Clean Plus process - BPA-free, keeps bottle stain-resistant and odor-free
• Spill-proof with rubber rim from cap interior
• Keeps beverage hot or cold, up to 6 hours (see Quality Label below for more details)
• Comes in 4 attractive colors/finish - White, Blue, Pink, Stainless

Get one of these handy flasks for yourself so you don't need to bring/buy (plastic)bottled water when going out.  I also ordered these babies as gifts for relatives.  You can't go wrong with a TIGER!

SRP @ PhP 999.75

TIGER Ultralight Stainless Steel Bottle is currently available in Landmark and Robinson's department stores.
For orders or inquiries, contact TIGER's Philippine distributor, New Benehlyn Enterprises:
Tel.: (632) 241-0159 / (632) 241-0177 / 0917-8967555 / 0908-8641709

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Say "I DO" to Great Deals from Corelle and Pyrex

Ahhh... the charm of being a June bride.  I know of some who just married this month, and will marry very soon. The new bride or lady of the house will surely appreciate owning brand new sets of cooking and dining ware. So, I'm sharing yet another great news from Corelle, Corningware, Pyrex, and Visions.

Grab these fantastic deals this June! 

(1)

I love this sleek white collection - Corelle Winter Frost White.

It’s pristine white modern design will showcase any dish beautifully, even with amateur food plating skills like mine! =)

The DEAL: Buy a 21-pc Winter Frost White Set, get a FREE Visions Frying Pan.

Corelle Winter Frost White

(2)

I still have my set of different-sized Pyrex glass pans which I use regularly use for baking and serving, but not with Easy Grab handles and lids.

The DEAL: Buy a 1.9L Pyrex Easy Grab Casserole Set, get a FREE Pyrex No-Leak Lid Storage. Now you can bake and store in the same Pyrex pan.

Pyrex Easy Grab Casserole

(3)
Visions and Corningware allows safe and convenient meal preparations faster - from freezer to fire and to the table.  No need to transfer to a serving dish!

The DEAL: Buy a 9-pc Visions Cookware Set, get FREE Corelle Noodle Bowls.

Visions 9-pc Set

The DEAL:  Buy a 6-pc. Corningware Casserole, get a FREE Pyrex Storage Set. 

Corningware Provincial Blue

As I've mentioned in my earlier posts, these beautiful cookware and dining ware all adhere to high quality standards of hygiene, safety and practicality for cooking and serving food. They make perfect wedding and house warming gifts.  For blushing brides-to-be, make sure you include these items in your bridal registry!

So what are you waiting for? Go to your nearest Raffles distributor for MORE GREAT DEALS this June! 
Visit your 
nearest branch today.

  Metro Luzon: 8005 Ortigas ave. (near Wilson St.) Greenhills, San Juan. 
 Tel: 576-7731 to 32

  Cebu: 100 Escario St. Cebu City
.  Tel: (032) 253-8006

  Davao: Doors 9 & 10 Belisario Bldg., J.P. Laurel Ave., Davao City.  Tel: 
(082) 225-0717

  CDO: G/F Knights of Columbus Bldg., Capt. V. Roa St., CDO
.  Tel: (088) 856-4738
Per DTI-NCR Permit Number 3860.

Like us on Facebook: worldkitchenAP or call (02) 687-5467. 

Corelle, Corningware, Pyrex, and Visions are exclusively distributed in the Philippines by Raffles and Company, Inc.

For inquiries, call Raffles and Company, Inc. :  (632) 687-4715 to 16, local 33 to 34
Visit www.raffles.com.ph.  
You may also email: marketing@raffles.com.ph.

Note: All photos from Raffles and Company, Inc. 

I'd love to know your thoughts on this post.  If you enjoyed this, feel free to share it! 

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Easy Internet Access and View Account Info with New Smart Bro Dashboard

Don't you wish you can monitor your mobile subscription and internet usage, while still enjoy free access to our favorite social networking sites? 

Here's good news from Smart as they launched their breakthrough portal -  the Smart Bro Dashboard, which allows Prepaid users to manage and view their account easily, and soon for Postpaid subscribers too! 

This is how the SmartBro Dashboard looks like.

What Smart Bro Dashboard offers it's users:

• Quick access to a real time account information and subscription package
• Subscriber’s current load balance
• Subscriber’s current package registered
• Easy subscription to other services:  Flexitime, Unlisurf, Always On, LTE packages
• View internet usage and charging for worry-free internet experience
• Volume meter to monitor Always On packages
• Time counter to monitor time-based packages
• Notification will be sent to subscribers when load/package expires
• Free content while inside the dashboard = Free social networking feeds of Facebook and Twitter via Smart Net

How to access Smart Bro Dashboard:

New subscribers:  

• Plug in your Smart Bro Plug-it or connect to your Smart Bro Pocket Wifi and open your browser - the dashboard will automatically pop out

Existing subscribers:  

• Smart Bro Dashboard will appear upon expiration of bucket or once you're zero balance.  You can also access through: http://smart.com.ph/brodashboard

To all Smart Bro subscribers, go ahead and use your Smart Bro Dashboard now! Start shopping online, or conveniently browse through your favorite blogs (like mymomfriday.com *wink wink*) and other websites with Smart Bro while still keeping track of your internet use!  It's really the smartest and fastest way to enjoy and manage your subscription!

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Fun Friday: Zip Line and Circle of Fun at Quezon Memorial Circle

Third Friday of the month:  Recreation / Entertainment / Leisure 

I've been a Q.C. resident until I had my second child.  I am guilty of not exploring the city where I grew up in.  For sure there are so many wonderful sites and destinations that I may have enjoyed.  Two weeks ago, we went to Quezon City Memorial Circle for the kids' last "field trip" before they go back to school.  It was their first time, while it's the second for me.  My first time was for a location shoot when I was still working in advertising.  Today, the place looks so much better.

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Mom-Friday Homeschool Conversations - 6.17.2014

I'm still in the "lesson planning" phase and conditioning myself for the coming week.  June 23 will be the first day of our homeschooling, same first day of school for my girl. The boy seems ready.  I thought of sharing with you this short convo I had with him earlier.  And before I forget, I'm writing it now and this will be a new section on the blog - snippets of our new homeschooling life.

Color-coding quarterly units and topics for lesson plan 

Right before the kids finished dinner, they were discussing about their "plans" for the future, and even asked me about how their actions will "change their future". The boy said he's already thinking about how his future will be like.

After eating, I was left waiting for the boy to finish his dinner. I casually asked him about the short chapter book that he began reading last week and he said he's in chapter 13 already.  The book is part of the English - Reading subject so I told him he already did advanced reading since the lesson guide only said chapter 1-5 will be tackled for the first week.  He was happy and said he doesn't need to read anymore for the next two weeks.  I even told him he can wear a period costume to match the story while we study so he'll have more fun when we do worksheets about the book.

Me:  You know, we can finish it half day everyday if we can. But there will be days we'll have 1 subject after lunch.

Boy: No, I want half day.

Me:  Ok, it's up to you. I'll let you choose the days and schedule.

Boy: But I don't know how to make a schedule.

Me:  I'll let you choose - for example, Monday-Tuesday-Thursday, or you can switch Tuesday with Wednesday.  Our goal is to finish the harder ones early in the week so you can have half days on Thursday and Friday.

Boy: Ok.

Me:  Are you excited to start school on Monday?

Boy: Not really.

Me:  It has to be a teamwork so we can finish early, okay? 

Boy: Okay, but I'm also worried if I don't finish.

Me:  It's okay, we have a goal every day, and daddy will also help. He's the "principal", I'm the teacher.

Boy: Why he's the principal?

Me:  Since I play the role of the teacher, the father will play the role of the principal to check and help reach our goals, and M (sister) will be the playmate.  You know I'm also worried if I can teach you everything, it's scary for me too, you know.  So we have to work together!

Boy: Yeah, I'm not just worried about myself, I'm worried about you too coz my future depends on it, on your teaching!

(Toink) Asar! =) Talk about pressure!!!

'Til the next conversation with The Boy.

Read how it all started: Giant Leap to Homeschooling

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Family Friday: A Giant Leap to Homeschooling

Second Friday of the month:  Schooling / Parenting

Yup. You read it right -- homeschooling. Me. My boy. Us. Starting this school year, we are taking one giant step in his education. While many are back to school, we are homeschooling.

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Araw ng Kalayaan (Independence Day): Bakit Ang #SarapMagingPilipino?

It's back to school season and the first holiday is coming up.  No work, no school again tomorrow since we'll be celebrating our Independence Day on June 12.

I'm sure many of you are feeling patriotic, like me, especially this week, naks! =)  Despite the many problems our county is facing, I still appreciate my being a Filipino, more so after watching this inspiring video shared by Jollibee - our homegrown fast food chain giant.

I am Filipino-Chinese by race. I was born and raised here. I am thankful for the nation that welcomed my migrant grandparents who made this their home.  It's my home too, and I continue to pray for our country's progress.  Filipinos deserve better.  Filipinos are a resilient and creative lot. We have to see the good and appreciate the beauty of our country and our people, just like the foreigners living in the Philippines.  This beautiful video shows exactly that.  One that stuck me is the story of a Russian mom named Anna, who proudly embraced the Filipino way of life.  You have to watch this!

Bawal muna ang mga nega ha! =) Positive vibes muna tayo, and let's be grateful for being in this free country of ours.  Masarap maging Pilipino.  Off the bat, I can think of a few things why it's good to be a Filipino.

• Our tropical country boasts of many paradise islands for us to enjoy and share to the world.
• Wherever there are Pinoys anywhere in the world, there's that bayanihan spirit.
• We value family.
• Masarap mag salu-salo ng mga Pinoy.
• May galing ang mga Pilipino.

Para sayo, bakit ang sarap maging Pilipino?  Share and tweet your views, and tag #SarapMagingPilipino.
Happy Independence Day!

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Foodie Friday: Brotzeit's Apfelstrudel (Apple Strudel)

First Friday of the month: Food / Recipe

I've been sharing my love for food and cooking with my children ever since they learned how to hold their own spoon and fork.  They also get to watch me prepare and cook simple meals at home. My girl is more curious when it comes to food, so I'm really happy that she shares my enthusiasm and interest in my foodie adventures.  Last weekend, it was her turn to be hands-on at a Kinder Köche class, featuring a recipe from Brotzeit.

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