Online shopping is a hard habit to break. The ease and convenience of shopping with just a few swipes and taps make it all the more enticing and satisfying. It saves me a lot of time and effort while being free from traffic! For international purchases, I've been ordering from Amazon for almost two decades now. Items are shipped to my sister-in-law in the U.S., who consolidates all our orders in a balikbayan box. We just have to wait long since it takes at least a month by sea to get here. But I got introduced to My Shopping Box, an international parcel delivery and courier service company that ships orders from the U.S. and Europe, by air or sea, and delivers directly to our doorstep here in the Philippines.
Salmon has never been a staple fish in our household. It's more pricey than other fish in the market and has a very distinct flavor that I believe is an acquired taste. Somehow, salmon intimidates me, that's why I rarely cook with it. I personally enjoy salmon dishes from restaurants, and buy smoked salmon as canape from time to time. Recently, I received a batch of frozen wild-caught Alaskan salmon to try. This is a new line from Seaking brand. I regularly buy Seaking's marinated bangus belly so I welcomed these new salmon packs and got excited to come up with something in the kitchen.
I've always expressed how I enjoy grocery shopping. I consider it my me-time, and during those weekly rounds, I've discovered lots of good products that became our kitchen staples. Many of my favorite Mom-Grocer finds are from SYSU International, and it's not surprising. SYSU is a leading distributor of global brands that we have patronized for many years, such as San Remo, McCormick, Lee Kum Kee, Tabasco, and homegrown brand Clara Olé. And here's a new discovery that's worth sharing with all of you -- The Food Hub by SYSU, their retail store in Quezon City.
It's summer time and I'm sure many of you are planning your vacations, if not planned out already. I have friends who made arrangements as early as last year pa! We don't travel often but when we do, I take a considerable amount of time and effort to plan each trip, whether it's to a local or an international destination. Iba kasi when traveling with kids -- major considerations would be the budget, interests, and comfort. But there's always a compromise when it comes to our itinerary.
Every December, when I was still working, I always look forward to my Christmas bonus. Siyempre after 12 months of toiling, year-end bonuses are the icing on the cake talaga. While I am no longer working, I still earn from projects that come my way, and of course, ang bonus ni husband ang inaabangan namin, heehee! Having something extra to look forward to this month, I already try to plan on how we can spend wisely, and how we can surprise our family and friends as we share our blessings.
I think we can all agree na mas magastos talaga pag holiday season, so we should always find ways for our hard-earned money to go a long way. After covering all the basic needs, how do we spend our extra from year-end bonuses? Here are the usual suspects, in no particular order:
Travel
Jewelry
Gadgets
Pampering services
Fine dining
Surprise gifts for the family
Home improvements
Specialty foods and beverages
After watching this fun and entertaining video by our Star for All Seasons, Vilma Santos, and his lucky boy Luis, I am reminded that as a homemaker, I need to be frugal and always discerning when it comes to spending. Para laging may extra pa to save and to surprise our loved ones as we create memories with them!
You should watch and share this video to know what I mean. =) Nakakatuwa itong PUREGOLD "concert" with #ViLucky!
While there are times when we like to splurge on certain things, most often, I want value-for-money with my purchases, even with my groceries. This is always the case when we shop at PUREGOLD, always panalo! Sulit na sulit kasi when I buy our dry goods there, especially when in bulk. I know a lot of people who make PUREGOLD their shopping destination because of the amazing deals they can find. It's a one-stop-shop too. Kaya this Christmas, let's all make the most of what we have and share with our families. Pasko na! PUREGOLD na! =)
Be sure to like and follow Puregold to get updates:
I'd love to know your thoughts on this post. If you enjoyed this, feel free to share it! Get instant updates: My Mom-Friday on Facebook Follow @mymomfriday onTwitter,Instagram and Snapchat Also on Google Friend Connect, or Subscribe Via Email. I try my best to reply and answer any questions you may have on each entry so check back if you've left one. Thank you and do visit again! (Comments with links will automatically be flagged by Disqus.)
I've been having on and off runny nose and uncontrollable sneezing for over a week now and I can blame it on the weather. Even my son's allergic rhinitis got worse lately. Do you notice that sneezing becomes more persistent during the rainy season and windy parts of the year? It's usually between June to October here in the Philippines. While there may be a difference in how the two can trigger allergies in our body, dry yet harsh winds and damp weather can both activate the sneezies and affect our breathing.
It's rainy season once again so expect humidity to be off the charts, thus, frizzy hair!!! Even my skin feels different in this weather so I take extra care. As much as I want to wear my hair down more often, I don't have enough patienceto give too much attention to it. I know that having beautiful and healthy hair always gives a good impression. That is why I always try to keep my hair neat and in place. But my naturally buhaghag hair requires some time and effort to style. Even on a good hair day, my laziness kicks in and I end up with a ponytail just to keep hair away from my face and not have to think about it the whole day. One brand I can depend on to tame my pouffy thick hair without blow-dryng is HIMAWARI. I just brush and air-dry, then give it a few passes with my hair straightening iron and I’m good to go.
When I learned how to do bento several years ago, I've been on and off with my efforts to prepare bento-style baon for the kids. Well, the boy couldn't care less, haha, so no more bento for him. For the girl, it's only when I'm in the mood and have enough time to be more creative. I had the pleasure of attending yet another bento-making event that gave me fresh ideas to try. And this time, it's with our favorite ready-to-eat canned tuna -- Gold Seas Tuna Chunks.
I have a confession: I consider grocery time as "me time". Feel ko talaga mag-grocery shopping mag-isa coz I find it relaxing while I take my time browsing through the aisles, comparing prices, and discovering new products and good deals. Marami niyan sa Puregold 'coz they priced their goods at more affordable prices. I even made hashtags #MomGrocer and #MomFindsPH because aside from eating, I truly enjoy going to the supermarket. Mana ata ako sa mama ko, eat and shop, heehee. But, there are days when my kids make it more fun to shop too, kasi I learn about their preferences. Sometimes, they even surprise me by picking out grocery items they know I like and what we need for home. That's always panalo for me!
Two hours and forty-five minutes. Would you believe me when I say that's the longest I've sat through a salon treatment in my entire life? Well, it happened yesterday morning at Piandré Salon when I was treated to their Seamless Balayage hair color treatment -- and the wait was so worth it!
I took the plunge. I had microblading procedure at Skin House Beauty and Laser Clinic for eyebrows on fleek. =) I'm late in the game when it comes to eyebrow aesthetics kasi I never had any concerns on that part of my face until two years ago. After college, I just pluck stray hair to maintain the shape of my brows and that's it. In 2016, I learned about microblading from friends who have undergone this procedure. It got me very interested coz you'll literally wake up to perfect brows everyday!
M turned 11 three weeks ago. My baby is a tween na! Well, last year pa naman, when she turned 10, she proclaimed that she's officially a tween na daw. Siyempre, I don't want to face that reality yet. And before her birthday month ends, allow me to share some of my special and challenging moments with her. She is, after all, my spunky little lady.
Christmas is just around the corner and we are all so excited for our upcoming holiday vacation in Japan! It's gonna be our first trip there so I want to make sure everything will be in order and we'll all be in the best of health in the days leading to our trip. Kaya todo vitamins naang mga kids and I'm trying to keep our environment clean. Mahirap na... I don't want any of us to get sick during this most wonderful time of the year.
Dressing up kids 9 to 14 is not the easiest task. I mean, as big kids, they have already developed their own tastes and preferences, so nahihirapan na akong pumili for them. Many times, I buy something that end up not being worn. There are only a handful of shops that sell stylish clothes that cater to this specific age group so that's another challenge for me as a mom with a tween and a teen. One brand that got my approval is ZIPPY Kidstore from Portugal.
She took home the coral color of that white embroidered blouse, and this denim jacket with matching jeans
I believe I've only had three phases in my life where I seriously got into a fitness regimen. First time I hit the gym was during college. Second wave was gym and badminton sessions after work, when I was still single. And at present, I practice Pilates. I am now in my 40s and I feel good about my health. Through the years, it was all about the physical appearance, muscle-building, strengthening my body, kasi nga I've been underweight since forever! As long as I am not sickly, okay na ako. We know that looking and feeling good is not a true measure of good health. What's happening inside my body? What does it mean to really be fit and healthy?
As a home cook feeding a family with different preferences and diet needs, I want to serve meals that can be prepared and cooked within 30 minutes or less. It's a challenge. I want things tasty yet simple.
Admittedly, I am a lazy cook. I don't enjoy cooking as much as I enjoy eating, hahaha... but I think normal naman yun no? Moreover, I like the ingredients to be practical and easy to find. One staple food in my panty is the versatile canned tuna. Several months ago, I saw this new blue can of premium tuna on the grocery shelf and decided to try it. Gold Seas was a delicious discovery of healthy chunky goodness. Siksik talaga and walang lansa! Weeks after, I was surprised with a package carrying samples of Gold Seas Tuna Chunks and got to try their other variants. I became a convert to Gold Seas.
I've always been very low maintenance when it comes to skin care and makeup. But age is catching up and bare minimum just doesn't cut it anymore. Medyo late in the game na nga ako when it comes to beauty treatments. I've tried some special skin and facial treatments in recent years that did wonders to my age-related skin problems and hair removal needs, but I failed to maintain.
The good news for me was when Aryana International Aesthetic Center, a beauty and wellness center, opened in my neighborhood a few months ago. I had the opportunity to be treated to a customized program that fit my needs. I highly recommend this to those who also seek safe, effective, yet fuss-free skin care and hair removal treatments like me.
Because we all love garlic and we all eat chicken, I always have these in my kitchen. Always. While there are sooooo many ways to cook this staple meat at home, I always end up serving the most simple ones to prepare. Siyempre, nandiyan lagi ang pambansang manok - Magnolia Chicken, whole dressed chicken or in choice cuts for specific dishes I plan to cook.
Grocery shopping is one of the activities that I truly enjoy. Some may think this is weird, but sa totoo lang, I consider it my "me time" even if it's just a quick grocery run. I also love to share my grocery finds through #MomGrocer and MomFindsPH on my Instagram.
I am all for value-for-money shopping finds, whether in fashion and accessories, or food and grocery items. I've been featuring my Mom-Finds here and on social media for many years now and there will always be something new to discover and share. For discerning shoppers like me, we are always on the look-out for quality and affordable items, kaya I'm very pleased to announce that SHOPWISE hypermarket now carries more exclusive brands to complete our grocery list and for better shopping experience.
