MrsMommyHolic

Belo Baby is now a year old! I still remember the launch event I attended where we were first introduced to the Belo Baby line. And since then, the brand has really proven itself by coming out with products that are crafted with care for the most delicate skin, for the most meticulous moms.

From the beginning, I was impressed with the Belo Baby Guarantee that each product formulation uses 100% certified natural ingredients with 0% harmful chemicals, clinically proven gentle and less irritating.

Their core natural ingredients are all great for baby’s delicate skin too:

Cocoa Butter - has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties; strengthens and moisturizes skin

Shea Butter - a known superfood for the skin; naturally heals common skin conditions of babies like eczema and rash.

Sweet Almond Oil - a natural emollient for softening skin; locks in moisture into the skin

We’ve been using Belo Baby products regularly and I just want to share with you the things I love about them.

HAIR and BODY WASH (P219.75)

First of all, I love the bottle pump which makes it super easy to dispense. I also love how it’s a hair and body wash in one already. I’m all about convenience and the faster the better, especially when I have 3 kids to give baths to! This also makes it super convenient to bring along during trips since I don’t have to pack a separate soap and shampoo anymore.

I also like its soft and creamy texture. It’s easy to rinse off and leaves the kids’ skin smooth and moisturized. You’ll also notice that it doesn’t foam as much. But did you know that more foam sometimes means more chemicals? I also like the mild scent which lingers on even after taking a bath.

BAR SOAP (P79.75)

I also like using the soap which has a mild and delicate scent. The best part is it’s hypoallergenic and perfect for all skin types.

FACE and BODY LOTION (P224.75)

My kids use lotion a lot since the change in weather really affects their skin, making it dry and itchy. Like it was just so cold during the start of the year, then now it’s so hot again with summer just around the corner. The rapid change from wet to dry season also triggers a lot of skin sensitivity. I’m really happy with the face and body lotion since it helps keeps their skin moisturized all year long. I like how it’s easily absorbed and doesn’t feel greasy on the skin. It’s very light and smells so good too!

Since I’ve had such a great experience with these products, I want to share the love by having a Belo Baby giveaway on Instagram!

All you have to do is the ff:

1. Follow me on Instagram @mrsmommyholic

2. Just regram the above photo.

3. For the caption, let me know what is your favorite Belo Baby product and why.

4. Use the hashtags #BeloBaby and #MMHxBeloBaby

5. Don’t forget to tag me @mrsmommyholic and @belobabylove

See, it’s so easy! I will be choosing 3 winners to win a set of Belo Baby products (1 soap, 1 wash, and 1 lotion). This contest is open nationwide to my blog readers in the Philippines. It will run from March 17 to 23. Winners will be announced on March 24. So JOIN NOW!

Anyway, happy 1st birthday again to Belo Baby and please follow and check out their social media accounts for updates and more information:

Website: www.belobaby.ph

FB: belobabylove

Twitter: @belobabylove

IG: @belobabylove

Last night my 7 year old daughter finally lost her first tooth! What a milestone!

Actually, she already mentioned a few weeks ago that she felt her bottom tooth was moving. But I felt it and although it was moving, it was still pretty stuck to her gums. However, a few days ago we noticed that a new tooth was already growing behind the wobbly tooth!

By this time, her baby tooth was more wobbly but it still wasn't showing any signs of falling off on its own. I was already scared since I didn't want this to affect the way her permanent tooth would come out. As much as possible, sana she wouldn't need braces in the future diba?

Anyway, I was thinking of bringing her to the dentist, but she was so scared! Would you believe she's NEVER been to the dentist aside from a required visit to the school clinic? She's so lucky because her teeth are in great shape without any cavities!

Well, I did research and some in similar situations had it removed by the dentist while others said to wait it out since it will eventually fall off. So we just asked my daughter to wiggle her tooth constantly to help loosen it up. Her yaya wanted to tie a string on it and pull, but hello that's so traumatizing kaya haha!

Finally, last night as she was brushing her teeth it came out! The tooth fell pa nga to the floor and all of us (me, her dad, and 2 yayas) rushed to the bathroom looking for it! Well, we found it and here it is!

Haha she looks so cute bungi! What more if it's the top 2 teeth? ;p

Anyway, she was so excited for the tooth fairy to come. She wrote this letter and I was laughing so hard when I read it! I love the "please check my breath" part! And haaay, now I had to write back pa! And she asked for candy and new toothpaste pa?! Wala ako nun!

I waited for her to fall asleep then I contemplated whether to give a written note. But she might recognize my handwriting so I just printed one instead. And I was all set to give her P100 but she asked for just P20.10 so I'm happy to oblige!

Anyway, she put her letter and tooth in a small box so I just put the money and my note inside. But then I didn't take the tooth since I ordered this wooden keepsake container and I figured it would be weird if she suddenly saw all her baby teeth there when the tooth fairy supposedly got it right?

Well, she woke up super early (like before 6am!) and woke me up saying the tooth fairy didn't come yet. I was like "I'm sure she did baby, check the box" But the thing is, she just shook the box (didn't open it) and heard something shaking inside so she assumed her tooth was still there and the tooth fairy didn't get it. By this time, I was kicking myself for not getting the tooth!

I was kinda panicking na, but then I had an idea. I said I'll check the box myself and opened it. Then I said "Look Miley there's money inside! I think that's the coin you heard and not your tooth" (buti na lang she asked for 10 cents!) And while she was busy reading the note, I quickly got her tooth and hid it! Whew!

Anyway, she was so happy and excited with her money! She was saying "Oh yeah, I'm rich!" hahaha! And for the note, she was like "why does the Tooth Fairy have a printer?" OMG! I just said, of course she has a printer since she has to make notes for so many kids everyday diba?

Whew! I'm just glad she bought it haha! Now, I have to get ready to make more notes from the Tooth Fairy in the coming years. :)

It's summer once again! And if you have children like me, the one thing you look for is activities they can do while there's no school. I mean really, how many times can you hear the phrase "I'm bored!" lol! If you're from the south, here's ClubBambino's programs for their summer camp this year.

LIFE SKILLS SERIES: INVESTING FOR KIDS
Group 7-12yo - Mar 30-Apr 2 / 10am-11am
Group 9-14yo - Mar 30-Apr 2 / 2pm-3pm
Visiting Instructor: Sonja Bretschneider
Total of 4 sessions at 1hr per session
Fee: P2,800

Description:
Investing for Kids is a 4-day, 1 hour each day program for kids aged 7-12 and 9-14 years old. It will be conducted by a visiting international instructor - Sonja Bretschneider. In this camp, campers experience financial concepts through different card/board games and simulations. They get a chance to learn about investing in property, stocks and businesses through games and activities. Hopefully they will figure out some tips for the parents, too! At the end of the camp, kids will learn some strategies about debt, chosing investments based on risk, and the importance and process of becoming an entrepreneur. Campers will present what they have learned at the end of the course to their parents.

LIFE SKILLS SERIES: PRESENTATION FOR TEENS
For ages 10-15 yo - Apr 1-2 / 4-6pm
Visiting Instructor: Sonja Bretschneider
Total of 2 sessions at 2hrs per session
Fee: P2,800

Description:
Presentation Station is a 2-day, 2 hour each day program for kids aged 10-15 years old. It will be conducted by a visiting international instructor - Sonja Bretschneider. Campers will see good and poor examples of speeches and create their own checklist that they personally need to follow. Topics we will explore are structure and message, various elements of speech and body language. We will learn by doing and create our own speech to present at the end of the camp.

visiting guest instructor

THE MULTI-INTELLIGENCE CAMP
Group 2-4yo - April 3 to 28 / Mon and Fri / 10-11am
Group 5-7 yo - April 4 to 27 / Tue and Thurs / 1-2pm
Total of 8 sessions at 1hr per session
Explore a different SMART every day
Fee: P5,600

Description:
The Multi-Intelligence Camp is for ages 2-4 and 5-7 years old. Camps start on Apr 4. It’s not a question of “How smart are you?” but “What kind of smart are you?” The MI Camp features activities that will focus on the 8 intelligence as espoused by Howard Gardner: Music Smart, Nature Smart, Math Smart, Picture Smart, Body Smart, Logic Smart, Self Smart and People Smart. This camp will allow a child to discover, explore and develop new talents, skills or abilities. May it be to nurture a particular skill or build towards a more balanced child, this camp is loaded with fun activities touching on all 8 types of intelligence. Both parent and child will enjoy the discovery process prepared by our teachers and early childhood experts.

TAEKWONDO
Group 3-5y0 - April 4 to 27 / Tue & Thu / 2-3pm
Group 6-10yo - April 4 to 27 / Tue & Thu / 4-5pm
Group 11-15yo - April 4 to 27 / Tue & Thu / 5-6pm
Total of 8 sessions at 1 hr per session
Fee: P5,600

Description:
About JH Kim Taekwondo Philippines:
Website: http://jhkim-singapore.com/
JH Kim Taekwondo from Boston, USA is conducting a summer camp for 3-5, 5-10 and 11-16 years old in ClubBambino. The program is specifically designed to give kids a taste of taekwondo, using scientific and psychological resources to cater to children at this age so they can experience training that enhances motor skills, cognitive development, and social skills. These skills have been broken down into age-specific exercises, games and drills to complement each stage of development. Aside from developing anti-bully and self-defense skills, martial arts is also known to teach discipline, build confidence and nurture self-esteem.

On-Going Promo:
- Group Discount (2 or more) – 10% OFF. Offer valid up to Mar 23, 2017.
• Get better value when you enroll to the Summer Camp together with friends or siblings. Get 10% off on your enrollment fee.
- ClubBambino Gold Members – 10% OFF

How To Register:
1. Call us at (02) 801-5997 or;
2. Register online via: https://goo.gl/forms/OsVmHExchf3wMbnw2

ClubBambino Kids Gym
330 Noah's Place Aguirre Ave. cor Tehran St. BF Homes Parañaque
(02) 801 5997 & (0917) 833 4730
www.clubbambinokids.com
www.facebook.com/clubbambinokidsgym

We headed to SM Aura last month to dine at Ping Pong Diplomacy at my friend's request. She said it was new and wanted to try it out. Hubby and I haven't heard about this place yet and when she said it was Chinese food, I immediately thought about yang chow fried rice and sweet and sour pork dishes. Boy was I wrong... in a good way!

The place was on soft opening when we visited last February. We were there on a weekday for late lunch so we practically had the whole place to ourselves.

The first thing that caught my attention was this accent wall filled with, what else, ping pong paddles! And I love the contrast of the red with the dark blue walls.

open kitchen

Basically, their whole concept is East meets West, with food that brings Chinese and American flavors together.

Here's what we ordered:

For starters, I'm not such a huge fan of eggplant, but I was blown away by how good this was! I loved the crunchiness and I was hooked on the first bite. It didn't even taste like eggplant lol ;p This was probably my favorite out of everything we ate.

Crunchy Eggplant P140
Battered Eggplant, Fragrant sauce, Prickly Ash

Anything with truffle oil is a winner in my book!

Truffled Mushroom Edemame Dumplings P160
Edemame, 3 Kinds Mushroom, Truffle Oil

Not such a fan of century egg, but my friends told me to have a little bit of everything in one bite for the full experience. It was ok, but really not just my type hehe.

Cranberries and Tofu P245
Century egg, Sun Dried Cranberries, Plum Powder

This was another favorite of ours. You wrap the wonton in the lettuce then add the caramelized onions and sauce. Definitely a different take on the cheeseburger. So good!

Wonton Cheeseburger P290
Crisp Wonton, Wagyu Beef, Sharp Cheddar

Their wings was really tasty. We even ended up ordering rice coz wala lang, parang ang sarap to eat it with rice haha! ;p

Ping Pong Wings P320
12 Spice Blend, Crispy Leeks, Sweet Pickled Cucumbers

I really liked this beef rib, even though the sauce was a bit spicy for me. I loved the shallots too.

Caveman Beef Rib P535
Braised beef rib, crispy shallots, zhenjang vinaigrette

This egg dish was probably our least liked among everything we ordered. Plus, we were all so full from everything else by this time.

Prawn Scotch Egg P180
5 Minute egg, Prawn and Pork, Wasabi Mayo

Anyway, it was really a great dining experience for me. I'm usually so safe when it comes to food, so I was surprised how much I enjoyed it here. Plus, our server was also super nice in explaining everything to us. He even came over twice to warn us that the sauce for the beef rib might be too hot.

This is definitely not your usual Chinese resto and I for one, will definitely be back!

Ping Pong Diplomacy
3rd Floor, SM Aura Premier
Instagram: @ppdph

It's officially summer for the kids! I'm so glad school is finally out, but at the same time dreading hearing these 2 words over and over again - "I'M BOOOOORED!" Anyway, here's an easy and quick activity that will surely keep your kids occupied for a couple of hours.

To be honest, this was all my daughter's idea from watching a video on Youtube. She kept asking for her baby brother's diapers since she was going to make snow. At first I was skeptical, but then I just told her to get what she needed and not make a mess.

Pretty soon she was calling me excitedly and I saw for myself what she made! And it was so cool haha! Anyway, all you need is obviously diapers (any brand will do), a big bucket of water, and scissors.

Basically, the stuff inside of diapers expands when it gets wet right? So all you need to do is soak your diapers in water until they get fully saturated.

When the diaper is all big and heavy, just cut it open and viola, there's your fake snow! And you can get a lot of "snow" from just 1 diaper.

Anyway, the kids had a blast playing with the snow, mushing it with their hands, and throwing it around.

snowball

winter is coming ;p

snowball fight!

And since the weather is so hot now, this is perfect to sort of make you think it's cold haha! Enjoy!

Here's an update on what my daughter's new bedroom looks like. If you haven't read my past posts, all she wanted for her 7th birthday was her own room (plus loft bed). So we granted her wish and renovated one of the rooms in our house. You can read all about part 1 HERE.

Anyway, here's how her new cabinets look like. I really like the sliding doors since it's such a space saver. However, the kids love playing with it and hiding inside!

Love how everything is still so shiny!

The lighter part tiles by the wall is where the old cabinet was. So this is the new flooring they put in. The lighter color doesn't really bother me since that's where the bed will be anyway.

I also had them paint over the walls with a lighter shade to make the room brighter.

Anyway, the loft bed finally arrived after 2 months! I ordered this from Mobler, an Ikea reseller based in Makati. Total cost for the bed was P12,800, plus delivery of P620 and assembly fee of P420.

I actually wanted to buy this bed when we were in Singapore since it's so much cheaper there (SG$199 so about Php7,000 only!). But then when we asked around for the shipping cost to Manila, it was crazy expensive! The one from Mobler ended up being cheaper pa. Haaay how I wish Ikea in the Philippines would just open already!

I'm still slowly decorating the room so watch out for the room tour soon! And we have to buy an aircon pa and other furniture like a desk and bookshelves. For now, I'm kinda enjoying the bare space since it's so clean and organized. I'm sure once we've fully furnished it, it's going to be so cluttered with toys na naman haha! :)

Lately, I've been searching online for design inspiration for my daughter's new room. At first, we were thinking of painting the walls pink or some other color. But then, I figured we'll just stick to white for now and then just add pops of color through the furniture and other decor.

Remember the triangle accent wall I did a few years back? Well, I sort of wanted to do something similar especially after I saw this online store WhiteWallsPH, selling wall decals. I really liked the gold hearts and I inquired how much the stickers cost. Well, it was P500 for a pack of 36 pieces.

Hmmm... I guess it's the "kuripot" side of me but I figured why pay P500 when I could try to do it myself right? And I wasn't sure if 36 pieces would be enough for the wall, I might have to get 2 packs and that would be P1k already!

I figured I'll see if I could find some gold sticker paper first and if I couldn't find any, that's when I'll consider buying. So off I went to National Bookstore and luckily I found this which cost P49.75 ONLY (5 sheets). Yey!

I then cut out a template heart on cardboard paper so it would be easier to trace. TIP: for the perfect heart shape, I just searched online for heart cliparts and then printed it out. Size of the heart is 2.5" x 2.25". I then traced the shape on the back of the sticker paper. I was able to fit 17 hearts in 1 sheet.

I personally love cutting stuff so this was a fun activity for me. I was able to cut 3 sheets of hearts in about 2 hours while watching TV. Maybe even less time if I wasn't distracted by my show haha!

And then I just did measurements on the wall to figure out the distance of the hearts from each another. I used a total of 40 hearts and still have extra sheets in case I want to do another wall. So that's like P50 vs P500for this project! And I think the end result looks the same right? I'll take a better picture of the entire wall when the whole room is fixed already. :)

So if you don't mind spending a few hours cutting up shapes, this is a super inexpensive project anyone can do. I also saw silver sticker paper in National Bookstore in case you want another option. Or use plain white if you have colored walls (like what I did HERE). You can also cut different basic shapes like circles, diamonds, or stars. But if you hate cutting and don't mind spending a bit more, you can always buy from WhiteWallsPH, especially if you need specific colors. The other sticker sheets I saw in National were mostly neon colored kasi. Hope you liked this DIY project and let me know if you do try it out! :)

For my daughter's 7th birthday, I knew I definitely wanted her to have a photoshoot to capture that time in her life. She had a small party in McDonald's but I didn't hire a photographer anymore for that day since I was just the one who took the photos. I figured I'll just spend for her pre-birthday shoot since that's where I wanted the photos to look extra nice.

I chanced upon some beautiful family photos of blogger friend Maqui which she shared on her FB page. She highly recommended the photographer, Mhel Mesa, so I decided to inquire with her. I was pleasantly surprised with her rates which were so affordable compared to others!

I booked her last December 2016 and her rate was P3,000* for Lifestyle Photography. Yes, just P3k!!! (*disclaimer: her rates may have increased/changed by the time of this posting)

Her package included the following:
• 2 photographers
• 2 hours max. coverage
• 80 high resolution edited photos in DVD
• All unedited photos to be provided after the shoot (please bring USB)

I almost couldn't believe it, since some photographers charge double, triple, or even waaaaay more! And in some studios, you don't even get all the hi-res photos, just a limited number. Needless to say, I booked her ASAP!

Mhel always replied promptly via FB messenger and arrived on time during the shoot. The 2nd photographer was her brother and it was great because I love how some of the shots were taken from a different angle (which looked more candid). I also squeezed in a family shoot during our schedule which I'll also be sharing soon. But for the meantime, here are the beautiful photos they took of my little princess.

I didn't hire a stylist anymore since I just wanted to pictures to be simple and classic (plus mahal pa un lol). I just bought different colored balloons since it was her birthday and the theme of her party was rainbow art. I also bought flower crowns for her to wear and luckily they were 50% off in SM during that time.

Btw, I also brought this mat which we used for the family shoot and grabbed some pillows from our living room as accent pieces.

I'm in LOVE with all the photos and there were so many to choose from. It was a very easy and chill session and what I loved was that I got all the unedited photos immediately after the shoot (I just brought a USB). The edited files were mailed to me more than a month after but it wasn't an issue for me since I already had the unedited ones.

So if you're looking for an affordable photographer for birthdays, weddings, and other events, I highly recommend Mhel. Better book her now before her rates go up haha! ;p

Mhel Mesa Photography

Facebook: www.facebook.com/MhelMesaPhoto

Email: mhelmesaphotography@gmail.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/mhelmesaphotography

Right now, I'm busy planning a family vacation which hopefully will push through next month. One thing I love doing is making itineraries and researching online about sights and attractions that we should visit. One place hubby and I love going to is aquariums or zoos. Which is why we made sure to check out the the Vancouver Aquarium during our trip to Canada.

The aquarium is located in the sprawling Stanley Park in downtown Vancouver.

We arrived after lunch and there was about a 15 minute line before we were able to get to the ticketing window.

Here were the ticket prices. For adults, it was $36 each which is about P1,300. A bit pricey, but it's almost the same price as the S.E.A. Aquarium in Singapore (SG$32). But definitely worth it since you get to see so much more here.

The Vancouver Aquarium is a great place for people of all ages. They have lots of interesting and comprehensive displays, exhibits, and activities. Hubby and I loved walking through the different sections and learning all about the animals and their habitats. Plus the place is so clean and well maintained!

Out of all the live shows, we made sure to catch the belugas! Doesn't she look like Bailey from Finding Dory? Super cute!

There were already a lot of people when we arrived so the only place available to sit was the Splash Zone. We weren't that near the front anyway so I wasn't worried about getting wet. BIG MISTAKE! Omg I was soaking wet when the trainer asked little miss beluga to flip her tail! So warning, if it says Splash Zone, they really mean Splash Zone lol! ;p

There's also a viewing aquarium down below so you can see the belugas swim up close.

What I also love about this place is that it has more than just fish. Unlike the S.E.A. Aquarium in Singapore, they also have birds, reptiles, and many more!

There were also other shows featuring dolphins, penguins, sea otters, seals and sea lions.

Plus they had a touch pool where you could get up close and have a hands-on encounter with rays!

We probably spent about 3.5 hours here, but you could easily spend the whole day with all the different shows and exhibits. Definitely a fun place to bring the whole family when in Vancouver.

Vancouver Aquarium
www.vanaqua.org
845 Avison Way
Vancouver, BC
V6G 3E2
Daily Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Stanley Park is one of Vancouver's top tourist destinations. We were there last August and I just fell in love with all the trees and gorgeous views.

Our main agenda was really to go to the Vancouver Aquarium which is located inside the park.

To get to the aquarium, you have to take a walk through the sprawling park first. I love how everything was so green and it was so nice to just sit in the grass and have a picnic. I also felt so small next to all the tall trees!

Anyway, I wrote all about our Vancouver Aquarium experience in a separate post. Click HERE to read all about it.

After our visit to the aquarium, we headed out to check the famous totem pole display at Brockton Point. Stanley Park is HUGE so it was about a 15-20 minute walk from the aquarium.

We passed by the famous Seawall, which circles around Stanley Park. This scenic, paved pathway was full of people walking, jogging, rollerblading, or cycling. I'm not gonna lie, it was a pretty long walk to get to the totem poles and I was getting tired fast. But the stunning views of the city with the boats on the water and lush trees on the other side made it worthwhile!

taking a much needed break from all that walking

a Disney Cruise boat

You can also take a horse-drawn tour of Stanley Park but I believe it costs about $40 CAD.

Anyway, we finally got to the totem poles which is one of the most-visited tourist attractions in British Columbia. Well, totem poles lang talaga siya, mas matagal pa un lakad namin here than the time we spent sa poles haha! ;p

Anyway, on our way back to downtown, we passed by a lot of bike rental shops. There were all kinds of bikes, even those with special baskets for pets. It would have been fun to rent a tandem bike and go around Stanley Park. But I'm sure hubby would do all the pedaling haha! ;p

Anyway, it was a great day well spent at Stanley Park. There's so much to do here and I just love how there's all this nature in the middle of the city.

My little boy Sabre is now 6 years old and he wanted to have a Lego themed party this time around.

We actually celebrated his birthday almost 2 months in advance because he wanted to have a party in school with his classmates. And since they had rehearsals for Moving Up Day in March, the only date we had left was on the last day of February. Super aga haha! ;p

Anyway, I actually saw some really cute Lego themed party decor in National Bookstore. They had paper napkins, cups, cupcake toppers, and balloons. I just ended up buying the table cover (P229) since I was also trying not to spend so much. The party was just going to be in their classroom anyway for a short period of time.

I really love how the table cover was the perfect touch to my whole set up! Super cute! :)

To make the birthday banner, I just searched for a free downloadable Lego font online.

And to jazz up this plain chocolate cake, I added some Lego figures with the birthday candle.

Too bad the number on the Duplo figure's shirt is 8! It would have been perfect if it was a 6 haha ;p

I also searched online for Lego faces and used these for the cupcake toppers.

The giveaways were probably the thing that stressed me out the most. Remember, I was caught off guard with the party date and thought I still had until early March to prepare. I was actually in Vietnam last February 20 when I found out that February 28 was the date given to us by the school. So I had like only a week to prepare everything!

Good thing our family friend Joy of Fabrika MNL came to the rescue! She does custom fabric printing and I had already told her before I wanted to have personalized lootbags made. Thank goodness she was able to make everything on such short notice.

These drawstring bags are 10"x12" and I was able to get them the day before the party whew! Thank you Joy! So if you want custom printed anything, check out Fabrika MNL!

I filled the lootbags with cheap "Lego" toys ;p

And also assorted snacks and goodies.

Plus Play-Doh which I got on sale.

Here are the lootbags all filled up. I just love the boy and girl Lego faces which match my cupcake toppers!

I also made Thank You tags taking inspiration from my table cover.

Sabre loved everything and of course he had to make his own Lego creation for the big day. ;p He's actually so creative when playing with Lego. He can build all kinds of stuff even without instructions, like robots, guns, cars, and spaceships! And he can build even the most complicated sets without my help anymore. :)

Happy birthday Sabre! We love you so much!

Here's his classmates doing the "dab"! Their teacher said it was Sabre who taught everyone how to do it haha!

I really can't believe one more year to go and this guy turns 7! Ang bilis! Happy birthday again baby, and may all your dreams and wishes come true.

Here's the last part of my Vancouver travel diary. For the rest of my Canada posts, click HERE. :)

Anyway, hubby and I loved exploring downtown Vancouver. I enjoyed being in the bustling city, just walking around and feeling the vibe of the place. There were a lot of shopping and dining spots everywhere. And I loved seeing the buildings with really nice architecture.

street performer

waiting for the bus

Robson Street is Vancouver's most famous shopping street

Pacific Centre Mall is the largest mall in Downtown Vancouver

commuting

view from the train

the largest public art museum in Western Canada

the beautiful Waterfront Station, the city's main railway station

Of course, we also went to Gastown to see the famous steam clock. I loved the cobbled streets and there were many stores selling souvenirs here.

food trucks

one must have a Japadog (a Japanese style hot dog sold in a food cart) when in Vancouver

Vancity

spot me trying to cross the street!

bus lines

I took this random shot by the street since I liked the mosaic colors. And guess what? The CHAINSMOKERS liked my pic on Instagram! Haha I think maybe it's a theater they performed at siguro.

Anyway, I really loved Vancouver and hope to be back soon!

Hubby and I love pizza and we've been meaning to try out Trattoria Altrove in BF Homes for quite some time now. And finally, we got to have lunch here on one random weekday.

I actually didn't know that this restaurant originated from El Nido Palawan where it has quite a following. I guess that explains the ambiance and look of the place. It feels like you're in a spa or out of town and not in the middle of BF.

The first thing they did when we entered was ask us to remove our shoes which they placed in a basket. We were given a number so we could collect our shoes after.

I don't know about you but I liked being barefoot haha! If felt like we were just at home and my 3 year old definitely enjoyed walking around. And don't worry, the floors were very clean. But if you don't like being barefoot, I saw that they sell hotel slippers for about P50 or just be prepared and wear socks.

One thing though, there's no aircon at all. Since it was summer, it was kinda hot and humid especially since we were here for lunch.

The ceiling fans were very helpful though. And ask for a seat outside near the garden since it's way cooler there.

Here's their menu:

We were served complimentary bread as an appetizer.

For the pizza, we ordered the Pancetta con Tartufo (P620) which is truffle cream with bacon, mozzarella cheese and a dash of oregano. Hubby and I love anything with truffle so this was so good for us! You could really taste the freshness of the ingredients.

For our pasta, we got the Lasagna (P330), layers of flat pasta drowed in tomatoes, ground beef, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese and bechamel sauce freshly baked in their brick oven. You could really see all the layers and I felt so full after having just a few bites.

Take note, they didn't accept credit cards when we dined there. I know they've been open for quite some time now so I don't know if this is really their policy. But just make sure you have enough cash when you eat here.

Overall, I loved the feel and ambiance of the place. The food and service were also great. We will definitely be back hopefully at night for a romantic date. ;p

Trattoria ALTROVE
www.facebook.com/altrove.bfhomes
858 Tropical Avenue BF International Las Piñas
027764388 / 09178201858
Hours 11:00AM - 2:00PM, 5:00PM - 11:00PM

My girlfriends and I had a mommies day out last February and this time we took a trip to Vietnam! Our last outing was in Hong Kong back in 2015 so we were really itching to have a girls trip again. We were originally thinking of going to Bali but then decided on Ho Chi Minh City since we wanted to go shopping (and hindi pa ready ang bikini bodies namin lol!) Actually, the last time I was in Vietnam was back in 2008 and it was actually the first out of the country trip I took with hubby back when we were still BF/GF. So this place has a special spot in my heart. :)

Anyway, we were here for just 3 days since we had to rush back quickly to our babies (husbands included ;p).

I was in charge of looking for a hotel and I found a super good deal in Agoda. We really wanted a hotel close to Ben Thanh Market so we could just walk around easily. And I was able to book The Luxe Hotel for just P8,208 for 2 nights! So that was just P2k each for the 4 of us. And it had 2 queen-sized beds plus breakfast too. Super sulit!

The room was very basic but it was clean and a good size. We were also impressed with how friendly and helpful the staff were, especially one of the door men who even walked with us to the money changer when we asked for directions.

Breakfast was great since there were a lot of choices and it was different for the 2 days we were there.

The hotel was about 2 blocks from Ben Thanh Market, so around 5 minutes walk. There were so many other hotels along the street and I loved how we were right in the middle of the action. Of course, we made sure to be extra vigilant and aware especially since we were all girls.

The best learning experience for us was probably how to cross the street! Admittedly, medyo lahat kami hindi marunong tumawid lol! And it was extra hard here in Vietnam with all the motorcycles everywhere. Half ng street motor. Everytime we would cross the street, we were holding hands and screaming since the motorcycles would just zip by so close to us. I swear, it was so obvious we were tourists haha! But we survived!

Or course, shopping was our main agenda and we spent most of our time in Ben Thanh Market...

And Saigon Square...

And when you shop with your girlfriends, you can't help but buy the same stuff. Twinning lang ang peg! Plus, it was easier to ask for discount when buying in bulk. At first also, we were kinda shy to haggle. But then after a while, super galing na namin! With matching acting and pacute and even begging haha! And it worked naman most of the time ;p

We were originally supposed to take a day tour to Cu Chi Tunnels, but then decided we wanted to shop more! What's new?! We did manage to go around and see some of the famous spots in the city like the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Saigon Central Post Office.

You can easily walk around the city but it was so hot we just took a cab when we explored. Our taxi driver from the airport warned us to take the "Vinasun" operated taxis since other cabs rip off tourists and don't use the meter.

It was also fun eating since the food was so good especially the pho noodle soup!

Of course, we didn't forget to say "Thank You" to our hubbies for allowing us to take a break and watching over the kids while we were gone. We sent them postcards literally sealed with a kiss!

I really think it's important for us moms to have some "me" time every now and then. Even though you're thinking about your kids all the time and still worry about every little thing when you're gone, you still come back so recharged and refreshed. And as I always say: happy wife = happy life!

I did some research before our girls trip to Vietnam last February and saw that a good place to eat was at Pho 2000.

The reason this place is famous is that Bill Clinton and his daughter Chelsea ate here during their visit to Ho Chi Minh City back in the year 2000. So I guess that's why this place is called Pho 2000 right? And their tagline is "Pho for the President" ;p

The restaurant is just right across Ben Thanh Market. We had some trouble finding it on our first day, but located it after walking further along the end of one of the streets. Pho 2000 is on the 2nd floor of the building with a Coffee Bean and Teaf Leaf on the ground floor. You enter through the coffee shop and walk all the way to the back where there's stairs to get to the restaurant.

There were a lot of people, mostly foreigners and tourists like us. But turnover was quick and we were seated at once.

It was nice seeing the photos of Bill Clinton during his visit. I'm sure it must have been so exciting for the staff to have him there. I also wonder how Pho 2000 was chosen among all the other pho places in the city. They really got so lucky!

This was the table where Bill Clinton sat. It was also the only one which had a table cover. And there was also a menu of what Bill and Chelsea ate that day.

They had other food items aside from pho but we all just got the Beef Noodle Soup (regular size) which was 70,000 dong (roughly P150).

Our food was served surprisingly quick. It was a good thing we just got the regular size since the bowl was pretty big! I wasn't even able to finish it all. Oh, and there were wet wipes on the table but we all knew we were going to get charged if we used them lol!

Anyway I saw some reviews that said this place was overrated and you could get better pho elsewhere. But me and my girls loved every single bite! The broth was so tasty, the texture of the noodles was great and the beef was so tender and flavorful.

We had a great dinner here at Pho 2000 and I would definitely recommend eating here when you're in Ho Chi Minh. Delicious food and fast service. It definitely did not disappoint! I mean if it's good enough for a President, then it's good enough for us too haha! ;p

Pho 2000
01-03 Phan Chu Trinh St.
Dist. 1, HCMC, Vietnam

If you're following me on Instagram, then you've probably been seeing photos of our family vacation to Brisbane and Gold Coast in Australia. Before I post about the places we visited and things we did, here are just some info on how I applied for our tourist visa here in the Philippines and what you can bring into Australia.

VISA

Getting a an Australian tourist visa here in the Philippines was a breeze this time around. I remember back in 2012 when I went to Sydney, I applied through their VIA Centre (now VFS) and it took 15 days before I got my visa. I even went to their office in Makati to pass my documents.

This time, I was happy to learn that you could process your visa application completely online. You can still apply via VFS Global but aside from the visa charge of AUD$135 or about P5k (as of this writing), you'll still have to pay for additional logistic service fees.

To apply for a Visitor Visa (subclass 600), you just need to create an ImmiAccount.

Then I filled up the application form, scanned and uploaded all the usual necessary supporting documents like current and previous passports showing entry and exit stamps, valid and past visas, birth and marriage certificates, financial documents, proof of assets, etc. There was no ID picture needed like last time. Then I paid the visa fee via credit card. I just made one account for me and my kids, but I had to fill up their application form individually and upload supporting documents for each of them.

I like referring to PinoyExchange.com for visa and immigration tips and I read there that some people got their Australian tourist visas approved in just 1 or 2 days. For us, it took about 5 days. Mine was actually released first then I got a call from the embassy saying that I needed to attach some more documents for my kids which was my husband’s passport and visa (I didn't attach these because it was just me and my kids applying but they needed to see it pala because he would be traveling with us also). I uploaded the files at once and the next day their visas were also released! Whew! I was also so happy that the Australian embassy is more generous this time. The first time I applied I just got single entry good for 6 months. This time, my kids and I got multiple entry for 1 year! :)

A visa label is also not required, which means you don’t have to submit your passport to the embassy anymore. They will just email you the Visa Grant Notice which I then printed out since they usually ask to see this here in the Philippine Immigration. In Australia, they don't ask for it since it's already in their system.

sample Visa Grant Notice
source

CUSTOMS

Australia is very strict with what you can bring in their country especially with food (no fruits, veggies, meat products). I was actually so worried since my kids are picky eaters and they only eat certain snacks. I researched about it and the general advice was to just declare everything you’re taking with you. You can check their website for more details on what you can and can't bring in.

So I just listed down all the food I brought (like cookies, biscuits, chips, powdered milk) and also medicines (multivitamins, anti-allergy, ointments). And I left everything in their original packaging just in case they needed to inspect it for the ingredients.

Before you arrive in Australia you will be asked to fill in an Incoming Passenger Card. If you are carrying any food, plant or animal products you must tick "YES" on the Incoming Passenger card to declare them. If you're not sure, just check "YES" because it's better to be safe then sorry right?

Once we landed and got in immigration, the officer asked me what medicines I brought and I told her it was the kids' vitamins and medicine for their allergies. It was the food that she was more concerned with so we were ushered to a customs clearance point where they check your bags. I was then asked by another officer what specific types of food I brought and I showed him my list. Next step was for a detector dog to sniff our bags. The officer even asked me if my kids were scared of dogs and I said yes since the dog was a bit big! So she asked me and the kids to stay in one side while the dog checked our luggage. I watch Border Patrol so I was holding my breath the entire time because I was worried he might start barking lol! Anyway, we were cleared and they didn’t even open our bags anymore yey!

Anyway, hope this helps you when planning your trip to Australia. We had a great vacation and I can't wait to share the awesome places we went to. :)

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms everywhere! I'm sure we can all agree that being a mother is definitely challenging yet rewarding. From the moment we get pregnant, our lives change and it's a learning process every single day.

I remember having kids was something I always wanted and I thank God everyday for giving me my three beautiful babies. It's definitely not easy raising human beings and making sure they're ok and grow up to be good people.

I admit I've had my rough moments, from getting mad and screaming at them, pretending I don't hear them when all they do is bicker, hiding in the bathroom to get away from the chaos, to wanting to get away from it all. There are many times I've questioned my judgement and my ability to be a good mom. I know I'm definitely not perfect but I know for sure my love for my kids is what fuels me every single day. And I wouldn't trade being a mom for anything in the world.

So to all mothers out there - single parents (even dads!), working women, stay-at-home moms - a big salute to all of us! This is our day and let's enjoy every single minute of it. :)

Whew, I can finally find some time to relax now since we just ended the last of the kids' summer activities. We did McDonald's Kiddie Crew last week back to back with Jollibee Mini Managers Camp this week. Add to that my son's summer soccer camp which also ended last week.

Anyway, we first did McDonald's Kiddie Crew last year and the kids had a blast. I found out too late though that there was a Jollibee version, since all slots were already full when I tried to sign up last year.

This summer, my fellow moms and I made sure to inquire early and we were able to sign up our kids for the May 15-20 batch.

The Jollibee Mini Managers Camp is now on its second year and open to kids 4 to 12 years old who are Jollibee Kids Club (JKC) members. Parents of non-members of JKC must first purchase a JKC Happyplus Card and register their child for membership for P100. They can then register for the Mini Managers Camp for P600.

The participation fee includes uniform, camp kit, meals for 6 days and activity materials. Mini Managers will also receive a Jollibee Fun Catcher as a gift on their graduation day.

Aren't the uniforms super cute? I personally like it more than the one of McDonald's since they really look like mini mangers haha! The kids didn't like it so much though lol! ;p

The camp aims to impart to kid participants the importance of hard work and good values like leadership and responsibility through various fun learning activities. Example of camp activities include exposure to Jollibee values, store practices, storytelling, drawing, arts and crafts, burger making, jolly joy box assembly, dancing and so much more!

Our schedule was in the morning from 9-11 am. Unlike in McDonald's which had 2-3 batches per day, our Jollibee branch had only one.

In McDonald's, the kids had counter/drive-thru experience everyday. So we were surprised when we were told on the first day that the kids would just stay inside the room the whole time and do activities (parents had to stay outside). They finally did counter time on Day 3 to 5. Anyway, here's what the kids did/learned for the whole week:

Day 1 - History of Jollibee and its founder Mr. Tony Tan Caktiong

They apparently watched a video on the story of how Jollibee started. It was so funny because when my son was telling me about it after, he said the founder's name was "Tony Stark" hahaha! ;p

Day 2 - Respect for Individual, Teamwork and Excellence

They just stayed in the room again and did drawing activities.

Day 3 - Honesty

They watched a video about honesty and did counter time. After, they had a burger making activity and assembled a Jolly Joy Box which they were able to take home (with a small toy).

Day 4 - Customer Focus

They again went down to the counter/drive-thru area. After, they were each given a turn to use the ice cream machine and have their own sundae.

Day 5 - Become the Manager

More counter time for the kids. We could also hear them practicing for their dance on graduation day.

Day 6 - Graduation Day

Graduation was on a Saturday and there were lots of activities. First, the kids were each given special awards highlighting their strengths like being Confident, Participative, Energetic, Neat, Creative, etc. All the kids were given 3 awards each.

Then they finally did their dance number. They did it twice, the first time just themselves, then the second time with Jollibee.

They also had games like Bring Me and the Boat is Sinking. After, they were given their certificates of participation and also a Fun Catcher toy by Jollibee.

I asked the kids which kiddie camp did they enjoy more and they said Jollibee. Maybe because there were more activities? And also, I have to say the food was better in Jollibee since there was more variety. In McDonalds, the snacks were usually a burger or spaghetti. Here, they were served burger steak, shanghai, hotdog, choco mallows, etc. And they would ask the kids what they liked and serve what they preferred. Like my daughter didn't like the spaghetti so they gave her fries which she asked for.

Anyway, good job to these fast food chains for having these affordable summer camps which the kids definitely enjoy and learn a lot from. It's really super sulit talaga with the uniforms and the food! Of course, mapapagastos (and tataba) ka lang since you'll end up eating there everyday lol! For sure we are signing up again next year. Oh, and my daughter was like KFC should have a summer camp too! Haha hopefully they will soon, so we can have more activities next year. :)

This summer, we went on a trip to Australia. I've already been to Sydney before but this time we headed to Brisbane and Gold Coast.

Anyway, our point of entry was in Brisbane and at first I didn't know that Gold Coast was just a one hour drive away. Based on research and recommendations, Gold Coast seemed more family friendly with all the theme parks like Dreamworld, Movie World, Sea World, Wet'n'Wild, WhiteWater World, and more.

From there, it was just basically deciding which parks we wanted to go to. The entrance fees aren't cheap so we figured we'll just go to 2. I originally wanted to go to Dreamworld and Sea World. But when you check the tickets online, the prices are bundled for certain theme parks. Like the parks included in the Sea World deal were Movie World, Wet'n'Wild, and Paradise Country. The Dreamworld package was bundled with WhiteWater World and SkyPoint Observation Deck. So in the end, we just decided to go to Sea World and Movie World.

Personally, I find Warner Bros. Movie World to be just the right size for a couple of hours of fun. It's not overwhelmingly big so you'll be able to explore the park leisurely and experience all the attractions and shows.

In terms of rides, there are a lot of scary and wild rollercoasters here more suited for adults and older kids. Hubby rode ALL of them while the kids and I just watched! He said the best for him was the Superman and Green Lantern.

SUPERMAN Escape

GREEN LANTERN Coaster

BATWING Spaceshot

DOOMSDAY Destroyer

WILD WEST Falls Adventure Ride

SCOOBY-DOO Spooky Coaster

For younger children, they do have a kids' zone and also lots of character appearances and shows for the whole family.

WB! Fun Zone is where all your favorite Looney Tunes TV show characters, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety, Sylvester, Wile E. Coyote, and Porky Pig come to play.

The ROAD RUNNER Rollercoaster was a kiddie coaster and the most extreme ride the kids went on that day. It was still fast though, but we all had a blast (even my daughter who looked terrified in our pic haha!) ;p

Junior Driving School is where kids will get to drive on the mini version of Warner Bros. Movie World driving course.

Looney Tunes 4D featured the classic adventures of Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner.

Justice League 3D - The Ride was fun since we had laser guns to blast evil aliens.

Hollywood Stunt Driver 2 was an exciting show featuring Australia’s best stunt crew, Showtime FMX. The drivers and car stunts were great and there were a lot of funny moments too.

The highlight of the day was probably the Main Street Parade at the end of the day where we got to see all the Looney Tunes characters, superheroes and villains!

You can also catch some of the characters roaming around and have photos taken with them. Some you have to pay (I think it was $20) for a printed out souvenir photo like with Looney Tunes characters.

They was also a charge for a phot op with Superman earlier in the day. But luckily in the afternoon we spotted him again and this time it was free.

All in all, we had a great day at Warner Bros. Movie World. We loved seeing all the movie characters come to life especially the superheroes. I'll do a separate post on park tips so I can go into more detail based on our experience.

Check out Smart Parenting online where I was featured as one of 4 Pinay Moms who Share Useful Tips for Their Pre-Birthday Shoots.

I already posted about my daughter's 7th birthday shoot before, so you can click HERE to see more photos from that day by Mhel Mesa Photography. And if you want to read the whole article, head on over to SmartParenting.com.ph. :)

#BeloBaby turns 1 (plus a GIVEAWAY!)

The Tooth Fairy's 1st visit to our house!

ClubBambino Summer Camp 2017 Programs

Ping Pong Diplomacy at SM Aura

DIY Diaper Snow

Room renovation part 2

DIY Heart Wall Stickers

A 7th Birthday Photoshoot

The Vancouver Aquarium

Vancouver Vacation: Stanley Park

A LEGO Birthday Party

Downtown Vancouver

Trattoria Altrove in BF Homes

Vietnam Vacay

Pho 2000 (where Bill Clinton ate in Ho Chi Minh)

Travel tips to Australia (visa & customs)

Happy Mother's Day!

Our Jollibee Mini Managers Camp experience 2017

Warner Bros. Movie World in Gold Coast, Australia

Smart Parenting feature