Back to School

Welcome to 2nd grade, Q!  May you dare to be completely yourself, to learn with enthusiasm, to question things, to fail with grace, to succeed with humility, to be brave, to love learning, to make good friends, to be happy, and to always know that no matter what, we will be there for you on every step of your journey of growing up, even when you won't hold our hand anymore or you want us to drop you off 2 blocks from your friend's house because we "embarrass" you.  

Love,

Mommy & Daddy

P.S. Daddy is bummed you didn't want to kiss him😂😋

Happy 7th Birthday, Q!

Dear Q,

Happy 7th birthday, my baby boy!  I am amazed at how time seems to be moving at warp speed.  I truly can't believe you are 7.

I hope you won't grow up too fast.  You are at that stage where you like all things "cool".  You prefer to be called handsome rather than cute.  The tantrums have made a huge comeback!  You are starting to exert your opinion and your will.  Yes, things have been challenging for me and daddy lately!

But underneath these outbursts, you are still my sweet, loving boy.  You often ask, "Mom, why do I love you so much? Is it because I have a special connection to you because I lived in your tummy for months and months?"

I know exactly how you feel.  Because of you, I am able to experience the most amazing kind of love - the love between mother and child.  I tell you I love you 100x a day and yet I don't think I can fully express how much I love you.  You have my heart.  I wish only the best for you - a long, happy, healthy & amazing life!

I love you very, very much!!!

Love,

Mommy

New Face Favorites

Today I want to share some recent beauty finds that I added to my weekly pamper ritual which I talked about here.

I love products that do what they promise and at the same time, don't cost a lot of money.  This mama loves a good beauty bargain!  Now for reference, I have combination/oily & sensitive skin so if you have the same skin type, these products may be worth a try.

Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque - I slather this on my face (avoiding my eye area which is dry) and leave it on for 15 minutes.  It has a slightly minty smell which I don't mind.  This mask works wonders in controlling oil but doesn't make my skin feel too tight and dry when it's washed off (I wouldn't recommend this if you have dry skin).   In my case, it dries off the gunk buried underneath my skin so they don't come to a head.  I've read reviews online where people actually see the impurities come to the surface so just be prepared for that.  It helped clear up the whiteheads I had on my chin.  I don't suffer from blackheads but I imagine it would do the same.  To make sure I get all the dirt, I use a wet flannel to wipe the product off and this extra step helps in smoothing out my skin. This product gets 5 stars for effectiveness and price.  I love it so much I sometimes do the mask 2x a week especially before the time of the month to avoid hormonal acne.  I bought this in Healthy Options for less than PhP400. 

Collagen Eye Zone Mask - I had never used an eye mask before I discovered this product.  I put this on together with the Queen Helene mask and leave it on for the same amount of time.  It does a great job of hydrating my under eye.  I can't vouch for the puffiness and dark circles but I really enjoy this mask.  A pack of 30 costs PhP100 and you can get it in most groceries and I've also seen this on Beauty MNL.  I made the mistake of buying a different kind of eye mask after I had finished this and it didn't agree with me so I reverted back to this.

Biore Makeup Remover - I have always wanted to try micellar cleansing water because of the hype surrounding Bioderma.  I couldn't justify the cost (it is only a make up remover after all) because I was quite happy with my Maybelline Eye & Lip Makeup Remover (I figured if it's good for the eyes, it's good enough for my whole face, so I use it all over).  There's more product in the Biore and it costs a little less than the Maybelline so I decided to give it a try.  I love it!  Removes everything and doesn't break me out (this is the most important thing for me because my skin is so sensitive).  I got this in PCX for PhP189.  So affordable!

If you try these out, let me know your results :) 

Happy 2016!!!

As I write this, I am surrounded by my husband, son and our beloved chow chow.  We are enjoying a quiet New Year's Eve at home.  This is exactly where I want to be and I can not ask for anything more.  2015 was good to us and I am claiming that the new year will be spectacular!  Bring it on, 2016!

Merry Christmas!!!

May God’s blessing shine down upon you and your family this Christmas season. Sending love from our family to yours.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

Our favourite time of the year is fast approaching!  To say our family is excited for Christmas is an understatement.  My son starts counting down the days till Christmas as soon as September starts.

And like previous years, my eager little elf helped me decorate. I like to keep a tradition going so I use the same decors yearly including all of Quino's handmade Christmas decors from school (spot that paper Christmas tree on the lower right hand corner of this photo):

I just added a few new pieces like these cute white and gold pillows from SM:

And these charming picture frame ornaments from Our Home:

Yes, I love displaying Christmas family photos:

Frame: SM / Gingerbread: Uniwide

Frames: SM / Elf: Uniwide

Frames: SM & Metro / Prints: Pinterest

Christmas Tree: S&R / Chalkboard Frame: Robinsons

We are in full Christmas spirits in November and we are loving it! :)  

Quino at 6

Dear Quino,

Happy, happy 6th birthday my sweet boy!!!

Each year I wonder where the time went. I look at you and realize it's true - "The days are long but the years are short."  It makes me so thankful that I didn't listen to the number one parenting advice I heard - "Wag mo sanayin sa kalong. Ikaw ang mahihirapan hindi magpapababa yan."  You know what?  They were right. You loved being cuddled and rocked by mommy and daddy. You refused to nap unless it was in my arms.  I literally spent half of your first two years of life confined to the rocking chair. And it was the best time of my life!  All too soon you were up and walking then running. Now I can't carry you anymore. I must say I miss doing that.  

Daddy and I feel so blessed to have you in our lives. You are turning into a fine little boy, our eternal sunshine. 

This year was a big year for you. You graduated from CASA and we couldn't be more proud of your progress in school.  You conquered reading, writing and math and you are so excited for computer class this school year. I hope you never get tired of learning and keep pushing yourself to improve every day. 

Six seems so grown up but you are, and will always be, my little boy. I am soaking up all the cuddles and kisses for as long as you will give them freely and openly. Your genuine affection for me and daddy makes our hearts melt. God knows I am dreading the day when you find it uncool to show affection in public. Let's hope that comes later rather than sooner; or better yet, maybe we can agree that you can be cool while loving your parents forever and ever!

I look forward to this coming year and as always, daddy and I will be beside you in everything you do. We love watching you learn and grow!  

Happy birthday, Quino! We love you so much!!!

Love,

Mommy and Daddy