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

First Day of First Grade

To my little boy,

Today is your first day in first grade.  I don't know if the first day of school is harder for you or for me.  The house is eerily quiet without your laughter and your energy and I must admit I have separation anxiety after spending every single day with you this summer.  

This year will be challenging for us for sure.  It's your first time to attend a morning class and in spite of our preparations last night, you grumbled when I woke you up at 6 a.m.  I know we will have many mad dashes to make it to school on time.

You were not in your usual talk-a-mile-a-minute mood.  You were quiet on the 5-minute drive to school, only talking to remind me to take care of Name (your stuffed dog).  While walking to class you complained of a tummy ache and so we rushed to the boys comfort room where you vomited today's breakfast.  I tried to calm you down by saying it's just first day jitters.  I hope the little note I tucked in your snack bag will make you smile.

You tend to be reserved around new kids and prefer to observe and sit by the sidelines.  It's a good thing Paul & Creiane are your classmates again this year.  It comforts me to know that there are familiar faces in your class.  

In the corridor, I bumped into Teacher Riza who was on her way to visit you.  I hope her presence put you at ease.  I pray your new teachers will mother and mentor you just as well as your CASA teachers.

Each day you are growing older, kinder and wiser and each day I will step back a little more to allow you to be the boy you are destined to be.  But remember, I am always your mother and always available for a hug, a cuddle or to answer any of the thousands of questions your brain seems to come up with every day.

Daddy and I want you to know that we do not care if you are the smartest, or fastest or coolest kid in class.  We don't send you to school so you can be the best at anything.  We love you unconditionally. You don't have to earn our love and our pride.  

We send you to school so you can practice being brave and kind.  The world needs more brave and kind souls.   

I know I should relish my free time while you are away, but I will watch the clock until 12 noon when I can pick you up and hear every detail about this new chapter of your life.  I miss you terribly.

Love, 
Mom  

Quino's Pre-6th Birthday Photoshoot

It's been our yearly tradition to have our family portraits taken around Quino's birthday.  It's so awesome to see how much he's grown over the years.  And at 5 years old, he still finds it cool to pose with mommy and daddy so you bet I'm going to milk this for as long as I can.

Last December, we discovered this cool new mini studio in Alabang Town Center called Take Your Pic.  We had our Christmas photos taken there and I really loved a) how they turned out, b) how fast and efficient they were and c) how great their rates are.

I saw on Facebook that they had an ongoing one year anniversary promo where you get a free framed strip for any portrait package so double hooray!

We had our appointment originally at 3pm last Saturday but I had it moved to 4pm (via FB messenger).  Someone acknowledged the change in schedule but unfortunately, didn't inform the photographer for that day.  I got a message at 2pm reminding me of the appointment.  I was busy getting ready so I didn't read it until we were in the studio.  Good thing there was no conflict in schedule and we had the studio to ourselves.

Apart from that minor mishap, the photoshoot went well.  My son is a pro at this so it only took 15 minutes to get the shots.  I chose Package C (only PhP 499) inclusive of 30 minutes shoot and 4 5R shots.  Here are the ones that made the cut:

By 7pm, they had emailed me the digital copies and the prints will be ready by tomorrow.  Talk about fast and efficient right?

The only drawback I can say is that the studio is really small (it's a mini studio after all) so not suitable for large groups.  Other than that, I would highly recommend Take Your Pic if you are looking for a really affordable photo studio booth.  Plus they have really cool backdrops.  Double thumbs up!