Neo’s Toy Expo Experience

Neo is a boy with many toys.  He is one blessed kid and we couldn’t be more thankful.  He receives lots of toys from us, his parents, and our relatives and friends too.  Some are expensive, some are not.  Some he regards with utmost care, some he just shoves away after a day of playing.  There are also toys that his Papa would DIY for him, and he would love those toys most (like a simple cardboard made to be Captain America’s shield). 

Excited at the Toy Expo Entrance. 

As such, we don’t want to buy Neo more toys, but we do want him go and visit a toy store.  However, before going we always brief him with something along this line: Pupunta tayo sa tindahan ng toys.  Pwedeng tumingin.  Pwedeng humawak.  Pero hindi tayo bibili kasi madami ka pang toys.  (We will go to the toy store.  You can look.  You can touch.  But we will not buy you one since you have lots of toys already.)

With the Nexo Knights. 

The same line was briefed to him when we went to Toy Kingdom’s Toy Expo last August.  But since it’s a toy expo and there’s so much toys involved, we added a few lines to the brief: Hindi ka magwawala pag hindi nabilhan.  Walang iiyak.  (You will not throw tantrums when we don’t buy you a toy.  You will not cry).

Thomas will forever be one of his favorite cartoons. 

This is something of a challenge for the hubby and me since we also wanted to give Neo something as the week before was Neo’s 1^st grading examination and he did really well.  So before going to the toy expo, we gave him Php100 and told him that he can buy a toy that will fit his budget.

It was an afternoon he spent really well.  He explored every area of the SMX Mall of Asia, where the toy expo was held.  He tried every toy (for boys) that can be played at.  He was not at all bratty nor did he throw a tantrum.  One saleslady even coaxed him to asked Mama to buy him an expensive toy costing almost a thousand but he insisted that his budget is Php100. 

Neo went home with this Tomica costing Php100 (it was a sale) and he was one happy kid.  J

My Pampering Session at Nailaholics Nail Salon and Spa

I am one of those women doesn’t like long nails.  I feel like long nails are unclean (that is just me).  However, I do like seeing well-pedicured toenails with nice nail polish.  I don’t often go to nail salons as I find it hard to squeeze a pedicure session in my busy mommy-slash-working mom-time.  That is why I am so glad when Nailaholics Nail Salon and Spa invited me for a pampering session.

After my waxing session at Hey Sugar Waxing Salon, I then went to Nailaholics Nail Salon and Spa which is situated just beside Hey Sugar.  Like Hey Sugar, Nailaholics gives a very warm approach to its interiors.  It’s more of a beach motif and thus very relaxing.   

I was seated the moment I entered Nailaholics.  Tea was served as well.  I don’t have a particular service in mind so I gave them the liberty to do to my nails what they think is right.  I just had two requests: 1) I don’t want them to put nail polish on my fingernails and 2) I want to have a gel nail polish for my toenails – and they gladly agreed.

Ready to be pampered.

Before working on my fingernails and toenails, the attendants made sure I know that they were using sterilized materials – which I was quiet happy to note.  They were also very efficient in doing their job – making sure I feel relaxed and that I don’t feel any pain on the whole duration of the services they offered.  

What I also like at Nailaholics is that husbands (boyfriends and partners too) are very welcome to wait while their better half (wives, girlfriends, and partners) are having a pampering session.  They can seat comfortably in the couches and several reading materials are at their disposal.

Since I am not one who goes to nail salon, I was surprised that the pampering session I had, which included a manicure, pedicure, foot spa, lower leg scrub, and arm massage lasted for more than an hour!  And this pampering session was done by two attendants.  Talk about relaxing and me-time! I should do this more often.  J

I was invited at Nailaholics Nail Salon and Spa District Imus branch.  And the review is based on this branch.  Hey Sugar Waxing Salon and Nailaholics Nail Salon and Spa are under the same management.  

3 Things I Like About Hey Sugar Waxing Salon

Waxing salons have been popping out in every mall lately.  This might be because being hairless in some parts of our bodies is becoming the standard of flawlessness.  For some, going hairless is not just about vanity but also a means of taking care of oneself.   This is true for me.

One Saturday, Hey Sugar Waxing Salon invited me to try their services.  I have tried other waxing salons already, and I would like to see how Hey Sugar Waxing Salon is different from other waxing salons.  

Clean areas, trained aesthetician, and affordable prices are some of the things that customers are looking for a waxing salon.  These are things you can find at Hey Sugar.  But allow me to add three more things that will make you choose Hey Sugar apart from the rest.

Beautiful Ambience – The moment I entered Hey Sugar Waxing Salon, I was amazed by its interiors.  The decors and furniture are very homey.  Their waxing rooms are spacious and clean.  And the whole area has a wonderful odor.  It smells clean and relaxing.

Lovely interior.

Spacious waxing room.

Organic Ingredients – I was told that Hey Sugar uses organic ingredients in their wax.  Sugar and calamansi are some of the ingredients they use.  This is very ideal for women who want to make sure that no harmful ingredients touch their skin.  Also, because they use organic ingredients, pregnant women (with the approval of their OB) can have a safe waxing experience at Hey Sugar.

They also sell organic products such as body scrub, castor oil, etc.

Threading Instead of Plucking – Most waxing salons are accustomed to plucking hairs that are left in waxing.  Hey Sugar does not.  They apply threading.  I find this nice as threading is less painful and has smoother effect.

I was invited at Hey Sugar Waxing Salon District Imus branch.  And the review is based on this branch. 

Press Release: NANKID’s My First Benz

Growing up means experiencing a lot of firsts especially for little children like playing outdoors, having new friends, having new toys and gadgets, and a lot more.  Discovering a whole new world full of fun is what preschool life is all about.  And what’s more exciting than driving a two-door luxury roadster from Mercedes-Benz?

Give your child his very first luxurious supercar through NANKID OPTIPRO FOUR and NANKID OPTIPRO HW FOUR’s My First Benz Promo!

NANKID will be giving away twenty (20) Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster Electric Toy Cars – a child-sized, electric version of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster.   This car runs on a 6-volt electric motor, a child-safe Mercedes-Benz Electric Toy that comes with an electric horn, steel chassis, genuine SLS AMG rear-view mirror, wheels, and steering wheel.  At the speed of 4 km/hr, this will definitely give your kid the ride of his life!

Driving his very own luxurious car will not only give him the joy of driving and being in control but it will also hone his gross-motor skills and coordination.  The advance engineering technology that goes into every Mercedes-Benz ensures optimized performance. The same can be said for NANKID Optipro Four and NANKID Optipro HW Four as both products of Nestle Research Center’s advanced research and milk technology. 

NANKID is the only preschool milk with optimized protein, lower quantity, high quality milk protein that provides age appropriate weight gain and optimal development.  NESTLE’s state of the art and exclusive technology make NANKID the very first in their class.

Get a chance to win one of these. 

How can you win 1 of the 20 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster Electric Toy Car?  All you have to do is buy the limited edition packs of NANKID OPTIPRO FOUR and NANKID OPTIPRO HW FOUR that comes with a special code inside and send the code to 2600.  Promo runs from September 15 to November 15, 2016.

For more information, visit www.NankidOptipro.com.ph. 

Bento Making At Robinsons Townville BF

Bento baons has been on my social media feed for quite some time already.  More and more mommies are getting hooked into bento making.  I haven’t quite given in to the fad yet, since I am sure that bento making needs more than creativity but effort and passion as well, things I am sure I lack.  However, being a mom to a preschooler makes you want to try and give your kid a cute bento baon even for one time.  

So, when a friend asked me to come join her as she will be hosting a bento making workshop, I gladly agreed.  The event was called “My Best Baon to School Bento Making Workshop and Challenge” at Robinsons Townville BF Paranaque.  It was co-sponsored by Daiso.

The workshop was conducted by Nikki Garcia.  She demonstrated how to do both rice and bread bento baon.  It looks fairly easy to do.

Nikki Garcia demonstrating how to do a Bento Baon.

Bento Baons by Nikki Garcia.

After the workshop, the audiences were grouped in to 2-3 participants to take on the bento making challenge.  We were given 500 Robinsons Gift Certificate, Bento Making materials from Daiso, 30 minutes to shop for the ingredients at Robinsons Supermarket, and an hour to prepare our bento baons.

Tools and equipment for the Bento Making Challenge.

After an hour of preparation, here’s the bento baon my group made.  And it won 2^nd place! J 

Cute di ba?

Neo was with me during the workshop and the challenge.  He then asked me to make him a rabbit bento as his baon for school today, and here’s the result.  He was not so happy with the rabbit saying it doesn’t look like one but ended up finishing the baon itself as it taste good daw.  Yey! J

Does this look like a rabbit?

Now it’s a new challenge for me to be doing bento baons for Neo.  I’m crossing my fingers that I can do it even once a week. 

Press Release: Merck’s Advocacy: Give Life to Dreams

Some Filipino couples dream of having a baby and raising it together are hindered by fertility issue that unknown to many, is a disease acknowledged by WHO or World Health Organization.  WHO defines infertility as “a disease of the reproductive system defined by the failure to achieve a clinical pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse.”

Merck Philippines has joined forces with St. Luke’s Medical Center – Global City for a public information project that endorses awareness on infertility and the different medical solutions that can give life to the dreams of Filipino couples. This project accords with the 5^th year of St. Luke’s flagship CARMI or Center for Advanced Reproductive Medicine and Infertility.

There are many medical solutions that childless Filipino couples can discover and one of them is ART or Assisted Reproductive Technology which is a term that refers to IVF or In-Vitro Fertilization.  This is a special fertility treatment that stimulates multiple ovarian follicles and facilitates egg cell retrieval.  Embryos are formed outside of the body during this treatment. Once they are formed successfully, they will be transferred to the uterus.

ART is suggested for couples suffering from severe sperm deficits, blocked fallopian tubes, unexplained infertility, ovulation disorders, and mild endometriosis.  IVF is not unknown to Filipinos but it is often seen as expensive, risky, and exclusive to those who can go abroad for the treatment.   However, the success rate of IVF has seen a significant rise owing to the six million children born all over the world to parents who have undergone the IVF procedure.

Know more about infertility and IVF in the Philippines on September 24 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Ortigas as Merck Philippines will hold a seminar on it.  Admission is free.

The Picture Company Photo Session

When we attended the Pampers and Gymboree’s Mommy Meet Up last August, they generously gave us a lot of freebies.  One of them is a photo session at The Picture Company. 

We scheduled the photo session an hour before the Mommy Meet Up event.  It was one swift photo shoot sans the one minute issue of Neo prior to the session.  Nasisilaw ako.  Maliwanag. And a lot of more issues which were wrapped up in a minute.

The shoots we great but sadly we can’t take all the digital files because we need to pay the membership fee of Php2500, and add Php990 per print.  For package details, you can go to their website.

The prints were available a week after the photo session while the digital files took two weeks. 

Here are the 3 pictures we were able to take home as prints (and the digital file of Neo’s photo).

Neo, the Bible Bearer

Weddings always bring positive vibes to everyone.  I love attending weddings as it brings back so much wonderful memories especially of my own wedding. 

Last June, we were invited yet again to another wedding (as I start to age, my events nowadays are either weddings or baptisms, hahaha).   It was my cousin’s wedding and was held at Laguna.

Neo was already a Ring Bearer last December.  He walked gracefully down the aisle to the amazement of everyone since he didn’t attend the rehearsals.  It turns out that Papa inserted Mama’s mobile phone at the bottom part of the pillow and instructed Neo to walk properly so the mobile phone won’t fall.  (One clever Papa!)

 Waiting patiently for his turn. 

This time, our little Neo was Tita Bevs and Tito JM’s Bible Bearer.  He walked gracefully down the aisle as he did last time.   But this time, no trick was done.  We just told Neo that he will be holding the bible for Tita Bevs’ wedding.  And he did it as charmingly as he could!

Oh, he’s a big boy already.  This is another proud moment for me as a mom.  J