Non existent kikay kit of a low maintenance mama

Oh ha, title palang parang alam na alam nyo na. Yes folks, I'm 30 and I don't even know how to put on make-up. Thank you. On very few occassions na I need make up: i.e. Santacruzan, J-S Prom, Oscars (!?), Nobel Peace prize ceremonies (choz), etc. all I do is go to the salon and let the experts do it. Matagal ko nang tinanggap na hindi parte ng aking "core competencies" ang make-up application. Hehe.


Anyway I also have ADHD when it comes to the products I use. I like to always change them up. Try new brands. Nothing high-end as you know I'm such a kuripot (stingy) mommy. I use mostly "drugstore" brands and Watson's is like my favorite place ever. I also bought some products because I am nahiya tumanggi to the saleslady. Madali akong ma-pressure ng salespeople. Alam na!

  Anyways, here goes my super basic 15-minute daily routine.


1) Step one: cleanse body and face

Summer's Ever fem wash, Pure Beauty facial wash,
Safeguard, Asian Secrets LurLur Scrub,
Ponds facial wash (I like any variety of Ponds facial wash)

2) Step two: clean and condition hair

Bakit kamo ganyan kadami e ang nipis naman ng hair ko?
A wise person once told me that you should never stick
to one shampoo for too long. Your hair gets bored and become limp.
May sense naman diba? Haha.
Ayan so combination yan ng Loreal (I love), Sunsilk,
Rejoice, and Dove
I change shampoo depending on my mood. :)

3) Step three: deodorize :)

Ayan pati sa aking kili-kili I also like variety.
Milcu - if I am just stayin in the house.
Safeguard - for my super active days.
Dove Go Fresh - during normal days.

 4) Step four: moisturize body

For everyday use it's Vaseline (bec it has spf).
During days na super ma-mi-miss ko si Eli I use his Avon lotion.
For super dry skin days Cocoa butter.
For night use, classic J&J pink lotion. Very light.
The SeriAsia lotion is slimming lotion. Only used it twice so far. Haha.

4) Step four: moisturize fez

Tomatox: I use it twice a week at night.
There's Pond's Gold radiance for eyes (day use).
Olay for day and night.
And I have a Neutrogena gift from cousin-in-law Lia.
Estee Lauder Advance Night repair eye cream. Favorite ko to so far.

5) Step five: literal na "no make-up" make-up

Eyelash curler. I think this is Fanny Serrano.
Di ko pa nabibili yung Sheu Eumura which I said I wanted here.
Two kinds of mascara: cat-eyes Maybelline and Estee Lauder.
Two kinds of eyeliner: Nichido kohl and Estee Lauder.
Two kinds of BB cream: Tony Molly and Maybelline.
The best sunblock for the face I've tried so far: Belo. (Cheap too.)
Two kinds of undereye concealer: Garnier and Estee Lauder.
Bakit two kinds palagi? I like to alternate use, I don't know why. :P

6) Step six: "scent"-sitize 

JLo Glow, Hayden Orchid & Violet, Lanvin Eclat
Hand cologne: Baby Company Green cologne with VCO
(I want my hands to smell good all the time. I have this OCD
of smelling my hands every 15 minutes. Weird!)



 7) Step six: bring some "bag weights" (read: pampabigat lang ng bag)

Shisheido face powder
(Tip: just buy the re-fill which is about 50% cheaper than those na
nakalagay sa compact case nila. Then just buy a lalagyan. Like what I did.)
Vaseline hand cream.
Two kinds of lipstick: one light pink and another in lighter pink.
Maybelline watershine lipsticks.
Two kinds of lip balm: trusty chapstick and Vaseline lip therapy.

There as you can obviously see, I am a bit of a loser but I wouldn't want it any other way. I like to keep it realy simple because everyday I only have really 15 minutes to get ready. There are days when I only have two minutes and these are the days when you don't want to cross paths with me kasi nakakatakot talaga my fez! Haha. Mukhang galing sa away ang peg! LOL.

Although, this year I promised my hubby that I will try to be more vain. Kaso when I see na expensive some of the products that stoke my interest I tend to run away and just end up buying a book. Classic. Tee hee.

Other products I also use but currently just ran out of is Human Heart Nature organic products. I have to make a separate post for that.

Ciao! Happy weekend.

 .

Of Day Dreams and Changes

Let me start by saying that I love my life now more than ever.

I am on my way to getting healthier. (What? Loosing almost 50 lbs. in the last 4 months is a HUGE accomplishment.)

My son is our absolute pure joy. Everyday really becomes like a fun trip to the amusement park with him around.

My relationship with my husband is stronger than ever. We laugh every 5 minutes we're together. I mean that's a good sign right? We dedicate time not just for our own little family but also for the two of us. Two of us alone together. Feels like high school each time. I love him to bits.

Okay, so the ranting will start now. I am feeling a certain kind of discontent. Like my life is too safe and that I should start shaking things a bit. 

Maybe because I've been on house arrest for the past two days (I've been sick) that's why these thoughts creep up. But shake it up we shall. See, I am planning to enroll in a new class again (more on that later). Considering some heavy decisions that will drastically change our daily routine. And, might be pursuing a lifelong career-altering decision soon.

This is a good kind of discontent because it is borne out of gratitude. That my life is just about far too nice right now. And I think our life is not meant to be that way for too long. The world is far too big. Possibilities are far too endless and our circle of influence could be a lot bigger if only we allow it to. Hence, I am praying now quite more strongly everyday that I do not become too comfortable so we can pursue our planned changes as a family.

Wow. That was a mouthful. Now to share something light. I went to Beijing. The land of quiet contentedness. People going about their daily lives and it feels like everyone knows their purpose and they are exactly where they are supposed to be. Made me realize I am too different from them. This doesn't mean that I didn't love the city. I loved that I got to experience that foreign land alone for a work assignment. I loved that the moment my husband stepped into the city it suddenly felt like home. (If only he brought Eli with him and we might have never returned. Haha. Not really.)

Some side stories:

- Got harassed by some locals at Tiananmen Square (will not go into the details, but for all you know that event might have prevented us from encountering an even bigger problem, so what gives I'm still happy).

- Must learn to speak Mandarin and I will be unstoppable!

- It can get pretty lonely when you are an only child. Well almost everyone is an only child there.

- Chinese taxi drivers could be mean sometimes. (Pinoy taxi drivers are even meaner sometimes too.) However 70% of them are actually quite nice.

- Our version of "Chinese food" is different from the ones I tasted in Beijing.

- Peking duck is oily.

- Hey, I'm not too bad with directions after all?

- I know, where are the pictures right? Sorry just got lazy. Do expect that on another post.

- I'm glad Philippines is a tropical country. And that I live here. Yun lang poe.


Happy Friday na tomorrow. Winner. Ever. :D


XOXO.

A break from blogging

You can say that I almost took a break from blogging. The gaps in between posts used to be two days, then it turned into a week and then almost a month without any posts.

No tears shed there from my two loyal readers (*waves to husband and sister*) but dare I say it was me who missed sharing my nonsensical thoughts. You see, I always believed that a blog is more for the writer than the reader.

The need to get your thoughts out there has been made like quite of a need already. So imagine me two weeks in China alone without Facebook, YouTube, blogger, twitter and the likes. They are all blocked. Then I had to turn to old school free form writing. As in with ink. As in on paper. Sorry trees!

I have always been a thinker. And these thoughts I never would want to compile just inside my brain. I just had to verbalize or at least see them through another form. Hence all these pseudo diaries I kept all throughout my elementary, high school until college days. Mother nature wanted to spare me of the embarrassment so she sent Ondoy that turned all of them into paper mache at my parents home.

It's not that I'm writing as a form of release but by seeing my thoughts on written form I get the sense of my true state of id. Not everyone would be comfortable to be this open but I have always been this way. What you see, hear and read is me.

All these introduction is just to let you know that a part of me longed I could write and share more. But the events leading up to this day has been really, really hectic. And I'm glad I took some time off today. There's so many things I would like to share but the thoughts are still out there swirling to one big mush. I will try to extract them one by one so I can share more.

Again, sharing just because I like it.

How I turned 30.

Why it took me so long to post this I don't know why. Maybe denial. Maybe just pure laziness. Maybe, just maybe I'm so darn busy.

Turning 30 is quite a big deal for me. Mostly, because I never expected for 30 to feel this young. I mean I can't be 30 yet, can I? (See still in denial? Jejeje.) But I just have to blog how fabulous it was my passing of the decade. If I look back, the most significant thing was that I formed some pretty kick-ass relationships. With my family, colleagues, my team, friends and extended relatives. Now I know why I feel this young.

I didn't have time to arrange or edit the pictures so let's just look at them as they happened in chronological order. How I turned 30 at the office. Then I turned 30 again in The Farm at San Benito. And for the 3rd time, I turned 30 again with my family.

Because my colleagues are sweet, they got me a sweet cake
(My favorite promise: Mango Bravo = calories galore)

Because my Team is even sweeter
they gave me Harry Potter complete DVD series.
I almost fainted with happiness I tell you!
(Obvious naman sa picture how happy I was right?)

Because our stomach was growling we stopped over
at Hapag, Filipino Restaurant.
They served us giant tilapia and Bulalo
that could feed an entire basketball team

The Farm's welcome fruit.
It has mangosteen which made me overjoyed.

The ornate door entrance plus the "fatty" me.



Of course, you know how I like to plan and organize stuff
so I planned our entire stay.
(Complete with logistics and schedules.)



Our little cute hut.
The little door at the side leads to the banyo.

This was the snacks during the afternoon high tea.
So sushal!

So many infinity pools there.
We didn't swim though because we are very sawa na sa pool.
Yabang namen! Sorry na!

My husband's attempt at wildlife photograpy.
National Geographic series part 1

Out attempt at a candid shot.
Parang di ko bet.

National Geograhic series part 2.

That's me reading the book:
"Greatest Speeches that Changed the World."
Serenity. Peace. Yun na.

The secret lagoon
(which is really not so secret).

National Geographic series part 3.

Pretty flowers.
(Andami kong pictures ng flowers promise!)

This is me, after our Purifying Treatment.
See my glowing skin?
See my frozen half dazed look?
I loved the treatment.

Salad for dinner: Me.

Puttanesca for dinner: Hubby.

They gave me birthday cake. Sweet.

Closer shot of the cake

Breakfast: fruit plate

Breakfast: frest fruit salad with yoghurt dressing.

Breakfast: Cereals with coconut milk

Breakfast: Tofu omelette (soooo yummy!)

Breakfast: Cocoa pancakes

Literal na green tea
(dahon nga!)

Day off shot: me plus hubby

Wala lang. Hehe.

Day off shot part 2

We had this nung pauwi na.
This Liam's lomi. One of the best tasting lomis I've tasted.
So. Worth. Every. Calorie. =)

Then I had a small party with family.
Where I served buffalo wings and chilli dog. Hehe.

My "lusis" candle

My cake is very me.

The best birthday gift of all.
Elijah learned how to walk just in time before
I turned 30.
I love you anak.
Ang pogi mo. Manang mana ka sa tatay mo. =)

There. Now when Eli asks how I turned 30, all I have to do is to show this blog. If blogs still exists in 2030. Wait, I'm getting ahead of myself again.

XOXO.

What ever happened to blogging?

Just a quick post to let my two (hubby and my sis) loyal readers know that I am not closing shop. This blog is still alive. I am still alive. My ideas are still alive. My wit and humor is still alive. (ehem, jeje).

So what ever happened to blogging?

Life happened. I got a life!

A super busy-hectic-fun-filled life that is. 2011, you've been kind. 2012, I'm pretty sure we're going to have a rockin' great time too.

Some quick update before we go back to regular programming.

1) For the first time in my life I was able to follow a strict diet regimen. I am now almost 40 lbs lighter.

Larry (of Pinoy Biggest Looser) lang ang peg!

2) Elijah can walk now. This means endless stress for me. We are constantly running around the house with him.

3) My son's official first word: dirty. (He keeps hearing this from everyone. "Elijah no! That's dirty!". From Conching: "Estop putting dat into your mouth, that es derty!")

4) I am turning 30 next week. I cannot help but feel agonizing pain in the pit of my hallow organs. On the other hand, thank you Lord I reached this age!

5) I have a shoe business now. More on that later. (Trivia: My first ever business was an ice cream store called Sugarush. The shoes I am selling now are called Sugarfree.)

6) Oh and I have to say: "Well, hello there clavicles! I missed you!"

Did you miss me? I certainly missed being missed. So please say you do. Okay fine, I don't care. I will be back to blogging my heart out whether you like it or not.

XOXO,
Mother Love

2011 Christmas Wishlist

Every blogger I read has already posted theirs. Initially, I thought why bother making one when all I really, really want is to end world hunger? Things, gadgets and wishes all seem trivial and frivolous when all you need to do is go out the streets and realize there are far more important things in the world.


But then again, am I taking myself too seriously? After all this is just a wishlist. For all I know I might help out a husband or two out there probably wracking his brains on what to get for his wife/girlfriend.
 
So husbands, boyfriends, or anyone: if your special someone is anywhere almost like me (nerdy, weird, boring, practical and gutsy -hah!-) go read on. I might help you make her really, really happy this Christmas.


1) New laptop / Ipad 2. Enough said.

Photo source here

2) Shu Uemura eyelash curler
- Because I do not have a beauty regimen. Because if I get stuck on an island, this is the one beauty item I shall bring. (Although, dapat ata sunscreen for practical reasons hehe.) Nope, I haven't tried this one but it has been getting raves on all beauty magazines since time immemorial. So why not i-try?

Photo source here

3) Acca Kappa
- Because I love the scent of "clean". (Read: amoy bagong ligo) This is available in Rustans. Quite cheaper than other signature scents out there.

Photo source here

4) Bossypants (book)
- Because when I grow up, I wanna be just like tita Tina Fey. #feelingclose

Photo source here

5) Harry Potter DVD Movie Collection (all 8 movies)
- Hihimatiyin ako promise. (I will just drop dead.) I know right? So babaw of me. Haha.

Photo source here

6) Anthology flats / brogues
- I have been eye-ing the shoes in the anthology website for an entire year now. I have been lusting and dreaming of owning one of their flats (from Valencia collection) or brogues (Shibuya) one day. However, mga teh I am such a penny pincher (read: kuripot). So, 3k or 4k for a pair of shoes mahal na sakin. But who knows, I might finally get the courage one day and finally indulge. Unless, Sta. Claus is reading this and decides to get me a pair himself.

Photo source here

7) Anything handmade, a product of creativity, or one-of-a-kind
- Want to give me a drawing you made for me? Want to write a poem for me? Give me a turban you made out of hay? A stocking that you knit yourself? Ear muffs? Ipagtahi mo ako ng dress? I shall be the happiest.


Such a simple girl noh? Or not. Or wala lang talaga akong fashion sense? LOL.


I hope everyone gets their Christmas wishes this year. XOXO.


(PS Lord, end world hunger please. #yunlangpoe)

The Perfect Day

Everyone deserves a perfect day. Not everyone has it yet. But, eventually everyone will have one. Pure. Total. Bliss.

It could be as ordinary as a hassle-free day. A new life being born. Getting an Oscar. Being appointed as the new CEO. Or it could be the last day before you retire from work.

Mine, was my wedding day. It was the perfect beautiful day. 12-18-07.

The best part about it was the perfect decision to marry my husband.

(Sorry, four cheese overload - parang flavor lang ng pizza.)

Serious yan. I am very happy right now. And when I watch these vidoes, my heart soars to the moon.

Isn't perfect? 

One more, here's us hamming it up for the camera. Shot on location in our beloved Alma Mater, UST.

Bean, just like what the song says: "In the end, I want to be standing at the beginning with you."

There are no such things a perfect marriages (#alamnyonayan). But at least we try. I'm pretty sure we will decide to try to make it perfect all our lives.

Happy Holidays indeed.