At Home With MrsC

Raising a family, making a home.

MiLi Pure

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Fact: Each time the weather changes, my skin is affected.

There are days when my sensitive skin really annoys me. Now that the weather is confused, for example, I have dry patches, oily patches and rashes all at the same time. It’s bad enough having to deal with the summer heat then the humid, rainy weather we get the rest of the year. When it shifts from hot to humid to rainy all in one day, my skin complains, big time.

Wanna know what this can do? (But wait, doesn't it look like Eve from Wall-E???)
Wanna know what this can do? (But wait, doesn’t it look like Eve from Wall-E???)

 

One issue I have always had to deal with is dry skin. I do drink a lot, but I don’t moisturize as often as I should. I keep getting skin care reminders from older more seasoned women, so I know that my bad skin habits can and will eventually result in wrinkles. Lots of them.

 

 

I’ve just confirmed that my skin is dry. Every bit of it on my face, neck and hands. Waaah! Gotta fix that. #milipure #milipureapp

A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on

 

Then came a friend who asked me if I wanted to try a nifty new gadget. I’m not a tech blogger, obviously, because I’m not techy at all, but when he said it could help with my dry skin problem, I said I’d go for it. 

If you know me, you’ll know that I don’t have the makings of a beauty blogger either, but the nice thing about this device is that I don’t need to know much about technology or beauty to use it, and to make it work for me. Curious now?

MiLi Pure
Quick and easy instructions for using the MiLi Pure

 

It’s called MiLi Pure, a super tiny thumb drive looking thing that can tell you if your skin is dry, oily, or a-okay. All you need to do is install the app into your smartphone, clean the device (of course!) and press it onto your skin for a few minutes. It will then tell you the current moisture level of your skin. 

MiLi Pure
Hands, face, dry, dry.

 

A few minutes of playing with the MiLi Pure showed me that my entire face, and my hands are dry, dry, dry. I’m not surprised because we’ve just come out of a scorching hot summer. But I suppose I should take this as a stern reminder to moisturize.

MiLi Pure
Eyes, neck, dry, dry!

 

As far as I know this gadget isn’t available for sale in the Philippines yet, but it will be soon. It’s really handy, especially for the skin-obsessed. So, abangan!

The question now is, which is the best, most effective sensitive skin moisturizer out there? Any recommendations?

Baon Plan (Grade 4, Week 1.5)

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Fact: I feel a little bit guilty about not being able to prepare packed lunches for MrC for almost the entire summer break. At the same time, I feel so happy and refreshed and well-rested, so I think it was worth his sacrifice. Lol. Yep, I really made the most out of the opportunity to sleep in while school was out.

The good news is that MrC’s lunchbox-less days are over. Back to school, for me, means back to packing baon for the boys. So far, we are on week 2.5 this week, and things have been smooth-sailing for me in the kitchen. Yes, there’s a half-week there because school started on a Tuesday and ended on a Thursday for us on what (technically) was week 1.

 

Back to #baon planning! What I packed for lunch, week 1.5 is up on the #blog now. Link in profile! ?

A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on

 

This school year I promise to be more religious in sharing what I prepared for baon for Little and Big MrC. So I should be posting a weekly roundup every Sunday. In case you wanna follow my daily kitchen adventures, I share those on my IG.

Let’s get on with it, then. Here’s what I packed for lunch on week 1.5.

 

#backtoschool means back to packing #baon! #MrC is happy lol. ??? Today’s #lunchbox has bread and a banana for #recess, and pork loin, corn and rice for #lunch. The pork is an easy #makeahead #ulam that’s super convenient for early morning cooking. I simply sliced up the pork and let it marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Then I fried it in a little bit of olive oil. You could also freeze the meat in the marinade, to be cooked within a week. Or you may also cook it and then freeze, and it should keep for up to a month. Promise. To make the #marinade, I mixed together about 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 tbsp honey + 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp minced garlic and a dash of pepper. You can always adjust the proportions to suit your taste. ✌ #lunchforkids #schoollunch #MadeByMrsC #recipe #homecooked

A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on

 

Forgot to post yesterday’s #baon yesterday, so I’m sharing it today. Packed #lunch for the little guy only because the husbandry was on sick leave. Happy to say that the kiddo loved his pork teriyaki and rice, which I made quick and easy using Kikkomam Honey & Soy Teriyaki Marinade. For extra flavor, marinate overnight in the fridge then use sesame oil when cooking. I like to wait for the sauce to get thick and sticky, and coat the meat. That’s when I know the dish is done. For #recess, I packed Monde Special Mamon, which is always a favorite in our house. Fruits and veggies nalang kulang. I really should go to the supermarket already. #baonbymrsc #baonforkids #lunchbox #lunchforkids #packedlunch #InstaFood #Instakaw #yummy

A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on

 

Isn’t it so annoying when you put so much effort into packing lunch, and the kids don’t finish their food? Sigh. This happened to us yesterday. I noticed that it’s usually the case when I try preparing something new. Yesterday I thought it would be nice to try to make an old favorite in a new, healthier way. Instead of ground beef and tomato sauce I used ground chicken and diced tomatoes to make giniling for #baon. Well, that didn’t go so well. I thought the ham slices would be junky enough to act as a camouflage. Lol, guess not. This was still yummy though. MrC and I liked it. Lesson learned: Kitchen experiments are better off served at home and not in the #lunchbox. #baonbymrsc #baonforkids #lunchboxideas

A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on

 

And of course, here are a couple of easy recipes that were used (and modified) for this baon plan.

  • Kiddie spaghetti – I used chicken and added carrots instead of hotdogs this time, para healthier!
  • My super benta adobo – I used pork instead of chicken because that’s what I had availble, then added hard boiled eggs for extra yummy-ness.

What have you guys been having and packing for lunch?

Legazpi weekend getaway

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Fact: I love to travel, and I especially love it when I get to visit a new place.

Family fun is far from over for us, as my mother-in-law is now in town. If you’ll remember, we had my FIL come home over the summer, and now it’s Mamabear’s turn. Their schedules weren’t quite in sync, hence the separate visits. But that’s all good because it only means extended happy days for us.

mrspcuyugan
Mama Ayee’s first weekend back in Manila

 

This past Independence Day weekend was the first long weekend of the school year. We decided to make the most out of it by heading out to see the Mayon Volcano. This trip was something to look forward to because I’ve never been to Albay, and also because visiting local provinces helps me tutor Little MrC in social studies. See? It pays to see the sights in your own country!

 

As luck would have it, the kiddo and I found ourselves sick with a nasty stomach bug a couple of days before the vacation. We nearly didn’t make it, but in the end the boys and I thought it would be such a shame to miss out. So we decided to go, and to just make sure to watch what we eat on the trip. Quite unfortunate, as Legazpi has great food! But still, better than not being there.

 

  Oh no, we are sick. 😣😣😣   A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on

 

I’m excited to share the little details of our Legazpi weekend escape with you guys soon in a series of posts. Promise you’ll get to read about:

  • Our 7-hour trip to Albay by plane (I kid you not!) and how I really feel about The Orient Hotel
  • The Legazpi City Tour experience
  • Gata, gata and more gata, featuring Jasmine Restaurant, Small Talk Cafe and Rayben’s Resto Bar and Grill

But first, here are some highlights of our vacation, as seen on Instagram. These, incidentally, are also a few of my favorite things about Legazpi and our trip.

Apparently, wherever you go in Legazpi, you still get to see the beautiful Mayon Volcano. This view was the savior of day 1!

 

We did the Legazpi City Tour on the morning of day 2. Our guide, MJ, was really nice and had a lot of fun bits of trivia to share. I especially liked that he started us off at the Legazpi marker. It’s the perfect place for photo ops!

 

What a fun family weekend! 😃 #legazpicity #WhenInBicol #byahilo2015 #NoFilter #weekendescapade #travel #morefuninthephilippines A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on

 

The little guy and I enjoyed our visit to the Cagsawa Ruins. It was really hot when we went though, as it was close to noon. One look at his face will tell you just how sunny it was out there. Lol!

 

I really don’t think it’s possible to beat the heat with a spicy drink, but MrC went ahead and tried the sili shake anyway. Yes, it was spicy, as you can see.

 

Sa palagay ko maanghang yung sili shake ni MrC. Feeling ko lang ha. #WhenInBicol #byahilo2015 #legazpicity A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on

 

My idea of the perfect pasalubong from Albay is honey glazed pili. I particularly like this brand, which is what my brother’s girlfriend (who is from Naga) buys for us when she goes home.

 

Honey glazed pili is one of my favorite snacks. Sooooo yummy! #WhenInBicol #byahilo2015

A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on

 

So there’s our trip in a nutshell. Can’t wait to share the whole story with you guys. Now tell me,  have you been to Legazpi? What was your favorite thing to eat, see or do there?

Learning about life from Loli and Mama

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Loli and Mama were my grandmothers. Fact: It still makes me sad to refer to them in the past tense. It really does feel like something is missing in life when you lose any of your grandparents. At least for me. That’s because I grew up in a really close-knit family, and my grandparents were always a big part of my life.

We lost Loli, my paternal grandmother, in 2008. I lived with her for a few years while I was in college. My class schedule back then allowed me to come home from just in time for The Bold and the Beautiful.

mrspcuyugan
My brother and I with Loli. This was taken in 1986, maybe?

 

Sitting with Loli to watch her favorite soap became my funny afternoon ritual, at least for a few months before things got really busy in school. I know she enjoyed having someone to watch with, and I just enjoyed sitting in her room and keeping her company.

Mama’s passing was recent. As in, not even a month ago, recent. We have always lived near her, but a few years ago she moved to a house that was even easier to get to from our place. This was also around the time I left my corporate job.

mrspcuyugan
With my sister and Mama, New Year’s Eve 2012

 

After she and my grandfather (now, officially my last remaining grandparent) moved houses, the little boy and I started spending our birthdays with them. It was nothing fancy. We would just order food and have lunch with them, their treat of course! I’m glad that both the kiddo and I got the celebrate one more birthday each with Mama this year.

For my post on World Moms Blog this month, I wrote about my grandmothers and the life lessons that they taught me. It’s my way of remembering them, of paying tribute, and saying thank you to these two amazing women who have helped shape me.

I’d super love it if you can go check the post out here. 

What life lessons did you guys learn from your grandparents?

Momazing moments with Scott’s Vitamins

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Fact: I left my day job because I refused to miss out on any more momazing moments. 

I always feel a little pinch of regret when I think about potty training, breastfeeding and weaning, adventures in solid food, and even baby’s favorite toys and activities, books and TV shows. Truth be told, I hardly have any memories involving these things with Little MrC because I wasn’t around much when they were taking place. It was my own mom who had the chance to experience all of these with my son because I had to work.

Momazing
We weren’t always this inseparable.

 

Fast forward to several years later, when I finally took the leap to working from home. This was during the kiddo’s first year at big school. I just never wanted to have to miss anything else. The rest is history. Now I’m literally here for everything – homework, haircuts, happy days, sick days, dirty laundry and everything in between.

This is the story about why I choose to do what I do. It isn’t easy, but I love it. What I get out of it is that momazing feeling –  a sense of fulfillment in knowing that I am doing what I am meant to do as a mom, and that I am able to make every day count. 

Momazing
L-R: From the Scott’s Team, Randy Silva, Gikki Martija, and Joyce Uong, hosts Daphne Oseña Paez and Dimples Romana, and mommy bloggers Fleur Sombrero, Michelle Lim and Michelle Aventajado

 

These momazing moments are exactly what the Scott’s Vitamin C #Momazing campaign is all about. I was so happy to have been given the chance to be a part of its launch event together with some of my mommy blogger friends. So happy, indeed, that we drove to SM Megamall on Mother’s Day weekend just to be there! If you know me, you’ll know how big of a deal it is for me to leave the south. 

Momazing
Kicking off the program, the hosts and GSK’s Joyce Uong talk about #Momazing moments

 

The program was hosted by two remarkable moms, Daphne Oseña Paez and Dimples Romana. Three guest moms were asked to share their stories of everyday momazing events with the audience.

First was Mommy Fleur, a working mom (she’s an engineer, wow!) who is the apple of her daughter, Anika’s eye. Next was Michelle aka My Mom Friday, who talked about being a stay at home mom, its perks and challenges. And finally, Mish, who spoke about being mom to a special needs child. Remember Gelli?

Momazing
Five amazing moms sharing one stage (plus Gellibean in the background!)

 

The sharing that morning was so heartwarming that listening to each of these mommas speak literally brought tears to our eyes! Check out this quick video to see for yourself. It felt like we all got to share an intimate momazing moment with each other that day.

While I enjoyed the super meaningful program, my little boy had the best time at the different booths around the event area. There was face painting, balloon twisting, and flip books. He and I also did the video booth, where we were both made to answer questions about me as a mother. Separately. To this day he won’t tell me what they asked him and what he said!

Momazing
Little MrC and his balloon bow and arrow with the Scott’s mascots

 

All in all it was a super fun morning for us, and totally worth the drive across EDSA. I went home with more momazing memories to add to my already overflowing treasure chest, plus packs of Scott’s Vitamin C Pastilles for the kid. These are great because it isn’t at all difficult getting the little ones to take them. They are so yummy! 

Momazing
Scott’s Emulsion, all in a row

 

Note to self, I’ve also got to get a bottle of Scott’s Emulsion for Little MrC to try. This variant contains Calcium, and Vitamins A and D. Perfect for the coming back-to-school and rainy season, as it helps to boost growth, development and immunity. Bonus: Scott’s Vitamins are produced by a brand that I really turn to and have really grown to trust over the years, GlaxoSmithKline. Yay!

To learn more about #Momazing moments, Scott’s or GlaxoSmithKline, visit Facebook.com/ScottsPH and www.gsk.com.

Out and about on Mother’s Day weekend

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Fact: We don’t usually go out on Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or any other commercial holiday. That’s because we aren’t too fond of crowds. 

 

#habanghair Thank you, MrC for the mother’s day bouquet. #latergram

A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on

 

I also don’t get flowers often, but this year MrC got me a nice big bouquet. So, as you can see, our Mother’s Day celebration was really far from our usual.

Instead of the typical brunch at a nearby restaurant plan, the boys and I actually headed out over Mother’s Day weekend. Fortunately, we weren’t faced with large crowds in each place that we went, so yay. Pretty strange, or should I say lucky, considering that our first stop was Megamall.  

 

Believe it or not, we braved EDSA on a Saturday so that I could attend an event. So unlike me, but really worth it because it was a great event to be at. Little MrC and I were invited to check out the Scotts Vitamins #Momazing event, along with some other mommies.

I’ll be writing more about this activity in another post, but for now I just have to say that it was a really inspiring experience. I always learn so much whenever I hear stories about motherhood, and the women on the Scotts panel were definitely worth listening to.

mrspcuyugan
Next stop: Wingstop!

 

Next stop was lunch at Wingstop in Estancia Mall, Capitol Commons. We wanted to make the most out of the fact that we were already beyond Makati, so we chose to have lunch here before heading back home. I had originally wanted to eat somewhere in Megamall, but I saw how the crowd was starting to get bigger, so Plan B it was.

mrspcuyugan
For the kids and I, Boneless Chicken Bites in Garlic Parmesan and Mild Buffalo

 

I absolutely love buffalo wings and bleu cheese dressing, so I was happy with our choice of restaurant. The boys were too, and I know this because everything that we ordered was completely wiped out.

mrspcuyugan
MrC ordered the Cajun chicken sandwich. Not as spicy as we thought it would be.

 

We actually ended up getting an additional order of chicken wings coz what we initially got wasn’t enough. We chose Hickory Smoked BBQ for the wings we added, but I have no photo because we attacked as soon as it was served.

mrspcuyugan
Can’t stop thinking about these sweet-salty Texas-style fries

 

The following morning, we found ourselves off to Makati for brunch at Yardstick Coffee. Thankfully we didn’t hit any traffic, and when we got to the cafe at around 10:30 AM there weren’t that many people. I think we may have just missed the breakfast crowd and we were early for lunch.

mrspcuyugan
Mother’s Day brunch at Yardstick Coffee

 

I’ve heard a lot of nice things about the coffee that they serve at Yardstick, and I’m happy to say that they didn’t disappoint. Because the weather has been so hot lately, I chose to go with an Iced White. MrC, on the other hand, ordered his default Double Espresso.

mrspcuyugan
His and hers coffee – This is how we typically start our day

 

I really wanted something salty, so I chose a Tapa Sandwich for my meal. I loved this! It was nicely toasted and covered with cheese. Super yummy. The little boy ordered a Peanut Butter and Jelly Waffle, which was served with a huge scoop of ice cream on top. The waffle was really, really heavy, so I had to help him finish his food. Lol.

mrspcuyugan
My Beef Tapa Sandwich and the kiddo’s Peanut Butter and Jelly Waffle

 

MrC ordered the Apple Pie Waffle, which was also really good. The pie filling on top of the waffle was perfect with the vanilla ice cream scoop over it. This felt more like dessert than breakfast, though, but I’m not complaining.

mrspcuyugan
Apple Pie Waffle for MrC. This one is a must-try!

 

After brunch, the husbandry and I went window shopping for the new house at Wilcon and Abenson’s. We did quite a lot of walking, and it was really hot throughout the day, so you can imagine that we worked up quite an appetite for dinner. Yes, like I said before, we love to celebrate with food.

 

Wilcon, round one. #lipatbahaychronicles

A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on

 

For dinner my siblings, the boys and I took mom out. She was craving for burgers so we chose to eat at The Farm Organics. This restaurant used to be in Alabang Hills, but they recently moved to Commercenter. 

 

 

Mother’s day dinner. Mom wanted burgers, so we went and had burgers! #thefarmorganics

 

A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on

 

There have been many rave reviews about the food here, but I also remember reading someone complain about the noise at the Alabang Hills restaurant. Well, the Commercenter restaurant is pretty noisy too when full, and that was the one thing I didn’t really like about our dinner experience.

mrspcuyugan
Free dessert for the mommies! Yay! The Mango Cheesecake is a must-try.

 

Anyway. We all chose to order burgers, but there are a lot of other items on the menu which I hope to try soon, like their organic steaks and fresh pasta.

mrspcuyugan
Bacon Cheeseburger for the bata, Three Cheeseburger for me

 

I chose the Three Cheese Burger which had cheddar, mozzarella and bleu cheese. It was good, but I would have wanted a bit more bleu cheesiness in my burger. The kiddo had a Bacon Cheeseburger, which he happily ate all on his own.

 

Double cheeseburger, The Farm Organics. #thefarmorganics #InstaFood #Instakaw #yummy #latergram

A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on

 

MrC ordered a Double Cheeseburger, which was also yummy. If you like your burgers beefy and charbroiled, this is the place for you. Prices are a bit steep, as you would imagine, because their meats are all free range and organic. I say it’s worth the splurge every once in a while. Oh, and when you do visit, choose the sweet potato fries over the regular ones. So good!

All in all, it was an amazing Mother’s Day weekend filled with food, fun and family. I couldn’t have asked for more. Now make me kwento, how did you guys celebrate Mother’s Day?