At Home With MrsC

Mothers Who Brunch x Uashmama

November 22, 2017 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 1 Comment

Fact: I love bringing like-minded friends together so they can make magic. Mm-hmm, I take my role of matchmaker seriously! One of my greatest successes so far is the Mish + Sab tandem popularly known as Mothers Who Brunch.

Just to be clear, I do not take credit for them because, really, it is their amazing talent, hospitality, and shared love for food and entertaining that makes their collaboration a success. But I do take credit for introducing them to one another. And I couldn’t be happier about this match made in kitchen heaven. They really are so fantastic together!

Just recently, I had the pleasure of being invited to yet another Mothers Who Brunch get-together, one which they co-hosted with Uashmama.

Side story: Uashmama, an Italian brand, was brought to Manila by my high school friend, Fiddy Ganzon-Ofrecio, and her sisters. One morning, she messaged me to ask if I thought the Mothers Who Brunch ladies would be interested in partnering for an event. Obviously, the rest is history!

MWBxUashmama — Sab and Mish of MWB + Fiddy, Tina and Che of Uashmama PH

Until I spoke to Fiddy about it, I had never heard about Uashmama. I haven’t been shopping (or even browsing) so I’ve pretty much been under a rock as far as nice new things goes. At the event, she told us more about the brand and the products, and wow, they are super amazing.

As I mentioned earlier, Uashmama is an Italian brand, and they make washable paper products. They have paper bags, place mats, lunch boxes and even purses and backpacks. These are all made in Italy using eco-friendly processes and practices. For example, the dye that they use is vegetable-based and food grade, making the products totally safe to use in the kitchen and on the dining table.

I’ve been to a number of MWB gatherings before (thank you, Mish and Sab for always inviting me!) and it’s safe to say that there are three things you can always look forward to when you’re there: Food, fun with friends, and frizes and giveaways.

Of course, I meant prizes, and of course that was a joke!

Anyway…

This time around, the food was a delicious Italian spread prepared by Joy of YogiBrunch, along with a few other treats made by Mish and Sab.

Before we could sit and enjoy the feast, we were given a little activity to do. After being split into groups, we were tasked to style an assigned area of the Viking Range Showroom featuring the Uashmama products.

Styling has never been, and will never be a strength of mine, which is why I was super happy to have been grouped with Michelle and Maget who knew what to do. I was there for moral support, mainly, and also to find little pieces to add to our display.

Here’s our styled table! Isn’t it pretty? With matching light/shadow effect for added drama. Lol. Maganda?

Our styled table at the #mwbxuashmama event today! What would I do without you @mymomfriday? (She did all the work. The rest of us just cheered her on!) 😂💕

A post shared by Patricia 🌸 At Home With MrsC (@mrspcuyugan) on Nov 14, 2017 at 10:36pm PST

So, food – check! Fun with friends – check!

As for prizes and giveaways, we were all in for a treat. There were a lot of goodies. And I mean A LOT.

We each went home with a cute Mothers Who Bruch bag filled with wonderful goodies. There was a box of organic salad from EarthOrigins, a new cafe and organic store in Westgate. I happily gobbled it up before I remembered to take a photo, though. Sorry! But I’ll tell you, I’ve eaten at EarthOrigins, and their turmeric ice cream is so good, and also dairy-free!

There was a box of plant-based laundry detergent from Amala Naturals in the bag, too. I used it for the first time today, and I hope it does wonders for my spotty skin. I will keep you posted. I was also happy to see a bottle of my favorite Cusina Home dishwashing soap there. It’s so good for sensitive skin!

Uashmama sent us off with some place mats (one of my favorite things in the world!) and our own washable paper bags. I’m so excited to use them at home.

Our friends from Severin were there, too, armed with fantastic raffle prizes – Yogurt makers, crepe makers, and even a couple of Mr. Twister spiralizers!

There were so many prizes that everyone had a chance to win! This was really lucky for me because I never win. Now that I finally did, it was a huge prize! I actually took home a Severin Mr. Twister! What a perfect addition to my (already) Severin-filled kitchen!

So, remember that pretty salad photo from earlier? The carrots and zucchini on top were prepared using the Mr. Twister. Mish and Sab showed us how to do it before we started eating, and it really looked super easy to do. I am now dreaming about the different salads and zoodles that I can prepare!

This was my first holiday get together for this year, and what an amazing one it was. Thank you so much, Mothers Who Brunch, for having me. And thank you, also, to the fantastic sponsors who made the day extra wonderful for all of us there.

All photos provided by Mothers Who Bruch. I took some of my own but I can’t find my camera cable, so there. Haha!

P.S. You can read about my past MWB experiences here and here. And I’ll be writing about two more real soon!

P.P.S. Read more about this fun gathering from the other lovely moms in attendance:

You Out Of Nowhere

November 17, 2017 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan Leave a Comment

Despite having done many of them when I was a student, I suck at writing book reviews. I think it’s because I’m afraid of posting spoilers, not just of the story but also of characters, conversations, and situations.

Here’s where I’m coming from. I rarely read reviews. As a reader, I want to be able to judge for myself whether I love or hate a character. I enjoy reading stories I hardly know anything about because I like being pleasantly surprised over how I relate to the people and places in the story. Banter between characters is so important to me, and sometimes reading snippets spoils things for me.

I know, I know, and dami kong arte.

Well, despite everything I’ve just said, here I am writing a book review. I really am the biggest walking contradiction. But wait, there is a reason why I signed up to write this review. (Yes, guys, I signed up to do it even though I know I am terrible at it!)

If we’re social media friends, you’ll see that I like all things local. Whenever I can, I buy Pinoy-made. Until very recently, though, I haven’t really explored going local as far as my reading list goes.

Confession: Most of the Pinoy-authored books I’ve read, I’ve done so because I had to, for school. I guess it’s mostly because I was never properly exposed to local authors and the wonderful works they’ve come out with. Apparently, I’ve been missing out.

I truly believe that it’s never too late to start, though, so here I am, starting. Just this year, I’ve already been able to read five books by Filipino authors. Woohoo! The most recent one happens to be the subject of this (trying-hard) book review. It’s called You Out of Nowhere, and it was written by Jay E. Tria.

So, did I enjoy You Out Of Nowhere? YES!

From the get go, I knew this would be one of those books that I wouldn’t be able to put down.

I loved learning about Kris and Ringo, the main characters, while they learned about each other. I especially loved how animated their conversations were. At times, it felt like I was third-wheeling in their little love affair, and I was perfectly okay with that.

The intense chemistry that loomed so clearly between the two swept me away, right from the start. It was all so nicely written that I could actually feel tension in my chest as I read, page after page.

Do I think you should pick up a copy of this book? YES.

First of all, do it to support a local author. But also read it because it’s fun. It’s exciting. It’s kilig. And it’s also hot. It feels like what romance and falling in love really feels like. At least for me. Lol!

The best part is, this book is only one of four books from #romanceclassFLAIR. Just so you know, FLAIR (or #romanceclassFLAIR) is a new, ongoing project that will bring steamy contemporary romance (in English) by Filipino authors to readers. Four new titles from four different #romanceclass authors are to be released, and these books will be unapologetically sexy.

Flair is not a publisher, but there is a single Flair team that is working with the authors on all the books. The team is composed of #romanceclass community authors, readers, editors, and designers. You may follow Romanceclass Books on Facebook, romanceclassbooks on Instagram, and #romanceclass on Twitter to get updates!

Get You Out of Nowhere on Amazon

Add it on Goodreads

*This post is part of the ongoing #RomanceClassFlair #YouOutOfNowhere Blog Tour

Trust Me, It’s Okay To Go To Bed Angry

November 9, 2017 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 2 Comments

Who was it who said that you should never go to bed angry? I’d like to prove this person wrong.

For many years, MrC and I took this advice to heart. Why wouldn’t we, when many people say that it’s one of the greatest secrets to a harmonious, and long-lasting marriage.

mrspcuyugan — Our secret is that we never forget to have fun together.

For people like us who are both highly opinionated and not afraid to get into arguments, this meant countless sleepless nights. It meant conversations that went around in circles. It meant finding ourselves right back at the beginning of an unresolved issue hours after it started, especially when fatigue and brain fog started settling in. Worst of all, it meant digging up issues from the past, often as last ditch efforts at winning the fight. Or, at the very least, to finally, unceremoniously, end the discussion.

In our marriage, not going to sleep angry often involved dragging each other through the mud until we finally emerged. We were not always victorious with a compromise. Instead, the whole ordeal often would leave us feeling completely exhausted. Usually, the situation diffused when we no longer had any fight left in either of us. Trust me when I tell you, this is not a good thing. At least not for us.

At first, falling asleep with unresolved issues between us felt scary, even uncertain. Did it mean that we would wake up angry? Would those concerns we set aside ever be settled?What if one of us woke up still annoyed, and the other wanted to make up? What then?

So many questions can go through a person’s head in the dead of the night. Especially so, when you are the one left awake, and the person next to you, the current bane of your existence, is blissfully snoring away.

If and when this ever happens to you, my advice is this: Turn your brain off and go to sleep. It won’t be easy, especially at first. You can be sure of that. But do it anyway. At least give it a try. It’s okay to go to bed angry. Things will be okay.

Your marriage will not fall apart over one argument. Or at least, it shouldn’t, especially if the issue at hand is something petty. In our case, we have slept on many major problems simply because we didn’t have the energy to keep on fighting. MrC, one time, even slept in the car after walking out in the middle of an argument!

Here’s the thing. Going to bed angry doesn’t have to mean sweeping problems under the rug. For us it means giving ourselves time to cool our heads. It means buying time to think things through in order to find a reasonable compromise. It means being able to approach the situation with clearer, rested heads. We’ve been able to find better solutions to problems both big and small this way.

Many might disagree with me on this, and for a lot of people this might not necessarily work. But I no longer believe that it’s a huge fault to sleep angry. On the contrary, I see it instead as an opportunity to hit reset, and start over fresh.

Lo and behold, age-old marriage wisdom ignored, we are still here. 18 years together this year, 11 years living in one house, and 6 years married. So far so good.

Remember, there are countless ways to say you’re sorry in the morning without having to use words. It’s a whole lot better than having to face an entire night of fighting. What I mean, of course, is hugging, cuddling, and laughing it out. What were you thinking? Lol.

So, make me kwento. Do you follow that “Don’t go to bed angry” advice? Or do you choose to ignore it like we do?

Writing For Myself

November 2, 2017 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 2 Comments

I don’t know about you guys, but I can’t believe that it’s already November! It feels like 2017 has gone by so quickly. But then, when I really stop and think about it, I realize that we’ve actually done so much this year, and January feels like an oh-so-distant memory. What a whirlwind it has been.

There is one thing, though, that I haven’t been able to do as much as I wanted to this year. I haven’t been able to write enough for myself.

Ironically, I write all the time. My computer is one of the most overworked things in this house. 80 percent of the time, though, it’s for other people.

This will sound really silly, but last week I found myself feeling jealous over an article I wrote for someone else’s site. It was a wonderful piece, heartfelt and entertaining. The words matched this persons photos perfectly. How I wish I could have made more time to create posts like that for myself.

But that’s the thing, isn’t it? It has to come from me. I’m in charge of figuring out how to use my time, energy, and brain cells. It’s up to me to decide to write for myself instead of for someone else, at least for one day out of the week, or even just a few hours in a day.

So why haven’t I done it?

Well, life. My unending list of things to do each day. Bills that come every month. Lack of time. Lack of energy. Lack of motivation. Lack of brain space to process my rough ideas. Excuses, choices, reasons and more. And none of this is gonna change unless I do.

#Adulting is hard. And every month these envelopes arrive, and remind us that we need to do it anyway. 😣 #thatslife #realitycheck #billsbillsbills #fms_envelope #fmspad #picoftheday #photoadaychallenge

A post shared by Patricia 🌸 At Home With MrsC (@mrspcuyugan) on Oct 2, 2017 at 2:49am PDT

So, like countless other times before, I am making a promise to myself to dedicate more of my writing time to the things that matter to me.

I actually started already last September. I’m right smack in the middle of a very important project that has taken me years to start. It’s huge. It’s one of those childhood dream come true kinds of things. It’s scary, and it’s insanely difficult. This is one project that I fully intend to see through, no matter what.

Labor of love. #passionproject #romanceclassya

A post shared by Patricia 🌸 At Home With MrsC (@mrspcuyugan) on Oct 27, 2017 at 12:34am PDT

This blog post is also (yet another) start. There are so many things that I want, and need to write about here. I’m embarrassed to say that some of my pending posts are from 2015. It’s really time to get working on those. Plus, I have a few other social media-related baby projects in the works, too.

It all seems so overwhelming now that I have it all written out, but I know for sure that this is not impossible. What will really matter now is sticking to my timelines and deadlines, both for work and for myself. Something I’m, admittedly, not very good at. LOL.

I write all the time, but rarely for myself. I think it’s time to change that. #tpctodayisday1 #thepurposefulcreative #bravergoals #daretoshareigchallenge #athomewithmrsc #goals #challengeaccepted

A post shared by Patricia 🌸 At Home With MrsC (@mrspcuyugan) on Nov 1, 2017 at 4:31pm PDT

So here’s to that, and here’s to me, and here’s to doing things that matter. I already know that it’s gonna be worth it.

What about you guys? Any passions projects currently in the works? Tell me about it, and let’s cheer each other on!

4 Ways To Renovate Your Bathroom With A Small Budget

October 24, 2017 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan Leave a Comment

Are you planning to do some renovations to your bathroom? You’ve come up with a design to update your bathroom, only to be surprised that you will have to spend a lot of money to get the look that you want.

You need to expect that any renovation will cost money, even in small areas of the house such as a bathroom. But if you are not ready to shell out a lot of money, there are still things you can do to give your bathroom a new look. All you need is a little cash and a lot of creativity and effort. One of the things to keep within the budget is to do the renovation yourself so that you will not have to hire other people to do the work for you.

Check out some of the things you can do below. You or another family member can do them yourself so you will surely be saving a lot of money in the renovation process.

1. Frame your mirror – no bathroom is complete without a mirror. They are not only functional, as most would do their grooming and makeup in front of it, but it also opens up space and makes the small bathroom look larger than it really is. A big mirror can cost a lot of money, so unless yours is broken, consider instead putting a new frame on it instead of purchasing a new one. The style of the frame is up to you, you can go for a theme such as vintage or modern if you want and just add a few additional decorations throughout the bathroom to complete the look.

2. Repaint the walls – you might have been thinking of changing the tiles in your bathroom, but that would cost a pretty penny. Why not paint the walls instead? It would cost significantly less than a tile job but it can completely transform a small space. It would require a lot of concentration as you would have to maneuver yourself while you paint around the bathroom. Take note also that there is a risk of molds developing in the bathroom so invest in the high-quality paint.

3. Refinish the bathtub and sink – if you find your bathtub or sink looking worse for wear, do not think immediately about replacing it. A cheaper alternative would be to reglaze them instead. You can call professionals to do this for you as it might be too complicated to do by yourself. It will still be a lot cheaper than having to hire people to dig out your old tub, buying a new one and hiring a contractor to place if in your bathroom.

4. Update your fixtures – don’t forget the little details when doing your budget renovation. Changing the taps, towel racks and drawer pulls can create a big change in the look of your bathroom. And you don’t have to spend a lot of money to do that. There are cheap taps, lighting fixtures and the like readily available in stores and online. Just go through the variety of choices and choose the one that will be perfect for the design you have in mind.

Life With Eczema

August 18, 2017 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 3 Comments

Over the past couple of months I’ve been dealing with the worst eczema flare-up of my life.

The condition that I have is nothing new to me. I was first diagnosed with atopic dermatitis at the age of 12. It comes and it goes, but never truly goes away. That’s the real curse of eczema, as anyone who suffers from the same disease would know.

Back when I was younger, I didn’t know a lot of people with eczema. These days, though, nearly everyone and their children suffer from it. While misery loves company, I really do feel sad about this. Why do more and more people have to suffer through this insufferable itch that I’ve been dealing with for more than half my life? What’s causing it? Is it the food? The quality of our air and water? All the chemical-laden products we use on ourselves and our homes?

I wonder if anyone actually has an answer. Then again, I wouldn’t bank on it. Just as sure as this annoying disease is incurable, it is also virtually impossible to identify what exactly triggers a flare-up. Everything about it is one big guessing game.

So what are we poor unfortunate souls who suffer from eczema to do then? Deal with it is all. And dealing with it is something I’ve been doing for so long.

I never thought about writing about my life with eczema before because mine has always been reasonably manageable. Until now.

The past summer was intensely hot, extremely humid, and very, very dusty – three things that I already know can irritate my skin. All that, plus that the stress that I’ve had to deal with over the last few months (which I don’t really want to talk about), my not-so-healthy food choices as of late, and the harsh bath and laundry soaps that I’ve been using (because I’m hard-headed like that), made a real recipe for disaster. By mid-June, I found myself faced with a case of uncontrollable eczema.

I’ll post a photo so you guys have an idea what I was going through when this monster of a flare-up started, but be warned. It’s not pretty. It’s actually kinda disturbing. Especially if you get grossed out easily.

Ready?

Believe it or not, this was nothing compared to the rest of my body. I cropped the really bad parts out.

When this photo was taken I had just arrived home from El Nido. When I left, I already had a lot of red spots on my arms, the backs of my knees, and my torso. By my third day in Palawan, most of the spots had transformed into (the dreaded) weeping eczema.

Not only was I suffering though sweaty days and hard water showers while I was there, but my skin was sticking to my clothes and cracking already, too. It goes without saying that it was one beach trip that I, unfortunately, did not fully enjoy. Thank goodness it wasn’t my first time there or I would have been devastated.

#EczemaGoneWild Spent my first day in Manila in the hospital getting a check up for my crazy skin. Hoping that everything clears up after one round of meds and a drastic diet shift. 😱

A post shared by Patricia 🌸 At Home With MrsC (@mrspcuyugan) on Jun 26, 2017 at 10:58pm PDT

It’s been nearly two months since then, and I’m happy to say that I’m a lot better now. I’m not completely rash-free yet, but my skin is back to being manageable. It hasn’t been easy getting back to this state, but it has been 100% worth it.

Here’s everything I did to get better.

First, I changed my diet. I’ve been doing my best to stay away from dairy, eggs, chicken, and wheat. No, I have not been able to completely abstain from these things because that would be really sad. But I’ve cut back significantly.

Hey, #blackcoffee, happy monthsary to us! ❤ I do miss my lattes, but my skin is doing infinitely better without all the extra dairy. And truth be told, I’d rather reserve my limited dairy allowance for cheese and ice cream over milk in my coffee. So there! ☕ #MrsCvsEczema #eczemadiet #healthyeating #healthiereats #eatlikeyouloveyourself #coffeeoftheday #butfirstcoffee #coffeeislife

A post shared by Patricia 🌸 At Home With MrsC (@mrspcuyugan) on Jul 16, 2017 at 3:55pm PDT

I stopped putting milk in my coffee, and instead I drink it black now. I’ve shifted to soy or almond milk for my cereal. I still haven’t found a dairy-free yogurt alternative, though, so if you know of one please tell me. As for wheat, this is something we’ve kinda gotten used to living without, since Little MrC is gluten-sensitive, too. Though, I have to admit that every once in a while I do allow myself (and even my son) to enjoy real bread. Like yesterday, when I had avo toast for breakfast at E.A.C.H. So good. So worth it.

Eggs and chicken, on the other hand, I’m really trying to cut out completely. Eggs in baked goods, and mayonnaise are my only exceptions. Among everything I’ve eliminated from my diet, it’s chicken and eggs that have really caused a skin reaction whenever I was careless enough to eat them. My cousins and aunts who also have eczema react badly to them, too, so I’m not surprised that it’s the same for me.

Apart from the dietary changes, I’ve also changed my bath soap. What I’m using isn’t actually soap, but a soap replacement (or at least I think that’s what my dermatologist called it) called Eczekleen. Thank goodness it’s easy to find in Mercury Drugstore. I also tried using Cetaphil Restoraderm for Eczema, but that made me itchy. Sigh.

I’ve also started moisturizing regularly. I’m ashamed to say this is not a habit I formed over the years, but now I have no choice but to do it. I tried Cetaphil for eczema for this, too, but that made me itchy the same way the body wash did. I’ve been doing well so far with Planet Noah Oasis Soothing Baby VoCo Cream, which I get from Sesou Nature Source.

From the husbandry. The best kind of pasalubong for me right now. ❤❤❤ #EczemaGoneWild #lifewitheczema #cetaphilph #idontwannabespotty #itchitchscratchscratch #athomewithmrsc #MrsCvsEczema

A post shared by Patricia 🌸 At Home With MrsC (@mrspcuyugan) on Jul 7, 2017 at 6:07am PDT

I changed my laundry soap, too, but just for my clothes. The boys are doing ok with the commercial detergent and fabric conditioner combo that we’ve been using for years. I, on the other hand, need to wash my clothes separately, using either Human Nature liquid laundry detergent or grated Perla. Between the two, I like Perla better. It’s more tedious to use, though, because I have to grate and melt it before I can start washing. But hey, you gotta do what you gotta do, right?

Who would ever have thought that I would ever write “Grate laundry soap” on my to do list??? 😂 I’m so excited to do my laundry tomorrow because something tells me I’m finally not gonna find my clean clothes itchy/scratchy! #thatsnotcheese #perlaba #perloveyourclothes #perloveyourskin #MrsCvsEczema

A post shared by Patricia 🌸 At Home With MrsC (@mrspcuyugan) on Jul 11, 2017 at 4:56am PDT

The one final change I made that has really helped was to stay away from stress. When I saw my dermatologist the day after I came home from Palawan, she asked if I had been stressed out. When I said yes, she gave me a look that said, “You should know better by now”. She has been treating my atopic dermatitis since day one, see, and after years and years, she already knows how I should be dealing with it.

As she usually does, she had me start on topical steroids. This time, though, for the first time ever, because things were so bad I had to take oral steroids, antihistamines and antibiotics, too. That was not fun.

The combination of meds made me feel weak and sleepy, and for some reason my mouth and tongue ended up covered in sores. I don’t think I ever want to have to go through that again, and I remind myself of this every time I decide to eat bread or ice cream.

Ultimately, it’s gonna take an entire lifestyle shift for me to be able to manage my eczema from here on out, probably because I’m older and my body can no longer keep up the way it used to when I was a kid. So there. I have a reason to write about my life with eczema now.

I’ll definitely be sharing what works for me and what doesn’t in hopes that the information might help someone else. At the same time, if any of you have tried anything that worked for you, please share! I need all the help I can get.