#NaturallyBeautifulMOMents by Johnson's Baby PH

#NaturallyBeautifulMOMents by Johnson's Baby PH

Last July 11, 2018, Johnson's Baby held a launch party at the Happy Garden Cafe in Makati to celebrate their new product, the Johnson's Milk Range. They invited mommy celebrities and mommy blogger like me for brunch and to introduce the fabulous new products. Furthermore, they want to encourage self-love and to stop moms comparing themselves to those "perfect moms" on social media. I was one of the few who agreed to remove my make up to show "natural beauty" and I wholeheartedly agree that we should also post the unglamorous part of motherhood as that is truly part of it all.

I loved how mommy celebrity Bianca Gonzales Intal endorsed the new line, she was so fresh and naturally gorgeous! I was so happy to hear that she takes pride in the natural beauty and that she had the same feelings I had toward motherhood: like how I felt duped by curated social media posts, how painful and frustrating motherhood can be, and how I love being a mom at the end of the day. I do believe that bonding with my son is a worthwhile activity and we did some arts and crafts led by Tippy Go, another mommy celebrity. My kid super loved painting the cookies and making his bunny bag!

I liked how there are more variants of the Milk Range since we do use the Milk Bath a lot. I especially liked the Milk and Oats as I have dry and sensitive skin. This line is perfect for those sensitive skin types as they have the natural goodness of milk and rice plus the amazing features of oats extracts for more nourishment so the whole family can have baby-beautiful skin.

Johnson's Baby South East Asia Marketing Director Maimai Punzalan states that they are promoting the power of unfiltered motherhood and how moms should embrace and empower themselves one step at a time. I am totally backing this platform as I'm sick of comparing myself to those tall, thin, gorgeous moms on social media. I need to remind myself that I am beautiful, and I hope you do too.

Themed Fun Worksheets for Kids

Themed Fun Worksheets for Kids

I have been on the fence if I should homeschool my kid or not. Part of me wants to avoid all the drama I went through during my traditional schooling and part of me is scared I won't the temperament to be a good teacher for my son. I recently became aware that there are tons of online resources for worksheets for kids and one of these is Education.com where you can join for free or join for a fee. I checked out their website and they had so many printables: worksheets, games, workbooks, activities, lesson plans, exercises, songs, and stories!

We gravitated more towards the worksheets since my toddler, who's three, is just learning how to write. The worksheets are divided according to grade from preschool to high school, and according to subjects from math to reading & writing, science, social studies, typing, arts and even foreign language! There are also enrichment worksheets and worksheets that cover the holidays & seasons. The worksheets look fun and easy and are great to use for homeschooling or as a home activity after regular school. They also have a worksheet generator which I think is really cool.

What's great about worksheets is how kids have the opportunity to learn at their own pace. As a parent, this is important to me. I don't want to push my child into the rat race of life so early; he'll be rushing into adulthood soon enough anyway. Another thing I liked about Education.com was how it was founded by three experienced educators: Cathy Whitehead, Darbie Valenti, and Linda Glasgow. They believe that "each educator and child has unique challenges and goals" which is why their website targets both parents and teachers. Right now they have reached parents and educators in over 20 countries and six continents, you can check them out more on their social media: Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Pinterest.

Crawl like a bug through this maze from Education.com. Learn more with exciting math games here! Below is an example of their themed worksheet for kindergarten, and if you like what you see, head over here for more!

Gear Up for The MOOSE PLAY CAMP 2018!

 Gear Up for The MOOSE PLAY CAMP 2018!

When I became a mom to a little boy, one of the things I went pretty overboard with is clothes. Being a shopaholic myself, I wanted my son to have stylish and comfortable clothes, exactly what Moose Gear has been providing families for over three decades. Moose Gear is quite well known among families for their children's clothes which span ages 1-12 years old. There are two branches of the brand, the first of which is Moose Gear, which provides trendy casual wear for boys. I love how the fabric is cotton which makes it breathable and the styles are suited for play. They launched Moose Girl in 2003 because of the success of Moose Gear and how parents want the same quality of clothes for their little girls.

What's so great about  Moose Gear and Moose Girl is how they understand how Filipino families like their children's clothes: trendy yet comfortable, hip and stylish but still looking like clothes for kids. The Moose-G is a star-studded family affair and celebrities have endorsed it for years. A lot of well know child stars like Billie Crawford, Patrick Garcia, and Angelica Panganiban. Other Kapamilya stars like Nash Aguas, Mika Dela Cruz, Makisig Morales,

Sharlene San Pedro & Jairus Aquino were also part of the ever-growing Moose G family. And this brings us to the Moose Gear Play Camp 2018 which is a combination of meet & greet activity, where our celebrity endorsers get to meet with your kids for fun, inspiration, and entertainment.

Moose Gear and Moose Girl will be launching it's Summer Collection and alongside it launches the Moose Play Camp 2018 which aims to be beneficial and enjoyable to kids. The Summer Collection will cover a wide range of styles suitable for different occasions & themes like Athleisure, Sporty Look, and Streetwear. Kids who will join the Play Camp will be attending a talent workshop where they can sing, dance and model Moose. And all of the activities will be conducted by professional instructors who have worked with youngsters and will cultivate and enhance each kid's talent plus build their confidence so they can also shine like our Moose Gear & Moose Girl endorsers.

There are lots of activities for the kids which include a culminating performance or a recital:

a finale ‘on-stage’ performance, a live performance of our star-endorsers, picture-taking opportunities, and autograph signing. But how to join? It's easy! A minimum of P1,000 worth of Moose Gear or Moose Girl product purchased during the promo period in the participating branches entitles your (1) kid to the Play Camp. Just remember, though, that your purchase-receipt SHOULD be within the promo period of the SM branches that will be holding the Moose Play Camp. Check the list below and mark the dates.

DATE OF EVENT	PARTICIPATING BRANCH	PROMO PERIOD
MAY 6, 2018 * SUNDAY	SM SAN LAZARO	APRIL 1- MAY 6, 2018
MAY 20, 2018 * SUNDAY	SM DASMARINAS	APRIL 1-MAY 20, 2018

Each Play Camp venue will have two (2) batches of workshop participants/ per event, to make sure that everyone gets a chance to attend the Moose Play Camp. There was a plan for SM Cabanatuan to have a Play Camp but it will not push through. But there will still be SM San Lazaro and SM Dasmarinas Play Camps which will provide exciting and valuable activities for our children this summer. The MOOSE PLAY CAMP 2018  will be a great way for your kids to spend the summer vacation.

Three C's for Summer!

Three C's for Summer!

It's already May and we're well into the summer of 2018! Like many parents, I want my kid to have a great summer; meet and play with kids his age, swim by the pool and beach, and learn new things. We are a family of water babies and we love the ocean and swimming pool alike, so I decided to make a review of the best resorts we stayed in so far.

Coast Boracay
We stayed at the Coast Boracay about a year ago and it is still one of the most memorable vacations we've had. Located in Station 2 at Boracay Island, Aklan, this is one of the new resorts there. The staff is amazing and the rooms are wonderful. They have 2 swimming pools, a playroom (not yet done when we stayed there), a gym, function rooms, a spa room (not yet done when we stayed there). They give out free colognes with a beach kit, and free popcorn or ice cream in the afternoons for guest. They give out free lemon water by the beach and Filipino dessert for a midnight snack. They have a scrumptious buffet breakfast and then you can spend the day on their beachfront where there is also a restaurant/bar where guests can eat and drink. They even have sand toys to lend to the kids. Rates begin at P9150 for the Deluxe room. They are closed now due to the 6-month rehabilitation program of Boracay, but they will be open once more in October. Check out some of our photos from our stay at Coast Boracay!

Canyon Cove Hotel and Spa
This is a good budget resort if you purchase through travel agencies or online deals. At Canyon Cove, the superior room we got was small but with 2 queen beds and a daybed, no one can complain. I liked the fact that we had a terrace where we can leave the wet clothes and how they had nipa huts along the beach. They have a huge pool that is heated with tons of cabanas circling it. The best part is the new Waterpark they opened that guests can visit for an additional cost. They also have various watersports guest can avail such as banana boat rides and island hopping tours. We really liked the huge playground they have for the kids and spent most of our time there or at the oceanside. Food is not allowed in the rooms but they do have two restaurants to choose from as well as an outdoor grill. Superior room rates start at P5200 but you can get them for less by booking through deals or agencies like Babs Travel and Tours. Check out some of our photos from our stay at Canyon Cove Hotel and Spa!

Costabella Tropical Beach Resort
I have visited this resort twice now and I enjoyed so much that I wanna go back for more. At Costabella, the staff are friendly, the poolside rooms are amazing and the view is breathtaking. They have 2 pools, one with a slide and one for kids with a fountain. They have a playroom that is open from 10 AM-5 PM daily for kiddos who are tired of swimming and a beach play area for sand activities. There are cabanas and loungers by the beach and a long boardwalk that is picturesque. There are 3 restaurants where guests can fuel up and room service is also available. There are also bikes that can be borrowed, a ping-pong table and a billiards table for recreation. The room we booked was a Deluxe Poolside and rates begin at P7000. They also offer watersports activities for an additional rate and it's close enough to the airport for those anxious about flights. For those who want to tour Cebu, it's also near the city and other tourist spots like Temple of Leah and 10,000 roses. Check out some of our photos from our stay at Costabella Tropical Beach Resort!

And there you have it, my family's top 3 C's for the summer. We had so much fun at each resort and hope that your stay will be equally or even more enjoyable. For more information on the 3 resorts featured here, click on the links to take you to their website. You can also find them on Facebook here, here and here. Have a great summer!