Our Secrets to FOREVER

Everyone who is "in a relationship" should aim for one thing - make that relationship last forever.

My husband and I have been married for 18 years and yes, we are still together.  Before we plunged into marriage, it was clear to us that there would never be a plan B if plan A does not work.  Separation has never been an option.  So, we just have to make it work.   It’s not always a blissful marriage.  There are a lot of days that we have to deal with marriage glitches – us (either me or my husband).  But we made a solemn vow to our spouse before our holy God to love and cherish one another in good times and in bad times…till death do us part. Without us realizing it, our marriage vows talked about "forever" with our spouse. Death is the only event that this forever part will not be realized.  It shouldn't be separation or divorce.   

Our wedding pictorial: July 10, 1999 

I believe one secret to a long lasting relationship with our loved one is having a mind and heart that is focused on making it work despite of.  And this is because we know and understand that it is what God who designed marriage, wants for our relationship. If we let Him rule our marriage nothing will ever go wrong.  But that takes a lot of humility.  So yes, that’s another secret – HUMILITY.  A lot of broken relationships are fixed because of humility. When we give up our right to be right or when we can sincerely forgive the shortcomings of our spouse, it shows that we value the relationship more than our hurts or egos. 

Frustrations in our relationships are caused by unmet expectations. Knowing this, another secret would be to lower our expectations (from our spouse) and increase our appreciation (towards our spouse). 

Here are words which I have thought about that are loaded when we apply them on a marriage setting.  They may, as well, be our secrets to a lasting marriage. The beginning letters make up the word FOREVER so it's easier to remember. Just add the "each other" at the end of each verb. Yes, they are all action words because application is the key to knowing something.

F.orgive - Who has not done anything wrong? Put Christ in the center and we will always remember that we ourselves have been forgiven.

O.utlove - Learn each other's love language (words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time, physical touch).

R.espect - Not just in action but in the way you behave and communicate with each other. The tone of your voice, your choice of words and your facial expressions should always be respectful. 

E.ngage - Go out on dates! Not just during anniversaries or if there is an occasion to celebrate. Make it a weekly special or on random days. 

V.alidate - Who doesn't love to be validated and be complimented (even in the very little things that we do)?

E.njoy - Laugh with each other. "Laughter is the best medicine," it heals every pain and hurt.

R.emember - Celebrate each other daily. Yes, remember why you married your spouse in the first place. What are his/her attributes that attracted you to him/her? 

All of this should be fueled by love that comes from God. Any marriage should be centered on Jesus to make it last. I'm not saying this because it is a common advice to say to any would-be couple. It is my conviction.  My husband and I are not yet in our 50s but we already are a ninong and ninang to four young couples and we consider it as an honor and responsibility. All marriages would be tested but a marriage that is focused on Jesus will not be shattered.             

Well, those secrets are easier said than done. While it may take a lot of effort, time, understanding and courage, among others, to make a relationship work and last, in the end, it’s all worth it.   

Do we look like Doug and Cheska here? Lol!  

As a Christian couple, my husband and I value our relationships - with God, with each other, with our children, with our families, with our friends and with others. God is not done with us yet, we are very much a work-in-progress couple. But, we have families and couples whom we take a cue from and admire when it comes to "relationship goals". They are families and couples who embody the love and joy of God in their lives. Team Kramer is an example of that family who trusts in Jesus.   

This is where I will segue ----  :-)

Team Kramer also trusts Del to keep their clothes mabango all day. Del Forever Joy and Love now has 15x longer lasting bangooooo vs a regular detergent band based on consumer test in Metro Manila. What I like about Del is not only the long lasting bango they leave to our clothes but even when we are already wearing our clothes, that freshness bango stays with us -- from the washing machine to the closet to our bodies.

Del Forever Joy and Love is a great reminder for us to strive to keep that joy and love in our marriage forever.  Even when there are "mabaho" moments in our marriage, literally and figuratively, we can always decide to pour (Del Forever) Love and Joy to keep the stink away...forever.       

Check out Del Forever facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/delfabcon/


This is my official entry to Nuffnang's Secrets to a Long Lasting Relationship with Del Forever Fabric Conditioner Blog Contest. http://blog.nuffnang.com.ph/2017/10/02/blog-contest-secrets-to-a-long-lasting-relationship-with-del-forever-fabric-conditioner/

Make brushing more fun with Minions!

I grew up knowing only one toothpaste brand and that is Colgate. In fact, I didn't know that Colgate is a brand at that time. When my mom would tell me to brush my teeth, the first picture that would come to my mind was Colgate, nothing else.  Colgate has been synonymous with toothpaste and brushing teeth.  I have been using Colgate ever since I can remember. And now that I'm a mom, I am also entrusting our kids' teeth to Colgate.  

I let them choose which Colgate box design or variant they want which makes brushing teeth more fun for them and not just routine.

Children, nowadays, are more adventurous and are more willing to try other things. That is why, moms like me should also think of ways to make things seem "new" to our kids. I'm glad there's a "new" Colgate Minions toothpaste and Minion's toothbrush.  The Minions will definitely make them more excited to brush their teeth. 

Click the links below to know where you can buy Colgate's Minions toothbrush and toothpaste:

• Colgate Minions Kids 2-5 Years Old (Junior) Oral Care Pack:  http://www.lazada.com.ph/colgate-minions-kids-2-5-years-old-oral-care-pack-4804587.html?spm=a2o4l.sis-363.0.0.1sWUa5&ff=1

• Colgate Minions Kids 5-9 Years Old (Youth) Oral Care Pack:  http://www.lazada.com.ph/colgate-minions-kids-5-9-years-old-oral-care-pack-4804586.html?spm=a2o4l.sis-363.0.0.1sWUa5&ff=1

A Worry-Free Life with Off! Lotion

Our trusted helper-cum-yaya, Naneth, would be so happy to read this blog as she has a big part in this post.  My family is grateful to have her in our lives.  She cares for our three girls like they are her own kids.  Whenever our kids arrive from school, she is the one who waits for them, tends to them and looks after them until I and my husband get home.  With Nanet at home, we have no worries.  

Below is just one of her so many text messages to me reminding me of things to buy at home, for the kids, etc.

 

Every time I ask her for our grocery list, most of the items are really staples at home.  Not to be missed for our kids is Off! Lotion.  And just like our trusted Naneth, Off! Lotion is the only mosquito repellant we trust.  We've been using it for a long time now.  Yes, "we" and not just our kids.  During one of our grocery trips, I wanted to try other mosquito repellant brands which are less expensive but our girls didn't want me to try any other brand.  I'm proud to have raised daughters who are such loyal users. 

Not one single day that they don't apply or use it.  It has become their habit to apply Off! Lotion after taking a bath.  They know that Off! Lotion protects them from mosquitoes and other insects.  And as a mom, it keeps me worry-free.

 

 

We have tried all variants of Off! Lotion.  And we will be fans of Off! Lotion forever.  

 

I have read a lot of circulars from their school regarding Dengue.  There are days that they are required to wear a Dengue outfit in school and guess what?  For our girls, Off! Lotion is part of their Dengue outfit.  As a matter of fact, it is part of their everyday wear.  It may not be an outfit per se, but yes, they put on Off! Lotion everyday... rain or shine!

 

Aside from the protection they get from mosquito bites which they hate, my kids love using Off! Lotion.  With Off! Lotion, my girls are happy and I am one worry-free mama!

Thank you, yaya Naneth.  Thank you, Off! Lotion!

The Dreamer in Me

I am a dreamer and I’ve been one ever since I was born 47 years ago. It’s easy for me to imagine the impossible coming to life.  

I have many plans and dreams. Many of those have to do with creating beautiful memories with my husband and children by travelling to different places, 

 trying new adventures, 

tasting different cuisines,

 

exploring new cities, etc. 

 

I can go on and on but far more important than just planning and trying to do everything to make all these dreams a reality is my resolve to submit and discuss each one on my list to the One who knows everything…the One who knows what’s best for me and my family. 

 
I know these dreams pretty much involve a lot of money. But hey, that’s the beauty of being a dreamer… you are not bound by time, money and age. You can just dream away and leave them unto God’s hand and wait.

 

"The world is a book and those who don't travel, read only a page." "Collects memories, not things."  

These quotes ring true to me. That's why this wish list has a lot to do with my love for travel, adventure and life in general.  As a ShopBack member, I've successfully book accommodations several times through Agoda.

I was extremely happy with the discounts I received.  It was last year when I registered and first tried ShopBack and I never regretted using it.  I was after savings, discounts, savings, discounts, savings, discounts and indeed, it has given me so much savings and discounts!  In fact, it was my go-to website whenever I need to purchase online.  ShopBack is really worth-recommending!  Oh yes, I'm one happy ShopBack member!  So...what is ShopBack and how does it work??

How does ShopBack work?

ShopBack helps you get the best deals and discounts on 300+ stores, plus Cashback! Cashback is really just "getting cash back" - When you spend online through ShopBack, we give you a portion of your purchase back as Cashback. This means extra, unlimited savings whenever you shop online!

How does Cashback work?

ShopBack's merchants reward them with a commission for referring me, you, us, anyone to shop on their site. Instead of keeping the rewards all to themselves, ShopBack shares them with you, me, us!

How to use ShopBack

Step 1: Click on any store through ShopBack and get redirected to the store's website

Step 2: Shop as usual on store's site and make a purchase

Step 3: Get Cashback in your ShopBack account within 48 hours, under the 'Pending' tab

Your Cashback will turn 'Redeemable' once order is validated by the merchant. This will take 30-60 days to ensure that there is no order cancellation/return/exchange. You can request for payout once you've reached Redeemable Cashback of P300.00. Bonus can only be cashed out when your Redeemable Cashback reaches P300.00

Step 4: Cash out your Cashback to your PayPal or bank account.

So simple, right?  I do insist that you register now and try it out.  Here's the link: https://www.shopback.ph/ 

Now, going back to my wish-list, for my 1st wish --  I would love to book a hotel in Hong Kong and Macau via Agoda.  I already have a schedule and the hotels in mind. 

My 2^nd wish is to have a sturdy luggage that I could conveniently lug around anywhere and in any terrain with so much ease.  I am eyeing a Samsonite luggage for this very purpose.  Here are the models I like which I browsed through ShopBack and Samsonite.  

Clockwise from top-left: Samsonite Hyperflex 29' Spinner= 224.99 (addt’l 30%); Samsonite F'Lite GT 31" Spinner= $209.99;   Samsonite Omni PC 28" Spinner = $179.99; Samsonite Carbon1 DLX 28" Expandable Spinner= 159.99

My 3^rd and 4^th wish may be a bit on the techie side but they are still very much related to my dream of "creating beautiful and unforgettable memories".  

I am wishing for these items- Lenovo IdeaPad 100S-11BY 2GB Intel Atom Z3735F Quad-core



and Digital Age AMD A4 6300 Computer v3.0 CPU Only Package through Lazada because of the big help it could give me when storing our travel memories and when I write about our adventures through my blog. I'm using an old desktop set which is already set for retirement.    

Lazada price:  
Lenovo IdeaPad 100S-11BY 2GB Intel Atom Z3735F Quad-core ...₱ 9,999.00

Digital Age AMD A4 6300 Computer v3.0 CPU Only Package P9,545

Listing down my wishes already excites me, what more if I win any one of them!  It would delight me to no end winning Shopback’s Win a Wish contest and would serve as a great motivator in further pursuing my heart’s desires. 


    

My Belkin Wishlist

My family and I love to travel. Every chance we get and when money is not an issue, we take on a new adventure to a new place. This 2016, we have been blessed to book a promo flight to Korea. It would be our first time to experience Korea. So, my mindset in making this list is centered on our upcoming travels (God willing).  And oh, they are also the perfect Christmas gifts -- for me, hubby and our teenager.    

So, presenting to you my Top 5 Most Wanted Belkin Product: 

1) Belkin 2.4A Universal Charger Kit (White)

A world power in my control!

The ability to plug in to local power outlets anywhere in the world is vital for staying connected and safe when work or pleasure takes you out of the country. The Global Travel Kit provides one charger with 6 interchangeable tips that safely cover the 6 dominant power formats across the world. Plus, with 2.4A output, it gives the fastest possible charging for all your devices, whatever country you're in.   In a snapshot, its features are impressive!

Universal charger for ALL countries that works with any device

6 interchangeable regional plugs in one box

2.4A output for fastest charging

2)  Belkin Charger Kit with Lightning to USB Cable

The Belkin Charger Kit comes with a 1.2m/4ft Lightning to USB cable, so you can charge your Lightning connector devices at top speeds. And because it's removable, the cable can be used anywhere - plug it into your laptop to charge and sync, use it with the Home Charger to charge from the wall, or the Car Charger to charge on the road. Compatible with most iOS devices with a Lightning connector port.

It is compatible with the most mobile devices!
The USB ports on the Belkin Car Charger and Belkin Home Charger are both universal, so you can plug in any USB charging cable to charge a variety of different mobile devices at the fastest possible speed, including any brand smartphone, any brand tablet or any another mobile device.

It is easy to use!
The Belkin Chargers for Car and Home are extremely fast, but also extremely small. Plug the Home Charger into any wall outlet and it seamlessly blends in without blocking your other outlets. The Car Charger's low-profile design sits in your dash without getting in the way of your other controls. And at just less than ounce each, they weigh less than a few quarters in your pocket.

It is perfect for any family with multiple devices!
Because it's so versatile, the Belkin Charger Kit with Cable is the best charger kit for families with different devices to charge. No more drawers full of old chargers and cables, no more fighting over the chargers, and perhaps best of all, no more wondering which charger is compatible with your device. When you need to switch between multiple devices, simply swap out the cable.

At A Glance:
Ultra-compact home charger plugs into any wall power outlet
Low-profile car charger plugs into any car power outlet
10 Watt/2.1 Amp each
Universal powered USB port
Includes separate 1.2m/4ft Lightning to USB cable

3) Belkin Family Rockstar 4-Port USB Charger

A charger that's great at sharing!
The multi-talented family rockstar provides an enormous 5.4 amp total charging power across four USB ports. That'e enough power to charge two tablets and two smartphones, all at the same time. Any port can charge any device thanks to an intelligent smartchip, which recognizes the connected device automatically for tablets that means optimal charging at 2.4 amps. Wall-mountable and boasting a ten foot cable for convenient placement, this chanrging her will make power struggles at home a thing of the past. This is made for USB devices.

4)  Belkin Dual Swivel Charger with Lightning to USB Cable

It includes removable lightning to USB cable!

The Belkin Swivel Charger comes with a 4-foot Lightning to USB cable, so you can charge your Lightning connector devices at the fastest possible speed. The smaller, more durable Lightning connector is reversible, which makes plugging it in easier than ever. And because it’s removable, the cable can be used anywhere—plug it into your laptop to charge and sync, or use your own car charger to charge on the road. Great as a replacement cable or if you simply need an extra.

5)  Belkin AC Anywhere + USB Port

The USB port allows simultaneously charging of MP3 players, cellphones amd any other electronic devices.  There is also a built-in cooling fan for temperature protection. And that concludes my Most Wanted List.  I found all these Belkin products from Lazada website and they are from the merchant BELKIN PH BY MACPOWER.

Do check-out the Belkin products in Lazada through this link: http://www.lazada.com.ph/belkin-ph-by-macpower/

 

Taking Gifting to the Next Level

Time flies so fast...I know it's cliche but the rate in which a day passes just keeps on getting faster and faster as I get older. Why is that? Was it just the other day when I was preparing our kids for the opening of school year 2015-2016. Where did July, August, September and October go? And now, we're talking about Christmas and wish lists! Wow! 

This Christmas, my family and I wish to celebrate its real meaning, and that is Christ. Far more than just a holiday, Christmas is a  celebration of God's incredible act of love. Knowing this, it is but fitting that we remember His birth by giving each other gifts and sharing this love with others, most especially the less fortunate. This is the time to give back, the season of gifting. 

 

 

What is your Christmas wish list for yourself?

The things that I wish for come Christmas time have become fewer and simpler. In fact, they are not things anymore. But though I no longer wish for material things, I do appreciate the gifts I receive during Christmas.  They are indeed, blessings.  All the MONEY (imagine setting aside a portion of  our meager income or bonus), TIME (to think that we don't even have enough time for ourselves),  EFFORT (choosing and then buying and lining up to pay, wrapping, etc.), and THOUGHT (what to give??; where to shop??)  that go into the gift are the real gifts.  That thing inside that wrapped gift is just the trimming. That's how I see it.

Just like every year, I wish to have a vibrantly colored journal with lots of blank pages where I could write down my thoughts and anything under the sun. And then stickers and colored pens which I will use for my journalling.

I also love to receive baked goodies for Christmas. I have the sweetest tooth and a pack of cookies or a box of pastries or cakes are such a delight to have.     

What are your Christmas gift ideas for your loved ones this year?
For this purpose alone, I will limit the term "loved ones" to my family, those in our household. 

For my husband - A toy. Not those toys for the big boys, okay since I cannot afford them but a real toy, like some Lego bricks. 

For our eldest daughter - The new Tomb Raider PS3 game. The Tomb Raider series is the playstation game I was hooked into while I was "bedresting" the whole time I was pregnant with her.

      
For our 2nd daughter - A box of hard-to-find Crayola colors or pretty markers and pens. She's our artist and she's really fond of creating something with her hands.

For our youngest daughter - A wooden doll house. She loves to play doll houses with her "ates", furnishing and decorating them.

For our househelp - A new set of pillows.  So she can lay her head to a wonderful rest after a long day.

 

For our dog - A big bone with a ribbon, as suggested by our girls (I'm thinking of a left-over "bulalo"). 

How do you plan to give back to others this Christmas?

This last question thugs at my heart.  Eversince I graduated from college and started to earn my own keep, I have developed this desire to do something about the plight of our street children and contribute something (tangible items and non-tangible items) to an orphanage.  Orphans and abandoned kids have a special place in my heart maybe because I am an orphan myself.  When I was still single, I would join my brother and his family to a Noche Buena food-giving project to street children or to those just living in a "kariton". Soon after, I organized a similar project, this time, with my yuppy friends, right before Noche Buena.

Last Christmas, I encouraged my kids to clean and pack all their baby toys to giveaway to an orphanage. We personally brought the toys and their pre-loved clothes (which cannot fit them anymore) to the orphanage. We even met some of the children and spent time with them. 

There's always this feeling of blessedness when I'm involved in doing some acts of charity and kindness.  I want to teach our 3 girls the blessings of giving and not to be too attached to material things. In a world of apathy, how else can our kids learn compassion? 

This Christmas, I would like to take action once again to bring joy and happiness to orphans and abandoned children. When I stumbled upon this contest, read the mechanics and learned about the prize, I got excited.  The first picture that came to my mind were orphans hugging their own teddy bear.

Every year since 2012, my family has been privileged to be visited and caroled by a group of orphans. This time around, more than giving them money and providing them with snacks, I'm actually thinking of giving each one of them something to hug, a stuff toy, from our kids' own collections.

I also plan to visit again an orphanage. Together with my husband and 3 kids, we would spend one whole afternoon in this orphanage, feeding the kids, mingling and playing with them. If chosen to be a winner of this contest, we will gift each of the young orphans a teddy bear from the SM Christmas Bears of Joy. But more than anything else, I would like to give them my love and warm embrace even for a short time. And maybe these small steps would be the start of fulfilling one of my dreams...that of putting up a children's orphanage.


Illustration by: Noelle Aguilar

I know putting up an orphanage involves a lot of money. But I am inspired by the story of George Muller, a Christian evangelist who in the year 1836 put up an orphanage in Bristol, England. This orphanage was built by prayer and it cared for a little over 10,000 orphans.  Building an orphanage is my way of giving back. It is my gift of hope to the Filipino children who have been neglected, have lost their loved ones, or in one way or the other, have been left on their own. This orphanage will provide the basic needs of a child from food, water, clothes and education. But more than these, this children’s orphanage will provide them with love and care just like being in a family. In the confines of this building, they will never feel alone or abandoned or worthless. Here, they will feel special and precious. After all, they really are. Here, the children will learn to pray, experience God’s love and provision.  Here, they will know Jesus.  

A very arresting photo of our street children

And when the children are ready for adoption, they will leave the orphanage equipped with Godly-values and prepared for the world.  These children will have a strong sense of compassion.  They will share their joy and love with others who are like them.  They will make a difference and they will be the difference that the world wants to see.

I have big dreams for this children's orphanage and for the children themselves. My prayer is that while inside the confines of this building, their lives will be impacted and once they get out, they in turn will impact the lives of others. 

Having been orphaned at an early age, I know how it feels to almost give up hope.  Losing my parents at a young age is like losing everything.  Everything about a little child speaks of innocence and trust.  Children have pure hearts and can easily love with all their hearts. This love inspires us to see God's unconditional love.  I want to preserve the purity of their hearts to love and accept love, if only I can. Even Jesus Himself said, "Let the children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for such is the kingdom of heaven." 

To me, there's really no better way to celebrate Christmas than by giving ourselves to and sharing our blessings with those in need.  May we all have a blessed and merry Christmas.

“For more updates about this year’s “Merry SM Christmas” campaign, visit SM’s official Christmas microsite (https://www.smsupermalls.com/merrysmchristmas2015) and follow its official social media accounts at Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/smsupermalls), Twitter (https://twitter.com/smsupermalls), and Instagram (https://instagram.com/smsupermalls/); and get an insider access to all the fun happenings at SM Supermalls nationwide through Viber (http://chats.viber.com/SMsupermalls). Shoppers can actively share their holiday merriments inside the SM Supermalls by posting their photos on social media and adding the hashtag #MerrySMChristmas2015.”