Hello, Mars at Pards! The year is about to end again. If you notice, this Mama is at her peak of being very busy. Honestly, burnout sets in at this point and still, I am doing something about it by diverting my attention to something else that breaks my usual routines. I am currently and seriously doing my "installment general cleaning". For me it's an activity that I love but don't have the luxury of time doing often. That's why when long vacations arrive, I take the opportunity to do it with gusto! As I always do, I set my priorities and make things happen. However, it pays to be more flexible to avoid the dangers of becoming too engrossed with routines and finally, feeling down due to denial of experiencing burnout. Loving myself should be prioritized among anything else because I can't give what I don't have. Happiness should radiate from within and it should extend to the persons I hold dear.

To set that happy emotional state on my being and loving myself more, the first step that I did was to have my website refurbished. It so happened that a good blogger friend of mine and an amazing software engineer Celerhina Aubrey had an enticing proposal and I grabbed that rare opportunity.

A few years ago, I was the one who made my own website despite having no knowledge in programming. Thanks to Google! I survived! I was able to fix the look that I really wanted for my website after three long months. The old look of my website served me well since 2013. However, due to the advent of android phones and tablets, I wanted my website to be responsive which I didn't know how to fix myself. 

Furthermore, four years of having the same layout was long overdue. I was hesitant to ask some web developers even Celerhina Aubrey because of the knowledge that it was quite expensive. That endeavor wasn't also my priority. Not until she announced on her Facebook account that she was selling her current website design. I immediately took the chance to ask her because I admired her website layout as much as I love her writing style. Her website design had all the criteria that I was looking for. It was classy, chic, clean, comprehensive, functional, and most of all responsive. Bonus na bonus din na she was selling it for a cheaper price. Without batting an eyelash, I told her,"Go na ako!"

Celerhina Aubrey is one of the bloggers that I trust and admire. Siya kasi very honest. What you see is what you get. Walang paliguy-ligoy. Magaan agad ang loob ko sa kanya the first time we met and had brunch together na umabot hanggang hapon. She is straightforward, brutally frank but kind, generous, and easy to deal with. She fixed my website in no time. While doing so, she was so patient in answering my queries. A non-techie like me could really rely on her.

This gorgeous and talented lady designed my website. (Photo credit: Celerhina Aubrey)

My friends and loved ones like the new look of my website. Some of my blogger friends knew who did it while others kept on asking who did it. Some of my blogger friends started to inquire about her services. Then I learned that they were so affordable. Gaganda at magiging responsive ang website ninyo without breaking a bank. 

If you are using Blogger and you're planning to change the design of your website, you may communicate with Celerhina Aubrey through her website, Facebook page, or email address. She also does quality logo, Favicon, and badge design at a very reasonable price. 

Seeing the new look of my website started to take my blues away. Now I feel more inspired to improve my content para bagay naman sa website design. LOL! I still need to edit and update texts and photos of some of my blog entries. To cut the story short, my website is always a work in progress and I am so glad that someone has helped me make it visually enticing and user friendly. I am happy with my new website look. Thanks to Celerhina Aubrey for making me tick one entry on my bucket list.

How do you find my website's new look? Feel free to leave your comment. 

In the height of summer heat, unlike all summers in previous years, I started having pimples or breakouts. All the facial products that I use regularly caused further irritations. For the type of person who doesn't easily experience skin problems, what happened last summer made me realize that being comfortable with the products that I use for months and years isn't inevitable.

But then again, my skin type is a combination of oily and dry. I felt that there were patches of very dry skin on my face that needed to be addressed. I knew for a fact that even if there were oily areas or even if the entire face was oily, moisturizer should be part of the daily skin routine and choosing the right product fit for my skin type should be considered. When I went to the supermarket, I purchased Celeteque Hydration Facial Moisturizer hoping that it would work for me. I was fortunate it did! 

Celeteque Hydation Facial Moisturizer is unscented, water-based, non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic, oil-free, and clinically-proven mild and safe. It doesn't make my skin oily and it can be used even during on humid or hot days. It is perfect for my combination skin type. Like using my trusted feminine wash, I haven't experienced any breakouts  while using it. It's a good primer for make-up too. My face didn't feel sticky or heavy while using this. 

I had no problem with the face powder that I use whenever I would go out. The no presence of SPF of Celeteque Facial Moisturizer wasn't a problem too because Maybelline Clear Smooth All In One Powder had SPF32. The problem was despite Maybelline's excellent coverage function, I wanted a reliable product that would have higher SPF and easy to apply. Then Belo SunExpert Tinted Sunscreen was introduced to me by a blogger friend and I started loving it to bits. Why? Because it was easy to apply, only a small amount could cover the entire face, it could adapt to any skin tone giving an even finish without caking, it strengthens skin's premature aging, and most of all has SPF50 and PA++++ to ensure broad spectrum protection against harmful UV rays. Using only this after moisturizing could be enough. The concealing effect and flawless finish, comparable to using BB or CC cream, could last for hours despite getting very sweaty. 

This three products are my reliable partners to maintain my daily facial routine in no time without having pimples. They won't break a tight budget because you just need small amounts for every use. They are economical, safe, and functional. What more can I ask for?

They are available in leading supermarkets, malls, and drugstores. No need to order online that makes purchasing them hassle-free. 

Do you have any suggestions on how you  maintain a pimple free face? Feel free to comment below. We will be glad to know them all!

Bringing-up our kids provided us so much learning through experimentation, lots of patience, a mountain full of prayer, and creativity. The joys and trials that we have endured as our kids grow up have become avenues of so much learning. For my blog entry today, I have invited my ex-boyfriend, best friend, confidant, and husband to share a portion of our parenting experiences in his perspective.

As a little boy, I never enjoyed the ritual of brushing my teeth. Agonizing were the moments when Tatay Jun, my dad, would ask me to brush my teeth with the minty toothpaste that we used to have back in the day. One time, we were watching a cartoon program on Saturday television and Tatay asked me who my  favorite cartoon character was, and I told him that it was Donald Duck. Later that day when my brushing schedule was coming, he told me that Donald Duck's teeth were perfect (Later on, I learned that ducks don't have teeth.) and that he would want me to be like Donald and Donald would help me. With that I became very excited. So come brushing time, Tatay gave me a Donald Duck toothbrush. I diligently brushed  my teeth since then knowing that I would have the same teeth as Donald's.

Times have changed. I am now a father with two bouncing, very active, and assertive boys. 

Teaching them the importance of mouth hygiene is a daunting task. I remember how my father has encouraged me to develop the habit. But boy, kids nowadays have a way of circumventing on every logic, notion, or rationale that are imposed by their parents. They simply don't listen and follow. It's more like listen and ask, "Why?" The trick is, if the reason does not conform to what they want, then so long reason. 

As for the "mouth hygiene" thing, my eldest Ross taught me one important lesson on how to do it. During one of our heated arguments on why he should clean his teeth, he argued, "Why can't it be fun?" At that moment, I realized that my dad a long time ago taught me and my sisters mouth hygiene by engaging us in somewhat "role playing" activity. Whenever we brush our teeth, he would pretend to be Donald Duck and would even imitate the character's manner of speech.

As for the care of my kids, my wife and I agreed to brush with them together. To enhance the experience more we bought them their favorite character themed toothbrushes. Then while we brushed together, we would pretend that we belonged to a family that would always do the same things one at a time. It so happened that my son Ross's favorite character then was Mickey Mouse.

So while we were brushing, I would usually ask him to discuss things about Mickey Mouse. Then at certain instances, my wife and I would give quick instructions to Ross the manner on which he should clean his teeth. So every night, we would gather around near the sink and brush our teeth together. It became our bonding time or ritual before sleeping. Our brushing time became a fun-filled and anticipated activity everyday. 

Nowadays, Ross has developed the habit of cleaning his teeth regularly even at times without us telling him. My wife and I together with him are still doing it but with one more "trainee" in the guise of his younger brother, Ice. Same routine, same fun but with a twist since Ice has Mild Autism. he has the tendency to stick to routines. On top of the routines that I have mentioned, one particular aspect of our brushing session with Ice is his fixation to a particular brand of toothpaste. Among all the brands that we have tried and tested on him, he prefers with utmost reverence, Colgate Original. So far, my kids have developed strong, white teeth on top of their good brushing habits.

The latest "Minions" themed toothbrush and Colgate toothpaste can be motivating factor for young kids who love the adorable Minion characters like Dave, Stuart, Kevin, Carl, Phil, and Lance to see brushing as fun-filled health-laden activity. Furthermore, Colgate has customized oral care by coming up with two (2) variants of their themed product, both available in Lazada Philippines---

Colgate Minions 2-5 Years Old (Junior) Oral Care Pack  and Colgate Minions Kids 5-9 Years Old (Youth) Oral Care Pack (This is definitely a must-have for Ice who is currently six years old.).

These packs were specifically designed through research to address the oral hygiene needs of kids while keeping them happy and inspired as they brush their teeth.

In this life we call a "journey", we have the power to choose what we want to be and the road that we want to travel. In my case, I always choose to take the road less traveled. I always believe that I am on the right track when the situation gets tough. All I have to do is to purge all my resources and energy positively to keep going.

Having a difficult and sad childhood up to the extent of being stripped off with everything in young adulthood while figuring out how to earn for a living as a breadwinner, summarizes the darkest days of my life until I decided to get married and build a family of my own. I believed in those moments that "It shall pass", and it did. I faced reality and held on to the truth. I trained my mind to find something good in every bad situation. Having distasteful moments could teach more than losing more. The most important aspect of it was I learned who my true friends were and faith kept my sanity intact.

My life has been a continuous struggle but it doesn't stop me from being self-directed and optimistic. There was one time that I had a chance to converse with a friend priest and I told him my life story. These were the exact words that he said, "If that situation of yours happened to someone else, he or she might get crazy." Yes, it was easy to just give up and be selfish. I was young and there were opportunities in store for me that could be attained by being alone... But I chose to stay and be with my mom and brother. I didn't run away from my problems. I initially chose to stay away from negative people and that helped a lot. 

I am now married to my best friend, the best husband and dad, the person that God has given me in those times that I've needed someone to understand me. We have two wonderful boys and the youngest has been diagnosed with Mild Autism Spectrum Disorder. We have so many blessings to thank for despite having a challenging family life. We may not be rich in material possessions but I can say that we are happy. Our togetherness is truly a gift.

Trials come and I can face them bravely and conquer them gracefully because I am surrounded with good people. But at the back of my mind, am I truly contented? Am I completely free from my ugly past?

Honestly, there comes a time when I feel that there is lacking despite planning my life purposefully in accordance to what I know that is best for myself and the people I love. I feel this way when everything turns out unwell despite being prepared and righteous. Maybe, subconsciously, I feel that life is very unfair despite doing my very best to make it fair for myself and the people that I hold dear. I have a strong faith in God and it's very wrong to ask Him "Why me again? All is well and good, but why another misfortune? Mabuti naman akong tao at wala akong inaapakan. Bakit ako na naman?" Well, I am not always thinking like this. It seldom happens but it hurts. I feel this way whenever I am bombarded with too much problems all at the same time.  Itutulog ko lang at nagiging okay naman ako kinabukasan. I keep moving forward. I stay optimistic and do the things that I trained my mind and body for including repression and suppression of feelings. But still, I feel that there's an empty space in my life that needs to be filled in. 

Learning about the upcoming e-course, "The Roadmap to a Fulfille Life" by Miss Viviene Bigornia, just came right on time. I seldom read posts on Facebook for a couple of days due to my very busy schedule and it was the first post that popped up! Maybe God was sending me a message. Maybe involving myself in this course could take all my unresolved issues away.

These four statements struck me the most when I visited the website that prompted me to take the course:

- Learn the foundation and the very first step in finding God's calling

- Know what is a fulfilled life and how to experience it.

- Unearth your past experiences and discover where God is leading you.

- Get yourself prepared to transition from where you are to where you should be.

I am totally submitting myself to this course. Enrollment starts today, April 28, and ends on May 15. Upon enrollment, I can get an access to the following:

- Free Ebooks
- Free Printables
- Exclusive Access to its Private Community

You may go to http://thefulfilledwomen.com/fulfilled-life/ for more details.  If you feel that you have a situation closer to mine or if you are still finding your purpose, I invite you to learn with me. I believe that this will help us break the chain of resentments and pain to find more meaning in what we do.

This morning, I posted this Mother's Day greeting on my Instagram account. I sincerely and truly love my life as a mom despite all the challenges that come with it.

It is and never will it be easy to raise kids. The financial, psychological, spiritual, social, intellectual, and all the aspects that encompass motherhood can be insanely difficult but nonetheless doable. The situation that I have right now has never been taught by mom through words but I've seen and felt them through her actions. I've known what to expect but experience is still the best teacher. 

For me, being a mom is still the greatest and most perfect decision that I've made in my life.

Papa always say, "Mahirap talagang magpalaki ng tao." He always says this whenever our children do something in discord with the norms that we set as their parents. Like us, our children are not perfect. We also accept that children in this generation are way beyond different in their preferences. 

Despite teaching them good values, they may go astray then realize afterwards that they have done something inappropriate. For us, learning from mistakes and standing up right after stumbling down matters but learning from other people's mistakes is much better than the former. 

But committing mistakes is inevitable. That's why we have to teach our kids morals for them to be good people and they are going to do the same when they have families and kids of their own.

Sometimes our kids disobey. The perfect example that I'm going to share with you is the situation that has happened a while ago.

Papa asked Kuya to throw the garbage, one of the few of his household duties at home. Then he refused with an attitude! Papa became agitated and told him to go to his room. (One of our rules as parents is we never talk or reprimand our kids while we are angry.)

After a few minutes of cooling down, I called Kuya and told him that Papa and I wanted to talk to him. This was our conversation.

Papa: "Anak, why do you always refuse to throw the garbage. I don't ask you to do so much for the family. As Mama and I have told you before, you have rights as a child in the family but with every right comes responsibility."

I: "Anak, we already taught you all the things that we thought you needed to know as an individual. You are already big enough to discern between right and wrong. It's up to you to decide but we expect you to do the right things because it's for your own good and it serves as a practice for you so that you'd know what to teach your kids when you have your own family. When Papa and I were kids, we were obedient to our parents not because of fear but because of love. Sana, Anak, ganoon ka rin sa amin. But we want it to be natural. Hindi pilit."

Papa: "Sabi nila, kung ano ang puno, siyang bunga. Ang santol ay hindi mamumunga ng bayabas. Tama, 'di ba? Pero ang prutas ay hindi tao kaya hindi ako naniniwala sa kasabihang 'yan. MAY FREE WILL BA ANG SANTOL? Wala, hindi ba? ANG TAO AY BINIGYAN NG DIYOS NG FREE WILL PARA PAG-ISIPAN KUNG ANG KANYANG GINAGAWA AY TAMA O MALI. It's so unfair for others to say na kaya masama ang anak ng isang tao ay dahil masama ang kanyang mga magulang. Someday if someone will tell me that you are bad because of me and your Mama, I'll tell that person that it's so unfair for him or her to say that. Hindi kami masamang tao ng Mama mo. Hindi ka namin tinuturuang maging masamang anak."

I: "It's up to you, Anak, how you use your free will. But we hope and believe that you will use it to do good things. We love you, Anak. You are a good kid. Please don't forget that. "

Then Kuya began to cry. He was apologetic. We closed the conversation with this statement:

"We love you, Anak. We want what's best for you. We want you to be a good person and that goodness is something that you can pass on to others and to your future wife and kids." 

And it was sealed with a warm embrace.

I know that this conversation will recur, once, twice, or even more than ten times. At the end of the day, it's part of parenthood. It's part of my zestful life as a mom.

Happy Mother's Day to all moms out there who share the same challenges and triumphs like I have. As I always say, let's savor every moment. Each day is worth living because God has given us the best vocation in the world.