On 2015, CHANGE...

On 2016, BALANCE...

Last year, FOCUS...

This year, MINDFULNESS...

This is my fourth time sharing my #OneWord for the new year. I have chosen "Mindfulness" because it goes hand in hand with "Focus". According to the dictionary as searched in Google, the word mindfulness means a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique. It also means the quality or state being conscious or aware of something.

In short, being MINDFUL means taking time for what truly matters.



I would like to continue practicing what I've started in 2015, making it consistent this year. I've noticed that mindfulness is what works well for me to keep my family and myself doing well in all aspects. Practicing mindfulness keeps me and my family from committing so many mistakes. It keeps things in order and in proper perspective because we focus on one goal at a time, living each day without so much stress and pressure because we try to keep things simple.

Two years ago, when the whole family recovered from being hospitalized for three consecutive weeks, I never let my work or personal concerns again to hinder me from being mindful. I remember that moment when I also got sick but forced myself to recover in a day because no one would take care of them aside from me. I wouldn't want that moment to happen again. It taught me a lesson. It made me realize that my health and family, first and foremost should be my priorities before anything else. Reaching personal dreams and goals would be useless when the well-being of the people around me would be at stake.

From then on, I promised myself that I should always stay positive, refrain from thinking and talking about negative things to avoid attracting them, and of course being focused on what's happening around me despite being busy with my personal concerns. 

Now that I am more eager to be present not just physically but spiritually especially when I am with my family, I would still drop everything when my family needs me from the simplest to the most complex situations. I would still stay focused on their whereabouts even if I am working and dealing with my personal concerns. I am not going to feel irritated when things don't happen based on how I want them to be. Focusing on what truly matters and what's good and important at the moment is easy to say, hard to do sometimes, but possible to do.

I am not a perfect wife or mom but I do my best to be close to being one. Being mindful is one of the keys to do it.

I have so many reasons to be grateful for last year. I am strong and alive. I have a chance to wake up in the morning to see and serve my family while doing the things that I love. These are the blessings that I am grateful for. My life is very challenging and exhausting at times but the love of the supportive people that surround me makes me feel that I am on the right track.

My perfume business partnership with my BFF that started in late December 2016 is still ongoing. We always see each other and it's one of the best ways to take a break from our usual routines. It's a nice way to mix business and pleasure, isn't it?

I'm in a blogging hiatus for a month because of the new endeavor that I really, really enjoy and that is trying and testing perfume testers with my best friend and eventually selling our favorites. Who wouldn't love to smell good all the time using designer perfumes at a fraction of a price of those being sold on reputable malls? Our mini online store is open to our friends at the moment but we are planning to open it publicly soon. We are still working on it. 😊😉☺ . #allaroundpinaymama #aapmfavorites #bargainhunter #perfume #eternityforwomen #jadore #jourdhermes #guccienvyme #perfumecollection #perfumetesters #onlinestoreph #igersmanila #mommybloggersphilippines #certifiedbloggers #momswhoblogph #momblogger #17january2016

A post shared by Gng. SJ Valdez (@allaroundpinaymama) on Jan 16, 2017 at 11:10pm PST

I never thought that I would be fitter and stronger last year although I admit that I gained weight due to my "cheat eats" during the holidays.

I always see myself in front of the mirror that's why I can't gauge the huge transformation on my physique. One of my best friends that I didn't see for a long time told me that she hardly recognized me until she saw me walk. . What I am sure of is that I feel lighter and healthier right now compared three months ago. I lost 11 kilos after two months. Now I am enjoying the normal Body Mas Index for my height. . I'm also not used to taking selfies. To see the difference, I just use these photos taken during Blogapalooza 2016, while having my short talk about Bunso in his school on June 2016, and after my book hunting in Scholastic Warehouse Sale last summer. Kayo na po ang humusga. . For those who are asking, "Ano ang ginawa mo para pumayat ka?" I've written them in @psstphofficial and here are the links. Sana po ay makatulong sa inyo. . COMMON NUTRITIOUS FOODS THAT BURN BELLY FAT QUICKLY http://www.psst.ph/common-nutritious-foods-that-burn-belly-fat-quickly/ . HOW TO LOSE 52 POUNDS SAFELY IN 2 1/2 MONTHS http://www.psst.ph/lose-weight-safely/ . PRACTICAL TIPS FOR WEIGHT WATCHERS http://www.psst.ph/practical-tips-weight-watchers/ . EASY EXERCISE ROUTINE THAT BURNS BODY FAT QUICKLY http://www.psst.ph/easy-exercise-routine-that-burns-body-fat-quickly/ . Honestly, I am not that strict in following my previous diet but I refrain from eating the food items that are prohibited. I also cut down my exercise time due to my very busy schedule but I never let the day pass without stretching and exercising even for just 5-10 minutes. Dream ko na magkaroon ng magandang abs at mas toned na arm muscles. Uumpisahan ko na 'yan sa sem break. Hihi. . I was once a woman who accepted the fact that being fat was okay. Being married and having kids became the lame excuse for me. But sickness made me realize that I must do something about it and it was possible to bring back my body healthy inside and out.

A post shared by Gng. SJ Valdez (@allaroundpinaymama) on Oct 9, 2017 at 2:21am PDT

I blog and do freelance writing because they truly make me happy and sane that's why I don't feel that they're work.

In line with blogging, I never thought that it could be the channel for opportunities and collaborations to come way. 

It's almost my sixth year of blogging. I am not selling myself short but I am aware that I have so much more to learn. Despite of that shortcoming, I feel elated when there are amazing brands and people who contacted me last year for collaborations and opportunities. 

To the following, thanks for the love! I would like to thank you for making my blogging more colorful, meaningful, and purposeful in 2017.

One of the quotes that inspire me to find meaning in daily living is from William Morris. He once said, "The true secret to happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life." May it be a household chore, conversation with a friend, sight of nature, small act of kindness, mistake that has left a lesson, or compliment from someone I know or I don't even know personally, are some of the details in my life that I truly cherish. . In line with this, writing is part of my life since high school. I may not be the best writer but the endeavor makes me truly happy. I'm so glad to know that some people also find meaning in what I do. It's such a big blessing for me. Nakatataba ng puso. ❤❤❤ . Thank you, www.mykidsneedthat.com, the world's #1 resource for the best kids' toys & gift ideas, for including me on your list. There are thousands even millions of bloggers in the world and I am so blessed to be discovered by you. Being one of your 50 Top Parental Blogs in 2017 makes me feel purposeful. Sabi nga, may saysay naman pala ang pagbabahagi ko ng aking thoughts. 😁😁😁 . Sa totoo lang, Mars at Pards, gusto kong himatayin sa kilig na makasama ako sa list with New York Times Best Selling Author Jill Smokler of Scarymommy.com. Ayayay! Pasensya na po kayo, masayang-masaya lang po ako. Minsan lang po itong mangyari, pagbigyan ninyo na po ako! May kasama pang speech! 😅😅😅 . 50 PARENTAL BLOGS WORTH READING AND FOLLOWING IN 2017 https://www.mykidneedsthat.com/best-parental-blogs/ . #allaroundpinaymama #aapmmusings #momblogger #mommybloggersph #psstphofficial #psst

A post shared by Gng. SJ Valdez (@allaroundpinaymama) on Nov 6, 2017 at 8:41pm PST

Blogger friends na matagal ko ng kilala at bago pa lang nakilala, pagkadami-dami ninyo hindi ko na kayo iisa-isahin kasi bukas na ako matatapos, you know who you are. Love ko kayo.

Natupad ang dream ko na sumulat sa isang local online magazine. Thanks, Miss Kathy Ngo and Psst.ph family, for allowing me to be part of the team.

To the PRs and brands that I declined due to conflict in schedule due to mom duties, thank you for understanding and for still trusting this Mama.

Loyal readers and followers na naging friends ko na rin na nandiyan palagi to support hindi lang present kapag may giveaway ako. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Kung may nakalimutan po ako, ipagpaumanhin ninyo po at ako'y may memory gap. I hope I didn't miss anyone. 

Barbie is a doll that every girl's dream to own. It's perfectly beautiful and stylish. It can be dressed up in any way that makes it fit to do any role that a little girl assigns to her.

Barbie is more than just an iconic doll. She is the epitome of what every girl wishes to be. Every girl , like Barbie, can do anything and can be good at it because she is confident and willed to be the best person that she can be.

This was the mission of the event , Barbie You Can Be Anything, held in Lucky Chinatown Mall last October.

Kudos to Rich Prime Global Inc. for organizing an event like this. It was such a pleasure seeing those girls hit the runway and join the activities in store for them passionately and confidently. It was clear to me that they were getting ready to be a full-grown real Barbie dolls--- girls who would do anything to be the best that they could be.

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.

I made a major decision that changed my life as a married career woman 11 years ago. It was easy for me to embrace the idea of becoming a stay at home mom. I knew that I had to give up so much pertaining to a promising career opportunities and mobile lifestyle. I accepted that meeting with friends and fast professional and personal growth would be scarce or none at all. I didn't falter because all I thought was the presence that I could give Kuya and having a nanny would never be an option  again.

Paps and I hired a nanny twice but it never worked for us. It came to a point that only the two of us could fully understand and extend our patience to our son who was very active and clingy that time.

I never look back totally but sometimes I glance behind a little to remember the reason why I have decided to become a SAHM especially during those moments when I feel exhausted, impatient, and irritable. It is inevitable that some days are better than others and vice versa. My life becomes more challenging and time bound when I have started a homebased business with my mom after giving birth to Bunso who has been diagnosed with Mild Autism before his fourth birthday. I have to juggle my duties to give my best to my family especially to my precious sons and have trained myself to insert at least 20 minutes of "me time" a day to keep my sanity intact.


There are instances that I become so focused with business tasks that I take some time that is intended for my kids to finish deadlines. Honestly, I feel guilty. We live by the paycheck that makes me more eager to help my husband earn for a living to give our kids the life that they deserve. Like Paps, I take time to give our kids not just their basic needs but their wants sometimes because I like them to grow up knowing how to prioritize and make the right decisions. I communicate with them and teach them life lessons for them to grow up good and self-directed individuals. I see to it that I make the best out of what we have as a family. I do my best to be always there for my kids. I love them more than I love myself. I can give up everything to make them happy. But the question is, do they know and feel how much I love them? I know that it's not always easy to give the best for my kids but is my best enough for them?

I have shortcomings and imperfections and I wonder how my kids perceive me as a mom. Do their hugs and kisses validate their love for me? When they say "I love you, Mama", do they really mean that they love me or it's just a sort of a habit because I always say "I love you" to them several times a day? Honestly, it never crossed my mind to ask them not until I watched this video:

It's Mother's Month and a perfect time to reflect. How do our kids see us? Sapat kaya ang atensiyon at pagmamahal na ibinibigay natin sa kanila? Here's a touching video about how kids see their moms. Ihanda na ang tissue bago panoorin at nakaaantig ng damdamin. . https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1201733093286441&id=821902747936146&_rdr . #allaroundpinaymama #FernCKidz #kalidadnaalaga

A post shared by SJ Valdez (@allaroundpinaymama) on May 11, 2017 at 1:11am PDT

By merely thinking of asking them about how they see me as a mom makes me feel uncomfortable. It's because I feel that my efforts are not enough, that I still need to improve more to be the best mom that I can be. My husband once told me during one of the lowest moments of my life as a mom, "Mama, don't be too hard on yourself. You are a great mom and always remember that." I hope that my kids feel the same way. Well, I don't have the courage to ask my kids but I can ask Paps to do that for me.
FERN-C kidz was created and manufactured by the makers of FERN-C, the number one Sodium Ascorbate Vitamin C brand in the Philippines. As a product of FERN Incorporated and having the Quali-C seal, you are assured of its quality and efficacy. Plus, your children are sure to love the delicious orange flavor of FERN-C kidz. #KalidadnaAlaga ay sigurado with FERN-C kidz. 

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.