My Latest “Pick-Me-Uppers” (Team Manila, Freeman Facial Scrub, Messy Bessy Cleaning Products, Laura Mercier, Nesquick, YouTube, How To Really Love Your Child, Power of A Praying Woman, Petite Patisserie)

I don’t know about you,  but now more than ever, with a little active and precocious toddler in the house (my Drian just turned two last month!), coupled with the absence of a household help, things have been extra-busy and a tad more exhausting than usual on the home front.  I pray that this entry finds you in a relaxed state of mind, as I am slowly sinking into one right this very moment.

My Drian during her 2nd birthday party at Jollibee (I do believe every child should celebrate at Jollibee at least once! Hahaha! It was truly a fun experience for kids AND adults alike!).

(Photo Credits: Andrew Steven Sarmiento)

I read somewhere that “God is in the details.”  I have always believed in that.  In the simplest little things that make up an entire picture, I find that there is beauty and always something to appreciate.  There have a lot of little items that I have considered my latest “pick-me-uppers” as a wife and Mama, and I’d love to share them with you.

1. TEAM MANILA Limited Edition Bag

The other day I was able to buy a little something for myself…An extremely reasonably-priced cloth bag from TEAM MANILA (one of my favorite stores) that is both cute as it is tongue-in-cheek kitschy.  As an avid (more like die-hard! haha!) Michael Jackson fan, I simply could not resist.  It’s the bag I use for every day now, and seeing it and having it around lightens my mood.  Why? ‘Cause a part of the bag says “The Michael Jackson Look-aike Sing-alike Dance-a-thon.”  How Pinoy is that?!??! I also love their shirts, purses, journals, bag tags, stickers….They have so many gift ideas for the upcoming holidays, and holiday-shoppers!

2. FREEMAN – BARE FOOT Creamy Pumice Foot Scrub, BEAUTIFUL FACE Apricot & Wild Cherry Facial Scrub

The absence of a household aide or yaya has obviously left me limited (or zero! hahaha) time to rush off to the nearest salon or spa or parlor for a facial or a soothing footscrub.  Thank God supermarkets carry these simple yet super-effective brands.

3. MESSY BESSY

I’ve already mentioned about highly recommending the MESSY BESSY brand in one of my Facebook posts/shoutouts.  Proof that my family and I are happy with these products is another trip we made to the Echo Store at Podium to pick up more bottles and replenish our stock of their Disinfectant Aroma Spray.  It’s a no-rinse spray perfect to clean any surface, without the cloying and dizzying smell that usually comes with strong concentrated cleaning agents.  Of course, their Aloe & Green Tea Hand Wash is equally fantastic and their Vanilla Lite Hand Cream smells delicious and moisturizes really well! Sure-fire yet simple pick-me-uppers from Messy Bessy that are handy in the home and easy on the environment!

4. LAURA MERCIER BATH AND BEAUTY PRODUCTS

This Laura Mercier tandem has been a definite staple in my list of “pick-me-uppers” for the longest time.  The Chocolate Truffle Souffle Body Cream and The Chocolate Truffle Honey Bath NEVER FAIL to make bathtime and after-bath wonderful.  Obviously baths are essential “me time” moments for me (what a joy when I’m not rushed! Hahaha!), and my daughter and husband appreciate the lingering and subtle chocolate-y scent on my skin that is just delicious as it comforting.  This was a gift from Rodrin, and though I know it may be a bit steep for a beauty product, it is worth the once-in-a-long time splurge, since it makes me feel sooo good.

5. BROWSING THROUGH PHOTO ALBUMS & SCRAPBOOKS

One of the things that gets me through the day is looking through photo albums I’ve compiled and organized through the years (the collection is still growing!).  Soon, the only problem won’t be the immense number of photos I need to print but the shelf space for all the scrapbooks and photo books.  But really, I love looking at our photos as a couple and as a family.  That’s why I’m such a big fan of photo studios and I so appreciate my friends who share their talent in photography with us!  What a joy that I’m blessed with a lot of friends who love taking our pictures! Heehee!

6. LITTLE YUMMY GOODIES IN CLEAR GLASS JARS / CONTAINERS

I was able to buy these air-tight clear plastic containers from Rustan’s Supermarket in Rockwell, and they are fabulous.  I enjoy filling these with chocolates or “cornick” or any small food item that’ll be easier for me and my hubby to get.  I also like using clean clear jars long after they’ve been washed and emptied of contents, like filling peanut-butter M&M’s in an old glass jar that used to be filled with peaches.  Even though I watch what I eat now even more (I eat fish-chicken-seafood and vegtables and fruits during the week and indulge in beef and pork only on weekends), these little see-through containers filled with little snacks are interesting short-term rewards while stealing a few chapters from an unfinished book during Drian’s naptime.

7. NESQUICK

When I need my sugar fix in between hours of chasing after my baby girl or when I’m having a quick merienda while she’s napping, Nesquick brings me back to my childhood days.

8. VINTAGE VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE THAT I CAN SHARE WITH MY DAUGHTER

As a mother, another source of joy is being able to share with my child the things I enjoyed in my own childhood, and most especially seeing her appreciate these things.  Thanks to Youtube, vintage videos are still accessible.  I can’t help but wish there were DVD collections of all these wonderful snippets that make my (and so many others in my generation) childhood come alive once again.  My Drian and I have been enjoying another bonding moment—watching old videos like classic and memorable episodes from Sesame Street (anyone remember the intro?  They have versions from 1970, the 80′s, the 90′s up to the year 2000!), Mickey Mouse / Disney cartoons (remember Donald Duck and Chip & Dale’s “Apple Core” episode?), or from film musicals like Mary Poppins (Drian loves “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!”), The Sound of Music (she memorizes “Doe A Deer/DO RE MI”, “So Long Farewell,”), Annie (she knows ALL the songs to this one!), and even the intro videos of classic cartoons like Rainbow Brite, Care Bears, My Little Pony, and Barbie.

Watching these old vintage videos give my little daughter a peek into the quality of the things we used to watch as children, and I have to say, we even watched Michael Jackson’s 80′s Pepsi Generation commercial (I’m such a fan of Michael’s, I could NOT resist!), and Drian loves it! She even says, “Mama, [let's] watch Mai-kel Jack-shoon.” Hahaha!

9. BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS!

Books have always been a great way to escape the hustle-and-bustle of the day, but even more so now that I’m immersed in domesticity now more than ever.

Here are some highly recommended titles that I’ve enjoyed (and continue to read over and over) that have helped (and continue to help!) me get through the really tiring and exhausting but ultra-fulfilling days of being a wife and Mama:

1. What To Expect The Toddler Years by Heidi Murkoff, et al.

2.  Homeschooling for Success by Rebecca Kochenderfer

3. Mommy Talk: The Oh’s and Oh No’s Of Motherhood by Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan

4. How To Really Love Your Child by Dr. Ross Campbell

5. The Power Of A Praying Woman by Stormie Omartian

10. CUPCAKES & MORE SWEETS!

I love cupcakes!

For Drian’s 2nd birthday (she had a lot of celebrations—a pre-birthday trip to Bohol that we took as a family, her actual birthday dinner, and her birthday party a week later, which was held at Jollibee that gathered family and good friends together), we were able to sample a lot of goodies from the creative and talented hands of my friend Chef Mercedes Camacho-Peterson, who runs Petite Patisserie, which specializes made-to-order petit fours and other delectable treats. She’s so talented, and such a nice person too.

She even threw in a specially made mini-cake for Drian to go with our existing orders.  What a delightful surprise!

Here are a few glimpses of the sweet goodies we’ve tried from her home-based bakery:

Left: Low-sugar blondies (dark chocolate and macadamia nuts)

Right: Petite vanilla cupcakes (with orange and yellow frosting, the color theme of Drian’s birthday)

A closer look at the petite vanilla cupcakes we ordered for Drian’s birthday dinner

A tighter shot of the low-sugar blondies

We enjoyed the pastries so much that we ordered regular-sized vanilla cupcakes to be used as giveaways for Drian’s birthday party at Jollibee

For orders and inquiries for these mouthwatering mini-sweets, you may reach Chef Mercedes Camacho-Peterson at 0917-8961215.  Cupcakes are always a great party giveaway and treat, not just at children’s parties, but a great star in any dessert buffet.  They’re almost always part of our family’s celebrations.

Like I said, I love cupcakes and sweets, and I’m always open to trying something new.  There are days when I really take the time to order cupcakes, even without a special occasion to celebrate.  Every day is special, I think, and I’ve been able to savor the hard work and time my talented baking-friends have put into their little creations.  These little goodies are always something to enjoy by the entire family, and they do have a way of lifting up my spirits, not to mention giving me that much-needed sugar fix.

So there you have it…10 of my latest pick-me-uppers, some not so new but ones that never fail to ease the exhaustion or at least lighten the load and put a smile on my face.

During Drian’s 2nd Birthday party

(Photo Credits: Cinematic Babies.com)

But more than anything, having a helpful and appreciative husband and an obedient, precocious, and ever-malambing little girl are the ultimate pick-me-uppers for a devoted wife and doting Mama like me.  May you be blessed as you go about your own wifely and motherly duties! Kudos and God Speed!