When Baby Bath Time Is Made Easier

While pregnant we gear up ourselves with information of how-to’s and think that we have it all figured out but once the little one arrives, our world turns upside down.
One of the things we go frenzy with is the bath time, at first I was clueless (and I guess till now) on what to do but the good thing is, I have two great women who shared their best practice in bathing the little ones:

My Mom 
My mom uses layered towels on the table (to absorb the water) and a basin of lukewarm water on the side. The baby is laid on the towel and the bath time begins.

My Mom-in-law
Her one-hand method may sound complicated. For her, it’s easy as 123, baby on the one had - head on the palm and the rest of the body on the arm - while one free hand for the soap and water. 

Old methods maybe overwhelming but with new and old things combined we get a hassle-free making bath time a breeze for new moms. 

Baby Company, The Baby Specialist, offers a wide range of merchandise to match a newborn’s checklist --- from nursing,  feeding and weaning essentials, clothes, toys, diapers and toiletries, to furniture and carriers even educational media for the enhancement of the baby’s mental development. The good news is that it also offers a wide variety of baby bathing essentials suited to baby's age -- this includes bath tubs, bath racks, bath support, baby dippers, towels and toiletries. They even have toys to make bath time fun and enjoyable.

Photo Credits: Vanilla Housewife

More good news! Baby Company had just opened their newest branch at SM Seaside City Cebu!! With bigger place, more product options and staffs with good customer service, shopping for bathing needs would be so effortless for Cebu mommies.

For more details about Baby Company, visit their website and follow them on Facebook.
Website: http://www.babycompany.com.ph/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/babycompanyph

Thank you Mommy Bloggers Philippines, Vanilla Housewife and Pam of HeyMissAdventures for the invitation :)

Tokyo Table Cebu - What to Expect

Japan is always been close to my heart. I failed to pass a Japan scholarship conducted by Tesda. I love the language that I took the JLPT exam (still I failed). My first job was in a Japanese-owned company. Japanese was the first foreign national I've worked with (really smart and a good colleague). Japan was the first country I've visited and it is with the opportunity that I get to learn to love the people, their culture and their food.

Last Friday, I had a chance to dine with a few members of CBC - the #CBCFoodies. I couldn't resist the meetup when the invitation was to feast at one of the finest buffet restaurant here in the metro - Tokyo Table. 
Tokyo Table Cebu, which is located at City Times Square, Mantawi Avenue, Tipolo, Mandaue City (in front of Parkmall), is a Japanese-Chinese-Korean fusion and this invitation was fitting as I am craving for sushi lately. Been visited the place on rare occasion when budget permits and I must say this resto is really good.

Here's what to expect at Tokyo Table, Cebu:

Staff
They will welcome customers with a Japanese greeting and will escort them to their table. They will ensure that customers are comfortably settled in. They never get tired smiling and attending to the customers needs. They even cooked (grilled) the meat for you.

Place
The place is spacious. Tables for group of 4 or 6 are available and there are couch seats too. Rooms for groups who prefer private dining experience is also available. Each table has a smokeless grill stove. The ambiance depicts Japan as it is decorated with the country's artworks of bamboo wall decor, samurai paintings, curtains of Japanese writing, even their private rooms are named after Japan's famous places.

Lots of Yakiniku Choices
Yakiniku is a grilled meat sliced thinly into small servings and seasoned with spices. Lots of choices from beef, pork, chicken, shrimps, squids, seashells are available, even hotdogs, sausages and corn are an additional option. The Yakiniku flavors is not purely Japanese as there are also Korean style marinated meat like bulgogi.

Sushis and Sashimis
A variety of sushis are available to my tummy's content. My favorite! Lots of flavors too. I did try each of them and all are good with its distinct flavor. 
Sashimis are available too, though I'm not a fan of it, good to note that Tokyo Table offers salmon, tuna, squid and shrimp. There's also Ebi Tempura, Maki Tempura and Potato Dumplings in the sushi section too.

Asian Fusion
Since this resto is a fusion, expect a variety of cuisines of Japanese, Korean and Chinese foods. They offer, noodles, fish stew. They also have siomai, soup and they serve roast beef wrap with rosemary during dinner. Vegetarian? Don't you worry as they served vegetable dishes too :) 
They also have salad station --- it contains vegetable and dressings so customers have the freedom to make their own salad, potato salad, macaroni salads and fruits are also available.

Desserts
It is overwhelming! Lots of options to choose. Each dessert are serve in shot glasses or cute little plates / containers enough for single (small) serving thus, not being guilty of the sugar and calories. Also, its a chance to try and taste otherflav their other sweet offerings. Ice cream and halo-halo is also available.

Drinks
Iced teas and lemonades are unlimited too. They also offer coffee and beer. 

Price
Buffet prices is at:
P616.00 (Adult) / P380.00 (Child below 4ft) - Mondays to Fridays Lunch
P728.00 (Adult) / P380.00 (Child below 4ft) - Mondays to Thursdays Dinner
P840.00 (Adult) / P380.00 (Child below 4ft) - Fridays Dinner to Sundays Dinner/Holidays

Personally, its a bit pricey for average earners like me but then again for a choice of grilled meat, sushi, sashimis, asian dishes, unlimited desserts and drinks could be worth it. This may gratify those who are willing to reward oneself from a hard-day's work pig out on a buffet set-up but for those on diet or picky-eater, it may or may not be worth the price... or forget the price and matter who you dine with :)

Anyways, Good Food plus Good People? what more could I ask for. I'm glad I joined the #CBCFoodies meetup where I was able to meet new friends over a grand dinner. 
Thanks again CBC :D

#‪‎cbcfoodbloggerssoiree‬ ‪#‎cbcfoodiestokyotableinvasion‬ ‪#‎kalaminions‬ ‪#‎cbclevelup‬ #‎iblogforcbc‬

Grab Bag, a must have!

My kid's school conducted a Disaster Preparedness Training for all students. One of the activities is the preparation of "grab bag" and putting it in the most accessible location of the house so that when a disaster or emergency situation occurs, kids can immediately grab his/her bag before moving away to safer area.

Grab bag is basically a kit  that contains essential things needed in order for a person to survive during disaster or emergency situation. These essential things may vary since each person has different needs for him/her to survive. Since this is only for survival for a short period of time while waiting for help, this grab bag should be concise (based on individuals perspective) and at same time light enough for the individual to carry. Some call it Preppers Bag or Bug Out Bag. Also, lots of related post are already available to those who want to learn more.

My favorites are:
Happy Preppers
The Prepper Journal

I am thankful for the school that they offer this exercise and let the kids understand the dynamics of disaster and the concept of self-protection or survival.

Below is the school's suggested list of essential things of a Kid's Grab Bag:

Bag
- Durable enough to carry the contents

Food
- Easy to open and ready to eat is a must. Should be enough for 72 hours.

Water
- Enough to satisfy thirst for 72 hours too. Better bring an extra for

Clothing
- Lightweight clothing enough to keep you warm

Flashlight with extra batteries
- For temporary light especially at night

First Aid Kit / Medicines
- Immediate temporary recovery on an injury

Insect Protection
- Protection from insect bites

Safety Vest / Floating Device
- A must have for places prone to flood

Scissors
- or a knife

Match / Lighter
- In the case of the need of fire

Mirror / Whistle
- A form of communication to let rescuers know your location

Important Documents

Personally, I hope that there no calamities or disaster that may force us to use the Grab Bag. Of all the bag, this Grab Bag is the least bag that I (we) would use. However, there is nothing wrong with being prepared, there are events that mankind have no control of thus the least we can do is to be prepared in any way and pray and offer our trust to God.

Guest Post: Alternative Cleaning Options to Avoid Toxins

Good Day Mommies :D I have here a guest post from Edna Thomson. She is from London and she will be sharing with us some alternative cleaning options that is safer to consumers and friendly to the environment.

Great "Back to Basics" advise. 
Happy Reading :D

Alternative Cleaning Options To Avoid Toxins

It is a known fact that cleaning products contain lots of chemicals and toxic ingredients which are key to their being as effective as they usually are. You don't have to be a genius to figure it out. In fact many cleaning products manufacturers don't list all the ingredients their detergents contains and there's a good reason for that. At best they would list those ingredients which are known to be relatively safe while skipping the toxic ones altogether. A common and widespread way to deceive  customers into believing they're buying harmless and eco-friendly products is to simply label them as “natural” or “pure”. Sadly, in many cases this couldn't be further from the truth.

   The good news is there's a way to avoid these toxic chemicals by substituting them with some natural cleaning alternatives. Here are some of the most frequently used cleaning products and their less toxic counterparts presented by DPC Cleaning Bayswater:

Photo Credits: foodmatters.tv

   Lemon juice can be used as a substitute for bleach – a rather hazardous chemical, known to cause eye and skin irritation, as well as breathing problems when inhaled for prolonged periods of time. On the other hand you can always ditch it for this  simpler and more natural alternative – lemon juice. Containing one of the strongest food-acids, lemons can effectively remove stains from your clothes without causing any unpleasant irritations. The acidity of the lemon can help you clean your microwave or stove or to get rid of the mould in your bathroom. In conjunction with salt it acts as a natural cleaner, not to mention it would freshen up and deodorize your home.

Photo credits: www.tomiscolourpavilion.com

  Cornstarch is  perfect for cleaning up your windows and carpets. All you have to do is mix 1 tbsp of cornstarch with equal parts white vinegar and water and you're good to go. You can wipe the windows with crumpled newspapers – both the starch and the newspaper act as mild abrasives leaving your windows clean and shiny. In addition cornstarch can be used to remove carpet stains – all you have to do is sprinkle the starch over the fresh stain and leave it for several minutes. Then use a vacuum cleaner to remove it. If the stain remains, repeat the procedure again.

Photo Credits: Wellness Mama

   Sodium borate also known as Borax has a number of applications, it does not accumulate in the body and cannot be absorbed through the skin. Often it comes in the form of a crystal or powder which you can easily dissolve into water. It can be used to disinfect, deodorize, to clean painted walls and wallpapers. A plus it that sodium borate softens water. All you have to do is dip a piece of clean cloth into powdered borax and rub the stains on your wallpaper or wall.

Photo Credits: Healthy Food

   Baking soda is another cleaning alternative if you're looking to avoid toxins. It is one of the most versatile and effective tools in your household. You can prepare your own bathroom scrub by mixing ¼ cup of baking soda with vinegar. Baking soda is sometimes used as a deodorant  – if you add it to your cat's litter box if will minimize the smell to a minimum. Another brilliant and chemical-free idea is to add a cup of soda to your next batch of laundry – the result is cleaner, fresher and brighter clothes.

Photo Credits: The New HomeMaker

  Vinegar is known to safely deodorize and clean hard surfaces and the best part is that it's perfectly natural and toxin-free. White vinegar is a mild acid and can dissolve grease and stains. It can be used to clean up porcelain or tile floors. You can mix half a cup of vinegar with a gallon of warm water in a bucket. Using a mop, start at one corner of room and work your way across the other. Once you've finished, wipe the tiles with a clean towel. Don't forget you can always add a few drops of your favourite essential oil into the solution to deodorize and freshen up the room. 

  

  These natural cleaners are just as effective as their industrially-produced counterparts, not to mention they are way cheaper and would spare your skin, lungs and overall heath. Have in mind they are less damaging to the environment as well. So give them a try and see for yourself how efficient they are. 

Jesus Speak To Me Communion Dresses

First Communion celebration is fast approaching. Have you already found the communion dress for your daughter? If not try Jesus Speak To Me Communion Dresses. 

"Jesus Speak To Me is a UK based on-line shop, which sells all kinds of dresses in reasonable price. All the productions that you need in our website are custom made, which could let you get the goods suitable." --- source www.jesusspeakstome.co.uk/about

Visit their site or Facebook Page to view their designs or have a sneak peak of Jesus Speak To Me 2015 Collection that will surely look good on your daughter.

For Christian Catholic families, First Communion is one of the significant events. It is a special ceremony wherein a 7-year-old child receives the blessed sacrament of the Holy Eucharist for the first time. It their first bond with Jesus Christ.

It is believe that a 7-year-old child begins to fully understand the concept of good and wrong thus fitting to start a more closer relationship with Jesus Christ. Preparation includes inculcating to the child the true meaning of the sacrament, teaching prayer as an intimate communication with God and application to self, neighbors and the rest of the community, thus a good reason to celebrate.

For our country, a special mass is dedicated to the communicants mostly group of students. For this occasion boys usually wear formal pants paired with white polo-shirt or Barong Tagalog while girls usually wear white dress with a veil. Some families carry the tradition of passing down the same dress to sisters or cousins thus also holds a sentimentality.