Daiso Japan Opens in Glorietta 3!

A few weeks ago, our friends from Daiso Japan (formerly known as Saizen) sent us information about their new Glorietta 3 store. But because hoarders can always smell a good sale, the BentoMommas found out even before we were formally informed (read: we already shopped! LOL).

But for your benefit, I just wanted all of you to know that yes, Daiso Japan opened their latest (and one of their biggest stores) at Glorietta 3! Hurry over and check out new and exciting items for as low as P88 each!

Daiso Japan is at the 3rd Level of Glorietta 3. Happy shopping!

| facebook.com/DaisoJapanPH

| twitter.com/DaisoJapanPH

| instagram.com/daisophilippines

WORKSHOP: Business By Design

Mompreneurs and aspiring Mompreneurs! Here's something you might be interested in... 
Learn how to create a business model that actually works for you! Join the next Mompreneur meetup happening on June 28, Saturday 830-12nn at The Crib (Fun Ranch, Frontera Verde, Pasig).

Register today! Fee is P800, inclusive of handouts, materials and snack, but FREE for Mommy Mundo passport holders and mompreneur partners. To register, visit the Mommy Mundo website or text 0917-6272425.



| facebook.com/mommymundo

Yaya Diaries: AY, PERLAS!

Let me interrupt normal programming to bring you another Yaya story. Yes, Yaya J is back (thank goodness!) and so are her quirks.

Yesterday morning, while in the middle of making the bento for A, I had asked Yaya to go get my earrings from the accessory basket in my bedroom.

Photo from: Pearlhours.com on the www.

Kaye: "Ya, palihog naman. Paki-kuha naman yung hikaw ko sa basket sa kwarto. Yung perlas."
Yaya: "Anong klase, yung maliit o yung malaki?"
K: "Yung perlas, iisa lang yun dun. Medium yung size."
She comes down with a pair of silver stud earrings.
Y: "Hindi naman 'to perlas. Wala naman perlas dun."
K: "E sa'n mo yan kinuha? Hindi naman sa basket yan nakalagay e, sa bedside table yan nakalagay. Sabi ko sa basket."
Y: "Ah! Oo nga, sa basket. Sandali lang."
She then proceeds to go back up... as she reached the second floor landing, she yells...
Y: "Ano ba dito yung perlas? Yung bilog o yung dyamante?!"

Yaya, perlas nga. Perlas. LOL.

PHOTO: Bagong Buhay.

So. I've been driving my daughter A to school the past two days, and did so again this morning. Today, I was in the office at 640am.

Check out the clock register when I finally got my lappy running.

I'm thinking maybe I can do this the whole year. I've been trying so, so hard to wake up early, but can't get my system to rest before midnight. I realized though that once you're up and running by 430am, your body gives off the "I'm-exhausted-let-us-please-sleep-NOW" signal by 10pm or even earlier.

Ahhh! To catch dawn each day.

Let's do this. I want to do this.

How to Catch a Dragon?

...the elusive Toothless, that is!

Toothless is out of stock! Argh!

Just last week, on the day the movie launched in Manila, McDonald's announced their newest Happy Meal toy offering - dragons from the hit movie (I heard it is better than the first!), How To Train Your Dragon 2. Yes, that was just last Wednesday, June 11. But over the weekend, we went to five McDonald's stores (and all the other stores around our area) and they have all sold out of Toothless!

For those of you who don't know, Toothless is the main dragon character in this series. So far, RL has 5 dragons. But he's been bugging me about Toothless since. Silly me, I didn't get to go to McDonald's at all last week because I had two concerts, a store opening, a workshop and a 2-day bazaar all stuffed between Wednesday and Sunday.

So yes, how do you catch a dragon? And a Night Fury one, too!

Eight dragons to collect! Get a toy with every McDonald's Happy Meal you buy! (photo from the McDonald's Facebook page)

Catch the dragons from How To Train Your Dragon 2 at McDonald's before they fly away!



| facebook.com/McDo.ph

#HillsongSelfie

The thing with contests such as this one is... well, it takes a lot of effort. So before I announce the winners, I would like to thank everyone who took time to plan, shoot, post, and share their entries. I would also like to thank those who sent birthday greetings. I really am sorry if you misunderstood the mechanics of the contest, but I really, really appreciate the hard work you put into making something creative just for me.

Some of our qualified entries...

Great job, guys! And so, without further ado, let me announce the winners for the #HillsongSelfie contest! Do note that a total of 9 people came together to judge your photo entries. With much consideration for the qualifications of our sponsors, here are the selected winners...

TOP PICK

to win three (3) Hillsong United PATRON - SRO Tickets

(valid only for June 11, 2014)

Congratulations, MARC DANIEL RIVERA!

TWO (2) RUNNERS-UP

to each win three (3) Hillsong United UPPER BOX B Tickets

(valid only for June 11, 2014)

Congratulations, SARAH MAE MARIANO!

Congratulations, JOY MARIEL REGONDOLA!

And as promised, the following people will also be given Hillsong United gift packs from House of Praise for getting special mentions for the following categories:

MARC DANIEL RIVERA

MOST HILLSONG UNITED MERCHANDISE

JAYLORD RODRIGUEZ

MOST LIKED ENTRY

Thank you once again for joining this contest. You will all receive a notification email from me. To all ticket winners, see you tomorrow at Araneta Coliseum for Hillsong United's first worship night!

This contest has been sponsored by Becca Music, Inc. and House of Praise.

#WELCOMEZION

BRB!

I interrupt normal programming with a special message from your blogger. LOL! Seriously, I am going to be absent from the blog for about a week or so. I will try my best to blog when I can, but my week (which actually starts tomorrow) is packed! But of course I will make time to announce the winners for the #HillsongSelfie contest early next week. So stay tuned.

This was supposed to be my weekly schedule, but I got lazy. LOL!

Meanwhile, stay updated! Add me on these social media platforms:

| Facebook: facebook.com/FirstWivesClubBlog
| Twitter: twitter.com/nappyKAYE

| Instagram: instagram.com/momma_makes_imbento

Fastest Driver's License Renewal Ever!

I needed to get my license renewed. I thought I'd run that errand early this year (to save from paying the penalty), so I went and got it done 3 days before my birthday. 

I've had my license renewed at Satellite offices in the past - once at Robinsons Galleria and once at Farmers Market. I remember it being faster at Galleria, plus the mall was cooler than Farmers, so I was set on getting it done there again.

I googled for their number, and called ahead of time to check on traffic. The lady who answered the phone at 3PM told me there weren't many people in line, and that I should come right away.

At 4PM, this was the crowd at LTO Robinsons Galleria.

I actually snapped this photo right before leaving.
But it looked the same when I arrived, except that I was the only one inside the center. LOL!

It is pretty easy to get your license renewed here. Make sure you have your old license (card) since you will need to surrender this when getting a renewal.

This was hanging on the wall, but I shall outline the step-by-step procedure to help you guys out. 

I had to follow the steps below in order to get my license renewed:

STEP 1: Go to Window 2, and present your old license for inspection. The guy will look at it, check the expiry and give you an application form.

STEP 2: Go to Window A and pay P200 for your medical exam. They will give you a number, and will ask you to fill up the form while waiting for your number to be called.

I used that table to fill up my form. Took less than 2 minutes.

STEP 3: Once the form has been filled up, you must wait for your number to be called. An attendant will call your number, and you will be ushered into a small side office (left of Window A), where someone will check for your weight, and have you do an eye exam. I was asked if I wore corrective glasses, so I mentioned I actually wore corrective lenses (and that I have them on all the time, except for when I'm in bed at night). I was asked to read the last line on the eye chart.

STEP 4: You will then be asked to go back to Window 2 to give back your application form, with notation on your correct weight, and remarks from the medical exam. You must then wait for your name to be called.

STEP 5: The person manning the photobooth at Window 6 will call your name, and have you sign on their tablet. Then he will have you sit for the photo. SMILE! I smirked for my photo. Argh! 

Tablet on the left (on table) and chair for the photo on the right.

STEP 6: Your name will be called once again by the person manning Window 1. Here you would pay for your license and other fees. I paid P418.00 for my license.  

No extra penalty fees if you renew early!

STEP 7: Wait for your name to be called once again by the person manning Window 2. Once he calls you, you will be presented with your Official Receipt. You will also be asked to sign their logbook.

STEP 8: They will then ask you to wait for a few seconds. Then your actual Driver's License card will be presented to you.

Voila! All blurred, of course. Hehehe.

That's it! The whole process took less than 10 minutes! I was surprised it was that fast! Feels good to actually have a government agency working efficiently for your benefit.

When renewing your license, don't forget the following:

1) YOUR OLD EXPIRING OR EXPIRED LICENSE.

2) MONEY - P618.00 (if your license isn't expired)

3) PATIENCE. LINES COULD GET LONG (not in my case, though, hehe). 

Thank you, LTO Robinsons Galleria! That was super fast!  

| Call ahead! LTO Robinsons Galleria: (02) 631.1559

LTO Robinsons Galleria

Basement 1, East Wing

Monday to Friday, 10am to 7pm 

Affordable Quality Education

My biggest fear with single parenting is not being able to provide my kids with quality education. When A started studying, R got her into his company education plan, and received subsidy for her. Today, both A and RL study in big schools, and it is a pain to make payments, I tell you. But I am blessed with a God who provides, and I can only pray they take this privilege and use it as best they can.

Photo from the APEC Facebook page.

Because really, education is a privilege. Although a basic right, we all know that not everyone in this country gets access to education. My cousin A, who runs a program in Capiz for children of farmers, knows this all too well. When she first introduced her program, she found that parents would opt for their children to work the fields vs going to school. Because although schooling is free in public schools, they cannot afford to feed their kids and send them to school.

And what about quality education? 

A few weeks ago, while discussing enrollment plans with our temp helper, she mentioned that although her son goes to a semi-private school, she can only hope that he gets to find a good paying job after high school. Her eldest is pretty smart. He dreams of going to college, but right off, our helper says they cannot afford it. So when my friend Jen Tan shared about APEC schools on her Facebook page, I knew this was the answer! The country needs this.

APEC Schools is a partnership between Ayala and Pearson to transform Filipino lives through affordable, high quality education.

APEC or Affordable Private Education Center is a chain of private schools that offer quality private education based on international standards at an incredible, affordable price! Imagine sending your child to a school that offers World-class education - all for less than P24,000! That's for the whole year! And because they understand the needs of the working class Filipino who find it difficult to provide for their children, APEC's goal is to prepare their students for the real world right after they graduate from high school.

All APEC schools are accepting incoming 7th Grade students for this school year, and enrollment is still on-going. They currently have 12 branches. Classes start on July 14.

Checking out the APEC flyer at a Better Me session.

And with Ayala and Pearson at the helm, how can you go wrong? To know more about APEC schools, visit their Facebook page here or call them at (02) 956.7621.

Happy Birthday to Me! (A Post-Birthday Giveaway)

It was my birthday last Friday, and to celebrate, I wanted my friends to send in something different, aside from the usual birthday greet. So on Facebook, I asked them to send me a fan sign photo. Or any creative photo made especially for me. To get them going, I offered them a prize (I realize now that I only have a handful of willing friends, LOL).

Out of 33 photo greets, the kids and I were supposed to choose just our top 3. But there were actually 5 photos that stood out, showing my friends' efforts to make me happy (haha, babaw lang ng kaligayahan ko).

The following are our top picks:

My good friend Ganns (www.gannsdeen.com) sent me this photo, plus a cover of Jason Mraz's song "Make It Mine" personalized just for me. He calls it a musical selfie! So sweet!

My sales associate, Jhon, drew this caricature of me for my birthday! He is so talented!

If you want one made, you may contact him via text at 0927.3766481 or at 0908.6262471

My BFF Jenny sent me this one of my godson Mateo with Worship Generation shirts, folded to look like it says "HAPPY BDAY KAYE".
Pretty clever, huh? You can purchase Worship Generation shirts at House of Praise stores, Worship Generation stores or online through www.worshipgen.com

My co-BentoMomma, Monet, sent me this sign made out of bento tools cleverly laid out on a chopping board.
She sure knows what would capture my attention. Her son, Nino, holds their unique and creative birthday greeting!

Special mention goes to my beautiful friend Shiela, who actually sent me a fan sign! Yay!
Thank you, too, Mr. Patrol ng Pilipino, Alvin Elchico! Mwahh! LOL!

So anyway, I've decided to do something similar here, on my blog. See, I have 3 sets of Hillsong United tickets to giveaway. And although I had a contest planned, I wanted to do something different as well.


HILLSONG SELFIE - Concert Tickets Giveaway!
Note: In order to join this contest, you must:

A) Be able to catch the JUNE 11, 2014 concert. Again, please join only if you can make it on June 11. That's next Wednesday. Tickets cannot be exchanged for another concert date. You must be able to claim your tickets from me on the concert day itself, between 4-6PM, at Araneta Coliseum. Failure to claim your tickets before 6PM (unless previously arranged) will forfeit your prize.

B) Like the following on Facebook and Twitter first:

| facebook.com/FirstWivesClubBlog
| facebook.com/beccamusicinc

| facebook.com/HouseofPraise

| twitter.com/nappyKAYE
| twitter.com/beccamusic
| twitter.com/myhouseofpraise

Okay, now that we got that out of the way (I shall check, so please don't skip!), here's what you need to do:

1) Take a selfie with as much Hillsong product merchandise as you can. Merchandise includes (but are not limited to) CDs, DVDs, posters, collectibles, songbooks, photos, shirts, concert souvenirs, fan art, etc. Photo MUST NOT be a collage because you MUST be in the photo with the merch. I encourage you to be as creative as you can, BUT PLEASE USE ORIGINAL CDs AND DVDs. Pirated products will automatically disqualify your entry.

2) Post the photo on my Facebook page wall (http://facebook.com/FirstWivesClubBlog), telling me why you want to watch the Hillsong United concert (as photo caption) and tag Becca Music Inc, House of Praise, along with the two friends you want to bring along to the concert. Share your entry on your timeline and invite your friends to like your photo.

3) On Twitter (optional, but appreciated), tweet me this message "Hey @nappyKAYE! I want to win those #HillsongUnited tickets! Check out my entry on your page! #HillsongSelfie #FWCweeklygiveaway"

4) And finally, on this post, leave a comment (Name, Email address, Link to your Facebook post, Link to your Tweet) so I can double-check that you left an entry. I don't want to accidentally miss out on your photo!

You have until 12noon of June 9 (Monday) to post your entry. Only one entry per person is allowed. If you submit more than one photo, only your first photo will be considered. Winning photos will be judged based on the following criteria:

Creativity/Originality - 40%
Effort - 20%
Optimal Use of Hillsong United Merchandise - 20%
Visual Appeal/Impact - 10%
Number of Likes - 10%

The person who poses with the most number of merchandise on his or her photo will not necessary win this contest. Likewise, the number of likes will play a part, but will not necessarily make you automatically win this contest if your photo gets the most likes. Please take note of the criteria above, and plan your entry. From the number of entries posted on my wall, my friends and I will pick out our Top 3. The best entries will win the following:

TOP PICK 

will win three (3) Hillsong United PATRON - SRO Tickets
(valid only for June 11, 2014 concert)

TWO (2) RUNNERS-UP 

will each win three (3) Hillsong United UPPER BOX B Tickets
(valid only for June 11, 2014 concert)

In addition to these winners, we will also award the following prizes to SPECIAL MENTIONS:

MOST HILLSONG UNITED MERCH (1 winner) 

MOST LIKED ENTRY (1 winner) 

will each win a Hillsong United gift pack from House of Praise 

Winners will be announced on this blog on Monday night. They will also be notified via email (so make sure you leave a comment with a valid and working email address).

Also, please note that if you decide to forfeit your ticket prize (in case you win, that is), I will not be able to take a selfie with your tickets in front of the venue as your souvenir (as requested by a previous winner). I will be working on our merch tables that day. I hope you understand. Hehe.

Anyway, that's it. Happy Birthday to me! Let's see those entries! Yay!

Edit (Monday, 9 June 2014/10:01am): Hi everyone! I am sick and out of the office. As such, I am moving the #HillsongSelfie contest deadline to 1159pm tonight. Photos will be judged tomorrow morning. Winners will be announced at 1pm Tuesday.

That gives you the rest of the day to submit your entries, fix your tags, share the photo and get more likes! If you haven't left a comment on the blog post, please do so!

Thank you for understanding. This blogger has the flu - after getting the flu shot last Friday. Sigh. 

Choco Na Gatas!

My kids love fresh milk. I found a milk distributor in our area who delivers fresh milk straight to our doorstep (will post about them soon). However, because of the intense heat, and because A stayed over at my parents' place for most of the summer, I've had to cancel my orders for fresh milk until the rainy and cooler season comes. The milk spoils fast in this heat, even inside the refrigerator.

But RL, who nursed 'til he was 2, isn't really fond of powdered milk. He has lost so much weight since I weaned him, because he didn't exactly like the taste of local milk. I've had to mix choco powder to plain, full cream powdered milk just so he'd drink it.

And because he loves chocolate milk, this was a welcome treat for him!

Special thanks to Bear Brand and Nuffnang Philippines!

We've been buying Bear Brand Choco from the office coop for over a year now. RL loves this, so Momma is happy to oblige when he tells me he no longer has his "Choco na Gatas, Gatas na Choco" as they so aptly coined in their product commercial.

A few weeks ago, Nuffnang Philippines sent me Bear Brand Choco's latest promo pack. In it was an 800g pack of Bear Brand Choco and a FREE Ice Shaker - perfect for the heat!

RL literally forced me to make him a glass right away. We still had an open pack so I used that instead of this brand new one. It's so easy to make a glass of ice-cold Bear Brand Choco using their shaker! Here's how:

1) Fill the glass with 180ml of water.

2) Scoop in 3 tablespoons of Bear Brand Choco.

3) Add 2-3 pieces of ice.

Now here comes the fun part!

4) Cover and shake!

5) Shake, shake, shake!

6) Shake some more! (RL loves this part)

7) Open and Enjoy!

Mmmmmmm... 

RL loves his Bear Brand Choco Shake!

You can enjoy this ice-cold drink without the shaker! Any glass or reusable water bottle with lid will do. But you can still catch the promo packs at leading supermarkets nationwide. It retails for P206.00 at Shopwise.

Thank you, Bear Brand!