Our Kitchen Makeover Reveal! - Home Foodie / San Miguel Pure Foods Company, Inc.

It's been a great year for us!  Finally! The kitchen makeover is now done! You can see the transformation below and you will see that this is such a huge blessing by Home Foodie / San Miguel Pure Foods Company, Inc.

Weeks after I've submitted my Moist Ube Quezo Muffin video entry to Home Foodie's My Great Food Kitchen Makeover Contest, I thought it was nearly impossible for me to win as there are a lot of other great entries that were submitted. I've nearly forgotten about it - just crossed my finger and hoped that perhaps, they would choose my entry. Then one day, someone from Instagram commented on my entry and congratulated me. I didn't understand why she was congratulating me, until I saw my name on Facebook! I still couldn't believe that I've won. I thought, I was just dreaming.

The following day, I got a confirmation email from Nuffnang, and that was the beginning of one of the best days I've had for winning a kitchen makeover contest. 

Seeing this posted was really exciting!

My heart was already set to give it as a gift to my Mother-in-law when I joined the contest and should I ever win it. I know she needed it more than I do.  Even if I would want to have my kitchen made over too.  But, I just want to bless my in-laws with a beautiful kitchen makeover.  It is just a small token of telling her (from both me and my husband) that we appreciate her. I have submitted her kitchen photos to other make over contest/magazines in recent years but none has responded. But, this time, HER KITCHEN IS GOING TO MAKE A MAKEOVER by Home Foodie.  This was indeed, a timely answered prayer!

My Mom-in-Law is a wonderful home cook. I usually see her in the kitchen, cooking something up for the family. My husband would tell me, that they rarely go out to eat because his mom could replicate dishes from some restaurants and cook that for the family. I've witnessed it myself, ever since we were dating back in college, we would just eat in their home than eat somewhere else. But, as years go by, my mom-in-laws very hardworking kitchen has become overly used and cluttered. She makes great stuff here (she was even the one who made "by hand", the major ingredient I used for my Moist Ube Muffin - the UBE halaya itself!)

My friends and family were raving when I shared the news about it. When it was already set and final, I asked my husband to tell her mom and surprise her that we want to give the makeover prize to her.  She was so excited that she immediately cleared her kitchen the next day we told her.  She waited for 2 more weeks before the actual work started.

Here is the progress from the drawing board to the actual finished kitchen makeover by Home Foodie / San Miguel Pure Foods Company, Inc.

The kitchen - BEFORE

The kitchen is cluttered and disorganized.  The cabinets are way too high, my MIL cannot even reach for the other high shelves. There are mismatched chairs, handwritten labels were posted using tapes.

A few days after the announcement, the team from Home Foodie, designers and contractors went to check on the kitchen that will have a make over.  They inspected and measured the area.  The only contribution I made during this process was to collaborate with what my in-laws needs are in their kitchen (which were all applied on the design and layout), and of course, to send inspiration with the design I'd like for the kitchen. :) My in-laws don't really mind me deciding that for them.

After a week, and after carefully choosing the design, feel, and style (which is French Modern Country) and collaboratively working for the kitchen makeover by designers, Miah Gomez and Arch. Chino Carlos, they sent me their proposed design of the kitchen.

Design proposal stage:

Who wouldn't love this! It was all that was needed for the kitchen, bright, timeless, elegant yet modern.

Construction progress:

Construction started with the dirty kitchen. Ceiling and cabinets were all revamped.

 Yes! We are seeing some white (not dark) paint!

A few weeks after, the kitchen is starting to take shape.

A new cabinet was installed in the dirty kitchen.  New shelves were installed also.

Then, after 4 weeks, the showcase kitchen construction continues.

Ceiling were changed and updated.  New light fixtures and black granite kitchen top were installed. 

After the dirty kitchen, everything was now on remodeling the showcase kitchen. Subway tiles were installed and this made the kitchen - hip and modern.  Better lighting was also installed which made this kitchen look a lot roomy and fresh.

A total of almost 2 months, finally... the kitchen is finally done! My Mom-in-Law loooooove her new kitchen! We also love it and it was the best area of the house, too!

Here is the final kitchen reveal and look at the difference of the old and drab one to the new one now!

My daughter proudly showing the new kitchen!

We love this nook!

This is the area going to the dirty kitchen which was also made over!

Clean and white!

Here are before and after transformation of the kitchen:

Whenever we show this picture to anyone who come by the kitchen, they find it unbelievable that this kitchen was once like that.

Isn't that amazing? That was one great transformation!

My kids' having their snacks in the breakfast nook.  The chairs were also custom-made and done by Carlos + Gomez Interior Design.  I am entirely blessed for them as well and making it less stressful for my in-laws during the design and construction phase. :)

Thank you so much, Home Foodie / San Miguel Pure Foods Company, Inc.   You have made our year one of the best years we've had!

Full-time Job or Full-time Mom?

I love my time with my son

 I was just speaking to a very good mom friend of mine, who used to be in an 8+-hour job for 20 years. She said that when she traded off her career to become a full-time mom for her 2 kids she felt more accomplished than ever before.

Coming from someone who held a very good career in a well-known company in the world, a salary that is more than enough to support the family, and several other good career offers she was given even if she decided to resign from work - that is a breath of fresh air to someone who wants to be assured that there is life after letting go of job "security".

My twins proved that I can be blessed to love more!

Nowadays, there are more mothers needing to work because having a single income won't be enough to fill in all the expenses of the family.  History shows that divorce rate went up when women started working during the war and plunged down when the men went back home.  But, steadily moved up when women started working again and have to leave the children. Divorce affects families and the kids are the victims.

When moms are not with the children during their growing years, kids are not protected by the world.  They are like little birds without a mother in their nest. They learn to lead lives based on situations or what other people, peers, and the media would show them. They are independently away from the family. They tend to become busy themselves which they see from their parents. Parents fight or get into conflict out of fatigue and burnout of work and the kids see that it is okay to be mad and hurtful when someone is tired.

Mom's are guardians of her children's values.  The father may be out for work, but mother's are there for the children.

I am not pertaining to single mom's who cannot leave her job for her children. Some are wonderful and hardworking. Becoming both a father and a mother at the same time is not a simple job to do.

But, mom's who have more time for their 8+-hour job, have more coffee break, lunch and after-work conversations with her colleagues than her children or a mother of  a toddler left in the care of a nanny who hurts her child without even knowing it or her 10 year old who secretly hides that he is being bullied because he feels that he has to stand up for himself is something I feel so sad about.

We cannot leave our children in the wild if we are not there to show them how. I was watching a show how a family of Dingo (a wild dog that is native to Australia) and saw how the parents protect their young from an eagle who preys on little Dingos.  When the pups were little, they let them out during the day, hunts for them, feeds them. When night falls, they carry each one back inside their den. When the Dingos grew and were weaned out from the mom's milk, they were still there together with the parents but the parents are less weary now of the eagle knowing naturally that the Dingos can defend their own.  The eagle eventually, stopped stalking on them.  But, even this time, the dad was teaching them dominance and hunting instincts. As they grow to a little bit of an adult dingo, they moved out and started their own adventure without their parents.  Sounds unfamiliar now, right? Now, bullied kids are told by their parents to learn how to fend themselves without even showing them how.  They don't have anyone to look up to, so they find it on their own alone.

She can trust that mommy will be there to catch her

It was a big decision for me to decide to become a full-time mom. I worked in a 8+-hour job while my eldest was growing but I feel just blessed because my husband maintains a business that he can work at home and look after our son.  Leaving our children to a family member is a lot better than leaving them with a stranger.  But, we have to be aware also that we have to leave the disciplining to the family member when we, parent's are away.  We must also be aware, that the position of the husband (and even the mother) in disciplining tend to become less when the sharing of the disciplining is extended to other family members.  This starts conflict between marriages because the spouse would not always agree with the in-laws way in dealing with his own children and yet having to balance respect and conflict between them. So, the child disrespects his own parents and yet listens very well to grandma. Parents are tired and just ignore their child's attitude as they don't have the energy to deal with it.  When weekend comes, the family goes out without the grandparents, the child gets excited and throws a tanrtum. Finally, they come home feeling more tired than when they went home from work. So the mom concludes, I cannot be a full time mom.  I love my career and having to stay with my child 24/7 is definitely, not my thing.

It may not be financially fulfilling but money can never buy time - your child's time.

I cannot blame you, I felt that way. The more time you give to anything to whom you love the more it gives back to you. If you give more time to your work, the more you are rewarded - the more time you need to be in the office, the less time you will know your child.  But, the more you give to your child, the more you know his wants and dislikes, what works and what doesn't.  It is so funny, but I laugh now at the thought that my mom gets more tired of seeing me juggle 3 kids when I was just breezing through it.  I cannot blame her, she worked in an office till I was 13 and works-at-home till now. That is why, she has more fun enjoying her grandchildren.

Juggling 2 on both hands

I stand in a position that mothers are supposed to be the pillars of her children's values.  She should see her child grow not through pictures on her social media accounts or a baby picture on her office desk then suddenly realizes how big her little son has grown to be.  It would be nice that mothers know how to handle when her child is about to start a fit and can manage it right away.  Mothers should teach manners and independence in a loving way. She can withstand her children's annoying mess, spills to clean, cries and screams. After everything has been said and done of childhood, she finally lets him go. Being secured that she has brought up a person after God's own heart.

There is no wasted time to a full-time mom. She never feels like her kids are "just suddenly" growing so fast.  She is their witness of her children's life.  Opportunities open up to her like crazy doing a business she loves and the children gets to see meet people because of it and are more confident and well-mannered. She starts life at 4:30am and ends on time.

We are all tired, but the difference is how accomplished do you feel with your family and your time.

When I was once in my 8+ hours full time job I got this thought that made me decide to jump: I feel accomplished having to launch a really big project at work, we get a reward for the overtime work done. Rewarded with bonuses and promotions (sometimes, none). Although, during those times, my child got sick and I couldn't be there.  The guilt and the worry was more than doubled than when I can be with my child. That project was all gone and replaced, but what I still have now and forever will be my child and the rewards are tremendous. That wasn't a hard choice for me since then.

Live simply and you will never have to want anything more than what you need.

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If you are in a situation where it is in your heart to be a full-time mom but having to let go of your job will cause your family a big financial distress, then pray and let God direct your days to freedom.

On the other hand, if you are a full-time mom and the need to go back to full-time job is a necessity and not an escape from the chaos of home, then by all means - go! You will be wiser in dealing with your time and you know that family is priority.

On a different note, a full-time mom doesn't have to look sloppy and ugly.  Just because no one is going to see you, doesn't give you a license to turn into a hag-looking mother that smells like onions. Dress great, put on make-up, wear good shoes. Be beautiful inside and out.

Share your thoughts, can you relate with being a full-time mom or being a mom in a full-time job?

How do you dress up your kids?

Been such a long hiatus from blogging.  That was the time, I have been hanging out more into Instagram and Twitter and a whole lot of Facebook.

Let me start right out with something that I am deeply into now - dressing up the kids (well, because I do that for 3 almost 7 days a week!). For now, I am my children's fashion police. So, whatever mom says - it goes. Except for my twins who at 2 can already tell me what they want and won't (yes - they won't wear anything that looks itchy) to them.

Add some colors and a bit of layering.  They don't have to look like midget adults.

My thoughts on dressing up kids is quite simple - relaxed, classy and simple.  Anything that they would decide later on taking it out because it is bothering the way they play and move is deliberately eliminated (except during photoshoots).

 I love quality branded clothes but I am not brand-conscious.  I love and buy branded clothes as they have great fit and workmanship is truly quality. Most of the time, what they wear is based on their personality and the style which I feel best suit them and not just to "fit" in.

This was during my sister's Art Deco Themed wedding.

Now, I have added this portion on my blog on dressing up kids and simply enjoying them.

How about you, what is your fashion style for your kids?

Ice's 7th Mad Science Party!

My 7 year old had a blast!

We had a blast with my now 7 year old son's Mad Science Themed birthday party!  It was really one awesome party that my son truly enjoyed.  I also love that the kids and even adults enjoyed it as well.

My birthday boy, loves to ask questions non-stop.  He loves earth science and Phineas and Ferb! So, I figured, he would love to have a science-themed party and still have Phineas and Ferb.

Sharing some of my ideas on our awesome party. Days after the party, the kids who went to the party wanted the same party for their next birthdays.

My son specifically mentioned he wanted a Phineas and Ferb cake.  So, I asked a very nice friend, Nikko of
Baked Twinkles to do this cake for him.

To complement the Science Themed party, I asked Nikko to design these cute science icons which are  wrapped in individual wrappers and curling ribbons! They are really yummy!

I also added to the dessert table mini vanilla cupcakes in orange and blue ! All from Baked Twinkles! 10/10 as my review for them!

I got Mad Science - Philippines to be my over-all entertainment for our party. Everyone was amazed at them, how they handled the event and even the way they talk and hosted the event was awesome.  They speak very clearly, definitely very professional and yes... they talk like a real fun scientist!

Our simple party favors which I personally designed. It resembles a  hazardous feel on each wrapper.  It says "Caution! Extreme Ice's Mad Stuff".  I made the other icons different as markers for favors for baby guests.

With our wonderful, really great Mad Scientist Host!

Mad Science dessert table and the Mad Science experiment tables on the stage.

The dessert table was adorned with flask like bottles which we added drops of food coloring of blue, red and  green. Then, we placed in my sister's baked Lava Cakes (moist chocolate goodness), Baked Twinkle's cake and desserts plus other candies! 

Some props from Mad Science-Philippines

Experiments started with some simple ones.  How did I book for them? I called them up thru Android Anna, then she sent me packages.  I requested to add a rocket launching to add some bit of excitements. Booked them early because I really want their activities and I know it was also an educational activity.

Everyone (kids and adults) were all eyes on every second of every experiments the mad Scientists  have presented.

Meet Big Momma! I was so amazed myself and have kept on wondering how on earth these things are done.  They are simply not magic-no tricks! They were all factual science stuff!

And they are just having fun!

Getting a dry bath!

Priceless!

Even my 2 year old is having fun!

Each kid gets to have experiment too - making their own goo smile! Mad Science includes this for 15-20 kids as part of their package. Cool huh!

So cool!

Even toodlers gets to join. My 2 year old, Callie with Ninang is having fun!

The birthday boy gets to ride the coolest rocket car! They also launched a rocket where everybody gets to try.

After all the fun things that day, my son blows his birthday candles! 

We literally had a blast! Thank you Mad Science for making this day special! 10/10 stars for you!

Visit Mad Science at https://www.facebook.com/madscience.philippines
Baked Twinkles for the desserts: https://www.facebook.com/bakedtwinkles
Home Made Lava Cake made by my sister.
Catered by Aling Teresing Catering Services: We're regular customers!
Photo and Video: Ninong Axel

All in all, the party was so memorable because kids were even talking about it days after. :)