My husband came home tonight bearing gifts for our kids! He was able to dropped by at Ogalala World (in Ayala 30th) and found educational toys at amazing deals. He bought a National Geographic Kids Super 3D Puzzles for only Php300 that made our dinosaur enthusiast so happy that he opened the box and and got started with the Archaeopteryx puzzle at once.
Browsing Category
Mommy Approved I am so thankful that we can do outdoor time a lot! So blessed that God has finally answered our prayer to move into a better house and community. For over a month already, my son has been able to ride his bike almost every day, play with other kids, run without the dangers of getting hit by a passing vehicle, and go for a swim.
Though it can be very tiring at times, I really love being a Mom to my 5-year-old and 6-month-old. I want to savor every moment that I have with them – the good and the not-so-good ones. I want to do as much as I can for them and with them. I want to enjoy the surprises that life brings during this season. Hopefully, when they are ready to spread their wings and leave our nest, I will not regret anything.
Landers finally opened here at the South! My husband read about it in his FB feed early this week and said that we check it out on Friday. So, off we went to Landers Alabang West after his errands and our usual Friday routine. I don’t know if it was just the usual Friday traffic in the Commerce Ave-Daang Hari route or the volume of cars heading Landers, but we spent quite some time on the road on our way there. It’s a good thing that we had take out food to eat during the ride.
Parenting is not for the faint-hearted. That’s what I have come to realize now that I’m a mom to a 5-year-old boy and a 5-month-old baby girl. I want to be a loving and nurturing mother to my little ones, but I also have to be firm and tough when it comes to instilling discipline.
This blog post is sponsored by tiny Buds. All opinions stated are mine.
tiny Buds has just released their baby clothing line which they aptly labeled as the tiny Buds Organics Collection. This collection is lovingly made from 100% organic cotton which makes it safe for baby’s delicate skin. Being organic, the manufacturing of this garment has a lesser impact on our environment.
I first got to know the tiny Buds brand when I gave birth to my firstborn. Part of the hospital’s goodie bag is the tiny Buds Rice Baby Powder. It’s a non-talc powder that is safe for babies. Then when he got older and started having a few teeth, I switched him to the Tiny Fangs Tooth Gel after using another brand. He liked it better for its Tuition Fruit flavor and as I have observed, it works better than the previous brand. Now that he is four years old, he’s using the Tiny Fangs Kiddie Toothpaste which is low in mint, low foam, Paraben-free and Fluoride-free.
That’s my adorable three-month old daughter! 👆 Our bunso 🙂 She greets me with a cheerful smile each morning, giving me a good start for the day. In that photo, she’s wearing the tiny Buds Organics personalised onesie, pajama bottoms, mittens, and booties. She was also wearing the cute beanie before that picture was taken.
In that next photo above, my baby wore the tiny Buds Organics short sleeves kimono top with her navy blue and white polka dot leggings. I love that with its beige color, every piece from her tiny Buds Organics set can be paired with any of the clothes that she already has!
Check out my Instagram post below for a closer look at the tiny Buds Organics Collection. We got the Short Set, the Organic 3-pc. Newborn Set, and the Organic Binder.
A post shared by Arge Roque-Valencia (@argevblogs) on
After I have inspected every piece in the collection and had my baby tried them, here’s a list of what I love about the tiny Buds Organics Collection:
Made from organic cotton
New and unwashed fiber does not have any smell at all. It is also soft to touch – definitely comfy and safe for my baby’s delicate skin.
Printed size on the inside
When shopping, it’s easier to see the size on the inside part of the garment because of its large print. Size is printed on the garment itself and not on a tag. Inner tags almost always cause an irritation on baby’s sensitive skin.
Tiny brand tags
They do have brand tags attached on the beanie, booties and short sleeve kimono top but they’re tiny and on the outside so they won’t be a bother to baby’s skin.
Color
As I have mentioned earlier, every piece from the collection is in one color: Beige. It is very suitable for babies of both genders. Perfect as gifts for when you don’t know the gender of the little one yet.
Personalized onesie print
tiny Buds will customise your baby’s onesie by adding your wee one’s name after their brand signature, tiny. We got ours with tiny Gabrielle on it. I soaked my baby girl’s collection on tiny Buds Newborn Laundry Wash (no less!) and haven’t rinsed it until the second day. My hubs freaked out because he got worried that the print would fall off. But it didn’t! 🙂
Stitched Ties
I was so glad that the short sleeve kimono top has stitched ties! With all the tie-side tops that I bought for my babies, I had to loop each tie on its ends because they tend to run easily and cause tangles in the laundry.
Garterised mittens
tiny Buds Organics’ pair of mittens are garterised which ensures that baby’s mittens won’t fall off. The majority of the mittens that we have have ties and I have to do a double loop when I put them onto baby’s hands. Most of the time, especially when we are out and about, one of the mittens gets loosened and would fall on the floor. My son would quickly pick up his baby sister’s mitten and give it to me. My baby would either end up using a spare in a color that is different from what she is already wearing on the other hand, or her other hand would just go bare. These never happens whenever she’s using the mittens from tiny Buds!
Structured booties
The pair of booties don’t have ties as well. It has a wide band on top that keeps booties in place. At the bottom of each is a structured but soft fabric in the shape of baby’s feet which make it look like shoes.
Non-irritating adhesives
The Organic Binder (in the photo above) has non-irritating adhesives. One side has round tips that adhere to the other flap firmly. These round tips wouldn’t hurt baby’s skin, if ever the binder gets detached.
All of the pieces that we got from the tiny Buds Organics Collection are fit for babies 0-3 months of age. They all fit nicely to my 3-month-old baby girl.
Get a set for your own little one at www.tinybudsbaby.com! I love that tiny Buds has their own shopping website. Online shopping with reliable delivery and superb customer service is really helpful for busy moms like me 🙂
To know more about tiny Buds and their amazing products, follow them on IG: @tinybudsbaby and on FB: @tinybuds.
Chef Gordon Ramsay has been famous for a long time already but I have only got to see his cooking videos late last year. I see him as an excellent chef in that he makes whipping up sumptuous dishes as if anybody can do that in their own homes. He also shares useful kitchen hacks that will make food preparation easier and enjoyable for anyone.
Chef Gordon is best known for his undeniably strong presence in the US Master Chef. This long-running televised cooking competition is now on its 8th season and will soon be aired on Philippine television in partnership of Doña Elena Olive Oil. Learn more about it on the press release below.
PRESS RELEASE
Doña Elena Olive Oil brings Philippine airing of US Master Chef Season 8 on Star World
Chefs, home cooks, and foodies now have something more to look forward to as the all-new season of US Master Chef surprises viewers with a feast of flavors that are both inspiring and entertaining.
Over the course of its newest season that premieres on June 8 at 8 PM on Star World, US Master Chef Season 8 promises to showcase hilariously yummy dishes, and a mix of new breed of personalities who can potentially change the culinary scene, one recipe at a time. To intensify the excitement, James Beard award winner and Mexican-American Chef Aaron Sanchez joins acclaimed pastry chef Christina Tosi, and main host and celebrity-chef Gordon Ramsay as judges.
“I haven’t wanted something professionally this bad in a long time,” says Sanchez while also sharing that this project is a dream come true.
As the season’s major sponsor, Doña Elena Olive Oil will be airing great-tasting healthy recipe ideas in between commercial gaps. From dipping, sautéing, to frying, Doña Elena Olive Oil unearths all-new feast of healthy meal ideas that any foodie will love.
The consistent no. 1 olive oil brand in the Philippines, Doña Elena Olive Oil contains 80 percent monounsaturated oleic acids better known as good fats and is naturally rich in A, K, and E vitamins that help lower bad cholesterol. Olive oil does not only provide health benefits but also elevates the taste of any dish to a whole new level.
Don’t miss Master Chef’s latest season and be an expert in your own kitchen with Doña Elena Olive Oil tips in the show. The Mediterranean inspiration that’s evident in each bottle of Doña Elena Olive Oil depicts exceptional quality and premium taste, an assurance that it won’t fail you and your taste buds in your everyday cooking!
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Fly Ace Corporation is one of the leading food and beverage consumer goods companies in the country today. Propelling limitless multiple-category growth by bringing the best of the world closer to Filipino consumers, Fly Ace Corporation’s portfolio of food and beverage products includes house brands and exclusively distributed brands. To learn more about Fly Ace, visit www.flyacecorp.com.
Doña Elena Olive Oil is exclusively distributed by Fly Ace Corporation in the Philippines. It is the consistent no. 1 Olive Oil brand according to A.C. Nielsen. Available in three (3) variants, extra virgin, pure and pomace which comes in 250 ml, 500 ml, 1 L glass bottles and 5L PET bottle sizes. For more tips, recipes, and promos visit @donaelenacuisineraclub on Facebook and Instagram.
It was a privilege to have witnessed the #Kidspirations launch at Ayala Malls The 30th in Meralco Avenue, Pasig City last April 29, 2017.
Since we’re not that familiar in the area, we arrived at the event a bit late than my target schedule. As soon as I have registered, I went inside to take pictures. I didn’t know that my husband and son followed me inside. When I turned around, my husband was already shopping for shoes for our little boy at the shoe sale just a few steps away from the Kidspiration entrance. My husband is really like that – quick to spot a great find for our son. When I joined them, I saw that it was indeed a great one. It was a pair of navy blue, Chicco loafers that are made of synthetic leather. It was on sale for only Php499 and it was the last pair. It’s bigger by half an inch but we took it anyway since our son’s feet gets bigger in a few months.
Next stop was the All Products Flash Sale kiosk. It was filled with toys and art supplies that kids of all ages will surely love. It was my son’s turn to shop! As he went around the kiosk, he peruse the items within his reach. At last, he found something that he really, really like.
He took it and told me, “I want it. Open?” I told him that we have to pay for it first. He’s been holding that toy as we go around the different shelves to check out the other items. He looked so determined in having that toy. I asked him if he really like it. He answered in a loud “Yes!” I asked him if the are plenty of toys inside the plastic dome. He said yes again and pointed at the illustrations in the label. This kid sure knows how to justify his purchase! I looked at its orange tag (Php400) and the original price tag (Php599). Not bad, Php199 off. My husband agreed and told me to buy it too.
On our way to the cashier, we spotted the ELLE Onesies which were being sold at 90% off! That deal was so hard to resist. Good quality and brightly colored onesies for infants and toddlers which were being sold at Php100 each that day. We are not yet sure about the gender of our next baby so we bought a red onesie fit for 0-6 months old and a blue one that our baby can wear when he/she turns 6-12 months old. We actually wanted to get the white one but it was no longer available on the size that we need.

Clockwise: Chicco loafers, Ice Age to Go, and the ELLE onesies. That’s my son in the background, playing with his new Ice Age to Go.
After we finished our shopping, we decided to have lunch first then go back to the Kidspirations event after to watch the ELLE Kids Fashion Show. Whenever we eat out, we would usually take out the iPad to entertain our son and for all of us to eat well. But because my son was so excited to play with his new toy, he completely forgot about the iPad and asked permission to open his little package. He was delighted to find 6 Ice Age animals inside and couldn’t wait to play with them. The set also comes with 2 plastic rocks, a paper play mat, and 6 name cards that give more information about each of the Ice Age animals. This play set might look boring to some but my son definitely enjoyed playing with it. One more good thing about Ice Age to Go is that my son learned about those animals while he was playing with them. Talk about learning through play! We learned about the scientific names of those creatures as well as their age, dimension, the era through which they exist, and a bit of trivia about them. My son used his imagination and creativity to play with his new toys. He made them walk through the ice pictured on the mat, hid them inside the plastic glacier cover, and asked us to help him match the cards with the animals. This continued up until we got home. We even came up with other games and stories that involved this Ice Age to Go set.
Going back to the Kidspirations event…
I only had a few minutes to browse on the other items on display just before the fashion show started. There are so many Crayola art supplies to choose from.

Crayola’s Php 50 deals: Washable Glue Sticks, 10-pc Modelling Clay Sticks, and 8-pc crayons
There was the Crayola Pick Your Pack promo where you can choose any color of the Crayola crayons that you like. For only Php99.75, you get to have 24pcs of the crayons that you fancy and include those that do not normally appear in the usual pack. Anybody heard of the colors Wisteria, Purple Mountains Majesty, and Wild Blue Yonder? These are only a few of the uniquely named Crayola crayons in that vast selection.
Crayola’s Color Wonder pack featuring the adorable Minions. The big pack has 18 coloring pages and comes with Mesa Free Markers (Php250). The small pack has 80 mini coloring pages and 6 washable mini markers (Php200).
There were plenty of toys for older kids that were on sale, too.

The Purple Cow’s Magnetic Chess and Magnetic Magic Word are the prefect travel companions even grown-ups would love. Ideal for kids ages 4 and up.
The afternoon program started as the day’s emcee, Mommy Kristine, welcomed the audience and introduced Ms. Maye Yao Co Say to give us a background of the Ogalala brand.
Ms. Maye Yao Co Say, the COO of Ogalala World, gave us a background of how the Ogalala brand was developed and how it intends to help parents and kids to thrive and inspire others.

Ogalala COO, Ms. Maye Yao Co Say
Ogalala has created the System in PLAY and CARE in order to help parents identify the milestones in their children’s life stages and adapt to their learning method and care needs. The system is backed by extensive research and advice from child development experts which makes it adaptable regardless of our parenting style.
On the other hand, Kidspirations is an advocacy spearheaded by Ogalala which aims to help parents raise happy, fulfilled, and purposeful children. This advocacy also encourages kids to inspire other kids.
From the Advertorial:
What is the #Kidspirations Parade?
“Let Inspirations be part of our personal goal, part of our own milestones. Be something and be someone. Be a kid with a purpose, Be #kidspirations to yourself and to others.”
That is the main motive of the parade to showcase #kidspiration stories to promote ideals and aspirations of parents and expectant mothers.
Sharing both parents’ and kids’ aspirations through their #kidspiration stories realizes the Goal of Ogalala for children to have a happy, fulfilled and purposeful future.
This parade is a small step which Ogalala hopes can lead to a bigger leap for parents and children to be #kidspirations.
As a parent, I see the Ogalala System in Play and Care as a big help in choosing what’s best for my preschooler and my soon-to-be-born baby. With the myriad of options that the market has in store for us, we sometimes second guess on what will be really useful and worth our money. With Ogalala, we are confident that we will be buying educational toys, baby products and kids’ fashion items that were carefully curated to suit our children’s needs.
After Ms Yao Co Say’s very informative presentation was the fashion show. It was a preview of ELLE Kids Spring/Summer Collection that includes the new and exciting designs inspired by the Parisian Lifestyle. Children of all ages walked confidently on the ramp to showcase the latest in ELLE Kids clothing line. The show ended after selected kids from the audience were also given the opportunity to walk the ramp, introduced themselves and shared what they want to be when they grow up. Truly a #Kidspirations moment for the kids that day!
The Ogalala #Kidspirations event was made possible in partnership with Crayola, Melissa & Doug, EMCO, Animal Planet, The Learning Journey, Discovery Kids, Pigeon, Safety1st, Ergo Baby, Quinny & Maxi Cosi, and, ELLE Kids.
Ogalala Stores:
Ogalala Store 2nd floor Shangrila West Wing
Ogalala Baby 2nd floor Shangrila Mall, Main Wing
Ogalala Store 2nd floor Ayala Malls The 30th Meralco
Shop online @ Oga-lala.com
Lazada.com.ph/Ogalala
Ogalala Hotline: 441-1717 / 990-5437
It was lunch time when we received our Yogu Lunch Kit and my son couldn’t wait to drink the Strawberry variant as he is fond of anything in that flavor. I told him that we must have it chilled first since we just got it from the courier. As soon as he finished his meal, he asked for his Yogu Strawberry right away and he consumed it with gusto. I’m glad that he liked it. I will certainly have Yogu as a replacement for his usual chocolate drink. I find Yogu healthier, especially for his teeth. Just look at what all the flavors of Nestle Bear Brand Yogu has in store for my son:
- Milk by Bear Brand, yoghurt and real fruit juice
- Tibay resistansya nutrients Zinc and Vitamin C
- 50% less sugar
- No artificial flavors or colors
- Mas masarap at mas matibay na yoghurt milk drink
My son and I love eating yoghurt so it was easy for us to like Yogu. However, his older cousins wouldn’t even let a teaspoon of yoghurt near their mouth. But when they had a sip of all three flavors of Yogu, namely Green Apple, Mango, and Strawberry, they couldn’t stop raving about this milk drink and kept on saying that they would like to have it for baon in school. I also tried having a sip of the Mango and Green Apple flavors. The Yogu Mango is my new favorite because it is not too sweet nor too citrus for my taste.
I’m including Bear Brand Yogu Yoghurt Milk Drinks in my grocery list. It’s that one healthy milk drink that tastes great, too. We can have Yogu as part of our breakfast and snack or even have it as dessert, as my son prefers. It’s also perfect as our baon whenever we go out or run for errands.
The Bear Brand Yogu Yoghurt Milk Drinks are available in two sizes in leading supermarkets and convenient stores nationwide. I even found out that a sari-sari store in our neighborhood sells Yogu. Go ahead and buy some for yourself and your kids soon!
I won a gift certificate from Great Kids at last year’s Thanksgiving Party of the Mommy Bloggers Philippines. I was excited to use it, thinking that I can get something for my little boy for Christmas. When I found out that Great Kids do not have clothes for boys, I got a bit disappointed. I then decided to get something from the shop that we can give us gifts.
From what I have read on their Facebook page, “Great Kids offers fresh, fun and pretty apparel for young girls aged 2-10 yrs old and capsule collections of Infant Girls, Mommy & Me and maternity apparel”.
Last December 2016, I went to the Great Kids at Alabang Town Center (ATC) which is located the Level 2 Expansion Building to see what I can buy. When I went there the first time, I didn’t find anything that I want so I walked away empty-handed. Maybe because I still want to get something for my self, at least?
I visited Great Kids at ATC again a couple of weeks ago. With fresh eyes, maybe I can find something that I would want for myself or for the little girls in our family. I came at a good time because I had the store to myself. I was able to chat with the supervisor and the clerk. They showed me their current promotions as well as their new arrivals.
It was a good thing that Great Kids ATC allowed me to use my GC to get anything from their maternity and nursing line as well as from their girls’ apparel and from regular-priced items to those on sale.
My second visit indeed made me look at what Great Kids has to offer in a new light. Since my husband and I have been praying for our next baby, it would be nice to get a maternity dress as part of our preparation 🙂 I picked three dresses from Great Kids’ wide selection of maternity and nursing wear and took them with me inside the dressing room to see which one will fit nicely on me. Before trying each one on, I took a picture of the dresses. Yes, inside the fitting room. Big mistake. I could have taken photos while they were hanging on the racks for better view and lighting. This lady still has a lot to learn with photography!
I digress. Let’s go back to the dresses.
There are reasons why I chose these pieces. I picked the grey, short-sleeved dress with black lines for its classic appeal. It looked very comfortable to wear and can go with any of the bags and shoes that I have (which isn’t a lot, by the way). It’s a maternity dress that doubles as a nursing wear. I find it stylish in that way. It makes it comfortable for breastfeeding moms like me to nurse our baby wherever and whenever. The top part of this dress makes it convenient for moms to nurse their babies without the risk of exposing their milk machine in public. This dress has an opening, big enough to fit in the head of a baby or even a toddler for nursing. The inside part of that section has a soft lining with slits on both sides.
This spaghetti-strapped, ruffled, floral dress has that flirty vibe. Its lightweight fabric highlights body curves. With the kind of weather that we have this January, this dress is best worn with a cardigan or draped with a cozy shawl.
This pink maternity and nursing dress looks funky with its print and cross-tie top. It has that same feature as that of the grey dress. Also, this dress makes a preggy woman look younger 🙂
Of all the dresses that I have tried on, I feel comfortable and I (think) look good in the grey, short-sleeved dress. It costs Php899.75 – a great steal for a maternity and nursing-friendly clothing! To make the most out of my GC, the clerk suggested that I pick something from their little girls’ apparel, which were on sale at that time. I got a cute blouse for my niece as our gift for her birthday next month.
If you’re an expecting mom, a breastfeeding momma, or have little girls to dress up, go check out Great Kids for stylish, functional, chic and reasonably-priced clothing. Great Kids will surely make you love shopping for yourself and for your little girls!
Check out below the list of Great Kids boutiques and kiosks as well as its sister shop, Pois Belly & Kids:
GREAT KIDS boutiques:
– TriNoma: Ground Floor near Activity Center
– Shangri-la Plaza: Level 4 Main Bldg
– Alabang Town Center: Level 2 Expansion Bldg
– Ayala Center Cebu: Level 3
– SM City Cebu: Level 2, Main Mall
– SM City Iloilo: Upper Ground Floor
– SM Mall Of Asia: Level 3, Main Mall
POIS BELLY & KIDS boutiques:
– SM Megamall: Level 5 The Atrium
– SM Lanang Premier Davao: Level 2
THE SM STORES:
– Aura
– BF Paranaque
– Calamba
– Cebu
– Iloilo
– Makati
– Mall Of Asia
– Manila
– Marikina
– Megamall
– North EDSA
– Pampanga
– San Lazaro
Visit Great Kids on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/greatkidsph/
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About Me

Feel free to explore around my little online home!
You will read about our journey in homeschooling, my hits and miss in being a plant mom, my "joy" in baking, my newfound love for sewing, and most of all, my amazement at how GOD sustains me with His blessings, grace and mercies in my every day life.