My 2017 was full of the moments and amazing people that make it such a special year. Those people who supported my blog, made me laugh, taught me about life and warmed my heart, were my inspiration. Also, I've seen a number of firsts, perks and opportunities, and I'm feeling thankful this 2018 as I share my fave highlights from the year that was.
Let's start with the blessed month of January, when our family celebrated my son's baptism.
A labor of love with almost a month's worth of work and effort invested. DIY all the way! I came up with a tribal theme with a touch of wood and lush green in between. Also, a bit of monochrome and my fave neutral palettes were what I wanted. I poured my heart and soul into this. After all, we waited 8 years for our baby boy so there’s no stopping mommy in planning this event. :) Check out more photos here.
Back in February, I started vlogging again and I'm so happy to report that my review about HP DeskJet Printer reached more than 88,000 views! I also became a YouTube partner with more than 1,500 subscribers and received my Google Adsense earnings. Thank you so much for watching, guys! :) Please subscribe to my YouTube channel, if you haven't done yet. http://www.youtube.com/c/RockstarMomma
March was a month of self-love, wellness, and self-discovery. Also the month my self-confidence and self-esteem went AWOL.
The one thing that everyone wants is to feel better physically, mentally and spiritually, but that was the time when I felt like I didn't have any control over what's happening my life. I almost dismissed the fact that there is a possibility to change the way I feel or the condition of my body. All because I felt sick, weak, out of shape and my mind was too active.
I found out that barley is the root cause of my digestive symptoms. Another cause may be because I was watching Netflix while binge eating a few – OK, a lot – of the fried and sugared junk foods. I used to sit down and watch an entire season at once, and finish a bag of chips and chocolate at the same time. I was having migraines, acne, rashes, fatigue, brain fog, bloating, anemia, joint pain and gastrointestinal problems all at the same time. ALL of which have coincidentally started around the time I began taking barley supplements. I didn't fit into any of my clothes, and I wasn't fully present in leading my life. I tried my best to lay off both sugar and gluten to see if it makes a difference. Super hard, I know.
My diet includes mostly meat + veggies/salad +smoothie. No rice. I know, booooring! It’s clearly true that certain kinds of food can make us sick and it is not a “patentable drug”, but as the father of Medicine Hippocrates wrote, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”
April
It was the month when I started being active again. After I gave birth to my son, exercise became an overbearing chore to even think about, but then I realized that I'm not getting any younger and I need to start living a healthier lifestyle. We do better and live better when we take care of ourselves. :) I'm so happy to find a way where I can challenge myself to make changes, so that I am the strongest and healthiest woman and mom that I can be.
What did I do on my 36th birthday? I can't remember. LOL Honestly, I cannot. Poor momma brain! Seriously...
Okaaay... Still loading...
So there... We just had a staycation in Tagaytay and we went to my hometown, Balanga. I also received lots of wonderful gifts (and cakes! Yasss!) from family, PR friends and brand partners.
June
Three months later, I am down 30 lbs. Yay! While the physical changes are exciting, the real excitement has been on the inside as I have become a better wife and mom to my kids. Oh, and my blogging mojo was baccckkk! Here, I shared 7 Powerful Ways to Lose Weight.
I found out that life doesn't give us lemons, because it's not a naturally occurring fruit. It's actually bred from a sour orange and a citron. To which a sage once said, "When life doesn't give you lemons, you invent them."
Just like the drama in our lives which isn't naturally occurring because it's actually of our own doing. In my case, I always try my best to stop worrying and think of at least one thing that I'm thankful for. Gratefulness isn't always easy especially when you're having a bad day, but being thankful makes you see that things aren't so bad at all. Maybe life won't give us lemons, but take a moment right now to think about what you're grateful for. That being said, I'm thankful for those amazing people who make me feel blessed. Oh, and that includes Magnolia Chicken for sending a bunch of whole chickens my way, so I can invent more recipes... and eat more! LOL
August
September
I managed to wake up at 3 am to join the highly anticipated The Color Run Dream, and it was nothing short of amazing.
 |
| CTTO Photo: Zion Punzalan |
Super happy (like over-the-rainbow happy) that I was able to finish the 5k color run with flying colors. It's really an amazing experience to be part of such a meaningful and colorful event. I was thinking less about my personal best and more about spending a day of endless rainbows, laughs and good times with my besties! Annesaya! Sobraaaa!
But it’s more than just about the fun factor, bes. It's a run for a cause, and even while we’re running to support the disabled children, we’re helping ourselves too by getting involved and getting active. Thank you, Anne Curtis and Dream Machine, for the invite. Truly an incredible experience that taught me how to believe in magic, dreams and unicorns. Poof! Insert a unicorn-related quote here. :) Seriously, I love how she inspires dreamers like me.
I also had the pleasure of attending E! Bloggers Ball (my first time to attend because I wasn't able to attend the ball last 2016) It's really an honor to get invited to the biggest and grandest gathering of social media influencers in the Philippines! It was not something I’d miss for the second time and it was definitely one for the books.
October
The month I realized that what I love about blogging (sharing my experience and the camaraderie with other bloggers) are the essential things I need to continue doing as a blogger. Also, October was the lowest of lows for our business but the projects from my blog and my Google adsense earnings saved us! Somehow, it does pay the bills and that is why I really don't care about the people who don’t understand what bloggers do and/or the sheer scope of what blogging involves.
November
It was the month I knew just how much I don’t want to see my face in a video and play the endless social media game and that if it weren’t for the brand that we REALLY love, I wouldn’t bother posting a video on YouTube and Instagram. But I did... and it was worth it! So glad to be a part of the Pampers family, and yep, Yuan is the youngest and newest digital brand ambassador in our family.
I also saw my huge face in the November issue of Philippine Primer magazine. 😊😂 Thank you so much for this opportunity of being featured in one of your pages, Philippine Primer and Panasonic! Here, I reviewed the Panasonic nanoe facial steamer, hair dryer and hair straightener.
December
It was a really busy month for me, with lots of events, parties, meetings and all. I had like, more than 30 blog posts! Wow! The most memorable though, were the Christmas parties and BloggerBabes' first ever Get Together Party!
 |
| With Christine, Rochelle, Kaycee and Genzel |
Too many beautiful mommas at the #MBPChristmasParty2017 :) I have been blessed to call these incredible women friends and today, I'd like to thank the universe for them. Always a joy to see these girls and I'm so grateful for #mommybloggers who inspire, uplift and support each other's passions. Here are some of the beauties I was able to catch on cam. Thank you to Mommy Bloggers Philippines for inviting me.
A big high five as well to the awesome sponsors especially #PampersPH , a brand that we've been using for years! Pinky swear. :) I headed home with a full heart and was out before 10pm. Clearly a sign of aging and of course, an awesome party! 😂
Also, I received lots of Christmas gifts from PR friends and brands that I've worked with. So yeah, I do have loads to be thankful for. Thank you to...
 |
| Thank you, Globe Streamwatch, for the opportunity to watch like a boss. Reviewed it here. |
 |
| We had 4 kilos of lechon belly from Porky Pit and that is one of the main reasons why... |
My goal for next year, along with more published posts each week, is to become healthier, not just physically (which has been my default goal for years) but overall health in body-mind-spirit, relationships, family, marriage. ❤ |
Health is so much more than eating and exercise. I've worked hard this past year on those things, yet neglecting the mind, relationships and so many other things. I want to put all the pieces together... Only by the grace of God. 🙏 To get rid of toxic people, worries and quick fixes that never work. Have more patience with the process of who I'm becoming, and to be the kindest I can be. Smile 😊 instead of frowning. It's better for my health (and my wrinkles).
2017 has sort of laid the foundation for the wonderful tings to come in 2018! I've already planned something new for my blog and I hope you enjoy all the new features I’ll be rolling out in 2018! If you have any requests or suggestions on how to improve my blog, just let me know in the comments section.
Have a Happy 2018, guys!
Post a Comment
Any comments, my dear?