Blog Sponsors Archives - Truly Rich and Blessed

Praise God for Blog Partners: July 2014 Edition!

July 27, 2014 by Tina 5 Comments

2 weeks! It’s been exactly 2 weeks since my last post here. (Do you notice a trend here? Read: I love counting exactly how many days I haven’t been blogging! Ha, ha!)

Well, you can imagine that a lot of things have happened again, since I last updated this space. Which means I (again) have a lot to write about!

One of the most significant things that happened, of course, was Typhoon Glenda or #GlendaPH, as “she” was known on social media. I felt like we weren’t very prepared for Glenda, which is why I shared a few tips for preparing for a typhoon here. I hope they’re helpful somehow!

Anyway, I’m back for a bit for this looooong overdue post to thank my blog partners for their support — they have been such a blessing to my family, especially when it comes to our homeschooling adventures! 🙂 Please do show these great businesses and brands some love, too, by visiting their websites and/or social media sites!

Teacher Suzette Yu-Kho has been a staunch supporter of my blog for quite some time now — she was actually my first blog partner! 🙂 She has consistently received the Kindermusik Maestro Award for her outreach work. Through her kindness, our children were also granted scholarships, under the Ruth D. Anderson Kindermusik Children’s Fund for scholars.

To know more about Teacher Suzette, click here. If you want to read some of my thoughts on Kindermusik, click here. Please also “Like” the We Love Kindermusik with Teacher Suzette and Friends Facebook page for updates!

Child’s SPACE actually stands for Child’s School for the Practice of Appropriate Childhood Education. It provides young children with a play-based, child-centered and integrated curriculum. Know more about this Christ-centered progressive school by reading my post here.

Please do visit the Child’s Space website here, like their Facebook page , and/or follow them on and .

Discovery Depot is a wonderful resource for wooden educational toys — they have a wide range of products available, and make learning through play super fun!

You can read a bit about this online shop here. You can also visit the Discovery Depot website here, or get .

Medela’s products are highly recommended among breastfeeding mom circles. Although a mother’s best bet is still direct feeding and/or cup feeding her baby milk expressed via hand and not a breast pump, some moms find it easier and more practical to pump their milk with a manual or electric pump. For many of these moms, Medela is their go-to brand for breast pumps.

Connect with Medela Moms via Facebook .

LeapFrog’s range of educational toys are a great way to use technology in learning. We were recently blessed to receive some products to try out, which I hope to be able to write about soon! (Special thanks to Absolutely Mommy for being the “channel” for these blessings; she is the one who linked me up with , the distributor of LeapFrog here in the Philippines!)

In the meantime, please do “like” for updates about their products! You can also see their items at ToyTown.ph!

Little Ballet offers a creative and unique ballet programme for pre-schoolers, ages 2 until 7 years old. Their teachers are trained to teach their themed programme in an imaginative and non-traditional manner, while instilling ballet techniques and discipline in all their classes. Find out more about them via , or follow them on and/or .

Better yet, avail of a FREE trial class! See details below:

If you do end up trying out Little Ballet, please do inform Teacher Nikki or Teacher Miela that you found out about them through me! 😉

Fellow homeschooling mom Dindi Besinga-Manlapaz is the woman behind Likhang Bata Online Gallery. Art is her passion, and so is teaching! She gives art lessons especially for kids, and is currently conducting Art Camps in New Manila — the Toddler Creativity Workshop for kids 1.5 to 4 years old, and the Meet the Art Masters Workshop for kids 5 to 12 years old. Connect with Teacher Dindi via her site or .

Belly Armor is a brand that provides maternity blankets and accessories to protect your child against everyday radiation from cellphones, laptops and other sources. I was given a blanket to review recently and I was able to write about it here. Find out more about Belly Armor or by sending an email to .

The Learning Basket is a veritable “treasure trove” of pre-loved books and other educational resources for parents who wish to be their “child’s first and best teacher.” Click here to start ~~hoarding~~ shopping for books and other materials that will surely enrich your children’s learning — whether or not you homeschool!

The unique HALO SleepSack wearable blanket replaces loose blankets that can cover your baby’s face and interfere with breathing. Made only with 100% premium, non-toxic, lead and chemical free fabric; it’s the #1 choice of hospitals and parents. Find out more about HALO here.

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To be perfectly honest with you, I am still amazed that brands, businesses and individuals would even consider partnering with me by way of ad placements, sponsored posts or social media promotion campaigns! I don’t really consider my blog “famous” at all, especially if you compare it to other local mommy blogs!

Still, I praise God that our family is blessed through different blog partnerships — like I said, they are a great help to our family, especially the kids’ homeschooling. I am also able to bless others through these partnerships and promote brands/businesses that are truly worth recommending to others! 🙂

If you are a business owner or have services/products that you wish to promote (mompreneurs and WAHMs especially hold a special place in my heart!) and are interested in partnering with me in any way, please feel free to contact me — let’s “talk”! 🙂

If you are in need of a writer, editor or speaker, feel free to contact me too! 🙂 Till my next post, I pray for God’s blessings for you and your loved ones!

Truly Rich Recommendations {Events}: Make Reading An Effective And Lasting Habit: A Free Parenting Seminar by The Learning Basket and The Learning Library!

July 21, 2012 by Tina Leave a Comment

If you scroll down to view this blog’s sidebar, you’ll see that I have another new blog partner this month — , an online shop that sells quality, pre-loved children’s books (and one of the reasons why I am going bankrupt — I just can’t help ~~hoard~~ buy their books! Our favorites are the !). The moms behind it, Mariel and Sanne, are homeschooling moms, too, and mompreneurs in their own right. I was actually blessed to feature them on Smart Parenting a while back (you can read that here).

Well, guess what, dear friends! The Learning Basket has partnered with The Learning Library for a FREE PARENTING SEMINAR, and it’s all about reading! *Yipeeee!* Book-lovers and reading enthusiasts unite! 🙂

Image from The Learning Basket.

For more details, please go to The Learning Basket’s blog page here. You can also email directly. 🙂 Slots are very limited so go, go, go register now!

Hope to see you there! (I hope the kids and I can make it! Still working out our sked. Teehee!)

Thank you for Therese’s Advanced Birthday Gift, Pois Belly and Kids! :) (GOD, You’re amazing!)

July 4, 2012 by Tina Leave a Comment

Guess what I received the other day? And just in time for our little princess’s birthday tomorrow (a few hours from now! Woohoo!)?

GIFT CERTIFICATES FROM !

I was totally surprised that the press kit they sent contained gift certificates (GCs). I thought they were going to send a token item or sample product. 🙂 AWESOME! God is AMAZING this way, you know?! Because hubby and I had just been talking about getting some new clothes for Rysse, but I didn’t feel like splurging on what I consider “wants” and not “needs” (yes, I’m frugal like that! LOL!).

And then we received the GCs! Cool, huh? 😉 But then again, God really knows the deepest, and even “shallow” desires of our hearts!

Anyway, here’s a bit of info re: Pois Belly and Kids:
Pois, Belly and Kids is the brainchild of Eurowear Marketing Corp., and houses three fashion-niche brands — Pois, Belly and Great Kids — which address the stylish dressing needs of tykes and tweens as well as expecting moms. Inspired by European designs and the latest trends in fashion, these brands are designed to adapt to the local climate and specific age groups.

Eurowear owners Clement and Rowena Velasco (who started the maternity line “Great Expectations” in 1999) aim to bring quality, style and age-specific fashion in maternity, girl’s teen and girl’s wear, under one roof.

Check out the full press releases here and here.

Meanwhile, here are some drool-worthy items from Pois, Belly and Kids (can’t wait to use those GCs for Rysse — hubby said buy some maternity items for myself, too, for the future! Ha, ha! Hmmm… let’s see, honey! *winks*). Thanks again, Pois, Belly and Kids, for being the “unwitting answer” to our unspoken prayers:

Great Kids: Play Dress Up!

The collection offers such cute clothes that any mother

would wish to dress their daughter/s with.

Its girly designed tops, perky tutus and colorful and glittery bottoms make their little girls

even look more adorable and loveable.

Thus, Great Kids depicts the fun and carefreeness of girlhood in all its designs.

I want to get this for Rysse! 🙂

And this tutu, too! 🙂

Love this!

Hippie-gorgeous! 🙂

Love the checkered dress here. 🙂

This is nice, too!

Perfect for little ballerina-wannabes like our little girl 🙂

Rysse would look LOVELY in this! 🙂

I want the kids to have a wagon like the one shown here, haha! 🙂 Love the red top and grey skirt, too! 🙂

Pois: Not too Young and Not too Old for Chic Trendy Clothes

From the ages of 8 to 18, girls are most likely at the stage when they start to discover

what styles fit their identities and personalities. It is also at this awkward stage when girls are stuck

in the middle wondering if their clothes are age-appropriate and

whether their outfit seems too young or appear too old.

Fret no more; Pois Belly and Kids includes a stylish label just for tweens called “Pois.”

Its new fashion line consists of trendy cropped tops, polka dot blouses,

shirts with stripe prints and ribbons, cute shorts, floral dresses and many more!

I like the color of this piece! 🙂

Sweet and simple. 🙂

I wish I had clothes like these when I was a teen/tween! 🙂 LOL!

I love this dress! 🙂

Belly Maternity: Fashionista Mama

“Belly Maternity,” offers a wide range of classic, sexy and trendy clothes that compliments a

pregnant mother’s figure. Eurowear owners, Clement and Rowena Velasco, are very much familiar to

the new generation of expecting mothers who want nothing less

than a fashionable maternity wardrobe.

Wearing these clothes not only exude beauty and sassiness, but a mother’s confidence.

Oooohhh, I want to have THIS when I’m preggy again! 🙂

Perfect for the days when I work at home. 🙂 Teehee!

Office-cum-casual attire. 🙂 Love it!

Love the way this top “falls” on the model’s frame! 🙂

On my “wish list.” 🙂 Nice, yes?

Oooh! Love this dress! And it’s breastfeeding-friendly, too!

You can use this as an office top if you just throw on a nice blazer or cardigan. 🙂

Another nice red top! 🙂

Pois Belly and Kids has six freestanding stores in the Philippines, located at TriNoma,

SM Megamall Atrium, Glorietta 3, SM Mall of Asia, SM City Cebu and SM City Iloilo.

To know more about Pois Belly and Kids,

do visit their Facebook page:

Truly Rich Recommendations (Esp. for Moms!): Hatch & Latch – Fabulous Nursing Products, Belly Buds and more!

March 26, 2012 by Tina Leave a Comment

Hatch & Latch is another mompreneur-owned business. (I just LOVE mompreneurs — I actually attempted to be one {the retail sort} a while back, but it didn’t work out! Tee, hee!) I’ve since realized that I’m called to be another sort of mompreneur — the “virtual,” writing, editing kind! LOL! — but I’m all for supporting my fellow moms who venture into business — hence, my desire to write about mompreneurs, especially for Smart Parenting!

So anyway, back to Hatch & Latch. Just like most mompreneurs I know and have interviewed before, Helen See, a breastfeeding mom, started the business because she was unsatisfied with the limited products available locally for breastfeeding mothers. Because of her desire to help her fellow moms and their families, she decided to bring in brands and products that she used and found helpful.

On the Hatch & Latch website, one can be assured that all their products are really “mommy-certified:”

Welcome to Hatch and Latch, we are a company that sells products that we are passionate about and have used and loved the products personally by ourselves.

We pride ourselves in customer satisfaction and bringing you unique items you can’t find anywhere else. From essential baby gear and innovative breastfeeding products, to the latest and greatest developmental toys, Hatch and Latch offers a complete selection of products to meet the needs of baby and parents alike. Featuring a product line from trusted, world-renowned brands, Hatch and Latch is dedicated to providing you with the highest quality products at competitive prices.

So whether you are a new mom, returning mom or proud grandparent, we have what you are looking for and more! So be sure to check back often for we are always adding new items.

One of the “famous” and well-loved brands available at Hatch & Latch is Maternalove, a nursing wear brand from Singapore (We love SG! We got to visit Singapore a few times before — one of the blessings of being based abroad on mission!).

If I were to get preggy again (yes, we’re still praying about it! 🙂 I’d love to get one of these gorgeous convertible dresses – you can wear it in — as a preggy momma, then as a nursing momma! Cool! 🙂

Incidentally, I know of two other “famous” mom bloggers {well, more famous than little ol’ me! Tee hee!} who got fabulous nursing wear from Hatch & Latch — Frances and Jackie! {I hope they post photos on their blogs!} Frances is even hosting a Baby Buds (another fab product for preggy moms — a prenatal music player!) giveaway until March 27! (Oh, that’s tomorrow already! He,he! Sorry for posting about it a tad late!)

Anyway, other Hatch & Latch products are from Motherlove, “the first herbal personal care and supplement line specifically designed for pregnant and breastfeeding women;” the NiNi Toy Bungee, ” and MilkBands Nursing Bracelets.

More Milk Plus Capsules – for increasing breast milk supply

Nipple cream for sore nipples 🙂

Nini Toy Bungee

Milke Bands Nursing Bracelets

I hope you’ll check out the Hatch & Latch website and today! 🙂 If you have family members and/or friends who are pregnant or are new mommas, you may be able to find the perfect gift for them — an advanced gift for Mother’s Day! 🙂 Or, if you’re preggy yourself, you might want to reward yourself with one of the goodies from ! 🙂

Disclaimer: This is NOT a sponsored post; although Hatch & Latch is one of this blog’s newest sponsors! 🙂 Thank YOU, Lord, and thank you, Ms. Helen See, for choosing to partner with Truly Rich Mom! 🙂

March 15, 2012 by Tina

So you probably already know that my elder sister is infanticipating. She and I have been chatting regularly about baby-related and mommy-related stuff, like co-sleeping and breastfeeding. On her list of “to-buy” items, she included a breastfeeding pump. So I immediately asked my friends over at Medela Moms for their advice.

You see, I’d already heard of Medela pumps waaay back when, even before I had met face-to-face (and, subsequently, befriended!) the fabulous moms Maricel and Beng of (incidentally, isn’t it just SUPER COOL that they’re homeschooling moms, too?!). I think I first saw a post about them on Jenny’s breastfeeding blog. By God’s grace, our paths crossed because of the HAPI Roadshow at the Medela House last year, and we instantly connected! 🙂 Praise GOD!

Anyway, Maricel suggested my sister get the Medela Harmony pump, and she even offered to teach me how to use it and clean it, etc, etc.

My sister hasn’t decided whether to get this pump or just use the one I was “gifted” with through Mi’ann of Babymama two years ago (someone gave me a breast pump because I had joined Babymama’s giveaway – you can read my “gratitude” post about it here).

Anyway, if you’re an expecting mom, especially a working one, I highly recommend you get a good pump. Medela is one of my top choices (seriously!), not only because it’s one of the top breastfeeding products brands out there, but also because Medela Moms, as the exclusive authorized distributor and service center of Medela in the Philippines, is committed to going the extra mile for their clients and “mommy partners.” They regularly hold breastfeeding seminars, yaya (nanny) seminars, and even parties for breastfed children! 🙂

This is largely because the moms behind Medela Moms know how important it is for breastfeeding moms (and their families) to have a support system. Don’t believe me? Check out what it says on their Multiply page:

MedelaMoms Inc. is the Exclusive, Authorized Importer/Distributor of Medela Breastfeeding Products in the Philippines. It is owned by two families highly dedicated to breastfeeding. Mommy Beng is currently exclusively breastfeeding her 11-month old twins after breastfeeding her first-born son for 2 years and 2 months, while Mommy Maricel breastfed her daughter for 2 years and 7 months before her daughter self-weaned. MedelaMoms Inc. not only provides safe products that work but also support and guidance for breastfeeding moms. Nobody goes through breastfeeding alone, MedelaMoms don’t only guide you on how best to maximize Medela products, they are also breastfeeding advocates you can run to for motherly advice and wisdom 🙂

And, since I’m not the only pro-breastfeeding mom blogger out there, check out these blog posts related to the Medela Moms and the Medela House:
Jenny’s post about the Medela House

Tinkerputt’s posts about Medela Moms (including some on the breastfeeding seminars and Christmas party for breastfed kids!)
Daddy and the City’s post about the Medela House (Isn’t it cool? Even a dad blogs about breastfeeding!)

This post is especially helpful if you have TWINS! 🙂
Medela Moms’ Beng shares about nursing twins

As to posts and articles about breastfeeding and pumping, here are a few helpful ones:
Milk Expression Tips and Pump Information

For Exclusive Pumpers
Freezing Tips from A Pumping Mama

Ultimately, , and whether or not you can afford to get a good pump, it’s really your commitment to breastfeed your baby that matters most. 🙂

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post, although Medela Moms has recently partnered with Truly Rich Mom as a blog sponsor. I just wrote it out of gratitude to them, and, of course, to encourage moms to breastfeed their kids. 🙂 Again, whether you express milk by using a pump or manually (yes, using your hands!), what matters most is your baby gets the “liquid gold” from your breasts! 🙂