Truly Rich and Blessed

Our Discoveries: Fun and Learning Time with Kinder Joy

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As someone who tries her best to practice intentional parenting—together with my husband, of course—I am always on the lookout for ways to make our family time meaningful and memorable.

This is why I decided to include “Our Discoveries and Experiences” in this blog. I wanted to share about what products and services help to “enrich” me and my family in one way or another. I especially appreciate products and services that help make our time with the kids both fun and educational.

Well, you might be surprised to read that one such product is actually something that you have probably seen in most, if not all, leading supermarkets in the Philippines: Kinder Joy!

Yup, Kinder Joy is the not-so-new discovery that I’ll be sharing about here now. Curious as to why that is so? Well, just keep reading!

Before anything else, let me tell you why I said that Kinder Joy is a “not-so-new discovery” for me and my family. Well, we are already familiar with this product because we sometimes buy them as “treats” for the kids. They have especially “saved the day” for me on Easter in previous years, when we needed instant “treasures” for the kids’ annual Easter Treasure Hunt (one of our Easter celebration activities).

Now, in case you have never heard of Kinder Joy before, here’s a description of it in a nutshell (or should I say “eggshell”?): It’s an edible snack product that comes in an egg-shaped container, along with little toys. One half of the “egg” contains two delicious creams (milky cream and cocoa cream) with two crispy wafer balls, and the other half contains the toy.

My kids love opening both halves of their Kinder Joy eggs—they enjoy the sweet treat and get to have a bit of “learning time” with the surprise toy. Sometimes, it’s a toy that has to be put together, and sometimes it’s a toy that’s already pre-assembled.

Whatever the case may be though, I’m always happy to see them playing with the toys because I believe that play is learning and learning is play for kids and for adults, but especially for kids. (Don’t believe me? Try reading this article for starters.)

The fact that the toys are small and easy to bring around are a bonus for us, too, because I can just pop them into my bag and bring them out whenever the kids want to play. Also, since the toys are non-battery-operated, they fit into our criteria of what toys should be—”simple” and allowing for open-ended play that is only limited by one’s imagination.

Paired with the free Magic Kinder App, the kids’ toy experience is further enhanced with the app’s interesting content that promises fun for the entire family. It features a huge selection of videos, games, and other activities with educational value.

Want to try out the app for yourself? Download it from iTunes or .

Of course, your family’s Kinder Joy experience won’t be complete if you don’t have the actual Kinder Joy treats and toys, so head on over to the nearest supermarket to get them, too.

If you’re Catholics like us, who do our best to practice #LiturgicalLiving, it would be great to stock up on Kinder Joy eggs as sweet treats for special occasions like celebrating saint feast days, namedays, baptism days, etc.

Of course, beyond the treats and toys, what matters most when it comes to kids having fun and learning at the same time is the intention behind it all. Let’s do our best to make every moment with our children meaningful and purpose-filled—even if it’s something “simple” like feasting on the occasional Kinder Joy treat!

Woman, You Are Meant to Shine! (An Invitation)

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One of the things that I had been praying for during my bedrest period was that I would be well enough to attend this year’s Jewels Conference. I went to the first conference, and had been waiting for the next one… which will be happening soon—on June 2, to be exact!

So I am very grateful to God for answering my prayers—I’m finally off bedrest, and there’s a big chance that I can go! Woohoo! 🙂 (I still need to see if I can though… since I still need to take it easy. Husband’s and my parents’ orders!)

In any case, I’d like to extend this invitation to YOU, my dear fellow women out there. Take some time off to rest in God’s presence, and be reminded of how precious you are in His sight. (This goes out especially to my fellow moms. You deserve a break. We all do! 😉 )

Dear _____________, (fill in the blank with your name)

Let’s face it.

It takes a woman to understand another woman’s soul.

The anguish of a broken heart, the pain of childbirth, the challenges of raising a family and taking care of aging parents.

It’s tough to be a woman. Yet, each season every woman goes through also promises an exciting journey of struggles and victories altogether.

That is why the Jewels Conference was conceived. To be a venue of inspiration and renewed hope for women, no matter what season we all are in.

And I’m inviting you again (and all the other women you know) to be part of the Radiance: Jewels Conference 2018.

Jewels Conference 2018 is happening on June 2, 2018 (Saturday) from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the SMX  Convention Center in Pasay City, Manila.

Speaking of hope and inspiration at the conference are lay preacher and international speaker and author Bo Sanchez, Rissa Singson-Kawpeng of Kerygma Magazine, Sr. Eppie Brasil of Regina Rica, showbiz personalities Dimples Romana and Ai Ai De Las Alas, and worship leader Veia Lim-Vinas.  I’m sure you wouldn’t want to miss this!

You still have time to avail of your tickets to our much-awaited all-women gathering! I hope you’ve blocked off your June 2 already to spend a day with Jesus.

My prayers go out to you and your families.

See you at the Jewels Conference!

Peace and Love,
Marowe Sanchez (and me! LOL!)

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P.S. For more details about the Jewels Conference, please visit the Jewels Conference  too! Here’s a glimpse of what happened at the first conference:

P.P.S. Hurry! Get your tickets today at ! Regular tickets are priced at P995 and Premium tickets are priced at P1400 (with Jewels journal and reserved seating area).

And in case you need more convincing, here’s Kuya Bo Sanchez personally inviting you to the conference:

Please pray that I can go? Hope to see you there! 🙂

Mothers Need to Love Themselves, Too (Thank You for the Reminder, Watsons!)

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Image from Pixabay.com

Image from Pixabay.com

As a mother, I know how it is to just give and give and give. To love and love and love… your kids, your spouse, and others around you even.

I also know how tiring it can be. How we moms can fall into the trap of loving others too much and then we forget to love ourselves, too. And lest you think that this is “selfish”, i.e. loving yourself is something only self-centered and vain people do, allow me to share this beautiful reminder from the Bible (Mark 12:28-31):

“One of the scribes, when he came forward and heard them disputing and saw how well he had answered them, asked him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” Jesus replied, “The first is this: ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

See? Even God wants us to love ourselves, because we are made in His image and likeness, and because He Himself loves us very, very much.

Oftentimes though, we moms tend to forget that. I know I do. We often don’t look at ourselves the way others see us, especially our kids. This video from Watsons Philippines shows that so well:

The reality is that we moms are often hard on ourselves; completely unaware that to our children, husbands, and loved ones, we are “perfect.” 

Yes, a mother’s love is truly selfless and our “jobs” never end (even during weekends!) but we truly deserve a break every now and then. We need to pamper ourselves and allow others to pamper us. Because happy mothers who look good and feel great in turn make their loved ones feel great, too.

Of course, I’m not referring to ourselves only—let’s look at the moms in our lives, too, especially the one who gave birth to us and gave us life in the first place. They deserve to be pampered and feel special, too, of course!

So, for Mother’s Day, here are some ideas to make each mom feel like the perfect woman who looks good and feels great always:

  1. Give her a homemade gift card for a foot and hand massage. It should be redeemable forever. 
  2. Put together a special basket for her filled with beauty and wellness goodies such as face masks, massage oil, a bottle of multivitamins, and nail polish. Basically, the basket should include items every mother will enjoy.
  3. Give her gift cards from her favorite store. If she loves beauty, then she will enjoy shopping at Watsons. If it’s fashion she’s into, she will surely love the wide selection at The SM Store. (I know I certainly do!)
  4. Write a letter or poem telling her why she is the best mom in the world and what makes her perfect. (Hmmm… maybe I should hint about this to my kids? Ha, ha!)
  5. Serve her breakfast in bed. If you can’t cook, slice some fruits and serve it with toast and butter on a beautiful plate.
  6. Take her out for dinner and a movie. Take note of what her favorite restaurant is and what movies she likes to watch.

I hope the abovementioned ideas will help us show our appreciation to the moms in our lives—including ourselves! *wink wink* I’m not kidding, moms—we deserve some TLC, so don’t be ashamed to suggest these ideas to your family members! 😉

Thanks to Watsons Philippines for their video which reminds us to love ourselves more! Visit and follow for more inspiration on how to look good, feel great!

3 Benefits of Using Nature to Nurture’s Safe and Plant-Based Dish Wash

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nature to nurture

I first heard of Nature to Nurture when my friend Maricel of The Parenting Emporium (TPE) introduced me to Jac Siy, the mompreneur behind this up and coming nature-based brand. I must admit though, that it took me a while to actually try their products, and when I finally bought them from TPE, they turned out to  be among the BEST discoveries I have ever made!

I particularly like their Baby Bottle and Dish Wash, which they consider their bestseller—and you’ll see why in this post! In a nutshell: it is safe, plant-based, ultra-concentrated, biodegradable, and has absolutely no nasty chemicals! And there are definitely benefits to using it… here are just three of them:

1. Cleans effectively without causing any harm

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Nature to Nurture Baby Bottle and Dish Wash leaves baby bottles, sippy cups, dishes, utensils, plates, breast pump accessories, teethers, pacifiers, and even washable toys and pots & pans squeaky clean. (You can also use it to clean fruits and vegetables!)

We use it and we can definitely see its effectiveness even if it’s “just” plant-based (some people think that plant-based products aren’t that effective but it’s so not true!).

This particular product harnesses the power of baking soda to break down any milk or food residue—so you can be assured that it cleans items effectively without using any harmful ingredients!

2. Leaves no fragrance on washed items

Nature to Nurture Baby Bottle and Dish Wash is fragrance free, so it doesn’t leave any nasty chemical fragrance residue like other dishwashing liquid and bottle cleansers do. (Now, let me clarify here that we don’t use bottles with our kids since they were all breastfed, mostly directly or fed breastmilk via cup as Titus was. So we use Nature to Nurture on other items like cups, sippy cups, utensils, and plates.)

I love that after washing everything, there is no “after smell.” This is especially beneficial to moms with babies. We all know that babies are smart. Some reject drinking your milk if they smell something different from the bottle or cup that they’re drinking from.

nature to nurture

Conversely, there are some babies who do not mind drinking milk that tastes and smells funny—which is a lot worse! Babies should not ingest anything other than what they are supposed to, no matter how “safe” nor “edible” a cleanser claims to be, yet there are some “safe” and “edible” cleansers and dishwashing liquids that still leave fragrance or smells on items.

3. Helps you save money and save the environment, too

Nature to Nurture Baby Bottle and Dish Wash is designed to be rinsed off easily, leaving no soap residue behind. This translates to us dishwashers using less water and saving time. (A big plus point for a frugal, busy mama like me who needs all the extra time I can get!)

And since it is biodegradable and contains no nasty chemicals such as SLS, SLES, phthalates, parabens, synthetic fragrances, enzymes, dyes, phosphates, chlorine, DEA, formaldehyde & caustics, it is not only safe for the user but it’s also safe for the environment!

So there you have it… just a few of the benefits of using the fabulous Nature to Nurture Baby Bottle and Dish Wash! You should definitely try it if you haven’t yet! 🙂 You can easily buy it online via the Nature to Nurture website. Let me know what you think of it, OK? Just leave a comment below!

 

This post is brought to you by Nature to Nurture. However, all feedback and opinions are mine, and are based on my personal experience using Nature to Nurture products even before this collaboration. 🙂

Doing Laundry Made Easier with Nature to Nurture Liquid Laundry Detergent

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I’ve mentioned a few times before that Our Discoveries and Experiences are part of the “riches” that we discuss here on Truly Rich and Blessed. I personally believe that there are products and services out there that can help “enrich” our lives—we just need to look carefully for them!

Nature to Nurture Liquid Laundry Detergent—like the Nature to Nurture Multi-Surface Cleaner—is one such product. Now, you may think it’s silly that laundry detergent can help “enrich” one’s life, but believe me—if you’re someone who needs to make sure that your laundry not only smells clean but is thoroughly yet gently cleaned, you’d totally agree that Nature to Nurture’s Liquid Laundry Detergent does make your life somewhat “richer”! 😉

Think about it—when it’s easier to do your laundry, you have more time to do other things like be with your loved ones, have some “me-time” (which is really enriching, right?) or even earn extra cash (time = money, as they say!). And Nature to Nurture Liquid Laundry Detergent does make washing your clothes easier, plus it’s safer for the environment. Here’s the breakdown of how this detergent helps make doing laundry easier:

1. It’s effective and safe.

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Nature to Nurture Liquid Laundry Detergent effectively removes stains and odour in our clothes, and is packed with baking soda, which regulates the pH level of water. Baking soda acts as a “balance” to suspend detergent and mineral deposits in water, which, in turn, can make clothes feel stiff.  So if you use this detergent, your clothes will feel soft even if you don’t use any synthetic fabric softeners (which we have stopped using for years already!). It leaves no residue, and actually naturally softens clothes.

2. It prevents your clothes from having a “kulob” smell.

The true measure of a laundry detergent is when you strip it of its unnecessary harmful ingredients (such as synthetic fragrances, optical brighteners, phosphates) and clothes still come out smelling fresh and clean. This is what Nature to Nurture’s Liquid Laundry Detergent is all about—it’s natural, soft and gentle to the skin, and even prevents the growth of germs that causes that “kulob” smell that we all hate, especially when clothes are left to soak overnight or not dried under the sun. (I know I’m not the only one who hates that smell, right? My husband, for one, absolutely detests it!)

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3. It’s more economical.

Nature to Nurture Liquid Laundry Detergent is suitable for all types of laundry, even cloth diapers and delicates—so you don’t need to use different kinds of laundry soap or detergent for your different “categories” of clothes! It easily rinses out, which means you’ll get to save on water, too. Plus, it’s two times more concentrated than regular laundry detergents, making it more economical in the long run. As a frugal wife and mother who believes that Our Resources (including our finances) are part of our “riches,” this is super important to me!

Nature to Nurture actually also has laundry powder, and both the liquid detergent and laundry powder have NO nasty chemicals, and are truly safe and effective!

So, if you’re looking for laundry detergent that is effective, safe for you, your family, and the environment, and plus help you save money, I highly recommend Nature to Nurture Liquid Laundry Detergent! Give it a try by ordering it online—easy, peasy—here. If you live near or are willing to travel to New Manila, you can also visit The Parenting Emporium to check out Nature to Nurture’s products in person (and to look at the other items available there, ha, ha!).

This is a sponsored post.

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