Truly Rich and Blessed

Our Discoveries: Nature to Nurture Multi-Surface Cleaner

by

In the About page of this site, I mentioned that being “Truly Rich and Blessed” is all about:

GROWING OUR FAITH, LOVING OUR SELF, STRENGTHENING OUR RELATIONSHIPS, MAXIMIZING OUR RESOURCES, AND DELIGHTING IN OUR DISCOVERIES AND EXPERIENCES.

When it comes to Our Discoveries and Experiences, my aim is to look at different products, services, and other matters that help “enrich” our lives. One such “discovery” is Nature to Nurture Multi-Surface Cleaner, one of my new favorite natural cleaners. (I’ll share why in a bit!)
Nature to Nurture
But first, let me explain a bit… you may be wondering how something like a multi-surface cleaner helps “enrich” our lives. Sounds kinda weird, doesn’t it? Or does it?

Well, personally, when I use the word “enrich,” I mean my life is made a bit better and even a bit “easier”. And using Nature to Nurture’s Multi-Surface Cleaner has certainly made my life better and easier. Here’s why:

1. It’s plant-based and safe even for little hands to use.

Nature to Nurture’s Multi-Surface Cleaner uses tea tree essential oil as its anti-bacterial agent. You can use it so safely clean high chairs, toys, cribs, countertops, walls, furniture, appliances, electronics, outdoor toy sets, gears on bikes, and even saint statues! (See below. 🙂  Our toddler loves to help me clean up, especially when I let him spray surfaces and objects with Nature to Nurture’s Multi-Surface Cleaner! I don’t have to worry about nasty chemicals getting onto his skin either—we just wash his hands afterwards, easy peasy!)

Nature to Nurture-1

You can also use the cleaner on surfaces like granite, sealed stone, glass, painted surfaces, stainless steel, porcelain, floors (hardwood, tile, laminate)—doesn’t that make your life oh-so-much easier (and thus, your life is “enriched” a bit)?

2. It makes cleaning up hassle-free.

Nature to Nurture’s Multi-Surface Cleaner automatically comes in a spray bottle, which makes for easy clean-ups. It effectively removes grease and deep-seated dirt on different surfaces. We use it all the time on our Comflor playmat (which I’ve written about before),  and because we use our playmat all the time, we need to make sure it’s always clean.

IMG-1182

Our daughters are usually the ones assigned to help keep the playmat clean (though the toddler often tries to grab the Multi-Surface Cleaner spray bottle from them when they are cleaning it! Ha, ha!). I make sure they use a dry, clean cloth with the Cleaner—otherwise, they’d be spreading dirt on the playmat if the cloth used is dirty. I ask them to clean the mat in the morning and before we use it for other purposes, like preparing vegetables for cooking (yup, we really use our playmat in different ways!).

IMG-1180

 3. It’s economical, effective, and environment-friendly.

For only P199.00 for a 510-ml spray bottle, the Multi-Surface Cleaner really provides value for your money. I’m sure even non-parents will find it super useful and economical, and the bonus is it’s not just safe to use but it’s super effective, too! Tea tree oil, one of its main ingredients, is known for its “antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.” It’s also biodegradable, so you can be sure that you are not spreading any bad chemicals into the environment.

All of these factors combined really make Nature to Nurture’s Multi-Surface Cleaner “worthy” to be on “Our Discoveries and Experiences” list. Because, again, whatever helps make our lives better and “easier” is something that can enrich us! (Catch my upcoming posts about Nature to Nurture’s other products coming up soon. Honestly, all of their products are really worth recommending! And I’m not just saying that because this post and the upcoming ones are a collaboration between me and Nature to Nurture—we’ve been using their products even before this collaboration!)

Find out more about Nature to Nurture via their website. Or check out their products in person when you visit The Parenting Emporium, your one-stop shop for all things parenting-related!

3 Ways to Make Family Gatherings More Memorable

by

family gatherings

The holidays are upon us, and we all know what that means… ’tis the season for bonding with our loved ones, especially for family gatherings! 🙂

Personally, I love family gatherings (that’s my extrovert self speaking, I think). There is something about being with those near and dear to us that just, well, warms my heart!

However, we all know that not all family reunions end up great and stored in our memory banks. Personally, there have been countless times in the past when I have felt saddened or hurt or angered (or a combination of emotions) during family gatherings. Sometimes, this has been due to misunderstandings or well-meaning but insensitive comments by relatives (you know the ones! 😉 ), or other reasons. Still, these are not things that we should dwell on, right? After all, Christmas is all about HIM, and not about us nor our relatives.

Having said that, I think it would help to keep some things in mind when it comes to making family gatherings memorable. Here are just a few of them:

1. Focus on the relationships.

This can be easier said than done because of the “hustle and bustle” that is usually associated with the holidays. But, but, but we must always remember that our relationships with our family members (and those beyond our family, too) are more important than how fancy or “complicated” our family gatherings are. There is no need to hold reunions at big-time venues like hotels or resorts — what is important is the quality of time you spend together. (Of course, if your family can afford to do so, there is no problem with that!)

2. Prepare yourself (and your loved ones, too).

If you’re the type who can be overwhelmed by big crowds (hello, dear introvert friends!), big family gatherings may be a bit too much for you. So prepare yourself by psyching yourself up mentally and emotionally to face your relatives. Focus on your relationships (see number 1).

Also, since holiday gatherings can be overwhelming to the younger members of your family, i.e. your kids if you have them, it’s best to prepare them ahead of time by explaining to them where you’re going, what you’ll be doing, who you’ll be meeting, and the like. This will help all of you make more meaningful connections with loved ones, especially extended family whom you may not have seen in a long time.

3. Look for meaning in the ordinary.

The “holiday rush” can sometimes make us forget to look beyond the “ordinary” and see beauty and meaning. I don’t know, maybe it’s the spirit of Christmas and all, but even simple shopping trips can make me feel sentimental lately.

Actually, preparing for Christmas always makes me extra sentimental, because it’s really the time for family reunions and making meaningful memories with our loved ones. Even this video of my friend Beng of The Parenting Emporium and her mom checking out sofas made me feel a bit emotional… it brings back memories of my mom… and our whole family, actually… spending time together, bonding together as a family… *sigh* (Get me some tissue please!)

I will actually be extra happy during the upcoming holidays, because we will be spending even more time together as a family. I pray that you will be able to do so too, friend. After all, the holidays are all about our loved ones, right? Especially our Greatest Love of all — Jesus, the Reason for the season!

family gatherings

P.S. Don’t the sofas featured in the video above look so comfy and cozy? One day, when we get our own family home, I hope and pray we can get one of them for our living room! In the meantime, I will drool over them and place these photos in our family’s dream board. 😉 Which one do you think is best? (You can check out more great choice for furniture on the BLIMS website — they have an ongoing holiday sale!)

interior with sofa. 3d illustration
BERLIN Bosana Close Up 2 Cosmos Morgan

This post is brought to you by BLIMS Fine Furniture.

3 Ways to Foster Creativity in Your Family

by

pixmom

Image from Pixabay.com

Creativity is an important skill in today’s world. In fact, according to this article on Psychology Today, creativity is “at the heart of this essential skillset for the future,” referring to “skills and traits for success (and perhaps even simply survival) in the modern era.”

As a writer and content creator (yes, I’d like to think of myself as a “creative” 😉 ), I would have to agree with the article cited above. I believe creativity is crucial in our day-to-day. And if you’re a family person like me, especially a mom, you’d agree that being creative can really save the day at times!

So, if you’re looking for ways to foster creativity in your family (especially how to foster creativity among your kids), here are three suggestions:

1. Let kids be bored.

pixmom

Image from Pixabay.com

Yes, that’s right. Oftentimes, kids (and even adults!) become more creative when they are allowed to be “bored,” i.e. there is no bombardment from gadgets, outside activities, etc. Some people call this letting kids have their “free time,” “down time,” or “unstructured time.”

2. Provide what they need to be creative.

Now, before you go out and purchase every single arts and crafts / DIY/ other stuff that you deem creativity-enhancing out there, you should read this article on Greater Good Magazine. Basically, it says that among the “resources” kids will need for “creative expression,” time is a “key resource” (hence, point number 1 above).

Another resource is “space.” Give your kids the freedom to create in their own specified places at home if possible — like a designated corner in your living room, or a place in their own room, etc. Wherever it may be, children should feel free to make a mess while letting their creativity direct them!

Of course, having items that were mentioned in the same article, like “art supplies, cheap cameras, costume components, building materials” (LEGOS, anyone?), is also a good thing to do. Make sure your kids have access to them, and can put them away easily so you won’t have to nag them (or go crazy with the messes they will create)!

pixmom

Image from Pixabay.com

3. Capture their creativity.

Of course, in this day and age, capturing the creativity of our family members — especially if you have kids — is not that hard to do because of technology. And any parent out there can testify that many times, it’s the moments when our kids’ creativity shines through that make for meaningful memories.

So it’s a good thing that companies like Canon help people like us capture these moments.

In the words of Benny Yu, Consumer Group Director of Canon Marketing Philippines, Inc.: “Family moments are delightful moments worth having memories of. Through the newly-launched series of Canon PIXMA E printers, we wish to make these moments count – from using our printers to produce work that will help enhance the creativity and learning of kids, to documenting these moments via photos.”

pixmommy

The series of printers Mr. Yu mentioned was actually launched a while back at the “Pixmom” event, which, sadly, I was not able to attend.

However, I did get to see other mommy bloggers’ Pixmom posts, and I am glad to note that the Canon PIXMA E series printers are cost efficient and have good print quality, plus they are Wi-Fi-capable, can even print on canvas and so much more! Just check out the video below by my friend Louise of Mommy Practicality:

Here are just a few ways by which the Canon PIXMA E Series printers can help every family moment memorable:

  • The Canon PIXMA E410 is perfect for moms who help put together her children’s numerous drafts of artworks, sketches and projects with its ability to print up to 400 black and white documents, and 180 colored pages.
  • The design savvy student will enjoy the PIXMA E470’s built-in Wi-Fi features that can help print from anywhere to meet that deadline when paired with the Google Cloud Print*1 service.
  • Teens in the family can immortalize their best photos on Facebook through the PIXMA MG3070s with its PIXMA Cloud Link application for remote printing of Facebook albums and online contents with mobile devices.
  • The compact PIXMA E480 model is best suited for aspiring entrepreneurs in the family with its on-the-go faxing and scanning features.

(For more information about the PIXMA printers, visit www.canon.com.ph and www.shopcanon.ph. Or look for the hashtag #Pixmom on Instagram and Twitter to see more posts about the Canon PIXMA printers!)

Now, I’d like to know: How do you foster creativity in your own family? If you’re a mom like me, how do you encourage creativity in your kids? Feel free to leave a comment below and share your experiences or suggestions! 🙂

Starting a Passion-based Business: Tina De Guzman’s Inspiring Story

by

how to start a passion-based business

I started this blog — then known as “Truly Rich Mom” — because I was inspired by the teachings of Brother/Kuya Bo Sanchez. I also wanted to share our adventures as a then-missionary family and share mom-recommended products and services too. I re-branded to Truly Rich and Blessed last year mostly because I wanted to reach out to non-moms as well.

Still, you really can’t take the “mom” out of me, and I definitely can’t stop writing about things related to motherhood because, well, it’s an integral part of who I am. I also like sharing inspiring stories about how people are becoming “truly rich” (and blessed, in my opinion) in different aspects, especially when they are my fellow moms.

Truth be told, my husband and I are still trying to figure out what kind of entrepreneurship path is best for our family. In the meantime, we are learning all we can from Kuya Bo and other successful entrepereneurs.

One such entrepreneur is a fellow mom and my namesake as well — Tina De Guzman of Fluffy Pwets. I wrote about her last year for one of the Truly Rich Club‘s e-newsletters, which is exclusively for members. (I contribute there sometimes, as I do for other publications.) I’m sharing Tina’s story below, in the hopes of inspiring at least one of you out there to follow your business dreams! (Tina also gave birth earlier this year to their second child — congrats, tokayo!)

Starting a Passion-based Business: Be Inspired by the Mompreneur behind Fluffy Pwets

how to start a passion-based business

“Never give up. Today is hard, tomorrow will be worse, but the day after tomorrow will be sunshine.” This quote from Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba.com, can probably serve as inspiration for every entrepreneur out there, especially those who are just starting out, or want to start but don’t have the guts to do so.

The truth is, whether you’re just a newbie or a more “seasoned” entrepreneur, any business has its own set of challenges. Just ask Tina de Guzman, a lawyer, international development specialist, and the mompreneur behind “Fluffy Pwets” (www.fluffypwets.com).

Fluffy Pwets is the Philippines’s first and original brand of hybrid fitted cloth diapers in the Philippines, and all their products are individually handcrafted by Filipino women using both imported and local materials. Having expanded since its first appearance in the market, Fluffy Pwets now also offers coordinating clothing, accessories, and cloth diapering essentials.

Here, de Guzman shares a bit of her story with us – may it inspire us to pursue our business dreams and goals!

The “birth” of Fluffy Pwets

“My husband and I are cloth diapering parents. We would buy diapers locally and from abroad, and the choices in the Philippines were limited,” de Guzman recalls. “I did a lot of research, tested many different diaper types, and one day, we just decided to try making our own cloth diapers.”

how to start a passion-based business

At the time, De Guzman was working fulltime, and she is actually still employed to this day.

“It was very difficult to start a business while holding down a job, because you can only do so much within your supposed waking hours,” she shares.

“When Fluffy Pwets started getting hundreds of orders and we didn’t have enough staff yet, I ended up finishing Fluffy Pwets-related work at 5:00 a.m., leaving just enough time for me to hit the shower and get ready for my day job. It was crazy.

“Now, it’s more manageable. I am at risk of getting carpal tunnel syndrome though, because I handle our accounts mostly via phone and laptop, but I can’t say I’ve been forced to pull all-nighters like when we were starting out.”

The blessings behind having a business that you love

Despite all the challenges though, de Guzman says starting and running the Fluffy Pwets business is “very much worthwhile, especially if you believe in your product and there is good reception from your target market”.

“Anything worthwhile won’t come without challenges,” she emphasizes. “It’s overcoming those challenges that make your undertaking victorious.”

De Guzman shares that Fluffy Pwets has actually become a blessing of sorts to her. “Aside from the business side of it, I appreciate how my network has expanded because of Fluffy Pwets,” she divulges. “I’ve met a lot of people and made new friends who I wouldn’t have met through my day job.

“Also, it is so humbling and fulfilling to see photos of #FPbabies! Most parents send us photos of their babies wearing Fluffy Pwets diapers, clothing, blankets, and bags on their birthdays, photo shoots, and other special occasions. We appreciate that we’ve become a part of their lives.”

how to start a passion-based business

Simple but meaningful tips for starting your own business

Whether you’re employed now and hope to start a business based on something you love – like cloth diapering, as in de Guzman’s case – or already have a business of your own, you will probably find the following tips from de Guzman helpful:

1. Do your research.

2. Be original. Be the first and constantly innovate.

3. Prioritize customer service and excellent product quality.

4. Don’t skimp on investing on experts – be it expert craftsmen, illustrators, or marketing professionals.

If you want to get more inspiring and practical tips on how to be “truly rich,” I encourage you to join the Truly Rich Club. You may do so just by clicking here. 🙂 God bless us all so we may bless more people!

One Simple Way to Boost Your Health (and Your Own Milk Supply!)

by

simple way to boost your health

This post is brought to you by VPharma.

Over here at Truly Rich and Blessed, we try to emphasize that one of our “riches” is actually something that is often overlooked (or, in my case, neglected at times!). And that is “Our Self.” I am quite guilty of this actually, so I have been *trying* to take better care of myself, including my health!

This journey actually started a few years ago, when I started consulting some friends of mine who consider themselves as “crunchy moms.” I even declared my One Word to be “Health” that year. I must confess, though, that I (along with the rest of my family) still have a long way to go to be considered 100% healthy and health-conscious as we do sometimes indulge too much in not-so-healthy things.

Having said that, we do try our best to keep healthy. I also discovered one simple but effective way to boost your health (at least it works for me and my family, plus some of my friends, too!). I actually got this tip from Chefs Jon and Raquel Chua, during one of their cooking workshops held at The Parenting Emporium. They mentioned it and I have been doing it ever since.

Can you guess what that one simple way to boost your health is?

Here you go:

Put malunggay powder in your food.

simple way to boost your health

The Chuas actually recommended Mega Malunggay at the time, to be exact. It comes in capsule form but you can easily open the capsules and use the powder. Malunggay or Moringa Oleifera contains more vitamin C than oranges, 3 times the amount of iron in spinach, and 4 times the calcium amount in milk. It also contains essential proteins, helps heal inflamed joints and tendons, and helps normalize blood pressure and sugar level. Furthermore, Mega Malunggay also  contains 100 mg of sodium ascorbate, a non-acidic form of vitamin C.

So I started putting malunggay powder in our food, especially the viands that have sauce and soup. I also sprinkle the powder in the kids’ rice (we eat red or brown rice) and they are already used to it. I also put malunggay powder in omelettes, pasta sauce, chocolate drinks, and even mix it with instant noodles during the rare times the kids are allowed to eat them (read: “emergencies” when Mama has no time to prepare something healthier and more nutritious! Yes, we still let the kids eat food like that sometimes. I know, I know! Huhuhu! We really should lessen those occasions or even eliminate them.)

Actually, if we baked our own bread and other goodies that would require an oven (which we don’t have), I’d probably add malunggay powder to the ingredients as well. That’s how convinced I am about its health-boosting properties!

simple way to boost your health

Of course, it’s already a well-known fact that malunggay also helps boost one’s milk supply if you’re a breastfeeding mom. So adding malunggay powder to your food will also help you provide the best nutrition for your child. (You can also consume the malunggay capsules directly, of course.)

Personally, I am so grateful to God for providing us what we need to be healthy in nature — in this case, in the humble malunggay tree. Having malunggay capsules ready to consume or to be split open (to get the malunggay powder) is an added bonus though, and makes it more convenient for busy people (especially moms!) like me to get a dose of healthy, natural, organic goodness.

Now, I’d like to hear from you: Do you have any tips for boosting one’s health? Or even one’s milk supply? Please feel free to leave a comment below.

Subscribe to my posts

Recognitions


PHILIPPINE HOMESCHOOL CONFERENCE 2017 SPONSORS

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM

PROUD TO BE A MEMBER OF