Michi Photostory

“The moment a child is born, the mother is also born, she never existed before. The woman existed but the mother never. A mother is something absolutely new“ – Rajneesh

No one says that motherhood is a sweet journey and you never know how hard it is unless you become a mother. I hope there is a Motherhood 101 lesson in school so I would be prepared but there isn’t any lesson but every day is a chance for me to learn how to raise my son, how to be a good mother, and how to enjoy being a full-time mom.

Being a mother is not easy because there are always challenges, trials, and mistakes along the way. There are times that I feel that I’m not doing the right thing and I’m such a failure mom but I know that it is all part of life. Despite all of these hardships and challenges, I can definitely say that I’m grateful because God gave me the opportunity to become a mom and I will not trade this for anything because there are a lot of sweet moments, happy memories, and joys of motherhood.

My unexpected joys of motherhood

1. I’m happy that I chose to be a stay at home mom because I have more time with my son and I can capture those first-time moments. Witnessing his first smile, crawl, steps, etc. are priceless memories.
2. I enjoy taking photos of his developments, milestones, and crazy moments.
3. The first time my son called me “mommy”
4. Hugs and kisses from my son are enough to melt my heart even when I’m mad.
5. I have a companion when my husband is not around.
6. I know I will have separation anxiety if my son wants to have his own bedroom.
7. Our everyday activity and bonding.
8. I find blogging inspiration from him.

Motherhood is a lifetime journey and process. I learn and discover some things that I did not know that I have. I never thought that I could love someone unconditionally. Honestly, I’m not fond of kids’ maybe that is why I don’t want to be a teacher because I have very little patience but when I had my son, everything change. He changed me.

They immediately gave us the menu and while checking the menu, one staff came and gave us some plain soup and glass water. We ordered Hainanese chicken delight P120 and pork chop P120. After a few minutes, the staff came back and gave me my receipt, I asked if I need to pay immediately and she said yes. I gave her the money and she went back again for my change.

After a few minutes, customers started to pour in and the staff gave them the menu, plain soup, and a glass of water. But one thing I noticed, was the staff did not get their order, the customers went to the counter, ordered, and paid their bill. Nahiya ko bigla, feeling ko paspecial ako, but kudos to the staff for the extra effort. She could inform me that I have to go to the counter but she still gets my order and went back twice to our table.

Fast forward to our order, we did not have any regret and it is indeed “a delightful experience in every bite.” (I read this line in their restaurant). P120 is worth it (rice all you can), rice pa lang masarap na. #panira ng diet

Hubby: 1 cup  + 6 scoops of rice

Me: 1 cup + 2 scoops of rice

If my son has no tantrums, we will order and eat more. Price is really affordable.

My husband has been paying our monthly amortization at Pag-ibig office (Shaw) for the last several months and finally, he asked if there’s another way to pay our monthly dues and the Pag-ibig staff informed him where we could pay our dues.

We could pay our monthly amortization at SM Payment Center; we just need to print the monthly billing statement from their site. Here is the step by step guide on “How to print housing loan billing statement (HLMBS) through Pag-ibig Fund Website”


How to Get your Pag-ibig Housing Loan Billing Statement

1. Go to www.pagibigfund.gov.ph

2. Click E-Service/Member’s E-Service

3. Click Housing Loan Payment Verifications

4. Type Surname, Name, Housing Loan Account Number and the code appearing in the box.

5. Click “View Billing Statement” (To disable the pop-up blocker on the upper left side of the screen click “Temporary allow pop-up)”

6. View, Download, or Print Billing Statement

Note: The housing loan monthly billing statement is available for viewing or verification a week before the due date.

We receive the monthly text and email from Pag-ibig regarding our due so even without the statement, we can pay in SM Payment Center. Super late magdeliver ng bill statement sa amin, good thing there are other options to get the Housing Loan Billing Statement. 

Where to Pay your Housing Loan, Installment, or Amortization?

How to Check your Pag-ibig Payment History 

1. Go to www.pagibigfund.gov.ph
6. View, Download, or Print Payment History

Note: You can only view the last 12 payments made. If you want the full payment history, you can go to Pag-ibig office and they can print it for you. We've done this last year when we planned to apply for Pag-ibig Repricing. 

Update January 2020

For the very first time, we did not receive any bill from Pag-ibig, no email, no SMS, and when I check online, there is no new bill that I can download. So we just paid our Monthly Amortization using the old bill. My husband called Pag-ibig regarding our concern and we were advised na bayad na daw kasi kami kaya wala bill.

Last December, we went to Pag-ibig, nagbayad kami para less principal so ang nangyari, binawas daw doon yung January bill namin. Waah! Less principal nga so hindi ko gets bakit naging advance payment. So paano kaya yung bayad namin ng January, magiging for February. Hay! Anyway, we were advised to call Pag-ibig if 5 days before the due date, wala pa rin daw bill.

Update February 2020

We received our bill for February, ang total due namin is P19.01 so naging advance payment din yung binayaran namin last January. Nagkulang lang ng konti since ginaya lang namin yung total due nung December bill.

Update August 2020

Before the start of the community quarantine, we paid our March bill and when we received our April Bill, they charged us March and April due plus late interest so hindi nagreflect bayad namin nung March. So we emailed Pag-ibig regarding this concern and they advised us to disregard it and wait for a new bill.  Ilang buwan ang nakalipas pero walang new bill and kahit mag-email kami, wala din nangyayari. When we received a text that we need to pay our due at tapos na daw ang Bayanihan Act. Hindi naman sinabi kung magkano due namin, so I just multiply kung ano ang amount sa March bill x 4 (April to July) and paid at SM Payment Center using the April Bill (changed amount lang). Just this week, we received our August bill and the amount due is P0.00. I don't know why. May error ba sa system nila? I will wait for next month's bill and I hope maayos na.

Update September 2020

We received our September Bill and we were surprised because there is a "Grace Period on your Loan Payments (Accrued Interest PHPXX.XX)" Waah! Alam namin na hindi kami nakapagbayad because we don't have a billing statement, nung April pa kami nanghihingi ng updated bill sabi nila wait daw. Then April 15, we saw their announcement on their Facebook Page.

"We're putting ALL LOAN PAYMENT dues ON HOLD while the Enhance Community Quarantine is in effect, which means all borrowers can settle their accounts once the quarantine ends. 

This is in accordance with the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act No. 11469, otherwise known as the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act"

No dues
No penalties
No application required

Now you have one less thing to worry about.


So we patiently waited for our bill online and wala update since April. When we received the text last July na kelangan na namin magbayad dahil tapos na ang Bayanihan. We paid the April to July monthly amortization kahit wala sila binigay na amount due namin. Then last August, we received a bill pero no amount due, P0.00 so akala namin okay na. Nakakagulat dahil ang laki ng accrued interest na babayaran namin + the September due and no explanation kung ano computation nila, we emailed Pag-ibig pero no reply.

Since no update na naman sa email about Accrued Interest, my husband went to Pag-ibig Office and the staff explained to him about the Accrued Interest so ending, he paid the Accrued Interest + Monthly Amortization so hopefully back to normal na ang bill namin. In short, no penalty nor interest, parang yung interest is for the housing loan na hindi daw nila siningil nung may Bayanihan Act. Hindi siya interest dun sa 3 months na hindi namin nabayaran during community quarantine. Lesson learned, pumunta na lang sa Pag-ibig Office para may sagot agad at wala din nangyayari pag nag-email ka. 

Note: No more bills since we finished our loan already. :)

Hope this helps!

I’ll be sharing our Panglao Island Nature Resort and Spa (now Mithi Resort and Spa) experience last December 2007, yay! Five years ago already. Well, I was supposed to be here last August 2007, but my Supervisor just gave me a one-day leave. I had already filed my leave five months before, but still, she did not approve my 2-day leave. I have no choice but to rebook our flight. (so expensive).

Fast forward to December 2007, we were able to pursue our trip, but it was almost canceled because my husband still had no vacation leave, two weeks pa lang siya that time sa present company niya. Hehe!

I have no itinerary at that time, so we will just go with the flow. After our countryside tour, we decided to have a day tour at Panglao Island Nature Resort and Spa. It is one of the best resorts in Panglao Island, so this was our first choice to experience Panglao Beach. We just took a cab to get there; the cost of the fare is double, so if it is P150, you need to pay the taxi driver P300.

We didn’t know that there was a cave (Cambagat Cave) inside PINR, so we were lucky to personally see it. The service in PINR is just okay for me, and the taste of the food is just okay; there is nothing special about it, considering the price. Sana hindi na lang kami nag-upgrade to buffet dinner, and ala carte meal is fine.

Anyway, the trip is still memorable. How I wish I could go back to Bohol and experience Island Hopping.

Every time I read something about healthy living, I always remind myself that I will do it, but as expected, nothing happened, so when I got an invite to attend the “Healthier Moms, Happier Kids” event, I did not think twice. Good thing it was a weekend event, and my husband was willing to accompany me. So last Saturday, off we went to Makati.

I’m glad that I attended this event, listening to Dyan Castillejo and Matthew Castillejo makes me cringe because I’m totally opposite from them. A nine-year-old boy has 85% healthy eating habits and 15% only for non-healthy foods, so at least he can taste soda and processed foods like bacon, hot dog, or any food that other kids enjoy. 

I admired their lifestyle; they are very active, fit, and healthy. How I wish when I reach my 40s I will be like her. Dyan Castillejo is already 45 years old, and she feels like 25 years old. OMG, I’m 29 years old, but I feel so old because I can no longer do the things that I used to do when I was still in my teenage years.

There are more inspiring stories I want to share with you, but I don’t want to bore you. But Dyan Castillejo’s lifestyle gives me more reasons to remind myself that I need to start my healthy living.

After the talk, they introduced us to the Easy pha-max wheatgrass products. There is a juice dispenser where you can enjoy wheatgrass and honey. I was hesitant at first to try the drink, I’m not fond of green foods or green drinks, I don’t even like the taste of Green Tea Frappe, but surprisingly, we love the taste of wheatgrasshoney, and it is not a joke.

During the event, we drink:

Hubby: 7 glasses

Me: 2 glasses

Son: 1 glass

They give wheatgrass polvoron to all the kids, and my son loves it too; he ate 2 pieces of polvoron. 

Easy Pha-max Wheatgrass cleanses, alkalizes, and nourishes your blood and body with just one sachet a day to give you the maximum benefits of this wonder food.

1. It has the highest chlorophyll content among other greens. It detoxifies the blood, promotes blood production, prevents anemia, and assists in wound healing.
2. It is a great source of fiber that promotes regular bowel movement and prevents constipation.
3. It is loaded with antioxidants that neutralize free radicals and fight aging.
4. Enzymes in wheatgrass help the liver break down harmful substances in the body and bloodstream.
5. It neutralizes acids in the body pH, which prevents bone problems, blood disorders, and promotes healthy cell growth.
6. It promotes healthy blood circulation and better blood circulation.
7. It is a superfood with 13 vitamins, 10 minerals, 17 amino acids, chlorophyll, and fiber, which the body needs to function efficiently.
8. Rich in abscisic acid and an enzyme called P4D1 that helps prevent the formation and growth of cancer.
9. Aid in digestion and faster metabolism.
10. It promotes better body functions, muscle growth, and energy.
11. It stimulates growth hormone production, aids in male fertility, and relaxes muscles in blood vessels, allowing better blood flow and preventing high blood pressure.

Products

Wheatgrass

Wheatgrass with Honey

Skywheat Bio Soy Milk

Insupro Forte

Skywheat Biocoffee

Skywheat Wheatgrass Plus

Whea Gee tablets for kids

Wheatgrass Ready to Drink w/Melastoma

If I have the budget, I would love to try the So Easy Colon Cleansing & Slimming. The So Easy Colon Cleansing is a nutritionally balanced, safe, natural, and healthy way for detoxification and weight loss at the same time. It helps in discharging major toxins called mucoid plaque from our body in a short period through 3 steps.”

We enjoyed our meal, but since we are in a hurry, I told the waiter to take out the mac and cheese, and I asked for the bill. Hubby and son went to Starbucks to redeem our free drinks; he was surprised when he came back because I’m still waiting for the bill. After paying the bill, we immediately left the restaurant, on our way to the wedding, I remembered my take-out food. Lo and behold, I forgot the mac and cheese, I paid P120 for that, and I left it. I’m not happy about it because it seems I always forget something. I left my son’s black shoes when we attended a debut, I left our take-out food, and I also forgot the yellow shirt of my son.

I was also disappointed with Pancake House, sa tagal ko ba naman naghintay sa bill, hindi nila binigay sa kin yung take-out food ko. But I’m also thinking if I need to take vitamins for my memory. What do you think? Signs of aging?

Well, I just want to stress that time is gold and every second, minute and hours are very important to me so please learn to respect other’s time. I will give some example that really pissed me off. Last Friday, we attended a debut, according to the invitation the party will start at 6PM but we already informed them that we will be late because my hubby will be coming from Makati, he’ll be out by 5PM. 

My son had his moments again, he doesn’t want to wear his clothes so we left the house with my naked son because we’re already late and dahil sa pagmamadali namin, I left my son’s shoes. We reached the venue 7:30PM, lo and behold we’re not late because the party will start at 8PM but it started 9PM and no dinner yet. OMG! I left my son’s shoes and we skipped dinner so we can be there as early as possible because my hubby was part of the 18 thousands (not familiar with 18k? minimum of 1k cash gift #brightidea but I’m not liking it).

We did not finish the party because my son was sleeping already; we left at 11:45PM after the 18K program. I don’t really understand why you have to put 6PM when the party will start at 8PM.

And last Sunday, it happened again. I was told that reunion will be at 11:30AM but everybody was late again. This was not the first time, it happened every year (reunion). The sad part is I don’t hear any apologies. Anyway, no matter what they say, I won’t bite it because it’s already a habit. I can still take 15 minutes late but more than 1 hour is not acceptable. I don’t really understand why you have to set a meeting time when you cannot commit.

Now, whenever I see an invitation I’m really thinking twice whether I should be on time or not because this happened several times, two more scenarios.

1. Christening at 8:30AM, I travel from Laguna to Bulacan just to be there at 8:30AM, only to find out that baptism starts at 11AM.

2. 1^st Birthday party at 1PM, I travel from Cavite to Q.C., arrived at 12:30NN and Jollibee staff told me na 2PM pa daw yung party.

Not all people follow Filipino time, you are just punishing early bird guests. I admit that there are times that I’m late too but I really have a valid excuse and traffic is not included. I see to it that I inform the other party if I’m running late. Every day we only have 24 hours and we need to use it wisely. Please respect other’s time. 

When my friends came, I asked one of my friends why she did not make any reservation, and she said, “Busy ako noh, bakit hindi ikaw? wala ka naman ginagawa at nasa bahay ka lang buong araw”. I did not say a word because I choose my own battles, but deep inside, I was deeply hurt; it was like a slap in my face that I’m very unproductive. 

Yes, I am a full-time mom, but it doesn’t mean that I have so much free time. It doesn’t mean that I’m not doing anything. Full-time mom is also a busy individual; I’m not just watching TV, eating, sleeping, or checking Facebook; I have my own work too, it may not be in the corporate world, but still, I work. 

I won’t resign from my part-time job if I have so much free time. I have neither Yaya nor a helper, and I’m doing my best to manage my time so I can finish my chores and just have my own “me time”. If I were the one who organizes the reunion, I would definitely make a reservation even if it’s a long-distance call.

So please, if you have a friend or you know someone who is a full-time mom, be careful with your words. Here are some things you should never say to a stay-at-home mom: I’ve read this last month at Mommy Fleur’s blog.

1. When the kids are older, do you think you'll get a real job?

2. How June Cleaver of you!

3. Oh, so you don't work?

4. Since you have extra time on your hands, could you whip up a few dozen brownies for the bake sale tomorrow?

5. All day with your kids? I can't even imagine.

6. I'm jealous. I wish my husband were rich so I wouldn't have to work either.

7. What do you do all day, anyway?

8. I'm sure you're not the only one who's ever wasted money on a college degree.

9. That explains why your son is so clingy!

10. Weird. I assumed your house would be super clean

"I can't wait for people who don't have kids to start having them so they can eat their words and opinions."