5 Tools Every Planner Girl Needs to Have

Anyone who claims that planners no longer have actual use has not met a planner girl. They exist and they have a community.  We exist and yes, we have a big community. 

These days, more and more people are slowly becoming more interested in how they can keep their memories or moments intact. This is where becoming a planner girl comes in. You see, planner girls are nost just about noting things down on their planner. It's also a way for them to remember what happened on a certain date. 

To do these and more, a planner girl needs to have 5 tools. 

1. A Planner 

This can either be a digital planner or a manual one. I personally prefer an actualy physical planner over a digital version. For me, there's still something different when you write things down, when you keep little mementos, and when you can actually hold something in your hands. My Happy Planner is my planner soulmate. 

2. Pens 

It's nice to have colorful pens. They can help you keep track of different things you need to monitor in your life. I normally use green for money matters, red for delayed or urgent things, blue for normal daily tasks, and black for work notes. 

3. Printer 

It's really important to invest in a good printer when you're a planner girl. This is one of the best ways to save money because you can easily print photos and stickers from the comfort of your home. 

You can also easily print little notes and background for mementos if you have a planner at home. I do this a lot and it has saved me countless trips outside. My Canon Pixma G3020 is definitely something that makes plannering easier for me.

4. Stickers 

I actually have a cabinet full of stickers and it has been so wonderful being able to use as many as I want to anytime. Mind you that this is not something that I bought overnight but something that I slowly collected over 20 years. 

5. Paper Cutter / Trimmer

Having a proper paper cutter makes a big difference. It doesn't seem like it but when you are cutting a lot of things for your journal, it's very important to have one. 

I hope that this little guide helped you if you are a planner girl or planning on becoming one. I would definitely recommend becoming one because it's therapeutic and helps to keep things in order. Let me know if you decide to be one. I'd love to read your thoughts. 

Messy Bessy's Shop Green Campaign on Shopee

People who know me know that I have become somewhat of a neat freak. I was never messy but I wasn't too much a neat freak. However, 2020 changed that along with becoming a Mom to a newborn the second time around. 

Now, it's all about keeping things clean and orderly. This is why it's important to get the right products that not only clean surfaces but are also safe for my one-year-old who loves licking everything right now, including floors and tables. 

For my table and my son's stuff, I use Messy Bessy because it is eco-friendly and safe to use. It doesn't have strong scents or harsh disinfectants so I don't worry so much if my son accidentally licks a surface in our room. 

I love that when I clean, there's a natural nice odor that comes from the product and not some harmful scent. I also love that it really does the job of cleaning the stuff that I use it on. 

Messy Bessy also uses sustainable products so I can reuse the packaging that it comes with. It is a line of plant-derived home and personal care products. They also support Filipino at-risk youth.

Their home and personal care products are free from harmful toxins and chemicals that are bad for your nose and lungs. They are plant-derived, friendly to you, your family, and even pets! Their disinfectants and sanitizers have the US CDC-recommended levels of sugarcane (ethyl) alcohol that fight microbes!

The microphobe in me is very, very happy. 

Celebrate Earth Day by buying sustainable products and eco-friendly alternatives from Messy Bessy in Shopee's Shop Green campaign! From April 19 to 25,  get up to 25% off on selected eco-friendly products! 

Get Messy Bessy products for a discounted price on Shop Green! Visit their shop now. 

Summer 2021 Food Offering from Starbucks

You've seen that there are new drinks, merchandise, and cards from Starbucks but you haven't seen the new food offerings that they have so I'll be sharing that and more in this article. 

First, there's a Mother's Day card from Starbucks. 

Show your mom how much you appreciate her with our newest Happy Mother’s Day Card, comes with a special card carrier to include a personal note. Available starting May 5 for an initial activation amount of ₱500. 

They also have new merchandise for Starbucks Reserve lovers. 

Inspired by the Starbucks Reserve® Roastery, our newest collection features refined yet organic textures and forms in charcoal black, warm white, and sandstone colors.

Available exclusively in Starbucks Reserve stores starting April 20, 2021. 

For the food, these are the things that got my attention. 

BANANA CREAM CHEESECAKE

Reward yourself with a smooth and creamy cheesecake loaded with sliced banana, chocolate, toffee and topped with generous cream and chocolate curls.

MILK CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE CHEESECAKE

A decadent and silken smooth NY cheesecake base all aswirl with milk chocolate cheesecake then frosted with chocolate ganache and topped with milk chocolate truffle.

₱195/ slice and ₱1,950/ whole. 

ZEBRA CAKE MADE WITH BELGIAN CHOCOLATE

Two layers of moist yellow and chocolate sponge cake filled with milky caramel chocolate ganache and finished with smooth cream milk chocolate icing and crushed almonds.

₱195/ slice and ₱1,560/ whole. 

CALAMANSI CHIA LOAF

Moist, light and refreshing calamansi loaf cake with chia seeds for a light delectable treat.

₱75/ slice and ₱600/ loaf

CINNAMON SWIRL COOKIE

Soft and chewy cinnamon cookie filled with cream cheese frosting. A perfect pair to your favorite cup of coffee.

₱65

Which one are you planning on trying out first? 

 

2 New Flavors to Celebrate Yellow Cab's 20th Anniversary

Yes, you read that right! For a limited time, Yellow Cab will be releasing two new flavors to celebrate their 20th Anniversary. If you've ever wondered what their famous Charlie Chan pasta would taste like in pizza form, wonder no more! 

Yellow Cab, one of the top players in the Philippine pizza scene, released two (2) limited edition NY-Style Thin Crust® pizza flavors in line with their 20th anniversary. 

The two new flavors are classic favorites, packed with the same Edge-to-Edge Toppings© on a lighter crust, giving your tastebuds a unique experience, combining light and chewy middle and a pleasant crisp on the edges: 

Charlie Chan® Pizza – The iconic pasta, now on a pizza! Juicy, boneless chicken thigh fillets tossed in their original sweet and spicy sauce and mixed with shiitake, sweet onions, and crunchy peanuts on their NY-Style Thin Crust. This is an Edge-to-Edge Pizza® you wouldn’t want to miss out on!

Hot Chix Pizza - Say hello to the new Hot Chix Pizza! Boneless chicken bites - fried then coated in our signature spicy sauce - on a bed of cool and tangy ranch base! Chicken and spice? That is what makes them absolutely perfect slice! 

I personally loved the Charlie Chan Pizza more. It was super good and the kick at the end of each bite is just right. They literally turned my favorite Yellow Cab pasta into a pizza. I wish that this wasn't a limited edition thing coz I would definitely order the pizza version a lot!

Both flavors will be available in 9”, 12”, and 15” sizes, with prices starting at P349, and will be offered from April 17 to June 30, 2021, at all Yellow Cab stores. Both are valid for dine-in, take-out, Curbside© pick-up, drive-thru, and delivery. 

For more details on Yellow Cab’s current store operations as well as products and services, you may visit their website at www.yellowcabpizza.com and their social media accounts at https://www.facebook.com/YellowCabPizzaOfficial/, Twitter @ycpizzaofficial, and IG @yellowcabpizza.

Bowl of Goodness with Cerelac

My son is now 14 months old but his appetite can compete with that of a 3-year-old kid, I kid you not.  

In the morning, soon as he wakes up, he will have Cerelac Nutripuff until his breakfast is ready. He loves the Spinach variant and can eat at least 20 pieces. After he has his breakfast, he will drink milk, take a bath, drink milk and then sleep. 

When he wakes up at around noon, he will have lunch, drink milk, and then either play or take a nap again. To say that he is a growing child would be a true understatement. 

Thankfully, we have Cerelac to help us come up with something more filling and delicious for Khali. 

We tried the Cerelac Potato Congee. This one was pretty easy to make. You just need the following ingredients: 

1 hard-boiled egg, sliced

2 tsp. butter 

1 tsp garlic 

1-inch slice of ginger

1-inch slice of onion 

1 piece potato, sliced into small pieces

1 stalk of chopped green onion

1 piece of carrot, sliced into pieces

2/4 cup of water 

8 tbsp Cerelac Chicken and Vegetables 

salt and pepper to taste 

In a small pot, heat the butter then saute the garlic until brown, and then add ginger and onion. 

Add the sliced potato and cook for a few minutes. 

Add water and let it boil until the potatoes are tender. 

Lower the heat, add the carrots. Cook for 2 minutes. 

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Put all of the ingredients in a bowl and add 8 tbsp of Cerelac. Mix it well. 

Add the hard-boiled egg on top and garnish with green onion.

My son looks forward to eating every day which makes me really happy. He's not a picky eater, for which I am really grateful. 

As you can see, he loves his Cerelac Potato Congee and I'm sure your baby will like it too! You can buy Cerelac from their official store in Shopee and have it delivered right to your doorstep. they will also have an upcoming sale so make sure to check out the Nestle Mom & Baby Fair this April 11-13 for exciting baby bundles. 

Purefoods Beef Tapa and Chicken Tapa

One of the things that I have learned to love is having breakfast. Before, I would always skip breakfast and just drink a cup of coffee. Nowadays, I learned to love it because my husband would always cook breakfast for me when it's his day off from work. 

Since I wanted to give back, I learned how to cook a few things. I would often serve him with ramyeon or eggs with tomato and onions so that it's a little bit healthier. Recently, I discovered Purefoods Beef Tapa and Chicken Tapa. 

I love that this is so easy to cook. I literally just defrost this, heat the pan in 140degrees, and then put the meat in. I cook it between 8 to 15 minutes and it's ready to serve. I add eggs and tomatoes to give it that hotel like feels. 

Thankfully, my husband loves it especially the beef tapa. My personal favorite is the chicken tapa on the other hand so it's a match and we don't have to fight over one. 

Morning are more special when shared with loved ones and even more special when these moments are shared over good food. Now, when I want to feel a bit extra, I make sure to cook Purefood Beef Tapa for my husband. 

What's your go to breakfast? 

Pinned Post on Personal Facebook Profile

Yes, you read that correctly. 

A pinned post is a super helpful tool used on both Twitter and Facebook Pages as well as Facebook Groups. When you need to announce something and you want to make sure that it does not get lost under a barrage of other posts, you can pin a post on your Twitter profile, Facebook Page, or Facebook Group as long as you are the admin for both. 

However, this was not available to personal profiles on Facebook until recently. 

As you can see, it shows that I have a PINNED post on my profile.  You just need to choose a certain post, right-click on the three dots, and click on pin post. 

Easy peasy. So, what's your first pinned post on your personal profile going to be? 

One Week Break

For the last 10 days, I did not do anything for my day job. I took a break, an actual, real break and as far as I know, the world did not end. 

As much as I am truly grateful to have a day job, I know that a break is something that I truly need especially with so many things happening lately. Deaths left and right and people getting sick, it's really hard to not feel anxious. 

I've been feeling burnt out lately which is understandable because I haven't taken a real break in years. I think the last time that I truly took a break and I mean, absolutely no work was back when I was pregnant with B. That was 15 years ago. 

So I took one last week and did nothing but the following. 

1. I finished this diamond painting. 

2. I did a few shoots for some brand collabs. 

3. I spent time with family. 

and I slept ... A LOT!

I was also able to do some digital declutter and even ordered 3 photobooks, something that I have been meaning to do since 2013. Finally right? 

It can be quite daunting to take a week-long break because we've been hard-wired to just keep working but sometimes, a week-long break is just what we need.