Cheap Finds: Nescafe Cappuccino

I admit, I'm a Starbucks addict.  If I'm stressed or lack of sleep, nothing makes me feel better than a Venti Caramel Macchiato but because of finances and the fact that the nearest Starbucks branch in my office in Intramuros was a 15 minute walk, I had to find other alternatives to my usual cup of joe.  

While browsing the shelves of Ministop, I came upon this:

Nescafe Cappuccino

There are other cappuccino brands other both local and imported but I was pleasantly surprised at this product of Nescafe.  It has the right amount of sweetness and creaminess.  The froth on top is satisfying.  I also like the fact that there are chocolate granules included in a separate package.  This is a great alternative to Starbucks.

I liked it so much that I have also stocked up at home.  

Nescafe Cappuccino and the other coffee
brands we use

Comfort Food for Rainy Days at Rufo's Famous Tapa

The weather the past few weeks has been cold and wet.  All I want to do is curl up in bed, read a good book or watch TV and have something warm and filling to eat.

On one of those cold and wet days, I had to unfortunately, get out of the house to do some errands.  While braving the weather, I passed by Rufo's Famous Tapa in A.Venue.  Since I had been craving for some kind of soup at the time, I decided to go in and eat.

Oriental Cream Soup - it was a bit watery but it was piping hot which
satisfied my cravings.  Liked the fact that there were onion leaves and
fried garlic.

Burger Steak -  The burger was a bit small but tasted good.  Loved
the kropek that came along with it.

Rufo's Famous Tapa - Of course, I had to get the tapa meal!  Just as
they promised, the sauce alone could be a viand.  The eggs were to
my liking in both this dish and the burger steak.

Overall, I'm happy with the meals that I got at Rufo's.  It was filling and warm, perfect for rainy days. 

Support UA&P Hopes for Typhoon Maring / Habagat

Due to Typhoon Maring and the Habagat (South West Monsoon), it has been raining non-stop here in Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon since Sunday night.  Schools, businesses and government offices have been closed since yesterday.  Numerous areas have already declared state of calamities.

While we may not know yet the extent of the damages that this bout of rains have caused, we definitely know that there are families who sorely need our help.  If you are interested in helping, my Alma Mater, the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) is now accepting goods and donations.  

Source:  http://go.uap.asia/relief2013

They are also accepting monetary donations.  Check out their Facebook page, http://go.uap.asia/relief2013, for more information on how you can help.

Be Happy, Go Stress Free Workshop (Sept. 8)

I'm so excited with all the events and activities that Manila Workshops will be holding in the next few months.  One of the workshops that I am very interested in joining is this one:

Write On, Mom - Thinking Editorially (Batch 1)

This blog is the fourth one that I have made so far.  I used to have blogs on Xanga, Friendster, Multiply, LiveJournal and Asian Avenue.  Don't know some of the sites?  I don't think some of them exist anymore hahaha!  Suffice it to say, I've always loved having a space of my own where I can share my thoughts and feelings.  

The thing is, with all of my blogs, I didn't really have a purpose to it.  I just wrote whatever was on my mind, whatever I felt like writing at the time.

When I set up First Time Mom, I didn't really have a plan.  I just wanted to document my family's life and how we are coping with the new chapter in our lives.  As I delved into the world of blogging, I read so many blogs that inspired me to become a better blogger.  However, since I was working full-time, I had a hard time writing on here regularly; hence the almost eight months of silence.

Recently, I realized that this blog could be a tool for me when I began working at home but I didn't know how exactly I could do it.  Luckily, one of my favorite bloggers, Martine of Dainty Mom and Wahmderful Life was hosting the second part of her Write On, Mom Workshop.  When I heard about that, I signed up right then and there.

Fisher Price Joy of Learning Workshop

While preparing to leave the corporate world, I went to a couple of workshops that I felt would prepare me to not only become a better work at home mom but also to become a better mother. Luckily, I saw an advertisement on Fisher Price's Joy of Learning Workshop which was conducted by Carrie Lupoli.

The purpose of the workshop was to help parents and expectant moms understand the importance of the role they play in their child's development.  It discussed four topics:

1. The Roles and Responsibilities of Parenting
2. Understanding Development Milestones
3. How Children Learn Best
4. Age Appropriate Play-based Ideas for Optimal Growth and Development.

Real Ways to be a WAHM: The Virtual Assistant Edition (August 31, 2013)

It has been more than a month since I became a work-at-home-mom or WAHM.  Compared to the WAHMS that I admire and follow like Dainty Mom and The Happy WAHM, I have barely scratched the surface.  I'm still a bit overwhelmed on how to go about everything:  applying/bidding for jobs, marketing my skills, managing my time and most importantly, securing jobs.