30 Years of “Pabaong Pagmamahal”

When leaving the house, whether with kids or not, I always make sure to bring "baon". With the crazy traffic and me and my kids' appetite, it's always better to be prepared. And, one of our go-to snacks is Lemon Square Cheese Cake. It has been a classic favorite of mine and I am happy that Tristan, Athena, and Brianna love it too!

About 2 weeks ago, we received a special lunch box filled with lots of Lemon Square Cheese Cake.

Look, it even came with a photo of me and the kids!

It came just in time for our La Union holiday so we decided to bring it with us. It was a practical decision because it saved us from unnecessary buying of snacks during our travel.

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A post shared by Pearl Paguio (@shesthemomblog) on Apr 14, 2019 at 1:37am PDT

 

We also took it to the beach with us!

30 Years of “Pabaong Pagmamahal”

Lemon Square Cheese Cake has been in the market for 30 years now. And, as every recipe has a story to tell, for Nina Vergel de Dios or “Mommy Nina”, the woman behind the all-time favorite pabaon snack, the tale of her signature product was inspired by a mom’s love.

Mommy Nina’s love for baking was sparked by the bond she and her mother had when she was young. She recalls helping out her mother in the kitchen to bake at the age of nine.

For quite some time, Mommy Nina distanced herself from baking to take a different career path. But with the encouragement and support of her husband Errol, she left her corporate job to pursue her first love, baking.

In 1985, Mommy Nina returned to her small home kitchen in Valenzuela and began selling her cheesecakes in the wet markets of Malabon and Navotas. Through the positive comments of resellers, word spread about her cheese cake until it reached other markets.

Three decades later, Lemon Square Cheese Cake became a household name that answers the need of Moms to provide filling, delicious and nutritious pabaon for their children.

Love Lemon Square Cheese Cake too? For more information, visit www.lemonsquare.com.ph or LIKE Lemon Square on Facebook.

Sundate at the Johnson's Play Days 2019: Sa Laro Natuto

A couple of weeks ago, I posted on Instagram about Johnson's Play Days 2019: Sa Laro Natuto event that we attended. This is the first-ever event that I've attended this year. Since it was already Tristan, Athena and Brianna's summer break and the event falls on a Sunday, we decided to go. Also to show our support to Johnson's Play Day's program that acknowledges the importance of play and how it can benefit our children. This is actually an annual program that was created in 2012.

This year's Play days event, Play Days 2019: Sa Laro Natuto event was held last March 24, 2019, in the Mall of Asia Music Hall.

There were four different play zones at the event, the Blue Think Tub, Pink Showdance Zone, Yellow Imagiland and the Flower Zone. These four zones made any learning experience into an entertaining adventure for any wide-eyed-toddler. It also highlighted how a child can learn different skills like problem-solving, self-expression, communication and flexibility. 

Blue Think Tub

Pink Showdance Zone which they enjoyed the most because of the bubbles! 

Yellow Imagiland

Flower Zone. 

Melai Cantiveros also was there together with her daughter, Mela.

Johnson’s Play Days Sa Laro Natututo is a call for all parents to recognize the importance of your little one to be outside experiencing life actively instead of being confined to a world they only see through any digital screen. Active play allows your children to learn firsthand about the everchanging world and gives them the opportunity to have a multi-sensory understanding of the beautiful planet they live in.

Johnson's highly encourage every parent to allot enough play time with their kids to promote their cognitive, language, physical, social and emotional development.

And, being the leader in baby care and as a company that understands the needs of every parent in giving the best care for their babies and kids, Johsnon's incorporated their Johnson's Baby Powder Blooms. It is Johnson's most fragrant powder that will be every mommy's hero especially this summer when the heat comes creeping in. This powder can keep kids fresh up to 8 hours as they stay out to play. Johnson’s Powder Blooms along with Johnson’s Shiny Drops Shampoo levels up the fragrance for a long lasting, refreshing no tears play day! Johnson's Baby Active Kids Range are available in leading supermarkets, drug stores and department stores nationwide.

So mommies and daddies, if you believe in Johnson's movement, sound off by posting a photo of yourself and your children during your happy playtime moments and how Johnson's Baby is  the best Presko Bango partner. Don't forget to use the hashtag #SaLaroNatuto #JohnsonsActiveKids #PlayDays2019 and tag @johnsonsbabph.

6th Annual Run in Honor of Bataan Death March Heroes, up this April!

April 9 of every year, we observe the Day of Valor, also known as Bataan Day to honor the Bataan Death March. 

The Death March, considered as one of the darkest days in Philippine History, is the forcible transfer of 60,000–80,000 Filipino and American prisoners of war (POW) from Saysain Point, Bagac, Bataan and Mariveles to Camp O'Donnell, Capas, Tarlac. The prisoners were loaded onto boxcars in San Fernando, Pampanga. The transfer began on April 9, 1942, and left thousands dead and seriously wounded after enduring torture under the hands of the Japanese Imperial Army.

The Death March route stretches from Mariveles in Bataan to Capas, Tarlac via San Fernando, Pampanga. The total distance covered was from 96 to 112 kms.

This year marks the 77th Year of Bataan Death March and The Philippine Veterans Bank will be holding the 6th installment of Bataan Freedom Run in Balanga, Bataan on April 14, 2019.

This year’s Bataan Freedom Run top bills a day of fun and surprises that features a 42km full marathon run up and down Mt. Samat, a 21km half marathon, and a non-competitive 10km and 5km fun run. A 1km run for kids and pets add up to the day’s fun and excitement. 

Winners will receive cash prizes and medals, while finishers of the 42km marathon will have a finisher’s medal and a Bataan Freedom Run Finisher’s shirt.

Proceeds from the Bataan Freedom Run will be used in putting up or restoration of Battle of Bataan markers, and other historical landmarks that serve as important reminders of our rich World War II history. The annual commemoration of Bataan Death March is now a month-long celebration in honor of the country’s World War II heroes. 

Since 2014, the Philippine Veterans Bank together with the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) and Bataan Provincial Government, gather in Bataan for various activities that encourage participation of the veterans’ descendants and families as well as civilians and the military. The month-long activities are held along the route of the infamous Bataan Death March.

Mike Villa-Real, Head of Veterans Bank’s Marketing Communications Division, shared, “Freedom Run is part of the month-long activities we do to reach out and share especially to the younger generation about our World War II veterans’ bravery and heroism during the war, particularly the Battle for Bataan. They were abandoned and yet against all odds held on and defended the country for 3 months, unlike our Southeast Asian neighbors. That’s why their captors let them go through what is now known as the Bataan Death March.”

This year’s commemoration activities also include Freedom Trail March, a two-day event that traces the 160 kilometers actual route of the Bataan Death March. The event aims to instill the values of Bravery, Sacrifice, and Love for Country. The Freedom Trail March gathered the US and Filipino military and police units who marched the entire Bataan Death March route alongside with other civilians. “Ride for Valor,” a competitive bike tour was also held in March, which started from Kilometer Zero in Bataan to Capas, Tarlac. 

To find out more about the activities held during the 77th Year commemoration of Bataan Death March, visit the Facebook pages of the Bataan Freedom Run and the Veterans Bank Freedom Trail.

What makes a woman?

Women's Month may be over, but we should celebrate the women that we are every day.

So if you were asked, "What makes a woman?"

"What's her true essence and her admirable characteristics? Is it just beauty or brains or perhaps her whistle-bait figure?" 

Or is it because of a woman’s natural beauty that a woman evokes, thus showing her innate grace and joy? 

Whatever and whoever a woman is—a housewife, professional career woman or student—she deserves a face and body that is totally cared for despite and whatever her busy lifestyle is.

Agree?

So ladies, especially to all mommies out there, who always put their families need above all, don't forget to take care of yourself too. There are so many ways to do that. Let me share you one. 

Give yourself the opportunity to properly care for yourself through face and body care products that are proven safe and effective and will bring a bit of peace, love, and joy to us every day.

Products from Good Virtues Co.™ (GVC), a brand of face and beauty products made in Malaysia, understand the need for women to be treated with love, dignity, and respect. They know that doing good to others begets a good deed in return so that love given is love returned to every woman there is.

The GVC product range involves caring for the hair, body, and face, but what’s best is the GVC products are made naturally, with no animal derivatives and without any chemical-based or synthetic ingredients.

For all GVC products, you cannot find any Parabens, artificial colorants, or even Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) and Ammonium Laureth Sulfate (ALES), all cleansing and foaming agents that can harm the body. Though SLES and ALES are both palm oil and supposedly harmless, they undergo a chemical process when used by other brands, together with other additional compounds that thereby increases the risk of contamination and chances of contacting cancer for users.

GVC hair, body and skin care products also use synthetic fragrance for added care, compared to natural fragrance that may cause allergies among certain people. The synthetic fragrance compounds used by GVC all contain a “seal of approval” by the International Fragrance Association or IFRA to provide for that comforting, soothing yet safe and long-lasting scent that is safe for people who are allergic.

All Good Virtues Co.™ products contain Habbatus Sauda or “The Seed of Blessing,” called Black Seed Oil which is known as a purifying organic component known to be full of natural nutrients, minerals, and cancer-fighting antioxidants. And the products are certified “halal” by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM), the only government body in the world that controls the implementation of Halal certification in products sold globally, which makes Good Virtues Co.™ products the only ones certified as “halal” in the market today.

Marvel at Good Virtues Co.™ and its face care line, which includes Day Cream, Night Cream, CC Cream, Facial Cleanser, Facial Scrub, Toner, and Makeup remover. They also have the Shower Cream, Hand and Body Lotion, Body Scrub, Feminine Wash, and Deodorant, for the body care range, and the Shampoo, Conditioner, and Hair Serum for hair care.

So what makes a woman? It starts by how she treats herself, how she makes herself beautiful inside and out to be able to exude confidence wherever she may be, whoever she’s with, whatever she does! 

Get to know more about Good Virtues Philippines, Follow them on Facebook (Good Virtues Co.) or Instagram (@goodvirtuesco_ph). Good Virtues Co.™ products are available online at Lazada.com, Shopee.com or www.beautymnl.com.

Lamudi Housing Fair 2019 to Return to Trinoma

Are you an aspiring real estate investor or perhaps a real estate professional looking to up your game? Good news! Because, Lamudi, the country’s number one real estate platform, is once again holding a series of housing fairs which will kick off this April 6 to 7, 2019 at the Trinoma Activity Center. This year’s Trinoma Housing Fair is Lamudi’s first housing fair for 2019 and is set to offer an extensive selection of property offerings from some of the country’s biggest industry players such as SMDC, Amiya Raya, Taft Properties, Robinsons Communities, and more.

The real estate platform held its most recent housing fair in Cebu last year, where 23 exhibitors from real estate, banking and financial industries, and several key government agencies showcased their property offerings and auctions, services, exclusive discounts, as well as the Lamudi Academy Training sessions.

Trinoma as a gold mine of prospective property buyers

The mall sits on a strategic location within Quezon City where a ceaseless economic activity can be found. With an average of 200,000 of daily foot traffic, Trinoma is one of the busiest malls in the country, allowing for the two-day event to instantly capture a diverse pool of shoppers and potential buyers and investors.

Trinoma is also accessible from nearby business districts such as Caloocan, San Juan, and Mandaluyong, making it a viable location in capturing professionals from these cities. Similarly, its proximity to the North Luzon Expressway provides an easy gateway for potential buyers from provinces such as Bulacan, Pampanga, and Tarlac.

What to expect in Trinoma Housing Fair 2019

Attendees and exhibitors of the two-day event can enjoy a host of benefits. 

For one, speakers and industry experts will give interested property buyers various home buying seminars to guide them in the right direction. This is something first-time buyers will find most beneficial. 

On top of this, there will be exclusive property discounts from developers and freebies for attendees. Foreclosures are also available for aspiring real estate investors, as they can serve as good investment starters. Some of these properties will also be auctioned off at affordable price points.

For real estate professionals participating in the Trinoma Housing Fair, Lamudi is offering free online real estate marketing seminars to help brokers and agents grow their real estate business as conducted by the instructors of Lamudi Academy. 

“These housing fairs are important since these are where property developers, brokers, and buyers converge and find immediate value from each other,” Lamudi CEO Bhavna Suresh said of the Lamudi Housing Fair. 

“This year, we plan to make them bigger and better so as to deliver better results to all our partners, exhibitors, and the property buyers wherever the Lamudi Housing Fair will come next, specifically Glorietta, SM Cebu, and MOA. Trinoma will set us off to a great start.” 

For more information, please visit the official website.

Do you fall into #MalnutritionTraps?

"Ang payat ng mga anak mo Pearl!" 

(Your kids are thin, Pearl!)

I get this comment a lot about my kids, especially from my relatives. But, then usually it is followed by "sabagay, payat ka rin noong bata ka" (anyway, you were also thin when you were little).

Yes, I have always been slender. I guess I only gained weight after giving birth, but even until now, I am on the lighter side and I am not worried at all since my BMI is normal.

So, I don't worry that much about my children's physique. Even if they are thin, my 2 girls, Athena and Brianna's weight are normal. Tristan, however, is underweight. It could probably be because of his hyperactivity; he was diagnosed with ADHD.

It could also be because of the food we eat. I do the cooking at home and It is really a challenge to prepare a healthy balanced meal. That is why, somehow, I am worried that I am not providing my children with all the essential nutrients they need. I am also guilty of feeding them with fast food and instant foods, which I believe is also one of the struggles of most Filipino families. 

In fact, did you know that our country has been facing a rise in the number of underweight and overweight Filipinos for more than 20 years? The World Health Organization (WHO) defined this phenomenon as the “Double Burden of Malnutrition” or the “prevalence of both undernutrition and overweight in the same community, nation, or region.”

To address this problem, our government launched the Pinggang Pinoy® campaign in 2014. Pinggang Pinoy® is an easy-to-understand food guide showing proper food group portioning on a per-meal basis. This reflects the principles of MOderation, VAriety, and BAlance (MOVABA) to promote healthier eating habits. 

Solving the Philippines’ Double Burden of Malnutrition should be a collaborative effort between the public and private sectors as it is not an easy feat. With this, Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation partnered with government agencies to conduct education programs to raise awareness and promote the practice of Pinggang Pinoy® in malnutrition hotspots, where incidences of Double Burden Malnutrition are high. This training was given to homemakers/mothers who have malnourished (underweight, stunting, wasting, overweight and obese) school-aged children.

The pilot run resulted in improvements in the knowledge & attitudes of households related to the practice of Pinggang Pinoy® within target areas. However, behavior changes towards healthier eating habits remain to be a challenge. The program uncovered a number #MalnutritionTraps that some Pinoy households easily fall into. 

The following #MalnutritionTraps provide a picture of how unhealthy eating habits may lead to Double Burden of Malnutrition: 

1. Overconsumption of carbohydrates: 

Voracious rice eaters can easily fill half of their plates with rice. Others have pandesal & noodles as regular meal deprived of other nutrients derived from a well-balanced meal. 

2. Under consumption of vegetables and/fruits: 

It is common for some to be content with rice & meat to satisfy their hunger and skip/take the insufficient amount of vegetables/fruits. Fact is, the variety of colors found in Glow foods are important sources of vitamins & minerals to sustain our energy & keep us from getting sick. 

3. Overconsumption of protein: 

Typical Filipino “SILOG” meals include a double serving of proteins (e.g. Tapa+Itlog, Tocino+Itlog, Longanisa+Itlog, Bangus+Itlog). Eating different kinds of protein is fine for as long as they are taken in moderation. We must also avoid protein dishes served high in fat, cholesterol, and sodium. 

To help Filipinos break free from #MalnutritionTraps, Ajinomoto’s Culinary Nutrition Team prepared Healthy & Delicious Pinggang Pinoy® Recipes, downloadable through https://bit.ly/2HIsfkj. Busy and budget-restricted homemakers will also find these Pinggang Pinoy® recipes useful because all are easy-to-do and affordable (P250/day for a family of 5). 

For updates about Mag-Pinggang Pinoy® Tayo!, visit www.ajinomoto.com.ph and facebook.com/CookmunitybyAjinomotoPH.

Veterans Bank’s Freedom Trail March starts countdown for 77th Year of Bataan Death March Commemoration

In partnership with the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO), The Philippine Veterans Bank (PVB) kicks off the 77th year commemoration of the Bataan Death March with the Freedom Trail March that runs from March 2 to 3, 2019. 

The Freedom Trail March is a two-day event that traces the 140 kilometers actual route of the Bataan Death March. The event aims to instill the values of Bravery, Sacrifice, and Love for Country. The Freedom Trail March is expected to gather around participants from the Philippines and other countries. US and Filipino military and police units along with other civilians are among this year’s marchers. 

Veterans Bank’s Freedom Trail March honors Filipino World War II heroes and survivors by traversing the trails while retracing the steps of our fallen heroes during the Bataan Death March.

“It is our generation’s responsibility to continue remembering and honoring the bravery and heroism of our veterans during the war. It is our commitment to making sure that the next generations will never forget and always remember what our heroes endured during the Bataan Death March,” said Mike Villa-Real, Head of Veterans Bank’s Marketing Communications Division.

The Death March, considered as one of the darkest days in Philippine History, is the forcible transfer of 60,000–80,000 Filipino and American prisoners of war (POW) from Saysain Point, Bagac, Bataan and Mariveles to Camp O'Donnell, Capas, Tarlac. The prisoners were loaded onto box cars in San Fernando, Pampanga. The transfer began on April 9, 1942, and left thousands dead and seriously wounded after enduring torture under the hands of the Japanese Imperial Army.

The Death March route stretches from Mariveles in Bataan to Capas, Tarlac via San Fernando, Pampanga. The total distance covered was from 96 to 112 kms.

The Freedom Trail March will commence midnight on March 1, 2019, at KM Zero in Mariveles Bataan and expected to end at 5:00 pm on March 3, 2019, at the Capas National Shrine in Capas Tarlac. There will be several stops along the route. Participants can join at any point of the trail. Special performances will be done by re-enactors at the San Fernando Train Station and Capas National Shrine on March 3.

This year’s event also includes a competitive bike tour dubbed as the“Ride for Valor,” which will be held on March 10 from Kilometer Zero in Bataan to Capas, Tarlac. The Bataan Freedom Fun is the final event that concludes the commemoration activities. 

Bataan Freedom Run will be held on April 14, 2019. Running enthusiasts are invited to register for the event. The route will start at the Balanga Capitol up to Mt. Samat. The event includes a 21-kilometer half-marathon, 10 kilometers, five kilometers, and 1-kilometer courses, for all types of sports enthusiasts and runners from all ages as well as pets.

Since 2014, the Philippine Veterans Bank, with PVAO, the Provincial Government of Bataan, along with other partners, have held the Bataan Freedom Run in honor of WWII veterans who endured the death march in 1942.

Proceeds from the activities will be used for the restoration and maintenance of historical markers along the route of the Bataan Death March.

To register and find out more, visit the Facebook pages of the Bataan Freedom Run and the Veterans Bank Freedom Trail.

Details on Email Marketing for Franchise Brands

There are a lot of business owners who are aware of how important email marketing is. They have made a lot of effort in order to become noticed. Even franchisers have started advertising online as well. Franchisers may be a bit hesitant to start email marketing because of various reasons. For example, there are various types of franchises available. If people are not familiar with these things, it will be harder for them to cope.

Different Types of Franchisees

The different types of franchisees are the following:

• Single location
• Multi-location
• Partnership
• Sole Ownership

How will a single franchisee make his particular branch stand out from the other franchisees of the same brand? It can be a complicated matter for sure. There are some details that you will learn about franchises in general when you check this. Who knows? You may get all of the information that you have always wanted to know.

You need to be clear about your branch and where you are located. The more that people see important details about your franchise, the more that they will trust you. The more customers that you get, the more that you will realize just how important email marketing is for your type of business.

These are some of the tips that you have to remember:

• Do not forget to build your email list. You need a lot of subscribers that you will send your email to. You can get more subscribers when you create your own website or when you advertise through social media websites.
• Create a campaign that people will not be able to resist. There are some franchise owners that will require you to seek permission before you can push through with the campaign that you are planning. If they approve, you can be specific about the marketing strategy that you can do.
• Send triggered emails depending on the actions that people do when they are online. You may just send your email to people who want to know more about what you can offer.

These tips will hopefully help you promote your franchise business the best way possible. Are you ready to start getting more customers?

HyC 150: Your Health and Beauty Need in just One Supplement

Last 2018 marks my 30th year of existence. Gosh, I still can't believe it! So it's high time that I take even more care of myself because together with aging, comes a lot of changes in our body. And apparently, physical signs of aging are more evident on our skin. It is because, as we age our body produces less collagen. But never be too complacent, because skin aging isn't only caused by aging itself, other factors such as the sun, harsh weather and our lifestyle also have a great impact on our skin. 

This is where anti-aging supplements come in, which as we all know, "nagkalat" nowadays because people have become more physically conscious. So for this matter, I would always go to the one that is proven and tested.

I first knew about Premium HyC 150 when I attended one of their events in 2016, you can read about it here. Premium HyC 150 has Hyaluron, Collagen, plus Ubiquinol, Biotin, Elastin and Pearl Coix, which helps meet our daily health and beauty needs in just one supplemental drink.

No more hassle, just a 1-step beauty routine when you wake up in the morning. No need to pick your pocket and buy thousands worth of beauty products to help keep your body and skin healthy. No need to spend so much time and effort to be beautiful all over. Just drink one sachet of Premium HyC 150 every day for only P125 and you’re all set for the day ahead!

Premium HyC 150 is available at Watsons stores nationwide, online at www.lazada.com.ph and at the HyC 150 online store.

For more information, visit their website at www.HyC150.com; like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HyC150; follow them on Twitter #HyC150 or Instagram @HyC150; or call (02) 546-7297 or 0917-7750779.

Doe Deere: The Queen of Lime Crime, Momtrepreneur & a New Venture

Doe Deere welcomed her new daughter, Loreli Elita into the world 21st of September this year. The queen of makeup and founder of Lime Crime could not hide her joy on Instagram.

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A post shared by Doe Deere (@doedeere) on Sep 21, 2018 at 2:29pm PDT

She expressed her joy and took that chance to shed light on her new prospects in the coming months.

Deere’s daughter was carried by a surrogate because of the medical complications that the pregnancy would have exposed her to. A few months ago she opened up on Instagram about her situation and decision to use a surrogate to carry her baby. Loreti is Deere’s first child.

It was also during that time that Deere made it public of her decision to step down from most of her roles at Lime Crime for the purposes of concentrating on a new venture. Indeed it’s a time of new beginnings for Deere and her family.

Deere has always been open about her life in public and she welcomes all of us into her new journey. Having welcomed a newborn and announced the launch of Poppy Angel off (A jewelry boutique line) sheds light on the experience of momtrepreneurs around the world.

The Poppy Angeloff Venture

The Lime Crime founder is on the new jewelry venture. Kat Day expressed her joy to work together with her sister in the jewelry business. “We all love jewelry in our family and when we were not able to get what we wanted, we took that opportunity to work out something”, said Kat Day.

Kat day is also a new mother meaning that all of them will be operating the business with babies tied around them. This is a similar trend across the globe. Most women have broken the glass ceiling of patriarchy in the business world. They have overcome barriers that always brought them down.

Deere has worked out her way through thick and thin and has managed to build an empire in the cosmetic world.

Entrepreneurship is part and parcel of my life . I always search on the needs of the market and think of a solution for it. Besides, find something that you are passionate about and follow through it. –Doe Deere

This is a marketing technique that has previously worked for Deere. Right now she is building a following on Instagram for the new brand’s Instagram page. She has also assured followers on her personal Instagram page that they will love the aesthetics of her jewelry.

Who is Doe Deere?

I've had posted about Deere several times before like on this article. But again, Deere surfaced into the cosmetic industry in 2008. She started small but her prowess in online marketing helped her to dominate the cosmetic world within a short time. Deere was a popular user of Myspace and LiveJournal at that time.

She took advantage of her social media popularity to build a community of followers who turned her into a household name. She shared some of her music and sold constructed clothing and vintage to her followers.

How Deere built Lime Crime

Lime Crime entered the cosmetic industry with pomp and color. In the early days, her products mainly attracted subcultures such as Dollies, the Goths, the Punks and such like stuff. However, within a short period of time, Lime Crime offered the Cosmetic industry what it needed (creativity).

Deere’s Transition

Having served in the top leadership of the company for several years now, Deere recently revealed that she will be stepping down from her position together with her husband.

She, however, assured her customers that the company’s goal of providing cruelty-free cosmetic products will continue. Deere will also remain on the board of Lime Crime even as she ventures on her new business.

5 Easy Ways to Make Family Travel More Affordable

Traveling with your family or a large group can be challenging for a number of reasons. First, you need to make sure you have time off of work or school and then you have to find transportation and accommodations that will be big enough for everyone. Once you find everything you need, then you have to decide how you're going to pay for it. Unfortunately, family travel can be expensive which is why many people don’t travel with their families. Here are some ways that you can make your next group vacation fun and affordable. 

1. Travel in the “Off” Season 

The truth is that most people can travel during a few times of the year. Summer holidays, school breaks, and the end of the year. Since so many people travel at the same times, airlines and hotels can charge more for flights and rooms because there is greater demand. If you decide to travel in times other than these you can often find savings of hundreds or more depending on where you are going to go. This might mean you have to sacrifice having nice weather and travel in the winter, but you will save money and avoid a lot of the large crowds that flock to tourist destinations during the peak travel months. 

2. Pack Light

This next step is part of saving money on flights. One way that you will save money is by packing lighter so you don’t pay for as many check bags. One way to avoid this is to fit everything into a carry on bag, or into a free check piece of luggage so you don’t have to pay extra. You might consider splitting a larger suitcase with a family member so you don’t have to each pack an additional suitcase. 

3. Use Flight Trackers

One way to save on flights is to set up a Google Alert in Google Flights that will notify you when the price for a certain flight reaches a certain point. Also, there are a number of 3rd party sites or newsletters you can find that will give you this information. You can even visit the websites of airlines and look at the different prices to learn when you should fly to get the most bang for your buck. 

4. Use a Credit Card that Has Travel Rewards

Some credit cards reward you with cash back on flights or hotels when you make purchases with them. These points will add up, and you will be able to save a lot of money on your next trip. This shouldn’t cost you much extra money since most of the items you buy on your credit cards like groceries or daily essentials need to be purchased regardless. If you are spending money on the necessities of life, at least you should be getting rewarded for it. However, be very careful not to let the balance you own grow too large. It would be smart to pay off your balance every week or every month so you don’t get trapped in debt. 

5. Go on a Cruise

A cruise is a great way to travel and can often be cheaper than traditional vacations because everything you need is included in the ticket price. When you pay for a cruise you get your lodging, food, and entertainment included. Plus, companies such as inCruises have made traveling even less expensive. Another good idea is to look at cruises during the off season to get the best price possible. 

Overview

Traveling with a family on a budget is possible! Don’t let the cost of taking a trip scare you off. If you plan ahead and use some creativity, you can save a lot of money and still have a very memorable trip.

Choosing A Jogger Stroller That Fits Your Needs!

Strollers are a must-have item for any parent of young kids, be it infants or toddlers. Choosing the right stroller is a process that can be challenging and confusing, with all the different options out there. 

Plus, choosing a specialty stroller can be even more difficult, as these represent an even bigger investment in your little one, so read on to find out how you can choose the best jogging stroller to fit your needs, even if you’re on a budget!

Jogging Strollers 101

A jogging stroller is durable and lightweight, much unlike a conventional stroller, which tends to be made of more rigid materials that make it more difficult to maneuver.

The biggest difference between jogging strollers and regular strollers are the wheels. These differ in both the materials and the size. The wheels on jogging strollers are light and durable, as they are made of rubber and inflated with air, much like the tires on a bicycle. 

Conventional strollers have hard plastic wheels that are smaller and tend to spin in all directions, so it’s more difficult to keep a straight path with this kind of stroller.

The construction and different wheels make taking a jogging stroller out on a run a breeze!

So why do I need one?

Great question! The answer here is multi-fold. One, if you’re an avid outdoor exerciser, and you just love to run the trails or jog in the park, a jogging stroller is a great tool to take your little ones with you and share in the joys of being outdoors.

This also offers you great bonding time with your kiddos! Fortunately, jogging strollers also have tons of really useful cargo space, so you can take along snacks and juice boxes (plus water and whatever else you need for yourself) to keep the little ones happy and enjoying the ride.

You’ll also benefit from a jogging stroller if you like taking your kids outside, minus the running or jogging. Thanks to the great maneuverability and light weight of jogging strollers, they’re great for general purpose strolling as well.

Jogging strollers are super easy to push – you can even do it with just one hand – making this an ideal tool for taking your kids grocery shopping, too. These strollers are true multitaskers and will turn you into a super-parent in no time!

If you’re concerned about the cost of one of these must-have jogging strollers, fear not, there are many options available for even the most budget conscious. Check out this link if you want to know more about these low-budget strollers. 

Another options is to buy a used stroller from a mom whose kids have outgrown their stroller. Generally, jogging strollers hold up really well thanks to their durable construction, so you’ll be sure to have a great stroller even if you decide to go this route.

So go on out there, find a great jogging stroller, and have fun with the kids!

5 Ways TeenSafe Helps to Protect Your Kids

In this day and age where technology plays a big role in our everyday lives, it's no longer a surprise seeing kids using their own gadgets. My 3 kids are aged, 9, 6 and 4 years old, as of now, they only share one iPad and I sometimes let them use my smartphone to watch and play. Right now, I am already anticipating that when they are old enough they would already ask for their own smartphones. And, it sure is like a scary time for me. I am sure all moms' with preteens and teenagers could understand. Of course, we want our kids to have access to all the good things about phones and the internet, but we also know there is a potential that they could get into trouble. Good thing, smartphone monitoring service has been invented. So it is best to strike a compromise with our kids, we can let them use their phones while still letting us make sure they were staying safe. One smartphone monitoring service is that I know of is TeenSafe, since it came highly recommended by other mom's online. 

Here are some features of TeenSafe that will Surely Help Protect our Kids:

Reading SMS messages

This one is important. The service allows you to read sent and received SMS messages and even look at deleted ones as well. This feature doesn't intend parents to be nosey, it is used to make sure that our kids aren’t talking to people they shouldn’t be. If they’re talking to friends, that’s great! If they’re talking to strangers, then we’d need to sit down and have a talk. This feature will also make sure our kids are engaging in age-appropriate activities.

Call monitoring

Similar to being able to read messages, the service also allows you to see your kid’s call log. This lets us know what kind of people they’re conversing with. Again, our guard is up about strangers they could meet on the internet so if we see any unknown numbers in our kids’ phone logs, we can ask them about it. It helps us to stay connected and drives home the point that it’s important to be careful about who you’re talking to.

Contact list access

By having the ability to access the contacts in our kids’ phone, we can again see who they’re interacting with. We place a high degree of emphasis on this because it’s so easy for a young person to get caught up with the wrong kind of people. We’re not snooping here, but we can let our kids know that we’re keeping an eye on who they’re communicating with.

Location tracking

TeenSafe allows parents to track current and past locations of a phone in order to get an idea of where their kids are or have been. I find this feature to be useful from a safety perspective because it will let us know that our kids are where they say they’re going to be. If we see that they’re not, it’s a red flag and we’ll check in with them to make sure everything’s okay.

Website information

The ability to see what websites our kids are visiting will surely come in handy. One big thing this allows us to do is to ensure they are visiting sites that are appropriate for them to be viewing. It also helps us monitor their social media usage, as that can not only get to be excessive at times but can also be a source of cyberbullying. That’s something we’re always on guard about since it’s often not something a kid will tell their parent is occurring.

Those are five great ways that TeenSafe can help us feel more comfortable with our kids’ usage of technology. Using the service in conjunction with open communication and expectations will be a great tool for all parents like me. If you’re concerned about the ways in which your kid uses their phone, consider looking into the service further. 

Have you tried other smartphone monitoring services? I'd love to hear about it!

Gift Ideas for People Who Are always on the Go

And just like that, it’s already October!  Probably by now, some of you are already thinking about buying holiday presents for your friends and loved ones. It’s never too early for that because hey, thinking about what gifts to buy could be a little stressful and surely you wouldn’t want to be caught up in the holiday rush, right?

So let me help you get started with your shopping list, whether it’s for a holiday or a birthday present for your friends and loved ones, I have gift ideas that will surely be put into good use.

In this fast-paced world, where technology plays a big role in our everyday lives, it’s no wonder why people are always on the go. And, with the presence of social media more and more people are being influenced by influencers to travel more and live an active lifestyle. So when it comes to buying gifts, you can never go wrong with gadgets!

To give you an idea, I have listed some Garmin gadgets below that are ideal for the people in your life that are always on the go or even for yourself. Not only that, I have searched the web for the best Garmin sale, deals, discounts and voucher codes for you and I found it on LatestDeals.co.uk. So if you are from the UK, sit back, relax and read on!

Garmin Sat Nav’s

For people who are always on the road. Garmin Sat Nav’s are reliable and has full-feature GPS navigators that will surely take the doubt out of driving.

This Garmin Drive Sat Nav GPS UK ROI Ireland Lifetime Maps is just one of the popular deals on LatestDeals.co.uk which you can get for only £79.99 from the original price of £109.99 plus you get to save £30 for the delivery.

Garmin watches and fitness trackers

There is no doubt that smartwatches and fitness trackers are very popular today since more people are aiming to live a more active lifestyle. It’s a good thing that the number of Garmin watches and fit trackers is continuously growing which means they have everything for amateur runners to pro triathletes. You can choose yours depending on your personal fitness goal, the design and of course the one that suits your budget. And, LatestDeals.co.uk has a lot of great deals for you! 

You can click here to see all the available Garmin Deals on LatestDeals.co.uk.

Your friends would surely love to receive these gadgets as gifts, and every time they'd use it they'll remember you so it's definitely worth spending your money on. Or, you might want to list these down on your wishlist! 

Do you have other gift ideas for people of today who are always on the go? It would also be great if you'd share awesome deals you've recently discovered. I'd love to check them out!

Happy shopping :)

Indoor Plant Pests

Whether your plants are outdoors or indoors, there are several varieties of bugs that can attack them. Therefore, if your plants’ growth rate has reduced or stopped entirely; there are color changes or bugs can be seen on it, there is a need to take urgent action if you still cherish your potted plant.

Because many bugs rely on plants for their basic needs of food and shelter, plants naturally harbor bugs. Timely and thorough inspection of your plants will help ensure an outbreak is curtailed as soon as it starts. In this article, we discuss how to ensure your cherished potted plants are not infested and also highlight the examples of bugs usually found in plants. 

Typical house plant bugs.

You might be unsure of the type of bug you are dealing with when your potted plants become infected with one. We have therefore compiled a list of the plant's bugs that are usually seen and will help you know the exact type of bug bothering your potted plants and how to kill aphids and other pests.

Aphids

This is frequently located on indoor plants. They can hinder the growth of the plant by taking out sap from the plants. While the colony of aphids keeps growing, they rob plans of the crucial nutrients. Indoor plants with critical aphids’ infestation tend to get sticky as a result of the honeydew secreted by the bug.

This bug can have the same color of your plant and can usually be found underneath the leaves in a group. The best means of eradicating these is to bring in ladybugs.

Spider Mites

To observe the signs of spider mites, you may be required to use a magnifying glass. This is because these bugs are quite tiny. Plants with spider mites tend to turn dull brown as opposed to bright green.

Chronic infestations will come alongside webbings underneath the leaves and it then becomes tedious to get rid of the mites. Insecticides will be unable to get rid of these mites due to the fact that they are not insects.

How to deal with a spider mite infestation:

• Separate the infected plant:

Utilize water and spray on the plant regularly. Note that spider mites tend to reproduce rapidly. This is each 3-7 days. If you can, place the plant that has been infested in a humid location as spider mites breeding is encouraged by dry air.

Mealybugs

These bugs are quite determined and would crop up over and over again. To note a mealy bug infestation on your plant, you would spot a cotton-like fluff growing on it. The white is partially a waxy substance secreted by the bug and also the mealybug itself. The wax functions to safeguard them from getting sprayed.

To kill these bugs, spread a Q-tip doused with alcohol. You may also want to douse the plant with water continuously to get the mealy bugs loos. Next, apply neem oil generously on the plants so the bugs don’t have the capacity to return.

What Are Jeunesse Global's Products?

Jeunesse Global was founded by Wendy Lewis and Randy Ray in 2009 with a vision to create skin care products and nutritional supplements that are made of high-quality, powerful ingredients. The company's products are marketed under the Youth Enhancement System Y.E.S., and the Y.E.S. system is available to consumers all over the world. 

The company has 32 fully operational offices that are located across the globe and has multilingual customer service, in-house programming, a global enrollment system, and a back office support team. To continue to improve its products, the company focuses on various types of research that includes DNA repair, adult stem cell science, fat loss technology, telomere support, and nutrigenomics. 

Here are Jeunesse Global's Products

Nevo 

Nevo is the company's energy drink and is offered in four enticing flavors. It includes real fruit juices, only contains 50 calories, and doesn't contain artificial colors or sweeteners. Green tea, guarana, and Yerba Mate are a some of the ingredients in the drink that effectively boost energy. 

Reserve 

Reserve is a nutritional drink that includes a potent blend of antioxidants that protect cells from free radical damage. To effectively fight against free radical damage, the supplement contains green tea, aloe vera, and grape seed extract. Other ingredients that makeup Reserve include dark sweet cherries, pomegranates, acai berries, blueberries, and grapes. 

M1ND 

M1ND is a nutritional supplement that helps support memory and mental focus with ingredients that include CERA-Q. This proprietary ingredient is a blend of proteins from silkworm cocoons that help enhance overall memory. In addition, the supplement also contains L-Theanine, L-Tyrosine, GABA, and N-Acetyl. The drink is offered in a small, travel-friendly packet and is a lemon meringue flavor. 

MonaVie Active 

This Jeunesse nutritional drink includes an antioxidant blend of 19 fruits that includes acai berries. Vitamin C from the fruits help protect individuals from oxidative stress and free radical damage. In addition, the drink also supports the formation of healthy collagen that is essential for cartilage health. 

Naara 

Naara is a skin care drink that contains 5,000 mg of TruMarine Collagen. This proprietary ingredient helps skin retain moisture and restore collagen loss. The drink produces visible results in as little as four weeks, it promotes skin firmness and elasticity, diminishes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and minimizes the appearance of pores. 

ZEN Project 8 

This is the company's weight management program that lasts eight weeks. During this time, participants will go through three phases, which include Detox, Ignite, and Thrive. The three-phase weight management plan also provides participants with a support group of active participants. The program teaches individuals portion control, healthy food choices, and more. 

Finiti 

Finiti is one of Jeunesse's most potent supplements. The supplement contains a powerful blend of fruit and vegetable extracts and is free of artificial colors, preservatives, eggs, shellfish, fish, dairy, tree nuts, peanuts, soy, and wheat. Finiti contains turmeric, pomegranate extract, Coenzyme Q10, and more. 

Luminesce 

Luminesce is a skincare line that includes APT-200, which effectively fights against the signs of aging. The product line includes a daily moisturizing complex, an advanced night cream, a youth-restoring cleanser, a skin brightening serum, and more. 

Instantly Ageless 

This is a micro cream that starts to work within two minutes from when it is applied. The cream lasts for up to nine hours and increases tone and elasticity