Shainne Hostalero

In a previous post, I've listed down few of the things to remember when doing your grocery shopping. After which, it will all boils down to... making your meal. I've become conscious about preparing food, storing them, products to choose, and the like. Since I've found my way to the kitchen, I started liking the 'cooking' experience and tweaking bit and pieces of different recipes in my own and my family's preferences, making it more personal and custom. I first thought cooking is hard and there's no way I would ever craft something from scratch aside from pre-heated and/or processed food - which I believe isn't healthy at all.  Reading is the answer. I think, I like reading more than watching, but if you prefer a quicker grasp of recipes from the internet, you can always resort to YouTube videos available. If you are a busy person like me (naks!), it pays to list down your menu before the week ends so you know what to buy. If amenabl...

Doing the grocery can be tasking yet relaxing for anyone most especially for mothers. If you are the head chef of the family (like me hahaha), you opt to buy ingredients you favor and you spend so much time picking the best and freshest ones. Going to the grocery is therapeutic. You can pacify your urge to shop, thus, you can also create such excitement of preparing a meal from scratch. Sometimes, when we get too excited (yes, it's true) to shop, we often forget what and why we are in the grocery for. Hehe. So for us to be more guided, here are some (obvious) things to remember when doing grocery shopping: Create a list To save time (and money), it pays to create a grocery shopping list. In this manner, you can only select what you really need for your home and kitchen. You can also save loads of money just by purchasing the most important and needed stuff only.  This is doable especially if you are working on a tight budget or trying to save more. Allot time ...

  2 days left and I'm saying goodbye to my first trimester. The first tri was full of worries and I think up until the end I won't stop worrying or I may be worrying even more. Haha! But I'm happy to report that I didn't experience much of the morning sickness, dizziness, headache and such. It was hard to distinguish whether I'm pregnant or just my normal self sleeping a lot. I'm a sleeper so it was just ~normal~.  We had a check-up last week and we heard the heart beat again via doppler scan. It was amazing. I was freaking out first because the nurse and the my OB couldn't locate the baby at first try. It turned out he/she was just shy. At 12 weeks, I'm kind of showing but been getting compliments that I just look full/ busog . I wish I could say the same on the next weeks and months to come. I'm feeling energetic and started gaining weight like I'm supposed to. I've gained a few pounds but I need to hit another 20 or more pounds as per my O...

Dear Woman, I know. Each word from that heavy phrase stings right through your veins and questions every little thing you put up with to fulfill your role as a mother, as a parent, and/or as a guardian. You are a mother who chooses your family every minute of the day and yet you have been told that you are not the person who you are right now, a mother. Retracing your life to fulfill the hardest full-time job you can ever encounter in this life. There's no vacation leave, sick leave, paid leave or even holidays. You are on it until your shift lasts and there's no retirement with pension guaranteed. You are a mom. You are strong by far making choice everyday for your family, instilling good manners and right conduct to your children even if you have to play being the tough parent. You get less of love because you are sometimes stiff because you want them to learn, you want them to practice what they have learned and to instill realizations for them to grow. That is ...

I don't remember having a perfect skin. My skin is definitely not perfect though fair but not good. I was athletic and layas . I used to go to different places by air, land and sea and I go around UP, Manila Museums, QC Memorial Circle, and other parks in the Metro just by walking. I don't even like staying in cold places, I prefer natural breeze (that's how I grew up), I'm ginawin  by nature and I'm a summer baby. So that can explain why and also due to some hormonal thing. Nonetheless, there are days I feel and/or look pretty. Kahit minsan . Hahaha! During my first few weeks of being pregnant, I was okay. My skin is fine and believe it or not, I'm glowing. Naks!  But when I enter my 9th week into this pregnancy, my skin started to become dry. How frustrating! I had my first pre-natal check-up at 4 weeks because I'm early to know that I'm pregnant because I was always on the look out. Hahaha! So during that check-up there were a lot of things I shoul...

I'm on my 10th week this week and I'm starting to feel big. (or I believe I should just flush out some poo poo from the inside). Everything seems to be stressful and I can't wait to wash away some of it. As I course through this pregnancy and happy to know that I'm finally ending the first trimester soon, I'm also glad to have consulted with my OB about my progress and she told me I was very good. Hahaha! She also told me that I don't need a follow-up ultrasound because I was happy to report that at 7 weeks, baby's heartbeat is at 143 BPM. Though there are a lot of problems arising, I'm still happy that there are still good things in the corner for me. My mom and I are in pretty good condition and I can quite feel that she's excited for me, she even offered to buy the baby some new stuff. Quite a big one from mom. Knowing it made me feel loved even more. The support and the excitement of my family, especially from both my mom and dad is really a b...

Hi anak! You are 6 weeks and 6 days today! :) 48 in days, 2 in months. I'm hoping to see/hear your heartbeat next ultrasound so I know you're okay there inside. Sorry if mama is stressed lately, must be the hormones anak. How are you doing there? I hope you are ok and doing good. I hope you are growing well. I can't wait to see you, anak. I can't to share your stories with my friends. I'm so giddy to see you. Mama Tita is also excited for you. I hope you can grow up with her like how mama did. I promise you'll learn a lot of things. Kuya Derenz, Ate Reeza and Kuya Charles are there too. You will be well-loved there. :) just give me a hint if you're not feeling ok ha so we can ask our OB what we can do. Mama is still at work as of this writing. I'm feeling a little melancholic just by waiting for you. Mama needs a big hug, I wish you can be physically here to give me that much needed hug. I love you anak. Just hang in there. Love, Mama