Quarantine week 7? Am I correct? I honestly sometimes forget what day it is already and I'm sure you, guys feel me on this one too. >_< As of my last ECQ post, the lockdown began last March 15 and was supposedly to last until April 14. Then it got moved to April 30 and the most recent one is May 15. I really miss the outside world. But I have no problem with extension of the quarantine as long as we see progress and the death toll stops rising. :( 
We've all been in quarantine for more than a month now and slowly, each of us is adjusting to our new normal or routine. It isn't easy - most of us deal with anxiety and stress. That's why I am all for doing things that give you good vibes or help you cope up with our present situation. So, you do you! May it be TikTok videos, reading self help quotes/books, binge watching Kdramas, cooking, sharing food on social media, or working out, do what makes you happy! ^_^
As for me, I've been doing most of the things I mentioned above and they've been fairly effective. :) Sharing with you, guys through this post, our life lately as a family in quarantine.

It’s officially week 4 of Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) and the family and I have been strictly following it since March 15. I’m the main runner of our family for groceries and every two weeks, I go so that we have enough supply at home. But there are moments when my boys randomly tell me that they miss restaurant food and I totally feel them. I miss it so much too. Thankfully, we still have a few restos within the city that are open for delivery. :)

Speaking of delivery, since cash is one of the ways that we can transport viruses, I’ve been using my PayMaya virtual card to pay for delivery transactions. :) It’s super easy, convenient and you can also practice social distancing better for you and your rider too!

For online deliveries, you can easily use your PayMaya virtual card or physical card as your payment option. All you have to do is:

Since 2019, our water problem has been evident with the interruptions that went on for months, and I personally understand how stressful that can be, given that we, too, experience the same thing every day. Our water interruption could start as early at 7:00AM and came back around 4 or 5:00PM. I know some people have different schedules with regards to this and because I’m not too knowledgeable in this department, I wanted to be educated further on what’s happening with our water supply. It’s the main reason why I agreed to join a recent trip to Maynilad Water Services, Inc. last February 28 to know more about it. I’m sure many are curious too, so sharing here on the blog our day with Maynilad!

It has been a while since my last blog post here. When I normally do a blog post, it's either for work purposes or I try to catch up on my pending travel post. I really missed writing! I can now say that I have more time on my hands to write cos of the recent state we are all in right now a.k.a. COVID-19. 
I know things haven't been easy for anyone. This is our new normal; being stuck at home, living vicariously through our friends' feed on Instagram or Facebook, living on the edge and constantly having to be cautious of our surroundings or people we do interact with. These are, indeed, tough times. But even so, I still believe in having a community to give us a little sanity with our feed being bombarded with dreadful news day in and day out. For the record, I'm not saying that we should stray away completely from listening to news cos we need it too, that's actually crucial. But what I mean is that we should also take a breather from it with the help of our friends. :)
I personally have a community or my best friends on Messenger and we always check up on each other. We make sure each one is fine, healthy and we also share what we did for the day that doesn't isn't virus related. :) Because of that, I decided to share 5 things that all of us can do while we're all stuck at home, being good citizens practicing community lockdown. :) Let's put this month-long time at home into good use!

There was a time that I didn’t have much mind for things like stress relievers or mood lifters, but now that the ‘tita’ in me has awaken, I have found a love for essential oils (EO). I never knew how beneficial they were in my younger years, so now that I do, I’m encouraging, young or old, to try it out because of the many benefits it can actually give you. :) I’ve tried several essential oils in the past and since I’ve been hooked on different kinds, I actually made a corner in my room already that is dedicated to my diffuser + oils.♥ I recently got three new EOs from Legande. :) Before I share more about the essential oils that I got, a little background on Legande: Legande is a fusion of two companies, Multipure Phil’s and Pillars 5. Multipure Philippines is the exclusive distributor of Multipure water systems of USA. Pillars 5 is an all natural nutrition and wellness company. Essential Oils For many centuries, as old as Egyptian times (4500 B.C.E.) essential oils have been used worldwide for many purposes. Even today, we use it for beauty, as flavoring agent, medicine for healing and as aromatic oil. The usual essential oils we see or encounter nowadays can be used topically, aromatically, and internally. It’s a customizable system based on how we want to use them. So, how does EO work? Normally, you can put them in diffusers, steam inhalation or apply a few drops on your palm or cotton and inhale it. Don’t use too much! Just one to three drops is fine. With this, the aroma enters your nose and gives your body different benefits. They can act as mood lifters, stress/pain busters and energy boosters. :) Sharing the EOs that I got and their benefits: The oils that Legande uses are all 100%! Lavender Essential Oil ~Sweet, rich aroma that has a balancing effect on the nervous system ~ ♥ Reduces stress - has a calming aroma that promotes relaxation, an effective remedy for various neurological issues like stress, anxiety and depression. ♥ Improves sleep quality - has a calming and sedative properties which calm down the nervous system. ♥ Prevents skin aging - has a powerful antioxidants which prevent skin aging and promotes cells regeneration which make your skin soft and firm. Tea Tree Essential Oil ~Refreshing, invigorating and sharp aroma targets ailments like blemishes and fatigue~ ♥ Soothes dry skin and eczema - can help soothe dry skin by reducing itching and irritation. ♥ Boosts wound healing - a few drops of tea tree oil can be added to wound dressing to encourage wound healing. ♥ Fights acne - as effective as benzoyl peroxide, the most common anti-acne medication. Lemon Essential Oil ~The fragrance is purifying as it is uplifting and it leaves you with a refreshing scent~ ♥ Cleanses and uplifts - an excellent remover of toxins, assists in rejuvenating energy and can help tone the skin. ♥ Anti-fungal and antibacterial properties - can be used for treating certain skin overgrowths and natural alternative for treating acne. ♥ Helps alleviate fatigue - the smell of lemon can increase focus and ease tension. Among the three my favorite would have to be lemon. I love the refreshing scent of it! Aside from the individual oils, Legande also has the My TLC variant that is a synergy blend of 8 100% Natural and Pure Essential Oils. It helps lift, soothe and calm one’s being. The ingredients in it helps boost energy and alleviate pain. Something that is perfect for the family. It’s easy to bring around too, so if we go out or have trips, this is definitely coming with us! :) It has a calamansi, elemi, frankincense, mandarin, lemon, eucalyptus, grape seed and spearmint mix. :) With the many health benefits of Essential Oils, it’s no wonder why so many people have included it in their lifestyle. I personally love them and can’t imagine ‘ ME-time’ without it. My son Asher at 7 years old also requests it on our diffuser every bedtime. ^_^ If you’re interested in Legande’s 100% Essential Oils, you may check their price list below and where to get them. :)