Sunday, November 5, 2017

Sonamoo Mart

Me and my husband are always busy with our loads of endless work in our business and in our home. We have a big family after all, we are also hands on to everything from taking care of our small kids to running the household and our business. 

Our typical night would be dining out late at night, sometimes it's almost dawn. Funny but its true. We need a break too. Our so called us time. Time to bond and talk quietly no kids crying out for our attention. 

So we went to Salang Restaurant in Ortigas Pasig City to satisfy our craving for Korean food but unluckily it was closed for whatever the reason we don't know. It was actually supposed to be open 24 hours a day but that night it was closed. So we went for a walk along the area and we found the Korean mart nearby, I was so hungry that time and I can no longer wait to look for any open stores to get our dinner. So we just shop at Sonamoo Mart bought samgapsal meat, condiments, kimchi, veggies, dimsum and ice cream for dessert. Then we went home to cook and have our dinner finally.



It was too good to be true our grocery only costs us 1250php it lasted for 3 separate meals. Usually when we dine out just the two of us it would cost us the same amount. I love their red bean ice cream it was one of the best that I have tasted. The samgapsal also is too delicious along with their kimchi which they personally make. 

We are having a week of Korean food for our lunch and dinner at home. I am now learning how to prepare some of their dish like my all time favorite Gamjatang or the pork bone and potato stew with perilla leaves. Before that we used to eat out a lot at Masil located in Kapitolyo Pasig where they serve Gamjatang and the other one was Jang Ga Nae in Escriba drive near Goldland Millenia Tower but they are not 24 hour operational so we need to look for other stores when we can't make it on time.

Finally I will no longer need to crave at all, I can always have it anytime of the day. One more thing is they also accept deliveries which is way convenient for us. They have a minimum order of 2000php per order.

Next time I will share with you my recipe. 

Kapampangan Leche Flan

I remember during my childhood, I grew up living with my grandma. She loves to cook a lot. One of my favorite dessert was her kapampangan leche flan. Instead of using the ordinary eggs she would use the ducks eggs. Here the recipe that I am going to share with you.



Ingredients:
  • 8 large duck egg yolks
  • 370ml evaporated milk
  • 300ml condensed milk
  • 1/2 tsp zest of calamansi
  • 1 cup sugar and just enough water (to give the sugar a wet sand like consistency)
Instructions:
In a sauce pan, caramelize the sugar over low heat. Let it slowly caramelized to a shiny golden amber, quickly coat the bottom of llaneras or glass container with caramel.
Prepare a medium bowl, mix egg yolks, evaporated milk, condensed milk and calamansi zest. Slowly mix in a circular motion until well blended. Using a fine strainer or clean cloth or cheese cloth, strain egg-milk mixture. Transfer strained mixture into prepared llaneras or glass container.
Place a foil cover on each llaneras or glass container and place in an already boiling steamer. Steam for 45-60 minutes or less for smaller pans. Not everyone is aware of, after steaming flan let it cool completely and refrigerate first to set.  this will make your flan perfectly shaped when you turn it over on a plate.
To serve, turn flan over on a serving plate. Enjoy the creamier and tastier leche flan than any chicken yolks flan.

Saturday, October 14, 2017

My Top 5 Korean Drama

I am a big fan of Korean drama. I've stayed in Gangnam Seoul for seven months way back 2006. I have plenty of good and bad memories while in Seoul. Back then I was not curious about these dramas I just love to shop there and travel with my friends. I just can't stand the weather because it was super cold outside during winter time. I still love to be here in Manila the weather is awesome. So now let me share with you my top 5 best Korean drama that I find interesting and encouraging. 

1. GIANT

"Giant" covers the lives of the three siblings growing up in the 1970's and their pursuit for revenge; Lee Kang-Mo (Lee Beom-Su) is a man who carries deep sorrow, his younger sister Lee Mi-Joo (Hwang Jeong-Eum) & his older brother Lee Sung-Mo (Park Sang-Min). Lee Kang-Mo's father died due to a friend of his father. Because of this, Kang-mo also lost his mother and had to separate from his younger sister and older brother. Kang-Mo was then raised by a man named Hwang Tae-Seob (Lee Deok-Hwa). Kang-Mo also falls in love with Hwang Tae-Seob's daughter Hwang Jung-Yeon (Park Jin-Hie). By a cruel twist of fate, it turns out Hwang Tae-Seob turns out to be the man responsible for Kang-Mo's father's death. Now Lee Kang-Mo & Hwang Jung-Yeon's relationship changes as Lee Kang-Mo becomes driven for revenge..





2. Drama series follows 3 characters: a woman experiencing a harsh fate, a woman that is jealous of her and a man set out to get revenge.



3. The story of a man who fights against greed, and experiences every hardship and adversity known to man in order to make something of himself and find love.


4. A drama based on law about money, love and passion. It is about lobbying, rebating, connecting and corruption of the Korean society through Lee Cha Don who loses everything because of money. Lee Cha Don (Kang Ji Hwan) is a man who rises to the seat of a special branch prosecutor with the money of a loan shark, while Bok Jae In (Hwang Jung Eum) is the daughter of the loan shark who raises Lee Cha Don.--HanCinema


5. Michael King vows to revenge his parents' death. He believes that he can use his power as head of an underground drug kingpin to punish those who hurt him. However, his beliefs are shaken when he falls in love with a reporter named Jin Bo Bae



I love all these 5 drama because it's all business related dramas not the typical romance drama that you will see on tv that is a waste of time. 

Friday, September 29, 2017

13 Reasons Why We Choose to Home School Our Children

It was my decision to home school my kids. I actually needed to convinced my husband at first to support me with my decision. I had 5 kids and my youngest was just 8 months old and I am really having a hard time dealing with so many tasks I had to get done from my children's needs and my business. I was also not satisfied with the way my kids are being taught in school. We are Christian by faith and We enrolled our kids in a Catholic school which is way different from our belief. I hated everything from their traditional school, Having to wake up too early and prepare everything for my 3 kids while I attend to my newborn daughter. We don't have house help and We never wanted one since most of the help that we had before was never a help at all, they are more of a burden to us and you need to constantly check on them. Among the reasons that made me home schooled them was when my son got sick from school and he lost so much weight and he was so exhausted too going to school by 630AM and returns home by 6PM because of their school service. By the time they arrives home they would just sleep and they are so tired. I can no longer teach them with their homework too that made them get lower grades. It was a very tough decision but I am glad I did stand for it.

We are raising our kids to be independent without any help from other people just me and my husband. I get too many negative comments about how I wanted to raise my kids. Our friends and families had this negative comments that my child would not be a normal child anymore because of lack of social activity. And some told me your kids will be having a hard time getting work after they finished home schooling. They are all too negative and not helping at all. I never listened to all of them. Sometimes I just wanted to be alone and live the life I wanted away from people.




13 Reasons why we choose home schooling vs traditional school.

1)      We spend less time homeschooling each day than we used to.  With five kids (including a newborn at home), school drop-off and pick-up took hours, on a good day.  They'd get home at about 6PM and still have homework, music practice, sports, chores, dinner and bath to fit into the 4 hours before bed.  Now we spend about four hours per day homeschooling.
2)      Our kids are excelling academically as homeschoolers.  Homeschooling allows us to enrich our children’s strengths and supplement their weaknesses. The kids’ education moves as fast or as slow as required for that particular subject area.  They are not pigeon-holed and tracked as gifted, average, or special needs.
3)      Our family spends our best hours of each day together.  We were giving away our kids during their best hours, when they were rested and happy, and getting them back when they were tired, grumpy and hungry.  I dreaded each evening, when the fighting and screaming never seemed to end, and my job was to push them through homework, extracurriculars, and music practice.  Now, our kids have happy time together each day.  At recess time, the kids are actually excited about playing with each other!
4)      We yell at our kids less.  Homeschooling forces us as parents to maintain a loving authority in the household.  We stopped spanking our kids.  You can’t get your kids to write essays or complete a large set of math problems if you don’t have their respect and obedience.  Spanking and corporal punishment establish fear, not effective, loving obedience.
5)      Our kids have time for creative play and unique interests.  Once my kids entered school, they seemed to stop making up their own creative play together.  They didn’t have time for creative play during their busy evenings.  Now they build forts and crazy contraptions, play dance parties, and pursue their own unique interests.  
6)   We are able to work on the kids’ behavior and work ethic throughout the day.  My son’s poor work effort at school was nearly impossible to address.  The teachers didn’t have time to make my son repeat work they felt was average quality.  We wouldn’t see the work until days after it was completed.  Finally, we’ve been able to push him to his full potential.
7)   Get rid of bad habits, fast.  Dirty clothes dropped on the floor?  They used to stay there all day.  Now there is no recess until they are cleaned up.  I never really had the time to implement most behavioral techniques when my kids were in school.  I knew what I needed to do to get my kindergartner to dress herself, but it was easier to dress her myself then deal with the school complaining that she was improperly dressed or late.  Now, if she takes too long to get dressed, she misses out on free play time.
8)   Be the master of your own schedule.  Homeschooling provides a great deal of family flexibility, which is a tremendous asset for our busy family. Zoos, children’s museums, libraries, parks, etc., are far less busy on weekdays as they are on weekends.  Scheduling anything is easier—doctor’s appointments, karate lessons, vacations, etc.
9)   Younger children learn from older siblings.  For larger families like ours, even toddlers are learning during school time. Our four year old sits at the same table during school time as our twelve, six and eight year old.  He wants to do his worksheet, too.  Some of that math and phonics work rubs off on him, and he’s learning how to read.  When chore time comes, he asks, “What are my chores?”  And our six-year-old knows how to fix our bedroom.
10)   Teach your kids practical life skills.  Homeschooled kids learn parenting skills, cooking, budgeting, home maintenance, and time management every day.  Time management skills are learned out of necessity.  Our kids have to keep their own schedules and budget their own time.  If they waste time, they have less time for play and their own special interests.  We use old smart phones with alarms to help teach time management.  Our kids help with younger siblings while under our direct supervision.  What better way is there to learn parenting?  I learned to write a fake grocery budget once as a home economics exercise.  My kids write real grocery budgets and help me shop.
11)   Better socialization, less unhealthy peer pressure and bullying.  Our kids no longer beg for video games we don’t want them to have or clothes we don’t like, or junky snacks they saw at school.  One of our children struggled socially in school, and his schoolmates were ruthlessly mean.  Despite a school anti-bullying policy and our best efforts to work with the teacher, nothing changed.  Our kids have plenty of time with friends, but without  the unhealthy peer pressure and bullying.
Research continues to show that homeschooled kids do well socially.  Our kids have no shortage of time with friends—each week they attend trainings, scouts, sports, dance, choir, piano, religious education and have plenty of time to play with friends.  Add in the birthday parties and homeschool field trips, and we find ourselves having to decline activities so that we can get our homeschooling done!
12)   Sleep! A research study by National Jewish Health released in March, 2013 showed that homeschooled students get more sleep than their peers who attend school.  The result may be that homeschooled kids are better prepared to learn.  Parents get more sleep, too!  Now we don’t have to get up early to meet a schedule, prepare pack lunches, etc.  Our mornings are great times together to snuggle with our children and talk about our plans for the day.  No more “Hurry up and get your shoes on or you’ll be late for school!”
13)   Teach kids your own values.  According to the national center for education statistics, 36% of homeschooling families were primarily motivated by a desire to provide religious or moral instruction.  Our family is not part of this 36%– we never objected to any values taught in either our public or private schools.  Nevertheless, we’ve really enjoyed building our own traditions and living out our family values in a way that wasn’t possible before homeschooling.  
Homeschooling isn’t right for every family or every child.  I can’t even predict what the future holds for our family—will we continue homeschooling through high school?  I don’t know.  But for now, we’ve found a way for our family to be very happy growing and learning together.

Many people have asked me how we do it, how my husband and I both manage our business and homeschool our kids at the same time.
Every homeschooling family has their own unique time management plan to balance work, schooling, household needs, and rest time.  For our family, this has been a work in progress for half a  year now.
We complete our core homeschool curriculum on Monday to Thursday, and on Weekends they attend their karate training, do special activities, and complete any catch-up work.
When I sleep late and wakes up in the afternoon.  My husband does the homeschooling on the mornings when I am sleeping.  On the mornings when I am awake, I do the teaching.  My husband and I split the teaching about 50/50.  We try to make sure that at any given time one parent is employed and one is teaching/parenting/running the home/monitoring the business.  The baby usually takes a nap in the afternoon while my older kids do independent reading and math, and so we can usually fit in 1-2 hours of personal time or work then.  Any business work or housework that is left we do after the kids go to bed.
Now that we homeschool, everything has become a team effort in our house.  Both my husband and I teach, do housework, and make money.  Everyone does chores.  Walking in each other’s shoes each day has made us more compassionate towards each other.  We are less likely to criticize each other when things don’t go right, and we’ve learned to be better communicators.  This is, perhaps, my favorite part of homeschooling, that our family is happier together.


Monday, July 17, 2017

How to Get Oil Smell Out of Clothes

Coca-Cola Soak
Take the smelly clothes and place them in a pail. Fill with enough original Coca-Cola to cover them completely. Soak overnight and wash them as you normally would. The oily smell should be lifted out. As a variation to this solution, empty a can of Coke into your washing machine along with your detergent to get the oily smell out.

Pine-Sol It Out

Try soaking your clothing in Pine-Sol to get the smell of oil out of your clothes. If you decide to try this solution, you will want to use this household cleaner at full strength. Soak the clothing for an hour or two before washing.

Baking Soda Soak and Wash

Fill your washing machine with water. Dissolve one cup of baking soda in hot water and add it to the water. Add the stanky clothing and let them soak for at least 30 minutes. You can leave them in the machine overnight if you wish before adding detergent and running your regular wash cycle.

4 Liquid Dish Soap and Hot Water Method

Dawn dish soap will remove the heavy oily smell from clothing. You need to be careful when adding this product to your washing machine. A little of it will go a long way. Use hot water in the washing machine. You may want to add vinegar to the rinse cycle to cut through the soap and leave the clothing ready to wear.

Super Clean Foaming Cleaner Degreaser

Another effective way to banish the oil smell from your clothes is to give them a bath in Super Clean Foaming Cleaner Degreaser. This product is available in the automotive section at Ace Hardware, as well as online. You will probably want to invest in the gallon size if you are going to be using it for your laundry. Soak the clothes in this product for about an hour before washing them, or add the Super Clean to the load and wash as usual.


Eucalyptus Oil in your Wash

Try adding two capfuls of eucalyptus oil to your wash when you have to deal with greasy clothing along with your detergent. You can buy this product in health stores, some drug stores and online. You can also presoak the items with the eucalyptus oil in your washing machine before washing them.

Monday, May 29, 2017

Laundry Business Seminar Manila

It's been three long years  since our last seminar and a lot has changed. This time we will share with you more knowledge and strategies in running a successful and profitable laundry business the unconventional way. Reserve your seats now!




KEY TOPICS:
I. Introduction to the Laundry Business
II. Four Factors in the Cleaning Process
III. Care Labels Guide
IV. Laundry Shop Layout / Design
V. Overview of the Laundry Process
VI. Financial Aspects of Laundry Business
• Capitalization (Machines, Location, Staff Requirements, Supplies, etc.)
• Feasibility Study
• Break Even
• Return of Investment
VII. Detailed Discussion of the Laundry Work Flow
• Receiving
• Sorting
• Tagging
• Spotting
• Soaking
• Washing
• Drying/Segregating
• Folding and Packing
• Claiming
VIII. Dry Cleaning and Wet Cleaning
IX. Safety Procedures
• Health and Safety
• Protective Clothing and Equipment
X. Laundry Chemicals / Other Supplies
XI. DIY vs. Full Service Laundry
XII. BONUS TOPICS: 
How to choose the best machines. 
Machine Price lists and Suppliers.
Machine Maintenance. 
Finding a Location.
Different Marketing Strategies.
How to name your business.
Pricing and Quotation for corporate accounts. 
How to hire employees,
How to Price your Services.
How to Register your Business
Actual demonstration – Folding and Packing of Personal Items
Household Items Folding Techniques, Area Rug Cleaning
Pressing Barong and Coat. 


Sunday, April 16, 2017

Tips for a successful DIY or self service laundry shop

I have seen so many self service laundry shop everywhere. But what it takes to operate a successful self service laundry shop.? Self service laundry or DIY are a simple business which can be very profitable if you select a good location – and if you pay attention to the basics:

Hours of Operation
Successful self service laundry shop should be open long hours. Most customers work during the day and use the laundry at night or on the weekends. Take advantage of early morning wash dry fold business by opening at 7 am – no later than 8 am. We recommend staying open at least until 10 pm or even later, depending on your location and the hours of other stores in your area. Opening 24 hours a day is a good idea only if you are in a busy, well lighted, high traffic location.


Cleanliness
We can’t stress this enough. Keep your shop squeaky clean. A neat, tidy laundry demonstrates your pride of ownership, attracts customers and is also safer for your employees and your customers. Make sure your attendant knows that mopping the floor, wiping down machines, cleaning the restrooms and keeping the front walk swept are part of her job description. Even if your store is unattended, it should still be kept clean. Stop in a few times a day to clean, or employ a janitorial service or a local resident to do this job.


Pricing
Be competitive with your pricing. Check out your competition to be sure your self service laundry offers good value. Maintain a meaningful pricing ratio between your top loaders, double loaders, triple loaders and larger washers. Don’t forget to monitor the time you are giving per quarter on your dryers. Price your drop off services competitively as well.





Friendly Service
Insist that your attendants are always pleasant, cheerful and courteous to your customers. You are in a service industry, and customers can easily switch to a nearby self service laundry shop if they are not treated well. Prompt refunds, assistance with machine selection, helping carry loads in and out, making change with a smile, and a cheerful hello and goodbye will pay big dividends. Don’t overlook customer service if you operate a self service laundry. Self-service customers need an easy and reliable method of receiving refunds when a machine or bill changer does not function properly. Provide your self-service customers with a way of contacting you – using a wall mounted mailbox for refund slips and for suggestions or comments works great and shows customers that you value them.

Machine UpKeep 
Keep your equipment running properly. Don’t have out of order signs all over your equipment. Promptly repair even the smallest things to prevent larger problems later. Never bypass safety devices, lid switches, door locks, etc. Customers don’t like to contend with washers that only work on hot, others that don’t spin out properly, dryers that only work on certain selections, etc. Keep your machines safe and working properly.

In summary, don’t try to complicate a simple business. Keep your laundry shop spotless, price your machines and services competitively, treat your customers great, keep your washers, dryers and vending machines working properly, and finally, keep your laundry open during the proper hours, to maximize your sales and profit.