book review {sqt}

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I am a bookworm. During my childhood, instead of playing outside, you'd find me reading in the living room. That's how "boring" I was to my sister and cousins. Reading, reading all the time.

Medical school came and I shifted gears. I read mostly textbooks (because I had to!)
Every now and then, I read a thriller or mystery and Catholic/Theology books but I read mostly for continuing medical education. This year, I want to read more for fun!  My fave genre is mystery/thriller and memoirs.

I'd like to share what I have read this year so far (add a couple of items I read during medical school/residency).

My Nook was old. I am not successful reading from my iphone or iPad. So i asked for an ereader. Thanks to my readers' recs, I got the Kindle paperwhite (new one 8GB and very light and waterproof!)

sweaterdress + lightning deals + win a free blueapron box {sqt}

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I missed seven quick takes last week. Life oh life.
So I am posting on Friday Eve, because timing is just right... Being a mom of five and all.


1. outfit details
dress, ASOS, similar here and here
leggings, exact one
booties, mine are old, similar here

sunblock review

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Long time, no blog.
The crew went to North Topsail, NC for a week. We used ounces and ounces of spray sunscreen and lotion sunscreen. Just as expected with 5 children everyday for a week going to the beach twice a day for 2-3 hours at a time.

I am amazed with the different brands of sunscreen we used.

disclosure ~ this is not sponsored but affiliate links are used.
We are also full Filipino with lots of melanin. So we tan but we can also burn if not enough sunscreen applied.  We have used some brands with my niece and nephew who have fairer/lighter 1/2 German 1/2 Filipino skin. They get red before they tan.

here we go

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Coppertone SPF 50
Application: continuous spray
Scent: okay, no strong odor
Effectiveness: This works the best for our children and my nephew.  We had to reapply around 60-80 minutes of sun exposure to be safe.
Overall grade: A+

Banana Boat SPF 50
Application: Thick lotion so it's not as easy to spread around body
Scent: usual sunblock smell, not overtly strong scent
Effectiveness: It protected  my children. They were still tan but we prevented redness on their cheeks and shoulders.
Overall grade: B


Australian Gold
Application:  Thick lotion but not as thick as the banana boat
Scent:usual, not overtly strong 
Effectiveness:  I used it on my already tan children. My nephew burned his fair skin.
Overall grade: C


Hawaiian Tropic SPF 30

Application: easy to apply, lightweight lotion 
Scent: coconut, sweet smell 
Effectiveness: Effective but must be reapplied every 60-80 minutes. If you plan on staying at the beach 5-6 hours per day, you will need a higher SPF. I do not think Hawaiian Tropic has anything higher than 30 though. Effective ~2 hours per day with infrequent visits. I have to give it a C if planning to stay in the sun 5-6 hours/day 6 days in a row. SPF 30 was not enough for me.  
Overall grade: A/C (see above)



Aveeno baby SPF 55
Application: easy to apply
Scent: unscented 
Effectiveness: perfect! We use aveeno baby products for our babies < 1 year old. Lucy could have burned without this. I also used it on my face every now and then.
Overall grade:  A+

drugstore make-up wins and updates

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affiliate links are used, thanks for your support!

top, old, Anthropologie
ripped jeans, Topshop
wedge sandals via zulily

my review of a Barbie movie

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affiliate links are used... thanks for supporting this blog, dear friends.



I have heard horror stories about the Barbie books.... so I stayed away from the Barbie collection at the library. We never really introduced Barbie to my girls. My mom did.....

I have nothing against Barbie. My sister and I played with our Barbie dolls.  I had the superstar Barbie (I don't think my mom spent $85 on her... but that's her price right now... eeeek)
I like the Filipina Barbie. I never owned one. Too pricey for a little girl (or grown woman).



Barbie has launched her new collection of different body types and different skin tones.
meet Curvy, Tall, and Petite

     

Now for the review of the movie, Barbie and the great puppy adventure

Valentine's day weekend

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skirt c/o 

Vintage Chanel

Valentines Day weekend recap

The older children were *supposed to stay with their grandparents Friday night but they changed their minds. So Friday date night was a family date night. 

The highlight of the weekend was the Valentine's Day dance at the children's school. Daniel took me and Isabel took daddy. 

The predance date was at Qdoba. That's what happens when we let the 6 year old and the 4 year old decide where to go. (It could have been worse. It could have been McDonald's! yikes)

I was hoping we'd go to the other Mexican place because of the margarita. Boohoo, no predance margarita for this mama.

Probably a good thing, eh?

                     

fashion ring and bracelet 

via zulily

gift from auntie Feli.

It took an hour for my children to warm up and dance. They just sat there and watched the other students. They wanted to play checkers instead of dance. 

They didn't get their daddy and mummy's genes. Derrick and I just dance though the only ones on the dance floor. 

15 minutes before the end of the school dance, they finally went out and danced with us. It was so cute. And worth dressing up for that! 


Click here for the video!

                        

necklace, from FrenchLick

more fun necklaces here

Sunday was Scout Sunday so it was busy in the morning but finally slowed down after lunch. Our usual after Mass lunch is closed. The owners are on their annual trip to Asia. Since I was craving steak (not that often I crave steak) I asked if we can all go to a steakhouse. The children actually ate their steak meal from the kids' menu. They also got little trinkets from the server. 


Bastian's toy only lasted the meal and didn't even make it home. It already broke and drained water. Isabel got a sticky heart. Daniel received an Avengers light up sticker. 


Ms. Lucy got a key pull charm. The highlight of her lunch is not charm but the mashed potatoes! It was loaded with butter. She loved it. 


She is a good eater like her kuya Bastian! I didn't bring her her baby food. I thought she'd just nap. So we let her try the mashed potatoes. {4th child... I'd never do that with Daniel}

skirt c/o

use blog20off for 20% off discount

Thanks to newchic for sponsoring this post... and letting me choose the perfect skirt for the most fun school dance. I grew up in the Philippines and went to a conservative Catholic high school. Our prom was actually "cancelled" so I never really went to a real school dance.


I think going with my eldest is the most fun.
I don't think I missed much.

I am making up for it now.

Just in case you missed the video link above, I am posting it here again (hint, hint for my mom or grandma who might have missed it)






Linking up with Holly, Sarah, Doranda, Morgan, Leanne, Elizabeth, Elena,  Madeline,  Jaymie,  Sydney, Danielle, Grace, Brooke.

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give somebody an album of your instagram feed {chatbooks}

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cardi via Zulily

tunic

tights

kitten heels

lipstick eternal ruby

scarf c/o shopbellaC

Chatbooks are good Christmas gifts! Get your friends and mom/dad a subscription of your intagram feed (you can pick and choose photos... don't worry) use code: JNY6ZVMN and get your first book free. 






Linking up with Holly, Sarah, Doranda, Morgan, Leanne, Elizabeth, Elena,  Madeline,  Jaymie,  Sydney, Danielle, Grace, Brooke.

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Thank you for reading! I can be found on: