Hello everyone! It's been a while, so I've been thinking about what good story to tell to start this year and what better way to start my blog is to share the miracle that happened with our family.

If you've been following me on social media, you must've known that 2017 was my worst year so far and as it was about to end, my puppy was diagnosed with parvovirus.

December 30, 2017, it's almost midnight when Sunny (my puppy) started discharging stools with blood. At first, it was a normal poop with a streak of blood. After that, she started pooping a lot, until she only discharged blood. As she was pooping, she would also vomit after that to the point where she was vomiting almost her saliva. I was really panicking and crying because I hate seeing her that way. But despite all that, she still managed to greet my partner and my uncle even though she was already weak at that time.

We posted on social media and on any dog lover's groups on Facebook. Luckily, a friend of my partner who also loves dogs created a group chat with me in it and a lot of veterinarians around Pampanga. They suggested contacting Doc Yam, a vet designated in Magalang Pampanga who owns a clinic near our area. I was relieved when she answered our call because we didn't have to wait until morning to take her to the vet.

We went there and Sunny was confined immediately. We weren't sure yet if she had parvo because they had to wait until morning for the blood tests and the parvo test kit. To be safe, they injected medications on her and put dextrose because she wouldn't eat and drink.




Morning came, the vet texted me that Sunny was negative for parvo but hours later, they wanted me to go to the clinic to explain that after a few hours, the lines on the kit went positive. So I was really crying when they told me that because I'm fully aware that parvo kills, and there's only a small chance of surviving this virus. I was really praying and hoping that she gets through this. Aside from parvo, they also saw a bacterial infection on her and her platelet count was very low. The vet was actually impressed on how she was still holding up and she seemed not even weak at all.




A couple of days later, she was already eating and drinking by herself so we were relieved that she might get well soon. She was confined from December 31 to January 03, 2018 so we can say that her recovery was very fast.



So what helped Sunny survive a very deadly virus?

1. Her vaccine was updated

Even though Sunny was vaccinated, there's still a chance of vaccination failure because I traveled her to Manila, she must've gotten the virus there and since she was traveled for hours, her immune system went down. As per the vet, her vaccine also helped her with her recovering process.

2. First aid was made before taking her to the vet

What I did when she was pooping and vomiting, I forced her to drink water with dextrose powder using a syringe so simple things like that helped her be hydrated.

3. We were always there for her, visiting her whenever we can

I was also sick during that time but even though I was struggling myself, I managed to visit her to the vet. According to the doctors, a factor that helps puppies survive is when they get visited all the time. It provides them the emotional support that they need.

4. The doctors were great

We were lucky enough to know this clinic, Pet Wise Animal Clinic. I saw how they loved their patients and how they treated Sunny like she was their family as well. They won't give you false hopes but they will make sure that your puppies are treated very well.


So those are the things that helped Sunny along the way. If you have any questions about this, please don't hesitate to leave a comment below. I'm sure if you're a dog lover like me, who loves their furfamily so much, you would do everything to keep your babies safe. I would also like to learn from you as well.

Thanks for dropping by, here's Sunny now, a parvovirus survivor and I am so proud of her.

Hi, everyone! So I recently shared a video about where I get my Korean Products.

A lot of my friends have been asking, where am I getting these products and how. I joined a Facebook group called SaeliYuriMelissaLee's All About Korean Skin Care and Cosmetics. That is where I get my products directly from Korea.

By joining this group, you need to find your perfect seller or what they call "angel". Angels are assigned per destination, they will be responsible for getting your payments, shipping the products or meetups.

My angel is Angiela Layug, she is based in Pampanga which is where I am so it's very convenient whenever I hoard products because I can simply meet up with her and bring the payment without any inconvenience. This angel is also generous in giving freebies whether I purchase a lot or not.

Please note that pre-orders approximately arrive two weeks or a month after releasing the products because it will be shipped from Korea so if you're rushing, this might not be the best group for you, but the best thing is you get the best products for a less expensive price, so the waiting is still worth the wait.

If you'd like to check it out, here is the link to the Facebook group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1517778125191827/

If you're from Pampanga, you can simply join in our separate group here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/944910362329693/

You can also check out my video tutorial on how to join this group here:

Where I buy Korean Products | My Favorite Products Purchased from SMYLEE

Disclaimer: Before narrowing down the tips I have for you, please note that I am not a veterinarian or an expert, these tips are purely based on my personal experiences as a first-time furmom.

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Hi, everyone! For today's topic, I'm going to talk about something different than my usual posts.

I recently got my first puppy for almost two months now. Her name is Sunny, she's 75% Shih Tzu and 25% dachshund. I was hesitant at first but I fell in love with her the moment I put her in my arms when she was just a teeny-tiny pup.

I had to wait for almost two months before taking her home, but I couldn't wait until I take her home so I always ask my boyfriend to take me to our friend's house just to see her.

This is her as a baby

Who wouldn't fall in love with her? She is so adorable and she looks like a teddy bear and a bunny in one. LOL.

When time has come to take Sunny home, her first night with us, got me shookt! She didn't let me sleep. She was always crying, asking to be out of her box. I was very stressed and I didn't know what to do. At that point, I was already giving up and I was thinking that I may not be able to take care of this puppy on my own. I was ready to give her back to her original owner which is a very irresponsible move.

As I didn't know what to do, I took her to my boyfriend's house and she stayed there for a week. He taught me how to properly take care of her. I came by at their house almost every day to check up on her. Even though I was stressed on the first night, I missed her and I knew that I had to take responsibility for her because she needs me.

So I decided to take her back to our home and I kept up with the phase because of how my boyfriend showed me how to be patient, and responsible.

The first week Sunny is in our home, she was always crying and knocking on our room because she doesn't want to be left out so I customized a baby diaper for her so she can stay and sleep in our room. But she was also potty trained so she knows where to poop.

With that being said, here are a few tips or the things that you should expect when you want to adopt a pet.

1. They are like babies too

When you adopt a pet, it's like adopting a baby too. They need special attention and you need to potty train them which takes a lot of time and stress but once they learn, it's definitely worth it. We should take care of them as our own because if we showed them how we truly love and care for them, they will surely bring back the love they received from you.

2. You need extreme patience 

Puppies like to play a lot and eat anything they could reach. It's hard to keep an eye on them every second so, at some point, they may do something we're not going to be happy about. Whenever I scold Sunny, I noticed that she understands, she looks at me with her puppy eyes and would kiss me after realizing what she's done. Just be patient with your puppy.

3. It will cost you a lot

For someone like me who always wants Sunny to be healthy and well taken care of, going to the vet, having her vaccine shots, checkups and all, it definitely cost me and my boyfriend a lot. I also had to buy her food, vitamins, and toys. So you see, I really treated her as my baby.

4. Your daily life will be much better

So enough of the chitchat, I was browsing through this new beauty stall, Beauty in Seoul and they have a lot of Korean products and a lot of discounts too. I found this new product Epona, I actually haven't heard of this product before and I got it with a 60% discount so yay for me.




The packaging is quite simple, it's not fancy or anything. To be honest, it's not that eye catching but that's not really important as long as it works.

So without further adieu, let us start the review.

Product Claims:

As you can see on the packaging it claims to have a moisturizing effect, it's hypoallergenic and it provides a silk therapy.

On the photo below, the consistency is very silky and smooth and it is transparent. It also has a florally kind of scent which I like. It lathers quickly which is what I like so it means that your scalp and hair can be thoroughly clean.



What I love about this product is that it doesn't have a strong scent to it, which means it's good for me. Although, because my hair is full of chemicals and products, after using this shampoo, it somehow dries up my hair when it's still wet. But after drying it, it feels a lot softer and feels as if I used a conditioner but I didn't.

Where Could I get this and how much?

If you're from the Philippines, you can get this at one of Beauty In Seoul's stall in different malls nationwide. You can find them on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/Beautyinseoulphil/

You can also get this on eBay and other websites. The price is ranging from $5-$10 but I got mine for around $3 only because it was on 60% sale.

Here are some of the few photos of me using this shampoo before and after:

 Look how frizzy my hair was. LOL. I have to constantly iron my hair to at least straighten it which is another reason to damage my hair.


After washing my hair, because my hair has a lot of chemicals on there, it kinda frizzed a bit while it was still wet so I couldn't comb it well. I waited for it to dry to finally comb it.

After Epona:

What are my thoughts about this product?

Would I recommend this product?

Hi, everybody! Today, I will be sharing with you my review of the RA & Gowoori Real Kill White Whitening Cream.

So I'm not a skincare expert, I used to invest more on makeup products rather than skin care products. My routine used to only include cleansing foam, toner, then moisturizer, and nothing more. Then I realized that taking care of my skin is more important because you'll see good results in the long run.

So this is the first item outside of my usual skincare routine that I've ever tried. Let's start the review.

Packaging:

It's very simple but very elegant. One thing I was a bit concerned is you have to scoop the product with your own fingers so it's probably not that hygienic. Just be sure to wash your hands thoroughly before using it, or ask your friends to wash their hands before letting them dip their hands into the product.



Of course, I couldn't understand what the label or the box says because it's in Korean but says here that it has 50g worth of products.

Bare faced

With Real Kill White

Swatch

Blended

What it claims to do:

This product has been causing a huge rave on Facebook groups claiming that it instantly whitens your skin and helps remove pimples and acne. Who wouldn't want that, right? 

Its texture is very creamy and somehow oily but it leaves a matte finish to your skin. It also claims to provide an instant whitening effect look but also has a long-lasting effect to whiten your skin in the long run of course.

Different ways to use this product:

• Substitute for makeup/makeup base or primer: This is a great product for those who don't wanna go out with too much makeup. This can be a really good product to make you look fresh and achieve a no-makeup makeup look. I use this when I'm too lazy to put makeup on. You can also use this as a primer because of its matte effect. It gives more texture and glow onto your skin. 

Note: If you have dry skin, I definitely recommend putting on a moisturizer first and let it set. Do not make the same mistakes that I did. Because this product is very matte, it would be really patchy and would emphasize the dry areas of your face.

With makeup on top

Wearing RK White, eyebrows and Lip & Cheek Tint

How much and where can I get this product?

You can get this by joining this group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1517778125191827/
Or search it through Shopee. You can get this at around 400-500 PHP or around 8-10 USD.

What are my thoughts about this product? Is it worth the hype?

I think it definitely is, I've been using this for a while and it's very effective. Although I can say that it gives an instant whitening effect,  I couldn't say if it really whitens my skin after how many uses. It also tends to be oily throughout the day but not that greasy or heavy.

Overall, I would give this product a 7/10. It's a great product but it still has areas to improve!

NOTE: This product already has an improved version which is the velvety white cream, which I am yet to try.

Would I recommend this?

Hello, everyone! As we all know, Diamond Edge Tour will happen next week and a whole lot of different groups for the rest of the year. If this is your first time attending a concert, I'm thinking this might help.

Going to a concert is very tiring so we have to prepare ourselves physically, emotionally and mentally so I'm hoping this article will prepare you for a very special day.

Here are five tips on how to prepare yourself for concert day: 

1. Be sure to get enough sleep!

This is the most important reminder of all. I remember attending two or three joint-concerts when I only had two or three hours of sleep, and it didn't turn out very well. Thank God for adrenaline, but it wasn't really enough. You'll be expecting a lot of fan clubs giving away freebies so we have to walk for hours to look out for them. Believe me, there's also going to be a lot of standing, and lining up just to get the perfect spot, so save all that energy. 

You might make it through the day because of the adrenaline as I said earlier, but the effect will last for days. Body aches, nausea, vomiting, and headaches, I was literally in bed for a few days because because I went to a concert with little sleep. 

2. Wear comfortable clothes

Sure, we all want to dress-up on concert day, but it's also important that we feel comfortable with what we wear. Like for instance, if you know you're going to stand for a long time, you might want to consider wearing sneakers or flat shoes instead of wearing high heels. Do not sacrifice your comfort just to look good. You can look good and feel good anyway so choose the right clothing to your liking. Unless you know how to rock it, then go for it girl, but personally, I suggest you wear super comfortable clothes.

Another tip: Be sure to use a long-wear, smudge-proof and water-resistant makeup products. Of course, we want to look good as well, because who knows? Oppa might notice you, but you don't want to look cake-y and have panda eyes throughout the day. So be sure to wear the right type of makeup if you want to make it through the day looking on fleek despite the hassle!

3. Bring these necessary items:

• Extra fold-able loot bags
• Power bank, chargers
• Sanitary napkin or liners (if you're not sure if you'll get your period on the day of the concert, better be prepared than sorry, don't make the same mistakes I did!)

As I said, freebies and banners for fan projects will be given away on the day of the concert, if you don't want to struggle like I did, bring an extra loot or tote bag to keep your freebies. That is if you're planning to get freebies. To save time, don't bring large backpacks because they won't let you enter the venue without leaving your things at the baggage counter, it will save you a lot of time from lining up again just to get your bags before going home.
And of course, it's self-explanatory to bring power banks and extra memory.

4. Eat! 

Have breakfast before leaving, eat before you enter the venue and have extra snacks in your bag to keep you from starving while waiting.

5. Meet with your fandom friends

It's very important to have someone to share the feels, to have someone take turns in lining up. The fun starts when you have a group of people to past the time while waiting.

Personally, I think that's one of the best parts in attending these concerts, it's when you get to meet new people and develop a friendship with them.
There you go! I think you're well prepared and ready to face the world out there. Don't forget to enjoy and savor every moment with your friends and seeing your idol perform. I promise you that this will be the best nights of your life so go and buy that concert ticket!


That's all the tips I have for today, have fun and enjoy the moment! Take lots of pictures to save the memory but be sure to live in the moment while it lasts.

If you have any questions, feel free to let me know in the comments section!

Oh, and if you're curious, here are some of my favorite concert photos of all time!