Michi Photostory

One of the reasons why I gained weight last summer is because I always eat cakes and ice cream. My mom always bakes a cake every weekend, I already shared my two favorite cakes in Norway, the World’s Best Cake and Pavlova. Not only that, she also buys ice cream because my son and I love ice cream. There are also cake that you need to put ice cream on top para mas masarap. Magdiet ka pa ba?



Yes, even we are freezing cold during our stay, we can’t help but eat their ice cream. Is or ice cream in Norway are really yummy. Though I’ve seen popular brands like Ben & Jerry and Haagen Daaz in their supermarket, we still prefer other brands because it is cheaper din. I can eat those ice cream here in the Philippines but the ice cream of Norway, bihira. As of this writing, I'm missing these foods, so for now, Arce Dairy muna kami. Hehehe!

So if you are going to Norway, don’t forget to try this ice cream. 

Diplom-Is is owned by Tine, a Norwegian manufacturer of ice cream and other dairy products. We tried their Krokan, Vanilla, 3 in 1 flavor and cone ice cream. 

Krokan is a caramelized sugar mixed with butter and almonds, it is similar to brittle that we know here in the Philippines, maybe ito yung sosyal na version. Hehehe! They have Krokan ice cream flavor too and it is my stepdads favorite flavor. 



Sometimes, my mom will buy the 3 in 1 ice cream pero naiiwan lang lagi yung strawberry flavor. So we made strawberry-banana smoothie para hindi sayang.  




My most favorite ice cream brand is Royal (Diplom-Is) because it is creamy and I like their flavor, so far we have tried Vanilla, Kaffe Mocca, Skjokalade and Skogsbaer and Skjokolade flavor. 






My son likes the cone ice cream of Diplom-Is and Hennig-Olsen. Hennig-Olsen Is is another brand of ice cream in Norway. It is a family-owned ice cream factory in Kristiansand, Norway. 




What is your favorite ice cream in Norway?

Some say that having a car is not an investment because the value of the car depreciates from the moment it leaves the car shop. Aside from that, there are so many expenses that you need to consider if you have a car like fuel, parking fees, toll fees, maintenance fees, and car insurance.

Read: 5 Things To Consider When Buying a Family Car


Yes, having car insurance is very important because we cannot predict the future and no matter how careful we are, accidents happen on the road. It is an additional cost in your pocket but you never know when you need so it is better to invest in insurance. There are so many auto insurances in the market, in fact, whenever you register your car you need to pay for insurance. But of course, the coverage is very limited so you get what you pay for.

Read: Car Insurance 101

Buying car insurance is not cheap, it depends on the coverage and also on your car. If you ask me if the insurance fee is worth it, my answer is yes, because when my husband had an accident several years ago we did not pay anything for the repair. We only paid for the towing fee. Good thing my husband was safe but it took them 2 months to repair the car. We’ve experienced two minor accidents and the insurance company shouldered everything.

If you are planning to buy car insurance, it is very important that the insurance covers the “Acts of God Protection”, I remember the typhoon Ondoy, we attended an event and on our way home, the SLEX was already flooded but my husband tried to cross the flood. We were able to pass the flood but when we arrived home, my husband checked the car mat, it was damp. The car had been checked and fixed and paid for by the insurance company.

Anyway, if you still remember my post about my Schengen Visa Application. I bought our travel medical insurance online. While browsing Malayan Insurance site, I noticed that they are also offering other insurances including car insurance. Just like the travel medical insurance, you can get a quotation online and you can also buy it online. Check it here.

Read: Where to Buy Travel Medical Insurance for Schengen Visa Application

If you want to invest in auto insurance, make sure that you have these benefits. These are the car insurance & car insurance policy coverage of Malayan Insurance

1. Automobile Loss/Own Damage
2. Third Party Liability
3. Auto Personal Accident
4. Acts of God Protection or Acts of Nature
5. Riots, Strikes, & Civil Commotion Coverage
6. Standard Automobile Accessories Protection
7. Optional Valuable Accessories Protection
8. Loss of Use
9. 160 Accredited Repair Shops

Sponsored post

Nowadays, wearing a wig became a popular trend and a lot of people are now using a wig for different reasons. One reason is if you have a medical condition like alopecia or suffering from hair loss because of stress or chemotherapy. Second, if you are tired of your look and you want to improve your hairstyle. The third reason is for fun and entertainment; singers, models, actors, actress and even cosplayers use wigs to change their hairstyle. 


Getting a new look is easy by wearing a wig but of course, there are few things that you should know before buying a wig. 

1. Do your homework 

It is very important to do your homework. Take time to research, read and ask for suggestions and recommendations from your friends or family. Buying wig is like buying clothes, there are sizes that you need to consider so know your head circumference. Think for your hair type, cap type, hairstyle and even color of wigs that you need to purchase.

2. Budget 

There are different types of wigs in the market and prices vary depending on the type of wig that you will purchase. You can choose synthetic, heat friendly synthetic hair or natural hair, synthetic is more affordable compared to human hair. 

3. How to Put On your Wig 

Putting on your wig varies, it depends on your hair condition. If you have hair, you might need to use a cap to flatten the hair. Some use bonding wig, double sided-tape or hair clip to secure the wig on the head. 

4. Taking Care of yout Wig

If this is your first time to buy a wig, it is best to read articles on how to take care of your wig. You need to know how to maintain the shape, how to store it properly or if you need beauty tools in order to protect your wig. 

Looking for wigs is not a problem because you can buy wigs online. You can browse different styles of wigs according to color, hairstyle, and types without leaving your home. Not only that, e-commerce site like Divatress sells hair care products for your wigs and you can even read “hair care and wig care” instructions. 

I love making palitaw for merienda because it is so easy to make. All you need is glutinous rice, water, shredded coconut, sugar and sesame seeds. You can check here the recipe. Since we are just a family of three, I only make a dozen of palitaw and because of that, I have a lot of leftover shredded coconut.



I really don’t know what to do with the leftover. If I will make a meal with coconut milk, masyado naman siya konti. So last month, I made my very first homemade coconut oil. I watch some YouTube videos to give me an idea. Some use blender but I only use my hand to squeeze it. Anyway, here are the steps. 

1. Boil water.
2. I place the shredded coconut in a strainer then pour the warm water.
3. I let it rest for few minutes and I squeeze the coconut milk. Repeat the process. 
4. I place the coconut milk in a bowl with cover.
5 .Refrigerate the coconut milk until coconut oil solidifies.
6. The following day, I remove the first layer (solid coconut oil) and put it in a pot and cook in low heat. 



7. Check from time to time. It is done when you see some toasted coconut bits. 
8. If you want a clear coconut oil, strain it using paper towel or cheese cloth to remove the toasted coconut bits. But since this is just for personal use, I did not use any cheese cloth. I transfer it in a jar.
9. Store and use it for cooking or beauty regimen. 

Not bad for my first time try. I’m planning to use it for hair or body. 

My husband was back in Bangkok Thailand last week and he stayed in Four Points by Sheraton Hotel which is also a sister company of Sheraton Grande and part of Starwood Hotel and Resort so you can still earn points here if you have SPG card.

It is located in Sukhumvit area which is a few minutes walk away from the subway, skytrain and Terminal 21 Shopping mall. Though it is just a walking distance from the mall, they do not have a connecting bridge to Terminal 21. This is one thing that my husband likes in Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit Hotel because they have a sky bridge so going to the mall is easy.


This is the room, this room reminds me of our stay in Crimson Mactan Resort and Spa. The room is quite similar because you can open the divider of the room and bathroom.



There are desk table and couch. There is complimentary water but no complimentary fruits. My husband appreciates complimentary fruits because you have something to eat after your flight or work.


There is a bathtub so +1 for those who have kids in tow. According to my husband, they have free laundry per day but one piece of cloth only. So if you run out of clothes or if you will swim and you don’t want to bring wet clothes, you can take advantage of this. Though my husband did not avail this offer since he stayed for few days only.






This is the restaurant where you can eat your breakfast buffet. It is not that big and the spread is just enough, medyo konti daw compared to Sheraton Grande Hotel. But they have honeycomb in their buffet spread. It may not be grand but it is enough to satisfy your morning breakfast.



The hotel has swimming pool and gym too. This is the pool that my husband saw when he stayed in Sheraton Grande and Westin Grande, as you can see in the picture, tabi-tabi lang sila. You can check my review of other hotels in Bangkok below.

Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit Hotel
Westin Grande Sukhumvit Hotel
Louis Tavern Transit Hotel

Update November 2017 



My husband went back to Thailand and he stayed again at Four Points by Sheraton Hotel and he was surprised when he saw this complimentary snacks in his room.

Four Points by Sheraton Hotel 
4 Sukhumvit Soi 15,
Sukhumvit Road, Wattana,
Bangkok, Thailand

Time flies so fast when you’re enjoying and we did not notice that our summer vacation in Norway was about to end. Seven weeks seems not enough, I stayed for 3 months when I was still single. I did not mind my one month leave in school, feeling ko madali lang habulin yung lesson. But now that I’m a mom, I don’t want my son to miss school, sayang ang tuition so we have to go home 1 week before classes resume and of course, we miss our daddy.


And because we're going back to the Philippines, my aunt invited us again for dinner in their house. She has no work after 17th of May so she has time to prepare foods. Knowing my aunt, she always prepares a lot of foods kahit konti lang bisita. Hindi ka papayat if you stay in my aunt’s house. For a group of 7 persons, here are the foods.




My aunt used to plant different kinds of berries so she makes fruit jams and even juices like these. Now that she is busy with work, wala na siya time mag garden.


Of course, cakes and ice cream for dessert. She prepared a different kind of Pavlova, a mini version. 




Ang dami food di ba? My aunt also invited her Filipina neighbor + husband who is also a co-worker so napahaba-haba ang kainan and kwentuhan. This is one thing that I miss, get together with my family and relatives. Yung kumakain lang ako and hindi tagaluto or tagabake.  Check the food here, when we visited her during our first week in Norway.

If we still have time, mapapalakad kami sa Svartholberget para lang mabawasan ng calories but we went home straight since late na rin. We will go to Nursing Home the following day, our last day in helping my mom in her work.

Read: Svartholberget 

After visiting Grandefjaera Nature Reserve and Kjeungskajaer Lighthouse, off we went to Sjøgata. Sjøgata or sea lane is the last place that we visited in Norway because after this trip, we became busy preparing and packing for our Iceland and of course, going back to the Philippines. 


I’ve already seen this place because my mom has a painting of this historical place. But I’m glad that we were able to see it, up close and personal. Sjøgata is located in the old port area of Uthaug which is near the sea. 

Instagram Lola

It is considered a historical place because you can see fishermen’s houses which were built in the 1800s. It is good to know that they are trying to preserve this place. The place is indeed relaxing so a lot of artists are going here to draw or paint their own masterpieces. We did not stay long at nilalamig na kami and we’re going to attend the fellowship.

I’m pretty sure that most of us have our own medicine kit at home. I cannot stress enough having your own first aid kit because it is really important especially for emergency cases. We have our own home medicine kit but there was a time when my son had a fever and when I checked the fridge, our Paracetamol syrup is only good for two intakes. My husband was out of the country and I don’t want to bring my son to the drugstore at masama na nga pakiramadam. Good thing that my friend volunteered to buy the medicine for me.


And because of that, I really make sure that I have stock of vitamins and medicines at home. One friend even suggested, have at least two bottles of Paracetamol so I don’t need to go out anymore if ever maubusan. Di bale na maexpire kaysa mamoblema ko sa pagbili at maghanap ng open na pharmacy.

I’m not saying that you need to buy all the vitamins or medicines that you think you might need. In my opinion, just buy those vitamins and medicines that you most likely use in daily basis or emergency cases.

What inside my home medicine kit? 

I have two boxes of medicine kit, one is for oral medicines and one for topical medicines and wound care supplies. Some medicines are inside the fridge. :)

1. Pain medications
2. Fever medications and fever pads
3. Stomach medications
4. Antihistamine medications
5. Decongestants for colds
6. Cough Medicine
7. My medicine for psoriasis
8. Antiseptic Solutions
9. Topical creams or ointments for burns, itching, insect bites.
10. Wound Care Supplies

Don’t forget to check your medicine kits regularly. Always check the expiration date, throw expired products and replace it. My husband has his own medicine kit too that he always brings whenever he travels. The company nurse is the one who put the medicines, he just needs to return it after the trip. Whenever we travel, I also bring medicines, I just put it in a pouch.

Anyway, if you are looking for affordable vitamins or medicines that you can put in your kit. Check the following products of United Home, these are pre-natal medicine, non-acidic vitamin, fever and pain medication and cough medication.

1. Women’s Health

United Home Fersulfate Plus 

Ferrous Sulfate + Folic Acid
For pregnant mothers
It is used for prevention and treatment of iron deficiency anemia and prenatal hemanitic. It promotes healthy pregnancy for the mother and baby health blood and avoidance of birth defects.
SRP P3.50 per piece

2. Vitamins 

United Home Ceetab Premium

Non-acidic vitamin C supplement
It is used for prevention and treatment of Vitamin C deficiency. It increases the body’s resistance. SRP P4.50 per piece

3. Prevention and Cure 

United Home Broncho 

It used for relief of cough characterized by excessive or sticky sputum or phlegm. It helps treat respiratory tract disorders such as acute or chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
SRP P4.50 per piece

United Home Fevertab 

It is used for fever reduction and relief of minor aches and pains.
SRP P1.50 per piece

How about you what is inside your medicine kit?

We’ve been to Uthaug a couple of times already but I have no idea that there is a lighthouse there. I showed my mom the flyer and she said that we would visit it someday. So after we went to Grandefjaera Nature Reserve, my mom drove us to Uthaug where we could see the lighthouse. 


From the parking, we trekked on a small mountain where we can see the Kjeungskajaer Lighthouse. It is the only octagonal lighthouse in Norway, which is situated on a tiny island in Bjugnfjorden. It is 3.5km away from Uthaug so you need to ride a boat to reach it. It is too far so we can’t have a good picture of it kahit super zoom na camera ko. Hehehe! 



The red brick lighthouse was built in the year 1880 and the lighthouse keeper and his families at the lower floor of the lighthouse until the year 1987. From 1987, it is already automated so the last keeper moved out already. 

There is a Lighthouse Association named Kjeungen Kystlag which has restored and maintained the rooms of the lighthouse since 1999 while the government protects and maintains the external part of the lighthouse. The light is lit from July 21 to May 16 so from May 15 to July 20, there is no light because of the midnight sun. We all know that Norway is known as the Land of Midnight Sun. 

We were not able to visit the 68-foot tall lighthouse because it is only open from May 15 to August 31. You can tour or rent the lighthouse which is good for 20 people. I can't imagine staying in the lighthouse, I bet it would be a good experience. 

Watch the video here

We’ve been walking to Bruholmen for three consecutive days because my mom was not allowed to drive but after a few days of resting, she finally decided to drive again. After breakfast, she was persuading us to go out but I told her to rest at baka mapagod na naman she kept on saying na okay na daw siya so we gave in. 


After lunch, we went to Grandejaera Nature Reserve, it is one of the wetland systems in Ørland which has been under the Ramsar Protection since 1983. Other protected areas are Hovsfjaera, Innstranda, and Kråkvågsvaet. This place has a shallow marine and tidal landscape which attracts local and foreign birdwatchers and bird lovers.

There are a lot of birds and even migrating birds from Iceland that you can see in the area. They even have photos of birds that you might see all throughout the year. The peak season is spring and autumn season. If you want to visit the place you can go to the cultural center to get some maps or rent telescopes, binoculars, or a bike. 



But if you just want to unwind, you can just go to Grandfjaera. The place is open to the public and FREE. There are tables and benches if you want to have a picnic too. We did not stay long because it was so cold, ang nipis ng jacket namin. We’re hiding our hands inside our jackets. 

Watch the video here.