Friday Reflections: You are not alone

“You are not alone” a familiar song of Michael Jackson and it is true. At times like every one else I also felt a feeling of powerless to change the situation I’m in but it helps a lot when I think that I’m not alone. That there is a supreme being that has been with me from the time I was born up until now and I believe also until the end of my life. There are countless of times that I whispered his name in the time of adversity and also during the crucial event of my life where I needed to make an important decision and he had let me feel his presence.

What I learned from prayer is that you don’t always get what you want but in the end you will know that you get what is best for you. It also helps me to accept the things that I could not change and to change the things that I can. I also learn to surrender my will to the will of God, especially to the things or circumstances that I could not change. I think it is through admitting that we are not omnipotent that we learn to trust in God.

I’m very grateful to my father for teaching me to pray and for believing that my prayers will be answered. When I was young my father always asked me to pray for his petitions because he made me believe that God answers little girl’s prayers and I did. When I got older it was already instilled in my mind to pray always for other people’s petitions especially if they request it from me. I even joined in prayer groups when I was still single but nowadays I don’t have time to pray in a group anymore. Motherhood demands so much from me. I guess I have my hands full for taking care of my two children and maintaining my career. Nowadays, I still pray either alone or together with my toddler and my husband.

Butt augmentation done badly

Belo Medical Group has another pending legal case against them as another patient as a business woman, Josefina P. Norcio was admitted to the hospital for butt augmentation infection. Apparently, Norcio's buttocks swelled to 3 times its size on May 11 this year. Her lawyer said the infection was caused by the hydrogel butt implant material which seeped into other parts of the patient's body, nearly causing her death. Norcio paid P120,000 for her first butt augmentation surgery in 2003, but had to return in 2005 because her butt cheeks became uneven. It seems that the hydrogel material was banned from the U.S., Europe, and China, and was not approved by the Bureau of Food and Drugs in the Philippines. For more info and to view the picture on the story you can visit this link

I think this news is really terrible because the public thought that Belo Medical Group is a trusted beauty clinic. This clinic was also endorsed by prominent showbiz personalities in this country. This only proves that in beauty procedures there are always risks involve and you’ll just hope that you are not one of those people who will get beauty disasters in the end.

Scents for your home and your body

When I was still single I always make it a habit to light incense candle in my room. I think home fragrances uplift your senses as well as your mood. Today, instead of only using it to my room I light it in the living area to release the aroma to the entire house. I really liked my home smelling nice and good because it relieves stress after a busy day at work. I think reed diffuser oil is much better to use in the house because its aromatic effect is much more concentrated. I also think its scent will last longer in the living area.

Aside from using aromatherapy products for my house I also like using it to my body. I use aromatic oil at night before going to sleep because it helps me sleep better. I also applied aromatherapy oil on my toddler at night because I observed that he sleeps well every time I massage his chest and back. I specially liked citrus scented oil and lavender scents. Aromatherapy products are mostly organic and I think organic body care is a greater option in choosing products for your skin because its ingredients are derived from nature. Speaking of organic products, you can always visit bath and body stores like sabon NYC in their store you can choose from different products that will suit your needs.

Friday Reflections: Déjà vu

Do you have a feeling that the same thing happened to you before? It is a feeling of déjà vu where things have happened from the past and occurring again in the present. Of course all of us have experienced the same fate. One example is eating the same diet over and over again or having the same problem over and over again. I think life is a series of repetitions where you wake up every morning, eat breakfast, eat lunch going to the same work over and over again. I think life is like the stream, when we look at it water flows through it every second of everyday. When you look at it, it is the same stream but is it the same water? No, because as you can see the water is replaced with water. The old water has been displaced with new “water instead of water. It is the same with grace. Your life may carry yesterday’s problems, but remember, God’s grace is new each morning, exactly what you need to meet each new challenge. It is and inexhaustible and ever-fresh supply.

Truck rims

In my internet surfing I happen to stumble to this site about truck rims. I think the site is okay and it is just a typical store but in my opinion if they want to increase their traffic and sales they need to do so much more. For instance, they have to create a page about them and where the company is located. They also need to create customer feedback page to enable clients to trust the quality of their products. Aside from that they should also create articles or links about truck rims and trucks to increase their traffic. These articles should be about how to handle truck rims to prolong its usage or anything that is related their product.

Kitchen appliances every wife should have

Whenever I think about our dream house I would always think about my favorite place in it. My favorite places in the house are the kitchen and dining area because there I could create wonderful dishes and serve it to my family. I also would like to have a wine section someday and it would be nice to store wine for special events and wine glasses with intricate design could also add as a decoration. The most important things for a wife to have are kitchen appliances such as coffee maker, toaster oven, blender and steamer. Whenever I think about having a quick breakfast I would make toasted bread and coffee. It would not be complete without the juicy hotdog I cook for my toddler. Pots and Pans are also great to have because it would definitely great for casserole dishes and soup.

I really like to cook and I also compile delicious recipes. I hope one day I may be able to create and cook them all. I have so many Filipino dishes that I cook and serve to my family. My favorites are pork in tamarind broth, pork adobo and beef steak. I also like to make and serve desserts such as mango float and Leche Flan. These desserts are very delicious and easy to prepare. Leche Flan or commonly called caramel custard is made from egg yolk and evaporated milk. It is prepared with soft caramel on top covered with aluminum foil and cooked in the steamer.

Happy1st Birthday to my baby girl

Today I will prepare for the food to be served for her birthday. My menu for the day is Native chicken soup, Tuna fish kinilaw, Dinuguan and Pansit Canton. I will also order whole Pork Lechon for the event. I already ordered cake and balloons for her birthday as well. Her older brother was very excited especially when he sees the balloons and cake that he kept singing her happy birthday. The venue is my mother-in-laws house because there house is much bigger than ours and they also had a spacious balcony. This event will also serve as our thanksgiving to the lord for all the blessings that God has given us especially the life and health of our two wonderful children.

Bridal shower favors for your wedding

One important thing to remember whenever there is a wedding is giving bridal shower favors to your guest as a token of your gratitude and also as a memorabilia for the most important event of your life. My wedding favor in my wedding is a miniature native lamp we commonly called lampara in the Philippines. It is so unique that my guest told me they liked it a lot. I like this wedding favors I’ve posted here, it is a Mint to be bride and groom slide mint tins with heart mints. I think it is so unique and cute. I also like this set sail frosted glass sailboat Tea light holders. I think it would be great if you both like to sail and have this wedding favors to give away at your wedding. This would definitely remind them of your wedding when they keep this memorabilia.

My baby girl's 1st birthday celebration

Tomorrow is my baby girl’s 1st birthday and I just can’t believe, it has been one year since I’ve given birth to her. You can read the whole story of my labor here. When I do read it I’m always reminded of the pain I’ve went through just to have her. I’m going to be busy tomorrow preparing for the dishes to serve and becoming a hostess for the day. I have already ordered one Lechon Pork for the event and tomorrow I will get the balloons and cake.

Painting from India

I think India has one of the oldest civilizations in the world. Aside from Egypt and China it also has so many rare and rich artifacts. The artistic flare of their artist is very visible in this painting. Most of their paintings are of religious and Nature themes. The painting can really catch your attention as well as your guest especially if you place it on your living room. The site also has a wall hanging décor for your home just like the one I have posted here. I think it is quite unique and ethnic and really looks good in our living room. If you want to get Home Decor from India you can visit the link for more information. They also have sarees, indian jewelry, and salwar suits available in their site.

Friday Reflections: How a tree grows

Sometimes we felt restless when we want something done and we want it right away. I have felt that way also and I think most of the time. I want to have our own house right away and sometimes I forgot that there are more important things to attend to. When I think about it our family income is like any other normal employee in the Philippines. We also have priorities to attend first before thinking of our dream house. Slowly I am finding ways to add to my salary and I know it really add up to our monthly income.

I have also been thinking of new strategies to lessen the expenditure of our monthly budget. When I think about it, when we started out in our marriage we only have a bed, a stereo component, a Television and a CD player. I am even pregnant and jobless and we even lived with my parents during that time. I think it is through effort, hope, faith and love that we have survived it all. I think also when we acquired something slowly and with much effort that we begin to treasure its value. It is also through time we mature and we learn valuable things that we needed in life. I think a person that has strength grows like a tree because it is built to outlast each storm in life. It is also through the storm that it has grown into a sturdy wood strong enough to last a lifetime.

Relax and see a movie on TV

I was thinking of having a cable TV after we move to our new rented house but I think they ask for many requirements before giving you connection. Nowadays, it is much easier to be connected to Direct TV because they don’t have so many requirements compared to cable TV. Directv has so many benefits and total numbers of channels compared to cable TV. I think watching TV in the U.S. is the best because of a hundred of channels to choose from aside from the local channel of your state such as Direct TV in California. Watching shows has never been easier and fun if you have many options to choose from.

If you have visited the link you can compare the best features of Direct TV from cable TV and Dish Network. It has also the most sports in high definition and you can get instant scores with ScoreGuide. Watching Movies and shows is a great reliever of stress especially after a busy day at work. You can just get popcorn and sit back and relax. If your mood is down the easier fix is a dose of fun and lively entertainment and you are okay.

When it's time to move to another house

I’ve been thinking these past few days to move to a new house. We do like the house that we have rented for almost two years already but we are planning to apply for a housing loan. There is a real property in our neighborhood that we really liked but right now we are still saving up for the down payment. If the loan will be approved we still could not live in the property because we still have to apply for house construction on it and that would take about the maximum of two years because it is a foreclosed property. Since our rental expense for our home right now is so expensive and thinking of our monthly amortization of the mortgage if approved we are planning to move to another less expensive house for the time being.

I think moving again is so tiring with all the packing and the effort for looking for a huge vehicle to get all of our things. We are planning to move within the neighborhood but we are still looking for a less expensive house to rent. We don’t have anyone in the city who are servicing for people who will be moving to another unit so it is just too bad because we will be moving again by ourselves. Luckily, in the U.S. they have movers just like Dallas movers. You can visit the link for more information on their services and they have also client testimonials on their site.

Pres. Arroyo’s breast implant

Recently, on umagang kay ganda, a morning television show, I’ve seen Anthony and a columnist from Manila Bulletin discussed about the breast implant of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Last Monday the deputy spokeswoman said that the president’s breast implant back in the 1980’s was a medical necessity and was not spurred by vanity. I think the President has a right to do whatever she wants with her body as long as the expenses comes from her pocket. I also think that there are a number of reasons why women opt for breast implant procedures and one important medical reason is when one or your entire breasts are removed because of malignant tumors or cyst. The reason why women opt for reconstructive surgery is they want to feel normal. My grandmother, God bless her soul, has only one breast she lost the other because of cancerous cyst. I do think that if she was younger she would also opt for reconstructive surgery. I don’t really know what President Gloria’s reason is but let us just respect her rights and just understand why she needed those implants.

Planning our dream house

Right now we already have a floor plan for our dream house. I’m so excited whenever I think about it. My sister in-law was an engineer and she had given it to us so that we can visualize the design of our house. My husband and I discussed to her what we really wanted for our house like the location and size of our bedroom, living room, dining room, kitchen and our toilet and bath. She was using the AutoCAD when she had created the floor plan for our house that is why we can really visualize the house because even the minor details are very visible. For instance, the kitchen sinks, bathtub, cupboard, dividers and even the furniture and kitchen appliances are perceptible.

Right now we are living in a rented house and my husband and I planned to apply for a house mortgage to one of the foreclosed properties within our neighborhood because we want to live near his parents. We plan to live near them so that my mother-in-law could check on our children whenever we are at work. We are still saving up money for the down payment and processing fee before applying for housing loan. I’m still worried because the foreclosed property has illegal occupant but I think we can settle it because we know the person. Anyway, I’m still hoping for the best.

Friday Reflections: What Matters Most

Have you read the book entitled Purpose Driven Life? I’ve read the book and it is really a good book with lots of ideas that can make you think about what really matters most to your life. The book consists of 40 chapters that you have to read and contemplate on for 40 days. It has some valuable insights on how to live your life in a meaningful way. It states that the most important valuables in life are not things but people. These are the very person that we want to see before we leave this world. The memories that we cherish most are good memories of our love ones. Things can make us happy but for how long? Do we need to always upgrade to maintain the happiness that it has given us? When I think about it, I do want to go abroad and to earn better bigger salary, like my friends but I just can’t bear to leave behind my husband and my two children. I can’t bear to live each day without them by my side and to miss out on the most important event of their life.

Property Management

I’ve recently visited Maxim Enterprises blog. I’ve found out that their blog is very informative in terms of property management. For instance, they have a post about tips for back yard landscaping ideas. I always liked landscaping and I’ve always admired the beauty and balance of nature incorporated in the design. I usually see landscaping in parks and one particular cathedral near our place. I think looking at nature incorporated in the design creates a kind of peace to anyone who comes to that place. They have also posted about property management software and its importance to the landlords and how it can make their tasks easier.

A day with my toddler

Yesterday I went with my son to the mall because I have to buy his milk and diapers. We usually have an ice cream after buying the groceries for that day. After eating his ice cream he played with the kids there in the food court. There were about four kids there; I think they were about his age as well. They were talking and laughing while taking turn in the slide. I think at his age he really likes a playmate. In our home he doesn’t have anyone to play with because his sister is only 11 months. At times they do play with each other but his sister is still too small and fragile for him.