MYM

My mom is 72 years old and still painting, this is one her work of arts. This one was sold out. The attraction was that the color yellow made an impact and especially made it attractive. The buyer was so insistent though this was not supposed to be sold, he came to the house for the fifth time and we just decided to give in. I love this "Circle of Time" painting.

Marriage Monday

THE “US FACTOR CHALLENGE.” We have done these things and our marriage is strong as ever.

1. Surprise Factor- makes everyday a Valentine day

2. Positive Factor- even if he/she sucks, tell him/her, she/he is wonderful.

3. Working it out Factor- nothing beats it when both spouses work hard to get their marriage really work. It hurts to follow this path all the time.

4. Strip Tease Factor- go for it, be funny and sexy…ask your man to do it this time….hahhahaha, even ifs…….

5. Fighting for Love Factor – man, this world can be crazy, fight for love not for money.

6. Award Factor – appreciate your spouse whatever happens, a simple kiss, hug, thumbs up, a sexy phone call, etc. be creative, it’s free.

7. Start Right, End Right Factor- in any way, things will be all right when marriage is dedicated to God not to man. He is the Alpha and the Omega in our marriage.

Am still cracking my head up to now for this MM post, but I think my entry for Marriage Monday will make your day. Thanks for visiting, dropping a note, and joining. Your'e welcome always.

Please Bring a Friend

Feel free to copy any part of this invitation and post it on your blog. As always, the more participants we have, the better.

This month, your challenge is to share how you and your husband make each and every day of your marriage special. What are your daily relationship rituals? How do you nurture the “us” factor? Tell us the big or little things that make your marriage sing like a fine-tuned violin. A few examples:

• Casual chats
• Kissing
• Private jokes
• Rehearsed phrases
• Body language
• Shared activities
• Favorite foods
• Division of chores
• Intimacy signals

Love you for dropping your comments, it makes my day beautiful. Thanks for dropping me a note or two.

Gemini

My Family

We hit the cold water.......hahhahha, grand reunion, my bro's family and mine...hehehe.
Visiting. All Souls Day....my dad is 6 feet below the ground.....resting.
My daughter Starr, son Ypop, nephew IJ n niece Ddel, singing their hearts out.
Jubilee Park, million dollar view....contemplating on where to spend the next vacation time.
Entrance of our place, way back down south of the Philippines. Summer landscape.
The favorite waterfalls and the kids love it.
My brod's family in front of the school logo.

My special feature today is family bonding time....lots of vacation pics down the road. Love these times. We have to do some more of it often.

Scenic Sunday

My favorite unpaved pathway under the pines. Wish I am there now, walking under the whispering pines contemplating on God's love to humanity.

Yummy Sunday

My favorite cake recipe is....Carrot Cake...it's delicious, nutritious and easy to bake. My second year high school daughter is already an expert with this yummy cake. I taught her how to bake way back in her elementary years. This is my first Yummy Sunday entry and I included the how to on baking one delicious carrot cake. WELCOME and start baking.

Cake:
3 medium-sized carrots, peeled
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup corn oil
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup shredded coconut (sweetened variety)
3/4 cup canned crushed pineapple, drained

Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
6 tablespoons butter, softened
3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoon lemon juice

Peel your carrots, and roughly chop 2 of them.

Step 1:Chopped carrots:

Step 2:Throw the chopped carrots in a pot and cover with water, and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Step 3:And shred/grate the un-chopped carrots:

Step 4:Drain the carrots that were simmering, and throw in a food processor or blender, and puree them.

Step 5:Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda and cinnamon into a large bowl. Sifting helps the flour absorb more of the liquid, and makes for a moister, softer cake.

Step 6:Add the oil, eggs and vanilla.

Step 7:Beat them well with your mixer.

Step 8:Fold in the carrot puree, grated carrot, walnuts, coconut and pineapple.

Step 9:Take whatever you're cooking it in. You can do in in a glass baking dish, or like me, taking 2 9-inch round foil cake pans, to make a 2-layer cake. Grease you pan, and line with parchment or wax paper. Grease them up too.

Step 10:Add your cake mixture to your cake tins:

Step 11:Now, throw into a 350F oven. The cooking time depends on what you're cooking it in. Mine took about 40 minutes. Since my stove is gas, I rotated the cakes between the middle shelf and the top shelf, to maintain regular temperatures. You'll know it's done with a toothpick comes out clean, when sticking it down into the carrot cake.

Cool them on a rack for ten minutes:Step 12:After 10 minutes, flip your carrot cake out onto the rack. You might need to run a thin knife around the edge of the pan to loosen it, but for the most part it should plop right out. Let cool completely.
Step 13:Awesome. Now, let's make some frosting for the carrot cake.

Put your softened butter and cream cheeseinto a large mixing bowl, and mix well.
Slowly add your confectioners sugar, while mixing.

Step 14:Mixing:

Step 15:Don't do like I did, and start mixing too fast and sugar flew everywhere:

Add your vanilla, and lemon juice. Mix, and you've got icing.

Step 16:Ice your cake dependant on what type you made. If it's two like mine, you'll put one on a platter, ice the top, and lay the second on that. Then ice the whole thing. Add decors, whatever toppings you can, just like what I have featured here.

The New Game In Town

This is really a ton of funny, fun, fun. I can just laugh, be irritated, be agitated by how people spend their bathroom time rituals. I, for one is a fast bathroom user. My bath-time rituals would only be at the most thirty minutes and at fast-break time, only ten minutes. I have known friends who could be inside this small cubicle for eternity. I do not know for sure what they were doing inside, though for regular use, we knew the stats.

My brother for one can stay inside the bathroom forever.He inherited this habit from my dad, who, when inside the bathroom, can stay there for hours and hours on end. One time, out of curiosity I interviewed my brother what he was up to inside the bathroom, and he answered me, "it's reading time for him"...uhhhhh, reading inside the bathroom? Yup, he reads his magazines, books, diary, dictionary, whatever, he has on his hand and if he reads the whole mags....then that's the time he can be there forever.

This has become a legend in the family...like.....like...grandfather from my dad's father was like that, and my father, and now my brother. It's like grandfather, like father,like son. I just thank the good Lord, nobody from my children inherited the habit, the trait, whatever we can call that. The thing is, my friend gave me a brochure about a game of golf for rituals like this. I said, what? a game for bathroom time? I was shocked, amused, laughed out loud, but thought from reading the brochure, that this is a real genius here, and hey, I don't want to break the family legend. So I will be scouting around for potty putter to buy one for my brother. This will be my valentine gift for him, hahhaha. By heart he is a sports buff, so playing this game might be another past-time he will enjoy during his private bathroom ritual. As long as he will not use this in public bathrooms, it's okey with me. He can be inside the home's bathroom for eternity and the rest of us can do our odd rituals too somewhere.

Everybody is a STAR!

1. Did you ever think that you'd be a star? If yes, doing what? Answer: Yes, yes, and positively yes. The Great Family Well-Being and Couples Well-Being Speaker-Lecturer-Writer-Blogger....hahhaha, hope it will happen soon....or....

2. Tell us about the last time you had a romantic dinner. Answer: Last week, with my beloved, handsome Hubby, Teddylove.

3. Tell us about your worst job interview.Answer: I came in late, and I had my crazy hair day, the interview suck, coz i felt like puking in front of the interviewee....poor me, really poor, poor, me, it happened a long time ago, and I really experienced a mild form of PTSD up to this moment,yuk.... okey.

4. Tell us about your stupidest date. Answer: My date kept on picking his nose, gross, just, gross, just want to shooo him offfff...that very moment.

5. How much in common do you think you should have with a romantic partner? Answer: To both be crazy or else I would die with a date whose rigid...hahhahahahha.

6. Tell us about a favorite meme that you loved but no longer posts. Answer: nothing, i still have all of them alive and kicking...hope for a long time yet, coz, i love all of them.

7. How did you get into blogging? Answer: My sis-in-law introduce them to me, and i got hooked, addicted, obsessed, developed into full OCD already, thanks sistah, you made my day.

8. Do you share all your fantasies with a significant other? Answer: Yup...all the time, i get weird ideas most of my waking days....hahhahahha, i die without them.

9. What change in your life would you like to happen this year? Answer: Lose my adipose tissues......strugglessss.

Love Is In the Air

Finally, my most anticipated month of the year has come. It is to me the most exciting date of the month among the dates on the calendar. The date 14 on February spells love is felt everywhere. I have been mesmerized how people made this day a very special day where everyone can express how they felt with somebody. One can legitimately express thoughts verbally, in written form, through music, mimicry, and what have you is really acceptable to the recipient of love thoughts.

One time, last year in February 14, I had the biggest surprise that ever happened in my whole life. Five men came to my office and started serenading me with two of my favorite love songs. In between the songs, one of the men, presented me with three red roses and read a love poem....at the end of it he spelled the name of who else...my husband's name. I was crying then and sniffing, nothing came out of my mouth to say anything about anything. I was plainly tongue tied for the first time.Then suddenly, the next man knelt in front of me and presented me with a gift doing choreographic movement that was so amusing, I was both crying my hearts out this time and giggling. That moment was one of those strangest, beautiful moments my husband did. February 14 is coming soon and by the way, I spied from my husbands friends that my hubby is going to make another surprise act, because he knew of a valentine promotion coming from Article Alley Article Directory.

I am going to spread these rumors around my male friends so they too can act fast and really

get the hint that it's time to make the missus happy. This would make my girlfriends happy

and am now imagining the grins, the smile, the surprise laughter, the tears of joy when they

received gifts, surprises from the valentine promotion I shared with their husbands. Men, I say,

get ready, I am coming.

Thankful Thursday

Love you all,

Gemini

Word Filled Wednesday

Ruby Tuesday: My Son

My son, doing his dish washing assignment on a weekend. Love you son....tsuupppp. My first entry for Ruby Tuesday.

MYM: The Yellow Fruit that can help lose weight.

Lacatan is one of the sweetest bananas found in the Philippines and in the tropics. The fruit is as sweet as eaten as well as it smells. We have a variety of colored bananas. There are red bananas, yellow green bananas, the yellow-orange ones, the yellow ones and the unripe yellow bananas which really turns orange-yellow when its ripe. All bananas are very high in potassium. The Lacatan variety is considered as the banana for export, for it last longer than the other variety. I brought these bunch for last Christmas give-aways to friends and visitors.

Scenic Sunday

I have taken this picture last Christmas vacation from my husband's hometown. We love the sea and the afternoon breeze is the favorite part of walking down the beach. Miss this one.

Thankful Thursday

I thank the Lord for,

My children, they are worth diamonds to me.....priceless...beautiful children.

My son, he was requested to be the speaker in a children's devotional on the second week of February, we are starting to practice now, how he would deliver his piece.

My daughter, whose painting was an entry to a regional art contest, God will provide everything for this contest to be successful. The honor is for the glory of God.

For my advanced statistics class, am finally getting hold on how to do the SPSS ( Statistical Package for Social Sciences) for us non Math wiz, this is a great help.

For our anatomy and physiology professor....ma'am you're great, you made the lessons easy to understand and we will really study hard. Promise.

My husband.....who help me wash the dishes, clean the house, do the laundry, drive me around, do the grocery, empty the garbage can, follow up the kids assignments. I am blessed.

For the humor page my friends sent me...it made my days turn upside down, in and up...hehehheheehheh some more of it guys, tickle me blue ok.

For weight gains last Christmas....hahhaha...I have to walk, jog, stretch, do aerobics, kickbox, swing, do karate, dance like crazy, move like a busy bee, jump a million times, blog and type and think kilometrically, laugh out loud....excretion of unholy fats inside me.

For readers, bloggers, passers, bloghoppers, visitors, hehhehe thanks a million. Love you.

Gem

A Miracle Most Needed

Just last week my sister-in law called my emergency number to give me the news that mom collapsed in the school where she is working as a volunteer principal. Well, she has retired long time ago, but still opted to work because she said it helps her retain her memory and makes here day brighter instead of just staying at home and watching the clouds pass by. I was so worried by the state of her health, but through the doctor's call, he assured me it was just potassium deficiency that caused the collapsed. She was prescribed potassium supplements and advice to rest for a few days and eat bananas, lots of it. My worry was that her insurance is not as up to date as I expect it to be. I have been doing follow up calls to the person assigned to her case, but

sometimes I just received static connections. My sister -in-law 's call came in as a God send.

She directly introduce me to a friend who knows about the rules and plans for a short term insurance to help me cope with the cost of hospitalization bills. She explained that

this is a very flexible and affordable insurance scheme, I can secure it online and I can get

immediate protection because its coverage starts within 24 hours.

This was a big, big relief in my part. I was thinking of so many options on how to help my mom.

What happened last week with the introduction of that short term insurance was a miracle that

save my finances. I can breathe easier, thinking that my mom was spared from an economic

meltdown. What with the skyrocket bills that sometimes are involved in hospitalization. I've

got to introduce these to friends whom I know will need it someday.

Word Filled Wednesday

Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

Proverbs 3:7

Hot Topic: 7 Reasons Not to Diet in 2010

This was shared by a friend. READ This....
In 2010, I’d like you to resolve not to diet. And, I want you to remember the following things about diets, why they don’t work and what are better solutions for 2010:

1. Malnutrition: Contrary to popular belief, most diets are not healthy and may actually border on malnutrition. Many urge us to do extreme things, forgo our favorite foods or cut major food groups in order to lose weight. Healthy eating requires ALL nutrients (carbs, fats and protein) and a minimum number of calories in order to maintain health and proper body function. FOR 2010: Focus on eating foods that are nutrient rich and that provide you with the balance to keep you feeling satisfied.
2. It is Unsustainable: Depriving your body shocks your body into losing weight, but once it gets over that shock, it adapts. How? By slowing down your metabolism, going into unhealthy physical states (such as ketosis) or stopping weight loss. So, even if you have the mental willpower to diet forever, your body doesn’t. FOR 2010: Change to a mindset of eating healthy as a lifestyle, not as dieting. This will help you to lose excess pounds and maintain a healthy weight for a lifetime…not just for bikini season.
3. The Pendulum Factor: When you deprive yourself to an extreme, you end up craving to an extreme. The pendulum swings from “being extremely good” to “being extremely bad” to compensate. You may have heard this called “yo-yo dieting.” FOR 2010: Implement a philosophy of moderation. Enjoying the foods you love and the treats you crave once in awhile will help you to crave foods less overall.
4. Life Happens: Diets often require us to change our eating habits in such a way, that normal life gets in the way. Eating out, going over friends houses for dinner, special occasions all become “problems.” These things, however, are the very things that make life worth living! Further, most of us are busy and may not always have the time to shop, cook and calorie-count the way many diets require. FOR 2010: Find ways to fit healthy eating into every day life so that you can enjoy life AND be healthy. Discover which nutritious foods you love that make healthy eating delicious! (Discover 40 easy and delicious recipes to eat healthy!)
5. Energy Loss and Metabolism: Dramatically reducing your calorie intake can result in reduced energy levels and fatigue. Instead, it is important to understand which foods provide you with quality nutrition. FOR 2010: Eat small meals often. This strategy can actually stimulate weight loss, keep you satisfied and make you feel energetic.
6. Quantitative versus Qualitative: Dieting doesn’t really teach you how to eat for the long term. You may be counting calories while eating foods that actually make you hungrier or cause you to crave more. FOR 2010: Learn what foods are the most satisfying and most nutritious. The more nutritious the food you eat, the less hungry you will be. You’ll make smarter choices and lose weight without focusing on every calorie you ingest.
7. One Dimensional: In order to truly lose weight, you have to eat well AND be active. I’m not saying you have to run a marathon, but as we get older, our metabolisms NATURALLY slow down. The more active you are, the more calories you burn and the higher your metabolism will stay. FOR 2010: Be active. Even if it means taking stairs instead of the elevator, walking at lunch hour, walking to work instead of taking the train…just move.

Get real in 2010! Change your life by changing your mentality towards health, nutrition and wellness. Stop dieting, start eating and start seeing the results that you want…for the long term!

My Research Partner

Research is my life. I started this work when I enrolled in the Graduate Program last June. My life went upside down. I was out of school for the past sixteen years and suddenly me and my husband were catapulted into the world of studying, studying, and studying. We had a hard time adjusting to a life really new to us. Books, assignments, requirements, reports, journal readings, internet research is our life up to the time we are done with our upgrading contract. We were given three years and half to finish the academic requirements and research thesis. Well good enough, many amazing souls provided us with a search engine that has helped us in our research journey such as mentioned here. PickTorrent.com - Torrents Search Engine.I finally slept better now, because I am assured that whatever assignment is given by my professors is dealt with in a fast, and efficient manner.

Along this line, I was the only one yesterday who really finished and passed the assignment on advanced statistics. My professor appreciated it so much I did a good job in my statistics problem set. Wheeewww.. that was hard but I was thankful I cracked my head doing it. What helped was the tool that made my day. It was just a click away, and I had all the materials researched and downloaded from the research engine. This innovation has improved my life and the life of others so much that without it, I cannot survive my hectic research activities. Another plus, was I was able to introduce this research engine to my friends in which they were grateful to its big, big, help.

My World Tuesday

My beloved place....i miss you....am definitely coming home after two years here in Manila city.
The best water rafting place in the Philippines...my city...the city of Golden Friendship...Cagayan de Oro City, beautiful place and am proud of you.

Mellow Yellow Monday

Because I love yellow, i have to find a costume like the one featured above.....spongey bob costume......i know am gonna be a hit in the costume party.

Scenic Sunday

A coming storm at Nelson Hill. I have climbed this hill many times to study nature and meditate on God's loving kindness.

Headache Over.

I have been busting my head this past week due to assignments in research that has to be submitted on time to get the best grade this semester. My days are way off because of time limits given by professors who are A1 personality. Call me stress gal these days, I sometimes forget to eat my breakfast, lunch or supper. Assignments are overlapping and my time is running out, by the end of February everything should be edited and ready for submission. I need to break the cycle of stress to prevent myself, going gaga, my days would not be complete if I cannot listen to soothing, sometimes upbeat music to keep me going. What a great way in connecting to internet search engine as cool as anything to download software to get myself up and about with my work. This help a lot, so I can unwind and distress myself in-between researches. I can always call it a day when I have my favorite music on and by my side.

Research has it, that music enhances vital receptors in our brain to keep it alive and kicking. I have been telling friends to go for it and make their lives more colorful and exciting. We shared a lot of new music moods to enhance our daily acts now. I have influenced my children to do it and they are music crazy right now. Thanks to the latest technology, I can always have the latest searches, and be assured of the latest stuffs and be upgraded all the time.

Whewww...what a hot, hot, day!!!

We were running out of time, both my husband and I, were running late for our speaking engagement. We thought we can actually let the time stop but it's flying by the seconds and everything is in chaos at the house. Whoa, finally we arrived at the garage to get our car running. We have to arrived at the seminar venue before people arrive ahead of us, good our car just cooperated this morning. But..oh my the traffic has started now and the sun is glaring at 10 a.m., really beats me.Good the car's air conditioning is really giving its maximum cooperation, giving us the cool air we need to help us maintain our sanity. Cooler heads are needed now so we can be on time to prepare and show our smiles to people we will meet this morning. Just a month ago we got new discounted air conditioning compressor as replacement for the old one we had. A friend actually told us where to buy this part because it cost less and still would provide the best service for years to come.

Good friends are needed in times such as what happened to us this morning. The best part is they share good advices on how to maintain our car properly, its parts,and everything to keep the car going and giving us time to enjoy vacation days on the road an enjoyable experience to me and my family.Hot days off..we're on the go now...traffic,? no way...am enjoying my ride today.

SkyWatch Friday

Mt. Kitanglad Bukidnon, Philippines, and its beautiful sky.....climbing here means a passage to student life and manhood. I miss this part of my life.....the cool, cold weather...abundant flora and fauna, vibrant scene that helps you meditate God's presence in your life.

A Thousand Words Thursday

A bad start for the honeymoon? or challenges ahead should be face by the couple with a smile or a smirk, depends on the attitude or is it a choice?

Word Filled Wednesday

My World Tuesday

Family time is spent in this neighbor friendly eco-environment, 10 minutes from our place. This is packed with families on most days. Viva- designers and architects for creating this beautiful place...hundreds of Kois abound for all to love and appreciate. Boating rate is very family budget friendly too.