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Showing posts from 2011

Embrace 2012 with LOVE ~~ Happy New Year!

Let's embrace 2012 NOT with resolutions or ways to reinvent ourselves. But instead -- let's embrace 2012 with LOVE! Nothing more, nothing less. New Year – new goals. What is it about the New Year that prompts us to re-evaluate what we want to accomplish? Be fit. Be happy. Be successful. Be loved. The list goes on but I don’t think you need to reinvent yourself – just choose to be YOU. It’s as simple as enjoying life knowing that you lived by the Golden Rule: Love God. Love your neighbors as you love yourself. LOVE – that’s the key! Love God – that’s a given. Only with faith in God can we truly understand. Love YOURSELF. When you learn how to love yourself, you’ll notice that everything just falls in place – everything will fit. Love your neighbor. Why not? Why not learn how to share your love -- you’ll get more of it in return anyway! So it’s a win-win! Yes, it’s that simple! So let’s embrace 2012 with LOVE  -- nothing more, not

What does Christmas or Hanukkah mean to you?

I’m excited about Hanukkah (Chanukah) and Christmas. We celebrate both holidays – our kids are blessed in that way! Our “Santa and her helpers” have been busy buying presents for the family. I’m excited because the families get to sit down together and enjoy a wonderful 3-day holiday – Hanukkah, Christmas Eve (Noche Buena) and Christmas Day. We will be full house – my college guy will be home and thanks to my thoughtful crumbcatchers who put together allowances and savings to help one another with rent money so that every one will be home for the holidays. I get teary-eyed during the holidays because I miss my family in the Philippines . But I know they’re having a fun time – no matter what. I'm not sure if we'll have a White Christmas. Our snowstorm came early on Halloween! I enjoy listening to Christmas carols. Luckily, my children love to play piano, guitar and violin! I'm looking forward to the holidays because my family an

Make a difference - become a Fairy Doll Mother @ Once Upon a Tree House

“We do not do great things, only small things with great love.” ~ Mother Theresa I was recently introduced to a new charitable cause, “OnceUpon A Tree House ’s Fairy Doll Mother Program ”. The name alone caught my attention -- sounds simple, yet powerful in meaning!   Once Upon A Tree House is an online store, designed by two Moms, whose mission is to create handmade and eco-friendly doll houses, dolls and accessories that provide lasting memories for parents, grandchildren and grandparents.  At an time when most children own an electronic device, the traditional toys that “Once Upon A Tree House ” offers help cultivate a child’s imagination, promote quality family time, enhance communication and provide opportunities for parents/grandparents in creating a strong bond with their children/grandchildren by playing together. Children grow up so fast that not to spend fun, playful time with them is a sin! And this holiday season, when you purchase a doll

My fairy godmother with bright ideas - what Christmas is all about!

"A pleasant surprise is in store for you soon."   - that was the message that I got from last Saturday's fortune cookie. And earlier today when I checked my email, Felicia Kramer of   Another Bright Idea  and More Bright Ideas  informed me that I won $40 credit towards her More Bright Idea's Etsy shop. I have been a fan of Felicia's work for years now. Her artwork always spoke from the heart -- and her keen eyes capture the beauty of nature and life itself, thus, creating such intricate art pieces. Felicia Kramer had helped me put together a cover design for my book, "Out of Status", which will be released on January 2012. She's someone who truly enjoys GIVING. She's an artist at heart -- so her gifts are made uniquely for you and me! Isn't that what Christmas or Hanukkah is all about? GIVING? And it's not just about the material presents, it's the tradition of being with families and friends. As a small business own

what do you want to be when you grow up?

When you were little, do you remember your first answer when someone asked you,  "What do you want to be when you grow up?" When I was little, I used to answer in a song,  "Que sera, sera -- what ever will be will be..." This Thanksgiving weekend, I was blessed to have a full house once again. After church and a brunch at a nearby diner (Joannie's),  we all walked to the park. I was pleased and thankful because I know that no matter what -- my children will help each other... will have adventures together... and will always remain kids at heart. The future seems scary at times but I think as long as you have the right perspective,   every thing will fall into place. As parents, we sometimes want something different for our children. We want them to find a career that will provide them stability. We hope that they pick a college major that is practical and logical. And we think we should kn

celebrate LIFE

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."   ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy From my family to yours,  Happy Thanksgiving!

even when you're not totally sure...just try it! Learn how to TRUST | Trapeze School of NY

Why would I sign-up to throw myself off a platform – 23 feet off the air? Why would I do something that’s not even in my bucket list? Since when did I have entries in my bucket list? Just for kicks? Temporary insanity? Mid-life crisis? Or is it because of the   “I am woman hear me roar” voice that keeps nagging me to just try it? Or am I a kid-at-heart that trusts that there is just nothing I can’t do? Well, I wasn’t sure, but I tried – and yesterday, I did it! But I didn't do it alone!  My friend who’s turning 40 in a couple of weeks  (great age by the way – nothing to fear)  shared a link (TSNY):  Trapeze School of New York  As you can see, the school’s motto: FORGET FEAR. – is exactly the first step to clicking the button to sign-up for your first class. So early this month, I booked our first session. I figured my friend and I have 3 days before the actual class to back-out – just in case we come to our senses! I was

Holding on to what we believe and some Good Karma Treasures

Faith is what helps me believe that anything is possible – I’m possible! It is the one thing that makes me look at chaos and say, “there’s a reason for all these insanities.” Faith is what helps me keep my dreams alive – reminds me that I have a purpose in life. Sometimes the “unknown” scares us that we might fall. However, faith reminds us that there are two paths: It’s either we land with our feet on the ground, or that we will learn to spread our wings and fly! I have struggled the past few months on what path to take to reach my dream. And that indecision has put a stop on whatever momentum I have in attaining my goal. Struggles that lead to paralysis – inaction. But what’s interesting is that in my “inactive” mode, I bumped into a church that revived what was missing for a long time. The past 2 months, I had been driving my son to Red Bank. It’s quite a drive from our home, so I decided to check out the town for 2 hours while my son immersed himself with “all th

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

Did you ever take a task that’s totally foreign to you? Did you ever get out of your comfort zone, tried something you didn’t think was even possible? Did things get clearer once you focus on it?   Did you prefer to sit back and relax? What made you see things in a different perspective? For me – it’s being outdoors with a digital camera!  Two years ago, I started writing – and it was all inspired by my Zen-Walks with my hubby. ( Exchanging ideas with someone you love can be totally inspirational!) So remember this quote from Ayn Rand, the famous author of “Atlas Shurgged”. “The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.” Dream BIG and Keep Smiling!

Can FEAR make you want to QUIT?

“ Fear is a distressing negative sensation induced by a perceived threat. It is a basic survival mechanism occurring in response to a specific stimulus, such as pain or the threat of danger. “ – wikipedia “To Quit is to give up or resign” – dictionary.com Two negative feelings we don’t want to experience. So when a 10 year-old child suggests that he wants to quit something he truly enjoys, as a parent, you kind of wonder why. Is it a permanent change or did something occur? Why would your child decide to give up something that he seemed to fully enjoy? Or maybe we are so used with the rigorous schedule that we are on auto-pilot:, we can’t even see what’s bothering someone. The past few weeks, my little guy was apprehensive in going to gymnastics. He would come up with excuses – even tried to condition his body into getting a fever, asthma attack and severe headaches. Last week, he was crying hysterically and came up with different reasons like joining

Pregnant at 47?

I exercise. I diet. I meditate. And yet – the past few weeks, I was baffled. Who would have thought that in less than a year I would gain 10-15 pounds? Who would have thought that my mood would erratically change from “ready to conquer the world” to “I just want to lay down and sleep?” Who would have thought that I can be bloated in 1 day and then feeling slimmer again the next day? That's why I thought I was pregnant at 47! (Yes, kids -- it's all because of Immaculate Conception) I blurted out to my husband, “What kind of joke is this?” It wasn’t enough that women have to go through PMS, hormonal changes and giving birth. Just when we thought we got our acts together --- Bhamm! Menopause hits us like a splitting headache! Right now, my body can’t decide whether I’m hot or cold; bloated or dehydrated; super confident or blah! The past year I tried different exercise routines: running, yoga, Power 90, The 30-Day Challenge, Belly Dancing, Hip Hop Abs, Zumba and Pi

Just one simple step -- all for me!

It seems like there are so many things we want to accomplish. We are always multi-tasking. Our to-do and bucket lists keep on growing. We look at our lists and we say, “How am I going to accomplish any of these tasks at all? Who has the time” What about doing something just for fun? Does not have to be elaborate. Just one thing that will make you smile. So pick one, focus on it, and make an effort to do it every day – until it becomes a habit that makes you smile and you laugh out loud:  Live life, one simple step at a time. Fun for me involves art. Art is a big part of my life. I am happy when I'm doing something creative. I love music but I didn't get a chance to be really good at it, unlike my 4 children who play the guitar, piano and violin. I love listening to them -- or just listening to Lady Gaga's "Free as my Hair" song. There’s a song that I started learning how to play. I haven’t played the piano in decades. My hands are stiff, and my e

To dream BIG and keep smiling?

Everyone has a dream, a mission, a goal. No matter what size your mission is, sometimes it seems impossible to complete the task. Is it possible that we aim too big that we forget that in order to get that far, we have to work on it one step at a time? If you want to write a book, you know that you have to start with page 1 before you can get to page 100. So set an attainable goal every week, and then go from there. If you want to lose weight, don’t focus on losing 20 pounds in a week. Set a goal to lose 1 pound a week, and then go from there. If you want to learn to play a musical piece, divide the task into multiple chunks, and then go from there. If you want to run a marathon, don’t run 26.2 miles on the first week of your training. Start with 1 mile, and then keep increasing until you are comfortable running 30 miles! So remember, in order to get to the finish line, you have to take one step at a time. Keep increasing your steps until you hit the finish

Do you have it in you to keep on fighting?

Meet my parents. If there's anyone who has a tremendous fighting spirit, it would be my parents. My Dad, 79, had a quadruple heart bypass about 10 years ago and was diagnosed with stage 5 chronic kidney disease a couple of years ago. But he still pushes himself to live. My Mom, 68, with her true LOVE, continues to care for my Dad even though her own health needs attention. I'm not sure if I have it in me...maybe only time can tell. "We all live at the same speed of life - 365 days a year.  It's the choices we make that differentiates us from one another." Photo credit: taken with my Canon digi cam at Subic Pampanga in the Philippines. 

played in the rain, i did!

been in manila for almost 3 weeks... siesta has been my favorite past time, my summer tan from the jersey shore has faded, my straight hair has turned curly, and i've been eating plenty of rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner. it's september so it's typhoon season...it has been raining every day since i got here! but there's something about the philippines -- it's a super stress-free living! so i'm leaving in a few days, and i always have a list of what i need to accomplish before i fly back "home". and playing in the rain is one of them! so here i am... 12 years old again! splish-splashing on the rooftop, not even the dark cloud can stop me, from dancing in the rain! it's not how we weather the storm, it's how we have fun dancing in the rain! go try it...it will help you "make the invisible visible!" (my cousin Cat shared this wondeful quote!)

Away from home…

The sound of the water falling off the spout which lands on the pond that houses schools of fish in gold, silver, white, grey, orange and yellow provides calmness to the earsplitting sound of metals being welded, motorcycles passing by, birds chirping, dogs barking and people chatting. The heavy rain drops that manage to say hello every night remind me that this season is definitely the rainy season. It’s a different kind of noise that I know I’ll miss once I fly back home. Philippines is home away from home. It’s the one place on earth that I don’t mind traveling coach for 22 hours – (more or less). It is one place in this universe where my straight hair turns curly, my summer tan fades, my love for rice resurfaces, where I take siesta (afternoon naps) – and where I get to eat cooked white rice --  morning, noon and night. Philippines is the one place I know where people are always polite, cheerful, generous, thoughtful and unpretentious. No matter how tough or poor the country

The gift of love

Four kids. Four personalities. One goal – live a HAPPY life. In today’s world when we seem to be always in a hurry, we have to step back and say,     “Why are we always in a rush?” And when we want to be the best, we seem to wait until something is perfect, but why? In focusing on a goal, why fear disappointments? Don't fear disappointments too much, you'll just end up downgrading your goals. You’ll never be satisfied with your achievements because they won’t be substantial enough. So why fear disappointments? Just try to do your best, and forget the rest! Dream BIG and keep smiling! Here’s a little montage of pictures with my son’s poem for his grandma. Just for you to remember that you are one special person! (If you’re interested in ordering this 5x7 picture book, please email me at crumbcatchers@gmail.com) As I was taking a run,   I noticed that all of the leaves on the trees I passed had started to wither and fall.   I assumed this to