Looking forward to go on vacation

In a month time we are both going on leave again. YES, can't really wait. Imagine being stocked here in the middle of nowhere... at least we are on 4 months rotation with 1 month off.

We are planning to stay for 3 weeks in UK and 1 week in the Philippines to visit my family. Shopping time for me hehehe... Well, we all women do don't we? What I missed in my province is sitting by our veranda, overlooking the sea and visiting my relatives in other islands. Great, I love my home.

To Brighten Up Your Day...

Hi to all my dear readers out there, you may have received this in your email in-box already, but let me share this with you, again. This morning I was feeling down, I was upset in short and I wasn't in the mood of working either, until I opened my email and got this one...

People tend to ignore this because we might seem seeing this so many times and you may ignore this as well because of this funny photographs

This made my day, and will absolutely brightens up your day too... Enjoy reading...

We all appreciate this, same as we value friendships.

1) Indulge in the things you truly love. 2) Work together as a team. 3) Close your eyes and smile at least once a day.

4) Fall in love with someone. 5) At the end of the day, always pray and give thanks. 6) Exercise to keep fit.











7) There is always someone who love you more than you know. 8) Hold on to good friends, they are few are far between. 9) Laugh often...this is free, makes a lot of difference.

10) Always try to see the glass half full.. 11) Don't be overly concerned with your weight, it's just a number. Like I do sometimes, hehehe. 12) Meet new people, even if they look different to you. Make new friends...

13) Remain calm, even when it seems hopeless. 14) Always try to help a friend in need.

15) Believe in yourself

16) Be brave, but it's ok to be afraid sometimes.

17) Study hard, we need to learn more things everyday.

18) Give lots of kisses to love ones.

18) Take lots of naps

We encounter these things everyday, basic things we need to do - to keep going.

Another Paradise Experience in MINILOC Island, El Nido

This is another paradise I tell you. Though we only had a couple of hours visit, but this is stunning! I should say that this is suitable for family with children, but of course if honeymooners or young couples feel to stay here, then I don't see any problem at all. It depends what you want to do during your stay in El Nido.

But based on my observation, Lagen Island is more romantic than Miniloc Island, when it comes to accommodation settings. Cottages in Miniloc are build with thatched roofs, and furnished with indigenous Filipino materials, while Lagen offers you varieties of accommodation styles like Water Cottages and Seaview Rooms built on stilts, Garden Cottages surrounded by tropical plants, Cliff Cottages nestled in the hillside and newly-built Beachside Rooms right in front of the beach. Also I noticed that during our stay in Lagen majority were young couple honeymooners while during our visit in Miniloc there were loads of children-family status guests.


Anyway, these both resorts offer you varieties of activities like, island hopping, kayak in secret lagoons, explore isolated islands, take a mangrove tour, snorkel with colorful tropical fishes, have a relaxing massage or spa treatment, rock climbing or go scuba diving, etc.. Part of it having a pack lunch in one of this resorts if you stay one or the other, and we had our last day lunch here in Miniloc resort - in this picture... exactly in this place>>>>>

We went snorkeling in one of the islets around. Also at its very doorstep, the long dock where guests are welcome, guests can snorkel alongside 3-foot long groupers and hundreds of sergeant majors, damsel fish, fusiliers, and other multi-colored fishes.

Our Paradise Experience in LAGEN El Nido Palawan

El Nido is 1hr10mins flight from Manila. The only direct flight from Manila to the island is served by only 2 local airlines – ITI (+632.8515674) and Southeast Asian Airlines (http://flyseair.com), both have daily flights. If you want a hassle-free transfer, then book through resorts here.

Visiting this place is a superb! It was one of our wonderful holidays my husband and I have ever had so far, I should say. It wasn't that expensive really, it is worth of your money.
We stayed there for 3nights/2 days package, we really had a great time there, and we both love this place, this is a paradise! This is known for it's preserved nature, very unique from its ageless towering marble cliffs to its white sandy beaches with crystal clear water.

Look at this photo, they call it as a "Snake Island" because of its shape - thin and long.

It connects to two small another islands. We stopped there for about half an hour to take some photos, and we didn't really intend to go swimming that's why we both wearing casual clothes.

El Nido Resort Lagen has 'water cottages' (as you can see on our photographs), built on stilts on both sides of its cove, 'beachfront cottages' with a view of the entire cove and of the sunset, 'forest rooms' and 'forest suites' built on the fringes of a tropical forest.

One of the major things that we both like here was that, from the airport in Manila up to the resort itself, you don't have to worry about collecting your luggages and other stuffs. All staffs are very customer oriented, they always make sure that all the guests don't worry about their things, they want everybody enjoy their stay.

They have their "Big and Small Lagoon" , which we went kayaking. What a pleasure!!

Palawan is frequently referred to as "The Final Frontier". Once you have been here you realise why. Enchanting El Nido is truly breathtaking; many leave, their lives changed by this magical place. This island is about discovery. It's about detaching yourself from the rest of the world enjoying at your own pace, in your own sweet time. Everything here is waiting to be discovered.

Sending Shouts on DIGG - Fun!!

Last week I registered to DIGG, honestly speaking it was only out of curiosity and for the reason being that I wanted to get more traffic on my blogs! I tell you what, the moment I finished registering, I started receiving shouts from members.. and my email inbox has been incredibly busy!

For these past couple of days, I've been busy adding new friends and just keep on digging other members' stories. Until today, I said to myself "I must start sending shouts to my friends", and for the record, it took me almost a week trying to figure out how to send my shouts to ask the favor back from the favors I've been giving.

At last, I just did and started receiving loads of traffic now... This is one of the most effective ways to get more traffic. Enjoy digging stories.

Truth About Red Wine - "French Paradox "

The other night I was watching BBC Foods, which is really my favorite to watch every single night. This is where I learn new things in cooking and baking.

What a big surprise to me when the narrator started talking about the "French Paradox" (which was fresh in my ears), that drinking of red wine has been attributed with the low incidence of CHD in France. The benefit comes from both the alcohol content and the polyphenols found predominately in red wine. It combats the effect of fatty diet which results to "heart diseases", which French people are known to have.

Take note of this, as per the record - France has got one of the lowest rate of heart disease, despite of the fact that they love eating fatty foods. What is the secret? They drink lots of red wine. Now what are the benefits you could from red wine?

The cardiovascular benefits of red wine are a result of its alcohol and flavonoid content. Alcohol alone in doses of 20 to 30 gm/day can decrease CHD by 40%. The alcohol content of red wine is responsible for the effective absorption of flavonoids and tannins. Red wine also contains a large amount of folic acid, other vitamins and potassium and magnesium, which have beneficial cardiovascular effects.

Don't Loose Your Passion To Dreams

In Portuguese it says
"O sonho comanda a vida",
which means
"You dreams is your driver in life"

Keep your dreams alive and find ways to do something to make them materialize, because one or another, "Dreams command our Life".

When I was young, first thing that I ever wanted to was to reach my potential in singing. I was not a very good singer though, but I can sing I tell you, an average singer I should say. Nothing really special about my voice at all! I am a Pastor's daughter (used to be an active youth member), so I used to sing in the church as one of our church's choir members, and I can still remember how I was envious to some other members who really have a stunning voice, compared to mine... but it didn't stop me from singing. I always have the passion to dream of singing.

I may not doing any practice at all, I don't sing more often either, however, every time I tune in to music videos or cd's and hear Mariah Carey, Shaniah Twain, Beyonce, Faith Hill, Britney Spears plus among other favorite ones, THEY ALWAYS MAKE ME FEEL FRESH OF MY DREAM TO BECOME A VERY GOOD SINGER.

"Passion" for me is all about your undying dream for something that you ever wanted to do in life. Passion for something would never ever come into reality if you'll loose it. So, don't ever loose your passion to dream! Dream is our driver to achieve something in life.

I still believe that one day I can be a very good singer, who knows, not necessarily to make profit out of it, but at least to realize one of my dreams.

Love Inside Your Heart

I do believe that if you don't have any passion or love to do something or anything, you wouldn't care less of spending your time, money, thoughts and anything towards something. You know what I mean?

This could mean a lot like:
1) Enduring giving support to your family even if you have your own family already, sending your brothers & sisters to universities. Giving your support in every way as one way of saying thanks especially to your parents.
2) Having a heart of sparing money to help other people.
3) Giving donations to church where you used to attend and to your school where you spent your elementary and high school years.
4) Keep on practicing singing! Who knows maybe one day you'll become a very good singer, may not be a famous but at least to achieve something.
5) Keep cooking and baking, experimenting from cook books.
6) Explore your potential (if you see any) on designing invitations, stationaries by using your computer at home, etc...
7) Don't loose your hope of becoming a degree holder on your profession. Accounting graduate? You'll become a CPA one day, believe that.
8) You wanted to become a mother? Think positive, you will become eventually.
9) Love writing and telling stories? Try blogging and reach your potential here.
10) Want to be updated on your work daily task? Well, control yourself in blogging...

Take it easy... and that's myself who's heart has always space of everything I really love to be doing and to accomplish something in the end.

One of my bad days at work!

You know sometimes we don't know what other people think about us, until we learn about if from other people - by sharing their thoughts, both positive and negative. You positively and surely think that you didn't do anything against anybody. Until one day, you will be shocked of being accused of doing something wrong....

What have I done now?.. with tears, asking yourself where, how & why that happened!... and inquiring your inner thoughts - have I done something wrong towards him or her? Or have I said something wrong or negative to someone, have I hurt her or him? You know, these sorts of questions would come if you are not guilty of doing such!

This is exactly what happened to me one day at work. I was so helpless, powerless, very weak, feeble, defenseless during that day! What I did was only to cry and cry and cry, until I went to see my husband to tell everything what had happened, then I gained courage and strength.

I tell what, you may feeling down and upset....but remember that at the end of the day, it wasn't your fault at all. Just ignore it and pray that he'll or she'll realize what he or she was doing.

Happy reading...

Typical Sunday Evening with Delicious Stir Fry

It was Sunday, I normally work in the mornings and have an afternoon off - sometimes to go around the mines with my hubby or have an afternoon nap then bake and cook at night! This is used to be routine every Sunday here in Angola.

Anyway, after having been able to create a new blog, which I still managed to finish at 5pm and went straight to our kitchen to get all the cooking stuffs I need. Since it was quite late already, I just decided to cook a "Delicious Stir Fry", was prepared with delicious thai mix and coconut milk. It was just about the right time when I finished everything and ready to have a romantic dinner.

"Delicious Stir Fry with Thai Curry Mix"

Ingredients:
1/2kg of beef or chicken meat, sliced into strips
1 medium red onion, cut in thin wedges
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 large red, yellow & green bell peppers, cut into strips
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 small can water chestnuts, drained
1 medium size ginger, cut into strips
1 tin of Coconut Milk
1 medium size tomato
1 pkt of Thai curry mix
Vegetables such as: 2 carrots (cut into strips), chinese cabbage (preferably), leeks, string beans, + any green vegetables at your choice

How to prepare:

In a large stir fry pan, heat 2 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Sauté garlic, onions and ginger, stir until they start to wilt. Then add the meat, a pinch of salt to taste, and leave for about 2 minutes, add tomato then add the Thai curry mix and keep stirring until all combine. Add water chestnuts and and coconut milk, bring to boil. Finally add all the veges, cook, stirring constantly until the vegetables are tender-crisp, the meat is done and the sauce has thickened a bit.

My hubby loves my way of cooking, because I always cook with feelings.. hehehe.. and it reflects the taste of your food, I should say. Believe me or not, just do your task as wives... hahaha

Wished I Could Be A Full-Time Blogger

I made another blog just yesterday - a fresh one, it is entitle "Your Ultimate Guide of Having a Very Unique Wedding", and it is all about my experience in planning my own wedding. Well, all are very unique tips for brides-to-be, which I am very proud of sharing with and telling everything I have experienced in planning my own wedding. Indeed, it is good to experience of organizing your own wedding, not even having a wedding planner at all!

Anyway, so now that I have two blogs, it would have been very interesting and exciting (especially talking about all my wedding planning experience), to write posts all day long. I would never ever feel tired of doing it.

I just have no choice at all, all I do is to live with it - serving two masters at the same time - which are my job (daily task) and blogging. Well, I'll be alright.. for as long as I have time for both.

I really do enjoy blogging.....

How Much Addicted I Am To Blogging

I am 100% addicted to blogging...

Geeezzzz, am I the only one? Imagine, I haven't even reach a high page rank on my first one, the fact that I only started last June, and now I wanted to create another one? Is this normal? Anybody can help me to calm down a bit?

Anyway, seriously I am still going to create another blog - if this is about my life's journey, my second one will be about "dreams". The title would be "Don't Loose Your Passion to Dream" which is very interesting really. Basically, I will share in this blog my passions of dreaming and aiming for anything that I know for sure I love to do.

Aim high guys, it's free... Keep your dreams alive...

Free Personal signatures - cool!

I have just created my signature, fancy name or any words you want to - free personal signatures that you can add into your sites. This is so cool, just look at my full name at the left side of my page. Like it? Why not getting one too, you can make as many signatures as soon like. Enjoy...

TEXTAREA_ID

Personalized Prints, Creative Hobby

This is my whole family picture.

You may wonder why I had to post this and write something about it. I just wanted to share with you my little hobby of playing with design templates - inserting photographs on to them! Free and ready templates can be found in www.imikimi.com. An interesting hobby I must admit and I do believe that it results into an end product of sorts like for example, in a calendar making, wall decorating print outs or to be used as designs for pillow cases, etc.

This is a pillow case - exactly what I am talking about! Designing and
printing from your computer at home, you'll have a personalized
pillow case design.

Picture below is the design of our family calendar, with months
and dates at the bottom of it.

Hobbies may just be for the enjoyment of the hobbyist, they sometimes have potential to be a small business. So start making it as a hobby and think about of making money out of it.

How to Make Money From Your Blog

Hello my dear readers, I feel tremendously fantastic after reading this full article about all the secrets of making money online (click this link). WOW I am so impressed with how he presented it in details. It is not difficult to understand, just take time to read.

http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2006/05/how-to-make-money-from-your-blog/

For those who have not come across to read his page, now take time to read this long article, yet very helpful for us, especially for new bloggers like me. You can either click the link above or copy the URL and paste it to your browser.

Enjoy reading....

MixCat Search Engines

I received an email today from MixCat Seach Engines,

Would you like to make $$ selling Website hosting? This is a booming industry! It's easy to make money when you have 10 paid sites hosting with you @ $9.95. Thats a monthly income of $99.95 on a $24 investment!

What if you had 50 accounts? That breaks down to almost $500 a month on a $24 investment! Can you see how this can make you a LOT of money? Well we have resellers with over 20 paid accounts and doing well. We give you all the tools you need to create and support all these account on the fly with no exp!

Add an account / domain in under 1 minute.. Plus 24/7 support for all your needs.

Come check out our killer plans. And ALL accounts include 10,000 hits to your site to kick start your business!

http://www.mixcat.com/hosting/private- label-reseller-web-hosting-cpanel- whm.php

All the best! -Peter Privitera CEO Mix Cat Interactive Network

Why not give it a try.. well, will sign-up as soon as I get a chance...

Body Sculpture - BS1370 Stepper

I was wondering this morning on what I was going to bring back from the UK - any exercise machine, small,a portable one that I can fit in to my suitcase, for me to do at least during night time after work or in the morning before having my shower. I found this one ladies, which I think this is absolutely an ideal one for me.

Key Features:

* Mini twist stepper with medial lateral motion adds extra use to this stepper
* Helps to trim inner thighs and tone outer thighs and buttocks further
* Latex cords allow simultaneous upper body workout
* Adjustable step height allows workout intensity to be altered
* Computer monitors: Time, count, strides per minute, calories and a scan function.
* Non slip footplates for easy use
* Twisting motion for core muscles/abdominals
* Weight: 11kg
* Maximum user weight: 100kg
* Dimensions: 40cm x 45cm x 22 cm

It says, stepping is one of the most effective cardiovascular workouts around that raises your heart rate, improves stamina and helps tone muscles in problem areas such as the buttocks and thighs. It comes with a five-function computer monitor that shows time, stride per minute, calories burned, step count and scan function.

Please check the link above to read the whole specs...

Simple Body Stetching to Relieve Stress

Despite of my busy days at work, I always enjoy every opportunity I could get by doing some simple body stretching. Can you imagine of sitting all day at work, facing my computer - doing all the paper works, which I normally do 8-12 hours a day... uuummm sounds absolutely unhealthy if I don't make any effort at least to walk around, or to do something.

I already have given you some tips, which you can read on my previous post about Stress-Relieving, Fun-Producing Tech Toys.

I have learned that stretching exercises stimulate receptors in the nervous system that decrease the production of stress hormones, it relaxes tight, tense muscles and increase blood flow to the muscles. It also helps to relieve stress as they get the blood flowing - improving circulation while adding flexibility and relieving muscle tension.

However, due to the fact that I only have limited time - only during break time, here are some simple tips that I do which work for me:

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your legs slightly bent. Raise one of your arms and place your hand over your back. Try to reach as far down the midline of your spine as possible. Increase the stretch by gently pushing the elbow back with your other hand. Hold the position for 30 seconds. Feel the stretch down the back of your arm. Slowly return to the start position and repeat with the other arm.



Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your legs slightly bent. Clasp your hands behind your back. Pull your tummy muscles in and keep your head, neck and shoulders relaxed. Keeping your back straight, lift your arms away from your back until you can feel the stretch across your chest. You should feel your chest "opening". Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, then return to the start.



Stand with your feet hip width apart and your legs slightly bent. Straighten your arms out in front of you and clasp your fingers together. Keeping your lower back firm and your body upright, gently push your hands away from you. Feel the stretch across your upper back and at the back of your shoulders. Hold for 30 to 45 seconds and then slowly lower your arms to the start position.

Also, I do some body twisting techniques too. To give you an exact idea how to do it properly, please copy this URL to your browser to be able to see.

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=683073n

So, it's not too late yet to do something about it - "Why not trying to make it a habit, if you want to achieve something"...

My Own Ways of Pampering Myself

To tell you honestly, I don't go more often to to these expensive shops like facial, massage, foot, etc... Well, for obvious reason that it only happens every time I go on leave hehehe... (at least once or twice in every 4-6 months), but I only do it in Philippines and not in the UK (as it is very expensive there)!

As for me, I have at least five things on list that I can say that "I am doing these to pamper myself":

1) Decent Holiday Break - My husband and I always make sure to go anywhere that we feel relaxed, refreshed and just the two of us. This is such an amazing way to give yourself a treat after working so hard.

2) Facial - I always go for a once-in-every two weeks "diamond peel" treatment. To give you an overview what it does to our face - it a type of skin treatment that is a gentle and yet effective resurfacing treatment performed by vacuuming across the surface of the skin, removing the upper most layers and unveiling a smoother, clearer and more youthful appearance. It reduces the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, age spots and acne scaring.

Diamond Peel is very effective in treatment of:

• aging and sun damaged skin
• acne scaring and acne skin
• pigmentation marks
• minimizing stretch marks
• scars and age spots
• enlarged pores
• hard to treat lips and character line
• skin and body rejuvenation

3) Body Stone Massage - This a smooth, polished Basalt Lava Stones that are heated and applied to the body with deep heat therapy and relaxing massage. The Hot Stones ease tight muscles, relieve stress and ground the body. Absolutely the ultimate in relaxation, I must admit I need this more often. Ummm just imagine how my stress level accumulates in months and months of staying here.

4) Nail Treatments - Like manicure, pedicure, foot and hands massage. I do it once a week.

5) Hair Treatments - Do you know that I have been keeping my long hair for almost 5 years now, and I love my hair seriously! It's only a matter of taking care of them, giving them the vitamins they need such as applying conditioners, and go to a hairdresser at least once in every two months or every time you feel the need to, for a relax or a cellophane.

So my dear readers, give yourselves a reward by giving some treats that you enjoy doing.