Sunday, June 21, 2009

Goodbye Chloe



Chloe, my pug and baby, died last Friday 4:00am. Losing her was very painful. She was a part of our family and was considered the youngest and only girl. I am having a hard time accepting she is gone. It was all so sudden. I never expected this to happen but it did.

Last Sunday, June 14 at around 9:00pm, my dearest and beloved pet pug, Chloe, had C-section and delivered a litter of four; one female and three male. This is her second c-section. The first delivery she had was a year and a half ago. She had 4 pups, all male, but two of them died just after birth. This time we were very happy because all the pups were alive and healthy. We were able to take them home after 6 hours. They are all thriving well until that fateful Wednesday night.

June 17, 8:30pm, my Family just had dinner. Chloe was also finishing her meal (we didn't know it will be her last one) when she suddenly ran around and around while whining. My youngest saw something hanging in her abdomen and when he looked closer he shouted for help. Chloe's intestine are hanging out of her belly. We were all in panic. My husband made Chloe lie down on her back and with the help of my eldest son, held her down so she will lie still, to prevent further damage. In the chaos, several things registered in my mind, Chloe's stitches gave out, we have to get her to the Veterinary Clinic, and lastly Chloe could die. I immediately called the Vet and he ordered me to wrap a clean towel around Chloe and bring her to the clinic. We were able to get her there without incident. However, when we arrived there, Chloe seeing the clinic and the doctor started to kick and cry out. What she did caused the tissue connecting the intestines to rupture, There was so much blood. The doctor had to operate immediately even if the anesthetic has not taken effect yet. He was able to close the wound and put back the intestines. When the operation was over I ask him how the stitches came undone, He said it was the first incident he had. I ask him if Chloe is going to be okay. He said "Yes". he said that this is not a critical condition and that Chloe will be alright. She just have to stay overnight under observation. He said we can take her home after a day.

My husband and I went home feeling relieved. We had to get bottles and milk substitute for the pups since Chloe in in the clinic. We had to feed the pups every 2 hours. I called the clinic in the morning to ask how Chloe is doing. I was able to get hold of the other Vet because the one who operated on Chloe was in a seminar. The other vet said that Chloe is okay, that she was able to sit, stand-up and walk around her cage. I kept on calling throughout the day. He kept on saying that my pet is doing okay and that I can bring her home in the evening. At around 11:00pm I called the clinic to again check on her, again the vet said we can take her home. We got to the clinic at around 12:00am and I saw Chloe in her cage sitting-up with an intravenous on her front left leg. The Vet opened her cage ad I called on Chloe but she wouldn't budge. She just kept on staring at me. I was thinking something is wrong at that time. I thought that she's punishing me for leaving her behind. She never liked going to the clinic. That is one reason she started to panic when we brought her in. When she finally came out, with the vet coaxing her, she came straight to me and licked my face. I was very glad, thinking everything is fine with her. The Vet pulled out the I.V. and put her on the floor. She wouldn't walk even if we call on her. She will just stare. I ask the Vet if she really is okay. I told him Chloe is a very eager, energetic dog, even after her both her c-section she would walk slowly when called. The Vet said that she's fine and that she is in a little pain because of the operation. He said that she can nurse her pups already but not to feed her water or food. Trusting the Vet's word, we did take her home.
When she got home she urinated and pooped and went straight to her bed. We made her comfortable and I kissed her goodnight since I was lacking sleep from nursing her pups. She was still very weak from what I recall. My husband did not sleep yet since he had work to do on the computer. He said that Chloe got up once and walked around the room then went and sit on her bed and stared at him. When he went to bed Chloe was sleeping already. He woke up around 4:00 am and he saw that Chloe was almost not breathing, she was dying. He woke me and the kids up and I saw that Chloe's eyes are already dilated, like in a coma, and she inhaled deeply once and when she exhaled I know that is is already her last. We all started crying knowing she already left us.

I was so very sad, hurt, angry and frustrated at the same time. I called the clinic but no one was answering the phone. I don't know who to blame. Do I blame myself for letting her get pregnant? Do I blame the Vet who did c-section on her? Do I blame the other Vet for letting her go home saying she is okay? I don't know if we can take care of her puppies. The vet said that it is very hard to bottle-feed puppies because most of the time the milk goes to there lung and this will cause them to drown. There is a very little chance for the puppies to survive without their mom. So far they are all doing fine with my family's joined effort.

I miss Chloe so much. I miss our walks together, her bark, I miss the way she comes running to me when I come home. I miss holding her, l miss looking at her, embracing her. I missed talking to her while she moves her head to her side at the same time her attention is on me as if she is listening intently to what I am saying. I miss the way she begs for food when I'm eating. I really miss her. I miss her so much it hurts. I wish that things were different.

Chloe was a wonderful companion, a beloved friend, an adorable pet. She will always have a place in our hearts.

Goodbye my dearest Chloe. Thank you for the the happiness you gave us. We will always love you.


Sunday, May 17, 2009

Meet Kurt!










This is my cute nephew, Kurt. He's 1yr 2months old. He's been the joy of the family. Since he is the youngest everybody adores him, and boy oh boy, he know's it. He is so sweet and happy. He can make you smile just by looking at him. Kurt is just starting to speak and trying to walk without help. I can't wait till he can run so that we can bring him often when we go to the park or the mall. Well, left just wait and see.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Tagaytay Overnight Vacation - (For the Girls)

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We, that includes me of course, my 2 sisters, my mom, and my niece, all headed for Tagaytay last April 25, Saturday, to attend my cousins wedding. It took us about 3 hours to reach Tagaytay from Manila. Tagaytay is well known because it is the home of Taal Volcano. The is a Volcano in the middle of Taal Lake. The climate is cool and that is also one reason it is a favorite vacation spot for us.



It has been a long time since we were all able to get together like this and we were talking and joking with each other during the whole travel time. When we reached Tagaytay, the first thing we did was look for a place to stay in case we get help up in the wedding recetion and it';s too late and dangerous to travel back. Tagaytay is known for fog and true to it's nature,by 3pm, the fog was already starting to get thick we can take pictures outside anymore. We were able to pick a place called Sunview out of all the resthouse, Bed and Breafaest, inns etc, that we checked. The price is ok, the rooms are cozy and clean, they have 24 hour food service, swimming pool, and lucky for us a live bandfrom 8pm to 12 midnight.



When we got back after the wedding and reception, we were all tired to the bones, we talked for a while about what is happening to each of our lives and took pictures, lots of pictures. It was really nice because we got to bvond with each other again. We were all trying to sleep but we can't because we end up luaghing at something funny one oif us said or thought about. We started to go down memory lane and we ended up laughing harder. Last thing I remeber doing was smiling and thinking happy thoughts.

We woke up very late (11:30A.M.) Sunday, we were already in a hurry. We wanted to beat the traffic because lots of vacationers and overnighters will definitely be going home to Manila. We had brunch, and headed home, Along the way we bought lots of "pasalubong" or gift. I bought lot fruits for my kids and pies for my Husband. and other delicacies.
I t was really fun and we promised one another that we will go back to Tagaytay to do this again

A WEDDING RECEPTION AT SONYA'S GARDEN, TAGAYTAY

Last April 25, my mom, sisters (Luanne and Monica), and niece (Heaven, went to Tagaytay to attend our cousin's (Pet & Yas) wedding. The wedding was so really beautiful, the reception was done in Sonya's Garden or should I say secret garden because it was far from the main road. The garden was really wonderful, it's seem like you are transported to a different place the moment you pass the main entrance. The place was really perfect for weddings and debut, or for just escaping from one's busy life and retreating to a place magical.
What fascinated me (and made me really hungry) was the food they served. The food was not only good but healthy as well. Most of it served came directly from the garden. It was the first wedding reception that I attended without me having to watch the calories I take in. I kept on asking the waiter what's the name of the dish they were serving.
The first serving was like a create-your-own-salad (fresh lettuce and other greens that you can top with fruits, veggies and their very own Secret Dressing), next came the freshly baked wheat bread that you can top with basil pesto (yummy), white cheese, anchovies, bruschetta tomato toppings. mushroom pate, black olive tapinade and fresh green peppercorn in olive oil (this on I don't like at all). Then came the pasta with two kinds of sauces (sun dried tomato and chicken cream with mango), and toppings (ratatouille, salmon belly, shitake mushrooms, black olives, capers and grated parmesan cheese, pepperoncini) and Roasted Chicken with herbs. I give 2 thumbs up for the chicken cream with mango. Lastly came the best part, Dessert. They served us Taragon Tea & Chocolate Cake that's so delicious I wanted to grab my sisters serving as well. All through out the meal we had Dalandan juice with mint leaves. It was really something out of the ordinary.
Sonya's Garden also offers Bed $ Breakfast. We were supposed to reserve a room but It was already fully booked. I was really looking forward to the free cooking lesson (with herbs) that they offer. Well, there's always next time.......

Friday, April 3, 2009

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

My Ciao Experience

Hi friends, I want to share with you my experience with Ciao! My friend got me started with this wonderful website. This is a site reviews and rates millions of products and services for the benefit of other consumers. You will get unbiased consumer reviews and up-to-date price information. You can review product that you normally have or use or hear in your daily life. Your cellphones, Digicams, computer, beauty product, movies you watched, music you listen to, even the latest news, and many more. You also get to learn about a lot of product that you want to buy. I was planning on getting a smart phone and from the reviews made by other members I found out what is the best smartphone for me and my lifestyle.

But there is more to it, because for every product that you review you will EARN MONEY as well. Yes...you read it right...YOU WILL EARN MONEY depending on the products that you review and rate. MEMBERSHIP IS FREE! There are no obligations involved. You can get your earning via Paypal. This is a really a great opportunity for us.

Come and check it out. Click on the Ciao banner on the upper right hand side if you are interested. Start helping consumer and start earning as well!

Sunday, March 22, 2009

GHOST OR SPIRIT?

My sister, Nequi used to work in Dubai. She rented an apartment with her friend there and they all share with the bills. My sister usually contacts us via Video Chat. We really had a grand time talking for hours this way. One time She and my other sister, Luanne who is here in the Philippines, were chatting and she took a picture of Nequi via webcam. They finished talking with each other without Luanne looking at the photo she took. When she saw the picture, she was confused on why Nequi is keeping a very ugly looking doll but since Nequi is not online anymore she forgot about it eventually. When my Nequi came home, she saw the picture and she was very frightened. She was asking Luanne what was at her back, Luanne said she thought it was a doll Nequi owned and Nequi was furious and was asking her, why will she keep a doll like that? She took a look at the picture again and she said that there were times when she was in the apartment that she felt a presence, as if someone is looking at her or is with her, now she said she knows that there is really someone there.

Here is the picture that as taken, You be the judge................




The girl on the picture is my sister Nequi, what do you see over her shoulder? Looking at the picture, even I can't help getting goose bumps......................

Bag/Purse Talk

I received this from Dee of Tales From The Mom Side. Thanks for this tag

The rules are as follows:

1. Post a picture of whatever bag you are carrying as of late. No, you can't go into your closet and pull out your favorite purse! We want to know what you carried today or the last time you left the house.
2. List how much it cost. And this is not to judge. This is for entertainment purposes only. So spill it. And if there is a story to go along with how you obtained it, we'd love to hear it.
3. Tag some chicks. And link back to this post so people know why the he
ck you're showing everyone your bag.

This is my Avon Oriental shoulder bag. I saw this bag from an Avon brochure and I liked it instantly. I like the color because it is very easy to coordinate with my shoes and clothes. It is also big enough to hold the things I consider as "necessities" in life. It's not expensive and that's the main reason I liked it. We work night and I don't want to risk getting mugged because of an expensive bag.

These are the contents of my purse:

My Cabrelli Wallet, given to me by my sister; myh favorite body spray for the week, my make-up kit which contains 2 eyeshadow quad, 1 liquid foundation, 1 loose power, 4 eyeliners of different color (black, brown, blue and green), 1 blusher dou, 3 lipsticks of different colors, eyepencil shrapener, 2 make-up brushes, a nail cutter, my fem spray, hair cuticle coat and my big comb; my pink-striped notepad and 5 different colored pen (black, blue, violet, green and orange); my W880i Sony Ericsson Celphone, which I never leave behind; my Company ID with the etoken and proximity card (security at the office is tight) and my lighter.

Just thinking of the stuff in my bag makes my back ache already.

I am passing this tag to Momi She, Rose, Sassy, Clarissa, Grace, Leslie, Zey and to all of you carrying bags and purses....I hope you have fun as well like I did.

Happy Birthday Ruel!

Hi guys!!! I'm so sorry I wasn't able to update my site for quite sometime, I was very busy with my son's final exams and my husband's birthday. My dear husband, Ruel, just turned 38 (he'll kill me if he reads this.... hehehe) and he invited his friend over. The party was a typical Filipino Party. (That means eating lots then booze later). Let me share some photos and video with you.









Monday, March 9, 2009

A Perfect Blend of Friendship!




I have received this "A Perfect Blend of Friendship Award" from Dear Richard, thank you for the award.

Richard started with with blogging, He is the one who pushed me here and I'm thankful because now I have so many friends from other countries.

I have known Richard from work for almost two years now, I really like him because he is a jolly person and I can trust him. He is very kind and caring and thinks about his love ones first before himself. You will not find a better friend that him.


Cecile, Momi She, Rose, Sassy, Grapes, Clarissa, Grace, Leslie, Zey and to all of you...

C-SECTION RISK

I just saw this article from GH and let me share it with all of you.....
Pregnant women nowadays who do not want to experience labor pains have resorted to C-section. C-section have become very common due to this plus the fact that you can choose the date when your baby is born. However, according to researcher who analyzed data on pregnancy, out-of-control-bleeding during and after pregnancy is highly common in women who've had prior C-section. The condition can be so risky the doctors may perform a hysterectomy (operation to remove the uterus) to stop the bleeding.

Here are the odds of it happening to you


AFTER YOU'VE HAD A.... ODDS OF NEEDING HYSTERECTOMY

Vaginal delivery of 1st Baby - 1 in 30,000

C-section delivery on 1st baby - 1 in 1,700

Vaginal or c-section delivery of second
born following cesarean
section in 1st pregnancy - 1 in 1,300

Vaginal or c-section delivery of
another baby following 2 or more
previous cesareans - 1 in 220


Saturday, March 7, 2009

Easy Recipe: Cold Pasta Salad

Hi, I was able to get a recipe courtesy of FOODIE, a food magazine, that I tried out and i was good. I want to share this recipe to all of you. The best part is you can use leftovers to create this wonderful salad. So we waste not and want not.

INGREDIENTS

3-4 cups leftover pasta (penne, spaghetti, fettuccine)

2 cups leftover sausages, cut into thin slices

1 pc celery stalk, cut into thin slices

1/2 cup hard cheese (cheddar, edam, gruyere or parmesan), cut into small pieces

1/2 cup lemon-olive oil dressing

4 pcs fresh basil leaves, cut into small pieces

* salt and pepper to taste

In a salad bowl toss all the ingredients together. Season according to taste

LEMON-OLIVE OIL DRESSING

juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp lemon zest

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

In a mixing bowl, whisk together all the ingredients, until well blended


It's delicious and healthy. Try this and you'll see.


LEMON-OLIVE OIL DRESSING

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

FRIENDSHIP AWARD

Received this friendship award from Richard, and Clarissa. Thanks a lot!
THE LET'S BE FRIENDS AWARD
These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends.
They are not interested in self-aggrandizement.
Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated.
Please give more attention to these writers.
Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.



"I may never get the chance to win the lottery. I may never get the chance to go on vacation. But I have the chance to be your friend, that chance I'll take."

Thomas Pustay



I'm passing this award to Mommy She of Cen's World, Leslie of Rant and Rave! , Zhey of Zey My Name, Rose of Rose's Obstacles and Glories, Grapes of Grapest love of all, Ricky of Ricky's World and to all of you.

"THE 9 TYPES OF LOVERS" - THE BOOK THAT MADE ME UNDERSTAND

Do you ever wonder why we love the people we do though they drive us crazy? I do ... I've been thinking about it for a long time. Don't get me wrong, I love my husband a lot. We've been together for 15 years. He is always there for me, he makes me laugh, feel complete and secure but he can also make me mad as hell sometimes. See how ironic it is. He is the one person who brings out the best and the worst in me.


The answer to my question came to me yesterday. A friend of mine let me borrow a book and it caught my attention. The title is "THE 9 TYPES OF LOVERS" by Daphne Rose Kingma. The book itself focuses on the different type of lovers, each describe and dissected thoroughly by Ms. Kingma. It shows the tell-tale signs of each type, the distinguishing characteristics we love a lot but drives us crazy as well. It give a view on how the minds of each type works, what makes them tick, how they are different from everyone else and how they can change to give balance to the relationship. I strongly recommend this book to man and women alike, who wants to understand their partners and themselves more.


I found out that the 9 types of lovers are as follows:


  1. Attention Seeker

  2. Emoter

  3. Cool Cucumber

  4. Skeptic

  5. Workaholic

  6. Perfectionist

  7. Fantasizer

  8. Controller

  9. People Pleaser

From the book, I found out that my husband and I are both Controller type. As a Controller type our basic need is power and we view a relationship as a power struggle. That is the reason we click together and clash a lot, We both love the on-going and never quite resolving power struggle, which we are addicted to. Since we are both controller we are evenly matched and we tend to respect each other knowing that the other person will not easily give in and throw the towel. We in our own way balance and safeguard each other from getting out of control.


Now, I understand and I have my answer.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Easy Recipe: Almost Barbeque

My children loves Chicken and/or Pork BBQ. It is a problem because as a working mom, I can hardly find the time to cook a complicated meal, let alone barbecue (i don't have the patience to kindle the coal). I either end up buying or cooking it during my day off.
One time I tried cooking this recipe and it ended up tasting like BBQ but with out the smokey smell. This is the reason I called it ALMOST BARBECUE. Also, this is much safer because research right now says that carcinogens (cancer-causing) are present at the burnt part of the barbecues meat.

Ingredients
1/2 K - pork chop or chicken
1/4cup - soy sauce
5tbsp - sugar (more depending to your taste, my children likes it sweet)
5tbsp - ketsup
1/4cup - water (add more if meat is not yet tender)
1pc - laurel leaf (bay leaf)
salt and pepper to taste
cooking oil for pan frying
*optional - a dash of Worcestershire sauce

Put the ingredients except oil, together in a pan. Bring to a boil till meat is tender. Again, as always, you can adjust the taste according to your preference by adjusting the salt, sugar, and the other ingredients. When the meat is tender enough and the liquid almost gone, add the cooking oil. Start frying the meat till the liquid thickens into a reddish-brown sauce that sticks to the meat itself. You can get this consistency by continuously turning the meat when the liquid is evaporated. You now have your quick and easy "Almost Barbecue". Enjoy your meal!

RHEA-OLOGY

Just got this tag from Richard who is a very dear friend. Thanks a lot for always being there and always looking out after my blogs. Let us now call this tag Rhea-ology since everyting here is about me and only me.





FOOD-OLOGY
1. What is your salad dressing of choice? Thousand island dressing
2. What is your favorite sit-down restaurant? Congo Grill
3. What food could you eat for 2 weeks straight and not get sick of? Pork Tocino
4. What are your pizza toppings of choice? Cheese and mushrooms
5. What do you like to put on your toast? Butter and sugar

TECHNOLOGY
1. How many television sets are in your house? Two
2. What color cell phone do you have? Red and Black
3. Do you own a laptop? Nope, desk top only
4. Do you own an ps3? Nope
5. What kind of cellphone do you have? Nokia and Erickson and LG

BIOLOGY
1. Are you right-handed or left-handed? Right-Handed
2. Have you ever had anything removed from your body? gallbladder
3. Have you ever had any surgery? Yes, to remove my gallblader, another to remove a cyst near my right ovary
4. How much do you weigh? 60K
5. How tall are you? 4 ' 11''

FAVORITE-OLOGY
1. Favorite season? Summer
2. Favorite holiday? Christmas
3. Favorite day of the week? Sunday
4. Favorite month? May
5. Favorite brand of chocolate? Cadbury

CURRENT-OLOGY
1. Currently missing someone? No
2. Current mood? Happy
3. Currently listening to? Classical
4. Currently watching? Sci-fi or Adventures
5. Currently worrying about? my mom who has tonsilitis

I'm passing this tags to james, to sassy reporter and to all of YOU. Until next time.

Friday, February 27, 2009

The Best Mom Award

Thank you very much Mommy She of http://censworld.blogspot.com/ for giving me this tag and Award.



The rules:

1. Show the award logo in your post.
2. Pick a picture you have with your kiddo(s).
3. Post should include your best experience as a Mom.
4. Nominate other blogger mom's out there that you consider the best mom, like yourself.


My best experience as a mom, hmmm, I 'm thinking of what is the best because I can't choose. Everytime my kids did something good and I'm the one who thought them to do it, is one example, when they graduated for pre-school and grade school was also one of them, when they embrace me and say I love you is also one. The things they do that makes me proud, which they usually do, is one of the best experience for me. Knowing that they love me and they need me is again one of the best experience for me.





I could definitely say that
my Best Experience as a mom was the day I became I mom, the day God gave me the greatest gift one can possibly receive, the day I gave birth to my kids and everyday that I have them in my life.






Now, I'm giving this award to Rose of http://www.obstaclesandglories.com/, Clarissa of http://ties-bonding.blogspot.com/, grace of http://drapersfamily.blogspot.com/, and to all the mom's who reads this award.

You Shouldn't Meme!

I received this tag from Richard of http://dreamworksorg.blogspot.com/ . Thanks for the tag this way people get to know me better

The Rules:
1. List these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog.
3. Tell 7 unspectacular quirks on yours.
4. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
5.Link the person who tagged you.
6.Leave a comment for each blogger.


7 Facts About Me:

1. I'm married with 2 kids.
2. I have 4 siblings,2 sisters and a brother.
3. I work in call center industry here in the Philippines.
4. I'm straightforward, I don't like to beat around the bush.
5. I love to cook, and I can cook a mean "Adobo".
6. I like to read books and watch movies.
7. I love to sing a lot and my choice of music is wide ranged.


7 unspectacular quirks:
1. I like to shop but I don't like to do fittings.
2. I don't drink milk. i don't like the smell and taste of milk.
3. I like to play cards with my family but not with other people.
4. I can't drive a car.
5. I'm an impulsive buyer.
6. I like wearing short shorts
7. I like eating green mango with fish sauce

Now, I'm passing this tag to my sassy reporter of http://mymotherthoughts.blogspot.com/, chubskulit of http://www.obstaclesandglories.com/, clarissa of http://ties-bonding.blogspot.com/ and of course, YOU

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Chloe, Pug of my Heart


Meet Chloe, my 2 year old pet pug. She is a very playful , intelligent, sweet and funny dog. She makes us laugh a lot. She is always curious about the things around her. Like most dog, she can melt your heart. She has a way of looking at you, specially if she did something bad, so you won't have the heart to scold her. She also likes to be the center of attention. If we have visitors, she will do everything, jumping, running, licking, rubbing her body against you, just so the new arrival will pet her, praise her and play with her. Most of the time she is the center of attention even if she doesn't do this things because of the way she look. I love her wrinkles and her snub nose.
When we were choosing what type of breed to get, we did a lot of consideration. I wanted a small dog. I also wanted a low-maintenance dog which for me means no need for frequent grooming like brushing the coat 3x a day and stuff. I also want a sturdy type of dog with good temperament because I have 2 kids. It should be active as well becouse of my two boys. We ended up choosing our pug. I think we really made the right choice.
Pugs are considered one of the oldest breed of dogs, it goes down through the ages before 400 B.C. Pug is said to originate in China, and it found it's way to the royal court. The Pug was accepted for registration with the American Kennel Club in 1885. The Pug has been referred to as Multo in Parvo meaning "a lot of dog in a small space." This breed is an even-tempered breed who is playful, outgoing, dignified, and possesses great charm. In terms of appearance, symmetry and general appearance are decidedly square and cobby. A lean, leggy Pug and a dog with short legs and a long body are equally objectionable. Standard Height is 10-12 inches, wieght is 13-18 lbs. Colors are The colors are silver, apricot-fawn, or black. The silver or apricot-fawn colors should be decided so as to make the contrast complete between the color and the trace and the mask. They need a lot of exercise and brushing at least twice a week.
So the next time you are going to get a dog, consider the pug, you'll never go wrong.

Monday, February 23, 2009

After Kicking Bad Habits: Getting Over and Getting Back to Shape

We all have our share of mistakes and bad habits in our lifetime. We drink, smoke, even over expose our skin to the sun. The things we do all have effect on our body.It may not show right now but it is there, like a sleeping dragon waiting for the right time to wake up. By the time it wakes up we cannot do anything anymore. It doesn't stop by just stopping the bad habit, it's the start...yes, but it does not solve the problem. Once you've stopped....here are the thing you can do to UNDO THE DAMAGE.



SUN DAMAGE (OVER EXPOSURE)

We all love the sun. It's so nice to walk, play, and go to the beach during summer. But we tend to over expose ourselves to it. Whether it is our choice or not. Sun damage is cumulative. Even if you stopped a year ago, the moment you start staying under the sun, it will add up to the damage. Sun damage causes aging (due to call death), wrinkles, age spot ,uneven skin tone. Worst it can cause skin cancer.


It's not easy to stay out of the sun. but we can prevent further damage.

  • Start using anti-aging cream - A lot of good creams are in the market, just find the one that works best for you.

  • Stay out of the sun between 10am to 1pm Don't leave home without sun screen - lotions, wide-brim hat, shades, umbrella

  • Eat the right food - food rich in fiber and anti-oxidant (to fight of cancer)


NOISE POLLUTION (CRANK UP VOLUME)




Ever notice that during a conversation you keep on saying “HUH?” as if you can’t hear what the other person is saying? Is it lack of attention or is your hearing the problem? Read up friend…you might be losing your hearing without you knowing it.




There are 30,000 tiny hairs in our inner ear that transmit sound to our brain. Repeated exposure to loud sounds can kill them. This means you will have trouble hearing specially if there is a loud background. Continued exposure to noise of over 80 decibels or more can harm hearing (mp3 players can reach up to 105 decibels, night clubs up to 140 decibels, cinema 117 decibels, rock concert 140 or more).
It is not possible to recover lost hearing, but you can protect yourself from further hearing loss.




  • Stay safe by using earphone that go over your ears not in them

  • Turn down the volume of DVD, TV, radio, etc

  • If regularly exposed to noise, wear earplugs

BINGE DRINKING

Going to night clubs, hitting the bar, drinking our hearts out….alone or with friends, is something we all went through or is going through right now. We may also drink occasionally….or is it really occasionally? How do we know if it if binge drinking?

Binge Drinking is defined as drinking 5 or more drinks at one time or consuming alcohol to reach an alcohol level of .08 or higher. It increases the risk of alcoholism especially if it runs in the family. It also affects the memory because alcohol kills brains neurons. It also does a lot of damage to the liver. There are 3 stages of damage: First stage - Fatty liver; Second stage – Alcoholic Hepatitis Jaundice; Third stage – Cirrhosis of the Liver. The thirds stage can lead to cancer and may require you to have liver transplant. Women are also more prone to develop alcoholic liver diseases.

So what can we do? Stop and don’t start again. If we stop during the first 2 stages of alcoholic liver damage, we will probably be okay, provided we seek medical help because the liver can repair itself. However, brain cells that are damages will be lost forever. However, we can regain memory function even without the missing cells



SMOKING CANCER STICKS

Smoking cigarettes, better known as cancer sticks, is a bad habit that is very hard to kick out. Even if we categorize ourselves to a once-a-day smoker, a passive smoker, or a chain smoker, smoking increases the rick of lung cancer, heart diseases, age related blindness, peptic ulcers, and even Type 2 Diabetes. Again, women are more susceptible than men with these diseases.
The good news is even if you quit just 24 hours ago, your body starts to heal itself - Blood Pressure drops to normal, oxygen level in the blood increases, risk of heart attack decreases, and chances of longer life is upped. After a year, your excess risks is reduced by half. After 15 years of quitting, the risk becomes that of a non-smoker.
So now we know that the moment we stop smoking we heal ourselves. The next step is to help our body heal itself and to accelerate healing. Here are some thing we can do.
  • Stock up; on food rich on anti-oxidant - fruits and veggies
  • Drink water and milk - they worsen the taste of cigarettes making it easy to quit
  • Exercise - it restores lung functions

Saturday, February 21, 2009

To Pill or not to Pilll


Using the Pill (oral contraceptives) can have good effect on our body. Yes, most of us think that contraceptives are a means to prevent pregnancy. Okay, it does prevent prevent pregnancy but do you know that it can help improve or prevent several health conditions? The non contraceptive benefits (and favorable side effect profiles) of oral contraceptive pills are so important that some people use the pills exclusively for those reasons. Health issues like Excessive androgens, Benign Breast Cysts, Dysmenorrhea, Ectopic Pregnancy, Endometriosis, Functional Ovarian Cysts, Hirsutism, Metrorrhagia, Mittelschmerz, Ovarian and Endometrial Cancer, Premenstrual Syndrome, Uterine Fibroid Tumors. Top it up with the fact that you will have better skin and have a slimmer body.
However, it also has its bad side effects. Some of the side effects associated with the Pill are Blurred vision, severe headache, uncommon leg or thigh pain, severe chest pain or coughing , abdominal pain. Also, recent studies shows that women who take pills have lower bone density than those who didn't; thus increasing that risk of bone fractures, and later in life, osteoporosis.
Thus, knowing that pills are not only for contraceptive benefit, we ask the question, TO PILL OR NOT TO PILL?

Joining Facebook


Yesterday, I created my Facebook account. I'm very glad and satisfied about it because I was able to find friends who I lost contact with and relatives who lives abroad. Now I can keep in touch with then though facebook. Try it out if your not yet a member, it's very easy to join. If your already a member, add me as a friend so we can keep in touch. See you there!

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Easy Recipe: Spareribs Deluxe

Here is another recipe my kids love, try it out.....
Ingredients:
1K - pork spareribs
1/2K - tomatoes (diced)
2 pcs - onions (diced), (I prefer red onions but white onion will do)
1/2c - soy sauce
1/8c - sugar (add more or less, according to your taste)
1 pc - bayleaf (laurel here in the Philippines)
salt and pepper to taste
Put spareribs in a pot, make sure the meat is totally submerged in water, bring to a boil, When water is almost half gone, add all the ingredients to the pot and let it cook till the meat is tender, (add a little water if the meat is still not tender and keep on adding until you get results) just adjust the sweetness and saltiness according to your taste. I also put in 1 pc of our local Chili (Siling Labuyo) to give it some kick. You can try putting chili pepper if your into spicy food.
Enjoy your meal

I'm Online


Last Valentine's day my dear husband got me a new computer. Its a desktop with a quad core processor, 1G memory, 160G HDD, and a 1G nvidia videocard. I'm really happy because it's very fast and efficient, even my 2 kids are very excited about it. Today, we got our very fist Broadband connection. I can now do my blogging in the comfort of my home. My son's can do their homework and research paper here as well. It's really nice to have internet at the click of your fingers. I'll be updating my blogsite often and I can also visit my friend's and follower's blogsite as well. Thanks to my husband Ruel and to the wonders of technology.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Valentine



Happy Valentines Day to all!

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Easy Recipe: Shrimp in Butter and Oyster Sauce

Here is another easy recipe that will not take more that 10 minutes to cook. My husband likes this recipe a lot. He says it brings out the taste of the shrimps. It really is good.

Ingredients

1/2 kilo - shrimps (I prefer it with shells and head on but you can have it shelled and deveined if you like)

4 cloves - garlic

2 tbsp - butter

2tbsp - oyster sauce

Saute garlic in butter, add in shrimps and oyster sauce, cover till shrimps are cooked (gets it's lovely pink color) in about 5 to 7 minutes. Serve hot.

Tweet, Tweet ... dNeero's all a-Twitter!

Yes, finally I was able to follw dNeero on Twitter. Come and check it out. It's so cool.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Easy Recipe: Golden Pork Bites

One of the easiest things for me to cook is a recipe that my grandma passed down to me. It's so easy and delicious my kids love it. They always request it for their lunch pack. I would like to shre it with you because it's so easy you'll love it as well.



Ingredients:

1 kilo - Lean Pork (or chicken); cut into 1 inch strips or bite size pieces

1/2 cup - soy sauce (preferrably high grade like Coconut brand)

Flour

oil for deep frying


Marinade the pork in soysauce (not too much, just enough for the meat to absorbe the soy sauce without excess) for 30 min or more. Heat oil in wok. When the oil is hot enough, cover the meat in flour piece by pice and drop in wok, Fry until golden brown. You're done. Enjoy youe meal.

Eragon Trilogy

Have you ever read a book that you never get tired of even if you read it a hundred times already? I have. It's the Eragon book series... It includes 3 books that is already out in the market (ERAGON, ELDEST, BRISINGR by Christopher Paolini) and one still coming up. It's a book that is very easy to read but you will get caught up in the story you never wants to put the book down. The author was able to create a very realistic world, you can almost touch it. He was only in his early teens when he started writing his first book. By 19, he is a best selling author. Mr. Paolini is not only a great author but a master.
The Eragon book series is a fantasy fiction about dragons, elves, dwarves and humans. There is magic, adventure, love and sacrifice. All of them mixed in a delicious blends you can't help wanting more. I have a collection already and still waiting for the 4th books to come out. I'm still planning to buy another set that I will be keeping for my children and my grandchildren. I know they will love it as much as I love it. If you are looking for a great read, this is something that I strongly suggest.
Cheers to Mr. Paolini and more success to your writing. I hope you continue to write more of this stuff. In a world full of struggle, it's nice to escape to your wonderful world of magic.

Sporty Tag: My Dream Car

I have received my very first tag from Richard. Thank you so much for this tag. This is my dream car, a Ferrari 360 Spider. This is a very expensive car that as of now I can't afford. But if by any luck I win the lottery....this is the first thing I will buy. I love the color, it's so sleek, elegant, and powerful. I spells success.


Since I'm new to blogsphere and I don't have a lot of friends here yet, I'm passing this to everyone who visited my blog. Kindly grab this.


Saturday, February 7, 2009

My Greatest Treasure

I have 2 wonderful boys, Kyle and Renzo, aged 14 and 9 respectively. They are my pride and joy. I am very blessed to have such wonderful kids. Kyle is a sophomore there and Renzo is in third grade. They are very different from each other, yet, alike in many ways. Just thinking about them brings a smile on my lips. They are typical boys, a bit rowdy at times, loves TV, can play the computer and playstation (psp and ps2) like forever.
Kyle is my eldest. He is almost 14 years old. He looks like his father a lot. He is smart, kind and very sensitive to other people's needs. He has a sweet nature. I remember one time when he was only 5yrs old, a beggar knocked at the window of our car while we stopped at a red light. Kyle was at the back sit. We're on our way home that time and he has several coins in his hand that he will put in his piggy bank. The coins was given to him by his father, we usually give him the loose change so he can put it in his piggy bank. When we reach home I expected him to go running to his piggy bank but he just sat on the sofa looking very sad. I ask him why....he didn't answer at first. Then he asked me if I will get mad because he doesn't have his loose change anymore. He sad that he gave it to the beggar. I was so touched by this and I told him that I'm very proud of him.
Renzo, my 9yr old, is very intelligent and playful. He has a very good memory, so don't promise him anything because he will surely remember. He is also very competitive. He is like Dennis the menace, he can get away with almost anything. When we go to the grocery he usually tags along. He will always be at his father's side. Usually he stays at my side but not during grocery time. I tend to stick to the budget but my husband spoils them. Renzo will keep on to his father's side, being sweet, and all the time putting HIS grocery in the cart. HIS meaning junk foods, candies, fruits, chocolate, biscuits, as in HIS grocery.
They are very different yet the same. What I can truly say is they're both perfect. I thank god for them. They make me want to be a better person everyday. I love them very much and I will do everything in my power to protect them and to keep them happy. They are my greatest and most precious treasure.

Friday, February 6, 2009

MY SWEET ESCAPE

Today, my life as a blogger starts. I'm so excited about this. Now, I can share my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences with all of you. I get to share all of your thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences as well. A new world opened up to me. A world where I can get information, learn new things and give back the same things to others. It's fascinating and fun. I get to know other people and other people gets to know me.
How did I get swept to this myriad world of blogging? Well thanks to my very dear friend, Richard, who kept on bugging me to start my own blog spot since he started his own. I was hesitant at first. Why you might ask? First, I don't have my own Internet connection at home. Secondly, I'm in front of the computer at work and that means 5 to 6 days. The way I look at computers before is very different. It's a machine that makes my life crazy, sometimes a living hell. I never want to touch the computer we have at home. Richard off course was already a full-pledged blogger. he would always tell me what he is writing about I would, of course, make comments on it, share my ideas (whether he's asking or not), and provide him information (that's if I have any idea on the topic he is on at that time). If I'm in the mood and I have the time, I check out his blog spot (by the way his blog spot is dreamworksorg.blogspot.com). I liked the things I read on his blog, as well as other blogs, I started thinking, "these people are able to express themselves here". I said to myself, why not? If I start blogging I can also express myself, my ideas, my opinion, my feeling. I can find release.
Now, in my busy, crazy life, I finally found a way to escape. I finally found my sweet escape.
Everything you read here are my own ideas and opinion, if you have any comments, clarifications, or questions, you can send me an email at doodle_510@yahoo.com