My New Year`s Resolution! 2010

Okay, I know it can be hard to come up with worthy resolutions for the new year, so I thought I’d give you a bit of help. Remember, goals & resolutions are totally different. Goals can be defined as “what by when“, while a resolution is somewhat more ephemeral. A resolution is light-hearted, something you do for fun. A guideline, rather than a hard-&-fast line. Here are some ideas, but if you already know what your resolutions are, feel free to post them in the comments below! I’d love to hear them.

Mine here...^o^
* Lose weight
* Get out of debt
* Become more organized (spcl laundry aww)
* Maintain a diary
* Save money (posible 500 or 1000 yen everyday ^0^)
* Pray everytime, go to church weekly
* Get a better job
* Start yoga or meditation
* Beautiful everyday, things make every day beautiful
* Make 3 new friends or more ^0^
* Go outside with kids and talk to neighbors
* Less computer
* Reduce stress
* Take a trip
* Volunteer to help others
* Be less grumpy (anger)
* Choose a role model & then think, “What Would ____ Do?”
* Learn something new (such as a foreign language, music or names of flowers)
* Try to get up early in the morning
* Time management
* Help the poor
* Do it interior creative everyday

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New Year's parenting resolutions

This time of year, we parents reflect on everything we have — and all the ways we could do better by our kids. After all, who among us hasn't vowed to lose our temper less and show our kids we love them more?

Parents have told us that, among other resolutions for the new year, you'd like to:

• Not yell so much

• Stop using threats to keep your kindergartner or grade-schooler in line

• Be more loving — and find other ways to help your 5-year-old or 6- to 8-year-old feel good about himself

• Slow down and really listen to your child

• Give each of your children the one-on-one time he deserves

• Find more family time

• Plan fun outings more often

• Read more with your child — whether he's a beginning, intermediate, or advanced reader

• Watch less TV

• Make healthier meals

• Encourage your child's relationship with grandparents

• Share your beliefs with your child and — if religion or spirituality is important to your family — make them part of your family life, traditions, and rituals

• Nurture yourself so that you can better nurture your child.

How to Control Anger: 16 Simple Tips on Dealing with Anger

If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow.
Chinese Proverb

Anger could cause big problems. A problem that is small in the beginning could become bad if we handle it with anger. Not only will the situation itself get worse, our relationships with others could also deteriorate. In short, handling something with anger won’t make things better.



How to Control Anger That’s why it’s essential to control anger. By controlling anger we will be able to handle problems with calm. We can then exercise our wisdom and judgment to the problem at hand to achieve the best possible solution. Being someone who sometimes gets angry, there are some tips I find useful on dealing with anger. Here they are – choose the ones that work for you:

1. Take a deep breath

Taking a deep breath is an easy way to calm your nerves. It will be easier for you to do the other tips when your anger has subsided.

2. Drink a glass of water

It’s also an easy way to calm your nerves.

3. Take a bath

I know it is not possible in many circumstances, but if you can do it the effect is immediate.

4. Don’t speak while you are angry

If you did so you may speak harshly to others and that could be something you regret. There is a nice quote about it:

When angry, count ten before you speak; if very angry, a hundred.
Thomas Jefferson

5. Listen to what people say

Continuing the previous tip, not only should we not speak while we are angry, we should also learn to listen. Pay attention and try to understand the point the other person makes.

6. Take a walk

Changing your situation is a good way to overcome anger. One way to do so is by taking a walk outside.

7. Pray or meditate

Praying or meditating is an effective way to calm your nerve. It could help you regain your inner peace.

8. Listen to calming music

My favorite is instrumental music since it seems to have better calming effect but you can use whatever music that works for you.

9. Have realistic expectations

Sometimes we are angry simply because we have unrealistic expectations toward others. Make sure that your expectations are realistic. You can’t expect other people to be like you.

10. Realize that nobody is perfect

Everybody can make mistake including you. Realizing this will make it easier for you to understand when someone makes mistakes.

11. See from the other person’s perspective

One way to do that is by asking yourself: “How do I feel if I’m in his or her position?”

12. Tell a wise friend

Sometimes you just need to talk about it with a wise friend. He or she can help you see the problem in the right perspective. Just be careful to choose the right person.

13. Look at the positive side

This is a habit you should build. The habit of looking at the positive side will help you look at many situations in constructive ways.

14. Exercise

You can control anger is by directing your energy to a different direction so that it’s no longer available for anger. A good candidate is exercising.

15. Learn to forgive

If you release forgiveness you will no longer have reasons to angry to someone else. You can then focus on positive ways to solve the problem.

16. Think in long term

Often we are angry because we see too near to the future and do not think about the implications in the long term. By seeing in the long term we will be able to see the consequences of anger. There’s a quote I love about it:

When anger rises, think of the consequences.
Confucius

***

How do you control anger? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.

Home Made Sweet Pickle Relish

Your family will be so excited that I am giving you this recipe. Yes, the very strong smell of onions, cucumbers and vinegar cooking on your stove will bring them to tears and make them beg for a spoonful. (Or rather they will be like my kids and come downstairs with a disgusted look on their faces while holding their noses asking WHAT in the world you are making.)

Don’t worry…the smell in your kitchen goes away. Eventually. And then you are left with several jars of sweet pickle relish…enough to last you quite a while. (This recipe makes more than a year’s supply for our family. We don’t tend to go through pickle relish very quickly, but I really like having it on hand.)

If you have a few extra cucumbers and enjoy adding sweet pickle relish to your tuna salad, etc…you’ll like this healthier version. I cut the sugar in half compared to the other recipes I found..plus used organic sucanat (dehydrated cane sugar juice) instead of regular sugar and it is plenty sweet enough for our taste!

Sweet Pickle Relish

8 medium sized cucumbers
2 large onions
2 sweet green peppers
1 sweet red pepper
1/3 cup sea salt
3 cups rapadura or sucanat
3 cups apple cider vinegar
2 T. whole celery seed
2 T. whole mustard seed


Begin by slicing the cucumbers, peppers and onions.


Chop the vegetables into tiny pieces.
I find that putting them into my food processor works best for this.


Pour the chopped veggies into a large bowl.
Cover them with water and let them soak for about two hours (longer won’t hurt).


Pour the soaked veggies through a strainer until all the water is drained out.


Pour strained veggies into a bowl and add remaining ingredients.


Stir well.


Pour contents of bowl into a large pot. Bring to a boil.

Simmer relish for ten minutes, then transfer it into pint sized jars. (I was able to make six full pints, with a little bit leftover.)


Following these hot water bath canning methods,
process the pickle relish for 10 minutes (from start of boiling).


Six beautiful jars of pickle relish all ready to go!


The cost for this relish was very low, as the cucumbers were given to me for free and the other veggies came from my in-law. The added ingredients were low cost as it all divided into SIX jars of pickle relish! Each jar only cost a few cents.

This post is linked to Frugal Fridays.

Tissue & Water

share ko lang po ito Evian Water natuwalang ako sa mga babies ang cute nila ang kukulit pati... nakita ko rin ito sa isang blogfriend. hehehe samahan narin natin ng Tissue. LOL!

Corruption, me pag asa pa ba?

“The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently”Friedrich Nietzsche


“each candidate behaved well in the hope of being judged worthy of election. However, this system was disastrous when the city had become corrupt. For then it was not the most virtuous but the most powerful who stood for election, and the weak, even if virtuous, were too frightened to run for office.”Niccolo Machiavelli


siguro e sadyang mahirap na matanggal ito lalo na kung na
institutionalize na at sagad na ang nakagawian.

madami sa atin ang aware na nangyayari ito and
madami ang gusto mawala na ito pero, sabi nga
mahirap na.. unang una, it takes two to tango..
kanino ba talaga at saan nagmula ang corruption?

sa leadership ba? pwede siguro but it will need
a whole lot of space to define the reasons.
walang leader to follow to take pride kun baga siguro.

pero going back to it takes two to tango...
sino ba ang involve sa transaction?
there is got to be the giver and the one
asking... example... sa pag kuha ng license,
an applicant in his desire to speed up will ask
pwede ba madali and the one on the counter will
reply gano kadalimo gusto..and alam na natin ang
kasunod...magkano...

pag nahuli ka over traffic violation, ano ang hagod
agad? e boss baka pwede nating ayusin...or merong
time na ikaw ang tatanungin ng o ano titikitan bakita?
ikaw din, mag iiskuling kapanito..ano ang kaso?
stepping daw or, lane grabbing...whatever it is.

sa airport, we bring so much in the desire na
ok sa custom dahil alam natin na ok lang..
pag silip sa passport mo e me bumubulong ng
good morning ikaw na ang bahala ....and
dapat alam mo na ito...kungbaga.. e ipit na
agad.....so who is to blame.....ang only question
there is.. me pag asa pa ba?

maybe..i think me time na kahit na sa una lang e
natakot silang gumawa like nung timeni recaredo
sarmiento and general lacson. talagang takot
gumawa and nagign magalang ang mga pulis nun
timen a yun. nung time ni maganto sa MMDA medyo
nabawasan .. nung timen i golez sa post office ,
things moved quickly and natakot ang mga
personell na gumawa ng di dapat.. well siguro kung
talagang gugustuhin and the people will stop
giving incentive for the people in government to do things
e baka me pag asa. and if our leaders will have the insight and wisdom
sa pagpili ng tamang tao hindi dahil sa me padrino kundi sa
me katapatan, honesty and desire to do good as a leader..
mula sa cabinet member hanggang sa mga career
service personnel e baka me pag asa.




i have a friend who was being applied sa isang government office,
malakas ang padrino nya pero hindi naman sya nag aask and
hindi nya sinipot ang appointment na ginawa sa kanya dahil
ayaw nya daw..sabi nya what he hears e kahit na matino ka
e mahirap kainin ng sistema.. to which i said, e kung ako yun
e i will take it and see if kakainin talaga ako ng sistema. and if it does
e di aalis ako..

anyhow, there is no perfect system, siguro corruption is as old as
the oldest profession....sa hirap ng buhay ngayon..it is
a bait to commit one...


“The accomplice to the crime of corruption is frequently our own indifference”
Bess Myerson

my kids dancing and singing

my lil boy dancing Sexy Back. he only 8 months old at this video but he love music and singing already.






ABC SONG

my daughter 3 years old singing ABC song, sometimes she remember all the song sometimes she 4got LOL!




glitter-graphics.com

Another months...another days....

WOW my gwapings prince is 10 months already? That definitely seems like some sort of a landmark age ... Two more months to go til the big day .



Well anyway, Happy 10 months my baby boy. Look at you, we've come a long way since 10 months.



Your bones are much stronger that's why you got a reason why you're pre-occupying yourself so much with standing this past few weeks. You're doing just great but please, if you could try to be more patient with seating beside me during our Joyrides i'd be grateful. You always want to stand right behind me and grabbing my hair--atama itaiyo! bad baby! NONETHELESS, those cute little chubby legs and feet do such a good job while holding your lil body steady. Take it slowly baby..




You're becoming less of a grinny gummy smiling baby because you have a new tooth has emerged just few days ago... Looking forward to see more of that beautiful big smile with those pearly white teeth in the coming weeks, months, or years.



SIGH! You're living healthy for almost a year, and that is something to be celebrated . We did but this month, there was no cake nor sparkling wine for me and your papa lol. We took you to a Matsuri (Japanese Festival) at your grandmother house instead, and there, you obviously did enjoyed watching many people dancing at the park of old and young people. I think you were mainly amazed by the dancing crowds. It was just too bad that I forgot to charge our digicam, so clumsy of me. To think that was your first Matsuri.... We dont have photos but still, we got memories. I dont think you would remember though...




Eversince you came, Life has been more colorful than ever. We made it this far, and we're doing good. We have some imperfect times lately but we're figuring it out together. We couldn't have expected how much we would have this kind of happiness and joy in these last 10 months...




Watching you grow is so much enjoyable and fun — on our way to one year!

simple b-day

Niluto kong handa para sa b-day ni mr. simple lang... kasi kami kami lang naman sa bahay ang kakain...next day ng b-day ni hubby nag celebrate ulit kami with his mother naman kumain kami sa BRONCO BILLY western restaurant, favorite place to eat ni hubby, dyan! kapag kami pumasok wala akong naririnig na negative comments from him,...kasi masyadong urusai (maingay)sa panglasa ang hubby ko.... Kapag ang mga bata at ako ang me b-day si mr ko ang nagluluto halos lahat ng putahe, pero kapag sya ang me b-day ako ang nagluluto para sa kanya! mas hilig kasi ni hubby ang magluto, ako di masyado moody ang pagluluto ko. nyehehe! SILIP nalang kayo! kaun tayo!!!

home made Roll Cake

Sponge:
3 egg (separate)
sugar 75g
flour 60g
cocoa 10g
vanilla essence
soft butter 20g

ihanda ang: mold tray with cooking paper on top.

How to: mix the egg hanggang sa mag foam sya, add sugar 2~3 times wag itigil ang pag mix, ilagay ang 1 yellow egg, patakan ng vanilla essence, then saka ilagay ang flour at i add ang butter. ilagay na sa mold na pinatungan ng cooking paper.

Bake for 35 mints, 160c

note: wag ka haluin kasi baka mag melt sya. kailangan malapad ang mold tray para after mabake ng sponge cake ay madali nyo syang mai roll.


Cream
cream 200ml
sugar 40g
vanilla essence

How to: batihing mabuti ang cream at ilagay ang sugar ng 2~3 times saka patakan ng vanilla. set aside.

kapag na bake na po ang sponge cake hiwain sya ng pahaba mga 5 to six slice.then saka nyo po pahiran sa ibabaw ng cream na ginawa nyo.



at kuhain ang isang pice na hiniwa at saka i roll, pag dugtungin nyo lang po ang mga na slice nyong cake para mag porm sya ng big roll size.



depende po kung anong gusto nyong style ng cake.pwede rin pong ganito.




kayo na po ang bahala kung ano ang gusto nyong ilagay sa loob ng roll cake, pwede pong maglagay kayo ng sarisaring fruits or chocolate cream, ect. ito pong b-day cake ni hubby ang anak ko pong 3 years old at 13 years old ang gumawa pinag tulungan po nilang dalawang magkapatid...bale nasa tabi lang nila ako para ituro kung ano-ano ang kanilang gagawin.

Pouty Pouty Face

Rarely pouting shots of my lil boy. Actually, whenever I catch him pouting his lips or whatever, his face, he smiles when he sees my camera.




This girl has the most natural pouty lips I swear, even without my hands .. my daughter, Clarenz

I Feel Jealous

I wish I could sew. I WISH I could sew. I love all the things people make with sewing machines. They are little magic machines. My sewing machine is a torture device. I start working on something that I think I will be able to handle (Pattern says EASY!) , and I start swearing, huffing, and then eventually crying. Ohhh,(wish ko lang my Lola buhay kapa so you can teach me what to do). She is the best at sewing. I think I got robbed in the sewing genetic department.

got this pic from flickr site

I bought a cute pattern off of one of my favorite places to shop–PANDORA-HOUSE.com. It is for this adorable two layered twirl skirt. Heck, the website is called YOU CAN MAKE THIS. But I can’t make anything from there. I suck! I get all flipped out about the bias, right side, wrong side, seams, gathering. The pictures they have just confuse me more. I love all the stuff that people make and I don’t want to go running to my friends all the time when I desire something so cute. Cuz, hey, I would want something cute almost every other day, but I spent the ￥ on the pattern and all the materials.



I hope this cute skirt turns out. I’ll have pictures to post, whatever the outcome. Wish me luck!

Getting my BUTT off the computer....

OK. I hate cleaning. I wish I have a cleaning lady. I hate having a messy house. I am one people that hates clutter, but has it…EVERYWHERE! It is like the plague. I just can’t get rid of it!!! I always feel like I’m trying to declutter or reorganize or use my space better, but I still have stuff–it is coming out the walls. I see pictures of some my online friends homes and they are usually in such beautiful order and I find myself jealous.









So I have decided, I need to get my butt of the computer and clean my freaking house and KEEP IT CLEAN–but that is also a full time job because of my kids and husband. They are like little tornadoes that ravage through my home. Even after I clean (three times a week or more), a couple days later, there is stuff back out and everywhere.







Do I just suck it up and realize that I will always be following behind them and cleaning up their messes? How do I teach them to do it themselves? Hmmmm…. I mean, the laundry is enough to choke a person. What is the most responsible way to handle the chaos?






I’m gonna try to do better, but UGH! It is maddness!