KUYA DANIEL!!!

We have learned recently that Daniel will be a big brother!!!! Yes, I am pregnant and expecting yet before the end of the year! Daniel kisses my tummy and says, "Baby." I know he will be the best big brother because he has such a soft and caring heart! We are so excited about the news and are even more excited to share it with our blogging friends and family! I ask for your prayers as the baby grows more and more and we get closer to the day of delivery...probably in November!! We are sooooo excited to watch our family grow!!!!!

IT PAYS TO COMPARE

Many bloggers and website owners are looking for a good web hosting company. Rather than using the free hosting that is often available but limited, many choose to link their domain up to a quality web host where the capabilities are more vast. The only question is which host is the best for your blog or website.

Their is a great website called Web Hosting Geeks that does web hosting comparisons and web hosting rating so you can easily compare and contrast the various web hosting services available. Also they show web hosting award recipients, web hosting reviews and have a dedicated section for webmasters. You can also read more about the comparisons in their web hosting blog. They blog about the web hosting industry and the current events that impact it along with all kinds of web hosting advice. If you are looking at making a change in your web host or seeking more information about implementing a web host service for your site, please click on the above link and you will have access to the best information available on the top web hosts so you can make the best decision for your blog or site. When it comes to web site hosting, it's important to have all the information available for comparison purposes to make the best choice. Web Hosting Geeks is the site that gives you all the information you need. Give them a look today!

TOO MUCH STRESS AT WORK??

The following are short clips of people getting too stressed out at work!! Appropriate for a Friday?? I think so.................enjoy!!

WELCOME TO OWEN KEITH!!

We want to make a special post for our good friend Cathy from Me and My World and congratulate her and her husband on the birth of their second child, sweet little Owen Keith. He is not only sweet but very cute and adorable. If you want to pinch his cheeks you will have to stand in line!!!!! Congratulations to Cathy and Rick and big sister Aviia!! By the way, Cathy made the cute hat Owen is wearing.............check out her website for more of her creations!!

GO BLU!!

Energy drinks abound in the marketplace today. Very big cans and very small cans of liquid advertised to energize you....they do energize but with tons of sugar and caffeine. But now there is a great and healthy alternative to drinks such as Red Bull, Hype, KMX and others. It is called BluFrog!! Check out the great colors and design of their can to the left. Not only does it taste great and it is healthier than the rest, but you can actually win great prizes just by visiting their website.

BluFrog is sponsoring a contest where you don't even have to buy anything to win. Simply visit their website and check out the rules....here they are:

Place a comment on our contest page, sharing within your comment which experience you want to win and why.

Use Twitter to tweet out why BLU Frog is better in 140 characters or less.

Write a blog post about our contest and which experience or prize you would choose if you won.

What prizes can you win? Try on these for size - a trip to New York or Chicago, an ultimate gaming package, a trip to Orlando or Aspen....which would you like? For me and my family, we will take the Happy Blu Year package to New York. New York is gorgeous in the winter with snow on the ground and the freezing weather......good for snuggling! For a more comprehensive explanation of the rules, simply visit their website.

For a great new energy drink that is a healthy alternative to the rest, and for a chance to win one of five tremendous prizes, simply click the above link and check out BLU Frog today!!

FILIPINOS - REGISTER TO VOTE!!!!

The number of Filipinos overseas who have registered to vote in next year’s presidential, senatorial, and local elections has surpassed the 100,000 mark, the Overseas Absentee Voting Secretariat of the Department of Foreign Affairs said.

ATTENTION FILIPINOS LIVING OUTSIDE THE PHILIPPINES - TIME TO RISE AND SHINE!!!!!!!!!

If you have not yet registered to vote then do so now!! Here's a website to get more information. Registration for overseas Filipinos started on February 1 and will end on August 31. Here's the rest of the story. And by the way, who are you going to vote for...and please don't say Manny Pacquiao.?!?!? And by the way, who will count our votes?

CARING FOR OUR DOGS

Dogs are great - in fact, they are my favorite kind of pet. Of all the animals in the world, dogs are the best. To the left is a picture of my husband and the late Theodore...his all-time favorite pet. I know there are many dog owners out there right now reading and so you can identify with the following problems we have with our dogs - itching and scratching, shedding, smells bad. Most dog owners would agree that the above are hygiene issues that almost all dogs face and sometimes, hard to control. That's why the folks at Dinovite have engineered a solution for the above problems, especially shedding.

Dinovite has a comprehensive line of products including supplements that contain delicate nutrients, digestive enzymes, vitamins, amino acids and fatty acids that can't survive the cooking process of most dog foods. Another great product is their shampoo that is all natural, soothing and have essential oils necessary for proper grooming. Their solutions center contains all the information necessary for finding the right products that suit your dog.

Here are two intriguing facts from their website:

1. Healthy dogs, no matter what their breed DO NOT shed year around.
2. Dogs should not stink, itch or scratch all night long.

If you are a dog owner, simply click either of the above links and check out the great solutions Dinovite has for your dog. Be sure to check out their website today!

IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING....

Twenty-two beauties competed on Thursday, June 11 in the 2009 search for Miss Iriga City, Miss Rinconada and Miss Tourism held open-to-the-public at the city’s open-air coliseum.

Doesn't seem like the biggest pageant in the world but what caught my attention was one of the contestants answer to the following question:

"If you could change one thing in the Philippines, what would it be?"

Her answer was not exactly politically correct like most pageant contestants answers have become. Let's see, "I would change the hunger crisis, I would change the poverty of the Philippines, I would change....." blah, blah. But her answer was very profound and actually would change the Philippines a lot - here's her answer. "If you could change on thing in the Philippines, what would it be?" Her answer - "I would change the President!" Bravo. Here's the whole article.

ATTENTION PHOTOGRAPHERS

Photography is huge all over the world as we love to capture the moment on film and save it and even share with those we love. In addition, there are many people who are taking an interest in even finding a paid job as a photographer. Now there is a quality website you can go to not only find a photographer in your area but to also find photography jobs.

In searching for a photographer, you can post your job online and receive quotes from various photographers in your area. As well, you may peruse Photography Jobs that you may be interested in yourself. PhotographersQuote.com is an excellent website for the avid photographer or for those looking for a photographer. Be sure to check out their site today!

POOR, POOR IMELDA

When she emerged in public last week, Imelda Marcos wept and declared herself destitute. But the former first lady of the Philippines can keep a $310 million cache of jewelry confiscated from her 23 years ago, the government in Manila, Philippines said Monday. This is possible because the government forgot to officially lay claim to the jewels. Nice.

But appearances aren't everything as I am told poor Imelda maybe isn't so poor after all. I think her destitution lies within her own heart. When confronted about her multi-million dollar jewelry collection she said, ".....much of the jewelry had been intended to decorate religious images like tiaras for the Blessed Virgin Mary." Likely excuse and what's more, the Blessed Virgin Mary doesn't want or need jewelry and other decorations around her. Rather, she would require humility and obedience. Is the Blessed Virgin materialistic? I think not.....but Imelda sure is. Here's the story of another political blunder in the Philippines.

IN THE ROOMS

Many people struggle with issues such as alcohol, drugs, gambling and overeating. These are serious issues that alter a person's lifestyle and notoriously do damage to yourself, family and friends. The sad part is that many do not seek help. But now there is a great website that offers the kind of help many are looking for. It is a comprehensive database of meetings geared toward those seeking recovery in their particular area of need. The site is called In The Rooms.

In The Rooms is a website that can help you find the nearest Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Gamblers Anonymous (GA), Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Overeaters Anonymous (OA) meetings. It is formed as a Wiki which means it is open to editing and management of its members. In other words, if information is missing or needs editing, you as a member are in a position to add to or correct the database. It is the most comprehensive and accurate meeting database of its kind.

InTheRooms Meetings can guide you to virtually any State and from there, you can select from the towns listed to see where the meeting of interest is being held. I searched the site and found our hometown listed with several meeting places. The site is easy to use and as stated earlier, is a Wiki so that the registered members can manage the database themselves. For more information or to simply check and see what meetings are in your area, just click the above link and you will be taken to their website.

WHAT'S THAT SMELL??

Coming home from work is my favorite time of the day. Daniel is waiting for me in our garage and wants to get in the driver's seat of the car and "help" Daddy park the car in the garage! And my beautiful wife also is waiting for me at the top of the stairs from our garage. Last Friday was no different except when I got to the top of the stairs to kiss my wife, I smelled something funny. Actually is was not too funny but "kind of" bad. The first words out of my mouth were, "What's that smell?" Sorry Filipinos, but the smell of shrimp paste makes me....ok, it's not my favorite. I love Filipino food but I have had a hard time adjusting to the shrimp paste thing. Here's the deal in our house - if Daniel eats it, then I will eat it as well. So far so good....for me. The above is actually pretty good because you have mango to dip into the shrimp paste but I still have to say, "What's that smell?" It's all a part of our Fil-Am Journey!

Be on the look out for "What's the Smell - Part 2"!!

RESEARCHING STEM CELLS

New and innovative ways to fight medical diseases are being born everyday. Research is showing over and over that one of the keys to fighting these diseases lies in our blood. And the best source of Stem Cell research is a site called Stem Cell Research News.

Cord blood is one of the more effective ways of fighting diseases such as leukemia, anemia, lymphoma, diabetes and cerebral palsy. The key within the cord blood is the stem cells. This subject can be controversial but also the benefits of such research are numerous:

• Stem Cells to treat diseases - umbilical cord stem cells are known to treat 70 diseases.
• About 30,000 people a year in the United States are diagnosed with a disease that can be treated with cord blood stem cells.
• By the year 2015, there will be 10,000 cord blood transplants world-wide per year using publicly banked cord blood.
• Cryo-Cell is one of the world’s largest and most established family cord blood banks with over 150,000 clients worldwide.1

The value of cord blood and cord blood banking cannot be overstated. There are many resources available to learn more and one of the best websites is Stem Cell Research News. You can access their website by clicking any of the above links. To learn more about this important subject, simply click on any of the above links. The information found is life-saving.

WHAT GOD HAS JOINED TOGETHER....

One Florida couple is starting married life with 182 years of experience between them. Ebenezer Rose, 93, wed 89-year-old Monica Hayden on Sunday in West Palm Beach. I stand back and simply respect them. Of course they are lonely and want companionship before they pass, so they determined to get married after a short courtship. Good for them! Actually they met in their church 20 years ago. Here's the heart-warming story.

A GOOD START IN LIFE

A good start in life for all babies is based on several things, but one of the most important is what they drink. Faced with a ton of choices, most parents sometimes feel confused about which formula is the best for their child. Conforts for Baby has the answer.

First of all, Comforts for Baby "is manufactured to exacting FDA standards in the only ISO 9001:2000–certified, infant formula-manufacturing facility in the United States." Right away you know this is quality formula. They take special care that their formula is completely FDA approved with all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that each and every baby requires in the all important first year of life. This includes the lipids DHA and ARA, choline, lactose and more. And right now Comforts for Baby is holding a contest.

Comforts for Baby is seeking a name for their mascot Firefly. Any ideas? How about Butch or Chip? Just simply click the above link and you will be taken to their website where you can find more details about this contest and how you can enter for a chance to win. Also, be sure to check out their great baby formula and you will find it is superior to any other brand out on the market. Be sure to check out Comforts for Baby today!

A DAY AT THE PARK

Actually it was more like an evening in the park but the photos speak for themselves. We had such a good time and as you can see, before we went to the park, Daniel was allowed to eat his first fudge bar. It was fun watching him eat his way through it and make a mess. We hope you enjoy all these pics!

The beginning of his first fudge bar - ok, he ate from Mommy and Daddy's before but never on his own!!

Trying to figure this thing out!?!?!?

Here is Daniel at the fountain loving the sound and sight of the water and yet calculating how far it is in case he decides to jump.

We took a detour and went to church as well to thank God for our many blessings.

Daddy and Daniel enjoying the beauty of the park as well as the pretty sunset.

Daniel and I are surrounded by beautiful flowers and a memorial honoring our veterans.

I love my husband and son soooooooo much!!!!!!!!!

ALL TIED UP

Authorities arrested a woman for allegedly trying to kidnap her daughter's boyfriend and haul him away to Northern California. This is a hilarious story - here is the headline:

"Mom accused of duct-taping daughter's boyfriend"

That's good stuff. In order to get her daughter and the boyfriend to breakup, the mother kidnapped the boyfriend by tying him up and duct-taping his mouth shut. She then took him to Northern California but was later arrested. Here's the story.

THE BEST MOTORCYCLE PARTS

Motorcycling has come a long way. No longer are you branded as a part of some "gang" if you ride, but motorcycling has become quite the sport for people of all backgrounds. From Honda, Yamaha and Kawasaki to Suzuki, Victory and Harley, motorcycles are being made to fit the personality of almost anyone. With this increased popularity comes the inevitable need to repair your bike as well as replace certain parts. That's why the website Cruiser Customizing is so important. Whether you want to customize your bike with saddlebags or special lighting or simply repair it by replacing the exhaust system, they have everything you will need. They also have parts for your custom bike.

Take a look at their website by simply clicking the above link. Cruiser Customizing is your one stop shop for all your motorcycle needs.

TWO YEAR OLD SMARTER THAN BILL GATES??

The toddler to the right has just been found to have an IQ of 160 - the same as Stephen Hawking......I am sorry but this is so hard to believe. Karina's Mommy had her tested by an specialist education psychologist and she said, 'Karina is a lovely, responsive and friendly little girl,' 'She is more than very bright and capable, she is gifted.' Her IQ actually tested the same as Bill Gates. And to think she is only 2 years old??? Check out the article.

ONLINE AUTO PARTS

I love watching my husband work on our car. He is definitely a do-it-yourself kind of person and that includes our car. He loves to change the oil and even change out different parts of the car. And now there is a great online auto parts store called Great Auto Parts where he and you can buy all kinds of auto parts. There you can buy quality auto parts including car parts, truck parts, import parts, performance parts and automotive accessories. They sell at the lowest prices and shipping on orders over $50 is free! Their auto parts catalog is especially easy to use. Just click the above link and you will be taken to their website where you can peruse their large selection of auto parts backed up by their superior customer service. Check them out today!

DESTINED TO LIVE?

A reservation mix-up, an overbooking and a Brazilian cabbie's passion for soccer are all that saved some would-be passengers on Air France flight 447 from the fate of 228 others who lost their lives in the mid-Atlantic. Now put yourself in their shoes...........booked for a flight that would crash but something came up and you couldn't make it. That is a "come to Jesus" moment if I have ever heard one. It kind of reminds me of the movie "Final Destination." It would be interesting to track the lives of those who were supposed to be on the plane for the next several years to see what they made of their lives. Makes you think.............here's the story.

CEOS WITHOUT COLLEGE DEGREES

I love stories like this. Innovative, ingenious and unbelievably rich people who DID NOT graduate from college. College is not the answer to a good job or a great life. I believe it is very important but for some, it is in no way a step on the ladder to success. It is actually a hindrance (read about Michael Dell who founded Dell Computer). I would never discourage any of our children from going to college, but then again I would never make them go either. Here's the amazing article.

11 YEAR OLD COLLEGE GRADUATE

Moshe Kai Cavalin, 11, is graduating with honors from East Los Angeles Community College this week. And here is what he says about himself, "I consider myself a regular kid who works hard and does his best," He is the only child of a Taiwanese mother and an Israeli father. This young man already has the right perspective on himself....."I work hard and do my best." Watch the above video and be amazed. Here's the story.

OPTICAL ILLUSIONS

Optical illusions are fun.........and confusing..........and frustrating. Sometimes you can easily get them and other times you stop and just give up. Take a look at these and good luck!

Tilt your head to the right and you should read a word in cursive.

Are the ladders going up or down??

Read the "color" and not the word.

Tilt your head to the right, and you'll see a duck. Tilt to the left and you'll see a bunny.

There are actually three faces visible here. An old Scottish man, an elderly woman, and a beautiful young woman looking away.

Can you figure this one out?

Look closely. Do you see a beautiful woman or a guy playing the saxophone?

Three men or chess pieces?

CRYO CELL - THE GIFT OF LIFE

New and innovative ways to fight medical diseases are being born everyday. Research is showing over and over that one of the keys to fighting these diseases lies in our blood. Cord blood is one of the more effective ways of fighting diseases such as leukemia, anemia, lymphoma, diabetes and cerebral palsy. Parents should take note - choosing to store their child’s cord blood can be one of the best decisions they ever make.

The key within the cord blood is the stem cells. This subject can be controversial but also the benefits of such research are numerous. Science can now treat diseases with Stem Cells - umbilical cord stem cells are known to treat 70 diseases. About 30,000 people a year in the United States are diagnosed with a disease that can be treated with cord blood stem cells. By the year 2015, there will be 10,000 cord blood transplants world-wide per year using publicly banked cord blood.

Cryo-Cell is one of the world’s largest and most established family cord blood banks with over 150,000 clients worldwide. Cryo-Cell International is dedicated to educating expectant parents about the benefits of preserving their newborn's cord blood stem cells. And right now as the holiday season is fast approaching Cryo-Cell has made available various gift offers for expectant parents. They are offering the Cryo-Cell Gift Card which is good for a variety of services such as stem cell cord blood preservation service and the collection and cryo preservation (store at a very low temperature) of stem cells. This truly could be one of the most important gifts you could give as this is the kind of gift that lasts a lifetime. For details of this and other current offers, check out their Gifting Page.

The value of cord blood cannot be overstated, especially for parents to be. To learn more about this important subject, simply click on any of the above links. Choose to enroll now - the decision is life-saving.

WOMAN KILLED BY GARAGE DOOR

Chicago police are investigating the death of a 33-year-old woman who was apparently crushed by her garage door on the city's South Side. Once in a while, actually more often than not, the news is filled with sad stories that make you think twice about what reallyl happened? The above"young" lady was crushed by a garage door. Hard to imagine and you wonder if there were other circumstances unless the garage door weighed a ton which none of them do. Anyway, this is one of those "scratch your head" stories. Click the post title to read the rest of the story.

SOGO FOR LIFE!!

SOGO Active is an innovative and progressive new program "by youths for youths." One of the most important things we can pass along to our children to to eat healthy and to stay active and exercise. The typical scenario these days is of a child or children gathered around a television set playing the latest video games or sitting in front of a computer surfing sites that may or may not be good for them. Not exactly the healthiest of activities and for many, that is exactly the problem. That's where SOGO Active comes in.

SOGO Active is a unique program that exists to encourage youth and also to energize them into action. The program gives young Canadians the tools to design, change and control their own individual get active plan. In other words, the power of creative and executing the plan is in the hands of the youth. This requires inspiration and discipline on the part of the youth and that's where SOGO Active helps build in the structure to make it successful. Within the program there exists a network of provincial and territorial organizations that will help activate the program and keep things on track. In addition there are organizations that will assist with access to facilities, equipment and resources that these youth will require for their activities and games.

SOGO Active is a beacon these days providing an outlet for youth to take control of their lives by being more active and physical. A sharp body most often means a sharp mind and that is critical for our youth. I would encourage you to to click the above link and check out for yourself this wonderful organization and the great work they are doing.

FILIPINO ON AIR FRANCE

A Filipino was among the 228 people on Air France Flight 447 that probably crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday evening, the Philippine embassy in Brazil said on Tuesday.

The sad truth is that we may not really ever find out what happened. Even more sad is that a fellow countryman was on the flight. I believe he was a seaman and his boat docked in Brazil. Per the DFA press release from June 2, 2009, "The Filipino was identified as Arden Jugueta, a seafarer whose vessel docked in Rio de Janeiro and who was to take a connecting flight from Paris to Manila." Our hearts and prayers go out to his family and to all the families of those who lost loved ones.

BEEWELL MILES FOR A GOOD CAUSE

Breast cancer is serious business. Everyone knows this. And there are many good and worthy organizations that do a lot for this cause. One of those is Bumble Bee Foods. And right now, from 4/1/09-10/31/09, Bumble Bee Foods will donate $0.15 per mile for every mile logged at BeeWellMiles.com (up to $200,000) to help the Breast Cancer Network of Strength. BeeWell Miles - this program was created to make it easy to get active, one step at a time - here are some of the benefits of the program:

• Interact with our panel of experts and read their weekly blogs
• See how your activity/nutrition offset each other with our Activity/Nutrition Balance
• Interact with other guests and share ideas/tips in our Community forums
• Find walking/running events in your area

Do you know someone with breast cancer? We do and it, like any other cancer, is an especially difficult road to journey. If you log just 2 miles per day during this promotion, you will help contribute around $65 toward this cause. If you had 5 or 10 friends to match you, suddenly that becomes almost $500 Bumble Bee will contribute. It quickly adds up and as you know, many people are in need of quick action when it comes to breast cancer. My friend and I walk 2 miles per day and try our best to walk everyday. Although we haven't walked every single day, we are committed to do this as often as possible.

The picture to the left was taken from one of our walks we had on a beautiful day at Stone Mountain. After logging the miles, it felt so good to know we are helping those who have this terrible disease and furthermore, we are helping our friend with breast cancer. So how many BeeWell Miles can you log? By clicking the previous link, you can get more information about this important cause as well as other information about living a healthy lifestyle. Be sure to check them out today!

BIRTHDAY FUN!!

We attended a birthday party this past weekend and had a great time. Of course we want to share the pics with you and we hope you enjoy them!

Daniel and his Daddy running through the water coming from the water slide!! Daniel giggled the whole time!

The hosts had a 4-wheeler and guess who wanted to be the first to drive?? He's all boy!!

Here I am with my good friend Eleanor - she is the proud Mommy of the birthday girl!


Hubby showing our son the finer points of learning to drive! I think Daniel will learn to drive before me?!?!

What would a birthday party be without a pinata?? Here is the birthday girl going for the candy!

And here is Miah, the pretty birthday girl!! Happy Birthday and congratulations on a great birthday party!

Lastly, here are some of the kids gathering for a picture. Everyone had a great time and a special thank you to Miah for inviting us to your wonderful birthday party!