To Die for Hot Cocoa

Harry's Super Simple, Healthy Hot Cocoa

The secret to this easy recipe? Heat it slowly. Slow heat helps release the antioxidants.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder with 70% or more cacao (such as Scharffen Berger natural cocoa powder or Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa)
2 teaspoons sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup skim or low-fat milk

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and heat gently (do not let it boil), stirring frequently, until cocoa is just beginning to steam. Pour into a mug and enjoy.

EDITOR'S PICK
Valrhona chocolate


Treat yourself to chocolate -- dark, rich, 70% cocoa organic chocolate from Valrhona. Break off a square from the smooth, silky bar and let it slowly melt in your mouth, enveloping your taste buds with a deep, earthy, chocolaty finish. Lowering your blood pressure never tasted so good.

What's Your Blogging Personality?

Your Blogging Type is Kind and Harmonious

You're an approachable blogger who tends to have many online friends. People new to your blogging circle know they can count on you for support. You tend to mediate fighting and drama. You set a cooperative tone. You have a great eye for design - and your blog tends to be the best looking on the block!

What's Your Blogging Personality?

I Am a Lake

You Are a Lake

You are inviting, friendly, and even playful. You are flexible and always up for fun. You are downright cheerful and optimistic. You have a sparkling, radiant spirit. You love relaxation and quiet. However, you are equally able to be entertaining and active. You live a very well balanced life. People find you very easy to be around.

What Body of Water Are You?

Money Matters...

As part of our budgeting plan to save any amount of money we can, we decided to cancel our cable tv and just only keep the internet and phone...and with that, we saved $50 a month...plus we don't really watch much t.v anymore. We also canceled YMCA membership; and that save us another $70, plus walking at the park is free, so why not do it, right? I also think that losing weight is one more thing because don't have to eat more, just enough balanced diet. I better get a job, too, just need to convince my husband because he doesn't want me to. I also think that by working outside home will help my mind free from worries, be more productive while earning, right? It has been awhile since my last job, it will be hard but I know, I'll get used to it since I love working. I guess need to start finding job now! Wish me luck, friends :-)!

Thank You All from the Bottom of My Heart!

I would like to thank All who greeted me on my birthday. You, guys know who you are, so I will never mention names here because I am afraid I might miss to some names here. Thanks for your friendship and for untiring visits, comments and messages on my blog:-)! May God Bless You All!

Mommy Moments - Siblings/Cousins Bonding

I am really enjoying the Mommy Moments so much... so here's my entry for this week :-); hope you, guys will enjoy them. Join us guys by clicking the logo below!



This was the latest pictures Cody and Jacob, taken last Christmas of 2008
...they were playing with the toys they got from Santa...
and this one was went we went at the children' museun in Durham, ND...
playing with water and sandbox...
in Cody backyard, riding the bikes.
They were enjoying the visit at Botanical Garden in Richmond, VA...
and then playing in the playground ...
and the swing...they loved it.and then, these last two pics. were the first trip we have in Virginia and North Carolina
These photos are taken when we first visit my family in summer of 2007...he was with his seond cousin, Megan in Isabela...here was with other second cousin, Bianca.
His cousins, Maureen, Ara and Camille during my nieces recognition day....my eldest niece was at school.
...this was before my youngest niece went to school :-).
That's all folks :-), you guys have a nice day!

Tips on Managing Diabetes

The Brief Way to Better Blood Sugar

This article from Real Age is very timing because I have type2 Diabetes and is now heading to taking insulin since the medicine I have been taking is not giving me any help. My Blood sugar level is still high. I don't want to take insulin and the only thing I know to avoid it is by exercising and eating foods good foods such as vegetables, fruits, meat and low carb foods. Not eating too foods rich in carbs like rice, pasta, bread and sugary foods to name a few is very important in maintaining blood sugar level. Anyway, if you have diabetes, these tips are for you, too! Turns out short and sweet could be a good strategy when it comes to reducing your risk of blood sugar problems like diabetes.If we're talking about exercise, that is. Men in a small study who added short, intense bursts of activity to mini workouts seemed better able to metabolize sugars.

Short, Fast, and Furious
Here's how the study worked. Each man worked out on a stationary bike three times a week for a minimum of 17 minutes per session. Sounds pretty doable. Then, during the sessions, they threw in a handful of 30-second bursts of high-intensity cycling. Again, not too taxing. After the bursts, they rested or cycled slowly for 4 minutes. Even better! The result? When the men were given the equivalent of a meal's worth of glucose at the end of the study, their bodies metabolized it better than before the study. (Here's another activity you should do less of -- for better blood sugar control.)

Just a Little Helps a Lot
Researchers suspect that bursts of intensity during workouts elicit stronger contractions and therefore more glucose uptake in the large muscles attached to bones. But high-intensity cardio isn't the only type of exercise that can impact blood sugar. Here's another type that may help control it.

A Loyal Friend, says Dr. Phil :-)

Amazing how accurate the result of the The Dr. Phil's personality test is! He got it right! Trust is very important to me; and once you break that trust and honesty, it is very hard for me to give back the same trust I have given before.

Others see you as sensible, cautious, careful & practical. They see you as clever, gifted, or talented, but modest. Not a person who makes friends too quickly or easily, but someone who's extremely loyal to friends you do make and who expect the same loyalty in return. Those who really get to know you realize it takes a lot to shake your trust in your friends, but equally that it takes you a long time to get over it if that trust is ever broken.

A Surprised Package from IZEA!!!

I was surprised when I opened the door after hearing a noise outside, It was a green package inside a plastic bag. And when I took it out of the bag, I saw a green package address to mine from IZEA! Yehey, I got a nice presents from them; I didn't expect to received one from them and there it was right in front of me. I immediately opened the package and found nice stuffs to be used on St. Patrick Day tomorrow! Wow, I got a green shirt, candies, sucker, lei's, fortune cookies, pencils, fake tattoo, sticker and blu frog energy drinks. I am now ready to celebrate the green day :-), hurray!

I would like to thank IZEA for this wonderful gifts; thank you so much IZEA from the bottom of my Heart! And Have a great day tomorrow. Good luck and thanks for everything you do for us, the bloggers :-)

Something Green for Tomorrow!

It is funny when you started to forget a special occasion like birthday especially if it is your own. Yup, I thought today is only the 12th of March, but it wasn't. I thought St. Patrick Day will be next week; so I forgot to return the form for Teacher's treat on St. Patrick Day. Now I need to come up with a snack for my son to bring to school tomorrow; it should be something green. Key Lime would not be the one for sure now that it would be tomorrow. I need to go to grocery store to see if there is something already made.

Amazing Dolphins, Making Bubbles!

My family and I love Dolphins, in fact we went to Seaworld in San Antonio two years ago and have enjoyed watching Dolphins did some tricks; we even fed them. It was a fun and enjoyable experienced. Anyway, if you and your family are heading to Florida for a spring break or summer vacation, you might want to consider going to Seaworld where interesting thing going on with the Dolphins. I heard that the Dolphins residing on Orlando's Seaworld's Dolphin Cove are making Dolphin Bubbles. Watch them play and create underwater bubble rings. I am sure you will enjoy interaction with their trainers and educators on site. I saw the video myself with my son and really enjoyed it. It is amazing to see them make bubbles. For me, they are very intelligent animals to do such thing, don't you think? They were even aired on ABC's World News with Charles Gibson! Take the opportunity to play with them by watching how they play with the ring bubbles underwater. Most people don't knowhow to blow a bubbles but dolphins do. Who knows, by watching them, you can learn blow bubbles, too! So, watch the Dolphin video now and see it for yourself. Don't miss this great experience with your family. After watching the video, my son wouldn't stop telling me how much he wanted to see it in person.

Mommy Moments - Sleep Time

If you guys want to join us at Mommy Moments, just click the logo below and share your special moments with your child/children.
Here are some of the pictures of Jacob taken when he was sleeping. I thought of putting few pictures of me and Jacob sleeping which were taken by my husband, but then again... no; they look funny though!
He was only 1 and a 1/2 month old here...
sleeping on his side...
on Daddy's tummy...it felt like a bed lol :-)
on Mommy's lap...looks like I was asleep, too!
and on the couch :-).

Is it Spring Yet?

My son is having a great time with the weather we have been having lately; after the cold snow for more than a week ago, here come the Spring. He has been playing with our neighbor's kids here whom he came to know by riding the school bus every morning. I am glad these kids are very nice to my son, they watch after him since he is the youngest. We watched them played outside secretly and really can see how so much fun they were having. Now my son wouldn't go a day without playing with them. Finally, my son has found a way to socialize, not to mention he found a new friend his age in the person of Danny. The bad thing about this is that he gets so much stimulation enough to give him a nightmare or bad dream, and that wakes him up in the middle of the night crying inconsolably for at least half an hour. I hope as he plays with friends everyday after school, that bad dream with eventually subside.

Random Question Meme

I stole it from HERE! Join us and have fun, too!

1. How old do you look? I am not sure, but people say I look younger than my age :-)

2. Where do you live? North of Richmond

3. Are you waiting for something? Yup, to see my family back home.

4. What’s one pet peeve of yours that is not common? People who pretend to know nothing.

5. Do you want/have kids? I have one in here and one in heaven.

6. Have you ever thought about converting your religion? No, not at all!

7. Last shocking news you heard? I can't remember.

8. What was the last thing you drank? Water

9. Who do you most look like in your family? Mom or Dad, I guess :-)

10. If you could have something right now, anything, what would it be? Have my parents here by my side.

11. Where does most of your family live? Philippines

12. Where did you grow up? Philippines Island

13. Where do you want to go on vacation? Italy

14. Have you ever had a panic attack? Yes, when my son was shocking.

15. What can’t you wait for? See my family again.

16. When is the last time you told someone you loved him or her and meant it? Half an hour ago to my husband before he goes to bed.

17. Have your parents ever smoked pot? My Dad still smokes.

18. Want someone back in your life? My sister whom I never met.

19. What do you order at the bar? I don't go to the bar.

20. When was the last time you cried really, really hard? Two years ago.

21. Ever licked someone’s cheek? No! Ewww.

22. What is your favorite thing to eat with peanut butter? Wheat Bread

23. Where were you on July 4th, 2008? Home with my family.

24. What are your nicknames? Cecile, Ces, Cici, Cel

25. If you could go back in time, how far back would you go? I wouldn't want to go back at all.

I Am an Adventurous Eater!

Your Refrigerator Says You Are an Adventurous Eater

You aren't greedy, but you don't really deprive yourself either. You strike a good balance with the stuff you buy. You are a very thrifty person. You don't like to waste money... or food. You are a very adventurous person. You love to try new things, and you get bored very easily. You are responsible, together, and mature. You act like an adult, even when you don't feel like it. You are likely to be married - and very busy.

What Do the Contents of Your Refrigerator Say About You?

My husband and I love to try new things like foods. We go to a restaurant which is new to us and that is how we find out the taste or cuisine of other country. I am also a very frugal person when it comes to food. I don't waste it because there are lots of people who aren't fortunate as I am to have foods on their tables. It is also a blessing from God. When it comes to food, I love healthy food because that what I ate growing up.

My Son's Breakfast Today

My son woke up early this morning hungry, so I asked him what he wants for breakfast and he went to the pantry and took these foods out and the yogurt in refrigerator. I if funny because he calls his cereal brown cereal :-).

There it is, I didn't have to make him breakfast. I have special K for breakfast also with banana and a glass of crystal light drink/juice.

Randomness

1. What are you doing​ Sunday?​​ My family and I are going to church.
2. Do you feel awkward when strang​er say hi to you? Yes.
3. Is anything​ upset​ting you right​ now? Yes, the SS is making me mad with the opps I got. When it was time for me to submit the opps, there was no blog assignment, it is gone!
4. Have you ever seen someone you knew and purposely avoided seeing them? Yes.
5. Do you know anyone with such a terribly annoying voice that you can't even stand it? Yes, but I can't remember anymore who that person was.
6. Any message for your ex love? Be happy!
7. Do you announce when you have to pee? No. Why should I?
8. Do you give out second chances easily? It depends...
9. Have you ever cried from being so mad? Yes. I did.
10. Last time you read a text message and smiled? I don't get a text messages anymore since my family and I decided to use computer when we communicate.