Archive for December, 2008

Getting Fit…

Sunday, December 21st, 2008

In just 5 days is a challenge. I really want to slim my tummy down a bit. I just wanna get into my two-piece swimsuit again… for our Phuket trip. Can you imagine a woman showing off her bulging belly in a two-piece suit? Anyways, I am doing sorts of exercises and cutting down my food intake. I feel much much better after 3 days of doing exercise. Well, it’s always better to lose weight the healthy way. And it’s always better to ensure we have healthy habits.

pregnant-woman-swimming-1Speaking of healthy habits, I remember when I was pregnant that I would always try my best to be healthy. I swam (up to 6 laps – 2-3 times per week) until I was 37th month pregnant with my boy. I ate healthy stuff… okay… I over-ate… but can’t blame a pregnant lady… can you. I actually gained more than I supposed to… like 5 kgs overweight. My second one was better. My diet was rich in fresh fruits and vegetables. And I walked a lot. It is important to be healthy when pregnant. I heard that one of the causes of cerebral palsy in babies is the unhealthy habit of a pregnant woman. So I really encourage all pregnant women to make sure their pregnancy is healthy.

Chocolate Chip Cupcake

Saturday, December 20th, 2008

I am baking choc chip cupcakes from scratch! Yey… I found this recipe from cupcakes-creation.com. The recipes there are so easy. It’s easy to follow for a novice like me. I know I am not expert in baking yet. I still have a lot to learn. I am also learning doing some cupcakes decorations. I never thought that I would be baking now… as I thought I could never bake. Oh well, here’s the choc chip cupcake recipe from scratch.

5 oz (150g) Butter – softened
5 oz (150g) superfine (castor) sugar
6 oz (175g) self-raising flour
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2oz (50g) chocolate chips
Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 350oF (180oC).
2. Line a 12 cup cake pan, with cup cake papers.
3. Crack the eggs into a cup and beat lightly with a fork.
4. Place all the ingredients in a large bowl.
5. Beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes, until light and creamy.
6. Divide the mixture evenly between the cake cases.
7. Add the Choc Chips and mix through.
8. Bake for 18-20 minutes until risen and firm to touch.
9. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.
10. Allow to cool fully before icing.
Notes
Makes 12 cakes.

Guard Your Heart

Wednesday, December 17th, 2008

guard_your_heartGuard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life.

Proverbs 4:23

The heart is, well, the heart of everything else in our lives. We need to guard it in terms of what we let into it and what we let out of it. Both will determine the course of our lives. Being in touch with your own inner truth, whether feelings, thoughts, needs, or desires, is part of it. Living by values built on the Bible is another part. Guarding against destructive images and other negative input is also involved. Above all else, guard your heart! And—it’s one of the most important things we can teach our children.

Having a Good Sleep

Monday, December 15th, 2008

monkey-sleepingThese days, I’ve been having a really good sleep.  I sleep early at night and take afternoon naps with the kids. Such refreshing for me. Good sleep evokes a lot of health benefits. It keeps our heart healthy. It reduces stress. Good sleep makes us more alert too. And another thing is, it can bolster our memory. Aa process called memory consolidation occurs during sleep. While our body may be resting, our brain is busy processing your day, making connections between events, sensory input, feelings and memories. Our dreams and deep sleep are an important time for your brain to make memories and links. Getting more quality sleep will help you remember and process things better.And of course, getting a good sleep can be one of the best acne treatments there is. I am hoping to get a good sleep again tonight.

A Trip To Macau

Monday, December 15th, 2008

sausage-chauricoI already booked my ticket to Macau. I am going with girl-friends in April next year. I am very excited to go because I haven’t been to Macau but heard they have great architectural designs for their buildings. Macau was actually colonized by Portuguese… same with the Philippines. Heard from my friend Macau offers great Portuguese sausage (chaurico). It’s probably the same with our Philippine chorizo. Now I realize, probably we got that dish from Poruguese people when they were in the Philippines. One more thing about Macau is that there’s place like las vegas that has games and things like that. I’m not very interested with that though. I just wanna see the place and take photos.