My New Year's Resolutions . . . for Life!

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Today, January 1, 2012  is the first day of our new life. I’m thinking new years resolutions, plans, goals and as I call these my commitments. I'm really determined to do my new years solutions and all. I've written down my guidelines and I hope that it will help me to make realistic goals.

As I’m doing my notes, most things are running inside my brain. It is just not new years resolution but simple and right things to do. Things to do forever, for life!  I'm just sharing these thoughts in my mind now. 

- Think positively. If you don't believe in yourself then no one else will. I have read and heard many times a quote and advice.  "If you believe it, you can achieve it." Positive thinking creates success. Life will get better and better as you welcome the positive. Believe in yourself and don't look back.

- Open to all possibilities. Great things will happen in our life because we are open to all possibilities. By opening ourselves up, we will be able to learn from so many people with different backgrounds. We will learn and experience amazing things.

- Trust , don't worry.  Trust is important. Don’t worry about anything but trust. Stop worrying but trust you are doing exactly what you are meant to be doing. When we trust, we allow and when we allow our experiences instead of trying to manipulate them or force them into our limited vision of what should be, our lives expand and every day becomes a miracle right now. And beautiful, positive and perfect change just happens without our needing to worry about a thing.We have expectations but we should not to have many.  Learn to go with the flow. Have trust and be appreciative with the present happenings in life. Know that whatever we experience will be a great learning experience. It will give us enriching moments.

-Be Responsible. You have to start being responsible. Everyday of our lives we think of some situation we wish we had handled differently. We can make certain the actions we do every day is not filled with similar regrets. That's all we need to remember when we decide how to behave in the present. We won't be ashamed in the future, if we take charge of our present. It really is not hard you just have to be consistent in everything you do. Be dependable and responsible.To me the most important thing is always being your self.

- Be Happy. Simply do the things that make us happy, simply love the activities. Let’s be happy because we are doing what we love to do. Be happy with what we have, not just what we want. I understand. It really seems to be part of human nature to want. Just to want more and want better and want something new.

I have a very favorite quote :"The Happiest people don't have everything they want...but they make the most out of what they already have!"

Be happy by accepting the changing world. We are all part of this one being called “life as we know it” and it is always changing. Nothing really appears or disappears but it is always changing around. Every situation is temporary.

Share happiness with everyone you live with, family, relatives, friends, people we see around. Having compassion and making others happy will make you more happy.

Year 2012 is going to be "our" happy year in our wonderful world! 

Making Your Own Christmas Gifts on a Budget

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Christmas is a very special and exciting holiday. This is a time of year to get together with friends and family to talk about activities, fun times, eat great and delicious food, appetizers and delectable desserts and to exchange Christmas presents.

Christmas seems to get more expensive every year. To save money, you can start making some of your own gifts, and it is not as hard as you would think!

Everyone is always having trouble finding gifts that are different or gifts that will be remembered.  Just try to have an easy, stress-free Christmas.  Think simple gift ideas for everyone on your list. Be sure you make a list of all the people you need to buy gifts.

Christmas presents can either be store bought or they can be homemade. This choice depends on the mood and creativity of the gift giver. This mean more to people because they are something that you took the time to prepare. Homemade Christmas gifts that anyone  appreciate it and would enjoy and feel happy. These gifts express love that you could possibly give. It is from the heart.

There are homemade gifts that will be appreciated and chances are you'll save money in the preparing it. Making it now and while everyone's still shopping, you'll be enjoying Christmas happy days instead of getting tired and fighting holiday crowds.

I’m thinking to make a simple gift basket ideas. Why buy an expensive gift basket when you could make a much better one for anyone on my list. Boutique Christmas gift baskets are expensive. It is much more economical to make our own gift baskets. We are really  going to stores. We see in the groceries and supermarkets  many items to make a great Christmas gift baskets. Buy items to be put together in a gift basket, preparing for someone's favorite items or treats.

Another gift suggestion, is food, the favorite dish. If you know how to cook , think what is probably a dish that is their favorite. This is  great homemade gift that will make them very happy. It is just a fact that people love to eat.

Chocolates and cookies are great.  This is really an  easy homemade Christmas gift. If you know how to bake and make a chocolate, that’s great! If not, just buy them from the stores and make a mix of it. Put in a box or can or include it in the homemade basket gift.

Very simple and will deeply appreciate is a compact disc of music. It’s an easy to download music and favorite songs you can compile in a compact disc. Sometimes there are songs that remind you of your gift recipient. This homemade Christmas gift is something that anyone would love and treasure forever.

There are many ways to make easy , creative and economical gifts for our love ones and people we care.

Enjoy make the homemade gifts and happy holidays! 

Lovely Weddings , Exquisite Beauty

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Lovely weddings are exquisite beauty, a natural and it comes from all the goodness and love from the heart.

Seeing wonderful events like weddings over the world is a lovely and beautiful happenings that inspires me. 

Many wedding gowns design elegantly in different styles , colors and by tradition and comfort. In our days, many wedding gowns are seen wear in white to signify virginity and purity. Looking at many lovely weddings, I’m really amazed at different wedding outfits for ladies.

It’s interesting elegant wedding gowns design for women who shows simplicity, looks attractive and beautiful with a stunning look.

Beautiful wedding gowns design offers you the style and comfort you want with the practicality you need. Whatever the personal style is, you find a design a gorgeous formal elegant outfit that is fit for you, the lovely bride. With the wedding outfit you move with beauty, style and elegant.

I’ve been seen many designs  especially great styles and collection, specially occasion wear range specializes in wedding outfits for ladies, mother of the bride outfits and mother of the bride dresses.

Whether you are looking for elegant and beautiful, for traditional or something more contemporary,wedding designers, wedding shops have for weddings and special occasion outfits that you select the right for you and for weddings guests too.

A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes

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We dream when we fall asleep. We dream many different things. And we live as we dream. The best dreams happen when we are awake. To accomplish great things, we must not only act but also dream, not only dream but also believe.  Wherever you go, go with all your heart. You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it come true. However, we may have to work for it. Dreams come true when we wake up in them. As we dream, so we become. As we create our wishes, so they create us. I know God will not give us anything we can't handle.  Our lives will be changed, will be better and be exactly what we dream and we wish.

I have my dreams, i believe that my dreams will come true.  And my dream - is a wish my heart makes.

A dream is a wish your heart makes

When you're fast asleep

In dreams you lose your heartaches

Whatever you wish for, you keep

Have faith in your dreams and someday

Your rainbow will come smiling thru

No matter how your heart is grieving

If you keep on believing

the dream that you wish will come true

Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" is a song written and composed by Mack David, Al Hoffman and Jerry Livingston for the Walt Disney film Cinderella (1950). In the song Cinderella (as sung by Ilene Woods) encourages her animal friends to never stop dreaming, and that theme continues throughout the entire story.

A Social Network Christmas

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This is one of the best clips I've seen in Facebook! I am moved and enjoyed watching about the Nativity, FB style.

This video is an artistic take on how the story of the nativity might have read had a social network existed at the time of Jesus's birth. Follow this historical period as it unfolds as a digital narrative. This vignette is great for highlighting the truths and circumstances of our Savior's birth in a fresh, unique way.

This project is completely relevant to the times we live and yet gives a simple yet clear version of the Christmas story. One of the best on the site. Godly creativity at it's best. One of the most creative videos in some time.

The sweet irony of this piece is that it uses the internet-context of how we share our personal lives, experiences, doubts, fears and joys today to humanize and make relevant an eternal event from 2,000 years ago.  At least the Social Network Christmas focuses on the story as real, and it spends some time thinking about the social consequences for Mary and Joseph too. Surely if we’re going to do any outreach beyond the “happy make feel nice” level at Christmas, we need to be telling it as a story that actually happened? 

This have the right combination of biblical text and modernisms. Great song behind it , "O Come O Come Emmanuel."

O Come O Come Emmanuel Lyrics

O come, O come, Emmanuel

And ransom captive Israel

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free

Thine own from Satan's tyranny

From depths of Hell Thy people save

And give them victory o'er the grave

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer

Our spirits by Thine advent here

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night

And death's dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,

And open wide our heavenly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high,

And close the path to misery.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,

Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height,

In ancient times didn't give the Law,

In cloud, and majesty and awe.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.  

I Have A Dream, a song to sing.

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I like this song very much. I always listen to this song and hear different versions of a talented and wonderful groups and singers. I like the words , I have many dreams, I have fantasy, I believe in angels . . .  and so I want to sing and cope up with many things ! :)

"I Have a Dream" was recorded before they adopted the name Libera and were using the name Angel Voices. I think it's okay because they sing just like angels. Libera, a boy's group from the UK.

"I Have a Dream" is a song by Swedish pop group ABBA. The song was written by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus and was taken from the group's 1979 album. I always take the time to listen to these beautiful lyrics, I just love Abba and their beautiful voices, sang with love and from the heart! Also Westlife released a cover of "I Have a Dream" in December 1999, twenty years after ABBA's original release. It is in Unbreakable - The Greatest Hits Vol I. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy4QFwDPb9o I Have a Dream Lyrics:  I have a dream, a song to sing To help me cope with anything If you see the wonder of a fairy tale You can take the future even if you fail I believe in angels Something good in everything I see I believe in angels When I know the time is right for me I’ll cross the stream - I have a dream I have a dream, a fantasy To help me through reality And my destination makes it worth the while Pushing through the darkness still another mile I believe in angels Something good in everything I see I believe in angels When I know the time is right for me I’ll cross the stream - I have a dream I’ll cross the stream - I have a dream I have a dream, a song to sing To help me cope with anything If you see the wonder of a fairy tale You can take the future even if you fail I believe in angels Something good in everything I see I believe in angels When I know the time is right for me I’ll cross the stream - I have a dream I’ll cross the stream - I have a dream

Post Reunion Random Thoughts

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As far as I remember , after graduating from high school , I haven’t seen many of my classmates and batchmates for 30 years, except of course for some  who became my college class/schoolmates. But then even they, after college, we separated ways.

At first I thought reunions of good old friends here in today’s social network sites  like facebook , friendster (!) is fine enough. But I decided to come to this reunion in January , with excitement, and curiosity. It’s not a very formal reunion anyway. Just a get together sort of our batch.  I was excited to see my old friends, my classmates, clubmates , bandmates  and all.  Curious to see familiar faces and see how they all  have turned out after so many years! I have a good memory of people and events. I am a nostalgic sort of a person. It’s so fun to reminisce things over and over again! Sometimes I think I’m stuck in my childhood.  I think a part of me never grew up.

  

The night was so good, the organizers did a great job. Some of our teachers also showed up. There was a buffet dinner, cocktails, a video presentation of old pictures, a very lively program , games, great speeches. There was also a silent moment of prayer while pictures of  batchmates who died are being shown.

Picture takings are  everywhere as some do  table hopping to greet batchmates of familiar faces. It’s a joy to recognize people immediately and see they looked better than before. Even more joyful when they recognized you at once and tell you haven’t change a bit !  My closest friends’ private joke was , “Oh my, so I looked this matured 30 years back then!! Ha ha ha.”

After the program, and more picture takings, music of 80’s were played and people danced as if they were on their JS prom!  T’was really good to be young again! Some just enjoyed watching. What a night ! It ended with see you soon, see you in fb, email me, call me, text me farewells.

Everyone seemed to be pleased to see each other.  But just one  night of catching up of three decades of being apart wasn’t enough. Almost every group went separately,  in different places, bars , restaurants , or in our case, we went to one of  our classmates’ condominium unit in Makati to cap the night with more stories and plans of more reunions. That was Saturday night , ended until the morning , lunchtime of Sunday!

I’m so glad I went to that evening of celebration of our youth and adulthood, a night of fun and surprises . And yes, it will never stop, as more batchmates and classmates are suddenly coming out to join us. Oh well, reunions and re discovering of people…really never stops, never stops adding color to what we call  Life!

Everything Flies ! Hot Air Balloons at Pampanga

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I always remember happy trips and exciting festivals i experience to witness.

Last year, 2010, I went to 15th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta was held in Clark Freeport, Pampanga from February 11 to 14, 2010. It is an annual event that features not just hottest balloons but also different aerial exhibitions such as sky diving , aircraft flight demonstration , Aerobic Airshow, Kite Flying competition, and many more .

Me and my husband were able to attend the last day which is Feb. 14, our Valentine’s day date actually. We left Manila in the evening of Feb 13, arrived at Clark before midnight. All hotels were fully booked! So we just strolled around Clark , stay in McDonald’s until 2 am.

We were at the venue around 4:30 AM. The queue to the parking area, as well as the main entrance of the show area was very long. But you can see the excitement from the people.

 It was amazing to witness how hot air balloons unfolded from the trucks ,get inflated ,  burst with fire and finally fly up up away to the sky !

 At around 6 am  the Philppine National anthem was played with a sky jumper carrying a Philippine Flag.

 Moments later , the beautiful sky was filled with different shapes and varied colors of flying balloons !

It was also a great venue for photo enthusiasts, amateur and professionals, with their cp cameras, digicams, videocams, high end cameras and even webcam from their laptops ! 

 

 

It was a fun-filled weekend , full of surprises, filled with everything that flies ! I always hope to be back  !!! 

Caleruega Church Nasugbu Batangas– Close to Nature, Close to God

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I enjoyed celebration of my nth birthday by fulfilling my wish to go to a very peaceful place , a church so beautiful and serene. I felt I’m near to heaven, near to God,  one of the  blessed places in  the world – the Caleruega Church.  Located in Nasugbu, Batangas,  in a little bit off to Tagaytay City.

Just entering the place, you can see a colorful place of pathways with rows of flowers and a wonderful green hills and landscape, in many directions are breathtaking sceneries.  The chapel, is in the top of the hill, it ‘s not so big , but the whole place ,you’ll really feel close to nature, closer to God, in a peaceful beautiful paradise! It’s is a good place to be peace and quite for better meditation. It is a “home amidst the beauty of nature where pilgrims are open to prayer, to creative transformation, to Gospel values.”

Throughout the years, the place was known for religious purposes. It is a perfect hideaway for retreats and  recollections. It has been a venue for many activities,  leadership seminars and trainings , prayers and renewal workshops, youth camps, research,  family / religious  encounters.

And at present, it is also the favorite for weddings and most exciting moments for the wedding photoshoot!

There is a reception area in the entrance . Caleruega has many conference rooms;  Reflectory Hall;  Transfiguration Chapel;   a 180-capacity dining hall; the Tuktok Snacks Bar and the Plaza de Aza,  that is a roof deck which can be used as big-group gatherings ; dormitories called Catalina Hall and Tomasino Hall;   Pahingalayan and Fra Angelico family rooms and hermitage cottages ; Gazekubo, for a wedding reception and  a campsite called Kampo Arriba.  

What a wonderful day !!! 

The travel is only 2 hours from Manila and entrance to the vicinity costs Php 30.00.