Heart of Rachel

You'll Be Missed Beyond Words

noreply@blogger.com (Heart of Rachel) — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:10:00 +0000

My father-in-law passed away last week. He fought with Alzheimer's disease for 15 years. Sadly, the disease robbed him of his memory. It had been tough on the family seeing him deteriorate through the years. It was sad to see him go but I know that he's in a better place now. My husband and I dreamt about him. He was smiling in both our dreams. It must be his own way of letting us know that he's happy and at peace.

Importance of Children's Vitamins

noreply@blogger.com (Heart of Rachel) — Wed, 16 May 2012 09:51:00 +0000

Good nutrition is vital to our children’s health. Teaching our children to eat a healthy and balanced meal can boost their physical and mental development. It’s important to teach kids to eat different kinds of fruits and vegetables at a young age. Vegetables and fruits have essential vitamins, minerals and fiber that can help the body become stronger. They also aid the body to build better resistance against diseases. Sometimes, kids especially picky eaters do not meet the daily nutritional requirements vital to growth and development. Deficiencies in nutrition can make a child susceptible to health problems. Parents can give their kids supplementary Children's Vitamins to support their children’s nutritional needs. Proper vitamins bought from a reputable company such as Invite Health can help kids develop better vision; stronger teeth and bones; and better immune system. Nowadays, kids are often exposed to unhealthy diet of junk food, processed food and fast food. Avoid giving your child junk food such as chips and soda especially as school snack. Refrain from buying processed foods like hotdogs, ham and bacon. There are many healthy school snack alternatives that children can enjoy such healthy sandwiches and natural fruit juices. A healthy diet supplemented with vitamins can help provide a healthy future for your child.

How to Make an Easy Diaper Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Heart of Rachel) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 06:25:00 +0000

A diaper cake is a lovely and creative gift for expectant mothers. It's perfect for baby showers. A diaper cake looks like a traditional layered cake but instead of cake and icing, it makes use of baby diapers and other baby essentials.

I took some photos of my first experience in making a diaper cake. Let me share the following easy steps in making one.

Ingrdients for the diaper cake:

47-50 newborn baby diapers (This will depend on the number of rings and layers that you will make. I used less than 50 diapers.)
regular rubber bands
large rubber bands
1 or 1/2 inch wide decorative ribbon
cardboard or plastic cake holder (You can buy this from baking stores or you can make your own using an illustration board.)
1 8-oz baby bottle
1 4-oz baby bottle
long wooden stick
assorted baby things for cake decoration

Step 1 - Roll the diapers tightly (see example below) and secure each one with a regular rubber band. Make sure the decorative part of the diaper can be seen.

Step 2 - To make the 3rd (lower) tier, get the cake board or holder and place the 8-oz bottle in the center. Then place around 7-8 rolled diapers around the baby bottle and put a large rubber band around the the circle of diapers. This will serve as the inner ring.

*Don't worry about following the exact number of rolled diapers because it may vary depending on the thickness of the diapers.

Step 3 - Next form the outer ring by surrounding the inner ring with 14-15 rolled diapers. Secure the entire circle of diapers by putting a large rubber band around it.

* If you have a bigger cake board, you can make 3 rings to surround the baby bottle but you will need more diapers.

Step 4 - To make the 2nd tier, make another inner ring. Surround the topmost part of the baby bottle with

around 5-6 diapers then put a large rubber band around it. Make an outer ring using 10-11 diapers and secure it with a large rubber band.

*The diapers used in the 2nd tier were rolled tighter compared to the lower tier.

Step 5 - To make the 1st tier, position the 4-oz bottle on the center of the 2nd tier. Surround the baby bottle with around 6-7 rolled diapers and put a large rubber band around it.

Step 6 - To attach all 3 tiers, insert a wooden stick in the middle. Make sure the stick is long enough to reach the lower tier.

Step 7 - Decorate your cake. You may add baby things like baby spoon and fork, pacifier, bottle cleaner, socks, rolled onesies, rattle and others.

Add a topper of your choice. For my diaper cake, I chose a small Ernie plush toy. Make sure that you secure the topper on the baby bottle cover peeking through the 1st tier using a rubber band, string or ribbon.

Cover the rubber bands with decorative ribbon. You may cover the whole diaper cake with a big cellophane or netting before giving it to the expectant mother.

This is the finish product.

Thankful for Successful Surgery

noreply@blogger.com (Heart of Rachel) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 07:44:00 +0000

I was jittery when I woke up Monday morning of last week. I knew it was the day of my minor surgery to remove the sebaceous cyst on my back. The surgeon suggested that I be sedated because it was too big for local anesthesia. The surgeon assured me that it was an easy procedure but deep inside I was still worried. I couldn't help but feel a little frightened. After all, I've never had an operation before.

I acted brave when hubby drove me to the hospital but deep inside I was trembling. I didn't know what to expect. We arrived at the hospital around 7:45 a.m. At the E.R. I was told that it was standard procedure for patients to ride the wheelchair going to the operating room (O.R.). It felt weird riding the wheelchair.

I had to say goodbye to hubby as I entered the O.R. Two young, friendly nurses greeted me. They helped prepare me for the operation. They also made it a point to check up on me every now and then while I waited for the surgeon and anesthesiologist to arrive. The latter arrived first. He asked me some questions like if I have any pre-existing conditions, drug allergy and food allergy. I must admit my ego was hurt when he said that I was probably not allergic to any food because I was fat. Ouch! He was trying to be funny but I didn't find it amusing at all. In fairness, despite that seemingly insensitive comment, he was kind to me during the whole procedure.

It was past 11 a.m. when the surgeon arrived, he apologized for letting me wait. He gave the nurse the go signal to bring me to the O.R. I felt even more scared when I saw another nurse lining up the operating tools. I just had to focus on something else. I said a silent prayer to God to keep me safe during the operation.

I was told to lie on my side. The anesthesiologist told me that my eyes were going to feel heavy. Then without realizing it, I was out cold.

When I woke up, I was a little disoriented. I thought it was already morning and it was time to wake up my son for school. After a few seconds, I realized I was in the O.R. The doctors were still there. I asked the surgeon if it was over. He smiled and said yes. I didn't feel a thing. I'm thankful that there was no pain at all. I thanked both doctors for taking care of me.

The doctors told me that I needed to rest for a few more hours before I could go home. My surgery was an out patient case. I looked at the wall clock and it was past 1 p.m. The doctors advised me to sleep for a while before they left. I tried but I couldn't sleep.

Two other patients, a woman and a young boy were brought to the recovery room to join me. The young boy was accompanied by his father. He was around 5 years old. I felt a pinch on my heart when I saw the little boy beside me. I remembered my son back home. I prayed that my son will always be blessed with good health.

I heard the boy beside me whimpering. His dad tried to comfort him. He told him not to cry anymore but the operation was over. When the boy heard his dad's soothing voice, he stopped crying.

It didn't take long before I was declared ready to go home. After putting on my clothes, I was wheeled outside where hubby was waiting. He kissed me and asked how I was feeling. I smiled and told him it didn't hurt at all. The doctor gave me prescription for antibiotic and pain reliever before leaving the hospital.

When I got home, I was so happy to see Yohan's face. He wanted to hug me but he knew he couldn't because of my operation. He told me that he prayed for me several times that day. I was really touched.

It has been more than a week now since the operation. I had to go back to the doctor several times during the past week for dressing change. I'm happy to say that my wound is healing well.

I'm very thankful that everything went smoothly. Thank you Lord for taking care of me.

Revisiting 2011: Singapore Trip part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Heart of Rachel) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:31:00 +0000

Night Safari

Night Safari, the world's first wildlife night park was just a few steps away from Singapore Zoo. It was a unique experience to see nocturnal animals in action. We rode a tram and embarked on a fascinating adventure. We saw leopards, tigers, lions, hog badgers, Malay civets, tapirs, deer and many more. Flash photography wasn't aloud so I didn't bother taking photos.

The Thumbuakar Performance was amazing. It was a spectacular display of dance and fire-eating stunts. The human torches could blow flames up to 5 meters high! Imagine that! We could feel the heat from our seats.

We were entertained by the Creatures of the Night Show. It was a 30-minute show featuring trained animals such as otters, raccoons, snakes, wolves, hyenas, owls and many more.

Revisiting 2011: Singapore Trip part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Heart of Rachel) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Let me begin the year by filling the void I left on my blog. Last year was a good year and I would like to take this opportunity to share some of those memorable highlights.

I'll start with our family trip to Singapore last summer of 2011. It was a very memorable vacation because it was Yohan's first airplane ride and it was our first trip out of the country as a family. It was an adventure from the start because we didn't go on a tour. The tour packages we reviewed only featured selected places so we decided to go on our own. It was a great decision because we were free to choose our destinations. I booked our airline tickets and hotel accommodation online.

Our Singapore trip was tailored fit for Yohan. We know how much he loves animals so we put the top 3 zoos in Singapore on our itinerary.

Singapore Zoo

The Singapore Zoo was so amazing! It was an adventure in a tropical forest. We came close and personal with different animals. Just imagine 2500 animals living in that 28-hectare sanctuary.

The animals in Singapore Zoo enjoy living in wide and lush habitats. They have a taste of freedom unlike the animals from other zoos that spend all their time in small cages.

Some of the animal attractions in the zoo.

Here are just a few of the animals we encountered during our walk ...

It was a pleasure to see 3 beautiful white tigers, also called Bengal tigers. walking, swimming and playing in such a spacious habitat.

One of the majestic white tigers at Singapore Zoo.

Yohan and I rode on the back of a beautiful Asian elephant. We also saw several other elephants playing with a huge ball and spraying each other with water. I've always been awed by the intelligence and strength of elephants.

Fun elephant ride.

There were free-ranging orangutans on top of the trees. It was so cool to see them swing, lounge and play right above our heads.

Swinging orangutans.

It was Yohan's first time to see a giraffe. We wanted it to be truly memorable so we let him feed one of the giraffes. Just look at that long tongue!

Feeding the giraffe with carrot sticks.

At that time, Angry Birds was at the height of its popularity. It was funny because a foreigner approached my husband and offered to buy the shirt he was wearing. Jules politely declined. :)

The zebras were so close.

Before going home, we bought several furry pals and shirts as keepsakes.

At the souvenir shop.

Embracing 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Heart of Rachel) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 08:46:00 +0000

Happy New Year! Looking back at 2011, I could say that it was a good year for us. My family and I have been truly blessed. I peacefully bid 2011 goodbye and I welcome 2012 with open arms. I hope that this year will be another great year. I pray for happiness, good health, peace, great opportunities and never ending inspiration. I know that there will be challenges along the way. I pray for strength and courage to rise above small and big hurdles that I might encounter.

Cheers to a great year ahead!

Yohanism #39

noreply@blogger.com (Heart of Rachel) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 09:17:00 +0000

Yohan asked me the following questions ...

Yohan: "What's your favorite mammal?"
Me: "dog"

Yohan: "What's your favorite amphibian?"
Me: "frog"

Yohan: "What's your favorite reptile?"
Me: "lizard"

Yohan: "What's your favorite bird?"
Me: "eagle"

Yohan: "What's your favorite fish?"
Me: "clown fish"

Yohan: "What's your favorite insect?"
Me: "butterfly"

I was in the mood to return the questions ...

Me: "What's your favorite mammal?"
Yohan: "platypus"

Me: "What's your favorite amphibian?"
Yohan: "axelotle"

Me: "What's your favorite reptile?"
Yohan: "komodo dragon"

Me: "What's your favorite bird?"
Yohan: "condor"

Me: "What's your favorite fish?"
Yohan: "aligator gar"

Me: "What's your favorite insect?"
Yohan: "praying mantis"

After hearing his answers, I have to admit, I don't know what some of those creatures look like. ha!ha!

Protect the Hearts of the Young and Innocent

noreply@blogger.com (Heart of Rachel) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 15:35:00 +0000

It’s amazing how a simple smile can brighten the mood of the day. It’s music to the ears when a child’s laughter echoes in the room. It’s rewarding to let that sweet melody play in the air. A child’s smile and laughter have a way of soothing the heart. Sadly there are children out there who have lost all reasons to smile. Pitiful cries fill the empty, cold shell where they hide. There’s no melody. There’s only silence; broken occasionally by a soft whimper.

Children are young and playful at heart. They deserve to be carefree. Kids are entitled to fun activities like flying kites, playing tag, blowing bubbles, watching cartoons, playing video games and so much more. However, in this imperfect world, there are some kids who are forced to grow up fast. Instead of toys, they carry sacks heavier than them. Some children are forced to work to help bring food to the table. At the end of the day, their energy is drained. They use whatever extra time they have to rest and sleep rather than play outside. Youthful years fade without them being aware of it.

As parents, we should nurture, love and protect our children. We should motivate them to learn and dream. It’s so hard to believe that some parents turn promising dreams into nightmares. Some parents rule with iron fists. Why subject a child to a painful blow for a wrong deed? How can a child appreciate the beauty of life when every waking day is ruled by fear and pain?

Child abuse is a reality that some children face in their homes. They are robbed of their innocence and deprived of happiness. Physical scars fade in time but the emotional scars lie embedded deep in the heart.

Don't let your child be another victim.

Remember that every child is a blessing. Embrace your child and let him feel special and loved. Encourage and support your child to become a better individual. Nurture, guide and protect him as he grows.

This post is created for The Blog & Twitter Carnival: Child Abuse Prevention.

Yohanism #38

noreply@blogger.com (Heart of Rachel) — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 15:38:00 +0000

The earlier football game between the Philippines and Mongolia was exhilarating. Adrenaline rushed whenever the ball came very close to the goal. My family cheered as Chieffy Caligdong gave the Philippines its first goal. We were ecstatic when Phil Younghusband gave the country its second goal. It was a 2-0 triumph for the Philippines.

Here's a funny conversation after the game ...

Me: "Phil Younghusband is so cute!"

Yohan: "Mom, it's not about the looks. It's all about the skill."

ha!ha! I almost died laughing. Good thing Phil is blessed with both. :)

Congrats Azkals!

Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Heart of Rachel) — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 20:21:00 +0000

New Year is a wonderful time to celebrate life, good health, love and friendship. May you be blessed with all these things.

May the New Year usher in new hopes, new goals, exciting discoveries and more inspirations. I hope that 2011 will be a great year for you.

Take care and God bless.

Yohanism #37

noreply@blogger.com (Heart of Rachel) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 04:27:00 +0000

My parents recently sent me several gifts. I was so overwhelmed with happiness which made me utter ...

Me: "My dad and mom are the best parents in the world!"

Yohan heard it and seemed baffled. He asked me ...

Yohan: "What about you?"

Me: "My parents are kinder and more thoughtful than I am."

He touched my shoulder and said ...

Yohan: "Mom, don't underestimate yourself."

One Remote That Does It All

noreply@blogger.com (Heart of Rachel) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 03:21:00 +0000

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of TiVo. All opinions are 100% mine.

Many people, like me, enjoy watching TV series. You will feel the excitement building inside of you as the plot thickens. Sometimes you might feel anxious to know what will happen next. There's always something worth looking forward to especially when the story continues to unfold. You can find the best and latest TV series on TiVo Premiere. I became a fan. You can do the same by clicking here to access its Facebook Fan Page.

I'm looking forward to the many upcoming TV Fall Premieres especially Glee. I checked out Fall TV and I'm also excited to watch the action packed series Hawaii Five-0. Now you can watch your favorite programs with ease. TiVo Premiere is such an amazing gadget for the biggest TV fans. I'm sure a lot of TV lovers will appreciate it. Now, it's easy to keep track of your favorite programs and actors. You can simply click and find your favorite programs whether its web video, TV, and movies.

I'm fascinated by the features of the the TiVo Premiere and Slide Remote. It's a remote and at the same time, it gives you full access to TiVo. I like its fully retractable QWERTY keyboard. It is perfect in making easy and quick text entries. I don't have to worry about using it in the dark because it is equipped with a cool light sensor. It's convenient to use in the dark because of its automatic glow in the dark feature. The backlit keys and keyboard will surely come in handy at night.

You can enjoy your favorite programs and get the chance to win a a new TiVo Slide in the "30 Slides in 30 Days" Sweepstakes (http://www.tivo.com/30slides). Sweepstakes ends 9/22/10 so don't waste time and click Enter to Win. Happy viewing and good luck!

Undeniable Force

noreply@blogger.com (Heart of Rachel) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 02:30:00 +0000

Life is always filled with thoughts and inspiration. Blogging has allowed me to share fragments of my thoughts, feelings and mixtures of inspiration. I sometimes take a break but later on I always find myself pulled to this same direction. It's like an undeniable pull of force.

I'm back.

Thanks for still being there. :)

Photo Hunt :: Colorful

noreply@blogger.com (Heart of Rachel) — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 03:59:00 +0000

Come and join PhotoHunt

My son had a fun 7th birthday celebration in school a few weeks ago. My husband and I brought some food for the kids and gave each one a personalized birthday token. In lieu of the usual loot bags filled with candies and chocolates, we gave them these colorful miniature pots with wooden animal clips. We had the kids' names printed to give the giveaways a nice touch.

How To Make a Cupcake Tower

noreply@blogger.com (Heart of Rachel) — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 04:38:00 +0000

For our son's recent birthday celebration, hubby made a simple 3-tier cupcake tower from scratch. It was fun and relatively easy to do. Even the birthday boy helped out.

Interested to make your DIY cupcake tower? Here are the materials and simple steps.

You will need:
2 large Styrofoam boards
2 even sized Styrofoam squares
ruler or measuring tape
marker
decorative paper (or fabric)
scissors
cutter
tape
glue
long and thin wooden stick (BBQ stick can be used)

Procedure:

1. Cut 3 Styrofoam squares measuring: *8x8, 10x10 and 12x12. Use a ruler or measuring tape to get precise measurements. Use a marker when making measurements so you can easily cut the proportions using a cutter.

2. Cover the Styrofoam boards and squares with decorative paper or fabric. For paper, you can use craft glue. For fabric, it is better to use glue gun.

3. Connect the pieces using wooden sticks. You also have the option to glue them permanently.

4. Clean the surface of the tiers. You can gently wipe the decorative paper or fabric with paper towel. Arrange the cupcakes starting from the last level going up.

Enjoy!

* You can also use round Styrofoam boards or ready made cake boards measuring: 1×8″, 1×10″, 1×12″. Replace Styrofoam squares with cylinders.

Wind on my sail

noreply@blogger.com (Heart of Rachel) — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 12:15:00 +0000

Smooth sailing on calm waters.

The wind suddenly blew hard and rocked my boat.

What should I do?

I hold tight and pray for balance.

Photo Hunt :: Public

noreply@blogger.com (Heart of Rachel) — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 06:35:00 +0000

Come and join PhotoHunt

You'll find a lot of great bargains in the tiangge. It is sort of a flea market which is open to the public. There are different stalls selling all kinds of merchandise. There are stalls that sell clothes, fabrics, cooking wares, toys, accessories and more.

This stall sell stickers, hair accessories, cellphone accessories and different kinds of small trinkets for a fraction of a price.

I would also like to share an article I wrote before entitled The gypsy life of a magtia-tiangge. It's about a nomad merchant who sells variety of household things in the tiangge. He works hard for the money to give his family a comfortable life.

Sustainable Progress in Small Communities

noreply@blogger.com (Heart of Rachel) — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:56:00 +0000

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Ramblers Way. All opinions are 100% mine.

I grew up in the city. I was used to the noisy and busy streets. When I got married, I moved to a nice and relatively small town in the south. It took a while for me to adjust but through the years, I have learned to appreciate the wonderful things around me. I love the spectacular view of the mountain, the fresh air, the peaceful surroundings and the kind people.

Every town can benefit from sustainable progress and development. Big investors who build large establishments bring in new jobs and opportunities for many people. However, there are times when these big establishments threaten small scale businesses. It's quite sad to hear of businesses which have been passed on from generation to generation, closing down because of giant competitors.

I don't mind progress but at the same time, I also care for historical preservation. Take for example, the inspiring story of Ramblers Way Farm. This American company is known for sourcing, growing and producing their fine woolen apparel. The company revitalize small towns by utilizing 100% domestic resources. The company works hand in hand with the people to achieve sustainable growth.One of the company's great achievements is earning the Gold Lead Certification level.

I have great confidence in products Made in America. I expect such products to have excellent quality. Ramblers Way is known for their beautiful and eco-friendly wool garments. They are admired for their highest quality superfine wool. Even their building adheres to environmental standards. The company that is dedicated to help the people around them makes it worth looking up to.

Hi Blog Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Heart of Rachel) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 07:10:00 +0000

I'm sorry I haven't been able to update my blog recently. I've been a little busy. I have a lot of new things to share and I'm excited to blog again. I'll come by and visit soon. Enjoy the coming weekend!

Viva España

noreply@blogger.com (Heart of Rachel) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 12:33:00 +0000

Yohan wearing Spain football uniform.

Congratulations to Spain for winning the 2010 FIFA World Cup! Cheers to Andres Iniesta for bringing home the goal for Spain. It was worth waking up very early in the morning to watch the live telecast on TV. It's amazing that Paul the Octopus was right once again. :)

Photo Hunt :: Free

noreply@blogger.com (Heart of Rachel) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 00:55:00 +0000

Come and join PhotoHunt

This free birthday cupcake was too good to resist. It didn't last long. :)

10 Years Together

noreply@blogger.com (Heart of Rachel) — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 14:02:00 +0000

I remember waking up on this day exactly 10 years ago. It was raining hard and the wind was blowing hard. Two typhoons decided to hit the country that day. That couldn't dampen my spirit. Instead I looked upon it as a symbol of twin blessings.

Happy Anniversary my love.

Photo Hunt :: Open

noreply@blogger.com (Heart of Rachel) — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 03:54:00 +0000

Come and join PhotoHunt

When my son opened page A54 of his Harcourt Science book, he saw this Model of an Insect project. I helped him create an ant model. We didn't have all the original materials so we substituted some of the things. Good thing I still had some googly eyes left in my craft box. Yohan was happy about the final outcome -- a fiery red ant.

Kimono Doll Pens

noreply@blogger.com (Heart of Rachel) — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 13:13:00 +0000

I love my Kimono Doll pens. I got them for only P19.75 each at Clipper. I was smitten by their cute little faces and chinky eyes. Now they even inspired me to make a haiku ...

Wind touches her hair

As refreshing as sunlight

Love that breezy smile