I Love You

Everyday I say " I Love You" to my teenage son and my daughter. It seems the most natural thing in the world to tell my younger children “I Love You”. As they grow older it is not so easy for them to say it to me. I believe they need to hear these words, though. They pretend that it does not matter or that they really do not want me to say “I Love You” but deep inside I know they feel great about being told that they are special and loved. It is important to me that they hear this everyday.



I say “I Love You” when they go to school each morning. I say “I Love You” each night when they go to bed. I express my love to them every time, whether or not they do something good or something bad. Teenagers are not perfect human beings. I say "I Love You" anyway, no matter what. I only say “I Love You” to them when they are not amongst by their friends because I know they might feel embarrassed. Expressions of affection for teenagers are best made in private.

They are my precious gifts from God, and they are lovable and worthwhile people. My son and daughter will grow into the loving, Godly, wonderful human beings that God created.

Role Modeling in Parenting

We are role models in our children’s lives. Some believe they can tell their children to do one thing, then go and do something else themselves. Which do you think a child is more likely to remember, what they are told or what they see. This is why it is of the utmost importance that we try to be as good a role model as we can.

It is not hard to be a good role model, it just requires us to think before we act or speak. We need to decide whether our actions or words might not have a bad influence on our children. Our actions must be consistent with what we tell them. Telling your child not to swear, meanwhile using profanity in the process will only confuse them. Do as you preach is a very good quote when raising children. If we pray as a family, then our children learn to pray. Bigotry and hatred, amongst other learned behaviors, are often first seen in ones parents. Likewise love, openness and kindness can also be learned through the parents’ actions. The best way to bring up loving kids is to show love openly in the house. Saying “I love you”, kisses and hugs are just some of the ways we can show our love. Parents who express love to each other and their children will plant the seeds of love in their children. These seeds will be nurtured by love around them and bloom into loving adults, who will do the same for their children.

We live in a world where our children are often given mixed signals of what is right and wrong. It is up to us as parents to make sure that we give them the strongest example possible to help them through these confusing times.

All Mothers are Loved

This is for all the mothers who probably won't win Mother of the Year. All the runners-up and all the wannabes. The mothers too tired to enter or too busy to care. This is for all the mothers who froze their buns off on metal bleachers at soccer games Friday night instead of watching from cars, so that when their kids asked, "Did you see my goal?" they could say, "Of course, wouldn't have missed it for the world," and mean it.

This is for all the mothers who have sat up all night with sick toddlers in their arms, wiping up barf laced with Oscar Mayer wieners and cherry Kool-Aid saying, "It's OK, honey, Mommy's here." This is for all the mothers of Kosovo who fled in the night and can't find their children.

This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they'll never see. And the mothers who took those babies and made them homes. For all the mothers of the victims of the Colorado shooting, and the mothers of the murderers. For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers who sat in front of their TVs in horror, hugging their child who just came home from school, safely. For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew Halloween costumes. And all the mothers who DON'T.

What makes a good Mother anyway? Is it patience? Compassion? Broad hips? The ability to nurse a baby, cook dinner, and sew a button on a shirt, all at the same time? Or is it heart? Is it the ache you feel when you watch your son or daughter disappear down the street, walking to school alone for the very first time? The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread, from bed to crib at 2 A.M. to put your hand on the back of a sleeping baby? The need to flee from wherever you are and hug your child when you hear news of a school shooting, a fire, a car accident, a baby dying?

So this is for all the mothers who sat down with their children and explained all about making babies. And for all the mothers who wanted to, but just couldn't. This is for reading "Goodnight, Moon" twice a night for a year...And then reading it again, "Just one more time."

This is for all the mothers who mess up. Who yell at their kids in the grocery store and swat them in despair and stomp their feet like a tired 2-year-old who wants ice cream before dinner. This is for all the mothers who taught their daughters to tie their shoelaces before they started school. And for all the mothers who opted for Velcro instead. For all the mothers who bite their lips - sometimes until they bleed - when their 14 year olds dye their hair green. Who lock themselves in the bathroom when babies keep crying and won't stop.

This is for all the mothers who show up at work with spit-up in their hair and milk stains on their blouses and diapers in their purse. This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and their daughters to sink a jump shot. This is for all mothers whose heads turn automatically when a little voice calls mom?" in a crowd, even though they know their own offspring are at home.

This is for mothers who put pinwheels and teddy bears on their children's graves. This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can't find the words to reach them. This is for all the mothers who sent their sons to school with stomachaches, assuring them they'd be just FINE once they got there, only to get calls from the school nurse and hour later asking them to please pick them up. Right away.

This is for young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation. And mature mothers learning to let go. For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers. Single mothers and married mothers. Mothers with money, mothers without. This is for all of you. Hang in there, and know that you are loved and needed.

True Friends Are Forever

We don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change. No matter how good friends are, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that. True friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love. My best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time. Sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down will be the ones to help you get back up. Your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you. Even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.

We may have many friends throughout our lives, but only a few true friends. True friends can come at any point along our life’s path. We never know which stranger might one day be our best friend, and which friend might one day prove false. We need to approach each encounter with an open mind and an open heart, so that there is a better chance that friendships will arise. We need to keep our hearts free and our minds uncluttered of bigotry, predispositions and hatred if we want to have the best relationships with our friends.

“Two are better than one, for they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. If two lie down together they will keep warm. Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Cassava Pudding

2 lbs. grated cassava
1 14-ounce can condensed milk
1 13-ounce can evaporated milk
1 16- ounce can less 6 tablespoons coconut cream (sold in Oriental stores)
2 cups coconut milk (sold in Oriental stores)
grated coconut
½ cup sugar
5 eggs

Topping
2 egg yolks, beaten
6 tablespoon coconut cream
6 tablespoon condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine pudding ingredients (save 6 tablespoons coconut cream for topping). Mix well. Pour mixture into a buttered 11 3/4- inch shallow rectangular cake pan and bake for approximately 30 minutes.
Mix the topping ingredients well and spread evenly on top of pudding and continue baking for another 25 minutes.

Your Personal Best

Someone will always be prettier. They will always be smarter. Their house will be bigger. They will drive a better car. Their children will do better in school. And their husband will fix more things around the house.
So let it go, and love you and your circumstances. Think about it. The prettiest woman in the world can have hate in her heart. And the most highly favored woman on your job may be unable to have children. And the richest woman you know-she's got the car, the house, the clothes-might be lonely. And the Word says if I have not Love, I am nothing.
So, again, love you. Love who you are right now and let God be your barometer. Mirror Him. Look in the mirror in the morning and see how much of God you see. He's the only standard and even when you come up short; He will not leave you or forsake you. Smile and may God continue to bless you."I am too blessed to be stressed or depressed, and too anointed to be disappointed!"
The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor.
"The one who kneels to God can stand up to anything." "Winners make things happen. Losers let things happen." "To the world, you might be only one person, but to one person, you just might be the world.""God grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot change, the courage to change the 'ONE' I can change, and the wisdom to know that it's ME"Have a great day and remember... "Kindness is contagious...pass it on."

A Day with My Best Friend

Today I spent my day with my best friend. She works in the hospital as a nurse. Whenever she has a day-off, she calls me and we plan on spending some time together. I am always glad to have simple ways of spending time with her; maybe we just talk, and share our thoughts.

First of all she came today and gave me a big surprise. I never expected she would do such a special thing for me. She made me a handmade red scarf. I was jumping with joy. She knows my favorite color is red. I love it very much. I will treasure my red scarf forever. I and she now have the same handmade red scarves. For me, her gift of a scarf is priceless.

Secondly, we went out for sushi. We ate a lot of sushi and enjoyed every bite of it. Now that we were full from all the good food, we needed to go shopping. We were looking for end of season sales (see previous fashion post). My best friend and I bought some great items from brand name stores for very low prices. We enjoyed shopping and looking great as if we paid the full price (Bwahahahahaha!!!!)

My Personal Style

My fashion style is unique but very attractive, I am often complimented for my choices of clothing, hair styles etc.. Here are a few of my personal styles that might work for you too.

I love wearing coats that are cinched in the waste, because it accentuates my waistline. I like coats that are soft and light, but warm and cozy, not sacrificing anything for attractiveness. I have recently purchased a very attractive silver grey faux fur jacket. It is cinched at the waist, very light and very warm. I wear it with knee high boots and black leggings to give it an even more sexy appearance. Pair this outfit with a coach handbag and you really stand out in the crowd.

I got this particular jacket at a fraction of the original cost. Nearly my entire wardrobe is expensive clothing that I purchased for a greatly reduced price. I purchase my clothes at the end of the season, when the prices are reduced. This allows me to look like a million dollars for only a few dollars. These clothes are just as good in quality as they were at full price. My wardrobe is highly versatile. I can wear summer clothing during winter by pairing them with warm weather items. Thus a lacy blouse can be worn under a blazer, or shorts can be worn over leggings, just a couple examples. Also, the seasons always return, so anything that was bought at the end of Summer one year, can be used the next year. Many times, fashion styles also recycle, so keeping some items around for a few years can be useful when the style returns.

This is just a quick peek into my fashion style. I will share other fashion insights with you on this blog, and look forward to any comments you may have.