Cord Blood Banking

Planning a family and having a child is a big responsibility. There are many important things to consider when you're having a new baby. Good health is a top priority of parents all over the world. Cord blood service is a revolutionary health procedure that can save someone you love in the future. It is vital to take the initial step today in order to protect the future of the people you love and cherish. Cryo-Cell service can provide safe collection and preservation of your newborn's stem cells. It is amazing how this process can treat over 75 different diseases. In fact, records show that over 12,000 umbilical cord blood stem cell transplants have taken place in different parts of the globe.

If you are thinking of storing your baby's cord blood, you can take advantage of this limited offer. You have the option to enroll by midnight of June 28th, in order to enjoy a great special price for cryo-cell. This is a special offer for expectant families. Cryo-Cell is a leader in the industry of cord blood banking with an impressive record of over 175,000 clients. Clients can be assured of Cryo-Cell's dependability because it has more accreditations than any other private cord blood bank.

Weekend Snapshot #79 - Bratz Party

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My family and I attended the 7th birthday party of my niece, Alex last Saturday. It was a Bratz theme party. We all had a wonderful time especially Yohan.

The host of the party did a magnificent job providing the entertainment. He was a funny comedian, a great balloon twister, a great game master and a terrific magician.



Yohan joined a lot of games and he won many prizes. Below is a fun game of "chef on the go". The kids were grouped into two. The kids took turn wearing the chef hat and holding the frying spatula with a toy egg. Each participant had to run around a chair before handing out the props to the next kid. Yohan (wearing the printed blue shirt) is on the move in this shot.


Even the adults had a great time participating in some of the games. Below you can see my cousin (wearing green) and hubby (wearing gray) participating in the "guess the title of the movie". The host played songs from random movies and the participant who hit the buzzer first got the chance to make a guess. Each correct answer gave the corresponding group 1 point. When I took this shot, the score was 2-4 (in favor of hubby's group). Hubby and his group mates won this game.


Here is Alex's lovely Bratz cake with matching Bratz cookies. For party favors, mini back packs with fun goodies inside were given away (pink for girls and blue for boys).


Yohan got one Bratz cookie and gave it to me. We brought home these chocolate giveaways too. It was a great and fun party. We gave the birthday celebrant a cute Bratz magic eight ball (unfortunately I wasn't able to take a picture of the present).

Aloha Friday #74

Rules: Post any question on your blog on a Friday, share your answer and sign Kailani's Mr. Linky. Then have fun answering the questions of fellow participants by visiting their blogs.

Have you ever watched Michael Jackson in concert?

It's sad to think that the King of Pop is now gone. Michael Jackson will always be one of my favorite 80's icons.

I watched Michael Jackson in concert back in December 1996 when he went to the Philippines. That was around three months after my college graduation. I watched the concert with my best friend, Chary. The concert was held at The Reclamation Area in Pasay City. During that time, it was a vast vacant, open land area.

I remember the huge crowd, the deafening scream of fans and Michael Jackson's superb performance. There was a point when it became quite difficult to properly see Michael on stage because people were standing up. I still remember the cute couple near us. The guy carried his girlfriend on his shoulders so she could have a better view of the stage.

Another thing that made that night unforgettable was my unfortunate experience after the concert. There was a lot of soil and dust particles in the air that triggered some sort of skin allergy. I developed rashes all over my body and I had fever for around 2 days. Despite getting sick, I still have fond memories of that momentous concert.

Yohanism #33 - Yohan in Prep

My son is now in Prep. It warms my heart to see him grow up. Here's a photo of Yohan in his uniform which I took yesterday before the school service picked him up from the house. He said good bye to his back pack and started using his big school bag with wheels. He now has more subjects in school so he needs a bigger bag to carry his books and notebooks.

This year, the school changed the boys' uniform for preschool. It used to be plain blue shorts. Now it's checkered shorts, similar to the girls' skirt.

This is the second week of school. The house still feels unusually quiet and lonely in the morning when my son is in school. I'm always eager to welcome him home when he arrives.

It's funny because there was a time I must have kissed him a hundred times when he arrived from school because he told me,"Mom that is enough kisses for the day." Ha ha!

Ley Luck Gifts and Souvenirs

Special Plug: If you're looking for gifts and souvenirs with a distinct Filipino touch, I suggest you check out Ley Luck's Site. It specializes in products from the province of Bicol. The site offers products made from fine abaca hand-woven to perfection such as: placemats and runners; and soft-cotton napkins with beaded holders. These items are perfect giveaways for events like weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and other special occasions.

Below are just some examples of Ley Luck products:

Napkins with beaded holders

Olive green set with beige cotton napkins and matching green beaded holders.

Products:

Placemats + Napkins w/ holder (Big box) – Set of (6)
Placemats (Plastic) – Set of (6)
Napkins w/ holder (Small box) – Set of (6)
Table Runner – (1)

Please feel free to browse http://leyluck.multiply.com/ and choose your own motif and style.

You may contact Myrna Malilay, Business Owner
0905-3282006/0922-8528625

Places of Interest in Singapore

Singapore, also known as the Lion City is one of the cities that I would like to visit. I have a lot of relatives and friends who have been there and they all praise the city for its beautiful sites. Another great thing about Singapore is its proximity to the Philippines. It would only take me around 2 hours and 58 minutes from Manila, Philippines to Singapore.

I already have a planned itinerary in my mind if I get the chance to visit Singapore with my family. I think an ideal stay would be 4 days and 3 nights. I would like to stay in a hotel where my family and I can have easy access to the heart of the city. An ideal hotel would be Grand Mercure Roxy Hotel because it's near Parkway Parade and East Coast Park. They say Singapore is a great place to shop 'til you drop. I think the first thing we would do is visit the big suburban mall called Parkway Parade. I'm sure we would enjoy checking out the great shopping establishments . After shopping, it would be great to try out some authentic Singaporean cuisine.

My family and I would probably spend the rest of the days touring Singapore. The Singapore Zoo, Night Safari, Jurong Bird Park, Kent Ridge Park are also among the top places in Singapore that I would like to visit with my family. On our last day, we would like to have the chance to ride the much talked about Singapore Flyer.

Interested to go to Singapore? Check out the great but limited time offer at Accor Hotels City Super Sale. Take advantage of this amazing Super City Sale to great destinations such as Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Hanoi, Manila, Mumbai, Sydney and Auckland.

Weekend Snapshot #78 - Creamy Baked Dory

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Happy Monday! Sorry wasn't able to take pictures last weekend. I hope it's OK if I share photos taken several weeks ago.

Hubby made Creamy Baked Dory for lunch; inspired by the baked fish he ate at the restaurant. He tried to replicate that dish at home and I think he did well. Here is hubby's recipe:

1. Preheat oven. Put fish fillet in a baking dish/pan. Season fish fillet with salt and pepper.


2. Heat 2 tbsp. butter in a saucepan at low heat; then add 2 tbsp. flour. Whisk thoroughly. When the mixture attains a paste-like consistency, add cream gradually while whisking to avoid lumps. Add grated cheese until it melts. Season to taste. Set aside.

3. Arrange spinach leaves on top of the fish fillet.


4. Get the mixture previously prepared and pour it on top of the fish and spinach.


5. Add some grated cheese on top. If you have mozzarella, the better.

6. Bake the fish around 25 - 30 minutes.


7. Serve the dish as is or with side dish(es) of your choice.


Enjoy the meal. :)

Happy Father's Day

Thank you to my Dad and husband for the love, support, understanding, kindness, respect, inspiration and strength. I want to wish my Dad, my husband and all the great fathers out there a wonderful Father's Day. I would like to share my son's Father's Day card.

Photo Hunt :: Creamy

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Last night, hubby cooked creamy spirelli, carbonara style.

Aloha Friday #73

Rules: Post any question on your blog on a Friday, share your answer and sign Kailani's Mr. Linky. Then have fun answering the questions of fellow participants by visiting their blogs.

What kind of cuisine are you fond of?

I'm fond of Japanese food. My family always make it a point to eat at Japanese restaurants. Last Thursday, hubby and I had lunch at Teriyaki Boy, a casual dining Japanese restaurant. We ordered the following:

California Maki

Ebi Tempura Bento Box (includes miso soup, 3 pcs ebi tempura, rice, bean sprouts, kani salad, coffee jelly and iced tea)

Teriyaki Boy Bento Box (includes miso soup, Teriyaki Boy chicken, rice, bean sprouts, kani salad, coffee jelly and iced tea)

After lunch, we went to New Hatchin Japanese Grocery in Makati to buy some ingredients for hubby's culinary class this coming Sunday. Their theme this Sunday is Japanese cuisine. I personally recommend this Japanese grocery because they carry a wide variety of authentic Japanese products. They also have friendly and very accomodating staff.

Located at 7602 Sacred Heart St. cor Metropolitan Ave ., San Antonio village Makati City

Assorted Japanese goods

Yohanism #32

* These are separate incidents.*

Incident 1

I laughed so hard when I saw Yohan trying to coerce the computer to load an online game faster. He was making actions with his hands pretending to be a wizard putting a spell on someone.

Yohan: " You are under my spell. I command you to load. I command you to load."

He had no idea I was watching him. When he noticed me, we both burst into laughter.


Incident 2

Yohan was on the computer while I was watching TV. He suddenly complains ...

Yohan: " Mom, why does your mouse have a mind of its own?"

Ha ha! Apparently, he was having a little difficulty controlling the mouse at that time.

Wordless Wednesday #64

I have always been fond of this rich and yellow custard filled log cake. I had a slice of this delicious cake for dessert. Please visit my Wordless Wednesday #64 entry at my other blog to see what cake I'm referring to. :)

Improve Vision Through Lasik

LASIK is an effective and safe eye procedure available in this modern time. It can remarkably improve one's eyesight by using a specialized laser. This procedure aims to treat poor vision. Lasik helps eliminate the need to wear contact lenses.

The time calls for wise decision making. Many Americans have realized that choosing the best vision care procedure like Lasik can actually result to bigger savings. Below is an actual testimonial about Lasik:

"For me, iLASIK will pay for itself in seven years by eliminating the ongoing cost of glasses, contact lenses and solutions," said Stefanie Fujinami, who had the iLASIK procedure this year with Los Angeles-based ophthalmologist Dr. Robert Maloney. "The next morning I had 20/20 vision -- I could even read the fine print on the toothpaste!"

The iLASIK procedure is safe and will save you more money in the long run. It combines Wavefront mapping technology with two lasers making it a safe and tailor-made procedure. People can even take advantage of most health savings accounts, offering a tax deductible way to pay for improved eyesight. Take for example a 25 year old person wearing contacts. Chances are that person will spend more than $20,000 to maintain his contacts during a lifetime. On the other hand, modern LASIK will improve your vision and give you bigger savings. Find out how you can effectively calculate your lifetime costs of wearing contacts by visiting the site.

Back To School

Yohan was supposed to go back to school last Monday but the school announced the postponement of classes as a precautionary measure against A(H1N1) virus. It gave students, who just got home from their overseas vacation, time to take self quarantine.

Classes opened today. It's a brand new school year. My son is now in Prep. Amazing how time flies. It's ironic, because I was the one who felt a wave of separation anxiety when Yohan boarded the school service this morning. I was not worried because yaya was with him but I still had a heavy feeling when he left. The house was suddenly dull, quiet and lonely. I realized how much I missed my son while he was in school. The moment Yohan got home, the house became alive again.

Students are not yet required to wear school uniform this week so I wasn't able to take a photo. I'll take a picture of him next week wearing his uniform.

Weekend Snapshot #77

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These are snails or locally known as golden kuhol. Hubby bought some at the market for his culinary class.

Below is the final product - Escargot (just one of the dishes hubby and classmates made for their French Cuisine theme).

Photo Hunt :: Lock

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My mom gave me this trinket box a few years ago. It has a key but sadly I lost the lock.

Aloha Friday #72

Rules: Post any question on your blog on a Friday, share your answer and sign Kailani's Mr. Linky. Then have fun answering the questions of fellow participants by visiting their blogs.

Share random simple activities that you find relaxing?

• Watching the sunset.
• Lighting a scented candle.
  
• Reading a good book.
• Watching the fish swim in the aquarium.
• Drinking hot chocolate on a rainy day.
  
• Playing Farm Town (on Facebook).
• Spending a laid back weekend at home with the family.