Food Friday: Guinataang Santol

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Santol is an exotic tropical fruit grown in Southeast Asia. It is eaten raw and plain. In India, it is eaten with spices added. It is also cooked and candied or made into marmalade when the seeds are removed. Santol seeds are inedible and may cause complications such as intestinal perforation if swallowed.

I've only recently known that this tropical fruit can be cooked with coconut milk just like other vegetables. It was actually our maid who came from Bicol who taught me to cook this. Here's the recipe...

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup shrimp
• 4 cups santol meat (just ripened)
• 1/2 cup thick coconut milk scraped or grated
• 1 cup thin coconut milk
  
• 1 tablespoon shortening
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 3 pieces chili
• 1 tablespoon bagoong or shrimp paste

Direction:

• Saute garlic and onion in oil. Add the shrimps and shrimp paste.
• Add the santol meat and pour the thin coconut milk, simmer for 5 minutes. Add the thick coconut milk. Cook for 5 more minutes, or till done.
  
• Add the chili and sprinkle with salt.
• Enjoy it with lots of steamed rice.

They Need You

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Got this tag from Marzie. Thanks girl!

Below are the links of a few organizations that benefit the hungry people of the world. You can play your part and contribute by playing a game, clicking to feed, donating, signing a petition, purchasing items on the website and etc. The purpose of this tag is to spread the word on these wonderful sites by linking to them and encouraging your readers to help the hungry in any way possible. Please tag at least five other bloggers and please add on to the list if you know of any other organization that focuses on this issue.

I have just visited The Hunger Site to do my part in feeding the hungry today. You too can give FREE food to the world's hungry just by clicking a button. All you have to do is visit the site and click the yellow "Click Here to Give - it's FREE" button.

Remember! A click a day keeps the hunger away. Do your part and make a great difference in the lives of millions of starving people worldwide by visiting and clicking NOW! :)

Tagging all of you. Please visit the site and help in your own little way. I just did.

When You Need More Energy

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When you're feeling really tired and you still have tons of things to do, don't just sulk and worry about the things to be done. You can sidestep this by sitting comfortably in a chair keeping your back upright. Close your eyes or rest your gaze on a single spot in front of you. Breathe through your nose. Try to feel it as it enters and leaves your nostrils. Your mind may wander but gently bring your thought back to breathing. You may feel sleepy so avoid trying this during your low-energy times like after meals. Studies show that when you focus your attention inward for 20 minutes a day, it helps decrease anxiety. Practicing this medication for 5 days can help you achieve high energy.

Choosing the Right Candles

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According to research, some doctors discovered that some varieties of scented candles when lit, release formaldehyde [a chemical compound with the formula H₂CO], lead, and benzene-tainted soot. These are toxic chemicals and can irritate the central nervous system, triggering headache, fatigue and brain fog.

Often, we light candles for aromatherapy, it would be best to choose candles that won't leave you feeling woozy. Look for the ones that boast all-natural essential oils and cotton wicks. These essential oils can help us achieve physical and mental healing. Lavender, chamomile, geranium and rose fragrances can help relieve stress. Lemon, lemongrass, orange, grapefruit or bergamot fragrances can help enhance your concentration. If you want to revitalize your body and gain more energy, you may look for peppermint, spearmint, cinnamon, vanilla and rosemary scented candles. Go for vanilla, rose and sandalwood when you want to create a sensual mood.

Some useful tips:

Take away lint and dust from old candles by rolling the candle inside the leg of an old pair of stockings. The grime will bind to the clingy nylon, leaving the wax spotless.

Candles are one of one of the leading causes of fires so be sure to use them safely. Always use a candle holder and make sure you cut the wicks to 1/4 inch before you light them. When lighting more than one candle make sure you place the candles 3 inches apart. Use a candle snuffer. Don't place burning candles where they can be knocked over by kids and don't leave a candle burning if you are leaving the house or going to sleep.

A gift from my Sister

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My sister's package arrived yesterday. I couldn't believe my eyes when I opened the small box she sent me. It's a Swarovski Crystal Rosary! It comes with a note... " I know you still pray the rosary everyday, so I got this lovely religious jewelry for you". It was so sweet of her. So sister, if you're reading this... thank you so much and I Love you!

A Different Summer Getaway

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For a different summer getaway for your family, try the Outer Banks vacation. Instead of booking in hotels or villas, a beach home rental is more fun. It's like enjoying the beach and being home at the same time. You can plan an outdoor cooking or you can cook right in the kitchen. This vacation home comes with a private pool, hot tub, game rooms, a fully equipped kitchen, an outdoor gourmet center and your very own parking space.

Little Piece of My Life Meme

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I was tagged by my pretty friend Tina. She wanted to know how's life at my end and what my home and surrounding are like.

Tagging Sheng, Lira and Francine.

Weekly Question 1

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Julie of Greenbucks started a weekly meme. Here's the question...

If you are married would you know if your husband is reading your blog?

My Answer...
* He does. At first I thought he was not, but I was surprised when he made a comment on one of my posts. He doesn't make comments on the articles he tells me.

If you're interested in joining Julie's meme, here are the rules:

• To those who wish to participate, all you have to do is answer the question that I will post every Sunday by writing a post in YOUR OWN BLOG, in your own time and write in any way you like. But to be clear, the post should be up before the next Sunday.
• So, “WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?” All you have to do is to link back to the post I have written with my Weekly Question.
• I can include you in a mailing list so that I can email you directly the question for the week.
• To those who are passing by and are interested to participate, please email me here -> greenbucks(@)greenbucks(dot)info
• If you want to be included in the mailing list, send me your request here: greenbucks(@)greenbucks(dot)info

We All Need It

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Know your loved ones will be taken care of, life insurance can play a very important role in your family, especially if you have many dependents. Looking for an affordable, low cost life insurance can be daunting. With thousands of companies registered on the web , you should look for a reliable company that will help you secure the best policy with the most affordable rates.

Salt Wonders

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Did you know that salt does so much more than just season a dish? It has so many uses that in ancient times it was valued more than rice and bread. Let me share with you some great uses I found for our kitchen staple.

Try sprinkling salt onto your dry scalp when you're out of anti-dandruff shampoo. Using your fingers, work it into your hair, then shampoo as usual. The salt will gently slough off the dry skin cells while stimulating the production of oils to ease irritation.

A pinch of salt added to the water in your flower vase helps prolong the gorgeous look of your blooms. The salt's natural antimicrobial agent hinders the growth of bacteria and prevents wilting.

In a cup of water, add a teaspoon of salt and soak a cloth napkin or cheese cloth in the solution. Wring the excess fluid from the cloth then wrap your leftover cheese wedges in it, then store it inside a sealed container before keeping it in the fridge. The cheese will stay longer. The salt crystals will hinder the growth of bacteria to keep it from spoiling.

Take off the sticky residue from your iron by sprinkling a handful of salt onto a wax paper. Run the hot iron over it, without the steam. The heat will soften the residue while the abrasive granules help scrub the sticky mark off the metal plate.

For canker sores [singaw, in Filipino] and other mouth sores, a solution of warm water and salt can be used to rinse your mouth several times a day.

Sprinkling salt at doorways, window sills, kitchen cabinets or anywhere else that ants manage to pass, will prevent them from invading your home. Ants won't walk across salt, I really don't know why but I learned this from my mom.

Baby Shower

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Yesterday I had a secret meeting with some of my friends. We discussed J's baby shower two weeks from now while having our favorite coffee. Everyone was really excited because among us, J was the last one to get married and this baby is her first. She's having a baby girl, by the way.

M bragged about the convertible crib and kids desk she bought for the baby and even showed us the picture. She said, the crib converts easily into a toddler bed , day bed and a full-sized bed. She thought of it really well because aside from being beautiful and classic, all the baby's necessary night time accessory needs can be placed there. Its three mattress heights will make changing nappies easier.

I thought of buying a crib for the baby but since M already bought one, I'm thinking of getting her the mahogany bassinet I saw from Wooden Childrens Furniture last week. It's a comfortable resting place for the baby and the bag zips off for easy care and cleaning. It comes with a bassinet mattress and fitted sheet so the little one will be comfortable.

Our other friend A is still undecided so I told her to visit and check Kids Bedroom Furniture. They specialize in bay furniture and have an extensive selection of cribs and accessories. I'm sure she'll find something there. Can't wait to see the excitement on J's face when she sees our gifts for her baby.

Friends Around The World

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I was tagged by Emmyrose and Vannie. Now I'm tagging Sexymom, Crystal and Nyumix.

Rule:
1. Copy from ::Start Copy Here:: through ::End Copy Here::.
2. Add your blog to the list. Feel free to add all your other blogs. Just make sure to post this to each of the blog you added in the list.
3. Tag other online friends you know.You don’t need to be tag in order to join. If you want to join just post this one in your blog.
4. Let me know your blog’s name and url by leaving me a comment HERE. I will add you to the master list.That way, everyone is happy and can meet new friends too!
5. Come back once in a while to get the master list! Let’s see how this makes our Technorati and PR goes up!
6. DO NOT REMOVE THIS: scrap page made by Yen. Using alphas and tapes from Kate H., flowers from Ida,paper by Catrine.

1. Me and Mine 2.Creative In Me 3.Little Peanut 4. Pea in a Pod 5. Sugar Magnolias 6.Because Life Is Fun 7. Piece o’Kaje 8. Mon a Bric 9. Celebrate Life 10.My Journey11. Deeply In Love 12. Pink and Brown Diaries 13. Happyheart 14. Wilstop 15. Fun|Fierce|Fab 16. Nita’s Random Thoughts 17. Nita’s Corner 18. Thomas Web Links 19. Thomas Travel Tales 20. Make Money Online 21. Great Finds and Deals 22. PRC Board Exam Results 24. My Wandering Thoughts 25. Nita’s Ramblings 26. Just Me.. Eds 27. Etc Atbp 28. When Silence Speaks 29. Juliana’s Lair 30. Juliana’s World 31. Juliana’s Library 32. Blessed Chic 33. Can of Thoughts 34. Hailey’s Domain 35. Hailey’s Beats and Bits 36. ISL family 37. Arbitrary Thoughts 38. D’ Cooking Mudra 39. My Big Picture 40. Dancing in Midlife Tune 41. Blessings In Life 42. My Colorful World 43. Dare to Blog 44. Life Realities 45. WebGeek Journal DotNet 46. WebGeek Journal 47. Let’s Travel Philippines 49. MY DAILY THOUGHTS AND MOODS 50. A Sweet Taste Of Life 51. My Life in this Wonderful World! 52. Denz Techtronics 53. Denz Recreational 54. Surviving Deplyoment 55. Ester’s Raptured Dreams 56. Nipa Hut 57.Picture Clusters 58. My Wanderings 59.Maiylah’s Snippets 60. EuLehKulit 61. Life Quest 61.Being a wife. Being a Mom. 62. MoMie SPace 63.Woman Xplore 64. PinayWAHM 65. Agring’s Simply Digital 66. Agring’s Home & Garden 67. Agring’s Homecooking & Baking 68. Agring’s Electronics & Entertainments 69. Scrap Addict Sundays 70. Mommy Talks 71. Aggie Scraps 72.Teacher’s Corner 73. My Drift 74. lancernews 75. My so called Life 76. See Me for what You Will… 77. kathycot.com 78. buhaymisis.com 79. All about Mye life 80. Everything has a Reason 81. Life’s Impression 82. Some Thoughts I have 83. Life’s Lessons 84. Just Let Go 85. Pieces Of Me 86. Winding Creek Circle 87. BOTH SIDES NOW 88. Happy Life 89. Blessed Sanctuary 90.Confessions of an Army Life 91. moms….. check nyo 92. Mommy’s Little Corner 93. Wanna Be SuperModel 94. Gandacious 95. Jo-Jo’s Place 96.My Quiet Zone 97. Proud PINAY 98. Simply Jen 99. Jenny Said So 100. A Slice of Life 101. My Blog 102. TIP OF AN ICEBERG 103. Coffee Cup Princess 104. Deranged Insanity 105. Just Another Day 106. Stev & Emz Journey 107.Runaway THoughts of Emz 108. Heart of Rachel 109. Nora’s Notes 110. In the Life Of Mne 111. In my Kitchen 112. Nyumix’s Blog 113. Everything’s Here 114.Out of Nowhere 115. My Simple World 116. Seek Health. Feel Great 117. Smile Puppies 118. Almanacqueen 119. The Life of an Outback Pinay 120. Dancing With Butterflies 121. My Treasures 122. Everything Green 123. 124. Memoirs of a Filipina 125. The Pit Gadgetry! 126. My Daily Life Experience 127. Married and Happy About It 128. My Discoveries 129. iCreate+iDeas 130. My Healthy Living Journal 131. Busy Moms Cook 132. Christian Weekends 133. Reflexes 134. Caramel Corn 135. Sunny Side Up Foodie 136. A Mothers Horizon 137. Bits and Pieces 138. Whats Up! 139. Simply Me 140. Life and Me 141. A Handful of Surprises 142. Anything and Everything in Between 143. from here and beyond 144. The Nameless Blog 145. Exploring Asia 146. Malaya 147. Swan Portraits 148. BUSYNESSWORLD 149. Sprawt 150. Thinking Consciously? 151. BLOGSILOG 152. Cherry’s Comfort Zone 153. DigiScrapz: Captured Memories 154. Buzzy Me 155. Thinking Out Loud 156. Wishing and Hoping 157. Jobs for Davao 158. Jobs for Cebu 159. Filipino Jobs Abroad 160. PRC Board Exam Results 161. Nakedminds 162. Personal 163. Interesting 164. squeeshies 165. Shenzee’s World 166. Geekyology 167. Swanportraits 168. Rumination Under the Clouds 169. In My Home by Ria aka Msculit 170. It’s my Party (and I’ll cry if I want to…) by Ria aka Msculit 171. Malaya 172. Cheese: Jherson84 173. Beans: Jherson 174. EP Treasures 175. Republic of A 176. Nora’s Family Treasures 177. Points of View (Discussion Blog) 178. Gala Tayo! 179. Lucky Peso 180. Buhay Pinoy 181. Pinay Mommy’s Love Blog 182. MOMEMO 183. OnlineBiz and Resources 184. Lourdes’ Mia 185. Pinay Mommy’s DigiScrap and Musings in Life 186. Pinay Mommy Online 187. ‘nna 188. My Sweet Escape 189. The Next Chapter 190. Painted Life 191. Petty Ramblings of a Petty Queen 192. The Real Deal 193. My Beautiful Life 194. Berry Blog 195. A Tsinay Blog 196. A Celebration of Life 197. My love.mylife.my everything. 198. Gamay and Dako Adventures 199. Ester’s Daily Thoughts 200. Choc Mint Girl 201. I AM KCAT 202. RanZ-Goodies 203. RanZ-Famous 204. A Time to Weep and a Time to Laugh 205. Surviving the Circus of Life 206. The Nook207. Allen’Wifey 208. Fern’s Backyard 209. Amor’s Blog - My Place in Cyberspace 210. The Other Side of Me 211. Stylishbabe111407 212. The Inner Shopper 213. TheGeneralInfoBlog 214. my angels world 215. Pinoy Raket Online 216. My Life 217. BloggingInMyPyjamas 218. Baby Shern 219. Mariel 220. So Real 221. Okay, I am Arms and this is my blog 222.Lucid Creativity 223. Read my Mind 224.A Simple Life 225.YOUR BLOG!

C is for Cookie

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I thought of baking cookies for my kids this afternoon so I searched the web for easy cookie recipes. I found this fun cookie recipes site and was amazed with their long list of easy cookie recipes. The golden cereal-nut clusters was a blockbuster to my kids. Tomorrow, we're going to try the shaped cookies.

Back to Blogging

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Our internet connection has been acting up a bit lately. We've called our service provider several times and we always get the same answers - "Nothing is wrong with your connection ma'am". They sent a technician over to check on the router, true enough, there was something wrong. He replaced the used cisco for a new one. Now I'm back to my blogging routines.

Get Thrilled with Coupons

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Find more coupon codes and take advantage of discounts and avail of great discounts at Coupon Money. The web site has a full-time editors who's main job is to crawl the internet to find you the latest Blockbuster coupons and discounts at thousands of online stores. You can save time finding coupon codes available at your favorite store. Have fun and get thrilled with bargains right at your fingertip. Hurry! Check the web site now.

The Spice called Turmeric

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In the Philippines, turmeric or luyang dilaw grows in abundance. It's a favorite flavoring for stews and dishes using coconut milk. Telling a dish cooked with turmeric is easy because of its aroma and spicy yellow hue. This luyang dilaw is also boiled and made into a tea to relieve sore throats. When I was younger, I often hear from the "oldies" that if you want to improve the quality of your voice, you chew on fresh turmeric slices.

In the whole of Asia, it is considered a cheaper alternative to saffron. The powder form is an acceptable substitute when fresh turmeric is not available.

I'm sharing with you my Adobo in Coconut Milk Recipe...

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb. chicken, cut into pieces
• 500g pork, cubed
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 3-4 stalks lemon grass
• 2 tbsps. julienned turmeric
  
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 2 tsps. fish sauce or patis
  
• 800 ml coconut milk, or milk extracted from 2 coconuts
• 3 pieces chili
• salt to taste
• 2 bay leaves
• freshly ground pepper

Directions:

1. In a wok, saute garlic, onion, ginger and lemon grass in oil, add the fish sauce.
   
2. Add the pork pieces first, when the pork slices are tender, add the chicken, vinegar and freshly ground black pepper. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the vinegar is completely absorbed by the chicken pieces. Season with salt.
   
3. Add coconut milk. Stir constantly in the first 10 minutes to avoid curdling of the coconut milk. Then you can cover it and let it simmer for 20 minutes or until the coconut milk is half absorbed.
4. Enjoy it with steamed rice.
   

Brand Name Furnitures

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The best furnitures are just a click away. If you're shopping for name brand furnitures at incredibly low prices, you may visit the furniture stores by clicking on the link. They have the best beds, chest, drawers, bedroom furniture, dining room furniture, home entertainment ans many more. The web site offers FREE nationwide delivery and 12 months financing for those who are in a low budget.

Off to New York

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My nephew is graduating from college next year, so the whole family is planning on going to New York to witness this big event. My brother is asking us to spend about a month in the Big Apple because he wants us to take the New York City travel tour. He says it's a must so first timers like us will truly enjoy the city's famous places.

Achy Feet

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For some months now, I've noticed that when I wake up every morning, I have sharp pains in the middle parts [arch area] and heels of my feet. The pain become sharper upon standing up. It's kind of difficult to take the first few steps because of the pain. But after only a few minutes of walking or standing, the pain will be gone and my feet are a lot better. I wasn't giving much attention to it, I thought I was just over weight and also thought of my age, lol. Until I read about it in one article. What I have been experiencing is called Plantar Fasciitiis. The pressure on the band of tissue [plantar fascia] that supports the arch of the foot causes the tissue to become inflamed and develop small tears. The connective tissue contracts when a person is resting.

I didn't know what it was then so I tried massaging my feet before heading to be bed but the pain is still there every time I wake up. The article says that the simple solution to this is stretching. To do it, you have to sit with the right leg crossed over the left leg. On the foot of the crossed leg, pull the toes toward the shin and hold for 10 seconds. Then do it with the left leg crossed over the right leg. Repeat this 10 times, three times a day. You may also ice the area for 15 minutes each morning to reduce the swelling. Healing can take up to 3 months. I started five days ago and so far, so good. Now I know this isn't because of my age, lol.

Howie Mandel on YouTube

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Buy.com is so cool! You can get the best deals on this web site. Everything you'll ever need is here, name it and they have it. They have a long list of products like gaming, home goods, electronics, gadgets, hard drives, movies, books, and many, many more. What's best at buy.com is the items you purchase is shipped to you FREE. Check out the deal of the week and get fabulous discounts and watch NO KEYWORD COMMENT ON YOUTUBE VIDEO and find out Howie Mandel's way of dropping off those goodies.

Hey Sleepyhead!

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Sometimes when you wake up in the morning or from a nap, and you have to hit the door in a few minutes, those pillow marks on your face could be embarassing. When your face is pressed into a pillow for hours, I've read that the fluid in our skin disperses to other parts of our body, leading to creases. You can erase these fine lines by splashing warm water [not cold] onto the area. The warm water quickly rehydrates the top layer of the skin [the epidermis] and enhances blood flow to the area. I often get these creases because I only have a few hours of sleep everyday so I try to snooze whenever I find time. After waking up, I just wash my face with water. Now that I know the simple trick of taking the creases off my sleepy face, I won't have to wait for a few more minutes before I can go out of the house.

Be Self Insured

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Do you travel a lot? If you do, do you have a travel insurance? Having a travel health insurance is really important because you'll never know when you will become ill. Becoming ill abroad especially when you are traveling alone is something we all are afraid of, aside from the fact that the cost to treat you could be very high. It would be very wise to get a travel health insurance before you fly and be self insured.

Cellphone Warning

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Some hearing specialists say that when you use your cellphone for more than one hour everyday, you are in danger of damaging your ears. Still, more studies are being made at present to prove the connection of cellphone on deafness, but it wouldn't hurt you to limit the use of the gadget to lessen the risk, should this prove to be true.

Borrowing a friend's cellphone could be dangerous too. Mobile phones are usually held in a warm moist hand or kept in a pocket or purse. These are conditions that allow bacteria to thrive and these bacteria can enter the body through tiny breaks in dry or damaged skin when we hold the borrowed gadget to the face. It is best to avoid using other people's phones and clean your own cellphone at least once or twice a week. I clean mine with a paper towel or tissue paper sprayed with alcohol. I've read that household disinfectant works well too.

The Best Acne Treatment

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Acne ruins every teenager's life. It makes their teenage years miserable. My niece does not even want to leave the house because of this. We practically tried everything. We have been to so many dermatologists, but that didn't help her. It was only about a month ago that we discovered an effective acne treatment. After using it only for a few days, her skin is a lot better and there were no breakouts. I'm glad we found the right one. Now, she is more confident and feeling a lot better about herself.

Bridal Shower Invites

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If you're mulling on how to make you bridal shower more exciting , you should start with your bridal shower invitations. I found lots of cute stuffs at The Party Starts Here! They have exceptional quality and elegant designs I am sure your girlfriends will know they're in for a real surprise. You may choose to personalize them and these invites are sold in sets of 10. Their prices are very competitive too. Plan the perfect bridal shower! Click on the link for more info.

What to do with swollen legs

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Swollen legs are sometimes caused by standing for a long time or sometimes, hours of running errands. When we do these things, there is a fluid build up in our legs called edema. The gravity prevents the fluid from getting pumped to the kidneys giving our legs a thick appearance. I found out from one article a simple way to relieve this. Simply lie on the floor and elevate your legs by resting them on a chair. Rotate your ankles for 2 minutes then massage your calves in the direction of your heart for 2 minutes. According to research, this simple and easy trick can ease fluid build up within 30 minutes. I have tried it and it worked!

What a nice surprise.

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My brother, who's residing in the US, surprised my son, Joey, with a package. The package arrived yesterday, and inside was an xbox 360. Joey couldn't contain his eyes when he saw his xbox 360, fully loaded. He's been asking one from his uncle last christmas, but nothing came so he gave up on it. So just imagine his surprised when the package came. Thanks bro! You certainly made his day.

Medicare Supplement

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Having a medical insurance is really important, it’s actually, a must. You’ll never know when illnesses and accidents may strike you. A medicare supplement is a policy sold by companies to fill the gaps of your original health policy. It helps you pay some of the health care costs that your original policy does not cover like deductibles for hospitalization, doctor visits and other medical services.

Life Insurance for Children

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Like us, our kids need life insurance too. Although only a few believe in the need of child life insurance, there are unforeseen accidents and there is no guarantee that our children will ever need to have it. It is our job as parents to keep them safe and secure. Purchasing an insurance for our kids is just like protecting them from unforeseen accidents and ease them from future financial burden.

A Peaceful Retreat

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Addiction is a physiological dependence on something. Both drugs and alcohol are addictive. Don't let a loved one gamble with his life, his personality and future. He may be an addict and have lived like hell but that doesn't mean that he should be treated without respect and dignity. An alcohol rehab will give him a peaceful retreat and fast recovery.

Increase your Pageranks and Technoratis

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I was tagged by Constance of Sunny Side Up Foodie & Lifestyle. This is a very easy tag and I hope all of you will participate.

**Begin Copy**
This is the easy way and the fastest way to :1. Make your Authority Technorati explode.2. Increase your Google Page Rank.3. Get more traffic to your blog.4. Makes more new friends.
Rules :1. Start copy from “Begin Copy” until “End Copy” to your blog(for bloggers paste on the “compose” not the “edit html” part in posting blogs so it will be linked automatically).2. Put your own blog name and link.3. Tag your friends as much as you can, the more the better!

1. Picturing of Life 2. Juliana’s Site 3. Hazel-My Life, My Hope, My Future. 4. Jeanne-The Callalily Space 5. Starz in De Sky 6. My Charmed Life 7. Denz Techtronics 8. Denz Recreational 9. Life’s Simple Pleasures 10. My Blog 11. Because Life is Fun 12. In This Game of Life 13. Scribbles of my Life 14. Changing Lanes 15. anna 16. joytoy 17. Surviving deployment 18. The Deviant19. All I want is Everything 20. Shadows of love, fate and destiny 21. Tasteful Voyage 22. A mom’s note 23. Bittersweet Collide 24. Jackie Simplypinay 25. Jackie’s Everyday Life 26. Parisukat 27. Ang Sponge ni Bub 28. ee-ey 29. Life is too short to be ordinary 30. Asian Mutt International 31. Caramel Corn 32. Almanac Queen 33. Sunny Side Up Foodie 34. Mommy's Little Corner 35. You're Next

**END COPY**

When to see a Doctor...

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Many of us are afraid to visit a doctor when we feel something. Often, we take those pains for granted thinking that " this is nothing, really". Or sometimes, we're just afraid to find out that something could really be wrong. I must admit that I think like that, I really don't give much attention to simple head and tummy aches. And always, REST does the trick.

More serious pains might mean there is a more serious problem. I stumbled upon an article on when you really should see a doctor. Any of these could be a sign of a more serious problem that needs medical attention. Visit your doctor if you have...

• Sharp or stabbing pain
• Pain that radiates along the arm, leg, or elsewhere in the body
• Pain that's accompanied by fever, weight loss, weakness or a change in skin color
• Pain that gets worse, keeps you awake at night, lasts longer than a week or two, or pain that makes you uneasy.

Seeing a doctor immediately will not only help you ease the pain but will let you know what the real problem is and how it can be cured.

The Perfect Wood Replacement

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Wood needs a lot of care and maintenance. It is also susceptible to temperature, weather and termites and other insects as well. With global warming concerns, it is only but proper for us to use synthetic alternatives. Plastic and fiberglass columns have versatile properties and uses, plus, they can last for a long time, these would be the best materials to replace wood.

The Stumble Upon Meme

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Tagged by Blanne. Another one of the linky love memes, let's give this one a try.

I read that it is possible to increase the traffic of your blog through StumbleUpon. So I have decided to try it out, with your help ofcourse. Here is the concept:

Stumble the pages that link to you. In this way you drive more traffic to the page containing your link and thus you hope that some of that traffic comes back to you via the link on that page.

Supposedly, we are to link ourselves to Stumbled sites to generate the traffic that we want. But what if we could just Stumble on each other's sites/blogs?

Let's modify things a bit and make our very own StumbleWorthy list. Why have a list, you say? A list is necessary for the participants to StumbleUpon. And also, it's needed to check whether the participants are really Stumble-ing. Plus, it helps your Technorati authority soar high! Neat, huh? Idea of having a list is actually because of The Big Bang. Click on the link to join.

--START COPYING HERE--

Here are the rules:
1. Copy from "START COPYING HERE" to "STOP COPYING HERE".
2. Add your site(s) to the list. Just be sure to post the "StumbleWorthy List" at each site you add.
3. Let me know your blog’s name and url by leaving me a comment HERE. I will add you to the master list.
4. Come back and copy the master list back to your site, often. This will allow the new comers to achieve equal benefit as the late comers do.
5. Register in StumbleUpon and install the toolbar.
6. Go to the sites found on the list and give them a thumb up (I like it!).
7. Add me as your friend in StumbleUpon: Blanne.

Note: Your url will be deleted in the Master List if you do not comply to the given rules.

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD! TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THE LIST. OR CLICK HERE TO GET A BANNER THAT YOU CAN PUT ON YOUR BLOG. THE MORE PARTICIPANTS, THE GREATER INCREASE IN TRAFFIC! :)

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Laughlin Break

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Explore Nevada’s 50 acres of water front excitement and experience the grandest vacation of your life. The laughlin hotels offer first class accommodations and fabulous amenities at very affordable prices. The property is teeming with Mexican themed resorts and is conveniently located near four world class golf courses. Your family will surely enjoy a lot of exciting outdoor activities and the beautiful scenery. Plan your next summer at Laughlin, with something for every age and taste I am sure your vacation days are spent well.

Pork Adobo

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Adobo is a Spanish word meaning seasoning or marinade. It is a very popular dish here in the Philippines and I learned how to cook it from my husband's lola [grandmother]. In the old times, adobo was cooked only with either pork or chicken or a combination of both. Nowadays, adobo is prepared with almost anything; fish, mushroom, meat, vegetables and now popularized by some gourmet restaurants, the Balut [embryo].

My lola's way of cooking it is by first marinating the meat with garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, peppercorn and bay leaf for a couple of hours. Then she lets it simmer until the meats are tender. When the meat is done, she lightly browns them in a separate pan followed by the sauce.

Ingredients:

• 500g pork, cubed
• 1 head garlic, smashed
• 250ml water
• 125ml white vinegar
• 75ml dark soy sauce
• vegetable oil
• salt to taste
• 2 bay leaves
• peppercorns

Directions:

1. Marinate the pork in vinegar, garlic, salt and bay leaves for 2 hours.
2. Simmer until the pork is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
3. Remove pork and set aside liquid.
4. Add the oil and fry the pork.
5. Pour the set aside liquid.
6. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
7. Sprinkle with fried garlic and boiled eggs.

Flax Seeds

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Flax is grown both for its seeds and for its fibers. The seeds come in 2 varieties, brown and yellow. Both have the same nutritional values and contain omega3 fatty acids. My uncle, who is based in the US supplies my parents with flax seeds. At first, we didn't know what they were for. My mom called him up to ask what those seeds are for. He said, a tablespoon of ground flax seeds mixed with 1/2 a cup of water after dinner can help lower the body's cholesterol level. Sometimes, we see those seeds mixed in breads from bakeshops and deli stores. Whole flax seeds do not have any effect at all, they should be ground to release all the essentials.

Flax seeds also stabilizes blood sugar level, thus, lessens the severity of diabetes. The seeds are high in B Vitamins, magnesium, manganese and of course, fiber. These essential nutrients are the ones responsible for the cholesterol-lowering effects of the seeds. The combination of healthy fats and fiber is beneficial to dieters too. And did you know that a tablespoon of ground flax seeds and three tablespoons of water may serve as a replacement for one egg in baking by binding the other ingredients together?