Paps and I have two boys, 10 and 16. For 16 years, we are bombarded with so many parenting challenges. Our home is always noisy, messy, and busy. Whenever we feel tired, we say to ourselves that a quiet home has no children in it. It is much better to have a "chaotic home" caused by our kids rather than having a spic and span abode with defeating silence.

Therefore, children are definitely the best teachers around. They are the reflection of who we are in the past. If we try to see how beautiful they are, they help us become better parents. They also remind us of the things that our parents have gone through when we were young and those memories teach us to become more empathic and appreciative.

In line with this, I have read the book Car Key Gnomes... and other household pests (Poems by Miciah Dodge and Artwork by Danie Plott) with Paps. We had so much fun! The contents of the book are poems about mischievous gnomes who are joyfully making mischief around the house, perfectly paired with gorgeous artwork. They may be hiding away the car keys, borrowing the socks or shoes, or knotting someone's hair while he sleeps. They don't mean any harm. They are just having fun. Somehow we can relate to the reason why the author has been inspired to write this book. It is his way of reminiscing his boys' mischiefs in the past while those boys were denying what they did. But in case that they were telling the truth that time, then someone else might have been to blame, and perhaps those might be the Car Key Gnomes and other household pests!

"Car Key Gnomes ...and other household pests" teaches the family about growing up and the fascination of appreciating good memories instead of wallowing in misery. Kids teach us to see the world with unblemished innocence, the essence of a simple life, and genuine happiness.

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A few years ago, I attended a workshop of an award-winning writer about "How to Write a Children's Storybook." I dreamt of writing a series of storybooks for children that would tackle Good Manners and Right Conduct (GMRC). I thought that those reading materials would help parents and teachers teach children manners and character-building because, for quite some time, GMRC was not included in the DepEd curriculum. Due to this, kids and the younger generation nowadays tend to forget what is essential and that is to live mindfully and intentionally without sacrificing being a good person. Furthermore, I thought of writing stories that would enrich values formation because it would be one of the easiest and best ways to tap the intellect and emotions of the kids starting at a very young age so that the lessons that they would learn would be innate in their character. Unfortunately, that dream of mine was put on the shelf due to a lack of time or confidence perhaps because I thought I was not credible yet. 

In line with this, I always believe that what you think, you will attract. God has His way of connecting you to the right people who share the same passion and belief as yours. I feel truly blessed and honored because Dr. Shubhra Sharma, lecturer, anthropologist, and children's book author, shared with me her passion project, Manners Matter: A Children’s Self-Guide to Social and Personal Conduct, which coincides with what I want with a "manners book for children" to be written. It’s a children’s etiquette book, a self-guide, that breaks down common social interactions - and how one should behave in them - into bite-sized pieces of information along with colorful images/graphics that even the youngest readers can understand and appreciate. I got a digital copy and it was awesome! For sure, it would look awesome in paperback too! Then I realized that I should not feel regretful for not pursuing my postponed plan because this book gave justice to it. This book perhaps is what should parents and teachers include in their children's reading list.

What amazes me more is that it is made possible by an aunt and niece tandem. Dr. Shubhra asked her 10-year old niece, Zoya, to draw the illustrations of the book. I love the way she has expressed how excited she is for the opportunity. She also loves the idea of an etiquette self-guidebook for children. She has mentioned that this book has the answer to the following questions that she has never thought about, "What is etiquette, how do we learn it, who teaches us, why is it important?" I also like the idea that the book teaches children how to behave properly. Parents letting them learn through "Self-direction" is a form of positive discipline. Positive discipline gives children a feeling of empowerment to solve their own problems. This becomes a learning opportunity to learn acceptable behavior in different circumstances which helps them become confident, independent, and self-directed (Eaton, 1997). When a person becomes good to his peers, it builds relationships, and it brings a feeling of fulfillment.

This book is made of 24 etiquette lessons in a detailed manner that revolve around gratefulness, mindfulness, accountability, respect, appreciation, hospitality, politeness, kindness, empathy, evolving learning, happiness, thoughtfulness, responsibility, leadership, patience, resilience, attentiveness, and more. There is also a part where the reader may write his thoughts about a specific virtue. This book is not only perfect for children 5 to 13 years old but for adults as well who need to be reminded of how they should express and act with prudence and in conformity with societal standards. I am already in midlife but still, I've learned so much from this book. 

I invite you to get your own copy of this book. All the things your children need to learn about manners may be included in this book. This is probably an "all for one book of manners" that we have in the market today. You may purchase it from Amazon. 

Reference:

The admiration that I have right now for Dr. Michele Alignay has started when I've read her book award-winning book, "Family Goals, Embracing the Imperfections of Family Life". She is the kind of writer whom I can relate with kasi sakto lahat ng sinasabi niya sa book niya, tipong para siyang kapatid mo or BFF mo na nakikinig sa'yo at sasabihan ka ng mga words na kailangan mong marinig. Kahit gaano kasakit ang katotohanan, she is going to make you feel better after pero naliwanagan ka ng bongga!

That's why when I was invited by her personally to attend her latest book launching, ayayay, may kilig factor talaga, I swear. Saying yes to that invite was one of the best decisions that I made this month and probably for my entire lifetime. 

In the 11th of May this year, the intimate launch of her new book, "The Beauty of 40, Unwrapping the Gift of Midlife" was held in Miriam College. The book would be tackling about clarity, reflection, and sensible response to what is happening within us, tayong mga nasa midlife na (Yes, I am 40 and I am proud of it!) and beyond. The two-hour event was filled with an atmosphere of love, sincerity, friendship, and learning. You may watch the video by Kerygma Books through the link below to know more about the launch and the book itself HERE.

I am currently reading it and soon, I will review it. While waiting for it, you may read first my review about "Family Goals" on this link: Family Goals Embracing the Imperfections of Family by Michele S. Alignay. This book is available in religious and some parish stores nationwide and online at www.kerygmabooks.com for only Php320. Whenever I see this book in book stores, I tell the staff to recommend it.

By the way, Dr. Ichel will be launching her "The Beauty of 40..." book again on Sunday, May 26, at "Infini7e: Feast Marikina Bluewave's 7th Anniversary in Marikina Convention Center from 9:00 AM to 12:00 NN. Don't miss it! If you will not be able to make it, you may purchase the book at www.kerygmabooks.com for Php380 only. Midway pa lang ako pero ang dami ko nang napulot o natutuhan.

Sa henerasyong ito na karamihan sa mga kabataan ay nahihilig sa paggamit ng kanilang mga "gadgets" upang libangin ang kanilang mga sarili sa paglalaro at panonood ng mga palabas, bilang mga responsableng mga magulang ay huwag nating kalilimutan ang pagtuturo sa ating mga anak ng pagbabasa ng aklat, ito man ay gawa sa papel o elektroniko (eBooks). Ang kasanayan sa pagbabasa ay mahalaga sa kanilang pag-unlad sa lahat ng aspeto sapagkat ito ang pundasyon sa pagtuklas at pag-aaral ng iba bang kaalaman. Kaya naman ang pag-aaral ng pagbasa ay huwag bale-walain sapagkat ang batang marunong magbasa ay tiyak na makasusunod sa mga panuntunan at mas magkakatoon ng pagkakataong matuto pa ng higit kahit kaunti lamang ang gabay mula sa kanilang mga magulang, guro, o tagapag-alaga.

Sa pagtuturo ng pagbasa sa mga kabataan, dapat ang mga magulang ay maging mapili sa mga aklat na kanilang ipababasa o babasahin sa kanilang mga anak. Ang pagbasa ay isang epektibong pamamaraan upang ibahagi ang kagandahang asal maliban pa sa mga bagay na kailangang matutuhan ng kabataan na may relasyon sa akademika. 

Kaya naman, bilang isang ina ay sinusoportahan ko ang mga Pinoy at Pinay na may-akda upang malaman ng aking mga anak ang kulturang Pinoy lalo na ang magagandang asal na talagang likas sa mga Pilipino na kailangan nilang matutuhan at linangin upang maging mabuting mamayan saan man siyang bahagi ng mundo mapunta.

Isa sa mga Pinay na manunulat na aking minamahal at sinusuportahan ay si Bb. Meanne Mabesa Mijares sapagkat ang kanyang mga isinulat na kwentong pambata ay kapupulutan ng aral at nakapagpapasigla ng kagandahang loob at pananalig sa Diyos.

Sa kanyang isinulat na aklat na pinamagatang "Si Dina Daldal at Si Mikmik Tahimik" kanyang naipakikita ang realidad ng buhay na ito ay puno ng pagsubok at mga bagay at pangyayaring hindi kanais-nais na dala ng pagmamalabis ng ibang tao. Ngunit kung ang isang tao ay matatag ang pananampalataya sa Diyos at laging pinipili ang paggawa ng kabutihan at ipinaglalaban ito kung kinakailangan para sa kanyang sarili, kaibigan, mahal sa buhay, at kanyang kapwa, tiyak na magiging maganda ang kalalabasan ng adhikaing ito. Pinatutunayan ng kwentong ito na ang bawat isa ay dapat huwag maging manhid, magbulag-bulagan o magbingi-bingihan sa mga taong nangangailangan ng tulong upang ang katarungan at kabutihan at laging manaig at sumulong.

Gayun din naman, kung tayo ay minimithi sa buhay, huwag tayong mahiyang magdasal sa Poong Maykapal. Ang Ating Diyos Ama ay may nakalaang biyaya sa ating lahat, ito man ay nakikita o hindi, ispiritwal man o temporal, talento, mabuting kalooban, at marami pang iba. Hinihintay lamang Niya tayong hilingin ang mga ito at Kanya namang ibibigay sa tamang panahon. Huwag nating sayangin ang pagkakataon. Manalig lamang tayo at magpasalamat. Ang mga ito ay itinuturo ng kwentong pinamagatang "The Pearl Boxes of Blessings: A Christmas Story from Heaven Above".

Sa kwentong "Emma Kali-Kaliwete! Emma U-utal-utal" ay makikita natin na kahit ano pa man ang ating kakulangan o kaibahan sa ibang tao, tayo ay kailangang maging matatag at maniwalang makakayanan natin ang kahit anong pagsubok na dumating sa ating buhay gawa ng ating pagiging "iba". Ang pananalig sa Diyos at paniniwala sa sarili ang siyang magpapatatag sa atin kasama na tunay na pagmamahal ng ating pamilya. Pagpapatawad, pagbangon hatid ng pagkakadapa dahil sa mga pagsubok, kababaang-loob, pagmamahal, at pagpapatawad, ang ilan sa napakaraming aral na itinuturo ng aklat na ito.

Aking inaanyayahan na kayo ay magbasa kasama ng inyong mga anak kahit ano pa man ang kanilang edad ang mga kwentong aking nabanggit. Ang mga aklat na sumusunod ay mabibili sa lahat ng St . Pauls Bookstores sa buong bansa: "Emma Kali-Kaliwete! Emma U-utal-utal", "Si Dina Daldal at Si Mikmik Tahimik", at "The Pearl Boxes of Blessings: A Christmas Story from Heaven Above". Ang aklat naman na "Diego Meets the Pope/Makikilala ni Diego ang Santo Papa" ay mabibili sa National Book Store. Tayo nang suportahan ang mga natatanging aklat ng natatanging may-akda na si Bb. Meanne Mabesa Mijares at turuan ng kagandahang-asal, kagandahang-loob, at pananalig sa Diyos ang ating mga anak. 

Last Friday morning, I was able to talk to a pretty mom, a co-parent in Bunso's school, which I forgot to ask the name. We had a brief conversation about our kids. She asked me when and how Bunso learned to talk. I told her that Bunso could only say Mama and Papa when he started his therapy sessions three years ago. After three months of regular OT sessions, he knew how to talk in simple phrases. Amazing, isn't it?

Swimming is Bunso's way to exercise his body while reading is his habit to exercise his mind.

Aside from the help of his therapist and his education under the supervision of the Sped team, the advantage of Bunso's non-exposure to television because he doesn't like watching TV shows and limiting his gadget time have helped in the process too. Paps and I exposed him to books at an early age instead.

These  books were few of the many books that we got last summer from our visit to Scholastic Warehouse Sale. Bunso and his Kuya shares the passion for the love for reading through the years. Why do you see multiple copies of most of the books? They are nice gifts for all occasions. The gift of learning is priceless and timeless.

Believe it or not, two years ago I used to read aloud 45 books, 3 to 7 times a day to Bunso while pointing the words and showing him the illustrations. He memorized them all until our reading materials became more than 45 books. Every January, I would change his reading materials so that he could have a new learning experience. Until finally, he began reading the words on his own without memorizing the story. I would also ask him questions about the story to check his comprehension.

In line with this, Scholastic Warehouse Sale is our cheapest source of reading materials since 2014. I encourage you to visit its ongoing sale. I guarantee na sulit ang pagod ninyo sa pagpunta. You will find all the details below my Scholastic Warehouse Sale experiences and the ongoing Christmas sale. 

Last August 26, it was such a blessing on my part to be given a chance to talk about Miss Meanne Mabesa Mijares's new book, Heartbreakthrough 8 Steps to Rise Above Heartbreak- The Lord’s Way. If you remember, she was author of the award-winning book, Emma Kali-kaliwete! Emma U-utal-utal!, her first book that I reviewed a couple of months ago.

"Heartbreakthrough 8 Steps To Rise Above Heartbreak- The Lord's Way by Meanne Mabesa Mijares" is the best book to read if you are currently in pain due to failed relationship, separation, or cycle of abuse. This book will bring you to your breakthrough because it will lead you to the right journey that is guided by the Lord. . It was such a wonderful feeling to be invited by the author herself and give a short talk about it during its launch last Saturday. That endeavor became the start of my vow to make this book reach those people who need the right answers and heal their broken hearts without going astray. . I will share my thoughts wishes for the book, where to purchase it, and Meanne's next book signing event on my blog. I will keep you posted. 💕 . #meannemabesamijares #heartbreakthroughbook #bookstagram #bookworm #book #inspirational #mommybloggersph #momblogger #readingadvocate #claretianpublications #claret #booklaunch #booksigning

A post shared by Gng. SJ Valdez (@allaroundpinaymama) on Aug 27, 2017 at 8:07pm PDT

Meanne and I became in touch online and her book launch was the first time that I met her in person. That made me more excited and elated. Imagine, an award-winning author would ask a simple blogger like me to talk about her book? She even sent me the manuscript and that was the proof to my claim that I was one of the very first persons to read the book. To be trusted my her to own the manuscript really meant so much.

The event was more than a book launch. It was an intimate, meaningful, fruitful, and very special moment for me because I met Meanne and her family in person, gained new friends like Anna Santana and the love of her life, and had an insightful conversation about life with the guests and other Claretians who graced the event. I would never forget this experience as long as I live.

Before further ado, let me share with you the brief content that I have spoken of during the talk that somehow can give you a backgrounder of what's in store for you.

I feel so elated and blessed to be one of the first persons to read this book. "Heartbreakthrough: 8 STEPS to Rise Above Heartbreak- The Lord's Way by Meanne Mabesa Mijares" talks about steps in recovering from being heart broken and starting anew by immersing yourself to the way that God wants it to be. . While reading this book, I remember my friends who are hurt right now due to failed marriages and relationships. This is the best book to read to ease their pain and find answers to their unresolved questions. . Thanks for being a blessing, Miss Meanne! God bless you in all your endeavors. I am so excited to witness your upcoming book launch! ❤❤❤ . #allaroundpinaymama #aapmmustread #aapmfavorites #book #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #meannemabesamijares

A post shared by Gng. SJ Valdez (@allaroundpinaymama) on Aug 19, 2017 at 12:32am PDT

I have contemplated for some time on how I can give justice to the book, Heartbreakthrough 8 Steps to Rise Above Heartbreak- The Lord’s Way by Ms. Meanne Mabesa Mijares as I share my insights on its contents without actually revealing too much that would spoil the surprises and intricacies that were presented in this book. However, having been tasked to share my insights and feelings on its content has created a dilemma on my part. If I may encapsulate my impression of the book, Barbara Streissand as Rose Morgan in the movie “The Mirror Has Two Faces” said in one of her lines, “True love has spiritual dimensions”.

In essence, it is what I believe is one of the many core points of the book. It will take you to a spiritual journey that will enable you to heal. This may sound unreal since break ups and heart brokenness create moments of weakness, vulnerability, and despair in us. However, the insights provided in the book present a different and more meaningful perspective, one that is anchored towards healing ourselves and putting ourselves under the loving presence of God. It is very enlightening to know that our moments of misery are indeed avenues to learn more about the love of God for us and a moment to learn and deepen our awareness of both ourselves and our spirituality.

Furthermore, one of the revealing insights that struck me in the book came from a Bible passage in one of the chapters which was from Psalm 37:4: “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart”. The question that came to me was “How can I be delighted if I am hurting inside?” The book provides a plan of action that teaches us self-internalization through prayer. Not only that, it can also lead us to the realization that when we commune and come to terms with our spirit and the events that lead us to our present circumstances, we are actually communicating with God.  As I continued my reading, I truly was amazed on the wisdom that was imparted within its pages.

It was a great privilege to speak in front of the audience about how helpful Heartbreakthrough 8 Steps to Rise Above Heartbreak- The Lord’s Way by Ms. Meanne Mabesa Mijares is to those individuals looking for answers on how to heal their broken heart the right way. (Photo credit: Meanne Mabesa Mijares)

Many of the principles that were incorporated in its pages explained and rationalized the things that a heartbroken person were going through and how she or he would respond to his or her brokenness. Such as…

- Love comes with a risk---heartbreak. It makes you recover from a heartbreak with a stronger head , and a more advanced approach and disposed spirit, that is to love again.

- Don’t keep the pain inside. Don’t deny your grief and pain. Crying cleanses us.

- Learn from loses and mistakes. If we don’t learn from them, we are doomed to repeat them.

- Eat healthy. Do what makes you happy. Treat yourself. Exercise.

- Stop looking for happiness in the place you lost it.

- A breakthrough can’t happen if a broken heart is closed, arrogant, and adamant. When we acknowledge and need help in humility reaching out to our Lord, then things fall into  place, doors are opened, chains are broken, and we can move on.

- Remember, no person has the right to condemn you how you repair your broken heart or how you choose to grieve because no one knows how must you are hurting deep inside. Recovering takes time and everyone heals at their own pace. Happy is the person who learns to wait as he prays and never loses his patience for God’s time in his best time.

- The Lord leads you to where he wants you to lead.

- To win your personal battles against your personal demons to resolve your issues, you need to pray. Make good decisions that are strengthened by your faith.

-  Accepting the fact that the past cannot change is breathtaking launching pad for forgiveness.

- Choose to accept the past for what it was and look ahead to what is.

- Be wise in choosing who you invest your time in because wasted time is much worse than wasted money. If the Lord wants you to be with someone, He will make it happen at the right time with the right person.

- God is everywhere and in everything. The closer you get to God, you will start to look at life through your spiritual eyes more clearly. He will bless us by showing his hand and at others He will make us learn how to trust Him and His unlimited power.

- God will give us what we need not what we wanted. God surely lives up to His promise to always give back more than what we lose. All it takes is faith, hope, and trust.

The capacity of humans to love and feel attracted to another individual has birthed countless wisdom and realizations which has enriched our experience of love.

One of the most compelling point that struck me during my reading was the question “How do we get to enjoy the ultimate promise of God?”. It showed details on how we could turn our moment of misery to an enlightening moment that would enable us to see the goodness in such situation. It truly was a “WOW” moment for me. At my age I had my own moments of misery borne from loss, separation and wrong decisions, and in those instances, I had at some point felt the overwhelming feeling of anger, frustration and despair. Looking back I was thinking if I had access to such wisdom back in the day, probably I could have avoided doing so many senseless acts that made me loose so much. If I may use a little bit of what was presented in its pages, Miss Mijares stressed that the misery that we could feel during our moment of brokenness could be something that we must acknowledge and through that act, we could take time to:

Such acts can eventually lead to blessings, opportunities, probable new career, and new love. And lastly (I have to end it here because I might take away the excitement and mystery of the book), broken people always have the dilemma of finding the inspiration or spark that propels them to move forward. This aspect of healing poses a great threat since it has the tendency to deepen the pain and hurt to the extent of damaging the very perception of any one on the concept of love. In answer to this, the act or fact that a person choose to move forward and continue to take each step and breathe in spite of the pain means that the person has surrendered to the Lord’s will and is indeed looking forward to receiving God’s promise.  

In mathematical language the equation that is love can lead to different products and percentages of ecstasy and insanity. Today we are witness to a work done with utmost passion that centers on the very experience of the other side of love which is heart break. Exuding love, sharing one’s self and dedicating one’s life in pursuit of the happiness of another is one of the highlights of our lives. There is so much that we have learned from our experiences with our relationships many of us think that we have already moved forward... Have we? This masterpiece is am must read for it provides a perspective that put us closer to God and raise our awareness on our humanity.

Let me share with you the poem that speaks so much of letting go and letting God, the essence of finding the heartbreakthrough. This poem is found on pages 123-124.

Let God choose for you, it will be the right decision.

Let God guide you, it will be the right decision.

Let God plan for you, it will be in the right timing.

Let God measure for you, it will be the right portion.

Let God help you, it will be the right care.

Let God instruct you, it will be the right teaching.

Let God prepare you, it will be the right training.

Let God counsel you, it will be the right perspective.

Let God fight for you, it will be the right outcome.

Let God work in you, it will be the right result.

Let God work, don't block your blessings by moving to fast.

When God is working on your behalf, be patient. Good things take time.

Don't get weary and don't get in the way. 

(Source: https://elranchodelrey.org?p=820)

For me, Heartbreakthrough 8 Steps to Rise Above Heartbreak- The Lord’s Way, is the best book and companion that you should have when you are heart broken. It will never mislead you. It will lead you to the right path in finding your peace in times of pain and suffering. You may purchase this for a very affordable price of Php199.00 in any religious store catering books printed by Claretian Publications. You may also buy it online.

Php199.00 is unbelievably affordable for a very informative book.                                           (Photo credit: Meanne Mabesa Mijares)

If you will visit the upcoming Manila International Book Fair, Meanne will have her book signing on September 16 from 2:00 to 4:00 Pm at the Claretian Publications booth numbers 240 to 244 in SMX Convention Center, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City. Never miss this chance of meeting her and having your copy signed by her. Meanne is a very nice, approachable, and humble person.

Grab your copy now. Even if you are not heartbroken you will learn so much from the book.                                                                       (Photo credit: Meanne Mabesa Mijares)

"If you want to bring happiness to the whole world, go home and love your family.”

- Mother Theresa

I am feeling under the weather today and reading just a few pages of this book has lifted me up literally and figuratively. Thank you so much for sharing your gift of writing, Miss @michelealignay! Thank you, @brotherbosanchez and Shepherd's Voice Publication, Inc., for sending me this book through the initiative of Miss @tinasrodriguez. It's such a lovely gift. God bless you. 💕 . My thoughts about this book soon! 😉 . . #allaroundpinaymama #aapmmustread #aapmrecommends #shepherdsvoice #book #bookstagram #inspire #family #relationships #bookworm #blessed #grateful #loved

A post shared by Gng. SJ Valdez (@allaroundpinaymama) on Jul 5, 2017 at 1:08am PDT

Are we having a harmonious relationship?

Do we deal with trials and problems properly?

Am I fulfilling my duties as a wife and mom?

Do I fully understand that each member of my family is different and be treated with utmost respect, loyalty, and love?

Am I a mindful person all the time?

I am not being hard on myself but sometimes I feel inadequate as a mom and wife. I am not perfect. I also feel tired and burned-out. When I am so exhausted, sometimes I do things only out of obligation.

I also whined, felt so empty that nothing was left for myself figuratively and literally. Maybe, you had the same experience. Like me, surely you also felt guilty.

After reading this book,  I felt that there's nothing wrong with acknowledging our true feelings. What would matter most would be knowing how to channel our efforts positively and making sure that we would be basing our decisions for the good of the entire family.

Obviously, there are so things to be done and learned as I live with my family. This book has helped me in so many ways to improve my relationship with my spouse and kids. Honestly, I am still a work in progress. I would like to share some excerpts from the book that struck me.

1 "The heart of family bonding is more than the place where the family is or the occasions we celebrate. It's more than the food on the table or the activity we share. The heart is that portion of ourselves we willingly share with our family, without losing the essence of individuality. That 'I' in the family builds the healthy beautiful 'we'."

2  "You can enrich your relationships and converse in a deeper gut level by having the guts to talk, to laugh, to whine, and to mutually connect with the very people who hold you dear. Go and talk. Share yourself, especially what you feel. Do not be afraid to be vulnerable. Listen to the other person. Free yourself from judgments and giving opinions. Listen more and empathize. Just be who you are. Then see the wonders it does in deepening your relationship!"

3  "Mindfulness is being present in the moment. It is not fretting over what could have been. It's not judging ourselves for what we should be. It's allowing our thoughts as they are, observing them and checking ourselves against taped ideas."

5  "The emotional exchanges are crucial to our relationships. Sometimes, our relationships gets scarred, bitter, or estranged when we have more unpleasant emotional outburts. But why do we exhibit more emotions and become more transparent with our feelings when we got closer to someone? Because intimacy in relationships and the feelings of closeness only happen if there is a sharing of emotions. Our feelings are part of who we are. That feeling is uniquely ours. These feelings are actually part of God's great design for us."

6  "A resilient family views stress and crisis as opportunities for inner transformation and growth." 

7  "'It's not that we are busy, but what are we busy about.' Our core values will always be the center from which our life energy will flow. If we sre deadlocked in decision-making, aligning our realities snd priorities to our core values should make things clear." 

 8  "Why settle for spark when you can have fire."

9  "The best gift parents can give their children is a happy marriage. Happy parents and fulfilled married life bring about happy children and fulfilling parenting."

10 "ACCEPT. ACKNOWLEDGE. AFFIRM. They're like a magic formula for unloving the mysteries of loving relationships. It's living beyond the box. It's a conscious decision we live out each day as we express appreciation for our spouse."

12  "Let's forego of our 'shoulds' to see and appreciate what is in front of us. Let's allow ourselves to be free from our to-do list so we can connect with our loved ones. We need to touch them, to look at their faces, to connect not only with what we say but connect through their eyes, mind, heart and even their soul. And our nonverbal communications do not lie. Relationships will not thrive if we do not experience the other person-- in the flesh through our senses."

I recommend this book to all parents, husbands, wives, and those who are planning to get married and raise a family. I agree with what Brother Bo Sanchez said, "I'm so happy that Michele is giving us this important gift: clear, powerful, and wise guidance on how you can make your own family great." His statement sums up the magic that this book can bring to every family.

Courtesy: Michele S. Alignay

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Having a household without helper and composed of two active kids, one of which has Mild Autism, is obviously a very busy one. Paps and I share with the bulk of work in doing the chores and raising our kids aside from our personal jobs. Paps is a high school teacher by the day and he teaches in the school where Kuya studies while I take care of Bunso who is now attending Special School and Occupational Therapy. Paps and I still work for our homebased business from the moment that our kids are asleep. This staying up late at night happens all the time because we have no choice but to extend our efforts. It is merely impossible for me to cover for him and do his share in the business task after dropping Bunso to school and while he is staying there for two to three hours because doing so at this point is most of the time being substituted with chores. From the moment that Bunso and I are already home, my time revolves around him alone because he needs it and he is my priority. Then late in the afternoon, in the evening, or late at night when the two big boys arrive, as the schedule permits, our focus as parents mainly is to have a brief family time with our kids during and after dinner time and do the chores thereafter. And the cycle goes on and on and on...

Paps and I are not complaining. We love our job as parents and we also like what we do for a living. We also have the same hobbies and we are happy with our present condition. We always wish to live longer and watch our kids grow and build their own lives separately but would constantly look for each other closely.

Living longer entails hard work and discipline. I have also learned just recently that a study has been made that parenting can lead to longer life. Well, mainly it's because parents have more reasons to live longer. They have to look after their kids until they die. It's a motivation that is so hard to break because parents love their kids unconditionally.

When I say hard work and discipline, it includes having a healthy lifestyle. Gone were the days when we would indulge in fatty and oily food or binge eating with junk food. We eat a balanced meal and tend to indulge or have ourselves a treat with dairy or chips once in a while. We don't want our kids to be ignorant with food. We believe that balance is always the key. We also don't take too much medicines and we take them only when they are badly and truly needed. We always resort to natural alternatives which includes choosing the right food in healing a specific disease. Sometimes, skipping medication is not an option but still it should be reinforced with taking food alternatives to heal the target disease.

Like for instance, drinking lots of water, cranberry juice, and coconut water is good for Urinary Tract Infection and Canker Sores because they kill and wash off the bacteria that cause them.  There are so many articles found in the world wide web about the healing wonders of fruits, vegetables, and herbs and sometimes it takes time to search and look for the right ones. Most of the correct information based on experience comes from  Chinese or Asian sources.

I don't do that anymore at the moment because now I have with me this tiny book with huge information about Chinese and Asian superfoods turned into smoothies, which are considered to be the convenient way to bring nutrition and refreshment into our daily living. Healthy Smoothies---Traditional Chinese Medicine Inspired Recipes by Kimberly Ashton (health coach and food educator) and Zhang Yifang (Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor) teaches us how to make healthy smoothies while making us understand about food therapy that is suited to our individual constitution. Body constitution, by the way, makes up our physical state, including the function of the systems of our body and metabolism and of course, our mental and spiritual states too.

How do we know our individual constitution in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)? 

The authors mention in the book that the features of one's constitution can be detected in three areas: the personal physical build, the body's internal functions, and the psychological state. A person's constitution also depends on the stage of life he or she is facing, such as puberty or menopause perhaps.

There are also two origins of constitution: congenital natural disposition and post-natal lifestyle (nature and nurture, in short). Moreover, there are so many factors that influence the formation of the constitution when speaking about the "nature" part like parents' physical and mental health, at the time of conception or the mother's pregnancy condition. When it comes to "nurture", our own lifestyles and actions influence our constitution.

To help us maintain our present state of being or constitution,  we have to learn first the basic healthy food that can help us maintain, relax, or heal it. In this book, a self-assessment is included to find that out.  The result can help us know what foods to choose according to our individual constitution. Isn't it cool? We can just try and test different smoothies that we think can help us gain healthier bodies with a concrete basis. We are being guided properly by this book by knowing the basics of TCM and the first thing to do is to know more about what we really need.

Next step is teaching the preparation of functional liquids and bases. TCM also stresses that aside from matching our food therapy to our individual constitution, we should also consider the season we are in and what effects we want the smoothie to have in our health. The liquids and bases that are the key parts to smoothie making are divided into three kinds: cooling, warming, and neutral. After this step, choosing suitable food and building our very own TCM smoothie follow, may it be for nourishing nutrition, immune system strength, detoxification, refreshment, or digestion aid. There are almost 40 recipes to choose from that are explained in a very simple manner which includes usage, ingredients, method of preparing, and most of all contraindication. Each recipe is supported with colorful photographs that make reading this book and learning from it enticing and fun.

I recommend this book for the reasons that I've mentioned above. It serves as a reliable guide for us to achieve optimum health and well-being. Dr. Ann Wignore, a Lithuanian-American holistic health practitioner, once said, "When we learn to eat properly we begin to rebuild our bodies and to fulfill our purpose on this planet to grow in health, creativity, wisdom, and compassion." This book can help us do it rightly to achieve this goal.