Maya Angelou's Powerful Quotes to live by

Maya Angelou - acclaimed American poet, award-wining author, civil rights activist and phenomenal woman - gifted the world with her voice, words, heart and strength. Her poignant last social media tweet "Listen to yourself and in that quietude you might hear the voice of God," says it all.

Like a parting gift, those words led the world in quiet reflection.

Listen to yourself and in that quietude you might hear the voice of God.
— Maya Angelou (@DrMayaAngelou) May 23, 2014

Her works and her life was full of inspiration and strength that inspired millions around the world. For me these are just some of her best and powerful quotes about love, life, work, etc.

15 Best Quotes of Maya Angelou

1. Nothing can dim the light which shines from within.
2. All great achievements require time.
3. There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.
4. I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
5. If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. Don’t complain.
6. If you have only one smile in you, give it to the people you love.
7. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. But anger is like fire. It burns it all clean..
8. Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.
9. I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one. I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone.
10. You may not control all events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them
11. Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently.
12. My mother was really telling me to go ahead and love life, to engage in it, give it all you've got. To love it with a passion.
13. It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength.
14. Don't make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and do them so well that people can't take their eyes off you.
15. We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.

The world might lost a great woman, but her legacy of wisdom and knowledge will continue to make millions of people to live life to its fullest. Her words will forever lift our spirits.

Photo Source: The Washington Post

Dr. Maya Angelou passed away at age 86 with a full legacy behind her.  Rest peacefully #MayaAngelou.

My Monde Mamon Summer Experience

My kids are growing too fast that sometimes I find myself silently wishing, "don't grow up too fast!"

So as to make their summer exciting and worthwhile, I allow them to do anything they want under the sun. As I let them play and enjoy summer days, I felt fulfilled as well.

I even realized that not even going out of town can be an enriching family activity after all! In between summer classes and activities at home, I was able to bond with them, celebrate their individuality, recognize their needs and make them feel important.

Summer had been great for all of us. There's musical theater, basketball and swimming classes.

My son learned about discipline, hardwork and character in summer basketball.

My daughter discovered her talent, and realized the importance of her role and even in celebrating one's differences in musical theater. And we even get creative making her DIY froglet costume!

Both of them became confident and faced their fears in swimming classes.

All these even develop their social skills and makes them live an active and healthy lifestyle.

Then, there's playing with cousins, reading books, looming, baking and preparing dessert.

Oh the joys of motherhood! I enjoyed capturing all these summer moments!

Hopefully to cap off our summer, we can try the Monde Mamon-It-Yourself decorating activity and make our Monde mamon masterpieces at home.

By bonding with my family, we create our own wonderful moments. And I know that all these moments will into treasured memories. It strengthens and deepens our ties throughout their childhood and beyond.

These are our summer-special-connection that we can call OUR own!

Krispy Kreme #JoyInABox message doughnuts

Krispy Kreme Shangrila Plaza East Wing

 It was indeed a joy being one of the 100 people who received this Krispy Kreme #JoyInABox Message Doughnuts.

This box contains 20 pieces of mini beignet doughnuts.

Happy Mom's Day!

Thank you Krispy Kreme (Shangrila Plaza branch) for making Mother's Day extra special.

Now, you can say what you want with doughnuts!

Krispy Kreme Message Doughnuts is only Php 395. Hurry, it's available until June 30, 2014 only.

20 Ways You Can Be The Best Friend Ever

One of the most important thing is to have friends and have a best friend. A true friend is a rare and precious gift, and having a BFF is heartwarming. It makes life worthwhile.

Being a BFF isn't easy and there are times when it gets challenging to establish long-lasting friendships. But then, we must always find ways to keep our friendships stronger.

Here are simple Friendship Rules to Live By so you can be a better friend and best friend ever:

1. Be yourself. Show the real you. You don't need to hide under a mask.
2. Be honest. Build your relationship on honesty and integrity.
3. Show up. Be there when your friend needs you and even if he/she just need someone to talk to.
4. Always listen. Give your friend your full attention especially when he/she needs it most. Sometimes, you don't need to talk, you simply have to listen.
5. Acceptance. Accept your friend as a person without any expectations. Cherish each other's individuality and uniqueness.
6. Give compliments. See the good things to remind your BFF how awesome they are. Just make sure it's a genuine one.
7. Thoughtful advice. Be someone your BFF can turn to for support, guidance and wisdom.
8. Keep your word. If you commit to something, do it. Avoid breaking plans, rescheduling and making lots of excuses.
9. Be Forgiving. Friends go through rough patches. Don't just let your friendship slip away with a simple misunderstanding or grudge. Talk things over and apologize.
10. Spend time together. Do activities together or just hang out during weekends. You can also invite other people to hang out with you
11. Care for your BFF. Don't take your friendship for granted. You'll know when there's something wrong, so cheer your friend up.
12. Keep your friend's secret. Let secrets remain secrets. Don't spread them!
13. Be loyalty. Stick up for your BFF. Your friend needs your support. But when you think something's wrong, tell your friend respectfully.
14. Know your friend's family. Families are important. Get to know your BFFs parents and siblings.
15. Set boundaries. Know your limits since there would be instances when you have to say "no."
16. Be dependable. Let your BFFs know that you won't let them down ever.
17. Be respectful. You have to respect each other's likes, points of views, thoughts and differences.
18. Always Remember: A real friend calls. Be available. No matter how busy you are, keep in touch. Stay in contact thru email, text, or phone calls.
19. Celebrate success. Be happy for your BFFs accomplishment. Don't make room for jealousy.
20. Trust. This is the most important thing! Take care of this.

With GoUnli20, it’s now easy to call without a need for a prefix and it’s just P20 for unli calls, 15mb of mobile surfing, and 20 texts to all networks! Kaya if you need a friend, don’t call me, I’ll call you!

With Globe Unli20, you can be the best friend ever!

Nido Fortified #1MOM Pampering Treat for Mother's Day

The day I got Pampered. Blindfolded. Surprised. Loved.

Mother's Day Treat from Nido Fortified

An advance Mother's Day Pampering invite from Nido Fortified is something I can't resist. Glad that hubby offered to drop me off at Blue Water Day Spa Ortigas.

Blue Water Day Spa Greenhills Ortigas

I spent the day at Blue Water Day Spa Ortigas branch with mommy bloggers. We were treated to a Foot massage with Reflexogy, plus a back massage. Great! This is what I really need.

I enjoyed getting pampered inside their spa theater. Since it's a theater, you can watch a movie while getting pampered.

spa theater

pampering and movie treat

Just when I'd been thankful for the day, there seems to be a lot more to be thankful for!

I didn't knew that there would be a big surprise after the spa treat.

We got blindfolded, rode in a van that would take us somewhere else. (So, where could that be?)

I had no idea where and what would that surprise awaits us.

We reached the place, still on our blindfolds, and heard lots of voices. At the count of 3, we were asked to remove our blindfolds. It was then when everyone greeted us Happy Mother's Day.  Ohh confettis!

We were at Uncle Cheffy's Greenhills Promenade branch! Kids, husbands and family member's of mommy bloggers filled the place. Wow my hubby and kids were there too!

surprise! surprise!

Wow how could they be there? I don't have any idea about all these. I thought that they would just wait for after the spa.

My initial reaction was: "aba bat nandito kayo? alam nyo dito kami dadalin?"

It's indeed a big surprise!

Ms. Denise of Nestle's Consumer Marketing welcomed mom's and their families. A hearty meal follows. All moms got a personalized shirt "Wear Your Love" shirt from Nido Fortified.

Wear Your Love

love this!

My shirt reads: She is always there to care and support us.

Wear Your Love shirt

Thank you so much Nido Fortified for the spa and surprise for the world's #1MOMS.  This is really a wonderful advance Mother's Day gift!

Also, allow me to thank my hubby for being part of the surprise (and for keeping it a secret). Aww touched.

In the eyes and hearts of my kids, I know that I will always be a #1MOM 

Happy Mother's Day to all Moms!

Why Your Mom is #1?

Yes, all of us are #1MOMs!

Thank you Nestle for all these :)

Nido #1MOM

#IamBeautiful Mother's Day pampering with Dove

Dove celebrates Real Beauty this Mother's Day.

I visited the Dove Pavilion while waiting for my daughter's playshop class at the Podium Mall.

I'm a Dove Mom! :)

I bought this Dove Travel Kit and enjoyed pampering experience from Nail Tropics and Creations Lourd Ramos Salon.

Dove soap, shampoo and deo

You can buy this Dove Travel Kit for only Php 200. Or, you can just smile and take a selfie photo to get a Php 50 discount.

Of course, I choose to smile and take a selfie shot!

Thank you Dove for the real care pampering. Let me say, "I'm a Dove Mom and I love it!"

love my hair :)

Thank you Nail Tropics!

Because #BeautifulMom deserves only #RealCare from Dove!

Give your underarms proper care and waxing from Nail Tropics. Get your hair pampered by stylist from Creations Lourd Ramos Salon. Give your hands the care it deserves with a hand massage from Nail Tropics.

get pampered

with the Dove girls :)

Bring your mom, sisters or friends and visit The Dove Pavilion at the Podium Mall, Level 2 from May 9-11, 2014.

Happy Cream Puff Happiness

I instantly loved the cream puff goodness of Happy Cream Puff since we tasted it during their opening day at Shangrila Plaza Mall.

There are more than 20 flavor-filled toppings to choose from. We just got Petit Puffs - white chocolate and chocolate chips, and Caramel Milk Tea, but we really wanted more!

These puffs are crunchy on the outside and creamy custard-filled inside. Unlike other cream puffs, Happy Cream Petit Puffs are easy to bite. We love its soft-pillowy texture.

more Petit Puffs please :)

For the second time, I took my daughter with me inside the store for she had an hour break before her next ballet class.

Since she can only take light snacks, we got chocolate chips Petit Puff, the popular Caramel Cream Puff and a glass of Milk Tea.

I got the Caramel Puffs since I want more sweetness, but still it's sweetness is not overpowering. Simply good enough.

Again, we enjoyed its delightful taste. It has the right amount sweetness. Just perfect for those who could not take too much sweets.

Their secret: "Always pippin fresh!" The puffs are freshly piped upon order.

The best thing is they guarantee that it has no preservatives. So you have to consume or refrigerate it immediately.

These Happy Cream Puff Croquembouche (kroh-kuhm-boosh) caught our eyes!

lovely Croquembouche

Croquembouche (French for “crunch in the mouth”) is made of petit cream puffs, stacked in a tall pyramid shape. Wow! It makes a great centerpiece. Now you can celebrate weddings, birthdays, etc. in a unique way.

Croquembouche: Small Php 1700, Medium 2500

And if you're looking for a Mother's Day gift, this one makes a good choice! (Ahem!)

We'll surely be back to taste all the other flavors!

Check out their menu.

Petit Puffs, Boxes, Cream Puff,  Nama Choux and Cakes

Hot and Cold drinks

Happy Cream Puff
5/F Shangri-la Plaza East Wing

15 Best Quotes from The Fault in Our Stars

Photo Source: Amazon

After reading the book The Fault in Our Stars, I've listed my favorite quotes.

#favoritemoviequotes

"I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, then all at once."

"That’s the good thing about pain. It demands to be felt."

"The marks humans leave are too often scars."

"Grief does not change you, Hazel. It reveals you."

"You are going to live a good and long life filled with great and terrible moments that you cannot even imagine yet."

"My thoughts are stars I can’t fathom into constellations."

"I will not tell you our love story, because—like all real love stories—it will die with us, as it should."

"I’m in love with you, and I’m not in the business of denying myself the simple pleasure of saying true things. I’m in love with you, and I know that love is just a shout into the void, and that oblivion is inevitable, and that we’re all doomed and that there will come a day when all our labor has been returned to dust, and I know the sun will swallow the only earth we’ll ever have, and I am in love with you."

"It would be a privilege to have my heart broken by you."

"The pleasure of remembering had been taken from me, because there was no longer anyone to remember with."

"You gave me a forever within the numbered days, and I’m grateful."

"Like we'd had this brief but still infinite forever."

"I never quite caught his scent again."

"Maybe ‘okay’ will be our ‘always’."

"I love you present tense."

- The Fault in Our Stars, #1 New York Times bestseller by John Green.

Soon the film will be shown, so watch out for it too!