GottaLoveMom

"Faith can move mountains".  Several times in my life I've proven this, especially when there were trials. I always felt that God was with me all the time! ~  Carmina Huet

When a child is on the road almost every single day, a mother worries and wonder. (Well, that's our job, we worry!) Thanks to technology and global access (mainly Facebook), I'm able to visualize where my child is at a given time (depending on what he/she decides to share).

Sewing, Cooking and Gardening. Three things my mom enjoys doing but gardening is on top of her list.   Taken at Singapore's Botanical Garden

The following makes 12 standard-sized muffins (3.5 oz)   Dry Ingredients: •          2  cups almond meal (Trader Joe's) •          2 teaspoons baking powder (Trader Joe's) •          1/4 teaspoon salt •          2 tsp guar gum •          Optional: 2 TBSP sugar or  5 packets Truvia  •          Optional: 2 TSP  Cinnamon  Wet Ingredients: •          1/2 cup (8 tbsp) butter, melted (recommend Kerrygold salted butter) or 1/2 cup Refined Coconut Oil (the refined oil does not have the coconut flavor, but all the health benefits) •          4 eggs •          1/3 cup water Preparation: 1.     ...

"I believe most people don’t understand that individuals with autism are still people. Individuals with autism learn differently and develop at a slower pace, but they are still unique individuals with varied interests and personalities, just like everyone else." Cheryl Ocampo, 40, is the founder of the non-profit organization,  Queens County Parents Coalition (QCPAC).   QCPAC is a support network for families who have children with autism. Cheryl is the mother of three: Joshua (22), Isaiah (18), and Zariah (13).  Her daughter, her youngest child, was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.  As a Behavior Intervention Specialist, Cheryl works with adults who have autism and developmental disabilities.

Lyca, aka @lykkeve , 29, is an Assistant Manager at a Call Center in the Philippines. A job she is happy to have. But the effects of working different hours on a rotating basis, over a long period of time, took its toll on her. In this interview, Lyca tells a riveting story of what the negative effects of her job had on her mind and body, and subsequently, how she turned her life around. Today, Lyca is happy and healthy. She continues to work at the job she landed right out of college. HOW HAS WORKING FOR A CALL CENTER AFFECTED YOUR HEALTH? I was active in sports and was part of a varsity team back in high school and college. When I started working in my early 20’s, my love for sports stopped. I was too excited to work. When I graduated from college, I landed a job with BPO Industry working in the call center as a “call center agent”.  Due to shifting schedules on a monthly basis, I had to adjust to different sleep patterns.  There were times when my mind a...

Take time to REST, unplug, dig deep inside and listen to your heart, your mind, your soul. Take time to look up in the sky and be reminded of your faith, your beliefs. Take time to notice the turtles, sitting on the rock in the middle of the river, to love more and worry less.  Take time to listen to the birds sing and be reminded that our ideas can grow wings. Take time to observe the flowers bloom, to recognize and share the gifts that only you can give. Take time to feel the air, to cultivate deep gratitude for all the joys the world offers. May you take time to appreciate the simple pleasures in life.

There's something about cooking and trying new recipes  that I find fascinating. I haven't baked in a while and I miss it.  While going through the archives, I found this old blog post from 2011. My mom makes the best empanada (deep fried stuffed pastry),  and I was hoping to at least come close. So when I got home, I gave it a shot. For the empanada filling:   Using a non-stick skillet, I melted 1 stick of unsalted butter  and then I stir-fried the onions, cubed chicken breasts and mixed vegetables.

Kaitlin Krull One of the most exciting parts of raising children is seeing them become more independent every day. If, like us at Modernize , you enjoy giving your children opportunities for self-sufficiency whenever possible, you know that learning can happen anywhere and anytime. Here are a few tips to help make your child’s bedroom a place for independent play and learning.

It's going to be a lovely spring day in the New York metro area. I hope you can take some time to unplug, walk outside and enjoy the day. Do grab a book or download an eBook and sit under the sun and be in the present. Set aside any anxieties, look up into the clouds because no matter how tough life can be, there’s always something to be thankful for.  Here are some photos of my zenwalk, taken with my iPhone 6+. My son, Michael-Rex, started learning about drone photography. The top photo was one of the first pictures he took. I love that he’s passionate about what he does and that he continues to grow and learn. He’s always traveling around the country. This week, I asked him to send me a photograph every day.  The photo below of Florida is today's inspiration. It’s amazing on when the heart and the brain work together.  Check out his first attempt at turning 360 pano into a virtual tour: VR ...