Camping at Südsee Camp

Travelling is our way of relaxing, detoxing and recharging. Most often than not, we would visit a place that we haven't been to yet and we usually travel by car. Why? Because we get to see the countryside and the landscape that the expressway provides. My little girl also loves long distance travels so it is not a problem for us.

The latest trip that we made was at Südsee Camp, which is about 85km south of Hamburg, Germany. It is located in Wietzendorf in Soltau near the Lüneberger Heide in Lower Saxony. It is essentially a camping site where one can rent vacation homes, villas or mobile homes. There are also available rental spaces for those who have mobile homes attached to their car with a curt trailer hitch. It is a great place for the family as it has lots of facilities that include swimming pools, restaurant, playgrounds for kids, trampoline, a lake, mini-golf, a high ropes course, pony or horseback riding, karting and biking, and lots more!

We stayed there for five days and four nights along with a friend and her son and did we have lots of fun! Hubby and my friend's son braved the high ropes course and hubby faced and conquered one of his greatest fears: heights. At six meters above ground, who wouldn't?

We also enjoyed the pool with its artificial waves and whirlpool and slides. My daughter especially loved the kiddie slides. We didn't get to dip in the lake though as the water was very cold. Our trip was of course incomplete without an excursion around the town of Soltau and to Hamburg. But that is another story altogether.

Tweet

GT: Best Birthday Ever!

Every birthday that comes, there is always something special that comes along. And that is why each birthday that comes is special. It became more special now that I have a little girl who just knows when to push the right buttons at the right time. Just hearing her saying "I love you" in her very cute voice sounds like it is the only thing that matters. I can say that I am very blessed to have a beautiful family who is always there for me and with me. Although my husband is not very big with surprises, he still manages to surprise me in the most unexpected way.

Of course, birthdays are not complete without good friends to celebrate them with. We feel so blessed to have found our community here, who in the long run also became good friends. They have made being expats more meaningful and hectic and colorful. Hectic because there will always be something to do so that we are not bored. Meaningful because we share and have the same faith. Colorful because every now and then, we get to have gatherings that always includes Filipino merriment.

What I am trying to say is that, every birthday that comes, I see as the best. But of course, you never know what happens in your next birthday so yoou always consider the recent birthday as the best. The very fact that I am gifted with Our Creator with this life is more than enough reason to celebrate it.

Tweet

What You Need To Know About Incarceration Rates and Poverty in the US

Incarceration Rates
http://www.online-law-degree.com/Incarceration-Rates

Click here to expand
Source: http://www.OnlineLawDegree.com

Poverty in the US
http://www.onlinepoliticalscience.org/povertyintheus-infographic

Click to expand here
Find this infographic on OnlinePoliticalScience.org

Tweet

TCP#99: The Blair Witch Project

It's Tuesday once again and it's time for another edition of Tuesday Couch Potatoes, a movie meme where we blog about our favorite movies each week. We are now on our 99th edition and the countdown continues as we look forward to our 100th post and of course, to our winners for the Own It On Blu-Ray and DVD Giveaway. Have you joined yet? If not, there is still a chance as you still have until August 8 to join.

Image from Wikipedia

Now on to our theme for this week: Witchcraft. Don't we all love the mystery and the magic that surrounds it? My pick for this week will of course be "Blair Witch Project". Here's a brief summary from The Internet Movie Database: Heather Donahue, Michael Williams and Joshua Leonard, student filmmakers, set out to shoot a documentary about a local legend, the Blair Witch. In the forests near Burkittsville, Maryland, many children have vanished in the 1940s and people still avoid going too deep into the woods. So, the party sets out to look for facts that prove the legend, equipped only with two cameras and a little hiking gear. First, they find little piles of stone that must have been arranged artificially, later, they have to admit to be lost in the woods. Eerie sounds at night and more piles of stones in places where they have not been before cause the already desperate group to panic. And one night, days after they should have been back home, Josh disappears completely. Only what has been recorded and filmed with the cameras is found a year later and shows what happened in the woods. Written by Julian Reischl (julianreischl@mac.com)

This movie really got into me... It kept me up all night as I couldn't shake the imagery off my mind. And I was really fooled because it was not a real documentary. We were made to think that it was but it isn't. I gues this is one of those movies who really made it big and when I say big, I mean really huge profits. The film's budget was slotted to be between $500,000 and $750,000 and it grossed $248,639,099 worldwide. Well you can say that the movie was a success. And if you are not faint-hearted, I would recommend this one.

What's your Witchcraft movie? Come and share it with us by entering your TCP link URL in the linky below:



Next week is our 100th post and our theme will be Famous! Next Thursday, we will feature movies that are based on famous people. Thank you all for joining us for this week's edition of Tuesday Couch Potatoes. Hope you all have a beautiful week. Take care everyone and Happy TCP!

Tweet

Mommy Moments: Einkaufen

We don't really go shopping that often except for our weekly groceries, which we usually do at Kaufland or at Rewe, the grocery store downstairs. If we feel like going to Königstrasse (the largest shopping street here in Stuttgart) to buy something or to just window shop, hubby would tend to go to the electronics stores like Media Markt or Saturn while I would prefer to visit Galeria Kaufhof or Müller because it has everything in it. My little girl will, of course, tag along with me.

Photo from hugendubel.de

We do have a common store that we like to visit: Hugendubel which is a bookstore. We love books you see and on those rare days when we go to Königstrasse just because, we would always take time to visit Hugendubel which is just beside Müller. They have a variety of books for all people of all ages. I love their selection of English books too. They have a reading lounge on the upper floors, and a children's area where kids can read books and play with interactive toys. It's a really nice place to be at and just be lost in the books that you are reading. There's even free WLAN inside, how cool is that!

But since I don't always Nikki with me, I don't have a photo of us browsing through the books. Well maybe next time, I get to bring my camera and then I can take snaps of hubby and the little girl enjoying their time at the store.

Tweet

It's Cleaning Time

Being a mom, a housewife and a full time graduate school student all at the same time is a balancing act. It is an everyday challenge and there are really days when I can't 100% in a certain area. Sometimes, the house is a great mess, sometimes the hubby goes to work without having breakfast, sometimes I skip classes just so I can do laundry and we will have something to wear the next day.

It is a blessing that my Fridays are already free, which means I have an extra day in which I can choose what to do. Today I prefer to just stay home and do the cleaning. The bathroom badly needs to be scrubbed clean, especially the bath tub, the shower cubicle and of course, the double bowl sinks which I must say is really a blessing especially if hubby and I are both in a hurry and wouldn't want to take turns in using the sink. Then there's the dried laundry that needs to be pressed and folded, and some more dirty laundry to be washed. But it is a cold day today and washing the linen is not a very good idea. I hope that tomorrow we will have some sunshine to dry the linen outside.

Thankfully, my little girl cleared up her mess from last night and I only need to vacuum the floors. Maybe she will also help me vacuum if she is in the mood. She likes to vacuum the carpet you know. And oh, I musn't forget to clean the toilet and disinfect it. With my little girl now off the diaper and certified toilet-trained, I need the toilet as germ-free and clean as possible. I wouldn't want her getting tummy ache because of some E.coli that got lost somewhere. :D

Tweet

GT: A Birthday Wish

My birthday was three months ago but who says one can stop wishing? One can even consider everdyday as her birthday because each day that we wake up to promises a new day to celebrate and live life in a way that is worthwhile.

I could name many material things that I would wish for that I would get for my birthday but beyond the material wants, there is always this one wish that I pray for. That my family will always be together no matter what. That we will remain strong despite the challenges that we meet along the way and that our bodies will remain healthy to keep us going with our daily tasks. That is not too much to ask, isn't it? Being with my family is more than enough for me. A touch of surprise along the way would definitely make it more extra special. :D

And that is my entry for Girls Talk for the theme: Birthday Wish. A simple birthday wish for a mom and wife who values her family a lot.

Tweet

Summer Should Be Shirt Mode

The good thing about living in a continental climate is that you get to wear different kinds of clothes. In the summer season, we stow away our thick pullovers and jackets and long sleeved shirts and take out the light, thin-materialed clothing and shirts to make the heat more bearable.

Problem is, it is the middle of the summer season here and the sun is hiding. Yes, you read it right... No sun for like more than a week now. We have been getting cloudy and rainy days, with thunderstorms in between. We are lucky if we can feel the sun shine even for a couple of hours. It was raining the whole day today and I had to hang my laundry inside to dry. It is really sad, to think that in a few months, autumn will be here. I am even thinking of wearing funny t shirts just to keep the days brighter and cheerier (if there is ever a word) and to take humor with me. And it really is unbelievable to see people wearing thick jackets in the middle of summer! Even I refused to take out my jackets and just stuck to wearing my cardigans as jackets and they are not enough to ward off the cold. Seriously.

The weatherman said that it will be better in the days to come, with clouds and sun and dry days but the temperatures are still between 13-21°C. I know I shouldn't complain too much, with so many people especially in tropical and dry countries wishing for cooler days but I so miss the hot summer weather that I grew up to.

Tweet

TCP#98: Girl Interrupted

Oopps! I did it again! I am late again for my entry... Apologies my dears! I honestly could not blog because I had to work with my team in our Design for a Wastewater Treatment Plant task. Perhaps soon, I will be designing a WWTP for the municipal wastewater in the Philippines one of these days! Haha! How I wish!

Anyway, welcome to the 98th edition of Tuesday Couch Potatoes. Before I proceed to my pick for the theme Insanity & Delution, just a question: Have you joined my giveaway yet? If not, then please do so for a chance to win a Blu-Ray or DVD movie of your choice. To join, click HERE.

And now for my pick: Girl Interrupted, a movie that stars two of my favorite actresses: Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie. It is about Susanna, an Englishwoman who stayed for 18 months at a mental institution. There, she met Lisa, a sociopath. Who would't lose their mind in the company of Lisa? This movie is a great one I would like to watch it again!

Joining us this week? Don't forget to add your link URL in the linky below:



Thank you for joining us this week here on TCP! Hope you can all join us again next week for the theme: Witchraft. With the last installation of Harry Potter now out in cinemas, I am sure you have more others in mind that revolves around the theme. Whether it is white or black magic, witchcraft will always be an interesting theme for a Hollywood movie.

Happy TCP everyone!

Tweet

Fond Childhood Memories in My Father's Hometown

My parents decided to go back to my father's hometown in the province to retire there. At the age of sixty, I am of definitely worried because they are well, already old and they will be far away from my three other siblings. What if they need immediate medical attention? Who will take them to the doctor and to the nearest medical facility? Of course, they will be far away from their grand children and they will terribly miss them too. It is also difficult to communicate with them because the cellphone signal is very weak. Calls cannot be connected and I can only reach them via SMS.

But anyway, they built a small house there, in the area near the coconut trees that my father planted fifty years ago. I guess their little home sweet home is almost finished now. I am sure the flooring is made of wood. I wonder if they used pergo laminate... Wooden floors are really cool and is just perfect for the tropical weather. My mother told me that construction materials are really expensive there. Figures since it is far from the city and they still need to transport them. My sister also shared that there are spare rooms so that when we come for a visit, we won't need to stay at our relatives' homes. I do wish they could email me a photo of their bahay-kubo. So that I can proudly publish it here.

I remember when I was still a small kid and we would spend the summer vacation at my father's province. We would take long naps in the afternoon on bamboo floors, would catch freshwater shrimps in the nearby creek with my cousins, go to the beach, read Filipino comics, listen to my grandmother's folk stories, most of them scary, even help plant rice on muddy fields. Ah, to be young and carefree. I hope one day, my little girl will also get the opportunity to experience a piece of my childhood. I am sure she will love the simple life in the province.

Tweet

Own It On Blu-Ray And DVD Giveaway

Hello Couchers! We are almost there, to the 100th TCP post that is and to celebrate, I am holding a small giveaway. I am giving away one blu-ray and one dvd of your choice. So if there is one movie that you have fallen in love with and would like to watch over and over again, this is your chance to own one!

How to join? It is so simple! You just need to meet the following requirements:

1. To qualify for the draw, you must of course be a Coucher, with at least four TCP posts in your blog. You need to enter the category or label URL of your TCP posts in the provided form. (4 points)
2. Subscribe to my feeds via email by entering your email in the form below or on my sidebar. (3 points)

Enter your email address:

3. Must have at least 2 TCP posts for July 2011. (2 points, 3 points if you have 3 and an additional 2 points if you have complete all four editions for July 2011) (edited 22 July)
4. Follow this site on Facebook (via Networked Blogs) and Google Friend Connect if you still haven't. Looking for the link? Please check my sidebar.(1 point each)
5. Spread the word about this giveaway and tell me which title you want to own and why. Please include the URL and the banner of this giveaway. You may copy and paste the code below. (5 points)

<a href="http://www.kikamzpera.com/search/label/Tuesday Couch Potatoes"><img border="0" height="345" src="http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/ab229/anak0430/Kino-Popcorn.jpg?t=1310919189" width="400" /></a>

After you have done Steps 1, 2, 4 & 5, please fill out the form here.

One winner of an original DVD movie and another winner of an original Blu-Ray movie of their choice will be chosen. The two lucky winners will be drawn on August 9 via Random.Org and will be published on the next day. You will also be informed via email so don't fret. That's it! I wish you all good luck! And see you on Tuesday for Tuesday Couch Potatoes!

Tweet

How Do You Tell Time?

My daughter really enjoys wearing a watch, particularly the one that contains her favorite cartoon character in it. It is digital so that it would be easier for read. It is about time that I teach her how to tell time the traditional / conventional way. I know it will be very interesting for her especially if I let her turn the small and big hands.

For now, she is content with the cheap, plastic children's watches but I know that when she is older and has her own preferences, she would ask for the more chic and fashionable designs like michael kors watch. Until that day comes, the children's watches will do.

I guess I will have to first make a clock face for her. We could write the numbers together and teach her how to distribute the numbers evenly. It would also really be interesting for her to learn that a clock has two hands, one long and one short. Then we can start with telling the time... but not in german but in english. Oh, what fun that will be!

Tweet

GT: Best Gift Ever!

Last Thursday's theme for Girls Talk was fun so I thought I would check back in and see what's in store for this week's edition. Albeit late, I still would like to join in the talk as we blog about "The Best Birthday Gift" that we got for our birthday.

As for me, the best material gift I have ever received was Vikki, my very own laptop. I have been dreaming of getting my own laptop and although I received her a little over two months since my birthday, I am still very happy about it. They say the best things come to those who wait and I guess it is true! There is satisfaction and a feeling of gratification when my laptop finally arrived. My husband was of course very pleased to see my expression, which is the happy look of an excited child.

And I am not the only one who is happy to use Vikki! My little girl also enjoys using it too, especially if she wants to watch Hello Kitty Stump Village on You Tube or if she wants us to play Hello Kitty Online together.

As for the nonmaterial birthday gift, it will have to be the gift of family... Having a wonderful husband and a little daughter who makes me feel a myriad of emotions  at once is more than enough to make life so very colorful and exciting. :)

Tweet

Elderly Health Care and Nursing Homes

When I was just a little girl, I have always wanted to become a nurse. The also dreamed of becoming a doctor but since my parents cannot afford to send me to medical school, it is out of the question. I always admire people who have healing hands and are using their strength and knowledge to heal and care for sick people. I am not just talking about doctors and nurses here.. I am also talking about the countless caregivers who spend most of their lives caring for the elderly people who are living in nursing homes.

I have many friends who are working in this field and I can say that they are really doing a good job at what they do. They take the time to talk with the elderly and make sure that they are comfortable. I guess this is what institutions like Denver Assisted Living offer their elderly patients and what I think should really be the norm when it comes to nursing homes for the elderly: a warm, safe, and comfortable environment where you get the best health care and assistance that you need as you go about your daily activities.

When me and my husband get older and are too weak to take care of each other, we would of course opt to settle down in a nursing home. We wouldn't want to burden our children, especially if they already have their own famillies. It is good to know that today, we have good options on where to retire when we are old gray.

Tweet

TCP#97: The Mighty Ducks

Hello Couchers! Welcome to the 97th edition of Tuesday Couch Potatoes where we post about our favorite movie each week. Apologies for my late TCP entry. I was in pain yesterday due to a terrible toothache but I am feeling better now. This week we go sporty and active as we feature films about sports, with the theme "It's All About the Game". We are competitive in nature and we do enjoy a good sports film once in a while.

So, without further ado, here's my pick: The Mighty Ducks. I was still in my grade school years when this came out in 1992 and seriously, I enjoyed this movie when I got to see it in my teenage years on TV. I remember even having a crush on Joshua Jackson, one of the players of the Ducks team, who is of course more popularly known as Pacey Withers of Dawsons's Creek if you are one of those who grew up in my time. This movie shows that we all have our potentials and if we believe in ourselves, we can achieve the things that we want to achieve. It also teaches us what teamwork is all about.

So, what's your sports movie for this week? Come and share it with us here on TCP. Don't forget to enter your TCP entry's URL in the linky below:



Thank you all for joining us this week on Tuesday Couch Potatoes my dears! And yes, I am still pushing with my plan for the small giveaway. I still need to finish up the mechanics and the banner. I hope I can manage to post it within the week.

And oh, next week's theme: "Insanity and Delution", movies where the main character has extreme paranoia, having multiple personalities or are beginning to lose their minds. Let's see if you are brave enough to explore this type of movie next week.

Have a good week and a Happy TCP y'all!

Tweet

Filipinos Love to Celebrate

Coming from a country that has been greatly influenced by western culture, American culture in particular, I can say that most of our celebrations and ceremonies have western influence. Debuts, weddings, birthday parties, graduation ceremonies and celebrations... almost everything has a touch of American culture. When we moved to Japan and then here in Germany, the cultures are so different and the traditions so distinct that I would often find myself stopping and thinking of how to best describe our culture and distinct traditions each time I am asked about it.

But one thing is for sure, we Filipinos love to celebrate. We love to celebrate life, we love to celebrate success, we love to celebrate family, we love to celebrate love so that in every occasion, you can expect that there will be a little gathering, no matter how small it is. For the bigger and more important milestones, we send out invitations. I remember when I graduated from college. We had to decide between sending out graduation invitations or not. To keep the affair casual, we only sent the official invites to a chosen few and then sent out sms and email invites to close friends and family. In most cases, it is understood that the whole clan is invited whenever there are events such as graduation parties, birthdays, baptisms, weddings. So we need to reserve for 30 persons more. For us, the celebration is not complete with the whole clan and you could say it is a reunion altogether.

That is one of the things that I miss now that we are here living as expats. I miss celebrating with my big circle of family and friends. I miss the special dishes that my mom would prepare and the crazy and funny things me and my siblings and cousins would do.

Despite problems, we still make it a point that we get to celebrate even the simplest occasion. I guess that is why in the Philippines, you will find at least one place that celebrates it's town fiesta. With its 7107 islands, you can be sure that there is a fiesta going on daily, 365 days.

Tweet

Mommy Moments: A Day At The Park

We love going to the park, even if it is just the small park in our neighborhood where my little girl can play. The last park that we have been to was when we went to Bamberg last month to celebrate with the Filipino community there their annual Santacruzan.

We had lunch at the nearby park. It was really nice because it was beside a river. There was a small playground where the children could play and tables and benches that we can use for eating. There were also ducks swimming in the river and the children were all delighted to feed them with bread.

The park will always be a good place to unwind, relax, have fun and bond with family and friends. Even the playground can be used by everybody, not just children. And yes, going to the park is a fun and cheap place to go to, especially on those ordinary weekends.

There are much bigger and nicer parks here in our city and it is also open and free for everyone to use. And although they are for public use, the toilets and the grounds are clean and the gardens are well taken cared of. These are just a few of my favorite things to do here in Germany: going to the park. And now that it is summer, the more we desire to bask in the sun, read a good book or go grilling at the park.

Tweet

Hollywood and the Bipolar Disorder

I have heard some few months ago about Catherine Zeta-Jones breaking her silence and announcing to the media that she is checking into a mental facility for the treatment of Bi-Polar II disorder. And she is not alone who has been reported to have this mental illness. Joining the ranks are some of the big names in Hollywood including Mel Gibson, Carrie Fisher, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Linda Hamilton, Burgess Meredith, Ben Stiller, and film directors Tim Burton and Joshua Logan to name a few.

Whether it is bipolar, depression, anxiety or panic, it is important to get treatment to protect yourself and others. I bet these Hollywood stars have been on a dual diagnosis treatment so that they are still doing what they are doing these days: keeping us entertained by producing and making good films.

But what is bipolar disorder? This manic-depressive disorder that includes severe depressive episodes and periods of grandiose behaviors in the bipolar spectrum is seen in people every day throughout normal life. Almost everyone has heard of Vincent van Gogh, one of the most famous artists of all time. It is believed that he had bipolar disorder, which allowed him to create magnificent artwork and pieces of history.

But why is it so popular among talented people? Because in one way or another, artists, writers, and musicians will all show signs of some sort of depression or bipolar in polarity. And it is not only applicable to famous people. Anyone of us could have it too as we are also subject to stress triggers and depression at some points in our lives. So be careful.

Tweet

GT: April 30 In History

It has been a while since I last joined this fun Girls Talk meme so when I checked out today's topic, I thought it would be fun to join. I am curious too as to what events took place on the day of my birth in different years.

April 30 is my birth date. Don't ask about the year though. Hehe!

So according to Wikipedia:
"April 30 is the 120th day of the year (121st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 245 days remaining until the end of the year."

It is indeed interesting to learn that there are lots of events, births, deaths and holidays that took place on this day. Here's some of them:

EVENTS:

1006 – Supernova SN 1006, the brightest supernova in recorded history, appears in the constellation Lupus.

1492 – Spain gives Christopher Columbus his commission of exploration.

1789 – On the balcony of Federal Hall on Wall Street in New York City, George Washington takes the oath of office to become the first elected President of the United States.

1937 – The Philippines holds a plebiscite for Filipino women on whether they should be extended the right to suffrage; over 90% would vote in the affirmative.

1945 – World War II: Führerbunker: Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun commit suicide after being married for one day. Soviet soldiers raise the Victory Banner over the Reichstag building.

2009 – Chrysler automobile company files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

BIRTHS:

1553 – Louise de Lorraine-Vaudémont, queen of France (d. 1601)
1662 – Queen Mary II of England (d. 1694)
1777 – Carl Friedrich Gauss, German mathematician (d. 1855)
1902 – Theodore Schultz, American economist, Nobel laureate (d. 1998)
1982 – Kirsten Dunst, American actress

DEATHS:

1131 – Adjutor, Roman Catholic Saint
1792 – John Montagu, supposed inventor of the sandwich (b. 1718)
1883 – Édouard Manet, French painter (b. 1832)
1945 – Eva Braun, Adolf Hitler's wife (b. 1912)
1989 – Princess Bang-ja of Korea (b. 1901)
2009 – Venetia Burney, Person who suggested Pluto's name for the planet (b. 1918)

HOLIDAYS and OBSERVANCES:

• Children's Day (Mexico)
• April 30 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
• Consumer Protection Day (Thailand)
• May Eve, the eve of the first day of summer (see May 1):
•        Beltane Fire Festival (Calton Hill, Edinburgh)
• National Persian Gulf Day (Iran)
• Queen's Day, the largest one-day holiday in the Netherlands.
• Reunification Day (Vietnam)
• Teacher's Day (Paraguay)

These are just some of the interesting things that happened on April 30. Many great people were born and died on this day. And more interesting is that Wednesday and Thursday are my lucky days since these were the days I was "conceived" and my heart first beat respectively. I am exactly 31 years 10 weeks 4 days 22 hours 54 minutes 45 seconds old today. (Courtesy of PokeMyBirthday.com) You do the math. :D

That's about it! Glad to have learned something more about my birth date. How about you? Would you like to know more about your birthdate? Then why not share it with us here on GT? Just click on the badge below to join!

Happy Thursday everyone!

Tweet

A Fresh Summer Look

Summer is here and although it is everybody's favorite times of the year, it can also be uncool especially if you look wilted, sweaty and well, just melting away just like an ice cream that has been kept under the sun. Women especially, like to keep their poise and look fresh and cool until sundown.

Well, fret no more as here are some makeup tips that will be sure to keep you looking fresh and cool the whole day through.

1. Because it is hot and humid during summer, be sure to thoroughly cleanse and moisturize your skin. Be sure that your moisturizer has sunscreen in it to shield your skin from the sun's harmful UV rays. To keep your skin clean, you can use homemade facial masks once in a while to remove deep seated dirt and to help exfoliate dead skin cells.

2. A fan of foundations? Avoid using foundations as much as possible in summer since it has the tendency to smudge. But if it is really a part of your makeup routine, then use a light matte based foundation. Instead of a foundation, a powedered concealer that is two times lighter than your normal skin color is the perfect alternative. It hides blemishes and evens out your skin tone at the same time, minus the smudging. There is a variety of MAC makeup products available in cosmetic shops so choosing won't be so difficult.

3. Coloring your cheeks may not be necessary but if you want to, you can put on blush. A bronzer applied on the cheekbones, neck, forehead and chin will help to give you that sun-kissed look.

4. To brighten your eyes, use soft and light colored eye shadows. Be sure that you are using only powdered ones as liquid and cream-based eyeshadows have the tendency to smudge. And with the hot weather, you wouldn't want your mascara to run right? It will be smart to use water proof ones. Try the Splashproof Mascara. It works wonders.

5. To complete your summer look, put on light- or nude-colored lipstick. Use those that seals in the moisture and has sunscreen. Or you can skip the lipstick and use lip gloss. I personally prefer lip gloss over lipstick as it keeps my lips moisturized.

Now, your fresh summer look is complete. Have fun in the sun!

Tweet

TCP#96: Kung Fu Panda

Hello Couchers! Welcome to the 96th edition of Tuesday Couch Potatoes where we blog about a movie each week. This Tuesday's theme: Action Comedy Movies. Oh yes, it is time we share some movies that make us laugh out loud while we sit on the edge of our seats. There's a wealth of action comedy movies out there so I hope you will share them with me so that I too will have a good laugh. My exams are in two months and this type of movie will just be the perfect stress-reliever.

Guess what my pick for this week is? Yes, it's a children's movie entitled Kung Fu Panda. I know most of you have already seen the first movie which came out in 2008. But have you seen Kung Fu Panda II yet? It was shown here last 16th of June and it is still showing at Corso Kino, a cinema that airs Hollywood films in original english version. I wish I get to see it on big screen as it will be in cinemas until the weekend. I was able to watch it though but it's a cam version, thanks to a Pinoy website that my husband found. And it was so hilarious, I kept laughing and laughing. And with all the kung fu moves, you surely get more than enough action. It's got a good moral to teach too.

So what's the part 2 about? Here's the story: "Po is now living his dream as The Dragon Warrior, protecting the Valley of Peace alongside his friends and fellow kung fu masters, The Furious Five – Tigress, Crane, Mantis, Viper and Monkey. But Po’s new life of awesomeness is threatened by the emergence of a formidable villain, who plans to use a secret, unstoppable weapon to conquer China and destroy kung fu. It is up to Po and The Furious Five to journey across China to face this threat and vanquish it. But how can Po stop a weapon that can stop kung fu? He must look to his past and uncover the secrets of his mysterious origins; only then will he be able to unlock the strength he needs to succeed."

What's your Action Comedy Movie? Come share it with us here on TCP by entering your link in the linky below:





Thank you Couchers for all your support for TCP. Next week's theme: It's All About The Game, movies that revolve around a certain sport. And since we are almost on our 100th edition, I will be holding a small giveaway to celebrate. I will be giving away 1 DVD and 1 Blu-Ray movie of your choice. I will post the mechanics within the week so please watch out for it!

Have a good week everyone and a Happy TCP! Cheers!

Tweet