My Voice, My Heart, My Life

This past weekend I completed my 1st detox cleanse. I needed something to rebut my metabolism and I figure a cleanse might help. I didn't want to do a 7 day cleanse so I found a weekend cleanse by Dr. Oz. It seemed pretty simple and it wasn't all liquid so I liked that. Here's the cleanse breakdown: Breakfast- A bowl or quinoa with prunes, rice milk,ginger,nutmeg Lunch - A blueberry almond milk smoothie Dinner- A vegetable soup Snack - A Kale, Ginger, Cucumber Juice Being that it was my first cleanse I expected numerous trips to the loo and stomach uncomfortableness. I also wasn't putting my great exceptions on the meals. Breakfast was bland (couldn't add salt : ( . ) Lunch was yummy but serving was too small. Dinner was tasty but I was yearning for some nice crusty bread. The snack tastes exactly how it sounds. I know that  everything I was eating was healthy and working together to help cleanse me of toxins but I was so HUNGRY! The snack juice could be ...

Today I woke up very tense. Shoulder, back, neck you named it, it was tense. My body was in need of relaxation. My darling husband had gifted me a massage groupon for Bella Derma in Millbrae. I finally got around to making an appointment. Today was a perfect day for it. I have gotten massages two times before and the last one was maybe 2 years ago. So I was looking forward to this! It's a quaint place with a friendly owner named Angela. She is a one woman show. She offers may different services, massages, facials, waxing, and so forth. The atmosphere invites you to relax. Angela is very kind and makes you feel at ease. As I climbed onto the massage tables then under the covers my whole body was hugged by the warmth of the table. It wasn't hot or lukewarm it was just right. The Goldilocks of temperature. Once I'm settled, Angela returns and turns off the lights, turns on music and lights an aromatherapy candle. I don't know what fragrance it was but it did the tri...

Drive-in theaters. I remember going to the Geneva Drive-In when I was growing up. I loved the idea of being able to see a movie in our blue Ford van, we traveled everywhere in this van, I loved this van. We would bundle up, warm coats, blankets and hats, bring our own snacks and sit and watch a movie that had been released months ago in the typical theater. Nothing can compare to the experience of an open-air theater. The chill of the evening air, the sounds of cars honking at people in the way, the static sound coming from the speaker hanging off the driver door and your family gathered together enjoying every minute of it. I was so sad when Geneva Drive-In closed down. A part of my childhood ceased to exist. It's quite depressing. Every now and then I pass by and am flooded by the many memories of this place. I'm glad I was able to experience it. I'm glad it was part of my childhood. So how did these drive-ins come to be, well....    Seventy nine years ago eager ...

My papi turns 60 today, a milestone. I give thanks everyday for his life. The Lord blessed me with a wonderful father who loves me unconditionally and who is an example of a strong Christian man. I am truly blessed! A little poem dedicated to him:  From birth you made a pledge to me Keeping me from harm's way Being loving and caring Even to this day As a toddler you made a pledge to me Teaching me to enjoy life Finding joy in daily things Keeping away strife As a child you made a pledge to me Teaching me the plan of salvation Guiding me on a narrow road Never letting me get lost in translation As a teenager you made a pledge to me Being an example of a true man Showing me how I should be treated Not disregarded or ban As an adult you made a pledge to me Teaching me to remain strong in the Lord To put on my armor of faith To always carry my Sword Today I make a pledge to you To continue to love and respect To proudly claim you mine Your...

Dear Service Member,                I can't begin to express my immense gratitude for your service. Even before I was born you have diligently been protecting this nations' water, air and land. Tirelessly fighting off the enemies attack. Putting yourself in danger so I can live in peace and freedom. Thank you for this sacrifice. Your devotion to this nation and its people is inspiring. You disregard your own safety in order for millions of Americans to walk down the street with peace of mind. So many countries are not this blessed. So many are crippled by fear and uncertainty. Always looking over their shoulders awaiting the enemies attacks. Because of you this is far from true. Because of what you do I can sleep at night. Because of you I can enjoy my unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. You are a true hero. The dictionary states a hero is a person of distinguished coura...

This Sunday marks the 75th anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge. This bridge is one of the most well known and iconic landmarks in San Francisco. Not to mention one of the most spectacular and beautiful sights in the country. Named after the narrow strait that marks the entrance to the San Francisco Bay, this architectural beauty took about 20 years to build. The engineer Joseph Strauss campaigned tirelessly for 16 years to very skeptical officials and naysayers of this very controversial project. Despite the concern of it's proximity to the San Andreas fault and the heavy waves of the strait posing great danger for the underwater construction necessary Strauss sold them on the idea of this majestic bridge. Thank goodness he did. The bridge opening up the way for Marin county to have easier access to the city creating a new revenue. Construction began in January 1933 and was completed in May 1937. On opening day Joseph Strauss proudly proclaimed,  "The bridge which...

Yesterday was a very special day for my family. My dad was ordained as a pastor. He will be ministering to the Hispanic community. My dad and mom have always been very involved in ministry. From working with little children to assisting the elderly. They have been true servants to God. Growing up my brothers and I watched our parents live out their faith. They weren't just about words but about action. Because they where so involved we too became involved and had the privileged to see first hand what it was that God was doing. The movement He was creating to forward His kingdom. My parents came to the Lord as adults. Both were born into a Catholic background but never really practiced as adults. Having my parents come know the Lord when I was a child was an amazing blessing. I was old enough to see the change that happen when Jesus entered their lives. The commitment they had to God's people was amazing. They truly worked as a team. Many say that you don't have to be i...