5 Things Friday- 5 Favorite Summer Activities

Today's topic is about 5 of Your Favorite Summer Activities .

1. Water fight! It's refreshing on a hot day. It's done here in Thailand during Songkhran Day on April.

Here's also a nice way of enjoying it with your family:

Materials

• Water balloons
• Water pistols
• Garden hose, or pool of water
• Plastic containers

Directions

1. Using water balloons, water pistols, a garden hose, or a pool of water and some plastic containers, have a water fight with your child.
2. Invite some of your child's friends over for the fun.
3. Serve Popsicles or ice-cream cones afterward.

2. Boating at Hatyai Municipal Park

3. Strolling along the beach especially at Haad Kaew Beach Resort, Thailand. The place is so relaxing...

4. Joining family camp- I was invited before to join a family camp by a Thai friend and I enjoyed it!

Khun Meaw's family invited me to join the family camp coz they considered me as part of their family

5. Visiting the Songkla Zoo and be kissed by a seal!

This was the photo taken with the cute seal kissing me!ha..ha..ha…This was after the seal presentation. I never imagine I would try this thing but this animal looks so alluring and adorable.Try it!

Do you have any thing to share about your favorite summer activities? Join us every Friday and play along with Jean Stockdale.

Mommy Journey's Blogversary's Contest

Mom Chris, the host of Mommy Moments meme is celebrating her first blogversary. Thus, she's holding her first blog contest. Here's the prizes:


1st winner
blogspot makeover by Momgen Designs
4000 EC credits from Nishas world and baby Alisha
1000 EC credits from Blog Fusion
1000 EC credits from Worth's Road
1000 EC credits from Mouth's Delight
125 x125 ad space for 1 month from There is Happiness
125 x125 ad space for 1 month from Twins Happiness

2nd winner
blogspot customized template by Web Blog Designs
5000 EC credits from Simple Happy Life
2000 EC credits from Bitz n Pieces of My Life
125 x125 ad space for 1 month from Also Mommy
125 x125 ad space for 1 month from TH Corner

3rd winner
5000 EC credits and 125x125 ad space for 1 month from The Mommy Journey
$5.00 from Inspirational Insights
125x125 ad space for 1 month from iluvcontest
125x125 ad space for 1 month from another contest

4th winner
3000 EC credits from Chuchie's Hideaway
2000 EC credits from WhereAbouts
$5.00, 1000 EC credits and 125x125 ad space for 1 month from Just About Anything
125x125 ad space for 1 month from Sherry Contest
125x125 ad space for 1 month from Sherry Rambling

5th winner
$5.00 from Our Family Story
5000 EC credits from a housewife's journal and an extraordinary path to parenthood
125x125 ad space for 1 month from That Blog 4 Me
125x125 ad space for 1 month from Travel Blog

The contest begins on August 10 and it will end on September 10, 2009 12AM (GMT+8) Philippines time. The winners will be voted via Random.org and announced on the following day. Winners should contact the sponsors directly. Everyone is welcome to join!

Click on the contest banner now to join the fun and for more details on how to join the contest.

By the way, I wanna thank you Mom Chris of Mommy Journey for awarding me the "Dare to be Great Award". It's inspiring!

Word-Filled Wednesday#4-All things work together for good

Head over to Pennyraine.com for more of God's word through photos and Bible verses. Pennyraine.com is the host for this weeks Word-Filled Wednesday meme.

To dance or to eat salsa?

What comes into your mind when we talk about "salsa"? At first I'll think about the dance for Salsa music created by Spanish-speaking people from the Caribbean.

Little did I know that salsa simply means "sauce" and in Mexican terms firey and tomatoey with plenty of fresh chilies, onion, cilantro, garlic and salt. Always a blend of chopped, diced or grated fruit and vegetables, along with fresh herbs and spices.

Talking about "salsa", it's not only used to accompany Mexican foods but you can create incredibly healthy low-fat meals just by combining these salsas with your favorite fish, chicken, grains or vegetables. This sounds interesting and tempting especially when I saw the simple Texas salsa recipe which claimed to be the "the most delicious salsa that doesn't require any cooking!"I just wonder where could I find Jalapeno Olives or Jalapeno Relish in Hatyai?

Photo source
Simple Texas Salsa

Why I'm interested with salsa? I've read that salsas taste good (just like hot sauce) and they are good for you. Capsaicin, what makes chilies and the sauces and salsas that contain them hot, carry a bunch of benefits.

First off, you can improve digestion by eating them. The spiciness in a hot
sauce or a salsa stimulates stomach secretions. Sure, the old wive's tale says that ulcer sufferers should avoid spicy foods, but it turns out that eating hot stuff stimulates blood flow to the stomach and increases its mucous lining. That may help heal ulcers.

Hot sauces can even battle depression. That's because every time you eat something hot, you release endorphins and endorphins are the natural "happy drug" that your body produces. Endorphins resemble opiates in how they work. They relieve pain and promote a sense of well being. They're often called "natural pain killers" or "the runner's natural high."

No wonder that Thailand is known as the "Land of Smiles" because they love hot sauces and food and I'm glad to be part of that!