The one where I've been nominated for a blog award

I've held the Superblessed Christian Blog Awards for five years running now (wow!), and in that span of time, been given the opportunity to bless dozens of Christian blogs that have encouraged and kept me going throughout the years as a Christian blogger.

That I'm blessed by these blogs is blessing enough. That they would care to bless me outside of what they do as bloggers - whoa! - that's icing on my Sugarhouse turtle pie. I've been given two blog awards of my own: the first, from Christopher Wright, who elected me Blogger of the Month on What in Tarnation, and the second from Jax of Jax Place, who awarded me her Filipino Christian Blogger of the Year, a prize I've cherished equally.

Now, it's a pleasant surprise to learn that I'm up for Blog of the Month (or something to that effect) on Chette Dizon's blog. Thank you to whomever nominated me, and to God always be the glory.

The one with the invitation to submit wedding proposal stories

Calling all engaged and married men (and women)! Perfect-Proposals.com, where love is expressed in endless ways, is publishing its first book, and we want you to be a part of it! Simply titled "Perfect Proposals," this unique collection is home to dozens of Philippine wedding proposals, including proposals we have coordinated.

There have been a lot of proposals, though, that are incredible, that also deserve space in this book! Share the love! We're inviting all engaged and married men and women to submit their unique proposal stories for inclusion in "Perfect Proposals."

It's your story, so how you choose to tell it is up to you! Please try to keep it as detailed as possible, though: include dates and places, food choices, and whatever additional information you feel appropriate.Submissions may be sent to ganns@perfect-proposals.com. Each text-only (no Word documents, please) submission should be 500 words or less, subject to editing. Accompany the submission with your name, email address, landline contact number (daytime and nighttime), and mobile number.

The senders of selected proposals will be informed via email of their proposals' inclusion in the book. A picture of the couple may be required for publishing as well. Senders of selected proposals will be invited to the booklaunch, where each sender gets a free copy of the book.

Please feel free to pass this information around to people who you know have had fantastic proposals. Share the love!

The one with God's "perfect" providence

Thank God for His providence! Just when LIVEtheLIFE seems a little unsteady, God swoops in and revives Perfect-Proposals.com. Check us out in MANUAL and the wedding supplement of the Manila Bulletin, first week of February!

What a loving and amazing God!

The one encouraging y'all to visit Darren

Y'all gotta visit Darren and support his blogathon to raise money for the victims of the tsunami. Go on, l'il doggies, go! He does it January 20, 2005.

The one on sugar

I admit it: I love sugar.

Even back in the day, when diabetes wasn't the byword on everyone's lips, and cookies were okay, and popping lollipops and candy bars continuously into one's mouth throughout the day wasn't seen as too life-threatening, I loved sugar.

As a chubby child, I was privy to a wide selection of sugar-laden, energy-boosting, bounce-off-the-walls-type treats in which to indulge. Goya and Serg's were the manufacturers of the day, and they came out with all the best stuff. One particular treat was my favorite: an ice cream cone filled out with marshmallows, and topped with an ice-cream scoop-size lump of marshmallow, and coated in chocolate. That little sugar bomb cost P5 at the time, and I would have two, along with an eight ounce bottle of Coca-Cola.

The sari-sari store near my home also sold ridiculously sweet treats, and one particular favorite was what we called Milo, but was in essence a chocolate bar made of cheap chocolate that was chewy and oh-so-wonderfully sweet. That would be the finish to a marathon run of salty treats, including the now-defunct Cheezels and Chickadees from Royal(R) Snacks.

As I grew older, the sweet tooth grew. I discovered Cookie Monster cakes, and Violet Crumble candy bars, and Maltesers, and Knick Knacks. I found Iced Gems, Milky Way, Three Musketeers, and Cadbury chocolates. I became privy to the secrets shared exclusively to me by pecan pie, and ice cream, and bread with butter and sugar.

Red Ribbon has the good stuff nowadays. Honey cake. Coffee Crumble. Chocolate mousse. Blueberry cheesecake. Then there are sylvanas from Goldilocks, and canonigo from Alba's, and chocolate cake from Polly's in Merville, and to-die-for rhum cake from this woman that my mom knows, that is so wonderfully buttery, and rhummy, and sweet.

Now, there are more refined treats, albeit sugar-free. Don't believe that junk. Go legit sugar, and none of the aspartame, Splenda, or Nutrasweet crap. Go sweet, sweet sugar! The other day, I bought a slice of Turtle Pie from Sugarhouse, immediately after a three-hour gym workout, and it was better than those 30 minutes on that stupid treadmill.

I want to be thin, but I also love sugar. Maybe a compromise is in order, hopefully before I get diabetes. Meanwhile, there's chocolate-coated polvoron at home with my name on it, and Oprah's on in an hour, so if you'll excuse me, I have to run.