A Few Questions Answered

I've had a few questions in the comment section of my blog. I thought I would answer them in a post. If I ask a question in a comment section, I very seldom go back to the comment section to find the answer. ;) I thought this would be easier!

How did you become involved in working with China orphans?

In October I told the story in this post about how I starting volunteering at Chinese orphanages. Here's a few of my favorite photos from my trip in 2006... because I don't like a post without photos. :)

This is my little friend Yu Mei. We had just spent the morning at the beach. For the kids, this was their first time to experience a beach. They loved it. Everyone was boarding the bus to leave. I was trying to rush Yu Mei onto the bus but she was walking really slow. I finally realized what she was doing. As she was walking she was looking back at her footprints in the sand. She had never seen such a thing. At that point, I decided to not rush her. Hey, who cares if you're the last on the bus.

Feeding a little cutie

My friend Nancy took this photo in Beijing. I love it!

What kind of sunscreen do you use on your face (everyday)?

I have a form of eczema called Seborrheic Dermatitis (SD). SD is usually found on the scalp but it can also affect the face, which is where I have it. When I’m in an outbreak I get red, flaky, dry patches on my cheeks and around my eyes and ears. It’s itchy, painful, and ugly. I will spare y’all and not link websites on SD on my blog, not cute! I can usually tell when I’m about to have a serious outbreak and I have prescriptions to help control it. The exact cause of SD is unknown. However, outbreaks have been linked to stress, fatigue, change of season, and travel. Hello, that’s me!! I’m not kidding~ a couple of years ago in one week… 7 days, I traveled to Orange County, CA, Houston, Dallas, Chicago, and NYC. That’s a lot of stress, fatigue, change of season and travel.

To answer the question about what kind of sunscreen I use on my face on a daily basis, I use M.D. Forte Total Daily Protector Sunscreen. I’ll probably never get to buy any skincare from a make-up counter at the mall or the newest product on-line. I only use products recommended by my Doctor and Prescription Products. I’ve purchased M.D. Forte from my Dermatologist. However, you can purchase it online now (with your doctor’s physician code). It’s a little cheaper than buying it from the doctor. Sorry for the long answer. I wish it weren't so complicated.

Can you share Amy's Recipe for Strawberry Cheesecake with White Chocolate Chips?

Since Amy doesn't update her blog anymore, I've ask her if I can post it on mine. Ha Ha Amy, you know I love ya. This is a very easy recipe; it's made in the microwave. The trick is you have to use the Pampered Chef fluted stone bundt pan.

Strawberry Cheesecake with White Chocolate Chips

1 Strawberry cake mix
1 tsp. strawberry or vanilla extract
1/3 C. white chocolate chips (Amy doubles the chips)
3 oz. box cheesecake pudding mix
16 oz. sour cream
1/3 C. oil
3 eggs

~Generously grease your fluted STONE (pampered chef bundt pan)
~Whisk eggs and pudding mix together in batter bowl
~Add remaining ingredients-blending well
~Drop batter into Fluted Stone and spread evenly
~Microwave 12-14 minutes (works best with microwave turntable, if no turntable rotate after 7 minutes
~Invert cake immediately onto platter, but leave in pan for 10 minutes
~Cool and garnish with sprinkled powdered sugar or whipped cream and fresh strawberries

Can you share something that has helped you on Weight Watchers?

I used the be the WW Queen but not anymore. I don't follow it the way I should, which is why my results are slooooow. I was just given a recipe for WW cake. I'm going to try it soon and I'll post the results.

I really love cooking at home because you know exactly what's going in your food. One of my favorite things to make is broiled veggies. I broil them because it's fast... 5-10 minutes. My favorite broiled veggie is eggplant. I slice it and spray it with Pam Butter flavor or the Crisco Olive Oil flavor. Sprinkle the eggplant with salt and pepper. Broil for 5 minutes; then flip the eggplant and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Broil for another 5 minutes. Yummy!