Friday, December 20, 2013

Christmas Presents

Wow, it's been a busy holiday for us and I'm actually liking it. My siblings and their family are home so we are complete this Christmas. This will be another wacky, happy, crazy bonding time with my family.

Gifts are wrapped and sitting under the Christmas tree already and we're straightening out some plans for the holidays. I just hope that you have also finished buying and wrapping all your gifts this year for it's only few more days and it's Christmas already. Actually, my nephews have given their wish list before we did our shopping so we have an idea what they liked. It's hard to think what they like so a wish list that includes guitar tab books for my nephew who love music and guitars will be very helpful. I know we can't give all what they like for Christmas but I'm sure they will be appreciate of what they will get as presents for Christmas for they also know that they can't have everything.

I'm actually excited and my mind and body is on holiday mode already. Busy holidays for us this year and I hope you are also having a grand time with your own respective families.

Have a wonderful holiday all!!

Monday, December 9, 2013

Our Holiday Schedule


This year it's going to be a very different Holiday for my family. Two of my siblings and their family will be arriving soon to celebrate the holidays here in Pinas. All of us are excited already because we'll be together again after so many years. Actually, I could not remember when was the last Christmas when we celebrated it with the whole family sans daddy.

I looked over the schedule that my sis made and wow it's going to a super busy holidays for us starting tomorrow and up until the 2nd week of January 2014. I'm sure it's going to be super fun eventhough it will mean a lot of expenses. However, expenses will not count much as long as you spent it with the whole family where everyone is happy.

I'm not so sure if I can still blog till the end of the year so I will already greet you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS and a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR! May the blessing of the Lord upon us all.!

Done with my Christmas Shopping

Yey, I'm done with my Christmas shopping and I'm almost done wrapping my gifts too.

I started buying gifts by mid November because I wanted to avoid the Christmas rush which is happening in few days. I don't want to experience the last minute shopping that I did last year for it's really stressful and time consuming. With the lesson that I got last year, I said to myself that I will do my Christmas shopping early this year and on my birthday shopping in November, I also did my Christmas shopping. It's a double shopping for me and what makes it great is that it's sale at the mall when I shopped.

I may not get expensive jewelry at Reeds for Le Vian jewelry as gifts but the present that I got for my friends and family will surely make them feel special. I'm getting excited each day as Christmas draws near.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Pursue Your Dreams at Community College

Finding employment can be difficult. Many people feel like slaves to their wages even after they find steady work. This is caused by people focusing on money instead of joy. Intuition is a fancy word for that voice inside a person’s head that tells them what they truly enjoy. Sometimes it is difficult to find your intuition because so many other voices are stuck in your head. The voice that tells you to be logical and just work for the paycheck wins out sometimes.

Many people find that their intuition tells them they have a natural affinity for animals. They feel at peace on the back of a horse and enjoy the companionship of taking care of these majestic beasts. By following intuition, a person can learn a lot about themselves. Knowledge of oneself is a true form of power. True knowledge is worth more than money, diamonds, and gold. Finding employment doing something that you truly enjoy is possible. You can work with the animals you love and bring home a great paycheck. Check out a community college in Colorado and explore your options.

Another Trade That Focuses on Helping Animals

So you’ve figured out that you want a job that involves helping animals. Training horses and managing their care is just one way you could pursue a joyful career. A veterinarian or a veterinary assistant might be a great career path as well. If helping animals recover from injury and sickness sounds like a great way to spend your time, you should look into veterinary schooling.

Follow Your Intuition to Greatness
Becoming happily employed is a difficult but worthwhile quest. Some people spend their entire lives working at a job that does not fulfill their needs. Everyone has special talents that were meant to be used in certain ways. Open up your mind enough to let that small voice of your intuition become louder. Once you finally understand the direction you want to go, it is time to make a decision. Choose to pursue a career that will fulfill all of your financial needs and fulfill your mind, body, and spirit. Check out a community college in Colorado for more information.

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Their Christmas Wishes

My 10-year old niece is growing up so fast that soon she'll be a teenager. Right now, she is enjoying her time playing, going to school and do what normal kids do. One of her favorite things to do apart from playing some games in the computer is to play with her MLP or My Little Pony toys. I am amazed on how creative she was playing alone at their house. She made some chairs and other stuff out of cardboards where she'll pretend that they are used by her ponies.

She has quite a few collection of My Little Ponies but still she wanted to have another one of different kind for Christmas.I guess one of her aunt will her a big one this Christmas and I can't wait to see her reaction when she open her gifts this Christmas. I know she will love any toys that will be given to her but she really prefer another MLP.. Oh well, she's a really MLP fanatic.

If my niece wants a toy that she really loves, my teenage nephew on the other hand wants a new guitar and/or violin. What? Those are kinda expensive but I guess his parents will give him any of those if they have a budget. I will not wonder of he'll ask for a yamaha flute one day for he is really inclined on music these days. Let's see next year if he's still into music.

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Early Christmas Shopping

I'm actually so excited for Christmas this year to come for I know it will be so memorable and fun. Since Christmas is just around the corner, I'm pretty much on the go for Christmas shopping already.

I started my Christmas shopping for gifts by mid November and I'm so glad that I did that for I know I will be spared from the long lines on the counter and fitting rooms during the peak season of Christmas shopping. Right now, I'm almost done.

This year, I have bought some special gifts for my family and for my godchildren. A godchild of mine which is around 7 years old loves cars so much that I bought him another car that will be added to his collection.

During holidays, there's no doubt that we'll be taking lots of photos too so be sure to ready your cameras. I suggest that you also buy spare batteries so you'll not end up not being alble to take more pictures because your battery is dead already. If you're using Kodak cam, check out kodak camera batteries batteryheads.com for spare ones. I'm using Canon digi-camand I already bought an extra battery that I can use. I don;t want to miss any moment so I'm making sure that I have extra battery.

I'm still going to the mall this weekend to finish my Christmas shopping so I can already wrap them and place my gifts under the Christmas tree, which I still need to put up this coming week too.

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Ceelin Plus Syrup for Kids


Few days ago, I received these CEELIN PLUS vitamin samples from UNILAB for my 10-yr. old niece to try. Actually, she's already drinking Ceelin vitamins for quite a while now so these are not really new to her.

Growing kids need a lot of nutritious foods but at times they don't get all the nutrients that they need to help them grow more and help protect them from diseases. This is where injections and vitamins come in to keep them healthy and active all the time. Just last October, the kids and I had our flu shots and it can help us from acquiring influenza especially during cold or when weather is erratic and changing from time-to-time.



Drinking vitamins like this Ceelin Plus syrup is a must for kids for it can help them to have stronger immune system and it will give them added supplement of Vitamin C and Zinc.
"Ceelin Plus uses the unique ZincPlusTM technology that combines Vitamin C and Zinc in a liquid format with improved vitamin C stability thus making Ceelin® Plus the only Vitamin C plus Zinc in liquid format containing stabilized Vitamin C. Such combination results in a dual immunity boosting action and a stronger immune system."

The lil' girl had her dose (1-2 tsp. since she's already 10 yrs. old) and she's taking it every night. No wonder she is growing taller and I guess later on she'll outgrow me since she's only around 4 inches shorter than me now.. yay!
Thanks Unilab! She loves it!

Friday, November 8, 2013

Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) Hits Philippines


In the last 2 days our weather bureau PAG-ASA has been telling that a super typhoon names YOLANDA with an international name of HAIYAN will  hit our country today Nov. 8 and it will directly hit Visayan region. All the local government are advised to tell their constituents about this typhoon and to advise them to evacuate if possible because it has strong winds.

Just last night, a lot of provinces that will be directly affected or not have announced no classes on some levels to avoid possible casualty. Our own province is under storm signal no. 2 this morning and classes on all levels are suspended.

True enough, this morning the center of the typhoon hits Tacloban City and I saw in the news at how strong the winds are. The rain floods also rose in half hour or so. There are many families living in near seaside and they are forced to evacuate.

As of this writing, Yolanda has moved or landed in Metro Manila and I can hear the gusty winds right now. I'm praying for all the safety of my countrymen because this is believed to be the STRONGEST STORM in the world.

God Bless us and hope the typhoon will pass with not much destruction.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Exercised My Right to Vote

Actually, I should have posted this last week when our nation had another national holiday because of election.

It was on October 28th when a Barangay election was held all over the Philippines except for some parts of of our nation like Bohol, Cebu and Zamboanga because they are affected by the 7.2 earthquake and civil war respectively.

Barangay is the smallest political unit of the government and it was headed by the so-called Barangay Kapitan along with Kagawad that will make Barangay ordinances and laws. Some of my family members voted in the morning while me, my mom, bro and his wife voted in the afternoon.

Upon arrival at the local elementary school where we always vote, we asked for our precinct numbers and it took only few minutes to know because it's computerized. Voting is a breeze and it only takes 5 mins or so to vote. I voted for 1 Kapitan and only 3 Kagawads.

That night, we already heard loud fireworks and it signals that there are already winners. In the morning, there is are motorcades of winners. It was festive, noisy and a lot of merry making. I am most sure that those politicians that won had party and or get together with drum, lyre , guitars playing to celebrate.

Oh BTW, the Barangay Captain that I voted won! While the 3 Kagawads didn't make it .. awwww..I just hope that he'll do good in his position which I know he will.

Monday, October 28, 2013

Can't wait for Christmas!

Christmas is only less than 60 days and we're actually getting excited already. Why not? Two of my siblings together with their families will be coming from overseas to spend their holidays here. It only means that we'll have a grand family reunion and hope God will permit that to happen.

We'll be planning on doing some fun activities and tour and we're praying we'll all have the best of health in those days. Actually, my mom is also trying to prepare all the rooms that my sisters and family will use. Mom is busy repairing some of the beds, buying stuff for the house and figuring out some more ways to make the rooms more spacious for we intend of letting them stay at the house when they arrive to spare them from staying at the hotel. It will also make us bond well since we'll be staying in 2 houses so we're all close to each other.

Mom bought a new electric fan and will have the other broken one repaired. I accidentally browsed reidsupply.com and it reminds me that mom still needs some supplies for the repair of the roof. I know she'll ask me to help her on that one so she can buy some stuff that our helper can use.

I also saw the Christmas decors in the storage room just this afternoon and probably around middle of November or earlier than that, we can already decorate.

What about you? Are you excited for Christmas to arrive soon?

Blessed at 81

Nothing is more wonderful in this life when you see your mom celebrates her 81st birthday. My mom feel so blessed to have reached her age. Each day is a blessing and new beginning for her and we are always thankful for that.

Mom is quite healthy eventhough she has hypertension, which is I reckon is normal in old age. She's just taking her daily med for her high blood pressure and thankfully it's been controlled. Though she also has some stones in her gallbladder she's not feeling any pain for a long time now. We're praying that those stones will normally go away or melt with the grace of God. She's not keen o having it removed for she fear the surgery might weaken her.

She's enjoying her seniors years right now, going shopping or window shopping esp. this month since it's her birthday. She LOVES all kinds of fruits and veggies that's why I guess she's healthy and look young for her age.

I'm praying and wishing for my mom's good health and may she continue to be blessed by God. A very generous, handy woman (as we call her too), giving even to others, caring and loving to all of us.

Happy birthday mom!!! Praying for more candles to blow!
Mom celebrated her 81st birthday on October 18th.

Five Places to Look for Home Design Inspiration

Designing your own home can be fantastic. You’re free to decide on everything – from the colours of the walls to the tiniest details imaginable. For a creative person, this is the ideal way to design a home. The do-it-yourself route provides a blank canvas – just waiting for ideas. Sometimes, however, the depth of inspiration needed can be overwhelming. You find yourself at a loss, with absolutely no idea where to start. Well, there are some wonderful places where you can find inspiration for your home.

Have a look, and see if any of these five places do it for you.

Take a Drive:

One of the best ways to get an idea of what you want in your new home is to go for a drive somewhere. Have a look on the map, and find some nice countryside nearby. It’s best to escape the city if possible, as the countryside will generally provide you with a broader range of houses to look at. Take a camera with you, and take some quick snaps of any houses you like. This way you can go back to them later. You can even mix and match qualities of the different houses you liked.

Look at Some Blogs:

There are blogs for everything nowadays, and this includes designing your own home. Have a thorough search – don’t just stick to the first few result on Google. Do your research into blogs, and you may find some that surprise you. Many people have themed their blogs around home design, and will provide you with ideas, as well as some handy tips they have learned along the way. Don’t shy away from looking online for inspiration, maybe an example like Coral Homes is what you’re looking for.

Catalogues:

You may be hoping to steer clear of the traditional home design catalogues, but keep in mind that they are there to inspire you. You may flick through without the slightest intention of purchasing anything, but find something in the way that the rooms are built, or the colour of the walls. Yes, the internet provides a much larger range of material, but don’t forget about the catalogues. Your perfect house will be inspired by a combination of different sources.

Friends and Family:

Next time you’re visiting family and friends, pay close attention to the design of their homes. Chances are that there are aspects of the house you didn’t pick up before. And only now, when you are looking for inspiration to design your own home, will they really stand out.

Television:

There are some wonderful shows on television that can inspire your home design – think Escape to the Country. But it’s not necessarily a matter of watching more television, just paying closer attention when you do. Use it as a way of researching different homes. You will see several different styles, modern, Victorian and so on. Don’t overthink it when trying to find sources of inspiration for your home. The chances are that the material is all there, and you have yet to notice it. Pay closer attention the homes that you visit and see in magazines and catalogues. For more information about designing your own home visit Coral Homes Australia.

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Videoke Singing

From time-to-time, I get to see my young niece singing while she was playing with her dolls and my little pony toys. I am positive that it gives her much joy when she sings while she plays and it only shows that she is enjoying her play time. There are also some time when she opens their DVD to sing the videoke and it was funny because she keeps on singing the same song all the time that I had to tell her to pick another song. lol.

Every Christmas or New Year, we see to it that we have a videoke machine so we can sing while we wait for the new year to come or just to have fun during Christmas time. It never fails to give us joy when we get to sing as a family.

I can still remember one New Year's eve when all of my nieces and nephews got so rowdy in a funny way because they are singing a rock song. I was laughing heavily and non-stop while taking a video of them.
New Year's Eve videoke night

This year, we're still planning to rent a videoke machine maybe on New Year celebration for I know my family loves to sing.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

We Got our Flu Shot (Influenza Vaccine)

This year we availed again the discounted flu vaccine shots offered by Mercury Drug Store, the leading drug store in the country. Since the flu season is here again, it's better safe to be safe than to get sick especially the kids and my mom.

So one morning, we rushed to the nearby Mercury where they are having this offer and we're amazed at how many people lined up to get their as well. We only paid  Php 495/each kids/adult while my mom paid P396 because she's a senior citizen already.

Some doctors are charging P800-1,000 per shot so we clearly got a good discount. It was in May last year when we had our flu shot and thankfully, no one got sick the whole year. This flu vaccine is a good protection for us from Influenza.

Side effects of flu vaccine:
~mild ache on the injected area for 1-2 days (bearable ache) - parang nangangalay lang
~swelling, soreness or redness of the area. Just give a hot compress on this.
~doctors say the there is really minimal side effects.

Flu is a respiratory viral infection that can affect our respiratory organ (lungs) that can be spread from one person to another. Symptoms can include high fever, body aches and respiratory problem.  

Look, my niece is afraid eventhough she experienced getting this last year. To appease her she kept holding on to her mom with face covered hehe.

Did you get your flu vaccine this year? If not, try to get one every year!

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

The Importance of Family Dinner

Nothing beats a family that eats together at home for dinner. It may seem impossible to do on some homes especially when they have busy work schedules or when they simply don't like to be around together, which is so sad to hear. I reckon no matter how busy you are, every family should have a family dinner night as much as possible.

Eating together at your dinning table can be a good time for all of you to talk about family matters, work or school matters. Families can bond together sharing stories either good or bad and asking each of one how their day went and if they have some concerns over something.

While having dinner, avoid distractions like using your phone (calls, texting or playing), reading etc. Have real conversations with your family. Converse, laugh together and savor the foods that are served. In our family, it's always a must to eat together all the time except for instances where one family member can't make it on time.

Dinners can be spent more joyfully when every member of your family is present. Nothing is more delightful when home cooked meals are served on the table for you can veer away from eating greasy take-home meals.

Aside from nutritious and savory dishes that we can prepare at home, family dinners will be more comfortable when you have comfy chairs. Thanks to cushions where we can use them on our chairs and it's good to note that in Medieval days they are already using these cushions. We can also be thankful to Charles Darwin for inventing chairs with wheels, now, I don't have a hard time using my pc chair as well.



Graphic Citation
Anyway, I just hope your family are eating dinner together just like what we are doing in our family. Family dinners are one of the many ways to nurture your family's connection, keep the love and respect alive in your home.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Christmas Countdown

Wow it's October now!! I'm actually getting more and more excited for Christmas this year!

Why not?

Aside from being the the most wonderful time of the year, 2 of my sibling together with their families are coming home for their Holiday vacation. Isn't that wonderful? This year would be a grand reunion for our family and I am praying that the mighty God gives us all good health so that we can celebrate or family reunion this year.

As you can see I already installed a Christmas countdown clock on my sidebar. I usually do that every year since I started this blog. It makes me and my readers more excited for the coming holidays. I'm pretty sure that Filipinos are always excited and prepared for Christmas because almost all shops are already selling Christmas decors and stuff.

Soon, I'll be writing my Christmas shopping list for I intend of buying my gifts early this year. Actually, I'm planning to shop for some gifts this month to avoid the rush.

What about you, are you excited for Christmas already?

Monday, September 30, 2013

Insure the Safety of your Kids at Playgrounds

A familiar sight in many neighborhood is that of a strong and adequate swing set in the back yard of a home or in a park that has just one problem: the hardware and swings are broken and unsafe. No parent wants his or her child to risk life and limb on a structure such as that, so the playground or swing set is unused and children spend lovely sunny days inside without exercise or fun.

Many neighborhoods have joined to upgrade the playgrounds in their area, repair and replace unsafe hardware, and replace swing seats with new ones. Try a high back full bucket swing for young toddlers and older babies. They can have supervised fun while their siblings take advantage of the rest of the playground. A plastic horse glider swing could be a great deal of fun and a spur to the imagination. What child hasn't dreamed of galloping a pony chasing bad guys or racing down the oval track? This comes close without having the expense of maintaining a horse.

Look at the swing set in your own back yard. Replacing swings and hardware would allow that set to serve for grandchildren now that your children have grown. You could be planning to sell your home. If so, repairing and replacing components of the swing set could lure a family to purchase your home. The repairs and replacements are relatively inexpensive when you find swing set swings at SwingforSwingSet.com.

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Birthday Celebrants in the Family


September is a month with the most of  birthday celebrants in our family. My older brother is quick to notice that he is not included in the layout that I made lol. So, all in all  there are 4 celebrants.

Sept. 3- Joji, my older brother
Sept. 18 - Kukay, my niece
Sept. 25 - Kathleen, my niece
Sept. 26 - Karlo, my nephew - his birth date (26th) is so memorable because 4 years ago (2009) a massive flood brought about by  typhoon ONDOY left massive sufferings, destruction on properties and many people dead.

My nieces and nephew are all college graduate now and starting to have their own careers now in their chosen fields. I wish them all good luck.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Enjoy Family Game Night

Every family can bond together in so many ways. Going on a trip out of town can be a good experience for kids, dining out and shopping are just some of them.

Aside from various activities that a family can do outdoors, a family can still enjoy their time together at the comfort of their home. No  need to spend some money when you are at home. Doing arts and crafts, singing/dancing, watch movies and playing games are just some of the fun activities that every member of your family can enjoy.

Playing board games are definitely a fun thing to do during night time when everyone else are free. Board games can make every player think of a strategy on how to play the game and the exciting part is how anyone can successful win the game. Always set a night each week for a family game night and there's no doubt that it will make your bonding as a family more stronger but also it can help you enjoy games as a family.

I remember playing Monopoly and Snakes and Ladders while we are growing up and it's always the best time for me and my siblings. it's good to note that the sales of board games in the past 9 years have doubled and it only shows that board games are good form of family entertainment.

Friday, September 20, 2013

Getting the Best Travel Getaways

Once in a while if time and budget permits, my family and I go for some local and overseas travel. As much as we want to travel more, airfares are getting expensive all the time. Not to mention the various hotel accommodations and other entrance fees on various themed parks or museums. It would be great if we can find good deals all the time that is why there are times that I subscribe to airline companies to keep me abreast with their latest deals and promos. A local carrier is always offering promos but sometimes the flight promo schedule of the promo is not jiving with the target date that we have.

Traveling with the whole family is also difficult for us sometimes because our schedules don't meet at a certain date. In order for our travel to push through at times, one has to sacrifice by changing her work or school schedule just to be with us on the trip. Planning may be a big task for our big family but once the sched and the itinerary are planned and ironed out, things will run smoothly.

image


This coming Christmas will be an exciting time for all of us as 2 of my siblings together with their respective families will be coming home from overseas for their holidays. Would you believe that as early as June, my sisters and I have been planning our local trips already in such a way, we'll not waste any of our time since they will be in the country for short period of time only? This will also let us know how much budget that we need to have so we'll have an idea how much we'll be spending for our trip plus for our shopping. I'm really getting excited now and I'm always praying that we'll all have good health for this will be our family reunion.

With all the travel plans that we have, we need to find good deals on various places that we want to go.The discounted money that we'll be getting will be good enough to use for other purposes such as gifts for the kids and other minor expenses. I will definitely browse online for possible sale on tickets and more.

Thanks to some groupon sites that offer various discounts on local and international travel vacations. One of the best ways to get good deals on travel online is to check these sites as they are offering consumers the best travel deals there is that we don't normally get when we go to our local travel agency.

Our family also wants to tour other Asian countries: Malaysia and Vietnam are just some of them. Who doesn't want to explore different culture, food, shopping and scenery of different countries especially if we can get great discounts?

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Birthday, Flight and a New Work

It was my niece's 22nd birthday yesterday and her flight back to Riyadh as well. She graduated from college this summer with a degree in Multi-media arts in one of the top universities here in the country. I have seen how she studied well eventhough she's staying at the dorm just near their univ.

Her parents are so happy that finally she earned her college degree and ready to face new chapter of her life by working and putting all her acquired knowledge to her work. She wasn't able to work here in the country but since she went to Riyadh to be with her parents, she'll also work as a graphic artist in a big hospital there where her mom is also working.

This will be a good experience for her and since her parents are also there, I don;t think she will get bored or miss Pinas that much. I'm just wishing her good luck and may all her aspirations in life will come true. She has lots of plans and dreams for her career and her life and I hope she'll always make good decisions, if not, may all her faults be a lesson in life.

This is my simple layout that I made for her birthday.


Marriage and Divorce

Nothings beats having a complete family where couples with or without children are living harmoniously under one roof. However, couples may fall out of love, may have different views, opinions and things that they can't peacefully settle so they have no choice but to separate or in the end get a divorce. No matter what are their reasons for getting a divorce it's their decision to end the marriage.

Marriage is a sacred union but things are sometimes beyond our control that may result to unfavorable end to this union. For a country with no divorce law yet like our country, only annulment and separation will be the best solution if they really want to get out of their marriage.

In the U.S., divorce is really nothing new for we can always hear those celebrities getting married and were together for just few years or months and end up getting a divorce so quickly. It is sad to see the divorce rates in the U.S. is getting high as what the infographic below is telling us and I reckon it's not what other married couples want their relationship to end.


Graphic Source

I believe in the sanctity of marriage but if for some reason the marriage is really on the rocks and both parties have already tried to solve their marital problems, divorce can be the answer especially if physical or verbal abuse are already evident in their relationship. It's even hard to stay in a marriage where there is no more respect, love and trust but I just hope and pray that no more families will be broken because separation and divorce are really a tough decision and emotionally draining for a lot of couple involve.

Saturday, September 14, 2013

Save Money with your DIY Projects at Home

All of us homeowners wanted to maintain our homes all the time as much as possible. However, due to the natural wear and tear of some things in the house, damage is inevitable. We don’t normally call for a technician or a contractor if a simple misaligned door or windows are needed to be fixed for we can always do it on our own.

DIY home projects have become popular among house owners for we can really save a lot of money by not calling a contractor immediately to do some work for us. All we need to have are power tools and little patience so we can do some repairs or even make some DIY home projects at a lower cost.


Infographic Source

Making a simple chair or a shelf is doable now at home for you can always watch tutorial videos online and get inspirations from there as well. There are also various DIY tips and tricks just in case you really wanted to do some projects for your home.

Our own home has a lot of DIY projects done by my dad and my brother. My brother's dining table is made by my dad in the 80's and would you believe they are still using it. Dad has made a lot of chairs and tables for us while my brother can make shelves out of old wood scrap.

Any home project can be made into a durable and useful piece of home furniture as long as you see to it that you use good materials and you put a lot of effort in making it. Oh BTW, you can also find a lot of good home projects from Pinterest.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Let the Kids be Creative

Oh yes, let the kids be creative even if it means a messy house!! lol

Kids love to experiment. They need something to do in their spare time. They'll either draw, make some paper cuttings, create a figure or whatever that is a product of their creative minds.

I know, your house can be really messy just like this but we are sure that kids' brains and creativity is working and not idle. This is their way how to express their feelings, what they think or how they envision of what they want to be in the future.

Who knows they can be an architect, visual artists, designer or engineer one day, right?

My 9-yr old niece is always painting, doodling, making a doll house and making a mess. Her parents most especially her mom will always scold her because of the  mess that she has created afterwards. There are also times that she doesn't like to put away her things and that is something that we don't like about her.

Give them loads of papers (scratch papers or not), crayons, pencils, clays and more. The more we support and guide them the more they will be more creative and expressive.

Get them off from ipads, computers and other gadgets as much as you can and encourage them to create anything that their minds can allow.

Military Families' Options in Relocating and House Buying

I blogged earlier about the challenges and sacrifices of military families when moving and how the government and  ordinary citizens can help them. Let us be aware that military families move quite a lot so it can be pretty much stressful especially if they have small children.

Since they relocate in every 1-3 years, these families can either live in a Military Housing On Base and Off Base depending where the military personnel is appointed.

Here are some more informative info about military families

See More

No one else can also know the situation and hardships of military families than another military family so support groups/networks, various sites/blogs are available online where families can always find inspirations and support. There's even an Army Wife Network site where wives of soldiers can interact with each other.

The more we learn about these men in uniform, the more we'll learn how to appreciate their dedication and love for the country.

Girls and How to Fix their Messy Haired Barbie Dolls

My 9- year old niece already passed the Barbie stage and she no longer plays with her tons of Barbie dolls. Now it's on the storage box and collecting dust already hehe...She's more into My Little Pony and Monster High lately and you can see her my little pony drawings coz she's addicted to it.

I found this very clever trick on how to fix the messy hair of Barbie dolls or probably other dolls that have same doll hair texture. I just learned that the soaking the hair in warm water for 30 mins, and combing it will make the hair straight back again. Great trick indeed!

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

The Challenges and Sacrifices of Military Families when Moving

I have always have high regards to all the men and and women in uniform who are dedicated in serving their country. Risking their lives to protect the nation and leaving their families when they are deployed overseas or at areas where there are tension or civil war.

Right now, our country is facing rebellion in  Mindanao area where some of our Muslim brothers are raging war against our government due to some major issues. It's sad to know there are military men have who already lost their lives in this crisis.

In the US, they look upon their defense soldiers with high dignity and honor and provide them with a lot of good benefits. Here are some valuable information that we need to know as well.


familypictureideas.net

Helping Military Families
I am most certain that there are support groups for military families where they can always give aid and support all the time.

Some military families move from one place to another and moving is can be stressful to anyone most especially those that have kids. When families move, there are many sacrifices and adjustments to make in order for them to cope with the change.

Finding military homes to buy or rent can be daunting but thanks to useful resources online such as MilitaryTownAdvisor.com for they can help families look for place to relocate.

Aside from lending a hand, we can always pray for our soldiers' safety and good health that they may continue to serve.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Cooking, Cooking and more Cooking for my Family

Lately, I found myself cooking a lot! Why not? Who will cook anyway..lol

What I mean is I have never been so happy and inspired to cook. Now that I am working all the time at home, I have some time to cook for lunch and dinner. Sometimes I see to it that the dish that I will cook for lunch will be our dinner as well for I can become lazy to cook again for dinner time. Food preparation can also take a lot of time so I'm thankful that my niece is vacationing at the house and she's the one cutting all the veggies and stuff before I cook.

Online is a great source of recipes especially when we are already bored with the same old dish that I'm preparing for them. I have to make sure that it's not only delicious but it's also nutritious. I can't cook all meat meal because it's not good for my 80-yr old mom and for me as well. Most of the times, I have to make sure that one veggie dish will be cooked.

I also have learned some new easy to cook recipes like pork bulgogi, sizzling tofu, grilled honey- dijon chicken and more. I'll be sharing them on my food blog if I have time but there are some easy to cook recipes that I've already posted there.


I'm planning to buy an Oster blender or the Osterizer too so I can also use it to make smoothies, shakes and even sauces for my dishes.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

3 Extracurricular Activities that Will Give Your Kid a Great Start in Life

A child’s mind is like a sponge, accumulating everything around it. That is why childhood is the perfect moment to introduce him to new things which could have an important role in his academic development.
Of course, you don’t have to overcrowd his free time. He is a child and a he needs to rest and play with his friends. If you present him gradually to new things, he won’t perceive them as chore, but as a fun activity. So here are three best extracurricular activities that will give your kid a great start in his academic development.

1. Learn a foreign language
Learning a foreign language is easier done in childhood that in adulthood, training and developing the child’s cognitive skills.

In fact, experts recommend that the assimilation of different native languages can begin as early as the age of three or four years old. At an early age, the game is the best method of learning: for example, motion games, puppet shows, poetry, songs and contests. Besides improving their vocabulary, these methods are useful to help them adjust to the sounds of a foreign language and learn correct pronunciation. These types of lessons must never be boring. With smiles, humor and games, assimilate knowledge very easy. Thus, they become highly motivated and perceive it as a game. The lesson should last somewhere between 30 minutes and two hours, this being the ideal duration which allows children to maintain interest without boredom. You could sign him up for a course (with other kids) or have one of the specialized Varsity Tutors give him one on one lessons.

2. Learn to play a sport

Learning to play a sport is another great extracurricular activity for your kid. Sports have rules and require discipline in order to achieve performance, so they can teach him important life lessons at an early age, which will help him in developing as an individual.

Practicing a sport is very important in the physical, psychological and social development of a child. You need to talk to him in order to find out what is his favorite sport. First of all observe your child, and do not make him do activities that doesn’t want to do. Between six and eight years old, you should choose together individual activities such as: swimming, skiing, ballet, gymnastics. After eight years old, team sport can be included: tennis, football, basketball, handball, volleyball. Make sure you involve him in the decision, so that he feels he’s important.


3. Do volunteer work
Every child should know that volunteer work is very rewarding. Start easy and talk to him about the importance of protecting the environment and Mother Nature. Explain terms such as pollution and global warming. You can do volunteer work as a family, such as gathering trash from forests or you can sign up in a organization that plants trees. Nobody expects him to do hard work, but he will learn that if he wants to enjoy nature and fresh air, he needs to protect the things around him. As he grows up, you can experiment with different volunteer opportunities, such as taking care of animals, spending time with people in retirement homes.

Volunteer work will shape his character and make him understand that sometimes you have to work for free in order to make the world a better place.

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Teaching Kids to Help in House Chores

Doing chores at home is something we need to teach kids but sometimes it's hard for adults to engage them in helping us.

One positive thing that I learned to keep my niece help me with simple house chore is to talk to her calmly and motivate her. The trick is very effective so whenever I need her to help me, I just talk to her and she'll do it without hesitation. I'm also lucky because there are many instances that she helps without me telling her to do so.

I guess, we need to reinforce to kids the value of helping and having a responsibility at home. Putting away her toys and cleaning her cluttered stuff can be done without resistant if you instill in them that they need to do it all the time. I know most of the times kids will  not do it but they will surely learn and follow in the end and this will surely test your parenting skills

Taking Care of Your Carpet

When you take proper care of your carpets, you are also taking care of your wallet and your health. Replacing carpet can be expensive, but may be essential for the health of those living in a home since harmful germs and bacteria can live in a carpet that is not being properly maintained. Here are some tips for helping you properly take care of your carpet in Chandler, AZ.

Taking Care of Your Carpet

The first step in taking care of your carpet is keeping your carpet properly cleaned. Obviously it is important to regularly vacuum your carpets.Experts recommend that you vacuum highly used areas of carpet at least twice a week, possibly even once a day (if they are walked on a lot). Other areas of the carpet that do not receive as much traffic may only need to be vacuumed once a week. In addition to vacuuming, it is important to have your carpets cleaned regularly. Though vacuuming may be effective in pulling out the dust, hair, and odors living on the surface of your carpet, deeper cleaning is necessary to make sure that your carpets are really clean deep down and aren’t holding onto any mites or allergens. How often you need to have your carpets cleaned depends on the quality of the carpet. A cheaper-quality carpet should be cleaned less often as cleaning can break carpet down a little bit (causing cheaper carpet to wear out faster than a thicker carpet). For a basic rule of thumb, experts say to clean your carpets once a year. You can ask a profession about your specific carpet and environmental factors of your home that may necessitate more frequent cleaning.

When You Need Carpet Replacement

Because carpets are constantly subjected to a lot of traffic, they wear down with time. Usually when you have your carpet cleaned, it makes your carpet look as good as new, erasing the signs of everyday wear (which is another reason why it is so important to clean your carpets). After a while, though, a carpet has simply been worn down to a point where it needs to be replaced. If your carpet is completely matted down in the walkways, permanently stained, or over 10 years old, then it is probably time to have a professional replace your carpet in Chandler, AZ.

National Geographic Kids


These days, majority of the children now use computers and other gadgets to research for their school homework and play games. While the internet is very accessible by the children, parents should always see to it that they only go to trusted sites. But how can they do that?

Parents need to set a time for their kids to use the computer in such a way they can supervise their browsing time. We'll never know what they are seeing and browsing if we don't supervise them at all times. The internet is a big place for all sorts of good and bad stuff for the children that is why we always need to know what they are doing online.

There are many websites that are kids friendly and one is the NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS. It's very informative and education and kids will learn many things like about animals, science and lot more. The website has games, homework help, video galleries and other fun activities that kids will love.

Check out the site NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS.

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

The Best Places to Live In Australia 2013

While people will insist that location is the most important aspect of home buying, the quality of your home should never be underrated or compromised: Coral Homes offer high quality homes at reasonable prices, wherever you should choose to settle across this sunburnt country.

Byron Bay: Image via Wikipedia

Byron Bay

Byron Bay was named by Captain Cook after John Byron, circumnavigator of the world and grandfather of the poet, Lord Byron. This poetic heritage, however tenuously attributed, is the only explanations available for the prevalence of fun, sex, sun and narcotics. Yoga retreats, pagan gatherings and a medley of world-class events such as the East Coast Blues & Roots Music Festival, Splendour in the Grass and the Byron Bay Writers Festival will leave you with little opportunity for lounging on the beach.

Fremantle

Nothing says cool like a microbrewery and Fremantle is home to many, as well as laying claim to the nationally popular Little Creatures Brewery (try the Bright Ale). During the late nineteenth-century West Australian Gold Rush, camels and their Afghan drivers were familiar sights, and the place continues to offer up a sense of Oasis in the desert. Fremantle has a thriving arts community exemplified by the Fremantle Festival (first held in 1906, it's Australia's longest running community festival). Freo even has a public statue of Bon Scott; but don't let it put you off.

Glebe

A'glebe' is an archaic word for the land on which a church is built. Glebe, Sydney is named such because the area was a gift to the chaplain who came with the first fleet: now the area is a gift to yuppies, students and those from all walks of life who enjoy its beautiful surrounds and convenient location. The central thoroughfare of Glebe Point Road has unbroken stretches of Victorian-era shop fronts and is host to the weekly markets at the local public school: the entire township is a stones-throw from Sydney University and the CBD yet still maintains its warm, village atmosphere.

Anywhere in Melbourne

If you identify as a hipster, no doubt you're reading this from Brunswick Street already, irresistibly drawn there as if your beard were made of metal filings to the pulsating magnet of all things Now. Regardless of what your tolerance for trendiness is, Melbourne asserts itself as the most European of Australia's city, and has good grounds for doing so. Gentrified to the tipping of the 90's recession it is now safely back in the hands of young social innovators who jitter in and out of boutique art galleries on a caffeine-high and weave into and out of small live music venues by night.

Central Coast

Almost anywhere on the Central Coast, it seems, is dream-like in it's loveliness. Who would have thought there could exist a place with lush, rolling green hills without endless Celtic drizzle, and endless sea and sun without Gold Coast-like sprawl? There are innumerable small towns along this stretch, Narooma, Tilba, Kiama, to name a few. Each has it's own unique character and some are slightly larger than others, but each seems untainted by a consumer drive to capitalise on the serendipitous surrounds.

Monday, August 26, 2013

Kids and Career Choice

What do you want to be when you grow up??

I can still remember this question when I was still young.  Some adults , mostly my relatives often ask this question to me and that time I'm always telling them that I want to be a "bank teller". It started when my sister and I used to play and I was a bank teller and she's my customer. Counting paper money and typing at my invisible computer seem to excite me and I guess being a bank teller is so cool. Unfortunately, when I grew up and went to college my choices changed so I end up taking BS Medical Technology. Twist of fate, now I''m have a different career.

Anyway, I've been throwing back that same question to my nieces and nephews up to now. I have 2 nephews who'll enter college next school year 2014 and I'm sure they already have ideas on what course they want to take up. I know it may change or they are not decided yet.

One nephew wants to take up Computer Engineering since he is inclined to Math subject, computer and analysis.

Another nephew of mine said that he wanted to take up Conservatory of Music. It had left me quite concerned at first for I'm not quite sure if he really wants that. I have no position to tell him what to take up in College but if that want he wants then what can I do. His parents is not against his thoughts so who am I to hinder what he desires. All I know is that he loves to play the guitar, tinker with his laptop to mix some music and sing.Who knows one day, he'll become a musician or with authority in the music industry? And with the technology today like the new recording interface for ipad at musician's friend, mixing and creating music can be a piece of cake.

Wishing that whatever career choice they want to have, they need to study hard and be focused on it.

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Kids and Art

 Every kid in the world knows how to draw, doodle and paint. I remember when I was growing up, I have those days when I just need to doodle or draw anything even if I only can draw stick people that time.

Through art, kids can show off their creativity. This is where they can show what they have in mind, what they feel and how they see the world. Through art they can express their emotions and if they are so inspired they can make beautiful artworks and craft.

If parents can see that their children are leaning towards art, encourage them to be good at it and support them. Give them papers, crayons, pencils, and other materials that they can use and experiment and you'll be amazed on what they can create in the end.

Reign loves to draw and create crafts with any materials that are available at the house. She can draw on paper, canvas using oil paint, and lately she loves to draw her fave cartoon characters using the Paint program in the computer.

She loves My Little Pony so much that she is creating various characters in Paint using only a mouse. I was amazed at her creativity. Right now, she's bugging me to teach her how to use Adobe Photoshop everytime she sees me using it. There's no doubt that she can even draw more beautiful drawing using it.


Not only she's interested in drawing but she can also create crafts using old cartons, scrap papers and more.  I even heard her saying that she also wants to be a designer some day. She got her talent from her father who is also visual artist and can make wood sculpture. imageIt's always fun to see kids showing off their art and as a family you can't help but to feel proud.

Super Long Weekend

Wow, it's been how many days now since school classes and even some government offices have been closed.

Storm Maring and Habagat wreak havoc since last week in Luzon area.
August 19-23 - no classes for students mostly from Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Pampanga, and other neighboring cities and provinces.

August 26, 2013 (Monday) - will be our National Heroes Day so again there will be no classes.
Some people will also take this opportunity for their anti-pork barrel protests that will happen nationwide.

I just hope that kids will take advantage the days where they have no classes to not just play but also read their books because for sure they will have make up classes in the coming days.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

DIY Tips for Floor Tiling

image source: buildingsheriff.com
You don't need to be a floor tiler to tile a floor in your house. Anyone can do it as long as they have the right tools and equipment. There are some important things to think about before embarking on your floor tiling venture. Here are 5 tips for doing your own floor tiling in your home.

Take Your Time

One of the most important things to remember is to take your time. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither was your home, so take your time and allow yourself to do each step with care. If you rush ahead and do not follow instructions properly, or do not think the job through then you may end up with a situation where you will need to redo the floor at a later date, or won't have the job done as well as it could be. So relax, take your time and enjoy the process.

Ensure that floor is firm and dry

Preparation of the floor that you are going to tile is such an important part of the job. If your floor has lumps, or hard bits then it may cause the tiles to crack. Also if there is any dampness in the floor then this will also cause problems and the tiles may not stay in place as you would like them to. Make sure the floor is lump free by checking the whole surface and grind down parts that are sticking up. If there is dampness then you might need to apply a water proofing compound to treat the area.

Make sure both tiles and floor is clean

For the best tiling job, ensure that both the tiles and the floor is clean before you start. Also do not leave the tiles in the sun while you are preparing the floor, as this could cause uneven discolouration which will be very noticeable once they are laid on the floor.

Always start from the centre of the room when laying tiles

When laying the tiles, always start from the centre of the room. This is to ensure that the tiles are laid evenly in the most conspicuous part of the room, which will be the centre. No matter how small the room is, if you start at the centre then you will end up with a good looking tiling job because they will be laid evenly and will look good in the parts where people will mostly be seeing them – the centre. For cutting the tiles, you could look at the different tools available which could range from anything to STIHL chain saws.

Leave tiles for 24 hours before applying grout

Once you have tiled the floor ensure that you wait at least 24 hours before applying grout. Most manufacturers of adhesive will supply instructions as to the length of time you need to wait before grouting, so always follow those instructions for the best application of the tiles to your floor. You will want to make sure that they are dry before applying grout as you won't want to put pressure on them if they are still drying as this may cause an uneven surface.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Typhoon Maring and Habagat (Soutwest Monsoon) Bring Severe floods in Metro Manila and Nearby Provinces

Oh dear Lord, our country is faced with yet another calamity and we humbly ask for your mercy. !!

It is sad to note that  typhoon Maring and Habagat (Souhtwest Monsoon) bring severe floods in Metro Manila and nearby provinces here in Luzon..

ALL CLASSES and all GOV'T office are suspended due to heavy rains and flood in:
Manila, Cavite, Rizal, Pampanga, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro and some more part of Luzon.

Here is an image that I found at Yahoo.com
along Espana and Morayta :(
My family are very fortunate for our house is not affected by any flooding for our place is on a higher ground. However, I just learned this morning that my older brother's place is affected by flood and they have no choice but to put their stuff on their second floor.

The streets are flooded and if the rain will still continue until tonight, chances are  the water will still come up. As of this writing, the rain already stopped and we're praying that the typhoon and monsoon rain will also come out of our country for there are too many already who are affected. Many houses made of light materials are washed by the floods and many infrastructures are damage.

I just hope that we continue to pray for everyone's safety as we can never really tell when high floods will arise. And before you even sleep at night on your dry and comfy bed (some with mattress latex materials), let us pray for those that don't have no more homes and only staying at relocating sites.

Go away Maring and Habagat, we don;t need you here in our country!

How to Be Good in Budgeting

It’s really difficult to manage our budget for that period of time. Aside from the important things needed to be prioritized, we just can’t deny the fact that there are some stuff and such we happen to purchase or accidentally include in our list. With that, we end up going beyond our limitation, which in other hand is not a good practice at all. Thus, learning how to be good in budgeting is really important.

No one is really good at it, in the first place. However, it can be applied by anyone despite of the difficulty it gives. In fact, it is also applied in handling businesses especially if you’re in the finance industry (try reading more about forex at https://www.varengoldbankfx.com/en/cfd/). Moreover, the only thing you need to do to be good at it is to be wise enough in spending money.

There are different ways on how one spends his or her money wisely. The steps are the things you can do and might help you:

1.       Savings is for savings only unless if it’s emergency already. Note: accidentally purchasing unnecessary stuff is not valid as emergency.

2.       List all the necessary goods and other things needed to be bought. This will save your time doing the grocery and shopping. It will also help you avoid buying those unnecessary ones.

3.       Avoid using credit card. If you really want to save, stop owing money from the bank even to your friends.

4.       Don’t be fooled by those offers offered in markets. They may be tempting but always keep in mind to secure the important ones. If there is enough change to purchase other things that are not included in your list, then feel free to buy it. Just make sure you don’t go excessing from your budget.

See it for yourself. In the end, it’s all your choice either to apply it or not. But if you really want to be good at budgeting, then be disciplined in handling and managing it. Whatever you do, if you do have the discipline in using your money, you can do whatever you want without breaking the rule and at the same time enjoying what you love to do.

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Blog Make Over

Here I am again trying to upgrade the look of my blogs.

I've been so inspired changing the headers and color schemes of my blogs lately and I'm loving it. Actually, it's taking me hours to make new headers because  I keep on making several headers before I finally decide what to put.

Just this afternoon, I was so in love with these pink and green combinations so I thought of using them. I guess it's after a year or so the last time I had my old header so it's time for a new change..

Fresh and clean colors.. i love it!


Oh...by the way, expect  more changes on my other blogs too!!!

Thursday, August 15, 2013

The Essentials of Choosing a Great Garage Door Repair Company

Your garage door is more than likely an essential part of your home. This structure is what allows for people and objects to be able to access your garage. It can also help to provide security and an extra layer of insulation for your home. While garage doors are important, and they seem like fairly simple structures, they can be extremely dangerous. These doors can way over a thousand pounds, being able to crush even large vehicles if they are caught under the door as it is falling.

Most garage doors also will use a variety of different springs that are placed under a great deal of stress. If a spring somehow comes loose or breaks, it can easily kill someone. This is why it is important that you use a great local company that does garage door repair in Lexington, NC, to repair and maintain your garage door.

Here are some of the essentials of choosing a great garage door repair company.

The Services

When you are looking for a great garage door repair company, you are going to want to make sure that the company you choose offers the services that you need and want. The first service that you might want to consider is an emergency service. This will make it so that you can have your garage door repaired no matter what time or day it is. This can be helpful so that you can have the security and protection that you and your home need. You might also want to look for a company that is able to perform regular maintenance and inspections on your garage door.

Ask Around

More than likely, you know several different people that have garage doors. Instead of searching through a phone book or on the Internet, ask one of these people for help when you are looking for a local company that does garage door repair in Lexington, NC.  These people will be able to give you trusted reviews of a company’s service and you will also be able to see the work that was done on these people’s garage doors.

A Different Career

I had the chance to work in a hospital while I’m still training as a Medical Technologist. It’s pretty chic wearing our white uniforms as it exude professionalism and dignity. Working in a medical industry where everything needs to be precise and at times hectic and busy, all we need is comfortable working clothes. It’s very impossible to work well if you have ill-fitting and poor hot fabrics on your skin.

There are times that I still miss working in the hospital. We had tons of works like getting blood samples of patients, interacting with patients, "reading" various samples, recording and reporting the results. We need to be careful in doing all the procedures because it is where the doctors will base their prescription. Bad result can even lead to death and that is sometime that no medical professional wants to happen.

I have a different career now but still love the education that I got back in college.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Renting Books: An Alternative to Save More Money

I guess a great number of students dreamed of finishing their studies up to college level where they can take up the course that they wanted. However, not all can go to college because it’s expensive. Tuition fees, daily allowance, extra expenses on projects and college text books can be a burden to many parents and students.

I was one of the many students who finished a 4-year Medical Technology course many years ago and it was the fulfilment of my parents and my dreams. Though I have not been practicing my profession right now due to some reasons, I am still very thankful and lucky to have experienced studying in the university. I still feel blessed to have earned a medical degree.

Just one of the many ways on how to save extra money while in college is just to rent a book. Some books are way too expensive and you only need them for just a term or two and there it goes to the shelf.

If you are a college student, you can rent books at Campus Book Rentals. They have over thousands of college text books that you can rent where you can save 40-90% off on bookstore prices. Fee depends on how long you want to keep the book.

Watch the video and see how it works.

Another great thing to note is that, Campus Book Rentals has a new program called Rent Back that allows students to rent their own textbooks to other students. Another great option to save more money!  I know how it feels to have limited budget while in college so these wonderful opportunities can greatly help students.

Aside from giving students a chance to save on textbooks, Campus Book Rentals has partnered with Operation Smile, an organization that is performing various cleft lip surgeries on children worldwide. They donate money at Operation Smile so they can continue their mission and for me it’s a great mission!

I was delighted to know that for I have also seen how Operation Smile does their surgeries because when I was still in my Med. Tech internship in one of the hospitals here in our country, we helped them in getting blood samples of children.

With all the various ways on how to save on textbooks, I guess some college students will have the chance get the books that they need for their studies at low cost.

Monday, August 12, 2013

Random Thoughts on a Stormy Monday

August 9 was the end of Ramadan for many of our Muslim brothers so it was declared a national holiday. Due to that, we had a long weekend that many of us liked. I guess many of you went to an out of town vacay with your family or for us we just stayed at home.

Today, it was declared no classes again because typhoon Labuyo is wreaking havoc in in Northern Luzon and nearby provinces. Our province is no exception and that only means that NO CLASSES forboth elementary and highschool students for today.

It was gloomy and rainy since yesterday and the weather is just too conducive to sleeping.. yay!

Made lugaw this morning as am not also feeling well. My stomach is just not in its normal state since yesterday and I am thinking that the water and a certain food triggered its mayhem.

Ahh... wish I can just sleep but I can;t .. need to finish some online works

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Let's Help Prevent Fire Incidents

Lately, I've been seeing on news about the various residential and commercial establishments fire incidents in the country and it's not even summer anymore. It only shows that fire incidents are also higher anytime of the year. Fire chooses no season or any property, if we are not careful about how we use fire or how our electricians installed our electrical wiring then chances are we can experience fire.

No one wants to have a house or any establishment burn for it is a nightmare. You could lose everything: material and even lives can be taken. Those that can afford can buy fire safety equipment where they can put important documents or money. I saw some fire safes at http://www.crownsecurityproducts.com/ while I was browsing online and it is something that I can consider having in the future.

Even if it's not fire prevention month, we should always check our wiring and gas system if there are leaks to help prevent fire from occurring. Don't let our children play with matches, burning candles and anything flammable. Keep them out of their reach.

One Fab Dog House

Just love this outside dog house when I saw it on pinterest!

Source: Pinterest


My own dog would definitely love this as she will feel like a princess on top of her house. However, at first Sophie will be hesitant to climb the stair as it will be new to her. Lately, I noticed that she loves to sleep inside the house and not on her cage because I guess she loves the soft cushion on one of the sofa that we have.

This house dog is quite big though and will require a big space in the front or backyard so if anyone is thinking of creating a dog house like this one, better allocate a big space in your garden.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Hiring a Pest Control Company

Owning a home comes with a lot of responsibility. One of those responsibilities is to make sure the home is pest free, as far as possible. Certainly there are a lot of pests that invade a home that cannot be completely stopped. However, there is a difference between the normal amount of house pests and an over-abundance of pests. Knowing when to contact a company doing pest control in NYC is really about your own comfort level with pests as well as maintaining a regular schedule to keep pests at bay before they become a problem.

How Pests Invade Your Home

Some people wonder how pests get into their home in the first place. Pests come into the home through any opening they can find. While there may not be a large hole in the side of your home, there are many little holes in many different places you may not think about.

First off, many pests come in through your front door, even when it is closed. This is because they are very small and there are generally small cracks between the door and the frame that they can come through. Other pests may come in through a small hole in the home where other things protrude out of the home, such as the dryer vent, plumbing pipes, through the roof, and others. In the end, they can find their way into your home if they want to.

How Do Pest Control Companies Help?

When you understand how easily pests can come into your home, you may wonder how a pest control company can help. They do not close up all the holes in your home (though they will plug any unnecessary holes in your home).

However, the chemicals they use when spraying your home forms a barrier around the home and in the holes that the pests typically come through. That barrier will last for a certain length of time before its effectiveness begins to wear off. This is why it is important for you to contact and hire a good company doing pest control in NYC and have that company come on a regular schedule. The proper schedule for a pest control company to come is usually two to three times a year.

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Hanging Picture Frames of Various Heights on the Wall

I'm in the process of improving our house and I'm seriously thinking of making our drab wall to a fab one. One of the things I thought about is putting picture frames of various sizes with our faces on it. Initially, all I wanted is to hang just 2 big blow up photos of me but I thought that the space will be wasted if I will only put two photos of my own picture.

Thinking it would be nice to make a collage or sort, I found this nice picture frame set up. Now, I am thinking of having some of our photos printed and buy some frames at the bookstore.

I know this will be a challenge for me but I will do my best not to make the wall messy.