Christmas Celebration
Our christmas celebration was very wonderful. We did the traditional feast on christmas eve in our house. Ofcourse, we didn't forget to go attend mass first. I cooked lumpia (spring rolls), marinated milkfish, leche flan, spaghetti, mango float ang hubby cooked his famous creole rotiessierre chicken. We opened our gifts as soon as the clock struck 12 am, and we went to sleep afterwards.
The next day on the 25th itself, we went to my in-law's house and celebrated christmas with the rest of my hubby's family. My father-in-law is a very good cook and he prepared tons of food. Enough to feed a batallion. He served it all in his modern dining sets and I almost exploded with too much food in my belly.
I believe christmas is for kids and as long as my kids have fun, I am happy. And this christmas, I believe that my girls had the time of their lives and I'm sure they will remember it when they grow up...
Preparing For A Wedding
Preparing for a wedding requires a lot of time and ofcourse money. Weddings here in the US costs twice as much as it would cost in the Philippines. I remember when we got married a couple of years ago, our wedding cake is tiny but it already costs almost $300. If I spent that amount of money for a wedding cake in the Philippines, I would atleast get a bigger and better-looking cake.
Another thing that requires a lot of time and money in weddings is ofcourse the wedding dress, it should be nice and the bride should look like a princess with it. I bought mine from the Philippines and I am so glad because it probably would cost me three times more, if I bought the same quality gown here. Our wedding invitations on the other hand, was made by my sister-in-law. She has all the equipments like the printer, the program needed to make it and ofcourse the materials.
Weddings are just weddings, it could be the most expensive or the most simple, what really matters is the commitment the couple makes when they say their vows to each other.
New Furnitures
We renovated our house recently and until now, the renovation is not completely done. We are not in a hurry anyway, so we just wait till we have the extra money and buy additional materials. It is very expensive to renovate a house and we don't want to use any credit cards for it, so it might take us a long time to finish, but in the end, we won't owe any banks money.
The colors we chose for our newly renovated house are earth-toned colors. And we are thinking of getting asian-contemporary furnitures to go with it. Modern Furniture is needed to finish the look that we want to achieve, but we have to wait until we have extra cash to buy it.
Deciding to renovate our house means we also have to be frugal in other areas of our finances. It takes a lot of sacrifice but someday, when we see the finish product, we would all be glad we decided to renovate our house.
Sleep-Deprived
After the celebration of christmas, I caught the flu virus and have gotten worse ever since. I didn't get the chance to have my flu shot so my body is trying desperately to fight the virus. It didn't help that my little infant is teething at the same time, causing her to have the cough, sniffles and ofcourse the dreaded diarrhea.
Being sick here in the US is not easy because I can't call my family or even my neighbors to come help me. My husband has to work so even if my head is pounding, I still have to make sure that the house is running as smoothly as it should. I am sick, tired, sore and sleep-deprived. Everytime I see our beds at home, I just wanna lay down on it and doze off but I can't.
I am slowly recovering now but Fifi is still as sick as she could get. My poor baby is suffering and there's nothing I could do but to comfort her and make her feel loved.
Traffic at the Bridge
We live 20 minutes away from the city proper, so whenever we want to go to the city we have to travel for a bit to get there. The town where we live is separated from the city by the Mississippi River, so we have to pass by a bridge all the time to get there. Usually it would take us a good 3 minutes or less to get from one side of the bridge to the other, but this morning, it took us 15 minutes. The bridge was jammed with traffic.
As we were passing by, I noticed that the cause of the traffic was that they were fixing the cables in the big bridge. My husband said they do that every couple of years to make sure that the bridge is sturdy enough to carry all the extra weight. It is good to know that the bridge we're passing by almost every day is sturday and strong, it gives us atleast a peace of mind everytime we cross it.
Picture Fun
It has been our family tradition to take family pictures every christmas season. It is a way for us to remember each year's christmas and ofcourse see how our kids had grown-up in a year. We would go to the studio and have our pictures taken but they charge us a lot to have extra designs done to our family pictures. In fact, they charge a lot just to have boarders on it.
So I looked online for a site that lets you upload your photo and put effects on it for free. I found this photofun site and it's for free. They also have a lot of different designs to choose from and new designs everyday. I had so much fun designing some of our christmas pictures. The photo fun site has designs ranging from christmas to halloween to just everyday photoshop styles.
I have some examples below of the designs they offer and it is very easy to maneuver them. Just upload your photos, choose a design and that's it... All nice and cute outcome. I would definitely put some designs in my other photos there. It is so awesome to have photofunia for free.
Need Extra Money?
It is so hard to get any kind of loans when your credit score is low. Loan companies and banks always checks your credit score before giving you any loan approval. My friend had that problem before and she's into a very big dilemma. Everywhere she goes, she gets denied and she's running out of options.
Good thing she found a loan company that offers bad credit personal loans. It enabled her to get extra money without the hassles of credit checks and all that stuff. She paid them off really fast and she was able to get another loan the next time around. Now she fixed her credit score and she is glad to have somebody trust her enough to give a loan when nobody else will.
The Importance of Insurance
My brother-in-law's wife has a knack of getting into car accidents. I am not joking, a year would not pass by without her being in a car accident. Good thing she is lucky enough to get just a scratch in every accident she gets involved in. And better because she has a very good insurance company that pays them every time they're on a wreck. Insurance is really very important and here in the US, it is the law.
Temporary Insurance on the other hand, is a way of having insurance while you're still shopping for a good insurance in the market. Don't go around without any insurance because you never know when you will need it. Having temporary insurance gives you peace of mind while waiting for the perfect insurance for you.
Post Partum Body
I have given birth to my daughter 10 months ago, and although I lost most of the baby weight, my body is not the same anymore. My hips are wider and my boobs are a little saggy. I could live with that, but there is one thing that I really hate to look at when I face the mirror, it's my belly. The stretch marks and the extra skin hanging in my belly is very disturbing for me.
So I talked to my husband about doing a tummy tuck. It might cost us a lot of money but it would give me back my confidence and would make me feel better about my self-image. I might as well have my boobs done too. But for now, it's just talk because we can't afford it yet. Maybe someday, we would be able to do the surgery.
Australian Vacation
It has been my dream to be able to go and visit Australia. My husband, who loves to surf, dreams of riding the beautiful waves in the coast of Australia. My daughter also have her reasons why she wants to go there. She would love to pet a real koala bear and see a kangaroo. Hopefully someday, our dream of going to Australia will be realized.
I am so positive that someday we would be able to visit Australia, that even now, when I am not doing anything, I would write things that we would do if ever we get there. First ofcourse is find an airline to bring us there, then find a car hire Darwin airport so we would have a car while we're here. Then I would check some hotels and beautiful tourist spots to visit.
Australia is really beautiful and my friends that lives there are lucky to be able to experience and see its beauty first-hand. But I have not lost hope that someday we will be in Australia, enjoying the beauty and ofcourse surf the the waves...
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Calling My Family This Christmas
It's almost Christmas and it's around this time that I miss my family in the Philippines the most. I have to go purchase a Prepaid International Phone Card so I could talk to them. Thanks to International Calling Cards, I am able to atleast talk to them and greet them even if I am far away. It is so hard to be merry when you're away from the people that are important in your life. I used to take for granted being with them, but now, I hope that I am there while they celebrate Christmas.
Someday though, I know we would be celebrating Christmas again and I can't wait for that time to come, for now, I would have to make do with calling them with International Phone Cards. It is very convenient to use, and very affordable as well, but most of all, the thing I like about using Prepaid International Phone Card is that my conversation with my family is so clear and I could talk to them for as long as I want without breaking the bank...
My Christmas Present
Every Christmas, hubby would ask me what I want and we would go together in the mall or order it online. No need to wrap it. It's always been like that but this year he never asked me. He said he wants to surprise me this time, so I have to wait until Christmas eve before knowing what he got for me. He also covered all his tracks by taking cash from the bank and putting it in a prepaid debit card, so I can't access the transactions.
I hate being put in the dark so I kept on pestering him to tell me what he got.. LOL.. He got pissed one time coz I prodded him so much that he accidentally blurted the amount he put on the prepaid card... LOL.. Eversince, I kinda stopped asking him because I could see his desire to really surprise me. I guess I'll just wait and see... Grrr.. The suspense is killing me!!!
Moving To Los Angeles
My friend has just moved to Los Angeles and they hired very professional Los Angeles Movers to move their stuff to their new home. She said it was a pain in the neck to move but she has to do it for the sake of love... Awww.. So sweet... Her fiance works in Los Angeles and they're getting married soon, si she has to start her new life there.
The Los Angeles Moving Company they hired did all the hard work for them. All she has to do is sign the paperwork. I even told her that it is expensive to hire Moving Company Los Angeles, but she said that the Movers Los Angeles they hired are very professional, reliable and very affordable.
I am so happy for my friend and I hope that they would have a happy life together in Los Angeles.
Santa Pictures
I am so glad my lappy is up and running again! I have been out for a couple of days because of that stupid virus that infected my lappy, and made it crash... But after the rain, the sun shines, and my sun is shining so bright right now.. LOL.. And I need to update my post.. I have just the thing to start it right.. My daughters' picture with Santa! We paid a good amount of money for this so I might as well share it with everybody...
Andrea was delighted to meet him and Fifi on the other hand is curious with his beard and even tried to pull it... LOL.. Santa asked for my help when she did that.. LOL...
Presenting my girls with Santa!
Reading Makes Me Beautiful
I read a lot and my most favorite article to read is stuff about beauty products and beauty secrets. I love to do my hair and make-up and sometimes, I get the informations I need through the Beauty Articles that I read. When I see something new on tv, like a new hair-style or a new make-up, or new fashion styles, I would look for articles that would teach me how to do it at home. I learned a lot of make-up techniques and beauty regimens just by reading and there's no stopping me now.
Pass The time Through Reading
I am a stay-at-home mom, so when I'm done cooking, cleaning, doing laundry and when my baby's sleeping, I pass the time by reading. I love to read magazines that improves my knowledge especially about raising kids. I also read home and family articles every now and then. It entertains me and it also helps me be a better mom and a better wife.
Shopping Online
It is almost christmas and I am scrambling looking for christmas gifts. I hate going to malls because it's usually packed meaning there's not much parking spots available and traffic jam on the way there and back. So my solution is to shop online. I sit in front of my laptop, click some buttons and just wait for my orders to arrive.
Aside from the benifit of shopping in the comfort of my home, I also like to shop online because I can have cash back rebates and online shopping deals.
I don't have to waste gas to go to the mall, I get money back from shopping and I can still compare products and prices by doing comparison shopping before making a purchase. Now, I am done with my christmas shopping and I am just sitting here waiting for the UPS truck to deliever my orders.
Trip to Texas
We went to Texas last July on our Chevrolet Silverado truck. It was an 8-hour trip and we had so much fun especially my kids. Before going there though, we made sure that the car is in perfect condition. We fixed changed the oil and had a brake job done. We also have to make sure that the tires have perfect air pressure on it.
We passed by Dallas and ate at a Filipino restaurant there. When we're about to get back in the car to continuse travelling, hubby found out that one of the tires needs to be replaced. So we looked for Dallas auto repair shop and they fixed our car in no time. We arrived to our destination exhausted but happy.
Technical Problems
To all my friends who are wondering why I haven't been visiting their sites lately, please be informed that I am just having technical problems. In short my lappy is going nuts and I can't seem to load any webpage long enough. It goes to my page but when I start blogwalking, the webpage I'm trying to visit is blank... Meaning I'm there but I can't see anything... My hubby is trying to fix it right now and hopefully I will be able to blogwalk again tomorrow... I am really sorry for not visiting you back as soon as possible. I really miss blogwalking... Once hubby fix this, I'll repay all your visits... Thanks...
Our DIY Bathroom
I am so glad that after months of hard-work, our bathroom renovation is finally over with. I love the new color that my husband painted on it and the new fixtures we have installed. I especially love the sink and the bathroom enclosures. They coordinate each other and they exude a sense of sophistication.
What gives me the most pride is the fact that it's a do-it-yourself project. From the tiles on the floor to the paint on the ceiling, it was all done by me and hubby. It took us way longer than a regular builder would but we feel a sense of pride everytime we use our bathroom. If you haven't tried doing a project in your own home, start now. It might be as easy as a gardeding but the pride you would feel looking at it is worth a million bucks.
My Dream Vacation
Eversince I was young, I have always wanted to go parasailing and go on a ski holidays. I have done the parasailing but the ski vacation has not been realized yet. Hopefully sometime soon, I would be able to go visit a snow-cap mountain and be able to ski down its slopes.
I don't consider myself as the adventurous type because I refuse to ride a roller coaster no matter how much my husband would beg me. I am scared of it and I could not even imagine riding a fast-rolling cart go up and down and upside down. But I did my share of parasailing, snorkeling, and zip-lining... I seem to enjoy the adventures dealing with nature than the machines made by men.
Bathroom Remodel
Recently we just remodeled our bathroom and we used Glass Vessel Sinks to replace the old sink we used to have. It is very stylish and affordable and if you look at it, you wouldn't think that it's only $100 and not $400 like the branded-name types. We went all over the place to look for the sink that looks fantastic without breaking our banks and finally after several attempts, we settled with the sink we found online. I am now enjoying the look and feel of our bathroom, thanks to the remodel we just did.
Our Christmas Tree
Atlast I am able to finish decorating our tree with Andrea's help! I don't have to buy anything since I already have all the stuff I need to decorate it. This is a special tree since it's Fifi's first christmas and even if she still can't grasp what we're doing, she would atleast see our celebration through pictures and videos.
Tree Hunting
It's December again and it has been our family tradition to get a real tree to use as our christmas tree. Last weekend we did our tree-hunting and despite the cold weather, we all had fun looking for a perfect tree for our family. I am sharing you some of the pics we took while we're tree-hunting...
looking for the perfect tree
hubby and andrea found a tree
cold but smiling
me and fifi
doing all of this for my girls
I will post some pics of the tree after I'm done decorating it...
Sleep Better at Night
My husband works for 3 days straight sometimes, and that leaves me and my daughters alone at homemost of the time. To keep us safe and to give him a sense of security while he's not home, he had installed a home security system through a trustworthy security company in our area. They came and installed the home security in our house and I have to tell you, it helps me sleep better at night.
One of the beauty of having the home security system in your house is that it calls the cops for you when they detect that your door or windows are opened by an intruder. There was a time when we didn't enter the security code right away, the cops came and we have to explain to them that it's just a false alarm.
If you still don't have a home security system in your home, and thinking of getting one, you could check if they have it your state here.
French Language
I have always wanted to learn french and I hope someday I would atleast understand the language. My father-in-law is part french and he would sometimes say french words such as abri de piscine. He would teach me how to say it but after a few minutes I would forget.. LOL.. I once learned how to say big bag in french but now, I have no idea how. I'm probably getting older and forgetful...
My daughter on the other hand knows a little french and I am encouraging her to learn some more. It is very helpful to know more than one language, so what I do to learn some more is visit some sites francais or french sites, and translate it with the french dictionary.
Happy Birthday Ruby!!!
Happy Birthday to my blogger friend Ruby of A New Beginning, Boys Will Be Boyz, Surviving Deployment and Young Mama... Enjoy your day with your family and have lots of fun! God bless!!!
The Spirit Of Christmas
I have been here in the US for a while now, but I am still not used to the christmas celebration here. I grew up in the country where Christmas is a very big deal, it's so big deal that when September comes, christmas songs are already heard in the radio, people are already decorating their houses with christmas stuff and malls are already doing pre-christmas sale. You could feel the christmas spirit already. Here, christmas isn't christmas until after thanksgiving.
In the country where I grew up, Christmas is celebrated on the eve of the 25th. Nobody goes to sleep. That's when we eat the feast that's on the table and open our gifts. Here, there's no such thing as christmas eve celebration, they mostly celebrate it on the 25th itself. I remember back home, the 25th is the day when we go to our ninongs and ninangs to ask for our christmas gifts.. LOL...
But I make it a point that my family would celebrate it, as closely as possible, like the way we do it in the Philippines. I prepare the food on the 24th and we go to Christmas eve mass. Right after the mass, we eat together and open our presents, we do some karaoke and listen to christmas songs. It's not as festive as it is at home but it's a way of introducing the culture of the Filipinos to my kids.
Merry Christmas Everyone! And let's not forget that Christmas is about Christ's birth and not just presents...
Been Busy
I haven't been blogwalking these past days because I was so busy looking for our outfits for christmas pictures. It is our family tradition to go take pictures every year during holiday season and this year, the color that we chose is red and black. I have been all over the place looking for dresses that has red and black on it. It's not as easy as you think it is to look for an outfit because everybody wants it, so sometimes, they don't have the size we need.
But atlast I got all the coordinating outfits for my family. I only need the shoes and hair accessories whick is the easy part. I will be blogwalking again tomorrow and I would definitely post our family pictures this year. Have a good day.
Car Repair at Houston
Last July, we've been to Texas for a couple of weeks. It is nice to be in another place for a while but there's no place like home. We were driving around town looking for a place to eat when we found out that our car needs a tune up. Strangers to Houston, we have no idea where to go, good thing I have my blackberry with me, so I went on the web with it and searched for Houston auto repair. We found all kinds of replair places to choose from so we looked for the one nearest us.
Hubby decided that since we're already in a car-repair place, we'll just do an oil change and a tune-up. While waiting for our car to be done, I saw a very nice Acura Integra and I hope someday I'll own one.
