Losing Weight Through Diet and Exercise

This is a sponsored post.

It's always been my goal to lose weight. I am only 5'2" and any extra weight I gain is noticeable. When I got here in the US, I was only 110 lbs. That's a healthy weight for a tiny woman like me. Two babies later though, I gained almost 20 lbs. I have to buy new clothes since my old clothes don't fit anymore. I hate looking at myself in the mirror and I hate to wear anything that would emphasize my fat arms and thighs.

Recently though, I told myself that I have to take weight-loss seriously and really work on it. I have to focus and not fall back to my old habits or else, I would stay 20 lbs overweight forever or even more. I started by adjusting the portions of the food I eat. Instead of eating 2 cups of rice, I adjusted it to 1 cup twice a day. I also opted for fat-free and whole wheat products instead of the regular stuff. I then started working out everyday. At first it was just a 30 minute jog and when I got the hang of it, I started to do 1-hour work-outs and weight training. Drinking liquid protein after the work-outs helped me gain muscle mass. I have read that muscles helps burn fat.

It is still a work in progress but I am so proud of myself with what i have achieved. Just by strict discipline, I lost a total of 16 lbs since I started. I am now between 112-114 lbs. I am still working out and I feel great!

Housing Stimulus

Have you filed your tax returns already? If you still haven't, there are plenty of new items that are tax deductible. One of these is the Housing Stimulus. If you bought a house from three years ago onward, you could claim it and get extra $8,000 in your returns. That's a lot of money, and could be very important especially in this economy. You could also claim education expenses, a new car and the energy saving stuff you bought for your house in the past year.

We haven't filed for our tax returns yet but I am sure that we will get extra this time because we could claim my youngest daughter. We could also claim the hospital bills we paid from doctor's visits and doctor's fees when I gave birth to her. If you want to learn more about tax credits and housing stimulus, watch the video below.

Driving Without Insurance

I know somebody who drives without car insurance. She is very confident to drive around with her kids without an auto insurance. She don't know the ramifications of her actions and how it could affect her and her family if ever she gets caught. Driving without insurance is against the law and if you get caught, you would pay a big fine.

Since I started driving, my hubby included me in the auto insurance we have for our cars. He made sure that I am on it before I started driving. He said that he would have peace of mind knowing that I am covered. There is a cheap liability auto insurance in the market and we are planning on switching. With this economy, it is very important to switch certain things in order to save money. We will still get the benefits from the other insurance company, but we would pay a cheaper price.

I am planning on telling that somebody about this cheap auto insurance. Hopefully she could benefit from it.

Dreaming To Visit New York

I always wanted to go visit New York and I hope someday I could convince my hubby to take me there for a tour. There are plenty of spots to see there, including the famous statue of liberty. I would love to stroll down central park and see the famous spots where Sex and The City was shot.

I would also love to taste the different street foods in New York. There is a food tours nyc that brings tourists around and lets tourists taste the foods that are uniquely found in New York. I hope someday this dream will come true.

Earning Money Through Surveys

Being at home all the time is boring. I would like to go out to work but I have to stay home to watch my kids. I have a toddler and she needs my care more than anything else. So to make staying-at-home worthwhile I looked for stuff to do that would help me earn some extra money. I did some paid surveys and every survey I make earns me money.

All I did was open an account and filled-up some forms to help me get the certain categories or products that fits me. I then have to open my account and complete surveys that are assigned to me. And after each survey, I get money in my account until I could get a cash-out.

If you are a stay-at-home mom like me or needs some extra money, try taking surveys online. It is very easy and all it requires is that you answer the question honestly. It's extra income for you and for the whole family.

Field Day

Hubby is an ex-marine and until now, he still has a marine's mentality within him. He is used to having a clean and orderly living due to his training in the force. He likes everything in order, especially his tools and I don't have a problem with that as long as he helps me with keeping it all in order. Hubby barely helps clean the house but when he does, he makes sure that all nicks and crannies are cleaned.

So I asked him to help me get the house ready for the coming bday party. He didn't object because he knows that with Fifi around, I need extra help. So tomorrow we're doing our field day! Frield day is what they call a clean-up day in the military. He said that we need to have a field day every other week. It is a general cleaning of our house. General is the key word, meaning,  in his terms, everything... He started to pressure wash the car port and the front porch today. He took hours to do it because he made sure that it's all shiny and clean in military standards. Tomorrow we need to start inside the house and I know I am in for a ride... LOL... I better up my cleaning standards.. Ugghh.. Pressure! LOL..

I am so glad he agreed to help me, so I have to take advantage of the situation... But like they said, careful what you wish for! Or careful who you ask help from maybe????

Vacation Plans

I talked to my husband today and we discussed about our vacation plans. There are no definite plans yet and our lists is still flexible. We might go to Florida, or we might just go visit some friends at South Carolina and Virginia. Either way we go, I need to look for new luggage for our family. We travel a lot so we go through luggage like it's water. It's not us that breaks it, it's the baggage handlers in the airport.

I looked online at LuggageOnTheWeb.com and I found plenty of affordable and durable luggage. I like the Hartmann luggage, since it's perfect for the family. I also like the hard shell of the Delsey luggage. Before, all the throwing and handling in the airport messes up some of our belongings but with this luggage, I think they would stay intact inside our bags. The Tumi luggage though is also nice due to the fact that the biggest bag can convert into a big duffle bag. I don;t know what to get yet, so I am still looking around.

If you have any ideas on what kind of luggage I should get, please feel free to leave a comment. I would appreciate it.

Hip Problems

When I was pregnant, I experienced big time hip problems. It is an ordeal and I have to go to the chiropractor every week in the last trimester of my pregnancy just so I could walk. My doctor said that my growing baby is somehow pinching a nerve in my hip and that causes the discomfort I feel. I tell you, it sucks to have hip problems. There are times when I have to crawl to the bathroom just so I could use it when hubby is not home to carry me.

I am still lucky though because it's only a temporary thing. There are people out there who are experiencing serious hip problems and needs hip replacement. The bad part was that there are issues on zimmer durom cup, the device they place in an individual's hip. They said that some people who have durom cup hip replacement experienced failure due to loosening. It is a big ordeal for them and it's a serious thing.

It is only a specific zimmer durom cup types though, so people who are concerned about their hip replacement should make sure that they don't have the ones that are causing lots of problems.

Blogging Mania

I just started blogging May of last year. It is a very addictive hobby and I met a lot of friends from it. I like reading other people's blogs and I learned a lot of informations from it. There are times though that I would get frustrated since the internet we have back then is dial-up. It is very frustrating when it starts to run slow... So hubby decided to upgrade to dsl service. And I think I'm hooked to blogging after that.

It wasa a friend of mine who's a filipina who introduced me to blogging. I never really believed her when she said that you could earn some money from it. I thought that it's a waste of time and as a mom, I don't have plenty of time in the firt place. But after getting my first page rank, I never turned back. I am officially a blogging addict..

If you haven't tried blogging, it's about time to think about it. It is fun and informative. If you're reason for not starting is because you have no good internet service, try to look around, there are plenty of cheap dial-up in the market. You will find the one that would fit your budget and then you could start paying it by your blogging income...

God Bless You New Orleans Saints!

Last night, my favorite football team won the second play-offs against the Minnesota Vikings! I was very stressed watching it, scared out of my wits! It's a tie at the end of the fourth quarter so they have to do an overtime play. The first team to score will win the game and I know that it's fate because during the coin toss to determine who gets the ball first, the Saints won.

After 40 something years of existence, this is the first time that the Saints will get the chance to vie for the Superbowl Trophy. They deserve it and I hope and pray that they will win the superbowl!!! God bless you guys!

Here's a cool song that R. Gates sung for them... Listen to it, it's awesome! WHO DAT!!!

Eminent Eight Tag

I have been tagged by my good friends Jenny, Risma and Mommy Liz for a while now but I just found the time to post this. I'm sorry for the delay my dear friends and thank you for thinking about me when you had this tag.

Anyway, here are my eminent eights!!

8 TV Shows We Like to Watch:

1. 48 Hours Hard Evidence

2. Showbiz News Ngayon

3. 24

4. Real Housewives (New York, Atlanta, New Jersey and Orange County)

5. Fringe

6. The Biggest Loser

7. Blues Clues

8. The Healing Eucharist


8 Favorite Places to Eat & Drink:

1. Jumbo Buffet (chinese buffet)

2. Subway
3. Applebees

4. El Mexicano

4. Popeye's

5. Zea's Restaurant

6. P.F. Chang's

7. Mc Donald's

8.  At Home


8 Things I Look Forward To:

1. Summer

2. Having a son

3. Fifi's Birthday

4. Moving to a bigger house

5. Vacation to the Philippines

5. Visit Paris (dreaming... lol)

6. Go back to Boracay with my whole family in the Philippines

7. My daughters' first prom

8. Another cruise with my girls this time


8 Things that Happened Yesterday:

1. Worked-outfor 45 minutes

2. Watched football

3. Washed Fifi's behind... lol

4. Blogwalked until 1 am...

5. Cooked for my daughters

6. Checked for vacation ideas online

7. Talked to hubby on the phone (he's at work)

9. Took a relaxing bubble bath after both my girls went to bed


8 Things I Love about winter:

1.Saving money from our air-conditioning bills

2. Snow

3. Winter outfits

4. Christmas is on winter time

5. I could wear boots

6. No need to mow the lawn

7. Has a reason to cuddle some more with hubby

8. Save gas in our car coz we don't need to turn on the AC


8 Things I Am Passionate about:

1. Taking care of hubby

2. Taking care of my girls

3. Fitness (just recently)

4. Getting involved in Andrea's school activities

5. Blogging

6. Having a clean house
7. Life

8. Love


8 Words/Phrases I Often Use:

1. Dang!

2. Palangga! ( I call my girls that all the time)

3. Honeeyyy ( I call hubby like that all the time)

4. Praise God!

5. Thank you Jesus!

6. What do you want? (when fifi starts whining)

7. You want Boo-Koo? (to make her stop whining)

8. Oh Life!


8 Things I Learned from the Past:

1. Nothing is constant except change

2. Always look in the bright side of things

3. Everything happens for a reason

4. Life is too short

5. Loving is like facing a mirror, whatever action you do, it will show it back to you

6. God is good all the time!

7. You can't please everyone

8. Slow down and smell the flowers...


There you go folks! I am not tagging anybody since most of my friends has already been tagged....

Happy Monday!

It's Monday again! I am still groggy from lack of sleep but I can't say no to Fifi or Andrea... They need me.. Uggghh... The perks of being a momma! lol...

Last Saturday was unusually warm. It is warm enough for all of us to get out and have fun outside. I decided to take advantage of it and remove the Christmas lights and decors outside. It's been long overdue but the cold weather kept me from removing all of it. I thought it is the start of the warm weather but when I woke up yesterday, I was surprised to find it cold again... Oh well, atleast we were able to enjoy the warmth that Saturday brung.

Here are some pics of my girls playing outside.

Andrea pushing her little sissy

My girls walking hand in hand

Fifi with her toy stroller

No leaves but atleast she could climb the branches

Enjoying the warm sun

Will Update my Blog Later

It's already 1:04 am and I just finished blogwalking... I am so sleepy now, I know the moment my head hits the pillow, I would be in deep slumber... I will post the awards and tags from my beautiful and handsome friends tomorrow and will update all my blogs tomorrow as well...

Animal Wildlife Reserve

I am planning the activities we will do this summer and I remembered the time when we went to a wildlife reserve at Rober, Louisiana. It is a big park where animals roam free and we could actually pet them and feed them. Andrea had so much fun and I did too..

This time though, we will have Fifi and I am sure she would be curious about the animals. It would also be a good way to introduce different animals that she has only seen in tv or in the baby books I read to her. Here are some of the pictures we took there...

andrea feeding the camel

grandma holding andrea's shirt

me feeding the camels

her name is slim, she licked andrea's face...

animals are following our wagon

Potty Training

Fifi will be 1 year old soon and I am already thinking of how to potty-train her. The earlier I potty-train her, the faster I would save money from buying diapers. That's enough to pay our water bill every month. Right now, I am using the potty-training diapers from Pampers. It's a pull-up diaper, so it would easier for the baby to pull down whenever she needs to potty. Fifi can't pull it up or down yet but she will eventually.

I also read articles online on how to successfully potty-train babies. My experience with Andrea will definitely help me when it's Fifi's turn. It would take a lot of discipline and I know that every baby is different so I might have to use a different technique with her. There is a book I found entitled "The Potty Boot Camp", which guarantees to work in just a week. I would try that book and see if it works for my little princess.

Vacation at Myrtle Beach

As early as now, I am already thinking ang planning our summer vacation. Last year, we didn't really do much because Hubby has to go attend a class for his job the whole month of July. We did go to Universal Studios in Orlando, FL., but other than that, we didn't go nowhere. We opt not to go to the beach because Fifi is only 5 months that time. Too young to be out in the heat of the sun. This year though, I am excited to let her swim in the beach. I looked for resorts and I found out about Myrtle Beach Resorts. It is a beautiful place and one good thing about it is that there is also a golf course there as well, so we could play golf while the kids are enjoying the water.

Myrtle Beach Resort is a golfer's playground and I am planning to tell my sister-in-law about it because her husband is an avod golfer. I checked for Myrtle Beach Accomodations, the tourists spots and transportation from the airport to the resort. I can't wait to tell hubby about this.

Visiting Our Friends

Hubby is a former marines and he met plenty of friends while on the service. He was mostly assigned in the base in Sout Carolina so most of his friends are from there. We are planning on going there to visit a friend who lives in Greenville, SC. This is my first time to go there and I can't wait to meet my hubby's friends.

Hubby said that Greenville, SC is a very beautiful place. It has plenty of beautiful attractions and it is also doing good economically. He said that I would love it there and that I might want to move the moment I experience how care-free it is to live there. If ever we decide to move in Greenville, SC., I know that I would have so much fun because the beach is just a drive away and I am a beach-bum... If you wanna check out Greenville, try watching the video about the beautiful place by visiting GreenvilleHD.com.

Setting-Up Our Wireless Router

Last year when I started blogging I am using our desktop computer. Recently though, I wanna be able to write my blogs in the comfort of the sofa, while I am watching TV. Hubby decided to get me a wireless router from Radioshack so I could use a laptop in the livingroom. I was so excited!

We went home and hubby tried to set up the router for me. He is having a hard time because the directions on how to do it, is grammatically wrong. He could not understand the way it was explained. So we called costumer service and asked for their help. They were helpful enough to use a  remote access software to make our laptop sync with the router. It is very awesome how they were able to access and control our laptop even if they're miles away. They ofcourse has to ask our permission to do it. Hubby was so amazed that he looked-up online about the software and found out that 256 bit encryption is the best since it's the highest in it's class.

Anyway, after the customer service personnel made the router work, I was able to blog in our livingroom and I am loving it!

Helping Out

My sister-in-law is very pregnant right now. She is due next month and she could barely do anything in the house without hurting her back. So hubby and I decided to come over and help her out. We washed their dirty clothes and cleaned up her house. We made sure that the dogs are fed and that the trash is empty. Hubby and I thought of helping them re-arrange their garage to have more space on it. They have so much stuff on it, they really need a sturdy Garage Storage Cabinets to organize everything. After the day is done, I felt great knowing that I was able to help out. I am planning to help out again when she gives birth.

Five Year Plan

Most single not-so-young men and women have a five yer plan. That means they plan in getting married and have a kid within five years or else the will end up single for the rest of their lives... I'm sorry but that is what I interpret it to be.Anyway, I am married but me and hubby have a five year plan.

We plan on paying all our loans and bills in 2 years. That's why right now we have to cut down on expenses. We also plan on moving to a new house. A bigger one than what we have right now. We just need more space because we are planning in having more kids. Getting ready to move is hard, not to mention the moving cost we need to shed. But it's needed and we hope that we could do all this in five years.

Favorite Fastfood Chain

We used to eat in restaurants once or twice a week but now, we have to cut back on it to save money. When we travel though, instead of eating in a resto, we just drive thru a fastfood chain and order. I love Mcdonald's french fries and chocolate fudge. I also like the whopper from Burger King but I only eat half of it because it's loaded with calories. The burger in Sonic is awesome especially if I add extra jalapeno on it. The chicken in Popeye's is phenomenal... It's like the chicken in Jolibbee. Yum.. Yum... But really now that I am trying to lose weight, I only get a smoothie from Smoothie King for my lunch.

Anyway if you have been a victim of food poisoning, it is very important that you contact a Food Poisoning Attorney. You might be entitled to compensation for the pain you went through.

Business Help

Have you ever thought of starting your own business? Hubby and I have been thinking of doing that and recently, that dream has come to completion. It's just a small business but we're hoping that we could expand it as the years go by. It is our desire to manage our own business full time, meaning, hubby has to stop working. But we can't do that now, we have to make sure that our business is doing great before making that decision.

There are plenty of business opportunities here in the US. The problem is that you need to have the right amount of money to start a business and ofcourse knowledge on how to run it. Most businesses, if run right, thrives and before you know it, becomes a big establishment.

If you are thinking of starting a business but does not have enough finances to start it, or if you have the money but needs help in what kind of business to get or how to run it, the CFO services is here to help you. They consists of Chief Financial Officers who are educated and knows exactly how to run a business. They make it easier for your business to make it through the hard times and start earning profits.

Hubby's Favorite Breakfast

I prepare breakfast for my husband everyday that he's home. He is very choosy when it comes to food. I have been with him for yers now and I know already what he wants and what he dont. He hates having mayonnaise in his breakfast sandwiches, he just wants jelly on it. He also loves his eggs sunny side up with the yolk still wet.

His favorite breakfast is bacon, egg and cheese sandwich with hashbrowns. It is really good and he never gets tired of it. I am trying to find the best toaster oven so I could replace the toaster we have. I want to have a stainless-steel one to match the rest of the appliances in the kitchen. With the frequent toasting I do, it is only fair to my old toaster to give it a break.

I might go to the mall today and check out some toasters. But if it's still so cold, I'll probably just go online and look for a toaster that would fit our needs and ofcourse our budget. How about you? Do you need anything in your kitchen?

Summer Fun

Yay! It's not that cold today... Not warm enough to get in the pool but not as cold as last week. I am so sick of this cold weather and I hope it will get warmer and warmer from now on. I miss the weather in the Philippines where it's warm all year through. When you could go splash in the beach in the middle of December and not freeze...

My family loves to have fun during summer time. It's the time of year when we have the most fun! Andrea would stay in the pool all day, we would go to the beach, and do outdoor stuff. I can't wait for summer to come so we could have lots of fun again... I have tons of things planned for us to do this summer...

riding our bikes

jetski fun

boating

swimming in the pool

pool fun

beach fun

beach time

Grocery Shopping

We buy groceries every other week. We usually go to the asian store first to buy the stuff that could only be bought there and then to Sam's Club for the rest of the stuf that we need. Sam's Club is a warehouse-type store that sells all kind of stuff. They have grocery items sold in bulk, diapers and formula, clothes, appliances, work-out equipments and even bedroom furnitures.

We love to buy groceries there since we get more from the money we spend. I forgot to mention that you need to be member to be able to shop there. You need to pay a monthy fee but in the long run you save more because the products are cheap. Infact, last year, we bought a complete set of bedroom furniture for way less that the other stores prices. We got a queen-size bed, two side tables, and a dresser with a big mirror for 2 grand. That's a good deal especially since the furnitures are solid-wood and beautiful.

Moving to Virginia

We went visit hubby's best friend in Virginia 4 years ago. It's my first time there and I fell in-love with the place. Hubby's friend lives near the beach and he wants us to move there so it would be easier for us to hang-out and visit each other. I would love to move there but hubby is a little hesitant to leave his family. Work is not a problem because he could easily transfer to the base there. Maybe someday I could convince him to move.

I know that moving is hard and getting acquainted with the new place takes time. If you recently moved to Atlanta, GA, Buffalo, NY, or St. Louis, MO there is a local search that you could use to help you find services in that area. It would help you get acquainted with your new home faster.

We Love to Travel

My family loves to go on roadtrips. We prefer travelling by lan because we see more spots and pass by different states. Our car already has a lot of mileage on it but we don't mind. Hubby takes good care of it and we make sure that before we go on a long travel, that we have new tires, new oil and the engine is checked and good to go.

These times though, we have to cut down on roadtrips. Maybe  two trips this year would be enough for  us and not five or six trips like we would usually do. Gas prices just went up and we just can't afford to travel that much anymore. We have to remember that we travel with our van (more gas usage) now and not with our sedan. Before Fifi was born, we travel with the sedan but when I got pregnant we need a bigger car for our growing family.

When we bought our van, I purchased some accessories for it. If you wanna check some nissan accesories visit CARid.com.

Remodeling Our Kitchen

Until now we are still working on remodelling our house. It takes a long time to finish because it's only hubby who does all the work. We save money by doing that but we also have to live with the fact that it would take longer to get the remodelling done.

The bedrooms are all done so we are now working on our kitchen. We literally have to remove everything including the cabinets in our kitchen. A local carpenter is hired to make costum-made cabinets to replace it. The old-fashioned laminate countertops are also replaced with granite. And ofcourse we purchased an undermount kitchen sink to complete the contemporary look.

Undermount kitchen sinks are very popular these days because it looks modern and nice. Not to mention the fact that it is easier to clean the counter-top with water if you have that kind of sink.

New Business

Hubby and his brother came up with a new business idea recently. They have been busy applying for business permits and all kinds of paperworks. They also got all the equipments needed for the business and are looking for ways to advertise it. We went to several business establishments and talked to the managers to offer our business services to them. It is very important that we make good relationships with these people because they could potentially become our regular costumers.

I was assigned into making flyers and business cards for the business. I found a site that prints business cards, real estate business cards and brochures for business establishments. I downloaded the design to their site and they did the printing for us. This site guarantees fast shipment, so we have confidence that the cards would arrive soon.

Hopefully this business would flourish and hopefully my husband's relationship with his brother would stay the same. You know what they say about doing business with family...

BOO-KOO

My little girl is growing fast and she is developing her own personality. Everyday, she would do things that just makes us laugh and as much as possible, things like that is better caught on camera. She loves watching Blue's Clues on tv and I don't mind because it is an educational show for kids. She calls it BOO-KOO, and I think that's cute.. She loves it so much that we have to record all the episodes in our DVR. We use it to calm her down when she has tantrums and it always does the trick.

She would be quiet whenever blue clues is on, and she would try to be comfortable everytime she watches it. She would sit in her chair and sometimes get on top of her toys so she would have a better view. Here are some of Fifi's photos while watching BOO-KOO...

she's on top of her toy

now she's sitting on her toy

she loves to take her pajama off (it's on top of the other toy)

seriously watching BOO-KOO

Looking For Traffic Cones?

If you are planning on buying traffic cones, I have the site just for you. I found it because my husband works for the federal governement and they were canvassing some materials to use inside the base where he works. This site sells all kinds of safety products from traffic signs to stop slow paddles. They ship the products on time and their site is also safe.

This site offers traffic safety vests, traffic barricades and traffic barrels. They also have different kinds of traffic signs, flashlights and first aid kits. This site is really a go-to for construction companies looking for safety materials and ear plugs needed for a certain project. Government agencies can also benifit from this site.

If you own a construction company or know of someone who needs traffic cones and all the other stuff mentioned, visit the site and order now.

Summer Fun

Our family loves to have fun on summer. It is the time of year when we have the most fun, I would say. That's why when hubby picks for his vacation time every year, I would always tell him to pick at around summer time. This year, he is already approved for July, which is a summer month here.

We are thinking of going to Myrtle Beach this summer. We have spent most summers at the beches of Florida or Mississippi, so for a change, we decided on looking for Myrtle Beach Accomodation. The beach is pristine and clean and the place is a popular golfer's destination too. While looking for Myrtle Beach Accomodations, we found a place which would allow us to have fun, play golf and ofcourse near the beach.

We have found the place we want to stay and we're just waiting for the right time to book it. I am sure that the Myrtle Beach Hotel where we will stay-at will help create wonderful memories for our family.

Golfer's Paradise

My brother-in-law plays golf and he has been all over the country, playing golf. He has been inviting my husband to play with him but golf is an expensive hubby, and starting it would cost us a lot. But after years of prodding, hubby finally got himself his own golf equipments and is ready to play. My brother-in-law has been talking about Golf Myrtle Beach and he wants to go there with my husband to play.

I checked it out and I see why he wants to do Myrtle Beach Golf. It is a very beautiful place and the golf course is world-class. I checked their site and found some Myrtle Beach Golf Packages that would suit every golfer's budget. What's amazing is that they let you book your tee times and accomodations at the same time, so you could coordinate your schedules before going there.

If you're a golfer, it don't matter if you're a professional, or like my husband, just a beginner, check out some Myrtle Beach Golf Vacations and you will find out for yourself what I'm talking about.

Working on Fifi's Party

There are a lot of things that needs to be done for Fifi's party. Hubby and I decided on renting a spacewalk for the kids. I am not used to this kind of planning because with Andrea's birthday, we just rent a party room at a  place like Andy's Party Palace and Lasertag. We make reservations, I bring the cake and after the party, we pay for the damage....

This is my first time to do a party at home and I am very stressed-out. I already ordered the invitations and it should arrive this week. The next step is to look for spacewalk-rental place in the area. I did a local search and it brough me to a site that lists all the businesses within 15 miles from where we live. It is very convenient for me. It is a search engine that gives you what's in your local yellowpages. So if you're looking for a local restaurant to dine in, use local.com to look for it.

Space-saving Beds

When I was in college, I lived in a tiny apartment with two of my cousins. We share the rent for the place and we also share a bed. The place was so small that the only way to have enough space for the three of us is to have a wall bed. We put it down when we need to sleep and tuck it up in the wall when we don't need to lay-down. It worked out pretty well. The room as much more space and we are even able to dance around when the bed is tucked in the wall.

Having an Internet Filter

I let Andrea play in the computer every now and then. There was a time that she was playing a game in a kid's website and a chat box popped-up. I already warned her all the crazy people online, so she called me and told me. I mad eher stop going to that site and so far, no incident like that happend again.

Hubby installed internet filter in our computer to keep Andrea from going to sites that are not safe. Having desktop security is very important especially if you have a kid. To filter internet websites is essential because these times, you could not trust all the websites. If you have kids at home, get an internet filter to protect them from adult and pornographic sites.

Goodluck New Orleans Saints!

I am not a fan of football before marrying my hubby but eversince I got here, he introduced me the sport, and everything was history. We would watch every single game with the entire family. It is like a feast everytime they win and it is very discouraging when our beloved team losses. SO far they hav 13 wins and 2 losses. That's a pretty good record.

Today, the Saints would be playing against the Arizona Cardinals for the play-offs and we are all praying that they would win! The game won't be until later but as early as 9 a.m., my FIL is already calling us asking when we will come to his house for the game. New Orlean's Saints! We have so much faith in you and we wish you all the luck!!! WHO DAT!!!

Teaching our Kids to Save

We believe that the earlier we teach our kids the value of saving money, the better they'll manage their finances when they grow-up. That's why we made sure that both our kids have savings account and whatever money they have, either from grandparents or relatives, it should not be spent and should be saved in the bank. Andrea has plenty of money now, infact she has more cash in her bank account than my own bank account. Fifi is just starting, but in time, she will also have enough to probably pay for her first year in college.

Our family members knew about their savings, so evevrytime the kids go to visit them, they make sure that they give a little cash to add into the girls' bank account. If it keeps on going at this rate, my girls would have enough cash to probably buy a car or to pay college tuition.

Just The Two of Us

We believe that it is healthy for a marriage to have a date every now and then. A weekend getaway would be wonderful if you could do it as a couple too. Hubby and I does it and it always refreshes our relationship and ofcourse gives us the time to give each 100% attention...

Here is one example of mine and hubby's weekend get-away in a casino in Mississippi. I love the room we stayed in and we are planning of spending another weekend there on our wedding anniversary.

in the bathroom, getting ready for our date

just arrived

our beautiful suite

pool view from our room

Saving For Retirement

It is very important to be prepared for the future. Hubby and I always talk about retiring in the Philippines someday and moving there for good. But we have to make sure that we would have enough funds to support us as well as pay for our kids' college education when that time comes. That's why we made sure that we constantly add funds to his IRA accounts. We have it set-up to where before we get a hold of his pay-check, the bank would already take away a certain percentage and put it in the savings account.

We started with only a couple of thousands and now we doubled the amount already. Constant checking and ofcourse smart online trading and stock trading helps us earn more than just letting it sit there. We just hope that the economy will not drop all the way to the bottom or else our retirement funds would be in jeopardy. If you haven't started to invest money for retirement, start it now. It is very important to think about the future and just the present.

Fifi's Party

As I mentioned earlier, Fifi's first birthday would be next month. There are a lot of stuff to do to get ready for the said event. Ofcourse we have to make sure that the house is clean and orderly. The party would be outside, so we would have to make sure that all the dust in the exterior shutters are removed. Hubby is thinking of renting a pressure washer to make the task easier for us.

I already ordered the invitations and it would arrive on Jan. 28, which would be the perfect time to send it.We already called the spacewalk people and they agreed to deliver the spacewalk and ofcourse pick it up after the party. The cake, the tents and the food will be my next tasks. Grr... Doing a party at home is very nerve-wracking. This is the first time we'll do a birthday party at home because Andrea's birthday is always celebrated in a party place where we just go, have fun and leave. No headaches like this one.

Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

Valentines is right around the corner and I'm sure most of you out there are thinking of what to give to your loved-ones. I have some Valentine's Day ideas for girls and women for you. The usual flowers and chocoltaes never fails to impress. Also if you could afford it, a women would never say no to jewelry.

If you are the romantic type, try bringing them to restaurant for a romantic dinner. If budget is tight, how about cooking the dinner yourself. Most if not all women, appreciate the effort that you put into the meal. A couple's massage is also a good idea for a romantic date and if you really want to up the notch, how about if you massage her yourself.. Hmmm.. Sounds great right?

Preparing for Fifi's 1st Birthday

Time flies when you're having fun and indeed it flew really fast. Next month, my little Fifi will be 1-year-old. She will be a toddler and no longer an infant. I would love for her to stay an infant, but she has to grow and there's nothing I could do about it. I just have to enjoy everyday that I spend with her.

Hubby and I talked about what we will do for her birthday. I made some lists of stuff  that we need and things that needs to be done. Next month is also mardi gras celebration here in Louisiana. There would be mardi gras parade and fairs all over the state. Mardi gras parade passes by our house every year, and it has been our tradition to invite family members over and do barbeque parties while watching it. Since Fifi's birthday is on February 11 and the parade is on February 14, we decided to have her birthday on the 14th.

We would rent a spacewalk for the kids to play and jump on and we would set up tents and tables in the front yard. In addition to the usual hamburgers and hotdogs, my FIL will cook some gumbo (a local cuisine here in Lousiana), and mind you, he cooks the best gumbo in town, I would prepare some lumpia (spring rolls) and ofcourse pancit for long life... I am excited about it, and hubby said it seems like I am the one celebrating the birthday and not Fifi.. LOL..

Losing Weight

Losing weight has always been hard for me. I tried all kinds of diet and exercise regimen and most of them work the first couple of weeks and then my weight would plateau. I tried Dieta Atkins before and it's a kind of diet where you eat mostly meat and no carbs or sugar. It worked for a while until I got too tired of eating meat. So I quit atkins and tried dieta mediterranea. The main component of this diet is healthy oils, particularly olive oil and some almonds. It worked too but I was not able to maintain it. I ate pizza and burgers and ended up gaining the weight again.

I read about dieta Fricker on a magazine and I am thinking of trying it. I am a little aprehensive because it might be just like any other diet I tried. In the end I would get frustrated because I am not succesful. My husband told me that it's not the diet that's not working but it's me making it to not work. He said I don't have the self discipline needed and I don't stick with what I started. I realized he's right. I am the reason why I don't succeed in weight-loss. And before starting anymore diets, I have to be totally committed in wanting to lose the wieght, so I would end up shedding all of it.

Good Old College Days

Education is very important and I always point out to my daughter that she needs to finish college so she could land a high-paying job. I remember back when I was in college that my favorite subject is Math and English. Solving math problems is my specialty and it gives me an adrenaline rush everytime I am trying to solve a math problems.

Of all the math subjects I took, my favorite is Algebra 1. Our teacher was old but he was very approachable and nice. Reminiscing my college years is always fun. I hope that someday when my kids are in college, they would find teachers that truly cares for the welfare of their students and they would do good in their studies.

High School

My 7-year-old daughter would always tell me that she can't wait to be in high school because she said high school kids have their own lockers. She would watch disney shows and she would point out to me that the kids in the show has their school lockers and gym lockers. I would just smile and I would remind her that there's more to being in high school than just having a wood locker. High school means more responsibilities, more homework and more time spent in school.

I used to be like that before, and I understand why she seems to be in a hurry to grow-up. She would get there sooner or later and I just hope that she would enjoy her childhood right now because I know that as soon as she's in high school, she would wish that she's back in grade school again. And if having a locker is all that she's really concerned about, I might just find some lockers for sale and buy one for her now...

Having Fun At Home

I am a stay-at-home mom and sometimes, staying at home could be pretty boring. I enjoy playing with my toddler but as soon as she sleeps, I am left aone, wide-awake, and looking for stuff to entertain myself. One day as my baby was sleeping, I was chatting with my friend through yahoo messenger and she told me that she had so much fun playing online casino games.

Curious about it, I went to the site she told me and tried playing black jack. I won several times and before I knew it, I got hooked. Now, everytime my toddler goes to sleep, and I am bored, I would go online and play casino games.

My Dream Vacation

I am a bech bum! The perfect summer vacation for me would be a day in the beach, clad in my swimsuit, watching the people enjoy the water and taking in the warmth of the sun. I hope this year we would be able to go to one of the Oceanfront Myrtle Beach Resorts and spend our summer there. I've seen pictures of the Myrtle Beach Resorts and they are very beautiful and clean.

We would have to save some money to be able to go there this summer. Travelling there would be tough too especially since we would have a toddler with us but I'm sure that once we get there, we would have the time of our lives. I can't wait for summer to come and hopefully we would be able to spend some of it at the Beach Resorts Myrtle Beach.

A Visit To The Asian Store

Just want to share with you what our asian market looks like here. It's big and spacious but it don't a lot of filipino products on it. Here are some of the pictures I took while we went shopping.

hubby in the fresh produce section

big blue crabs

Live tilapia.. very expensive

lechon kawali... all nice and crispy

Spring Where Are You?

It's so cold today! Andrea went to school all wrapped-up in her jacket. Fifi and I have been stuck inside the house for days now, or maybe months to be exact. Winter is depressing. The coldness keeps you inside the house and all you see are dead branches of trees around. Even the grass in the front lawn has turned brown.

I can't wait for the first buds of spring to grow. I can't wait for the temperature to go up in the nice 70's. I can't wait for the trees to turn green again and the flowers to start to blooming. I can't wait to be able to go out and play with my girls in the yard. Spring where are you? I can't wait for you to finally come...

Winter is fine but it gets old pretty fast. I hope spring will be here soon. Tomorrow if possible.... LOL...

New Bar

We are planning on turning our extra room into a bar. Hubby wants it to be his football room so everytime he watches football with his brothers, they would be in that room and they could be as loud as they want. He has all kinds of plans for the new tiki bar, and I am also excited for him.

He plans on getting a wine glass rack, so he could display all the wines that we received during the holidays. I am thinking of getting a hanging wine glass rack instead because it would save space. Hubby is already asking his brother to help him tape some native-looking mats in the walls so the tiki-look could be achieved.

There are a lot that needs to be purchased for his new bar, like a a new fridge, ice maker, and stemware racks. I believe we could do, we just have to purchase the items a little bit at a time.

Can't Live Without My TFC

I have been a subscriber of TFC (The Filipino Channel), for as long as I could remember. It is so cool to be able to watch my favorite shows from back home here in The US. I am so happy when I found out that our Direct TV connection offers international channels. I am addicted to TFC, and hubby is addicted to HD channels as well, so when we moved to our new house a couple of year ago, the first thing we made sure was that we have directv in the new place with us.

When we moved to Texas last year, for hubby's schooling, we made sure that there's Direct TV in TX, so we could still watch our favorite shows while we're there. Directv is already part of our lives and even Fifi has her favorite channel as young as she is.

Learning How To Play Poker

Do you know how to play poker? I don't and I wanna learn. I might just watch poker videos online and learn the game through it. They say poker is really fun and could be addicting once you get too involved in it. I have friends who plays poker online and most of them wins money too.

There are a lot of poker resources online that could help me learn it. There's Poker Odds Chart and different Poker Tools available for players and still learning how to play. I will check it out and see if I would be able to learn the game.

How about you? Do you know how to play poker? If you do, can you give me some hints on how to play it? If not, let's learn the game together and maybe someday we will be able to play poker together.

For The Love Of Filipino Foods

Yesterday we went to the asian store to buy some groceries. I am the happiest whenever we go there because I could smell the familiar smells and see familiar products that makes me feel like I am close to home. I also love to buy Filipino stuff because I want my kids to be aware of the filipino products and be familiar with the filipino food's taste. Andrea loves to drink Milo, which she pronounced mee-loo and Fifi loves Nido. I don't like brewed coffee so even if I have to brew some for hubby everyday, I make my own instant coffee. Hubby and Andrea likes calamansi juice, fried bangus, and longganisa for breakfast.

Hubby also loves to eat filipino foods and he loves looking at my face everytime we go to the asian store. He is so sweet and wonderful and I am so grateful that I have a husband who accepts and embraces my culture. Here are some of the usual stuff we buy from the asian store...

Wedding Invitations

A good wedding requires a lot of preparation and ofcourse a lot of money. It is a thought that one should spend the most in a wedding because someone needs to get married only once in a lifetime. Before divorce became a law, poeple has to stay married until they die.

Wedding cakes are expensive but there are mom and pop shops that offers cheap price for a good wedding cake. There are also inexpensive wedding invitations available in the internet and in wedding stores. The dresses that are the center-piece of the wedding are also offered for cheap in certain seasons.

Marriage is a union between a man and a woman and as much as couples spend a lot of time and money to prepare for it, the commitment and the vow between each other is still the most important thing.

Need Webhosting?

I have four blogs and I am already having a hard time updating them. Despite having my hands full already, I am thinkingof making another site that talks about me and hubby. I would am looking for sites that offers web hosting and I am so surprised that there are a lot that offers webhosting.

I have to make sure though that I choose the right site to host my new blog. I am aspiring to have a high PR blog and one of the things that would help me achieve that is the webhosting site that I subscribe to. I feel bad because I have one blog that has very high Alexa rank but I didn't take advantage of it by getting a domain for it. But that was because I just started blogging and I am so naive at how PR is achieved. Now I have to shop around for good web hosting site and choose the best before starting a blog.

If you're thinking of creating ablog or making a new site, I found one through the web hosting news that I read online. By the looks of it, it seems like they are better than any other web hosting sites.

Homework

Since Andrea started going to school, it feels like I went back to school again. I would help her do her homework religiously every night and read books with her. I would wake-up with her every morning and make sure that all her stuffs are in her bag. I would volunteer at school and help out with school activities with Fifi in tow. I am enjoying all of it though and I am proud to be a supportive mom to my daughter.

I make sure though that she learns to be independent as well. I don't want her to get used to having me around to help her with stuff. Every night now, instead of being there the entire time while she answers her Algebra problems, I just let her be and checks it when she's done. Sometimes she would ask me if she needs help Solving algebra problems. It helped her be more independent and it makes her more proud of her homework. I remembered back then when I was in college that I have nobody to help me solve my College algebra problems. It would have been nice if I have somebody to call when I had such a hard time answering them.

Wish List

There are things that we would love to have but soemtimes we have to save for it in order to get it. This year I have a list of wishlist that hopefully I could buy someday. I would love to have a cropped denim jacket to wear during the chilly times of spring. Maybe if I earn enough blogging money, I could get it.

I would also want to get a rubbermaid high chair for Fifi so she could be more comfortable while she's eating. She's growing up now and she loves to make so much mess with her food. And for hubby I would love to get a proform elliptical machine so he could start getting healthy this year.

Those are some of my wish-list. Hopefully I would get enough tasks so I could realize all of it.

Photography Lessons

Hubby gave the Canon EOS 50-D for my birthday last year but until now, I still don't know how to use the camera in its full potential. I attended a photography class last September with my sister-in-law, since she owns a similar DSLR but we both got to bummed because our instructor teaches us nothing new at all. He should stick to taking pictures and not teaching how to take it... He literally sucked...

I believe photography is a natural talent, and if you're blessed with it, you're blessed with it. I might love taking pictures but I have come to terms that I am not as talented as the other bloggers out there who takes awesome pictures... Special mention to Eden of Moments to Remember... Well atleast she could teach me some tricks... LOL

I am thinking of going to another photography class with my sister-in-law but I have to wait till she gives birth with her 3rd child. For now, I just have to familiarize myself with my cam's features and practice, practice, practice...

Free Texting Site

It is ridiculous how much phone companies charge us for our phone bills every month. Every text I send to my family in the Philippines costs 20 cents. In a month, if I text them 100 times, it will cost me an extra 20 bucks. Good thing my friend told me about Text4FreeOnline Free SMS Text Message 2Way, it a site that lets me text my family without charging me anything.

Communication with my family is very important especially now that I am far away from them and texting them everyday is my way of keeping in touch. In this hard eeconomic times, i have to be frugal and it's good to know that I am being frugal without sacrificing important things like communication with my beloved family.

Missing My Family

I miss my family back home already. It's been 3 years since the last time we we went to visit. I talk to them online and call them every now and then but still, nothing compares to their actual presence. I have not been close to my older sister growing up. She is 10 years older than I am, so we don't really get along well. But eversince I left, we became closer. She's my confidant, everytime hubby and I would fight. I could tell her anything, and I find it amazing because back then, I barely talk to her.

I am her confidant as well, everytime she would have an argument with her hubby, she would send me a text, asking if I could call her so we could talk. We would cry our hearts out while listening to each others problems and we would comfort each other all the time. My being away from her is like a blessing in disguise because it brought us closer together. My brother on the other hand has always been close to me. He is always on my side and always protects me as her little sister. Now that I am far from him, we became closer than ever. We would chat all the time and he can't wait to see me and the kids again. He's the perfect big brother...

Pardon my rants, I just want to express what I feel. It is my choice to move here, so even if I miss them, I have to stay beside my hubby. I will see them real soon and I can't wait to hug my sister and my brother again.

Summer Vacation

It's 6 months before summer but we are already planning on what we're gonna do or where we would spend it. Last year, we went to Texas and Florida. But this year, we planned on going to Myrtle Beach Hotel. It would be fun to somewhere different and it would be our first time there.

Oceanfront Myrtle Beach Hotel is a very beautiful place and it's not your typical hotel. It is very clean and spacious. I can't wait to go there and hubby and Andrea can't wait to do some swimming and surfing. We need to have reservations now because summer is peak season, meaning, if we wait too long, we might not be able to get an available room.

If you plan on going on a vacation, try to look for Oceanfront Myrtle Beach Hotels. You might want to check it out now and book it so you would have the vacation of a lifetime.

Back to School Again

It's January again and Andrea, after being off  for 2 weeks has to go back to school. She is very excited because she said she missed her teacher and her friends from school. I loved having her home and I loved the little break I had from ironing her uniforms and cooking her breakfast. But she needs to go back to school and learn.

Last christmas, she had a blast getting all kinds of presents but one of her favorites include an educational laptop and the more leapster games. It makes me happy as well since I know that my child is learning while she's having fun. It's so cool to know that there are toys available that helps stimulate our children's learning.

New Year Resolution

I got this tag from my Indonesian friend Risma of Mommy Mayonnaise. She tagged me a long time ago but I just didn't get the chance to grab it until now.

New year marks a new beginning. I believe that we should start it right so the year would go along right. So every beginning of the year, I make resolutions that I hope I could follow all year through.

This year, my new year's resolution are the following:

1. Be Frugal. I have to stop myself from buying stuff that I don't really need. I am an impulsive shopper and sometimes I just buy stuff even if I don't really need it. I also tend to buy name-brand stuff and this year, I need to control myself because sometimes, name-brand stuff are expensive only because of its brand name, not because it's a better product than the no-name-brand products.
2. Give More Time To Andrea. Eversince I gave birth to my Fifi, I spend more time with her than with Andrea. She's an infant so I tend to cater to her every whim and sometimes neglect Andrea's needs. I feel so guilty because I know that Andrea needs me too even if she's older than Fifi. I have to make sure that this year, I would be able to spend more quality time with her... Just me and her...
3. Be A Better Person. We are a work in progress, and I know that I could be better than I am now. I will try to be better in terms of being more patient, more kind, more understanding and more loving to everybody.
4. Last but not least, BE A BETTER CHRISTIAN. Being a Christian is more expressed in actions than in words, so this year, I would try to be a better servant of the Lord by helping out in the community and in our church.

I hope that I would be able to follow all these resolutions all year through.

Fifi's Birthday

My little infant Fifi will be celebrating her 1st birthday next month. I am still not sure what to do for her birthday. With money so tight these days, I am looking for ways to save money and at the same time make fifi's birthday celebration worthwhile. I looked online and with the help of Rapidshare Search, I found different ways to save money on birthday parties.

I am thinking of getting a pony and let the kids have a pony party. They could ride the pony around and pet it. I am also thinking of hiring a clown to keep them entertained. Well, I am not so sure right now but I have to make up my mind and make arrangements before it's too late.

Another Day

Another day is here, I hope this day would bring blessings and good tidings. I woke up pretty good, and the first thing I did was make a cup of coffee. I love coffee big time. I could not function properly without my coffee everyday. I drink coffee at an average of 3 cups a day.

We will go to Fifi's doctor's appointment today. It is still cold outside and it seems like it would stay cold for a couple of days. I hate cold weather. It makes my skin dry, my lips chapped and my babies sick. Anyway, as I was waiting for my little infant to wake up, I listened to the news on tv, they mentioned something about Precor Bike and ofcourse the blizzard up north. It must have been hard to live up there.

I have to go now and get ready. I have to feed my baby and dress her warm for her docto'r visit.

Wedding Anniversary

A few months from now, hubby and I would be celebrating our wedding anniversary. It is wonderful to count years of love with my husband. I still remember vividly the wedding preparations we did back then. The amount of time to choose the right dress for me, the wedding cake and the food. Everything costs a lot of money so we have to make sure that we find bargains in every way possible. Good thing my sister-in-law found this site that does inexpensive wedding invitations. They have a lot of style to choose from at a very low price. That helped us a lot in our budget. Everything was perfect and I would not forget that day. It was perfect.

Now, as I look back, I could really tell that it's not the amount of money that you spend in a wedding that keeps you together through the years, it is the amount of commitment and love you give each toher when you say your voms.

Weight Loss

I have been struggling to lose weight eversince I gave birth. It is always a big problem for me since I am short and any amount of extra weight would be very noticeable. I met my husband when I was very skinny, way too skinny I might say. Then I got pregnant with my first child. I gained a lot of weight with that pregnancy, far too much than what is required. I lost it eventually but it took all my will-power to lose it.

Then I got pregnant again, and I gained weight just like any other pregnant woman does. I am slowly losing the extra weight and I am so glad. I hope I would lose it all because I would really love to fit in my skinny jeans again. I have heard though that is there are people who have tried everything and still didn't lose the weight. There is hope for them though, I read about the gastric band surgery info and I think it is a good choice for people who wants to lose the weight.

Online Games

My husband is a gamer. He would sit in front of the computer and play his heart out. If I don't tell him to stop, he probably wouldn't stop until he kills everybody in the game... LOL.. He has been playing WOW for years now and he has to pay to get into the game. There is a site that is selling wow accounts and all you have to do is sign-up and pay... Sometimes you have to be careful about which site sell wow accounts because  there are plenty of hackers out there who would steal your identity.

Make sure that the site you go to sell wow account for a log time and could be trusted and secured. Atleast you could have peace of mind and not worry while playing your game.

Going Back to School

I have been thinking about going back to school to earn my degree and up until now, I am hesitant because I am scared that I could not juggle being a mom, a wife and a student. I looked for schools online and I have seen a lot that would potentially be my choice. I am thinking what if I will be loaded with projects that needs to be finished right away? Assignements such as custom essays using custom papers would be hell to do especially if I have to feed my infant and help my daughter with her assignments in school.

I heard that there is a writing service online that helps moms like me who needs help in assignments. They are there to make sure that you get A+ grades in your term papers. I would definitely consider their services when I start going to school again. With this kind of services, I think I would be able to hang on and finish my degree.