Zipline Adventure

Probably one of the most fun things we did on our vacation to the PI was the zipline adventure at Dahilayan Adventure Park, Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon. It is Asia's longest dual zipline. The have three different categories of zipline length, from 150 meters, 320 meters and the longest one 840 meters. I am not a big fan of heights, but heck if I let this adventure slip through without me enjoying it. I was scared at first but when I finally finished it, I wanted to do it again.

I am sharing some of our pictures...

Family Bonding

My Family with my dad looking at us

Being silly to mask my fear

Yay! Finally did it... Ain't it obvious? I am scared...

Andrea did it too

Alvin's Thanksgiving Celebration is a Holiday Classic for One and All

Authored by Abraham Brewer

I usually babysit the day after Thanksgiving and I like to watch Thanksgiving cartoons on my satellite television from http://www.bestchoicetv.com/satellite-tv/wa/m/milton/  with the kids.

One of the best and fun tv specials is Alvin's thanksgiving celebration. The musical group Alvin and the Chipmunks was created by Ross Bagdasarian Sr. way back in 1958. From there on it exploded. Music and tv specials and then a tv series that played for many years.

Alvin and the Chupmunks consists of Alvin the little prankster but good-hearted lead singer, Simon the very smart and tall brother. Finally last but definitely not least is Theodore who is the chunky but sweet and sensitive little chipmunk. All of them together make a very fun and lovable trio. Alvin usually creates some sort of commotion and then hilarity ensues.

In this cute cartoon Alvin convinces his brothers Simon and Theodore to sign up for a community play about thanksgiving. Which would be great but the boys get all nervous that they won't do well when they actually have to perform for the play. The director of the play assigns all the chipmunks things that they are unfamiliar with doing. After a little bit of commotion things get worked out and Alvin and his brothers enjoy holiday dinner with their family. There is usually a lesson to be learned with most chipmunk cartoons.

A Nice Change

Guest post written by Jessica Gibbons

For years my husband Gilbert and I have hosted family thanksgivings at our beautiful home in southern Tennessee. I definitely know my way around the kitchen and Gilbert has always been a great assistant and most excellent with planning and prepping the house for our loved ones.

However, this year we just don't have the energy to be host and hostess, unfortunately. We're slowing down, and for a change my son and his lovely wife are going to host at their home. They live in Montana by my daughter- in- law's parents, and they've been gracious enough to have us come in and stay for a few days. We just have to bring ourselves, a few suitcases, and we must be sure not to forget our new hearing aids from HearingAids.Miracle-Ear.com. We really want to enjoy the time with our family. Even though we're not hosting, I still plan to help prepare a few of my famous dishes. I have an issue with being just a spectator. In any case, we can't to have dinner at our son's beautiful home and get a change of scenery this year.

Don't Be Tardy for My Party

As a mother of two girls, I am an expert when it comes to throwing birthday parties. My girls have had all kinds of parties with different themes every year, and although it is not easy, I enjoy the preparation part and hate the after-party cleaning. In two months time, my younger daughter will turn two, and I am thinking of throwing a princess-themed party. Since it is themed, I have to make sure my party supplies will be related to the theme.

As soon as Christmas is over, I will start ordering the princess-themed plates, napkins, table covers and balloons. I will also order the edible icing art that so I could bake the cake myself and just stick the personalized art on top of it. I am not sure what games I will do for the party, but I have plenty of time to research about it. That's one of the secrets in making sure that you have a successful party, research, research and more research ahead of time.

I still remember the first birthday party I threw for my older daughter. It was short of a disaster! Everything was chaotic and my daughter was crying the entire time. I have learned from it though and ever since that, my birthday parties are pretty succesful. I love throwing parties for my girls, the only thing I don't are people that are late. So please, if I invite you, don't be tardy for my party.

Happy Thanksgiving

To all my friends here in the US, Happy Thanksgiving! To all my friends in other parts of the world, it's time to say a prayer of thanksgiving as well, for all the blessings we have received. Thanksgiving is a celebration for all the blessings that we have received and will receive from our God, our provider.

Shopping for Gifts

Christmas is literally a month after today. I have been thinking of things that I should get for my husband this Christmas but I still could not make up my mind on what it would be. There are a lot of sites online though that gives me an idea on different gifts for him but I have a limited budget, so I am only sticking to the ones that I could afford. In this economy, it is not practical to spend so much on Christmas presents unless you have the extra money to do so.

Last year we went all out with presents but this time around we thought otherwise. One thing we made sure though is that our kids will have the gifts that they've been wanting to have all year through. My older daughter wanted to have an ipod touch and my toddler wants a swing set in the backyard. We have saved for their presents and we can't wait to see the look in their face when they finally receive their presents on Christmas.

Hubby has been asking me what I want to receive. I want a lot of things but I know that it would not benefit us financially if I insist on something that is very expensive. I will just probably send him to a site that has different ideas on gifts for her so that he will have an idea on what women would really like to receive. It will be easier for him and it would be fun because it's going to still be a surprise.

A Visit to the Divine Mercy Shrine

The pictures above were taken at the Divine Mercy Shrine in El Salvador, Misamis Oriental last August. It is a very serene, spiritual place to Catholics and Christians alike. It is starting to become famous especially to balikbayans like my family. There is a daily mass service and a chapel to pray-at any time of the day.

We went there to hear mass on a Sunday and since I have a sleeveless top, they made sure that I get covered up by providing the red fabric to wear on top of my dress. If you plan on going there, make sure you wear something with sleeves and something long, if not, they will provide you with something to cover yourself up.

In the Midst of the Desert, With an Unknown Language and People

Contribution by Jonathan Mcmillan

When I'm not reading, I love to watch DirecTV sports HD, but books are my true love. My favorite book takes place in a faraway world, created by Robin McKinley in "The Blue Sword".

When Harry is kidnapped by the dreaded Hill People, she has no idea what to expect. She doesn't know why they kidnapped her. Their language, which she'd never heard before her father died and she had to move to her brother's base, located far away in the most secluded area of the kingdom, awakens on her tongue. Every word she learns awakens two or three others. She only knows she loves their horses and that the king, Corlath is kind.

For Corlath, the decision to kidnap Harry wasn't easy. But he had no choice. She has a gift that his people need if they're going to survive the battle with the Northern Demons. He can't tell her about her kelar, but gives her a horse. One of his riders teaches her to fight with a sword.

She becomes that year's champion at the esteemed Laprun Trials. The people cheer for her, their woman hero. But when the time comes to fight, Harry disagrees with Corlath's decision and returns to her people for their aid. Horribly outnumbered, they fight hard, but is it enough?

It's almost not. But Harry uses her magic sword to drop a mountain and kill the head demon. Finally, she must return to face Corlath, unsure how to tell him that she loves him.

A Vacation is All I Need

Stress is one of the main factors that contribute to the short fuse that I have recently. Hubby had been very considerate about my attitude and knew that I am just stressed-out that's why I am acting as such. A lot of things has happened and the fact that our youngest daughter is sick twice already, and wouldn't want anybody around her but me is really stressful. Having an average of 3 to 4 hours of sleep a night didn't help either, so hubby told me that we need to go on a vacation to release all the stress and make me a person again instead of the monster that I am right now.

I want to go to a beach and he said that there are plenty of resorts in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. He gave me the liberty to choose which Myrtle Beach hotel I want to stay in as long as he would have access to some golf course while we're there. It was easy to find the place I wanted because I found http://avistaresort.com online. What took me a while was to choose the room where we will stay. They have different kinds of accommodations and they're all nice, so it's hard to choose.

Finally after talking to my hubby about it, we agreed to get the room that has an ocean view. I'm sure it would be a fun vacation for all of us and just the thought of it already makes me feel stress-free.

Winterize your Home

Thanks for the article from Glenda Hanson

Winter is on the way, so there are a few things you should do to get your home ready for the winter season.

Clean the furnace/stove. This includes changing filters, which should be done 3-4 times per year. Call a heating professional to test the furnace, but do this before the cold air hits.

Seal any gaps in areas around windows and doors. You may use weather stripping, silicone or caulking for this chore, but make sure there are no cracks letting air and light in around these heat losers. Putting plastic over the outsides of the windows is a big draft helper.

Check thresholds. Are there any rotting thresholds in your home? If so, these need to be replaced. This is a major source of heat loss in the winter.

Check attic insulation. Don't even know what is up there? Time to check it out. Some people prefer fiberglass insulation and yet others prefer paper. There are pros and cons to each, so if you need to purchase some be sure to do your research beforehand.

This can be a big job, but it must be done unless you have the financial stability to heat the outside. I make a list first so that I can watch DirecTV once I am finished getting my house ready for winter.

Keeping Track

My friend has a teenage daughter and she gave her a laptop as a birthday present. I asked her if she is concerned if her teenager might end up talking to the wrong person online or look into sites that are not appropriate for her. She then told me that she still keeps track of what site her daughter visits by using a key-logger that allows her to monitor the things that her daughter did in the Internet without her daughter's knowledge.

As a mother, I probably would do the same thing given the situation. I would probably check their cellular phones too and make sure that they are safe. I have been a teenager before and I know how it is to be one. I have seen it in the news and I know that there are people out there who would take advantage of a teenager's naivety. It has happened to one girl who talked to the wrong person and ended up running-away from home with him. Her parents found her but it was too late. I would do everything not to let it happen to my daughters.

There are also gadgets now that would enable parents to track their kids. There are GPS devices that are so tiny, you could attach it to them without their knowledge. I know that trust is very important in raising kids but if the situation asks for it, I would do anything to make sure that they are safe before worrying about their feelings. One day they would understand and one day, they would thank me for making ensuring their safety.

Visit to the Waig Resort

Last August we went to Waig Resort at Bukidnon. I went there because some of my friends in the Philippines went there and I saw their pictures. It looks nice in the pictures so I thought it would be nice to go and try it. We went there and I did not like it at all. The rooms are not as nice as it looks, it needs big time renovations. The bathroom needs updating and the toilets don't have toilet seats on it. The pool also needs repainting and fixing. All in all, we still had fun but we will never go back.



Charming Hotels in York

I am a big fan of old English style furniture and buildings. To me, it illuminates class and grace that the ladies back then used to have while they're having their tea parties. One of my dreams is to one day stay at a beautiful plantation that is made back then in the old English times. I looked online and found out that there are  Hotels in York that gives out such an aura while catering to their customers.

My friend went to England for the holidays to visit her step-daughter who lives there. She told me she will be staying in an old mansion that was turned into a hotel. I am so jealous since she will get to experience sleeping in a magnificent place while I am still dreaming it. Hopefully someday though, I would be able to experience staying in a place like that too.

For now, I will just make do with purchasing some English style dolls and decorate my home with it.

Give Your Photos the Attention They Deserve

I love taking pictures of my kids. It's one of the things that gives me so much joy. I loved doing it so much that my husband purchased a high-priced DSLR camera for me last Christmas. The problem is that even if the high-end camera, pictures still needs a little tweaking to make it look as best as it could. Enhancements adds a little drama to the image so I make sure that I play with my pictures by using krome photos.

You could try to enhance 25 pictures for free at their website and you will see the difference that a photo editor could do to your images. Whether it be old pictures or the ones you just took, all you need to do is register and get krome photos to start making all your pictures look like professional ones. You could do color correction, red-eye correction, cropping and artistic retouching to all of your captured moments.

As an amateur, I rely on editing to make my pictures look as close to professional ones as possible. Everytime I get a compliment for a picture I post on my blog, I secretly thank the editor I use for it.

Top Gear is the Best

There are all kinds of car-related shows on the television right now yet, not one could equal the entertainment that Top Gear has. The three hosts are so hilarious and they all interact with each other in the most ease even if they're bickering with each other. Every week, they do crazy things while at the same time testing the car that they are featuring. One of my favorite episode is the one where they featured the Alfa-Romeo Giulia and the Ford Fiesta.

They even have an episode where they went to Vietnam and went around the country in just their motorcycles. They also went to the North Pole with their trucks and they even said during the interview that it's one of the scariest thing they ever did because they could hear the ice breaking underneath them while they drive. I wish someday they will feature family vans and SUV's like the Subaru. It would help moms all around the world in choosing the best SUV for the family.

To tell you the truth, I thought that car shows are boring, but when my husband introduced me to Top Gear, I got addicted. For more info about the show, try to visit their site or just look for BBC America in the channels available in your home.

Strawberries Anyone?

The strawberry is a rich source of vitamin C and vitamin A. The strawberries we are eating nowadays is called garden strawberries. It is a hybrid from a species of strawberries from North America which was known for it's flavor and Argentina and Chile which is known for its size. If you notice, strawberry is one of the fruits that has their seeds outside.

My family loves strawberries especially my girls. Fifi like sit raw, straight from the market, Andrea likes to dip it in chocolate and I like it as a smoothie. Hubby is not a big fan but he eats a lot of peanut butter and strawberry-jelly sandwich.

Have Peace of Mind with Home Security Systems

It is sad to say but nowadays, danger is everywhere. Even in your own home, you are not safe from people that are lurking in the dark waiting until you are vulnerable so they could strike. I remember my grandmother telling me a story that back when she was younger, they would not even lock their doors and wake up the next day with everything intact. But then she said that back then, they don't have Home Security Systems to protect them, so if anything happens, they have to med for themselves.

Home Security Systems have become a necessity these days. It gives us peace of mind especially at night when we are the most vulnerable from danger. In my own experience, being a stay-at-home mother with a husband who works for days at a time, I sleep at night knowing that me and my daughters has something to protect us while we sleep. It is indeed very comforting especially at times when my husband is not home with us.

Getting a Security Alarm System installed is easy. Find a site online that gives out good deals, get a quote, and they will come install it for you. It might cost you money per month but there is no money in the world that would pay for your safety and peace of mind.

Let's Go Fishing

One of the things we do for fun as a family is fishing. My husband and my older daughter enjoys the sport and me and my younger duaghter enjoys eating the fish they catch. I do have my own fishing gear but I barely have the chance to fish because I have to baby-sit the little one while hubby and big sister catch some yummy fish.

Here's bgi sister while fishing.

We Need A New Insurance

My husband always has good plans for our family especially for the time when he has to leave us, if I don't pass-away first. He made sure we will be taken-cared for by getting a life insurance that would be enough to take care of us. I am worried though because the insurance he got from the military will raise thei premiums every ten years. Next year, we would be paying more premium every month that what we have been paying for in the last ten years.

I am shopping for good life insurance online that would be more affordable for us. As I was searching for it, I found the site of Advantage Term Life Insurance which is very helpful in making me understand what are the different kinds of life insurance available. It is very easy to get a quote online and it is fast too. They even have the tool to help you compare insurance premiums from other insurance companies.

I can't wait to show the different choices available for us to my husband. We would have to discuss the pros and cons about each one and then make our choice. Hopefully before next year, we would have chosen already and not have to worry about affording it or not.

Getting a College Scholarship

My step-daughter has just graduated in high school. She is now pursuing her dream of becoming a veterinarian at one of the prestigious state universities in the country. College could be pretty expensive, good thing she did so well during her high school years that she has plenty of scholarship offers. Despite all the scholarship grants, she still needs to work part-time to support herself while away from us.

It made me worry because I have two other daughters who will someday be in college. Although it will be years from now, I know that time would fly and we would be wondering what college should they go to one of these days. I looked for several sites that offers help in getting scholarships. There's a site that gives all kinds of tips about how to get certain scholarships like scholarships for left handed people, pre med scholarships, and african american scholarships. All the help they offer is for free so it's very helpful especially for those who could not afford to pay for any kind of fee.

It will be a while but starting now, I am constantly reminding my daughters to do good in school and make sure to have good grades. It is through their hard work now that they would be able to get all kinds of grants in the future and college offers. Hopefully they will be able to reach their goal and be whatever they want to be when they grow-up.

Ice Skating in Mall of Asia

If you ask Andrea what is her favorite part of our PI vacation, she would answer the day she went ice skating with her cousins at The Mall of Asia. For a minimum fee, they are able to skate all day in the rink with the rental of the skates included. An additional fee would give them a trainor.

It is her first time to ice-skate and so are her cousins'. We, the adults, just stayed in the side of the rink watching and cheering the kids until they got tired of it. It is a fun day indeed, not so much for us, but for the kids.

the smile says it all

hanging-out with cousins

she's enjoying herself

the little ones with their trainor

Beating the Heat Last Summer

Fall is here and we are so glad that our electric bill has gone down a hundred bucks. Last summer though, our bill was so high, it made me and my hubby sweat some more. We did all kinds of tricks to help cool down our home. We made sure that all windows have the blinds closed throughout the day and that all rooms in the house have Ceiling Fans.  My husband even installed fans in our laundry room to keep it cooler.

The Ceiling Fan did help in keeping our home cool therefore lowering down our electric bill for a couple of dollars. Next summer, I will probably replace the old fans in our bedrooms so I am looking at different sites online to Find out who makes the Best Ceiling Fans here! I found the best deals from

Hansen Wholesale Ceiling Fans. They have all kinds of designs available, from the modern ones to the classics. They are also very affordable compared to other sites. I am kind of excited to renew the look of our room by changing our old tattered fan with a brand-new one.

If you still hadn't installed any ceiling fans in your home, it's time to get some installed. I am telling you, it saved us from a high electric bill during summer and it also keeps the room ventilated, not to mention making it more stylish.

Livening Up the Place

Guest post written by Ashleigh Clarkson

I recently moved in to my Grandma's old place and as much as I loved how she kept it, I knew that I had to add some of my own personal touches to it. But I've also had to do a lot of work on the old house because there are some structural problems too.

It was always so drafty when I would go and visit her and now I found out that it was because her windows are old and drafty, so I'm calling home pro improvement and getting them to come and replace all the windows in teh house. I'm still in the process of transitioning into the house so I think that it's easier to get that doen now before I try and settle in.

It's an old Cape Cod style house, so I'm trying to go with that theme and stay true to it, just with a modern twist. I tracked down some great room art at some local flea markets and can't get to get everthing painted so I can put that up.

Trip to Katibawasan Falls

When we had our PI vacation, we all went to Camiguin, Island in Mindanao and enjoyed the natural beauty that the island has to offer. One of the places we went to is the Katibawasan Falls. It is a long waterfall and very cold. I didn't even dare take a dip in the cold waters.

Here are some of our pictures taken there.

fifi with dad

creating memories

andrea with her cousins

Getting Your Carpet Cleaned

Water damage is hard to fix especially when it is on the carpet. Floods and leak happen. Good thing there are insurance that pays for the damage caused by flood. I found a site that gives water damage claim tips. And if you are living in the Texas area, there are professionals who would be willing to clean up the  water damage carpets austin.

I, myself experienced what it's like to be flooded. It's stressful and annoying but you have to do something to fix the damage. It is indeed better to hire professionals who are water damage experts austin Texas. You could get a quote online and they will come and do the job for you if you are in Austin, Texas.

Water damage is not a good sight to look at and it takes too much time to fix manually by yourselves. To save time and headache, just hire the right people for an affordable price and live your life again.

Help Guide to Pass your Social Work Exam

Getting a good-paying job nowadays is harder than it was before. The rate of unemployment is higher now that there are more people that you need to compete with. Passing the social work exam is one of the requirements to get a good job-paying job, therefore, you need to make sure that you are ready when you take the said test.

There are sites online that are proven and tested to help you pass the social work exam. At an affordable price you could get ASWB study guides. It might be harsh to say, but after years of getting your degree, you need to pass a licensing test to be a certified professional and get the job you have been dreaming to get. You worked hard to get the degree, now all you have to do is pass the ASWB test.

It might take time, money and effort, but when you pass your ASWB test, there is a very high chance that you will get hired in the company that you choose and start your career.

We Flip for Florida's Spectacular Mote Aquarium!

Thanks to Joaquin Hester

When my family and I get the urge to explore sea creatures in all their glory, we head to Sarasota Florida's Mote Aquarium. With its abundance of displays and live dolphin shows, it is a beloved favorite for me, my husband, and our three year old daughter.

Our daughter especially loves the fact that Mote Aquarium has a section of sea creatures that can be touched and picked up, such as horseshoe crabs and sand dollars. We spend at least an hour just in this section alone, picking up the various creatures and letting our little girl explore the area.

Motee Aquarium is a few hours drive away from our hometown, so when we decide to go we plan on staying the entire day. The aquarium has plenty of displays to keep us busy for a full day, as well as a really nice diner where we enjoy a family lunch.

We used to worry about spending an entire day away from our home, even though we live in a relatively low-crime area. However, now we set our home security alarm before we leave for the aquarium and we have a blast the whole day without giving a second thought to our home's safety!

All About Multiple Sclerosis

It is very important that women of the younger generation should be able to educate themselves about Multiple Sclerosis since there is a better chance of a young female to be diagnosed of the disease than an older female or a male. As I went around educating myself about MS, I learned a lot of things that helped me understand the disease better. Multiple Sclerosis is basically a scarring of the the tissue in the brain and the spinal cord.

There are plenty of avenues being researced when it comes to MS Treatment. Most are still in the early developments and hopefully they will eventually find the cure for it. There are medications available to stop further destruction in the tissues but they carry adverse effects. Other patients are doing alternative treatments, such as doing the MS Diet with hopes that it would stop the scars from spreading and causing more damage.

There are a lot of things that we need to know about MS and there are more things that are left undiscovered about it. It is still a mysterious disease and whatever is known about it right now is not enough to help get a cure. Hopefully someday soon, MS cure would be available to everybody, or better yet, MS vaccine would be available to all.

Consult at American Residential Law Group First Before Getting a Home Loan Modification

It is important not to have hast decisions when it comes to money matters. Home loan modification is a complicated matter, so make sure that before you apply for one, you consult a an advisor from American Residential Law Group. They are a group of professional and highly-experienced advisors that would make sure that you're getting the better end of the bargain when it comes to home loan modifications.

If you think that acquiring a home loan modification is the answer to all your financial problems, make sure that you have the expert advice of  a professional. If that is your last resort, it is important that you are well-informed about all the things dealing with it Someday you will be glad you did. If you want to learn more about the American Residential Law Group, visit the Fair Home Loan website and read about the services they could offer.

PetCareRx Saved my Puppy and my Wallet

When my older daughter turned five, she asked for a puppy and we happily obliged. But as kids do all the time, the promise of them taking full responsibility of their pets is just a promise. I ended up taking care of the puppy until now. Every now and then, she would feed her but if I don't check the dog plate, the poor dog would have been deceased by now.

I never realized how expensive it is to own a pet nowadays. The vaccinations and shots are just one of the main things they need. They also need their own shampoo and heart worm medicine so they would stay healthy. I order our puppy's heart worm medicine from PetCareRx. It is very convenient and affordable. I don't need to drive to the pet shop, since they deliver your order right in you house.

Thanks to PetCareRx, our puppy is as healthy as ever and my wallet still has a dollar or two left. It saved me a lot of money and it also saved my puppy from having heart worms all year through.

Total Protect Home Warranty is my Savior

Have you been in a situation where everything just don't go as planned and all things just turn into a major disaster? I have experienced that before that I felt like crying. It was the weekend, my husband was at work and wouldn't be back home until Monday. The girls are sick and I have all kinds of chores that needs to be done. As I started to load the dishwasher and turned it on, nothing happened. It just wouldn't work. I thought, okey, I will just wash it by hand, no big deal. Then I started to load the washing machine and halfway through the cycle it stopped. That was really a lucky day for me.

I tried calling my husband but he is busy with work and could not be reached. Good thing my brother-in-law was available and he helped me fix the problem. He is a technician,  and fixes appliances for a living, so everything was back to normal. He then told me about Total Protect Home Warranty. He said they will fix the major appliances in the house when it breaks 24 hours-a-day, 7 days a week. They will even fix the air-conditioner and the heater when it breaks.

I did as he told me and got the Total Protect Home Warranty. As it turned out, it has saved me several times when my major appliance breaks. It even saved us from the dying one summer when our AC suddenly broke.

Everything to Remember

This guest post from Norris Beard

Attending my local county fair is something that I feel is important. It's a great feeling to support local businesses while taking in the local culture I sometimes forget that I love during the year. When living inside an area, it's very easy to be so close that you can't see just how great it is. By going to the county fair, I see a showcase of everything I love about my hometown. I also get to see some great contests along the way.

Cooking contests are definitely among my favorite activities at the fair, though it's not exactly an activity. I participate in the eating, not the competing. I love to sample local fare and find out just who the best cooks in the area are.

Animals are another one of my favorite things about a county fair. After getting home from the fair, I'll always watch satellite TV from http://www.bestchoicetv.com/satellite-tv/tx/h/highland-park/, hoping to learn even more about the animals I've seen during the fair. The games are fantastic too. They're small, simple games but they mean the world to me and the kids during our stay at the fair.

I love attending any county fair, but especially the one of my hometown. It gives me the chance to show some hometown pride while taking advantage of all the wonderful things that my hometown has to offer me.

Watching Philly Go For The World Series

Written by my friend Judson Kelly

This time of year, the Fall colors and crisp air make me think of one thing: the Major League Baseball playoffs. I love to watch Major League Baseball on cable tv, as my Phillies try to win another World Series title. Pitcher Roy Oswalt's calming presence has made one of the most high pressure situations much easier for the team from Philadelphia.

It has been said that poise is often the difference between winning and losing in sports, and the Phillies pitching with Oswalt has kept the team from getting too antsy or overexcited during this year's playoff run. Oswalt is a reserved person and team mate, and the Phillies weren't sure what type of individuals they were getting when they picked him up from the Houston Astros. They knew he could pitch, because they'd faced him on the Astros mound for years, but they did not know his personality at all. However, it's worked out perfectly. Oswalt's demeanor belies the reality that he throws a nasty curve ball that keeps batters swinging and puzzled.

This has meant that even as the Phillies fell back in their series against the San Fransisco Giants, they were able to climb back into the mix behind Oswalt's presence, and of course, that nasty curve ball. The Phillies pulled even at 1-1 and the series is back to square one.

We're Ready for Another Baby

As hubby and I were window-shopping at the mall, trying to check the prices of the stuff that we want to give the kids this christmas, we passed by a store that sells all kinds of baby furnitures. We went and checked out the Baby Cribs and it's matching changing table and all of a sudden, I missed having an infant in the house.

My youngest is almost two and she never fails to bring laughter to the house, but she's no longer an infant. She don't sleep beside us anymore. For some reason, I miss the cry of an infant. I want to be able to hold a little bundle in my arms again. A little baby to breastfeed and give sponge bath to.

Hubby said I have the itch of having another baby, and perhaps I am. But he has also been begging me to give him a son, months ago. Maybe we're both ready to try for a baby boy. We will see.

Information Overload

Information overload online is getting annoying sometimes. You would look for a certain subject or topic and a lot of non-sense articles that speak nothing about what you're searching for pops up. It is way harder to look for local businesses and establishments. You type your place and businesses from states five hours away would pop-up. It is really annoying.

I have a trick though. When I look for something local, I go to the local yellow pages site and bam! I get exactly what I am looking for. Just a couple of weeks ago, I was looking for a local sushi restaurant and I found one that is nice, and only a couple of miles from where we live. Hubby and I visited the place and we were surprised at how we never found out about the place when it is only a stones throw from our house.

So if you want to do a local search, try local.com. It is easy to navigate and it delivers without giving you the junk that most search sites give.

Grants for Smal Businesses

As the economy still tries to stay afloat these days, most people are trying to find alternative ways to survive. My alternative is by blogging. Others are starting small businesses like a small coffee shop around the corner where we live. No matter what it is, it's important to do everything you could to make do and earn as much as you can to support your needs.

If you are a small business owner, it is important that you know the different resources that you could help in improving your business. There are a lot of small business grants available that you probably don't know about. It exists and it is readily available to those who are diligent enough to look for it and apply. Try to check out the grants online and you never know, you might qualify for one of them.

As they say, America is a country of opportunities, there are a lot of opportunities out there. Just get your head to your goal and work hard to achieve it.

Need to Lose Weight?

Do you want to lose a couple of pounds before the holidays come? If so, then joing me as I am trying to lose a couple of pounds I have gained in the last couple of months. I am going to start my diet tomorrow by counting the calories I take everyday. I will limit myself to 1200 calories a day, do an hour of exercise everyday and use the new HCG product. I will use HCG, a natural hormone protein, by putting it under my tongue.

If you want to learn more about the HCG Diet, visit their site and order their product. Let's all do it together and see and compare notes about the effects of their hormone to our body and our goal of losing weight.

Getting to Know Baseball

I used to watch a local baseball game in my hometown and I also used to cheer for the baseball players in my school. I am not so familiar with the baseball teams here in America but after moving here and meeting people who are die-hard baseball fans, I was able to learn more about it. I never realized how crazy fans are about their favorite teams until I have seen it first-hand.

Literally one team's fans would get into fights with other team's fans if one of them lose and the winning tema's fans would taunt the losing ones. I also learned that baseball is so big in this country that every state has atleast one stadium on it. Jus here in New Orleans there's the New Orleans Arena which also holds different shows aside from baseball throughout the year. There's also the Rose Garden Arena, ofcoure the ever famous Madison Square Garden, the Conseco Fieldhouse and ofcourse the Bradley Center.

These stadiums don't just hold baseball games though, different shows and activities are being held in these venues every year from concerts to games.

Heading for the Hills

The Author of this post is Jefferson Maldonado

Camping is such a tradition in our family that I'm always surprised when I meet people who don't camp. Growing up as a military brat and moving every few years, we would always camp on the way to the next Air Force base. As an adult, my family camps every weekend we can, summer and winter. We have camped in deserts and on beaches, but we like mountains the best, especially forested mountains with lots of hiking trails.

My favorite part of camping is getting ready to go. My least favorite is unpacking and cleaning everything when we get back. To make things easier, I pack everything in baggies and wash and repack everything possible at the campsite before heading home. Then when we get home, all I have to do is wash the clothes and sleeping bags.

I also keep a checklist of things to do before we leave home, like turning off the coffee pot and turning on the home security alarm from AllHomeSecurity.com/. I have a separate list of things to do when we get back home, like spreading out the tent so that it doesn't mildew and checking all the flashlights to see if they need new batteries.

We're getting ready to camp this weekend, and I can already smell the unbeatable aroma of coffee brewed over a campfire!

Webhosting for Business Owners

As a small business owner myself, I know what a web hosting could do to gain customers. It is also a more professional way of dealing transactions with new customers. I have heard of a good company that does managed hosting for small businesses for an affordable price. It is a good way to have a site running without having to worry about it since they manage the hosting for you.

If you are not so keen as to let other people manage your web page, there is also another choice which is called colocation service that they provide. It lets you have full access to everything and you could make any changes anytime you want. They just provide everything you need and set it up for you. They also make sure that an administrator would available just in case your server or hardware needs to be fixed or upgraded.

Whatever it is you choose, it is important that you know how important it is to have a web page. It might cost you but in the long run, it would bring you more pros than cons.

It's Fall, It's Time to Wear Some Boots

It's starting to get chilly now. Although I am not a big fan of the cold season, I really don't have a choice but to just go with the flow. I have plenty of boots from last winter season but I am looking for a new pair that would be comfortable to wear. I found lots of cute ones online inlcuding in the Dogwood London site. They have cute and affordable boots in different styles.

I know that with the way everything is going, I need to save some money in every way I could. I have plenty of old boots but most of them are all high-heeled and I am looking for something with a flat sole so I could walk all day without being in pain. I have a budget in hand and I will never go overboard this time. I know what I need and I know where to get them.

I remember back when I was in the tropical country, all I need is a pair of sandals all year long. Here every season needs an specific outfit, so more money to spend.

Tighten Your Abs the Easy Way

There is a way now to contour abs without having to do a thousand sit-ups. I saw it on television and was amazed at how an ab belt with electrons could stimulate the muscles way better than a regular sit-ups. My husband even told me that it is indeed effective because it's the same technology they used to give help him stimulate the muscles on his knees after he had a knee surgery years ago.

Since I lost weight, I have been working on toning my body and getting six pack abs. I have been working out and probably did a thousand sit-ups and belly exercises to tone me belly, yet I am still not happy with how my stomach looks. I am thinking of getting the contour belt and using it while I am doing household chores during the day and see if it works. Hubby is on the process of ordering me one so he won't hear me complain about the way my tummy looks. If he believes in it, I am positive that it would deliver as promised.

I Miss Lechon!

I took this picture when we celebrated my husband's birthday with my family in the Philippines. It was tiny but it's all we need to feed the entire family. In the Philippines, if I crave for lechon, I just go to one of the lechin stands and get a kilo or two, here, if I crave for it, all I could do is look at a picture and hope it would turn to life.

Padres' Losing Streaks

The Author of this post is Kory Dotson

While I enjoy going out to the ballpark, watching MLB games on direct tv hd hasn't been half bad. With the Extra Innings package, I also get to watch my hometown team, the San Diego Padres, more than the ten or so times they happen to play the Los Angeles Dodgers.

After finishing in last place in 2009, I didn't expect too much from the Pads this year. Surprisingly, the Padres started off hot and built up about a 10 game lead in the NL West and held onto it for quite a few months. While I enjoyed their time in first place and the dominance they seemed to have over the team in 2nd place at the time, the San Francisco Giants, it was painful to see them collapse and lose 10 straight games versus inferior teams like the Arizona Diamondbacks and let the Giants back in the race. Miraculously, the Padres were still in 1st after the losing streak and I really thought they were still going to pull out the division. Unfortunately, they went through another losing streak before facing the Giants for 3 straight games in San Francisco. The scenario had the Padres having to win all 3 to force a one game playoff. I was on the edge of my seat as the Padres pulled out the 1st 2 games, but alas it was not to be as the Giants prevailed in the final game.

Fall is Here

It's starting to get cold and the trees are slowly shedding their leaves. My husband is glad because he don't need to cut the grass from now on until the beginning of spring. My planters are slowly losing the beautiful color it once have with the flowers that I have on it. I have plenty of garden planters in the backyard garden that I bought last spring. The plants on it is also starting to turn brown. I am not worried though because come spring, I will start planting again and before I know it, my planter would have plenty of beautiful flowers on it.

Fall is not my favorite season but I would prefer it than winter. The one thing I don't like about fall is that it triggers all kinds of allergies and sickness in my family especially the kids. The change in temperature plus the pollen from plants are the perfect recipes for flu and cough. In fact, right now, my youngest daughter is sick again.

I dread the arrival of winter but there's nothing I could do about it. All I could do is embrace fall while it lasts because winter would definitely come next whether I like it or not.

Play Time at Incheon Airport

After over two weeks of vacation to the PI, we were reluctant to ride the plane that would bring us back to the US. If only we could stay and live in the Philippines, we would have without blinking an eye because that's my home. That's where I belong. There's no other place like home. Maybe someday we would be able to live there for good, but for now we have to come back to our beloved home in the US and continue striving so that we would be able to do that dream of retiring in the PI someday.

Our flight was long and tiring, we had a stop-over at Incheon, Korea, then to Los Angeles, then to New Orleans. Don't ask me how I made it alive with two bouncing kids but I did, with a little tear now and then. We had to wait for a while in Korea to board the plane. Good thing there's a playground near our boarding gate, so the kids had fun while waiting.

Fifi in her comfy clothes

Fifi and Andrea at Incheon, Korea

Thank goodness there is a playground near our gate

Ate always there to assist her little sister

Are You a Poker Player?

Are you a poker player? Or a poker enthusiast? I found a site that creates poker rankings for free to all poker players. It helps out in keeping track of all the rankings that you have had in the past ten games you played and it also helps you determine what is the rank of the person that you're playing with. Now, all players would be able to know if they are playing against somebody who is good in making their poker face, so to speak.

As we all know, facebook and myspace are famous in networking people all over the world. The poker players also have their own networking through this site by making it possible for players to create their own profile with pictures on it. It's basically a facebook of poker players.

I am not a poker player nor do I know how to play poker but if I am, I would definitely create my own profile and also check out my opponent's profile to see what he's capable of.

Investing in Gold

It is no secret that the economy is not doing great. The value of the American dollar has lowered in the international market and it's affecting not only the prices of commodities but also the savings that most people have saved in their lifetime. On the other hand though, gold bullion has gained value in the market and it continuously raises in value. The bullion has not lost value in at least the last decade so a lot of people are seriously thinking of of doing the gold IRA.

If I could only afford it, I would buy gold bullion and keep it for retirement versus keeping my money in the bank and letting it sit there. I'm sure that in only a couple of years, my gold would gain more value than my money could ever have. And even if the dollar value depreciates some more, I would not have to worry since I know that I made the right decision by buying bullion.

If you have extra money sitting in the bank and is worried about what the future would bring with this economy, try investing in gold while the dollar value is still high enough. One day you will be glad that you made that decision.

Feel Secure with Total Protect Home Warranty

As a stay-at-home mom, I am very particular about the way the household works. Instead of making sure that all my paper works are done at a certain time, like regular working moms do, I make sure that all my household chores gets done at an specific time so that I could have plenty of time left over to spend with my kids and husband.

The little oopsies, like a broken washer or dishwasher is a big deal to me since that means I have to wash everything by hand and thus, taking my family time and spending it on chores. My husband is also away most of the time for work, so I have to deal with it myself when something breaks. The Total Protect Home Warranty is designed to help out moms like me so everything always runs smoothly in the house by being there to fix whatever breaks in the appliances even the heater or the A.C.

This service is affordable and you could be assured that somebody would be there to fix your washer or dryer any time of the day, any day of the week.