My sister owns a coffee shop. How i wish it is me who owns one. LOL. The place is one cool hang-out for students and young professionals alike. Most of the time, the place is filled with techno-savvy people who avail of Wi-Fi services. The place is not that big but it is cozy enough to accommodate about thirty five people.
The coffee shop has been operational for almost two years now. Most people hang-out there because it is loaded with comfort and add-ons. One can listen to piped-in music, view music videos from a plasma TV and enjoy the air-conditioning round the clock. The shop's assistants are friendly enough to attend to every customer’s call. In fact, one pf my friends joked that the only thing she misses for a complete luxury is valet parking!

I was thinking, if i were to redesign the place, it could do a furniture make over. Since the lighting is good enough already, cool, quality bar stools can perk up the coffee shop. More than saving a portion of the space, it will look cool and comfy. Since there are two areas for smoking and non-smoking customers, the only thing missing are the cool furniture.

I should be writing my Opening Address to the graduating class of our school but I seemed to be trapped in whirlwind of words in my mind. I am lost for words to say. Last year it came easy for me to write my speech but now, it seems i got too excited with my leave of absence for a year that it is the only thing that i look forward to.

It is a shame on my part. LOL. I took Speech Communication as my major back in college. But it seems i am trapped in an ironic situation now. Pity me. Well, there are moments like this, i know!
Should i start with a joke, an anecdote or a quotation. I am thinking.

What if i use a visual presentation? What sort of visual presentation can fit for an opening remarks? How can i be sure i can keep my audience focused? I still have 24 hours to hack my brain for some creative juices!

(image from www.wpclipart.com)

How can Spock.com - A Great Place for Search help people online? Read this story of mine then you will know how.

Many months ago, a friend of mine was searching for me. She was trying her best to stay in touch with all our high school friends. Since she is based in the U.S. now, but most of us remained locally, she wanted to stay in-touch through on-line access. Thus, she searched high and low for different classmates and friends. Finally, after months of trying really hard, trial and errors, failed attempts she finally found me online. She was so happy. Thus she e-mailed me right away! From that day on we have been in touch with one another constantly. Isn't that wonderful? Just in one click of a finger people can be searched and information can be downloaded.
I was just thinking recently, remember those fanatic people who will really extend so much effort to look for information regarding their favorite artists or celebrities? They can very well log online and get their information instantly, hassle-free.

That is the advantage of the wired world, right? People need not brave distances and waste time to search for people anywhere in the world.

I was browsing through Juliana's blog. Then i saw this quiz she had on. I took the quiz too. Hmm. This quiz seems to be telling the real me. I found out how i think and how i attack problems to be solved.

Your Thinking is Abstract and Sequential

You like to do research and collect lots of information. The more facts you have, the easier it is for you to learn. You need to figure things out for yourself and consider all possibilities. You tend to become an expert in the subjects that you study. It's difficult for you to work with people who know less than you do. You aren't a very patient teacher, and you don't like convincing people that you're right.

What Kind of Thinker Are You?

As a wife, this kind of thinking helps whenever my partnership with my husband is bombarded with problems. My ability to figure out possibilities for problems helps us to think through the solutions rather than focusing on the problem. It is also true that i do not like being around with too many people. It is the character of my husband, though. He likes to mingle with people from all walks of life.

The last trait however, seems to be in irony with my profession for the last twelve years. It is ironic because more than teaching, I have also a handful of students with special needs. This requires more patience and tolerance than teaching kids with regular abilities.

Jen tagged me with this. Thanks Jen!
~~Begin Copy~~

This is the easy way and the fastest way to :
1. Make your Authority Technorati explode.
2. Increase your Google Page Rank.
3. Get more traffic to your blog.
4. Make new friends.

Rules :
1. Start copy from “Begin Copy” until “End Copy” to your blog.
2. Put your own blog name and link.
3. Tag as many friends as you want.


1. Picturing of Life
2. Juliana’s Site
3. Hazel-My Life, My Hope, My Future
4. Jeanne-The Callalily Space
5. Starz in De Sky
6. My Charmed Life
7. Denz Techtronics
8. Denz Recreational
9. Life’s Simple Pleasures
10. My Blog
11. Because Life is Fun
12. In This Game of Life
13. Scribbles of my Life
14. Changing Lanes
15. This is what my heart says...
16. A mom's note
17. Tasteful Voyage
18. Jackie's Everyday Life
19. Jackie Simply Pinay
20. Gerthy's Scrapbook
21. Gerthy Sanctary
23. Asawa's Love Book
24. A Mother's Journal
25. Simple Life, Simply Me
26. Pinaymama's Diary
27. so it goes. . .
28. Hailey's Beats and Bits
29. Hailey's Beats and Bits .Com
You're Next here
~~End Copy~~
I am tagging Mitch of Etc Atbp
Bang of Sweet Bites By Bang,
Francine, Ruby of Pinay Mommy, Arlene of Midlife Dancing,
Jane, and Ideal Pink Rose of All In Korea, Juliana of Juliana's World

What do you do when a loved one gets falsely accused and got arrested? Or gets held up for driving under the influence? Adding to my previous post, I found this link (Los Angeles Criminal Attorneys | California DUI Felony Misdemeanor Lawyers ) that may answer some important questions when a loved one gets arrested. During these times, you may never know if you will come to need lawyers some day.

I browsed through different home remedies for asthma. I would like to know how i can have natural and home remedies for my little princess. She has been breathing very irregularly since last night. Her heartbeats are also very fast.
1. steam inhalation of caraway seeds
2.chewing of dry grape seeds soaked in water is another relief
3.others recommend boiled oregano leaves, juice to be drank

I have yet to find which one can suit my little one. She is really restless. She cannot breathe properly. She is exhausted already.

What about you? Do you have any recommendation for her? Do you have anything that relieved asthma for someone. As much as possible i like to go natural.

Criminal Defense Attorneys Los Angeles | California Criminal DUI Lawyers are most in-demand for those people who are in need of defense in court. More than having topnotch experience and high caliber abilities in court, these lawyers can give assurances of quality services. So if you are in Los Angeles who needs help in defense, this is what you are looking for. So, there's no more worry!

The summer heat is quite unbearable for my youngest child. Yesterday, she just played outside with two of our neighbor’s kids. They played around three o clock in the afternoon. It was such a enjoyable time for her to interact, so we let them play.

We thought we just gave her the time of her life, only to find out that last night she was sleepless due to an asthma attack. We were all sleepless. She was really down she had to spend the night sitting up. She looked so tired today. She is still catching her breath.

Maybe it was the heat. Or maybe she got exhausted playing. Now, she has been on bed all day. And I am very, very down too. How I wish we can just trade places right now. Sob.

Our landlady was so shock to discover termites in our rented apartment. She toured the whole compound only to find out all units are infested with termites. She was so disappointed that her properties are at stake. Imagine how threatening it is to let your investment go to waste?
A week after the discovery she immediately asked for the services of a pest control team in our locale. Thus, drywood termite treatment was immediately applied.

Yesterday was a slow Sunday for our family. WE shared lunch, of course noisily. It took me awhile to serve lunch because i prepared everything from scratch.
I bought ingredients from the local market about 9:00 am. Then i started cooking at around eleven. Would you believe i finished at 2 pm?
So we had fresh Yellow fin Tuna. It was so fresh the lady just cut/sliced one big fish when i chose it. I marinated the tuna in citrus, soy sauce, black pepper and garlic, then deep-fried them. Here they are:

Then i bought fresh melon and prepared it with ripe mangoes, and other tropical fruits like papaya, pineapple, etc. Poured some condensed milk over the sliced fruits, voila!
Of course, lunch would not be complete without noise, chatter and constant teasing. So if you ask me what was for lunch? I would say: Noise!

It is already April in a few days' time. Time truly flies like a wind. It was like just the Christmas season yesterday, yet it has been four months already. Where did the days go? In no time we are halfway the year again. Then it will be Christmas season again. How funny it is to know that everyone has gotten old by another year. Me? I have not felt it at all. LOL.
Come June which is just three months away, my mother will be celebrating her birthday. She will be 67 years old already. The last fifteen years, she has spent alone as a widow. One tough cookie, my mom is.
Now I am thinking of what to give her for her birthday. Maybe I can give her something that she would use or something that she will fancy. She is not really into too much fancy things. Seldom does she wear the jewelries my siblings have given her. She is not into high fashion kind of thing.
I am thinking of giving her QRay bracelet. It has natural comfortable fit and lighter weight that she might love. I can order it online and that is the most convenient part.

My two older daughters have been invited by their cousin, again. They left for the city just this afternoon. Well, since it is summer and they have no commitments or scheduled activities yet, I let them go.
Up to now there are still no concrete plans for definite activities they will do or join during their summer vacation. The other week they stayed in Zambales (another province) for their swimming adventures with cousins. Now they will be in Manila for a week.
So right now, there are only three of us here in the house. My dear hubby and my little princess are with me. It's a little quiet but not totally.
I was surfing awhile ago. Thus, i found this online...

You Belong in Paris

Stylish and expressive, you were meant for Paris. The art, the fashion, the wine! Whether you're enjoying the cafe life or a beautiful park... You'll love living in the most chic place on earth.

What City Do You Belong In?

Wow! Am i that romantic? Maybe i should visit Paris before I get too old to travel. My sisters went there last year. But i was not with them. So that should be one place I should go to with my everdearest husband.

I religiously segregate my trash. Everyday, i separate our non-biodegradable waste from the biodegradable. For me, segregating my trash helps me think that i do not contribute to the high volume of plastic or any non-biodegradable waste dumped everyday.
For the non-biodegradable waste that my family throws everyday, we have designated pit at the back of our house. My dear hubby dug it sometime last year. So all our biodegradable goes to that pit.
Our dear laundry woman, who comes here every week, collects our used plastic recyclables. She sells them to plastic scrap buyers such as Recycled Polymers. In fact, there is actually money from HDPE scraps.

I find this tag very sensible. It lets me be grateful for the people around me. So my thanks for Juliana for including me in the list.
What am i grateful for? There are innumerable things that i am grateful for but here are the top five:

To my parents, especially my Mama (and Papa who died 15 years ago)- I am grateful. In spite, despite of how i was and all life's in-between, they were there.

I will not forget my 7 siblings for this! Because your weirdness and presence keep me as myself and grateful for all the help you give.

My husband because he accepts me without ifs and buts.He understands my idiosyncrasies., moods and imperfections but loves me anyway. Yay!

My Tres Marias, Frances, Sophia and Emmanuelle! . Even if i am the most imperfect Mom they can only have, they give me reason to be a better person. Everyday, they never fail to show how me how rosy life tomorrow is! Thanks for your presence...

All my friends, real or virtual, should be mentioned here. They accept me because i am me.
Blogosphere people! Yes, because you all keep me excited, thrilled and truly grateful everyday!

Now here are the friends i like to invite to do this tag:
Arlene
Liza
Liza of Mommy's little Corner
Juliana
ChocMintGirl
Grace
Mitch of Etc Atbp
Ruby
Rachel's dot com
Nancy's Peaceful Mind
Jenny
Vina of on a Wonderful Day

In order to be able to achieve and maintain happiness we need to, actively, be able to do two things: Complain and then let go (Dump the baggage, the roadblocks to happiness.) Express Gratitude (The open expression of gratitude promotes happiness.) After all everyone has something to be grateful for and/or something to complain about. If you would like to share, please follow the appropriate link and do so: “Are You Grateful?”, “Complain Complain Complain.”
Add your name to the current List of Contributors: 1-Attitude, the Ultimate Power 2-Max 3-DianaCA’s Metamorphoses 4-Mental Poo 5-My Thoughts 6-Baba Doodlius 7-Wake Up America 8-Life is a Roller Coaster 9-Life is beautiful 10-Pinay Mommy Online 11-Nelle-LucidCreativity 12- Juliana of PinayWahm 13. Hailey of Hailey's Beats and Bits 14. NEXT please

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About two months ago when our PC was going bonkers, I was thinking how we could squeeze a new laptop into our family budget. Being "credit card free" nowadays, we can only use cash to procure items for our household. Every item we buy such as clothing and appliances should always be in cash basis. We chose to be credit card free because before we were neck-deep with our credit card bills that we just had to let go of having one.

So my husband and i really wished for a new laptop. Not knowing where to find that much cash for a new one, we just monitored out expenses day in and day out. Knowing we were aiming for the best bargain of laptop, we just had to let go of small pleasures of impulse buying. Then suddenly a bigger account for his business came. We were ecstatic to have extra amount in the budget. I added some of my earnings to it thus we were able to get a new one. Of course we paid it in cash.

Had I known that there are coupons which can be used for buying online, it could have been an extra bonus. Even medicines have coupon code for Drugstore.com

My kids, who are enrolled in an alternative school, had recently studied about the miracle plant: Malunggay. Their lesson's theme revolved around Malunggay. Thus these are some of the activities they did to discover about the miracle plant:

1.Researched about the nutritional content of Malunggay and did a Science report about it
2. Read about an article published in the Manila Bulletin Sunday Magazine about Malunggay plant
3. Dried some Malunngay leaves for three days then they cooked Malunggay flavored Puto (rice cake).
4. Went around the school letting people taste their Malunggay Puto then interviewed the respondents about the product.
5. Had their Math about percentage using the Malunggay Puto recipe measurements.
5. Had Focus Group Discussions about the entire experience!

Fun. Fun time to learn, right?

Personal finance is not my cup of tea. I always find myself of disinterest to issues regarding money matters. However, at this time of my life, i feel i need to focus on learning the ropes about money matters. I am the finance and budget officer of our home so i better shape up or we will all ship out. LOL.
As i needed to learn about it, I browsed through many sites. I found others too personal while others are informative. Many articles helped me to learn how to manage my income. Other articles are "new knowledge" for me.
I find it funny and ironic that it is only now that i concern myself with money-related issues. I should have been more concern about this after my wedding day eleven years ago, but i guess it is out of need now that's why i want to learn more. It is not too late to open the idea that i can still gear-up our family's finances.
Money article comments helped me learned so much. I saw different perspectives and information-packed articles that can help me get through finances. Even if there is really not much that we have that i need to manage, it still pays to be informed.

Sweltering summer heat is affecting my disposition already. For three days, i have been nursing a headache, due to high temperature outside. Mr. Sun seems to be on an overtime.

Yesterday i had to take 3 showers: morning , noon and night time. I needed to because of my splitting headache. In a tropical country like mine, summer is equivalent to scorching heat.

I abhor getting out of the house at this time of the season. I would rather hibernate and blog till i drop!

(image from new.ohsah.bc.ca/media/sun.gif)

Lets101 - Online Dating

I was surfing online and chanced in this lifelockblog. I learned that everyone is prone to be a victim of identity theft. I got scared. I know i need to protect myself from identity theft.
Have you availed of the lifelock promotion code? This can help in protecting my identity for good.

I received a text from my eldest sister. It read like this:

"In commemoration of his life, let us remember Wilfredo (my father) who was killed in the line of duty. He stands in the unbroken line of patriots who have dared to die so that justice might live and grow and increase its blessing. He lives in a way that humbles the undertaking of most men."

This text jolted me. This is what is written on my father's epitaph. My memories flashed back fifteen years ago. My father was shot and killed while on duty in the Police Force. He left behind 8 children and my mom.

I was 19 then and barely out of college when he died. We were devastated. But we managed to move on.

What do Lindsay Lohan, Kate Moss, Robert Downey Jr. and Nicole Richie have in common? Aside from being famous for their celebrity status, they have made headlines about issues on drugs. They have also managed to redeem themselves through the issue by undergoing addiction treatment . Media have always highlighted the lives of these celebrities thus every move they make was oftentimes monitored.
It must have been difficult for those aforementioned celebrities to start anew. Had I been in their shoes, I would find it difficult to regain back the life before addiction. It would be a challenge for me, had I been in their shoes. It will take much courage but for sure it can be done.
Despite the different issues on drug abuses and addiction, these celebrities were able bounce back. Bouncing back is not easy but there are sure different ways to be able to gain back the life meant for them.

However, there are always solutions for every difficulty, right? Among those solutions that can make us better people is by admitting that we are at fault then starting all over again. Like most often quoted line: What can’t kill us will make us stronger. Do you agree?

I was talking to my colleagues this morning. We a re a hosting a forum in school and the theme is about having a healthy lifestyle.
WE were immersed in our discussion for a while. We concluded that having a simple lifestyle is not easy in this commercialized world. But it is more peaceful to have a less complicated lifestyle.

Simple lifestyle means:

Less wanting for material things
More natural diet
Less use of synthetics
Unwired/wireless life
Simple joys from simple pleasures or cheap thrills
More human relationship than technology dependence

When i was a student in college, i used to weigh 90 lbs. I measure 5'4'' in height. However, as time went by i know i have gained weight. I attribute this to my age and my lifestyle. I do not exercise and too tired to even think about such things. Maybe in due time i will try doing this; that's what i always tell myself. However the problem is: when will i say that it is the due time? Everyday i notice that my middle part is getting thicker and thicker. I feel sluggish when i walk a longer distance than my usual routine of walking. Even if i weigh only 118 lbs these days, i know i still need to lose weight. I know i need to find time to do this but for now i am aware that the idea of losing weight is a positive thought.
If I compare healthy weight loss diets like Weight Watchers Online, Medifast, eDiets.com, Jillian Michaels, South Beach Diet and Nutrisystem, i know i can find one which is appropriate for me. I know there are ways which would suit my lifestyle and my needs. For this i am glad to be aware that there are choices to follow.

Yesterday was my youngest daughter's graduation from preschool. After the ceremony she was jumping up and down. "Yipeee, i am now a grade schooler!" She was so happy.

I realized how time flew so fast. My little princess is now a big girl. Is she ready for big school? Will she be able to cope with the demands of Grade school? How will she cope with new classmates?

Being weak and having ashtma is one apprehension i have for her. That's why i decided to have her home schooled. It is my first time to home school. I hope we both enjoy it.

Take another quizz by structured settlement annuity buyer.

Do you believe that everything happens for a reason? Sometimes I do believe in this. Although there are times when we cannot comprehend how things are happening and why they are happening. But for everything that happens there should be underlying reasons; no matter how unexplainable the events are. Sometimes when things are fun and favorable on our part, we seldom reflect the consequences of our decisions. As long as we are okay with what we do, we seem to be least concern of the consequences of our actions, right?
As much as we always have the free will to decide for ourselves, there are things that go beyond our control. Not only do these things affect us or our relationships with others but also our focus and dispositions. Thus, when things are not turning positive, it is the time when we need help from others. Help from others comes in different forms and one such help is rehabilitation for Substance Abuse that really works. Availing of such things can help us really bounce back to our normal lifestyle. And when things are in proper order, they can help us focus on the necessary routines or responsibilities that need our full undivided attention.

Tagged by Mitch
I have randomly selected 5 of you below to be tagged and I hope that you will similarly publish this post in your blog. You have to tag 5 other bloggers and just keep adding on to the list. (Do not replace, just keep on adding! Yes let’s hope a long list!) It’s real easy! Tag others and see your Technorati Authority increase exponentially!

The benefits of Viral Linking:

1. One of the fastest ways to see your Technorati Authority explode!
2. Increase your Google PageRank fast
3. Attract large volume of new traffic to your site
4. Build your community
5. Make new friends!

And these are the people who already took part on this tag:
Blognation, Pinoytek Reyna,
Bluep,,Kotsengkuba, Buraot, Iris, Bangco de Reyna,Mitchteryosa Etc Atbp Hailey's Beats and Bits,, next please...
I am tagging Liza, Jenny and Juliana,

My best friend is leaving next month. I felt rushes mixed emotions when she told me she was leaving for good. I could not pin down the feeling that is inside me. Partly, I was happy for her because she would devote her time again acquiring another degree, which is Doctoral degree in Veterinary Medicine. To some extent, I feel gloomy because I will not be seeing her for the longest time.

One upon a time, we were young, free and full of dreams. We dreamed of many things one of which is setting up our business of novelty shop for home and office decorations, personalized/handcrafted items for giveaways or personalized private plates for cars. That was long ago.

There were so many years we spent together, from my freshman year in the University up to today. Eighteen years of friendship is no joke. Seldom do I meet a person whom I cherish for a lifetime. Next to my husband, she is the only one.

Truly, madly I will miss her.

It is very hot in our place today. The sun is so bright outside. The heat is on because it is summer already! People are packing up their belongings and trooping to the beaches.

Since we live in an archipelago, beaches are everywhere. People spend more time frolicking in the water to abate the heat of the summer. Resorts and private pools are also fully-packed these days.

My two daughters came back yesterday. After spending three days in the beach, the looked roasted if not burned. My second child burned her skin that she looks so dark than her usual fair skin.

My husband is so into his business these days. After months of really working on the setting-up, he has finally settled the marketing strategies of his business. Since he knows what he is selling, he can talk about the details of every project he offers. He can truly engage his clients from the smallest of the details to the grandest of plans.
Sometimes in our discussions, we always end up debating how to standardize the “relativity of needs”, as he calls it, of the customers. The term makes me smile because he was Physics major after all. But what he means by this is for every customer, there are specific needs. So he has to tailor every detail of the project he handles to whatever the customer wants or needs.
I think that is how the market is right now. To be able to cater to the desires and wishes or parameters of the clients, the business has to be flexible. If you go online these days most businesses are into customized programs for clients’ need from mortgage loans to buying houses to everything else we need. To keep the businesses going, versatility of offers should be available to go well with the needs of the customers.

It is a slow day for us. My two girls have not yet arrived from their 4-day trip to Zambales. I only have hubby and my little one with me for the last four days. Although phone calls and texting have been constantly exchanged between us, it is still a fact that I miss the two. But I always decide to let them go and join those trips because I know they will learn from those trips and practice independence.

They are coming home tonight. They called yesterday and informed us they would still be spending one night in Manila in my sister’s house. They like to stay there. They like to be pampered with the luxuries and comforts of my sister’s house. Well, who wouldn’t?

It is a treat to live in a fully air-conditioned house, lots of house helpers and food. They can play on-line games unlimited. They can use their cousin’s techy-gadgets and play all day long. In other words, it is way too different than our lifestyle. LOL. But they know that and are aware that those are temporary perks than permanent.

I am always thankful that my siblings take good care of them, all the time!

Yesterday we paid our house rent. So we bid goodbye to our earning again. It is quite taxing to always pay regularly and yet never owning anything in the end. But as you know ours is a growing family and we send three children to private school that is why we cannot afford to get our own house.

So my husband and i were talking about our long term plans. Part of the conversation went to getting a mortgage so we can have our own house. We also like to believe that it is more practical for a house which we can own at the end, rather than renting this apartment.

There are those simple, fast mortgage. This new idea is really being considered by the both of us.

Here are the pictures of my little one during the trips we made around Philippine provinces Batangas and Quezon, respectively.
Well, what can you say about these pictures/poses?





During the trips she was the gang's chatter box. She never had a quiet moment. I was always caught off guard with her questions and queries. Relatives who were with us during the trip had the taste of how it is to be her parent. It's not easy to be expected with all the answers, but it is totally a challenge.

I have filed my leave for one year, around the middle of March. Until today there is no response from my boss. I have not been called for a meeting or given any memo of reply. My filed leave is effective April of this year. I am so excited to be a stay at home mom for one year! In fact, I can picture my daily grind and routine. I plan to home school my two younger kids at least for one year. While i do blogging on the sides, i can still perform my task as wife and mom.
Now my next role is to be the finance officer of the house. I have been doing this role ever since but now it will be a one-income household. I need to really be careful how i spend our household income because all the cash flows will be dependent on my financial skills.
Now that it is only my husband who will “bring home the bacon” I need to really monitor our spending. Although I am reflective when it comes to money, I still need to be more meticulous about every centavo we spend. Otherwise, we will live through payday loans.

I went out today. Out of my comfort zone and routine, i went to the mall with my family. Of course i enjoyed the trip. I enjoyed being with my family.
Then i suddenly realized, i ought to love myself more often than i usually do. I owe myself its due attention and respect. I ought to "splurge" for myself too; cause most of the time i think for the other members of my family more often, than i think of myself.
How about you? How often do you think of yourself? Do you think more of others than yourself or vice versa? It is hard to think straight and answer my own questions...

How does one know that indeed he or she is the right one? How did you know that your partner is the real one for you? What are exactly the parameters in knowing that he or she is the one you are looking for to be your soulmate? Are there really signs and indicators that the person you are dating is the one for you? In this age and time when there are many people or personalities to choose from it is sometimes confusing to know who is the right one or true love for you, right?
Others believe it is the commonality that can bind two people together. Many people believe that it is the opposites that attract two different individuals to complement one another. Some however, knows that beliefs and values will for sure build the same perspective to have a perfect relationship. How about you? How did you know that he or she is the one who is perfectly carved for you? There are those who log on to online personals that provide dating services. There are different people who can meet online and truly choose the one who should not be able to get away! Because one should really know if he or she is the perfect mate.

For the last three days, my two older kids are not in our house. They were invited to a three-day swimming trip to Zambales. It is a province about 6-7 hours drive away from ours. My 6 siblings are with them.My sister who owns a company treated her staff to that three day swimming vacation.

Weeks before the trip, my kids ( ages 8 and 10) were really excited. They were planning what to do and visualizing how the event would be like, for them. They are used to the idea that i send them (on their own) with my sisters to long trips such as this one. As far as i can remember, they had trips to different provinces since 2003 when they were just four and 6 years olds, consecutively. The places they had gone to are: Quezon province (2x), Bataan, Zambales (2x), Cebu, Bohol and one was a trip to Baguio.

My kids loved those trips. They fend for themselves, but is supervised by my sisters. The trips helped them be independent and dreamed of going to farther places someday.

Whenever I look at my mother, who is almost 67 years old, I admire her face. She looks young for her age. She looks way younger than her 67 years of hardships, trials and adventures. She does not have many wrinkles. Is it her skin care products? But I know she has very simple skin care regimen. Or is it her disposition in life?
Her face shows strength and contentment. On her face, you can read how she has gone through in life. Yet she has a glow in her eyes that can really be seen whenever she begins to talk about her children or her present life.

Despite being a widow for the last, 15 years, she still manages to find happiness and joy in her own way. In spite of being a single parent to her 8 kids for the last 15 years, she managed to carry on with her life, and she still does. She makes her own fun by doing different activities everyday. She goes out everyday, talks to people, does errands for the house, commutes to far places alone, has her own small businesses, buys groceries, manages her own banks accounts and finances, etc…She looks forward to life, everyday!

How did you spend your Black Friday? A friend of mine from U.S. said it was like any other day in their City the never sleeps. Although some establishments are on holiday,most banks and businesses are open as usual.
I spent the day on the road. Aboard the car, i spent the day with my mother, youngest daughter, husband and a few relatives trekking around the nearby provinces. It was tiring but again a new adventure to speak of, while meditating the Holiness of the day.
We trooped to Batangas. We visited the towns of Sto. Tomas, Lipa City and Talisay.


We church-hopped and prayed along the way. After praying in different churches, we went to Tagaytay, a cooler place to be in the midst of the summer heat. We gobbled down mouth watering food from the local restaurants and went home happy...

My sister in law is always placing calls . Her husband works for a car company out of the country. More often than not, she makes it a point to call from the Philippines almost every other day. She needs to update him regarding events and issues about their family. Calls keep their communication lines open and update. She should try Mrlongdistance.

I am tired tonight. My mother and her relatives, who happen to be my relatives also, asked us to accompany them to the same place we went to yesterday. So we traveled back to the place where we went to yesterday.

When we arrived in the place there were so many people. In fact when we moved up to pray along the way, we could barely move. Families came in troops from all over the country. Adults and children alike flocked to the place because today is Maundy Thursday already.

It was a tiring bur fulfilling day again. It is good to be able to reflect and pray along the course of the day. Although the day was hot and grimy, the idea of spending it praying with your loved ones is a consolation.

I was talking to my sister in law last weekend. I was asking her about her husband over seas. We were actually talking about family matters. And she was sharing with me about being a single parent has really taken its toll on disciplining their children. She said if there was one reason that she would invite her husband to go home, it would be because of the children.
I think it is a tough job being a single parent. If having a partner in disciplining the children can sometimes make me go bonkers, how much more being alone and lonely without a partner to support?
Then our conversation veered away towards communication between the couple. Distance truly separates and she is more than grateful for the technology nowadays. Because of internet the communication line is constant. For quite a time we were talking, the topic made uscompare high speed ISP service providers. She said that her internet connection is fast enough for their needs. It suits her family’s wishes to get connected everyday. She is more than happy, as I am happy with our internet connection .
I am glad they get connected because the most important thing to preserve is their family. Thus, without the communication line it will surely get affected by their set up.

Yesterday we went out of town. It was fun and relaxing. Let me tell you about it.
My husband’s family has a tradition that they do every year. Every Maundy Thursday the family goes on doing the Way of the Cross or we call it Visita Iglesia locally. The tradition means going to different fourteen churches to pray. This means one station of the cross for every church.
However, we did it differently this time. We just visited one church but it is a Healing Center named “God’s Healing Hands” in Lucban, Quezon Philippines. It is located on a hill and as we prayed, we were going up the hill.
There were many people praying. There were different people of different ages. It was tiring but fulfilling. I enjoyed being with my in-laws. After 11 years of marriage I have learned to embrace them as my own family.

It is Holy Week again in our place. This week sums up to long vacation and unlimited gathering of families. Most really spend their week resting and reflecting. Our family used to spend this week in quiet retreat of our home. Most do not do any work or tiring activities. As Christians we simply reflect about life and how we spend our lifestyle in the perspective of our beliefs.
As far as I can remember, when we were little kids there were not much to do during this kind of vacation. Most establishments are closed; people were either on vacation or deep in reflection. Television stations are usually off the air during this time of the year. Most people just stay at home.
When we were children we simply stay at home play card games, read tease each other, eat, sleep and tinker with our toys. There were not many to do and adults have religious beliefs to follow.
Now that I am an adult, I find myself more and more excited to reflect during this week. There are actually a lot to think about my life than I was when I was a kid. Maybe I am getting really old. Maybe my life now is more complicated than before, right?

I am raising three kids of my own. That is one of the things I can be very proud of. I had my child-bearing years when I was 24, 25 and 28 years old consecutively. While giving births, I had a teaching career on the side. I was not prepared for such enormous responsibilities of raising kids, who were coming in succession, while other people of same age were partying and storming the corporate worlds for knock-out careers, I was tending to my babies. I could not compete with those who have the luxury of time for their careers. I needed, and I still do, to devote my time because there was point when my three children were all under the age of five.

Young, a new parent and unprepared, I helped myself with constant readings about parenting books and attending parenting workshops. I knew parenting was the "career" for me. I believe that parenting my kids is my life-long calling. This life-long vocation means no ifs, no buts and no conditions.

After almost eleven years of devoting my time to my children I have the following that hold true for me:

1. Catch them being good. Never ever hold positive praises.
2. Communicate to them about good, bad or worse things. Do not just talk to them.
3. Provide all the good things. Not necessarily luxury or comfort. What counts is the experience and learning they can get.
4. Answer when they ask questions. Nothing is too silly for learning.
5. Set them free. Let them be with variety of people. If they can differentiate the good that you taught them from the bad, they can evaluate the difference.
6. Let them be exposed to other cultures. It will teach them to be open-minded and less judgmental of people.
7. Be careful that they not only hear what I say, but they observe how you live.
8. Love them unconditionally. They will reciprocate it to anyone.
9. Pro-longed gratification brings better EQ than instant rewards.
10. Choices bring forth better decision-making.
11. More often than not, love is spelled as T-I-M-E which means no rewind, no replay.

(image from www.sci-con.org)

Arlene gave me this award. She's such a good friend here in the blogosphere. We have been in constant communication through our blogs and emails. I am glad i found goos friends like her in the blog world.
Thanks Arlene for making my stay in the blogosphere more interesting and full of color. I really look forward to my time on line.

I pass this to Jenny and Juliana

I do need funds to get our car for a repair. Getting repairs for cars cost a fortune these days. Aside from the parts and labor, there are other cost which will really knock me off my budget.


Now, just to follow trends have you ever thought of getting personalized number plates? That would be cool, right? I think i will choose something fancy but thought-provoking. In fact i saw number plates like this: I81B4U.

Go figure.

This is the easy way and the fastest way to :

1. Make your Authority Technorati explode.
2. Increase your Google Page Rank.
3. Get more traffic to your blog.
4. Makes more new friends.

Rules :

1. Start copy from “Begin Copy” until “End Copy” to your blog.
2. Put your own blog name and link.
3. Tag your friends as much as you can.

4.Picturing of Life 2. Juliana’s Site 3. Hazel-My Life, My Hope, My Future.4. Jeanne-The Callalily Space5.My Family is my Life 6. My Life is Peachy 7. Me and my two boys 8. Paul, Toni and Lance - Bridging the Distance 9. Our Growing Family, 10.
Sweetbites by bang11. Hailey's Beats and Bits


Can Arlene of Midlife Dancing , Liza of Moms...check Nyo! and Juliana of Pinay WAHM, tag along?

I found this in Joan Joyce's blog. You might find it interesting to comment on. Of course it is from Malu Fernandez (again!). Either she really wants to be controversial because no one gives her enough attention or worse than this...
Well, what do you think of her opinion that blogging is a "slacker job"? Does she rally know what blogging is all about? Does she even have a blog?

I do not know how to drive. I fear driving as of this stage in my life. I do not know why. I cannot explain why also. Most of the people I know are already braving driving long distances, but I remain clueless how to drive a small vehicle. Just like being able to ride a bicycle took me a long time to learn. I think I was already a teenager when I learned how to ride a bicycle.
It is still an issue in our home that I do not know how to drive. My husband always says that in case of emergency, he has no one to help him or bring him to the hospital because I do not know how to drive. He always jokes that I will be left to carry him, which is quite impossible since he weighs around 180-190 lbs.

Then I read online that there is already air ambulance service. Just in case there are critical conditions or emergency situations, air ambulance can provide service thru charter flights. Isn’t this a relief because we do not know when we will need extra care?
This is one advantage of browsing online. Being informed through the internet or technology truly has its advantages.

It is unbelievable that i have already posted 275 articles in this blog! With less than a year of blogging i have written that number of posts! And believe it or not, each post has at most 400 words and at least 50. That sums up to gazzilion letters i tinkered in my keyboard!
Now i can truly say that if one loves what one does, one can really be unaware how time passes. I love blogging. I love writing and i love meeting new friends! I love being able to do what i am "obsessed" about. Or should i call it, passion?

The last few months were grueling for my eyes. I have been abusing my eyes staring at computer screen, reading blogs, dropping cards for traffic, analyzing internet marketing, reading codes for my blog, decoding html, evaluating validity of my write-ups, putting links here and there, creating link backs, posting tags, posting memes, reading rumors over the net and enjoying every bit and pieces of the digital internet world. Raise the hands of those who do not feel the same way as I am? Thus, I feel I owe my eyes its due care.
There are times that even in my sleep I feel the veins in my eyes are really tired. Sometimes my eye lids are also twitching when I am in front of the computer for long hours. I feel my eyes are getting abused, by no other person but me!
Sometimes when I wake up my eyeballs feel heavy and weary. Thus, I searched online for remedies for my eye weariness and I found I need to wear eyeglasses. Not because my eyes are already in critical condition but more of helping my eyes are protected from too much use or harm.
I found $ 8 Zenni Optical Rx Eyeglasses helpful for my situation now. Not only they are reliable and sturdy but very affordable!

I married very young. Thus, i was barely aware of how married life would be and yet i took the plunge. Do i regret it? No.

There are actually advantages of marrying early. One of them is seeing my kids grow while i still grow on my own. I can relate to them because there is not so huge age or generation gap. I like what they do and vice versa. I can also see them off on their own while i am still young. Based on my calculations, i will be a grandma at my late 4o's. Yeah that is true because at around 48 my eldest will be 25-26 and my youngest will be 21. So by the time i am about early or mid 50's, i can retire. LOL.

However, what i do not perceive to be the advantage of marrying young is that it is hard to establish a career. While others can spend their time at work planning a promotion or getting another degree, i was giving births to my babies, rearing toddlers and walking like zombie at work due to lack of sleep when babies were cranky!

Well, that's my 2 cents worth of thoughts for now.

What do you do on Friday nights? Are you the type who sits in front of the computer or TV with a bucket of popcorn with your jammies? Or are you the type who goes out, have a few drinks, meet new people and spend the night partying while in search for a perfect mate?
If you are too busy with your career or family to do the second choice, worry no more! Save time and effort searching for the perfect one. There are matchmaking services which you can click on line. Upon doing so there are plethoras of choices for you to choose from. There is not just one or two matchmaking services but a whole range to choose from.
If you are the type of person who believes that variety is the key in choosing your perfect match, this site is for you. Not only does the site provide information about a few sites but even the smallest detail that will suit your fancy is there. Since there are many to choose from details of the dating site are available to go well with your choices and desires.
So grab that popcorn and computer mouse, let’s see who will be able to search for a soul mate.

Two more days and i will filing my leave of absence. Hopefully, it will get accepted by my boss. I do hope no hitches come along with it.
I know i have not been performing well for the last three months. But hopefully they will understand that i really, really like to go out of my work the soonest possible time. It's like having one of my foot out already.
So far that is my concrete decision. My husband supports it. And that is what is more important.

I think one of the key factors of having a successful blog is to have a very reliable web host. That’s one thing I realized when I was trying to start up my other blog with its own domain name. However for me that is not that well versed with all the web host details out there, I normally ask for my hubby’s opinion on this (actually, I let him deal with all the details).

So when I came across an article about a guide to web hosting, I came to a conclusion that its not that complicated at all. I have to say that Kaushal’s guide was quite helpful although there was only three compared hosting companies. For a newbie like me in this area, that is already a lot of information to digest. Check it out and evaluate from your experience on what is the perfect hosting site base on your wants and needs.

My blogger friends were also bugged and troubled by the pop ups. Most with page ads were really put into panic. Since paid blogs should cater to specific advertisers, there should be no doubling. It created a buzz among bloggers.

My friend Arlene, changed her template. Juliana was sleepless in New York trying to fix the problem. These are paid bloggers who need to keep trouble and hassle free blogs.

Now we know that the widget brought the pop-ups. The codes were embedded in widgets. Since most were free and "cut and pasted" widgets, it brought that pop-ups along. Now it is fixed.

Here’s a quick tip to fellow bloggers who’s trying to figure out how to bring in high traffic to their site. Check out Buzzfuse.com. This site offers viral marketing for blogs. Also, it not only helps you promote your blog but also gives you the opportunity to earn real money for each of the top-performing post you make.

It is my second child this time who is absent from school. She has stomach ache and frequent trips to the comfort room. Thus, she was not able to take her exams yesterday.

Since we all had to go to our appointments, she was left home alone! Yes, my eight years old was left alone to fend for herself. I told her to call us through our phones should something terrible happen.

She just drank lots of water and went to sleep. Then i let her drink ah oriental herb to stop her tummy ache. Now, she's up and well. She's ready for the day!

I am glad my little princess is up, well and running around now. After a week of being out of school and home with me, she is finally okay. Thank God she is well.
Memories of her being confined in the hospital two years ago bring horrible emotions to me. Back then, I did not know she has asthma. She was already weak as a vegetable when I brought her to the hospital. But I know that will not happen again because I am really extra careful not tire her, or let her tire herself or be exposed to allergens.
Hospitals are the last place that I want to be. The only thing that amused me during the last time we were there was the fancy and hippy Medical Uniforms of the hospital staff. They were all over the place in their cutest Medical Uniforms. It gave a breath of fresh air to the patients.

I went to work today. I went for the sake of going. I know, I know many of you will say that i should be thankful because I have work. But i am sooooo bored with it already. I just want to go back home every time I arrive to my workplace. Bad sign, right?

I need to move on and out. I am just waiting for financial matters in the family to settle and i am ready to go. My children are also psyched up that i have to leave my work already. I have already talked to them already. It is just me who is lagging. Even hubby has made up his mind that it will be healthier for me to leave my work. I will just blog.

Blog marketing is so in today. Everyone i know seems to be immersed online. Boy, i am glad i got into this. Now i cannot imagine my life without the idea of blogging. Not a day passes without me tinkering in my computer, surfing or doing online work. More than be fun, it's rewarding!

Let me ask you: can you imagine your life without blogging? Can you go back to the life with less or no use of the internet at all? I cannot.

Now as i was surfing online hours ago, i found Snapbomb. Something new and exciting so i immediately read its site. Hmm. Why not create my buzz?

Arlene, a blogger friend of mine tagged me with this. Finally, i will be able to tag along because i have my laptop now. Yaahuuuuuuuu! So here it goes:

I AM...thinnest among 8 siblings of mine (my weight now is 118 lbs. with 5'4" after having 3 kids)

I WANT...a vacation.

I HAVE...three smart daughters.

I WISH...to travel more.

I HATE...people who brag about what they have or know.

I FEAR...driving.

I SEARCH...everything online.

I WONDER...how i will die.

I REGRET...not pursuing my Master's degree (units only).

I LOVE...my husband to the highest level!

I ALWAYS...spend time at home and with family.

I AM NOT...rich...yet.LOL.

I DANCE..when happy

I SING...only when at home.

I CRY...over disappointments.

I WRITE...very frequently.

I WON...eternal life because Jesus died on the cross for my sins.(same with Arlene)

I AM CONFUSED...with Math.

I NEED...to have a break.

I SHOULD...be thankful for all the graces i have daily.

THE LAST THOUGHT YOU GO TO SLEEP WITH IS...what does God think of me?

Now, let me tag Juliana and Liza

I am looking forward to the day i will really be off from work. Yay!. There are already so many things to do that i have lined up. The feeling of excitement is just bursting inside me.
My youngest actually is the one who looks forward to this decision that i have made. She said she can play with me more frequently. She plans to go on biking all day long and that i have to watch how she bikes. In fact, she said i should always be beside her the moment i am off from work.
Here are a few things i plan to do:
clean the house to the highest level, learn html/coding, cook recipes which are not ordinary, read more, surf more, put up an online business, update my kitchen utensils, and many others! This may sound utterly boring for others, but not for me. I want to be where my heart is: home. See you around!

My kids are going camping this week. They have been invited by a classmate to go to their farm come Thursday and Friday. The girls have been bugging me to pack their things and allow them to go camping. Hubby and i are still thinking about it. With Dengue and Typhoid fevers rampant near our place, is it safe to allow them?
I do not know if i am just exaggerating with over-protectiveness but i do sound like one heck of a mother in panic over my children's safety.
The city next to ours has been declared as calamity area due to Typhoid fever outbreak so you cannot blame me.
But still i am sure they will miss loads of fun if they do not go to the camp. If i were you, what will you do?

So when my hubby woke up this morning i told him about the pop ups. Upon "interrogation" what did i do to create the pop-ups he sat in front of the laptop and did the necessary blocks. It took him a while to do it.

He said that the pop-ups seemed to be embedded in the html of the widget. I wonder how did that happen? How can those interference happen to my blog? Who could have done this to my blog?

Now i am wary to put on different widget on this blog. Just cutting and pasting codes, which are Greek to me, is not that safe anymore. Be careful with yours.

Have you seen or heard of Soy Candles ? It is my first time to see one. I thought all candles are made of pure wax. Now there is something new. This soy candle is more friendly to the environment because it is biodegradable. There are actually more benefits given by candles made of soy because it is healthier. So if you want to enjoy that soothing home spa and relaxation try Soy Candles .

I got a scare this morning. When i opened my blog, i found pop-ups in all the links! I did not know what to do. I did not know how to block the pop-outs. Hubby was still asleep so i waited.
Then a blogger friend e-mailed me saying that indecent pop-outs were appearing in my blog when one logs in. What? I was in panic.
Then what i was uncomfortable about is the fact that the links i have put in the blog will go bonkers. What about those i did for different ads?
Then hubby had to change the template just to make sure the pop ups won't appear. I had to re-submit one post because of the sudden pop-ups. Did that ever happen to you?

I live in an archipelago. Wherever place I go there are different bodies of water to enjoy and have endless fun: kayaking, boating, fishing, swimming, white water rafting, water skiing, speed boating and many, many, other extreme adventures that I can truly get pleasure from.

I do dream of going on a cruise, whether river cruises or long luxurious cruises. I fantasize on having drinks and dips around the cruise line, with family and friends; partying till the break of dawn and engaging in endless conversations. Wow. That will be the ultimate treat and vacation for a hard-working, multi-tasked mother like me.
Let’s go!

Juliana has three blogs: My World, My Library and Juliana's Lair. She is holding a contest. And this is what she says about it:

"As my way of thanking my readers, my blogger friends and my constant visitors, I’ll be giving away cash prizes to contest participants with the highest accumulated points across all my three blogs.

1st place - $100.00
2nd place - $ 55.00
3rd place - $ 40.00
4th place - $ 30.00
5th place - $ 25.00

The contest starts today,(March 2,2008) as soon as this post is published and ends on July 19, 2008. Contest winners will be announced on July 23, 2008.

Here’s how to earn points:

1. Comment on my blog posts.
- Every comment is equivalent to 1 point. You can only leave a maximum of two(2) comments per post and the comments should be relevant to the post.
- Comments on my posts starting from entries written starting February 24 ,2008 counts. Only comments written starting today, March 2, 2008 are valid.

2. Copy and paste then publish this entry about the contest on your blog.
- You earn 30 points.
- Please inform me of the link so I can validate and add the points you earned.

3. Mention this contest on your blog by linking to this post.
- You earn 20 points.
- Again, please leave me a comment notifying me about this so I can credit your points.

4. To add an element of fun, since many of my readers have been asking about how old me and hubby are, let’s play a guessing game.
- If you join the fun, and make a guess you’ll earn 10 points.
- The right guess/guesses will earn 30 points (if both ages are correct)
Only one right guess will earn 15 points.
- Again, leave me a comment so I can credit your points.
(Hint: the pictures you see on my three blogs are all current except the wedding pictures, which were taken when we celebrated our fifth wedding anniversary three years ago.)

The running accumulated points across the three blogs, will be posted on the side bars of the three blogs to keep you updated on your points earned.

Should there be a tie in any of the prizes at stake, a drawing will be held to determine the winner of that prize, and the person/s not drawn will win the next prize.

Prizes will be remitted to the Paypal accounts of the winners."

I found this site : www.quickpagerank.com and i used it to get extra facts about my blog. Here are the current facts:

PageRank 4

Alexa Rank 709,838

Listed in DMOZ No

Backlinks from Google 393

Backlinks from Yahoo 8,700

Backlinks from MSN 0

Results from AltaVista 22

Results from All the Web 3

I noticed my Alexa Rank rose, too. Including my Page Rank which has moved from 3 to 4.

(image from www.webpro.com)

Since I was spending more time online the past few months than I have ever been the past few years, I have been exposed to different experiences over the internet. And I must say for my purposes, some is enough to simulate the real thing for me. Let me illustrate.

I have never been inside a casino. I never imagine myself being in one either. However, due to the plethora of online casinos over the net these days, one can easily try and experience it for themselves. It’s as easy as pointing your mouse, a few clicks, and voila!

You can easily play the roulette, blackjack, baccarat, craps, slots, and many more!

However before launching your favorite browser, or hitting Google for a search on online casinos, there a few things you may want to consider. You may want to check out the legality of online gambling, the licenses of the site you want to play, its customer service options, etc.

Now, how to get those insider tips? Then check out Great Games Live! The site has great and useful information that can translate to an enjoyable casino experience for you. They even provide helpful tips and winnings for its players.

How do you reward yourself after an accomplishment? There are times that i feel i really have to be kinder to myself. Do you ever feel that? Do you ever tell yourself that you need a break or a reward? I seldom feel that. Maybe because i am so caught up in the whirlwind of activities in my life, everyday.

So i owe myself big time. I went out today to buy a gift for a nephew who is turning one tomorrow. And i bought myself a blouse. It 's just one cheap buy but the time i spent looking around and hanging around the mall is priceless.

Maybe going to the salon is next. Maybe getting my hair fixed through a re-bond or something of the same kind will do me good. After all there is only one me and if i am kinder to myself, i will feel good, do good and be a better wife or mom. Yeah. What do you?

Now that I have a laptop, I find no reason not to blog or be online. I can write or blog, surf, shop, chat, e-mail friends and be in contact with the whole wired world anytime. And more than that, anywhere! I can bring my laptop where ever I like to go or anytime I feel like blogging since this gadget is Wi-Fi enabled. So I can access online connection anywhere. That is a sure way to enjoy blogging more, and also earning the fun way. In fact, I am building my own domain also.
As I have mentioned earlier, there is only one thing left to do online, which I can always try: slots online. Have you tried slots online? I am still meditating about this but just for the heck of trying, and who knows if I will enjoy, I am willing to try one of these days. Are you thinking about it too?

Last night, my two older daughters were busy. They were tasked to do a scrap book about their holistic development from infancy up to present. So i joined them. We had fun.

Off we spent the whole night scouring for old pictures and photo albums. We were all teasing one another how silly they looked at some of the pictures. But all of us were amazed how fast time flew. I told them they were just babies yesterday and now they are almost as tall as my five-foot four inches height!

Yes, i know they will soon be out of the house. Or sooner than i will know it, they will spend more time with friends than with me. So i better enjoy their company now. We better build more memories that will soon be history!

School is finally coming to an end. My mind is churning again. Why? Let me count the ways:
1. I need to think of ways and means how my children can use up their time wisely and fruitfully.
2. I need to program how I can avail of my “me” time so I can focus on my projects. Please let me have this religiously.
3. There is a clamor from my second child that she wants to enroll in martial arts and baking this break. But for starters I can use our toaster-ovens. I heard from a friend that toaster-ovens are good tools to start motivation and love for baking.
4. Reflection time is needed to decide whether I will avail of home schooling or not next school year.
5. I have to lay-out how I can work on the budget without my usual income. Summer break is the best time to re-organize our finances because there are no school expenses.

i was very excited with my new acquisition, which is a laptop. I was not able to get my sleep well. Last night my husband and i were up and about tinkering with the new laptop.
My kids were disappointed this morning to discover they still cannot use the laptop. My husband is still in the process of installing softwares and anti-virus to be sure about the gadget. It is better to be safe than sorry.
Excitement! That is what we feel right now. Some of you may laugh at us but in our family, we really share the simple joys and problems that come our way. We are one rowdy, silly family.

I am no financial genius. Really. As i have blogged about my financial skills, i am still learning the ropes or the process of handling our finances. I have neither the degree nor the family background to be able to be equipped with the necessary skills to it. Unlikee my other siblings who seem to posses the skills, my husband and i do not have those same skills.
A few years back, when i was a very young wife at twenty three years old, i was always in budget mess. I did not know what to do with the income that goes in and out of the household. Sometimes i overspend our income. More often than not, i was always caught confused and dazed when it comes to our monthly budget. It was tough but i did learn a lot in the process. Even up to now, I still find it hard to settle our finances. I will give you one example.
This week our youngest got sick. Much as I was really into listing down our house hold expenses so I could keep track of them; my youngest needed some medications. Being a picky eater and sensitive to some kinds of food, I had to really prod her eat whatever she likes. Thus, we always ended up buying meals or whatever food she fancies, as long as i could encourage her to eat. Thus, constant buying and expensive medicine affected my budget. Times like these, I am really easily discouraged to keep track of our budget. I feel it is useless to list and list our expenses when I know I cannot fully control them. Thus, it becomes quite frustrating for me. My husband, however, does not meddle how I handle our finances. He always tells me he trust me enough with it.
With this, I cannot truly blame people who resort to cash loans just to stretch their budget. Browsing through online sites, there are actually installment loans available for those who need cash right away. In fact, these personal loans are favorable to those who borrow because rates are lower by 25-75% than payday loans.
Because it is tough to handle finances religiously, there are available loans payable on installment basis. This is quite good news for those who need o spread out payment due to other pressing bills which are needed to be settled. This is a better kind of scheme for those who choose to avail.

Remember the stolen moments i had with the PC from my husband's office, because ours just got busted? Remember that i was not able to post tags, memes and link backs to all of you back then? Those are history now.

I bought my own laptop!!

Well, blessings do come in different form, mine came digital today. LOL.

Thanks to blogging. Blogging i did and i was able to save. After i added a few amount: LAPTOP!!!!(this sentence comes with jumping, twisting, yelling, and smile from ear to ear)
This model does not look flashy and sleek, but functionality-wise it is one of the bestselling locally. My hubby assured me that the specs are reliable enough for long-term use and file storage: Intel Dual Core, with high memory and disk capacity. In fact, it goes beyond my blogging needs...

I will be running out of time if i post Juliana's meme for me. But geesh, i love being picked as one of the hot five bloggers. Can you believe it, an inconsistent, thriving blogger like me who claims to be a newbie, is being included in the hot 5. Do i sound coated with false modesty? LOL.

Argghh. That feels like being in seventh heaven! I am hot.
And i love being in the hot 5 list!!!!

Thanks to you Juliana.
Wait for my own HOT, HOT list!

I am still in fascination how this Internet technology can truly make life more easy and less taxing for all people worldwide. More than transcending time and space, people all over the world can get connected in split seconds, regardless of races, cultures, religions and colors. Sometimes it makes me wonder how long will this last or will it really last? With all the comforts of connected world, shopping on-line, getting in touch with people, putting one's business over the Internet, e-mailing, blogging, sharing in forum, chatting, earning on-line, getting degrees on-line, staying in-touch with relatives and families among many, many other ways to use the Internet.

Sometimes I wonder if there will be a saturation point for all these. However, i hope there is really none. But I, for one, wonders how the digital world can change one's perspective in life. Thanks to all those who waged their lives looking for better ways to make our lives now better and comfortable. I do hope nothing goes wrong with the present digital technology. Otherwise everything else will be changed. I was just speaking with my children a few weeks back, they really have no idea or empty perspective of life without the Internet. For them, they were born with the notion that life is reliant on the net. I cannot blame them. They are the digital babies. LOL.

I just wonder how long did it take for the technology genius guys who thought of all these connections to get us all wired: from the simplest but very important wires to the most complicated softwares or programs to suit our needs: isn't it grand? To analogize it to a car: to get a car running one has to consider all the parts as important from the smallest automotive wire connectors to the metal body all parts are important. And one has to consider everything in proper condition.

My brother in-law works overseas. He has been out of the country for almost two years now. He stays in touch thru chats and calls using calling cards. He says it is tough being away from his family just to earn a living. He misses his kids a lot. Thank good ness for easy access to technology these days that he is able to stay connected with his family.
He plans to come home next year. But still contemplating if he will still work there again. He says it takes hoards of will power to stay focused because of homesickness. Thus he invests on calling cards

Who says that life is fair? No one can. Not even those who reflect upon the profoundity of life can truly say that life is fair.
I just heard that my sister has bought vehicles again. Yes, she can afford to buy vehicles to the highest plurality of the word. She can afford to. In fact she has a lot which she uses for her business. But she owns sets of top of the line vehicles more than her hands can drive, more than what most of any one in our siblings or family can. Thus, i always say that life indeed is not fair. The rich gest richer and the poor gets worse or just the same.
Well, i hate to sound materialistic but many will agree with me with the phrase above. However, i cannot complain because my sister is one generous person. She gives and gives and provides for a whole lot of people including the employees in her businesses and less fortunate sister like me. LOL. In fact, because she buys so many vehicles for her business that it has been our joke in the family that she has made the car dealers richer, happy and contented.LOL.
Thus, she makes it sure she has Commercial Insurance for the vehicles she uses for her businesses.
Still, even if life is not fair...I am happy for her.