Merry Christmas To All!

From our family to yours.

Beautiful Smile

If I have to be honest, I'd say my greatest dream is to have a perfect smile. Sounds shallow I know but having a perfect teeth makes a huge difference to one's face. My friend recently have hers fixed and although she used to be pretty already, the total transformation is just amazing. She's more confident now too unlike before when she'd rather get lost than ask directions from a stranger. The clinic where my friend went to is not even close to this Washington DC teeth whitening service that I found online so I'm assuming (hoping) that it's way cheaper.

Hmmm, I wonder what I should get myself for Christmas? An LV bag or a new set of teeth? :D I know they probably cost the same so it's just a matter of deciding which one I can do without first.

4lbs is Normal

My friend and I were talking about her recent Bali trip. As I was about to check her photos, she asked if I would know anything about Fenphedra. I was surprised about her question because she looked good the last time I saw her. If I remember correctly, it was two months ago and I even commented on how lovely her collarbones looked. She said she gained weight since then and that I might be shocked when I see her photos.

When I did see her photos, I got a bit confused because she looks exactly the same. I couldn't help but laugh at how silly she is but it turned out that she's really serious. She's worried about her recent "weight gain" that she's thinking of trying any diet pills. She used to be a model so she's not used to the normal extra 2-4lbs that you acquire whenever you go on a vacation. So as her friend, I told her to burn it off by running or dancing. With her metabolism, I'm sure she'll lose it in three weeks or so.

The Cullens

Snagged from Aggie's blog.

Don't you just love them?

I really wish the movie showed more about these vegetarian vampires. The first time they entered the school's cafeteria, I had goosebumps. It was a perfect scene, there's no doubt about it. They really look beautiful and seemed unreal. White skin, piercing golden eyes, graceful movements and musical voice? Once you become a vampire, there's no need for acne skin care treatment. Ask Bella. She became this ravishing, dark-haired woman as soon as the fire in her heart died.

The casting is really good, that's all I can say. The movie is so-so and would've failed without the hotness of Robert P./ Edward. Still, I would love to get my hands on a DVD so I can watch the kissing scene over and over again. It's not everyday that you get to see Edward lose control. I'd definitely pay to see more BWAHAHAHA.

More on Interior Design

To have a breathing space like this. What I really love about this photo is the way the sunlight floods the living room. It reminds me so much of how our old living room looked during my childhood days. The cream walls and orange furniture combo has always been my favorite theme.

I first saw the photo wall from Alpha's blog. She's always sharing these great home ideas and if I remember it right, she even tried applying some of them to their house. I want to try these too but not until we find our own place. For now, I'll just buy the most affordable thing from my wishlist - a complete cooking set for the husband and any cheap espresso machines for me and my mother-in-law.

photos from http://decorology.blogspot.com

Busy Scrapping

I've been up since 7AM because I'm trying to finish Sandy's photobook. So far, I'm on my 18th page, hoping I can continue this until her 12th month. All the layouts are done, I just need to make sure that the bleeds, alphas and text are flawless. If you want to see a preview, just look below:

 

I used Shabby Princess Quickpage Twirl Album but wasn't really happy about some of the layouts. Luckily, I remembered that I bought a similar full kit called Twirl so I checked all my past paid kits to see if it's the same. To my surprise, it was! I used the elements to add styles to the quickpages and the papers to design the clustered photos.

Home Ideas

While we're in the subject of re-decorating, let me post here some photos that I really liked from the decorology blog. Thanks Alpha for sharing the link!

These are just amazing. I wish we can do something similar to our future kitchen. We don't even have a house yet and here I am already worried about our kitchen setup. I like how they maximize the space using shelves and racks. And the skinny bookshelf looks really nice! I wonder if I can do the same thing to our hallway now?




*photos from http://decorology.blogspot.com

Ah, to dream the impossible dream. Soon I will have a house of my own and I will use all these ideas to turn it into my dream house. It's all I can do now. But at least, I'm dreaming of something attainable, unlike the husband who pretends that he's shopping for Ferrari parts.

Make Over

I'm planning to give my brother-in-law a mock exit sign for his birthday this December. We saw one being used at a room makeover and thought that it will be a great addition to his. He wants to re-decorate his room (as a present to himself) and remove all traces of his teenage years. So far, he managed to say goodbye to his Jennifer Love Hewitt, jLo and Jessica Simpson posters. He still has a long way to go but he's going to start painting the room a nice shade of powder blue next week. If he's good to me, I might throw in an extra floor lamp and some wooden blinds to give his room a new feel.

After writing this, I'm now itching to give our bedroom a new look as well. But I know I need to be patient because whatever renovations, minor or major will go to waste as we're planning to move out first quarter next year.

5 For Wednesday

1. Which is your favorite grocery store? Why?
I like shopping at Rustan's if budget is not an issue. I wouldn't mind the difference if it's just one item but Php15-Php30 per item is a big deal when you buy more than 20 pcs. The reason why I want to shop there however is because it never gets crowded. The choices are also good, plenty of imported items like pasta sauces, spices, oven-ready meals.

2  What is the worst and weirdest food you have ever eaten?
I would say this baked oyster who turned out to be bad.

3. Pancakes, Waffles or French Toast which do you prefer? Why?
I love them all. Add some bacon, sausages and eggs on the side and I'm in heaven. Five days straight of eating just that and I will need diet pills soon.

4. Do you eat the ‘heels’ of bread loaves?
Yes, no good in wasting food.

5. Are there certain food items that you enjoy so much that you dare not have
them around because you will over indulge?
All kinds of sweets especially those egg tarts from Lord Stowe.

Ms. Smarty Pants

I'm in the process of finishing Sandy's photo book so it's just natural for me to feel nostalgic. It seems like it was just yesterday when she was a helpless baby. Now, you'd find it hard to answer all her WHY questions and wish that she'll just accept your answer LOL.

Just take a look at her below:


That's her past time, drawing and writing. Even when she's playing in the park, she needs to bring something that she can write on. What a geek! LOL. I wonder where she got that from?

Away From Work

We're off to the mall now to shop with my mom-in-law. She decided all of a sudden to remodel the dirty kitchen just in time for Christmas. I'm not really looking forward to browsing through kitchen sinks and counters but I can use the time away from my computer. I've been an Internet slave for days and I need a reason to get out of the house. Sleeping is not possible because mothers just don't take a nap. When the little ones are sleeping, we just can't put our minds to rest knowing we should be taking advantage of the free time to do something useful other than sleeping.

I hope I can convince my mom-in-law to go to this furniture warehouse sale too. A friend was able to buy a recliner for only $100 and a 27" LCD tv (refurbished) for only $200.

5 for Wednesday

1. What food are you craving right now?
Blueberry cheesecake, triple chocolate mousse, german chocolate cheesecake. Just finished lunch so dessert is all I can think about.

2. Which fast-food chain serves the best Chicken?
For me it's KFC although we're not really sure if it's really chicken LOL. Kenny Rogers' roasted chicken is good too.

3. What type of meat do you generally prefer?
Prime rib, roast beef, bacon

4. Do you save the packets of condiments that come with take out food for later use?
Sometimes. But lately they just add to our junk so I either throw them away or make sure that I don't get any.

5. Are you the type that can freely put a lobster in boiling water and not feel any guilt?
If I can cook, yes.

To Be Single Again

Not that I want to be. It's just that my single friends seem to be going anywhere. For this year's annual big trip, they've decided to hit Las Vegas. It's all they can talk about when we chat via email. From the cheapest yet funkiest clubs to affordable hotel to shopping areas, you can bet it's the first thing that I'll see on my inbox. I'm happy for them though. I even helped them search for a las vegas strip map so they'd know where to go. They invited me too but going on a holiday, and out of the country is not something a mother of a three-year-old can do without at least six month's worth of planning. Plus it's not like I have the budget for it given all the things that I've been buying for the last two months. So, go ahead, my "young" and carefree friends. Paint the town red and make sure that you bring home a nice purse for me. I heard there are plenty of great sales there now that the holidays are near.

Few Men Standing

Yay! I can't believe it. A friend of ours is finally tying the knot next year. The reason I was so excited and shocked was because he was so sure that he'll never get married. He's 38 years old now but still looks like he's in his late twenties. Anyway, he's been going out with this girl for two years now and I've been sort of wondering if he's serious about her. Well, it turned out that he is. I can feel that he's so happy when he sent a text message to The Husband. Anyway, I'd like to know how he shopped for engagement rings. The Husband had to ask a close friend of ours for my size and they spent an entire day having it done just in time for our dinner that night. ;)

 

Manic Monday #143

Do you ever talk to yourself out loud? What do you talk about?
No. But now that you mentioned it, I wonder if other people really talk to themselves the way they do in the movies? When I read books, it shows that the main character talks to herself too and it makes me curious how it is.

What stresses you out?
Oh Gawd, there are plenty of things that stresses me out lately. My work and the long hours that I have to put in. My daughter, who just found out how great her voice is whenever she shouts, and the bills that are piling up each month because of online shopping.

What are your secret talents?
I don't know if you'd consider these talents but I am great at copying people. I can do their voice, mannerisms and what-not. Sometimes I find this cruel so I only try to do this if the person that I'm copying is a good sport.

Another Day

Family obligations first before personal plans. My mother got hospitalized two days ago but she's okay now. Still, I want to make sure that she's getting the best medical attention so I'm going to take her to a specialist tomorrow. It might help if she hears directly from the doctor that her work is too stressful and how she needs to take it easy. I know she gets bored at home so I'm willing to give her my old laptop to keep her busy.

Me and my twitter friends are having an online exchange gifts. I haven't bought my "baby" her gift yet so that's another agenda for tomorrow. I'm prettyexcited because I know she'd be really happy when she finds out what I'm going to do with her gift. Nope, I won't spill it here. Soon, I promise.

It's Friday now but the night is still long. I'm off to research on snowmobile parts for a client but hopefully, I can turn off my laptop earlier than 9PM.

Top 5 On Friday - Week 200

Top 5 reasons you splurge on a purchase of music.

1. I really like the band - Bush or if it was a nice soundtrack from my latest favorite movie - Twilight

2. I like the band enough to buy tickets to their concerts. This is huge give how expensive tickets could get. So if I'm buying tickets, I probably have the CDs already.

3. I'm buying it for my husband who loves all kinds of music.

4. I want to please someone with my music tastes.

5. I need to introduce new songs to my little girl.

Surfer Girls

Some photos from our recent Boracay trip. It rained the first day but we had enough sunshine the next three days so it was all good. Sandy didn't throw tantrums that much, thanks to her cousin and playmate Chloe. They enjoyed Boracay a lot even if they were just playing inside the room. I guess it helped that we were booked in a family room where there were plenty of space to run around. She also slept well which I'm really thankful for. I was afraid we'd be sleepless in Boracay, what with her cousin being wide awake at 2AM but Sandy couldn't keep her eyes open at 11PM anymore.

Too Much Eating

One lowdown from our trip was that The Husband suffered from stomach pains one day after we got home. I was both afraid and frustrated. I mean, why does one of us have to be sick just because we had fun for a couple of days? But the frustration passed by quickly because it could be worse. Anyway, we went to Makati Med's ER ready to fall in line for hours. But to my surprise, it was just a matter of minutes before they checked on The Husband. It turned out he overate - thanks to cheap buffet and happy hours in Boracay. He was advised not to eat too much for the next few days and avoid all salty and fatty foods. The result? He lost weight and been looking really good on his old t-shirts. I told him there's no need for Ephedrasil hardcore anymore. All he has to do is pretend that he's still not allowed to eat so his stomach will get used to eating less. Goodluck for him this coming December though :D

It's a Friday and I'll cry if I want to

Last night I had unbearable pains on my right wrist that I couldn't even sleep no matter how tired I was. The husband massaged it but it just wouldn't go away. I didn't want him to worry so I told him that I was fine. But the thing is, I think I need to have this checked. Blame it on my mouse, keyboard, phone, etc. I need to do something about this.

I'm still so tired right now. I thank God that Sandy can now play on her own and doesn't demand my attention too much. This is also the reason why I'm gaining weight. Because I've stopped running after her. It's either I lessen my rice intake or get back to running or take the best diet pills out there. But I'm not comfortable with that so I'll just convince The Husband to run again with me. It might make me feel less tired too. And hopefully, spend more time with Sandy again. Can't believe I've been spending 16 hours a day in front of the computer now.

Good Stuff

Such a lovely day. Okay, you probably don't see that all the time here but I'm all about positive thoughts now. To start off, let me list down the things that makes me realize someone up there really loves me.

1. My new job. I'm so happy with the tasks and if may say the pay. My old company is giving me my 13th month pay too this November so that should be enough to pay for the laptop that I ordered online.

2. Great weather at the beach. We rarely go out of town so when it rained so hard on our first day in Boracay, we did our best not to feel down. We did pray and hoped that God will give us sunshine so our kids can play at least. And he did. We were rewarded with sunny skies for three days. Money well spent.

3. Good friends / company. I have loads of them both online and offline. Even if we don't see each other all the time. I know they will be there when I need them.

4. Perfect health for my husband and Sandy. Occasional colds and headaches are nothing if you see how many kids have been going in and out of the hospital lately due to the weather.

5. Financially stable. We are, thanks to our jobs. We're not close to purchasing our dream house but we are doing okay to afford the luxuries life has to offer. Besides, we don't really need much. A combination of good book or great show plus amazing food is enough to make us happy.

Freebies, Etc.

I'm helping my brother-in-law shop for promotional products for their marketing event in three months. He's currently employed as a trainee and one of his tasks is to come up with an effective marketing ploy to make consumers come back and buy more products. Which explains him shopping for promotional items. I told him that pens are too predictable and how there are plenty of stuff that you can choose from online. For example, see below:
computer brush


cd case with strap

Fm auto scan radio

calculator pen

These are all under $2 and for the electronics category alone. The choices are unbelievable. The first thing that I do whenever I'm shopping for promotional items or giveaways is ask myself if I would be happy to receive any of these. If your answer is yes, then you won't go wrong.

Kids and Internet

My niece asked my help in researching for her project in school. They needed to list down at least 50 types of trees and the first one that I thought of are Pomegranate trees because of an advertisement that I read online. Honestly, I think I'm spending too much time researching already so I'm not the least bit excited in helping a 7 year old learn the Internet. Good thing the husband is a very patient man so he was the one who showed my niece on how to google. Isn't that amazing? Seven year olds googling? When I was that age, I'm always outside hanging out near the creek at our house, making bubbles out of flowers.

Love Those PJs

Here is Sandy wearing her new pajamas. For the longest time, say three years, Sandy only wears too small / too long / cheap sleepwear. They have holes, buttons missing, stain and what not. I never buy her those nice ones from Gymboree or Baby Gap because no one ever gets to see them. I only buy her plain ones and pair it with a cotton shirt.

But thanks to Litzie, (the Pjs were her gift), I've discovered a shop that sells overruns. She said the pair below cost only Php250. It's very comfortable and not too thick, perfect for warm nights.



As soon as we get back from Boracay, I'll head straight to that shop and hoard more PJs for Sandy.

Wife Duties

Thank God I turned off the sound of my YM alert. My husband has been instant messaging me for the last two hours and I'm too busy with my book to answer. Mostly it's about stuff that needs to be taken care of right away. Did I say I'm busy? I know I work from home but I deserve a break too you know! Anyway, I did take care of the online payments. It's just a matter of logging in and transferring funds. What I've been avoiding to do is calling our agent to get another car insurance quote. That and how he wanted me to relay to our cook how he wanted our meal prepared tonight. Like he doesn't have a phone to relay the message himself. I know I'm supposed to do this but being domestic isn't really in my blood. Maybe if I finish another chapter I might find time to answer him LOL.

Don't judge me! I'm not always like this. Just today.

Ten on Tuesday - 10 of the Best Meals You’ve Had

1. A McDonalds meal after our wedding reception. My husband and I took time to plan the menu but we weren't able to taste anything at all. AS soon as the party was over, we got dressed in the hotel, hailed a cab and headed straight to the nearest Mcdonalds. Best dinner ever.

2. My friend Chay's wedding. They have a dessert buffet that consists of various crepes, chocolate mousse type of dessert inside a small glass, choices of mini chocolate cheese cakes, ice cream, all kinds of fruit salads and many more. I believe I gained 20 lbs in one night bwahahaha.

3. Sonya's Bed and Breakfast. Great, healthy green salad, pasta and dip. Plus the ambiance was just amazing. No need to order Phentermine if I eat here everyday.

4. Cafe by the ruins. They don't update their menus but this small, quaint resto has a special place in my heart.

5. Homecooked meals by my mom. They just taste so much like home it makes me want to go back in time and be an irresponsible teenager again.

There's more but I can't remember them right now. I'll have to update this again later. ;)

The Hallows

I have a confession. I know I sad I'm going to stop shopping but I can't help it. I thought I'm fine with Sandy wearing her last year's costume. I had a change of heart when she seriously told me how she wanted to be Sleeping Beauty this year. She even told me what colors the dress should have, just in case I forget.

These are my choices online.

My mom saw me looking at these costumes and told me she can make something similar. That's even better I think. Because honestly, I don't think the costume will make it in two weeks if I order them online.

Happy Happy Day

And probably tiring as well. In a couple of hours, we'd be attending an EB (eyeball) party with my Twitter friends at a condotel in Makati. I prepared myself for this EB by not eating too much and taking care of my skin LOL. Good thing I never worry about acne.

I'm so excited because this is the first time that I'd get to see most of them. I wonder if they'd be as chatty in person? I haven't showed to my husband what we're gonna bring yet and I hope he won't get too shocked. Aside from a big bag containing Sandy's clothes and books, we have one huge plastic bag for gifts, another plastic bag for toys, a poker set, a Dora tent, one box of beer, 5 gallons of mineral water, 6 boxes of juice drinks and camera.

Saturday Social #28

Today's Saturday Social Question:

Are you doing anything for Halloween?

My Answer:
Every year, we try our best to attend every Trick or Treat events around Makati. This year, here are the events that I hope Sandy can attend:
1. Princess Ball at SM Makati
2. Rockwell Trick or Treat
3. Shangrila Trick or Treat
4. A small Halloween party in school
5. A half day event of trick or treating here in our village.



Here's the link to Saturday Social

Play House

I already shopped for Sandy's toys online. However, I'm still waiting for the last week of November so I can buy her a doll house from the Richwell Warehouse sale. I bought plenty of items for her last year and I only spent a little. So this year, I'm going to be more than prepared. It can get really crowded there if you arrive before lunch. Aside from the much awaited doll house, I'm hoping to find something like this there.



There were two last year but it was totally out of my budget plus we don't have a space for it. However, now that we're about to move houses early next year, I'm thinking we MIGHT have extra space. If I buy this one, I promised my husband I won't buy toys for one whole year. LOL.

SaaS Attack

I've been very busy for the past week thanks to my new work. I was introduced to a lot of new applications so I had to spend my afternoons studying them. One thing I realized is that companies rely more on SaaS (Software as a Service) now. It's definitely an advantage for me because I don't have to learn codes anymore. As much as I love manual coding, my programming skills are very limited. With the help of software like these, all I need to do is study how an application works and I can start doing my task whatever it is - migrating sites, server monitoring, cron jobs, etc.

The advantage here is companies need not pay extra costs on hardware, software, labor, security, maintenance, etc. And since you don't need a lot of people to handle a certain job, it also translates to work redundancy. And we all know what that means. In fact, I'd like to share two videos that's related to this issue. The creators were dissing Phase2, a known SaaS provider.

Call to Arms
Multi-Talented

Like it? Feel free to digg them below.
Digg Call to Arms
Digg Multi-Talented

Shopping Galore

If you're a frequent visitor of my other blogs, you'd know I've been shopping like crazy. Online shopping is so cheap. The only thing stopping me is the fact that my purchases might not fit in one box. In fact, aside from sharing a box with another online blogger, I managed to fill up one whole balikbayan box for myself. I bought plenty of rare books, cheap t-shirts for the husband, sale clothing for me and sandy and some footwear. When I say some, it means 5-8 items per person. LOL. The pricing online can be pretty misleading. You'd think you're safe because you're buying $4.99 - $6.99 items but if you total all of them, surprise! You can easily spend $500 in one seating. But I'm happy because I know everyone in the family, including some of my close friends will be thrilled with our gifts.

QOTW #35

1. Do you have a broad sense of humor?
Yes. I used to be the class clown, side by side with my gay best friend.

2. Is it possible to have a truth without an opinion?
No. You’d have to feel strongly about something to know that it’s the truth.

3. What amount of money would you shave your head for charity?
Err, sorry none. Does this make me a bad person? Unless it’s for something as big as putting all street children to school. And I mean all.

4. Do you find it easy to be totally honest with someone even though it might hurt their feelings?
Nope. I’ve always find it hard to tell someone they have a bad breath or body odor. LOL.

5. When people you know are laughing to themselves while reading, do you ask them to share what is funny?
Always! I’d love to hear anything funny all the time.

6. What stresses you out the most?
Too much work on a weekend.

7. Could you go one full day without speaking?
Never. When I was in Grade 1, my teacher asked my mom to come to school. It was because I shouted so loud while in the middle of a quiet session. I remembered we were asked to stay quiet in two hours. I couldn’t breathe because I wanted to talk so bad so I shouted.

8. Would you rather ask the question or answer it?
Both.

9. What is the one thing that always makes you smile?
Sandy. Gong Yoo. Books. I know you said one thing but I couldn’t stop at one.

10. Do you trust in love?
Of course.

Good Morning Monday

To start this week, I want to make sure that I finish all my tasks by posting a to-do list. All of this should be scratched off by Friday. If not, then I'll consider this another failed week.

1. Learn how to create email newsletter using the new software.
2. Ask Michael about the incoming email stats. Prepare a marketing plan on how to improve number of reads and clicks.
3. Make a quote for a new website that's similar to Ripoffreport.com
4. Two website mockups for an online trading site
5. Call new call agents for initial interview. Make sure to ask Operations for Skype username.

Happy Friday!

Leaving you this photo before I sign off.

Fab Scrubs

Want to look like Dr. Izzy Stevens while doing your rounds? You will love the peaches scrubs collection from the Scrubs and Beyond website. They have Katherine Heigl scrubs that will make you feel fabulous but comfortable at the same time. You can choose from the following fit - traditional, classic, modern, and trendy. There's no reason why you can't look your best just because you wear the same stuff everyday.

And if the peaches collection won't do, there are plenty more that you can choose from. The barco metro scrubs for one have featherweight cords, floral and paisley prints, mock-wrap tops, cargo scrub pants and many more styles that you'd never think you'll see in a scrub uniform.

If you prefer flared scrub pants, then dickies scrubs will be perfect for you. With boot-cut and flare-leg styles to choose from, you can look good while running from one place to another. This collection also offers jackets and clogs to complete the look.

Want Some Egg Nog?

Out of the blue, The Husband said he wanted to have egg nog on our Christmas dinner. He has been watching cooking shows a lot and I guess he got excited to make one on his own. I can't blame him, the picture below looks very yummy! I've only tried this once and couldn't forget the mix of rum, milk and whipped cream in my mouth. Knowing The Husband, I bet he'd modify any of the egg nog recipes that I searched online to prove that he's good with flavor. I can't complain because I'm only here to eat. My kitchen skills are close to none.

Tuesday Tunes - Week 52

What is the best music to chill out too?
I like Bossa Nova, alternative rock and house music

What artist do you think of when you see the word "calm"?
Sarah Mclachlan.

How does music help you to become calm or more relaxed?
When I feel stressed, I just listen to my favorite songs on my ipod and I'd feel better. I even have a playlist for web designing, when I'm coding and when I'm working out.

More Tuesday Tunes

Things to do Today

Such a long list but I'll just narrow it down to the most important.

1. Go to the bank and open another savings account. I need to set aside money for Sandy's educational plan this year. I've decided to continue with it now that the dollar is going up again.

2. Talk to our agent about our bond fund. I'm also interested to learn more about futures trading so we might discuss that too.

3. Have conference call with a client. They don't want to write down their design requirements because they are having trouble explaining what they need.

4. Organize our hallway. Now this, can either be exciting or stressful.

5. Research where I can find cheap laptop batteries and memory. I've decided not to buy a new laptop yet. My current laptop is still good, I really just need to invest on new batteries. Last time I checked, it costs $200. Yikes.

Money Management

Speaking of cash advance, my brother-in-law who just started his On-The-Job Training is looking to buy a laptop. My mom-in-law doesn't want to give him money again. He was given half of the total payment last month so he can save the remaining on his own. However, being young and all that, he spent almost all of it on new office attires, expensive lunches and daily cab fares. So I told him to apply for one of those fast cash payday loans. He's earning enough money anyway from his OJT allowance that if he tightens his belt a bit, I'm sure he can afford to pay for the loan. And if he doesn't, at least he'll learn the hard way that money doesn't grow on trees.

Better Late Than Never

Some photos from Sandy's 3rd birthday party at home.





Although the party was very simple, the little one had so much fun. So much that she had to be admitted to the hospital due to non stop vomiting. But that's another story.

We had hotdogs with mallows (her request), chicken alfredo with broccoli, siomai, lumpia, bbq, ice cream and chocolate cake. Her Papa decorated the house with balloons, streamers and banners so she was so surprised (and speechless) when she went downstairs. For gifts, she received a book, drumset, toy violin, aquarium, toy cellphone, and pooh dart board.

Our Poor Wallets

Christmas is fast approaching and everyone I know is into shopping mode. In fact, I've spent more than $500 already on gifts for favorite friends and close family members alone. Thank God for online coupons or I would've been bankrupt by now.

I bought plenty of gifts for the two most favorite people in my life so I don't mind spending. It's so much cheaper on what I originally planned too. I wanted to treat the family on a one week vacation in Palawan, just in time for my husband's birthday. I saw this cash advance online and thought of trying it out because I won't get my sideline earnings until January. But at the last minute, I've decided against it. We already spent a lot of money last month (Sandy's birthday parties and hospitalization) and we're booked to go to Boracay this November. Having another beach trip on December might be too redundant. Besides, we can always go early next year as soon as I get my payments from my previous projects.

Calendars as Gifts

I saw this online and just want to buy it ASAP.



These quick page calendars are amazing! My mom and mom-in-law couldn't stop praising "my work" when I gave it to them last Christmas. This year, there's no need to wonder what to give them.

See them at TheShabbyShoppe.

The Top Web Hosting Companies

Looking for the best web hosting? Nothing can help you better than visiting web hosting reviews and guides like webhostingrating.com. On their main page alone, you will see the top hosting providers based on customer satisfaction, affordability and reliability. One thing I noticed is that almost all companies now offer unlimited space and traffic so they now compete in terms of pricing and additional features.

As for me, I'm always in the lookout for the best multi domain hosting package. Not only for my blogs but most of my design clients have plenty of websites that they want to host in one place for easier management. The most popular company for this kind of package (according to webhostingrating.com) is InMotion. For only $8.95 a month, you can host up to 6 domains with unlimited space and bandwidth. Plus they offer daily backups and free one-click install for the most popular CMS available in the web.

Webhostingrating.com is also a great place to start if you want to learn anything there is to know about web hosting. Even for the non-technical person, you will be amazed on how much you can do with a use of cPanel. The site have about 26 articles on cPanel tutorials alone so you can maximize your hosting package.

If you're a hosting company, you can increase your online presence by submitting your site to them. Most website owners are much smarter now so it will help your company gets a review from webhostingrating.

Friday Fill-Ins #91

Check out this week's Friday Fill-Ins

1. Trick or Treating and a friend's wedding out of town are some of the things I'm most looking forward to in October.

2. Sometimes I just get too tired from working that I wish I can lie down in bed forever.

3. I tell my husband that I never get sick but last week proved me wrong and that's why there is a saying, "never say never"!

4. When I'm down, I read a book or watch my favorite TV show.

5. In front of the computer is where you'll find me most often.

6. A rainy day is good for curling up in the sofa and watching movies. (does it show how lazy I am)

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to finishing my book, tomorrow my plans include doing nothing and Sunday, I want to rest the whole day!

I'm such a slacker but I'm not usually like this. I blame it for spending four nights in the hospital. We need all the break we can get.

Who's Calling You?

Wondering where an old friend lives right now? With the help of reverse phone lookup tool, you can. With only a phone or cell number in hand, you can now get detailed info on someone including name, address, phone carrier, line type, city, state and many more. This tool from 50statephonelookup.com does not only help you find an old friend but you can search for phone calls that you missed, the source of prank calls or find out who your helper is calling when you're not around the house. An unlimited access to cellphone information costs $40 for one year but if you think you'll only need to check one number, a rate of $15 per lookup applies.

Ms. Sickie

After being excited for days for her party, the little girl got sick. She had a stomach bug and had to be hydrated for four days. I'm trying to get over the fact that something like this can only happen to her. I'm still thankful for everything. At least, it was something that can be treated immediately and if you look at her now, it seemed like nothing happened at all (except for the weight loss). I'm now the one who's sick but I thought I'd update this blog so I can easily get my groove back. Even though she only get to attend one of her parties, we still have enough photos to share. Will post them as soon as everything goes back to normal at home.

The New Rich

Rags to riches - it seems that the particular phrase coined to describe people who worked hard to get rich, or people who were poor before and just became rich has a new term - Noveau Riche. This is the opposite of what we call those who have wealth in their bloodlines ever since - the "Old Rich." The Noveau Riche, literally meaning "New Rich" in French, has been creating a lot of buzz lately with the spotlight on a few outstanding people from their group.

People like Forrest Mars and Estee Lauder are part of the Noveau Riche. The people from this class category are not only people who really rose from rags to riches because of hard work. They have fresh, out-of-the-box, innovative and trendsetting ideas that people cant help notice the "Old Rich" do not have. They tend to stick to tried and proven methods.

So we better thank Forrest Mars for M&Ms chocolates (and Mars too) and Estee Lauder for the stuff that makes up pretty! Most of these people still choose to live simple inspite of their newfound wealth. An example of whom is Tsai Wan Lin, who founded Cathay Life Insurance. He was born to a poor rice farmer and up to now has an apartment as his home. Of course, the most famous of them all is William Gates III or Bill Gates to the world, the billionaire who founded what would the most used software in IT Technology - Microsoft.

Happy Birthday To My Big Baby!

All my blogs are plastered with her face today. It's just fair since this is her day. Sandy is the most amazing gift that God gave us. Life has never been this beautiful until she came to our lives.

Happy birthday Princess Sandy. Your mommy and Papa love you so much.

Somebody to Stay Fit With

I always say how it's easy to exercise when you have a work out buddy. Not only it's more interesting that you have someone you can talk to while working out, but you'll also have someone to kick your ass if you're getting lazy. Which brings me to mention Fitness Match. This is for singles that are looking for partners who are into fitness and health. It's great in such a way that you will have something in common with on your first date - staying fit. For your first meeting, you can jog in the park, go wall climbing or have a healthy dinner after working out at the gym. The possibilities are endless and the best part is that if ever you decide to tie the knot, you'll be assured that both of you will have a healthy lifestyle.

WW - Have You Seen My Head?

Wednesday Mind Hump

Today is Idea Day. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines idea as "a formulated thought or opinion."

Tell us one of your ideas!

My idea for today is ditch work and just sleep for 10 hours.

Well, it's actually a wish, not an idea. The thing is I'm already up to 'here' to calling it a day. I am sooooo swamped at work - both fulltime and side line. I should be happy I know but when you can't find time to take a bath anymore, then you're probably overdoing it right? I've been staying away from to-do lists because I rarely get to scratch anything off but as of this moment, it's the best I can do. At least, I can tell myself that I've been productive by creating a list.

The People That You Love

How many times have we seen child molestation incident in the news? It's so rampant that somehow, I don't think it's safe to raise a child anymore. What we can do as parents is to be aware of the danger and always on the lookout for signs of sexual offenders in our neighborhood. There's a search online that helps you find child molesters near your area by simply entering a zip code. According to research, 14% of all convicted sex offenders will commit another sex related crime. With this online search tool at registeredchildmolesterlist.org, you can obtain information like name, address and place of business of these people. Arm yourself with this knowledge and protect your children from harm.

It's a Good Morning. Not.

I woke up to a very bad morning. My sleep, although uninterrupted, thanks to Sandy sleeping through the night, was filled with vivid dreams about not so good things in my life when I was a child. Example? My mom scolding me because I got home late, a 3-hour exam where I didn't study at all, not being invited to a party, my diary open for the public to see, parents fighting, etc, etc. Some of them were okay if you think about it now but I don't really care going back in time to see my parents fight. I think I was even sobbing (just a bit!) when I opened my eyes. Good thing I saw Sandy's face beside me, as she sleeps on her bed. I was calmed instantly knowing that things are great now. I'm older and I can control my life if I want to.

Reverse Mobile Look Up

How would you like to be able to know detailed information on the numbers that call you on your cellphone? I know I do. I always miss a lot on phone calls especially when my phone is on silent mode. Now, it's possible for me to get information on the numbers who called using the reverse mobile phone lookup tool. Whether you're receiving threatening calls, prank calls, or want to do a background check on your employee, signing up for this service is a must. Searching for a phone number is easy. Just type in the 10 digits in the phone number field and you will receive sample results in seconds. To view more detailed information, you can subscribe for a very affordable rate.

Her Royal Highness

It's 2PM and I'm only getting started at work. I spent the whole weekend doing chores and running errands in time for Sandy's birthday. I don't care about money lately as I realized that I've already spent twice my original budget for her birthday. If I continue my computation and budgeting, I'll probably go crazy.

I bought too many toys for prizes, lootbags and candies for more than 80 kids. And that doesn't even include our gift for her. As of this moment, Sandy will have three parties. One at home, one in school (22 kids) and one in Hospicio (50 orphans). So much for not throwing a party this year. Well, anything for my big baby. At least, we'll make some kids happy, not just her. Besides, what we spent is just half of what we spent on her first birthday party so I guess I'm still doing great.

Meeting Christians Online

In relation to my post before about chatting, the great thing about these chat rooms is the huge number of options that you can choose from. Now, you can go in a room where other people share the same interests as yours. You don't have to re-invent yourself or try to belong because everyone is just like you. For example, I've seen chat rooms for artists, travelers, photographers, musicians, singles, divorced people and many more. At the Christian Chat City website, they have a Christian Chat Room where you can meet loads of Christian people all over the Internet. Feel free to talk about religious beliefs and habits without feeling like you're preaching. Some of my friends are hesitant to talk about religion because it makes people uncomfortable. But at Christian Chat City, you can talk as long as you want, anywhere you are.

Saturday Social #25

Here's my take on this week's Saturday Social.

When you were younger, what did you want to be "when you grew up"?

I wanted to be a lot of things when I was younger. At first, I wanted to be an astronomer. When I saw how beautiful and mysterious the universe was while browsing an astronomy book, I just knew I want to explore it more. However, as I grew up, other more interesting things distracted me from achieving my first dream. There was my plan of being a painter because I just get this high from drawing people and painting landscapes. At such a young age though, I learned that being a painter, or any artist for that matter doesn't really pay the bills. So I decided to become a ramp model instead. That didn't work out as well but the experience was definitely unforgettable.

Internet Chatting

One of the things that I thank the Internet for is the ability to meet new friends. In six years, I've met so many people online and some of them turned out to be great people. So if you're anything like me and want to broaden your circle, I suggest you visit Interracial Chat City. This community is filled with people all over the world so you will have tons of interesting topics to talk about. From culture to food to travel to hobbies, you'd be amazed on how much you can learn just by chatting with someone from the other side of the world. You also don't have to wonder what your online friends look like because at chat city, you can broadcast your internet cam for free.

The Trainee

My brother-in-law just started his on-the-job-training for school. He's the slacker type so I was surprised that he got accepted to this IT company. What's more surprising is that he's getting paid a lot of money for a student. I remember when I started looking for work after graduation. The ongoing rates back then was almost equal to what is being offered for my brother-in-law. In fact, I know some companies who still offer the same rate for newly graduates so he's pretty lucky to have landed his OJT. As for his first task at work, he was asked to research for used voip gateways. He said it was so tiring because he spent the whole day browsing through sites that he doesn't care about. I just laughed and told him that it was actually the easiest part.

Escape to the Islands

Just because I'm a parent now doesn't mean I'm never going on adult vacations anymore. Because believe me, I am planning to try those all-inclusive hedonistic delights at SuperClubs.com. Check out what's included in the Tantra-Lizing Kit for Two package - an aphrodisiac fruit platter and champagne, array of scented massage oils, delicious chocolate covered body paints, whipped cream and syrup. Feel free to let your imagination go wild. Of course, we'd probably be able to do this if Sandy is older or when we're trying for baby #2. LOL.

SuperClubs, by the way, is known for providing all inclusive resorts since 1976. The all-inclusive concept was first unveiled at Negril, Jamaica by John Issa. Vacationers go on a trip to leave all the stress behind so a hassle-free, all-inclusive travel packages are always a favorite. The SuperClubs resorts are not only designed for singles and couples but also families with children under 16. Aside from hanging out at the white sandy beaches, you can enjoy sunfish sailing, windsurfing, aerobic classes and many more.

The Thursday Threesome (09/11/08)

Onesome: Memories from-- a few years back: what were you doing on 9-11?

>> Two years ago I was busy preparing for Sandy's first birthday party. 6 years ago, my husband, who was just a co-worker then sent me a simple IM message that started our roller coaster love life. 7 years ago, I was inside our office, watching the news as the plane crashes into the Twin Towers.

Twosome: the-- thought occurs: Should this be a holiday? ...or perhaps a day of remembrance with a moment of silence nationwide?

>> For the US, I think this should be considered a special day at least. I know that some relatives and friends of my co-workers in the US have been a victim on the 911 tragedy.


Threesome: Past-- 'days that will live in infamy': do you recall any other days of tragedy that have a placeholder on your mental calendar?

>> I will always remember the July 16, 1990 earthquake.

Bonus: Who's quote did I paraphrase in the question above?

>> President Franklin Roosevelt

Check out The Thursday Threesome here.

Public Divorce Records

In relation to my post about "online stalking", I found out that you can also check out divorce records online. Just like the marriage records, finding the civil status of someone you know is possibly by visiting the Nationwide Divorce Records website. I tried to search for my friend's name and was able to get her Missouri Divorce Records in a matter of minutes. Of course, it wasn't really her because she's not even married yet. I clicked on the name and was presented with two options, instant report for $29.95 or unlimited search pass for $9.95. Pretty cheap for vital information right?

Little Ballerina

When I found out that I was having a baby girl, all I can think about are her future activities - tea parties, piano class, swimming lessons, ballet and art.

Three years have passed and here she is.



When I took this photo, she was doing all the activities that I mentioned - drawing, playing the piano, pretend tea time, swimming on the floor while wearing her ballerina outfit. She even turned her headband into a necklace because just like mommy, an outfit won't be complete without accessories. :)

Online Stalking

I came across something interesting from this chic lit book last week. When the main character got dumped by her fiancé, she got addicted to Googling anything about him. The results ranged from the guy running a marathon, accepting a new job, getting listed for wedding registry and baby registry. I wondered if this is true so I made a search on some of my closest friends. Although I have a few listings for my self, I am an online junkie after all, I didn't find anything interesting for my friends. I did come across the US Marriage Records website though. This site lets you get Public Marriage Records on anyone that you know from the United States. Simply enter the first name and last name and voila! you'd get instant access to official marriage documents. You can also search by City, Country or Zip Code to narrow down the results. I've tried searching for an old boyfriend and received about 120 listings immediately.

Sandy's Latest Doll

His name is Gavin, named after Gavin Rossdale of course.



She wanted a Ken doll ever since she realized that no one knows how to drive her pink Barbie car. She kept on pretending that her other Barbie was the Papa so I've decided to buy her one. Besides, I've never had a Ken when I was little so this is also my way of owning one LOL.

Isn't he a cutie? Sandy had a choice between this and a prince with black hair. I told her to get the one with the black hair because it looks more like her Papa. She didn't want a prince though. She said she prefers this younger version because he's "Guapo" (handsome).

Classic Timepieces

One of the things that I will do if I win the lottery is to buy breitling watches for all the men in my family. I've always wanted to give expensive watches as presents to my loved ones but I'm neither a celebrity nor a rich entrepreneur to be able to afford that. For now, I'm just happy to browse through these fine watches from the FeelGoodWatches.com web site. I still can't get over how expensive they are, especially the fact that other people can afford them. I've read somewhere that the Russian President Vladimir Putin wears the most expensive watch among Russian politicians. His patek philippe costs $60,000, which weirdly enough is also his annual wage.

The price of patek phillipe watches range from $9,000 to $160,000 at the Feel Good Watches web site. Some of them are pre-owned by the way so if you're looking for a classic timepiece at a relatively cheaper price, head over to feelgoodwatches.com and start owning your very own patek phillipe or Jaeger-LeCoultre.

Ten on Tuesday - 10 Favorite Movie Songs

See Ten on Tuesday

I love this week's theme because I always find great songs from movies and TV shows. These are the only ones that I can think of as of this moment.

My 10 Favorite Movie Songs
1. Dying Young soundtrack - Dying Young
2. Colorblind - Clueless
3. What a Wonderful World - Meet Joe Black
4. Cannonball - In Good Company
5. Grow Old with You - Wedding Singer
6. Secret Garden - Jerry Maguire
7. Kissing You - Romeo and Juliet
8. Come What May - Moulin Rouge
9. Moon River - Breakfast at Tiffany's
10. Here With Me - Loca Actually

Software as a Service

I'm helping my company review several SaaS (software as a service) for code repository. Now that the team of developers is growing monthly, we want to move our codes on a more stable and reliable server. Phase2int.com's team foundation server hosting is one of the candidates for our projects that are created with Microsoft's Visual Studio. What's great about software as a service tfs is that they host and maintain the application so it can save your company a lot of money. Aside from no setup fees and free support, you don't need to purchase extra machines or IT people to manage the server. It's also the perfect solution for companies like us who are into virtual environment. We have employees in several states and even in China so a central repository is really a must.

As for tfs hosting pricing, it's affordable at $129 a month with a 30 day money back guarantee if you're not satisfied.

Monday's a Bitch

See other entries here.

1. What song will always remind you of this past summer?

I don't really know why but the song Counting Cars always makes me think of summer.

2. If you had unlimited cash where would you like to get away to spend your summer and what sort of things would you do there?

I'd definitely go to The Bahamas and book a whole month's stay in a 5-star, beach front property.

3. If you were stuck on a beach for the summer, how many days would it take you to get sick of swimming,what materials would you use to construct a crude shelter and what random celebrity would you want to randomly show up there and remain topless for your viewing pleasure?

Gawd, what a very exciting questions. Okay let's see. First, I'd never get tired of swimming. Second, palm tree leaves will do. Third, I would love to see Gong Yoo, Gavin Rossdale and Orlando Bloom. No topless sun bathing for me though LOL.

4.Did you suffer any heat stroke or sunburns this summer?

5.Are you looking forward to anything in the fall?

Lake Properties You Can Afford

I've read about an interesting approach in owning a Minnesota Lake Property. Buying a lakeshore property can get pretty expensive even the time shared ones. Solution? Buy a "park model" RV and a lot with resort type settings. RV Properties is now getting popular in the real estate industry because of its affordability and convenience. With RV lots, you can have a cheap getaway with resort-type amenities. Some parks have clubhouse, golf, entertainment rooms and a community pool.


So you think this is something that you'd like to try? You can check out Lakeshore Ventures for their listing of RV lots for sale. There is also a sample computation on how much you will have to shell out if you buy vs. rent. Personally, I'd love to have the opportunity to own an RV lot. I've always wanted to camp in the woods / lake with the comforts of home nearby.

Remembering Bohol

As I was browsing the net for Boracay hotels, I accidentally clicked on a link for Bohol Beach Club. I couldn't help but remember the time we spent there last year. It rained most of the time and the beach wasn't really that nice. Sandy got bored too because we were stuck inside the room a lot. Instead of getting lots of rest, the vacation was stressful. Thank God we still have lots of nice photos from the countryside trip and the few hours when the sun shone upon us.


(How I miss my long hair)

I hope this next beach trip will be different though. Sandy is older so I'm hoping to have more rest this time. Plus I bought every travel activity that I can think of to keep her occupied and happy the entire four days.

The Latest Tunes

How would you like to have the same quality of sound from your local radio stations as you do from your music CD? You do? Well, you're in luck because High Definition sound is also now available for radio. The best part is that it's still free. Just get an HD Radio tuner and you're all set. Get access to new artists, new programs, complete sets and full albums, in depth interviews, experimental formats, new genres and real time data like song titles, artist names, and even traffic data.

And for those who keeps their iPods updated with the latest music, the iPod Tagging that comes with Polk iSonic ES2 is just perfect for you. Imagine coming across a great song and being able to tag it immediately so you can download it from the Apple music store. This is a favorite feature of mine because I love discovering new music through radio programs. With iPod tagging, you don't have to search the web for the song anymore. Just sync your iPod with iTunes and voila! All the songs that you've tagged will be displayed and ready for download.

Questions of the Week #30

Yen's QOTW

1. When did you last wonder if you are in the right path of your life?
I never wondered about this. I guess it's because I'm always perfectly happy at whatever it is that I'm doing.

2. Share or admit the most selfish thing you do on a regular basis.
Online shopping, reading ebooks and watching DVDs when I'm supposed to be taking care of Sandy.

3. Name three people throughout your life that helped to complete you as a person.
My mom, Sandy and my husband.

4. It says that when a person die your spirit could protect anyone in the world, who would you pick?
My daughter of course.

5. What makes you feel dirty? Physically, I mean.
Dusty roads. I hate traveling without the air condition on.

6. Do you ever find it hard not to smile at a time when you don’t want to?
Not really. I'm famous for my poker face. :-!

7. What do you do to stay physically fit?
I used to run. But now that our treadmill broke, I just TRY not to eat a lot.

8. What do you do if you suspect you have a symptom of a serious illness?
I will find the best health care available and then draft a will.

9. What do you do when you have nothing better to do?
Read books and watch movies

10. Do you laugh when you see a stranger trip and fall in public?
Sometimes.

Island Escape

I love watching destination weddings on TV. They just make me want to get married all over again somewhere quiet and far. But since I'm very much happily married, I can urge my single friends to forget about the usual church and hotel packages and just get married in Jamaica or Bahamas.

Superclubs.com is a website that I came across while reading about destination weddings. They specialize in "all inclusive" discount vacation packages from various destinations like Jamaica, Curacao, The Bahamas, Brazil, etc. in one upfront price. Their honeymoon all inclusive resort packages are great too. If you book a honeymoon stay of at least three nights, your wedding is totally free. If that's not all inclusive, then I don't know what it is. As soon as I learned about this, I told my friend immediately because she's planning to have her honeymoon in Jamaica. Why not do everything at the resort including the ceremony right? Most people will pay tons of money just to achieve the wedding of their dreams. With SuperClub, not only you can have this at an affordable price, but you will also be guaranteed that all preparations will be stress free.

And for those who want to rekindle the romance or need to spice up their marriage, the Hedonistic Delights packages are just perfect for you. From bed of roses to bubble baths, to aphrodisiac fruit platters and chocolate seduction, these packages will definitely lead to a night to remember.

First School Event

This is the little girl all dressed up as a little igorota last Friday. Most of the students came wearing the traditional baro't saya so Sandy's costume was very unique. As soon as I saw the colorful skirt made famous by the Isnegs, I knew it was perfect for Sandy. Plus it was the only one that fitted just right when we tried on several Filipiniana costumes.

Nth Birthday Party

Costume parties are great if you have time to prepare. But if you're like me who's always putting off things like these up to the last minute, it can be pretty stressful. Thank God the theme is something simple unlike the last party that we weren't able to attend. The last one said that kids MAY come in equestrian clothing or as polo players. The celebrant loves to ride horses so the theme of the party was ... all about horses of course. I wasn't really psyched about attending and even if I was, we still wouldn't be able to make it because The Husband was in the hospital that time.

Anyway, Sandy is excited about this coming party. All I can think of is that this is the 11th time this year that we'll have to purchase a birthday gift.

Something New - Painting

I know how Sandy loved painting so I've decided to buy her a watercolor set. Then I bought two pieces of cartolina so she can get busy filling it with paint for at least 30 minutes. My estimate was dead on. After 30 minutes of painting, she just said, "okay done. I want to play play-doh".

Expensive Gifts

Guess what my godson is asking for Christmas? He wants either a Wii or a PS2. Of course, he and his parents could just be joking but still, his parents are very close to me so I want to give him something nice. I have no idea what because I don't think anything can hold a candle to Wii. My original plan was to give him a big boy's bike complete with helmet and body protectors. This was the gift that he wanted from me a couple of months ago so I was a bit surprised to know that he changed his mind. Kids nowadays are so much different.

3X Thursday

3X Thursday

1. What are your favorite colors?
Any shades of green, chocolate brown and reds.

2. What is your favorite kind of clothing to wear? Why? What's your least favorite?
I love mini-dresses, especially those kinds that Twiggy used to wear. Now that Katie Holmes wear them all the time, I asked my mom to make several dresses for me. I wear them whenever we go out regardless if we're just buying groceries or meeting friends. She also made some baby clothes for Sandy so that our outfits will match.

On the other hand, I'm not crazy about anything that's too revealing. And outfits that show your bra straps, no matter how cute they are. There's a reason why strapless bras are created.

3. Do you like to take showers or baths? Why/why not?
I love long baths but seriously, I doubt there's any mom out there who can afford to take two hour baths anymore. I can't even stay inside the bathroom for more than 30 minutes because my little girl will wonder where I am.

Old CD

One of our audio racks crashed down while our helper was cleaning it. I was about to tear my hair from frustration until I saw an old audio CD of BUSH. To distract myself from the mess, I decided to turn the DVD player on and listen to my most favorite band of all time. It has been so long since I listened to Gavin's voice, the one that's pre-Gwen era. I admit he's not the very best of vocalist but I just love BUSH's music especially their album Sixteen Stones. I remembered College days and how I spent reading tablatures so I can learn to play their songs in my guitar. I downloaded the songs and placed them in my ipod so I can listen to BUSH wherever I am.

QOTW Week 29

Yen's QOTW

1. When you see a man and woman walking together, do you automatically see them as ‘a couple’?
Yes. I even have this habit of noticing their age, fashion style, etc.

2. Is it always okay to walk along minding your own business, not bothering anyone?
Yeah, I mean why would you go out of your way to bother someone.

3. Which foods that you believe are bad for you that you stubbornly refuse to stop eating?
Bacon, bacon and bacon.

4. How would you handle these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights?
In bed cuddling my husband and daughter, tearing my hair out, not caring at all.

5. Do you easily adopt habits or phrases from the people around you?
Oh yeah. Although I'm proud of being my own person, I can't help but pick up my friends habits. I even used to think that I'm some sort of a chameleon, blending whoever I'm with. I've kicked that habit though.

6. What do you think of this situation?
~ In a checkout line at a store, someone is angrily yelling at the cashier because she’s waiting for minutes already. A long line of people are behind them with no other checkout line available. Does the angry person have a right to be yelling?
Depends what the cashier was doing. If she was busy chatting with her co-workers, I'd get all worked up too.

7. How often are you greeted by strangers in a friendly manner while walking around in public?
A couple of times especially when it's December and Christmas is just around the corner.

8. What do you think of Crocs?
Love it for my little girl. I hated the adult version until they released Alice for ladies. Now that one I would buy.

9. How long does it take you to get ready to go out?
About 30 minutes to one hour.

10. What kind of accent do you find attractive?
British. They just sound sexy!

No Exercise

Ever since our treadmill broke, I've been gaining weight almost weekly. I know I shouldn't blame it on the treadmill but there's just something about running everyday that makes me alert and active the whole day. I was aiming for a weight loss of 5lbs before December but instead, I gained 3 from the last three weeks. I'll have to bug my husband to have it checked and see if it's repairable. If not, I need to find another way to exercise and lose all these flab that's starting to depress me. Luckily, my skinny jeans still fit me so there's no need to panic just yet.

Mini Garage Sale

I'm in the process of de-cluttering our cabinets again. First step was to unearth our old moving boxes and check which items are still good enough to be sold. I just finished selling Sandy's old crocs and some brand new shoes online. Next week, I'll put out boxes for her unbranded old shoes and sell it in our garage. I'm sure plenty of helpers would buy them for their kids. The last time I sold Sandy's clothes, I earned at least a thousand pesos. All of them were in top condition, it's just that they don't fit anymore and I doubt anyone will buy used clothes online. The ones that were too old, I give away for free.

Manic Monday #131

Manic Monday

If you could take more control of one aspect of your life, what would it be?
My health. I never really find time to take care of myself. What with so many things that I juggle daily (parenting, work, household chores), it's just not possible to think of myself. I don't even have enough time for my husband as it is.

If you were to name the difference between the male soul and the female soul, what would it be?
The women soul doesn't care about solving things as long as she can talk about it.

If you had to admit the most selfish thing you do on a regular basis, what would you say it is?
Read ebooks for hours. It's the only hobby that I can afford to do especially when I'm putting Sandy to sleep.

MBAP Meet Up

Yes, it's our 5th meet up ever since we all found each other online.





I was so happy to see everyone most especially the pregnant mommies! I can't believe how sexy they looked even with the big bump and all. I'm not talking about the usual glow of a pregnant mom; I'm talking real hot mommas! LOL. I believe my thighs and arms are bigger than theirs and I'm not even pregnant.

Just look at the above photo.

We made plans of having another eyeball before the first mommy (peachy) give birth. This will serve as our Christmas party / Shower party too so I'm pretty excited about that.

To Keep Me Going

I love lists. I have them in our refrigerator, on my monitor, my notebook and my desktop is filled with text files containing to-dos.

For the next two weeks, here's what I'm planning to accomplish.

Projects
Design two corporate logos
Send estimate for a website redesign selling horse supplies
Talk to my client about the possibility of using 3rd party software for his social networking project
Brush up on my Flash kills

Home
Sign up for online banking
Be more patient when teaching Sandy her assignment
Organize our important papers
Hold a small garage sale for Sandy's almost new shoes and clothes.

Moody Mondays

Moody Mondays

This week's Moody Mondays is all about "Back To School".


Do you have any special school memories or stories you would like to tell us?
Yes. I remember when I was in grade school. I used to be very active when it comes to joining events and talent shows. I was practicing my dance routine (in my leotards) in our small gymnasium when I saw that the three girls in the front seat are sniggering at something. I have the feeling that they were laughing at me but know that it's not possible since I always check myself in front of the mirror. When I was done, I looked in the dressing room mirror and realized that I have a rip on my armpit. It wasn't noticeable at first but the home theater lighting that was used on the stage was so bright that the hole was visible to anyone. It was humiliating.


If you have children, when do they head back to school?
Sandy just started school last June. We weren't planning on enrolling her but after seeing how she got excited whenever she goes to summer school, we just changed our minds. Our decision was right; she loves school and always come home with a star on her hand.

Junk-a-Holic

My mom is into discount furniture that you'll see various of types of furniture in my parents house. This can be a pretty expensive habit too even if they our discounted which is why I'm happy that she discovered flea markets. However, most often than not, she goes home with stuff that have seen better days. I tell her to stop purchasing little knick knacks because they are just dust gatherers. It was only when we watched this episode form Oprah about a woman who can't live in her house anymore because it's filled with junk and old purchases that she decided to stop visiting her favorite stops.

Crawling The Net

I stumble upon crawlingthenet.com while searching for an ecommerce software. I think it's a great site for companies who want to increase their visibility online. CrawlingTheNet is an online advertising website that lists advertisers in their very own search engine. For as low as $0.01 per click, these advertisers will get targeted clicks from CrawlingTheNet visitors. It's free to sign up but a deposit of $10 minimum is needed so you can bid on keywords.

To maximize your account, you should try to bid wisely for keywords. The higher your bid is, the higher your chances that your website will be displayed on top of the search results for the said keyword. Just like what my client used to say, you need to spend money on advertising if you want to do well. I believe he spends almost $2000 monthly on advertising alone for his affiliate programs. A bit high yes, but he earns more than $8000 a month from the same programs so if you do the math, $2000 doesn't really sound bad at all.

Friday 5

Friday 5

1. What’s something really, really stupid you’ve done that could easily have resulted in your own death? Snorkeling on a 15-feet deep ocean without a life vest. I didn't know it was that deep because there are so many corals around me that I can step on. Only when we're back in the room did I find out that we're swimming on deep waters. It would've been okay if I know how to swim. If I knew that my feet could't touch the bottom anymore, I would've panicked and drowned.

2. What makes you feel stupid? Whenever people talk about something that I know nothing about. Or when my boss mentions a new software or technology and all I can do is nod and pretend that I've heard about it.

3. What’s something that’s stupid in a very smart way? I'm stupid with softwares that create HTML automatically. I don't use them because I prefer writing my own codes without any help from an HTML editor.

4. What’s an example of a stupid idea working out in a way that solved a problem? When my friends and I decided to go on an overnight trip on a beach without accomodation or even tents to keep us warm at night. Good thing there were a couple of fire pits around the resort so it wasn't really that cold. Since we have nowhere to sleep, we spent the night lying down on the beach, gazing at the stars. Two of my friends were not talking to each other before that but because of the peacefulness and contentment around us, it made them forget about their issues.


5. There is apparently a brand of packaged popcorn called Smartfood. What might be found in the package labeled Stupidfood?
All I can think of are junkfood and fatty foods.

Coffee/Pigging Out Meeting

I will be meeting with the mommy bloggers this coming Sunday. It's been so long since I've seen them so I'm sure we will gossip like crazy. The kidlets and hubbies will join us too. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate.

Aside from the never-ending chika, I'm also dying to eat buttered shrimp and baked mussels. I'll have to tell my husband to wake up early so we won't be late. All the preggy mommies will be there and given their appetites, I'm afraid not to come on time just in case they eat all the food BWAHAHAHAHA.

Black Friday is Almost Here

OMG, this is what every woman are waiting for - Black Friday Sale! I have friends who really do stand in line as early as 5AM so they can shop like crazy. Their purchases are so amazing that I really wish I was there too. Nothing can give a woman a natural high better than discount shopping, don't you think?

Anyway, if you're not up to standing in line at a ridiculous hour, then the Black Friday Online website is perfect for you. Even before Black Friday, they start posting items that you can buy online, including links directly to the products. They also have email alerts to let you know that a new Black Friday ad have been posted to their web site. The ads are full ad scans that you can't find anywhere else. They are free and will definitely give you an advantage come shopping day. And if you miss Black Friday, don't fret. There are still great offers for cyber Monday sales, which refers to the Monday immediately following Black Friday.

I would love to get my hands on a great Apple deal. I've been dying to have an iMac for so long and with Black Friday fast approaching; I might be able to convince my boss to finally get me one.

Booking Through Thursday

Booking Through Thursday

Whether you usually read off of your own book pile or from the library shelves NOW, chances are you started off with trips to the library.

So … What is your earliest memory of a library?
My earliest memory was when I was 7 years old and I had to get a book on Rapunsel. There was a play and I got the role of the witch even if I haven't read about the book yet.

Who took you?
My teacher. She left me inside to read the story and while reading, I wondered why I had to play witch when Rapunsel is much nicer. Only when I got older did I realize that it's because I have this high pitch voice so I was perfect for the part.


Do you have you any funny/odd memories of the library?
I was 2nd year high school and waiting for my crush to appear in the doorway. I was also sitting in a folding chair and rocking it back and forth due because I was bored. The exact moment that my crush appeared, my chair folded and I fell on the floor. Luckily, when my crush looked at my direction, I was already under the table so he didn't see me make an ass of myself. It's funny because I saw my old crush again last week and learned that he's a futures broker now.

Writing and Drawing

I never thought Sandy would be interested in writing. She hates coloring so much that I sometimes end up finishing her first assignment in school. Now, however, you'll always see her either tracing dotted lines, writing on her magnetic board or drawing happy and sad faces.



I really hope she will inherit my love for the arts. There's also this one time when she was so busy that I feared she was doing something dangerous like eating something that was not supposed to be eaten. When I saw what she was doing, I can't help but smile and be proud of her. She drew 10 faces with stick arms and legs, some of them have eyeglasses, mustache, beard and curly hair. When I asked her about who they are, she told me the names of all our friends one by one. Too bad I didn't take a photo.

NFL Shows

The Husband is crazy about any TV programs that has to do with the NFL. I guess all guys are like that when it comes to sports. Even my boss, who swore that he never watches TV just signed up for NFL Sunday Ticket from DirectTV. This NFL TV Package lets you watch up to 200 NFL games per season and since they offer it in HIgh Definition too, he just could't resist the offer.

I'm sure my husband would love to have access to NFL TV too. It's just too bad that they don't offer it here. On second thought, I'd probably not let him sign up for one unless he can promise that he will still join us for dinner on Sundays. Since the package offers up to 200 games per season, that means you have a choice of up to 14 games every Sunday. Imagine what damage it can do to our family bonding time LOL.

Post-Stress Make-Under

I need a pimple cream really bad. Due to stress and sleepless nights, my face is indistinguishable because of raccoon eyes, breakouts, black heads and two pimples on my chin. This is serious because I never get pimples, even during my awkward, pimple-prone, teenage days. My hair is also a mess - too long bangs, not-so-fab haircut bordering on boring, fly aways. I wish I can have time to visit a salon and pamper myself but the way my work has piling up every hour, I just can't afford to go to the mall anymore.

A Very Busy Week

It has been four days since The Husband got back from the hospital. I should've been back in the groove of working and blogging but unfortunately, I'm now down with colds and cough. Sandy has cough due to her colds too but I'm really thankful that it wasn't her who got the dengue fever. My bosses and clients are very sympathetic too that they are giving me enough free days to take care of The Husband. My boss even sent me a long email on how he researched about dengue fever. For sure he got the worst case scenario so he's giving me all the time I need. Anyway, I hope I'll feel better enough to start designing and coding again. Although my clients are very understanding, there's something about unfinished tasks that stresses me out even if I was given time not to work on it. Right now, blogging is the only thing that I can do because I'd never get tired talking about myself LOL. I haven't been taking pictures lately but hopefully, I can start again this week.

Working Offline

The Husband is down with dengue fever so I'm spending all my days at the hospital. Even if Makati Medical City is expensive, it sucks to know that they don't have wi-fi or dial up at least in the hospital rooms. I figured I'd just bring my portable hard drive and work in a cafe but turned out that there are not too many internet cafes around the hospital as well. My only option is to download work to my laptop when I'm at home then bring my laptop to the hospital so I can work offline. This setup is working so far, except I really miss browsing the Internet. There are also moments when I needed to check information online but since I don't have connection, I put off another unfinished task so I can continue at home. I badly want to get things back to order again. SOON.

Just For Girls

One of the great things of having a daughter is that you have your doll to dress up with. Some mothers even wish for a baby girl because of all the cute and fabulous clothing for girls available everywhere. I'm glad Sandy likes to dress up too. Would you believe she chooses her own outfits as early as two years old? I love shopping with her too because she always recommends items for my to try on. Yes, you've read that right. Her choices usually range from flirty skirts to satin dresses.

As for online shopping, you wouldn't believe how huge the industry is for dress clothing for girls alone. I like the dresses from Zara but my real favorite are the ones from Ralph Lauren girls dress collection. Sandy just looks so preppy in the cap-sleeved polo and flared, pleated skirt. Even I would love to have one so our outfits will match. The rugby blue fleece dress will look so cute on her too. Now, if only I can convince my friend to give it to Sandy for her birthday, I'd be a happy mom. :)

On Dream Homes

Looking for inspiration for your dream home? Are you ready to get started building? Before you make any final decisions, I suggest you visit HousePlansandMore.com. This site provides custom Home Plans to help you, the home owner achieve the house of your dreams. Each plan incorporates every architectural design feature that you have in mind without going over budget. Feel free to browse through several blue prints to give you an idea on the styles and cost.

Like to have a feel of the rural French countryside? Then you will love the arched openings and ceilings, brick and stone exterior of these amazing French Country House Plans. There's this home plan that starts at $695 that includes a cozy hearth room, formal dining room with decorative columns, luxury baths and walk-in closets.

For those who are into contemporary styles, the
Contemporary house plans will just give you a totally modernist style house on a realistic budget. Other plans that you can choose from are narrows, prairie styles, southern houses, colonial homes, new england plans, beach house and many more.

As for me, my plans for my dream house are pretty simple. Something similar below will keep me happy ;) (rooms, trees included)