Family Dinners Are Easier than an Online Casino

If your family is like most today, chances are your weekdays and weeknights are a blur of school work, sports practice, music and dance lessons, and barely any time for dinner or quality time with your loved ones. While it is great for kids to be busy and active, studies are now proving it is equally important for them to spend downtime together as a family. Nightly family dinners are a great way to ensure everyone gets the balanced meals they need, while still managing to catch up with family members throughout the evening. Luckily, planning meals for the whole family for a week does not have to be as difficult and tedious as losing at an online casino. In fact, it can be a great family activity for the weekends or any free evening.

One great trick to try is to spend one weekend day – either Saturday or Sunday, whichever day typically allows you more spare time – to meal plan. Sit down with the whole family and allow them to each choose a night. If one child loves tacos, make it a fiesta. If one is crazy about chicken, have that one night as well. Create a menu for each night and then a master grocery list from there. Having every necessary ingredient on hand will reduce your likelihood of running to the drive-thru after school or practice.

Even easier, you can create frozen entrees on Sunday inspired by your kids’ favorite dishes. Taco casserole freezes perfectly and can be reheated in just minutes. Serve with chips and salsa and you have dinner without having to cook!

Dining together, at least on a semi-regular basis is something every family should make a priority. Certainly, it is difficult for active families to do so every night, but even a few nights a week will make a difference in the cohesive calmness and happiness of your loves ones.

Tiramisu

I was craving for Tiramisu last Sunday, and T being the good husband that he is said yes to us having dinner at cheesecake factory so that I can have my tiramisu after dinner. We both ate only half of our dinner entree to save room for dessert. That was totally perfect since I had food for lunch the next day. Most of the time it takes time to get seated especially during dinner time at cheesecake factory but for this visit we only had to wait for around 20 mins. We were pretty prepared for the long wait though and bought research material about the bullion investment that T wants to invest in. We have been in discussion about this for the longest time and we both feel that now is the best time to do so but at the same time we are still apprehensive so we are both doing our research. You can't really blame us if we are careful with all the expenses and investments that we make especially since we have a growing family.
It was a wonderful sunday dinner. A perfect way to end our busy weekend.

Haircut

I badly need a haircut. My hair is so dry and so long. My last haircut was December 2009. I don't really need anything major, I just need to have the ends cut. The only thing is I don't know where to go and it's kinda expensive here so I'm really having a hard time convincing myself to go to the salon to get a hair cut. I asked T if he can cut an inch off my hair and he said yes and grabbed the scissors immediately. I told him I won't let him cut my hair with ordinary scissors. hell no, teehee.

Adobo

I was craving for adobo the other day and lucky me it's so easy to cook adobo. One of the easiest dishes to cook as all you need to do is put all the ingredients, let it simmer and then your done. The thing with adobo is I don't really have a standard measurement for the ingredients. I just make sure I put in the same amount of vinegar and soy sauce. I sometimes add a bit of sugar or oyster sauce in it, sometimes I don't. Depends on my mood but surprisingly every time I cook adobo, I do a pretty good job at it. Love your own cooking of course.

Ikea Addict

It's been a trip to Ikea for me and T for the past 3 weeks. I personally love Ikea. So many things to see and so many ideas to get. We have pretty much decided on getting a few stuff from there. Although trips to Ikea are fun I must say it's very tiring too. Just too much walking :D
Looking for items for our kitchen is like looking to buy gold bullion. Cabinets are very expensive and since we are looking at wood cabinets we don't really have much of a choice but to increase our budget. The laminate cabinets look really good too but since we are more for items that will last longer we had to scrap that off our list. It's weekend again in the next 2 days and I have this feeling that a trip to Ikea is again on the list of must do.

Master Chef

I'm a reality TV show junkie. A new addition to the list of TV shows that I now watch is Master Chef. This is the first season it's shown in US TV but I believe it has been existing in other countries. It came at a perfect time as the latest season of hell's kitchen has just ended and then this show has started. Watching this show and Top Chef makes me want to be a chef though. Add that to my long list of "what i want to be". lol.

Bindi

I miss Bindi!
My sister celebrated her birthday early this week and they as usual went out for dinner. Of course, Bindi was there and she's so big already. Bindi is no longer a baby. She is turning 2 next month. Time flies and a month after she turns 2, I shall be giving birth. My cousin (Bindi's mom) has been telling me that you can now talk to her like an adult. So cute! Here are current pictures of the little girl taken during my sister's birthday.

She is such a cutie!

Beauty School

I've been surfing a lot the past few days. Looking for things for the house, things for "tornado", and a lot of other stuff. Good thing is I have not really bought anything :D I also have been taking the chance to look at cosmetology schools in Wichita as a cousin back in the Philippines has been thinking of attending classes there. It looks really promising and I think it's something she'll need and enjoy. Now the only thing she needs to do is to save up for it and find time to fly here in the US, drop everything she is currently doing back home and enroll. That's not going to be easy though.

Costco on a Weekend

We love going to costco during weekends because we get to try a lot of foodies for free :D We went last saturday to do some grocery shopping. I had a list of things to buy including nuphedragen an order of my cousin in the Philippines but ended up buying more than what's on my list including hagen dazs ice cream. Blame it on the $4 coupon we had.

10 weeks

Let the countdown begin!

I could honestly say we are not yet ready for the "tornado's" arrival but we are very excited. I guess you'll never really be ready for something like this. Our not being ready is more of our house is not yet ready for the baby but we are getting there. I hope I won't need to buy the best eye wrinkle cream in the market anytime soon. I have so many things on my mind I know same with T especially since he's been really busy with work too.

Gold

gold, always believe in your soul.
you've got the power to know.
you're indestructable, always believe in

I've been singing that song for the past hour while look at where I could buy gold coins online. We are not yet buying but we are actively looking as we know that the value of gold coins has increased and has been very stable in the past months. We are still looking at where we could possibly buy some and get a good value for our money. We feel that it's the best investment especially since bank interest for savings account is not really not high and investing in stocks is not really not good either. Gold is said to be the best investment one could make right now. Hopefully, we find a good market and invest on them.

Last Weekend of July

This weekend is not to be as busy as previous weekends. Other than dinner with T's college friends tonight we don't really have anything planned for the weekend. We would probably be staying home and start fixing the house. We have a lot of things happening in the coming weeks and I'm pretty sure we would be really busy with the house and preparing the house for "tornado". Hopefully we could also go over the list of term life insurance quotes we got from our agent. It's something we have been putting off for the longest time. Oh, and probably go the filipino store to buy some groceries. Come to think of it we would probably end up having a busy weekend. lol.
Happy weekend

Shaved Ice

It's summer in my side of the earth and so far it has been really nice other than 2 weeks ago when it was really hot. I'm thankful that the weather has improved over the past few days but since it's still summer I know the summer heat is going to make a great comeback. Since it's summer ice cream has been a staple for me. But if I keep on eating ice cream not only will my sugar increase but my weight too. I might need everything they sell at quickweightloss.org. Thank God for a "healthier" alternative--shaved ice. It's fresh fruits, milk and shaved ice.

We had this 2 weeks ago. The picture above is of a small order that I shared with T. We of course didn't finish it as it's was huge! Now, I'm craving for shaved ice again.

Weight Lost

In our quest to lose weight (uhm, more of the husband really and not for me for now at least), we have started eating cereals for breakfast. I've never really liked cereals when I was in the Philippines. I'm not a fan of milk either but things change. I'm trying to cut down on my carbohydrates intake and that means a cut on my rice for me not to have gestational diabetes. We have been pretty successful. My sugar is normal and "T" has lost weight. Now I'm thinking of getting a pull up bar. Other than diet anyway, we would be needing exercise. I've read about really good results but I think after "tornado" arrives, we will be losing the weight we need to lose anyway. Hmmm....

Shopping

I have not bought anything for myself in a month. I think that is a good thing. Other than nothing fits me right now, I got new maternity clothes from my mom and hand me downs from my SIL. I should be good with the clothes I have now. It's good for our savings too.
Not buying anything though does not stop me from looking at sale items online. Just looking for now and taking note of things I like. Most of the items I'm looking at are for "tornado" and the house.

Lucky

We were cleaning the house one Saturday afternoon when I accidentally bumped into T's box of coins. I had to pick it all up of course and saw four pieces gold coins while doing so. I immediately told him they were now mine since I found them. He just laughed and told me that to just make sure to keep it safely and since it was only four pieces that he thinks I won't be able to buy much with it anyways. Of course I ended up giving him the coins. I just told him to buy me ice cream in exchange for the gold coins.
On that same day, I was told of a good news from back home. The good new totally made my day of course. And I do feel lucky or should I say blessed for all the good things coming my way. I bet you little "tornado" is my lucky charm.

Pens

I was looking for vitamins online for my dad while T was opening a box that was delivered that morning. I didn't know what he bought online and he just out of nowhere gave me pens.

I love pens! I remember back in college and nursing school that I would spend hours in the bookstore just checking for new pens and I always had to have a nice pen or else I'd be so lazy taking down notes.
Thank you T for the pens. Love it and love you! ♥

Ordinary Wednesday

Wednesday is a free day for me. No laundry, no cleaning of the house and no other chores to do. I'd usually be online, watching TV and doing some reading. My friend who has been trying to lose weight has mentioned she wanted to trying taking Apidexin so I took sometime to read apidexin reviews. She's been over weight all her life and has tried so many pills, diet and exercise in her quest to lose weight. After reading the reviews though, I'm hopeful for her and I hope she finally loses the weight she's been trying to lose.
I think I've done enough reading and it's time for me to take a nap before cooking dinner. Yey for Wednesday's!

Whew!

We had one tiring weekend! All fun though. I always have fun attending children parties and soon I guess it will be more fun since we will have our own little one attending and enjoying the parties with us. We also got a chance to buy my Aunts order of diet pills after the party. I don't have to go out this week to get that. yey to that!
Disneyland as always was fun too. Every visit to the happiest place on earth is F-U-N! It was a good thing that the weather yesterday was not as bad as the other days. It was sunny but at least we still had the cool wind. It was not perfect Disneyland weather but it was not as bad as I expected.

Yey for Weekends!

And just like that tomorrow is friday again. I'm not complaining though because it means I get to spend time with T. It's going to be a busy weekend for us though. A first birthday party on Saturday and then Disneyland on Sunday. I'm excited for Sunday as my dad's cousin who is like my sister is arriving on Saturday and then we bring her to Disneyland on Sunday. I'm excited to see her ofcourse and to bring her to the happiest place on earth :D
The weekend would also mean a lot of eating out for us. We started the week with just eating cereals every morning since we want to cut down on our rice intake. Hopefully I won't have to order phentremene anytime soon.
Happy weekend everyone!

Ike's Place

We first learned of Ike's place after watching Man vs Food on TV. It was perfect timing because we were scheduled to go to SFO in 2 weeks so we took note of where it was. On our first day in SFO we went to the place and ordered a sandwich. It took a really long time for us to decide on what to order as they had a lot of choices. We then drove to the nearest park and ate our sandwich there. Each sandwich comes with a bag of chips. It was a big sandwich so we decided to just split the order. It was soooo good and worth the lining up and the wait. On our last day, we went back and had sandwich again for lunch. I would definitely need the best weight loss supplements after I give birth with all the eating I have been doing.

I Love You Sabado!

We met up with relatives from my dad's side of the family last saturday for lunch. We agreed on having filipino food and so we went to Salo-Salo grill. I'm so bad for not taking pictures though. I was so excited to eat. teehee. We had a grand time exchanging stories. Too bad a cousin was not able to join us since she is taking sat prep classes. She's an incoming senior and she is doing really good in school but for her to get into her university of choice for college she needs a really good SAT score too. I know she is going to do really good but she's pretty much stressed already. Back in the Phils, to get to a good school all you really need to worry about is to pass the entrance exam of the said school, not here though. After lunch, we went to a tea house to eat crushed ice and have tea. Spent another hour just exchanging stories then off to a baby shower. So it turned out to be an all day of eating! I was a fun.fun. saturday though.

San Francisco

We had a grand time in San Francisco! Yes, it was tiring having to walk and go to places but I would have to say it was all worth it. After 3 days in San Francisco, we took another 3 hour drive to Lake Tahoe to meet-up with my relatives. That deserves a separate post.
San Francisco is so different from LA. I just like it how it is easy to go to places and ride public transportation. We did a lot of walking on this trip and a lot of eating too. I was scared we might get sick during the trip but thank God for the vitamins I drink and the multivitamins for men that T drinks we were able to survive our trip without any of us getting sick.

Mommy's Birthday

One month of waiting is over for my family back home. The box we sent had arrived and it was just in time for my mom's birthday. She got her birthday gift days before her birthday. I'm glad she likes the gift we sent here. I also got her a wrinkle cream I found online. If anyone reading this is interested in getting one, just click here. I have not tried it but I have read very good reviews about it.
Anyhow, today my mom celebrates her ___th birthday. Again, I'm missing the celebration. I'm looking forward to calling Manila later though to greet here and talk to relatives who'll be celebrating with her. I will miss all the yummy food! This is the first time I won't be home to celebrate her birthday. This are the times I miss Manila the most.
I hope you have a happy celebration mom. We love you and miss you.

Blessings

The social security disability insurance that my dad's friend is receiving after the accident he encountered at work is truly a blessing to their family. Since my friends mom had retired last year and her sister still in school my friend was really troubled on how to go about with their daily expenses since she's the only one working. Little did she know that her dad was going to be receiving insurance money.

God works in ways we cannot see. She didn't expect for this blessing and is more than thankful because it covers for her dad's medicine and their daily expenses.

Ack!

So many things to do and yet I still feel so tired to do anything. We came back from our week long vacation last night and I need another vacation to get some rest from the vacation we just had. It always feels like that. I have tons of household chores to do and it's during this time I miss the househelp in manila. I also need to find a good document management system for T. He needs one for work and has asked me to help him with it. I also need to update my blogs and I want to blog about our trip. Hopefully I can start on all that tomorrow. For now I shall rest.

Random Stuff

>Our weekend was busy! We had to finish all the errands yesterday (Saturday) and then attend Isabela's 7th bday party today. It was a science themed party and it was super fun. I would have to say both the kids and the adults had fun. I love how simple children's parties are here. SIL had it at the park and just ordered pizza for everyone. Salad, fruits and chips was also served. Here is the invitation my SIL made for the party.

>The party ended at around 5pm and we ended the celebration by having dinner. We had to rush home after the party to start packing for our short vacation. Other than clothes we have to pack our camping gear as we will be meeting up with family at the end of the week for a camping trip. I already know this is going to be a fun but tiring week.

>I forgot to buy the IWC watch for our family friend over the weekend. I was suppose to buy it this weekend and then ship it to Manila but I totally forgot. No choice but to do buy it 2 weeks from now.

i want!

Diverse Jewelry Styles from Roberto Coin

If you’re a jewelry collector, you might have a particular style of taste. Some people like very elegant and traditional styles of necklaces, earrings and bracelets; others are into things that are more modern and even quirky. By searching the websites of jewelers, such as Roberto Coin, you can almost certainly find something that sparks your interest.

The silver, gold and embedded stone or diamond jewels are as popular as ever, but you do not have to go the route of the magnificently elegant jewelry that makes for a movie star look. You can choose from simple designs that integrate these elements into motifs as traditional as crosses, and it is also possible to find necklaces that feature keys, fish, and even horses. For example, hearts are a popular jewelry theme, but you can get a necklace that has something unique as a palm tree or starfish if you want.

Flowers, turtles and even ladybugs can also be represented as pendants on necklaces in an array of colors. Necklaces can also include letter pendants for every letter of the alphabet, and you can incorporate those with dolphin, dog bone, penguin and lizard even pendants. As long as the metal can be molded into the shape desired, it can be designed and integrated into any piece of jewelry.

Necklaces aren’t the only type of jewelry that can feature a somewhat different design. Bracelets also come in thin or thicker styles, and in many different materials. Yellow gold and rose gold are examples of different things a bracelet can incorporate. As for earrings, hoop and link earrings are popular choices, but there are also earrings with a skull and crossbone design or concentric teardrops. The diversity among all types of jewelry is enough to cover the entire spectrum of personal styles, with one sure to please you.

Safety First: Getting the Right Pet Meds

Many people who want to take good care of their pets through preventative medicine make the honest mistake of buying inexpensive medications, thinking that there's nothing wrong with saving a little bit of money. While it's true that saving money is a good thing, there are some places where it just doesn't make sense. Health is one of those places. You don't want to compromise the health and safety of your pets by purchasing discount pet meds that might not be safe. That doesn't mean you shouldn't shop around for the best price on these medications, but only that you shouldn't by brands you've never heard of or that your vet doesn't recommend.

While most of these pet medications will still be safe, there are always exceptions. You may also find that they just aren't as effective as the name brands. If that's the case, you won't really be saving any money, since spending less will clearly be getting you less. If you have to throw the medications away because they didn't work, and then have to go out and buy other medications, you'll actually have spent more money to get the same result. That's unfortunate, and it's made even worse when you really don't know about the safety of the medications that don't carry the recognized, name brand.

To be sure that you're getting the right medication for your pet, talking to your vet can be a great idea. He or she will help you choose the medication that you should be giving to your four-legged friend. That's true of pets that are sick and need help, and true of pets that are healthy and need to stay that way. No matter what situation you and your pet are in, your vet can be a great resource when it comes to safe and effective pet medications.

The Weekend That Was

Friday: To officially start our weekend,we had dinner out. T usually takes me out to dinner Friday night and we went to Firefox Steak House for this weekend. Food was yummy of course and being with T was fun as usual. I always, always look forward to weekends as we get to spend 24 hours together.

Saturday: It was Audrey's graduation from kindergarten so we drove up to the valley to be with family. We had to leave the house early as it usually takes an hour and a half to get there. Graduation started at 11am and it was the fastest graduation I've ever attended. It was all over in less than 45mins. I'm not complaining though as we were all hungry already. We were treated to sumptuous chinese food after for lunch. We spent a the whole afternoon with my cousins so it was really fun. My uncle was telling us about his new investment. He was offered by a good friend to buy gold coins. I do think it's a good investment because the value of gold has been increasing. We had dinner with SIL's family after.

Sunday: We woke up really late. We were really looking forward to sleeping late. We had brunch at a Dimsum restaurant and then headed home to do some cleaning. I'm not really looking forward to do any cleaning but we have to. In the late afternoon, we went to church and went home to watch the Game 5 of the NBA finals. We then had dinner at Lucille's. yummy ribs!

It was a great weekend and I can't wait for the next weekend.

Sports Betting Information

Sports betting is the practice of making wagers (bets) on the outcomes of sporting events. Generally, sports betting is done through a bookmaker, also called a "bookie" in slang. The bookmaker's role is to act as a market maker for wagers. Wagers are often based a win or lose outcome. The bookie accepts wagers and maintains a spread. The spread will ensure a profit no matter what the wager's outcome.

Type of Sports Betting

There are different types of sports betting that bettors commonly engage in. Here are the main types:

• Proposition bets: Wagers made on a specific result of a sporting match (football, baseball, etc.). For instance, guessing whether a particular player will score in a game or the number of goals each team will score.
• Parlays: Multiple bets, up to 12, with a large payout. The bettor is wagering that all of his bets will win, which makes for a higher payout than if he had made each bet individually.
• Progressive Parlays: Multiple bets, up to 12, which is like a parlay except that even if some of the bets lose a reduced payout is still made.
• Teasers: A bettor can combine bets on two or more different games.
• Run line, puck line or goal line: This type of bet has a fixed point spread that can offer a higher payout for the favorite with a lower payout for the underdog.
• Future Wagers: This type of bet has a long term horizon based in weeks or months, for instance a bet that in the coming season an NFL team will win the Super Bowl.
• Head to Head: This type of bed predicts results of competitors against each other (rather than the overall event outcome).
• Totalizators (flexible-rate bets): Changing odds in real time based on the share of total exchange each possible outcome receives and taking into account the return rate of the bookie.

Green Mangoes

I want green mangoes!
Just looking at this picture I found from my multiply account is making me drool. I can't wait till we go home so I can eat this e-v-e-r-y-d-a-y!

Using Your Home Depot Coupon Codes for Making Improvements

Making improvements to your home is a great way to add value and get more enjoyment from your largest investment. However, breaking your budget does not help make these improvements as enjoyable as they could be. With your Home Depot coupon codes, however, you can save money on making improvements and not worry about how much you spent. Here are some home improvement ideas that you may want to consider.

Landscaping

If you are thinking of selling your home soon or if you just want to add curb appeal to it, consider doing some landscaping. With your Home Depot coupon codes, you can get a variety of decorative bricks and other materials that will definitely help your home look better from the outside. The first impression is such an important concept when visitors come to your door and when you plant beautiful flowers and have a well-landscaped yard, people are sure to be impressed before they ever step inside the door.

Vinyl Siding

Adding vinyl siding to your home is a great way to increase the home's value and provide a low-maintenance option as well. Vinyl siding is durable and it does not need to be painted unlike wooden siding and other materials. Use your Home Depot coupon codes to purchase your vinyl siding and you can either install it yourself or hire professionals to install it for you.

Kitchen Remodeling

The kitchen is often one of the main focal points of any home. Why not improve your kitchen with some remodeling? With your Home Depot coupon codes, you can consider upgrading your appliances, replacing your outdated counter tops or installing a new floor. You may even want to install more cupboards and cabinet space to add more functionality and versatility to this important room. The possibilities are endless when you are using your Home Depot coupon codes.

Understanding Above Ground Pools

Above ground pools are a great investment for people who want to enjoy the fun and convenience of having a pool at home. Even an inflatable above ground pool or an above ground splash pool can offer you the same excitement as that of an inground pool.

The main reason that people prefer above ground pools is the evident cost difference. Above ground pools will cost you somewhere around $4,000 to $5,000 while an inground pool can cost as much as $30,000. Another main convenience in having an above ground pool is that it is portable and can be taken with you when you move. It also makes life easier when you decide that you want to rearrange your backyard and put the pool in a different spot.

Before you install an above ground pool on your property, check whether you need to obtain a permit from your town or city's building department. You will also have to check whether you'll need insurance for an above ground pool.
Most often, above ground pools come in a round or an oval shape. Metal above ground pools, made with powder coated galvanized steel come with a 1/2 hp or 1/6 hp pump and filter to assist you in keeping the water clear and clean. Nowadays, above ground pools are made of corrosion resistant coating, but retain plenty of aesthetic appeal and resilience. For example, metal pools will have side walls made from PVC and polyester mesh for durability and strength.

Above ground pools have undergone tremendous modernization. High quality materials are used. That is the reason why some manufacturers of these pools offer a life time warranty for the wall of their pools. Solar water heating systems are fitted on new models, making your pool usable even in cold weather, and at the same time, conserving energy.

Birth Announcement

I'm no where near giving birth but I'm already looking at photo birth announcements. Talk about being excited. lol. A friend is giving birth in August so we have been sharing our internet finds. Good thing everything one would need is available already online. It's a nice thing for pregnant woman as it saves her a trip to the mall. Not that going to the mall is no fun because it is. But when one is really big already and ready to pop, online shopping is such a great thing.

Firestone Grill

It was my first time to go camping and that would deserve a separate post but one of the highlights of this trip was dinner at Firestone Grill. T has told me about this restaurant and I must say food other than being affordable was really good! For dinner we ordered Tri-tip sandwich and a rack of beef ribs. It was sooo good. Serving was huge and we packed what was left with our beef ribs and had it for breakfast the next day.

Dinner was really good and we didn't even realize we have been at the restaurant for almost 2 hours already talking about Ferrari parts, what to do for the next day, and cupcakes. If it was not for the long line of people ordering and waiting to be seated we would have stayed.

Friday Lunch

I couldn't think of what to eat for lunch and I was busy looking at outdoor décor for the backyard that I didn't really want to go out to buy lunch. I remembered we had leftover spanish sardines and I just made garlic rice. Perfect lunch I should say. It was really yummy and I had to stop myself from finishing the rice I cooked. I had to remind myself I could not eat too much rice. It was a perfect afternoon since I had a wonderful lunch and was able to pick out the outdoor decor.

Baby Boom

I know of 8 pregnant friends who are all due to give birth before the year ends. I'm guessing their is a very high demand for prenatel vitamins this year. lol. Lotsa babies next year! It should be fun since my "tonado" will have lotsa playmates too. I hope that does not mean higher cost of diapers and milk too. Exciting things to happen. Super exciting and life changing things but we are looking forward to it.

Before I The Weekend Starts...

I realized I didn't buy the plasma TV stands (i need to buy three) that my dad wants me to get him. I totally forgot! Good thing I have not sent the box to the shippers this morning. That means I need to do a quick shopping trip to Costco tonight before meeting up with my cousins to get this done. I would have gone now but it's T who's a member so I need to wait for him to get home. Hopefully I have not forgotten anything else.

Lazy Thursday

I wanted to go to best buy earlier to see what are the good deals they are offering for the memorial weekend sale but I was not feeling so well this morning and decided to just stay home. With the not feeling well, my plan of cleaning the house was rescheduled for tomorrow too. The whole day was then spent on reading, watching TV, surfing the internet and surfing the internet. Before I knew it, it was already 5 in the afternoon. I'm feeling much better now and that's the good news so I should be able to finish my chores tomorrow since I won't be able to do any of those over the weekend.

Boxes.Boxes.Boxes

We have one messy living room. We have boxes everywhere! I really have to send out this balikbayan box I have in our living room soon. Our living room is starting to look like our garage. I'm still waiting for the acne treatments my cousin bought online and had shipped here to my house and then I should be able to send out the box. I think I have enough stuff to fill the box so no more shopping.

California Adventure

Since we have annual passes for Disneyland, we make sure we make the most out of it. We usually miss the parade at California Adventure though. It was one tuesday afternoon that the husband took a day off that we decided to go to Disneyland after buying the driveway alarm. This time we spent most of our time at California Adventure and I made sure we got to catch the pixar parade.

I was like a kid again as I was watching the parade. It was so much fun just like the Celebrate parade over at Disney. Writing this makes me miss Disneyland and we should go again before it gets too hot.

Reviews

I've been asked by my cousin to look for a good lsat prep review for her. She plans to go here in 2 months and on top of her priorities is to take the lsat exam. She's been doing her research online but I need to help her by making calls for her too. She wants to go through a program that would really prepare her for the exam and to to get her money's worth too. The prep courses are not really cheap too. Hopefully this really prepares her to enter the law school of her choice.

Going Korean

Reading through articles about diets that work won't really work for me if we don't stop eating out. I should not really be dieting but atleast just watch out for what I eat.

One sunday evening, the husband and I had korean bbq for dinner. We were first thinking of ordering the set courses but then realized that it was going to be cheaper if we order for eat all you can. same food is to be served and we would get to save almost $10.

It was a yummy dinner ofcourse and I was reminded of all the korean telenovelas I've watched and the food trips I had with my friends back in manila wherein we had a chance to eat at an authentic korean restaurant at Malate.

We didn't even order for a refill of the meat platter. The korean waiter even asked us if we were sure that we didn't want a refill. It was indeed a yummy dinner and we went home really full.

Being a Mom

This was shared by a cousin of mine over at facebook and sharing this with all the wonderful moms that I know, moms-to-be, and even the daddies :)

We are sitting at lunch one day when my daughter casually mentions
that she and her husband are thinking of "starting a family."

"We're taking a survey," she says half-joking. "Do you think I should have
a baby?"

"It will change your life," I say, carefully keeping my tone neutral.

"I know," she says, "no more sleeping in on weekends, no more
spontaneous vacations."

But that is not what I meant at all. I look at my daughter, trying to decide what to tell her. I want her to know what she will never learn in childbirth classes.

I want to tell her that the physical wounds of child bearing will
heal, but becoming a mother will leave her with an emotional wound so raw that she will forever be vulnerable.

I consider warning her that she will never again read a newspaper
without asking, "What if that had been MY child?" That every plane crash, every house fire will haunt her. That when she sees pictures of starving children, she will wonder if anything could be worse than watching your child die.

I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish suit and think that no matter how sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will reduce her to
the primitive level of a bear protecting her cub. That an urgent call
of "Mom!" will cause her to drop a soufflé or her best crystal without a moment's hesitation.

I feel that I should warn her that no matter how many years she has invested in her career, she will be professionally derailed by motherhood.

She might arrange for childcare, but one day she will be going into an important business meeting and she will think of her baby's sweet smell. She will have to use every ounce of discipline to keep from running home, just to make sure her baby is all right.

I want my daughter to know that every day decisions will no longer be routine. That a five year old boy's desire to go to the men's room rather than the women's at McDonald's will become a major dilemma. That right there, in the midst of clattering trays and screaming children, issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed against the prospect
that a child molester be lurking in that restroom.

However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess herself constantly as a mother.

Looking at my attractive daughter, I want to assure her that eventually she will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but she will never feel the same about herself. That her life, now so important, will be of less value to her once she has a child. That she would give herself up in a moment to save her offspring, but will also begin to hope for more years, not to accomplish her own dreams, but to watch her child accomplish theirs.

I want her to k now that a cesarean scar or shiny stretch marks
will become badges of honor.

My daughter's relationship with her husband will change, but not in the way she thinks. I wish she could understand how much more you can love a man who is careful to powder the baby or who never hesitates to play with his child. I think she should know that she will fall in love with him again for reasons she would now find very unromantic.

I wish my daughter could sense the bond she will feel with women throughout history who have tried to stop war, prejudice and drunk driving.

I want to describe to my daughter the exhilaration of seeing your child learn to ride a bike. I want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog or cat for the first time.

TRY NOT TO CRY....

I want her to taste the joy that is so real it actually hurts.

My daughter's quizzical look makes me realize that tears have formed in my eyes. "You'll never regret it," I finally say. Then I reached across the table, squeezed my daughter's hand and offered a silent prayer for her, and for me, and for all the mere mortal women who stumble their way into this most wonderful of callings.

Tiring But Fun

....that was how my day went. We had to drive for a little over an hour to my Uncle's house to drop off some documents and phentermine that my Aunt wants me to buy for her. My uncle as mentioned on my previous post is going to the Philippines for a week. We stayed there for a 2 hours just talking about stuff with another Aunt and Uncle who was there. I have not seen them in a month so it was nice to catch up with them. We then met up with some friends for dinner. It has been a long day and i feel tired but it was great to be able to spend time with family and friends.

LA

We are driving to LA after lunch to drop off a few things over at my Uncle's house to give to my mom. His going to the Philippines for a week to play golf. He is lucky he gets to go there for free. It's the tournament organizers who are paying for the airfare. I always look forward the hour drive to LA as I like the scenery. I like it especially if it's not traffic which is usually the case during weekends. I find the billboard over one city though about best testosterone booster funny as it is totally not the right place for that ad. It's better that they place their ad's on a men's magazine. I'm just waiting for T to get home as he had his car checked and then off we go.

Happy weekend everyone!

Stress

I just remembered I have to go over some credit reports for T. He asked me to go over them about a week ago but I totally forgot about it and know that he really needs it by monday, I'm stressing and cramming over it. It's crazy because I have to go over so many things. I got the credit reports online and getting them was super easy but making sure I go over every single detail is the difficult part. I have to get this done before I start my weekend for I surely won't be able to do this over the weekend.

Finally!

It's my first time to be alone and I'm glad T comes home today from his business trip. Even when I was in Manila, I have never alone at home at night so the past 2 nights has been really hard. I've have been having a hard time sleeping and I was so close to using sleep aids because I so want to sleep but couldn't sleep. It was so frustrating. No sleep means headache for me. And because of my current state, drink medicine is a big no. I'm just glad I would finally get some good night sleep tonight.

Ipad

I'm currently addicted to playing bejeweled 2. And it's one of the reasons I want to get an Ipad. We saw one at the apple store and even T liked it. I never thought I'ld like it and since I'm happy with my Iphone. But seeing the Ipad just makes you want to have one. It's not a need obviously since but a want and their is nothing wrong to wanting one right now. It's like wanting to buy prevera too. It's something I don't really need but something I can surely use.

Looking Young

Was watching America's Next Top Model and I just have to say that since Tyra Banks has lost weight she also looks younger compared to about 2 years back when she had gained weight. I've read online that she uses a wrinkle cream. The said wrinkle cream is available online of course through http://www.topwrinklecream.org. That must be one good cream and so much better than to have a face lift or botox. The wrinkle cream has really great reviews online and maybe I should buy a bottle or two for my mom for mother's day.

People Magazine

I just had to buy. With all the talks about Sandra and Jesse breaking up and then the news of her adopted baby, the curious me wanted to read on Sandra's interview. I guess in a way it was a good buy since it was a double issue and featured the world's most beautiful woman. Top on the list is Julia Roberts. A pretty woman indeed. A special article on diet pill reviews was also in the magazine. It was worth the buy plus I can send it to the Philippines when I send a box home.

Lacking Sleep

I was not able to sleep well last night. I don't think I will get a good sleep for the next 2 days either. For that reason I was looking for a good eye cream. Good thing the store has a list of the best eye cream for dark circles that are available in the market. I ended up not buying any though. I was so close to buying one but then again changed my mind and instead bought a book. I almost bought a dress too but will probably get it the next time I go to target.

Stuff

T and I are planning to send another box to the Philippines. Good thing we found a cheap way of shipping boxes and the boxes get in Manila by 30 days. I have a few things I need to send back home. That means we need to make a quick trip to IKEA soon too. Which reminds me I should make a list of things to buy and things to send. That should make everything easier.

Medical Supplies

I remember when I was still in nursing school on how scarce the medical supplies were. We even had to bring our own to use. Syringes were recycled and patients were most of the time are asked to buy whatever is needed too. This is far different from here in the US. With the coming elections in the Philippines and the unending promises of those running for government office, I do hope someone would actually do something about the Medical/Health problems in our country. This is for the longest time been ignored. They say budget is allocated but when you go visit the government hospitals it will make you wonder of where the budget is going. Pockets of government officials maybe. This is very disappointing but true. Someone has to do something about it. An action is needed soon as this is an ongoing problem for years now.

Job Hunting

Not me. Not yet that is. My friend is currently on a search for jobs in Philadelphia. Jobs because it's for her and her husband. After years of waiting, their petition has been finally approved and they will be moving around August. She was asking me if I know of any and of course I don't. I referred her to a website that could definitely help her. I know the feeling of moving to another country and having to start over again but I know it will be more difficult for them since they have 2 kids. They decided to move though even if the economy here in the US is not that good and that they would have to give-up their high paying job in Manila for the kids future and to be with family. Both their immediate families are here in the US already. I hope the job hunting won't be to bad for them. It will be crazy the first few months but then I know it will be all good.

Insurance

T has recently updated our home insurance and a discussion on getting a term life insurance started. He has one already and I have one in the Philippines but that is not a lot. We both agreed how important it is especially since we are starting our family. Thank God for websites that give us atleast an idea of how much it will cost us. We got some really good deals online and we just have to decide on which one to get and on how much coverage. Our goal is to get this sorted soon.

Losing Weight

I know a lot of people are into "losing weight". I've been watching the current season of biggest loser and I'm amazed by how the conestants have lost the weight. All with watching the food that they eat and with exercise. I'm all for the natural way of losing weight. But sometimes with all the weight they lose I can't help but think that they might be taking the best weight loss supplement too. Nothing against that too. I think I might need some by next year. It used to be so easy to lose weight but I guess as you grow older, metabolism changes and losing weight becomes more difficult. Anyways, I can't do anything for now with weight loss. All I can do is make sure I eat right and hope I don't gain much in the coming months.

Thoughts of Moving

The thought of moving is giving me stress already. I remember when I had to move 4 months ago from the Phils to the US, I told myself I would only be bringing the things I need. It was sad to leave the junk I have accumulated in last 30 years behind but having to bring them over would need the services of a long distance moving company. Something I was not willing to do and definitely could not afford :D.

An idea of moving came about a few weeks back. The thought of it was exciting but then again very stressful. Things didn't materialize as they should and we know it was God's way of telling us to stay wherever we are right now for He has better plans for us.

Nuninuninu

The coming weeks are going to be really busy. No vacations for now (though i would really want to go to San Diego or San Francisco). We will just be busy fixing the house. It's not one of my favorite things to do but it's something we have to do and we can't procrastinate anymore. We thought we were headed into a different direction but seems like God has a different plan. I think it will work out just fine and it's perfect for us. I have started the "clean-up" by boxing the used golf balls I have seen in the garage. Next stop is the kitchen. I still have to empty 2 cabinets. In short, we really have a long way to go.

Studying

I need to go back to reading. I have not been doing so well in making sure I get to read my books and that is something I really need to do. I know that by the last quarter of the year, that is something I won't be able to do. I remember talking to my cousin about schooling the other week and it has been hard for her since she really wants to attend a cosmetology school in North Carolina but schedule is not allowing her to do so. She has 3 kids and just taking care of the kids keeps her really busy during the day. She is hoping that in 2 years when her kids are bigger she can finally realize this dream. She got married after she finished high school so going to schoold is really a goal for her. I'm sure she not only wants to do this for herself but also for her family. I'm just happy she knows how important this goal is for her and that she's really determined to achieve it whatever it takes.

Always Sleepy

T has been saying that he feels like I have been drinking sleeping pills as I'm always sleepy. By 9PM I am already ready to go to sleep. This is really something new to me since I have always been a late sleeper and a night person. I use to sleep really late and but for the past month or so I can't seem to stay up late. It's not that I get tired for the whole day since most of the time I don't really do anything in the house other than household chores. I now get my 8 hours of sleep which I think is good but the only downside is that less time to spend with T.

Vegas in Pictures

As much as I want to blog about our trip to Vegas two weekends ago, the lazy bug has bitten me again. I'm not posting any of my pictures though because I have been having problems with my skin. Must be the hormones but I'm seriously thinking I badly need to buy the best acne treatment product I read about online. I'm hoping I don't have to do that and my simple soap and water regime would work but if my skin does not clear out in the next month I might just have to buy one.

Here are pictures of our Vegas trip. I got to meet up with some friends too and that made the trip more fun. We are hoping to go back again soon.

American Idol

I'm loving the new season of American Idol. I'm rooting for Crystal for this season. I'm loving the new judge of course as I'm an Ellen DeGeneres fan. I find her comments really funny and I didn't even realize since I started watching that she knows a lot about music. If I like Ellen, I'm so irritated with Kara Dioguardi. I feel like she took over Paula but then I was not irritated with Paula but I'm so irritated with her. I'm reminded of how she wore a two-piece on stage last year for the season finale of AI. Seemed like the rumors I read she was drinking irvingia. I don't think their is nothing wrong with it since Irvingia has health benefits.

Anyhow, back to AI. I can't wait to know on who is to be voted out this week. AI mode on!

Shoes

I'm now on a lookout for a comfortable shoes. In my current state, I have been told and have read that wearing flipflops is a no-no. Summer is coming soon and I was thinking I can finally enjoy wearing flipflops. But looks like that is not going to happen. I'm thinking of getting a TOMS but T is not really a fan of it. I guess I'm lucky that my only worry is on what shoes to buy and not like the business executive I read about online who is worried on where to buy gold bullion. That's totally more difficult since the value if gold is going up.
Back to shoes, I've thought of getting a TB but I just think it's too expensive. I want a new Melissa shoes but the designs I have been seeing here in the US are the ones I don't like. The designs in Manila are way better. The available designs I have been seeing are the old styles. I hope to find shoes over the weekend.

Employment

Not that I'm currently in a serious search of employment but I've been looking at websites recently just to check on what's out in the employment market for me. Having finished 2 degrees is not making it very easy either. Hopefully when I'm ready to start working I'ld have more options. I know of a lot of people who lost their jobs for almost a year now and are still unemployed. Things should get better in the coming months. I hope it does.

I've again neglected my blog. I'm such a bad blogger.

We are off to Vegas tomorrow. I'm looking forward to meeting up with friends and spending time with T. His been pretty busy the past few days and I know he deserves this break.

Pictures and stories when we get back. Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Weekend List

1. Start packing for the trip to Florida.
2. Buy last minute stuff we would need for the trip.
3. Eyebrow threading & pedicure...salon trip, yey!
4. Print the rheumatoid arthritis treatments for my cousin. I read about it and I think it's something that can really help him.
5. Get the bart simpson stamps for my cousin.
6. Grocery. Buy food we will need until wednesday.
7. Try to change layout for my blogs. Need to make updates for my other blog too.
8. Practice driving :D

Two days for weekend and yet I have a long list of things to do. I'm glad I'm done with cleaning the house. At least that is one item of my list.

Happy weekend everyone!

Think LC and BH

Thinking of getting a LC bag but the one I want is not available for delivery till May. Long wait! I'm thinking of just getting a different one and then try to save up again for the one I really want till May. I might just actually do that.

Most of my time online has been spent looking at where to possibly buy the bag and trying to learn more about blackhead treatments. Crazy I know! Bags and blackheads. They are totally opposites but both are driving me nuts.

Change

I'm not someone who looks forward to changes. I've been so used to so many things that change scare me. In the past few months, major changes has happened. I'm in a new country and I had to leave my home for 30 years.

I've realized though that change is not at all that bad. I'm missing my family in Manila but at the same time I love the family I have here too. It's difficult to be torn but the change is making me grow up. Which I know is good.

Before all I had to worry about is on what to wear when I go out, where to find best acne treatments, where to go over the weekend but now I think more of the future. Change made me more mature.

I've learned to start embracing change. More changes are to happen in the coming months. And I'm all excited with it. Change is good and exciting. Change makes me a better person.

Food.Food.Food

With all the eating we have been doing, I would really need to look for the best diet supplement to help me us lose weight. We had guests over the weekend and all we did was eat.eat.eat. I'm making excuses about having guests over because even without the guests we dine out on weekends. We look forward to trying new restaurants every week but sometimes end up going back to our favorites. Most of the time we try to split an order since we are trying to eat less but of course with how big servings here are and with us having to eat dessert we still end up eating a lot.

tacos

burritoshalf chicken from a persian restaurant

ice cream at disneyland

Yum.Yum.Yum!

Monday Blues

Had a productive, fun but tiring weekend. Weekend's go by so fast and adjusting to spring forward is not a helping at all. We went home late last night and had to wake up early this morning since T had to go to work earlier than usual. We were up by 6:30 am and in reality, that's only 5:30 so it was still really dark outside.

After T left for work I had to crawl back to bed and get more sleep. I would want to spend the whole morning in bed but I do have laundry and chores to do but no choice but to get up and have some things done. I just feel sooo lazy every Monday. Is it just me?

I'm just looking forward to next week as we leave for Florida and then we will have a 5 day weekend. Yey!

Insurance

Insurance for the truck is due for renewal soon but T is thinking of changing insurance companies so we are now on the look out for one which should give us a good deal. The carinsurancelist blog has been really helpful as I've been doing most of the researching as T is busy with work. It's much easier going through that web site since I can easily compare the offers of different car insurance companies. I won't have to go to different websites just to look for the best deal for us. I have 3 insurance companies that I think would give us a good deal and I would just have to discuss it with T and hopefully he likes any one of the three since we do need to make a decision soon.

I Love You Saturday

Today was a busy day since T's Aunt and her family in town for a week long vacation. It was my first time to meet them and this morning we went to San Juan Capistrano and then we will meet them again for dinner tomorrow. We had a wonderful late lunch at Ruby's. We almost missed on seeing this restaurant as we got confused of how to get out of Mission's San Juan Capistrano. They surely need better exit signs as the one they currently have are not good. You can hardly see them!

Anyhow, even with the little hassle's we still had a wonderful lunch and then after our late lunch we went to the cemetery. T and I were thinking of going to my Uncle's house to watch the Pacquiao fight with them but we were both tired so we just decided to go home. Luckily, I got to find live video streaming of the fight online so we still got to watch it without paying for PPV. It was a boring fight but I'm still happy Manny won. I sure hope he doesn't for the congressional seat at Sarrangani. After the fight we had burrito for dinner.

Perfect Saturday!

What to do?

I'm totally clueless now on what to do. Since I got here, my skin has been adjusting to the weather, water and with everything else. I usually get pimples when it's almost that time of the month but lately, they have really made their presence felt. Teehee. I've tried different types of facial wash already and I'm still having the same issues. I read about the blue light therapy and if this is covered by our insurance provider, I might have to try this treatment just so I could find a solution to my problem. I'm thinking my skin is so used to the humid, polluted manila air and that is the reason I've been getting nasty pimples. Hopefully I find solution soon.

Netbook

It was in November of last year when my Acer Aspire was stolen. I can still remember how bad I felt for having lost it since I had a lot of files that I never got to back-up plus I use it for reviewing for NCLEX and bring it with me every time I go to starbucks to study. It was so handy and light that I never felt like I had a laptop in my bag. My books were even heavier! T has gotten me a new net book but of a different kind. I'm happy with what I am using right now but I'd have to say that the Acer was a great one and if I get the chance to buy one again next time, I sure would.

HomeMakeover

Watching the HGTV channel has been my favorite past time. In reality, I don't know if I can do any of the home makeover tips that they have. Our house needs a makeover. T and I have discussed what we need to do but have not really started on any. I was thinking I wanted to start with the kitchen. I have made small steps by painting our cabinets a few weeks after I got here but we still have a lot of things to do. Have the sink replaced, floor tiles changed, windows changed and get rid of the stuff that we have that we don't really need. After the kitchen, we move to the living room and then the bedrooms. If you ask me, I would just gladly get someone to do all this for us but labor here is not cheap! Good thing a lot of tools are available that would make all this handy work easier.