* hip mama blog *

Our July 4th Holiday Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Jocelyn) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:31:00 +0000

Hello, my dear blogging friends!

This week has just been again, super busy for me. But I'm managing okay and I've actually been feeling more energized than before. Maybe because I had a great July 4th holiday weekend. ;)

So on July 4th, Dan and I stayed at the St Regis Hotel Washington, D.C. just two blocks from the White House and stayed there for the night. The hotel was one of those elegant, old-world style hotel. Their room rates start at $400 a night and we stayed on the deluxe one that's like $800 per night. But guess what, we didn't pay for it. Why? Dan gets these free hotel perks from one of his business reward cards. Whew, we certainly don't have $800 to spend on a luxury hotel, so it works great for us all the time! :)

Anyway, we've been wanting to do this for a while so I have a chance to tour Washington D.C. without rushing to go home and fight the traffic. As you know, D.C. is only about an hour away from where we live in Woodbridge, Virginia. But the traffic is quite horrible getting home, especially on holidays. And since we were both "kid-free" for the weekend, what perfect timing to go to D.C. than on the July 4th holiday weekend! ;)

Anyway, all day on July 4th my honey and I just roamed around Washington D.C. We took a lot of photos of the White House and other historical buildings, monuments and statues (a few photos shown here). We both enjoyed our little weekend getaway and we even had a perfect spot to watch the fireworks in between the Washingtton Monument and the Lincoln Memorial- two of the most popular spots in D.C. :)

How did your 4th go? Please share! :)

Happy Birthday, Gabriel!

noreply@blogger.com (Jocelyn) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:09:00 +0000

My son Gabriel turned 4 today. We had so much fun at Chuck E. Cheese's at his birthday party last night. :D

I didn't actually expect for the party to be nice and smooth like it turned out knowing Chuck E. Cheese's is always crowded no matter what day or time you go but the one in Woodbridge, Virginia where we had it held is actually nicer, newer and cleaner than all the other ones we've been to. And since it was a week night party, we didn't have the same crazy crowd and we even had unlimited time at our tables instead of just the usual 90 minute-limit on their birthday parties. So anyway, everyone had a lot of fun, even the adults!

Gabriel received some cool presents from family and friends that included a giant train Imaginarium from his dad, Thomas the Tank train set, play-dohs, and random little cars and books. No, he didn't get an XBox which is becoming a typical present a kid gets these days. Gabriel certainly doesn't need anything like that anytime soon. ;D

Anyway, to all our family and friends who helped celebrate Gabriel's birthday with us: THANK YOU SO MUCH! Gabriel is currently enjoying his new toys (presents) as I'm writing this entry. ;D

Looking Into Fitness

noreply@blogger.com (Jocelyn) — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:57:00 +0000

I was driving by my local recreation center today and read the big neon sign ad about spinning and yoga classes. Hmmm, it got me thinking. So I went online to see if they offer any night time or weekend schedule for those classes that I might be able to get into. The good news is that they do have a few that will.

One of my immediate fitness goals is to really lose this darn bulge around my tummy. So I've been doing my at-home yoga moves and cardio dancing whenever I get the chance. Spinning, I heard, is a big fat burner so I'm quite excited about enrolling in this class.

Let's see how it goes. How about you? What kind of activities do you do to keep yourself physically fit?

Gabriel is going to be Four

noreply@blogger.com (Jocelyn) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 02:39:00 +0000

It's been a year this month since my boys Gabriel and Jaden and I visited my family in the Philippines. It didn't seem that long ago. We even got to celebrate Gabriel's 3rd birthday party there last year.

This Friday- July 3rd, Gabriel is turning four. Dan and I decided to give him a Chuck E. Cheese party this year which we're doing one day ahead- tomorrow. We've invited a few friends here in Woodbridge and their little kids so it should be so much fun! I'm always the last minute preparer of things so today I went to the local Safeway and ordered a "Cars" themed sheet cake. Cost me about $32 but I figured it's better to have more than enough for everyone. There will probably be about a dozen kids and a dozen adults who are coming. I also went to Party City for party hats, favors and confettis.

I'll be sure to post photos of the birthday party by the end of the week, I promise! :D

Beautiful Saturday

noreply@blogger.com (Jocelyn) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:55:00 +0000

How did your weekend go?

Saturday for me was beautiful. My honey and I attended a nice wedding of our friends- the bride was a Filipino girl I've met a few months ago through Dan's friend and co-worker who was her fiance. Anyway, it was a simple but beautiful wedding and although it was one of those quickly put together weddings, it turned out very well. Even the groom's speech was well-said before the champagne toast. Everyone commented how he didn't have any stage fright and how he could very well be a politician for his almost perfect speech. :D

Anyway, here are a few of our photos from the wedding.

Sunday was just all about house chores and laundry. Although I am not complaining about it. Those things are needed to be done and I feel proud at the end of the day when I know I am doing good enough as a mother and partner. ;)

Please share how your weekend went. I'd love to know! :D

Do You Like Jogging?

noreply@blogger.com (Jocelyn) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:01:00 +0000

Lately, I've been looking into start to go jogging again for weight loss and tone my body. I used to jog when I was single but after the kids, it had been a challenge to find the time (or the effort) to do that. Now if I only have one small kid, I probably would be more motivated to do it with those three-wheel strollers, such as the Bob stroller or similar strollers that I've seen many new moms who jog use. Aren't they neat?

But then again, I'm thinking that I could do it after 7PM on weekdays when I'm already off my duties as a mom and could jog around the neighborhood by myself. Jogging is certainly a cheap way to exercise that doesn't require any gym membership, don't you all agree? :D

Travel-Hungry

noreply@blogger.com (Jocelyn) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:30:00 +0000

The nice thing about me and my boyfriend Dan is that we're both travel-hungry people-always wanting to go places, lol. Even if it's just a day trip to a winery or checking out an old town with quaint shops or museums to explore, it's always an exciting activity for him and I. :D

So lately we've been considering about going for a weekend trip somewhere close by where we could just drive to it and stay for a few days. There's the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, Georgia, or even Westgate in Florida. Hmmm, it's hard to pick but who knows where we end up going next? It changes with our situation with the kids and my availability. My boys are with me every other weekend and so if there are weekend travel plans that include them, we make sure it falls on the weekend that they're with me, and vice versa. So let's see where we end up going. I'm excited! :D

So Long, Michael and Farrah...

noreply@blogger.com (Jocelyn) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:18:00 +0000

I was driving out to meet Dan for lunch today and my car radio was playing nothing but Michael Jackson's music. Gosh, I am a big fan of MJ. I must have cried for straight five minutes in my car while good old all-time MJ hit "Billie Jean" was played.

I mean who doesn't know Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett- two of the biggest American icons in the music and film industry? Ask me about Michael Jackson and I can probably name all his songs 99% of the time. And Farrah Fawcett? Wow! I am definitely a Charlie's Angels kid in the 80's when this hit TV show was at its prime. I remember my four sisters and I would pretend we were one of the "Angels". No, I wasn't Farrah Fawcett. I was Cheryl Ladd, LOL. HINT: Can you tell my age? LOL. :)

Anyway, like everyone else, I am so saddened by the passing of these two great artists. And they died on the same day (yesterday, June 25th, 2009) only a few hours of each other.

So long, Michael and Farrah... you both will be so missed.

Crazy Busy Week

noreply@blogger.com (Jocelyn) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:55:00 +0000

This week, I started taking care of my boys full-time again. Yup, me and my ex-hub are trying something new to help with daycare costs. I am compensated, but it won't be as high as what the daycare asks for. And since I have never been too crazy about taking them to daycare, I think this set up will work for everyone. So let's see how it goes.

One thing that I hated most about my kids being in daycare is that they seem to catch every single germs and so they were sick all the time. I have given up on working out of home full-time because I did it three times it never worked. I end up quitting the jobs because every single week, my kids are sick- either one of them or both. It wasn't worth going to work everyday and worrying if they're okay in daycare, if they're eating fine, or if they're going to get sick again the next day when they weren't. Gosh, it was such a real pain. Also lately, my little Jaden hasn't been eating well too since he caught that on and off coughing and cold from where else- the daycare. He used to never been picky with food and he always has good appetite to any food we give him. Now it's like an ordeal every meal time. So tomorrow I am taking him to the doctor about that and also ask about the lumpy bruise on his left elbow that hasn't gone away since two months ago. Ugh. It is worrying me.

Anyway, I got too much to say but too little time. I am off to the kitchen to make dinner now. Our Shih Tzu dog Gibson, is also barking and I think he is hungry too. Dan took him to a vet last week too for some tummy problems. But he is okay now and maybe this weekend, we'll take him to one of those indoor doggy parks with dog ramps. Dogs do grow on you and sometimes they do act like babies. :D

How is your week going?

HMP Giveaways Ending This Week

noreply@blogger.com (Jocelyn) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:32:00 +0000

Hello friends,

Have a great new week! Hope you all had a fantastic weekend.

Here's a list of fabulous giveaways ending this week on Hip Mama's Place. :D

*Win Two Coupons for the New Juicy Juice Brain Development and Immunity Fruit Juice Beverages, 2 Winners, 2 Coupons Each

* Win a Copy of Pahappahooey Island "What About Me?" DVD, Ends 6/22

* Win an "Away We Go" Movie Soundtrack CD, T-Shirt and Postcard, Ends 6/23, 5 Winners

* Win Yobaby Organic Yogurt Coupons and Goodies, Ends 6/24, 3 Winners

* Win an Eric Carle Brown Bear Floor Puzzle and Pirate's Cove 63 Piece Puzzle, both by Mudpuppy, 2 Winners, Ends 6/26

Super Busy

noreply@blogger.com (Jocelyn) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 20:18:00 +0000

Once again, I have had a super super busy week. So pardon my absence on this blog for a whole week. :(

First, our airconditioning wasn't working since last Saturday which had us spend our last weekend in a hotel. It wasn't a bad place- one of those Sheraton 4 star ones with nice, clean rooms and a swimming pool. Anyway, the AC finally got fixed yesterday but before that we had to stay at Dan's parents' basement for 3 days. I mean, his parents has a nice house. The basement is like a whole new floor with its own kitchen, bathroom, living room, etcetera a whole family could literally live there! :)

Still, it is an inconvenience when you have to live out of a suitcase and can't have your usual things and the comfort of your own home. So last night was our first night back in the house and what a relief! So today was spent mostly cleaning and doing the laundry that piled up for two weeks. Ugh. Good thing I still managed to write a post on Hip Mama's Place earlier and here for the suppose-to-be topic on POS systems.

Anyway, I hope you all are having a peachy Friday. The weekend will be busy again. The boys will be with their dad and Dan and I will be attending his son's soccer All-Star tournament Saturday and Sunday. It will be fun, I'm sure! :)

How's your plan for this weekend? Anything fun? :)

Last Night and a Girl-to-Girl Question

noreply@blogger.com (Jocelyn) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 02:42:00 +0000

So Dan and I were both "kid free" yesterday. So I spent the whole day helping him organize his office and did mailings for his company clients. Then after the day's work, we decided we're going to do something special together so we went for a dinner and a movie. Had us some Mexican food for dinner then went to see "Hangover"- an outrageously hilarious movie that we both thoroughly enjoyed.

I swear I have just started going to a movie again, since I started dating Dan. Being a single mom who's dating again does have its ups and downs. But for me,I can honestly say it's been more ups than downs. I can't ask for anything more from Dan. I feel very fortunate to have a man so sweet, so thoughtful, and so giving as him. :)

Anyway, I hate to toot my own horn but I do have a question. Honestly as a woman, when your man really appreciates you and constantly tells you you're beautiful (like Dan does to me), do you feel like you look more glowing and beautiful and feel so much happier? I ask because I feel that way.

Free 100 4x6 Photo Prints from SeeHere!

noreply@blogger.com (Jocelyn) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 01:29:00 +0000

I snagged this great deal from a forum, which I could really use right now since I have tons of new photos from our recent vacations. Dan and I have decided we're going to make a scrapbok/photo album of places/vacations we do, so I was happy to know this deal exists. :)

SeeHere.com is an online photo sharing site, much like the Kodak Gallery one except it's by Fuji.

Yes, you can get 100 FREE 4x6 Prints with a new signup and when you upload your photos at SeeHere.com. Just enter the code "prints" at signup.

CLICK HERE if you want to avail of this freebie! :)

My New Camera

noreply@blogger.com (Jocelyn) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 01:24:00 +0000

This week, I was happy to receive my new hard-earned camera. By hard-earned I mean I got it almost free because of my accumulated free Amazon gift certificates, courtesy of Mom Central. I help with promotions on Hip Mama's Place for Mom Central campaigns and as a courtesy, they send me Amazon gift certificates on a regular basis. So I was very happy to get my new Sony Cybershot DSC-W220 digital camera- at a really good price too on Amazon! :) It's a great camera and actually has higher megapixels (12.1) than the last Sony Cybershot I had. I haven't had the chance to take a lot of photos on it yet, but the few ones I took came out great.

Anyway, this weekend I will have more opportunities to take photos. I'm excited to see how this camera will work in different settings and varied weather conditions. I will sure to post my new photos here soon! (Oh, sorry for the ramblings. Am I suppose to talk about diet pills? Just kidding, LOL>).

Do You Take Daily Supplements?

noreply@blogger.com (Jocelyn) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 01:19:00 +0000

I am honestly a slacker when it comes to taking my daily supplements. There was a time (around winter time) when I easily catch a cold, that I was religiously taking my dose of 1000mg of Vitamin C. Then I have my One a Day Woman vitamin pill. But tida when I was at the grocery store and passing by the supplements aisle, I realized how long it has been since I took my daily supplements.

I've heard about people taking HGH to increase energy. Yeah, I am in my high 30's and some days, I do feel like I need more energy.

How about you? What supplements do you take? What is the main reason you take them?

Hello

noreply@blogger.com (Jocelyn) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 11:48:00 +0000

Whoa! The past week went by quick. Let's see...

Besides trying to get more organized around the house, my boys who were on and off with fever and coughing kept me busy all week. Running to pick them up from daycare, to the doctor, then tending to them at home. Not so much with Gabriel, but more with Jaden. He hasn't eaten well, so I had to make sure he eats so I kept him at home. Thank God yesterday he looked better and he started eating like normal again. So today they both went back to daycare. Hopefully they will be fine for the rest of the week.

Weather-wise, it's been raining here in Virginia in the mornings for the past two weeks and my boys go to daycare every morning at 6:30AM. So yesterday afternoon I went to OshKosh (kids' clothing store) and bought them new rain jackets. Good thing they had a half off sale, so I only paid $20 each instead of $40. Whew, their clothes are actually more expensive than mine sometimes, LOL. :)

On a brighter note, I had a fantastic time with my honey (Dan) and his eleven year old son (Jordan) in Virginia Beach last weekend. I will try and post a few of our photos on a separate post with details about our fun weekend trip. Meanwhile, let me look at some rubber stamps that I want to get for Dan's office. :)

Getting Thrifty

noreply@blogger.com (Jocelyn) — Sun, 31 May 2009 14:28:00 +0000

I admit, I'm not the thriftiest person. When I want something, I work hard to get it. When I know I have extra money to spend, I spend it. I am not very good at saving money. Now, is that a confession or what? ;)

But since I became a single mother, every cent now counts. So yeah, I became more thrifty and I now use more coupons when I buy things. And yes, I have always been the sale shopper. I don't pay regular prices on most things, except for food and groceries of course. But my local grocery store always offer coupons for free stuff and if I use my store card, I get discounts too so it's good.

Anyway, I am checking out my local newspaper for more coupons today. How about you? Do you use coupons to save money?

Back and again

noreply@blogger.com (Jocelyn) — Sat, 30 May 2009 19:42:00 +0000

We got back to the U.S. from our Bahamas trip Tuesday night. It was wonderful and Dan and I had a fabulous time! :D

I will post a few more photos here of our trip later. You know how we all gals think when we go to a beach vacation- we gotta look nice in our swimsuits. I don't know how I look. My honey said I look sexy whatever, but I feel funny with my tummy bulge still showing from post-pregnancy twenty six months ago.LOL. What an excuse, huh? ;)

Oh well, I don't have to look like a celebrity in my swimsuit. I know most of them don't only do rigid exercise training to look good, they also take those diet pills. I just received a head's up on a diet pill that works. But right now, I am motivated to go back exercising again- talk about my old home exercise videos and the treadmill at home. There's also a twice weekly spinning class in our local rec center that I'm planning to enroll in. Let's see how that goes. Hmmm..thinking...

Anyhow, I've posted a few photos of me in my swimsuits from previous posts. I don't care how you all think. And it's not so provocative that I have thicker skin to post them here on Hip Mama Blog. :D

Hello from the Bahamas

noreply@blogger.com (Jocelyn) — Mon, 25 May 2009 14:35:00 +0000

Hey friends,

We're almost at the end of our vacation in beautiful Nassau, Bahamas. We've enjoyed our stay here. The resort we're staying at is really nice and we were lucky to get a room with an ocean view. We like it here so much that we are thinking about coming back again in the near future, although the Outer Banks rentals that a friend told us might be another getaway idea too. ;)

This afternoon, we will try to get on a little boat adventure. Let's see what happens.

Anyway, I am posting a few photos here to share with you all. I'll be back with a longer post soon. Promise! :)

The Beach Is Calling

noreply@blogger.com (Jocelyn) — Tue, 19 May 2009 20:09:00 +0000

Wow, I am already leaving at 7AM on Thursday- less than 48 hours-to beautiful and sunny Bahamas. :)

Believe it or not, I still haven't even packed my bag. I'm not so nervous though, because I already know the things I need to bring. Two of my favorite swimsuits, beach wear, sunglasses, hats, sunscreens, and my good old cosmetic bag with all my beauty and personal effects. LOL. Dan (my honey) and I agreed we each just pack lightly so we don't have to check in any bags. You know how last time when we tried to go to the Bahamas, my luggage went with the flight while him and I didn't. Ugh. What a real pain that was.

So anyway, I think I may have a coupon or two to use at my favorite bath and body store. I need a nice travel-size body wash and lotion to take with me. So first thing I need to do tomorrow after I drop off the kids at daycare is go to the store, have my nails done, then go home and pack. Gosh. I am just ready to go! :)

Toddler Recipe: CHICKEN STICKS

noreply@blogger.com (Jocelyn) — Tue, 19 May 2009 19:36:00 +0000

Looking for a chicken recipe your toddler will actually love? Try chicken sticks!

Ingredients:
Thinly sliced strips of chicken breast
yogurt - plain
crushed cereal - shredded wheat, cheerios, corn flakes, honey oat cereal

Directions:

Roll chicken strips in yogurt then coat with crushed cereal of your choice. Bake on lightly greased baking sheet at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until done. Serve with a dippin sauce and the family veggies.

Hint: Here's an idea, push a popsicle stick through the chicken prior to baking and have chicken really on a stick; little kids love this!

Source: WholesomeToddlerFood.com

Radio Disney Summer Concert Series

noreply@blogger.com (Jocelyn) — Sun, 17 May 2009 15:25:00 +0000

If you're looking for something fun to do this summer, one event to check out is the Radio Disney Summer Concert Series in Wildwood, New Jersey at Morey’s Piers. For each “Magical Monday” from June 29 through August 31, Morey’s Piers will host FREE live concerts featuring Radio Disney’s up and coming stars. Concerts are at 1 pm and 4 pm, with an artist meet and greet following each performance.

While in New Jersey and looking for ideas on Wildwood vacations, consider staying at Morey's Piers- a very popular fun place located on the boardwalk in the Wildwoods, NJ. Morey's Piers is a classic seaside amusement park and voted the third best seaside amusement parks in the world by Amusement Today. It spans over eighteen acres along six beach blocks and includes three amusement piers and two beachfront waterparks.

Also if you're looking for a great hotel to stay while in New Jersey, check out Wildwood New Jersey hotels.

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

noreply@blogger.com (Jocelyn) — Sat, 16 May 2009 14:47:00 +0000

I love rice and chicken so when I found this recipe online from Campbell's, I went to work in the kitchen one day and tried it for dinner. It came out so yummy I wanted to share it with you all. :)

Prep: 15 minutes
Bake: 50 minutes
Stand: 10 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)
1 1/3 cups water
3/4 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cup frozen mixed vegetables
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions:

Heat the oven to 375°F. Stir the soup, water, rice, onion powder, black pepper and vegetables in a 2-quart shallow baking dish.

Top with the chicken. Season the chicken as desired. Cover the baking dish.

Bake for 50 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender. Top with the cheese. Let the casserole stand for 10 minutes. Stir the rice before serving.

Serving Suggestion: Serve with a Caesar salad. For dessert serve frozen Italian-style water ice or gelati.

Cost per recipe: $9.09
Cost per recipe serving: $2.27
Total cost of meal (including serving suggestion): $14.62

Tip: To try it Alfredo, substitute broccoli flowerets for the vegetables and substitute 1/4 cup grated Parmesan for the Cheddar cheese. Add 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese with the soup. Sprinkle the chicken with the remaining Parmesan cheese.

Trim It Down: Use Campbell's® 98% Fat Free Cream of Chicken Soup instead of regular soup and use low fat cheese instead of regular cheese.

Mexican: In place of onion powder and pepper use 1 teaspoon chili powder. Substitute Mexican cheese blend for Cheddar.

Italian: In place of onion powder and pepper use 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, crushed. Substitute 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan for Cheddar.

Web Host Ratings by WebHostingGeeks.com

noreply@blogger.com (Jocelyn) — Sat, 16 May 2009 11:01:00 +0000

Do you like to do comparison shopping to get the best deals on items and services before making your buying decision? I do.

Right now, I am looking for a nice new digital camera. I looked online for sweet deals but since I have Amazon gift certificates earned from my Mom Central writeups, I will just have to get my camera from Amazon.

Anyway, if you're looking for a new web hosting service for your personal or business website, there's a cool site that rates and reviews web-hosting providers. It's called WebHostingGeeks.com.

WebHostingGeeks.com lists the most current top-rated web hosting providers and rates them according to the features they offer. Besides the ratings, they offer reviews and shows the awards of each web host featured on their website. And the nice thing is that, they are independent reviews and are not based on any incentives or commissions.

I was reading through a few of their reviews on web hosting providers and it's cool how you can narrow down your choices through the features that each web hosting provider offers. Each web host is rated and reviewed based on the tech and customer support they offer, basic and advanced features, software, space, traffic generated, reliability and uptime, quality, user-friendliness and more!

Check out WebHostingGeeks.com today for your webhosting needs. Also read the Web Hosting Geeks' blog for the latest news and trends on web hosting.

Confirmed Trip to the Bahamas :)

noreply@blogger.com (Jocelyn) — Sat, 16 May 2009 10:42:00 +0000

So happy to share to you all! :)

Dan and I are going to beautiful Bahamas and staying at the Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort for 5 days. Yes, same exact place at the same hotel like we wanted to do last February but we ended up in Cozumel, Mexico because we couldn't get a seat for the flight. It wasn't a total bummer, since we still enjoyed Cozumel. But I have always dreamed of basking in the beautiful beaches of the Bahamas and we're finally going. I am so so excited I couldn't wait! :)

Here are a few photos of the lovely Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort Hotel where we're staying at:

And then we also found out that the airline is seating us in First Class flight two-way so even sweeter. Believe it or not, it is a first for me to fly First-Class, so yayyy! :)

We're leaving May 21st and coming back the 26th so it will be like an extended Memorial Day weekend getaway. I have to gather my sun dresses, swimsuits, sunscreen and hat and I should be good to go.

I'll be sure to post our photos here when we get back. :)

*** hip mama blog ***