Mommy's Little Corner

Mellow Yellow Monday #164 - Cool Yellow Lamps

noreply@blogger.com (Liza) — Sun, 27 May 2012 16:30:00 +0000

Happy MYM!

Did You Know?

noreply@blogger.com (Liza) — Sat, 26 May 2012 07:55:00 +0000

You can ward off dry eye with cantaloupe. The sweet melon is rich in vitamin A, a nutrient that helps prevent dry eye and reduces the risk of cataract by 39 percent.

Get Well Soon, Boss

noreply@blogger.com (Liza) — Sat, 26 May 2012 07:54:00 +0000

Aside from cards and flowers, do you have any other get well ideas? My husband's boss is in the hospital and I'm sure there are already tons of flowers and get well soon cards there. I'd like my husband to give him something different; not to get an edge at work but something his boss will enjoy while he's recuperating. Do you think he'll enjoy a basket full of fruits and goodies plus several puzzle games? I hope so.

Dallas Janitorial Services

noreply@blogger.com (Liza) — Sat, 26 May 2012 02:11:00 +0000

My friend Tina excels in the services business. Back when she was still here she opened up a cleaning service business and it was quite a success. She left it to her sister when she had to leave for Dallas to marry the man she loves. After giving birth to her second baby, she opened up a service company. It's not as big as the Dallas janitorial services but she says it's doing well. This is really her line and I'm glad that being in a different country didn't stop her from doing what she likes. It's also good to hear that her business is doing well in the States.

Mangosteen: The New Super Fruit

noreply@blogger.com (Liza) — Wed, 23 May 2012 06:42:00 +0000

I still remember how I craved for mangosteen when I was pregnant with my first born. My husband and I would go out at night and visit the nearby fruit stands to look for the fruit. Hubs would buy a few kilos and I would nosh on them all day. Yup, I'd skip the usual lunch and dinner and just eat the succulent fruit. Mangosteen is a sweet (and tangy) and juicy fruit. The rind is hard and woody while the flesh is silky white and very fragrant. I have loved this fruit even when I am not pregnant.

I never knew that the oh-so-good fruit have numerous health benefits. I happen to come across an article about the health benefits of mangosteen. Apparently, the fruit has rich stores of antioxidants that are anti-tumor and anti-cancer. It is also very effective at treating bacterial infections and can lover high cholesterol levels. In addition, the fruit has anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce the pains and sufferings of arthritis.

I am doing more readings about the fruit and as I go through each article, more benefits are being added to may list. The fruit can help maintain intestinal health, boost the immune system, neutralize free radicals, help support cartilage and joint function and promote a healthy seasonal respiratory system. The fruit is not just being hailed for its flavor but for its many health benefits as well; no wonder experts call it the new super fruit.

This is a sponsored post for Xango, however, all the points and views are my own.

Mellow Yellow Monday #163 - Cool Ferrari!

noreply@blogger.com (Liza) — Sun, 20 May 2012 16:30:00 +0000

Happy MYM!

PREPARING YOUR CHILDREN FOR SCHOOL

noreply@blogger.com (Liza) — Fri, 18 May 2012 17:36:00 +0000

It is normal for parents to be both worried and excited when their children are about to start formal schooling. They are unsure if they have done enough and if their children are ready for a more structured environment such as what a formal school set-up provides. To ensure that the transition goes smoothly, it is important that parents give their children the proper attitude towards school and education in general. Attitude will determine how children will feel towards school and how hard they will work in school.

To help prepare your child for school, here are some tips that can make the transition go smoothly on the first day.

1. It is important to talk to your child about school. Tell him why school is important. Inform him of what he can expect to do during a normal school day. Emphasize that he is now grown-up enough to go to school so that he will feel more excited than afraid of what it is going to be like in school.

2. Attend the school orientation with your child. This gives your child the opportunity to see how his school looks like. It helps to familiarize him with where restrooms and the cafeteria are located. And it gives him the chance to meet classmates and strike up a friendship even before classes start.

3. Talk to your child about how he feels towards the school. Be sensitive to his fears and concerns and try to build his confidence in his abilities to cope. Point out the positive aspects of school. Emphasize on the fact that school can be fun.

4. Shop for school supplies with your child. This is a great way to make him see how much fun schoolwork can be. Have him show off his school uniform to the family so that he will feel comfortable and confident in them.

5. Get him into the school routine early. It is best to start these two weeks before the first day of school. Help him get familiar with his new bedtime and wake-up time. Talk about what it will be like when school starts when you sit down for breakfast with the whole family.

6. It helps to have a dry run of the first day of school. Pack his lunch and drive out to school. Show him where you will drop him off on the first day. Discuss where and how you will pick him up after school.

7. Be involved. Find out what the school expects from you. This will make it easier for you to determine how you can give your child direction and how you can build his confidence to cope with all the new experiences.

8. Celebrate the first day of school. Plan a meal with the family the weekend before the first day. Perhaps buy him a small gift to celebrate the occasion.

All these things will make your child feel comfortable with the idea of going to school. It helps relieve the child of the stresses and fears he may have about this new step in his life. Instead, he will feel excited and anticipate instead of be apprehensive of the first day of school. This will provide you with a stress-free first day of school.

Maria is a freelance article writer who enjoys home improvement projects during her free time at work. She recently wrote an article about afslibning af gulve (sanding floors) the easier way.

Exercise Dials Down Salt Sensitivity

noreply@blogger.com (Liza) — Fri, 18 May 2012 14:28:00 +0000

The year didn't start right for me. By the end of the first month, my blood pressure started soaring. I suspected perimenopause because I am approaching mid-forties. My mom has hypertension too and she is taking medications to keep it at a level. I didn't want to take meds because I know that once I do; it'll be for life. What I did was increase my exercise time to an hour a day and I made sure I did it everyday. I used to skip when I'm feeling lazy. Now, I don't allow myself to feel lazy anymore. I used to be a fan of salty foods too so I started cutting back on salts.

It took a month of daily exercise before my blood pressure returned to normal and I'm glad that my hard work is paying off. It just gets a little frustrating that I have not lost a pound. Perimenopause is still to blame, I suppose. But it's alright, as long as I'm healthy. The pounds will eventually wear out, I'm sure.

The reason why I'm writing this is because of the article I read earlier. It says physical activity helps keep salt from sending your blood pressure soaring. So as long as you exercise, eating french fries is alright. That doesn't mean though that you'll be pigging out on fries; moderation is still the key to become healthy. I deprived myself of salty foods; it's good to know that I can still have them.

Popcorn is a healthy snack.

noreply@blogger.com (Liza) — Fri, 18 May 2012 13:59:00 +0000

If you think popcorn is a junk snack, think again. Our favorite movie time snack happens to be a rich source of cancer fighting antioxidants. Yes, you read it right. Popcorn (the hull most especially) is full of polyphenols; a compound also found in fruits, vegetables, red wine and chocolate. The said compounds are touted for its ability to fight cancer causing cells. What's even greater is the polyphenols found in popcorn are higher than those found in fruits and vegetables. The good compounds are found in the hull (the crunchy part) and not in the white, soft, fluffy part.

The snack is also a great source of fiber and it is filling. It's good for dieters who are looking for a low-fat snack sans the butter of course. And by popcorn I mean making your own. Stay away from microwaveable ones because they contain chemicals that may be harmful to your health. So get that popcorn machine out and start popping corn. Putting a couple of tablespoons of kernels in the machine will already give you half of polyphenols you need daily to lessen risk of having cancer. I really should have bought one of those when I saw a sale on popcorn machines a few months back. But sale or not, I am definitely getting one for my family.

Small Reunions

noreply@blogger.com (Liza) — Fri, 18 May 2012 13:00:00 +0000

My husband's high school classmates are very active at organizing reunions. Since the start of the year, they have been having a monthly meet up. These are not the big get-together parties where there are a lot of people though, there are only a handful of them and sometimes they are joined by classmates who are coming home from abroad for a short visit.

Last Tuesday they had another one. An old classmate who happens to be very close to my husband came home from Las Vegas. He will be in Manila for only a few days then he'll be staying in his hometown. They had dinner at a Mexican restaurant and coffee at a famous coffee shop afterwards. He brought home a photo album and inside was a collection of photos of their past dinners. He was also wearing a Cool Vest. He mentioned before that a classmate collected money from each of them so that's where the money went; they had Cool Vests made for them to wear every time they get together.

It sounds a bit corny but it's pretty cool for classmates who are getting together after graduating from high school for more than thirty years.

Ease Summer Sleepiness

noreply@blogger.com (Liza) — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:30:00 +0000

On hot, steamy nights, it could be a little tough to doze off. If you keep on tossing and turning, passionflower tea can help you drift off and sleep deep. Science proves it that the phytonutrients in the herb can double the brain's output of serotonin, which relaxes the nervous system and brings on sleep. Just sip two cups of tea at night with honey and sugar.

Hot Flash Symptoms

noreply@blogger.com (Liza) — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:00:00 +0000

For the first time last night, I had the hot flash symptoms. At first I thought it was just because it's summer, but when I opened my eyes and saw that hubs is still beneath the blanket and the aircon is still running, that's when I realized I'm having the hot flashes. I stood up to check the air coming out from the air conditioner; it was cool. So that confirmed it. Hubs is comfortably sleeping and there I was beside him, sweating. I found it difficult to go back to sleep so I decided to take a shower. It was only after the cool shower that I felt better.

Except for the first bouts of hypertension that I felt a few months back, I thought I was sailing along fine. I didn't really mind these symptoms and I didn't think treatment is necessary because they were tolerable. I religiously worked out daily after I found out that my blood pressure was high. That helped normalize my blood pressure. But, after last night where I was very uncomfortable, I thought I'd consider a premenopause treatment. I heard from a friend that it helped her manage the hot flashes. I'm calling my doc to ask about it.

Looking for Wedding Cake Toppers

noreply@blogger.com (Liza) — Tue, 15 May 2012 06:46:00 +0000

My friend's daughter knows it's going to be tough to squeeze in baking her sister's wedding cake from her busy schedule but she insisted on it. She said she'd do everything for her youngest sister. Miranda juggles her time from being an account executive to a part time caterer. The wedding theme is luau and we've already seen the design. I'll be helping her find ready made wedding cake toppers so she doesn't have to do all of the large flowers one by one. It's a beautiful cake and I'm sure her sister will love it. I even volunteered to help her construct the cake and I'm so glad she said yes.

Enjoying Healthy Food

noreply@blogger.com (Liza) — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:13:00 +0000

My family was a great fan of microwave popcorn. Aside from the fact that it is easy to prepare, it offers a lot of different flavors. But when I stumbled upon a news reports about the dangers of microwave popcorn, I stopped buying them. It was frightening to know that the hailed microwave popcorn contains a banned chemical known as diacetyl. Apparently, this chemical can cause a fatal lung disease.

That didn't stop us from enjoying popcorn though. I bought a popcorn maker so we can still make our favorite snack at home. My kids can make their snack anytime sans the worry of lung disease. I chose a small popcorn popper that's easy to use so the kids can operate it even when I'm not at home. They love it because one time I spied on them and saw how much they enjoyed making popcorn. I also bought a lot of healthy and natural flavorings so they won't tire of plain melted butter.

And oh before I forget, I am also using organic popcorn. It's a little more expensive than the non-organic ones but it's healthier and more flavorful. With the many kinds of chemicals added to our food, you're not sure any more which is good and which is harmful. It pays to know what I am giving to my family.

Mellow Yellow Monday #162 - Belated Happy Mother's Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Liza) — Sun, 13 May 2012 16:30:00 +0000

Happy MYM!

Busy Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Liza) — Fri, 11 May 2012 16:05:00 +0000

It's about time we install a wireless doorbell for each of our condo units. We own a small building and it has four floors. We live on the top floor and on the second and third floors, there are a few units that are for rent. There is only one entrance; that's the gate beside my store. Sometimes I get too busy at the store and it's pretty tough to answer the door for the tenants' visitors. It's not that I'm complaining but it's a shame to let their guests wait when I'm busy attending to my customers. If the tenants have their own doorbells, their visitors don't have to wait for me to open the door for them especially during peak hours.

Hubs had decided for a wireless doorbell so he won't have to deal with wires. They will be easier to install especially that he has to install seven doorbells. He found a great deal online and he took advantage of it. He was able to save 40 percent and we're just waiting for them to arrive. My son volunteered to help because he got curious when he heard from his dad they are wireless. It's going to be a busy weekend for my boys and to reward them; there'll be pizza... lots of pizza!

Low on energy?

noreply@blogger.com (Liza) — Fri, 11 May 2012 13:55:00 +0000

Toss cherry tomatoes into your salad. A lot of women are low in potassium, a mineral that's essential to energy production. Consuming a cup or potassium rich tomatoes can help erase a fatigue-triggering shortfall in two weeks.

Furniture Retail Software

noreply@blogger.com (Liza) — Fri, 11 May 2012 06:36:00 +0000

If you happen to be in a furniture business and you still have not heard of furniture retail software; you could be missing out on a lot of things. The software will help you manage your entire business from stocks, inventory, accounting, sales, and even customer support. You might think it's an added cost to your company but it's actually a wise investment. Aside from having control on the entire business; you can lessen manpower and save on costs. You can easily order for a furniture retail software online but don't just look for the cheapest. Read reviews first and know from other users which software is the easiest to use and the most effective.

An All-Time favorite Snack

noreply@blogger.com (Liza) — Thu, 10 May 2012 16:30:00 +0000

Just like my husband was very close to his grandfather while he was growing up, my son is also close both to him and his granddad. The three men love to watch movies together; and with every movie, they noshed on buckets of popcorn.

My father in law's recent heart attack didn't stop them from watching flicks. Not in cinemas though, but at home. My FIL gets tired easily and we thought it would be best if he doesn't go out too often. My husband had set up a home theater for him and my mother in law bought a popcorn machine. Our weekends are spent watching movies (old and new). It's mostly the men who choose the films, you know how men hate chick flicks. It sounds unfair, I know but as long as FIL is having a great time, that's alright for the ladies.

We do however, enjoy making the popcorn. MIL loves to shop for a variety of popcorn seasoning so none of us really gets tired of noshing on this filling snack. Cheddar and sour cream is my favorite while the boys love to nosh on barbecue and melted butter. Popcorn will always be a favorite movie time snack for my family especially with a variety of flavorings to choose from. How about yours?

Did You Know?

noreply@blogger.com (Liza) — Wed, 09 May 2012 02:06:00 +0000

Pumpkin seeds prevent Urinary Tract Infection. The alpha-linoleic acid and phytosterols in pumpkin seed extract modulate enzymes involved in maintaining hormonal balance. This improves bladder health significantly.

Getting a Plastic

noreply@blogger.com (Liza) — Tue, 08 May 2012 16:06:00 +0000

As I was sorting through my mails, I saw another credit card application. I usually throw these credit card applications away because I was one of those people who were too afraid of using plastics, but as I was about to, something caught my attention. The offer looked irresistible and there were lots of freebies. Well, it was not actually the freebies that I was after but the low interest rates should I decide not to pay all the balance right away.

I thought it's about time I get one of these cards because it could be handy in cases of emergencies. I consulted my husband about it and he agreed. He also gets these credit card applications in his mail but he is also like me; he prefers paying in cash. One credit card would be good he says. Should we run out of cash and something comes up, there is something we can use.

Credit cards are not bad for as long as you know how to use them. I am not an impulse shopper so I really don't have to worry about going overboard. Besides, the card will only be used for emergencies and not for buying everyday stuff.

Travel Light

noreply@blogger.com (Liza) — Tue, 08 May 2012 16:05:00 +0000

It's a good thing the management of the bowling center where we have our Wednesday league has decided to install additional metal storage cabinets. These metal cabinets will serve as lockers where we can keep our bowling bags.

This is very convenient for bowlers like me who own several bowling balls. Mine is at least 15 lbs. each so imagine how heavy a bag can get if I have to put three or more balls there. Hubs' knees aren't that good anymore; taking the bag in and out of the car may aggravate the condition.

Last month I inquired about these steel cabinets but there was not a single locker available. Last Wednesday, I was informed that additional cabinets will be installed and if I'm still interested, I should make reservations as early as possible. I did and I'm hoping that they will be finished soon. I pity hubs for carrying the heavy load every week for me. Once they are done, I can bring all the other bowling balls I have at home. The locker will be an added cost for me of course, but paying the monthly rental will be a lot cheaper than treating my husband's knees.

My Cousin's Business

noreply@blogger.com (Liza) — Tue, 08 May 2012 16:03:00 +0000

My cousin never realized that he can save more on motorcycle batteries if he shopped online. He thought batteries were more expensive online but found out they were way cheaper when he inquired from an online store. He owns several motorcycles for his mail courier service. He never actually thought that this could be a lucrative business. He used to buy one motorcycle battery at the battery store for the single motorcycle that he owned. He rode it himself, delivering mails around the city. When his clientele started growing, he bought another motorcycle and hired another person to work for him. It was only a couple of years ago when he started with his courier business but now he owns five motorcycles. Hard work and determination made him successful.

The whole family is encouraging him to expand. My dad told him to learn the tricks and trade of accepting parcels and packages. The money is bigger bigger here, he adds. I see dad's point, especially if he will go international. It may require a bigger capital but it doesn't have to be big right away. Just like his mail business, he can do it slowly. Who knows, next time he orders for batteries; he won't be ordering for just motorcycles, but trucks as well.

Repair Your bad Image

noreply@blogger.com (Liza) — Tue, 08 May 2012 16:00:00 +0000

When you are in an online business, you know that having a good reputation will bring in more clients and boost your sales. But it doesn't stop there. Your good reputation should be maintained or else it will start your downfall. An angry customer can easily badmouth you. One negative review could destroy your company because millions of people can read it online. More so when a few more people will write negative a writeup against you. The sad part is, it will take you a lot longer to repair and buildup your company's bad image. Building one's reputation is easy but it's harder to rebuild an image that's already been tainted with controversies.

That's where the experts come in. Entailing the services of an online reputation management company could be a pricey but wise decision. This team of experts can work to repair your bad reputation. While it's true that it is impossible to erase all the negative articles about your company, these reputation consultants have a way of somewhat burying those articles beneath a ton of positive write ups about your company. When a person searches your company, it is mostly the good things about you that they find. It is definitely an added cost but dealing with a bad reputation is a serious business; just think about the profit you will get once your good reputation is restored.

Green Carpet Cleaning

noreply@blogger.com (Liza) — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:00:00 +0000

It was only when the carpet cleaning companies embraced the going green concept that my sister allowed other people to clean her carpets. She used to meticulously scrub them to keep them clean. I've seen her do it and I salute her for doing so. I mean get real, I am not that crazy to wash my own carpet; one reason why I never really like installing a carpet in my home. Professional cleaners would just be an added cost to me.

I have also seen her spend on cleaning products and every time something new comes up; she'd be sure to try them. It was only later, when she had tried carpet cleaning manhattan that she realized she saves more with professional cleaners. The fee that she pays them is a lot cheaper than investing on her pricey cleaning products; and she doesn't have to spend a day scrubbing her rugs. And her rugs smell nicely after the cleaners are done with them.

It made me think -- if having carpets in may home wouldn't require high maintenance and having professional cleaners clean them wouldn't cost much; I think it's about time I talk to my husband about having carpets.