In my Shoes....

Fantastic Eyewear

noreply@blogger.com (Bailey Baretto) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 22:10:00 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Zenni Optical for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have been wearing glasses ever since I was in high school. Some people think that eyeglasses can ruin someone's look because of its nerdy factor at times.

I was very hesitant when my doctor advised me to start wearing eyeglasses at first since I didn't want to be teased or something like that. Kids in high school were pretty mean during my days. I tried the contact lenses, but somehow the feeling of having to stick my finger up my eyeball didn't please me at all. So, I ended up shopping for eyeglasses instead anyway.

It was then when I discovered cheap eyeglasses from Zenni Optical. They have a long listing of eyeglasses that can match any face-shape and occasion. Since Christmas is just around the corner, a great way for you to express the holiday spirit is by gearing up with a rockin' pair.

If I went to a different store, the same style of eyeglasses would probably cost me $50 to $120. With the big savings I had, I will have a greater chance to get my family nice gifts for Christmas. The $30 to $70 extra money is a huge help for me to finally get the camera my husband always wanted.

Gift Card Giving Just Got Better

noreply@blogger.com (Bailey Baretto) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Gift Card Weekend for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

There's still a week left before Christmas! Even though I did my Christmas shopping early this year, I wasn't able to avoid the last minute purchases I had to make sure that I get the best deals.

Fortunately, gift card giving just got a lot better with Gift Card Weekend brought to us by "Gilbert, the Gift card Machine". Get a chance to win a $20 gift card from SEPHORA from December 19 to 23. You can join by clicking like on their Facebook Fan Page. They are giving away more than 100 gift cards a week!

You can increase your chances of winning when you share this with friends and by getting them to like the page as well. Make sure to check their site all the time because they are giving away gift cards all through out this month from great stores.

Give and save more with Gift Card Weekend! This promotion gets you more value on the gift card you purchased for Gift Card Weekend which is on January 6 - 8, 2012. Special offers vary with each participating store like JCPenny, Regal Cinema, Subway, Sephora, Applebee's, Bass Pro Shops, Adidas, Buca di Beppo, Lowe's, Spa Finder, Marriot, and Giant Eagle.

Happy Holidays everyone!

Puppies vs. Babies

noreply@blogger.com (Bailey Baretto) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 02:01:00 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Puppies vs. Babies for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Puppies and babies are so cute! I think they are the most adorable creatures in the world! However, there is a show going on right now where they made the two go against each other to settle which one is really cuter than the other.

I love them both. I have three dogs right now whom I had ever since they were still puppies. Then my husband and I just had our own baby boy last September. It's really going to be tough to choose which is cuter than them... But one thing for sure is that, the combination of the two created a TOTAL CUTENESS OVERLOAD!!!

There is a Puppies vs. Babies online contest happening right now where contestants have a chance of winning $5000 after entering their funny and adorable photos of babies and puppies. The contest is closed for new entries but the voting for whoever wins is still ongoing until November 23. Check out Puppies vs. Babies and cast your vote up to the final bracket.

Despite of the fact that I had dogs al my life, I know for sure that the babies will be sweeping the puppies off by a great deal of votes. No one can resist a human baby especially when they've seen my Eli. He has the most contagious laugh and he's very smart too! He does a lot of advance stuffs that's normally beyond his age. But with puppies, they can only grasp a few tricks even up to when they become more older! This is a great picture of my baby which can surely settle this feud once and for all! :)

Cast your votes today and feel free to comment or share who you want to win in this post.

Skin Problem

noreply@blogger.com (Bailey Baretto) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 22:44:00 +0000

I did not have any idea how sensitive my skin really was. Ever since I was born, I did not have to pay a lot of attention to it since my mom always did the job for me. And because I was blessed with good skin when I was younger, I became too confident and didn't think that anything would affect it in the future.

My skin before was not easily irritated nor did it develop any scarring from any wound that I got. But as time passed by, dramatic changes happened. It all started with chicken pox... I had the virus at 22, so I'm sure you can just imagine how devastated I was to have the disgusting spots all over my body. I tried everything I know to prevent any scarring, up to the point where I spent thousands! Some of the things worked, but some of my scars were just so severe that there was no way I could get rid of them anymore.

Just when I thought the worse is over, I was wrong! I got pregnant and delivered my perfect little baby boy last September. I was very careful with my skin since I already have an idea as to what my happen if I get too bug during the pregnancy. I applied lotion and cocoa butter to my skin to avoid stretchmarks. But, I was too lazy to do my whole my body everyday! It was very hard to put it all over me since my belly was mostly on the way. So, I have red and purplish stretchmarks from the back of my legs up to my belly.

I don't know what to do with stretchmarks. I was okay with the ones on my stomach however, I am really bothered with the long thin ones behind my legs. First I thought they were just varicose veins so I didn't mind them and thought that they would eventually go away... Unfortunately, as I got a better look at them... I found out that they were stretchmarks too! I didn't know people can get stretchmarks on the legs too. I am really frustrated with they look since I am light skinned for a Filipina, so the stretchmarks really stand out. It's so hard to hide them because I rarely wear pants.

Can somebody there help me with this? I know stretchmarks are most probably permanent... But is there a way where I can help it blend in my skin tone?

Don't let this happen to you. Take good care of your skin, it's the largest organ of your body...

Our First Month with Eli

noreply@blogger.com (Bailey Baretto) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 05:10:00 +0000

If it weren't for my husband, I wouldn't realize that it has been one month since my baby Eli was born. I guess Eli has really gotten us very busy over him over the past weeks. We're somehow adjusted by now, but I feel like he's changing his routines every now and then too, so it's kind of hard to keep up.

He's getting to the stage where he doesn't sleep as long as before. We consulted that with his doctor since we thought that he might be feeling something uncomfortable. But the doctor told us that it's normal because this is the time when he's taking in the fact that he is no longer inside mommy's womb. Now, he's starting to wander and look around since everything is new to him.

I feel like he has grown a lot. He's been gaining weight every week which is good because I read that newborns generally lose weight for the first 2 weeks of their lives. But our Eli seemed to have missed that note.

As I was reviewing his pictures, I was able to notice the change with how he looked. I was so surprise to realize hoe much he grew over the days. I think his face is changing as well. He looked so much like my husband when he was born, but now that he has fats, he's starting to look like me. :D

I wish our family and friends can see you soon. Everyone is very excited for you.

Suit Up!

noreply@blogger.com (Bailey Baretto) — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 03:00:00 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Express for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I generally believe in the saying that "You are what you wear." How you present yourself says a lot of your character. It may not be entirely true to some people who wishes to take a break from their normal, tidy lives and decide to stay in their pajamas over the weekend, so l'm sure most of us will agree if I just say, " We Express with how we dress" instead.

Because of this, it's important that we create a good impression on any business event. For job interviews, network gatherings, and work, nothing expresses professionalism like a great set of suit. Express is one of the leading company's here in the US that offers this kind to both men and women.

Some women do not feel comfortable whenever they wear a suit because they think that it doesn't quite show their body. However, Express has a variety of women's suits that will fit any body type and personality. Now, you can look sexy without looking trashy at your work place.

Another factor of Express women's suits is that you can go straight to a party after work without having to change anymore because of it's elegant, functional, and trendy style.

Feel free to visit their website and get the chance to win a 500 USD suiting makeover with the Express sweepstakes. Let's talk about how exciting it is to suit up with Express by sharing comments about why you love them too.

Straight Talk with your Loved Ones

noreply@blogger.com (Bailey Baretto) — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 14:01:00 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Straight Talk for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I love to talk about on how we can save. In this day and age, it's wiser to be more practical on our decisions, especially if you have a growing family like I do. Having a baby does not come cheap, and since my husband and I are both new at this without having any increase with our source of income or whatsoever, we're reviewing our all our expenses to see where we can cut down.

We are now taking our time to do a little research before actually buying an item or service. And believe me, it works! Our phone bill is a great example. My husband and I are paying almost 300 USD for the usage of our cellphones and internet at home. We sought these services from one provider who was billing us separately for each thing only to find out that other networks offers the same thing for a cheaper price because it's bundled. We should've been saving months ago if we weren't caught with other company's Hook, line and sinker.

Another option to save on cellphones is to consider getting the pre-paid plans. This service does not have any contracts, credit check, activation, and termination fees. Straight talk is one of the leading service providers who offers great deals for this as well. Their unlimited text, call, and web can be as low as 45 USD per month. Other services such as calling 411 and international numbers are available to. I was paying 80 USD (tax excluded) to my previous provider so because of this shift, I was able to have more budget on baby stuffs now compared to before.

Aside from this, Straight talk is also affiliated with well known cellphone brands such as Nokia, Motorola,Samsung, and etc. You can get a unit starting at 10 USD, or go bold with Android on Straight Talk and have an Android phone for a low price as well.

Now you can Call a friend or a loved one without ever having to worry about how much more minutes you have left.

Eli's Homecoming

noreply@blogger.com (Bailey Baretto) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 17:13:00 +0000

The day that my husband I have been waiting for has finally arrived... It's when we were able to take a little baby home with us.

Apparently, I did not realize how hard it is to really take care of a baby until now. Before I would usually say, "How hard can it be? All we have to do is change the diapers, feed him, and make him go to sleep." Every single word sounded so easy! I forgot to consider the time element of it all.

Yes, you just got to do the three basic things I've just mentioned to keep a healthy baby... However, it is not as simple as it sounds. Imagine doing all of these stuffs every 3 hours (round the clock). Then, there's the crying and the stink of dirty diapers. LOL! When my baby cries, he wants to make sure he gets heard. :))

Having a kid really tests one's patience. But every single time your baby smiles and stares at you, you suddenly forget how smelly his diapers are, how loud his cries are, and how often he wakes you up in the middle of the night. You feel very happy.

This is why I think that nature made babies look cute and all for the purpose of being irresistible to adults. Who would want to put up with them if they weren't so beautifula nd magical to begin with?

Rock the Sidewalk

noreply@blogger.com (Bailey Baretto) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 14:00:00 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Express for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Fall is right around the corner. I can feel the cold breeze here in Illinois as early as the first week of September. So it's time to put away the summer dresses, shorts, and tees. I think this is the perfect season to dress up because you get to mix and match more clothes and accessories in your everyday wardrobe.

However, one essential fashion item all year round that would be seen more during this cold weather would be your light jacket and pair of jeans. Check out Express jeans to get great deals on various types of apparels for men and women. Don't miss the Express giveaway of 50 pair of jeans for free to winners that could be rockin' on the sidewalk in a limited time.

women's jeans that comes in different styles such as leggings, flares, straight, skinny and wide are available in all sizes on their website.

Aside from getting a chance of winning free pair of jeans, there are certain pants that are on sale as well. You can actually shop for your perfect pair of jeans and get 50% off the regular price on the second one. Feel free to share what your favorite design is. Leave your comments and let's talk about what's in or out this season!

My Labor Story

noreply@blogger.com (Bailey Baretto) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 20:44:00 +0000

Just basing from the title, it's easy to guess that I had given birth already. It was a very memorable experience for my husband and I. And we are very thankful that we chose to deliver here in Chicago, specifically at Prentice Women's Hospital at Northwestern instead of anywhere else.

My aunt works in that hospital in the psychiatric unit and she told me that their Maternity and Child Division is the best in the United States.

On September 8, 2011, I gave birth to Eli Santiago at around 8:54 pm. He weighed 6 lbs and measured 19 inches in height. I was in labor for more than 24 hours. Before realizing that I was actually in labor, I had the energy to come to downtown Chicago with my husband which is an hour and a half away from where we live via bus and train. The commute included a lot of walking, but I didn't mind because I was always active during my whole pregnancy.

Then, when we got home at night, my stomach began to hurt. I couldn't tell where the pain was coming from. I was pretty sure that I wasn't having any contractions at first since the same feeling happened to me before and the experience only turned out to be gastroenteritis. The pain was tolerable that I was even able to sleep. I was peeing and pooping more than usual but I didn't mind because I thought I just ate something bad.

Finally, I woke up at 1 am and felt that my underwear was really soaked with something. So, I went to the bathroom and checked what it was. I was surprise to see that I had a lot of clear discharge that was accompanied by blood. After finding that out, I had made time to clean myself up at first then I woke my husband up and told him that I might be having the baby already.

We quickly went to the hospital after that. Fortunately, my husband had a feeling that I might be giving birth that night too so he took care of all the stuffs we need for the baby and me. When I got to the hospital, the nurse midwife was already waiting for me since I called in before we left the house. After doing my first internal examination, we found out that I was 2 cm dilated already. I was really going into labor and she told us straight that I will be having the baby within the day for sure.

As mentioned earlier, Northwestern Hospital is considered as one of the biggest hospital in the US. All their rooms, gadgets, and personnel were all state of the art. Given the chance that I can give birth there, I wanted to try everything they had to support me through a natural (drug-free) delivery. I rocked myself on the yoga ball, I stayed on the tub, walked, and did breathing exercises. But everything they had didn't seem to work at all!

I was getting really frustrated because my contractions were 3 - 4 minutes apart, lasting 1 - 2 minutes long but my labor wasn't progressing as much as we've hoped for.

Dilated at 5 cm, my husband finally said that I should just go with the epidural already since he knew how much pain I was bearing for the last 16 hours. So, I did that and a whole team of anesthesiologist came into my room and gave me the epidural.

Everything else felt good after that. I was no longer screaming and angry. I even had a little nap since my waist down was numb. Because my body was already relaxed, my contraction came in fewer so the doctor decided to purposely break my bag of water. She believes that it may be one of the causes why I was having a hard time to dully dilate.

5 hours later, I felt great pressure between the vagina and rectum despite of the anesthesia. I told the doctor that I was still feeling uncomfortable because I shouldn't be having any of that due to the drugs. She checked me again, and discovered that I was already fully dilated.

A nurse came in the room soon after that and prepared everything that we might need during the delivery. Then, I realized that I was on the bed, finally pushing at each contraction until the baby came out. After becoming fully dilated, I pushed the baby out at less than an hour. The staffs were really impressed with how smooth and fast the whole thing went. I told them I had practice with the pushing ;)

The midwife was telling me that I shouldn't feel less of a good mom for choosing to go with the drugs. It's just that every woman is different, and we all have our own ability to tolerate pain. Plus, choosing just the epidural had less complication to the baby and I.

Keeping in Touch This Summer

noreply@blogger.com (Bailey Baretto) — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 00:01:00 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of TracFone for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

My sister-in-law who lives in Dallas, Texas has three kids who each has a mobile phone. Given their age which are (from eldest to youngest) 12, 11, and 7 years old, the children are currently in the stage of their lives where connection with friends from school and family are very important and necessary.

Tracfone is one of the most reliable network providers in the United States that can cater to families who needs to communicate more than the average in a really affordable price with or without contract and credit checks. A plan that does not require credit checks, termination, and activation fees. Because of this, more Real TracFone customers have now turned away from their previous providers in order to enjoy their latest deals and services. Aside from the cheap monthly plans and mobile phones, So many features such as great reception nationwide that allows more uninterrupted conversations with your loved ones no matter whey they are in the world with possibly no other cost may also be available right under your fingertips.

there are various plans that you can choose from if you looked for more details in their website and local stores. Feel free to watch this video to know more about what Real TracFone customers have to say about their services.

Summer at Branson

noreply@blogger.com (Bailey Baretto) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 23:00:00 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Hiltons of Branson for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Summer is almost over, and there is no better way to end it like spending the upcoming long weekend with the family at one of the best vacation spots ever such as the Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing or also known as the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel.

Hiltons of Branson is great for both leisure and business trips at any age because there are a lot of things you can do during your whole stay. The hotel is near the Silver Dollar City which is a well-known theme park in the area where children and parents can enjoy a memorable family bonding experience through the tour and rides.

Aside from this, if you prefer a more quite and scenic escape, you can try the Titanic Museum and Payne Stewart Gold Course which are located near the hotel as well. Sweep your partner's feet by dining and shopping at the at the Branson Landing after watching a world class show known as the Legend of Kungfu.

Visit Hiltons of Branson to know more about the events that will be held during your stay. You can also find out about the latest packages and deals they have for this season like the Branson Best Value Vacation Package that gives you your 3rd night stay for free! Along with that is two adult and two children’s tickets to the Legends of Kung Fu show at the White House Theater in Branson, MO, two adult and two children’s two-day passes to Silver Dollar City, a $25 gift card for shopping, and a $25 food credit for Level 2 Steakhouse.

Random Thoughts: Entry 1

noreply@blogger.com (Bailey Baretto) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 05:53:00 +0000

Can you ever be a hundred percent prepared with starting a family? In fact, can you ever be fully equipped to venture into something new?

Every girl has her own dream wedding, house, career, and prince charming. Most girls think of these things as early as they can imagine and conjure up an idea in their heads. But despite of the long time we've alotted for planning, we still couldn't think of all the mishaps we might possibly encounter on that most awaited day or situation. I'm sure none of us ever thought of thriving for employment, becoming homeless and alone anytime in the future. All of us dreamt about something perfect and possible. We're so preoccupied with the idea that our lives will be beautiful, we neglect to prepare ourselves when we fail. And when we're caught in a moment where we don't know what move to do next, we panic and eventually crash.

Hill's Healthy Mobility Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Bailey Baretto) — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Hills Pet Nutrition for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

My husband and I have been taking care of dogs as our pets for as long as we can remember. Right now, we have three canines living with us (one shih-tzu, and 2 Chinese Sharpeis). Since I am due to deliver our first baby next month, we are very excited to get them all together and play.

Our dogs are old, specially the shih-tzu who is already 9 years old. He does not show any signs of aging yet because he remains very active and playful. We hope that our little four-legged angels can watch our baby grow up in to a young man with us. To make sure that happens, we'll be making sure that we give them the best nutrition and attention all through out.

We have always been cautious with the food that we give them since some dog food gives them allergies or some sort of irritation after eating it. This is why we choose to feed them products that may help them with their mobility, coat, and resistance.

For all the devoted pet-owners out there, do check out Hill's Pet Nutrition and take the Hill's Healthy Mobility Challenge. Registering alone entitles you to a Hill's Healthy Mobility Coupon and an automatic entry to a Sweepstake that allows 30 winners to receive FREE PET FOOD for a year. Try Science Diet Health Mobility and share your how this product has improved your pet's activities.

Visit Hill's Pet Nutrition on Facebook to know more details and see what other pet-owners have to say as well.

Getting Ready For the Big Day

noreply@blogger.com (Bailey Baretto) — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 18:16:00 +0000

Aside from my pending application for WIC and medical card, my husband and I are preparing all the other things we need before our baby comes this September.

We did our first shopping last week for the baby, and I could not believe how overwhelming and emotional that experience was. The fact that I am really going to be parent soon really sunk in at that moment. We got the basics down first, like the clothes, bottles, shampoo, and diapers. We'll be getting the other things we need like the cribs, car seat, and stroller hopefully next week.

I've been searching the internet for great deals ever since I hit my 8th month in pregnancy. I can't believe the prices they have here in the US for baby stuffs. I guess, you can't argue with that since they make sure that everything you buy for your baby here is safe.

We still need a lot of help. I'm even thinking that maybe you can never be really ready when that day comes. Especially when it's our first. :D

Improving Mobile Lifestyle

noreply@blogger.com (Bailey Baretto) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 14:02:00 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of NMEDA for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

It's tough to be working as a caregiver anywhere in the world. It involves a lot of physical strains from lifting, bending, and cleaning after their patients. I admire how the United States brought in their time, money, and effort in providing service to the disabled and elderly people which offers additional jobs in the health care industry at the same time.

However, with the technology nowadays, companies are now able to create gadgets to provide more comfort to both patient and caregiver. One role for companions or health care providers is to take their patients to their doctor's appointments, accompany them when they do their groceries, and etc.... Basically to assist them move from one point to another safely. NMEDA is a non-profit association that helps by assisting consumers into finding the perfect mobility equipment like wheelchair vans, lifts, and other safety mobile products from a qualified dealer. It's easy to browse over the internet and assume that this gadget might help you with your situation, but through NMEDA, a professional dealer can help you buy exactly what you need since one's condition is always unique from the other.

This kind of technology can lighten any caregiver's work load. But it's impact generally affects the patients which is more important because they can feel more independent and free from their physical disabilities.

Feel free to check out NMEDA for more information. You can type your zip code or state on their page to discover a dealer near your area.

At 8 Months

noreply@blogger.com (Bailey Baretto) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 06:07:00 +0000

I rarely write about my journey during pregnancy because I want to create a simple scrap book as the months go along. And when you're pregnant, taking a picture of yourself is the least thing you want to be doing because you've gotten bigger or uglier.

Women just mostly talk about the great experiences like the baby's first kick, ultrasound, and the father's involvement in the whole course. However, the downside of pregnancy which is the morning sickness, weight gain, stretchmarks, skin irritation, and etc is tabooed. Who would want to dwell on that topic anyways when you know someone perfect will come out from you after 9 months.

I guess one of the reasons why I don't share too much about my experience is because I have a lot of things going on around my head while I'm at this stage. It's nerve racking enough since this is my first pregnancy, but when you add certain factors like money, where to deliver, and whose going to accompany me during the labor gets me more stressed out since I'm a thousand miles away from home.

However, despite of all the things I have to figure out with less than a month before the due date, I try to enjoy the ride and take care of myself and the baby as good as I can. Knowing that I'll be having my own little boy after a few weeks takes the anxiety away. That fact comforts me more than anything else in the world.

I'm very excited to see my little man. Mom's just counting the days until you can rest on my arms.

First Day High

noreply@blogger.com (Bailey Baretto) — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 21:00:00 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Bealls for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

It's almost mid-August and you can already feel the cold breeze of fall. During this time, students realize that summer vacation is over and a new school year is about to start.

This takes me back to the time I was in their shoes. I was anxious and excited for every first day of school. Anxious because I did not know what to expect from the new subjects and faces I will be encountering for the whole year, however, very excited since I know that before everything kicks off, I will be shopping with my mom and siblings for new clothes, shoes, and school supplies.

My parents were always on their toes during this certain season. Even at such an early age I knew how stressful this time of the year were for them since they had to worry about the tution fees and other school-related expenses. This is why we acquire the things we need for school either too early or too late because we can only do our shopping at the same time the stores have its sale. I am thankful that I was used to this kind of practice since I can do the same thing with my son in the future.

Now that we live in a computer-dependent era, a lot of great deals for back to school season is also available online which becomes just one click away. Bealls for example has a wide range of accessories and apparels for any age that allows you to choose whatever style you want your child to present. Unifroms are included in their selection too. If you check out their store and website, you get to save more money compared to buying them from elsewhere. With their prices, you would think that they have a sale all year round.

Happy shopping moms! Don't forget that aside from the fun you are getting from shopping unbelievable bargains, savour this unique bonding time with your child as well.

Net10 $50 Unlimited Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Bailey Baretto) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 07:01:00 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Net10 for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I'm a traveler, been around many countries and cities. So far I have stayed the longest for vacation here in the United States. Coming from the Philippines, I was used to cheap phone plans whether prepaid or postpaid. That is why I was so surprised to find out that communication costs so much here in the US. However, since I will be staying in the country for almost a year, I have to get my own phone and service provider to be in touch with people back home.

As mentioned in my previous posts, I started using AT&T at first because that was the cheapest available thing in Walmart at the time. The down side about that was my monthly bill for a month was 60 USD for unlimited talk and text. Now that I have been here long enough to know the ups and downs of some network companies, I can see the Light. I got to discover other telecommunication brands that offers the best deal that makes you save more for other stuffs in the future. One of which is the Net10 $50 Unlimited Plan which allows real NET10 customer to access unlimited SMS, call, and data everyday without any contracts and credit checks.

Using it easy. You can purchase Net10 phones from trusted manufacturers like LG, Kyocera, Motorola, Nokia, and Samsung starting as low as 15 USD. After activating the connection, you can already start making calls and texts to anyone nationwide and you may reload minutes through the internet or any nearby store anytime.

Since I am away from my family who are in the Philippines and other states right now, the strong reception nationwide gets the user more comfortable and smooth conversations with their loved ones without having to worry about high international call rates.

Search this amazing plan on Facebook to learn more of their offers. Or you can follow Net10 on twitter to become updated with their latest deals.

You can check out this video of real NET10 customer who is satisfied with the switch they have made with Net10:

Web Talent: Entry 1

noreply@blogger.com (Bailey Baretto) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 02:11:00 +0000

I saw this video in Facebook because a few of my friends posted it on their wall. It's about a young boy who sells souvenirs to tourists for a living in Clark, Pampanga. I don't really know much about how the video was caught but I'm guessing that the people who took it was amazed as I was with this boy's big talent.

Thanks to the people who made an effort in sharing this video in the internet. I'm sure this will open wonderful doors to this young local boy. Happy viewing.

Call, Text, Surf and Save

noreply@blogger.com (Bailey Baretto) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 10:01:00 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Straight Talk for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I got here in the United States last May and it has always been a struggle to find the perfect network provider since I have not established my credit score yet. Because of this, most companies do not find me eligible for any of their payment plans. I end up having to get the no-commitment phone plans that costs more expensive than it should.

Since cellphones are becoming a necessity nowadays, I had to go for the other big service provider's hook, line and sinker in desperation. Due to the urgency at the moment, I did not have time to make further research on as to which company provides the best and cheapest service, so I went with AT&T that charges me 60 USD per month for unlimited call and text! This was very frustrating since I knew that what I had was very expensive for something that cuts off a nice conversation every now and then due to bad reception.

Fortunately, I got to know about Straight Talk through the internet and I was surprised to know that I can call a friend or any one else at just 45 USD per month. Aside from unlimited call, the 45 USD plan includes unlimited SMS and Web as well with a flexible low rate for international calls and no additional charge for 411. Basically, it's everything you need plus more, because Straight talk Plans does not require any contract. Definitely, something to be excited about!

New and refurbished phones from Nokia, LG, Samsung, Motorola, and Kyocera at your choice are available in Walmart starting from 10 USD each without any activation, reactivation, or termination fee. That surely gets you off a good start with your savings. Because the average bill per month for unlimited talk, text, and web plans is 80 USD, I save 420 USD per year! Certainly, this allows me to to save money for my love of travelling. Nothing feels richer than having to go to other beautiful places for pleasure. Next stop for me this year will be New York! I bet reading about this lets you already imagine what you'll be buying for yourself with all that money saved up once you've switched like me.

Captain America: The First Avenger

noreply@blogger.com (Bailey Baretto) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 03:34:00 +0000

My cousin took us to AMC theater earlier today to watch the Captain America movie. I wasn't all excited at first because I was not as fascinated with that superhero compared to the other leading characters Stan Lee had created.

I still went and watch though because my husband wanted to see the movie anyways. Seeing the movie was my first encounter with one of the first comic hero created earlier in the last century. It was pretty cool that the story was somehow linked during the war with Hitler before. Countries at war at the time was already figuring out scientific ways as to how they can create their very own "super soldiers". It's so cool how the creator had though about story lines like these that probably sounded ridiculous during the 1940's. Stan Lee is a true visionary. Now that we posses the right technology, producers are able to interpret his life long works as if it was reality.

College Scholarship Sweepstakes

noreply@blogger.com (Bailey Baretto) — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 00:01:00 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of PBM Products for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Any parent would like to provide only the best for their children. Since kids are not old enough to know what's good for them yet, their parents serve as advocates. As an expectant mother, I recently devoted my time in finding out ways to become as ready as can be when our little one arrives on September.

In the food category, everything I had read so far says that breast feeding is the best way to nourish infants until 2 years old. But there are cases where in mothers could not provide their natural milk for the babies due to a certain illness or the fact that they can't make their selves available because they have to work.

This is why infant formulas are in the market right now. This help families give their babies the proper nutrition they need to maintain normal growth and development in the absence of breast milk. However, infant formulas do not come cheap nowadays. One small can costs 20 - 25 USD or even more (depending on the manufacturer). Fortunately, Walmart has its self-made product called Parent's Choice Infant Formula that passed the standards of FDA which costs a lot less than other leading brands. This is available in all Walmart locations nationwide.

Aside from this what this great product has to offer, you can check out Parent’s Choice Infant Formula Savings Sweepstakes to learn more about their latest promotion in partnership with PBM products, LLC, and A Perrigo Company. Join the sweepstake promo from June 15, 2011 to August 11, 2011. Submitting an entry online entitles you to become the lucky winner of a 10,000 college scholarship for your baby in the form of a College Savings 529 Plan.

Good luck!

Where To Go For Honeymoon?

noreply@blogger.com (Bailey Baretto) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 06:39:00 +0000

My husband and I got married just last February 25. However, I have only been with him for not more than a week ever since because he had to go to the United States. He left for Dallas on the 3rd of March and I came after him there after 2 months since I could not leave my job yet.

When I got to Dallas on May 14, I didn't get to see him right away because he moved to Los Angeles to go to his father's side of the family. Being more than 5 months pregnant at the time, we could not decide on whether he goes back to Dallas to be with me or I go to Los Angeles to be with him because we were actually hoping for an employment opportunity.

Given our situation, being only visitors from the Philippines... Finding a job became very difficult for us. Especially now that the country is suffering from retrogression. So we finally decided that I follow him in California instead since I have relatives in Fresno. Fortunately, soon after I got here he was offered to assist elderly patient in a care home in Bakersfield. The place in Bakersfield could only accommodate one person so I couldn't come with him. So we ended up being apart again after spending a weekend together in Los Angeles.

Apparently, ever since we found out that I was pregnant... We panicked and did not know what to do. Everything we did was always at the last minute. One great example was our marriage. After finally deciding to tied the knot, we planned our civil wedding for less than three days and got married right on the coming weekend. We had to rush it because he was flying to Dallas after a week at the time. And since it all happened without prior notice, I can't take a time off from work right away.

This is why I am in desperate need of my husband's full attention. I want to spend as much time with him alone. I will be seeing him again on the 16th of July so that we can fly to Chicago together. I will be more than 7 months pregnant by then and it's going to be hard for me to travel to visit my relatives so we are planning that I give birth to our baby there as well.

I was hoping that I could spend some quality time with him before we leave for a new state since the baby will be coming into our lives soon then there's no time for that at all anymore in the near future.

My husband though is very practical. he would not go away with me because he thinks it's just a waste of money. I was suggesting we go to Las Vegas for three days since he really wanted to go there but I hate the feeling that I have to convince him every time we talk about it. I know he'd love to go so I insisted that I will pay for the whole trip. We could treat the vacation like our honeymoon but it hurts me whenever he finds a reason to back out.

I know he's just watching over the expenses since we're gonna be here in the US for a long time without any promise of jobs or whatsoever. But it just makes me feel sad. i didn't get to tell him that I was feeling this way because I know he'll think that this is a pretty low reason for me to get sad for.

Any of you guys know somewhere else we can go for our honeymoon? Preferably in California, Dallas, or Chicago that my husband couldn't say "no" for an answer?

Choosing Your Health Product

noreply@blogger.com (Bailey Baretto) — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 08:02:00 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Since my original Obstetrician is in the Philippines, I was prescribed to take vitamins such as Folic Acid and Vitamin B Complex during my pregnancy. When I got here in the Uinited States, I could not get a hold of the same vitamins my doctor had prescribed me so I had to ask my Obstetrician if I could just take the prenatal vitamins they have available here instead.

My doctor agrees and advises me to take the multivitamins while I am here since they too offer the same thing as to what I was taking before. So I went to Walgreens and checked out their Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products, specifically the prenatal vitamins. Because almost everything was cheaper in the Philippines, I expected that I will be paying more once I buy medication from here. But to my surprise, the Walgreens Brand Prenatal Multivitamin Supplement Tablets cost less than what I was originally buying. Aside from that, their tablets were packed with complete supplements like Vitamin B, C, Folic Acid, Calcium and etc all in one. So I will only just have to swallow one tablet per day instead of three.

I was so happy to have found that its more convenient and inexpensive buying my vitamins here. In addition to the product, the pharmacists was kind enough to explain the difference between what I was initially taking and what was I about to buy. I was satisfied with Walgreens' product and service. Walgreens also makes it a point that a certain percentage or amount goes to the Walgreens Way to Well Fund™.

Right now, they have giveaways if you joined the Walgreens' contest on other several participating blogs.