Lifestyle & Homemaking

I need some exercise.

noreply@blogger.com (katherine Schulz) — Mon, 14 May 2012 14:47:00 +0000

My husband has been calling me as "big momma" lately because of my belly. Hubby noticed that my tummy is getting bigger, and he said, I need to enroll at the fitness center nearby. I would love to, but I know myself; I am only good at the beginning, and in the end, I will not finish the whole session. I am not really big actually. My weight is fitted to my height, but these past few days; I also noticed that I easily got tired, especially when I am full. Lol. So, probably, I really need to send myself at the fitness center here in our place.

Eat Out For Less

noreply@blogger.com (katherine Schulz) — Sat, 05 May 2012 07:39:00 +0000

If you love going out to eat but want to save money, consider these alternatives to going out for a full dinner.

Buffets:

Many restaurants offer all-you-can-eat lunch or dinner buffets that cost less than individual items on the menu.

Early and late:

Eating at off-peak hours, usually before 6 pm or after 9 pm, will usually save you about 10% on your meal. For senior citizens, discounts are often even higher.

Birthday freebie:

Some restaurants give customers a free dinner on their birthday, but he/she must be with his/her friends or family.

Determination is the key to change a lifestyle.

noreply@blogger.com (katherine Schulz) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:27:00 +0000

Yesterday, I had a chance to chat with my cousin on Facebook. She is living in Manila, and it has been a couple of years since we visited her place in Manila. We talked about everything like our old neighbors, the people we know because I was also living in their place before I moved here in Davao. We were actually neighbors. And since I moved here in Davao, it is very seldom that I talk with her. That is why I was glad that she was online yesterday. I feel so sad when she told me that her husband is sick now. Her husband suffers a gout and couldn't walk properly. His uric acid is so high, and that makes him sick and couldn't walk because of swelling joints in the toes and feet. Well, I know the lifestyle of her husband. He loves shrimps, crabs, and he hates vegetables. In addition, I never saw him before doing any exercises. So, that's the bad part of it. At the moment, he learned a lesson. He wanted to change his lifestyle now. And he promised to my cousin that he will start doing exercise once he could walk again. Well, it is not too late for him to change his lifestyle. He is still young, and the only thing he needs is determination. That's the best key to achieve his goal.

Fun, Fun, Fun

noreply@blogger.com (katherine Schulz) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 05:18:00 +0000

My son and niece had fun under the sun. It is good to see that my son and niece were enjoying on the slides with the other kids. That's one good thing for kids. They can easily make friends with the other kids, but of course, there are also shy kids and not easy to get along with, but later they will be surely confident of meeting new friends.

MOVABA Plate and BMI Calculator

noreply@blogger.com (katherine Schulz) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 02:55:00 +0000

MOVABA Plate

The three principles of nutrition for healthy eating. MOVABA, stands for Moderation, Variety, and Balance. So, your MOVABA plate must be ½ Glow foods to keep you healthy. ¼ Go foods to give you energy and ¼ Grow foods to build your body properly.

BMI Calculator

BMI or Body Mass Index is a tool use to determine if current weight is appropriate to your height.

I have tried the BMI calculator by giving my height and weight. The result was NORMAL. Congratulations to me.

Strawberry Sundae from Mc Donald

noreply@blogger.com (katherine Schulz) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 10:59:00 +0000

Hubby ordered this at the Mc Donald take out counter. He loves strawberry sundae, that is why when he saw the take out counter inside the mall, he headed right away to the counter and ordered strawberry sundae.

I miss this Food Trip Friday meme, so here's my come back entry now.

Strawberry Sundae at Mc Donald

Manila Rooms To Let

noreply@blogger.com (katherine Schulz) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 01:56:00 +0000

I am looking for a place to stay outside because I have to move outstation for new job opportunities. I have to move away from home in order to get nearer to better job opportunities because my house is very far from the city area and there were not much jobs around my area. It is also not possible for me to travel from home to the city everyday because the distance is too far. I actually found a company which I have been looking forward to work already. However, they only gave me locations of suitable places to stay and I had to find my own place to stay. It was very troublesome for me. My brother helped me out by searching for rooms online.

After some time, she gave me a website which I could find for rooms to rent. She told me that I could find for my rooms from Manila Bedspaces . Things became to turn around and things became easier that time because from there I could narrow down my search and specify the places I prefer to stay as well as the type of rooms that I want. Not only was that convenient enough for me, I could also see the prices of the rooms so that I do not rent a room which will be over my budget. Moreover, from that website, I get to know all the details of the room that I want because the owners usually state the condition of the rooms, facilities and cleanliness of the room can be seen from the pictures available. It is really very convenient and I advice everyone who wants to look for a room like I do to check it out.

I was fooled but happy.

noreply@blogger.com (katherine Schulz) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 15:31:00 +0000

I have posted from here that my friends fooled me today. I wasn't angry when I learned it, instead I laughed so hard when I learned that today is April Fool's Day.

Have a wonderful week ahead.

The Proper Way To Drink Water

noreply@blogger.com (katherine Schulz) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 15:25:00 +0000

Drink water when you wake up. Our body loses water while we were sleeping, so drink a glass of water before you go to sleep, and another glass when you wake up. You are naturally thirsty or dehydrated in the morning. Drinking water in the morning helps flush out the toxins that have accumulated all night.

Drink 8 to 12 glasses a day. For a 120-pound individual needs 8 cups of water, while a 190-pound person requires 12 cups daily. I have learned this from my doctor when I got "UTI" or urinary tract infection. This is the reason why I trained my children to drink water.

Is it Palm Tree?

noreply@blogger.com (katherine Schulz) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 03:33:00 +0000

Honestly, I am not sure if this is the palm tree that can produce oil for food and cosmetic, but definitely, this is usually used as decoration in cities and in beaches or coast-lines. Anyhow, my husband met another Swedish man here in our place, and he was actually the one who gave us an idea that planting a palm tree is a good business too. You just have to buy a land and plant this tree. In three years time, you can harvest the fruit and sell it to the companies who make cosmetic products or companies that make oil for food. My husband was very interested when he learned it. And tomorrow, we will have an appointment. We will meet a man who has already a palm tree farm.

Saluyot or Jute Leaves

noreply@blogger.com (katherine Schulz) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 13:02:00 +0000

Saluyot is one of the nutritious vegetables in the Philippines. When I visited my son in his school, I saw a food pyramid chart and one of the recommended vegetables to be part of our dietary foods is saluyot, or jute leaves in English. In the family, it’s only me and my mother who eats this vegetable. Do you know that this saluyot can give you long life, good health, and youthful looks? I am glad that I don’t need to buy saluyot in the market because my father plants it in the backyard and on my vacant lot. How about you, do you eat saluyot?

I am linking this to #67 Blog Photo Challenge hosted by Dhemz.

Big Mc at Mc Donald

noreply@blogger.com (katherine Schulz) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 16:01:00 +0000

Honestly, I miss the big MC at Mc Donald in Sweden. I love their burger and fries, and I don't know why. I guess, it has the same taste all over the world, but I just love their big MC Cheeseburgers. When hubby and I ate at Mc Donald here, he said our big Mc is just for kids. Lol. Well, all orders in Sweden are big order that is why I sometimes take out my food if I can't eat it all.

Tips for Everyone

noreply@blogger.com (katherine Schulz) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 04:01:00 +0000

Lose weight. If you are 20 pounds overweight, then it's like you are carrying a 20-pound chair tied around your back. Your knees will bear the burden of this weight.

Keep bones strong. Starting from childhood, we should take calcium-rich foods like milk, fish, green vegetables and tofu. Limit your intake of meat. Alcohol and smoking also makes one lose bone strength. For ladies, take your calcium supplements daily.

Health Benefits of Alugbati or Malabar Spinach

noreply@blogger.com (katherine Schulz) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 00:33:00 +0000

This is one of my favorite vegetables of all time. Since I was a kid, I love alugbati mixed with the other vegetables. In the family, it is me and my mother who love this vegetable, and the rest; they don't like it because of the sticky sap.

Anyhow, the vegetable is also known as Malabar Spinach, Ceylon Spinach or the red vine. There are two types of alugbati, the red and green vine, but both are good source of essential nutrients. It is excellent source of calcium, iron, Vitamin A, C, B, and iron. It contains saponins that act as phytochemicals. It fights cancer and other diseases and good source of fibers as well.

How about you, do you like or eat alugbati?

Live a Clean Life

noreply@blogger.com (katherine Schulz) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 08:32:00 +0000

By "clean" living, we mean not just physically clean, but we should try to avoid unhealthy behavior like smoking, drinking alcohol, using drugs, engaging in risky sex, and gorging on fatty foods. Smoking kills. Alcohol destroys brain cells. You may have tried them, but it doesn't get you anywhere. So, why continue the habit? Avoid risky habits and prolong your life.

Attracting Birds to Your Garden

noreply@blogger.com (katherine Schulz) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:30:00 +0000

Many home owners take a lot of pride in the appearance of their gardens. While some people prefer to distract birds and other animals, others believe that these creatures give the garden a natural, appealing look. If you want to attract birds to your garden rather than send them away, start to add things to your garden and around your home so that birds will stop to visit.

One of the most obvious things that will attract birds into your garden is food and drink for them to feast on. A bowl of fresh water will serve as a nice cool drink or even a small bath for the little birds. Remember to change the water at least once a day, otherwise it won't be fresh and birds won't be as willing to drink from it. Placing a couple of bird feeders in your garden will have the birds, both large and small, flying down into your garden to have a snack during the day. Peanuts, oats and bits of dried fruits are all good foods to add to the bird feeders, and you'll find that all of the birds enjoy these tasty extras. Again, make sure that you replenish the bird feeders on a regular basis so that the food doesn't go stale and distract the birds rather than attract them.

Putting a bird house in your garden will catch the attention of many birds, especially during the colder weather. Whatever the time of year, large and small birds will love to take shelter in the comfort of a bird house. Bird houses are not expensive to purchase, and it's very easy to make your own if you have some wood and basic DIY skills. If your garden is big enough and you want to allow lots of birds into the bird house, purchase a fairly larger one; however, if you want a small one that a few little birds can take shelter in, consider one that is much smaller.

Antioxidant Fruit

noreply@blogger.com (katherine Schulz) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:27:00 +0000

I have learned that blueberries are called superfood for they contained more antioxidants than any other vegetable or fruit. Blueberries are also one of the highest-ranking foods to fight cancer and are excellent sources of vitamin C, manganese and fiber.

Why not try this easy to prepare smoothie.

Ingredients:
1 cup frozen mixed berries
½ cup apple juice
¼ cup silken tofu
½ banana

Directions:
Combine all the ingredients in a blender, blend until smooth.

Note: Photo not mine.

For better relaxing, buy an eco-friendly mattress.

noreply@blogger.com (katherine Schulz) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:41:00 +0000

In a family house or apartment, there will be more than one bedroom to keep under control, and one of the most important things in the bedroom is our bed. When you retreat for the night, the last thing you want to feel is the comfort of your bed. When you turn or move your body anywhere on the bed, you wanted to be relaxed and not be annoyed.

This is my son’s grumbled for a month now. He wanted me to buy a new mattress on his bed for he is not comfortable with it anymore. The mattress is too old I know. If I remembered it right, I bought it when he was 10 years old, which means it is more than a decade now. I kept on promising him that I will buy so soon, but I always fail to remember until I observed that I also need to change the mattress of my bed. Now I need mattresses for the two beds, and I wish I could find a good-quality mattress that will last long just like the old mattresses that I have right now.

However, it would be nice if I could get a memory foam mattress. I have read that this mattress is eco-friendly. I have not checked yet the cost of this mattress, but I wouldn’t mind the price if the quality is absolutely relaxing. Oh! By the way, my cousin knows that I will buy mattresses for the two beds one of these days, and she made a joke for me. She said that each time I need to buy something new, something else has to go through – into the trash, to charity, but the best place is to throw it in their bedrooms.

Fun in the Sun!

noreply@blogger.com (katherine Schulz) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:31:00 +0000

Summer is right around the corner, bringing with it the smell of freshly cut grass, beautiful flowers, swimming suits and outdoor parties. There is nothing that can compete with outdoor summer parties; lots of friends, kids running and playing, the smell of barbeque in the air, a baseball game and, of course, an ongoing game of beer pong!

The secret of college fraternity parties has leaked out and the world loves it. Beer pong is a ‘major player’ of most parties these days for a good reason; it is FUN! (Any adult can play it without the aches and pains associated with an afternoon of baseball or football games!). The beer pong tables also bring a festive note to any party with the cool designs that are available. In my opinion, summer is the ideal time to play beer pong; the beer pong table is set up outside making clean up a matter of hosing off the table!

There are a few things to consider when planning an outdoor party that includes beer pong. First is the question of ‘where to set up the beer pong table’. Try to find a location that will be shaded throughout the afternoon. Alcohol and direct sunlight are not a good combination. This will also help to prevent sunburns. Secondly, place a cooler or tub with ice close to the table and stock it with beer and bottled water so that the players have everything they need close at hand. Place or hang a small basket with extra ping-pong balls near the table. Offer a prize for the ‘grand champ’, this can be something small, or a gag gift.

Finally, if any of your guests appear to be a little ‘tipsy’, have an open offer for them to spend the night at your house or provide a ‘designated driver’ to get them home safely.

TIP: If you are a family that does not drink alcohol, you can still set up a beer pong table, and play beer pong. Just substitute the beer for juice or kool-aid. It is still a fun and exciting game.

Summer Vacation is Coming..

noreply@blogger.com (katherine Schulz) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:37:00 +0000

Summer vacation or school vacation is coming so soon here in my tiny country. My youngest son couldn’t wait for it for he loves swimming at the pool. Just recently, we saw on TV that the resort we have been last summer were renovating, and they added more pools for the kids. This resort will be opened again before the school ended. This resort is a little distant from our place, but there are also resorts near to our house. There is one new build resort nearby, but it could probably be opened before the year ends.

Everyday, the pool supply delivery truck passed here in our place, and I know these pool supplies are for the new build resort. If this new build resort is really nice, safe for the kids, and the entrance fee is not pricey, I guess, my sons might want to go there every weekend because it is just a walking distance from our home. Swimming is also a good exercise, so I might join with my kids if the entrance fee is reasonable.

At Chowking

noreply@blogger.com (katherine Schulz) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 06:55:00 +0000

This was my order when we ate at Chowking here in our place. I am not actually fan of chowking, but since hubby never tried to eat at this fast food restaurant, so I asked him if he wants to try their food. Well, he liked his order, but not too much.

This is orange chicken with pancit cantoon or noodles, fried rice and kropek. (dunoo what's this in English)

Sharonfrukt

noreply@blogger.com (katherine Schulz) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:34:00 +0000

This fruit came from Israel. In Sweden, they call it Sharonfrukt or Sharon fruit in English. I so love this fruit. The shape and size look like tomatoe, but the skin is similar to tiza, tieza or tisa in the Philippines (Dunno what's the English name for Tisa). And when you peeled the skin, the inside is similar to our star apple but this one has small seed inside, as small as the seed of Chico. I love it because it is so sweet and juicy.

I gained weight...really bad.

noreply@blogger.com (katherine Schulz) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:24:00 +0000

Honestly, I gained weight now :( and I am not happy for it. I love the idea of an early morning workout, but my pillow and comforter are invited me to lay down again as soon as my son is gone for school. :) Well, it is my entire fault. I guess I need more discipline to myself now. The BF is also one of the culprits why I gained weight. He likes to try all our foods here in our place, but the bad thing is, I have to eat it also. Anyway, he also noticed that for just a couple of weeks here, he gained weight. We actually planned to have a morning walk inside the village, but his butt still on the bed, . Last night, while watching a movie at home, I really noticed that he is bigger now than before, and when I told him this, he said, he looks big because he wore a lose shirt, but it wasn’t true.

Fill Your (Small) Plate

noreply@blogger.com (katherine Schulz) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 22:23:00 +0000

A few days ago, BF and I had a buffet lunch at the downtown. The BF, every time he picked up his food at the buffet restaurant; he usually fills his plate with the food minus the dessert. When he’s done eating, that’s the time he will get his dessert if he has still room on his stomach for it. While me, I always get a just small piece on every food that I like to eat. I am scared if I can’t eat it all because I don’t like the taste, or my taste buds doesn’t like the food I ate. However, if I like the food, I will come back and get more on it until my stomach is satisfied. But I ate too slowly; that is why I couldn’t easily get full. Anyway, here’s what I have read about filling your plate when eating especially on a buffet restaurant where there is lots of food to choose from.

People who fill their plate with everything they plan to eat (including dessert) eat about 14 percent less than those who don’t fill it as much but return for second helpings. So to eat less, load up your plate -- but only once. To reduce your intake even more, use a smaller plate because using smaller dishes ate up to 60 percent less.

Play room for kids

noreply@blogger.com (katherine Schulz) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 22:22:00 +0000

These little slides are for toddlers only. This is the place where the small kids can play while the parents are attending the church service. The church is on the upper lever while the children's rooms from ten years old below are located at the lower ground. Kids who are already at school can have a short Bible study, and then they have educational games, while toddlers will just play on the other room. There are at least 2 to 3 persons who will take care of the small kids.