My Online Journal

Pet Aware Pet Shop and Pet Care

2012-04-30T09:01:00.000-05:00

When I was young I remember our family had pets like dogs and cats. The dog stayed outside the house and barked at strangers while the cat stayed inside the house to kill rats, lol! We fed them regularly of course but other than that, we didn't give any special treatment to our pets. In our town, dogs are dogs and they lived outside the house except when it rains that they stayed in the shed. When I got married to my hubby and migrated to the US, I was shocked to see how they treat their pets. They even have a grooming salon for pets and believe it or not, they even have a pet cemetery to my delight, lol! That really cracked me up. Some Americans really treat their pets like they are human beings. Some pets are treated better than most kids are. I can say that pets in the US are so blessed, more blessed than most people in my country at that. Pets Aware Pet Shop and Pet Care are always frequented by pet lovers everywhere to learn more of how to take care of their beloved pets. I was browsing the site and I can't believe that they even a dental care for the pets. That is really amazing! We never have that in my country. So if you are a pet lover I'm pretty sure you would love the said site. Do visit PetsAware.com to learn more and be more aware in taking care of your pets.. Check it out folks!

Flying To Texas

2012-04-30T08:33:00.000-05:00

Time is running so fast. Hubby and I will be flying to Texas on Wednesday morning at 6:45 AM. We will be leaving for Manila tomorrow night at around 10 PM. The drive to Manila is around 4 hours and we should be checking in at the airport 3 hours before our scheduled flight. The thing is I haven't finished packing our things yet. I should be packing now but I'm still here in front of the PC blogging. I have two tasks to finish tonight or else it will expire and I will lose 20 bucks. I'm excited to go back to Texas again but not as excited as the first time I went there. Maybe because I already know what it looks like and what is in there unlike the first time that I didn't know what's ahead of me. After 3 years and 4 months, we will see the lonestar state again and of course our loved ones there.

Finding A Criminal Defense Lawyer

2012-04-26T10:03:00.001-05:00

Locating an effective california criminal lawyer is no longer a hard job these days. This is because with the advent of the World Wide Internet, you can uncover them online, proper from the comforts of your home. This applies to every person no matter whether you want a criminal lawyer in California or in the nearby places. A skilled and experienced los angeles criminal defense lawyer can assure you justice in all kinds of scenarios. For that reason, how would you discover experienced, knowledgeable and determined trial attorneys that cater aptly to your distinct criminal defense and individual injury requirements? The answer is basic go on the internet.

Make sure that your Criminal Defense Attorney has years of proven courtroom encounter and is recognized for good quality throughout the state. He/she really should recognize the importance being reliable for the client in the courtroom in representing all kinds of vital requirements and win arguments, motions, trials and much more. They need to be skilled enough to cater to each matter in a diligent manner. Moreover, the Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney you have chosen should have the required encounter for successful representation of clients in a wide range of circumstances, from summary visitors offenses to initial-degree murder trials and complex civil trials involving a lot more than 50 million dollars in assets. An additional significant facility a very good criminal lawyer ought to have is to work together with the clients towards accomplishing their objectives. This is indeed the foundation to winning each case.

Our VBS 2012

2012-04-26T09:03:00.000-05:00

This morning was the graduation day of my VBS class. There were 35 kids who attended this year. The theme of our VBS was F.R.O.G. - Fully Rely On God. I got the resource materials from the internet. For 4 nights, I slept late because I was the only one who prepared all the stuffs needed for all the activities and crafts. We lack workers in the church. I am hoping that when those kids I teach in Sunday School will grow a li'l bit older, they can help me in teaching VBS. I had fun teaching VBS though some of the kids were so noisy in the class. Overall, we had fun and the kids enjoyed our class, Bible stories, coloring, crafts, snacks and games. I told stories of Bible characters who fully relied on God like Daniel, Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego and David. I saw how attentive they were while I was relating those stories. The kids love playing Trip To Jerusalem and the Hot Item. In fact, they kept requesting me to let them play the game again.

I gave certificate of attendance to all the kids and also I awarded certificates of appreciation to the deserving kids. I also gave medals to four of my students who were always there since I started teaching kids' Sunday School.

Some of the girls rendered action songs this morning and my nephew played his ukelele. Some adults were also there to watch the graduation. We held it outside our church because it was brownout the whole day and too hot inside the church. It was cooler outside under the mango tree. We had snacks after my hubby and I awarded the certificates. The adults assisted in giving snacks to the kids.

My hubby was giving his message to the kids who attended VBS.

Hiring A Lawyer

2012-04-24T06:52:00.000-05:00

Whether you are going through a divorce, hurt in a car accident, or facing a criminal lawsuit, getting a lawyer may be necessary so you can be advised on the course of action you have to take or to represent you in court.

Generalists are no longer as popular today in the legal profession as most lawyers tend to specialize in a particular area of the law. Aim to speak with multiple attorneys prior to deciding on whom to hire. There are attorneys who provide initial consultations for free. There are also those who will ask for a small fee for the initial meeting, typically around fifty bucks. To make good use of your initial meeting, make sure you have already come up with a concise and accurate summary of your problem before going to the lawyer.

Evaluate the lawyers according to their experience, how much they charge for their services, what options they say you have, how many cases that are relevant to your problem have they handled and won, and their estimation as to when the problem can be resolved. While there is no assurance to the success of your case, knowing how the attorney will deal with your case is an important consideration as well. Request for a quotation that will detail how much you have to pay and the instances when you will be charged extra.

Remember, the most expensive lawyer is not always the best one for you. The same is true for those who offer their services at a bargain. What you should look for is a balance of experience and cost. Finally, hire a lawyer who you feel comfortable working with.

Summer

2012-04-11T22:16:00.001-05:00

This is our 4th summer since we got here in my homeland and the hottest too. The highest temperature recorded this month is 36 degrees Centigrade and that is equivalent to 96.8 degrees Fahrenheit. Compared to the summer heat in Texas, our summer here is still more tolerable. We can tolerate not to have AC in our house during day time. Hubby only turn on the AC in our room at night before he go to sleep. He can't sleep with a hot temperature.

Lots of people are going to the beaches and resorts this time of the year. Hubby love the beach and maybe before we leave for the states, we will go there one more time. We've been there last month already. Anyways, it's just a 45 minutes drive from our place and the entrance is free. I know the rent for cottages soared up again. They always do that during summer, take advantage during peak season. I love summer but I just don't like the heat. I would be glad when we go back to Texas next month so we can at least escape the heat here even just for two months. It's spring time there, the best season of the year. We'll be back here when summer will start in Texas. I just can't bear the Texas summer heat. Too hot for my bones, lol!

Texas Bound

2012-04-04T09:51:00.009-05:00

Today hubby and I bought our airline tickets to Texas. It's been a long time since we left the place and came here in my homeland to start a ministry. Three years and 4 months to be exact since we flew here in the Philippines. Where did the three years go? It seems like time flies so fast when you're having fun. We had our ups and downs since we were here, physically, emotionally and financially. I know the enemy had been trying to discourage us in doing the works of the Lord. There were times that hubby had wanted to quit but I encouraged him to keep on keeping on for the Lord. We are here to serve and do the calling of the Lord. As the song goes, "We will serve the Lord even when trials come..." There is joy in serving the Lord. No words could describe the joy I feel every time I see people get saved and baptized by hubby. The testimonies I hear from them in our church on Sundays make me so happy and blessed. We started this ministry and I believe God will bless our effort in doing so.

For the past few months, hubby had been searching in the internet for plane tickets for Texas. At that time, we didn't have the money to buy. We waited and waited for God's blessings. Early this year, hubby got his SS benefits and then my step-daughter paid her balance in the house that she bought from us. But then, the tickets went up because it's now peak season. We thought that internet price for the airfare is cheaper but it's not. Their prices are way up and also the lay-overs are too long. I decided to call a travel agency and to my surprise, their price is cheaper than the ones we've seen in the internet and the lay-overs are shorter. I hate waiting for so long during lay-overs. So to make the story short, we bought our round trip airline tickets for $1594 each. I know it's still high for us but then, it's peak season and compared to the prices in the internet, it's still lower.

Hubby and I were happy because God provided our needs. We will be able to see the kids and attend Josh's graduation. We will also try to visit some churches and raise some support for our ministry. Lord, thank you very much for you are the God who do amazing things in our lives. To God be the glory!

Below are photos taken by Vernice at the travel agency where we bought our airline tickets.

the travel agents:

I took this photo:

hubby took this photo:

Carrying around my new cute summer tote bag

2012-04-03T04:59:00.000-05:00

Guest post written by Samantha Brooks

It's about March anyway that everyone starts dressing like it's summer, or that they wish it was already summer. So I love to do my shopping around now and find all kinds of fun things to wear. It's all about bright colors this year and I knew I wanted to invest in a few neon accessories. I though that buying a neon tote bag would be a great idea.

I always do a lot of online shopping research before I buy anything, so I did the same for this and when I was looking I saw info on Managing debt. I realized that I needed to do that for myself and signed up to get some help with that.

I eventually found this perfect cute summer tote bag that I had in mind and bought it. I've already started carrying it around. I hope I don't get sick of it before Memorial Day! But this bright and cheerful neon orange is keeping me excited for warmer weather and I'm sure that I'll continue to enjoy it into fall.

Our Old Car

2012-03-31T11:10:00.000-05:00

It's been two years since hubby bought our pre-loved car. We already spent a lot to replace some of its auto parts. It still runs good but it needs a TLC. Hubby had taken it to the auto shop a couple of months ago and the mechanic had replaced some auto parts which I can't recall. I'm not familiar with the names of auto parts. I was looking at this site which sells performance auto parts online. Hubby should check out this site so in case our old car will need some auto parts again then he knows where to avail. Hubby used to be an auto mechanic too when he was younger but nowadays, he can't do what he used to do before. Age is catching up on him and he can't bend and stoop now as he used to do to fix the car. We should have saved a great deal of money if he can fix our car by himself. We planned to replace our old car with a van but we can't afford it now. Our money in the bank will just go to the airlines because we're planning to go on vacation to Texas to visit the kids.

Got Bored Waiting At The BIR

2012-03-15T22:48:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, my brother drove me to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) in Calasiao to pay the capital gains tax of the land bought by our church. We arrived at the office past 10 AM. The BIR examiner who checked the documents that I showed her told me that I have to pay a late registration fee of our church in the amount of P1,000. Our church was registered at SEC last October and I didn't know that I should have registered it right after that at the BIR. Then she computed the tax that I have to pay but she told me that I have to submit the original land title and an acknowledgement receipt from the seller.

I have to apply for a TIN of our church too before I can register it. It took me all day long just to wait for the papers to be signed by all those signatories. The reason why it took a while to wait is that those signatories went out somewhere and they came back to the office late. It really pissed me off because the government is paying their salaries but they're not doing their job well. Kung sino pa ang mataas ang puwesto at malaki ang suweldo sa gobyerno, siya ang palaging wala, kainis. They let the people wait that long for their services. When it's time to pay in the counter, the line was too long. The people were already complaining why they have only one cashier. It was almost 4 PM when I was done with our church's registration and the guy told me to go back next week to get the certificate. I also have to submit the required documents so I can pay the capital gains tax.

Imagine the time I spent at the BIR yesterday, almost 6 hours. Not fun at all. But I had to remind myself that I am doing that for our church so we can transfer the land that we bought to the name of our church. It's a good thing that hubby and Vernice decided not to go with us or else they would have been bored to death. Next time when I'll go to their office, I'll see to it that I will write my comments and complaints and drop it in their comment box.

Identity Thief Protection

2012-03-14T04:12:00.003-05:00

Lots of thieves are on the lose and they are always busy looking for their victims. They may be interested in your car, jewelries, money and the worst, your identity. I've watched in the news a person whose identity was stolen and the thief used his credit card to withdraw all his money in the bank. He was so devastated with what happened and my heart goes out to him. What happened with that guy can happen to anybody. What does the identity thief wants. Simply put, the thief wants to become you and the better you look on paper, the more likely you are to be a target.

In the past, when a thief stole your wallet or purse, that person was after hard currency. Today, that thief is after your identity - not your money, but a few of your documents like a Social Security card, a driver's license or a credit or debit card which can be worth thousands of dollars in the wrong hands. It is important to protect yourself from identity thief. Lifelock reviews offers a comprehensive identity theft solution and it was created to help consumers safeguard their assets, their properties, and their good names. Through their suite of protective benefits, Lifelock members can view the health of their identity protection, identify areas where they're most at risk, and take proactive steps to reduce those risks. So for those looking for identity theft protection why not try the help of Lifelock.

Foods At The Resort

2012-03-11T20:55:00.002-05:00

I just want to make a review about the foods that we ate at Kultura Splash Wave Resort. I ordered rice and grilled bangus, clubhouse sandwich and chicken barbecue for hubby. My brother ordered barbecue chicken and rice. For our drinks, hubby got bottomless iced tea, pineapple juice for me and regular iced tea for my brother. For dessert, I ordered 3 fruit salads.

We were already starving when the waiter gave our foods. He delivered it to our cottage. Hubby's clubhouse sandwich tasted good and also the grilled bangus. The chicken barbecue didn't taste that good. Hubby didn't finish his chicken. When hubby needed a refill of his iced tea, the waiter is nowhere to be found. My brother had to ask the guard to call the waiter for hubby's iced tea refill. It took a while before hubby got his tea.

If you want to go there in Kultura and you're in a group, better bring your own food and just pay the corkage fee rather than order their foods because it take them so long to serve your foods. Not a good thing especially if you are already starving.

Beating The Heat At Kultura Splash Wave Resort

2012-03-10T02:26:00.004-06:00

It's summer time once again and one way to beat the heat is going to the beach or resorts. When we went to Pugad Adventure last month, we passed by Kultura Splash Wave Resort so I really wanted to go and see that place this summer. Last year, hubby and I didn't go to any resorts or beaches because of financial difficulty. This time, the Lord had blessed us so we decided to go swimming at Kultura.

I asked my youngest brother to drive for us since hubby didn't feel like driving. Kultura is located somewhere in Cares, Pugo, La Union and more than an hour drive from our place.

We didn't bring any foods except some chips and bottled water because foods and drinks are not allowed inside the resort. If you will bring in foods, you have to pay Php50 per person as corkage fee. That's a crap. They do anything to get your money, huh! When we reached the place, we parked our car at their parking area and went straight to pay to the receptionist. The entrance fee is Php250 per person and the nipa hut rent is Php1000. Hubby paid a total of Php1,750 for the three of us. The receptionist asked if we're bringing in foods but I said no so one of their waiters followed us to our cottage and he gave us their menu.

While waiting on our foods, I went to take some photos. The resort is very nice. The water park has two Dolphin pools; giant slides; three kiddie pools; air conditioned villas; dining areas offering American, Australian, and Filipino cuisine; a convenience store; pharmacy and clinic; souvenir shops; picnic umbrellas and sheds; and plenty of parking space. The landscape was done artfully and colorfully. The resort focuses on culture and arts. You can see murals and artwork in the resort and there's even a replica of the Sagada cave at the edge of the wave pool. The place is ideal for family outings, meetings, weddings, conferences – or simply for relaxation.

Well, it took more than an hour to wait on our orders. Other customers were already bored waiting on their foods. We were almost starving when the waiter gave our foods. After we ate our lunch, we went to swim in the pool. Since it was not a weekend, there were not a lot of people in the resort. It was good, the place was not crowded but the drawback is that they don't open the electronically operated wave pool if there are less than a hundred customers in the resort. So we just had to swim in their regular pool. We went to take some photos in the kiddie slides and you can smell the chlorine in the pool, so strong, unlike in Pugad, you don't smell chlorine at all. That's the reason I didn't stay in the pool that long because of the smell of the chlorine. I had to go shower and changed clothes while hubby and my brother went to try the higher slides in the other pool.

After swimming, hubby's eyes were so reddish maybe because of the chlorine in the pool. Hubby and my brother went to shower and after they changed clothes, my brother and I went to take more pics while hubby stayed in the cottage. Then we paid our restaurant bill and we headed home.

If you want to go there, here are the rates:

WEEK DAY RATES
(Mondays - Fridays)
Wave pool activation on weekdays is
OPTIONAL depending on the number of guests
Adults:    Php250.00
Children 4ft. below:     Php180.00

WEEKEND/HOLIDAY RATES
(Sat-Sun-& Holidays)
Wave pool schedule will be every hour
starting 10:30 am
Adults:      Php280.00
Children 4ft. below: Php200.00

Infants 2ft. below are Free of Admission
Senior citizen with valid ID are subject to 20% discount

Nipa Hut (downstairs near the pool) 10 - 12 persons Php 1000.00

Nipa Hut (upstairs) 5 - 6 persons Php 800.00

Olympic Party

2012-03-04T07:33:00.000-06:00

This guest post from Edgardo Rosa

We have upgraded our television package to HD at www.directstartv.com just in time for the big Olympics this summer. I love to watch the Olympic games. I’m not sure if NBC is exclusively covering them this year, but I think that Brian Williams has the best job ever. I can’t imagine getting to cover both the summer and winter Olympics every year! This year, they are in London. I think that they are going to have a really great opening ceremony. I also can’t wait to see what events Will and Kate are going to attend and also see what Kate is going to wear. I just think that she is so pretty! I think that I am going to have my friends over to watch the opening ceremonies. I have quite a long time to plan this little get together, but I want to make it a good Olympic theme. I have already started a board on Pintrest to organize all of my Olympic party ideas. I just think that the games in London are really going to be something special to watch. Maybe one of these days I will get to actually see an Olympic event in person!

Lunch at Shakey's

2012-03-01T01:37:00.003-06:00

Okay, this is a late post because we dined at Shakey's Urdaneta last week. I just want to make a review of this restaurant which we always frequent whenever we go to the mall. One reason we always want to go there because hubby likes their food and on top of that, this is the only restaurant in the mall which accept debit or credit cards. Most of the time, hubby and I don't have enough cash so we use our debit cards. Hubby also have his Shakey's super card so he gets 10% discount in our bill. The only drawback in this restaurant is that they charge 9% service fee that's the reason hubby stopped giving tips to the waiters/waitresses. Shakey's in Dagupan don't charge us a service fee when we ate there.

My favorite meal here is the Bunch of Lunch while hubby love their Super Platter. This time hubby ordered the hero sandwich meal and also their vegetable salad. He found out that hero sandwich is really yummy and I like it too. This now became his favorite. As of this writing, hubby and my brother just came home from the mall and he ordered the hero sandwich meal again. Hubby always order the bottomless iced tea every time we dine there because he like the taste, not too sweet unlike in the other fast foods, too sweet. Today, he said their iced tea tastes like syrup.

Celebrating Valentine's Day at PUGAD Pugo Adventure

2012-02-14T23:32:00.006-06:00

It was Valentine's Day yesterday when we went to PUGAD Pugo Adventure. Hubby and I went there with my 2 siblings and their families using the van of my brother-in-law because our car can't accommodate us all . It was an hour drive from where we live. It is situated in Sitio Kagaling, Palina, Pugo, La Union. When we reached the place we went to the information area and learned that that's where we gonna pay the entrance fee. At first I thought that my 2 nieces will be charged free because they're shorty 3 and 4 year old kids but they passed their allowed measurement height which is 2 feet below. Kids who are three feet and above are charged Php100 each. The entrance fee for adults is Php150 each. Their nipa hut cottage cost Php500 which is good for 10 people. The attendant gave us a cottage located beyond the hanging bridge because she said the view their is a lot better.

After paying, my 2 brothers went back to the van to get our foods that we brought. I cooked beef adobo and pinakbet. We brought ripe mangoes too for our desert and we bought two 1.5 liters C2 drinks at the grocery store which we passed by on our way. When we were inside, we decided to stay in a cottage before the hanging bridge because my brothers said it's not easy to haul our foods crossing the hanging bridge. So we let the attendant know the cottage we chose and we stayed there and ate our foods. The foods that I cooked were so yummy or maybe we were just hungry, lol! In fairness, my sis-in-law said my pinakbet was very good. We ate to our hearts' delight and we were inspired by the scenic view around us.

While we were eating, a lot of adventurers riding the zip line passed by above us. I wish I'm still young and have their courage to do it. I bet it would be fun. A lot of thrill seekers go to Pugad just to avail their zip line, rapelling and wall climbing. But for us, we went there to see the scenic view, have a picnic and swim in their pool. After we ate, we decided to go across the hanging bridge and see what was in there. It has more cottages there and 3 swimming pools. Their function room is located their and also their aviary. The kiddie pool there is bigger than the one in front. We decided to swim there at the kiddie pool with my 2 nieces. I asked my brothers to go back to our cottage to get our swimming clothes.

Then we went to change in the shower room and after that, off we went to the kiddie pool. At first I was hesitant to go to the water because it was cold to me but slowly I went in and after a few minutes my body got used to the water and started to enjoy. I admit, I don't know how to swim, I just wade in the pool and made a big splash with my hands once in a while, lol! Hubby knows how to swim with dog paddle style. My 2 sis-in-law didn't swim because they don't feel like it. Vivian has her monthly period and Marlyn had a headache. So they were the ones taking our photos. The 2 kids were having a good time in the pool especially when the fountain showers around the pool were all turned on. Even hubby and I enjoyed it. Vernice asked her dad if it's raining, lol! One thing I like about their swimming pool is that it's either has a little chlorine or no chlorine at all. All their pools were very clean and life guards were present. When we got tired swimming, we got out of the pool and went to the shower room to wash and changed our wet clothes.

Then hubby and I went to roam around and took pics at the aviary. Then we crossed the hanging bridge again and went back to our cottage. We ate some again and after that I went around with my 2 nieces and had our pics taken by my youngest brother. Hubby stayed in the cottage. I really love the view in Pugad, so serene, calm and relaxing. If you love nature and adventure at the same time, then Pugad is the place to go.

Lunch At Chic-Boy Restaurant

2012-02-10T22:25:00.006-06:00

I asked my brother yesterday to drive us to the EENT doctor to have hubby's ears checked. He was complaining that he can't hear that good. My neighbor had recommended his doctor so that's where we went. My brother and his daughter waited inside the car while we were in the doctor's office. Vernice was not with us this time because she's in her grandparents' house. The doctor found out that both of hubby's ears have built up wax in it so he gave him ear drops and after 3 days we will go back to him. Hubby also asked him to check his eyes because he has cataracts and the doctor said both of hubby's eyes don't have cataracts. The doctor in Texas told hubby otherwise. The doctor said hubby must have eye infection because he always felt a burning sensation in both eyes. So he gave hubby an eye drop. We were thankful that hubby have no cataracts, praise God! We paid the doctor a total of Php1,000 equivalent to $25 only.

We then went to eat lunch at Chic-Boy just beside Magic Mall. It's a newly opened restaurant in the city. It was our first time to dine in that restaurant. I noticed that there were lots of people dining there. They must have been tired eating in the same food court inside the mall wherein they have the same foods and their rice were so pricey, P20 per serving compared to Chic-Boy's P10 per serving. I ordered sinigang na salmon with rice, hubby got chicken lechon with rice. pork barbeque for my brother and breaded chicken for my niece. They serve free bowl of soup to all their customers and on top of that, they serve unlimited rice to the customers if they order value meals. Hubby tasted faith's breaded chicken and he said he like it better than his chicken lechon. I told him next time I will get 2 orders of the same meal for him, lol!

The sinigang na salmon had too much soup and it's sour to me. I like my sinigang better. They can't even beat my brother Celso's sinigang. Next time I would like to taste their sinigang na bangus.

Lunch at Point and Grill

2012-02-07T20:55:00.004-06:00

Yesterday, hubby and I asked my youngest brother to drive for us to SM Rosales. It's been a while since we went there. I also have to pay our internet bill which I forgot to do when we went to CB Mall last time. So off we went with Vernice in tow. We stopped by in Wesleyan, Urdaneta because my brother had to settle something first. We had the chance to talk to our pastor friends there which we haven't visited in a long time.

Then we proceeded to our destination. First thing we did is to have some photos printed to be sent to my sis-in-law in Texas. Then we went to pay our internet bill. It took me a while to wait because there were a few customers who were paying. After I paid we went to eat lunch at Point and Grill restaurant. That restaurant had many customers. It's a good thing we found a vacant table. We dined there before and it was our third time to dine there. I ordered pinakbet with fried bangus, hubby got roasted beef with veggies, fried tuna fillets with veggies for Vernice and my brother got pork barbeque and veggies. For drinks we ordered iced tea and I a strawberry shake for me.

While waiting on the foods to be served, we took some photos. When they served our foods, we ate with our hearts' delight. The foods were great. Vernice love the pork barbeque which he asked from my brother. He didn't eat her foods so we ate it. No wonder the restaurant got lots of customers. Their foods were delicious and the price is very affordable. They got lots of selections too. For the four of us, I only paid Php550.00. Not bad. For sure we will dine there again next time.

Building A Baby Room

2012-02-04T01:04:00.000-06:00

With the new addition of a little one to your lives it is time to think about the future. It is easy to get caught up in the current moment and forget how much this means for the upcoming years. You’ll be trading the crib for a set of bunk beds for kids sooner than you think so start researching now.

Hunting for the best looking bunk beds for kids can almost become like a hobby but we need to always keep sight of what is most important. Is the furniture you are buying safe? Just because they are bunk beds for kids does not mean that they are safe for every kid. What age is the set of bunk beds suggested for? You need to check these things before you make a purchase. Make use of the internet and customer reviews to answer your questions of safety and design. You should make sure that what you are buying is safe and appropriate for the age of your child.

To save some money, ask your family if they have anything that they might want to part with that would be helpful. You will be surprised how many people have sets of bunk beds for kids stowed away in their garages that they don’t even remember they bought. This is a great way to get furniture with a good track record and from someone you trust who has firsthand experience with each piece.

Never be afraid to ask questions. This is the safety and comfort of our child so there are no stupid questions. The big three are the safety of materials, safety of design and age appropriateness. You don’t want to end up with a set of bunk beds for kids that are painted with a toxic finish and will fall apart in a month, do you?

At The Mall

2012-02-04T00:59:00.001-06:00

Hubby and I together with Vernice went to the mall yesterday to buy some groceries and also to pay our internet bill. We went out late morning so when we arrived there it was already lunch time. I asked hubby where he wanted to eat because we already ate in all the restaurants there. I asked him if wanted to eat at KFC but that's outside the mall and he said it's too hot to go out and walk there. I already got tired eating at Shakeys so we ended up eating at Panaderia Antonio restaurant again. That's our nth time to eat there. Hubby ordered his favorite grilled Poloslab chicken breast with rice and veggies. I got spaghetti with fried chicken and toasted bread for Vernice and I got solo burger for me. I also ordered mango shake for me and Vernice and a soda for hubby. The foods tasted so good. I helped Vernice ate her foods, lol!

Then we went to the grocery store. We spent more than Ph3,000 just for the groceries. It's easy to spend money but it's hard to earn it. We went out of the mall and headed home. When we were on the road, I suddenly remembered that I forgot to pay our internet bill. I wanted hubby to go back but he said we'll go back there some other time. By the way, while we were in the mall, Vernice went to peeh thrice, lol!

In The Mail

2012-02-01T00:59:00.002-06:00

Thanks for the post, Arthur Lawrence

I hate junk mail. My husband and I get so much of it at our house that we have had to install a trash compactor in our kitchen just to cut down on the amount of trash we have each week. However, my husband actually paid some attention to our junk mail the other day and I am really glad he did. We always get a lot of coupons and I never have time to look at them. In the mail from yesterday, my husband found a flyer for home security in Virginia. We have been talking about getting a security system for our home, so my husband decided to check it out. It made me realize that I should pay more attention to the advertisements we get in the mail. I would probably end up saving some money for our family, especially at restaurants. We actually do not go out to dinner very often anymore because it is so expensive. Maybe if I found some restaurant coupons in the mail every once in a while, it would make it more affordable and we could treat ourselves at least once a week.

Need To Exercise

2012-02-01T00:58:00.000-06:00

I noticed lately that I gained a few pounds. I was trying some of my clothes and I noticed my belly became bigger and also my arms and legs. I think I started to gained weight after a few weeks of drinking Anlene milk. I don't drink milk before except when I eat my cereals and it's not an everyday thing. The reason I started to drink milk every morning is because of my arthritis. After a few weeks of drinking Anlene I felt relieve from the arthritis pain but then it made me gained weight. I need to do something about it.

Yesterday, I started to exercise using my orbit track again. I was on it for 32 minutes. I bought it a year ago but I only use it once in a while. Laziness sets in that's why. I have also a stationary bike but it's just there in our room waiting on me to ride it which only happens once in a while too, lol! I need to have the determination to exercise on a regular basis to be able to shed off those excess pounds from my body. I want to stay trim and healthy. Exercise Lisa, go, go, go!

Small Business Grants

2012-01-27T03:01:00.000-06:00

There was a time that hubby and I were so interested to start our own business but we didn't have the capital. We didn't know then that there is a website where we can browse and see the different top programs for small business grants", non-profit grants, and contract funding. I'm glad I came across this website lately so I have to share the good news here. The web site is a great tool to help entrepreneurs and business owners find and apply for legit small business grant opportunities. The site is easy to browse and you will find great suggestions on how to apply for and obtain small business grants. You can also find there the list of the top programs which were arranged alphabetically.

So if you are considering to apply for a small business grant, then try to browse the above website. Have the patience to surf all the programs and sites listed there where you can avail a business grant. Small business grants are often a hot topic among entrepreneurs with limited funds and access to capital. We have all seen the headlines: "Free Government Grant for Small Business." It seems all too easy. Locate a small business grant, apply and before you know it you have the money to grow your cash-strapped business.

Charcoal Paintings of Me and Hubby

2012-01-17T21:48:00.005-06:00

When hubby and I went to Tam-awan Village last month, we've seen some artists there who were doing charcoal paintings for the tourists who wanted their souvenirs. We stopped by for a while and looked, then we proceeded to roam around the place and took some photos. When we were done we went back to the artists' shop and there were no more customers there. Hubby wanted to have our charcoal painting souvenir so I asked one of the artist to have it done for us. Their charge is P100 for a one person and P300 for two persons and we chose the latter. I thought we will just be getting one painting so I was wondering why 4 artists sat down in front of us and started to sketch our photos. I asked how long it will take to finish and they said around 20 minutes.

So for 20 minutes hubby and I sat down in front of those artists and we seldom move. Maybe they noticed that we were so still and one of them said we can move if we wanted to. They kept looking at us while they were painting and I tried to smile a little bit. Then one of the artists was done and stood up. In a few minutes one after the other stood up and were finished too. So hubby and I stood up and approached the counter to see the finished works of art. There were 5 charcoal paintings all in all done by 4 artists for the price of P300, equivalent to $7 only. Not bad. Hubby and I were just expecting to get one.

So here are the 4 charcoal paintings of me and hubby done by the artists at Tam-awan Village. Some of it didn't really look like us but I think the first one is the best and really resembles our faces. The rest, I think the artists were just imagining things, lol! It's either they made us look younger, uglier or prettier/good-looking. What do you think?

Here are the artists who did the above paintings. I managed to take their photos while they were drawing our faces, lol! But in fairness, I'm impressed with their talents. I can't even sketch a simple portrait and make it look like a real one. Good job to the artists of Tam-awan Village. May your tribe increase!

Shop at Nomorerack

2012-01-17T21:01:00.000-06:00

I like to shop in the internet and look for great discounts and amazing deals. I don't like to buy if the item is not on sale. I like to save some money when shopping. Most of the things I bought online were shoes, vitamins, clothes, eyeglasses and a lot more. I have bought quite a few stuffs online already and before I buy I will do some product reviews too especially if what I'm buying is electronics. I just came across this online shop called No More Rack and they have pretty good deals. I was reading their nomorerack reviews to learn more about their products. I was so amazed to see some free deals but to my dismay they are all sold out. I love those freebies and I hope I can have one next time.

I would definitely bookmark No More Rack and shop here for the things I love. Imagine, they offer 80 to 95% off the regular retail price. It's almost a giveaway! This is not a nomorerack scam, just a handful of unbeatable deals! I am saving my blogging money to buy a Louis Vuitton bag because I know this bag is so pricey. I can't believe No More Rack offers Insanity Deals and the said bag was 96% off and it was only $18.10 from it's original price which was $450 and it's sold. I would definitely visit No More Rack everyday to look for their Insanity Deals. Who knows they will offer another LV bag next time.