Our Own Version

Imagine you were in a remote place and you or your friend was badly injured or got an accident. The nearest hospital is still miles away and no one is there to help…what would you do? It’s a scary situation but truth is it happens. Good thing that now there are emergency medical assistance to help. I was able to proved this at the height of the devastating Typhoon Ondoy. The day following the flood there were still a lot of people trapped inside their homes and even public buildings like malls. Over the radio I heard how the Philippine army rescued a woman who was about to give birth by using an air ambulance service to get her to the hospital. Having this kind of service is a blessing especially during calamities. I just hope that our government will continue to develop this kind of service so that the Philippines will have its own version of US’s 911.

Broadband Deals: faster, better, cheaper

How many broadband providers are there? There are lots of them, so finding the best broadband deals on the market is essential to ensuring you get the best value while you’re online.

What is a good broadband deal?
A reliable connection, speed and data allowances are all important considerations. The latter is especially important. All providers will set a limit on the amount of data that can be downloaded per month or year, depending on the user agreement.

When that limit is exceeded, one of two things will happen. Either the user will be charged a rate for each megabyte of data uploaded or downloaded after exceeding the set limit (usually at a significantly higher rate than for normal or inclusive usage), or the data transfer speed will be reduced. If your broadband is running at 64Kbps, it won’t feel very much like broadband.

How much data?
The lesson of this is to really understand how much data you will be using before you sign up. Do an audit of your Internet use before you decide on a broadband deal. Do you mainly browse the web or visit social networking sites? How many music tracks or films do you download each month? Do you use the Internet to make telephone calls? Knowing what you currently use, or plan to use, will help to plan for a new provider.

Where are the best broadband deals?
Here! As in, here on the web. The very fact you’re reading this shows you’re a savvy type who knows that looking online is a good way to get a great deal. Like all on online purchasing, products are more cost-effective for the consumer because the retailer doesn’t have the same overheads as a high street retailer and these savings translate into more competitive prices.

Writing My Thoughts...

I’ve been employed for more than 5 years already with my present employer and until now I still don’t see any career path. I’m already feeling the boredom from the routines of my work and there are times that I already want to quit. There are only some things that are keeping me from filing that popular letter but if not, I could have filed it months ago. I just feel that now that I already have two kids I should be there to see them grow under my care and not with their nanny.

My kids are so important to me that sometimes I’m thinking that I should just quit my job and be a stay-at-home mom and invest on a business that I can managed even at home. I just don’t know what business to invest on yet. Being employed is good but truth is you will not grow just by relying on your job, you have to have a good and flourishing business. And this what made me think whether to buy gold bullion or silver ingots and invest on it since I’ve read that gold is a good investment. I’m also looking into getting a franchise of a laundry shop or a food cart. But since I’m still employed and still don’t have the capital I need, I guess I’ll just do better with my job for now and save for a capital so that someday, my dream of being a work-at-home or a stay-at-home mom would be fulfilled.

Wood or Steel.

I’m planning to contact the carpenter my father is referring so I would know what materials to buy for the cabinets and closet I’m planning to put inside our rooms. I’ve decided to have our closets customized because I don’t trust the quality of the closets that are available in the furniture shop nowadays. I’m also thinking of getting wood bed frame for the kid’s room. Well, actually I’m still choosing whether to get a steel double deck frame or a wood frame. I saw some log beds when I visited the nearby mall last week and so I thought wood bed frames is much better that steel. But really I can’t decide yet so for the meantime, I’ll concentrate first on the closet. I’m excited because I designed the cabinet myself. I just hope that the carpenter will be able to do what I imagined.

Get well soon...

Well, I really hope...It's been more than a week already and my cough hasn't left me yet, huhuhu! I've got sore throat last week that eventually became dry cough, although the doctor said the cough is not related to any pulmonary problems, it's actually the reflex of an itchy throat because of the super sticky phlegm that I had because of colds... well, I never new that I also got colds. I went to the doctor last friday and he gave me Sinecod Forte and an antibiotic.

It's so hard to have itchy throat let alone having dry cough. I'm worried that my kids would catch virus from me... Haaay, I really hope that I'll get well soon.

Prada from "Yu-key"

I can’t believe that my helper was able to buy a pair of Prada shoes from the thrift shop. She’s indeed so lucky to find one! I seldom go to the thrift shop or what we commonly call ukay-ukay here and when I go that’s only when I need to look for costumes for a certain event. I’m just amazed when I heard about someone getting a lot of great buys from ukay-ukays. And I would say, that’s wonderful! They are able to get branded products at a very low price, though of course, second hands. But then, it’s still a great deal.

Happy 5 Months MJ!

Been busy for a while..I've got so many things in mind that I want to post but I can't find time. For now, I just want to share some pictures of today's event:

Yes, baby MJ turned 5 months today, yehey! He now weighs 53 lbs., and stands 72 inches. And at 5 months, he is more sociable and I am having fun responding to his babbling.

A while ago we were practicing for the little girl's piece for tomorrow's talent exposition day (Yes, she was picked as one of the participant, because her teachers said that she can sing well during their talent exploration day..ehem..ehem...lol!) and he was just giggling every time he see's the smiling sun (his sister's props), maybe he's thinking that it was smiling back at him, lol!).

I can't believe it's been five months already...And I'm glad that, he's aligned with the milestones of a 5-month old baby. I can say he's even a little bit advance :D..

According to yourbabytoday here's what a 5 month old baby must be doing now:

Your rockin' and rollin' 5-month-old:

This month, your baby will be much more active as he begins to push-up and rock-and-roll around on his own. All that wiggling around even may help baby move forward or backward. One of your baby's favorite playthings this month may be his toes. He'll delight in reaching out and grabbing them to put in his mouth. While lying on his stomach, your baby will learn that he can crane his neck to see what's going on around him. There's a lot happening in the world, and he wants to see it all!

Milestones this month:

• * Your baby is able to reach accurately for an object.
• He can hold his head steady when sitting upright.
• Baby can raise his chest with arm support while lying on his stomach.
• He can roll over in one direction.
• Baby can grasp a rattle.
• He pays attention to very small objects.
• Baby squeals with delight.
• He spontaneously smiles.
• Baby mimics sounds and gestures.
• He turns towards the source of a sound or voice.
• Baby gets attention by babbling.
• He makes different sounds for different needs.

Coordination cues
Your baby's ability to reach out accurately is a signal that his coordination is more keen. He now can transfer a toy or object from hand to hand. To reinforce this new talent while you change his clothes, encourage baby to transfer a favorite toy from one hand to the other as you put each arm in a shirtsleeve. With his increased control and dexterity also comes the ability–and inclination–to bring toys and other objects to his mouth.

Your baby also is gaining a new understanding of how to grasp and hold objects. The way baby shapes his hand to grasp a round object will be different than the way he grasps a flat object like a page. Baby also will begin to use his hands more often to push away things he doesn't want, like that dropper full of medicine.

Strength training
Your baby's strength is increasing, too. He's now strong enough to roll over from his stomach onto his back, push himself up so part of his chest and stomach are off the floor, and rock himself on his stomach. Leg strength is growing as well. With you there to balance him, your baby is able to stand and support his own weight for short periods of time.

Sounds are golden

This month, your baby will stay alert for longer periods of time, which means he'll need more attention from mom and dad than he did in months past. Keep these thoughts in mind as your family life begins to become more routine:

• Your baby is becoming a better communicator. He may begin to mimic and express his own range of sounds based on his needs. You'll soon be able to tell whether or not these vocal gestures mean he's happy. If your baby wants attention, he'll babble away to get it. If you laugh every time he makes a cute little coo or sound, your 5-month-old will learn to repeat it to get your reaction.
• Your baby also is learning to locate the source of your voice. Talk to him from across the room and he'll turn his head toward you. He'll begin to watch your mouth when you talk, and increasingly he'll be able to tell where your voice is coming from.
• Your baby's new ability to distinguish and mimic different sounds and gestures are examples of his new vocal coordination and control. Vocal play can be an entertaining activity this month while you encourage and reinforce these new skills.

The Power of Self Control

"The Lord God is a sun and shield;

the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.
Psalm 84:11

Raising children usually means exercising some self-control over our lifestyles. Remember what it was like before the children started arriving? Vacations at grown-up destinations instead of theme parks; driving a sporty two-door instead of a minivan; or going to a restaurant with cloth napkins instead of a fast-food counter that packages happy toys with the meals.

Self-control for the sake of our children is more than lifestyle choices. It's making sure that we live a life that is pleasing to God. Such self-control is not hard--for God gives good things to those who walk uprightly. The benefit to our children is immense--they learn to live like mom, who is generous, grateful, and full of love for God and His ways.

***

The power of self-control is the love of God. He gives all good things to those who live life with honor and integrity.

Break A Leg!

Whew....we're done practicing the little girl's piece for tomorrow 's talent exploration day. Kahit na madalas bulol and hindi tumatayming okay na rin kesa wala..haha! What's important is that I was able to convinced her to sing, hehe!

I'm crossing my fingers that it will go out well tomorrow. Though she said she will because it will be her birthday gift for me :D..

that she will make me proud...!

One Of My Dreams Is To Travel

My office mates are planning to have a group out of the country vacation sometime next year. The idea came when one of them went to an Asia tours last month and she reported how fun it was. She went to Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. She said that the trip was fun and very much enjoyable because she was able to learn about the cultures of the different Asian countries that she visited she also brought home peculiar goodies from Vietnam and Cambodia. This made the ones left curious and so they want to experience the same. I do hope that we will be able to travel by group; it would be so much fun. I’m just worried that it might not be possible since looking at it; it may be difficult for all of us to be away all at the same time since we work in just one company, lol! But for me, I really want to travel. Get on any China tours or even a national parks tours experience because honestly, I haven’t been out of the country since birth! Traveling around the world is one of dreams and I’m looking forward for that dream to come true one of these days.

Sometimes, A Little Bit Of Bribing Works!

Today we spent the afternoon practicing. My little girl will have a talent exploration day on Wednesday and so she needs to have something prepared for that day.

She had a bad experience during her talent exploration day last year. She got scared with one of her classmate's costume so she only cried the whole day. This time her classmate told her that he will wear a spider man suit and it will be scary, so just imagining it she got scared already.

Because of that she said she don't want to go to school anymore and she won't participate. So we had a series of bribing and begging before I was able to convinced her to sing. The bribe: I told her that if she'll perform, we'll watch Toy Story 3 after her class and that I'll be there to witness her showcase her talent and I will not let her get bullied by her classmate again. I told her mommy will be there so she need not be scared. She asked me what to tell her classmate, I just told her to tell him that she's not scared to see him that day and her talent is also good.

Well, we're practicing Tomorrow from Annie the Musicale. After letting her watch several performances from youtube, she said she can do it also. Hehe....

I just hope that she will be able to perform well. I'm crossing my fingers that she'll behave well and just belt it out!

Buying Mens Shorts

As the weather warms up, the desire for a more active lifestyle captures most men, having been cooped up in heavy jackets and sweaters, long pants and jeans, and corduroy-textiled fashions during the colder months. Paired with this desire to break free from the restrictive attire that's been keeping them hostage is the practical need for leggings that rest below the knee. From manning the grill at barbecues to hitting golf balls with friends, men's need for shorts heighten during the spring and summer seasons.

Whether you are looking to buy mens shorts for yourself or the man in your life, you have options ranging from price to material to style. If you're looking for gym shorts for those recreational soccer games, polyester or mesh might be your best options. Drawstrings, pockets, and stripes are other considerations you need to make when picking up your next running or jogging shorts. If your sport of choice requires you to purchase board shorts or classic water trunks, it's advisable to choose at least one or two sizes bigger than you are accustomed to because of their tendency to suction to the body.

Interestingly, if you're in the market for ergonomically designed cycling shorts, you will want to pay attention to both the fabric and in seam as comfort and muscle protection are primary concerns when choosing the right biking shorts. Beyond the scope of activewear, your interests for shorts may lead you to look into cargo, terry cloth, denim, or dress shorts. The choices range from which tailored finish, color, textile, and price suits your needs. Today, men don't have to fear shopping for new clothes, like shorts, because they can go online or into their local department store to find some of the most modern apparel that matches their unique interests and style, whether it be preppy, artistic or casual.

Remarkable.

My 4 year-old has been very talkative..She knows how to express herself well. And most of the time, she makes me laugh with her remarkable phrases. Like these:

We were riding a tricycle to our subdivision when she saw a lady with a tattoo on her legs…this was what she said:

“Mommy, bakit niya sinulatan yung legs niya, hindi naman yun paper diba? Legs naman yun eh, dapat sa paper lang nagsusulat.” (Mommy, why did she write on her legs, her legs are not paper, she should write only on paper, right?)

When her aunt was making fun of her one night, and her aunt told her that she will be bitten by the hair iron…I heard her say this:

“Tita, hindi naman yan animal eh, bakit siya mangangagat?” (Auntie, it’s not an animal why would it bite?)

Funny. And she never fail to surprise me and make me laugh, lol! This is what to expect from a 4 year old, lol!

My Treasures

My kids on a lazy Saturday afternoon...The little boy is practicing and perfecting his roll-over stunts while the little girl is cheering him on...They just stopped for a while for a pose, lol!

Need Help...Picky Eater :(

I’ve been trying so hard to have my daughter eat a lot, but she’s not eating enough to please me. I’m worried. Since she turned four, she’s been a picky eater and now I’m clue less as to what else to give her. Of course, I’m not giving her phentremine! But it seems that she’s taking an appetite suppressant. She seems like keeping up with me as I keep on losing weight, sheesh! I’ve search the net and found out about Kiddie Flourish but I don’t know if it’s being sold here. Her pediatrician prescribed Pediafortan but to my dismay, it just didn’t work. Another suggestion is to give her honey every day, someone said honey is an appetite booster, I’m not convinced with this though…Haaay…I hope someone can help me.

Goals and Investments

Now that the husband is working overseas again, I’m trying my best to be a good steward of all the financial blessings that we’re receiving. I’ve been religiously monitoring our expenses, keeping up with our monthly budget, paying bills on time and looking into possible business ventures as well. We also had plans of getting insurances for our kids. It’s been a while since I last requested for a life insurance quotes online from a friend and I think it’s the right time to invest. The house investment is currently shelved since we’ve had so much a not-so-good experience two years ago. We’ve learned our lessons well enough so we are now being wiser than before. I just pray that we’ll be able to reach our goals this year, with God’s help.

Kumon

A friend told me that he enrolled his daughter to Enopi instead of going to a formal school this year. While other kids of her age is already enrolled in a formal school, he said that they decided to just try the Enopi first so that his daughter will already have an edge over other kids when she goes to school next year. Well, he has a point there.

As for me, I'm looking into enrolling my daughter at Kumon near our home. I've been looking at her study habits and I know she is not really focused. I'm sure kumon will help her a lot specially in her study habits and in improving her Math and English. I've been looking at this already and I guess I can still be able to pay for her monthly tuition. With prayers that online blessings will be abundant every month, this could be possible. So I'm planning to visit the Kumon center this coming week-end and will see what will happen.

Gym?

I was walking along the hall of a mall yesterday when a person from fitness first approached me. He gave me a coupon for a free fitness assessment and a free 50% discount for the start up fee. He is actually the least that I expected to approached me since I’ve already lose my pregnancy gains and is now continuously losing.. I look skinny :( . I have stopped looking for the best weight loss product and is now searching for an appetite stimulant instead! Nowadays, I don’t get excited for lunch anymore. Lunch don’t appeal so much to me now and they all look bland. I don’t know what’s happening to me... Maybe this is stress. Haaay. But I’m thinking of availing the discount. After all, I haven’t gone to the gym ever since. I think I need some toning and trimming ;) .

Sports Fanatics

Are you a baseball or a basket ball fanatic? I couldn’t imagine that being a baseball or basketball fan would cost someone so much. I am not a sports avid fan but I know someone who is. He even bought his favorite player’s collectible shoes which cost equivalent to his 2 months’ salary! Imagine that? During the NBA finals, he was so hooked to the television and even followed the games online. But he was not the only fanatic; I heard over CNN that the brother of a local celebrity even bought himself a ticket to the finals worth $950, wow! That huge amount is equivalent to almost P50,000 pesos.

Well, maybe everyone has his or her own passion. A sport is a good way of diversion also and a good time for family get-together. I always see on movies or television shows in the US how baseball fanatics a family can be. As early as grade school, children are already being exposed to playing baseball. So when they get older they appreciate the sports so much…enjoying the games of New York Yankees or Toronto Blue Jays.

Anyway, I wish my children would also love sports but not to the extent of spending so much, lol! I wish they will both enjoy sports and I will surely support them should they want to get into it someday.

Baby MJ's latest photo

My little happy baby is always ready to smile on the camera....

I so love hearing him laughs and squeals a lot...

For Repair

Our logistic support is now checking on all our company vehicles. They are doing this every month and since we purchased a new Honda Civic , for one of the managers, the older ones will be checked for damages before assessing if they will be given to other employees or will be sold. This is the usual process when we purchase new cars. How I wish I will also get a car, hehe. But the nature of my work and my position do not qualify me yet.

Anyway, speaking of car maintenance, I’m worried about our car. I think there’s something wrong with its batteries and head gasket . The last time I tried to start the engine the battery’s sound is like gasping. But since my brother in law is still busy with work, he can’t visit yet to check on it. While, hubby’s friend who’s an expert auto mechanic is still out of the country..(I guess he’s trying to land on a job at Los Angeles auto repair ). So the lack of a trusted expert hand left the car hanging there, still waiting to be diagnosed one of these days.

My Little Me

It’s already 10:30 in the morning when I woke up today. We almost sleep at 1am. The little girl waited for me to come home from worship rehearsal, waited for me so she can eat with me, waited for me until I finished doing my enzyte online task so she can sleep with me beside her.

I know it’s not good that she is sleeping late and keep on waiting for me (so before we sleep we have a little chiding session), but I admit, it’s touching. I'm just looking at it as my child's way of telling me she loves me. So I give less scolding. My little me has been very attached to me. I know she's looking up to me so I'm careful to show her good example.

Raising Godly Kids: Raising Kids God's Way

"Sons are a heritage from the Lord,

children a reward from him. like arrows in
the hands of a warrior are sons
born in one's youth."
Psalm 127:3-4

When you love your children, there are six gifts which you should give them. These gifts cost nothing in terms of money but are very costly in the currency of time, energy and emotion. All of these six are important in successful parenting and raising kids God's way.

Gift 1: The gift of yourself.
Some parents give everything to their kids but the gift of themselves. Their kids have the latest in clothes, TVs, Nintendo games, DVDs, CDs and Walkmans--all kinds ofthings, but not Mom or Dad. The gift of yourself is really the gift of love.

Stop long enough for a reality check: How much of yourself do you give to the child you brought into the world?

Gift 2: The gift of self-esteem.
When a little boy about five years old went out to dinner with his parents, the waiter took his order along with those of the parents. The little boy later commented, "Gee, Dad, he thinks I'm a real person!" Very early in life we learned self-esteem or self depreciation. Build self-esteem in your child by:

• Avoiding comparisons with other kids
• Telling your youngster how proud you are of him when he does well
• Accepting him just the same in a failure situation as you would in a success
• Being patient and having realistic expectations
• Realizing that every youngster matures at a different rate

Gift 3: The gift of self-reliance.
Your goal as a parent should be to raise a kid so strong that when you aren't there, he won't need you! "Just say no!" kids are told when their hormones and their peers say, "Just do it!" Your child will have about the same emotional strength as does your family. When you are strong emotionally, you pass that strength on to him.

Gift 4: The gift of discerning value versus worth.
Offer a four-year old money or a bright red toy car. Which will he take?Obviously, the bright toy. But as he grows older he's got to learn the difference between immediate gratification and long-term rewards.

Gift 5: The gift of self-discipline.
Psychologist conducted a test on the relation of discipline with maturity. They placed one marshmallow in front of a child and said. "You may have this now, but if you wait until we run an errand and come back, you may have two." They discovered that children who can defer instant gratification became stronger and more productive as adults. Kids who have the strength to wait develop self-discipline that makes a difference in life.

Gift 6: The gift of faith in God.
This is the gift which you cannot give unless you possess it yourself. The baton of faith is passed on from one generation to another when parents live what they say and practice what they beleive

Collecting Receipts

Do you collect receipts? I do. Not that I want to join some contests that needs accumulated receipts. These small papers are important to me because now I’m closely monitoring my expenses. Some receipts are hand written only but others are from POS machines. It would be nice if the prints will come from an Epson tm-t88iv. Receipts printed from this printer cannot be easily wiped off which is good. But to make sure, I also photo copy important receipts specially those that were printed on thermal papers. Anyway, it just amazed me whenever I summarized my collected receipts each month. Makes me realize that some of my purchases aren’t that important, lol!

No Monitor

I was not able to go online since last night until early this evening. My monitor went out of order again and didn't turned on. I'm just blessed to have a very kind brother-in-law who's not only generous to help me check my monitor, he also lend me one. Sadly, my Samsung monitor needs to be brought to the manufacturer since it's still under warranty. So tonight, the husband was not able to talk to the kids because the monitor was brought just now, he's already home. It's really hard if talking to him needs the computer and the internet and one important thing is missing. Hope he will be able to get a chance to go online tomorrow.