Missing His Job

My dad used to work for Unirock Corporation for fifteen years before he retired. He truly missed it there since he has spent most of his remaining career with them. He was the supervisor there then later became the general manager when the company opened new branches through-out the country. The company was pretty big and had different branches that took care of individual aspects of the company. They had equipment rental for developers as well as they buy and sell different products for different industries. In fact, they also ordered, use, and sell DFTCorp.com hydraulic power unit. My brother worked there briefly too, but he left and went back to school to become an auto mechanic. I hope my brother will find a company as great as UC!

Christmas Eve

Last night, we spent Christmas eve with my in-laws in Monee. Frankie has been looking forward to it because he knew he was going to see his cousins again. There were just a few of us with Noelle's three kids and of course Ryan and his brother's family. We had a nice dinner then had exchanged gifts for the kids. I really enjoyed the adult exchanged gift where you get to steal someone else's gift. It was so much fun to see the owner's facial reaction especially when they liked the gift that they got. It was the beauty of the game.

They also played a game in teams. Everyone had a really good time. Frankie got a lot of stuff from his aunt, uncle, and cousins and also from his lolo and lola. The cake for my mother-in-law was also delicious. I know that I wasn't supposed to have but it was from Portillos, so I have to have a bite. It was worth it though. I am just glad that when I got home and I got my sugar, it wasn't high. I was also glad to be able to join last night along with mama because I was a little worried that I won't be able to join them because I was just hurting during the day, but I am glad I made it. It was nice to see everyone!

Extra Weight

I can’t believe how much I weigh now. The last time I hopped on the weighing scale, I am now 200 lbs. My husband kept reminding me that it is acceptable because I am pregnant and about to give birth in two weeks, but I still find it too much for me. I can’t even imagine how I am going to drop the weight when I have the baby. My face looked horribly big and round. I am sure it is going to take months or maybe years when I can finally go back to my original pre-pregnancy weight even I can even get back to it.

I have slowly bought things that I will need for my exercise once I am ready. I already got a yoga blanket, yoga DVDs, and water bottle, so I do not need to get up to get water when I get thirsty while doing some stretches. I am really determined to do this with my mom. She is very excited and hopefully we both can take some of this weight off.

Disaster

There was a recent flood in CDO and Iligan last week, and for the life of me, I couldn't even look at the pictures. Mama has been watching the news and the latest update about it and sometimes she would call me to show pictures of what happened and I usually tell her that I didn't want to look at it. It hurts to know that there are so much people out there who lost everything and there is nothing I could do. My two sisters gathered their old clothes and sent a LBC box to Mindanao but that was about it. I am eagerly waiting for me to get paid at least I could send a little something over there.

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Thanks for the guest post by Jo Levy

You know how when you are in line at the grocery store they have all those racks of gum and candy to entice your children to have sticky little fingers and start throwing things they don’t need in to the buggy? That is how I feel magazines affect adults, or at least this adult. I am no match for their Siren call sitting there on the racks all shiny and glossy and pretty and calling my name. I can’t resist a good Kardashian cover to save my life! I don’t know what is wrong with me. If I was a smart person, which evidently I am not, I would just walk right past those pretty celeb covers and march on home to my laptop which has a perfectly good internet connection with which to bring me all the delicious joys that are located within those pages. I could hop on my satellite internet in Spokane and read web site after web site filled with celeb gossip but no, no I can’t. I have to have that magazine right there on the rack staring at me with doe eyes.

White Christmas

When I was in the hospital last Wednesday, one of the nurses were so concerned that we are not going to have a White Christmas. As far as I remember, it has always snowed before or during Christmas day. It really did not bother me because most of my life I spent in a "snowless" place and I was happy with it. The next day it was supposed to snow in some parts of Indiana, but on my way home, it didn't snow, so I can tell how disappointed that one nurse would have been.

It hasn't snow for a while here in IL. I am ok with it if it snows or not because I am basically stuck in the house anyway because I don't have to take Frankie to school. Plus, Ryan is home most of the time, so if we need to go somewhere, he will drive. I have to say I miss seeing the snow on the ground. I guess for the past 9 Christmases that I spent here in IL, the ground has always been white. I am sure it will snow in January, and I hope it wouldn't be that bad. I heard it is supposed to be worst than last year. Well, we will see. They always say that it is going to be worst than last year but they are all the same.

Flowers Online

Every year since we moved to our own house, I promised myself that I will plant flowers in our front yard and backyard. We ripped the overgrown plants and bushes that the previous owner had around the house. It looked so bad that we didn’t have any choice but to get rid of it. Since then, all my springs and summers were spent going to school and working that I haven’t done any gardening.

I love seeing different kinds of flowers. Flowers always lighten up my mood. In fact, I love getting flowers as a birthday gift instead of any material gift. Flowers are so accessible now because you can easily send internet flowers uk to anywhere in the world. Isn’t that impressive? I would love to get one for Christmas. It will be a perfect centerpiece to any holiday gatherings.

By going to Serenataflowers.com, you can send flowers by occasion that fits your budget. You can select the flowers according to the style and variety too. Plus, it is so nice to read positive comments from different satisfied customers who have used the service because it makes me feel as though I am about to do the right decision. I will definitely tell my girlfriends who are in UK right now about Serenataflowers.com because they might be away from their families but sending flowers always show that they care.

Gift Wrapping

I am so glad that I am almost done with the wrapping of gifts. If only I knew where Ryan hid the rest of the stuff, I should be able to finish it now. I have one more to wrap that is in the car and the rest are gift cards. I just knew that Ryan and I went shopping and got a couple of stuff for Frankie and I couldn't find it anymore. I was on a roll because I did the wrapping in our bedroom while Frankie was in the living room with mama.

We had our Christmas tree up the weekend of Thanksgiving. We threw out the old tree that we have been using and got a new one. We did not throw out the box, so we can always put it back there. I can't wait for Christmas and the Christmas break from school. I can definitely use some rest from picking up and dropping Frankie to school. Anyways, it is going to be a long day tomorrow since Frankie will have his bowling Christmas party and another party to go to in the evening. He is very excited.

Dream Wedding

My friend is very excited for her wedding this spring. She wants everything to fall into place for the wedding. Her parents and relatives will be flying in to attend the wedding. I am so proud of her for putting things together even with very limited help because most of her relatives are out of town. She planned it really well and I think everything will work-out the way she wants it to be.

Early this year, I went with her to a bridal expo wedding trade show in Chicago. She wanted to find the perfect wedding vendor for her wedding. The different trade show booths were just beautifully decorated separated by a pipe and drape. The decoration fits well with the design of the table skirts too. The banner stands lined up as we went in the hall representing each of the trade show booths welcoming the guest were very captivating.

There were a lot of bride-to-be there too along with their wedding planners negotiating and asking questions to the different vendors. I can’t believe how tough it is to put together a wedding. I don’t remember my wedding to be this intense, but my friend managed it like a pro. Everything is all set for her spring wedding, and I couldn’t wait to see her walk down the aisle with a wedding she worked hard for.

Fairy Tales

We have been watching Frankie's VHS almost everyday. I find it really cute because most of it mama has not seen yet especially the fairy tales. I love her reaction to every movie we watch and how she compares them. Ryan thinks it is so cute too. Anyways, it has been raining here since this morning. I have been up since 5:45 a.m. checking my sugar. Mama and I took Frankie to school and watched him with his presentation. I have to pull the pictures out soon, so Ryan could see them. We have so many plans today, but when I need to see my doctor on Wednesdays, I have to back out.

Around noon, I went to see my doctor. I met my friend at the mall, so we can have the pictures taken with Santa. Frankie has been so excited about it since this morning. He didn't even want to wear the outfit he has on for the presentation because he said it was exclusively for Santa. Thankfully, I was able to convince him. He was so happy to see Santa and was chatting with him like he was his pal. My friend and I was able to get good pictures of the kids. If I am up to it, I might sent Christmas cards. If not, they are a good keepsake as I have been doing this with Frankie for three straight years. He has been bugging me to put it in the picture frame that I got him. Sooner or later, his room will be full of pictures with Santa. It will probably be the time that I will make a collage of it.

After the mall, we drove to the Filipino store and got the ones that we need. Mama has been bugging me to go to the store but I am too tired or lazy to drive up there. We also had a nice dinner at the Filipino take out place since I have been starving. I wanted to go to Kohl's, but the rain was just too much, so I parked the car in the garage instead. I can probably go there tomorrow or Friday as long as it is not Saturday because it is when we are going to go to another Christmas party. Even if it was so bad today, I was so happy that I was able to accomplish a lot of things.

Yoyo for Christmas

Frankie was so fascinated when he saw my brother’s first yoyo when we visited them early this year in the Philippines. My brother made the yoyo himself and it was made out of a guava branch. He had it since the 1980s and kept it with him after all these years. Unfortunately, he has forgotten how to do some tricks with it since it has been years since he last held it.

When we came back, Frankie has been asking me about a yoyo. We saw one in a store, and he bugged me to get it for him. It was very cheap and the string was really bad that he only played with it for a couple of days, and we had to toss it out. Since he is really interested about playing and having a yoyo of his own, I am thinking of getting him his own duncan metal drifter yoyo for Christmas. I like the design and the way it is crafted. It reminded me so much for what my brother had, but it is a lot durable. I am sure he is going to like it.

Christmas Pageant Tomorrow

Frankie has been practicing for his Christmas pageant everyday. Today I took the magic sing down, so he could use the microphone to practice. We also practiced for my friend's family presentation. We are all invited for our Christmas get together to one of my friend's house. Each family will have to present something. Ryan was a little worried and he wanted to back out because he was afraid to present something. I told Ryan that as long as he knows the song "Alone" Frankie and I can take care of the presentation. We practiced earlier and it is so funny how he can hit some high notes. We practiced about four times today and hopefully that would be it. I can't wait to see Frankie singing tomorrow. I will be taking him to see Santa tomorrow too.

RV Repairs

I saw a lot of RVs this past summer when Ryan took the family to Indiana for a quick get a way. Most of them were parked by the lake. I’ve always wanted to own one of those RVs, and I have expressed it to Ryan so many times. Imagine how awesome it would be to go to different places using one of those and never have to worry on where to sleep for the night. But of course, it has to wait till we retire and not have to be concern about expenses.

I am sure a RV is very nice to have but not when it breaks down. I heard from a friend that rv repairs costs a fortune. I can believe that. Repairing a car can be expensive how much more if it is a RV. Well, as long as the owner got a mechanical breakdown insurance then its repairs shouldn’t be a problem. Paying a little something every month will be worth it rather than paying a big out of pocket expense for the RV in the future. Plus, it puts the owner at ease too that the RV is protected in case something happens.

How is it Our Fault?

I took my mom to Illiana Financial , so she can open her own savings account. Ryan and I give her a little something every month, and I want her to be able to have her own bank account. The account was supposed to come with an ATM and was supposed to be ready in seven days. We kept going back there to pick it up and they kept telling us that it was not ready. I forgot about it for a few days until we picked it up last Thursday. When the teller handed it to us along with mama's member card, we didn't bother to look at the card because it was inside a sleeve. We also trusted that she looked at the name, so we didn't bother. We were also in the hurry because we have to take Frankie for his haircut. We were thinking of just keeping it anyway and not withdraw the money in there.

The next day late in the afternoon, the same teller called me because she said she gave us the wrong card. I wasn't able to call her back because it was late when she called and that Saturday I was out. I went to the drive thru today to deposit some checks and return the wrong ATM that we got and now they could not find mama's ATM. I am so pissed because they do not know where my mom's ATM now and they have to reorder. They are giving me the run around now that we have returned the wrong ATM. The teller told me that she got my mom's card. I have been trying to call her but she is not answering the phone. I even called her through the bank and not with her direct line and it is the same. I will go there tomorrow and she will get what she deserves. I am so mad right now that I am thinking of closing the account. I'll definitely will see her tomorrow. I am just worried that the idiot might have given her card to someone. Who knows? I'll know tomorrow.

My Doctor

My OB used to live and practice in Illinois which was a little closer to where we live. It would have been really nice because I do not need to drive over 30 minutes to see him. Unfortunately, he had to leave Illinois and move his practice and even his residence in Indiana because the Medical Malpractice Insurance here in Illinois was very expensive. He is a lot happier in Indiana and his patients are growing every year.

It is very seldom to find a good doctor these days. He has been my doctor for quiet sometime now. He helped me deliver Frankie, and he will be doing the same with our second son. It might be a long drive for me to see him, but it is worth it. I might be sad that he moved, but I am glad he didn’t move that far.

Winter Jackets

Mama and I got ourselves a couple of winter jackets last Black Friday. When she tried hers on in the fitting room, she looked really nice in it, so I got it for her. She wore it the first time that evening and she was complaining that it wasn’t warm enough for her. It has an insulation inside that makes her cold when it is cold outside. I thought she was kidding, but when I tried it on myself, she was right.

I told her that we can switch and so we did. I do not feel as much coldness with it on since I am eight months pregnant. Unfortunately, I may have to return it because there is a big rip on the inside of the coat. The stitches are coming off and the hole is getting bigger and bigger. It is so sad because I really liked the coat, but I can always go back and even exchange it or return it to get another one. I do not like returning things to the store especially if it is worn, but I guess this time I have to get my money’s worth.

Exhausted

I had a long weekend. I didn't even feel like getting up today to take Frankie to school. Friday, I took Frankie to his classmate's birthday party, and he wore me out while there. I wasn't chasing him or something but he was running all over the place with his classmates. Saturday, we stayed during the day to get ready for the Christmas party, but that morning, Frankie went bowling. That evening was the Christmas party and Frankie was so excited along with other kids again. I was so exhausted because we didn't get home until almost midnight. Sunday after church, Ryan and I went to Dad's house to have the oil changed in the van. Noelle and Maureen were there too, so we talked for a while.

After that, we went to Bradley to get stuff in Menards and also to ate a late lunch. I forgot that I didn't take a nap because Ryan kept asking me questions on our way home. While driving home, Frankie's new lampshade broke and I was determined to replace it to our local Menards. I went there to have it replaced, went to Target to pick a couple of things and pick up my prescription. I saw down and wrote some entries in my blog. The moment I hit my pillow, I was out until Ryan woke me up. I was so exhausted! Frankie was a few minutes late to school for the first time. I am just glad that I was able to get up to take Frankie to school.

Global Response

How much do you value customer service? I value customer service so much. To me, it is like an representation of the product I purchase or about to purchase. I am sure most of us have our fair share with customer service representatives. I had a recent encounter with a call center agent when the internet service of the computer we just purchased did not work. The internet worked for a few days then it stopped. My husband and I did troubleshooting but was unsuccessful, so it was when I finally decided to call. At first, I thought I was talking to someone from the United States. Unfortunately, I wasn't. I was having a hard time understanding the guy that I was talking with. I didn't want to be rude, so I politely asked him to repeat what he said over and over again. I could tell that he was getting frustrated. If it was frustrating for him, it was more frustrating to the customers who paid for the service and not get the service that they deserved. It would have been really nice to talk to someone from here. The talked time could have been cut into half and the issue resolved as soon as possible. This is where GlobalResponse.com comes in handy.

You see, Global Response is an outsourced call centers based in Florida that has been serving different prestigious companies for over thirty five years. What I like about Global Response is they study and learn each of their clients, so they could provide excellent service to their client's customers as well. Global Response is more than just a call center. They provide the highest level of customer service to both their clients and to their client's customers. Global Response's services includes customer care, outbound services such as market research, quality assurance, crisis management, and more. They also offer social media support, business process outsourcing, and many more. If I have not convinced you enough, maybe the client testimonials will convince you.

So, if you or you know someone who needs assistance with their business, it is time to check out www.globalresponse.com to get started. With the expertise, experience, and dependability that Global Response has to offer, you'll never go wrong.

Best Diet?

One of my classmates last year asked our health teacher on what is the best diet out there and her response was "the diabetic diet" and not any other commercialized diets that are in the market today. This is my second time around with gestational diabetes and I know how time consuming it is to prepare for a meal for me. It is not time consuming in preparing the food, but it is selecting and trying to decide which food group and what to get out of the list.

To get started, my dietitian determined my height and my weight and from there decided how much calories I needed. For me, it is going to be 1800-2000 calories per day. I am supposed to eat six small meals a day and had to check my sugar four times a day. My meal plan goes as follow:

Breakfast:

2 oz. protein food

2 carbohydrate group

2 hours later : snack

2 carb food

2 oz. protein food

Lunch:

3 oz. protein food

vegetable (which is considered a free food)

2 carb group

2 fat

4:00 p.m. snack :

2 carb food

2 protein food

Dinner:

3 oz. protein food

vegetable (which is considered a free food)

2 carb group

2 fat

Evening snack:

2 oz. protein or 2 oz. fat

2 carbohydrate group

I told some of my friends that this really work. After a week of using this guide, I have not gained any weight except few oz. for the baby. This is my third week and I am happy to report that I gained one more pound again with just the baby growing. It started really rough, but I am glad I got the swing of it. Hopefully, I can still do this when the baby is here, so I will lose this extra weight right away.