Merydith's Place

Stage

2012-02-10T14:51:00.000-06:00

I remember when Frankie was extremely quiet and sweet. He wouldn't leave my friends without giving them goodbye kisses. Now, he do not want to kiss them anymore because according to him (which the school taught) only mommies and daddies get kisses from their kids. Even if Frankie was going through "terrible twos," he was still very nice to his friends. He is on a stage where he is extremely nice to his friends in school but not too nice to his childhood friends.

Last weekend, we had a get together here at our house. Some of his friends came and I wasn't too happy with how he treated them. He was harassing some of them and he told a couple of his friends to get out of his room because they told Ryan and myself about how he acted and for that he got a timeout as soon as the guests left. It was hard to do something to him because Ryan and I were so busy. We called him a couple of times to tell him to be nice to his friends, but he probably thinks that we couldn't do anything because there were still a lot of people. As soon as they left, Ryan called Frankie and asked him what he did to his friends. I told him that if he couldn't treat his friends right then we are not going to give him a birthday party. He was on a 10 minute timeout which he really disliked and cried the entire time. He promised that he won't do it again.

I find it weird because Frankie is ok when he is to each one of them but not when they are in a group. I learned from my classes before that this is a stage (emotional and establishing his identity) and hopefully he will not stay this way because Ryan and I certainly do not like it. At least, we know that he is healthy and is right on track.

New Place

2012-02-10T14:47:00.000-06:00

My cousin is flying next week to California. She recently got her visa and just waiting for her flight to the US. I am so happy and excited for her. Her husband arrived in California a few months ago to find them a place and also to start with his new job. He finally found an apartment where they could stay. He is now busy looking for los angeles furniture stores to find furniture to add to their new abode. I can’t wait when she gets here and settle down. Most of all, I can’t wait to see in pictures their new place and the places that they will be visiting together.

Independent

2012-02-10T09:31:00.002-06:00

It makes it so much easier to take care of the kids when one is already independent. Sometimes I miss how Frankie was when he was little. I miss it when everything has to be with mama and mama got to do it for him. He has been taking showers by himself for quiet a while now. I stay in the bathroom though because I want to make sure that I clean his head well and other than that he does it by himself. He has his own rag and clean areas that needed cleaning. Frankie has been eating by himself although mama thinks that he should be spoon feed to make sure that he is eating.

Dropping him to school is different too. He asks me not to take him by the door anymore because he is a big boy now. I thought in the beginning he was embarrass of me, but he told me that he just have to do it himself so I won't be tired anymore. This started when I was pregnant and was on the late part of my pregnancy. I used to go with him in his classroom until he saw me having a hard time walking. Since then, he has asked me to stay in the car and just watch him go to his classroom. Thankfully, it is just in the back of the school, so I usually park and get out of the car and watch him leave. He gives me kisses and hugs though before he leaves. My little boy is surely getting big.

Carpet

2012-02-08T19:38:00.000-06:00

I pick up Frankie everyday from school, and I always bring him something to eat in the car. He eats every little breakfast and do not finish his snacks, so I always get him something. Two days ago, I got him an apple to eat in the car since I knew he had some spaghetti for snacks. He came home still holding the apple and proceeded to the living room to watch TV. All of the sudden he started coughing and was about to throw up. I told him to run to the bathroom, and unfortunately, he wasn’t able to make it. He threw up on our carpet in the hallway. Worst is he also had some blueberry juice along with his apple, so the carpet is colored with blue and some green too. I cleaned it up, but it still looks very filthy.

How do you clean a carpet that is stained that bad? The reason why I do not like pets is because I am afraid that they are going to mess with the carpet especially in the bedrooms. I am sure getting the aid of carpet cleaners cary nc will be really helpful. If only we could get rid of all the carpets in the house, I would love to do it.

Going to Miss Home

2012-02-08T18:50:00.003-06:00

I am excited or I am not. I don't know what to feel anymore. In a few weeks, I will be going back to work. I am really going to miss my babies and the daily routine we have. Early in the morning is a quick breakfast with Frankie while mama and Branden are still asleep. We then race to go to the bathroom to brush our teeth and put the shoes on. It used to be a pain to get Frankie to eat breakfast, but after he had some stomachache in school, he was determined to eat breakfast everyday.

Our drive to school is consists of listening some CDs and singing along some songs. After I drop him off and gets home, I usually turned the netbook to watch our favorite telenobelas online. It is like our bonding time with mama. At 11:00 a.m. I pick up Frankie, and when we get home, lunch is already ready. We all eat lunch together. Hang out in the living room and watch maalaala mo kaya before heading for nap. I am going to miss it so much, but I will just have to think that I am helping my family even if half of me would love to stay home with my babies. I am just glad that mama is here and I know my babies are safe.

Work

2012-01-30T20:38:00.000-06:00

In a little over a month, I will be back working again. I have truly enjoyed being off for over almost year because of my pregnancy. I am surely going to miss my babies and my mom since I have been home with them most of the time. It will be back to waking up early again and using the barcode scanner at the registers. I have to admit that I really do not miss this job, but I really want to help out my husband and save up the money, so we can finally get out of here. I just have to think that I am doing this for not for myself but for my family.

Baptism

2012-01-30T20:02:00.003-06:00

I finally called St. Liborius to ask regarding their baptism. Frankie was baptized in St. Irenaeous, so we have no idea how it works over there. I am really nervous with the baptism. I was really nervous with Frankie's baptism too. Unfortunately, I asked about their hall if we can rent it, but they do not rent it out to parishioners. They used to I guess, but people take advantage of it, so they stop doing it. I have the option to ask the parish priest but even that is not a guarantee. It would have been nice if it was Fr. Rey (the Filipino priest) because I am sure he would let us use the hall especially when he knows most of the guests that I will be inviting.

I have to go to a baptism preparation on Thursday. Ryan has a class, so I told that lecturer that I will be coming alone. I can't wait when this is over. We still have Frankie's outfit from during his time, so we will see if it will fit Branden. If not, we will buy him another one.

Baby Carrier

2012-01-26T20:09:00.002-06:00

It is very refreshing to have a new baby in the house. It is a lot of work and lots of sleepless nights, but it is so worth it. Our Branden is now three weeks old. It seems like only yesterday when I gave birth to him. The first week, he was sleeping all the time, but he has been up during the day lately. It makes it harder for me to do chores around the house because he wants to be held when he is up. That is why I am thinking of getting my son an infant carrier. It will be very helpful because the carrier will free my hands and I can continue to do chores around the house while my son is close to me at the same time.

There are a lot of baby carriers in the market today. All I am looking for is a comfortable baby carrier that is also safe. When Frankie was little, I never thought of using an infant carrier, but then again, I wasn’t working then. Now that I will be going to work soon, I can really use some help especially with the baby and around the house, and using a baby hip carrier will surely save the day.

Clothes

2012-01-26T19:34:00.000-06:00

One of the things I dislike about giving birth is trying to find the clothes that still fit. Meaning, clothes that do not look too big and not too tight. I need to start going through my closet again and try to get rid of the maternity clothes and get my pre-pregnancy clothes which I do not even think I can fit. I wore my large sized pants today, however, and although very tight, I fit in it now. Now, I have to dig on the clothes or buy some more because I will surely need outfits again once I go back to work. We do not have any uniform that is why it is such a pain to plan what to wear. I don't want to over dress considering the place I am working. Hopefully, I can get some good deals at work and get some clothes. I could really use some more.

Electric Guitar

2012-01-25T10:28:00.001-06:00

I grew up with music in the house. My dad loves to sing those “oldies” songs and collected tapes and CDs of various artists. My eldest brother also was into music. He has his own guitar, and he also took some piano lessons growing up. On the weekends, I remember him playing some songs while I sing it. Our favorite have always been “Almost over You” by Sheena Easton.

I miss those days when I get to spend some time with my siblings. I also miss my brother playing his guitar. I know his birthday is coming up and maybe it would be nice to get him a Fender Stratocaster electric guitar. He has been dreaming of owning one, and I am sure he will love it.

Back to Work

2012-01-24T20:39:00.002-06:00

I will be going back to work on March 1st. It seems to soon, but I really want to help out with the finances, so we can finally get out of this place. I was a little sad when I knew that it is going to be on March first but mama assured me that things will be ok and she will be taking care of the baby. I am feeling a little guilty already because I felt like I am not doing my share of taking care of the baby just like I did with Frankie. But I know we need to make sacrifices for a better future. I am sure I am not going to be working that much hours anyway because I stepped down from my full time position.

I went to work today to tell them about my return date and it was so refreshing to know that they are looking forward of my come back. One of our supervisors kept telling me that they miss me and they could really use some help. I am really caught between three things right now. I want to stay home with my babies, go back to school and I want to help Ryan out. One thing is for sure though, I will be doing a DD to our savings, so we have the money to work around the house. I am sure things will be ok and I am making use of the time that I am still home. I kept telling myself that I shouldn't feel guilty because mama is taking care of our baby and now just anyone, but I can't help it. I am sure I am going to miss my babies, but mama needs to do what she needs to do.

Bike Trail

2012-01-24T18:16:00.001-06:00

I promised myself this year that I am going to spend time in the walk/bike trail this spring/summer. Ryan told me that he is going to get me my own bike as my late birthday present last year. I told him that I could wait since there is no way I will be using it during the winter anyway. He has his own bike already, and he has been encouraging me about going to the bike trail. I really wanted to go, but around April last year, we realize that we were expecting with our second child. I was put on bed rest with limited activity.

This year, we hope to spend most of our time outdoors. We just need to get one of those kuat racks at cracksandracks.com where we can attach to the van to hold the bikes. I really hope the three bikes will fit in there because it is going to be including Frankie’s bike. I can’t wait for spring/summer. It is going to be fun with so much activities lined up.

Discount

2012-01-24T17:35:00.003-06:00

Target pharmacy has been reminding me to pick up the prescription that I have with them. I didn't pick it up soon because I just got out from the hospital and was not able to drive just yet. I was actually expecting them to return it, but when I went there yesterday, it was still there. I also pick up mama's prescription and I was glad to get a discount from the card that a friend gave us.

Every month, Ryan and I spend about almost $50.00 for mama's medication. They all are generic, but since she is taking 4 different ones, and some of them are twice a week, it is a little expensive. One of my friends gave her a discount card and I was so happy that we save much. From $50.00 a month, it is down to $25.00 a month. What a difference it offers. I am so thankful to that friend for sharing with us the blessing.

Something to Do

2012-01-24T13:56:00.000-06:00

I appreciate the guest post, Marian Combs

I got Costa Mesa Directv when I first moved here with the intention of holing up in the fall since I didn’t know anyone and just watching football all day every day. I know that sounds silly but I love the game and even if I was lonely it would still be fun to watch. I got really excited about the season coming up and then I met Jim, a guy at work who seemed to know EVERYONE else in this town. Now all my weekends are spent at sportsbars and hanging out at rooftop parties and things like that, so I’m not complaining! It’s nice having friends but I’m really missing football and so I’m thinking that next weekend I may make a big pot of my famous chili and have everyone over to watch the games at my house. If I buy enough beer and fed them they can’t say no, right? And it’s got to be less expensive than drinking at a sports bar all day long, at least for my buddies!

Pain

2012-01-23T21:24:00.003-06:00

It has been almost three weeks that I had CS and I am still in pain. I do not know if it has something to do with the cold weather outside, but it seems to hurt when I am out taking Frankie to school or doing some errands. I remember when I had Frankie. The pain only lasted for a week and at exactly one week, I was starting to itch. It was also around April when it wasn't that cold outside anymore. Plus, I didn't have to be out doing some errands because Ryan did all of that for me. It is different now because I do not have any choice but to be out because Ryan is either at work or in school.

I look forward to be pain free in the next days or not weeks. I just do not like that sharp pain I feel whenever I am out in the cold. Mama and I will drop off Frankie tomorrow, and we will head to Indiana for his pedia visit. I am just glad that the next one will be when he is two months. Hopefully, it shouldn't be that bad outside by then. I am looking forward to spring and summer.

A Gift

2012-01-17T19:12:00.001-06:00

I finally delivered our second son via C-section last January 6. I was scheduled to go in last January 10th but I was already having contractions, so I had to go in early. It was so nice to be able to spend the weekend in the hospital, and I was out during the week while Ryan was still with us driving me/us to places since I couldn’t drive just yet.

We were pretty much settled in the second day we were home. The first day was a challenge because Mama and I were up together to take care of the baby, and we were both so exhausted the next day. Good thing, Ryan was home, so he let us sleep while he took care of the baby during the day. Since then, everything has been on schedule. My mom lets me sleep overnight while she watches the baby, and during the day, I stay up, so she could get some sleep.

My mother has been a great help with the baby and also with the chores around the house. She takes care of the food we eat and the clothes we wear. That is why I am thinking of getting her one of those mom gifts to show her how much I appreciate all her help. I think she is going to like the family bracelet with diamond where I can have all her grandson’s names engraved on it. I just couldn't thank her enough for all the supposed, and I know that I am truly blessed to have her living with us.

School

2012-01-17T17:14:00.003-06:00

I was told by the doctor that I couldn't drive for two weeks. I am excited that it is only two weeks because I thought it would be more than that. This week is a little challenge for me since Frankie go back to school and I still do not know if I am up to the early morning drive with the snow on the ground just yet considering the many medications I am taking. It won't be two weeks this Friday. It rained last night and I was so afraid that it might freeze overnight and would be rough to drive, so I decided to call Frankie off last night. Frankie's teacher knew about the situation anyway, but I still need to call to confirm. I felt a little guilty though because I know he is missing some school time but I felt not ready to drive yet.

One of the parents also told me the lessons that they are doing daily, so I can help him out while at home. I asked Ryan this morning how the drive was and he said it was ok, but around 11:00 a.m. it snowed really hard. If I took Frankie, it would have been around the time that I was supposed to pick him up. I will try again tomorrow and I hope it won't be that bad outside, so he can finally go back to school this week.

Missing His Job

2011-12-25T21:30:00.000-06:00

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

2011-12-25T20:56:00.003-06:00

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

2011-12-25T20:52:00.000-06:00

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

2011-12-25T19:47:00.003-06:00

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.

Get your entertainment online!

2011-12-25T19:42:00.000-06:00

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

2011-12-25T19:28:00.002-06:00

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

2011-12-16T21:33:00.004-06:00

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

2011-12-16T19:54:00.003-06:00

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

2011-12-15T12:07:00.002-06:00

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

2011-12-14T19:59:00.004-06:00

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

2011-12-14T10:57:00.001-06:00

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

2011-12-13T20:58:00.002-06:00

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

2011-12-13T09:59:00.002-06:00

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?

2011-12-12T20:57:00.002-06:00

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

2011-12-06T16:26:00.000-06:00

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

2011-12-05T21:08:00.000-06:00

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

2011-12-05T20:55:00.003-06:00

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

2011-12-02T10:38:00.002-06:00

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?

2011-12-02T10:20:00.002-06:00

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.

Getting Ready

2011-11-23T22:23:00.002-06:00

Ryan and I will be staying home during the day on Black Friday. Even before I got pregnant, we do not go from store to store to shop. We usually go to one store and get what we have to get and go home. I find it interesting for other people to actually camp outside the stores to get what they wanted. I hope they get the reason why they are camping out. It would be disappointing to get out there really early and end up not getting what they came for.

We just started getting stuff for Frankie. The rest, we will just probably get a gift card because I am not up to shopping around this year. I know what to get my mom, and as for my dad, he likes a box of Acid cigars that we can ship back home that he can share with his siblings and friends. I can't wait for Christmas to be here and see Frankie's reaction when he sees his gifts.

Lazy

2011-11-21T08:24:00.002-06:00

I have been really lazy this past week. I rejected/declined a lot of my tasks because it seems like I can't sit still and write what I have to write. I can't sit still longer than five minutes either because getting up is an issue. I am in terrible pain in my back and in my lower belly every time. I try to walk around and do other things without sitting down. I find it so ironic because I am supposed to be in complete bed rest with both feet supposedly up, but now it seems like I prefer my feet down and walking around. Ryan already moved the treadmill from the utility room to the living room, so I can walk if I want to. Sitting still in a car is another issue I have. Thankfully, it is not that bad of a distance just yet. I don't know how am I going to handle this if we have to travel far. We will just have to see.

Boat Captain

2011-11-16T08:22:00.000-06:00

When I graduated high school, I had very limited choices. Most women that could not afford to go to a private school will end up taking a bachelor’s degree in teaching. It was the last option when money was none existence. We went to a public school funded by the government as the only way to get a degree. Men, on the other hand, went to school for maritime education. They were also known as seaman when they graduate. Some work as one of the crew ship members of a local or international ship while others with further education can become a charter boat captain.

It is unfortunate that without education back home there is very limited option for anyone. Because of so much competition, everyone has to make itself sellable hence getting a good education. Some of the people I know went to school in maritime because they enjoy being in the sea while others loved to travel the world and meet different kinds of people. Most of them make really good money too. It makes me think that if they are making well and enjoying what they do then why not? It would be nice to do something that you truly enjoy.

Sick

2011-11-15T21:58:00.003-06:00

Frankie is developing a fever and cough again. Ryan was pretty upset because now he is catching it too, and I am hoping that I will not be able to catch it. I hate being sick because my option is very limited. My health and the health of the rest of our family is my priority. Hopefully, he will feel better soon. I miss my old Frankie where he is full of energy. I will make sure that this will not happen again. I don't want him to miss anything from school.

Actos

2011-11-15T21:15:00.002-06:00

My mom and my dad both have diabetes. It is currently controlled by each of their medications, and I can’t help but feel sorry for them. I know that if I will not take care of myself after I give birth to my second child I will have the same problem as them. It is not easy to have diabetes. I have seen my mom take her blood three times a day to make sure that her sugar is still under control. That is why I truly understand why some people would opt having a prescription medication like Actos to help out with their sugar.

Actos has several side effects that are not only harmful but could be fatal to one’s body. In fact with Actos use, users can develop bladder cancer. Thankfully, there are actos lawyers that could help diabetes patient get the right compensation they deserved.

Playdate

2011-11-15T18:28:00.000-06:00

Frankie’s classmate’s mom called me this past weekend wondering if the kids can have a play date. They live two minutes away from our house. I had so much going on last Friday that I told her I will take Frankie there on Monday. Frankie didn’t want to go in the beginning because according to him, his classmate kissed him. I told him that she has 2 dogs and 2 cats and that got him excited.

I was thinking of walking to her house, but I changed my mind because it was a little windy outside. Frankie was so happy when we got there because of the dogs and cats. I didn’t know she has cats until later on. I actually lasted 3 hours in her house before my allergy started. Frankie had a wonderful time and now the little girl is his friend now. He used to dislike her after kissing him when school started and now they are friends. They are so cute together though. She had so many toys to share no wonder Frankie wants to go over there again. Now, I have to deal with him now asking me everyday if he could go to her house.

Insurance

2011-11-09T21:20:00.002-06:00

When Ryan knew that we were expecting with our first child, he immediately went ahead and checked out different life insurance companies online. He already got one that his Dad got him when he was young, but he felt the need to get another one for the protection of his family. I was right next to him when he searched online. It was so helpful to find different insurance quotes that we were able to compare. From there, it was so much easier to find the one of the best insurance rates that was easy for us to handle.

I can’t even begin to imagine a life without a family insurance. I have always asked myself what if something happens to me or to Ryan then what it is going to happen to the family? I am more concern with Ryan because he is the breadwinner and he pays all the bills and of course the mortgage. I only work part time and not as much hours as Ryan. The money I make is what we put away in the savings account for emergency.

On the other hand, there are some people that only have temporary needs, so looking for term life insurance quotes will be practical. If small amount of coverage is all that is needed then the term life insurance will come in handy. It is affordable and cheap too. Insurance is a must have in every family.

Film

2011-11-09T21:19:00.000-06:00

I borrowed another set of movies from the library today, but this time, I really didn’t have much time to look around. There are few new ones, but since we are on our way to pick up Frankie, I just grabbed what I can grab because we are running out of time. We have been watching movies almost everyday. I really need it when I am writing to keep me occupied. Mama and I are into adventure and scary movies. Not so much with the gory ones though.

Anyways, one of the movies that I grabbed was “The Echo” and I didn’t realize that Iza Calzado a Filipino actress was in it too. It was filmed here in the United States. She did very well and I really liked how she portrayed her role. I have always liked her. She is very beautiful yet very simple. It would be really nice to see more Filipino actresses or actors in foreign films.

2012 Summer Olympics

2011-11-07T21:03:00.002-06:00

My husband was only eighteen years old when the Centennial Summer Olympic was held in Atlanta, Georgia. His family was not able to get down to Georgia to witness the games. It would have been a once in a lifetime experience. In 2004, my husband and I went to Georgia to visit some relatives and downtown Georgia where the summer Olympic was held. It felt really good to be there especially watching the Flair Monument that was erected in remembrance of the games.

The next Summer Olympic 2012 will be in London. I am sure people over there are looking forward to this event. It will be great to bring the entire family, but if you think it will be very costly, think again. You do not need to go to an overpriced hotel when you can rent one of those London holiday apartments for the same accommodation. Besides, the family will be out most of the time anyways to witness the games and enjoy what London has to offer. It would be really lovely to go on a Windsor, Bath & Stonehenge Tour or the medieval banquet among many fun things to do. You can now plan for different activities that the entire family will enjoy and worry about where to stay later.

When you visit Holiday-rentals.co.uk today, you will find self catering London 2012 rental homes. You will like how you can fill up a form to your specification and search for properties according to your budget. You can pick the location, accessibility, and more. They also have featured holiday rental homes for easy search. Each property is complete with pictures, prices, and most of all reviews from people who have used the property to help you decide. This will surely take off the burden of looking for a place to stay, so you and your family can enjoy London and its entirety.

Like a Parrot

2011-11-07T20:41:00.002-06:00

It is so amusing to hear Frankie talk in our language. There are some expressions that he learned from either me or mama which we didn't realize that he is catching on. One time, we were going through this candies from trick or treat. He wanted us to eat the sour candies. I knew it was sour, but I didn't know it was that bad. I had a bad look in my face while eating and he laughed and said, "nawong ay" which means "what a face." I laughed so hard because I always tell him that when he is mad at me or he doesn't like what is going on. I didn't know that he was going to use it with me.

He is learning more and more Cebuano expressions/words everyday. In fact, he has exceeded what his Dada learned. I told Ryan that one of these days Frankie and I will be talking about him and he wouldn't even know because it is in Cebuano. There are a couple of times that he has asked me or mama what Frankie meant with his Cebuano words because he did not understand. It is so funny actually. I told him to better make sure to keep up with us or he is going to be left behind.

Perfect Christmas Gift

2011-11-07T09:31:00.001-06:00

The past years, I have been very diligent in getting the Christmas gifts early for our relatives and friends. I did not want to deal with the hassle of running out of the stuff I wanted or long lines in the register. For seven years, I have been really good at it except this year. I may have to ask Ryan to do it for me. I already started making a list, so it would be easier for him to find certain things for certain people. Being seven months pregnant stops me from doing the things I used to do every year.

I find it easy to get my relatives gifts because I kind of know what they want. I have a couple of friends that are nurses which I am having a hard time with what to give. I am thinking of a cheap scrub that they could use at work. I am sure they will appreciate that. It would also be easier for me because now I can get it online at http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/categories/Scrubs/Scrubs-for-Women/. I really like the selection of scrubs they have. I may have to ask them what is their favorite color, so I will have an idea on what to give them. Plus, there are two of them, so I should be able to save even more. Although the scrubs may be cheap but, they are of good quality and fashionable too. I am not even worried about getting it online because they can always return it without any problem. I guess it is two less off my list.

Better Than Before

2011-11-06T19:57:00.002-06:00

Last weekend, mama accompanied me to go get my glucose test at the clinic. It was a little struggle for me because Ryan and I always go out on Friday night. He does not have a class, so we usually go somewhere and dine out for dinner. We have been doing this since mama got here because it was harder with Frankie before. He said it is our time to unwind. Early that afternoon, he asked me if I want to go out with him. I told him yes only we could not dine out because I have to fast for 12 hours. He decided to eat in the house and promised to get me an ice cream. I told him as long as it is before 7:30 p.m. then I am fine. While in line, I got hungry again. I asked him to get me a burger and he did.

When I got up Saturday morning, I was feeling really hungry. I prayed to let me last that day without my stomach hurting so bad or my sugar getting really low because they won't let me leave the facility. Ryan already said that I can go out and have a nice lunch with mama after that, so I was really looking forward to it. We got there in Indiana really early and was taken cared of right away. The last time I was there, the technician poked me 8 times. She was a trainee and I felt like she was practicing my arm. I was in so much pain the last time. It was different this time because I was only poked 4 times. I was glad that everything went well. I wasn't hungry while waiting there for three hours, but the moment we walked out of the building I felt hungry. It was also nice that mama came with me because I have someone to talked to. This visit was so much better than the last time. I am so glad to be over with it. Now, I have to wait till Wednesday to see what the result is. I am ready anyway!

On the other hand, Ryan took Frankie bowling. He said Frankie did very well and was so behaved. When I got home, Frankie was telling me how happy and excited he was that his Dada took him bowling. I smiled at Ryan and he might be coming with us from now on if he doesn't need to work overtime on Saturdays.

Business

2011-11-04T11:12:00.001-05:00

There are so many things to consider in opening a business. Business owners have to think about the appropriate location of the business/store as well as what is going to be in it. How many people will be working for the businesses to run smoothly among other things. After that said, all of these is not going to work without a big capital or fund that will be useful in the equipment lease to get everything started and going.

Opening a business must be very challenging yet exciting. Imagine how many people will a single business help. It always makes me happy when I see new businesses popping up near our area because it means it chose us among many possible locations. It also helps when they are closer, so I do not have to drive far to get the same service.

Candies

2011-11-04T11:00:00.002-05:00

We still have a lot of candies in the house even if Ryan had taken most of them to work. Frankie got a lot of candies from trick or treat at my friend's house. She lives in this very nice subdivision with very huge houses and it was where Frankie got all of his candies. Frankie and his friend were having fun trick or treating while me and my friend followed them around.

I have gotten a bag off of Frankie's candies already. The Target bag (on the left) was half-way full then he still has a lot in that pumpkin. He also has a lot at home too from Saturday. After a few days, I am glad that it is getting smaller and smaller and he hasn't notice that we have been getting a little here and there to give away. I was getting worried a little bit what am I going to do with all those candies. In the end, he had a wonderful time and that was the most important.

Moving

2011-11-03T10:19:00.002-05:00

A couple of nights ago, Ryan and I were talking about moving into a different state. I mentioned before about moving to Australia, but I do not think we are ready for such as big leap yet. We wanted to move somewhere where his degree will be useful and we thought of Charleston, South Carolina. They have so many jobs available that it is line to Ryan’s job, and it would be nice to be in a place where do you not need to worry much about your job or getting a job.

Moving to Charleston, South Carolina has never been so easy through the help of the Charleston real estate. They make it so much easier to find your next home with their easy to use form to search for the next house of your specification. They also have featured house listings, featured homes, and other important information that will be beneficial on your next house search. In fact, onlinecharlestonrealestate.com even has a blog with very important and interesting points about Charleston.

The website is not only limited to home buyers or sellers, but also to those who prefer to rent. By clicking the rental link, possible renters can choose which city they want to look around. A list of properties for rent will show up complete with picture(s), price, and property specification making your next home search just a click away.

Best Time To Go To The Library

2011-11-03T10:05:00.003-05:00

Frankie has been bothering me about going to the library. He has library time every Thursday at his school where he can borrow a book to take home, but he still wants to go to the library nearby. I really do not like to take him there because sometimes there are so many kids where their parents just leave them there. Last Tuesday, Frankie begged if me if he could go. He forgot to bring his library card with him, so we decided to come home. All of the sudden, I got really tired that I didn't want to go out or dress up again. I just want to take a nice long nap. He was understanding but was still hoping that I could take him to the library the next day.

Yesterday, he begged me again to go to the library. He really wants to use his library card to check out movies and books. Unfortunately, I could not find his library card in his room even if he already told me where he put it. I went through the VHS and DVDs because that was where he said he put it in. I forgot to remind him to bring it a long that morning because I was going to take him to the library after school. Thankfully, when we got there, the librarian told us that they can always look it up and they just need the first and the last name.

We were there for a little bit and I was glad that nobody was there. He played with the play house and the computer. He also checked different books that he wanted to borrow. It was so funny how he thinks he can read but end up asking his Dada to read him the book. He was so happy to check out three DVDs and a bag with three books in it and a reader. It was the perfect time to go to the library. Nobody were there but us and it gave me a chance to be able to prep for my paid task while mama read a book. After Frankie' school was the perfect time to go.

EMT

2011-11-03T09:49:00.000-05:00

One of my co-workers at my previous job told me that she is gathering necessary documents, so she could finally go back to school and become an Emergency Medical Technician. When we used to work together, she has expressed to me so many times her desire to be of service especially to people who needed help. She used to work retail, and I am glad she is finally doing that step to better herself.

I think those who are Emergency Medical Technicians are doing selfless acts for other people. They are the first ones to respond when something go wrong with their immediate medical attention. With formal training and certification, she will get one of those Emergency Medical Technician Jobs in no time. I am so proud of her, and I know she will help a lot of people.

Fasting

2011-11-03T09:03:00.003-05:00

I went to see my OB last week, and unfortunately, I failed again for the sugar test. I have to go to community's out patient clinic on Saturday since Ryan will be able to take Frankie bowling. When I walked in there, I wasn't hoping for anything anymore. Even if I have been eating healthy with mama here now than when I was with Frankie, diabetes still runs in the family and that is something I can't change. I also dread going to the clinic. I do not have any appointment because it is only a walk-in, but I hate being poked. I had to do 12 hours of fasting too. It is going to be worth in the end and I'll do anything for the little baby. I wish I could speed up the time, so he can finally join us soon. I am very excited.

Eyes

2011-10-27T11:56:00.002-05:00

Since I reached my sixth month being pregnant, it has really been hard to get some sleep. I kept getting up almost every hour overnight to use the bathroom. I also need to wake-up early since Frankie started school to get him ready. After dropping him off , I try going back to sleep but I can't. I usually do stuff around the house to keep me occupied. Nap time hasn’t been the best either. I want to sleep longer than thirty minutes, but it usually doesn’t happen that is why at night I am ready for bed early.

I was cleaning my face early this morning, and I couldn’t help but notice the dark circles around my eyes. They looked like I haven’t slept in months. My eyelids looked like they can really use some rest. Plus, the dark circles around my eyes looked so deep too that I am starting to panic. I wish I have the money for a blepharoplasty or also known as cosmetic eyelid surgery to help restore the youthful look of my eyes. Not only that, blepharoplasty also remove excess skin to correct fine lines. If you are interested, you can learn more about this procedure at Bodycosmetica.com.

Lost Husband

2011-10-26T06:28:00.000-05:00

Thanks for the post, Vernon Lowe

My husband passed away last year, and I’ve had to make some huge changes around the house ever since. I hate living alone, and it’s the silly things that you don’t think about that sometimes make me miss him the most. For instance, just last week I opened up a box of my favorite crackers to find out that it had gotten too stale to eat. This might be a trivial thing that doesn’t mean much to you, but in all of our years of marriage and having children, a box of crackers never went bad! Bobby ate crackers for his snack every day. So when I went to have a box of crackers and it was stale, it made me sad to think about. Again, I know it sounds silly. More practically, I needed to feel safe without him in the house anymore, and so a friend of mine in my support group recommended me checking out home Security anchorage.Things will never be the same, but I’m learning how to cope as best as I can.

Can't Make It

2011-10-26T06:27:00.000-05:00

Yep I talked to Papa yesterday and it was so hard to get him here before Christmas. December 16 would be the soonest but he has to go to CFO on December 15 and the flight is at 1:40 a.m. of December 16. Isn't it such a weird time? Plus we haven't send him the money for the plane ticket yet because we were not sure how much would it really be. Ryan wanted him to get the ticket already but with the CFO stamp we still don't know if it would be quick or not. Besides it is the peak season because of Christmas and the $750.00 one way ticket to get here last September went all the way up to over $1,200.00. We are not complaining though because we have the money set and saved for this for a long time. We just wished he could make it for Christmas. The next flight would be after Christmas and that is what he will be taking. He wanted to take Korean Airlines too because it has a direct flight to Chicago and his port of entry will be in Chicago.

If he take other planes, the port of entry will be in California and he doesn't like it as well as Ryan. Well I see of it as a blessing in disguise so that he can spend Christmas with the family one last time. Ryan doesn't want to charge the ticket for he wants to pay cash for it. I guess I don't have to rush now to send the money as we have enough time for it. The Filipino store is also close on Mondays so that will be another problem. I told him that we can probably make it for Dec. 16 but Papa said he doesn't want to be in rush and will end up forgetting stuff. Ryan already told him to bring some of his memorabilia since he won't be living there anyway. There will always be more Christmases with him and we are just glad he will be with us for New Year. Now this give us a little time to move stuff around in the house.

Xanax Detox

2011-10-25T19:20:00.004-05:00

I am very happy to know that one of my relatives admitted at one of the social networking sites online that we both are members that he has quit drinking alcohol for over a year now. It has been a while since I last saw him, and I was very static to know when he announced it in his status. I am sure it wasn’t as easy as it sounded. He must have gone through a lot of adjustments to get where he is now. He didn’t seek profession help that was why the process took a little longer for him.

The same thing goes to those who had used Xanax for panic and anxiety disorder. Anything not done correctly and prolonged use develops dependence. That is why it is not easy to get out of it on your own. Once the xanax detox addiction abuse withdrawal starts, it is best that the detoxification be done with professionals to insure that the procedure is done correctly.

28 Weeks

2011-10-25T18:46:00.002-05:00

I am on my 28th week right now and I will be seeing the doctor tomorrow for the trutol drink. I am not very excited for tomorrow's visit since if I do not pass this, I will be going back for the 12 hour fasting again in the outpatient clinic. I know it is such a pain, but if I am not eating right then I will be back to the diabetic center again. I really hope I do not have to and try to watch what I eat. The holiday is fast approaching and there are so much parties to enjoy.

On a lighter note, our little Frankie is very excited for Halloween. The parents are organizing for the children. They are going to be in their gym class and art class on Monday morning, so this gives us a chance to decorate the classroom. There are about 19 kids and I hope they will all attend even, so it will be a lot of fun. There are some kids that only come in on Tuesdays, so hopefully they switch for Monday. The weekend is full of activities for Frankie. They are going to have a Halloween costume contest at bowling and after that, we are going to a friend's house somewhere for trick or treat. I hope I can keep up. I am feeling really heavy lately, and my stomach is so heavy but nothing will stop me taking my son having fun.

Sail in Croatia

2011-10-23T22:50:00.001-05:00

The first time I experienced island hopping was with friends back in our hometown. I have always been afraid of the water probably because I had a bad experience when I was young, but I did not realize that there was nothing to be afraid of. The sea was calm and was so beautiful that day. I enjoyed putting both of my feet on the side of the boat to feel the water. We then picked a perfect place to take a deep. We had our packed lunch with us too. It was such an amazing experience and I have been doing it every year before I moved here.

It has been a while since I enjoyed the water. It was a difference experience when you actually are in a boat, sail somewhere, and take the plunge especially with family and friends. In fact, if you want to experience this kind of fun, you may have to take a look at the bareboat charter arrangement on your next destination and sailing to Croatia . You can select 2,3,4, and even 5 cabin boats. I can assure you that you will love this kind of adventure. Besides with the fantastic scenery Croatia has to offer, you'll never go wrong.

Nature

2011-10-23T22:01:00.000-05:00

After church today, we ended up going home and cleaned our backyard. The leaves were all over the place again, and we blew it to one pile, so it was easier to pick up. It was so beautiful today. I thought of taking mama to Monee Reservoir because has never been there. There were a lot of people that went fishing. We enjoyed the beautiful temperature outside, and of course, the fall colors so obvious from the trees. Frankie kept telling me that it was where his Tatay also took pictures of him. It is amazing how it was almost two years ago and he still remembers it like yesterday.

Vacation

2011-10-23T17:06:00.004-05:00

This is the first year that we did not go anywhere for a short vacation. Every year it never fails, we usually pick somewhere close or far and just have fun. We usually saved for it all year long, so when that day comes, we have cash to spend for it. Unfortunately this year was a different story. Ryan took some summer classes that were so demanding. He still wants to go somewhere, but I do not want to jeopardize his school. He had a little break between his summer classes and fall classes, and he asked me if I want to go somewhere, but I was having a hard time being six months pregnant, so I declined.

I love going on a vacation. It makes me feel so rejuvenated to be temporarily away from home and from all the stress. One of the places I would like to go is in Cape Cod. I don’t have to worry because I can easily find Cape Cod vacation rentals. I got interested with it when one of my friends in one of the social networking site I am a member in always post pictures about her vacation in Cape Cod. It looked really beautiful there especially this time of the year. It would be awesome to spend some quality time with my family over there.

BF Two Years Ago

2011-10-23T17:06:00.001-05:00

There was a big sign in the break room saying that we couldn't take off on Black Friday which happened to be my birthday. My birthday always fall around either Thanksgiving or Black Friday, one of the busiest days of the year. I already asked our HR if I could work in the morning so that I can spend the rest of the day with my family. She did not promise but she said she will look into it. Even if the clientele of Kohl's were so different that where I worked before but still I really don't want to be there for the clean up, but I am sure they will have a lot of people for recovery just like they always do. I really don't want to be there in the evening. Hopefully, I will get to work in the morning or even stay home. That would be really awesome. I wonder if I can use one of my three personal days. We get three personal days after working there for a year even if you are part-time or full time. I may have to look into that.

Doctors Connect

2011-10-20T20:59:00.002-05:00

There are about 350 million registered users to one of the most popular social networking site in the internet today. I am a member myself and I really liked how I can get to connect with my classmates in elementary, high school, and even college. I wish there was a place where teachers connect because doctors have a place where they can connect too. It is at Doximity.com where physicians meet for free. Plus, doctors do not have to worry about their privacy because the website is secure and convenient.

Being a member at Doximity.com is very easy and it only takes a few minutes to join. Imagine the possibilities including reconnecting with former classmates, getting direct information from many physicians in the United States, and more. It is so easy to find physicians like the profile of Dr. Winston Capel MD. So, the next time you need the expertise of another physician for your patient, worry not because Doximity will help you connect with other doctors.

Not Ready

2011-10-20T17:54:00.000-05:00

It is now Wednesday and I have not bought a dress or something to wear for our party. We were told that we are not allowed to wear blue jeans. Ryan was not too happy about it. I already bought him a long sleeve for the party which he was not able to try on yet. I don't know if he will like it, but it has been in the closet since Monday. I went shopping around the Juniors department a few days ago and there are some clothes that I like but when I tried them on, they don't fit right. Well, not the clothes really but my stomach that makes me look like I am pregnant. I wear XL on Juniors. The misses department, on the other hand, did not carry any dress or any top that I liked. I don't know where else to go because I really don't have the luxury of time to shop around. Plus, my closet is pretty empty because I had sent the clothes that don't fit me to the Philippines. So much to do already and school just started. I absolutely don't have the time to shop around.

Divorce

2011-10-20T10:04:00.001-05:00

I was reading an online article about divorce, and I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the children. There are times when things do not work-out for both parents, and most of the time, it is not healthy anymore to stay in a relationship where it is not healthy. I know whenever a divorce happens the question is usually what did the guy do? Unfortunately, it is not always the case. Some women abandoned their families too for whatever reasons they might have.

It must be very painful to let go of someone you once shared your life with. Not all decisions pertaining to a divorce in a marriage is always agreed by both parties. Often times, the other party is forced into the divorce because he/she doesn't have any choice after the other party wants freedom. Thankfully men and dads out there can expect partnership with Cordell and Cordell, a divorce attorney. Fathers or dads can now read and learn from the Cordell&Cordell Reviews done by other fathers who has been through the process. A divorce is not easy especially when children are involved because there goes the child support, custody battles, and more, but it is good to know that Dads have someone to rely on.

Nashville Tennessee

2011-10-20T09:47:00.001-05:00

The last leg of our trip. We toured Opryland land hotel for a little bit and got Frankie some souvenir and that was really it. It surely did bring back memories of Ryan as he was telling me all about his trip there when he was at PSC. We ended up coming back to the hotel right away because we were so exhausted from the Georgia trip and had to head to Illinois the next day but it was a nice stop.

Moving Around

2011-10-16T11:47:00.002-05:00

It is that time of the year again when we have to wash the comforters and bring them all out from the closet. It has been really unpredictable here with regards to the weather these past few weeks, but I think this time the 50 degrees that we are experiencing is for real. I got up with a 63 degrees house and was so tempted to turn on the heater. Thankfully, I felt better after dressing up appropriately.

I am not looking forward to the big change that we are going to have in the next two months with regards to our weather and to our mini move. We are going to be bringing out the crib and the mattress for the little baby that will be due in January. It is going to be a very busy couple of months coming up for us because we are going to move the baby's stuff to my mother's room. I do not want the baby to stay in Frankie's room, and my mom offered to have him stay in her room instead of ours, so Ryan could sleep through the night. We only have three bedrooms in this house, but we'll make sure that we are going to have more in our next house. I consider this to be the most exciting part of being pregnant. It is actually organizing and getting things ready for the baby. Hopefully, Ryan will be off school on the second week of December, so we could start moving everything around.

Vacation In Georgia - Day 3 Callaway Gardens

2011-10-16T11:44:00.001-05:00

We are such sleepy heads. We are going to the Callaway Gardens today and it is quiet a long drive from the hotel but here we are already 9:00 a.m. just got up and haven't taken a shower and eaten breakfast yet. Frankie is more fascinated with Barney right now for he hasn't seen him for a long time. Ryan has been bugging us to keep moving because tonight we are going to have dinner at Grandpa and Grandma's place and we needed to beat the traffic. I hope it won't be that hot outside.

Traffic was awful coming back and we are glad that Frankie slept the entire time. Callaway Gardens was beautiful as you can see in the pictures above. We didn't get to see everything because it is quiet big but we drove around for a little bit before we left. We had a nice dinner at our grandparent's house. Frankie started crying because he was on the floor and Grandpa jokingly kicked him while Grandma kept telling him to stop. He started crying and Grandpa was imitating him so loudly. We were all laughing. I never knew he was so playful. Anyways as of Callaway Gardens, here is its history.

Callaway Gardens is a 13,000 acre (53 km²) resort complex located in Pine Mountain, Georgia. The resort draws over 750,000 visitors annually.[1]

Callaway Gardens was founded in 1952 by Cason J. and Virginia Hand Callaway to promote and protect native azalea species. His son, Howard Callaway, helped develop and run the garden. Today, Callaway Gardens features a wide variety of recreational attractions including a large enclosed butterfly habitat, the Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center, and the John Sibley Horticultural Center, known for its wide variety of cultivars and native plants. The native palm Sabal minor maintains one of its northernmost populations in the area.

Source : Wikipedia.org

Christmas Party

2011-10-15T16:42:00.004-05:00

I was out with my friends on a party, and we happened to talk about our Christmas party this December 3rd. I couldn’t believe that we only have less than two months away to prepare for it. We are part of the core group, and we are supposed to be bringing some food too. We have everything set including the reception and the people that will be helping with the party. They all know that I won’t be much of a help and we will be bringing the food with us.

We were also asked to give one door prize. I already have something in mind. Hopefully, whoever will get it will like it. It is a Lecteurs MP3 player. We need to wrap it before the party though and I will be asking Frankie to help me wrap it. I am so excited because we can get to dress up too. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to do much with that but maybe I can dress up for the next year’s party.

Extra Sleep on Vacation

2011-10-15T16:42:00.001-05:00

People think that it's a vacation so we should rise early to be able to hit places but not Ryan and I. Even when we visited Niagara Falls one time with another couple we didn't get along with the schedule too well. They woke up around 6:00 a.m. to start the day while Ryan and I were still in bed sleeping. It's a vacation so let's sleep. Those spots to visit are not going anywhere. We like to have a good sleep when we are on vacation. For once you are away from home and your job so we want to enjoy as much as possible even including getting some sleep. For example right now, it is already 6:00 p.m. here ET. We got home from the tour at around 4:00 p.m. and so exhausted so what we did was took a nap. I got up early while Ryan and Frankie are still sleeping. We will be getting dinner soon and going for a swim at the outside pool. So when you are on vacation for once relax and have fun even if it means getting some extra sleep. Remember you don't get to do this when you go back home.

Guitar

2011-10-15T16:38:00.000-05:00

I am one of those who can sing out a tune. I think it runs in the family. My father has a very nice voice. I heard my mother sing occasionally, but she is afraid to show it off. My eldest brother sung for his own wedding. While the bride was walking down the aisle, he sang John Denver’s “For You” song. Everybody loved it and it surely made the bride cry for joy.

I have always admired my brother. He can sing really well and can play the guitar too. He did not have any formal training, but instead, he took beginner guitar lessons and self taught himself. There was no internet that time, so he bought a booklet that taught him step by step process in learning how to play the guitar. After learning the guitar, he also tried learning how to play the piano. Unfortunately, it was so much harder for him to learn piano because he only get to borrow the piano every weekend, and he ended up forgetting about it, but he never forget how to play the guitar. I always loved listening to him sing while play the guitar.

Uniform

2011-10-15T16:33:00.000-05:00

Frankie was extremely sick last Monday, and I didn’t have any choice but to take him to his doctor. I was very thankful that last Monday was a holiday, so he didn’t have to be off from school. The nurses were so helpful, and I was very thankful. Frankie particularly liked one of the nurses. She was not only nice, but she has one of those nurses uniform that had a Diego prints in it. Every time she was in the room giving him treatments, he loved counting how many Diegos there were in her scrub. It surely took his mind off his coughing even for just a little bit.

Can't Wait to Go Home Again

2011-10-14T19:31:00.000-05:00

Well it's been arranged and I already have a separate account for our future trip to the Philippines. Ryan and I agreed that every month I transfer a $150.00 in it and whenever I have some money here too I also make it a point to send money to my brother's account in the Philippines as our pocket money when we get there. I have a lot of time to save which makes me so excited. I asked Ryan a couple of weeks ago about the separate account and without hesitation he said yes. He said I can put more once I get a full time job.

To those who doesn't know I send my sister Ging-ging down there to college with just the blogging money that I make. She is in third year college now taking nursing and I already informed Ryan that when she graduates in less than 2 years I would like to go home with Papa and Frankie. I worked hard to send her to school so I want to see her get her diploma. I am sure I will be emotional but can you blame me?

Happily showing her first case (delivery) and after she sung in a school function.

Social Security

2011-10-13T19:34:00.001-05:00

I am glad that the Social Security drama is finally over. Yesterday, I decided to leave Papa to the Social Security Office instead of accompanying him there. It would be hard with Frankie and there were nearly or maybe over a hundred of people waiting for their turn. Some of them came in to get the number and left then came back later. I dropped off Papa when we got there. They opened at 9:00 a.m. and we got there at 9:15 p.m. and there were a lot of people already. I couldn't find any parking spot so I went to the nearest college (where Ryan and I used to go) to park and gave Frankie his breakfast. We then went back to see if there was any spot but there wasn't. I turned around again for the last time and this time I finally got a spot. When I was getting ready to take Frankie from his car seat so that we can go see Papa ( I was expecting his number to be not that far) my phone rang and it was him telling me that it will take a while. So instead I drove Frankie home and it is where I waited for Papa's call. It felt so weird not seeing him here. I actually missed him hehehe. Frankie was even looking for his Taytay. It was already noon when he called me back and everything went ok. The lady didn't give him a hard time and he had all his documents so it made a lot of difference. Ryan also downloaded the form for him already and filled it up while we are at home so that he doesn't have to go through that anymore. After picking him up I took them to the mall and we had lunch there. We stopped by Menards to get something that he needs for the windows. He put it up yesterday but still need to get the right size of nails. Dad also came here yesterday and gave him a drill and he was so happy. He showed Dad what he did with the windows and Dad showed him how to use his nail gun. As soon as Ryan gets the right size of the nails, he should be able to put it up completely. It looks nice and I can't wait when it is all done.

Birthday Gift

2011-10-13T17:57:00.001-05:00

Ryan’s birthday is every May, and every May, he also gives me a hard time about what to give him. We have been married for almost nine years, and I couldn’t help but worry when his birthday is around the corner. Every time I ask him if he needs something, his reply is always “I do not need anything. Do not get me something.” He is exactly like his dad that is what makes it even harder. My mom always tell me that I should know what my husband needs. Actually, I agree with Ryan, he doesn't need anything, but it is always nice to be able to hand him something for his birthday.

Before Frankie was born, I used to get him a watch along with mens underwear because I wanted to get something useful for him. Who doesn’t need underwear anyway? Everybody needs underwear. He might not be able use it right away, but eventually he will. Fortunately, since Frankie has joined us, we have been doing personalized gifts for Ryan lately. It makes it so much easier for me because I do not have to worry about what to give him. A little scribble and drawing from Frankie makes him already happy. But of course, I still make sure to get him men's underwear once a while may it be his birthday or not.

Planning

2011-10-13T17:43:00.000-05:00

...we don't have yet. We are going to celebrate Frankie and Papa's birthday together since they are only 10 days apart. Frankie's birthday is on April 2 while Papa is on April 12. Frankie will be 2 while Papa will be 60. April is a big month for us since April 5th is our 6th wedding anniversary and Ryan and I are planning to go somewhere overnight. Papa already said he is ever willing to watch Frankie and that we should have fun. We want to plan the birthday party first and have it all taken care for before going somewhere.

Yummy lechon.

Papa had a nice birthday party last year. I really want them/him to enjoy because I knew that it might be his last birthday in the Philippines and I was right. I sent them money to make his 59th birthday extra special. My brother ordered lechon and had a birthday cake. After all the feasting, they all went swimming in a pool. Thankfully Ging-ging scanned these photos for me because this is also the first time that I have seen these. As for the up coming birthday, we still don't have any plans. Although I better start because next week will be the end of the month and March is just around the corner.

Chicago Limo Service

2011-10-13T17:32:00.003-05:00

Most people who are not familiar with the place they are visiting usually hire a cab to take them places. Hiring a cab always makes me very uncomfortable. I heard stories about cab drivers robbing their passengers and passengers robbing their drivers. In some cities or countries, hiring a cab is dangerous. There are cabs that take their passengers to a longer route, so they will be paying more for the meter. There are also some cabs that have over-priced meters, so the passenger will end up paying more for the trip.

However, if you want to visit Chicago for business or leisure and do not know anyone, you do not have to worry about who is going to pick you up. Hiring one of the Chicago Limo Services would be the right thing to do to take you to your destination. You never have to worry about your safety, and you can guarantee they will be there waiting for you when you get out of the airport. Pontarelli Limousine has services to selected US cities as well as international cities too. What I like about their limo service is you can plan ahead of time and make online reservations. It is also easy to pick which limo you want to be picked up with. Whatever reasons you may have for visiting Chicago, it is always nice to trust your transportation needs with Pontarelli Limousine.

Savannah, Georgia

2011-10-13T17:17:00.000-05:00

We loved our stay in Savannah, Georgia thanks to the beautiful hotel we were in but not so much with the place. We were really expecting to see more. I guess coming from St. Augustine, Florida really didn't help because that place was great. There was nothing really spectacular there but old houses. Here are the pictures of out stop there.

Jobs

2011-10-13T17:08:00.003-05:00

I was putting my groceries away in the trunk of my car after grocery shopping when a man approached me and asked me if I have some change that he could use. He startled me that I immediately went inside my car and locked it. I didn’t have any intentions of being rude, but I heard stories about incidents like this. If he could have done something to me, I am sure I won’t be able to run after him. I was just wondering why of all people in the parking lot why he chose to approach me. He probably knew that I am incapable to do a lot of things being 7 months pregnant.

The man said he was homeless. I am not trying to judge the man, but he looks like he is very capable to go look for a job and even get a job. He even had a pair of nice new looking gym shoes, and he really looked so tidy and clean. There are some people who had it worst that did not give up and still kept looking for a job. There are some people who went back to school to better themselves and some took classes and training to get their CDL. There are jobs out there, but sometimes, it might not be the job that we wanted. There are places where drivers wanted or retail stores needing help especially with the holiday season coming up. There are jobs out there. We just need to stop looking for the job we like and instead look for the job that could possibly help us.

Where To Go Part II

2011-10-13T17:04:00.000-05:00

Another option we have is also take him to Indiana. It is not that far from where we are since we are very close to the border and I already have something in mind. Mama already saw a video of Ryan and this family when they climb up to Mt. Baldy so I am really hoping that it won't be that cold yet if we decide to take him there. We love that place because that was where Ryan and I went while we were away for a honeymoon. It's been a while since the last time we have been there.

I barely made it on top. That was a long climb. Ryan on Mt. Baldy overlooking Lake Michigan.

Done Right

2011-10-12T13:05:00.005-05:00

Our house was built in the 1950s, and we had several previous owners. I really do not mind if they did some changes in and around the house as long as it was done right. Unfortunately, some of them were so trying hard to be a "handy man" that instead of fixing things, it made it worst. One example was our deck. The previous owner’s cousin did it for her and it was leaning towards the house that we didn’t have any choice but to take it all down completely.

Doing it yourself takes a lot of work. We do not like hiring someone because it becomes very costly. For instance, hiring someone to install a carpet these days from your local hardware store runs between $99.00- $199.00 generally depending on the size. There are some installers that you have to pay for mileage too. But what if I will tell you that you can learn and watch the how to install carpet video and install it yourself instead of paying for someone to do it for you? Sounds great isn't it? Now, you do not have to worry about stranger(s) coming into your home to install the carpet. When you visit Ez2dohome.com, you will find do-it-yourself videos such as how to paint interior walls, patio installation, and more. Ez2dohome.com is surely making your do-it-yourself projects easier, and of course, done the right way.

Where To Go? Part I

2011-10-12T12:43:00.001-05:00

I still couldn't figure out where to take mama next summer. This will be her first visit here in the US and Ryan and I wants to take her to places that are beyond ordinary. I suggested to Ryan that we can always take her to museums since he is a member of the Museum of Science and Industry anyway. Chicago would be another thing. We can take him on a boat ride just like what we did one foggy afternoon.

Wedding Rings

2011-10-10T20:51:00.002-05:00

Planning for a wedding is very exciting. I planned for my own wedding by myself since my family is in the Philippines. It was indeed very stressful, yet it was all worth it. Ryan and I designed our own wedding rings. We wanted it to be unique and special. Besides, who wants to have an identical wedding as someone else anyway? We both have the same wedding ring with five very little diamonds on top, and every time I look at it, I couldn’t help but feel happy because we added our personal touch to it.

A wedding ring is a symbol of union and commitment to each other. I have seen a lot of wedding rings in my lifetime. Some of them very simple and plane with nothing on it and some uniquely styled. One of those weddings rings that I find very exceptional are the celtic wedding rings. I just loved how it is put together. I also like the knot that goes around the wedding ring too. In fact, when you visit Irishheart.com today, you will find a wide variety of celtic wedding rings to choose from. Plus, their jewelries are made in Ireland with very exquisite design and style. You can search by sorting the jewelries according to price, designer, and with the latest addition. It will be awesome to wear one of their jewelries.

Vacation In Georgia - Day 2

2011-10-10T19:27:00.001-05:00

Sunday... we decided to spend all day with Grandpa and Grandma. We went to their house and had a little chit chat and at around 11:30 a.m. we all then head out for church. Church was wonderful. It was so upbeat and everybody was so nice to us. We went upstairs where we met more of their friends, had coffee and donuts. We were there for over an hour and every one just wants to talk to us and play with Frankie. It was so interesting. After which we went home, Frankie and I had a nice nap together while Ryan is having conversation over snacks with Grandpa and Grandma. When Frankie and I got up we had a nice dinner and was later joined by Jeanette another of Grandpa and Grandma's close friend. We decided to go to the basement to let Frankie run for a little bit when Grandpa showed Frankie how his jukebox works and also danced for a little bit. All in all we have a good time. We we will heading to Callaway Gardens soon but here are the pictures below.

Edmonton Apartments

2011-10-10T17:47:00.005-05:00

There comes a point in our lives when we want change in our environment and visiting www.rentedmonton.com might be the solution. When we want the change to be momentary, we usually take a quick vacation, but if we want change to be for good, we usually move to another place. It is not easy to find an apartment or a home to rent these days most especially if you are not familiar with the place you are moving in.

However, if you are planning to move to Edmonton, Canada and is looking for apartments for rent in Edmonton then you never have to worry about getting one on your next Edmonton apartments. By going to RentEdmonton.com today, you will find different Edmonton apartments for rent. At the convenience of your home, you can click on the Edmonton area where you want to move in, and a list of properties will show up.

What I like about RentEdmonton.com website is they are very upfront with all the details and information that a prospective renter is looking for. They give out all information including how many bedrooms, bathrooms, even the area size, and most importantly the monthly rent of the Edmonton apartment rentals that they have. It surely help prospective renters from deciding on which one to go for and how it suits their budget. Each apartment listing even has a list of appliances, utilities, and more so you know exactly what you are getting with the rent. Avoid the hassle and the waste of time with RentEdmonton.com.

Vacation to Georgia I

2011-10-10T08:55:00.000-05:00

I was not too excited for the drive but of course I am so anxious for the trip. We woke up at 4:00 p.m. took a shower and had something to eat before waking up Frankie and dressing him up. We already have everything packed. I felt sorry for Frankie because he can't barely open his eyes because he was so tired. We dressed him up and before 5:00 a.m. we were already on the road. Frankie went back to sleep after giving him some milk. The drive was all in all peaceful until Frankie throw up on his car seat. Blame it to his mother who gave him too much milk as you can see in the picture below but besides that I enjoyed our long drive for the first time. I used to hate it but with Frankie it was a lot of fun stopping and seeing him play.

We arrived here in Marietta Georgia at 5:00 ET so it was over 11 hours but this will be the only longest trip we are going to have since most of the trips later will only be 6-7 hours long because of our stop overs and staying overnight. We then checked in at the hotel, freshen up a little bit by taking a shower then we all head out again for a nice dinner at Applebees. We also went grocery shopping for something to munch here in the hotel. Ryan and Frankie have been in bed for the past 3 hours but I got up and can't go back to sleep. I am so used to of my schedule at home regardless if I am extremely tired. The time change also throw me off. Anyways, stay tuned for tomorrow as I will post more pictures of our visit to Grandma and Grandpa.

Skin Tightening

2011-10-07T18:52:00.001-05:00

It is so hard to get rid of excess skin once you have lost all of the weight. There are a lot of people who had to go through a body lift which is very costly, by the way, after they submit themselves into one of those surgeries to help them control or lose their weight. When my friend lost a lot of weight from calorie control and strictly salad in take, she looked great from losing the weight, but I couldn’t help but worry about the sagging skin hanging around her arms, in her stomach, and face. They looked like they do not belong there.

She was becoming desperate on what to do with those excess skin. She has been a little overweight for quiet sometime, and now that she has reached her goal, she has now the "sagging skin problem" as she refers to it. Doing a body lift would be really expensive, and she doesn't think she can afford it. Skin tightening would be a great alternative since it is not costly, and it is non-invasive, so she can go back to work right away after the procedure. I am currently reading how "skintyte" works and looking at the before and after pictures right now at Rianmaercksmd.com/laser-skin-tightening-miami.html. It is amazing how laser skin tightening works wonders.

Still Waiting For The Right Time

2011-10-07T10:00:00.000-05:00

I don't want you to be surprise but I will also be talking about other things in this blog such as our piece of land hunt, the house upgrades, my Papa's stay here with us and also soon my job hunt that is why I referred to the title as "and more" other than just our travels and history.

I have been checking the internet to see if the piece of land we liked is still there. In fact, it still is and they took $10,000.00 off the original price. They must be very desperate to get rid of the land. Ryan kept telling me that it will be there for a while and I told him that surely it will because it is quite a huge space. So last Sunday on our way to go shopping we passed there again to see the other real estate company that is selling the rest of the divided land. We searched it through the internet when we got home and we were amazed how the prices varies. Some were so high while others were very very affordable. The front part is affordable probably because it is by the road but I told Ryan that if you have that big of a property, you can always build the house to the very back end making it further from the main road. So we are not worried because there are still a lot of pieces to sell. I just loved the country touch to it and Ryan likes it too. We are also thinking of opening a credit union at Ryan's work just like what we did at Target to save for a possible down payment. Now I really can't wait to go back to work to get started with these projects. Here are some of the pictures of the place. Isn't it gorgeous?

The right is the road already paved going towards the different divided lots.

Beauty School

2011-10-05T09:58:00.001-05:00

One of the things I dread when I graduated high school was what I am going to do after graduation. I can’t figure out right away what I want to do or what course to take. All I ever wanted was to be in and out of college. I didn’t want to spend a lot of time schooling because I think I have been to school too much. Thankfully, there are alternatives out there for someone like me. Going to a cosmetology school sounds very promising right now.

The Regency beauty school pride themselves with high quality training and instruction, so their students will graduate equipped with the knowledge and expertise. What I like about Regency beauty school is how they expose their students with real life training where each of their students are to provide high quality service to the public at a discounted rate under faculty supervision. So that once they are done with school, they are ready to face the world.

This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com or contact Regency Beauty Institute – 3583 Alpine Avenue NW – Walker, MI 49544

Baby Name

2011-10-05T09:42:00.002-05:00

We are still looking for a baby name till this time. I already printed popular baby names off the internet, so Ryan and I will have something to go by. Frankie still wants to call his brother Baby Shem-shem. We have one name that we are leaning towards, but Ryan still have not really decided. I like it but he does not like it as much. I want him to decide this time since I was the one who practically named Frankie. We still have a long way to go to start deciding anyway, and we are not in a hurry. One of these days, we will figure something soon.

Stop Collection Calls

2011-09-30T10:25:00.003-05:00

There are a minimum of eight calls we get everyday from different telemarketers. I find it very annoying that I have not answered the phone in a long time. I figured that if it was someone I know that needed something from me he or she will leave a message. The calls are usually asking us to switch our health insurance for what they have for a lower rate. Sometimes, it is about asking us to replace our current car insurance with what they have. Call campaigns are also annoying especially when election is approaching. I always find those calls very irritating how much more if debt collectors are the ones calling and harassing me everyday. I don't think I can handle that.

Who doesn't owe anything these days? Although there are people who owe more than the other, but they should not be harassed with phone calls everyday to remind them about what they owe. I am sure they are probably thinking of ways to pay their debt back. There are a lot of reasons for a person to owe money. It could be from maxing out their credit cards or owing money for something important such as for medical expense. Everybody deserves the peace of mind and one way to stop collection calls is by going to Creditlaw.com.

Creditlaw.com offers free legal help when you want abuse and harassment from debt collectors to end. All you need to do is submit your case for a free case review to get started. Once approved, they will contact the debt collector in your behalf and end harassment once and for all.

Dinner

2011-09-29T08:09:00.001-05:00

Just right when we got home from Chicago, Sheila called me asking if when we are going to be at Jenny's house. We just got home about 30 minutes ago. I didn't dress Frankie up but decided to go there right away. The food was really yummy too especially the Jamaican rice chicken that their friend made. Frankie was able to play with Kyle for a little bit. Sheila walked us to our car and enjoyed a little picture taking with Frankie outside. It was so dark that all I did was click, click and click. The pictures turned out ok as you can see. It reminds I need to upload these in friendster for Tita Sheila to see. Ryan was expecting us to come home a little late but I told him that since we are going to Michigan City, Indiana anyway we would like to put the kids to sleep and freshen up for a little bit. Frankie was still up when I left them to go out.

Getting ready to run to the car. It was chilly that night.

Tita Sheila's anak-anak.

Test Taking

2011-09-27T18:20:00.002-05:00

I have taken a lot of written tests in my life. There were some tests that were life changing such as getting into a good private high school or to a good college. There were some tests that I took just to get by, but every test that I take makes no difference, I still get nervous every time. When I taught History before, most complains that I got from my students was how nervous they were when taking a test. One of my students even throw-up when she is about to take a major test. Every time I give that class a quiz/test, I always make sure that she was ok and feeling relaxed because I am afraid that she might get anxious and scared. I used to ask her why test taking made her feel really nervous, and her answer was she was scared to fail.

Before I give a test to my students, I made sure to tell them jokes to keep their minds off the test. I also tell them that whatever the outcome of the test was the result of their hard work, and it should not discourage them. There were some teachers who actually give out test taking incentives to their students. I like the little ribbons that said "I'm a Test-Taking Star" that I found at Positivepromotions.com. Some of these incentives are proven to boost child's confidence to do well in the test, and of course, create a positive test taking atmosphere in school.

Get Together

2011-09-27T17:47:00.000-05:00

A little blurry but I love this picture. This is Nathaniel, Noelle's son teaching Frankie how to play the piano.

This year was a little different. Instead of the usual Portage, Indiana venue for Thanksgiving, we were invited to have it at Grandma Horner's nursing home. She rented a big hall and that was where we had our get together. It was quiet a long drive from our house to Chicago. Traffic was really bad. We left an hour and a half early but we still got there a little late. Everybody was already there waiting for us and it surely was nice to see everybody again. Besides seeing Grandma, Brian, Beth, Kevin, Noelle's kids, Dad and Noelle, I always look forward to seeing Ed and Pat. I don't know why. It seems like I feel so at home when I am around them. You see Pat and Ed were adopted by Noelle's brother and they were from Korea. They are both very nice. Ed is a lot outgoing while Pat is the quiet type. Ed was Frankie's playmate as you will see it in the pictures below. I also saw that cute headless birthday cake that Noelle and Dad prepared for me. Later you will also see how I used the question mark to make it as the turkey head. All in all it was so nice. Ryan and I were mostly thankful to whoever left that cart in the hall because that was where Frankie stayed most of the time. We didn't really chase after him until when we were getting ready to leave. We are also very proud of Frankie because he was so friendly and behaved the entire time. He actually made everybody laugh many times with his sillyness. It was also nice to hear compliments about him. It makes us think that we are doing a good job which I know we are. We have so much to learn but we are getting there. Here are some of the pictures.

Self Publishing

2011-09-27T12:27:00.005-05:00

It always amazes me how some people can easily put their thoughts together and create a very interesting story whether a true to life story or fiction. When I was in high school, writing had always been my issue. Even when I got here and started going to college, it would take me days and days to finish a single paper. Writing these days is not as rough as before anymore because I write a lot in my blogs.

Everyone can write a story about their life and share it to everybody. Sometimes I wish my life is as exciting as other writer’s life because I would love to write about my life and let people learn from it. One of the many favorites I have are stories about life’s hardships and triumphs. I also enjoy stories that encourage readers to figure things out or the ones that boost confidence. What is nice about writing these days is writers can easily do self publishing.

Writers used to worry about how and where to publish their composition once it is done but not anymore. At Instantpublisher.com, writers can now easily publish their book saving a lot of time and money. Self publishing their own composition will mean total control of their work. If in doubt, writers can even request for a free self publishing guide book, so they know exactly what to do to make self publishing to their advantage.

Unwinding

2011-09-27T11:23:00.002-05:00

We are going bowling tomorrow. Ryan already made the reservation and it will be at 11:00 a.m. I am not sure where it is going to be at but all I know is I am looking forward to it even if Papa and Frankie won't be able to come with us. Since it is going to be Valentines tomorrow and Papa won't be able to read it anyway, so Ryan got him a tool box and a nice hammer that will be his own. It doesn't mean he can't use Ryan's tools but Ryan said it is nice when he has his own when he does the upgrading in Sheila's house. I am sure Papa would be happy with anything.

Today we went buy Papa shoes as our gift for him. He only have one that he brought from the Philippines and it looks so worn out now because he uses it to do stuff outside. We got a Kohls cash the last time I was there to buy the make-up and my gift for Ryan so it was nice that I was able to use it for Papa. I intentionally took them there today because of their stretch your dollar sale. Last night when we were doing ad set, we had to put up signs because they added an addition savings off on clearance items. They have so much clearance in shoes that I was able to get one for Ryan and one for Frankie. Papa also found one and bought another one using the money that he saved. With the 20% off that we got from the mail, plus another additional 10% off of clearance item during our check-out, then the $20.00 Kohls cash and my 15% discount, we really had a good deal. Papa was so happy with his shoes that he gave me any thank you kisses.

Term Life Insurance Calculator

2011-09-23T17:22:00.003-05:00

My father-in-law got Ryan his life insurance when he was very little. When we got married, he turned over the policy to us, and we have been paying for it since. It seems like the only way to be protected these days is through insurance. Every month we pay for Ryan’s life insurance, car insurance, homeowners insurance, and of course health insurance that is through his work. Without these, how else are we going to be protected?

Insurance has proven to be a life saver for most people. It protects yourself and your assets against loss. I still do not have life insurance even if I know how important it is. We did try to look around, but we wanted to make sure that we can afford it before making a decision to get a policy. I told Ryan that I can probably get the term life insurance since it is not lifetime, and I can always continue it when the term ends.

Plus, before we can even commit to buy anything, we can always use the term life insurance calculator to see how much or where we are going to be at in certain years with the policy. At Buytermlife.com, anyone can use their calculator and after the calculation you can click run a quote and find different quotes from different companies. It is so convenient because it includes how much are you going to pay each month allowing you to budget with what you already have before buying a policy. Isn't it great?

Remembering Papa's Departure

2011-09-23T15:51:00.000-05:00

Still waiting for Papa's departure. I truly missed them all. They are my siblings.

I hate goodbyes. When I saw this picture I can't help but cry. This is Papa saying his goodbye to Resty and also giving her a kiss.

December 27 at 1:45 a.m. Philippine time Papa left Cebu. We are going to pick him up at Ohare in any minute and I hope there are no delays. I am a little thankful that he was not able to make it for Christmas here. The past few days has not been to good to us (weather wise) and the flight cancellation was to the roof. I was also glad that my family was able to celebrate Christmas with him and had a nice outing before he left Cebu. My brother Gayfred was so diligent in letting me now how everything is. Ging-ging in the other hand was the photographer. Resty too also texted me every step of the way. I talked to Ging-ging when they got home and she said nobody cried because Papa turned away right way and left when the departure gate opened. He has always been like that even when he used to leave us for Libya. He hates goodbyes. Brother Gayfred also said that Dan-dan was such a clown and made everybody laugh and that ease the pain even for a little bit. Ryan said Papa looks happy in the pictures and that makes us happy too. We want him to be happy in coming over here. I couldn't wait to see him later. I am excited and I better get ready because the drive will be over an hour. Before I go, here are the pictures before he left Cebu.

Custom Pins

2011-09-23T11:37:00.002-05:00

In 2008, Ryan and I joined a Baby Expo in Schaumburg, IL. It was our first time, and we were so excited with all the free stuff that we got for the baby. I remember being a few months pregnant then with our first child, so you can just imagine our anticipation. Each booth had wonderful things to offer such as new baby gadgets, toys, formula, baby bottles, and even baby clothes. Some of the representatives of the booths walk around the convention center to invite people to come see their booths. I noticed that most of them wore custom pins to identify the company they were in. It was so much easier to find their booth even without asking which side of the convention center they booth was located.

Custom pins offer a lot of purpose. It could be a great giveaway for conventions. It could also be great corporate gifts, recognitions, and more. At Pinmart.com, you can easily design your very own custom pins for your company. It all starts with your idea, Pin Mart’s expertise, and you will have your customized pins in no time. You can add your logo, chose a color or suggest a design. All you have to do is choose the process you want your custom pins to be in and request a quote to get started. Plus, what is even better is the more pins you order, the cheaper it gets at Pinmart.com