Quality Gifts Under $25.00

Do you know what smart shoppers do? They don’t pay full price on anything that is why they look for the most affordable, quality and brand name gifts without breaking the bank. Are you one of them? Then if not, now is the time to become a smart shopper with the help of Kmart. With the uncertainty of the economy these days, it is nice to know that Kmart offers a cheap alternative so that we can still enjoy the holiday without spending a lot. How does 25,000 gifts to choose from for under $25.00 sound? In the past even buying a single toy will almost cost you $30.00 and now getting it from Kmart will surely save you a lot. What I even like is they have gift ideas with brand names such as Craftsman, Martha Stewart, LeapFrog and a lot more.

I really would like to get this Euro-Pro Dressmaker II Sewing Machine for my friend Jenny. She likes sewing and this will be perfect for her. It is small, lightweight and portable that she can easily carry wherever she wants to. What is even neat is it comes with a sewing light for well lighted sewing and the price? It is only $24.99. So if you haven’t made up your mind on what to give then head to Kmart because I am sure you will find something affordable for every person in your list.

Red Robin

Ryan has been bugging me to go out today and have dinner at Red Robin in Indiana. I have never been there and it is the first time that I had off. Frankie is also a little plugged up but he kept begging me so we went. He said it is also a birthday dinner gift from him for me so I gave in. It was a little far but we were able to talk about a lot of things while in the car and Frankie was behavely sitting in the backseat. There was nothing special with the place and they only have burgers and salads but I liked it and the food. It was indeed yummy. I am glad I said yes to him. It started snowing on our way home but it wasn't that bad yet. I guess it was nice to be out for once. I will only be working 3 days next week and I am glad. Working 4 to 5 days sometimes kills me.

Charter's Ultimate Deal

Do you want to know another deal that is so hard to pass up? Then you better check out Charter’s black friday and cyber Monday deals. You won’t find a savings this big elsewhere. How does getting a $250.00 gift card sounds to you by simply getting the Ultimate Bundle for $165.97 a month for 12 months which includes 10 Mbps high speed internet, unlimited calling and digital home, Charter HD, sports view digital view, HBO/Cinemax, Starz/Encore and Showtime/The Movie Channel. What is even better is you don’t only get the $250.00 gift card but you will also be entered for a chance to win an X-Box gaming system.

You also have the option to order Charter’s services online separately. You will get a $150.00 gift card by taking advantage of 3 Charter services such as cable TV, internet, phone for only $99.97 a month for 12 months. With two Charter services that include digital home and internet you will pay only $ 74.98 each month for 6 months plus get a $75.00 gift card too. And if you only prefer to use the internet then get it for only $24.99 a month for 6 months and with that you will also get a $25.00 gift card. So if you have been looking for internet, cable and phone all in one package then you better take advantage of Charter’s services and give yourself the ultimate gift this Christmas. Don't forget offer ends on December 05, 2008.

I'm 30 So What Now?

Ok before I go further you might be wondering what happened to my cake's head. My mother in law Noelle said it started melting then/and Nathaniel ate it. I know she was kidding because I immediately heard Nathaniel complaining hehehe. Anyways, I had a wonderful time on my birthday. I usually don't like it when it falls during Thanksgiving but it was different this year. I remember when I got here in 2003, I celebrated my 25th birthday with the Horners and Neises. I will never forget that warm welcome they showed me. I instantly became a part of a nice family and every year since then I always look forward to seeing all of them. I will be talking about Thankgiving more in my other History and Travels blog.

After the feasting and the blowing of the candles I came up with Noelle and gave her a tight hug. I was just so touched with the gesture and also missing my family back home. She told me that my mama is thinking of me and I know she was. Then Dad and Noelle gave me my birthday gift and I couldn't help but feel so special. In it is a $100.00 worth gift card for whatever I want to do with it. I can go on a massage, facial, manicure, pedicure, hair cut and a lot more. Noelle said I can treat myself for a day of pampering. The word "pampering" just lingers in my ears especially with the busy lifestyle I lead. Dad and Noelle, I have thank you before and I thank you again. Thank you for making my 30th birthday simple yet very very memorable. BTW, Ryan and Frankie gave me a beautiful watch with charms in it and a touching card. That is more than enough.


When we got home from Chicago, I already promised Jenny and Sheila that Frankie and I will be feasting again in their house (Jenny). Ryan stayed home as he was so exhausted from the drive. They want to see me and give me their gifts too. While we were eating and Frankie playing with Kyle we thought of going to Michigan City, Indiana to go shopping at the outlet mall. We know that the place will be packed but we just want to go out, experience it and have fun. So we did. We left our kids to our husbands and at 10:30 p.m. they picked me up at my house. With just an instruction in a little piece of paper on how to get there we ventured out the I-94 going west to Indiana and with us getting lost for a little bit (it was so much fun) we managed to get there safely and back home. There were a lot of good stuff to get but the line if unbelievable. After looking around we went inside the Pepperidge Farm (the only place with little line) we went home not empty handed. I got Frankie tons of goldfish for really really cheap. Above all it was the experience. Ryan already told me how it is going to be and we all know that. The outlet mall opened at midnight and although it was cold we went there. It was a spur of the moment and I have to say worth the trip. We really had a wonderful time.

Frankie's Tita Sheila in the front seat chitchatting.

Grant A Wish With Sears Heroes at Home Wish Registry

It must be rough to be away from your loved ones especially during the holiday. It is even harder to know the uncertainty of their safety a far, fighting for our freedom. The soldiers are indeed living heroes. Just imagine what this country would be without them. Their families also deserved to be recognized as heroes for allowing and sharing their loved ones to the rest of the country. They are showing selfless acts everyday for all of us. That is why I am so pleased that Sears came up with this Sears Heroes at Home Wish Registry.

How does it work you may ask? It is very simple. You will have the chance to help the heroes and their families by giving what they really need this holiday. At Sears Heroes at Home Wish Registry, you will find military families and read their touching story and with that includes their wish list. You can either buy one of their wish list or you also have the option to donate. You can send a message of support, thank you or encouragement to the military families too. It might only be a pair of shoes, a Barbie doll, pajamas or sweater but it would mean a lot to those who needed it most. So don’t forget to check out Sears Heroes at Home Wish Registry and see on what you can share.

How Sweet Of Her

Angie came in yesterday with a chocolate cake and an apple cinnamon cake in both of her hands. I helped her opened the door as she was approaching the break room. When she placed the cakes on the table she turned to me and said, "Merydith these are for you, because it will be your birthday soon". Awww.... she was so sweet. She remembered it although we have a big bulletin board where all the birthday celebrant's names are posted. At any rate it was still so sweet of her to remember. She brought it in yesterday because she won't be working today so she won't see me. I wanted to make some Filipino food for them but during this week there are food in the breakroom so I may have to pick one day next week or when we are not that busy anymore to bring them something yummy. I may have to ask Sheila's help.

Toys For Kids and Adults

I love giving gifts to kids because they are so easy to please. From the moment they open and see their gifts, their faces light up that makes it so fulfilling to whoever gave it. I worked with kids for so many years and I saw how they can be very expressive with their feelings. I always get toys when I have kids in my list. Kids are always happy to get toys as a gift. So if you have the little ones in your list then you better start looking for toys for them. Savebuckets.co.uk has different gift ideas for both young and adults. You can also find cheap toys. I have been looking for a place where I can find really cheap toys for the kids in the Philippines. I know they would like it to get one.

I love browsing at Savebuckets.co.uk because they have a lot of affordable toys for adult and kids. Yes, adults play with toys too although it is a little expensive than the kids. You can check out and give this popular Wii fit or the Mario Kart + Wii Wheel for someone in your list. The best way to shop this holiday is online. BTW, check this interesting and funny post from Pasty about Wii at work .

New Favorites

I never had any problems with Frankie when it comes to eating. Whatever we give him he eats. In fact a little after his first birthday he can now eat independently. He gets to messy sometimes but it is part of his learning. Anyways, last week we went to the Filipino restaurant to eat but we changed our minds when we got there and there were a lot of people. The place is not so big so we thought of taking out. So I went in and started getting the food. I was a little happy that we didn't go in because the selection for the buffet wasn't really the best. When we came home I gave Frankie some squash from the "pinakbet" just to see if he will like it. What I did was smash it with rice and he loved it. He kept coming back for more. Not only that he also likes eating string beans. He can munch it so fast and another thing that I am so pleased is he loves how I boil the raw peanuts just like how we do it in the Philippines. Ryan doesn't like it but Frankie loves it. We can be watching TV while eating the boiled peanuts. Hum....

CDL

Have you tried driving behind a truck and read the writings in the back of it that say, “how is my driving? call this number” or “looking for a job, call this number”. You would have called the number but one thing that is keeping you from calling is because you don’t have any CDL training and you don’t have the Commercial driver's license at all. A lot of people are looking for a job these days and if you are one of them then you are only a CDL away. A truck driver is supposed to make a very good money and this could be the full time job that you have been looking for.

Our first Garden

One of the many things I truly missed from the Philippines is the chance to have a garden all year long. Ryan and I did have a garden when we were living at Dad's house when we first got married. I was out of work for a few months and waiting for my papers so we thought of utilizing Dad's big space and made a garden. I was getting bored staying home and I remember Dad telling me, "make most of this summer because this might be your only summer where you are not busy" and he was so right. The next summer I was already working and going to school and I was so busy since then. We don't have a garden in our backyard right now. Our space is so small and I really don't have the time but hopefully when we move we will have a garden again.

Left: empty Right: growing

Us watering them.

My favorite cucumber and corn. We also planted watermelon and tomatoes.

I am glad I was able to save a lot of copy from our first garden. It would be really nice to have another one. What I like about it is you can just get out and get some fresh ones. The pictures below are a garden in the Philippines. The one on the left is the local version of Jalapeno and the ever missed eggplant (talong). I wanted to make some talong dish yesterday but I couldn't find any from the Filipino store or from the Filipino restaurant. We have the long and slender eggplant not the short, round and fat one that they sell here.

Blog Pictures At Acobox.com

If you are a constant follower of my blogs, you will notice that I always like adding pictures to my posts. If I am talking about Frankie then most of the time you will see a picture of him. If I am talking about my family back home then most likely you will also see a picture of them. To me adding blog pictures makes it appealing than just plane text. If I visit a blog that only contains text even if the post is well written, there are times when I skip it especially when the font size is too small. Using pictures catches the attention of the readers and who knows with that they might keep coming back to your blog.

Unfortunately there are times when you are talking about something and you don’t have the image to add. You search the internet but there are issues with copyright and other legal things so you usually end up posting it anyway without the picture. Well I have good news for you. With Acobox.com you can add pictures to your blog for free. What is even better is all images are properly licensed. You can start by choosing the image by clicking it, pick the alignment and size option, click the code box and copy and paste the code to your blog. So the next time you think of something, check out Acobox.com because they might just have the picture. As for me I am dreaming of the hot Philippines.

Five Days

It has been almost 3 years since I last worked 5 days in a row and next week I will be working for 5 days except Thanksgiving of course. I am not complaining because I know after the holiday season this will all die down. The place that I am working with opens until midnight sometimes now and I am just glad that I don't have to deal with the customers. They were so many of them the last time I worked and I know it will be more once after Thanksgiving. There are extra help in every department that makes it easier for us to do on what we are supposed to do. It is almost Christmas and it would be nice to have extra money for the Philippines.

Going On A Group Tour to NYC?

When I was teaching history back home I usually take my students out on a field trip probably 3 times a year. We always go to the places where that significant event happened. My students always loved it. They also enjoyed going camping in the high mountains at my Grandma’s province. I believed learning doesn’t stop in the 4 corners of the room. In fact, taking them places even reinforces learning and that makes it lasting. One thing that plays a major role was the reliable transportation. If not because of it our purpose would be useless. So if you are a teacher and would like to take your students on an out of town/state trip to New York City then don’t hesitate to check out New York Bus Charters. They have friendly staff, well maintained buses and most of all they are always on time.

In fact, if you and your group are planning to support and witness the inauguration of our new President you can arrange a Bus Charter to Washington DC from NYC and make the most of your trip. This is a once in a lifetime event and New York Bus Charters will make it easy and possible for you. What is even better is your company will get 10% discount when you purchase the tickets ahead of time. So what are you waiting for? Get your quote today.

Breaking Out

Wahhh... I am breaking out like crazy right now. Last Tuesday Ryan took Frankie and I to Texas Roadhouse for dinner. It was really nice and we had a wonderful time. The service was also excellent. While waiting for our appetizer they had two buckets on the table. One empty and one full of peanuts. Peanuts and Merydith don't mix or I will break out like crazy. Frankie and I were having fun opening them and when I tasted one I couldn't stop. It was very yummy. In fact I preferred it more than the appetizer we got and the rolls that they served. I didn't even try one because Frankie and I were so busy eating the peanuts. So after only 3 days of course what do you expect. I am breaking out on my chin and my forehead. The only way I can eat peanuts without breaking out is when I boil it and I like it that way. I better get some fresh ones this Sunday when we go shopping.

Sears Layaway Grant Wishes

What do you want for Christmas? Have you thought of that question for yourself? It seems like every Christmas we think of our relatives and our loved ones, especially on what to get them but we don’t sit back and ask ourselves what do we really want? Well this is the time when you can get that something that you have been keeping an eye on for the longest time especially every time to go to a store. Trust me; I may not be an expert in the kitchen but having this Kitchen Aid Custom Metallic Series 5 Quart Stand Mixer will be a perfect addition to our kitchen. Ryan has been into baking lately that he can really use the help of a stand mixer. Our grandpa and grandma can also use a new coffee maker and my Dad will need new outerwear for winter. It might sound a lot but with the use of Sears Layaway paying for has never been so easy. You can pay for it little by little just in time for the gift giving and opening.

So if paying full is preventing you in getting that perfect gift you want to give someone or for yourself then try Sears Layaway and put your wishes on Layaway.

I'm On Myspace

Yes I am on myspace but it is not like in friendster because I only have 4 friends which the other one I don't know who. I signed up on myspace mainly to check on my sisters on what they are up or if they are doing goofy stuff. Yep a little truth to it but of course I trust them and I also liked another way to communicate with them. I love exchanging messages at our profiles and changing templates. I really don't know what to do with mine that I asked Resty to do it for me. My little sissy told me that I can easily search for it online, add it and that simple. Despite what she said she ended up doing it for me. I only have a few pictures there nothing much. In fact it was totally empty when the two kept bugging me to do something about it. So after 4 friends and 10 pictures I think my myspace is alright but not to their standard. Hump!

Allie

Dad came here last week to help Ryan with the bathroom window and Frankie’s room’s window. Dad was giving Ryan some instructions and at the same time he was with Frankie in the living room playing. Frankie was trying to run him over with his toy and Dad made some funny sounds that made Frankie laughed. Anyways when Ryan finished with the bathroom drawer, Dad got up, started cutting what supposed to be cut, put it up and when they were both done, they sat down in the living room and we happened to talk about weight. I don’t deny it that Ryan has gained weight through out our marriage. In fact I did too. Dad suggested that he needs to have his cholesterol checked and I am so thankful with his concern.

Why was it so easy for him to lose almost 40 lbs in a month before? I got lazy in preparing his salad and monitoring what he ate and with him gaining back the weight I blame myself for that. It is never healthy to be obese and we know that at the back of our heads. I even need to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight before I can get pregnant again. So hopefully early next year both Ryan and I can go see our doctor and have our cholesterol checked. Yes I want to know what mine is too just to be sure. Maybe using allie is not a bad idea at all. With diet and exercise it offers a great potential. I’ll be going to Target tomorrow so might as well check it out myself.

Last Birthday In Cebu

Roxane and Olive are already here in the US. Missed them!

How can I ever forget my last birthday in the Philippines. I was visited by my close friends Roxane, Olive, Ernie and Danilo and of course the rest are my cousins. Yes they were all my cousins and a whole lot more not included in the picture. It is definitely different how we celebrate birthday here. Back home even if we don't have money we are already very happy to share even the littlest to everybody. I think I had a good sized celebration with this one. I can't remember what mama prepared but all I remember was it was with people I loved. This year will be different than the ordinary. Every 5 years I get to celebrate my birthday during thanksgiving. Sometimes it sucks because after that Ryan and I won't do anything special anymore but if I think of it, I am celebrating it with my family and this year it will be that time again. I turn 30 this thanksgiving and one of my wish has already been granted, I am waiting for the other 2. Yes I made 3 birthday and Christmas wishes and I hope it will all come true.

Princess Bride Game

My co-worker now always has a hard time getting her teenage boy and girl twins a gift for Christmas. They are at an age where they want to get their own thing. She likes all the girly, shimmery stuff like lip gloss and make up while her brother likes video games. She is not too comfortable allowing her son to get just about any game because it might be too violent for him. The next time I see her, I will definitely tell her about the new Princess Bride Game. It is rated E for everyone plus is got great reviews.

I watched the Princess Bride movie before and I love it and since the Princess Bride Game is based from the movie, I am sure it will be a hit too. It is packed with adventure, rumor and fun for everyone. What is even better is you will get 5 unique games for the price of one for your PC or Mac. Do you want to try and get a free copy of the Princess Bride Game for yourself? Then don’t forget to fill up the street team application and if selected they will send you your street team information packet. If Parenting Magazine ranked the Princess Bride Game as one of the top 10 games for kids, then it must be really good.

A Birthday Card From Uncle Don

I got a beautiful birthday card from Uncle Don from the mail two days ago. He never forgets my birthday since I met him in person when I was in college. You see, our Tiya Mylee got married to Uncle Don. My Aunt stayed in Australia for a little vacation with her sisters and that is how she met him. He is such a wonderful guy and he has been helping me and my sisters through school. He is also very generous. When Resty needed her bond money to go to Taiwan, he suggested that he will let her borrow the money because he doesn't want her to loan from the bank and had to pay high interest. I have to say it didn't work out well for Resty in Taiwan but now I understand why she was sent there. Resty has made many attempts to pay him back but all he kept saying is to take care of Ging-ging's expenses first and once she graduates then she can start paying him if she wants to. He said it is money that he doesn't use. We are indeed so blessed to get to know him. When I was pregnant with Frankie he was so concern of me that he kept calling me to make sure I was ok. I also sent them pictures of Frankie and they just adored him. I called him last month and I think I am due for another one and also to thank him for the beautiful card. I hope to see him soon because I would love him to meet Frankie and Ryan. Who knows one of these days we might meet in Cebu or we go visit them in Australia. That would be really nice.

SD Card

Are you in need of a new SD card for your digital camera especially for the holiday season? Or maybe you want to have a bigger GB for storing purposes then you better take advantage of this very good deal from www.buy.com. You will get two SD cards with 4 GB each and with that you will save $114.42. Do you want to know how much it is? It is only $32.24 plus free shipping. It is a definitely a good deal. Ryan and I are planning to get another digital camera because what we have is ready to give up on us and I hope this SD card will be compatible so that I can get this for less. I am sure there will be no printing for a long time. I always love taking pictures especially when it is about Frankie and it would be nice to have a bigger storage.

Invitations

We have received two other invitations besides the invitation from Noelle and Dad for Thanksgiving. One will be for lunch and the other one will be for dinner at Jenny's house. I already said no for lunch because we will be spending it in Chicago with Noelle, Dad and family but I am not sure on the evening. Sheila will be working then too and won't get off until 7:00 p.m. so hopefully we will make it in time but if not it will be ok too. We also don't want to rush back home. Ryan might want to take me somewhere for my birthday too. So we will see when we get there.

Are You Ready For Black Friday?

I have no idea what Black Friday was before until I started working retail. I have to say I was so surprised to see the amount of people waiting outside waiting for us to open the doors. I don’t blame them though because it is the time of the year when people get deals for the holiday but if you ask me, I would be rather be at home online shopping. The internet has truly revolutionized Black Friday too because there are places like www.buy.com whom you can buy online with the same savings you will get as when you are out there. You save gas; you are not in the cold, not in a rush and in line and most of all you get the same savings. So why not stay home?

Texas Roadhouse

Ryan wants us to go to Texas Roadhouse for dinner and for something. I really hate dressing up and dressing up Frankie not unless it is necessary. I guess this is necessary. It is already dark outside and he is still getting rid of the leaves. He didn't work over time today but it got dark so early so even if it is only 5:00 p.m. Anyways, I am so blessed with so much to write today but I am drained. Would you believed that I have been staring at the computer screen for the longest time and I don't even have any filler. My brain is tired and it better get recharged after we get home because I don't want to miss these opportunities. I can't wait for the weekend so that we can go somewhere again and relax. It seems like all I did is work and work but I am not complaining because it helps me save for Papa and his insurance and save some for when we go home to the Philippines. I better get ready because Dada just signaled me to get ready. Laters!

Bella Band

One of the major issues I had when I was pregnant with Frankie was my pants didn’t seem to fit me well. I know that in buying maternity clothes you have to use your pre-pregnancy size but I can’t seem to get it right with the pants. There was one time when Ryan and I were at church and my pants kept falling off my belly. I had it over my stomach and every time I walk it slowly went down that I was so afraid that it will fall off me completely. There were even some instances that I had to hold my pants while walking so that I know that it is not going anywhere. Had I known about bella band, I could have been telling you a different story now.

You see bella band is very easy to use. You can put it over your pants and it holds it up for you. I am sure that there were times when you tried squeezing into your pre-pregnancy pants and can’t close it but still wants to wear it. This is when the bella band will really be of help by holding it up for you. It comes with 3 colors which is black, white and sand. You can even take advantage of Duematernity.com’s free shipping for the holidays by using “BLOG1” during checkout. This could also be a perfect holiday gift to someone you know that is expecting. I am sure they would love to have one.

My Keeper

We have totally moved all our shoes from the hallway closet to our bedroom and some we gave them away to the Philippines. We also kept some in bags and just put out the ones that we often use. Frankie as you have seen in his previous photos like to vacuum and nothing changed. In fact he uses the broom now and knows how to pick the dirt up. He imitates what I do and it is so amazing to see him learn by just watching me.

Anyways, for the past weeks I have been wondering where my shoes always go. You see, I never liked wearing house shoes. I feet always get sweaty with them on and I don't like the yucky feeling. So I always wear my socks with my sandal or my very comfy shoes. Every time I lay down on the couch to nap while he is playing when I get up my shoes are gone. Sometimes I wonder that maybe I left it in one of the rooms. It really bothered me before because I thought I am getting forgetful until one day I knew who the culprit is. While I was on the couch reading something, I saw Frankie grabbed both of my shoes and placed it inside the shoe closet. He opened it dropped it on the floor and said "there" and shut the door. I really had to laugh. I guess he knew that shoes are supposed to be inside the closet. That is also where I found the sandal that I have been looking for, for days. At least now I know where to find them if I ever lose them again.

using the dustpan

Being silly chasing mama with the broom.

He even knows how to move the carpet and sweep underneath it.

Sear's Friends & Family VIP Night

A lot of people wait until the last minute before they go shopping. I remember when I was working retail, people used to come in when the store was about to close in 15 minutes to shop. They didn’t plan their shopping well therefore they didn’t save as much. Other smart shoppers wait till Black Friday to go holiday shopping to save even more but smarter shoppers would go shopping tomorrow at Sears Friends & Family VIP Night to save a whole lot more. How is extra 10% off almost everything and extra 5% on electronics sound to you? How about an extra 15% off all women’s, men’s and kid’s clothing and a huge 20% off on all outerwear for the entire family? That is a good deal that is hard to pass up.

Good thing I don’t have to work tomorrow because I really would like to go and check what they have. I have been trying to save up for a new grill but there is always something going that I usually spend my money with something else. I know it is out of season which makes it a lot cheaper than getting it during the summer and with the discounts that Sears is offering tomorrow from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. I can't let this opportunity pass by. What is even better is you don’t have to wake up early, wait in the cold and fall in line during Black Friday just to save because you can do that tomorrow at Sears Friends & Family VIP Night.

New Schedule

I am not too happy with my new schedule at work. I know... I know it is only 30 minutes earlier and Ryan said it is more hours but it seems like I am always in a rush. I have to go in together with my supervisor so that he can train me. The training started last Thursday and so far I am absorbing it well. I don't hesitate to ask questions if I have something in mind or even suggestions. So tonight and the rest of the up coming weeks I will be coming in at 7:30 p.m. I usually get up at 5:30 p.m. from nap and with that I don't have that much time to prepare. At least Ryan makes dinner which makes it easier for me especially when I have so much to write. It surely does make a huge difference to have a very supportive husband. He has been doing really good with Frankie while I am away. I just wish I will have more sleep but other than that everything is ok. Will be off in a little bit because I will be working again tonight.

Have You Thought Of Using Kmart Layway?

We have already started buying Frankie his gifts for Christmas. We intended to get it out of the way since we saw some toys that were educational and affordable. As to some of our relatives we haven’t start buying anything yet. Ryan and I need to sit down and write what we can possibly get to each of them. We don’t want to go crazy with the spending that we want to pay cash on little things and for big ones we can always take advantage of Kmart Layaway. You see we have so many things to buy with my father joining us hopefully before Christmas. We also need to rearrange the second bedroom so that he will have his own room. We need to take everything out that is in the closet so that he has a place to put his clothes in. We may have to put a side table too so that he will have a place to put his clock and also buy a floor lamp so that he will have something to illuminate his room. It might not be much if you think of it but if you add everything, it cost much and taking advantage of Kmart Layaway will be just perfect.

So if you have been keeping an eye on something which you think you can’t afford before then this is your chance get it with Kmart Layaway. With this you don’t have to get stuck paying for something even if the holiday has long ended.

All Set

We are all set for Frankie at least. We went shopping last night at Kohls because they were having the night owl special and we got another discount coupon from the mail so we wanted to take advantage of it. There were educational toys that were over $20.00 and the check out price was $8.00 and some even less. Santa was like panic buying and I asked him why so many and he said they weren't expensive anyway. We also bought a little truck for Frankie's cousin Dan-dan. I heard he really love trucks and plus he doesn't have that much toys. I am glad that we are done for Frankie and now had to come later for his cousins. Ryan got himself a couple of shirts for work and I got myself a couple of clearance long-sleeved tops also for work. I love Christmas but if you are not careful, you can also go broke.

Dallas Resumes

I really want to find a full time job but because of Frankie and nobody watching him I have to settle for a part-time job for now. I am not really up to leaving him at the daycare center for a week. Probably once a week for 4 hours is not bad just to meet and play with other kids. That is the reason why we can’t wait for Papa to get here so that he can watch Frankie. I am sure Frankie will also like that because he can get to play all day long with his Tatay. Although we don’t know what the date is for sure, I have been looking online for sites where I can send my resume. I wish I was from Dallas Texas because I can send my resume at www.dallasjobsite.com. They have 6,512 available jobs and 3,897 new jobs in the past 14 days. Isn’t it encouraging to know? It is a site where Dallas resumes are submitted for people who are looking for a job that are living locally. I may have to check one for Chicago. We may have one here too.

It's Back and Working

I have been missing mama for almost 4 days now because their internet connected in Cebu just stopped working. They don't have any dial tone for a few days and I haven't talk to any of them. I tried calling the house and it didn't even give me a busy signal but it kept on ringing. I really hate when things like this happens because the service is very slow and of course they don't deduct a percent of the monthly fee for the time that they are out of service. It's like weeks and weeks that mama hasn't seen Frankie even if it has only been a few days. It is so hard to be far from my family but soon things will get better.

Laguardia Airport Shuttle

I got a call from a friend asking me if Ryan and I can pick them up at the airport. They really don’t have anyone to ask a favor with but as much as I wanted to see all of them especially the kids but Ryan needs to stay overtime at his work and I will be working at 8:00 p.m. and we were supposed to pick them up between 6:30-7:00 p.m. It is also a long drive from our house to the airport. I said yes in the beginning but after looking into the situation more, there is no way that I will be able to get to work on time and I don’t want to be absent. Thankfully with the help of Papa and Mama giving her a call for me, they were able to warn her ahead of time and that also put me at ease. If they could have been traveling to New York it would have been a different story because Laguardia Airport Shuttle can always pick them up on time.

It is so hard traveling with a little one especially when you don’t have anybody picking you up at the other end. That is why you can trust Laguardia Airport Shuttle to come pick you up and take you to the hotel or to New York City and its surrounding suburbs. It is not only affordable but also convenient. They provide customer service assistance and ease to their passenger with their modern vans. So if you are heading to New York this holiday or anytime soon then let Laguardia Airport Shuttle take you there.

And They Asked Me...

Yes they did asked me last night if I want to be the assistant supervisor. My immediate supervisor asked me after he was told by his immediate supervisor to ask me. I was so busy last night that without thinking I said yes but I thought of myself, hey why not? We haven't talked about the pay yet but we will when I see them again. He is going to start training me this week. Remember when I said I don't want to be a supervisor ever again, well I changed my mind because there are only 6 of us now to manage and all of us are all responsible people. Yep from 12 down to 6. Most of them quit and one just left us without saying goodbye. One important thing too is I am very happy with what I am doing. It is tiring but it is exciting. God is really good. This will really help a lot. I can't believe that I have been working for 3 months next week.

Looking For A Website Hosting?

You can really get lost in the internet if you don’t know where to go. What I am referring to is when I was looking for a web host for my blog. It used to be very hard to find a new web hosting service but not anymore because of Webhostinggeeks.com. What I liked about them is they are the one stop if you are looking for website hosting. Who has the time to go from one website to the other to read and compare anyway, right? So shopping at Webhostinggeeks.com will surely save you time and also money.

Another thing that I liked about Webhostinggeeks.com is the reviews and the ratings that other customers made about each host and that really helps you in the deciding for which to go for. They also ranked the top 10 web hosts of 2008 which I find so convenient because they listed the features, bonus features and of course the reviews. It really puts me at ease that I am about to use a service where other people find so great. I like reading the reviews and hopefully will be able to decide something for myself soon. For under $10.00 a month, you’ll never go wrong. You can even check out the 10 latest hosting reviews. So if you or someone you know needs a web host then don’t hesitate to visit Webhostinggeeks.com and you’ll be glad you did.

Pan de Sal With Purple Yam Filling

I planned to make a custard chiffon cake yesterday but I was so lazy to leave the house to get the ingredients because it was so cold so I decided to stay home and make another set of Pan de Sal. This time I didn't make it so big like before so I can evenly share it to my friends. I read in one of the reviews there that she added purple yam and it tasted like "Julie's Bakeshop" in the Philippines. Ryan, Frankie and I were at K-mart last Saturday so I decided to stop by the Filipino store. I picked up 2 bottles of purple yam and that is what I used as a filling yesterday. I made as much as the last time but cut it in little sizes. After talking to Grandma yesterday I decided to finally make the rest of them and I was so pleased with the result. It tasted so yummy. Here is it :

Zenni Optical on Fox

I really hope Frankie won’t need eyeglasses when he grows up. It is really annoying to be wearing one and also very expensive. When I was in high school, I used to envy my parents for wearing one. It looked so cool on them that I insisted on having one. They never got me one though but when I started working as a teacher and using the computer more often that is when I have to have my eyeglasses for my astigmatism. Getting my pair every year is making me worry. Imagine spending $300.00 every time but not anymore now that I learned about Zenni Optical online and I have to say what a relief.

Zenni Optical carries great eyeglasses for less online. As long as you have your prescription ready then you’re good to go. What I like about them is they have variable dimension frames from Zenni. If you are skeptical about it then you better check it out because Zenni Optical was on FOX news and decide for yourself. Zenni must be doing something good because they won’t be featured as Zenni on Fox if they are not doing something right. On your next eyeglasses needs don’t forget Zenni. Below is my favorite eyeglass from them.

Had A Talked With Grandma

I just hanged up phone with Grandma Neis and as usual our conversation lasted for over an hour and a half. Yep you will be surprised what we were talking about but I got to tell you there is always a lot when I talk to her. She is always fun to talk with and we always have new topics to talk about. As I mentioned before I meant to call her to thank her for the book. I guess she already had that book even before we went to visit them last June and she kept forgetting to give it to me. When she saw it she thought of Frankie (and our children) because I am sure they would love to learn about the Philippines. Isn't she sweet? So that was why she got me the book. I have been trying to call her but with the busy schedule I have here we kept missing each other. I am glad I finally talked to her. It has been a while. She said she will try to call me during the night from now on. She is so supportive and excited about Papa and Mama coming over and she wishes that mama will say yes soon.

Visiting NYC?

When I was in college, our professor in history always takes us places. My major was social science and history is its branch. It was always fun going to places that are not only new to most of us but also is very historical. Unfortunately, since we usually go in a large group we also need a bus to take us places. Of all the places we have visited, I think it was only once that the bus that our professor hired was ever on time. In fact there were a couple of times when we almost missed the boat going home because the bus was late in picking us up. It wouldn’t be that bad if we are not carrying any luggage with us but we were, let alone the souvenirs we bought. This will never happen if we were with Bus Charter NYC.

What I like about Bus Charter NYC is you can be sure that they are on time. It will definitely make a huge difference since when you go out in a group you always have a schedule to follow. They also have well maintained vehicles and friendly staff to put you at ease while enjoying your trip. It doesn’t matter where you want to go in fact you can even create a tailored custom tour. What is even better is you will enjoy a discounted transfer for groups. So if you and your group are planning to visit NYC then don’t forget to contact them and leave your trip to the experts.

Early Sunday Morning

It was so nice rolling over to bed until 10:30 a.m. Frankie didn't get up early so that really helped. I didn't work last night but I have so much to write that I ended up staying until almost 3:00 a.m. I could have finished a few already but I am such a slacker and you know how it is in the internet, there are so many things that can catch your attention. So if I feel tired of thinking I surfed the internet and before I know it I have already wasted 20 minutes of my time. It wasn't that bad last night though because I talked to my sissy while online and I was able to finish 3. I have seven more to go and I need to finish them really soon because I will be working another 4 days this week. So I hope you will have a wonderful Sunday. I already have and will be baking soon.

Travel Las Vegas With i4vegas.com

A lot of people will be traveling this holiday. Although some prefer to stay home, others will visit their relatives while some would also like to check out Las Vegas. Well if you haven’t make any commitments yet on which hotel in las vegas you will be staying, then better check www.i4vegas.com first because they can help you save a lot of money. They offer you the finest hotels at the fraction of the cost. So you don’t have to shop around for hotels because you will find them in one place. Also don’t forget to visit their promotions page to get started and to find great deals in Las Vegas.

Dan-Dan's Trick or Treat

I am so happy when I saw new pictures of my nephew in my sister in law's friendster account. Apparently they went trick or treating at my sister in law's sister's school. The picture above is of Dan-dan with his cousin so crabby because he was scared. Ging-ging said they really didn't go far just walked around. I am glad that Dan-dan gets to experience trick or treating too. He looks like a genie on his outfit. Below is the happy family with the expectant parents. Cheryl looks great for being preggo. I can't wait to kiss and hug them all.

Black Friday Ads

Our digital camera is so ready to retire on us. We got it on 2003 on clearance in the retail store where I used to work. It has been working with us well all those times but it has been having issues lately. I have been encouraging Ryan to get a new one but he wants to wait after Thanksgiving to see if we can get one for a good deal. So I told him about Ritzcamera.com’s Black Friday ads. You see, you don’t have to wait for November 28 to get what you like. Every Friday of the month of November before Black Friday, you get to peek at their pre-Black Friday specials and if you like something you can get it right away. So don't be left behind and don't forget to tell your friends about this wonderful deal.

Custard Chiffon Cake

I don't know why but I feel like making a custard chiffon cake tomorrow. It's been a while since I have tasted one and I am up to making one. I still need to get a lot of stuff so Frankie and I will have to go shopping tomorrow. It is getting cold outside and I don't know what happened to me lately but I am so up for baking. Dada will be busy tomorrow so I want to be busy with something else tomorrow too. What I also liked is Ryan is so supported with anything I want if I want to make something. It is just me who is very lazy at times. Well, I will let you know how it goes tomorrow and I hope it will even look like a cake. It should look like the one on the side. So good luck to me. When Papa gets here I will then have a partner in crime. He loves to bake.

Personalized Gifts For Kids At Freckbox.com

Do you like receiving personalized gifts? I do and that is also the reason why I love giving one. Since I started learning how to write, my parents have always encouraged us to give something from the heart. Since then when I give something to someone it is either something that I painted, created or wrote because I believed it gives more impact and meaning to the person I am giving it to. Anyways for the past couple of months, Ryan and I have been thinking of what to give Frankie for Christmas. We don’t want to give him another toy because he already has enough and since he is now showing interest in books which is refers to as “bok”, we thought of giving him personalized books but we don’t know where to get them. Thankfully I was given a chance to review Frecklebox’s personalized book for Frankie and I have to say it was more than I expected. Just look at the front cover of the book below:

Frankie is in the stage where he is eager to learn new things and that includes the alphabet. My Name is… nature book will surely help him because he will not only see different places but also his name spelled in them. When Ryan first showed him the book the night we got it, he was so happy pointing at the leaves, the birds in the playground and the moon as Ryan read to him every page. Would you believed that now he wouldn’t lie down if his Dada hasn’t read his “bok” yet that is on cabinet?

So on Frankie’s second birthday I already know what to give the kids. I will get the kids that will be joining us personalized coloring books. It is not only fun but also educational. If you don’t know what you give your little one this holiday why don’t you get them personalized gifts from frecklebox.com and give them the gift of learning.

I Want To be Like My Mother

Being silly with his winter hat. He placed it on his head by himself.

If there is one thing that I would want is for Frankie to be very open to me like how we are so open to my mother including my two elder brothers. We are so close that we tell mama all our frustrations and disappointments. She was always there for us all those times. My brother’s first broken heart. She was there for me all those nights with milk and bread when I had to stay late to study. She used to cry with me when I am so tired from studying . I remember her telling me that if it is something to be carried, she will definitely carry it for me. She cried with me when I missed Ryan so much after he came home from the Philippines and I can just go on and on. I have a very loving and open-minded mother that was why we never want to hurt her. We try to make her happy all the time and my wish is to be like my mother where my son will feel comfortable sharing to me everything. With how close Frankie and I there is no doubt we will be.

A Complete Pair For Less

I can’t imagine not having my pair of eyeglasses anymore after wearing this for nearly ten years. I can’t also imagine how much I have spent after all these years of wearing one. Unfortunately this is one thing that I can’t ignore and also something that I need to have. When I was in the Philippines I usually change my eyeglasses every 6 months because it is not that expensive there and most of the time after 6 months it starts to tarnish but I can never do that here. The last time I had my eyes checked we spent $300.00 for a couple of new pair and would you believe that the screw of my day to day eyeglasses already started falling off? It is not even 6 month yet since we got it. I really wouldn’t mind if it was cheap but it wasn’t. I don’t have the money to go out all the time just to get me a new pair.

Thankfully I found out about Zenni Optical online. Do you know what I liked about them? They are very affordable. Just imagine a pair of complete stylish eyeglasses starting at $8.00. You can’t beat that. You can also add some cool stuff in your prescription eyeglasses at an affordable price. At least now I know exactly where to go and save myself a whole lot of money.