Jose Rizal

He who does not know how to look back at where he came from will never get to his destination.
Jose Rizal

Found out that you can choose by nationality over at BrainyQuotes.com ... that's where I get these quotes here in my blog. Interesting interpretation here, too ... I am more familiar with this quote using the local language.

For me, this means that you have to appreciate the past in order for you to be able to go where you want to go; kind of like learning from the past. Or something.

Don't dwell too much on it, though. :)

I Remember ...

Before hubby and I got married, we had no idea how wedding preparations were made; and since wedding organizers were pretty unheard of those days, we asked around. So, I looked for someone who can sew my gown (I designed a pretty simple dress), and we both looked for the hotel where the reception was going to be held. It was relatively easy, except for the wedding favors. We had to travel a bit just to find them!

It's a good thing that nowadays it's so easy to go online and find good quality wedding favors! Try visiting Truly Wedding Favors and you'll see there different choices! Something totally unheard of during my days!

I just like the different choices they have, and you can even choose which themes! Some wedding favors can even be personalized, and I think that's really awesome! Browsing is really easy, too. If I was given a choice, I know I'd choose the camera (left picture); it's practical and the guests can take the shots themselves!

So, are you stumped about where to get your wedding favors? No worries, just visit TrulyWeddingFavors.com and see for yourself how easy it is trying to find the "one" wedding favor that you need for your wedding! :)

My Blog's Readability is ...

Hahahaha ... what does this actually mean??!! ;P

My blog is too hard to understand?!

LOL :D

Mother Teresa

Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.
Mother Teresa

Awwwww ... I just love this! So simple, but so deep. Just one sentence which says a lot! That's what I love about quotes like this.

Actually, it's not simple. Kind of flowery, really. But still, it caught my attention while browsing for some Mother Teresa quotes. :)

Hey, do I make any sense here? lol ... ;P

Start paying next year ...

Do you know that you don't have to lose your car? Yup, RateGenius.com can help Refinance a Car, or an SUV, or even a truck!
With RateGenius.com, they can help find a refinance program for you that best fits your lifestyle. You will be given the best possible rate, term and payment. And what's more: if you apply now, you don't need to pay this year! Your payments will only start on 2008!

Isn't that neat? That will give you time left to save some more, or else get that something that you've always wanted this Christmas! Truly a great deal!

Mother Teresa

I want you to be concerned about your next door neighbor. Do you know your next door neighbor?
Mother Teresa

Honestly, I don't. Well, I know some of them, but my actual next door neighbor ... I have no idea where they came from, or how many lives there!

Sometimes, I must admit, I like it that way. I guess that means that I won't have to be overly concerned about them, or think about them much. It's definitely one less thing to think about each day!

But Mother Teresa is right .. we have to be concerned. For all I know, my next door neighbor might be a terrorist, or something! LOL :D

No, of course not. Just kidding. I do know that the guy works at the City Hall and his live-in partner just stays at home. He's got a kid while she is pregnant. Confusing?

Well, that's city life! ;P

Watching Live ...

Do you know that the first Boston Red Sox schedule will be on March 2 of next year? That might seem far away for some, but for Red Sox fans that's almost like next week already!

A former classmate of mine who's a fan has been searching the internet for Spring Training Tickets for the Red Sox as early as last week; and this is going to be quite meaningful for her and her two kids since this will be their first time to watch it live! Sure, they enjoy watching it on television, but the atmosphere is different once you're actually there!

If I could, I would love to go watch with them, too! :)

Mother Teresa

Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.
Mother Teresa

Yes, that is definitely true! Sometimes we wait for someone else, and he/she doesn't show! We will just be in for some disappointments ...

Why not do it yourself if you can do it on your own? I guess that thats what Mother Teresa did ... she willed herself to go ahead and make things happen, rather than waiting for some government official(s) to pave her way.

Easy to say, I know ... but difficult to do.

Wordless Wednesday: Sweets

TTags:wordless wednesday, maiylah, picture clusters

Paying Less but Getting More

It's that time of year again! Yup, one of my favorite times! Though I must say, one of the most "expensive" time of the year, too! But that's part of the fun. Well, for me, anyway. Know what I do to lessen the expenses? I use coupons over at CouponChief.com!
Do you know that they are offering $50 off in one of those digital cameras found at some Best Buy deals? Honestly, I have been saving money to get myself a new digital single lens reflex camera, but they are just so expensive! Getting coupons such as these is truly a blessing for me!

Just the other week hubby was telling me that he's thinking of getting a printer soon, and my son wanted a game console. I immediately looked at some Buy.com deals and found out that they have what they were looking for! Hopefully, we might be able to get what we want with the help of these coupons and deals!

I am pretty excited about the idea, and if you're like us who like buying things less than what other people buy, then you've got to try CouponChief.com! Looking for deals there is definitely worth it! Saves time, too! :)

Nat King Cole

went looking for a Christmas song at YouTube ... of course, my choice is an oldie: Nat King Cole's CHRISTMAS SONG.

Love it ... though kind of sad.
Dunno why.

Maybe it's because Christmas brings such nostalgic feelings and sometimes it involves people who are no longer with us. Specially people who were so special and really made an impact in our lives.

But, that's just me. LOL. :)

Internet Find ...

Just take a look at that ... is this for real?
Found this while surfing the internet ... that's one cool shirt! :)

A Friend and Her Cousin

My friend, having studied at North Carolina State University during her masteral studies, decided one time to drive to Charlotte to visit a relative. Her relative had been living in one of those Charlotte Apartments for almost a year. Since it had been almost three years since the last time they met, she wasn't sure if she'd still recognize her cousin.

She shouldn't have worried, they recognized each other almost instantly! Her cousin wanted her help finding another apartment near the university since she was thinking of switching jobs. It was a good thing that my friend knew about ApartmentFinder.com.

Being map-based, you can easily find an apartment in the area where you want, and that includes photos, floor plans, and more. You can search by college (which was really convenient for my friend and her cousin), by military base, or by address. They didn't have a hard time finding for that apartment that they were looking for, and pretty soon her cousin got another apartment of her own.

After that, since her cousin was already living relatively near her apartment, they always have dinner together at least once a week. Living in another country and adjusting to basically everything, they learned to cope and enjoyed their new environment together. :)

Confucius

To be wronged is nothing unless you continue to remember it.
Confucius

yes ... definitely!
Let bygones be bygones, huh?! Forget those grievances ...

Life is too short to be riddled with problems. ;)

Finding an Apartment ...

My cousins who migrated to the USA just recently wanted to transfer to Los Angeles because of their work.Being nurses, they wanted to find an apartment near the hospital where they will be working. They aren't really in a hurry to find one, and so they have been slacking a bit about looking. I suggested that they try finding Los Angeles Apartments over at ApartmentFinder.com.

It has been ages since we've seen each other! They are older than me, so they are closer to my older sisters. But that hasn't stopped us from corresponding every now and then. Occasionally, I'd send them birthday or Christmas cards. Sometimes they call over, too, but not much.

I hope that they have already found an apartment for themselves before the year ends; January of next year will be the time when they need to start working at their new work area. They are excited about the idea, but hesitant about leaving their old place. They did have great moments there.

But, it's off to a new start for them, so I'm sure that they are all looking forward to it! :)

A Friend's White Christmas

I have a former classmate who just went abroad because she wanted to take her masteral studies in another country. We were quite close when we were in college, and thinking about those times made me realize that I really do miss her. We used to go out on these fun and crazy outings (of course, harmless ones!) after every exams. Indeed, those were the days.

But now that she's in another country, she had to find an apartment which would suit her and her kids. Yes, she also brought her kids with her, and so I suggested some St. Louis Apartments which might interest her. She is interested in finding an apartment which would accommodate her two kids and herself; eventually, her husband will also be arriving, by next year.

Hopefully, by this time she has already found an apartment; and one that both she and her kids love. It's almost Christmas time and I hope that they will have their White Christmas in a house that they will remember for always. :)

Confucius

When anger rises, think of the consequences.
Confucius

yup ... we should.
But sometimes, it's too late.

:(

The next best thing to do is to say SORRY.

Finding A Place of Our Own

Choosing a house for a family could be quite daunting, specially if you are new to the place. Hubby bought this lovely house and lot at a province where he was assigned a few years back, and it was a good thing he found out that it was for sale. We stayed there for two years, but had to transfer because of hubby's job; he got transferred to a bigger city.

Now that we are in the city, we are swamped with Real Estate agents all over the mall. We are staying in an apartment right now, but we're looking for a place which we can call as our own. Besides, we both think that paying for your own house is much better than paying for something which will never be yours.

Hopefully, one of these days we will get to find that house or place which we can really call our own. It might seem impossible now, but I am positive that one day our dream will come true. :)

Warm Christmas Vacation ...

Now that it's getting cooler, what do you think of having a vacation somewhere warm and sunny? Sounds tempting, huh?! The first thing that would really come to mind would be Hawaii, right? If so, then check out the Oahu vacation rentals!

Even if I live in a tropical country, I never get tired of going to the beach. I love the effect that it has on me; very relaxing! For those who live in temperate countries, though, I guess Hawaii is the most logical choice since it is definitely nearer and so less travel time, and probably less expensive.

Just because you are going on a vacation doesn't mean that you can only get to sit, sleep and eat! Well, of course, you can do that, too. After all, it is your vacation! But for those who want to be always doing something, then you've got to check out Hawaii Travel Blog. You can definitely get good Oahu Vacation Information from there.

So, ready for a warm Christmas vacation? Then head on over to HawaiianBeachRentals.com and see for yourself the many possibilities of how you might have a warm vacation this December! :)

Confucius

Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.
Confucius

Short and simple. What about that ...
Sometimes when you're into a routine, it might seem so hard to change ... specially if it works for you.

But I know ... I should always be open to change.
Sometimes hard, but do-able. :)

Do you wear them?

Honestly, I don't actually wear aprons. Of course, we were taught to wear one during our cooking classes when I was still in my elementary and high school years. Even at home, my mom and sister always wore an apron while cooking.

I did wear them for a while, but I guess I just got lazy; much better having a handy towel beside me to wipe my hands on!

I guess that's just me! lol ... :)

Comparing prices ...

Just this weekend we went around different shops trying to compare prices between stores which offers the lowest Wii (Nintendo) price. So far, only one shop had a reasonable price, while the others were a bit way off our budget. Maybe they had more games included, or what, but we didn't ask. Our mistake, I know. But we were already tired after all that walking!

It's great that there's this site where I can compare prices painlessly (no need to be going around and wasting time just looking for one object!): SaveBuckets.co.uk! In a matter of seconds, I got what I was looking for! Isn't that neat?!

Buddha

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.
Buddha

This definitely holds true for me... though sometimes it does take more effort than it should. Specially if you're not used to NOT thinking about the future or anticipating troubles ...

But, this is good advice.
I believe it's a great way to beat stress, too! :)

Short Vacation

One time, we had a short weekend vacation at a beach resort/hotel; it didn't have lots of customers that time since we arrived early. I had the luxury of enjoying their outdoor teak furniture all by myself while listening to the waves splashing and a samba song on the background.

I really had a relaxing time, and I didn't know that teak patio furniture can be so comfortable! Eventually, though, I had to stand up and leave because we were going to visit a friend who was living near the resort. But that experience left me quite well rested; something which I normally don't get, specially if a resort is crowded and too noisy. Well, we were lucky the resort wasn't full yet, but by the time we got back, there were already a handful of beach visitors; and noisy ones at that! I wasn't irritated, really. I mean, after all, it was a public resort! lol.

Still, that experience made me want to get my own teak patio furniture! And there's a place where I know I can get good quality ones: TeakWoodPatioFurniture.com! :)

Need computer table ...

The first time we bought our desktop computer, we were at a loss as to what kind of computer furniture we will be needing. We had an idea what color we wanted it to be, but the specifics we weren't that sure. It was the first time we were having our own computer, but we did get to see some computer tables in some offices.

We visited some malls and made some rounds through the different furniture stores; we also asked the personnel on what they could recommend, and they said that since they supply school computer furniture to one of the local schools, they have a wide range of designs we could choose from.

I must admit, they did have a wide range of designs, and we were somewhat overwhelmed! But we eventually found one, and we loved it!

Recently, though, after moving to another house, we have been thinking of changing our computer table; it seems too large. Good thing there's VersaTables.com where we can shop online (our former store is too far away now). Since they just won a large school furniture contract, I'm sure they'd have lots of quality designs for us to choose, too! Will definitely be paying them a visit, soon ... :)

Weekend Snapshot

Went to the grocery yesterday...

... and funny, because just around a couple or so of days ago I was watching this show in the Lifestyle Network about the hottest chili around the world ...

and I found out that they are of this type: Habaneros!

Was thinking of buying it, but ... nah.

Maybe next time. When I'm braver! lol. ;)

TTags:weekend snapshot

Getting a Photo Blanket ...

I have read from someone else's blog about these Photo Blankets a while back, and that got me thinking: maybe I can give my sister one of these Photo Blankets as a Christmas gift! So, I visited their site and I must say, they do look real nice! I mean, the quality of the pictures on those blankets are wonderful!

Now the only thing that I have to think about is the picture; I don't have any decent pictures of her to have printed on the Photo Blanket! Maybe my brother can send over some pictures of her since their houses are nearer ... and I hope that he can take her picture without being too obvious about it! lol.

What about you? Stumped for something to give this Christmas? Try visiting VisionBedding.com and see if you can get some Christmas gift ideas from there, too! :)

Green Thumb Sunday

Visit As the Garden Grows for more info about Green Thumb Sunday

This is one of the three types of turfgrasses that is popularly being utilized here, carabao grass (Paspalum conjugatum). The other types are bermuda grass (Cynodon spp.) and various species of zoysia grass.

The bermuda grass is easy to cultivate, has a good recuperative ability and grows in a wide range of soils, hence it's being popular.

The shot above was taken from a university near our place.

PhotoHunt: Hot

It certainly was HOT and dusty when I took this shot ... :)

Back Again ...!!

yeheeeyyyy!!!! Photobucket is online once again!!!!

They certainly took their time! lol ... I noticed when I logged in today that my pictures who were hosted in Photobucket were back again ... COOL!

Though I have started using image shack again ... lol.

Now, maybe I should start not putting all my pictures in just one place, huh?! ;P

Thinking of Blinds ...

When we were younger, I absolutely had no idea what blinds were! Of course, being kids then, all we really ever cared about were our toys, the different games, and that we won't get caught playing with the dogs after we've had our night baths! lol.

But seriously, these days having a blind is pretty common in different houses that I've been to. The first time I saw one I was really impressed, since when you put a blind on your window, the air can still pass through, but you can also still have privacy. That's what I liked about them.

Now that I have my own house, I have the opportunity to put them in one of our downstairs windows. The first thing that I usually do if I want to buy something, like some blinds, would be to check it out through the internet. So far the ones that I found that I really liked are found over at Terry's Fabrics. Specially their Oak Wood Slat Venetian Blind ... I just loved it! The color reminds me so much of the old wooden "windows" we have over at my parents house. Yes, we have wooden jalousie windows there ... :)

Once hubby and I decide which one we'd love, am so sure we'd get one right away. What about you? Thinking of getting blinds, too? If so, then I suggest you check out TerrysFabrics.co.uk and see their wonderful collection before you decide on anything else! :)

Self Defense

Being exposed to all those karate movies ever since I was small, I have always taken an interest to self defense using the body, instead of using guns or swords. As a young girl, I would accompany some of my young male friends to their favorite hunts and games (yeah, I was the tomboyish kid, lol), and one of their favorite past times was this karate thingy. There were no certified karate experts then to show us, so what we did was just imitate those Jacky Chan movies. Good thing nobody was hurt those days!

It's a good thing that there are now experts like Captain Chris, who has his own site, Close Combat Training; this is where we can all have the opportunity to learn what karate and self-defense is all about! Captain Chris' Close Combat training program is where you can learn all about the Truth About Martial Arts, which is evident in his Close Combat training video. And guess what: you can take this award winning program a free "test drive"! Isn't that just amazing?

So if you want to learn more about karate and how it can possibly save you and your family, check out Close Combat Training and get Captain Chris' Training program! You can avail of their 30-day free trial and see if it's for you, or not. Go ahead, check them out! :)

Friday's Feast

Appetizer
Imagine that you are deaf, dumb and insensitive to touch.What other image of happiness could you have?

Seeing would be enough to make me happy. Or make me sad. :)

Soup
Do you collect anything?

Not really ... but i like buying cameras every couple of years or so. Though I give them to relatives when I know that I won't be using them anymore. Does that count?!


Salad
When do you start your Christmas?

Traditionally, celebrating Christmas here in the Philippines starts 9 days before Dec.25th; we have our Misa de Gallo (literally, Rooster's Mass) starting on Dec16th till the 24th.
But for me ... my Christmas starts the day I shop for Christmas presents! lol.


Main Course
What would you do if you were in a corner and a snake was staring you down?

I'd do nothing. lol. I'll wait for it to move first, then decide from there.

Dessert
If you were in the library and had gas

HAHAHAHA! I'll decide when I get there .... LOL!!!

Since The Chef is on leave, Friday's Feast is hosted today by Gattina

T Tags:friday's feast, fridaysfeast, maiylah, picture clusters, meme

Stress-free Moving Day

Having experienced moving three times from one place to another together with my husband and one child, I must say I don't enjoy moving at all! What I mean is the whole process of moving; trying to find reputable removing companies as well as the best removal quote can be quite daunting. It's great, really , that MoveMe.com and it's free move planner is now available online!
Living quite far away from the main city,the first time we had to move was when our son was barely four years old. You can just imagine the huge amount of toys we had to pack! We wanted to give some of them away, but our son didn't like the idea of leaving his toys behind. So, pack them all we did! I couldn't leave some of my potted plants, too, so they were also placed in a protective covering. It seems like the mover wasn't careful, though, since when they arrived in our new home, I noticed some pots were broken. Well, they did have to travel across the sea and then another three hours of land travel. Still, I wish the movers were more careful!

I'm sure that MoveMe.com could have done a much better job! The removing companies under them are reliable, good value, and totally brilliant at what they do! What's more, their move planner can help with the list that you will be needing (trust me, you will need a list!), as well as offering Royal Mail forwarding forms for change of address letters, parking permit applications and more!

And the best part? Move Planner is free! So, if you or anybody you know is thinking of moving, spare them (or yourself) the troubles and hassles of moving; check out MoveMe.com and enjoy a stress-free moving day! :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

I love this stop motion effect! I love the story being presented here, too! Simple and Fun. Actually, I have seen something similar in old "cartoon" videos, but this one's nice, too!

Brings back those days when I was much younger and had nothing to worry about except when I was hungry! LOL ...

Yeah, those were definitely the days. :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Research Online, Buy Offline

I'm sure lots of families would love to have a pioneer HDTV in their homes this Christmas. Well, for us who don't have one, anyway. :)

But do you know that there are buyers that do their research online and then proceed to buy not online but in a physical store? I have to admit, I am like that. It's because we like to have an actual feel of the product before committing ourselves to buying it; and have the opportunity to actually compare it with the other products of similar value or design.

What I usually do is I make my research online for the specific products (as well as similar ones), then after making a decision, that's when I decide on what store I'll be buying it from. It's a good thing that Krillion.com does just that for us: helps us choose and identify which store is nearest our place!

Founded in February 2007, Krillion.com provides an accurate local shopping results on the web for those looking for products online and wanting to know where a physical shop may be located for them to buy the product. For buyers like me who want to do my online research but prefer to buy it offline, this site is definitely a big help!

Photobucket

Somehow, I had expected that photobucket would be back again; and it seems I was mistaken. I wonder till how long will this be, or think this will be going on for, like, FOREVER???

I don't know why. Or is it only my account that's acting this way? I have a good number of pictures hosted over at photobucket, and it's such a shame if I can't get them anymore.

Wondering why .... and hoping that this wouldn't be FOREVER ... ugh!

Oh well ...

That's LIFE!
(yeah, sometimes it stinks, but sometimes it's bliss! LOL)

Online University

We have dreams and want to be ahead with our lives; one way to attain that is to get a good education. Sure, we can learn a lot from our experiences, but it helps if you have a diploma stating that you have earned a degree. It is important also that you get that diploma from a reputable school, and one such school is capella university.
Stephen Shank, former CEO of Tonka Corporation, felt that some adults were underserved by traditional universities and so he had this idea of a good-quality university where people from different locations may be able to reach. Together with Dr. Harold Abel, a former president of three universities and a leader in higher education, they founded The Graduate School of America, now known as Capella University.

Serving nearly 20,000 students in 50 states and in 56 countries, they offer 104 graduate and undergraduate specializations and 15 certificate programs as of October of this year (2007). The university is committed in providing high-caliber quality of education to it's students wherever they may be. So people from whatever walks of life who are interested in earning a degree but is hampered by physical deterrents can now get that education that they have been longing for.

If you want to know more about this online university, visit http://www.capella.edu or call 1.888.CAPELLA (227.3552). It's a step nearer to your dream. :)

Thursday Challenge

It's Thursday Challenge again, and the theme for this week is "Black and White".
No prizes or anything ... just for fun and learning! :)

This shot was taken when we visited my FIL's grave; before the All Soul's Day. It is customary to clean the grave site and "stay" there during All Soul's Day. Some even stay overnight, sing songs, offer prayers and flowers, and of course, light a candle.

It was my first time to experience something like that ... it was both sad and happy, at the same time.

Want to join, or view the other participants? click here.

ps. can't get to the site ... will be back later.

**update (23november2007,8:11AM EST): still can't get to the site! :(
(24november2007,10:09AM EST): at long last! ;D

T Tags:thursday challenge, maiylah, black and white, desaturated, picture clusters, family, memories

Pet Urns with Laser Engraving

The laser-engraved pet cremation urns on the HAL Woodworking website are remarkably life-like. They have many laser engraved urn samples of their work and hand craft each one with loving care. After all, pets are family members too and deserve such a beautiful pet urns as resting place, where everyone can remember the good times.

Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Men kick friendship around like a football, but it doesn't seem to crack. Women treat it like glass and it goes to pieces.
Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Hahahaha ... yes, I wonder why. Is it because women show more emotions compared to men? I believe that men can be quite emotional, too ... they just don't show it.

I guess that's why more men die of heart attacks than women (just a personal experience) ... they don't let out those pent up emotions.

Yeah ... me and my ramblings again. LOL

Internet Time

Nowadays people can learn almost about anything on the internet, from tweaking your template's HTML codes to finding an online pharmacy where you can buy Tramadol. Interesting, huh?!

Different people go online for different reasons, too! Take for example my son; he loves playing his online games while connected to the internet. Occasionally, when his classmate is online they do this dueling thing. Nothing that violent, of course. I still get the final say if he can join some online strategy games, or not. After all, he's only eight!

Hubby, on the other hand, does his research when he gets the chance to sit in front of this computer. After he's done, be sure to see all those search engine pages opened! lol.

As for me, aside from posting in my blogs, and checking my emails, I also just recently found out about this digiscrapping thing. Would you believe that the first thing that I bought using paypal are some digiscrapping elements worth US$1?! Yeah, I can be quite stingy sometimes. Besides, I just want to find out if I can really use my paypal. After finding out that I can, I bought additional digiscrapping embellishments. ;P

Different people, different reasons. But all happy that internet was invented and it's here to stay! :)

Debt Help

Personally, I wouldn't want to be in debt. Well, of course we all don't want to be in debt, but to incur such a large amount of debt spells disaster for me. That's why I always take steps before I reach my "critical amount". Usually before that, I try to get debt help. Not from any internet organization, though, but from my brother. Nope, he doesn't lend me money, but he gives me advices regarding my payments; he is a certified accountant, so he knows what he is talking about.

But for those who doesn't have a brother who's a certified accountant, or have no idea where to go to for debt advices and help, you should check out Debt Advice Trust. They are a not for profit organization; and they are there to give expert and impartial advices regarding your debt situation, and help you get out of it.
They are there to give you solutions, from IVA (Individual Voluntary Arrangements), bankruptcy, to management plans and more. The advice will of course depend on the situation you are in, and once you've reached a decision, they will recommend a reputable and trustworthy provider which they have on their approved panel.

Now you don't have feel like it's the end of the world for you! There are always solutions, and whether we accept them or not, it is always our decision. If you decide to be helped, you will receive help!

Internet Find ...

It's getting cooler here, and we are loving it! That means we need to get out our jackets, cardigans, and sweaters from the cabinets. I must admit, some of them are already a couple or so of years old; still, they serve their purpose, so I really see no reason why we should buy new ones.

However, when I saw these volcom clothing over at the internet, I immediately had a change of heart. Hubby would love those! :)

Photobucket Offline, AGAIN!

Photobucket seems to be offline still ... since yesterday morning. Geez ... and most of my pictures are hosted there!

I hope it will get back, soon ... something seems to be happening ... I can't get to some of the sites, too. Or is it just me and my server??!!

OH MY ... I REALLY HOPE NOT!

Holiday Flab

I know, the holidays are here again. Don't get me wrong ... I love holidays! It's a wonderful chance for me and my family to really just be together the whole day! We can do whatever we like, sleep late and wake up late when we want to. That means we can eat out, too! :)

But, there is a downside to this holiday thing: too much food! Or is that even a downside? lol ... Sometimes I can't help but eat and eat when all that scrumptious food is before me!

After eating all that food, I think it will take Miracle burn to get that flab off! ;P

Unplanned Trip

My aunt and uncle once tried those Colorado bed and breakfast inns, during one of their vacations. They had around four days of vacation one time and so they decided to go on an adventure; going somewhere where they haven't been to, before.

I have to admit, I liked that idea. Hubby, my son, and I tried that one time, too; last summer. We weren't expecting grand things to happen (because we had no definite plans where we were going to be staying, or where to go to once we were there!), but we enjoyed it so much!

We went back the following week. :)

Credit Card Debt Help Available

Having a credit card can really be convenient; it not only makes us buy things which we need without cash, but can also help us get that "something" which we know we've got to have (like the canon eos 40D, in my case!). Of course, using your credit card means you need to be aware of the consequences, too; like paying on time, or not exceeding your credit limit. I know a person who got into a serious debt with his credit card, and to pay it off he was forced to leave his family and work abroad. It took them about two years before they finally got to pay off their credit card debt.

These days, there are many sites that offer Credit Card Debt Help, and that's great! However, we have to be aware that sometimes instead of getting help, we might instead get into more trouble because of the additional fees we might be incurring getting their "help" services. Some may even offer Credit Card Debt Consolidation, but like I said, we have to be wary.
If you want, you can check out The Debt Settlement Company over at TheDSC.com. Their site is straight-forward about helping you with your debt and they offer good upfront advices regarding what you should be wary about when choosing a company that offers to "help" you with your credit card debt.

If you really need help, it's worth checking them out. Better yet, you can call them at 866-578-DEBT if you want to have your questions asked immediately; or if you want to know more about them and how they might be able to help you get rid of your debt.

Wordless Wednesday: CHOLESTEROL! :)

TTags:wordless wednesday, maiylah, picture clusters, cholesterol, bacon, food

Security Cameras Online

These days we can't be cautious when it comes to protecting not only our properties, but also our family. Sometimes all it takes is something as simple as having locks on our doors and making sure we lock them before sleeping. Or else we may also put security cameras on key areas around the house. But finding good quality security cameras (and monitors) can be daunting, specially if you search through the internet. Try EZWatchStore.com!
This is definitely the site to visit if you want to look for good quality security cameras, including those PC Security Cameras. Aside from being easy to install, they also provide superior performance, reliability, and value. Why settle for lesser quality cameras when you can have the best quality security cameras online! Their products are "tried and true" tested in over 60,000 different installations, so you can be assured that what you're buying is also customer approved!

So if you you're looking for quality security cameras online, no need to look far! Visit EZWatchStore.com and see for yourself the numerous products that they have to offer! After you've installed one, you'll be glad that you did; so now you can rest easier knowing that you and your family are going to be much safer day in and day out! :)

Digiscrapping video

found this a while ago ...
looks pretty easy, but sometimes when you're already there .... you get stumped! like me. LOL.

I prefer making things from scratch, though.

But this is a simple and informative video, I like it. :)

Vacation Rental Listing for Free

It's that time of year again! Yes, you can tell that I love holidays, since that means my family and I will be together most of the time again, and aside from that, it is the time for reunions, too! There's just something about seasons like this that makes me feel real good inside. I'm sure some of you are now planning where you want to go if you have the resources and the time! Why not hop on over to TinySurfer.com!

The site not only offers Free vacation rental listings but also sites where you may rent houses while on vacation, like Telluride vacation rental. The list is extensive, providing condos and vacation rental homes from Africa, Asia, Europe, America, Oceania, and the Carribean. For starters, you might try Telluride vacation rental and see if you like them!

While planning for that wonderful vacation of yours, don't forget checking at TinySurfer.com and you'll see there lots of choices where you and your family can have a grand vacation!

House Plans Online

After being uprooted three times from our previous homes (because of hubby's work), hubby and I decided that we like where we are right now; the place is relatively near his company's plant, and our son's school is quite near our house. Hopefully, if we manage to get a lot around here, we will have our dream house built. Of course, that is a long term plan, and something that really needs a lot of thinking. For now, we have been looking at house plans and there's this site which offers house plans online: HousePlansAndMore.com!

They have different house plans for whatever type of house that you need, like Log Home Plans, luxury home Plans and Ranch House Plans, among others. What's really great about the site is that it's so easy to browse through, and the plans are categorized for easy searching.

This is definitely the site to visit if you want to have all of the information you need to make your dream house. A very good resource site, you not only get the plans but also any builders near your area. Once your dream house is completed, they also have a household project plans section, for you to check out their do-it-yourself projects for your home.
Since hubby and I still haven't found that lot where we really want to build our dream house (because it's either too expensive, too far, or we just simply don't like the "feel" of the neighborhood, lol), we will continue browsing the internet for other fabulous ideas; and after finding HousePlansAndMore.com, we will surely bookmark this site for future references!

Header's Gone! (... as well as the others)

Looks like photobucket is down ... I think I have to change where I placed my header picture, then.

Ok, tried flickr, but looks like I have a hard time logging in! LOL

This is what's difficult with free sites, I guess. I mean, they go offline and you can't really complain much, since it is FREE! You can of course contact them, but ... that's just it. Oh well ...

Will be transferring my header pic to another FREE site: ImageShack™.

Yeah, another free site. LOL :D

Business and Exposure

One of the keys to success [in a business] is to know how to market your products. It is important that others know what your company is offering and to do that, you need exposure.

One such site that has an extensive data base and can help you get that exposure that you need is Martin Worldwide. They lists brokers through their telemarketing lists and provides your business with the much needed exposure through their database of over 290 million consumers and 14 million U.S. businesses! Being in the business for over a decade, they are now the leaders in direct marketing industry, and provides the largest and most successful mailing list nationwide.

If you want to know more, just visit MartinWorldwide.net; or better yet, call them at (888)- 267-3545!

8 stuffs about me ...

I got tagged by blueblue from My Spot with Pots, to write 8 things about me that you didn't know meme ... I just did a similar tag (three posts below); but it required seven things about me, not eight, so I'll do this one! :)

Here are the rules:

* Link to the person that tagged you, and post the rules on your blog.
* Share 8 random and/or weird facts about yourself.
* Tag 8 random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.
* Let each person know that they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Eight Things About Me That You Didn't Know ....

1. My weight is 61Kg ... that makes me about three kilograms more than my ideal weight. (And I thought I was fat when I was in high school! lol)
   
2. I wore prescription glasses since my high school freshman years.
3. I fell off a horse once ... lol. Funny, really, since the horse wasn't galloping, or anything. I got the horse on a slow walk. I just didnt put the saddle right! I didn't want to tighten it too much! Good thing the horse just stayed put while I detangled myself from the saddle ... :D
4. I get scared easily at times (ghosts and stuffs), but I love watching horror movies. :D
5. I came from a large family... two brothers and six sisters.
   
6. I got married last May 1998. Whoa ... almost a decade ago ... !!
7. I've been blogging "heavily" only since August of this year (2007) ... and I've met lots of interesting people online already!
8. I would love to be able to visit Africa someday! :)
   

Guess that's it!

Like in my previous meme/tagged post, no idea who to pass this on to; but if any kind "lurker" would love to do this tag, then all they have to do is to make a comment here and tell me so that I can go and pay them a visit! :)

Many thanks for this tag, blueblue! :)

Finding Apartments for Rent

Since I got married, my family and I have been moving from one place to another because my husband got transferred to different work stations. Nope, he's not in the army, or anthing. The company where he works for has locations around the country, and that's why we had to move around, too! Finding an apartment each time is not fun, specially if you're new to the place.

It's a great thing that there's this site, ApartmentFinder.com, where you can find Apartments for Rent. What's great about this site is that they have photos, floor plans and searching is fast! You can even search by college, by military base, or by address. Definitely a good resource site for those who want to see immediately the apartment that they plan on renting. Or just for someone who needs to rent an apartment!

I wish we have something like that here, too! I mean, this will definitely be a big help to those who want to find apartments; no more trying to rack your brains where to find good apartments for rent! All you have to do is just log on to the internet and voila! there you have it! :)

My Credit Card Thoughts ...

I have always been wary about credit cards. But you know, after giving it a lot of thought, hubby and I decided that we need a credit card. What's important is that we use it only when we need to, and pay the dues as soon as we can. Preferably, before or on the due date.

Choosing the right kind of credit card is important, since you must make sure that you get your money's worth. It's great if you can find a credit card with lots of features, and is widely accepted.

MINT credit cards are accepted in 24 million locations worldwide, wherever you see the MasterCard sign. They offer lots of features including 0% on purchases until 01 June 2008. That's really something, and if you play it right, you might even get to have that one thing that you've always wanted instantly, and saved some money, too! They also offer credit card consolidation for those who feel that they need that service.

Now isn't that neat? They also have other features, too, and if you want to know more, just visit their site, Mint.co.uk!

Seven

I've been tagged by Bonggamom ... I'm supposed to write here seven random/weird stuffs about myself. Loved her post about Filipino Foods ... it made me hungry, though ...

... and I just finished lunch! LOL

Here are the rules:

* Link to the person that tagged you, and post the rules on your blog.
* Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself.
* Tag 7 random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.
* Let each person know that they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Here are my seven thingies ...
Seven Things that Should Always Be Inside My Refrigerator!
yeah, kind of lame, but .... ;P

1. I must always have eggs; for those instant quick-fix meals when a hungry kid or hubby arrives.
2. Ground pork, packed in serving sizes; no need to thaw all of the meat when I need only a small portion. Saves time and energy, as well as preserving the unused portion of the meat longer.
3. Cheddar cheese! But of course, I am also open to other kinds of cheese varieties, though not so much the blue cheese. lol.
4. Fresh milk ... our son loves that!
5. Vegetables, like squash and native pechay.
6. Butter, since my son loves them on his pancakes. Sometimes I use them while cooking, too.
7. Calamansi .... we must always have this. It's our main source of vitamin C! :)
   

Interestingy, we normally don't put water (for cold water) inside the refrigerator. Hey, that's another "weird" thing about me! LOL

Thanks for the tag, Bonggamom!

I have no idea who to tag, but if any kind "lurker" is around and interested to play, then just leave me a comment and I'll go check out your answers! ;)

Have a nice day, everyone!

Take a Break ...

Tired from all that work you did today? Need a few laughs? Or just plain bored? Yeah, situations like that sometimes happens to me, too! Well, I'm sure it happens to all of us! lol ...

Specially this Christmas season, things can get pretty hectic. So maybe a Christmas quiz at Quizrocket.com can help you relax. Or get you all excited with the coming holiday parties! :)

We all have our own agenda when Christmas comes, but what's important is that we don't forget why we celebrate the season. After that, it's up to you how you normally enjoy the season wherever in the world you are! :)

Muhammad Ali

Hating people because of their color is wrong. And it doesn't matter which color does the hating. It's just plain wrong.
Muhammad Ali

oh, I so agree with this! It doesn't matter where in the world you live, but if you hate other people because of their color or race, that's just plain stupid!

Just because one person in a different race made something really terrible doesn't mean all of the people with the same race are the same ... I guess that's stereotyping.

Everybody's different. :)

Choosing a Home

After being "uprooted" for the third time, hubby and I have really given Real Estate offers a serious thought. It's great that there are real estate brokers in malls, but usually they are offering city sites. What hubby and I want are those located in rural areas. Of course, we might change our decision one of these days, but for now, not yet.

RealEstateBook.com is one such site which we frequent because of the offers as well as the quality of houses being featured. They have thousands of home listings nationwide, and even ones from abroad. Really a great site if you want quality resources, like this site which features Atlanta Homes for Sale, as well as this site regarding Charleston Real Estate.

Until hubby and I find that "One" place which is perfect for us, we will be constantly on the look-out for possible sites which could help us. For now, we will keep on checking sites such as RealEstateBook.com for ideas as well as to keep ourselves informed of the real estate trends and markets.

Weekend Snapshot

This brown shrike (Lanius cristatus) was quite noisy the day I took this shot (Saturday) ... and that explains why it's beak is open like that.

I love watching out for this bird ... every now and then during the week while I'm sitting here in front of the computer I'd hear the bird get all "chatty". Sometimes I'm too slow with my camera, though. lol.

TTags:weekend snapshot, maiylah, picture clusters, meme