Mom Daughter Style

Practice for Sale

2012-02-09T19:33:00.000-10:00

I know most of my readers are stay at home mommies like me. This post ismore for people who are thinking of selling or buying businesses. A lot of moms are also practicing their profession or have their own businesses.

Practicesale.co.uk is a UK based industry where you can find Dental Practice for Sale, Accountancy Practice for Sale and other types of businesses. These type of companies do exist in the US too. I think thisis interesting that people can just buy a business that is already establishedand set up instead of starting from scratch.

At one time, I was actually a certified nursing assistantand I quickly realized that the job is not for me. I always suck at physicaljobs. Back then when I was studying at Red Cross, some of my classmates wereinterested in setting their own nursing homes. I think it would be easier ifyou can just buy Nursing Homes for Sale instead of setting up one of your ownand still have to buy materials and furniture separately. I believe there are also inspections that needto be done and it will be easier if the place is already prepared and youprobably have clients that are already at the area or ready to move in.

Disclaimer: This blog post is brought to you by Practicesale.co.uk.

Semi Home-made Broccoli Soup

2012-02-08T22:46:00.000-10:00

I made this kind of broccoli soup many times. This is one of my favorite semi-homemade recipes. I just add some onion and other seasoning. I don't really have a preferred brand of the powder mixture. I buy the ones that are readily available. Sometimes, I get the premade hollandaise sauce or the premade cheese mixture.

For this one, I needed milk, butter and broccoli.

What are your favorite semi-homemade dishes?

dealnews Review (Everyday is a Black Friday!)

2012-02-07T19:02:00.001-10:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of dealnews for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

It was the first time I browsed at dealnews and they provide you with amazing deals from various stores or online sites. They give you Groupon or store deals like the ones from BestBuy, Target and Sears. If you love to shop for electronics, they have television deals and electronics deals. Their website is easy to navigate. I’m glad I found this site because even if they a third party site, they can provide you with more. If you notice with some “daily deals” website, they can only give you about eight deals in a day and this one provides you with lots more than that. I would guess that it’s probably around a hundred or more.

How about shopping for clothes? The site dealnews have clothing deals! They currently have Express clothing up to 70% off and you can get an additional 40% off. Please visit dealnews for details.

It will also allow you to see local deals in your area like a discount to your favorite spa or adventure park. I’m thinking of getting the Treasure Hunt adventure here which is 50% off the regular price. They also provide ratings based from the customers so you’ll have some idea if other people liked that particular product or service.

Nowadays, I feel that it is a waste to pay for full price because there are great deals that you can find out there. Unless, it is a necessity, I always shop for the cheaper and discounted item. I am finding a lot of frugal women like me especially in blogging. It’s actually fun to score a great deal. You can check out dealnews.com if you love great deals.

Wordless Wednesday: What We Ate W/ Linky

2012-02-07T12:09:00.000-10:00

Random food pictures.

Link up your Wordy/ Wordless Wednesday posts here. Thanks!

Unbelievabra Review

2012-02-06T21:13:00.000-10:00

I own one Unbelievabra by Shapeez and it is so far the best body shaper I tried because it hides my bulges in the middle and it does notroll up. I tried others seamless shape wear before but they are not ascomfortable. Unbelievabra can be tight but it is more stretchy so you don’tfeel like you can’t move much when you are wearing it.

I don’t use body shapers all the time but I try to wear one when I wear a dress that shows off the middleof my body which kind of sticks out. I’m not overweight but sometimes weneed a little help from these productslike Unbelievabra to help us look better.

The only thing that I can note about this body shaper isthat it is more expensive than the others but probably because it works better.I want to try their Bra and Cami with cleavage cover. I like the lace design ontop.

If you visit unbelievabra.com, they have a sizing guidewhich is very easy to follow so you will know what size you will have to order.You should take a look at their before and after pictures of people who haveused Unbelievabra.

Disclaimer: I got the product from last year. This post is brought to you by Unbelievabra.Com.

Free Nexus S 4G Phone From Sprint

2012-02-06T19:01:00.001-10:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sprint for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Sprint is currently offering a Nexus S 4G for FREE! You can avail this promotion by opening a new line of service or if you upgrade your account with Sprint.

Nexus S™ 4G from Google has a really fast processor and built-in Google apps. You can take your office wherever you go with this phone. It also looks great with its thin contour display and small size that will fit in your hands.

If you would like a phone that's great for social media and entertainment, you can get the HTC EVO™ 3D for $49.99. You can share information very fast with it and have a 3D feature. This is similar to the Android phone I am currently using now and I love it.

If you have these type of phones, please share your thoughts. Phones now are so fancy having their calendar, videos, camera, internet service including social medias, text messaging, GPS navigation and more.

With this offer, activation Fee can be waived with new lines and you can also get free shipping for the phones for even better savings. If you are considering of switching your phone provider or if you are thinking of switching your phone, please check the Sprint 4-day Sale from February 5 to February 8, 2012. You can go to Sprint.com for more information.

You can also click these links:

Nexus S™ 4G

HTC EVO™ 3D

One Dollar Crafting With Kids

2012-02-06T15:43:00.003-10:00

For the non-crafty moms who would like to do crafty things with their kids, you can check the dollar deals at some stores like at Longs (CVS) Drugs, Target, Walmart and probably even Goodwill or other thrift stores. You will usually find these craft materials that are pre-made or pre-cut that are only $1- $3 and you'll have an instant activity with your kiddos.

For this project, it's one dollar and we colored a butterfly frame with glitter glue and we still have left-over glitters.

I've been making a lot of blog posts lately but pardon me for not visiting or commenting back. These days have been busy. I just found myself into some kind of "business" and it is like working again at certain days. Fortunately, it's been a success so far and I hope that it will continue. I'm also trying to spend most of the day with RC instead of being at the computer for long hours.

Thanks for the visit.

I'm linking with Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays, Trash to Treasure Tuesday, Get Your Craft On, Take a Look Tuesday, Handmade Tuesdays

Walgreens Prescription Savings Club

2012-02-06T10:00:00.001-10:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Have you heard of Walgreens Prescription Savings Club? Shopping at Walgreens is very convenient and if you also go there for your prescriptions, you will have better discounts with the savings club. A family membership is only $35 for the whole year. For individual person, it is only $20 a year. By being a member, you’ll be able to set up auto refills and pick up through the store or through free shipping.

Walgreens offers a wide variety of products but they are very known for being a pharmacy. I love shopping at Walgreens! I usually stop at their store downtown when I go there by the mall. They have toys, some grocery products and beauty products aside from their vitamins and medicines. They are also open for 24 hours.

Like Walgreens on Facebook and you’ll be able to “share the love” this Valentine’s day. You can play Cupid by pairing up your favorite couple or two besties. By going to Walgreens Facebook fan page, you’ll also be able to view their weekly ads, check the nearest Walgreens location at your area, check their photo deals and check out what the fans think about Walgreens.

Follow Walgreens on Twitter if you like to tweet. Get those simple messages and updates instantly from Walgreens.

Bizz Click Website Review

2012-02-04T16:59:00.000-10:00

Bringing readers and advertising to your blogcan not only advertise your blog more efficiently, but it can bring much-neededrevenues so you can keep maintaining and expanding your blog. This is one of the things why I considered monetizing my blog is because I am spending time updating it anyway. One of the advertising methods associatedwith the Internet is called Pay Per Click (PPC). PPC is commonly used to route traffic fromone website to another, and when a site is transited, the click through resultsin some form of compensation.

You may be a user of sites that pay you a percentage if youstart at their site and then go to a retailer’s site and purchasesomething. That is the same concept asPPC. Since the traffic to the retailer’ssite was routed from your site, you deserve some compensation. There are a few really big names in PPC, andone of them is bizzclick.com. Their home page has clickable tabs so you'll get more information you need about a particular topic. Theynot only help advertisers, but publishers as well. For bloggers, you can check out the publisher page. For those who want to advertise through pay per click, you can check out the advertiser page. Bizzclick.com will provide you with anotherstream of traffic different from the ordinary rankings on the major searchengines. So if you’re interested ingenerating the maximum traffic to your website, and also earning some extracompensation for those who start at your website, but continue on to aretailer, you should check out www.bizzclick.com.

Disclaimer: This is a review of bizzclick.com and this post is brought to you by their website.

Gordon Biersch

2012-02-04T05:00:00.000-10:00

Gordon Biersch is a good place to eat with friends and family. Their indoor is more family friendly and I notice most people who are drinking are at the outdoor area. You can enjoy a waterfront view while drinking or eating. The last time I've been here was about 5 years ago. Their food is affordable considering the location. I ordered some of the cheapest plates in their menu.

Organic Clothes: Fashionably and Earth-Friendly (Guest Post)

2012-02-03T17:45:00.002-10:00

Being environmentally friendly and ‘green’ is something which is constantly being pressed upon us. Politicians and environmental experts urge us to do all we can to be ‘green’, eco-friendly and reduce our carbon footprints. In actual fact, they’re right to do so as the future depends on what we do in the present and to preserve the world for our children, we need to think a bit more about the environment. Being environmentally friendly is really important and one way you can do your bit for the future is by buying organic clothes.

Organic clothes are any garments or accessories made from materials grown and raised in observance of the regulations relating to organic agricultural and crop growth. Cotton, bamboo and soy are common choices for organic clothing as are wool and hemp. Organic materials are suitable for adult, child and baby clothes and some believe the benefits extend beyond being good for the natural world.

The many benefits of choosing organic clothing

The benefits of opting to wear or purchase only organic clothing are vast. One of the main things that producers and retailers of organic clothes highlight is their safe for your family and the environment. Many of the dyes used on ‘normal’ clothes contain some pretty nasty ingredients including bleach and formaldehyde, not exactly something you want next to your child’s delicate skin or your own for that matter. In some instances, these ingredients are used pesticides in the growing process of the cottons used in regular clothing but they’re very resistant and can still be present in the finalised garment. In organic clothes production, no pesticides are used.

Organic clothes are also recommended if you suffer from any allergies. There are a range of different chemical dyes used in regular clothing which some people have severe allergic reactions too. This is a less common occurrence but still something you’d probably like to avoid. The ingredients used in organic clothing, even dyes, are wholly natural and very rarely cause any form of allergic reaction whatsoever.

Some retailers championing the organic cause will also tell you that by buying organic, you can influence those around you to do the same and bring about a sway in the market. This is an interesting suggestion and could prove to be true, if organic clothes became the fashionable choice, then perhaps they could become the norm rather than a rarity.

Obviously, the main point of buying organic clothing is because you’re trying to be eco-friendly and support the natural world. Using materials such as bamboo is a great idea because bamboo trees are extremely quick to grow when replanted and from a personal point of view, feels soft and silky on your skin.

Organic clothes can be trendy

There are plenty of high-end retailers who offer only organic clothing in a range of great styles and fashions. It’s particularly true of children’s brands where the lean towards softer, safer, hypoallergenic clothing seems more important. In fact, many parents will commit to purchasing organic clothes for their kids but not themselves. Of course, another issue is cost. You’d imagine that because organic materials are produced with more care and attention they’d cost more for the regular shopper? This is not always the case, there are plenty of organic clothing brands who offer lines suitable for all budgets so everyone can experiences the difference.

Myths would have you believe that all organic clothes are brown, furry and itchy but this is simply not true. Times have moved on from the initial discovery and development of organic clothing and you can get clothing not dissimilar from what’s currently on offer made from organic materials. There’s a plethora of choice out there, you just need to discover it.

Being eco-friendly and conscious of the environment is something everybody should be doing. Changes in the environment and damage to our protective o-zone layer are already being catalogued by expert scientists and researchers and it’s important that every individual person does their part in trying to make a difference. Organic clothing is a great way of making a small change to your wardrobe that’s both fashion conscious and eco-friendly. The change really isn’t that huge and with the great quality that comes with organic clothing, you won’t be disappointed.

Increasing the Curb Appeal with Address Plaques

2012-02-03T17:23:00.001-10:00

Have you noticed that the home improvement channels havemore information about real estate nowadays? I love watching these TV shows and here are some information I learnedwhen selling a house.

Sometimes the difference between selling a house and not isdue to what is referred to curb appeal. Ifthe outside of your house is overgrown with weeds, or has a porch that needspainting, the buyers will just take one quick look at your home and go to thenext house on their list, and your house will sit on the market. One of the easiest and quickest ways toimprove the curb appeal of your home is to replace your address sign with a newfashionable sign that promotes your home. You could use personalized address plaques to replace those simplenumbers you have on the front of your home. Potential buyers will appreciate the attention to detail and willinvestigate further. You could move upto custom address plaques and add that little extra detail that will get yourhome noticed the first time. You need todo everything you can to get your house sold, so take advantage of every littledetail.

The links in this post is brought t you by justaddressplaques.com. Please visit their website if you wouldlike to shop for residential address plaques.

Funny Bacon T-shirt Review and Giveaway Ends 2/16

2012-02-02T23:39:00.000-10:00

I received one of the Funny Bacon T-shirts frombaconwrappedtees.com similar to the one at the picture. We love bacon and weeat bacon almost every weekend. If you want to show more of your love forbacon, you can get one of these t-shirts. It is super comfortable and has ahigh quality. You’ll see me wearing my bacon shirt in my next posts. I just didnot have much time to take pictures lately. There are about 50 graphic designsto choose from and you can also get to choose if you want a girly tee,spaghetti strap, long sleeves etc. A t-shirt is selling for $19 and the price variesdepending on which type of shirt you order.

I’m also hosting aFunny Bacon T-shirt Giveaway. It’s very easy to enter. Open to US residents.

Photocredit: http://www.baconwrappedtees.com/

a Rafflecopter giveawayI received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Wordless Wednesday: A Piece of Cake w/ Linky

2012-01-31T09:22:00.012-10:00

Please feel free to link up your Wordless Wednesday posts. Thanks

MoreLockers.Com Website Review

2012-01-30T23:25:00.000-10:00

I’m not sure how many of my readers have their own school orbusinesses where they will be needing lockers for their students or employees.However, I’ve seen some metal lockers at garages so they can also be used ashousehold items.

MoreLockers.Com has athletic lockers, steel lockers andother lockers depending on your needs. They have great reviews online. They alsohave locker accessories like locker shelves, identification plates and lockerpartitions. These items can also be used in your closets for organization. If you already have a locker and will beneeding a replacement for the locks or bases they also sell those items. Youcan request a quote for free. They have over 30,000 various lockers to choosefrom. Now, that’s a lot of lockers. Thispost made me miss work because at one of the restrooms, there was a space fullof lockers.

I want to thank MoreLockers.Com for allowing me once againto write and share my opinions about locker. This post is brought to you bytheir website. Please visit them for more information on pricing and lockerstyles.

Aloha Tower

2012-01-30T13:28:00.000-10:00

We went to Aloha Tower last weekend and here are some of our pictures. It had been awhile the last time we were there. The Aloha tower sits by the ocean so there was a great view and there are a lot of shopping outlets but I did not buy anything, we went at almost night time and a lot of them are closed at the time.

RC was wearing the two piece set from mybabyclothes.com. It is a very cute dress with white top. Thanks to those who entered the last giveaway I hosted for them.

It was getting dark here as you can see from the pictures.

Hawaii map. Kau Kau means food or to eat in Hawaiian.

We were about to head down here so we can eat. I'll share more pictures soon at the restaurant.

For tourists, I think the Aloha Tower would be a good place to visit. A lot of vendors are selling souvenirs and the view is great. If you decide to do a lunch or dinner cruise, you will have to pass by the shopping sites too.

Close up picture of RC's dress.

I hope everyone is having a great week!

Creative Door Handles

2012-01-30T13:26:00.001-10:00

For anyone who is a tropical fanatic, these pineapples bythe door handles can add a great finishing touches to the doors. I love pineapples. I know some people don't really care about them. There are a lot of creative unique styles inhomes and stores recently that I’ve been finding. I was thinking that we needadditional lights when I saw these, they would be good for wall sconces, it just needs to be modified.

We get a lot of natural lighting during the earlier times ofthe day but when the night comes, it can get dark in our living room. The onlyplace where we have good lighting here is at our kitchen and dining area. In some areas, we only have lamps. I want to havemore lights especially when I do some crafting at night and try to arrange somestuff.

When I was working, I don’t even think about too much detailslike this before but now I try to entertain myself by browsing at home designs. Although, I can’t buy new furniture,at least I can try to re-arrange them and I can do some DIY projects when Ihave some time.

See's Candies

2012-01-29T09:28:00.003-10:00

We just had a box of See’s chocolates last week. It was a mix of milk and dark chocolate clusters. It was so good. See’s is known for its quality chocolates. I know two See’s chocolates outlets here and they are very convenient to go to.

See's candies are great for party favors like birthdays, baby showers, weddings etc. I notice a lot of people give See’s during Christmas and Valentine’s season. If it is more convenient, you can also give gift cards. For people out of state, gift cards is what we usually give. See’s chocolates are also being used for fund-raising. See’s have sugar free chocolates if you are looking for a healthier alternative or you just don’t want to put on the weight.

You can search the See’s Candies website for the most convenient location close to you. You can also order and you can filter your search by price or by category. You can even customize the mixture of chocolates that will be placed in a box.

This post is brought to you by sees.com. Please visit their website for more information and for lots of “chocolatey” pictures.

Garden Trellis

2012-01-27T20:56:00.000-10:00

I believe a trellis can have more purpose than just adisplay at a garden. Most people put vines or plants with flowers so they makepretty decorations outdoors. If you love gardening, trellis can be a greataddition to a garden. I like to grow my own vegetables someday so we’ll be moreself-sufficient. The price of food is continuously going up.

This garden trellis can also be good for those who sell atflea markets or craft fairs. I see a similar display awhile ago when I went toone during the Christmas season. If you have hanging items for display, itwould be a good space saver. Trellisescan also be used for indoor plants and other items. Trellis can also be used for fences but theycan be costly that way.

If you are looking for trellises, you can go to trelliscenter.com. If you’renot looking for one, I think their website can also give some ideas on how todecorate your garden. It’s very easy to navigate and they have a huge selectionof other gardening items too. Thepictures on this blog post are from their website.

This post is brought to you by http://www.trelliscenter.com/.

Jumbo Shrimps With Garlic Butter

2012-01-27T17:00:00.002-10:00

I finally managed to take some pictures. Me and RC are having a lot of mom-daughter mini dates but my small camera broke a few months ago and I just don't want to bring the huge DSLR camera.

Here we are at the same Chinese restaurant I blogged about twice before.

This is our only order and rice for two. RC did not like the shrimp but she liked the sauce. Next time, I won't even order something new that she might not like. She seems to like all kinds of chicken though.

Who needs a menu when there's daily specials posted on the wall? I ordered the first one on the list, the jumbo shrimps with garlic butter and since I can't think of a good title for this blog post, I thought the name of this food will do.

Painting a butterfly with non-toxic glitter paint.

I can't make my apartment clean.

Have a great weekend!

P.S. I will have more giveaways and reviews coming soon. Please continue to support my blog. Thanks again for being here.

Together

2012-01-27T16:59:00.000-10:00

Authored by Greg Fletcher

It’s finally here. In 3 days I get to marry by best friend. Since she’s been busy with all of the wedding planning, I relegated myself to getting our house set up. No, I’m not talking about decorating or even picking our what side of the closet or dressers will be mine (I figured she would want to do all of that stuff). My job is getting the essential services set up at our new home. Since there is only one gas and electric provider in our area, setting up those services were a breeze. And since the county government controls the water where we live, that was pretty much set up for us too. The fun came when trying to find affordable internet, telephone and cable service. Thankfully, a coworker suggested I look at www.directstartv.com to get a good deal on cable. Now if there were only a cheap internet and phone provider in the area. I’ve heard that some companies will allow you to bundle services for a cheaper rate. Does anyone have any idea where I can go to find one of those?

Wordless Wednesday: I've Been Busy With...W/ Linky

2012-01-24T11:05:00.002-10:00

... eating junk

... folding and sorting clothes

... taking these cans to the recycling center

... selling at craigslist.

This doll house is my first sale selling at craigslist where

I met somebody in person.

I haven't been commenting back as usual but I am visiting you back. Thanks for being here, every visit counts! While you're here, please enter the giveaways I am currently hosting. They are located at the upper right corner of this blog.

Bling for Valentine's Giveaway! $130 Paypal WW Ends 2/10

2012-01-24T01:23:00.001-10:00

Enter this great giveaway! OpenWorldwide. Please read more about the rules at the bottom of the rafflecopter form.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Why People Use a Mac Computer

2012-01-21T22:13:00.001-10:00

I was just reading about why people use a Macintosh computerand mainly the answer is because it runs without viruses. Mac users alsoexperience less computer crashes therefore eliminating or lessening the needfor constant reboots or technical help.

I honestly don’t know much people who uses a Mac computerbut if you would like information on DVD ripper for Mac or a video converter for Mac you can go to mp4converter.net. I believe it can also help with otherpersonal computers and you can also use it for Ipad video converter.

Do you love taking videos? I wish I have taken a lot morevideos when RC was much younger. At least I could say that I’ve taken a lot ofpictures of her. I guess it is not too late to start now especially I just gota fancy phone. I’ve been taking videos of her lately almost everyday using myphone. However, lately I don’t have muchpictures and it seems that I ran out of pictures to share here but I’ll be backfor more.

This post is brought to you by mp4converter.net.

New Droid Phone

2012-01-20T20:46:00.000-10:00

I finally got a high-tech phone a month ago.It was my gift for Christmas. I had a Blackberry about three years ago but Iwas not very pleased with it that I switched back to my outdated phone, thetraditional just call and text kind. The internet was not fast then.

I am very pleased with this Droid that I gotrecently. The internet is fast just like a computer. I can use this when I goshopping somewhere and I want to compare an online price versus the storeprice. I was thinking of getting a nicer phone and stay with my currentprovider or a Tracfone. I chose to stay with my current connection so thetransition will be much simpler. I still don’t have unlimited access, the onlydifference really is I have internet and I can do more with the phone. Now, theonly thing is that I have to learn more how to use it. I still have to learn somesimple things that you can do with a good cellphone like change my own ringtone.One of the first things I learned is to take pictures and videos. The pictureshave good quality but not sure yet when transferred to the computer.

MyBabyClothes.Com Review and $25 GC Giveaway US Ends 1/26

2012-01-20T19:01:00.002-10:00

MyBabyClothes.Com gave RC another dress. Ichose the Bonnie Jean Black Corduroy Flowered Jumper Set. I was not able totake pictures of RC when she tried it on but the dress looks very cute. Here isa picture from their website. This two piece set is selling for $19.99 withfree shipping at this time. You'll see this dress in my next posts, RC will be wearing this often.

If you have a baby especially baby girl, youshould visit this site, they usually have a sale going on in addition to the free shipping promo. They have baby clothes with awesome brands like Good Lad, Nicole Miller, Zilly Bean, Mudpie and more. I am their customerbut now RC is getting bigger, their sizes range from newborn to 4T.

If you are looking for baby accessories like tutus, baby headbands and baby hats, they also have them available.

I want to thank MyBabyClothes.Com for allowing me to work with them again. They are my sponsor for the Forget the Resolutions Giveaway Blog Hop. As mentioned they gave me a dress for RC and provided a giveaway for my blog. I am excited to join this blog event. After entering my giveaway, please visit the list below for more great prizes!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Switching to Your Own Domain Name?

2012-01-20T10:38:00.000-10:00

I have been wanting to switch to my own domain and look fora web hosting company. I reserved the onefor my site, momdaughterstyle.com but I am not using it because when I did, Ilost some sponsored posts and I will lose more. Apparently, when you changeyour domain name from blogspot.com to .com, you will lose your Google rankingand other rankings as well. Some bloggers have mentioned that it took themawhile and Google can be unpredictable when it comes to updating the pageranks.

I know in the long run having your own domain name will behelpful with getting sponsors and you have a more professional soundingwebsite. However, I feel that my web address now is what I have alreadyestablished since the start. It would not matter if I did not exert much effortin promoting it. I exerted a lot of time exchanging links and linking up beforeand I still do, just not as much. I know I can still redirect the readers tothe new URL or web address if I do, but is it really much better?

For those who changed to your own domain, what advice canyou give?

Lovable Labels Friendship Pack Giveaway (Blogorama Bonanza Remix) Ends 1/27

2012-01-19T18:56:00.002-10:00

I'm hosting a giveaway for Lovable Labels Friendship Pack $25 value. This pack has a total of 160 labels. 120 for your child and 40 labels for a friend. If you would like to purchase these labels, you can go to lovablelabels.ca.

You can view my full review HERE.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

After you're done joining my giveaway, you can visit these other blogs who are also hosting various giveaways each of which are at least $25 in value.

Friendship Pack Lovable Labels Review (Blogorama Sponsor Highlight)

2012-01-19T15:32:00.002-10:00

I received 120 labels for RC and an additional 40 labels for a friend of mine. If you have a child that you take to a daycare or a school, you know that they require that you label everything in case there’s a question about what belongs to which child. It is so easy to lose your child’s stuff and labels are a great way to make people know which ones are your child’s items. RC is mostly staying home with me now but I use these items to label her stuff anyway. I like labeling her things especially when we are traveling in case something gets lost or misplaced.

I think these Lovable labels can be used with other things too like labeling items in your kitchen or if you are crafting and you can label your craft supplies. The labels are in booklets. It is easy to use and keep your items this way because it is more organized. All the bigger labels are together and then there are tabs that separate them from the smaller labels and the fun (ours is heart-shaped) stickers. Even the friendship labels (additional 40) will be in a booklet. You'll make another mommy and another kid happy.

Lovable Labels are microwave and dishwasher safe!

You can view more about the Lovable Labels Friendship pack HERE. 160 pieces of stickers for only $24.95.

For updates and promotions, you can like Lovable Labels in Facebook and follow them in Twitter- @MyLovableLabels.

Please stay tune for the Lovable Labels Giveaway here at my blog.

Disclaimer: I received free awesome labels from Lovable Labels. No other compensation was received.

Colorado Movers

2012-01-19T08:28:00.002-10:00

I have been in Denver International Airportfor about six times in Colorado but it was just only for lay-overs. I rememberone time we needed to be inside the plane for over an hour before it took offbecause they had to de-ice the airplane. From then we decided to avoid winterwhen traveling to snowy parts of the country.

This year we are thinking of going to thestate of Colorado while I would like to see a new state, I would also want tostay in California. Sometimes, I just can’t get both of it because of budgetand time restrictions.

If you are thinking of moving to Colorado,there is a website called movers.com. You can get free moving quotes on Colorado moving companies so you’ll be able to tell which one is the cheapest. Whetheryou are looking for Colorado movers or if you just plan on moving to anotherstate or even international moving, you can check out movers.com for some helpfulinformation about your moving needs. They also have facts about variouslocations depending on which state or country you are searching for.

This post is brought to you by http://www.movers.com.

My Outdated Kitchen

2012-01-18T09:02:00.001-10:00

If I have my own place, I would love to have stainless steelappliances to replace the refrigerator, stove, microwave, and dish washer hereat my apartment. The dishwasher heredoes not work. I’m using it for storage. I quickly realized that washing dishescan take so much time if you are staying home so now I buy disposables. We don’tuse them all the time, mostly for snacks and cereals. I have a stove with anattached oven on top, here is the picture. I’m not complaining, just sharing. It can bemore primitive than this like cooking with charcoals.

Other places you can use stainless are the sink and faucets,and some work spaces like a preparation table. Blomus is a maker of high-quality stainless steel products. There is a very wide range of Blomus stainless steel products to choose from, everything from aromatherapy burnersto a Blomus fireplace. Stainless steelis a genius invention.

If you’re considering upgrading your kitchen or even otherparts of your home with stainless steel, you should check out thestainlesssteelstore.com,they will have the items your need to make your home more beautiful. The links on this post is brought to you by their website.

Global Warming: Caused or Natural?

2012-01-17T14:40:00.001-10:00

I just started a green giveaway hop in my previous blog post and there are many interesting prizes that you can win. Some prizes are natural cleaning solutions, cloth diapers and even reusable pads for women. I haven’t tried those yet. I was going to host a giveaway for a software sponsor, however, my computer failed to download a huge file.

I think these are innovative products and they can help the environment but there are other ways to learn about being “green”. Other effective ways are geothermal energy using heat from hot springs beneath the ground, solar energy which you can use by installing solar panels, and even installing a windmill in your yard to produce electricity. There are a lot of houses here that are solar powered and I think the government is also giving tax incentives to those who install solar panels. In Texas, there are studies being made like for Austin geothermal energy solutions.

Here are some photos of nature I took.

Some people debate whether global warming is being caused by people and hydrocarbons, or if it’s just a natural climate cycle for the Earth. Whether it is manmade or not, I think it would be good to care and do something in any way instead of wasting resources.

Wordless Wednesday: Be Happy!

2012-01-17T11:40:00.003-10:00

I'm running out of pictures to show. This pic was taken two months ago.

Shag Bag, Brooch and Headbands Giveaway Ends 1/30 (Green Resolutions Giveaway Hop)

2012-01-15T18:42:00.005-10:00

Welcome to the Green Resolutions Giveaway Hop, hosted by Happy Mothering, Mama Chocolate and Purposeful Homemaking!

This is what I am giving away for the Green Resolutions Giveaway Hop. . The shag bag is from Calypso Studios, I got it awhile ago and haven't gotten a chance to use it because I seem to always use large handbags. I thought it would be perfect for this green giveaway hop. It is made of recyclable scarf scraps to create an eco-chic wristlet bag. I added a brooch and two simple black headbands. I have a lot of these headbands for crafting, you can use it as it is or use it to make your own headband design. At this time, this self-hosted giveaway is for US and Canada residents only. Next time I host my own, I'll try to include everyone.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

After you're done entering my giveaway, please visit the other 40 blogs featuring eco-friendly prize packages. Good luck!

San Diego Remodeling

2012-01-14T16:43:00.001-10:00

I was watching a home remodeling marathon on TV. I do dreamof having a house that I can remodel myself and put attention to details. Remodelingis one of the ways to improve the appearance and functionality of yourhome. You’ll get to enjoy the upgradeswhile living there, and it will make selling the home easier when you’re readyto put it on the market.

Recently weflew to San Diego and do a few touristy things there, and enjoyed it verymuch. I think San Diego’s housing markethas held up pretty well, because you don’t hear many foreclosures there probablybecause of the large number of militaryin the area. San Diego remodeling is thesame as others, except the weather is very comfortable year round, so doingkitchen remodel San Diego might use slightly different materials than a remodelin other parts of the country. While wewait out the economy we can make improvements to our home to maximize ourliving enjoyment while making our house worth more when we’re ready to sell inthe future.

If you are from San Diego, California or if you live there and you need help with home renovation, you can visit larsremodel.com for more information. This post is brought to you by their site and the photo above is also from their website.

Skip Hire Solutions

2012-01-13T21:16:00.000-10:00

We are all contributors of trash. Everyday we have to taketrash to the trash chute so it doesn’t pile up here in our apartment. You probably heard of environmentally friendlyefforts of companies and individuals like recycling and reusing items to reducewaste.

One of the companies out there is the Veolia EnvironmentalServices. They specialize in skip hire or skip bin solutions for bothresidential and commercial needs. This means that they provide various sizes ofbins depending for dry and solid waste. Theyare located here in the United States and in Australia.

For us, there is a big truck that comes by every first weekof the month that picks up those furniture and other big items for recycling orfor disposal. I think it is convenient that there is a schedule because thatway, we know when to take out the items that are for disposal. This also eliminates people from putting theirbulky items at the street. I noticeevery month, there are a lot of huge items. It’s good that these items areprobably being recycled. I likerecycling, we take our cans and bottles for recycling and I also like torecycle fabrics.

This post is brought to you by http://www.veoliaes.com.au/.

DIY Sunglass or Headband holder

2012-01-13T20:54:00.009-10:00

This is how I store my sunglasses and some headbands. It is a space saver for me because I just usemy wall to store them instead of a counter space or inside a drawer. Just like most of my DIY projects, this oneis very simple.

This is how I made it. I just started with a fabric rope. I joined the ends by knotting them together and then continue to make more knots in between.

Really easy! I use a lot of my bathroom wall to store accessories. How do you store your sunglasses? Yours are probably better.

I'm linking with Saturday Nite Special, Show and Tell Saturday, SOCC Sunday, Shadow Shot Sunday

I also have a giveaway that you might want to enter. --Win a Shag Bag (wristlet), headbands and a flower brooch Ends 1/30

Walgreen Updates on Express Script Patients

2012-01-12T23:01:00.001-10:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you go to Walgreens to fill prescriptions under Express Script, it would be helpful to know that the contract between Walgreens and Express Script has ended on the last day of December 2011. Unfortunately, there are many people who will be affected by this change. Those who are covered by Express Script now have to look for another drug store or pharmacy to get their medicines. However, you can join the Walgreens Prescription Savings Club and you will be able to get discounts. The membership is only $5 for an individual person or $10 for the family.

Here are my reasons for shopping at Walgreens aside from their low prices:

It is open 24 hours. Other convenience stores have expensive prices but Walgreens is cheap and convenient.

It has lot of branches , you are most likely to find a near Walgreens at your area

It can be a one stop shop. They offer a lot of items.

You can provide continued support for Walgreens by visiting Walgreens on Facebook and liking their page. You can also be a follower of Walgreens on Twitter. They provide updates about the latest news and deals through these social media sites. At this time, Walgreens is donating $1 to every new like on Facebook to their Way to Well Fund Partners.

Indoor Picnic

2012-01-12T17:24:00.007-10:00

I think I am starting the year right with more quality time with RC. Last year, I felt that I was at the computer a lot especially by the end of the year after our vacation. This year, I want to be able to "homeschool" RC and do more activities with her whether just at home, going to the park or wherever we go.

This is one of her favorite activities at home, to have a picnic. Sometimes, we have real food but most of the time we use toys.

I'm linking with Show And Tell Friday, Feature Friday, Foto Friday, HodgePodge Friday, Show and Tell Wednesday

Find Great Deals at NoMoreRack

2012-01-10T16:29:00.001-10:00

Have you joined sites that offer great deals about a productor service for a limited period of time? Nomorerack.Com is one of these sites,they showcase about eight deals per day. They offer all kinds of items likecosmetics, cameras, accessories, toys and more. They have been featured in ontelevision and leading magazines nationwide. I notice their products are alsowell described giving you a lot of idea about the item before you make apurchase.

I just signed up today and still in the process of decidingwhich one I am going to order. I saw other bloggers who already made purchasesfrom the site so I am confident to shop at NoMoreRack.Com

How nomorerack works?

They always hunt for great deals, if a manufacturer closed,has overstock or cancelled orders, they take the items from factories,designers and other companies so they can offer these items for much less thanthe actual price. You can get as much as90% off the regular price.

Aside from the daily deals, they have the “insanity deals”.These are additional deals that goes live at various time periods within theday. With the Insanity deal, they also offer up to 90% off the regular price.

What else to love at NoMoreRack?

If you love gadgets, I believe this is a great site for youtoo. Gadgets can be very expensive but they can be offered at an insane priceat NoMoreRack.

You can refer your friends to nomorerack.com and you can accumulatepoints and get free items! Free items includes jewelries, kitchen items etc. Whenyou sign up, you will be given a unique referral link that you can use to sharewith your friends or readers. You cantweet, share it in Facebook, or blog about your unique link. I love it whencompanies do this. I get more motivated to share the website to people.

Shipping is only $2.00 anywhere in the United States! Hawaiiis always an exemption when it comes to low shipping so this is good news forme, another site that offers low shipping.

This post is brought to you by nomorerack.com.

Wordless Wednesday: Celebrate Your Birthday Twice W/ Linky

2012-01-10T08:42:00.002-10:00

This was RC's birthday at home.

RC's 3rd Birthday

2012-01-08T23:49:00.003-10:00

We celebrated RC's birthday at the Hawaii Children's Discovery Center. It was a simple celebration but it was fun. I was anxious about it a few days before the party. We rushed into ordering the cake just a day before. I had to beg the bakery to make it ready at a certain time. I finished doing grab bags also just a day before.

We had the choice of either an indoor or outdoor party but to be on the safer side, I chose the indoor just in case it rains. I only invited four families and one couple. Unfortunately, one family did not come so that was a waste because I paid for each person but overall, I'm glad to have a party for RC this year because last year, we just took her to the zoo.

These pictures were after eating, it was cake time and then craft time for the kids.

These pictures below was after the clean up. We were still able to enjoy the place a little bit. The center also closes early so we were not able to do much after the party.

RC's 1st and 2nd birthday:

1st Birthday at Chuck E Cheese

Birthday at the zoo - 2 yrs

I'm linking with Blue Monday and Yellow Mellow Monday, Pink Saturday

Luxurious Dog Beds

2012-01-08T22:56:00.002-10:00

I just found the most luxurious dog beds online. I waslooking through the dog furniture and they are comparable to human furniturewhen it comes to design sometimes, even better. If you go to edendogbeds.com,you’ll find orthopedic dog beds and memory foam dog beds. I can’t even get amemory foam bed for myself, they are very expensive. Some pets must be veryspoiled! These dog beds are cheaper though compared to the regular memory foambeds for humans. Probably because of thesize, therefore the dog beds have lesser foams. If these dog furniture are a little taller, Ithink they would be great for kids too. They fit perfectly into a living roombecause they don’t look like they’re for pets. They are different from thetraditional dog beds where you instantly know they are for cats or dogs.

If I’ll have a dog again, I would like to have another cute lap dog. I think they look so cute. What are your thoughts about these luxurious pet beds andcouches? Edendogbeds.com is running a sale and offers free ground shipping butthey still cost $200 or more.

Photos are from http://www.edendogbeds.com/, this post is brought to you by their site.

Sketched Faces

2012-01-05T22:17:00.001-10:00

These pictures were taken last month at Chuck E Cheese when we attended a birthday party. RC had so much fun riding all kinds of kiddie rides and playing with other kids. Taking these black and white (sketched) pictures was fun. I think I lost them already though.

I'm linking with Show and Tell Friday and Feature Friday

Mixed Media Marketing

2012-01-05T20:32:00.000-10:00

One thing that all most successful companies have in common is a good marketing department. Marketing is a mix of actions that includes the five P’s, which are Product, Price, Place, Promotion, and People. I won’t go into a lecture about what each are but just to emphasize that marketing can take an unnoticed ordinary product and turn it into a real financial winner. I haven't worked directly in marketing department but I have worked with people from marketing, and they all seem to be very creative and full of ideas. They are usually outgoing people with strong positive personalities.

By marketing a website or product, we can make large numbers of people aware of what we have to offer through the use of various tools, including advertising, email campaigns, surveys, internet, and social media. The latest trends in marketing use a mix of marketing mediums, called Mixed Media Marketing (M3). Mixed Media Marketing includes the usage of traditional, internet, and advertising. I would admit that I am not familiar about how to market a website or product to a large market and if I have a business, I will probably need a lot of help to advertise.

An option is to obtain the services of a company that specializes in marketing, especially using the M3 methods. You can look for a traditional Advertising Agency to handle your marketing needs, or you can use one that is using the very latest in marketing techniques that use not only traditional methods, but also employs social media and the internet.

This post is brought to you by http://www.thatadvertisingagency.com/.

Wordless Wednesday: Gift Opening W/ Linky

2012-01-03T09:00:00.001-10:00

Happy New Year! I hope we'll all have success, peace and happiness throughout the year.

Some magazine- covered gifts.

I'm linking with Feature Friday

LBC Donation Drive For Typhoon Sendong Victims

2011-12-30T15:45:00.007-10:00

If you have anything to donate, LBC even here in the US is helping the victims of the typhoon Sendong in the Philippines, you will just need to drop the box, sending is FREE. I went to LBC in Dillingham here in Hawaii. They have branches in Chicago, Florida, California and probably in other parts of the US too. They might even offer a free pick up in some areas. Of course, this donation drive is also ongoing within the Philippines. LBC will accept donations till January 6, 2012 according to their Facebook Wall.

I only sent one box by the way for donation. The other one will be for another "project". For donation, I placed clothes, towels, blankets and sheets that we no longer use. I hope it will help in any way. You probably know already I'm originally from the Philippines and I'm crossing my fingers that I can go "home" next year.

I know I should be delivering good news because it will be New Year but maybe somehow through this we can deliver some hope to the victims . It was a really sad time that this happened before Christmas and the death toll rised to over 1,200. I chose to share this video from YouTube because I think it's clear enough and short. I'm late in posting this.

Just for more information about LBC, here is their main website--LBCExpress.Com

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post

More Blog Events to Join

2011-12-30T14:19:00.005-10:00

Here are some blog events to join, this will be one of the changes I will be doing for my blog next year year. I think it would be a good exposure and I found these events helpful on those times that I am unable to sit on the computer because I'm busy. Blog giveaways are also a great way to give back to my readers. My blog has given me a lot this year so I think it is time to invest and give back. If you know of more blog events, please let me know. Thanks a lot for all your visits!

Please click the links for more information. I had a hard time posting the HTML so I just placed the link above the button.

Blog events to join:

Green Resolutions hosted by Happy Mothering, Mama Chocolate and Purposeful Homemaking

Valentine’s Day Cash Giveaway!

Holiday Themed Eyeglasses at Zenni Optical

2011-12-29T16:03:00.002-10:00

Eyeglasses can be expensive, especially if you buy them from an optometrist. If you’re looking for high-quality, but monetarily cheap eyeglasses, you should try Zenni Optical. It is our new favorite place to shop for glasses now and we recently ordered two pair of reading glasses and are very happy with them. We chose the simple designs but a lot of their eyeglasses at Zenni are very stylish. They fit perfectly, and there is no noticeable difference between them and eyeglasses costing much more.

Here is the picture of what we ordered:

Here are some of Zenni's holiday themed eyeglasses:

They have a very large variety of frames and lenses to choose from, and even glasses with holiday themes for those of you who want to celebrate in style. You can to check out the great deals and frame styles. They also launched holiday themed eyeglasses. You'll find the perfect eyeglasses for Valentine's, Christmas, Thanksgiving and other holidays . At this time, they are offering free shipping for orders $50 or more so you can get an even better deal. You’ll be very happy with the cost, must lower than you would expect for quality glasses. I know we’re very happy with the quality of glasses and great service we received from them and you will be too.

Honolulu City Lights 2011

2011-12-29T15:17:00.007-10:00

I hope all of you had great Christmas. We just had more food than usual during Christmas Eve and we extended our Christmas the day after by going to the Honolulu City Lights. Every year since I had RC, we go here, it's like a family tradition. The decorations are mostly the same but I enjoy coming here because it makes me feel like we celebrate Christmas even more.

This year, RC was big enough to ride the train and the carousel so that's something that we did experience this year that's different from the past.

Mele Kalikimaka means Merry Christmas in Hawaiian. The print at the back of these blocks shows Hau’oli Makahiki Hou (Happy New Year). I can remember Mele Kalikimaka but not the greetings for New Year.

I like this mini carousel for kids. I saw it and I was excited to take RC so she can ride it because the horses are just the right size for her.

The Shaka Santa. Should I say that's the Hawaiian Mrs Claus or maybe Mrs Shaka Santa.

Another year before we head back to this place to see these giant Christmas figures and ornaments.

Belated Mele Kalikimaka!

If you want to see my old posts about the city lights:
Honolulu City Lights 2009
Honolulu City Lights 2010

I wore: Land's End dress (I'm so short I can fit in girls size 16), random leggings, purse from my mom, sandals from the Philippines (Rusty Lopez)

Nickelodeon.com

2011-12-28T20:50:00.000-10:00

This guest post from Lewis Beck

If you have young children like I do I know that you are probably worried about them getting on the internet. You will probably want to stand over their shoulder or even hold the mouse while they direct you where to click, constantly on guard for an offensive pop up. If you don’t have an internet connection you should get Wild Blue. Even if you are afraid of what your kids may be looking at online you can still benefit from all the great things the internet has to offer. One of my kid’s favorite web sites is www.nick.com. It is a site for everything Nickelodeon. My kids love the interactive games and the page with the information about each show. They like to go in and click on each and every show information page to see what new pictures they have posted of their favorite characters and read and then reread all about the character’s life in TV land. One of the best things about this site is that I know when my kids are on there I don’t have to worry about a popup coming up that they don’t need to see or any other inappropriate content.

Wordless Wednesday: Dinner at Ruth's Chris W/ Linky

2011-12-27T12:23:00.002-10:00

I made a Wordless Wednesday linky below. If you have a WW post, just link up, no other rules. Enjoy. I'll try to visit those who will link up.

Handpainted Mailbox

2011-12-27T08:54:00.000-10:00

The phrase term curb appeal is concerned with making a good first impression when people pass by your home, but what are some things that can give your home more curb appeal? There are lots of things, but a nice lawn and foliage certainly help, along with entrance light fixtures, welcome mats and personalized mailboxes. As you drive around, you will notice that most people have the normal drab mailbox, but the ones you remember are the custom mailboxes because they are different and add character to a home.

There are numerous brands for custom mailboxes, but some of the most popular are Bacova mailboxes. Bluegrass Woods Mailboxes are the manufacturers of a complete line of mailboxes, along with other items like ice buckets, card tables, serving trays, etc. They also offer Bacova Guild mailboxes , which are the work of professional artists and are hand laminated with a fiberglass wrap to ensure they last for many years. They are sturdier than the standard mailbox and much more appealing. I especially like the handpainted mailboxes.

This post is brought to you by http://www.bacovamailbox.com/. The photo is from their website.

If The Shoe Doesn't Fit Review and 0.925 Silver Bracelet Giveaway Ends 12/30

2011-12-25T14:43:00.006-10:00

If The Shoe Doesn't Fit is an auction site for shoe lovers.There are high end shoes but there are also bargains for moms like me who lovesto get items for cheap .There are shoes for all ages! You can shop not just for yourself but for theentire family. I notice most of the shoes are for women though.

If you would like to sell shoes or swap shoes, you can alsoutilize their site. Here are some helpful information:

Swapping- List for free

2 Free Listings to Sell- Promo code SOLES

5 Free Listings toSell- Promo code B2B, you can use this with the other promo code SOLES to get 7free listings!

You can get up to 8 free pictures per listing so it's affordable. Auto relisting up to 9 times for free is also allowed if you don't sell your shoes immediately.

For updates about their current and past promotions, you canfollow them in http://twitter.com/ITSDFor Like their fan page at Facebook.

For the giveaway, Ellen of If The Shoe Doesn't Fit gave me a beautiful bracelet thathave purse and shoe charms, too cute!

Disclosure: I received the bracelet in exchange of a review for the site If The Shoe Doesn't Fit. No other compensation was received.

I joined the Christmas Letdown giveaway hop so please check out the other blogs who are hosting giveaways.

The day after Christmas sometimes feels like a letdown.

All that preparation, then BAM it's over.

You're left with a hundred boxes and three garbage bags of torn paper.

Didn't get what you wanted? You're not alone.

This will cheer you up!

The Christmas Letdown Giveaway Hop,

hosted by Planet Weidknecht and co-hosted by Going Crazy! Wanna Go?

runs from December 26 @ 12:01 a.m. EST to December 30 @ 11:59 p.m. EST.

Each blog on the linky list below has a giveaway worth at least $20.00.

You can hop from blog to blog and enter to win prizes on every single one!

Good luck and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

--
a Rafflecopter giveaway --

Blogs Participating in The Christmas Letdown Giveaway Hop:

Rebuilding Credit Fast

2011-12-25T11:42:00.002-10:00

With the bad financial collapse experienced by the American economy starting in late 2008, many of us are left with credit histories that have unfavorable information in them due to late payments, non-payments, and perhaps foreclosures and bankruptcies. But you may ask how to fix credit reports after going through a tough financial crisis? Here are information that I have learned based on research and personal experience. I still need to learn more though and try to apply what I learned.

There are a few options, but all will take dedication and a willingness to pay down your debt along with living a more frugal lifestyle. If you want to know how to rebuild credit fast, the first step will be to gather all your bills and make a record of each one, with the remaining balance and the minimum payment each month. After that you should list them from smallest to largest and pay off the smallest one first, no matter what the interest rates are on each debt. Once you pay off a debt, then use the extra money you were paying on that debt and combine it to start paying off the next smallest debt. Keep continuing this until your debts are gone. But if you’re wondering how to find the best credit repair service after getting your financial house in order, you need to get a copy of your credit report and scan it thoroughly, looking for any discrepancies that you can request to have removed. By watching your credit report closely, you will be amazed at how quickly your credit history can be repaired with paying your bills on time and sending extra each month. So, start getting your credit repaired and fix your financial health, it will not only result in a higher credit score, but you’ll probably sleep better at night too.

Please visit http://raisingcreditscorefast.org/. This post is brought to you by their website.

Merry Christmas 2011!

2011-12-24T19:58:00.009-10:00

Here are more Christmas decorations, this time from the mall, so lavish and festive. I don't really have much pictures of myself lately. These pictures were taken by me last week. RC was wearing a regular scarf that I turned into an infinity scarf. It was raining so I made her wore her rain boots for the first time outside before they're too small for her feet.

Just a quick story, I only had $2 and I needed $3 cash so RC can ride this train. So I went around asking stores if they can give a cash back if I buy something but all of them said no. Some are not even aware what it is. RC kept crying. I remembered I had some candy bars and maybe the train cashiers will take them because they are worth more than a dollar. So I went and asked and the person infront of me also buying a ticket heard me and offered to give a dollar, how nice! So we got lucky. Then, not looking at the time that was posted at the ticket, I took RC to the train where parents are already loading the kids. I thought it was great that we did not have to be in line for long. It turned out we had to wait for another hour before she can ride as her train ticket says. So then RC was upset and crying (loudly) again. There was one spot the very front and I saw that there was no kid sitting. I asked if she can get that spot, first they said no but after they made final calls and paged no more kid showed up and RC got the spot. So there, free dollar and not needing to wait! I know that wasn't such a quick story. Not much but it's probably one of the things that I would always remember even when RC is much older.

The year is almost over. I hope all of you had a great year this year and more blessings to come in the year ahead! Merry Christmas!

I'm linking with Just Something I whipped Up, The More The Merrier, Show and Tell Friday, Creation Corner

X is for Xmas

Bamboo Tiki Bar

2011-12-23T18:52:00.004-10:00

Wouldn’t it be cool to have a tiki bar at your outdoor area?Bamboo fencing is an environmentally friendly idea to build a tiki bar and it’sdurable too. Bamboo grows rapidly and is easily replaced inthe tropics, unlike hard woods which can take decades to grow. Using bamboo can also save some money because it is low maintenance. If we have one, I think it would be nice to decorate itdepending on the season.

Most of the popular home improvement programs ontelevision focus on kitchens and but some are geared toward the outside of thehome. Many homes havedecks these days where families can relax outdoors and grill some burgers andhotdogs. Decks can be made of a varietyof products, but there are also accessories to consider, like panels to provideextra shade or as accent pieces. One ofthe best choices is bamboo paneling. It’s a versatile material that you can use to cover areas of your deckor pavilion to give it a more tropical look.

Hawaiian Santa at the Christmas Party

2011-12-22T19:15:00.003-10:00

This is the Hawaiian Santa showing the shaka sign. If you go to Hawaii, it is probably one of the common things you would learn aside from the word Aloha .

Santa from the North Pole, we have a picture with him too but I thought I was showing a little too much because my shirt was pulled down.

Christmas decors and food, lots of great food.

RC had so much fun playing with this girl. Even when all the kids were infront playing games, they just liked each other's company.

Another cute girl. I love her leggings.

This picture has other people but their faces are blurry so I posted it here. This is one of my favorite part of the party when the men are dancing.

Have you attended Christmas parties yet? This is the only one we attended.

I'm linking with Show and Tell Friday and Foto Friday

Restore Your Floors

2011-12-21T09:16:00.004-10:00

This is how our living room looks like after I picked up the toys. I changed the furniture arrangement about two months ago so all the toys will be concentrated in this area instead of everywhere in our apartment. What type of flooring do you have? We have mostly carpet andsome linoleum at the kitchen and the bathroom. The carpethas been nice especially when RC was still a baby, she can crawl and not gethurt by a flat hard surface when she was learning how to walk. Having a quality vacuum is so important for floor care. (There are Sears coupons available for vacuums.)However, I wishwe have wood floors because I like the look of it and I think it is easier toclean with cleaning materials available at the market.

With therising cost of flooring materials and the labor required to install them, manytimes it makes more sense to restore floors instead of replacing them. One of the latest trends for sidewalks andpatios is colored concrete made to look like tile or marble. There are floor care machines available thatdo concrete polishing to make that concrete work much easier. Concrete lasts forever if given the propercare and maintenance over the years. Soif you’re looking for information about wood restoration, or just wanting tomaintain the beautiful floors you have, you can check out floorcare.com. They have some great equipment and suppliesto make your repairs and maintenance much easier and cheaper.

I participated in a campaign about wood restoration. This post is brought to you by http://www.floorcare.com/. All opinions are mine.

Wordless Wednesday: Library and Ice Cream

2011-12-20T17:33:00.001-10:00

These pictures were taken last week at the library. Somebody (RC) was a little too noisy, we had to get out. We received the final warning from the lady guard so when she made more noise, I just decided it was time to go.

She had a good choice of book, she loved this Nihao Kailan book. very colorful.

We went to McDonald's after and had ice cream, sooo good. First I thought of going to Cold Stone but I can only get one of this size for the price of two at McDonalds.

Library, I hope you don't get us banned from entering again.

Couponing: The Extreme Video Course Review

2011-12-20T16:51:00.004-10:00

I’ve always wondered how the extreme couponers can save so muchwhen it says on the coupons that you can only use one coupon per item. Iremember one time, I was trying to “copy” the items that other coupon bloggersgot but I am not even close to the savings they got from the same items. Aftertaking the Couponing: The Extreme Video Course, I learned tips and tricks on how to use couponsand get free items. Just think about savings thatyou can get if most of your toiletries are free or almost free.

What I think about the videos:

1. It's easy to understand. You can hear the speakerRayven Perkins well with examples (including computations and sample products).

2. It's organized, it starts with videos aboutorganizing coupons, learning the basics to applying the coupons to specific stores.

3. I can tell that the speaker wanted to share whatshe knows and she shares her knowledge completely with these videos.

4. I can relate to the speaker. I see myself doingthis because I am frugal. I like to save, I like to take advantage of trial items or get things for free at stores.

I am on my way to subscribing to our localpaper, search for online coupons and apply what I have learned. I believe evenif I do not take it to the extreme, these videos will still help me a lot whenit comes to saving when we go to our favorite grocery or drug store. I amalready using coupons, it is something that I was encouraged to do because ofother bloggers like me who are looking for ways to save some bucks.

If you are interested in couponing, pleasevisit this website. I’ll probably share more about it later once I get to havesome freebies or have great savings because of what I learned in this course. I’mconfident that I can do this and stay a stay at home mom.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Toy Decorated Christmas Tree

2011-12-18T23:09:00.025-10:00

Last month, we went shopping for Christmas trees and the prices for the trees that we liked are about $100. I decided not to have a Christmas tree. I could use that money to buy something else that we need especially this time that bills and expenses are piling up. Recently, I notice RC is very fond of Christmas trees, she always try to pull the ornaments when we’re at the lobby of our building. We went to the library the other day and she wanted to play with the tree.

Today, I went to the mall to take RC to ride theChristmas train and maybe do a little window shopping. I saw this 4 feet treepriced at $14.99, additional 25% off because the store is closing. I knew I had to getit. We set it up and RC was jumping for joy. I thought I could use the flowerpins to decorate it because I did not buy ornaments. She helped me decorate it with her toys too. I have afeeling the toy ornaments will change everyday, maybe a few times per day. I wouldnot have to worry if this will fall on her because it’s short, light and no lights attached. She now has her very own Christmas tree.

Linking with Sundae Scoop, DIY Project Parade, Party Time and Blog Hop, Creative Bloggers Party & Hop, Think Pink Sundays, Motivate Me Monday, Just Something I whipped Up, More the Merrier Monday, Making the World Cuter Monday, Craft Catwalk, A Round Tuit, Amaze Me Monday, Frugal Tip Tuesday, Tuesday Talent, Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays, Trash to Treasure Tuesday, Get Your Craft On,Tip Me Tuesday, Take a Look Tuesday, Handmade Tuesdays, Show and Share, Crafty Sasse Wednesday, Party Mindie Style, Creating My Way to Success , Wicked Awesome Wednesday, Show and Tell Wednesday, Wow Me Wednesday, What's up Wednesdays, Thrifty Thursdays Get Your Brag On, Creative Juice Thursday, Strut Your Stuff, Transformation Thursday, It's a Party!, Thrifty Thursday, Hookin Up with HoH, Show off Your Stuff, Blog Hop Social, The Thoughtful Thursday, Show and Tell Friday, Inspiration Friday, Feathered Nest Fridays, Anything Goes, Tickled Pink, Flaunt It Friday, Feature Yourself Friday, Frugal Friday , Friday Flair, Free For All Friday, It's a Hodge Podge Life - Friday, Nifty Thrifty

8 Tips for a Head Start on the Holiday Season

2011-12-18T07:58:00.001-10:00

Preparing your home and mind for the holidays is never easy and manytasks often get left till the last minute. Part of the problem is we sometimes feel the process has to be kind oflike spring cleaning but in truth, there’s a lot less to worry about. Unless you truly have time and energy for going through closets andstorage or boxes in the attic the focus should be on things that will enhancethe experience of being with friends and family.

That said, here are a few ideas to give you ahead start and take off some of the pressure when it’s crunch time:

1. Organize the kitchen: Chances are you’re going to be doing a lot of cooking for your loved ones and other guests. That’s why one of your top priorities should be to organize the kitchen so you can find what you need when you need it. Also, if you’re really going to have a full house you may want to label some of those custom kitchen cabinets so friends and family can help themselves to things like coffee, tea, and sugar.

2. Holiday cards: Purchase or make your own but start filling them out now because the longer you wait the shorter some of those personal messages may get.

3. Clean house crud: Take a look around the house and see if there’s any noticeable crud needing to be removed. Sometimes it’s on or around door knobs and cabinet doors or about waist level on the walls when passing between rooms.

4. Prep the guest room: Some guests arrive on time and others who may be flying in from out of town could show up earlier than you expected. To avert awkward moments prep the guest room early by clearing out clutter, setting aside linens, vacuuming, and adding some chocolates and other welcoming pieces around the room. That way you’ll just have to do some minor dusting shortly before they arrive.

5. Gifts: Start making the gift list now so you know exactly what you want to get.

6. Dusting the decorations: Sometimes holiday decorations that weren’t put away properly the previous year end up collecting a lost of dust. This is especially true of artificial trees that aren’t easy to wrap up and store. If some of your family members have sensitivities to dust or mold do the following before bringing these items into the main living space: Wipe off decorations and ornaments as best as possible and wash the tree down outside letting it dry completely in the sun prior to bringing it back inside.

7. New Years plans: Don’t wait for last minute deals. If you’re planning on traveling make reservations now, as flights and rooms will fill up quickly.

8. New Years resolutions: Think now about how you want next year to begin so when the clock strikes twelve you’re ready for change!

Jakob Barry writes for Networx.com.He covers various home improvement topics including commercial electricians and concrete cutting .

Blog Giveaway Events

2011-12-17T13:44:00.001-10:00

I'm joining the Blogorama Bonanza Remix 2012 is Blogorama Bonanza Remix 2012. For more information, please click at the picture above.

It is a perfect time to find what gifts you would like to give to your mother. Makobi Scribe is proud to present Mother’s Day Gift Ideas Carnival Event from May 10 12:01 PM EST to May 18 at 12:01 PM EST and is accepting signups now.

You can also join this Valentine's Event for bloggers hosted by Real Mom Reviews & Mama Chocolate

I have always seen blog events on blogs but I haven't really tried them yet I'll try to sign up and hopefully I'll do it right on those dates. If you want to sign up, I understand that you will need to host a giveaway for at least $25 value on those dates. Wish me luck.

My Soon-To-Be 3 years old

2011-12-17T10:38:00.000-10:00

Definitely not a baby anymore.

VinoTemp Beverage Coolers

2011-12-17T09:27:00.001-10:00

From ancient times until today peoplehave drank a variety of alcoholic beverages, but probably the most popular overthe years has to be wine. Wine comes inmany types, including white, red, rose, sparkling, dessert and fortified. Most people are usually drinking sparkling wineon New Year’s Eve. The common name for this wine is champagne. Champagne is used for celebrations likeweddings and birthdays. There are listsof pairings matching wine varieties with different types of foods. One of the requirements to keep your winefresh and tasting its best is to keep it stored in a cool area withoutsunlight. Today you can either build awine cellar, or you can keep your wine cool using a vinotemp wine cooler. Vinotemp is one of the leading brands forwine coolers.

If you are looking for vino temp beverage coolers, please visit http://www.vinotempcooler.com. They offer a full range ofvino temp wine coolers, wine refrigerators, wine cabinets, wine cellars, andalso sell wine glasses, bottle openers and lots of other accessories. They can meet any need you have for enjoyingand storing wine. This post is broughtto you by their website.

PartyLite Simple Pleasures Holiday

2011-12-15T23:01:00.001-10:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of PartyLite Simple Pleasures Holiday Sweepstakes for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Have you heard of PartyLite? PartyLite is a leading direct seller of home fragrance and high quality candles. You can join the PartyLite community and host a PartyLite party. If you host a party, you can get a lot of freebies. For a limited time, you can join the PartyLite Simple Pleasures Holiday Sweepstakes, they are giving away $500 PartyLite Gift Certificate but you must register by December 15. I would like to win for sure so I can shop for gifts at PartyLite.

I wish I know a lot of people and have a bigger space to host parties. For now, I can only invite a few people if I host a party for PartyLite. It will probably be fun since the party is about decorating and refreshing your home with scented candles and other related candle accessories.

I think the PartyLite decoration as you can see at the picture below makes a warm and welcoming home. The candle holders and the candles are from their Amaretto Swirl collection. Their other collections include ScentGlow Warmers, Clearly Creative and Enchanted Collection.

For those business-minded moms, you can be a PartyLite consultant yourself or if you just want to decorate or collect candles, you can shop at PartyLite.Com

You can also find more information about PartyLite on Facebook. There are a lot of women who are providing good feedback at their PartyLite Facebook page. Like them to get updates and promotions about their products.

PartyLite is also launching their Winter/Spring 2012 Collection on December 16.

More From Disneyland

2011-12-15T17:07:00.003-10:00

I know I already shared so much pictures from Disney but here's more.

We just entered Disneyland here.

The Christmas tree at day time. It certainly feels like Christmas at Disneyland.

Watching the parade. (I know my stomach sticks out at this picture)

Sleeping Beauty's castle.

Strolling around the park. While we ate, RC took a nap at her stroller so she had more energy after.

Disneyland train that goes around the park.

It was so crowded but we still tried to ride whatever we can so we can enjoy our stay at Disneyland. I haven't seen so many strollers in a stroller parking area.

Taking more pictures while riding the train.

This was another train ride, it is more for kids.

I think this was called the Adventure Land.

Take a picture while in line.

This is one of my favorite things we did, riding the "It's a small world" boat, relaxing but so festive. The pictures does not do justice. The line was long but it was worth it.

@Toon Town. RC had so many pictures here at Mickey's house, very cute.

Christmas tree at night, we were suppose to wait for the fireworks but we were all tired especially RC.

I wonder when we can go back here again... someday. I really want to see DisneyWorld too, it's bigger and probably better.

I'm linking with Foto Friday

Christmas Shipping Deadlines with Best Online Coupons

2011-12-15T16:33:00.001-10:00

Do you shop online and use coupons or promo codes? I would admit that weshop a lot online but we don’t usually use coupon codes. I thought they werehard to find but BestOnlineCoupons.Com provides a wide range of coupons thatyou can use at different websites including Amazon.

Shipping Deadlines is one of the things that we consider if we are buying giftsonline and it’s almost Christmas. We want our gifts to be there on time notjust for this holidays but also for other special occasions such as birthdaysand anniversaries.

Christmas Shipping Deadlines 2011 is easy to locate with BestOnlineCoupons.Com. They provide you a listof websites and when you should order so the item will be there for Christmas. Theyalso provide the information if an overnight delivery is available.

I’m glad I was able to take this opportunity to share with you aboutBestOnlineCoupons.Com and I think it will also be helpful for me in my futurepurchases online and probably at stores too. Their site is also categorized onthe type of the item. Categories include food, kids/babies, apparel andclothing, jewelry etc.

If you like to shop for technical gadgets, Newegg Coupons arealso available.

I will receive a small compensation writing for http://www.bestonlinecoupons.com/. Please check out their website.

Blue Sky Scrubs: Scrubs, Tees, Jackets and More

2011-12-14T20:02:00.001-10:00

If you are in the medical field and in need of scrubs, youmay want to visit Blue Sky Scrubs. They have classic style hospital scrubs with greatquality. They have scrubs for nurses,doctors and even for veterinarians. Theyeven have scrubs for babies and kids, something that I have to think aboutgetting. If you use scrubs as uniformsand get to use it often, it is great to get something of good quality and doesnot easily fade so you’ll look good while working.

Blue Sky Scrubs is known for their scrub hats that haveunique and colorful designs. They havedisposable scrub hats as well. If you visit their website, you’ll find that itis easy to navigate. Their scrubs and other products have been featured atdifferent publications and media. When I buy things, I try to look at thereviews so I know that I am making the right decision.

What else do they offer at Blue Sky Scrubs? They have poloshirts, lab coats, long sleeve crewneck tees, jackets and accessories.

This post is brought to you by http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/

Shutterfly 8”x8” Photo Book Review and Giveaway Ends 12/27

2011-12-14T12:47:00.008-10:00

With Shutterfly, you can easily store your pictures and share them online for free. You can turn your photos into personalized gifts, photo books, invitations and more.

For review, I got a photo book. I hope you’re not tired of my vacation pictures, I used them for the photo book since it was a very special time for me and RC. It’s easy to download and drag the pictures into pages. I got to choose if I would like a hard, soft or fabric cover. There are so many templates and backgrounds too. I was able to add texts to make it even more personalized. The quality of the photos turned out to be clear and bright. I loved how the photo book came out and I’m sure you will like it too.

Shutterfly also provides tips to best capture your stories, in turn making your photo book full of memories. You can turn your holiday pictures into a photo book and you can reminisce the fun and excitement of the season . If you have a little one, you can add this book to your story time routine.

Please visit Shutterfly’s Story Telling Ideas and Gift Guides.

One of my readers will also have the chance to get the same photo book, $35 value. Rafflecopter has a new look, if you don't want to sign in using your Facebook account, just enter your name and email address so you can enter and the additional entries will appear.

Update: I was informed that there was no spot to leave your email address at the first entry that I used and I verified. I removed it from the list to enter and to be fair to everyone, I removed those entries too since they were blank anyway. Sorry this is the first time that I used the new Rafflecopter. It's still easy to enter so I hope you come join the giveaway.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wordless and Watery Wednesday: Mark Twain Riverboat

2011-12-13T14:18:00.000-10:00

This is one of my favorite things that we did at Disneyland, riding the Mark Twain Riverboat. There are several options to explore this lake, there is a pirate ship, canoe, etc but I think this one is just perfect for us especially I have my little RC with me.

We had so many pictures there so there will be more.

3 Day Offer! Android Powered EVO 4G

2011-12-13T08:00:00.001-10:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sprint for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

My husband is using an Android phone which he loves, and I even use it every now and then because I don’t have a smart phone. I am not really able to compare it with other smart phones because this is the only one I have used but it is very easy to use. We use it to log onto the internet, compare prices when we go shopping and it is very handy to use as a GPS. You don’t even have to type the address because it can recognize voices so they make it easier to use while you’re driving on the highway. His is an older version, so maybe it is a good time to upgrade.

If you hurry and take advantage of a limited time offer, you can get Android™ powered EVO 4G devices offered by Sprint. The offer includes an HTC EVO or HTC EVO Shift free, which also includes free activation on new lines. This is a great offer for the holidays from Sprint but it is ending soon. If you are thinking of getting a smart phone, you may want to check it out. It’s only a three day offer that began on December 12th and the promotion will end on December 14th this year.

Please check this link for more information -- Android™ powered EVO 4G devices.

Drano Snake Drain Cleaning Kit Giveaway Winner

2011-12-12T20:11:00.003-10:00

Thanks for all who joined! I know this is a very simple giveaway and I'm glad of the responses I got. I received 45 comments, 4 are non participating entries or entries that did not leave their email address for a total of 41 entries.

#17-- RealtorSD said...

i follow you on google plus

Email has been sent. I'm thinking next time, I will post the winner at the same post as the giveaway.

Princesses at Disneyland

2011-12-11T22:08:00.003-10:00

Disneyland was on my top list when we went to California but it turned out to be one of the last destinations we went to. I didn't bring enough clothes and the jacket I was wearing was borrowed from my brother. I just tried to put shirt on top of shirts on some days that was cold.

RC kept saying "Mom, go Disneyland, mommy see Snow White" because I was telling her she was going to see princesses. However, when we saw the first princess, she was very shy so I had to always be at the pictures.

At this next picture, Mrs Claus came out of the house and was the one who approached us first and later Santa came out. It was a crowded day at Disneyland.

We had to be in line to have a picture with Pluto. He is a very goofy dog.

Pictures with Mickey Mouse, again RC was shy at first.

This is the castle where they have a stage, it was great that we stopped by here just before we decided to leave the park because we saw three princesses and we had the chance to take pictures with them. We had to be in line again but not too long. We also enjoyed taking pictures at this beautiful castle.

First we saw Cinderella.

RC's favorite princess, Snow White. If she is still her favorite next year, maybe she is going to be Snow White for Halloween.

She's not a princess but she is very nice and very cheerful to take a picture with us and there's no lines with her.

We have a lot of pictures from Disneyland so I will probably post more. I just want to post this one first with the characters that we have photos of. This blog is more organized when it comes to posting pictures instead of just looking at the albums on my computer. I started blogging to compile these memories and although my blog has grown into much more, I still prefer that I blog about these times with RC. Just a few days ago, it reminded me of RC's first restaurant which I forgot.

Have a great week ahead!

Slim Fast 3-2-1 Plan Review

2011-12-11T21:00:00.001-10:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Slim-Fast for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Slim-Fast launched their best tasting and creamiest shake . You probably heard of this product before and I think they have a good advantage over other competitors because you can easily grab it at your local supermarket.

For busy people, I believe it is harder to lose weight because of the lack of time to visit the gym, do regular exercises and stick on a diet. With this shake, losing weight can be easy because the shakes tastes great. For me, I don’t think much about losing weight but on staying healthy. The Slim-Fast be best for me in the morning so I will have that energy I need after I just got up.

Reasons why I love Slim Fast Shakes:

1. I love that I can have a chocolate drink and know that I’m actually doing something good for my body.

2. You can purchase it easily.

3. It’s very convenient, for the shakes I tried, I did not need to have a blender.

4. I can use it to lose or maintain my weight.

5. They offer coupons so I can buy them cheaper than the regular price.

Why do they call it Slim Fast 3-2-1 Plan?

3 Snacks, 2 Slim Fast Shakes or Milk Bars, 1 Balanced Meal

This gives you more flexibility with your choice of Slim Fast, the snacks only has 100 calories. You can have nuts, fruits even veggies snack bars. The shakes provides satisfying meal that will make you control your hunger for up to four hours. There are also a lot of shakes to choose from-- Cappuccino, Vanilla, Chocolate and Strawberries and Cream. You get to enjoy one balanced 500 calorie meal per day! This coming holiday, it is easy to lose control of what we eat. Slim Fast will make you stop craving because you don’t feel hungry.

You can visit Slim-Fast in Facebook, they have more information and more feedback posted. They also have an ongoing giveaway!

Lockers For Storage

2011-12-11T08:55:00.000-10:00

At some point, lockers may have been a part of your daily routine. Maybe you had school lockers before or you’re currently using an employee locker at your work. Our lockers were located just beside the restroom when I was working so they were convenient. Of course, the women’s lockers are separate than of those for men. I’ve noticed that one of the most common types are steel lockers.

If I had a spacious garage, it is going to have lockers because they are great for storage and you can hide the items that don’t seem too appealing for the eyes. I’m always dreaming that we have a little more space for storage. It seems that I have to get out as much as I take in because we have a limited space. Unless you are very creative about storage and designing, it’s really a challenge. I learned from TV that when you have limited space, you should utilize your walls and use them as storage space. You can hang things by the wall. I’m using some of our doors to store some of my purses.

Lockers for sale are available at lockerixchange.com. This post is brought to you by their website.

Gift Card Weekend by Gilbert

2011-12-11T00:01:00.001-10:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Gift Card Weekend for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

It’s a time for gift giving and one of the best things to get this Christmas are gift cards. Gilbert the gift card machine is currently giving away $20 Regal Cinemas gift cards. You can like them on Facebook! They’re giving away over $10,000 worth of gift cards during the month of December. They already have pending giveaways for the month of January too. Just click on the “Gift Card Giveaway” tab of their Facebook page and you can fill up the entry form.

You can tell your friends in Facebook about their giveaways and you will have more chances of winning. On December 10 to December 18, they will be giving a $25 worth of Applebee’s gift card daily. That’s not all, just continue to check their Facebook page to be updated of more giveaways they are hosting.

On January 6-8, 2012, they will be hosting a Gift Card Weekend where gift cards are going to be worth even more. If you use a gift card from them at that time, you can get featured offers or get extra savings. You can learn about it at GiftCardWeekend.Com.

Participating retailers includes Subway, Bass Pro Shops, Applebee’s, Adidas, JCPenny, Sephora, Buca di Beppo, Marriot, Spa Finder, Lowe’s and Giant Eagle.

Don't forget to click on Gift Card Weekend for more information.

Moanalua Craft Fair

2011-12-10T20:29:00.001-10:00

Today was a busy day, we went to the post office, to the bank and then I went to Moanalua Craft Fair. I was suppose to go with the family but there were no more parking space available even at the side streets so I just had to be dropped. There were a lot of vendors, 200+ but thankfully, I was able to control myself and did not do any impulse buying. I had one previous co-worker that sells at craft fairs, she invited me to come so I went. It was my first time to go at this event at Moanalua. The pictures are me and RC after I went.

All of these pictures are just supposed to be me but she kept running everytime I pose. Sometimes, she loves picture taking, sometimes she is just too busy doing or looking at something else. I just noticed my dress got dirty here, probably cause I was also eating while shop-walking at the craft fair.

In the afternoon, me and RC attended a two year old birthday party at Chuck E Cheese. It was fun, she enjoyed the rides, and we both enjoyed the arcade, she was the ticket collector. RC did not want to leave. I'll share the pictures later.

Thank you for all the visits and comments.

I'm linking with What I wore Wednesday

Geeky Products

2011-12-10T13:45:00.001-10:00

Let’s go visit some gadgets again at Geekalerts.Com. If you visit the site, you’ll also find ThinkGeek promo code and Think Geek coupons. GeekAlerts.Com features a lot of Think Geek gadgets.

Since I’m not so “geeky”, I’ll just post some cute stuff I recently found on their website. These colorful animal themed towels are so cute. These would be a great gift for baby shower. Babies would look even cuter with these.

How about this maternity musical device? Maybe the baby will get musical before they even enter the world. Some people say that talking to the baby while you’re still pregnant is good. The baby can also listen to the soothing music so maybe s/he will be calm and not kick inside the mommy’s womb. Seriously, they said listening to music can add intelligence.

These mouse and mouse pad would make good gifts for Valentine's day. I think they are cute too.

I saw these fake tattoo sleeves before last Halloween. I want some of these, I can get instant tattoes and there won't be any need to worry to remove them in the future.

If you are looking for a Dell coupon, they also have it at GeekAlerts.com. All pictures are from their website. Do you have a "geek" website you keep looking at?

Creative Contrast Members Only Accessories

2011-12-10T11:00:00.001-10:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Creative Contrast LLC for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Since I started blogging, I learned a lot more about shopping online. One way to get great deals is to join those members’ only site. All the featured products are marked down the regular price. I already ordered in some of them mostly those that have kid’s items and clothing.

CreativeContrast.com is site where you can join the Chan Luu club and the Members Only Accessories Club. Membership is free. Chan Luu is an accessory designer who was originally from Vietnam. I would say that the prices are still a little high for me but you are the type that like and can afford high-end accessories, this site is for you. The designs are unique and very creative. Some are even colorful. It is sure tempting to buy, the pictures are great especially those accessories with shiny stones and the ones that are animal shaped. Jewelries are good investments for they usually appreciate in value. CreativeContrast.com also has scarves, handbags and more.

If you join, you will be notified of promotions and giveaways. Members have access to promo codes and offers up to 50% off. They also offer free shipping not just in the US but worldwide.

You can join using this link -- http://www.creativecontrast.com/category-s/286.htm.

Vi-Shape Shake Review

2011-12-09T17:06:00.000-10:00

I received two packs of Visalus Protein Shakes for review. It was like making an easy shake, just add milk, ice and the Vi-Shape Nutritional Shake Mix. What’s good is, it tastes like a cake mix and you can even add a flavor of your choice. You can add a squirt of chocolate, an orange juice, a banana, strawberries or other fruits that you may want to personalize it to satisfy your taste buds. I tried just the plain shake and in another glass, I made a chocolate shake and both tasted great. One pack can make a big glass, more than two cups, and it was so good that I finished all of it in just 30 minutes.

I drank the shake about 3 pm and that night, I totally get it how you can lose weight with this. I felt full that I did not have to eat dinner. I even felt that I drank more than I should. You can use the shake to replace a meal (for losing weight) or add to a meal (for gaining weight). I heard more than once that the best way to lose weight is to not starve yourself. I think if I am serious about losing weight, this might be the product for me. It's great for controlling appetite.
If you are interested in losing weight, the Body By VI 90-Day Challenge might be the one for you. Here is a video that you can also watch at Youtube.

I read the FAQs about this product and it is very convincing. I think they covered what most people would ask about a nutritional shake mix, probably even more. To order, you can go to BigIdea.Bodybyvi.com. For more information about the company, you can visit visalus.com.

Disclaimer: As mentioned, I received two packs of the protein shake for review.

The Love For Coffee

2011-12-08T19:49:00.000-10:00

Lots of people have coffee maker. It’s more convenient for coffee lovers to have them in your own home instead of buying them every morning. It’s a lot cheaper too. This winter season, it can help keep you warm during the cold days.

Krups coffee maker parts are available at thegourmetdepotco.com. They also have blenders, juicer and a lot of other kitchen items. I want one of those Cuisinart deep fryer that they have. Also, today, I was just thinking about using our blender more often. RC does seem to like to eat fruits but she likes fruit shakes and fruit juices. We currently don’t have a coffee maker, it would be great to have one. I like those cold coffees probably because it seems to always be summer here in Hawaii although lately it’s getting cooler too.

If you will be getting a new kitchen item, what would it be? I was at thegourmetdepotco.com and now I want more than what I wanted before I went to their site. A lot of great items that will sure help me with cooking.

This post is brought to you by http://www.thegourmetdepotco.com/

Knott's Berry Farm Pictures of Us.

2011-12-08T16:38:00.001-10:00

Knott's Berry Farm is where we celebrated Thanksgiving. There are plenty more others who are doing the same. We were in line here to pay for the entrance, it's $50/person but you can get a better deal online or print some coupons first.

One of the nice place we found to take pictures (with squinting eyes).

RC's first roller coaster ride, of course with mommy. She was patiently waiting in line. She enjoyed this! She enjoys riding and wasn't scared at all.

I think this was a recreation of something from Mexico. I saw this before on TV.

We had a lot of fun.

We rode this train, pretty neat.

Ordered some Mexican food, for a family.There were four of us.

One of our last pictures before we left the adventure park.

I really like going on vacations! I can't wait for the next one. I'll post more from Disneyland and Queen Mary ship soon.

Zero Scale Review : Lose or Gain?

2011-12-07T22:52:00.001-10:00

So I was trying this Zero Scale for a few days now, It can show you how much you weigh but it basically shows how much you lose or gain in pounds or in kilograms. In some days, I gain in some days I lose. I think this will be more helpful if I get more serious about staying healthy. Really, I should start eating right and do some exercise which I don’t do now.

I thought it was an interesting scale, no need to compute! It focuses on the changes or progress rather than the total weight. I like how the scale looks like in my bathroom floor. It has a modern design and a large LCD display. It can also be easily set-up. Product reviews are available online HERE.

You can visit the website at thezeroscale.com. I have a promo code to share too. You can use the code “zero” and you’ll get 15% off your first purchase. This product has a 10 year warranty so you don’t have to worry about it breaking.

The Zero Scale can be used by up to 4 people in the household and there’s also a guest feature so even your visitors can try it. There’s three of us at home and it’s good that I can also keep track of RC’s weight which I’m not very good at now. She loves to step on this scale as much as I do.

Disclaimer: I received a free Zero Scale for review. No other compensation was received.

Wordless Wednesday: Knott's Berry Farm

2011-12-06T16:23:00.001-10:00

Random pictures from Knott's Berry Farm

I'll keep it wordless (or at least less wordy). =)

Fast Forward Academy (Be a Tax Preparer)

2011-12-05T22:01:00.001-10:00

Now that 2011 is coming quickly to an end, it means that we’re all going to start thinking about preparing our taxes soon. They’re normally due to the IRS by April 15th, although you can request an extension. Do you do your own taxes, or do you pay someone else to prepare them for you? I’ve found that many of the people I know pay a tax preparer, but we prepare our own taxes each year. If you’re interested in learning how to become a tax preparer, you can take a tax class online to become a Registered Tax Return Preparer, or RTRP.

If you pass the IRS exam, you will earn your tax preparer certification which certifies you to prepare income tax returns for other people. Tax preparer jobs are widely available starting in January so now is the time to take an income tax course. Don’t wait until the last minute to do your taxes, and if you decide to become a tax preparer, you can check out Fastforwardacademy.com. You can earn some extra money during tax season, and maybe you’ll like it so much it could become a new career for you.

This post is brought to you by http://fastforwardacademy.com/.

Donor Walls

2011-12-05T13:58:00.000-10:00

Recently I took a visit to a new building and while in the reception area I looked around and saw their brass plaques which were on their donor walls. They were a list of everyone inside and outside of the company who had donated to the fund for the new building. I thought it was a great way to show appreciation to those donors, and to leave an everlasting legacy that people will see decades from now. Even in Disneyland, they use plaques with brass writings like the one below.

Have you ever left a job and were presented with a plague that had your dates of service and your major accomplishments? Many companies do that these days, and then we can put them on our walls at home to keep track of our careers and to feel proud of the work we did at each company. If you’ve donated to a project and your name is included on the donor wall, you can take your children and show them your name and explain the part you played.

Anyway, Christmas is really here. It's coming too quickly. I see The Salvation Army commercials on TV and I can hear their bells ringing when I go downtown.

I hope everyone will have a great Christmas this year.

Universal Studios / Chinatown / Redondo Beach

2011-12-05T07:38:00.002-10:00

I wish I can say I've been to Universal Studios but this was just outside. I was not able to afford $77/person entrance fee and I'm with 5 other people who does not like to pay the amount either.We still liked strolling outside, seeing all the businesses and the lively crowd.

It was a long day that day, we had a late lunch in Chinatown, the food was delicious! Look at RC giggling at the next picture, she had so much energy. Seeing her pictures, it is really much better when there's no counting, just clicking the camera while she is on this kind of mood.

We went to Redondo beach at Long Beach that night too. A lot of people are strolling and still enjoying the night. We hardly go outside when it's night time here.

Have a great week ahead!

Drano Snake Plus Review and Giveaway Ends 12/11

2011-12-04T14:15:00.029-10:00

I applied for this review because we have a problem with our shower drain getting clogged and it does help that I shed a lot of hair. It does not happen a lot but when it does, it’s such a pain to fix it. That’s another reason why we take showers instead of baths. I use a hand held shower head that can be extended so I can use it easily for RC too.

It’s expensive to call the plumber and we are using an old heavy tool that we had for years. I should have known about Drano Snake PlusDrain Cleaning Kit. It’s easy to use, only two steps! Insert the flexible tool and add the gel. I don’t have to wait for my husband to unclog the drain when it does. It works well. The flexible tool is long and bends quickly. I used it in the bathroom shower and in our sinks. It has a mild “bleach” kind of smell which is tolerable.

You can buy the Drano Snake Plus Drain Cleaning Kit at Target, Walmart and CVS. The suggested retail price is $7.

One of my readers can also try this product for free!

This giveaway is simple and will end fast so I’ll have very easy entries. I'm currently having some issue with rafflecopter so I'll use the traditional method.

To be entered, please leave your email address (mandatory), very easy! Comments that does not have an email address will not be counted.

For additional entry, please add me to your Google+ circle which is located at the upper right side of my blog. Please leave a separate comment for this. Thanks!

Giveaway will end on December 11, 2011 at 8 PM Hawaii Standard Time or 10 PM Pacific Time. For US residents.

Disclaimer: I receive the product mentioned for free, no other compensation was received.

Sealife Aquarium Carlsbad

2011-12-02T14:38:00.000-10:00

This aquarium is also inside Legoland. The package per person that we got was the one that includes a trip to this aquarium. It was great, I think, there's much more to see than Waikiki Aquarium we have here.

You'll see this cross body bag as I share my pictures on our trip. I left it in California but it was with me wherever we go during this vacation.

This next picture reminds me of Maui Ocean Center.

I'm feeling a little down that we're back. I used to have work the next day after our vacations so I don't even have time to think about it but now, it's just usually me and RC again. It's still different when you have some family. I hope to be back in California next year and stay there longer.

I love the murals. I wish I can paint like this.

My husband was still with us here, he left to go to various states that's why we did not have too much time in Legoland because of his flight that night. We originally planned for me and RC to be with him and then later decided that I'll just visit my family in California.

Combining my husband's and ours, this is probably our most expensive trip since we got married and it's going to be Christmas. It's very worth it though. I also saved on the days that we did not have to stay in a hotel. I also got some freebies from my real life sponsors. =)

Friday is here! I hope we don't get bored being just mostly home this weekend. We have to go to the supermarket though. We are out of food (almost). We've been having Pizza Hut again and some canned goods since we came home.

Happy Weekend everyone! I'm slow again with commenting back. I came back and have products waiting for review. I was excited to try all of them but I can't even make myself motivated enough to write but I'm trying.

Thanks for all who visits.

I want to promote my current giveaway here- Natural House 3pcs Cleaning Products 30 day supply 12/14 US (i love... love this, thanks Natural House!) and my Google Plus is at the top right corner of my blog. You can add my blog page to your circle.

Master the Meal with GravyMaster!

2011-12-01T22:00:00.003-10:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of GravyMaster for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Christmas is just around the corner. I can’t believe how this year flew by so fast. Anyway, are you still thinking of what to prepare for the holidays? You can add GravyMaster to your list. I would like to try this too after looking at their website. It’s not just for gravy, it can be used for marinates or for making sauces. It has healthy ingredients like parsley and celery, there is no meat in GravyMaster.

Check out the featured recipes at gravy.com. They have the holiday ham and the lemon sole supreme, both looks so delicious. You can also take a look at the list of easy and everyday recipes . I’m a fan of easy recipes! I like to cook but I certainly don’t want to spend a lot of time just being in the kitchen for there are a lot of other things to do.

I haven’t really thought about what we would make for Christmas but I like to try this in a slow cooker or probably to bake a chicken. I’ll Master the meal with GravyMaster! What will you prepare with GravyMaster?

You can try a 2 oz bottle for only $2.20. The container is also made with dripless spout, so there’s less mess.

Mom and Daughter Nails

2011-12-01T19:45:00.012-10:00

These are our Sally Hansen nails today. RC couldn't wait till I also put stickers on her nails. There's so much interruption whenever I do these things. That's RC's hands on mine. I have such small hand. Just today, a girl asked me at the park how old I am and if I'm RC's mom. It's funny how kids ask questions. I remember before a girl asked me how can I be a mom because I'm too small and other kids would have their own funny answers.

Did you hear that GFC is not going to be available for non-bloggers soon? So far, my blog is safe but maybe... just maybe they would go away with it completely since they launched the Google+ now. What are your thoughts? Thanks for all the +1's. I started yesterday and made a page just like a fan page in Facebook because I can't seem to put a badge on my blog using the personal page.

I'm linking with Inspiration Friday, Show and Tell, Feathered Nest, Tickled Pinkm Flaunt It Friday, Feature Yourself, Frugal Friday, Friday Flair, Free For All, Sat Nite Special, Show and Tell Sat, Sundae Scoop, It's Party Time, Think Pink, Nifty Thrifty, Trash To Treasure, Tip Me, Take A Look, Rook No 17, Handmade Tuesdays, Get Your Brag On

Also, I have a giveaway that's still a low entry.
Natural House 3pcs Cleaning Products 12/14 US
Drano Snake Drain Cleaning Kit 12/11 US LOW

Natural House Trashy, Sinky, Flushy 30-day Supply Review and Giveaway Ends 12/14

2011-12-01T09:32:00.004-10:00