Newport Beach, CA Vacation

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


What are your favorite beach activities? Personally, my favorite is not plunging in the ocean and getting wet. I just like to walk by the beach and build sandcastles and little rivers with RC. At night, we love to look at the stars and the moon.  I like going to the beach that are less crowded so I feel more relaxed.

Newport Beach is one of the beaches in California. I will probably try to visit it when I go back to Los Angeles. If you have been to this beach, please comment and let me know your thoughts or experience. There is a wide range of hotel to choose from. If you are on a budget, you can choose the less pricey ones. As long as they are clean and comfortable is what matters to me. I like saving even if we're on vacation.

If you have kids, you can take them to Newport Beach (clickable) and take them to summer camp. You can choose the activity that is appropriate for your kid's age. Some activities they have are water skills safety and kayaking.

You can visit visitnewportbeach.com for ideas on visiting New Port Beach. This website provides you information about shopping, events, spas, city information and hotels. I like that they have "Things to do" category, I think it would be really helpful especially to those who would love to know more about tours and sightseeing in the area.

One of the best hotels there is probably the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach hotel, they are currently running a promotion. If you buy one room at full price, you can avail of a connecting room for 50% off if you have kids that are 18 and under. It's a resort with 26 acres that have a golf course, pools, whirlpools, pingpong and more. You can call 800-233-1234, just mention the Family Plan to book today!

Here is a video that you watch for more information:

Do you feel like going on vacation? I do!

ShopYourWay Invitation

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

Do you like shopping? How does shopping and then getting paid sound to you?  I was just introduced to ShopYourWay and my first thought is that “How cool is it to shop and actually be paid for it?” Request an Invite to ShopYourWay to join the ShopYourWay Personal Shopper program. It works by inviting friends, help them shop, buy and earn. I love browsing for items, reading reviews and shopping/buying things online. You can invite friends through Yahoo/Gmail mail or Facebook.

It’s pretty easy to join, you will have to provide information just like other shopping sites. When you sign up, you will get a screen about the terms. Once you are a member, you can shop and create catalogs to share with your friends. You basically help your friends or clients to shop for the items they want and you really help by getting it for them for a great price. Your friends/clients can buy online or in-store using their ShopYourWay rewards card. This way, they also get to accumulate points and get offers that are offered for members only.  You earn commission if somebody from your network makes a qualifying purchase. I notice they have big name stores like Kmart, Sears and Lands End.

I think my problem will be inviting more friends because most of the people that I know like to do their own shopping. I guess we all have preferences.  I personally like online shopping on some items because I get to save time and even money by just browsing on what I want to buy. However, if you are already a personal shopper, you can give this site a try. If your friends love your taste and they trust you that you can get the best item for them, Request an Invite to ShopYourWay!

DIY Finger Paint

I followed the instructions here.

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

2 tsp salt

2.5 cups cold water

2 cups boiling water

Steps:

Mix the flour, salt and cold water, stir till smooth

Place the mixture to boiling water and stir.

Take from heat and divide the mixture depending on how many colors you will make.

Put food color and mix.

I only had the red food coloring but I thought the mixture would be a little too much for just one color and I wanted RC to have more colors for finger painting.

My solution:
I grabbed some washable ink pads, drop some water at the side of the pad and squeeze them into the mixture. It was messy but it's washable.

I made 5 colors instead of just one.

And the fun started. We finger painted many times since I made these.

For storing: I place them in containers the refrigerator till we use them again.

I'm linking with Happy Hour Projects, Link it Up and Show and Tell

Cheap Stamps

I bought these stamps (and some not in pictures) all for just $5 at the garage sale I mentioned here.  The stamp pads are very cheap too, about $2 for all of them. This is one of our favorite activities now. I think stamping is a good practice for eye and hand coordination which I did not think that I would even think about before I had RC. Simple things do really mean more now.

 RC is using a temporary table here. I'm using a wood board from our old TV stand and use her toy storage as base. I just bought some end covers to cover the sharp edges and it will probably be our permanent table. It's large enough and it's a space saver. I can take thewood board off after we use it and put the storage bin at the side where it belongs.

I bought these chunky foam stamps but I think they require a different type of ink. The inks I got does not seem to work well with foam/sponge stamps. I'm saving them for future activity.

Learning:
-It is better to separate the stamps bycategory. Sometimes, we have the faces stamps and we can talk and imitate the faces. I'm having a lot of fun seeing her different faces-- sad, happy, silly and mad. I also separated the animal stamps and learn about animals and imitate their sounds while we do stamping.
-Red ink pads doesn't always stay red! The same with green and orange.

Simple DIY Puzzle

Materials:

page from a magazine

cardboard

scissors

glue/paste

1. ) Cut a picture from a magazine

2.) Glue it on the cardboard and cut the cardboard using the car as template.

3.) Cut it into pieces.

I did about five pieces. My observation was it is better if I cut clearer pictures and make puzzles that can be easily associated with order like this car or a person's face. She can basically tell better where the puzzles go that way. I made a cheese puzzle but that did not do too well because it is harder to tell where the piece would go and it is harder for me to explain too.

One of the earliest things that I have learned in teaching my own child is that I have to start with the very basic. For us adults, cutting, writing and doing some hand or other activities are easy but not for young kids. When I am getting impatient, I try to remember when she was a baby and how far she has grown and she has accomplished already in a few years.


I did this out of boredom while RC is learning to cut and glue. She still needs to master the use of small scissors. These pictures remind me that we have to do the activity again.

I'm linking with Show and Tell

Popcorn Tea Party

I wasn't prepared for this popcorn tea party. RC loves tea parties and I think she plays it everyday, we have a lot of guests too including Elmo and Mickey Mouse.

Life has been really busy. Today, we went to the preschool class. I made some goodie bags last night to give to the kids.There were 8 other kids and we had a potluck. The food is great, mostly for kids but it was a little uncomfortable because it was held at the park and there was really no table and chairs.  There were a lot of fun activities for the kids as usual.

We went home and ate again (lunch) and then met my friend with her kid at the park and then we went to her house for two hours. We were suppose to come at my apartment but we changed our mind. I came home and listed some items in Ebay. I was doing pretty well lately, I just sent 6 boxes the other day. However, my buyers don't seem to be interested in leaving feedbacks but that's okay as long as I'm selling and I'm not receiving complains with any items that I sent. I'll just assume that my customers are happy.

Last weekend, I joined a church community garage sale. It was a little far to drive but it was worth it. It started with only few people coming  but it got better. For only 4 hours, 8 am-12 noon, I think I did good with about approximately $150 in sales and donated $25 to the church. I also bought a bunch of kiddie stuff from the church's fundraising stall (so cheap... my kind of shopping). The set up was easy too, there was a canopy, table and chairs that are already set up for us when we went.

I'm trying to keep up with what is going on and try to type it here at my blog since I haven't seem to be blogging much recently. I'll share more photos soon. I'm going to have some giveaways since I reached 2,000+ likes in Facebook and 2,000 GFC followers. The not so good news is that my blog ranking got lower but I decided not to focus on that right now. Thanks to those who keep visiting. I'm linking with Show and Tell Friday.

High Quality Lenovo Speaker

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Lenovo for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
If you are looking for a speaker that can multi-task, you can consider buying one of Lenovo speaker M0520, you can attach them to your desktop or lap top computer. You can also attach them in your smartphone, MP3 or MP4 players.  You’ll just have to plug it. The speaker look nice and small but it produces loud sounds.  A lot of gadgets are getting more compact now for convenience. I visited the website and the speaker comes in red and black color just like the picture below.

Other advantages and features of the Lenovo Speaker:
For great quality sound, they use 4 watts of power
They are convenient USB-powered that comes with energy saving function
It is small so you can easily store it.
They have elegant and stylish design.
If I will have one of these, I will use it with my computer and probably with my Android phone. We are using old computer speakers at this time. Right now, I am into watching tutorials and preschool crafts online so a better speaker would be good. I think they would also be great for playing music.  I don’t sing well but I love to sing while a song I know is playing.
If you want to save, from May 15- May 21, 2012 the Lenovo speaker will be on sale for just $11.99. Original price for this is $29.99 so you save $18.00 that’s more savings than the price of the speaker. There’s only a few days left.
If you get the Lenovo speaker, how will you use it?

San Francisco Zoo

 *** pictures from San Francisco zoo taken last month***

Hi everyone, I haven't been active with blogging lately but I am thinking about it. It has been a little hectic just being a mom lately. Some days, when I take RC to her scheduled activities, before I knew it, 6 hours of the day has passed. We also got Netflix so I have been watching movies lately. I still enjoy looking at blogs. I am getting obsessed with DIY projects lately especially those that features preschool activities. I think it's because it is mostly what I do now and RC is getting more demanding and more active. I try to take her and meet other kids because there is no other kids in my apartment and I want her to gain some social skills since she is not going to preschool. Thankfully, there are free activities to do here in our area. Just yesterday RC was with 9 other kids and they have their mommies as well. Earlier today, we went to the library. Next week, we are going to attend a potlock. Most of the days, I just walk pushing RC on her stroller so it can be exhausting and some days can be so hot. I don't have a car. I try to prepare for the heat like put sunscreen on both of us, wear a hat, choose comfy clothes those sort of things. I just think that walking is good for me and what we will go to will be good for her.

I have been  honest about monetizing my blog and I can't believe I am letting some opportunities pass lately. I am running out of creative thinking maybe.  I will still accept sponsored posts since maintaining a blog cannot be easy at times. I see other blogs that have a donation button at their homepage and as for me, I think writing on various opinions is good to get some compensation for blogging. You may have various opinion about it but this is my honest take on it at this time. I am also thinking of switching to my own domain name still with blogger.

Anyway, I will probably put more pictures of the zoo with RC and me.


I'm linking with Shadow Shot Sunday

Generators

I still remember when I was still in the Philippines, it is common to lose electricity without any warning. I think now they are better at giving notice to people who will lose power. I wished we had a generator on those days. I remember reading with candles. It was hard and stressful when you are a student trying to study for an exam the next day or even if you just have to do something important while you are home. I guess it would be even harder these days because a lot of people are using the internet now to complete a task or to do something important.  

To ensure that people don’t lose electicity, they turn to generators. If you or your company is looking for a generator, please feel free to visit generatorsatoz.com. From viewing their website, I can see that they have various types of generators from simple to complex. They have residential, commercial and even for recreational generators. Some look better than others and there is a wide range of pricing too. They offer free shipping on a lot of their products.

This is a website review of generatorsatoz.com. Please refer to their website for more information. I will be given a small compensation for writing about their website in exchange for an honest review.

POWOW Messenger for Android

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of POWOW Messenger for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
I used to send a lot of text messages but I slowed down a lot about 5 years ago. You may notice a lot of people still love to text and I understand why. It’s good to be connected. They say that the average teenager sends around over 3,000 text messages per month.  I’m not sure if that is a fact but that works out to around 100+ per day.  One of the reasons that so many texts are sent is because it can be difficult to send and receive messages to many people at the same time, so they send the same message repeatedly to different people.

If you are into texting, there is a new app called POWOW Messenger for Android phones that can make text messaging much easier especially for group texting.  It can make text messaging much faster, but can appear on your home screen and show your last 20 messages.  You can also blacklist text messages so you don't receive those pesky messages that clutter up your day.  Muting notifications is no problem, and POWOW supports emoticons and Contact Pics.  You can even delete an entire string of messages with one click.  You can try POWOW Messenger for Android and see if it's right for you.  It makes text messaging much easier and more manageable.

I need to go back to texting and get connected again. I also need to use more apps on my phone including this one about texting. It would be fun to reconnect and learn more about technology.

Win a Spa Vacation with 4 Girlfriends with Bloom.com

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Bloom.com for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
I was just introduced to Bloom.com and I was inspired to learn more about beauty products especially wearing make ups.  It’s a social network and if you become a member, you can join the discussions.  There were videos and pictures that you can view mostly for learning purposes. I love the nail art that some of the members shared.  You can also order the beauty item that is right for you. If you are into fashion, you can view the latest trends and unbiased feedbacks.

The best part is that Bloom is giving away a FOUR Girlfriend Luxury Weekend in Vegas. Win a spa vacation for 4 girlfriends! By joining Bloom.com, you have the chance to win! It’s free to join. You and three other girlfriends can go if you win. I like this idea that the winner will not only enjoy it for herself but she can share it with others. I can’t wait to see Vegas again but I don’t know when it is going to happen. If you want to get additional entries to the sweepstakes, you can invite friends and if your friends accept the invite, you’ll get additional chances to win.
Bloom has about 10,000 items to offer and they come from the 150+ top brands. Some of the brands they offer are DKNY, Aveeno, Versace and more. The site allows you to choose the best product by entering your profile like your type of skin and skin complexion.  It would be like having a personal stylist. The products are also categorized and they have sub-categories that would make it easier to navigate.
If you purchase the first time using Bloom.com, you can get 30% back on your first order. Purchases can also come in free gifts. I believe Bloom is using a points system called Bloom Dollars and if you continue to purchase you can get 10% back in Bloom Dollars.
Don't forget to enter the sweepstakes. Win a spa vacation for 4 girlfriends!

Louis Vuitton Giveaway Event Ends 6/12

**Powered by Madame Deals and Slop Swap**

Along with our hosts:

Go Momma Coupons
This Mama Loves Her Bargains
Dixie Lands Deals Product Reviews
Flabby Fashionista
Saving More Than Me

Present this Louis Vuitton Giveaway Event!

Giveaway will run May 12 12:01 am EST thru June 12 11:59 pm EST

You have a lot of chances to WIN! Complete the mandatory entry and unlock the bonus entries.

Bonus entries are Facebook likes.

Wait for the Rafflecopter to load and enter below:

Wordless Wednesday: Food

I'm a little late for Wordless Wednesday so I'm not going to host a linky. I hope you like the pictures!
Have a happy midweek.

Chic Algene's Birthday Bash Giveaway

Chic Algene of I Heart Giveaways and The Coffee Chic is celebrating her birthday today! To make things more exciting, she has teamed up with me to bring you an awesome giveaway. One lucky entrant will win $150 Paypal Cash.



Finish the entries in one sitting or bookmark this site and come back tomorrow. Remember, the higher number of entries you complete, the higher the chance of winning. Good luck!

This event would not become possible without the help and support of these co-hosts: Bay Area Mommy, Zoe's Printable Coupons, Samut-Sari, Wrap with Jolene, Mamal Diane and Stiletto Files.

The giveaway will be open worldwide. The rafflecopter widget will be closed on May 30, 2012 (11:59 PM).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Preschooler

@ the preschool class

 @ the park

@ the library for storytime and crafting

RC is not attending a regular preschool but I take her to a once a week preschool class. After she attended the preschool/daycare when she was only two, we have decided to wait till she can attend kindergarten before she starts the regular school again. In the meantime, mommy will have to be there when she attends classes.

The preschool class she is attending will have about a two month break so I'm planning to enroll her in a dance class which will also be once a week. I bet she would love it. I would like her to learn the piano or other musical instruments but they are too expensive and I'm not sure if she will enjoy it. She likes to dance (even without music) so dancing is the way to go and the class fees are affordable. Hopefully, this plan will push through.

I've been a lousy blogger lately. I used to stay up at night to link up and promote giveaways but sleeping keeps winning over blogging nowadays.  I want to thank those who joined the giveaways I am currently running. Thank you for leaving comments.

Shout® Trigger Stain Remover

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

I feel like stains have been a part of my life especially after I had my daughter. She is like a stain magnet when she eats and when she plays at the park. You may remember the times when you were quietly sitting enjoying the day, and your child runs in and shows you the grass stain on their pants?  They were probably quite proud of it, but you were silently thinking how in the world you were ever going to remove that nasty green stain from their new blue jeans.  Today, there are products which will take care of stains, and they weren't available in the past.  One is Shout® Trigger.  It's not your normal stain remover, it will take care of the stains that irritate most people. I personally use Shout® because it takes care of the stains without discoloring the clothes.

Shout® Trigger has a formula that takes care of the toughest stains, even those grass stains.  Any person who takes care of cleaning the family clothes would benefit from Shout® Trigger. I use the one with circular brush on top. I would say that it saves me a t least 15 minutes. I don’t have to keep scrubbing that part of the clothing where it got stained. It’s great that simple products like Shout® can make life easier and less stressful because those hard stains will be gone because you're using an advanced cleaning agent.  If you have tried Shout® Trigger before, let me know your thoughts about how well it cleaned your clothes.  We all can use a little help when it comes to tough stains and saving some money replacing damaged clothing.

You can purchase Shout® Trigger at Walmart.

Credit Repair Program

In the past few years, many of us have been hit hard by the financial crisis affecting America.  I’m sure you heard it in the news that there are a lot of foreclosures in the past few years. Some have lost jobs and others are unable to pay their utility bills and credit cards each month.  It can be very hard to realize that you want to pay your debts, but you are not able because of the circumstances that the economy has put you in.  They say you have to live within your means but there may be many people that have mortgages or car payments that they pay month to month.  However, if an undesirable circumstance happens like a loss of a job, these debts can be hard to keep up with.

When it comes to financial debt, we have choices, and one is help with your credit problems.  There are companies that offer credit repair program. There are also ways to reduce the amount of debt, or the amount of interest that you pay on your debt each month.  Some credit card companies are willing to work with you as long as you are willing to repay your debts.  They will normally accept a reduced payment or a lower interest rate as long as you honor your debts and attempt to repay them. 




The links on this post is provided by bestlegalcreditrepair.com.

Wordless Wednesday: Exploratorium w/ Linky

Images are from Exploratorium in San Francisco.

Please feel free to link up your Wordless/ Wordy Wednesdays post, please no main web page or URL.