Paying Post Code was the Virus

Hooray!! Finally!! I was able to figure out what was wrong with my blog site. The Paying Post Code embedded in my HTML script was the culprit! It was the reason for the problems with my site.

Once I found out, I took it out immediately. Now, I just have to make sure that the new code I put in is not "infected" or contains any virus since I still need to have the code in my site because it's a requirement with Paying Post.

Has anyone encountered this situation with their own site before? What did you do? How did you resolve it? I would definitely appreciate some tips or suggestions on how to fix this once and for all.

A Thousand Words Thursday #4 - Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Let us all remember to give thanks for all our blessings not just today but everyday...

How will you be celebrating Thanksgiving this year?

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Come and join me in A Thousand Words Thursday!

Read, leave a comment & your link below, post a memorable picture on your own blog and leave your link at Cheaper Than Therapy. Don’t forget to visit the other participants!

Want to know how this all started? Read more at The Story Behind A Thousand Words Thursday.

Star ng Pasko, ABS-CBN Christmas 2009 Station ID

37 days to go and it's Christmas!!!! =)

I would like to share this song that I think best fits the meaning of Christmas for everyone especially all the Filipinos who had to go through so much storms, figuratively and literally, this year.

This is my early gift to you all. It's got lyrics so you can sing-a-long. I hope you all enjoy this very catchy tune.

Annoying Pop Ups - Help!

Lately, I noticed that annoying pop ups have invaded my blog site "Simply Happy Me" and I would like to extend my apologies to all of you who feel the same way as I do about this.

Honestly, I do not know how this came about. I was just surprised when I was going to update my site when two annoying pop ups appeared. I am still quite new when it comes to setting up my site and all so I cannot really figure out where the problem is.

If any of you could help me out on how to fix this nuisance on my site, I would be very grateful. Thank you in advance!

Easy to Find Diesel Parts

With the onslaught of typhoon Ondoy hitting the Philippines last month, the amount of rainfall that accumulated in 24 hours was record breaking. Many Filipino families were vastly affected losing homes, properties, possessions as well as lives.

Metro Manila was turned into a "Water World" in just a few hours of non-stop downpour and winds. Everything imaginable was either under water such as houses or moved by water such as cars. One can just imagine the damage that was done with this unexpected natural disaster.


Cars lined up in the factories waiting for their turn to be fixed and some would have to wait days or weeks since replacement parts were getting hard to find. Good thing that even online it was possible to find quality and with warranty diesel replacement parts such as diesel fuel pumps , injectors, turbo chargers and many more for popular car brands such as Ford, Chevrolet etc. This surely is good news to all diesel car owners.

Tongue Twisted

Sometimes there are just days when your mind is much faster than your speech and this leads you to stumbling all over your own words when expressing yourself such as, The alphabetic synthesis passes the constituent behind the assuming ace. This would definitely throw me off my speech track any day and leave my tongue all twisted.

Has this ever happened to you? When does it usually occur? For me, I noticed it happens when my mouth becomes all dry since I have not been drinking much liquid. I guess it really helps to keep ourselves moisturized even for our tongues to avoid situations like these. What do you think?

I Got A New Baby

Hahaha...It is not what you all think. I am sure you all thought that I was expecting but nope, not yet. I, well more of we - Roberta, Vince and I - just got a new member of the family and the youngest.

Everybody, I would like you to all meet...Patchi!

She is our three-month old red sable Pomeranian. This was our gift to Roberta for her seventh birthday over a week ago. My husband and I gave our daughter a choice if she wanted to have a party for her birthday or a puppy instead. We repeatedly asked her the same question to make sure that is what she really wanted. And puppy it is!

MMORPGs - The Fastest Growing Trend in the Gaming World

Most of us who are in the same age range are familiar with just the basic video arcade type of games. Now, gaming has become more advanced in terms of the technology used to run it as well as the design or graphics and the over-all concept. If you go to your nearby internet and gaming shop, you would see that the children and adults alike are all playing MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role playing games). These types of games are very addicting since it brings the player to a fantasy world wherein they imagine themselves as the actual character in the game.

The newest MMORPG I came across is AION and by the looks of it, it seems very promising and will definitely be quite an adventure for the serious gamer. I am not a gamer, yet, but it has already attracted me with its very vivid images as well as its interesting story line and objective of the game. The thing that makes AION attractive to even beginners like me is that they have a place where you can meet up and share your ideas and strategies with other players like you. This virtual place would be the AION Forum. With so many useful features available to the player, it is no wonder that this has become the fastest-growing trend in the online gaming world.

Wordless Wednesdays: Medium Length Layered Hairstyles

Just some ideas of my new look... ^^

Please leave a comment and link up with other WW participants. Enjoy!! =)

View more Wordless Wednesday participants at
MomDot, Extraordinary Mothers and 5 Minutes For Mom

Why Do Women Cut Their Hair?

I just got back from the salon a mere two hours ago. I asked my favorite hair stylist to give me a new look. I wanted to try having some fringes or better known as bangs. I also wanted something slightly shorter since my hair grows quickly anyways. With the instructions that I gave my beloved hairstylist, Jo gave me a medium cut layered hairstyle with some side swept fringes. More than four inches was chopped off my long hair to achieve this but I like my new look! =)

Yes, drastic as it may seem to cut so much all at once but I felt I had to. Don't get me wrong, I love wearing my hair long. But I thought I just needed a change. I have been wearing the same hairstyle for over six months already. Aside from my roots showing since I have not colored my hair yet, I just found the length of my hair quite unmanageable as well since it was already up to my waist. It felt very warm and "heavy" wearing so much hair.

I know for women that their mane is their pride just like with the lion. But there are just some reasons that us women have that with a blink of an eye we decide to chop off our long hair and catch the people around us by surprise.

Here are just some of the reasons why I decided to cut my hair:

1. It was too long and reached up to my waist already.
2. It had no more "style".
3. It was unmanageable.
4. My roots were showing so I had to cut the colored-faded part off.
5. I was preventing splint ends so that my hair would be healthy looking.
6. It was too "hot" or "warm" to wear being so long.
7. I wanted a new look.
8. I wanted a change to compliment my life.

Have you had a haircut lately? What are the usual reasons why you decide to change your hairstyle?

My New Blog - Journey into Living Healthy

Last Saturday August 15, I ran my first 5 kilometers marathon after a very long time in the Kenny Roger's Urbanite. Yes, I have started my journey to being healthy and fit again. I think it is about time since I am not getting any younger. The best thing I can do to keep myself healthy and young-looking, aside from the other options of taking a pill or going under the knife which I dare not do, is to start living a healthy lifestyle again.

I would like you all to join me in my Journey into Living Healthy. I have decided to document this new chapter in my life as a way of committing myself to not quit and keep on going. I would be sharing here my thoughts, resource sites, experiences and even the events that I will be participating in to keep myself in shape. This site will be anything and everything about fitness and well-being.

Maybe you have your own share of experiences or thoughts about getting fit and healthy again. It would be great to hear from you because I can learn a thing or two. Maybe you are also in your own journey into being healthy, I would like to know how you are doing so far.

Why don't we all get up and start having a healthy lifestyle not just for ourselves but also for our loved ones. I always tell myself over and over again, "Health is Wealth." so we better take good care of ourselves and there is no better time to start than today.

Let's all take this Journey into Living Healthy together! =)

Online Search Made Easy

Lately, I have been searching for different applications and programs that I can install in my pocket pc. The type of file I would be looking for is usually dependent on what I would like to download and install that day. There was a time that I was busy looking for games suitable for my pocket pc because of the special request from my daughter. It took forever to find what I was looking for. It seemed to be a hit and miss thing.

Luckily, I stumbled on Rapidshare Search where it made my search for files online so much quicker and easier. Here links are regularly updated and the website is very easy to navigate and well-designed This was just so conveninent for me since I did not have the luxury of time to be online the whole day just to look for something. Now whenever I need to look for a file I just go directly to Rapidshare Search and it's made life much easier for me.

Back to the Grind

It's a Monday again and I bet most of you feel the same way I am feeling right now. Where in the world did my weekend go? Was there actually a weekend? Hahaha!!!

Why can't there be longer weekends? Why can't it be three days instead of two? Three is the perfect number - first day is to unwind and let it all out, second day is for time with family and loved ones ,and the third day is to just simply relax...nothing more, nothing less. Now, that would be just perfect. But unfortunately it does not go that way. Darn. :P

I guess the least we can do is make the most of whatever short break we have before getting back to the grind. What I usually do is plan for the weekend. Oh yeah you heard me right, I actually schedule my weekend along with the rest of the week. At least this way I get to maximize the 48 hours I have to unwind and relax and do whatever needs to be done which I can't on a regular weekday.

It may sound a little too "organized" for some but it works for me. I get to do what I really need to . Then if there is actually "extra time" left in my weekend schedule I am free to do "bonus" activities. Then before the last few hours of my weekend is over, I can actually look back and say "Yeah, at least my weekend was well-spent."

How about you? How do you go about maximizing your weekend?

No Fuss Viewing with Direct TV

Last night my beloved husband Vince was busy watching the Philippines vs. Korea basketball game of the FIBA Asian Championships 2009 in Tianjin, China. He was initially viewing a free live video streaming over the internet but of course the feed was too slow. Then, he saw on local television a live telecast but the reception was not very good. At that time, it made me think and wish that we had Direct TV at home so that he could have watched his favorite basketball games with no fuss and no problems at all.

That’s why I immediately did my research to check out the best deals and packages I could find. I came across Kaptain Satellite during my search and saw the DIRECTV Benefits over local and cable television. The site and information provided here made my quest for finding the best Direct TV and Satellite TV easier. With the many options available, I am sure to find one that would suit our needs and budget the most. And watching our favorite TV shows anytime especially my husband’s live basketball games would just be a breeze.

Wordless Wednesdays: Proud to be Filipino

Salamat Tita Cory. You make me proud to be a Filipino...

Ipagpatuloy namin laban mo. (We will continue the fight.)

Find more Wordless Wednesday participants at
MomDot, 5 Minutes For Mom and Extraordinary Mothers.

Thank you Tita Cory

"I would rather die a meaningful death than to live a meaningless life." - Former President Corazon C. Aquino 1933-2009

You are an inspiration to us all. We will always keep the candle of freedom burning in our hearts. We will continue what you have started.

Thank you. Thank you.

I Miss You Cleo

You are my beloved dog of 8 years

You were always there to make me smile

You would comfort me when I was down

You never failed to be there for me

You brought so many happy memories

You were my first baby

You grew up with Roberta

You were more than a dog to me

You will always be part of the family

I could not imagine not having you around

No one can ever take your place

You mean more to me than anything

How I miss you right now

I wish you did not have to go so soon

I love you very much Cleo....

Working on a Saturday Night

It is a Saturday night. It is such a relief to end such a hectic week. I am sure this is how most of us feel. We all can't wait to rest, relax and unwind.

But for some unexplainable reason, I have this urge to do some work on a Saturday night. Yes, you heard me right. I still feel like working even if I already had such a busy week. I know, I know. You are probably thinking on which side of the bed did I wake up this morning to make me a workaholic.

I guess it is just one of those nights that you had a good day earlier and was able to get enough rest as well as relax at the same time, which I did. That is why I still have a lot of energy and motivation left to do some productive things. Besides, there is no point in sleeping or trying to sleep when your mind is still wide awake. I will just end up tossing and turning in bed for hours. So why waste time and instead just do something worthwhile, right?

What do you think? Am I being a little workaholic here?... =)

Gadgets at Wholesale Prices

Nowadays, I usually hear most of the younger generation talk about their iPods, iPod Touch or wanting to own the latest iPhone 3g 16gb because it is so cool and neat. Or for the gaming consoles, you hear them comparing an Xbox 360, Wii, or PS3 and trying to debate on which one is better.

When you look at these items for sale, they are not cheap at all. So you wonder where and how can these younger generation afford such things. Being the practical shopper that I am, I will try to look for a supplier who can offer iPhones wholesale at wholesale prices so that I can get a nice discount. MemberSupply.com offers the latest gadgets at wholesale prices. Who knows with a great deal like this, I could even make some money out of it by becoming a distributor of iPhones at wholesale prices.

I mean why should I spend my hard-earned money on something who’s value will go down in a month or two since a newer and better model will be coming out. These days, it is best to try to get things at wholesale if you can even with gadgets.

As they say, a little penny saved today will go a long, long way one day.

Domain Names as Prizes

I have always thought what it would be like to have my own domain name. I think that would be really neat! I learned that with your own domain name you have more flexibility to be able to do what you want with your site in terms of customization as well as security. Maybe later on, I will get a chance to have mine.

I think my chances just got higher in owning a domain name - well hopefully. My new blogger friend, Rosa is holding a Mini Blog Contest at her dainty site Pink Precious dot Com. The rules on how to join are quite simple, and there are a lot of prizes from generous sponsors to be given away. Actually, this is my first time to push through with joining a blog contest. Let's hope the first time's a charm. ^^

Here is a quick peek of the prizes to be given away:

Prizes:

1st Prizes: .us domain registered for one year in Name.com from Istarblog.com

1500 ec from babyko.info

1000 ec from express-liife.com

1000 ec from mommawannabe.com

1 month advertising from pink-precious.com pr2

1 month advertising from Istarblog.com pr2

custom blog layout from pink-precious.com (blogger platform only)

2nd Prizes: .info domain registered for one year in Name.com from pink-precious.com

1000 ec from express-liife.com

1000 ec from hicachika.divafabulosa.com

1000 ec from ivfjournies.com

1 month advertising from pink-precious.com pr2

1 month advertising from Istarblog.com pr2

custom blog layout from pink-precious.com (blogger platform only)

3rd Prizes: .info domain registered for one year in Name.com from babyko.info

1000 ec from thepinayblogger.com

1000 ec from divafabulosa.com

1000 ec from misterpix.com

1 month advertising from pink-precious.com pr2

4th Prizes: .info domain registered for one year in Name.com from Express-liife.com

1000 ec from pinayjade.com

1 month link advertising from pink-precious.com pr2

1 month text link advertising from Istarblog.com pr2

Why don't you go ahead and try your luck and join Rosa's Mini Blog Contest now? Who knows you just might get lucky...

Relationship with Self-Discipline and Sports

I think that being an athlete taught me how to have discipline in my studies, home & personal life and training life. I learned how to try and keep it all well-balanced so as not to let one or the other suffer just because I was focusing on one area more. Becoming fit because of training was just a bonus, what was important was the improved lifestyle and positive personality traits that you would get from training for a sport.

These were the very reasons why I started to get back on the fit wagon again. I wanted to embrace the lifestyle that I grew up with and got used to as well as expose my daughter to it so that she too would know the benefits of becoming an endurance athlete.

What do you think you can learn from becoming an endurance athlete?

Children Grow Up Fast

Tomorrow, our daughter will be starting her regular school schedule. Her classes will be finished by three o'clock in the afternoon. Since she takes the school bus, she will be home in an hour or two after her dismissal time. She will be gone for nearly eleven to twelve hours everyday, five days a week.

It only dawned on me earlier that my husband and I will hardly get to spend time with our baby. She will be spending most of her awake time in school. We were both starting ftofeel sad especially me. I was so attached to my daughter since she was our unica hija.

I have always been hands on with Roberta. When I was pregnant with her, I decided that I would breasfeed her exclusively for as long as I can so that she will always be close to me, and that happened. I also changed my lifestyle and career path so that I could be home more often, and I was able to do that too. But I guess there are just some things that are beyond our control. Children grow up so quickly no matter how much time you spend with them.

This was exactly what I was feeling with Roberta . Though I did not like it I just had to accept the reality of life. I just told myself, make every moment count with my baby, make it memorable since there was no turning back time.This holds true for every relationship and everything we do in life.

"Carpe Diem"...Seize the day...

Summer Fun

Plane ride with Roberta






This has been a memorable summer for me. I was able to do so much in a span of less than two months. It may seem ordinary or quite hectic when you see what I did but it was all worth it. I guess you can say I embraced the breath of fresh air of my short summer vacation. I was able to have time to relax and have fun at the same time.

Here is a short list of what I did this summer:

1. Travel to the US
2. Travel to Cebu with my daughter
3. Attend three memorable weddings - my younger brother's, my cousin's and my childhood friend's
4. Watch an LA Dodgers game in Dodger stadium
5. Hit the beach and get a tan (of course!)

This explains why I was M.I.A. (Missing In Action) for a bit. I was too busy enjoying myself that I could not tear away from my vacation to spend some time blogging. I know, I am guilty as charged. But hey, who can blame me. I just wanted to relax, have fun and enjoy my "me" time. We all need a break from our daily routine so that we can return recharged and full of energy again as well as inspired, right? That is exactly what I did.

I am sure you all had equally great summers like me. I would love to hear more about it. What did you do this summer? =)

Run a Marathon

Back in college and even as far back as I can remember, I have always been fascinated by running. I enjoyed it. I loved it. It did not matter whether it was raining or scorching hot I would still run when ever I can.

This changed when I had a baby and got busy with work and family life. I did not think of running as much. I missed it but I was preoccupied with other things. But now, I am planning to start again. Let us hope I have the will power like before to do such a task.

What do you think of training for a marathon or any other type of endurance training?

Michael Jackson: The Legendary King of Pop

I was really surprised when I got an SMS from my friend earlier asking for a moment of silence for the death of Michael Jackson. I had to read the message twice to make sure I read it correctly. After reading the message three times, I still was not convinced. So, I went online and researched more on the shocking news I got. It was confirmed Michael Jackson is dead at 50.

This was such a great loss for the music industry to loose a legend, the King of Pop. Just when he was entering his golden years and about to do a series of comeback conerts next month, all disappeared in a flash.

Who could not have fond memories of Michael Jackson and his music? I for one, I am a fan. I can still recall back in the 80's of the countless times I would sing and dance to his different songs. I would have "Thriller" playing in the background and try to imitate the zombie dance moves from the music video. I would try to memorize the lyrics of "We Are the World" where Michael Jackson had a part and would wait for his queue to sing and follow. I would attempt to do the moonwalk, balance on my toes and do all his other cool dance moves. I could go on and on talking about all the things I did ala Michael Jackson.

But one thing is for sure, I am sure going to miss seeing the King of Pop, a legend, strut his stuff and sing his classics. I join the Jackson family and the whole world in mourning for Michael Jackson. You will always be remembered.

Earning in Blogging

Since early last year, I have decided to become a WAHM (Work At Home Mom) by choice. Somewhere along the way, I had a change in priorities. I decided to focus my time and energy more on taking care of my unica hija, Roberta, instead of trying to earn extra income outside the home. I said to myself that an opportunity would show itself. I will be able to find money even while I was at home. And it did.

Being at home, gave me more time than I had when I was out of the house the whole day. With so much time in my hands, I wanted to go back to one of the things I enjoyed most - writing. I thought of having my own blog as my writing channel. Little did I know that I could actually get paid to blog.

How to earn extra money by blogging was better explained to me by Tita Marie. We were just casually having a conversation during my high school volleyball reunion. When she found out that I was at home working, that is when she shared her own blogging experience. I was surprised to know that she had been doing this for quite some time and was at a profit. I was inspired and motivated to follow suit.

I researched and learned that the world wide web was a bigger market for advertisers than what traditional media - such as print, radio and television - could offer. With this concept, the marketing idea of blog advertising was born.

Advertisers would join a blog advertising company such as Paying Post to find potential blogs suited to post their ads. The followers of that blog would then be the target market and possible consumers of the said product. The more ads in a blog that gave positive results to an advertiser, the more income that blog would make. This was how income was made from blogging.

With this knowledge at hand, it would just be a bonus for me if I could earn something extra from doing what I like and that is writing.

Web Site Hosting Anyone?

I am a neophyte when it comes to the blog-o-sphere barely over five months old. I wanted to set up my own blog where I could share my own ideas, opinions and experiences as well as practice my writing and communication skills.

Like any beginner, I had to set up my first blog using a free blog publishing tool such as Blogger that had its own free web hosting service. But of course, there are some limitations when you avail of a free service especially in web hosting. One of these limitations is that you would not be able to choose a more personalized domain name. Knowing me, I wanted my own personalized domain name.

With this in mind, I did my research and came across a very useful site, that provided a lot of information about webhosting especially for a beginner like me. There were as an area dedicated on what to look for in applying for hosting. Aside from all the helpful articles that I found, I was most attracted to the different web hosting options that were available and all at very affordable rates.

Now if you are like me, on the market looking for that perfect and budget friendly web site hosting service look no further since Web Hosting Geeks has all that you need under one roof.

Storage Companies: Do You Really Need This Service?

Storage companies are not a common thing where I am from. If you want to move and you need help, the best next thing to do is either call some family, relatives or even friends who are more than willing to help you. The only extra service you would actually need to pay is hiring a moving van or truck with movers who will help carry the big items. As for extra items that you are no longer interested in bringing with you on your move, you either give it away, sell it second-hand, donate it, or throw it away.

What do you do if you need to move? Would you need a storage company's help for your extra things?

Preparing for the Storm

I received an SMS message from my aunt earlier that the storm with the name "Feria" will be hitting the city tonight. If it gets hard enough, the power may go out. I am hoping that does not happen but we never know.

Of course, being the girl scout that I am. I always like to be prepared for situations. In this case, the situation would be that there might be loss of power or electricity. So, while I had time and not busy with work I prepared:

Here are the things I did:

1. I went around the house to check that all the doors and windows were locked and all wa ssecure. Better safe than sorry right?
2. I placed the candles and matchsticks in a location that I can easily find them when needed.
   
3. I looked for a flashlight with working batteries and put it within reach if in case the lights suddenly go out.
   
4. Lastly, I got our trusty rechargeable light and made sure that was fully charged and working.

With all this done, I felt more secure and ready for anything. Haha. I am exaggerating but you know what I mean.

How about you? What do you do to prepare for a storm or bad weather condition in your area?

Perfect Beach Weather

Today is just the perfect beach weather!

The sun is up high and beaming with all its might..beautiful clear skies with very few clouds in sight..and a slight cool breeze blowing from time to time...

This is the view outside my window of my home office. You're probably wondering what am I doing indoors when I can be soaking the sun right now. I know..I know. I really need some color since it's been awhile since I had my dose of Vitamin D.

But what can you do if you live in the city and driving to the beach would entail you to travel for nearly 3 hours or more not to mention having to brave some traffic along the way. That's the part I don't enjoy. I am sure you don't like that either.

Why can't we just be in the beach with just a snap of our fingers? Haha. How I wish that was possible. If it was, I would be at the beach everyday. Wouldn't you? =)

No Place Like Home and Brewed Coffee

I think this is one of my guilty pleasures - just being at home with a cup of brewed coffee, being online and listening to hip music streaming in the background..

Yes, I have been out for awhile..or you can say I have been out for a vacation and just bumming..well not really but how I wish :P

I did a little travelling to visit some really close friends and relatives who I have not seen for years as well as attend my little brother's wedding. It was actually a very short vacation but for a mommy like me, it felt like forever! After the first few days, I was starting to feel so homesick and just wanted to go back home immediately. All the more I felt so homesick when I was able to go online and see my baby and hubby on cam and chat with them..sigh..

I guess no matter how busy we are as moms, we just need a break from everything and have some time to relax and enjoy ourselves. It may not be as extravagant as going on a vacation but a simple trip to your favorite coffee shop, spa or salon or even maybe a joy ride in your car with your favorite music playing in the background is the perfect break that you need from your busy day.

We all need a breather from time to time to help us get through our hectic daily schedules.

How about you, what's your favorite "time out treat"?

Work At Home Jobs

I am sure all or most of us would like to be able to work comfortably at the comfort of our own homes. I know I do.

I am such a research-type of person and came across two useful and informative sites that I wanted to share with all of you. These are two Work At Home Job Listing Sites: Work At Home Mom Revolution and Mommy Works Online.

Actually to make it all the more convenient for you and me, I have installed the widgets here on my page. If you scroll down my homepage, it is located at the bottom and looks like this. (Please view the screenshot.)


The nice thing about the widgets is that it is always updated with new work at home job postings. You just click on the job listing that you are interested in. It will open the page with the details of the job you want to see and how to apply for it. It's that simple. The best part is it's all FREE!

Good luck everyone!! Hope you find a work at home job that you like!

Happy WAHM (work at home for money) Hunting!!! =)

Earth Hour 2009

Did you join Earth Hour?

Last March 28, 2009 at 8:30PM, 88 countries across 25 different time zones participated in this noble effort by switching off its lights for 60 minutes. Suprisingly, Philippines became a top participant in this year's event. Over 15 million Filipinos over 650 major towns and cities throughout the country participated. This record-breaking and noble event was documented in an article that I read in INQUIRER.net: WWF says Philippines tops Earth Hour 2009.

My family and I on the other hand were unable to participate in Earth Hour this year since we were not home. But if we were home, we would have wanted to join the whole world in switching off our lights for 60 minutes. Vince and I were with our daughter at her last night's ballet recital rehearsal before the big performance the next day. CCP (Cultural Center of the Philippines) was unable to shut off its lights for an hour since all were busy for the program the next day. But it was nice to see the establishments in the area all go dim for an hour to observe it.

Earth Hour is a reminder to all of us to always try in our daily lives to conserve energy, water and resources so that future generations can enjoy it too. We can do this in our own little way such as turning off the faucet while brushing our teeth, turning off the lights when you leave the room and many more ways. Let us all try to save our Earth because it's the only one we have.

Spring Cleaning

Roberta and I are busy on a Saturday night doing a little "spring cleaning". I know it is a little odd doing such a chore at night. I guess you can say we are night owls or we work better at night. During the day the weather is just so warm, it just zaps you off your energy and makes you so unproductive. Well, that's how I feel.

The "computer room" or the pink room has long been waiting to be tidied up. This is the part of the house where I spend most of the day because my work station is here. This is also the place where you can see Vince, Roberta and I busy doing our own little things at our own little corners. I say little because the room is not exactly big but it's cozy and conducive for working.

As they say, if things around you are in order, your life will be too. I agree with this thought. Life is easier when you can find everything in its right place.

While I was researching on spring cleaning tips or advices, I came across this very informative site: Organized Home. It gives lots of ideas, tips and advices on how to clean your house, cut clutter and organize your home. This is just perfect for what I need right now. Why not check it out, you just might find some useful tips you can use in your own home.

Hot and Humid

This best describes the weather today. It is only the third day of April but the weather is real crazy already. It is like the sky can't decide if it wants to just be warm the whole day or decide to actual pour some rain to make things cool. The suspense is killing me! I know, I am overacting a little here. Hehe.

But really, don't you hate it when you look up in the sky and you think it's going to rain because of the grey clouds so you decide to prepare for it by bringing in your laundry or taking an umbrella with you when you go out. A few hours later, the grey clouds are still there but the sun is also peeking from behind and it's become hot and humid. Sigh.

I wonder what the weather will be like tomorrow. Will it continue to be this fickled minded or will it decide to actual be hot or rainy? I guess I just have to wait and see. But for the meantime, it's good to be prepared for anything - come rain or shine.

Wordless Wednesdays #4 - Happy Birthday Little Bro!!!

Here's wishing you many more years to come! Good luck in all that you do! Take care always.

(That is Akyra holding the cake...)

Find more Wordless Wednesday participants at
MomDot, 5 Minutes For Mom and Extraordinary Mothers.

Children and Their Hobbies

It's six days and counting until the big day of Roberta's first ballet recital - Little Mermaid!

This whole week, hubby and I will be busy being stage parents for Roberta's ballet practices since it will be everyday until the big performance day this coming Sunday. Whew! Imagine nearly three hours of ballet practices everyday for a six year old prima ballerina wannabe. It's a good thing that she is enjoying all this and doesn't mind the hectic schedule.

I personally think it is important for kids to have extra curricular activities outside of the regular schoolwork that they normally get. This is a good way for them to relax and recharge from the daily "kiddie" stress that they have. It is also a good way to find our children's different talents based from the hobbies or things they like to do and develop them.

Roberta at the moment enjoys doing many other things aside from her school work. She likes to sing. She likes to dance. She likes to paint, draw, make crafts, build or create things. She likes to write and read. She also enjoys different sports such as swimming, playing softball, volleyball, basketball and wants to try taekwondo. She also likes to cook though of course she can't yet since she's too young so she just pretends she does and likes to watch me in the kitchen. At her age, it's like she wants to do so many things at the same time but that's okay because later on she will discover one or two things that she likes to do more than the other and will focus on it.

I would like to share this informative article I read about Childrens Hobbies and how we can help our children discover and enjoy their different interests.

How about your little ones? What hobbies do they like to do?

Done with Preschool

School is out for our little one. She is officially done with preschool. Last Friday, it was the Prep Culminating Activity in school and at the same time the last day of school for all prep students. It was very entertaining to watch all of the prep sections prepare a special program number. But hubby and I were beaming with pride for our little princess, she was part of the opening number doing a short ballet dance with five other girls. (I will post the video later. )

It was a happy feeling to see Roberta finish preschool. Good thing she only had two years of it - Kindergarten and Preparatory. Because I know some parents who have there kids in preschool for almost four years if I am not mistaked - Nursery, Kinder 1, Kinder 2 and Prep. Whew!

Dada Vince and I felt sad that our baby will be in Grade 1 next year. This means she will be doing big school things such as:

1. eat lunch in school not just recess
   
2. more subjects to study from five in Prep to eleven in Grade 1
3. more books to bring in the bag
   
4. wear the big girls' standard school uniform and not the pastel-colored one-piece dresses
5. be home from school in the afternoon not by lunch since full day schedule already

Waaa!!! I think I am having separation anxiety here just thinking what it will be like this coming school year when Roberta starts Grade 1.

Wordless Wednesdays #3 - Kaleidoscope World by Francis M (sang by Tito, Vic & Joey)

In memory of a well-loved and very talented Filipino artist who definitely left a mark in the hearts of many Filipinos worldwide...

Mabuhay ka Francis M!



(take note that in 5:22 of the video..the balloons momentarily formed the map of the Philippines..it's like a sign from Francis M..)

Personal Priority Setting

Doesn't it feel good when you accomplish so many things in the limited hours that we have in a day? That's how I felt today. And it felt good! =)

I have actually had this feeling since Monday of this week. Last Friday, I made an important decision and gave up one of my work commitments so that I can free up more time in the day. It's not like I won the Lotto and instantly became a multi-millionaire and did not need the extra income. I still need the extra income but I needed more time as well so I can do other more important things in my life aside from earning money - that's being with my family.

I decided to set my priorities in the important areas of my life properly before entering the last month of the first quarter of the year. I guess I have always been the type of person whose decisions in life are based on my personal priorities.

These are presently my personal important areas in my life:

1. Family (Vince and Roberta)
   
2. Relationships (with extended family and friends)
   
3. Finance (encompasses business and career)
   
4. Health and well-being (I'm not exactly getting younger..hehe)
   
5. Spiritual (for inner peace)
   
6. Self-improvement (unlearn bad habits and attitudes)
   
7. Education (learning something new and constantly feeding my mind with new information)
   

Personally, I think this is a good practice to do from time to time so that I can review the things I am presently doing and see if I am on the right track of living my life fully and being happy at the same time. Usually, when I start to feel a little less positive about a particular area, it just means that I need to do a raincheck and see how I can fix things.

I know it may sound a little O.C. (obsessive compulsive) or something to do something like this. But it helps me stay in the right direction. Without properly setting my personal priorities, it's like I am taking my car out for a drive without a specific destination to go to. Now, that does not make sense right?

Do you do something like this in your own life from time to time?

Aloha Friday #3

Yeah! It's Friday again! Welcome to my 3rd edition of Aloha Friday!

In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that to take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too.

Come and join me in Aloha Friday! It's easy to play along.

I ask a simple question and you give a simple answer! Nothing that requires a lenghty response.

After you answer my question & leave your link below, post a question on your own blog and leave your link over at An Island Life. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! This is a great way to make new friends here in blogosphere!

My question for this week is:

How many hours a day do you spend online?

I spend nearly practically the whole day since I teach online from Monday to Friday. Not to mention the blog visits, updates, surfing etc.

A Thousand Words Thursday #3 - Caught in the Act

2003: Roberta caught in the act of playing with the cotton buds from the cotton bud holder while seated in bed right beside her sleeping Dada.
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Come and join me in A Thousand Words Thursday!

Read, leave a comment & your link below, post a memorable picture on your own blog and leave your link at Cheaper Than Therapy. Don’t forget to visit the other participants!

Want to know how this all started? Read more at The Story Behind A Thousand Words Thursday.

Forever Our Baby

I just got home from driving my daughter, Roberta to school. She usually takes the school bus in the morning. But I let her sleep in a little more since she slept late last night.

While I was walking away from the gate of the school back to my car and watching other parents drop off their daughters, I realized that my baby is now a little lady. I still see her as my baby forever even though she is already six turning seven in a few months.

How time flies for us and our kids doesn't it? I can still remember clearly how Roberta was when she was barely even six months old. My husband, Vince and I tried our best to spend as much time with her as we can so as not to miss those special moments and bonding times. We would work at home and bring her everywhere with us. Up to now, that is what we are still trying to do. But you really can't stop time. Kids just grow up so fast.

I am just thankful that Vince and I were given the opportunity to spend as much time as we can in taking care of our little princess. I know that there are some parents who would love to but can't because of work or other important and uncontrollable matters. We are very grateful.

Even if it seems that the time spent with our Roberta is not enough, It makes it all worth it when she tells us nonstop that she loves her Mama and Dada very much ahd gives us a big hug and kiss when ever she gets a chance.

Back in the Swing

It's so great to be back in the swing of things!! Boy, did I miss this especially all of you...

The past few days have been crazy hectic for me. Whew!!

As you all now, I was nursing a sore throat and was trying to get as much rest as I can so that I can have my voice back. Not to mention juggling so many other things at the same time - taking care of my daughter who was on and off with her feeling well and not, attending to hubby and his needs, keeping an eye over my senior citizen aunt who's blood pressure has been shooting up lately, feeding my crazy dogs, house chores, and work from noon til midnight!

Waaa! That was a handful wasn't it?

Anyhow, I am off to visit some bloggy friends' sites and other duties. Yipee!!

I never thought that being away for just a few days seemed like eternity. It's like something was missing. Drama right? Hehe. Well, you know what I mean.

I am sure that's how you feel too when you are gone for a few days. It's like something is missing in your day right?

Is that how you feel too?

A Thousand Words Thursday #2 - First Fastfood

2003: My baby's first taste of fastfood...well not exactly. She was watching her Mama and Dada eating and was wondering when it was going to be her turn...and decided to feed herself.
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Come and join me in A Thousand Words Thursday!

Read, leave a comment & your link below, post a memorable picture on your own blog and leave your link at Cheaper Than Therapy. Don’t forget to visit the other participants!

Want to know how this all started? Read more at The Story Behind A Thousand Words Thursday.

Wordless Wednesdays #2 - Watermelon Art

I just love watermelons! I can eat them the whole day
or make shakes out of them.
But it never occurred to me that watermelons can be a work of art...

For more Wordless Wednesday participants, check out MomDot.com

Voice-less

Every weekday, I would get up early to wake my daughter up and prepare her for school. This was my regular routine. But yesterday was totally different. When I woke up, I had no voice! As in zero! Waaaa!

What I was dreading and avoiding happened, I lost my voice!

The whole day yesterday, I was in mute or silent mode. I think this was the first time this has happened to me. Before I would just get a really hoarse voice to the point that you can hardly hear me. But yesterday, everytime I would open my mouth. No sound would come out. It was awful.

I never realized that having no voice was this hard. It was so hard to communicate with the people around you. They either had to watch your lips and try to guess what you are saying or watch your hand movements or gestures. Now, I know how it feels to be mute.

I am just thankful that this was just a temporary setback for me. With a few more days of rest, drinking liters of ginger tea and gargling cups of warm water with salt, I would have my voice back.

After that, I would need to take better care of my voice and no longer take it for granted. I know I may not be a singer or anything but I just realized how valuable my voice was in my everyday life not to mention the profession I am in. I do not want and can't afford to loose it again.

But this does not mean I would be neglecting all my other senses. This was just a reminder to me and maybe to you as well that we should all take good care of ourselves and what we have because we are very lucky compared to other people.

As the saying goes: "Health is wealth."

Hoarse Voice

My poor throat is hurting right now. As much as I want to stay up and do my blog duties such as visiting some friends and writing some posts etc., I need to get some rest now so that tomorrow this will not get any worse.

I do not know what happened but around noon today my voice was starting to be a little funny. And now, I have a full-fledged "bedroom" voice!

As you all know, I am a homebased online English teacher among other things. It was hard teaching today. My voice kept cracking up or would just fade away. Good thing my students did not really notice because I tried hard not to make it obvious. If I do not get some rest now and try to treat this, I might have no more voice by the time I wake up.

I do not exactly do all these at the same time but I have tried it at least once in my life. These are just some of the home remedies that were passed on to me by my parents, aunts, relatives and friends. There are no approved therapeutic claims to these remedies but will definitely mention what worked for me. One more thing, don't worry these are all safe since I have done them myself and I am still okay and writing you right now.

Home Remedies for a Hoarse Voice/ Sore Throat:

1. After waking up in the morning, gargle with lukewarm water that has dissolved salt in it. - This is not exactly my favorite since it's salty but it helps relieve the soreness from my throat. It's suppose to "wash" away the bacteria or something like that.
2. Drink ginger ale or ginger tea. - Personally, I love ginger because it has so many uses when you feel a little sick so I always have this handy at home. I just cut off a little ginger, peel and pound it, and drop it in boiling water until its juice comes out. That's the ginger tea I drink. I add a little honey or brown sugar to counter the strong ginger taste. This is very soothing and works for me. Great for colds and cough too.
3. Take a spoonful of honey. - This will soothe the irritation of your throat. Most singers do this for their voice. But I am not a singer, maybe that's why I didn't work for me. Haha. I just ended up eating the honey because it was sweet.
4. Chew on a slice of ginger or suck the juice straight from a "calamansi". - I tried this but will not do it again because the taste of the ginger and calamansi are too strong for me to handle. By the way, calamansi is the Philippine's version of a lemon or lime but it's sourness is much stronger than the two mentioned.
5. Drink warm calamansi juice. - I also drink this when I have colds. Great source for Vitamin C. Squeeze the juice from a calamansi onto a glass of water.
   
6. Drink plenty of water. - This will moisten your dry and sore throat. Instant relief for me but not really a cure. Maybe after drinking for awhile it might help.
   
7. Get some rest. - The wonders of getting enough rest, it will cure any ailment we are feeling since our bodies will have time to recharge and repair itself.
   
8. Do not drink or eat anything cold. - Unless you want your voice to disappear immediately, avoid anything cold.

Do you have any home remedies that you think can help me and my sore throat/ hoarse voice?

Here are some suggested reading on this topic that I found earlier: How to Prevent and Heal a Hoarse Voice, Laryngitis, and Cure for Hoarse Voice.

Pink Is In - Part 2

Thank you Jet for this lovely tag! I am honored to be receiving it again.

I posted this tag earlier this month. I hope it's okay if I refer to my previous post for the facts about me since that is still a little "fresh". Please check out: Pink Is In and learn ten random things about me.

This tag is up for grabs to all of my lovely friends here in blogosphere - that means YOU!

If you would like to grab this tag, please let me know because I would love to learn ten random facts about you too.

Trip to the Pedia

Roberta and I went for her regular doctor's check up this morning. The clinic hours during Saturdays are from 9am to 12nn. I decided to go to the clinic 1130am. I was thinking that by that time there will hardly be any more patients waiting. I was wrong.

I registered my daughter's name at the secretary. We were number fifteen on the list. The doctor was already seeing patient number eight. Which means we had to wait for six other patients to finish before it is our turn. I wonder how long our wait will be.

Roberta and I have been patiently waiting for over 30 minutes. Good thing I brought a small pack of pretzels with me and water for my daughter to snack on while waiting since it is nearly 1pm.

Tired of snacking, my daughter asked to borrow my mobile phone to entertain herself. She listened to some mp3s, played a game and tried watch a tv show but could not find anything interesting so went back to listening to mp3s and singing along with the songs. (My six year old princesss is no longer a baby. Huhuhu.)

Top Ten Things #1

It is interesting how mothers have to be forever "girl scouts" for their children. Or in other words, we mothers always have to be prepared for all kinds of situations such as waiting long for your turn or a bathroom accident while out in the mall.

Gone are the days that we just pack a handful of our own personal necessities. Now, we have to pack another bag. This time, it is a handful of necessities that we think our children might need when we are not home.

TOP TEN THINGS I take with me when I am out with my daughter:

1. Water
2. A snack
3. A toy, coloring book or book
4. Tissue and wet ones (travel pack)
5. Hand sanitizer (small bottle)
6. Baby cologne (small bottle)
7. Baby powder (small bottle)
8. A face or handtowel
9. Extra clothes
10. Brush or comb and hair clips
    

What are the Top Ten Things that you bring when you go out with your children?

Noisy Neighbor

It is nearly twelve midnight. I am in bed relaxing, waiting to fall asleep and get my much needed rest. This week flew by again. It is not because I was having fun but I was busy with work and home. I can't wait to doze off...

But how is that possible with all the noise I hear outside! My next door neighbor is having another Friday night karaoke session. Oh boy! This is going to be a long night for me.

Sometimes, I wish that my neighbors would knock some sense into their heads. They should be considerate of all their other neighbors who would like to sleep already since it is late.

I have nothing against karaoke sessions. I love music. I enjoy listening and watching my family and friends belt out a song or two. But, this is appropriately done at the comfort of our own homes or we go to a karaoke bar where the sounds are confined in a room. That is definitely more than I can say for my neighbor who is having their karaoke session in their common and open garage or driveway where all the noise escapes to the whole neighborhood. How unfortunate of me to be living right beside them. Argh!
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I was using my PDA to write this post last night while I was in bed. I did not even notice that I fell asleep in the middle of writing it. In spite of my neighbors singing their hearts out, I was knocked out. Hehe. I must have been that tired.

Aloha Friday #2

Yeah! It's Friday again! Welcome to my 2nd edition of Aloha Friday!

In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that to take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too.

Come and join me in Aloha Friday! It's easy to play along.

I ask a simple question and you give a simple answer! Nothing that requires a lenghty response.

After you answer my question & leave your link below, post a question on your own blog and leave your link over at An Island Life. Don’t forget to visit the other participants! This is a great way to make new friends here in blogosphere!

My question for this week is:

What is the one dish that you make that your family just loves?

Noodle-less Eggplant Lasagna. My husband and daughter just adore it! =)