I have several hobbies I like to do online, from blogging to digital scrapbooking to website designing. I enjoy using technological advances to add a little flair to my hobbies.

If you are considering doing hobbies online, here are a few great tips for getting started:

- See what's out there. Do a little research to see some of the many things you can do with a computer program. Journaling, games, creating websites, adding design elements to blogs, and creating banners are just a few of many. Think of some of your favorite things to do, and then see how you can do them online.

- Take a class. Your local public library or the continuing education department of many local colleges probably offer classes in a variety of hobbies and activities you can do online. These classes are often free or a nominal fee. They are a great way to learn the basics of getting started with an online hobby.

- Get the right programs. The right software and programs will make a big difference in your online hobbies and will help you get the most enjoyment out of them. You don't need to spend a lot, either, especially in the beginning.

- Clean your computer up. You should be running antivirus programs regularly. You should also install or download a Firewall, which will help protect everything you do online. Clearing your cache and temporary internet files folder regularly will also help your computer run smoothly. The same goes for keeping your computers drivers updated; you can find driver downloads for free online.

Taking your hobbies online adds a fun new twist to your favorite past times. These are a few ways to get started with a variety of hobbies.

I am not sure if I blog about this already but Howell is already solved for Christmas because he already got his Christmas gift from me:

We went to Toy Kingdom in SM Mall of Asia after the Twitter Christmas Party as we promised Bela that we will get her something from Toy Kingdom. Bela and I are already finished with our shopping and we are ready to go home when hubby approached me and whispered “Mom, I think I found your gift for me.”

He showed it to me and I checked the price and I really wanted to protest but he said that it is a very good deal already. And then I suddenly had images of my bags and I realized that hubby did not say anything when I went crazy shopping for bags and so I gladly said yes to his request. LOL.

Hubby was all smiles when I was already paying for his gift. I even asked for it to be wrapped so I can take a picture when he opens it on Christmas. I am sure he is just so excited to add this to his collection.

Apartment dwellers around the well must fear the day when their personal belongings get damaged. Almost every homeowner has house insurance, but renters usually try to get by without renters insurance. That’s largely because they see the insurance as an unnecessary expense. After all, if they had a lot of money to throw around, they would probably buy their own homes.

Sometimes it really pays to spend a little extra on quality coverage, though. Sure, it costs a bit, but it isn’t really all that expensive. Plus, good coverage means that you don’t have to fret about coming home to a flooded home. Not that flooding is ever good, whether you do or do not have insurance, but it’s certainly an easier event to handle when you know you will get some compensation.

There is nothing you can do to save your photo albums and heirlooms, but there are plenty of expensive items that you wouldn’t want to use. Gastronomes will suffer stomach pangs to think about losing their KitchenAid mixers or their food processors. These items, as dear to your heart as they are, are easily replaceable when you have renters insurance.

Without insurance, though, you can write off some of your most cherished belongings. When it comes down to it, you are going to buy a new couch over a new food processor, regardless of how much you love your kitchen toys.

As people start to mature, it seems that they take this issue more seriously. It seems unlikely that many 20-year-olds spend their money on insurance. Once a person hits their 30s, though, something changes at a chemical level. Suddenly, they start thinking “what if.” The risks of that game are pretty high. A person stops wondering “What if I can’t get a date for Friday?” and start fretting about “How am I going to replace this busted refrigerator?”

We went to visit my mother a few weeks ago and I was worried that my daughter, who is in that awkward teenager phase, would find the whole trip a real bore.

But, to my great surprise and delight, my girl struck up a real conversation with her grandma, talking about fashions through the years and the cyclical nature of style.

Dear daughter was surprised to learn that some of the clothing she and her friends are sporting today is similar in style to items that my momma and myself both wore at different times in our lives.

Well, after a flick through the family albums she had to concede that there were similarities in the clothes we had worn, although apparently I looked like a dork in the clothes she and her friends now consider cool.

I did have to laugh at the incredulous look on her face when grandma said that she had owned a gorgeous shearling coat more than three decades ago, and it was an utter delight to see her eyes light up when her grandma declared that she believed she still had it somewhere.

Soon we were up the ladder and into the attic, where we not only discovered my mother's shearling coat, but also a few boxes that had been placed up there full of items I myself hadn’t felt quite ready to part with when the tide of trend changed. Two hours later we emerged with arms full of clothes destined for a second shot at starring in the style stakes and one very happy teenage girl.

She is off out with friends today and just came through to say goodbye, wearing her grandma's shearling and my old jeans – I wonder if she realizes she is a walking scrapbook, wearing the memories of her maternal forbears? I doubt it, but she certainly thinks she looks good.

Finding great deals online is so much easier today than having to lug yourself from store to store. Even if you prefer to shop in stores rather than online, you can at least do your searching on the Internet to find the best deals. This helps cut down on your shopping time, which is great when you have to carry the kids along with you or are on a time limit of some sort. There are some things that traditionally would never be purchased online that are starting to gain popularity.

For example, many people have been concerned with purchasing jewelry online. Because you can't actually look at it and see the quality before you buy it, it can be difficult to make a decision. When you are looking for great silver jewelry online, you may come across Scott Kay jewelry. This amazing jewelry is great for both men and women. The quality is fantastic, and the workmanship is great. There are a lot of brands out there that you can now purchase online that have guarantees on their quality so you will never have to worry.

Another thing that is difficult for many people to purchase online is clothing. Along the same lines as jewelry, it can be difficult to purchase clothing without being able to verify the quality. On top of that, you may find that there are differences in sizing depending on where you purchase from. Colors may look different on the computer than they are online. Dealing with returns for something that you purchased on the Internet can be stressful and frustrating. There are many places today, though, that you can purchase clothing on the internet and be assured of the quality. In fact, many large chain stores that you would normally shop at now have options for purchasing online.

Our schedule for tomorrow:

1. Drop Bela to school for her ballet practice at 9 AM. I have to wait for her until lunch break so I can feed her as she really needs a little pushing when eating.
2. Her practice is until 3 PM so hubby and I will just eat lunch at Robinsons then buy some grocery stuff that we will donate at Caritas.
3. Then after lunch, we will drop by at Caritas to deliver our small donations for them.
4. By 3 PM, Bela will be finish with her practice and if she is still up for it, maybe we can drop by at Robinsons Place for a little break and a little shopping.

While waiting for Bela, I will be bringing my laptop so I can work and finish some of my pending work. I am targeting to finish at least half of my tasks so we can go to Tagaytay on Sunday or Monday for a quick out of town trip.

Looks like we are off to another busy weekend.

If you haven’t switched from traditional scrapbooking to digital scrapbooking yet, what are you waiting for? Everything else in the world is going digital, so why not scrapbooking? Even many subscription scrapbook magazines are now available online, (you can get one for a discount at Subscription.com).

There are 10 times as many options available with digital scrapbooking and it costs a whole lot less to be involved. The following are a few reasons you should switch over to digital scrapbooking, if you haven’t already made up your mind to do it.

No More Cluttered Spaces

All those scrapbook supplies can take up a lot of space in your home, even when you keep them very organized. If you don’t have a big home, that space could be better used for other things. Digital scrapbooking eliminates the need for supplies and all that clutter.

Save On The Costs

Not only does digital scrapbooking take up virtually no space, but after you buy the software, there are basically no additional costs. There are millions of free templates online, as well as layout guides to help you make masterpieces. You don’t have to spend hours at craft stores picking out matching pieces of paper and coordinating stickers and embellishments for each page. They are offered free online.

Your Memories Will Always Be Safe

If there were to be a fire in your home, you could potentially lose all of your scrapbooking work. With digital scrapbooking, you can use cloud storage to preserve your memories forever. Plus, you can print out your pages and have a physical copy for everyone to enjoy as well.

You’ll still have to come up with ideas and do the work when you do digital scrapbooking, but that’s half the fun anyway. Don’t be afraid to switch over to the digital scrapbooking age – lots of other people have and you can too!

Have you been wanting to create a website but have not had the resources or the know-how to do so? Well there is a hot application out there that can help you with all of your website designing dreams, and it’s free, too.

If you don’t have tons of money to spend on a professionally designed website, don’t despair. You can build a website on your own with an easy-to-use tool called Word Press. WordPress was originally a blogging tool, but you can use it for websites as well. Just buy a domain name, pick a hosting site and run the WordPress application.

WordPress is very simple to use. All you have to do is sign up for an account, choose a template and put in all of the information that you want to be displayed on your web page. Most WordPress templates are also highly customizable so you have a lot of choices as far as design. No matter what type of website you want to design, there is a WordPress template or theme that will suit your needs.

If you own a business, it has become basically essential to have a website. This is because the Internet is the first place people go for information when they have a question or want to buy a product, so you need to make sure that you are represented. People literally use the Internet for everything. You can pay bills, buy almost anything, social network with friends and more, so you can’t go without a website.

Think about it. When was the last time you were on the Internet? I bet it wasn’t too long ago. You were probably spending time on Facebook or checking for deals at www.offers.com.

Everyone wants to look their best, that much is obvious. Otherwise, people would dress in the same clothing, their most comfortable outfit. It would soon have holes in the most constantly worn areas, and its presentation would be a bit threadbare. Further, there would be no attention paid to any details such as color or cut of the outfit, and instead, it would likely be just a loose mishmash of rags.

As few people actually present themselves to the world this way, it is easy to surmise that people like to appear as something other than their most comfortable. They want to impress. Brochures far and wide present models with healthy skin, bright smiles, and colorful new clothes, all hung on athletic appearing bodies that imply some level of activity. Many a marketing research firm has discovered that what is pleasing to the customer’s eye will lead to profitable sales.

To blend in with the obvious societal ethos of the times then, it’s important to take care of your body. This entails going beyond the daily regimen of simply taking a shower in the morning and washing your face in the evening. Being careful of your dietary intake – reducing the bad stuff, increasing the good – is another important step. Excessive trans fat consumption leads to heart disease and other problems whose internal symptoms may remain hidden for a while. But the exterior signs will reveal themselves in the form of excessive weight gain. To combat this largely undesired, unhealthy trait, diet and exercise are the two key weapons to employ. If one’s caloric consumption equals their output, it’s nearly impossible to gain weight. Additionally, if one elevates their heart rate for extended periods of time, it is hard to be overweight. The combination of these two simple variables, and their clever manipulation, is all that stands between you and looking your absolute best!

I have to make a list here of the things that I need to blog as there are a lot of events that happened in the past week, before I totally forget about it:

1. Bela’s United Nations celebration. I already uploaded the pictures but I haven’t found the time to make a post about it yet.
2. Celebration of Bela’s birthday at Ocean Park.
3. Bela’s party at Hospicio de San Jose
4. Bela’s birthday dinner with our family
5. Bela’s birthday party at the Creamery
6. Bela’s Book Week Program
7. Jacobo’s 5th month birthday

See, I told you there is really a lot. I wonder when I will find the time to blog all about it as well as sort and upload all the pictures that hubby took in those events. Just watch out, if I find my blogging mojo, I will just sit down one day and blog all about the important events of our family for November.

One of the most important things in life is following your passion. As such, if you have a passion for photography, as I do, then I encourage you to follow your dreams and turn that love of photography into a full-time career. Taking photos is one of many passions I have and improving my skills to transfer this love into a career is the best choice I have ever made. Here are a few things I’ve learned that I hope will help you in this journey towards becoming a professional photographer.

Organize Your Finances

The great piece of advice I can give to any aspiring entrepreneur is to organize your finances as soon as possible. If you are currently carrying several forms of debt, then I encourage you to utilize a debt consolidation service to get the situation under control and pay off the money you owe.

The more organized your finances are, the more likely you will be to succeed. You will have less stress each day and will therefore have more energy to focus on business tasks. Additionally, by having less debt, you can more easily qualify for business loans if you need them.

Diversify the Business

If you have several passions, then find a way to transform each of these passions into a business venture. Chances are good that not all of the ideas will succeed. So, by diversifying your business ventures, you will have income sources to fall back on if one idea doesn't work as well as you had hoped.

Keep it Fun

Regardless of where your business ventures take you, remember to appreciate the lighter side of life. Those who take their businesses and lives too seriously end up creating unnecessary stress. Starting a business is a major undertaking so remember to appreciate the energy you have dedicated to it.

No matter what anybody may tell you, keeping a clean house also involves keeping a carefully maintained, detailed checkbook. Now this isn't to suggest that I'm some kind of bookie (I don't like doing illegal things — not worth it in the end). I also don't want you to think that my occupation is that of an accountant or anything like that. I'm just an ordinary mom that likes to keep on top of things. I know what can happen to people when they let their expenses (or even just their "fun stuff" spending) get out of control. While it might be fun at first, it never seems to end well for anyone.

In some people's cases, they just spend and spend until they have pretty much nothing left of their paycheck by Monday or Tuesday. And while that fun and fancy free style goes great when everything is going well, the first time something unexpected pops up they are up a creek without much of a paddle. Granted, Payday One is always a lifeline if you need it, but who wants to lean on lending services all the time? It's nice to have things like that available but imagine trying to pay back your loan if another bad thing happens a little while later.

If your spending is too nuts, it's like having a nasty home. When your home is a mess, critters want to stay there. Diseases and bugs breed in the mess and filth, and pretty soon your entire family has taken ill. While having a bad habit of not keeping your register up to date (and keeping a decent amount of money in it) probably won't make you sick, it will make things more difficult if you do. Do you really want to live from check to check like that? Do you really want to live with all that constant fear?

You have decided to start an online business. Whether it is to sell products and services or to provide information on topics such as education or even payday loans, you will need to create a strong and memorable website.

Among the most important steps in creating your website are choosing a domain name and a website host. A good web host will offer numerous plans from which to choose. The host service should also provide reliable services as well as good customer support. You’ll need to do a bit of research to find the best host for your needs as well as your budget.

Many companies out there provide hosting services. Often, these hosting services come bundled, not only with domain registration, but design services as well. These one-stop options might be a good choice for some, but realize that these bundles are often more expensive than purchasing the services separately. You can even get different services from different companies. You are not required to purchase all the necessary services from a single source.

Different service plans and associated costs are based on the type of website that is to be hosted. This can include the content and size of the site, as well as the anticipated traffic. Smaller sites that will only have a few static graphics can choose plans with less space (approximately 50 megabytes). If your site will contain larger media files, such as video, you may need a plan that comes with more space, a gigabyte or more.

Some plans will charge the customer based on how much data is being transferred, the number of visitors, content and so on. Many companies charge a flat fee until a certain transfer amount is exceeded.

Examine what you want on your website and research several companies to ensure a good fit. These decisions will impact how successful your online business will be.

Happy Thanksgiving. It is Thanksgiving Day today and so this is the perfect time to make my list of the things that I am thankful for:

1. I am thankful that I have a wonderful husband who is always there for me through thick and thin. A husband who understands and supports me (especially my bag addictions. LOL). A responsible husband who works very hard so he can give us a better life. A selfless man who thinks of others first before himself.
2. I am thankful for my two wonderful kids who is our source of inspiration and joy. Truly we are contented and happy with our life because of them.
3. I am thankful for a loving and supportive family who is always there for us and who really spends a lot of time with my kids just to be sure that my kids are always in good hands.
4. I am thankful for my work and the extra work that I get as it helps bring food to the table and spurge a bit for some of our luho.

I guess this list will be endless as I will always find something to be thankful for.

Happy thanksgiving everyone.

Hubby was on holiday yesterday. I was so green with envy at first because I thought that he will have a good rest on that day but I was wrong.

Of course I have to ask him to drive me to work as I woke up late yesterday so instead of sleeping until 9 or 10 AM, he has to wake up early too to take me to work. Then he has to take Bela to school also around just before lunch time. And since I forgot my pump and my milk bottles at home because I was so hurrying up so I won’t be late, I have to asked hubby to drive back to Makati after taking Bela to school to deliver my pump. And since hubby is really such a perfect and sweet husband, he still offered to pick me up from work after fetching Bela to school.

Oh well, that is just Howell, my energizer bunny and a very patient one as you will not hear him complain even for one tiny second even though I know he is so tired already from driving around from one city to the next. That is just how much he loves me and the kids.

We had a very busy week last week. It was really crazy as we were running around to prepare for Bela’s party at Hospicio, then we had a celebration of Bela’s birthday, and then the party at Hospicio and our celebration of Bela’s birthday with our family after.

Then Bela also had a program at school that week that we have to prepare for the outfit that she will wear plus the tea pot head piece that Bela’s teacher asked us to make. And as if it was not enough I got sick last Friday but I can’t manage to rest as I still have a lot of things to prepare for Bela’s party.

Then on the Saturday of Bela’s party, we have to drop by St Scho as we have to take Bela to her ballet class for her costume measurement taking for their December show. I am relieved that her teacher allowed Bela to skip practice that day and so we went home after her measurements were taken.

Then hubby and I just changed clothes and off we go running again to pick up the cake for Bela’s party then head straight to Creamery to prepare for the party.

So Sunday, I was all drained and tired that I just sleep the whole day and did not even dared touch my laptop. At least now I am rejuvenated so I have energy for more work.

My sister has been bugging me because she is so concerned over her acne. She is really desperate to cure it as their Christmas party, which has a Hollywood theme, is coming very soon and so of course she really wants to look good for that event.

So when I received an email from a friend which just says click here, I was so happy to find out that it is a site where my sister can get treatments for her neck acne.

I have been a teenager too like my sister and I know how frustrating and stressful it is to deal with pimple and acne problems. I just hope that my sister will find an effective treatment soon. She will be coming as Carrie Bradshaw wearing a tutu and a white razor back on their party and it will even be more fabulous if she will have smooth skin like Carrie (LOL).

It will be a long weekend as Monday is a holiday. I am so excited already as I plan to go shopping for the whole day tomorrow while I wait for Bela to finish with her ballet practice. And then I plan to ask hubby to take us for a day trip or overnight stay in Tagaytay on Sunday as it has been a while since we last went out of town.

But looks like none of my plans will push through and I might even need eye wrinkle creams as for sure I will be staying up late this weekend to finish all my pending work.

But I am really not complaining. I have been praying for more work and now that God has granted my wish, I am more than thankful. This is actually what I need as I really need shopping funds for my Christmas shopping. I already have a lot on my wish list and looks like I will be able to buy some from my list after I finish my work for this month. So I am really very grateful and very happy.

A very busy but blessed month for me, work wise.

Am I really getting that old already or I just need calcium supplement?

It is because I am feeling pain on my back and knee. I started feeling this pain a few weeks after I gave birth to Cobi. The same thing happened to me when I gave birth to Bela five years ago. The pain on my knee was really bad that I can’t sit for long hours that is why it is difficult and uncomfortable for me to go on a long distance travel.

I was taking calcium supplements when I was still pregnant but then I stopped after giving birth because I thought that I no longer need it. But I was wrong. My doctor said that the more I should take my supplements as I need all the energy that I can get as I am breastfeeding.

Oh well, now I realized that I am not really getting younger so I should really continue taking vitamins and supplements.

Oh my gosh, I made a terrible boo-boo. I was calling orphanages as I was looking for a venue on where we can celebrate Bela’s birthday like we always do every year since Hospicio de San Jose (our adopted orphanage for four years now) has no more available slot on the date that I want.

So I called Caritas Manila to inquire. I talked to one of the in-charge there and she told me that she will ask for the permission of their Administrator if we can use one of the rooms there to host the party and they will let me know as soon as they get the approval. But I did not hear anything from them and then a week after I inquired with Caritas, it was announced that November 16 is a holiday and so we can have the party at Hospicio since the kids will not have class. And since it is the exact birthday of Bela, we all preferred then to celebrate at Hospicio.

I know it is my fault because even if I did not hear back from the organizers of Caritas, I should have given them a call to confirm and because I did not do that, they assumed that the party will push through. And so the kids waited for us last Sunday but we did not came. I got a call from the organizer that I talked to at Caritas yesterday to let me know what happened and I really felt bad that I almost cried.

I told them how sorry I was and I promised to visit them on Saturday so I can bring little donation that they can use for the feeding program and if business is good, I will really try to hold another party at Caritas this December to make up for what I did with the kids.

I am really truly and very, very sorry!!

My good friend Kelly is selling this:

I am actually not interested with it when I heard my friends talking about it in Twitter. But now, I am so tempted to get payday advances just so I can get the Mulberry Alexa bag that Kelly is selling.

She brought it with her when we saw each other at Sam and Migo’s party last week and it was love at first sight. I love how supple and soft the leather is and the plus factor is that it comes in my favorite shade of purple.

Thank goodness one of our friends already bought it so there is nothing to think about and no chance for me to have sleepless nights over this bag. LOL. And besides I imposed a no shopping ban for myself and I better keep it so I can save enough money for the trip that we are planning next year.

Kelly is selling another one of this bag in Oak so just let me know if you re interested and I will hook you up with her.

My husband and I went on a Europe vacation last year and one of the highlights of our trip was meeting a group of tourists who became our friends up to now. Sometimes you really never know where you can find true friends. My husband and I were just passing time as we are just waiting for our late evening train ride going to Rome. We have done the Gondola ride, had our picture taken at Plaza de San Marco, had a tour at the Dodge Palace and checked out the wood cupola, tried Venice’s pizza and gelato, and even checked out the souvenir shops located in the small streets of Venice. So we have done everything that we can in Venice and so we just sit in one of the benches facing the Grand Canal as we watch the gondoliers had fun while waiting for tourists to take a ride when we bumped into a group of tourists and we soon found out that we all came from the same country.

We hit it off right then and there. We decided to have coffee in one of the coffee shops near the Grand Canal with a beautiful view of the garden filled with garden finial and there we talk for hours. I don’t know but for some reasons, it is like we knew each other for a long time already. We laugh like there is no tomorrow and chat and chat for hours.

Then the coffee extended until dinner where we moved to a restaurant near the train station so we won’t miss our ride going to Rome and looks like our garden weathervanes are all pointing us in the same direction as they are heading to Rome too the following day. This means we can have more time to get to know each other.

It was just a short time that we spent together when we were all tourist in Europe but I am really glad that up to now, we still keep in touch and they are one of our very true friends.

My cousin tagged me with this photo:

This is the letter of invitation for their family as the Manila Archdiocesan and Parochial School Association (MAPSA) celebrated its 50th anniversary. They want my Aunt Vick’s family to be present on her behalf at the Thanksgiving mass to be officiated by His Eminence Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, as they believed that my aunt’s effort, wisdom, and foresight contributed to having MAPSA to become the entity that it is today. They believe that my Aunt Vicky is one of the pillars of MAPSA.

My Aunt Vicky died a few years ago from cancer and even in her absence, she still continue to make us proud. I know she has live her life to the fullest and she has helped a lot of people but my only sentiment is that she could have helped even more if she has not been stricken with cancer.

That is why I feel sad every time I hear stories of people dying from cancer. It makes me more sad when I read about Mesothelioma and its victims. But still I am thankful because there are Houston asbestos lawyer who can help victims get justice by helping them get a settlement or claim.

I do hope and pray that there will be no more victims of Mesothelioma and the victims will finally get their justice.

Last November 14, I, hubby, my dad, my Tito June, my cousins Tessa and Joseph and my brother JP trooped to Dad’s restaurant in Ermita to watch live the fight between Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito.

We left the house around 8 AM as my brother is worried that the parking will be difficult as for sure Dad’s will be packed with the fans of Manny. The under card matches were already starting and since we did not eat breakfast (except my Tito June), we all started with the breakfast buffet. By 11 AM, they started serving lunch already and so we decided to have early lunch so we will just concentrate with the fight when it begins.

Food was really overflowing, from Japanese, American, and Filipino dish and I especially love their dessert table. But of course, when the fight begins, everybody forgot about the food and we just concentrated in watching the match.

Manny really awed me and now I am his number 1 fan. He is really the greatest boxer that has ever live (I think even better than Ali). I was so scared at first seeing how big Margarito is but Manny showed that Margarito is no match even just in the first few rounds. And just as we expected, Manny dominated the fight and successfully won his 8th World Title.

I just hope that this will not be his last fight as I just started to enjoy boxing. LOL.

This is one pig-out week again for me (so I really think I will need the best weight loss supplements to really help me loose weight before my friend’s wedding on December).

November 16, was Bela’s birthday. We had lunch at Pancake House while touring Ocean Park and then we had a party at Hospicio de San Jose where I ate my share of regular yum. Then after, we had dinner at Don Henrico’s where we ordered pizza, pasta and buffalo wings.

November 20 will be Bela’s celebration with her classmates and some of our close friends and relatives. I am the one who personally picked the menu and the dishes looks good so I am sure I will not miss tasting the sumptuous meals that will served by the Creamery. I also ordered for an ice cream buffet which I am really excited about.

November 21 will be Cobi’s 5th month birthday so I am sure we will have a little celebration again.

Judging from my list, for sure I will gain a couple of pounds again after this week.

Yehey, hubby was finally able to buy our tickets for the Pacquiao- Margarito fight later at Dad’s restaurant.

The ticket comes with a breakfast and lunch buffet with bottomless drinks (so I will surely need the strongest appetite suppressant if I don’t want to really gain weight after this day). Hubby said the Pacquiao-Margarito fight will probably start by 11 AM but they will start to serve breakfast by 8 AM so we will surely be full even before the fight begins. LOL.

My dad, my uncle, my two cousins and my brother will be watching with us so for sure it will definitely be fun. I am excited for the Dad’s buffet and a bit scared with the fight as I saw Margarito and he is really big compared to Manny but I am really hoping that Manny will bag the prize again for his 8th World title.

Hubby said that this is a very memorable fight as this might be Manny’s last fight as he is planning to retire already. But who knows, if he wins, for sure Manny will consider fighting for another title again.

It is almost the end of the year of already so for companies, this means that they have to finish their financial reports before another year begins so they can assess the growth and profit of their business.

As for me and my husband, as another year is about to end, we also try to assess our financial status so we can make plans and goals for our family for the coming year. Just like now, we are checking the site of United States Gold Bureau to learn more about gold investment.

Gold is a very stable investment as its value does not depreciate over time so it is a very good way to preserve one’s wealth. And since it is universally accepted, there is no problem in converting it to cash if the need arises. That is why we are really considering to invest in gold and this is one of our financial goals for 2011.

Yehey, P-Noy declared November 16 as a non-working holiday. November 16 is the birthday of our princess. We initially planned to treat her out on that day like go to Ocean Park and check out their new attractions or go to the Science and Discovery Center at Mall of Asia. But we suddenly had a change of plans because I did not plan in advance Bela’s celebration with the kids at Hospicio de San Jose. I tried calling them last week to schedule Bela’s party there but all their weekends are already booked so I have no choice but to schedule it on the exact birth date of Bela.

I thought that it will just be our family who will celebrate with Bela and the kids at Hospicio but thankfully P-Noy declared 16 as a holiday so my other relatives can join us as what they always do every year.

This will be our fourth year to celebrate Bela’s birthday at Hospicio de San Jose and our family is really looking forward to see all the kids again.

Last Sunday, we attended our first Christmas party for this year, the Twitter Christmas party. Every time I tell my friends and family that we are having our Christmas party already, they all say that it is still too early. But you know how busy the Bebots/MBAPS/Tweeps are and so we really have to schedule our Christmas party before our busy December.

The party was held at Shakeys Blue Wave Macapagal. They said that their party area can accommodate up to 80 guests but with just 65 people (adult and kids), there is really not much space to move. But despite the limited area that we have, we still managed to have fun.

The party started with the games for the kids (and I must say for the mommies too as they are all fighting to win a prize for their kids) and then we had lunch. After eating, we proceeded with the blowing of the birthday candle of Bianca to celebrate her 4th birthday and they served the 32” pizza courtesy of Jody for Bianca’s birthday. Then we went straight to the Kids exchange gift, raffle for the kids and the daddies and the much awaited activity, the White Elephant game.

Just like last year, the white elephant game was really a blast and the favourite gift for this year, the radio with CD player from Jane and the jewelry box with P1000 Starbucks gift certificate from Jody. LOL. Everybody was really eyeing for this gift but the rule is we can only steal it thrice. But that is where the fun begins, when we try to steal the gift that has been opened already and wait for the reaction of the victim. LOL.

Jacqui told us that for next year, the new rule is we should not bring gifts that have been given already in the previous years so we can be more creative with the gifts that we will bring. Maybe I should start buying for jewelry making supplies so I can start making jewelries as my gift for the white elephant game next year.

We only have 2 hours of party time in Shakeys and with all the activities lined up for the programs, and all the chika, that two hours is really not enough. But as always we really had a wonderful and fun party. Everybody was really happy, especially the kids and the mommies. Our group of friends is really growing and for sure next year we will even be bigger. So we really need to look for a bigger venue.

It was nice seeing you all again guys. Howell, Bela, Cobi and I really had fun. Thanks for all the loots and for great company. Let’s make sure that we will do this again next year.

I'm just looking at the screen of my computer when suddenly a message popped out. It came from my sister. She told me about the sale of the bags that we both love.

Excitedly, she told me that it is on 20- 30% off promo. And I was like, really? And asked her if she'll buy though I already knew her answer. She said hell yeah, just like what I thought.

I asked her if she's sure and again received the same response. As a loving sister, I told her out of the blue, why don't you try to invest your money into a business and when you are already earning a lot, then buy all the bags that you like. She was like shocked when she read my message. She sent a laughing smiley and asked if I'm sick. I told her that I'm just concern about her future, for we all knew that the cost of living today is so expensive and she might get broke if she'll continue her addiction to bag. She got my point and asked what to do.

I gave her the site that my chum recommended me. She often saves her money to buy gold because she said that it's a good form of investment since gold’s value are so high and don't depreciate easily. My sister said that she'll give it a thought and will message me when she already decides about it.

I just hope she comes up with a good decision.

Christmas is almost here. I can't wait to buy gifts for my love ones but before that, I have to make a list so I won't have a hard time finding stuffs to give. Of course the list starts with my children.

I'm thinking of giving B the toy that she really like and keeps on nagging me to buy it whenever we are at the mall. For the little man, I think diet pills will be great, just joking! Maybe bottomless milk will be enough for him for now. LOL!

For mom, I think bag will be great for her as well as for my Aunties.
For dad, pair of shoes will do and I think my hubby also wants one.
For my brother and her wife, I'm still not decided about it.
For my cousins, I think asking them what they want will be a good idea to have a hint on what to buy for them.

My list is not yet done, more will come as Christmas time draws near. I hope I can finish it as soon as possible so I'll start my shopping.

I was surfing the web when an article caught my eye, its about the World's Best Quality of Life on Yahoo. Norway is on the top of the list, now I'm wondering how does it feel to have an annual income of 58,810 dollars and 81.0 years of life expectancy? I bet it was like a paradise living in there.

I hope that Philippines will be like that too, such a distant dream, right? I still believe that it was possible if and only if every Filipinos will help and cooperate to achieve such a grand life. If Norway can do it, why can't we?

My sister, who is already working as a Quality Assurance on company, keeps on nagging me to find a good business for her. She wants something that won't cause her an arm and a leg and will make a good profit.

So, to make her stop, I surfed the web and find out about this gold bullion. As I scanned through the site, my mind is telling me that this investment will be good for my sister and as well as for me. I phone her immediately and talked about this business.

We both agreed that this is a good and safe way of investment, for gold has a high value and never depreciate easily. I gave her the site and told her to read it herself so she'll learn more about it. As for me, I'm excited to discuss it to my hubby and give it a think; if will try it or try it. LOL!

Everything is set for Bela’s birthday. In just two weeks from now, B will turn 5 years old in November 16 but we chose to hold her party over the weekend so that our family and friends will be available.

As early as now, I can see how excited B is for her party. She was the one who chose the theme, which is the Princess Tea Party. She wants to invite all her classmates and that’s why I’m preparing the invitations already so we can distribute it by next week.

Her gown and the clothes that she will wear for her special day is also ready but we still need to buy shoes for her. I hope we will have time this coming weekend to check out the mall for that.

Well, so much for that, I still need to check again my the list for B’s birthday just to make sure that everything will be perfect.

Whenever I hear the song "Too Much Love" by Jovit Baldovino, I will immediately think of B. She heard the song first on a cracker’s commercial. One afternoon she was playing on her mat then heard the song. After hearing it, she sings along with these lyrics: “Love love I kill you nanana nana.” Right after hearing her version of the song, I burst out of laughter and she asked me why? I just told her that I'm happy hearing her sing then she continued playing her toys.

After a week, I just learned that she has a new version of it, my mom told me about it. I just can't put my finger on her lyrics because when I asked her to sing it, she will just tell me that she needs to see the commercial first. So I'm hoping right now to see the commercial so I can hear what my little singer's newest composition.

My cousins visited us the other day at our house for they already miss my kids because they were not able to see them for almost 2 weeks now.

When they were at our house, my cousin asked me if I know any kind of treatment that will help her get rid of lice. I saw her scratching her head from time to time and that made me think that her case is becoming worst. She said that she got it from her classmate who is also have lice for quite some time now. They were seatmates that's why she suspects that it can be one of the reasons why she had lice now.

And so I tried to search if there is one like the Houston lice treatment here in our country because all I know, most people who suffer from this infestation, they only use special shampoos that contains bad harmful chemicals that can affect our health and can damage our hair as well.

Unfortunately, I still can find one but I suggest her to consult her doctor first so she will know the best thing that she can do to get rid of her lice.

Look how silly my daughter. Ever since she discovered the Photobooth application in my sister's MacBook, she always borrows the laptop and then she will sit on one side and take silly pictures of herself.

In fact, even if my sister is busy doing something in her laptop, she will keep on bugging her just to play with the application. Actually, when I checked on the pictures, she almost had a 100 already.

Because of this, Bela's now asking me if I can buy the same laptop for her. I knew that she'll come up with the idea that's why I prepared an answer already. I just told her then that we don't need to buy a new one because her tita will give it to her eventually! (just kidding sis. LOL!)

1. What has there been too much of in your life lately? I must say, too much worrying about my work and too much stress that is often due to family matters, personal reasons and the things that are currently happening in my life.

2. In what areas of your life might you currently be overextended? I don’t think I am overextended at such point. I still manage to balance the things in my life and I always see to it that learn how to discipline myself in terms of our finances. I know when enough is enough and I know how to say no with things that are less important.

3. What seems about to be going into overtime? I actually can’t think of any right now but will traveling counts? I badly miss traveling for it’s been a year I guess since my last major trip.

4. In what way does your cup runneth over? I am totally blessed with a great family, I am loved by many and I am very thankful for that.

5. What’s your favorite INXS song? I don’t have one.

Well, a life of excess is definitely not for me because in my own point of view, everything that’s been happening in my life with my family and friends are just totally right that’s why I have every reason to be thankful to our Big Boss.

I can’t believe that it is already November which got me into asking “Where did the eleven months go?” Time really move so fast. I remember my birthday celebration for this year which falls on the first month of the year and now we are just one month away from beginning a new year.

2010 has brought a lot of things for my family and we really had a lot of realizations and one of that was that we should really be serious in making investments so we can secure the future of our kids, especially now that we have two children already.

So my husband and I promised that we should really include in our target our long standing plan to buy gold coin as our initial gold investment. Gold coins hold the same value as a gold bar and we all know that gold is a very solid and stable investment as it does not depreciate in time.

I guess I should really visit the site of United States Gold Bureau often so I can learn the ins and outs of gold investment so we can finally push through with our plans to start our gold investment for the future of our kids.

October 31st is the birthday of my 9-year old cousin, Jego. Since it is Halloween, it is always a special party for my cousin. My aunt who is our official party planner spends a lot of time preparing for the party form the invitations, to the decors and the loot bags to be given to the kids. All the kids in our family will dress up in their favourite costumes and they will go around the village for Trick or treat while the grown ups will have barbeque and grills as we wait for the kids to finish.

Of course since our family loves to eat, no party will be complete and will not be considered special without good food. That is why my husband and I invested on an outdoor pizza oven as we know that we will always host party at home and this will make preparing for good food much easier.. I don’t know how to cook but I have a cousin who knows how to prepare gourmet meals that the whole family really loves so this oven is really the perfect tool to prepare roasts, fish, and even bake bread and cake. And these gourmet meals are one of the reasons why all my relatives are looking forward to this party.

Everything is ready for the party later. Our backyard has been decorated with Halloween décor, the beer and wine is already chilling in the freezer, the Halloween loots for the kids have all been packed, and the food that my cousin prepared is ready (thanks to our brick pizza oven which made preparing gourmet meals in our home very easy). I am sure this will be one great party again. The kids are all excited and especially the grown ups who can’t wait to taste the good and just chat and enjoy each other’s company.

October has been a very busy month for us. I still have a lot of things that I need to blog so I have to make a list before I totally forgot about it:

1. Bela’s United Nations celebration in school. Their section represented the country Hawaii. Howell took lots of pictures but I haven’t found the time to sort and upload it. Bela was even chosen as one of the representatives of Prep for the Prayer song which they performed at the last part of the program.
2. Country Fair at School as part if United Nations celebration also.

3. Bela and Cobi’s Trick or Treating at the US Embassy

4. The SSC Ballet Club’s open house. They are really strict during regular classes and they don’t allow parents to watch their kids during class. So when they invited the parents for the open house, we made sure that we are armed with our camera and video cam to capture every moment as Bela just so loves her ballet class.

I really hope that I will find the time next week to blog all about this.

I was looking for a nice outfit to wear for my cousin’s party yesterday and I got really frustrated as I can’t find anything in my cabinet nice enough to wear for a party. But I guess it is really time to shop and update my cabinet as I just realized that I haven’t done some shopping for myself lately as I got really busy shopping both for Cobi and Bela.

Good thing there are a lot of sales on the Internet now like the discounts that I saw for apple bottom shoes, bags, dresses and even those fashionable leggings and pants from Jimmy Jazz online store.

November and December is a busy month for us as we have a lot of parties and family events to attend to during those months so this is really the perfect time for me to shop for myself. Good thing it is a holiday today so I can just stay in front of the computer the whole day and start with my online shopping.

A uniform can be a status symbol for an employee just like surgical scrub for those in the medical field. Wearing a nice uniform can make them feel proud with their job, thus they will be more inspired to work hard and give 100% service to all their patients.

That is why most hospitals look for scrub store that sells medical scrubs and uniforms that offer different color and styles so their employee can really feel good while they are wearing their uniform. And that is why Blueskyscrubs.com is so popular as a great source for medical uniforms among hospitals.

All of the scrubs of Blueskyscrubs.com can not be bought from stores but can only be purchased online and they ship to any part of the world. They even offer free shipping for orders of $155 and above. They have one line of scrub for men and two designer styles for women. Their medical scrubs is also available in different color so those in the medical field will have plenty of options.

Now nurses, doctors and other medical practitioners can really look good while at work by wearing uniforms from Blueskyscrubs.com.