XOOM Money Transfer Sucks!!!

If you're a constant visitor of my blog, you would very well know that I don't usually complain negatively in my posts. Why? I just like to create a positive, feel good, light mood in everything that I write and share to my readers. It's not that I'm putting up a front or something, I just really want to be careful with what I write and say. This post might be different. I am so mad that I really had to let it out, or else, I'd be taking out this anger and frustration on my dear hubby.

We've been using XOOM Money Transfer when we send money to the Philippines monthly for two years now. Transacting with them had always been smooth, easy and convenient...BUT not anymore!!! For the past two times that I've sent money through them, it takes 1 WEEK before the recipient could claim it, NOT minutes as they have been advertising in their website and TV commercials. It bothers me a lot since we're old customers and we have not received any notification that they changed their terms of service or something. I would understand if we made any changes in our accounts which I did before, I know that they will have to verify some information but hey, we've been using the same bank for a long time and why the heck now they're telling us that they were waiting for my bank to clear the money. I mean my biggest question is "WHY JUST NOW?" What's the deal? Don't think that I didn't contact their Customer Service right away because I did, only to be put on hold for 30 minutes and not been able to talk to any single soul. I tried emailing them, sure I got a reply which didn't really answer any of my questions. I'm not even sure if it's a real person who emailed me back or just the standard auto-response to their general customers. One thing is for sure, the reply was nonsense.

I hate to dwell on this problem the whole weekend so I decided to just let it go. I sent the money last night and they said it's gonna arrive Feb. 6th, ok fine, so be it! But I'll definitely look for a different money transfer service from now on. We've tried Western Union way back, they charge exorbitant fees but I've never had any problems with them when it comes to claiming the money but if any of you know of any other money transfer service that charge reasonable fees, you're welcome to give your comments on this post. I'm desperately in need of finding a better one because I'm not using XOOM any more. I want this post to add up to the number of complaints from XOOM customers on the internet. I don't want to feel so stressed out whenever I send money so...

To XOOM, Good Riddance!!!

Like it, Love it, Hate it, Whatever... JUST ENJOY IT!!!

That's the famous dialogue of the newest YouTube sensation, "Rin on the Rox". I was visiting my favorite blogs one night when I came across with a post talking about this phenomenal singing duo. I got interested to watch their videos and listen to their voices when I've read that Ellen de Generes was calling out to this pretty girls to guest on her show. What's pretty exciting is the fact that these two talented ladies are Filipinos. I remember when Charice Pempengco was also given the chance to guest in this famous American tv show after being watched by millions of people in YouTube. Anyway, take the time to watch the videos below and you'd definitely like their voices and renditions of the famous songs, "If I Were a Boy" by Beyonce and "T-Shirt" by Shontelle. Enjoy peeps!!!

Get connected

One of the effective ways of gaining friends is through a social consumer network. We all like to talk about our interests and hobbies and what a good way to do it is to connect to people who have the same interests like ours. Acobay is a new and unique social network site. Like any other social networking sites, you can upload photos, videos, music and even chat with friends or visit forums and talk about what’s new, what’s in and what’s hot. I believe this is also a good place for bloggers like me to hang out. I’ve seen their gallery of photos and sure I was impressed with the collection. Be a member, that way you can promote your blogs and get the chance to use their photos for your posts.

Ice Storm Warning

Our town is under ice storm warning until 6:00 A.M. tomorrow. The temperature is as low as 29 degrees right now. I know it's not as bad as the northern states but freezing rain, sleet and ice are the last thing we would want here in our place. I'd welcome snow with all my heart but not ice, pleeease!!!! If the roads are gonna be bad for driving tomorrow morning, I'd definitely just stay at home and skip work. I didn't see any ice yet when I went home this afternoon but I was practically creeping on my way home especially along the bridge. I'm just being on the safe side especially that I am so inexperienced when it comes to driving in bad weather conditions. I hope tomorrow wouldn't be very bad though. They were talking about losing electricity if this ice storm condition gets worse. Gosh! I can't live without internet, light and TV, lol!

A shot at true love

Many people had found true love through online dating. It’s a little harder and demanding than regular dating but it’s all worth it. Like social networking, online dating websites of different kinds have been sprouting like mushrooms in the internet. It’s actually an effective place of interacting with people who share the same interests as you. I’ve heard of Christian dating sites before and I think it’s cool that Christians can all go to one place and interact. Now, there’s good news to all horse lovers out there. There is an online outlet for you as well. Get yourself shot through the heart with an arrow by an equestrian cupid. Join an exclusive community for horse lovers and equestrian singles to meet horseback riding buddies, and share your country pursuits with them. They offer FREE sign-up opportunities so don’t miss this chance to finally meet the man/woman of your dreams. You can create your profile, tell something about yourself and your love of horses, share a photo, chat with other horse lovers as well, join the equestrian forum and read the blogs and testimonials or success stories of other equestrians who found love beyond their love for horses.

Weekend Thoughts

It's Sunday and I've been staring at my laptop for at least 15 minutes now. I'm done EC dropping and I was wanting to write a post but I can't seem to keep my thoughts running. So I just thought about sharing what had transpired this weekend. We drove to Fayetteville to drop the Balikbayan Box for my family yesterday. Then we head to Ashley's Furniture Store to check out some furnitures. For quite some time, we've been planning to buy a dining room furniture and it was a blessing in disguise that my sister mentioned about the good quality and affordable prices of Ashley Furnitures. We took the chance to visit their store yesterday and we saw a few that we liked but we still have to measure our place here to check and see if it we have room for the one that we like. We're just renting right now and we don't have much space for huge tables and chairs so we'd definitely consider that. But we also don't want to settle for anything small and be unhappy about it so we'll have to think about it more. Anyway, I'm doing laundry right now while blogging, lol! I'm not sure what to make for dinner but I'm thinking of cooking the corned beef that I bought at the Filipino store yesterday. Alright, guess I'll have to stop my nonsense rambling before I'll bore you all if not already. Hope we all have fun this week!

Don't limit yourself...Earn a Master's Degree

Indubitably, the Nursing profession is one of the best-paying jobs here in the United States. As a matter of fact, many Filipinos who wish to live the American Dream choose to take the career path of being a Registered Nurse. My youngest sister, Jhazel is a 2^nd year Nursing student and we hope that she could make it all the way to the end. We know the demands of Nursing education, let alone the job itself. But if that is what you really want to achieve in your life, nothing is impossible. I am really impressed with those people that want to further enhance their learning. Like many other different courses, Nursing does not end from being an RN. Truth to the matter is, you can take online MS nursing from Saint Xavier University, one of the respected online schools that provides excellent education for professional nurses. Yes, you got to have a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from a regionally accredited college or university before you can enroll in Master of Science in Nursing. So for nurses who want to expand their career opportunities without sacrificing quality time for their family, earning an online Master’s Degree from SXU is the way to do it.

(sister is at the far right of the photo)

A Valentine surprise for DH

Have you already thought about what to give to your dear hubbies and beloved wives this Valentine’s Day? In 3 weeks, another special occasion would be shared with our loved ones. In our case, it’s going to be our 2^nd Valentine’s Day together physically. Last year, we spent it in St. Louis, Missouri but this year, we’d like to keep it low. We would spend it out of town but it’s not going to be as far as Missouri. A week ago, I bought a watch for my babe for this occasion. How about you? Need some Vday gift ideas? Check out the Cyber Monday specials on Buy.com.

Just nonsense rambling

My eyes are droopy and tired right now. I don’t know why but I just felt so exhausted at work today. I kept on yawning and was lethargic. I’m thankful that dear hubby get off from work earlier than usual so he volunteered to make dinner for us. I feel like going straight to bed right after dinner but I know it’s not good to do that and besides I need to do my usual blog hopping rounds and I remember that I need to search for more wedding stuff and read a little bit about Hydroxycut reviews. Oh well, I better get started before it’s going to be too late to do all these.

Can you pick me out? [I'm the pretty one...=)]

When I found out that there's only gonna be two (2) women in our department (Information Systems) here in the bank, and that includes me, it didn't faze me at all. As you can see in this photo, I've worked with an all-guys formatter's section back in the Philippines, so I know how it is to be around with men in a work-environment setting. I would say it was peaceful most of the time, since men don't like to chatter much and there are just things that you can't relate with them, but sometimes it just drive me nuts when they just start picking on me. What I would usually do is I'll just work silently on my own and instantly they would get the hint that I'm off-limits for their jokes and out-of-this-world questions. I saw this photo from my old files and I thought about sharing this here in my blog. Miss you, guys!!!

Creative party ideas

Birthdays are special. People celebrate it in various ways. I’ve always celebrated mine in a very small and simple family dinner sharing lechon manok, ice-cream and cake. I never had a grand birthday celebration though I wish I had a real party with family and friends when I was a bit younger. I am sure kids love birthday parties more than adults. When I’ll have kids in the near future, I want to give them a nice, well-planned birthday party. I have a lot of kids birthday party ideas in mind but I think celebrations.com has a lot more to offer. I made a quick browse on the website and indeed, they have countless party ideas for birthdays, bridal showers, super bowl, and even romantic events like engagement and anniversary party. I was amazed with how creative and easy on the budget their ideas are. Shame on me, I thought all fun birthday parties requires a fortune but looking on their website, I learned a lot of fun party tips and tricks that we all can make use of in the future. But if I had the means to go crazy with our budget, I’d like to throw a Disneyland-themed kids birthday party. It’ll probably be expensive but I’m sure the kids would all enjoy it. How about you? What’s your fantasy birthday party?

In the mood for senti music

--and i love you so...

the people ask me how.

how i've lived till now.

i tell them i don't know.

i guess they understand...

how lonely life has been.

but life began again.

the day you took my hand.

and, yes, i know how lonely life can be...

the shadows follow me, and the night won't set me free.

but i don't let the evening get me down.

now that you're around me.--

If you've reached this part, you may have realized that the text above is the lyrics of an old song. I'm in the mood for senti music right now so I listen to Regine's Low Key album. She has a nice compilation of classic love songs in this album but I fell in love with her version of 'And I Love You So' right instantly when I first heard it. I hope you would get a chance to listen to it. By the way, I don't feel well today so I stay at home and enjoy a relaxing, lazy, call-free Wednesday. It feels good to get away from people's computer troubles sometimes. Anyway, hope you all have a wonderful day, bloggers!

LeapFish: Search faster than you can imagine

Sweet!!! That’s what I thought when I tried using LeapFish. What is this, you might ask? Leapfish is actually a multi-dimensional search engine that combines the best of the web in a single search. What’s neat about this is its new click-free search interface that delivers search results as you type. Yes, you’ve read it right. Just type the words that you’re searching, no need to hit enter or click anything, the results will be shown in a flash. How cool is that? Of course, I don’t take anyone’s word for it, I actually tried it myself. I searched for my blog and lo and behold, while I was typing, Leapfish is searching immediately and showing me some relevant hits. I could not believe how fast and dynamic it is. I was looking for bridal gowns online and Leapfish gives life to a fast, fluid and dynamic search experience that extracts the variety of data from major online destinations such as Google, Youtube, and others in a single search query. Another plus for me are the videos, images, news, forums and stuff that’s related to your search which you can find on the side of their web page because I really like it. It is indeed amazing. They are still on Beta version but I went ahead and made it as my homepage. Don’t take my word for it. Watch the video below and read the LeapFish Blog so you would get a feel of what I’m talking about.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, federal establishments and banks are closed including where I work at. Since we don't observe this holiday in the Philippines, I don't really know who Martin Luther King is. I even mistake him as "Martin Luther", the German Theologian who was popularly known as the Father of Protestanism. It was hubby that told me that they are two different individuals, though the latter has some kind of influence on the lives of the former. I did some research and I found out a little about this guy. MLK was an African American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the American civil rights movement. He would always be remembered as a strong leader, a person who believed in peace and justice, and had won more freedom for black Americans. Each year, on the third Monday in January, we celebrate his birthday. This is the first national holiday to honor an individual black American.

Got to lose some pounds

I don’t want to sound desperate but I think I really need to take drastic measures to shed off some pounds. I am not losing faith in my treadmill exercise but I think it’s time for me to give diet pills a shot. I’ve never taken any pills before because I didn’t think it’s necessary. I was never this determined to lose weight. I hope a year will be enough to achieve my goal as I would want to look good in my wedding gown. I wonder what’s the best pill out there. I’ve heard Lab88 is a good site to look for diet pills that work. I’m gonna have to check it out soon.

Feeding my addiction

This is my first purchase in the mall for 2009. Actually, my real first purchase for this year is over the internet when I bought the Twilight saga books but I didn't get the chance to visit the shopping mall for this year until yesterday. We went to visit Dad in Little Rock and we headed to a mall after that. I bought a Valentine's gift for hubby and he didn't know of course. He just waited on a bench while wifey shopped to her heart's content. He knew that I purchased a blue winter jacket and a Kathy van Zeeland chocolate brown purse, but I hid the surprise gift in my purse so he didn't know that I got him something for Vday.

Anyway, I don't know why I get attracted with brown colors lately. Probably because it looks neutral especially that I plan to use it for everday basis at work. I've always wanted to own a Kathy purse but when I didn't have a job yet, I thought it would be a waste buying a purse that's worth more than $50.00. Well, actually I still feel guilty about getting pricey purses even now that I have a job, that's why I used my blogging money to make this purchase, hehehe. Haaayy!!! I am one of the few who has some kind of addiction to handbags.

Is it too late?

Roughly a year into our wedding, I now start to look for bridal gown designs online. I have yet to decide whether to purchase it here in the U.S. or just have it designed by Harley Ruedas in Cebu. I’ve read from CebuPosh that Harley Ruedas is a good one and he’ll work on your budget. On the other hand, it will save me from stress and hassle if I’ll just buy it here but the flipside is that most of their gowns seemed to be tailored for sexy brides. I think I’m gaining weight everyday and it frustrates me like crazy. However, I have not done much in order to lose weight yet. I wonder if Leptovox could help.

Should I get one?

It looks cool, doesn't it? This is the 4th generation of Apple iPod Nano. It can hold as much as 2,000 songs. I don't own any kinds of iPod for that matter, but recently, I've been thinking of buying one. This particular model of iPod caught my attention. I love the svelte form and there's like 9 cool colors to choose from, but for me, green is the best. My heart is not 100% set on getting one but I'm kinda leaning on treating myself with this gorgeous music gadget. I don't know much about iPods but after I read about the reviews, I'm pretty sure that if ever I'll get one, this will be IT.

Best protection you could ever get

Are you in the Military? Do you know any American soldiers? If yes, then you probably know that soldiers had to gear up properly especially when they are on the field. It surprises me a bit when I’ve read that soldiers do wear sunglasses as well. But I realized well, the most important part of your body got to be protected, right? They don’t just wear ordinary sunglasses of course. Military goggles have 2 mm thick, shatterproof selenite polycarbonate lenses that meets military standards. Now, the next question would be, where can we get it? We want to make sure that our brave men are wearing the most reliable quality Wiley X Glasses.

Wiley X is a supplier of protective eyewear to American soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq. They are the best in the business and their products provide 100% UV protection and come with a one-year warranty. They’ve been in the business since 1980’s starting off as a one-man operation selling ballistic eyewear to gun shops. FBI have heard of them so from then on, they started to supply protective eyewear to the U.S. military. They are based in California but one need not fly to CA to buy their products because you can get it at the comforts of your home via the internet. BrigadeQM.com carries a wide selection of Wiley X Tactical Eyewear, Sunglasses and Accessories, including hard and soft eyewear cases, sunglasses and goggles perfect even for off-duty and with civilians as well. Go grab a pair now!

Helping myself combat it

After the terrible flare up I had at work the other day, I made an effort to research a little bit about my condition. I would still go to the doctor definitely, but reading about it over the internet helps me understand what causes it and learn about the things that I need to avoid. As I was reading about hyperacidity, acid reflux, gastrointestinal and heartburn problems, I realize that the symptoms I have are exactly what the web site describes, even the pain in the upper abdomen part. I learn that too much meat in your diet, overeating, no exercise, eating fried, hot and spicy foods would trigger hyper or extra acidity. All of the above accurately describes my lifestyle. No wonder I have this thing huh! I’ll be sharing here some tips and simple rules to follow in order to get rid of hyperacidity. I got this from Helium.com.

• Have lime juice after your dinner. Lime helps in regulation of acids in your body, but hold on! The lime juice you have shouldn't be sour it should be sweet!
• Have early dinner, by eight in the evening and sleep by ten- ten thirty, you acid peptic trouble should slowly leave you in peace.
• Light Dinner! This is very important; we should have light dinner because after dinner we hardly do anything! Even for quick digestion, some activity is required.
• A magic mixer, if you are suffering from acidity continuously here is a home remedy- Something that my Papa taught me - Take a glass, in which put about 5-10 ml of cold milk, fill the entire glass with water, add two teaspoons of sugar and mix.( Putting ice is optional) and your magic drink is ready. You will see that within minutes your acidity and ingestion will be gone! Trust me it works!
• If you know you had too much to eat - Sometimes it happens - So what do you do, If you see lime around yourself, now understand this you think you may have acidity but not just yet, so take about 10-15 ml of water and squeeze an entire lime in it and add a bit of salt and drink it. Understand- This has to be done only and only if you think you had too much and you might get sick... this mixer will prevent any further indigestion!
• Cold milk- Very good remedy, especially at night, if you are having acidity have cold milk!
• Exercise- A bit of walk after dinner does miracles, but if you are one of them who likes to sit in front of the TV after you had dinner then you have all the above things you can do to avoid acidity!

I am glad I found this. I never would have thought that chilled milk could help!

The trip of a lifetime in Branson

Let me tell you about how we spent our Valentine’s weekend last year. It was a wintery cold weekend in St. Louis, Missouri. Yes, we’ve been to Missouri and it was one of the best vacation trips we’ve made. We had so much fun despite the cold weather and we personally enjoy the visit to the famous “Gateway to the West” also known as the “The Arch”. Another wonderful city to visit in Missouri is Branson. You can take a relaxing and romantic retreat away from the bustle of the city and yet be able to enjoy the electrifying entertainment capital of the Midwest. This is the perfect time to bring your loved ones and take them to a romantic escapade and get a chance to stay at the luxurious Hilton Promenade, Hilton Branson Convention Center or Branson Landing. Enjoy the Hilton Branson Escape Package for as low as $79.00 per night. Branson has ongoing events for everyone’s entertainment like the Third Annual Ice Carving, the exciting 2009 Polar Plunge and the 2nd Anniversary of the Hilton Promenade, live entertainment and theaters. If you want to take it slow, you can enjoy a romantic dinner and a movie date with your loved ones. Whichever way you want it, you’ll definitely have an experience of a lifetime in Branson, Missouri.

Where Do I Begin?

I'm not referring to "Love Story", the popular song from the 70's. This is actually what I'm asking myself right now as I started to seriously plan my wedding in the Philippines. I don't know where to start. Planning a big event such as this is so stressful and I think being far away from the place where the wedding is gonna take place makes it harder. I'll definitely get a wedding planner but just the same, I don't want to leave everything to the hands of the planner. This is my wedding and I want Jeff and me to be able to decide ourselves on whatever it is that needs to be decided upon. I picked Cebu Cathedral for my church and I plan on calling them this weekend to inquire about the requirements. I don't know how this works since we've been married here and we don't have the luxury of time to attend a series of seminars which normally the church requires. I just hope everything will turn out fine. I am wondering if there's anybody here who went through the same process as mine. I want to hear your thoughts about this matter.

Make it look brand-new

How would you like your bathroom to look clean, fresh, modern and vain? Do you spend time thinking of ways on how to improve it? For those who are just renting like me, we may not think of ways to renovate or make it look more comfortable and nice but at least we all like to keep it clean, attractive and germ-free as much as possible. But for those who own their houses, at some point in your life, you want to make improvements around the house. Some people would even consider putting up bathroom vanity. Basically, it is a way of giving your bathroom a brand-new look. So if you’re tired of the plain looking sinks you got in your bathroom, you might want to browse discount bathroom vanities over the internet. I saw one particular double vanity style that I like at maxvanities.com. When you’re married, everything has to be shared with your other half but it wouldn’t hurt to have separate sinks, you know! I personally like the ‘His and Her’ style of the bathroom, I think it just looks more neat and organized like that. How about you? What’s your preferred style and design for your bathroom?

I'm in Pain...

Practically my day at work was spent in suffering while I was attending computer issues. I would normally call my condition as "kabuhi" but it was not medically proven that it is. This could be stomach ulcer, gallbladder stones, gastritis or any of those horror sounding medical conditions, however, a doctor had not told me exactly what it is. I tried to see a doctor here in town a few months before I had my job. I told her about the symptoms and like most doctors, they would need time to observe before they will give an exact diagnosis. So for starters, she had me take a month's worth of acid blocker, it's a little stronger than over-the-counter antacids. It seemed to work for a few months but I've noticed it comes back every once in a while especially after I ate fatty and oily foods. I've been wanting to go back to the doctor so we could proceed to the next level of treatment but my job is what's keeping me from making an appointment. I plan on resigning before I'll leave for my wedding in the Philippines, so by then maybe I'd have the time to take my condition seriously. I don't know if anyone of you here experience this as well, but the pain I've been feeling is right below my diaphragm or upper abdomen. It can almost be described as being punched right on the stomach. One time in the past, the pain made me puke in the church's restroom while we were attending a Sunday service. Gosh, I didn't mean to divulge the gory details but anyway, just to give you an idea of how painful it could get sometimes. As of this writing, thank God I feel a little better. After I had dinner, the pain subsided. I didn't take any pill but Efficascent Oil has always been my first aid.

Duo's sweet weakness

I love chocolates! Who doesn't? If not for the fear of getting diabetic and growing big, I’m pretty certain that most people would like to make chocolates as part of their daily food calorie intake. Actually, me and hubby are tryyying…to shed off some pounds for our future wedding in the Philippines. Ironically, we still include chocolates in our regular grocery check list, du’h! We both particularly like dark chocolates with almonds in it. It’s something that we munch on while we watch tv or use the computer. I know that we need to cut back on this habit because it’s unhealthy but you know what, I’ve seen a show one time that featured Dra. Vicky Belo, the doctor of the stars back in my country. She looks healthy, sexy, and young and I could not believe it that she’s a chocoholic as well. I mean she has this huge and seemingly infinite supply of gourmet chocolates and she said she would eat at least one bar a day. So it got me thinking maybe there are specific kinds of chocolates that are not that bad for us after all. I’ve heard that Dark Chocolate Cordial Cherries are good so I’m gonna order it online and probably give it to Jeff as part of my Vday presents for him. One would think that all gourmet candies are pricey but surprisingly, this one is only sold for $11.79. Not bad for a gourmet chocolate, isn’t it?

The books that started it all

I barely know anything about the Twilight saga when I invited Jeff to watch the movie "Twilight" last year. I must admit, it was the blogs that I've read and prodding from friends that had talked me into giving it a try. Hubby's male co-worker told him that he and his wife got hooked on the series and literally could not put the book down. The books were owned by his teenage daughter and as parents, they just probably want to know what stuff their kids were reading. Anyway, so I thought, well, we should watch the movie and see if it's our thing. Lo and behold, we loved it! Like my other favorite, the Harry Potter series, I thought the books must be more detailed and entertaining than the movies, so I didn't waste much time, I ordered the books over the internet. I can't wait to start reading them. I don't know if we'll have the time but we'll make time for it, that's for sure. This is gonna be our next big thing.

An easy way to do it

My grandmother on my mom’s side had Parkinson’s disease and was bedridden for years before she passed away. My mama, being the youngest and a plain housewife, had embraced the responsibility to take care of her. At most times, she had a hard time getting her up when it’s time to eat and do personal hygiene because her body was stiff and she had limited mobility skills. I thought seat lifts would have come in handy at that time, but just didn’t have the means to get one. The UPEASY lifting cushion helps people, who would otherwise need assistance getting up. It makes it easier to gently sit and rise from their chair or sofa. If you are taking care of a senior family member right now, make life a bit easier for both of you.

If Only...

How well do you remember your childhood? I remember bits and pieces of it and it’s a shame that most of it constitute dull memories. I wish I had toys like most kids that I know of right now but the only toys that I remember playing back then is a set of kitchen toys. We would pretend that we’re cooking stuff and we would use plants, real rice and water and put it in small pans and plates. I mean it was fun back then but now that I think about it, nah, I’d rather have remote controlled stuff, mini-cars, or kids wagons that I can actually ride on. How about you, what kinds of toys did you wish you have?

Holiday photos of my family back home

The best time of the year for my family and probably for most people are Christmas and New Year. Unfortunately, for 2 years now, I have not been able to spend my Christmases with them. My mom is a good cook and she's very keen with all the preparations that has to be done during this season. I am the eldest of 3, my sister Jingle is also here in the U.S., so that leaves only 3 of them (mom, dad, youngest sis) to celebrate the Yuletide season. I would always tell mom not to prepare a lot of stuff since it's only gonna be 3 of them anyway, but she would not want it any other way. The table is still full of yummy food and when I look at their photos, I can't help but wish that me and hubby could spend Christmas with them.

Papa, youngest sister Jhazel and Mama

My family and relatives

Christmas 2008

New Year 2009

Prevention is better than cure

Cancer can happen to anyone, even to the rich and famous personalities. People close to Daboy were deeply saddened by his passing because of cancer. We were all shocked when we learned that Francis M. got leukemia. The nation was devastated when it was confirmed that former President Cory Aquino suffers from colon cancer. The list goes on for famous personalities who got stricken with serious illnesses. It could also happen to everyday people like you and me. There’s only so much we can do to prevent it but taking care of ourselves could be the key.

For some people that have problems maintaining consistent and comfortable bowel movements, they need to have an effective Colon Cleanser. Toxins can build up in our body and eliminating accumulated waste prevents toxins from being absorbed by our body, thus making our body function at its very best. The natural herbal formula of Dual-Action Cleanse is designed to naturally support the detoxification and elimination pathways of the body. It helps increase the frequency of your bowel movements and can actually cleanse the digestive tract of harmful toxins. Of course, don’t just rely on formulated colon cleansers alone. It is still best to drink plenty of water, cut down on alcohol and tobacco consumption and get regular exercise to maintain a healthy balance to our personal wellness.

It can wait...

The hardest part about Christmas is taking down the Christmas tree. Well, at least for me, it is hard, boring and tiring. Would you believe it? I have not taken down even a single ornament from our tree. I'm too tired, busy and lazy to do it just yet. Blogging and playing WII occupies the rest of my day for now. This has to stop. I mean there are more things than just blogging and playing, right? But right now, I'm still very much in the mood for Super Mario so I'm not gonna pay attention to our Christmas tree yet, hehehe. Seriously, a bank's holiday is coming up so I might make use of that to do the things that needs to be done. Hahaay! I'm a self-confessed big time procrastinator. (*smiles)

Make Yourself Amazing!

How are you gonna answer if somebody asks you this question, “Are you happy with the way you look?” Most of us would probably say “No.” People tend to be vain and insatiable at times. While it’s true that simplicity is beauty, we could not deny the fact that if we have the ways and means to enhance ourselves, we are most likely to do it. Take for example the rich and the famous celebrities, despite their innate beauty, most of them would go for scientific beauty enhancements. There’s basically nothing wrong with it as long as you have the money and the guts to do it. Improving oneself physically sometimes helps in building up self-esteem. But of course, beauty enhancement is not for everyone. The cosmetic surgery prices could be the downside for an average person but if you’re really up to doing it, you can find best deals over the internet. MYA Cosmetic Surgery could be the answer for your beauty enhancement and body shaping needs. They have 25 years of cosmetic surgery experience, a full range of surgical and non-surgical procedures to be done by the most experienced and skilled surgeons in the world in an affordable and flexible price packages. Cosmetic surgery clinics are sprouting like mushrooms nowadays, but procedures like tummy tuck which most moms out there need is quite a challenge so you would always like to rely on the well-trained and professional surgeons in the business.

A heartfelt gratitude as I bid adieu to 2008!

I may have been a little late in blogging about the past year 2008 but I really feel the need to make a post about how fruitful my 2008 had been. It was the year when I started blogging and earn some dollars out of it. Jeff said he could recall the times when my face shone with excitement while I was telling him how much I’ve earned on a particular day. It’s not much actually especially that I didn’t have any page ranks and regular readers at that time. The friends that I gained and satisfaction that I got from blogging are what made me persevered. The income was slow but steady. After several months, I was able to save money to buy a laptop. Jeff didn’t want me to pay for everything so we shared the cost of my expensive lappy. As time goes by, blogging and EC dropping have become an addiction. It used to be just a hobby so as to ease away the boredom while I was jobless. Now that I am working and actually earning more than what blogging could give me, I could not do away with it. I am more picky right now with the topics that I blogged, but I still get a decent rate of opportunities especially now that my page rank went higher. I feel so blessed and I’m forever thankful to all my friends, especially Lou, who encouraged me and helped me while I was just starting. The past year was truly fruitful and memorable for me. My life is far from being perfect but the love and blessings that I got from hubby, family, friends and the ONE up above are overwhelming. I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions but I strive to be a better wife to Jeff, a better daughter to my parents, a better sister and a better friend. Farewell 2008! I welcome 2009 with anticipation for better things to come!

Sleep tight...Don't let the bed bugs bite!

After a long and tiring day at work, we would all love to curl up and snuggle underneath the sheets and enjoy the comfort of our beds at night. Our bedroom is one of our favorite places at home. It’s like a solace to us especially after a bad day at work. That’s why we don’t want any form of entertainment inside the bedroom. When we retreat in our bed, we want to feel relaxed and at peace and it’s like our ultimate place where we could reassure our love for each other. We had an unwritten rule between us that even if we won't be able to settle our differences before bedtime, we would still go to the same bed together. No sleeping in the couch for either one of us.

Hubby and my family back in the Philippines knew that I could practically occupy the whole bed when I’m asleep. I could literally roll all over the bed space so a queen-sized bed is just perfect for us. Hubby would probably wake up and find me way down under his feet if we would use a king-sized bed. Besides the size, the way a bed looks matter to me as well. We’re actually in a lookout for a new wooden bed and the internet is such an efficient tool. Time4Sleep sells a wide variety of beds of all designs. If you have kids and you think it’s time to put them on a separate bedroom, they also sell beds for children with neat designs. They’re currently having a 45% discount on some selected products so you might want to check them out.

Super Mario Galaxy rocks!

Does anybody here play Super Mario Galaxy in their WII video game? I bet you could relate to the feeling of fun, adventure and excitement while playing this classic but modern Mario adventure. I say classic, because the Mario concept had been there for ages. Modern, on the other hand, because the new Mario takes us to the wonders of the universe and space. I thought it's just for kids but me and hubby got hooked on this game. It's pure fun in all levels. I think our neighbor's small dog was scared or probably surprised, because we heard it bark so loud when I suddenly screamed when the screen says Game Over, hahaha! I love the graphics of this game, it doesn't look ordinary and childish. Hubby and I are almost on the same level but I must admit, he played very much better than me, huhuhu! I enjoyed our WII so much. I never thought that I could squeezed in WII in my schedule. What, with my blogging, EC dropping, Jeff-time bonding, household chores, I'm glad that I still have time to play and have fun. We may have not kids but me and Jeff are the kids in our home, hehehe!

Do you have a dream house?

Each of us has our own dream house. Have you lived in one yet? Hubby and I are just renting our place right now but we’re planning to get our own in the near future. We have plans of moving out of Ozark and settling permanently in a place that would work best for both of us. But until he could find a job some place that we both like, I think we would always put off our desire to own a house. Our first would not necessarily be the “dream one”, but we would never give up until we’ll find the ultimate one for us. It doesn’t have to be ridiculously expensive, but I want it to be family-oriented, of exceptional value and functional design. Schumacher Homes is known for that and more. They’ve been in the business since 1992 and they understand that having your own house is a big decision so they want you to be involved in every step of the way. I’ve checked out their web site and sure their houses are awesome but I’m not sure if we would be able to afford it though, hehe! But for people who wants to have their own homes custom-built for them, don’t think twice, trust only the professionals.

Food during the holidays

Back home, it's customary to prepare even just a little something on the table during Christmas and New Year's eve. I remember mom would be so busy preparing food for the holidays. She'd basically do all the cooking and some cousins in the house but me would help. I must admit I am very lazy when it comes to cooking food especially on a big day like Christmas. Now that me and my sister are here in the US and no mom would take care of the cooking, it's basically my sister who did all the cooking. Well, I did help a bit. We didn't prepare much food anyway since we didn't have many guests but I think the food was too much for the number of people who celebrated with us last Christmas. Anyway, we all enjoyed the food. We had a hearty meal but I didn't eat like a pig like I used to back home during the holidays. Above are the photos of the food. My favorite is the Buko salad and the Ham.

Not just your ordinary toy...

I don’t have kids…yet! It’s our decision not to have little Jeffs and Jenns yet, at least not until after we have our church wedding in the Philippines. Despite the fact that we don’t have little ones at home, I personally like to buy gifts and baby stuff for my nephews and friends’ babies. I know that kids love toys so whenever I get the chance, I would check out toys in stores and sometimes over the internet. I found out a website that sells wonderful toys of all ages. My nephew in Illinois has lots of toys in their house but I didn’t see him play magnetic toys. He’s probably too young for that type of toy but at least I now have an idea on what to give him when he reaches 6 y/o.

I like the ICoaster Magnext that I’ve seen at MegaBrands. Now that I’m thinking about it, I remember that my nephew from the Philippines will be turning 6 this year. I already got him 3 different sets of toys and included it in a Balikbayan box but I guess I’m going to have to get some magnetic toys for him as well. Building toys is something that he has not done and I’m pretty sure he’ll be able to develop his organization skills through play. Magnext ICoaster is a buildable, state-of-the-art rollercoaster and assembling 64 pieces of ICoaster into towers, tracks, sensors, stunts and magnetic elevator is something that he’ll enjoy. I know the holidays are over but it wouldn’t hurt to shop in advance for your child’s birthday or for the next Christmas, would it? Check it out!

Latest photo updates

It took me a while to post our photos from our Illinois trip. Work just got into me and I think the long drive back and forth was taking a toll on me. Jeff got colds and his eyes are hurting so bad that I also don't feel active around the house. I even have not unpacked our suitcase yet, I'm just too tired to do anything lately. I really hope I won't get sick for I know the chances are big that I'm gonna get whatever Jeff has at the moment. I hate being sick. Du'h! Anyway, here are some of the photos from our Christmas trip to my sister's place. More to come when I get the chance. See yah!

Me and Bren

Jingle in the kitchen

Magkapatid

Pa-effek lang gud

Me and Bren again

'Pilit on the tree' pose

Sister sporting a red sweatshirt with red house slippers

Making early plans

After Christmas, the next big celebration for me and Jeff would be Valentine’s Day. As early as last month, we made plans on how we would like to celebrate the Day of Hearts. We’re going out of town and I’m going to take him out to a nice and fancy Japanese restaurant in Little Rock. He’s maybe making plans of his own on how to make this day special but I have my own share of little surprises for him. I wouldn’t expect him to give me something fancy for that occasion, but I’ve already decided to give him a watch on Valentine’s Day. I got the inspiration from viewing Victorinox Swiss Army watches online. I'm sure he's going to be very surprised.