A Blessed Life

Unique Lamps

2009-07-09T13:00:00.001-05:00

Eversince Kaiden turned 1, walking and becoming more independent, I can say that I now have time, or more time for myself, and our "semi-neglected" house. I don't have to carry him all the time not like when he was still younger. Him and his older brother Noah can play with each other or by themselves while I clean the house, or try on new make-ups and clothes. With the house, I feel the urge to re-decorate it somehow. I'm thinking of replacing the decorations, the lamps, the table lamps most especially. I've been eyeing this table lamp for quite a while. Very unique and classy looking.

I'm also considering getting torchieres to make the house prettier. A dramatic effect is what I want to achieve.

Oh, I'm in love with this torchiere. It's a Paloma Collection by Quoizel. It's so exquisitely crafted. Very artistically done. I just get mesmerized by its unique beauty. The challenge would be where to place it safely. Since I have two adventurous kids, looking for a place to put it would be challenging. Or, I may have to wait patiently for more years before I can finally re-decorate our house, unfortunately. Oh well...

Soldier Fighting in Pink Shorts

2009-07-06T22:32:00.006-05:00

I just wanted to share this story I read last weekend about a soldier who fought in Afghanistan wearing his pink boxer shorts. Very admirable for his shown courage, and cute for the pink color. :)

Soldier who fought in his boxers is back home
from Kansas City Star

The soldier who was photographed fighting the Taliban in his boxer shorts said he’s glad to be back home in Texas after his yearlong deployment to Afghanistan — especially on the Fourth of July.

Spc. Zachary Boyd said he initially thought he’d get in trouble after a May 11 Associated Press photo showed him with other soldiers behind sandbags while he wore pink boxers and flip-flops, along with his helmet and bulletproof vest.

The Fort Worth soldier said he had jumped up from a nap when his unit came under fire and didn’t want to waste time putting on his uniform.

But Boyd has been praised for his courage.

And now that he’s home in Fort Worth, he said his boxers will be displayed in the 1st Infantry Division museum at Fort Riley, Kan.

Watch as Birthday Gift

2009-07-06T21:07:00.005-05:00

About a month from now, it's going to be my dear husband's birthday. As early as now, I've been thinking of what to give him for his special day. Last Father's Day, I gave him a grill tool set and a lighthouse motion picture. Oh, he loved the gifts particularly the lighthouse. It's part of his collection aside from boat decors, globes, etc. When I presented him the gifts, they were not even wrapped. Gee! I thought I'd have time but he arrived from an out of town trip earlier that I expected. For his birthday, I will make sure it's wrapped. lol! :) It has to be extra special. As usual, I went online and I found one that I know he'd love. It's a top seller from BlueDial called Casio Paw1500GB-Men's Limited Edition. The strap is interchangeable and has a triple sensor pathfinder waveceptor. The back is stainless steel. There's a lot of wonderful features for this watch. Since I'm on a budget, this one has been discounted greatly and is in stock or available as of this time. Awesome!

BlueDial offers Citizen Watches, Diesel, Gucci, Bulova, Fossil, etc. for both men and women. If you check their site, you'd also find a number of Closeout Specials that have really good price. You can save even up to 70%! Lovely!

My Cycle Workout

2009-07-04T13:30:00.000-05:00

"100% for 60 secs...80% for 15 secs...half turn up...full turn down...7 out of 10..."

The place that I go to offers a number of different group fitness classes. Aside from Zumba, they also offer Bootcamp, Barbell Body, Bodyshaper, Yoga, Pilates, Low Impact Aerobics, Tai-chi, Strengthen and Stretch, Body Bosu, and Cycle. Yesterday, I tried Cycle. Since I was a beginner, our instructor had to adjust the height of my seat and the resistance of my bike. While we were doing the up and down routine called Position 3, where you stand up and sit down repeatedly, my left foot slipped out of the pedal! I almost fell! Oh my... I honestly thought I'd get injured. I suppose the instructor saw what transpired. She apparently had to adjust the straps on both of my pedals and made sure they're tight enough. "I don't want you to get hurt." So nice of her. That's what she said while doing my straps. After that, everything went well. Music was motivating. You get to pedal along with it. I expected my legs to be sore the following day, and they are right now. But, it's a good sore. It was an intense workout, but I did enjoy it. :)

The next class I would want to try is...Bootcamp! Looks fun and challenging to me! :)

Summer Shopping

2009-07-04T13:04:00.002-05:00

Fridays and Saturdays are my favorite days of the week. These are the days that I can do garage sale shopping. :) On Fridays, I usually do it in the morning before I go to work. That's why I'm late most of the time. :) And of course, on Saturdays, I have to tag along my two little boys so my shopping is kind of limited. I have found some real good stuff from garage sales. From toys, books, decors, to clothes, accessories, etc. Last Saturday, I found few blouses that suit my taste and in time for this hot, humid weather.
.
There's also a bag that I thought was cute! i just wished it said, "I love my babies" since I have two little boys. :)

For Noah and Kaiden, I got them shoes such as these pairs. They're durable and lightweight. They're comfortable to their tiny feet as well.

My Zumba Workout

2009-07-03T09:11:00.002-05:00

After Jazzercise, I decided to try ZUMBA! I'm the type who wants to try new things for I easily get bored if I do the same exercise program over and over again. A friend recommended this and I immediately got online to look for a class nearby. Last Wednesday was my first class. And, it was fun! It's not the typical aerobic thing. You dance the Latin moves as you work out your body. We did salsa, merengue, cha-cha, samba, etc. At first, I was laughing at myself for my body was stiff as a stick. lol! I couldn't get my arms, hips and feet coordinated as well as I wanted to. But, towards the middle, and after doing the steps repeatedly, I was able to get them right. Yohoo! Since I love dancing, I'd say I truly enjoyed this workout.

Anyway, if you want to see how Zumba works, here's a video- a kinda funny one. :)

And, if you want to find or join a class near you, here's their website, too. www.zumba.com. Enjoy!

Naked And Innocent

2009-06-30T14:10:00.002-05:00

Hip And Joint Surgery

2009-06-30T12:57:00.005-05:00

Oh, I miss my grandma! She's such a sweet, kindhearted woman. My grandmother has survived a couple of falls. She got hospitalized and needed to undergo a hip replacement. I'm glad she's doing alright now although she has a walker that she uses from time to time. So far, she hasn't complained nor felt any discomfort from the surgery. She's one tough woman. My grandfather passed away two years ago, and she felt very lonely after that. We thought it would take a toll on her. But, she moved on and she's as strong and jolly as ever.

In line with the hip and joint replacement surgery, my husband handles young, active players as part of his job as an athletic trainer. On most occasions, he refers his athletes to an orthopedic surgeon for some needed operation. I would have to mention to him several issues on zimmer durom cup. There is a durom lawyer available in case you encounter problems with durom cups. Problems happen when they loosen. Maglio Christopher Toale & Pitts Law Firm handles durom lawsuit efficiently and will help you all the way to get justice done.

Jon & Kate: Separating?

2009-06-22T22:40:00.005-05:00

I haven't really followed the show Jon & Kate Plus 8
on a consistent basis, but I do watch it whenever there's a chance. Kids are so adorable and I love watching their spontaneous actions, and how innocent and funny the way they talk and interact with one another. I knew the parents, Jon & Kate were having marital problems based on rumors I've read, but I didn't know they would finally decide to end this way. Sad. :(

Here's the video of their big announcement Jon & Kate Plus 8

Photo by TLC

Green Beans Galore!

2009-06-22T20:10:00.004-05:00

our green bean plants

green bean harvests

I picked a bunch of green beans from our garden while my boys were busy playing in the yard. I suppose I never have to buy them from the store for this season since it seems there would be a constant harvest. This is one of our favorite veggies. I usually cook them with onion, chicken broth or chicken bouillon, and bacon. Yummeh! :)

Experience New Year In NY

2009-06-19T22:28:00.006-05:00

If I'm going to win this thing, I'd definitely choose the Happy Blu-Year! Not only would I be witnessing the splendid fireworks in Times Square New York, but I'd also be given a chance to celebrate New Year with most of my loved ones who live there. I've only watched the celebration on TV. And watching it alone thrills me as the people do the countdown. What more if I was part of it?! Oh, that would be a truly memorable event!

There is an ongoing contest by BluFrog called "It's a Blu World". BluFrog is a healthy energy drink loaded with real fruit and vitamins that the body needs. It is low in calories and carbs, and has no artificial flavor or color. Great! Now, for the contest, there are five prizes to win namely:
BluGamer Ultimate Gaming Package
BluStreak Orlando
Xtreme Blu Aspen
Blullapalooza Chicago
Happy Blu-Year New York

With Happy Blu-Year, I would get a round trip air fare for two, hotel transportation, 3 night stay at a deluxe hotel, and a... helicopter ride over New York! Wow! I haven't been on a helicopter before. That would definitely be an amazing experience I'd never forget! I can't wait to tell my family and friends about it. Join the contest and have fun! Remember you don't have to buy anything to win.

Kaiden And His Gifts

2009-06-19T22:00:00.000-05:00

"Mommy...can you first wipe the snot off my nose, please? :) "

hihi! :)

ooops got sidetracked... Elmo's on TV...

"mmmm... cute dino...looks yummy to me :)"

is that a naughty face?

just sooo happy!!!

oh yes I am! :)

Chic, Affordable Clothes

2009-06-19T21:27:00.007-05:00

I was lucky I got quite a number of maternity clothes when I was pregnant with both of my two sons. My aunt from California supplied me with cute, trendy clothes that I can wear even when I'm not pregnant at all. A few of them though won't fit me anymore because I gained some pounds, unfortunately. My friend and co-worker who's due in August has been looking for fashionable yet inexpensive maternity clothes that she can wear at work or anywhere else. I showed her what I found online. And, as expected, she got excited! They perfectly suit her taste and style. She loves floral dresses and chic tops as shown below.

She's young and petite. Actually, you could hardly tell she was pregnant until she reached 7 months. When I told her about Kiki's Fashions, she spent most of the day browsing the site even during work hours. I can't blame her. They're not only pretty and uniquely designed, but most of all they're affordable. My boss didn't care. She understands, and she's her Mom.

Kaiden's Birthday Cake

2009-06-17T13:16:00.005-05:00

It's not perfect, but I tried my best. :) I thought of making my lil one a cake for his 1st birthday to make it more special. I'm not a baker by profession, nor do I bake often. I got this idea from a site called easy birthday cakes. I made my own version by using a light blue color, and by frosting it with whipped cream mixture. As you can see, I put a collage of Kaiden's photos at the center, laminated it first before placing it on top of the cake, shaped as number 1. Since it was my first time to make a cake as big as this, and for this special occasion, I admit, I was worried it won't look or taste as I wanted it to be. The whipped cream frosting was kind of a challenge. It tends to get too soft and melts up quick if it's left outside for a long time. Despite that, I still used it as frosting because it's easy to make and because it tastes good. The sea animal decors were from Betty Crocker which I bought from Price Chopper. It suited the blue color frosting which looked like a body of water. Like I said, it wasn't perfect, but I tried my best. And, it was edible. lol! :)

Making Your Garden Pretty

2009-06-17T12:29:00.007-05:00

Luckily, my plants have been doing well except for some holes on the leaves of my green beans. I have been spraying them with a mixture of hot sauce and water since they say it can effectively kill bugs or pests. Well, so far it's been doing its job. I see myself as a newbie in gardening still. When I started my new hobby, I used a planter. That's what was suggested to me by my dear hubby. When we went to the store, we were introduced to different kinds of planters. Examples would be indoor planters, outdoor planters, garden planters, window box planters, high-end planters and decorative planters. Oh, there were a lot! I felt overwhelmed. I didn't know what to get initially. But, among all of them, there's this decorative planter that truly captured my attention. I thought it was attractive. It's called Pole Planter. It's made from copper and it was artistically done- hand made. Isn't it pretty?

I've also been thinking of getting a window box planter for our front. I'm not sure if it's possible to put it though since that part of our yard is a little bit bushy. I guess I have to ask my husband about it. He's like McGyver. Very resourceful and creative. It would make our front look more attractive. As of now, we have roses, azaleas and a type of bush which I don't have an idea what it's called. Hmmm...

Mailbox To Suit Your Taste

2009-06-17T11:54:00.005-05:00

My husband and I have been crossing our fingers that our stocks would continue to do good because only then we can decide to finally move out to our dream house. Whenever there's a chance, we would drive by the house we wanted to buy and move to some day. It has a beautiful, wide open layout. It is more spacious and has a pleasant ambience. As much as possible, we would want it to be in a cul-de-sac for a bigger back yard. Last weekend, we came to visit the model house and we continue to get amazed by its design.

I noticed the mailboxes as we were walking around the area. They were designed beautifully as well. I like this Mayne & Salsbury Signature mailbox.

What attracted me most with this mail box was the container where you could put plants or flowers at the back for a pretty look. As of now, they offer FREE shipping if you order such kind. Mailboxixchange has been noted for its elegant looking, trendy and durable mail boxes. No wonder they were featured in our local newspaper The Kansas City Star.

Improved Upside Down Tomato Buckets

2009-06-17T11:24:00.000-05:00

I would like to think so. hehe :)

yellow snapdragon on top; tomato at the bottom

white petunia

I was finally able to put some plants on top of my upside down tomato buckets. I ended up planting White Petunia and Yellow Snapdragon. On one of the buckets, I put herbs like basil and cilantro. One of these days, I may need to repaint them for the burgundy color has chipped off a bit, and made them look hideous. :)

Blog Web Hosting

2009-06-17T11:23:00.004-05:00

Today I had to drop of Noah to the daycare while I take care of sick Kaiden at home. I was supposed to report to work, but I'd rather make sure that Kaiden is fine and well taken cared of. Besides, I can do some work at the comfort of our own home. Noah had been missing his buddies and wanted to have some playtime with them. He loves their company a lot that when it's about time to pick them up, he wrestles being buckled up in his car seat. Oh, it's a struggle! When I was about to leave the daycare provider's house today, she mentioned about her issues with her web hosting service. Both her daughters are in school and uses the computer as much as her husband does. I told her about the Web Hosting Geeks. Issues about the rate going up high this month and the unreliable technical support are what she was ranting about.

Since her daughter has a blog, Just Host could be a good choice since it's been recognized as the Best Blog Host according to Web Hosting Geeks. For 36 months, you only get to pay $3.95 a month, with FREE set-up and FREE domain. It has unlimited GB of storage, multiple domain hosting, unlimited data transfer, etc. If you're not satisfied, there's a money back guarantee that you can always hold on to. There is quite a number of web hosting services to choose from. Web Hosting Geeks can help you make the right choice.

Not Really a Happy One

2009-06-16T22:34:00.003-05:00

Today is Kaiden's actual birthday - June 16th. And, he is sick. :( Yesterday, we had to see his doctor for a check-up. He had been running a fever and is suffering from stuffy nose and cough. We didn't do the tradition of having him eat or mess up with his birthday cake today. My baby was a bit gloomy and fussy at the same time although there were times that he'd play with his brother Noah. He won't eat as much as he used to. I had to change his diaper more often today for he had been having diarrhea. I guess that's from the antibiotic he's taking. Oh, my poor birthday boy... Surely not a fun way to celebrate your birthday. :(

Kaiden's 1st Birthday Party

2009-06-16T21:53:00.006-05:00

Whew! I'm back! That was a long week of hibernation! lol :) Actually, we were busy preparing for our lil one's 1st birthday party. I didn't have time to blog, more so blog hop. Last Saturday was Kaiden's 1st birthday party. Everybody had an awesome time especially the kids. It was held in our backyard since it's a barbeque and pool party. Here are few of the pictures taken. I'd post more next time. :)

tickle, tickle birthday boy :)

kids loved the pool and the slide! splish splash galore!

my friend Lani with the birthday celebrant Kaiden

Noah eating most of the birthday cake. :)

There's Noah in the middle...torn between 2 pretty girls :)

a group photo under the tree

Noah's Potty Training

2009-06-08T21:59:00.000-05:00

"Mommy..pee in can... " Mommy...poop in toilet..." Whenever I hear these words from my little Noah, I just reply OK pee in can, or, OK poop in toilet... in a very casual manner. For some reason, he wouldn't want me to lead him to the bathroom, not to mention watch him and wait until he's done. He doesn't want me to make a big deal out of it when he tells me he wants to pee or poop in the toilet. For if I do, he won't do it. I guess he gets bashful about it. Sometimes I'd catch him hiding under the table, doing his thing. Every time I'd ask him, "What are you doin'?" He'd say, "hiding?" I know it's more than that for I could hear him like pushing it out with all his might. :) Lately though, he has been doing great with his potty training. More often than not, he'd prefer to pee in can than in his potty chair, which is totally fine with me, whichever works for him. Today, however, he peed in his small potty chair, soon after, he pooped in the adult toilet seat (with a toddler toilet seat attached) Oh yeah, he could get on it without me helping him. Evidently, that entitled him for a double treat! Oh, I'm soooooo proud of my dear Noah! He continues to amaze me each day:)

Feel Secured and Protected

2009-06-07T14:10:00.004-05:00

On the week of Kaiden's actual birthday, my husband would be gone. And often on weekends, he leaves for an out of town game. Most of the time, I'm left alone with our two little children, two dogs and a cat. It can be pretty scary at times when there's no man in the house. Watching the news about houses being robbed, or families being massacred makes it more scary. I mentioned in my earlier post about my friend whose house was robbed a year ago. Her husband's collection of guns were all taken. You feel violated when this happens to you. And you get paranoid, too. That's how I felt when our car was broken into and got my purse and my reliable GPS. Recalling those experience makes me want to get an ADT home security.

Right now, ADT has a promo which can save you as much as $200. You can get your home set up for a security system for as low as $99. Great deal! Two of my friends at work got ADT and they have never felt more secure. One of them even did a test or a trial and she was amazed how quick the response was. You are assured of protection round the clock. Any time of the day, you can rely on their trained professionals. If monthly fees are worrying you, they do have them at a low price you can afford. Be protected with ADT Security System.

Thank God!

2009-06-06T20:47:00.008-05:00

Whew! I'm so glad that I was able to fix our printer. I had spent hours working on it. At first, I thought it was because two of the inks were low. The black one was, and was actually empty. I took a chance in having it refilled for the first time instead of replacing it with a new cartridge. Refilling costs a lot less. How long it will last? That I still have to see. Among all the inks, refilling a black ink is the most expensive (as told by the salesperson). The cyan was low, although not totally empty. But, because the printer wasn't working as it should, I thought, perhaps it had to be refilled as well. I got home hoping it would work. Nah! Nothing would still print. So... I played with the computer, doing everything over and over again such as reinstalling the software, checking the cables, etc. etc... No avail. Until... There were 2 icons of Epson printer that were showing in the printer window. I kept on deleting the one that had the word "copy1", and kept the Epson icon that I chose as the default printer. Well, I did the opposite this time. I deleted the original icon and kept the other one that said "Epson..copy1", and assigned it as my new default printer. It worked! How that made sense? I don't have a clue.... But, thank God...printer is working fine now. :)

See, I'm going to make Kaiden's 1st birthday cake. I'm planning to put a collage of his pictures on top of the cake. For me to do that, I had to print them from our computer, apparently. That's the ultimate reason I was desperate to have the printer working... oh yeah... :)

Awards From My Dear Friends

2009-06-06T20:20:00.004-05:00

Won't that make you feel special? :) Thank you very much Jenny for these 2 great awards! You are so sweet and thoughtful. :) Same thing with online mommy who has generously been giving me awards ever since we met in the blogging world. I'm so blessed to have wonderful friends like them. :)

Again, thanks Jenny and online mommy. :)

Our Little Green Tomatoes

2009-06-02T14:12:00.005-05:00

I felt so happy and excited like my 2 year old kid when I saw the little green tomatoes sprout from our plants. The tomatoes we planted on the ground as well as the ones we experimented by planting "upside down" using buckets are fast producing their own fruit now. Weeee! :)

photos of our "upside down tomatoes"- sprouting from the bottom of the pail