Wanted: Cheap Blog Designers

I started blogging more than a year ago under a blogger platform and free template design from blogger. Would you believe I tried several template designs and still don’t know what I’m looking for. Finally, I’ve got my first taste of a personalized template when I won a blog makeover at a blog contest last year. I love the feeling that I have my own signature design for my blog. And I want the same for my other blogs too! This year, another blog of mine got a makeover for free from my good friends Peh and Kaye. Kaye, by the way, is the designer behind a number of good-looking sites that you may have encountered while blog hopping around. You can easily spot Kaye’s Good Blog Design from the rest. She can do Customized wordpress themes or design on blogger platform. So there, aren’t you convinced yet. Just thinking about the cool new Blog designs for my two other sites excites me.

A drawing for MJ

My daughter admires Michael Jackson and his songs that she dedicates these drawings to him.

Michael Joseph Jackson 

(August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009)

 MJ in his famous dance move

Meet the artist, 13-year-old Naomi Torrecampo

 

 (picture is a little blurry, she wants it that way)

Artist hand

Note: Pictures here are borrowed from my previous posts. I feel a little nostalgic seeing this photo of my daughter. This was taken when I took her to Museo Pambata in Manila. The frames behind my little girl are paintings made by talented kids.

I never realized I'd see my own daughter paint one day. She can paint a little, but draws better...I know I've been blabbing about her recent sketches at her site. But you see I still have to take pictures of her drawings and uploading them takes time...reasons. :D

A finger painting of Tree

Dandelion

 Sketching

I used this sketch as my profile photo for blogger

Allergy

My kids were sickly babies. Almost every month, we would visit their doctor for treatment. They were often afflicted with cough and cold, bronchitis and asthma, or primary complex or Pulmonary Tuberculosis in children. And the perpetrators were cigarette smoke, dust and other allergy-causing air pollutants. Our refrigerator would virtually turn into a big medicine cabinet for various types of liquid medicine for my kids. Their being sickly took a toll on our little savings. And I end up taking vacation leaves often to attend to my sick children. I even thought of sending my kids to a specialist who does acupuncture therapy for children to strengthen their immunity. I also resort to online research and end up reading various desktop air purifier reviews. Though I wasn’t able to buy an air purifier, the information that I’ve gathered on the Net has helped me figure out the type of purifier that I need and the brands that are available. Experts are recommending the use of air purifiers because they are 99 percent effective in trapping particulates in the air like smoke, pet dander, or pollen. The kids are no longer sickly because they have a stronger immunity or defense to sickness. I’m glad those sick days are over. :)

My choice of sink

Even if I maintain a modest home and wasn’t able to clean at all time, I see to it that my kitchen sink is clean. It is in the sink where I place the raw food for washing, so I make sure to sanitize the sink after every food preparation. Otherwise, I’m attracting bacteria to come in contact with my utensils and the raw food itself.

We are currently using a stainless steel sink. We have been using it for more than 10 years now. If we are to replace it, it would be one of the stainless steel sinks that I saw at Mr. Direct. They carry the brand that I want for my future sink; it’s a double bowl type. I prefer the style because it’s convenient to wash vegies and fruits, or poultry and fish at the same time. Besides steel sink are easy to clean and maintain and would surely last a long time.

Glee welcomes Charice!

Now it can be told.  Our very own Charice will be joining the second season of the hit TV show "Glee". She is reported to play the role of a foreign exchange student and is expected to feat with other characters of Glee. Glee is a TV musical comedy drama series (inq.net)

 

Pinoy Gleeks are more proud than ever. Break a leg Charice!

images from the Internet

Absent today

Both my kids are absent from school today because of stomach ache. They were complaining of stomach cramps even before they went to school yesterday, but they went ahead anyway. Before lunch time, the school personnel called us up to inform us that Naomi is not feeling well. Hubby fetched our daughter right away. I thought my daughter was just having a dysmenorrhea so I gave her a pain reliever. I suspect the pain was due to diarrhea and I was right. She moved about two or three times yesterday. Khalil experienced stomach ache the whole time he was at school, but he managed to finish his class until 2 p.m. So when he arrived home he sprinted to the comfort room as if someone was running after him. I gave both kids anti-diarrheal medicine at night so they will feel ok the following day. This morning, however, they still feel a little discomfort in their tummy so I did not allow them to go to school just to be safe. I still don’t know what might have caused their watery stool.

When my kids were young, I couldn’t give them anything for a simple ailment. Younger children aren’t supposed to take anything unless prescribed by a doctor. There is no immediate allergy testing for over-the-counter medicine so I don’t take any chances. Oftentimes, my kids' pedia would prescribe anti-bacterial meds after she have seen them and the result of the stool test on my kids stool sample. Now that they are big, I can give them OTC anti-diarrheal pill just to ease the discomfort. However, I still need to call their pedia this afternoon just to be sure, she might recommend a better cure.

Blog Review For A Cause

Buy a blog review for $10 and help Baby Bella for her Hernia operation

A hernia is the protrusion of an organ through the wall of the cavity that normally contains it. When a hernia is not repaired, it may become strangulated. When strangulation occurs, there is a danger that part of the intestine be caught in the hernia cutting off blood supply to the tissue. Also, when a bowel obstruction occurs, it leads to severe pain, vomiting, nausea and inability to have a bowel movement or pass gas. Although Hernia happen to boys mostly, girls can also experience it.

We can help raise the expenses needed for Bella's operation by purchasing a blog review from her Mom, Mommy Rubz. A blog review from her PR3 blog. The review is consist of 150 words (all positive) with 2 links (home page link) and an image of the header or screen shot of the blog to be reviewed. One link with the blog title as the anchor text and the other link is on the image.

Please send Pehpot an email (pehcats@gmail.com) with the url of the blog you want Ruby to review.. and she will reply with the url of the post and the paypal id where you can send the payment and if you are generous enough, you can even add more to the $10 price... she be waiting for your email!

Let's us help Mom Rubz raise the needed fund for her precious child's operation. 

How to Effectively Use a Home Mortgage

Owning a home has become one of the primary elements of the American dream; however, with home ownership comes a great deal of responsibility; one of these responsibilities is a home mortgage. While no one truly looks forward to the idea of a home mortgage, it is typically a necessary means to an end. Taking this into consideration, there are ways that individuals can make a home mortgage work for them. One of these ways is to find a responsible lender; after the 2008 financial crisis, America took notice of the importance of managing a mortgage in an effective and responsible way.

Borrowing against your home via taking out a second mortgage should only be used for necessary expenses and only in cases of emergency. Borrowing against the capital of your home can be a potentially risky move, as some individuals found out in a rather unfortunate fashion. Some people were left with a great amount of material possessions, but without a home to put them in. Choosing a lender that meets your individual needs, in terms of repayment timeframes and interest, is a great way to ensure you are making smart choices about a home mortgage.

Fortunately, first-time homebuyers entering the market—or those who are re-entering the market—can take advantage of not only a buyer's market, but competitive deals from various lenders that end up advantageous for the borrower. A home mortgage is a big decision—take your time and research your options, and know your rights. Taking these simple steps could keep you from being surprised down the road and not being able to fulfill your financial obligations. Managing these loans smartly, however, can open up a very exciting and fulfilling world.

Using Dell Coupons to get Great Deals!

Sadly, we are all on the market for a computer more than we like. With the lifespan of most computers being roughly two to five years we find ourselves shopping for computers more often than shopping for cars, televisions or many other larger home or office purchases. And with the options in the computer world being as dense as fog it is not uncommon to spend more time look for a computer than those other pricey purchases. One of the reasons for shopping for a computer can be difficult is that while you may find the computer you want, you may not find it a the price you want it at. Computer companies as well as major retailers who carry computers often have sales and mega sales where the cost of the computer could be literally hundreds of dollars less than the original manufacturer's retail price. The only question is if you are looking for that specific computer at the right time or not. This can be somewhat frustrating but with the right knowledge, some internet savvy and to be quiet honest some luck you can find your dream computer quicker than you think.

One of the best ways to find the computer of your dreams is to go to shopping specific websites. These websites are an underutilized tool when it comes to computer shopping. These websites allow you to sift through literally thousands of different model to help you find the computer with the specifications you want. Once you have found the model that meets your specifications or narrowed your search to several models you can search for online manufacturer coupon codes such as Dell coupons to help you save on your next computer purchase. These coupon codes can save you hundreds of dollars so next time you need to make a computer purchase remember that they are well worth searching for.

Designer Clothes for Children Is all the Rage

Do you want your children to be the talk of the playground? Gucci will help this come true with their children's clothing collection. You and your Gucci-wearing children will be the talk of the town. The high fashion company wants your children to roll around in serious style. The kid's clothesline is to release spring or summer of 2011. This super trendy kids clothing line is going to be worth top dollar so start saving. The Gucci kids clothes will be split in to two different collections for your baby needs. There will be a collection for age 0 to 2 years and 2 to 8 year. So from babies to toddlers your kid can walk, crawl, drool, slobber, and poop in high fashion duds if you can afford it.

The entire collection will have everything your kid needs to have a full ensemble from playground apparel to shoes and sunglasses. The Gucci collection will also have accessories to give extra bling to your child. Average kids' clothes can't compare to what Gucci has to offer. The logo for this new kids clothesline from Gucci is a golden teddy bear. Even though your child can't read yet, they will be able to know high fashion when they see it. The other children will envy your children's luxurious clothes and make them the most popular kid in school. Once your child grows out of the designer wear, you will be able to resell them for top dollar or save them for another child you have on the way. Like Gucci's adult lines, the children's clothes are well made and will last a lifetime never going out of style. So even your children's children can rock these sweet duds as vintage and still be in style.

Myths About Generic RX Drugs

It is easy to assume that having a certain brand name to RX drugs automatically means that it is higher quality and safer than its generic counterpart. That is simply not true. In most cases, generic varieties of prescription drugs are just as effective at treating varied ailments and much more affordable than their brand name counterparts. Here are some popular myths surrounding generic drugs.

• Generics take longer to act.

In reality, any company selling a generic drug must show their product delivers the same dose of medicine in the same time frame as the original drug in order to market their product as its generic equal.

• Generics are not as potent or safe as brand-name drugs.

This is simply false. The FDA not only requires generic brands to adhere to the same quality, strength and purity standards as brand name drugs, but the agency also requires all drugs to be safe and have benefits that outweigh their risks. Generics use the same active ingredients as brand name drugs and are shown to work the same way in the body.

• Generics are often made in facilities with low quality manufacturing standards.

If this were true, the FDA would quickly shut down those companies. Since the FDA conducts about 3,500 inspections a year to make sure standards are met by every drug company, generic drug makers must have facilities that meet those standards. In fact, generic drugs are often made in the exact same facilities as brand name versions because the same company makes both versions for consumers.

• Generic drugs have potential to cause more side effects.

No hard evidence exists that generic drugs pose a greater danger than a brand name versions. The FDA monitors reports of adverse drug reactions constantly. Those reports have shown no conclusive difference in the rates between generic and brand name drugs.

One month later...

I'm still busy with my new job...I think the changes in our schedule at home prevented the kids from enjoying their vacation. They literally spend the whole summer at home. We haven’t gone anywhere except the supermarket or convenience store near our place…I'm really busy that I can’t cook our meal, clean the house and wash our clothes...I even missed important family occasions, including my own mother’s birthday (I’m sure Nanay understands). I missed a few blogging opportunities too and the recent meet up with blogger friends.

The children are back to school but I haven’t covered their textbooks yet…I couldn't spend a few hours to cover their books. :( Good thing, my kids are smart enough to understand our predicament. We try to make them realize that what we are doing is for their own benefit. All of us really need to be patient with the current set-up for after a couple of weeks we hope to have our normal lives (schedule) back.

I missed blogging and blog hopping too (if you may ask). If ever you read new posts here, it’s just to keep my blog from ending up an orphan. :(

...I’m looking forward to June 27, which is our deadline for the project, finally.

I'm switching to Earthle!

My son chanced upon this latest development from Google while browsing the Net.

Presenting Earthle - the Energy Saving Google Custom Search Engine.

By switching to Earthle seach engine, Internet user will be able to conserve a total of 750 megawatt per hour each year. That's a lot of energy and dollar savings all of us can make! Check out about Earthle here.  

Philippine Independence Day (brief history)

Google Philippines celebrates the Philippine Independence Day today. Mabuhay!

image source

Brief history from Wikipedia:

The Philippine Declaration of Independence occurred on June 12, 1898 in Cavite el Viejo (now Kawit), Cavite, Philippines. With the public reading of the Act of the Declaration of Independence, Filipino revolutionary forces under General Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed the sovereignty and independence of the Philippine Islands from the colonial rule of Spain, which had been recently defeated at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War.

The declaration, however, was not recognized by the United States or Spain. The Spanish government later ceded the Philippines to the United States in the 1898 Treaty of Paris that ended the Spanish-American War. The United States recognized Philippine independence on July 4, 1946 in the Treaty of Manila. July 4 was observed in the Philippines as Independence Day until August 4, 1964 when, upon the advice of historians and the urging of nationalists, President Diosdado Macapagal signed into law Republic Act No. 4166 designating June 12 as the country's Independence Day. June 12 had previously been observed as Flag Day.

The Proclamation Day

In the presence of a huge crowd, independence was proclaimed on June 12, 1898 between four and five in the afternoon in Cavite at the ancestral home of General Emilio Aguinaldo some 30 kilometers South of Manila . The event saw the unfurling of the National Flag of the Philippines, made in Hong Kong by Marcela Agoncillo, Lorenza Agoncillo, and Delfina Herboza, and the performance of the Marcha Filipina Magdalo, as the Nation's National Anthem, now known as Lupang Hinirang, which was composed by Julián Felipe and played by the San Francisco de Malabon marching band.

The Act of the Declaration of Independence was prepared, written, and read by Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista in Spanish. The Declaration was signed by ninety-eight people, among them an American army officer who witnessed the proclamation. The final paragraph states that there was a "stranger" (stranger in English translation — etranger in the original Spanish, possibly meaning foreigner) who attended the proceedings, Mr. L. M. Johnson, described as "a citizen of the U.S.A, a Coronel of Artillery". The proclamation of Philippine independence was, however, promulgated on the 1st of August, when many towns had already been organized under the rules laid down by the Dictatorial Government of General Aguinaldo.

Later at Malolos, Bulacan, the June 12 proclamation was modified upon the insistence of Apolinario Mabini who objected to that the original proclamation essentially placed the Philippines under the protection of the United States.

Preparation...

Nobody knows when a love one will be taken from us. I have seen families so devastated by the loss of their loved one. In the middle of grief no one is there to assist them in the funerals. Poor families usually sought the help of their Barangay officials for assistance. They go from one house to another to request for monetary help. Those who have the means can immediately hire the services of known funeral parlors. The best Funeral Agents will be there to assist from the wake to the internment services.

Nowadays, people opt to avail cremation services because of its convenience and practicality. Some sectors are against it because it goes against their beliefs. Personally, I’m in favor of cremation. If in case I'll go ahead of my family, they will not be burdened by my final resting place. If it will be cremation, there are a couple of columbaries here in our area where I can be laid to rest and where my loved ones can visit me often…

Our anniversary gifts

The love of my life finally got his orders. We don't have much in our virtual bank, but the purchases made were worth it. They arrived just in time. The rubber shoes was actually my anniversary gift for him for our 14th wedding anniversary this year. For his part, he bought me a cellphone to replace my dysfunctional unit. We picked up the cellphone last week at one of the LBC outlets. Hubby got his order at the Manila Post Office early last month. He's actually using the new cellphone because his unit is not working with Globe lines... If not for our little savings (thanks to opportunities) we couldn't have bought our anniversary gifts using our Paypal account.

images were taken from the online shop

Coffee machine I want

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Nestle Nescafe Dolce Gusto. All opinions are 100% mine.

Are you a coffee lover? How would you like to own a stylish coffee machine that does not run out of coffee 24/7? Cool isn’t it? You will definitely jump out of your seat when you hear Divine.ca is running an online contest (for Canada residents only) and is giving out 10 NESCAFE Dolce Gusto machines from April 26, 2010 to June 20, 2010. The coffee machine isn’t your ordinary coffee maker. It is a multi-coffee capsule system that gives out the same quality drink like the one sold in classy coffee shop. With this coffee system you no longer have to queue and pay more than $2 to enjoy your favorite brewed or café lathe.

This is perfect for family gathering or a simple afternoon chat with friends. Surprise them with what the coffee system can do in an instant – blend 7 varieties of coffee. Imagine you can drink Caffè Lungo, Espresso, Americano, Latte Macchiato, Cappuccino, Iced Cappucino, Café Mocha whenever you want it. And you don’t miss out on giving your kids their favorite hot or cold chocolate drink because this cute coffee system can make Chococino in an instant.

You can win a NESCAFE Dolce Gusto machine if you visit Divine.ca now and find out more about the contest. I personally love the candy-apple red machine. There are two models to choose from Krups which cost $179 in the market and and T-Fal costs $159. Krups models can be purchased at retailers such as The Bay, Home Outfitters, London Drugs, Sears and fine kitchen stores in Canada. On the other hand, you can grab the T-FAL models at Wal-Mart.

I Heart Places - Play

I missed my kids when they were younger. They used to play a lot, not with other kids though as they seldom mingle with other kids in the neighborhood. They were just shy to be with other children. This year, we had the opportunity to visit La Mesa Ecopark. It's the nearest park in our place. My son saw this swing and invited her sister to join him. They had so much fun. It's been years since we last visited a theme park. Just look at my son's face. I was watching them from a far, it was their Dad who took the picture. I feel so happy seeing my kids in the pink of health and enjoying simple things like this. It also feels good to commune with nature from time to time. If I would have my way I would make a visit to the park a weekly habit. But with the kind of schedule that I have now and that kids are back to school maybe it can wait for awhile.

An Interactive Piggy Bank called Ekomini

My son Khalil has less than P1,000 savings which he earned from the tips and loose change that he got from me and his sister. He used to own a piggy bank just like his sister, but now my son decided to keep his savings in an old wallet. I’m thinking of buying him and his sister a bigger coin bank so I began searching for cute designs of coin banks on the Internet. You see, I have no time to go to the mall to shop for anything and lately I find online shopping as the best alternative to shop for the things that I need, except for food, of course. I thought of opening a bank account for them, but I don’t have time to go to the bank as well as I’m swamped with a home-based job for several weeks now.

But you know what I discovered over the weekend? I sure need a coin bank and I found one, an interactive one at that! It is called Ekomini. It is an interactive piggy bank designed to help mommies and daddies educate their children about the value of hard-earned money.

As you see in the cute pictures, Ekomini comprises a money box that connects to a computer to keep track of the money kids save, and an educational game called Ekominiville. The game, which sounds like a popular game in a social networking site, will allow kids to learn about saving, planning for purchases, and donating to social causes and investing.

What is also cool about this online saving project is that it has parental interface to let mom and dad involved in their kids’ saving progress.

This ingenious product is designed for kids 6 to 12 years old and you can have it for only $39.99.

Covering the 2004 elections

This is my third entry for Nostalgia this week. The picture was taken at La Salle Greenhills Gymnasium in 2004. It was the site of the national tabulation center of NAMFREL's (National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections) Operation Quick Count for the 2004 National Elections.
I'm the one in black blouse. With me are fellow reporters from the Philippine Star, Philippine News Agency and Manila Bulletin. We're waiting for updates and or briefing from Namfrel people during the counting of votes. It was one of the tedious coverages for me because I have to be at the sight in the morning until around 7 pm. I was required to inform the desk of new figures and latest happening from the site. I covered the event from May 10 until the first few days of June (I think). GMA won the 2004 Presidential election with just one million lead against the late actor Fernando Poe, Jr.