Home Improvement Loan

When you have a growing family, it sometimes becomes necessary to get one of those Home improvement loans to make way for house renovations intended to improve or widen particular areas of the house. House renovations can be quite expensive; if you want your plans to materialize but don't have enough funds, you can consider applying for a Home improvement loan. Take advantage of easy online unsecured home improvement loan.

Weekend Snapshot #32

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Last Saturday, June 28, 2008 was the christening of my niece, Yvaine Althea at St. Alphonsus Mary de Liguori church in Magallanes. My husband, Jules was one of the godparents. There was a gathering of family and friends at Greenbelt Park Place after the ceremony.

Interior of St. Alphonsus Mary de Liguori church.


Candle and Holy Water.


Jules giving his blessing to his goddaughter.

The beautiful wood carvings on the door of the church.


Funny pose.

Advantage of Cisco Certification

Series of technology developments has made a great impact in the career of many people. The computer and the Internet have become important factors in various industries. Many companies depend on computers in their everyday transactions.

Today IT has gone a long way. A person's IT background could greatly influence his career path. Many companies seek special qualifications and certifications in various job positions or job roles and among them is the Cisco certification. Individuals with this kind of certification carry with them an advantage in the job market compared to those who don't have the certification. Getting a Cisco training often guarantees remarkable career growth and success in your field.

There are several certifications. One is CCENT (Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician). Today, networking has become a successful and popular business strategy. A CCENT certification leads the path towards a career in networking. This kind of certification gives an individual the knowledge and skill of installing, operating and troubleshooting a small enterprise branch network, including basic network security. These qualifications greatly enhance a person's intelligence, people skills and problem solving skills.

There are IT certification programs available through Cisco Career Certifications that can bring progress and other great rewards to networking professionals, their managers, and the organizations that employ them.

Don't wait any longer. Grab this opportunity with both hands. Make this kind of success applicable to you by getting into an IT certification program. If you value career growth and success in your field, this program is best for you.

Camera Critters #11

Yohan loves looking at the fish tank in his school. We wanted to brighten his day so Jules and I bought him new pets. Please click here to visit my Camera Critters #11 at my other blog. Thanks.

Another Victory for Pacquiao

I was helping Yohan with his homework upstairs while my hubby was watching the boxing match of Pacquiao and Diaz downstairs. When I heard the distinctive triumphant yell, I knew it was another win for Pacquiao. I went down to confirm and I was not disappointed. Hubby told me Pacquiao won by knockout.

Congratulations to Manny Pacquiao for another glorious victory.

Photo Hunt :: Bright

Come and join the hunt here.

Kite flying is a fun activity that we enjoy as a family. First photo shows hubby flying a kite on a bright, sunny day. The second picture was taken a few years ago at an amusement park called Enchanted Kingdom. Jules was giving Yohan a ride on his shoulders. You could see the bright lights of the ferris wheel at the back which we rode a few minutes earlier when that photo was taken.

kite flying

bright lights of the ferris wheel

A Fine Handyman at Home

Hubby can do various small repairs around the house. He is a fine handyman to have at home. Before calling professional repair service for a particular task, hubby always tries to fix the problem first. He didn't have any formal training but he just developed his skill through self education and practice.

As a child, he had always been curious about how things functioned. He told me how he was so intrigued about how some of his toys operated. His curiosity would often result to a dismantled toy. He took delight in taking mechanical toys apart to see what's inside. There was always an attempt to put the toys together again. He succeeded in putting some toys back the way they were while some became total wrecks. I guess my husband's mechanical aptitude today is a result of his toy dismantling days when he was young.

My husband has a lot of different tools at home. Sometimes my father sends him different quality tools from the States. Among the quality tools he received are a mechanical screwdriver, electric drill, set of drill bits and an Oil Filter Wrench. Several years ago I gave him a nice large tool box to accommodate most of his tools. We also had a customized wooden cabinet made for his other tools and materials. My husband enjoys going to builder's centers and specialty shops to look at new equipment, tools and building materials.


** Post courtesy of SJ Discount Tools **

Aloha Friday #32

Rules: Post any question on your blog on a Friday, share your answer and sign Kailani's Mr. Linky. Then have fun answering the questions of fellow participants by visiting their blogs.

What surprise from a special person can you never forget?
(Inspired by a meme question I recently answered at my other blog.)
On August 6, 1998, Jules and I celebrated nine months of being together. He picked me up from work. We watched a movie and had dinner together. When he drove me home, I received a wonderful surprise. As I went inside my room, I was astonished to see so many balloons scattered on the ceiling. The balloons all had "Happy Anniversary" printed on them. They were from Jules. I found out that he went to our house earlier that day and asked yaya to put all the balloons inside my room.

Jules surprised me with me 9 blue balloons corresponding to each happy month we’ve been together and 3 red balloons symbolizing I Love You. Each balloon had a special note inside so I had to pop each one in order to read the messages. It was a sweet surprise that I will never forget.

Improve the Performance of Your PC

Do you want to improve your computer's performance? Are you happy with your computer's current speed? If you’re not, perhaps its time to do some computer upgrades. If you want to add speed to your desktop computer, you can do so by Adding Computer RAM. Many households have a desktop computer at home. The computer has become important in day to day lives. We use the computer to do our work, assignments, projects, download favorite music, research about school papers, play games, work on photos and images, and many more. Sometimes we store so many information in the computer that it becomes hard for it to process so many data at the same time. The overwhelming data is often the reason behind your computer’s slow performance. You can boost the speed of your desktop computer by upgrading and installing more desktop computer memory.

If you're using an Apple iMac, you can also upgrade its performance. Add IMAC Memory and experience a remarkable improvement in your iMac computer's speed and performance.

Choose from different types of memory upgrade such as the DDR PC2700 Memory. Improve your computer’s performance and increase productivity. A faster computer can help make your job easier to accomplish.

Lines From Home Biz Notes

I want to thank Yvonne for featuring me at Home Biz Notes. I'm touched by her kind words and generous gesture. Blogging becomes more meaningful when people appreciate the things you share.

If you want to collect family memories on the internet, someone who does it really well is Rachel at Heart Of Rachel - A Personal Tapestry. She has a treasure trove of memories for her family. - Home Biz Notes

High Definition Music

Music is a powerful art form that connects people from different parts of the world. It's amazing how music can unite people from all walks of life. Music along with time continues to improve in quality. Technology has made music easily accessible by people from different parts of the world. The introduction of HD Radio technology now makes it possible for AM and FM radio stations to broadcast programs digitally. The Polk Audio I-sonic ES2 has redefined the way you listen to music. You can now enjoy rich quality and powerful sound.

You can enjoy HD Radio technology in many cities. Find HD stations in your area and start enjoying beautiful and full bodied sound in your system. Choose from a variety of music stations, such as new country music stations depending on your preference. It's time to discover the HD stations in your state. You can check out Florida High Definition Radio stations. Enjoy the progress of music.

Power of Music

I find music very powerful. It can easily affect my emotions. Sad lyrics can make me cry. Sweet words can warm my heart. Upbeat melody can cheer me up. Music can soothe my tired senses. That's how incredible music is for me.

Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.
~Berthold Auerbach~

iTunes Tagging

Music is all about melody, harmony and rhythm. For me, music is personal because people have different tastes when it comes to music. I like slow and soothing music and I also enjoy some upbeat tunes. Others may like my choice of music while they are some who have totally different music preferences.

I love listening to the radio and I often develop some favorites on the airwaves. Did you know that now you can actually tag a favorite song over the radio and buy it? I probably caught your interest and you would like to know how. Using an iTunes Tagging enabled high definition radio receiver, you can simply press the "tag" button which will enable you to save song information to your iPod®. When you sync your iPod® to your computer, you will see a playlist called "Tagged" in iTunes. It is an amazing music feature that allows you to buy the songs that you like directly from the Apple® iTunes Music Store. Check out HDRadio and discover new radio stations and start tagging your favorite songs.

Envision Your Dream House

The primary purpose of a house is for shelter. A house becomes more than a place of dwelling when the people living inside the house learns to value and care for it. It becomes a home once you see it as a happy place you would like to go to at the end of the day.

Are you living in your own house? If you are, do you consider it as your dream home? I'm happy with our home but I still have a vision of a dream house. A particular part of my dream house that I would like to center on is the bathroom. I have always dreamed of spacious Bathrooms. I once saw a bathroom suite in a showroom and I fell in love with its classic elegance. It was a huge bathroom with beautiful travertine square tiles. It had a modern jet shower system and an amazing whirlpool bath. It had his and hers bathroom sinks. All of its bathroom accessories were solid brass and not the usual plastic accessories you normally find at home stores. It also had specific storage for all bathroom paraphernalia like extra towels, toilet rolls and cleaning products making it look very neat and organized.

There’s nothing wrong in envisioning your dream house as long as you remember that the most important thing about the home is filling it with happy memories.

** Post courtesty of Better Bathrooms. **

Wordless Wednesday #26

The constant increase in fuel prices and basic commodities is alarming. It's time to start saving any way you can. Hope you can drop by my other blog and visit my Wordless Wednesday #26. Take care.

Happy Fairy Day!

I visited my friend Pea and I learned that today is a special occasion. It's the third International Fairy Day. It's a wonderful day for people with great imagination and young at heart.


Stay a while in this magical world filled with happy thoughts and fairy dust. The first thing you need is a fairy name. Here's mine ...

Your fairy is called Fire Goblintree

She is a bringer of riches and wealth.

She lives where fireflies mate and breed.

She is only seen when the first leaves fall from the trees.

Her dresses glow with fiery colours. She has gentle green wings like a butterfly.

Get your free fairy name here!

Taggged :: Birthday Power

Liz (MommyBa) tagged me to do this fun birthday meme.

Rules:
* 1.Determine your birthday month and get a word that rhymes with it or you can affix to it. Caps lock your birth month (ex: MAYday! JUNE dune, APRILicious, JULYvely, AUGUST pocus, parched MARCH…). Be unique.
* 2.Your birth month plus the word affixed or rhymed shall become the tag’s title in your case.
* 3.Get your birthday and add the digits involved. Example, if your birthday falls on the 25th of July, add 2 and 5 you get 7.
* 4.Whatever is the sum, write a list of the MATERIAL gifts you wish to receive, the number of which shall correspond to the sum of your birthday. For example, applying the case above (in rule number 3), you will write seven (7) things you wish to receive.
* 5.After your wish list, put your name and birthday in the Bloggers’ Birthday Directory, with a link to your blog/s. Note: when you add your birthday, please place it in a way that the dates appear chronological (January, February… 1, 2, 3)
* 6.Pass this tag meme by tagging as many people as you want.

Name: Rachel
Birthday: March 29
Calculation: 2 + 9 = 11

My Wish List (wishing is free so here goes):

1. Mushabelly stuffed toy
2. Carrot Cake from Sugarhouse
3. Blueberry Cheesecake from Becky's Kitchen
4. Laptop backpack
5. New pillows
6. Cupcake stand
7. 19" LCD monitor
8. Samsung HDTV
9. Red Crocs (Adara style)
10. Technomarine black leather strap
11. LV Neverfull bag

Bloggers’ Birthday Directory:
February 20 - Caryl February 23 - Jammy March 7 - Mari March 29 - Rachel May 3 - Vannie May 8 - joanjoyce May 27 – Zang Caesar September 30 - Mckhoii October 22 - MommyBa December 18 - JoshuaOngYS December 19 - Alpha December 20 - Suzanne YOUR BIRTHDAY HERE

I'm tagging Alice, Sheen, Odette, Pea and Rowena.

Tagged :: Ten Random Facts / Birthday Message

Tagged by Roselle...

Rules:

1. Each blogger starts with ten random facts/habits about themselves;
2. Bloggers that are tagged need post these rules and and their ten things on their own blog;
3. At the end of your blog, you need to choose 10 people to keep the tag going;
4. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged!

Some random facts about me:

1. I'm blessed with one son named Yohan.
2. I have two computers in the house.
   
3. We have three kinds of pets: dog, birds and a fish.
   
4. I wake up at four a.m. during school days.
   
5. Yohan is turning five this coming July 18.
   
6. We have six pets all in all (1 dog + 4 birds + 1 fish = 6 pets).
   
7. We have seven pillows in our bed.
   
8. Jules and I are celebrating our eigth year anniversary this July.
9. Spending quality time with the family is like being on cloud nine.
   
10. Last time I checked, I've had 44,708 visitors on my blog since the tenth of May 2006.
    

I'm not tagging anyone but feel free to do this meme.

********

Let me also take this opportunity to greet my friend, Cookie a ...

Binoculars For Bird Watching

I have encountered several sites that feature beautiful photos of wildlife. I admire beautiful shots of animals particularly birds. Owners of the sites I visited are avid bird watchers. I learned that bird lovers quietly enjoy observing birds from a distance using their binoculars.

If you are interested in bird watching, you can check out binoculars with good magnification. Personally, my knowledge about bird species is very limited. There are many beautiful and interesting birds that I don't know about. I'm impressed how some bird watchers could easily name the birds they see using their binoculars. Their passion for wildlife is very inspiring.

Weekend Snapshot #31

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Last Friday, Yohan didn't have classes so hubby and I took advantage of the day by going to Avida office in Makati to get our Transfer Certificate Title. The documents have been ready for pick-up since last year but we weren't able to make time to get it. Now, I'm happy that I finally have the important documents in my hands.

After that hubby dropped me off at Rever Salon to have my haircut and eyebrow threading. Jules went to Bioessence for a facial. We met at Glorietta mall after our respective pampering appointments. We watched Incredible Hulk. We intentionally didn't bring Yohan along because we heard there were a lot of violent scenes. I'm baffled that the movie has an entirely new cast (perhaps someone would like to enlighten me). Nevertheless, hubby and I enjoyed the film.

Fugitive Dr. Bruce Banner must utilize the genetic accident that transforms him into a giant, rampaging hulk to stop a former soldier that purposely becomes an even more dangerous version. source

Our movie tickets.

After the movie we went shopping for some gifts. We bought a birthday gift for the son of Jules' friend (who turned one last Saturday). The boy's name is King Joseph ... quite a unique name. We also bought Yohan an advance birthday gift. I saw some cute stuff for girls so I bought several of them. They are intended for Yohan's classmates. Yohan always receives birthday invitations from classmates so I thought it best to be ready with gifts. Next time, I'll buy gifts for the boys.

Yohan's advance birthday gift and more.

It was raining hard last Saturday so Jules decided not to take Yohan along to the birthday party. Here's the huge moon balloon from the party that Jules brought home for Yohan.

A golden moon illuminates the night.

Protection From Carnapping

There has been an alarming increase in car napping in the country. Carnapping is one of the most prevalent cases of organized crime. There are a significant number of carnapping incidents reported to the police. Most of the cases involve new vehicles like cars, SUVs and vans. Reports of carnapping happen in parking lots, residential areas and middle class subdivisions. Lack of police visibility, inadequate street lighting, lack of security measures are among the reasons for the increase in carnapping incidents. According to some resources, carnapped vehicles are often sold by falsifying documents. In some cases, the vehicles are dismantled and sold part by part making it impossible to retrieve the stolen vehicle.

Protect your vehicle from being stolen by parking your vehicle in well lighted areas. Make sure that the area has a security guard. If you want to have the best protection for your vehicle, you can install a real time GPS Vehicle Tracking device. Real time GPS is a tracking device that you can use to monitor the exact location of your vehicle which requires a monthly subscription.

The Tracking Key is another form of GPS but it does not require a monthly subscription. It is a small and easily concealable form of passive GPS tracking system that you can conveniently put in your vehicle. It has a strong magnet which enables you to put it under the vehicle and it is even water resistant. The GPS data can easily be viewed using Google Earth.

** Post courtesy of LandAirSea Systems **

Camera Critters #10

I'm a bit late with my entry this week due to power outage. I just posted my Camera Critters #10 at my other blog. Hope you can come by and visit. I'm featuring the tropical fish, Arowana.

Take care!

Storm Frank

It's Storm Signal No. 3 here in Batangas. We have been experiencing bad weather since last night because of Tropical Storm Frank. I'm thankful that despite the heavy rains, there is no sign of flood in our area. I heard that other places are already submerged in flood water. Power went out late last night and it only resumed a few minutes ago. The cable is down but I'm grateful that we have Internet connection.

A few minutes ago, the rain was pouring and the wind was blowing hard. It's still dark outside but the rain and the wind has lessened. It might just be a short reprieve because according to the weather forecast, heavy rains are expected this afternoon. I'm just hoping there will be no more power outage.

To those who are also affected by the storm, please take extra care.

Reference: MayBagyo.com

PHILIPPINE STORM SIGNAL # (3):
In Effect: METRO MANILA, BATANGAS, LAGUNA, CAVITE, RIZAL, BULACAN, NORTHERN QUEZON, SOUTHERN AURORA, NUEVA ECIJA, PAMPANGA, BATAAN, ZAMBALES, TARLAC, PANGASINAN, BENGUET, LA UNION.

PHILIPPINE STORM WARNING SIGNAL #(2):
In Effect: MINDORO, LUBANG IS, MARINDUQUE, POLILLO, AURORA, QUIRINO, NUEVA VIZCAYA, IFUGAO, MOUNTAIN PROVINCE, ILOCOS SUR

The above areas or provinces will experience stormy weather today (with winds of up to 100 kph for #02 and more than 100 kph for #03). Coastal waters will be rough to very rough and extremely dangerous to all types of seacrafts.

PHILIPPINE STORM WARNING SIGNAL # (1):
In Effect: CALAMIAN, ROMBLON, CAMARINES NORTE & THE REST OF NORTHERN LUZON.
Reference: MayBagyo.com

Prioritize House Repairs

Rainy season is here and a series of typhoons are expected to hit the country. It is best to get ready and do some house repairs to protect your home from being damaged by potential strong typhoons. Prioritize house repairs to make sure your family is safe when a typhoon hits your area. During typhoon season, you can secure your home from water leakage, roof damages and other problems. If you don't have enough cash to do much needed house repairs, you can get a fast cash payday loans to pursue such repairs. You can apply fast cash on-line today and get it the next day.

Easy Cash Advance

Over the past few weeks, there has been a constant increase in fuel prices making it more difficult for most people to budget their salaries. The recent inflation comes in bad timing considering that it is a brand new school year. This is the time for tuition fee payments and purchase of school requirements. If you’re having a little trouble managing your expenses right now because tuition fees have coincided with regular monthly bills, you have the option of getting a cash advance. This can help tide you over while waiting for your next pay check. Upon approval, you can already have the funds in your bank account after midnight.

Photo Hunt :: Water

Come and join the hunt here.

Some of you may have seen two out of the four photos before because I have shared them in a past entry. I thought of sharing them again because it's perfect for this week's theme. They were taken a few months ago at Ocean Adventure in Subic.

He looks as if he's surfing on water but he's not using a surf board.

The False Killer Whale launches the man in the air.

Photo opportunity with the dolphin.

We didn't have to go in the water to have a close encounter with the dolphin.

Proper Debt Consolidation

Managing your finances is not an easy task. It is so easy to get carried away with spending without thinking twice about your budget limits. It is quite tempting to hand out that piece of plastic to the cashier when you're buying something. Credit cards are so handy because you can go shopping even though you do not have enough cash with you. A simple swipe of the credit card and you get to take home those lovely shoes you saw at the mall or perhaps that pair of jeans with the perfect fit. I have heard the line, "shop 'til you drop" many times. It may be a fun thing to do but have you considered how you are going to pay for those purchases after? Many people forget the importance of managing their expenses. You may not have realized it, but you may have already made purchases beyond your budget. If you're not careful, you might just be surprised that you need Credit Card Debt Consolidation Programs. Such programs could help you find effective ways to solve your debt problem. Debt Settlement Programs will help you to smoothen out your financial woes. If you're deep in debt, qualified people in debt consolidation programs can help you straighten out your current financial situation.

Aloha Friday #31

Rules: Post any question on your blog on a Friday, share your answer and sign Kailani's Mr. Linky. Then have fun answering the questions of fellow participants by visiting their blogs.

What are some small things you are grateful for recently?

• The free wifi at Yohan's school. I bring my laptop to school and it certainly helps pass the time as I wait for him to finish his class.
• Yohan doesn't have classes today. Today is Lipa Foundation Day so it's an official holiday in Lipa City.
• Hubby and I are going out today to spend some quality time together.

School Service Drama

Everyday the same girl cries because the other girls don’t want her to sit near them or join their game. Yet everyday she insists on sitting at the back with them. Two boys of the same age appear to be the best of friends but constant badgering often triggers a high strung emotion which ignites a misunderstanding. There’s peace and quiet at first then halfway through the ride going to school, a pandemonium erupts. The school service becomes enveloped in an atmosphere of children shouting, fighting and crying. I sit in the front with Yohan so it’s hard for me to control the chaos. I’m just thankful that Yohan falls asleep during the ride so he does not witness the commotion. The driver tries hard to become the arbiter when conflicts arise.

Today I talked to one of the kids. She’s around six years old. I heard her say, “Ayan na ang mga matataba!” (Here comes the fat ones). Kids can be so blunt at times. She was referring to the two tall and big built high school students. I told her and a few others to refrain from saying those things because they could hurt the feelings of the two high school boys. She did as I requested and didn’t say those hurtful words anymore. Instead she said, “Kasya kaya tayo?” (Will we all fit?) . I just rolled my eyes and vowed to gently talk to her next time about her choice of words.

Photo credit

Feeling a Little Better

Thank you to everyone for your concern. I'm feeling a little better today. I'm taking medicines for my colds and cough which is helping alleviate some of the symptoms. The cough syrup makes me quite drowsy. In fact, I feel a little sleepy right now. I'm just fighting the urge to go to the bed. It's already late in the afternoon and I don't want to sleep anymore. I think it's best if I sleep early tonight instead.

Quinceanera, Celebrating 15 Years

In the United States, sweet sixteen is considered a a popular birthday celebration. When a girl turns sixteen, her family usually gives her a nice birthday party to celebrate her coming of age. One of the things anticipated by someone turning sixteen is the privilege of getting a driver's license.

In many Spanish and Latin American cultures, girls turning fifteen are given an important birthday celebration called Quinceanera. The Quinceanera has an interesting history. It began as a blended tradition between the Spanish conquerors and native people in Mexico. The two cultures blended the traditions and ceremonies with aspects of religion.

The Quinceanera Celebration or sometimes referred to as Quince Anos is celebrated in a special and memorable way from other birthdays. It's often a huge gathering of family and close friends. Tremendous effort is put to make a girl's fifteenth birthday as special as possible. Elaborate food preparations, souvenirs and a beautiful dress are among the important aspects of the big party. The family of the celebrant often helps in choosing the ideal and perfect dress for the celebration. There is a great site where you can find many beautiful Quinceanera Dresses to choose from. The site also offers a variety of lovely Quinceanera Invitations to make your birthday worth remembering.

Wordless Wednesday #25

I'm feeling a bit under the weather so I'm resting early tonight. The changes in the weather is not good on me. These past few days, it's hot and humid in the morning and it rains in the afternoon. I have colds and signs of cough.

Before going to bed, I'm posting my Worldless Wednesday #25. Hope you can come by and visit my entry at my other blog.

Weekend Snapshot #30

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Hope everyone had a nice Father's Day celebration. We celebrated the special day by watching Kung Fu Panda and having early dinner. Kung Fu Panda was a blast. We couldn't stop giggling. It's a very funny and entertaining movie. Please pardon the poor quality of the photos because I used my cellphone camera.


We had dinner at Jowee's at Lipa. Jules ordered tenderloin steak while Yohan and I shared sizzling sisig. We also ordered Yohan's favorite crispy noodles and he enjoyed munching on them. It was a simple but wonderful Father's Day celebration.

Notice Yohan's new haircut? :)