Minecraft Inspired Birthday Snack Bags

My little man is celebrating his 10th birthday tomorrow.  His birthday happens to fall on a school day.  He's excited to spend his special day with his classmates.  As a simple way of celebrating his 10th birthday, Yohan will give snack bags to his classmates.

Yohan is such a big fan of Minecraft so his dad and I thought of making custom-made Minecraft bags. We bought green fabric bags and printed a pattern of the Minecraft Creeper.  Jules traced the pattern on an illustration board and used a cutter to define the significant parts.  With a bit of black spray paint, we managed to mark each bag with a Creeper's face. 

A snack bag won't be complete without goodies. We're going to fill each bag with chips, biscuits, pretzels, chocolates, and juice. Every bag will have a tag to mark Yohan's 10 birthday.

 

Don't Let the Bed Bugs Bite

At the end of the day, everybody wishes to have a relaxing and worry-free sleep. We all need to get our daily dose of sleep to recharge our tired bodies and prepare ourselves for the following day. Sometimes, people experience trouble sleeping. When little parasitic insects are secretly lurking in your bed, it’s tough to have a good night’s sleep. Bed bugs are oval, flat and generally have reddish brown color. They love to hide in the crevices of the bed, headboard, and even furniture during the day. Bed bugs love to strike at night especially when you’re sleeping. Their sole diet is blood of people and even animals. Bed bugs relish in biting the exposed skin of a sleeping person or animal. Although bed bugs are not known to carry diseases, their bites can cause discomfort and itchiness. Don’t let these pesky bugs ruin your evenings. Bed Bug Control Georgia can help solve your bed bug problem. Bed bugs are great survivors. Imagine, they can live for several months without feeding on blood. They can also withstand extreme temperatures. If you notice black and oval shaped specks on your bed that look like apple seeds, then there’s a big chance that you have a bed bug infestation. Protect your family from these tiny troublemakers.

40 Random Things (Part II)

Continuation ....

21.  I believe that if you can’t say anything nice, it’s always best to keep quiet.

22.  A little kindness goes a long way.  Never underestimate the power of a kind gesture or a smile.

23.  I’m always fascinated with nature. I love watching the sunrise and the sunset. I love seeing flowers bloom, butterflies fluttering, and birds singing. The full moon never fails to catch my attention.

24.  I love capturing special moments. Taking pictures make me happy.

25.  I regret many things in life. I learned that in order to attain peace within, the first step is letting go. Once you do, moving on is easier.

26.  The people you love can sometimes break your heart too. Open your heart to forgiveness.

27.  Driving still remains a dream. May be one day, I can find the courage to go behind the wheel.

28.  I’m not a perfect mom but I’m trying my best to be a good one.

29.  I’m thankful for my writing job. I learn something new from every topic I write.

30.  Kare-kare will always be my favorite Filipino dish.

31.  I don’t want to think of myself as a middle-aged woman. I always want to feel young.

32.  I love bags. I wish I could buy as many bags as I want.

33.  I have a small closet. I wish I can have a walk-in closet in the future.  

34.  When the Internet is down, I feel down.

35.  I enjoy watching horror films even though my fear always gets the best of me. The Walking Dead is currently my favorite TV program.

36.  I’m thankful to modern gadgets.  I can easily connect with my loved ones in the States.

37.  I’m happy that Bruno, my Labrador is still going strong at the age of 13.

38.  I have my own share of flaws. I’m impatient, impulsive and I tend to worry about small things.

39.  Life is full of opportunities. Never be afraid to try something new.

40.  I don’t know what the future has in store for me. I only pray that God will continue to bless me and the people I love. 

40 Random Things (Part I)

Today I turn 40. It's another milestone in life that I'm grateful for. Let me share 40 random things I've learned, realized, and discovered in this lifetime. 

1. It’s never too late to start exercising. I’m thankful that I found the motivation to walk and run around the village. 
2. 8K is possible after all. Who knows, maybe I have the strength and endurance to run/walk up to 10K.
3. Biking is fun. I just bought a mountain bike and I’m rediscovering how fun it is to be on two wheels. 
4. It feels great to lose weight and enjoy shopping again. When I was overweight, I was always frustrated when I go shopping for clothes. I just hope I can maintain my weight now. 
5. I can finally wear dresses again.
6. Getting gray hair is not the end of the world. Thank goodness for hair coloring products. 
7. I have the best parents in the world. They are kind, understanding, generous, and selfless. I love them very much. 
8. I admire my brother for being so wise and responsible in life. I may be older than him but sometimes he’s more like my kuya. 
9.  My yaya (nanny) has taken care of me since I was a baby. I’m blessed that she chose to stay with me all these years. 
10. I'm thankful to have a loving, supportive, and kind husband.  He gives me strength and hope.
11. I have a wonderful son who inspires and motivates me to face challenges and continue dreaming. 
12. Home is where the heart is. I realized that there’s no better place than home. 
13. Life is not perfect but once you overlook at the imperfections, you’ll realize that life has so many beautiful things to be grateful for. 
14. Life is a learning process.  There's always something new worth discovering and exploring.
15. Disappointments are part of life. Learn from your mistakes. When you fail, there’s no harm in trying again. As long as there’s life, anything is possible.
16. I cannot please everybody. It’s a waste of energy to get rattled by what other people think of you. 
17. Focus on the positive things in life. 
18. I haven’t conquered my fear of heights but I gathered the courage to ride the Ferris wheel and the roller coaster. I’m still hoping to experience the zipline. 
19. I love happy endings. I will always be a romantic at heart. 
20. People come and go but real friends are there for keeps.

Earth Hour 2013

My family took part in the tree planting activity as part of the Earth Hour celebration. Planting trees is a rewarding activity especially when you see the seedlings grow bigger each year.  It's our own little way of helping Mother Earth and contributing for the future. 

Last night countries around the world joined forces to observe the biggest environmental event for the year - Earth Hour 2013. We switched off our lights from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.  The darkness signified the people's concern for the planet. 

Mornings are Never the Same Again

I discovered the joys of walking every morning.  My body feels more energized ever since I started this healthy exercise routine. I started with 30-minute walks but now I can easily walk for an hour.  I also do short runs in between. If I could bring back time, I would have done this a long time ago.

Walking around the village is great for the body and the spirit as well. I find myself reflecting about different things while I walk.

I bought this brightly colored Nike Free as my walking partner.  I love how lightweight and comfortable they are on my feet.

 

Keep a Small Flashlight Handy

The great thing about small flashlights is that you can conveniently store them around the house. You can keep Mini Mag Flashlights in key areas of your home such as the living room, kitchen, bedrooms, study room, and the garage. Keep small flashlights in places that are easily accessible to the members of the household. Make sure you take a mental note of the places where you kept the mini mag flashlights. Inform the people in the house where those flashlights are located so that they can get them when the need arises. In case of unexpected power failures and emergencies, anyone in the house can get the flashlights and use them to light their way around the house. Don’t forget to keep extra fresh batteries for your flashlights.

It is also advisable to bring a small flashlight with you all the time. You’ll never know when it can come in handy. Emergencies happen when you least expect it. A mini mag flashlight in your bag can be used for safety measures. Take note that a flashlight is not only designed for emergencies. It can also be used for regular activities such as jogging or walking at night.

Keep a mini mag flashlight inside your vehicle at all times. In case you experience car trouble on the road, you can use the flashlight to check the engine or underneath your vehicle. You can also use the flashlight to signal for help at night.

A small flashlight is considered as an essential tool when you engage in outdoor activities such as hiking and camping. When you’re out in the wilderness, you can use the flashlight to see your way through at night.

Early Valentine's Date

I spent the first day of February by going on an early Valentine's date with the two special men in my life -- my husband and my son. We had dinner at the newly re-opened Spiral restaurant at Sofitel Philippine Plaza. Some of you may remember that back in September 2011, Spiral was devastated by a storm surge that flooded many establishments in the area. Spiral was submerged in waist-deep flood waters. Sofitel was forced to temporary close their flagship restaurant because of the damages brought by typhoon Pedring. The renovation of Spiral took more than a year to finish. It finally opened its doors again last Nov. 8, 2013.

It was our second time at Spiral. We enjoyed our first lavish buffet experience. The three of us had no doubts that our second experience would be equally great.

We went down the familiar grand spiral staircase leading to the elegant restaurant below. Lovely ladies welcomed us to the newly refurbished Spiral. We were seated just across the back of the grand staircase with a view of gentle, flowing water. It was perfect!

The food was as great as we remembered. We were glad to see our old favorites and there were a lot of new dishes added to the sumptuous buffet. For my family, it's the best buffet in the country. The abundance of food is simply overwhelming. The new Spiral is actually divided into 21 dining ateliers.  I don't think it's possible to try everything in one night.

Some of my husband's personal favorites include crabs, shrimps, crayfish, steak, bulgogi, beef short ribs, lamb chops, and the Asian pulled noodles. I love the Peking Duck, Chinese dimsum, Korean noodles, and skewered seafood. My son, Yohan love their salad, pasta, and freshly baked pizza.

I was surprised how my little man turned out to be quite a cheese connoisseur because he enjoyed trying out the different types of cheese at the Cheese room.   The three of us share a liking for Japanese, Chinese, and Italian food.  We also loved their freshly baked bread that we dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Yohan preferred butter and pesto on his bread.

After that sumptuous feast, we barely had room for dessert but I knew I would regret it if I missed their delicious creme brulee. Sadly, they don't serve those melt-in-your-mouth chocolate chip cookies like before. I think Spiral should really consider bringing those heavenly cookies back. Yohan enjoyed the candy bar and the chocolate fountain. The three of us tried the Creamery which serves different types of ice-cream and toppings. Sadly I was too full to try their chocolates, truffles and pralines.

I had a fantastic time with my family and I'm so happy because on that same evening, I met a dear old blog friend in person. It was a pleasure seeing Kathy of Life is KulaYFul! She is sweet and charming in person as she is on her blog.

 

How to Solve a Pesky Critter Problem

If you suddenly find your stack of biscuits, chocolate, or chips in your pantry with little bite marks, chances are you have a mice problem at home. Watch out for gnaw marks on cabinets and closets. Another telltale sign is the presence of mouse droppings that look like small black beads. Mice also make squeaking sound especially during nighttime when they are most active.

The common house mice are little furry creatures that scramble around your home and invade your food space. They have a knack for finding a way into your cupboard or cabinet where you keep your food. They can nibble on just about anything they find interesting. Mice can chew on boxes of cereals, pasta, and cookies. These pesky critters can eat your chocolates, candies, pastries, biscuits, and crackers. They can even find your supply of sugar, milk, coffee, and flour worth tasting.

Sometimes, they don’t stop with food, they can cause havoc by ruining clothes, bags, and even furniture. Mice are not just a nuisance. They can cause a lot of damage if you don’t do something. If you ignore the problem, these critters can multiply and lead to bigger problems.

There are Animal Traps for Sale that you can use to humanely catch house mice. The box trap has slide release doors. Catch those unwanted house guests without hurting them. You can find a safe place with considerable distance from your house where you can release the pesky critters. Traps can be used both indoors and outdoors. It's special mechanism is triggered by slightest activity that traps unwary house pests.

Embracing 2013

It’s the start of a brand new year. It’s an opportunity to learn from past mistakes, begin anew, and welcome promising opportunities. I’m thankful for all the blessings and I look forward to more good things to come. The past year was not all sunshine. There were also gloomy and sad days but God always finds a way to clear the dark clouds and replace them with a rainbow. I want to embrace 2013 with a smile, hopeful heart and positive spirit.

Safe Home Plumbing

It is important to take good care of your home. House repairs are important in maintaining a quality home. Keep in mind that home maintenance prevents small problems from escalating to full blown ones. Keep your house clean at all times and keep an open eye for signs of deterioration and leaks. Plumbing is a vital aspect of home care. Invest on basic plumbing tools that can help you in minor plumbing repairs at home. Minor clogs and leaks often need simple solutions. If you have basic tools, you can manage to tighten pipes, fix a clogged sink or a leaky faucet. The right kind of Plumbing Tool Supplies can help provide immediate solutions to plumbing woes. Some plumbing problems may require the help of a professional. Make sure that your home’s plumbing is safe for the members of the household. There are vital health and safety measures associated with plumbing that you can discuss with your builder. Do not hesitate to ask questions about the plumbing system of your home to give you a better understanding of how it works. For people who are planning to build a home, it is advisable to discuss plumbing matters like installation of water heater and water tank. Discuss about available options and efficiency of recommended system.