Christmas Tree Tagging and Christmas Decorations

Ok, I know the title gives you an image of Christmas trees playing tag. :oP Kidding aside, tagging a Christmas tree has been a tradition for my family every year. We go to a Christmas tree farm not far from our house. We choose the 'almost perfect tree' we can find and tag it. Some people make an art project just for this, they weave paper chains and put it around the tree. I've seen other people use an old neck tie or garland while others just use a regular tag with their name on it. We will then come back on the 2nd week of December to pick up the tree that we tagged.  So it's like staking our clain to this one tree so no one else can take it home.  My little boy told me that he wants to get a tree that looks like the one Charlie Brown has. :o) I also plan on starting with my Christmas decorations tomorrow. Dh will put up the outdoor lighting while I'll be in charge with those indoors. The next door neighbor already put theirs up today. They have this huge blow-up train with a penguin and another blow-up Santa and snowman. We don't have any blow-up lawn ornament, I prefer the subtle lawn decorations plus I don't want my electric bill to go up. :o)

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19 Years...Part 2

If you have not read part 1, you can read it HERE.

I barely remember our conversation. I told him that I've come to a decision and I don't see a future with him anymore. It was not an easy decision given the fact that we've been together on and off for 5 years. Some of you, dear readers, might be thinking that there was someone else, my future-husband maybe? Well then, you are mistaken. There was no one else. I wasn't seeing anyone nor was I going out on dates. So what were the reasons?

There has been always the so-called 'elephant in the room'. There was one thing going against him that I just couldn't ignore. He slapped me once. It happened when we weren't even together. We have broken up a couple of weeks back and he found out that I have a new suitor. He lives literally next door so news travelled real fast. He came over after the guy left and confronted me about it. (Now, doesn't this read like a romance novel? LOL) I reasoned out that we aren't together anymore and I have the right to entertain other suitors. Then it happened. It wasn't like a scene in Desperate Housewives wherein my head jerked to the side but hey, a slap is a slap. I tried to keep it from my parents but our helper told my aunt who in turned told them. They, along with my relatives and friends cautioned me about him. If he was already heavy-handed then, what more when he's married? Somehow, we ended up together again. I could honestly say that this is one relationship that had a lot of passion. I remember one psychic who told my mom that my relationship with J is so passionate that we'll always find ourselves with each other. The only way to put an end to it is to move away.

So, there I was 6977 miles away from him. I have to give him credit, he tried his best to keep our relationship going, sending gifts and making phone calls. Then he started pressuring me to commit to get married. When when when? The problem is, I don't want to get married at that time. Not yet. I was 26 but I still am not ready to tie myself down and start a family. I still have the whole world to experience and explore. I loved my independence.

The phone conversation was long and unpleasant. He begged me to reconsider. Like any other break-ups, it was heart-breaking. A couple of days after, I received a long-distance call. There has been an accident...

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Travel Light

One thing I learned from our travels this summer is that you will be better off if you travel light. You don't need five pairs of shoes unless you are a celebrity that needs a different shoe to complement your outfit for every day of your vacation. A shoe for walking and one dress shoe should be enough. As for clothes, pack separates that can be worn with each other. When partnered with different colored pants and some accessories, it would look like a completely different outfit altogether. You should also choose a luggage that is sturdy yet light, something like the Swiss Army luggage. I know there are some luggages out there that already weighs more than 5 lbs. even when empty. Packing light is more important now since airlines are already charging passengers for their luggages.

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PhotoHunt#2 - Metal

This week's theme is METAL

I took many photos of doors while in Italy, probably close to a hundred. I remember my daughter asking me why. I answered that I find the doors in Italian houses and buildings so beautiful. These photos here were taken in Venice. The first photo is a beautiful door with an unusual knob which you can see on the photo beside it. The other two door knobs are faces of women, with the first being my favorite.

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Happy Thanksgiving!

From my family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!

The turkey while roasting in the oven. I brined the turkey overnight and it turned out very moist. To see the finished roast turkey and Emeril Lagasse's recipe, please visit my cooking blog HERE.

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19 Years...Part I

November 26, 1989. This was the day when I left my old country to start a new life here in the United States. It was surreal and heart-breaking. I had a boyfriend of 5 years and to think that it could be a long time before we see each other was sad. I know that there was a big possibility that I wouldn't see him again but I never let my heart rule over my head.

Was I cold or smart? Anyway, I've always wanted to live here in the U.S. When I first came here for a visit, I was only 15. I went to Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. I fell in love with San Francisco, who wouldn't? My aunt asked if I want to stay in California and continue my studies but I declined. I was young and I'm scared to live away from my parents. I vowed that I will return someday and live in SF.

After college, I was given that chance and I took it. Leaving the life that I've known for something that was unknown was both scary and exciting. Leaving my boyfriend was hard but I was not willing to give up my dream. He was not my first boyfriend but he was my first 'real love', my first kiss. Our relationship was not perfect, we broke up a couple of times but somehow end up together again. I also thought he was the man I was going to marry. But all these took a back seat when I realized that I am not ready to settle down. I still need to fulfill my 'dream'. Yes, I sacrificed love over ambition. We kept in touch for the first two years but just like any other long distance relationship, it was hard to keep it going. I decided that I need to move on. It was the hardest thing I've ever done...

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My Holiday Layout

How do you like my Holiday layout? Thanks to my good friend Carlota (Carlotz to me) of My Web-Log Designs. She made this layout for me. What a nice surprise! It pays to know and be friends with the right people. LOL If you want a customized blog design, please visit her web design blog. You will not regret it! :o) You probably have been to some blogs that she designed, there are many that's on EC. She has a lot of satisfied customers and the next one could be you. Thanks Carlotz! *hugs*
P.S. Thanks to Ethel for the use of her pixels. :o)

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Last Minute Shopping

As I've mentioned in my previous post, we will be having an early Thanksgiving dinner. It'll be as early as tomorrow. Yup, as in Saturday. It was moved one day earlier since my father-in-law (who is a semi-retired pharmacist) was called in to work on Sunday. I was finished with the food shopping last Monday and I cleaned the floors yesterday. This morning, I purchased a compact flash for the digital frame I mentioned here. It's a Digital Décor (model DPF770) picture frame and it has two screens. The colors and features are great but the only downside is it does not have a built-in memory. That's why I have to get a memory card just for it. No real biggie though, I love the two-screen feature. We have thousands of photos from our Europe vacation and what better way to display it by using this picture frame. I'm off to pick up the kids from school and I probably won't have time to sit in front of my notebook for the rest of the day today and tomorrow. I'll be back on Sunday and will reciprocate your drops then. Thanks so much! :o)

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Wordless Wednesday

Judengasse

(literally translated: Jews' alley)

Trier, Germany

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Early Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving is almost here and I am starting to panic. You see, we will have Thanksgiving dinner this Sunday. Uhuh, that's in four days. Dh's parents are leaving for Florida earlier this year so they asked if we can have it this weekend. They're what you call 'Snowbirds', they spend their winters in the south and come back in April. We will be celebrating it in my house for the 4th year in a row. My MIL decided she's too old to prepare Thanksgiving dinner and she let us all know about it. LOL Anyway, since I'm the only daughter in-law who enjoys cooking, I volunteered. I'm having the regular menu for this day which is roasted Turkey, stuffing, cranberries, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet yams, vegetable side dishes, some appetizers which includes Lumpia Shanghai and for dessert, Pumpkin Cheesecake. Just thinking of all these food makes me want to go on a diet and take Anoretix. I need to walk longer on the treadmill starting this week, or else I'll end up like the Pillsbury dough boy.

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Lower and Lower and ?

Wow, I cannot believe it when I saw the price of gas at the pump. I have not seen it this low since...I cannot even remember. These photos were taken at the same day. It was $2.10 when I drove the kids to school and when I was on my way to pick them up 7 hours later, it went down $0.03. It was even lower the other day, I saw it at $2.01 at the same station. At the Stop and Shop, it was less than $2.00. So, if the gas prices went down, how come food prices didn't?

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Cleaning Up for the Holidays

Thanksgiving is next week and soon the holidays are upon us. For parents like me, it means additional junk toys for the kids. No, it's not all from us. We will get them one or two toys but the rest will come from relatives. We've sorted out the toys they want to keep and the rest will be given away. I have a bag of Barbie cars and other accessories, a big Bratz head and a Little Mermaid head and a bunch of stuffed toys. She does not want to give away the Barbie airplane and big doll house though. She still plays with her Barbie and it's two dozen twins. LOL She also plays with her Littlest Pet Shop collection. I also cleaned up my daughter's bookcase and put some books in my son's room. She has the complete Barbie book set and this will be donated to her school's library. Her old textbooks meanwhile will be stored in the attic along with her school and art work. It's amazing how much stuff kids accumulate these days. How about you? What do you do with your kids' old toys?

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Tags and Awards

I received this nice friendship tag from Selina. Thank you!

::: Start copying here:::

“And lovely are the blossoms that are tended with great care, By those who work unselfishly to make the place more fair. And, like the garden blossoms, Friendship’s flower grows more sweet when watched and tended carefully by those we know and meet. And, if the seed of friendship is planted deep and true and watched with understanding, friendship’s flower will bloom for you."

Here are the rules for this tag:

1.) Copy the badge and put it on your blog,
2.) Link back to the blogger who passed you this tag,
3.) Spread this tag to at least 7 or more bloggers who you think you are friends with.

I am passing this tag to Amy, Lanie, Mira, Carlotz, Amor, Liza, Lainy, Sam, Joy and Marie.


This next one was given to me by my friend Marie. Thanks, it's cute! :o)
The rules are:
1. Each blogger must post these rules.
2. You need to choose ten people to be awarded and list their names.
3. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they've been tagged and to read your blog [soon!].

I'm passing this on to Laura, Mabel, Janis, Selina, Samantha Ysabelle, Bernadeth, Marly and Kerslyn

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Second Life: Virtual Affair

I was reading a news story online when a byline caught my eye. I clicked on it and read the article about this online game called Second Life. This article discussed this UK documentary by Wonderland and centers on two virtual reality couples and their 'real lives'. I found the documentary on YouTube and let me tell you, it was heartbreaking to watch this husband talk about his wife's addiction to this game. The wife is a SAHM with four kids and she spends 14 hours online talking to this guy who lives in the UK. Her teenage son even commented that his mom will be much happier if he hadn't been born. OMG! I felt sorry for her family. I have the videos below. Let me know what you think.

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Gifts for New Parents

What is your favorite baby shower gift? Do you give the usual diaper organizer, baby bottle warmer or a box of diapers? I've attended a lot of baby showers and one thing I noticed was that almost all of the diaper bags given were designed to be used my the moms. That's why you'll see men holding flowery diaper bags that is pastel colored. Finally, there is a diaper bag called Diaper Dude shown here. Now this is what I'm talking about. This diaper bag is unisex, dad can tote this around and it looks like a regular messenger bag. It has ample pockets to have all the baby's stuff organized and it is just the right size. I found this diaper bag from the maternity website called DueMaternity.com. They also have your typical diaper bags and the new style diaper bags that looks like a big shopping bag. They have many choices for new parents gifts. Apart from the traditional gifts, they also have books, journals, DVDs, CDs, t-shirts with witty prints for dads and beauty sets for moms. The most unusual gift I think is this Eternal Maternal Belly Casting Kit. It comes with directions and all the materials needed to make a cast of the pregnant belly. Now, that would be THE gift.

Aside from these, they also have maternity clothes and accessories. They have a wide selection maternity clothes, ranging from casual to formal. The designs are not drab, frumpy. These are clothes that are of good quality and fashionable. DueMaternity.com has a FREE SHIPPING offer for the holidays. Use the Checkout Shipping Code: BLOG1

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50,000 EC Credits to Give Away

Yes! it is a big contest for a big occasion, this contest need no more explanation titled as "Christmas and New Year Bash!" chethstudios tries to bring out a big contest celebrating this moment.
We are launching this contest to celebrate Christmas and New Year! We totally have 50,000 Entrecard Credits to be won along with loads of 125 x 125 AD spaces for 10 Lucky winners! + 3 special prizes!

Read the full post to see the prize list! I rarely enter contests

but I cannot let this one pass by considering there are tons

of prizes. If you do decide to enter, please mention my name

as your referrer. :o) Thanks.

And here i would like to thank all the sponsors for the overwhelming support given to make this contest a BIG one! And yes, since the winners will be selected randomly using random.org I would ask the sponsors too can take part .

PRIZES:

#1 (15,000 EC credits, $5 , Ad Spaces, Blog consulting)
5000 EC Credits worth $30 sponsored by: chethstudios
3000 EC Credits worth $18 sponsored by:anshuldudeja
2000 EC Credits worth $6 sponsored by: dwaynereaves.com
2000 EC Credits worth $6 sponsored by:sweetprettynaughty
1500 EC Credits worth $9 sponsored by:seeknomore
1500 EC Credits worth $6 sponsored by:nestingbuddy
$5 sponsored by: It's My Party and The Fashop
Blog consulting by: sitegorge
468 x 60 ad spot for 6 months at broodonline
125 x125 ad spot for 1 month at chethstudios- PR3
125 x125 ad spot for 1 month at Million Dollar Portfolio
125 x125 ad spot for 1 month at contestwhiz
125 x125 ad spot for 1 month at sweetprettynaughty
125x125 ad spot for 1 month at: funny concepts
Text Link Ad for 1 month at artistikz

#2 (12,000 EC credits, Ad Spaces, Blog consulting)

1000 EC Credits 2009 Fantasy Baseball
1000 EC Credits The Matthias Chronicles
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1000 EC Credits Million Dollar Portfolio
1000 EC Credits Niacin Works
1000 EC Credits worth $6 sponsored by: thepositivelife.com
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1000 EC Credits worth $6 sponsored by:serradinho
Blog consulting by: sitegorge
125 ?125 ad spot for 1 month at chethstudios- PR3
125 ?125 ad spot for 1 month at thepositivelife.com
125 ?125 ad spot for 1 month at Free Famous Quotes - PR2
125 ?125 ad spot for 1 month at:Love Is A Perfect Gift - pr3
125 ?125 ad spot for 1 month at:A message from my heart - PR1
125 ?125 ad spot for 1 month at: funny concepts
Text link Ad for 2 Weeks at : simplywp.net PR2
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#3 (8,000 EC credits, Ad Spaces,)
1000 EC Credits New Fendi Bags
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500 EC Credits worth $3 sponsored by: baboyita.net
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500 EC Credits worth $3 sponsored by:michaelaulia
125 ?125 ad spot for 1 month at chethstudios- PR3
125 ?125 ad spot for 1 month at sweetytots.com
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125 ?125 ad spot for 1 month at: funny concepts
Text Link Ad for 1 month at mitkworld
Text Link Ad for 1 month at artistikz

#4 (5,000 EC credits, Ad Spaces)
1000 EC Credits Google Stalking
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500 EC Credits worth $3 sponsored by:24x7onlinediva
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125 ?125 ad spot for 1 month at:alsomommy
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Text link for 1 month at thepositivelife.com
Text Link Ad for 1 month at mitkworld
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#5 (4,000 EC credits, Ad Spaces)
500 EC Credits idiotbox
500 EC Credits worth $3 sponsored by:elsalvadordelmundo
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500 EC Credits worth $3 sponsored by:thereishappiness
125 ?125 ad spot for 1 month at:artistikz
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Text link AD for 1 month sponsored by:symphonyoflove
Text Link Ad for 1 month at artistikz

#6 (2,000 EC credits, Ad Spaces)
500 EC Credits worth $3 sponsored by:simplemarriedlife
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125 ?125 ad spot for 2 Weeks at:myfashionlink
125 ?125 ad spot for 1 month at:artistikz
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Text link Ad for 2 Weeks at : medandaily PR3
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#7 (1,500 EC credits, Ad Spaces)
500 EC Credits worth $3 sponsored by:Wonderful things In life
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125 ?125 ad spot for 1 month at: indocontest
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125 ?125 ad spot for 1 month at:Cheapest airfares
125 ?125 ad spot for 1 month at my-countryhome
Text link Ad for 1 Month at : pinayjade
Text Link Ad for 1 month at artistikz

#8 (1,000 EC credits, Ad Spaces)
500 EC Credits worth $3 sponsored by:mommawannabe
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125 ?125 ad spot for 1 month at:onlyinsilence
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125 ?125 ad spot for 1 month at:project runway philippines
125 ?125 ad spot for 2 weeks at :lifetimemom
Text Link Ad for 1 month at artistikz

#9 (1,000 EC credits, Ad Spaces)
500 EC Credits worth $3 sponsored by:Heart Random
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125 ?125 ad spot for 1 month at:artistikz
125 ?125 ad spot for 1 month at: affiliatizer
Text Link Ad for 1 month at artistikz
Text Link Ad for 1 month at anshuldudeja

#10 (1,000 EC credits, Ad Spaces)
500 EC Credits worth $3 sponsored by:Walt Disney World Auditions
250 EC Credits sponsored by:Destiny eternalblackzero
250 EC credits sponsored by: mitkworld
125 ?125 ad spot for 1 month at:artistikz
125 ?125 ad spot for 1 month at: rapidshoots
Text Link Ad for 1 month at artistikz

Special Prizes:

Special Prize #1
Featured PR3 Directory link worth $36 whoisabhi.com
Blog review by: todaysblogreview
125 ?125 ad spot for 1 month at chethstudios- PR3

Special Prize #2
Sponsored domain name by: scott-ford
Blog review by: pro-blogreviews.blogspot.com
125 ?125 ad spot for 1 month at chethstudios- PR3

Special Prize #3
Blog makeover (for blogger blogs) thepositivelife.com
125 ?125 ad spot for 1 month at chethstudios- PR3

HOW TO ENTER:

(Required):

1.Blog about the contest along with the Prizes and Sponsors links, link to chethstudios and the contest post - 20 entries.
(You can post it in multiple blogs of yours to earn more entries. Click here to copy the Prizes and Sponsors links.)

(Optional):

2. Refer to a friend of yours ( he/she must join this contest and should mention your name as the referrer) - 10 entries.

3. Add chethstudios to your Technorati Favorite - 5 entries

4. Stumble upon, Delicious this contest - 5 entries for each action

5. Review any of the sponsors blog of your choice it is optional- 5 entries

6. Subscribe to chethstudios feed via Email and confirm your subscription - 5 entries
If you are already subscribed, please leave a comment in this post to enter the contest.

7. Place the contest banner at your sidebar until the contest ends - 10 entries

( Remember Special prizes will be given to only who have top number of entries)

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PhotoHunt#1

This week's theme: Ruin(ed)

Roman bath ruins in Trier, Germany. This is the Empireal Baths, which means the public were not allowed. It's only for those

in the upper hierarchy of the Roman Empire.

Trier is Germany's oldest city and has a lot of Roman ruins. It is located in the Mosel valley where the Riesling originated.
Summer 2008

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Blogging, Thanksgiving, and Turkey

I have not been blogging too much lately. I had more important priorities to attend to and even though I see a couple of opportunites staring back at me, I did not snag it. I reserved some a few times but I just let it expire. I consider myself lucky that I do not depend on this for income. It's nice to get $5 here, $10 there and everything in between and over. All this goes to the vacation fund which was depleted when we went to Europe this summer. My goal is to save for spending money when we go back to the Philippines next year. I've been busy around the house and in my children's school this past week. Since Thanksgiving is two weeks away, I am sure that it will just get busier for me. There will be Thanksgiving lunch in school that week and I volunteered to help out. Then we will be having Thanksgiving dinner in my house, this will be the fourth year. Good thing that dh has a small family, I cannot imagine cooking for 30!

I'll share with you my turkey tip: Cook a medium sized bird AND a breast. This way, cooking time does not take the whole day plus you get extra white meat for everyone. :o)

I've had my share of Thanksgiving turkey horror story. Mind you, it's just one and I do not intend to add more to it. I cringe everytime I remember. I'll have to share it with you so look out for it.

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SkyWatch Friday #3

The sky in Rome. These are the ruins in the Roman Forum.

June 2008

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Find the Highest Rated Auto Repair Center Near You

I think almost everyone is trying to cut down on expenses nowadays. Consumers are holding off on buying new cars, instead they keep their old car and just have it fixed by a local mechanic.Finding one near you that has a good reputation can be quite difficult, especially if you don't know where to look. There is a website that you can use to search for a qualified mechanic and auto repair center near you. You can search by Zipcode or by city and you will get a list of a local auto repair center. MechanixLoop.com lets you search for a local auto repair center anywhere in the United States. Lets say you live in the Atlanta area, just do a search for example, Auto Repair Atlanta and you'll see which one is the highest rated local auto repair center in that city. Visit this website for more information.

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Keeping Warm

The wood stove was installed last month and we have been using it since then. It keeps the main floor warm, around 67-69 degrees. What's nice about having this is that in the morning when I come down, it is not cold anymore. Before we had this wood stove installed, the temperature downstairs in the early morning is in the mid-50's. I usually had the temperature set to 65deg starting at 6 am. I also noticed that the heater downstairs does not come on anymore. That is good news. I know that we will be able to save money on heating oil this coming winter. As for the wood fuel, we have a big lot and 3/4 is all forest so there are a lot of fallen trees lying around. Dh needs to cut up some more wood since I heard there will be some snow flurries on Tuesday. Brrrr...

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Diabetes and Weight Loss

I know of some people who have Diabetes. It is one of those diseases that has a lot of complications. Some overweight people who are considered obese usually have this disease. Living with Diabetes is hard, there are a lot of food that one shouldn't consume. There are fruits that are in the list of foods Diabetics should not eat. Losing weight will help out a lot for someone who has Diabetes but for some people, this is not possible. It could be because of their low metabolism or other reasons, one solution they can look at is having a lap band surgery. As with any other surgeries, it is imperative that you choose a lap band doctor that has a lot of experience in this type of surgery. Doing so will at least give you a piece of mind knowing that the surgeon has done this surgery many times.

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The Next White House Pet?

Uh, I hope not! No offense to the Peruvians but I just cannot imagine this dog running inside the White House. My kids and I have watched Barney and Mrs. Beasley (the current dogs in the White House) every Christmas time running through the White House and hiding under the Christmas trees and somehow, this breed does not look right. Sorry but when it comes to pets, I think cuteness counts a lot. The Peruvian Hairless Dog is a bald and often toothless breed popular among Incan kings, The Peruvians, who are crazy (obviously) about their national dog, offered to send a hypoallergenic puppy to the Obama family. One of the kids has allergies so the next pet need to be hypoallergenic. I'm sure they'll choose a breed that is popular here in our country. Hey, even a Bulldog is cuter than this dog.

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I Feel Okay Tag

Thanks to Liza for this tag.

-i feel okay tag-
quotes from bloggers around the world!

My quote: (kindness)

It's so easy to laugh. It's so easy to hate.

It takes strength to be gentle and kind.

~ Stephen Morrissey ~

*start copy here

Feel okay? Well you should be! You’ll definitely be okay if you’re going to be a part of this meme, be okay if you are about to have a chance to increase your Technorati and Google Pagerank!

1. Make others feel good: share your favorite, self made, or any quotes as you pass on this meme with the image above.

2. MAKE SURE TO COME BACK – HERE - (http://www.ifeelokay.com/i-feel-okay-tag-join-now/) to get the master list and leave a comment that you’ve made yourself a part of this meme.

3. Your favorites, self made, or any quotes that you shared are collected and will be linked back to your site as its source, this would give you much benefit. Put a category before your quote. (ex. Inspirational, happiness, love, sweet, time, motivational, friendship, and others), much better if you relate the quote on your blog. Ex. Fashion Blog - quotes about beauty; Personal Blog - quotes about success, life, inspirational and many more. It’s your choice.

4. Only one quote and category per blog please, make sure to tag as many bloggers possible. Please update your contributor’s list more often. May we achieve thousands of quotes from different bloggers around the world. Let the fun begin. Be a part of a great collection of quotes from different bloggers around the world!!!

Categories and Contributors
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- HERE - View the complete list of Quotes by bloggers around the world - HERE -
i feel okay!!!

*end copy here

Now I am going to tag the following: Mira, Lanie, my other blog Lifetime Mom and Laura

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Choosing the Right Webhosting Company

I was talking to a blogger friend online the other day. I was trying to convince her to get a domain name so she will have more opportunities. I know that most advertisers prefer bloggers with their own domain compared to those whose blogs are in free blog sites like BraveJournal, Blogger and others. Since her blog does not have a page rank yet, it's the right time to get a domain.We talked about the different webhosting companies out there and it is so confusing. Since she does not know much about these things, she need a webhost that has a great technical support plus it should be affordable. This website WebHostingGeeks.com has done all the hardwork since they all have the information about different hosting companies. There are different ways to go about your webhosting search. Among some of the categories you can do a search on are the highest rated, the cheapest, best email hosting, or even a free domain. Having all these information in one website is very helpful for consumers. It definitely makes our work easier and saves us precious time. Can you imagine googling all these information for days? I myself, prefer to use this site. I like the fact that the users are able to rate their current webhosting company. The customer reviews are priceless, in my opinion.

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Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday Carlotz! I hope yesterday was great for you. :o)

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SkyWatch Friday #2

I took this photo while inside the Porta Nigra in Trier, Germany

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It's a Month of Tags: 6 Random Things

I received this tag from WTF Do You Blog About?

The Rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you.

2. Post the rules on your blog.

3. Write six random things about yourself.

4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.

5. Let each person know they’ve been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.

6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

This is my third tag, the others are seven and eight random things, now it is 6. I don't mind, I like playing along. :o)

Here are some more random facts about me.

1. I enjoy salty or cheesy snacks more than sweet ones.

2. I like to watch foreign films (French, Italian, Japanese, Danish). Blogging sometimes had to take a backseat when I'm watching these films because I had to read the subtitles while watching it. My favorite? 'Babette's Feast' of course. :o)

3. I may be dating myself but my favorite soundtrack of all time is Saturday Night Fever. I always feel like dancing everytime I hear it. :o) LOL

4. My first dance is 'Wonderful Tonight' by Eric Clapton. It was during the Junior Prom and my date was a close family friend, a boy that a lot of girls in my school have a crush with. I was 15 and he became my boyfriend later.

5. My dh and I danced to 'Always and Forever' by Heatwave for our 'first dance'. He chose the song and I was pleasantly surprised. :o)

6. I'm a homebody. I'd rather stay home and spend the day with my family than go somewhere else.

I'm tagging the following:

- Mabel

- Monica

- Amor

- Ask. Mrs. Recipe

- Mize

- Marie

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Saving with Famous Footwear Coupons

I've been seeing a lot of blogs wherein their main topic is sharing and finding online coupons to use while shopping and therefore saving money. I've actually subscribed to their RSS feeds, followed their blog on Blogger or activated my email subscription to keep up-to-date to these savings and deals. Right now I'm looking for different shoes for my kids since I'm already shopping for Christmas gifts. I've been using coupons whenever possible and I've gotten great deals from it. Coupons have saved me money either from getting the products at discounted prices or by getting free shipping. With the state of the economy these days, using coupons when shopping became popular, almost everybody is doing it. I do it when grocery shopping and when I shop online. It is easy to use a coupon online. You only need to enter the coupon code in the check out and the discount will be taken off your total purchase. This is the reason why I look for available coupons online before I start shopping. I saw that Famous Footwear has a Buy One get the Second Pair for 50% off plus Free Shipping promotion going on which is perfect for me. Since I'm planning to purchase a couple of pairs of shoes, I will surely save a lot of money by using their coupons. You can get this deal too by using these Famous Footwear coupons.

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(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Warning: If you are easily offended, please skip this post. :o)

Do you want to buy a pair of shorts?

I saw this sidewalk stall near Piazza Navona in Rome. They also sell

aprons with the same design. Very unusual, don't you think so? LOL

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44th President of the United States

It's over :o) and it is time to heal a lot of wounds. I hope that all relationships that were strained will get mended. Life goes on. We have a new president and it is Barack Obama. It is now time to go forward. We Americans need to be proud. Our president is the first black person elected to the Oval office. How historic is that? Just consider that about 40 years ago, African Americans do not have the right to participate in elections and were treated as second class citizens. He is of mixed race, a Caucasian mother and an African father. Whether you like him or not, he's here to stay for at least four years. I hope that he stay true to his campaign promises and not be caught up with the agenda of special interest groups. Congratulations to President Barack Obama! Yay!

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Finally, It Is Here...

I wish I have an interesting story to tell but I don't. Everything went smoothly. Dh and I dropped the kids off to school and we went to the polling place. We did not have any problem looking for a parking space. We went inside Smith Mills Church and there were only five people in line. We gave the man our street address and our names, he checked it off and gave us our ballots. They did not even check for IDs. Our town does not have any voting machines. We used a pen to fill in the oval corresponding to the candidates we want to vote for. Aside from the presidential and senatorial candidates, there were also some races for local officials. I was disappointed in the local election because in some seats, there was only one candidate, no one running against him/her. Oh well, I guess I couldn't blame them, who wants to be in politics anyway? We also have to vote for three measures in my state. The first one is whether to abolish the State Income Tax, the second is whether to de-criminalize the possession of a small amount of marijuana and the third is whether to abolish Greyhound racing. It was a very fast process. Dh and I probably spent a total of 10 minutes inside the polling place. Pretty painless.
This is Google's logo today. Isn't it cute? At first I thought 'why do they have laundry hanging'? LOL Anyway, I am so glad that this whole election thing is ending today. There were a lot of VERY negative ADs on TV, I'm referring to the senate race in New Hampshire. My goodness, can you imagine hearing it every single day for months now? It is disheartening. I'm also glad that I wouldn't (fingers crossed) hear the women at The View argue endlessly. I don't know why but Elizabeth Hasselbeck's voice is irritating me. She always gives me a headache, no kidding.


So that's it for now. The waiting game begins.

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For This Year, It's Custom Holiday Cards

Two weeks more to go and it will be Thanksgiving. How come it seems like time is on overdrive after Halloween? I still have to choose the photo that I will be using for our Custom Holiday Cards. For the past couple of years, I wait until we have the kids' photo with the Christmas tree in the background. That's about a couple of weeks before Christmas day. This year though, I don't want to wait that long so for the first time, we will not have any Christmas decoration in the background. It's just that I want to get done with mailing my Christmas cards early. I saw that VistaPrint.com has a lot of choices for custom holiday cards. They have cards where you can upload a photo of your choice and choose the right kind of card for you. If traditional holiday cards is your type, then you can choose from hundreds of holiday designs in the VistaPrint website. This website has a lot of different choices for every taste and it does not take long to receive it, you can get it for as short as three days. They also have the newsletter type for those of you who enjoy telling countless stories of things that happened in your family that year. Whatever your choice of holiday card is, you will find that ordering from VistaPrint.com is very easy and the smart choice.

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