Loving Bolt

Our big baby, Bolt  is a very loving.  As big as he is, he likes to cuddle and give us hugs.

Water's Edge

"If you must speak ill of another, do not speak it, write it in the sand near the water's edge."

-Napoleon Hill-

Each time we see this scene, we always worry because we usually lost water for hours.
Shadow Shots

Deals on Hotel Accommodation

Traveling is one passion that I really love, if only I have all the means to travel the world, I would hehehe.  Now that  we have two kids, they are our main priority and so traveling is limited.  We do however do small vacations when  money  is available   and we treasure every  minute that we  can go and do  things together as a family.     We did not have a big vacation this year but we make sure that   the kids  summer vacation was full of fun with us. 

Looking for some deals on  hotel and airfare is much better these days because of Internet.  You can compare prices  from different sources.  If you are looking for  some great deals for secaucus hotels, check out Crowne Plaza Hotels  & Resort.  You can talk to a representative if you have a question about reservation or inquiry about a certain  offer that they have in their website.

Random Captures

Just random shots of our  road trip to Chester, WV.
Mandarin Orange,  Blue Monday, Ruby Tuesday, Sky Watch Friday

Gladiolus

Gladiola is one of my favorite flowers. They look so gorgeous when they bloom.  Photos were taken from my garden.

"Gladiolus (from Latin, the diminutive of gladius, a sword) is a genus of perennial bulbous flowering plants in the iris family (Iridaceae).  It is sometimes called the 'Sword lily', but usually by its generic name (plural gladioli, gladioluses, glads). info source is Wikepedia

Research Paper

My husband is so glad that he finished school already.  He doesn't have to do any research paper anymore.  He does however, miss the time that he spent with us most of the time when he is off from school.  Now that he is working, he is out  all day from Monday to Friday.  Doing research paper can be very hard  but with the help of websites like College Paper, you will be able to do it with ease.

Chevy SS Chevelle

My husband and son are fanatic of old cars. We were going home from the store when they saw this one at a parking  area.  We pulled up so they can see it closely and  for me to take  pictures as well.

I am not sure if this is a Camaro SS Chevelle but I will update this as soon as   my husband comes home.  I am not good in identifying cars so pardon me.  But if you can identify it for me, that would be great!

According to the hubster, the car above is a Chevy Chevelle Super Sport.  

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Sky Watch Friday, Shadow Shots

Higher Education Can Prolong Your Life

While we worry about genetics, medical care, lifestyle, exercise and diet there is a surprising new study that indicates there is something else that has an even larger impact on how long we will live.

What could be more important?

It seems that all the above mentioned factors should cover it. We mentioned genetics, that’s our family’s influence; medical care – how well we follow up with our doctor; lifestyle – our habits such as smoking, non-smoking, partying, drinking and stress factors; exercise – our physical activities; diet – eating well or not so well…

But studies show that this is not the most important

In an article published by U.S. News we learn that the most powerful influence over longevity could be education. The relationship between an education and long life is striking. Education has been shown to have a bearing on one’s lifestyle, ability to cope with stress and also how one manages chronic diseases.

It also has an indirect correlation to how long one can expect to life - in that education may improve one’s social status, opening up career opportunities and improving one’s income bracket.

One third of all dropouts are without work

Unfortunately some of our less educated counterparts may struggle finding employment especially with a position that will enable them to enjoy a better diet, health care and a less stressful environment. These are strong reasons to not only motivate us to get a better education but to impress upon our young the need to continue their education. Dropping out of school increases the odds of not being able to find a job, and even if they do find a job the likelihood of finding one that pays wells and provides good benefits is very low. According to the U.S. Department of Labor statistics the unemployment rate for recent dropouts is soaring and has reached nearly 33% of those without a high school education.

Those who do work are paid lower wages and are more likely to lose their jobs

Statistics went even further to show that of those who were employed, the wages were most likely to be minimum wages. To make matter worse the likelihood of the dropout being able to maintain employment was much lower than their counterpart who had graduated. Another shocking statistic indicated that even those who did go back to school to obtain their GED (government equivalency diploma) faced the same low prospects unless they included more training or education in conjunction with the GED.

Don’t stop with just a diploma or GED

It’s important not to stop your qualifications after attaining your GED. Use it as an opportunity to further attend an open-enrollment college or vocational-tech training. Employers who were interviewed indicated that obtaining just a GED did not improve the job applicant’s chances of being hired because it didn’t show that the person had the commitment needed to maintain either their education or employment.  Education is the key to not just a keener mind, but also a longer life, and nowadays there are so many avenues to pursue. After all if you work at a job you love, it will never feel like work. This will massively improve your stress levels.

This post comes to you with the compliments of payday advance.

Thanks to this informative article written by Ms. Judy  SheldonWalker

Golf Balls

Our Burritos adopted Lolo is a golfer. He gave them some. He also teaches them the basic technique in hitting the golf ball.

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ABC Wednesday

Energy Efficient

I was flipping though  pages of  builders online and came across Durisol.  We are planning to  add a sun room at the back of our house in the coming years so we are slowly  looking  at the cost  and other aspect that we need to know in having it built.  Choosing the right builder  to do the project is good but it is also good to know what kind of materials they are using.  It is also advantageous if the builders would use energy efficient materials just like what Durisol uses, the  Insulated Concrete Forms or ICF.  Energy efficient materials   can save you save you  a lot of money.

When we were  planning  about our porch renovation, the home builder that we hired   did not   mentioned about the insulated concrete forms.  I don't know if they are not using this kind or  it is cheaper the other way.  Anyhow, we are satisfied of the materials they used and the result of their  job so, it's all good!

Venue for Dad's 90th Birthday

My husband and I  talked about planning a  birthday party for  my father-in-law who is turning 90 years old   next month.  I told  hubby that  we should invite some of the family relatives from other cities so  we could  get together as family.  There are different venues that we are considering around the area.  My husband said that he would contact  a person he know  who is a bonafide member of  the Knights of Columbus.  Being a World War Veteran,  Dad deserve a  great celebration especially for achieving  a long and healthy life.

Speaking of birthday,  a dear friend of mine is celebrating her birthday today. 

Advance happy birthday also to my younger sisters Rebecca and  Lynn who will be celebrating theirs tomorrow and  on the 27th.

May God bless you all with good health and lots and lots of happiness!

Family Unit Provides Confidence

Family is not only important as a unit to provide structure, love, and security to the members. Family also provides confidence for its members young, medium and old alike. We crave our family for the love they give us and for the peace we feel when we return home after some time away. However, the element we mostly tend to ignore is the confidence factor and the role this plays in individual and group development.

The family unit provides confidence by encouraging our strengths

Where else in the world can kids (and adults) ‘practice’ their talents without critical judgement? In normal families kids are encouraged to work at their strengths and practice the thing at which they’re most talented. Even if they’re not that good, parents, grandparents – and even aunts, uncles and older siblings cheer them on and give them the first tools they need to spread their wings. We don’t pay much attention to this aspect of family because we take it for granted that they do these things out of love. Nevertheless, recognising our strengths, having them pointed out to us, and getting the encouragement to use and perfect them is the sure-fire way of building confidence. The family unit does all of these naturally and organically. By the time kids go out to school, they have already built up the confidence they need to recognise they have something of value to give to others.

The family unit provides confidence by showing us acceptance

A large part of the reason people lose their confidence is because they think there’s so much wrong with them, that no one would like or accept them. This is the difference between larger (or obese) people who brim with confidence, and those who live hermit lives – not being able to step foot out the door. It’s also the difference between disabled people who’re shy and retiring (because they can never accept they’re perfect as they are) and those so full of confidence, they compete at the Para Olympics.

Families provide confidence by showing us we’re accepted no matter what we’re like or what we look like. They help us build that tiny part of our personality which could potentially suggest we’re worse off because we’re not like everyone else. Families accept us ‘warts and all’ which prepares us for life outside this unit. They show us that we’re no different from anyone else in what we’re worth.

The family unit provides confidence by giving us a place to belong

No matter what happens outside the home, we know we have a place to come back to. This security enriches our lives and our personalities. Parents, grandparents and other extended family members give us a sense of belonging. This is the psychological prerequisite for  confidence building. The sense of belonging is the first ‘awareness’ we build up after birth. We do this in the form of bonding. We ‘belong’ to our mother, and we find her by her smell. Then we ‘bond’ with our dad and other close family members. The older we get, the wider the circle of belonging becomes. Knowing we’re save, loved and ‘belong’ is  a vital element of building confidence – something the family unit provides without thinking about it.

So, how about you? Are there other obvious ways your family has helped you build confidence?

This post comes to you with the compliments of www.opendoorloan.co.uk

Anne, the author of this post writes about building confidence at her blog, ‘How To Build Confidence’. 

Decorative Bottles with Pin Wheels

I took a hot of this decorative bottles with pin wheels at the exhibit area at Robinson Mall last weekend..

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Pink Saturday, Shadow Shots, Mandarin Orange, Mellow Yellow,  Blue Monday, Ruby Tuesday

Critical Thinking for Life

When it comes to mentoring young minds, you have to have a  a good strategies for teaching.  My two children did not attend pre-school.  I am a stay at home mom so I decided to just teach them at home of the basic things that they need to learn  for a pre-schooler level.  My daughter appreciated it so much, she said that she learned  a lot from me before she started  kindergarten. I did the same  to my son and now he is ready to enter kindergarten as well.  

I bought a material from the store and just work on it with the.  I used some references online and used researched tool such as the ones available at Critical Thinking for life.  Now if you area teacher in school and you would like to have a  reference book for the subject that you are  teaching, you can check out the available items at the said  store.  You may visit the site by  clicking the link provided above. 

Reflection of an Extra Image

"A reflection of an exact image is the closest thing to you

-so that you can see it-but it's far enough away 

so that you really understand it. 

There is real life in this movie, 

but it hovers just an inch 

above reality."

-Wes Bentley-
Sky Watch Friday

Finding your way with the Navigator Of The Seas

If you're looking for a holiday that guarantees great dining experiences, wonderful views and excursions and a consistently fun time for all the family then perhaps it is time you considered taking a cruise. Whether you're setting sail for the first time or the fiftieth, the excitement levels are always likely to be ramped up on departure, with cruises offering such a special combination of facilities, destination, luxury and atmosphere.

One name that leaps immediately to mind when most of us think of cruise holidays is Royal Caribbean. The company boasts perhaps the most spectacular array of commercial vessels every mustered and you can see what all the fuss is about for yourself at lower prices than you might have imagined. Among the ships offering very reasonably pried holiday experiences right now is the Navigator Of The Seas. One of a cluster of Voyager class vessels, the Navigator takes fun-loving and adventure seeking families, couples and individuals of all ages around the Mediterranean, the Caribbean and beyond. The destinations are amazing, the accommodation luxurious and the activities are out of this world.

And if you are keen to take a cruise holiday in the coming year or so but you're concerned about the prospect of costs spiraling out of control in the process then you should perhaps consider taking up an all inclusive package option. You'll need to make a larger up-front payment but with all your costs covered you can kick back and relax like never before, with the world going by one beautiful town at a time.

You can research and book a great trip online right now in a matter of minutes, with discounts offered for using the internet to do so but if you don't quite feel ready for a full week or longer out at sea then mini cruises could be just the right way for you to dip your toe in the proverbial water.

Loops

We went to the craft store the other day and found these bag of loops on sale. It's not the same material as the one we buy in Walmart but for its price being offered, it was a steal.

Ms. Burrito is very proud that she made $50 already from making and selling pot holders.

Easy Home Décor Updates

Regardless of how attractively decorated your home may be, the décor needs to be updated on a regular basis. It may be something as simple as rearranging the furniture every six months or changing pillows and throws from a dark and wintery color palette to lighter and brighter summer colors or using slipcovers to change the look of a couch or chair. Bed canopies are an easy way to update a mundane bedroom or nursery and are less expensive than new bedding.

While many folks pay attention to the family room, living room or den, they tend to overlook the bathrooms which can easily become dated and drab looking. There are some easy ways to refresh a bathroom staring with a new bathroom wall mirror – the light reflected from a mirror can make even the tiniest bath or powder room look larger. Another good idea is to gather a collection of small mirrors in interesting frames and arrange them on a wall to create a collage. The play of reflected light and shadow can add drama to any room.

Experts recommend that shower curtains and bath mats be replaced on a regular basis so don’t wait for mildew to appear or the shower curtain to fall apart – when you replace the shower curtain you can transform the look of a bathroom in under five minutes. Switch from a solid color to a print or from a fussy ruffled shower curtain to a sleek hookless shower curtain – the possibilities are endless.

Shower curtain hooks and bathroom hardware such as drawer pulls and knobs are another decorating opportunity. In a small bathroom it’s best to keep the hardware as simple as possible as clean lines help to open up the space and make it seem larger than it really is.

Perfect Shadows

Railing, kids, and bicycle makes perfect shadows.

Photos were taken before we landscape the yard.  I caught Mr. Burrito picking the  creeping Phlox flowers.  Mr. Burrito love digging the dirt to get worms and pick flowers as well.

"Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, 

casts the shadow of our burden behind us."

-Samuel Smiles-
Shadow Shots
ABC Wednesday

Hazel Eyes

My daughter was born with  dark brown eyes just like mine but my son has an hazel  eyes just like  my husband.  I told my husband that I wish, our daughter has an hazel eyes too.  Hubby then told me that if our daughter would like to change the color of her eyes, it's possible  because you can just buy  contact lenses online.  It makes me wonder how I would look like with a different eye color rather than dark brown hehehe.  

I started wearing eye glasses when I was  in my early 20s.  I tell you, I am not very fond of wearing glasses.  I only wear my eye glasses whenever we have to go somewhere and I have to look far.  I tried using contact lenses when I was still in  my country and I liked it.  The only thing that I don't like is the process of putting it on and off my eyes, it's a hassle.  When I came here in the States, I  went back to using eye glasses again.  

If you are looking for an online store where you can buy  contact lenses, go to Lenstore.  They have different kinds of contact lenses and they also provide  professional advice if need be.  You can ask them  questions if you  want to know  something about the product that you need.  They also have a price comparison feature which  will give you the advantage to find the right price.

Working Together

Gracie and Mr. Burrito worked together to create something using the building blocks.

Gracie  presented the work of art they just built.  She told me that this is a big van.  Do you see the little guy   at the steering wheel?

While you are writing your comment, you can play  any version of this Winter Sonata  videos I found in youtube.

Tagalog lyrics

Piano

Piano and Violin

Piano and Violin Instrumental

Back to School BOGO Promotion

This post brought to you by Famous Footwear. All opinions are 100% mine.

School opening is always expensive  especially if you are sending your school to private school because you have to buy everything.  Not to mention that the tuition fee  is expensive as well.    Hubby and I figured it out that  by the time our two kids graduates from high school, the amount we spend is half the price of the  value of our house  (lol).  But, it's our choice and we don't have any regrets about it.  We just have to find  money savings and deals in buying the school supplies that they need.   Famous Footwear is having a  back to school promotion.  You can avail and print the BOGO + 15% off Famous Footwear Coupon.    You can use this coupon   starting today  and until August 18 which will give you a savings of 15% off plus  the "Buy one, Get One  Half Off".  In this crunching time, it is always nice to find money savings deals such as this.  

Now if you  want to keep getting money saving deals from Famous Footwear, they  have the FREE Rewards Program where  anyone can sign up and every time you spend a dollar, you will get a point for it.  The points you accumulated can be then redeemed for gift certificate which you can use to buy other  shoes.  Aside from the points reward system, you will  also enjoy money saving deals that only members of the site  are qualified.  

My daughter like the ASICS Kids Gel Blurr, it is very pretty.  It's a little higher for my price  so I won't consider it for her gym shoes.  There are some  that are on sale and   they are pretty too which would  easily step up the fun factor for the kids.  Check out Famous Footwear's  selection and enjoy their back-to-school promotion.  

Airplane Trip

"As one gets older, it happens that in the morning one fails to remember the airplane trip to be taken in a few hours or the lecture scheduled for the afternoon."

-Rudolf Arnheim-

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Sky Watch Friday

Piano

My husband went for  another job interview today and  me and the kids really prayed that he gets the job the he  is applying for.  I feel bad that we couldn't  buy our daughter's piano as we  promised, right now, it is not possible to do it.  When the  classes starts, I may start sending resumes as well so I could help my husband  with our finances.  I hope that we would be able to afford to buy a piano soon.

Old Car, Coin, etc

We saw this old car where we practice shooting at my BIL's property.

Some of the shell casing we recovered from our practice.

Mr. Burrito found this  one dollar coin at my BIl's driveway.

We had a great time today with the family!
Blue Monday, ABC Wednesday

GPS Repair

Do you have a GPS or any tracking device?  It's really nice to have a GPS especially if you r sense  of direction is  horrible like mine lol.  There are also tracking device  that you can buy nowadays.  It makes a perfect device if you are taking care of elderly or children.  You can find aerial repairs exeter online if your device needs some repairs or you need someone to do the installation.