Ayie

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Did you understand what my little boy's trying to type? Hehehe, little J was so hyper and trying so hard to reach the keyboard so I just let him type away it. He was content after doing so and mommy had a bahaved baby afterwards. Win-win right? Perhaps he's telling you all that we'll visit your blogs after coming back from our trip. Mommy's been over busy this past week with baby, works, tasks and other things.



Enjoy your weekend!
Ayie
I grew up not being too inclined with medicines and I even remember dad giving us honey+garlic whenever we're couching and having phlegm. There's also warm calamansi juice or ginger tea when we have sore throat and colds. Those are just a few of the most common natural medicines our parents used to give us and I admit up to now I prefer those over pills and tablets.

Natural medicines are good for us but we also have to be careful not to drink or take just anything. We have to know which of which can actually make us better because some might not be accepted by our body and cause allergic reactions.

Herbalife has been known for its natural medicines and it's one of those companies that you can trust when it comes to natural medicine distribution. My mom once used Herbal Life products when she was offered by her friend. There are also many other distributors nowadays which works just as good. It's never too late to start taking care of our health, we can all make the change for the best!

Ayie
One night hubs and I were channel surfing looking for any good show to see and we came across something which features the best offices and modern houses. Of course our Architecture background got us hooked with the show instantly. We were like Ooooh, Wow, Damn! all throughout the show (sorry I don't remember how the program was called) being so amazed with all those featured places.




One thing that caught my attention was the stainless steel accents and finishes in a specific house. It's very striking and elegant looking, nothing industrial or commercial feel. Rare that I will be stunned with something so steel finish because I like a warm and cozy feel in houses therefore steel appeal isn't exactly what I'm after. In the family room the blomus stainless steel fireplace set with blomus stainless steel firepit was a knockout. It's not any regular fireplace that you'll see anywhere. Most of the appliance and decorations in that house were made of stainless steel like the blomus stainless steel teaset which perfectly matched the fireplace and all the other elements there. Not the usual things I see in homes but amazingly stunning!
Ayie
Yes I'm already packing up for our family trip but it's not an international trip just yet. Me, hubs and baby are going to join hubs' office outing and I need to do some packing up. I honestly feel worried for baby but I guess everything will be alright with mommy and daddy with him.

The trip will just be here in California but it will require quite a drive. That's the thing that worries me much because baby can't stay put for a longer period in his infant seat. It will break mommy and daddy's hearts hearing him cry on the way. I will not reveal yet where we will be heading this weekend so I can just share the experience with some photos of the trip later on.



This trip is also timely because I've been looking for luggage online for our come back home trip. I was able to see options from LuggageOnTheWeb.com which are great fro travels. The one we have here is an oversized (baby and I can fit inside!) one which hubs used coming back here last 2005. Actually it's just right for him but for me and baby we'll need something smaller to avoid excess baggage weight limit too. Another concern is that we'll be carrying baby around so another bulky luggage can be quite a burden. I like it plain and simple like Hartmann luggage and Tumi luggage but after seeing Delsey luggage options, I knew it's something we're eyeing for. A good sized luggage and best of all lightweight. I'll be checking out backpacks too because it's very convenient to have one for light hand carry whether you're flying or even just traveling around and camping. We left our backpack back home so we'll need to get one for our use here too.

I better start gathering all the things we'll need for the outing so I'll be clear with those for tomorrow and will have more time to prepare the foods we're tasked to bring. So far I prepared baby's clothes and all medicines that we'll need in any case. Time to work on daddy's stuffs now =)
Ayie
I'm a sucker for reruns. hd satellite tv is great for reruns. My favorite show that will NEVER die is Seinfeld.
The characters are hillarious, especially the infamous Kramer who flails around Jerry Seinfeld's apartment, eating all of his food, and meets surprisingly famous celebrities during his escapades in New York.
All of the characters are great, though. Most fans relate to George Costanza more than the rest of the crew. George is a nervous, funny character who gets into troubling situations. In one show, he reggretably decides to eat an ecclair that he finds in a trash can. Someone spots him doing it. That's the premise for one episode, but its a humor than can only be done by the series creater Larry David.
While most other television shows have deep, complex plots, Seinfeld keeps it simple. Most episodes rely on quirky social happenings than irk the cast than some deeply elaborate plot that spans multiple episodes.
This show has a rabid fan-base, and many claim it will never die. If they keep running reruns I will watch it for the rest of my life.
Guest post written by Mikel Trevino
Ayie
This photo of mine was taken about 21 years ago in Nayong Pilipino. It's a park wher eit features miniature places in the Philippines. I often go there because mom takes her students for a field trip there for her history class. I love this last leg of the trip because there are rentable bikes in the park and I get to enjoy biking after a nice picnic.



It's not the only place I used to go with mom and her students before. As part of mom's itinerary, she brings her students to orphanage, home for the aged, mental institution and other facilities like drug rehab or alcohol treatment center. This is part of her social sciences to have her class experience and get exposed to such facilities. Perhaps this is not the kind of field trip you would want to have but the truth is, I've learned so much being exposed to these trips. It's scary I admit but immersing to such experience opened up my eyes to a broader view in life. As a kid I learned how to value and respect those people undergoing such crisis and help those kids in the orphanage.

The scariest experience was there in the mental institution. I remember mom telling me to avoid interaction with those people because they can harm me since the are not in their right mind. I witnessed some who are really nuts and wild, people in charge of them had to give some drug treatment to calm them down. The screaming and weird action they were doing really scared me. Cases of people in the alcohol rehab undergoing alcohol treatment aren't really that bad compared to the mental hospital. Over all I felt sorry for all those people just by seeing them suffer. Of course what can you expect from a kid, right?
Ayie
Being a freelancer and getting to my works from home is something I enjoy so much most especially now that we have a baby. I get to spend more time with baby and take care of him full time. I get to enjoy the most of motherhood even how tiring it is at times. Being with our son is time worth spending than being just anywhere else without him. I'm so happy to be always by his side and watch him every moment possible.


He's still a baby but we have some kind of special deep connection because we have more bonding time together. Of course daddy gets the same affection too from baby. Everyday me and baby will watch TV starting with Sesame Street and other educational shows. It alternates with my cooking shows in which baby seems to enjoy too. I set limits when it comes to TV to instill discipline as early as now so that baby will understand it's not good to always be just infront of the TV. Even if there's so much DirecTV packages, dish packages & cable packages being offered, I'm happy with what we have right now.



Aside from out TV time together, we have playtime at home and walks outdoors. I try to keep baby active as much as possible to further enhance his development and growth. But one of our best bonding is our feeding time. I am proud to say that I am purely breastfeeding baby since birth. He's been growing good and healthy and we thank mommy's precious milk for that. Despite my close supervision with baby he gets to have his own time by himself. I let him play alone when he feels like it and just keep watching him closely. That way he can explore and learn things also on his own without thinking mommy or daddy always have to do things for him. Bonding time is very important but it should never be exaggeratedly done.

Ayie


I was asked by my godmother to design her house for future upgrade. From a simple bungalow she plans to renovate and make it like a building where they can make use of the lower two floors for commercial purposes and the upper floor for their residential use.



I actually had a nearly complete design but an accident happened with the hard drive where it's saved. Hubs accidentally reformatted my entire drive and I lost everything. These designs here are not the originals of what I came up with but nearly the same. After that incident I reconstructed the design and worked again on massing and planning. Good thing I have the idea so concrete in my mind.



The incident had its pros and cons with the design. Having to redo it gave way to some improvements just at the expense of my time and effort. Even if I have everything by heart, the amount of work required to make such design and model isn't a joke. The image above is a study on how I can utilize the space without compromising aesthetics and natural lighting and ventilation. Placing window box planters softened the walls and gave depth to the walls for window provision.



The planning got a bit compromised with the spaces having so much in and out with the walls so I worked on another solution for my concerns. I took out the planters and just provided a ledge with a soft curve cut and instead provided just one small planter on the ground floor for a simple plant-scape. This is how far I've done since I lost the files. I was advised not to hurry with the design so I just left it as how it is. Once cued to resume then I'll be on the roll again.
Ayie
Me and hubs are planning a trip back home with baby next year to spend some time with my family and also take the chance to have a vacation. We haven't been in any vacation long enough to really de-stress and just relax. The trip will also be good for baby to see my side of family and go to the beautiful places there in the Philippines most especially the beaches.



Airline tickets right now are pretty cheap and very ideal for vacations but we're not ready yet to go plus we want baby to be bigger and at least able to walk so he can enjoy the most of the vacation too. What I like it there is that baby can play with many kids by our neighborhood and be really active. It will contribute so much to his social development which is very important. We're still choosing the date when to go also in consideration having a great bargain with discount airfare. If we can save more with the tickets then we'll have more dough to spare with the vacation travels and shopping.

Ayie

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It's interesting how a common shrub played a big role in naming a once small town in 1938 which eventually flourished and later became a city in 1957. I'm talking about Waxmyrtle (Myrica Cerifera), commonly grown as a dense hedge which serves as natural landscape screening. It is also known as bayberry or candleberry because its fruit's waxy pale blue covering is used to make fragrant candles. This plant is very flammable which can ignite in a flash in a fire.


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Myrtle Beach was named after the Waxmyrtle plant which is abundant in the area. Myrtle has become a tourist spot where people come to enjoy wide stretch of beach resorts in Myrtle Beach, the Atlantic Ocean, great seafood, shopping and golfing. Time paved the way to development with the added numbers of visitors locally and abroad, lodging and Myrtle Beach hotel facilities took its course to provide better hospitality services to tourists.


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Myrtle is not only known for its white beaches but also for great golf courses. Golfing can be an alternative activity when the surf isn't your cup of tea. Playing few rounds of golf is enough to keep you occupied all day through. Most resorts offer beach and golf packages with wide range of online deals like http://avistaresort.com.
Ayie

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South Carolina often associated with civil war is indeed a very beautiful place rich in history and cultural heritage. It is where the blending of European, African and Caribbean influences can be seen through the historic sites, distinctive architecture, food and culture. It is a place where you can experience the feel of the old-world charm just like being taken back to the past.


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South Carolina has more to offer than just history. It is an ideal place for vacation for almost all kinds of activities everybody can enjoy. It is where you can commune with nature and discover all the hidden beauty of the parks and the great outdoors. Great adventures await in the campgrounds from where you can hike through mountain trails, see breathtaking sights of the waterfalls, ride through the white water rapids or enjoy a scenic kayaking on crystal clear lakes of Carolina.


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There's no denying that South Carolina's known for it's white sand beaches and green golf courses. Step up for the challenges of Myrtle's renowned golf courses and get ready for the swing. Don't miss out to find the best Myrtle Beach vacation deals at http://www.grandeshores.com and take the chance to relax in Myrtle Beach hotel where you can see the great ocean view and feel the fresh ocean breeze.

Ayie


I love walking around our neighborhood and going all the way to hubs office. I used to do that a lot before even when I was pregnant but now that baby's here no more. There are times when I bring baby to see daddy even for a little time but it looks like I won't be able to carry him around as much anymore because he's getting really heavy now. I will have to make use of a stroller soon if me and baby has to go anywhere around. I can feel back pains already after a long walk carrying baby.



I always carry with me our camera during my walks before because the downtown area always has something interesting views for my lenses. The first photo is hubs office building and it's perfect with the beautiful clouds. There were also some pretty flowers that time so I didn't miss the chance to snap some shots too.



If I remember it right the day I took this shot was the same day a couple asked me for an office located in the same building. To think I almost pointed them out to the other building across, good thing we saw the address plaque of the building. Then after verifying the address sign I helped them look for the wall address plaques to see the building directory. Funny that the unit they were looking for was just above hubs' office.
Ayie
After I decided to compare cable providers and get satellite tv, I got hooked on the show Roseanne! This show is about two working class people who have a family to raise and a job to do. They go through hard times just like any other blue collar person that I know. The reason the show is so appealing is because Roseanne always finds a way to add comedy to an otherwise tragic situation. Roseanne and Dan love each other even though they may not show it at times and they work very hard for their families.


There are many different situations that you run into with the Connor family. There was even one episode where Becky the oldest daughter was giving a speech to her school and farted in front of the entire assembly. Then there was an episode where Dan caught Darlene the middle child being groped by a boy on her basketball team. The supporting characters add a flare and a life to the show that may not have other wise been there. You never know what you are going to see when you watch an episode of Roseanne.

This guest post from Efren Gill

Ayie


There are many wonderful day trips you can take not far from your home. Depending on where you live, there are exciting places to go and things to do and see. Weekends in the summer months is the time to pack up the family and go. The day trip is the perfect opportunity to be with the one's we love and share those wonderful moments that become sweeter in time.



The hardy adventurer must do some preparation before setting out. It is a good idea to pack the car the night before. Making a list of the things you want to take is another way to stay organized. You should take: food and water, cell phone, extra clothes, first-aid-kit, and the all important sunscreen. The last thing to do in the morning is to set your all home security alarm system before leaving the house.

We look at day trips as family activities. A vote is usually taken of where to go and the majority wins. One of our favorite day trips is to spend the day at the lake. We live in Colorado and love to go boating. Our favorite boating lake is the largest fresh water lake in the state- Lake Dillon. We pack a picnic lunch then head out with our boat in tow. Once the boat is in the water then the fun begins. We generally lose track of time and before we know it, the day has passed us by. But there is always another weekend. That is the beauty of summer.

Thanks for the post from Nora Mccoy

Ayie
Our environment is not as healthy as how it was years and years ago. Now there's so much pollution which can cause harm to our body. It actually worries us about our kid's future health if he'll be exposed to such harmful environment.

An example of bad exposure to certain things evident in our everyday surrounding like asbestos, can result to Mesothelioma cancer. Mesothelioma is a rare type of disease occurring in the mesothelium, a membrane which protects most of the internal organs of the body. Surviving mesothelioma can be possible if diagnosed in earlier stage and given appropriate medical treatment.

It's really hard to predict what could come our way in the future. Today you may find yourself healthy and the next day can be bad. The least that we can do is to do the best care we can for our body by eating healthy, staying active with exercise and living clean. We want to be a part of our kid's future therefore keeping him healthy is not the only priority but also keeping us healthy as well so we can live longer to take care of him.
Ayie
Early this week hubs aunt from London called to say hi and thank us for sending her some photo card. She's happy that we remember her and uncle. The call wasn't that long because I was also attending to baby and she had to go to sleep already. Before hanging up she mentioned maybe we can go for a vacation in London with baby since he's airfare is still free. Hubs and I really want to go there in London and all other countries in time.


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As much as we want to start traveling now we're not the type to go anywhere unplanned and without the right budget. We believe that we'll get to enjoy more and maximize our trip if we have dough to spare.
Maybe in time we can go to visit auntie and uncle and they can give us London private tour or better if they will extend the tour all the way to Paris. A Paris private tour from dear auntie and uncle will be exciting too. But before all those other international tours happen, we will go back home first and travel there with baby and my family.
Ayie
Before baby came I was always alone here at home and all I do is just to work, clean home, do grocery, cook and take care of hubs. I get to chat with bes, mom and the rest of my family sometimes and also go out for a walk to have some exercise. My life was pretty simple but has always been busy.

It has liven up more here at home since baby came and even if it's more work than ever, I am very happy and content. Tiring as it can be but my little boy can do magic in cheering me up and taking away my tiredness with his smile and giggles. I am just thankful to God for keeping us all healthy and in good shape to keep up with everyday stress. It's not as easy as before though it's not as happy and complete too.



Hubs takes his "me time" by playing his games either by himself or online with friends. Me on the other hand relaxes by watching some cook shows during mid day while taking care of baby. Sometimes I sneak in browsing the net reading some articles. When baby falls in deep slumber and takes his 2hr nap in the afternoon I try to see how casino online works. This has always intrigued me since bes handled this kind of account in her job and I never understood how online casino goes. I tried checking online casino reviews to have more idea about it but I guess bes can answer my questions.

These are just few of my activities when I get some chance and that chance is very rare. Baby has scheduled naps in which I try to fit in other things to do like cooking dinner and finishing up my works. I don't feel bad not having some quality time alone because it's such a delight seeing my little boy every second and being with him always.
Ayie
Everyone loves summer if for no other reason than the fact that it's laid back. The kids are off school and everyone is in the mood for a summer vacation! Whether you'll be camping or taking time off overseas, there is preparation involved when getting ready to go away from your home for a while.



There are certain steps that we go through in prepping ourselves (and our homes) for vacation. Obviously, we first begin by making sure that all of the travel arrangements are made and in place. After we're certain that we've got a place to go to and we know how we're getting there, we have to make arrangements for the house and pets. Make certain that your pets will be safe by ensuring that they'll be at either at the local kennel or with a friend or family member you can trust.

Next, check through all of your belongings to feel comfortable knowing that you have everything you'll be needing on the trip. If in doubt, stop at the store several days before leaving. Make certain that you're not waiting until the last minute to get ready, as that will just make for a stressful beginning to your vacation.

On the day before departure, finish packing and set the Security Choice home security alarm a bit early so you're not rushing around the day of. Finally, you'll wake up rested and all you'll need to do is grab your packed items, set your home security alarm and enjoy your trip without worry or hesitation!

Post written by travel blogger Hank Morrison

Ayie
I have been designing our future home over the years and up to now I'm still coming up with new ideas and input tweaks to the design. That's the fun part of being the architect of your own house, incorporating your ideals freely without having to pay any penny! Nothing's really final yet because I am torn between contemporary and Japanese theme. The last that I schemed had more of Japanese features but never really streamlined the design. I'm also on hold working on any of those schemes due to my other work projects, sidelines and of course baby.


...2 house schemes I designed and still not final...

I really want to have a good sized Koi pond in the garden and have even just a small waterfall & wooden bridge. I find Japanese gardens so nice and calming, it can be a great place to just relax and unwind after a tiring day. If the garden will be big enough to have a small gazebo, probably Japanese inspired too I can make use of rain chains to add some aesthetics to it. Not only that it's decorative, a rain chain can be a good replacement for an unsightly downspout. This way water can be transported nicely to the drain without compromising aesthetics. I think a Japanese rain chain will be perfect since it's a Zen style garden.


...beautiful rain chains...

That so far is the thing I am more solid about my ideal home, the garden. It's a must to have even just a small garden space and work out all the things I want there in smaller scale if needed. Maybe if we're lucky enough to get our own place here I can practice designing the garden so by the time we're ready to construct our place there in my homeland we'll have concrete idea how to do it.




Ayie


There are days when I feel like spoiling hubs so much most especially before baby came. I had more time to do things before and can take all the time to cook whenever I feel like cooking. Though I still get to prepare good and healthy dishes for us, I just don't have the luxury of time to cook in longer period. Before I can take hours if I want to prepare something very special but now I have to do that special dish or dishes in a snap.



Hubs love onion rings so one time I thought of making homecooked onion rings, potato and carrot fries. I made the breading with a mixture of Masa (corn flour), mexican bread crumbs, salt, pepper, lemon pepper and all spice. The beaten egg helped added flavor and kept the fritters nicely coated. I used olive oil for frying, at least a healthier option for oily indulgence.



Now that I'm looking at the photos of the fritters, it's making me hungry! I don't have yet the amount of time to do this dish again because as you all know I am taking care of our precious baby full-time. Perhaps when baby's bigger and ready to try mommy's fritters then I'll find the time to make this once again for all of us to enjoy.




Hubs also loves bread so I see to it I balance our carbs with rice, pasta, noodles and bread. Whenever we have this kind of bread I see to it I try to make a special filling to go with this tasty and crusty-licious bread.



Hubs would usually order tri-tip for sandwich so I thought making a roastbeef cheeseteak style sandwich will delight him. All I needed was a nice chunk of beef and marinated it with soy sauce, worcestershire, A1 steak sauce, pinch of sugar, salt, pepper and steak spices. I drizzled it with olive oil and just pan roasted. Cheese need not to be a special kind, it's just a regular quick melt. I had to use whatever I have in my kitchen. This is how I do fastfood my way =)


Ayie
Back home I used to play scrabble with our neighbors. It's something we get to do on Fridays or weekends gathering in our hang out place. Someone's in-charge of the dictionary to check some words that we're unsure of. It was pretty basic before but later on somebody acquired an electronic dictionary (word checker) and it was very handy while we're playing. No more flipping pages to check some words, just type it in and it will be checked automatic.



Fun days for us is over, looks like it will be our kids who will be hanging out and having fun once we all reunite. The kids will probably use Bee English Dictionary, a free online dictionary where they can refer to. Looks like our old ways won't be embraced by the new generation and will prefer online dictionary. Well it doesn't really matter as long as they will have fun.
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