Review of products to prevent stretch marks

Pregnancy is such a life changing event! Becoming a mother is one of the life events that I have looked forward to. And pregnancy is a time of pure joy despite all the discomfort that came with it. Almost all discomforts of pregnancy are temporary anyway, and there is nothing that could match the pure happiness that a mother feels when her child is finally born.

However, one undesirable and permanent part of pregnancy is the appearance of stretch marks. A lot of moms I know would give anything to be able to look for an effective, reliable and safe way to prevent stretch marks. There are stretch mark creams in the market that promise to prevent or lessen the appearance of stretch marks, but they don't always work as promised.

Divas Skincare Blog reviews the performance of four products for stretch marks. Revitol stretch mark cream came up on top in her study. It contains 100% natural ingredients such as squalene oil, vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin D3 as well as aloe vera and grapefruit seed extracts, which claims to increase elasticity of the skin. It does not require a prescription.

This certainly looks promising. There is nothing to lose by trying since it does not contain anything harmful anyway.

I act like a 29 year old

Tagged by Utah Mommy. This is cute :)

You Act Like You Are 29 Years Old

You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel like an adult, and you're optimistic about life. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences. You're still figuring out your place in the world and how you want your life to shape up. The world is full of possibilities, and you can't wait to explore many of them.

What Age Do You Act?

Since I'm already 37, I guess you could say I'm young at heart! :D

I'm tagging Prettylifeonline, Scotty's Princess, Texas Sweetie and Sexymom. :)

Another survey on movies outside the movie theater

Linky Love

I got these from both Peachy and Jane :). Thanks, girls! I tried to use all the links! I hope this will help you :)

Cut and paste the following starting here.

I have randomly selected 5 of you below to be tagged and I hope that you will similarly publish this post in your blog. You will have to tag 5 other bloggers and just keep adding on to the list. (Do not replace, just keep on adding! Yes we hope it will be a long list!)
It’s real easy! Tag others and see your Technorati Authority increase exponentially! The benefits of Viral Linking:
- One of the fastest ways to see your technorati authority explode!
- Increase your Google PageRank fast
- Attract large volume of new traffic to your site
- Build your community
- Make new friends!

The Strategist Notebook Link Addiction Ardour of the Heart When Life Becomes a Book The Malaysian Life Yogatta.comWhat goes under the sun Roshidan’s Cyber Station Sasha says Arts of Physics And the legend lives My View, My Life A Simple Life Juliana RW The Callalily Space Petra Summer in Blue Confessions of an Army Wife Bless’ Sanctuary Happy Life Living @ Evergreen State La Place de Cherie, Chez Francine, Le bric a brac de Cherie, Little Peanut, Pea in a Pod, The Creative In Me, Me and Mine , Me and my Two Boys, My Life is Peachy , http://bless519.bravejournal.com/ Memories Frozen in Time My Joys My Charmed Life, The Working Mom, Online Raket, Practical Tips and More, Food Drink Atbp ADD YOURSELF HERE

I'm tagging Melisse, Norm, Vina, Mari and Teebob.

Valentine's Day, the practical way

Are you ready for Valentine's Day? Being a practical person, I would rather buy my loved ones something they could use, rather than spend it on an expensive dinner date in a crowded restaurant with other couples celebrating Valentine's Day.

My husband has been trying to look for a nice watch for the longest time. I can get him a nice Omega watch at World of Watches for 100 dollars off! I'm sure he'll be very happy with my choice.

I also found some very cute shirts for my toddler at The Children's Place. He'll surely look even cuter in his new clothes!

There are other great deals from Coupon Chief. I'm sure you'll have fun shopping especially with the great discounts that you'll get from the site.

Forever Friends and Spreader of Love Awards

Got these awards from Jhona. I'm very flattered! Thanks!

Update: Yvelle also gave me the above award. I am very flattered that you think of me as a friend!

I'm passing these to my lovely friends Jenny, Kelly, Leah and Lorie.

Feeling lucky?

I'm not really a gambler, but I sometimes try a little bit of blackjack or video poker for fun. I had a trip to Las Vegas a few years back, and what's a Las Vegas trip without a little bit of gambling, even if it's just the slot machine?

Now, short of going to Las Vegas to gamble, you can actually do it online. There are so many online casino websites out there. I am personally very wary of risking my hard earned money in sites which might turn out to be scams.

The fast way to know which of them are genuine and which offer the best deal is to visit pro360.com. Here, you see a good list of different online casinos. These are rated by the editor and the people who actually gamble at these sites. They also show which sites welcome US players. Even the amounts of bonuses offered by each site as incentive are also noted here, as well as a full review.

This would make it simple for you on the days that you're just feeling very lucky.

Another college application survey

This is a follow up to the previous surveys here.

Have fun remembering your college days!

Easy tuna spread

This is one of my favorite recipes, because it's VERY easy, versatile and delicious!

There are only 2 basic ingredients:

1 180 gm can of tuna
1 160 gm can of heavy cream

Basic Instructions:

1. Drain the tuna. If the tuna is in an oil base, you can reserve the oil to be used for sauteeing.

2. If you have the oil from the tuna, you can saute the tuna in the oil first. You can add garlic to the oil before sauteing the tuna if you prefer the taste and aroma of garlic. How much depends on your taste for garlic.

If you prefer less oil, you don't have to saute the tuna. Just put it in the wok or pan.

3. Add the cream.

4. Heat through, mixing all the while. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. When the cream starts to bubble, you can turn off the heat and serve!

You can use this as a sandwich spread or a pasta sauce.

Variations:
This is a very versatile recipe and can be subject to your own experimentation
You can use the "hot and spicy" variety of tuna if you prefer it hot.
You can also add curry for a different twist.
You can also add sliced button mushrooms, peas, or asparagus.

Do feel free to comment on this recipe!

Reviews of cash advance and payday loans

Strapped for cash? Need cash for some emergency? A hard to miss opportunity to buy something you like?

And…horrors, the money that you got from your last paycheck has just run out? There are just some things that cannot wait, and you will need additional cash NOW!

If you need to avail of some quick, emergency cash before your next payday rolls in, the so called cash advance or payday loan may be the right thing for you. However, with the numerous loan companies out there, how would you know which company would be the best one for you? Try looking up trustsource. Their site features different companies who offer payday loans. These companies are ranked by people who have actually availed of their services. There is also a short overview regarding their features and unique selling points as well as reviews by their satisfied customers. This is a good site to research on which company offers the loan that would suit your current needs the most.

If you have not availed of any payday loan or cash advance before, how would you know which company is reliable? The best gauge of the quality of their services is the number of satisfied customers that they had and their testimonials. Word of mouth is the most reliable way of looking for the most reliable company. And trustsource certainly provides you with that.

Marketing with text messages -- what is your opinion?

We Filipinos are very fond of text messaging since for us it is a relatively cheap way to keep in touch. Everywhere you look, there would be people holding a phone composing a message or reading one.

What do you feel about ads in text messages? Here's a survey:

Movies Outside the Movie Theater -- Another Survey

There are a gazillion movies released each year and we just can't see all of them in a theater, but fortunately they are many outlets for after the movie theater run.

Surveys about investing and transfer of wealth

Invest, Save, Spend ... Who Knows?

We get income and it seems to go to someone really fast. Do we have savings or investment goals, like paying to send a child to school, buying a house, a car, an iPhone, a new wardrobe, funding a wedding, a vacation, etc.? Do the goals keep us on track or are they just like well intentioned New Year resolutions?



Transfer of Wealth - Baby Boomers to their Children

Baby Boomers are becoming the old farts and eventually their wills must be executed -- face it folks, it's Mother Nature at work. Regardless of your generation, children may benefit as a transfer of wealth takes place.

And let's be clear about the purpose of this survey ... it's a survey, no one is going to contact you or sell you something because of your answers ...

I am frustrated! I need a little more patience....

My son has been successfully pooping in the toilet whenever we catch him with his "poo" look but he's sneaky about it. He'd rather just do his business in his diapers.

A while ago, I caught him with his "poo" expression and brought him to the toilet, pulled down his shorts and soiled diapers. While seated, he peed but after that he wanted to be let up so I thought that was it. I washed his bum with soap and water, dried it with a towel and put a fresh diaper on him. All ok...or so I thought!

Next thing I knew, he was pooing again in the fresh diaper I put him in!

Aaaahhhhh!!! The worse thing is, he does this mostly to ME! I don't know why. With his papa, he finishes his business with pooing in the toilet before being washed, and doesn't poo after. This isn't the first time it's occurred to me.

The terrible twos! It's just a stage....it's just a stage....it's just a stage...

Software for setting up an online business

I don't know if you're aware of it, but I am currently doing a small time online business. However, since my business can only accept cash on delivery, GCash and bank deposits here in the Philippines, it's very difficult for me to expand internationally since I have to have a way to accept payment from other countries.

Since I'm exploring the possibility of expanding my micro online business, the ecommerce software offered by Ashop seems to be very convenient for aspiring online entrepreneurs. It’s like an all-in-one package for online store setup which is made easier for even people who are not familiar with setting up a web business. They have fully customizable themes, inventory control, integration of real time shipping records and lots more. Their secure shopping cart software is integrated with all major banks, gateways and third party processors including PayPal.

This would make expanding to the international market so much easier!

My blog got accepted at Smorty!

My blog finally got accepted at Smorty! If you're not aware of this site, it is a site that pays bloggers like us to blog, and advertisers to create buzz for their products and services through blog advertising. It is a great way to monetize your blog. If you haven't gotten on board, do try them out!

Why am I excited about my blog getting accepted? You see, not just any blog can be accepted. You have to fulfill some minimum requirements in order that your blog will be considered to accept assignments. Being accepted means that my blog has reached an acceptable level for them, which is quite positive for me. However, if you do not get accepted at the first try, you are told the reasons why and your blog can be resubmitted once the missing requirements are fulfilled.

Another reason why I'm really excited is that this is another income stream for me! Hurray!

If you have a blog, I urge you to try them out!

News from The Working Mom

I'm a little behind today on my blog hops because I am a little busy (but I'm REALLY trying to do it a little at a time :) ). I have exams coming up (I'm taking up Master's classes) and I really NEED to cram right now! Also, my little boy has a little cough and demands just a little more TLC, so I'm having a hard time just finding free time.

I'm launching 2 more new blogs! 1 is a food blog, and the other is a practical tips blog. I also have a health blog, but I'm still determining what topic I should put there next. Maybe anybody would give suggestions?

And yeah! Not to forget my onlineraket blog! I'm trying to maximize my time here on the net, and that blog contains programs I'm in right now. I'm planning to put there proofs of payment pics so you'll know which of them are the ones which really pay.

And last but not least, I'm still collecting votes for Filipino Blog of the week! If you believe my blog has been an interesting read, do vote for me here :). I'd really appreciate it.

Pay per Play and monetize your site

If you have a blog or a website and are looking to make more money out of it, here's Net Audio Ads, a new and exciting opportunity! What's great about this is that you earn from every visitor that comes to your site! Isn't that great? EVERY VISITOR! Not just visitors who click on your ads!

How does this work? Every visitor to your website or blog hears a five second audio advertisement. This is a way for advertisers to reach their an end audience classified according to their geographic location, demographics and specific interests.

The good news for blogsite and website owners like us is that there is currently a generous affiliate program in place, but this is a limited time offer! It will continue only up to February 1, 2008. After February 1, 2008, the program converts to a "Host Only" model, meaning you will only make revenue from the ads placed on your own site. ANY SITE THAT SIGNS UP NOW FOR THE AFFILIATE PROGRAM CAN CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE & SHARE IN AFFILIATE REVENUE AFTER FEBRUARY 1, 2008. It's imperative for any site owner wanting to maximize revenue by way of NetAudioAds consider registering for the FREE Affiliate program before February 1, 2008.

Interesting!

Empanada at Century

My mother's friend sent over a few of these chicken empanadas. The box states that they were from Deli Snack in the Century Hotel over at P. Ocampo Street.

They were delicious! Tasty, A LOT of chicken meat, flaky shell and just the right size for a light meal or a snack.

The true test came when I microwaved it after putting it in the ref (I like my empanadas warm). They are still delicious, although the crust has been "softened" by the nuking.

I'll give it a 10 out of a possible 10.

Sorry don't know how much it is since it was a gift.

College-University: Application Surveys

I remember when I applied for college. It was more than 20 years ago already (eek!) and my choices were University of the Philippines and University of Santo Tomas because they had the most well known medical schools here in the Philippines.

I got accepted in both but ended up studying in UST because the course I picked seemed to be more advantageous for further medical studies (Medical Technology). Once in a while, I get the feeling that "what if" I had entered UP instead?

No regrets though. I enjoyed my stay at UST. I also went on to Medicine after I graduated from my undergraduate course.

Now, I am ALSO a UP student. For my Master's, I'm taking a distance learning course at the UP Open University.

I will soon be sending my son to small school, later to big school. Eventually, he'll also go to college. I shudder to think how expensive education would be! But, as good parents, we have the responsibility of ensuring our children get a good education.

The following is a survey on higher education from Dneero.

I'm nominated for Filipino blog of the week!

This weekend has been especially exciting for The Working Mom. I got into the front page of TopMomma -- although it's only been for 1 day. I've also started other new exciting blogs, which I will announce as soon as they are up and running.

Another exciting -- and totally unexpected news is -- I got nominated for the Filipino Blog of the Week at http://salaswildthoughts.blogspot.com ! I do not exactly know how I got in, but knowing that somebody felt that my blog was good enough to be nominated is a big honor for me!

For my readers out there (now I know I have readers - GRIN), please do vote for me here. I'd really appreciate it a lot!

US Presidential Politics 2008 - Take Another Look

In both parties the candidates are recalibrating their strategies after the results in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Follow up to previous surveys here.



The election of the next U.S. President is in November 2008. The primaries are beginning and that will determine the two candidates that will compete for the highest position in the U.S. government. U.S. voters are battling with many issues. Let's talk about the issues.

I only lasted 1 day at Topmomma :(

Remember when I was so excited about being on the front page of TopMomma? Well, I lasted only 1 day, but I'm going to try again!

Payday Loans and Cash Advances

What happens when you're between paydays, you run out of money and you run into an emergency or you need cash badly to tide you over until the next payday? Just because it never happened to you before does not mean that it won’t ever happen to you. It is better to always be prepared for any emergency.

The solution for the above scenario is payday loans. However, not all services offering payday loans and cash advances are created equal. They each have different requirements. Their quality of services is also different, some being better than others. And, what do their previous clients have to say about them? Don’t you wish there would be some way for you to make a comparative study about the different available services without taking too much of your time?

Before you take out that payday loan, do look up http://trustsouce.org. They contain different products with descriptions, reviews and rankings from people who have already used the products you are interested in. This includes the aforementioned payday loans. It takes a lot of the guesswork out to just look at other people’s reviews. And these reviews being from real persons and real clients, it saves you time from going around asking relatives, friends and acquaintances who may or may not have experiences with the products that you are interested in, also saving you a lot of time.

I'm Top Momma!

I still have lots of other things to catch up on this blog, but I'm very excited about being notified that I landed on the front page of topmomma!

I even have a badge to prove it!

So what's so cool about this? Just click on the badge to find out!

20 Qs

This tag was handed over to me by Pia and Toni. Thanks to both of you! Some of your questions are already different. I used Pia's version coz I got her tag first :).

Here are the rules:

1. Remove 1 question from below, and replace it with your own personal question.
2. Make it a total of 20 questions.
3. Then tag 8 people, list them at the end of this post.
4. Notify them in their chat box that they have been tagged.


20 Personal Questions Meme

1.) At what age do you wish to marry?

I didn't really have a definite age in mind. I just wanted to marry if and when I meet the right guy and I've finished with my studies.

2.) What color do you like most?

Red!

3.) If you have the chance, what would you probably say to your beloved one?

I love you! I try to say that every chance I get!

4.) Where is the place that you want to visit the most?

China

5.) Which part of you do you hate the most?

My tummy :(

6.) When you encounter a sad moment, what do you do?

Sit down and think, pray.

7.) What are you afraid to lose the most?

family.

8.) If you win $1 million, what would you do?

Pay off my debts, buy a house and a thriving business ( like a Jollibee franchise), get my son the best education possible, give some money to my mother and put a large part of it in investments.

9.) What is your ultimate goal in life?

To be able to live a happy, fulfilling life and to give my child/ren a good head start in life.

10.) . which one would you choose? half empty or half full?

Half full. It's more optimistic.

11.) What qualities do you wish your other half to have?

I'm happy with the way he is right now. A person is the totality of his strengths and faults, I like his strengths and I can live with his faults.

12.) What do you regret the most in life?

I can't really think of any. My life now is the result of past decisions, and it's okay, so far.

13.) Which type of person do you hate the most?

Anybody who does something morally wrong for no reason at all.

14.) What is your ambition in life?
I wanted to be a doctor. I fulfilled that coz now I'm a practicing ophthalmologist.

15.) What do you want most for your children?

They grow up healthy, happy, educated, with a good moral backbone.

16.) Christmas came. Did you celebrate it with the people you wanted the most?

Yes :)

17.) What brand of toothbrush do you use?

Oral-b

18.) Name one of your body parts your partner tells you they adore.

He's not too expressive about this...I guess legs?

19.) It would be 2008 in a few days, do you have a New Year’s resolution?

It already passed :). I didn't!

20.) If your better half is cheating on you, will you forgive them?

I believe in my heart I eventually will. But that doesn't mean that he's off the hook! :)

Now am passing this tag to my new blog friends Byotipol, Bregie, Idealpinkrose, Keep on Going, NickZ, Sasha, Sexymom and Teebob. I hope you haven't done this yet :)

My Planner for 2008

I've always used planners, but being the frugal person that I am (a.k.a. "frugal", "kuripot", thrifty, take your pick!), I do not see the need to buy a planner when so many companies give these out as their corporate giveaways every Christmas season.

I liked Starbucks and Belle du Jour planners but I am hesitant to spend for them.

Since I have insurance policies with Sunlife, I asked my agent if they have planners this year. I have always been happy with their planners even if they look really "corporate". It serves its purpose anyway of recording my appointments and the patients I saw.

This year, however, the Sunlife planner was really very nice! They've completely changed the design and it has become more of a work of art. :)

How is it different from the usual planner?

Sunlife planners always have a leatherette cover with space for a business card (my agent put his card there), and this year it was no exception. There's also a pen holder. It's a pity they don't have the strip of leatherette which could be used as a bookmark. 2 years ago, their planner had that, but they didn't have that anymore for 2007 and 2008.

The extras:
- Every month there's a featured photograph from their amateur photo enthusiasts with a pithy saying. There are also nice looking calenders for the month.
- There's a detachable Mother's Day card beside the date for Mother's Day, with a detachable envelope. I thought that was a nice touch. At least if you forgot the date and flipped to that page, you at least have a card to give to mom.
- There's a card for a travel accident insurance which you have to text in to activate. At least that's what I think it looks like. I couldn't be sure, though. The card is still in the plastic and since I'm not travelling yet, I'm not gonna detach and open it yet.
- There's a VIP pass for a Free Financial Seminar, good for September and October. It's attached just before September.
- There's also a detachable Christmas card.
- The last page features the names of the members of their amateur photo club. What a nice way to give these people recognition for their talent.

If you want a nice looking planning without drowning in coffee or shelling out money AND you happen to be Sunlife client, why not try to ask your agent if he has planners he could give you? :) Do remember, though, not to force your agent -- he/she has to spend for the planner he/she gives you...I really do not know how much it cost my agent, but I'm so glad he gave this to me.

The Best: TV, Tech, Holiday, Sports Event

A brief survey to get you thinking about the good things in your life.

Another Inspiration

Got this very cute friendship award from Lorie. Thank you so much sis! This is very appreciated! :) And you're right, it's possible to make friends even if you don't see each other personally.

I'd like to pass this tag to Gracie, wersp, Meng, Mhay and Peachy.

Bloggers of the World

I snagged this from Keep on Going! :)

Whoever starts this one, I salute you for doing this very difficult job.

For those who would like to grab this, feel free to do so, but make sure you post it in the same way, no ripping, no cutting. Let's respect the person who made this.

0-Cotojo 1-Lisa , 2-Kim,3-Deborah, 4-Pearl, 5-Sandy,6-Jesse, 7-Chris, 8- Colin 9-Santa, 10-Blog Elf, 11-Jackie,12-Marzie, 13-Adrian, 14-Jos,15-NAFA SG, 16-Paula, 17-Sue,18-KathyMaartje, 20-Morgan,21-Greg, 22-MaryAnn, 23-Eric,24-Hawk, 25-Carol, 26-Diane,27-Ev Nucci, 28-Surjit, 29-Kuanyin,30-Christy Z, 31-Sandee, 32-Robin,33-Hanna, 34-Maunie, 35-Kim,36-Bobby, 37-Billy, 38-David, 39-Jennifer,40-Aryst, 41-Winston, 42-Christy,43-LilyRuth, 44-Jess, 45-Rudy,46-Lynda, 47-Lili, 48-Sandy G,49-Ange, 50-BlackWyrm, 51-Vincent,52-Colin & Anne, 53-Blandly Urbane, 54-Marco,55-Mihaela Lica, 56-John C, 57-Aziz-sm,58-Ugyen, 59-Lansy, 60-Alex Badalic,61-Victors, 62-Nostalgia Manila, 63-Franco Yong,64-Herby, 65-Rubie, 66-Santaram & BVK,67-Jean-david, 68-Namgay, 69-Catherine,70-Yunita P, 71-Debbie Dolphin, 72-Lorimer Black,73-Dream Catcher, 74-Fred Plimley, 75-Anja Merret,76-Maria Lourdes, 77-Jon B, 78-Aayush,79-Denise, 80-Dharmendra P, 81-Brent D,82-Jerry & Daryl McCoy, 83-Brian B, 84-Calvin Innes,85-Pieter Marburn, 86-Jessica Field, 87-Taflas,88-Alex Sysoef, 89-Norie, 90-Justin Stanley,91-Ashish, 92-David Ledoux, 93-Thanate Tan,94-Kevin, 95-Etienne, 96-Gerbera,97-Christina, 98-Abhishek d, 99-Uprai,100-Texas_Jam, 101-Azmiel, 102-Daniel,103-Kristin B, 104-Luwis, 105-Adavait,106-Now Sourcing, 107-Buen Amigo, 108-Kiran Pande,109-Peterson Wong, 110-Lynn, 111-Chessnoid,112-Luis Hipolito, 113-Joliveira, 114-Jennifer & Pete,115-Team Dog, 116-Megan, 117-Mark,118-Raivyn, 119-Mel, 120-Andrea,121-Jen / domestika, 122-Mimi, 123-Bobo,124-Lynda Lehmann, 125-Dread Bob, 126-Julie,127-RennyBA, 128-Bobbarama, 129-Becky,130-Magdalena, 131-Michelle, 132-Stacie,133-Climate of Our Future Team, 134-CashMarble, 135-OilOffShoreMarine,136-Jos Additional BlogLove, 137-Piper,Barbara,139-Ann Clemmons, 140-Deb, 141-madang.com,142-RamblingMoo.com, 143-blogginginmypyjamas, 144-StylewithPassion,145-Chinneeq, 146-Dora-zooropazoo, 147-Babyshern,148-HiPnCooLMoMMa 149-Rachel’s Soulful Thoughts 150-When Silence Speaks,151-Dancing in Midlife Tune, 152-Underneath it All, 153- I am Dzoi,154-Hobbies and Such, 155-moms…..check nyo, 156-Choc Mint Girl,157-Amel’s Realm, 158- My Thoughts, 159-Rusin Roundup,160-Juliana’s Site, 161-Max, 162-Rooms of My Heart,163-A Great Pleasure, 164-LadyJava’s Lounge, 165-Jesie,166-Steven, 167-Trinity, 168-Leena,169-Nick, 170-Nessa, 171-Debbie Dolphin,172- Anna t, 173-krrey_boo, 174-Logic,175-Steve Ho, 176-Virtual Entrepreneur, 177-WalksFarWoman,178-Anna, Beth & Cory’s Mom, 179-Toon, 180-Belinda181-EPSpeaks, 182-Teacher Julie 183-jafajfer,184-pmonchet, 185-Aslan, 186-arouetvoltaire ,187-Tanny, 188-Il vaso di Pandora, 189-Non Lineare,190-Omniamundamundis, 191-LineaNeuronica, 192-Semplicemente Lisa193-la penna che graffia 194-Angelbaby, 195-Divya,196-Cyn, 197-Donna, 198-Liudmila,199-djeblog, 200-Gracie Belle, 201-Reverend Ray,202-Walter Winstuff, 203-Denny, 204-Terry (mee mOe),205-awannabe, 206-Z.S., 207-Il Gnagnera,208-Kevin Grieves, 209-DatCurious, 210-DatMoney,211-Sanni, 212-Rolando’s Quiet Space, 213-SatoNa ,214-Levian , 215-21Knots, 216-PuTLie,217-Riciard’s, 218-Darlene, 219-Rantings of a Woman,220-La Place de Cherie , 221-Enjoying The Ride, 222-A Window To Our World,223-Juliana, 224-Retchel’s Pure Life, 225-We Are Family,226-Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, 227-Echoes of Life, 228-My 3 Boys and I,229-Mammagatta, 230-Juliana’s Lair, 231-Bless Sanctuary,232-Confessions of An Army Wife , 233-Jean’s my So-called Life, 234-So cute tiny pixels,235-Denz Techtronics Blog, 236-Wanna Be On Top!, 237-Carpe Diem,238-My so-called Life, 239-TEEBOB, 240-Kikay,241-Alaverde33, 242-CC’s Lifestyles and Reviews, 243-Pinay’s Lifestyles,244-Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, 245-The Creativity Of Me, 246-OzLife247-Scattered Thoughts of Mine, 248-Another Journal of Mine, 249-My Drama,250-By The Way, 251-Paul, Toni and Lance - Bridging the Distance, 252-Live Love Pink,253-In The Lance’s Mind, 254-My Life, 255-Rants and Ramblings,256-WorldBlog, 257-Our Journey to Life, 258-Simply the best,259-Paul and Toni, 260-Alpha’s Blog, 261-because life is fun,262-The Simple Life of a Baghag, 263-Rose DesRochers, 264-Sweet Lullaby, 265-AnitoKid, 266- Lisa WAHM, 267-Ben Spark268-Kesa, 269-Mauro, 270-Sindi271-Alianorah, 272-Jennie, 273-CTN,274-Jeremy, 275-Polliwog’s Pond, 276-Yvette,277-Ali (DorisDay), 278-Rodney, 279-Alice,280- WBAustin, 281-Max, 282-Rodney283-Karen, 284-Michelle, 285-Stacy286-SvenMarin, 287-CoolingStar9, 288-Billy Jack,289-bbrian, 290-Cris Zimermann, 291-Franx,292-Ramil, 293-JaniceNW, 294-Cathrina Jones295-Bels, 296-Raman, 297-Jeques,298-NPSG, 299-Anndi, 300-Georganna,301-Jeane Michelle Culp, 302-Sam Chan, 303 Imagination 304-Kumowai 305. Keep 306.Feel 307.Sail 308. The Working Mom 309. OnlineRaket 310. Family Health Tips

From Jane

1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before?
I guess paid blogging counts. Although I'm only a newbie in this.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn't really have a set of new year's resolutions and I didn't make one for 2008 either.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes, 4 friends, as far as I can remember.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes, my ninong from my wedding :(

5. What countries did you visit?
I'm afraid I didn't go out of the country this year.

6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
Another child. And more income.

7. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
My happy family. Also the fact that I have patients who stick with me through the years.

8. What was your biggest failure?
I can't really think of any....

9. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I had hydatidiform mole. More on this here and here.

10. What was the best thing you bought?
A few blouses which I bought at the tiangge and looked good on me :)

11. Where did most of your money go?
Bills! Groceries, mostly toddler stuff...

12. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My pregnancy! Only it turned out to be H.mole.

13. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Happier.
b) thinner or fatter? I’m fatter. :D
c) richer or poorer? Richer definitely! (in all aspects)

14. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Relax.

15. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Worrying.

16. What was the best book you read?
I don't really have a favorite and I haven't really bought that many books this year. I wish I could, but I'm busier than I was before.

17. What did you want and get?
My son's overall good health :).

18. What did you want and not get?
A baby :(

19. What kept you sane?
My family and my profession.

20. Who did you miss?
I still miss my dad, even if he's been gone 7 years.

Anybody's free to to snag this! It's fun!

Exercise your right

Or is it Exercise, You're Right ... regardless, let's talk about how we stay in shape, and couch potato is not a fitness methodology. It's exercise for the sake of health and well-being.

Survey about the Golden Globes -- Movies and TV

Let's look at the popular movie categories ... it''s that rare time of year when comedies and musicals are guaranteed to get the love with their very own awards categories.



Let''s look at the popular TV categories ... handicapping the TV portion of the Golden Globes is a little like predicting the path of a tornado.

Yaya's not coming back....

Remember when I blogged about my son's yaya's taking a vacation leave in this post?

Well, yaya called up today and said that she won't be coming back because of issues within her family.

So far, we've been yayaless since December 24 and we've survived. It was difficult at the beginning but we got used to it already. Since it was the Christmas season, we were home most of the time anyway, so we were able to take care of our son. We have been hands on naman ever since, with yaya as a secondary caregiver, but we've generally given the tedious tasks to her. Also, having a yaya does free a lot of time off our hands so we can do other stuff, like work! :D With yaya gone, it was a little difficult to insert the things I usually do, like blogging for instance! So if I'm remiss with my bloghops, you know the reason. :) There are also other people in the house/s willing to assist with taking of my son whenever we need to something, like my mother, my mother-in-law, brother, the maids in my mom's house, so it was not as difficult as I expected initially.

And, it's been actually enjoyable :) although quite challenging to juggle work and childcare!

Now that we've survived 2 weeks without a yaya, we can say that we're still okay :). But, we still have to look for another one since we do have to work, albeit, part time. There's a yaya applicant I'm interviewing on Monday, she's a referral of my mom's cook. I hope she'll be okay and my toddler will like him.

US Presidential Politics 2008

New Years Good Luck Traditions

New Years Good Luck Traditions from idealpinkrose
What are some of your new year's good luck traditions?

Rule:
Copy the person and persons' names that sent it to you and add your own at the bottom of the list. It really helps to build community.
Lets start it here!

*My mom used to collect some coins and when the new year comes she put the coins in a bowl and shake it to create sounds. She said its a good luck for a money throughout a year. And also wearing dotted dresses on new year don't know why. CC/ chalyza /keep

*My mom prepares 12 round fruits. One fruit for goodluck in each month of the year. Also, she bought dotted clothes when we were young. She said, dots are like coins. idealpinkrose/ allinkorea/ korean food

*We dress up in "happy" colors, specifically red and preferably something newly bought. Red is a favorite choice for Chinese for happy events, including birthdays and weddings, and New Year's Day is considered a happy event. -- Joey of http://the-working-mom.blogspot.com and http://onlineraket.blogspot.com

I am tagging Pheng, Norms, Vina, Lorie. But anyone who's interested may snag this tag if you want :)

Home Entertaining

You've probably had the experience over the holidays, so, what makes home entertaining work for you?

The "COD Christmas Display"

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYBODY!

This is just a quick post....

If you still have a Christmas season hangover and haven't already seen it, why not head over to Greenhills Shopping Center to check out the "COD Christmas Display" near the night market? It begins at 6:30 pm. I'm not sure when the run will end, though, but it's a safe bet that it probably won't last past the Feast of the Three Kings.

My son thoroughly enjoyed it. It's free entertainment. It's technology from the 70's (when the display was still in the COD department store) but it's still very nice!

Of course, you may still end up spending because the night market is just beside it, as well as several food stalls :P.

Green Questions from dNeero-ites

After Christmas -- another survey

Yaya's on vacation....

That is the main reason why I hardly have time to myself. My little 27 month old son, it seems, has turned "terrible" and without a yaya, we have to look after him almost full time. I really need to have another yaya (or hopefully yaya comes back, she isn't sure at this point) before my brief vacation is over. Today, I already have to go to clinic, and my husband is dreading taking care of him alone while I'm away (for half a day). You see, my son has always been difficult to feed and the easy way out has always been to let the yaya do it. He's also very active, and being an older parent means that my 37 year old body just can't keep up with his 2 year old "Energizer bunny" one.

I really admire full time moms. I do know that this is just a stage, but really, I can't get anything else done. In fact, this is the first time I've blogged since yaya left, and that's just because the kid is sleeping and I find myself awake! :)

Choooo Choooo Train

Nice invited me to come ride the train. I was going to have a break from blogging (since I'll be away for a few days and I just peaked in) but I couldn't resist this one --I am thankful because i would love to get some links up and going for my other blogs as well as this one.

Like Nice, I’m also tagging everbody in my blogroll. Cmon guys and join the fun, it’s a great way to earn some linky love.

The rule: When you get tagged, you have to add your name below the person who tagged you and by doing so you are letting the list grow.

Limadang.com
RamblingMoo.com
blogginginmypyjamas
Chinneeq
Dora-zooropazoo
Babyshern
HiPnCooLMoMMa
Rachel’s Soulful Thoughts
When Silence Speaks
Dancing in Midlife Tune
Underneath it All
I am Dzoi
Hobbies and Such
moms…..check nyo
Choc Mint Girl
Amel’s Realm
My Thoughts
Rusin Roundup
Juliana’s Site
Max
Rooms of My Heart
Mariuca
A Great Pleasure
MondayMorningPower
LadyJava’s Lounge
Colin aka Cotojo
NafaSG
Hanna
My Life My World
Mommy’s Gibble Gabbles
Author’s Sweet Life
A Window To Our World
Jenny’s Wandering Thoughts
We are Family
Momma Stuff

The Working Mom

Online Raket

Family Health Tips

Christmas / Holiday from dNeero respondents - another survey!

My son the party animal!

In an earlier post, I mentioned that we are making the rounds of Christmas parties. In a few of those, my son was also invited. After an initial getting-to-know-you-and-warming-up stage, he pulled quite a few antics!

During the videoke session during my aunt's party, he sang louder than the person wielding the microphone! It's a pity we didn't have our camera with us at that time. I'm hoping my uncle took some pics so that I can ask for them.

Last night, at another party, he suddenly danced to the strains of a popular dance song! Everybody was surprised, us included! He was the one who started the dancing! Pity we didn't bring the videocam, but my husband did take some stills. I'll try to post them later. :)

Oh, for those who don't know yet, my son is 2 years old!

Jamie Lynn Spears ... OK now...! (A survey on teen pregnancy)

Here's a new survey. As a mom, I'm afraid that my son will get a girl pregnant before they're ready for a baby, or a daughter (which I don't have yet) will get pregnant before she's ready. What are your thoughts on this? (N.B. To have an idea on how to join surveys AND getting paid for it, please click this.)

Jamie-Lynn Marie Spears (born April 4, 1991) is an American actress and singer. She was best known for starring in the Nickelodeon television series Zoey 101 and as the sister of Britney Spears. Spears also has a older brother Bryan Spears and is the youngest of the Spears family. Now she's acquired some fame for getting pregnant -- that's right, she's 16!

The Christmas Party Rounds....

The past few days have been a whirl of Christmas parties. I am a visiting consultant in 2 hospitals and an active consultants in 2 clinics, so that's already 4 parties that I have to make an appearance in. That doesn't include the parties by family members and friends. :) Oh, and of course, there's the n@w Christmas party, which is actually the first Christmas party I've attended this year.

Together with my (still) regular clinic schedule, that does not really leave with too much time to do blogging lately. :)

Next week, my son's yaya is going for a vacation -- and I'm not sure if she's coming back. Good luck to me if I can squeeze in the time for blogging...I'm sure I can, but that will probably be in the wee small hours of the morning, when the boys (little boy and his daddy) are already asleep :).

Just in case, I don't get to greet you all on the day itself, I'd like to wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!

"Run, run as fast as you can" - US Presidential Politics 2008

The US elections are coming!

Whether or not you are in the United States, it is no secret that anything that happens in the US would affect the rest of the world. What are your opinions on the following US issues?



To my blogfriends -- I'm a bit busy this weekend. Will try to catch with my bloghops and tags in a while! See you soon!

Packaged Product Trends to Watch in 2008 & MomEasyChair.com holiday frenzy -- 2 surveys

Gift from the hubby -- New Shoes!

My husband bought me this pair of shoes. He bought it himself, guessing at the size and just brought it home. :)

It's just the right size for me, it's comfortable and i think it really looks good on me! What do you think?

Easy Pesto Pasta

This is a slightly modified version of a recipe I found on the label of my Nestle Cream :). Enjoy.

Ingredients:

PESTO
38 g fresh basil leaves (approx 5 cups)
2 tbsp chopped and lightly fried garlic
1/2 cup walnuts
1 1/4 cup olive oil
3/4 cup grated parmesan chese
1 tsp salt
160 g cream

400 g cooked pasta

Procedure:
1. In a blender, mix all ingredients for pesto until smooth.
2. Saute pesto in a pan then stir in cream. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
3. Continue to simmer until slightly thickened. Serve with pasta, crusty bread, and/or grilled meat or seafood.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 4-6

Wedding thoughts

I love weddings. They are so full of promise, of love and of hope. Attending a wedding is witnessing the beginning of a new family.

I will always hold dear the memory of my wedding 3 years ago. I know that whatever happens, I always remember the moments of that day when I finally marry the man I love.

Best wedding gift? All gifts were appreciated, but the cash gifts truly helped. The rest are still in storage even after 3 years. That's what I give nowadays, coz I know that's what the couple really wants and needs but are to shy to say so.

Why the sudden sentimentality? My brother is getting married soon!

My advise? Create a memory that would make you smile when you remember the happiness and love you felt that day. :)

What would YOU advise? Check out how mylotters answered that question.

I got accepted at Payperpost!

Blogging is a good medium of expression for aspiring writers like me. You get to share your thoughts with other people since blogs are available online, unlike the traditional journals or diaries. And I’ve found a virtual community of mothers like me who also blog regularly. It is from these other mommies wherein I’ve first heard about paid blogging, specifically Payperpost.

Even without any monetary reward, blogging is fun! Now that there to make money through blogging, well, it’s double the fun! With the rising cost of living, any additional means of income is VERY welcome! It will certainly increase our present income!

Payperpost is supposed to be the biggest paid blogging site with the most number of advertisers. I am so glad they accepted my blog! It is an affirmation of my blog., and that’s quite a gift! It’s quite simple to just join payperpost, but in order to be a full fledged postie, your blog does have to fulfill certain requirements. In fact, I’ve already tried submitting this blog before and was rejected because I didn’t fulfill some of the requirements. But now, I got accepted! I feel so great about this!

Another good thing about this is that you can actually choose which of the opportunities you want to write about! You do not have to talk about the things you don’t want to, or don’t know anything about. So, that also fulfills MY ethical requirements. Coz, honestly, it’s hard to talk about something you know little to nothing about, or feel strongly against.

If you are an avid blogger, I do suggest you try looking up Payperpost. Make your blog earn a little something for you by talking about the things you love!