With the Help of Local Search

Being new to the place we live in right now, there are times when it gets hard for us to get around and go to places when we have no idea where they're located at. Though we've been here for almost a year now, we still don't know much about the area and its nearby places because we don't really go out that much. During our first few weeks, we pretty much relied on local yellowpages to find like stores and their locations and we actually still use it till now.

Local Search has also been a big help to us in finding like businesses, household and shopping-related articles, events, and of course, food. We love good food. Well, who doesn't, right? We've seen a couple of local restaurants within the area that we would love to try out here soon. In the meantime, we'll keep on searching for other nice places we could go visit in the next couple of months when the weather actually gets warmer.

It's Better to be Safe than Sorry...

Being a military wife, not to brag or anything, my husband made sure I at least know some ways on how to defend myself and my family in case something happens and he's not around. With the type of job he has, he doesn't really have a fixed schedule when it comes to getting off work. Sometimes he gets home as early as 5 P.M. but most of the time, he doesn't get home till almost 8 at night. There could even be instances where he needs to do watch and is gone from afternoon till midnight, or worse, he could be assigned to do night watch and won't be home the whole night till morning of the following day. I admit, there are times I really worry about me and the boys especially with me being pregnant and immobile when in pain. I stay up to make sure I'm on watch just in case. We'll never know what could happen especially nowadays with all the crimes going on everywhere. So, I always make sure I have my "weapon" within reach and is ready to use in case I need to defend myself and my family. I'm glad we have something in the house and that my husband taught me well on how to use it.

But like what I said, with me being pregnant and having two little boys to take care of at the same time, it would make me feel a lot safer if we have home security system installed. Having this will make me feel at ease and won't have to stay up most of the time to make sure things are fine because I also need sleep. Not only that. Another thing that had me scared a couple of times already was, carbon monoxide leakage. It's an invisible gas that could be fatal once it gets into our system through inhalation. The problem with this gas is, it's odorless and colorless so it can be really hard to tell if it's already leaking or not and the last thing you'll know, you're starting to get disoriented, nauseated, dizzy, and worse, you can pass out and that could be the end of it. That's why I would love to have a security system like that of the Home Security Benton installed to protect and warn us from signs of any break-ins and CO poisoning. I would never risk my family's life for anything when there's a way where we can stay safe and protected. No money can ever amount to how important safety is for us. Once we get an alarm system at home, only then would I start feeling more safer knowing that if anything happens and that alarm goes off, it will instantly alert the nearby trained professionals or police department and will send help right away. And I'm glad we have DirectTV at home. Watching news on HD has become a lot better and it makes us more aware of what's going on around us all the time when we can see and hear what's on the news more clearly. It's also a good feeling when you know you have the best HD channels to choose from and you can watch comfortably and peacefully knowing that your place is secured. We deserve to feel safe and at ease in our own home. Everybody deserves to feel that way. That's why we should never wait till something bad happens before we do something when it can actually be prevented. Like what my husband always tells me, prior planning prevents poor performance. And I know that he is absolutely right!

On Complete Bed Rest...

Since yesterday when we got home from my two appointments, I haven't been feeling good already. First, we went to my OB appointment in the morning and went straight to the USCIS office for my biometrics right after my check-up. The drive was almost 45 minutes and the roads here are bumpy which triggered my contractions to get even worse. I think that's the main reason I started having really bad back, lower abdomen, and pelvic pain. We also went to the grocery after getting my biometrics done to grab some baby foods and we walked for a good 20 minutes inside the store, adding to my already worse situation. So when we got home, I could barely move my legs and the pain just got more intense to the point where I screamed twice and it literally made me cry from hurting too much. I got scared of the possibility of going into labor too soon. I told my cousin, Ate Jing, who, is a doctor, about my situation and she advised me to relax, be off my feet, and observe if the contractions get worse or not. And if they did, I probably would have been taken to the ER and had them give me medication to stop the contractions. But thankfully, I was able to rest and the pain and contractions started to mellow out. Thanks to my husband and mother for making sure I was taken care of. I was in bed the entire time and only got up to eat and use the restroom.

I'm still on complete bed rest right now because I still have pains and contractions. Although they're not as bad as they were yesterday, I just don't want to take chances anymore. It's always better safe than to be sorry. I'm glad John has a 4-day weekend and mama is helping a lot with the boys now so I am able to get as much rest as I can. I need that in the first place, anyway. And I'm able to do it because of them.

I won't be posting a lot from today till probably a few days after I give birth. I want to make sure I am not tiring myself up to avoid the same situation I was in yesterday. But of course, I will keep you all posted. One or two posts a day will do for now. For the weekly tasks I join in, sorry if I'll be missing out on a lot of entries. I will do my best to catch up once everything gets settled in. Right now, the baby comes first. EC droppers, thank you so much! Sorry if I cannot return the favor at this time. Will resume dropping EC on your blogs here soon...

Bed rest is never fun, trust me. I can only do so much and it gets boring especially when I feel like doing something but I just can't. I just pray that everything goes well till the day of my delivery. I'm so ready to have her! We are so ready to meet her! Few more days... Just few more days... I can make it, I know I can! :) God will make sure everything is all right...

Spice Up That Kitchen

Kitchen is one of my favorite places in the house. Aside from bedroom and the bathroom, it's another place that I always want to keep neat and clean. I want everything to be well-organized and have their own specific places because I love to cook and I don't want to work in a messy area.

We have so many stuff in the kitchen right now and though they're in places where they should be, still some things look cluttered because of the tiny kitchen space we have and there's not a lot of cabinets we can use to put them in. I know I'm not really happy about it but we've got to work with whatever we have for now.

The ones that sometimes are an eyesore to us are, the spices. John loves spices so we've got a lot of them. And because the cabinets are small and there's no enough shelves where we can put them, we just stacked them on top of each other making it unpleasant to look at and hard to find which spice we need to use when cooking.

But there's a solution I just found while watching a cooking show a few days ago. I saw in the kitchen this beautiful spice rack and I knew right then and there that it's what we need to help optimize whatever space we can. I think we'll be needing spice racks to hold most, if not all, of the spice containers we have, which, I'm pretty sure are more than a dozen. I was looking at the wall spice rack because something like that can really help save spaces and use them for something else that's important, but since we don't own the place, I will hold off and just go with another style. But regardless, any type of kitchen spice racks will definitely work for me. I just want to get rid of the eyesore and spice up the kitchen a little bit so it looks more presentable and a great place to work in in spite of its small size.

Another Chance is All They Need

Everybody deserves a second chance. Regardless of what they've committed in the past, I don't think we're in the right to judge them and condemn them for making mistakes they did. If one did something wrong but admitted his faults and is willing to change for the better, who are we to sit there and impede them from wanting another chance in life?

I'm sure all of us are aware about people with addiction and the most common is, drug addiction problems. We see them on TV almost all of the time and we know they're going through a lot trying to stop it, or as sad as it may sound, wanting to continue on what they're doing. It's a grievous problem that we should not just ignore and treat it as if it doesn't matter at all. We shouldn't have this type of mentality where we think that no matter what we do, they're just going to keep on doing it anyway, so why waste time on people like them when we've already got some more serious issues to deal with. Am I right?

That's why there are people and facilities like the Alta Mira Recovery Programs , who, are willing to devote their time and show love to these people who are in need of help and care and acceptance, once more. They are there to help people with addiction heal in body, mind, and soul. They offer the right approach to each kind of addiction problem and slowly but surely help you rebuild the life that you once lost. They'll help you build back the broken relationships especially within the family by allowing family members of the patient to be a part of their recovery process. They won't give up on you until you've fully recovered and is well enough to start anew.

It's just sad that drug addiction just doesn't seem to have an end at all. Watching drugs in the news and stories of people of all ages who are suffering from this problem just make me feel sad knowing that it has ruined so many lives already and yet, people don't learn from them. I just don't know anymore as to how many more lives do we need to witness being shattered because of drug addiction before we actually stop it from getting worse and worse and from taking away precious lives, especially the youths. It just is scary nobody seems to want to do something about it anymore. I can only hope there will be a cure for this.

Getting Closer...

Finally, after days of procrastinating, I was able to finish folding baby K's clothes. I can't believe it took me more than an hour to get it done! That's twice the time I usually spend on folding our own clothes. Baby clothes are somewhat a little complicated to fold the right way, perhaps, due to their small size. I don't know. Maybe it's just me because I always make sure they're folded the way they're suppose to. I'm kind of a little OC when it comes to that. I just want everything to look nice and neat.

I'm almost at 37 weeks that's why I made sure today I got her stuff ready. I know once I hit the 37th week, it can already happen at any time. Of course, I still would love for her to stay longer than that to assure better development and for her to come out healthier.

Anyway, I think the diaper bag is good to go. We just need to buy NB-size diapers and some baby bottles to complete her stuff. At least I've got the rest of them ready now. Good thing, my mom bought a diaper bag in the Philippines so I don't need to clean the other one anymore and that saved me time! Thank you, Mama!!

I still plan on breastfeeding her even just for 6 months, but it will all depend on my postpartum recovery. I just hope it won't be as bad as it was after I gave birth to our second child, so I can recuperate faster and better.

Now, I really am so ready to give birth! Just waiting on when she decides she finally wants to make an entrance and meet all of us for the first time.

Excited to the Max!!

My mother will be here soon, yehey!! She's expected to arrive at the airport at 6:16PM on Tuesday. We're praying that everything goes well - good weather, no late departure, and no delay of flight so she'll get here on time.

As far as picking her up at the airport, the initial plan was, John would go there all by himself so we don't have to worry about getting the kids ready and everything, to save time. But then I realized, it might not be good to just let him go by himself since my Mom already told me she's a little shy and worried that she "might run out of English words to say". [hahaha..trying to avoid awkward moments, I suppose..] So, I told him we will all go. The only problem is, if we all could fit in the car or not. As you all know, our car is small and only 2 car seats fit in the backseat. And if we're taking the boys, my mom would have no other choice but to sit in between them. Another thing is, we'll have to ask her if she's going to carry a big suitcase or not, because if her suitcase isn't that big, it can fit right in the trunk and we won't have to worry about that anymore. I think she'll be fine sitting in between the boys. I know it's a little long of a drive back home from the airport, but I really, really hope she won't mind. If only I am not pregnant, I would take that seat in a heartbeat and let Mama sit next to John so she'd be more comfortable. I know she'll deserve that after a long and tiring flight. But when my Mother-in-law was here last month, she sat in between the boys when we all went out one time and she did just fine. Well, I guess we'll just have to deal with that when we get there. All I'm praying right now is for her to get here safe and sound. The rest can worry about itself.

I really am excited to see her! And I can't wait for the boys to meet their Grandma for the first time. I wonder how my Mom would react once she sees them. I know the boys will love her and she doesn't even have to worry if they'll like her or not because knowing my kids, I am pretty sure they will! And once she's here, I can finally take a break from taking care of the little ones all by myself when John is at work. At this stage of my pregnancy and with all the pain and discomforts I have, I need a complete bed rest till the baby comes out. But of course, I am not going to let my Mom handle everything on her own. I will still help but won't be doing any strenuous activities anymore. I'm just glad she'll be with us and I feel a whole lot better now knowing that I will have somebody to take care of me as well after I give birth. I will always be grateful to my Mother for this!

See you on Tuesday, Mama!! We're so excited to have you here with us!!

Planning Ahead of Time

Before we started our long drive up here from California, as far as the car was concerned, John made sure everything was good to go. From changing oil to making sure tires were new and would last us all throughout the trip. There was nothing he missed because he wanted to make sure we'll get here safe and sound and nothing will happen along the way, especially that we had a baby with us (Skyler was only 11 months old) and was about to give birth as well to our second child at the time. I know it must have been tough on him being the only one who took care of all that was needed to be taken care of. But I'm so proud he did a very good job.

Other than making sure all car parts were working properly, John also made sure he's got all of the necessary documents for the car. From his license and registration to checking if the auto warranty was up to date. I asked him why it was so important and he told me that just in case something happens to the car and is taken to an auto shop, the car warranty provides roadside assistance and will perform or even cover for certain repairs and services. And for me not to get confused with all he was saying, he even told me about the vehicle service contract or erstwhile called as extended warranty and that they provide the same help as well. It doesn't matter what you call it, they're basically are comparable.

I let out a sigh of relief after I heard what he said. And when he told me we were good to go, I never worry about a thing anymore. I knew at the time John took care of everything and that he wouldn't let anything bad happen to us no matter the cost.

I've Missed A Lot of Posts...

I did say on my previous post that I will catch up on some entries for the weekly tasks I join in, but due to unavoidable circumstance, I wasn't able to hop online the whole day yesterday. Not that I didn't want to. But because I still wasn't feeling better, I decided to call it off and took all the chances I got to catch up on some sleep, instead. I am so thankful to my husband for letting me sleep as much as I did yesterday. I must say, it really helped a lot! That's the reason I feel a lot better today. There's still pain but tolerable now. The only pain I'm really enduring with right now is, the Braxton Hicks contractions. There are instances when it gets a little too overboard and I couldn't help but feel weak when it occurs. That's when I don't feel like doing anything.

Anyway, I'm up for more writing till later on. This afternoon, I helped my husband clean the house for my Mother's arrival. Well, he did most of the cleaning actually. I only helped dust shelves and electronics in the living room and kitchen. You couldn't expect me to do much, anyway. But I'm still glad I was able to help out even just by dusting. I still need to fold the kids' clean clothes and start up laundry, but I will do it here in a few. Right now, I need to stretch my legs and take a quick break. Yes, you guessed it right (probably). Braxton Hicks is back and I need to lay down till it completely goes away.

Hopefully, I'll be able to catch up with the weekly tasks and drop some ECards later on...

Saturday 9: Rain

This is a little late entry. I started this on Saturday but because I was sick, I didn't get to finish the whole thing and just decided to save it for later. Anyway, here's my a-little-late Saturday 9 entry :)

1. It's Spring, grilling begins! If you plan a picnic, do you bow out if it rains?
- I probably will because as much as I want to enjoy the outdoors, I won't risk my health at all. Anyway, we can always find some other ways to still make the picnic happen somehow. We can always grill inside and set up something inside that would look as if we're just having a picnic outside.

2. Do you prefer food grilled on a charcoal or gas grill?
- Charcoal. It tastes and smells way better than grill :)

3. We're at the first grilling picnic. What's your meat order?
- Grilled steak. Well done ;)

4. What side dishes do you want?
- Mashed potatoes with gravy and coleslaw..

5. Now, where do prefer to eat: at the picnic table or inside?
- At the picnic table, of course!! (if it's not raining)

6. You were asked to bring a dish. What do you bring?
- Dessert!! Well, that's the very thing I'd suggest..No, I won't even suggest at all..I will voluntarily take care of that..(I'll eat half of it before taking it to the picnic..hehehe)

7. Does it bother you to have citronella candles burning if you are eating or cooking outside?
- Not at all.. I actually would love that idea :)

8. What fellow bloggers do you want to meet at the picnic?
- The new friends I met through blogging, especially the Filipino women married to foreign nationals and living abroad, just like me..It would be fun getting to know each other and sharing stories..

9. Does there need to be a pool at the picnic, your choice?
- It depends. I won't just go with what I want. I would go with whatever they want especially if there are more than people who'd like to have a pool than those who don't, regardless if they leave the final say to me. I want them to enjoy and have fun. That's what matters most. ;)

For more Saturday 9 posts, please visit:

The Sweetest Gesture He Does For Me

Who doesn't like receiving gifts once in a while? Well, I do! I'd love it even more if I receive one at least once a week. But like what we're all accustomed to, most of the time, we only receive gifts on special occasions. Not something bad. I think it's just because not all people are fortunate enough to have the money to afford buying stuff whenever they feel like it.

My husband loves surprising me with just anything he can come up with. To me, they're gifts no matter what type of item they are. One thing, though that he always does that makes it really special is, he goes out of his way to get me flowers and of course my favorite, chocolate gifts in spite of his busy schedule. He doesn't have to do any of it, but he still does because he said, it's what makes me smile.

He does a lot of other sweet gestures for me, but knowing he goes out of his way to do something he knows would put a smile on my face when he doesn't even have to, makes it the sweetest. I am indeed blessed for having a husband as loving, as sweet, and as thoughtful as my John.

Thank you so much, sweetie!

Will Resume Posting Tomorrow....

As much as I want to stay up so I could catch up with some posts for the weekly tasks I join in, I need to get some sleep now. I am having contractions again and my back is starting to hurt more. I need to stretch my legs and lay down. I just hope that the baby won't keep me up longer by moving too much because I definitely could need a good rest right now. She loves to move a lot when I'm about to go to sleep, keeping me up longer. [hehehe] I don't mind her doing that at all. I'm actually happy she moves a lot. That just tells me she's doing great. The only effect that I kind of don't like is, waking up late. I still wake up earlier than the boys, but there are times when I can't help but fall back to sleep when I know the kids aren't up, yet. Sometimes, I tend to oversleep and by the time I wake up again, it's already almost noontime. I know, I know. I do feel bad every time it happens. Trust me, I feel such a horrible mother when I make them wait for me. But because I'm the only one taking care of them and with all the pain I have right now, it can get really tough on me as well. I really hope my mother will get here this Monday. That's the only way I'd be able to rest without worrying too much about the kids not being able to, sometimes, eat their breakfast on time. I really need help at this point. I'm only 36 weeks today and I already started dilating. I really am worried she might come out premature that's why whenever I feel even a slight pain or contraction, I stop whatever I'm doing and I rest. I'm doing my best right now to take care of the boys and at the same time, myself and the baby. It's tough, I'm not going to lie. But with God's grace and help, I am able to get through everything, one day at a time. So, until my Mama gets here, I will have no other choice but to still be up on my feet no matter how much pain I'm in. All I can do right now is, pray for things to still go smoothly and for baby K to stay inside until she's reached full term.

So, to all of the daily tasks I join in, I will post my entries tomorrow and will drop Ecards as well.

See you all in the morning!

My Dream Garden

Ever since I was a kid, I've always loved having a garden. My grandmother used to grow flowers in our front yard and how I loved her orchids, roses, petunia, and a lot more! We don't have a huge garden but because of the beautiful flowers she had, the whole place was transformed into what I used to call "My Enchanted Garden", as a kid. She never stopped her gardening hobby until she got older and couldn't do much of strenuous activities anymore. So every time I'd come home for vacation, I couldn't help but miss how the front yard used to look like.

That made me want to someday have my very own garden. I may not be able to make it look like my Grandma's, but I will do my best to somehow make it look as beautiful as I can. I will plant as many as I can, from orchids, sunflower, to white and red roses. And there's one thing I've always wanted to put in the garden that will add beauty to it. Right at the entrance, I want to put an arbor to make the whole place stand out. A beautiful white arbor is what I have in mind. Then, I'm going to plant vines on both sides so when they start growing, they'll wrap around the arbor giving it the "enchanted-like" effect. I want to have that feeling that as if you're entering a fairy kingdom every time you walk into my garden. I'll make sure that the whole place will look very beautiful, yet simple. Something I know that's inspired by my Grandma and will make her proud of me.

A New Blog Soon?

The moment I start having a better schedule, I plan on creating a new blog that's all about parenthood and the kids. The more I read about other Mothers' blogs talking about their kids, I get inspired to create one myself. Though I'm still a little hesitant about it because of the fear of not having enough time to manage two blogs at the same time, I really want to give it a try. There's just so much I would love to share being a Mom and most especially what I've already been through at a very young age. That's why I would love to have my own web site hosting so I can just add more blogs later on if I want to.

I'm looking at getting the WebHostingHub. I've read great reviews about them and right now, it basically has all the features I'm looking for. The price is right, tech support is available 24/7, 365 days/year, and the best thing is, I can even try it for 90 days and if I end up not liking it, I'd get my money back! Now, to me, that's a great deal. So once I've made up my mind, I already know now what I need to do and where to get the best web site hosting. I know there's a lot to consider as far as creating a new blog, but I'm going to do it one step at a time. I know I'll get there very soon.

Watery Wednesday: First Time in the Pool

Our son, Skyler's first time in the pool. This photo was taken right outside the hotel room that we stayed in while we were in Colorado. It was so hot there during the summer that even at nighttime, the temperature was still almost up to 80 degree F. That's why he absolutely loved being in the water! Both of them, actually. Skyler amazed us at how he already knew about keeping his mouth closed while in the water and trying to hold his breath every time his Dad would give him a quick "dip", considering that it was his first time. He probably is born a natural swimmer. Well, if not, he's got his Dad to teach him whenever he's ready.

I actually am looking forward to buying them a mini inflatable pool they could play in this summer. Hopefully, the weather will get warmer here soon so we could start doing more outdoor activities and actually enjoy even just the remaining days of Spring.

Read More Watery Stories here:

Just Another Boring Day...

Today is just like the other "boring" days I already had to deal with. There's just nothing much to do. I kind of want to start cleaning the diaper bag, but I suddenly started having contractions again. It's not really helping me at all. I was actually glad because the boys are taking their nap, but just when I finished feeding Kaden, I suddenly felt discomfort from my back radiating towards my lower abdomen. I had no choice but to sit for a while so I could elevate my legs. Then, I started getting bored. I decided to turn on the TV and watch a recorded show hoping it would make me feel at least sleepy, but it didn't work. So now, I am here sitting in front of the computer and typing instead. If this helps me feel sleepy, I'll grab this chance to get me some nap as well. The only problem is, Kaden is sleeping on the couch. (I had to separate the two so they both can sleep because if they're together in their room, they're going to stay up the whole time..) I can't really go inside our bedroom and sleep because if he wakes up and nobody's around, he'll get up and for sure, he will fall off the couch. I guess I really don't have much of an option, do I?

Anyway, I'm just browsing around right now while listening music on the internet radio, trying to entertain myself. I decided to write as well hoping this would help deviate my attention from the pain. I hope the contractions disappear so I can do some more chores and actually get the diaper bag cleaned up. I really want to start putting some of the baby stuff in bag and get that done and taken care of. I wish I have somebody with me right now so I can just sleep without having to worry about the boys even just for an hour or two and wake up feeling a lot better...

Ruby Tuesday: My Father-in-Law

This is my very first entry for Ruby Tuesday, and because of it being my first, I want it to be special. And what could be more special than a photo of my late Father-in-Law, Douglas?!

I didn't get to meet him in person because he passed away on October 2000. How I wish I got to meet him because from all of the beautiful things and stories I've heard about him, no doubt, he was a great person and there's no way I wouldn't have loved him as if he were my real Dad. I feel sad as well that my kids didn't get to meet him, their Grandfather. I'm sure Dad would fall in love with the little ones. Now, all I can do is imagine what could have been if he was still alive. Things he and the kids could've done, how they could've spent time together, do the Grandfather-grandchildren bonding moments. He was, by the way, a great musician way back in the days. He used to play steel guitar with a band that was well-known in Lincoln, NE. I, being his daughter-in-law, couldn't be more prouder than I am now knowing that I have a Father-in-law like him even if we weren't given the chance to meet each other.

Here's a link that would tell you more about him as a musician. Just click on "2000 - Doug Campbell".
RON TUCCITTO AWARD

It hurts not being able to even at least see him once in person, but I know he's watching over us and he can see the kids all the time. My Mother-in-Law has told me how great of a father he was to John so I know how he would've been with the kids if he was still around.

To you Dad, we will always be proud of you! You are always missed and we love you very much!

For More of Ruby Tuesday, please visit:

Six More Days to Go!!

My mother and my sister's 2 kids are here in the US now for a 2-month vacation. They arrived on Friday night and are staying in California where my sister and her husband are working. I really am happy that the kids are finally here because they haven't seen their parents for almost 2 years now and I'm sure they've missed each other very much. God is good all the time! We really weren't expecting they'd be able to come here because of how hard it is to get a US VISA in the Philippines. But God answered our prayers and He's brought their family back together again.

One thing I'm thankful for having my mother here in the States is, she's coming here to stay with us to help us take care of the kids. Not having John at home almost the whole day during weekdays is really tough on me especially now that I am so close to giving birth. At least if my Mama's here, she can help me out with the boys and I can get as much rest as I can so I'll have enough strength for the big day.

We plan on flying her out here on the 23rd of this month -- that's 6 days from now! I am so excited to see my Mom because I haven't seen her since I left the Philippines in 2009. It's been 2 years now and I've missed her too much! I'm glad and so thankful that she will be here by the time I give birth and for our sons, Skyler's 2nd birthday in July, and Kaden's 1st birthday next month. It's going to be fun even though I know it'll only be us celebrating the kids' birthday. The most important thing is, we will all be celebrating it together. To me, that's already more than enough.

So Mama, see you next week, God willing!!

Time to Make Use of My Gadgets' Cool Features

I've had an iPhone for a year now and just on Mother's Day, my husband gave me an iPad as a gift. I'm not going to lie, these gadgets are really awesome and there hasn't been a single day that I haven't played with both of them since I got them. I love playing games, checking out on cool apps, and I've been using the social network such as Facebook and messenger a lot. I love them because of their many cool features. I am able to check my e-mails now anytime, anywhere and I stay in contact with my love ones and friends the whole time. Isn't that amazing?

Well, I must also admit that there are apps on both gadgets that I hardly use. One of them is, YouTube. As much as I'd want to, I just got tired waiting for videos to load up completely before I could actually watch them without interruption. I think, the only way I'd appreciate it more is, if I actually have that Download Free YouTube Downloader which allows you to download videos directly from YouTube.com. It'll even let you save the files to your computer hard disk and then play it with the system media player. Now, if I want to have those videos copied to my iPhone and iPad, YouTube to Video Converter is the best tool to use to convert them to various formats like AVI, MPEG, MP4, 3GP, PSP MPEG-4, DivX, XviD, and FLV in one easy step. It makes the videos viewable on different devices such as iPhone, iPod, iPad, PSP, PS3, Zune, XBox, and even on Apple TV.

I have this very special video that my husband made for me as a surprise when we were still dating. I was pretty impressed on the result. And I can't be happier to know that with the help of Video Converter Software, I will be able to extract photos and create video from them and convert them for my iPad. In that case, I will be able to take videos with me that I created myself. I have been wanting to make the same video for my husband to surprise him as well. And with this software having multiple video effects available, I know I can create something he will truly love. How cool is that?! I can't wait to get this started. And once I get the hang of it, the very first video I'd love to convert is none other than the video he made for me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Sh_iasleeQ. It's about time I make use of my gadgets cool features.

Earning a Degree Online

With the type of job that my husband has, he never got the chance to attend college like other normal students do. He joined the military right after he graduated from high school. I know he'd love to go to a university like a regular student, but right now, his job comes first.

Although he's got no time to go to school and all that, he never gave up his dream of earning a degree one day. So instead of letting the chance of fulfilling his dream go, he went ahead and applied for online courses. One good thing about him being in the military is, they pay for his education. He said, he'd grab this opportunity and finish a degree, so when the time comes that he gets done in the military, he knows he can find a good job as a civilian. And I totally agree with him on that and I will support him all the way.

On the other hand, I, being able to study Nursing back in the Philippines, still want to pursue my studies here. I know how different it is here compared to the curriculum of the university I attended there, so I am planning on taking online degree programs in nursing. In that case, I won't have a hard time finding a job after I graduate, having been able to finish a course here that would fit their qualifications. But of course, before I can be able to take online courses, we'll have to make sure we have the money to pay for my education. I heard that the military also offers scholarship for military spouses, but just in case that already changed, I have a back up plan. The http://www.fafsa.ed.gov offers students who are in financial difficulties, help for paying college. All I have to do is, submit a free application for Federal Student Aid and they will check if I do qualify and they will help me understand my options for paying college fees. I'm actually glad to know that there's a lot of help available out there if only you're interested and if you really want to finish your education. There's always a way and I am not going to let some financial issues impede my dreams of finishing my studies, getting a stable and well-paid job to help better the future of my family.

Such a Lousy Weather

This weekend has really been an unpleasant one. Since Friday, the weather has been really bad and because of that, we didn't get to go out like I've planned us to do. We've been inside the house the whole time because it's cold, windy, and it has been raining outside. We really could've done more since it's suppose to be warm already, but because the weather here is just too weird, Spring doesn't feel like it anymore. It's as if we're getting closer to winter season again. It's just really lousy!

John was let down because weekends are the only free days he has to actually do stuff with us or take care of some things that need to get done. We've been wanting to sit outside on the porch and just relax with the kids, but because of it being too cold, we're left with no choice but to stay inside the house. It can get boring at times, especially when we plan on taking the kids outside and the weather just won't cooperate with us. There's so much we would love the whole family to do but we just couldn't, at least not until it gets warm enough for all of us to go outside and actually enjoy and have fun. I've been looking forward to taking the kids to the park because there's a lot of nice parks out here and I'm sure they will have a blast, especially Skyler. But with the weather always acting up and me getting closer to giving birth, it looks like we won't be doing that anytime soon. More than likely, we'd be able to start going out more around July. By that time, the new baby will be here and it's actually already summer.

Wagon for the Boys

I have been looking at this toy for over a month now. Actually, I've been planning on buying this one for the little boys. It's almost summertime and we want to take them out more now. I think using this when going out for a walk is more convenient than pushing 2 separate strollers considering that by that time, the new baby will be here already and she will be going out with us as well. I'm thinking John could pull the wagon with the boys in it while I can carry baby K in a baby carrier. I think the little boys will love this. The only problem is, I don't know if we could afford to buy it at this time. Hopefully, we could because they really don't have anything, yet that they can enjoy playing with outside. John, I know, won't mind buying them this wagon as long as we have enough money left after paying off bills. It's a little tough right now because we have a new baby on the way and it means additional expenses.

Oh well, it's just a plan for now. We'll wait and see if there's another way where we can purchase this for them. I really, really would love to get this toy but if not, there's always next time.

A Great Way to a Brand New Start

Problems with teenagers nowadays, pretty much, are not a big surprise anymore. Their stories are everywhere. We've already heard so much about them to the point where most of us just got tired of hearing them and just don't care anymore as much as we used to. Well, it's a shame if that's how you feel about this problem because it's something that shouldn't be ignored. These teenagers who had gone astray need nothing more but to be given another chance in life.

Being a parent now as well, I can only imagine how these teens' parents are handling the situation their children are in. That's why Teen Treatment Programs is there to help parents out whose kids are in dire need of treatment. They offer effective treatment for teens with substance abuse and co-occurring disorders. They have all the approaches needed to match with the appropriate level of care and treatment that your child needs. And to help parents understand more about what their teenagers are actually going through, Teen Abuse Information is there to provide the necessary answers they might need for their questions. And not only parents of these teens can benefit from this. All parents should be encouraged to get themselves educated as well so they know what to teach their growing kids and help them to not try these stuff out and get themselves into serious problems. Remember, prevention is always better than cure.

SS: The "You Can't Be Missed" Meme, Part 2

Here's the second part.. Cheers to all of us thieves!!


16. What was the last thing you did that was totally selfish, yet you feel no guilt?
- Eating all the sweets we have at home. I just couldn't resist it!! hehehe..

17. Tell us about a film fave of yours that we probably have not seen.
- Not Without My Daughter..

18. When was the last time you kissed someone that you shouldn't have on the lips?
- I wouldn't do such thing in the first place. Thank you very much!!

19. When was the last time you cooked something for someone not in your family?
- I haven't cooked for someone not in my family, yet.

20. When was the last time you danced like a crazy person?
- August of last year. I wasn't pregnant at the time, yet so I went ahead and danced like I've never danced before. My son, who was with me in the room, probably thought that I had lost my sanity. hehe

21. When was the last time you just wanted to be invisible?
- Last week.. I wanted to be invisible just to see who'd care enough to look for me..

22. When was the last time you got a gift you absolutely hated?
- I would never hate gifts given to me no matter what they look like, no matter what their size is. A gift is a gift and it deserves to be accepted wholeheartedly and be thankful for what you've been given..

23. When was the last time you got into a physical fight? (If NEVER, let us know about a time that you got close to a fight.)
- When I was a kid..I forgot already how old I was when it happened..

24. When was the last time you had to sleep with a light on?
- Whenever my husband has late night watch and it's just me and the kids.

25. When was the last time you were under some serious stress?
- I think I am under stress right now because of all the pregnancy discomforts I'm having. But I'm coping up well, so I don't think it's something serious..

26. When was the last time you watched your favorite movie?
- Last Sunday, on Mother's Day..

27. What song did you most recently downloaded?
- I can't remember anymore since I stopped downloading songs a long time ago..

28. What would you say is your favorite hobby?
- Writing..

29. What is your favorite thing to do when you hang out with friends?
- Sharing stories and making up for the times we've missed being away from one another..

30. What would you rather do: shower or bathe with that celebrity that you are crushing on?
- Bathe.. So we could talk at the same time while sitting in the tub and relaxing..

For more Sunday Stealing posts, please visit:

A Dream of Having a Pool One Day

Sometimes, my husband and I would sit there and talk about stuff we want by the time we've finally purchased our own house. And one thing we'll love to have in our backyard is, a pool. It's going to be a perfect place for the whole family to hang out, do barbeque, and we could even invite friends over and have fun. But getting a swimming pool built can be costly a lot of times and that doesn't even include other expenses you'll be spending on maintaining your pool and making sure it always looks nice and clean.

I almost wanted to give up that dream after realizing how expensive it is. But my husband told me that there is another way we could have a pool if we still want to have it. He said, we could go ahead and check out above ground swimming pools instead. Based on what I've read about them, they're less expensive, easier to maintain, and takes lesser time to put together so you can get swimming right away and to me, that sounded just perfect. They come in different designs so you can choose whatever fits your style. And above all, the price, we know, will work within our budget.

Now, I can continue on holding on to that dream knowing that one day, I know we can make it happen.

A Great Opportunity for UK Doctors

Not everybody was born a good talker. Meaning, not all of us have that skill in delivering speech the most effective way. Most people are too shy to stand in front of a crowd, even professionals like Doctors. Some were born too shy to even open their mouths, others already have the skill but they just don't know, yet, and there are some who know they're good at it but just need more training to enhance their skills even more.

That's what the Oxford Medical teaches doctors who are interested to learn various skills for competitive interviews. They provide courses such as: Consultant Interview Course, Medical Teaching Course, Medical Management Courses, and Teach the Teacher Course. They help train doctors on how to structure, deliver medical presentation, and respond to any interview question. They also help them identify their areas of strength and unique selling points and how to exploit them. They basically provide help for them to become more effective in building rapport, making yourself an attractive appointment, being able to create exceptional responses to difficult questions and a lot more.

So if you are a doctor in the UK and are interested in enhancing this type of skill in you, the best way to do is to get yourself started. Get trained by the NHS Consultants and pay less! Today is the best time to grab this type of opportunity that could only be once in a lifetime.