Decking Out Our House For Hanukkah

Guest post written by Carol Burns

I always think way ahead of time when I'm planning for certain activities. My husband is hosting an office holiday part at our house in a few weeks and I've been using all of my spare time trying to come up with decorations to put up around our place and also come up with the menu for the party.

I went online to try and find some stuff to get some inspiration as to how to decorate our place for the party, when I decided to LOOK at some stuff that I had found about a new satellite internet company. Our old internet company has been disappointing us for a while, so I decided to show it to my husband and we're going to change over our internet access to it.

I found some blue and silver Hanukkah decor that is definitely more classy and subtle looking than a lot of the garish stuff that I found when I went to local stores in hopes of finding something. IÕm glad that I started planning ahead of time so that the decorations will get shipped here in plenty of time.

RIP- Bonnie and Chiong

We had a long service last Sunday due to the funeral service after the delivery of the sermon. Bonnie Lee died at the age of 50 few days before the Thanksgiving Day. The eulogy that was delivered by her few friends that loved her so dearly were so touching, all the more when it was her husband's turn to deliver his eulogy. My husband's comment was it was too detailed, but I thought it was the best way to do it. After all, it is healthy to speak out our emotions and be comforted by God's love.
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Last night, I got another sad news. Chiong, an uncle of my best friend died of complicated internal disorder. I'm not sure for how long he has suffered from it, but I am sure that it has been quite a while. Although many people consider him as not a "good man", but I believe he still deserve a good funeral service and respect of his wake. We can't judge a man, only God can. My prayer is that the comfort from God will embrace his bereaved wife and family.
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"Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his faithful servants." (Psalm 116:15)

Let Me Tell Ya Bout My Best Friend............Heather

Thanks for the post from Sylvester Campbell
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As I sit down to right this that ditty "Let me tell ya bout my best friend" runs through my head. Isn't that the quintessential part of being a best friend to be there in the ups and downs. Well, Heather has been there for it all.

Heather and I went to the same High school and even hung around the same croud, but never really knew each other. I don't know when exactly it became that we were best friend, except to say that I don't remember a time after HS that she wasn't around. Even now, though the years have past and we are miles apart (literally she's on the West Coast and I'm on the East Coast) we are always there for eachother to lend an ear, be a shoulder to cry on or just a friendly "hello" over the phone at the end of the day.

Although we don't get to visit much, being so far away and all, we still make time to go see each other. Like this summer, my family and I packed our bags, set the information home security, and took off for a 2 week vacation to see her. And you know how sometime you try to catch up with someone you haven't seen in so long, and it just feels akward. That never happens to us, we pick up right where we left off and know nothing has changed except for geography.

Bad Heartburn

I have been suffering heartburn for three consecutive nights and today. I'm glad that I am off from work today, or else I would not be productive at all. I always had heartburn when we were still in Michigan because of the kind of food that were regularly serve during dinner: lots of green pepper and tomato sauces. It has been a year ago and I thought I was through with that nightmare until these past three nights. My husband made spaghetti on the first night, I ate a lot and it attacked after an hour. The second night was pizza and again, it attacked me after an hour. Last night I made a very spicy Gambas. I don't remember a worse heartburn attack than I had last night. It felt like a powerful hand choke me on my throat and rises up to the angle of my jaw. I felt like a very tight belt was around my breastbone. Believe me, I looked like a werewolf on the strike of the midnight.

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Heartburn, according to Wikipedia, is a burning sensation in the chest, just behind the breastbone or in the epigastrium. The pain often rises in the chest and may radiate to the neck, throat or angle of the jaw. It is usually with regurgitation of gastric acid (gastric reflux) which is the major symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). It however may also be a symptom of ishemic heart disease so concluding that it is heartburn prematurely may lead to misdiagnosis.
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For occasional heartburn like mine, a couple of Tums or any antacid can help. If necessary, add a couple more. It won't hurt you. Be sure to remember what kind of food that causes the heartburn and avoid it temporarily or for good (if you can). Stay in an upright position or add an extra pillow when you have to lie down.

The Need For Customize Label For Our Store

For a two-week Dollar Store, ours is not running too bad, considering that we haven’t advertised on any paper yet, but my employer is planning on doing it very soon. We will have our cutting of ribbon on the 7^th of December, and my employer will probably do some advertising shortly before that day. I was at my employer’s house this afternoon and we were talking about their plans and visions for their store. I feel so blessed to have them as my employer because I believe that they are a couple of concern citizens that just want to help with the unemployment problem in our area.

There are so many things that they need to do and so many business meetings to fill. One of them is the need to customize our sales receipt. Our register cash machine could not do it. I don’t know why. Another one that needs attention is the custom label for business purposes. Well, all these things are not really that hard to comply. I believe that they were just trying to prioritize what needs to be done first. We know that everything we need can be found in the internet. Like for instance, Data GraphicsInc.com provides custom labels for industrial purposes, military specification and commercial applications. They have plenty of materials on their site that are ready to use as a resource.

This is what I am talking about; everything is on the internet nowadays. I am so grateful.

Why Do Chopping Onions Made Us Cry?

My husband and I love onions. We use a lot of them on almost everything that we eat. But there is something that I don't like with the onions, it is the chopping; it always made me cry. I know it does to you, too.
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Why do chopping onions made us cry? I found this answer after I "Google It". Onions made us cry because of an oil called "Allyl" which is inside every onion that when we cut it, this oil escapes into the air and irritates the nerves in our eyes and nose. These nerves send a cry for help to the brain, and the brain responds with tears to soothe the stinging. Hmm... I find this fact rather "sweet". Our senses are communication and helping each other voluntarily.
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However, I have my own way of avoiding the tears every time I cut onions. I wear this tight pair of sunglasses on, and it blocked the stings from infesting my eyes. It works on me though. What about you? How do you avoid the stings from onion every time you cut them?

My Engagement Story

When it comes to sharing my love story, one of my favorites is on how my husband proposed to me. It was March 2, 2006, my boyfriend (is my husband now) and I were strolling around the mall. I made an appointment with Freshaire for my hot oil hair treatment, while my boyfriend, as he had said, will be at Ricky Reyes hair for men. Well, obviously, I consumed more hours than he had with his. So, I thought he might be somewhere else, or might be in Ace Hardware, as that is his favorite store in the mall. After my hair was done, he was already there at the waiting area.

It was already almost 7’oclock, so he suggested having dinner in a place that he had planned already. Royal Concourse at Gorordo Avenue. Few minutes later, the food and wine that he ordered arrived. I was about to start it when he said, “Hold it for a minute, honey.” I wondered why. He stood up from his chair, took the small pouch from his jacket, took out a small box from it and with one knee on the ground, he opened the small box and there was the diamond ring and asked, “Will you marry me?” I was so shocked! I really had never expected it to happened that soon. I was totally clueless that he will proposed marriage to me that night. I thought it was any ordinary dinner that we always had. I was speechless that he had to ask me the same question twice. He started to get worried that I would turn him down. Then, finally, I was able to answer, “Yes, I will.”

I know that today is not Valentine’s Day, it’s not even our anniversary, but every time I see a diamond ring, I can’t help myself but remember that sweet night of our engagement. Now I understand why men should get the most beautiful diamond engagement rings that they can afford because that magical moment can be equally precious, too. Since1910.com is a fifth generation-family owned online retailer of certified diamond and fine jewelry. They guarantee the lowest diamond price with lifetime warranty, free shipping and 30 day money back guarantee. They also provide guidelines to informed consumers on jewelry purchase. To make it more special, you can get engagement rings design your own , too. I was browsing through their products and I fell in love with their diamond eternity rings . This one looks so simple and yet so elegant. I would probably get this for my self in the future. I suggest that you visit their website, too.

Happy Birthday: Ean

I wanted to start this "Happy Birthday" journal on the first day of the next year, but well, I realize I can start anything at any time. So, here it is; my initial post... and I hope you follow me in the days to come where I will be posting the birthdays of my family members (both side: my husband and mine), friends and acquaintances. I may forgot some, but I certainly wouldn't do it on purpose.
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Today's birthday goes to my step-son, Ean. He is 20 years old and in College. He is the second kid of my husband. As you see in the picture, he loves music. He sings and plays instrument at the same time. He and his friends form a band and are doing really good to the point that they got invitations to play in various places on most weekends.
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It is through music that his Dad (my husband) and him bonding with each other. I remember being with them as they play some songs in the basement. They were great. I felt the love between them. My husband is trying to get a hold of him as much as possible before his son will have his own world and will possibly have no time with each other anymore. Somehow it did, and I believe it was the reason why it made my husband decided to move here in Florida.
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I am not really that close to him. It is not that I don't want to, but I avoided to give him the impression that I was trying to win his heart and will soon have conflicts with his real mom which became my friend, too. I wish him success in the dream that he chooses to follow.

Holiday Season - Food... Food... and Diet

How full were you on Thanksgiving Day? I think I ate as much as equivalent to two days meal. :) Holiday season means foods…foods… foods. Oh how I love this time of the year. I love to eat, most specially trying some new recipes. However, after this season, what do we usually hear from ourselves? Oh no! I gained a lot of weight. He-he-he. This is life; for every indulging you gave to your self there is a sacrifice that equate to it.
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Lose weight, feel happy and healthy. Enjoy the holiday season!

Looking For Logo Design For New Business

I love Dollar Store. It made get more for less. One Dollar Store that was close from our house just shut down. However, we still have another two … in fact, three. The third one just launched two weeks ago, and that is where I currently work. The people in the neighborhood are very happy to see a Dollar Store in their location because there was none for a long time. I got a wonderful feeling working there and at the same time serving the people in that location; making their living easier and convenient.

As new as two weeks, we still have so many things we need to do with our store, and one of them is to get our own logo designs for both advertising and documentation. The name of our store is Dollar King. As a person who shares the vision that my employer has, I care about the store and am doing all that I can for its improvement and success. Browsing for Logo Design Samples brought me to Logo Mojo. Perfect! Thousands of samples are available for you to choose. It saves you from brainstorming on how to do your own logo. Oh life! I wonder what else do we need here on earth that the internet cannot provide?

"Not Too Coy" Winter Shoes

The air was cold around this time last year. I remember that I had to wear long underwears to keep me warm. Well, I am glad it is not cold yet, because I am not ready for the winter to strike. I need a new pair of winter shoes because the ones I had from two winters ago is peeling off, and when it comes to shoes, Zappos is my favorite online shoes store because they always have the latest designs.

When it comes to buying a pair of women’s winter shoes , I can’t forget what my mom-in-law taught me on how to choose the right one to make sure that it will keep my feet warm. You have to know the materials. I like these pair of winter boots in the picture from Zappos, called “Not Too Coy Steamy”. The style is elegant and made of good quality materials. I’m pretty sure that my feet will keep warm on these.

Well, it doesn’t end there. I am going to buy a pair of men’s sandal for my husband as one of my Christmas gift for him. He needs a new one. I know it doesn’t sound appropriate that I will buy him a pair of sandal when what we need is something to keep us warm, but it is because he don’t need a pair of winter shoes because he have few. Though my husband will not need the pair of sandals right now, but the winter will come to an end and it will start to warm up again and that is when my husband will need the pair of sandals.

Family Thanksgiving Dinner 2010

Our family Thanksgiving Dinner here in Merritt Island (FL) this afternoon was a success. Everybody enjoyed the moment of just talking to each other, eating while bonding with family, relatives and friends. The children were having fun, too. There were about 30-40 people that were joining together. As usual, it was held at the basketball court, where the men set up a long tent and put up tables and chairs under it. The weather was wonderful today. Nobody was cold at all. (I remember that last year that I had to wear double tops because it was cold.) There were variety of foods and desserts on the 4 long tables.
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A special thanks to Orville, Mary, Michael and Terry for all the efforts that they put to make this event possible and for making everybody comfortable and satisfied. Thanks to all who came that made us merrier. Above all, a special thanks to Sharon and Mary from West Virginia; to Tomas, Keli and their 2 sons from Texas; and to Ed, Annette and Ricky from Michigan. It was their presence that made the events more special. They came down here all the way from other states to spend the Thanksgiving Day with us.

What Do You Look For A Car?

I know that I keep saying that I will start learning how to drive soon. My husband made his cousin in charge in teaching me how to drive because he confessed that he got no patience in teaching, and I can tell that he is not a good teacher either. I keep putting this thing aside because I just didn’t feel the need to do so until now.

My husband will go back to school starting January, it means that our schedule might clash to each other, and it would be possible that one of us will either suffer or sacrifice. My employer told me that it would be of my good advantage if I can drive and get my own car so that they can assign me from DK to DQ and vice versa on anytime. Seriously, I started thinking about this lately. I really have to do this.

My husband said that driving is easy and it depends on the kind of car. Cadillac Cts-V for instance, is brilliant. According to the review, the lusty 556-horsepower supercharged LSA V-8 under the hood is docile and smooth around town, but absolutely stonking when unleashed. The over-all ride quality is great.

Another car is the Hyundai Equus , is plushly outfitted and more formally styled. This presents an intriguing alternative to the Lexus or the Lincoln, but performance isn’t quite as sharp, nor is it intended to be as sporting, Its V-8 throbs with horsepower, but handling’s less confident than BMW.

The VW Polo is generally quite slow and is much more fun to drive. Its braking and handling are that of expected of a family hatchbackbuild quality. Its design is really comfy, with great steering wheel seats and gearknob. It is cheap to run and easy for maintenance.

I just became interested in cars. I want to know more about it, maybe it is because I will be driving one soon. I will be putting my life on it, and so, I better know as much as I can about cars, and one way is by reading wiki cars .

Thankful Thursday - Happy Thanksgiving Day

Happy Thanksgiving day to all! I am glad that my employer gave me an off from work today. I need it so that I can spend time with my husband's relative that came from West Virginia and to those that are here around us, for today's Thanksgiving Day dinner that will be in the basketball court. It is my third Thanksgiving Day here in USA and as always, I am very happy to be a part of this very important holiday in America.
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Thanksgiving Day is being thankful for all the blessings we received throughout the year. Thanksgiving Day was originally the day set apart to show gratefulness for the crops harvested on the present year. Thanksgiving Day is for the entire family (and extended) to gather together in one house and just enjoy the bonding moment. Thanksgiving Day is to be thankful for the life we have and for the person that we are with.
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Happy Thanksgiving to all. May you spend the day with somebody you love and just talk about the things that you are so thankful for. Let us not forget to give God all the glory for He deserves it.

A Romper For Baby Logan

Baby Logan was born on November 1^st of this year, and the wonderful thing is that he shares his birthday with his daddy Robert. I think it is awesome! Robert just received the most precious birthday gift ever, a son. Sara his mommy just adores him. He is the entire world to her, and I want to believe that Baby Logan has changed the life of both his daddy and mommy. By the way, Sara is my husband’s niece.

Everybody just loves Logan. Everybody came to his house to see him. How I wish we could, too, but they live in Michigan and it will take several months before we can go visit there. It is amazing how a baby can make everybody come together to just talk and shares the happy moment with the parents for having the baby. Well, I am grateful to Facebook because it is where I can follow Logan’s development and seen his pictures that are updated weekly.

Since we cannot go to visit him, we might as well just send his first Christmas gift from us. I found this very cute baby clothing in TeaCollection.com. A boys motorcycle layered sleeve rompers. Isn’t it cute? This is perfect for winter and yet very stylish. It is made of soft cotton jersey with two side pockets and diaper snaps. I am sure that this will make Logan look more handsome than he already is.

Wordless Wednesday - Pathway

A Cheerful Surprise!

Guest post written by Florence Newman
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Today was a very exciting day indeed. While looking up HearingAidsReviews online, I got a call from my darling son. He is in the United States Marine Corp and called to tell me that he was going to be come be with us for Thanksgiving. My husband and I are thrilled to have him coming home. ItÕs been a long 5 years since our boy joined the marines, and itÕs been a real trial having him away. It always does my heart a lot good when I actually have him back in the house for a visit.
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For our special dinner together, we are going to have a Thanksgiving with a slightly less convention spread. Sure, weÕll have the turkey and the stuffing, but weÕll also include a few of his favorite dishes from over the years. I think what we have planned will really make him happy, as well as bring back a lot of family memories. I am so thankful for the holidays. They have brought me some of the best times over the past few years, and I know that this year is going to be really special, too.

My First Knitted Scarf

This is my first finished output from my new-bought loom. A knitted scarf. I started on this a week ago, and worked on it half an hour a day. I know it doesn't show so much in the picture, but I think my knitted scarf is not bad for a first timer. In fact, I love it.
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I love the color very much. It is called Woodsy, a worsted medium yarn from Red Heart. I always use Red Heart because it is cheaper and it is available in Wal-Mart, where it is just right next to our place.
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I may give this one to Nanay Becca. I will be making more of this in variety of colors. It will only take one skeins of yarn to make this 2 yards of scarf. I think this will make a good gift to my friends and some family members.
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I love crafts, and I love learning new things. Crafts is my one way of expressing my feelings. It is one of my outlet that I can display my accomplishments. It is through working on crafts that I find relaxing moment without being idle.
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I can proudly say now that I am ready for the cold strike of winter here in Florida on next month with my fashionable knitted scarf. (Thank you, God, for the pair of hands and for the gift of craftmanship.)

Mingle With Single

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Smingle.com. All opinions are 100% mine.

In this present generation, I can’t understand why anybody would still claim that they don’t have a friend or that there is nobody in this earth that they can date with. There are so many things a single woman or man can do compare to those who are married, and one of them is the freedom to gather as much friends or dating friends and just enjoy life before settling down. Well, wha I understand is that people are tyring to avoid the waste of time and money in dating somebody, and above all, they are trying to save themselves from disappointment that an immature relationship always brought.

Well, if this is your case, I got something exciting for you. Check out Smingle.com, it is a new high-tech, social dating site with cutting edge features and communication tools. Through their cool interactive elements, virtual dating is being made possible and close to realistic. I created my profile and I can really say that this is very cool and something I have never heard before. You can create your 3D avatar, like mine into what I want to look like, my way of clothing, hair, etc., and it allows me to flirt along with some other kind of movement. You can select, too, on what kind of location you want the virtual date to happen. I picked up the beach. They offer variety of refreshing and creative ways to date. I suggest that you create a profile and take advantage of the first three months free profile posting when you upload a picture to your profile.
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This kind of virtual dating is addictive; more addictive than playing an online game. According to THS Investigates, “Virtual dating helps curb the dangers of online dating by allowing people to get to know each other better before meeting in person.” Aside from their very intuitive way to chat, they also have “Love Match” game where you get to know each other deeper. Try it and enjoy!

Paige and Fluffer

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In times like this, it makes me miss Paige and Fluffer. They were my buddies when I was still in Michigan. I really love to have a dog around me. They made me relax and ease my mind from anxiety and stress. I miss the love they give back to me because I showed to them that I care for them. Paige always climb on our bed every early morning to lie down next to me. She always pinned me up in a way that I can't get up. She loves to play hide and seek. Fluffer is the one who always stick around me whenever I was eating. He is a monster. He ate everything you give to him. He liked to stay with us on our bed, too. His favorite spot is in between me and my husband. He likes to watch television with us.
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If only we can have them here in our place, I would be very happy. But they are not allowed here. Cats are allowed though, but I like dogs better than cats. Or maybe I will start to consider getting a cat. I don't know. On the other hand, there are many advantage of not having a pet with us, like for example; we can just go anywhere, even for a long period of time without worrying about walking the dogs. Nevertheless, if God is willing, we will soon see them again when we come to visit Michigan next year, and we will have time together again.

Being a First-Time Home Owner

Guest post written by Pete Schnieder

My wife has been on me lately to take a more vested interested in homeproimprovement, especially now that weÕre officially home-owners. YepÑfor the first time together, weÕre no longer renting a propertyÑwe own it! ItÕs an amazing difference, I can already tellÉthe space just feels like itÕs more ours. I think one of our first projects is going to be to add a nice sunroom adjacent to our back portch/living room area. ItÕll be nice especially in the spring and summer months since weÕll be able to actually utilize our beautiful back yardÑsoaking up a few rays and kicking back to enjoy life.

I think weÕre also going to build a fire pit area near the projected space for our sunroom so we can have cookouts. ThatÕs one thing we never did enough of at our old house, and weÕre thinking that could be a good way to get to know the neighbors, too. WeÕre really going to take pride in fixing this place up so that itÕs more us. CanÕt wait to get started!

Who Can Touch The Apple Of God's Eye?

I found myself asking tonight when I was on my way home from work, "why do we always have new problems?". I feel down tonight because of the problem I had encounter at work this afternoon. But my soul says; my problems are design to make me stronger and wiser for future use. Thank you, God. You are my strength.
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We are very precious in God's eyes. He takes good care of us. He does what is best for us. At times, we may don't understand what is happening in our lives, but rest assured, He is in control, and nothing harm befalls to His children. We are the apple of His eyes ("apple" means "pupil") and like anybody else, nobody wants their eye's pupil be touched. It is our natural instinct to protect our pupil at all cost. And that is what God is exactly doing for us. He is protecting us at all cost. Even to the point of giving His son to die on the cross for us. Who can touch the apple of God's eye?
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"...for whoever touches you touches the apple of God's eye." Zechariah 2:8 NIV

Banana Cream Pie For Thanksgiving

Guest post written by Veronica Parker

I've been crazy about banana cream pies ever since I was a little girl. They're my dad's favorite too so we would always gang up on my mom and get her to bake that kind of pie for us when she was going to bake some kind of pie or really any kidn of dessert. I think that I've had one for every oen of my birthdays since I was 6 years old so I know a good pie when I taste it.

I was emailing back and forth with my dad to plan for Thanksgiving a few days ago and made sure to ask him what mom wanted me to bring for Thanksgiving. When I was doing that I ran across this site talking about an internet company available in my are and I decided to get some more info and sign up for it.

Well, it ends up that she wanted me to bring some honeybaked ham, which is easy enough to pick up somehwere. I'm not going to chance making it and messing up. I'm leaving the banana cream pie to my mom so it's perfect, just like always.

LCC (Lighthouse Christian Church) Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner and Annual Dessert Auction

We had Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner in our church this day after the service. It was a good chance for all of us to have fellowship to each other. It is one healthy way of knowing each other's whereabouts and basic profiles. It was a time of giving love in a form of conversation, because after all, it is what God wants us to do; to love one another. We feed our spiritual body together in one place every Sunday morning, it is a good thing, too, that we feed our physical body together in one place. What a sweet fellowship day it was!
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After the dinner was the Annual Dessert Auction. It was the first time that I was a part of it. It was fun and exciting. The desserts were fabulous and they look so yummy. They just sell like a hot cake. Too bad we are financially tight today. We can't spend on the leisure things because of the coming big family Thanksgiving Dinner we will have on Thanksgiving Day. It is too premature to say, but I am looking forward to be a part of the Annual Dessert Auction on next year, and I hope that I will be prepared then.
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I am so sorry about the quality of these pictures. It was taken from my cellphone camera. But I am still grateful with my cellphone and the camera with it, because at least, I can take "emergency" picture anytime and anywhere I go without having to bring my digital camera all the time.

Get Your Winter Boots Now

I was looking at Charleen’s latest pictures through her Facebook. I saw the picture of their trailer van at the north on a very thick snow. I know I can’t bear the cold, but somehow, I miss that place and the sight of the snow. It’s just so neat and felt so heavenly. And talking about heavenly, I had this one experience when my husband and I were driving in Caro one snowy day and we were in a middle of a spot where there was no trees and not one house on sight. I was so thrilled. It felt like our car was up there with nothing but thick clouds around. “Honey, are we in heaven?” was my question between shaking lips.

I love winter though. You have to be completely prepared to love winter. By saying completely prepared, it means you need to get the right kind of winter clothes, winter boots and all the rest of the winter accessories. My mom-in-law was so careful that I get the right kind of winter jacket and winter boots when I was still in Michigan. She really made sure that there was no way that the air can get through by blowing on the materials. That is my mom-in-law, very loving and caring to me. I feel so blessed to have her as my mom-in-law. I love her so much.

Although we are here in Florida, we are still getting a share of cold weather here, not as cold as it is up there in north though. January is the coldest month of the year, and I need to buy a new UGG winter boots as soon as next week. UGG winter boots are on sale right now. They ship for free and is tax free. Perfect! I’m in tight budget now and I don’t want to settle on anything less either.

Happy Birthday: Charleen

I wanted to start this "Happy Birthday" journal on the first day of the next year, but well, I realize I can start anything at any time. So, here it is; my initial post... and I hope you follow me in the days to come where I will be posting the birthdays of my family members (both side: my husband and mine), friends and acquaintances. I may forgot some, but I certainly wouldn't do it on purpose.
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Today's birthday celebrant is Charleen. She is my husband's first degree cousin. She is the first family/relatives of Gene that I met when I arrived here in USA. She was my "matron of honor" on our wedding (not just that, she had contributed a lot on that day, too). She is very warm and helpful friend to me. She is a good woman and every body just love her. She is a of the many reasons why I can say I am so blessed to become a part of my husband's family. I love you, Charleen. In addition to good health, happiness and prosperity, may there will be many more good things happen to your life in the future.

Fire In The 185 B2 Building

January of 2010, an old woman who lived on the second floor of the 185 B2 building was preparing a lunch for her expected visitor; her granddaughter and her boyfriend. She was frying something, left it to get the finest tablecloth that she kept on her linen closet. It happened to be on top of several other tablecloths that she have because she did not really use it on ordinary days. She was struggling to get them out. She went back and found her kitchen on fire. The good thing was that the old woman was still in her right senses, she walked out from her apartment and went downstairs. The fire was bad that pretty much everything in her apartment became useless due to the fire.
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Our Aunt Kathy happened to be on that same building, but on the ground floor. Everybody that lives on that building have to evacuate their apartment for a week. Some of them can still go there to get something from their apartment, but nobody was allowed to stay longer there, let alone to sleep there because of the smoke that lingers in the entire building.
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This is the job of The Steam Team. They specialize in smoke odor removal from house Austin . Their two decades of experience made them earned the reputation in being the number one choice in services including structural restoration services Austin . One of their goals is the customer satisfaction that they guarantee to do whatever it takes to rectify the problem including tile cleaning and sealing Austin .

Universal Language - Handshake

Realizing that there are many language, either in words or in signs, that are understandable and are widely use in the world. I have decided to gather them one by one; and that is how this series that I called "Universal Language" is being launch. I hope you enjoy this and at the same time learning something.

The second Universal Language that I want to talk about here is the "handshake". I am not really sure if this is being practice all over the world, like in the most remote place in China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia and such; but I believe that all the countries are using this gesture that is called a handshake. It is a short ritual in which two people grasp one of each other's opposite hands, and in most cases, it is accompanied by a brief up and down movement of the grasped hands. This is commonly done when two people meet for the first time; but on some cases, they do the handshake every time they met. It can also be a greeting or a way of saying "Congratulations!". To some it may mean an agreement, while in sports it means sportsmanship. It doesn't stop there. The meaning of this universal language is endless.
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I was so impress to find out that Archaeological ruins and ancient texts show that handshaking was practiced in ancient Greece as far back as the 5th century BC. Your handshake can make an impression in many ways. A strong handshake indicates being dominant, while a too weak handshake is considered as a sign of disinterest. A handshake is actually very important when meeting people for the first time, and a weak handshake can instantly make people form negative opinions of you.

Turn Your Guest Room Into A Hotel Room

I like dressing up our guest room. It is my favorite room in the house. It got twin bed in it with a large window facing the tallest pine tree in our area. I keep it clean all the time. I feel like I own a hotel, making it beautiful and always ready for a guest who may sleep over. I had one already; my friend who work in St. Petersburg stayed with us for two days and two nights. Every time I entered that room, part of me would wish that we’ll always have a company with us.

I’m a fan of fine bedding sets. I spent a lot of times looking around for gorgeous beddings and everything about making the bedroom pretty. Just recently, I found the website of BedBathStore.com. Upon browsing at their products, it made me wish that I found their website long time ago. I am really in love with their bedding set specially this one in the picture; Mirabella Floral Purple and White Comforter set. This design is a New Bedding by Pem America . It is a 200 count sheeting materials and machine washable. I can almost imagine our guest room with this comforter set.

I am glad, too, that in their website I found New Products by The Merchant Source . I love their decorative rods. I need some for the two bedrooms. The ones we have are old and slim. It looks like it can’t carry heavy curtains. There are another New Products by Cuddledown that I like; their bed skirts. They are so pretty. I have a couple of bed skirts and didn’t think I need a new one, but when I saw their bed skirts, it made me want to just get rid of our old bed skirts and get theirs. Oh joy! Life is full of wishes. If only I can do every thing that I like to happen, what a life I could have then.

Check their website and turn your guest room into a hotel room. :)

Canned Peaches

I was checking the pantry this afternoon to see what would be good for dinner, then, I found out that we still have this last jar of canned peaches. I am so happy. I thought I ate the last one. I miss this peach so much. This is my favorite fruit here in USA. This canned peaches is from Michigan. Mom and Dad grow them. They brought these (and some other canned goodies) for us when they came here for a visit last March.
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One of the things that I love about Michigan are the fruits and vegetables we have in our backyard. It felt so blessed to eat the harvest right from your own backyard. I remembered my first fruit picking there was a red apple. How I love those feelings. It was something that rarely happen to anybody in the Philippines. It never did to me. How I miss to pick up peaches during afternoon, when Paige, Fluffer and I go for an afternoon walk. Precious moments! Now, I can only wish for a chance that we will go there again to visit. There are so many things I miss about Michigan and I am just so thankful that I had that experiences. God is so good. They are treasures that I kept in my heart forever.

Thanksgiving Weekend At Myrtle Beach

My husband’s relative (the ones that I haven’t met yet) will be with us in a few days from now. They are from north and they will be spending the Thanksgiving weekend with us. We will be having a big Thanksgiving Dinner at the basketball court. It will surely be another wonderful dinner for all of us. We did this same thing last year, too. My problem is that I have to work on Thanksgiving Day. I wish I don’t have to, so that I can spend more time with them and can help with the preparation, too. On their way back home, they will be staying in South Carolina for a weekend escapade. They want to take advantage of the last days of the warm days before they will go back to the north.

I am jealous. I have always wished to spend a weekend in South Carolina, specifically in Myrtle Beach. The beaches there are fantastic. If you have been there, too, I believe you would agree with me on this. Everything about Myrtle Beach will take your breath away, from the lazy river to the contemporary architecture. It is their goal to build this resort into a place where the beach and the warm weather will wipe away your stress and make you feel relaxed. It is just such a perfect place for family fun, getaways, weddings, convention… or just to be by yourself. It is no wonder why over 13 million visit there annually.

Though this place is very popular, it is not hard to make a reservation through http://avistaresort.com . Enjoy the exquisite sunrises and sunsets, beautiful ocean and the warm sand in Myrtle Beach Hotel . Comfort and luxury is the aim they give to their valued guests of resorts in Myrtle Beach . They have a charming selection of “Specials” to make your stay the best beach vacation that you dream of. Talk to their agents and they will show you a wide array of views and condo floor plan for you to select. Start your planning now.

Thankful Thursday - Offer A Praise

It is Thursday once again, and I am very happy that I can still do this. To be grateful to God is some form of worship, and we can all do this because this is what God wants us to do, to worship Him. Let me highlight to you this verse:
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" Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name." Hebrews 13:15 NIV
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*I thank God for the good health He gives to me and to my love-ones.
*I thank God for the job He give to me, a kind that I don't feel guilty of abusing my body, and most specially, I got all Sundays off, too.
*I thank God for all the sponsored post that I had and will going to have. It has greatly helped me financially.
*I thank God for all my blogger friends, and to all those who visit here in my blog regularly. I appreciate it very much.
*I thank God for the strength.
*I thank God for the daily bread he provides so faithfully.
*I thank God that my husband and I are doing well in our marriage life.
There are so many things to be thankful to God, that we can not ran out of things to say. God so deserve all the glory and thanksgiving for everything He did in our life. Let us be an instrument to glorify His holy name.

Loan Using Your Structured Settlement

Our church friend from the Philippines visited Texas for a holiday, had a bad accident on an elevator ride in a certain building that broke his left arm. He sued the owner of the building, and the lawyer said that everything look so favorable on his side. It kept him here in USA for a while because of the therapy and rehabilitation. It caused him his business that was going so stable at that time, lost a big business deal and missed his flight back to the Philippines. In other words, a fortune turned into dust. The trial started and it left him with nothing to go on.

He don’t want to linger more here in USA to wait for the closing of the case and for his money. The good thing is Solid Funding provides lawsuit loans for plaintiffs with pending lawsuit settlements. They provide cash for structured settlement . The trial may run for about a year or more, but the plaintiff don’t have to worry because these loans are non-recourse. In other words, the plaintiffs do not have to pay the money back unless the plaintiff wins their case. In that way, he can get cash for his structured settlement now and let the Solid Funding handle it.

Wordless Wednesday - Old Little Shack