Sweet Slices of Life

Unexpected baby number three

2012-01-10T19:54:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Wm Rowe

My husband and I are having our third kid. It is hard to express, but we are
a little more in shock than excited. We love our two children and would do
anything for them, but I don’t know if we can handle a third. Of course, we are
going to make it work and figure it out, but right now it is sinking in. I know
I am going to have to make some major budget changes. Hopefully I can get some
good Wildblue Deals and refinance the house. There are so many thoughts and scenarios
going through my head right now. I know my husband is probably sharing my same
emotions. It is very hard to describe. Try and imagine a type of excitement
filled with fear and worry and then multiple it by three. I think that might
help explain what I am going through right now. I know it will all work out and
everything will be fine, but for now I just need to keep telling myself that. My
husband and I are smart people and we will find the perfect budget and the
perfect plan. I just need to continue to have faith.

Started a Fashion Blog

2012-01-10T19:48:00.000-08:00

I've been a blogger for two years now, writing all over the place with anything-under-the-sun kind of topics. Last week I realized I should really focus on one think so I can find my niche... So I think I found it in fashion. I created a new site- Dear Women (www.donnaweir.com)

Dear Women (www.donnaweir.com) is anything about women. My main focus on this site is fashion.. But I always feature great women and stuffs for women! I think it's pretty cool, so I hope you guys will check it out!!

Buyer's Market

2011-08-29T16:32:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Olga Quinn

I feel like there’s never been a better time than now to buy real estate and I should know…I’m a realtor! I spend a lot of my time looking at houses and listings and boy are there a lot of great deals to be had out there right now. If I was in the market for a new home I would do everything I could to make that dream a reality sometime soon while there was still such a buyer’s market. My clients ask me a lot of questions and since a lot of them are first time homebuyers I try to be as honest and open as possible. They range from where should I look for satellite (http://Direct.TV) to who should I call about the water restrictions (the county) and I love to help any way I can even after the sale is inked and my part is done. Buying a home is a big decision and if I had one piece of advice to offer here it would be to strike now!

Old Charm

2011-06-15T15:05:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Darwin Barton

My house is really old and though I love the charm, it presents its own set of weaknesses. For example, the second year I lived there I had to have almost all the Windows replaced because they were leaking air so badly. Around that same time, I did some research at http://www.texaselectricityproviders.com/electric-company-rates-in-texas/Texas/ and found out I was paying too much for electricity anyway, so I guess it was a good thing but it all happens the way it did. Just this year, my foundation decided it was a good time to crack, so that's going to be a really pricey fix. I love living in a house with so much character but I'm really sick of it never feeling clean, even after I spent all day scrubbing the floors. Anyone out there with an older house know what I mean? A new house just wouldn't fit in on my block, though, so it's a good thing everyone else has gone through the same things as me. If I had to do again, I buy the same house!

Taking Care of Laptop

2011-02-18T08:36:00.001-08:00

My laptop is one of the things that I can't live without. I use it with almost everything, like talking to my parents online, checking my facebook and of course updating my blogs. So yes, I really need my laptop that's why I take care of it.

One of the best things that I get for my laptop is a laptop sleeve. It really protects my laptop from unneccessary scratches and I can bring my laptop now anywhere I go, conveniently. It was really a great purchase!

If you too want to buy laptop sleeves, try checking rickshawbags.com. It has different styles of laptop sleeps, even the macbook air sleeves for macbook air. So find your style and get one for your laptop now. You'd really be thankful you're getting now.

Watching Law and Order in HD

2010-08-11T19:33:00.000-07:00

Watching Law and Order is something I have done and enjoyed since the show aired 20 years ago. I have been watching it now in high definition and the picture and sound is excellent. I use to have to watch it close up because I only have a 32 inch television. Now watching it in high definition allows me to set far back from the television. It provides excellent sound quality and my volume doesn't have to be sky high. The picture comes across crisp and clean especially when I am watching the older episodes. Once I found out how to hook up my high definition and that my favorite channel TNT was available in high definition I watch it continuously. Regular television does not provide the superior quality that high definition does. I also have some other channels that I watch in high definition and they are excellent quality as well. Watching television doesn't get any better than this. Being able to watch my favorite show satellite deals in Massachusetts is something that I enjoy on a daily basis.

Post contributed by Josue Durham

True Love in a Time Gone By

2010-08-04T15:36:00.000-07:00

Guest post written by Sidney Owens

The first time I saw the movie Somewhere In Time I was mesmerized by everything in it. The whole concept that you could will yourself through self-hypnosis to a previous time was something I had never considered. The beautiful musical score gave me a newfound appreciation for the compositions of Rachmaninoff. I can close my eyes and still hear the beautiful strains of “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.”

The movie was filmed at the beautiful Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. The main characters are perfectly played by Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve. Christopher Plummer is delightfully evil as the manager of young Elise McKenna. As hard as he tries to keep the young couple apart, his attempts would be futile.

Although many may consider this a chick flick, I find it interesting that it is told from the man's point of view. It is his journey to love. Having Satalite tv has allowed me to enjoy this movie many times over the years. We all can use a little love in our lives and this movie will whisk you away to a time long gone by when romance was sweet.

Time to Save Water

2010-02-02T08:01:00.000-08:00

I heard in the news couple of months ago that the water company here in Saint Louis is planning to raise its price. It made me think of how hard will it make our budgeting if they would do that. Water, like gas and electricity are the things that we can't live without. We need water in almost everything and if there would be a raise on its price, that would be totally awful.

I was thinking if water would be expensive, then we should really put an effort on how to save it. I know there are many ways to do that and we can do everyday. If we are washing the dishes for example, why not recycle the water. During summer time, we can use the used water to water the plants. If we are brushing our teeth, why not use a glass than letting the water continously flowing?

There are so many ways to help save water if we are only paying attention in our daily routine. One of the many ways too is the use of dual flush toilet. I have heard it from a friend because they are also using this one. Dual flush toilets are designed to help save water every time we use the toilet. It has an ability to use way lesser water than our conventional toilets that's why it is really an investment having them in our households.

I hope we will learn to save water. I think we really should!

What did I do this Halloween?

2009-10-31T21:00:00.000-07:00

What did you do this Halloween?

Trick or treat is the most famous association to Halloween, making this holiday very famous to kids. Trick and treat is done by almost everyone in the neighborhood where kids in costume visit every household for some treats of candies.

For some adult, Halloween could be very fun because of the costume parties where everyone get to dress up in some cute and weird costume like being a school girl, a vampire or an angel.

So what did I do this Halloween?

Early this morning our whole family together with our close relatives attended a memorial mass for our loved ones who have passed away. The mass was very emotional but everyone left the church with a feeling of relieved and assurance that our loved one is now in good hands with our Dear Almighty.

After the mass we went to a nearby Italian restaurant with all the relatives and had a good lunch. We were able to talk to some relatives that we haven’t spoken for a long time and we had caught up with the time that we had missed.

We were planning to attend an adult costume party tonight but we decided to just stay at home for an early mass tomorrow.

How about you? How did you celebrate your Halloween?

All Cellphones Numbers Go Public this Month

2009-10-07T19:46:00.000-07:00

Have you ever experienced receiving calls from telemarketers? Well, if you live in United States these annoying calls from telemarketers is normal. Our phone at home would ring so many times everyday and only few calls deserve to be answered; majority of these calls are coming from annoying telemarketers.

I know it’s pretty annoying to talk to telemarketers, but do you what we will have more problems regarding with the unwanted calls from telemarketers? I just read an update from a friend in facebook that all cell phones numbers are being released to telemarketing companies this month. My friend’s update goes like this:

Kae Pearl :
FYI: Cell Phone Numbers Go Public this month. All cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sales calls.YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS. To prevent this, call the National DO NOT CALL list 888-382-1222. It blocks your number for five years. You must call from the cell phone number you want to be blocked. You can’t call from a different phone number.

I am so thankful that I am aware about this as early as today to prevent more unwanted calls from telemarkets. I just called the number and unregistered my cell phone number.

Finding the Car Repair Estimates

2009-09-25T22:58:00.000-07:00

When my car broke down and it needed to be fixed, I crashed too. Why is that so? Well, think of how much it cost me to have my car backed in shape.

I think one of my mistakes why I spent a lot for my car repair was I didn’t have my car fixed in the right car repair shop. Yes, if I was smart enough that time I would have found the best shop that would fix my car for the right price. I only got an idea that it is very important to find out the estimates of the car repair before even choosing a place to have your car fixed. I talked to a friend from California and she told me the same. When she needed the timing belt of her car replaced, she researched first what is the estimated price of it before even finding the right place to get it replaced and done. She recommends RepairPal.com to me because she solved her problems with her car repairs through this site. She was able to find the estimate prices of her car repairs and the best San Francisco Auto Repair through this site.

When I visited the site, I was pretty impressed what it can offer. It has unbiased comments and ratings from real user. Like the ratings for Honda Accord. The comments are really coming from the people who have owned this car so you are secured that they are giving the right ratings and comments. It also provides estimated prices for any car repairs you will need in your area plus some advices from the experts.

I am so happy my friend told me about Repairpal.com. It is now easier for me to solve my car repair problems in the future. I am praying I won't need one though. *Laughs*

Obsessions

2009-08-18T22:09:00.001-07:00

When I was trying to find the other pair of my earrings tonight, I came to realize that I actually have quite a lot of jewelries. I don’t have an obsession of collecting them; in fact, I don’t even wear jewelry most of the time.

Ask yourself. Is there anything that you are so obsessed about? I know people who buy things like crazy even if they don’t really need it. For some rich people they collect expensive cars and multi-million dollar diamonds; others buy expensive line of clothing’s, shoes, and bags like crazy. I know someone who collects the most expensive watches in the world.

If you buy/collect something excessively, you are obsessed of it. Being obsessed of something is bad. I don’t want to throw any blame to those who have problems like this because psychologically, it is considered to be an illness. I have read stories about people who are “shopaholic” or those who shops so bad that they can no longer control themselves from buying anything even if their wallet is hurting. People like these have to see a psychologist just to cure this kind of “illness”.

Well, it is a different story for those multi-billionaires like Paris Hilton who doesn’t care if she has an illness of shopping too much stuff because she can actually afford it. Or maybe to those very poor people who can’t even afford an obsession of eating right or having a simple home to live in. Isn’t it hard to think how the chosen few (rich people) buy anything that they want while majority of the worlds population can’t even eat enough food everyday or live even in a simple shelter they can call home.

I feel for those unfortunates but I don’t blame the chosen few because I know life is just life. We always find it unfair and crazy but no one can ever fathom the real reason why things existed.

So if we have some little or huge obsessions to anything, just always remember that we are responsible for what ever deeds we do. If you think you enjoy it and you’re not guilty of hurting yourself or other people then just let that guilty pleasure go on. Remember, your own life is your own responsibility; we just live our life once to live it not only to the fullest but also in the right way.

My Mom's 68th Birthday

2009-08-17T08:11:00.000-07:00

Last night we celebrated my mother in law’s 68th birthday. We went to a nearby Casa Gallardo to eat our dinner with the whole family.

I admired my mother in law that at the age of 68 she is still very strong. She has been a very good mother to her children and a loving wife to her one and only love who had passed away years ago. She remains strong until now because she knows she is still the one that bonds all of her children and their families. She is a mother of five children and I married her oldest son. I can’t count how many grandchildren and great grandchildren she has, but one thing is sure, all of them love her so much.

We had margaritas after the meal and it made me a little bit tipsy because I never had taken any alcoholic drinks for quite a long time until last night. We headed home with smile on our faces and a thankful heart, thanking to God for blessing Carol Weir with so much love from her family and friends.

To my mother in law, whom I normally called mom, Belated Happy Birthday and We Love You!

Music Education: Composition and Orchestration

2009-08-07T15:26:00.000-07:00

I understand how hard it is to be studying music because it doesn’t only need one’s talent on how to play a certain musical instrument or sing a certain piece but it also needs one’s knowledge on how to coordinate with the other musical instruments like for example to coordinate with the whole musical orchestra.

The whole thing about studying music requires not only the knowledge but good practice. It is very important that one can do what he/ she had studied that’s why it is very important that a student can experience a realistic sounding performance using a vast collection of orchestral instruments. Well yes, it is very expensive if you will hire the whole orchestra that’s why there is a new innovation in music education where one can do a realistic practice with a virtual orchestral instrument online. With this one, a student can practice and hear his play more realistic using vast collections of orchestral samples and virtual instruments.

This new innovation in music education can really help the student learn more and practice more realistically so that they will be more successful in their crafts. One of those that offer this services is Ravel Virtual Studios. Finally, learning the music composition and orchestration is easier and less expensive.

Define Sexy

2009-07-21T16:16:00.000-07:00

Are you sexy?

Some would answer, “Yes, I’m smoking hot!” But there are also some who would say “I’m not” If you ask yourself the same question, what would be your answer?

For years, I have been trying to know the real meaning of the word SEXY, but I can’t seem to find the exact synonyms of that word. Others associated it to sex, appearance and some to one’s personality.

Other people say you are sexy when you have the perfect vital stat of 36-24-36. Others think thin is sexy. Others say big butt is hot but others don’t agree. Sometimes the word HOT also means sexy. And HOT is sometimes associated to someone who is good in bed. So does it mean you are sexy even you don’t have that the beautiful body as long as you know the thing in bed? If then, sexy is associated to sex. It’s confusing, isn’t it?

“Confidence is what makes someone sexy” So sexy here means more of personality because as long as you are not scared to show off and you can carry yourself very well with confidence, you are sexy.

I’m sure there are still more ideas associated to the word sexy, but if I would ask you to define it? Will your definition makes you say “Yes, I’m sexy”? I hope so.

Life and Love; Living and Loving

2009-07-21T16:11:00.000-07:00

Life and love; these two are always together, though some people only got one of them. It's either they live without loving; or they just love without living. It’s little bit confusing, isn’t it?

Have ever you loved someone that you give everything to her—your time, your money buying things to spoil her or spending your whole life pleasing that someone? Or have you ever wanted something that you spend your whole life trying to figure out how to get it; it maybe a dream job, a big house or a luxurious lifestyle? In these situations I don’t think you are still living at all. Loving someone and giving her everything while sacrificing your own happiness is just as good saying as you are dead! Other people on the other hand do live but they never learned to love. Think of those people who know nothing but to make their career good, make their investment higher, make their opponents surrender and make good money for themselves—people who think nothing but their own survival, fame and money and they have forgotten to LOVE others. They are blinded by the fame and possessions that they are enjoying. They think nothing but money, power and fame.

People who live this kind of life think that they are living their lives happily but the brutal reality is—they really not. Later in their lives they will know how much time they have wasted for things that are not important. They will realize that their existence in this world never means living. They will realize that they just existed but never really lived.

Living for me means loving ourselves and loving the people around us that’s why living should always go with loving; so as life should always be accompanied by love. We just live once, so let’s spend it the best way we could. Let’s be happy and let’s make other people happy.

What about you? Are you living your life correctly?

Curing Acne

2009-07-21T16:08:00.000-07:00

Acne can occurs in all type of ages and yes, having them is really not good. People who are suffering from terrible acne are having problems how to treat them.

Treating acne is not easy. It takes six weeks before you will know if your acne treatment is actually working. After six weeks and it’s not working you have to find another regime to treat them and hope again that it will work.

For anyone who has been suffering from acne, I’m sure you considered it a major problem to be solved. For women especially, having acne is an embarrassment. Acne can lose once confidence and self-esteem that’s why it’s very important to discover the real acne solution that would treat acne for real.

Finding the right treatment for acne is also finding the right acne product to use. Yes, there maybe thousands of products that are available in the market but it’s hard to choose which one is the right one.

Among the things that one should consider in treating their acne is the advice of their dermatologist and the change of lifestyle. Change from soda to water; unending parties to 8-hours of sleep everyday; fast foods to fruits and veggies.

My Horror Story About Taking Pictures

2009-07-21T16:04:00.000-07:00

I love to take pictures of everything. I believe its one way of treasuring every moment that only comes once in our life. But there was a point in my life when I stopped doing it. It was the time when all of the pictures that I treasured were all gone!

I used to have a film camera ten years ago. It was not a digital camera and I had no computer that time so I always made sure to have my pictures printed right after I finished using the whole film. That time I had a huge collection of photo albums. I had captured everything; from the first time I met my best friend until the time I received my High School Diploma and delivered my Valedictory Address.

When I moved to another city to pursue my college education, I brought with me all my photos and lost all of them when a strong typhoon hit that city. I was in school that time and when I got home I was so horrified after I found out that the window of my room was opened. I had forgotten to close it before I left my room that day. Everything was in a real mess. My clothes, my books and my photo albums, so as all of the films that I treasured for years were all wet and damaged. I cried so hard that day but I knew I could never undo what had happened. Everything was all gone.

It was six years ago and today I already have my own computer and digital camera. Lately, I have started taking pictures like I used to do before. But now, I do it more seriously and take care of every picture as precious as every moment that it captures!

Marriage: How to Make it Work

2009-07-21T15:55:00.000-07:00

On August 1, 2007, I woke up at six o’clock in the morning. It was pretty early but I hurriedly went to the bathroom. I needed to take a bath. I didn’t know what to feel—I felt nervous and excited at the same time. “This is the start of the new chapter of my life”, I said to myself. Yes, it really was! It was the day that I will be committing myself to someone whom I will be spending the rest of my life with—IT WAS MY WEDDING DAY!

I’m sure for those who are already married, you also felt the same way during the day that you and you spouse exchanged your “I Do’s” The day when you both promised to love, care and understand your partner for the rest of your lives. The very moment you both started wearing your wedding bonds. The time you decided to share everything that you have to your partner including the happiness, sadness, dreams, problems etc.

It’s been over a year and ten months since that vow and now I tried to ask myself. Am I a good wife to my husband? Are we both doing what we supposed to do? Will we have a happy ending? In spite of all these questions, I am wishing for one thing—I want my marriage to work!

I know my husband and I love each other so much, but I believe we still need to exert more effort so we will get where we wanted to be; and to be able to do what we had promised in front of the altar—to be together forever.

With this regard, I read some articles on the internet and I also asked my married friends on how to make the marriage works. And here are some of the tips I gathered.

1. Always say ‘I love you’
2. Communication is the key.
3. Always have a fun time together
4. Don’t sleep without solving the problem
5. Agree to disagree
6. Always ask God’s guidance
7. Make yourself attractive to your partner
8. Respect each other.

I’m sure there are still things that you can think other than the things I listed above. You can always do anything that would make your partner feel special. In everything that you do, always remember that reason why you are doing it is to make you and your partner happy.

Birthday Gift for my Little One

2008-12-30T07:50:00.000-08:00

I never tried online shopping until I found this site. I was only browsing the internet and found SHOPwiki.com . I was looking for a gift that I could give to my baby for his birthday and wow, I was so amazing because I didn’t have to click a lot to find the best gift for him because the site has a shopping guide by recipient and by occasion. So all I had to do was to click on that specific occasion or on that kind of person whom I was shopping for.

Since it was for my baby boy, I clicked on Gifts for Boys and there I found a lot of different kinds of gifts for my adorable.The gifts were grouped on a certain age brackets, so it was so easy for me to choose what was the best for my baby. After browsing enough, I finally chose Race Car Bed for him.

Wow, I never thought online shopping is just so easy!

You can get anything on this site; any gifts not only for birthdays but pretty much for all occasions and for everybody. You can find anything for wedding gifts or for anniversary gifts . They also adorable gifts for babies and for grandparents.

I will definitely recommend this site to all my friends. I am pretty sure that they would love this site like I do. And oh, our wedding anniversary is fast approaching; maybe it's time for me to refer this site to my husband too!

Season of Giving

2008-12-22T11:43:00.000-08:00

Did you tell Santa what do you want for Christmas?

I admit, I love Christmas because of the gifts. LOL! It might be a little childish but yes, I think we have to admit that most of us love to receive gifts every Christmas Day. Well, I am not talking of really expensive gifts like car, a luxury vacation in Europe or a multi-million dollar diamond necklace. I am just talking of little gifts that make us happy, though it won’t hurt to receive those luxuries gift. LOL!

So have you started receiving your gifts? I would be happy to hear if you do but I hope no matter how we love to receive gifts, we still have the heart to give. After all Christmas Season is a time of giving. It feels good to share your blessing this holiday!

Merry Christmas!

*Picture used is from flickr.com

White Christmas

2008-12-17T11:11:00.000-08:00

I looked outside the window and saw the beautiful white surroundings. Everything was covered with heavenly white, cotton-like thing. The trees were not green but white; so as the ground and the roof of every house. Wow! It was pretty amazing. For me, it was like heaven on Earth. A fairytale that was finally coming true!

For someone who came from a place where having snow was only a dream, experiencing it for the first time feels really amazing. It really does bring the child in me. Watching the kids play with snow makes me want to play too. There must have been some spell around that makes everyone happy. The wonder how the winter season turns everything in white is just amazing.

It’s December so this is definitely my first White Christmas. I am so over of the green stuffs so this year I am making it all white! But wouldn’t it be hard for me to have my first Christmas spend this way? This isn’t like what I had in the Philippines. This year, our Christmas tree wasn’t fake, we’ll play in the snow, we’ll make real a snowman, we’ll need to endure the freezing cold, and oh this is the first Christmas that I wont be able spend with my parents and siblings.

Yeah, experiencing the first white Christmas could be fun but experiencing it without my parents is NO fun at all. It’s true; there is no thing as perfect Christmas because we always ask for more. It’s like the fact that says ‘Life is A Paradox’. This year, instead of counting the things that I don’t have, I will count the blessing that have. This way I will be able to appreciate not only the white Christmas but also the fact that even I am far from my parents, I know their love is with me; and no matter how far they are, I know I have my husband and son and my new other family with me here in US.

So this year’s Christmas might not be as perfect as I wanted but I would still consider it as heaven on Earth!