Impact Signs

Have you ever thought about how many signs you see every day and what impact they have on our lives? There are signs everywhere from highway traffic signs to signs at the park letting us know where the hiking trail starts. There was an episode of Curious George that my daughter was watching, and one day George removed all the signs at a park, and all the park visitors were confused about where the picnic tables and other things were located and soon there was chaos. It was a dramatization of the importance of good signs and the positive benefits we receive from them.

 I have seen some very impressive signs lately on new office buildings, and I have wondered where they came from or what the expense might be. I did a search on corporate signs and found a great website called impactsigns.com. When I checked out their website I noticed they have a very wide variety of signs that should fit any customer’s needs. One particular sign that was most impressive was a bronze plaque that could be used for business or personal use. They have signs made of many materials including metal and glass, and offer customer service and installation if you need it. So if you’re looking for a sign or plaque for your home or office, you should browse the selections on their website.

This post is brought to you by http://www.impactsigns.com/.

Pneumatic Tools

May people are buying foreclosed homes as an investment these days, but they usually are not in livable condition when they take possession of them.  But if you are well aware of the additional work that needs to be done to bring the homes up to standard for rental, then you can make a good purchase.  A pre-purchase survey will let you know if there are any major repairs that need to be made and then you can decide if the additional cost is acceptable.  If you need extra work done prior to leasing the home to a renter, you should hire professional contractors and construction workers to do the finishing work.  If they have high-quality tools you can ask where they acquired their equipment.  Most say they shop at one of the big-box stores, but others will let you know they buy some of their equipment online. 

One of the websites I’ve found for purchasing professional construction worker equipment is shopidg.com.  The Industrial Distribution Group (IDG) is a supplier to chain stores but you can also browse products on their website.  Some that I’ve looked at are pneumatic tools, but they also carry a variety of products including cutting tools, paints, power tools, tape, etc. The next time you need to purchase construction equipment for your upcoming home project, you should check them out.

This post is brought to you by http://www.shopidg.com/

Chicago Limo Service

I’ve visited a few large cities in the US, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Denver, Kansas City and St. Louis.  But there’s one city I have never been but I want to travel to someday and take tours of the city, and that’s Chicago.  I have heard that Chicago is called the Windy City, because it can be windy, especially during the cold winter months.  I have relatives who have visited Chicago, and they went to see the Sears Tower and other landmarks like The Loop and Lake Shore Drive.  But when I do visit, I don’t want to drive in downtown Chicago because of the traffic, so I’ll most likely hire a company to assist me with my transportation needs. 

There’s one company I’ve found that provides Chicago Limo Service to anyone arriving in Chicago.  They can meet you at the airport with many different types of vehicles, including limos, sedans, SUV’s, mini buses, and others.  They can even arrange to meet and greet you and your family or friends when you arrive at the airport to help you from arrivals to the vehicle.  Chicago Limo Service can also provide security and they offer at least three different tours of Chicago if you want to see the tourist attractions like I do.  So if you want to see one of America’s largest cities and the landmarks, you should give Chicago Limo Service a try.  You can go to their website to make a reservation or call them on their 800 number.

This post is brought to you by Pontarelli Company

Things From Edenfantasys

Warning: Please don’t click on the links if you are under 18 years of age or if this type of posts offend you. I’ll try to make it as family friendly as possible.

I wrote for Edenfantasys at my other blog before. I was hesitant to write for them but I saw a lot of other mom bloggers who are being open about feeling sexy. I also saw a Halloween costume that I really liked from their website so I decided to go ahead and write an article. They are more than a sex toys or adult shop, they are also a community of women.

Here was my haul from them before. I would admit that it was hard to find this dress, it is one of the most conservative that they offer but it is still a little too sexy for me to wear.  I think I would use it with a shirt underneath. Layering is a trend these days anyway.  I decided not to go for the Halloween costume because I would only wear it once and my size was no longer available, probably because they were running a huge sale at the time. I also got a pettiskirt and a stockings. I would say that I'm pretty happy with the quality of their clothing. The price is also reasonable.

If you have a friend that is having a bachelorette or bachelor’s party, they have party favors. If you like wearing lingerie, they have a great selection.  They also offer candles and massage kits.  It’s also not too late for you to get your Halloween costumes. You can shop from their website. You can use the search button if you would like to be directed to the criteria of your choice.

Disclosure: I will receive a gift card in exchange for this post.

Cape Cod Massachusetts

The summer vacation season is winding down, but autumn brings the changing of the colors for tree leaves and many people are starting to travel to see the beautiful colors this time of year, and New England is probably the most popular destination for viewing the changing leaf colors.  One of the most popular places to travel in New England is Cape Code Massachusetts.  Cape Cod is an area surrounding Cape Cod Bay and also includes the islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, which make up Nantucket Sound. 

I especially like the house styles in Cape Cod and look forward to traveling there in the next few years.  When most of us think of Cape Cod Massachusetts, we think of the Kennedy family and fishing boats tied up at a very scenic marina.  Plymouth is part of Cape Cod and that is where the famous Plymouth Rock is located, the landing site of the first Pilgrims in America.  Anyone who celebrates Thanksgiving can relate to the Pilgrims and the hardships they faced.  If you are planning visiting the area, you should check out Cape Cod vacation rentals.  That would be much better than staying in a hotel.  You will get a better experience by staying in an authentic Cape Cod house. 

This post is brought to you by Weneedavacation.com.

Improve Your Kitchen With Granite Countertops

The housing market is starting to show a few signs of improvement after three years of dropping prices and increasing foreclosures.  Along with low selling prices, the current mortgage rates are low.  The problem is being able to qualify for a home loan.  The loan requirements are much stricter than they were before.  Since the housing downturn, more people are staying in their homes and doing renovations to kitchens and bathrooms, the two most popular home improvement projects.  Both will build equity in your home because you will be able to recover a larger percentage of your costs when you do sell in the future. 

Some of the things done during a kitchen renovation are replacing cabinets, upgrading the floors and appliances, and to upgrade the countertops.  There are many options for countertops, but granite countertops are probably the most popular today.  The beauty of granite is unmatched and they will last forever with just a small amount of maintenance.  Other types of countertops are concrete, glass, pressed paper, and laminate.  But when we replace our countertops in a home, we’ll be changing to granite.  If you want to see a wide variety of granite countertops, visit the website Discountedgranite.com. This post is brought to you by their website.

Healthcare Uniforms

I wrote for Blue Sky Scrubs before and it’s always a pleasure to visit their website. I would buy from them if I am in need of a scrub. Their scrubs look very comfortable but durable. I’ve also seen other reviews from people about their scrubs and all of them are positive.

If your husbands are in the medical field and you want to purchase a scrub for them you can view this website-  http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/categories/Scrubs/Scrubs-for-Men/. Blue Sky Scrubs also offers women scrubs and other healthcare uniforms. I think their designs are classic and they have a lot of colors to choose from. They seem to also widen the variety of their scrubs and their website seems to keep improving.

For those who are mommies and have kids, Blue Sky Scrubs have kid’s scrubs. Kids love to pretend they are doctors and nurses. This just gave me an idea for my soon to be three year old.  I need to buy her first some gadgets. She seems to be very scared when we go to the doctor so this might help her. I am also thinking of taking her to the dentist for the first time.

This post is brought to you by http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/. The pictures are from their website.

Lawyers for Men

Lawyers are expensive and sometimes we wish we would not need one. But then if you are running a business, have a family conflict or go through a divorce, I think it is inevitable to hire a lawyer. Cordell & Cordell which is a domestic litigation firm specializes on divorces and empowering men. Most of my readers are women but just in case there are men reading this who are in need of hiring lawyers, they can check out the website. Men can have their own communities and support too.  Divorces are very difficult,  I haven’t been to one but I can imagine how painful it would be not just emotionally but financially especially for the men who usually ends up paying child support. It is a good thing to support your child and I am not against it.

Cordell & Cordell has offices in Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana and other states. You can also check this at their website. Cordell&Cordell Reviews are helpful to look at to have some idea on what the service can offer you. We usually look at reviews online even with just buying an item to make sure that we are getting the value for our money. I think it is the same with hiring a service.  

This post is brought to you  by http://www.cordellcordell.com/. All opinions are mine.

Hanes Comfort Care Packages Facebook App

If you want to have fun using a Facebook app and at the same time help a good cause, you can start sending virtual comfort packages to your family or friends that you think are deserving. Hanes has created a ComfortCare Package app in Facebook  in which you can send messages, photos and designs to make somebody happy. For each package that has been sent, Hanes will donate $1.00 to National Breast Cancer Foundation Inc. 

I believe we have to be thankful for nonprofit organizations like NBCF that help and empower women. By the way, I love Hanes. They are truly classic and comfortable.

Please check out  ComfortCare Package app in Facebook .

I participated in a campaign as a member of One2One Network and I am eligible for a prize drawing. No compensation was received. All opinions are my own. 

Modern Lighting

With the housing market still not recovering in most parts of the country, people are staying in their homes for longer than they first expected. But once you decide to stay put for a while, there are things you can do to make your house feel and look different. You can renovate your kitchen or bathroom, or finish your basement, but all of those can be expensive and take lots of time. One of the easiest things you can do to quickly change the feel and look of a room is to update the old tired lights to new modern lighting. Most houses are built with cheap mass-produced lights to keep the costs down for the builder, and they have little style and go unnoticed by the occupants.

If you change your lights to something more elegant and modern, they will be admired by visitors coming in to your home. One place to make the biggest impression is a chandelier in your dining area hanging over the table. Another place you can make a good first impression is the entrance to your house. Updated modern lighting can be found online at Lampsexpo.com. They have lots of different lights to choose from for both indoor and outdoor areas and when we remodel our home we will certainly look for modern replacement lights on their website.

Depositions

One of the last things most of us want to do is contact a lawyer because we are being sued and we need legal representation in order to fight the lawsuit.  Choosing a lawyer is a very important decision and you should not just pick a name out of the phone book because a good lawyer is worth their weight in gold.  Legal firms and courts use the services of deposition service companies.  Soon after a lawsuit is filed, the lawyers on both sides of the suit must gather testimony from any parties that have knowledge of the disagreement and to gather facts which can help lead to a fair solution.

One of the ways to gather data and testimony is to require witnesses to give depositions.  During a deposition, you will be asked to give out-of-court testimony that is recorded and used later during the litigation.  It is normally questions asked by both attorneys and usually a judge is not present.  The deposition is taken either in the office of the court reporter or in the office of one of the attorneys.  If you are an attorney or work for a legal firm in Texas, you might consider using the deposition services of DepoTexas Deposition Services.  They offer a full range of services related to depositions, including court reporting and interpreters. 

This post is brought to you by http://www.depotexas.com/

Online Classes

The US economy has been in a financial mess for over three years now, and things don’t seem to be improving for most people.  Layoffs are still happening and the unemployment rate isn’t dropping.  Food prices are rising rapidly and most of our 401k balances seem to be shrinking.  What can you do to improve your chances of doing well in a bad economy?  One of the best things you can do is get an education, or get another degree in a field that’s currently hiring.  But most of us are too busy to attend college full-time, we still have a life to live, children to take care of, and bills to pay. 

Since the traditional way of going to college may not be realistic for most of us who have families, we need to think of untraditional methods to obtain a degree, including attending classes online.  There are many schools now which offer courses online, and there are some which are online only.  You can learn about Walden University by visiting their website at WaldenU.edu.  They offer a range of degrees and you’ll be taking classes with other non-traditional students, like working adults and stay at home parents.  Walden University’s online degree programs may be that jumpstart that your career needs to help you meet your financial goals.  So check out WaldenU.edu online and take a proactive approach to your future.


This post is brought to you by http://www.waldenu.edu/. All opinions are mine.

Girls Necklaces

I collect accessories and RC already has a good number of girls necklaces. The picture below is how I store our necklaces.

Aeropostale is offering necklaces now at over 50% off. If you love shopping online, you can check out their website.  I have been shopping online more than I should lately. There are so many great deals, and this one is one of them. I think anything that is over 50% off the original price is a good deal unless he original price is just crazy expensive.

Aeropostale is also one of the popular brands out there especially for teens. I’m older now for sure but I would not mind wearing their tops. If you love shopping for clothes, they also have an ongoing sale on clothing. They are also featuring some back to school looks. I can already imagine how my little girl would be when she becomes a school girl. Well, she was a school girl for a little while when she was going to the daycare. I remember her first day, I dressed her up and I was told that maybe I would want to choose some clothes where I wouldn’t mind her getting dirty. I think I would also go to the Aeropostale outlet here next time there’s a big sale at the mall.

This post is brought to you by Aeropostale.Com.

Baby Boomers

This is just a trivia that I learned recently. I kept hearing the word baby boomer on the news but I haven’t really paid attention to the detail.  Talk on welfare and health insurances are always in the news lately too. You probably know more about this than I do but I’ll still blog about it anyway.  

It’s hard to believe that 10,000 Americans are hitting the age of 65 every day.  They are all considered Boomers because they were born between 1946 and 1964.  The term Baby Boomers is because after World War II, the American fighting men came home from defeating the Germans, Italians, and Japanese and started families.  It caused a large increase in the population of America, and it’s going to cause problems for Medicare because when someone in the United States turns 65, they must sign up for Medicare.  People must monitor their plans, even in California, to make sure they are receiving the best medical care for their money.  Medicare supplement plans are available to help retired Americans meet their healthcare needs after they retire.  You have to be alert and check for info on open enrollment to make sure you’re receiving all the government benefits you are entitled to.

Anderson's Tours

I’ve always wanted to take a vacation to Australia and New Zealand, but we have not made it there yet.  I’ve heard from others that the scenery is remarkable and the people speak English, so there won’t be a language problem.  One of the most popular cities for tourists to visit is Sydney, called the Harbour City,  which is the capital of New South Wales, and the largest city in Australia. 

Some of the world famous attractions are the Sydney Opera House, the Harbour Bridge and the Blue Mountains.  When we travel to somewhere we have never been to before, we like to work with a tour company to arrange tours of the places we want to see. 

While searching online for things to do in the Sydney area, I came across the website Andersonstours.com.au.  Their website advertises day tours to the Blue Mountains, a wilderness area that includes the Australian cliff tops, rock formations, wildlife, and waterfalls.  They will pick you up and take you to the Featherdale Wildlife Park and let you practice your boomerang throwing.  They even provide lunch and then you can ride the Blue Mountains Scenic Railway, the world’s steepest.  You’ll see Sydney’s Olympic Park on the return trip and end your tour with a cruise of the Sydney Harbour. 

If you’re planning a trip to Australia, you should see Sydney, and consider taking a tour with Anderson’s Tours.


This post is brought to you  by Andersonstours.com.au.

I Heart California

It seems that for the past few days, I’ve been blogging about moving including the previous post which is a guest post. I mentioned that if ever I move to another state, I would like Florida or California. I’m sure I will love California because I have family there.  I stayed there before and I don’t mind going back either on a vacation or stay there for good.  However, my husband is from the Midwest so I think if we ever move, that’s where we are going. He’s talking more about it now and he’s already researching about employment, open enrollment, Medicare Supplement Insurance, housing etc.  I think I would be okay as long as we do things on the weekends and I’ll be glad if we are able to travel more especially to California. The flight will not take so long from there.

The thing about Hawaii when you live here is that we’re in the middle of the ocean.  We cannot drive to go to different states and the flights are getting expensive. I love to travel and I wish we can do it more often but it is pricey especially now that my daughter cannot get free airline seats anymore. It does not really feel that we’re isolated because there are millions of people here in Honolulu but I just realize whenever we decide to travel.

The Big Move

Thanks for the guest post by Bradly Watkins

Getting ready for the big move has been just about the most stressfulthing I’ve ever gone through in my life but thankfully everything is getting close to coming to an end. I know I sound like I’m totally whining but having to pack all the boxes and deal with all the utilities (from the pest control to the security to http://www.tvbydirect.com/) all alone has been challenging to say the least. See, my mom is usually my rock but she and I got into a huge argument about three weeks back and we haven’t spoken. I know we’ll be fine in the long run but right now we’re in the middle of a stalemate to see who’s going to break and call the other one first! I know I’m being stubborn but I don’t really want to apologize so I’m waiting for her to call, which I know she will. I love mom but she’s got the will power of a marshmallow so she won’t be able to hold out too much longer. A week, tops!

Where Would You Live?

If I could choose which state I would like to live aside from Hawaii, it is probably California or Florida. We're thinking of moving to the mainland in the next year or two but I know that moving is not easy. It is going to be a big change. I really like it here in Hawaii because there are so many Filipinos and Asians like me. I don't really mind being with other nationalities but it's still different when you have a lot of other people sharing the same culture as I do. Another thing to consider is if my husband can get a job fast and what are the healthcare options. Then as we get older, we think, are we going to be eligible for Medicare open enrollment or Medicare supplement plans and those kinds of things?

For me, health is very important and healthcare is a big factor. When I was still indecisive about whether I would leave my job or not, my health benefits were mostly what I was holding on about. However, since my daughter was getting sick a lot at the childcare, I later decided that I would be a stay at home mom. I don't regret my decision and I'm trying to enjoy it because I know time is going to go by fast just like it does now. She is getting bigger before my eyes. I feel lucky that I get to spend the entire day with her almost every day.

Tips For Keeping Your Family Cold and Flu Free

Cold and flu season will be starting very soon, and just like every other family in America, we want to keep the colds to a minimum because they not only keep the kids out of daycare or school, but they can also lead to lost work days and maybe even pay.  Some of the things we try to do all the time are keeping our hands clean and washing bed linens frequently.  We have hand cleaner in each bathroom and in the kitchen so each member of the family can sanitize their hands prior to eating and also while preparing food. 

I think many of the germs associated with colds and the flu come from the exchange of germs from one person to another.  Our daughter has also gotten into the habit of washing her hands frequently and that should continue on into her adult life since she’s made a habit of it so early.  Then we also wash our bed sheets and pillow cases frequently during this time of year. 

The laundry detergent and hot dryer will kill all the bacteria and germs, which will help keep the number and severity of colds and flus to a minimum.  Many children also get ear infections this time of year, so we have a couple of tips for reducing those too. 

I think one of the best tips to reduce ear infections is to keep the cold and flu germs away from your child as much as possible.  Use the tips listed above, and also keep them vaccinated and away from other sick children if you can.  I think most children who get ear infections have to see a doctor and get antibiotics, but you have to remember to use antibiotics sparingly and make sure you use the entire bottle and don’t stop after the symptoms have gone away. 

Another tip for reducing colds and the flu are to travel less on airplanes this time of year if you can arrange your vacations around it.  Airplanes are an enclosed space with the air being recirculated throughout the flight, so some of the germs will naturally get passed around, but the airlines make every effort to use filters on the plane to stop the transfer of germs during the flight. 

I remember during the SARS scare that some airports had scanners in place to detect people who were running fevers.  Then they would either not allow them on the airplane, or make sure they were under the care of a doctor.  So, keep yourself and your family healthy and practice cleanliness and take some precautions this time of year, and the number of colds and flus should drop this year.

Lysol started the Mission for Health. They now have new mom programs, healthy habits programs for schools and disaster relief efforts.  We know that Lysol is one of the experts in killing germs and they produce variety of products for our household. I love that they are very easy to use and effective. It’s great to know that when we use Lysol at home, we’re contributing something for the community.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Lysol blogging program, for a gift card worth $40. For more information on how you can participate, click here

Visit Patagonia

Have you been on a cruise?  We’re planning on doing our first cruise next year, either to Mexico or to Alaska, we haven’t decided yet.  Many people I have talked to seem to just love taking a cruise.  They tell me how good the endless buffets are and the outstanding room service. 

The people who have been to Mexico say that the port calls are the best with the low cost of entertainment and meals.  There are many side trips you can take to make the trip even more enjoyable.  Others who have taken cruises to Alaska tell stories about the glaciers and the majestic scenery of the unspoiled wilderness.  National Geographic Traveler had a program in 2010 called the 50 Tours of a Lifetime. 

The number one rated tour was Central and South America Tours Cruceros Australis: "Ushuaia to Punta Arenas".  Most Americans have probably never heard of Ushuaia, Argentina or Punta Arenas, Chile, but they are both part of the region called Patagonia, which encompasses the southern parts of both Chile and Argentina. 

If you’ve ever thought about taking a cruise to one of the most beautiful places in the world, where you can visit Patagonia, you should consider a cruise that runs from Ushuaia to Punta Arenas, and the return direction.  The website www.australis.com offers cruises at reasonable rates to Patagonia, so you should consider adding them to your list of cruises you should take in the future.

This post is brought to you  by http://www.australis.com.  The picture is from their website. This post is based on my own research and opinion.

I Love Sexy

If you are still searching for a Halloween costume, you can check out ilovesexy.com. They do offer sexy lingerie but they also have costumes, accessories, shoes and even some kid’s outfits. I hope nobody gets offended as I share this website. A lot of woman nowadays is more comfortable with their bodies based on my observation. Here in Hawaii, seeing women is very usual especially if you go to Waikiki.

I am certainly more comfortable with dressing up now that I am older than when I was younger. I think women should feel beautiful. They say beauty comes from within but we can also feel that if we do something on the outside. We can express ourselves by the type of clothes that we wear.

Here are some of the items I got from their website. I think the price is reasonable especially the tutu with leggings for kids. It is less than $20.  There are also gloves and masks that are less than $6.

Are you going to wear a costume this coming Halloween? I will wear a costume this time because even moms can have some fun too while trick or treating.

This post is brought to you by Ilovesexy.com

Saving Money While Learning At Home

School has started in most of the states. I remember when we decided that RC will go to the childcare which they also consider preschool here; we had to buy a lot of school supplies. She just turned two at that time and I wonder how much more we will spend if she is already attending the real school. My plan is to try to home school RC till she reaches the age where she can go to the first grade. Preschool is very expensive and we don’t qualify for any type of government help.

I love that there are some dollar items or discount school supply that we can get for our kids. There are also blogs that specialize with homeschooling so I can get some ideas from them. My main concern right now is that she is not going to develop much socially because it is just always me and her at the apartment. I take her to the park so she can play with other kids but most of the time she just enjoys running by herself and sliding.  She enjoys going to the swimming pool too which is another free activity that we do.

Here’s RC using her first scissors that I got for her.

You cannot beat this creativity! The lunch bag doubles as a hat. She painted on her dress too. We did some fabric painting on some of her shirts. I'll share it some other time.

I participated in a campaign about saving on school supplies. Please be informed that all opinions are mine.