It's all about Life!

What a busy day! House chores, grocery shopping, and taking care of family. But I love my life! No complains. I need coffee every morning to keep me going! Haha. They said too much caffeine is not good and I agree, because everything that is too much is NOT GOOD!. Health is wealth. So I really tried to stay healthy as much as possible, not only me but also the whole family. I like to cook stir-fry vegetables. I think that's one of my family's fave food. My 1 year old son is getting so handful now! oh boy! He is into everything! He sure keeps me busy, but I still have time to play online games, I love playing scrabble and solitaire online. It's fun! Since it's hard to go anywhere with the baby, so I do some of my clothing shopping online.I found this site that you will earn money by even reading your email, taking survey online, shop and even when you play games online. Isn't that amazing? If you're a mom like me, check this out! Making EXTRA cash isn't a bad thing right? I only work part - time because I want to use most of my time taking care of my family. Family is more important than money! If I will work full time, there is no guarantee that I will become rich anyway. I see both parents working full time and their kids are not doing so well because they are lacking of attention and guidance from their parents. What a sad situation that is! Oh well, life is full of surprises. Three months from now, we will be celebrating our 6th year wedding anniversary. I see " presents !!!!". Haha. Seriously, even without presents, it's a blessing from above that my marriage is close to perfect! And I am so proud to say that! My husband keep asking me what I want...There's a lot of things to want right? Haha. But honestly, there is really nothing I want. But I have to give him something right? How about Ipad 2? I've heard it's handy to have one. We'll just see. I might change my mind later. I like to have another Louis Vuitton bag! Good idea! Hahaha. Wow, time flies so fast, it's past eleven o' clock! I better send a text to my family overseas. Thanks to the FREE texting online, it's the best way to go if you have family abroad. It's too expensive to call them all the time and too expensive sending text using my cellphone. I I heard my brother's wife just had a baby! So exciting. Anyway, gotta go guys. Have a nice week everyone! Enjoy life and Stay Happy!

New Rommate

Guest post written by my buddy Lavern Small My new roommate and I just had the biggest fight over whether we were going to get cable or satellite TV in our new apartment. I know it sounds like a stupid thing to fight over, but I was definitely not going back to cable because I had a terrible experience with my last provider. She on the other had, had an awful experience with her last satellite TV provider. I offered to look at all the packages and see who could offer us the best price. It was really obvious after looking at all of our options that the Direct TV packages were the most affordable and offered us the best options. I couldn’t believe that she was being so stubborn and still wouldn’t agree to satellite TV. If we would’ve found a cheaper cable deal I would have had to agree. I’m really not that upset about the whole TV argument. I’m really more upset about the fact that she is so stubborn. Looks like it’s going to be a long year! Hopefully we’ll get to know each other better and things will go smoother than they did with this situation.

My New Ride!

My weekend was busy but EXCITING!!! My Husband bought me a new car as my 6th Year Wedding Anniversary Gift! All I can say is WOWOWOWWW!!!! I was shocked! I love my new 2011 Mazda CX 7 crossover/suv!!! I just want to share my happiness with you guys. Hope your weekend was also special and exciting. Have a nice and safe week everyone! :-)

My New Hobby " Photography"

What is the meaning of Photography? From Wikipedia- Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images.... To me, photography is a passion and skill. Not everyone can be a good photographer!

My husband and I decided to take a photography class for 6 sessions, 3 hrs every monday, a total of 18 hrs for the whole class. Not bad! Tomorrow will be our 3rd meeting. We learned a lot already. There are so many things to learn in photography. Sometimes, my brain can't handle it! haha. So confusing but very interesting, I tell you, it's very important to know everything in order to get a good or even perfect picture!

The reason why I wanted to take this class because, I want to capture every moments with my kids, kids grow so fast and I don't want to miss a thing. But also, I want to have a great pictures because to me, it's a treasure! I want to be able to look back and say, wow, this picture was awesome! It would be nice to show nice pictures to my grandchildren in the future.

Early this year, my husband bought me a Sony Alpha DSLR..an awesome camera. I've been using this camera just in the Auto settings, and it gives a really really nice picture. But I wanted to learn how to use it in the Manual Setting. Manual is hard! I'm talking - Shutter Speed, ISO, Aperture- and you have to manually adjust these in order to get a perfect picture. But if you get it right... you can say " wow"!

I have no regrets in buying a DSLR camera and taking a photography class. I will share some of the pictures I've taken since we took the class! Enjoy and hope it will inspire you.

Here we go.....

Coffee Banner

I finally know how to post a banner ad in my blog account!!! Yikes...happy like a bee! :-)

Eating Again

Guest post written by my buddy Bernado Graham. I am so happy that my daughters are eating again. I do not know if it is the hot summer sun, the many hours spent at the pool or the absence of the sugary snacks from school. Whatever is causing this increase in the appetite, I am happy. My kids are not the kind that will eat anything that is placed in front of them. They never have and probably never will. Since I have them all to myself for almost three months, I can get them back to eating the way I want them to. They have been showing a lot of commercials for healthy foods. I always go online so I can get more info on direct tv and about these products shown on satellite television. They are so hungry after playing that they are now eating whatever I pack for snacks. They have no choice and they do not argue. This summer they have been eating plenty of cucumbers, melons, whole wheat crackers and cheese. I also provide them with bottled water and they do not ask about juice or soda.

The BET Awards Is A Family Affair

Thanks for the post from Hal Potter . I love to watch award shows, and one of my favorites is the BET Awards. I am a huge fan of hip hop, and the award show allows me to relive the year in hip hop. One of my favorite awards is the Hip Hop Achievement Award that is presented to some great pioneers of the genre. They always go on stage and perform, which is always exciting. The show is always funny, too. I love to see all my favorites come together, laughing and having such a great time. The fashion is another aspect of the award show that I love. All of the women wear some hottest style you have ever seen! The men don't look too bad, either. I always watch the BET awards on my http://www.expertsatellite.com/. Maybe it is just me, but it seem to get better quality with regular television. My kids make it a special event and come over to my house to watch it with me, too. They love the live performances most of all.

We want to move out!!!

We've been wanting to sell our house for quite sometime now. It was a struggle trying to sell it. Maybe it's because of the poor economy but I think everything is back to normal now. What a relief! A friend told me that some home buyer company might be able to help us. And she was absolutely right, all we need to do is fill up their form, provide our zip code.. and from there , everything just fall into places! Amazing! I almost can't believe it. If you are planning to sell your house, there are a lot of home buyer companies that can definitely help you.

Almost A year!

Wow, It's almost a year since the last time I blog! I feel so terrible. But something so special happened.. I got pregnant!!! I was so lazy during my pregnancy. But I am back!!!. I will try to blog as often as I can, no promises though, you know how it works.. lol.. I'll blog about my pregnancy and about my 3 months old baby boy one of these days... I have so many things I want to share with you guys. But I am really busy right now, taking care of the baby and car shopping! Anyway, it's almost bedtime so I better go now. See you later and Have a nice day! Jen

Busy Like A Bee!

Last week was one busy week. I have to change- over my cards for both my stores and I helped Target store because the one handling the store retired! I was really really tired and even until now, I still feel tired.

My husband kept telling me I can't work full-time. Yes, I don't want to work full time but I am glad to have extra hours though.

This week is pretty slow. Thank God! Our house is a mess. Tomorrow , I will be taking the day off and I will clean our house! Laundry needs to be done also, hmmmm, house chores never ends!

Can Your Marriage Be Saved?

I've been reading the Awake Magazine, Feb. 2010 Issue and I want to share this topic with you guys. Divorce is very common and most people think that it is the solution for their marital problems. But this magazine gives four suggestions to save poor condition marriages.

1. Make a resolve - Agree with your mate that you will work together to restore peace to your marriage. Try writing your decisions on paper. When both of you and your spouse are committed, saving your marriage becomes a team project.
2. Identify the problem - What is it that has interfered with your marriage? In one sentence, write out what you think is lacking or what you wish could change. Understandably,the problem you identify may be different from that noted by your spouse.
3. Set a Goal - Where would you like your marriage to be six months from now? What specific improvements would you like to see? Write your goal on paper. When you have a clear vision as to what you need in your marriage, you goal will be easier to attain.
4. Apply Bible Counsel - Once you have identified your problem and determined the improvements you would like to make, look to the bible for advice. Its principles are timeless, and they really work. These Scriptural principles are effective because the Bible's Author, Jehovah God, created the marriage arrangement.

These suggestions are also useful eventhough our marriages are not falling apart. It is always good to assess our marriage situation from time to time. Let's work hard to keep our marriage happy. Have a nice weekend everyone.

Working With Various Types of Alloys

Lately my husband has been very busy at work, (he works so hard). A couple weeks ago a customer brought in a long shaft from a yarder, a machine that pulls logs up the side of the mountain, that he had broke in half, so of course he had to build them a new one. It was very difficult for him due to the complexity of it, and the mental part of making sure he did not mess it up. The hardest part for him was drilling a hole down the center of the shaft 50" deep that had to line up with a cross hole at the end. The shaft was made out of an alloy steel called 4140 QT, which though it made drilling this hole much more difficult for him, due to the toughness of the material, will provide the customer with a much better shaft in the end that will be more resistant to breaking again.

Since they are so busy he is going to go to work tomorrow and try to get caught up a little. He will be working on a saw arbor that is used to hold saw blades on a machine that cuts logs by following the structure of the log to produce a straighter board. This arbor is first rough machined, then sent out to have a special spline put on the outside that is used to drive the saw blades, then it is induction hardened and straightened. Once that is done my husband gets it back and finishes the ends of the shaft. When the shaft is finally done it needs to be very straight, as it turns very fast, so a special material called 52100 is used to make it out of. This material is slighty tougher than 4140 but is very resilient to moving during and after the machining process, which helps it stay much straighter in the end. Overall helping the customer to have a better running machine.

After he is done with that, and if he has time, he is going to start making some parts for a paper mill that are used to churn pulp. These parts are made out of 316 stainless steel and resemble a flat bladed propeller. Again this will be a difficult job for him as it is something he has never done before and having to work with stainless will make it much more difficult. Although these parts are used in a very wet environment and must be made from stainless steel. He is looking forward to it though as it will be something new for him.

The Best Way to Repair Damaged Threads

Have you ever had a bolt hole that you could no longer screw a bolt into due to missing or damaged threads, or wanted to make a bolt hole stronger in materials such as aluminum? Well, my husband has been a machinist for 15 years and knows the best fix for your problem, it is the Helicoil inserts. You can buy Helicoil in metric sizes from m2 to m39 coarse or fine and in standard sizes from #4-40 to 1 1/2" coarse and fine.

When you buy a Helicoil kit it comes with a drill bit, a special tap made just for the helicoil, a driver tool and the stainless steel Helicoil inserts. The process is easy, you just drill the damaged hole out with the supplied drill bit, then retap the hole with the special Helicoil tap, and then use the driver to screw in the Helicoil, when you are done just use a punch to break off the driver tang on the insert and you are ready to screw in your new bolt. It's as easy as that!

Our Presents....

R/C Transmitter From Mommy LV Bag From Daddy

Hand Painted Mug from Donaizza Hand-Painted Mug from Donaizza

Netbook From Daddy and Mommy.

We love our presents! Thank God for all the blessings. We are all looking forward to our next Anniversary, and will start saving money for the gifts now! Hahaha.

UNFORGETABLE NIGHT....

We had a wonderful dinner, but I tell you, I was really tired yesterday, but it was worth it! I will do it again and again.

As promised, here are some of our pictures. We had - yummy turkey , stuffing, gravy (of course), pumpkin bread, deviled egg ( my husband's favorite), and Cherry Pie and Ice cream for dessert( hmmm yummy!). We were so stuffed! I felt sleepy after dinner! Ha ha ha.

Anyway, we watched a movie and opened our presents ( I'll post another blog for this since I can only upload 5 pictures).

We were so happy and really had a great time!

Today is the day!!!!

Finally, It's here!!! Today is our 4th Year Wedding Anniversary. I am very excited. I am cooking my turkey right now and I will make the stuffing later.

I am cleaning the house and doing laundry at the same time. I took the day off just to get ready for tonight's dinner.

We will play the UNO game, open our presents, and spend time together, together as a family.

It will be fun for everybody. I can't hardly wait to open my presents! Hahaha.Any idea?? hmmmm, surprise! But honestly, I Thank Jehovah God for giving me a wonderful, responsible and loving husband. I couldn't ask for more. I love my family more than anything else. Donna, my daughter, will be surprised of her gift also, she has no clue what she's getting ...I'll post pictures of our presents in the next couple of days.

Just wanted to share my happiness with you guys, I wish more more years for us, with lots of love and happiness. To everyone, Have a nice day and Enjoy your day with your family as well....

It's Saturday!

My week went so fast. I was really busy. I am so glad that it's Saturday already. I've just been sitting around since I woke up, playing facebook and talking to my family overseas.

My husband and my daughter are watching " Little House on the Prairie" right now.

I don't have much to say at this time. Seems my mind is empty but I just can't help it to express how blessed I am to have this kind of life. I always thank God for all the blessings He has given me and my family.

"The Good Wife's Guide"

Yesterday, my hubby came home from work and gave me a piece of paper, and said.." Honey, read it"..he had the biggest smile I've ever seen!

Here's the excerpt of that photocopied page from " Housekeeping" Monthly, May 13,1955.

" The Good Wife's Guide"

• Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even night before, to have a delicious meal ready, on time for his return. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospect of a good meal( esp. his favorite dish) is part of the warm welcome needed.
• Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you'll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh-looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people.
• Be a little gay and a little more interesting for him. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it.
• Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives.
• Over the cooler months of the year, you should prepare and light a fire for him to unwind by. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too. After all, catering for his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction.
• Prepare the children. Take a few minutes to wash the children's hands and faces( if they are small), comb their hair and, if necessary, change their clothes. Minimize all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet.
• Be Happy to see him.
• Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to please him.
• Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first- remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours.
• Make the evening his. Never complain of he comes home late or goes out to dinner, or other places of entertainment without you (my thought-- unless only occassionally hehehe). Instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure and his very real need to be at home and relax.
• Your goal: Try to make sure your home is a place of peace, order, and tranquillity.
• Don't greet him with complaints and problems.
• Don't complain if he's late home for dinner or even if he stays out all night- (my thought-depends if he is working late hahaha). Count this as a minor compared to what he might have gone through that day.
• Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or have him lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him.
• Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice.
• Don't ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him.
• A good wife always knows her place.

My reactions.....

1. The bold and italic ones are the things I don't agree! I love my husband but I am not his slave!
2. Am glad I was not born during that time! Hahahaha.
3. I know I am not a perfect wife but all I can say is - I take good care of my family.
4. I am blessed to have a wonderful and responsible husband that truly loves me and cares about our family.
5. I just gave him my biggest smile too!:):)

Secrets Of Family Success

We hear so much about what goes wrong in families that fail. But what goes right on those that thrive? Let's consider seven secrets of success:

1. The Right Priorities- What this means? - In successful marriages, each spouse puts the other's needs ahead of self, possessions, job, friends, and even other relatives. Husband and wife spend plenty of time with each other and with the children. Both are willing to make sacrifices for the interests of the family.
2. Commitment- Successful couples view their marriage as a permanent union. When a problem arises, they strive to solve it rather than use it as an excuse to abandon the marriage. When spouses have a sense of commitment, they feel secure. Each trusts that the other will continue to honor the union. Commitment is like a guardrail that prevents your marriage from going off course.
3. Teamwork - They respect the headship arrangement, which means, the husband is the head of the family. Nevertheless, both husband and wife view their marriage in terms of "ours" and "we" rather than "mine" and "me". When there is teamwork, husband and wife are no longer single at heart. They are " one flesh". Teamwork means that you are the pilot and copilot with the same flight plan.
4. Respect - Both troubled and successful families have disagreements. But successful families discuss matters without resorting to sarcasm, insults, and other forms of abusive speech. Family members treat one another as they themselves would like to be treated.
5. Reasonableness - What this means? In successful families, husbands and wives make allowances for each other's mistakes. They are also neither unduly rigid nor overly permissive with their children. They set a modest number of household rules. When correction is needed, they give it to the proper degree. Like a careful driver, a reasonable family member is prepared to yield.
6. Forgiveness - Successful couples learn from the past; but they do not keep track of old grievances and then use these to make sweeping assertions, such as " You are always late" or "You never listen". Both husband and wife believe that it is beauty on their part to pass over transgression.
7. A Firm Foundation - Strong families do not endure automatically, any more than a house just keeps standing for many decades. A solid structure needs a firm foundation, and the same is true of a strong family. Successful families are built on a source of guidance that works. If you include God in your family, no doubt- your family can withstand the storms that threaten it.

Options For Creating Work At Home

Study the needs in your neighborhood. Ask neighbors. Use initiative.

• Babysitting, Child care
• Selling homegrown vegetables or flowers; juice drinks
• Sewing, altering, and repairing clothing
• Piecework for manufacturers
• Baking and food preparation
• Quilting, crocheting, knitting; making macrame, pottery; other crafts
• Upholstering
• Bookkeeping, typing, home computer services
• Telephone answering service
• Hairdressing
• Taking in boarders
• Addressing and filling envelopes for advertisers
• Washing and waxing cars
• Pet grooming and exercising
• Lock repair and key making

For much of the work mentioned above, ads can be placed free of charge or at low cost in weekend shopping flyers or on supermarket notice boards.