I feel bad that I think I've waited too long before I shopped some Easter goodies for Caleb this year. Most of the Easter display shelves at Walmart were literally empty, lol! I couldn't find egg coloring kits anymore. I had to go back the following day because I thought I may have missed it. But then one of the associates there told me they ran out of stocks. So we didn't get to color eggs this year. Instead, I opted to get the colored plastic eggs and just stuffed his favorites in there like jelly beans, cheerios, teddy bear grahams, peeps, banana cookies for toddlers and pop rock candies. I did get him a cute blue bunny as well, he didn't seem to much care for that. He went straight to the basket as soon as he wakes up this morning. It was fun watching him enjoy his Easter basket. He loves playing his little badminton set. Well, he loves drumming the coffee table with it, that's what I meant, lol! How about you, guys? What kind of goodies did you put in your Easter basket?

91/365 BPC

I've heard some people would claim that cigars are safer and therefore better to smoke than cigarettes. To me, smoking a pack of cigarettes is the same thing as smoking a box of cigars. No one in our household smokes right now but at some point at my husband’s life, before we even met, he had smoked both. He said he liked cigars but thought it’s very expensive as compared to cigarettes. I’ve read that there are a lot of differences between the two, like for example, cigars are pure tobacco therefore stronger as compared to cigarettes which are made of chopped tobacco, hence many thought it’s milder. Some would say cigars are better since it has no additives, but for someone like me who doesn’t smoke or wouldn’t want to be around with people who does, well, I think both are bad for you, lol!

It has been a part of our Filipino tradition to have Binignit during Holy Week. Unfortunately, since I've lived here in the U.S., the availability of the ingredients for this dish seems scarce. I have actually not thought about binignit but my family back home decided to torture me by posting pictures of what they had for Maundy Thursday, lol! I was drooling over their photos. Then they paired it with my ever-favorite tapioca dessert that my mom made, OMG! I wish I could easily fly back to the Philippines whenever I crave for these food. :(

In some parts of the U.S., the weather starts to get a little bit warmer. Kids are enjoying the spring break and therefore, it’s time to go out and do something fun. Consequently, there would be a great demand for activity buses for sale, because it’s the perfect time for various organizations such as churches, swimming facilities like YMCA, schools and even Boys and Girls Club to conduct field trips and any other group activities. These kinds of buses are ideal for the organization’s transportation needs. They are safe and convenient to use for any kind of group activities. I remember using two of these at my wedding. I had to have something to use to bring my guests from the church to the reception hall. It was indeed easy and efficient for the purpose.

Watch how this cool Korean drummer steals the show in this funny youtube video of a girl singing her own rendition of the popular song "My Way". When hubby showed me this, I can't help but laugh out loud. His animated performance is quite hilarious I think. I had to watch it more than once and I laughed every time, lol! He is really into what he's doing. He's got more life and vibrance than the singer, lol! Check it out and tell me what you think?

In my almost 6 years of living here in the U.S., we have moved twice. The first one was to another town in the same state. The second one was a big move since we had to move from Arkansas to Montana. Regardless of how big the move was, both had a considerable amount of stress. If not for the efficient local movers that hubby’s new employer had contracted to help us with the move, it would have been probably too much for us to handle. What they did was they sent two people to do the packing. They carefully wrapped our belongings and put them in boxes. On the following day, they sent the moving van with the driver of course and an assistant to do the actual lifting and moving of things from the house into the moving vehicle.

We pretty much didn’t do anything but just be physically present while the movers were doing all of these. It was really a smooth sailing process. We were relieved that we used professional movers to help us with the move. Just recently, a neighbor and a friend here in our area, moved to the East Coast, with her husband of course. Unfortunately though, they didn’t hire movers so she pretty much did all of the tough labor. They didn’t have kids so I guess it was a bit easier for them to handle the work themselves but still she told me the whole experience was stressful and tiring. I couldn’t agree more with her. Personally, I don’t want to move again for the next ten years or so. We just bought a house so I think that’s one good reason enough to stay put, lol!

My laptop has been acting weird all afternoon. I am not sure if it's the internet connection or the disk space. I kept losing internet at the same time getting this low memory message. It seemed to happen at the same time. After my first round of Alexa Hops, I just gave up and went downstairs to use hubby's desktop. Strangely enough, the internet there was working great. No interruptions at all. So I thought it could have been my built-in Wi-Fi. Or I  should probably be clearing up some disk space. I have tons of videos and photos on my laptop and i think it's probably best for me to get an external hard drive. Temporarily though, what I'm doing is move the old videos and pictures in a CD, then delete them from my laptop. I hope this will help with the memory space issue. I can't afford to have an inefficient computer now that I have so much blogging related things that needs to be done.

How would you like to have a new look this spring?

Introducing the new fashion line for the everyday woman in this generation. New Look is one of the most well-recognized fashion brands in the UK, with high spontaneous brand awareness. I happen to be just browsing the web for stuff, and this cute dress caught my attention. I was thinking spring is almost here, why not shop for new spring outfits. Although the weather here in Montana is still hovering in the 30s but it should warm up a bit next month. I’m not sure what’s the temperature gonna be like on Easter Sunday though but I was thinking of wearing a blue dress for church. I’ll probably pair it with some thick black opaque tights just to make sure I don’t get too cold on that day. I don’t wear dresses very often for the simple reason that they seem to be too girly for my taste, lol! But I figured Easter is a special occasion thus it merits something nice to wear especially we’ll be hearing mass in the church.

Usually, I’d like to shop my stuff online. But since we moved to a decent size city with a few nice shopping stores, I have been buying some great bargained stuff there. Yes, you heard me right. Bargain! I hate the pay the original price especially clothing. Just the other day, I could not believe how cheap baby’s clothes were in 3 different stores in town. I guess they are in the middle of a huge after-holiday sale or something. But yeah the clearance items are unbelievably cheap and they are awesome items I might add. But still nothing beats the convenience of shopping online. So I still do occasionally visit great sites to buy clothes and other stuff.

Like I’ve mentioned above, New Look happens to have everything a savvy shopper would be looking for. Their selection of AX Paris clothing does not only exude classic style but also it brings out the uniqueness in you. From metallic cuff dresses to a poppy tea dress, which is just perfect for a garden party, AX Paris clothing is comfortable, practical and absolutely gorgeous. And they are really affordable too. I’ve always believed that you don’t have to break the bank to look gorgeous and fashionable. This store gives you that fabulous option. So what are you waiting for? Shop now and look your best this spring!

Spring is almost here. While the flowers that bloom in the spring time can be very pretty, some people may suffer from spring allergies caused by pollen released into the air by trees, grasses and weeds. I’ve had allergy problems back when I was still in the Philippines. But for some reason when I move here, I never seem to get affected with pollen in the spring time. Had I been one of those people that are allergic to it, besides the over-the-counter antihistamines, I would have tried nasopure. It is an inexpensive nasal washing system that quickly and safely washes away pollen, mold, dust, bacteria, viruses and mucus. They have products available for kids and adults, even for babies.

I was inspired to make pork bbq the other night. I had a couple of 3 pound pork sirloin in the freezer which I got from Costco,  but I didn't want to bake it so I thought pork bbq sounds like a good choice. I got the recipe from Panlasang Pinoy which I frequent whenever I need some dinner inspirations. All the ingredients needed were in my pantry so everything went pretty easy and quick.

Hubby gobbled several pork sticks while commenting how yummy it was, lol! I wish my little guy had tried it but he's really such a picky eater, he hardly tries anything new. I made him a different dish, sauteed spinach with pork and paired it with rice. He loved it.

Since it's only me and hubby who's eating the bbq, I thought I could have some leftovers for next day's dinner. But it hadn't made it to dinner alright. We both finished the few sticks left for breakfast and lunch, lol! Yep, that good huh! I've always loved pork bbq since I was still in the Philippines. The only difference was back there, I didn't have to make them. I just go out of our house and lo and behold, several of our neighbors have little bbq stands outside their house so I just usually buy it from them. That is not the case here though. I have to make it from scratch, actually put some labor of love into it. Glad that it turned out the way I would have liked it. And the best part hubby loved it too!

I was given the chance to receive a sample CD from Groove Kid Nation. It features 10 familiar children songs done in a funky, groovy and upbeat tunes. My son's personal favorite is "The Wheels on the Bus" which happens to be the CD title. It has garnered various awards and citations because of its unique way of introducing the sound of real musical instruments to toddlers. My little guy starts to stomp his foot and makes a swaying motion every time I play this CD. Even I myself couldn't help from dancing and singing along to the groovy tunes of the songs. Indeed, this is a fun way to introduce my toddler to music. Definitely, the best children's CD there is. And I have seen and heard tons of different variations of classic children's music over the internet and this is by far the most unique and enjoyable one.

When we decided to uproot ourselves from Arkansas and move to Montana, we knew there’s going to be a complete change to what we’ve been accustomed to. The weather, for one, between these two states is strikingly different. We knew for a fact that we are going to need things in order for us to comfortably adapt the life in the Northern part of the country. Winter in Montana is harsh as compared to Arkansas so we know that our vehicles wouldn’t be as good if we were to use them up there, unless, we do some work on them and change essential parts that were suited for Montana weather.

For starters, we had to have engine block heaters installed to warm up the engine in order to increase the starting speed of the vehicle as well as warm up the vehicle faster than it normally would in cold weather. We also need snow tires so we could safely drive around even in heavy snow. While these things can probably be done by ourselves, but we thought it would be best if we leave it to the experts in the auto and vehicle industry that may actually have been members of repair shop management network. They sure do know a lot about taking care of vehicles since most professionals in this field usually converge in automotive management forums linked above. So if you're into automotive business but have not joined a network like this, check out their website and see how is it going to benefit your business.

One of the many challenges when you're in college would be the spiraling cost of textbooks, apart from tuition fees, of course. I completed my BS degree in the Philippines. Although, the cost of education there may not be as outrageously expensive as compared to First World countries like the United States but still, the seemingly out of control prices of textbooks could pose a big financial hurdle for struggling college students. If only we had some textbook alternative back then, like renting textbooks instead of buying them, life would have been a lot easier.

Textbook rentals are becoming very popular here in the U.S. As a matter of fact, Campus Book Rentals is a great place to rent textbooks. You might ask why? Well, in addition to the fact that you're actually saving money by renting textbooks, plain and simple, because you only pay typically less than half the price of the original books you get at bookstores, you would also enjoy some perks like free shipping both ways, flexible renting period which basically means for whatever reason you decide to return the book within 30 days, you'll get a full refund and lastly, you're free to highlight in your textbook as if you owned it.

And the best thing about renting from them is that you will not only save, you can also be a donor to Operation Smile, an awesome organization that performs life changing cleft lip surgeries on children whose families could not otherwise afford it. Wouldn't it be a great feeling of being able to help those children just by renting textbooks?

With Campus Book Rentals, the benefits seem endless. If you make use of their Rent Back Program, you make 2-4x as much money compared to selling your textbooks by the end of the semester. Now, isn't that awesome? So why would you buy when you can rent them and make a difference?

I do like to read a lot. And I must say, owning a Kindle makes reading even more fun and enjoyable. I get to buy great book bargains online with just a simple click of a button. Not to mention how light and convenient it is to carry the gadget anywhere I go. So yeah, this is definitely one of the things I cannot live without. I've tried to really take good care of it. Unfortunately, the original casing wasn't good enough to withstand the curious hands of my 2 year old, lol! 

I know I have to find a new case for my Kindle. I was really lucky to have found the perfect Kindle case for me. Thanks to Maroo. I couldn't be any happier with my choice. I love the flirty red color of ROKO. It looks really stylish with its high quality pebbled leather design. But there's more to this thing than meets the eye. It has a patented* SG Bumper technology that even if you drop your gadget by accident, rest assured that it is sufficiently protected. Plus the material they used for the four-cornered bumper makes it so easy to slip the gadget in and out of the case. Now that's truly a one-of-a-kind innovation by this company. I think they make the most functional, stylish and great quality case out there.


If you're interested to check out their products, visit their website at http://www.maroo.com. Or you can like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter for fresh updates on their products. Subscribe on YouTube  and pin them on  Pinterest for further questions and product information.


*Disclosure: The product mentioned above was provided to me for free. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. The opinions expressed herein are 100% mine and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Maroo.

I've always liked the Songbird. To me, she's the epitome of a real star. Her vocal prowess is like no other. Like all her fans, I felt terribly bad when she couldn't perform her best during her Silver Anniversary concert because she was sick. Her voice faltered but she has shown how professional she was and how much her fans mean to her by not cancelling the show. It didn't matter to her if she may have looked like a fool trying so hard to hit the high notes but just couldn't do it. She wanted to try and make it a good show but she's only human. She has limitations too. She felt her audience deserve a better performance than what she gave them so she promised everyone a free rewind concert when she gets better. And this is what I'm sharing below. I watched it with hubby last night, lol! Thanks YouTube for this upload. :) I think she's still the best there is, no matter what! (gave birth, gained weight and all that =)

I was surprised on how much Caleb has enjoyed watching the singing and dancing on The Fresh Beat Band show. He would literally grin from ear to ear when he sees the characters dance. Then he can also get very enrapt in watching Just Dance 3 on WII. I am actually glad that he seems to appreciate music at such an early age. I believe that music is a natural part of life for toddlers. That’s why we sing songs to them, dance with them, soothe them to sleep with their favorite lullabies. I just hope these small things would encourage him to get involved with musical activities when he grows older. Not that I dream of him becoming a rock star, lol! If that were so, I might as well get him some discount guitars at music123 right now. But seriously though, a little bit of music inclination would have been awesome. Who knows, right?

I appreciate the fact that I didn't need to go to work and just be a stay-at-home mom for my little guy. But after 2 years of being a homemaker, my desire to go back to work in an office setting has been getting stronger and stronger each day. Having lived here in Helena for a year now, it made me realize that landing a good job for me is quite possible. Being the capital city of Montana, there are numerous state job offers in this city. And I'd be hypocrite not to admit that I'm really enticed to apply for one. After college, I have always had to work. I know that being a mom is also a full time job but quite frankly, I've missed the adult interaction and the ins and outs in the corporate world. So lately I have been job hunting. I have a degree in Management Accounting so I want to start my career here in that field, God-willing! I am hoping I could practice what I've studied in college since all my previous jobs were all Information Technology related. There are quite a few entry level Accounting positions in our city right now. I just hope I'd be given a chance soon.