The grass in my front yard is still yellow. I programmed the sprinkler to run every morning but the weather started to get crazy so I turned it off. We had a lot of rain and snow recently which I guess were great but my grass is still not showing life and beauty to the yard. My husband suggested to contact someone to fertilize, aerate, etc to make it green again.

I tried to contact a big/nationwide company that I saw on a TV commercial. I called the 800 and spoke with a rep. I advised the rep that I just need to know how much it is going to cost me to have them service my lawn if I give him the square footage. The rep was like asking me my name, address and did not even bother to answer my question. I hung up because I got irritated. So I tried to go to my local yellowpages to do a local search instead of a bigger corporation.

I went to Local.com through my Android phone. The website has a mobile version. I was very impressed with how fast it is. I just entered "lawn" and then my zip code and it showed me the local businesses that service lawns (fertilize, landscaping, aeration, sprinkler, etc). Quite impressive. The search is on and I can't wait to have a green lawn.

I stopped my cable TV service a little over three months ago. Honestly, I am kind of missing it but I think it is better without it for a few reasons. First, I save a lot of money from cable bills. Second, I don't get addicted with the not so good reality TV shows. Third, I can do something more productive without TV. Last but not the least, my kids won't be watching TV too much (They only watch TV when they're at their grandma's) which means I am teaching them not to be a couch potato. They play more now with their toys. I like that.

Perhaps he is the man of my dreams, tall strong dark and handsome. Perhaps he is rich and stable and can hold down a decent job. You know the type of guy who will open doors for you, or lay down his jacket so you can walk over a paddle. A knight fit for Arthur’s round table. Does such a man truly exist?

JK Adams wine rack is always full of the best Cabernets, Merlots and Chiantis. The blushes are always in stock and your glass will never go empty. Yes, JK Adams knows how to treat a woman right. Nothing but the best wine and finest dining for the woman who chooses him.

Only the finest spices fill JK Adams spice rack. A gifted chef will know the scents of rosemary and bay leaf and perhaps even cumin the minute he walks into a JK Adams kitchen. He will know how to use them to spice up even the most banal of dishes. A JK Adams kitchen has the simple elegance of home yet produces a gourmet taste. JK Adams pot rack is always full of the finest herb… OH WAIT… JK Adams does not make THAT kind of pot rack… Maybe we should just stick to the other fine JK Adams products… Yeah those other things…

It is dark outside and someone is ringing the doorbell. Someone whom you do not know. They are male and two of them are standing outside your door. Would you open the door?

It just happened tonight here so I did not open the door at all. I am sorry guys. I do not know you so please understand. "Stranger Danger". I really don't like to open my door to a stranger especially that I have two little ones.

Recently I started to burn all my pictures to CD. I needed to back them up just in case my 10 year old Dell decides to quit on me. Now after burning disc after disc I find out that we had a stash of DVD-Rs in the basement. The extra storage would have made this process much easier and well using DVD duplicators I could easily make copies of the DVDs to send to my parents.

Now my parents will have to wait until I can get my hands on one of the new CD printers and print pictures of their grandkids directly from the CDs. They are not the most technologically inclined people, and sending them files to print just does not work as well as if I do it for them. They can follow instructions, but it is just easier to print them pictures from here, and send it to them in the Philippines.

Now if I could find them resources and help like this online DVD Duplication Guide, I would feel a lot more comfortable with them doing things themselves. Until there are resources like this available for everything I would need them to do though, I will have to take care of printing pictures of their grandkids for them. I have to admit though, while I am doing this I really am enjoying the trip down memory lane. After all, isn’t that what the pictures are for?

My husband and I made some changes in our kids' room. Instead of a bunk bed in their room, we decided to have two small beds down because I don't want to worry about someone falling off the bed from the top. Now, I am stuck about what to do with their walls.

I am looking for some art prints that I can use to put on their walls. I was just checking online and I found shepard fairey. This site has the shepard fairey art collection which I don't think will fit in a kids room but I went and checked the site anyway.

They've got some interesting shepard fairey prints and it looks like they will best fit in a bar or something like that. They got my attention but not something I would buy for the house.

Okay, I need to focus now. I hope you all have a great day.

I don't know what is going on with my computer tonight. It is really slow. It is starting to get me angry. Aaaahhhhh. All I want to do is research for Free Foreclosures listing in Hawaii. I can't believe how slow it loads.

My husband and I are thinking about selling our house here in Colorado but with the economy right now, it sounds like it is going to be really hard. Can we be able to afford a house in Hawaii? We are thinking of maybe buy a foreclosed house. That is why I am searching for foreclosed homes and see if I can find one close to where he works. I also found a website that provides Free REO foreclosures listing. I don't know. I can't find anything that is worth it.

Have you heard of Real Estate Owned Foreclosures? Where else can I find such listings?

Alright...this computer is really getting annoying. Click!

Wow...Skype is actually pretty good. I downloaded it today so I could video talk with my husband. I also called him on his cellphone and his voice was clear. He was also impressed because he could hear me really well. There was no statics or anything.

We decided to use Skype because we have been really upset with the way Yahoo Messenger is acting. It keeps signing us in and then out. It is very annoying. Skype is really good because I could see my husband in a big screen without freezing the computer. I love Skype.

One day while at my mother in law’s house, my nephew and son left the baby gate to downstairs open. They forgot that my daughter had been getting curious about the steps and more and more adventurous with each day. Normally by this time she was pretty good about turning around and lying on her belly and going down the stairs the way that toddlers do. This day however, she would try it the way mommy and daddy did. She was going to go down standing up. She did pretty well until the fourth stair down. She stumbled and ended up with her head and hands on the 5th step down and her feet still on the fourth. Luckily my husband was already downstairs, and he knew that where Jaycob and Mikey are Gabby is soon to follow. He wandered over to the stairs just in time to see her catch herself. Sometimes I really worry about my husband. He said this was one of the funniest things he had ever seen. I guess the look on her face was priceless. He did manage to compose himself long enough to get up to her and pick her up before she went head over heels down about 10 more steps.

I guess my mom has one of those Extra Wide Baby Gates. It is meant to be a pressure gate, but we simply extend it as far as it will go and place it across the steps to downstairs. The way we used to gate and the way it was designed were not exactly the same, and it potentially caused great harm to our daughter by doing so. Normally we are careful about those things, but this time the warning label was made just for us. Baby proofing your home only works if you do not cut corners. You should only use the products as they are intended.

As great as the baby gates are, having a four year old and an 18 month old I can honestly say these gates even when used correctly are just not durable enough for my destructive duo. If I had it all to do over again I would go with something much more rugged and durable...pet gates. I am pretty sure if these pet gates can keep a Doberman off your couch, they can keep your kiddies off the stairs.

God Bless!

I hope I'll get the money from Amazon pretty soon (selling textbooks aren't the fastest). I would like to buy things for the kids and their cousins as soon as possible. It won't be too easy because I have to buy them from Amazon.com and then I have to wait for my orders to get shipped. That can probably take a very long time. The kids won't be happy if Santa is late. That won't be good. HHmmm...hmmm.

I really never wanted to live East of the Mississippi River, but with the economy the way it is, my husband may eventually have to start looking back East for employment. One city I would like to live in would be Boston. Like all things on the East coast, we are assuming Boston Real Estate will be way above our pay grade and we will be forced to rent one of the many available Boston Condos.

I really like the ideal of living in a loft overlooking the city, and seems like Boston Lofts would be readily available, except they are not really kid friendly. We would need something with a little bit of a yard as our kids love to play outside and run around. I guess as a parent you have to put the needs of your kids above the dreams of yourself. Sigh, to be young again... Just kidding.

Bushari Group Real Estate specializes in helping people find, buy and sell Boston Luxury Real Estate, but seriously, what real estate in Boston isn’t Luxury? Perhaps in the future we will be using them to help us find a piece of Boston Real Estate in our price range. Then again, I’m really kind of hoping he gets the job that could take us back to Maui.

My kids were wrestling on the floor. My daughter is only 18 months old and she was fighting against a four year old boy. (Lol) She is such a toughie. My son was having a hard time being gentle with her but they were having a great time together. I love it when they are happy.

After a while of playing, my son kicked my daughter's face accidentally (Oh-uh). Nobody cried but we stopped their fight. It was time for bed anyway.

I got out of the building at work and was so creeped out while walking to my car. The parking lot was very dark. It has no light pole at all. My husband told me to park near the entrance door next time so the security guard can walk me to my car after work. It is actually a good idea. I think I am going to do that starting tomorrow. It is better to be safe than encounter some perverts. Creepy.

I drove home without any problem. I thought it would be snowing but I did not see any snow on the road. The road was dry. I was glad.

I was never fortunate enough to live in a neighborhood where I had my own mailbox. The town where I grew up in the Philippines don't use mailboxes. The condo I lived in on Maui and the home I live in in Colorado all have what are known as “community” mailboxes. It is really not a box at all, more like a mail slot similar to those that you find in an apartment building or hotel. I am not sure why developers went away from individual mailboxes like these amco mailboxes. The community boxes are so unattractive, and they provide an excuse for the postal worker to shove your mail and any of your neighbor’s mail into a nice convenient slot. I can not tell you how frustrating it is to have to sort the mail for the neighborhood because your slot is the selected slot of the day for the mail carrier.

I really wish I lived in a neighborhood that had individual mailboxes. I really like the appearance of an amco pedestal mailbox. It looks sturdy and durable. It looks a little smaller than some of the more traditional boxes, but it looks easier on the eye and it looks like it would stand up better to the elements than wood and aluminum would. Having it would look really nice at the end of my driveway. Those amco victorian mailboxes look to be a great product.

Alas! It is not to be for me. If you are looking in the market for something a little better looking than your current mailbox, then check out Amco and their selection of pedestal mailboxes.

My husband and I were finally done painting our bathroom. It was really fun especially that the color we chose was lavender. We thought we had a good team doing it together. I wish I could take a picture right now but my camera is still not available. I am really happy how it turned out. The result is not perfect but I think we did a good job considering we are not professional painters.

We are also planning to paint our master bedroom with a light green color. We already have a gallon of paint for it but we just need to find time. Maybe we can do it next week.

After my shower early this morning I stepped onto the bathroom floor and the cold told me that winter was coming. (Ah...I can't believe how fast time flies nowadays) I guess that means sooner or later I will start to see advertisements on the internet blogs I frequent that read something like this:

"Buy gas logs from the experts. Order R. H. Peterson Gas Logs now at Hansen Wholesale for a Guaranteed Low Price."

Actually, that is kind of catchy, now that I think of it. We don't have Fireplace Gas Logs or anything like that but it may just get me to investigate Hansen Wholesale and the R. H. Peterson Real Fyre Gas Logs that they sell. I wonder what kind of special deals they will offer me if I decide to buy Vented Gas Logs from them? Maybe I should check out their site to help me decide if their Outdoor Gas Logs are right for my outdoor fire pit or perhaps have information that convinces me I need Ventless Gas Logs instead of Vented Gas Logs.

Wow! I can’t believe I am thinking all of this stuff. Maybe because it is getting colder and colder. Luckily for me Hansen Wholesale has all the answers I need and more. They even have information on their current special offers which include:

• $75 additional discount
• No Sales Tax (on all gas logs)
• FREE Shipping (complete gas log sets under 36" in the continental USA)

Like I said, I don’t even have a gas fireplace, but with offers like that I just might look into getting one. If you are also trying to decide about getting fireplace gas logs, just visit this Gas Log FAQs and that may enlighten your mind.

My husband recently installed new shower heads at my mother-in-law's house. That is one of the few things around the house he can do well and quickly (although this time he left a bite mark on the shower neck in the master bath, lol). It got me to thinking about my life in the Philippines where our life was simple and our shower heads were wide mouth buckets with water in them, at least until we had running water installed in the house much later in my life.

I guess you could define buckets as low pressure shower heads. They are not as easy on the eyes as the shower heads I have linked to, but they are effective none the less. You are able to get yourself clean in a very inefficient way unlike the modern low pressure shower heads that allow you to clean your self in an environmentally conscience way. Although you don’t get that cold rush of soapy water massaging the top of your feet like you do with buckets.

When I was young washing at the local well, or in my family's wash room, I would have never dreamed of something like handheld shower heads being in my home. Yet, I actually experienced the joy of a handheld shower head when I was married in Hawaii. The control this gives you over water is absolutely amazing. No more soapy arm pits. You can direct and control the flow of water however you want. Of all modern shower heads, these are the closest I can find to a bucket.

Oh the joy of showering. It is one of the few times that I can be alone with my thoughts. It does not matter to me if I am under a high or low pressure shower head or if I am using a handheld shower head as long as I am alone and in a soothing/relaxing me moment.

Texas is not a place I have ever been, but from what my husband says it is a great state (he was born there). I am not sure if we could ever move back there and if we did it would more than likely be out near where he was born. I wonder how Dallas Real Estate market is doing right now?

Owning real estate in a big city like Dallas is still in my wildest dreams. We can't really afford to buy another investment right now but who knows. Maybe someday we can reach that dream. I checked the Dallas Homes for Sale and the numbers are not really bad. I heard that there is no property tax in Texas. Wow...

Dallas is one of the largest cities in the country. In areas like Dallas there is potentially more investment value in real estate. I am not so sure if I can handle big cities to tell you honestly. I like country lands because they are quiet and that is what I am used to. I think though that owning a house in Dallas will probably be a good investment. What do you think? If you have time, check out the Dallas Homes For Sale at www.usarealtyservices.com.

Do you have any horror stories that you can share about a cable contractor or any kind of contractors that you have hired and did a very crappy job? Did it cost you a lot of money? My mother-in-law and I just recently talked about how important it is to do a lot of research, read reviews and talk to friends before hiring a contractor. I just thought I'd make a post about it.

A contractor that sells cheaper service does not always mean it will save you money. I work in an insurance company so I hear horror stories often. It is disheartening to hear that some people would lose a home from fire because of an electrical wiring poorly done by an electrical contractor. Do you see what I am talking about? It is very important that you do your homework before hiring somebody. Make sure you check if they have insurance and warranties.

Another situation would be if you are a small business owner and you have a building that needs a cabling installation done, make sure you just don't hire a contractor just because. Be smart. Choose the best installers out there to protect your investment.

Disclaimer: I am not an expert in this kind of stuff but I have heard real stories.

Are you looking for a spice rack? We are in the same page. My spices need a place to stay. We have a spice rack which was a gift from our wedding but unfortunately it is too tall for our kitchen cabinet. It is a shame. I just put it somewhere else which is really useless. I actually forgot where I put it (Hmmmm). I hope I did not throw it away. I could put that rack on the counter but then our counter is not so big so it will just take space.

Below picture is how my rack looks like. As you can see, it is tall.



Right now, I am searching for kitchen spice racks at spiceracksource.com. I saw some decent racks in this site but I did not find anything that really interests me. Oh well, it is really not that big of a deal. I am not a good cook so I don't use them often anyway. It is just that I want to organize my cabinet.

Below is a wall spice rack and I am not sure of this one. It will help the organizing part of the goal but it looks kind of ugly, don't you think?



I hope I can cook more this coming months with the holidays in the air. You guys have a great day and thank you for reading this rant today.


(Photo Credit: www.spiceracksource.com)