How is everyone doing? It's yet another playful Sunday for everyone here at home. Joshua seems not satisfied of our trip to the park last Friday and has wanted to go back there again today. We went to a different park this time. After I got all the shots I needed I let my camera on rest and had walk probably 5 rounds along the play place. Oh boy didn't I sweat badly? It was probably 90 degrees at around 5pm. and I am glad there were trees and noticed just a little breeze. It was just a quick day out since it was really hot and had to run a few errands. Here are a few photos of Joshua I captured, while busy swinging to and fro!

I can't count how many times I've been fooled by phone calls that I thought come from a family member, but only to find out it's from these annoying telemarketers. It really ticks me off especially if I am doing something else and these calls would just keep coming anytime of the day. I thought of blocking some of these numbers and might do a research first to see if they have been reported already. There are days that you just want to relax or want to be alone and the last thing you want is to be bothered, right? I believe a person's home is a private sanctuary that people just want to be away from any disturbances. How could they be continually doing such a thing? I know a lot of us have been bombarded by this calls everyday and if you're troubled you can always investigate at the annoying callers website to check out the user-submitted reports of the numbers troubling you to find out who and why they keep calling you. Who ever they are I hope they would stop calling because that's totally annoying and unacceptable. It's nothing but invasion of privacy!

I noticed my little guy is so observant when we go places. He gets pretty loud if he sees something familiar, but if he is not he will ask too many questions as well. So I take advantage to educate him when he is in that mood and he just nods his head as a sign that he understood. He is pretty good with the traffic lights already and even sometimes command dad to put his blinker on. He shows interest of wanting to drive already and that worries me a bit. I know probably at 16 he would want to have his own car. One important rule we have is to make sure we are all buckled in before leaving home and Joshua understands that very well. My itchy hands can't just really rest instead I found myself taking photos of the road signs and traffic lights while we were heading to Costco awhile ago. I bet people were wondering what's up with me LOL. But who really cares it's my camera anyway!

Cooking is always such a challenge to me everyday. I would consider myself very mediocre in that part, but I am trying myself to come up with something everyday that my family would love. It's definitely not so gourmet but at least consider it edible. I know some people have a passion for cooking and it's something they desire to pursue and I bet it's a fun way to entertain people. I do embrace different style of cooking and I always enjoy to discovering new ones everyday. I salute people who can pull off cooking in a great manner and I concur that they would continue doing what they love. A very important event this year at Great American Seafood cook off and 5 chefs were picked fighting the title "King of American Seafood". I was just browsing the 5 entries and I would say my favorite is the Shrimp and Andouille Cassoulet by Chef Brian Landry. It's simply a Louisiana Shrimp and Andouille sausage smothered in a white bean casserole. I picked this one because it's easy to prepare and I am very familiar of the ingredients. No doubt I would be able to pull this off; if I will try to prepare it myself. I am not going to change anything on this recipe I think it's just perfect that way. The only thing I would add is of course hot white rice on the side or Asian noodles. Growing up in a country where all the seafood is fresh, so I always consider domestic seafood and you can't beat the freshness and the good taste. Would you agree? I am inviting you to visit www.greatamericanseafoodcookoff.com and vote for your favorite recipe and you will have a chance to win a trip to New Orleans prize package. If you enjoy cooking you will learn more about the recipes in the website. Why not take part on this exciting event!

Josh pretty much loves everything Disney, so Myke didn't hesitate to buy him this robot when it was available in the stores. This is Joshua's newest friend the talking Wall-E and he loves to play with it everyday. It includes some really cool features, that most boys would really enjoy. I think he is just fascinated of the voice and the sound effects. As Wall-E starts to move and talk he would imitate him too. It's so fun to watch him play. Just thought of taking pictures of him, while he was outside playing. Have a great weekend everyone!

Cool Features:
-WALL-E with light-up eyes, moving head/arms, original movie voice and sound effects.
-Talk to him, push him along or press a button and he'll respond!
-Also reacts to InterAction Eve, just like in the movie!

It's been awhile since the last time I visited my friend in New Jersey. I felt bad about it since I can't come up with my decision yet if I will be going back there before the end of the year. I know she understands since it won't be easy for me to leave my other responsibilities here at home, especially now that Joshua starts school already. But I really had a great time the last time I visited and her hosted house party was never ending. She invited a lot of mom's bringing along their kids and it was a fun weekend treat for everyone. It was also her pick to visit Morey’s Piers and I can say it's definitely one of New Jersey's best places to visit. Since it was a group vacation and we wanted to be intact in a nearby location, so we managed to stay in a family friendly environment. I had met a wonderful group of moms, whom I treasure up to this day. I can't get enough of the activities and the things to do when I was there. We were lucky enough to avail some of Morey's Piers weekly specials. If you're planning for your next vacation wanting to visit New Jersey; check out wildwood hotels motels to assure a much greater stay. I know you will be having a blast anytime of the day; from fantastic firework display, water parks, to extreme rides they have it all in a reasonable price. If you have kids with you better visit on Mondays since the Disney’s hottest artists will perform LIVE. It even be more ideal to stay a week or longer so you will have time for a family beach vacation.

Ah I can't just get off my eyes on this buttons. I don't normally keep buttons in my stash since I can't figure out how to use them in my pages. So I will delete most of them if they're included in a kit. But these buttons are different and look so cool the way they designed it. I love the cute designs in each button and they're definitely usable in my future layouts. SPD has tons of eye candy in the store lately. Sometimes I want to avoid clicking this store, but oh well I was tempted to click anyway and see what I got?




I had mentioned these freebies I downloaded at FPD and decided to scrap a few pages the other day. I could probably scrap one or two pages everyday since Joshua started school already. There's going to be another photobook in the making. So take a peek!

I am pretty sure a lot of people are struggling right now especially that our economy is going downhill. With the gas prices rising and bills piling up I know it could really be a daunting situation. It is so important to save money because the economy will constantly go in up and down cycles. That way when things occasionally get rough for you it won’t affect your lifestyle that much if you have money saved up. The other thing is you never know when you could lose your job anyhow regardless of what the economy is doing. There can always be unknown expenses pop up, that surprise you and then if you have savings it’s not going to be a problem. There’s been a time that debts have built up for us and we were able to consolidate debt that had high interest into lower interest loans. That way we could pay off our loan quickly. I would definitely not want to be tied up with that kind of mess again and I am glad we were able to combine loans with a reduced interest rate. I think we're getting better handling our finances now and the key thing is we don't spend more than what we earn. I know it's been always a struggle to some people finding ways to get out of debt, but who to blame? When you find yourself on this situation you really need to talk to a financial expert and ask for credit counseling. You could still have other choices to pay if off like Debt Consolidation, Debt Settlement, and Debt Negotiation. I think that would be the best route to go and if you'll work on it you will be out of this mess in no time.

My friend finally came by earlier. Liza has wanted to visit me since Tuesday, but she keeps putting it off. She is job hunting right now and her son also started pre-K this week, so she's been pretty busy too. Our kids really had fun together; they don't normally have a lot of friends around and when they see each other they just bond. They get very rowdy no doubt about that and definitely get hurt, but boys will be boys. We decided to go to the mall first for our lunch after we picked up the kids in school and proceeded to the park. Josh and I haven't visited this park yet, so it was nice seeing a different one than the normal park we always go to. We noticed there's a pool and it's such a huge park, which is ideal for kid's birthday party. On the other hand, the kids had their turn feeding the ducks as well as they seem to group and approached while the kids were throwing crackers in the pond. It was a great 2 hours spent over there and we're definitely looking forward to meeting again sometime in the next 2 weeks. Here are a few photos I captured!

I know it's not going to be easy planning a trip in the next few months, especially now that Joshua is in school. That's why we decided to really go places before school starts and I am glad we did. We had enjoyed most of our trips but I would say the best this year was our family reunion in MN, visiting Legoland in the Mall of America, going to Sea World and extended it to Orlando tours. Hubby certainly needs a break and he agreed that it's really worth visiting these places. In the past years we were not very active in joining our family reunion and we are missing so much. That's why we decided to be active in the next years to come. This is like a one time event every year and we are trying to question ourselves why we can't attend. In the past years we do have a valid reason for this, but now financially I think we're good. We are looking forward to visiting another city and our next plan would be to experience Las Vegas tours. Hubby will joke sometimes that it would be nice to have a second wedding celebration there, but we will see when we cross that path. Believe me there is so much to see in our country and why not focus on visiting our top destinations here like the Madame Tussauds wax museum. When it comes to online travel guides check out Trusted Tours and Attractions. They only not offer an exceptional customer service but offers discounted tickets to the best sightseeing tours in 23 cities across America. They always have a special promotion and this month you will have a chance to win $150 Magellan’s Gift Certificate by signing up for Trusted Travels eNewsletter . Oh who would not want this? Hurry and sign up now!

Joshua handed me a folder yesterday and I know it was from his teacher. I checked everything and she sent another list of materials to be purchased. So we bought the stuff right away yesterday afternoon. It was just a packet that includes elementary school menu, important dates and information, student calendar, and so much more. In fact today is the first PTA meeting and orientation, so I guess it's official that I will be attending stuff like this on the third Tuesday of every month. Joshua is doing great and like what Myke said he is really surprised how quick he adopts his new environment. I am such a happy mom this week and I can't ask for more.
Oh well moving forward I finally said bye2x to my old keyboard and purchased a new one yesterday. I thought I could wait until Christmas, but nope it was just hard to type. I am glad I got a new one!

Do you remember about the family of fruits and vegetables, who are trying to live in a human world I was blabbering about? The family is complete now because The Sproutwells welcome daddy home in the third episode.
I was wondering why daddy Sproutwells didn't appear in the show earlier, but I think there's a reason for that. I would say Phyto is still my favorite character. There's just something about this dog that I really love. Oh well I enjoy this show so much and who's behind the show? It's simply the freshfunds. The program introduces a healthy living that could benefit us all. I do love to find out about healthy snacking especially for the kids. We could even earn points by joining the program and a chance to bid cool prizes and this week we can bid on a Wii Fit. I bet there's more to come, so stay tune. How cool is that!

Ah I am just so proud of my little guy. First and second day of school went really great. He was way more excited when he saw the rest of the kids in his class. After he got his name tag he waved goodbye and settled in his desk right away and was oblivious we were still around talking to the teacher. After we handed his lunch money to the teacher Myke and I left school without any worries. When we picked him up I ask him how it went and he goes by saying he likes school so much. I was so happy to hear it and yeah I ask too many questions. He was so cooperated the whole time by telling mom everything they did the whole morning and he keeps repeating the ginger bread man story. I bet he really loves that story. I am looking forward to hearing more of his adventure and we're glad he loves it!

These photos were taken in the park yesterday after Joshua's class. He got a treat from dad and decided to have some outdoor fun after we ate. Josh is really quite funny sometimes. I told him to do the V-sign, but he did his differently. I just laughed when I uploaded the photos and realized he was making funny faces. My little guy is just a joy to me not to mention he is such a sweet kid. Even though he wore me out sometimes, but at least we bond and I think that's priceless!

I was browsing earlier and stumbled upon this blog, which has free PSE5 photo actions. I really love what's in the package I then run it to a few photos and I like the result so far. I am little limited now since I don't use CS3, but I guess I will stick with my PSE this time. It's quite a lot to upgrade as of this moment and besides it isn't really my priority. I hit a jackpot when I downloaded those actions earlier since it's free. There's this online store I love and I am still waiting what they have available for PSE5. I checked last month and until now they don't have it yet. What a bummer! Actions are quite expensive, so it's nice to get free ones. Here is a sample photo!
A little bit off topic here,check out Fenterdren.

Oh gosh I think I need another external hard drive. I just downloaded tons of scrap booking freebies from FPD this week and I just want to make sure I have enough storage. I almost lost my files last month and thanks God Myke's friend helped me retrieved most of my photos and scrap booking supplies. I can't just skip some of these wonderful freebies and even though I don't scrap everyday I still want more to be added in my stash. I did a little cleaning up too and deleted some of the old freebies I downloaded before. They are so not in the trend anymore and I guess it's time to let those stuff go. I noticed some of the scrappers I know are just getting better and better. Good for them! Oh well as promised I will have an update of Joshua's first day in school in a bit. It's been a quite busy day here earlier and didn't have time to upload photos.
Lastly, you know I am so not an athlete, but you might be interested on these topic legal steroids.

In 30 minutes I will be back in school in to pick Joshua up. He cried earlier but when we got there he seems to like the teacher and his classmates. So Myke and I left without a doubt, which he will be alright. I will share some "first day of school" photos later!
On the other hand, I have these photos here taken yesterday when we went to the countryside. This is what I always love when we go places, especially if I could catch the sunset and I am always fascinated with creamy skies, you know? Here are the ones I captured on the way home!

I was just reading an article about C'elle and this whole research really touched my heart. Myke lost a loved one to cancer and it's been always a hard battle for him. I think they did everything they could to save his mom's life, but the doctor said his mom will live in 3 months after she was diagnosed of a liver cancer. How would you feel, when a doctor declares that one of our loved ones will be leaving us soon? I think this will be the hardest a person could ever experience and the most heartbreaking event of our life. No one is ever ready for this kind of situation and I know we will do everything to save them. Now it is our time to partake on this breakthrough that by simply preserving women's menstrual fluid and when carefully processed it could be of great help in the future. Who would have thought that women's menstrual blood will turn out a gem and could be a potential therapy in the future? About the Science if we will have to look back of how stem cells were created it simply started when a woman's egg fertilized by her partner's sperm and from then on it will multiply millions of stem cells. The point is stem cells are the origin of life. Isn't life a miracle? Through the kit that C'elle provided women could easily follow the instructions on how to transport the specimen for safer processing and experts will do the rest to preserve by freezing it and this in fact could save lives in the future. Some scientist believe that this would definitely change someone's lives and there's been a recent article how they have discovered that cultivated stem cells could be used to repair damaged heart tissue. Just think of all the benefits of this in the future, so think twice and if you want more thorough explanation about this research you can check out C'elle Client Testimonial.

We got to see Joshua's cousins again after many months. Their immediate comment was how much he has grown and we could see how much their kids have grown. They invited us to come by today and we didn't hesitate to go since we were not able to join them last July 4th. We had a little party and the kids just really enjoyed each other's company. After the great meal and long conversations we decided to go outside and jump on the trampoline and rode their ATV's. We just really utilized our time, while we were there. As the sun starts to set we realized it was time to head back to Dallas. It was great seeing them!

So my day was spent doing all my house chores and organizing Joshua's school stuff ready for this coming Monday. I know I have talked about it since last week, but the anticipation is killing me. I am just overwhelmed of how he does first day in school and I know I will get used to it later on. I was surprised of how much things I have accomplished today and I am glad it went quicker than I thought. Saturday is my cleaning day as usual. We were also able to swing by at our favorite fast food place and bought our favorite chicken meal. So now I am all good and have time for myself browsing online and stumbled upon Orlando golf. Are you planning to get away for awhile? Check our Orlando's hot spots!

I have always wanted to get an external flash it is because of the obvious harsh shadows to some of the photos I took. I am already convinced how much external flashes can improve the look of the image and it helps the light looks more natural. Plus you have an option to position where the light bounces and I think that would really make a difference. OK this was the result of my boredom awhile ago. I just want to see what's the result is if I have to block the light from my built in flash. This experiment occurred in our bathroom and I felt really odd doing this ha-ha. You know I was just having fun. I guess this is the result being attach to my camera LOL. Now I am positive I will be getting an external flash anytime soon.

Surfing online is certainly much better this time now that I have a high-speed internet. I can still remember how inconvenient it was in my part, when I was still stuck in a dial up connection. I am definitely not going back to that route again. Anyway, I had a chuckle when my 5 year old boy told me the other day that he wants a laptop once he goes to school. OMG, he is only 5 and wants a laptop. I was totally surprised when he said that. Yes, he is already a surfer and occasionally uses my computer or Mike's computer, but I didn't expect that coming from him. I guess I will deal with it once he can manage to have one.
OK moving on; why not check out Charter's best back to school deal online right now for high speed. All you need to do is order any Charter Communications service online and be automatically entered to win one of 30 HP Compaq Presario C770US Laptops, aside from that you will also be sent a free Shell gas gift card after purchasing. What else you can ask for this is definitely a great back to school deal and a Charter Laptop-a-Day Giveaway is hard to beat. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and nobody is giving a laptop for free every day. This is a great chance to snag one of these amazing laptops that worth $600 each. So hurry now and buy one of Charter's services online for your chance to win a laptop. Check out the complete sweepstakes' rules and the computer details below.

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I was thrilled watching the movie the first time and I am not surprised why Joshua is hooked on this. Camp Rock movie is Joshua's recent obsession and yes he knows all the cast members and that just proves that he is a huge fan. I can't count how many times he watches this everyday. I admit I am still a teen at heart and yeah I love the Jonas Brother's recent album and so is Joshua. He knows every single title of all their songs and I can't beat that. So Myke ended up buying him this camp rock DVD and someone also gifted him a camp rock poster. I know the Jonas Brothers are very popular right now and learned they just scored their first no. 1 album on the Billboard charts. I think I am a fan now too. These kids rock!

I was wondering why I can't access my friend's site earlier this week. So I called her right away to let her know. We were discussing about it and she told me the reason why her domain is not redirecting. It has been pretty messed up lately and since we both don't have idea how this thing works; she then rushed to transfer that domain to another reputable webhosting site. It was just a result of miscommunication between her and the original person, who purchased the domain. For some reason it wasn't transferred to her account as early as possible before the expiration date. I just hope that this will be taking care of because I know how she wanted to keep that domain name of hers. It does involve a hefty amount of money to unlock it again, but I believe she also wanted to transfer her personal blog to a new platform, so she definitely needs a new hosting provider. I told her how important it is to have at least a little knowledge about the company before buying hosting and domain packages. We can always search informative articles when it comes to building our sites just like finding for cheap hosting and learning tips for choosing a domain. If you're in the process of building your website and looking for a web hosting service feel free to visit webhostingrating dot com. It's always beneficial to be associated with companies we can trust and offer great service.

Josh came up to me one day asked a favor if we can go to the zoo again. He is just so fascinated with the animals and his favorite part is to feed the birds, play in the children's area and get wet. It's nice to relax out there, but it's quite a long drive. I am very lazy to drive down there and I am glad Myke was around that time. I can't handle traffic very well and I will just be upset once I get stuck. That's one reason I don't drive much going to the downtown. I was also hesitant because of the weather, but he still pursued on going, so we did and everything went well. I was lazy to lug my DSLR, so I took the P&S. I know these photos didn't turn out great, but I love Joshua's facial expressions here.

Who would not want a luxury vacation this time? We all want to have that time to get away from work and take a rest from those stressful days and enjoy life. I am glad Michael's recent schedule is very flexible and that's why planning short trips isn't a problem anymore, unlike the past 5 years. Most of us have dream places to go to and if you will be given an opportunity to fulfill that dream vacation of yours; would you not pack your things and leave in a blink of an eye? I sure do! It could be very expensive too, but it's all the memories that really matters. There are a lot of ways to be economical and finding a condo hotel isn't that tricky.

My two favorite designers have designed a fabulous birthday kit this month. I think this is definitely one of the best collaboration kits I've seen. Two very talented designers joined together to create this kit. It's hard to pass up on this when all you see is pure eye candy. The color combination here is so beautiful and the embellishments are jam packed. This is simply dazzling and exquisite. Love it a lot. You better get those birthday photos ready. Check it out @ Shabby Pickle Designs store!

We visited a long time friend and we had to drive 2 hours just to meet this family. They are in town so it doesn't bother us to drive that long just to see them again. I am glad it didn't rain as what was expected, but on the way home there was a terrible accident, so we were kind of stuck for almost an hour. We just got back actually and yeah it's getting late here. Oh well while browsing around I was quite fascinated to see a variety of promotional items online. I stumbled upon US Imprints, which has amazing promotional items. I love the promotional baby products and the photo clocks in particular and I think they are definitely something I would buy and give to someone. You could do so much with your photo customizing using one these items and most of these products are absolutely fantastic and very useful. Perfect for any business events!

Ah, last night was horrible it was raining so hard and the loud roar of thunders just really scared Joshua, which led him to crying. What else I can do, but to be on his side and console him that everything will be alright. We don't experience that often and last night's loud bang was almost unbearable. My heart beats so fast every time I hear it and I think that was just too much for Josh to handle. I didn't get enough sleep because of that and finally at around 2am. it subsided and he was sound asleep. We woke up today with a bright sunshine and I am thankful for that.
In addition, my family had another trip to downtown to see the fountain place. It wasn't a great idea to even go there really because we knew it's going to rain, but somehow we managed to go there and took some photos. Just right when we left it started misting rain and we were quick enough to leave. Overall it was still a fun trip!

If I am not mistaken the last time I had gotten a gift card was last Christmas. I would love to have this official and collectible 2008 Olympic Visa Gift Card series for my friend. No doubt she would love it. We are both Michael Phelps fans and she would be thrilled if she will get one from me. If you have family members and friends celebrating I would suggest get a Visa Gift Card and surprise them with one of the collectible 2008 Olympic Visa Gift Card series. Sometimes it's a hassle finding the right items for our friends that's why gift cards are a perfect alternative. You can't go wrong this is perfect for all occasions. This is a limited time offering only, so hurry now and get one!

We will be having a family gathering tomorrow, so we decided to go to farmer's market to buy some fresh fruits. I was thrilled I saw some great papayas over there. I can't remember when was the last time I had a slice of it LOL.
We also stopped by at fountain place to same some photos, but we didn't stay that long since it was misting. I would love to go back there when it comes back up to 90 degrees, so Joshua could play in the spray zone. Here's a photo of mine taken by Myke.

Ah the moment I played the sproutwells video Joshua was right behind me in a blink of an eye. What else could be the perfect time to bond with him? No doubt, it's definitely watching cartoons. Aside from story telling he does want me to watch his favorite shows as well. I had mentioned the Sprouts family earlier last week and to refresh your memory, who the sproutwells are; they
are fruits and vegetable family living among humans, who are trying to fit in. I've been following the show since then and the sproutwells part #2 is already out. Seeing my son enjoyed the show is just really priceless. I think most of these characters are unique and they all deliver catchy roles that most of us would really enjoy. I would pick Phyto as my favorite character in this episode because I am a dog lover and there's just so much to love about Phyto. Very clever like me! When Phyto peed Rose's foot I think that was hilarious. I believe the mission behind fresh funds is to introduce a healthy lifestyle and by participating the program you will be able to have access of their healthy snacking tips and could earn rewards in return. I am inviting you to watch it is so much fun!

It's nice to wake up today and experienced a humid early morning in the countryside. We visited a few relatives earlier today and we brought home fresh corns, which we really love and what a huge difference compared to the frozen ones. We were a bit spoiled when we visited Pam last summer in MN and we have a hunger for it now. Myke's brother got a sack of corns available, when we visited so he gave us a few. In fact that was what we had for lunch and lettuce wrap we bought at Peiwei Asian diner.
We then dropped by at Bank Direct to verify Myke's account because we are having trouble withdrawing cash through ATM since last month. They said they updated their computer system and it has affected some of the accounts including us. I am glad the restrictions have been lifted.
On the other hand, while I was busy doing my chores my little guy was also engrossed with his artwork. He is always excited to show it to us afterwards and yeah he always calls his work a masterpiece. This is simply his method of painting. Here's another fun collage!

I traveled a few times with my little guy, when he was still less than a year old. If only I knew how hard it was traveling with an infant in a 16 hour airplane ride and having not enough space to maneuver was really kind of hard. During those past trips we had my main concern was really convenience and hygiene. I would rather have my own pillow and travel blanket with me next time. I know we have two trips coming up and without a doubt I would love to have a Cabin Cuddler with me. I know most trips like this isn't really the most convenient and it wasn't surprising either that the blankets in most planes won't really make us warm. People seem to tolerate different temperatures because even when we're driving I often feel chilled in the car. I prefer something to cover up with and that seems true in most cases wherever I go; how much more in most offices where the cooler temperature doesn't really seem to bother most men because they're properly dressed up. But what about the women who wears pencil cut skirts and dresses. I think staying that long in the office would really make them uncomfortable. The cabin cuddler is appropriate and geared towards this kind of situation, where you could still relax in a comfortable blanket and the cabin cuddler is not just for traveling. I do like the idea of the contoured cut that would perfectly cover the body. The inflatable pillow that comes with it is just a great addition without a doubt and perfect wherever you go. Make your next trip exciting and sport a cabin cuddler now.

Last Saturday was jam-packed in Target with all the parents and the kids buying school stuff. Back to school shopping was the most awaited trip last weekend with my little guy. We were given this list of materials to purchase for kindergarten and we had a hard time finding some of the stuff. Myke was so persistent to buy the exact brands they require. See? I could be very impatient at times and I was just going to buy whatever was available. It took us hours to find manila paper- (12x18) 50 ct, assorted construction paper, manuscript lined writing and more. Maybe they were just out of those and we will try to find it to other stores later today. We pretty much got everything aside from those 3 items mentioned above. Ah it was a bit tiring but the most important thing was Joshua had fun picking out his stuff.

Josh has one more week left on his swimming class and his summer fun is going to be over. He is going to face a serious step next and that's school. My little guy is absolutely doing great and he gets excellent remarks from his instructor at the end of his swimming session. I just love how attentive he is and how much he enjoyed it every time.
In addition, I have gathered a few photos of my little guy this week, while doing just his normal thing he could be snacking, playing, watching TV, or listening music; I feel like I am a paparazzi to my own child and look at the proof. Whatever he does I am taking photos he-he.
Oh well I guess this is all for now I might check out

We finally bought almost everything Joshua needs and we will finish buying the rest sometime this week. We still have to purchase the uniforms, backpack and shoes later this week. My first choice would really be black shoes to pair with his uniforms. I can't wait for my little guy's first day of school. He is also very anxious and that trip to the store buying all his stuff was a blast. I found some kids shoes online that he could use for school activities and these two are my top picks including a wide variety of women's Clarks shoes. In fact there are a lot on sale right now.

There isn't must going on here earlier today. We decided to just stay home and watch the Olympics. Oh yeah, we've been following Phelps and I am a fan here. I think he really excelled on his field and what a great honor to have him represent the country. I was just looking at the overall medal standings and China actually got 27 gold medals and the USA garnered 16 so far, but the total all in all USA is rank 1. I also didn't miss the individual all-around artistic gymnastics final and both Nastia and Shawn really outdone themselves in the final round. We had fun watching it. So that was our day in a nutshell.
Lastly, here's a simple scrap page of my little guy!

Ah I can't just get enough of watches. I don't normally wear a lot of jewelry that's why most of the time I only have watch as an accessory and my rings. Who would not want one or two of these Corum watches? I just love the pink selections they have and I would definitely love to have the pink Corum Bubble. I noticed it has a diamond bezel on pink strap and I think it just looks more elegant. I don't see any mediocre style here at the watchery I mean I am drooling over everything they have. Color selection wise, style, design and the natural elegance is just beyond explanation. Right now they have an amazing deal of Corum women's watches and I'm looking at this one in particular you could actually save up to 74% and what a huge difference from the original price. You will be amazed of the wide variety of Corum watches they have including other name brand watches from Cartier, Gucci, Movato, Rado, Citizen to Hamilton they have it all. I have nothing but put admiration to the elegance of these watches. These are undoubtedly incredible pieces and if you want to own an expensive watch yet want to save in your next purchase you need to check out watchery.com right now.

My sisters were very excited when I told them I will be sending a package. I have too many purses here that I don't use anymore. I love purses and I have quite an addiction to this kind of stuff. I am planning to send some of my old purses, so at least they could use it. I know they can't wait and they keep asking when I would send it. My younger sister is 7 months pregnant and she's also hoping I could send Joshua's old clothes, which I don't really mind sending them since no one is going to wear them anyhow. Nothing fancy I hope they will be happy with the stuff I am going to send.

Sometimes in life we are just bombarded with lots of drama that we just want to give up and probably dream of a new place to live in. Now this question dawned on me what would I bring to a new planet if ever Earth was destroyed I would say it's probably my camera no doubt about that. If I have my camera with me I will be able to document my new life in my next adventure and I would definitely not going to miss any of that. I am not sure if I am ready to live in a different planet, but I assume if Earth isn't the best place to live anymore I would rather be somewhere else with my camera. Haven't we realized yet of how over saturated Earth is when it comes to evil influences? That's why Richard Garriott is inspired to launch this humanity's "saved game" which is called the Operation Immortality: Leave your mark. Save Humanity. Its website would help us educate about this real lifetime event that will save a history of humanity's greatest achievement. You can take part on this by downloading and playing the Tabula Rasa video game during the month of August. What else you're waiting for hurry and register now for the free trial.

After my small rant about the heat in the past few weeks it finally rained earlier today. I was awoken by the noise on the roof and so was my little guy. Josh is very sensitive of those weird night sounds you know and he thinks it's some kind of a monster or something, so he would crawl in my bed. Our night routine changes and we are up early now, so we noticed the rain earlier. Thanks God our plants are watered!
On the other hand, it's so rare to have an early breakfast here in our household, but today it was different. Since we are up early so breakfast was ready before 7am. and a few snacks afterwards. I am glad Joshua's diet has been pretty good lately!

Often times catchy store names makes me interested to check out their products. I think having a unique name is part of the package of this whole marketing and advertising thing right? When you hear couture you will think of high-quality and fashionable kind of clothing. I stumbled upon Heavenly Couture and was surprised of how affordable most women's clothing is. You name it from skinny jeans, cute tops, fashionable blazers, to trendy outerwear they have it all and not to mention Cheap Junior Clothing. I am really into the quality of clothing when I shop. If I could buy quality stuff and pay less that's just beyond imaginable and definitely a treat. Where else could you find stores, which offer trendy line of cheap clothing in a reasonable price? If you have a couple hundred dollars just imagine how many items you can have. I know some people doesn't want to spend $70-$100 dollars just for a destroyed mini skirt alone and if it's worth less than $20 I don't think you will mind buying it. Each of these items is worth $17.95 dollars. Yeah, everything is $17.95 or less. These are awesome stuff to boot. Check it out!

Ah what a long exhausting day my little guy just wore me out lately. What a hyper little man. I don't know where else does he get all this energy he is having right now. He has quite a lot of activities every week, but yet there is not sign of slowing down. Life of a mom indeed!
On the other hand, wondering what this is? MY PHOTOGRAPHIC SKETCH is just a new blog. I really wanted to own a dot com and now I finally purchased a new domain. I've been working on it for days and I love my new space so far. If you are interested to be added in my new blogroll I am inviting you to visit there and leave your links. Take a peek!

With the oil prices continue soaring high I bet everyone is really affected and hurting financially. I would definitely drop my compulsive shopping and focus on buying what's necessary right now. Saving money is really an investment that my family could benefit in the future. Before, I certainly don't care if an item is on sale or not. I will just pick whatever stuff I like and pay for it. Unlike my husband who uses coupons a lot. I do admire him for taking the time to hunt those coupons in a Sunday paper or get them online. In fact he is so into sales a lot and no doubt he always gets the best deals out there. He even convinced his friend to start using coupons and the best source for these promotional codes is of course the leading online coupon destination, which is the savings.com. Buying discounted products is a great way of minimizing and be able to save at the same time. It's just wise to be economical knowing there are a lot of hungry kids in other parts of the world. I am also drooling over the 30%-70% instant discount sale in Shopbop right now from shoes, handbags to designer clothing. I don't worry a bit of how much I am going to spend on my next purchases since there are a lot of coupons available to use anytime just like the Shopbop coupons. Be wise the next time you shop!

I just saw the thread in the forum that the August issue of the Digital Artist Magazine is already available. This would be my first time to buy a DAM issue since they started. When I saw this month's exclusive set is designed by Holly I can't just miss it. I need to have it lol. She is not only an amazing scrapper but an incredible designer. When you say pure quality her work is a great example to that. I know they have amazing inspiration, tips, and informative articles every month. Plus the FREEBIES! So this would be a treat this month. These are available at DAM Shop, Scrapartist,Oscraps and Plain Digital Wrapper. Get a copy now!

What else do we need after a long exhausting day? I would definitely want a massage. It's great to get a massage to help release the tension that builds up during the long stressful days. I noticed my lower back is hurting a lot lately, but I remember my doctor told me, that I would be experiencing this after giving birth because of the epidural anesthesia. I think the last 3 years was really terrible and that's when I need to go to a massage therapist. I used to go to a family friend's clinic, but they had moved to a different state and wanting to start a massage therapy clinic in New York. There are actually a lot of certified expert listed from where we live and I would love to have their services one day. I was surprised of the results when I searched in clicksmart. I don't think it would be a problem to find one since they have available services in any states specifically new york massage therapy.

Joshua will be going to school in the next two weeks and I think he is so ready. He is in fact excited now that it's fast approaching. I just hope that his first day won't be a disaster. I know what I am feeling right now is just normal and I hope it won't be hard for both of us. All I can say is I am so proud of my little guy and he is such a quick learner too. I am positive he would love this new adventure.

Myke knows how much I wanted a Lexus RX350 and with our country experiencing a recession right now. I don't think I will be driving an expensive car anytime soon. What he really wants is to go hybrid in the next 2 years and I think that's definitely a great investment. Plus we want to expand our family and a 5 passenger vehicle would be perfect, especially if my parents will join us soon. I was curious of how much is the 2009 brand new L-RX350 and I wasn't surprised of the price. Based on our situation right now I don't think it's necessary to get one as of this moment. Not everyone could afford a brand spanking new cars so going for used cars isn't a bad choice at all. There are a lot of used car for sale out there and I would definitely want a professional review of this kind. If anyone of you test drive this car or happen to own one your reviews are welcome here at auto 123. In addition, you could possibly win a prize by doing so. Would you want a vacation down south or win a car racing vacation? Please don't hesitate to visit the site and enter the contest.

I posted awhile back about the Canon 70-200mm IS lens I rented. I think most veteran users are right about how wonderful Canon L-series are. I don't even want to take it back but I've rented it for 3 days and paid $35 dollars a day lol. I am kind of stuck with my macro lens as of this time and a 50mm that I don't use all the time. I would love to have a new all around lens before Christmas. Crossing my fingers here! As of now I am still enjoying taking close up shots and the 100mm seems perfect for tiny stuff I find interesting anywhere I go.

I kept telling Myke that I need to exercise because I am terribly gaining weight. OK I am only 112 lbs last month, but since I used to be very skinny so this rapid change really bothers me. We do eat out once in awhile, but I have tried so hard to prepare healthy foods. I can't ignore junk foods are really good especially the fries, but now that Joshua is going to start school I would want him to follow a healthy lifestyle. Sweets are good once in awhile, but it's so not acceptable to consume more than what our body needs.

I've meet awesome friends online way back in 2005 when I started blogging and until now they are still around. I've learned a lot through some of the mommies, whom I shared the same experiences with and these friendships I've made are going strong. It's nice to spread the love globally!



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We are always hunting for new places to go to just around Dallas. We drove by at William Square one time, but since we're in a hurry so we don't have time to walk around the area. Joshua saw the Mustangs at William Square and was dying to touch them, so we came back a week after. It's fun to see places and just really hang out and most importantly take photos of the event. This was just one of our family outings and we definitely enjoyed each other's company. Ah more photos to share!

With our country experiencing a recession right now I think it's just wise to compare car insurance rates before buying one. I am glad my family is pretty much in good shape financially and then we don't have to worry of switching from one car insurance to the other. I am more than sure we got the best insurance rates and I can't ask for more. Finding the best insurance that would fit our needs is quite a task. Just take your time!

I can't deny Joshua had a blast when we went to the circle park the other day. We decided to go at around 10am, so we won't be fighting with traffic plus we also want to avoid the excessive heat. It was just perfect since there were only a few bikers and not too many kids in the spray zone either. He just loves to get dirty and no doubt he loves the water as well. It was just a simple weekend fun for the whole family. The time we spent there was just priceless. Later, that day we went and bought school stuff for my little guy. Here are a few photos!

Two weeks from today my little guy will be going to school. We had fun shopping the other day and I let him picked his school stuff. We bought a few stuff that I know he would really use, but we aren't done yet. If there's one thing I need to add in my list right now it's definitely a DYMO Labelmaker. I have a 5 year old boy who is such a picky eater. To avoid confusion and the food to get mixed up I think it's wise to put a label on his lunch box. I bet most moms would certainly do the same. That way he won't be having a hard time identifying what's his and not. We know how kids could be rough sometimes and they will be dirty and sweaty all day, so bringing a few extra shirts is also necessary. No doubt the label maker will do wonders for these items not being mixed up. I do like the idea that I could put a tag on each of his items. I am a very organized person and I would want everything handy for me and my little guy, especially once school starts everything will be in a rush. This is such a cool tool that I could use to almost everything my son needs from lunch labeling, clothing, labels for homework, to organizing stuff. I really couldn't ask for more and I am glad they come up with such a unique idea.