My little guy was so exhausted after school today. He wasn't very excited to go trick-or-treating tonight. In fact, he was very grumpy the whole time. I suggested to visiting a few friends and we call it a night. He already had a handful of candies from school plus our close friends have something for him too. Some of our neighbors dropped by and gave Joshua his treat, so that was very nice of them.
I, for one, didn't feel good today either. I was lazy to take lots of photos and told mike to video tape tonight's event. I will be busy tomorrow and Sunday, so I am trying to make this post as early as I can. I just want to share how it went tonight. I bet you had more fun too!

I am hooked watching the show Super Nanny. I have learned so much about her techniques and one thing I am convinced to apply is her "naughty spot" technique. Talking to the kids in low tone really makes a difference. When I am upset sometimes I can't control my temper and voice and it does scare my little guy. Just this morning I found out Joshua was messing up with my stuff in my purse. He loves to poke lipstick and my makeup set. He is just very curious about this stuff and gets very destructive sometimes. It is so upsetting in my part because I don't want to keep buying it. This whole experience is just a learning process on both of us. No wonder I love the book. Ah, life of a mom indeed.
Moving on, I tend to rely on cookbooks when I cook especially on holidays and when there's a special occasion. I love pasta so I am a fan of Rachel Ray's 30 minute GET REAL meals cookbook. It's easy to prepare, quick and easy!
Last, but not the least I am also drawn to photography books. Anything that would help me enhances my ability to capture photos everyday. See? These are my kind of reading materials.

There are a lot of ways to create Holiday Photo Cards. I tend to be very creative when it comes to this. If only I have enough time to create hundreds of them, but I can only create a few and send it to close friends and relatives. The rest I order it online. Time has come again to send cards to our loved ones. If you're naturally artistic you will never run out of ideas and you can always come up with something unique and special. But to those who are busy and no time to be crafty I would recommend Vista Print for your Holiday Cards. Look no further because they have awesome templates that I always dig. Just add a little effort to upload your images and voila you can have it in no time. It's all quick and easy. I would call it still very trendy. Just look at the samples in the site and pick the designs as you wish. I would love to mention other things you might be interested in like the promotional giveaways to the marketing materials and it's not just the holiday cards. You can trust them when it comes to printing and it's not hard to order online. You're just one click away!

I just added a new set in my flickr "everyday stuff" and these are a few items I added there. I just created this for fun and anything that I find interesting at home or even outdoors. It would be fun to go take pictures again this coming weekend. I really wanted to go to the arboretum but Mike is so busy this week. He promised maybe we could squeeze it in by Friday.
On the other hand, we decided to carve pumpkins this year. I am not really interested in this kind of stuff or I am just simply lazy. But Mike was persuasive we're going to do it. Plus Joshua has a project, so we will see what we come up with!

What's in my camera bag? There had been a few people asking me what camera I am using. I decided to make this post so in case you will browse around and dig my archives, you might stumble upon this entry. There are days that I can't reply to all of you and this might help in the future. This belongs in my photography category so anyone interested this post belongs there. I don't have the best series of lenses yet, but still love what I got.
It's absolutely a fun hobby!

Ah, I already have two trips to the mall this week. There are just so many things my little guy needs, especially now that he is going to school. He obviously needs more winter clothes. No one could ever say no to shop and would you believe I find it therapeutic to shop. We definitely have much lesser budget this year, but I am still getting something for my family. As I mentioned earlier that I already started buying stuff for Joshua and of course it was with Mike's consent. There are definitely days that I do purchase stuff that are not in my list, but even on stressful times we still set aside some cash for holiday shopping. There had been times that it's just so tempting to buy more than what was required. I bet we had our own secret shopping and if you have an impulse way of shopping you might be interested to sign up and join this video contest. They will be giving away $15,000 in cash and prizes every month. Just make a video, share your shopping experiences then upload it to You Tube. This is a fun little contest for this coming holiday so why not join. Please don't forget to refer my blog URL [www.shabem.info] when you sign up at www.ShopAndConfess.com . So get ready and start your confession!
You can click this link to register right away http://www.shopandconfess.com/index.php/contest/member/register.

We spent our day at the zoo yesterday, so this was Joshua's first taste of trick or treating this year. I am always scouring for the latest events, so this was our choice to attend to last weekend. When we got there the residents were still setting up the trick-or-treat stations, so we went and had a tour at the Monorail Safari and let my little guy ride the Endangered Species Carousel. It wasn't very spooky they just let the kids enjoy the games and claim their treats. We were given strip of coupons in exchange for treats. Joshua enjoyed the costumed characters roaming around and of course he had his chance to hug them. They had the Monster Mash Magic Show, which Joshua loved. It was definitely a fun weekend!

To make my day a little interesting I decided to play some of our photos that I wanted to convert to B/W. I am always fascinated converting photos to B/W. I am pretty much done with my chores today, so now I am free to blog and have enough time to finish a few projects. I was going to call my friend to see if she wants to go somewhere, but decided to tackle this one instead. We're scheduled to attend the Halloween celebration at the zoo and she's also aware of this event, so we might see each other tomorrow.
I had posted these butterfly photos before and thought of converting them to B/W and here's the result. Attached are also some of our family photos. I can't wait to spend the rest of my time with my family today. Have a great weekend!

I know kids will flock tomorrow in the mall. There's an AMC Theater at Valley View Center and that's where we watch movies now because it's a lot closer to us. We were kind of thrilled they built one nearby. I am also a fan of HSM and really wanted to watch it tomorrow. I hope my little guy won't get bored. He really has a tendency to getting antsy when stuck inside the theater. Since Mike won't be around so it's only going to be the two of us. Are you looking forward to watching the movie with your kids as well? Finally, it is their senior year. We will see how good this sequel is!


On the other hand, a few friends and relatives visited us earlier. It kind of amazes me that we don't see each other often. The interval is just way long and as what hubby said: "It's the norm because everybody is working." So it isn't very easy to plan something like this all the time. The dinner went great and of course I only initiate healthy cooking.

Ah, I am really happy with my accomplishments this week. You might notice I don't update this blog every day now. I just really want to do something more productive and try my best not to spend more time on my PC. I love this change so far and I can assure you I've accomplished tons of chores this week. My little guy is definitely my priority and spending time with him assisting his homework, reading, and writing going through the weekly activities. Our weather has been wonderful and it's undoubtedly a lot cooler early in the morning and yet still sunny during the day. So we had a few trips to the mall this week. There's always the urge to shop when a new season begins. It's also nice to browse the latest trends and it's tempting to splurge a little. Just grabbed a few casual wear for me and I've been eyeing on winter items too, but I decided to wait on those. I guess this is all for now. Have a great weekend!

It's very important to have quality luggage when we travel to avoid damages. It happened to me once or twice and I can assure you it wasn't fun at all. I tend to pack too many stuff; especially the last time I visited my family. I guess I had so much stuff packed more than the luggage can accommodate. Yes, I had gone through that process of talking to an airport staff and requested to replace my damaged luggage ASAP. I don't think we can really avoid this incident and it could happen any time. Anyone who is planning to travel during the holiday season you can't go wrong with Swiss Army luggage. Better be wise next time you travel!

"Roots and Wings" that's the name of Holly's new kit. This kit is awesome and I can't wait to buy it. It's a bit pricey than the normal kits out there. Just perfect for that fallish look I have wanted to achieve in my blog header. I am a bit stuck of my LO yet, but hope I can have a LO available by weekend. I love the color combo here, the eclectic style and its versatility. It's definitely a must have. Ladies check this out @ Shabby Pickle!



I am also starting to like Jacque's paper pieces. Here are some I found perfect for Halloween photos. Available @ the The-Lilypad!

Joshua definitely has a fondness for sweet food. We were at the mall one time and he saw the Sweet Factory. He and dad are such a team and they just have craving for sweet food. It's so embarassing when you go to a store and your kid will keep pulling your shirt because he wants something. Ah, you just don't want to fight. He really wanted this so I ended up buying him a few. I often avoided candy sections just to make sure he won't grab any.

I've read a few articles from bloggers expressing positive thoughts about this one web hosting company. Does the stability of your web hosting often bother you? I have wanted to do it in my other blog. I just don't know where to start and I'm scared I will mess up. I am currently in contact with an expert for webhosting blog. I know there isn't an easy way to transfer year's worth of post to a different platform. It's absolutely a lot of work. It's scary in my part that has not done it at all. There's always a learning curve and that I would find out if this transfer would be a great choice. I understand how it is important to others to own our blog and be the sole person to have access to it. Having to deal with the hosting is also part of it. As a blogger I think I want the best possible out there to make sure my blog is online 24/7. I have helped a few friends when they express interest in blogging and a few mentioned that they have enjoyed it so much. The most important step was to educate them about a domain name, so they could own a unique URL and also inserted a short introduction about web hosting. There is only one source I can think of right now and to learn more about it they have covered a lot of topics that are beneficial to you.

I am sitting here thinking of what to cook for lunch. I just don't have an idea of what else to prepare sometimes. I admit I am a rice eater and it's never been easy for me adopting the American style; especially breakfast. I always have a hunger for Asian style of cooking, which is hot and spicy. That's why I can't wait to visit my family next year. I just miss the seafood, fresh veggies, fruits and a lot more. Anyway, I thought of sharing more photos from last weekend's event. My little guy seemed to really enjoy it. He was somewhat caught up in the excitement of the other kids and didn't really care for the photos much. Somehow I managed to capture a few. Kids just really love to play and be free!

I've been trying to contact an old friend through YM and the last two years we really didn't keep in touch. It's good to reconnect again with her; especially I consider her one of my best friends. This is definitely a great start and hope we could keep it this way!
Moving on, I do miss my little guy each day. Hubby is at work too so I am all alone for 7-8 hours. This transition sure gives me enough time to do my chores, but I wish now that Joshua is around. Seeing him really progress in class and very happy going to school everyday is also a joy to me. It's so obvious that he has learned so much in the last two months. He is such a proud little man and just so thrilled that he has a lot of friends now. I do want him to enjoy this journey every step of the way. It seems like I am missing something that all of a sudden he is all grown up without even realizing it. Mike is so right when he told me one day to make a journal of his milestones and take videos of him because we tend to forget; that's why I scrap! I created a few and haven't posted them yet, so I guess I will share three pages this time!

Joshua needs pumpkins for their school project, so we decided to visit the Pumpkin Patch at Flower Mound today. We were not surprised of how crowded it was and the road was definitely jam-packed with vehicles. The activities occupied Joshua and it gave me a chance to take photos while he was enjoying the rides. I am glad we did it again this year because we definitely had a blast.
Anyway, so where was I in the last two days; honestly I am just really taking a break and spending more time with my little guy. We had parent/teacher conferences last week and Joshua has a few things he needs to improve. I make sure I will be able to attend to him when it comes to this, so that would explain my absence and lack of updates here.

It finally rained this week and for some reason my little one would freak out if he feels a single rain drops on him. He just simply doesn't want to get wet. So yesterday he reminded me to have the umbrella with me when I pick him up. I don't know when he is going to get over it. I can't blame him because there were times I don't like it too. I just don't like it when I go places, especially when I am dressed up and I don't like my feet to get wet. So I guess there's a relation to it; no wonder he doesn't like it too. Anyway, I played with my camera a bit and captured more water droplets.

What's the best thing about the holiday season? Of course, it's the never ending sale. I tend to shop early too and make sure I don't miss anyone. I just started jotting down the stuff I am going to buy and I've heard Joshua's cousins wanted ipods this Christmas. I might as well wrap this for them. No doubt, these kids deserve it! Ah, for my little guy? I don't know yet, but he has a lot of stuff he wanted this year. I still need to screen his list and really focus on buying what's more important.

I am a bit ticked off at the performance of my camera lately. I am always getting this busy signal all the time. It sucks when I found the perfect angle to photograph and my camera is in busy mode. I've been searching for answers on this and the ladies in the forum mentioned that it does this, when using the built in flash, if the battery is low and using a slow flash memory. Ah I just want to head to the store right now and purchase an external flash. I got a fast CF card so I guess the flash is really the problem.

I just picked a few more favorites from this collection. The show was absolutely fantastic. Joshua had so much fun and he was a lot calmer this time. Maybe because they also have a lot of activities for the kids and Joshua sure didn't miss any of those either. I was also busy roaming around and taking pictures. It was undoubtedly crowded, but the show went well. Least I forget the birthday guy was sure digging it!

The Alliance Air Show was the most awaited event for Michael this year. We were not able to go last year and since it was his birthday yesterday, so we decided to go. He is the kind of guy who doesn't like birthday parties much, but suggested to do something fun for the whole family. This only happens once a year, so I am glad we didn't miss it this year. I've been to events that have thousands of people attended and this was no exception. It was quite a long walk for the three of us from where we parked and most people who didn't go their early. But the main goal was to see the show, so we had to be patient to walk that long and find our spot. I don't really have the perfect lens for this event, but to use the one I have and yeah the photos didn't come out really sharp. The zoom lens could have been the perfect choice, but I am still working to buy one this year. Anyway, this is the closest I got and it was kind of really hard to move to one place to another. I was just thankful I was able to maneuver a bit, while the show was on and took some photos!

Josh and I went for a walk earlier. As we were heading home I noticed the sun began to peek through and good thing I had my little camera with me. We normally do it on Sundays and it is nice to breathe fresh air and exercise at the same time. It's a lot cooler now too early in the morning and it is absolutely a fun routine to do. Oh well, it's Mike's b-day today and I have a little surprise for him later today. We plan to watch the FW Alliance Air show. I know it's going to be fun I can't wait to see the daring aerobatic maneuvers, static displays, and children's activities. My little guy is pretty excited now too. He was so sweet early this morning he called daddy, left a message on his phone and sang Happy Birthday. I hope the weather will cooperate today and so our plans will go smoothly!

I do believe that each one of us has a soul mate and that there's always a right time to meet that person. It might take a little while, but if you wait there is always going to be a happy ending. Add an effort in finding this person too. I do not think we will just spend our whole life just wondering who could this person be. Add a little effort to socialize, observe and list the qualities of the person you want to be with. It's not necessarily that this person must be thousand miles away from you, but maybe this person is just in your neighborhood. I can still remember the first time I responded to Michael's email and set a time to talk for the first time. The moment I heard his voice I knew he is the one I am going to marry. We sometimes laughed at it now looking back and asked ourselves how did it happen so quickly. I would always say it was like a magic and due to our distance; he still went to my place and ask my parents to marry me. The whole situation was just beyond explanation and I believe he was heaven sent to me. Our courtship was very short and I can't really complain right now, but instead very thankful I finally met the guy I dreamed for so long. We all get hurt and experience pain as we go along this journey, but there are also other options that we can try to find true love. If you pursue and want to meet the love of your life, then do research about online dating and you can actually search for free. True.com has awesome features you can enjoy while finding that person who is compatible to you. Don't forget you can sign up for free!

As you can see in the first photo Joshua looks so unhappy. He loves to play basketball, but the hoop in the park is just too high for him. Yesterday he brought his ball hoping he could make his first shot, he was actually successful at his first and second attempt, but the rest of the time he was just so unlucky. I showed him how to throw the ball, but he got frustrated so easily; oh my poor little guy! He then settled to the children's play area and when he saw the other kids he loves staying even more. I thought he would be tired after school, but I was wrong instead he wanted to play. That was our day in a nutshell!

It is really important that we know the basic rule of wearing eyeglasses. I believe our faces have different shapes and always pick the frame that fits you perfectly. During my first physical check up the doctor had told me that my left eye is abnormal. I noticed my eyes get hurt if I am exposing to the sun and I cannot really stare at the bright light either. I learned a natural remedy when I was in HS, that staring to plants or any greenery would help. It did help but the thing that bothers me is that once it gets dark my eyesight is not good anymore. I cannot read signs when it gets really dark. It's frustrating to think and I have avoided driving at night. I am kind of amaze of the Zenni Optical eyeglass selections. There are tons of new frames that I see would fit me well. Their prices will not really hurt my pocket either; they have as low as $8, $15 Metal to $19 plastic or Acetate. If you are in the process of buying new frames check out Women's Fashion at Zenni's. You do not miss out anything because they only sell stylish prescription eyeglasses. They have been around for years and Clark Howard Show would absolutely recommend them.

It's been awhile since the last time we went to CC. I decided to take Joshua there after school today. His face just lightened up when I told him we were going to CC and he hurriedly changed his clothes and was so excited on the way there. This is his favorite place to play and we had spent two hours over there. He was so thrilled when he saw one of his friends and so they played together. I told him that was a treat because he did really well in school this week and he deserves it after all. Honestly, it's been really a boring week. We have all these plans going to the pumpkin patch, but we keep putting it off. I hope we can do something special starting next week!

We finally bought Joshua's Halloween costume and he picked the Transformers Animated Optimus Prime Child Costume. He is just so fascinated with this character. I know what is exactly going to happen after we purchased it. He could pretend to be this character all day and he even wants to wear this when he sleeps. I just hope it would still be in good shape right before trick or treating. Yesterday we went to the park and he wants to wear his costume. I do not want to go over to that cycle again of disagreeing what he wants because I know he is going to cry. There were not many kids in the park either, so it was the best time to take photos of him. I am pretty sure when he comes home after school later, he would want to wear this again he-he. Do not you just love a five year old!

I do admit I love everything fashion and I definitely have an addiction to bracelets no doubt that. I tend to collect these cute accessories to match with my outfits and it's always fun to dress up and look polish all the time. I can always find time to peruse the mall any time I want to. I stumbled on this magnetic bracelet and I really love the mix of copper/gold tone, the style and the simplicity of these items; [See samples below]. Women seem to maintain that gesture of being normally stylish. You can always pair this on any of your casual wear. Here are a few of my favorites!

Ladies you should check out Shabby Pickle Designs right now because they have $1 items on sale just for TODAY. If you are a fan of Holly and Jofia they have a few items on sale right now. These are the items I grabbed earlier just for $1 each pack. This opportunity doesn't come often, so you should head over there now and grab as much as you can. A few other elements on sale that you might like are the popular grunge up brackets, fabric buttons, alphas, eclectic kit and various fall set. You should hurry!