Goodbye, Lucas. See You Soon.

I've never been good with goodbyes. And this time is no different. It's like a big chunk of my heart was carved out and there's one empty hole I don't know how I'll ever fill up again.

I loved him to pieces. We all did and in a way, he brought our family together. We talk about how playful he'd been, or what new tricks he got up his sleeves. Looking for him as soon as I wake up was one of the things I look forward to everyday. Now, I won't be seeing him anymore and it just breaks my heart.

I've had too much heartaches from our pets who have passed on in the past years. There's our 10+ year old dog Stacie who we love deeply. And, now, Lucas. :(

In all honesty, I'm starting to hate having a pet. Losing them as early as a few months because of a sickness they can't take and medicines that won't work or are too late to have an effect - makes me weaker. But, I will continue loving our pets. I'm just not so sure about how much I can give anymore.

Losing Lucas just a few hours ago made me realize many things. His passing has taught me lessons that I hope I'll truly learn from and affect me. These lessons, I can't reveal or tell you now 'cause this just breaks my heart. But, one thing I'm sure won't ever change - my capacity to love someone as deeply as I could even with the fear of losing them in the future.

I also realized something about myself that I didn't know I had in me. I'm not sure if it's a good quality, but I learned that I don't give up on anyone or anything easily. I fight until I know there's nothing else I can do. And I would like to think that Lucas did exactly the same thing - giving me that ounce of hope that he'll be okay because he can hear how sad I'm becoming. I really hoped I could've done better. :(

Walmart Black Friday 2012 Ad, Deals and Store Hours

Finally, the Walmart Black Friday 2012 Ad has been released and its 45 pages are full of deals and big discounts spread out to 3 sections for each shopping event starting on Thanksgiving night. Let me share with you some of the best Walmart Black Friday deals I’ve found:


The front page of the Walmart Black Friday Ad pictured above features the top shopping deals they’re offering this year. Exciting news for gadget shoppers, eh?
 

Walmart Shopping Events

Walmart’s Black Friday 2012 shopping bonanza is divided into 3 events, with the first one starting on Thanksgiving day. This may give you a chance to catch the deals you’ve been awaiting, plus, I think this will lessen the stress and commotion come Black Friday.

Event 1 : Family Deals

• 8pm on November 22, 2012, Thanksgiving
  
• Discounts and specials on toys, bikes, DVDs, etc.

Event 2 : Gadget Deals

• 10pm on November 22, 2012, Thanksgiving – right after Event 1
  
• One-hour in-stock guarantee for these very popular items:
  • Apple iPad 2 for with Wi-Fi plus a $75 Walmart gift card for $399
    
  • Emerson 32-inch LCD TV for $148
    
  • LG Blu-ray player for $38

Event 3 : Black Friday deals on electronics, clothes, jewelry, etc)

• 5am on November 23, 2012, Black Friday

They also released their Walmart Toyland Wish Book 2012 with big discounts on toys and gaming systems too, including Barbie, LEGO, Play-Doh, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Wii and board games.

Most of the Walmart Black Friday 2012 deals this year are offered online, so you might want to check at their online store first before heading out to save you the hassle.

Walmart 2012 Black Friday Best Deals

I’ve scoured their Black Friday 2012 ad and here are some of the best Walmart Black Friday 2012 deals I’ve found:

• Gadgets / Electronics:
  • Vizio 60” LED Smart TV with WiFi – $688 (savings of $310!)
    
  • Nintendo DSi XL Console – $99.96
    
  • Nintendo Wii Console – $89 (special buy)
    
  • XBOX 360 games – from $10 to $25
    
  • Mobile and smartphones – from $39 to $129 (Apple, Samsung, etc)
    
  • Samsung 50” 1080p 60Hz LED HDTV – $698 (save $300!)
    
  • HP 15.6” Laptop with 4GB RAM, 320GB hard drive – $279
    
  • Compaq 15.6” Presario Laptop with AMD C-80 processor, 2GB RAM, 320gb – $179

• Home and Living:
  • Paula Deen 23-piece Non-stick Cookware Set – $99
• Toys / Entertainment:
  • Bikes – from $25 to $69
    
  • Blu-ray DVDs – from $1.96 to $9.96

View the full Walmart 2012 Black Friday ad.

Related Black Friday Articles

• Complete Black Friday 2012 Store Hours
• Black Friday Shopping Tips
• Tips on Money-Saving on Black Friday
• Black Friday Tips for Gadget Shopping

10 Black Friday Shopping Tips : How to Get the Best Deals!

November 23, 2012 is Black Friday - the much-awaited and the busiest shopping day of the year is coming up in a few days. It's the day after Thanksgiving in the US and this is when thousands of retail stores open early and later to welcome the many shoppers ready to spend for the upcoming holidays.

Because of the high demand from shoppers on Black Friday, you can only expect the stores will be offering eye-popping discounts for various products ranging from gadgets like laptops, smartphones and tablets, fashion for men and women, to toys for kids.

Black Friday Shopping Tips

With the overwhelming number of choices, how can you be sure that you're getting the best deal for your money? How can you avoid those shopping woes during and after? Here are a few Black Friday shopping tips that should help:

1. Do your research on the best deals online. Do it early.

Oh the wonders of the internet. You can find all the information you need to know online, but what I would recommend are the following:

• Subscribe to the store's newsletters.

  This is the best way to get the newest deals they have to offer. And I know for a fact that there are retail stores who send exclusive Black Friday deals to their newsletter subscribers, so make sure you're receiving those deal announcements through email!
  
  

• Follow the stores on Facebook and/or Twitter.

  Retail stores will surely make announcements on their Facebook pages or Twitter accounts, so make sure you're following them in all their social media channels, including YouTube.
  
  These stores also entice customers to follow them in social media by offering to reveal their Black Friday deals. Just like Target - they have a game app where those playing can earn points which will enable them to reveal Target Black Friday deals. Cool, huh?
  
  

• Bookmark and/or subscribe to blogs and websites that offer Black Friday deal updates.

  There are thousands of websites and blogs out there that focus on providing the latest and the best Black Friday deals you can find, so make sure you've got them bookmarked. If they have an email newsletter, subscribe!
  
  

• Is it worth the trip?

  After you've scoured for the lowest prices you can find, think if it's worth all the hassle. If staying up late or waking up early and going out on Black Friday, lining up behind hundreds of people are nothing compared to the huge discount you'd get off the product you want, then go ahead.

2. Compare prices!

It's crucial to know which store is offering the best or the lowest price for the items you're planning to buy. This doesn't only save you money, but it can also help you determine if it's even worth the hassle of going out on the busiest shopping day of the year. Why? Because some items might actually be offered at one store at the same Black Friday price as another store is offering. It happens, trust me.

IMPORTANT TIP: I've read from other shoppers complaining about stores not offering the prices they advertised online. What you can do is print out the ad you saw and present it to give you, somehow, that much-needed bargaining power. :)

3. Make sure you know the Black Friday store hours.

As I've mentioned earlier, there are many stores that open as early as 12 midnight. BUT, you have to expect hundreds of people lined up already by that time, so it pays to be there as early as you can. Also, I know stores like Target give out tickets to the shoppers a couple of hours earlier than their actual store opening for Black Friday, so make sure you know all this before heading out. You might be disappointed to learn that you'd have to wait more than 2 hours just to get in - worse, the item you're aiming to buy might be out of stock by the time you get in. Boohoo. :(

With that said, however, note that some stores really stock up on highly in demand items, so even when you're not there by their opening hours, you can still get pretty awesome discounts hours after. See the complete list of Black Friday 2012 store hours on my other post.

4. Scope or walk-through the store and plan your shopping.

I know, this might sound funny, but I've heard and read about people actually doing this before Black Friday. It's a very good tip because some stores, especially when it's less than a month before Black Friday, they are already busy preparing and you can already see where the sections are for the products that will be on sale for Black Friday. This is where most shoppers will be heading, so browse the shelves or the whole store to give you an idea where the items you like are located on a regular day. That way, you can go straight to that section instead of racing against those mad dashers on the actual day. ;)

5. Know the store policies ahead of time!

It's just as important to know the store policies for Black Friday shopping to avoid getting frustrated once you're on the checkout counter or when you're dealing with after-sales customer service.

If you have discount gift cards or planning on buying and using them, find out if you can use them on items that are already on sale. Most stores might not allow you to use certain discount coupons if the item's price has already marked down significantly.

Know the store's return policies. Some offer shorter return deadlines and others are charging restocking fees. Keep that in mind, and this might also help you choose where the best store to go to first. :)

6. Shop online!

For me, this is the best thing to do because you get to save on gas and the frustrations of bracing the crowd of Black Friday shoppers. You can sit back, find the best deals online and buy the items you like and have them shipped to you. It might be a little more costly, but considering the hassle you won't be going through, for me, it's all worth it.

Also, take note that there are stores who offer internet shoppers with Night Owl discounts as early as the eve of Thanksgiving (November 21, 2012 this year). Stores do this early bird promotions to beat the competitors. Keep your eye out for them. :)

7. Bring friends and comfort with you.

If you're going to wait at the store for hours, it is best to team up with friends who are also up for some Black Friday shopping. This way, you can take breaks, or one of you can line up at the checkout counter early while the rest of you are shopping.

Be ready with water or coffee, energy bars or snacks to keep you pumped up before the store officially opens.

For comfort, bring sleeping bags or blankets, or even a pull-up chair. Just make sure you know where to stash them right before the store opens. Again, another reason why it's best to have someone else with you there. :)

8. Avoid financial woes after Black Friday.

When shopping at sale events like this, I've observed and studies have shown that people's tendencies to buy unnecessary items also increases. That's why you have to make sure you stick with your game plan or your shopping list.

Some credit card companies offer perks during this shopping day, so be careful. Don't overspend and only spend money or go on credits that you can confidently pay off afterwards.

Make sure that you're only buying items that are on sale. There are some people who don't verify this or even look before buying something at the store. Not all items are on sale, so keep that in mind and be sure to take a quick look at the price tags.

It's important to have a set budget beforehand and keep in mind while you're shopping. Read my article on my finance blog for more money-saving tips for Black Friday.

9. Avoid long lines by doing a research on what other stores offer the same product.

Most people will go to popular stores like Target, Walmart, Best Buy, etc., with that thinking that they're the only ones with the best deals out there. That's why you need to do your research. Avoid the long lines by going to other stores who, most probably, are offering the same products at the same discounted prices.

Cyber Monday, the Monday after Thanksgiving and Black Friday - don't forget this shopping day too! In the past, retail stores have been known to still offer the same deals or even better online. Waiting might just pay off. :)

10. Have fun shopping!

Relax and just have fun shopping. I know it can really get frustrating, especially when you know there are many people who are eyeing for the same product you've been dying to purchase. Just stay calm 'cause most probably, there's enough stock for all of you. :)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I hope these shopping tips help you spend your money wisely and avoid the stress of holiday shopping this year. Tell me, what are you planning to buy this Black Friday 2012?

Enjoy Summer at Home

Though it's months past summer, the last few days were brimming with the warmth and brightness of the sun. And it's days like this that make me wish we were living at our old house where we had a huge space up front where we can setup our own inflatable pool (for adults, just to be clear), kick back and enjoy a cocktail or two. We do have a garden here at home that we've been planning on renovating into a place for entertaining house guests. It's big enough for a portable pool or we can turn it into our own terrace with a swing or a long bench.

I've always adored houses in other countries where they have a dedicated area for barbecues, their own pool area, and a patio with their choice of outdoor furniture. There are many companies that sell quality furniture, but if you want something distinctive and memorable, you should be looking at this Clark Rubber catalogue on Lasoo where you can get the latest offers and list of products from Clark Rubber. They're the top retailer of foam, rubber and outdoor products like safety gear, pool equipment, pumps and even mattresses you can use in your home, outdoors or even on your boat!

Based in Sydney, Lasoo also features a wide variety of products on their online shop, so you don't have to spend time and gas when shopping because, most probably, you'd find what you need on their site and have them delivered to your doorstep.

I am saving up for a house of my own and I want to make sure that it's designed for entertaining guests as well. I'll be browsing their store for ideas soon. I miss the times when my friends come over to our home to party or just hang out. I also want to make sure that there's an outdoor area when I want to enjoy the sun at my very own backyard. :)

How to Make Sushi Like a Pro

Sushi is one of our most popular dishes, and it’s no wonder. These Oriental bite-sized snacks are nutritious, tasty treats and are perfect, whether as an alternative packed lunch or as impressive canapés at a party. And what’s more, they’re really easy to make yourself! Cardiff sushi chef, Arvind Rawat, has some handy tips on how to make your own sushi.

"Sushi can be raw or cooked and is always made with specially flavoured rice and nori seaweed. It's a very healthy food and very easy on the stomach. It's eaten all over the world. Sushi can be made with meat or fish, or can be vegetarian and mixed with fruits like mango, as well as crunchy little pieces like cucumber. The key to creating authentic sushi lies in the preparation of the rice."

Traditionally, sushi rice is moistened with mirin or sake but combining it with a rice vinegar mixture is fine too. Ideally, sushi is formed on a bamboo mat, but a nice shortcut is to use clingfilm on a flat surface.

 

Preparing the rice

Ingredients:

• 225g (8oz) sushi or short grain rice
• 55ml (2fl oz) mirin, sake or rice vinegar
• 570ml (1pt) water

Method:

• Thoroughly rinse rice in cold water then place in a large saucepan with a lid.
• Pour over 570ml (1pt) cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for 25 minutes or until all water is absorbed.
• Remove from heat, cover with the lid and allow to stand for 10 minutes.
• Tip rice on to a large flat clean metallic tray and dress with the mirin while turning frequently to help the rice cool to room temperature.

 

Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Sushi Roll

Ingredients (makes six to eight pieces):

• Sushi rice
• 50g (2oz) smoked salmon
• Cream cheese to taste
• One sheet of nori seaweed, toasted

Method:

• Slice the salmon into thin strips.
• Place the nori, shiny side down, on to a bamboo mat or clingfilm.
• Have a small bowl of cold water nearby and dip fingers into it before spreading the rice over the seaweed with your hands, leaving 2.5cm (1in) of the seaweed bare at the top.
• Place the salmon lengthways in the centre of the rice and smear a layer of cream cheese on top.
• Working away from you, roll up the sushi like a swiss roll, pressing lightly with both hands.
• Keep in a cool place until ready to serve but not in the fridge, which would dry out the rice.
• Use a slightly damp knife to trim both ends then cut the roll into six or eight pieces.
• Serve with wasabi and soy sauce.

 

Cucumber and Mango Sushi Roll

Ingredients (makes six to eight pieces):

• Sushi rice
• Cucumber cut into thin strips as required
• Mango cut into strips as required
• Five teaspoons mayonnaise
• Three teaspoons wasabi paste
• One sheet of nori seaweed, toasted
• Sesame seeds

Method:

• Lay the seaweed shiny side down on a bamboo mat or clingfilm.
• Dip fingers in cold water and spread on the rice.
• Smear on the mayonnaise and wasabi in a line along the centre of the rice then lay the cucumber and mango on top.
• Roll up and cover in sesame seeds.
• Keep in a cool place until ready to serve but not in the fridge, which would dry out the rice.
• Use a slightly damp knife to trim both ends then cut the roll into six or eight pieces.
• Serve with Japanese pickled ginger and soy sauce.

 

California sushi roll

Ingredients (makes six to eight pieces):

• Sushi rice
• Half an avocado sliced into thin strips
• Two teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
• Quarter of a cucumber cut into thin slices
• Five teaspoons mayonnaise
• 50g (2oz) crab meat
• One spring onion finely sliced
• One sheet of nori seaweed, toasted

Method:

• Mix mayonnaise and spring onion in a bowl.
• Place nori shiny side down on a bamboo mat or clingfilm.
• With cold hands, spread rice over the seaweed. Sprinkle on toasted sesame seeds and press down until they stick.
• Gently pick up the nori and flip it over so that the rice is facing the mat. (It should be sticky enough to remain intact)
• Spread the crab, cucumber and mayonnaise on to the upturned side of the nori and gently roll so that the rice is on the outside.
• Rest it for one minute before cutting into six to eight pieces.
• Serve with pickled ginger and soy sauce

If you try making your own sushi, or come up with a twist on the preparation of the dish, send us in your recipe with a name and a picture, we’d love to see what tasty treats you come up with!

If you fancy this recipe, why don’t you visit a Red Hot World Buffet near you, there are plenty across the UK!

Philippines Emergency Hotline Numbers and Twitter Accounts You Need to Know

I postdBecause of the nasty weather we've been having for the past weeks, it's important to always be prepared. To gear up for any possible emergencies, you must know who to contact or how you can communicate to others your situation. Thank goodness for mobile devices (cellphones, internet sticks, laptops and tablets), we can easily get in touch with groups that are in charge of rescue or disaster operations.

 

Emergency Hotline Numbers You Need to Know

National Disaster and Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC):

• (02) 911-1406
• (02) 912-2665
• (02) 912-5668

Philippine National Red Cross:

• 143
• (02) 911-1876

Philippine National Police ( PNP ):

• 117
• Send TXT PNP to 2920

PAGASA:

• (02) 433-8526

Philippine Coast Guard:

• (02) 527-3877

MMDA:

• 136

RESCUE 5:

• (02) 922-5155

Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP NCR):

• (02) 729-5166
• (02) 410-6254
• (02) 431-8859
• (02) 407-1230

Department of Transporation and Communications ( DOTC ):

• 7890
• 0918-884-8484

DPWH:

• (02) 304-3713

NLEX:

• (02) 3-5000
• (02) 580-8910

SCTEX:

• 0920-967-2839

SLEX:

• 0908-880-7539

SKYWAY:

• (02) 776-7777
• 0915-625-6231
• 0939-500-6910

 

Local Government Units for Metro Manila

• Malabon City: (02) 292-1405
• Navotas City: (02) 281-1111
• Caloocan: (02) 288-8811 local 2295
• Valenzuela: (02) 292-1405
• Manila Traffic Hotline: (02) 527-3087
• Cainta Traffic Hotline: (02) 646-0044 / 655-7368 local 164
• Las Piñas Traffic: (02) 874-5756 / 874-3957 / 874-3927
• Mandaluyong Hotline: (02) 534-2993
• Taguig Traffic: (02) 838-4301 local 7112
• Marikina STOC: (02) 646-1651
• Pasig Traffic: (02) 643-0000 / (02) 724-5813
• Makati Public Safety Dept: (02) 844-3146 / (02) 819-3270

 

Emergency Contacts through Twitter

If you have an internet connection and no access to a landline or mobile phone, thankfully, we are now able to report problems, emergencies or concerns through Twitter. These are the Twitte accounts you should take note of. Heck, I recommend you add them to a list, so you can easily monitor their tweets.

• Philippine Government: @govph
• MMDA: @MMDA - You can find out which roads are unpassable due to floods.
• MMDA: @MMDATweets
• PAGASA-DOST: @dost_pagasa
• Department of Education: @DepEd_PH
• Philippine Red Cross: @philredcross
• @NDRRMC_OpCen - For rescue operations.
• @DOTCPhilippines - For information on public transportation.
• Meralco: @meralco - For brownout schedules.

 

Philippine News on Twitter

Find out the latest updates on the weather and how the rest of the country is affected through these news sites on Twitter:

• TV 5's Rescue team: @RESCUE5PH
• GMA News: @gmanews
• DZMM TeleRadyo: @DZMMTeleRadyo
• Rappler: @rapplerdotcom
• @News5Aksyon
• ABS-CBN: @ABSCBNBreaking
• ABS-CBN News Channel: @ANCALERTS
• Inquirer: @inquirerdotnet
• The Philippine Star: @PhilippineStar
• DZRH: @DZRHNews
• Updates on Marikina: @MarikinaPIO

 

Twitter Hashtags You Should Monitor / Follow:

If you want to read about rescue and relief operations or updates on other parts of Metro Manila, follow these hashtags on Twitter:

• #FloodPH – General news on the flood situation.
• #PHalerts – Updates on government advisories / announcements.
• #ReliefPH – Updates or how you can get information on relief operations.
• #RescuePH – Updates on rescue operations.

I have been retweeting posts from some of these hashtags to get the word around. It's the least I can do to help everyone. And, of course, this comes with prayers for them.

 

Websites for Disaster / Flood Updates:

• Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards or Project Noah:
  http://noah.dost.gov.ph/
• Pinas 911: http://pinas911.info/ - This is a site that shows you feeds on the Twitter hashtags listed above, all in one place.

I hope this list helps. Be safe everyone!

Cars for Mothers

If you're a mother and you're looking for the ideal car, there is so much you need to take into account. You'll want something that's going to get you from A to B without any fuss, but you'll also want something that gives you value for money. While this can be done easily by looking at used car prices by Auto Trader, you'll want to make sure that what you buy is perfect for you and your children.

One of the most important things you'll want to look at when visiting car dealers is the amount of space a car has. If, for example, you're looking for a people carrier because you have a large family, you'll want it to have seven seats. Aside from the number of seats, you'll also hope that the car you eventually buy has enough room in the back for shopping. If you're buying for your kids as well as yourself, you'll need a big boot.

Safety is something else that you should bear in mind. While every car is equipped with seat belts, if your child is sitting in the front seat of your car, you'll need to make sure that it has a passenger airbag in case you're involved in a road traffic accident. It's worth considering that most modern cars are incredibly safe to drive.

If you have young children, there's always a possibility that you'll have to take them to school and then back home. This means that you'll be using a lot of fuel, so looking into the fuel economy of a car is important. Any car which has fuel economy of over 40mpg (miles per gallon) is worth buying.

Cars which are ideal for mothers should also have things to keep the children entertained. Some models have DVD players in the back so the kids can watch their favourite films or cartoons. If a car you like has that, then it might be worth a second look.

My Room Sucks : Renovation Alert!

In an old post, I admitted to being a hoarder. My condition is not as worse as the ones you see on TV though. I have a difficult time letting go of already useless things, but I've managed to take control of this behavior gradually.

A few weeks back, with the aid of our ever reliable helper, I was able to clean my room and get rid of about 2 sacks of junk that I kept for years in my room. Imagine that! *LOL* I felt relieved after that and it seemed like my room was bigger and it relaxed me.

That's just one side of the room. See how much I need a cabinet and a vanity table?

Fast forward to today, my room doesn't look like it's being cleaned weekly or that I took out all the trash. Seriously! I'm too ashamed to even share a photo of my current room situation.

I am DESPERATE to have my room renovated. My nanay is insisting that I switch rooms with my bro 'cause I need a bigger room. Though I agree with her, I felt the need to be in control of our air-conditioning unit. Oh yeah, I'm a hoarding control freak! *LOL*

In a few days, there'll be some kind of renovation that'll go on in here. First is a book shelf / wall-mounted cabinet where I can keep all my notebooks, books, and other stuff. I desperately need to be more organized.

Secondly, I need to have my walls repainted. I HATE the royal blue paint. I wasn't the one who wanted the walls in this color (long story), so I'm hoping to have it repainted to probably purple OR brown. My nanay won't let me paint the walls black. :(

I might need to have the electrical outlets and each switch plate moved to a higher location, but well hidden from view. The ones that were installed and I'm currently using almost got soaked with flood water during typhoon Pedring. @_@

I'm still torn between buying a vanity table or a home office table. I know, I know. Work efficiency should come first, but I just can't help it. I need a vanity table!! :))

I'll show you photos of my room when it's done. I might stay at a hotel somewhere while they repaint this. Just looking at my current situation here in my room makes me want to give up renovating the whole area, but I know all I've got planned will work. ;)

Any places you know where I can buy cabinets? I'm planning on going to Maypajo, but you might know some other place I can go. Please let me know! :)

A New Kitchen Soon at Our Home

Last weekend, Ken and I, along with our nanay and my BFF, went straight to Quiapo after our DIY Binondo Food Tour. I promised to buy him a brand new oven and Kitchen Aid to start his pastry business from home. And, like a loving ate, I'm more than determined to fulfill that promise.

Sadly, though, we didn't find any oven to his liking that suited my budget. The ones we found were almost the same as our current oven. He needed a new one that's wider so he can fit his baking pans in there.

He's been getting a ton of orders lately, with the help of my nanay. so he needs to setup his own kitchen here at home. He's got our old store space initially setup for his kitchen. There's already a cabinet there for his ingredients. We might also need to have a new sink and exhaust fans installed for him. There are also a couple of kitchen tools, including those that work the same way as test sieves for sifting baking ingredients. He hasn't continued to organize his future kitchen yet. I guess he just needs the new oven to get him starting.

Can't remember the exact model of the oven he wanted, but it costs about Php 26,000+. If you know a place or someone who can help us get a La Germania stove and oven (possibly one of the above models) for cheaper than that price, please, please, please, help! :) Otherwise, I'd have to buy him that oven and delay the Kitchen Aid for a month or so.

My Fascination with Flowers

Over a week ago, we were in Baguio and I had a really fun time taking photos of everything that caught my attention. I've always had this thing for noticing something small and yet beautiful that others might not agree with. I guess that's why, in some way, photographers have different perspectives because we see things differently. But, one thing's for sure, everyone enjoys seeing colorful flowers, whether they're in a vase or a centerpiece on the dining table, or at a garden somewhere. And because of the cool weather in Baguio, I'm once again captivated by the burst of colors of the flowers I've seen.

If you've read my post before about the flowers in our very own garden, you know that, although I'm not a big fan of receiving flowers (I prefer something more personal, but I still feel like a princess when I do receive them), I love looking at them and I do understand why ladies like me appreciate getting a dozen or two of their favorite flowers. In fact, the first thing people (yes, both genders) think when it comes to giving gifts to their lady friends are flowers. That's why flower shop business owners will never run out of customers to satisfy.

This reminds me of this one time that I received flowers from a secret admirer. It's pretty easy now to send them anonymously, especially when you're enamored with someone and you want to make her smile, but you just can't let her know yet about what you feel. Surprised me when I was back in UP Diliman (okay, my bf back then didn't know about it, I had to give the flowers to one of my classmates) when a flower delivery guy handed me 3 long-stemmed tulips (yes, they're my favorite!!). I think my whole body turned red (LOL). I had a clue who had them sent to me since I only mentioned my favorite flowers to one guy, but he didn't have the courage to man up and tell me what he felt. I guess he knew he can't break me and my bf up back then. What if?! :))

Nowadays, ordering flowers are way easier. Companies now have online ordering where you can even send your own personalized greeting or message. Talk about convenience. You can make someone's day a little brighter, and not to mention colorful, with just a few clicks. :)

Anyway, the photos I shared above were all from our trip to Baguio. I'm very fond of purple and pink, hence the colors I used in this blog. I wish we can grow flowers like them at our garden, but I don't think they can survive the humidity here. Here are some that were able to survive the heat and are growing beautifully at our backyard (taken from this old post):

Do you know the names of the flowers from Baguio that I show here? Please let me know! Thank you! :)

Making Your Home Comfortable and Cozy

One of the main aspects of your home is the furniture, and comfortable furniture will make your house much cozier for you and your guests. Of course, all the different furniture available makes it difficult to choose exactly what you need for your house. Seating is possibly one of the most important things that you need to consider, as you need somewhere to sit and relax yourself and also somewhere for your guests to sit when they visit.

Most people look for the most comfortable pieces of furniture that they can find. Comfort is always at the front of your mind when furniture shopping, and that's one of the reasons why recliners are so popular. Recliners are a great addition to your living room, and enable you to relax at the end of the day. More than one recliner in the same room can make it look cluttered; however, if you have a large room, you can get away with having two recliners or even more. This is perfect is you live with a partner or you have a large family. As you're likely to have a bigger house, you can afford to have more furniture in the rooms. If you have an apartment or flat, you can fit a sofa in the living room for your guests and a comfortable recliner for yourself.

Bean bag chairs are a great idea if you have children. Rather than spending a lot of money buying extra chairs and then trying to find the space to put them, you can simply get the odd bean bag here and there. They are great for a child's bedroom, as you won't often have enough space for chunky furniture. A bean bag on the floor is extremely comfortable and your child will love bouncing on it and relaxing!