Sammy's Dress

I had a fabulous opportunity of  receiving  three  outfits from Sammy's Dress.  I was  asked  via email if I could be a partner for their online  store and of course I said yes.  I suggested  to use my Fashion blog but they chose this one so I am   posting all the clothes here.  I am using their  model's photos because they carry the dress  well more than me lol.  I have included also my photos wearing them at the bottom.

Sammy's Dress is a global online retail company that provides   affordable and fabulous clothing and other fashion accessories. They have so many designs of dresses and other   types of clothing that I really love.  The prices are so affordable but the only  thing that holds me back from buying is the price of the shipping cost.  I like their sizing since I am a petite woman so  their  sizing fits me perfectly.  Below are the  clothing I got from them to review.

First up is this Sweet Scoop Neck Flared Hem Slim Fit Off-The-Shoulder Solid Color Dress.  This is available in black and red, I chose the wine red.    I love the cotton material they used on this one.  It is very soft and it hugs your curves.  With mine, it showed my bulge parts  lol.  I still like it though. The length of this dress is a bit short  for me but hubby said that it's okay.  Would you believe if I say that this only cost $7.39.  Yes it does!

The second dress I received is this    Charming Flounce Embellished Round Neck Sleeveless Open Back Design Pleated Chiffon Dress.  This dress originally cost $13.74 but it's on sale now for $8.08. This is  perfect to wear during summer time because it is thin.  This comes with a belt but the one I got has a defect so I can't use it unless I change a button to it. The length of this dress is perfect for my height.

The third one is this Slim-Fitting Casual Splicing Irregular Long Sleeves Knitwear with gold embellishment  at the bottom and   around the neck.  This only cost $6.69, I love the design and the material.  The only thing I don't like about this one is the gold embellishment around the neck, it is so itchy.  I wish that they did not put it around the neck or they could have put  n extra material  so it is not touching your skin.

Over all, I  love all the designs and materials used on all of the three except for the minor   issues I had with two of them.  I would really love to buy some of their coats, they are gorgeous and the  prices are just awesome.  I just don't want to pay a high amount for the shipping.  They should have a company here in the US that ships out their  products so the shipping won't cost much and it won't take long   for the delivery.  Oh yeah, if you are buying  for an emergency use, don't expect it to arrive soon as they ship their products from China so it takes a while.  

Before I forgot, they have a program where you can share or pin  a product and  have a chance to win  that specific  product that you like.  I haven't win any yet but I am hoping I'd be lucky one day hehehe.  You can see the  clothes I have been pinning and sharing to my Facebook page.  Thank you again Sammy's Dress for the opportunity.

Disclaimer:  The author of this blog did NOT receive   monetary compensation in writing the review.  The products described above  were given for FREE for evaluation purposes.  all opinions are not  influence in any way.

Google Page Rank

I would like to thank all the readers and subscribers of this blog because during the recent  Google update, this blog's  page rank went up from 2 to 3 and I could not be happier.  Thanks to YOU and thanks to Google also for recognizing this blog's presence  online.  My sister's blog went down from PR2 to PR1 but it's okay since it's on a blogspot so I don't pay for the domain.  I have been working on increasing  this blog's domain authority since it is stuck on 35 but patience and  hard work  always pays so I am optimistic.  

I can't afford to pay for a White label Email or  White label Email marketing so I  just work hard on getting traffic from bloghops and comment exchange.  It seems to be working fine at my end although it is so tiring.  During  the recent Google update though, I felt like I was rewarded for my hard work since I gain extra assignments for having two PR3 blogs. 

Liquid Vitamins

When I was younger,  the  vitamins that parents used to give to their children is in the form of liquid.  Nowadays, they do have it in the form of candies or gummy bears  which  makes taking vitamin more fun and enjoyable. People with low immune system should  consider taking liquid  vitamin D3.  It's more beneficial to them rather than taking   pill vitamins.  According to Wikipedia, Vitamin D3 or cholecalciferol which is also known as toxiferol, is structurally similar to steroids such as testosterone, cholesterol, and cortisol.   You c an read more about Vitamin D3 by visiting the link I have provided.    

Parenting is Continous Learning Process

Ms. Burrito   made this village from cut out  pictures.  According to her, this is  the simpler version of living in the olden days.  I asked why the houses looks a bit modern instead of Tipees.  She said that  it's the time when the  natives are starting to adopt the modern way of  building houses.

Whenever my kids bring  projects that they did in school, I always ask them questions just to know t if they learn something from what they did.  Most of the times, I am surprised to  learn a lot of things  from what they tell me.  Parenting is really a continuous learning process isn't it?

Relaxed and Lavish Living

I have mentioned in one of my blogs that my husband  has been wanting a new set of living room  set to replace our current one.  I agree that having a a relaxed and lavish living is a must if you want an enjoyable   stay  at your own haven.  I want a sleek look this one I  found at FutonBed.  For now, this would be so impossible because I have two  very active kids who is constantly doing stuff and  organizing and keeping your home spotless all the time is almost impossible.  

My father-in-law has  a  sofa bed that me and the kids used to sleep in when we first came back here  from Korea.  We stayed at my Dad's for   few weeks before moving in completely to our home  just so we could  spend quality time with him.  Since then, our children are wishing for our own sofa bed.  I love this Alpha Sofa Sleeper Diego at  FutonBed.  The color and the style is exquisite.  I must admit, it would be nice to have one  because there are nights that I work late on my  online stuff and I don't want to wake  my husband when I go to our bed.  It would be nice to just spend the rest of the night on the sofa sleeper.

I am hoping that one day, hubby and I could afford to buy all the things that we WANT our kids to enjoy at home.  For now, priorities of budget is a must in order to make ends meet.  I mean, we are not hurting but we can't really afford to buy the things that we want.  Our budget is just enough to pay for our NEEDS.  I am fine with that because I'd rather have nothing and not worry about debts than  having everything but  you are buried in debt.  Well, I hope I make sense with my  thoughts here folks.  Advance Merry Christmas to all!

Barbie Party

Ms. Burrito  is not very fond of  playing dolls but lately, she has been doing stuff with her barbie dolls.  She makes foods and  dresses  and make  her Barbies have a party.  I let the photos talk, she tool all these shots by herself..

Here are the foods that the Barbie have feasted on.

She also made a video of this party on what the Barbie are ta;king about but I could not locate what  folder I  downloaded it to.  She's been into  making  dough  by mixing flour and other ingredients.  I wll show you the foods she made of of the dough sometime.

Home Insulation

Our home was built around the 50s which is   kind of old so to speak.  A lot of  home  improvement is needed.  We undertook some  renovations here and there but we are kind of getting tired of it.  Hubby and I are thinking  of buying a piece of land and  hire a company to build a new house if our finances would let us.  One of the  few  home improvements that  we did  is putting an insulation at the attic as the ones there were old and disintegrating when we bought the house. The insulation of this home is not  that good as we can hear noises outside.   We want a Home Insulation so when Winter rolls around, our home will stay warm.

This is how our home looked like when we first bought it.  Below is what it looks like now after we  built a new front porch.    Having a new home  is our long term  goal.  We are  tired of dealing with constant updates  and  problems that arises in this home that we bought  7 years ago.

The good thing about building a new home is you can   have it the way you want it to.  You can even  have a  government grants for solar if you want to go green but you have to  pay attention with the  Green Deal Scheme to avoid  any conflict later on.  

Christmas Ornament Made of Dough

This is what my daughter did in her art class for Christmas  this year.

The hand shape is made of dough.  They also made this elf art with their faces on it   with the help of their  class teacher.

Every year, we have an ornament added to our tree.  It is so nice to  see their  art work being displayed in our tree.  Last year, they made a porcelain  tree ornament, it was gorgeous as well.  I wonder what they are going to make next year.  The art teacher in their school is very creative.  She has so many crafty ideas for every occasion..

My First Bike: Pushing Off

So your child has caught the bug and now wants to learn how to ride a bike, or it is something you’ve always wanted to teach as a parent and have finally decided to take the first step. Whatever your reason for buying a bike, there are some important tips to making sure that you get the right type of bicycle for your child.

Size

Many parents might think in terms of the rule of thumb as it is with most children’s things; buy it a little big and your child will grow into it. This is not the case with bikes, as a bicycle that is too big or small can be dangerous to the child. Children’s bikes are measured by wheel diameter, ranging from 12 to 24 inches.

A good test for the size of the bike is that your child should be able to place the balls of both feet on the ground while sitting on the bike. They should also be able to grab the handlebars comfortably without lifting their bum off the seat.

Substance over Style

Flashy bicycles with rainbow streamers and multicoloured designs may look attractive to your young children, but they can be distracting, and prevent the child from concentrating on important things such as pedaling and balance when trying to teach your child how to ride.

Opt for a plainer bike that is colourful, but not flashy, and encourage your child to ride by telling them that they can kit it out with accessories as they get better at riding.

Solid, yet Adjustable

It can be easy to get caught up in providing the best, most expensive, seven geared bike for your child but it is important to remember that they have never done this before. Buying several features for your child could be a big waste of money, and it could also lead to your child injuring themselves.

Instead choose solid bikes that have adjustable seats for comfort and growing space and safety features such as coaster brakes, for added security. Younger children find squeezing the handlebars as a form of braking quite difficult to remember, so coaster brakes or ‘back braking’ are a lot more efficient in the early days of riding a bike.

Safety Accessories!

While the name sounds a bit tacky, it is important to make sure your child has all the right safety accessories before they begin to ride a bike for the first time. The most obvious choice is the bike helmet, make sure that it is not too big and that the chin strap fits comfortably under the child’s chin. Training wheels are helpful for first time riders as they give a bit of freedom and security to the child.

It might also be useful to invest in some Velcro trainers for your child, as the laces can get undone and can get tangled up in the spokes of the wheel.

If in doubt you can always speak to an expert on how to give your child the proper support when they eventually start riding. And there are plenty of how-to video guides on the internet!

About the Author

Kate Richards is a proud parent who has contributed this post on behalf of Summit Different, the online store for unusual and unique cycle jerseys

Infatuation at an Early Age

Sometimes I find it amusing and very alarming at the same time when my  son  tells me about his crush in school.  Really?  At  the age of 6,  he has a crush already?  He is so fond of her  classmate C and  I always  see them  together for every event.  The pictures below clearly shows how they are like magnets  to each other.

C is such a sweet girl, she always smiles at me every time I am at school.  I hope that this infatuation will remain  just like that for now lol. I remember in my days, I did not have a crush on someone till I was in High School.  Kids these days are so advanced in everything, don't you think?

Fun Holiday-Themed Projects for Kids

Holiday season approaches and with it, winter break for your children.

The time out of school allows time for family visits and a lot of holiday fun but it also invites boredom. Keeping the kids entertained and letting them help decorate for the season will make everyone happy.

Surfing the internet will reward you with several websites offering free holiday templates and coloring pages. The templates come in handy when cutting shapes and even if you chose not to use any, ideas will begin stirring.

Supplies

You will need:

· A printer

· Ink and Brother toner

· Safety scissors

· Glue

· Crayons (paint, colored pencils or chalk)

· Construction paper and card stock

· Empty toilet paper rolls

· Sparkles

Paper Cutout Figures

You will find a variety of crafting ideas to help keep your children happy and fill your house with Thanksgiving cheer.

Thanksgiving paper dolls make great wall and refrigerator decorations. Print your templates for a Native American boy, turkeys and pilgrims with your choice of full-size or smaller.

Print out the various body parts and color where needed. You also have a choice of color or black and white templates. Next, cut out the parts, carefully, and glue them together to make a holiday paper decoration.

You can attach magnetic strips to the backs of the figures for hanging on the refrigerator (optional).

Toilet Paper Roll Crafts

Empty toilet paper rolls make crafts that look three-dimensional and can stand-up on their own. Find the picture you like or a template on a website that offers free printouts. You can even search your own picture files to make figures everyone recognizes. Size your picture appropriately before printing so the body does not extend below the end of the toilet paper roll.

Print your pictures and cut them out carefully. Glue the body and other parts on the empty roll and let it dry.

Thanksgiving Place Cards

Get the kids involved in Thanksgiving dinner by making name cards to place around the table. Make it fun for everyone by adding a picture of the person, a picture of his or her favorite food or anything your imagination comes up with.

Using the card stock, print the diner's name and picture on the card stock in any font desired. Or, have the kids print guest's names on a piece of paper and scan them into your pictures for printing on the place cards.

The place cards can go on empty toilet paper rolls or folded into traditional triangles and set out so guests know where they will sit.

Christmas Cards

Send home made Christmas greetings this year. With computer technology, your children can make studio quality cards that feature pictures of the entire family and quick notes inside to wish all the season's best.

This project can drain your ink and toner so have extra around so the whole mailing list gets a card. With homemade cards, each card will hold unique messages and pictures that everyone will appreciate.

Christmas Countdown Calendar

This project will last through the Christmas season. The free template comes with countdown numbers and activity cards. The activities include writing a letter to Santa Claus, awarding the best-decorated house in the neighborhood and donating a toy to the needy.

Print out the calendar, countdown cards and activity cards from the link. Carefully cut them out and countdown to Christmas morning.

3-D Christmas Tree

For this project, you need more empty toilet paper rolls, buttons, sparkles and other small shapes to decorate the finished trees. You can leave out the small items if you are working with kids under three.

Print out the free templates and cut along the dotted lines of the pyramid shapes. Fold as shown in the instructions, insert the empty toilet paper roll and decorate as many of these little trees as you want around the house.

Paper Poinsettias

Make bouquets to fill your house with Christmas cheer that will not die or hurt your pets. You need red and green construction paper, glue, yellow tissue paper and your printer to print the free template.

Cut out the poinsettias along the dotted lines and glue them together as illustrated by the instruction. Fold flowers for a home full of flowers when your guests come.

With your helpers decorating, this holiday season will hold many great memories and treasures to keep.

Funky Frog Slime

Big sister got her  lil brother  a funky frog slime.  They both love to  play with this kind of stuff so I understand why she got this for him as a gift because they can both enjoy it.  It's funny that  they are both thinking of  themselves when getting a present for each other.  To them, well if I am giving this to  him/her, will I be able to play and use it too?  I am glad they are that way though because they can play together with what they  got for each other.

Will upload  how  the funky frog slime look like in a bit.  Gotta cook breakfast first.


This  grosses me out but my kids love playing with it lol

Family Guy kills off Brian

With many of us still recovering from the loss of Bambi's mother, another animated animal has bitten the dust. Serious but lovable talking dog Brian from hit US comedyFamily Guy met his maker in a dramatic episode 'Life of Brian'. In an emotional farewell, the dog, who has been with the show since its pilot in 1999, said: "You've given me a wonderful life. I love you all." Cue Twitter meltdown.

Bring back Brian

With major news networks covering the story, it didn't take long to go viral. A central figure throughout the satirical cartoon's history, the writers of the Fox programme were learning the hard way just how cherished their character was, but perhaps a little too late. Within a few hours of the episode airing, a petition went online on Change.org, demanding that the show's creators bring back the fan favourite.

Just a couple of days later, it had 30,000 signatures and the number is still rising. The author of the petition moaned, "They killed America's dog!" Clearly the writers' decision to kill off a mainstay of one of the century's most popular TV shows had touched something of a nerve.

Who let the dogs out?

While fans bemoaned the loss of Brian, the Griffins were quick to find a new pooch. After a period of mourning, they hopped down to the rescue centre and met their new best friend Vinnie, voiced by Sopranos actor Tony Sirico. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the fans were not quite so quick to welcome him into their homes, with many tweeting that the show would never be the same.

Faced with such a dramatic response, executive producer Steve Callaghan immediately went on the defensive, telling E! Online, "Our fans are smart enough and have been loyal to our show for long enough to know that they can trust us. We always make choices that work to the greatest benefit of the series."

A dog is for life

Brian has been there from the very start, with series creator Seth Macfarlane coming up with the character at around the same time that he dreamed up the whole show. In fact, having also voiced Brian since the show started, Macfarlane is particularly close to the ever-popular character. The dog's dynamic with the other central characters, including evil baby Stewie, immature patriarch Peter and unrequited love interest Lois, has been a major feature of the long running show's popularity and, some argue, a key part of its success.

It has been suggested that given the show's history of bringing characters back from the grave, we may not have seen the last of Brian Griffin. While this would undoubtedly be one of the best Christmas gifts fans could hope for, the creators have not confirmed a future return. Amazing resurrection aside, it seems the erudite pooch might be gone for good.

Cosmetic Body Shaping

Cosmetic body shaping is a common  practice  that other  people go through when they want to have a perfect shape for their  body.  You can enhance a part of the body that you want to be bigger or you can undergo a surgery that would remove the parts that you don't like.  You can even  get a   Hair Transplant New Jersey if you are experiencing a hair loss.  With the advanced technology that we have these days, nothing is impossible.

For those who are concern with wrinkles and other unwanted lines appearing in their face, the  Botox in South Jersey would be a choice.  Some would   get  liposuction in South Jersey to get rid of the unwanted fats that they have in their body.  These  cosmetic surgeries is the path that other people choose  when they don't have the ability to   remove those excess weight physically.  It is also an option for those who can afford it and who wants to lose those unwanted   fats  the easy  and faster way.

Mom Wooden Sign

 This is what my daughter got me during their Secret Santa Shopping in school.

She said   for me to open it up as soon as she brought it home.  I told her that I will wait till Christmas but she said   to just open  it, so I did and my heart  melted.

Daughter and I are not the best of friends because I am very strict compared to  my husband.  I am grateful that she still think highly of me even when I am constantly on her butt about things lol.  Love you Anak!

School Activities

We went to the hospital last night.  The choir at my children's school got invited to sing to a  Christmas party there.  The first grade was not invited to sing but I signed up my son anyway because the last time    my daughter sang, he was bummed  out.  I am glad that the music  teacher  included my son this time.  They were very  happy  proud of what they did last night.

As a parent, it makes me feel so  overjoyed  seeing my kids  so active in school activities.  Last week, I helped facilitating the Secret Santa Shop for kids in the school and so glad that I was there as I captured the photo below.  My daughter was chosen by her teacher to represent their class   for the charity work they did.  A photographer from a local newspaper came and took their photo which will be publised in a  newspaper.

I h ope that  our kids would continue to do good in all their school endeavor.

Children Attending Church

Going to church is a chore for many people, but not for those attending services where Pastor Ed Young is preaching at. He has a dynamic personality that just never quits, providing uplifting and inspirational services to those attending services. His services include the typical sermon, plus engaging music, particularly for the younger parents with his Parent Map Rap series. Getting the entire family involved is something Pastor Ed Young is extremely passionate about. His own family consists of his wife of more than thirty years, and their four children. He has written fourteen books on marriage and family, with his wife, Lisa, helping to co-author several of them. 

My daughter's class during their St. Day Mass at St. Joseph Church

Pastor Ed Young is not your typical senior pastor. He enjoys encouraging those listening to him to put biblical lessons and concepts to work in their every day lives. These include all aspects of life, from family to being an employee to leading others at work to inner reflections when answering God's call. Making his congregation think and reflect on how the world pulls on them so they are better able to fight Satan's influence in their lives is something this fun-loving pastor takes very seriously. His leadership in the church is focused on creating an awareness of how individual people can make a difference, and why they should work on making themselves better people. While he does this, he is always able to encourage those struggling with everyday problems, without judging and condemning those seeking advice and biblical knowledge. Judging and condemning people is often the reason people will leave a church, and Pastor Ed Young works hard to discourage this. God's purpose in someone's life is always the most important aspect, and Pastor Ed Young truly believes that God does not want people to be discouraged. Peace and joy is not just a blessing, but also a commandment, and Pastor Ed Young knows how to help people find their portion.

Encouraging others in the ministry field is one of Pastor Ed Young's favorite passions. Doing this touches more than just the pastors and ministers learning, but also touches those who will benefit from what they have learned. Spreading the Gospel and helping others from all types of backgrounds brings a lot of personal satisfaction to his own personal life. He uses Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube to help spread his biblical teachings, using different lessons, questions posed, and videos, as well as short stories and inspirational sayings, including Bible verses. On Youtube, his videos include him performing his Parent Map Rap during services. In these videos, he explains how to parent children from a biblical perspective. Using music, especially rap, helps the congregation stay engaged, remember the lyrics, and then implement what they've learned, increasing the joy and peace within their own families.

Like many other famous people, Pastor Ed Young has found that different people have attempted to impersonate him. If you would like to interact with Pastor Ed Young on Facebook, please make sure you are 'Liking' the official Ed Young Jr Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pastor.ed.young and not another page.

KIDorable Makes Ordinary into Extraordinary

Kidorable is generous for sending me these adorable items to review. I love their products because they may ordinary into extraordinary. I have one set of  bookends from them before and it's one of the eye catching feature in my children's book case.  I got some books for the kids this Christmas so having another set bookends would help them organize  their books.

My son  have come to love reading now that he is a little bit  older so this Sports Bookends would surely  boost his "Shelf" esteem as Kidorable  puts it.  Although he hasn't participated yet in any sport for now but he love playing ball with his Dad so this design would  definitely make him  love this one.

I am  the type of person who  gives gifts that are practical and I love  Kidorable's  products because  they are not only  practical products to give as  gifts but their design  are also  beautiful  for the kids to really appreciate the two factors which is the practical use of the product and its beautiful design.  These adorable, hand-painted wooden bookends will  brighten and bring excitement to any room.  You can buy this at their website for $30.

For my daughter, I was looking for a musical theme  design but this  Ballerina Hangers is the only thing that is related to music.  I got it  because she was once a frustrated ballerina (LOL) so this would remind her of her brief experience in ballet dancing.  Ms. Burrito  is a kind of  kid that  is always busy but  she is not keen of keeping her stuff organize.  I always have a battle  with hanging her coat every time she takes them off so hopefully, this will encourage her to do so.

This set of five hangers  cost  $20.

I would like to thank Kidorable for giving me this opportunity once again.  If  you are looking for something especial to give to someone or to your children, check out the beautiful selection at Kidorable.  There are so many  designs   to choose  from.  They  have backpacks, knit gloves, knit hats, knit scarves, bookends,  rain coats, rain boots, and many more.

Disclaimer:  The author of this blog  did NOT receive monetary compensation in writing this review.  The products mentioned above were provided for FREE  for evaluation purposes.  Opinions  expressed in this review is not influenced in anyway.