Sweet tooth

Chocolate and Candy overdose. Steven collected enough chocolates to last us at least a couple of years. I've been munching on my favorites, snickers and twix. I can't stop. I normally don't buy chocolates because I don't want to have temptation around the house. But this is Halloween we're talking about and it's tradition to scarf down the sweets before the kids get to them! LOL. I know I'll regret it later on because once the fat rolls start showing, no weight loss diet pill can fix it.

Trick or Treat

For the first time ever on Halloween, my kids were separated. Alexis spent trick or treating with her girlfriends while Steven stayed with us. I was a little bit sad because Alexis is growing up too fast. I don't blame her for wanting to spend time with her friends though. It's more fun that way. Anyway, speaking of growing up, I'm dreading the time the first zit pops on her face. All teenagers go through the acne stage and I know how awkward it can be. That's why I've been researching natural acne treatment just in case.

Hurrah!

Jona Simon Umali....the new addition to the Umali clan. I couldn't be happier for my baby brother who apprently is not a baby anymore. This is his fifth boy and we always joke about it, but in our hearts, we are overflowing with joy! When Jona is baptized, Steve and I will be the Godparents. That means we need to quit looking for deals on orlando vacations because we need to start preparing for a trip to Germany next summer. It'll cost a lot for a family of four, but we can do it if we start saving for the trip now. We are so excited!

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SS

Got my social security statement the other day in the mail. It basically tells me how much I have paid into the SS, what my points are and how much I'll be getting by the time I retire. It also lists benefits such as social security disability, in case I'm no longer able to work due to disability (knock on wood). It's not that much at the moment because It's only been 2 years since I started putting into the US social security. Most of my working years were spent in Germany paying German taxes. Oh well, I'm still young *cough* and I still have a lot of working years ahead of me. It's never too late to build my nest egg.

de-clutter

We have just been so busy lately that I decided to hire somebody to do some odds and ends in the house. Our garage needed decluttering but hubby and I couldn't find a weekend to get things done. Unfortunately, the guy I hired to do the job didn't show up. It ticked me off a bit because he didn't even have the decency to call us and cancel. Our phone calls to him were unanswered. So hubby was forced to do the job, and what a great job he did! He cleaned, decluttered and sorted everything. He put tools and auto accessories on one side, knick-knacks and such on another. Now our garage looks organized! I wonder how long it will last????

Health Insurance

Just how important is health insurance? VERY! The President is working on improving health insurance for Americans, but there are a lot of skeptics. Some people just don't believe it can be done. I believe it can be. I lived in Germany for 14 years and I saw and experienced first hand the benefits of a full coverage health insurance. I believe Americans can do the same.

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Flash drive

I don't know much about computers, I don't think I ever will. I just know the basic stuff and that's all that matters. I can email, I can facebook, surf the net and blog....what more can I ask for? Seriously, I sometimes wish I'm a bit more techy. That'll save me a lot of money paying "professionals" to do simple pc repairs or upgrade. And it'll be nice to know what the difference is between a regular and Branded flash drive. Other than the price, is there really a big difference???

Ice Cream addict

I did it again. I just can't control myself. The call of Baskin Robbins is irresistable. I had a scoop of my favorite Jamocha Almond Fudge. And then I feel guilty afterwards. I know I don't need the extra calories but I'm too weak to resist the temptation. My waist line is expanding and I'm not doing anything to prevent it. I don't exercise, I don't take weight loss pills, I don't care. Life is too short to worry too much about how much I weigh. There are other more important things in life. Like family. So even when I feel guilty, I won't stop. Nothing can come between me and my Jamocha Almond Fudge.

Pearly whites

Success come to those who work hard and have confidence in their abilities. Appearance and attitude have a lot do with it as well. I've noticed that people with beautiful teeth seem to be more confident and easy going. Just look at all the Hollywood stars with their shiny white teeth! It's not hard to have a million dollar smile when you have the help of a Plano cosmetic dentist. They can work magic! I wish I could afford to get my pearly whites camera ready. sigh.

Go Green

One of the things I love about Germany is their green efforts. Germans are very environment friendly. They care about the earth and do everything they can to help promote Green Study. There are so many ways we can go green. Instead of waiting for the car to heat up on cold mornings, just drive right away. Separate your trash. Use compost. Reuse shopping bags. etc. We need to act fast. Be proactive. It's not too late.

Diet

There's so many diet pills in the market today, it's hard for one to decide which one to buy. It's best to educate yourself first before plunging into the whole diet craze. Make sure you consult your doctor and not get swayed by "false" promises. Many will offer rapid weight loss but with some very dangerous side-effects. If you remember the whole Fen-phen diet fiasco, you'll know what I mean.

Ball

The annual military ball is coming up! But I won't be going this time. I've gone two years in a row and I really had a good time but I'm not in the mood to shop for a dress and get all made up just for a night of dancing. I know it's like a free vacation at a hotel (the army pays for it), but I'd rather stay home and have a quiet weekend. It would be nice though to see hubby in a tuxedo, NOT! He's wearing what the army calls "dress blues". Oh well, there'll be another one next year.

PS3

I can not believe this! Hubby and his friends (co-workers) are all chipping in to buy a playstation 3 for their office. They are buying it to help them unwind after a stressful day at work. Must be nice! I'm glad he hasn't asked me to get one for home too. We got the Wii last year and it's just been collecting dust after the novelty wore off. Total waste of money!

Brain fart

Im really getting old. I left work early today and picked up Steven from school because (I thought) he had a doctor's appointment today. Turned out, his appointment was yesterday! Now I have to pay the doctor's office $20 for not showing up. darn!

Anyway, I made good use of my early day. I was able to go shopping at least. I ran out of face cream and other hygiene stuff so I made sure I stocked up. God knows when I can go shopping again. My schedule's been hectic lately and I haven't been able to squeeze-in some "me" time. Oh, life of a grown up!

Travel

The year is almost over and that only means one thing. Time to plan next year's vacation! It's never too early to look for travel deals online. You can actually save a lot of money by booking ahead of time. We are looking into a lot of different options. We want to visit California and Las Vegas next year. We want to take another cruise. We want to visit Europe, or Japan. Our time is limited so we really need to be smart with our choices. I just hope the Army doesn't throw us a curve ball and make us move next year. sigh.

Buff-a-roni

I've been looking everywhere but my dumbbells are nowhere to be found. I want to start using them again because my arms are getting a little jiggly. I've given up on losing weight but I'm thinking about just toning my muscles a bit (ok, don't laugh, I have muscles believe it or not! I'm not all fat, yah know!). I'm not the exercise kind of gal and I don't like to sweat, but if I want to look toned, I have to start somewhere. I'm thinking about buying Kettlebell, it looks like a modified dumbbell and might be more effective than the regular ones, but I'd like to find my old set first before I cough up more money for something I might not get a lot of use out of.

Cel pain

I was at a deco store the other day looking at candle sconces when I got a phone call from a number I didn't recognize. I normally don't answer such phone calls but I did out of curiousity. And as I earlier suspected, it was a telemarketer. dang! Even cellphones are not immune from these pesky folks. "Sure, I'll book the "free" vacation, and I'll give you my credit card number, IN YOUR DREAMS!!" I politely declined the offer, stored the number in my "do not answer" file and went about my business. Guess I won't be answering my cel anymore if I don't recognize the number.

Time flies

Can you believe it's mid-October already? The days are just going by so fast I barely have time to play catch up. Halloween is fast approaching and we haven't even looked at Halloween costume for Steven. By the time we get the chance to shop for one, the nice designs/styles are probably gone. sigh.

One blink and it's November, time for Thanksgiving feast. And it only means one thing, FOOD galore. Not even the strongest appetite suppressant can stop me from stuffing my mouth with the best home cooked thanksgiving meal. And you know what, I don't feel the least bit guilty about it. Yum!

Stingy

I do not understand why there's such a big price range for ellipticals. From the low $200's to as high as several thousands of dollars, one can surely find the perfect match for the budget. I'm glad my stingy side prevailed when I was shopping for an elliptical last year. I bought one that was on the low price range. I don't think I had an hour use of it. It's been collecting dust in the basement since. Hmmm, come to think of it....I really didn't save any money at all. Yes, I might have bought an inexpensive machine, but it sure is the heck a very expensive DUST COLLECTOR.

Fat burner

Speaking of diet, I wonder if those over the counter diet pills that can be found in most stores can really burn fat effectively. Most of them are not FDA approved and I'm a bit of a skeptic. Sure, they promise quick weight loss and I admit I envy the "after" picture they post in their print ads but I'm not sure if they really work or not, or if there's any long term side effects. Should I try or not? It would be nice to lose the pounds, won't it?? But at what price?

New experience

I had to work at the different office today and I had a good time. The office is 7 miles farther than my normal office so I left the house early today. Turned out, I arrived almost 30 minutes early. Even though it was my first time in that office, working with them was a breeze. I fit right in. It's laid back compared to what I'm used to. They were short staffed but the customer service is still awesome. We didn't get to do our one hour lunches but the FC manager (who's a really great guy) ordered pizza for the team. So I forgot about my diet and finished 2 slices in less than 10 minutes. The day went by smoothly and before I know it, it was time to say goodbye to my new found family.

Trip

Monday is Columbus day in the U.S. (Thanksgiving day in Canada) and that means a 3-day weekend for us. The kids will be in school on Monday, so hubby and I and mom of course can do a "for adults" only short trip. I'm thinking about going to the MGM casino in Detroit, or maybe cross the bridge and head on to Windsor, Canada and try our luck with the Canadian casinos. Original plan was go to Port Clinton, Ohio to play tourist, but weather forecast looks crappy so we're better off indoors. Or maybe we can play with our gps systems and plug in a random address and drive. I know it's crazy but spontaneous can be a lot of fun too!

Home Project

Now that the fence is up, I can think of another small project to do in the house. I'm glad the fence didn't cost an arm and a leg, thanks to my "connections" at work. This guy did it for me for half the cost of the original estimate from another contractor. The money we saved is going towards a rackmount lcd display hubby wants for our living room. That will be his early Christmas present from moi.

Alive and kicking

The recent calamity in the Philippines has brought sadness to my heart. We were quite fortunate that we're not at all physically affected by the typhoon. But watching the struggles of many many people to rebuild their lives after the storm is truly heart wrenching. Many lives were lost. A lot of Filipinos displaced. We do what we can to help.

It's hard to think about little personal worries when you know there's something so much bigger happening at the moment. Boyfriend Problems? Family crisis? Jerks at work? Fat rolls and lipozene? Strapped for cash? Hard to complain when you know that what you complain about is nothing compared to what others are experiencing. I guess what I'm trying to say is that we should all be thankful we are alive.