Parrot on a PorchA Journey Toward the Little Mansion Dream

Every time I see advertisements of new homes for sale Virginia, I can’t help but look back on our journey to owning our Little Mansion.  It was not easy. We’ve encountered disheartening obstacles along the way.  But waking up to the walls of Little Mansion every morning, I really can’t believe that we’re now reaping the fruits of our hard work and tremendous sacrifices.  We’ll be celebrating our 5th year wedding anniversary this coming December and it really feels good to know that one of our long term goals have just been achieved and all other objectives are just right on track.  We could not have done all these if not for a great team work, guts, faith, self-control and discipline.  And I’m just so proud to have a husband like Paul who’s always been a great provider, a hardworking head of the family and even though he’s all stressed and always busy at work, he makes it a point that his family, still, is his number one priority.  We’re also thankful to our adorable and affectionate son who’s keeping us inspired and remind us to stay in focus of our goals.  Now I’m more confident to face what lies ahead in the future.  So long as we’re together and we keep the faith, everything is possible.

When I was still working for an American call center company two years ago, I could fathom how technology greatly evolved every time our group collaborates with our Purchasing staff counterparts from India, South Africa, Singapore, Canada and Ohio, US. Through Web conferencing, Video and Audio conferencing, we were able to communicate and even see each other in real time as if they’re inside the board room with us. We also experienced attending seminars conducted by our American trainors through a Video conference solutions. As this technology comes in cheaper costs as compared to traveling abroad, the company’s savings were evident on this aspect.

The Conference Group is one of the conference support providers that I have come across with while researching further about the wonders of this technology. It’s interesting to note that their services are extended not only to businesses but also available for personal use. So let’s say you have a family member working abroad, consider chat messenger platforms just a thing of the past as you can communicate with your loved ones through a more engaging technology. The Conference Group is known for their inexpensive yet highly professional support so do check out further their plans and latest deals.

I can’t recall if I’ve already shared this picture before. This is my son’s mini-library which we specially allotted a space for in our bedroom. Ever since he was just a few months old, we’ve started exposing him to board books and other books apt for his age. Even though he just gnawed them and did not necessarily looked at each page then, they say that doing such will inculcate in him to love books early on aside from the fact that mental milestones will be greatly and rapidly developed. And so, at 2 years of age, this is his collection of books and I’m just appeased that he, indeed, has become a book lover. However, since he has read all of his books already, he’s yearning for newer books. While we can easily buy tons of new ones, I’m also controlling the urge since we just have a small home and could not allocate a space for a huge library of books. That’s why we’re exploring other means to satisfy his yearning without necessarily spending much and cramping our little abode.

I find the services of Booksfree.com interesting. Basically, it’s a Book rental site in which a member can enjoy unlimited paperbacks and Rent books for all ages. Yes, including Children’s books! It works the same as Netflix only, instead of films, books and Audio books on cd are being rented for just a cheap membership fee and shipped for free. With a setup like this, I don’t have to worry about storage anymore. After all, what’s important is that he’d have books to read regardless how it was obtained.

Our tropical country has welcomed the rainy season since June but the frequent rains can’t stop me from thinking about the beach.  Pristine white sand, crystal blue water, getting sun-kissed, watching my son and his Dad enjoy the sand – just the picture perfect vacation for me.  I just know the family vacation destinations that can give me this type of experience and also offers affordable family vacations.  It’s the Breezes Resort in the Caribbean.  Their family vacation packages include the Super Summer Sale in which Super-Inclusive package is just $106.  Sweet deal indeed.

It’s been almost a month since we moved into our new home. While we have settled and fixed most of the things that needed fixing, we’re not yet through sprucing it up. We still have to do some minor installations in certain areas like a roof in the laundry area, furnishing of additional shelves and wood planks in the living room area, and setting up for some more frames on the walls. Aside from the still ongoing construction of our neighbor unit, this is also the reason why we have not yet had our housewarming party. For now, I’m thinking to research about easy home made clay arts that I can display in the soon-to-be installed shelves. I have come across the online craft library of AMACO/Brent and I found some inspiration from art lessons plans I saw there that I can adapt. I specifically like the clay art dinnerware and clay art plates which, I think, will be a good addition to my dinnerware collections elegantly displayed in the kitchen cabinet. The instructions I found are easy to follow and you don’t need a pottery wheel just some slump molds, clays, and glazes. I know of a ceramic arts class that has ceramic pottery kilns. I’m hoping if I take a class or two they will let me use their kiln to apply the finishing glaze to my plates. I am quite excited about this new adventure as who knows, this might turn into a new hobby.

Many people believe that keeping their home clean is too difficult. With mountains of clutter to overcome and inches of grime to conquer, just getting started can seem completely impossible. Keeping your personal space clean and orderly will not only improve your house, but it will relax your body, soothe your mind, and replenish your soul. Getting your house in tip top shape does not have to be a Herculean task.

The first place to begin is the kitchen. You need to eat and if you don’t have clean surfaces, you cannot prepare food that is safe. If you only have time to fix one room, start with the kitchen and make a routine so you can do a little bit of upkeep each day.

The bathrooms come next. Start with the sink, moving on to the toilet. The bath or shower should come next, then the floor. If mold and mildew has taken over and a good scrubbing can’t do the entire job, clean it as best you can and then make an assessment. Perhaps you need specialty cleansers for areas like tile. Check your caulking to see that it is in good condition and no grime has grown in its crevices. It may need to be stripped and redone, which makes a huge difference in the appearance of your bathrooms. If your shower tray is cracked or beyond help, consider replacing it and possibly your sink as well.

Next move on to tackling clutter in the rooms you use the most, whether a living room or den, followed by the most used bedrooms. With the clutter gone and reorganized, dust and vacuum, then tackle the windows one room at a time. Rome wasn’t built in a day and an especially messy house will need more time. Just segment the mess and maintain what you have already cleaned and you’ll be there in no time!

We usually don’t realize how much we own until we’re packing for a move. At times when our belongings become a hassle, we wish, for once, that we had less rather than more. If you’ve resolved to live more simply, you’ll have to part with a lot of “stuff.” One of the best places to start is your wardrobe.

It’s difficult to throw things out, especially if you have sentimental attachments to them. Start with deciding what doesn’t fit. You may need to keep a full-length mirror handy so you can try on clothes you aren’t sure about. Once you’ve sorted out what doesn’t fit, put it aside to donate to a charity or to friends. Don’t pine over it; it’s going to a good cause.

Next, you should get all the clothes out of your closet that you don’t actually wear. This may take several seasons as you monitor your wardrobe for unworn items. One strategy for clothes in your closet is to turn all of your hangers backward and only turn them forward once you’ve worn the item. At the end of the season, all the clothes still hanging backward haven’t been worn—and should find another place to hang out, like the Goodwill. This should be done season-by-season because it’s easier to tell why you’re not wearing something. The mens shorts you hung in your closet won’t be worn while there’s snow on the ground, but you’ll need them again by summer.

Getting rid of clothes that you don’t wear or that don’t fit you will probably create a lot of space in your closet. This doesn’t mean you need to go shopping. Try to create new outfit combinations with only the clothes you have and carefully make new wardrobe purchases that will work with many other items in your closet. You’ll feel better and look better with a less cluttered closet.

My son is at the stage when his explorative skills are greatly exercised. According to parenting and child development books, this is the perfect stage when I can start introducing him to worthwhile creative art activities. It is great as there are so many different art activities available. Aside from painting and coloring, one easy and interesting activity he might enjoy is beginning his ceramic art education. He can start with the usual Play-Doh but there are also some other great products younger kids can use such as Cloud Clay that comes in great colors, is AP certified non-toxic material,and is fun to squeeze, shape, and mold. I found this great product at AMACO/Brent and I can’t wait to order some. It is great for kids because it doesn’t stick to their tiny fingers. The website also has classroom ceramics art lesson plans that are often used in classrooms that have ceramics arts as part of their art program. You can order any of the materials for these lessons online at Amaco.com. The site also has a great variety of different clays, glazes, ceramic pottery kiln and other pottery equipment, as well as their world known Brents potter’s wheels.

Aside from the wide selection of pottery materials, various resource materials about kids and crafts can also be researched for free online at AMACO/Brent. As I have mentioned there are art lesson plans as well as instructional books and dvd’s for artists of all different ability levels from beginners to the seasoned pros. Simply put, AMACO/Brent is the place to go to find art activities and supplies that are fun for everyone and a safe way for your child to begin to explore his artistic talents.

Since my little Asher isn’t pre-schooling yet and I’m a work-at-home Mom, I take advantage of the time that we’re together 24×7. When I’m not working and free from other offline obligations, I make sure that we bond and convert each to quality time by engaging in worthwhile bonding and learning activities. I am aware that I’m his first teacher so aside from recreational play times, we adapt learning activities like playing pretend with his clay Play-Doh kit. We mold food, stars, shapes and any other interesting stuffs we can think of. He enjoys doing it and albeit it can really get messy, I just let him explore and let his imagination run wild. When he gets a little bit older, I’m planning to introduce pottery with the use of ceramic clay to him. I’ve compiled several crafts lessons from AMACO.com and I’m sure that he’ll enjoy them all. I’ve already browsed the shop and I’ve bookmarked already the necessary equipment and tools we need to have like slump molds and self-hardening clays. For now, I can familiarize myself with pottery related terms like sculpting compounds, glazes and kilns so by the time that he’s ready, I’m well versed enough to teach him.

This is one of my favorite organizer finds when we’re doing our home stuff shopping the other month.  We had plans of buying an ordinary shoe rack then but when my eyes stumbled upon this shoe closet at Handyman, I instantly fell in love with it.  This costs about Php 900 and I believe considering the nice and sturdy quality, functionality and design, the price was just fair.  It has five layers plus six pairs of pockets on the sides.  I like that it has a zipper closure so that the shoes will not have to be exposed and an eyesore.

The uppermost layer plus the side pockets are intended for the little one’s shoes (which are a lot by the way).  While the husband and I share from the second to the bottom layers. 

Pardon if the little one is present in most pictures that I take.  He now likes the camera and he always requests to have his picture taken.  Further, he loves following me wherever I go.  Whatever I do like let’s say I’m reading apidexin reviews, expect that he’s just beside me attempting endlessly to catch my attention.