Are you having hard to take a deep breath with artificially freshened air? Well, you can use a natural air freshener and avoid fogging up the air with synthetic chemicals.  Conventional plug-in or aerosol air fresheners use chemicals that not only harm the environment, but might also mix with atmospheric ozone to increase your risk of asthma and other diseases. Why don’t you consider some of these:

• Orange Mate – contains pure natural citrus oils in a recyclable aluminium pump bottle ($7.99/7 oz.).
• Citrus Magic – a natural air-freshener that boasts lasting 4 times longer than regular fresheners ($9.95/7 oz.).
• Ecco Bella Botanicals – 100% natural air fresheners.  Try the lavender scent to get into Zen mode ($8.95/7 oz.).

Here are some benefits of having these. Natural air-fresheners use essential oils rather than synthetic perfumes, formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds (VOC) used by conventional sprays. Exposure to VOC’s can irritate nose and throat, and has even been linked to cancer. Most natural air-fresheners also come in recyclable packaging with non-aerosol pumps, reducing fluorocarbons that destroy the ozone layer. The best thing is, this will reduce the indoor air-pollution levels in your home. It is found out that the indoor air is to be 2-5 times more polluted than the air outside, so every little bit helps.

The house needs a few rearranging and new decorations. It’s time to toss the old curtains and other unusable stuff. It’s been years, I think since my last a general cleaning. What I mean is getting the useless stuff and adding newer useful ones.

The first thing to replace is the curtains. It already looked yucky and dilapidated, which means time to retire them all. My task now is to scout for new designs and colors that will fit our windows. I found beautiful curtains Richmond, VA a few minutes ago. And, it looks so good.

Of course since I am continents away I don’t have the capacity to make the curtains mine. I’ll just get ideas probably. As for the colors, I think I’ll like pink or yellow. But, it is still too early to tell because I am waiting for the Christmas sale before purchasing. Whatever is available that is on sale ,then I have to settle for those as long as it will fit my window. Hehehe!

With so many typhoons coming in and out of the country, devastating places and leaving people with no homes and even take their livelihood and worse their lives, is really sad. I feel so blessed that we haven’t had any typhoon experience here in Davao. Another thing I am thankful is that my daughter is already back. She used to live in the affected areas in Manila before typhoon Ondoy rage.

Last year, when she is still there I feel so terribly worried when a storm signal hits. How much more if she is still there during typhoon Ondoy? I think I will have a heart attack knowing my daughter is in danger.

I am so glad that she’s not because I’m not just going to worry with it, I also have to worry about my health. I am not that healthy anymore due to old age, plus I don’t have any health insurance like that of bcbsnc. It’s one of my regrets, not having any health insurance or any kind of insurance. And, I no longer qualify to get one now.

No single child is alike that is what I am putting in my brain for a long time now. Actually my first two children are very nice kids. They grow up without giving us, me and their dad, any problem at school or any sort. Actually they graduated with flying colors and they are now living their life accordingly.

However, the remaining three gives us headache especially the fourth one. All I want to do is to kick his ass every day for going home so late like 11 in the evening. He is just 16 years old and he is starting to have vices like drinking and computer games. I never stopped talking to him asking if he has problems, but he always says he doesn’t have any. I always give him advice because I don’t want to see him wasting his life to nonsense things.

For now, I don’t know what to do with his report card since there are items that are left blank and the saddest part is his failing grade in one of his subject. I don’t know if he will be able to graduate in high school this year. I just hope so. As for my third and youngest, I have no problems with their grades. They are just super lazy when it comes to household chores. And my youngest also loves to skip school. Sigh!

I never experience those with my first two children. Why now? I’m already old to experience those. Sigh! But, they are my kids, and they are my responsibility. I need to do what I have to do as their mother.