Sunday is supposed to be my rest day. But, I can’t just sit back and relax. I still have so many things in my to do list. I’m not yet done with the laundry, have to clean the house, sweep the backyard, and so on. Sometimes being a mother is difficult as it is a 24 hour job, seven days a week, 12 months a year.

But, hubby is so sweet. Instead of me doing the laundry, he takes over my place and shoulders the task. Isn’t that sweet? I did not tell him to do that, but he did. Now I have spare time to blog, to check so many things in the web like the Medicare supplement, and to visit some of my blogger friends. Thanks hubby for being so sweet.

Thinking of our concerns with our planet, it can be difficult to imagine how any single individual can make an impact, but the old adage of “think globally, act locally,” has never been more appropriate. You can in fact make a difference in the world by making a few simple changes in your home to reduce your negative impact on the world. Here are a few of it:

• Bigger packages; less packaging – whenever possible, buy products in bulk to avoid the plastic packaging that goes into most food items. The recent trend towards 100-calorie snack bags may be great for our waistlines, but it can increase the packaging of the same amount of product by 20 times. Instead, buy in bulk and repackage smaller quantities in reusable packaging. It ends up being a benefit to your wallet as well!
• Recycle – many of the items used in the kitchen can be recycled, and it is a natural place in which to house your recycling bin. Most cities easily accept cans, bottles and paper products. Check your local recycling center for other packaging products like plastic and Styrofoam. Keep your recycling bin right next to your trash can, and always consider which bin it belongs in before automatically tossing it in the trash. (more…)

I said it before that I really want to go on vacation to Mexico with my husband. And that didn’t change even now as I am still curious and eager to conquer the secluded white-sand beaches of the Mexican Riviera Maya. I want to try the Adults Only Mexico Resort where my husband and I could enjoy the moments alone, without the kids. We can be a little romantic while enjoying the views in the veranda hammocks, and king-sized Jacuzzis with window-front views.

In our almost 30 years of being married, we haven’t been able to become romantic after our first child. That is the very reason; I keep on dreaming for that day to happen. Probably that will happen when our youngest that is still in fourth grade finishes his studies. Hehehe! That is about 10 years from now. And by that time, we are no longer allowed to travel alone due to old age. Hopefully that is not the case. But, I will keep on dreaming.

One of the resolutions of girls as they grow up is to never be like their mothers, in the sense of taking after them in terms of nagging and using one-liners that don’t leave any room for reasonable argument or discussion. As they become mothers themselves, they deliberately try to avoid making the same “mistakes,” as they once considered them, as their parents and are even convinced they’re doing a fine job, but according to the new survey conducted by the Daily Mail it reveals.

That it doesn’t change the fact that they still resemble their mothers, though, particularly when it comes down to the above mentioned one-liners used to stop arguments. “Because I said so” and “You’ll see” remain popular remarks mothers use on their children, even if they may have once promised not to resort to them, the survey conducted on 3,000 moms has learned. The bottom line is that, no matter how much we try or believe we’re succeeding, we’re not that different from our own parents.

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New Year is just three days away. Now I have to thoroughly clean the house and fix whatever that needs fixing. It is a tradition that cleaning the house will invite more blessings for the following year. It also wards off negative feelings from the previous year. Some even changes everything inside. But, I can’t do that for now because I don’t have the right finances for that.

If given a chance, I would want to renovate the toilet and bathroom. I want to change the gloomy tiles to something brighter and replace the toilet by one of those Toto toilets I found earlier. Then, repaint the walls and finish it by accessorizing. However, I can’t do that either. The only thing to do is general cleaning. Good thing I can still do something.

It’s never too early to encourage your child to be organized, but middle school is the age when kids start to become more independent; it’s time to start shifting the responsibility from parent to student. So, here are some tips to organize your school kids:

• Place near the door a rack for outerwear and a shelf or mat for shoes. Have kids deposit their coats, hats, gloves, shoes upon entering. Each evening, they replace with tomorrow’s shoes and jackets.
• Have kids empty their backpacks when they arrive home. Provide a basket in which they can place anything for parents’ review.
• Make sure your kids have a well-lit place to do homework. Teach them to use in/out trays to ensure no homework is missed.
• Give them chores. Teachers report that kids who regularly do chores at home are more responsible in the classroom.
• Help kids manage their time. Teach them to list all their responsibilities (chores, homework Article Submission, and soccer practice) and how much time each will take.
• Prepare each evening. Pick out clothes and shoes. Pack lunches. Set out breakfast. Place backpack by the door.
• Make an out-the-door checklist. Note everything they need to take to school. Post it on the door.