I've been looking for a perfect web design for my blog. It has been a couple of days already - trying on new templates and redesigning my widgets - yes, they are always being deleted every time I try to upload a new template.

Yesterday, I came across this page and the designs are absolutely awesome! InfoCreek have several designs available for Wordpress or Blogger page. Check it out and see what's best for your site.

As for me, I tried the Notepad Blogger Version and as you can see, my site has a whole new look! I'm satisfied with it right now - yosha! Just that, it took me a lot of effort to get all the widgets run together but it was well worth it.

I am already thinking of getting this page to my hosting service. Yes, it has been a couple of weeks now but I still can't use it. There are even times when I regret getting it that early but I don't want to think about it already - what is done is done.

But anyway, for now, I'll be enjoying my site =)

Ciao!

• You can join either an Affiliate, Advertiser or Publisher.


• Generally, the goal is to drive for traffic to your website.


• As an advertiser - you get to have more visitors and increase your ad's exposure.


• As a blogger - you are rewarded every time you click an ad within the Adgitize network, either ads displayed on your site or ads within the community


• Bloggers are also rewarded for writing an entry to their blogs


• Bloggers are also rewarded for any traffic received from any source

Why you should consider Adgitize?

• Bloggers - aside from improved traffic, you get to earn CASH at the same time. This is already quite a deal!


• Advertisers - for only $14, you can already place an advertisement to their network and drive in more visitors daily!

Interested in joining?

Simply click on any of the links in this post or on the adgitize images, register and you'll see, Adgitize is really worth it!

Adgitize - Get World Class Advertising on a Bloggers Budget

It is once again the season to be jolly because it's Christmas time. Time to share joy, laughter, happiness, reunions and gift giving! My, I've been wondering what to give the kids for Christmas. Will it be toys, clothes, or shoes?

Having a hard time thinking what to give your baby, babies, nephews, nieces, here are a few tips for all of you who have babies, tots on their Christmas list:

For babies, must haves are as follows: strollers, baby carriers, car seats, or a nice walker. Prices will vary though depending on the brand but it is up to you what to give. It is your gift anyway and the parents are most likely to be thankful for receiving such wonderful presents for their babies. When scouting for gift items, consider asking the different stores and go to the one with the best price. Stores vary their pricing to accommodate their customers and beat the competitors.

For toddlers, clothes and educational items are in demand. From 2 years old, kids starts to grow rapidly that you would normally notice their clothes are no longer fit to them. Christmas may be one of the best time to give the tots some nice new clothes! Educational items are also good to give for tots since they are already in the process of learning.

Since this is the season for gift buying, most malls get on sale to attract more customers. And moms, if you hate going to mall to shop, there is always the internet where you can shop online and have the items shipped to you. A bit expensive though but less stress =)

Have you been into football? A player, a coach or a fan?

I was checking the web for football items as Christmas gift since hubby got recently addicted watching this sport and I happened to see this new web-tv by Carlsberg. If you are a football fan, I think you are going to love it. Yeah, Carlsberg just recently launched their Web-TV channel about football and fan life. Here, tale a look at the site's preview:


See, they have five channels - for football itself and for the fans. The new site also contains uploaded video clips about football - the game matches, the halftime and more!

For dads and moms like us who are mostly concentrated on taking care of our family, we can also take a break and watch our favorite game. You'll love some of the football highlights show in this web-tv, plus, you can enter your comments as a fan, too! This site also gives more opportunities for fans to show off their football fan moments.

Hubby will probably like the site =)

Finally, I was able to view the Cutest Baby in Britain site and able to see the picture of Isabella so I can cast my vote. Here she is:

Thanks to the new camera i can now scrap again. There are a lot of pictures to choose from and I've chosen the ones below. The scraps are so simple, pardon me - I don't have much of scrapping experience yet. Please let me know on the areas I need to improve. Your comments are appreciated.

First is my daughter, Scieszka Raine. She loves to pose whenever she sees the camera. Such an adorable child. She cares about her sister a lot.

eika posing for the cam

ysha enjoying the slide

I used different combinations from Harvest Spice, Vintage Florals, Moody Blues, Two Soon and Sun Porch by Amy Teets from Shabby Princess. The Moody Blues though was a piece-a-cake layout so it was easier for me. The other one was - an experiment.

Let me know your thoughts....

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eds and pierpaolo in july 2007

Eds, pardon me for using the pic. It's nice to reminisce the day of your wedding. We enjoyed every moment and every preparation we made.

Everyone, vote for Isabella and let's see her be the Cutest Baby in Britain. Just click here to vote! I can't wait to vote myself but as I am writing this entry, the site is still unavailable. Will keep on visiting until I cast my vote, so you too!

While going home, I happened to pass by Robinson's Galleria and saw a lady (carrying an INFANT!) and a child beside her. They were trying to ask for money from a foreigner. He looks like he really really wanted to help the lady.

While I am getting away from the scene I was like - what the hell is going on with our country! We have millions of taxpayers and yet we are still as poor as that???

It is rather disappointing for me to think about it but I can't deny the fact that I am a citizen of this country, too! And I am paying my taxes!

Come to think of it, I happened to see different ladies with gestures like they were carrying a new-born baby asking for help from people walking on the streets. Are they really the mother of the poor child? God, it is soooo painful for me to see such sight for I am a mom too.

This may sound impossible, but still, I am praying that someday, someone good will definitely run the country and will bring it to its long awaited economic success. And I hope in the coming 2010 election, the ONE will already be revealed.

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I really have to post this!

Hubby and I went out yesterday to grab our Canon EOS 1000D and yes, we're happy! We initially liked the 450D but it's too expensive for us right now. At least the one we got is already cool. We're really really satisfied. Plus, it comes with a Basic Photography session!

We've never been into photography before but this thing will really bring you into wanting to take more pictures and practice your skills. Hubby already enrolled to a photography club and will eventually attend the photography sessions to learn more about it. And definitely, I will be his number one supporter!

See below for the sample shots (not bad for a starter, huh!)

ysha riding one of those little tikes at the playroom


eika and mom at the arcade

I've got some new good photos for my scrap...and I'll probably be working it all out this weekend. Whew! Watch out for my upcoming scraps!

Part of wedding traditions is to choose the right music for the church and the reception. For the church, it is primarily because not all love songs are allowed to be played in some churches. That is why, a bride must consult with the church to check on what type of songs are allowed.

One of the most popular songs accepted by the churches are the songs from Josh Groban so if you are searching for some songs to be considered, you may check his songs. Here are some tips when selecting songs for the wedding ceremony.

1. take note on all the songs you want to consider
2. check with the church what songs are allowed and what are NOT. If the staffs are unsure if your choice can be considered, play SAFE. It is your wedding and you don't want to ruin it so select the pre-approved ones.
   
3. check with your musicians repertoire if they are already available (if not, they'd still have to do some practice on it)

Over the last few weeks of waiting for my card arrival, activation and browsing looking for different hosting companies, i finally got my hosting service...and the domain comes for free, too!

Why i chose this site?

• primarily because it is cheaper than most of the hosting services companies i have checked
• it comes with a free domain for life
• the plan i got is good for 2 years at $3.96 only

I am still in the process of building site - this might take a while since I have a day job and i can only do this for a couple of hours from home. Hopefully, I'd be able to make a better site.

Why chose to have your own domain?

• it is one of the definite advantage to hit traffic and expose your site
• it increases recognition of your site
• it gives you a more professional appearance to your viewers
• it makes your site easier to be found on search engines
• it commonly accessible behind firewall protected sites such as corporate sites and private institutions where some of your readers might be

watch out for: tips on how to choose a domain name

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Starting a blog is easy. If you are just a regular blogger, you won't be too much pressured about the traffic, the readers, etc. But if you are one of us - yes, those who blog to earn - hurray!, then these matters should be treated seriously.

Out of all the things being considered by most paid blogging companies, your traffic and page rank are the most important. Of course! Who would want to advertise to pages who doesn't have readers! And of course, this talks about how many people read your blogs, too. It won't be that easy but it isn't hard either. Here are the first 2 of the many social networking sites that a newbie blogger can join to help promote their page and yes, increase their traffic and eventually their page rank:


What I like about this site? It's free! You are free to submit your blogs, make friends, get widgets, tools and you can promote your blogs without spending a penny. You can connect with other bloggers, search blogs, and learn more about blogging. You can also participate in their forums and learn from other bloggers.


What I liked about this site? It's also free and you get to advertise your blogs at no cost. I gained more friends here. I gained more readers from this site. Just like Blog Catalog, they also have communities. Join some and they will definitely return the favor!

Why I posted these two first? In my opinion, it will be faster to get readers from these sites compared to other social sites I've visited. I may have not probably explore all of them but I will definitely post my discoveries from time to time so watch out!

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cleaning the house is a tiring duty but maintaining it clean takes more discipline than just cleaning. it is actually not just about cleaning itself but imposing cleanliness within the family members.

things to do to maintain a clean house:

DUST - dust frequently. household areas and items left undusted for a couple of days will accumulate even more dusts and thus will require further cleaning than what you should just regularly do.

WIPE - wipe the windows, doors, tables, chairs, cabinets and other furniture often. same with dusting dirt accumulates on these items if left for a couple of days and it will become hard to clean. cabinets are needed to be regularly cleaned as well.

STORE - if there are a lot of toys already, go grab a storage bins from your nearest department store. this also applies to kitchen utensils that are not frequently being used

ORGANIZE - organize things at home like stacking cabinets, storage bins, shelves. this way, it will be easier for you to identify where to get what.

doing these things on a regular basis will help you in maintaining your house clean, dust-free and nice to live in.

who would want to go home in a dump site-to-be-house?

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he already popped the question and you answered "Yes". after the euphoria, you are already engaged. and next would be...planning for your wedding day.

most brides opt to be a hand's-on bride when it comes to preparing their own wedding, even if their schedule is too busy. here are a few tips on how you can handle the hassle and bustle of wedding preparation:

12months before the wedding.

choose the date - first things first, this is where you will start. talk to your fiance about the date you want your wedding to be. if possible, plan when the time as well. this will help you in choosing your options when booking your preferred church.

list the wedding necessities - list down the things you need to prepare. below is a sample list (based on my order of priority - you are free to modify)

• church (requirements - CENOMAR, birth certificates, baptismal certificates, etc.)
• reception venue
• photographer
• videographer
• caterer
• couturier
• events stylist
• florist
• wedding rings
• hair and make up artist
• musicians
• invitation
• souvenirs
• host/emcee
• bridal suite
• special effects

book the first 5 suppliers listed above - why? because these suppliers are often booked as early as 12-24 months before the actual event. plus, when you book these suppliers early, the rate they gave you at the time of your booking will be your fixed rate. should their rates increase the following year, you will not be affected anymore. make sure though that you have thoroughly checked their offers, too! do not book just because you want to assure the rate. it is just an added factor and savings.

• church - check on the requirements needed by the church first so you can start working on them. i listed some above. check what they have to offer. do they have flower arrangement already? if they already have flower arrangement, it is most likely that you will save a portion of your budget for the florist since they will no longer handle the church arrangement. do they have their own musicians? if so, you can try watching their performance when there is a wedding - you will see how they do. if you liked them, get it. musicians are also expensive nowadays. what are their restrictions? of course you need to check on this so you'll know their do's and dont's.
• reception venue - scout on different venues and check on their offers. as much as possible, select a venue near the church. this is so that you won't need to provide additional transportation to your relatives, guests. venue should also have the generators - in case of power failure. if you want a garden venue, make sure to rent tents (be prepared that even on summer, rain could come anytime)
• photo/video - most photographers offer photo/video in one package. there are a lot of suppliers who are credible enough and offer photo/video in one contract. you can save more from this. plus, you can check their packages and you'll see, there are a lot of freebies like, sign frames, sign book, tarps, etc.
• caterer - do check on a couple of reputable caterers. don't just stick to one. try at least 3 food tastings and check which one fits your taste buds and your budget. catering can eat up most of your wedding budget, you know. make sure you've also decided on how many guests you would want to attend and witness your wedding. number of guests is the primary question a caterer would ask from you.

9 months before the wedding

choose your couturier - go to someone you trust. even if you have already bought all the bridal magazines to check on the wedding gown of your dreams...chances are, the gown doesn't fit your physique. it is better to consult your couturier about it. he should know what is better for you and i suggest you take his suggestions.

choose your entourage - it's now time to choose your entourage. you can either get a separate couturier for them or not. i'd go to the same couturier - you can get additional discount when you get all the gowns from him. and who says he can't concentrate on your wedding gown if you also get the entourage attire from him? do you ever think you're the only customer he'll get? even if you don't get all the attire from him, truth is he has other customers he might consider if you only get a gown from him.

choose your event stylist - this is just optional. you can check with your venue how they'd style the place and caterers also offer decorations for the wedding. if you have budget and can afford an event stylist, go for it.

wedding rings - get a jeweler to design your wedding rings or you can go directly to stores and order an existing design. it's up to you but you have to prepare this early so you'll still have time if there are concerns on your order. remember, rings play a vital part of the wedding ceremony.

6months before the wedding

choose your make up artist, musicians and calligrapher - do trial make-up so you'll know the possible outcome and flaws that could arise on the actual wedding day make-up. for your invites, make sure to proofread the invitation before having it printed to avoid print errors. for your musicians - you can ask them for a gig schedule so that you can watch their performance.

go to your fitting - this should be your first fitting. have the entourage's gown fitting as well

3 months before the wedding

check out the souvenirs you want - you can have a DIY souvenirs. just go stores and select the souvenirs you want. seek help from friends and family in designing them. this is fun =)

get a good host/emcee - emcees have profiles on their pages which you may want to review. otherwise, if you really don't know one, you can ask referrals from caterers and other suppliers. hint - some caterers have inhouse host but some of their inhouse hosts are also freelancers. you can check their performance on an actual wedding - just let them know you'll need to check how they do and they will let you.

go to your fitting - this should be the second fitting. have your entourage's attire fitting as well.

get your wedding rings - if you ordered, this is the time you should get it.

send your invitations - send your invitations early and have the guest RSVP.

1month before the wedding

book your bridal suite - you should have one for your preparation. it is common now to book the same hotel for the bride and groom (to save time and effort on the photo/videographers).

get your wedding attires - by this time, you, your groom, parents and the rest of the entourage should have their attires.

do your stuffs - get your facials, massage and everything for yourself. do not get a facial 1 week before the wedding. you wouldn't want to have a pimple on your big day!

1 week before the wedding

pack for the hotel and your honeymoon - start packing your stuffs for the hotel. separate your honeymoon luggage. bring in your emergency pack (extra hosiery, lipstick, oil remover, needles and thread, medicines, pins) - this could come in handy =)

1 day before the wedding

prepare and proceed to the hotel - eat dinner and go to your hotel. sleep early and relax

THE BIG DAY

Relax - this is your day. You've done everything to prepare for it so relax, take a deep breath and smile all the time.

if this post helped you in anyway, please let me know =)

just got my eon card today! i'm so excited!

well, been recently searching on how i can monetize my blog. i found out that one of the basics to do so is to enroll a Paypal account. i checked paypal and you will need a card for verification. i don't have a credit card and a friend told me (yes, thea again - thanks) that you can get an eon card instead of a credit card.

so then, i went to the bank to enroll for this card. i only shelled out P350 for this and voila, after a week my card already arrived!

i will be activating the card tomorrow and hopefully will be able to create my paypal account. in the next few days, i'll start scouting for paid blogging companies to check on their requirements. yeah, i want to earn through my blogs. and since i am already hooked into this, might as well turn it to something profitable.

you can check my blogavenue site as i am trying to update all about monetizing blogs out there. the site has just started though and it only has a few entries.

more to come....

been recently searching and reviewing sites on how to monetize blogs.

• blogging basics
• downloadable themes
• how to promote your blogs
• how to increase your traffic
• how to earn from blogging
• hosting services;
• and a lot more

what i liked about the site? the members are very friendly. topics are very interesting. this site can really help one increase their blogs traffic. see for yourself. i've just joined and i'm happy. been active in the site for over a week already.

check out the sites ongoing PROMO.

my grandma's already 72years old. she was still strong until mid of 2008. it was the barrio's fiesta in june 2008 and my mom is this year's hermana mayor. this day is supposedly happy for everyone but suddenly, grandma missed grandpa and my uncle who passed away several years already. for her, the occasion would've been happier if they are still around. it was probably this event that triggered her to give up already.

few months passed and she's getting more and more sickly than before. she doesn't want to eat, afraid that her diabetes would worsen. but she could possibly experience seizures due to low level of electrolytes.

today, my mom and her siblings went to batangas to check on her. i still hope she'll get better and i am praying for her quick recovery.s

he couldn't possibly read this but for you lola - get well soon...we love you! and to all of you reading this, i hope you can help pray for my grandma.

while writing this entry, i am not as disturbed as i usually was when i am blogging at thome. the reason? well, the kids are busy watching Disney's Little Einsteins.

Little Einsteins is a creation from the Baby Einstein Company and Disney. It is an animated tv series on the Playhouse Disney. This is an educations pre-school series which was developed by Douglas Wood. It was designed to teach toddlers about demographic arts, music appreciation (yes, they used classical music here), and it has an integration to famous cultural artworks (they have paintings integrated and character integration). The best part of this series is it has viewer interaction. To fly Rocket (their rocketship), kids are encouraged to pat their legs to obtain more power. Sometimes, they are asked to sing, to a gesture and dance!

Mission completion!