Traveling with Kids

I am very fortunate that my kids are well traveled.  They don't fuzz around whenever we go on a trip such as the one we recently did in Texas.  My son gets antsy sometimes but it's because he is a boy and he can't really take sitting still for a longer time in the airport but other than that, they are so good when on the plane.

During our early drive going to San Antonio Texas Airport, going back home.

At the shuttle bus after returning the  car we rented for a week.

Waiting for our flight to Houston

We barely made it to our connecting flight going to Pittsburgh.

Finally landed at Pittsburgh Airport.    These two just love  dragging their traveling suitcase.

I was going to pack our clothes in two big suitcases but  did not want to pay the extra $25 for each  bag so we decided to just buy an additional carry on luggage so we can all have a free  luggage for our stuff.

I miss those times when you don't have to worry about the fee for your  luggage.  Glad we found a carry on upright that matches the set  of suitcases that we already have.  For practical reasons, just  buy a new  carry on instead of  paying for the check in bags.

Another thing to consider is to buy this TravelWise  3-PIece Packing Cube Set from Eat Smart. You can buy this through Amazon. They are now on sale for $25 with free shipping.  You can enjoy a big savings of 50% from it's original price.  These set is available  in red, black, teal, purple, and silver  colors.

If you can remember, Eat Smart also  sent me the  digital luggage scale which helped us determine not to  bring the  check in bags from our recent travel.  So thank you  Eat Smart for this another great product you have sent me.  It also  matches   our luggage set which is a big plus.  I could totally use this for the   upcoming  local trip that we are planning to celebrate  our daughter's birthday.

This TravelWise 3-Piece Packing Cube Set is great to organize your traveling  stuff.  This is  a great one to have especially for those frequent travelers who love to pack their  things very neatly inside  their  suitcase.  I wish that I have these before we went to Texas, it could have been a great organizer for  my kids stuff.    Below is the features copied from amazon.

• Extra-Durable 3 Piece Packing Cube System - Small, Medium and Large cubes let you compartmentalize similar size items and provide optimum utilization of interior luggage space
• Constructed of high-quality nylon fabric; Both lightweight yet durable with two way easy-pull zippers
• Open mesh design makes it easy to locate items; No more hectic searches for misplaced clothing
• Clothes no longer shift in transit! Clothes stay neat and tidy in their own small drawers
• TravelWise 100% Satisfaction Guarantee

Disclaimer: THe author of this blog was provided with the products mentioned above for review purposes. NO monetary compensation was received in facilitating the review.

Some Things to Keep in your Bag when you Feel a Cold Coming on

If you are like many other people, you can feel a bad head or chest cold coming on for a day or two before the symptoms hit you with full force. Your throat may be a little scratchy, your nose may be getting stuffy, and you may have a headache or cough. If you plan to fight your cold while out and about rather than at home and in bed, you want to take this opportunity right now to pack your bag and prepare for the full onslaught of symptoms that you may be facing very soon. Here are a few of the items that you want to keep in your bag if you feel a head or chest cold coming on. These items will help you to be better prepared for what you may soon be hit with.

Tissues or a Handkerchief

First, you should consider packing a small package of tissues or a handkerchief in your bag. These can come in handy when you need to blow your nose or when sneezing. They can also come in handy when you are coughing as they provide you with an excellent way to cover your cough so that you do not spread germs throughout your home, your workplace and other places where you plan to spend time in the coming days. Because these are ideal for use with a variety of symptoms, they are necessary items to keep in your bag.

Medication

It may be difficult to determine which symptoms you may be facing in the near future. Do some research and check out sites like www.bisolvon.com.au for their range of medicines that suit your type of cold. Each cold seems to present with slightly different symptoms. Some colds, for example, are focused in the chest, and others may be focused in the throat or head. However, there are multiple medications that provide a comprehensive approach to the relief of cold symptoms. You can stock up on these medications as well as other medications like throat lozenges, cough drops and nose spray.

Hand Sanitizer

When you are feeling bad from your cold symptoms, the only thing that can make you feel worse is knowing that you’ve spread your germs onto someone else. If you want to avoid spreading your misery to others, you should consider investing in hand sanitizer. You can purchase a small bottle to store in your bag. Then, when you cough or sneeze, you can pull out your hand sanitizer and disinfect your hands. This is a fast and easy step that you can take to help prevent those around you from getting sick.

Being sick is no fun, and ideally, you will spend your sick time recuperating at home in bed. However, cold symptoms have a way of lingering, and you may not be able to spend several days in a row lounging around at home. When you have a cold and need to get out and about, you need to keep these important items on hand and within easy reach in your bag.

Author Bio: John is a dietitian and has been for the past 2 years. In his spare time he likes to write blogs about health, fitness and all round wellbeing.

World War Vet

I have a  very high respect for my father-in-law who survived the World War 2.  He served the  Army together with his two brothers who were also got drafted in the military at the same time but   served in two separate  or different posts.  His brother  who was assigned in  Germany was killed during the battle and never made it home, his body was buried there.  It must be so hard for their Mom, I can't even even imagine how painful it was for her and the rest of the family.

I think he  inspired my  husband to join the Navy and now a veteran himself as well.  (I will update this post later).

Chat with My Sisters from the Philippines

One of the many advantages that technology bring to us is the convenience of doing stuff online. Be it shopping, booking your hotel accommodation, flight schedule booking, online dating, and even sports betting.  One of the advantages that I love is the instant communication.  I just chatted with my two sisters from the Philippines and I am so happy that I got the chance to as I miss them so much!

Happy 20th Birthday Sissy.  I miss you!

Outdoor Fun and Indoor Learning

My kids are bumming out that we have been having rains for the past few days.  The last time we had fun was when we went to the woods and then we rode our bikes in the neighborhood.  So to avoid boredom, I scheduled us to read everyday and I also teach them household chores such as doing laundry and  cooking.  

Ms. Burrito  is very proud that she can make pancake by herself now and the little boy is also proud that  he can make rice now.  I also taught him  how to properly do laundry so  that's what occupying them inside the house.  They also have one hour time for  doing arts  and crafts in their room.  This summer would  involve  outdoor fun and indoor learning for my kids and me.

5 Tips for Setting a Realistic Budget – and Sticking to it!

Budgeting is truly the key to successful savings and staying on top of your finances. Unfortunately too many people simply don’t have a good enough budget, whether it’s due to a lack of planning or not having the right knowledge to put one together. Fortunately there are a number of simple ways to help you get your budget in shape. Here are 5 top tips for setting a realistic budget, and most importantly, sticking to it!

Be Honest

This might sound obvious, however many people aren’t honest with themselves when planning a budget. While good intentions are fine, you need to be very clear about your income and expenses in order to create a budget that you can stick to. Being unrealistic in the planning stages simply sets you up for failure and creates a lack of confidence in your ability to stick to your budget.

Ease Into It

There’s no shame in starting small. When you plan your first budget, the most important thing is to make sure that it is realistic and achievable. Once you’ve started making small changes to your spending and savings habits, you can revaluate your budget and get a little stricter. By repeating this process, you will gradually build up your skills and become better at sticking to your budget. You’ll find yourself achieving your savings goals in no time!

Stay Up to Date

It’s important to review your budget every couple of months, or whenever you experience any changes to your financial circumstances. This will help to ensure that your budget is accurate and up to date at all times. Include anything such as changes to rent, income level, general expenses and alter your budget to match.

Fight Temptation

The hardest part of sticking to your budget is resisting temptation. Always have a clear focus on your savings goals, and remind yourself what you are working towards. The short term gratification of impulse spending is far outweighed by the long term negative impacts that it can have on your finances.

Enlist the Help of a Professional

If you’re having trouble with your budget, the good news is that you don’t have to go through it alone. Getting professional budgeting assistance from the team at Fox Symes debt solutions is a great way to kick start your budget and help you to regain control of your finances for good. Spend less time worrying about your finances and more time enjoying life with a great budget created with you by a professional.

These top budgeting tips are a great way to improve your financial situation and start achieving your goals sooner. With a bit of help from the friendly team at Fox Symes, you will be well on your way to enjoying true financial freedom. The best way to achieve great results is to take action, so get started on your better budgeting today!

A Walk with My Son

We visited my father-in-law yesterday at his house  and I was planning to run afterwards but my kids wanted to go with me so I just walk with my son,  my daughter  backed out at the last minute.  We walk a good bit and I am so proud of my 6 years old as he did not complain  at all.  He was all sweaty so when we  reached  the park, I let him play there for a while before going back to my FIL's home.

I always go for a walk with my daughter and this is the second time that my son  walked with me.  We had fun talking about  things.  He let me chase him and I pretended that I couldn't catch up which made him very proud.