Hump Day Giveaway – RSS

Posted by gmirage1 on Nov 16, 2011 in Blogging, Giveaways | 2 comments

It’s time for Hump Day $50 Giveaway and today’s event is for RSS and Email Subscriptions. Once again, this is brought to you by the 26 wonderful blogs listed below. Feel free to visit them once you’re done entering the giveaway.

My Tots Exactly | Frugal Experiments | Money Saving Mindy | It’s Not Always About Me | Mirage | Coupon Spice | Another Cent Saved | Late Bloomer Blog | Pinay Mommy Online | Zzzz… Whaaat??? | Work at Home Mom | Mum Writes | Cherry Everyday | Tinkerputt’s Turf | Healthy Vain | The Travel Encounters | Zowanderer | Mommy and Matt | Gladiator Goddess | The Misis Chronicles | freebieprincess | Totally Temberton | The News Makers | My so-called World | Filipino Virtual Assistant | The Tales of Bubba and Mack

There are 2 types of entries this week. You can follow a blog though it’s RSS link, which you can subscribe via a Reader or Email, or a link directly to their Email Subscription. For a short tutorial click here but be sure to come back to enter through this blog.

On the first mandatory entry, please write name of your blog referred you. You must complete the first 2 tasks before the others are enabled..

Thank you very much and good luck. By joining this giveaway, you agree to the Terms and Conditions on the bottom of the form. Contest is open all-day Wednesday, from November 16th, 12:01am EST to November 16th,11:59pm EST (November 16th, 1:01pm Philippine time to November 17th, 12:59pm Philippine time).

Alternative Electricity at Home

Posted by gmirage1 on Nov 15, 2011 in home comfort zone | 0 comments

We got new fish! Our 12-inch arowana died after being with us for 5 years, our 14-inch pleco died too just last week so the kids are a bit sad. They also called our aquarium, empty-boring tank. So hubby decided to put in guppies. His friend has a nano tank and it’s beginning to overflow with guppies so he gave away a handful (perhaps 20). The kids were not used to having small creatures in the tank since we’ve had big malawis, oscars, kois and the arowana for the past five years – all 3 inches and bigger.

Barely a day at home, one of the fish spawned 9 fingerlings. The kids were curious. Hubby has been keeping the lights on for most of the day and I wish there’s an alternative electricity at home that we can use to lessen our yearly electricity bill (we paid 285€ for excesses and we pay 150€ every two months). We haven’t been using our heater much so imagine if we do. The season is getting chilly now and we have to use it sooner or later.

The following day hubby took us to the pet shop to buy plants and we saw these neon on sale for 1€ each. We got 10 of them and they along with the guppies, look quite happy swimming about in a bigger tank than before. Hubby decorated the tank with plants ad the kids content themselves watching the fish doing rounds.

We Love Ride on Toys

Posted by gmirage1 on Nov 14, 2011 in Toys | 3 comments

Who can resist ride on toys? My kids had a fair share of ride on toys and bicycles over the years and whenever we get the chance to visit the Praterstern, we — hubby and I included ride bump cars with them. There are different types of ride on toys and cars and I’m quite sure we’ve had them all, only I can’t find the photos now.  There’s push ride-ons which my daughter loves having his little brother on while she pushes. There’s the battery-powered ones like in the photo above. This is especially convenient for the little boy who hasn’t learned how to ride a bike yet. There are also pedal toy vehicles which is smaller than a bike and easier to navigate. They usually have 3 wheels so a kid doesn’t need to balance him or herself while on it.

Ride on toys are the best way to go if you have toddlers, even a rocking horse is enjoyable for them. They’ll surely treasure this piece as soon and as long as they’re able to ride on them. We’ve had this red battery-operated ride since 2006 – yes, five years and running. I think we got this as a gift and I’m really thankful since not only had my older son used  it, little boy enjoyed it since he was two. We still have this toy at home but we’re planning on getting him a bike soon so we’ll probably give it off to his 3-year-old cousin. By then, I can say that this ride on toy has come a long way — 5 years and counting!

Bargain Hound’s 10K Fans Giveaway

Posted by gmirage1 on Nov 11, 2011 in Blogging, Giveaway | 6 comments

I’m far from having 10k fans on my facebook page but it’s nice to be part of one who’s celebrating such. I joined Bargain Hound’s 10k fans giveaway and you get the chance to join too! Win 150$ – grand prize and 60$ for liking pages, following blogs via GFC or following twitter users.

Before you go on clicking, please read this Blog Contest Etiquette write up first. ^_^  This giveaway is very easy – all done via rafflecopter. Have fun!

Autumn Shoot

Posted by gmirage1 on Nov 10, 2011 in Photography | 4 comments

I had long planned to do a photoshoot with the kids while the leaves are changing colors. I thought I wouldn’t get that chance because the weather was going between 5°-8°C and it’s impossible to go out without thick jackets. On Wednesday, unexpected and unprepared, the sun warmed us up.

We hurriedly went out to the playground to take some shots. I particularly focused on dawty…she donned this beanie that I made last year and it apparently is too small now…that’s why we’re giving it away. Click here for more details.

She’s always had this smile and look even as a kid…don’t wonder why she doesn’t show her teeth…she doesn’t know Gwyneth yet but that’s the look she’s going with. (lol)

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Whatever Happened to Responsible Education

Posted by gmirage1 on Nov 2, 2011 in Education | 9 comments

This video has been going around for the past 2 years but now I feel like sharing it again. Admittedly or not, what this video reflects is true regarding parents, how they do not (I’m guilty of this too) watch their kids closely or how they don’t get involved in their school affairs, how schools are looked upon as the first institution where kids learn proper behavior and how kids lack the responsibility to do their school and homework.

If you finish the video above you’ll realize what schools experience everyday and how different it was during our time – how kids have changed through the years. (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

Distraction. Computer games, video games, television and other unnecessary devices top the list of what distracts my kids. True there are educational computer games, informative television shows but the use or abuse of these gadgets play a big role in a kid’s concentration and distraction from what needs to be done.

When I was still in school I saw to it that I finish homework, school project and everything else by myself. My mom was working as a government employee and comes home after 6 in the evening. She doesn’t have the time to attend to my assignments and all so I finish everything. No I don’t blame her because then I became independent. So I thought.

I didn’t realize then that it will be a disadvantage for me now that I am a mom. I have difficulties teaching my kids because I expect them to be like me as I was a student – learning by themselves.  It ain’t easy. Having three languages at home (occasionally five) is already difficult and I try my best to help them grasp each.

They say the home is where kids learn basic manners and habits – I definitely need to make changes with mine. It’s only secularly but let me teach them Bible lessons and I’ll do that in a wink….It’s only teaching Math and German I have to overcome…I wonder what should I do to instill in my kids the independence and responsibility I had as a student to learn. Your ideas are welcomed.

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