Win $300 worth of Brand New COACH Satchel Bag

Husband and I will be celebrating the 4th year of our mushroom days (the day I said I love u too kabute) on July 28. Umma my dearest friend from cali and her husband D will be celebrating their 6th wedding anniversary on that same day too! And because she wants to share her blessings and to celebrate their blissful union she will be giving away a brand new coach satchel bag worth $300 on her first ever giveaway in the blogniverse.

Of course, I would like to bring home that COACH bag BUT really, all I want to do now is to support this very generous friend of mine. I am inviting all of you to join and if this contest becomes successful, we shall look forward to her monthly giveaway! Who knows what else Umma will have in mind on the next months!!

Main Sponsors:

College Grants for Women : Fun Family Vacations : Pontoon Boat Cover : Baby Shower Theme Idea

Level 1 Sponsors:

Beauty Tips and Tricks : Get Smart Blog : Practical Beauty Tips : Spices of Life : Review My Opinions : New Haircuts and Hairstyles : Fabulously Frugal : Weight Loss the Healthy Way

If you learn about the contest from here and decided to join please tell Umma you are being referred by me, NIKO. =) Thanks a lot!

Did I marry my dream man?

Back when I was so into my ex. I would always ask for a sign if he was the one for me – and for all those signs the answer would be “IT’S NOT HIM”.

And the signs are TRUE. He wasn’t really the one for me! Gladly, I found the man that I always see in my dreams…

God-fearing, good-looking, musically inclined, sporty, lovable and sweet! That’s none other than my husband! Wink

Home Mortgages Given a Restart

To take out a home mortgage was a commonplace enough event up until the financial crisis of 2007-2008. This was something that many people assumed they could easily do as soon as they had found the property of their dreams. In the past, taking out a mortgage was just a question of selecting a lender, deciding on whether to opt for a fixed-rate or adjustable-rate loan, gaining approval for the size of the loan in question, and signing on the dotted line. The ease with which such home loans could be obtained was taken for granted.

However, after the now notorious bubble (which peaked with unprecedentedly high property prices in 2005-2006) burst, holders of mortgages woke up in their hundreds of thousands to the realization that the sum they owed exceeded the re-sale value of their home. By the end of 2008, it is believed that the numbers in this negative-equity predicament in the US had climbed to over twelve million. The upshot was a sudden retreat from the fray by lenders. No longer would it be quite as easy to apply for borrowing to purchase a home. Sadly for those hoping for their first property, lean times lay ahead. Many commentators on the crisis in mortgage lending blamed speculative borrowing. Home purchasers took on mortgages at low initial repayments, fully intending to refinance when their home's value had climbed by a suitable percentage. When home values instead declined, purchasers were left with borrowing that they could not afford.

In the years since those worst days of the crisis, the good news is that lenders are offering mortgages again, cautiously and sensibly requiring of the borrower full documentation and a deposit in virtually all cases. The louder note of caution being sounded by lenders, not just in the US, but in most nations, means that a return to a healthy home-buying industry is well underway.

CC: First Impressions

I live with my in laws for 14 months. Husband and I live with them days before I gave birth to yena and then left the house before yena turned 14 months old.

Since I don’t know how to cook, I looked like I was a border at my MIL’s house. On weekdays, husband and I had to go to work, we would bring yena to my mother and the three of us would go home at night time. So I had the weekends to spend with the in laws, and it was fine. Weekends for us means eating binge on Saturdays, videoke session in the afternoon, Sunday mornings in the church and chatting the time away. Repeat the whole week in sequence, lol.

So their first impressions? I don’t know. I was myself when I was with them. As for me, I love my MIL and FIL, coz they treat me like their own daughter from the first day hub brought me to their home.

Simplify Your Life and the Earth

In times past, being environmentally aware was not really on the front burner for most Americans. In the 1980's recycling began picking up some steam particularly among elementary school children as it began to be taught in schools with aluminum can drives and other such activities. Today, many cities within the United States make recycling a priority and it's very easy. Some towns have made recycling mandatory. There are many things that a person can do daily to make their lives more green and most are surprised at how making the few changes they can tends to improve the quality of their lives.

The first thing most people can do is to just check their outlets for any extra appliances that may be draining power but aren't needed for constant use. Make your computer sleep or shut it down completely, as it saves a lot of energy. Appliances like coffee makers and video game consoles that have time displays or lights tend to drain even more. Consider what you need on constantly, and what can be unplugged and you will likely see a direct difference on your next power bill. Changing your light bulbs and appliances costs cash upfront, but they pay for themselves over a little bit of time, so that may be your next step.

Paper makes a lot of waste and costs a lot of trees. Changing your bill paying habits can help a lot by using a bank's online bill pay features or you can see if the companies you patronize can send your bills to you electronically via email. Find out who to call to get your junk mail discontinued. You can also read the news and use coupon codes online to eliminate the need for newspaper delivery. Whether it's saving money or streamlining and maximizing efficiency, going green is a great idea and starting has never been easier!

Happy Father's Day Daddy!

Dearest Daddy,

Thank you for playing with us even if you're so tired from work. Thank you for cooking our favorite food. Thank you for reading my books with me. Thank you for blogging with me. Thank you for keeping up with my addiction in blogging. Thank you for always being with us. Thank you for being our strength and our weakness (you are our weakness daddy! we can't say NO to you ^_^)

Thank you for everything. Thank you for being you. Thank you for loving us still (all the more) in spite of our topakS. We always thank the Lord coz we have you...

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY DADDY!

We love you LOTS!! Hope you find our gifts in your closet =)

See you this afternoon...

Mwah mwah,
Mommy and Yena

Internet Shopping Simplifies Commerce

It is now a commerce based society which means everyone shops. Goods and services are the foundation to society and they are being bought and sold everyday. Whether it is an enjoyable aspect of one's life is completely up to an individual's preference. Some people love to shop and feel like getting something amazing at a fraction of what they perceive it to be worth is an immense rush; sometimes going as far as to become an addictive habit. Others loathe the idea of shopping in a mall whether they associate the experience with being dragged along by a loved one and forced to wait endlessly near merchandise that they have no interest in, or they just hate the feeling of wandering aimlessly through a huge mall trying to find that one small thing they need.

The Internet has simplified shopping for everyone. If you are the avid, practically professional shopper, you can spend hours on end looking at literally any item that interests you, regardless of your geographical location. You can experience the feeling of endless shopping with endless selection all while wearing your fuzzy bathrobe and sipping a cup of tea.

For the shopping curmudgeon, internet commerce has made shopping quick and painless. Price comparisons are a click away as are instant savings like coupon codes and internet specials like the ones found on DailyDeals.com. Multiple options are splayed out in micro seconds so you can find a new item you may need or just grab your standard favorite at its current best selling price. Many shopping websites even offer free shipping deals, especially when a certain amount is spent. You can browse, compare, and order, in mere moments while being able to try your merchandise in the comfort of your home. You can tailor the Web to work with your preferences.

CC: Plans on Father’s Day

Husband will be on Camarines Sur this weekend with his officemates, so on father’s day he will not be with us. Sigh. But yena and I will not be lonely on father’s day weekend. Of course I have plans hihih, will celebrate father’s day without daddy for the first time BUT I am sure this will be a happy day still. Husband shall be home by night of Sunday. Wink.

So yena and I will be shopping around for father’s day gifts on Saturday (see what blogging money can do. i have extra moolah for the men that matters, hihih). On Sunday, we shall be spending the day with lotsa blogging friends. We will have lunch at Pehpot’s house for Jade’s baby shower. Will also drop by at the birthday party of Macoi, Ms beng’s youngest child, with my officemates. And then lastly, we will have a swimming party with the blogging babies at Fedhz' condo! =)

That’s one tiring weekend! Whew. But it also spells F-U-N!

See other father’s day plans by clicking the badge below! Join in the fun..

How to get Free Credit Score Online

If you are looking for a way to check your credit score, there are some easy ways you can do it risk free and without cost. You can find free credit scores providers by using your favorite search engine, but why go to all the trouble of finding a trust worthy free website when you can check your score at any site by law? Once a year, you are legally entitled to a free credit score check.

The easiest and safest way to get your annual free credit score is to do it online through Equifax, Experian or TransUnion. You can also send a request by phone or regular mail, which can take up to 15 days to process, or through email. Email allows you to view your free credit score much sooner than the other two methods, but may require more authorization.

To request an online free credit score, you will have to provide your private information. You will need your social security number, full name and address even when applying through email. If you choose to apply to one of the many free credit score websites, double check to make sure that they are a trusted source. Always be cautious with your private information online.

How is a credit score determined? Credit scores are based on payment history, length of credit history, amounts owned and types of credit. Even if you think you have bad credit, getting a free credit score can help you know for sure what you need to do to get your credit back into good standing.

Some credit card companies and large banks now offer a type of debit/credit card that shows up as good credit on your credit record, but acts as a charge card. These pre-paid cards can help to quickly improve your credit score without the chance of falling deeper into debt.

Blogging begets Blogging

I cannot imagine that my husband, who usually hates writing me letters or cards, who I kicked out from this blog because of laziness and who often tease me for creating lotsa blogs is now really teaming up with my blogging addiction!

Can you believe that he has four domain blogs now?? I cannot believe it either!!!

If you have extra time please drop by on his blogs and follow.. =))

Husband of a Blogger
Yobib Tales
Sporty Biboy
Healthy Biboy

Embrace your Imperfect Husband NOW!

What keeps me up every monday is Bo Sanchez articles (am so glad I subscribed through my mail) I love how he writes and gives inspirations to a lot of people. I am a big fan.

Anyways, last week’s article made me go home at sharp 5pm to hug, kiss and spend the time with my daughter. If only I can be a WAHM I would -in a swift. But I cannot afford to lose my job. Cannot. I will be a WAHM soon when I win the lottery, hahah. But I don’t even bet so that’s as good as dreaming.

Well, today’s article is about living your NOW, and part of it is about a woman who just lost her husband 3 months ago, she told this to Bo;

“My husband wasn’t perfect. But I’ll give anything to hold his hand again. I’ll give anything to sit beside him now. I’ll give anything to hear him laugh. I’ll give anything to serve him again. But I can’t. It’s impossible. So please Bo. Tell the wives to enjoy their imperfect husbands while they can. Because it won’t be forever.”

Read the article here.

Now, i want to teleport to where my husband is and hold his hands, kiss and embrace the ‘imperfect’ him and hear his endless teasing again. Oh, I can’t wait tonight!

CC: Husband as a Son

Husband grew up in a household where the saying –action speaks louder than words exists. But the bonding within the family members is incomparable. They talk about everything and anything under the sun. Quiet closed. The word love is apparent from the parents down to the grandchildren.

I don’t know if I should share this but husband has been suffering depression since his papa, my FIL died last year. He is blaming himself for everything – when papa got his first stroke and the day papa died. Since they don’t kiss and say I love you in the household – husband’s first and last utter of I love you to papa and his last embrace was the day he died. I am guilty with this but I also grew up not used to saying I love you to my parents – BUT I often embrace, kiss and hug them when I get the chance. So imagine how much husband was feeling the day his beloved papa died.

In spite of it all, I see husband as a son who is willing to do everything and anything for his parents. He loves them to bits and sees to it that they live comfortably. Now that mama is alone, it’s husband silent rule to spend weekends in his parent’s house to at least bring smile to mama’s face by spending time with her.

This shall be my share on Couple’s Corner! Click the badge below to see other heartwarming stories. Happy CC everyone!

Just got Pimped!

You aren't lost! This is still the Lover's Mushroom blog, yey! How do you find it? Isn't the pretty header and layout so nice? I love it!
Special thanks to Umma, my friend behind the layout of my two other blogspot blogs - niko's blog and yena's world. Now the three looks like triplets!