Nine Gifts for Nine Days

Eight days from now, my daughter will celebrate her ninth birthday. Big parties are not our thing anymore now that we have no friends here to celebrate it with. Besides, her school does not permit birthday celebrations in class so it's not an option. She only wants to have a small get-together with a group of girls she is friends with back at my parents' place once we go visit during summer. But it won't be fun if all we do for her birthday is dining out, right? For her birthday this year, I thought of something that we haven't done yet - give her nine gifts during the nine days leading to her ninth birthday. Yesterday was the first day and she got a handmade card plus a book, My First Book of Saints. She is a bookworm and surely, it made her happier than happy when she opened the book and realized that there are more coming. I already have an assortment of gifts that I bought since last week. Books, accessories, bag, arts & crafts materials, toys -- all things that interest her and some things that she needs. If she's into music, I would have gotten her a PRS guitar but nah, she is not into it. Yet.

I remember the past years when some of my close friends and I come up with something to celebrate and surprise her. There are parties at home and when she got older, a surprise birthday party in class. For her seventh birthday, we threw a grand McDonalds party at school, complete with the works - food, games, mascots and loots. She certainly had a blast! But what she did not was the other party - the one with our close friends and loved ones in a restaurant. She thought we were just having a lunch date and she was certainly surprised upon seeing them all gathered in that place, singing the Happy Birthday song when she entered. There were gifts, good food, singing and fun times with some of her playmates and favorite cousins. It sure was a blessed day and for all those birthday celebrations, I am grateful for the close friends and my parents who helped me pull them all off. Surprising her would be a tough job without their help.

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Today

Outside my window… a hot Monday afternoon.
I am thinking… of doing my to-do list and menu for the week.
I am thankful for…the fab weekend that was.
From the kitchen… bacon plus vegies in coconut cream.
I am wearing… shorts and tank top.
I am creating… blog posts and some things with clay as my new supplies arrived today.
I am going… to pick my girl from school in a while.
I am reading…The Power of a Praying Parent. I have been slacking and been reading this book on and off for like six, long months! 
I am hoping…that the weekend comes soon!
I am hearing… Eat Bulaga on TV.
Around the house… just moi, blogging and watching TV at the same time since the husband is at work and our daughter is in school.
One of my favorite things… my water bottle. It keeps me dehydrated now that the weather is really, really hot!
A few plans for the rest of the week: Work, cook, eat, sleep, shop, scrap, play with clay, scrapbook.
A picture I love: A very nice beach in one of our favorite places.

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Tips on Buying Health Supplements

How to Choose Health Supplements

Since food alone can’t supply all of our body’s the daily dietary requirements, taking nutritional health supplements is a good decision. However, with the number of health supplements in the market, it is wise that we take note of the following tips prior to go on shopping for health supplements. Health supplements are to be ingested and we do not want to compromise our health so it is best that we take these precautionary steps.

Check the company’s background. Most companies these days also have online presence. For example, if you are shopping for  deer antler supplements, a quick search using Google will give you hundreds of websites. Doing this online search and reading can help you learn about the companies’ respective products without even leaving the comforts of your home. Your research should also lead you on who the people are behind the company and how long they have been on the business.

Check the labels. Reputable health supplement companies will want to inform you what their products are made of thus, they correctly label their products.

Choose the best value for your money. The company that delivers their products directly from their source to you, their client, at the the lowest cost possible is a good choice. Make sure that you also check out for deals like a loyalty program or free shipping. Many companies also offer a money-back guarantee in case you are not satisfied with their products so make sure that you are aware of that too.

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