My Weekend Journal

After a very busy working day, we always look forward to getting some rest at home, climb into our bed each night, and let our tired and aching body relax. However, this could be quite hard if what we smell on our bed is body odor. We do not want that kind of smell especially when we are relaxing in our room surrounded with comfortable rustic bedroom furniture. There are simple and practical ways to keep the bed smelling fresh and clean. Occasionally changing the bed sheets usually helps in keeping that fresh scent and feel. If we do not wash the sheets regularly, they would eventually begin to smell like body odor. They would also begin to smell if we sweat a lot while we sleep. Hanging the bed sheets outside after each use is also a good way to remove the smell. They will be aired out and have that nice outdoor smell when we bring them back to our room. Aside from keeping the bed sheets clean, we should also try not to lie in bed when we are sweaty or dirty. It is best if we t...

Laminate hardwood flooring has captured the interest of homeowners for some valuable and essential reasons. Among the most influential factors to consider in choosing such type of flooring are durability, appearance, ease of maintenance, and cost. Manufacturers use melamine resins and aluminum oxide in processing laminate hardwood floors. These materials are bonded together with the use of extreme pressure and high heat and a much harder and durable finished surface is produced in the process. These floor surfaces are highly resistant to staining, fading and moisture. New innovations on a variety of wood types and colors create a flooring that look exactly the same or even more attractive than an authentic hardwood flooring. Its beauty is at par or even superior than real hardwood. You have two choices for installing laminate hardwood flooring - hire someone to do it or do it on your own. If you value time, the best option is to hire a flooring installation professional to do the w...

After the house construction, we are now facing the need for the basic house furnishings. I'm more into modern furniture with a touch of classic design because aside from the great design and architecture they are manufactured and tested according to our present needs and tastes. Our living space is still bare. Aside from the TV stand and the baby crib, there's nothing there, really. I have always dreamed of having that perfect leather sofa for our living room. Leather sofas not only provide comfort for the living room but add a touch of elegance as well. They would be perfect especially when we have visitors.

It's Saturday once again, and the best thing to do first before enjoying the comforts of my bedroom is to clean all the clutters that has piled up during the weekdays especially our bedroom dressers. With two, busy kids who go to school, our bedrooms can easily be disorganized. They always end up looking like an unruly mess, particularly our dressers. Whew, you could just imagine what a sight it makes! It is as if a hurricane just passed our room leaving no mercy to those who came her way. Since I started working, I have not found any moment to do some general organization of all the stuff on our dressers but I always see to it that I return all the things to their places after using them and routinely sort them to see if there is anything I can discard. It is really very important for me that our things are organized. Besides looking neat and clean, it would be a great time-saver when I am looking for something. Well, I do admit, I could blast like an active volcano when I look ...

Electric fans accumulate dust and dirt quickly. This would greatly affect the efficiency of the fans. It is very important that we keep fans clean at all times. To clean your electric fan: Use warm soapy water to clean the blade cover, blade and front and rear outer cover. Make sure to remove the accumulated dirt in the fan motor itself. Use a paintbrush to clean it. Wipe everything ensuring they are all dry before returning the parts.

Carpet replacement should only be considered if, after a thorough cleaning by a professional carpet cleaner, you can still find mold or signs of mold, there are worn fibers, and the spots or stains cannot be removed or eliminated. If the carpet shows too much indication of devaluation due to frequent use, it is generally desirable to replace it with a new one with high quality, which could probably provide a longer life span despite excessive use. The condition and quality of the carpet can create a great impression of the whole room. A carpet is designed to be an appealing accessory to the furnishings of a room and should blend well with the decorations and background of the room to create an awesomely good ambiance. Regular professional carpet cleaning is necessary to ensure that the carpet will have a long and useful life and additional care and maintenance on our part is needed as well to preserve its appearance longer. This will save us from making the expensive move on complet...

Home improvement or home renovation refers to the process of making additions that modifies the structure of an existing home. Although it is often confused with beautification, its concern is not only adding beauty to one's home - it also takes care of the comfort, maintenance and repair, additional space, saving energy, and safety and preparedness as well. Home renovation provides our home a complete makeover. However, carrying out any home improvement work could be tough, awful and stressful. There are a number of factors involved in this project and we have to exert sufficient attention on each of them to achieve our plan with great satisfaction. It could be quite confusing for most people who have less experience on the task but there is always help at hand for this matter. You could hire a home improvement contractor who is able to accomplish the tasks you want done and helps you plan your home improvement needs to suit your available time and money. Michael's Handym...

We had so many paint cans at the back of our house. I kept them for future use. Actually, I was planning to use them to plant some vegetables and flowering plants. Our little garden does not have enough space for additional plants. With plants on the cans, I could just easily hang them to save some space. This would also be a great decoration for our living room especially the flowering ones. We only have a small living room. With three active kids, especially our little toddler, we need every little space we have for the kids' activities like play, play and play! Well, my kids are just too busy everyday. Hubby and I planned on purchasing a Contemporary Furniture for the living room. A living room sofa is one of our priorities. We realized we have to get one because whenever our relatives and friends come to visit, we use our dining seats for them. It would be more comfortable if we have them seated on a very nice and soft sofa sets. I have one particular sofa design in my mi...

Dirt and grime build up quickly inside the washing machine. It may result in a foul smell, which can easily transfer to your clothes. Cleaning washing machines on a regular basis will definitely keep it fresh. Here are some simple ways to clean your washing machine: Wash the tub with clean water after every use. This removes the dirt inside the washing machine. Remove solid residue found inside the machine. Then with a cleaning cloth, wipe the interior surface. Wipe the exterior surface of the washing machine with cleaning cloth and all-purpose cleaner or dish soap. Clean the outside vent once a year and make sure it opens when the dryer is on and closes properly when the dryer is off.

We store our foods in the refrigerator, so it is very important to keep it clean and germ-free. Improperly stored foods, leaks and spills are possible nesting grounds for bacteria. To prevent our family from getting food-borne diseases, we have to make sure that our refrigerator is debris-free for it to run smoothly. Here are some simple steps to clean our refrigerator: Wash the shelves with mild detergent and warm water. Use disinfectant to kill bacteria. Wipe the gaskets whenever there is debris or clean it at least once every three to four months to keep the cold air flowing continuously. Clean the refrigerator’s exterior face with hot water and dish soap when it shows any off coloring. Clean the coils in your refrigerator by using a handheld vacuum to remove any loose particles. You may vacuum every 6 to 12 months. If you don't have a vacuum cleaner, wipe the coils with a dry cloth every 3 months.

Like most mothers, our home is my haven. I take great measures in taking care of our home. I don't care if my hands get dirty as long as my home is neat and clean! However, with three kids around the house (which includes a frisky toddler), keeping it neat is close to impossible. There is one aspect to cleaning the house that I usually overlook. That is, having a regular maintenance check up for our appliances. Most high-quality appliances are designed to last for a long period of time. However, if we don’t give them the proper care, we might shorten the time that we have them in good working condition. Preventive maintenance on our appliances keeps them working at their best. It also helps them to last for as long as possible. Regular maintenance saves us from possible list of repairs that may prove to be expensive later on.

Most of the time, we just throw our leftover foods or feed them to a neighbor's dog, but this time I made some cooking experiment. There's a plate of leftover pancit canton on the table and it's such a waste if we just throw it away. I was thinking about turning it to a different dish. Hmmm, how about Tortang Pancit Canton? Have you tried it? I prepared two beaten eggs to serve as binder, no flour, no condiments, just plain eggs. Cooking was as easy as basic frying. When the oil was hot, I put a spoonful of pancit canton in the skillet, poured beaten eggs just enough to cover its size, and cook it until it's golden brown. That's it! The Verdict: The kids liked it, and I like it too! It's crunchy outside and soft inside. However, the dish did not pass hubby's taste. He did not even like how it looks! :(

[After] Finally, I found some time to clean up my little garden. With the help from my daughter, we managed to make it look better. Trimming the plant was the most challenging part. All I have was a little pair of scissors to use for trimming. [Before] A little cut here, a little cut there and, after which seems a lifetime of endless cutting, the work was done. It was really fun though we could squeeze out sweat juices from our shirts after! At first, I was afraid I would mess everything and turn the plant bald but we won't learn if we won't try, so we did; and we're proud of it. :-)

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of NMEDA . All opinions are 100% mine. It was a hot but windy afternoon in Alcoy, a perfect time for a siesta. I lazily laid my back on the bamboo lounge chair and browsed an old photo album. I just flipped the pages because the faces were unfamiliar. I continued doing so when a page caught my attention, and I was stuck on the page. It was a photo of my ever so thoughtful grandmother-in-law together with her grandchildren, which includes hubby. She's with the creator now but she's still fondly remembered. When I was pregnant, she's the one who constantly reminds me of the foods I should not eat and gives advice on the things that would help me through my heavy months. When I had my two kids, she's the one who would always ask if the kids had eaten their meals. As she got older, her body gradually became weak until she could not walk and stayed on a wheelchair. The cane that served as her third foot stood still on her...

"Times are tough." We commonly hear this line from housewives who are responsible in taking care of the household budget and that do not exclude me. With the increasing prices of common commodities and the monthly bills, I do find it hard to adjust the family needs according to our budget. With my great desire to augment our income, I browsed the internet for sidelines or part-time job. There were so many opportunities available but choosing the right one was not as easy as it seems. I was lucky enough to find one that perfectly fits my skills, interests and time. While I was doing my online job hunting, I found an excellent opportunity for mothers and students. I feel much obliged to share this income opportunity as I know and feel the need for one. This opportunity allows us to sell textbooks . What really got me interested with this opportunity is that we could sell our own used textbooks through legitimate online bookstores. I've seen people sell used textbooks at...

It is common knowledge that many were affected by this tough economy. Even " Dubai World sent shockwaves across financial markets last year when it said it would not be able to repay its debts on time and asked for a six-month freeze on debt payments. " Like most people, I do admit I have my own share of list of payables. Most of us do, from bills to debts. When someone asks for some assistance from you, what would be the right thing for you to do? You could either extend your help or politely say "no". What if you were the one requesting for it but the other person said "no" to you and, behind your back, talks about some personal issues about you? How would you react? I could never ever forget the day when I had my first official "demerit" because I was being "unprofessional". I was talking with a friend then and shared my sentiments over hubby's evaluation. If what I did that time were "unprofessional", how would we ...

Since my baby was admitted to the hospital, it became my second home. From work, I go straight to the hospital and vice versa. The hospital room was a bit boring. There were no decorations like Acrylic and Oil Paintings by Lena Karpinsky . There was not even a wall clock hanging on the walls. How I wish I could hang the painting on my own room. It would certainly give life to our bare walls.

While our house was still under construction, hubby always visits the place. He constantly checks the house taking notes of the finishing needed from the ceilings down to the floor. We were considering then some tiles for the floor, for the kitchen and for the comfort room. We do not need Basement waterproofing because our house is quite small and obviously, we do not have a basement (lol!). When I was still young, I always dream living in a mansion with a wide basement for my car collection. Now that I'm not so quite young, I realized that my dream was too big for me so I will just settle for a cute house like this. After hubby and I agreed on things and materials needed for the house finishing, we made a list so we could check what we already have and what we still need to buy. In these tough times, it is very essential to spend less. So, with the list of materials on hand, we went to different establishments and canvassed the prices. We looked for materials on sale and comp...

Hubby and I have so many home improvement plans for our house. The house facade is so simple and bare. The gutter downspout in front of the house was built-in. If it were outside the walls like the ones at the back, I would love to have a rain chain on its place. Rain chains add a touch of fashion and beauty to a simple angle while perfectly serving its purpose. A plain gutter downspout would not be so eye-catching compared to the chains rain follow before going to the ground. It is always hubby's dream to have a small fishpond just below the window and mine is to have a little garden that divides our space from the area next door. I already had my little garden since it does not hurt our pockets while hubby's fishpond is still waiting for the greens.

Congratulations to all the graduates! You are now a step closer to your dreams! My most memorable graduation day was my high school graduation. It was both the happiest and the most painful celebration I ever had. It was the happiest because finally, after four years in high school, I will soon be in college and I would be closer to my dreams! It was the most painful because I know I won't see some of my precious friends after graduation. Most of my friends will go to other universities for college and I will be left on my dear alma matter. However, some would stay in the same university but it is still sad because we would not be complete anymore. Everyone who had been in high school would surely know how high school friends bond together and understand the feelings of leaving each other behind. My friends took engineering, accountancy, education, occupational therapy and, most of them, nursing courses. My passion for nursing is not as high as them. It is not because I don...