Saving money for things that are important is one of the things people should learn to do. Even if our household has just enough financial resources to suit our present needs, we see to it that we somehow save a little. A few years ago, we were able to get good insurance policies for the children from an international insurance firm with offices here in the Philippines. In a few years time, we wouldn’t be paying anymore because the dividends will earn interests for the policies. This I believe is one way that financial security is “guarded”.

One kind of insurance is life insurance where benefits are good. Just this year, three big fires happened within the community we live. These are very near to us that we were able to feel the heat from our home and I have even blogged about it. I have been thinking about getting a home insurance for the house that we are staying. For my family who is always on the go in our one and only family car, perhaps, a good car insurance should be handy. Just in case.

Yes, we may never know what the future holds in store for us but it is best to be prepared. Just in case.

I have been tagged by Janice of This is a Miracle to do a One Word Meme. The phrases were simple but some of these made me think twice to be able to remember. Memory gap? Maybe. Too many tasks done and needed to be done? I guess. Whatever the reasons are, it still feels nice to be able to do things that I enjoy doing and still find time to blog about these. So now, here goes the answers, which I had some difficulty answering with just one words, :D:

• Where is your cellphone? table
• Relationship? Happily married
• Your hair? long
• Work? teacher
• Your sister? none
• Your favorite thing? Holidays and weekends
• Your dream last night? can’t remember (I slept well because I almost had no sleep the other night, Julian had asthma attack)
• Your favorite drink? Iced tea
• Your dream car? European brand
• The room you’re in? library
• Your shoes? barefoot
• Your fears? changes
• What do you want to be in 10 years? Better
• Who did you hang out with this weekend? Family and co-workers (at the beach!)
• What are you not good at? Math
• Muffin? blueberry
• One of your wish list items? gadgets
• Where you grow up? Zambales province, Philippines
• Last thing you did? close gate for Jeff, my student
• What are you wearing? Brown shirt, white shorts
• what aren’t you wearing? Shoes
• Your pet? Pitbull
• Your computer? Compaq
• Your life? Busy
• Your mood? Still sleepy
• Missing? Sunny days
• What are you thinking about right now? A lot
• Your car? Toyota
• Your kitchen? Cluttered
• Your summer? March, April, May and June: hot and humid
• Your favorite color? blue
• Last time you laughed? A while ago
• Last time you cried? Yesterday, when I thought of my friend Pearl
• School? Fun
• Love? God and my family

I am tagging these wonderful people to do this meme: Apples (who I saw at the SMHypermarket Taste Asia party), Arlene (a new blog friend), SheilaMarie (who is blogging again), Niceheart (may you find time to do this simple meme)and Nikoy (who hasn’t been updating her blog). Pardon me for tagging you if you have done this already.

Since this is a One Word Meme, can you describe this photo in one word?

With the new technology improving day after day, daily tasks that used to require a lot of time,energy and effort are now considered easy. For me, one of the most improved and advanced technological leaps is in the area of photography. Gone are the days of using films and waiting for days to get the photos developed. Now, we can take as many photos as we want to with digital photography. I use a point and shoot camera and I can say that I am able to capture photos the way I like them to be. I love taking photos of my family, of the scene around us, even the minute details of objects around me. But as I take more photos, I feel I can do even better. I plan to upgrade soon to a more advanced stage of photography. In doing so, I need to get new gadgets, a new camera that will suit my need. Maybe a Nikon D300 will get the job done. But until I get my hands on that gadget, I will just make do with what I have. I am sharing a photo of coming rains with the sun struggling to shine that I recently captured using my Canon A530 point and shoot camera:

Shutter speed: 1/1002 sec

Lens Aperture: F/5.6

How to have a wonderful, fun and memorable birthday party. Ever.

Start with the table setting. Make the table look and feel festive:

Do not limit the festive look on eye level. Make the whole room burst with colors and life:

Delight your guests with an unlimited supply of ice cream:

Make the children join the games. It is not just about the prize. It is about the ability to listen and follow instructions, the chance to move the gross as well as fine motor muscles and the chance to outwit the other team or participants. By the way, that’s Tania, the little girl 2nd from the left and Julian in yellow polo.

Have a different type of cake for everyone to partake. Remember how birthday cakes are not eaten because there was no time to slice it for the guests? Prepare the cakes for individual consumption, that way, you can have a cake and guests are able to eat it too!

Prepare kid-friendly food. For guests it is best not to put too much food on your children’s plate since they are too excited to eat anyway.

Dessert? An unlimited supply of chocolate fondue will not just make those with sweet tooth happy but everybody there in the party. Yummy!

After eating, captive everybody’s attention and curiosity with a magic show.

Have everyone line up to be able to go inside a giant bubble after the bubble show:

Burst the giant mother balloon where everyone will scramble to get baby balloons. Why is this important? Because this is a test on being fast on your feet and outwitting others in grabbing a balloon which means one can get another prize.

Still more prizes to give? Pull the string to open the pinata:

Have an artist stand-by to make colorful pieces of paintings on the children’s faces or arms.

Last but not the least, give details about the birthday celebrator. Yes, we may not know this child intimately but since we shared in his first birthday party, we, the guests must as well know how he has progressed from being a newborn to being a toddler. First birthdays are not celebrations to show the latest party trends, it is after all a celebration of the different milestones the child has gone through in a year.

Happy birthday dear Kyle! You may not know it yet but you have brought so much joy to your parents as to your grandparents. May you be as wonderful as your parents when you grow up. After all, I wouldn’t have introduced them to each other a few years ago.

This is not a sponsored post but I want to congratulate Kim, Kyle’s mom and my friend, for a very successful party. You are on your way to be a very good party organizer. My hats off to you! To those interested to get her services, I can give you her contact number