My family and I are wishing you all a Merry Christmas!

For my Jewish friends, Happy Hanukkah!

I finished week one of my Cheerios Cholesterol-Lowering (hopefully) diet. I made a mistake of asking dh to get this from the cereal aisle while I went to some other part of the warehouse club. He chose the regular Cheerios and this does not have any taste to it. He said that this is the one that says it can lower cholesterol on the box while the Honey Nut Cheerios box doesn't say anything on it. I believed him until I saw the commercial on TV. They had the Honey Nut Cheerios there! Oh well, I'll have to finish these two bags of cardboard Cheerios. :o)

I found that it becomes palatable if I add a teaspoon of sugar plus a dash of cinnamon to it. Some other days, I add a teaspoon of Nesquick to it, yummy. So it looks like I'm on the right path. :o)

We all know there is no magic pill to lose all that extra weight. People keep on looking for the best diet pill out there and spend a lot of money for it. I, for one, am wary of using diet pills since these are not regulated by the FDA. What I need is the motivation or extra push to get up and work out.

I used to be an avid Jazzerciser when I was still single. I had it all worked out in my schedule: go to work, go home and change, go to my Jazzercise class. I did it daily without fail. I was able to do this because I only have myself to take care of, no hubby and no kids. I really have to start with a new exercise plan. Since we already have a Wii console, I want to get a Wii Fit. I came across some blogs where they mentioned that it helped them lose weight.

I also started on my Cheerios breakfast routine. Mind you, it's not the yummy 'Honey Nut Cheerios' that kids love. This is the blah, tastes like cardboard, regular 'Cheerios' breakfast cereal. (Not that I've eaten cardboard. LOL) Dh suggested that I should sprinkle some Cinnamon powder and add a little bit of sugar to it and that made it more palatable. I hope this will help bring my bad Cholesterol level down. This is what I've inherited from my parents. :o(

So that is my New Year's Resolution. This is the first time that I put any resolution in writing. So wish me luck! :o)

Here are some of my kitchen gadgets. I highly recommend each one:

Zojirushi NS-ZCC18 10-Cup Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker
- this is by far the BEST rice cooker I've ever owned. It gives you perfectly cooked rice, in my opinion. I know some of you might think that steamed rice is all the same but believe me, I am a convert.
This rice cooker also has settings for Sushi rice, porridge, brown rice and mixed rice (rice with added ingredients such as vegetables and meat). The only disadvantage is it takes a lot longer for rice to cook, about 50 minutes. There is a 'quick rice' setting which takes 10 mins less to cook but you can tell the difference (at least I could).
There is a timer feature which lets you schedule cooking so the rice is ready when you get home or whenever (very convenient).



Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer
I've had mine for 7 years now and it hasn't failed me. I use it almost every week and it is a work horse! If you are a casual baker like me, I recommend the 4 qt. or the 5 qt. model. You don't need the bigger, heavy duty model unless you are a serious baker and have a small business. I like this style and it looks better in a home kitchen in my opinion (it takes up less counter space too). I also purchased an extra bowl which comes in handy when I make "Death by Chocolate" or Chiffon cake. yummy! When I bought this years ago, they only offer three colors, now they have many colors available, even orange.

Kitchen Aid 700-watt 12-cup Food Processor

This is a time saver. This is very useful to me whenever I make Filipino Egg Roll (Lumpia), carrot cake, squash stuffing, zuccini bread, etc. This model also comes with a smaller bowl and different slicers. This can also be used as a dough mixer. It cones in different colors and yes, pastel pink!


Food Saver
I buy meats in bulk and I divvy it up and use this food saver. I save by doing this and the meat keeps longer in the freezer without having freezer burns. I also buy whole chicken and cut it up and vacuum pack it too. I've had mine for 7 years and it still works. I've tried different brands of vacuum bags and I prefer the Food Saver brand.

My family have a tradition of going to the Christmas tree farm and picking up a fresh tree. Luckily, the farm is only a 5 minute drive from our house. We got our tree yesterday and it was a perfect day for it. There was light snow and it was freezing!

A fresh tree, when taken cared of properly should last at least 5 weeks. There are types of trees that will last longer. Here are some tips on making your fresh Christmas tree last a long time.

- If you purchased your tree from a Christmas tree lot, there is a big chance that it was cut more than a couple of days or even weeks ago. Before bringing it inside the house to decorate, make a fresh cut on the trunk. This will make your tree absorb the water it needs to keep fresh.
- Shake the tree vigorously to loosen dead needles and get insects out.
- Use a tree stand that can hold water. Always check the water level and do not let it dry out. If the water dries out, resin will form on the cut end. This will prevent the tree from absorbing the water and it will dry out.

According to my friend who is a realtor, now is the perfect time to buy a property. One of the fastest growing city in the country is Atlanta, Georgia. It is a good place for businesses and a great place to start a career and even a family. If you've been to Atlanta, you know that downtown is a bustling place that is full of high rise buildings. Atlanta luxury real estate is very competitive. If you are looking for some Atlanta high rise condominium, you should consider looking at Sovereign Buckhead. It is unlike any other Atlanta luxury real estate. First of all, all residences have penthouse-like views. The interior design is modern and contemporary. Care is taken in choosing each and every part of the condo, from the kitchen cabinets down to the lavatory faucets. Buckhead condos range from 2,000 sq. ft. to 10,000 sq. ft. There are different floor plans to choose from and you can choose from different terrace configurations. If you are interested in a penthouse, the two top stories have about 19,000 sq. ft. that will be divided into two homes.
This Atlanta hi-rise will also offer it's residents luxury services that can only be found in distinctive residences. Among the conveniences that is offered in this Atlanta condo is valet parking, private skyline pool and spa, outdoor terrace with a fireplace, private gym, banquet rooms and even a private climate controlled wine room. All these can be enjoyed when you opt to buy these Buckhead condos. For more information, go to www.sovereignbuckhead.com

A popular vacuum configuration these days is the bagless vacuum. I love it since I save money by not using these vacuum bags. All the dirt goes into a canister and you empty it out as needed. One item that some may overlook is the filter. In my vacuum, there are two filters. One is a Hepa-filter located beside the canister and the other is a located on the side. I make it a point to clean this out everytime I empty the canister. If you find that the suction is not that good, you might want to check out your vacuum filters and replace it if needed.

Lowering your car insurance to save money is one that most people tend to overlook. People do not want to spend the time on the phone talking to insurance agents and getting quotes. It does take a lot of effort and time to do this. Imagine calling each and every one of auto insurance companies and talking to different insurance agents. You have to give your personal information and car details and you have to do this every single time just to find cheap auto insurance. It is a hassle!
Do you know how easy it is to get cheap auto insurance quotes online? With a few clicks of the mouse, you have access to many auto insurance companies that are serving your state. Autoinsurance-4u.com has made it easy for people to get cheap insurance. You enter your zipcode and you will see the list of insurance companies to chose from. From this page, you will see bullet points about each auto insurance agency. Just click on the auto insurance company you are interested in and you will be taken to the corresponding website. You can get auto insurance quotes online during your coffee or lunch break.
If you are not familiar with the terms used in your car insurance coverage like collision insurance, comprehensive, waiver of deductible or just want a better understanding, you can go to the Insurance Information Institute website at iii.org. There are a lot of helpful information here that will help you choose the right auto insurance coverage.
Why not do the first step to help you save money in this hard economy? Get cheap auto insurance quotes at autoinsurance-4u.com

If you are like me and thousands of homeowners out there, you probably have a couple of Christmas lights and ornaments on your lawn. Aside from choosing the appropriate ornament (indoors or outdoors), you also need to use an extension cord that is rated for use outdoors. Cords like these are made to withstand extreme temperatures, rain and snow. Using an indoor extension cord outside of your home will run you the risk of electrical problems and even fire. You can usually find the information of whether it is an outdoor or indoor plug in the tag that is attached to the cord. You should also purchase Christmas decors, lighting and extension cords that are rated by UL (United Laboratories). This means that the product passed a stringent test and is rated safe to use.

Christmas is the only holiday where I 'deck the halls with boughs of holly', so to speak. Other holidays, my house is 'blah'. I grew up in a predominantly Christian country so we celebrate this season in a big way. Over the years, I've accumulated decorations and I get one or two new ones in the After Christmas Sales. We lost a box of decorations when we moved from CA to the East coast. I'm sure someone has a Filipino Parol (Christmas star) made of Capiz shells hanging outside their house somewhere plus Christmas stocking holders that spell J-O-Y on their mantlepiece. :o( It takes me a day or so setting up all the decors. This year, the tree will be in a new spot in our living room since we installed a wood stove in the fireplace. Dh probably wouldn't let me hang the Christmas stockings on the mantle. Sad. Anyway, the wood stove is saving us $$ in heating oil so I don't mind. After all the hoopla of this holiday season I definitely need to look at some Vegas vacations and relax.

One disadvantage of purchasing house plants is getting an extra visitor to your home. I purchase a couple of house plants months ago and unbeknownst to me, one has fungus gnats. I turned to my trusty friend Google and looked for ways to combat this disease.
-First, you need to regulate watering. Fungus gnats thrive in moist and damp conditions.
-I read that plants need to dry out a little before you water it again.
-Make sure that there is ample drainage. I have to look at the bottom of the ceramic pot if there even holes on it.
-Remove old leaves, stems or other decomposing matter on the soil, gnats thrive on these.
-Place a small bowl of cider vinegar near the plant. Gnats are attracted to the smell and hopefully will take a dive in this liquid.
-The last resort would be to buy a pesticide for use against gnats. Be sure that this will not kill off your plant!

That blow up Santa Claus or snow globe sure looks pretty neat on the front lawn but it's a waste of energy (translation:$$). Stores now have energy saving Christmas decorations on their shelves like string lights that use LEDs. LEDs use up only a fraction of energy compared to regular light bulbs. And here's the kicker, if one bulb burns out (which is highly unlikely since LEDs are known to last a loooong time) the rest of the lights stay lit. So if you're shopping for Christmas lights, choose one that has led light bulbs.

I received my second I Heart Your Blog award. Thanks to Crystal of Smoothie Land. :o)

Dirt and grime can get into your jewelry just from everyday use. Also, lotions, soaps, and hair products get into every nook and cranny that before you know it, your earrings, diamond rings or bracelet has lost its' spark. Always use a mild detergent like Ivory soap to clean your jewelry if you don't have any jewelry cleaning solution. Use a soft brush and gently scrub the jewelry from all angles. Rinse well with water. It is a good idea not to do this in a sink unless you have a mesh strainer installed. It's better to use a small basin or bowl to prevent your jewelry from going down the drain.

CFLs or Compact Fluorescent Bulbs are energy efficient and saves us money in electric bills just as I mentioned in my other post. It gets complicated though when it is time to dispose of it. You cannot just throw it out in the trash because it has mercury. Mercury is considered poisonous because it affects the nervous system, kidneys and can cause brain damage. It is also an environmental hazard.

So how do we properly dispose of these type of bulbs? You can find out from your city if they provide proper disposal of CFLs. You can also go to this website 911earth.org or call 1-877-EARTH911 to find out the closest place where you can bring your used bulbs. If you have an IKEA near you, they accept used CFLs.

If the CFL bulb breaks, don't use the vacuum to clean it. Sweep the broken glass and fine particles and put everything in a plastic bag. Wipe the area with a damp paper towel to clean up what's left and put the used towel in the same bag and seal it. Open the windows to ventilate the room.

One way to cut down on your energy consumption is to use energy saving bulbs or compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL). You can calculate the energy savings by using these CFLs on your light fixtures in the Enviromental Defense Fund website HERE. They have this calculator where you input the bulb wattage and the state where you live in and it will calculate your savings by using these bulbs.
You can save more than $30 in your electricity bill over each bulb's lifetime. It also use up 75% less energy than the old incandescent bulb and it lasts a long time.