Let's Learn Italian

Living in Australia, we meet many people, friends as well as relatives of Italian descend. It would be awesome if we could someday learn the language too, especially in Italian language schools in Italy itself!

I know there are people who might be very interested in taking up Italian language courses in Italy. I would say, go for it. What better way than to learn and visit a beautiful country at the same time.

Do check out this language school that offers Italian courses in Italy. The prices are competitive and the classes are conducted in a small group made up of an average of 6 students so that you get the best attention and teachings. They also assist in getting student visa for long term language course students as well as provide accommodation service.

Gas Bill

Gas Bill
May 31, 2007

Previously I mentioned about our hefty water bill. Now here comes the gas bill! Again, the standard compulsory supply fee costs double our actual usage amount for the 3 month period of 20/2/07 - 24/5/07.

Actual gas used - AU$19.38

Compulsory supply fee - AU$40

Gas is used for hot water (shower & taps) and the cooktop. It is always the compulsory charges that pushes up the amount ... grrrr

Photo of the bill to follow later.

Mint Credit Card

Everyday, people are either looking to apply for a credit card or to switch to one that charges lower rates. If you are an Australian or a New Zealander who are or will be doing your big Overseas Working Holiday Experience in the UK, it would be best to apply for a local uk credit card. This would certainly save you a lot from international purchase surcharge if you were to use credit cards issued from Australia or New Zealand while working or living in the UK.

Check out Mint Credit Cards amazing introductory offer and they've recently lowered their typical APR. One of the great features I find very useful is the free online account management where you can download statements and receive email and text alerts. The full list of features and benefits can be viewed online at its website.

Most important of all, there is NO ANNUAL FEE!

Pale or Tan

Pale or Tan
May 30, 2007

Just a random thought that's always been on my mind. Before I came to Australia, I was certainly brought up in a culture where being as pale as possible is considered fair. Tons of beauty creams from major brands alike such as Shiseido, Kanebo, etc (what's with Japanese wanting to look as white as snow?) claim to assist in skin lightening. I can understand if people with darker skin would like to have fairer skin but most Chinese people still aim for the white as snow skin tone. I remember many of my Chinese friends and colleagues would go to great lengths to shield themselves from the sun, even their arms. The sun is like an enemy to them. Can't blame them, adverts in mags, TV, everywhere in Asia seem to promote "pale skin is beautiful".

Well in a way, I am glad in this part of the world, Australia and in most part of Western countries, it is the exact opposite. The browner it is, the more beautiful and healthy looking you are. However, many would go to the extreme to get fake tans!

I am embarassed to say that I am on the pales side, not because I use any skin lightening cream (I don't even use any beauty cream, ack!) but because I haven't been doing much outdoor activities for yonks! Hopefully all that will change very soon!

I used to be very brown during my teenage years and I just went pale when I reached adulthood, I guess leaving the home early morning before the sun rise and getting home late evening after the sun set didn't give me a chance to soak up some sun.

Mortgage Headache

We have never taken up a loan in Australia until we started building or first home. Prior to that it was a lot of headache trying to understand the different kinds of loans offered by banks and lenders alike. Being first timers, we were absolutely dumbfounded with the choices.

After careful consideration and brainstorming sessions with our lender, we finally decided that a home equity loan was the most suitable one for us at the time. We chosed this type of loan as it allows us to use the equity we have built up in our home as it grows over time. It would come in handy should we need the cash to help pay for university fees or perhaps to purchase an investment property.

If you already own a home and would like to upgrade to a larger home (who doesn’t?) but feel like being on a merry-go-round all over again, undecided and getting confused with which types of mortgage best suits your needs, try reading some handy information from this article.

With the high cost of living these days, chalking up debts on credit cards is quite inevitable for most people. A home equity loan may be used for debt consolidation such as this. The equity built up can help reduce the outstanding debts on credit cards - we all know how high the interests for credit cards are! Here is a good article that fully explains how a home equity loan could help.

Stella McCartney Label

Stella McCartney Label
May 28, 2007

I wrote about the Target buying frenzy when Stella McCartney launched her new designer wear collection Australia wide. People were lining up outside Target stores before opening hours just to grab their share of the designer's clothings. People bought the clothes in bags and piles. I just could not understand the frenzy.

I did try to look at the range at Target but it was not displayed prominently - I couldn't find it, or perhaps all have been sold out at the time. I did not bother checking them out when I shopped at Target many times after that.

Now several months down the road and guess what? Target Australia is having a clearance sale on Stella McCartney's label as they simply would not sell - actually I would not be surprised. It seems that Target Australia is wanting to rid the stock to make way for a new Aussie designer label. Full article from SMH could be read here. I wonder how those fashion trend followers who paid full price several months ago, feel. Will they try to get rid of them on eBay?

Fresh Start

Do you or your loved ones, suffer from drug addiction and has the thought of having to go through long treatment programs been the reason for hesitation in seeking help?

Does a 28 day program sound good to you? If so, perhaps one could consider participating in the drug rehab program in Michigan. Please visit their website for more details and a photo of the center. There is an online form and toll free number to call if you have any question or doubt.

Addiction, especially drugs, negatively affects our life. You deserve to give yourself a fresh start and a chance towards recovery.


Credit: Image copyright (c) stopyouraddiction.com

MillionHAIR Club

MillionHAIR Club
May 27, 2007

The "Million Dollar Median House Price" suburbs as SMH puts it; Here is a map and list of the million dollar suburbs (all of hubs' cousins live there and my Auntie too ... but how come we don't?? haha).

One thing for sure when you drive around the million dollar suburbs, you could feel the difference in atmosphere and the people too. I just don't know how to describe it. The segregation between the rich and the poor is quite obvious in Sydney.

Anyway we all met up at a park - beautiful, lots of people and it's a beach too. Didn't take many photos as we were busy catching up with the cousins. Last thing I want is to be looking like a "jakun" taking photos of the surroundings when we were supposed to be catching up. I now feel more accepted into the millionaire club except of course we're not millionaires but I guess being millionHAIRS count?? hahaha!

Seriously, I think Phoebe has changed their perception of me. Phoebe is the youngest among the six cousin kiddos there between the ages of 5 - 11. She'll be able to run around and join them when she is older. She had so much fun there watching the kids and oggling at other older children's toys and "walking" (holding onto my hand of course) around the field. So it was all good !

Black Diamond

“Diamonds” – the word itself is so elegant and beautiful. We all know that the color black means sophistication and formality when it comes to fashion. Now we can have Black Diamond jewelry to add to the elegance of evening wear or simply just for a fresh change from the usual white diamonds. Black diamond jewelry is now the hottest thing among celebrities.

Is your wedding coming real soon and you want that something extra special for Wedding Rings? Why not try Black Diamond Jewelry instead? They are sure to make heads turn plus you will look and feel like a million dollars.

Not sure what to get for your daughter or grand child? Diamond Pendants could never go wrong on a girl especially alphabet and heart shaped ones. Little girls or young ladies just love them!

Now if you are looking for a beautiful and elegant gift for your mom or grandma, Diamond Studs earrings would make a great gift! Moms and Grandmas would always love that extra bit of glow to their faces.


Husbands and boyfriends, just remember you do not need any special occasion to get your loved ones Black Diamond Rings.

Every woman deserves to look and feel a million dollars. Afterall ...

“Diamonds are a girl’s best friend”

Credit: Elegant, beautiful jewelry images Copyright (c) My Solitaire

Last Minute Daddy

Last minute Daddy
May 26, 2007

Aiyaya, Daddy loves to do things at the last possible second! We are going out today and he wants to wash the car this morning of ALL days! I asked why does he want to tire himself out knowing that our day will be hectic and full? As usual, he would say "Why not?". Like the Chinese saying goes, "One only starts digging a hole when one needs to do a #2"! This habit of his irked me a lot in our early marriage days but I have learned to live with it. Many last minute things that he could have planned and did days ahead but I won't list them here for now ... give him some face first, haha!

Florida Agriculture

Florida Agriculture
May 26, 2007

We all love food but do you know that Florida Agriculture is a $87 billion industry providing food to the entire globe?. That is a humongous amount worth of food!

Fresh From Florida, markets Florida Agriculture all over the world, showing the importance and impact of Florida's Farmers. So come on, let us Rev It Up with Fresh from Florida by taking a moment to simply view this very brief (I really mean it), catchy video with beautiful farming backgrounds.

Bedroom Furniture

Bedroom Furniture
May 26, 2007

For 6 long years we did not purchase any bedside table and used either an empty carton box or a folding chair as side tables *LOL*

We only bought a set of tallboy + 2 bedside tables several months ago. Photos below are what I used for lining the drawers. Instead of buying expensive paper drawer liners (beautiful, fragrant but so expensive - about AU$3-5 per 4 small pieces), I bought vinyl by the metre from Bunningswarehouse.com.au - can't remember how much, probably around AU$10 for 1.5 metre - that was all I needed. I figured vinyl is definitely more lasting than paper drawer liners! Perfect for a cheapskate like me.

Next to buy are two floor lamps to be placed at each corner near the side tables. We opted for floor lamps because if we place table lamps onto the side tables, there will not be much space left on the surface to place our junk.

Window Blinds

I remember when we first moved into our new home back in March last year, we did not have any blinds installed. We used cheap black garbage bags (87 cents per pack of 4) from Coles Supermarket and stuck them on all windows and glass sliding doors. It was only several months later that we looked around for several types of blinds but fell in love with wooden blinds!.

Why wooden blinds? Because we have always admired other houses that have them installed. That wooden look gives a kind of natural feel and softens the home’s decor. It also goes well with our wooden look tallboy, bedside tables and dining table.

If anyone is looking to redecorate or just moved in to a new home, have a browse at the vast range of blinds offered by Terry’s Fabrics where you could get terrific choice and terrific value.

Busy weekend again

Busy weekend again
May 25, 2007

It is Friday! Gonna be a busy weekend again. Have to go visiting tomorrow. Little bubba's first birthday is on Sunday. Time certainly flew by but I love it because the hurdles we went through were tough (which parent does not find it tough?) but we are just soooo soooo glad we pulled through. Thought I would buy some balloons as decor to surprise the little one but not so sure now, feeling very lazy. Will tell Daddy and see how he feels.

UPDATED @ 8.16pm - Daddy suddenly wanted to go to Michel Pattiserie to look for a tiny b'day cake. So we went there and decided which cake to get but will only get it tomorrow. Then went to Coles to do some shopping and bought some balloons and candles. I think tomorrow evening (coz won't be home during the day) we will be working overtime to wrap the gifts and prepare what we need to - aiyah always last minute!

I have not even edited any of Bee's photos for her b'day blog entry yet! Bad, bad Mommy!

Win a date with a Celeb

Win a date with a Celeb
May 25, 2007

Hey guys, have you always been admiring or daydreaming about the cute and beautiful actress, Mirelly Taylor? If you don’t already know, Mirelly Taylor has appeared in popular movies such as “Kiss Me Again” and “Serving Sara” as well as popular television shows like “Las Vegas”, “Punk’d” and “Numb3rs”.

Isn’t she a sight for sore eyes, guys? Take a look at this video:




Here is your chance of a lifetime to actually win a date with her. GoFish.com is running a contest called “Seduce a Celeb” over the next 14 weeks. You may also view many Free videos at GoFish.com, especially hilarious ones. Be sure to keep some tissues handy for wiping away tears of laughter!

My hubby is a fan of “Numb3rs” and I am pretty sure he would not mind winning a dinner date with her. I would not object for sure, afterall, how often does one get to dine with a Hollywood star?

Perhaps GoFish.com would feature a cute guy like Brad Pitt (I know he is a bit old for some but not for me) as its next celeb ? Wow if so I would get my chance to win a date with him! And if I ever do, there is no stopping me from accepting the prize date! Like I said, it is a chance of a lifetime – how else would it be possible for ordinary people like me to be standing and dining with a Hollywood A List superstar?

Oz - Buy with Paypal

Oz - Buy with Paypal
May 25, 2007

I started online shopping since the birth of Bee when it was too troublesome to go to the mall with a newborn. I only use Paypal for my purchases and it was tough finding Australian online shops that accepted Paypal at the time - not many at all. However, as months went by, things have changed for the better ... I found quite a number of online stores with products that I am interested in and which accept Paypal.

Here are a few companies that I have purchased from, which accept Paypal ... so that anyone wishing to use their Paypal funds to buy gifts for their loved ones in Australia may consider the following and not waste time Googling:

• dstore.com.au - bought toys and books from them 4 times before and very satisfied with the items, packaging and quick delivery. Flat rate delivery of AU$5.95 Australia wide but sometimes they have promotions such as free delivery or coupons of $15 to $20 (which would be informed via member email only: signing up for an account with them is totally free).



• homecouture.com.au - bought from them twice. Sells designer (though not really expensive) household items. Also very satisfied with the items, packaging and delivery. They also have promotions like $30 off when you place a minimum order of certain amount. I really love looking at the fancy and cute kitchen items they have.



• petersofkensington.com.au - Ooops I have not bought from this one before, sorry but I know where the store is. It is located near where we first rented in Kingsford. Sells household goods and it is popular because I often see people walking out of the store with many bags.



• babysgotstyle.com.au - Bought from them once. Excellent own packaging with company logo. However it is on the pricey side. I have not seen credit promo for this one.



• dealsdirect.com.au - Bought from them twice. Sells discounted items - usually lesser known brands. Packaging is okay. Very popular online store. Often have promo for free delivery if pay via Paypal.



• oo.com.au - Bought from them twice I think. Sells discounted items like dealsdirect.com.au - usually lesser known brands. Packaging is okay. Often have promo for free delivery if pay via Paypal.



• dailydeals.com.au - Bought from them once. Sells discounted items like dealsdirect.com.au and oo.com.au - usually better known brands. Packaging is okay.



• mwave.com.au - Bought from them once. Sells PC and electronic stuff. Actually Kiwi G was the one who bought 4 memory sticks from them as Christmas presents to friends. One stick was dead on arrival. There was no hassle in mailing it back to them and they were glad to exchange it for a new one very quickly.

Also buys from ebay.com.au (new items only as I don't trust the description of second hand items listed by some of the sellers here).

Overall unfortunately all other baby clothing online stores that accept Paypal, are often pricey.

I think that's about all? I'm not quite sure, hehe sometimes I forget where or what I bought. I will update this list if I think of any.

Most importantly, I ALWAYS check the Australian Paypal Merchant Page for online credits - often as much as AU$10 - $15 off when you place a minimum order from them. I usually wait till some offers come around before I make any purchase.

This is NOT a sponsored post, real one lah ... at night sometimes I went to bed late coz surfing through online shops, hehehe but I haven't done that for quite awhile.

PPP Direct Launches!

PPP Direct Launches!
May 25, 2007

When I logged onto PPP yesterday afternoon, I was pleasantly surprised to see some new features added to it! If you bloggers have not already, quickly login to your PPP account and have a look at their new Birdo Release and PPP Direct.

Now advertisers may approach us posties, directly to write a post for them. How awesome is that? And we can name the price too! This is how it works, be sure to place the special widget (available once you login to PPP account) onto your blog. This will enable an advertiser interested to have you blog about their products or services, to simply click onto the badge attached to the widget and make you an offer. Now isn't this another awesome way to make money?

Remember, as most of us are very well aware already, PayPerPost only keeps 10% of the fee we get from advertisers and 5% of it actually goes towards transaction fees for Paypal and credit card processing. PayPerPost charges a low fee so that we, bloggers, get to keep most of the money out of each paid post we make. Isn’t that fair and rewarding? Now compared to other competitors of PayPerPost such as ReviewMe for example, they charge between 50%-100% markup on our post which means keeping half of our hard earned money into their own pockets.

In case you have not noticed, other absolutely cool new features recently added in PayPerPost is that the reservation for an opp is now an AMAZING 6 HOURS! This is certainly great news for very busy moms like me with an active toddler constantly needing supervision. I have always felt that the previous 1 hour reservation gave me a lot of pressure to write. Now with this new 6 hours opp reservation, I get more time to ensure that the posts I write are of much better quality which is very important to me, even if it is a $5 post.

Fence & Neighbours

Met our back neighbour yesterday evening while me and Bee were watching Daddy do the weeding for the umpteenth time again (wanted to take a pic of Daddy looking glam in drabs and gumboots working the soil, haha but totally forgot about it). The fence will be going up pretty soon - once the back house finish building their retaining walls. One year and 3 months - that's exactly how long we waited for the back fence.

It'll be nice having the fence finally but it also makes it difficult to borrow things like wheelbarrow and other heavy gardening tools from one of our back neighbours, haha! Our other back neighbour is very nice, he gave us permission to just walk into his backyard (no fence yet so can walk in and out between our backyards) to take whatever tools we need. We've been using his tools for a long time now, hahaha!

All our immediate neighbours are nice people. The dentist who runs a dental surgery in her home adjacent to our house offered to give Bee an oral check up some time later. How kind is that? Her husband simply ADORES Bee, I have no words to describe it.

We know most of our neighbours, hehehe. Just last Saturday, we went to a new neighbour's house warming party ... another HUGE double storey house. Come to think of it, the neighbours who are friendly to us and invited us over are those who own double storey houses.

I guess the good thing about living in a whole new estate where every house is completed new and built by different builders, you have something in common to talk about and most would invite you into their homes just to have a look around.

Lasik Complications

I do not wear glasses nor contact lenses but I have several friends who do and they are contemplating to go for the famous Lasik eye surgery to obtain a good vision once again.

Unfortunately most people are not very well informed of the pros and cons of having such surgery done. Now you can read all about Lasik Complications by visiting ComplicatedEyes.org where information about the resolution and treatment of Lasik problems is provided.

The website has an abundance of information you would wish and need to know about Lasik Complications.

Could've Been

Could've Been
May 23, 2007

Remember I posted about affordable double storey Westminster Homes and what we could have built instead? Here it is! At times I do feel the pinch and the pain *OUCH* *OUCH* but what to do, it's already a done deal. My advice to young couples wishing to build their first home, DO step into EVERY single home in the Display Village even if they look mega expensive, because they don't always showcase their budget selections. You'll be surprised as to how many of those mega expensive reputable builders actually do offer budget double storeys for narrow blocks.

A Bank with a difference

A Bank with a Difference
May 23, 2007

Many of us tend to have the impression that all banks are just out there to make money by accepting whatever loan applications they get from their clients. Often the bigger the loan application, the better.

This is not always the case. Some banks are not all about simply making money the first chance they get. Take Co-op Bank for example, they offer a competitive loan with an ethical twist!

This bank’s financial products are bound to their ethical policy. In year 2005 alone, they have turned away some GBP10 million worth of business that conflicted with their ethical policy! That is what I call excellent business ethics of a bank.

We can be rest assured that the money we borrow from Co-op Bank has not come from the profits of unnecessary pollution, human rights abuse, etc.

Cold Morning

Cold Morning
May 23, 2007

Winter is truly approaching soon! When I woke up this morning at 5.30am, brrrrr it was cold at 4C! I can now recall how cold it was when Bee was born last year on 27 May. No wonder we kept the oil heater turned on 24/7 and the power bill was like AU$600 for that winter period but it was all WORTH it. Nothing as important as keeping our new lil bubba warm and snug.

Motor Insurance

Motor Insurance
May 23, 2007

Every year, having to pay motor insurance sure burns a hole in our pockets! If you are on the look out for an inexpensive, easy and hassle-free Motor Insurance, perhaps you would like to consider checking out CIS Motor Insurance.

CIS Motor Insurance offers two different types of discounts:

• No Claim Discount and;
• Introductory Discount
  

Furthermore you will get an additional 10% discount when you purchase their Motor Insurance online. Now that is a big saving!

Getting a quote is quick, simply use their online form or give them a call on the phone. Its website is easy to navigate and has all the necessary information you would need.

There is nothing to lose, it is always best to look around for the best deal. Who could not do with an extra bit of saving and less hassle?

Cleaning

Have to go on a cleaning frenzy real soon as one of Kiwi G's cousin and Aunt+Unc from NZ is in Sydney. Being the very KPC them, they would surely want to see what our home looks like and of course to see our little girl too I guess. It simply means I have to start cleaning the cooktop, bathroom and mop the floors *LOL* else, rumours will travel across the ocean about how unkempt we are. I know it's no big deal having a messy & dirty house when we have a baby; BUT of course they won't take this into consideration. If it's just our friends or my side of the family coming over, gee I don't care, because they all understand and won't judge me :)

Anyway, I guess it's also about time I clean the cooktop.

Water Bill

Hmm, received the water bill again, totalling the same amount as last time ie AU$186.15 for the period 2 Feb 2007 - 9 May 2007 (3 months). Actual water usage is very little ie AU$36.65 but *sigh* the compulsory charges are the killer (I have marked them in red dots). So like I mentioned before, even if you don't use a single drop of water, you will still be billed the compulsory charges. For those who are curious, please click onto image to view.

On top of that, as usual, the City Council bill of AU$276 for the 4th quarter is due end of this month, aiyaya, the joys of being a home owner.

HDTV Tuesdays

HDTV Tuesdays
May 15, 2007

Just when I was talking about how good PayPerPost is, I think it has just gotten even better … but for US residents only! We all know that we can earn some pocket money (well, a salary for some!) by taking up PPP Opps in our blogs but get this, now some of you in the USA may get a chance to earn great products too.

For this month itself, PayPerPost is holding a “HDTV Tuesday”. Be sure to check PPP every Tuesday for your chance to win some cool audio and video equipment. And if you have always wanted a high definition TV (I am sure your darling hubby or boyfriend would absolutely love it, which guy doesn’t?) do not miss the chance of grabbing a new HDTV at the end of this month.

In the past, some lucky bloggers have grabbed opps with Apple TVs and a PS3 and PayPerPost is constantly adding many more prizes to specially marked Opportunities. So some of you will all get your chances!

Make a note in your diary to login on this Tuesday, 15 May 2007 for your chance to earn a Slingbox, Nintendo Wii, Yamaha Surround Sound System or a Logitech universal remote. For more information, please click here. Of course all these fantastic prizes would not be available without a great sponsor like Bid4Prizes

There you go, US bloggers, we envy you!

Removing Shoes

Removing Shoes
May 15, 2007

Removing shoes ... to remove or not? That is the question :)

Of course living in Asia, it is almost without question that we remove our shoes when entering a house, be it our own home or the home of others. But I still can't figure out, why, why, why, gwais and those not-gwais but with strong gwais culture, do not remove their shoes before entering into someone's home?

Some are nice, they ask if they should remove their shoes which we would not hesitate to say yes we would prefer so. But some don't even ask, they just step right in. I can understand if they're some delivery guy or tradesmen coming to fix something but friends woh.

Even Kiwi G's cousin (a doctor himself!!) at first didn't remove his boots when stepping into our home at first but later changed his mind and he very well knows that we have a baby who crawls on the floors.

So my big question is, why?? Is it so difficult to remove their shoes even if it's just for 5 minutes? Good thing we don't have carpets in the house!

We always insist on removing our shoes when we visit friends' homes but some of them (especially gwais) really INSIST that we leave them on (carpeted floors some more!) ... so how??? I feel aweful but when other people kept their shoes on, it would look weird if we kept ours off. So no choice, I kept them on and I felt guilty walking around their home but the hosts themselves also wear shoes inside their house.

Orthopaedic, CA

Anyone seeking an orthopaedic located in California or wanting a medical treatment for knee replacement could give Gustafson Orthopaedics a visit. The practice is headed by a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Allen Gustafson himself, who is renowned for his experience, skill and accomplishment in joint replacement and reconstruction. The center also provides the following services:

Thorough evaluation and accurate diagnosis of joint pain

Effective treatment recommendations

Patient education resources

Expert surgical intervention, if needed

A complete recovery program


If you would like to know more about hips and knees replacements, arthritis and the safety of such surgery, its FAQ section provides the answers. Alternatively, you may contact them if you have more questions. For more information about Gustafson Orthopaedics, please visit its website at www.gustafsonortho.com

Mess

Mess
May 14, 2007

The round table and the chairs in the photo above are supposed to go into the garage. Haven't got around to doing it since we have not totally cleared the garage of all the boxes we are wanting to get rid of ... the recycle bin can only fit so much at any one time :)

WooHoo! Welcome to our "beautiful" home! Yup that's the current state of the lounge area, courtesy of Bee's creative handiwork. Am too lazy to pick the pieces of papers, magazines, flyers, etc up since they keep her occupied while I watch the news on TV and keeping an eye on her at the same time. But of course if we are expecting guests, I'll make sure the mess is gone in an instant, hehe.

Affordable bookkeeping services

With today’s high cost of living, many mothers these days help to supplement the family income by running small businesses be it from home or at a shop front. Either way, it could be tedious and time consuming juggling between looking after the children (hubby too of course!) and trying to balance the business accounts. One will be left with no time for anything else at the end of the day.

I think it is a great idea to outsource your headaches by using the services of a professional bookkeeping company such as Accounting Paradise that has low bookkeeping pricing and specialises in what they do best ie keeping your accounts balanced for a fee as little as $10 a month! They could even manage the staff payroll for you at an affordable price. QuickBooks Accounting Software is also available for purchase at a discounted price.

I personally feel that it is well worth the money to keep the headaches at bay by using the great system and inexpensive services of Accounting Paradise and one will have more time to spend with the family as well as concentrate on expanding the business.

Typical Saturday

We usually run errands on weekends such as grocery shopping, window shopping, replenish baby stuff, etc with the lil one tagging along. As the malls close by 5pm or 6pm on Saturdays (except of course supermarkets like Coles and Woolies, and Franklins which close by 9pm or midnight) we always feel rushed to ensure we don't miss anything out from our shopping list.

By the time we got home (usually by 4pm or 5pm), we're tired. If we bought chicken drumstick, chicken breasts, fish, vegetables, etc. I would need to clean and cut the meat (for drumsticks, I skin them) into portions to freeze in separate bags or containers. As for vegetables, I also wash and cut them in portions for easy access when I cook porridge for Bee. Sometimes had to cook for our dinner too but at most times, we'd have already bought something ready to eat from our shopping. Believe it or not, doing that could take me up to 2 hours ... standing, washing and cutting. While I did all those, Kiwi G would be feeding Bee her porridge and clean her after that (I couldn't begin to tell what a great Daddy Kiwi G is but I'll prolly write about that some other day and I am very sure many Daddies are as great or better!).

Basically our day begins at about 5am (but on weekends Kiwi G usually gets up to tend to Bee while I sleep in till 9.30am or 10am, how good is that??!! - I am embarassed, haha! and nope, I never requested that he gets up to tend to Bee) when the Boss wakes up and we don't really get a break until Boss calls it a day at 7pm, hahaha!

Really, it would make a world of difference if cooking, laundry, ironing and other general housework could be taken care of by someone else such as hired help :P Imagine coming home from shopping or outing and you have dinner all ready for you ... best of all, don't need to wash the dishes after that too. Wahhhh what a bliss!!

Why I love PPP

I think most readers of my humble blog knows how much I have been raving about PayPerPost and how good it feels to get paid to blog. The best thing I love about PayPerPost is the ability to choose which opportunity we wish to take up.

I have signed up with PayPerPost since 26 January 2007. As I only have time to take up opportunities leisurely, I have written only 13 posts thus far plus 1 referral from Anna's sign up. The kind folks at PayPerPost have already paid me US$95.50 into my Paypal account. Imagine if I were to have more time in taking up opportunities, I could be laughing all the way to the bank, ah, what a nice wish!

I have made myself a promise that by year’s end, I would use some of the funds I made from PayPerPost to buy presents and let my little girl place them under one of those charitable Christmas trees. Every little under priviledged kid deserves a gift especially at Christmas!

I must admit that since I started PayPerPost, I have got to know a few more new bloggers along the way. It is so amazing how much information other bloggers are willing to share and teach on how to increase traffic, page rank, etc. The support for each blogger simply amazes me. I hope someday I would be able to return the favour.

Originator of Tags?

Originator of Tags?
May 11, 2007

So who are the originator of those tags going around in Mommies' blogs? Sorry I am always curious who came up with them. I mean yes I know what tags are ... they've been around for a long time already ... I remembered doing them via emails (back then blogging was relatively very, very new and people were using Greymatter, other less popular blogging services and some even did them on static html pages).

I've observed and read some tags in the Mommies' blogs and I must say, the most recent one is interesting and at times funny, "How your hubby annoys U in 10 ways" or something along that title. Now this is what I'd call a quality tag. Hope to see more of these around.

Unfortunately some of you may already know, I am not able to accept/do tags yet due to time constraint and the fact that I am unsure if I will keep this blog as my main blog which I'd like to be linked or whether I will "move" somewhere else and start from Rank ZERO all over again. So for the time being, in order not to confuse anyone with which/what blog of mine to link, it's best I stay out of tagging for now. And I do agree, tagging is a creative way to get people linking to you and subsequently increase the chances of a higher page rank.

And many, many, many thanks to you sweeties who have tagged me with the kind intention of helping me increase my page rank and traffic. My apologies for being a rotten egg and not participating ... yet.

There are also many, many more mommy blogs links which I would like to place on my side bar but again, since I am undecided about this blog, I'm not going to do anything much for now. I do read other blogs but didn't make my presence felt - hope to change that soon.

As for my lil Bee's blog, that is purely an advert free blog. I have no intention of monetizing that blog or doing tags there because it will confuse my friends and family who are totally not into blogging. They'd probably go ... eh, what's all these?? They read Bee's blog but they don't leave comments (instead, still emailed me with comments ... duh .. and I thought that blog was supposed to eliminate the need for frequent emailing). However, they don't know about this G8G blog, hahaha.

And oh, Kiwi G rang the back neighbours after receiving their note and quote for the fence. The back fence will be up in about 2 week's time, yay!

Time to catch forty winks!

Back Fence

Finally our new back neighbours are having work done to their new home (but of course they have not moved in yet ... not until the floors are tiled or carpeted, driveway done, etc)! We received a quote and a note from them in our letterbox yesterday, for the back fence. AU$600, cost to be shared 50:50 So we need to pay only AU$300. Far out, waited so long for this! The back fence was the only missing puzzle to the house (not counting of course, the lawn and landscaping, hehe).

I also wanted to note that I love it when PPP approves my posts within 24 hours, thank you! I am sure many of you blogger friends, have had many posts approved as quickly too. So far, only three posts were approved in that short time frame ie Comfy PJs (I did this only yesterday), Beautiful Bulgaria and My dream prize. If this keeps happening, man, I would be so addicted to PPP but I need to get real, I can't afford the time :) But I hope others can, it really is a great way to make some pocket money.

I hate it when my text appears small and big when viewed in Firefox! I can't seem to correct it no matter what, unless I stop using coloured text.

The lil one is gonna wake up from her morning nap anytime soon. I gotta go catch forty winks myself, whatever's left of it :) These days she wakes at 5.00 am .... 5.00 am .... I know, I know, no biggie BUT I am not a morning person :P

Comfy PJs

I absolutely love to save some money with coupons! I never start any shopping especially online, without first checking for coupon codes.

As winter is approaching in Australia, I recently bought some beautiful baby PJs from my all time favourite babywear label, GAP. I love BabyGAP because the material is so soft and comfy. It is great especially for sensitive skin like my little girl’s. Even my hubby approves! I am always on the lookout for new sweet and cute BabyGAP PJs such as the ones pictured here. Do not miss the great savings from coupon codes which you can use when shopping at GAP - not just on babywear but mens and womens clothings too.

Note: BabyGAP PJ photos copyright (c) GAP Inc.

Statcounter.com

This post is in answer to Anna's question. I thought I'd post it here just in case it would be of interest to anyone else too.

As I have mentioned in my previous posts, I find it too funny that people stumbled upon this blog by Googling for the "Oh S... Not You Again" doormat as shown on the stats screenshot below (please click onto the image for a larger version).

It also shows if you look at the referral URL as below:

It may reveal which company you are surfing from (when you surf from work that is) ... well, this depends on your company's internet service subscription. I have replaced the actual company's name with "ABCD" & the actual country of origin with "Krypton". I did so to respect the privacy of the individual.

Sometimes it is very interesting to see who surfed onto your site ... here's one example (please click for a larger version).

The above are just a few of the many features provided FREE by www.statcounter.com Below is a screen shot of the features.

Psst psst you can also tell when the good folks at PPP pays you a visit by reading the referrer URL (usually direct access to your PPP posts)

My dream prize

Lowest bid wins? Yes it is true! At bid4prizes you place a low bid and if your bid is the lowest unique one, you are the winner of the auction! My dream prize would be an all expenses paid family trip to LA Disneyland! I would love to win a prize like that because not only will my daughter be so thrilled, the little kid in me and hubby would be ecstatic too as it is our lifelong dreams to visit LA Disneyland. Furthermore, there are two families whom I would love to visit in LA. Let me see, I would possibly place a low bid of $275.06 for my dream prize.

Melamine Plates

Melamine Plates
May 05, 2007

Alright, the cheapskate me is at it again. Melamine plates - bargain buys from BigW for just AU$2 each! These are much thicker and better quality than those you find at two dollar shops. It is about 26cm in diameter. There were only three good ones left so I bought one of each colour. I do like melamine products as I don't have to worry about breaking it especially when kids use them!

Investment Real Estate

PPP: Investment Real Estate
May 05, 2007

An Investment Real Estate, a second home or a holiday home is always the dream of many people. Those of us wishing to look at properties in Orlando or South Eastern United States, Buyvacationcondos.com is a good real estate website to check out. The site provides all the important information an investor would want at first glance such as the current interest rates, top real estate’s news and a mortgage calculator. Its featured properties section is informative, providing location, photos or artist’s impression of the condos, inclusions, specifications and everything you would need to know. Their $4,000 and $5,000 low downpayment for preconstruction homes and duplex in Florida look very tempting indeed.

Blabberings

I am really amazed by how many people is interested in the doormat *LOL* Everyday, people stumbled upon this blog Googling for it (I'm surprised someone from an internationally well known government agency too hehehe, don't worry, I won't tell your boss). Well, maybe I'll go there again this Sunday and hopefully they still have it, I might just buy it afterall, haha! Sorry that the mat is not available via online purhase, else I'd surely have provided the URL here. Well, maybe somebody should sell those doormats online, I am sure it'll be a big hit.

Other than that, visitors usually chanced upon here by Googling for Msian food recipe, Sydney's lifestyle, HTML codes & scripts and scrapbooking digital kits. I hope they managed to find what they are looking for as I understand the way I had written, everything is not designed or meant to be informative (well, I never thought I'd have visitors via search engines). I'll try to revamp this whole blog (possibly host it on my own server) some day and make it easy for Googlers to retrieve whatever information they are searching for. Right now, even I have trouble looking for an older post on scrapbooking I promised Mamabok!

Time's up, gotta go play with my sunshine (Bee).

Disclosure Policy

This policy is valid from 02 May 2007

This blog is a personal blog written and edited by Grace. This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation.

The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post will always be identified as paid or sponsored content.

The owner of this blog, Grace, is compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner of this blog, Grace receives compensation for our posts or advertisements, we always give our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blogger's (Grace's) own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.

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Blabber

It's too funny, looks like several people from the USA chanced upon this blog by Googling for "Oh shit not you again doormat" ... hahahha.

I am still disorganised, both on this blog and my home :) Thus these days I am only writing based on my random thoughts which of course is a big BORE. I often wonder why you sweet regulars still read my blog?? Duh, but THANK YOU! hehehe. Hope to make up for it once I have time (been repeating this same sentence for the umpteenth time, I think most people won't trust me anymore *LOL*). The lil one is having her morning nap and will wake in about 20 mins time. I've got ironing to do right after this.

Anyhow before this old rusty mind forgets again, I wanted to say with the power of blogging these days, it can be quite surprising who you may see appearing on blogs. So far, I have seen at least the faces of three persons I personally knew of and haven't seen for at least a decade, appeared on blogs. So far in the Msian mommy blogs list, I have not seen any of my ex-classmates or friends. My close friends do not blog, unfortunately.

Ooops I've only got about 20 mins left to go do the ironing before the lil Boss wakes up.

Weight maintained at 54kg ... coz feasting like mad, eat curry this, curry that frequently *LOL* Need to fit into my pants ... I wanna be a hot mama too.