How To Care For Your Fur Babies

I love dogs! I call them "my furry grandchildren." We have a two year old Shih Tzu named "Bite." My eldest son has a Pomeranian-Japanese Spitz mix named "Fang." They are the gentlest, cutest, most loyal dogs!
Having a dog does not only mean feeding them and giving them a bath. Like children, they have to be given care and attention to keep them healthy. I walk Bite three times a day. It gives him time to explore the neighborhood and it helps me get my exercise too. He gets a thorough brushing every other day. I choose his meals and make sure there are no artificial additives.
Bite gets to see the vet once a month for his wellness check up. My vet recommended that I purchase some items for pet care. These are for eye and ear care, and for prevention of flea and tick infestation. I heeded her advice and would want to share them with you.
I know most of us are dog lovers and these products are really doing a great job keeping my furry grandchildren happy and healthy. They are my bundle of joy!

Eye Care

Just like little kids, dogs can get some things in their eyes or get irritated by dust, smoke or pollen. Flushing them out with a mild solution relieves your dog of eye irritation and discomfort. Only Natural Pet - Eye Care is also suitable to clean the eye stains around the corners of your dog's eyes. Safe and gentle for both dogs and cats.

Ear Care

Cleaning your dog's ears is not as easy as using a Q-Tip. So how would you promote ear healthy in your dog? We can use ear cleaning solutions like the Vet Basics General EAR CLEANSER 4oz bottle size. is a soothing, safe and effective ear cleansing solution specifically formulated to deodorize and gently clean, dry and acidify the pet's ear canal, providing a healthy environment for the ears. It also has aloe vera to soothe the ear canal. It can be used for both dogs and cats of any age.

Get Rid of Ticks and Fleas

It is not good if your dog gets ticks and fleas. For an especially active dog who loves running outside, it seems inevitable that one day, you'd find them scratching to no end because of ticks and fleas. Frontline - Plus 12 Pack Extra Large Dog is a special formulation that kills ticks, fleas, flea eggs and larvae. One tube = one month protection!

Deshedding Tool

Brushing your dog's coat can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you come across knots and tangles. I have bought several combs and brushes, however, the best one is still the FURminator - Medium Dog 2.65in. It effectively removes undercoat and loose hair. Recommended by professional groomers, this tool can be used for dogs and cats. There is a right FURminator to use for your pet's coat length.

Dog Shampoo

My little Bite loves his baths. He loves staying in the sink filled with lukewarm water. When choosing a dog shampoo, I opt for formulations that are not harsh on their coat and skin. A plus factor for me is a shampoo that gives my furry grandchildren a clean, fresh, long lasting scent. Only Kay - Lambert Kay Fresh n' Clean Scented Shampoo for Dogs 16 fl oz has given me all that I am looking for in a great dog shampoo. Hands down satisfied customer. Paws down happy dog!

Dog Treats

Just like taking care of little children, I make it a point to reward good behavior in Bite and Fang. They both love Purina - Beggin Thick-Cut Maple Flavor Dog Treats. It is a great way to help me to teach them to behave, and to learn some tricks. So far, so good. Their toys are still all over the apartment, they still hide the rugs under the table, and they still wipe their mouths on the kitchen rug. So what? I give them a reward nevertheless for just being downright cute!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links provided by Postpresso.

Of Little Girls and Big Friendships

Real friends are hard to find and when you do, it is definitely a relationship you would want to keep for a lifetime. You know one more thing that is equally as beautiful? It is never losing contact with friendships you made in kindergarten and grade school. I am thankful for technology and of course, Facebook, which made me find my former classmates.

My Kindergarten class picture. Maryknoll College, 1970
I am in the second row, the 6th girl from the left

I treasure this picture so much and I have reconnected with most of these girls who are now also mothers (and grandmothers). I love viewing pictures of their families and I am happy for what they have grown up to be.

One of my grade school classmates, (not in the photo above because she was in a different section), is a very good and well established writer. She has a weekly column in a newspaper and is a proud mom of two children. I am a fan of hers, and two days ago, I ordered her third book. It came in the mail today and I just can't put it down. It is such a good book that speaks from the depths of a mother's heart. 

Cathy writes so beautifully and I dream of someday being able to reach at least 10% of what she has accomplished. I am proud that once upon a time, I sat in the same classroom with her. 

Her book, "Heart On My Sleeve" is a collection of some of her best articles in "Roots and Wings," her Sunday column of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. The last part of the book is a short story entitled "Letter from Heaven," is a memoir of her son, Migi, whom she lost when he was just four years old.

If you are looking for a good read this Mother's Day, "Heart On My Sleeve" is one that you'd absolutely love.

Thank you Cathy for sharing your wisdom and talent. Looking forward to your next book.

About the author:

Cathy S. Babao has always worn her heart on her sleeve. Mother, author, grief coach and educator. She writes a Sunday column for the Philippine Daily Inquirer entitled "Roots and Wings" and has written two books, "Heaven's Butterfly," a children's book on grief; and "Between Loss and Forever" which is about Filipina mothers on the grief journey, a 2012 National Book Award Nominee in the non-fiction category. In her other life, she is a communications manager for a multinational health care company. Email her at storiesbykate@gmail.com.

Everything A Woman Would Need, You'll Find It Here

Different seasons, different needs.

Women have the need to pamper themselves. It is not vanity, it is just the way women are. We want to feel good about ourselves by taking care of our skin, hair, and overall health. When we feel good about ourselves, we are more effective homemakers, wives, and moms. Raising a family is no easy job and a little pampering here and there is something we always look forward to.

There are times that we tend to go over our budget when buying our essentials. Often it is because we buy products one piece at a time. Thankfully, there is one way to keep within our means. What can be more exciting than to receive a curated box of full size beauty and health products from FabFitFun? These products have been carefully chosen and handpicked by the experts, guaranteed to make you feel fabulous all year round!

In each subscription box, you will find an assortment of products for skin care, cosmetics, hair care, fashion and fitness items. Every product suited for the season. Aside from these, FabFitFun also sells infuser water bottles. It is the new, healthy alternative to plain drinking water. Simply add your fruit or herb of choice into the perforated tube, fill the bottle with drinking water and enjoy!

Great products you can actually use valued at $200 can be yours for only $49.99. Best deal ever! Wouldn't it be great to sign up now and receive your #fabfitfunBI Spring Box shipped to your doorstep. No shipping fees too!


If you want to learn more tips on health and fitness, beauty, love and entertainment, you can also check out their website at fabfitfun.com

Recyclable Recipe #3 - Meatball Frenzy

This is my third "Recyclable Recipe." I hope you try this one too.

Two days ago, you served your family spaghetti and meatballs. And then you discover you made more meatballs than your family can put in their spaghetti. What to do? First, place your left over meatballs in an airtight plastic bag and pop it in the freezer for a new meal some other day.

Here's what I do with left over meatballs ~ I make a thick hearty soup! It is a delicious, easy to follow recipe that would really warm you up from the inside out. 

Ingredients:

Left over meatballs
3 cups beef or chicken stock
2 tablespoons vegetable/canola oil
1 one medium onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 small package Chinese vermicelli (thin rice noodles/misua)
scallions finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

In a large saucepan, brown the garlic in vegetable oil. Add the onions and saute until the onions are transparent. Add the tomatoes and continue to saute until the tomatoes are tender. Add the soup stock. Cover and bring to a boil. When the soup stock is briskly boiling, add the vermicelli. Add the left over meatballs and continue cooking until the meatballs are heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped scallions before serving.

Enjoy the smiles your family will have on their faces with the first spoonful! Guaranteed soul-food. Simple, easy and budget friendly!

Shopping For Swimwear In The Spring ~ Only at DHgate.com!

It is springtime! The weather is starting to warm up and blooms are everywhere. It is time to store the warm thick clothing and get ready for lighter clothing. 

I know that summer is still far off, but I want to share with you a budget saving tip: Shop for clothes when they are out of season. Sounds crazy? I don't think so. It is usually these items that are on sale. Since summer is only a few months away, wouldn't it be the best time to look for a nice swimsuit? I guess your next question would be, "Where can I buy swimwear when all the stores have spring clothing on display?"

Here's the answer to your question. At DHgate.com, you can find that perfect piece in their swimwear collection. They offer a wide variety of swimwear from bikinis, tankinis, one piece suits, vintage high waist, beach coveralls and more! They have swim wear for all women sizes, from free size, 2XS to 5XL and plus size. The designs are trendy and there is surely more than one piece you would definitely fall in love with.

This wonderful e-commerce website is easy to navigate, with a left sidebar that you can use to filter your choice according to material, color, size, and design. I am so happy to have learned about DHgate.

DHgate offers free shipping on some items and huge discounts for bulk orders, offering items as low as $5.00! Unbelievable!

For budget friendly moms like me, this is the ultimate online shop to go to! #DHgateSWBI yourself and you'll love every item you'll see.

Focus-Click-Share: From The Collection of a Photog Wannabe

I am great fan of photography. If I had my way, I would have majored in Media Arts/Journalism or Fine Arts-Photography. But of course, my father wanted me to follow his footsteps and enrolled me in Zoology for my preparatory course to the College of Medicine. 

I did not become a doctor, I dropped out in my junior year of Medical school. So now, I am a mother of three young adults, working to make a living in a call center and still loving the chance to take pictures of everything and anything. I use a cellphone, or a digicam, or a DSLR camera. Whatever is handy when something interests me. 

Here are some of the pictures I have taken over the past years. I guess you'd notice I love snapping photos of clouds, the skyline, the sunrise and sunset. Pardon the crudeness of the photos. I am saving up for a better camera. That will be my gift for myself at Christmas.

The Cloud Collection

 

 

A New Day Dawning

 

Clear Skies At Noon

 

The Beautiful Hues of Dusk

 

 

Hope you enjoyed viewing my pictures! :)

Short Hair Today, Long Hair Tomorrow!

Human hair grows at the rate of 1.5 centimeters a month or roughly only six inches per year. Sometimes we dream of having gloriously shiny long locks, however, the stress of waiting for our own hair to grow can be frustrating. There are times we can end up having split ends or we just have a bad hair day - everyday. Trips to a hair salon can be quite expensive and most of us give up on the dream to have long hair.

Thankfully, there is a solution. We can now buy natural human hair extensions! These have been around for a long time, however we should opt for the highest quality natural human hair. At DHgate.com, we can avail of 100% virgin human hair extensions. There are numerous styles, colors and lengths that we can choose from that would definitely blend in and move naturally as is if was our own hair. 

No more waiting for a year to grow six inches of hair! Whether you are a woman who wants to look your best everyday, or a salon owner/businesswoman who would want to introduce high quality hair extensions to your customers, head on over to DHgate.com. Enjoy the discounted prices and avail of free shipping on some of the items.

Loved what you read? Tweet and share #DHgateHEBI with your friends and family!

Recyclable Recipe #2 - Fried Fish and Fish Spring Rolls

Hello budget-friendly moms and dads! Today, I am giving you another recyclable recipe. 

Are you looking for an innovative recipe to recycle left over fried fish? I have been making Fish Spring Rolls ("Lumpia") out of our left over fried fish. It is very easy to make. The staple recipe is that of Lumpiang Shanghai or Pork and Beef Spring Rolls. I only substitute the meat with flaked left over fried fish. Another ingredient I add is one egg and half a cup of bread crumbs to make the mixture moist.

Here is an easy to follow recipe:

Ingredients:

1/2 kilo (1.1 pounds) de-boned and flaked fish

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 medium carrot, grated

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt (the left over fried fish has enough salt in it)

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 egg (beaten)
a few sprigs of cilantro, finely chopped (optional)

1/2 cup bread crumbs (or 1/4 cup all purpose flour)

1 1/2 scallions finely chopped

Spring roll wrappers (Rice paper)

Oil for frying

Procedure: 

1. Mix first 11 ingredients together. Set aside for half an hour to ensure the flavors have blended together. Meanwhile, heat some oil in a wok, or deep fryer. 

2. While waiting for the oil to heat up, prepare the fish spring rolls. Lay the spring roll wrapper on a flat surface.

3. Scoop two tablespoons of the mixture and spread it on the wrapper, making a long low mound across the diameter of the wrapper.

4. Fold the ends of the wrapper and roll. 

5. With a sharp knife, cut the roll into two or three pieces.

6. Deep fry the rolls in hot oil until golden brown.

7. Drain on paper towels.

Optional: 

Dipping sauce of your choice may be served together with the fish spring rolls. My family loves this with honey-mayo-mustard dip. Fish spring rolls also tastes great with good old tomato ketchup, sweet chili sauce, garlic-mayo, sweet and sour sauce, blue cheese dip or ranch dip. Your choice! 

Happy cooking!

IntelliGLASS: The Real Glass Screen Protector You'll Absolutely Love!

You've been saving up a lot to get a good smartphone that would meet your digital needs. Finally, you have enough to buy yourself the device of your dreams. I cannot describe the happiness I experienced when I held my new iPhone 6 in my hands. It was exhilarating!

My very next step was to search for a good screen protector. With so many choices to go through online and in-store, I waited for a few days to clear my mind. I then came across an innovative product which made me decide - this is it!

A real glass protector was just the product I needed for my phone. Made from hardened glass, IntelliGLASS screen protector protects my device from spills, hits and dings. It is specially crafted to resist scratches. Its oleophobic outer coating guarantees to repel oil and grease, therefore there are no smudges or fingerprints left on my screen. For a busy wife, career woman and homemaker like me, that is absolutely problem solved! And because it is made of real glass, it offers the best clarity and touchscreen sensitivity.

One more thing that made me so happy to have this intelliGLASS hardened glass screen protector is its easy, bubble-free installation. Would you want to have one too? Here's the good news. One of you may just be the lucky recipient of an intelliGLASS screen protector! Simply join by entering your email address below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received the product mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

The Diabetic Dilemma: When Diet and Medications Don't Seem To Work

It has been an uphill battle for me and the enemy seems to be winning. I should not allow that to happen. I am still in control. I will win.

I am, of course, talking about my battle with Diabetes. Its seems despite all the dieting I am doing, my sugar levels do not go down to normal levels. My endocrinologist says my body has coped with the constant elevated level of glucose in my blood. It is the risk of damage to my liver and kidneys that my doctor is worried about.

Two days ago, I had my quarterly lab tests to check the effectiveness of my current medication. It was in late January when I was started on insulin. I am now on 18 units per shot, once a day. In addition to that, I am to take 1000 mg of Metformin after breakfast and another 1000 mg after dinner. I had high hopes that after three months, I could probably be taken off the undesirable task of poking myself with a needle.

Didn't work out that way though. After seven (7) insulin pens (Lantus Solostar), my blood sugar is still at 9. For non-diabetics, the normal blood sugar levels range between 4.27-6.07. Now, you see why I am so frustrated with my blood results.

I have decided that if I cannot see results quick, then I will crawl my way back to health. I always find it difficult to alter my diet drastically, so I am going to make small changes and then move my way up. My first step is to have little to no rice at all. I will replace rice with complex carbohydrates which fill me up longer. I bought sweet potatoes which I boiled in a pot. That will be my dinner today, together with some pork and carrots. 

I have read that apple cider vinegar is really good for diabetics. One to two tablespoons mixed in an eight ounce glass of water taken before meals may block the absorption of starch in a meal, therefore preventing the "sugar spike." Another thing I am going to try is the supplement Chromium picolinate. Chromium helps enhance the body's reaction to insulin, thereby facilitating the effective transport of glucose into the cells which is then converted into energy. It was also observed to help in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and protein.

I know that I will have to put a lot of effort and discipline to make this work. However, I have to do this. Not only for me, but for my husband and children whom I love so dearly. I wish to live long enough to enjoy my future grandchildren.

Today starts my journey to get to a 7.0 HbA1c reading. Let's see in three months time. Keeping my faith in the Great Healer. With His help, I can do this!