VBS Day 4

To contact us Click HERE
We had our last day of VBS on Friday. Our lesson was "The Disciples Choose to Follow Jesus" taken from Luke 5:1-11, John 21:4-24.
"Choose you this day whom ye shall serve, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15
We worked on two crafts: ornaments and necklaces.
We filled clear glass ornaments with sand, glitter, and tiny shells, and tied on a pretty aqua ribbon for hanging. The kids loved them! For the necklaces, we used shells that Mom had found on the beach. We made holes in them for stringing on necklaces we had bought. Aren't they pretty???
We had music time

Nathan leading the kids in practice....

and played games, then we ended the week with a treat. We had hot dogs on the Foreman grill and for dessert we had Brownies Overboard............yummmmmm.....brownies, icecream, caramel, chocolate syrap, whipped cream, and mini-M&Ms....:O) :O) :O) Mom & I were worn out, but we have been truly blessed this week and we are very thankful to have been a part of Bible School this year.
We had our Bible School program this morning. The kids did a great job with the songs and with their memory verse. :O)

celebrating the 4th.........

To contact us Click HERE
The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays! I love the food, being out on the boat, the water, the beach, the fun, spending time family and friends, the fireworks, well, just about everything about this day.....today was no exception. Peter, Nathan, & I headed out in the boat around 4 pm to meet up with friends at the beach.

Over the past 7-8 years or so, we have celebrated the 4th of July with Gina {Peter's cousin/ my classmate}, and her family. We plan a huge menu including fried chicken, crab salad, deviled eggs, macaroni salad, brownies, rolls, watermelon, dip/chips, and lots more. We even had chocolate covered stawberries this year{{{{soooooo good}}}}!! We sit and eat and talk and laugh, and after we eat, the teens hang out with their friends. This year I wanted to do something different, I wanted to take the kayak to the beach with us. Of course, Peter doesn't want to try anything "different" from our regular agenda, and wasn't too excited with my idea, but I was a bit pushy, so we ended up taking the kayak to the beach! Gina had never kayaked before, but after we took our first trip out, she was hooked! Peter also ended up giving it a try! :O) A fun time....a gorgeous evening!! We stayed until 7:30ish, then headed home for showers and then the fireworks at 9pm. Here are a few pictures from our day:

the 4th of July.........

our picnic....

let's eat!!!

so cute....Gwyneth filling her bucket, one scoop at a time :O)

fun for the kids.....

Nathan waiting for his friend Kayla to arrive.....

boats anchored in the harbor.............

the beach has changed so much...

this is fun!!!

more kayaking....Nathan & friends in the background

heading home

the best I could do with my new camera....

I <3 fireworks!!! Thanks TVFD!!

Nathan finally showed up for a shower and a quick check on his itouch before heading back out with friends...

A Perfect Gift: Mrs. Prindable's Gourmet Apples

To contact us Click HERE
Did you know that Mrs. Prindable's is the premier provider of deliciously elegant gourmet food gifts?

And lucky me!

I got this in the mail:
The dark chocolate delight caramel apple!

In the interest of conducting this professional review *ahem*, I just want you to know that I had to hide this apple from my children.  So I could taste for myself, you see.

And yep, I ate the whole damn thing.

But not in one sitting.  That would be just ridiculous!

(It only took me 3 nights.)

Mrs. Prindables' unique specialty gifts make great gifts for any occasion - especially for that person who has everything!

Or, you know, you could buy one for yourself.

And chow down.

BJ's Wholesale Holiday Blogger Event

To contact us Click HERE
Last week, I was lucky enough to be invited to an informal meet and greet where BJ’s representatives gave me and some other blogger friends a tour of one of their clubs and introduced us to a selection of their holiday products.

I was eager to attend this event, as I am a regular shopper at this store.  (Please tell me it's not just me.  I can't help but giggle everytime I say "BJ's.")

Did  you know that BJ's (heh) carries everything you'd need to make your holiday planning less stressful ???(because we alllllllll know it's never stress-free)...From elegant decor to the season's hottest toys to a wide-assortment of top-quality food.  And all at great values!
 
I?  Did not know this.  So it's not just about the toilet paper and the ribs?! (Which are the 2 main staples I buy there. Seriously.)

Who knew?  400 SQUARE FEET of wrapping paper for $9.99!
The busy store manager graciously took time to speak to our group.
And at the end of our tour through the store, we were treated to a scrumptious array of holiday goodies.  Like red velvet cake.  And candies. 
And then I went back to work and took a nap under my desk.  The End.
Kidding. 
*****In addition, BJ’s asked me to enlist my boyz to test out some of BJ's holiday toy offerings this year.  We were given the Discovery Kids Digital Photo/Video Camera (only $27.99 at BJ's - normally $40ish everywhere else!)
Can I just tell you that this is a perfect gift for a preschooler/kindergartener?  Baby has NOT put it down!  Everywhere I turn, he's snapping a picture.  And yes, he's already dropped it a few times.  And it's fine.Eldest, age 9, was not so impressed with the digital quality, as we have let him take pictures with my camera a few times.  So he's used to the clearer quality.  But, like I said, it's fabulous for younger children.With its 16MB of internal memory storage, the camera is able to capture up to 120 still photos, plus full-motion video clips! The camera plugs into your computer via the USB cable (included), allowing kids to share their photos and video footage.So, in summary,Head to BJ's (*giggle giggle) for your one-stop-shopping needs this holiday season!  And yes, while you're there, pick up those bulk rolls of toilet paper too! 

Chili's...Baby Back Ribs!

To contact us Click HERE
My family definitely prefers Chili's over (Cr)Applebee's or TGIFriday's, so when I was contacted to see if we'd like to try out the new "Wild or Mild" Menu, I was definitely up for it.

So the five of us headed there last Friday.

Up first:  Texas cheese fries!  (Soooo not part of my diet.....)

Middle actually dared to try a jalepeno!  And immediately after, CHUGGED his blue slushie!
Not pictured:  The entire blue slushie that Eldest spilled all over the table. 
Off the "Mild" menu, Eldest ordered the Big Mouth Bites (burger sliders).  And Hubby was quite delighted with his choice of the Memphis dry rub rack o' ribs.
I was exhibiting self-control (shockingly) and had the delicious Caribbean salad.
Chili's Wild or Mild promotion is this:
To enter, participants upload a head shot of themselves and create a wild or mild avatar on shoutouttoeatout.com. Prizes: One (1) winner will be randomly drawn every day and will receive one (1) $20 Chili’s gift card. The most voted 'Wild' avatar will win a 'Wild' trip to Las Vegas and the most voted 'Mild' avatar will win a 'Mild' trip to Disney World! Ends 4/30/2011.
So which one are you:  Wild?  Or Mild?

Simply leave your answer below in the comments to win a $20 Chili's gift card!  Winner will be notified on Friday, March 11.

*****
Chili's provided my family with a gift card to facilitate this review.  Opinions expressed are my own.

Ways to save on international airfare

To contact us Click HERE


I love the fact that we are a global family: I'm from the Philippines, Alfie is from the UK, we both migrated to the US (with Alfie stopping over Australia first!) to live and raise our family.  Our kids are American, with relatives from all over the world. As a result, all the kids love visiting new countries and learning about their unique cultures.  International travel is truly one of the most enjoyable and eye-opening activities any family can do, and I highly recommend it!

The downside of all this is our travel budget; Alfie and I try to alternate visiting our folks every year.  One year we'll fly to the UK to spend the summer, and the next year we'll spend the holidays in the Philippines.  With 3 kids all and that distance to go, our holiday and leisure budget is completely consumed by international airfare!  I'm always on the lookout for ways to save on our plane tickets, so this article sent to me by Vayama, an online travel agency focused on international travel, really caught my attention.  They list seven ways families can save on international airfare:

1) Travel Midweek
International travel deals are entirely based on availability and since most people travel over the weekend (Friday & Saturday); you will find the cheapest international airfare deals if you travel midweek, usually departing and returning on a Tuesday or Wednesday.


2) Spend Saturday Night
Business travelers fly home on the weekend, so most discounted international airfare deals require a Saturday night stay. So be prepared to spend Saturday at your destination.


3) Don’t book too Early or Too Late
When it comes to cheap international airfares, you have to follow the Goldilocks rule: Don’t book too early or too late. We all know that an international ticket booked with less than 3 days notice will be very expensive, but it will also be pricy if you book too far in advance. Most airlines start competing for passengers around three to four months before departure; this is known as the “Goldilocks Zone”. Search for your international airfare about three to five months out and you will be in the best position to hit the international airfare deal jackpot.


4) Fly Through the Side Door
If your desired destination is sold out or too expensive, try flying out of a secondary international airport (Boston vs JFK or San Francisco vs Los Angeles). The same works with your destination airports; If London is sold out or too expensive, try Brussels, Amsterdam or even Stuttgart. You can use the savings to book a low cost inter Europe flight to London or you can jump on the Eurostar train from Paris or Brussels.


5) Fly Seasonally
Most budget travelers never fly during high season. They take advantage of the lower airfares and decent weather during the ‘shoulder season’. Europe’s fall shoulder season starts around September 15th and extends until the middle of November. It’s spring shoulder season starts in mid February and extends until the end of April. For the cheapest deals to New Zealand and Australia, fly in mid August, their fall and winters are quite mild and still allow you to enjoy the many outdoor adventures available Down Under. For Asia, fly from late September through November to get the lowest airfare deals. South America’s low season is anytime it’s not Christmas, New Year’s, Carnival or a school holiday.


6) Use the Multiple Flights Function
Vayama has a ‘multiple flights’ function on it’s ‘find a flight’ box. It’s a good idea to use it because it may be cheaper to fly into one city and return from another (for example; New York to London, returning from Amsterdam). Play around with different combinations and save.


7) Add a Stopover and Save
Direct flights (those with one stop) are also cheaper than nonstop flights, particularly when you fly long haul. For example the fares for a New York to Johannesburg flight will be cheaper on airlines that add a stopover (usually in Europe, Africa or the Middle East) versus the nonstop option from New York. The same applies to long haul flights to Asia. One stop in Seoul or Taipei could shave hundreds of dollars off an India trip when compared to nonstop flights.

I can personally vouch for tip #1, 2, 3 and 5.  Flying off-season is probably your biggest way to save -- it can mean a 40% reduction in price versus peak season fares!  Bottom line: it never hurts to be flexible with dates and total travel time.

Thanks to Vayama for the tips -- and have a happy international trip!


Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. Information is provided by the featured company/product and is indicated in italics. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.




Tweet this!

Destination Disney: Disney in Teal/Turquoise

To contact us Click HERE
Destination Disney: TEAL/TURQUOISE

This week was a favorite of mine! I love this color and was surprised by how much it is used all over Disney. I once again chose a favorite from each park:

I immediately think DHS when I think of the color turquoise! I love the retro tvs at 50's Prime Time Cafe.

Love the bright colors of It's a Small World in Magic Kingdom!

Jasmine looks beautiful in her teal costume, you can meet her in Morocco in Epcot's Word Showcase!

Would love to be sitting at this table right now eating bbq from Flame Tree....a favorite lunch spot in Animal Kingdom!