Thursday, July 23, 2015

Hershey, PA: The Sweetest Place in Earth

Instead of going to Busch Garden and Virginia beach this year, we havd to change our plans because of our dogs.  We finally found a place where there's an available space for the dogs so we  we headed to Hershey, PA.  I always want to go tot ehe sweetest place on earth.  Hershey is a census-designated place in Derry Township, Dauphin County in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Milton s. Hershey founded the Hershey company and he also keep the community together byy providing jobs  during the   great depression.
Visiting the place  inspired the kids to dream big.  As my husband told them about the history of Hershey, they  said that they hiope they can do good things too so they will be remembered even when they are gone, just like Mr. Hershey did and the legacy he left.  
You can tell how the people takes price of their  city, everything is very  clean and  beautiful out there.
Everywehere you look, there are sweet signs, displays, and more.
Even the street lights are sweet, they are Hershey kisses shaped  designs!
Our two day adventure there was great!  We did a lot of things for a very short time, we had a blast!
Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Here's How You Can Make Your Home Easier To Clean

As a busy mom, I know just how tricky it can be to keep your home clean when you have little ones running around. In fact, from experience, I know that sometimes it can seem physically impossible.


However, it doesn’t have to be that way; there are lots of simple ways you can make keeping on top of your cleaning easier. Keeping your home tidy doesn’t have to be difficult, by following a few simple rules, you can make cleaning much easier.

Here’s how you can make keeping on top of your home’s cleaning easier:


Invest in a steam mop


I am convinced that steam mops were made for busy moms like me - they take all the hassle out of cleaning. Well, most of the hassle, anyway. You don’t need to worry about chemicals or carrying around a bucket of water, all you need is your mop, some water, and a plug point.


If you are going to get a steam mop, I highly recommend investing in a six-in-one model. Instead of just being able to be used to clean the floors, six-in-one steam mops can be used to clean almost anything. They might cost a little more, but they are a great investment.


Only have furniture that’s easy to clean


We know that children make a mess, that’s just part of their charm. While we know that kids make a mess, it can be incredibly irritating when your furniture ends up stained and grubby. A sofa that is covered in stains isn't exactly, appealing is it?

When it comes to furniture, most pieces are incredibly difficult to clean and need cleaning by hand or dry cleaning. This can make keeping your home cleaning even more difficult and time consuming, which is far from ideal.


When it comes to choosing your furniture, you can either opt for furniture that has been made with a wipeable material. Or, you could opt for furniture that has removable slipcovers that can be taken off and easily washed. If you want a nice slipcovered sofa or chair, have a look at Nantuckit slipcovered furniture - there is a nice range on offer.


Teach your children to clear up after themselves


Once your kids get to a certain age, it’s worth teaching them to clear up after themselves. Not only because this will help to make keeping your home clean, easier for you, but also as an important life lesson. Did you know that kids that are taught to be tidy as children, tend to be tidier adults?

Start off by asking your child to put their shoes and coat neatly after taking them off, and then move onto larger jobs. For instance, at the end of the day, ask your children to put their toys neatly away. Start off small and then gradually work up to giving your child more chores to do - use a chore chart for this.

It can be hard to keep your home clean when you have young children to care for, but it’s not impossible. It might take a little longer to clean up than it used to, but it is doable. To make cleaning your home easier for yourself, make sure to take note of the tips mentioned in this guide.

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Hanging Basket Flowers

The hanging basket dis[lays at Hershey park are gorgeous.  I believe the yellow flowering plants are some  type of lantana but I am not sure what  the other plants are.    If my  kids enjoy the fun  rides and other  games in the amusement park, I enjoy  the landscape and other  critters that I see around.  It definitely help that I have a camera, it  relaxes me to take photos. 

It's Good to be Home

Going on vacation is nice but  after a while, you want to get back, you want to feel that peaceful time.  Nothing beats to feeling of being home.  

Upon returning home, the first thing that  my daughter did was play in the piano.  She missed   playing after we have gone to a short getaway.  I figured, she would have  done the same if she plays piedmont blues.  I think that music is  embedded in her that  she  can't go on a day without  playing whenever we are here at home.  That's the advantage when you play an instrument like violin because you can  carry  it when you travel. 

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Butterfly Garden Chair

I love this  butterfly chair  that Hershey Gardens  has in their  display inside the perennial garden.  It is  well-made, very sturdy and high quality.  We couldn't pass the opportunity of not having a photo here so here ya go peeps, hehehe.
 Of all the things we did while in Hershey, PA,  going to  Hershey Gardens is probably my second favorite as it was so enjoyable to  go  through so many  plants especially the roase garden.
 It was funny when we  were having our  photo takenm a passerby  jokingly said "Watch out, it might fly and take you away".  I told  him "That would be great, it would be a fun experience" and we all laughed!
Shadow Shots
 The perennial garden  is filled with spring to fall displays of different goegeous flowers.
If you are in Hershey, PA, I highly recommend  going to the Hershey Gardens.  It's a treat!

Collecting Items as a Hobby

Do you collect anything?  I have a thing for cute erasers so I started collecting some when my kids started going to school.  I also like to collect  refrigerator magnets so whenever we are visiting places, I make sure to get me one  refriegarator magnet.
On another note, Isn't it awesome if you can make your own printed shot glasses - Glass with a Twist.  A friend of mine  collects shot glasses  so I got her  this from our road trip.  Collecting  items as a hobby is  fun!

Personal Touch: Our Bucket of Love

A couple of years ago, a good neighbor gave us an outdoor seashell display.  They saw it at the store anthought of getting one for me as it was made in the Philippines.  They are one of the sweetest  and thoughtful neighbors we have here.  Over time, the rope that was connecting all the shells  got rotten already so I saved the shells.
 I thought it would be great to turn it into a project  that we can all use  everyday.
 My daughter helped me with this project and we had fun!
Last year, we also did a project where  each of us can write our personal thoughts  and feelings for simething and drop it in the bucket for us to reflect on  before we go to bed.  This was a great way to know what the kids are feeling about something and it's also a great communication between us and them.
 We call this project the Bucket of Love.  I will put  some  quotes on each picture to make it more inspiring.
"In order to succeed, we must first believe that we can. "
- Nikos Kazantzakis -
"Confound not faith and feeling together. 
They are distinct. Faith is ours to exercise. 
Believe, believe. 
Let your faith take hold of the blessing, and it is yours by faith. 
Your feelings have nothing to do with this faith."
- Ellen G. White -
"The most important thing is to enjoy your life - to be happy - it's all that matters. "
- Audrey Hepburn - 
"The stories we can tell are those that happen to us; 
we meet, work, live, laugh, love, 
demonstrate, strive in community. "
- Mimi Kennedy - 
"The weak can never forgive. 
Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. "
-Mahatma Gandhi-
"Humility may well be one of the most difficult 
of the fruit of the Spirit to be cultivated in us - and to maintain. 
That's because without humility, 
it's not likely that you will put your 
complete trust in God." 
- Joyce Meyer -
"We are not actually equal - humanity - if we are not allowed to freely love one another. "
- Lady Gaga - 
"Be true to yourself, help others, 
make each day your masterpiece, 
make friendship a fine art, 
drink deeply from good books - especially the Bible, 
build a shelter against a rainy day, 
give thanks for your blessings 
and pray for guidance every day." 
- John Wooden -
"Patience is not simply the ability to wait - it's how we behave while we're waiting."
-  Joyce Meyer -
"I've had some amazing people in my life. Look at my father - he came from a small fishing village of five hundred people and at six foot four with giant ears and a kind of very odd expression, thought he could be a movie star. So go figure, you know?" -  Kiefer Sutherland -
"A home with a loving and loyal husband and wife is the supreme setting in which children can be reared in love and righteousness and in which the spiritual and physical needs of children can be met." - David A. Bednar -
"So many of us have loved ones and people we really care about, and the only time we show affection is when they are gone. I have preached at funerals, and you see loved ones who didn't even say hello to dear ones when they were alive. Give them hugs, kisses while they are alive and need it. " - George Foreman -
So what do you think of this project?  Which quote  relate to you the most?

How To Make Your Bathroom Perfect For You And Your Kids

We know a big difference between you and your children. You probably love a relaxing time in the bathroom while your kids may hate it. But it does not have to be that way. You can both enjoy the bathroom in different ways. For you, we are going to show you how to make your bathroom fashionable and luxurious without spending a lot of money. For your kids, we are going to show how you can make them want to go for a bath or shower. So, let’s get started.
For You

For you, the bathroom is all about relaxing and spending time in a place where you cannot be disturbed. If you want to get the most out of your time in the tub, you want to make sure that you love looking around the room. To do this, you can think about repainting the walls, although this is quite a lot of effort, so instead you could simply add some ornaments to the wall. This will make them look more attractive and appealing without a lot of time involved. All it takes is a quick Google online or a trip down to the shops.

Think about the little things that you can do to make your bathroom look more beautiful. For instance, rather than redesigning, you could simply add a vase of flowers to your bathroom shelf. Not only will this make your bathroom look beautiful, it will also add a lovely scent to the room.

Instead of changing the tiles on the floor, spending a lot of money, you could just clean up the clutter in the room. Believe it or not but having a lot of things like toothpaste, razors and soaps out in your bathroom is making it look smaller and untidy. To solve this problem you could buy some bathroom units to store all your accessories and knick knacks in. Your bathroom will look cleaner, and you will immediately feel more relaxed when you enter the room.

If you want to spend some extra time in the tub, you want a place of divine serenity. You can achieve this by simply adding some music and mood lighting. You do not have to spend a lot of money to get this effect. Simply set up some candles around your tub and sprinkle some flower petals into the water. Add some bubbles and set up a music player just outside the bathroom door. Leave the door open a crack and let the soothing tunes cleanse your mind as the soak cleanses your body. We are sure you will love the experience.

For Your Kids


When thinking about your kids bathtime experience you have two tasks. First, you may have to convince them actually to take a bath or shower. You can do this easily by making sure bathtime is fun for them. Let them take some of their toys in the bath with them to play around with such as an aquarium set, so that they can feel like they are swimming in the ocean. You can even buy plastic play areas that stick to the side of the tub for your little ones to play around with. 

But, this may not be enough because your child may actually be scared of going for a bath. Some children hate the idea of getting water and soap in their eyes. Well, we all hate that idea don’t we? But you can solve this problem by buying a visor to keep the water off their face. You may also want to think about demonstrating how there is nothing to be scared of, by using one of their toys. Children react to this kind of lesson in a positive way. 

Failing this, you may consider just taking your child for a shower instead. We know what you are thinking. It would be almost impossible to help your child get washed in a shower. But, you could buy a big walk-in shower that will make it easier than you would imagine. Your child will have lots of space, and you can still make bathtime fun for them. 

Finally, it is important to think about safety for both you and your child. Obviously, you should not have any electrical devices in the bath, and if there are, they should, of course, be waterproof. If you have plugs for accessories such as razors and electric toothbrushes, make sure they are far out of reach of little hands. 

Use these tips and time spent in the bathroom will be a fun and relaxing experience for you and your children.

Monday, July 6, 2015

Calendula or Pot Marigold

I have a lot of calendola in  my garden.  I like how bright they are when in bloom and I don't even have to plant them, they come back every year.  I got this info from WebMD:
Calendula is a plant. The flower is used to make medicine. 
Calendula flower is used to prevent muscle spasms, start menstrual periods, and reduce fever. It is also used for treating sore throat and mouth, menstrual cramps,cancer, and stomach and duodenal ulcers. 
Calendula is applied to the skin to reduce pain and swelling (inflammation) and to treat poorly healing wounds and leg ulcers. It is also applied to the skin (used topically) for nosebleeds, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, inflammation of the rectum (proctitis), and inflammation of the lining of the eyelid (conjunctivitis). 
Don’t confuse calendula with ornamental marigolds of the Tagets genus, which are commonly grown in vegetable gardens.

How does it work?
It is thought that the chemicals in calendula help new tissue grow in wounds and decrease swelling in the mouth and throat.
 It's a great color to add to flower arrangement.  I love summer time because I get tio display fresh flower in my kitchen everytday!
When in bloom, it's flower bring a great color  in my garden.
They multiply each year so I have to thin them out every time they are coming up.
Shadow Shots

Versatile Bedding

What Is the Purpose of a Flat Sheet?

When you purchase a bedding set, it often comes with pillowcases, sham pillowcases, a fitted sheet, a flat sheet and sometimes a comforter. Many people know where to put most of these linens, but the flat sheet throws some for a loop. What is the purpose of a flat sheet? Flat cotton sheets can be a versatile piece of bedding.


Use It as a Liner for Your Comforter or Duvet

For the most part, flat sheets, also known as top sheets, are used as a sort of additional covering and liner between the person sleeping and the comforter, duvet or other blanket providing warmth through the night. The layering for making the bed usually goes: mattress pad (if you have one), fitted sheet, flat sheet and comforter. You place the flat sheet the same way you place your comforter, allowing you to climb under the covers when it’s time for bed. The human body loses a lot of moisture when sleeping, so using a flat sheet as a top sheet could help protect your nice duvet or comforter from body fluids.
 
Light Covering in Warm Seasons

In some areas of the world, the warm seasons are so warm that using a comforter or heavy blanket covering while sleeping is uncomfortable. If you live in an area where it gets particularly warm at night, you can forego the use of a heavy blanket or comforter and just use a flat sheet as your sleep cover instead. These sheets tend to be light and breathable, making them a perfect light covering on particularly warm nights.
 
A Bottom Sheet in a Pinch

If for some reason you do not have a fitted sheet, then a flat sheet can serve as your bottom sheet. You can make hospital corners by pulling the sheet beyond the edge of the bed and pulling it taut around the corner while carefully raising the top to make a triangle. You then fold the raised triangle down over the taut part of the sheet and tuck the loose ends under the mattress. Do this for all corners.

Versatile Bedding


A flat sheet serves many purposes for your bed. If you’re looking for a new way to use your sheet, try using it as a liner, light cover or bottom sheet.

Add This