HARD TO SAY GOODBYE

Just when you thought there were no more pictures from our Philippines trip, we have to show you some of our "goodbyes" and trip back home. Hope you enjoy........

Here's our Daniel sitting on top of the van before our departure.

Debbie saying goodbye to her brother and nephew.

Hardest was saying goodbye to Mommy and Auntie Cion.

All the ladies gathering together for one last photo......until we return again.

And all the guys gathering one more time........with Mommy, of course!

Our stop over in Toyko. We were glad to have a lay-over which gave us a chance to stretch our legs and prepare for the long trip to Dallas.

Does Daniel look worried about getting the Swine Flu?

Daniel enjoyed "riding" the escalator.

Our decent back into Atlanta was beautiful........but we sure do miss everyone in the Phil's. We will be back!!

APEX PAYDAY LOAN

Many times people will find themselves low on cash and in need of money quickly. They may have a good job but just fall short a little from time to time. Immediate cash needs can really cripple a household. Unexpected expenses such as a car breaking down or an extra high electric bill can leave a family running short. Having access to a Pay Day Loan may be the answer.

Apex Payday Loans is a company that specializes in lending money to those in need with fast, friendly, and courteous service. When you click over to their website you will see how simple and convenient their site is to use. If you are running short of money and need help fast, I would encourage you to try out Apex Payday Loans today!

FIRST TIME AT CHUCK E CHEESE

Daniel experienced the one and only Chuck E Cheese and he had a great time! Here are some pictures from our get-a-way with some friends.....

Daniel and I posing in front of Chuck E. - you can tell Daniel was anxious to get his hands on all the games!

So many games to choose from - he explored them all!

His favorite toys were those that simulated cars - give Daniel a steering wheel and he is a happy little boy!

Another favorite of Daniel's was riding the horses!!

Daniel with his friend William (the birthday boy) and William's Mommy - all having a great time!

"Just one more game Mommy? That one - over there!"

Overall it was a great afternoon and of course, the boys didn't want to go. Everyone is anxious to go back to Chuck E. Cheese!

A RADIO DISNEY VACATION!!

Radio Disney is holding a Summer Concert Series which will be held in Wildwood, New Jersey at Morey’s Piers this summer from June to August. When you think of things to do in New Jersey and Wildwood vacations, Morey's Piers has so much to offer. Whether it's a Jersey Shore getaway or a full fledged family vacation, this is the place to go. They have New Jersey water parks, New Jersey amusement parks and rides, great places to stay, such as Wildwood New Jersey hotels and Wildwood new jersey motels, great dining places and many group events. Just click either of the above links to find out more information about this great get-away spot.

But most importantly this Summer, Radio Disney is coming to Morey's Piers. It promises to be a star-studded Summer with plenty of tremendous performances. With so many Disney stars there you would think the price of the tickets would be sky high but the great news is that all of the concerts are.........(drum-roll please).....FREE!! You read that correctly - they are free! This will prove to be one of the more popular concert series of the Summer for certain. Just click either of the above links to find out more information about an incredible summer vacation, Wildwood New Jersey motels and the wonderful Summer plans you could be making to be in beautiful Morey's Piers in New Jersey.

MORE OF DANIEL'S BAPTISM

Here are some more photos from Daniel's big day. If you missed the others you can find them here. We hope you enjoy them!

The happy Mommy and Daddy!! We are sooooo very proud of our son!

Daniel just realized that you get presents when you are baptized!!

Three very dear friends of Debbie from college. She was so happy they were able to make it to Daniel's baptism!

Gwapo anak ko!! Daniel in his Barong Tagalog playing with his Uncle Dom's i-Phone.

Here is Daniel's baptism cake - a little damaged but it still tasted great!

Some of the crowd enjoying the food!

More friends and family enjoying the festivities at the reception.

Daniel drew quite a crowd and everyone stood in line patiently waiting for their turn to fill their plates! Since it was raining outside, we had everyone inside but no one seemed to mind.

More friends and family enjoying the occasion!

We hope you enjoy these and believe it or not, we have a few more from Daniel's special day to share.....next time! Happy blogging to everyone!

VACATION IN BRANSON

The Midwest has always had a special place in my heart and the reasons are many. But one of the main reasons is the atmosphere created by the beauty of the land and the goodness of the people. One of my favorite places in the Midwest is Branson, Missouri. Branson is an entertainment capital in the Midwest and has a lot to offer both young and old. They have a variety of shows that include magicians, rock 'n' roll, country, family harmonies, comedy, variety, dinner shows, gospel, and well-known performers that make appearances. Also, it is little known that Branson, Missouri has more theater seats than Broadway. And right now during the onset of the summer months it is the perfect time to visit.

The Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing and Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel have special packages they have put together just for this time of year. Whether you want to play miniature golf, enjoy go-carts, water parks, and history museums, you can do it all while staying in Branson. You can see the Titanic and even stop at the famous College of the Ozarks. It's a beautiful part of the country that has so much to offer. You will enjoy the spirit of the season with light displays, shows, parades, and the old time charm of Branson. You can even participate in the Father’s Day Salute and National Kid’s Fest at Silver Dollar City. Then at night you can retire in the luxury and comfort of either the Hilton Promenade or the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel. I would encourage you to click on any of the above links and discover for yourself the beauty of Branson.

CLOSE CALL??

Having just gotten off a jet a few days ago and watching this video makes me cringe. I have a ton of admiration for those who can fly a plane and even more for those who can fly a jet. A jet is an amazing piece of equipment and I love to just watch them in the air but this video made me a little nervous.

ETHICAL COMPUTER HACKING

No one needs to be reminded that hacking is a huge problem all over the world. Just look at the virus warnings we hear about daily - not to mention the software we must constantly purchase updates for to keep our computers free from of spyware and viruses. And even then, we can still be susceptible to outside hacking. Many take chances and just hope for the best when it comes to their computer's security and others actually become proactive and learn how to be hacker themselves. Believe it or not it can be ethical and good to become a Certified Ethical Hacker and that's what EC Council is all about. Teaching the computer savvy to hack.

Hacking can be ethical in that you can learn how to tighten IT Security for businesses, perform penetration testing, computer forensics and even perform disaster recovery. All these are ethical forms of computer hacking that are taught at EC-Council. Their iClasses cover a wide range of computer topics including the following:

• Security Fundamentals
• Ethical Hacking
• Penetration Testing
• Computer Forensics
• Disaster Recovery
• Secure Programming
• and many more topics

With this kind of knowledge it is easy to see how "in demand" this set of skills are and how the pay range for such skills would be higher and ever increasing as the "bad guys" become more and more sophisticated in their illegal hacking. I would highly recommend looking into their website and the classes offered by clicking any of the above links. Whether you are looking into this as a career or to just become more educated and computer savvy, EC Council is the perfect place to get your education.

DAY TRIP TO BAGUIO

Toward the end of our vacation we loaded up the van and head up...literally we headed up the mountain to Baguio City and if you have ever been, you know exactly what I am talking about. The view is breath-taking on the way up as well as at the top. Of course, part of the fun is getting there as your ears are constantly popping and you feel like you are just barely eluding death as the driver attempts to negotiate the narrow winding roads.....your view is breath-taking as you look around but heart-stopping as you look down. But overall, Baguio is great........the people, the food and the experience are all incredible!! Hope you enjoy these photos!

It rained a good deal of the time we were there but that didn't deter us from having a great time and of course, taking tons of photos!

Daniel and I posing at Mines View Park.

An amazing view of the mountain although the low clouds and overcast weather are hiding much of the beauty.

Here are Daniel and myself again as I am showing him a spear from the natives.

The whole gang got together for a picture - rain or shine, we had a great time together!

Debbie and I together at Mines View. Although the camera doesn't show it, the background view from where we were standing was awe-inspiring!

All together posing with native headgear on.

Overall, the Baguio trip was great. We did quite a bit of sight-seeing from the van as it rained so hard at times. We weren't always able to capture it on film, but our getaway to Baguio was as beautiful as ever and that will always be a place we will visit, whenever we are in the Philippines.

QUALITY ONLINE AUTO PARTS

My husband is a do-it-yourself kind of person and that includes our car. He loves to change the oil and even change out different parts of the car. And now there is a great online car parts store called BuyAutoParts.com where he and you can buy all kinds of auto parts . There you can buy quality auto parts, car parts, truck parts, import parts, performance parts and automotive accessories. They sell at the lowest prices and shipping on orders over $50 is free and you get a full warranty on every auto part! Their auto parts catalog is especially easy to use. Just click the above link and you will be taken to their website where you can peruse their large selection of auto parts backed up by their superior customer service. Check them out today!

MORE PICS FROM OUR PHILIPPINES VACATION

Here are some more photos from our wonderful vacation in the Philippines. This is a hodge podge of pictures in no particular order and there are plenty more to come. We will be sharing more pictures from Daniel's baptism, from our trip to Baguio, from our trip home and more. But for now, here are more photos and we hope you enjoy them!

Here are Debbie and I in the hotel lobby after breakfast - the day after my arrival. Daniel was waiting at home with Grandma and all his aunts, uncles and cousins.

I felt a bit romantic so I started playing the piano and singing for my Sweetheart in the hotel lobby....can you believe hotel security asked me to stop? Spoil sports.

Here we are sitting at the mayor's desk. We felt this was appropriate as we will be the first family in the near future and I wanted to make certain the desk was the right height for me.

This was not the right day to mess with Daniel. He was particularly feisty and full of mischief....due mainly to his Mommy giving him soda and all the glorious caffeine that comes with it!! It's ok, we were on vacation.

Here are Daniel and I after I returned home - after not seeing him for 2+ weeks. I am whispering in his ear, "Never again..............."

Daniel surrounded by his cousins. It was very common for Daniel to be completely taken care of by his cousins and his Mommy and Daddy just waited in the wings for some attention.

While we were waiting to get an appointment to see Daniel, we snuck off to Chow King and enjoyed pansit lomi, siopao and of course, halo-halo.

The center of attention, the little white Fil-Am boy, our sweet Daniel Gerald. Everyone misses him already and we hope they know as well, Daniel really misses them also!!!

$10,000 FROM CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS

Charter Communications is a different kind of cable company in a special way. They are offering many bargains and specials which includes amazing online deals on all their services. In the past they have offered such things as a chance to win an Xbox 360 or a Hybrid Car and now they are giving away a chance to win one $10,000 prize and four 52” HDTV’s.

Charter Communications is a large cable operator that operates in 29 states. It is a Fortune 500 company so you know that you are dealing with the best and one of the largest cable companies in the world. They offer not only cable, but also high speed Internet and telephone service. And right now, they have put together different bundling offers that give you the very best price available for these services. And they are also offering a chance to win $10,000 and a 52” Sony Bravia HDTV! Charter is offering a chance to win every single week in May by giving away a TV each week and the $10,000 prize at the end of the month. The contest is open to new and upgrading customers and those who enter each week have a great chance of winning. One caveat though, you must be in Charter's serviceable area. If you are, then they are the company to go with. For complete rules and more information on this contest just visit their Win 10 Grand Contest Page. You can also learn more by subscribing to Charter’s Twitter Feed.

Charter Communications is offering a great service and on top of that they are offering great prizes for all of May. Simply click the above link today and visit their website for more details. Charter Communications is a great company and I would recommend taking advantage of their great offers today!

MEETING A FELLOW BLOGGER

While on vacation in the Philippines. we had the privilege of meeting and having lunch with Lena (Desperate Blogger) from http://www.pinaymomblogs.com/. We became instant friends although we had exchanged messages and comments on each other's blogs for months before. It was amazing to meet a fellow blogger and we wanted to share some photos from our time together!

Here we are sitting together during our meal - Lena insisted on paying - she reasoned, "This is my country and you are my guests." Thank you from our hearts, Lena!! When you are here in the States, you have an open invitation to be a guest in our home....and next time it will be our treat!

Here are some of the foods we enjoyed - chopsuey, pansit lomi and barbecue on a stick! And of course, the ubiquitous rice in the background.

More food - adobo rice and sizzling sisig. Everything was super masarap and we all had full tummies when we left. So full, in fact, that we passed up halo-halo....can you believe that?

Here is a photo of all three of us....so very happy to meet Lena whom, without blogging, we would never have met. Here I am posing with Lena in front of the one of the largest malls in all of Asia.Debbie and I - posing in front of SM Mall of Asia where we ate.

Finally, here are Debbie and Lena just outside the mall posing just before we all headed to the beach front for a walk before parting ways.

Maraming salamat Lena as it was truly a pleasure to meet you. You were a warm and gracious hostess and you provided a great memory for us. Let us know when you are in the States!