The Zodiac and Your Pregnancy

Whenever you have read your personal daily horoscope in the newspaper or online, you probably either roll your eyes because the horoscope is as inaccurate as it can get, or you are amazed because the horoscope is right on the money!

The fact of the matter is, those daily horoscopes based on your Sun sign alone are not going to be overly accurate because it only tells you what energies you are facing based on your Sun sign only. There is a lot more to your own personal horoscope than your Sun sign.



That is why you may meet someone who is an Aries who is more like a Pisces or a Gemini than an Aries. The Sun sign represents who we are as a whole, but it makes up only a fraction of our own horoscopes.



Astrology is the study of how stars have an impact on your life, events, and anything else around us. When we are born, the stars are placed in a certain way and that actually does represent our personalities, strengths, weaknesses and even karma which goes beyond the Sun sign alone.



However, even though the Sun sign makes up a fraction of who we are, it still represents an important fraction of us. Therefore, we will resonate in one way or another to our Sun sign.



That being said, if you found out that you are pregnant, regardless of your zodiac sign you are going to experience surprise, excitement and even fear. You will be having a lot of questions in your mind that will need to be answered. You will research the best prenatal vitamins to take, what your birth plan will look like, and baby names.



However, based on your Sun sign, you can find out how your pregnancy will be influenced in regards to pregnancy pains, emotional swings and even preferences for baby names. Let’s find out how you will be affected by your pregnancy based on your Sun sign now!



Aries

Aries is the first sign in the zodiac, and it is a fire sign. People born between March 21 to April 19th have this sign. Arians are known to be candid, impatient and energetic. They have extreme passion, and even if they are dealing with a difficult pregnancy, they will be brave and face it head on. In fact, they will certainly open up about their experiences and may even give out TMI about common issues such as morning sickness. If you are an Aries, this could resonate and even if your friends are squeamish to hear about your experiences, they will be fascinated as well.



Taurus

Taurus is the second sign in the zodiac, and it is a an earth sign. People born between April 20 to May 20th fall under this sign. Taureans are very stubborn and hate change in routine, and if a Taurean women wanted to get pregnant, then something significant would have caused her to change her mind. However, women under this sign who are pregnant will have a difficult time handling the changes that are happening in their body such as increased breast size and even foot size. They are the least adaptable and if you are a Taurus, prepare yourself ahead of time for the fact that your body will be changing for the next 8-9 months!



Gemini

Gemini is the third sign in the zodiac, and it is an air sign. People born between May 21 to June 20th have a sun in Gemini. Geminis are incredibly adaptable and are curious. In fact, women under this sign will be embracing and enjoying their pregnancies and will take any unexpected news with grace. They may be also hit with the nesting instinct quite early on and be inclined to prepare the nursery early! If this is you, then you are in for a ride which you will gladly embrace.



Cancer

Cancer is the fourth sign in the zodiac, and it is a water sign. People born between June 21 to July 22nd fall under this sign. Cancers are extremely emotional, and are natural nurturers. Cancer women will be affected by the stereotypical emotional ups and downs during pregnancy. Some may be hit with morning sickness a little more than others due to the fact that Cancers frequently have digestive sensitivities. If this is you, you will need to bring tissues wherever you go because everything will make you cry.



Leo

Leo is the fifth sign in the zodiac, and it is a fire sign. People born between July 23 to August 22 fall under the sign of Leo. Leos are known to be confident, dramatic, creative and can be egocentric. Leo women who are expecting will handle pregnancy hurdles with grace, but will growl at anyone who offers any kind of unsolicited advice because she knows what she is doing. If this is you, yes that is right you know best and unless you are getting advice from your doctor or any professional you are working with, no one else knows a thing!



Virgo

Virgo is the sixth sign in the zodiac, and it is an earth sign. People born between August 23 to September 22 are Virgos. Virgos are known to be pragmatic and realistic. Therefore, women who are Virgos that are expecting will expect the unpleasant side effects of pregnancy such as morning sickness and fatigue and will be realistic about how much they can do. If they are sick, they will not hesitate to sip on ginger ale and eat some crackers. If they are tired, they will make time to sleep. If they are concerned, they will consult the doctor right away. They will certainly take the best care of themselves as well as their unborn babies. If you are a Virgo and expecting, you already know this and you must do what you need to do to make yourself comfortable while caring for your unborn baby.



Libra

Libra is the seventh sign in the zodiac, and it is an air sign. People born between September 23 to October 22 are Libras, and they are social, fair, calm, indecisive, and are about balance. In fact, Libras may spend the whole pregnancy deciding on doulas, baby names and delivery plans because they are indecisive, and it will take them time to make a decision on those things. They will do well in yoga and will be able to relax the most during labor. If this applies to you, that is good news and if you need help with decision making, talk to your friends and definitely your partner about baby names!



Scorpio

Scorpio is the eighth sign in the zodiac, and it is a water sign. People born between October 23 to November 21 are Scorpios, and it is the most intense sign in the zodiac. In fact, Scorpio women who are pregnant will refuse to suffer in silence, and will always demand help from their doctors if needed. They will end up getting the comfort they need, and if you are a Scorpio who is pregnant, this is good news for you!



Sagittarius

Sagittarius is the ninth sign in the zodiac, and it is a fire sign. People born between November 22 to December 21 have this sun sign. Sagittarians are optimistic, and adventurous. Therefore, Sagittarian pregnant women will enjoy their pregnancies, and have that glow. Even if they are suffering from fatigue and/or morning sickness they will find the positive in that because it is a sign that the body is doing what it needs to help grow a healthy baby. If this is you, you probably already know this already.



Capricorn

Capricorn is the tenth sign in the zodiac, and it is an earth sign. People born between December 22 to January 19 are Capricorns. Capricorns are known to be competent and ambitious, and these expecting moms will approach the pregnancy with wisdom and determination. They are ready to accept many challenges to come, however the loss of concentration which affects pregnant women will hit these moms to be very hard since they are all about being organized and pragmatic. If you are a Capricorn, remember this is what pregnancy does so don’t be hard on yourself if this happens to you!



Aquarius

Aquarius is the eleventh sign in the zodiac, and it is an air sign. Those born between January 20 to February 18 are Aquarians. This group hates to be bored and hates to be restricted. Many of them are innovative and very independent. In fact, many Aquarian moms to be have a hard time adapting to the changes that pregnancy brings. Especially when they are having trouble sleeping, eating or walking which is bound to happen during pregnancy. However, they will definitely do their research on delivery, parenting and anything related to the pregnancy to keep their minds occupied because that will keep them sane and informed. If this applies to you, you know what to prepare yourself for!



Pisces

Pisces is the twelfth sign in the zodiac, and it is a water sign. Those born between February 19 to March 20 fall under this sign. In fact, Pisces people are gentle, compassionate, dreamy and intuitive. These women who are expecting will do anything to make sure the baby is growing well and is healthy. They are incredibly careful about making sure they attend every doctor’s appointment and do what they can to stay healthy by eating good foods. They are also incredibly adaptable to changes that pregnancy brings. If you are a Pisces and just found out you are pregnant, you will do anything you can to make sure the baby is well and healthy.

Slowly Updating My Wardrobe

Being in my 30's, I have accepted a few things about myself. One of these is my figure. I have stopped holding out hope that I will go back to my pre-pregnancy figure. I have learned to love my mommy body, curves and all. But it's not that I will just let myself go, and eat whatever without a care. Of course, I want to be healthy for my children!

With that said, it's out with the old. The tank and halter tops, the fitted t-shirts, the tight jeans. And it's in with the new! The longer tops which skim the figure but not hugging it tightly, the loose and comfy but not frumpy tops, the leggings, the maxi dresses, the long skirts, the bespoke jeans.

I am slowly updating my wardrobe. I am slowly filling my closet with pieces that I truly like. I am slowly stocking up on pieces that I find comfortable. I am slowly hanging up black, white, grey and neutral tops. I find myself liking colorful clothes one day, and not anymore the next. Maybe I have grown old... Maybe I don't want to spend more time choosing what to wear.

As usual, I turn to my favorite online clothes shopping site: Zalora, and made a wish list.

As you can see, most of my picks are black and white, peppered with nude/blush/beige. Neutrals! I am digging neutral-colored dainty polka dots, too. 

Also, there's red. 

As a Filipino-Chinese, red is an important color in the wardrobe. It's the only color to wear during birthday celebrations, especially of someone older than me. It's a staple in the closet of every tsinoy.

I hope I could achieve the update of my wardrobe one day. I dream of the time I would just pull any top or dress out of my closet and wear it without a drop of hesitation; and come out looking classy and put-together.

How about you? What kind of clothes do you prefer?

Pregnant Chicken

I chanced upon this site while surfing for maternity photos. It was hilarious! Plus, it could be helpful to disperse or confirm some common pregnancy do's and don'ts. Like, is it safe to drink herbal tea? To poop hard? I, myself, have a lot of unanswered questions regarding what is safe or not during pregnancy and people say tons of different things. According to Amy of Pregnant Chicken:

I'm not a doctor. I'm not even close. This is only a compilation of the things I found online but surf for yourself and decide which things you think you should avoid during your pregnancy and things that you shouldn't. All I can guarantee is that down the road we'll all find out we chose both right and wrong and it's a miracle any of us are here at all.

Workshop For First Time Parents

If you are like me who was clueless about babies when I was pregnant with my firstborn, then you'd be happy to know that there's a workshop for first time parents. It's called Delivery And Newborn Care.

Join Manila Workshops on February 22 at Medela House and learn about:

• Baby Milestones
• Newborn baby care
• Breastfeeding and 
• Safe sleep

Sign up if you or your friends are interested!

Happy With My Mommy Blogberry Planner

I got my Mommy Blogberry partner five days into the new year. I am glad I heeded Martine's recommendation because I am quite happy with it. It comes in purple, too. I love purple but I chose this color. Heehee!

I love that it has tabs so I could easily find the month I am currently on. There is no need for a bookmark.

I love that it incorporates a meal planner at the bottom so I won't need a separate calendar for that.

Aside from the menstrual tracker and the kids health & school info/record that were present in my old planner, there are useful information on the back pages like the calorie counter, kitchen measurement, conversions, shelf life of food, stacking the fridge, clothing sizes and a list of what to pack when traveling.

Lovely, right? 

And, I love that it has pockets at the back to store some undocumented receipts or love notes from the children. I also find it more convenient that the expenses and the to-do-lists are incorporated in each month. I love the smooth cover and the garter around the planner so it won't fall open. If you're a mom and don't have a planner yet, you might want to consider this one.

I am very happy with my Mommy Blogberry Planner!

Stylish Maternity Dresses

The last time I was pregnant, I sort of promised myself I would take me shopping for some pretty spring maternity dresses I saw at boutiques in the mall. That didn't quite happen as I was caught up with life. Plus, I couldn't bear to buy new dresses I would wear for just a few months. Also, I have ordinary clothes that I could use while sporting a big belly. I would like to think that only my belly got big, and not my whole body. My mom got me a couple of maternity wear from China that I got to wear for less than 10 times.

And then, I suddenly wanted an outdoor maternity shoot before my scheduled C-section. I realized that I had no flowery maternity dress. I searched my closet and found a summer dress I bought not too long ago. Praying that it will fit, I slipped on the dress. And...

ta-da! the result!

If I had planned earlier that I would have my photos taken before I gave birth, I would have chosen dresses like these from www.momobaby.com:

It's so great that stylish maternity dresses are available already. They would certainly enhance a pregnant woman's already blooming countenance.

What is better is that after giving birth, these dresses could still be utilized and would look flattering on any body shape. And, even better is when they are breastfeeding-friendly!

I also love these ones below:

WAHMderful Life Workshop 3

Remember I attended the very first It's A WAHMderful Life Workshop? My post was linked up over at the WAHMderful Life Workshop Re-run write-up over at wahmderfullife.com. I wasn't able to attend the second one, but I am looking forward to gracing the one that will be happening on April 13.

I am interested in the break-out session number 2, on writing jobs. I am hoping to learn more and as a blogger, this might help me in that aspect.
One of the moms I met in the first workshop is planning to attend, too. We wish to take advantage of the group rate so we still need one more lady. Are you the one? :-)

LED light bulbs are helpful to moms, too!

Do you plan to use LED light bulbs? Do you have LED light bulbs as replacement light bulbs? These are the advantages of LED light bulbs, according to my husband, Rix:

• Environment-friendly since they don't heat up easily
• Takes a long time for them to be busted, compared with a CFL
• Energy-efficient since just a few amperes are consumed
• The luminosity of LED light bulbs is higher than the usual CFL

Of course, the cost of LED lights are still high since they are not the "mainstream" lights, and the technology used is still fairly new.

You may be wondering why I said that they are helpful to moms.

Since LED lights do not have filaments that heat up, it is okay to keep them turned on for longer periods of time. We use LED bulbs for the lights on the perimeter outside our house in the evening and all throughout the night. This is for safety purposes.

Since my daughter is scared of the dark, she would wake me up or her dad (if her little sister is still breastfeeding while sleeping), just to turn on the light in the bathroom. Sometimes, daddy Rix would be in a bad mood and get angry at her for waking him from his slumber. We have tried the censor light thingy from a hardware store, but I guess the light was too small and it's colored blue, Elle was convinced it's still too dark. The solution is that, as suggested, we decided to keep the light in the bathroom turned on until dawn or until one o-clock in the morning. And so, we changed the CFL's in the bathroom to LED light bulbs. Yay! Problem solved!

Now, I just have to remember to keep it on for her. :-)

Which kitchen utensils do I need?

For a guy who is most likely a dad, who loves tinkering with the car or with bicycles, electrical stuff, or carpentry, having an organized garage installed with gladiator garageworks filled with all kinds of tools is his haven.

For a homemaker who is most likely a mom, an organized kitchen complete with kitchen tools and gadgets like food processor, juicer, vegetable cutter, recipe book holder, mixer and so much more, is her haven.

For me, a homemaker without much talent for cooking or baking, a lovely kitchen would probably just be part of a daydream. I am in dire need of improvement in the cooking department. I also haven't baked from scratch all by myself. One time, I went to a home depot and saw these:

I scratched my head and wondered which I should buy. I was overwhelmed with the many kinds of kitchen utensils, and with the different materials they're made from.

To all the domestic divas and kitchen goddesses out there, I implore you to answer my questions:

• Should the material of the frying spatula and the ladle match the material of the pots and pans?
• Would stainless steel spatula scratch the surface of non-stick pans?
• Could Teflon® or silicon utensils stand the heat when cooking?
• Should I get every kind and every shape of cooking utensil?

Every mom wants to hear a 'yes' from her child/ren.

And this parenting seminar can help! 

I have decided to go since I am lacking in the patience department of parenting. I need to learn different approaches so I could parent positively. I don't want to turn into a monster mom anymore. Even my hubby is complaining. He even set the condition that we will start going to church when the children are disciplined and behaved. I think moms need all the help they can get providing it's in line with their belief system, and this is one of them, for me. 

The Spend-Less Holidays Blog Carnival 2012

Would you believe? It's only 19 days before Christmas! If you are still decorating (raising my hand) or still looking for gifts, and if you want to "spend less while savoring the season", there is a blog carnival hosted by The Frugal Fil-Am and Dainty Mom with insightful posts on how to enjoy a meaningful Christmas without emptying the wallets and piggy banks. Below is the list of the wonderful participants.

Domesticated Goddess

Apple’s World

A WAHMs Life

Changing Nappies in High Heels

Savvy Saving Couple

Kids Party Hub

My Life in Letters

Super Mommy Wannabee

The Learning Basket

The Frugal Fil-Am

Mrs. C’s Sugar-Coated Life

Henry’s Mom

Roller Coaster Ride

Saved By the Miracle of Baked Mac

Mommy Journey

City Girl, Country Home

Ate Maui

The World is Our Classroom

Lique’s Antics

Mommy Bares All

Consumer Queen

Truly Rich Mom

Saving Well, Spending Less

Dainty Mom

Because of these moms, I am now inspired to:

• Decorate our 3-year-old Christmas tree with our existing decor plus gifted ones, but in new  and creative ways.
• I also want to incorporate my eldest's toys or works of art into the tree.
• Scour my old clothes and my babies' pre-loved ones for really nice pieces to sell on eBay.
• Ask my 5-year-old to help me sort her old toys and choose what we will give to other children in need.
• Re-arrange our furniture and incorporate Christmas-themed elements onto the surfaces.
• I am not sure if bazaars still accept concessionaires, but, it's a great idea to also sell stuff or yummy food in a preferred bazaar, and use the money earned to buy affordable gifts in the same bazaar where booth was set up. Saves on gas, too!
• I once sold Human Nature products at two bazaars so I bought a lot of brown paper bags. I just use these to wrap the gifts, decorate them with nice ribbons that were from cake shops or previous Christmas gifts. I also keep shopping paper bags to use as "wrappers." If the recipient really appreciates what's inside, I'm sure he/she won't mind the wrapper. Plus, it's earth-friendly, too.

Sharing Time!

I just want to share some random things I found on the Internet that might be helpful to moms like me.

For moms who want to know children's love languages

For babywearing moms

For moms who pray

Safety for moms and the family

For moms who define faith

Am I made for the WAHMderful life?

Last October 27, I attended a workshop for moms who are aspiring to work from home.

Can you spot me in the group picture below? :-)

The lovely WAHMs and WAHMs-to-be

Although I haven't yet found the answer to the question: Am I made for the WAHMderful life?, there are several things I have learned from this workshop.

1. I really need to define my objectives for working at home, and write down my mommy mission statement. I need to be intentional and purposeful.
2. Know what I could do to meet my objectives and to carry out my mission as a Christian mom.
3. Gather support from other like-minded moms. 
4. I need to try schedules that would work for my family.
5. I am not sure if being a VA is for me. I am so disorganized!
6. I sure am not an expert on something, but according to Ramit Sethi, I can still make money. I have to know what value I could offer to people who have needs which I can fill.
7. I cannot strive for balance, only simplicity. I know I need to start with our home, our immediate environment. 
8. I want to have my own zone where I could work on something, and I need to teach my children to respect my work space. Right now, our computer table is located in the living area where the children play. So, my computer time is very erratic as they would suddenly pull me away when they need me or just want my company.

Read more about what transpired here:

WAHMderful Life Workshop: Wonderful Women WAHM-ing Together!
Truly Rich Tips: Five Quick Lessons from the WAHMderful Life Workshop

Weekend Fun Must-haves!

Who doesn't love the weekends? It's when we could take a break from work and enjoy more of the lovely blessings we have in our lives. For some, it is enjoying the fruits of their labor by going shopping or dining out, with friends or family or without. For some, it is a relaxing time to go on a pampering spree or on a road trip to Tagaytay to escape the city heat. For me and my hubby, it is spending quality time with our children. If we are not home playing with them, we are out for lunch or dinner at a kid-friendly restaurant or we are getting fresh air at some grassy, tree-filled place near the city. We would also do a fun photo-shoot like this:

You and your family could have your photo taken like this! Or in any theme you fancy! Just drop me a message here or email me at cymplified[at]gmail[dot]com.

So, when we go have some family fun like this, I would need a really good weekender bag where the children's things could also fit. I believe that a mom's bag cannot have too many pockets and dividers. I'd love a roomy bag that's multi-functional with lots of compartments, like these ones from ZALORA:

A practical dark purple color
https://www.zalora.com.ph/CARRY-ALL-WEEKENDER-33380.html

A pretty pink color
https://www.zalora.com.ph/CARRY-ALL-WEEKENDER-33382.html

What shall I put inside the bag? As a breastfeeding mom carrying/wearing my baby and running after my small children, water is an important  item in the bag. This glass bottle with silicone sleeve I found in ZALORA makes a statement.

Looks clean and pure!
https://www.zalora.com.ph/Lifefactory-22-oz-glass-bottle-w%2F-sleeve%2F-pearl-white-59072.html

I get super sweaty so I would need a small towel like this one from ZALORA aside from a handkerchief that I always have in my pocket.

I love purple!
https://www.zalora.com.ph/MICROFIBER-YOGA-HAND-TOWEL-64167.html

And a change of shirt (or dress), too! Of course, I want something comfortable, and has breastfeeding access.

I like the overlap detail!
https://www.zalora.com.ph/KANDICE-TUNIC%2FHOODIE-63009.html

A dress with buttons in front
https://www.zalora.com.ph/KYLEE-DRESS-67412.html

Shop at ZALORA and get 5% off when you use this voucher code CymCazza123G upon checkout.

I wonder what our next photo-shoot theme will be? It's fun and a great family bonding moment!

The "Mother is sitting" phenomenon by Aunt Erma

From Aunt Erma's Cope Book by Erma Bombeck:

"The "Mother is sitting" phenomenon is probably one of the reasons meditation never really got a foothold on mothers when they were the ones who needed it the most."

Do you agree? This happens to me sometimes. And it's not just sitting, it also applies to when I thought I had the chance to stretch my back, or close my eyes for a while, or read, or blog, or daydream.

"At that moment the doorbell will ring, children will appear holding vital parts of their anatomy, the dog will dig his paws insistently into a leg, a husband will call impatiently for help, a phone will register its fifteenth ring, a pot will boil over, a buzzer will sound, or faucets will go on all over the house, and a loud voice will shriek, "I'm telling.""

In my case, my baby will cry or shout for me, my eldest will tell me "Caleb hurt me!" or "Please draw this and that." or "Where are the scissors?", my only boy will want to sit on my lap or be carried. Of course, I welcome all their attention but then, there will be meals to plan (I do wish I could get myself to do weekly, if not, monthly meal-planning), a space to declutter, and a missing something that needed finding.

source

From all Aunt Erma had been able to gather, a message goes out over an invisible network that flashes to the world "Mother is in a sitting position. Proceed and de-sit."

I wish to catch Amanda, Loving Life!

I don't really watch TV lately, but Amanda, Loving Life is one show I would like to catch on Lifestyle Network on Sundays at 7:30 in the evening. I wish we have Lifestyle Network!!!

I met Amanda Griffin-Jacob in a casual lunch with other mom bloggers and I love that she's open to our suggestions for the show. She's very down-to-earth and charming. Even though she's a celebrity, I could relate to her anecdotes on being a mom and her current pregnancy.

Thanks to Khaye for this picture

I finally got to meet mommy bloggers I have been interacting with on blogs and Twitter. Martine of Dainty Mom invited me to my first ever mommy blogger event! Thank you, Martine! Cai of Apples and Dumplings who has just given birth to a baby boy was the object of my daughter's fascination. I'm planning a 1st birthday party and Khaye's blog, Shining Mom, was very helpful. Glad to have met Rowena of Animetric's World whose determination to lose weight was admirable. I also won twice from her blog. I have recently started to follow Jackie on Go! Jackie Go and all I can say is she is pretty, even if she's pregnant, and she's very animated when she talks. Fleur of Mommy Fleur was very nice and she likes children, which was obvious to me when she talked with Cayla and even carried her, without any protest from my baby. I like Belle's posts about Monday motivation on her blog Cruisin' Mommyhood. They are inspiring!

Find out why I want to watch Amanda, Loving Life here!

Errands As Breaktime

Sometimes, running errands like going to the bank is a welcome break for stay-at-home-moms like me. I rarely get to go out without my breastfeeding baby so being able to for even just a couple of hours is a bit of a relief. Thank goodness for cafés like Angel's Town nearby. I brought my 5-year-old along and went for a dessert/early snack. She had a black forest cake and mango juice while I had a caramel concoction and "kesong puti" sticks. I picked up a magazine with @DaphneOP on the front cover. I miss hanging out in coffee shops from time to time.

Gift Guide {Moms}: Early Christmas Shopping at ZALORA

Next month is September already and you know how time swooshes past us when the -ber months arrive. Could you believe it's almost Christmas? The traffic jams will get worse. It wouldn't be practical to brave the roads and the crowds to go shopping. At least, for me! Imagine doing your Christmas shopping in your pajamas while sipping coffee from your favorite mug. Sounds great right? It's time to head to ZALORA and find the perfect gifts for your family and friends.

Mom loves to cook and bake? This nice and quirky potholder would be perfect to protect her fingers from the hot oven tray.

http://www.zalora.com.ph/Love-Cooking---Pot-Holder-53297.html

A bakeware set for those yummy muffins and other goodies from her kitchen!

http://www.zalora.com.ph/PRESTIGE-BAKEWARE-SET-49741.html

Maybe she likes to have a gorilla in her wire whisk? ;-)

http://www.zalora.com.ph/KITCHEN-KONG-Gorilla-Whisk-57135.html

And because our moms are wonder women!

http://www.zalora.com.ph/CHIBI-WONDER-WOMAN-MUG-53003.html

You can make use of the wishlist function in ZALORA's website to build your Christmas shopping list. Then, get a 5% discount upon checkout by using my voucher code "CymCazza123G". Have fun shopping in your pajamas!

Lemon for Moms!

When it comes to handling our family's finances, moms need all the help we can get. Agree? Do you really know what you spend your money on? I want the answer to that question.

Overwhelmed by receipts? If you are like me whose wallet was getting fat, not with cash (I hope it was!), but with receipts and charge slips, then using Lemon would be a sigh of relief. 

Is it just me or are you also amazed at how iPhone applications could turn the camera into a scanner? Wow, right? So when I used Lemon to scan receipts so I'll have a digital copy of them, I was also in awe how the scanner could read the printed words and amount then type them out. I even tried it on a handwritten one and it worked.

And did you know that one can now digitize the debit and credit cards, the loyalty and ID cards, even coupons and daily deals using Lemon? So, if I lost my wallet (God forbid!), I have a back-up copy of my cards thus, when I call the credit card company to report my lost card, I know the card info to tell them. Smart, isn't it?

If you want a useful application on your iPhone that could benefit yourself and your family financial-wise, then try Lemon. Please click on my affiliate links if you have decided to join Lemon. Thanks!

Me, WOHM to SAHM

Before I became a stay-at-home-mom, I worked as a teller at a bank. When I visit banks or other establishments and see people working, I would suddenly miss being a work-out-of-home-mom. I would miss interacting with different kinds of people, I would miss being of service to them, I would miss attending events like corporate events, I would miss getting incentives for a job well done, I would miss posting transactions until my fingers ache. Those were the days I know I could never go back to. I really didn't think I would be a homemaker although I am not the workaholic type of woman. I didn't think that a cooking lesson could come handy because I was never into cooking and baking and such. But, in my opinion, being a mother is more challenging than working as a bank personnel. After six in the evening, I clock out and don't think about the transactions anymore. As a mom, the "work" never stops, and I have to always think about their well-being. And this would go on for many, many, many years since I could see that even when they grow up, looking after them would still be a priority. 

Working out of home, the advantages include:

• Fulfillment as a person: being good at something, other than my role as a mother
• Stimulation of the mind
• Interaction with different types of people
• Grown-up conversations
• Additional income
• Time for myself or with friends at work
• Gaining new friends
• Learning new skills through training

The rewards of staying at home are:

• Ability to witness my children's milestones
• Caring for my family's needs myself
• Learning to cook
• Pure love packaged as children
• An excuse to act like a child *laughs*
• Getting to watch and read fairy-tales again
• Closeness with the Lord as being a mother needs wisdom and strength from Him
• Being a better person since I need to set a good example for my kids
• Being adored, admired, needed. I feel good when my children are so happy to see me and smile at me so sweetly and genuinely. :-)