PLAYGROUND COTTAGES HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS.

Securing the FuturePosted by admin on July 24th, 2010

When I met up with friends last week, we didn’t talk about the latest shopping spree we had or the latest gossip, we talked about where to invest and how to invest our hard-earned money. I love learning from them as I don’t know anything about investing. A friend recommended that we buy silver bullion instead of investing on stocks or insurance. Silver and gold are precious metals in high demand these days and they are steadily increasing in value. In fact, it has not depreciated in value ever.We can get our silver bullion at the US Gold Bureau. It is home to a large and dedicated staff of hard asset professionals committed to serving your precious metals investment needs and being America’s best dealer with a convenient market and competitive precious metals prices.

ListsPosted by admin on July 24th, 2010

I have to take the advice of a friend and actually list down the big things I want for the house and have them listed in terms of priority so that I can buy them one by one. Buying them altogether would not happen as they are big ticket items.

So here we are:

1. Another bed

2. Another mattress to go with the bed

3. A vanity dresser for me

4. A computer chair

5. A pantry shelf/cabinet for my microwave, toaster (and) soon-to-be coffee maker.

6. Odds and ends for the kitchen and bathroom.

The list is obviously endless.

Hospital Equipment in a Home SettingPosted by admin on July 24th, 2010

A friend’s grandmother’s health recently took a turn for the worst so they needed to set up a hospice setting at home, complete with a hospital bed, oxygen tank, spirometers and a suctioning pump, to make their grandmother’s last few living weeks manageable and comfortable enough for her. It really makes a huge dent in their pockets, so they were glad they were able to get some deals on MedicalDeviceDepot.com.

Investing and SavingPosted by admin on July 21st, 2010

I am thinking where to invest our small savings. Let’s face it, saving your money in the bank won’t do you any good with the interest rates so low. Somebody told me that gold coins would be a great investment. Gold has no depreciation value and is as good as cash when you sell it. So there was some truth why women preferred to invest on jewelry before. I think I will give this a shot. United States Gold Bureau is home to a large and dedicated staff of hard asset professionals committed to serving your precious metals investment needs and being America’s best dealer with a convenient market and competitive precious metals prices.

Autographed Sports MemorabiliaPosted by admin on July 20th, 2010

I have never been a sports fan, but I do understand the value of autographed memorabilia. Being married to a man who loves to play basketball and follows the NBA play-offs every chance he gets, I know how precious autographed sports memorabilia can be. I remember how the Jersey #23 became such a huge collector’s item when Michael Jordan retired. Now, he watches Lebron James’ games as much as he can.

When he was still in high school, he got addicted to NBA trading cards and would spend all of his allowance buying them in stores. I can only imagine how far he could have gone if he really had the money.

Collecting autographed sports memorabilia can be considered an investment. You would be surprised how expensive one can be. For examples, the autographed baseballs of the famous Babe Ruth are considered vintage, classic and a genuine collector’s item. Baseball fanatics want it. Since Babe Ruth is already dead, all the items he signed his signature with, or any sports-related item he owned, are considered rare and a collector’s item. Of course, when buying memorabilia, the first thing you need to make sure of is its authenticity. Buy only from reputable sellers. H

ollywood Collectibles is your one-stop shop for all kinds of authentic autographed sports memorabilia. With over two decades of experience in the sports memorabilia industry, Hollywood Collectibles takes pride in being one of the most trusted and respected providers of authentic sports memorabilia.

Hot Air Balloon RidesPosted by admin on July 20th, 2010

Have you ever ridden on a Sedona hot air balloon? It is so great to be able to fly safely across the Sedona dessert in open air (you’re not on a enclosed vehicle/airplane) that it is definitely a once in a lifetime experience.

Sedona hot air balloon rides are being offered by a lot of companies but I am quite partial to Sky High Balloons’ Sedona hot air balloon ride offering. For one thing, their delightful and breathtaking flight are handled by qualified seasoned pilots, including FAA certified beautiful balloons and top of the line chase equipment essential for safety and comfort so you are guaranteed you are safe. If you have loved ones in that ride, safety would also be your foremost concern, right?

Second, they have  the unique experience of the "Splash ‘n Dash" where the balloon descends momentarily on water for a gentle ride. This fantastic flight also offers low contour flying for spotting native wildlife and an ascent for just a hint of high altitude enjoyment.

Read and see for yourself:

- $180 per passenger
- Unique "Splash ‘n’ Dash" experience
(Winds Permitting)
- Flight time is 1 to 1 1/2 hours depending on winds and the discretion of the pilot.
- We fly at sunrise only.
- Sky High Balloon Adventures has a permit from the Prescott National Forest
- Commemorative continental picnic – upon landing.

This is a good idea to do during summer when the weather is great!

Summer Tours for the KidsPosted by admin on July 20th, 2010

I do not know about you but I think my kids are way too much involved with electronic games and gadgets plus the computer with internet that it might be unhealthy for them already. Since summer is here and there isn’t school work to keep them busy with, they are allowed to do whatever they want most days, and I am not surprised when they would rather spend it couped up in their rooms playing games in their playstation, PSP, DS Lite or the applications in Facebook.

I really cannot blame them – I am a couch potato and an electronic surfer myself. I have been discussing with my husband to take the kids out on a tour one of the days. Maybe we can sign up for the national parks tours being offered by Collette Vacations or go to the national library and museum. Anything that can keep them away from the computer and TV and let them be active and still stimulate their minds.

Collette Vacations, also known as Collette Tours, has been creating exceptional travel experiences since 1918 and now operates in more than 50 countries. Collette Tours takes pride in designing itineraries that capture the feeling of a particular region. On Collette tours, passengers enjoy centrally located hotels that mirror the architectural style and ambiance of the city. Moreover, Collette travel embraces cultural entertainment that’s fun and educational and unique dining experiences that turn into memorable events.

Family Vacation Time at BreezesPosted by admin on July 20th, 2010

Even with the economic slump, you can still have affordable family vacations especially this summer! With family vacation packages being offered by almost every hotel and resort this season, you can plan and have a great trip with your family! The family vacation destinations – Brazil and Jamaica – have Breezes Resorts that are great for families with younger children, as are their resorts in Brazil and Panama.

I know as a child I would have loved a Breezes resort vacation. As they are all inclusive I wouldn’t have had to bug my parents by asking for money every time I wanted a snack or a drink. I wouldn’t have to listen to "No, you don’t need that, wait until lunch time." Also as a kid I loved swimming, and the Breezes resort pools are amazing and have water slides. I love water slides now even as an adult. When I was a kid the water slides were just a basic slide that wasn’t very long that you rode quickly down to the water. The water slide in the Breezes Jamaica family resort is amazingly long and splashing my way down it would have kept me happy for most of the day, that just never gets boring. Breezes resorts are also located near beautiful beaches and I just loved playing in the sand and exploring beaches when I was young. There are other kid’s activities too, which is a great idea because it is a chance to make some friends with the other children who are there.

All in all a Breezes family resort vacation would have been just the kind of vacation I would have loved as a kid, and as a parent this kind of vacation seems like a great idea too. Things for the kids to do, things for the parents to do, things to do together and things to do with others. All the good food and beverages included and the great resort activities just makes it a total family vacation package.

Summer Book ReadingPosted by admin on July 18th, 2010

One of the things that I want my kids to do this summer is to be able to catch up on a few books that will be great for their minds. We actually have a goal of reading at least three books this summer and I am happy that my eldest has so far exceeded that goal. The only downside to this is buying books isn’t that cheap, especially if they only get to read it once. My youngest also has the habit of wanting to read along so I tend to buy Audio books on cd whenever I do not have the time to read to her as much as she wants to.

It is a good thing that a fellow mother recommended that I get a membership at BooksFree.com. Book rental has never been this easy and cheap. They actually have been featured in Consumer Reports, REDBOOK, Woman’s Day and other major magazines.

Rent books as many and as often as you want with a fixed membership every month.  At the start of your membership registration, you are asked how many books and audio books do you get to read every month. From there they will give you your membership fee monthly that you can pay by credit card.

With Booksfree you can rent as many audiobooks or paperback books as you want. The number of titles you rent depends on how quickly you listen to and return each title. With over 250,000 available titles – I am sure you will never run out of reading materials. They rent out Children’s books!

AllergensPosted by admin on July 18th, 2010

My kids do not have allergies to food or medicines. They have allergies to pollen, dust and pollution. Come to think of it, who doesn’t? With how dirty our air has become, especially in the city, it is no wonder most kids are developing asthma and allergies and most households are now recommended to have an air purifier, especially if the household has babies or young kids. I have a friend who bought a portable air cleaner so she can bring it from room to room, wherever the baby is. She bought the quiet air purifier so that the baby can still sleep with it still on.