PLAYGROUND COTTAGES HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS.

Relaxing at Night With a Good Red WinePosted by admin on August 24th, 2011

After a hard day’s work, whether at the office or at home, it is always recommended to have some form of relaxation before calling it a night. Some curl up with a book, take a long hot bath, catch up on their favorite TV series or exercise and meditate.

When you would want something strong to drink to help you sleep better, choose a good red wine rather than a can of beer. Wine has health benefits proven by research. If you are not fond of red wines, you can try the moscato wine variety.

Here are the top wines for the red variety:

Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world’s best varieties and is commonly known as the king of the red wines.

Merlot
Merlot is the most widely grown red wine grape in the Bordeaux region of France, and is also widely planted in California. In recent years, Merlot has soared in popularity, especially in the United States, South America, Italy and Australia. This is due to the fact that it is softer, fruitier, and easier to drink. Its softness has made it the darling wine for new red wine drinkers. Merlot displays rich flavors of blackberry, plums and cherry, along with mint and tea-leaf tones.

Pinot noir
Pinot noir is grown mainly in the Burgundy region of France, Oregon, Austria, New Zealand, and some cooler regions of California. Being known as the noblest red wine grape, pinot noir is extremely difficult to grow. However, when conditions are correct it often produces an exceptional wine with great complexity and flavors. It has light to moderate body with fruity (cherry, strawberry and plum) aroma. In California, pinot noir grapes are often used to make rose style champagnes.

Solving Issues in Christian IntimacyPosted by admin on December 15th, 2010

Intimacy is a common and vital ingredient in all marriages. However, Christian intimacy can also be a source of discord in some Christian marriages. Just like all marriage issues, it is important to address them and to work together to find ways to solve the issue. If you are having intimacy issues with your spouse, although it is a good idea to bring out that Christian lingerie and let it do its work, there are other things that could help you address and solve your issues.

• Talk about it. If there are issues that you do not talk about, no amount of Christian marriage sex could solve it. Talk it through with your spouse. Open your hearts and discuss it in a loving manner. Be honest but be sensitive as well of your spouse’s feelings.

• Go to counseling. Do not hesitate to go to someone else who can help you with your issues. It does not have to be a therapist; it could be a close friend or an older Christian couple. However, if you are having serious issues, a marriage counselor will be able to help you more.

• Be understanding and patient. More than anything else, you would need to be understanding and patient. The topic of intimacy can be very difficult for some people to discuss and your spouse might be one of those people.

Grocery Shopping Tips Using Payday LoansPosted by admin on September 2nd, 2010

Grocery shopping is one of the most frequent things that I do every month and our budget for groceries also gets one of the biggest chunks every month. After years of doing the groceries, I have realized that there is an art and skill to it. Going through every grocery shopping without any planning and organization just might increase your need for payday loans. Hence, I vowed to be prepared for more grocery shopping with the tips I got below.

• Make a list. Not only will it take you faster to do your grocery shopping with a list, it will also save you money from unnecessary purchases. Unfortunately, this means planning ahead of time and having the resolve to say no to your kids when something catches their fancy.
• Fill up first. From my experience, grocery shopping while hungry is one of the biggest mistakes you could ever make. You could end up with double your usual purchases because everything looks enticing and yummy. It would be easier to stick to your list if you do not go with an empty stomach.
• Buy in bulk. This tip however does not apply to all items in your list. If it is something that you consume a lot of then it makes sense to buy in bulk because you get to save some money.
• Do not buy each and every ‘special’. Grocery stores often have store ‘specials’ or deals. Although these often seem like good buys, it would not be wise to let yourself be swayed every time. You would only be making unnecessary purchases if the items in the store specials are items that you do not often buy.
• Compare brands. Take the time to compare prices of different brands. Going with a brand that is a bit cheaper will mean savings and a little savings will go a long way.

Summer Clothes.Posted by admin on March 10th, 2010

Hello Summer!

The summer heat is unbearable, as much as winter has given record-breaking temperatures in the East, this summer is giving us record-breaking temperatures as well. The highest recorded as 37C and it is only the start of summer. We need summer clothes fast! Well, the kids have complete clothes (too much clothes in fact!) I need summer clothes – shirt dresses, shorts (I dont have any!), tank tops! I need to buy a new swimsuit too. I need a women’s style guide to buy these things because I am not trendy when it comes to fashion.

But for me to be able look nice in all the summer clothes I plan to buy – I need to work out first and lose weight. My friend recommended I try running or yoga and the thought of fitting into yoga clothes scared me!

Let’s try running first!

Project: HousePosted by admin on February 6th, 2010

I am so inspired by a friend who really worked hard to get their house this year. They lovingly called it their little mansion and come summer, they would see their hard work bear fruit! Before it really wasn’t in our short-term (or long-term) plans – we were just focused on surviving and we were lost on whether we try our luck overseas or stay here. But now it’s on our short-term goal list. I know it would take more than a payday loan for this to push through. It requires a lot of planning and penny-pinching. But I am sure it will be worth it when the time comes! We already have a prospective location but I am still pushing for a bigger house. I know we can’t afford it now – but as the saying goes, “When you dream, dream BIG!” – we can never tell, we might get lucky!

Trying to be chefPosted by admin on November 23rd, 2009

One of the things I had a hard time adjusting to when I stayed at home (even now, 18 months later) is the everyday cooking. I love to eat (that’s why I need an appetite suppressant) but I don’t love to make what I eat. It is hard work for me to whip up something in the kitchen – even now when I have been trying to do it every single day since last year. So whenever I have the extra money, I always make sure to treat the family outside – happy tummies, happy mommy because she won’t do any cooking

Our HummerPosted by admin on November 23rd, 2009

Our vehicle is a simple jeep. It was originally owned by my father-in-law who gave it to my husband when we moved to the suburbs. It’s pretty beat up and there are times when I actually hate it especially when its maintenance costs are too high and it drains our already empty pockets. But I am grateful we still have a mode of transportation and it takes us places. Our goal before the second quarter of the year is to buy a new one and as early as now I am looking for auto insurance quotes that we can have it applied under.

It Gets LonelyPosted by admin on August 14th, 2008

Really.

I wish I can put into words the loneliness I feel everytime the night creeps in and Im the only adult in the house. Even during the day, I dont have a decent companion to talk my common interests too, save for the laundrywoman who is actually a doll and my parents – but there is a limit in things you would like to talk about.

It has been more pronounced with our internet-less house (I applied for relocation connection by the way today).

What can I say. I really miss the husband everyday.
It doesnt get easier, even with me having the kids all by myself all day.

The Honest Truth.Posted by admin on May 4th, 2008

I really have not gotten my groove back – after everything. It will take months before we are really settled in the house, and my mood swings are fast it scares me. One time Im so happy and assured and calm the next thing I knew Im getting nervous and depressed and close to panicking. I guess you can say Im a little bit depressed. I have not been able to fully digest my resignation when we needed to move to the suburbs, on top of that is the need for Edil to still work in the city. I have to give it to him, he has been working very hard and driving long hours for the house move to go smoothly. I wish we can get some extra moolah to be able to afford some massage therapy for the both of us soon.

Anyhow, this is the first night Edil is not sleeping at the house and iba pala sya. I pride myself for being independent and not needy when it comes to relationships but this one really almost did me in. I thought having Edil away during weeknights would be beneficial for me as Ill have more me time and be able to live independently – read: sarili kong diskarte. Iba din pala.

That is why marriages involve two persons, not one.
We are giving this situation a year to work itself out then we will explore other options.

We Need a Break.Posted by admin on April 25th, 2008

We are back in the city for now. We arrived earlier today hoping we can take the children to their pediatrician as planned – guess what? We slept in and woke up at 6PM. So naturally, I know we will be staying up late tonight. It is also the first time we got to be with the husband and I got to admit it really is easier when he is around – like I get to have my own timeout. I also have a sounding board when I get frustrated. Adjusting to him working in the city while we stay in the suburbs will be more hard work than I imagined it to be. (Especially now that we have a bigger house).

I promise as soon as we get settled and things are “easier” with regards to the money aspect, I’m taking the husband on a well-deserved break – just the two of us. We still havent found a helper for us in the house but Im sure I can request my mom to look out for the kids for a day. Since we live near Tagaytay already, I would be taking him to a picnic, complete with a picnic time picnic basket with everything else with grand flair!

I can get that here.

I also promise Ill make sure to to book the Boutique this year – which means I need to lose weight BIG time so I can enjoy the view at the tub