Notepad Corner

The Festive Holidays is fast approaching and as the song says, “The weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful.” Well, is your home ready for the cold winter months? While everyone is busy decorating, shopping and doing all their Christmas to-do-list, someone must also take charge of your home’s heating system. Have it checked by a professional to make sure it is working properly so that you can control and monitor the heat all throughout the house. Hence, while you still have time, consider getting a portable programmable thermostat wherein you can comfortably adjust and control temperature from anywhere in the home.  Its portable comfort control feature provides consistent warmth and coziness as it will automatically check the flow of the heat to save on your heating costs. Your heating system will be working double this cold season so it’s wise to check on all the necessary details to ensure that your home is well insulated and that the vents are ...

Sight and hearing are two equally important senses that are needed to be monitored in the family’s health. More often than not we tend to notice at once if one of our kids is having problems with seeing things and do corrective measures in the soonest time by seeing an ophthalmologist.  However, we do not detect problems of defective hearing immediately. While vision allows us to learn more about the surrounding world, hearing enables us to be aware of what is around and experience the world around us through sound. Sight and sound are important communication tools which provide our mind and body with much needed information in our daily life. As parents we need to teach our children the significance of these two senses in their daily activities. Though they can learn the importance of these senses in school, it is still advisable to inform them how they can protect and care for their sense of sight and sound. 

To make our planet a better place to live in, more and more people are now turning into living a healthier and greener life. Starting from eating healthy foods to using environmentally-safe and socially responsible products to home improvement such as green roofs and now the use of LED lighting. You can change the light quality of your home and create a more comfortable and sustainable atmosphere through using the LED lighting system. Light-emitting diode or better known as LED is a semiconductor electronic light source. It is the indicator light we see in our home appliances and devices.  Through technology advancements it was recently increasingly used for home and business general lighting source. You can use LED lamps and bulbs anywhere around your home and make a stylish lighting improvement to make your home an enjoyable and cozy place to live in. Image via digsdigs.com

The festive season is here which means the return of several traditions and one that’s enjoyed a surge in popularity over the last few years comes in the form of the traditional Christmas Jumper. With the high streets now littered with knitwear containing images of Rudolph, snowflakes and other festive imagery you would be well within your right to think the jumper has no where else to go. But it does! The company behind the phenomenon Morphsuits has created the first ever range of digital Christmas jumpers! The Morphsuits Christmas Jumpers , which work with the help of your smart phone, bring to life a crackling fireplace, a snow globe and even a festive cat (!) all of which are guaranteed to cause a stir wherever you decide to wear them!

Adventurous parents would surely make tough role models to their kids. But of course, before you’d allow your kids to engage in any hard-hitting activities, you want to ensure that they will be safe. For moms and dads who love mountain biking, searching for a kid’s size bike needs thorough considerations. We need to make certain that it should have the working parts and features of a regular bike, but it should be smaller, weigh a little lighter and made according to their reach. If you are searching for a good bicycle to buy then Global Bike is one of the best venues to check out mountain bikes, road bikes as well as safety gears and accessories that you can get for your kid. Image via themamabelly on Flickr There are no age requirements on starting to ride bikes and you can find hundreds of models suitable for your kids’ height and abilities. For starters, your kids’ maybe eager to learn and ride a mountain bike even before they learn to balance on two wheels so make sure ...

One of the major responsibilities of parenthood is to raise children to become responsible, mature and well-rounded adult. Engaging children to do house chores at an early age can have a positive effect later in their lives. When we involve our kids in house work, we teach them a sense of responsibility, self-reliance, values, empathy, competence, independence and self-worth. Housework is an inescapable part of life. Start to teach them house tasks at an early age while they are interested and eager to help.  But of course, we have to assign them age-appropriate chores. It is just practical to prepare them to manage and maintain a home while they are young.   Owen, my nephew willingly cleaned the bathroom with the supervision of his mom, my cousin Pam David-Peute. It took long but he got the job done. Good job Owen! There would be times when it is difficult to get kids cooperate especially when they are glued on their computers or handheld gadgets. Be mo...

When you’re at home all day with the kids, there’s the danger of feeling cut off from the adult world so it’s good to have different ways to spend a few minutes doing something for you. Something that’s fun and not just about catching up on the day’s chores! Taking a little break from being mum now and then will help you be a better mum to your kids the rest of the day. A great way to do this is to start playing online bingo. Bingo is a game that has been around for almost a century in its current form, but since it went online, it’s more popular than ever before. And unlike when you play bingo in a bingo hall and you have to focus your concentration on listening to the number calls and marking off the numbers on your chosen cards for the game, online bingo is quite different . The online game is still about getting all the matching numbers before anyone else, but as the software does the daubing of numbers for you, this leaves you free to relax and just enjoy the game. ...

When the temperatures start to plummet, it can be tempting to burrow into our duvets only to return when the sun has resurfaced. The last thing on our minds is donning our t-shirts and shorts and heading out on a run – no chance! Many people’s fitness levels drop in the colder months as we lack the motivation to exercise. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. These top tips will help you stay active this winter. Don’t give up Once the dark nights arrive and the temperature hits single figures, many people give up on the outdoor sports they usually love. There are other alternatives to ditching your outdoor pursuits though. If you’re part of a sports team, you could move the game inside a fitness centre in order to shelter from the elements. However, this isn’t always necessary – some sports can still be played outdoors. 

Super Typhoon Haiyan, locally named Yolanda, the strongest and most powerful recorded storm ever to make a landfall this year battered Samar, Leyte, Cebu and much of the Visayas Islands of the Philippines last November 8, 2013.  The devastating typhoon rendered thousands of families homeless and helpless. The once full of life and beautiful towns with a bubbly community turned into a ghost town due to massive damage and destruction not only on the infrastructures but to the lives of the people as well. An aerial photo of Guiuan, Samar courtesy of gmanetwork.com I am a Filipino and it’s really heartbreaking for me to see that there’s nothing left out there for my fellow countrymen who survived - survivors who braved to hold on for their lives.  Homeless, hungry and emotionally upset people can be seen loitering in the streets and even resorted to looting just to feed their hungry children and families the day after for relief efforts are hampered due to infrastru...

When it comes to custom printed packaging tape, some companies leave a lot to be desired. Whether it's improper packaging materials, or an art department that doesn't really value the customer's feedback, it can be a general nightmare for someone trying to get their business started. Thankfully, Continental Packaging has none of these problems, as their customer service and commitment to quality products sets them head and shoulders above the rest. After having been in the business for over twenty years, Continental Packaging has developed a system that they know works and that their customers absolutely love. From the in-house art department that actively craves customer input to dedication to such high quality packaging tape supplies as PVC and polypropylene tapes, it's easy to see how they've managed to stay ahead of their competitors for so long. In fact, much of Continental Packaging's success stems from its exclusive ink machine, which allows them to ...

Kids grow like weeds. You hardly ever notice how big and tall they’ve become until their clothes become a wee bit tighter and smaller for them. No matter how many clothes you buy for them, it just seem like they always need more. So you grow a pile of clothes that clutters your closets, drawers and bags. When your kids outgrow their clothes, you can dispose them in some productive ways. Find a new home for your kids’ old clothing, accessories and toys by handing them down to their siblings, your other family members or your friend’s kids who needs them. It is one of the best ways to help out, reuse and recycle your kids’ old clothing. Clothing swaps are also in on several local and online communities. You can get together with other parents who are also offering their children’s clothes for trade or gifts. Another positive way of getting rid of your kids’ clutter is through garage and rummage sales. When your pile reached that uncontrollable amount, you can easily organi...

Australia has become obsessed with food and many people are looking for the latest and greatest dining experience. We are looking for more than just a meal; we want the atmosphere, a holistic experience. So if you are looking for places with ambiance, here is a list of five casual diners with excellent design. Max Brenners Photo via Flickr Popular chocolate shop and restaurant, Max Brenners’ offers a holistic chocolate experience. Although there are many different franchises around Australia, they all share a similar internal decor. The overall atmosphere is one of warmth. It uses a dark pallet of materials, mostly dark wood, to create a cosy feeling, which compliments the warm beverages offered. The stores have a sense of quirkiness about them, and some stores have big chocolate melting vats that supply chocolate through pipes to the bar. The chocolate shop displays all its products in a well-designed fashion.

As parents we tend to become overly protective when it comes to our teens, but it is also our responsibility to help them manage relationships and attractions to the opposite sex. It is an inevitable process and parents, especially moms should be prepared to make some important decision when it arises. It helps to have some experience over dating, love and relationships from your own teenage years – you know only too well how everything feels. You want your teen to develop a healthy relationship and have good experiences when it comes to dating and puppy love. But of course you also want your teens to make wise decisions on who to date and how to handle situations around the opposite sex. Are they ready for it? 

Whether you've chosen to build your new home or renovate an existing structure, choosing the right flooring for you and your family can often pose a daunting question. While there are benefits to all styles of flooring, you must consider which is best for your lifestyle, cleaning and comfortability. Having children and pets is often a major deciding factor when choosing your flooring, as most parents will consider hygiene and cleaning a big part of their choice. For some more information when choosing the right flooring for you and your family, read on to discover the benefits and disadvantages of carpet, tiles and timber flooring. Carpet Flooring Photo credits:  photostock - freedigitalphotos.net For those home owners living in a cooler climate, there's often nothing nicer than stepping out of bed on to a warm, plush carpet, as stepping onto ice cold tiles in the morning can be quite a shock! Carpet is often a great choice for home owners who are trying to create a w...

I have never been fond of watching musicals. I would like to believe that I am a picky viewer when it comes to such. While some may consider watching such as a way to feed their hunger for the arts, I consider it a luxury that should only be done when there’s a strong reason behind it. Nevertheless, I must admit that I would gladly spend my hard-earned money on  Jersey Boys jukebox musical. To be able to get discounts on buying 4 tickets, I will   compare price of Jersey Boys tickets at Big Ticket Shop UK   just  so my husband and I together with our two sons would never pass up the opportunity to watch them. The story revolves mainly around the formation, success, and eventual break-up of The Four Seasons and its front man Frankie Valli. If you are not familiar with the group, perhaps because you were born long after the group disbanded, they were a rock and roll group that was quite successful and popular during the 1960s. They shot to fame and went over the top...

Shopping is a regular activity for everyone regardless of the amount of money you have.  You shop for things you need around the house.  It might not be a big deal for some people but several cents of savings here and there can actually add up.  I was inspired by an avid coupon clipper on television the other day who managed to spend only a little over a hundred dollars for nearly a thousand dollars’ worth of groceries.  That’s definitely something I want to experience.  Getting Futurebazaar coupons is a good start.  There are vouchers there that give as much as 70% in discounts. For online shoppers, there are a few tricks to credit slip searching.  It is important to remember that not all discount ticket sites are the same.  You want to find sites that give you only the best price cut on high quality products.  Make sure that the offers are still valid.  There should be information about the shops and stores offering the discoun...

Taking the first steps on the bath to a bathroom redecoration can be a fairly daunting exercise. What is seemingly one decision actually breaks down into multiple other choices, which can bewilder and confuse. One of these big choices is what type and style of shower to plump for. This is not just a consideration of setups and other technical considerations such as connections and systems, but also one of style and looks, too. I like to think I’m a helpful soul, with time for everybody. To that end, I have thrown together a short list of three essential points to consider when you set out to get yourself a brand new shower. You are most welcome. Going Thermostatic?   For those that aren’t aware, the main selling point of a thermostatic shower is that it will automatically maintain your chosen temperature. A standard mixer shower will require your input to accurately balance the taps to achieve your desired heat. The advantage here is that you avoid what can b...

I love it when it rains as less dirt and dust gets in and home cleaning for me is much easier. The cool and fresh wind is also refreshing. The rain helps me to conserve water as I do not have to water my plants and can save on electric consumption too. However, there are also cons that the rainy days can bring. The dilemma and burden of cleaning areas of homes soaked in floodwater is one of the extraordinary situations that most Filipinos tackle during the monsoon season. When too much heavy rains fall, floodwater arises, soaking vehicles and homes in most areas around the Metro. Inundation is contaminated with different disease-causing germs, exposing every family member to various host of infections thus, tough cleaning is needed. To name some of the water-borne diseases we can get from the dirty floodwater are diarrhea, flu, and the deadly leptospirosis. Proper cleaning and sanitation is required to get rid and control the spread of such infections. 

Juggling paperwork with a grumpy baby and managing conference calls with an inquisitive toddler is hardly an easy task. If being a mum wasn’t hard enough, being a working mum is even more difficult, so it’s vital that you make your life as easy as possible wherever you can.  Here are some top tips to help get you organised. Set up your own space Trying to do paperwork while lounging on the sofa will not put you in the right frame of mind. You’ll feel sleepy and demotivated, so it should be avoided at all costs. Setting up a home office will give you a space away from the hustle and bustle of the house that you can concentrate in. It will be an area where you can put your thoughts in order and really get to work.