Holiday Gifts to Help You Lose That Holiday Weight

The time between Thanksgiving and the end of December is dangerous for many people. Dangerous because of the incredible dining options that tend to present themselves night after night. Cookies, pies, birds, pigs, these six-ish weeks tend to be a nonstop caloric nightmare for people who are concerned with their weight. If you’ve wanted to lose weight for a long time, or just need to shed those few pounds you gained sitting around the Thanksgiving table, there are tools that make shedding those pounds easy. You’ll feel great and look even better if you start making time for a workout everyday. Check out these holiday gifts that you should give yourself if you want to lose that stubborn holiday weight.

Kettlebell 

A kettlebell is an amazing piece of workout equipment that you will use everyday to get yourself on the track to losing weight and building muscle. The popularity of kettlebells has exploded over the last few years due primarily to the popularity of crossfit. Essentially, a kettlebell is a weight of varying size that combines strength, cardiovascular, and flexibility training. It’s such a simple weight that really works out your whole body and can be done in your living room without a workout DVD. Kettlebells can burn up to 20 calories a minute, which is the equivalent of running a mile at a 6 minute pace. It will take up very little space in your home, so you won’t put it in your storage unit that you found on the USstorageresearch.com Blog.

Headphones

Sometimes finding the motivation to lose some weight can be as easy as buying yourself a new pair of headphones. Music keeps you motivated to do more and push yourself, and with good quality headphones you’ll find that you get some extra motivation. It can be hard to find a good pair of ear buds that stay in your ear during intense workouts, so spent a little bit of extra cash on a pair that’s specifically designed for working out. Read lots of reviews online to find the best headphones for working out, that won’t fall out of your head!

Blender

Get yourself a nice blender so you can easily make post workout smoothies that will keep your appetite down. If you have a blender that doesn’t work well, you probably don’t use it as often as you could. Opting to choose a smoothie as a meal replacement is a great idea that will have you slimming down quick. You can also use it to make healthy soups so your dinners aren’t full of holiday junk.

Exercise Clothing 

Getting yourself some new exercise clothing or running shoes is another fantastic way to motivate yourself to start losing some weight. A good pair of running shoes can be the difference between pushing yourself towards that extra mile or sitting on the couch in pain. Opt to redo your workout closet with some sleek new gear. Don’t buy too much though, because hopefully you’ll drop a few sizes after you start constantly working out!

Joint Birthday Celebration of Keona and Frezel

Our little Keona and her cousin Frezel Anne celebrate their birthday on the 29th of October.  Our Keona turned 4-years old while Frezel Anne turned 1.  We were very excited because it's the first time that they celebrate their birthdays together since they have the same birthdays.

Frezel's birthday tarpaulin - first birthday

Keona's birthday tarpaulin -4th birthday

The Birthday Party Venue

Birthday backdrop with Disney Princesses Theme

We were looking for a party venue and we had a lot of things to consider.  First is the venue itself, if it is big enough to accommodate both Keona and Frezel's guests.  Then next consideration is the accessibility.  We see to it that the party venue is accessible to us as well us to the guests, since most of them are having their work near the downtown area.  Another consideration is the ventilation of the place.  When there is crowd and party fun is going on, it is necessary for the place to remain cool and well-ventilated.  

After considering several venues for the joint party, we end up at McDonalds at Bajada, near Victoria Plaza, Davao City.

The Party Package

Another important thing to consider when planning a party is the party package.  What are the inclusions for the party package payment.  With McDonald's, the minimum is 30 pax.  That includes 30 balloons, 30 loot bags, the decorations of the place with the theme.  The theme of Keona and Frezel's birthday is 'The Disney Princesses".  So you can see faces of princess Aurora, Snow White, Belle of the Sleeping Beauty and other Disney princesses in the decoration of the place.  Another inclusion of the party package is the character appearance.   There were two character appearances in Keona and Frezel's birthday- they were Birdie and Grimace.

The Food

Food is one of the very important aspects in any party. So choose foods that will delight the guests -both adults and children and see to it that they will get satisfied with the food you'll serve them.  In McDonald's, you get to choose the food party package that you want to serve to your guests, so it's up to you which food package you want to serve them.

Other things to consider:

1. Birthday Cake.  Cake is not included in the party package at McDonald's.  In our case, we buy our cake at Goldilocks.  We ordered it 3 days before the party date.  There are a lot of cake designs  to choose at Goldilocks.  Be aware however that the prices reflected on their cake design album do not include the cake itself.  In other words, you get to add additional fee for the cake because the prices in the design album is only for the design.  Prices of cakes at Goldilocks are comparably higher compared with other local cake makers.  But it is worth it - the taste and the over all look of the cake.

Keona's birthday cake from Goldilocks - Disney Princess Theme

Frezel's Birthday Cake - Disney Princess Theme

2.   Dress of the Birthday Celebrators. Dress is another thing that you get to consider when having a party especially with children who are girls.  You can add a lot of bling-blings and "kikayness" (it's a word!) in them.  Since the theme of the party is "Disney Princesses", we dressed Keona and Frezel something that makes them look like princess too. We put on their heads a crown to complete hte princess look. Our little Keona even had with her a magic wand.  

Birthday Celebrators - Keona and Frezel in their lovely dresses

3.  More loot bags, party prizes and giveaways.  These are things that will add fun to the party.  It will make the party more memorable for kids and adults.

All in all, the good thing about holding your children's birthday party outside your home is the less hassle on your part because everything is settled to where your venue is.  You don't have to clean up.  All you have to do is pay for the party charges.  All in all, our expense for the birthday party of Keona and Frezel id approximately Php10, 000 as of this posting.  Not bad.

There you have it guys, happy party planning.

Let Your Family Experience the Beauty of Carnations

Flowers are beloved by many families, perhaps even more by my own. While most of us prefer the looks and fragrances of fresh flowers, it can be difficult finding just the right ones. Not only is price a concern, but so is the durability of the flowers—nothing is more sad than having fresh flowers die within hours of receiving them.
Carnations are one of the best selections out there because they solve these problems and more. Also, fresh carnations hold so many meanings that make them a great selection for a variety of occasions. Consider the possibilities and discover why these are a family favorite in our household.

Saving Money

One big reason why we never used to buy fresh flowers on a regular basis is due to the prices. Going to the florist to get flowers all the time adds up, especially during certain times of the year. Buying wholesale carnations is the best solution because you are charged less per flower. While this might not sound like a big deal at first, it certainly adds up when you buy multiple flowers (who really buys just one flower?).
The company you purchase the carnations from also makes a difference. Businesses who strive to treat their employees well while ensuring customer satisfaction tend to have the best prices. Global Rose has long been the leader in carnation sales because the company offers affordable flowers at the best process around. This allows you the opportunity to buy carnations on just about every occasion, as well as for decorating purposes.

Keeping it Fresh

Another obstacle in the flower buying business is the freshness factor. Many families buy flowers only to find them wilting within one to two days. Carnations fit into the lifestyles of all busy families and they never fail to please. Depending on the level of care, your carnations can last from one to two weeks—significantly longer than other flowers, such as roses. This is perfect for decorating your home because you don’t have to waste time changing flowers out of vases every few days.

But how do you ensure the longevity of your carnations? First, the flowers need fresh water to continue flourishing. The stems must also be trimmed every few days to make sure that the carnations are able to drink the water and stay beautiful.

Family Celebrations

Carnations have historically been a family flower for centuries. The flowers are originally from the Mediterranean, but they have since been harvested in several regions of the world. They symbolize undying love and affection, and they come in a variety of colors from reds to pinks and purples to white. Consider using carnations for a variety of family functions, including:

·      Weddings
·      Birthdays
·      Mother’s Day
·      Valentine’s Day
·      Parties and events
·      Decorating

You also have a say in the length of the stems of the flowers as well as the sizes of the blooms. For example, mini carnations are available if you want a more subtle look. Regardless of the exact choice, these carnations are truly pleasing to everyone in your family.