Planning for No. 2

Before Gavin was born, we bought him insurance. It was a special kind of insurance package that combined a savings plan into it. The benefit is that it offers health cover and it also provides a lump sum return so it's like insurance and a trust fund rolled into one. Now that I'm pregnant with Gareth, perhaps it's time to start looking at some whole life insurance plans for Gareth, too.

I don't know whether second time around we're just more laid back or if we're a little too relaxed but we don't seem to be as well prepared as we were when I was pregnant with Gavin. Were we just overly cautious because Gavin was our first?

Weight Loss Begins with Healthy Living

I have personally always believed that the best way to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle is to make a lifestyle change. One should never consider going on a diet or a weight loss program. Although such programs can be effective in helping you lose weight, they will never be effective in keeping the weight off if that's all they are - weight loss programs. In order to maintain the weight loss you have achieved, it is important to maintain your new lifestyle of healthy eating and exercise.

That said, additional methods of facilitating weight loss can still be used to help achieve more rapid weight loss, such as the temporary inclusion of recommended diet pills into your new lifestyle change. Once the specific weight loss has been achieved, one can discontinue the diet pills and continue to maintain the new diet and exercise plan.

There is the added benefit of implementing a healthy lifestyle change, too. It's a good example for the family to follow. As they say, "monkey see, monkey do" - therefore if your child observes your healthy eating habits and attitude towards exercise and fitness, chances are that he or she will also adopt such practices in their lives. Talk about killing two birds with one stone...

Bonding Activities for the Boys

Although I've always felt that there's no substitute for camping under the stars and really roughing it, I also think it would be nice to have a family holiday together doing something in the great outdoors. Since it would be virtually impossible to get hubby to agree to camp in a tent under the stars, the next best thing would be to consider looking for a used rv for sale as that would probably be the only way I'd ever get him to go camping with his boys.

I've always felt that there's something about a camping trip and going back to nature that can help foster stronger bonds and relationships. I have always envisaged hubby and my boys going camping together and doing all those things that boys love to do. I guess if we can't really get hubby to rough it (not that it's looking very promising that my older boy will agree to rough it either), then I'll settle for camping in style...

Anticipating the Second Delivery

I saw the doctor yesterday. We're now coming to 34 weeks with the pregnancy and Gareth is looking like another large baby. The good news is that everything is progressing well. I'm healthy and Gareth is healthy. The bad news is that he's even larger than Gavin - at least, he's larger than Gavin was at this stage of the pregnancy.

When I look at the ultrasound screen now, it's hard to imagine that baby used to be a little dark circle on the screen. At this point in time, he's about the size of an average baby - 2.75kgs. The doctor is concerned that he may become too large and has voiced the possibility of an early induction - as in before the due date. Although I would prefer not to have an induction, I'd rather opt for one than to risk having to induce at a later stage and require a caesar when Gareth gets too large for natural delivery.

While I do have a ample proportions, even giving birth to Gavin at 4kgs was a struggle I really don't care to relive. It frightens me to think that I might have to deliver a larger baby when I was already ready to give up with Gavin. I keep hearing that the second delivery is always easier and technically it should be, but that doesn't change the way I feel. I'm hoping that this will be a case of expect the worse and I'll discover it won't be quite as bad as I anticipated.

Selling My First Home

My brother's finally sold the house. It's the first house I've ever owned - or rather, partially owned. It's not like I have any real sentimental attachment to it, but it was the first home ever to be in my name - at least in part. Hubby and I are planning to get a house nearer to his parents and my brother is no longer in the country so it didn't make sense to keep it. Plus, it still has so much of our miscellaneous junk in there that there's no chance of even renting it out.

Being pregnant and all, it means I won't be able to help pack anything or do any moving. It's one of those superstitious beliefs that my in laws uphold. Well, there are practical reasons to it. It's not like I'm going to be able to lift anything heavy in my current condition. So my brother has decided to hire some cross country movers to box everything up and move it into storage. Once I'm through with the delivery and settled into a routine with the new baby, I'll be free to slowly go through my stuff to decide what I want to keep and what to discard.

Most of the stuff is mainly of sentimental value really - my TY bears and my books. They are hard to discard but now that we're moving on in life, the changes in priorities makes a lot of that stuff obsolete. For instance, a lot of my books are on rock climbing - a pass time I no longer even have time for any more. It's funny how things that used to be so important I thought I wouldn't be able to live life without them now have so little meaning to me.

Pondering Life and Growing Up

When I was a child, I loved the idea of living in mobile homes. Being of a rather nomadic spirit, I would make believe I was a traveller, moving my stuff from room to room in a little bag. Of course, when you're a kid, being a nomad is easy. You don't own much stuff and you never think of things like clothes and toiletries.

As I got older - and accumulated more stuff that I couldn't bear to part with - I couldn't understand why my personal belongings could no longer fit into my little bag. Why were there suddenly so much more stuff to take with me?

Now that's an interesting lesson in life. Fast forward it a couple of decades later and I am really living the life of a nomad in a new country. I arrived with a suitcase and a hand carry. My first move expanded my belongings by a couple more bags. The next move involved even more bags and a few items of furniture. The third move involved more furniture, the bags and some boxes. With each move, I had more and more things accumulating that it started to become rather a chore to move.

The longer we live, the more junk we accumulate in our lives. If you're a hoarder like me, you'll never get rid of anything - even if it is stuff that you don't need any more. It's no wonder our lives seem so much more complicated the older we grow...

I Dream of Holidays

Since I got pregnant, it doesn't look like we'll be going on any holidays any time soon. Hubby has been hankering to go on a trip somewhere. Well, if you can't go places in person, the next best thing is to travel in your mind. Surfing the internet for great holiday destinations is always a great way to feast your eyes and create some lovely mental images for the mind to dream about.

Perhaps we can consider pensacola beach vacation rentals for our next family holiday?

I Want to go to Disneyland!

While we were out to dinner this evening, Gavin saw a picture of Mickey and Mini Mouse at Disneyland. Thinking it would be cute, hubby conspired with Gavin to ask "Ah Kong" to take him to Disneyland. After a couple rounds of practicing: "Ah Kong, I want to go to Disneyland, please!" hubby set our son loose on his unsuspecting grandfather.

Looks like hubby and I will soon get another chance to live vicariously through our son when we plan orlando vacations for the whole family...

Children's Personalities - Like Mummy or Daddy?

It has always been my intention that Gavin would be a sporty, outdoor, back-to-nature sort of boy. Having been a hiker, rock climber and caver in my past, I see a lot of merits in engaging in these sort of activities. Unfortunately, it appears my dirt-obsessed son might be taking after his father in more ways than just his physique.

While we were still dating, some friends of ours managed to convince hubby to come on a hiking day trip with us. Needless to say it was the first and last trip hubby ever went on. Although hubby and I are both adventurous individuals, our ideas of adventure appear to be worlds apart. Let's just take a camping trip for an example...

For me, a real camping trip would be the kind where you hike with everything you need in your backpack. You camp under the stars on a good evening and sleep in tents when the weather is bad. You dig your own toilet and make your own camp fires.

Hubby's idea of camping would be living in the lap of luxury in an rv camper - the kind that comes with its own toilet, in-built satellite TV, air-conditioning, mini kitchenette and a bed. I'm certain his idea of rv towing would be a car attached to a house if he really could have it his way.

I think it will be interesting to see who our boys end up being more like as they grow older...

Starting Your Own Business

My SIL has been planning to open a cafe and catering service. The catering part has started, but she's still working on the cafe part. We've been looking around at various places to start her place but it seems what is required is a business plan. Many shopping malls, especially, require some sort of business plan about what you intend to run in the shop lot you intend to rent.

Although initially it didn't really make sense why it was so important, I guess they feel a need to ensure that the business has a good chance of being successful. I'm sure it would be a waste of time for them to rent out the premises only to have the business close down in six months time when they have to start looking again for another tenant.

But how do you write a business plan? If you have never started your own business before, it can be quite a daunting task. Thankfully, these days, you can outsource anything and there are
business plan writers who can do the job for a fee. If the price is too steep, there are plenty of online resources that will offer you business plan templates that you can copy.

The Toy Box

Hubby always says I am living vicariously through my son. Oftentimes I'm not sure who wants the toys more - Mummy or Gavin. The great thing about Gavin is that he has never demanded toys or thrown tantrums when he doesn't get them at the toy shop. I hope this trend continues...

Some of his most favourite toys, aside from anything related to Thomas and Friends, are his Lightning McQueen ride along, and the usual classic kids toys, like blocks and Lego (well, it's technically Duplo, but he enjoys building towers). Personally, I encourage Gavin to play with constructive toys like blocks and Lego because I think they're great for developing creativity and imagination. They're also great for motor skill development. Ride along toys are great for developing motor skills and encouraging physical activity, although it was difficult to show Gavin what he was supposed to do with it initially. As the first child, he didn't have other children to model after and since we were too big to sit on the ride along, we couldn't show him what he had to do.

As most kids eventually do, they outgrow the old toys and move on to newer interests. Gavin's still pretty fond of Thomas and Friends and hasn't gotten into action figures (dare I say, "yet"?) but Daddy's already keen to get him started on RC cars - now look who's living vicariously through the children? One thing I have to say is that Gavin's been really good with his focus on toys. He has been interested in Thomas and Friends since he would walk and he still loves his train sets.

Toys are probably one of the more expensive affairs when it comes to raising children these days. Although it is true that what a young child craves most is a parent's attention, there is still a lot of development that can be encouraged with toys. Best of all is parent and child time spent playing with toys. The good news for us is that having another boy means a lot of hand-me-downs. To hubby's relief, we can now stay away from all the doll houses and other little girl things.

Financial Lessons for the Children

When I was practicing dentistry, we had to get a special type of insurance called "Income Protection". In a way, it is a little like getting disability insurance because it ensures that if any part of our body is affected by an accident of some sort and we were no longer able to practice as a result of it, we would still be able to survive.

For dentists, where our hands are our livelihood, to be without the function of a hand would spell the end of practicing. It is not unlike that famous Irish dancer, Michael Flatley, who insured his legs because that was his source of income - his ability to dance. Except in the case of a dentist, it is more than the hands that are insured.

Careers like these make me think that it is not such a great idea to be solely dependent on your ability to do something in order to make money. If you were no longer able to work, you wouldn't be able to earn. Unfortunately, in our current society, money does make the world go around and one cannot survive without it.

When I was growing up, I just wanted to be self-sufficient. As long as I could command a good salary, I would be happy and comfortable. It wasn't until I was much older that I began to abandon these ideas. Now that I am wiser to the working world, I feel that I must teach my son different lessons if I am to prepare him adequately. Although I am not against the idea of him working for someone, I don't want him to be reliant on a job for income. I want him to know that there are other ways to survive.

I want my children to be smarter about money than I ever was in my youth. Don't get me wrong, I don't want them to be obsessed about it, just smart. As long as they know how to make it work to their advantage, I'll be happy.

Service In Style: Career Clothing For Hospitality Workers

Working in an industry such as hospitality would require you to have uniforms. Although some would think this as a bummer, don’t be sad just yet. Career clothing for hospitality workers are not like any other uniforms. These could be different since they can come in style. In fact, the category of hospitality apparel is very interesting, especially if you keep a sharp eye on the different uniforms of different companies.

Although clothing pieces would generally vary depending on your kind of work, there are still some that arejavascript:void(0) popular among different positions. Here are some of the common pieces that you could wear to provide service to your guests in fashion.

Serving Gloves

This is usually a pair of white cotton gloves that is worn by waiters and waitresses or anyone else in the position who would be serving food. Other than looking good, gloves are one symbol of sanitary cleanliness among the working place. This means that the hotel or the facility is mindful about their service and cleanliness.

Junior Cord Housekeeping Dress

This is basically the customary blue dress with a white apron that has trims. This dress is a staple among the housekeeping department and is a traditional piece accepted as modest apparel for housekeeping. It is also a favourite piece for lots of women in this kind of work. Dresses like these are also easy to launder because of the fabric they are made from.

Apron

You can see this piece worn by both men and women. This is most likely a staple if you’ll be working in cafe’s, restaurants, and other food oriented establishments. Although it may be a simple piece to look at, it is actually one of the most important piece of apparel for hospitality workers in the food industry. This is mainly because of its functionality and helpfulness in regard to the nature of their job.

There are different kinds of aprons. You would normally see men wearing the big ones while women wear the small skirt-like ones, which are called tea aprons. Tea aprons are very popular among maids or housekeepers too. Aprons may come in different colors and designs. It basically depends on the company you are working for.

Chef Coats

This is yet another staple in chef uniforms. They usually come in different colors. The most popular are white, black and dark blue. There is a conventional style and designs would generally vary on their trimmings and color combinations. However, the cloth used would be a big factor on how good or bad a chef coat is, since the kitchen could be a pretty hot place to be.

Polo Shirts

Polo shirts are one way to look professional in a not so formal setting. These can be worn by both men and women. These are perfect for cruise ship workers, since it provides both comfort and flexibility. They also come in different colors and usually have the company’s name or logo embroidered in one of the front pockets.

Tuxedos

A tuxedo is popular for those working in a very formal setting or event. Waiters and attendants in hotels are usually spotted wearing these. Black is the popular color. The overall look highly depends on the trimming or added accent with the suit. Both men and women could wear this too.

Sports Car Insurance

How to buy the cheapest sports car insurance policy

For most people a sports vehicle is the car of their dreams. The feel of a revving engine and their hair being swept back by the wind as their convertible speeds down on the highway, they feel is a prize worth paying for.

But what if once they acquire the sports car of their dreams, and the thrill of victory dies when they realize that something has gone terribly wrong? They suddenly realize they have blown most of their hard earned cash on the purchase of their new vehicle, not leaving enough for the purchase of car insurance. This is when the hunt for a cheap sports car insurance policy begins!

Some things to remember when looking for cheap sports car insurance:

Shop around the internet for insurance rates

Some of the cheaper sports car insurance rates can be found on the internet. Several insurance companies offer deals and discounts. There are also car insurance companies that offer free insurance estimates online. Getting insurance online is a great way to find an affordable insurance plan for your sports car.

Factors in determining cost

Sports cars that are driven in places that are considered to have high crime rates cost more to insure. Sports cars are known to be more often stolen than a non-sports vehicle. Their cost for repairs is relatively higher. This is why the insurance premium for sports vehicles are higher than average.

But if a sports car is equipped with safety features such as car alarm, detachable stereo, and steering wheel lock - the cost to have it insured will be reduced.

Compare prices

Shop around for the cheapest sports car insurance policy. This way you will be able to compare the different deals and offers car insurance companies are offering.

Customers would also know if they are being treated fairly, since they have a basis of comparison from different sources.

It is also a factor how many individuals are to be covered by a particular insurance company. This is why it is imperative to look into different sources for the best deal. Different insurance companies offer different terms and agreements.

There are numerous car insurance companies out that are less expensive sports car insurance.

The key is to find those that are offering discounts and special deals for the specific model of car and one that cover the buyer's needs and specifications. This way the owning a sports car will be an exhilarating experience.

Shoes for Comfort and Style

If there is one single item of clothing that I absolutely refuse to scrimp on, it's shoes. I can do without all the branded clothes, but my shoes have got to be good. First and foremost is the support it provides. After years of trashing my body and pushing it past its limits, my ankles and knees are no longer what they used to be. Wearing a good pair of shoes is essential for preserving my joints.

When I was in school, Doc Martins were it. Since then, there have been MBTs, Merrell's, and Birkenstocks. Recently, I discovered Naot shoes. The problem with supportive shoes is that they rarely look good. Personally, I've never really had a problem with that. I've generally been a comfort before appearance sort of person however I realise that a lot of women have problems with their feet, ankles and knees because of the desire to put appearance before comfort. Naot shoes aren't exactly your sexy stillettos but they do have interesting designs worth looking at.

The Power of a Child's Brain

During one holiday trip to Melbourne, we were at my cousin's house and her daughter was playing the Karaoke PS3 game. The songs were all from Abba and she could sing every single song by heart (she was only about four then and still not able to read the lyrics on the screen). It was really amazing because she learned all the words even though she didn't understand what it meant. These days, I can hardly remember things that mean something. To remember something that bears no meaning is definitely a lot more challenging.

As adults, we often make the mistake of assuming that a child's mental capability is somehow less than ours when instead it outstrips anything we can learn by a long distance. It is a terrible failing on our part to assume so because we fail to tap into our childrens' potentials when their brain capacity is at its peak. For this reason I have long been interested in early childhood education and what children can achieve. Watching the videos of children who have been through programs like Glenn Doman, the Shichida Method, etc. has been extremely inspiring.

Although I have largely missed the boat with my first son, I intend not to make the same mistake with my second son.

Healthy Diet - A Guide to Weight Loss

Here are some weight loss diet tips that can be followed anywhere, everyday:

1. Make a delicious low fat mayonnaise by combining one teaspoon of Dijon mustard or satay sauce with a low fat yogurt.
2. Do not skip meals. Skipping meals slicks the body into slowing down the metabolism, attempting to conserve calories during a period where limited fats and fuel are available. Remember that eating increases the metabolism.
3. Stuff vegetables like capsicum and zucchini with flavored fillings or minced chicken, white meat or fish. These are healthy and contain low fat.
4. Take pita bread roll ups or wraps with salad fillings.
5. Eight hours after waking up, our metabolism slows down that is why 30 minutes of exercise before dinner will increase the metabolism for about two to three hours. This produces an increase in burned fat even hours after the work out is over.
6. Add alfalfa or mung beans to salad to get extra iron.
7. Good cooking and healthy eating begins with learning about nutrition and how to prepare healthy recipes.
8. Learn how to make the family favorite recipes and make sure that fats, salt, and sugar are cut out. Substitute non-fat yogurt for cream, stir-fry without oil and use herbs and spices instead of salt to taste.
9. Consult the doctor before beginning an exercise or weight loss program.
10. Slowly eat and chew each bite during meals as this would decrease one's appetite.
11. Complete three small meals and two snacks everyday instead of one or two huge meals.
12. Use chicken stock when stir-frying. This will cut down on hidden fat.
13. Buy non-toasted muesli instead of the toasted ones. A plate of toasted muesli contains more fat than a plate of bacon and eggs.
14. As much as possible do not remove the skins of fruits and vegetables since most of the nutrients are concentrated under the skin.
15. Warm water with just a squeeze of lemon juice before breakfast get the metabolism going for the day, this also help preventing constipation and is excellent for the skin.
16. One of the best sources of vegetable protein is from soya beans or tofu. All legumes provide some protein, so include lentils, lima beans etc into casseroles and soups.
17. Look for a weight loss "buddy," club, or support mates. This will motivate you to stay and enjoy your weight loss program.
18. Though it's hard at first, try not eating 3 hours or more before bedtime.
19. Make pasta a fast food choice - preparing a pasta meal or salad will only take 10-12 minutes.
20. Chilli helps to speed up metabolism - even the milder varieties.
21. Try making omelettes without adding the yolks! A dramatic decrease in fat.
22. Substitute baking soda, baking powder, MSG and soya sauce in cooking.
23. Remove fat by dropping ice cubes into the baking tray. Fat will stick to the ice cubes.
24. Drinking hot water instead of cold water in the morning can increase the speed of your metabolism and burn more calories.
25. Eat before you go food shopping and always prepare a shopping list. Only buy food which relates to your weekly menu plan and don't be tempted to buy goodies.

For extra measure, you can also consider taking weight loss pills which can help your weight loss progress or help you to get past the plateau phase that many of us hit after a while. It is important to remember that weight loss pills are not a substitute for maintaining the above suggestions. Make sure that the right discipline is still practiced to promote consistency on the diet plan. This will lead eventually to a healthy life-style and a more fruitful living without the extra fat and extra pounds on the side.

Netbooks - Ultraportable Laptops

As much as I love my desktop, one of the biggest problems I have with it is its lack of portability. Being a SAHM usually means I don't often have to move it around, but there have been times when some portability would have been useful. For instance, being able to take my laptop downstairs to write when my son is playing with his trains. Other times are when we travel back to Melbourne to visit my parents to down to Singapore to see my brother.

Although I can get by without using a computer during these holiday trips, I confess I am seriously addicted to my computer. Going on holiday without access to the internet is like leaving the house without packing my clothes or some other essential item. Even when the internet is down (which happens more frequently than I care for), I feel the loss of my connection to the cyberworld greatly.

The problem with getting a laptop is that it is expensive. Considering that I mostly use the desktop, it seemed rather excessive to buy a laptop that I would only use on occasion. The next best alternative is to consider the netbooks. They are basically the new range of mini laptops which provide the minimum basic functions such as wordprocessing, emailing, and internet surfing. Since that's essentially all I'm after, I really don't need anything more than that.

Since I first considered getting one, many newer and better models have been appearing. Although there are some pretty cool models out there, I think the essentials should be long battery life and a decent memory size. The whole idea of a netbook is portability so if you can't use it for long without a powercord then it isn't very portable is it?