We are all inventors, each sailing out on a voyage of discovery, guided each by a private chart, of which there is no duplicate. The world is all gates, all opportunities.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Monday, January 31, 2011

30 Day Photo Challenge: Day 9

Day 9: A picture of the person who's gotten me through the most.
My parents. So, it's not one person, but I couldn't mention one without the other, because they have supported and prayed me through so many situations in life. I am extremely thankful for them and the relationship we have now. My parents have watched me go through rebellion, severe illness, bad decisions, more bad decisions and then some. And you know what? They have truly loved me through it all. Inexplicably, I believe they've grown to love me more as time goes on. And the feeling is mutual. I love you, Mom and Dad, and I thank the Lord for giving me to you as a daughter! Thank you for always loving me and blessing my life no matter what. Alofa atu.

New FREE Redbox Rental Code


Quick! Use this code as it's been floating around online and has been accepted by everyone who uses it so far. I'm going to try it tonight as well since no one knows the expiration date for it. You never know when it will stop working, so why not? I'm on my way to return some Redbox rentals right now and will try the code to get a free movie for tonight. If it doesn't work, I'm not too worried about it, but will post on here if it went through!

The code is:  N6TRWTV


1/31/2011
Big storm headed our way. Didn't try this tonight but will give it a go soon!

Shopping Without Spending Money

The other day, the guys did a few errands on their own so I could have some alone time in a few shops. It was so nice! One of my aunts sent me some maternity tops that needed to be exchanged. They were SO cute, but too big for me. So I went and just happened to be there for the Motherhood BOGO sale. I returned the 2 blouses, shopped the clearance racks, and ended up with two different tops and a pair of maternity capris. Woohoo! I'm so happy with them :) I love a good deal.

I have no idea why their mannequins look so... blah. Trust me, they look better on! But anyway, since I can't find our camera, here are the things I came home with:




And that was my little adventure shopping without spending anything :) BIG huge thanks and alofa to my Aunty Annie for making it possible. Have a beautiful weekend!

Sunday, January 30, 2011

FREE Maybelline Makeup Sample

Click here to request a sample of Maybelline FitME liquid foundation makeup from Target.

I use this foundation and LOVE it! Give it a try to see if it's right for you. And hey, free is always good!

30 Day Photo Challenge: Day 8

Day 8: A picture that makes me laugh.
Our big little boy cracks me up. He's a ham. A ham bone. A cheese ball. And I love him! He can always make me smile, even when he's being a little naughty :)

Saturday, January 29, 2011

30 Day Photo Challenge: DAY 7

Day 7: A picture of my most treasured item.

My family.
This photo is from a life changing day in early 2010, just after Hubby's big promotion and our move to a new state. On this day, he received a call at work and rushed over to us.


They were watching this being towed away. Our minivan.
Baby Boy and I were coming back from running errands and we were hit by a young person who was speeding and texting. We rolled and slammed onto the pavement and our lives changed forever.

It's sad that the moment of the crash was the first time in my life that I knew... absolutely knew I was saved and that I had nothing to fear if I died that day. Such peace washed over me in the midst of the trauma. I'm sad to say I hadn't known for sure that God had forgiven me and claimed me for His own until that instant. But it was life changing because I also realized I hadn't been living by faith at all. I knew all the words, but if I breathed my last and had to stand before my God that day I would hang my head in shame. I would have nothing to show Him for my time on earth.
Then another horrifying thought hit me. What if my poor innocent baby boy in the back seat was dead? Where would he be for eternity? I hadn't done my job as a mother and prepared him or taught him much about our faith since his birth. Could I handle the guilt if I turned around and saw his broken lifeless body in front of me? In spite of my fear, I had to look. And when I did, there he was: perfect and unbruised and securely strapped into his carseat. He was calm too. And it helped to calm me seeing his sweet face looking at me with complete trust. He was fine because I was there with him. And I was fine because I knew my Lord wouldn't have saved us without a reason.

We heard from the rescue workers that they arrived with sorrow in their hearts. Seeing the type of impact and the shape our car was in, they fully expected to be pulling corpses out of there. But there we were. Totally fine. It puzzled them. But not me. I saw everything with new eyes. They tried the jaws of life on my door and a chainsaw on the windshield. I pulled a blanket over us to shield us from the flying glass and sat there holding our son and whispering Sunday school songs in his ear. Later he told me that he saw Jesus under the blanket with us. We emerged, disheveled and sprinkled with debris, to see Hubby who had rushed over on his motorcycle from work.
For months afterward, if Baby Boy had a nightmare about the crash, I would sit in his room with him underneath a blanket singing songs about Jesus. It was the only thing that calmed him down enough for him to get back to sleep.

After that day, I started searching the Scriptures for truths and was comforted and often convicted with what I found. Baby Boy began learning memory verses and we make a conscious effort to talk about our faith every day. I praise God that I only walked away with a sealtbelt bruise across my chest and a few scratches on my legs. Baby Boy had nothing. Not a bruise or scratch on him. That is a miracle and I will never forget God's mercy.

So yes, the most cherished and precious thing to me besides my God is my family. I will always be grateful for them.

Friday, January 28, 2011

30 Day Photo Challenge: DAY 6

Day 6: A picture of the person I'd love to trade places with for a day.
I would love to trade places with Iron Chef Morimoto. His cooking techniques are amazing! The way he is constantly learning to fuse the latest tools and methods with traditional flavors just make me want to have a peek into his brain! I've dabbled in Japanese home cooking for the past 2 years and I love it. I could never be as fabulous as this man, but hey, it's kind of his job to be that awesome. 

So yeah, I'd love to be Morimoto with a video camera for a day so I could get some cheats on quality Japanese cooking. 

Eating My Way to Better Health

I have the beginnings of an ear infection. Which is really not fun, but at least it's nothing that can harm the baby. However, I know that if it gets worse, my body will start working hard to fix it and that will take away from the strength I need to keep our little one growing strong. So, being totally convinced of the idea that the correct diet can heal sickness, I've been doing research on what foods and spices specifically help ear infections. Here's what I've found so far:

Fresh garlic- either juiced or chopped up and added to food, it's stellar at fighting any type of infection. One of my cousins actually got me interested in this and I've been researching to find out why garlic is good for you. Google it and you'll find a wealth of information. Powder works okay but fresh is always better. Dice it into really tiny pieces and drink it in hot water as a tea or sprinkle over a green salad with dressing.

Turmeric- A spice that is a proven antibiotic and anti-inflammatory. Nice. I love turmeric!

Sea salt- Promotes salivation and when gargled with warm water can help the drainage of all the gunk in your throat (a common side effect of my ear infections).

Ginger- Just like garlic, fresh is better and you can juice it or chop it and add it to whatever you're cooking, a fresh salad or drunk as a tea.

Fish oil- Salmon is my favorite source of Omega fatty acids. I love eating it and I also have supplements I take every day. Omega fatty acids are great for hair and skin and promote the immune system.

So, I've concluded that I'm going to keep taking my Omega fatty acid supplements, and then I'm going to incorporate the rest of the spices/foods into my daily intake. Hopefully the ear infection will be on it's way to healing by next week. I hope so! There's not much you can take for this stuff when you're pregnant and I don't relish the thought of fighting through the pain and dizziness while trying to grow a baby and take care of a toddler. The pain is just beginning so I've got to get a jump on things. Praying it will work! 

Thursday, January 27, 2011

FREE Redbox Movie Code

Rent a free 1 night movie at any Redbox location! Just type in any of these codes at checkout:

MOVIENIGHT (valid today only 1/27/2011)

REDBOX (valid for first time redbox customers only)

N3WY3AR (valid at McDonald's only)
DVDATMAC (McDonald's)

DVDKROG (Kroger locations only)

DVDATWAG (Walgreens locations only)

All of these are one time use per customer. So pick a movie and enjoy a night in!

30 Day Photo Challenge: DAY 5

Day 5: A picture of my favorite memory.

My hubby holding our Baby Boy for the very first time. This is in the OR immediately after he was cleaned up. Daddy held him even before Mama did! It was such a sweet moment and one of my favorite memories.
Our son is nearly 3 years old now and has been a huge blessing in our lives. I literally can't imagine our family without his feisty, happy energy and sweet, lovable attitude. Thank you, Lord for our first Baby Boy!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

30 Day Photo Challenge: DAY 4

Day 4: A photo of my night.

My two loves. Baby Boy and his dad both wiped out from wrestling before bedtime :)
One of a hundred million precious moments that happen every day. I wish I could capture all of them and save them, but then I'd probably have a home cluttered with photo albums. I hope our son will look back on photos like this and remember all those moments he shared with us, because we treasure each and every one.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

30 Day Photo Challenge: DAY 3

Monarch of the Glen
Day 3: Photo of the cast from your favorite show.

Ok, so by now you're realizing I'm a very quirky girl. I love Monarch of the Glen. Yes, my favorite TV show ever is cancelled, but ran on the BBC for years.

It's about a quaint little village in Scotland and the noble family who are official leaders of the village. Nobility is no longer treated the same with the switch from monarchy to democracy in this light hearted, but touching show. The story plots and ways people in a small place can make hilarious mountains out of molehills makes this a TV gem! 

Monday, January 24, 2011

30 Day Photo Challenge: DAY 2

Christmas in Samoa 2009
Day 2: A picture of you and the person you've been close with the longest.

My sister :) Even though we're in different states and things are changing in our individual lives every day, she has been the one person I've been close with the longest. And I MISS her! Lots of great memories of times filled with craziness and laughter. 

Spicy Philly Cheese Chicken & Egg Rolls

Made Spicy Philly Cheese Chicken last night. Here are the little beauties now:

Big thanks to my SIL Wendy for the recipe! Mmmm... Read all about her experience with this recipe on her blog Recipes to Warm the Heart. Plus, it's chock full of tasty meals that usually take 30-40 minutes to make. This is a rare one that takes longer. But still great!

We didn't have ham, so that was left out. Didn't have breadcrumbs either, so I dipped the stuffed chicken into dry tempura mix, beaten egg, and then tempura mix again. That's what I love about cooking. Most times, you don't have to stick to the recipe to make it work. You use what you have and make it fabulous, and I'm all about that :)

Anyway, it was a hit and we'll definitely be having this again.


Oh, if you're looking for a delicious egg roll recipe, you can click here to check out mine on Recipes to Warm the Heart. Hope your Monday's going beautifully! 

Sunday, January 23, 2011

30 Days of Photos

Here are the rules of the challenge I'm doing for the next 30 days:
Day 1:     A picture of yourself with fifteen facts.
Day 2:     A picture of you and the person you have been close with for the longest.
Day 3:     A picture of the cast from your favorite show.
Day 4:     A picture of your night.
Day 5:     A picture of your favorite memory.
Day 6:     A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day.
Day 7:     A picture of your most treasured item.
Day 8:     A picture that makes you laugh.
Day 9:     A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most.
Day 10:   A picture of the person you do the most messed up things with.
Day 11:   A picture of something you hate.
Day 12:   A picture of something you love.
Day 13:   A picture of your favorite band or artist.
Day 14:   A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without.
Day 15:   A picture of something you want to do before you die.
Day 16:   A picture of someone who inspires you.
Day 17:   A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently.
Day 18:   A picture of your biggest insecurity.
Day 19:   A picture of you when you were little.
Day 20:   A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel.
Day 21:   A picture of something you wish you could forget.
Day 22:   A picture of something you wish you were better at.
Day 23:   A picture of your favorite book.
Day 24:   A picture of something you wish you could change.
Day 25:   A picture of your day.
Day 26:   A picture of something that means a lot to you.
Day 27:   A picture of yourself and a family member.
Day 28:   A picture of something you're afraid of.
Day 29:   A picture that can always make you smile.
Day 30:   A picture of someone you miss. 



Feel inspired? Join up! It should be a fun way to get to know more about each other. 

30 Day Photo Challenge: DAY 1

 Ida at Parents Reinvented is a fellow frugal mama and beautiful blogger who shares great tips for saving money while raising a family. You need to check out her blog! Anyway, she's participating in this challenge and I thought it would be such a fun way to get back into the swing of things.


So here goes Day 1: A photo of yourself and 15 facts.
26 weeks pregnant :)


1. I love being a mom to my feisty toddler boy.


2. LOVE being married to my man.


3. Finding ways to save money is a passion of mine.


4. I love making beautiful, useful things out of what I have lying around. It's a huge stress reliever for me.


5. I like shoes way too much and have to talk myself out of buying a cute pair that I know will kill my feet :)


6. I love dancing, singing and sharing my Samoan heritage with people.


7. Sometimes I have uncontrollable cravings for Chick Fil A's waffle fries and honey mustard sauce.


8. Homemade things speak to my heart and I love making them.


9. I wish I could speak my native language fluently :) Maybe someday.


10. My God and my family are more important to me than anything else.


11. I would drive 6 hours or more to see a family member at an airport layover for 10 minutes. I love my family!


12. I miss the beautifully rough, untamed beaches of my island home. Living land locked is not my thing.


13. About 80% of my diet is raw produce but I love some fried foods and meat way too much to go 100%.
      Oooh, and bread. Gotta have bread & pastries :)


14. I adore being plus sized! Call me crazy, but I really really enjoy having curves. I have a goal size that I'm getting closer to as I lose weight, but it's still plus sized :)


15. I'm nearly 7 months blessed with my pregnancy! Another boy on the way, God is so good!

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