I had some problems with my front teeth when I was little. They were big and protruding. Thanks to my mom who was concerned enough with my looks and brought me to an orthodontist. My dentist was not one of the top cosmetic dentists San Diego has to offer, but he was very good and gave us a big discount. So, when I was in High school, I was one of the first few people who wore braces at school. Wearing braces at that time was starting to became more of a trend. But in fact, I find it amusing when people look at me and they stare at my mouth. My dentist also had this colorful rubber to adjust my teeth. So, I remember wearing the purple rubber on my teeth and the more strangers look at me as if I just came from outer space. So, at that time, I felt consious and tried not to smile too much. But as months passed by, wearing braces has become a trend and it was ‘cool’ to wear one. And I guess that was the only time, I was able to smile 100% and and show off my braces! Hahah!I

But thank God that after a few years, I have finally taken off my braces and I was so happy to have nicer and straighter teeth. The downside of having teeth so straight? A few people did dare to ask me whether I’m wearing false teeth or not? LOL!

I would like to share with you this Childproofing Checklist from the book I’m currently reading ” How to Discipline Your Child Without Spanking or Shouting” .

- Always keep  knives and dangerous items locked safely away from children.
- Install childproof lathces on all cabinets and drawers that may contain dangerous objects.
- Crawl through the house on your hands and knees to spot enticing hazards to be remedied.
- Plug empty electrical outlets with plastic plugs designed for this purpose.
- Remove unused extension cords.
- Move large pieces of furniture in front of electrical outlets that have cords plugged in them, or install protective outlet coverings that prevent a child from unplugging the cord.
- If small tables or other furnishings are not sturdy or have sharp corners, put them away until your child is older or install protective coverings around sharp edges.
- Large pieces of furniture that a child can climb and tip over should be safely secured to a nearby wall.
- Place dangerous household substances, such as detergents, cleaning fluids, razor blades, matches, and medicines, as well out of reach in a locked cabinet.
- Install proper screen on a fireplace.
- Always use a correct seat in your automobile.
- Regularly check toys for sharp edges or small broken pieces.

To be continued …

These are one of the days when the bills are piling up and budget is tight. What should we do to overcome this phase in life. LOL! Here some reminders for myself and suggestions on what to do when the budget is TIGHT.

1) Pray – It might be the last resort for some but its the first for us who believes that our God is the God who provides for our needs. I can’t count how many times God miraculously provided for our family especially during the times we were financially challenged. So, pray and pray..

2) Stay at home – When you’re at home, there are less temptations for unnecessary purchases and seemingly ‘ important’ purchases. Cook a good meal and eat at home. Eating in restaurants and shops can really eat out a certain amount of the budget. This is really true but quite a difficult thing to do for us. I love to go out..I don’t get easily tempted to buy stuff ( unless they’re really dirt cheap) but I always get tempted to eat out .:) But try to create a lot of interesting activities for your family, or redecorate you home to make it look like one of the New York condominiums.

3) Give - Sometimes, we stop giving when we seem to be in dire need. But God’s principle is different. Give and it will come back to you. So, give your tithes, offering, and people who are in need. And you’ll be surprised that even if you have out, you still have some left for you.

4 Pay- Pay your bills. The more we delay our payments, the more these pile up and we struggle for the next few months. Huhuhuh!! Pay as much as you can for this month so, there will be less struggle for the next.

5) Earn Extra – Think of other means for your to earn. Have a garage sale in your house, make some handmade cards, bake some cookies, and sell these items, blog, get into get paid to click programs. Think out of the box for you to earn . Just make sure that its legal and not against your values and beliefs.

6) Recycle- Before buying some new things , think of the stuff that you have in the house and try recycling them. Thinking of buying a gift for a friends birthday, why don’t you recycle the gift that has been given to you but never got to use. But make sure you’re not giving it to the person you gave it to you!