Our Halloween's eve

It was my Friday off, so we went shopping. Anna was looking for a costume to take Brandon trick or treating. The night before we went to Target to see if they have any deals, but most of their grown up costumes are out of stock already. We then went to Halloween Illusions (a costume only store). They had ppl waiting in line outside just to get in the store. It was packed. When we got in we saw the line to pay. It might of been a 45 minute wait there. Their costumes were not discounted yet, but most of the good ones have been picked out.

Well continuing on Friday, we went to Walmart to see if they had any costumes left, but no luck there. We then went to Old Navy at Del Amo to see if they had any sales on Halloween clothing. Everything was on sale for $2 each (including their kid's costumes). We already had one for Brandon, so we picked up some of the clothing items.

We had lunch at BJ's and pick up a pie from Marie Callendar's. I finished up some laundry and ironing at home. Tomorrow is the big day.

Asia hotel deals

Now is the time to go on a vacation. There are many great deals on hotels, airfare, and car rental. One place to visit is the Asia Pacific countries. Destinations like Japan, Hong Kong, China, Korea, and Thailand are popular among many tourists. I found this site called Accor Hotels. They are having a Accor Hotels 3-Day Super Sale Asia Pacific from October 27th to the 30th. You can get rates as low at $30 a night!

One place overlooked by many travelers visiting Asian countries is Malaysia. My wife is from there, and I travel there from time to time. I have been there a total of 3 times. If you are into shopping and food this is the place for you. They have the hugest malls I have ever seen. They also have a variety of local foods to try. If you are into gambling, you can visit Genting Highland. They have all kinds of table and slot games. At the Accor Hotels site, you can get rooms in Malaysia starting at only $51 a night.

There is only one restriction. Your stay period has to be in between December 2009 til April 2010. That is the perfect time to catch the Chinese New Years festivities in Hong Kong and China.

Our weekend

This past weekend was a short and busy one for us. On Saturday, we went looking at houses in the Torrance and Redondo Beach area. We then went to the Manhattan Village mall to walk around and lunch at the Corner Bakery. For some reason Brandon likes eating there. Our afternoon was a quiet one, we then had dinner at the California Fish Grill.

On Sunday we went to Monterey Park in the morning for grocery shopping. We also got some takeout dim sum for lunch. The afternoon was a quiet one again. That is the time Brandon normally takes his naps.

Luckily next week is a short one for me. Not sure what plans we have for the long weekend. But with it being the Halloween weekend, i'm sure it will be busy.

Wedding invitation deals

I remember when we had our wedding we were looking to cut costs any way we could. We were still young and really did not have much money at that time. We cut costs on the wedding dress and tux, photos, and the reception. I even found a place for cheap wedding invitations. At the Invitation Professionals, you can also get great deals on wedding invitations. And you are not getting some cheap and ugly. These are professionally done invitations with high quality material and print work. So check them out, and you can save money on your wedding too. Hey with the current economy every penny helps. They also print holiday cards for Christmas.

How to prank call

Do you ever want to prank call someone? Well now you can do it with www.CallerIDFaker.com. On the www.CallerIDFaker.com site, you can disguise your voice as a man or woman. You can even have a fake number display on their caller ID screen. You can play the ultimate Halloween gag on someone with this. It is loads of fun.

"I want Rice"

This is the answer when we ask Brandon what he wants to eat for dinner. We have noticed that he usually finishes up his plate when there is rice involved. This past week, we took him for Thai food. Anna ordered him a brocolli and chicken dish with rice. He almost finished a grown up's meal all by himself. Granted it was a lunch portion, but he still did a good job.

Last night we asked him what he wanted for dinner. He said rice again. We took him for Korean tofu. He finished half of Anna's meal.

These past couple of weeks, his appetite has been really good. Maybe it is another growth spurt. Anna noticed that he is a little taller too.

Watch shows anytime

One of my favorite shows on television right now is Heroes on NBC. I have been following this show since season one, but it has been tough catching the episodes. For the first two seasons, I actually caught them on DVD. It is easier for me to watch it like this because we have an active 3 year old. Usually when it airs on the television, we are busy entertaining him. This year they moved it to 8 p.m., and I have not been able to catch a single episode yet.

Well for those like me, if you have Charter digital service, you can watch these shows free on Charter On-Demand. You can watch over 6000 movies or televisions show absolutely free and whenever you want. You can wait until your kids are asleep to watch your favorite shows without interruptions.

And when your kids are awake, they offer a variety of kid shows to keep them entertained. They can watch shows like Sponge Bob and Dora any time of the day. They do not have to wait for a certain time for it to come on.

So what are you waiting for? You can learn more at charter.net/ondemand and get updates and fun extras on Charter’s Facebook page. Charter offers high speed internet, cable and telephone service at great prices. Plus their service is second to none.

San Francisco this year?

Anna and I have been debating on our annual San Francisco trip this year. For the past 2 years we have been making the drive up north in October. It is a nice mini vacation for the family, and Brandon loves it. But this year we may decide to skip it. We have gone on the most vacations already this year. Anna and Brandon totalling four. Plus the 6 hour drive is very tiring and we can save the money spent.

We may still decide to do our annual Las Vegas Christmas vacation. This year I will be off a week and a half for shutdown. We are actually waiting to see the last minute deals.

I also still am not sure how many days I actually have to work that week. I think it is only one day, and most likely I can do the work at home with my laptop.

Online vitamin deals

I really do not eat enough vitamins. I have been shopping around for a good multi vitamin to take, but I have not seen one that I really want to try. I used to buy the ones at Sam’s Club, but found out that the quality was not that good. I found a site called the Herbal Remedies Elite Store that sell these vitamins. These men’s multi vitamins also promote prostate health. They even have a promotion where if you buy 4 bottles, they will give you 2 bottles for free. You can only find these great deals online, so check out their store now. They offer many types of vitamins and other medical remedies.

Royal Thai Torrance

This past week we went and tried Royal Thai in the Torrance Crossroads plaza. They have daily lunch specials starting from $5.95. I tried the green chicken curry. This also comes with rice, soup, and a salad. I also ordered a chicken satay appetizer (5.95) and Thai ice tea (1.95).

Overall all the food was very good and flavorful. I like the creamy curry sauce. It was more on the sweet side with all the coconut milk. Maybe next time I will try something more savory. But I would definitely go here again.

They are located next to the new IHOP in the Torrance Crossroads plaza. Seating is limited, but there were not too many people in the restaurant.

Halloween pictures

Halloween is coming, and we will be taking a lot of pictures with Brandon. Unfortunately my wife’s laptop is getting old. We should take a look at some backup software to help recover data just in case something happens to the computer.

Get your dance shoes here

One of my favorite shows on TV right now is “So you think you can Dance”. It is on Fox. It shows amateur dancers auditioning for a chance to win the grand prize of money and an opportunity for a career in dance. This show along with the popular ABC show, “Dancing with the Stars” has created a frenzy of people wanting to learn how to dance. Well if you are one of them, you have to check out this site called Just for Kix. They sell all types of Dance Shoes to get you started. They also have a wide selection of dance gear and clothing options.

New search engine

Are you looking for a new search engine to try out? Have you ever heard of torrents? This powerful new search engines offers a chance to download a variety of games, music, and other files. The best part is that you never have to worry about downloading a bad file. By bad file I mean an incomplete or empty file. How many times have you tried to download something on the internet to find out that the file is missing or incomplete? You end up wasting time. Now with Queen Torrent, you do not have to worry about that problem.

Hot Hot Hot

You think it is summer time here in Los Angeles this past week. After starting out the week with the first rainfall of the season, the past few days have been a scorcher. It seems like it has been in the 90's these past couple of days.

Yesterday we were at Legoland, and I can see Brandon was starting to sweat after a few rides. The sun was hot. You would think with the heat how it was like working landscape design in Scottsdale AZ. We all know Arizona is hot, but California rarely gets that hot this time of the year.

It is good to let things dry out after the rainfall, so this heat is not really a bad thing. We were planning on bringing out the warm comfortable, but now it is back to shorts and t-shirts.

Web hosting deals

One of my best investments I have ever made was purchasing my own domain name for one of my blogs. Having your own domain name makes it easier for your readers to remember your web address. The same holds true for your business. With a free site, usually they will require the name of their company on your web address as well, for example the name Blogspot and Brave Journal will be tied to your domain name address. There are many good benefits in creating your own domain name, but it is not that simple to do. You have to find a company to host your site. There are many to choose from, all ranging from prices and services they offer. You also have to create a web template for your blog or site. At Web Hosting Geeks, they have created a website to help you out in this process. Their site talks about the many topics new users are facing. For example, there is one post that explains to you the different types of web hosting services out there in the internet right now from the free web hosting services I just talked about to dedicated hosting for your businesses. Check out their website to learn more about getting your own domain name and about webhosting. They are your online tool for web hosting news, trends, and discussion.

Visiting Legoland

This past Friday we took Brandon to Legoland. I was able to get 2 day tickets from work for $46. The second visit has to be within 90 days, so we can probably go around Christmas time too. The drive from Gardena was about an hour and 15 minutes. We left home at around 8:30 and got there at 10:45. It was not crowded, and there was plenty of parking nearby.

Our first ride was on the Coastersaurus. It was Brandon's first time on a rollercoaster. Though it was small, it was still fast. Brandon seemed to like it. We went on other bunch of rides too. It was just perfect for his age. He liked everything. Plus he also likes building with Lego blocks. We went on a total of about 8 rides. We ended up leaving around 2.

After going there, we stopped by the Carlsbad outlet mall next door. Anna wanted to see if there were any Coach bags on sale.

If you are looking to go to Legoland there is an online promotion for Halloween. You can visit there on a Saturday before Halloween for $25 from 5pm-9pm, and you can go a second day til December 24th.

How to adopt a dog

Couple years ago, we went to the local dog shelter on a weekly basis. We were looking for a dog for the house. While we were there, we notice all the dogs that did not have homes. All the cute small dogs get picked out, but the larger or older dogs are left behind. So what we decided to do was help a local dog rescue organization foster dogs. We were a foster home for dogs looking for a permanent family. It was a rewarding experience for our family.

Now if you are in the market for a dog, your best bet is to adopt one. You can help save a dog or cat’s life by doing so. These pets are very loving and just as good or if not better than the pet store bought ones. They are very appreciative for you are saving them from the shelter. At Petango, they can help you adopt a pet. They offer an online real time search database for pets that need home in your area. These pets are from reputable shelters from all across the nation. You can search from dogs, cats, and other different pets. There are thousands to choose from, so go to Petango.com - Adopt a cat! now. You can also sign up for the online newsletter.

Janelle Holden Manhattan Beach

This past Friday, we took Brandon for his first dental visit. He is about 3 and a half years old now, so we figured now is a good time to start taking him there. We had prepped Brandon before he went, and we even told him he could have ice cream after.

When you first enter the office, you are greeted by their friendly office staff. There are video games, television, and toys to entertain the kids while they wait. Brandon went immediately inside. They showed him around the office, the teeth brushing area, the turtle tank. He seemed comfortable.

He sat on Anna's lap while they cleaned his teeth. They were playing Monsters vs. Aliens on the TV above. Luckily he watched that movie the night before and liked it. They were really child friendly with him, explaining to him all the procedures. They try to make the visit fun. He got to pick his flavor of toothpaste. He picked strawberry. After everything was done, he got to pick a toy too.

Their office is located walking distance to the Manhattan Beach Pier. The only drawback is that you have to pay for parking. But overall it was a good experience for us.

Loan modification option

For the many people out there that purchased a house this past 5 years, some simply cannot afford to make the monthly mortgages anymore. You can see this in the current real estate market with all the bank foreclosure and short sale properties out there. But when your house is foreclosed or when you are forced to sell your house on a short sale, it really hurts your credit score. No bank will lend you money to buy another house for about 7 to 10 years.

One option for these individuals is a loan modification, but you have to be very careful. There are many people trying to scam you out of your money. At the American Residential Law Group, they can help you. Their office is rated highly by the Better Business Bureau, so you know you can trust them. They have an A plus rating with them.

Once you let them handle your loan modification, you can enjoy lower monthly payments without having your credit score hurt. With your credit score intact, you can enjoy the simple things in life including buying a car or signing up for a credit car. So if you are struggling with you house payments, check out their website.

Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair

This past Sunday we went to the Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair. This is the first year for us going. There were many vendors selling homemade crafts. In addition there were also many types of games for the kids and food vendors. It was a nice cool and sunny day at Manhattan Beach, so it was nice to get out and walk around.

We had a hard time finding parking. We decided to park at the Metlox complex. This is where Brandon's dentist is located at. They have underground parking for 25 cents for 20 minutes. It was a short walk from there. That is your best bet for parking. You can also park at the nearby Northrop campus for shuttle service every 15 minutes.

We did not do much shopping at the craft vendors. We just wanted to get out and walk around. Anna bought a huge cookie at one of the food vendors and I bought a bag of chili Fritos. It was tasty. There were a lot of organizations trying to raise money selling food items such as burgers, hot dogs, and drinks.

There were a lot of activities going around including performances on stage, kid's activities and carnival games, a chili cook off, and much more. It was a lot bigger than we thought. It was nice to spend a couple of hours there.

St. Catherine's Fiesta

This past Friday we went to the Saint Catherine's Fiesta. This was a fair at the school's campus to raise money. It was a 3 day weekend event starting on the Friday night. There were carnival rides, different types of food, live performances, silent auctions and many more activities.

We arrived there at 6pm right when it started. We were able to easily find parking down the street from the church. Anna stopped by the used book sale and got 10 books for Brandon at only 50 cents each. We then walked around the rides and food vendors. Brandon wanted to go on the kiddie rides, but I did not get the tickets from my co-worker. So he was not able to go on them. We did not want to pay full price for the ride when the tickets were half off from my co-worker.

We then went to the food vendors. Anna bought a churro, which Brandon ended up loving and finishing. I also got a pretzel. All in all it was a nice little event. This is the school we are strongly considering for Brandon too, so it was nice to be able to go there to take a peek at the campus and student body.

Win a kitchen makeover

We have been shopping for a new home recently, but most of them need major work done to it especially in the kitchen area. I was browsing around the internet, and I found this contest for a chance to win a kitchen makeover. The contest is run by the Maple Leaf Market website. This is the site for Canadians to find out more about the Maple Leaf meat products. They have a variety of fresh meats including chicken, turkey, and fresh grilled meats. They also have a great selection of prepared meat products. The site helps give you shopping recommendations, as well as guides to cooking meat. It is a very useful site for the many cooks out there.

Now back to the dream kitchen makeover. They will give you $32,000 for you to makeover your kitchen. There are also giving away 12 Frigidaire refrigerators. If I won the grand prize, I would completely gut out the kitchen and start over from scratch. I will pick a light color based wood cabinet with granite countertops. I will also go stainless steel on all the appliances. If I have enough money left over, I may even go with the Sub Zero refrigeration. Now that is my dream kitchen.

Christmas in October

This past week, when we went to Sam's Club. I noticed that they put up all their Christmas items out already including Christmas trees, decorations, and food. I guess I am use to it now. I really do not mind because I like the Christmas season. I cannot wait to put up our tree this year.

Target is also the same. They have their Christmas items behind their Halloween candy and costumes. Macy's also has their Holiday Lane Christmas trees up. The same with Joann's. Pretty soon, you will see the malls decked out with their Christmas decorations.

So if you want to get a head start on your Christmas shopping, now is the time to do so.

Does your house have water damage?

Have you ever had a leaking dishwasher or washing machine? If you ever had one, you should check for water damage to your home’s structure. Mold can occur, and it can become a danger to your family’s health. For those living in the Riverside area, they can contact water damage Riverside. Their expertly trained staff can help fix your problems.

Getting ready for Halloween

October is here, and the thing you see in stores now is a bunch of Halloween items like costumes, candy, and decorations. Halloween falls luckily on a Saturday this year, so it will be a fun whole day event for many kids. Local parks and malls have activities for them.

This year we still have not decided what to do yet with Brandon. The last couple of years we have taken him to South Torrance to go trick or treating. We also went to the mall to get candy. This year maybe the same.

We actually purchased his costume already. We did it last year when they were going on sale. I think we ended up paying less than $5 for it. He will be a bat this year.