Doing the Baby Shop

The big dilemma. Do you announce your pregnancy on Facebook and let everyone know in one hit? Or do you tell people individually as you see them? Some people regard the Facebook option as a little OTT, whilst others see it as a convenient and time-saving way of updating friends and family.

 Whichever you choose, as soon as you let people know you are expecting, your world is going to change dramatically. From out of nowhere you will be asked by all and sundry how you are feeling, how you are doing and what your plans are for when the baby is born. It can seem a little overwhelming.

 Never fear. Approach the baby as you would a job interview. Plan for it, read up about it, get everything ready and then relax. By the end of nine months of waiting, you will be glad to get on with the job in hand and you will certainly be pleased with the result! There is a lot to do, but with the help of your doctor, family and friends, you will be a yummy Mummy-to-be in no time.

You may decide to start shopping for maternity clothes early on in your pregnancy. Do the world a favour: don’t opt for the figure hugging nightmares that the likes of Kim Kardashian seem to favour. Think classy, Kate Middleton style and wear clothes that gently flatter your bump without giving too much away. You might be lucky and be able to wear normal clothes well into your pregnancy.

Then there’s the question of doing the baby shop. You are definitely going to need to buy a ‘survival kit’, if you will, for the first six weeks or so. Don’t go overboard. People will buy you clothes and you will be able to go shopping for more things after the baby is born. Purchase six all-in-ones for day and night wear. You’ll also need a couple of lightweight cardigans made of wool or cotton, a few vests, a baby-friendly blanket, a hat and some socks. In terms of maintenance, remember to wash your baby’s clothes with non-bio tablets and do not use fabric conditioner as this could cause irritation.

Buy a crib, Moses basket or a carry cot for your baby to sleep in. It needs to be warm, very safe and to be kept in the same room as you at night. Should you decide to borrow a cot or crib, make sure you buy a new mattress. The mattress should be firm and fit the cot without leaving any gaps so that the baby will not trap their head, which could lead to suffocation. It also needs to be waterproof. You will need to have four sheets as the sheets will need to be changed quite often.

 It is very important to not use pillows or duvets. These are unsafe for babies under one as they can lead to suffocation. Likewise, baby nests and sleeping bags are not safe to leave a baby in.

Choose a cot which has the British Standard mark BS 1753. The bars should be between 1 inch and 2.5 inches apart so that the baby cannot get their head stuck. The cot should not wobble and there should be no opportunity for clothes or fingers to get trapped. Cot bumpers are not safe as babies can get tangled in the fastenings or overheat.

There is a lot to do and much to consider. Step by step, you will get there! Whilst you’re doing the baby shop, try to enjoy it as much as you can!

A natural born writer, Stacey Barton writes professionally and for fun across a wide range of niches with particular attention to how classic brands can continue to offer the same product for decades and somehow survive the turbulent and ever changing consumer market.

What I've Learned Being In A Corporate World

If you are a follower of my blogs, then probably you would have the idea that I am considering to quit from my job and leave a career behind.  One of the most important consideration that I have is staying with my family for good. Well, I didn't really leave them that long.  I was working abroad for about 6 years now and would fly back home at least twice a year.  There are also situations wherein I would come home thrice a year when there is a necessity for me to be there.  Thanks to the growing airline companies offering cheap airfares,  traveling has never been this easy. :)

For many years that I've been working both in the Philippines and abroad, I've learned a lot of things not only about my job but also about dealing with people and bosses.  I would say that my years of experience had brought me into great heights but on the side, I also had a lot of painful experiences.  I guess, there's really a truth to the saying that, "you can't have the best of both worlds".  Working on your career is not an easy thing to do, it entails a lot of discipline and determination but most of all, it takes a lot of patience and a great sense of maturity to handle those things coming your way.  Being in a corporate world, I've learned that life is indeed tough.  The competition is very stiff and everyone will do his best to be on the top.  Along the line, you would encounter a lot of people with different attitudes, different personalities and different aspirations.  You will either grow up with them or fall down with them, depending on the case.  Remember that so-called "crab mentality"?  It's true in many aspects and its quite difficult to get away with it.  I've met a few people who are advocates of "crab mentality" and are great fans of pessimism. People who would never see the good things and will always do their best to find mistakes in others.  Sometimes, I am telling myself, "Is life now really this tough? that people need to do such acts just to stay in their jobs?"  Probably yes...

photo source:  http://makeyourbizbig.com

For those who are still enjoying their corporate jobs, here are some tips to stay where you are:

• Remain humble and kind.  Do not try to empower others just to shine.  If you really possess that inner talents and you are doing the right job, people will see that.
• Remain calm at all times, arguing with unreasonable people is such a waste of time.  Believe me, you will never win the argument dealing with these kind of people as they do not know how to accept mistakes.
• Remain respectful of your Boss, your colleagues and your staff.  Do not put the "guilt" in yourself but rather put the "guilt" on them.  At the end of the day, you will be proud to say that you act more professionally than them.  If confronted with a situation, you may voice out your thoughts and opinions but try to do it in a subtle manner.  This way, you will earn the respect of others.
• Stay away from people who are full of negativity.  You will not learn anything from them.  They will make you feeling down and discontented rather than uplifting your morale and spirit.
• Be friendly at all times, but learn to be independent.  Remember, not all the faces you'll see are genuine, some have hidden agenda and you have to be aware of that.
• Continue to nurture your craft.  Do not rely on others to improve yourself.  We are now on the verge of the technology where everything can be researched online.  If you keep on relying to others, they may take that gesture differently and use that against you.
• Do not waste your time on nonsense things.  Learning is a never ending process. Even your Boss has still a lot to learn.  So devote your time to learning new things.  Do not be contented with what you currently know.     
• Be a team player.  Show to everyone that you are willing to cooperate to achieve the company's objectives.  
• Be observant, make suggestions when necessary and do not be afraid to leave feedback and comments.  Your Boss will appreciate you for that.
• Best of all, be yourself.  Avoid making pretensions.  Do not mind about what other people will think of you.  We cannot please everybody no matter how much we try.

Here are only few of the long list of things that I gathered from my long years of working, I hope that you were able to get some ideas.  I am hoping to give you more of my life's experiences on my future posts.

Have a great week ahead! :)

  

Choosing the Best Gift

The son of my ex staff who happens to be my god son would be celebrating his 11th birthday soon.  I am thinking of the best gift that I could send him but I was clueless as I don't have any idea of what he actually likes.  I've seen some drum kits online and I was thinking if it would suit him as I've heard from his Mom that he loves to play musical instruments.  In fact, he just recently joined a group of young boys who are undergoing guitar and drum lessons and this has been one of his summer activities apart from from swimming of course.   

The drum kit is quite expensive so I am thinking of whether I should buy that or just find a nice guitar (lol).  Anyway, I'm sure that whatever gift I come up with, he will surely be happy knowing that it comes especially from me.  Anyway, I still have a couple of weeks more to decide so as early as now, I'm scouting for some promo codes online.  If not, I might settle buying straight from a music store.

Hmmm...way to go!

DualShine Giveaway

Do you want to own 2 sets of fabulous jewelries for free? 

The Woman In Me is hosting a fab giveaway sponsored by DualShine Jewelry which will run from May 15, 12:01 EST to June 15, 2013. This giveaway is open worldwide.  This is a rare opportunity that you shouldn't miss, join now and grab that chance to bring home these one of a kind fashion jewelry.

Two winners will get the chance to pick 2 set of jewelries of their choice (please refer to the photo above). This giveaway is brought to you by DualShine - an online shop that specializes in retail and wholesale of fashion jewelries. Enter the rafflecopter below to join.

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About the sponsor:

DualShine.com

is a China-based global online wholesaler and retailer that has been a worldwide business leader in selling the latest unique and fashion jewelry such as necklace, earring, ring, bracelet and some others since 2007. Their vision is to empower people worldwide in buying and selling jewelry online.

Disclosure: Life's Tips And Tricks is not associated with Facebook or Twitter. The products to be given away are sponsored by DualShine and they will be the one responsible for the shipment of prizes to the winners.

5 Kid-Friendly Activities To Do Inside This Summer

Summertime is just around the corner! That means lots of pool time on the weekends and lots of downtime for your kids. While summer can be extra exciting for your kiddos, what with their lack of schoolwork in the mix, it can also get kind of boring. And when the heat starts to rise and it's too hot to even go outside to check the mail, you might be searching your brain trying to think of activities to do so your kids don't go out of their minds with boredom. Stop stressing! I have five kid friendly activities that you can do inside with your little ones when it gets to be way too hot outside this summer.

1. Coloring

I taught two-year olds right after I graduated college. Let me tell you something, kiddos love coloring. Like, they absolutely go bananas over it. And it's so funny because as an adult, I loved doing it with them! The great thing about coloring is there are tons of free printables online that you can find to let your kiddos color exactly what they want. From Finding Nemo to Cinderella, your kids will have a blast bringing black and white outlines to life during those hot summer days!

2. Build a fort

This one is my absolute favorite. You are never too old to build a fort! Grab those blankets and pillows to instantly turn your living room into a huge fort. Your kids will love that they can crawl around under the blankets and hey, who knows, they might even take a nap leaving you to have some peace and quiet to yourself.

3. Cook

I have a ton of little cousins and second cousins who are just the best little helpers. Whenever I'm bustling around in the kitchen, they make it a point to try to help me. I love the help because they are so good at it! If you don't mind your kitchen getting a little messy, make some cookies or treats with your little ones! They will adore the fact that they are a part of making a special treat. They will love it even more when they get to eat the finished product.

4. Crafts

There are so  many different crafts that you can do with your kiddos. Some are easy enough for toddlers and others are more advanced for your preteens. Whatever age you have living under your roof, you can find a really fun craft to do online that will pass those long summer days when you don't really want to even want to think about going outside into the heat.

5. Movies

Last but not least, don't forget about movies! Kids love movies and it's a perfect thing to do when it's way too hot to go outside to the pool. Lots of movie theaters offer matinee prices at a certain time for little kids. You can get the whole candy, popcorn, and drink package too! Check out your local theater to see if they offer this awesome deal throughout the summer!

About the author: Carly is a blogger for Smith Monitoring, provider of a Bellaire home security system as well as Houston home security systems. She misses teaching two-year olds. Mainly because she could eat gummy snacks without any judgmental looks.

Steps to Being Financially Secure

Before I start with this post, I would like to thank all those who have shared their valuable inputs on my last post, "Should I Quit?" Your comments and words of encouragement are very well appreciated.  Knowing and learning from other people's experiences is truly a big help in coming up with a very important decision especially if that decision may affect your family and your life in general.  Now, speaking about life affecting decisions,  I guess securing our family's future has always been the goal of everyone.  

There are various ways to assess our financial security and I think this is the main key in determining how we are to go about our life in the present.  The following are the key steps to attaining financial security:

Photo Credit :  http://financecitycenter.com

1.  First and foremost, we have to know where we are financially.  To do this, we have to make a list of our assets and liabilities.  We have to identify what we currently have like savings, receivables, jewelries, bonds and properties.  Next, we have to make a list of what we owe like credit card balances and loans.  Do your math.  Subtract what you owe from what you own and from there we could identify our net worth.  
2. Determine the financial phase we are currently in. It is very important to identify whether we are just starting, building up, growing or have reached a total financial freedom. Starting up stage are for those who had just graduated from college and just started with their jobs.  Building up stage is for those who are having a stable source of income and are able to make some investments out of their income. Growing up stage is for those who have substantial investments and are working on growing their investments, and the final stage is the total financial freedom where we are already enjoying the fruits of our labor where we do not need to work but just enjoying the income generated by our investments.
3. Make a plan.  After we have identified which phase we are in, it's time to set our goals.  We have to make a budget and learn to have a clearer view of our income versus our expenses.  We must be able to figure out if our monthly earnings is enough to cover for our monthly expenses.  If not, or if it's just balance, then we have to start working out for new ways to augment our income. 
4. Make a budget. If our earnings is more than our expenses, then we can very well progress with the build up stage by saving enough to work on future investments. Stick with the budget.  Allocate a certain percentage of our earnings to savings and just try to live with what was left.
5. Evaluate your expenses and examine your purchases.  Try spending on things that will put more money in your pocket.  
6. Invest on health insurance plan or make sure we are contributing to something like Phil Health to protect ourselves and our family in times of unforeseen events. Better yet, allocate some funds for health purposes. Take appropriate vitamins, go for regular medical check ups and focus on health and wellness.  Health is wealth.
7. Get out of debts.  This is a must in order for us to have a stress free life. Avoid getting into unnecessary debts where possible. If we have to, make sure it's being paid on time to avoid paying big interests.
8. Share our blessings and be a blessings to others by showing good examples and taking part in community and church projects.  This can create a positive energy that may attract more blessings because the more we feel blessed, the more we tend to get additional blessings.

Enjoy life and remember that some of the best things in life are free. :)    

Why Permanent Makeup Correction is Needed

Permanent makeup and body enhancement procedures can bring a positive influence in the life of an individual. The major part of your personality depends on how good you feel about yourself which is completely dependent upon your looks. How people see you always determines what you think about yourself. Body enhancement techniques like color restoration of your skin and lips, and corrective tattoos, all help you achieve the body you desire without going for a major surgery.

You can achieve satisfaction with permanent body enhancement only when you go to a professional, preferably a doctor, for your needs. Most of the time people get stuck with bad or wrong color enhancement changes which bring them a certain amount of embarrassment rather than uplifting self-esteem. Therefore, to research well and choose the best professional for your requirement before going under the needle is very important. The only upside to this is that the color correction processes can restore the colors which have changed.

Reasons of Color Change Used in Permanent Makeup

There are various other reasons for a change in color other than bad color compounds used for the process and the inefficiency of the professional. Some of the common problems are:

• Improper post procedure care: There is a list of things that needs to be taken care of after the color enhancement procedure is done. A failure to maintain one or more of the guidelines can have its consequences.
• Drug use: Use of aspirin based medication or other potent drugs immediately before the process can affect the colors used.
• Sun exposure: High exposure to UV rays, also in tanning booths just after the process can lead to color change.
• Chemical exposure: Extensive exposure to chemicals like chemical cosmetic products, salt, ammonia in hair color and acids from food and wine.

Color Correction Process

Color enhancement professionals can become creative when it comes to makeup corrections. A combination of science and art can create entirely new and rewarding looks for the customers. Color correction is out-lined for a patient according to the skin complexion, tan, facial geometry and design. Every correction is unique in itself because the professional can not start from scratch but has to beautifully incorporate his/her art on an existing palate.

To hide bad color combinations, customized nude colors are used for blending. The main science governing the process is that the incorporated color interacts with the existing pigments and your skin’s circulatory system and gives a unique color every time. The correct judgment of the above phenomenon is a mark of a true professional. 

JudyLulu is a girl living in a lipstick jungle, who has been learning more about micropigmentation techniques.