Stay at Home Wife and Mother

Home and Family from a SAHWM's Perspective

Preparing for Baby’s Nursery

I’m now on the third trimester of my pregnancy! How time flies, right? Now, I look like I am keeping a big ball right under my shirt. LOL!

Anyway, whether you are a first time mom or an experienced one, like me, here are some must-haves to prepare for our baby’s nursery:

  • Crib – make sure that it meet all safety standards.
  • Bedding – use flannel-backed and waterproof mattress cover and tight fitted sheets for the crib. It is also advised that pillows, quilts, comforters, plush animals or bumper pads should not be placed in the crib for safety purposes.
  • Changing Table – the table should have a barrier on all sides and should be placed against the wall (not a window).
  • Bathtub – Babies can be bathe after their umbilical cord falls off (no elaborate bathroom set needed for that, a large plastic bathtub would do. Just make sure that the water’s temperature is no more than 120 degrees Fahrenheit and is only two inches high in the tub.

Can you also share some tips for preparing for the baby’s nursery?

Our Family’s Expenses: July 1, 2012

Last month, I mentioned about sharing our finances here in this blog. I know I had never posted anything related to it since then (although I might backdate some posts later after I sort out all these receipts and post them according to dates)  but it’s not too late to start right now, right?

For July 1, 2012, here are our purchases at Walmart:

Salmon portions $     8.98
Whole tilapia 4.48
Ground pork 3.28
Lamb leg 20.21
Raw shrimp 5.00
Carne asada 8.64
Porkchop thin slice 8.53
Whole chicken fryer 4.48
Gatorade powder 8.48
2 packs cherries 5.96
2.21 lbs. green grapes 5.96
1.68 lbs. banana 0.91
16oz honey wheat loaf bread 2.48
2 packs croissant 5.96
Olive oil 14.92
Unsalted butter 2.68
Oreo Cookies 4.68
Shoes (for me) 25.00
Subtotal 137.50
Tax 2.03
Total Purchases $     139.53

Till next time!

Energy Conservation Tips to Combat Soaring Electric Bills

electricity-bill
Yesterday, we received our electric bill. Our meter reading says that from May 18 to June 20, our household consumed 783KWH which cost us $96.75 or almost a hundred bucks.

The last reading prior to this one showed that we only consumed 478KWH which was only $62.76 only. It means that there was an increase in our energy consumption of 305KWH prior to the start of the summer period.

As it gets hotter outside, it is said that the more energy is used inside our homes. To prepare our homes for the summer heat (and save energy and money in the process), NV Energy shares with us these simple energy conservation tips:

  • Replace air conditioning filters regularly and make sure the area around the unit is clear of debris.
  • If you have a pool, ensure that your pool pump only runs 8-12 hours a day.
  • Use compact flourescent bulbs instead of incandescent ones.
  • Replace normal thermostats with programmable thermostats and set it to 78-80 degrees when you’re at home. Set it 5-10 degrees warmer at night or when you’re not at home.
  • Lower the thermostat on the water heater to 120 degree F.

You can also visit nvenergy.com/save for more energy saving tips.

Shopping With a Toddler

happy-mother-shopping-with-daughter-cartRecently, we went to the mall to do some shopping. There’s one thing I learned about shopping with a toddler, you always have to check what’s in your shopping cart.

That’s right!

When we arrived at the counter to pay for what we shopped for, I noticed a Psoriasis Shampoo among the stuff in our shopping cart. We usually buy on a monthly basis and needless to say, our cart is usually super full that I don’t really take note of what’s in there. It was a good thing that I checked each item that I placed on the counter or else, I would have a shampoo that I won’t be using.

Funny, right?

Swimming Plans

summer-vacationIt’s beginning to feel like summer here in Vegas! Gosh, it’s so hot and I can’t help thinking of going for a dip whenever I step outside.

This reminds me of those things that I like about the old neighborhood where we came from. We have a community pool and we could go for a swim anytime of the day. There’s also a jacuzzi as well and even though they don’t use raypak, it still feels wonderful for a late night swim.

Oh well, maybe a weekend out-of-town trip to the lake would be great at this time of the year. Just need to ask hubby if he’s up for it.

Cashew Polvoron Recipe

This recipe is a slight variation of the classic polvoron recipe. In this recipe, we added cashew which is a good source of antioxidants, energy, vitamins and minerals.

Cashew Polvoron Ingredients

  • 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 2/3 cup full cream milk powder
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup salted butter
  • 3/4 cup margarine
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup cashew nut, coarsely chopped

Procedure for Making the Cashew Polvoron

  1. Toast the all-purpose flour in a frying pan over medium heat. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon until light brown in color for approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
  2. Transfer the toasted flour to a mixing bowl with flat beater attachment then add the rest of the dry ingredients. Mix for about 1 minute at slow speed. Set aside.
  3. Over medium heat, melt butter and margarine in a saucepan.
  4. Add the melted fat unto the dry ingredients then mix at low speed for approximately 3 minutes or until incorporated.
  5. Switch mixer to high speed then add vanilla. Mix for 30 seconds.
  6. Transfer the polvoron into a clean and flat surface. Form the desired polvoron shapes by packing the mixture unto the polvoron molder.
  7. Cool for at least 30 minutes or until firm then wrap polvoron with the desired wrapper.

The Conquest

Today, I decided to take the CPA exams on or before 2014. I’m calling this undertaking “The Conquest”.

I bought the complete 4 volume Wiley CPA Exam Review books (FAR, BEC, AUD and REG) for me to review on. I thought of starting with BEC but decided to go with FAR instead.

Since I graduated in BS Accountancy more than a decade ago and had been a SAHWM for more than three years already, it’s just normal I guess, that i have a lot of catching up to do.

I answered the first set of questions before studying/reviewing and my score was 8 out of 17. Too low! Let’s see what it’s gonna be after I finish the review.

I am going to share my CPA review experience here in this blog to help me keep track too of my progress. It’s gonna be self-review at first but, who knows, I might try to enroll in a CPA review class after I’m done with these four books.

Till then. 🙂