What's Up....

Well, I am done with my web re-design work for Ms. D. Her new site is now up and running. I am glad that she love everything and is happy with my work. This gives me a few days break before I start on another web re-design work for Ms. F. Though I love and enjoy what I am doing, this work can be painful in the back so I welcome the break. Oh, if you want to see my current re-design work, check out my site Designs By Charina and then click on the portfolio page and click on the Creative Weddings By Dee screenshot.

We went to the school open house yesterday and we found out that Nikki is in the "mixed class"!!!. This class is actually a mixed of the "upper level first graders" and the "upper level thinker 2nd graders"! We are just so proud and excited for her! At first she was sad and actually cried because most of her friends and classmates in kindergarten is in another class and another building but when we explained everything to her and told her that she can still see and talk to her friends even though they are not in the same class, it cheered her up and is excited to start and make new friends. We are just so PROUD of our little girl!

Our house construction is doing pretty good. We can't wait to move and Nikki is excited about her big girl bedroom, meeting and playing with the kids in the neighborhood and riding her bike in the pave road. Can't wait till we move and celebrate our first Thanksgiving in our new house!

How's Life?

Today is going to be a busy day for me (no complaints here). I am in the final stages of my web re-design project for Ms. D. You all know that web design is a passion of mine. I am loving every minute of it!

Next week, Nikki will be back to school. She will be in first grade and is pretty excited about coming back to school to see her old teachers and classmates as well as meet her new teacher and probably some new kids in her class.

Then, I will have a meeting with Ms. F. next Thursday to finalize things up on a web re-design project I have to do for their company. I am very much excited and can't wait to start work on the new look and feel of their website. So after Thursday of next week, I will be busy with design work again, which I am so grateful and thankful for. I hope and pray that after my work with Ms. F. is done, another web design project will come and will be waiting for me and another and another and another......

As you all know, I am also looking for a regular permanent job. Still no luck...still trying and doing my best. I am not giving up yet but I am also leaving it up to HIM. Why you ask? I believe that God always have a much better plan for us. Sometimes things just don't happen the way we want it to be and how we want it to be. Sometimes we don't get the things we want to have at the time we want it. Most of the time, we feel sad and frustrated if things don't turn out the way we want it to be...if we don't get the things we want to have at that particular time....if things takes a long time to happen.....only to realized later on that GOD have a much better plan for us. It happens to me a lot of times. Most times....I feel sad, frustrated, stressed out, worried....only to realized, that yes, GOD have a much better plan for me....for us.

It still happen at times, but I am doing my best to leave everything up to HIM. Every night, before I go to bed, I talk to HIM, I tell him my worries, I tell HIM about my concerns, what bothers me, I tell HIM about my plans and my dreams. I then asked for HIS guidance and help for me to accomplish my plans, to achieve my dreams, to understand, solve or let go of my concerns and of those things that bothers me. Most of all I tell HIM that I am leaving everything to HIM. For everything to happen according to HIS WILL, according to HIS PLANS and for me to have the understanding and courage to accept it.

I am going to do my best to do what I know I have to do for myself, my family and others, but....Knowing that GOD IS GOOD, and He knows what is best for us.....I am leaving and offering everything to HIM......for I know HE have a much better plan for us.

Life is beautiful.......if only we let GOD in it.

Starlight......Starbright....

"Starlight, Starbright....

Are you familiar with this poem? I am! I've recited this a countless times when I was still a little girl, well until my teen years. I love looking at the sky on a clear night and look for the first star of the night. I always wished to the first star that I laid my eyes on. Did my wishes ever come true? Yes, most of it! I think it was meant to be, perhaps it was destiny....fate.

The First Star,

I've Seen Tonight....

Every now and then, I would hear my daughter saying the same poem. At times I find her looking out our window and gazing at the stars. I knew that she was making her wishes.
The other day, she told me that some of her wishes came true. She had this big grin in her face and sparkle in her eyes.

I Wish I May,

I Wish I Might.....

Have you look at the sky and gaze at the stars lately? I haven't? Sometimes we all get caught up in our busy, stressful life that we forget about these little things.....little things that can bring a smile, a sparkle in our eyes, a feeling of gladness in our heart.

Have the Wish

I Wish Tonight"

Have fun looking at the sky and gazing at the stars....I know I will!

How are you feeling today?

What gives you a certain kind of "high". You know, something that makes you feel inspired and going? I am not talking about "bad stuff" here. I am talking about something that just gives you that burst of energy. It could be a job or a hobby....anything.

I am in that kind of "high" lately. Why, you ask? I am currently working on a web re-design project and I feel so inspired and excited to see a new design come up from scratch. Coming up with a new background design, what color/s to use? How simple or fancy it needs to be? Do you ever have that feeling? That feeling where you are so inspired and motivated, that ideas are just running in your mind, you are so full of energy and you just want to keep on working. How I love this feeling! Custom designing, especially web design (not to forget making DVD slide show) gives me this kind of feeling, that certain kind of high. It gives me a chance to let the creative side of me come out, it makes my mind work...a different kind of work other than the usual budgeting, meal planning, paying bills, household chores etc.

It is the kind of feeling that I want to have and the kind of work that I want to do as long as I can. It is my therapy....my energy booster....my brain food....my passion.

Have you ever felt this way lately? How are you feeling today?

JOB.....

Yes, I have been looking and applying for a job outside of the home. I wish I could just be a Work At Home Mom but with my business, projects and work are seasonal. I want to have a regular full time job to help with the finances, especially now that we are building our house. New house means additional expenses, so I am really stressed out in getting a JOB. And, yes I have had no luck yet. Experience....experience....experience! I have none! But then again, how can I get experience if nobody would give me a chance. I knew that I can do what the job calls for.....that is why I applied for the job (and yes they are all entry level job). I might need a week of training on how things go in the office or how they want everything done but I know I can do it as good (if not better) as those with a year of experience that they required. What I am doing wrong? What do I need? I am at a point where I just want to throw in the towel and give up but I can't. I need a permanent, regular full time job and I knew I CAN DO WHATEVER JOB I PUT MY MIND INTO, so here I am still trying, doing my best and hoping that somebody will at least give me a chance to prove that not having a prior experience doesn't mean you can't do the job. Wish Me Luck!

Designs By Charina

Designs by Charina offers custom design services to individuals, organizations, entrepreneurs and small businesses. We are located in Snow Camp, NC and is proudly serving the Piedmont Triad and Alamance NC area, including Greensboro, Chatham, Burlington, Graham, Chapel Hill, Randolph and beyond... Web Design work from other states are also accepted.

We specializes in developing an affordable and excellent customized website that are professional looking, easy to navigate and fast loading to promote your company's image. Free Hosting and Domain Name Registration as well as One (1) Month FREE Maintenance and Email Forwarding are included in every package. Let Designs By Charina....Start Your New Website Today!

How is your budget?

It's Friday and yes it is payday....it also means bills (at least for us) and grocery shopping! How do you all budget your money? Is this something that you look forward to?

My Strategies: Bill Payment

• Bill Payment Calendar - how I do it: I have a bill payment schedule with Friday as the payment date. I made 4 columns for each row to correspond to the four weeks of the month (i.e. Aug. 1st; Aug 8th and so on). Under each column, I wrote the bills and amount that needed to be paid in that particular date. I also have an additional column for miscellaneous expenses and free week (extra week that we have no bills to pay). This has helped me tremendously in paying our bills on time, not missing any payment and staying in our budget. (note: I am also is way ahead of my calendar, I have up to April 2009 covered).


• Pay online - this will save you money on stamps, envelopes, gas (if you need a trip to the P.O.).


• If you cannot make a payment online, be sure to mail your check a few days in advance to make sure they get in on time to avoid late payment fees.

Grocery/Food Saving Tip:

• Grocery list - I always have a grocery list on hand and I make sure to just get what is on the list.


• ALDI - do you have an ALDi's in your area. This place should be in your list as one of the best place to get groceries if you want to save BIG and are on a tight budget! We always shop at ALDI's and we buy enough to last us for at least two weeks (instead of going on a weekly trip) to save us gas.


• Cook food that will just be enough for the family. No left over and no food is wasted(especially if your family is the type who don't want to eat repeats).


• Buy meat in bulk then divide it into 1lb increments and store(freeze) it in freezer bags or empty plastic containers you have around the house. This way, you will only cook what is needed.


• Use coupons and avail of the double or triple savings that the stores have.

I am by no means an expert in budgeting but I do hope these simple strategies that I shared with you today will be of help in your budgeting. Please share with us your budgeting tips by leaving us a comment.