We used to have trouble deciding on housewarming gifts for friends and family until we found a great and reasonably priced  lg home theatre system to buy and wrap as gifts.  You see with us Asians particularly the Chinese, we need to buy something not only useable but substantial  – meaning – the gift has gotta be good enough – so we won’t lose face (if you know what i mean).  So yes, a home theater system would never go wrong right?  after all, every home needs one.   Even if the host don’t like electronics, she would still want a home theatre system just for watching her movies or listening to her morning radio.  So from now on – we get them a good and reasonably price home theatre system and I’m always proud to present it to them – not like Tupperware or a bread warmer.

A few weeks ago, we did a little re-organizing of the home office to make space for the children to use our home office and also because it was Chinese New Year and a tradition in our home to clean up.   We also bought the kids their own printer with extra  ink cartridges so that they can’t say that they run out because of the other siblings.  These days we only get the real cartridges for the printer and not the generic type for it does seems that we get to print more out of the cartridges and it doesn’t get dry up fast and ruin the head of the printer.   I’m not very good at changing printer cartridges when the spouse isn’t around – so for the price I am paying for real cartridges – I think it is worth it.   Now that we’ve re-organized the home office, everyone is happy and there should be no more fighting for printer time no more.

Some people are so talented and in their free time they make these console tables for sale locally.  You’ve gotta admire them for the work they do – and these tables are on sale for only $40 – no tax.   I say they are quite beautifully done but I don’t know how solid they are.  If they are just using plywood – then i’ll say it would be so study but for a console table by the door or at the entrance way – I think it would be a great piece to have.   Those who are interested – I can get you in touch with the owners of these tables.

We have a summer lodge by the lake in Ellenwoods and i’m so excited today because I found some log beds that i’m so in loved with – it fits the theme of our summer lodge perfectly.  Our lodge was bought – so that during the summer, the kids and their extended family – the cousins from PEI and Ottawa can come stay with us at the lodge.  We had always wanted log furniture for the lodge because it just fits the entire place.  And who can resist this arty looking piece of furniture right? I can just imagine – making our rooms to be like a jungle theme -  i can’t help it – i really want the kids to feel like they are actually doing something outdoors – and enjoying all the fresh air and not on the computer all the time.

We have been hunting for a good and cheap bean bag couch like the above – but preferably brown in color for my kids.  They had been asking for it for years now and I missed this one selling cheap in our local yard sale.  So now I have no choice but to get something to engrave the bean bag couch if I go ahead and order them online or from Sears.

I’m always on a look out for ways to furnish my home and make everything as function-able as possible but fun and pretty.   Saw this online and decided to share a new way with everyone on how you can shoe racks with a twist.  This is DIY project but it seem fairly simple.  I bet this picture is already inspiring you already – because it did that for me.  I set the spouse out to get materials and we are going to do a shoe rack like the above picture.  Wish us luck now!

Yes! the best time to buy Christmas decor is after Christmas and we all know that – but did you consider buying cheaper handmade Christmas decor after Christmas ?  yes – those are the ones you want to look out for during yard sale – you can get those cheap too.  Like the ones after – that used to be for sale for $9.99 and is now on sale for $5.  So if you like the handmade stuff – follow the seller on facebook and after Christmas – I’m sure she would want to get rid of it too and will sell them cheap.

If your home is looking like a zoo with so many stuff toys – I know how you feel.  Many a times, I’m tempted to just chuck all my kids’ stuff toys into a recycle bag and drop them off to Salvation Army.  And even though my kids are quite old they have quite a substantial amount of stuff toys – many, many years of collection and not letting any go.  This organizer sure suits me well and it’s an easy DIY project don’t you think?  we are going to attempt to do this – I hope you will try too – if you have as many kids and toys like I do.

I’ve had an old back injury for the longest time – I think more than 20 years now.  I was moving to a new home and a new office simultaneously and hurt my back accidentally.  But I had seen a chiropractor for the longest time  and even though it helped a bit – it didn’t really cured my back.  When I moved to Canada – the spouse had bought a very expensive king size bed that supports back injury like I did but after so many years now – I’m waking up with a very bad sore in the morning.  So we figured it was time to either look into a back surgery laser kind – that is less invasive or look for another bed that might work for a few years.

I read that a laser spine surgery can correct an injured spine and any spine abnormalities – and it’s like a day surgery – so instead of buying another bed for my back problem, I’m checking this laser surgery for spine out first but of course, I think I need to change my mattress – my old one is about 7 yrs old now – so time for a change – but if I did the laser surgery for my spine – I just gotta get a good mattress and not a more expensive one – just for sore back.

So everyone wants to know what I got for Christmas – well, this is it – and antique cello from the spouse.  You see, i had been eying this for the longest time from a local antique shop in Toronto and the spouse knows about it.  But I was unwilling to pay so much for a cello that I probably wouldn’t play so often  – isn’t it priceless when the spouse buys it for you  and tells you nothing matters but you?  Yup ! very sweet indeed – but darn ! exorbitant price to pay for – this will sit in our dining room and maybe if you are lucky I will record a song or two on youtube for you.