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.

Last year the oldest just went to college in the city and we had bought her a 2nd hand car to help her go from her apartment to the campus but since gas is so expensive we decided to let her scoot around the city in a scooter instead of a car.   So we went hunting for a 2nd hand scooter and found one online – but have yet to decide since it was a little more than what we want to pay for.  On top of the scooter – we still need her motorcycle helmet and of course, she needs to go for a training class – which would cost us another few hundred dollars.   And don’t forget that road insurance too.   I know the spouse would ultimately get the scooter for her – since she will be in college for another 4 years or more.   So she will use the car when the weather is cold like now and on warmer days and the road is good – she will have to scoot around in her scooter/motorcycle.  How many of you let your 19 yrs old ride on a scooter?

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.

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!

Chinese New Year being early this year – about 10 days from today, I had actually wanted to get some Chinese calligraphy for my home and a few friends who had adopted kids from China.  Unfortunately, Etsy’s owner who does this Calligraphy didn’t reply to my many message inquiring about his work – so I’m kinda disappointed.  I’m not going to make it on time for Chinese New Year – but I really hope to get a good piece to frame and to get a few more pieces for friends.

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.

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.

Found some laminate flooring for cheap to finish up our laundry room at our basement and you can find it any cheaper than a yard sale.  They had 10 boxes of these for sale – and we went to buy them immediately.  So I look forward to doing my laundry floor and finally, the kids can play while I do my laundry.