Ingredients for the marinade: 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 shallot finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves 1/2 cup tomato sauce; 1 tbsp dried oregano; few drops of chili sauce; 2 tbsp brown sugar; salt and finely ground black pepper; 12 pieces of chicken wings

Procedure: Preheat the oven to 180C.  Put all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.  Marinade the chicken wings for a couple of hours before cooking or even over night.  Oil a baking tray and arrange the chicken wings skin-side down.  Place in the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes.  Turn the wings over and cook for further 10 minutes, or until cooked.

Tip: I first cook the chicken wings for few minutes in a grill pan or barbecue grill.  I love the smoky taste that the grilling process gives to the chicken.  Then, after a couple of minutes, I put the chicken on the tray and straight to the oven.  The grilling also seals the flavor and liquid in the chicken, thus, making it juicy and not dry.

Dip: The used marinade can be made into a topping sauce for this recipe.  Simply put the marinade in a small sauce pan and add 1/3 cup of chicken stock.  Stir continuously in low heat.  Put in a teaspoon of thick cream and stir to blend.  This is a beautiful sauce.  The chicken wings in the photos have sauce in it, less the cream though.  This is because hubby is on diet and I preferred to do that to reduce calorie and fat intake.

If you want a thick dip instead of sauce, a mixture of sour cream, a tablespoon of lemon juice, crumbled feta or any soft cheese, and chives and black pepper make perfect dipping sauce for this.  Bon apetit!

(Ideas for this recipe were derived from ‘The Cooking Book’ by Brigitte Hafner.)

I think I deserve a break.  But do moms really get a break?  Lucky are those who can afford to get helpers at home.  Oftentimes, I wonder why here in this beautiful country house helpers are not common unlike in the Philippines.  Back home it is affordable to get helpers and even personal drivers.  And now I am dreaming…wishful thinking.  But life now is different.  Things change…even the direction of lives we’re heading to.  I think few years back, when destiny brought me here, my life’s direction has completely changed.  A very active, responsible and extremely challenging life.

Perhaps, for now, a good mug of my favorite coffee with lots of cream will do me a favor of few minutes of break.

A healthy choice for veggie lovers...

I have seen this a couple of weeks ago on my favorite cooking show.  That one of Giada in Food Channel.  I got very interested in this because I love green peas and I love the witlof with which she served the dip.  The thing is, I am not really fond of sundried tomatoes.  But still, I gave it a go.

Ingredients:  A cup of sundried tomatoes marinated in olive oil; 2 cups of frozen peas (blunched); 2 cloves of garlic; half cup of olive oil; salt and pepper; chili flakes (optional)

Procedure:  Put all the ingredients in the food processor and blend it until all the ingredients are well incorporated.  Make sure that it still has a coarse texture.  We don’t want the ingredients pureed.  Serve with veggies like witlof spears, baby cos/ baby romaine lettuce, seeded cucumbers or any veggies you like.

I served mine with witlof spears.  I love the sweet taste of green peas combined with the salty-sour taste of sundried tomatoes.  But since the witlof spears have a  bit of bitter taste, it may not be the ideal choice for those who do not like bitter veggies.  I recommend baby cos/ baby romaine lettuce as it is a bit sweet and very juicy.

This dip is ideal for dinner or cocktail parties.

Finger-licking good 'red wine adobo'

If you are a real Filipino you must love adobo.  Who is not familiar with adobo?  Whether you are in the Philippines or in other countries around the globe, Filipinos have to have adobo on their table once in a blue moon.  This is like a Pinoy ‘trademark’.  My friend in Las Vegas told me about the adobo they ordered in one of the restaurants there.  Yes, sure, it was yummy…but nothing can beat the home made adobo that we cook in our own version.

I have tasted and cooked different versions of adobo.  I love my mom’s version of adobo with dried banana flowers.  I miss it so much.  I promise that as soon as I find banana flowers here in Sydney I will definitely cook that version.  My brother-in-law’s version of adobo is worth the wait; he cooks it for an hour or so.  He cooks the meat first with the golden brown garlic then the rest of the cooking process lasts for an hour.  This adobo is one of the best I have ever tasted.  I love the garlicky taste.  This version has no sauce because it is cooked until it gets dry.

I came up with my own version of adobo.  This is spare ribs adobo with red wine vinegar.  What makes it different is the vinegar itself and the red wine.  The blend of the red wine vinegar and red wine with the flavors of garlic, a bit of sugar, soy sauce, black pepper corns and bay leaves is simply a piece of heaven in my palate.  The very tender pork spare ribs and the adobo sauce are finger-licking good.

Procedure: Brown spare ribs (1kg) in a bit of oil to seal the juice and flavor of the meat.  When done, set aside in a plate.  Put the garlic in the same pan and cook until brown.  Put in half cup of water, 1/4 cup of soy sauce (or just enough to make the sauce salty).  Put in a bit of sugar, black pepper corns and bay leaves.  Cook until the meat is tender.  Pour in the red wine vinegar – the amount will depend on your taste, so aim for that taste that pleases your palate.  Pour in 2 table spoons of red wine.  Simmer until the sauce is reduced and sticky.  Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

So thinking about the word ‘Pasta’ and ‘Diet’ together seems to be ironic.  But for those who are pasta lovers ‘Pasta Diet’ is a good news.  At last, they were thinking, there’s one realistic diet that won’t starve dieters!  That is the whole point.  Pasta contains complex carbohydrates that keeps us fuller for a longer period of time and supply the energy that we need everyday.  Thus, not making you feel hungry and craving for snacks in between meals.

This diet is based on all the provisions, needed for health. The Diet is very simple and practical. The combination of the provisions effects your metabolism and therefore you can lose weight easier than with other diets. You can lose up to 11 lbs (5 kg) in 2 weeks and it is suggested for everyone with metabolism problems.  (Source:  dreamdiet4free.com)

The secret:  *It is all about the other healthy ingredients that you put in your pasta.

*Taking control of the amount of pasta is of utmost importance.  Pasta diet does not mean that you can pig out on pasta three times a day!!!

*One cup of pasta in addition to other ingredients – like fish/seafood, vegetables, meat – is the ideal amount per serving.

Other references for recipes and daily menus:

http://www.prairie8.org/the-pasta-diet.htm

http://www.dreamdiet4free.com/index.php?id=20

Suggested LMC Pasta Recipes:

Prawn Spinach Pasta

Spaghetti Broccolli

Other Pasta Diet recipes coming soon at LMC!

Prawn, spinach & Cherry tomatoes ready to be tossed with the pasta! Bellissimo!

This is not the first time I cooked my recipe, arranged it on the plate, served it on the table and forgot to take a photo for publication.  I cannot blame myself.  Once you tried this recipe you will also realize you cannot blame me for getting too excited to eat and please my palate.

Italian food is known for simple recipe and unique blend of flavors.  This is another simple, easy and quick recipe which is ideal for busy moms.  I confidently recommend this recipe to all  those who have no luxury of time to prepare two-course recipe.  Your plate will already be made complete with carbohydrates, protein and all the goodness of green and scrumptious baby spinach.  The sweet, citrus-y  and juicy cherry tomatoes are additional bonus to your craving palate.

Since the recipe is very simple, I will just put the cooking instructions and ingredients all in the next paragraph.  Amount of ingredients will depend on how much you want as well as on your taste.

Instructions: Saute garlic; put the peeled tiger prawns; splash a bit of white wine and wait for the alcohol to evaporate; put in the baby spinach and cook until wilted; throw in halved cherry tomatoes.  Season with salt and pepper, and bit of chili flakes.  Toss with pre-boiled spaghetti or any pasta that you like.

Optional: Put shaved parmesan on top before serving.  You can also substitute baby spinach with baby rocket lettuce of any green leafy veggies of your choice.

Bon apetit!

I went to Myer department store and bought some clothes for the kids and a pair of bedroom sleepers for me.  I had 3 Myer gift cards which I earned from different survey companies that I am working with.  I love the feeling of getting something for myself or for my kids without spending a cent!  I still have few remaining dollars to spend in my next visit with Myer.  When I paid at the register and used my gift cards I also earned points in my Myer One loyalty card.  As a member of Myer One I also got a free copy of their fashion magazine worth $5.95.

A week prior to my shopping at Myer, I also had the chance to shop at Coles and buy $46 worth of goods free by using the Coles gift cards that I earned from my product review sites and Coles Flybuys points.

Joining survey companies for online surveys and even mystery shopping opportunities have lots of benefits and enjoyment to offer.  It is just a matter of determination to earn and at the same time make the best use of your time online.  Joining loyalty programs with different shops also gives you the chance to earn shopping cards and vouchers.

Ivana had her first visit to the dentist when she turned five.  Kids are advised to have their teeth checked and cleaned professionally by the dentist before they start school.  It is alarming though that Ivana’s dentist have patients younger than her age and need dental treatment.

Here are some important points that are worth emphasizing regarding kids’ dental routine and oral hygiene:

*Brush your teeth two to three times a day.  Parents should assist in brushing the kids’ teeth to make sure that all areas were brushed properly.

*Floss; parents must floss their kids’ teeth.

*If the gum bleeds during brushing, do not stop brushing.  Instead, continue brushing until the bleeding stops.  This sounds ironic though as parents are worried that brushing bleeding gum will aggravate it and may cause ache.  But the dentist’s advise on continuous brushing when the gum bleeds works!

*Avoid sweets.  Even brushing teeth right after eating sweets would not help.

*Fruit juices are known to be good for us and it helps strengthen our teeth.  The thing is, fruit juices contain high amount of sugar as well as acid which is not good for our teeth.  If you want to give your kids juice, let him drink it all at once, preferably at the end of the meal – not in between every spoons of food during the meal.  This lessens the teeth’s exposure to acid.

*Encourage kids to drink water and avoid sweet drinks.

Tomato-Basil Sauce

The Italian tradition of making home-made tomato sauce takes place every month of February in my in-laws’ place.  A garage full of a hundred of boxes of tomatoes is one of the most amazing sight that I have ever seen in my life as a cook.  The challenge of making my own tomato sauce really tickled my thoughts.  I have only used canned tomato sauce back home in Manila.  In fairness, my tomato sauce is delicious and I love preparing it on pasta for my family most of the Sunday afternoons.  But when I moved in Australia, my taste changed.  I think I cannot be fully satisfied anymore of any pasta recipe that requires tomato sauce if the latter is not home-made.

How they do it: The first step is to steam all the tomatoes in a huge steamer.  Tomatoes are cooked when they are already soft and the skin can be easily peeled.  Cool the tomatoes.  Peel them one by one.  Put them in sterilized bottles.  Seal the bottle.  Sterilize the bottled tomatoes for an hour or so – this is the preservation process.  That’s it!  Sounds easy?  Not really…We usually finish all the tomatoes in two days!  Then, the year-supply of tomato sauce for the entire family is ready.  We produce two to three hundreds of bottled tomato sauces.

But for a busy mom like me, and if I don’t have this supply of tomato sauce, this is How I do it: Pour olive oil in a deep pan.  Saute one to two heads of garlic until they are soft.  Don’t brown the garlic.  Put the 1 kilo sliced tomatoes in, stirring continuously for a minute.  Put the lid on and leave it simmering in medium heat.  After a couple of minutes give the tomatoes a stir.  You can see here that the tomatoes are already soft and starting to juice.  No need to add water as the tomatoes will cook in its own juice.  Lower the heat and put the lid back.  Make sure to stir it once every five minutes.  When the tomatoes are already in its sauce-like consistency, it’s ready for seasoning. Season with salt and put in a handful of fresh basil.  Ground black pepper is optional.

The sauce is ready when it is not watery anymore.  You can bottle the sauce (and do the preservation process by steaming it) or keep it in a container and refrigerate it.

Blenderize the tomato sauce before bottling it or you can do that right before preparing your pasta.

It is worth making your own home-made tomato sauce once in a while.  I love using my sauce not only for pasta but for chicken, meat or seafood recipes.

Here are some pointers that I can give moms, especially moms who are sending their first child.  Tips from those who had experience already are always helpful.

*Think about the convenience as to distance and availability of transportation.  Choose from the schools located within your town, suburb, municipality or city.

*Decide on whether you want to send your kid to a private or public school;

*From among those schools, choose at least few alternative options;

*Set an appointment for parent & child interview or book for application for enrollment;

*During the parent and child interview with the Principal or school administration, be analytical about the school’s curriculum and academic goals for their students.  These are usually discussed by the Principal or school head during the interview.  Don’t hesitate to ask questions on other matters like security in the campus, student’s activities, grading system and school policies.

*School security is one thing that should concern parents.  It is good to ask how parents or relative of students can gain access to the campus.  If the school’s policies on this is strict, the better for your child.

*It is definitely alright to ask about the amount of annual school fees and terms of payment.

*If the principal will show you around or if you get a chance to roam around the campus, you will have a peek of the environment and gives you sufficient basis to judge if the environment is one that you would like your child to be in.

I was one in this situation.  It scared me.  It was so worrisome.  The fact that I have asthma and finds myself grasping for breathe during my attacks gave me a real scare thinking that my baby is feeling the same.  Thank God though it was a mere nasal congestion due to colds and not asthma.  My baby was just few months old at that time.

For first time moms, make sure that you always have saline solution in your first aid kit.  This is a solution that can be brought over the counter.  My sister bought me a saline solution ‘Salinase Drops’ for my baby.  And I tell you, that was the most wonderful thing that I used for my baby to be able to relieve her nasal congestion.  Also make sure that you have the nasal aspirator or suction that you need to help clean the blockage in the baby’s nose after a minute of administering saline solution.

Procedure: Make sure that the baby is lying down and movement restricted.  This is to make sure that saline drops will be directed to the nose.  Put a couple of drops for each side of the nose.  Wait for a minute to make sure that blockage had soften and ready for cleaning.  Use nasal aspirator to clean all the dirt in the nose.  Use cotton buds to make sure that the nose is thoroughly cleaned.  Administer saline solution as often as needed.  This will do no harm to your baby.

To read related article and review click here.

If you are interested to join this survey site, click here, Register & Be A Member.  For queries and advice send me an email at adroitwriter@hotmail.com .

Please note though that with online surveys, you have to join several survey communities to be able to earn more.  I would also like to advise those who are interested to earn online while at home to register first with Paypal for a free account.  Most sites in the web use Paypal as their payment processor.

There are lots of earning opportunities in the internet.  Why waste time surfing and playing games for long hours when you can spend part of that time earning?  The great thing about most of these sites is that you don’t have to pay for membership.  Remember that sites who charge fee for membership are, more often than not, spam sites.

Stay-at-home-moms, retirees, unemployed individuals and students are taking advantage of sites like this to earn a bit of income.  There are also some who are lucky enough to make internet earning opportunities their source of income.  I personally know lots of women who are earning well while being full time housewives and moms.

Have a great and productive day everyone.  Cheers!

I love the combination of steak and salad; any salad.  But this Thai salad really captured my palate.  The blend of all the flavors from the dressing is so delicious that I keep on craving for more.  I tell you, I can finish a whole big bowl of this salad.

How To Prepare: First, buy a slice of scotch fillet from a good butcher shop.  Scotch fillet is my favorite meat cut for steak.

Second, prepare all the veggies that will go to your salad bowl:  sliced carrots, sliced French shallots, bean sprouts, parsley, red/green/yellow/orange capsicums, red onions.  Optional:  coral lettuce, julienned green beans, snow peas.

Dressing: Mix in the following ingredients with a whisk:  soy sauce, vegetable oil, finely chopped garlic, finely chopped parsley, grated ginger, a spoon of low fat mayonnaise, a spoon of sesame oil, chili flakes, ground black pepper, salt and a pinch of sugar.

Grill the steak and toss the salad with the dressing.  Serve.  That easy.  This is ideal for a quick lunch or dinner.  You can prepare the dressing ahead of time and keep it in a container or bottle.  Keep the dressing in a fridge pre-mixed and the same will be as good for a week.

Note:  The photo attached here is not as colorful as it should appear.  I prepared this salad without planning ahead so I just put in it whatever I have in the fridge.  I love how my steak came out of the grill though-  still juicy inside.  Bon apetit!

I am a book worm ever since I was a kid.  I bought three books and one of them is ‘Gifted Children:  The Challenge Continues’ (A Guide For Parents and Teachers), edited by Angelica Jacob and Graham Barnsley.  This book was published by the New South Wales Association for Gifted and Talented Children.  It is a very interesting book which I intend to discuss by pieces in several articles here at LMC.

When I picked up Alvin at kindie around 3:30 pm, his teacher and the day care manager talked to me and discussed to me about Alvin’s behaviour at kindie.  He is not very fond mingling with other kids.  He is a very intelligent young boy but they are concern about his social skills.  Honestly, it is the same concern that I have for the last five months.

Since Ivana started big school in January, Alvin became more clingy to me.  His separation anxiety came back in the same way as he was when he’s much younger.  It was a huge change and adjustment for Alvin, first, to be separated from Ivana in schooling; second, to be separated from Ivana in swimming lesson as well; third, the sudden shift from nappy to under pants which is part of his potty training.

Sounds like merely ’small things’ for us adults, aren’t they?  But for a young boy, they are issues that need to be addressed and taken into consideration.

Alvin’s teacher is concerned about his social skills, but she also emphasized that Alvin is different from other kids in a sense that his intellect is more advanced compared to other kids his age.

A little bit more about Alvin:  He started recognizing words at age 2.  He memorized the alphabet and counted up to 100 at age 2.5.  His sharp memory of letters and images and word association enabled him to spell words at age 2; these are words that are not simple for a 2-year old boy, like: light, shade, slide, orange, strawberry, rocket, alphabet, train etc.  At age 3.5 he already knows how to read simple sentences and write words on his own.  He also already knows to differentiate simple shapes and geometric shapes like hexagon, octagon, pentagon etc.  He is also good in re-telling stories.  He loves singing as well as dancing.

Read related and helpful article:  http://lovely-moms-cafe.com/2009/08/02/my-future-spelling-bee-champions/

Alvin’s teacher opined that Alvin ‘might’ be a gifted child and that they might need to adjust their program to suit his needs.  She suggested that I bring Alvin to the clinic at the hospital where children are brought for assessment to be able to know if he is in the bracket or norm as a ‘gifted child’.  She said that the assessment will help them, as well as me as a parent, to adjust and meet Alvin’s needs.  The clinic also teaches the parents how to handle gifted children.

For me, whether Alvin is gifted or not does not really matter.  What’s important is that he’ll grow healthy and a good person.  It is a matter of understanding how I can help him nurture his intellect, skills and talents and teach him how to use those gifts responsibly.  Having him as my son and the joy that raising him and Ivana brings to my life is already a precious gift indeed.

Photo by Brendon Thorne-www.fiveaa.com.au

I was watching the live coverage of Jessica Watson’s homecoming last Sunday.  The last three hours of her journey back to Sydney harbor was incredibly exciting.  It was the completion of a young 16-year old girl’s dream to navigate around the world with her 10-meter boat Pink Lady.

The navigation lasted for 210 days.  Her travel was supported by her parents and siblings.  When I heard the news about this girl seven months ago, I was hesitant to believe that she was capable of doing it.  I was also shocked with the way her parents approved of her plan to navigate around the world.  It was incredible!

Jessica Watson’s message “Nothing is impossible if you believe and work hard on it” has inspired many, young and old alike.  She is very thankful to her parents who believed in her before anybody else did.  She is thankful for the freedom that her parents gave her to let her realize her dream.

As of to date, Jessica is the youngest person to ever navigate the world ‘unassisted’.

I admire this girl, but I think that my admiration to her parents is of thousand fold.  From the start Jessica started her navigation her parents lived with their hearts out of their body.  But they firmly believe she can make it.  And she did!  I cannot imagine myself letting my daughter go and navigate the world all on her own.  I think I should have an incredible faith…yet, I still cannot imagine how I will be able to do that.  Until now, I am definite I can’t.  I can’t…not because I don’t believe in my daughter’s abilities but I don’t think I have enough courage to face the world if something bad happens.  It is not the lack of belief in God either that nothing is impossible…  And I know God will understand.

Unbelievable people…admirable girl…incredible faith of parents to their daughter.  Amazing….

I work online as a writer but enjoy being a broker once in a while.  It began when my friends started offering me their real properties (as if I have millions to spend!) and I turned them down due to several reasons.  But since I was quite interested in the properties in terms of location, appearance, price and value,  I thought of offering the same to my other friends.  Some of those properties I even passed to my real estate agent-friends.

Remember that the idea here is to close a deal and earn a commission or referral fee.  If you have an agent who will do all the sales talks after you initiate it with a prospective client, you will be paid a ‘referral fee’.  If you are able to close the deal yourself, then, you get a commission from the seller.  I oftentimes do the first.  This is because I work, negotiate and refer ‘online’ – I cannot do more than that which will possibly make me earn huge commissions.  To work directly with the buyer/purchaser and assist in all the paper and legal works is something that interests me but just not viable as of this time.

I also have done referrals for interior designing and decorating (as well as car re-selling).  It is a good thing to have contacts with other professionals.  The potential of this job can be stretched by moms and be an option to earn while at home.

However, the coconut fruit is the ’star’ among all the parts of the coconut tree.  Coconut has been tested to be useful and beneficial to humans.  The coconut oil being produced from the coconut milk in its white flesh has been proven to help moisturize skin, help rapid growth and strengthening of hair,  and is said to be anti-bacterial as well that is good in disinfecting the skin.

Coconut water hit the Australian television recently emphasizing its health benefits.  The fact that coconut water does not contain any cholesterol, low in calories, low in carbs, 99% fat-free and is very low in sugar is what makes health buffs interested in the drink.  Coconut water mania is in Hollywood as featured in the news report showing celebrities holding their bottle of commercialized coconut water.

The health benefits of coconut water are amazing.

*Coconut water can control diabetes

*It can control the body’s PH balance and reduce the risk of cancer

*Helps boost poor circulation

*Treat kidney

*Helps get rid of urinary tract infection/UTI

*Helps the body fight viruses that fights herpes, AIDS and flu

*Carry nutrients and oxygen to cells

*Naturally re-hydrates body

*Helps maintain the body proper temperature and keep it cool

*Promote weight loss

*Increase or improve metabolism

*Boost the immune system

*Detoxifies the body

*Helps cleanse and maintain a healthy digestive system

*It is more nutritious than milk and healthier than orange juice

*It contains more potassium than sports and energy drinks

*It contains lauric acid (which can also be found in breast milk) that helps the body flush out toxins.

*It contains fiber that helps regulate intestinal health

I personally love coconut water.  My mom used to serve us coconut juice at least once a week.  We are aware of the benefits of drinking coconut water, but to learn that there are more and more discovered and tested benefits from it makes this product of nature loved by many.  Giving your kids a cup of coconut water few times a week or even everyday will surely be worth it!

From preparing foods that are attractive, to experimenting on tasty, colorful and interesting ingredients, parents’ effort does not always turn successful.  It is so frustrating seeing our kids not eating the way they should and the way we want them to eat.

If you have fussy kids who do not eat much, it is of utmost important to bring them for regular check with your family doctor or pediatrician.  A prescription of multivitamins is also a good idea.  You can always ask your doctor on which multivitamins he recommends that will boost your kids’ appetite.

It is also very important to observe healthy food choices at home.   Get junk food out of the pantry!  If you are keeping cookies, biscuits, lollies and the like to give your kids as treats once in rare occasions, make sure to keep them out of their sight and reach. The more they see these food, the more they crave for it.

I have tried all these on my son Alvin and he is doing really well for the last couple of months now.  His appetite has completely changed and he is starting to try other food and develop discipline when it comes to the food that he needs to eat at a certain meal time.

I am thankful that my daughter Ivana has very good eating habits.  Her food choices are also smart.

Parents MUST show their kids that eating healthy does not necessarily mean eating boring and not so tasty food.  Vegetables and fruits, cereals, protein rich food, etc. should be introduced as part of the family’s diet from the time the kids start eating solid food.  For me, it’s all about getting used to what they are eating and knowing what’s good for them.

Aside from the fact, which we all know, that sugar can cause diabetes, obesity and even heart problems, there is more to it.  Too much intake of sugar causes the production of molecules in our body called “advanced glycation end products” or AGEs.  The more sugar you take in your body, the more AGEs you produce which in turn causes the damage to the elastin and collagen that your skin needs to avoid wrinkles.

Elastin and collagen are connective underlying tissues that make our skin firm and wrinkle free.

So that is the sad part about eating all our favorite sweets.  Eating sweets in moderation is the only way to avoid the problem that too much sugar can cause to our body.  We do not need to give it up though.  Moderation is the key.  As of early this week, I have started reducing my sugar intake.  That means, less coffee, no soft drinks, chocolates and ice cream and cakes only once in a blue moon…and a liter of water a day!

Home-based job or online earning opportunities are the latest career options that seem to be growing everyday.  Exploring the internet has open my eyes and mind into establishing a career that is most suitable for me being a full time housewife and mother to two young kids.  But, is online career really possible?  How do you define career may also differ from other person’s perspective but it’s your goal and plans that matter most.

As I have spent more than a decade of my student life working to improve my writing skills and broaden exposure on various issues and subjects, I have grown to accept that I am destined to be a writer.  My professional experience as researcher, para-legal, teacher, personnel manager, corporate secretary and legal adviser are all contributory to what I can say I have molded myself into as a freelance writer.  Though I would not remove from my mind that I have a dream of publishing a book in the future, I have learned to settle myself for the meantime on online money making opportunities by simply using the skills and knowledge that I have.  Being a full time mom to two young kids and a wife to a husband whose health condition demands most of my time, I can only see myself now working on a home-based job or business.

So, the question is, ‘Do I have a career now?’  My answer is a simple ‘Yes’.  Although I don’t earn thousands of dollars in a month, I am in a serious mode of improving myself and aiming to land in a work where I can apply all that I know and have as to talents and skills.  The world-wide internet hype has given lots of people, especially writers like me, to earn while at home.  There’s no need to get out of the house.  All I need to do is wake up, have a cup of coffee, sit in front of my computer and write an article first thing in the morning.  I also do not want to limit myself to writing online but I am also determined to finish a course online that will give me a broader options when it comes to income and earning opportunities that are home-based.

Work opportunities online is limitless.  As a matter of fact, I am having a hard time finding time to finish all the writing assignments that are available for me to do.  I thought that if this work will be done full time by someone who is single and have no kids to look after to, this could be a dream job.