A Happy Family

Camera Critters: a Green Grasshopper

>> Mar 27, 2010

I found a grasshopper on green grass in my front yard, it’s a little one. You can see that the grasshopper is on a grass leave! And it turns out that it’s also a cute one, especially its eyes...

Visit Camera Critters (click the badge below). You can see many animal pictures there…

CC: Sacrifices for Loved Ones

>> Mar 25, 2010

Being a youngest and the only daughter in my family, I feel that my life is full of sacrifices. I dedicate my life to my loved ones. I’ve never thought to achieve my own dreams.

Since my mother was seriously ill, I knew that my life was changed. I had to accompany and took care of her. I’ve ever worked for years, but I’ve never dreamed of a good career.

After she passed away in 1999, I stayed at home with my father. My three other brothers stay in different towns with their own families. I realize (again) that I have to accompany my father. I can’t leave him to pursue my own dream. When I introduced my hubby (now) to my father, he straightly said that he didn’t want me to be bring out of home. I was grateful that my hubby can understand the condition and we stay together at the same house until now.

I’m also a stay at home woman; but for me, it isn’t a sacrifice, because I myself made the decision. I prefer to have my time flexible. If we’re sincere, we will feel pleased with our sacrifices…

What about your story? You can share it with us at Couple's Corner.

SpellQuizzer : Review and GIVEAWAY!

>> Mar 22, 2010

First of all, it isn’t a paid post. A few days ago, I received an offer to review SpellQuizzer. Having not known at all SpellQuizzer before, I visited the site and watched some video of demonstrations there; and then I was interested!

Dan of SpellQuizzer gave me a free download to review, so, I wrote my own experience here. It’s a pity that I haven’t got a chance yet to try this spelling software with my nephew. Let me introduce it first. SpellQuizzer is a spelling program that was developed to help your children learn their spelling and vocabulary words. The basic principle of this spelling program is that the spelling words are recorded and played back to your child along with a written clue about the word.

Here how it works :

Create your own list. You can type in the spelling words and then you record yourself saying the words. One nice feature is that there is a built in spellchecker that recognizes both US and UK English spellings. It warns you if you enter a word that appears to be spelled incorrectly. With this feature, you can let your children create their own spelling lists guided by the curriculum they are working on.

Once the list is ready, let your child go forward and start the quiz. Your child listens to the word and types the word in. You can also type in a written clue. If your child misses the word, he/she will see the word displayed correctly. Your child has another chance to retry the word missed at the end. Well, this program can also increase your child’s typing skills, right?

SpellQuizzer has prerecorded downloadable spelling lists available on their site. You can also easily import and export spelling lists to share with other SpellQuizzer users.

Are you a home school parent? On their site there is a special page that is directed entirely to homeschoolers. Click here to go to the special page. The import/export feature also makes it easy for home school groups to share their lists without everyone has to record their own lists individually.

My opinion :

It’s easy-to-use spelling software. Installation is so simple and the directions are straight forward and easy to follow.

If you’ve just known the program, like I do, you can see some video demonstrations, such as how to create a spelling list, click here. For me, it’s a good introduction and presentation.

It’s not only good for children. Since English isn’t my own language, I also use it to increase my spelling skill on difficult words.

You should try this spelling software. You can download a free trial version here for 30 days. Isn’t it great?

For recording, you need a microphone. There’s no need to buy an expensive microphone, the inexpensive models have usually produced suitable recordings. If a problem with audio recordings is encountered, click here for turning Microphone Boost on.

You can purchase a download of SpellQuizzer Spelling Software for $29.95 and is offered with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Do you want it for FREE? I have the good news for you, SpellQuizzer is generously offering a Giveaway- a free SpellQuizzer license- for a WINNER!

It’s GIVEAWAY TIME ! And It’s easy, just LEAVE A COMMENT in this post. OPEN TO EVERYONE. The contest is open for only seven days. The contest ends on Tuesday, March 30th, 2010, 11.59 pm (WIB- Indonesian Time).

On Wednesday, March 31st, 2010, I will select and announce ONE WINNER by using an automated number generator. LEAVE A COMMENT HERE- one person for one number- so you have a chance to be a SpellQuizzer WINNER!

Versi Indonesia :
KONTES GIVEAWAY BERHADIAH SOFTWARE GRATIS : SPELLQUIZZER

SpellQuizzer adalah software untuk belajar mengeja dan meningkatkan perbendaharaan kata-kata bahasa Inggris. Kalau mau mencoba, bisa download gratis versi TRIAL untuk 30 hari, klik here. Software untuk belajar bahasa Inggris yang bagus, kan?

Tertarik untuk mendapatkan software ini (kalau beli $29.95) secara GRATIS? Ayo bergabung, caranya mudah, tinggalkan komentar di sini dan Anda berpeluang sebagai PEMENANG. Satu orang-satu komentar-satu nomor. Kontes ini hanya berlangsung 7 hari, ditutup hari SELASA, 30 Maret 2010, jam 23.59. Seorang pemenang akan diundi dan diumumkan hari RABU, 31 Maret 2010.

Have You Married Your Soul Mate?

Hi, married couples, are you soul mates? Maybe you've married your soul mate and just don't realize it. If you assume ‘soul mate concept’ in a marriage is important, this post is for you. I share here an article written by Sheri & Bob Stritof.

Check out the list of soul mate partnership characteristics:

In order to recognize your soul mate, you must first know yourself. Soul mate marriages are well balanced, strong and positive. There is a lack of intimidation, manipulation or abuse. They make a person feel safe.

A relationship with a soul mate is a natural fit and feels like it is meant to be. This type of marriage is not difficult to maintain.

A soul mate partner feels like a mirror to their spouse.

A marriage to a soul mate is filled with honesty and support.

There is a sense of familiarity and mutuality in a marriage to a soul mate.

These marriages are healthy, passionate and harmonious. They can easily get a lot done by working together.

Couples who are soul mates often take joy in watching the growth of one another.

A soul mate will accept who you are, will bring out the best in you, challenge you, and is your best friend. A soul mate will not require you to change.

Soul mates enjoy small moments together and appreciate their commitment to their marriage.

Things that you should also consider:

Soul mates don't agree on everything.

Don't use the soul mate concept as an excuse to walk away from your commitment to your marriage.

Remember, you can still have difficult times even when married to your soul mate.

Well, I guess you can answer the question without doubt now. Have you already married your soul mate? (Thank God, my hubby is my soul mate).

Camera Critters: Who Spied on Me?

>> Mar 20, 2010

That night, I was really surprised. Behind the bathroom window, there was a creature –a big house lizard- watched me (hahaha). Fortunately, though with scare, I was able to capture it with my camera, before it ran away. In the next morning, I can’t found it anywhere. Until now, about a month later, it has never come again…

Indonesian people call it ‘tokek’, as their sounds like. The interesting thing is, we usually make a funny game with its sounds. You might have known that a big lizard seldom produces a sound. And every time a big lizard makes several sounds, we generally count it like this :

The big lizard : tokek… (1st sound)
The man : rich …
The big lizard : tokek… (2nd sound)
The man : poor …
The big lizard : tokek… (3rd sound)
The man : rich …
The big lizard : tokek… (4th sound)
The man : poor …
The big lizard : tokek… (5th sound)
The man : rich…
The big lizard : ……….. (silent)
The man : hoooraaayy….. I’ll be rich….

It’s a funny or a silly game, huh? I just wonder whether people in other countries have also done a ‘counting game’ like we do here?

I share the picture for this week’s Camera Critters. For more animal pictures, click the badge; or join us to share yours…

Best Cadillac Accessories for Cadillac Lovers

Nowadays, most people appraise cars aren’t only as transportation means; it’s more than that. As you might have heard, a car can symbolize someone’s identity. In USA, Cadillac is a very famous brand; and the name already becomes a synonym for high quality. Cadillac is currently the oldest American automobile manufacturer and among the oldest automobile brands in the world. Founded in 1902 as the Cadillac Automobile Company, it was purchased in 1909 by General Motors and over the next 30 years established itself as America's premier luxury car.

Cars owners usually want to have their own cars look unique and different than other’s cars, so as with Cadillac owners. That’s why most cars owners like to modify their cars’ performance. As you might have already known, modification also called as customizing. It personalizes the car to reflect the owner’s taste, sense of proportion and design. Do you agree with this statement?

To modify their cars, Cadillac lovers need various high quality Cadillac accessories. If you are one of Cadillac lovers, have you already found the best place to get your Cadillac accessories? You don’t need to search anymore; I’ve got a solution for you. I recommend you to visit CARiD.

CARiD is an online leader in auto accessories for all brands and types of vehicles; they provide you with all the detailed information on car accessories. You can find all of Cadillac accessories there. Finding proper accessories for your Cadillac can be a stressful experience; but it won’t happen if you get it at CARiD. With their user-friendly system, buying car accessories can be so simple and enjoyable. You can get a variety of lighter plugins with a Walgreens coupon code.

There’s no doubt, CARiD is the best place for car owners who like to modify cars. Whatever the type and the brand of the vehicle; they offer a wide range of choices. So, why don’t you try it?

Free Science Educational Softwares

>> Mar 19, 2010

It’s been a long time enough since I made my last post in Family-Safe Internet. Well, this time I’ll share two educational software in science category: Astronomy. Check it out…

Microsoft Worldwide Telescope.
Released by Microsoft Research in 2008, Worldwide Telescope is a free Microsoft application that lets you travel through outer space. You can pan in and zoom in close to moons, planets, solar systems and galaxies. Images are taken from the Hubble Space Telescope and ten earth-bound telescopes.

Worldwide Telescope (WWT) also contains a number of guided tours, some of them created by famous scientists. A few examples of guided tours are: "Dark Matter", "The First Black Hole" and "Beautiful Nebulas". There are also guided tours to learn to use the software interface of WWT.

Stellarium
Stellarium is a free open source planetarium. It shows a realistic sky in 3D, just like what you see with the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope. More than 120.000 stars are included in the database. Moreover, it’s available in more than 40 languages.