The Highview Queenstown Apartment

If you are working so hard in order to provide your family the comfort and luxury they needed, it is high time that you should take a break and spend a quality time with them. Take a look at the scenic view of Highview Queenstown Apartment below. Isn't it gorgeous and so relaxing? This is an awesome place for a getaway amidst the hustle and bustle of your workplace. Of course, you should share this great location to your family and love-ones. This apartment has the perfect location if you are looking for tranquility and relaxing time with your family. The scenic view is just awesome! What you see from your bedroom window are the great view of the Lake Wakatipu, the Queenstown Bay and the mountain ranges.

Highview Queenstown Apartment not only offers a great scenic view from the bedroom window, it also provides the renter the luxury living too. It has a patio, a great place to enjoy an afternoon coffee break with this magnificent view. It has a great kitchen and has a laundry area, a comfortable king-sized bed; a good size fully furnished living room; under-floor and panel heating and more.

The apartment has a private outdoor spa; barbecue area with outdoor furniture; direct access to local businesses and a walking distance to the town. That is the most important feature why this apartment is great, perfect location! Did you know that Queenstown Airport is just 8 km away? All you have to do now is book your travel to New Zealand and stay in this great apartment. When you travel to New Zealand, you can always get your car at auckland airport rental cars and for sure, finding this place is so easy.

Veteran's Memorial Park in Merritt Island

We had to meet a client in Merritt Mall yesterday and after the meeting, we really had no plans where to go next. We saw this place which is just near the area of Merritt Mall. We decided to go and explore the Veteran's Memorial Park located at 400 S Sykes Creek Pkwy Merritt Island, FL 32952 and if you wanted to know the direction, call them at tel #(321) 453-1776.

 
CAPTION: " MEDAL OF HONOR : Awarded by the United States of America for "CONSPICUOUS" gallantry and intrepidity at the risks of his or her life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against any enemy of the United States. Established July 12, 1862. "

The three blue logos are Navy Marine Corps , Army and Air Force.

Below caption: Brevard County Recipient: Emery L. Bennett Army Korea 1951

CAPTION: " THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR (1861-1865) The American Civil War was also known as the war between the states for political, economic, and social reasons. Eleven states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America. The secession led to war.

The conflict was the deadliest in American History, and resulted in over 620,000 soldier deaths from battle wounds and disease. Unlike any other war, brother fought against brother and father against son, with the surrender of the confederacy in 1865, the United States was restored. The impact of the war and issues is still felt today." Sponsored by: CSA Indian River Camp #17

CAPTION: " AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR 1776 Dedicated to all our patriot ancestors who sacrificed their lives, families and fortunes to secure our FREEDOM."

There are two logos and the middle has this caption: MINUTEMEN

Sponsored by: BREVARD COUNTY CHAPTERS of The Daughters and Sons of the American Revolution.

The CAPTION with red logo : "This memorial honors all prisoners of war. Remembering the tremendous hardships endured at the hands of their ruthless enemies as they braved captivity. The resilience and strength of the American Service men and women showed great devotion and love for country."

" WE EXIST TO HELP THOSE

WHO CANNOT HELP THEMSELVES."

The logo is the AMERICAN EX-PRISONERS OF WAR

"NOT BY ARMS ALONE"

Sponsored by: Brevard Space Coast Ex-Prisoners of War.

The CAPTION with the white Logo: "The Veterans of Florida dedicate this plaque in gratitude to honor all those who sacrificed their freedom in service of our country: Former American Prisoners of War, Missing in action and those Americans who may still be held prisoner."

 "WE WILL NEVER FORGET" The logo: POW-MIA YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN

Sponsored by: ROLLING THUNDER FLI

The Veterans Memorial Park is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday. If you have inquiries, the Veterans Service Officer is available from 9:00 a.m. to 12 Noon, Monday through Friday; the Officer can be reached at 321-453-1776. 

Come visit this place. Thanks for stopping by.

Flood Wood Care: Staining Made Simple

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Flood® Wood Care. All opinions are 100% mine.

I love DIY project and since we moved to our new home a year ago, I already accomplished from creating a patio on our backyard, did the landscaping myself, staining our wood floors as well as staining the concrete floors on our front porch. My next projects are now focus on the concrete floors in the garage and the wood fence on our backyard. How about you? Are you planning for a DIY project as of this time?

With the help of Staining Made Simple, doing DIY projects are easy, fun and self-fulfilling plus, it does not break the bank! Hiring a contractor would be so expensive. If I can tackle a simple DIY project, there is no reason that you can't. Now, check out the photo that I saw from Pinterest below. What a big difference right? I would love to have this great transformation of my fence too.

Flood® Wood Care is all you need to transform a rugged fence to its new look. Just  visit the Website to see their Interactive Selection Guide which is truly useful, user friendly and will do the math for you.

The Staining Made Simple has the following Interactive guide:

1. Type of  project -  A selection of fence, deck, siding, outdoor furniture, and playset,

2. Type of Wood - Whether it is cedar, redwood, pressure-treated lumber or hardwood.

3. Where to shop - Just choose the store and fill in your zipcode to find the address where you can purchase the Flood® Wood Care products.

4. Select the Store Location - The guide will list down the stores near you and all you have to do is select the location.

5. Current Condition - Choose from unfinished with new appearance, with withered appearance, in good condition, blistering or peeling finished, and evenly worn finish.

6. Water Absorption Test - Check it out and do the test.

7. Kind of Finish you want - Choose from translucent/ transparent, semi-transparent and solid.

8. What color you want - There are 50+ colors to choose from so; take your pick.

9. How much you need - Supply how many sq ft you need.

10. Staining Made Simple Results - Finally, it tells you how many gallons to buy.

How cool is that? I have those guides when I select for a fence project. Now, here is the fun and exciting part. I am inviting you to join the Flood Better Backyard Sweepstakes which will run up to 5/17/2013. Join today!

There will be NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Legal residents of the 50 United States of America and (D.C.) 18 years and older. Ends 5/17/2013. To enter and for Official Rules, including odds, and prize descriptions visit www.facebook.com/flood. Void in Puerto Rico, and where restricted and prohibited. This sweepstakes is in no way sponsored endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. You understand that you are providing your information to Sponsor and not to Facebook.

Short Road Trip Along NASA Parkway

After the mass last Sunday, hubby decided to take the route home towards NASA Parkway which is also known as NASA Causeway. This NASA Parkway begins on the mainland when Columbia Boulevard crosses U.S. Route 1 in Titusville.This is actually just around our neighborhood but, we love to take this route to have a glimpse of the dolphins along the Indian River Lagoon and wild gators along the wet area of NASA/Kennedy Space Center property.

The NASA Parkway West crosses the Indian River Lagoon. A bascule bridge which you see above permits boats on the Intercoastal Waterway to pass through the causeway. Right now, there is a construction so; only one bridge is working both ways for the motorists.

We just passed by the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. I was hoping to see the big gator sunbathing in the right side of the ditch or small canal. I saw a big gator for the first time but, that was a week ago and I did not bring my camera. I took a picture using my blackberry but, the zoom is limited so; I did not get a good shot. The gator is not there anymore.

We took the route along Space Commerce Way  which is also known as Government Road. One time, we saw tourists stopping by to take pictures of wild small gators on the small canal. Big ones? We saw one time and that was it. But, sure they are just here around and they are protected. The photo above is the Indian River Lagoon and there's a boat , they are fishing in there.

When you visit the Kennedy Space Center, you will pass NASA Parkway for sure and see the beautiful view along this area. This is really nice at sunset. You will get a full view and it is gorgeous at sunset with reflections on the waters of Indian River Lagoon.

I really don't know the name of this tiny island. If you look closely, you will see a boat and there were people swimming in that area. I don't know if it is safe though. Gators can come up to this area you know. So far, I don't hear any incident yet.

I took a zoom and now, see the boat?

Here's another boat on the other side of the river.

From the look, I think this is a small fishing boat. It looks like the fishing boat in Biloxi, Mississippi ^_^ . Anyway, from the bridge, the Parkway passes the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex but, the general public is not permitted beyond the area. The NASA security gate permits access to authorized tour buses only. If you wanna visit Kennedy Space Center then, you can go further on this road via the Kennedy Space Center tour bus.

Aside from the bus tour, also allowed are the Kennedy Space Center staff and supply vehicles.The photo above is the Hall of Fame, part of the attractions of the Kennedy Space Center. If you want to take a picture with this as the background, you can do so because this is just along the road. Located right after the draw bridge if you are heading towards US 1.

Thanks for stopping by.

Fun Mealtime with Funbites

Listen up parents! Are you "fed up" on doing the same stuff many times each day and feeling so helpless about it? Some things have to be that way like ironing clothes, doing the laundry, cooking and making the house neat and tidy. That is part of parental role, nurturing a family and taking care of them. I am not referring to that because somehow, technology and innovation makes the job done easy for all of those right?

Okay now, meal time with your kids, how and what it is like? Do you spend time cutting their food into bite size? After they are done eating, you are now exhausted and forgot that you have to eat too. Awww... that is typical parenting and it's for the love of the children. I salute you for that but, I can suggest a good product that will somehow ease your helplessness away.

I was given an opportunity to review a product from Funbites.com and let me tell you, I had fun cutting food into a bite size portion when my niece and nephews came over for a visit. No sweat at all! How fun is that? You can now prep the food before meals so that mealtime would be fun time. I can assure you that your kids will love eating the food on their plate especially when you cut fruits and vegetables for them. Kids love different shapes and it will be a learning time too. A good strategy to introduce shapes and counting numbers on mealtime. One slight press and you will have a dozen of bite size food already. Awesome right? To purchase this product, check out their Website. For more details of fun bites, please like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

I received a product mentioned above for free. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I used personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am not compensated with this post. All opinions are fully my own.

Walt Disney's Dreaming Tree

"To tell the truth, more things of importance 

happened to me in Marceline 

than ever happened since

 or are likely to in the future. - Walt Disney 

Have you ever wonder what motivated Walt Disney to become the icon he was? What was his childhood like? Do you think he lives in a castle just like Cinderella? Well, let me show you what is fascinating in his boyhood town called Marceline in Missouri and about this tree called THE DREAMING TREE.

After visiting the Walt Disney Museum, the lady told us that we might like to check out the Disney farm, the Dreaming Tree and Disney Barn which are located in few blocks away. I asked what's the dreaming tree and she pointed out the old picture of Walt Disney with his iconic tree. I was so excited but then, she told me the tree is already dead. It was struck by lightning but, there was a Dreaming Tree Sapling which was planted in 2004 just beside it. It was planted by Bradford Disney Lund and Walt Disney World Ambassadors. During the planting ceremony, they brought soil all the way from Magic Kingdom and waters from the Rivers of America to be added on the Disney farm.

The location is easy to find. Just a short turn and let me tell you, there's no one there ... no security ... not even a fence for the whole area .... just ordinary neighborhood. We saw less than 5 parking spaces and these ordinary signs. My sister's in-law stayed in the car while I went to the the dreaming tree area.

The signage message: "Welcome to the Dreaming Tree and Walt's Barn. As this is private property, please be respectful. We hope you enjoy your time here."

Another sign: Coming to Marceline: "Elias purchased 45 acres in Marceline from his brother Robert at a price of $125 an acre, promising installment payments with money he was to receive for houses in Chicago that Flora had designed and he had built. In the spring of 1906, the Disney family packed up their belongings and moved to Missouri."

After reading the caption, I was thinking Walt's parents must love the farm life ... you know, from getting used to city life. After seeing the town of Marceline and as I look around this area honestly, this is not the place for me.

Don't get me wrong, Marceline is a beautiful, peaceful, with friendly people and charming place but, this place remain as it is/was. I love to spend 2 months here but, not longer.

I was wondering how fascinating the minds of Walt Disney was, you know, seeing beyond this place (Marceline as his inspiration to his imagination) to have created the famous and the happiest place on Earth, the Disneyland as well as created the most magical place on Earth, the Magic Kingdom.

This Dreaming Tree is very relevant because when Walt Disney was young, he started making drawings of animals around this area, observing every little creatures. Creating fantasies under the shade of this tree together with his younger sister. As I was there looking around the area, I imagined them having fun. The area is not that big now but, looking at the old pictures in the museum, this tree was located in the middle of their farm.

Dreams do come true and look what he accomplished in life Walt Disney became the animator, film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, and international icon. Everyone knows the name Disney and the fun of Disneyland and Disney World. Thanks to him for his imagination ... and that is the reason why, this tree is important. It all started here.

When the Disney family leave Marceline, Walt Disney had subsequent visits to the town and always had the time to visit the Dreaming Tree as well. This tree was struck by lightning few years back and as you can see, it slowly reaching the end.

Walt Disney's vision and legacy will go on for generations to come as the son of the dreaming tree slowly growing. At 9 years old, the son of the dreaming tree hopefully will become an icon that will inspire new dreamers and will follow the footsteps of Walt Disney.

Review on Drogo Leather iPad Case by Maroo

When I was browsing for new iPad cover, a blogger friend told me to check out Maroo.com.  It was my first visit and right then, I saw this leather iPad case. I tried to ask the company to send me this particular item in exchange of my honest review. Lo and behold, they replied and I was a happy camper.

Shipping and handling:

The product arrived fast. I got it in good condition and the packaging was excellent. If you plan to buy a product from this company, I can assure you that your order will arrive on schedule.

The Product:

I love this Drogo leather iPad case because of the color combination of yellow and black. It is very classy. This is made from genuine leather and in excellent quality. It has an embossed dragon design which makes it so unique, beautiful and elegant. I must tell you, if you are looking for durable iPad cover, this one is an excellent choice. If you drop it, the case can take the brunt of the impact.

This Drogo is a perfect case that can protect the Apple iPad from dirt and scratches. It is very convenient to use, safe and Apple iPad fits perfect in it. This case has the capability to keep it at the right viewing angle. It can stand in place in vertical or horizontal position. The form-fitting cradle is made to secure the iPad.

This Drogo is a perfect iPad case for the savvy professional. If you want the sleek and stunning case that features an attractive black leather cover in a multi-angle stand, check out Drogo.

For more information, visit and like them on Facebook.

Follow them on Twitter and Pinterest.
Check them out in YouTube.

I received the product mentioned above for free. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I used personally and believed will be good for my readers. I am not compensated with this post. All opinions are my own.

Lizards in Florida

I would never imagine that there are different species of lizards in Florida and they are easy to find and truly interesting to watch. Among them are Mediterranean Gecko, Indo-Pacific Gecko, Florida Worm Lizard which looks like a large pink earthworm,green and brown Anole,fence Lizard, Florida Scrub Lizard, Rainbow lizard, Eastern Glass Lizard, Brown Basilisk, Giant Amevia and more.

More than once, I saw something crawling so fast on the dirt. I was startled for I was so sure, I saw a snake but, I was confused for it has 4 legs. While doing my research about lizard, I finally knew that what I saw was called skink, a type of lizard. There are so many types of skink too like the following: Ground Skink, Mole Skink, Sand Skink, Broad-headed Skink and more.

It actually looks like the photo above. Now, the five-lined skinks are diurnal which means, they are active during the day. They like to soak up heat from the sun during the day. No wonder why I saw them under the dirt. You should remember, our soil here is so sandy. They eat mostly insects such as crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars, spiders, earthworms, snails, slugs, and isopods. They love to climb dead trees where there are a lot of insects. Their predators include Raccoons, snakes, and hawks.

For this lizard that I have here, they love to hang out on the backyard.
 
They are big too and usually, they stay on the fence most of the time. Next time, I will take photos of  the different lizards on my backyard. I just find it interesting to know what kind of lizards they are. Thanks for stopping by today. I will see you next time.

5 Gardening Basics that You Should Remember

This post brought to you by Scotts Miracle-Gro. All opinions are 100% mine.

For the past days, I have been prepping my backyard to create a relaxing outdoor ambiance. I was also in-and-out to a garden store buying stepping stones for DIY garden project that I have in mind. I bought gardening supplies such as top soil, flowering plants and pavers for one area that I plan to make a flower garden. I love gardening and to show you how I was doing last year, check out my vegetable garden and the produce as well as my flowering plants in bloom. It was amazing that my activity last year includes sustainable gardening for we did not buy calamondin, okra and tomatoes since I planted a vegetable garden.

If you are new to gardening, here are few basic tips that you should remember:

1. Select the right area for planting - When you buy plants in the garden store, you will definitely find comprehensive information on how to grow a specific plant. Some plants thrive in shady area, some needed 8 hours of sunlight so; select the plants that is more likely grow on that condition.

2. Gather your gardening tools - Good and durable gloves are necessary tool in gardening for it protects your hand from blisters and calluses as well as reduces fatigue. It also keeps your hand from getting dirty. A trowel is also important for digging small holes and breaking up earth.

3. Clean and cultivate - Weeds will take over rapidly if you don't clean the area properly. Make sure that you pull the weeds to the roots. Cultivate the soil for it helps control the weeds from thriving and it is a better way to prepare the area for planting.

4. Add top Soil - If you have a sandy type of soil like what we have here in Florida, you need to add a top soil and make sure that you mixed it well.  The growth of a healthy plant depends on the type of soil you have so; make sure that you buy the good soil.

5, Planting - After selecting the plants in the garden store and the area in your yard is ready for planting, it is time to take the plants out from the container and transfer it to the ground.  Don't dig too deep and make sure that you loosen it before you cover with dirt.

Finally, after planting all your favorite plants, it is time to add Scotts Florida Select Natural Eucalyptus Mulch which I truly recommend.  This product will prevent weeds from thriving in your garden and helps conserved soil moisture and moderate the soil temperature. This garden essential is 100% Florida grown Eucalyptus. It is sustainable cypress alternative and grown in Florida.

If you are not living in Florida, check out Scotts Nature Scapes mulch for your landscaping needs. This product comes in 3 varieties of colors, the Classic Black and Sierra Red and my personal choice the Deep Forest Brown. Scotts Nature Scapes mulch is a natural forest product and comes in different textures. You should add this product in your garden to maintain moisture and prevent weeds so you can enjoy a beautiful garden oasis.

Quick Shine Floor Finish by Holloway Hose Works Miracle

When we bought our house a year ago, we knew that the floor should go. We prioritize the kitchen first so; we hired a contractor to fully gut the kitchen and bought new stainless steel appliances. Before we moved in, we realized that there was no budget left for the floor. It is hard wood so; we decided to save it at the cheapest cost. I look at the products online and saw a good review on the product by Holloway House, a family owned business.
This product is called Quick Shine Floor Finish. It gives floor protection and shine. I bought it at Wal-Mart for less than $8 and it does works miracle on our floor. It's been a year this month and our floor looks like new. This product restores the floor with a deep and protective glow. Application is fast and very environmentally friendly. This product  gives instant shine in fact, for less than a day, I already saw the difference. Quick shine is formulated for gloss and durability. A product which is Made in the USA and we should patronized our own.

Early Spring and Beautiful Blooms

There is indeed beauty in weeds. This is called Virginia Spiderwort or Tradescantia Virginiana which is commonly grown in gardens. It can grow from 1 to 3 feet tall and mostly has purple, blue and white flowers. According to some experts in Horticulture, this is not a weed but, a native plant.

As for the rest of these beautiful flowers below, I have no idea what their names are.

I am no expert in flowers but, when I saw these plants in my yard today, though they are beautiful, I still consider them as weeds.

 
Check out the photo below, I even caught a bee trying to sipped a nectar out of it ... just my wild guess :-) or helping for pollination (wink).
 
This plant is really pretty, check out the flowers, I might cultivate it because the leaves are pretty.
 
Now, this for sure is my least favorite occupant in my garden, the flowers withered easily.
 
This is the only variety in the entire yard, looks like a tiny sunflower.
 
That's all for now friends. I will be posting some of my favorite flowers in my garden next time. I have few in blooms. Thanks for stopping by. Oh, if you know the names of the above plants/weeds/flowers, feel free to share it with us. Thanks and hope to see you again.