This morning, my first grader didn't want to get up at 6 am (his normal wake-up time on school days). That would have given him enough time at a normal pace (without rushing) to eat his breakfast, take a bath and put on school uniforms and beat the 7 am school time.

Normally, he would eagerly get up and rush to the bathroom and then the kitchen. But this morning he made a lot of protests. He wanted to sleep more. I'm guessing since it is already Thursday, he is more tired than usual. I was on the verge of getting angry as I'm sleepy myself too and would like to get the morning over with, with no delays. Like any other school day, I get up at 530 in the mornings. Sleepy or not. I told him to suck it up and get up. I am tired too. Then he finally did. (Though not very happy about it, I should say). Thankfully, we made it to school just in time.

Days like these, we both wish everyday is a weekend. Do you have such struggles in the morning?

I bet that for many of you, you haven't packed your winter attires just yet. This past winter (is it really past?) has been long and extremely cold, but hey, it can't last forever, can it?

To jumpstart your spring cleaning how about unearthing the kids' spring clothes from last year? Now's the time to check which ones still fit, wash and reinstate them in their cupboards. Those that don't fit, chuck them or better yet, donate them. When you've done sorting you'd have a clearer picture what the kids need for the coming season.

Which is your favorite online shop for children's clothing? I find the styles from PumpkinPatch, Gap and OldNavy practical and the quality is usually good so I tend to get a few pieces from these stores every season. If you're looking for unique pieces inspired by foreign cultures, check out the Tea Collection(photo). Their latest Korean-inspired line looks so great I wish they had them in adult sizes!

After a long cold spell, it looks like spring is finally almost here. Time to get the soil, gardening tools and flower seeds ready! It's also a great weekend activity for the children of all ages. I know mine are always eager to help in an activity where they are at liberty to dig soil and get themselves all dirty!

If you'd rather have your plots and planters all properly done, though, it might be a better idea to have your kids go their own gardening project. It's a good way to learn about responsibility, too. For younger kids, you can get them motivated by choosing plants that grow fast (like herbs or perhaps narcissus bulbs) so they could see the fruits of their labor rather quickly. Or perhaps a fairy tale seed kit, so they can grow Cinderella's Magic Pumpkin, Jack's Magic Beans and the Princess' Pea? It's a great way to get them interested in gardening. The only problem is, they might actually expect the beanstalk the reach the sky!

A friend of mine just gave birth and I'll be visiting her in a couple of days. There's nothing like news of a new baby's arrival to bring back memories to that time I also just gave birth.

I remember how anxious I was as a new mother, fidgeting and worrying when I'm with them, and ears tuned in to the baby monitors when I'm not. I worried about every single thing- were they wearing appropriate clothing, were they getting enough milk, were they achieving their milestones according to schedule, and a gazillion other thoughts. I never made a decision without consulting countless websites, or making an opinion poll from friends and relatives. I researched extensively on the type of shoes that were appropriate for toddlers (chose Pediped and ShooShoos), read studies on the pros and cons of immunizations (decided to get the 6-in-1 jab plus some), considered giving my toddler Pediasure when she went on a "hunger strike" for a week (the nasty tooth, and the hunger strike, broke before I could make a decision), and worried about countless other toddler issues.

In retrospect, the well-being of my children would probably have been the same even if I didn't do any of the above. I most probably could have saved myself the anxiety.

But then, is it really possible for a mother, a new one at that, to be anxiety free? Hah!

Traveling is often not an option for those with chronic health issues. Being out of reach of the family doctor is a scary thought, and medical bracelets aren't the right solution for 2010.

Lifeguard30 is a new product out, specifically relevant to those with diabetes and other medical conditions. When EMS arrive at a scene, they have no way of knowing a patient's medical history. However, LifeGuard30 has just been introduced to solve this problem.

The keychain device holds up to 30 pages of information such as allergies, blood type, current medications, and medical history, displayed on a color screen. Individuals are identified as the owners via their picture on the device and their last name in order to prevent identity theft.

Having spent the last few months training over 10,000 EMS workers in all 50 states on how to work if they encounter the device, the LifeGuard30 is just now becoming available to the general public.

It's really handy for adults and kids alike. Check it out.