August 2018 – HEALTH FREAK MOMMY

Martial Arts Lessons For Drama Queen and Alycia

Drama Queen has been learning taekwondo since the beginning of the year at her high school. She is now doing yellow belt. Her lessons are held once a week on Saturday mornings and she loves taekwondo.

But I am not too happy with the coach. I think he lacks integrity and is not forthcoming with me at all.

When I first signed up DQ for taekwondo, I called the coach to inquire about the class. He did not reveal to me that the class will be held in a school in Puchong at least once (sometimes twice) a month. And he did not inform me that all the grading will be done in the Puchong school too. The distance from our house to where the Puchong school is located is about 40 km, both ways. When the coach kept informing DQ that classes will be held in Puchong, the hubs and I got terribly pissed. It would take us 3 hours to bring DQ to the school and back home. We will have to sit and wait for her at the school instead of driving all the way back home and then go out again to fetch her back. Had I known from the start that classes will be held in Puchong at least once or twice a month, I would definitely not have signed DQ up for the class. Hell no. I have no such leisure time on Saturdays to drive an hour to and fro Puchong when I have other places to chauffeur Alycia and Cass to.

About 2 months ago, the coach started to cut short the training time from 1.5 hours to 1 hour. When I Whatsapp-ed him to ask why and whether there would be a fee reduction, he said NO. He freaking said NO and the reason was since this school has very few students, he will soon stop teaching there and only concentrate in the class in the Puchong school. What?! So is this why he deliberately cut short the time so that the students will quit? Why didn’t he tell me that earlier? I was so pissed that I gave him a piece of my mind and I decided instantly that I will pull DQ out of his class.

A week later, when DQ told her school teacher that she is quitting taekwondo, the teacher called the coach and asked him if it’s true that he will soon stop teaching taekwondo in the school. I was shocked when DQ told me that the coach told the teacher that DQ and I got the wrong information from him~ he was still going to teach taekwondo in the school. What a liar he is!! I told DQ to show her teacher my Whatsapp messages with the coach.

What kind of coach is this with no integrity? This is totally unacceptable to me and I wouldn’t want such a coach to be training my child.

I spent the past few days during the school holidays looking for another taekwondo coach for DQ. I called about 3 coaches and finally found one at a gym at our neighborhood. The gym wasn’t my first choice as the fee is the most expensive at RM150 a month (vs. RM30 and RM80 at other schools). But this gym is the only place that offers taekwondo lesson at a day and time that fit into DQ’s busy schedule. PLUS at RM150, I can choose two other types of martial arts for her. Bonus! My DQ is so happy when I told her that she could learn two other types of martial arts besides taekwondo. I made all the payment and registration fee to the gym on Saturday for DQ.

So starting from tomorrow, DQ will be learning Muay Thai and kickboxing (if she has the time for kickboxing) on top of taekwondo! When the big girl found out that her sister will be learning three types of martial arts, she wanted to learn martial arts too! But Alycia will only start the classes after her PT3 and UEC exams in November. Alycia will be learning Muay Thai, kickboxing and Ninjitsu.

So don’t mess with these two girls. They will soon be Muay Thai, kickboxing, Ninjitsu and taekwondo fighters! 🥋 🏆 🥇 I think spending some $$ on these two girls for them to learn self defense is way better than seeing them having their eyes and hands glued to their devices. I think it is a good survival skill to acquire too.

Lastly, have I mentioned that DQ is also taking lyrical jazz classes? She started last month 💃🏾 Will she be a baker, chef, dancer or a martial arts coach in future? She tells me none of these. I’ll see…

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Papa’s 75th Birthday Celebration (continuation…)

After a heavy brunch at Vishal Food & Catering Restaurant on papa’s actual birthday, the hubs drove us around KL for a short sight-seeing city tour. Then he brought us to Naj & Belle @ Bangsar for a surprise mini celebration for papa. It’s my first time at this cafe.

Image result for naj and belle cafe image

Above 3 photos credit: Google

When the waiting staff brought out the cakes and started to sing Happy Birthday to papa, he was totally taken by surprise and was overwhelmed. In fact, no one knew about the surprise! Not me either! My hubs loves giving surprises to us. When I was about 22 or 23, he organized a surprise birthday party for me at a karaoke and invited all my besties to the party. I was completely overtaken. He even bought a new MPV 7 years ago and did not inform me until the day he drove it back home! I was super mad at him for doing things behind my back and then bang, surprise me. And one of his biggest impulse purchases was Happy our Beagle, made 12 years ago. Sadly I didn’t have the time to love and care for a dog as Alycia was only about 2 years old and Sherilyn still an infant. We gave up Happy for adoption a year later. Had he surprised me with a puppy now, it will be an entirely different story altogether now. I will be super duper elated to have a puppy in the house!

OK, back to foodie talk!

Here’s my beaming papa with mum. He doesn’t look a wee bit like he’s 75 eh? Same for mum who will turn 72 next month.

Our favorites were the watermelon strawberry cake and salted caramel cake. There’s an entire chunk of squarish fresh watermelon wedged between the layers of sponge cake and cream! My favorite is always salted caramel. I love all things caramel.

This lychee cake was a replacement for us as the cempedak cake didn’t taste very fresh.

After a heavy brunch followed with another carb-piling dessert chow down, papa was getting ready to go for another surprise birthday mini party with his sisters and brother in law.

Papa’s sister, my very talented aunt Maggie made him a longan jelly cake and a big pot of red bean sweet soup.

The next day (Monday), before papa and mum returned to Ipoh (praise God papa can still drive long distance at 75!), we had Taiwanese cuisine for lunch at Fong Lye Restaurant at Desa Sri Hartamas.

Delectable appetizers of deep fried yam sticks and deep fried tofu with anchovies; tomato omelette.

Deep fried pig’s intestines (totally not my choice!) and ‘Sam Pei Jee’ (Three Cup Chicken) ~ my all-time favorite at Fong Lye.

Fried fish with soy sauce.

Pork ribs and sauteed vegetables with edamame beans.

Sauteed beef with bitter gourd; sauteed hard bean curd sticks.

After papa’s birthday celebration, our fridge was really well-stocked with cakes, jellies, kuih and doggy-bagged restaurant food that took us 5 days to deplete. Till today, I am still feeling cloy with all the pigging out for 4 days back to back. And it’s not helping that I am not exercising all through the week-long school holidays. I’m so going to have to workout extra hard when school reopens next week.

I’m really happy that this year my brothers and I managed to get together to celebrate papa’s birthday. It’s my hope that we can do this every single year for many more years to come.

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School Holidays Activities

While Alycia hibernates in her bedroom revising for her trial PT3 exam, Drama Queen spent her time baking in the kitchen and Cass did what she loves most ~ burying her face in her novels and making a ‘Massage Coupon Book’ for me 💖

Other than working out at the gym for 1-2 hours daily and taking short 10-15 minute breaks every hourly, the big girl is cooped up in her room revising. She even stayed home while the rest of the family went out for lunch yesterday. Hope she does well in her coming exams!

Three more days of sleeping in and lolling around in the house and it’s time for the girls to go back to school, to face the toughest part of the school year ~ final exam for Drama Queen and Cass and two major exams for Alycia. And then it’s the school holidays again. I. Can’t. Wait.!!!!

As I am typing this post, It’s 12 noon and there’s nothing much to forage in the pantry but I am SO lazy to drive out to get food for my brood and the queen. It looks like we will just reheat all the frozen food or toast some bread and fry some eggs. I just don’t feel like exposing myself to the hot afternoon sun and haze and shower again. But somehow, I will still need to drive to my favorite bakery to get a loaf of banana olive bread and resume my driver duty later in the day.

The Cookie Monster with 2 batches of chocolate chip cookies which she baked last night. While everyone else were in bed, she continued with moping the kitchen floor and washing up all the baking utensils. That was my condition to her before I bought her all the ingredients ~ MUST wash up, clean up and leave a spanking clean floor free of flour and ants!

My coupons for massages from my baby girl. It’s a good start for her to start earning her pocket money 🤣

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How To Look And Feel Better With Natural Weight Loss Methods

Maintaining a healthy weight is important to your overall health. Obesity increases your risks for many health problems that can affect your quality of life. These health problems may include heart disease, stroke, depression, hypertension, diabetes and sleep apnea. However, if you want to lose weight, then you should make a lifestyle change. Read on to find out how to look and feel better with natural weight loss methods.

Eat A High Protein Diet
Protein is one of the most important nutrients for losing weight. It makes your body look better and helps while losing belly fat. If you eat a high protein diet, then you will boost your metabolism, change weight-regulating hormones and decrease your appetite. It allows you to lose weight without restricting your carbs, portions and calories.

The body burns calories when metabolizing and digesting protein that you eat. When eating a high protein diet, you can boost your metabolism by 80 to 100 calories per day. You can increase your protein intake by eating from the following food groups: meats, fish, eggs, dairy and legumes. Meats may include lean pork, beef, turkey and chicken.

appetizer, avocado, bread

Fish is another meat for a good source of protein. Good choices to eat are trout, haddock, sardines and salmon. You can add any type of eggs for protein intake. Other dairy may include yogurt, cheese and milk. Legumes are also a good source of protein, which may include lentils, chickpeas and kidney beans. If you are on a low carb diet, then you can eat fatty cuts of meat. People who are not on a low carb diet should eat leaner cuts of meats.

Eat Whole Single Ingredient Foods
Eating whole foods is one of the best ways to eat a healthier diet. It means the food is not processed, does not contain dangerous food additives and removes the industrialization process. For example, an apple is a whole single ingredient food. On the other hand, frozen chicken nuggets are the opposite and considered a processed food.

There are also many benefits to eating whole foods. Eating whole foods provide your body with the nutrients necessary for your body to function properly. If you eat whole foods, then you will lose weight naturally.

Woman Measuring Her Waist

Participate In Regular Cardio Exercises
Cardiovascular exercises are a good way to burn calories. These exercises also improve your physical and mental health. They can help with losing weight and decrease your risk factors for heart disease. Cardio exercises are effective at reducing the belly fat that accumulates around your organs as well. You can get started with cardio exercises by hiking, power walking, cycling, running and jogging.

Reduce Portion Sizes
It helps to invest into some smaller dinner plates. Some people tend to have the urge to fill the entire plate up with food. If you use a smaller plate, then you will probably eat less because it changes how you see portion sizes. Smaller plates give you the perception of eating more while reducing the amount of food you eat.

Add Resistance Exercises to Your Routine
A loss of muscle mass can occur when changing your diet. If you lose muscle, then you will start to burn fewer calories. It helps to add resistance exercises along with your cardiovascular exercises. Lifting weights is an example of a resistance exercise and with regular use can prevent you from losing muscle. It also helps you to look and feel better.

Three Women's Doing Exercises

Diets are temporary, which means the weight can come back. If you learn how to live a healthy lifestyle, then you can keep the weigh off permanently.

Image may contain: one or more people and stripes

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Joint Birthday Celebration, 18 August 2018

This year papa’s birthday is very special. He turns 75 today (19 August 2018). We planned 2 days filled with celebrations and surprises for him. And this year papa had a joint birthday celebration with his twin grandbabies (my brother’s twins) who will be turning one on 1 Sept 2018.

We’ve had back to back feasts and merriment since the day my parents arrived from Ipoh on Friday. On the eve of papa’s birthday on Saturday, we first had breakfast at O&S Restaurant (kopitiam) at Paramount Garden, PJ. After tucking into some of the best hawkers fare in the Klang Valley, we walked to the nearby Awesome Canteen (Cafe) for cakes, coffee and tea.

Mum has to wear a hat most of the time to protect a deep wound on her head. About two weeks ago, she tripped on a stool at home, around midnight, resulting in a fall where her head landed on the sharp edge of the kitchen door. She required 7 painful stitches on her head. Praise God that her brain wasn’t affected.

We are all so grateful that she is well enough to make the trip to KL to celebrate papa’s birthday.

On the eve of papa’s birthday, we had a sumptuous dinner with karaoke at OUG Jade Restaurant.

It was truly a joyous double celebration and best reunion dinner ever where everyone was present on papa’s 75th birthday and my miracle twin nephew and niece’s 1st birthday.

Baby boy R is the more sociable of the two babies. He can be carried by anyone without crying. Everyone just loved cuddling and coddling him.

Baby girl R being carried by aunty Madonna, her Pinoy nanny / helper. Hopefully the next time we meet the twins again, this baby girl would have already overcome her separation anxiety and would allow us to carry her.

Super cute baby boy R whom I just love to cuddle and play with:

Super nanny feeding both the hungry twins on her own.

Our RM1k+ dinner menu:

Sharksfins soup.

Pig’s stomach soup with pepper and chicken feet.

Victory chicken (my favorite!).

Peking duck wrap and suckling pig (not my choice as I am not a fan of either) 🤐

Drunken prawns.

Steamed Soon Hock fish, which was very fresh and well executed. Meat was very smooth and not tough.

By the time the Longevity Noodles arrived, we were already too full for it. Thus, we doggy-bagged almost the entire plate of noodles home.

Stir-fried mixed vegetables with macadamia nuts.

The birthday cakes:

Papa’s yummo Chocolate On Chocolate cake was baked by the Kneady Baker @ Front Room.

The little twin stars’ very first birthday cake. They’ve come a long way and we are all super proud of their progress.

This dinner was only our first celebration with papa. Stay tuned for more updates! 🍰 🎂

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Baan Thai 2 Seafood & Thai Cuisine, Jalan Kuchai Lama, KL

We finally made it to Baan Thai 2 last Saturday, 11 Aug 2018 after passing by this restaurant many times and wanting to try it. What turned us off each time was the long queue.

Though the waiting queue was massive, the hubs went ahead to get a queue number. We waited for almost half an hour for a table. Pretty fast considering it was a Saturday night.

The waiting patrons:

Super spacious restaurant with high ceiling:

Comfortable and excellent ambience. Waiting staff were aplenty and they were all efficient and quick in clearing the tables and serving food. Service was pretty good.

We didn’t order any Tom Yam or spicy food as the hubs was feeling a tad ‘heaty’.

Pad Thai and steamed fish:

Braised pork with tofu and eggs; Khao Phat (Thai fried rice):

Green curry:

BBQ squid:

Grilled lobster, which was the star dish for the night, came towards the end of our meal. Love the oozing creamy roe, which ain’t good for my cholesterol!

Heavenly santan-ish desserts! I could feel inches creeping up my hips just by looking at them!

The owner and chef are Thai, thus the authenticity of the food and Thai feel of the restaurant. Food was scrumptious and we enjoyed our dinner very much. This is definitely our kind of meal ~ toothsome and not too spicy. We’ll definitely be back again to try other dishes.

Baan Thai 2 Seafood & Thai Cuisine

Jalan Kuchai Lama

58200 Kuala Lumpur

Call 016-280 3715

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Random Matters

My first batch of VIP visitors consisting of my eldest sil and nephew returned to Hong Kong this morning. They were in KL for the past 2 weeks.

This Friday, we are expecting another 2 batches of VIPs ~ from Ipoh and Singapore. My entire family will be in KL to celebrate papa’s 75th birthday! 🎂🍻 🥂 Another round of pigging out, chatting, laughing and bonding.

There’s been a hive of activity and feasts at our house for the past 2 weeks, with a 2-day break on Wednesday and Thursday before the celebration and merriment continue from Friday onwards for another 4 days. And then it’s the start of the school holidays, yippeeeee!! I can’t wait for the holidays to start.

I’ve been so sleep deprived the past one week. Last weekend was a NO REST weekend for me. Cass had to attend a 2-day full day motivational camp at the school on Saturday and Sunday (from 7am – 5pm). As the hubs had been working late the past few days, I had to assume the duty of driver, which means having to wake up at 4:15 a.m. and leaving the house at 6:30 a.m., after getting some of the household chores done before everyone else in the family wakes up.

Most mornings I wake up asking myself if I can ever sleep in for another hour or two?! It’s no joke getting up at that ungodly hour when that hour is the best time to be in a deep sleep ~ the room is cold and cozy and it’s just not meant to be the time to start ‘work’. But surprisingly, I don’t feel extremely draggy or zombified like I used to though I’ve not had a single day of rest. It must be the extra dosage of Super Lutein that I’ve been popping that gives me the sustenance. Plus I have been diffusing energy-boosting essential oils throughout the night. Peppermint, lemongrass, lemon, geranium, cedarwood, eucalyptus, orange, tangerine and citrus fresh are some of the energizing essential oils that I have been diffusing every night. And I am SO happy to report that this month, I did not get any period flu! 👍🏻

I realized about a few months back that ever since I touched 45 this year, I tend to get period flu about a week before my period starts. Every single month. I also realized that many of my friends in their mid to late 40s get period flu too. I read that this is caused by fluctuating hormones in perimenopausal women. The Progesterone Phyto Plus that I have been applying topically helps a great deal in balancing my wacky hormones. I shall continue with this regimen of increased Super Lutein dosage, daily routine of diffusing and topical application of essential oils and getting an hour of uninterrupted nap during the day to boost my immune system and to beat fatigue.

Let me explain a nugget of Science here.

Did you know that the human body has an electrical frequency and much about a person’s health can be determined by it? Higher frequency in the body, results in better health. It has been shown that a normal healthy body has a frequency of 62–72 MHz. When the body drops below this frequency, we begin to get into illness and disease states. Clinical research shows essential oils, having the highest known frequency known to man, may create an environment in which microbes, disease, bacteria, fungus, etc. cannot survive. Most naturally occurring substances –including essential oils – have coherent frequencies that resonate harmoniously with the electrical field of the human body. Happy and positive thoughts increase our body’s vibrational frequency while negative unhappy thoughts /emotions decrease the frequency, even till it reaches ultra low frequency, i.e. death. Flipping mind-boggling eh? You can read more about it at my health blog.

So peeps, think happy and positive thoughts always. Eat fresh foods, especially plant based, which are high in vibration frequency. I wish everyone well and healthy. Have a happy week. School holidays start this Saturday! 😘

Brunch yesterday. Drama Queen with E, her cousin from HK and grand aunt from Ipoh.

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Tips On Choosing Engagement Rings

There are certain guidelines one can follow. Many brides-to-be will have to decide what is in it that they want when buying citrine engagement rings. You will need to consider the cost, which is the foremost rule and a basic one to follow.

Avoid the notion that big and quantity is all you have to it but paying more than what you can afford is certainly something you need to consider and be on-guard. It could set you into a trap that later might lead to financial difficulties which is not going to do any good to the relationship. Keep it simple. It would be better off making ring purchases within your means rather than beyond your means.

Why pay above your means for a morganite engagement ring white gold that could only put you in debt? It is wiser to work around your own budget and not somebody else’s budget. Try to work along this line and you won’t go wrong. Have an open and honest discussion with your fiance, then proceed to pay for what you both are comfortable with.

If you go with quality over quantity, then it is unlikely you will go wrong. The rule is pay only what you can comfortably afford. For example, you don’t need to spend three months’ salary for the ring if you cannot afford it. Do not be overtaken by overzealous talk from marketing or salespeople into paying more than what you can afford nor be cowed into feeling less of a person if you do not go for more.

Just beware of the marketing ploy by big companies and know your real needs. No need to put yourself into unnecessary stresses but instead keep it as simple as you can, following the above rather straightforward principles in going about your engagement ring buying. What you can afford at the moment, is what you should be focusing at.

Upgrade later where chance permits later on in life. Any extra you may have now could be utilized for some other useful household matters such as upgrading of home decor. This is to keep a balance, so you can also focus on other equally important matters which may also require financial resources, just in case, if you have to, in order to meet any shortfalls later. In this way, you can work out your ring engagement buying in a properly manageable position.

Endless choices of fine selection is very much available for those who have a fancy for varied specialty designs and a budget concern to look out for; and you can find all these among the ‘White Gold Engagement Ring’ category. For example, 14k white gold matching wedding rings are already a hit among wearers of different age group, especially in the western world. Perhaps, this can be one option you can look into. Hope this little guideline helps.

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Restaurant (Tai Chow) Meng Kee, Old Klang Road, KL

Our lunch last Sunday was at Meng Kee ‘tai chow’ restaurant. I can’t really call it a restaurant as it is a pretty dilapidated make-shift roadside stall. You will see colorful recycled cardboard egg cartons lining the roof of the stall. This is done so that the cardboard absorbs the heat of the hot afternoon sun. Be prepared for occasional sightings of rats and roaches crawling on the floor 😅 But don’t be intimidated by its appearance and hygiene. For the best steamed fish head and steamed rice wine lala in the world, the shortcomings can be easily forgiven. And be prepared to be drenched in sweat if you go there on a hot afternoon.

Meng Kee is located just opposite Scott Garden and is easily recognizable by its bright red signboard sitting out on the road. Your reward will be delicious tai chow done right. The great-for-sharing Steamed Fish With Ginger and Soy Sauce is a must-order. The flesh of the fish is very fresh, fleshy and smothered in copious amounts of chopped ginger and a sauce redolent of rice wine. Not to be missed is the Steamed Lala. Cooked in a similar style, the shellfish is delicious and fresh in its own juicy right. The quality extends to their meat dishes. The hubs ordered the signature crispy Pei Pa duck, which is a toothsome deep fried duck. You will see patrons dropping by to ‘ta-pau’ several Pei Pa ducks.

As I had no time to eat my breakfast, I was famished by the time I had lunch at 12 noon at Meng Kee. I quickly gobbled up the fish in flash. It was so yummo and fresh.

The one thing this road-side stall lacks is parking space. My tip to you is ~ be there before 12 noon for lunch and you may be lucky to find a spot to park right outside the shop.

We added a plate of fried lobak (meat roll) towards the end of the meal as I was tempted to try it but I don’t really fancy the pork fats used. The lobak is very tasty with hint of five-spice powder but I find it too greasy for my non-greasy palate.

The steamed crab with ginger and rice wine was spectacular too. Hubs paid RM150 for two large crabs.

I doggy-bagged a little bit of everything that we ordered for Alycia who stayed home to revise for her weekly tests. She ate crabs for the first time after having her braces done! But still found it hard to manged the crabs.

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Meeting With Cass’ Teacher

I had an appointment to meet Cass’ class teacher this morning. It’s not a good thing when you’re called to see your kid’s teacher. I was actually expecting to be called to meet the class teacher as Cass has changed a lot lately. Negatively. She is almost totally opposite from what she used to be just a year ago~ her attitude especially. I feel like I have lost a part of my baby girl who used to tug at my heartstrings. I really miss how Cass used to be when she was younger. Instead, she’s now morphed into my most challenging child to deal with. I know she may be partially influenced by the friends whom she mingles with and partly, it’s a transition from being a little girl to a tween. Blame it on the raging hormones too? She can still be the sweet little thing that melts my heart when she’s in a good mood. But most of the time, she likes to have things done her way. Always her way, hardly ever mine. Blame it on her headstrong DNA too.

At the meeting today, I asked Ms L (Cass’ class teacher) whether it’s only Cass who is facing problems with her Chinese language subject and issue with her attitude and what do I know? I was told by Ms L that many of the students in her class are like this since the start of this year! She said that from her experience as a teacher, some children start to change at age 10. As they reach their double digit birthdays, they find that they have found their new freedom and want to have their voice heard; no more a yes-girl or yes-boy who listens to almost everything that teacher or mummy says. They find that they have stronger bargaining power and like to test our patience till it breaks. Ms L said that she is also feeling stressed out by the changes in these students, the majority of which has been with her since Primary 2.

I was shocked to hear from Ms L that the top scorer boy is also facing similar issues as Cass. To me, this boy looks like the trophy kid who is a good kid, smart and obedient. But since this year, he’s changed too. The more Ms L tells me about some of the students, the more I get to solve the mystery on why my baby girl has changed lately. Cass sounds just like her classmates! Monkey see, monkey do. Birds of a feather flock together, yeah? I was totally unexpected when she told me that I am not the only parent that she has called to meet lately. She has been meeting other parents as well on their children’s deteriorating grades, progress and attitude.

Maybe all 10-year olds go through this phase? Or maybe kids from the top class start to change at this age? I don’t know. But I am relieved that Cass is not the only kid who has changed into a wilful and argumentative kid who challenges me mentally, emotionally and physically all the time.

Judging on the amount of effort (or totally lack of!) that Cass had put into preparing for her current exam, I was expecting her position to be ‘the bottom ten’. Or rock bottom. But Ms L informed me otherwise. There are some kids in the class who did worse off than Cass. I shall wait patiently for the report card 🤨

Ms L also informed me that the BM papers in this exam were tough and many students from other classes flunked. No wonder that brat came back with her BM papers with marks so shocking I almost had an atrial fibrillation. I really felt a few missing heart beats with a chocking feeling seeing her test papers. The cause for the dismal grades is lack of communication in BM in school and at home as well as lack of interest on the part of the student to read BM books. Ms L confirmed this and this is happening rampantly in the school.

Ms L has been Cass’ class teacher for three years. Being a teacher in the so-called best class, naturally, she sets higher expectations on these students. Ms L is competitive in nature, is a no-nonsense person and a very caring and helpful teacher. She’s truly a gem of a teacher and a shining example of what a good teacher should encompass. Cass is really blessed to have such a good teacher.

After my long chat with Ms L that lasted almost an hour, I felt relieved that my fiery little creature is not the only student having issues with her grades and attitude. Yet, I have to find ways to deal with my pre-teen wilful child to bring the best out of her and to nip the bud of her problems.

Recently, a relative of mine with 3 successful working adult children told me that ‘naughty’ and strong-willed children will grow up to be successful leaders, earning higher salaries than the ‘obedient’ kids. That sort of gives me solace that it’s not that bad having strong-willed children with strong opinions on everything from choice of clothing to bedtime to what goes onto their plates.

Being a parent is never easy. I am learning everyday. Some days are shitty while some days are pure bliss. To me, bliss means children who are obedient, good health for myself and my children and peace at home. That’s not a lot to ask for from God, eh? Hopefully…

Cass playing board games with E, her 12-year old cousin from Hong Kong. E and his mum are in town for a holiday.

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Black Friday Coupons

Lately I have included some basic strength training in my exercise regimen before I start my early morning jog. This includes arms, legs and body stretching, squats, frog jumps, spot jogging, jumping jacks, push ups and bicycle crunches. The most energy and stamina zapping strength training for me is frog jumps. This exercise can maximize the calorie burn within a couple of minutes. It is intense, innovative and something that will elevate your heart rate like never before. I often go breathless after frog jumps /frog hops but feel great as I begin to sweat. Next is my usual morning jog.

A good pair of running shoes is very important to me when I run. Good running shoes prevent tripping and injuries to the feet. I always stick to brands like Nike and Addidas. The outer soles of my Adidas running shoes are starting to peel off and I almost tripped on the dangling soles while running a few mornings ago. I keep forgetting to look for a new pair of running shoes each time I go shopping at the mall. Cass has been reminding me to change my running shoes as she’s worried that I may fall. Thankfully for 2018 Adidas coupons on Black Friday and 2018 Black Friday shoes coupon deals, I can get discounted running shoes without having to make a trip to the shopping mall! What I need to do now is to double check my running shoes size and at a few clicks of the mouse at hasoffer.com, my running shoes will be at my doorstep in a few days. I just love receiving parcels! Don’t you, too? 😉

Ok, sharing time now! Let me share with you the various Black Friday coupon deals from hasoffer.com:

There are coupon deals from various popular brands of running shoes and sports apparel with 20% off, including Black Friday Nike coupon deals. The choice is limitless.

Now that I have shared these coupon deals with you, be sure to utilize them soon as they do not have long expiration dates.

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Oils For Healthy Skin

Lately I’ve been receiving a lot of compliments from people on how good I look, especially my skin. Self praise is no recommendation, I know. I can feel goose bumps raising on my hands already as I type this post. Tak malu ke? 😛

But sharing is caring. I want to share with you what I have been using on my skin that promotes healthy looking skin and I believe that anyone can have good skin too IF they diligently follow a healthy regimen for their skin. After all, the skin is the largest organ on our body and we should pamper it so that it remains soft, wrinkle-free and blemish-free.

Many people think that applying expensive creams on their skin equals to beautiful skin. The truth is, many of the ingredients in personal care and beauty products aren’t so pretty. U.S. researchers have found that one in eight of the 82,000 ingredients used in cosmetic and personal care products are hazardous industrial chemicals. This means that 10,500 industrial chemicals are used as cosmetic ingredients, many of which are carcinogens, pesticides, reproductive toxins, endocrine disruptors, plasticizers (chemicals that keep concrete soft), degreasers (used to get grime off auto parts) and surfactants (they reduce surface tension in water, like in paint and inks). And these go on our skin and into the environment. This is why most makeup and skin care products horribly age the skin and cause chemically instigated diseases.

My daily skin regimen is pretty simple and I use only natural skin-care products that contain no less than 2 ingredients. At a lunch with Cass’ classmates’ mummies last week, one of the mummies asked me what product I use on my skin as she’s amazed with how good my skin looks. She could not believe it when I told her I was 45. She’s younger than me and she owns a law firm. When I told her that I am using essential oils with extra virgin coconut oil, without any hesitation, she told me that she wanted to buy the essential oils that I use. The next day, I Whatsapp-ed her my beauty oils combo.

While having lunch at the kopitiam with Drama Queen yesterday, the lady boss told Drama Queen that her mummy is very pretty and young looking. I was totally flattered! 😍 So flattered and inflated that I knocked down the glass of iced tea on the table and spilled the contents onto the mil’s pants 😅

Besides thanking my parents for good genes, I must thank my oils for supporting the health of my skin.

I’d love to share with you what I use from head to toe everyday:

For hair and body:
Extra virgin coconut oil (EVCO)
Few drops of Essential Oils. I change the scents every week. I use lavender, geranium cedarwood, peppermint, orange and grapefruit.

I pour about half a cup of EVCO and add about 5-6 drops each of three types of Essential Oil and store the oils in a glass bottle in the bathroom. I massage my body with the oils after each shower. I also use the oils on Cass’ hair to tame the frizz after each hair wash.

For face (face serum):
Rosehip oil ~ I use Trilogy rosehip oil
Frankincense or Geranium
Ratio is 2:1 (Rosehip oil : EO)

For treating my daughters’ pimples, I use Melaleuca oil (Tea Tree).

For my scalp to promote hair growth:
Cedarwood
Rosemary
Lemongrass
I apply a few drops of these EOs neat on my scalp.

I think the oils to promote hair growth are working very well too. Lately, the slight balding patches on top and at the back of my head are not showing anymore! I shedded a LOT of hair at the height of anemia (caused by heavy menses which was caused by a big fibroid). I have been applying these essential oils on my scalp every night after my shower for about a year. I wasn’t bothered when my girls commented that I smelled like pasta and roast chicken from the Rosemary and Lemongrass essential oils. I just wanted more hair to grow on my head without spending a fortune 🤨

Do read The Never List of chemicals not to have in your skin care and personal care products. Try to avoid these chemicals as much as you can.

Another friend was talking about the expensive face serum and moisturisers from the department store. She paid almost what I paid for my Premium Starter Kit for a small tub of cream, serum and toner.

What else other than reducing the look of wrinkles can that tub do? Not one darn thing. And mind you, it may take tubs of creams to maybe reduce a few lines off your face, or maybe none at all, speaking from experience.

Ladies, I can diffuse uplifting beautiful smells, make my skin happy and healthy, use the oils as perfume, make my car and bathroom smell like spa with what I got in my box of starter kit. Plus do other amazing stuffs too. My eldest daughter loves to steal my peppermint EO to use as perfume!

I’m seriously not ready to look old or my age. So my frugal mind says, why buy a once off use tub and bottle of cream and serum? When you can get a whole kit that has a ton of other uses and cost just about the same price. No brainer friend!

Just drop me an email at shireenyong@gmail.com if you wish to try the Essential Oils. I can even loan you a diffuser set with some sample Essential Oils for you to try. You can also click here to sign up as member (signing up online is so easy and fast!) or Whatsapp / call me at 019 266 4290.

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Fulfilling Life 101: How To Cultivate A Life Of Passion And Purpose

People who are serious about leading unequivocally fulfilling lives should know that cultivating passion and purpose doesn’t have to be a difficult or arduous task. To start living on purpose now, begin implementing some or all of the following strategies:

1. Take Health Seriously
If you really want to lead a fulfilling life, make sure that you start taking your health seriously. Taking this step is imperative because implementing health strategies is the key to ensuring that you have the energy, mental clarity, and immunity necessary to figure out who you are, get things done, and maintain the level of self-esteem required to interact with others in a productive, affirming manner. There are many strategies that a person can deploy to make health happen. One is focusing on the diet. Most Americans consume a Standard American Diet (SAD) that is comprised of junk foods and processed items. In addition to containing high amounts of sodium and saturated fat, these items tend to be high in calories. This means that they can easily contribute to the weight gain process. Rather than eating these types of items, focus on working more raw vegetables and fruits into your diet. These foods can be consumed in many forms, such as green smoothies and salads. Also consider the value of utilizing gourmet spice blends to enhance the flavor of your simultaneously nutritious and delicious food choices.

2. Focus On Career Development
In addition to taking health seriously, make sure that you begin to focus on career development. Career development is an important part of the growth process for many reasons, one of which is that it empowers you to meet people who can challenge your ideas, help you build new skills, and teach you innovative ways of doing things that empower you to contribute to the world in a more effective, expedient way. There are many ways that you can get the career development process underway, and one is by hiring a mentor.

3. Take The Relationship-Building Process Seriously
If you really want to live with passion and on purpose, make sure that you take the relationship-building process seriously. Doing so is important for many reasons, including the fact that you will continually be surrounded by like-minded people who will support you in the realization of your personal or professional vision. Building relationships with the right people can also provide you with the appropriate context in which to ask and answer challenging, provocative questions that engender a deeper sense of self-knowledge as well as a more informed way of being in the world. With all of this in mind, make sure that you take the relationship-building process seriously. The process can involve anything from scheduling weekly outings with individuals you love, respect, and want to build a deeper connection to.

Conclusion
People who want to cultivate a life of passion and purpose should know that they can. Three strategies they can implement to realize the objective are outlined above. Start using these techniques so that you can step into a world of fulfillment and freedom!

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