Day: December 19, 2018

2018 Big Bad Wolf Book Sale

Drama Queen and Cass have been badgering hubs and me to bring them to the 2018 Big Bad Wolf (BBW) book sale since the sale started on 7 December.  BBW is the world’s biggest book sale, with a 75% – 95% discount off retail prices for all their books across all genres. But I was reluctant to bring them to the sale as I have bought the girls quite a bit of books since the school holidays started from Popular and MPH.

But our Drama Queen had a crafty plan cooking in her head to get herself to the sale.  First she got her friend who was going to the BBW sale to help her get some books. With that, she qualified herself to take part in the BBW KL 2018: Book Haul Contest.  In this giveaway contest, 20 daily winners with the most creative entries (photos) will get a RM50 BBW book voucher.  Our Drama Queen submitted two entries on the last 3 days of the BBW Sale and both her entries were selected!

These are her winning entry photos:

When Drama Queen won the first BBW RM50 voucher, I told her that I was still not bringing her to the sale. I told her that it would be penny wise pound foolish to spend over RM50 on Grab to bring us to MIECC  @ Sri Kembangan just to utilize the RM50 voucher and I was certain that she and her sisters would surely trick me into spending another RM100 or more. But she wasn’t giving up hope yet. She submitted more entries the next day and continued badgering me to bring her to the sale.  I finally agreed to bring her to the sale on condition that she has to win another RM50 BBW voucher to make our trip worthwhile.

Lady luck was certainly on Drama Queen’s side. She won another voucher the next day, which was the last day of the sale! And I have to keep my words of bringing her there.  But I was still really reluctant to go all the way to MIECC as it was already past noon when the results were  announced. And at that time, our dear Drama Queen was busy in the kitchen whipping up some organic nutty butter (Almond+Brazil+Cashew) as gift for her granny when we go back to Ipoh on Friday.

Drama Queen encountered a glitch with our Blendtec blender whilst blitzing the nuts on the last day of the BBW sale. The blender got overheated and auto-shutdown! And we didn’t have enough organic grapeseed oil at home.  She had to remove the nutty paste from the blender, let the motor cool down, clean up the mess the kitchen  before we left the house by Grab at 5:15 p.m.  She only managed to fix the nut butter the next day.

In KL, any time from 4:30 – 7 p.m. would be the worst time of the day to go anywhere as traffic will be at its peak. But we had no other choice as it was already the last day of the sale and it would be a waste to bin the two RM50 vouchers.

So I had to take the bull by its horns and be prepared to get stuck in the jam all the way to MIECC and all the way back home.  We only reached home at 8:30 pm and had a really late dinner.

Jamming all the way to MIECC from KL:

And jammed all the way back home after a heavy downpour. In the Klang Valley, traffic gets monstrous after a heavy downpour, especially at peak hours in the morning and evening.

Two very, very happy larks:

Checking their treasure. Our girls love their books more than they love me 🙄

Towards the checkout counter, Cass found a big piece of treasure ~ a super thick and huge Sherlock Holmes book at only RM18!!  Normal price for this book should be above RM100.

The BBW Sale this time was really good, better than the one we went to three years ago.  All the adult novels were selling from between RM10 – RM18 each.  Drama Queen and Cass found what they were looking for.  But Cass was a tad disappointed that all the Harry Potter books were sold out. I got workbooks for Cass at only a Ringgit each. I could have hauled more but it was already late and we were all hungry.

Behind the scenes of the winning photos:

As both Alycia and Cass helped in the photography, they get a small share of the vouchers too! 🤩

 

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Tips For Choosing A Good Mattress

If there is one item in my bedroom that needs getting rid of and be replaced with a new one, it would be our mattress. Our mattress is over 18 years old and has a good lining of pee, poop, puke and just about any other bodily fluid that one can think of. This said, our mattress gives us fond memories of the good times that we had co-sleeping with our 3 girls when they were babies.  However, when I think of the amount of germs and bacteria co-sleeping with us now (minus the babies), I freak out!

I keep procrastinating getting a new mattress. The thought of moving the gigantic king-size mattress out of our squeezy room to have it replaced with a new one turns me off.  Plus I hate going from shop to shop to try out mattresses.  I recently found a company that lets you order your mattress online and lets you try the mattress for 100 days, risk-free!

I guess the time is up for our mattress to go next year. Getting a new mattress for my bed will be one of the items to tick off in my New Year Resolution next year.

Before you get a mattress, it would be good if you do a little research to find out how to get a mattress that suits you that’s value for your money.  Here are some of the tips:

1  Research online before going shopping.

2  Consider a non-toxic mattress.  Studies have shown that some people with autoimmune conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, experience flares when they are exposed to household chemicals. Mattresses can give off a strong chemical odor and may contain several toxic ingredients including:

  1. plastics, foam, and synthetic latex, which are usually made with potentially harmful petroleum-based chemicals
  2. flame-retardant chemicals
  3. Since those materials may exacerbate pain, many people with chronic illnesses prefer to sleep on a nontoxic mattress.

 3  Take the mattress for a test drive. When shopping for a mattress, try to lie on the mattress in the store for at least 5 to 10 minutes. Don’t feel self-conscious or let the salesperson hurry you along. It’s a big purchase, and if you don’t try it for at least 5-10 minutes you’re not going to get a real feel for it. Couples should test out the mattress together.

4  Be aware that firm mattresses aren’t always better for your back. Think twice before buying a hard or firm mattress, as some research has shown that the best mattress for low back pain is a medium firm mattress rather than a firm mattress.

5  Ask about comfort guarantees or trial periods before you buy. Always check whether the seller offers trial periods and guarantee before you buy, and be sure you understand the details, such as whether you’re required to pay shipping, if it includes a money-back guarantee or exchange, if you must return the mattress within a certain time frame, etc.

Sonno offers a 100-night trial period and a 10-year guarantee on all their mattresses. Plus, they ship FREE within 3-5 days, compressed in a beautiful box. If you don’t fall in love with your Sonno, the company will give you a full refund and pick up the mattress for free!

6  Check the warranty. A good mattress will have a minimum of a 10 year full replacement or non-prorated warranty.

7  Shop at a store that specializes in mattresses. The salespeople at a mattress specialty store usually have more training on the whole subject of mattress and sleep.

Why I am considering Sonno?

Sonno has been recognised by Superbrands Malaysia with Superbrands status after a strict selection process by Malaysia Superbrands Council. The brand produces high-quality natural latex mattress at an affordable price; which includes free shipping, delivery-in-a-box, 100-nights trial, and free return.

sonno malaysia superbrands 2018

Sonno mattresses are CertiPUR US Certified, which means that they are:
✓ Made without ozone depleters
✓ Made without flame retardants
✓ Made without mercury, lead, and other heavy metals
✓ Made without formaldehyde
✓ Made without phthalates regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission
✓ Low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) emissions for indoor air quality

Another feature I like is that Sonno mattresses are made without unhealthy pocketed springs. Metal parts act as a radiation antenna and this will amplify electromagnetic waves, which can be responsible for sleeping disorders and have even been linked to certain diseases. You don’t want to be spending a third of your life lying in an electromagnetic field.

I am now very tempted to order a Sonno mattress online and try it for 100 nights risk-free! Sounds too good to be true, right? It’s true. Take a look at the website to find out more about the Sonno mattress.

sleeping on sonno mattress trial

 

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7 Fabulous Reasons Why Blogging is the Best Job

Without a doubt, you believe that you have got the best job as a full time blogger. Writing and reading makes you unbelievably happy and you couldn’t imagine being part of the corporate world in a stuffy office. Being a blogger gives you so much freedom to do whatever you want with your day, whether you’re reading and reviewing books to try and enhance your vocabulary or contacting brands to collaborate with them. As enjoyable as full time blogging is, it doesn’t come without its struggles. It has taken you a long time to get to where you want to be and you still have a long way to go too. If you ever start to doubt your abilities or forget the reasoning behind your blogging career, you can simply step back and consider these seven fabulous reasons. 

1.  You Receive Amazing Products
When you’re a blogger you get a tonne of presents in the post almost every week, depending on how well known you have become in the blogosphere. If you really want to up your game in terms of professionalism you need to head to PhysicalAddress.com to see how you can get your own PO Box. You can check your own mailbox from your mobile phone so you can keep up to date with all of the fabulous products you have in the post.

 

person using MacBook in between teacup and plate of fruits

2. You Get to Talk About Everything You Love
Blogging is an awesome platform to be able to express your feelings and opinions on certain subject matters. Whether you’re reviewing books or talking about pop culture, there are so many opportunities for you to spark a discussion about topics that genuinely interest you. Being able to talk about everything you love is truly a job to be proud of and content with.

3. You Build a Supportive Community
When you’re having a rough day you can lean on your followers for support at any time. You will soon be able to see how invaluable this group of loyal people are and how much they really care about you. When you’re going through something personal, you should always try and speak about it on your blog so that your online community know you are going through similar life issues as them.

4. You Have a Creative Outlet
There is nothing better than having a creative mind that needs to be freed on a daily basis; instead of being chained to a dull office every day, you can spill your feelings into your blog. Being creative is an enjoyable activity for bloggers, so when you have the platform to do so it can feel extremely liberating. Most people aren’t lucky enough to have this creative outlet at their fingertips every day!

5. You Can Work Anywhere, Anytime
As a blogger you have the opportunity to work from anywhere your heart desires. Whether you’re cuddled up under a blanket in bed on a cold wintery day, or you’re sunning yourself on the beach on vacation, you can literally blog from anywhere in the world. There aren’t many jobs that allow you to work so flexibly, so be grateful for your ever changing schedule.

6. You Feel Fulfilled
When you have something inside you that just needs to be said, you have the perfect platform to release it. Feeling fulfilled is all about speaking your mind and doing something you truly love. As time goes on you will get to know exactly what job satisfaction feels like, because you are living it for yourself right now.

7. You Feel Like You Are Making a Difference
When you feel like you’re having a positive impact on a certain demographic, that can be the most rewarding feeling in the world. It is true that making money from your blog is not your number one priority, you want people to know that they are not alone in their lives. They can turn to this online support group and truly feel part of a team, even when they are having a rough day. As a blogger, you have the power to make a difference every single time you log into your website or social media.

So why wouldn’t you want to be a blogger? You get to meet amazing people, work on your own terms and truly feel like you’re impacting a community. Waking up every morning with a smile on your face, should be exactly how every blogger feels when they start their day. You have an exciting, changeable, fulfilling and creative job that will always be your biggest passion in life.

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HEALTH FREAK MOMMY