Teaching kids on Money Management

With today's economy downturn and rising prices on daily necessities, one of the important things ever is to teach our kids frugality from an early age.

I’ve been training my kids, aged 8 and 11, the value of money, saving, budgeting and spending wisely. I feel that as a parent I need to instil habits like these in the hopes that they’d grow up to be financially independent.

It's my usual practice to give them allowances on a daily basis. This way, they’ll learn how to budget and spend within their means. I believe the earlier you start exposing your children to basic money management, the better they’ll be able to absorb the concepts and value of money as they grow older.

I've provided each of the kids a piggy bank to fill up. Infact, these piggy banks have been around since they were babies. They are actually free gifts when hubby and I opened a savings account.

I have also opened a savings account for both my kids and show them their interest earned each half year with the few hundred ringgits they now have in their bank accounts. When the piggy banks are fully loaded, I transferred their money in their bank accounts, so they can watch the interest multiply.

I've to admit that it’s not easy for me to teach my kids to save, as I am not a good role model in this regard, which is something that I'm not proud of. Ultimately, when I encouraged my kids to save, it gives me the motivation to save as well.

Sunday musings

The festive season is approaching and for the past few weekends, Muslims are seen flocking to the shopping malls to buy some Hari Raya goodies. Many cars were jamming every nook and corner of the malls to get parking space. As I couldn't find a parking space close to the shopping mall today, I parked near a large bus stop which was a few blocks away.

My kids were literally bored to death at home, so they bugged me to go to the shopping mall. So after lunch, we headed to the mall to pick up a few things, so the kids would quit bugging me. It's quite the norm for me to prepare my shopping list before hitting the road. A shopping list prevents me from buying on impulse. I expected a massive traffic in town and finding a parking space can be an exasperating issue.

We stayed home yesterday to relax and recharge from the tedious weekdays. Honestly, I don't do much house chores on weekends. I think it's pretty easier to do my house chores bits by bits throughout the week, rather than squeezing all in on the weekends. I like my surroundings to be always clean and pleasing to the eye.

I make it a habit to delegate some household duties to my 'little devils' as well. Hopefully when they are grown up, these things will come handy to them. After all, practice makes perfect.

I hope everyone has a great weekend.

Evening Primrose Oil

Since my daughter hit puberty, her body has began to experience some hormonal changes. One of the problem that greatly irritates her is the acne outbreak. It's only mild, little amount of pimples on her face but she kicks up a storm when she sees herself at the mirror. I've been through this experience and dealing with pimples fuss can be one awful thing to go through especially when you have to go out and appear in public.

When I was in my teens, I had problems combating acne too. As I had sensitive skin, many acne skin care products didn't work well for me. I was tired of trying new resources and non-prescription remedies for battling acne until a friend of mine recommended that I should take evening primrose oil (EPO) supplements.

After 3 months of consuming the product, I noticed visible improvements on my skin and .........SEEING IS BELIEVING. EPO has many beneficial properties which promote general well-being with little or no known side effects. It certainly improves my skin condition as well as effective for pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) related difficulties.

Though the supplement could be a little pricey, it worths every penny. It seems to be a win-win situation for me and my daughter.

The Benefits of Evening Primrose Oil

China Milk Scandal

The current milk scandal in China has triggered a public outcry. People are now more wary about dairy products on the shelves in the wake of the melamine scare in China.

The first thing that struck my mind was to examine all the labels of the food at home. Fortunately, nothing seems to be of a brand with tainted products but one thing's for sure, most people will definitely not be buying any dairy products imported from China anymore.

As a parent, it is heart-wrenching to hear that the contaminated milk powder has sickened 53,000 kids in China. I believe the number of sick would continue to rise. I'm sure those kids who are affected are bound to be terribly painful and undergoing an unpleasant experience. This is a sad thing indeed.

Regardless, I hope this issue will be resolved soon. I wonder what other phenomenon might occur that has yet to be uncovered.

My son is allergic to EverythinG

My son, who is 8 years of age, has been suffering from nose sensitivities since toddler. When he has a runny nose, he will develop a chest cough with thick phlegm that lasts for as long as a month. Thank goodness, he doesn't wheeze during bed time.

According to the doctor, my son was diagnosed as having a sensitive nasal airway and the doc has identified a few possible allergies. My son is highly allergy to dust mites and certain food that could cause an allergic reaction. Therefore, he has to observe hygiene practises particularly in bedroom. Not to mention, he needs to be cautious of his food intake as well.

I have tried to avoid offending foods in his diets but he kicks up a fuss whenever I forbid him to eat his favourite food.

At times I'm not sure why, despite the precautions to keep my son warm at night, he would still wake up sneezing in the morning. He was prescribed a nasal spray to fix his sensitive nose and some medication. For now, my son's flu symptoms seem to have improved and I hope they will gradually subside.

My son's medication

Stir Fry Mixed Vegetables

I make it a practise to cook at home whenever I can. Although I'm not a kitchen goddess by any measures, I make an effort to cook on weekends exclusively for family. I've to confess back in my early 20's, I have zero knowledge, both theory and practical when it comes to cooking. LOL!If it wasn’t for my husband, I absolutely have no motivation to cook at all. Somehow, my cooking skills have definitely gotten better over the years but there is always room for improvement.

This is the chinese stir-fry mixed vegetables that I cooked for lunch.

Ingredients:

1 small brocolli, cauliflower, cut into individual florets

1 medium carrot, sliced

3 cloves garlic

2 tbsps oil

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp vegetable oil

salt, pepper and sugar to taste

white bait anchovies, prawns (shelled), dried mushrooms (to be soaked and sliced into thin pieces)

Seasoning

2 tbsps concentrate chicken stock

1 tbsp oyster sauce

Methods

Steam the brocolli, carrot slices and cauliflower florets for about 5 minutes (drain and set aside)

Heat oil in a wok, stir fry anchovies until fragrant and crispy(set aside)

Add garlic until fragrant and golden, stir fry prawns and mushrooms for 2 minutes over moderate fire

Then add the seasoning and simmer for 3 minutes

Add in the steamed brocolli, cauliflowers, carrots and anchovies, mix well.

salt, pepper and sugar to taste

Served hot with plain white rice.

Entrecard RockS

I joined Entrecard a couple of weeks ago and it has greatly increased traffic to my blog in such a short period of time.

The concept is pretty simple and interesting. Entrecard widget is a requirement if you wish to participate in Entrecard. It enables you to advertise your own Entrecard on any blogs that have signed with the Entrecard network. Your advert will run for a full day on the blogs of your choice, and will not be in rotation with any other ad.



My Current Entrecard
Every time you drop a card, or receive a card, you will gain 1 credit.


I love reading blogs in various topics rather than dropping my card crazily just for the sake to gain credits. I would like to give a sincere thank you to my Entrecard advertisers, entrecard droppers who have taken the time to visit, drop, read and leave comments on my blog posts.

If you haven't signed up, join now. It is highly recommended.

An easy, convenient morning treat

With so much to juggle on a daily basis, I normally consume a mug of organic oatmilk to start my day. This grain is nutritious and rich in fibre that contains all the natural ingredients. As a working mom, I ensure my kids get sufficient milk no matter how busy I am. Coupled with its light and creamy taste, even I can't resist it.

As much as eating out is convenient and tantalising, most of the days I try to pack breakfast to work. I enjoy savouring the tuna sandwich that I make. It's easy to prepare and my kids love it too.

I'm pretty conscious about my food intake and I stay away from oily food, fats as much as possible as it makes you more prone to acne and health risk factors. It can get hectic while travelling so I admit I do indulge myself with food I shouldn't be eating once in a while.

But generally, I make an effort to eat healthily and drink enough water. I'm a firm believer that it's only when you are in the pink of health, that you can enjoy life to the fullest.

Do You have Long Eye lashes?

It's an undeniable fact that every women's desire to have alluring eye lashes. I've always envy women with gorgeous long, fuller eye lashes. You know, women blessed with attractive lashes, 'that's oh so lovely'? As they say, your eyes are the window to your soul.

It goes without saying that long eye lashes makes women look more feminine, appealing and sexy. Although false eyelashes are available almost everywhere, I don't favour the idea of wearing them as it looks fake and unnatural. Obviously, nobody likes short sparse lashes, although some may console themselves that they may look just as attractive as they can always use make-up and mascaras to enhance their assets.

I've heard many eye lashes enhancer available in the market but I don't have the courage to experiment the products as it could be detrimental to my own natural lashes. Although I love long lashes but I don't see the need to go to such extremes. I just don't want to be ended up in messy consequences. So looks like I might as well heap on the mascara then.

The Ramadan Bazaar @ Seberang Jaya, Penang

It is that time of the year again when muslims from all over the world observe the holy month of Ramadan.

During the period of Ramadan, multiple stalls are operated nationwide at the side of the busy main road selling a variety of the Hari Raya goodies.

After 5p.m., the bazaar would attract a steady flow of people checking out a wide range of malay traditional outfits such as scarfs, textiles, belts, songkoks and many more.

Here's wishing all muslims out there, 'SELAMAT BERPUASA'.

Detox programme: TRUDTOX

Much has been said about the detox programmes in the newspapers lately. I've heard a lot of positive feedbacks about Trudtox. Intrigued by the detox effectiveness, I decided to give it a try.

I've been indulging tons of high-fat and high sugar food recently so, I guess the idea of cleansing my digestive system is timely due to the accumulated toxins over the years.

People are constantly reminded to instil healthy eating habits to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Yada, yada, I know I haven't been diciplined in food choices but some temptations are hard to say no :)

Last week, I went through a detox programme. The experience was indeed beneficial. Infact, there wasn't much effect on the first day. Somehow, on the second day I felt restless, extreme fatique, experiencing frequent toilet runs. After going through three sessions, I saw visible improvement. I used to have bloated tummy and felt lethargic at work but now....... woohoo I'm feeling so energetic and it certainly gives you the attractive glow. Another plus factor is my waistline has reduced amazingly, so now I can wear better fitting clothes.

The effects of this magical properties is remarkable. When I'm off work, I make it a point to consume this product for general well-being. The preparations are easy. Brew tea bag in a cup of hot water for 20-30 minutes before drinking.

If you haven't try it, I'd highly recommend it. All the best, folks!

detox

Fabulous Friday

I 'm feeling fabulous today as it is Friday, my favourite day of the week. A faboulous time when I can relax after a full-work week, hanging out or simply having fun awaiting the weekend.

Today's weather is sunny, in contrast to yesterday's heavy downpour. All in all, it was a fabulous day for everyone.

My children's school will be organising a lantern party tomorrow night in conjunction with the upcoming Mooncake Festival. During this time of the year, the moon is considered the brightest and fullest.

It's going to be an eventful night where all the kids will be parading their favourite lanterns in school. There will be other major activities aside the lantern parade. In the meantime, I certainly hope there's no scattered rainfall tomorrow so that I can capture great pictures.

Until then, I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend.

Explode your traffic with Blog Explosion

If you want to expand your traffic, join .

My blog was recently approved and listed in the Blog Explosion Blog Directory. It has been great to surf other member's blog and at the same time, generate free traffic to my blog too. The feedback was overwhelming. It's a good start for a newbie like me who has just started to join the blogging community last week.

In BE, the general rule is you need to surf member blogs for 30 seconds to earn credits and click the number indicated on the top left display. The great part of BE is that it randomly gives away Mystery Credits (bonus traffic) when you are surfing other member blogs too. There was one time I earned 50 bonus credits while surfing.

I've also discovered that one of the most popular services of BE is the pinging service. With one-click over at Ping My blog, your blog is updated on multiple search engines.

I'm having so much fun exploring the world of blogosphere. If you haven't sign up with BE, get started. I'm sure you'll love it as much I do.

Wardrobe update

Reading is my passion and joy. I enjoy reading particularly women magazines and one of my favourites is Women's Weekly. I find this magazine pretty impressive because of the simplicity and the ease of finding exactly what you need.

The layout of the magazine is itself very organised, with clear-cut columns offering interesting information on parenting tips, celebrity gossips, beauty bulletin, real-life stories and on top of all, fashion wonders which is my favourite topic.

Fashion and looking good go hand in hand. I'm a sucker for clothes. I simply love viewing new styles and the latest trends. I'm not personally obsessed over fashion but liked to look good though. It definitely helps to build my confidence and boost my self-esteem.

Come to think of it, I think I need to update my pathetic wardrobe. Pretty much of my old clothes are still lying in my closet for years. LOL! Seriously, my old clothes don't fit me anymore, so I might as well just donate all of them. I know it's easier said than done!

Regardless, I just can't bring myself to part with my old clothes because most of them have immense sentimental values to me. Sentiment is one thing but keeping all of them is simply not practical owing mainly to the lack of space in my house. ......... Until I think of a brilliant solution, my old clothes stay at the moment.

Unexpected visitor - Meet the Komodo Dragon

As I was leaving for work this afternoon, I stumbled upon a young komodo dragon wandering aimlessly around my car porch. Oooh, was it hunting for prey?? Somehow, I manage to take a couple of photographs of this predator.

According to studies, the saliva from a Komodo's mouth contains a host of deadly bacteria. Once bitten, you're gone with the wind. A note of caution: if you've ever encountered this reptile,

Petai beans a.k.a Stink beans

My hubby has the crave for petai beans. It's appetising and one of his all-time favourites. However, some people may not appreciate these beans as the perculiar smell is unbearable. In other words, petai earned its nickname 'stink bean' due to its pervasive smell. You either love it or loathe it. The beans can be taken raw or cooked in sambal chilli.

Here's my basic and simple recipe: (serves 2-3)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of peeled petai beans

2 cloves of garlic

2 tablespoons of cooking oil

Salt and sugar to taste

I bought this ready home-made Sambal chilli from the wet market

Medium-sized prawns and anchovies

Methods:

Heat up oil and stir fry anchovies until fragrant

Saute garlic, add in prawns, stir well,

Add in sambal, stir gently, followed by a little bit of water,

Toss in petai beans but don't overcooked,

Add in salt and sugar to taste,

Bring to boil and served hot.

This spicy dish is best served with plain white rice

Growing Pains

Time flies so fast and it's unimaginable. My eldest daughter is almost as tall as me now. Stepping into motherhood has indeed changed my life tremendously. I was pretty busy coping with work and all the changes around me. Despite my hectic schedule and commitments, I still make it a point to spend quality time with my family. It seemed pointless pursuing wealth when household and family are left unattended.

Looking back, my parents have raised us well and taught us to conserve almost everything, not wasteful and always be humble. God willing, I'll give my best to instill these moral values to my kids as well. That said, kids nowadays are different from my good old days. At times, they tend to throw tantrums for no apparent reason. I wonder is it due to hormone changes??? Haha, I guess it's part of growing up and discovering their own personalities.

Secret Recipe Marble Cheesecake

My hubby bought for us two pieces of marble cheesecake from Secret Recipe. Incase you're not aware, this marble cheese cake happens to be one of the Secret Recipe's award-winning desserts. I usually count calories like crazy but who can resist the rich seduction of cheese cakes? If you haven't try it, head on to Secret Recipe to get a taste of this goodie. It is highly recommended. One bite and you'll forget all your woes. :)

My Crowning Glory

I'm completely paranoid when it comes to changing my hairstyle. I think it's easier to maintain straight hair than frizzy hair as it requires less grooming. After maintaining my same crowning glory for 10 years, I decided to try new styles to look more trendy and fashionable. Having said that, every woman needs a make-over sometimes and trends are fun to follow.

I recently had my hair perm. Unfortunately, I had to sit for 4 hellish hours to get it done but it was worthwhile. I love it so much. Too bad my daughter didn't like my new hairstyle at all. She uttered, "Mom, your hair looks terribly ugly, looks so awkward." LOL! That was truly a harsh remark. My heart was utterly crushed when I heard that. Despite getting negative feedbacks from her, majority of my friends like my new image. My dear hubby even compliments my hair perm and that's what matters most.

My First Blog Entry

Hi everyone! This my first post and my blog is generally about my personal thoughts, women issues, interesting events, food and current issues. If you like my blog, please subscribe to my feed and post some comments if you have any.