Tame your inner chocoholic...NOT!!

Yes, am also a chocoholic (well...a rather tamed one as compared to previously hee..). In the past, just the mention of chocolate will instantly open my eyes, put a smile on my face and eliminate the feeling of bored, mad, sad etc. As I get older and probably after eating tones of choc coupled with the need to reduce my faithful FATS, I have better control or rather forced to control myself from indulging too much on those super yummylicious and sinful food. However, once in a while I do crave for it and that's when you see me picking small bars from the shops after lunch at work ;p (and I wonder why my fats stay ever so faithful to me!!? ;p) BUT, I have been good you know...hubby was away in Labuan for some offshore work a few weeks ago and brought home mind you not 1 or 2 but  7 big bars of chocs just for me!! I still have about 4 bars in the fridge...so bravo to me hehehe...15 or more years ago those bars would have been gone in just maximum 3 days!! I can finish a whole big bar within an hour then!!

Anyway, am sure most of you especially those choc craze lot knows about Loacker wafer - see picture below..this and other flavour of the same range are easily available in the local shops...

Photo 'borrowed' from here.

Well, I am a faithful fan of those delicious wafer choc too BUT never did I know about Creme Noisette also by Loacker from the Gran Pasticceria range until Dawny has generously bought for me and Neneth from her Labuan trip. It looks so tempting that I opened up the package though we just had our heavy breakfast yesterday. So we ate and we savoured the rich, creamy and fine milk choc with the crispy wafer and crunchy nuts to our hearts content... And yes we finished the whole box!! IF you wonder what I'm talking about...this is it

Image from Loacker

YESSS...I'm in lurve with Loacker's Creme Noisette...so the next time hubby goes to Labuan and maybe even to Brunei...this will definitely be in my shopping list for hubby and maybe the only item but with a BIG number to indicate how many boxes I want!! ;p So if you haven't tasted this, you should and if you have don't you just love it!!! I know I do :)

Cheap homemade beauty tip

Neneth shared with me her homemade beauty tip to clear blackheads and whiteheads...after seeing the pictures she took yesterday I was instantly convinced!! So without much delay I tried it just a few minutes ago and...

walaaa...kapish you stubborn white/blackheads! ;p

So folks this is one super cheap beauty tip...will only cost you around RM0.40! And greater news is that it is so easy to do!

What you need:

1. Just an egg
2. A few facial cotton.

How to do it:

• Take out only the egg white onto a small bowl/ container
• Peel the facial cotton into thin layers
• Put the facial cotton on your face especially areas with white/blackheads i.e. nose, around nose area, between eyebrow area etc
• Dap the egg white on the cotton til it is wet
• Let it dry where you can feel your skin tighten
• Remove it and along with the dry and hardened facial cotton are those unwanted white/blackheads! :)

Happy me will make this as a once in a fortnight beauty regime from now on! Thanks Neneth!! :)

My precious...

My world...brotherly love..

My two boys...thy grow oh so fast....Ethan is going to be 4 in June while Eli just turned 1 early this month. Like most boys at his age, Ethan is into super heroes. His favs are Batman, Ultraman, Spiderman, Superman and Ironman. Eli on the other hand is hooked with the Disney Chanel cartoon characters...among his favs are Mickey Mouse where he will dance to the Mickey Mouse songs without fail! ;p He loves Timmy Time and and Pororo too. And as long as theres' music on he will pause from whatever he was doing and glued his eyes to the telly and start his groovy moves heee...I will have to record his dancing moves one of these days as remembrance..he just look so awfully cute! ;p Can't wait to see them in bit! :)

Children see...children do..

Celine shared this video on FB  - scary but good as a wake up call or reminder not only for parents but those who look after children too...

Socks for Japan

Hi folks, I saw this humble charitable effort called "SOCKS FOR JAPAN" at CathJ's blog and thought although it seems small but means a lot to the victims in Japan. Jason Kelly is the founder of this cause but locally it seems Kristie is generous enough to help coordinate the donation from Malaysia. You can read both Jason's and Kristie's blogs to read more details on the charitable cause and why 'socks'?

So if you're keen to help out you may contact Kristie directly. As I have no time to purchase the socks, I am gonna bank in my donation to her to do the necessary ;p

FYI, deadline is this Friday, 25th March 2011. All donations will be recorded for full accountability and transparency towards this cause.

As Kristie put it in her blog, "Tell your friends, family, school or workplace about Socks for Japan, and please spread the awareness of this cause! Whether you donate 1 pair or 50 pairs, each is equally important."

You can visit SOCKS FOR JAPAN on Facebook for more info too.

Mercury poisoning part II

For the benefit of those who would like to know a little bit more about mercury poisoning, I would like to share with you  thanks to Gloria who has researched and compiled (and pinned it on her refrigerator as a reminder of which you can do so too hehe..) on the same topic for your reference :) Happy reading !! And oh thanks Glo for letting me share this useful info ;p

Should I give my baby fish?

Fish is a major source of omega-3 fatty acids (specifically DHA and EPA), which are important for a child's brain and eye development. It's also low in saturated fat and high in protein, vitamin D, and other important nutrients. Fish is too good a nutritional choice – especially during early childhood – to give up, and most experts agree that the benefits of eating fish usually outweigh the risks.

Almost all fish and shellfish contain some mercury, but large predator fish accumulate the most. That's because predator fish eat other fish – fish that have absorbed mercury themselves. And the bigger the predator fish, the more fish it eats. Larger fish also tend to live longer than smaller fish, so there's simply more time for mercury to build up in their bodies.

Experts are still debating exactly how much mercury is harmful, but most agree it's a good idea to avoid feeding your children fish that are high in mercury and to limit (but not eliminate) other fish in their diet.

Fish to avoid

Some types of fish contain contaminants such as mercury. In high doses, this metal is harmful to a child's developing brain and nervous system. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that you avoid feeding your child shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish – large predatory fish that contain the highest levels of mercury.

Purdue toxicologist Santerre recommends that children between the ages of 2 and 6 not be served fresh or frozen tuna, striped bass, bluefish, Chilean sea bass, golden snapper, marlin, orange roughy, amberjack, Crevalle jack, Spanish mackerel from the Gulf of Mexico, and walleye from the Great Lakes.

So which fish – and how much – can I safely serve my child?

The FDA/EPA advisory says it's okay to serve your child two child-size servings a week of any fish and shellfish, other than the four you shouldn't serve at all: shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. (See special restrictions on canned tuna below.) A child-size serving is 1 ounce of fish for 1- and 2-year-olds; 1.5 ounces for children ages 3 to 6; and 2 ounces for a child over age 6.

By the way, fish sticks aren't part of this equation because they're generally low in mercury. But they're also not a good source of omega-3s.

Fish that are both low in mercury and high in healthy fats: Herring, Mackerel (Atlantic, jack, chub), Rainbow trout (farm raised), Salmon (wild or farm raised), Sardines, Whitefish, Anchovy.

Very sorry as I am unable to give you the exact links of these info but Glo assured that they are from various reliable sources :)

I've also extracted this from the net for easy reading

Extracted from Tuberose.com

My mum has always reminded me not to buy big fishes for the boys...reason being the amount of mercury content on bigger fishes which means older fishes may be more than the smaller/ younger fishes. Honestly speaking, I never check the facts but I assumed my mum is right as it does sound logic. Besides my  mum normally reads or pays attention to such info. So I always trust her advice ;p Anyway, back to the title, here's an informative personal experience about mercury poisoning for the sharing.

Mercury poisoning

31 August 2009

Taken from Paren Thots

My son is 18 months old now. We started feeding our son cod fish, and occasionally salmon since he was six months old until one year old.

We found out that he was suffering from mercury poisoning during a routine checkup when he was one.

There were no signs or symptoms of mercury poisoning. We casually asked the doctor whether it's okay to feed him cod fish (chilean sea bass) every day since we read that it contains high mercury content.

The doctor said he was not sure, but if we were worried, he could do a mercury test for my son. We found out that my son's mercury level was nearly nine times higher than the allowed level, which is less than 75. His was 622.

After a dose of DMSA (the treatment for mercury poisoning) and a few months of natural healing, his mercury level is now back to the normal range, that is 48.3.

A lot of Malaysian parents are not aware of the danger of mercury poisoning. We were very lucky to discover this even before the symptoms showed. Just imagine if your child is poisoned and you finally find out, say 10 years later when his mental and physical health have been damaged by this poisonous substance.

I strongly recommend parents take their children for a mercury test if they have been feeding their children with cod fish or any deep sea big fish which may have high mercury content.

Early detection and treatment are effective damage control for our precious children. After all, we feed them with expensive fish because we believe it is good for their brain development, right?

A concerned mom

Fish is served on alternate days for the boys (same reason as the Concerned Mom i.e. for brain development) and normally I will buy Tenggiri (Spanish mackerel) if not the black or white pompfret fish and occasionally red snapper...but last Sunday I got to know another type of fish that is good for babies/young children recommended by one of the lady fishmongers. Since the few left Tenggiri fish seemed rather 'old' I decided to try the newly introduced fish. I can't recall the name as it sounded very Chinese to me but it does sound something like "nguyen" fish... I'll have to go back to her again to ask for the actual name as the fish meat is really nice with fine and soft texture..especially good for babies who just started on solid :)

Japan, my hat off to you

It didn't register in my head how calm and civilize the Japanese are while on the road to recovery (let's pray that there'll be no repeat of a massive earthquake and Tsunami there..) until I read this article entitled "In tragedy, Japanese impress world"  this morning. Hubby and I were watching the CNN on the situation in Japan particularly on the currently seems oh so fragile nuclear plant last night. But what caught my eyes was how the houses, cars, and even aeroplanes were swept away by the huge waves as though they were of your children toys. I didn't want to watch any of the videos nor the pictures earlier on as I know it'll be too heartbreaking..and after seeing the footages last night, it confirmed my unease in watching them.. Indeed the footage moves me and my heart goes to all the people over there who have lost their loved ones and homes. May more people be rescued and that those who are wounded will have sufficient medical attention. And may those who have somehow got separated during the misfortune be reunited again especially the children and their parents...

Back to my initial thought, as the tv screen shows the aftermath tragedy especially on how the people are coping and reacting...I remembered how a lady who although was 'stucked' at her 'drown' home didn't panic when she saw the rescue team...in fact, she just wave a white cloth to inform she is there and that she is alright...another scene showed an elderly couple being helped onto a rescue boat - both of them were calm and steady..no screaming, no crying ..they just quietly and calmly got on the boat and sit down and wait for the team to rescue the other survivors...as the boat sailed away their face though sad and seem to have lots on their mind were still calm...another scene showed a mother reunited with her daughter...although both of them were hugging each other so tightly and in tears of I supposed mixture of happiness and sadness..their reaction I would say still composed..none of those screaming and yelling or dramatic scenes...after remembering these, yes, I totally agree with the article when it says "Japanese showing calm as they search for loved ones or wait for basic necessities. There is not a hint of looting or violence, even as residents line up at half-empty stores."

I have to say the Japanese absolutely impress me with their calm, cool, unruffled and composed behaviour despite the shocking and heartbreaking disaster. My hat off to all of you over there and and like the article pointed out, I hope and pray that with such fine manner, you will win more voluntary aids to help you 'rebuild' you and your country in no time. I honestly hope and pray that you will get through this day and that you'll have more strength to 'rebuild' your superb country again... I will remember you in my prayer and may God bless all of you..

Ban on BPA bottles starting March 2012

I just read this on the paper after lunch today...glad to hear that the government is finally going to ban those polycarbonate milk bottles. So yeah..always go for non-BPA milk bottles :)

Ban on polycarbonate milk bottles from next year

By LESTER KONG

Published: Monday March 14, 2011 MYT 1:06:00 PM

PUTRAJAYA: Milk bottles for infants made with polycarbonates containing the chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) will be outlawed from March 1 next year.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the Cabinet had decided to ban such milk bottles due to BPA's risk to infant hormone systems.

"The enforcement will be made in stages and the industry is given one year to comply by making changes to their machines and buying new raw materials," Liow told a press conference on Monday.

Enforcement from March 1, 2012, will be done according to provisions in the Food Regulations 1985 under the Food Act 1983.

Liow said the move was in line with the World Health Organisation's recommendations, adding that the European Union (EU) had also made a similar announcement earlier this March to make the ban effective in June for EU member countries.

BPA is used to make baby milk bottles because it made the plastic translucent and stiffer while those without BPA had a less clear and dirtier look to it.

Source: The Star Online

Red red wine

I believe most people will have their one particular favourite colour. But if you ask me what is my favourite colour, I won't be able to tell you what exactly it is as my favourite choice of colour varies depending on my mood. I love all sort of colours especially the bright colours e.g. orange, baby blue, apple green, lilac etc (joy, happiness, love, children etc), pastel colours offwhite in any tone e.g. blue, green, pink and cream,  (soothing, calm, peace, harmony..), earthly colours e.g. brown, beige, earthly green (natural, keep feet on the ground feeling), and bold colours e.g. red, black, silver, bronze (firm, all out, strong, bold, determine, elegance, maturity). And no, don't ask me I should be able to pick one from those many colors as my fave as I will not be able to do so...like I said, it all depends on the mood I am :)

So you may ask what is my fave colour now? Well, currently I'm into RED! Yes, red since end of last year from Xmas to NY to CNY till now red has been my choice of favourite colour... I'm not sure how long this will last but at the moment I'm loving RED :)

Hubby bought this handbag (I was really tempted to get this but luckily I felt in love with this one especially with the 50% discount and it is 10 times cheaper!!)  for me before 2010 ended but I only started using it on Saturday..was too busy to unload and clear my old handbag...show how much rubbish I have in my handbag hehehe... Well, I think most people will know especially my hubby, mom and MIL how heavy my handbag is ;p

and yes of coz I need a matching wallet ;p

and a red bag organizer too...

and thank goodness my lappy, mousy and hp are already of the same tone ;p

and I have a matching shoes as well ;p (oh please ignore the dry wrinkly feet and without colours on me nails...I used to be diligent in applying lotion on my feet before bedtime but am too lazy to splash some lotion on them after my first pregnancy ;p)

of course I don't  forget my 'ang pow' boys :)

and I've been wanting to use this pic but was too lazy to blog about it but thought it is perfect to use with my red red wine entry ;p This group photos was taken during our annual dinner committee member photo shoot last year...I love that the red colour brightens up the photo ;p

My family through the eyes of Aishah

We have a special visitor at work today and she is a very artistic and talented little lady...see her drawing of my family...yeah she pays attention to details that she is able to highlight my thick lips and Eli's spikey hair ;p

..based on this picture....

..and am not putting her fabulous effort into waste so it became my first new office wall decor ;p

Thanks to our special guest, my wall doesn't look so empty anymore ;p

and if you wonder who's that lilttle lady is, here she is - meet Aishah, the little artist ..aren't she adorable :) 
She's the lovely daughter of my colleague Neneth :) 

To Aishah, thank you so much for your special piece of art..indeed a priceless masterpiece worth keeping!  And as an appreciation of your hard work, Tante Joyce dedicate this special entry just for you ;p Keep up the good work as who knows you might be the next Picasso ;p

Aishah & myself :)

Us again with her masterpiece behind ;p

1 Year Old Eli

Yay!! Eli turns 1 today...how time flies and my precious lil' guy is growing up so fast!

Happy 1st Birthday my cutie pie...Daddy, Mummy and KoKo Ethan love you very very much....hugs and kisses...

As of 8th March Eli weights 9.05kg and is 75.5cm in length...more about him in my next entries especially on his 1st Birthday Bash and his Baptism. Stay tune ;p

Oh BTW, you can have a sneak preview on Eli's birthday party at Glo's from Inspired By Gavin Such lovely pics she took! Oh..Glo specializes in taking children and children events using natural light photography...you can contact her if you wish to engage her fine services :)

5 Tips to Develop Positive Kids

I received this in my inbox today and thought it is a good article as reference and reminder for me. Hope you'll find it useful too :)

5 TIPS TO DEVELOP POSITIVE KIDS

 I have a confession. Despite the fact that I work to develop positive leaders, schools and teams, I’m not naturally a positive person. The research says it’s not my fault. Turns out some people are born with a more positive disposition while others are born with more of a negative disposition. But there is hope. The latest research in neuroscience and positive psychology demonstrates that we can mold our brains and ourselves to be more positive, which is great news for me and my children.

For the past ten years I’ve researched and practiced countless strategies to enhance positivity. I’ve worked really hard at becoming more positive which I guess is why I’ve become a good teacher. I’ve seen the fruits of these efforts in my life and in the people I’ve taught—most importantly my own children. I’ve seen how simple strategies and daily rituals can make a tremendous impact on their mindset, belief system and outlook on life.

I believe that positive kids become positive adults and as parents we can play a significant role in shaping our children’s perspective and mindset. In this spirit I want to share with you several tips to develop positive kids.

1. Success of the Day - Each night before bed, at dinner or while taking an after dinner walk ask your children their success of the day. The success could be a great conversation, an accomplishment at school, something they are proud of, a situation where they helped someone, etc. The important thing is to help them focus on accomplishments instead of failures. When we help our children expect success, look for success, and celebrate success they find more success and gain more confidence. Of course they need to learn from their mistakes and failures, but let’s help them to not dwell on them.

2. Bedtime Prayer - A ritual such as this provides your children with a foundation of peace, security, and confidence that gives them the strength to take on the daily challenges of being a child.

3. Implement the No Complaining Rule - It’s a simple rule that says you’re not allowed to complain unless you identify one or two possible solutions to your complaint. This empowers children to become a driver of their bus instead of being a passenger griping on the bus. They also learn to use complaints as a catalyst for positive change and positive action. Visit www.NoComplainingRule.com

4. Teach them the Positive Shark Formula, E + P = 0 - This is from my latest book, The Shark and The Goldfish, which is a story about a nice and positive shark who teaches Gordy the goldfish how to overcome his fear of change and find food. After all, Goldfish wait to be fed. Sharks go find food. The formula reveals that we can’t control the (E) Events in our life. But we can control our (P) Positive Response to these events and our response determines the (O) outcome. This formula helps children develop a strong locus of control which is a perspective that through their beliefs and actions they have an influence on their life. They come to believe that they are not a victim of circumstance but rather a hero in their own inspirational tale and that they can turn their challenges into opportunities and transform bad events into good outcomes. This helps them stay optimistic and believe that their best days are ahead of them, not behind them.

5. Feel Blessed instead of Stressed - As parents we need to realize that children, like adults, deal with a lot of stress...and stress is the enemy of positivity. Well, the great news is that when you are feeling blessed you can’t be stressed. The research says we can’t be stressed and thankful at the same time. Thus, a simple ritual is to help your children identify 3 things they are thankful for each day. You can create a gratitude journal together or you can encourage them to write these blessings on their blog, diary or simply talk about them at dinner. And anytime they are feeling stressed you can encourage them to recall something they are thankful for.

I encourage you to think of your child’s mind like a garden. Each day you want to help them weed their negative thoughts and plant positive thoughts. One day of weeding and planting won’t do much. However if you practice these strategies each day, over a week, a month, a year, a lifetime, the garden grows more healthy and vibrant. Nurture your child. Take time to coach them and nourish them with lots of love and positive energy and you shall see the fruits of your efforts.

Stay Positive,

- Jon 

© The Jon Gordon Companies, Inc - www.JonGordon.com | 904.285.6842 | Info@JonGordon.com

Men in uniform

He might not be a man yet but to me he does look good in his school uniform ;p

Finally, after weeks of waiting, he finally gets to wear his new uniform along with his new white rubber shoes & socks. The look of a growing boy... I loike :)

This is what friends are for ;p

Aren't life more interesting when you have colorful and beautiful 'background' in your life heeee ;p

BTW, nice pose Yato! Wakakakaka...