An Eden Of Nature & Animals - Farm in the City

On 6th of December 2015, we visited a place called Farm In The City. It is situated at Sri Kembangan. Easy to find this place using Waze. Good place to bring kids, if you are not planning to go to the zoo. Even though this place does not have the full range of animals, but it is not too bad. I think what makes this place unique it works some sort of petting zoo where kids can experience touching the animals and see them roam freely. 

The entrance fee is RM32 for an adult and RM27 for a child. They do have family packages available too. Plenty of animals to see - divided by its own farms such as reptiles cavern, turtle & tortoise farm, aviary. They have few sessions of feeding activities such as otter feeding, parrot show, cute raccoon feeding, rabbit & guinea pigs feeding etc. Kids will enjoy pony ride (of course it comes with cost!), fish and swan feeding. They also can try to catch fish using the bucket (if they are lucky). They call it 'Traditional Longkang-Fishing Stream. They get the hold snakes, chicks and other 'safe' animals. There are also vegetable and fruits farms. It is good educational trip for kids. Something different for them to experience.

Hi 5 Show in KL 2015

If there was something extraordinary happened to me in 2015 then it must be this. Not sure how it happened though because it was never expected. Well, things happens unexpectedly, is that what you called luck?

With this, I was able to bring my the little one to the Hi 5 House of Dreams show for 2015 at Istana Budaya, KL on 12th of December. The tickets being more expensive than Disney show, it was a worthwhile lucky win!

To make things even more sweeter, the win also included the Meet & Greet session with the crews. The overall 1.5 hours show was energetic and entertaining for the already excited kids. It was full house. Too many kids who are just crazy of this team! Anyways, it was something unforgettable! Blessed just to be able to make the kids happy!

Criticism vs Kindness

I was on the way to office when I read a story (a real story by the way) on the radio. The deejay mentioned that there a 41-year old lady queuing up to buy coffee and donuts for her two kids. Then, she heard few women at the back of her called her ‘whale’. Now, that’s enough to cause someone to feel demotivated and allow some bad mood to set in. Most probably, she would pass the reactions of her bad mood to her kids too. No more sunshine.  Or she might vow to herself that she would prove those ladies wrong. Undertake some kind of exercises or diet to lose weight. Feeling of dejection is intolerable. There are so many bad auras associated with low self-esteem.

But, what amazed us was instead of feeling demotivated this lady chose to buy coffee for her newly found friends. Now, how many of us can do this? Do you think you can accept it when people talks bad about you? Can you digest criticism? Do you think you have that ability to shut off negativity from entering your mind? Or rather why is it we feel so easy to allow and feel negativities? We think we can embrace negative better than positive vibes? Or most importantly, can we turn negativity around, see it in different perspective and present it in a positive way?

Some thinks it might be related to genetics. I just feel I’m born with it they say. I’m so attracted with it that when people start being pessimistic, I find myself incline to it. “Work is so boring”, I heard one my colleague saying. I have 2 options, instead of saying, “Ya, I feel bored too” or “Be happy you have job”. Yes, you are allowed to feel bored. The question is what you are doing to cure your boredom. So, you think you have this wonderful ability? It is really a skill we can master? I seriously think this is very vital in our daily life especially when we are not in control of others. To start with be grateful with what you have and the best thing is you can change and control within your means. Try this for once. Return kindness to someone who hurt your feelings. Experiment it and lets rejoice the outcome.

School Holiday Program For Kids 2015

The school holidays are back again.Time for parents to take break is here. Some may sleep a bit longer. Some might take leave and relax with kids. Some might have planned holidays long time ago and its time to execute the plan.

No matter what you have decided, there are few places around PJ and KL area worth to be checked out :-

Petrosains
It's Yay! Time @Petrosains! Check out here for some fun programs.

Circus Time 
Who does not care for FREE SHOWS? Check this out happening at Subang Parade!

Fun with CraftyMinds
Plenty of excitements here for various age groups.

Lara's Place
Activities lined up at Lara's! enough to keep kids entertained.

Learn English @BC
Check out their programs at here.

Fun4Kids
For a real serious fun stuffs here!

STEM Exploration Centre
This would be interesting! Check out this place!

Happy exploring!

Reflection

I looked at the mirror today and saw my reflection which brought me back to my senses, what's happening I asked ?

At the brink of flipping thru another decade...

Little that she realised it was a complete switchover...

From an outspoken to think-before you speak. From a chatty person to a quiet one. From a argumentative person to a swallow-everything. She thought she was on top of the world. She had everything with her. Career, money and most importantly the freedom. Was she told that this world is round ? Was she told nothing is permanent ? 

Then there was a breeze. It was so cold that it numbed her.  Series of events was about to change her perspective on everything.  She thought or rather she assumed things would be sweet, rosy and cosy. But alas, first lesson was to realise she could only plan but did she ask the God of He likes it or not ? 

Therefore, she learnt she could only plan but God decides. Then, she thought she could beat this thing but it was too powerful. It is called karma. When it is meant to happen it is really meant to happen.  She loved to potray herself as a strong willed, very independent and kind of do everything by herself. Soon, she knew she was wrong too. In this world it depends what role are you playing. It is no longer about adopting i-know-it-all attitude. It's about fitting into different hats. And it is all about people.  This was second lesson.  
Third lesson was to appreciate.  As maturity sets in she was able to see life in a bigger view. Things that she took for granted once, more like sort of leisure are no longer the same. Life has changed. 

Acceptance was a cliche. Now it is slowly sinking into her like a sponge thrown into water. She used to argue and rebel putting her feet firm on what she thought was right. She was so adamant to prove herself right. It was so crucial and important for her. Eventually her mind started to digest to accept it than rather than opposing. Her mind told her, sorry, it's ain't easy. 
Where's is my future? She started to look for eternal satisfaction. Why it seems nothing I do for myself ? She questioned herself. She started to realize life has robbed one decade out of her. She looked back. She could not find the answer. But there is nothing she can change. She accepted the truth that what is meant to happen is meant to happen. 

Happiness at the greater intensity and volume is different. There's no turning back for her.  She has put her foot into it. She has to manage it somehow. All she knows is she's no longer the same person she used to be. She has mellowed. If keeping mum at certain times would save bitter moments she would do it. She is becoming good in barter trade. Sort of 'I want this, so I will give you that'. It is no longer 'Okay, I want to do this, so let's do it'. It's more like think before you do anything. Think 1001 times questioning and justifying why it has to be done. She goes across the waves, fights against her wills for benefits of others. She has become a candle which burns herself to keep the rest alive. 

Now she has to establish her identity. She has passed thru the critical moments of her life. Seems like she's in quest to search for the 'thing'. Eternity. Meanwhile, life is not over yet for her. In fact it has just started. It's brand new chapter. Waiting to be written. Good or bad ? Only God decides. But she's wiser now. She knows how to move her cards. Nevertheless, what's in store for all of us ??

Baking with kids - idea for weekend

If you are looking for something to do with your kids, this is it. It is steamed banana cupcake! Healthy food for kids and even for adults. Thanks to this blog's post, you get yummy tasting cupcakes via Food4Tots.

With the little helper to mash the bananas, beat the eggs and scoop the mixture, they can do more things than you think. This recipe yields around 12 cute looking cupcakes. 

My very first attempt of making steamed cakes!

Next would be my little helper's favorite - Steamed Chocolate Banana cupcakes!

Express Yourself! ~ All About Your Presentation Skills

The normal day-to-day routine was broken for the last two days. But, it was all for good. I attended a training for corporate called 'Express Yourself'. Basically, it is all about tips and tricks of good presentation skills. Good experience, great exposure :-)

First, overcome your nervousness!

How do you do this? Calm yourself down by taking few deep breaths. Or you can opt to do 'Brain Gym' techniques. Try out one of this activity. This activity will stimulate your left and right brain. 

What if you are still nervous? Try below points:

1. Turn your nervousness (negative energy) to positive

2. Engage into exercise to ease tension

3. Refrain your negative thoughts

4. Think of positive events in your life

5. Organise and rehearse

6. Use anchoring (for eg. pat your shoulder)

7. Powerful act - SMILE

There are 2 parts of delivering successful presentation - the way you present and your slide deck.

Presentation slides (tips & tricks)

1. Use maximum of 4 colors

2. Use font size of 30 or 32, colors should not be too bright (remember any color on white will make eyes tired)

3. Data should be in point forms (highlight & explain as you go thru the points)

4. Use visual aids appropriately (make sure it is relevant to your content)

5. Limit text on visual

6. Use statistics, graphs, comparisons, findings, blow out texts or pictures

You as a presenter :

1. Know your audience

2. Start with opening, body and closing. Opening is powerful when you involve your audience with multimedia presentation aids, props or questions, counter tension/ice breakers, tell popular quotes, use impactful statements, metaphors. Capture your audience.

3. Show confidence, avoid clasping hands, avoid touching your hair, keep your hands to your side. Use gestures, body language

4. Engage your audience. Ask questions. 

5. Avoid saying "Sorry","I think..", "But..", "However.."

6. Include humor

7. Must include - purpose, objective, strategies, action

8. Use tonality, high & low pitch

9. Eye Contact with audience

10. Use props (flipcharts). Remember, write, turn to audience and talk.

11. Response positively to audience's questions. (Say thanks, acknowledge). Avoid negative comments.

There are many CEOs out there has given remarkable and memorable presentation, one of it is Steve Job's product launch.

Practice makes perfect - very true in delivering an impactful presentation :-)

The wholesome of WHOLEGRAINS!

Grains, grains and grains. This is what the whole world is talking about. Eating healthy and staying healthy. So, it has to be wholesome grains! Now, I learn something today. As usual, when we talk about grains, what comes to mind are items such as rice, pasta, bread and noodles etc.

But, do you understand when people talk about polished and refined products? In summary, whole grain is the most nutritious because it is not 'processed' and wholegrain contains minerals, vitamins and rich in dietary fiber. 'Processed' grains may not contain the 'kernels' whereby components of 'kernel' are defined as 'bran', 'germ' and 'endosperm'. 

Now, the interesting facts are :
Whole grains - contains 'bran', 'germ' and 'endosperm'
Whole meal - 'bran', 'germ' and 'endosperm' and refined into a finer texture

To reap the benefits, go for whole grains!
There are many health benefits associated with whole grains such as reducing cardiovascular diseases, improves bowel health and reduces diabetes.


Get more details at NutriWEB! 

LO's Journey at Smart Reader Kids

LO was in Smart Reader Kids, Bt 3, Jln Ipoh for 4 years (2010-2014). When she was 2.5 years, I knew that I need to go on preschool hunting very soon. It was not my plan to enroll her in preschool at such a tender age. But, situation was not at my side. I was not in favor our shop lot preschools, but I thought why not just give a try. I met the principle, she appeared very outspoken, passionate and able to explain very well. In my opinion, we as parents must look for a good principle. I always believe a good school's management lies in their principle's hand.

I checked out another branch of Smart Reader Kids too, this was nearer to home, but I was not convinced after talking to the principal. There goes my lo's preschool started at the age of 3. Too young, some would say, but I guess it depends on their parents as they know the best. The first year was very easy going, lots of fun activities, teachers were good, passionate about kids. This is very important to develop strong bond with young children. Being a preschool teacher is not an easy task. I observed the teachers in this center, they are trained to handle any situations with kids. I was quite worried at first, but my lo blended well after first few days. 

This center runs their own day care programme with additional classes for English, Maths and Bahasa Malaysia. On Saturdays, they also have tutorials for various subjects. My lo happily graduated from Smart Reader in November 2014. I would say experience and exposure matters for young kids. Apart from having yearly concert and sports day, this center is very active in extra curricular for kids. This involves field trips to places such as Kidszania, Zoo Negara, KL Bird Park, Animal Park at Sri Kembangan, National Science Center and many more. At every special occasions such as Mother's Day, the kids get to perform for their parents. When they are 5 or 6 years old, they are encouraged to participate in events such as Story Telling and Talent Show Competition. In 2013, this center's kids made their principal proud by becoming first runner up in the Talent Competition. They also clinched second place in Champs Champion Pre-School Talent in 2014. I feel this kind of involvement is vital for kids to express themselves, build their confidence and courage. 

Few more SR Bt 3 Kids performances can be viewed here (courtesy by an unknown who uploaded the videos) :
Rasa Sayang Dance
Roar by Katy Perry 
Sports Day 2013
SR Bt 3 Kids On News

Last year, this center was featured in The Star's Higher Education newspaper section. The article was about their IEP (Intensive English Programme). 
Below is the article :

*Note: The picture is intentionally removed to protect privacy of kids & principal

Overall, I didn't regret my LO spent her precious years in this center. She made many friends. She still enjoys going to their School Holiday Programs. The child's happiness matters most!

Book Review #5 - Three Good Things

3 Good Things by Wendy Francis. Bought this book during the BBW sale. Only RM8. I expected this book to be good but it was a boring read. First half of the story was less interesting as the author spins thru 3 important characters in this book - Ellen,  Lanie and Rob.  In 40s, Ellen runs a pastry shop specialising in selling Kringle (I learnt something new). Definition of "Kringle" says this. It's basically called pretzels.

Lanie, younger sister of Ellen,  married with a young son and Rob Lanie's husband. As the author explains the feelings of 3 different characters of the story, we can basically relate to our lives as well. Relationship among sisters, life after marriage and bonds between mother and daughters. It was an easy read. No mind boggling suspense and thrills. Although towards the end there was a twist when Ellen was unexpectedly got herself pregnant. Then, came the urge to know the ending of the story as what decision would Ellen undertake. That kept me turning the pages till its completion. Each of new chapter comes with a quote which I thought was quite interesting. There are 2 particular quotes which I liked.

"The mother's day is not an eight-hour day. It is twenty-four-hour day. She is never free. No wonder she is tired and impatient sometimes - Talk to Mothers (1920)

"Be glad that your children have enterprise and invention...Do not say, 'You must keep still.  I can't hear so much noise. Can't you ever be quiet?' Rejoice that your children are alive and well - Talk to Mothers (1920)

The last quote is so powerful which every parent should remind themselves over and over. It is the hardest time in parenting when you cannot control your emotions when you are mentally and physically tired while on the other hand your children are demanding for your attention. Nevertheless, we should make an attempt or try not to be carried away by emotions. Parenting is one tough job.

Feeling little curious, I googled about the author of the above quotes and found out that it is actually a book by Lucy Wheelock (1922). Amazingly such an old book. Almost 100 years! I must explore more on this when time permits!

~ End of review

It Was Sharkie's Time!

So, this week's art time we decided to give a try for a craft from Easy, Peasy and Fun. I like this website. As the title says it has lots of easy activities for kids. We decided to make a shark cootie catcher. It is an origami art. Super easy!

Good thing they have a downloadable template for this activity but we modified the steps so my little one will have some fun with paints. So, rather than using the provided template, we used a paper, drew the lines as per instructions and we colored it with paints.

Of course with paints, we expected some mess. Waited for some time for the paint to dry. And the little one wanted to do a scary, ferocious shark, so why not just let her do what she wished for. It seems it is a female shark so she added a bow too on top of the two big, round eyes.

And..here is the result, after folding the paper...I think it turned out to be a really scary one!

With the jagged uneven teeth, this shark might scare off other fishes too. We also tried another craft, an accordion paper snake. Easy to make. Kids can do it on their own too.

2 accordion snakes which my little said, the long one is mama snake and the short one is baby snake. And she asked where is papa snake. I said that one ran away (ooppss!).

A Rare Act Of Kindness Captured

There is a story which I wish to tell. It happened quite some time ago. It was real though. I think it is worth to be penned down. It was night time. Around 8 o'clock. Then, came the distress call from someone dear to me. Any calls received at night is enough to bring shivers, so I listened attentively. Okay, this person who called was stranded at the road side. His car could not be started. Battery died. End of it.

So we rushed to the place, good thing it was not so far from the house (lucky day for him!). We tried to somehow try to 'troubleshoot' and 'fix' it but we were not so lucky. With no jumpers we could not anything either. We were at wits end and about to give up to make decision to call the tow truck or mechanic, then this happenend...you may call it as 'miracle'.

A guy on bike approached us out of nowhere. He inquired what was the problem, so we told him the issue. Without hesitating, he summoned us to stay put and hang on. He said he would be back. What was he up to? So many questions lingered in our mind. Could he be genuine? Would he want to rob us? We didn't know. Nevertheless, we waited as though we knew the answer would be good.

Then he re-appeared with jumper cables. He told us he went back home to get it. He helped us to fix it. We offered him some cash for helping us. But he profusely declined. He said his 'God' do not allow him to accept money as he was just helping us. 

I'm just thinking, this world is not that bad as we perceive. There are bunch of good people around us. We need to find them. How? By doing good things towards others. As famous saying : What goes around, comes around...

---> Reminder to myself.

Hula Girls

Found this website which has plenty of good stuffs. So decided to do something with my little one, eagerly, anticipating some moments of fun. And, we thought of making 2 hula puppets, adapted from MollyMooCrafts. Instead of toilet rolls, we had a kitchen tissue roll, apparently just ran out of tissues recently. Good!

Too long, so we cut it into 2. 

Next, I got the ever ready professional painter-turn-messy to paint it. She was happy doing it. With of course smearing some paint on her face and legs. But, its okay...cleaning up mess is my job, accepted it with my full heart :-)

And the outcome is 2 fully completed biege colored rolls.

Next, we got few attractive pink color papers as their skirts and wrapped around the rolls. Get my LO to draw the eyes, noses and mouths. So tempted to correct her each time, but I understand this is her "project" so gotta let her manage herself. 

Added some colored papers as their hairs and some flowers to be adorned. And here is the completed hula girls!

Looks funny with their suppose-to-be coconut shell bikinis. Anyways, it is a good activity to fill up free time when books are not in favor :-)

Swim Your Way Out

Today, I realized that I have forgotten about my parents wedding anniversary date. It was already due for a week. I wish them every year without fail. But not this year.  I dropped a message to both of them. And my dad replied, "Finally, you remembered!". I said, "Ya, too many things lately". He replied back, "Life is like that. You got to 'swim' ". Swim???
Ya, I think I can decipher that. We are not talking some alien language here? Don't we? I thought I can make some sense out of it. For someone who have lived almost 3/4 of his life, experienced enough, tasted almost all kind of tastes, sour, bitter, sweet, you name it, his life lessons are just too many. 
Therefore, I can figure it out. He meant to say, even though life gets tougher, you got to find your way out. You got to somehow find some solution for your self rather than sitting down and sulking. The trigger point to change your self is in your hands. No one else can help you out but yourself. Obstacles are meant to be faced, not to be shooed away. The battle is for you to win. If you 'swim' harder without giving up, you will succeed. What he  says there is no life without challenges. In fact life will not be called as LIFE if you don't face difficulties. It comes in a package. 
Sometimes, I used to sit and ponder. How could they 'survive' through their relationship for so long? In my early days, I used to observe several occurrences, well, I would say or anticipate almost gonna-be-erupted volcanoes. But always there would be someone pulled off or rather give away. Guess this is how it should be. In a broader picture, it is all about tolerance and perseverance. And of course, appreciation. If you think life as complicated, then it is complicated. Actually it will be complicated if you think it is complicated. Our mind translates into actions based on how we think. Great piece of reminder to keep our lives going...

Empathy

Empathy simply means "Empathy is the capacity to understand what another person is experiencing from within the other person's frame of reference, i.e., the capacity to place oneself in another's shoes." ~ extracted from Wikipedia.I was reading this article http://www.positive-parents.org/2012/07/ignoring-their-cries.html and I realized it was not really the article which sort of disturbed me. The article described about realities faced by many parents these days. Kids. Challenges. Tantrums. Understanding them was never an easy task. Each of them are unique in their own ways. There is no fixed methodology to handle them but parents need to tailor made their attempts and efforts to understand their behaviors. 

So often we are lost in our own world. There are many of us wear different kinds of hats every day. We are too engrossed in our thoughts and often forget our roles. This article reflects my own self. As if I was looking at myself in the mirror. Sad to say but it is true. Time to wake up and get back to the routines to add values to myself. So I don't get too 'lost' and I have to remind myself over and over. There were many comments posted by readers on this article. The key point is we should treat and see our kids as human themselves. An interesting note says "You're not managing an inconvenience, you're raising a human being. - Kittie Frantz". If they are complaining there is something bothering them and they are not satisfied. They need to be understood in a better way and not to be brushed off. 

Empathy does not only applies for adults but also to kids. Practice empathy, show them what you would like to see in them. It takes time and efforts but that is why you are given the role. --> Reminder for myself.

Life is ... To Be Appreciated !

Book Review #4 - The Girl On The Train

Here comes the 4th book review for the year The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins. It has been quite some time since I last read a thriller. I would admit it was hard to put the book down. It was interesting enough to keep me wondering till the end which I think is a plus point for the author. For every thriller, it is important to let the readers keep guessing until they find the answer.

This 316-page book has few characters. Sometimes it was confusing. But, it was a good read though. Something different. The main character who takes the train everyday, passes by the same place each time and builds her imagination which came true at the end of the day. It was a twist at the end. Good ending. I was moved by good reviews of this book which triggered me to buy it. It was Paula Hawkin's first thriller. Not bad for a first timer :-)

While reading the reviews, I came across 'Gone Girl'. Next book, maybe ? :-)

~ End of review ~

Silent Mentor

I came across this term while browsing for some information on body donation. Then this term popped up. I was curious to know more about it. Having to know such thing exists here from someone makes me to crave for more information. Then, I got to know there is an organisation who helps people fulfill their desire. It is a collaboration of Tzu-Chi University in Taiwan with UMMC's M.I.L.E.S brings a programme called Silent Mentor. If you were to put in a blunt way - it is basically donating your body (of course after you are deceased) to the hospital for medical research. People call you as being a silent mentor because your lifeless body will be used by doctors for experimental purposes. So basically, indirectly, you are contributing or enriching knowledge of doctors by "teaching" them. It is a noble act.
Malaysia's first pair of Silent Mentor are featured here. Another heart felt story captured here. UMMC's M.I.L.E.S stands for Minimally Invasive Laparo-Endoscopic Surgery. It is a Skill/Training Centre which accommodate medical studies. By reading testimonies of the donors, clearly shows it is not an easy decision to make. It requires lots of mental strength for one to agree. It is not only about the person themselves, it is also about the loved ones around them. It is a very sensitive issue. It may not be accepted by everyone. It can be due to their personal beliefs or religions.
What triggered me to go deep into this was a personal account from someone dear to me who shared his experience of attending Silent Mentor workshop programme. It is quite a lengthy process which involves few workshops with doctors and it can go across few days. I guess the most traumatic time would be the session with silent mentors' family. I can't imagine how they feel during this time. Apparently, during one of the workshops which was held end of last year involved a silent mentor who hailed from my hometown. It was described that his/her mum was crying throughout the sharing session. Indeed, it was heart wrenching moments.
This programme is kind of new here. It is entirely different than organ donation. Totally a different concept. I wish to be a silent mentor too.One day. If time permits, maybe. It is nothing gratifying than to know you are making a difference in a doctor's life even when you are no more in this world. We shall see what God has in store for me ;-) 

Discoveria @Avenue K

It was a sudden plan to visit this place called Discoveria at Avenue K last weekend. It was enough to get the kid excited just by mentioning the place contains some 'dinosaurs' :-)

The tickets to the entrance was RM35 for a kid and RM25 for an adult. Wondering why it is expensive for kids? Because this Dinoscovery is basically for them!

There are lots of activities for kids from posing as an explorer to digging of some fossils. There are plenty of dinosaurs in here so it is good place to learn about them. The dinosaurs are animated, it moves in some kind of motion with sounds (quite loud to scare my little one!)

The kids gets to do their own dino quest with a map, coloring and playing with volcano simulator. 

Interesting to know different kinds of dinos

Entrance

Tag for the little explorer

Unfinished coloring :-)

Dino egg? 

"Thanks for bringing me, home", says Diplodocus (if I got the name right :-))

We get to take pictures too at the designated photo booths. The pictures are then sold back to visitors (good way to make money!).

It is not considered a visit if we don't bring back something from the place, so my little one set her eye on the pink color dinosaur plush costs RM30 (they said it is promo price). We shall see how long will this dino lasts :-)

Basically, even though it is quite pricey for maybe 1-1.5hours spent inside the 'park', I guess it is okay just to entertain the kids. Of course, we, adults also learn about dinosaurs, some facts are amusing as it can be!

Book Review #3 - The Seventeen Second Miracle

The 291 page Seventeen Second Miracle book was written by Jason F.Wright. This book is all about miracles. It is not in form of big miracles but just small little things that happens in life. First few chapters was a bit confusing as story spans across decades. But after that it gets interesting as the author tries to link histories. It is important to keep reading this book till the end, after some time you will tend to forget who is who. 

Basically it is about a man who retells his dad's stories and memories. Why 17 seconds? He said it took that much of time which got him distracted and costed him a life. And that incident turned his life over and prompted him to perform 17 seconds miracles in form of helping people. He passed it down to his son who now in turn runs workshops, sharing his dad's life stories and educates kids to do miracles to others. 

I bought this book in BBW sale along with other books. Got attracted by the title. This is an interesting read. Every chapter consist of few pages only, making it easy and keeps me motivated to finish it :-)

At the end, you are encouraged to perform your own miracles and keep a log of miracles others performed on you. It is always good to remember and appreciate good things in your life after all !

~ End of review ~

Little Happiness & Appreciation

Today, I received something special from a friend. I called it special because not everyday we receive anything from others. If someone gives you something it means that you are being remembered and you have crossed that person's mind which in turn triggered some actions. So, it is worth appreciating it. It is a big thing actually. In this busy life when everything seems to run faster than we what we think, it is hard to pause. Often, we lost ourselves in our daily routine. We are too engrossed in executing our plans for the day, we forget to stop. We let ourselves to be fooled. 

Little chocolate box from a friend ~ yummy!

Fooled by situations which we have no control at all. Rather than focusing on things which can't be changed, we can focus on things we can control. Let the time heals and let nature takes its own course. Better this way, we can shift our attentions to stuffs which we really need to think of. Life is learning, it is only making us better each day - only when we are receptive and accept things as they are.

Port Dickson - 15/03/15

Wow, what a trip.  It was full of mixed emotions. Till I was speechless to an extent it does not matter. Lexis - u gotta wait some time to meet us. This time we were not lucky enough to stay here, maybe better luck next time. This was my second outing with a big family. Let's start the review right away. I was not so excited about this trip though. I always have a bad impression about Port Dickson beaches - dirty. I had not been here for centuries thus the last impression stuck in my head like a sore thumb. Nevertheless, we need to count our blessings, right? Our day started at Teluk Kemang beach. A place buzzing with activities. This is a public beach with plenty of food stores and public washrooms. Well, I should say the beach here was quite clean. Surprised, though. A few hours of water treatment was good. And of course with 100 bucks worth of speed boat ride for 14 people. Better than nothing for an outdoor, nature lover like me.

Teluk Kemang 

The best beach in PD is Cahaya Negeri.  There is a honest and good review on beaches and resorts in PD here. I think he is right. Located at a strategic place just opposite Bayu Beach Resort, this beach is a perfect place for relaxation.  Bayu Beach resort is recommended for families as it is apartment based with rooms. An ideal place for those who wanted to enjoy the beach and conveniently, resort is just a walking distance. Maybe because it is tagged as best beach in town, water here is clear, far better than other beaches. Overall, Bayu Beach Resort's accommodation was okay, rooms are big, clean, everything was working as it should. No cooking facilities though. No microwave. They do provide electric kettle. Quite number of people can be seen here although not so crowded as in Teluk Kemang. Mostly I would say those are guests staying at Bayu Beach.

View from balcony

Beach front

Pantai Cahaya Negeri 

My own foot print :)

That's all from me this time. More to come soon....

Book Review #2 : How To Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk

Here comes the second book review for the year - How to talk so kids will listen & listen so kids will talk. Another publication of Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish, experts in parenting. There are many interesting points to note in this book. There are plenty of interesting cartoons, making it more enjoyable to read this book. 

There are subjects which are debatable. How often should you praise your child? Is praising good for your child? You can find the answer in this book. It opens up your mind to explore how the kids think. You will learn how to see from your kids' point of view. It is good as modern parenting is concerned, parents need to master important skills in order to handle their kids.

Few notable points :

You got to help your kids with their feelings. Let them know you acknowledge their feelings when they feel grumpy, sad, angry etc. Assist them to understand their own emotions.

A direct and straight to the points statements may not work. Be descriptive and try to explain the situation or problems. When are there are problems, explain consequences of it. Explain how you feel may help too.

Here comes the interesting one. Alternatives to punishments. This may mean you need to give choices. Or just sternly express your disapproval and state your expectations. Or take it to another level - problem solving. This may reduce lots of stress parents need to endure.

To encourage kids to open up, sometimes you should talk less. Maybe just lend an attentive ear. Always allow them to make their choices. It would help to be more confident of themselves. Also asking open ended questions might help rather than pointing to answer straight away. 

Praising might help. But we need to cautious not to overuse it. Be descriptive. For eg. "I see you have done 2 pages of your homework without my help" rather than "You are brilliant, you are so good!"

Model the behavior you would want to see. Offer or allow kids to do few house chores when they are ready. It makes them feel important and worthwhile. 

~ End of review ~

Till You Walk No More

Cooking gives little happiness!

I decided that I should try to cook more frequently this year. An easy resolution is to get my 'lil one to eat more vegetables. Broccoli ? It looks like a tiny tree and it taste bland. Not nice. She says. Stir fry broccoli,  carrots, capsicum with soy and oyster sauce. Taste good to me but not to my 'lil one. 

How about some snacks to go with chili sauce ? So I decided to try out this recipe. A little practise makes perfect. It was not too bad for the first time try. The catch it to make a thick batter to coat the florets. Will sure to try this some other time. 

And, oh, yes, she did try a few with her favorite chili sauce. And now, I have plenty of left over oil from the earlier deep frying. So, I ended up trying out another new recipe from Hungry Caterpillar blog. Stumbled upon this recipe while browsing the other day. Wanted to give a try as it is simple to do and something different compared to conventional method I know. It turned out well and adds to my collection recipes.

There was another recipe which I love to cook, again and again even though takes time to prepare, but it tastes good, full of aromas and goes well with everything. Love yummy mushrooms! Gotta look for more recipes to be tried! 

You are LOVED by Him!

If sea bed is your final resting 
Please let the sea angels guide you 
Deep down in unknown place 
Where you lay till eternity 
May peace surrounds you
Where no worries can be found 
Together with the blessings of the God
To keep you with Him forever 
In His loving and caring arms 
He's the Greatest, He loves you more than anyone else 
He decided you belong to Him now
Rest in peace passengers of QZ8501!

Book Review #1 - How To Talk So Kids Will Learn At Home And In School

I'm clueless how much I missed reading. Something which I loved so much since I was a child. Maybe over the years the priorities have changed so much that I have totally 'forgotten' how much I have lost. So this year I have challenged myself to complete at least 1 book in a month and also to finish all the unread books in my book shelf. The first book review would be 'How to talk so kids will learn at home and in school' by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish. I have given a good rating for this book on Goodreads.

I have another publication of the same authors which is 'How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk'. I plan to reread this book next. Back to the book, there are few useful tips for parents with school going children.


1. Accept your kids' feelings. It is important to acknowledge their feelings. Start treating them as a person, their emotions and feelings are equally important. Respond to them by words which concerns how they feel and not by denying it.


2. Ways to encourage cooperation would be by describing the problem, offering choices rather than forcing them into solution which you wish or simply use your imagination to express in playful or funny way!


3. Encourage creativity by allowing them to throw in ideas on how to solve the problem. 

4. Ample of praises will do the trick sometimes. But not too much of it which might make the child feels he/she is too perfect. Encourage them to try harder and improve along the way. Constructive responses might help too instead of evaluating.


5. Labeling a child is a no-no. Expose them to different roles to allow them to express more freely. Let her/him overhear when telling others about him/her positive or good traits. The book contains many drawings in form of cartoons. I think it is an excellent way of relaying information. All in all, this book was a good read.


6. We all know punishments will not work. One of the alternatives would be to state your expectations or directly say your disapproval. You may also show how ways to improve or give some ideas how to make it work. Letting the child to experience his/her consequences would work too.

I-City

To know what's the buzz all about, you got to see it yourself. So that was the motivation to visit I-city on 4th of January 2015.  Other than constant bugging from the little one, I can't find a good reason to fulfill her wish this time. Apart from the already known attractions such as 'Red Carpet', 'Trick Museum', 'House of Horror', Wet World, Snowalk, Ferris Wheel and etc. this place boasts of unique attraction of its own - City Of Digital Lights. To see this of course you have to visit this place after it gets dark. It was quite impressive especially for kids. One good thing about this place (I feel) there is no entrance fee. You got to purchase a card which you can top up and use it to pay every ride or places you wish to go. Perhaps this arrangement is better compared to places such as Sunway Lagoon which requires you to buy tickets for each parks whereby if you don't manage to take all the rides the purchase might not be worth the money. There are ample of parkings and eateries. There were also display of water fountain. There are plenty of rides for kids. All in all,it is good to visit this place after it gets dark so you can enjoy the colorful lights.

Kid's attraction

House of Horror

Trick Museum

About to sunset

View after fully dark

Sparkling lights

Noticed the moon was captured as a tiny light in 

between of trees and sunflower plants ;-)