Saturday, October 25, 2014

River Safari's first Halloween kids event: Safari BOO.

Adam was excited about his and Ashton's first ever Halloween celebration this year.
In the past, with only Adam and Ashton being a baby still, we never really fancied such fads.
This year, however, we knew that River Safari is gonna hold its first Halloween A Merry-Not-Scary event for kids, so Andy & I decided to get our lazy asses off the couch and go Trick or Treatin'!
 
For weeks prior to today, Adam had been bugging me about the Halloween party.
He asked me what I am going as, and I thought I would go as myself - a flustered mother with her wild children is scary enough.
 
Kids all dressed up and raring to go.

What a crowd!










Trick or treat!





and so I went as a black cat, as per Adam's request.

The must-have for this do: Smudge-proof and water-proof liquid eyeliner from Shu Uemura, and MAC's berry-stained lipstick in "Good to be Bad"... how apt.

because I am their crazy Meowmmy and I will do anything to make them happy.

**If you missed Safari Boo's event today, you can still go on the following dates:
26 October (Sunday)
01 November (Saturday)
02 November (Sunday)


Kids go in for FREE, adult tickets are $15/pax.
Admission time: 6:00pm - 9:00pm. Last admission 8pm.
 Get your tickets online HERE: https://m.wrs.com.sg/safariboo/
 
Have a Spooktacular Halloween!

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Hairy crabs at Wan He Lou, Jalan Besar.

Today being Deepavali PH, we headed to Jalan Besar for lunch.
There's a restaurant tucked in the nondescript streets of Maude Road that is highly recommended on Trip Advisor and even visited by celebrities.
 
Welcome to Wan He Lou, famous for their lobster dishes and hairy crabs.
65 Maude Rd, 208347
Tel: 6294 8057
Opening hours: 11am - 2:30pm; 5pm - 10:30pm.



Adam took this shot of us.


Salted egg crispy lotus root slices

Their special sauce chicken

Clam soup

Cod fillet

And they saved the best for last


SLURP!

BURP!

 
Here's a video that shows you how to de-shell a hairy crab like a pro :)

 
 
Happy Deepavali to all our Indian friends!

Monday, October 6, 2014

Our Hari Raya long weekend spent at Capella, Sentosa.

Did a staycation at the Garden villa of Capella over the long weekend.
It was a splendid place which was huge with tall ceilings.
 
 




My happy family. I am truly happy, indeed. I'm at a place where I used to dream about being - being married to a great guy, having a home of our own, having beautiful and healthy children.
Wouldn't trade them for the world.














 
Aside from the "atas" feeling and private pool, there wasn't much for the children to do though.
Guess it's meant more for couples and honeymooners than families with children.
 
What did you do over the long weekend?

Sunday, October 5, 2014

Transforming your home to be chemical-free: a tour into Mumzilla's household.

I have been a sucker for organic and natural products for as long as I can remember.
When I was single and still staying with my parents, they thought I was so "extreme" because back then, organic products were hard to get and also mighty expensive.
 
When I got married and pregnant, I paid even more attention to what I was putting ON and INTO my body.
Do not think that soaps which you can wash off will not get into your body system, they can! By penetrating your pores and epidermis (outer layer of cells), harsh and harmful chemicals will make their way into your bloodstream and body system.
I'm not trying to scare you, but it's the truth.
 
The good news is, you can make informed choices when you next do your grocery shopping.
 
Here's a peek into our home to see the natural products we use:
 
Eco-friendly cleaning agents for your kitchen, toilets and floors, which are also safe for not just you and your family, but also responsible towards the environment because it uses recycled plastic and not tested on animals.
I was very particular about what is used to clean surfaces and floors because I have two young children who would crawl and play on the floor and touch every visible surface.
I was certainly not gonna let them put harsh chemicals into their mouths!

Bio-Home and Earth Choice are available at NTUC and Cold Storage.

Thieves antiseptic and anti-bacterial spray for table tops and counters, South of France hand soap, Bio-Home dishwashing liquid.

Always check your ingredients, and know what you are buying. Choose products which are free of sulphates and parabens, and I personally do not support companies which test on animals. If it's natural, organic and full of goodness, there's not a need to test on rabbits or chimps or Beagles.

What do Sulphates and Parabens do to our bodies?

Sulphates are harsh chemicals found in many detergents as they can break down dirt and particles, they are the ones responsible for the "soapy", sudsy and foamy feel when you lather up your shampoo or soap. They can cause skin irritation since they are so strong, and potentially cause hair loss.


Parabens are chemical substances widely used in cleansers, shampoo, and cosmetics for prolonging shelf life. Parabens have been found to mimic estrogens, and can link to risks of breast cancer.

Manufacturers of natural products use alternatives such as Vitamin E, grapeseed, and or sorbic acid which are safer and natural.


Organic products are also in our bathrooms for adults and children alike.

Fluoride- and sulphate-free toothpaste.

Instead of bleach and artificial fragrance, you can use a cheap alternative - Baking Soda and essential oil. I put 10 drops of Peppermint into a full load of laundry to freshen up the smell together with washing detergent because our laundry is done weekly so the smell can be quite yucky.
Other than Peppermint, you can also try Lavender or Geranium (for ladies' clothes)
 P.S. Young Living essential oils and products have been integrated into our home starting from May 2014 :)
 
 Remember, we can all lead healthy and balanced lives by making tweaks in certain lifestyle choices we make.
Healthy living isn't a fad, it is a way of life.