Having a helper or not?

"Why do you need a helper?

Why can't you do EVERYTHING yourself?"

- Commonly asked

People who didn't know me well will wonder why did i have to had a helper since end last year. Do i really need a helper when it's just me and my husband? Am i not capable of handling the household chores?

Like many young couples these days, we battled with the thought of NOT having a helper. Not in terms of the need to get one because we cannot handle the housework, but more of the inconvenience of having another person in the house, privacy issues and etc. For 2 years, we have been handling our chores fine and there was no need for a helper.

Since 2012, my in-laws were diagnosed with cancer consecutively. Mother-in-law diagnosed with Ovarian cancer that spread very quickly affecting the Small intestines and soon the Liver, till she was without treatment from government hospitals. In 2013, Father-in-law diagnosed with Colon cancer stage 4 that had also spread around the area. Mid 2014, we were thankful to finally found a good helper who was patient to attend to their needs and took care of them while we were out at work. The battle ended last year, they fought a good fight. My Mother-in-law left us in Aug 2015 followed closely by my Father-in-law in Oct 2015. My in-laws loved our helper a lot, because of the love she had showered sincerely over them and caring for them from her heart. Hence, they promised that we will keep her as long as she will want to work in Singapore. Since then, we inherited our helper.

What has changed since we got a helper?
1) Sacrifice our small room, that was prepared for the baby, so now we got to do away our study room for the baby which is ok. Not too bad a change or too big a sacrifice.
2) Nice home cooked meals. Previously, it was harder because we always got to be at our in-law place so we hardly cook at home and those times we can be home slightly earlier after visiting them, we have chores to do, so we always end up eating out.
3) Privacy issues, definitely you can no longer live like there's no one else in the house.
4) Cafe sessions, hanging out with Ivan and sometimes with our friends. Honestly, this is only possible after we have our helper.
5) Quality time, to build relationship with friends and people important to us and having a bit of time to ourselves for hobbies and entertainment.

Now with Zara around, i am just thankful we have a helper. Not a need, but i am thankful. I get to spend time to play, interact, feed, change her diapers, hugging her... instead of washing endless diaper cloths, laundry, vacuuming the house, mopping the floor, cooking, washing toilet and many more. By the time i finish all these chores, i think i would have missed a huge part of Zara growing up.

I think it really depends on what you feel is important. Many mothers have to go back to work after their 4 months maternity. Thereafter, to have a helper vs to put your kid at infant care, to me it's almost like it's the same. Your baby is under the care of someone and the person is not you. So if by the time you get home from work and have all the chores before you, it reduces the time you have with your kid even more.

As parents, we are not just the provider. We are also the one who shower love on them so they know that they are loved. Protector, how do you protect your child if you are not there for them or don't spend time to know what they are going through in their daily lives. Teacher of life, they grow up observing the way we live, the way we speak and the way we bring them up, how we nurture and educate them will determine who they become. And of course as parents, we are the pastor, the one who will cover them with prayers and teaching them the way of the Lord.

These are what i feel is important and task that should not be passed on to someone else. Don't depend on teachers in school to teach your kids the way of life. Don't depend on Sunday school teachers to teach your kids the way of the Lord. Spend time with your children on what is important.

I am not pro having helper, neither am i against having one. I can only say that i am thankful i have one. Very very thankful. Does having a helper make me a less capable person who no longer know how to do chores? I don't think so. If in the event i no longer have my helper, then i will just do the chores, period.

Acts 6:2 

"It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God

(what's more important) and serve tables."

Silent Night

Why did i choose night routine over the fixed hourly feed routine?

Every option has its pro and cons, its supporter and opposers.

Meaning, i think there's no right or wrong method, just the preference of the parents.

Many people belief that you should feed on a 2/3/4 hourly basis depending on the age and feeding habits of the baby and keep it constant through the day, including the night hours.

As feeding and food is a very important of growing and development, this method is believed to provide a consistent amount of nutrients for the growing baby.

This method of feeding will cause the baby to develop and fixed routine of feeding, including the night feeds.

I wanted to try this in the day for Zara at first, but due to her growth sprout, it seems like her feeding time and amount are not consistent as much as i want it to. For those who believe strongly in the fixed timing feeding routine, does it mean that i shouldn't feed when she is hungry because i want her to fix in the routine? For me, i feed when she is hungry.

So how do we set the night routine?

What we do is, we usually will shower her around 3+pm and feed her after her shower.

At this point, she is quite fresh so we will play and interact with her more.

Then we will feed her again and put her in bed just before sunset. 

Usually by this time she will be very sleepy after the feed.

All activity stops, no switching on of lights in her room.

If she needs to change diaper or anything, it will be done in the dark.

No switching on of lights is a very or the most important step i feel. Because the light causes the baby to be confused thinking that it's day time again and their body automatically become more active in the day.

Do we ignore her cry for milk at night?

Of course not. If she is hungry, she is hungry. Once the sunset and everything is dark, her body automatically tells her that it's night time and it's sleeping mode. She will sleep from evening all the way till 3am and she will wake up crying for another feed. Once day break, she is back to every 2-3 hourly feed.

How do you know the pattern of your baby feeding habit?

Do up a daily time log. It helps to keep track of how much she drank earlier and for you to roughly know what time she will be hungry again.

How can knowing the habit work for our benefit?

We noticed that the longest she can go is to sleep 9 hours straight, hence we introduced another feed at 11pm every night (without her crying for it) so that she can sleep right through. Currently, she will feed at 7+pm just before sunset, 11pm feeding in the dark and most of the time after introducing the 11pm feed, she will only wake up at 6+ or 7am for her morning feed :)

What is other factors that may affect the results?

Personally, i feel that not having the baby sleeping in the same room as the parent makes this training a lot more possible. Firstly, if the baby is in the same room as you, it is very very hard to not on the lights after sunset every night. Secondly, i think most parent will not be able to help it to keep checking if the baby is ok, sleeping well, too warm, too cold.......... and the list goes on........... We need to know that sleep cycle happens every 45mins as we go from light to deep sleep. So you will expect to see that your baby tend to stretch a bit, move a bit, make a bit of noise in the intervals of these cycles. If you can't help it and attend to the baby during these intervals and talking to them and asking them questions, you might end up waking them up from their sleep -> which often leads to the baby feeling hungry and wants a feed or becoming cranky because their sleep is interrupted.

Every baby is different and hence the method may differ too. Like i say in the beginning, there's no right or wrong way. I'm just thankful that this worked for us and Zara. I hope it works for you too! ;) It's never too late or too early to train or develop a routine :)

P.S Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

God in Repetitions

It's been officially 10 years since i graduated from CHBTC (now known as SOT). Most graduates will tell you that they may have forgotten 95% of the theological teachings, sermons, notes and etc.  But the thing they will never forget are the encounters.

However, on my way home from AZ Leaders thanksgiving last night, i was reminded of a sermon that impacted me during my bible school days. I remember it was a Swedish pastor. He started the sermon with the following illustration:

"One day, a pastor of the seminary entered and started to preach to the congregation.

It was a really good and impactful sermon and the people are blessed. 

On the 2nd day, the pastor returned to the class and started preaching again.

After awhile, the people noticed that it was the exact sermon he shared the day before.

Hoping that there might be a twist somewhere, they sat through the whole sermon but in the end, 

it was the exact same sermon! 

3rd day, the pastor came and started preaching again, the same sermon. 

This time, the people were confused and frustrated. 

They reasoned among themselves and was wondering if someone should go and tell the pastor that he had already preach this sermon twice and now the third time. But no one had the courage. 

On the 4th day, as they hear the sermon for the 4th time, many begin to be distracted during the sermon, minds drifting away, falling asleep and some got bitter and left half way. 

Knowing what was on their minds, the pastor continue preaching, the exact same sermon. 

Now the week has come to an end, it was the 5th day. Some did not turn up that day, some came feeling bored and totally lost focus and some were left confused but still kept coming. And the pastor said this, "God is often found in repetition. Most of us hope that our everyday walk with God will be filled with new revelations everyday, signs and wonders, the fire, the wind, the storm... But yet, the Lord is in the still small voice. If we cannot go through the repetitions, we will be disappointed."

If we get tire of repetitions, the bible itself is repetition.. Being in church for so long, we have the danger of 'hearing that sermon before many times'; 'we know what pastor is going to share'; 'we know the revelation of that certain verse or passage already'... Like some of the people in the illustration, we start to loss focus, minds drifted away..

But let us be reminded that God is often found in repetitions. Most of the time, we encounter God not only in mega events or activities, but in the repetition of our daily routines. Our prayer time everyday is often not filled with hair standing, open visions, seeing angels moments.. but simply reading the bible and seeking the face of God daily. 

Just for laugh,

Do you know your PROVIDER?

Baby Constipation

When we brought baby Zara home last Wednesday, she hasn't poo for 2 days.
Being first time parents, we were trying our best not to be worried over it.
On the way home, i prayed for her, lay hands on her tummy, confess over her...
i did everything a spiritual mother would and could at that moment. :p

When we got home, her tummy was bloated and she was very uncomfortable
So i used a Indonesia traditional oil for the tummy that my friend recommended.
Having Peihua and Jo around, we googled for remedy.
Massaged her tummy, exercised her legs, did all we could...
and when she poo, we were so happy!
I never thought that for simple things like going to the toilet could bring so much joy!

However, the following day and the day after, she still did not poo..
We continue googling, exercising her legs everyday, massaging her tummy to ease the tension and discomfort..
Because she is only one month old, there's many things we cannot let her eat or try..

So here's some of the daily routines we can do and tried:
- Adding a bit of honey water to her milk (we only tried once, but realized that honey are HIGHLY not advisable for infant under 12 months)
- Constantly putting oil and rubbing her tummy each time we change diaper
- Massaging and exercising her legs in circular motion
- Diluting her milk with more water
- Praying for her

What makes meets the mark is when we tried the following:
1) Boil 10-15 grains of Ayam Chicken Brand Barley in a cup of water
2) After boiling, the amount of water should have dropped
3) Scoop out all barley grains as they will expand in the baby's tummy
4) Cool the barley solution
5) Use 30ml of the barley water to replace 30ml of the water you use to make your milk
6) The baby passed motion within 2 hours after drinking
(We only tried these once and because it's so effective, we don't advise to give this to the baby often to prevent stomach upset or diarrhea)

Subsequently, we went back to continuing with the daily routines to allow the body to slowly go into the motion of passing motion naturally.

It's been a week now and she has been passing motion naturally everyday!

How to go about adopting?

Quite a couple of people asked me about the adoption process in Singapore. So here goes:

#1: Adoption critical
- For couples, both parties got to agree and consent
- Can someone single adopt? Yes, but if you are a male, you cannot adopt a girl.
- Adopter has to be at least 25 years old, at least 21 years older than the child

#2: Sign up for the compulsory Pre-adoption workshop
Do not be afraid that, what if you are still unsure about whether to adopt?
This workshop will help you to better understand what to expect in an adoption, your responsibilities as adoptive parents and the needs of adopted child.
I highly encourage the couple to attend together so that both will be on the same page in terms of the information given.
Equipped with the information you need, it will be easier for the couple to discuss and pray through together before making the lifelong commitment and decision.

Sign up via this link:
https://app.adoption.gov.sg/WorkshopPARegistration.aspx

There are different agency providing this workshop that is accredited by the MSF. You can choose the one you prefer based on the date and timing and venue that suit you the most. Personally, Ivan and i went to Touch Family Services. :)

Note that there are also different workshops available, but be sure that you attend the 'Pre-Adoption Workshop' first :)

Once you have attended the workshop and have decided to proceed, go on to the next step.

#3: Apply for Home Study
Home Study is a compulsory study required by MSF. They are carried out by one of the accredited agency of your choice:
- Touch Family Services
- Lutheran Community Care
- Fei Yue Community Services
- Apkim Centre for Social Services

*Each agency have their own waiting period according to the amount of cases they have on hand.
* If you are planning to adopt from China, note that home study report is different and the only accredited agency to do the home study are Touch Family Services and Fei Yue Community Services.

You can submit your online application via this link:
https://app.adoption.gov.sg/ApplyForHomeStudy.aspx

#4: Submit hardcopy documents to agency 
There is a checklist of documents you will need to prepare at the end of the form.
Print out the checklist and be sure to prepare and get them ready.
Once ready, submit he hardcopy of everything together at the agency.
The faster you have all these documents ready, the faster they can process your application and arrange for the first interview.

#5: Start of Home Study
The Home Study is done over a period of 5 weeks from the day the first interview starts.
The first interview is often an office interview with someone from the agency. It will usually take one whole day so do keep the day free so that you will not be trying to rush off.

There's a payment of $1,500 that need to be paid, amount may vary slightly depending on agency.

#6: Sign up for disclosure workshop
Around this time, you should start to sign up for the next disclosure workshop.
This workshop is usually held by adoptive parents who shares their experiences and advise on how you can disclosure to your child about their birth.

Sign up via this link:
https://app.adoption.gov.sg/WorkshopPARegistration.aspx

#7: Written interview of selected friend and family member
A few people (family + friends) will receive a letter in their mailbox. They are required to answer the questions and mail it back asap. Their response time will affect and may delay the completion of your home study.

#8: Home interview
This is where the agency will send someone to interview you in your home, to see if the home is conducive, whether the people staying with you knows about the adoption and are supportive. When all these are done, you will then have to wait for the final report to be out.

#9: Collect Home Study Report
This is important because you cannot already have a child living with you without this report. It is illegal.

#10: Look for placement agency
Talk to the people you meet in the workshops, some may already have their adopted child and can advise on which agency they went to.
You can also join some forums where they will share their experiences with the agencies.
Personally, i was referred to my agent through one of the parent from the workshop.
My advise, do not go to multiple agencies because you do not want to be caught in between the agencies and do not know which to decide.
As we often say, adoption is not like going to the market to shop for a baby, so we are advise not to choose.

Some of you who knew the process we went through might wonder how come we get to 'choose'. Actually we didn't really wanted to be choosing. In short, what happened to us is this. We waited for a Malaysian baby girl, who turned out to be a boy after birth. Mentally we were preparing for a girl and so it came too shocking to us. So we waited for the next malaysian baby girl, when she was born, we were about to decide when there is another Singaporean going to be born. We decided to go for the Singaporean boy so that we could do cordlife bank for the baby which we think is very important. We proceed to apply for the cordlife bank for the baby even before he is born. After birth, the parents had issues and refuse to put the baby up for adoption which to some extend i think its a good thing if the parents want to keep him. Then the same weekend, a malaysian baby girl is coming to singapore and we arrange to see her even before any photo was sent to us. We went there expecting and knowing that we are going to go for it. And there, lay our baby Zara.

My advise, pray and trust God that He will bring the right baby to you. Though we went through quite a bit of waiting and ups and downs and ups and downs... We knew that baby Zara was reserved for us in a very special way and i believe that God has also reserved the best for you.

Hope these helps whoever has thought of adopting but do not know how to go about doing it. :)

DISCLAIMER: Please note that this post is NOT meant for advertising or encouraging/discouraging people to adopt and i am NOT advertising for any agencies. This post is purely for information purposes only.

(I am) God's adopted people

During this journey, of course many 'what ifs' flooded our minds. what if they feel that they are not loved because they are adopted? What if they want to look for their birth parents? what if? what if? what if? and what if they ask about their birth? how should i reveal it to the child next time?

As all these questions came naturally to mind, i prayed and asked God how should i explain to Zara next time about adoption. And as i prayed, God revealed the best story to me and i teared.

I am not born a Jew, not God's own people by birth.
I am a Gentile.
I am God's adopted people.

Because of His love,
He paid a price (through Jesus Christ) to bring me back to Him.
He made it possible to have a relationship with Him.
He poured out His love over me and took me as His own.
For the first time, i could call Him "Abba Father"
He brought me into His house and gave me a family i did not have.
He promised me a future and placed eternity in my heart.
He prepared for me an inheritance i was not entitled to.
A brand new life.

Adoption has been like a taboo word in most culture and tradition. So is it wrong to want to adopt a child not for some noble reasons but simply because you really wanted a child? Personally, i think that if a couple feels that they have got love to give, why not? How blessed is the child who is given that opportunity to be loved!

We will pour out our love on Zara and teach her the way of the Lord, to the best we know how. Even if, we eventually have our own child, we will love them just the same. Like how God love us unconditionally and without partiality, we aim to do that to the best we know how.

How it started?

In 2014 March, Ivan and i went on a mission trip together to Philippines, Iloilo. This is the first time we signed up and served on missions together and the first time we are on medical missions. Very different from usual mission trips, this trip we had to do medical post at a few different locations, setting up BP stations, consultations and issuing of medication.

At one of the location where the slums are, we saw a very cute little girl and we both fall in love with her. I got to visit her house which was a very small wooden house the size of our usual HDB study room, just enough for a queen size bed, no walking space and the family got to squeeze together and sleep inside.

During that trip, we got to give out toys and stationery to the kids in those slum area and so we give her a cute teddy bear. :)

That was the first time the seed was sown in our hearts, but at that point, there were many things happening at home and we were not sure if we could commit and emotionally able to give full love and support to the child what she will need.

June 2016, i went Iloilo again for medical mission. This time, Ivan was not there with me. When i visited the same slum and saw this girl, she has grown up to be a beautiful little girl. She remembers me and will always come and find me.

After sending this photo to Ivan, he asked if the girl would like to come to Singapore. I would love to, but i think it's going to be a big decision for Ivan as the man in the house, so i told him to think and pray about it before we decide.

During this trip, i got to visit many more houses in the slum where the children are all living in cramped up places, lack of education due to the lack of financial ability to send them to school and some are left to fend for themselves etc. Human trafficking rate was also high. There, the desire to provide a family and a home for these children grew.

We started finding out how can we go about adopting a child from these places. After much research and speaking to different authorities, Singaporeans are not allowed to adopted from Philippines. It's some inter country regulations stuff. Just like we cannot adopt from Korea and Japan and some other countries as well.

After praying and talking through, i personally also spoke to my spiritual mentor who encouraged me to go for it and got me to link up with a couple who also have adopted. Speaking to another family who also have adopted, we were referred to attend an adoption workshop to find out more and to see if we are really prepared for it.

And so, as we research and go for the workshop etc the desire in us grew. It is NOT because our family is incomplete without a child and therefore we choose to adopt. I think Ivan and i are doing fine with children of our good friends running around and for us to dote on all the time. As a family, we are also happy the way we are and of course every family have their own problems or things we need to work out, but those are definitely NOT the reason why we decide to adopt.

Baby Zara was adopted and is now our daughter forever. As much as the joy baby Zara will bring to us, we pray that we will be godly parents to her and provide for her the future she would not have had. Bringing her up in the way and the fear of the Lord.

Give up or Surrender?

Many have asked, have you tried the many many possible methods like the Chinese traditional ways, IVF, medical procedures etc?

My answer is, yes we have tried in our own ways and yes there are medical limitations.

Why didn't we go for IVF?

Firstly, yes IVF have helped many people, but I think IVF is not a solution to everything and everyone? As much as it has helped many, there were even more who didn't work out that are not spoken of. In fact, many people whom i know only got pregnant after giving up trying IVF.

Some asked, why would we chose to adopt and not wait for our own miracle child?

Is it because we no longer have faith that God can bless us with a child of our own?

Did we adopt because we have given up trying?

We have faith that God will bless us with our miracle child and we still believe. We are still praying and trusting God. The decision to adopt has nothing to do with our faith and trust in God. We will and have not given up.

So why did we choose to adopt?

We will share in the next post :)

Gift from God

Some may ask: 'Is there a faith crisis?'
I would laugh at that question.

First of all, we believe that Zara is a gift from God :) going through many different seasons of life in the past 5 years, i think Zara is the best gift thus far.

Though she did not came about as many have expected and could only accept, I believe we have prayed and God has answered our prayer in His very own way.

I believe she is in the plan of God and brought to us through different angels.

Some may know that the waiting process was also not easy through the constant changing and uncertainty about the outcome of the baby. Somehow, we just know that God has reserved her for us.

Romans 8:28

All things works together for the good for those we love Him and are called according to His purpose

Falling in love with her at first sight and every single day after.

The official beginning!

This is my 2nd time meeting this little angel. Since our first meeting, we have fallen in love with her and have been thinking and missing her the few days of waiting.

After feeding her and changing her into some clean clothes, we were off on our journey home to a special beginning for both me and ivan, and for this little angel. From this day, we will name her ZARA YEO JING EN.

We pray that she will grow up in the way of the Lord, loving God, loving His people, loving His house and loving His presence. Grow up strong and healthy, serving and shining for His glory.

On the way home, she was peacefully sleeping in her car seat :)

And then when we got home, she eat, diaper change and sleep so peacefully.

And Ivan just couldn't get his eyes off her.

Honestly, the reality hasn't quite set in yet. The reality that i am now a mother. The reality that there is this tiny being that i need to take care of and take responsibility of. But i'm sure it will soon!

However, not having the advantage of the 9 months to prepare and to research and etc. 

I am very thankful for friends!

For Peihua who came in the afternoon to give advise, to accompany me 

and also to teach me how to bath her. 

For Jo, who came with a cute balloon for Zara, gave advise and prayed for Ivan, baby Zara and me.

For Weifang, Yang zheng and Isabelle who came after work and school to visit and have dinner with us.

For Kimmy and Kimmy's Mummy who came by just to shower her with their love.

<3 <3 <3

Filorga Age Peel Review

Too busy to go for your facial treatment monthly? You can do some home treatment on your own every week!

So these are what is in this little black box:
- 5 pieces of pre-peel wipes
- 1 tube of age-peel treatment
These are enough for a total of 5 treatments.

Effects of this treatment is hydrating, firming and most importantly it helps with scars and skin resurfacing!

Recommendation of use:
- for age 30-35, recommended use is once every 2 weeks. However, if your skin is extremely dry and you feel the need to increase use, be sure that it does not cause your skin to become too oily or is too rich for your skin.
- for age 36-45, recommended to use once weekly. For deep wrinkles or scars, recommend to increase use to 3-4 times every 2 weeks
- for age 46 onwards, recommended to use twice weekly. :)

After trying out this treatment at home, it is easy to use. VERY easy to use. Wash your face, dry it. Then use the pre-peel wipes to clean your clean your face thoroughly. Apply a good amount of peel cream over your face. The whole set is meant for 5 use, so put a generous amount over your face. Leave it on for no longer than 20 minutes. DO NOT leave it overnight. Wash it off thoroughly and put your own skincare toner, serum and night cream and have a good night!

Precautions:
DO NOT apply peel cream and go into the sun, not during that 20 minutes when the peel is on your face.
DO NOT use more than recommended times.

Why mother-in-laws and daughter-in-laws always have problem?

Exactly whose problem is this? For centuries and all throughout history, this seems to be a problem that cannot seems to be solved. So... I am not going to be giving you a solution either.

However, being a daughter-in-law and a future mother, i tried to understand what will cause me to be upset with someone who i think is trying to spend her rest of her life with my son. So let's try to analysis this together!

First of all, any girl who finds a man whom she love wishes that he will develop into the man she always what him to be. She may even wish that the man will be somewhat close to how their father is like. At the same time the man wishes the woman will grow into the likeness of their mother, In that process, it is inevitable for the couple to grow into the soul-mate of one another.

Then what causes the mother-in-law to be upset? Every mother loves their son just the way they are, the way they brought them up to be. When the son develops in the relationship, he slowly changes from the mummy's boy into the man the woman of his life yearns for. Hence, it causes the mother to think that the girl is trying to change her son, in her (protective) perspective, she believes that it is against the will of her son.

Believe it or not, i think that one of the way to make things better is for the son to bridge the gap. If the son remains loving to the mother and shares with her what is going on and let the mother grow together with his changes, it will be easier for the mother to see and develop together with the son, to love this woman whom he loves. At the same time, build the relationship between them, spending time together.

Only when the man loves and honors his mother, will the woman of his life learn to love and honour his mother. Many times, the man avoids talking to the mother about this woman and gets all defensive. So, whose problem is this exactly?




If the man could be a good bridge, mothers and daughters-in-law can be the best of friends! To the mothers, instead of losing her son, she can gain and daughter. And to the woman, she will gain a family and it will be a heaven on earth rather than a living hell. :P

Firming Sculpting

Is it necessary to put firming sculpting cream? and when should we start?
I always believe that prevention is better cure. Yes you should start way before you bust starts sagging and wrinkles starts forming at your décolleté.

So what do i feel about this Maria Galland Firming Bust Sculpting Veil?
It has firming, lifting and moisturising effects!
I suggest not to put excessive amount when using.
Small amount at a time and massage it into your skin.
Excessive amount can cause you to feel oily and sticky after application.

I remember once i met a lady and her neck was totally smooth with little or no lines. She looks like she is in her 30's but her neck looks like 20's. When i ask her about her age, she was actually in her 40's! She started putting neck cream at the age of 20! Did it help her and her neck remain smooth? of course! Would her neck be so nice if she only started at the age of 40? i doubt so.

Prevention is always always better than cure! Everything should start young and anywhere between 25 to 30 will be a good age to start!

Jyunka Miracle Fluid

Heard of the Jyunka M+? When i first hear about it, it sounds unbelievable.
This small bottle in gold contains pure vitamin C. Most people will say that it is impossible to keep Vitamin C in their purest form because they change when exposed to air.

And so i tried it. The 'M' actually stands for miracle. This is the first essence i know of and have tried, that is so good, so rejuvenating.. but yet suitable for both young skin and mature skin!

For the young skin, it helps to balance the pH and control the oil secretion. At the same time, if a mature skin uses this essence, it is rejuvenating, helps with cell regeneration and renewal to minimise fine lines and wrinkles. Overall, it gives the skin a healthy glow and radiance!

If there's anything worth it's price, it will be this miracle fluid!

KEEPCUP *Go Green*

These irresistible colourful cups are so pretty and it makes you happy looking at the colours! I bought 2 different series, the glass with rubber and the glass cork edition.

So after using the cups, here's what i think:

Cup Size
KeepCups are available in many sizes. Mini, Small and Medium.
Personally the one i have is the latest 'Cork Edition' that only comes in Small (8oz) and Medium (12oz).

Material
There are the plastic range and these glass range. If you are intending to hold really hot beverages, my advise is to get the glass ones. After using the rubber one and the cork edition, the cork edition will definitely beat the rubber one hands down, because i have very low torrance for heat and honestly, the rubber do not help to offset the heat, it is only for a better grip.

However, for the cork edition, you should be careful you do not spill your drinks or coffee onto the cork area to prevent staining of it.


Heat Retention
The heat retention ability is not bad, my drink is still warm after an hour. But this is NOT a thermal flask, so please do not expect that your drink will still be burning hot after leaving it inside for awhile.

Overall i'm happy. I'm currently using it when i make my old beverage or coffee. Stilling trying to explore how to pass the cup to the barista when i order coffee from a cafe! Will definitely try that soon. Just worried that they will stain or dirty the cork area.


Photo credit: ME!

216 Gentle Soothing Mask

This is one of the newer product by Maria Galland, 216 Gentle Soothing Mask. What does it do?

- Restores tire and fatigue skin
- Replenishes hydration
- Soothing to sensitive skin due to tiredness and environmental changes

I always use this after my trip because everytime i travel, i realise that my skin feels very tire and dehydrated due to the change in the atmosphere and humility.

The texture of the Mask is like a moisturising cream. It doesn't leave a sticky feeling. It's comfortable and almost like you had nothing on.

Recommended to apply the mask once a week :)

B1 Food Cafe at Dongdaemun Seoul Review

As agreed, i will tell you the full story of my encounter at this eatery...

Most of the time, what draws our attention to a eating place are the beautiful photos of the food. As it was the many nights into our trip so we decided to try something different from our usual eating place.

Entering this cafe, you are greeted by a lady who do not really seems to be happy that an customer is coming in to disrupt her peace. Throwing down the menu, she went back to where she was sitting and continued watching her show. Still, that was ok, so we went ahead to order what we want.

Then while waiting for our food, i heard the neighbouring customer who just went to make payment commented "Why this lady so rude one?" So i was prepared for whatever pattern the lady is going to have towards my table.

Food came, they look far from the photo. Dumpling Ramen (with 5-6 dumplings in the photo) only came with 2 dumplings. Kimchi soup with white rice, turned out to be yam rice. So my friend tried to ask her if they have white rice instead, pointing to the photo.

She rudely pointed that the following part of the menu, rolled her eyes and walked away. Went to the older lady who is doing all the cooking and started to complain about us asking for what is shown in the photo.. *confused*

Here's what she pointed to:


I'm sure many of you are thinking, where is this cafe? I'm glad you asked. Below is the name and logo of this food cafe. It's located at Dongdaemun near Good Morning City Shopping Mall. :) Eat at your own risk.

S H A D E S

There is not one lady i know, that owns only 1 lipstick at a single time. Most of us will agree that we have at least half a dozen or if not, even more!

I started with MAC lipsticks because it was a gift. Then in search of nude colors, i went into exploring different shades that MAC has. I had 3 different shades, liked them but when i was looking for something hot red, i could not find the exact shade i was looking for...

So i went into Dior.. Dior lipsticks are more moisturizing and less sticky compared to MAC's. Got myself 3 different shades and sticked with them for awhile.

Received a lip gloss from Make Up Store as a gift, tried but i didn't like the glossy sticky and thick feeling of lip gloss so i went back to my lip sticks :)

When Chanel came out with the matt lipsticks, i tried and i loved it! The color is so beautiful and the texture is so light!!!

VDL famous Tint bar triple shot came as a popular hit! I bought 4 out of 6 of the colors that they have! The triple tone in one lipsticks forms shades where you can make your lips looks bigger or smaller with the same lipstick!

So guess my favourite pick? Chanel, VDL and followed by Dior! Hope you will love them as much as i do!

White X Gold

Went out to the beach with some of these beautiful little things today! It was so much fun. It's been some time since i had time to go out to the beach just to chill in the midst of all the work and projects that i'm working on. And of course, finally finding some time to get this blog started!

So here you go one some of the little items i brought out today,

Gold tattoos - these are temporary tattoos that i can put them wherever i want and they shine like accessories under the sun!

Vintage sunglass - very important to protect my eyes from the harmful UV rays and at the same time it's stylish! <3

Necklace with pearl in the triangle, from www.missystella.com

Real silk clutch - designed and made by a Thailand designer.

And not forgetting those marble stone bangles and earrings that is so classy and yet fun.

White and gold goes well with anything! The whites, the blacks, the basics, the flowery, the sun and the beach! <3 <3 <3

Maria Galland Foundation

Making up for lost time?

When it comes to make up, i am especially particular about the foundation i put on my face. If you don't have a good foundation, everything that is built on it will not stand.

A good quality foundation is like your first line of defence for your skin immediately after your skincare. You got to make sure that it is moisturising and do not dry your skin, at the same time it is not too rich for you. I have tried many other brands but this Maria Galland foundation is one of my top favourite! It is light and do not leave a sticky or heavy feeling on your skin.

Do you know that if your make up contains too large molecules, they do not only clog your pores, they also cause your skin to be tire and fatigue over a period of use. A good foundation that is suitable for your skin is definitely worth investing in!

Miracle Gel?

As agreed, i am going to share about these Sally Hansen Miracle Gel nail polish :)

Are they really miracle? Is it really possible to have gel nails with the use of UV ray light?
I was as disbelieving as you are. But YES! They are just like normal nail polish, same application.
Do not need the use of UV light, which makes it convenient for anyone to own them and apply them on their own!

Are they as strong as Gel nails? Surprisingly they are! They lasted at least 2-3 weeks with no chips and crack! But i will say that you will need a stronger nail polish remover to get them removed.

Want to get gel nails done on your own? Sally Hansen made it all possible! Though they do not have a huge range of colors, i believing they are/will be adding more to the range as they go!

Animal Skin and Tassels

Went out for date night in animal skin and tassels! :) I the love the feeling that i am not carrying too many things and i can be free and easy.

Bought my Crocodile textured clutch from www.missystella.com ! I'm totally obsessed with that texture. The workmanship is so good, the pattern on the texture runs almost perfectly in the center. The size and thickness of this clutch is big enough for your iPad/template. The structured form ensures it doesn't go out of shape, keeping it sleek and classy.

They do worldwide shipping too! Shipping cost may variety for different country. :)

Filorga Medi-cosmetique MESO Range

My new set of products from Filorga Medi-cosmetique range!

Basic introduction to the brand: Founded by Dr. Michel Tordjman, who developed hyaluronic acid-based injectable products for the medical profession before Botox took off. The creator of NCTF, anti-aging mesotherapy product and treatment, cutting-edge non-surgical anti-ageing solutions that includes line fillers, polyrevitalizing injections (NCTF), peeling and photo-stimulation (LED). (From Paris)


S E R U M S - are very importantly to improve your skin condition because it goes deeper than moisturisers.

Being constantly exposed to sun and UV rays, ageing is a process that cannot be stopped. The next best thing we can do is, prevention. Keeping close to me is the MESO+ serum and the MESO Mask.

MESO+ helps to fight against fine lines and wrinkles. Contains Hyaluronic acid essential for anti-ageing, encapsulated retinol that helps to stimulate cell renewal and NCTF promotes cutaneous redensification. After using for 1 month, the fine lines and wrinkles have improved by almost 75%, in fact some of the fine lines are gone! Advise for dry and dehydrated skin, can be a bit rich and not advisable for younger skin.

MESO MASK is a very delicate and precious mask. It enhances radiance, treat wrinkles, helps with fatigue skin and soothes irritation. A mask that is suitable even for sensitive skin! Highly recommended for dry and tire skin. Simply do it once a week and see your skin transform and glow!

I'm so in love with MESO!

Overseas shopping and shipping!

We always say that the world is becoming smaller because travelling and importing of items are made way more accessible compared to 10 years ago.

I remember how it was almost a dream for anyone to travel anywhere out of their own country or even to just the neighbouring countries, but now, travelling across continent is a norm. Buying of things from halfway across the world is a norm. But yet, we still constantly seek for the best, the fastest and the cheapest way to ship something across the earth.

As not all online sites provides free international shipping option, we will still need to search out for companies who does shipping for us.

In the past, i use to purchase things through Vpost where they offer shopping from USA, EUROPE, JAPAN and CHINA.

 Their charges was one of the best at that point with a base charge depending on the location, weigh and fuel charge that are based on the weigh or volume of item.

However, i found a better way and it's way cheaper! 65daigou ships for you from USA, TAIWAN and CHINA.

Their rates are based on weigh only. There are no additional base charges or fuel charges. That makes it a lot cheaper to ship something from USA or China, to Singapore.

Of course the location wise does matters because if you are purchasing from Europe, then you will still have to use Vpost for now.

These sites too have a "buy for me" option where you do not have to coordinate the shipping options of the various sites and ensure the parcels arrive and coordinate for the items to be shipped to you. You can purchase you item through the site by keying in the URL of the item from the shopping sites. However, do note that they charge a service fees of 4-8% of your spending, meaning the more you spend, the more you are charged for the service.

But the good part about using this function is, they will be responsible for coordinating with the sellers and ensure that your items are received and sent out to you in good condition. Hence, they work as a meditator to ensure shopping satisfactory.

Hope this gives you a better and easier way to shop and ship! ;)

IKEA Molger Shelf Review

Many people saw my photo on this Ikea Molger shelf and commented so i decided to do a review on this! So here are my thoughts and review on this IKEA Molger Shelf, if you are intending to get one!

Firstly, i think it is a very good idea to utilise the 'unusable' space that is taken up by the toilet bowl. Many times, we try to put things on toilet bowl box where the plush button is and hope that they don't drop. When i saw this at IKEA i loved the idea!

So here's my unbiased review:
- It can only be used again a flat wall with nothing behind the toilet bowl. There a lot of toilet nowadays with this kind of built-in backing and make sure your tap is not in the way. So make sure you take your measurement properly.

- The shelf is VERY light hence, it is easy to fix and put it up. However, with its light weigh, it is IMPORTANT to ensure that the shelf is level properly by adjusting the legs as shown below.

If you have not realised, all our toilet floor is slanted so that water can be drained away. So every bit counts. Ensure that the shelf is properly fitted before putting anything on it.

- If you want to be very safe, you can get the shelf drilled to the wall.

Personally i don't like to drill things into my wall so i just have to make sure the legs are accurately adjusted. :)

- The shelf levels CANNOT be adjusted. So it limits the height of the items you can place on this shelf. There are also gaps, not very big though so you don't have worry that your handphone will drop through but please do not put small accessories pieces hoping that they will not roll off into the toilet bowl.

- Lastly, value for money? In the image below i have included the image of the code and measurement for you, for easy reference and you can just show the IKEA staff for purchase.

I personally think that S$99 for this is a bit expensive compared to the many other cheap shelving they have. For the idea of using an 'unusable' space, i still bought it anyway. If you are expecting very high quality wood or product because of the price you are paying... Not really... in fact there were some visible scratch marks already on it.

Hope this review helps you to make the decision and also for you to get all the measurements ready before making a wasted trip down to the nearest IKEA. :)