Benefits of Hiking

Hiking in the outdoors has plenty of benefits. You get to soak in the therapeutic lush greenery and nature, you breathe in fresh air and the sounds and scenery of nature have a mind-calming effect.

Hiking not only makes your legs stronger, when you clamber over uneven surfaces, navigate your way around rocks, fallen trees, across streams and over tree roots, you engage your core and work your upper body for a true holistic workout!  To make your hiking trip a more comfortable and safer adventure, put on simple women or men’s tactical clothing to protect yourself against the elements.

Womens outdoor tactical multi-pocket pants

Womens outdoor sports quick-drying pants

Besides helping you to de-stress from your hectic life and soothes your mind, hiking is a powerful cardio workout that can:

·       Lower your risk of heart disease and possibly other diseases.
·       Reduce anxiety and depression.
·       Help you reconnect and find yourself again.
·       Improve your blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
·       Boost bone density, since walking is a weight-bearing exercise.
·       Build strength in your glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and the muscles in your hips and lower legs.
·       Strengthen your core and improve balance.
·       Help control your weight.
·       Boost your mood and reduce stress.
·       Help improve sleep quality
 

Hikers are happier people, especially when they are out on the trail.  Getting out in nature with good friends or loved ones, away from the stressors of life allow us to take a break from technology and reset our buttons. 

If you’ve never experienced hiking or had a long hiatus in this great outdoor activity, there’s no better time to start hiking again.  Make a hiking checklist to ensure that you’re well prepared.  Don’t forget a good pair of hiking boots or shoes and tactical clothing to protect you from the elements.

To shop for the best tactical clothing for your adventures in the jungle, mountains and off-roading, why not have a look at Wayrates.com? They have a good range of tactical clothing, footwear, quick-drying pants for outdoor activities and vintage men’s t-shirts for you to select from.

Homemade Ramen and Stuffed Brinjal

Over the weekend, our in-house teenage chef spent most of her time in the kitchen to whip up some of her favorite dishes.  To 'celebrate' more time at home after 5 days of face-to-face classes in school this week (back to school after more than half a year of remote learning), she tried several new dishes.  Sherilyn loves spending time in the kitchen to try out new recipes to destress.

We had dry ramen with minced pork, Onsen tamago amd ramen eggs.  The ramen noodles were made from scratch and ramen eggs marinated yesterday.  Even the Japanese tare sauce for the noodles was made from scratch.

The ramen noodles were perfect and silky-smooth. And the secret?

Knead them with your FEET 😜  That's what the Japanese do.  

Chef Sherilyn placed the dough in a Ziplock bag, put on clean socks and danced on top of the bagged dough😆

We had these for dinner on Saturday and again for lunch on Sunday.  In fact, we didn't mind having it again for lunch the next day as the dry ramen tasted as good as the ones from Japanese restaurants!

Noodles churned out from the Kenwood mixer.

Fried stuffed brinjal with minced pork and torch ginger flower. 
This dish was born as S was clearing the fridge and found a long brinjal and some torch ginger flower that had been sitting inside for weeks.

Homemade satay sauce, made with love by S. Love this peanut sauce with loads of aromatic spices and sambal from Catermate.  She made the sauce to go with pan-fried salmon the other day. We used the leftover sauce to go with the fried stuffed brinjal.

Wednesday, 10 November 2021

I think Haru's surgical wound is slightly infected as we saw whitish liquid seeping out. We had to stick a post-op plaster on her wound and put her on the post-op suit again, which she protested with growls and quivering bleats. My poor baby. 

Tomorrow I will bring Haru to the clinic for the vet to examine the wound. Cass has a one-hour break in between classes at 11-ish a.m. and we'll make a quick trip to the vet's.  Hopefully all is well with her. I really don't want her to be on oral antibiotics again or worse, something more invasive 🙏

In her favorite 'roast turkey' position. 

Work in progress at hubby's central kitchen, Catermate ~ prepping bento boxes for a corporate client's event today.  We had the same food for lunch today, comprising of Nasi Jagung (sweet corn rice), mutton kurma, bak choy with garlic and sauteed turmeric chicken tenders with veggies.

Christmas Décor Ideas

Nothing welcomes the holiday season more than a well-decorated, festive home. A living room or cozy fireplace adorned with a Christmas tree that glistens and glows in mini Christmas lights and seasonal bounty like evergreen boughs, berries, Poinsettias and delectable Christmas pastries setting the table.    I’m sure that this year, everyone is planning on doubling down their Christmas décor as we’ll be spending even more time at home during the holiday season. 

10Ft Polaris Multi Colour LED Christmas Curtain String Lights

Whether you prefer the classic red-and-green Christmas décor or fancy more remote control Led light for a more bling bling magical effect, you can infuse every room in your home with the Christmas spirit. If you’re looking for ideas to help you decorate your home for the holidays, you can take these Christmas décor inspirations when you shop: 

• Christmas tree ornaments 

• Christmas tree skirt 

• Christmas lights

• Patio lights 

• Candles 

• Garlands 

• Swags 

• Ribbons

• Poinsettias 

• Wreaths 

23.6Ft Rattan Decoration Pine Needle Red Christmas Swag

6Ft Increased Density Flocking Christmas Tree Decorated with Red Fruits

There are so many fun ways to get into the holiday spirit. For me and some of you, it's all about listening to Christmas songs.  Some of you might love to fill your home with cozy, seasonal scents that scream Christmas.  And others might prefer to go mall hopping to marvel at the Christmas décor and camwhoring. No matter what your preference or tradition, there’s nothing like getting some festive holiday décor from xmas twinkle star to really get you into the mood.  

Happy Christmas decorating! Your own winter wonderland is calling!

New OXY Anti-Blackhead Gel is Gentle on the Skin Yet Effective in Combatting Blackheads

Blackheads and oily skin are amongst the top skin concerns faced by teenagers. When teens  hit puberty, their oil glands become overactive thereby resulting in the production of excessive  sebum. The excess sebum and built-up of dead skin cells in the hair follicles then forms  blackheads. 

The need to use a facemask during this time of the pandemic can worsen one’s skin condition as it traps dirt and bacteria underneath it. Without proper care and treatment, blackheads will potentially lead to enlarged pores.  

OXY the skincare brand for teens has introduced the new Anti-Blackhead Gel that is specially  formulated to treat blackheads. It is gentle on the skin yet effective in diminishing blackheads  which is usually found on the nose. 

Effective ingredients found in its formulation include: 

i. Glycolic Acid (AHA) and Salicylic Acid (BHA) 

Glycolic Acid and Salicylic Acid are both active ingredients that targets different layers  of the skin. While Glycolic Acid exfoliates and removes dead skin cells from the surface  of the skin, Salicylic Acid is able to penetrate deep into the skin and clear out impurities  such as dirt and sebum from the pores to ensure skin around the nose area is clear  and smooth. 

Salicylic Acid used in the new OXY Anti-Blackhead Gel is derived from Wintergreen  Leaf Extract, which is 100% natural Salicylic Acid that comes with skincare benefits  such as purifying the skin, removing excess sebum and ultimately helping to get rid of  blackheads. 

ii. Witch Hazel Leaf Extract 

With the possibility of inflammation caused by exfoliation, the new OXY Anti-Blackhead  Gel is packed with Witch Hazel Leaf Extract to soothe the skin and bring down

inflammation. Other than its soothing properties, the Witch Hazel Leaf Extract also  helps to tighten the pores to reduce the appearance of pores on the problemed area. 

iii. High Purify Centella Asiatica Extract 

Centella Asiatica Extract promotes collagen reproduction in the skin, which is  important, as collagen helps the skin cells to renew and repair themselves. This  ingredient has also been found to calm inflammation, soothe redness, and repair  damaged skin to achieve an overall even complexion.  

The OXY Anti-Blackhead Gel is to be applied after cleansing the skin. Pat dry, squeeze out  an appropriate amount of the gel on the fingertip and apply a thin layer on the nose. Leave it  to dry for about 3-5 minutes. Then, gently massage to exfoliate and remove blackheads.  Lastly, wash thoroughly with water.  

This product is recommended to be used 2-3 times a week. Traditional blackheads removal  methods such as using tools or our fingers to squeeze them out may risk permanent scarring  on the skin and cause damage to the epidermis layers of the skin; therefore, gentle chemical  exfoliation is the way to go.  

The new OXY Anti-Blackhead Gel retails at RM14.90 (18g) and is available at leading  pharmacies and supermarkets nationwide. For more information about the new OXY Anti Blackhead Gel, kindly log on to oxy.com.my.  

Homemade Pizza

*Throwback post*

Our in-house teenage chef made some meat-free pizzas from scratch about 2 weeks ago.  Schools in our state would be reopened on 8 November 2021 after more than half a year of remote learning from home and our chef had been busy prepping food in advance for deep freezing. She intended to bring them to school or eat them for lunch when she's back from school.  Sherilyn has become pretty persnickety on food lately and prefers to eat food that she cooks or bakes herself 😏

Pizzas with toppings of red and yellow bell pepper, shimeji mushrooms and cheese, for freezing. These will be Sherilyn's fast food when school reopens coz that's when she will have lesser time in the kitchen.

Sherilyn also made a big batch of hazelnut + brazil nut butter/bread spread with no salt, oil and sugar, a big batch of button-sized pancakes in 3 flavors and a big batch of satay sauce. She wasn't even this ready when we were preparing for lockdown 1.0 in March last year.  But going back to school seemed to have turned on her survival mode and she spent all her free time in the kitchen prepping food for those hectic days ahead where she won't have time to cook but craves to have some comfort food.  

Talk about making hay while the sun shines 😂 

Things You Should Know About Air Track Mats Before Buying

What Is Air Track Mat

An air track mat is an inflatable air tumbling mat that can be inflated by pumping air using an air pump.  They are commonly used on the gym floor, gymnasium for gymnasts and acrobats training, martial arts training halls, fitness clubs, dance studios, yoga studio, in the water for water games and sports or even as home entertainment. 

Kids and adults love tumbling on these tumble mats as they are bouncy, unlike a yoga mat, which is usually thin.  If you have a child who’s a budding gymnast, getting a good quality air track mat for your home is a good investment, both for safety and for nurturing their talent.

Air track gymnastics and tumble mats are superior and safe training mats for gymnasts and cheerleaders. With an air track mat, you can practise for competitions or simply jump or bounce on it for some fun at home.  As an air track mat can be easily inflated and deflated, you can easily bring it to wherever you want.

Air track mats provide very good support, bounce, and rebound height to gymnasts practicing leaps and jumps for competitions. The bounce feature of the air track is very good, which offers more air and power for your jumps, flips and leaps.

The elasticity of the mat can be adjusted by changing the pressure.  When the pressure is at its maximum, the air track can feel hard, while reduced pressure will make the air track more flexible and softer.  Different levels of stress levels can be tried to get one that suits the user the most.

 

Things That You Should Know When Buying Air Track Mats

Air track mats can be quite costly because of the expensive materials used.  If you’re planning on getting air track mats, here are 6 things that you should know before buying them.

 1.  What is air track mats made of?

In order to provide full support for practicing jumps, flips and somersaults, air tracks must be made from a durable and resilient material. High quality air track models are made of good quality PVC tarpaulin which is more durable, non-irritating, non-slip, waterproof, eco-friendly, easy to clean and safe to be used.

 

2. Why are air track mats expensive?

Air tracks are expensive because of the high quality materials used in the construction. The air tracks are tested for 1-3 days using rigorous testing procedures to ensure that there is no leaking.  Some shops like Kameymall offer a 2-year warranty with lifelong after-sale service for the air tracks.

 

3. How long do air track mats last?

If the air track mat is well taken care of in accordance to manufacturer’s instructions, they can last a decade. Proper usage and maintenance include regularly cleaning the equipment, deflating it when not in use and storing it in its bag. Special care must be taken to ensure that the air track mat is not exposed to objects that could puncture or burn it.

 

4.  Where do I buy air track mats?

One of the best places on the internet to shop for air track mats is at Kameymall. There’s a wide range of air track mats at this online mall with different price range to suit every budget and need.

 

5. Can air tracks be used outdoors?

Air tracks can be for both indoor and outdoor use (on land and on water). Just ensure that the air track is used on a smooth flat surface when outdoors.  Always ensure that the surface is clear of any sharp objects. It is highly recommended that a groundsheet be used.

 

6.  How can you repair air tracks?

As with most inflatable products, air tracks can be repaired using a patching kit and adhesive, which most sellers will include in the purchase.  You will have to refer to the manufacturer’s instructions on repairing air tracks or get in touch with the seller.

10 Foot Air Tracks Large Gymnastics Mat 

 

Benefits of Using Air Track Mats

1.    Less risk of an injury during practice vs. using yoga mats.

2.    They are quickly and easily inflated with electric pumps, and ready for use.

3.    They are also easily deflated for convenient storage in smaller spaces.

4.    When deflated and folded, they are more portable and easier to carry around than padded mats.

5.    They allow gymnasts to practice moves any time they feel like it, to build their confidence and learn new skills.

But keep in mind that the air track is not designed to be a landing mat so please do not ever attempt to jump from high places onto the mat.

Kameymall is an online wholesaler that carry a wide range of air track mats in various sizes, thickness and finishes for different uses.  They supply air tracks at competitive prices, making them the preferred choice for everyone from gymnasts to cheerleaders for practice at home or at the gym.

 

Click here to shop for air track mats.  Happy shopping and have loads of fun with your new air track mat!

Monday, 8 November 2021

Today marks an important day in Alycia's new academic chapter.  It's her first day of face-to-face learning in campus @ Sunway College after two months of online learning. It is also Sherilyn's first day back to physical classes in school after more than half a year of remote learning from home.  Cass remains at home with online lessons for the rest of this year. 

Haru is recovering well after a spay surgery. Today is the 6th day after her surgery.  This persnickety feline hates having the recovery suit and post-op plaster on her abdomen.   She keeps removing the suit and pulling off the plaster whenever we're not watching her.  She pulls them out and we put them on again, on repeat mode the whole day. We're so exhausted watching her like a hawk. And the plasters cost RM1.60 each, which I bought from the pharmacy.

Today I tried letting Haru roam free without any suit and plaster and she feels so free and happy, just like how she was before the surgery. She was playing 'football' again, which are Izumio packet caps - her favorite toy. She doesn't seem to get tired of kicking and chasing these caps, like we humans would with football.  She started climbing up tables again and gave us heart attack moments because if she ruptured her sutures, it's going to get very nasty.

How we miss seeing Haru back to her usual self again. But once we put the recovery suit on her, she starts to be quiet again. She finds it hard to move and do her litter business with the suit on her body. I ordered another recovery suit in a size smaller from Shopee and it will arrive tomorrow.

Post surgery day 3

Post surgery day 3.

Post surgery day 3

Post surgery day 6. She wriggled her way out of her post-op suit even with a a band tied behind and an elastic hair band on the abdomen area.  It's her way of declaring independence.

Natural tofu litter purchased online.  I'll be using this for Haru's litter box for at least one month to minimize infection to her wound site. 

Importance of Wearing Proper Footwear

Our feet have a very important role, yet they are often an ignored part of our body. Our feet need to work hard to bring us everywhere the moment we get down from our bed in the morning. Often times we get painful heels, blisters on our toes, throbbing feet, achy heels as well as sore calves, yet we accept the aches and pains as an inevitable part of life.  

Did you know that your muscles and joint pains could be caused by improper foot wear?  To put an end to these aches and sores, you should get the support that your body deserves, with proper footwear.  Different foot wear should be worn for different activity or surfaces. For example, mens safety shoes should be worn when working in areas where there is a danger of foot injuries due to falling or slipping, rolling objects or objects piercing the sole.  One of the best places to shop for safety shoes and protective footwear is at Safetyalls.

Not too long ago, hubby slipped, fell and landed on his butt in a heavy downpour just outside his shop. He was only wearing slippers and was walking down some slippery steps.  Had he worn shoes with proper soles, the accident could have been avoided.  Something similar happened to Cass and me several years ago. It was raining cats and dogs and we were walking out of the music school towards my car. As we were walking down the slippery steps, the both of us had a near miss fall as we were both wearing slippers. 

Just recently, Cass twisted her ankle badly when she was doing some yoga mat exercises. She had removed her sports shoes and I think she must have done jumping jacks or some jumping exercises and her right foot landed on its side. The next day was Cass' Covid vaccination day and she had to be on a wheelchair at the vax centre. Two months later today, the foot is still not fully healed and she’s still suffering from aches on her foot occasionally.

Foot injuries can be debilitating, resulting in time away from work or difficulty performing a job. This in turn may affect your source of income if the injury is a serious one.  Wearing safety shoes or boots can help prevent many foot injuries.  It is therefore imperative to get proper protective footwear to protect your assets. Whether you need to shop for work boots online or high ankle shoes for hiking, Safetyalls has a great collection of safety shoes to choose from.

Haru's Spay Surgery

Sorry for the lack of update in this blog.  I've had my hands all tied up with my online assignments as well as caring for Haru who just had a spay surgery, which is a major surgery.  If you're not sure what exactly a spay surgery is for a female cat, it is a surgery (open abdomen) to remove the uterus and both the ovaries.  For those of you who'd gone through a C-section or other abdomen surgery, you'll know how awfully painful it is.  

I'd wanted to delay Haru's spay surgery till she's a year old but her past 2 heats drove everyone in the house up the wall!

At the height of her heat - Haru rolling on the floor throughout the day, yowling on top of her voice.  This drove me bonkers.

One of the ways to keep Haru occupied, to keep her mind off finding a 'boyfriend' was to keep her entertained or to play with her. But everyone was busy with their own work and had to bear with the all-day caterwauling.

I put her into our shopping trolley outside the house so that she could watch Cass exercise on the yoga mat. That managed to keep her mind from wandering and she just enjoyed to be out of the house to breathe in fresh air, catch insects and to peep at neighbors.

To find out more on Haru's spay surgery, please hop over to my other blog at https://www.healthfreakmommy.com/

Have a great weekend peeps!

Affordable Clothing For This Holiday Season

The holiday season is fast approaching. Don’t we all love December? It’s a month of merriment, shopping for Christmas presents, partying, enjoying good food with our favourite people, vacation and gathering with loved ones and friends.   Such joyous occasions are already in the cards for most of you and happy occasions call for dressing up in your best.   And it’s just about the right time as Singles Day sale (11.11) is less than a week away!

If you need a few new pieces of Christmas themed fashion tops for women, Holapick has a nice collection for you to browse.

Below are some lovely Christmas themed women’s clothing from Holapick. These clothing will make your Christmas celebration more joyous. They’re also great for those Insta-worthy shots or for social media bragging rights.

Casual Christmas Print Fleece Sweater

Christmas print leggings

Christmas Print Long Sleeve Top With Irregular Hem

Christmas Print V-neck Long Sleeve Midi Dress Women

Thanks to these fabulous Christmas themed clothing, you’re going to look swank and holidayish while feeling comfy in them.  There are lots of elegant dresses from Holapick for different occasions from off-shoulder pieces to one-shoulder, spaghetti strap, maxi, bodycon, sheer, lace and chiffon for this holiday. 

So if you’re thinking of getting some trendy women’s clothing for the coming Christmas gathering that you’ve been looking forward to since last Christmas, but wasn’t possible due to social restrictions, start your shopping early!  Happy shopping!

Maria Is Back At Work

Maria is back after a 6-month hiatus!

In May this year we had to tell Maria the most dreaded news again that we will have to stop her from coming to work in view of the spike in Covid cases. We had to protect ourselves as none of us was fully vaccinated at that time.  Since the lockdown in March last year, we had to stop Maria from coming into our house on three separate occasions, each lasting for several months. The longest hiatus is this time for a period of 6 months. 

Now that everyone in the house has been fully vaxxed including the girls, I made the decision to ask Maria to come back to work.  But there were conditions before she could step into our house.   The condo Management house rules is all part-time cleaners must provide proof of their digital vaccination certificate via My Sejahtera.  And I requested for a Covid test done in front of me using a Covid self-test kit.  I even gave Maria a fresh KN94 face mask and requested that she wore that instead of her own mask.  I was worried that Maria wore a recycled disposable face mask.  One time, Maria told me that she washed all her disposable masks and re-wore them.  

The entire procedure of the Covid self-test lasted 20 minutes - 5 minutes for collecting saliva and another 15 minutes for waiting for the result.  She did the test outside our unit. I had to watch the instructions via You Tube umpteen times to understand how to use this kit! 

Maria is also required to do a Covid self-test at her workplace where she works as a cleaner.  One of her duties is to clean the rooms of a Datuk and Datin.  The secretaries working for the Datuk and Datin would test her and other cleaners every two weeks. 

We're all so glad to have Maria back but the mil is still feeling a tad uncomfortable with having Maria around in the house.  I can't blame her as Maria was Covid positive 3 months ago.  

IMHO, I think we have to learn to live with the virus. According to WHO recently, the pandemic is far from over.   We will all have to mingle with people who were once Covid positive.  Three months ago, our neighborhood supermarket turned into a Covid cluster with almost all the staff infected. It was the same time that Maria was infected too as she stays at the same area, which was a red zone.  Residents are now going back to the supermarket, including myself.   We just have to take precautionary measures and remember to keep a physical distance, practise proper face mask wearing and sanitize our hands regularly.   

Different Styles of Handbags

Handbags are a fashion staple and functional necessity that every woman should have in their closet.  Handbags are a woman’s most visible fashion accessory, conveying to others the tribe to which they belong.  They are a form of self-expression, signal of personal style and they can reveal a little about the owner.  Handbags make our lives easier as we use them to carry our daily essentials, wherever we go.  Handbags are also an entrée to luxury and glamour, although some women use them solely for practicality purposes.

The most iconic of all the handbags are Hermes and Chanel, followed by Louis Vuitton, at the top tier. Not everyone can afford to own these bags in their life time because of the exorbitant price tag. Some brands, like the Hermes’ Birken model are not easily accessible.  For the average woman on the street who prefers affordable handbags to meet functional criteria, there are thousands of brands out there.  If you are the type of girl who’s always on the lookout for chic and à la mode bags that are affordable enough to add to your collection of bags, baginning.com has the coolest collection of ladies bags priced under USD100.

Handbags come in a myriad of styles to suit different occasions, needs and style preferences. They double up as a fashion accessory to finish off or add interest to an outfit.  

Here are the most common types of handbags.

Shoulder Bags

One of the most popular handbag options, the shoulder bag comes in a range of materials, designs, and hues. Straps are the easiest distinction between a shoulder bag or tote: a shoulder bag normally has one strap, and a tote bag has two.

 

Tote Bags

A tote bag is one of the very few bags which manages to combine practicality with style very effortlessly. Tote bags are similar to shoulder bags but they are often larger and roomier, mainly used for shopping purposes.

Crossbody Bags

Crossbody bags allow you to have your hands free while you're on the go or have other items to carry.  These bags are designed with long straps where you can sling it across your body and make your life easier.

 

Vintage Bags

A vintage bag is considered vintage at 10, 20, or 25+ years, and designer provenance is important here. However, one can find bags designed like vintage bags at bags specialty stores.

Clutch Bags

A clutch is a type of purse that is carried in the hands or tucked under the arm. A clutch typically does not have a strap for carrying.  A clutch is usually carried to accompany a beautiful gown. Matching your clutch bag to your shoes is a fool-proof recipe for classy formal wear.

The Bucket

Bucket bags are fastened with a drawstring around the top and have a long, crossbody strap. Sometimes they have a shorter strap in addition to this.

 

Satchels

Satchels are like crossbody bags but they are more specific in shape. Satchels are almost always rectangular in shape with an envelope flap and dual buckle fastening. These make great everyday handbags for office, dinner or casual.

Bag lovers usually have different types of bags in their closet to suit different occasions.  For me, I love tote bags and have half a dozen of them in different colours and motifs. They are the most ideal bags for a practical person like me. 

What about you? What type of bags do you have a specific liking for?

Our Sunday, 24 October 2021

Hubby had to be at his central kitchen with this team today to prep food for a client's birthday lunch.  So we're left to settle our lunch and dinner ourselves.  Sherilyn whipped up a simple yet amazing sandwich with homemade bacon, avocado, eggs, organic salad and pan-toasted wholemeal walnut bread.

A close family friend ordered home-cooked lunch and had it sent to us by the seller.  He ordered waxed meat rice (Lap Mei Farn) and Tong Sui (pumpkin + sago and red dates + peach gum + snow fungus), cooked by a home-based seller.  The food arrived at around 1 pm but we ate it for dinner at 4 pm.  

Yep, that's how early we have our dinner everyday -- at a time between 3 - 5 pm. After our early dinner, we don't have supper or snacks. If the girls or I feel our tummies rumble by 9 or 10 pm, we don't even bother grabbing a snack but go straight to bed.    And our next meal of the day is around 7 a.m.   I love waking up feeling hungry.  So, we have at least 12-14 hours of intermittent fasting almost every day. 

Cass is now very fastidious about the time of her last meal.  Any food put on the table after 4pm and she will keep her dinner for breakfast the next day. She has at least 16 hours of IF every day and very happy with this regimen. She's slowly turning into a health and fitness freak and I can't be happier! 😁

I can't tell you how beneficial it is for our health to eat an early dinner. We've been doing this for more than 3 years (it started with the girls coming back from school at 3.30pm and I served them dinner at that time) and even the mil has finally bought the idea of having a crazy early dinner at 4pm (and sometimes at 3 pm!) 😁

5 Fun Christmas Activities to Fill Your Holiday With Festive Cheer

It may still not be normal this holiday season, but that doesn’t mean it has to be boring. I’m sure by now, after almost two years in lockdown, we have all learned how to be creative in finding new ways to create fun activities.  While reduced travel and gatherings may dampen your holidays, you can still feel as festive as ever with some great activities that are sure to create some joy and cheer.

 

Besides virtual or all-vaccinated in-person get-togethers, check out these fun holiday activities to fill your pandemic holiday with merriment and get ready for a fun-filled, festive holiday season!

 

1  Dress Up In Matching Outfits

A family that wears family matching outfits  show that you’re the kind of family that likes to have fun and thinks outside the box while ordinary clothes make you blend into society.  Matching clothes create a special vibe that makes occasions like Christmas even more special.   Imagine yourself going through your Google Photos album and seeing your family in pretty synced-up Christmas outfits. It will definitely put a smile on your face reminiscing how special such occasions were in your household.

 2  Host A Gingerbread Competition

Christmas is one of the best times to put your architecture skills to the test, and there’s nothing like a bit of friendly competition to stoke the holiday fires. Best of all, you can compare gingerbread competitions in person or via video chat.

 

3 Camp Under The Christmas Tree

If there’s one night of the year to let the kids (and yourself) camp in the living room, this is it.  Get everyone to put on cute matching family Christmas pajamas from online shops like Popopieshop, sleep under the tree and await the new day and new year. That’s going to be so much fun!

 

4 Put On Some Holiday Movies

If you’ve always wanted to binge watch movies with your loved ones but never had the time to, this is it.  Grab your favorite pajamas, turn off the lights and don’t forget to pop lots of popcorn before you hit play!

5  Shop For Matching Holiday Outfits

One of the best times to shop online for clothes is during Black Friday sales. Whether you’re looking for Black Friday mommy and me outfits or some cute kids clothing as Christmas gifts, you’re be saving loads of money when you shop during the sale!

 

Whether you’re planning to reunite with vaccinated family members and friends or cautiously emerging from your Covid-19 quarantine state of mind, I hope Christmas 2021 will be the light at the end of a very long tunnel for everyone. Stay safe, happy online shopping and continue to pray that we will all be able to celebrate the holidays like the old days once again.