Review : Sweet & Spicy Topokki Hot Sauce

Item : Sweet & Spicy Topokki Hot Sauce
Price : $2.40 (NTUC Fairprice)


Product Review :
I've come across this on the shelf at NTUC many times but never though of purchasing it cause no one eating with me and I don't think I can finish it all.. The other day I decide to cook this as my brother would be home for dinner.

Usage :
Super easy, just boil the rice cakes, add the sauce and stir!

Taste:
It's really nice but I think I had too much water and rice cake. :D

Will I purchase it again? Yes I would probably purchase it again!

Fine Motor Skill : Homemade Dough for Play

I love playing play-dough when I was a kid but unfortunately it's quite messy and expensive so I didn't really have much chance to play with it.

Thankful for the internet, for google and also to all the mummies who shares information online, I found out that you can actually make non toxic play dough with kitchen ingredients!

Materials:

• Flour (all purpose flour)
• Salt
• Water (lukewarm water works better imo)
• Big Bowl
• Food Colouring (optional*)

Steps:

1. Mix approximately 1 cup Flour and 1/2 cup Salt together in a big bowl.

2. Slowly add in 1/2 cup of water while stiring or mixing with your hands/fork.

Stop when you feel that it's just right (mushy, not watery)

3. Keep kneading it until it's ready to play, if it's too wet add a bit of flour, if it's too "flour-y" add a bit of water.

4. Drop a few drops of food colouring in the dough and knead it till the dough changes to the colour that you want. This is optional, no need to add food colouring if you are okay with white dough. :)

3 Primary colours (Yellow, Blue and Red) is all you need.

You can mix the colours to get different colours.

Eg Yellow + Blue = Green

Yellow + Red = Orange

Red + Blue = Purple

From another playing session:

I did the dough-man and she gave the it legs! lol.

Also did the numbers and held her hand to trace them.

Previously I made her some cards with shapes and their names in English/Chinese, decide to take them out so she can fill up the shapes (e.g. see star and heart which was done by me lol.)

Then she decide to fascinate me by making little pieces of dough and placing them on the points on the shapes instead. (Other than oval and circle which has no points so she placed the dough randomly, the rest are right! 3 points on triangle and 4 points each on rectangle, square and rhombus.)

Cutie pie loves playing with them and could play whole day. Usually I would make them in the morning/noon and she will play for a few sessions throughout the day. When it's time to eat I would keep them in a box and so that it will not dry up so fast. :)

Gross Motor Skill : Climbing Up and Down

Okay I actually did this with my cutie pie approximately 4+ months back, in late Nov 2014.
Regret that I haven been doing much of this with her recently but she does gets her twice weekly stairs climbing when we pass by her usual stairs climbing place...

Toddler's Age : Approximate 24 months old (2 years old)

Material:

• A few stools/chairs of different heights.
• A little toy for child to hold (optional, to increase difficulty)

Steps:

1. Arrange the stools/chairs in a row, in random order, or a "hill shape"if you like.

2. Show toddler how you would complete the whole sequence (walk on the stools) and encourage him/her to try.

3. During his/her first walk/climb, hold his/her hand, after gaining confidence he/she will not want you to hold his/her hands anymore. (You may want to do it on a mat but I find that the stools are not that stable when placed on the mat and kids being kids may feel that since there's a mat it's okay to fall and will not be that serious in completing the activity properly)

4. After playing a few rounds you can change the order of the stools to make it more interesting.

5. When he/she is confident and is able to complete the activity, you may consider adding a little game to it at the end. Eg. Kids bowling or throwing a ball. He/she will need to hold on to the ball while climbing up and down the stools, then followed by attempting to knock down the pins with the ball in his/her hand.

This is especially good for rainy days or days you don't want to bring your little one out to the playground!

Playgrounds are good for their gross motor skills as they need to climb up to get to the slides and sometimes they need to crawl through tunnel too! However the playground usually have many older kids that play really rough (kids playing catching, or even playing badminton right in front of the slides!) and sometimes it's either too hot (11-3pm) or too wet (anyone else feels that it's raining the whole year round?), or maybe you are simply afraid that your kid may come into contact with some virus from another child who is unwell? (yes coughing kids, kids with runny nose, even kids with fever cooling patch still on their forehead spotted at the playground. -.-), or maybe the mosquitoes are keeping you away (dengue)? 

Alright, that's all for now, hope you enjoyed my gross/fine motor series so far. :)

Fine Motor Skill : Straws and pipe cleaners

Previously for fine motor skill I blogged about using Wooden Pegs, today's post will be on using Straws and Pipe Cleaners.

Toddler's Age : Approximate 27 months old. (suitable from 2yo)


Materials:

• Pipe Cleaners 4mm
• Small Straws 4mm
• Bigger Straws 5mm

(All bought from Daiso, it's my shopping haven. :P)

Steps:

1. Show toddler the different materials and let him/her hold them. You can ask her to describe the item if she have never seen it before, e.g. the pipe cleaner might be something new so you can use it to brush against her skin to let her have a feel of it. It's soft, bendable and the ends may be sharp.

2. Start with showing him/her how to slot in a 4mm pipe cleaner into the 5mm straw and let him/her try it out.

3. Next you can let him/her try slotting the 4mm small straw into the 5mm bigger straw.

4. Lastly you can let him/her try slotting the 4mm pipe cleaner into the 4mm small straw.

4mm Pipe Cleaner into 5mm Straw

4mm Straw into 5mm Straw

4mm Pipe cleaners into 4mm Straw.

After she is done with all the above activity I realise the one that looks the simplest to me was actually not that easy. She have no issues with putting the pipe cleaners into straws of both sizes but when it comes to putting the smaller straw into the bigger straw she face some difficulty. Especially whenever she try to put the a sharp end of the smaller straw in first, she would struggle a little but she would persist and get it in.

Overall, this is quite fun for my little kiddo and when she accidentally bends the pipe cleaners she will pretend that it's a straw (cause it looks like those bendy straws?) and ask me to pretend using it to drink water.

After the above activity I gather a few bigger straws and get her to put in the smaller straws or the pipe cleaners with 1 hand but after 1 or 2 pieces she would use another hand to hold on to mine..

*Once she is bored and more skilled, I would most probably increases the difficulty by cutting the straw and pipe cleaners. Smaller pieces would require her to have more skill!

If you like this activity, click on the labels to see more activities!

I will try to update more soon! :)

3rd Order from Iherb + My first Popping Popcorn Experience

Not too long ago I blogged about my current new favourite online shop?

Yes this is the 3rd order I was talking about! :D

Again, this is not a paid/sponsored post, however if you use the coupon code that I will be providing I do get some form of rewards. The coupon code TBC541 gives you discount of up to $10.00 off your first order!

I love receiving parcels, it's like receiving presents!

Ordered on 17th March.

Shipped out on 19th March.

Arrived at my house on 24th March.

This time I bought a bunch of snacks/supplements!

For purchase above $40 there's a 5% discount.

In total I paid USD41.33 (SGD58.96) for this order.

Nature's Way, Fenugreek Seed, 610 mg, 180 Capsules

Nature's Way, Blessed Thistle Herb, 100 Capsules

Many mummies mention that these seeds/herbs are milk boosters so I thought I should order them to try. Fenugreek seed is retailing in most places at around SGD14-SGD18 per bottle, purchased on iherb at only SGD11.68 (before discount). Blessed Thistle is retailing at around SGD10-SGD16 per bottle, pursed on herb at only SGD8.53 (before discount).

Currently these 2 supplements are entitled to volume discount of 10-15%, so if you intend to purchase more bottles it will be even cheaper!

Barbara's Bakery, Snackimals, Animal Cookies, Chocolate Chip, 6 Bags, 1 oz (28 g) Each

Bought this for my girl as her snack in school from a shop nearby before and it's quite nice. Bought through Iherb for SGD6.94 for 6 packs. Not cheap but oh well she doesn't have cookies that often...

iHerb Goods, Day & Night Pill Organizer

This is what I choose for the trial item. Only paid SGD0.71 for this and I think it will be used well. :D

Jarrow Formulas, Organic, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, 16 oz (454 g)

SGD16.95 (before discount) Bought this because some mummies recommend using this for many purpose. You can use it to bake, use it to apply to hair/skin etc and it's apparently another milk booster. So yeah I'm going to use it to bake! :D

The first thing I used it for is to pop popcorns though! Hee Hee.

Nairn's Inc, Oat Cookies, Dark Chocolate Chip, 7.1 oz (200 g)

I love cookies and I love dark chocolate. :D Oat cookie is also known as a milk booster so yeah it seems like a good enough excuse to buy it? SGD5.68 (before discount)

Okay this photo totally didn't do the cookies justice!

It's delicious and I will purchase again, in fact I am putting it in my shopping cart right now so when I order my 4th iherb order I will remember to purchase it! :P

Now Foods, Real Food, Certified Organic Popcorn, 24 oz (680 g)

I have been wanting to purchase this for a really long time. Like since I bought the happycall pan a few years back? lol. SGD5.59 (before discount).

A day after receiving my parcel I decide to pop the popcorns haha. First batch I used olive oil, second batch I used coconut oil. Coconut oil is quite nice and both times I didn't use much oil so it doesn't feel oily at all! Super healthy and at the same time it's satisfying!

My first Popping Popcorn Experience

Spread 1-2 teaspoon of oil on pan (butter works too I think.)

My happy call pan the magnet come out already. -.-'

Once the oil is hot, put in the corns and wait for it to pop.

After it starts popping you can shake it a little so that it doesn't get burn.

When no more popping sound can be heard, you can  pour out the popped popcorns in a huge bowl.

Popping popcorn is really fun and it's simple too! :)

Just a bit of popcorn and I get 1 big bowl of fresh fluffy popcorn. :D

The popping sound can be quite scary so do keep little kids away.

I was so scream-y when I opened the lip before the popping was done haha.

Gross Motor Skill : Scooping Foam Alphabets/Balls (Water Play)

Gross motor skill is as important as fine motor skill, this time I decide to do something simple for my little one to train her little arms.

For this activity, there's not much to prepare and set up is kind of effortless, however as it involves water, parent/guardian need to provide 100% attention.

Toddler's Age : Approximate 27 months old. (Probably suitable from 18months?)

Materials:

• Fishing Net ($2 from Daiso)
• Foam Alphabets n Numbers / Bath Toys / Balls / Sponge
• Tub/Pail
• Water

Steps:

1. Wash Tub, "Fishes" and Fishing Net

2. Fill Tub/Pail with some water.

(In order not to waste water I actually let her play this fishing game after she have taken a bathe and the water used is actually from her tub time! PS I don't give her tub time everyday.)

3. Put the "fishes" in, hand the net to child

4. Name items you want him/her to scoop.

Example: A yellow ball, or a pink alphabet, or a lego piece, or alphabet X.

I don't think LO have ever seen a fishing net but once she lay her hands on it she automatically knew what to do with it. I am impressed and at the same time felt somewhat lacking? I called out colours or alphabets and she took them out correctly and really quickly too!

*Increase difficulty by increasing quantity of toys and also try putting more toys varieties.

To make it more interesting, I would give different instructions instead of asking for the items directly.  Like asking for a particular alphabet, then maybe next ask for any item of a particular colour, follow by just name of a toy (e.g. a ball, a lego), or any alphabet in a particular colour, or even name a shape! She needs to look at the items and pick up the one that fits what I describe/request.

Do you have any gross motor skill activity to recommend? :)

RIP Visionary Leader

The past 24 hours I didn't turn on the TV or Radio and I tried not to check my facebook/instagram.

Every message or article written about this great man brings tears to my eyes. If there's video on Facebook, I would skip it because I don't think I am ready for it.

Chocked by emotions so often that now I've swollen eyes and nose that hurts from all the tearing.

Why am I so affected?

Why does it felt like a close one has moved on?

When I was young, I have no interest in politics just like I don't have interest in history (it confuses and bores me). I didn't care to know who was the current president, who is the prime minister, minister and what they do. My knowledge of politics is zero because I didn't have many friends who have interest in it. My own parents doesn't find the need to tell me anything either (not that they know much since they didn't have any interest).

When I did my diploma studies a few years back, I had to write an essay about visionary leader. This was not easy for me because I wasn't well read (I don't read newspaper often, don't socialise often, yes I am what they call ignorant (井底之蛙), even though I knew the qualities (in the school provided notes), I didn't know who to base my essay on.

I have to thank my classmate who shared the person whom she knew was a visionary leader. She shared his name and I had to do my own research of cause. Till that point I have never known this great man and never knew what he did. Yes I knew many years back we separated from Malaysia and then he cried on TV but other than that I didn't really know who he is and what he has done. Doing my own research (read : google) and borrowing books from library increased my knowledge of this intelligent man and yes I am glad that he is our leader.

In the past few weeks articles have spurned up by young writers claiming they will not be sad when he moves on for various reasons but I don't blame them because I would have been one of them if I didn't know about him. Which suddenly makes me feel sad because if all parents were like my parents it wouldn't be long before the future generation becomes ignorant of the visionary leader who lead us to where we are.