Easter Fun at Cluny Court

I have been looking for cute Easter activities for Simone and I'm so happy we went to Cluny Court! I wish I live in that area. I LOVE the community there. Everyone is just so positively happy, smiling and sharing.

I love the concept.

Simone is obsessed balloons and will want to grab any balloon she sees, so balloon sculpting was our first stop. There was a long queue inside the store Small (which I absolutely love! the kids shoes are simple but amaze) There was also a bunny girl walking around, distributing easter egg chocolates. I let her eat a few to kill time:)

Balloon Sculpting at Small store

Happy kiddo

Next stop we saw this

Simone sat on the chair by herself! She saw the colorful sticker tattoos spread out on the table. She was kind of scared when the lady sticks the butterfly tatt on her arm. Too bad Simone can't see it enough haha.

Wow just a few steps I saw some popcorn!!! I asked how much, and boy it's free yay for free kettle corn!

Someone's clearly hungry!

Played with some coloring materials...and started to throw them on the floor.... NEXT!

My Tatt you likey??

Cute kiddos

She went straight in the store The Children's Showcase because there's a huge table full of papers, cups and stickers. We designed a cup. Please don't judge haha Simone kept grabbing the glue and scissors I can't concentrate enough! I'm going back there to buy those super cute plates and utensils for Simone!!!!!!

It's soo F-U-N

wahaha don't judge!

Grabbing everything she sees *sighs*

Caricature! Yes we had this. Unfortunately we look kinda weird in the drawing (Aren't they supposed to? haha)

Our first caricature!

These boys are so cute!

Face Painting! Simone doesn't like her face being touched:( yup so we had it on her leg.. Beautiful butterflies with hearts.

Face painting galore!

At The Children's Showcase store.

Simone kept looking at her butterflies.

I wished she had a bunny face paint.. next time!

Have I not mentioned that everything was free? But the best part is, no one was aggressive just because it's free. Everyone was warm and cheerful. I love this place! Surely going back soon to try Relish resto and buy plates and shoes for Simone!!!

You may check more of their shops at https://www.facebook.com/ClunyCourt

xx,

Shiela

Freezing Your Vegetables and Fruits: The Frugal Life

Don't you just love buying fresh fruits and vegetables, but just a few days later you will have to throw them away because they've already wilted or rotten? I can't consume a bag of spinach for a whole week! Anyway, there's a happy solution to that!

I freeze them and save money!

Prolonged storage in the fridge loses its color and nutrients until it gets rotten. Freezing maintains them. Frozen is always better than canned.
I usually buy one box of organic spinach.
Spinach is one of the "dirty dozen" foods that has a lot of pesticides so its always better to buy organic.

Spinach is a very nutrient-dense food, loaded with vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, anti-inflammatory and an excellent source of iron. It is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, magnesium, folate, manganese, iron, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin B2, potassium, and vitamin B6. It’s a very good source of protein, phosphorus, vitamin E, zinc, dietary fiber, and copper. Plus, it’s a good source of selenium, niacin, and omega-3 fatty acids.

S$6.80 at Fair Price Finest and Cold Storage

Wash them very very (i mean VERY) well. I soak them in water mixed with baking soda. You can also use salt. Leave it for 30 minutes and rinse. I rinse them 3 times. Even if they were already pre-washed 3 times

Yup its a LOT.

Prepare a tray and put some kitchen paper towels. place the leaves and let them dry OR what I do is I press them with another kitchen paper towel. Please do not skip this step as when they freeze wet, they will stick together.

Place them in a Freezer bag. Flatten the bag to remove the air. You may zip it up and leave a little space, insert a straw and suck the air out then close. I wish I had a vaccum sealer though!

and freeze away!

*Another option (a better one) is to blanch. Prepare a pot with boiling water and put the spinach for 20 seconds, drain and place them in a bowl of water with ice.  Drain and then dry.

These will last up to 9 months in a ziplock bag placed in a normal freezer. Mine will last only for about 2 weeks haha. I super love spinach because I can mix it in everything-- I make mine and Simone's smoothies and add a lot of spinach,  and add them in her every meal!

Freezing doesn't end with spinach! My freezer is full of frozen broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, strawberries, blueberries, chickpeas,black beans, even bananas for smoothies or if they are already overripe and can't consume them all.  For broccolis and the like, you have to blanch them first or steam them before freezing. Fruits can be frozen fresh. Yes, so cooking at home is much easier as they are already prepared in advanced. I just have to thaw them. Freezing is not good for salads because when they have been thawed, it's wilted. It is best used for cooking and making smoothies. You may divide a batch into two- one for freezing and one for fridge.

Enjoy!

Shiela

*Nutritional information sourced from http://www.naturally-healthy-eating.com/benefits-of-spinach.html

Disease-Proof your Child

I hate it when I see kids sick. It's normal to fall sick, but why not take it to the next level and prevent it  than cure?  Every mother must have this book, I wished I had discovered this when I was pregnant. But I'm happy that I am on the right track. From The Super Baby Food Book (which I will blog soon), the foods discussed are the same, veggie-grains-beans-nuts-seed-fruit diet. Simone follows that, but of course I include meat like salmon and chicken and no red meat, oh and dairy (but now minimizing).  The book explains what physicians do when patients come to them-- of course to diagnose and prescribe medicine. It is right they are taught to treat, but what food we eat must also be discussed, and that is where Dr. Furhman (the author) is most concerned about. He talks about the different diseases, especially cancer. Dr. Fuhrman states that all cancers that occur now are from the foods that we eat during the first quarter of life, that's why we have to eat the correct food to build our bodies and protect them against diseases. He also discussed antibiotics as too much given to a patient can lead to auto-immune therefore they will not become effective anymore, it will also destroy the good cells.

Here are excerpts from the book that are very knowledgeable:

• The modern diet that most children are eating today creates a fertile cellular environment for cancer to emerge at a later age.
• Childhood diets create cancer.
• Kids become ill not because they naturally pass around germs or have bad genes, but because their diets are inadequate.
• The vast majority of adult cancers are avoidable if an excellent diet is begun and maintained from early childhood
• Not only do children like to eat healthy, but once they do they will reject junk food on their own
• Animal products contain no antioxidants, bioflavonoids, carotenoids, folate. Vitamin C, K or those thousands of phytochemicals that are essential for cellular normalcy and preventing DNA damage.
• Flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts are examples of great brain food that can maximize human potential. Berries and vegetables are also rich in brain0favorable nutrients.
• Most vegetables have more protein per calorie than meat and more calcium per calorie than milk.
• Animal protein is married to saturated fat, the most dangerous type of fat.
• Vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds are all rich in protein, and they also have no saturated fat or cholesterol. But the clincher is that they are higher in nutrients than any other foods.
• Excess animal protein and sodium promotes calcium loss in the urine, increasing calcium requirements.
• Parents need to eat the diet they would like their child's diet to become.

The five most dangerous things to feed a child are :

• Butter and cheese (ouch for me!)
• Potato chips and french fries 
• Doughnuts and other trans fat containing sweets
• Sausages, hotdogs, and other processed food
• Pickled, smoked barbequed meats

He also has his fab 5:

Berries, Greens, Seeds, Beans, Tomatoes

He also encouraged that we take 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseeds, an ounce of walnuts and hemp seeds daily. I think I can do that!!!!! I have been trying to find a decent(meaning not too expensive) grinder for the longest time since Simone was an infant!!!!! I want Krups but a bit expensive though :(

You may check his website at www.drfuhrman.com and his blog, www.diseaseproof.com for articles, videos, recipes and a lot more. He has other books that I'm planning to buy too.

I'm SLOWLY following a Nutritarian diet based on Dr. Fuhrman

You can learn more about it here http://www.drfuhrman.com/library/foodpyramid.aspx I'm in need of a long life for my family.

Seriously, there's a LOT more in the book! I learned so much. You don't have to go all the way, just do what you can and the rest will follow. Before, I was hesitant to eat brown rice and beans because you still have to soak them overnight and cook them for an hour, but I got the hang of it. Simone eats brown rice, beans and vegetables and fruit everyday and I'm happy that she is a healthy eater. Today, I was chopping her broccolis into smaller pieces when she took a floret from her plate and ate it! I was stunned! I hope she will continue that habit! I went grocery shopping this evening, got home, placed everything in the fridge because all were vegetables... Uhhh something was missing I though, but I didn't bother. OH WAIT, MY BEANS! yes, I left the other plastic bag containing Black beans and chickpeas at the cashier. Quickly called Fair Price and luckily it was there LOL. Seriously this brain of mine is dead! What a forgetful me! Ugh.

Tootles,

Shiela 

Toddler Dental Check-up

My mother was very strict to us when it comes to brushing our teeth. I have a sweet tooth so she really, really makes sure I brush my teeth often. Before sleeping time, its a no-fail question if I brushed! Well, it paid off because I never had a cavity ever in my childhood! It's like getting straight A's whenever there's a yearly dental check-up in school and the dentist will look at my record and say, "Hmm let's see if you still have perfect teeth...yes, it's still perfect." Love it!!!!

When Simone turned 1, I brought her to a pedia dentist last January. Well, a pediatric dentist has 2-3 years specialty training following dental school and limits his/her practice to treating children only. A few moms may frown to this thought, but it's a step to prevent tooth problems. Yup, a young child CAN already have tooth decay! Prevention is better than cure!!

We went to Tooth Camp Alabang http://www.toothcamp.ph/, it was just so cool there! Simone kept busy while waiting for her turn. It was like an indoor playground with a dentist. haha

Huuuge playhouse! You can play upstairs too. 

Okay, enough of the playground.

The patient before us was around 8 years old, a boy. He was screaming and crying while the dentist was attending to him. I felt sorry for him but good that bringing Simone this young will help prevent these to happen.

The check-up was a package of consultation, cleaning, and fluoride application worth Php1,500.00 or S$35 (In Singapore it may cost 3 times more but it's worth it than treating a cavity:D). First, the dentist gave me a lecture on baby milk teeth and what causes cavities. She showed me pictures of very early decaying teeth up to the worst stage, to scare me (LOL) and signs of cavities. One big piece of advice: Don't give milk anymore after she had brushed her teeth. That means no milk during sleeping time, midnight. You can give water though. You need to train your child or you will have baby bottle tooth decay. Tooth decay occurs when sugar in liquids such as milk is in contact with the teeth for a prolonged time. child's teeth will literally dissolve.

Picture source from http://www.tbdhu.com/HBHF/Dental/ToothDecay.htm

 She showed me the proper way to brush Simone's teeth (pictured below), did the cleaning and put fluoride and told me not to give her anything for 30 minutes. She recommended me to use a fluoride toothpaste(since I'm using a non-fluoride), specifically Aquafresh Milk Teeth Toothpaste because it contains 1000ppm fluoride. It will not be effective enough if kiddie toothpastes will only have little amount or 600ppm. I inquired about fluoride and she said that the update now is really to use fluoride. Anyway, she said, you will only smear a tiny amount on the upper half of the bristles. It won't hurt, just brush and wipe with a cloth right away because now Simone doesn't know how to spit yet. Of course you cannot swallow fluoride toothpaste, it's toxic! Hmm, so how can I clean the tongue and the rest of the mouth? You can just clean it with your non-fluoride toothpaste. Yup, so I use Earth's Best non-fluoride toothpaste first to clean her whole mouth and tongue, then use Fluoride toothpaste for the final touch. LOL. At first I find it a hassle, but got used to it. I let Simone "brush" her teeth first (she loves to brush lol), and when she's done, it's mommy's turn.

Hee. You won't believe she was crying and screaming in this photo.

"What are you doing to me??????"-Simmie

Done-zo!!!! With our pretty helper Jessebel!

Reward! She got a free toothbrush too!

Daily routine: Earth's Best, Aquafresh, Hello Kitty & Mickey!

Sparkly-sparkly 6 teeth!! Waiting for 14 more hihi

Her next check-up will be in July, but I know we're not going to be in Manila, so I searched for pedia dentists around singapore (there's a lot!!) and found Kids Dental World in Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital the best. Can't wait to bring Simone there!!! http://www.kidsdentalworld.com.sg/

Happy Brushing! LOL

Shiela

My First Kefir

I learned about Kefir when I was researching on yogurt. What is the best kind of yogurt and what is the brand out there? Answer: Greek yogurt, and anything organic. Oh, there's also coconut yogurt. What? that is so rare to find, unfortunately. I'm tired of buying greek yogurt every time, and if you haven't tried greek, its creamier than the normal yogurt, and very sour. I also learned how to make your own yogurt, but that didn't work for me. Looks complicated! And then I read an alternative- kefir. What is it?

Kefir (pronounced kee-fer) originates from the Caucasus Mountains in Eastern Europe. It's believed that the name comes from the Turkish word "keif" which means good feeling. Kefir's flavour is naturally sweet and slightly bubbly, and mild but a bit tangy as well.

The drink is made either with kefir grains or a powdered kefir starter — the grains aren't an actual grain like wheat, but are made of bacteria and yeast. Generally of a thinner consistency than yogurt, kefir is usually sold as a drink, either plain or flavoured.

Yogurt is a source of probiotics, the live organisms (including healthy bacterias)that are naturally found in out digestive tracts. These organisms help stem the growth of harmful bacteria and boost our immune systems. But kefir is an even better source of these helpful little guys, 3 times the source of yogurt, it's thought. This is because kefir is made by fermenting milk with 10-20 different types of bacteria and yeasts, where yogurt is usually just fermented with a handful of types; this leads to a higher probiotic count in the final product.

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/09/12/kefir-benefits_n_3914818.html

I was checking out a trade fair at Tampines Mall and found a booth selling it. I instantly bought it! They had a promotion of S$20 instead of $23. You may call at 93371928 according to their name card. 

It's easy to ferment: 

• Mix 1L of milk(cow's milk is most efficient while alternatives would be coconut milk and soy milk) to 1g of the starter kit in a glass jar, cover with a cloth and seal with a band,
• Leave it at room temperature for 24 hours. Do not touch or shake while fermenting. 
• After fermenting, let it sit in the fridge for 2 hours to stop it from fermenting. 
• Voila! You have a yummy kefir!

The kefir starter kit. 

Contains 10 packs

Excited to open after putting in the fridge for 2 hours

Mmm. Creamy-like yogurt

Kefir topped with strawberries, blueberries, kiwi . I added a banana too.

She took the spoon from me. Guess she liked it.

The kefir face LOL.

Yay for a new discovery!! I love it.

xx,

shiela

Toddler Development

How many words can a 14 1/2 toddler say?

Today, she said "beh, beh" giving me the bear. Cute.

As of today, Simone can say these words:

1. Hi

2. Bye

3. Mama

4. Dada/dah

5. Ada (panda)

6 shh shh (fish LOL)

7. Power (flower) 

8. Anana (banana)

9. Beh (bear)

10. Dah (dog)

11. Kah (cat)

Understands

1. Close/open the door or On/Off the light, fan
2. Let's go.
3. Finish -she will stand up
4. Sit down/stand up
5. Lie down/sleep
6. Get this ____ and give to ___
7. Where's the fish, Pooh, Minnie, Dora :)
8. Come here/follow mommy

I am so excited for the coming weeks that I will new words or understanding me! Yesterday I tried to make her sit on the potty and guess what? She peed! yay! Do you think she's ready? hmm, I think the mommy is not LOL! I am preparing don't worry! I read this 3-day potty training manual. I just need a lot of panties.

Such a weirdo like moi

And she whines if she can't get them out of her head LOL

Tootles,

shiela
  

My iHerb Haul

My iHerb package arrived! Hooray!

It came exactly 9 days after I ordered it online, within their 10-day shipping period. All the way from the U.S of A. via Singpost. It's soo great. I have been eyeing to purchase for a long period of time, and my wish list got longer. The reason I finally pushed to buy is because:

I was searching to buy Simone's multivitamins and found the one I have been looking for (which has no added chemicals like caramel color, derived from whole foods- fruits and veggies), Nature's Plus Animal Parade Liquid multivitamins which costs S$20.66 not bad, I guess. Did the math and turned out the bottle (8fl oz) is good for only 15 days, and so I needed 2 bottles for a month that would cost twice. Hmmm. A little too expensive? I checked iHerb and guess what , it only costs $6.87 or S$8.70! huwaaaat? Might as well buy a 30 fl oz for only $20.69 or S$26.20!

I added more since I was ordering from the US. Chia seeds 150g here costs S$15.60 while from iHerb it will only cost $11.89 or S$15.06 for 340g! crazy huh?

I immediately opened the cacao nibs and gave Simone and she liked it, even if it has a bitter taste. I can't find hemps seeds here in Singapore, thank God for iHerb. Now I can make Hemp milk!

I also ordered kiddie toothpaste and sunscreen.

Left: $20.66 (8oz) bought from singapore store
Right: $26.20 (30oz) bought from iHerb

This is just my "trial" package LOL. I will definitely re-order. I still have a lot to clear on my wish list! Spirulina, Kelp, and God knows what! Yipeee Let's all be healthy and shop at iHerb!!!! Use my promo code to get additional discount ($5-$10) on your first order! Here's the code: TTM872 Happy shopping without the guilt! www.iHerb.com

Tootles,

shiela