Birthday Celebration for Janelle

After 9 years, this is the first time we planning a birthday party for Janelle. In the past, my MIL always says cannot celebrate a birthday.. but after I accepted Christ, I trust our blessing is from the Lord our God and no one else. And while Janelle is stepping into her 10th, and seeing how helpful of Janelle's classmate is with Janelle, I wanted to "treat" them for a play. So here's we go....


Now we are in the early stage.... Shortlisting the location and identify the theme....


I wanted somewhere nearby or in the northeast as I'm inviting her classmates and something with play. so the first thoughts I have is indoor playground which is safe to play and good for their simulation.


So over the weekend, we went sourcing for location:


1. Bouncing Kids at Kovan was my first choice, small and keeping it exclusive.


Birthday Package is at $399 for 10pax. Min headcount is 10pax


Weekend for 10 pax $399 (min 10pax)
(Extra pax at $25 per pax)

- Party invitation for 10 pax
- Exclusive use of party-room (2 hours)
- Decoration, set-up with colourful partyware ==> providing 4sets balloons hanging across the room
- Goodie bag will be provided for each child
- Party food and drinks included for each child ==> Nuggets & Fries and Cocktail Sausages (no other choice)
- Jelly and cordial drinks ==> a packet of Ribena


Cons:
- No outside food - cannot have dessert bar,
- Not serving Halal food,
- the room is a bit small and stuffy and is with their storage room together.
- high ceiling, if to have helium balloons, it need to ties to the chair






2. Punggol Safra Amaze Splash - water play


They have very nice rooms - spacious and provide McDonald's happy meals for the kids with Frill package, and they don't have so much restriction as compared to Bouncing kids of bringing our caterer in. Min 20kids and the thoughts of waterplay put many parents off. My mom is the first to complain as she needs to take care of 2 at the party.










I was thinking to have a No FRILLS package and bring in Halal buffet from One the Food and it will serve for both adult and children.





3. Explorer Kid


My SIL suggested Explorer Kid at AMK Hub, so we went down to take a look of the place with Janelle. Janelle loves it, she keeps wanting to go into the play area while mummy was enquiring.

They are 3 packages ranged from $498; $648 and $688 for 15kids. After reviewing the packages, we feel that AMK hub is more suitable for us. Halal food for the classmates and they do allow us to set up dessert bar. So we locked down the location to be at AMK Hub. For more details, you can check out at https://www.explorerkid.com/birthday_parties.

We went for the basic package where it includes
- 2-hours party room usage
- 3 hours playtime
- invitation cards
- children meals (there are about 10-20 dishes for your selection, and it's halal)

Proud mommy moment - Janelle 2016 Good Progress award

My proud moment to attend Janelle's Good Progress award. Thank God for the great improvement you had put into Janelle. 

Can't believe Janelle has one day to go up the stage to collect an award. It's a milestone indeed.

Talked to the teachers to understand why they nominated Janelle, in school is more independent. She will feed herself, social with friends, sucessfully off diaper with no accident, express herself in single words.

I'm so proud... *tears* and praying for more to come...

Product Review - Toners

Toners have become an important step in my skincare routine. In many beauty expert advice, toners sounded like it can have or can don't have product in skin care routine. But after these few year trying different types of Toners and without Toners, I feel that once start using the right toners, skin problem like acne reduced.

After using so many different toners, I think I know what I need for my skin. For me, Toners are part of the cleansing process as it helps to remove remaining cleaner and dirt that was still on my skin. This is to prevent pore clog when putting on the serum/essence, if not I would have close up acne (which means an inner acne is embedded under the skin and has no opening pore). Some toners claim that they not only help to further clean and balance your skin PH level, and also hydrate, exfoliate and soothe.

Here's some Toners I have tried and my review:

1.  SKII Facial Treatment Essence. Heard so many great things about the SKII, and the sales lady shared that can use it as a Toner, so I bought it. My skin has started breaking out a couple days after I using it. Maybe too rich for me, so I pull a stop to it and pass the bottle to my mum. It doesn't make my skin feels dry or oily, but maybe the residue of dirt/sweat caused my breakout. Now I know that essence is the essence and should use it after toner, maybe will give it a try again when I feel luxurious. This is an expensive product.
     
2. Thayers Rose Water. I bought this when I'm in the US from Target, and decided to give it a try on rose water after reading the reviews, and it's not expensive. I haven't noticed any significant improvements in my skin after one bottle, but it doesn't cause any increased of breakout, so actually, I went on to the 2nd bottle. To me, as long it doesn't cause a breakout, it's a plus point.
     
3. Benton Aloe BHA Skin Toner. I got this from Qo10 at $17.90 when I searching for Toner, and it was the top sellers at that point of time. It contains BHA typically used for treating acne. BHAs can penetrate the pore to exfoliate (deep cleansing) to get rid of dead skin and allowing new skin to grow, and correcting dark spots. I can actually see the deep cleansing on the cotton pads each day, as I do see the residue each time I used. Benton also contains snail secretion filtrate is touted to be a miracle ingredient that can moisturise skin, fight premature ageing and heal wounds quicker. But the thought of snail is disguising, and I only find out when I wanted to repurchase. I can't overcome myself, so I move on to other brands. But this is good and suitable for my skin, I have no major skin problem, and eventually I feel my skin condition improved when I'm  using this. I may consider repurchase when I overcome the snail thingy.
     
   
     
4. Vichy Hydrating Refreshing water. I got this fromWatson'ss when there is a promotion. Initially when I use it, like it did nothing to my face or pores, and I don't see that kind of residue on the cotton pads as compared to Benton. But after a week or so, my face become very oily like never before. The first 15min, it makes you feel fresh when applied, after that, it's like inner skin keep pushing the oil out to keep the skin balance and "closed up acne" comes looking for me again. I cant take it, so i stopped and put it into one corner.
    
   
     
5. Korea brand - Secret Key Starting treatment essence. This is another product i got from Qo10, It's also the top sellers at that point of time, and it's cheap 2 bottles for $15.99. The packing is very similar to SKII that comes in frosted glass container and it claims to help with whitening, fine lines and wrinkles. Many reviews talks the cons on the SMELL as not pleasant, it's like yeasty or alcohol, but it was OK to me. I feel that the performance mentioned are not able to fulfill on me after one bottle. It also doesn't help to reduce the closed up acne. So time to move on to the next.
     
   
     
6.  Son & Park Beauty Water. This is my latest product and i got it from Qo10 at $19.90 after some korea shopping haul on youtube. The review was so good on Qo10 too, so i grab one and try. It like a cleaning water, brightening toner and hydrating face all in one bottle. and it's KR celebrities must have product.  Comes with BHA (from the willow bark extract)and AHA(from the papaya extracts), which not only penetrate the pore but also the surface exfoliation. It does has the result of further cleansing off the dead cells/sweat/dirt on the cotton pads. Rose water is the ingredient for hydrating but it does contain alcohol so i can feel abit dryness after used. This is the 2nd day using this product, will continue and see if it gets better over the days.  

  

After all the trial and error and as age is climbing up, I need a toner that can do a deep cleansing, prevent fine lines and hydrating. So far, the best Toner I used is Benton Aloe BHA Skin Toner. 

2016 purple parade

This is the first year I heard about the purple parade. It's a campaign for the special needs. I saw my company asking for volunteers for this event and went to do a research and got to hear from Janelle teachers on the day before. So we decided to go down to show our support. 

The first thing she wanted was balloon. Janelle had been a balloon person where she with balloon she will behave better... So we went round to look for balloons... Can't find any till daddy found one at the rubbish bin... No choice but to take that for her else she will go on and on her crankiness.

Deepavali celebration in school

This is the third year Janelle fits into this.. And most likely it's the last year and it's getting too short for her. 

Love her smile on this photo.. Looks like a big girl, she is a big girl now..

A day off with Janelle - S.E.A

31st Oct, it's a deepavali replacement holiday for both Janelle and me.. So I wanted to do something different, since it's a holiday..

Despite I'm having diahoreea that morning, I pull myself out of bed and out of the house to bring Janelle for exposure. Wanted to introduce "fish" to her so I choose S.E.A Aquarium.

She shouted FISH when she first saw the big fish tank.. Which caught me by surprise as usually she will copied us rather then saying without prompt..

The happy girl went exploring 

Loves her participation, she pointed at the starfish and says "fish"

Before stepping out of the place I realized that I didn't take photo with her, so grabed her and took many.. 

Hip ups: hungry girl is an angry girl... After 30min in aquarium, and she is hungry, recess time at school... She refused to walk and see anymore. "NO" and "FINISHED" was her answer to everything and anything till she found food area. Bought a donnut for her which costed $4... @@ 

Counting down, tickets for me, maid and Janelle + donnut + car park, that's $100 for one morning. That's Singapore.