Bento Challenge

And so... It is that time of the year again. When mummies scramble to get everything ready to ease their children into the new school year. I've been busy checking items off my checklist, and I bet you're doing the same too. A trip to the mall for school uniform and shoes, oh... and a visit to the book store for text books. I’ll need to sew badges to school uniforms, plus label school books and stationery. He'll probably need a school bag and a water tumbler too. And the list goes on and on. But, did you realize that you may have forgotten one important thing on the checklist? Well I'm about to tell you what it is: PLAN your child's recess bento-box meals!

FACT: Packing nutritious food for your child to consume at school can ensure your child stays energized to take on the day.

Active children may experience energy deprivation at various intervals during school which may affect their concentration in class. Hence, many working parents (yours truly included), depend heavily on the school canteen to provide meals for our children during the day. It is as simple as giving them a stipulated budget every day, so they can buy anything their heart desires. Of course, we tell them to not buy ice-creams and candy, but instead to splurge on 'proper' food instead such as roti canai or mee goreng. But in reality, do we really know how these meals are prepared? In contrary, when meals are prepared from home, we are in control of the quality of ingredients and the portion of food group servings they consume in a meal. Once they are used to eating nutritious meals daily at school, it ultimately reinforces healthy eating habits that help them make better consumption choices out of home, especially when we are not by their side. Sounds easy enough to say, but is it easy enough to do?

So when Milo Malaysia invited me to join their "Bento Box Workshop for Bloggers", I immediately jumped at the opportunity to learn. The workshop, in collaboration with Kelab Bekal/Bento Malaysia, shared three simple recipes for mothers when packing to school. And all those recipes were assembled in less than ten minutes! *entershockedfacehere* I was definitely impressed!

Cute giraffe baguette sandwich.

And here are my biggest takeaways from the workshop:

1. Start small. Start by planning simple bento meals that you know your child will eat (instead of throwing it into the bin). Who cares if they want to eat nasi goreng with a side of grapes all week! You will feel a sense of accomplishment when they come home bearing empty bento boxes. (Versus you making complicated meals and them coming home with a half-eaten box.)
3. This sense of accomplishment will help you maintain the momentum throughout the year. Many mothers call it quits after the first month or two because they get demotivated after their child refuses to eat their carefully planned meals.
4. Gradually introduce vegetables in their daily bento box. You can assess what they like and what they don't, from what they bring home unfinished from school. Common mummy trick; hide the vegetables in the meal!
5. Invest on a proper sized bento box and an insulated bento bag. One that will preserve your well thought food presentation (despite it rolling around in their school bag) and can keep the meal at an optimum temperature so it will last the day.
6. Plan ahead! No one wants to wake up an hour early just to peel onions and such. Plenty of the preparatory work can be done the weekend before or the night before.
7. Help your creative juices flowing for food presentation. There are plenty of simple inspirations available online for you to copy from.

8. Last but certainly not least, packing MILO® UHT in your child’s daily school bento box is a convenient way of ensuring that your child receives the energy to maximize their potential during the day. Activ-Go™ in MILO® is a unique combination of PROTOMALT®, minerals and vitamins such as Vitamin B, specially blended to provide efficient release of energy from food to help them take on a full day’s challenges. It also contains calcium to maintain stronger bones and teeth and Vitamin C for increased absorption of iron from food.

FACT: Children who consume malted drinks (such as MILO®) reflect greater micronutrient intakes and are more likely to meet the Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI) for total energy intake, protein and other vitamin which suggests that malted drink consumption can be an effective and simple dietary strategy to improve overall diet quality. (Source: MyBreakfast Study)

And what cooking workshop would be complete without a cooking competition? Using the ingredients and tools provided, each blogger and child were tasked with the daunting mission of making the most creative Recess Bento Box! Afterwards, the children were asked to vote for their favourite bento boxes, by placing a flag (vote) on their chosen favourite.

Aiden watching me handle the scissors while he thinks of a creative idea for his bento box.

Our end result! I’m not entirely sure whether we made a cat… or a mouse???

Fantastic bento boxes by other bloggers and influencers. Can you spot ours?

Ian placing a flag on our own bento box! #cheating *giggles*

Amazingly, we were tied for third place. A professional chef was called in to judge the tie-breaker but unfortunately we lost and settled for 4^th position.

It was certainly a fun and educational session for both Aiden and I. Not only did he enjoy deciding what to put into his bento box, but I also discovered how easy it was to assemble a nutritious meal for him to bring to school.

Our cat/mouse received seven flags (votes)!

Back home, Aiden was excited to try out his new found skills. After countless of hours poring over bento box ideas on the internet together, we finally agreed to try making a ‘sheep’ sandwich. Since he was in charge of making the decorations, he agreed for me to include broiled carrots into his bento box, as long as it was shaped into adorable flowers. Here are our end results:

Can you spot the sheep? Aiden has since requested to bring this for his first day of school.

Beef pastrami sandwich, with fresh salad, broiled carrots (with cheese hearts), and grapes. And of course - a packet of MILO® UHT as a rewarding end to the meal.

Aiden and I are definitely looking forward to the new school year! For more information on MILO® UHT and the “Pack in the Energy for Champions” campaign, please visit the following websites:

http://www.nestle.com.my/brands/beverages/milo_uht
https://www.milo.com.my/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtIVyHFUfRY

Digestive Health

Right after Ian weaned off, I scratched my head mercilessly about which formula milk was best for his toddler years. Transitioning Ian to formula milk was no walk in the park. His biggest struggle was constipation, as his body tried to adapt to the more complicated protein structure commonly found in formula milk. Since his bowel movements served as a major clue to how his digestion was going, we became quite worried every time he fails to do number two. I’ll save you from the gross details, but it was definitely not going well.

Several dramatic bowel movements and numerous formula milk brands later, Ian finally settled comfortably with Friso Gold. With Friso Gold, not only does he have a good appetite, but all those previous constipation drama, flatulence and fussiness went out the window! 

So what makes Friso Gold so easy to digest? Scientifically, here is how it works. If you had paid attention during chemistry class, you would be able to imagine how a protein native structure looks like. If you didn’t… *chuckles* the protein structure looks like a spiral molecular arrangement. Friso Gold with LocNutri^TM is designed to protect this spiral structure from being damaged caused by heat from the formula production process. If unprotected, the protein structure will be damaged from high heat, causing its spiral molecular chain to increase. This makes the protein harder for toddlers to absorb, leading to protein indigestion and stomach discomfort.

So did my scientific narrative crash course make sense? *giggles* If not, the video below will probably explain it way better than I ever can. Watch it for yourself:

When your child has good digestive health, they can easily absorb all the nutrients they have taken, which ultimately makes them stronger from the inside. For more information about the importance of good digestion, you can refer to: http://www.friso.com.sg/health-and-digestion/about-tiny-tummies/the-roles-and-functions-of-the-digestive-system.html.

Two years and counting - that’s how long Ian has been with Friso Gold; the brand that finally survived our grueling digestion criteria. The Friso Gold brand is soooo engrained in our family, that every time the familiar Friso Gold advertisement jingle comes on TV, Ian enthusiastically points to it and says “Ian’s milk!” Thanks to Friso Gold, I am confident of his strong digestive system, which in turns allows me to tolerate Ian being adventurous and exploratory with his daily meals.

To be part of the Friso Gold family, request for your free sample at http://www.frisogold.com.my/try-friso-gold.

#FrisoGoldMY #FrisoGoldMalaysia #LocNutri #preservesnutrients #easydigestionforstrongerinside

The School Uniform To Buy That Will Last Throughout the School Year!

Well hello, school holidays!

After months of waiting, it is finally the end of the year and finally time to start preparing Aiden for Primary Two! So why have I been waiting for this moment with bated breath??? For the simple reason... of going shopping.

*sigh* Aiden's Primary One school uniform and shoes did not survive the wear and tear of his active lifestyle. Boys will always will be boys... you can never expect them to sit all prim and proper in school. They run through puddles and play catch and hopscotch during breaks. Then they come barreling home wearing uniforms stained with roti canai dhal and ice-cream streaks.

By mid-year, Aiden’s shoes were so scruffy and worn out; it was barely hanging by its soles. His uniform on the other hand, had been bleached and cleaned so much that they won’t take anymore, and are permanently dingy with no way of bringing them back to life. It was such an eye sore all throughout the year that I vowed to make better choices for the upcoming Primary 2 school year!

So this year, I’ve decided to invest in the Professor Red Label school uniform. In all honesty, I’ve heard of the Professor brand for quite some time. Not only did I grew up wearing Professor school uniforms, but since they have the most comprehensive range of extra curriculum activities uniform and accessories in Malaysia, I find myself visiting them often in my teens, for my Girl Guide needs.

Professor school uniforms have been around since 1982. Professor owns their own uniform factory; hence they guarantee excellent workmanship in every piece of uniform.  I brought home a few sets of school uniforms for Aiden, and upon inspection I noticed that that the stitching is immaculate, the form well-tailored. As for the fabric, not only are they more durable, (bye-bye fading!) but they are cooling and breathable ensuring that the children will feel comfortable even when they wear it the whole day. It was a far cry from those synthetic feeling polyester fabrics so commonly found in the market nowadays.

Aiden wearing the Professor Red Label uniform. Aside from a shorter trim for the pants, it was a perfect fit!

Aiden in the Professor Baju Melayu set. Even after washing, the cooling fabric stays smooth without any excessive ironing. The material also keeps to shape, even after several washings.

Breathable fabric that will keep the kids feeling pleasant even when they wear it the whole day.

Upon closer inspection, I found a key feature that is oh-so important for children who are about Aiden’s age. Hidden within the folds of the pocket, was a zipper! Did you know how many wallets Aiden misplaced throughout his first school year? A grand total of 5!!! Hence, this feature is very much welcomed in preventing the loss of money and coins at school.

A zip is hidden within the folds of the pocket.

What about price, you ask? My advise – don’t select the cheapest in the market. Instead, strike a balance between cost and quality. Good quality school uniforms will guarantee you the run for your money. For this purpose, choose the Professor Green Label school uniform. This range caters to the demands of cheaper uniform without compromising on the workmanship synonymous to the Professor brand. If you are budget conscious, you can opt for this range and be assured that your children will get the quality and durable uniform that they deserve.

So if you’re planning to start on your school year shopping soon, make your life easier by choosing to shop at Professor. Not only are they a one-stop shop for all your school needs all year long, but they also offer a wide selection of extra curriculum activities uniform, outdoor camping equipment and related accessories.

Professor has 12 outlets within the Klang Valley, with their first outlet located in SS2 Petaling Jaya. Check out the links below for more information:

Website: http://www.professoruniforms.com/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ProfessorUniforms

Store Locator: http://www.professoruniforms.com/locations

One Off The Bucket List

Do you have a bucket list?

Well, honestly I don't. But a lot of people tell me, that having your face plastered all over Siakapkeli warrants a tick of the bucket list. *giggles* Remember the green screen interview I wrote about? Well, it is finally up on various social media platforms, but my personal favourite is the one where it went viral for Siakapkeli.

(Oh, how I wish the interview was held after the Samsung Note 7 launch and the entire saga of fire, explosions, and subsequent recalls. My iPhone teammate and I would have a field day poking fun at the Samsung team and their debacle!)

For Siakapkeli.

Thanks Siakapkeli - not exactly my most flattering closeup shots!

Business Insider did a short write-up as well. Here's the excerpt.

Anyway, before you go off and search for the YouTube video, I will have to warn you - take it with a pinch of salt please. For starters, they slashed a lot of materials to produce the final footage, so I think I sounded like I was merely agreeing with everything that my teammate said instead of pulling my own weight on the debate. Secondly, we were all asked to act over the top to make it viral worthy, hence forgive our OTT antics please.

Okay, next bucket list. Get myself on Beautifulnara.... *kidding*

A Future Renovation?

Ever since we moved into our house 5 years ago, we have not embarked on any renovations to our humble home. Sure, we've done minor modifications; new furniture, new tiles, new flooring, new coat of paint, and the most recent - wainscoting. But we've always been living within the same square feet of space.

Call it the five year itch, but Hubby and I are both itching to embark on a revamp to the house. After hosting so many breakfast get-togethers, dinner parties, pot luck rendezvous and such, we've come to realize that our dining hall is a tad too cozy. I love hosting people in our house, so this renovation is quite necessary for me. Hubby on the other hand, has always wanted to make space for a family hall, making the current living hall a bit more formal for receiving guests. So hopefully with this additional space, we may be able to make room (pun intended) for his dreams too.

Anyway, I'm going to keep the details of our renovations hush hush for now. But what I do know is… it's going to be such an existing phase!!! *jiggles and dances in delight* I've done my research on much of what we want, and I really do not want to bore you with all the minute details. But what I do want to highlight is our choice of tiles.

A good tile is just like a fashionable outfit for women. Not only does it have to look stylish, it also needs to be able to withstand the test of time. I’ve had my share of renovation woes – chipped tiles, subpar finishes, or even patterns that become out of date faster than your wallet can afford new ones. Recognize that your choice of tiles are an investment, not a cost; so never compromise on quality and durable tiles which can still be picked up at great prices.

Niro Granite is all that and more. Niro Granite tiles are Swiss quality tiles that have been around the market for more than 30 years. The quality of porcelain tiles is at par with the best European brands, and can be used for wall and floor coverings for both interior and exterior applications. You have to check out their latest series of tiles, namely the I’Pietra, Stockholm and Step series. Inspired by stone, marble and cement design elements, they can make a bland room look so chic and classy. I never knew dressing up a room could be so easy!

This is my favourite for our dining room, the I’Pietra series. Inspired by nature, it mimics the distinct patterns and colour of natural stones. It will go beautifully with my marble dining table! Also available in other ravishing natural shades of white, beige and grey.

This is from the Stockholm series. Inspired by the semblance of raw concrete, these beige tiles are so sleek and modern. This is one color that will surely match any contemporary to modern home! Also available in natural shades of white and grey.

This is from the Step series. Designed exclusively for exterior applications, these dusky tiles mimic the look of natural limestones, evoking a sense of masculinity to the great outdoors. This one is definitely Hubby’s favourite!

Niro Granite tiles can be purchased through their e-commerce website http://www.nirogranite.com.my. But if you’re my type… the type that needs to touch and feel the tiles for yourself to be able to inspire plans for your dream home, then join me at Niro Granite’s booth in in Archidex (International Architecture, Interior Design and Building Exhibition Malaysia) 2016 at Hall 4, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from 20th-23rd July 2016, 10am-7pm.

See you there!

Winner of the TRANSFORMER Giveaway by Hasbro Toy Malaysia

Hi everyone!

Aiden was given the royal task of choosing a winner for the TRANSFORMERS Giveaway by Hasbro Toy Malaysia. In case you missed the giveaway, you can read it here.

Anyway, here's a video of how we picked the winner:

So congratulations to lucky #6 - Jade Harun! *clapclapclap* Please email me your contact details at lizyahaya[at]gmail.com by 3rd July 2016, for prize fulfillment and shipment.

Shell Kita

Short post to share my top two Instagram photos from the recent Shell Kita campaign.

I was down with a high fever the night before the event. Tapi demi Fahrin Ahmad, I took a shot in the butt to recover. It was my first time, getting up close and personal with Fahrin Ahmad... all I can say is, the shot on the butt was well worth it, as he is every bit as handsome in real life as his media photos.

He pleasantly agreed for a photo op!

One for my own Instagram. I fueled up and turned my journey into a blessing.

Thanks Shell, not only for the photo opportunity with Fahrin Ahmad, but for allowing me to do my part in improving and transforming the lives of disadvantaged children... all by just fueling up my car. #Shellkita

Making the Most Out Of Your Last 10 Days of Ramadhan with Shell

Alhamdulillah, we are now at the grand finale; the last 10 days of the blessed month of Ramadhan. During this period, the Quran describes one night which will be better than 1000 months (months mind you, not days). Consequently, I am sure most of you are eager to work these last 10 nights to your advantage. In an ideal world, one would persistently exert his/herself in devotion and acts of worship at all times. However, as a mother of two boys juggling household, work and other hectic demands, I know that this is certainly easier said than done. 

Do not despair. It is simply natural to assume that “big actions” such as reciting the Quran, tarawih prayers or even iktikaf at the mosque are the favorable acts to maximize the worshiper’s connection to Allah. In contrary, the idea is to recognize that there are many smaller and simpler deeds that one can perform for great rewards during the holy month. One of the most common deeds recognized and valued by all is charity. Other than just paying your obligated Zakat, find the opportunity to make contributions to various causes and charities.

Well, here is one such opportunity. Shell Malaysia is now giving an opportunity for you to be charitable by just filling up your car with fuel. For every litre of fuel pumped at any Shell station nationwide on 1, 2, and 3 July (this Friday, Saturday and Sunday) Shell will donate 1 cent (RM0.01) to selected charitable organisations.

Frankly, after more than 10 years of working with Shell, I can personally attest to Shell’s commitment to contribute to the well-being of local communities. Throughout my career, Shell has given me plenty of opportunities to be directly involved with several such community outreach initiatives. And I am certainly proud to be involved with this charity drive, especially in the holy month of Ramadhan. This will be the second time that Shell is inviting the motorist to join them in giving back to the community. Shell first held a similar charity drive in 2015, from which funds raised were distributed to five (5) selected organisations to fund educational and development programmes for underprivileged children. This year, all funds collected will be directed to help improve and transform the lives of disadvantaged children in Malaysia. Coincidentally, this charity drive will also kickstart Shell’s 125th year celebration of being in Malaysia.

The contributions will be channeled to six (6) selected charitable organizations across the country - Persatuan Dyslexia Malaysia, Pusat Harian Kanak-Kanak Spastik Bandar Ipoh, Persatuan Penjagaan Kanak-Kanak Terencat Akal Johor Bahru, Yayasan Kebajikan Anak-Anak Yatim Kelantan (Rumah Putera Dan Puteri Harapan), Seri Mengasih Centre Sabah and Lembaga Kebajikan Anak-Anak Yatim Sarawak.

This 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd July, BonusLink members will also have an option to convert their points to donations. For every 100 points, BonusLink members can contribute an amount of 1 ringgit (RM1.00) to further help in raising funds for these organizations.

Join us and make your balik kampong journey more meaningful this year. By simply fueling up with Shell, you can help make a difference and help empower disadvantaged children by funding organisations focused on improving children's welfare. So remember to fuel up and turn your journey into a blessing this Hari Raya! Visit www.shell.com.my/125csr for more information.

Every journey brings blessings. #Shellkita

Disney’s The Lion Guard, and a Giveaway too!

*UPDATE* Giveaway closed! Winners announced below! 

Just the other day, I was lazing around with Ian in the living hall. He was watching the television (nowadays permanently tuned to Disney Junior), while I was just relishing the luxury… of doing nothing. *smiles* Out of the corner of my eye, I spied a cartoon lion on screen, prancing around to a very catchy African rhythm. I immediately exclaimed, “Ian look, it’s Lion King!”

I am a huge fan of The Lion King. It was released when I was at the tender age of 12, so I was able to relate to the coming-of-age theme of the movie. I marveled at how Simba transformed from a cocky and impressionable cub, to a true leader of the Pride Lands. And of course, the “Hakuna Matata” philosophy by Timone and Pumba seemed so easy to adopt; sometimes awful things happen which you can’t change, so why worry? (If only life was that simple!) Not to mention, the catchy, beautiful and sentimental tunes from the movie. Suffice to say, the heartwarming tale of The Lion King is a Disney treasure.

So imagine my dismay when Ian corrected me in his cute baby babble, “Lion Dartttt, Mummy!” Erm… Lion Guard? Whatever happened to the Lion King? Aiden giggled at my obvious facial confusion and in turn, gave me a crash course of Disney’s The Lion Guard.

Disney’s The Lion Guard is an animated television series featuring Kion, second born and son of Simba and Nala. Each episode chronicles the life of fun-loving and playful Kion as he learns how to be the leader of the Lion Guard – a legendary team that protect the Pride Lands and defend the Circle of Life. If you’re familiar with the character Kiara from the movie The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride; well Kion is her little brother!

Whilst the firstborn cub of the monarch is destined to be the next King or Queen of the Pride Lands, the second born is tasked with leading the Lion Guard. As its leader, the cub is expected to be fierce; hence Kion is blessed with a magical gift called the Roar of the Elders - an intensely powerful roar in which the lion spirits of The Pride Lands past roar along with him, instilling real power in the cry. This gift is traditionally given to the second-born. Interestingly, the last owner was Scar (the villain antagonist in The Lion King), who misused it for evil and eventually lost the gift.

Each member of the Lion Guard has a special skill: Kion is the Fiercest, Bunga is the Bravest, Fuli is the Fastest, Beshte is the Strongest, and Ono is the Keenest of Eye. My personal favourite is Fuli the confident cheetah. Not only is she one of the fastest runners in the Pride Lands, she is also the Lion Guard’s only female member! She is also not ashamed to show her skills, as she shows extreme delight for being able to outpace a pursuer of any species. *girl power*

Aiden on the other hand, adores Bunga the fearless honey badger. Unlike his best friend Kion who goes by the rules at all times, Bunga is a free spirit with an adventurous streak. As Bunga is also the adopted nephew of Timon and Pumbaa, it is simply natural for him to be full of optimism and turn even the direst of situations into a fantastic time.

The series is designed to communicate positive lessons about teamwork, community and diversity, as each episode features the Lion Guards’ journey in merging their unique skills to work together. You can catch a new episode of Disney’s The Lion Guard every weekday at 930am on Disney Junior.

Now comes the fun part! Make your child’s day by answering a simple question about the show to win fabulous prizes. All you need to do is:

1. Like the Lizzieasamummy FB page at https://www.facebook.com/lizzieasamummy/
2. Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/lizyahaya/
3. Tell me which member of The Lion Guard is your favorite and why! Submit your answer and email address at the comment section below.

Five lucky winners will win official limited edition merchandise from Disney’s The Lion Guard. Good luck!

*UPDATE* Giveaway closed! Congratulations to Carmen Rudnick, Ezyana Jaafar, Awin, Zie Azi and Eka! Stay tuned, we will contact you via email for prize fulfillment and shipment.

TRANSFORMERS Combiner Wars Menasor, and a TRANSFORMERS Robots-In-Disguise Hyperchange Heroes Giveaway by Hasbro Toy Malaysia!

Aiden is absolutely nuts about TRANSFORMERS. He loves everything about action heroes nowadays, so when Hasbro Toy Malaysia approached us for a toy review, specifically the TRANSFORMERS Combiner Wars (Menasor), Aiden enthusiastically agreed!

The TRANSFORMERS Stunticons are a group of ruthless cars within the Combiner Wars range. Using the Stunticons, you combine them together to form Menasor, a mighty Decepticon that strikes fear with Autobots everywhere!

Beaming excitedly with his gigantic box of TRANSFORMERS Combiner Wars!

If you're new to the world of Combiner Wars, this is a range where teams of Autobots and Decepticons can be merged to become Combiner figures that either protect or take control of Earth. There are different Combiner figure categories, namely the Autobots, Constructicons, Protectobots, Aerialbots (that form Superion) and our favorite (of course!), the Stunticons (that form Menasor).

Cheeky Ian couldn't wait to get his hands on the Stunticons!

The two siblings fighting over who gets first dibs on the best car.

The 6 Stunticons in the box were Blackjack, Motormaster, Breakdown, Dragstrip, Offroad and Deadend. Each standalone car can be turned into its own Decepticon robot with just a few simple steps and transformations. Or you can choose to transform and combine them to form Menasor – his body and limbs. Hence why there are two separate instructions within the box - one to change each car into a Bot, and the other to turn each car into a specific body part to form Menasor. There was also a giant poster in the box too, perhaps just in case Aiden needs a blown up version of Menasor for his bedroom wall. *giggles*

Menasor is the ultimate Decepticon weapon, and Megatron’s way of breaking the Autobot’s dominance on the road. Unfortunately, he has one flaw - he is prone to menacing fits of unfocused rage. This is evident from his facial expression!

Check out that intimidating stance. 

Although you would expect Menasor to be in darker shades to suit its Decepticon stature, the cars are actually bold and vivid in colour. Each Stunticon Bot is very sturdy but easily transformed even with small hands. There will be a “joint” to combine each Bot to form Menasor. This concept also comes with articulation that you are able to pose the Combiner Bot in whichever way you fancy. You can choose to either make it stand straightened or model it with the torso slightly slanted to pose it in “battle mode”. Given the impressive height of the completed Menasor (it is quite tall!) you will have to work with the legs quite a bit for stability.

Bright vivid colours.

Another great thing in the package is the firepower; a giant sword, four other weapons and a cool chest plate. For the boys, the more weapons the toy has, the better! Remarkable detailing can be seen on each part of the robot. The finishing is pretty decent too!

Menasor's imposing chest.

In a nut shell, it was a great family experience to work together to transform each Stunticon Bot into the combiner mode. It provided hours of fun, both in its individual form and the combined figure. Aiden even turned it into a race, to see who could convert a vehicle into a robot the fastest, and vice versa. As for Ian, he was more than happy to just zoom and whoosh each car on the dining table!

Given the price tag, the glowing reviews available on the internet and the availability of a secondary market for preloved Combiners, this is definitely a collector’s item that is well worth your money. Well, if you’re into TRANSFORMERS, that is!

The happy TRANSFORMERS fan.

Now for the exciting bit! The generous folks at Hasbro Toy Malaysia are giving you the chance to experience this cool TRANSFORMERS series for yourself. With the TRANSFORMERS Robots-In-Disguise Hyperchange Heroes, you only need to perform 3 simple steps for a seamless sequence from robot to vehicle. Similarly, to win a TRANSFORMERS Hyperchange Heroes worth RM119.90, all you have to do is perform these 3 simple steps:

1. Like the Lizzieasamummy FB page at https://www.facebook.com/lizzieasamummy/
2. Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/lizyahaya/
3. Leave a comment below. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received a free product for review purposes. I did not receive any monetary compensation. The opinions are my own, based on my personal experience with the product. This giveaway is sponsored by Hasbro Toy (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. The winner will have to disclose his/her contact details for prize fulfillment. Lizzieasamummy is not responsible for prize shipment.

Why the Hike in Electricity Bill?

Hubby, who is responsible for the bills around the house, has been lamenting for quite a while about the gradual hike in our monthly electricity bill. Since the money for the bill does not come from my pocket, I usually choose to conveniently shut one ear. *giggles*

Unfortunately, the hike apparently really bothered Hubby; to the point that he started unplugging every single electrical appliance around the house (save for the fridge) when not in use. Not just turning it off, but removing the socket from the electrical wall outlet too! Uurrggghhh… do you know how frustrating it is to have to crawl over and under various pieces of furniture just to plug the TV or the phone charger socket back into the wall… every single day???

In reality, all appliance plugged in will bleed some energy. This is typically called standby electricity loss as it is often associated with electronics in idle or standby mode. Unfortunately for Hubby, what we saved from just unplugging our appliances wasn’t significant enough to make a huge difference in our electricity bill. (But still, kudos to him for trying!)

Since then, he has shifted his energy (pun intended) to isolating other main contributors to the bill – in this case the air conditioner. Due to the recent hot and dry spell, we have had to rely on air conditioners to cope with the unbearable heat. Nowadays, we have to turn on both air conditioners at the ground floor (as opposed to one) just to cool the area. Not only that, we’ve resorted to lowering the temperature settings, increasing the fan speeds and using it for longer periods too. Hence, if we do not find a way to reduce our air conditioner use, it will always be the main culprit for the spike in our monthly electricity consumption, translating to a hike in our electricity bill. (Well, either that or Malaysia freezes over, in which case we will need heaters!)

Tenaga Nasional Berhad recently released a cool series of videos on helping us save our electricity consumption by utilizing some useful energy efficiency tips. And here are some tips related to air conditioners that I got from the TNB Energy Savings at Home website, which I subsequently shared with dear Hubby:

Keep your air conditioner filter clean to allow it to run efficiently and save more (and sweat less)!

Set your air conditioner between 23-25degC for optimum coolness with higher savings.

Set your air conditioner timer to switch off a few hours after you’ve fallen asleep to be more energy efficient.

Ensure doors and windows are closed when using the air conditioner, to help the room cool faster.

Also, some other tips that were quite an eye opener for me too:

Even if you’re a supermom, sometimes it pays to hold off the washing. Wait until you have a full load of laundry to reduce usage of the washing machine.

De-clutter your fridge to allow cool air to circulate more efficiently.

Choose a cold wash over a hot wash, as the latter makes the washing machine work harder.

Check out TNB’s other bright ideas by visiting this link. There are also a total of 20 energy efficiency tips on their website, which will definitely help you take a chunk off your monthly electricity bill. 

Good luck!

Beebop Circus Garden Themed Party!

Hey everyone! Remember this post?

Well, the awesome folks at Beebop Circus will be celebrating their second year anniversary this coming weekend. In conjunction with this, they are planning a Garden Themed Party to raise funds for the at-risk children in Chow Kit (under Yayasan Salam). What is more wonderful, is that these funds will be used to sponsor these kids for a day of fun - the Beebop way!

This charity fundraising campaign represents BeeBop Circus' effort to contribute and do their part to serve the community, by extending and sharing the complete BeeBop experience with those children who would otherwise never have the opportunity to enjoy these enrichment activities.

Multiple events are lined up for the day, such as interactive story telling, face painting, costume runway, art and craft, cupcake decorating, balloon sculptures, magic show and of course - their award-winning instructor guided playgym sessions, because we all know how much kids love tumbling, climbing, and exploring!

If you are looking for a fun family day out, while at the same time raise funds to benefit the children of Yayasan Salam, the Garden Themed party is this Sunday, 28th February 2016 and starts at 12pm onwards. Admission is FREE!

Here are some photos from last year's event:

More information can be found at their official event page here: http://on.fb.me/1PTVPwd

Don't forget to dress up to the theme! There are fantastic prizes to be won too. Aiden and Ian will definitely be there, we hope to see you there too!

P.S: I am looking forward to the cupcake decorating activity. *giggles*

Beebop Circus

Unit 019 & 021, Upper First Floor,

The School, Jaya One,

No.72A Jalan University, 47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

T: +603 7492 4567

E: play@beebopcircus.com
F: https://www.facebook.com/BeebopCircus

W: http://www.beebopcircus.com/