Friday, November 7, 2014

5 ways to protect yourself from theft

The Threat of Burglary - Be Vigilant! 
I am grateful for the fact that I've never experienced a home burglary, but I know at least five people who have suffered through this awful trauma. Not only did the burglars make off with their cash, jewellery and personal belongings, some even damaged their homes. Some of my friends and their family members have even been threatened and hurt during the burglary. The thought of it truly sends chills down my spine...

aig

With the school holidays just around the corner, I imagine many families are gearing up for a trip out of town, leaving their homes empty and possibly exposed. As crime is on the rise, the nagging worry on most people's minds has got to be the safety of their homes and the security of their belongings. Their worries are, however, not unfounded.

Did you know that we are at risk everyday, in or out of home? In 2013, the Bukit Aman branch of the Royal Malaysian Police officially revealed these shocking facts:

17,470 cases of break-ins  and; burglary occurred
33,197 robberies and snatch theft were reported

Source : Malaysiakini, Crime Rates Static Over Past Year, Statistics Reveal, 29th October 2013

Unnerving isn't it? Be safe everybody!

Fortunately, there are steps that we can all take to protect ourselves and our homes. As with most preventive measures, it largely boils down to common sense, but sometimes we can fail to see that when it comes to safety, little things can go a long way. 

How to Protect Yourself from Theft
If you'd like to boost your home's security, here are five simple ways to do so:
  • Lock up - If you have a habit of leaving your windows or doors unlocked, it's time to lock up. This simple act can repel would-be intruders from perpetrating what's called 'a crime of opportunity.' The better the lock, the better your security level, so experts recommend that every exterior entry door should be secured with a deadbolt.
  • Cover up - Your windows, that is. As much as you might enjoy the view outside, consider investing in curtains, shades or other window treatments that can help keep prying eyes at bay. As frightening as it sounds, the fact is, a burglar might be 'window shopping' for a potential target in your neighbourhood.
  • Cancel subscriptions - If you'll be going out of town for a while, be sure to take the time to cancel your newspaper subscriptions. An unruly pile of soggy or yellowing newspapers on your doorstep or porch simply signals to burglars that no one's home.
  • Be cautious - Careful about drawing attention to your home, many of us do this unknowingly. For example, if you've just bought a big television, don't put the empty box out with your trash. When it's in full view of the neighbourhood, it can tempt unscrupulous characters.
  • Get AIG Malaysia’s Theft Protect One of the best ways to protect yourself from theft is with AIG Malaysia's Theft Protect, which covers you in and out of your home from just 83 sen a day. As a Malay proverb says, "Disaster cannot be sniffed out," so in the unfortunate event that something does happen, you won't be left high and dry. If you'd like to lo learn more about the plan, just visit the AIG Malaysia website.
By practicing these simple and practical steps, you're closer to guarding yourself and your family from theft. Be safe and let's not be sorry!


Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Inaugural Dugrostar 2014 Roadshow & Finale @ Sunway Pyramid

Recently, from 31 October to 2 November, Dugro hosted a roadshow and the Dugrostar finale at Sunway Pyramid. The event, which was Malaysia's biggest tribute to children's talents, showcased extremely adorable performances by the young finalists. Check them out!

Dugrostar

Top left: (2nd row far left) Connie Ang, Managing Director of Danone Dumex Malaysia and (2nd row from right) expert judges - Nur Diyana Hashim, Radio DJ and Instructor at BluBricks; Elza Irdalynna, Actor, Producer, and Speech/Drama Instructor at Blubricks; and Ruth Liew, Director of Malaysian Child Resource Institute and Child Developmentalist; (3 winners in front row left - right); 2nd Place: Vincy Kong Yun Sim, 5 years old, singing; 1st Place: Ashley Yong Hui Jing, 4 years old, dancing; 3rd Place: Cindy Lim, 5 years old, piano.

Top right:  (featuring the 7-10 year-olds): (Seated in front, from left to right) - 2nd Place winner: Alexandria Ng Shu Lynn, 6 years old, dancing; 1st Place winner: Darius Leong Por Loon, 9 years old, dancing; and 3rd Place winner: Erika Foo Hann-Yi, 8 years old, singing and keyboard with other finalists, judges, and Danone Dumex representatives.

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Home made baby food without a food processor

Arif eating forst solid foods

Can you believe it? Arif's now 6 months old (adjusted age 4 months)! With a preemie, it can be hard to tell when to start him on solid foods. These days, mums are often told that we should wait until our babies are 6 months old before we start solids. But our mums tell us that they started feeding us solids at a much younger age, and we turned out fine. But as preemies have an adjusted age to consider, to me, it all boils to a bit of research and my intuition.

When Arif reached 5 months and a half, I decided to start him on solids because he still seemed hungry after having milk and he has been stuffing everything he can grab into his mouth. Of course, I read up on what foods to introduce and how much. I introduced the solid foods to him little by little, and I'm happy to report that he's taken to them really well! Now he eats a fair amount! So far, he's had pureed rice porridge, sweet potato, bananas, apples and carrots.

I decided to make all his baby food myself, but since I don't own food processor, I had to be a little inventive in the kitchen. I've managed to make all his purees by hand and it's really quite easy to do. All you need is a few kitchen tools and some elbow grease. Here's how I do it:

Disney's Big Hero Six

This looks adorable! Can't wait to see it :) I know Amir will love it!
#baymax
#bighero6


Welcome 2019: Time to Grow

Happy New Year everyone! I'm so so excited for 2019 and everything that it'll bring. I'm starting the year with gratefulness for...