Build My Budget

Developing Talents #1 ~ Learn how to budget and save money. Discuss why it is important to faithfully pay our tithing and how Heavenly father blesses us when we do (see 3 Nephi 24:10-11). Pay your tithing and begin saving for a mission.

This is the final lesson that I am having with the children on the topic about the money.

At the first lesson, we were learning about some basic knowledge that the children need to know about the concept of Tithing and money.

We discussed about how Heavenly Father blesses us when we faithfully pay our tithing.

How the Tithing money being used in our church, and how to fill up the Tithing slip in our lesson in Tithing Wallet.

At the second lesson,we were learning 2 extra words, which is Saving and Spending.

We were doing some calculation games and Alvin shared about how to save and spend and tithing too. We were having fun decorated their jars in our lesson in Tithing Games and Jars.

On our third lesson, it would be more on budgeting.

We focused more on getting the children to know about the values of money and the prices of the food, grocery, daily household items which they are eating, seeing and using everyday.

It’s on our lesson in The Price is Right.

Now, we were learning on how to balance and create our own budget worksheet.

And, encourage children to do critical thinking on how much money they left or why the expenses or spending like that?

Build their own budget an set saving goals. Besides, how the children can work to earn extra cash that they need.

Finally there is a lesson which the children learned from our Elder Robert D. Hales’s talk during April 2009 General Conference, Becoming Provident Providers Temporally and Spiritually,  on spending necessary.

“ He realized that spending more than you can afford doesn’t show love, we shouldn’t do it no matter what, even if it is Christmas or we really, really like something. He always remembered how wise his wife had been.”

“ So the second question we should always remember. Even if we CAN afford something, we should always ask “Do we really need it?” If we don’t we should try to be happy without it.”

Well, this have concluded the lesson on the Tithing, Budget and how Heavenly Father blesses us when we faithfully paying our Tithing. We have fun learning about these things that the Lord wants us to know about!

153 ~ The Lord Gave Me a Temple

I still remember the first time when I heard this song, by reading the song title I thought it is the physical temple building which it means in the song. Eventually, when I started to learn and do the flip charts for the kids to learn, then I only realized that it mean the physical body which our Heavenly Father gave us.

When I sang the songs with Issac and Annabelle at home, I asked them “Do you all know what is the temple that the Lord gave us in this song?” Annabelle just answered me with her slumber voice, “Mummy, is our body lah…” I was like, “You know!” Annabelle said, “Of coarse…Mama”

Visiting Teaching Messages for the Sisters

These are all the visiting teaching messages for the sisters for this month, as I couldn’t make it to do a visiting teach face to face. Hope the sisters would like the messages!

The Price Is Right

Developing Talents #1 ~ Learn how to budget and save money.Discuss why it is important to faithfully pay our tithing and how Heavenly father blesses us when we do (see 3 Nephi 24:10-11). Pay your tithing and begin saving for a mission.

This week is our 3rd lesson and it would be more on budgeting. This time we would focus more on getting the children to know about the values of money and the prices of the food, grocery, daily household items which they are eating, seeing and using everyday.

                       

I got this idea from the website: http://www.thedatingdivas.com/the-price-is-right/. I did some modifications and amendments on the games cards to suit our merchandize and groceries which our family consume and use.

Well, this activity Daddy and me have planned to do it together as part during our weekly grocery shopping. Friday evening after work, and fetched both Issac and Annabelle to Main Place USJ21.

                       

We had our dinner at Sushi Zanmai. After we ordered our food and drinks, while waiting for the dinner to be served, I brought out the games cards to both of the kids. I did bring colourful writing pens and have each of them write their price guess for each of the merchandise  listed on their cards. When all have made their guesses, our dinner was ready to serve.

After dinner, we headed to Jaya Grocer, and starting our games. Both of Issac and Annabelle have to go and find each of the items and see how close their guess to the actual retail price. There are total 5 Rounds including the final showcase round.

                       

Round 1, basically is writing your guess price, and the kids have to go around the store and look for the items and the actual price.

Round 2, is to get the kids to guess the price range and put in order from the cheapest up to the most expensive. Again, they need to run around the store to get to know the actual answer.

                       

Round 3, is the items or merchandize had been given a price tag, and the kids need to guess whether it is too high or too low.

Round 4, is a bit tricky as it have 2 ranges of brands for 1 item and the kids have to check the price differences between the more economy brand and famous brand and why.

                       

For this round, I did explain what budgeting is and why we often need to look for lower prices and the savings on items with economy brand compared with branded. If we are careful what we buy, we can save for more important things.

We also talked about how to decide when economy brands are a good choice and when they are not such as unhealthy ingredients, the weight of the products, sometimes like huge taste different, etc.; Difference in prices sometimes is due to the values of buying the name brand.

                       

We did not do for Round 5 as it is all the electrical appliances and electronic gadgets.. We did it later with the internet online later part at home.

We ended the lessons with explain to them that, it is important to manage the money well so that we have the spirit with us, strong health, and peace of mind rather than fear, headaches, stress, and contention.

                       

To manage money well, it is important to have a habit of saving for the future, budgeting (spend less than you earn), and always paying tithing first.

                       

If I Listen with My Heart

“The purpose of music in Primary is to teach the children the gospel of Jesus Christ and help them learn to live it. Primary songs make learning more enjoyable, help children learn and remember gospel truths, and invite the Spirit into Primary.”

That is the first sentence that in our Sharing Time’s instruction in How to Use Music in the Primary.

Thanks again for the loving mother which I found her beautiful and spiritual artworks, that she is so kind in letting us can able to download her artworks that we can use to create our lessons for the children! Her website is here: http://susanfitchdesign.blogspot.my. And, you can also visit her shop at etsy at https://www.etsy.com/shop/SusanFitchDesign.

Personally, I love this year theme song: If I Listen with My Heart.

Mushroom Leek Quiche #OTH 17 Sep 2016

I still remember the first time when I tasted the mushroom quiche in the Starbucks Coffee at Assunta Hospital during discussion and a tender interview long time ago.

I still remembered the spinach mushroom quiche that in my mouth, even now.

I saw the recipes on the internet the other day, and I was trying do make one myself.

For this, I bought a pack of ready made pie sheet, so that I just layered on the aluminium tin foil to resemble a pie crust and pack it on the bottoms and the sides with my fingers, and pressed along the edges to lift up the sides a little more.

Preparation Time : 15 mins

Cooking Time : 65 mins

Serves: 8 nests

Ingredients:

• Ready made pie crust
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ cup bacon bits
• Leek, diced
• 8 oz. baby portobello mushrooms, diced
• 3 eggs
• 1½ cups milk
• 1½ cups cheddar cheese

Preparation:

1. Bake at 425 degrees F or until the pie crust edges have browned, about 25 minutes
2. Meanwhile in a separate non-stick pan over medium high heat, saute leek and mushrooms in 2 tablespoon of olive oil about 5 minutes until tender. Drain any excess liquid
3. Once the pie crust is done, spread half the cheddar cheese along the bottom of the crust

4. Arrange bacon bits, leek and mushrooms in the pan and top with remaining cheddar cheese

5. Combine eggs, milk and salt and pepper to taste and whisk until frothy.
6. Pour egg mixture into the crust.
7. Bake for 40-50 minutes at 350 degrees F or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean
8. Let it cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

I was so nervous about the outcome of this first trial, but it turns out nice and delicious!

I decided to make this for both kids children’s day celebration at school later next month!

Xi Xuan Birthday Celebration 16 Sep 2016

16 September is a public holiday – Malaysia Day. Xi Xuan’s parents decided to organize a small party for her and invite all the children from Aunty Joyce’s day care.

The dining table which decorated with pink colour table cloth, the balloons, wording behind and it just look like a tea party in Alice in the Wonderland!

Let’s take some photographs for remembrance!

Put on the party hats!

Another shots!

Let’s eat and have some fun!

More poses for the photographs.

They were so excited and enjoyed the party very much. All the children were at Xi Xuan’s house from morning till evening. This is a nice shots!

Tithing Games & Jars

Developing Talents #1 ~ Learn how to budget and save money.Discuss why it is important to faithfully pay our tithing and how Heavenly father blesses us when we do (see 3 Nephi 24:10-11). Pay your tithing and begin saving for a mission.

This week we still had our little lesson on Tithing. There are extra  two things – Saving and Spending.

Daddy gave them some guidelines by which they could decide how much to save and how much to save and how much to spend.

Daddy was suggested and recommended saving 50% and spending 40%, and of coarse the 10% for tithing.

Then we had a fun time decorating jars for them to keep their money in. The ideas I was adapting from one of the great Mormon Mom website: http://www.fabnfree.com/2013/04/14/tithing-savings-spending-jars-free-printable-labels/.

For this activity, I had went to few places to get the materials ready.

                           

I changed the original cans to much more smaller and neat plastic jars which I found it at Mr. DIY. it costs much more cheaper as I managed to get 6 pcs @ RM0.90 = RM5.94 only.

               

I did buy some fun and patterned but small tapes at Mr. DIY 2 rolls @ RM1.40 = RM2.80. I did not satisfy for the designs and sourcing for more designs, and I went to the Daiso to get some. As I cannot get the duct tape here.

And I managed to get some beautiful Japanese washi tapes or masking tapes especially at the Times Bookstore Citta Mall Ara Damansara, during the children attended their art class at Jane Yap Atelier. Of coarse the price would be a bit pricy. It is the Mt tapes MT ex series, which 3 rolls of tapes costs me about RM40.00++ but it is really beautiful and unique.

                   

That is where both Issac and Annabelle’s creativity and individual personalities really came out. They love to decorate their money jars.

                     

I was thinking like may be they would just wrapped the same design tape around the jar and overlapping it with one kind of tape wholly for that jar, but instead both of them surprised me with the choices they made to use all the different patterns on one jar, making a striped effect.

      

After they had taped up their jars I gave them some labels to put on the jar. I just downloaded these labels on a plain white paper as I do not have the label stickers.

                     

Annabelle picked some felt flowers and sticker onto the money jars and made hers looked more beautiful. When I asked Issac, if he want some decorations on top, he just straight away told me, “Nope, Mom. Flowers are for girls! I am ok with mine.”

                      

The jars turned out pretty cute and both of them had a fun time making them. They told me, “Mom, this time lesson is more fun than the last week lesson.” I was like… Hopefully they learned something about what to do with their money jars too!