I have been reading quite a few of the Chicken Soup series. Although some say that it is kind of in the past, I beg to differ.

I bought a few, and it usually has to be a subject close to me. Recently, I bought the book for Power Moms – mums who chose the family over their careers. They include stay-at-home and work-from-home mums.

I have been deliberating this subject for a long time now. And only in the recent year have I found a way to finally realise this dream of mine – staying home with my kids while not being poor.

And so, naturally, I am thinking of all the opportunities lost should the day I quit actually come. On one hand, I think about the corporate ladder I can still climb, on the other, I see my kids grinning each time they see me. Although I must admit, they do drive me crazy sometimes.

One particular chapter came to me last night with a very true saying “You can work your whole life, but your children are young only once”. I immediately stopped thinking about myself and reflected on this.

It is true, yes?, that kids are only young once and there are only so many years which they really need and depend on you. After those years, I am going to be a pillar, no longer physically needed, no longer the arms they will run to for a kiss on their boo boo, no longer the person who will cook and drive them around. I felt tears in my eyes and my heart warming up.

So yes, I think the decision is finally clear to me. And if you are a mum and quite undecided if you want to give up your career, pick this book up and see if it helps to enlighten you.

I am a big big fan of L’Occitane. Ever since I had my older child, I have been using their facial products and it has been awesome ever since. I primarily use their Immortelle range which has the anti-aging elements. Now, which woman you know do not want that?!

Anyway, my precious cream (which is their moisturiser) ran out some days ago and then, I received their Holidays Mailer 2010 which featured some of their great deals for the holiday season.

So, down I went to their counter at KLCC and found a promotion on my Immortelle range. A full size bottle of the toner and a full size moisturizer plus a 5ml bottle of their new Divine Extract which is a rich serum.

The entire package comes for RM295. If you buy the toner on its own, it is RM95, the precious cream will set you back by RM215. Now you save RM15, plus you get the serum too! I was told that the full size serum of 30ml cost about RM400+! Besides that, the counter girl also gave me some freebies – I am such a sucker for these things. It includes body cream, eye balm, hand cream etc.

Plus, if you buy it from the Isetan counter, you can swipe the member’s card for points and get free parking too! This is apart from the credit card deals which you can get. Ain’t life worth living?!

I think I shall head back again sometime soon, I am so loving the tiny bottles which they have packaged so well. And the freebies are pretty too!

In that MMI event, I signed up for their Enlightended Warrior Camp which is to be held this month. It was very well talked about and so, when it was announced in MMI, I signed up immediately. We were told that there were limited seats, so there was a rush to sign and pay.

Fast forward to end August. We were sent the details of the camp and was told what to expect and what to bring. Although excited, I was not sure I would be up for it - I am 3 months pregnant and I was concerned about my health and safety. Fair right?

After some mails going to and from about my concerns, the mails stopped, without any solutions. Then a sales person calls me up about something on this camp and I repeated my story. My main aim was to find out if the camp was relatively safe for a pregnant woman. And if not, could I get a refund.

After an entire month of mails and calls, they still could not give me a solid answer!! The sales guy keep giving me the SAME options despite me REPEATING the same answer EACH TIME!!

“Would you like to transfer to next year?” “Would you like to transfer to another person?” “Would you like to change it to another camp?” Argh!!! Honestly, I do not know how many times I have said NO, NO, NO to them and yet, they still call me and ask me the same questions!!! After each call, they will say they will follow up but they never did!!

And then, after 1.5 months, they called me to say that they will charge me 35% for cost which has incurred and told me that it was in their T&C. To be honest, I never expected them to fully refund me, but 35% charge is too much!

And the best thing is that I was not told of this T&C which they claimed was at the back of the form I signed! When I pointed out that in the mad rush, nobody walked us through the T&Cs, they actually acknowledged that they know not many people read through it but it still holds!! Can you believe what a cheat these Success Resources people are?

And the sales person who called me has terrible phote etiquette, they keep interuppting you when you are still speaking. The last person I spoke to even told me that I cannot use my pregnancy as a way to cancel my participation! According to her, pregnancy is not everything!

Anyway, after much fuss, they only refunded me my 65% of a hefty RM7,000 cost. I feel terribly cheated and terribly upset with how the entire thing was handled.

I am really disappointed with them and it will certainly make me reconsider any other seminars they will bring in. I really hope that should you or your friends decide to sign up any course during MMI, please read through the T&Cs and then decide. Do not rush to sign up, I don’t think that it will be full anyway, given the many bad experience I have heard on them.

As a result, I turn to the Net to get ideas and am usually just awed by the number of great tips and things that can be done.

One of the better sites for arts and crafts is Kids Craft Magazine (http://www.kidcraftsmagazine.com/). They have wonderful ideas which even creative numbed mothers like me can do. I especially like the fact that most of the crafts need everyday things which we already have in the house.

The other thing is that the crafts can be done in a relatively short time – good for managing an active pre-schooler as well as the time we are spending on it.

To top it off, their crafts usually is done to suit the time of year. E.g. Easter will have its bunnies, Halloween will have its share of pumpkin crafts etc. Never a dull moment.

Enjoy then!

One of the better ones I have come across is the one located at The Curve. It is a cozy place which is located on 1st floor, just beside Mothercare. I like the fact that it is done up with the mother’s expectations in mind.

Across the room is where the security guard is, who is always on the look-out for people who should not be entering the room.

In the room, there is a changing table which is from the Ikea range of furniture. However, the changing mat needs to be changed – think it is a little worn out now.

There is a bin inside with a lid to ward off any smell from the diapers. The wash basin in clean and there is also ample space for you to park your strollers.

In the room there are 2 cubicles with curtains drawn for the privacy of breastfeeding mothers with their precious bundle. The seat inside these cubicles are quite decent. However, the management may want to think about putting another seat inside for the older child who follows the mother in. Otherwise, the mother will be distracted with a tired and restless kid.

The cubicle also has a table for mothers to put their relevant things, but also good for mothers who pump their milk. I sometimes do that and I appreciate the table very much. However, only one of the cubicle has a plug point. And so, you have to choose the cubicle to cater to your electronic pump.

Of all, the best thing is that the set-up of the room gives the mother a sense of isolation from all the hustle and bustle of the shoppers. Perfect for that special bonding moment with the baby.