A Journey with Shir

Company Trip to Pangkor Island

2012-01-15T12:09:00.001+08:00

Recently, I went to a company trip to Pangkor Island (3 days, 2 nights). Pangkor Island is not new to me and I look forward to the trip to chill with my colleagues :). I have been to that Island a few times before this, mostly with family members. I practically ate and slept on this trip. Came back to KL renewed and recharged and ready for the next mission.

Life starts at 40.......

2012-01-05T12:00:00.002+08:00

I have reached 40 a few days ago !! There were a few celebrations, lots of wishes and plenty of food. How does it feel to be 40? Well, age is catching up and I may already have spent half my life (assuming that I will live until 80). To be frank, there is some sense of urgency...being 40. Seems like there's more that I wanted to do and I may never get to do it if I keep at this pace. I am not sure how many people will feel that way but that is how I feel. Therefore, the phrase life starts at 40 is indeed very true (at least for me). I somehow have the renew energy to keep on chasing my dreams. Also it helps that my birthday is so early in the year since it's a brand new year with my brand new resolutions. So many things to learn, to do and accomplish !!! Let's get going :)

Bye Bye 2011 and it's full of good memories

2012-01-01T10:19:00.003+08:00

2011 was a great year .....it started out very stressful especially towards Q3 and all went well. Towards the end of hte year we did a lot of spring cleaning, then there was that family trip to Penang and Christmas before we usher in the new year....a brand new year. Chinese New Year is exceptional early in 2012 and even before the year is out, we are already busy planning for another major celebration. Life is good and may 2012 bring us more happiness.

A Break...

2011-12-19T22:17:00.001+08:00

A turn of event gave me the much needed breathing space. So far, I feel very blessed as it gives me the time and energy to focus on other important thing in my life which I have neglected.

I am enjoying every moment and hoping that it will not end. And it has been very fulfilling and lovely. End of the year has always been an eventful time, especially with Christmas around the corner, the kids going to school and me in a reflective mood to think about what I have achieved in the year and the plans moving forward.

We managed to go for a short with the extended family and the kids had a good time playing and spending time with their cousins. At this point of time, I have finished spring cleaning the house and together with hubby, we have also sort of like do up Ryan’s room -

It has been lovely and I feel blessed! Am counting my blessing every single day.

Out in the Park

2011-12-17T16:51:00.001+08:00

Caitlin had a fun time in the neighbourhood park - running freely and enjoying her ice cream. Life is indeed simple, joyful and full of adventure for them.

Running Shoes

2011-11-20T12:56:00.000+08:00

Mummy: Caitlin, don't run...

Caitlin: Cannot mummy. I am wearing my running shoe....so, I have to run..

Mummy: (can't help but smile)

Another Big Fat Caterpillar

2011-11-08T22:21:00.001+08:00

This is indeed a fat caterpillar

Can you spot it? I could not for the past few days. I know there's something wrong with my plants but I don't really know who or what is the culprit. Then there were droppings !!! Another sign but I still could not spot it. I decided to give my poor plant a trim and that is when I accidentally touched it and it was yucky!!!! Plain yucky and I hate it.

It's green, it's huge and it's fat!! It was like deja vu as I remembered snapping a photo of a caterpillar before. A quick check on my old blog entries confirmed that a similar caterpillar invaded my garden 3 years ago! And size of these vegetarian monsters are getting BIGGER.

2011-11-02T08:32:00.000+08:00

9th Birthday

While looking at the photos and my previous post, I realised that I forgot to upload Ryan's 9th birthday cake. We DID celebrate his birthday, just forgot to write about it. As usual, there are lots of presents for the birthday boy and he did get his wish to go bowling with his uncles and aunties :)

He's growing up fast and when I asked him what sort of a cake he wants, he just want a nice simple chocolate cake - no picture, figurines or anything fancy as he thinks it's childish (Although expecting it, I felt sad....but nevermind, there's still Caitlin to keep me entertained).

Looking forward to next year as he will turn double digit :)

Caitlin's Concert

2011-11-01T23:13:00.000+08:00

We were all looking forward to see her performing and she woke up with a fever. But the show must go on. After taking her medication and rested a while, I took her to school where together with all her friends, they sang, danced and entertained everyone who attended their yearly concert. There were also plenty of screaming and crying. All the kids and family members included had fun.

Special thanks to Mr James Quah who took very, very nice photos of the children, including Caitlin (as shown here).

Easy does it :)

In her element?

She was having mild fever :(

2011-10-31T16:29:00.002+08:00

A pleasant surprise indeed!

Love the fresh flowers

I received this lovely gift for boss day. Something I did not expect and I was both flattered and alarmed, followed by an array of different feelings from being happy to worried, pressured, tensed, grateful and to also a point of feeling undeserving ......

Then I remember reading somewhere that one must be able to accept compliment gracefully :).
So I am indeed thrilled to bits and grateful for the gift and will hold this dear. Thanks to my wonderful mates.

Time fo the Family

2011-10-30T16:16:00.002+08:00

Life is hectic - and that is nothing new.
Work is hectic - nothing new either.
In fact, those are constant and I will need to find a way to work around it rather than lament about it....think Shirley, what's your game plan? So far, none. Will play it by ear but one thing for sure, I have been spending lots of time with my family and it feels great. I am still stressed, but I am happier by far.

Some of my activities for the past weeks and I will be collecting more to come.

One of my favorites

October 2011

2011-10-04T22:09:00.000+08:00

Can't believe October is here !!!! Today is the 4th of October and this means that year end is around the corner which means less time for me to complete my projects........arrgghhhhhh...help :)

Oh no....plenty of homework.

2011-09-24T22:05:00.000+08:00

This is a photo of Ryan, at 10.00 pm, still doing his homework when he suppose to finish all his homework hours earlier. He's looking sad.... he will get over it. Exam is around the corner ....and that added to his stress.

Bake a Cake......

2011-09-22T21:45:00.002+08:00

We were going for a family gathering and as usual, I will go and buy food, instead of cooking them, for the safety of those attending the gathering :)

However, Ryan decided to bake a cake for the occasion and we went to get pre-mix (to be very safe). He and his sister did the baking as part as their project and the cake turned out well. It was easy for the kids (and me) and the result is almost guarantee...

Win-win-win.....

Cooking......

2011-09-18T21:54:00.000+08:00

Rendang Ayam

I suddenly have an urge to cook and try new recipes... not sure why but I did spent a lot of times in the kitchen toiling away and I ended up making 3 new dishes - for the first time. 1. Rendang ayam - which was yummy 2. Drunken chicken - too much shoaxing wine 3. Chap choy (a vegetarian dish) - could be better, hubby's family favourite dish.

Drunken Chicken

Anyway, I managed to take photos of the rendang ayam and the drunken chicken. Not too bad and I think I will make it a point to try out at least 1 new dish a month. Something to look forward to :)

The creative me...?

2011-09-17T18:31:00.000+08:00

I encourages my kids to draw and paint; basically to experiment with colours. I love colours but I cannot draw. I can do abstract and love doing patterns. I love texture. I love colours...oh, I already mentioned that earlier.

Here's something I did. After finishing this piece, I think I can improve it further. I already got another "tree" in my head. I can see it clearly... how the branch look like, how the leaves will appear. I just need time to let it come to life. Therefore, this will do for the time being.

Need to exercise

2011-09-16T20:31:00.000+08:00

I have not been exercising for the last 2-3 months due to various reasons .... And am now feeling the effect. I have gained some weights and I also noticed that I am not as energetic as before. So before it get worse, I have to pull the brake and head back to the gym. It will be painful but it will be all worth it at the end...for my own good. Will be off to the badminton court shortly. Just do it! Period.

Charcoal Steamboat Anyone?

2011-09-11T22:40:00.003+08:00

It's Hot, Hot, Hot.

Looked exciting in there !!

During the weekends, I would like to take the family out for dinner and this include my brother and his wife. The more, the merrier and there's nothing like family having meals together. If we are not out, I will be cooking something different and special for the kids - It's something I look forward to every weekend :)
Recently, we went to this charcoal steamboat restaurant nearby our house. The food is okay but I was fascinated with how they prepared the charcoal (fired them up?). Something different :) and the kids as usual, enjoyed themselves :) :)

Pretty in Pink

2011-09-06T20:46:00.000+08:00

My girl...pretty in pink, from head to toe.

Beautiful Leaves

2011-09-05T20:49:00.002+08:00

My recent trip to Zoo Negara was filled with fun. Besides animals, I stumbled upon many beautiful dried leaves - big ones, all dried and curled up in the most amazing way. To put the size in perspective, I included my shoe (I wear size 7) in the last photo.

My Journey with Ryan

2011-08-22T23:35:00.000+08:00

I thought I am doing ok as his mom. I am wrong. I discovered that I have not done enough. Let me tell you about Ryan, my first born, going to be 9 soon. He was simply adorable as a kid and as he was growing up, he was a fine boy and polite. I'm proud of him. He was easy to manage and he did not give us any problem.

Then he started schooling and he mixes around with the bigger kids. We noted a slight change in his behaviour but nothing alarming. He will come back and tell us stories. Some good stories and some painful ones. Then I will dismissed them, thinking that this is what normally kids go through and eventually everything will be ok. He will eventually learn somehow and I also did not want to dwell in it too much. Part and parcel of growing up.

Then his sister came along and at first, it was all ok. He will play with her but as she's growing up, he finds her to be a challenge. He feels there is a need to compete with her, for the attention etc and they started fighting. This is followed by angry sweeping statements - more headache for my boy as everyone of us seems to think that as the older child, he is expected to take the higher road and give in to her sister. This resulted in him being rebellious and his behaviour got worse. More growing pains.

Being parents are not an easy task. I think I need to prioritise and rethink before it's too late on what's more important to me. How do I want my children to be (outcome) and I must be willing to make the journey with them (input). I have heard stories about successful professional who thrived at their careers at the expense of their family and children. It never occurred to me that I'm going down that route but I guess I will, if I am not too careful. Soon, my boy will be a teenager and we all know how difficult that phase of life is. I have to act before it's too late. Like I said, it's never easy being a parent - but with lots of love, patience and a strong heart - everything will be ok.

Watching TV Together

2011-08-18T23:41:00.001+08:00

They are at each other's throat most if the time so much so that I can count the number of times when there's peace between them. This is one of them - they are watching television together and Caitlin is frowning because she's scared while the brother was "protecting" her (...but by holding to her knee?). Well, at least there was peace for the 1 hour.

Mission: The Garden

2011-08-14T11:31:00.000+08:00

New addition to the family

Curry leaves for cooking

Money Plant

I have been working on my garden even since my recent trip to Avillion Port Dickson a few weeks back. I was quite diligent at that, making time to pull out all the weeds, fertilising the plants and grass and watering them every morning and evening. I rediscovered the joy of gardening and it's goooooooddddddd. I even bought a new pot of flowering plant. It has small red flowers and it look nice.

The truth is that I have neglected the garden due to my work schedule and even more after the snake incident. It's good that I am back and hopefully, in no time, my garden will be back with it lushful greenery. The only plant that had survived all the ordeal is my money plant. It's one of those plant which requires minimum maintenance and looks good all the time.

I intend to plant more of these money plants with different shade of green leaves and to add some flowering plants since my frangipani plants are taking forever to grow. Also, I intend to grow some vegetables as well - that should be fun. Chilies plants will be great, maybe brinjal....no, no.....chinese mustard green plant (or simply "sawi" in Bahasa Malaysia...). And as you can see, I am very excited and I am a woman with a mission........

Good Night

2011-08-11T22:38:00.000+08:00

It's now 10.30 pm. Everyone is already sleeping while I am still toiling away on my laptop. I have decided to work in the air-cond room because it's freaking hot out there. I think I will call it a day at around 11.30 pm - that will be in an hours time. I aimed to do and cover as much as possible before I hit the bed - make my time more worthwhile. Time flies - no matter whether you realise it or not. So, we just need to make full use of it. I procrastinate. I know it's a bad habit but I can't help it (excuse). It's part of me (more excuses)....but to be fair, I have improved although there's plenty more room for further improvement. One day at a time (more excuses?).

I better stop now so that I can finish whatever I set out to do and have a good night sleep. Cheers !

Me Time

2011-08-10T21:54:00.000+08:00

Darphin Cleanser - image from the internet

I took leave from work to run some errands and to pampers myself. I wanted to chill and do some thinking and planning ahead. I wanted to accomplish a lot but managed only half of what I set out to do - still it was good enough for me.

The most memorable event for today is I had a nice long lunch by myself in a nice cosy restaurant. The food was good and the music nice and soothing. I have decided to maintain a diary of a sort to record my thoughts and feeling and started writing. I recon the diary will be a great way for me to express myself and capture my thoughts, emotions and moods...and ultimately to understand myself and learns from the past and from my mistakes. It was a good one hour of eating, writing and smiling. It felt good!!!

Next on my agenda is going for my facial as well as to pick up some products. I managed to get the image of the most-fabulous-facial-cleanser ever. It's Darphin Cleansing Foam Gel with Water Lily (picture above). I am now into my second tube and I simply love it. I also pick up a toner and the eye makeup removal. My skin has improved but it is still sensitive and have not really stabilise. My face is no longer "red" and the pores are also finer but I still have uneven skin tone, dark spots and pigmentation. I guess it is the years of "abuse" where I don't use proper skincare (lack of knowledge and money as the main culprit) and have not be using any sunblock. Anyway, it's always good to be pampered and I love all my facial sessions. I will make sure that I have enough time so that I can enjoy every moment and yes, blackberry are off as well :)

It was a good day and more of me time in the future - it's rejuvenating and something which I look forward to.

Back to Gardening

2011-08-08T18:15:00.000+08:00

I was out walking one day, walking toward the park when I saw this nice plant with all its flowers "drooping" over the brick wall. All I can say is nice and I wish I have that plant in my garden. :)

Happy Birthday Caitlin

2011-08-07T21:47:00.010+08:00

Caitlin is 3 today. We welcome her with love, 3 years ago and our lives have never been the same.....in a positive way.

What make her brother ticks does not work on her. In short, she's very different from her brother. We have to figure her out and at times, she drives us crazy. We have to keep up with her and she's not slowing down, not for us nor the brother. We watch her with delight. We are proud with all her achievements and will be there to support her in everyway.

Happy 3rd Birthday my dear Caitlin and you are only 3 years old - not 5. You will be in 2 years time.

TGIF

2011-07-29T21:31:00.005+08:00

This has been a particular long week. Had an important meeting on Friday afternoon and the last 2 weeks was spent making sure we got every single details right......so, as you can tell, I am glad that the meeting was a success and it's FINALLY OVER.

I can now move on to tackle the rest of the things which are piling up. Gotto love my job, otherwise it will be a chore going to work everyday. Have to find the meaning in the things I do. It's now Friday evening, my favourite day and time of the week coz this means that my weekend is still young. Woo hooo....have a good weekend everyone !

List: I need to .....

2011-07-24T12:07:00.001+08:00

go back to the gym, at least twice a week, so that I will have more energy for the day to pursue all that I need to complete and more....go, go, go....(not to mention that I have gained 2 kgs in the last 2 months of not going)
get to know myself better. Doing more of the activities which has a positive impact while avoiding those which drained me.
plan something that I will look forward to everyday.
plan better so that my time is being use wisely, not unnecessary wastage and more time for myself and kids...time is gold..
drink more water daily as I can feel a sore throat coming....there's no such thing as too much liquid and I read something about water making the skin looks better and thus, the person looking younger as a result. Say no more...I will cheers to that..
spend more time with Ryan and Caitlin as they are growing up fast...and more importantly
have more disclipine and practise what I know as I know a lot (theoretically), just did stick on doing it....that's why I love Nike's tagline. JUST DO IT.

To the Park

2011-07-23T08:00:00.000+08:00

We recently went t o visit my sister and we took the opportunity to go the the park nearby. Parks are nice and it is good to see kids running around, having a ball with their friends and family.

I do make it a point to go to the park with the children whenever the weather permits. Not only the kids need it, the adults need it too.

We will be off for a short vacation soon. Looking forward to the short break to rejuvenate and before going back to the rat race. Have a good weekend everyone.

What's in Caitlin's Bag?

2011-07-09T15:06:00.000+08:00

My gal loves bags and shoes, especially shoes. One day, I got hold of her bag and took a peep. It's not full of make-ups, not yet. I was quite relieved and happy to note that it's full of figurines - her brother's pokemon toys. Hahaha.

Angry Birds

2011-07-08T14:56:00.000+08:00

Angry Birds everywhere - toys, shirts, key chains, bags .....

Meet Someone Passionate

2011-07-06T13:12:00.005+08:00

I met a lady at work this morning and what strikes me most is her passion.

When she speaks, you can feel her passion about the subject - so much so that you are drawn into it as well. She's highly competent and looking through her portfolio, you can see that she has accomplished a lot and more importantly she walks the talk.

She's highly motivated, full of energy with bright eyes, no nonsense approach, will not take a "no" as an answer and yet very down to earth.

Yeah, it was a good morning. An inspiring morning indeed.

According to Caitlin

2011-07-04T14:41:00.000+08:00

According to my girl, this is a picture of a pond, with a fish inside and the fish is swimming (that is represented by the jagged line). Hmmmmmm..........make sense.

Caitlin in Genting Theme Park

2011-07-03T15:03:00.002+08:00

This was taken sometime back when we went for an impromptu 1-day holiday at Genting Highlands. We will visit Genting at least once a year.

During this trip, Caitlin was able to ride the cars. All of us were thrilled. The brother spend most of his time on the machines and Caitlin is following close. They do grow up fast.

Water cut

2011-07-03T14:32:00.009+08:00

Recently, there was an annoucement that we may faced water cut for 2 whole days and that got my aunt into panic-mode and all her kiasuism kicks in.

As a result, all, and I mean ALL the containers in the house were not spared. Have a look yourself.

The funniest thing is that, our house was not affected by the water cut after all !!

First post using iPad

2011-06-29T14:54:00.004+08:00

Catching up with technology. This is great as I can pen down my thought anywhere as long as there's Internet connection. Have to make full use of whatever we have and move along. That shall be my lesson for today!

It's end of June now

2011-06-26T12:17:00.004+08:00

Time flies and it is entirely up to us what we want to do with them. It will swoosh by and before you know it, it's gone. That's how I have been feeling - so many things to do and achieve in so little time (even though all of us are given 24 hours). The other thing is that the mind is willing but the body may not. I have not been well for the past few weeks and have not been to the gym for the past 2 months.

But all that is going to change - I will be back to the gym next week and take charge of my life more. Need to be in the driver seat - to be more in controlled. :)

So far, all is well in my world and things are looking up.

Not Good Bye

2011-04-17T11:20:00.004+08:00

I was on an emotional roller coaster lately.

It started when my best friend Sham (We are Siamese twins, according to friends) confirming the date she and her entire family will be leaving for London. Her hubby will be based there for the next few years. I knew of this a few months back BUT have been pushing it aside; I guess it was MY WAY of dealing with that.

When she told me the date, it was less than a week before they fly and I panicked; for me and for her as well. It was a good thing that Sham was busy sorting out everything; from the kids school leaving certificates to her ASTRO bills. I remembered being sad and quiet as I go about doing my daily chores and going through my routine and work. It's very difficult to describe.......the feeling of being happy and sad at same time on the same event. I think Sham knew what I was going through and she ended up sending me encouraging messages instead!

I am happy for her and the kids on their new adventure in London, to experience how it's like living there, the new places they will be visiting and exploring, the new friends they will be making etc. I am happy that the kids will have the opportunity to study there as well. It's indeed an opportunity of a lifetime.

But, at the same time, I am sad that I will not be able to see her often or as and when I wish. What will happen to our weekly lunch date? How about our almost daily calls to update each other on our lives? Also the occasional time where I will take leave from work just to chill at her home and with the kids fighting for my attention, I feel like a Queen!!I will definitely miss her word of wisdom, her insights and also her scolding as she knows that she is the only person who gets away with that and I actually listen. I may dare say that I will be a spoil brat, an irritant if not because of her.

When the actual day came, I was more miserably than ever. I actually did not plan to go to the airport to see them off as I did not want to flood the place but I'm very glad that I did. Her friends and relatives were there. As I watched them going in, I knew they will be fine as long as they have each other. I was calm and that happened a week ago.

Since then, we have skyped, emails been flying back and forth and we yahoo message each other whenever we have the time. Yes, we are connected, in a different way. I'm in touch with what she's going through and vice-versa. We just need to manage the time difference. So it was almost like good old time.

It was never good bye. Thank God for technology, I am smiling.

White, Brown and Red Rice

2011-03-25T17:02:00.000+08:00

A good friend recently introduced me to other types of rice, besides the common white rice. I have heard of brown rice but don't quite like the taste but I have not heard about RED RICE!! Yes, the rice is indeed red in colour.

Not only she took the trouble to buy me these difference rices, she also taught me the right mix for them. For a start, 40% white and the rest will be red and brown in equal portion (i.e. 30% each) . We tried it out the whole of last week and simply loved it. I like the rough texture of the red rice, best. Great taste and simply a healthier choice.

Food Galore Over the Weekend

2011-03-21T16:49:00.000+08:00

It always amazes me how much I can eat. Last Saturday, I had just stuffed myself during lunch as was thinking about skipping dinner and come 4.00pm, I'm hungry and been sticking my nose in the fridge hunting for food. Ended up having coffee with biscuits. No longer thinking of skipping dinner. :) Here are photos of some of the dishes I had during the weekend.

2011-03-20T16:20:00.009+08:00

We just got back from the "3rd Putrajaya International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta 2011". The balloons were colourful and there were a few special shapes - Darth Vader, Doraemon and even a "downside up". Ryan had a go at the recumbent bicycle which he enjoyed. There was also a big "pasar malam" in one of the open field for visitors.

We started the journey at 7.00am and arrived there an hour and a half later and by 10.45am, we were on our way to brunch. We ended up eating "hot soup" at Seri Kembangan. It was a good outing.

Caitlin the Artist

2011-03-18T23:46:00.000+08:00

She loves to doodle.

Here's one of the many, many "pieces". She refer to them as her colourings.

She's also into singing. Will try to capture her in action and post them here.

6 March 2011 ..... A typical Sunday

2011-03-06T12:53:00.013+08:00

9.00 am - Woke up from a blissful slumber...oh, what joy!
10.00 am - Back from the wet market with loads of vegetables, dried foods stuff, meat, fish + breakfast!
11.00 am - Finished breakfast, cleaned and stored all food stuff + making sure Ryan is doing his homework.
12.00 noon - Me and Ryan hiding in my room - he doing his homework (still) and me doing my office work. Caitlin is just too boisterous and nosy. She distract us!
1.00 pm - Still coop up in my room. Ryan find it hard to focus - his own choice I believe while I have tonnes of work to finish. Am trying hard to focus on my work and not surfing the net.
2.00 pm - In the midst of frying "yam + nien ko + sweet potatoes" for tea time. (see photos)
Ryan is still in the room. Caitlin slept.
3.00 pm - Ryan's teatime and homework still incomplete.
4.00 pm - Ryan with his homework in front of the TV - still not finish. Brother and wifey a.k.a weekend babysitters are on their way here. Caitlin is still sleeping.
5.00 pm - Baby sitters arrived. Caitlin woke up. Ryan still doing homework (he's such a slowpoke). Did a 30-min jog around the neighbourhood.
6.00 pm - Setting table for dinner. Aunt Jo cooked. Brother bought some bread from one fancy shop for us to try. Caitlin playing with her babysitter. Ryan finished homework and watching Green Hornet on DVD.
7.00 pm - Had dinner (see photo). Nothing beats home cooked food in the company of loved ones. Kids had their baths.
8.00 pm - Everyone is resting. Aunt Jo playing PC games. Aunt Cleo watching online movies. Ryan digging $$ from his piggy bank for his forthcoming 1-day trip. Caitlin, disturbing Ryan.
9.00 pm - Had supper. Milo all around with cakes and pastries!!
10.00 pm - Preparing to call it a day. Nite nite everyone!

Like Mother Like Daughter. We love Durians

2011-03-04T05:17:00.000+08:00

I was looking through my old photos when I chance upon these. To me, it's priceless....LOL

Caitlin and me love durian while Ryan is just like his papa - they don't take durian.

So, naturally, I am happy as I found a fellow durian lover. My daughter.....hahahha

Me and The King's Speech

2011-02-20T17:18:00.004+08:00

I am still not good at doing self-portrait. Loads of practices needed and a long way to go. After snapping more than a dozen shots, am satisfied with only one. One better than none.

I watched the King's Speech with my best friend Sham and I hope Colin Firth will get his Oscar (he's the favourite to nail the award) and I'm now a fan of Helena Bonham Carter. Googled about her and in awe with her quirkiness and confidence. Looking forward to see what she'll be wearing to the Oscar.

Spaghetti

2011-02-20T17:10:00.002+08:00

Here are some of the ingredients for my spaghetti. I will cook this whenever I am lazy to think. Unlike our typical chinese meals which typically consist of rice and at least 2-3 main dishes, spaghetti is a no-brainer. Everything in 1 - simple and delicious !!!

Chinese Calligraphy

2011-02-15T11:37:00.012+08:00

I googled for a definition on Chinese calligraphy and found that the best definition from Asiawind Art Gallery.

"Chinese calligraphy (Brush calligraphy) is an art unique to Asian cultures. Shu (calligraphy), Hua (painting), Qin (a string musical instrument), and Qi (a strategic boardgame) are the four basic skills and disciplines of the Chinese literati. Regarded as the most abstract and sublime form of art in Chinese culture, "Shu Fa" (calligraphy) is often thought to be most revealing of one's personality.

During the imperial era, calligraphy was used as an important criterion for selection of executives to the Imperial court. Unlike other visual art techniques, all calligraphy strokes are permanent and incorrigible, demanding careful planning and confident execution. Such are the skills required for an administrator / executive. While one has to conform to the defined structure of words, the expression can be extremely creative. To exercise humanistic imagination and touch under the faceless laws and regulations is also a virtue well appreciated".

Why Calligraphy?

Because Ryan who is in Standard 3 this year is currently exposed to calligraphy and did his first piece last week. It's his first try and I know we should not be horrified but we did. Can't help it. Instead of using the tip of the brush, he used the side (I have no idea why??).

As you can see, he has a long, long, long, long way to go and for me, calligraphy is an art. He may ended up loving it or totally loathes it. Too early to tell but lots of practice is needed. :)

Message from Ryan

2011-02-13T11:56:00.001+08:00

I was going through my old photos when I chanced upon this. I remember being amused by it and decided to snap a photo as a rememberance. This was back in 2008 and today is 2011. No much changes. Ryan was crazy about Pokemon then and he is still crazy about Pokemon now.

Photo of me and the kids

2011-02-08T21:38:00.002+08:00

I seldom take photos with my kids. Most of their pictures are individual shots and there are also very few pictures of the them together. Will make it a point to take more group photos. As you can see, Caitlin is growing up fast. She's no longer baby faced and Ryan....he's still 21 kg and slightly taller.

Mother and Daughter Bonding

2011-02-07T12:56:00.004+08:00

These photos were taken last year, right after Caitlin's first hair cut. Notice how short her hair. Well, it has not grown much since then. We were out running errands while Caitlin managed to convience me to let her play for a while in the playground. She loves playground.

Hoppy New Year

2011-02-04T07:33:00.005+08:00

Wishing everyone a happy new year and may the year of the Rabbit bring us abundance of happiness, health and wealth.

The kids are enjoying themselves silly. I have been enjoying the food and cookies. Yummy, yummy.........

Uninvited Guests

2011-02-02T12:30:00.006+08:00

I did not intend to blog about this awful experience but on the hindsight, life is made up of not only good experiences but bad ones as well. We just need to learn from the bad experiences (what's the takeaway? and what I would do the next time etc) and move on from there.

So here goes.....Sometime in December 2010, a snake decided to pay us a visit. Hubby saw it in the early morning when he was getting his breakfast ready. It was on the kitchen top, behind the dish drainer and was trying to move upward. Hubby decided to look for something to help him to remove it from the house and viola the snake disappeared from his sight. He could not find it thereafter. He then decided to wake me up. And how did I take the news? BADLY.

It took me sometime to realise what he was trying to tell me.... a snake in the house?? where did it come from?? a snake in the house but had gone to hiding??? What???. I immediately think of the kids. I also did not want to go downstairs and it took hubby sometime to coax me to go down. I remember feeling scared, helpless and angry. I am terrified of snakes irregardless of the size.

After searching for 5 minutes, we still cannot find it and I had hubby called the security guard in as he wanted to leave for work. Me and the security guard continued with the search but proved to be fruitless. After 15 minutes, the guard wanted to go back and asked me to call him once I manage to find it. I was scared stiff but I had no choice but to let him go. I finally spotted it, coiling up neatly against the wall, when I removed one of the items for cleaning. And boy did I screamed!!!

I called the security guard in again and then ran upstairs and observed everything from there. I needed to be as far away as possible. The guard killed and took it away. All this while, the kids were with my aunt in the room amidst Caitlin's protest as she wanted to be part of the hunt. And as a result, we got in people to clear our garden as well as the slope behind our house. Now, you would think that's the end of the story right? Well, not quite.

A few days ago, Uma, my neighbour informed me that her neighbour next door spotted another baby snake in the garden. I later found out that her neighbour had actually killed that baby snake as it went into the house, right to the stairway. Not wanting a repeat of the bad incident, we immediately closed the gap to the kitchen as we figured that was how the snake manage to get into the house. I must say that we did a good job as shown in the picture. We also bought extra sulphur to sprinkle around the house . That was on Sunday (30 Jan 2011).

The next night, hubby came home late and had dinner alone. Feeling cold, as it had been raining non-stop the previous day, he closed the glass sliding door, leaving only a small gap of about 6 inches for ventilation. Around 10.30pm, I was getting ready for bed and I closed the sliding door. Somehow, it cannot close properly. We have been talking about snakes and yes, snakes has been at the back of my mind all this while. I had even contacted the security representative earlier that day to lodge an official complaint. So when the sliding door could not close, my first thought was "could it be because a snake is stuck there?" I immediately dismissed that thought because it would be absurd!! What's the chance of it happening? Anyway, I pushed the sliding doors back slightly before trying to shut it again and yet, it could not close properly. I then glazed downward, trying to look for the source of my problem and that is when I saw the snake moving its head upwards. I did not expect that though I did thought of it in the first place. I screamed and jumped up the table. I was not sure whether the snake was stuck or free to move. Hubby came to the rescue and I also called in the security guards (again!) to help.

I was in tears because I was scared, though not as frightened as the first time. Then, I became angry. Angry because this is not the first time I had to endure this snake episode. How many more? and why my house for the second time? In the midst of this, I also felt grateful for doing something about the gap to the kitchen a day earlier. Who knows the snake might have gone into the house again and that would be terrible. I went through different emotions. Whatever it is, everyone I talked to arrive at the same conclusion....there's a nest somewhere and it's near my backyard!!

As I said before, there are lessons to be learned from this experience and this are what I have come up:

If you are frightened, think of ways which can help you to minimise your fear.
By gap-proofing the house, I feel safer when I need to be in the kitchen. Therefore, doing something is always, always better than just talking and doing nothing.
I have to acknowledge my fear and then move on. I was surprised that I "recover" from the second incident much faster than the first. Don't want to think if there's ever a third? Pray not. Fear, if not properly managed can stunt a person's growth and potential. The phrase paralysed by fear has a new meaning for me.
Bad experiences are part and parcel of life and we just have to accept, learn and move on.

And I will move on.

The Verdict: All Went Well

2011-01-30T13:50:00.003+08:00

Bosses were in a good mood and that's a plus :)
I was not too bad ...... but there's definitely room for improvement. Something which I can work on. I also notice that I don't stick to my script/lines and there's no such thing as overly prepared!!
Guess those are my takeaways :)
Am just glad that it's ALL OVER..

The One Thing I Hate

2011-01-27T21:30:00.000+08:00

I hate public speaking.

I can be loud and I'm loud, most of the time...... but deep down, I am really an introvert and extremely shy. Honest. But whenever I reveal this to any of my friends, none of them believe me!!!. They do not see it as a problem as they know I can pull it off. But how I loath doing it as well as the risk of looking stupid for saying the wrong things ..... Am I making sense here?? !!!!

So I usually go to the extreme to avoid public speaking. However, for the past few years, I have been forced to do public speaking on a few occasions. While I may look alright, I was melting and dying inside of me. I am fine to conduct meeting though but no public speaking.

However, tomorrow, I will need to do a 5-minute presentation to my bosses. All I have to do is to explain that 1 slide......1 miserable slide which I have staring for the past 2 days making corrections after corrections, adjusting the fonts size and God knows what else. Most people will find this a breeze but why am I so nervous?

Since the presentation is 18.5 hours away and I have a co-presenter, there's nothing to worry about and it's also way too early to panic. But I am starting to feel butterflies in my tummy.

I read somewhere that it's a good sign. Hm....I think I better go and work on that 1 slide again.....I think it need a teeny weeny adjustment somewhere. Once done, I will stare at it again and when the presentation is over, I can even reproduce that 1 slide in my sleep.

I will definitely post the outcome of the presentation tomorrow and fingers-crossed. All will be well.

Goodbye 2010

2010-12-30T15:13:00.002+08:00

We are now at the end of 2010 and looking forward to 2011. This year has been a very good and eventful year for me. 2010 is the year which I feel that I have change for the better and began to view things from a different perspective. In a nutshell, 2010 is the year which I grew up. :)

I am truly blessed.

Busy Bee

2010-11-11T23:37:00.003+08:00

Just a quick update on what's happening .....

Ryan got his report card. He's now a happy boy with no homework and no more exams....cool
Caitlin is recovering from acute tonsillitis, she's on antibiotic and she's resting at home under the watchful eye of Aunt Jo for the past 3 days!!! God bless Aunt Jo.
I am doing my assessment for my workplace and it's killing me because I need to do it for 11 people. This is insane and I shall make sure that I will not do for 11 people next year.
Hubby is considering a new job....juicy juicy.....
........ and I'm so looking forward to year end where I will be on long leave.......

Berries

2010-10-11T11:10:00.000+08:00

This is what Ryan gave me after he came back from school one evening. I have no idea what it is and where he got it from. It's some berry and his teacher gave it to him. I did not attempt to find out more.

Casual Bag

2010-10-09T11:01:00.002+08:00

My casual bag. Love the colour and the shape!

Ryan's 8th Birthday

2010-10-08T10:43:00.000+08:00

He's still a huge Pokemon fan and wanted the cake with the picture of "Arceus".

Mummy: Why Arceus?

Ryan: Because it's the most powerful pokemon at all times (with his eyes rolling with disbelief that his wise mother does not know this!)

Mummy: Er.....ok. Arceus then.

Ryan: Yeah......

We had a little gathering for a small clebration at my place for the b'day boy, delivered a cake to his daycare for him to share with his friends and had another little gathering at his grandparents place. My boy is already 8.....what happen in between?

Caitlin Suspected with HFM

2010-10-05T11:40:00.000+08:00

Caitlin's creche had a few cases of HFM recently. Out of the blue, on Thursday evening, Caitlin developed mild fever and had a bit of a running nose. She took her medication and everything seemed to be under contro and she went to creche, as usual, the following day. At about 3pm, her teacher called to informed that her temperature shoot up and when I enquiried, it was mainly because they forgot to feed Caitlin her fever medicine. Anyway, everything was still ok until that evening when she started pointing her toward her mouth and said "pain, pain" and started crying. We checked and there were not ulcer but her gums looked reddish.

We took her to her paediatrician (Dr Kwan) who confirmed that she's having somekind of mouth infection but it's was too early to tell whether she's having HFM or not. We were asked to look out for the symptons and to bring her in again on Sunday, just to be sure.

It's was a miserable weekend for all of us as she was crying in pain most of the time and she can't eat even though she's hungry. Everytime she put anything in her mouth (even water), she will spit it out due to the pain. It was heart wrenching time for the parents and grandaunties.

She improved slowly over the weekend and by the time we brought her to visit Dr Kwan again, she was feeling so much better. Fotunately, she was clear of HFM. Dr Kwan confirmed that it was just some infection which caused inflammation to her gums. I took leave and kept her home on Monday. We are very grateful that she's well again.

Caitlin's First Trip to the Zoo Negara

2010-09-30T14:23:00.007+08:00

Kids love Zoo and mine are no exception. We took them to the Zoo recently and it was a great outing.

We enjoyed ourselves and the kids had fun watching the animal show and feeding the animals. I even

managed to capture a photo of Caitlin running after a flamingo.

Eating Out

2010-09-23T10:13:00.001+08:00

In so far, most of my postings were about my kids, family, my thoughts and feelings as well as the occasional update on what I've been up to. I consciously refrain myself from blogging any negative feelings or experiences as I want to only recollect happy memories. Life has it ups and downs. I just have to learn how to go through the "downs", make the best of it and move on.

Now, back to my mission, which is to blog about Caitlin. I love this picture of her. We were eating out in a chinese restaurant when I asked her for a pose and this is what she did. I always wanted to include photos of dishes we had at restaurants but never get around doing it. Have to be more discipline the next time around. I started to tag my postings under "Eating Out" and this is where I hope I can include photos and posting of eateries we frequent.

Caitlin's First Hair Cut

2010-09-22T14:33:00.001+08:00

Caitlin had her first haircut and she just loved being the centre of attention (the hairstylist).

I guess I will not have any problem taking her for her haircuts !!!

Cajun Chicken Pasta

2010-09-19T10:51:00.002+08:00

Somehow, the cooking bug (if there's such a thing) bite me. I surfed the world wide web and found some simple (yeah, this is important) and great recipes and I decided to cooked "Cajun Chicken Pasta' since it would be non-spicy. Actually, the real reason I choose this recipe is because it sounded simple enough. The recipe is from Ree Drummond of thePioneerWoman blogv(http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/?s=cajun+chicken+pasta) which I have been following. There are lots of photos and step-by-step instructions which is really, really helpful for me. Love her work, talent and her energy :)

The pasta turned out GREAT and since then, I have tried out a few other recipes from her website. Did not have the time to take a photo of the finish product (i.e. the pasta) as I was too tired by then and my family including guests were to hungry to wait. Cheers.

Leftover Meat on Bread....Just As Nice

2010-09-17T15:08:00.002+08:00

I was hungry. Ransack the fridge. Saw some leftover meat in a small container. Hmm......this should do the trick!!
Took a few eggs.
Refried the meat and added the eggs.
Piled them on a piece of bread.
Gobbled up everything.
Wash it down with a cup of Milo.

Outcome: A Happy Me

Look What I Found in My Garden

2010-09-16T14:15:00.000+08:00

I was watering my plants when I discovered 4 big snails hiding in one of the pots. Yikes, I hate snails.

They are slimy and when I was staying in Cheras, the garden there was full of snails as well and they shit a lot. I just hate them.

Simple Delight

2010-09-15T14:06:00.003+08:00

For Caitlin, she looks forward to having her bath @ the back of our garden, in her small pink bath tub. She will squeal with delight everytime she's allow to do just that. Such joy to see her so happy.

Quote

2010-09-14T22:23:00.002+08:00

"Whether you prevail or fails depends on what you do to yourself more than on what the world does to you"
Jim Collins

I'm studying

2010-09-13T15:11:00.004+08:00

Ryan: I may look sleepy to you but I'm studying.....for real
Mummy: ok, if you say so

A Walk with Trinie and Trieon

2010-09-11T09:28:00.005+08:00

Trinee and Trieon are my sisters' lovely dogs. Was there for a visit and Ryan and Caitlin are always fascinated with animals. They took the dogs for a walk at the nearby park and fed the fishes in the lake.

Ryan ate the bread while feeding them !!. He's not hungry, he's just being his cheeky self !!!!

Caitlin's 2nd Birthday

2010-09-05T17:08:00.011+08:00

Like her first birthday, we celebrated Caitlin's 2nd birthday thrice; in her kindie, at home and at my in-laws. Three brithday celebrations means three cakes and loads of photo opportunities.

What My Daughter Taught Me.....

2010-09-03T23:02:00.002+08:00

"Mummy, I want to try"......

Nowadays, that's her favourite words. I notice that since very young, she's very independent and she would insist on doing things for herself. She will feed herself and even refuse food when you tried feeding her. She will hold on to the spoon even as you tried stuffing food into her mouth. Since she was 18 months, she tried wearing her pants on her own and sometimes, somehow, she's successful but often than not, she'll end up screaming in frustration. However, it seems that she's quite content with whatever outcome as long as she give her best shot. It demand more time and efforts from us to take care of her as we will end up "waiting" and "secretly helping and guiding" her while she tries to "figure" things out.

I was smiling when I first heard her uttering those words and she said them more often now especially when there are new things for her to explore. She will look up to me and said enthusiastically ....."Mummy, mummy, I want to try" and before I can answer, she woulld have proceed with her "adventure". There's no stopping her. She's full of energy and she doesn't give up easily.

There's two sides to a coin. The "bad" thing is that I suspects I will be spending more time counselling her (compared to her brother!) but the good thing is that hopefully, her willingness to try new things (coupled with her quiet determination) will serves her well in acquring new skills and knowledge.

Caitlin taught me is that everything is a new adventure and instead of shying away, we should at least give it a try!! Who knows, we might end up loving it!!

My First Coach

2010-09-01T20:52:00.002+08:00

This is officially my first branded bag and I totally love it.

I bought it from ebay, got it delivered to my hubby's colleague who was in US for training and he (thank you, thank you) hand carried it back to ME. I love the smell of the leather......so nice. I love the shape of the bag and the design, the coach tag and every single things on it. Love it love it love it... enough said.

HAppY MeRdEka 2010

2010-08-31T15:29:00.002+08:00

Today is a national holiday; Independence Day.....and we are taking the opportunity to be lazy.

I'm blogging downstairs, Hubby is coaching Ryan with his school work + surfing upstairs, Caitlin is in la-la land (she's not well; cough and flu) while Aunt Jo is taking her afternoon nap.

It's drizzling outside........a perfect day to just chill. I will be making a cuppa for myself and hubby.
All is well............everyone is happy, healthy and enjoying the peace and quiet. Errr...except Ryan who is asking when he still need to study when it's a holiday !!

Will be back soon .....

2010-08-31T14:43:00.004+08:00

Have not been blogging.........naughty naughty and I do miss it.
Will make it a point to blog more...I've got loads to blog about, especially, a new and a happier me :)

More online purchases

2010-06-26T12:09:00.002+08:00

There's no stopping me. Got this for Caitlin, for my princess' birthday party.

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-08T10:38:00.003+08:00

I am been exercising and it feels great. I will make sure that I exercise at least twice a week. I know it's nothing to shout about but for me personnally, it's a great start and taking care of myself includes loving my body. ** wink wink **.

Everyone in the family is good. Ryan is having his exams soon and Caitlin is growing up to be this sweet but demanding girl. I will spend all my free time with them, nurturing and discipling them. I think I said this before...they grow up so fast.

As for me, I am happy and contended and living my life to the fullest. I have accomplished a lot for the past few months. I reviewed and redid my personal vision and mission. It has been very rewarding. I feel like I am a different person altogether. I am more at peace with myself and I simply feel great !!! Make everyday a great day especially this weekend as it' mother's day. Wishing all mummies out there a great journey ahead. I am off to choose my gift. ** wink wink wink **

My First Online Purchase

2010-04-07T12:53:00.004+08:00

I am new to purchasing goods online. Where have I been? Hiding under a coconut husk? Yes !!

I was introduced to a few websites which sells kids clothings, beautiful ones and at very reasonable prices. I would just fall in love with the designs and colours and just about everything and before the end of the week, my first purchase was delivered to my office.

The quality of the dressess and pants (plurals yes because I bought loads of them) are very good. I especially love this top which the picture of a cat. Unsure of the size, I ordered one for 3 years old. Caitlin will be 2 in August but she can fit in perfectly well and instead of a top, she's now wearing it as a dress. Ain't she cute?

And I think from now on, I know where to get good bargains. Hubby is also happy as I don't have to drag him to the stores to shop for hte kids' clothes....well, not that often.

Teambuilding @ Gopeng with Nomad Adventures

2010-03-18T12:51:00.003+08:00

I was away for a few days sometime in February for my company's teambuilding. Needless to say, when they broke the news to me, I was so not looking forward to be away from my family and I dread that day.

But that day came and on the way to the camp site, I was busy thinking about the stuff I planned when "it's finally over" ..... so that I can get on with my life !!!

But life is indeed full of surprises and I actually had fun when I was there. I did whitewater rafting (level 3), rock climbing and I did the "leap of faith" where you are suppose to just jump down a platform with safety harness attached. It's some sort like bungee jumping but much, much milder. I did not join the rest when they went caving. But that was okay, especially when some of them saw a small green snake among the rocks. Eeeeeeeuuuuuuuuuu....scary, I am frighten of snake. Any kind. Yikkkeee.

All in all, it was fun be doing things which I did not even thought I would be doing in the first place. Here's a summary of what happened:

Whitewater rafting
We rode behind a lorry to the destination which was a 15-minute ride. It was hot and I can feel the lorry going up and down, up and down, sway to the left, up and down and soon enough, I felt nausea. Me and my motion sickness. I ended up vomitting even before the first activity.

I was then given the option to go back to the camp site to rest. But I decided to give it a go. What makes me pursue when they gave me an opportunity to chicken out? I'm not sure how to answer that and what came over me. I do know however that if I do not give this a go, I will regret it, for not trying. And it was horrifying. I was nearly flung out of the boat thrice. Thanks goodness for Apec, the Nomad facilitator who "saved me" by holding on to my life jacket while trying to make sure that the boat remain afloat and safe. A big thank you to him for making my first and last water rafting an enjoyable experience.

Rock Climbing
I don't think they took any photos of us doing rock climbing but I did it even though the climb was just a short one. The most important lesson here is I tried.

Leap of Faith
Now this is something which I did not planned to do....I can't see myself jumping down from that platform....no matter how safe it is and no matter how my other colleagues manage to do it. I was among the last few who attempted this and I do need to give myself a pat at the back for conquering this fear. Would I do it again, I dunno. Life is too short to be wondering about it. I will decide when the time comes.

I have a good time there and I came back home with a renewed feelings. There are many lessons learnt there. Many are for keeps. I know now that:

Sometimes, it is us who put the boundry of what we can or cannot do. In any given situation, we should first conquer our fear. As I have experienced, when we start doing the task, we will find that it is not as difficult as what we perceived or make it to be in the first place. Along the way, with each and every small victories, one will be more confident to move forward and before you know it.......it's done.

We are capable of doing much more if we allow ourselves to try it in the first place. "I think and therefore I am".......... if you think you can, you can. Therefore always think positively.....about yourself and your ability.

This trip have indeed left a good impact on me.

How Chinese New Year Came and Gone!!

2010-03-08T12:44:00.002+08:00

Well, easy........we simply ate a lot, laugh a lot, have loads of fun and had very little sleep and before we knew it, we were celebrating Chap Goh Mei (15th day of the CNY).

This year, I find myself exceptionally happy and looking forward to the CNY celebration.

I truly feel that I am blessed. Everyone is happy and healthy. We have a warm and close relationship with all our extended family members. I have got two beautiful kids and they are doing great. Besides us, they are always shower with love from the rest of the clan.

Yes, I'm feeling sentimental and I think my age has got something to do with this.....

Don't I look Iike a boy....

2010-03-01T23:18:00.000+08:00

It has been a while since I blog about Caitlin. One thing that has not chanhge for sure is the lenght of her hair.......it's still the same. And because she does not have much hair, most people will assume that she's a boy, even though she may be wearing a pink sweater or even a skirt !!. Apart from that, she's well and helathy and bubbly and being a happy cutie girl her age. Yeap...she's the love of my life (and the brother too...)

Chinese New Year Deco 2010

2010-02-27T23:03:00.000+08:00

I have been to two shopping mall during Chinese New Year (CNY); the Curve and 1 Utama. I Love the CNY deco there, especially the Maneko (link) prosperity cats in 1 Utama. They did such a good job and it was a marvel to see the gigantic cats.

The local newspaper reported that the cats cost them RM500,000. Not sure whether it's true but all I know is that we had a great time taking loads of photos.

Cooking "cekodok"

2010-02-25T22:48:00.000+08:00

I must confess that I am not a good cook.....I cook for survival and not taste. It's something I wish that I am better at but not having enough training hours is one culprit, athough I do have the interest to cook simple dishes. Simple dishes means that I recognise all the required ingredients and that a handful. I am hopeless with spices and I don't know the names of some vegetables as well. Like I mentioned before I cook for survival. Anyway, one fine afternoon, I had with me a few over ripe bananas and instead of throwing them in the rubbish bin, I decided, out of the blue to make "cekodok" (a malay language for fried-banana-in-batter and it's quite a common tea snack in Malaysia).

This is the batter (over ripe banana + flour). Next, make small pieces and throw them in the hot oil and when it turn brown, scope them up. Place them in a nice plate and then tell everyone that afternoon snack is ready !!

Chinese New Year Celebration

2010-02-22T22:23:00.003+08:00

Today is the 9th day of the Chinese New Year (CNY) and CNY will officially be over in another 6 days. I have been eating and drinking without a care in the world and have been piling on the pounds.

There's always space for another cookie and before I knew it, I finished the entire jar.....and I can always exercise AFTER CNY. I am still enjoying myself silly and my pants are definitely tighter but what the heck........CNY is afterall, once a year.

Happy Year of the Tiger everyone !!! Rooarrrrr

Me and Caitlin

2010-01-31T23:19:00.002+08:00

While waiting for Ryan "koko" (brother in chinese) to finish his swimming lesson, me and Caitlin decided to take a dip in the kiddy pool nearby.

For the first 5 minutes, my girl was unsure and frightened. She was holding on to me for her dear life. That was all but 5 minutes. As her confidence grew, she was ok and we had a splashing time. In the end, Caitlin was so tired that she was "knocked-out" by 8.00pm that night. Doesn't she look adorable in that pink swimming suit?

A New Commitment in 2010

2010-01-29T15:58:00.000+08:00

I finally order a new car after thinking about it for a year. It was my husband who "dragged" me to the Toyato Showroom, made me test drive the car, talked to the sales person and then gave me just one day to ponder before "dragging" me back to made a booking. That was 2 weeks ago and yesterday, we went to collect my new car. Just in time for Chinese New Year !!!

I did not choose the car registration number and thankfully, it came out ok and I did not end up with some funny numbers. I had committed to a 7-year old loan and the monthly repayment is close to RM1,000. Cars in KL is not cheap if you ask me. I will be sticking to my Toyota Vios WTM 2540 for at least the next 10 years.

What happened to my old car? Well, my old car (WGV 3144) is still very reliable and I will be passing it on to Aunt Cleo (Aunt Jo's sister). She will be helping out in my sister's kindergarten in Botanic staring this March and will need a car. If I miss my old car, I can always take "her" for a spin when my aunt visits.

My first Manicure

2010-01-25T15:42:00.000+08:00

Yeap....had not been to one until recently. Since it's my first visit, I did not shy away when it comes to colour and choose a brillant red for my nails. The end result was really good and I enjoy the entire process. However, the only other person excited about my red fingernails is my daughter. Hubby said he cannot understand why anyone would put chemical on their nails while Ryan thinks they are "yucky". It guess it's a girl thing.

However, after a day, I finally had enough and took them off because red nails can be quite distracting, especially when I am working on laptop. Instead of concentrating on the screen, I keep on looking at my "beautiful" nails...

My Birthday "cake"

2010-01-23T16:27:00.004+08:00

Nearly forgotten to upload my birthday "cake" which I bought for myself and savoured with my Aunties. Hubby does not like durian. Haha...I had wanted to buy a durian cake but did not manage to get one in time, no thnaks to my dillydally-ing.

So I was thinking, why not get the real thing instead. The candles are for special effect but we did lit it up and me blowing them. The "cake" was yummy and yes, I can be a bit cRazY!

Year End Holiday

2010-01-20T15:54:00.004+08:00

I think the photos said it all. We went for a one day tript to Genting and the kids had fun, especially Ryan who got to play his favourite "Dino-king" games. By now, you can guess that we go to Genting at least once a year since it's the nearest holiday attraction and we love the cool weather while Aunt Jo loves the casino...

What we did not anticipate this time was that the weather was bad and they had to close the cable car and we ended up taking a cab from Genting to the cable car station at Gohtong Jaya where we had parked our car. The cab ride was terrible (not to mention that they took the opportunity to hike the fare to RM50) and upon us reaching home....I vomitted. But, like I said, the kids had fun and it was all that matters and you bet we will heading there again.

2010-01-19T15:44:00.002+08:00

We went to this newly opened restaurant called "Kitchen Creatures" in Centrepoint. I like the place, the deco and the logo (photo).

Food is good and Ryan loves the chicken chop and Caitlin likes the fries. Me and hubby like the rootbeer.

Movie Marathon for Ryan

2010-01-17T22:28:00.006+08:00

Saturday (16 January 2010)
Kho Senior took Ryan for a movie last Saturday They watched The Spy Next Door and Ryan enjoyed himself. As for us, we sort of grew up with Jackie Chan's movies and antics and as far as we are concerned, we have seen them all, especially in his early movies. However, for new fan like Ryan, Jackie Chan is the man......

Sunday (17 January 2010)
The following day, Ryan went to watch Avatar with Aunt Jo. Initially, he did not want to go as he was frightened...???? But I managed to bribe him in (with a new bakugan). I really, really want to watch this show. I had watched it earlier with hubby and we both liked the movie very much and I hope that Ryan would enjoy watching it as well. The special effect is AWESOME!!!

Somehow, after both movies, he told me he prefered The Spy Next Door ............ arghh...well, a kid will be a kid and he is entitled to his own opinion.

Kids are back to school and other routine

2010-01-08T22:18:00.003+08:00

Ryan and Caitlin have settled nicely in their routine since the start of the school terms. Ryan is now Standard 2 and he's still in afternoon session so he's not experiencing anything new. Same goes to Caitlin. She's back to her old creche at my office. She's excited with her new trolley bag though and she has been pushing her bag around the house.

This year would be more hectic for Ryan though. He dropped out from Wushu and Han Yu Pin Yin classes but I enrolled him for English and swimming and perhaps mental arithmetic. Now that he's Standard 2, he likes to be consulted. And mummy has to do a lot of "selling" for him to "buy in".
Different age, different challenge. But he still loves his Ben 10, Pokemon and his latest craze...........Bakugan.

Office Decorations

2010-01-05T11:15:00.000+08:00

The office organising a friendly conpetition late last year and my team clinched the top spot. We created a simple "kampung house" complete with chickens, geese and a well. :)

It was fun.

Happy Birthday to Me

2010-01-04T22:04:00.002+08:00

I celebrated my 38th birthday ..... yeap ~ 38th. I feel old just thinking about the number and in another 2 years, I will hit the big 40. The truth is, I don't feel like I am in my thirties.....the twenties will be more appropriate, eventhough I don't look like one.

Like it or not, I'm already half way there and my age will just grow and grow (although I'm in denial), so I better make full use of everything. I will take good care of myself and as a promise to me-self.......to live my life to the fullest.

Happy Birthday to me (and many many more to come) !!!

2009 into 2010: Time to Reflect

2009-12-31T17:32:00.003+08:00

A few more hours and it will be a brand new year and I am not exactly excited and this is bad.

I should not be negative and I will not be negative.

There's more to life and just as there are a zillion reasons to complains, there are also a zillion more reasons to rejoice.

The glass is either half empty or half full ...... it's what we peceived based on the same thing.

I will be fine ..... I know I will. Good bye 2009. I do not know what's in stored for 2010 but knowing me, I will make the most out of it......stay true and stay healthy.

What do we have here?

2009-10-14T15:14:00.000+08:00

Looks like something is happy munching my plants away. In a close inspection, I founf the culprit, one small green grasshopper but one with a huge appetite.

After the photo shot, I left the grasshopper with the plant but it disappeared the next day. Most probably looking for better plant to munch.

The love of my life

2009-10-10T11:17:00.000+08:00

Here they are.....Hubby, Ryan and Caitlin.

Besides them, I am also blessed to have loving brother, sisters, cousins, aunties and all my in-law as loving extended family.

They make my life complete.

Cailtin, bring out the food

2009-10-08T15:01:00.000+08:00

Here are pictures of Caitlin sitting pretty, waiting for her food in restaurant and she loves dining out.

She's much more adventurous compared to the brother when it comes to food. Unlike her brother, she will eat any thing you give her and when she's full, she will just shake her head to tell you that she had enough.

Looks like the girls in the family will be huge while the boys will be skinny.

Mid-Autumn Festival

2009-10-06T09:01:00.007+08:00

It's about family gathering and eating mooncakes. Kids will have fun lighting up and carrying their lanterns while the older ones will have fun playing with fire (see picture).

We were at my in-laws for the mid-autumn festival and as usual, we ate until our hearts content before calling it a night.