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Saturday, February 26, 2011

A Very Prepared Lil' Missy

Sherilyn may be a champion in dilly dallying but she is very well prepared for outings and trips. Each time we make a trip back to Ipoh and Penang, she will pack her own bag, not forgetting her lil' missy vanity bag which she keeps her bunch of hair accessories, costume jewelry, hair comb, a pair of two of sunnies, books, coloring books, pencils and all that jazz.

Whenever we go shopping or out for a meal, she will pack her sling back with some papers, a book, coloring book, color pencils, crayons, a few pens (so that she can let her sisters use), a cardigan or a dainty shawl, some hair accessories and anything that you can think of that a vain pot would stuff in her bag!



Oh yes, I missed out ruler! She even brought along a ruler when we went to Magnificent Fish And Chips for lunch!

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Ranting On Maid Again

Just cannot stand that lady anymore. She turned into a bossy control freak about a year ago and now the bossiness has accelerated. Yesterday after shopping for groceries, while keeping the stuff into the fridge and storeroom, she tried to incite hatred and tried to start a fire between my mil and I by reporting to my mil that I still bought so much of this and that. She thought I was in the bathroom but I heard her reporting softly to my mil "tengok aunty, masih banyak beli lagi hehe" Who the h*ll is she to control what I buy and to report to my mil? That lady love yakking non-stop and most of the time, whatever that comes out from her mouth drives me bonkers. She even told Sherilyn this once "you die already ah, why you lie down to eat?" She also loves to use her body to push Sherilyn when Sherilyn is near her whenever she's carrying something heavy, as if to tell her blatantly, "move away!!" Oh yes, she did say "GO away" rudely many many times to my kids whenever she's busy and they are near her.

This afternoon, when Alycia returned from school, she told me that she did not eat anything in school. I was shocked to hear that as I had put a small box of honey stars into her bag last night. She told me that kakak took it out! Who the h*ll again is she to control what I put inside my daughter's bag and how dare she take it out without telling me? What a super super control freak she is.

Yesterday morning, she also used her feet to nudge Sherilyn's butt to wake her up. Knowing that Sherilyn does not like her to step-mother her around, she has to target Sher all the time. She and Sherilyn are like cats and dogs. That lady loves irritating Sherilyn to no end. She will playfully touch her butt and that lady will turn back to give Sher a killer glare with her vampire teeth ... and use whatever that she's holding on to attempt to hit her back, only to be caught by me most of the time. It's really a tit-for-tat case for that lady who has no patience at all with my kids. In front of our friends and relatives, she will transform into a maid sent from heaven with the sweetest smile and words, to gain liking from them. I can write and write and even a compile a book on maid horror stories but I shall end here. I have loads to do but I just have to vent out my frustration.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Fascinated By Scissors

If there is one item that can keep Baby occupied for over an hour, it has got to be the scissors. She seems to love the scissors and cutting papers with it. But she knows what she is allowed to cut and what not. She will only attack used papers and never on books or papers that are from my printer or cupboard. If I ever snatch the scissors away from her while she is busy at work, all hell will break loose for she will wail and throw herself on the floor.... while uttering "I don't friend mummy, I don't like mummy anymore!!"



Do you know what distracted her from her bout of cry-out session here? That thing is another item that can keep her seated still for at least half an hour.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

A Princess Cake For A Princess Wannabe

We had the third celebration for Sherilyn's 6th birthday last night. It was a joint celebration with her little aunt who will turn 8yo this month. And it was a 3-day belated one for Sherilyn. When daddy opened the box cover to unveil the cake, my princess' jaw almost dropped as she gasped and exclaimed "Oh... my... GOD!" LOL!!! She was absolutely besotted and pleased with her princess jelly cake in rainbow color, her favorite set of colors.

Daddy even bought special candles that lit up like sparklers for the ceremonial cake cutting session.... and oh yes, we even let out firecrackers and the girls played with sparklers.





A very pleased princess with her rainbow princess jelly cake. And I think she was indeed treated like a true princess with 3 celebrations and showered with lots of pressies! She's way luckier than I was when I was her age!

Popping Supplements

Being a health freak, I pop a wide array of multi-vitamins and supplements everyday. I really do think that these vitamins and supplements can strengthen my immune system and improve my complexion. But don’t think that these vitamins and supplements are a miracle placebo. You also need to eat healthily, lead a healthy lifestyle, get enough sleep and exercise. Do you take any kind of vitamins or the best vitamins for women?

Phishing Websites

I often receive emails prompting me to change or confirm my username and password. Sometimes the email will prompt me to click on some links to verify my account details. If you have experienced the same situation too, these are scams by phishing websites, with con men masquerading as trustworthy entity. Whether you are shopping for rv insurance quote, clothes or other stuff online, be extra cautious when you have to release your personal information and banking details.

What Is Your Best Natural Treatment For Acne?

What is the best natural treatment for acne that works for you? For me, all I need is to drink lots of clean and filtered water, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, exercise, stay away from deep fried and oily food, stay away from stress and getting sufficient sleep. Easier said than done, I meet most of the requirements except the last two. One of my new year resolutions is to get at least 6 hours of sleep everyday. I hope I can achieve this.

Tiny But Mighty

Our relatives and friends often comment that Cassandra looks very petite and tiny for her age. At 2 months shy of her 3rd birthday, she weighs 12kg now. But I am not worried at all that she is tiny or under-weight. I am not going to try to plump her up with hgh or food just so she looks chubby and cute. As long as she is healthy, does not fall ill easily and is developing well, I am already very happy.

Too Much Meat Jerky This CNY

My hubs bought too many packets of pork jerky and chicken jerky for the Chinese New Year recently. After giving them away to friends, we still have 3 unopened packets of honey bacon jerky and chicken jerky in the fridge. Not only are these meat high in protein, they are also laden with sugar and carbon. I dare not lay my hands on these meat too much less I get a bad case of sore throat and need to get the best acne treatments to rid those zits on my face.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Pep Talk With My Girls

Yesterday morning I had a pep talk with my girls. I have been trying to drum into their heads the importance of reading widely, doing well in school and graduating from university. I told them that if they want to live a comfortable life, getting good education is the key to the door of success which opens up to many opportunities, local jobs as well as overseas jobs which pay well. My girls need lots of pep talking, pushing and even threats to get them to read and to complete their homework. Without these, they will be glued to the idiot box from dawn to dusk!

Thursday, February 17, 2011

The Eve Of Sherilyn's 6th Birthday

This year, we celebrated Sherilyn's birthday twice. Well, I think I should say thrice as we will be having a joint celebration with her little aunt who will turn 8yo this Saturday.

On the eve of Sherilyn's 6th birthday was a public holiday (15 Feb). So daddy brought us to Mid Valley to celebrate her birthday. We had lunch at Sushi Zanmai and then brought her to look for a gift.




After getting her a gift, daddy bought the girls Gellatissimo ice-cream, though Sherilyn was still having a slight cough with phlegm. Sigh, daddy is always a yes-man to his girls. Their wishes will always be his command!

See the blue dress Sherilyn is wearing here? I actually had it tailor made for Alycia from Niv Niv Handmade but when Sherilyn saw it, she fell in love with it. So I gave the dress to Sherilyn as her birthday present. She will get another dress from my online store for her birthday present.



Baby enjoying her ice cream on cone...

Renting Out An Apartment

This morning during a chat with a gym mate at our condo’s gym, I learned that the unit of condo that he owns has been left vacant for several years. He stays in a huge bungalow nearby but comes to the gym at our condo every morning to work out. I was perplexed as to why he did not want to rent out the unit, knowing that the rental rate at our condo can fetch a very handsome price, especially if it’s rented to expatriates. He told me that he felt it was too troublesome to rent it out. I was stunned to hear him say that it was troublesome to make money from renting out his unit! Well, I guess that is how rich people think. They buy a unit of condo just to enjoy the facilities and would leave the unit vacant!

If I have the money to invest in a condo, I would be worried sick if my unit were to be left vacant for a few months. I would be scampering to engage the best real estate agent to help me source for potential tenants. If you are looking for an apartment to rent, perhaps you can let me know. I will ask my friend if he’s interested to rent it out. But if you are living in Minneapolis and are looking for Minneapolis Apartments For Rent, do click on the earlier link ok!

Monday, February 14, 2011

She Ain't Heavy, She's My Baby Sister

Alycia and Baby share a very special bond. They adore each other very much and are the chummiest friends ever. But they do bicker and fight with each other at times. Just now, Alycia was playing with Baby and then she hit Baby's hand with the core of a kitchen paper roll. I don't know what made her hit her baby sister but I think she was just playing. Baby bawled and was really upset with Alycia. I carried her away but Baby was really angry with her jie jie and said this on top of her voice "I DON'T friend Alycia ANY... MORE! Alycia IS GROUNDED!"

But moments later, they were friends once again. See how kids can easily forget and let bygones be bygones.


Saturday, February 12, 2011

Little Samseng

When mummy's busy, this little rascal sure knows how to entertain herself. She does it quietly too. Whenever I realize that the house is unusually quiet, I know trouble is brewing somewhere... I better do a spot check right away before disaster happens!


Samseng caught in action...



Friday, February 11, 2011

Cassandra And Her Doraemons

That's Cassandra drinking her daily dose of Nutrifresh and Refresh from E. Excel, something that she's been drinking since she was less than a year old. And joining her is her collection of Doraemon. She lost the baby Doraemon, which is a tiny Doraemon in red and she's been asking me everyday to look for her baby Doraemon. Her mah mah bought these Doraemons from Japan recently. Cute eh? Oh yeah, she also has a cute Anpanman tin toy that can spin on the floor that mah mah bought from Japan too. That Anpanman tin toy matches her set of Anpanman training pants so well. I'll show you that next.





Cell Phone For Alycia

After yesterday’s traumatic incident for me, I am really considering giving my old cell phone to Alycia for her to bring to school. I will then get myself a new iPhone or a blackberry phone but I must first speak to Alycia’s teacher about this. Alycia told me that students are not allowed to carry cell phones to school. I think the school can always allow some exception since it involves the safety of the child.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Radar Detector

When I was still working years ago, I would go over the speed limit and drive as if I were driving a racing car every evening, just so I could reach home early to see my 2 babies. I missed my babies terribly when I was still working. I had received speed tickets on several occasions and had paid several hundred bucks for speeding. If I ever go back to work and have to drive again, I will get a radar detector so that I don’t have to pay for speeding anymore.

No More Spoon-Feeding

I have been spoon-feeding Cassandra her milk thrice a day ever since she was a year old. She will turn 3yo in April 2011. For those of you who have gone through the throes of spoon-feeding milk to your toddler, you will know that it ain't an easy task. It takes lots of patience and time and for me, I need the tellie to distract her too! That's one of the cons of breastfeeding your baby direct from your boops without the use of a bottle. Most babies who are exclusively directly breastfed will reject the bottle.

I tried to introduce the straw to Cassandra about a year ago but she didn't like it. It's only recently that she got attracted to the straw. Now, I no longer need to painstakingly spoon-feed her milk 3x/day and 1x Nutrifresh-Refresh daily. Just give her the straw and she will happily suck all the contents and of course with some blowing and playing with the straw but that's A OK, as long as I don't need to spoon feed her. Keeping my fingers crossed that the novelty of the straw will not wear off on her!!


Monday, February 7, 2011

Monkey See Monkey Do

Monkey see monkey do. This position is an exact reflection of Sherilyn when she eats at the couch, in front of the idiot box. People often tell me that boys are naughtier, cheekier, more active and much more samseng than girls but I bet to differ. I have 3 girls who have a little boy side trapped in them!



Saturday, February 5, 2011

Monte's Restaurant And Bar @ Bangsar Shopping Centre, Jalan Maarof, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur

During our courting days and days before our 3 angels arrived, hubs and I used to dine quite a bit at Monte's Restaurant And Bar @ Bangsar Shopping Centre. It has been aeons since we last ate there and we made a trip down memory lane to Monte's again recently.

The food tasted ever so delish. We ordered what we used to ordered : spring chicken, mushroom soup and cheese baked escargots. These were and still are our favorites at Monte's. We also ordered soups, a baked cod fish, specially for Baby who loves fish, pasta, a salad and banana split for dessert.


Baby enjoying her warm bun with butter....


Mushroom soup and pumpkin soup...


If I can remember correctly, I think this is a bowl of onion soup with cheese and spring onions topping...


Our favorite cheese baked escargots...


Salad for the health and fitness freak....


Spring chicken, which is really finger licking and bone sucking good....


Baked cod fish...


Creamy seafood pasta for Sherilyn, who is noodles crazed...


And banana split for dessert. We used to relish on Monte's tiramisu but this time, we gave that a miss as hubs wanted to grab some pastries and cakes from O Gourmet.


Rating:
Food presentation and taste : 8/10
Ambience : 8/10
Price : a tad pricey (6/10)

Friday, February 4, 2011

Fruits For Breakfast

This is my girls' breakfast:


Strawberries, cherries and longans for breakfast.


I feed my girls fruits in the morning, half an hour after their milk. For Baby, she eats fruits on an empty stomach every morning. Half an hour later, she'll have her cup of milk of about 4 ounces. And half an hour later, she'll have 3/4 of an egg from a free range chicken. Sometimes, she will eat some biscuits and bread.

Dog Lover

On the eve of Chinese New Year, my hubs brought me for a foot reflexology session. The foot reflexology center is housed in a very run down shop house located at Jalan Imbi but the foot reflexologist is really good. This man claims that he can cure people of ailments including cancer. My hubs often goes to this center to have his achy joints loosened up and pains on his legs removed by the foot reflexologist after his basketball matches. Before we left the center, we found out that this man is a dog lover. He reared 2 dogs in his run down shop cum house. When he called out to his dogs, I was looking everywhere for a dog cage or perhaps some dog beds but I was shocked when I saw the dogs appearing from the bedrooms. The dogs actually slept with his children in the room or perhaps on their beds! Though I am a dog lover, I would never allow my dogs to sleep in my room!

Cassandra, My Accident Prone Samseng

Of my 3 kids, Baby is the most accident prone, followed by Sherilyn. I guess the most mischievous and the cheekiest kid is always the most accident prone eh? Just last week, she slipped on the wet floor and had a big bump on her head, with a little crack and some blood oozing out. The next day, she tripped, fell and knocked her mouth on the floor. Bleeding again! On the same day, she knocked her forehead and had a bruise there. Sigh, sometimes I have thoughts of dressing her up with some protective wear like some mma gear and a helmet to protect her from injuries. If I can’t stop her from being active, at least I can prevent injuries on her body.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Our CNY Eve Dinner

I think it is a norm for every Chinese family to have tai yue tai yoke (big fish, big meat) dishes during CNY. As with every CNY reunion dinner, our dining table was filled with plates and plates of meat dishes and only 1 plate of veggie dish on our CNY reunion dinner last night.


For the first time, hubs bought a pre-packed of yee sang from Jusco BUT it tasted awful. The crispies tasted rancid and the colored pickles and veggie tasted weird. The whole plate of yee sang went into the bin.




A big, fat chunk of siew yoke (roast pork belly) with crispy skin which cost over RM20 from our favorite Sing Kee Kitchen restaurant.




Everyone's favorite kon cheen har loke (shallow fried big prawns with soy sauce and Chinese wine)...




Waxed meat - a must-have for CNY. Damn salty but damn appetite whetting. I especially love the cholesterol and high blood pressure inducing siew cheong (sausages made of intestines and wine). Steam these waxed meat together with rice and I am sure you will gulp down bowls and bowls of the aromatic rice.




Steamed promfret fish - Baby's favorite...




Braised sea cucumber with dried scallops, mushrooms and chicken feet. I was surprised that Baby loved the sea cucumber, a dish which not many kids will fancy because of the texture of the sea cucumber.




Steamed yeam kai (castrated chicken). What's unique about this bird which cost over RM150 each is that the taste and texture of the chicken are of superior quality. It has the aroma of chicken and the meat is firm.


My mil also boiled a pot of good soup with abalones, dried scallops, 3 chicken carcasses and wai san.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Mummy Said You're Punished!

Remember the sweet corn incident where Sherilyn begged Cassandra for a bite of the corn? The next day, it happened again. I had bribed Cassandra with a Magnum ice cream so that she would stay still while I used ice cubes to rub on the big bump on the back of her head after a fall. When Sherilyn saw Baby enjoying the ice cream, she ran to her baby sister, sat next to her and whispered something into her ear. She was trying to sweet talk her baby sister into giving her a bite of the ice cream. But Baby retorted and said this to Sherilyn "cannot eat ice cream. Mummy said you are punished remember?" I ran to grab my camera and while controlling my laughter, quickly snapped this picture for remembrance!

Here's wishing all my blog readers Koong Hei Fatt Choy and may the year of the rabbit bring everyone good health, good wealth, peace and happiness.