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Saturday, January 31, 2026

How My 83-Year-Old Dad Cooks Our Childhood Whole Winter Melon Stew | Traditional Family Recipe

This double boiled whole winter melon is more than just a dish in our home — it’s a family tradition.

My 83-year-old dad is cooking a recipe that was passed down from my late maternal grandmother over 50 years ago. We grew up eating this comforting, old-school Chinese home dish, and every time it’s on the table, it feels like childhood all over again.

Winter melon is considered a yin food in traditional Chinese medicine, known for its cooling and alkaline properties that help balance and neutralize heat in the body. It’s nourishing, light, and perfect for the whole family.

We start by washing the whole winter melon thoroughly, cutting off the top, and removing the seeds. Then we stir-fry garlic, onions, shiitake mushrooms, chicken, dried cuttlefish, and other ingredients until fragrant. Seasoned with soy sauce and oyster sauce, the savory filling is stuffed into the melon before slow-cooking for 3–4 hours until everything becomes tender and flavorful.

The result? A unique, hearty, and deeply comforting dish that tastes like home.

Simple ingredients. Old memories. Timeless flavors. ❤️

Watch the video on how my dad cooks this dish here > https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Ej94AiBcP4c?feature=share




Thursday, January 29, 2026

When Editing Videos Is Easy… But Choosing Music Feels Like Taking an Exam

Lately, I’ve been spending a lot of my time editing videos. What started as a simple hobby somehow turned into me sitting in front of my laptop for hours, trimming clips, adjusting colors, adding subtitles, and obsessing over tiny details nobody else probably notices.

The funny thing is — editing itself isn’t the hard part anymore.

Thanks to CapCut (which I have to pay), I can actually create videos pretty fast now. Cut here, transition there, add some captions, done. Everything feels smooth and efficient. I finally reached that stage where editing doesn’t feel scary or technical.

But then comes the real nightmare.

Choosing. The. Music.

CapCut has thousands of nice songs. And I mean really nice ones. Cute, trendy, emotional, cinematic — you name it, they have it. Every time I scroll through the music library, I get excited thinking, “Ohhh this one fits perfectly!”

And then… copyright says hello.

TikTok is pretty chill. Upload, done, no drama.

But YouTube?  Different story.

YouTube is like that super strict teacher who checks everything with a microscope.

So many times, I spent ages converting my favourite songs from YouTube into MP3, carefully placing them into my CapCut video, syncing every beat perfectly… only to upload and get hit with: Blocked due to copyright.

Heart pain, really.

Even worse, not just songs — sometimes even short tunes or simple melodies are protected. Like… how?? It’s just five seconds of music ๐Ÿ˜ญ

My latest Nana Vietnam Kitchen video nearly broke me. I had to redo the entire video THREE times because of music issues. Three times re-exporting. Three times re-uploading. Three times hoping it would pass.

In the end, I gave up.

No more nice music. No more trendy songs.

I just picked one of those super safe, super boring, very “corporate slideshow” tunes from the YouTube Audio Library.

So yeah… if you ever watch my YouTube videos and think,

“Why the music so old-school ah?”

Now you know.

It’s not my taste.

It’s survival ๐Ÿ˜‚

At this point, editing the video is easy. Fighting copyright is the real full-time job.

Honestly, being a small content creator sometimes feels like 20% creativity and 80% dodging copyright landmines.

But oh well… we adapt, we survive, and we keep posting.

Because at the end of the day, the memories (and the food videos) are still worth sharing — even if the background music sounds like it came from 1985.

Nana Vietnam Kitchen at Festival Walk, Jalan Medan Ipoh

Yesterday my parents and I tried Nana Vietnam Kitchen at Festival Walk, Jalan Medan Ipoh, and it turned out to be such a satisfying dinner.

Opened by a lovely couple (with the lady boss from Vietnam), this cosy little spot serves authentic Vietnamese street food favourites like banh mi, beef pho, Gแปi cuแป‘n (fresh spring rolls), plus a variety of Vietnamese-style rice and noodle sets.

My parents and I ordered their classic beef pho, lemongrass & chilli chicken rice set, and spring rolls to share. The portions were surprisingly big — so big we couldn’t even finish everything and had to tapau the leftovers (no regrets though ๐Ÿ˜†).

The food was flavourful, comforting, and tasted really homemade. Service was friendly, the restaurant was clean, and the prices were super reasonable too. For 3 adults including tea, the total bill was only RM57.90. Honestly such good value.

Definitely coming back to try more dishes next time. If you’re in Ipoh and craving Vietnamese food, this place is worth checking out!

Watch the video of our dinner at Nana Vietnam Kitchen here > https://www.youtube.com/shorts/j8Xw3ZRtV2g?feature=share

 Follow my journey and get more family stories and updates by liking my Facebook page > https://www.facebook.com/HealthFreakMommy52


Food for the 3 of us.



Sunday, January 25, 2026

Alycia's Graduation

Some days in life you simply cannot afford to be late.

Alycia’s convocation day was one of them.

On Wednesday, my parents and I travelled to KL together, hearts full of excitement and just a little nervousness. The convocation for the Faculty of Arts at Sunway University was held at Sunway Lagoon the next morning, and Alycia and I had to report early — really early.

We needed to be at Sunway Lagoon by 7.30am, and inside the amphitheater by 8.30am.

Guess who didn’t sleep the whole night?

Me. ๐Ÿ™‹๐Ÿป‍♀️

I kept worrying I might miss the alarm. I checked my phone again and again. This was a once-in-a-lifetime moment. After 22 years of raising my girl, there was no way I was going to risk oversleeping and missing it.

By morning, we were both ready and at the venue right on time.

We were transported to the amphitheater by buggy, and honestly, that ride itself already felt magical — passing through Sunway Lagoon’s mini zoo and theme park in the cool early morning air. It felt like a little adventure before the big event.

Everything went smoothly.

Seeing the rows of graduands in their gowns… the proud families… the happy chaos… it was such a beautiful atmosphere.

One of the most memorable moments was seeing Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah, founder of Sunway Group and Sunway University, there in person to present the scrolls. Listening to his speech was incredibly inspiring. A self-made billionaire sharing words of wisdom with these young graduates — it felt meaningful and personal.

And when Alycia walked up to receive her scroll from him…

My heart just swelled.

That tiny baby I once carried… now standing tall on stage, graduating.

How did 22 years pass so fast?

After the ceremony, we took lots of photos around Sunway Lagoon, then headed over to Sunway University for even more pictures. You can never have too many photos on a day like this. Every smile deserved to be captured.

This was the day I had waited for, worked for, prayed for.

And I couldn’t be prouder of the young woman Alycia has become — responsible, independent, and strong.

To make things even sweeter, she already secured her job before graduation. Such a relief and such a blessing for any parent.

And as if life wasn’t exciting enough, she flew off to Tokyo a day later for a week-long holiday before going back to work. She recently got an early confirmation for her probation, thus could take leave for this holiday.

Graduate today, holiday a day later — what a life! ๐Ÿ˜„

Now, as one chapter closes, another begins.

And me?

I’m already looking forward to the next milestone…

Sherilyn’s graduation ceremony.

Because a mother’s heart never stops collecting these proud moments.

Watch the video of the graduation ceremony here > https://youtube.com/shorts/FFBfdYZL3jo?feature=share

๐Ÿ‘‰ Follow my journey and get more family stories and updates by liking my Facebook page > https://www.facebook.com/HealthFreakMommy52






Saturday, January 17, 2026

My 82-Year Old Dad's Homemade Strawberry Jam

My 82-year-old dad makes the tastiest homemade strawberry jam, cooked the traditional way over low fire for about 45 minutes.

Using only fresh strawberries, the juice of two limes, and reduced sugar, 1kg of strawberries yields three medium-sized bottles of jam. There are no preservatives, no high-fructose corn syrup, and no artificial ingredients — just simple, natural goodness.

This is the kind of jam I grew up with — patiently made, beautifully balanced, and full of heart. Sometimes, the simplest recipes are the most meaningful.

Watch how my dad makes the jam here > 

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/PcgHgFdZQDw?feature=share


Do like and follow my Facebook page for more videos, food finds and everyday life in Ipoh > https://www.facebook.com/HealthFreakMommy52


1kg of strawberries yield 3 bottles of jam.




Strawberries were on sale at Lotus's yesterday. My dad bought 5 punnets.





Friday, January 16, 2026

K10 Claypot Chicken Rice @ Bercham, Ipoh

Earlier this week, my 82-year-old dad brought my mum and me to his favourite claypot chicken rice spot in Bercham New Village — K10 Claypot Chicken Rice.

Food in Bercham is incredibly affordable because it’s a new village. A portion of roast chicken breast is just RM5, and roast chicken costs only RM3 — by far the cheapest I’ve ever seen in Ipoh or KL. In KL, it would easily cost double.

Back to K10. The claypot chicken rice was delicious — not overly salty, dark, or oily. Even with salted fish, the rice was well balanced. The chicken pieces were tender and juicy. I also ordered a freshly made ambra juice with preserved plum (no sugar), which was super refreshing on a hot day paired with a piping-hot claypot of rice.

The total bill for a big pot of claypot chicken rice and a plate of blanched lettuce? Only RM30.

๐Ÿ“ฝ️ Check out the video here: ๐Ÿ‘‡





Very big pot of claypot chicken rice - too much for the 3 of us.


Super refreshing fresh ambra juice (no sugar) with preserved plum.



















Sunday, January 11, 2026

A Little Life Update: My Three Girls, My Constant Prayers

It’s been a while since I last shared an update about my three daughters, and so much has happened in their lives — the kind of moments that quietly remind me how fast time flies and how deeply a mother’s heart stretches, no matter the distance.

In just ten days, my eldest, Alycia, will be attending her convocation. It still feels surreal to write this. My parents and I will be making a trip to KL to celebrate her big day — and yes, Haru will be coming along too, as always. This milestone carries so much meaning for me. Pride, gratitude, relief, and a touch of nostalgia all rolled into one.

Sherilyn, my second daughter, is currently in her second year of an architecture course — a field well known for its intense workload, long hours, and relentless demands. Over time, the lack of sleep and rest has taken a toll on her health. She’s been falling sick repeatedly, and as a mother, watching this from afar breaks my heart.

Last week, she called me and we had a long, honest conversation. She shared that she wants to switch to Interior Architecture. Truth be told, I had foreseen this and quietly hoped for it. Architecture consistently ranks among the most challenging university majors, and I’ve seen how much it has drained her physically and emotionally. She is now in the midst of submitting the necessary forms for the switch. I can only hope the transition will be smooth — and that the cost won’t be too heavy.

Then there’s my youngest, Cass.

She attended her high school prom just yesterday. Although I wasn’t physically there to shop for her gown and accessories, she video-called me while she was out shopping. Together, we weighed the pros and cons, laughed, debated, and finally chose a beautiful gown that truly made her look like a princess.

After the prom, she barely had time to rest — waking up early this morning to head straight to the skating rink for her figure skating test. I’m incredibly thankful that she passed. This year will be especially hectic for her. She has signed up for two figure skating competitions and will also be starting her Pre-U/Foundation course in April.

Of all three girls, I worry about Cass the most because of her ongoing urinary tract medical condition. As much as I want to shield her from every hardship, all I can do is place my trust in God and pray daily for His protection over all three of them.

Even though I’m not staying with my daughters, we remain closely connected. We chat on WhatsApp every single day. Distance may separate us physically, but a mother’s heart knows no such boundaries.

Every day, I carry them in my prayers — grateful for who they are, hopeful for who they are becoming, and trusting that they are always watched over.  ๐Ÿ’›




Thursday, January 8, 2026

Homecooked Fried Meehoon By My 82-Year Old Dad

My 82-year old dad has never learned cooking formally, but his fried meehoon always tastes like home ๐Ÿค. 

Simple ingredients, familiar movements, and a lot of love in every step.

Watch how he makes it on my YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-A_Fx9nu31c?feature=share

Monday, January 5, 2026

Adopting a Stray Cat During Covid Changed My Life | My Soul Cat Turns 5

Celebrating my soul cat’s 5th birthday with cake and roast chicken ๐ŸŽ‚๐Ÿ”

She came into my life in early January 2021, during the darkest days of Covid lockdown, when everyone at home was struggling. Saving her from the streets and adopting her was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. She doesn’t need to do much — her presence alone eases my sadness and brings a smile to my face. An angel in the shape of a cat, truly God-sent ๐Ÿค๐Ÿฑ

You can watch the video of her birthday celebration here:

https://youtube.com/shorts/C3R7afWRY0U?feature=share

My mum baked the Castella mocha cake but of course Haru couldn't eat it. Dad bought roast chicken for Haru ๐Ÿ’“



Why Polo Is Emerging as One of the Most Complete Sports for Young Girls and Boys

For many parents, choosing a sport for their children has become a thoughtful decision rather than a routine one. Beyond keeping kids active, families increasingly look for activities that shape character, confidence, and long-term skills. In that search, polo—often perceived as an elite or niche discipline—is quietly gaining recognition as one of the most complete sports for young girls and boys.

A Sport That Trains the Body From the Ground Up

At first glance, polo looks fast and demanding—and it is. But beneath the speed lies a sport that develops physical abilities in a remarkably balanced way. Young players learn to ride, control, and synchronize with a horse while simultaneously handling a mallet and tracking a moving ball.

The result is a natural improvement in balance, coordination, posture, and reflexes. Unlike many youth sports that emphasize repetitive movements, polo challenges the entire body and encourages symmetrical development from an early age.

Where Gender Is Not a Limitation

Polo is one of the few sports where mixed-gender play is the norm, not the exception. Girls and boys compete together under the same rules, and success depends on technique, awareness, and teamwork rather than brute strength.

This structure creates an environment where young girls grow up confident in their abilities, and boys learn respect and collaboration as fundamental values. In a sporting world still largely divided by gender, polo offers a rare model of equality in practice.

Learning Responsibility Through the Horse

What truly sets polo apart is the presence of the horse—not as a tool, but as a partner. Children are introduced early to the responsibility that comes with caring for an animal. Grooming, preparation, and understanding the horse’s behavior become part of daily training.

This relationship fosters discipline, empathy, and emotional intelligence. Coaches often note that young players mature faster, developing patience and a sense of accountability that extends beyond the field.

A Game of Strategy Disguised as Speed

Often described as “chess on horseback,” polo is as much a mental game as a physical one. Young players learn to read the play, anticipate opponents’ moves, and make decisions in real time—all while moving at speed.

These cognitive demands sharpen concentration, spatial awareness, and communication skills. For children, this translates into improved problem-solving abilities and teamwork, both on and off the field.

Outdoor Sport in a Digital Age

In an era dominated by screens, polo offers something increasingly rare: extended time outdoors. Training sessions and matches immerse children in open spaces, fresh air, and a natural rhythm dictated by animals rather than technology.

Parents often highlight this aspect as one of polo’s greatest benefits—an activity that reconnects children with nature while providing structure and purpose.

Learning Polo in the Heart of the Sport

Argentina has long been considered the global reference point for polo, and learning the sport in this context carries a unique weight. Argentina Polo School has positioned itself as a place where young beginners are introduced to polo through a structured, safe, and educational approach.

With experienced instructors, well-trained horses, and programs designed specifically for children, the school focuses on fundamentals, confidence-building, and enjoyment. The goal is not only to teach polo, but to cultivate respect for the sport, the horses, and the values that define it.

More Than a Sport

For young girls and boys, polo is not simply an athletic activity—it is an education. It teaches balance, equality, responsibility, and strategic thinking in a way few sports can replicate. As more families look beyond conventional options, polo is emerging not as an exclusive pastime, but as a powerful developmental experience.

And for those discovering it in Argentina, at institutions like Argentina Polo School, the journey begins at the very source of the game.

Friday, January 2, 2026

Our 1st Day of 2026

Starting 2026 the best way I know how — with my mum. Breakfast at the coffee shop, a DIY cupboard she ordered online and proudly assembled on her own, and her looking for a cake recipe just because I was craving cake. Love looks like this. She's a supermum ๐Ÿ’•

Check out my video here: https://youtube.com/shorts/_mMQeaR6190?feature=share

The popiah is only RM7




Char Koay Teow (less noodles, more bean sprouts, without cockles and prawns) only cost RM5. This would have cost RM10 in KL.




Chicken stew that my papa cooked.