My baby announced the minute she woke up, "I am nine years-old today. I don't want to be called Bee (her pet name which is short for baby) anymore. Your can call me Rihana, if you like." I turned to Erica and we burst out laughing together. We were trying to imagine a out of tune Rihana croaking Umbrella. Honestly it is quite a shock to me that my baby is 9 today. She seemed to grow up so quickly despite her tendency to fall sick often. She has two huge tonsils so it was high fever once every 3 weeks since she was 6 months old. It gradully became once every 6 weeks. Her relationship with her tonsils are improving.... only losing it when she is stressed-up...

I have never been one good with traditions, frankly I suck at them. Since young I never saw the significance of Chinese New Year. To me it was (and is still is) merely another flipping of the calendar day. I only enjoyed the extended days of holidays that came with it. Before marriage it would mean holidays overseas with friends, but after marriage everything changed. I needed to be a responsible daughter-in-law and mother ....... certain chinese new year must-dos needed to be done even though I do not believe in them. During Chinese New Year it is customary to prepare "goodie bags" for family and friends. I enjoy putting together personalised gifts each year. I...

I spent the first couple of days after cancelling our holidays puting up a brave-front in front of my girls. I was my usual chirpy and happy self keeping my elder girl company while she does her work, and helping my younger one with the daily crafts planned for her. When my girls went to bed I sulked and took out my frustration on my husband. The poor guy took it all in a stride ...ever so sweet. I was having so much trouble getting myself out of the in-no-mood for everything in my life. I needed something badly to get me back on track. When I found out about The Original Bootcamp (OBC) from another blogger I was convinced that it was just what I needed to get mys...

Hubby and I made a painful decision last November. We cancelled our planned 6 months in advance, eagerly awaited year-end holidays abroad. It was painful, difficult, awful but we did it. At times I wish that we are less responsible, I wish that we love our daughters a little less, I wish that we are more selfish , I wish, I wish, I wish ..... My elder girl's teachers felt that she has the ability to secure a government scholarship to study abroad. As the exams are going to take place in September next year, we were advised to prepare early (huh?) and send her for extra coaching during the year-end break. Being the non-typical Asian parents (Asian parents tend to...

Whenever we holiday overseas my husband would always take over the planning of all our meals. He would do some homework before the trip and speak to the locals when we get there, just to ensure that we do not miss out any of the must-eat places. He would also find out the opening hours of the local markets (for fresh meat, seafood and vegetables). Yeah, he loves to cook and does a much better job than me. Whenever he cooks fresh ingredients is a must and a never to be compromised quality. He makes an effort to get all ingredients from the fresh market unlike me where convenience is always my priority. I like my vegetables and fruits thoroughly washed and nicely pac...

Since young both my girls love animals very much. They would get very excited whenever the opportunity arises for them to visit the zoo. As both my husband and I are not animal fans, they rely on school trips, and visits from family and friends. As they grow older, they started to negotiate visits to wildlife parks and/or farmstays when we travel overseas, as their reward for doing well in their school exams or in exchange for a month of washing toilets at home. I still have not figured out where their love for animals came from, as I am someone who would scream my head off whenever I see a cat, dog, et cetera. Before we got into Perth, my younger girl (the mo...

Hubs and I were totally burnt-out from our daily routine, him from “his grind” and me a little bored with everything from the domestic front. We decided to take a short break with the girls. We got into Perth early this morning and will be here for the next ten days. Normally we would prefer to either go to Sydney or Melbourne whenever we visit Australia. We consider Perth a little “slow” (no offense meant) for us. Probably it is a sign of old age, spending 10 days in a slow and laid-back place with moderate winter conditions sounded rather appealing to me. Actually it has been ages since we last visited Perth. If my memory does not fail me, Erica was...

My younger daughter celebrated her 8th birthday last Saturday. A week before that, she came to me and said, "Mummy, you don't need to get me any birthday presents this year. I just don't want to go for my tuition class, and  don't want to do any schoolwork on that day. All I want to do is to chill out, uninterrupted in my room." I was amused by her request but was at the same time quite concerned. She flatly refused my offer to bring her for a short beach holiday (she loves the beach) as a present. When I suggested a poolside birthday party, she politely rejected it as well. Even the latest figurine of Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens did not help. Has school taken o...

Even though I am a stay home mum, I am just not a stay home person. If it is not because of my obligations as a mother, I would anytime prefer to have a full-time job. It is so much more me - challenging, stimulating and fulfilling. Since I quit full-time employment, reluctantly, about six years ago, I have always kept myself busy - started running 10km weekly, picked up baking, fell in love with mountain climbing and scuba diving, ecetera. After all these years, I still have not acquired the housewifey stay home qualities yet, I am just too active for all those mummies coffee mornings, and afternoon tea plus lots of bitching. During my kids' school term, I start my...

We left one bowl of fish congee for my hubby's dinner, but it wasn't enough for him. He complained about not being fully satisfied, and on how I should have cooked more. I was secretly pleased, him asking for more of my cooking.... I know, I know it's just fish congee, but I was thrilled! In a good mood, with his implied praises for my cooking, I drove out and got him his favourite supper, sate (wiki defines it as a dish consisting of chunks of meat on bamboo skewers), and did my speciality, present hawker food on my best ware coupled with some red wine - my hubby's favourite week day, after work, never fail way to de-stress. The poor guy still needs to put in a ...