Life Love and Me

My Munchkin is 9

celine — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 13:02:16 +0000

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. Looking at her now, we are so relieved that she is strong and healthy.

Cupcake cake for her to share with her friends at school tomorrow.

Mango cake that she had with her weight conscious mummy, daddy and close friends.

With two of her favourite bigger than her soft toys when she was 1 year-old.

With her favourite bucket at the park near home.

Enjoying herself as a fairy during Christmas when she was 2 years-old.

Hospitalised for a week when she was 3 years-old due to a rare skin disorder. She was happily reading her books and watching Madeline while we were worried sick over her.

It was everything Tink when she turned 4. Here she is in her favourite Tinkerbell dress that she would wear all the time, even to sleep if allowed to.

Just before she turned 5, we brought her to Disneyland – the kids’ wonder world where all dreams come true.

She had her 6th birthday with her best buds at McD.

Growing up a little too fast for my liking.

“Mummy! Look I can reach the light switch without my baby stool!”

Her just wanna chill out and do nothing birthday last year.

In her current favourite dress.

Dinner Helpers

celine — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 03:05:06 +0000

When it comes to cooking, I have accepted the fact that I am destined to be a noob forever. Noob not in the same category as this ironchef-in-disguise-noob, but noob in the true sense, know very little and have no will to learn. I no longer live in denial, buying cookbooks after cookbooks dreaming of being my Mister’s Domestic Goddess. After trying at the most two recipes from the salad/entree section, I would be demoralised. Mine would never ever look and taste anywhere near that described by the book, even though I put in twice the amount of time in the kitchen. Nothing wrong with those cookbooks, it’s just me … poor execution due to “no-interest” subject matter. If I could transfer some of my enthusiasm from baking and crafting to cooking, I am positive my family’s tummies would be much happier.

Things changed (a while back) for the better when I stumbled upon these amazing food bloggers They “hand-held” me all the way from buying the ingredients to plating (is there such a word?) the meal. Most of their recipes have very few ingredients, they do not involve any deep frying (my no.1 fear), they have very few simple cooking steps and most important of all their recipes are idiot-proof.

Please put your hands together for a round of applause to these amazing ladies. Here they are in no particular order;

Don’t think Ree aka PW needs any introduction, right? I have been a “stalker” of hers way before she bacame “royalty” of the food blogging world. Initially I followed her blog mainly for Black Heels to Tractor Wheels – her love story with Marlboro Man. Slowly I became attracted to her cooking posts (sub-consciously?) too. Me, cooking? Nah! Maybe its because she provides pictures and detailed explanation for each and every cooking step . Or could it be due to her wicked sense of humour? Possibly its her down-to-earth, hilarious constant self mockery …. Oh, I don’t know. I became her faithful fan, even more faithful than having dinner daily!

I had tried many of her recipes and had lots of success with them. I can never forget cooking my first pan-fried steak ala PW, can never forget having her Asian Noodle Salad for lunch and dinner two days straight, can never forget keeping the Mister happy with a never done before homecooked meat feast.

Seriously I am so grateful to PW for making cooking less scary for me, with her awesome tutorials and how-tos series. Soon, I hope cooking will no longer be a responsibility for me. Maybe, just maybe, I might, will actually enjoy (eeeks) doing it.

She is the Ironchef in disguise that I mentioned earlier. This is Wiffy’s claim of herself, “I’m a girl who likes to cook though I don’t think I’m very good at it”. Not good at cooking? Bluff! Hop over to her blog and you will be amazed with her simple yet delicious recipes. Go on do it now.

Was it her Chicken and Mushroom Baked Rice, or Baked Sardines and Potatoes? I can’t remember. Its one of these guys (both equally yummy) that started my “relationship” with Wiffy. Since then I have been relying on her to figure out dinner. She has a 15- minutes Shorts Series (cooking under 15 minutes) which I particularly like. It is a life saver during my 4pm weekday scramble, wondering what to put on the dinner table.

The Little Teochew is another of my favourite. Ju writes beautifully. She is very generous in teaching and sharing. She comes across as a very down-to-earth person, I like her! Coupled with her fantastic shots, she keeps me captivated. Daily visits to her a blog is a must for me.

Even though alot of her recipes a little difficult for me, I enjoy reading and learning from them. One day I hope to tackle them. For now, I have tried a number of the easier ones with lots of success. We especially love her Carrot and Tuna Salad, Salmon Cakes, Pineapple Fried Rice and Sesame Prawn Toast.

Babe is the first Malaysian blogger on my google reader and she is still there after a couple of “spring cleaning”. Not sure why, but her comments on my blog seemed to encourage and comfort me in an uncanny way. I can never forget her encouragements during the height of my health problems. I have long considered her a good friend even though we have never met.

If you have not visited blog, which is unlikely, you should. She does food review on all types of food in Malaysia from street food to super fine dining. I like it that her reviews are not the typical regurgitating the menu and providing the address and opening hours type. I find them to be insightful and objective. Maybe I am biased because she likes La Bodega and Nerovivo too.

The lady is an awesome cook too. Her recipes are simple, very forgiving (hehe) and super tasty – I know, I have tried a number of them. Our current favourites are – Steamed Chicken with Chinese Sausages (hubby’s), Homemade Yogurt (Mine) and Butter, Kaya and Peanut Butter Toast (my girls would love to have this everyday).

its Camp Edward!

celine — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 08:23:18 +0000

To my elder girl, he is the BEST-LOOKING guy in this whole wide world. Her everything Pattinson craze has been going on for a while and I never understood why, until last December …….

I finally got curious when she was watching Twilight for the 10,000th time. I joined her. Initially I was bored but when the perfect in an eerie manner Pattinson appeared I transformed into an excited teenager and became more excited than my tween!

When the movie ended, I told my daughter, “Erica, let’s watch one more time!”.

She was beaming with the “I told you so” look.

We ended up watching three rounds of Twilight and two rounds of New Moon. I had a smashing time……. it was good fun!

My daughter asked me after New Moon, “So is it Camp Edward or Camp Jacob?”

“Camp Edward 100%!”

She did a celebration dance to that!

The next day (was too tired after the movie marathon) I googled and researched on all matters relating to Pattinson. I was stucked by my Macbook for hours …….. only taking toilet breaks, no kidding!

Once I was done with all the googling, I started reading Twilight the book, hoping for details that the movie might have left out.

I didn’t stop at Twlight. I moved on to New Moon….then Eclipse …… then Breaking Dawn.

I can’t wait for Midnight Sun to be published. It’s partial draft left me begging for more ……….

Valentine’s Topiary for Chinese New Year

celine — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 10:23:00 +0000

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 find store bought hampers expensive and boring! This year I made Valentine’s Topiary filled with traditional CNY cookies and nuts.

I spent a week cutting circles from 5 yards of velvet plus many, many hours assembling them. It was fun but my biceps were aching by the time I completed all nine of them. This was the most time consuming part. The rest was quite a breeze.

I painted and decorated metal pots from Ikea, planted the topiary with a thin layer of cement, filled it up with the cookies and nuts, then covered it with dried moss.

My girls had a lot of fun in the entire “planting” process. They would work through their homework (from school) in record breaking speed so that they could help out. We had some awesome time bonding ……

I included this tea set as part of the gift too. I fell in love with it the minute I saw it at the mall. It is SO PRETTY. I hope my friends feel the same too. *keeping my fingers crossed*.

Dusting Cobwebs & Catching Up

celine — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 15:07:46 +0000

It’s about time I pull myself away from my “latest hobbies” and daily responsibilities to spend some time here dusting cobwebs. I need to make an effort to update this blog/journal of mine more often else my envisioned trips down memory lane in the future would not be possible.

What have I been up to since I last document my resolutions for the year?

1. Original Bootcamp, thrice weekly – this is my 3rd month and I am so hooked/addicted to it. My dear hubby thinks that I am nuts to wake up at 5.30am and rush to the field for an hour of hell. Not sure why but I kinda like the kick-ass pain, plus the released of happy hormones after each session – simply the ultimate combination that money cannot buy. Yes, yes, I am being dramatic again ……. If you would like some details about our sessions, hop over to these two hardcores – here for a male account, and here for the female version.

2. My New Toy – this was my Christmas present from my hubby. I have been spending lots of hours when my kids are at school reading up the manual while practising my sewing skills on the machine. I will blog about my craft items from the machine once it passes my quality control checks.

3. Preparing dinner - I have been keeping up to my resolution (most of the time) to prepare dinner on weekdays. I would be “scrmbling” at 3pm daily figuring out dinner. I found not 1, not 2 but 3 super-easy, fuss-free, super tasty with minimal clean-ups recipes that I have used again, and again, again ……

Roast Chicken – only 2 ingredients, but it taste super-yummy-delicious (if there is such a word). Here is a picture from the creator of this dish (mine did not do justice to it).

Thanks Ju for sharing this recipe – I love you!

Rice Cooker Chicken – another super easy brilliant recipe that I stumbled upon.

Thanks Sonia for sharing the recipe – I love you!

I did not take any picture cos I simply lifted the pot (from the rice cooker) to the dinner table. Here is a picture from her blog, I hope you don’t mind Sonia.

Arrowhead Chicken Soup – another super simple recipe that I like. My hubby and kids think that it is the best, much better than the infamous ABC Soup. The best part of it is, it is a well balanced one pot meal – chicken plus veges, thus I do not need to cook another dish. This recipe is from an “Iron Chef” who insist of calling herself a noobcook.

Wiffy, thanks ALOT for sharing – I love you!

I hope you don’t mind me posting your picture here, its such an awesome shot (as always).

4. Having fun with Fabric Topiary – I had so much fun making these for our friends as Chinese New Year cum Valentines gift.

5. Coaching My Girls – I am getting better at helping my girls with their schoolwork and projects. Here is the scene on most weekday nights, haha!

A New Decade – 2010

celine — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 05:41:55 +0000

I used to have a love-hate relationship with January 1st. I love that it signifies a new beginning, new dreams, new hopes but at the same I hate it due to all my un-met resolutions! Two years ago, I finally grew-up (i.e. matured) and stopped making a big deal out of the New Year, and stopped making a long list of not likely to meet resolutions. January 1st became another flipping of the calendar day. I reasoned that I can do up a to-do-list aka resolutions anytime of the year. The biggest challenge is to stay focused and get it done.

So how was past two years since I stopped making resolutions? Were they more fruitful than the ones with resolutions? Not sure but I was definitely a happier and more relaxed person without my list of to-dos. In 2008 (the first year without resolutions) I learnt how to bake cakes and bread. I started off with recipe books and very soon realised that food bloggers are a much better source. I surprised myself by not just liking it but enjoying myself so much that I do it every other day. Being someone who prefers the outdoors and likes to be on the go all the time, my indoors hobbies used to be short-lived, but baking survived till today. My mum asked me yesterday, “You are still baking? You have not got tired of it yet?”. Due to this (my baking hobby) I stayed home more and started to appreciate my life as a homemaker.

Last year I miraculously decided to cook dinner on weekdays for my family. My hubby was shocked because no cooking was my condition when he proposed. He was worried (knowing how much I hate cooking) that I was either having a severe depression, or an early mid-life crisis. I am still at the maximum four-ingredients recipes, still complaining two hours before dinner time, still looking for ways to make my already easy recipes easier but I am still putting homecooked meals on the dinner table on most weekday nights. And for that, I am so proud of myself. Those who know me personally would be proud of me too.

Not sure whether it is pure coincidence but my life changed dramatically the minute I stopped making new year resolutions. Just for the records, learn-to-bake was part of my resolutions for years. Once again I did not make any resolutions for 2010. I will continue to embrace each day with an open mind and try to live it to the fullest. Vanessa of V and Co, wrote a beautiful post on the coming decade and how she chose consistency as her word of the year. To me it was a very well written post and I like it a lot, actually so much that I decided to adopt a similar approach for the coming decade. I would like to be consistent in loving my family, to be consistent in looking after my family’s needs, to be consistent in preparing dinner on weekdays, to be consistent in my parenting approach, to be consistent in my exercise routine, to be consistent in my calorie intake, et cetera.

Happy (belated, again) New Year, and hope that it will be a super-amazing one for all of us!

Happy Bootcamper!

celine — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 05:05:38 +0000

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 myself out of the rut – an hour of intensive outdoor exercise military style at 7am thrice weekly.

I signed-up for the OBC without much fact finding. I assumed that I would be able to handle it after having a personal trainer in the gym for awhile. From its name (military style bootcamp) I expected it to be tough, kick ass and intensive but ….. After 20 minutes into the session I was gasping for breath like a pathetic 50 years-old grandma. The intensity of the exercises was totally unexpected. I was in total shock. Me? Somehow who has been exercising regularly with a trainer, has to struggle so much? It was humiliating and mind boggling at the same time. It dawn onto me (much later) that I cannot do high intensity strength training and cardiovascular exercise at the same time. It’s either one or the other. I was just not trained to do both by my trainer (yeah, pushing all the blame to him).

The aches and pains that I had during the first week was horrible. I had so much difficulty walking up the staircase to my friend’s place (on the 2nd floor). I had to walk at an angle to lessen the pain. My friends were shocked, surprised, concerned and amused. I burst out laughing when my 8 year-old offered me her hand.

Things got better in the second week. It was still tough but I kinda got addicted to the after-session bazillion “happy hormones”. The so satisfied with myself feeling was awesome. By the end of the second week, I fired my personal trainer (while he was still on holiday) and signed up for my second month as a Happy Bootcamper, one who could work my muscles and run on the same day!

Responsible Decisions

celine — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 10:14:43 +0000

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 be very obsessed over kids education) we laughed it off. We were shocked when my girl told us that she wanted to have a go at the scholarship thingy. We tried to talk her out of it as hubs and I prefer our girls to have a more balanced school versus all-other-fun-stuff. She convinced us to support her decision ….

We ended up cancelling our holiday plans – hubs went back to work and I was busy sending her to and from tuition classes. While she was busy with homework, my younger girl and I prepared Christmas gifts for our friends. We made Christmas trees out of our friends favourite chocolates and sweets. We even made one in Japanese wasabi beans and sugarless sweets for a special old lady. I was inspired by Angie of Treasure For Tots. She has a tutorial on it.

This is what I made for my girls. After doing 11 trees, I was too lazy to paint/decorate the pot. They were not the least bothered, more interested in the goodies (all their favourites).

I was not in the mood to do any Christmas baking or any other baking for that matter. My oven was not warmed-up for over a month. I was busy feeling sorry for myself (over my cancelled holidays) when my kids were not looking. I know, I know, I am a spoilt and immature mummy.

Here’s a song (my favourite) from me to you. I hope that your Christmas was filled with lots of Joy, Peace & Happiness!

If Dreams Are Meant To Be Met

celine — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 13:40:10 +0000

This is the perfect scene I would love to wake-up to everyday, if I have my way. I always dreamt of living by the sea with my man during our retirement days. We will have our dream house then, incorporating two of our must-haves ……. a whole floor for his music room and a super humongous craft room for me filled with all my “toys”.

Here we will live our perfect lifestyle, away from the hustle bustle of the city life, with the sea as the backdrop. We will start our days with an early morning run by the sea, followed by a full session of pilates and many many hours of crafting (for me) and reading (for him). Here no cooking is required (yeah!), and my man will enjoy having Diet Coke and crackers for lunch and dinner!

I get all excited just by “dreaming” about all these. If dreams are meant to be met, this will be my paradise.

*Stop dreaming*t’s time to move my butt and do the dishes. Aghhh… the hard realities of life!

My plot of land for my dream house by the sea

Craft Passion

celine — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:32:57 +0000

A couple of months back, I was asked by Lai Kuan, of the very popular Food-4-Tots to check out Craft Passion. I did, and I was glad. Since then I have been a huge fan of this very talented lady (Joanne), who has been churning-out lots of amazingly creative stuff that never fails to blow my mind off. Do check out her blog. You will not be disappointed. Here are some of my favourites;

“The Dazzled” – I am still waiting for her to make me one.

This is one of Joanne’s earlier projects. She did this for a charity auction to aid a home for abandoned kids. On the night of the auction, her sister got her the bag (by being the highest bidder) because she knows that Joanne has problems parting with the bag. (I think) So sweet, huh? Two sisters with a big-heart!

A re-cycled tote

A very chic tote (in my opinion) which do not look re-cycled at all. This is made using fused Esprit-plastic-bag, an old pair of denim, unused curtain and rice sack. Simple stunning ……. simple yet not simplistic! If this was for sale, I will buy it without any hesitation.

A fish-y purse

My girls (and I) absolutely adore this cute-sy. She is proportionately shaped and the colour coordinates are spot-on, whimsical yet not childish.

He infamous “Pom-Pom Scarf”

I like this scarf so much that I wrote to Joanne, asking her to help me get the yarn. I knitted not just one but three in total. Once again, thanks for helping me to get the yarn and your detailed tutorial.

Her daughter the “Queen”

Her first attempt at drafting a pattern, a gown for her daughter’s stage performance as the “Queen”. Unbelievable talent, don’t you think?

Kanzashi Christmas Tree

Her latest project which I absolutely adore. She has generously given them (all three!) as part of her November giveaway. I was in no luck again ….. hopefully she will come up with the tutorial. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Now, hop over and drool over her projects and let me know what you think of this super-amazing lady who holds a full-time day job, handles two young children and yet able to produce such awesome crafty stuff.