Weekend activities

SO, eventhough cny is here, we still have to engage my little one with lots of activities, as she cannot sit or stop moving except, when she is drinking milk or when she is taking nap..*super tiring*

We play with a lot of scribbling, i add some more fun by giving her calendar marker to stick on her body and stick on the drawing block , and she just scribble on the dot each time i pasted it on.. haaa..

then, i let her play with ang pow packets..she just open, turn, flip, then tear...

We went to playground, two times this week, she prefer to run around than playing with the swing/slides..

every morning, we still have our morning walk, she get to chase birds.. and wak on grass.. she can point to actual bus when i ask her where is bus..

she knows fan, clock, and i introduce her television recently and she knows it when i ask her where is television. she knows flowers, she knows apple and best is food. she knows is each time when she sees food.

Im now reading some book on games for toddler.. shall engage my girl with more activities over the weekends..

Play is children's right !

Toilet training

We manage to get her sit on toilet to poo on weekend, with her pinky cutey toilet seat, she is more than glad to sit on it.. and make me proud by pooing on it. This morning she did it again *beaming mum*

See how happy she is..ohh..she is growing fast ! record it down to remember the first toilet pooing !

Happy Moo Year -2009

To me, after the first two days, cny is considered over. Cos all the eating, gathering usually on these two days.

This year, im good. healthy still. heee. last year i fall sick on the first day, no wonder rat's year is not a good year. so hopefully, *fingers cross* OX year will bring more luck to me, my family and everyone i know.



My little missy is 16th month now, she is so adorable as her interaction with us is getting more and exciting. But, at the same time, she starting to exhibit her "terrible two" characteristic that seems to be coming...

her maternal grandma bought her the chinese cheong sam, so cute, her paternal grandma bought her the red pokka dot sexy dress. haaa..cute.

we have a rather plain cny eve and first day (vegetarian ).. but, today MIL have a makaning at her house, which is good, all eat till so full hee..

Hopefully i can plan to have a cny back home one of these years..just for a change.


Happy Chinese New Year to all my friends !

My Baking - Country herb loaf/banana bread/salad dressing

While im waiting for cny to come last thursday and friday, i bake my country loaf.. which is soo yummy.. i simply love it.. the ingredients are from a blogger mummy. Thanks to her to share.

This country herb loaf does not have butt

er or egg, suitable to eat during vegetarian days. I had mine during first day of chinese new year. i toasted it before putting marjerine. yum.. *heaven*, it has walnut, oat, basil (i chopped my fresh green basil), italian herbs .

Country Herb Loaf

150ml milk
60ml water
30ml extra virgin olive oil
325gm white bread flour
40gm rolled oats
40gm chopped walnut
( i toasted the walnut, before chopping it, it taste nicer after toasting)
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
(i skip this, as i dont really fancy garlic in my bread)
1tsp mixed herbs ( i use italian herbs instead, as i still have stock )
1tsp basil (I use freshly pluck basil from my garden )
1tsp salt
1.5tsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp fast acting yeast

Place the ingredients into the bread making machine, for kenwood, liquid in first follow by powder and the rest. Then choose white bread, 1kg. it took 3:25 minutes to be done. my whole house is filled with the aroma of my country heb loaf.. i love it !

I may try wholemeal next time.

Besides the loaf,m i make my banana bread too. Which i too, love it. it tasted to nice. I took the recipes from mind your body some time back.

Banana Bread

125g butter
150g sugar
4 small ripe bananas, smashed
3 eggs , beated
250g shifted with 2tsp baking powder -i use 125g self-raising flour +125g plain flour, i got the idea from my previous walnut banana cake. which turn out really good.

Heat the oven to 180deg c and grease or line the bottom of loaf tin with butter.

Beat the butter and sugar together with a electric mixer until light and creamy -this step is VERY important as it decide how fluffy your cake is.

Mix in the beated edd and mashed bananas -if mixture starts to curdle, add a couple of tablespoons of flour.

Fold in the sifted flour and baking powder, taking care not to over mix. pour the batter into the baking tin. my oven took 35 minutes to bake. the newspaper said 1 hour 10 mins, maybe depends on your oven.

Yummy !

My another new dish is my ever favourite salad. salad is normal. but the dressing my home-made. my aunty's method. simply nice and special. not like normal salad dressing we buy from market. so i have my own sald dressing now. recipe will not be shared though cos it's family recipe..

Happy Cooking and baking !

Some photos..

haven online from home for sometime.. finally today i uploaded the photos taken from my phone and cameras..



Missy is getting more and more toys now..we have few basket and container just for her toys..and she is only 15th month old..*blame it all to her mummy*

Jenny gave me one set of Mega block and that has save my money to get the Lego.. Jenny said children at this age wont differentiate, just let them have fun and be creative .. mega block is good enough

We got her some huge size animals to play with, my intention to let her recognise these animals and know thei name and sound they make eg cos -moo moo, shep -meh meh.. tiger -roar .. etc.

She gets to play the doddling too , that's her daddy's.. i guess this doddle board will end aka destroy at her generation..



Every sat and sunday morning, i will bring her down for some exercise..either on her tricycle or she walks on her own.. she enjoys this morning walk.. even try out some of the exercise gadget *cute*

She loves to take lift.. there s picture of her refusing to come out and stuck at one corner..*eyes rolling*




These are some of the food i cook for her during the weekends.. sometimes i will wrap the ikan bilis into the clothes (made by my mum) and cook together with her porridge to give some ikan bilis taste, my mum prefer using ikan bilis powder after cooking..

then her broccoli and salmon and carrpt and sometimes sweet potatoes.. all in one..

yummy !but she eats it till sian i guess.. so,sometimes, i cook some marcaroni for her..the lst picture is the salad i made recently.. i love salad..will try to make my own home made salad dresing, the healthier version.




Been doing some decor on my home.. bought two racks to put my flowers outside.. hang somebutterfly and bird there to make it look nicer..missy will say bye bye to the butterfly whenever we walk pass*cutey*

and i finally got the magnetic board from ikea to stick my recipe in my kitchen so that i can refer easily during cooking./baking.



Mum and sis helped me to make the pineapple tarts on Sunday.. yummy yummy super yummy.. i just love my mum's pineapple tarts.. no other can fight.. so rich so original.

and i made the shrimp and pork floss rolls on my own too.. warp 3packahes of popiah skin.. tiring but satisfied.

mum helped me to prepare the shrimp paste. next time i will just make the pork floss easier and nicer too.



This kaya is not bad.. a bit sweet * can be improved*, gotten the recipe from a blogger. i use my bread maker to do all the work. simple, easy and no effort needed.Next time i will reduce sugar and add some pandan paste to make the colour greener.. hee

Not bad for the weekend .. done many things.. so looking forward to this weekend.. eat all i can *beaming*

Last week before CNY

got to work hard to enjoy the food...

yesterday LGG and i jogged for 2.1km ( one round walking, one round jogging ) near our home.

Today i went for 12 laps of swimming..

but, lunch time, i choose the wrong dish.. fried chicken.. which is so oily and costs me $4.. *faint*..first time i ordered fried chicken as in whole piece of chicken for lunch.. i simply lost idea what to eat when i reach the foodcourt, just anyhow point. and never knew the chicken which i thought is small pieces turned out to be one whole big piece , I only realised when the girl told me "si kuai qia".. usually my lunch at that mixed rice stall no more than $3.

well.. tmw go to work a bit harder lor..

it's coming soon.. Happy Chinese New Year to all..

Tonight will post photos of the tarts/rolls i made over the weekends with help from my mum and sis. hee..

TreadMill

today i cycled for 25 minutes.. then treadmill for 25 minutes.. hoo.. feel so fresh. tmw shall rest, friday yoga.. i really hope i can keep up to these workout schedule three times a week.

now i can eat happily during cny. but, when i weigh myself today seems like i put on that 0.xkg.. darn.. must be all the junk (chocolates) i ate lately..

nvm.. so long i continue to workout.. i feel safe to eat.

Today news said mouthwash with alcohol cause oral cancer.. maybe tmw news will say toothpaste cannot use too..world is changing fast

Chinese New Year

Im so excited..i love the pre-cny than the cny itself.. the preparation and all simply excite me each years..

This year.. my little missy celebrates her second cny with us. I will make some pineapple tarts, peanuts cookies etc with the help of my mum and helper.

so looking forward to cny lalala.. last year i fall sick on the first day.. finger cross i stay healthy throughout.. heee !

Shall post photos of my weekends activities when i online from home.. lallala

Swimming

today i finally go swimming.. weather is good. clouly but not raining. hoo.. i swam 10 laps.. now arm and legs still wobbly..

Tmw will go jogging.. active lifestyle.. and i started to take huiji waist tonic. shall see if it works to keep me energise..

Mind Your Body : Wholemeal banana cake

Recipe from mind your body. I love banana cake. so want to try out this healthy version.

Wholemeal Banana Cake

Ingredients:
140g unsalted butter --im still using salted , shall try to get unsalted version
120g caster sugar
3 eggs
2 Large or 3 small bananas mashed
130g wholemeal flour
130g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
200ml buttermilk

Methods:
1. Preheat over to 170 deg C. grease and line the bottom of a 20cm round cake tin with baking paper

2. Cream butter and sugar together until light coloured and creamy.

3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a little flour if the mixture starts to curdle

4. Stir in the mashed bananas and wholemeal flour.

5. sift the plain flour and baking powder together and fold into the mixture along with the buttermilk

6. pour into baking pan and bake for around 40 - 45 minutes

Happy Baking !

Work till We die

Today news said gahmen is considering or should say will soon implement, to raise the retirement age to 65.

Oh.. well.. it's expected. LGG & i once said, by the time our turn to retire, it's will be work till you die kinda thing. no more retirement age.. cos the ceiling will be raise on yearly basis.. you see the trend ?

We all thik (my dear cols & myself) gahmen use seniour minister LKY's as a benchmark.. so if he lives on.. the retirement age will continue to be raised.. so we shall hope he quits or *touch wood* you know what i mean..

i wonder how old i will kick the bucket.. my ideal age last time was 65.. but seems like my "kick the bucket" day should be amended to go inline with the retirement age ? so now my ideal age to say good bye to the world is 85..

so i cannot start thinking of retiring now.. cos it'll not be that soon..at least 30 years later.. *S.O.B*

Weeken activities

What have we been doing for the past weekends..busy with lots of things..talking about organise.. my table starting to pile up again.. i have to dig to find my things.. so i decided to be more organise right ? so i went to ikea to get some plastic boxes to keep my things away.. already got the boxes.. just the matter of finding time to clear my table before chinese new year !

Past few weeks, we went out for lunch/dinner as misy's Ah check came back from OZ. so we simply spent time together to let the ah check watch her.. he really dunno how to entertain children. *hopeless*

Then, last saturday we went to my University's friend's house warming. I baked the banana walnut cake, which is not as fluffy and nice as the last one i baked. I should just stick to the One cake recipe which is so nice. Shall try one more time though. And we found out bus 85 can go direct to yishun mrt. just about 20-25 minutes journey

Been buying lots of things recently..obsession during economic downturn ? or is it retail therapy? whatever la.. bought myself a dorothy perkin's working bag.. first time i get theer stuff.. cool. Then, bought myself few nice bras.. heee triump promotions lor.. have to get.. then i told my friend.. i have new shoes.. new undergarments.. but i dun have new year clothes yet.. sigh..

then i bought bird nest from yu ren shen.. promotions too.. i really tempted to eat twice a week kinda thing.. to keep myself mei mei.. muahahah.. but hor.. high cost le.. little bit only few hundred liao.. pheww.. i cant afford this life style yet. wait till my house finish paying.. ghaaa..

i still have lots of things haven completed. my sewing is like forever. sigh. motivation !!! lazy lazy lazy.. hate myself when im lazy.. but could not help it !

New year is coming, i wanted to cook some chinese new year dishes.. bake some cookies..all got to start to prepare liao.. else no time..i hope i have 48 hours a day with 12 hours sleeping the rest to do all these..

and that stupid forum im earning money from never pay up since Nov.. *felt cheated* luckily no need much effort. else bang door.


My missy is now 15th going to 16th month old. she is very smart now. can do many things that we always unexpecte. she can say two words with different sound.. like "ap -ple" today she said "Mum "my".. heee.. she can say papa, mummum, gong gong, kakak, po po..baby..and some foreign language which we do not understand.. talk gibberish.. im still trying to broaden her vocab by saying words indicating objects.

she convey her desires, anger all by action.. nod or shake head.. or cry.. how i wish she can talk soon then easier..

Y2009 New Year Resolution

Gees.. i noticed that i did not even bother to give myself some resolution in Y2008.. no wonder im so slack.. well.. i guess first time venturing into motherhood, that's my whole year resolution for y2008.

Looking back my previous years resolutions.. i guess.. i still have lots to catch up this year..

Looking back in Y2008:
Careers & Travel:
Been in very flat kinda achievement.. nothing outstanding. Boss is giving lots of flexibility in my working hours, as he thinks i will need that as a mother. really appreciate it ! LOVE YOU BOSS !

This year , we went back home twice, Jan and Dec 08. We brought our little girl on plane to Mt. Kinabalu. comment for Mt. kinabalu/sabah ? really really ulu :P

Health :
no Mc for the whole year. still have migrain before period.. sigh.. what stupid symptoms ! been quiting coffee since Nov. like quit smoking like that.. haa.. but still tempted to drink each time smell coffee.

exercise once a week. now im just 3kg from pre-pregnancy weight.. lallala..BMI less than 20. no problem with cholesterol/high blood done body check up in Oct. heee..

Family & Love :

I simply cant get along with my sister. we have big argument. She is unbelievable. she cant move on, she will bring out things in the past to shout at me. Im sad to know that she cant move on. Which i already did. if i were to keep thinking how she had treated me last time.. i would be like her.. anger/jeolous/low EQ.. sorry to say this but i've been trying to keep a distance from her.. try not to get involve too much with her.. she brought all this. don't blame me. cos im someone who never want my life to be disturbed by unnecessary people like herself. SHe became a stranger in my life now.. i really no longer understand and know her.. she can be normal at one minute and become super sensitive at another minute. *hormones imbalance*

LGG and i are getting to be like old couple.. just 2 years of marriage, with 1 kid, marriage life can change from lovey dovey to "family member" weird hor.. but we still good friends.. no more darling here and there though.. i think must keep the flame burning ? else will feel bored soon ? muahaha.. * LGG, you know what to do hor*

Y2008 has been a challenging year for me as my life suddenly become crowded. with my mum staying with us, one maid, then my little sweetie. from one person last time.,.become 2 persons.. then 4.. then 3.. then 5.. haaa..all the human intteraction.. getting along with my mum after leaving home for so long.. managing maid, and learning to be a mother and trying to be a good wife..all the roles..challenging but i find it managable so far..

Y2009 Resolutions..
o stay happy. healthy.organised. less temper.i still think my temper need to have more checkpoint.
o Show more loves to my dear LGG
o continue to exercise. maybe add in swimming.
o travel to one nearby country.
o improve my baking
o start sewing
o save money. pay off the house. hate to feel like still owing to people aka hdb.
o try to homeschool my girl till she is going to school. expose her more to nature and life practises.

ok . dont set too much else stress.. haa. hope Y2009 will be a good year for me !

Happy New Year !