I prefer hot weather

That day my dear asked me whether i wanted to move to the northern part of the CN, the first came into my mind was the cold winter there. I actually don't like cold winter, perhaps i grew up in a place without 4 seasons, so i prefer hot weather much more than cold weather. But if he really wants to go there, of course i will follow him, there is always a way to keep myself warm during winter, especially the is a creation of electric blanket. I use the electric hot water bag in here where the coldest winter temperature is just about 6 Degree Celsius, but if in northern part, think this hot water bag is not enough to withstand the harshness cold.

Stop sending No.1 to violin class

I have finally informed my son's teacher that i would like to stop sending my NO.1 to violin class. I hope my decision is right although i do not get 100% support from my hubby. Continue sending him to violin class is just about to waste the money because he shows no interesting in learning violin. Thus i better save the money for his future education, perhaps he will take up one of those research degrees when he graduates from his high school. Be honestly, i feel wasteful to stop his violin class because i can see the potential in him although he so against to continue learning the violin. Sigh, kid has never known how to treasure the chance he has. How i wish i could learn violin when i was little.

Kids love to drink Yakult

My kids love Yakult, especially the little girl. She can drink few bottles if i let her drink freely. Of course, i limit one bottle for her everyday.

I hardly get the local made Yakult, normally i will get those imported from HK one. I somehow still skeptical taking the local made Yakult, actually both local and HK made are same in price. Of course the price will be different if i convert each currency back to Ringgit.

Example,
RMB8.8 = RM4.4
HKD8.8 = RM3.5

So, getting HK made Yakult from HK is more cheaper, but since i cannot go to HK everyday, so i force to get HK made Yakult from local retail shop, what to do, some money really have to let people earn it.

Back to the topic, actually i just wanted to share with you all about this Yakult light, as compared to original Yakult, i would choose to get this Yakult light more but it is more expensive undoubtedly. Can't really remember their exact amount, if not wrong, i paid around HKD13 for that 5 little bottles, expensive, huh?

Baking frenzy

I am so into baking lately, can say going to be crazy. I have the urge to bake whenever i feel free. Gosh, like what my hubs says, i should have taken opportunity to give myself a rest whenever i could instead of busying myself in baking. But, i find the joy when i am baking.

I can keep browsing the recipes online to get myself inspired, and bake right after i finish reading those recipes. That's so much fun in baking, be honestly, i love baking more than cooking!

I want to bake later, i have found a green tea cupcake recipe which the cupcake doesn't need any butter. Wow, i wonder how does it taste when the butter is omitted!

Treat them unbiasedly

My No.1 wanted to have a glass of fresh watermelon juice when we passed by the fresh fruit shop after we finished our dinner outside just now. The fresh watermelon juice is selling expensive there, about RMB20 per glass, but i still bought for him even there was no pestering sound near my ears. Actually, i bought 3 glasses for each of my kids although the two little ones were not able to finish the whole glass of juice. Well, i ain't rich but i wanted to treat them unbiasedly. That's a mother's life. All of my kids will have same bite of food no matter what i offer them, even if i buy the gold coin for my No.1 as his Christmas present, i will definitely get the two little ones the same presents too although they ain't know the actual meaning and value of keeping gold. :)

Oatmeal raisin walnut cookies

I baked few batches of cookie yesterday morning. It was a bliss morning because my girl didn't cry as much as usual, that's why i could bake some cookies peacefully at the kitchen.

I have a tin of Quaker instant oatmeal which i initially bought it for the purpose of increasing my breast milk, such a great idea was from the internet. Seriously, oatmeal does help increasing breast milk. However, i hardly make myself a cup of oatmeal beverage. Actually, neither instant oatmeal nor quick oatmeal is not to my liking, maybe due to their final texture. But, letting the can of Quaker instant oatmeal continue sitting in the cabinet is not what i wanted to see, so a good idea flashed into my mind, yeah, that's making oatmeal cookie. Don't you think oatmeal cookie tastes much more nicer than a bowl of cooked oatmeal or an instant oatmeal drink?

Perhaps i sound weird, but honestly, the oatmeal cookies taste wonderful even though i am not an oatmeal friend. So, who doesn't like oatmeal can actually like the oatmeal in cookie form. Luckily, i turned the leftover oatmeal into oatmeal raisin walnut cookies, otherwise, the whole can of oatmeal would be thrown to trash when its expiry date comes.

The ingredients are simple and easy to get, i got mine all ready and prepared the cookie dough is easier too.

Ingredients : -

• 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour (i used Gold Medal Unbleached AP flour)
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/4 cups unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar (i used CRS brown sugar)
  
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (i used only 1/4 cup, i prefer less sweet cookie)
  
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups oats (preferably to use old-fashioned oats, but i used instant oatmeal)
• 1 cup of raisin *optional
  
• 1 cup of coarsely chopped walnut *optional

Steps : -
1. Preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius.
2. Lining double cookie sheets on cookie tray.
3. Combine first set of dry ingredients in a large bowl with a wire whisk.
4. Cream the butter and sugars in a separate bowl. Add a slightly beaten egg and vanilla and combine completely.
5. Slowly add flour mixture until combined.
6. Hand stir in oats and your prepared raisin and walnut.

7. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto cookie sheets. Bake for 10 minutes or until done.
8. Take the fresh baked cookies out from the oven and allow to cool on cookie sheets for 2 minutes before removing cookies to wire rack for completely cooling.

Easy, right?

I was initially thought perhaps i needed about a week to finish all the cookies (the ingredients yield about 60 servings), but, they are all gone in just a day!

Cad drawings

I know few programming languages but i don't know CAD aka computer-aided drafting. There was once my friend asked me if i knew how to draft using computer, oh sorry, i couldn't help him because i do not have much knowledge about drafting and design with a computer. Actually, it is not hard to get variety of cad drawings online, so it doesn't matter whether you know or don't know, as long as you have internet connection then getting a quality cad drawing is easy. Custom made cad drawing does save your drafting and design time, don't you agree? Of course if you have more demands then it is better for you to get your own taylor made cad drawing from cad designer. For sure you need to pay more. :-)

Whatever will be, will be.

My elder boy hates learning violin, that's why i have been seriously thinking to stop sending him to violin class. Learning violin is not cheap here, i pay RMB500 every month. But sadly to say, after long 8 months of learning, i still cannot see any improvements from him. He even makes mistake when pressing the strings of violin and he has problem to read the music notes too. So tell me, should i stop forcing him in learning violin?

He likes drawing, basically he draws quite well. There was once he ever told me he wanted to be a make up artist cum hair stylist when he grows up. Think i won't be shocked if he tells me he wants to attend one of those cosmetology schools in Wichita next time. Whatever will be, will be. I love him, so i will definitely support his dream.

Green tea Chiffon cake, failed again

I baked a green tee chiffon cake again yesterday. This was my 5 attempts, but i still could not get a nice looking chiffon cake. I have done my study online before i really started baking chiffon cake, but i still failed miserably. The chiffon cake rose quite well halfway through the baking, but it sunk gradually about 10 to 15mins before the bake time stopped.

Where did i do wrong? I have followed the recipe strictly, sigh, think i have better bake more since practice makes perfect.

Everyone can bake, but not everyone can bake a nice cake. Well, it is still edible and few pieces have already gone down my stomach this morning. Luckily, it still tastes good although it doesn't look nice.

Time flies..Christmas soon

How time flies, now we are already in the fourth quarter of the year. See, we will be celebrating Christmas very soon. Woo...i just can't wait to receive Christmas cards again! I like Christmas to max, other than having Christmas present, i like to have Christmas gathering with my friends and relatives! And, of course the upmost importance thing for Christmas, that's decorating my Christmas tree!

Nothing for the anniversary

Yesterday was an anniversary day for my hubby and me. We had our customary wedding seven years ago, so as commemorate this special date, we had our buffet dinner outside. We took along our kids too. So actually the celebration sounded more fun for my kids rather than for me. :-)

As for the gift, well, i didn't receive anything from my hubby. Of course, he didn't get anything from me too. We in fact did not talk to each other the day before because of some kids' issue. I at first thought he would buy gold for me as what he has promised me, but he didn't keep his promise at last. Perhaps he still kept some sour feeling in his heart that's why he didn't think of getting something good for me.

Man, he only treats you good when you treat him good!

Everything about his art class

My Jo can draw quite well, so as his mother, i always be generous to send him to art class although learning art here is quite expensive as compared to Malaysia.

I paid RMB780 (RMB660 art fee and RMB120 material fee) for the Summer art class (12/7 to 16/8), and on 20/8, i paid another RMB1760 (for one semester which is 5 months) so that he can continue learning his art at this famous art center here.

RMB1760 derived from,
1. RMB660 art fee + RMB120 material fee
2. RMB760 craft fee + RM220 material fee


I got him a drawing tube at RMB48 yesterday from YoYi bookstore, so now he can keep his masterpieces nicely into this drawing tube. It can be stretched to any desired length, for Jo, this drawing tube simply looks like a GUN and he loves to play it. Been playing it for a whole night yesterday.

Once SAHM, always SAHM.

I had been wondering what should i do once my boys started school, at first thought of learning how to be a good baker or had even thought of going out to work again. My neighbor has been persuading me to become her down-line in direct selling, but, i know my strength, i am definitely not good in being a sale person. There is actually a lot of sales jobs available in this market and some even give quite an attractive salary, however, i would rather become programmer again which it was my previous profession. Easier said than done, i can forget about all these learning or working matters because my maid has left hence i have to take care of my little girl.

Showy lady

Today is a special day for both hubby and me, so i didn't want to miss the chance to get something expensive from him. I asked for a branded designer bag but he prefers to buy gold coins for me. His reason is having gold collection is definitely better than spending few thousands on luxury thing which i do not really need it. Man, ultimately cannot read the woman's mind, don't you think the same? I can show off to my friends if i have a good looking and expensive bag, but how am i going to show off to my friends if i keep gold coins? Such a collection only gives safe for my future but i want something that i can show proudly to my friends NOW. Sigh, he said i was such a showy lady!

Carrot Walnut cake

I hardly like any cake that bake with carrot and walnut, but since i have a pack of baby carrots in fridge, i baked a carrot walnut cake just now when my girl was taking her nap. I followed the recipe provided by Betty Crocker, it was actually a very simple recipe that even novice baker can bake it well. Although the preparation is simple and easy, the process of shredding the carrot simply time consuming. I should have bought a good shredder to get my carrot shredded.

It was first time i whipped the cream too, but the skill to frost my carrot walnut cake is simply not consummated.

But, i believe practice makes perfect. :-)

So into baking

I am so into baking lately, but sad to say that i am the always one who has to finish all my baked food because my kids are not so interested in tasting my baked cake and bread, as well as my hubs. :(

Having said that, their not so support attitude do not affect my personal passion over baking, actually i bake even more than before. Be honestly, i love baking more than cooking, or i should say, i am forced to cook because i am a full time mother who has to take cake of my kids' meal.

I have been thinking to learn proper baking skills, who knows it may later become my life long profession? As of now, i can only get custom cake toppers to decorate the cake which i purposely bake for my friend for her wedding day. How i wish i knew how to make fondant...

In dilemma

I have been in dilemma lately about where to let my elder boy be during his primary 1. Studying here or back in Malaysia? But be frankly, i have always wanted the whole family staying together so i really have no heart to send him back alone and let him in care of my in-laws. How sad that we are not affordable to send him to international school here! Like my hubby said, if he studies in Malaysia then we can definitely have extra money to buy gold as investment which will eventually bring benefits to us. Studying in private school here is expensive and learn nothing, if in Malaysia, i believe my boy can learn better than here at least the schools there emphasize in 3 different languages, unlike here, kids master Mandarin well but totally not English. That's why i am so in dilemma!

My first baked chocolate cake ever

The aroma of fresh baked chocolate cake wafting through the house, wow, i can feel my tummy is drumming and protesting here, think i should better take a slice to taste! Although i have been gaining weight quite a lot lately, like what my friend said, i still have ROOM to let the flesh grow....

My not so success chocolate cake, but, don't judge it on its outlook because it does taste heavenly.

The prices of iPad in HK

My friend asked me to check Apple iPad for him if i had visited to HK. I checked for him yesterday at Broadway, Shatin, found that the prices are not cheap too. If i had extra money, i would definitely get one for myself.

The price lists :-
1. with WIFI, 16gb - hkd3888, 32gb - hkd4688, 64gb - hkd5488
2. with WIFI3g, 16gb -hkd4888, 32gb - hkd5688, 64gb - hkd6488

Are you interested in getting one iPad for yourself?

I am lucky although i ain't rich

I think i could be growing up as a rich kid if my father knew how to keep gold coins as investment. I was once told by mum that my father loved to spend his money traveling around rather than save his money properly. Having said that, traveling is still considered healthy as compared to take the money for gambling. So, i still think i am lucky enough because i do not have a father who likes to gamble. Unlike my friend's father, he ruined his family because of gambling. That's why until now even after 20 years, my friend still cannot forgive his father. If not his father loved to gamble, then his mother won't suicide herself.