Miscellaneous Picture #35: CNY and February favourites

February comes and goes fast, being the shortest month but many things have happened. CNY holiday, hubby spending almost 3 weeks with us. It is a wonderful month.

Happy Baa Baa Year

Received 2 hampers this year and one of them is this

I like this hamper the most because of the wooden basket

Beautiful cherry blossoms to beautify the house

The girl helped to put up a "Goat" word on the wall

My girl gave me and hubby this hand-made Valentine's Day card

A belated Valentine's Day gift from hubby - tote bag and shawl from Flying Nomad.

People busy shopping for CNY and the little one cannot wait to have the goodies scanned and paid so he has to munch on some pumpkin seeds while in the queue

A little of a shoe-aholic my Jamie turns out to be!

Too much

After a great CNY food, gathering and late night mahjung and poker games, I were down with germ infection.

It started on 4th day morning when I woke up with sore throat and cough. It got worse on 5th day of CNY when I developed high fever, body ache and headache. Stayed in bed the whole morning till hubby sent me to clinic around 2pm. I have never been that sick and weak in my life! Totally knocked out, and feverish. All I could do was to lie down and sleep.

Doctor gave diagnosis of "jangkitan kuman" (germ infection). So he prescribed me a bunch of medication. Really a heap as for the first time in my life, I had a serious sickness and need to take that lot of medication!

Luckily hubby was still around on Monday and Tuesday. He helped to take care of the kids when I were in bed. Never had been sick like that before. Felt helpless but grateful hubby was helping out with the kids.

Got better on Tuesday and in time for the kids' schools which started on Wednesday. Nevertheless, still no cold, spicy and oily food for me. My throat has not fully recovered and all those CNY titbits are very tempting in front of me. Sigh!

As for Jamie, he is recovering from the forehead wound. The dead skin should come off by itself in few days time. Been to the hospital twice, last time was last Saturday to re-dress his wound as it bled again. Hope he will not be so naughty and climb here and there. It sure hard to cope with an active toddler!

Back to normal

Everything started to come back on 3rd day of CNY.

Most eateries were opened on 3rd day so we would no need to crack our heads on where to eat or bored of having those franchise-owned outlets' food.

Some have opened on 2nd day like this coffee shop called "Smell Good" in Stutong. We actually went to this coffee shop on the 2nd day and only laksa and kolok mee stalls operated that day.

Hubby's uncle wanted to have some local food before open house visiting so after few rounds around Kuching, we found a coffee shop that actually open and nearer to the 1st house that we were going to visit. It was a long wait as business was so good. Lucky no price hike.

And we gone back there the next day because hubby thought the noodle was good and it is convenient and strategic place to have breakfast. My hubby's uncle, cousin and sis and bro-in-laws were driving back to Sibu that morning so we decided to have breakfast there together before they started their road trip back.

We ordered 8 bowls of kolok mee so each of us has a bowl. To our surprise, they came in styrofoam pack which you used for take-away. When asked, the stall operators informed us no staff to wash the used bowls so we had to resort to disposable cutleries. I never like to use those fragile fork and spoon.

Hubby and I shared this bowl of Sarawak laksa which we thought it was nice. I love the fact that they used the smaller vermicelli than those big type.

My bil also had a plate of this Hainanese chicken rice besides the Sarawak kolok mee. He said it was good. Rice was soft and fragrant and the chicken was tender and tasted good. Will give the chicken rice a try next round we are going this way.

Right at the door step

Check out the food catering that we had on the 1st day of our open house!!

We ordered from Rumah Hijau and all this costs less than RM300. They delivered right to your door step so you would not worry about the hassle and stress.

Lemang

I love its lemang and satay which they bought from other outlet.

Beef and chicken satays

We had its curry chicken which I find it was good but not spicy and fragrant enough.

Chicken curry

Different story for its daging masak hitam. It was very good. Well cooked. 

Daging masak hitam

We also have roti canai which everyone enjoyed very much with the "kuah" (gravy).

Roti canai

Of course we ordered its ayam penyet but it was rather dry that day. Still, it tasted good.

Ayam penyet

Eventful eve and the days of CNY

It was nothing but spring cleaning for few days leading to cny. The weather was not kind on us as it was gloomy the whole day so cannot really do our laundry and cleaning.

We bought most goodies last month when hubby were here so we would not be caught in the cny shopping craze.

On the eve I just made some sandwiches for lunch since we had our Malay food breakfast in the morning. After lunch I did final sweeping and mopping around the house.

We also have guests in the house as we have my sis-in-law, her hubby, an uncle and a cousin stay with us. They drove all the way from Sibu on the eve and they will be back to Sibu tomorrow. 

The kids of course enjoying the company and having to spend times with them. 

On the eve, I became an aunt to my new niece. Congratulations to my bil and sil on the new baby girl. And congratulations to my in-laws on their new grandchild.

On a sad note, my Jamie had a fall and he got himself a cut on forehead. Aaarrrgh!

The wounded boy

The karaoke-ing boys 

We were not in good mood to celebrate but we still had our big reunion dinner in Yun Yan Restaurant, Stutong with my in-laws and other relatives. After that we went to hospital to get Jamie's wound dressed. Luckily did not required any stitches. Just cleaning and dressing. Well, it is definitely our first time being in AE on a CNY eve!

Yee sang for a prosperous new year

At midnight of the eve, the honour went to hubby to light up firecrackers in welcoming the Year of Goat.

Firecrackers

Neighbours started to play before 12 midnight and we joined in few minutes before the clock struck 12. The boys could sleep despite the noise but Jan stayed awake to welcome the new year. Everyone stopped before 1am so we have a peaceful and quiet sleep.

I only started to fill up my trays and containers with those goodies on the eve. My girl helped with cutting pork jerky into smaller bits.

Pork jerky

Bacons

I personally prefer the bacon than those pork jerky.

On 1st day of CNY, I cooked chicken mee sua for breakfast. After that our food caterer came delivering the food and we stayed at home most of the day waiting for guests. Will post about the food catering in my next post.

And hubby and others have few rounds of mahjung in the afternoon and evening.

Mahjung

Goodies waiting to be consumed

Also a cake tray of Sarawak kek lapis

Would you believe me if I told you I had a burst water on 1st day???

Just when we thought the ordeal of the eve is over, we had a "water problem" on the 1st day when a guest accidentally broke the tap. Hubby supposed to change the tap prior to CNY but did not get to do it. Luckily we had our BIL at home to help change the tap for us.

We only visited my in-laws and my parents on 1st day. On 2nd day, we went to a couple of relatives' houses. In the evening, for the first time in my life, I gone to a supermarket to shop for dinner!! Last minute decision. We had steamboat for dinner at home!

A relaxing holiday. Not many visiting as did not want to tire ourselves out especially the kids. Jay is still recovering from flu and fever (he was suddenly down with fever on Tuesday) and we need to go back to hospital for follow up on Jamie's wound tomorrow.

Well, it may not be what we wanted for a new year. Not a typical new year at all.

Nevertheless, we must stay positive. To a prosperous Chinese New Year!

My festive greeting

Finally! Everything is set around the house! My basket is done and ready to welcome the lunar new year!

Would like to wish everyone

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR! GONG XI FA CHAI!

Year of Goat, Sheep or Lamb (you name it) but  I hope the new year brings joy, happiness, good health and prosperity to all.

A weekday breakfast

I am a breakfast person. I must have my breakfast or I cannot function well under an empty stomach.

On weekday I would have my Milo with bread or breakfast cereals or just a simple bowl of muesli with milk would do.

On certain day, maybe once a week I will venture to this place in Green Heights to get some pastries for my children.  They simply love its bakes especially the croissants.  They are never bored of the croissants.  Very soft and buttery, fresh as they bake them every days. 

One morning, I went to Skycafe (used to be called Bread & Pastry few years ago) with Jamie to get some bakes. Noticed that they no longer make most of the pastries that I used to have.  A change in their menu I guess.

I spotted their muffins.  Never bought their muffins before. Lovely chocolate muffins and almond butter muffins.

I spent RM14.50 for these goodies!

So I bought one each for my kids to try and they said they were delicious.  I did not taste any of them because once the kids were back from schools, they immediately wallop the muffins.

As for the croissant, it costs RM1.80 each.  That particular day, the croissants were slightly smaller.  Or maybe they do shrink over the years. 



For me, I bought myself their nasi lemak.  RM2.80 per pack I think. I like the sambal, very spicy and have that lime zest as well.  Never fail to make me have a running nose after finished up a pack.

Few years ago they add green colouring to their nasi lemak but am glad they discontinue this practice. It was rather weird seeing your rice green though.

If hubby is here, he would definitely ask me to boil an egg to go with his nasi lemak.  That half an egg is not enough for him!

That is it.  My special breakfast on a certain weekday when I am in the mood to drive that far and for the sake of my children's favourite croissants!

Swimming and the kids

It is a nice Sunday so after much nagging from the kids I brought them for a swim in our resident clubhouse this evening.

After 2 months of swimming classes, Jan and Jay are more confident to go into the pool. Mind you, the children pool of course. I would never let them go to the adult pool till they are fully skilled swimmers. For now they can swim and dip into the children pool all they want to. 

Princess is much better swimmer compared to Jay and every week I can see her progress in her swimming lesson.

And Jamie can only be contented by watching from the poolside. He enjoys watching his siblings in the pool but doesn't he wish to be in there with them? You bet he is but he is under the weather so got to wait for him to be well again before taking the dip.

He gave me a pleasant surprise on one morning while he was playing with his retraceable board.  I were playing with my own phone when I turned over to see what he was doing. And surprise, surprise! An image on his board. Don't you think it looks like a fish?? Maybe he was trying to tell me something. Lol.

Valentine fruit salad

It is Valentine's Day tomorrow!

I made this beautiful fruit salad before dinner yesterday. Had a home-cooked meal. Nothing much as we do not celebrate it anymore. However since hubby is flying to KL today and be there till Sunday, so I decided to cook and make this lovely salad yesterday.

My chilled fruit salad consists of dragon fruits, kiwis and oranges. I love dragon fruits especially the red flesh which is sweeter and tastier than the one with white flesh. But not easy to find red flesh dragon fruits here so I resort to using the white flesh. The kids love dragon fruits as well. Great antioxidant and rich in fiber.

As white flesh dragon fruits could be bland in taste, I added the kiwis and oranges to my salad. Great combination if you asked me. I could just eat them as it is but no, I wanted something different for my salad.

For the kids' sake, I sprinkled salt onto the salad to reduce the sour taste from kiwi and orange.

And I did made a separate dressing for my and hubby's bowl of salad. My honey-citrus dressing was very simple. Just 4 ingredients, i.e. honey, lemon, extra virgin olive oil and salt.

A teaspoon of honey
Juice from half of lemon
Few drops of extra virgin olive oil
A teaspoon of salt

Mix all the 4 ingredients in a bowl. And voila! A very tantalising sweet and savoury dressing. Great for fruit dipping too!

Isn't it a healthy snacking? ^^

Happy Valentine's Day to you!

Perfect fit

Our recent furniture shopping that we did last Saturday!

I always dream of having a counter top in my kitchen or dining room. And now I got one! 

Arrived yesterday afternoon. I love it to every bits.

More or less it is hubby's bar counter as used to keep his precious collection there. Now he has more space to buy more.

Love the colour as it compliments our current built-in cabinets, but need to watch out for the hands of my 3 rascals!

Initially we were looking for some beds for the children but ended up we bought both bed and the counter top! 

This is placed in the boys' room. An additional bed can be pulled from underneath and when not in use, it can be folded and slid underneath the bed. Initially we thought of a double-decker, but could not find a suitable and solid wood type or we worry about the boys' safety. So this bedding arrangement would do for now.

Now most furniture shops are on offer due to the coming CNY so we are happy that we got them for a better price.