The favourite corner

A short post today!! Something to cheer me up on this rainy day. It has been raining almost every morning. So wet!

Today's post is on my humble home.

Introducing my favourite corner in the house. I love this corner very much because of the memories and my nurture of plant.  And the only corner of the house that is mess-free and not a single toys around. I could not see around the house without spotting something belong to the kids or their scattered toys. ^^

I believe everyone has a favourite corner in their homes. 

Lesson from Ah Boy

This is my mum's dog. He was named Ah Boy when we adopted and brought him home after he was found lost in my dad's workshop many years ago. I think it was in 2005 when he became a part of the family.

In memory of Ah Boy

He was actually the 2nd dog to be adopted after the first one, a golden retriever came walking into my parents' house a year earlier.

Ah Boy was lovable dog. He loved children and anyone who wanted to cuddle and pat him.

He passed away on 3 February 2015 morning due to old age. He was actually unwell since early this year but he recovered. Some days he was lying still in his bed but other days he got up and walked around.

That afternoon after I picked up my kids from schools, I broke the news of Ah Boy's passing to them.

Firstly, I told my 6 yo Jay in the car. I took the chance to explain to him on life and death, and he needs to study hard to get better job and able to fend himself. Our conversation as follow:

Me : When mummy and daddy get old, we will pass on to another world. Just like Ah Boy. He was old and he died.

Jay : What happen to me if you died?

Me : That is why you need to study and learn.  When you grow up, you will work and earn money.

Jay : But how I go here and there? I don't know how to drive. I only can ride my bicycle.

Me : When you are bigger, you can learn to drive a car.

Jay : But where I get the money from?

Me : You study hard, get a job and they pay you.

Jay : Oh.  (After a while) I think I get money from daddy's wallet.

Me : !!!!

Then I told my 9 yo Princess after we reached home and she was more rational. She asked me about what we do to Ah Boy's body and where he goes. Don't know dogs go to heaven or not, but I answered her that Ah Boy went to a better place.

And I overheard that she was explaining to her brother on death as people died of old age etc.

Well, at least I think the kids learnt something that day and it was a rare occasion where I educated my kids on death.

RIP to Ah Boy. We will miss you.

Beautiful Sunday morning

I know. I am early today, right? It is Sunday and kids and hubby are still sleeping. Oh yes, hubby is back since Friday evening and will be mostly stay here (except flying to KL twice next week) till after CNY. Great to have him around the house till the holiday.

I could not sleep any more so thought I post something over here.

My usual routine in the morning would be boiling some water, sweep the floor and water the plants. And guess what I saw this morning? 

These little lovely flowers from one of my pots. So happy to see them. Could not help but grab my phone and take a shot of it. Lilac is one of my favourite colours. Beautiful colour, don't you think so?? 

Hope everyone has a beautiful Sunday.

Life, lately

1 word!

BUSY!

But sometimes I am not sure what I am so busy about or how I lament time flies each day. I have been caught up with daily grind of life. No times to rest or think.

Parents who do not have much helps around the house or do solo parenting most of the times, you have my utmost respect. It is mentally and physically exhausting! The toughest job in the universe! Going solo is not a fun game!

If you could take care of an active toddler, cook 3 meals a day, do the laundry, clean the house and same time have the patience with your school-going children and yet not shouting your lungs out and still manage to dress casually and do not look like "aunty", then I am sure you are a real super mum and homemaker! (and probably a bit crazy ^^)

For me, I do not have much times to think of what to wear (unless I prepared the night before) and I do not really care if I have a bad hair day. Guess I am trying to be a realistic mum of three! Lol.

Okay. Let me bring you through my daily routine. Day starts as early as 530am, preparing breakfast and snack boxes for the schooling kids. Princess would wake up and get ready without me waking her up as she has her own alarm clock in her room. After her breakfast, I would send her to school which takes about 5 - 7 minutes depends on traffic.

Sometimes Jamie would wake up before we could get out of the house so he will follow us out. Most of the day, he would still be sleeping with Jay going into the room taking care of him while waiting for my return. Usually Jay would wake up by himself but some days I will wake him up around 7am so he could have a light breakfast and a shower. His kinddy is about 20 minutes drive so  I spend almost an hour sending both kids to schools and back home in the morning.

When the other kids are in school, Jamie and I will stay at home on most days. Once a week I will pick my mum for breakfast and do some "marketing". If time permits, I will do some chores or cook a simple lunch but most of the times, I buy take-away. It is basically challenging to get things done with a demanding toddler who can walk and more adventurous in his exploration. I basically cannot have him out of sight so he gets to follow me around.

Jamie only takes 1 nap a day now. With all the running in and out I cannot blame him for not napping more. He mostly dozed off in the car when gone out to pick the kids. So he will nap about 30 to 45 minutes in the car.

In the afternoon I would be busy with the kids' school works. Have not find any suitable home tuition around here so for time being, no tuition for the kids. Every Tuesday afternoon Jan will go to her music class. Swimming classes are on every Saturday morning so Jan and Jay get to have some exercises that day. For dinner, sometimes I cook, get take-away or join my parents for dinner.

Taking a break or enjoying a cup of tea is considered a luxury. ^^ Evening is the time where I can rest a bit, watching all kids playing and fooling around before call it a night.

And you can also call me a handyman (or handywoman?) of the house. Learnt to change this and that, fix some tools and when ever anything not functioning, I will think of a way 1st before calling for help. Lol.

Another busy but usual week. Sometimes I wish for extra hands but I am happy to be there for my kids. They may not have their daddy around most of the times so I would not want to deprive their needs for mummy. It is not easy but who else to be there if not their mummy? :)

Porridge with electric cooker

My newest kitchen helper that I bought last month. 

It can be used to cook and steam and it is very easy to operate.

I use it mostly for Jamie's porridge. Just throw everything into it, add water to steamer and it is ready once water dried up from the bottom steamer. No need to watch after it as it will automatically off once no water in the steamer.

Jamie's current porridge menu includes minced meat, broccoli, carrot, potato and gingko nuts with a 1/2 teaspoon of Bovril. I used the electric cooker to cook them.

It is hard to find beef Bovril in supermarkets. So chicken Bovril will do.

Since I go solo, I have tried to cut down on cooking time. With the help of electric cooker and using Princess Ribbon's freezing method, it saves a lot of times. 

I'm relieved that I'm getting into a comfortable routine with my kids now.

Big fat lunch

Hubby and I prefer to have our meals in this outlet in Stutong. The very 1st outlet of Imperial Duck is in Jln Padungan and there are mixed reviews about the services there. We encountered unpleasant services there a couple of times. So end up we seldom go there anymore but visit this branch instead.

The services are much better and pleasant. 

Last Saturday we went there for lunch after our CNY shopping. As usual I had its roasted duck drumstick rice. I always ask for extra bowl of its braised gravy (lo ark gravy).

RM8.50

Other than its super tasty and succulent roasted duck, Imperial Duck also famous for its roasted pork belly. Thick slabs of roast that nice to be eaten like that without any dipping but they do serve dipping of sweet sauce and mustard.

RM16.00

And for soups lovers, they also offer few selection of Chinese herb soups.

Hubby had its black chicken with bei-qi, dang shen and mushroom soup that afternoon. I did not taste his soup because I had my own bowl of soup.

I love its fish with ginseng and sai yeung choi soup (below).  Both soups were RM7.50 per bowl.

To balance up our diets, we had its fried prawns with asparagus. Pretty good I had to say although it could do better with less seasoning. However the asparagus was crunchy and fresh and it went well with the peanuts.

RM30.00

The tempting picture of the chicken

We ordered this crystal chicken for the first time that day to try. Wonder whether it was a free range chicken but it did looked like one with the yellow skin. Tough texture but taste-wise, it was nice with the rice wine and ginger as I could taste from the sauce. We ordered  a small portion (RM16.00) of this steamed chicken to try.

I checked from the internet and discovered that the word "crystal" is the homophone for "steaming" in Chinese. So it was basically a steamed chicken. Nothing really special about it. Lol.

Overall we enjoyed our sumptuous lunch despite the price. Total damage that afternoon was RM120.60 plus drinks. Not to mention how much we had spent on clothings and new bedding sets for the kids that morning. The kids are the most happiest and enjoying themselves at the shopping mall.

Happy thoughts

Things that make me happy....

When they get along and do things together

Having some greens in the house

 I do not normally buy this type of stuff (handphone accessories) but could not resist this because I know my girl would love it.

My comfort food! Love this way of eating the canned chicken curry by dipping the bread.

My happy meal where I share my fries with kids

Chinese New Year is less than 3 weeks away and I could not wait to indulge into these sweet and savoury titbits