Today I read someone posted in an FB group about her daughter who's now going to sit for her SPM exam soon. The school she's in, or rather, the teachers she has, are rather "occupied" with other stuffs during lessons time and so, she had to find other means to learn and proceeded to sit-in in other classes while their teachers are teaching. Now, isn't that an amazing story of a teenage girl in our national school? This is what successful parenting is. Stop telling to everyone (who mainly doesn't want to know) what your little 5 or 6 year old did so sweetly or caringly to you, cause really, they are children and children are supposed to be innocent like that.
There were many comments and "likes" on her post, and one particular comment was about blaming the system, not the teachers who might be absolutely overloaded with too many tasks.
Now, though I don't really support the current education system we have, it's far from perfect, but what I loved most of this girl is that she had make the best out of what life is throwing at her. I love that.
And this is what I wish to see happening in my children too. I don't wish them to grow up to be blaming on the system, the society and basically everything else for whatever it is. Stop blaming, stop giving excuses, stop justifying for your actions and don't expect the universe or your parents to give you everything you need or want in your life. Nobody owes you anything. Work for it. And you will benefit so much from it too.
Friday, July 19, 2013
Thursday, July 18, 2013
With just sharing some wanton wraps, I get more than I bargained for!
One day I made too many wanton wraps with fish paste and I passed on some to 2 of my neighbors.
One of them reciprocated with 2 loaves of bread and it was absolutely mind blowing!
It was so soft and fluffy, I thought it wasn't possible that it was homemade.
I then asked her how she made it and that she MUST teach me!
She then sent me a link to this secret ingredient to making soft fluffy bread/ buns. I was so eager to try on it, that I did, but it turned out not so amazing as hers. So I wondered what went wrong. When I searched through the blog, I learned that it wasn't good enough to estimate the amount of ingredients used and it's best to invest in a digital kitchen scale for absolute accurate measurements.
I went high and low to search for it and lo and behold, it doesn't come cheap. Spent over 100 bucks for that kitchen tool, but it did turned out very useful indeed. Not only measurements was done accurately, tasks were also done faster and easier. I am a happy camper.
And the bread? Turned out absolutely fantastic!
I think the bread maker is the next best thing in a kitchen, apart from blender, the 4-in-1 oven and the pressure cooker. Go get one if you haven't yet and try this absolutely awesome recipe I'm sharing now with you....
One of them reciprocated with 2 loaves of bread and it was absolutely mind blowing!
It was so soft and fluffy, I thought it wasn't possible that it was homemade.
I then asked her how she made it and that she MUST teach me!
She then sent me a link to this secret ingredient to making soft fluffy bread/ buns. I was so eager to try on it, that I did, but it turned out not so amazing as hers. So I wondered what went wrong. When I searched through the blog, I learned that it wasn't good enough to estimate the amount of ingredients used and it's best to invest in a digital kitchen scale for absolute accurate measurements.
I went high and low to search for it and lo and behold, it doesn't come cheap. Spent over 100 bucks for that kitchen tool, but it did turned out very useful indeed. Not only measurements was done accurately, tasks were also done faster and easier. I am a happy camper.
And the bread? Turned out absolutely fantastic!
I think the bread maker is the next best thing in a kitchen, apart from blender, the 4-in-1 oven and the pressure cooker. Go get one if you haven't yet and try this absolutely awesome recipe I'm sharing now with you....
Partying with my high school friends
Last Saturday evening, I had a gathering with my high school friends, mainly to welcome home 2 of them who were back from US.
We had such a fabulous time that we didn't want to go home, until it was 1.30am. My oh my, when was the last time I partied till early hours of the morning? I was a bit terrified to go home that late, with all the crimes we often hear happening around town. But fortunately, one of them whom homecoming was the celebrated occasion, followed me home to stay for the night or two.
After which we continued our chatting till 4.30am! Holy moly! I know I would be getting the payback time the hard way for the week after.
True enough, it had been, what, like 5 days now, and I feel like I'm not getting any better! I feel exhausted, lethargic, pain even, in my whole system from head to back to toes. Argh! This is so not good. Next time, if I wish to take a day off, I'd better take the whole week off!
As for the family, hubs took the kids to dinner, and apparently, they had McD. They happily told me how awesome that what-what burger which they wanted to try for the longest time (but mommy always say no to McD) is! Ahh... glad that they had a good time with their papa. Me thinks I ought to go out like this more often!
We had such a fabulous time that we didn't want to go home, until it was 1.30am. My oh my, when was the last time I partied till early hours of the morning? I was a bit terrified to go home that late, with all the crimes we often hear happening around town. But fortunately, one of them whom homecoming was the celebrated occasion, followed me home to stay for the night or two.
After which we continued our chatting till 4.30am! Holy moly! I know I would be getting the payback time the hard way for the week after.
True enough, it had been, what, like 5 days now, and I feel like I'm not getting any better! I feel exhausted, lethargic, pain even, in my whole system from head to back to toes. Argh! This is so not good. Next time, if I wish to take a day off, I'd better take the whole week off!
As for the family, hubs took the kids to dinner, and apparently, they had McD. They happily told me how awesome that what-what burger which they wanted to try for the longest time (but mommy always say no to McD) is! Ahh... glad that they had a good time with their papa. Me thinks I ought to go out like this more often!
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Swimming lessons for the children
My children have never had a swimming coach before other than myself. Saved for the only time when kor was only about 3, I think, that he did go for 30 mins swim lessons with someone in Brunei. It was just utter rubbish, I felt, as the teacher just taught him to blow bubbles, paddle his hands and feet in the water with floats on his arms for those half an hour sessions. After some few weeks, I thought I was taken for a ride and that was just a waste of money and time.
From the word go, I had guided them to swim the breast stroke myself, and after so many years, they did know how, like finally. But I am not so convinced yet that they are able to tread water or handle the deep pool without my constant watching over like a hawk still.
Recently, I got to know a highly recommended swim coach for kids and adults who works differently than mostly what we hear. He gives his guarantee period of 12 weeks that you would be able to swim and graduate from his course and able to learn all the different strokes, except butterfly, and learning to survive in the sea and the know-hows in challenging scenarios. That is something really new and practical to learn, ain't it?
I took the 3 of them for a trial lesson with him, and after the 1 hour, he told me that they swim pretty well and asked me if they had any coaches before. I was rather surprised as I thought my teaching method might not be the most proper technique and they might have a lot of areas to be corrected on *giddy*. He is pretty satisfied with their level and he said they could adapt very well to his pointers. I would also like to add that he commented about kor asking a lot of good questions, which I was so glad to hear. I do like that, kids asking questions whatever they don't understand.
Anyway, he is just so popular that he currently has no other slots available for us, hence we have to wait until there's any.. I can't wait to see them learning other new things from him and enjoying the pool more than just splashing around. Perhaps I could even relax more when we go for beach holidays or pools with deeper ends. Ahh.. that's what I really am looking forward to, I guess.
From the word go, I had guided them to swim the breast stroke myself, and after so many years, they did know how, like finally. But I am not so convinced yet that they are able to tread water or handle the deep pool without my constant watching over like a hawk still.
Recently, I got to know a highly recommended swim coach for kids and adults who works differently than mostly what we hear. He gives his guarantee period of 12 weeks that you would be able to swim and graduate from his course and able to learn all the different strokes, except butterfly, and learning to survive in the sea and the know-hows in challenging scenarios. That is something really new and practical to learn, ain't it?
I took the 3 of them for a trial lesson with him, and after the 1 hour, he told me that they swim pretty well and asked me if they had any coaches before. I was rather surprised as I thought my teaching method might not be the most proper technique and they might have a lot of areas to be corrected on *giddy*. He is pretty satisfied with their level and he said they could adapt very well to his pointers. I would also like to add that he commented about kor asking a lot of good questions, which I was so glad to hear. I do like that, kids asking questions whatever they don't understand.
Anyway, he is just so popular that he currently has no other slots available for us, hence we have to wait until there's any.. I can't wait to see them learning other new things from him and enjoying the pool more than just splashing around. Perhaps I could even relax more when we go for beach holidays or pools with deeper ends. Ahh.. that's what I really am looking forward to, I guess.
Saturday, July 06, 2013
Saturdays are for movie nights.
During the mid year 2 weeks long break this year, we watched quite some nice movies at home together. Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Superman (the 1978 first ever which was .... urgh... painful to watch!), Jack the Giant Slayer, oh, that was such a fun movie to watch with them. I think it was even more fun to watch them watching it, cos they were too engrossed and kancheong as the movie rolled.
After the school resumed, some of the Saturdays were spent on a movie night as well, and meimei once (well maybe not only once) just fell asleep on the couch halfway through. I suggested to her that perhaps we could bring the TV up to our room, get all snuggled up in our PJs and watch on our beds and mattresses so it doesn't matter if she falls asleep anytime. She LOVES that idea.
I could just imagine our lovely Saturdays family time movie night would be a lovely memorable childhood for them, just like how I reminisced spending some of the evenings with my parents and brothers in the living room all sprawled on the floor, sleeping on mattresses, lights were off, watching those TVB drama series or special events like Miss HK Pagean together.
When I asked hubs to get a smaller TV for our room, he then said he's planning to buy a 55" smart tv to replace the one in our living room, and bring the current 42" up to our room. And today he saw a promo for that said TV for RM8k! My goodness! I still maintain that it's a lot of money to be spent on an idiot box never mind it's called smart tv. That's what he always does... spending money unnecessarily on the wants and not the needs. I gave him my smart advice, if price is 3-4k, it's a good buy, nothing more than 5k, that's really quite the max he should be going for. Argh! Men!
After the school resumed, some of the Saturdays were spent on a movie night as well, and meimei once (well maybe not only once) just fell asleep on the couch halfway through. I suggested to her that perhaps we could bring the TV up to our room, get all snuggled up in our PJs and watch on our beds and mattresses so it doesn't matter if she falls asleep anytime. She LOVES that idea.
I could just imagine our lovely Saturdays family time movie night would be a lovely memorable childhood for them, just like how I reminisced spending some of the evenings with my parents and brothers in the living room all sprawled on the floor, sleeping on mattresses, lights were off, watching those TVB drama series or special events like Miss HK Pagean together.
When I asked hubs to get a smaller TV for our room, he then said he's planning to buy a 55" smart tv to replace the one in our living room, and bring the current 42" up to our room. And today he saw a promo for that said TV for RM8k! My goodness! I still maintain that it's a lot of money to be spent on an idiot box never mind it's called smart tv. That's what he always does... spending money unnecessarily on the wants and not the needs. I gave him my smart advice, if price is 3-4k, it's a good buy, nothing more than 5k, that's really quite the max he should be going for. Argh! Men!
Wednesday, July 03, 2013
One of those fights.
After an incident the other day where meimei wrote something bad about her brothers and korkor wrote the forbidden word in it whilst didi wanted to show her friends what she did, I was flabbergasted and scolded them that 2 wrongs won't make a right, moreover that was 3 wrongs altogether.
And I began my little reminder to them...
1. 3 of them are siblings for life, when they are grown up and when we are not around anymore, they only have each other, whereas friends come and go, there aren't such things as best friends forever. (well, maybe if they are lucky like me, they could find one or two as life goes on...)
2. It's not anything to be proud of to bring his own sister down in front of her friends. He gets nothing at the end of the day and it's a big shame to him too.
3. Uttering the forbidden word or even writing it down is NOT cool AT ALL! I was furious! It only shows one has no mind of his own and is only following what others are doing.
4. In any case, they ought to reflect back on themselves why she wrote such things. Had they been good to her in the first place? Before pointing out the problem on others, take a look back and check whether the problem is from themselves in the first place.
On and on I repeated the same points. Though I am not in much contact with my brothers now, but I still love them very much and I know I can still depend on them when I need to. And it's a big privilege to have siblings to grow up together, rather than alone, being the only child. That is why I went through the hard labor of pregnancy, giving birth, bringing them up just so they have each other. And nothing pains me more than seeing my own kids in hatred. It's ok to have some fights now and then, but that should contain in the home, outside, they need to look out for one another.
Have I got this clear? When will these messages could ever stick to their hearts, minds, brain, blood and soul? Argh!!!!!
And I began my little reminder to them...
1. 3 of them are siblings for life, when they are grown up and when we are not around anymore, they only have each other, whereas friends come and go, there aren't such things as best friends forever. (well, maybe if they are lucky like me, they could find one or two as life goes on...)
2. It's not anything to be proud of to bring his own sister down in front of her friends. He gets nothing at the end of the day and it's a big shame to him too.
3. Uttering the forbidden word or even writing it down is NOT cool AT ALL! I was furious! It only shows one has no mind of his own and is only following what others are doing.
4. In any case, they ought to reflect back on themselves why she wrote such things. Had they been good to her in the first place? Before pointing out the problem on others, take a look back and check whether the problem is from themselves in the first place.
On and on I repeated the same points. Though I am not in much contact with my brothers now, but I still love them very much and I know I can still depend on them when I need to. And it's a big privilege to have siblings to grow up together, rather than alone, being the only child. That is why I went through the hard labor of pregnancy, giving birth, bringing them up just so they have each other. And nothing pains me more than seeing my own kids in hatred. It's ok to have some fights now and then, but that should contain in the home, outside, they need to look out for one another.
Have I got this clear? When will these messages could ever stick to their hearts, minds, brain, blood and soul? Argh!!!!!
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