Just for him

Today 29 September is my White Knight's birthday. We celebrated 2 days in advanced in the Chinese restaurant at Fleminton Hotel.

I treated him and my in law family Poon Choy and Singapore Style Fried Mee Hun.

 

That day was also my SIL (his elder sister)'s birthday. So she bought a pandan layer cake from Ipoh Bakery for herself and her brother.

 

As usual, the princesses gave their papa king their DIY birthday cards. What has made my very cool and serious looking White Knight smile? Let me show you their DIY cards,  from front, content and back.

April's DIY card

Front: Papa, I love you.

Content: Dearest Papa: I wish you Happy Birthday, Best Health and Best of Luck. Papa, you've work hard. Thanks for being so caring. And also, thanks for making the house so clean and tidy. Papa, I love you.

Back: Papa's employer name, Spiderman an Batman. 

May's DIY card

Front: This is my papa old car. haha!

Content: Daddy, I am very love you. Papa, you look like Angry Bird, when you get angry.

Haha! My hand writing is very funny. 

Back: Papa, you really look like Mickey Mouse.

Apparently, I find this so funny. Do you notice there is a flip flap inside May's DIY card? When flip it over, 

Why "Blue bird" ? Ain't their DIY cards very cute, funny, meaningful? 

"I love you because you love me. I hate you because you spoil me. "

Clay crafts

Final  exam is just around the corner, which means all activities have to be freeze till the exam is over on 10 October. Perhaps, my kids are still allowed to have fun with lanterns and candles till this weekend, as it is the mooncake festival. After this, no more computer games, no more TV,  no more outdoor activities until 10 October.

After the exam, I have some plans for them. I will let them resume their swimming course and craft work lessons. Next, I will register them in the express singing lessons, just to prepare them for the coming year singing competition.

Swimming and craft work are all they asked for in this coming year end holiday. The below picture is the latest batch of their clay crafts. I have given away some from the older batch to a few blogger friends as souvenir. I hope they like it.

If you are interested to know what they have done in their previous craft work lessons, here are the links
1.Assorted cupcakes and chocolates
2.School holiday activties 

Maniac Tuesday Morning

Yesterday night, I checked the gate, doors, and windows were all closed and locked. I retired to bed with my two girls at 10.30pm. I let my girls say good night to their Papa over the phone. Before I off the phone, I took a look at the screen to confirm the alarm bell icon was there at the top right corner.

I woke up once to pee in the middle of the night. It was raining and I felt cold. Almost immediately I dozed off with blanket covered up to my neck.

It was the morning sunlight waking me up. To my horror, the clock struck 7.10am. OMG! I overslept for an hour. My 8 years old needs to be at school before 7.20am.

Then only I heard loud BANG at my wooden door.
Every school day morning, my FIL will be here at 7.00am to pick up my 6 years old to her kindergarten.

I was so panic. I didn't know whether I should put on my bra or I should help brushing their teeth.

The worst thing was, I saw my next door neighbor and my opposite road neighbor standing at the fence watching me running here and there. Because of my FIL banging at my door so loud, the whole kampung now knows that I overslept. 

7.20am, FIL sent my 8 years old to school. She was 10 minutes late to school today. Luckily it was a  rainy morning, it gave her a good excuse for being late.

7.35am, FIL returned and picked up my 6 years old to school.

8.00am, Yan drove in a rally car racing to office.

So, please don't mess with me today.

p/s: I miss my alarm clock, thank God he is coming back tonight.

Office workout on funny Friday

Today lunch, I supposed to have this, ten grains tong sui ONLY. I have cooked it on Monday and kept it chill in the fridge at the office pantry.

My besties, Yvonne made me this egg burger. So, I couldn't resist, but to eat it with my already half filled stomach. It is super yummy, I tell you.

After taking lunch, we two glutton mamas, Yvonne and yours truly had to sit on transparent chairs for 2 minutes.

I just want to share with everyone, this is the best office workout that will help to tone up your tights, abs, butt, and back. See, how relax my friend is? If you can do this posture every day, I am sure you can see the different, if you can't, your spouse or your partner sure can tell the different. Muahahaha!

The "Invisble Chair" done anywhere!

1.  Put your back against a wall and your hands clasped together in front of your chest or with your palms resting on your knees.
2.  Walk your feet forward while pressing the entire back against the wall until you have come to a 90 degree angle with your knees.  From the side it seems that you are sitting in an “invisible chair”.
3.  Continue to take deep breaths and hold the position 30 seconds, then move up to 60 seconds or perhaps even 90 seconds!









Today, I also mark another milestone. My first few "virgin" grey hairs was spotted by Yvonne. This is a sign of aging. Sobs......sobs.......

Tell me, will you pluck your grey hair? As I heard that, if you pluck one grey hair, 2 more will grow, true or false?

Malaysia Day weekend

I had a very eventful and happy Malaysia Day weekend. It all started on Saturday noon, a very best friend of me, Louissa, I called her as Sasa, driving all the way from Penang to my house. You may be thinking, just 75minutes journey, what so big deal. She has actually reallocated in US after married. This was her first time driving long journey all alone with only the help of GPS, just to meet me. Bravo Sasa, you did it.

We two have put on weight since the last time we met. Ain't this the best sign of our happiness?

 

Sasa was my colleague in my previous company 10 years ago, and we still have endless topics to talk to each other whenever we meet. Sasa, thanks for the friendship and everything. You must always stay beautiful and happy.

Continue on Sunday noon, Yvonne and myself were going to meet lina, whom I got to know in blogsphere. lina was here to run for Taiping International Marathon. Yes, she was the first and only Gadis that I know who can run like Forest Gump.

Though we just knew each other not too long ago, but we clicked and chatted like old friends the minute we met.This is the power of blogging.

I was actually coming out straight from the gym to meet her at the hotel lobby. Yours truly was in Cotton On active wear. I intended to look more sporty in front of a runner. lina, we talked a lot, but I can remember this remark of you the best for now, "Yan, you tall, why didn't you be a model? .....Sayanglah!..." I take this as the compliment of the day. Thanks for the time to meet up, thanks for helping to deliver the goodies to HHCB, thanks for the lovely "buah tangan" from you and Kathy.

Later towards Sunday evening, we went for an uncle birthday celebration at a cozy Chinese Restaurant. It was an 8 courses dinner.

We, a family of 4 truly enjoyed the dinner and stage performance. 

Now, I start to check the calendar and look forwards to the next Public Holiday, Hari Raya Haji, which is on 26 October.

I heart you morning and night

Most girls find heart shape sweet and cute. That's why heart shape cookies, heart shape jellies, heart shape cakes, and everything in heart shape is popular especially on Valentine's Day.

I have 2 heart shape cutters. One is big and one is small, and I am looking for 1 medium size cutter now. 

Last Saturday morning, I made toast bread with sunny side egg in the small heart shape, which I cut at the middle of the bread. The big heart cutter is too big for the sandwich bread.

Toast breads at both sides, that had spread with planta in HCP.  Break eggs on top of the heart shape. Cover the hcp and let egg slowly cook in low fire.

The egg white was overflowing out due to the small heart shape that I used. I had also slightly burned the bottom part of the bread. All blame to my bad multitasking skills. I was juggling between toasting the breads and kay poh chee at the whatsapp. tsk...tsk..

Last Tuesday evening, I was too tired and lazy to bake, but I knew my girls looking forwards to bedtime snack after their tuition. The simplest thing that I could whip up was pancake.

This time I used the bigger heart shape cutter. I mixed 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of sugar, 1 egg and 1 cup of milk to make 7 pieces of heart shape pancakes. April took 3 pieces and May 2 pieces as their supper that night. Left 2 pieces, both brought 1 piece of pancake to school on the next morning. Happy mummy looking at empty plate.

My next attempt is to make heart shape omelet.

Free shipping from online shopping

Guess what? The online shopping fever hits me again. I placed 2 orders at Cotton On. One on Thursday (06.09.2012), one on Friday (07.09.2012). I received both parcels today (10.09.2012). Again, I placed another order just now.

I got to know this Free Shipping from my blogger friend's FB wall and her blog. Thanks, Barb.

Here are my loots that I have promised to show you.

These 2 items were in my first order, they are Active Tank RM59 and Beach Jogger RM50. Both items will be able to motivate me to stay active in gym. (My excuse of spending.)

 

These were all the items in my second order. From right: my Zoe Oversize in black&white straps RM15, May's Nicola shorts RM15 and Fluttery tee RM18, April's Lola Denim Skirt RM30 and Annabel top RM10.

This is my today purchase. I feel guilty for not buying anything for my husband. I think this Pigment Jersey Pocket Tank RM59 will allow him to flaunt his muscular arms. Ahem!

All together, only RM256 damaged!

The free shipping promotion is still on. Remember to enter "freeship" at the verify code column to waive the shipment charge when you check out.

Doraemon mooncakes 2012

I have got my first mooncakes this year. It is a set of 4 Doraemon moon cakes from Bisgood Bakery.

It comes with a very  girly Doraemon bag. My brother bought it for my two daughters. Thank you, brother.

The 4 flavours are pandan paste lotus with yolk, plain lotus paste, chocolate with almond, and black sesame paste. 

I let my two girls bring mooncakes as their snack to school these 2 days. They like the plain lotus paste and chocolate flavour only.

Though it stated at the packing with low sugar, I still find it a bit too sweet for my liking. May be Bisgood made the mooncakes to suit children's taste bud.

The side effect of baking

I have mentioned in my blog a couple of times that cooking&baking is my 2012 new year resolution. I have started with sweet dessert (Golden glutinous rice balls), deep frying snacks (Sweet potato balls), steamed cakes , baked bread pudding, cup cakes, cake lapis , batik cake, scones, chicken pies, cookies, butter cakes, egg tarts, various fried noodles, pasta.and the list is ongoing. Besides, I also bought a few baking and cooking appliances this year, such as Happy Call Pan, Electric Mixer, and Electric Oven.

The following are my latest attempts in baking.

1.Condensed milk pandan cake (Original recipe from Alice)

120g butter
120g plain flour
1/2 cup sweet condensed milk
40g icing sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp pandan paste
1/2 tsp salt
chocolate chips( I skipped this and replaced with cocoa powder)

Beat butter and sugar til light and fluffy
Add in vanilla essence and salt, beat til thick, add in sweet condensed milk, beat til well incorporated
In low speed, add in flour gradually, mix well
Add in eggs one at a time - around 1minute duration in between
Add in chocolate chips, mix well
Bake in preheated oven of 180degC for 30minutes

2. Pumpkin Butter Cake (Original recipe from Wendy )

200gm sugar
200gm butter
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla
5 large eggs
300gm cake flour sifted together with 1 tsp baking powder
200gm soft steamed pumpkin flesh (I put in 300gm )
Handful of pumpkin seeds ( I skipped this)

1. Preheat oven to 160/180C. Line a 8 inch square pan
2. Beat sugar, butter and vanilla until light and fluffy.
3. Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Add in half of sifted flour, on low speed then beat until well combined.
5. Put in pumpkin and beat until all mushed up.
6. Put in remaining flour and beat until just combined.
7. Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.
8. Bake for 50 minutes or until done when tested with a skewer.

As I put too much pumpkin, the cake had become too heavy to rise higher. Anyway it tasted like kuih bingka. Yummy!

3. Yannie's Egg tarts (2nd attempt) (Ingredients from Lena, Methods from I heart my bakes)

Ingredients for skin:
Butter 190gm, softened
Flour 225gm
Custard Powder 75gm
Sugar 60gm
1 egg (beaten)

Method:
1. Rub butter, flour and sugar with fingers into crumbs. 

2. Add egg bit by bit to form a dough. 

3. Fridge the dough for 30 minutes.

Ingredients for filling:
Boiling water 100gm
Sugar 75gm
Egg 2
Fresh milk 125gm

Method:

1. Preheat oven at 200C for 15mins
2. Dissolve sugar in boiling water, let cool, add egg and fresh milk. Do not beat, just stir and mix.
3. Sift the filling and let the filling mixture rest for about 30 minutes (Note: This is a crucial step so don't skip it)
4. Remove the dough from the fridge. Weigh dough into 20 - 25 gm balls.
5. Flatten with your hands to form a circle.
6. Place into the tart mould (tart mould picture is shown below).
7. Using your thumb, gently mould the pastry upwards.
8. Cut excess pastry using a sharp knife.
9. Prick the pastry using a fork to allow air to escape when the tarts are baking.
10. Blind bake the tart pastry at 180 C for 10 minutes.
11. Cool down for 2 minutes before pouring in the custard until 80 % full.
12. Bake at 180 C for another 15 minutes until the custard is not wobbly when shaken

I usually bake in the evening when my daughters are attending tuition at home. My bakes will become their tonight bedtime snacks, and also their tomorrow lunch box snacks at school. I always be the first one to taste all my own bakes, before I let others to taste it. As a result, I have gained 2 kg this year, albeit I followed my exercise regimen diligently.  Tell me, what can I do to get rid of those calories in my bakes?