Capturing moments

Photography is one of the little thing I practice on lately and put it into action almost instantly
: P and contributed some sought-after-moments of kids presenting during my sons' school's year-end concert.

wrong setting on the camera and caused this...people in the picture almost can't be seen!


trying to rectify with the help from some experts...

By the way, I captured this from a cafe platform by the sea in Pulau Langkawi. Imagine sitting by the sea sipping a cup of coffee... marvellous life moments!

The kitchen

For those of you who still visit here, please excuse me for being away for so long.
During this long holiday, besides keeping kids at home we have more activities going on in the home. Getting them doing homework is another challenge

Besides that, I'd upgraded my kitchen and hope will fill up with more creative cooking and delicious dishes... this space is much needed because we eat home-cook mostly, even visiting guests are treated with a meal or two here. As Christmas is approaching, it's the best time to celebrate some moments in life with love ones and mine I started it from the kitchen.

Parenting challenge

Recently, I stick a note near to my children's writing table which read as 'finished is better than perfect'. and as you know, there's always a reason why I do this...


and not too long after Ryan read that (less than half a day), he turned it into 'unfinished is better than unperfect'... it's hilarious to discover the turnover from this little mind... so, who says parenting is easy nowadays?!

Cheese tart

I like to make things. It's the satisfaction of being able to share things with love ones that count after a long hard work. Store bought tart is not as delicious as the homemade one, moreover the latter could yield more in quantity and everyone could enjoy as many as they want. I'll post the recipe soon in my home cook food collection.

Don't want to go to school...

Started since last week, Ryan would refuse to go to school. The routine is, drags him into the car from house, then upon reaching school, he would start crying like a baby does not want to go in to school. It will need 2 teachers to stop him from running to me.

My child is a very active boy, and he always get punished by teachers, stand at a corner, sit on the last row in the classroom... According to one of his teacher, he said my son is very attentive and able to answer questions fast and precisely despite being 'naughty' sometimes...but certain younger teacher feel hard to tackle and handle him, it's a clash. And I really wish to hear something from them telling me what I should do, I mean from their professionalism point of view?... but too bad, none.

One rule of thumb is that, teacher need to have differentiated initiative to teach different types of students. A single style of teaching might not work in a classroom of 20-30 students.

Cap - modified

It has been sometime I left my sewing machine unattended. With our all year long warm weather, we really need to get our head sheltered. At the same time, I wanted to be a little bit more creative, practically.
Look at this cap which you and I won't bother to take an additional look at ...


and see how it looked now... with two flappy dog's ears. This is more practical than the previous one isn't it? You can try to modify yours now.

Beautiful thing

a do'er do all these...

we ate the most of fish heads... - Garoupa fish head curry Thai style, at least once a week ^_^
really delicious when served with a bowl of hot rice..


mom gave us a few bananas which she got it from the farm we couldn't finished it. then, I decided to make cake out of it - Banana cake


i enjoyed looking at things handmade. they are all very beautiful to me especially those natural wool pillows, they don't have to be very sophisticated. with this travel pillow, I wish I could travel to more places with kids and family...


Let's mov'in and start doing ...

weekending with pizza...

We shop for grocery during weekends, then explore this homebake pizza...yum...yum...

more than a mom...

I'm in the paper The Sunday Star. (3rd from right)
Ms. Lucille Dass is one of the big name in English teaching.
She is a super teacher! My inspiration.

Eating out

I got my wisdom tooth pulled off, the gum was pain for many days and it was accompanied with fever... it wasn't that wise anyway to get it removed. anyway, it was gone now.

I'm getting better now and brought kids to eat out at a Hongkie restaurant. My son said the rice was delicious and he enjoyed the meal ^_^ They know how to enjoy good food and dining out is a luxury thing for them :D

and I like the drinking jar more than the food :P


It was Father's Day over the weekend - Happy Father's Day!

Job Vacancy - General Clerk / Administrator

There is a vacancy available in a food manufacturing co. in Bayan Lepas, they are looking for general clerk/administrator. If you're interested, please email me or contact 012-5889101 for interview appointment.

Sewing project

Kids pants. This is my latest sewing project - completed.
What have you up with recently?

Beg for the sake of children?

Recently, there have been few cases whereby the mother who would bring along with 2 or 3 young children at the age of around few months old to 4 or 5 years old went around neighborhood to ask for money. They came to me as well. What I'll do usually is give them food like biscuits and packaged drink or instant noodles in the hope that those will fill their hunger. Instead, they will still ask for CASH.
They would said:"Satu hari tak makan dah..." and many more pleading words. Then, I handed a 10Ringgit note to her and asked her to get what she wanted to eat. I even suggested her go get a job for herself. One must work in order to fill hunger, not just keep 'stretch out hand' (ask for money/things). How long can you survive by just depending on mercy or donation from others? I asked her to come again in a-week time or so, if she come I'll refer her to local community service centre. They just needed help. Do watch out not to fall prey onto con syndicate.

Parent-teacher meeting

We were called to attend a meeting session with teachers in my sons school. Meanwhile, it was also to collect their assessment result. On results, Ryan in Kindergarten 2, his English paper scored 96/100, Science 94/100, Mandarin 86/100 and a few more papers with 80-95 marks; whereas Russell who is in Kindergarten 1 scored between 65-90 marks in various subjects. Well, I'm not a marks obsessed person. And during this so called teacher-parent meeting session, the teacher had nothing else to say besides showing me their results and keep saying 'there's improvement'. But, I had something to say to them.

I told them not to write the answer on to their exercise book if my children not able to do it. Leave it blank and simply write a 'homework' in the page, I'll coach them at home. I would rather know the truth that my son was not able to do it than being fooled around that they were answered it well.

Another vital and important step they need to practice is trained their traffic warden to close the school gate and watch the students tight, not to let them run towards parent's vehicle approaching the school. I've had a few experiences that my children were running free towards my car in the middle of the road nearby the school. I had to stop my car in the middle of the road to let them in. There were many silent moments - just keep quiet. But whenever Sam says, it means serious! -after many chances given.

We were not only 'lebih-kurang' (more or less) type, also 'tidak apa' (it is okay ajelah) dengan banyak-nye......!

Sewing project

In the mid of busy daily chores, I managed to squeeze some time to indulge in my favourite past time activity - sewing. I sewed a few pants for the kids, some given away to little nephew. My children are the model of my handsewn product :P
It is hard to make them sit still for photo shooting...


Here's a closer look at the design of the pants... it's a grey Japanese fabric which I found it from my mom's scrap fabric box. The fabric of the linings are of Japanese fabric bought from local fabric shop.

No matter how the pants look on them, they're always proud of it. I would like to sew more of this. It is fun and practical!

Sensitive eyes

I have endless experiences dealing with my sensitive eyes and I tried to stay@minimum exposure to monitor screen. I'm now not even able to do the cooking, it was such an uncomfortable when eyes are exposed to cooking heat. If you encountered any effective remedy for irritating eyes, do let me know...

Martha Stewart is in Malaysia!

On Thursday early morning, my son Ryan woke me up early in the morning shouting: "Mummy, mummy, Martha Stewart show is on Friday 9am on NTV7, ah.. your favourite show!" As usual, my respond is: "hahh... ok... Get ready for school now..." I didn't bother and never take what he said seriously. Guess what, when I switched on the TV at 9.40am whilst sweeping the floor, I saw this 'Live with Martha Stewart' on NTV7 'The Breakfast Show'. Then I realized that what kid said might be reliable in certain circumstances!

It's amazing to see this super icon to be in our country. We are so close to her. If have the chance, I would like to know what she likes best (food & living) during her stay here...

why Penang Tourism Board never invite her here, Penangnites and Penang food definitely are as fabulous if not more than those in KL, too bad laa.....

Kindergarten and nursery

I just came back from a workshop on how to teach children better. It's part of my passion in giving back to the society by influencing people around that it's never too old to learn, what's more on young children - they are our future generation.

It's our responsibility to guide and coach, to mold and shape them to become what they want to be. As a parent, I'm always there when my children needed me. There will be moments where you feel proud of them seeing them progress well. If you are searching for preschool for your toddler or kids, here's another option which you can consider - Kiddyhouse.

Once in a blue mood...

These are the things I've been doing - baking, sewing, teaching {when you met 1st-world-income-earner-parent-with-3rdworld-mentality, no matter how passionate you are, it won't be as excited anymore :( }
In order to compensate for the mental suffering, i wear better, eat better and sleep better.

This is my version of hotdog sausages buns ^_^ which likened by family and neighboring friends...


Kids munching away hot buns right from the oven...


Teacher's Day is on 16th this month, and I think I'll sew something like this to give away to some teacher friends...

Vintage sewing machine

I search, buy and buy and keep buying everyday...and recently I'm the happy owner of this vintage sewing machine.ha..haa...happy! I am a sucker for vintage items...I've been looking for one years ago and finally found one...

The not-so-fun part is, this machine is not complete yet, the seller took away the bobbin which supposed to be there when I examined it before purchase. and it left me blank where to get the bobbin and its case for this vintage. I've asked my people to get them for me and hopefully I don't have to wait too long to get those bobbins and cases, and get my sewing kaki to sew together...

There will be more sewing projects coming up next...

Personal grooming

Recently, my friend and I went for a personal grooming workshop. She needed it more than I do because the way she dress really can go for pasar do marketing only and not to mention she is also the wife of a manufacturing boss. When I told her to improve on the way she carry herself, it doesn't has any impact on her. That's why I accompanied her to make the change.
I feel that every girl in college should have go through this kind of make up and grooming course before they come out to work. With good looking and proper attire, we will gain more confident and give better impression to others like able to impress potential business client, securing a dream job, and bla...bla...bla....
showing you the beautiful girl who is our coach... Evelyn


I bought some skincare products, our weather here needed this most - sunblock lotion. I won one as the lucky winner along with other products :D

Soothing drink

Rain started to fall after a long dry spell. The atmosphere is cooling down and the same goes to the mood. Occasionally, brought kids for a dip in the pool.


the penguin float suits the younger one most...


My right eye was very irritating for the past two weeks. It had frequent itchiness which comes from behind the eyeball and experienced some swollen eye. I have a pair of troublesome eyes and they are irritable, uncomfortable from time to time. Really don't know what went wrong. I can only apply a warm towel onto it to soothe it besides taking some chinese medication for lungs heatiness. The lime essence tea definitely helps to get rid of body heat.

Learn more; not just study

With recent released of our SPM results, my brother scored 9As out of 10 subjects with 7A+. Well, it does make everyone of us proud of his academic achievement. My words for him is further the study and go as far as he can go. Most importantly is choose the path that he has interest in.

Having said that, I think he will study for 2 more years in lower and upper six form before going for university. In my time, people asked me to study more in the hope to secure a 'better job' after completed the study. Abuthen... my words for the SPM school leavers are - "learn more for your ownselves betterment". Don't just study from books, learn from all your environment (society) and equip yourself in terms of skills (your capability) and those 'softskills'. We need to have both to survive in this competitive world. Cheers!

Plant more...

It rained for the first time since Chinese New Year and we have a good nite sleep. Everyone is longing for more downpour since the dam water are running low. Since the weather turned extreme recently, one practical way to curb it is to plant more. We had visited to floral fair held at the entrance to Botanical Garden and bought lots of orchid plants and fruit trees for planting.

These plants are in my wish lists. The fair will be held again in June during mid-term school holidays. So, just keep an eye on it...

Pause for tot

I read this article with interest "In Hard Times, Lured Into Trade School and Debt" and the link is here.

These are some of the interesting points:
..."If these programs keep growing, you're going to wind up with more and more students who are graduating and can't find meaningful employment," said Rafael I. Pardo, a professor at Seattle University School of Law and an expert on educational finance. "They can't generate income needed to pay back their loans, and they're going to end up in financial distress."

For–profit trade schools have long drawn accusations that they overpromise and underdeliver, but the woeful economy has added to the industry's opportunities along with the risks to students, according to education experts. They say these schools have exploited the recession as a lucrative recruiting device while tapping a larger pool of federal student aid."

So, if you wish to read the full article, just click on the link I place above. It's good to broaden your view and perspective.

Endless of homework again!

1st term school holiday started and my sons both have endless count of homework - it is writing to be precise! and if you wish to attend reading session, you need to pay 10bucks per day per student. Is that means during formal schooling hour they don't teach reading to kids??? what kind of schooling is this?

Camera battery has worn out, otherwise can snap more picture for you to see.

Parents, if you encounter the same kindergarten experience with me, do share. See what we can do at home to improve our child's learning.