Chinese Medicine

After few days of stomach upset and diarrhoea, and the intake of western medications, Crystal appeared weak, pale and having cold sweat.  For the past week even before the stomach upset and allergy problems, she took more naps  and always complained of tiredness.  She has less energy compare to her normal self and had to stop half way through her taekwando lesson last week.

We decided to bring her to a Chinese medical hall to get an advise on what sort of Chinese Herbs that is good for her to regain her health.  The Chinese medical hall introduced us a Chinese medical doctor just across the road in Foh Sang, Luyang.  

The doctor checked on her pulses and throat.  He suggested that Crystal should not drink any cold drinks, cooling tea, no chicken and eggs, no white radish (white lo pak) in her diet, for fruits, only red apple is allowed.  Here are the tablets she has to take 3 times a day 4 tablets each for 5 days.  Due to school time, we only managed to give her medicine twice a day. 

She is regaining her energy after taking the Chinese medicine.  Thank you Lord and His touch on my little girl for helping her to get well and  rejuvenate her body.  

My mum has discharged from the hospital yesterday after admitted on last Thursday due to severe vomiting and diarrhoea.  Will bring her to see this Chinese Medication Doctor for some herbs supplements.

This Big World

My girls loves to watch the Winx Club on youtube. They particularly like the theme song "This Big World". They always song along and also want their singing to be recorded on my hand phone again and again.  Later, they will playback to hear how their singing like.   They have got the interest in singing, probably this is inherited from the Daddy, a little bit of the Filipino side of them.

With the request of my girl, she wants this video clip to be embedded in my blog, so she can be reminded this is one of her favourite songs when she visits my blog in months and years later.

On the other note, I have received a giveaway prize from Hayley through Poslaju yesterday. In fact it was delivered to my home but we were out to work and school. I only managed to collect it from the Pos office the next day. A souvenir from New York during her holiday to the US last year.  Thanks Hayley!! It is now on our fridge together with the rest of my collection of magnets.

Handicraft work at Primary 3

My eldest just loves doing handicrafts.  She brought back some of her finished projects at the end of last year's session when the school term ended last year.  She has been reminding me to post them on my blog since last year but I was ever so busy that I have been delaying her request.  When we asked her to clean up her messy work desk tonight, she found them, again she asked whether I have posted on my blog.  I know I can't delay her request any more as I have promised her to do so.  

These photos are taken by her to make it easy for mummy to post it on her blog..*.*

Again this year, she chose handicraft as the 1st choice in her school's extra curriculum activities.  I expect  to see her hands, face and uniforms with colouring and paint at the end of each class.  No doubt with more of her crafting stuff at the end of the year.    

Experiencing Archery

That was last weekend we stumbled upon this archery shooting outlet at 1Borneo.  It's the first time our girls experiencing the bow shooting game of Archery.  

We paid RM12.00 for 24 arrows/bows for 2 players meant for my 2 girls.  I myself had participated an Archery competition organised by my previous employer more than 10 years ago where I got a 3rd placing among my peers.  I can tell you that I am a born Archer as I am a Sagittarian woman, ^.^  I should have pursued as an archer who knows I can bring honour to the country..{dreaming}.

Back to the archery game:

guide on how to hold the bow set and aim by daddy

a guide on the posture by the staff

aiming to shoot 

Pearl rejected to the game at first but willing to have a try after seeing her jie jie having fun towards the end. Only 2 bows left for her by then.  She is still too small and not strong enough to handle the bow set.  At least they have got some idea of what Archery is about through this game.

McDonald's Collectible Toys : Strawberry Shortcake - Orange Blossom

To avoid disappointment, we went to purchase the last release of the Strawberry Shortcake's friend, the Orange Blossom, on last Saturday.  This time we just bought the toy figurine without having the Happy Meal.  That's made the collection with only Strawberry Shortcake's Friends without the Strawberry Shortcake herself.*sigh*.  

Clet has asked for his friend's help, whose wife is working with McDonald, to get hold of the Strawberry Shortcake figurine but unfortunately there is no stock left.

These figurines are so adorable, of course it would be nicer if we have the complete set of them as collection. At the moment they are placed on our girls' bed head frame like this.

We shall watch out for the next McDonald's Happy Meal collections to add on to our girls' collections.

My Little poet

Exam is over.  Lessons has slow down a lot in school, teachers are busy marking and compiling the results.  1st semester is almost come to an end in a few days time.  My girls are bringing back a new batch of text books and work books from school.

Having a free time during her computer class lesson yesterday,  Crystal lets her inspiration flow and became a little poet, sketches of drawings and poems for Pearl, Mummy and Daddy.  She showed her works to me last night, instead of giving her complements, I questioned her instead. Questioning her where did she copy the poems from.   Because the poems are too nice for me to believe that they were written by her at this age.  Her poems go like this:

[To Pearl]
When I am down,
and maybe frown,
You always help me before dawn,
You have the crown,
The crown of love,
and may the Holy Spirit come to you as a dove.


[To Mummy]
You really love to cook,
Take your apron from the hook,
You know how to read cook book,
But I only know how to read a story book.

[To Daddy]
Please do not give up,
I'll help you fill your cup,
With the help of a job,
we can finally not mob.  
{not mob??  what does it mean?? She said she was trying to figure out the last sentence, but couldn't make any sense out of it, hahahaa...]

I especially like the one for Pearl,  it shows how appreciative she is towards her little sister,  when she is down Pearl is always there to cheer her up,  it shows the closeness between the two of them.  How sweet!! Keep up the good work my little Poet!!

  

Christmas Carolling

We have been busy for the last 2 weeks or so. Our girls started their carolling after we had a short trip to Tawau. They were having fun going house to house sending the good news on the second coming of Jesus Christ. This is the first time they joined the Kids of the Kingdom's carolling group. This is the youngest carollers from our church, kid age as young as 3 years to 9 years, parents are advised to accompany them during the 4 days of carolling. Inevitably we as parents join in as part of the carollers as well. The kids are so very excited when receiving goodies, food & drinks at the church members' houses that we visited.

Crystal continues to join the elder group of the Children Liturgy's carolers this week. It's our turn to welcome them to our home on Wednesday. I bought some chocolate biscuits and packet drinks as goodies for them to bring back.

As carollers, our girls brought back bags and bags of goodies. Now our home are filled with goodies, pray and hope that with God's Blessing, our coming new years will be sweeter than previous years. It's truly an experience for Crystal and Pearl this Christmas for joining the carolling.

Drawing...with Stickers this time

By using a packet each of the 3D stickers from their Uncle James Yong , Crystal and Pearl put together their minds, thoughts and creativity on their drawings.

After finishing their projects on last Sunday afternoon, they proudly showed their art works to me. Crystal insisted that I should put them on my blogs.

With 3D stickers on drawings is something new they have come out with, created an overall 3D effect, good ideas girls!!

by Crystal

By Pearl

"Competitive" weekends

We had a very busy and "competitive" weekends. Both of our girls went out for competitions.

Pearl went for a singing competition on Saturday. Crystal would like to attempt the word search competition on Sunday.

After winning a 7th placing in her school's singing competition last month which has boosted her confidence in singing, Pearl is eager to take part in singing competition again, this time outside her school.

Pearl and her little friend, Samantha, she is small in size but with good voice. She was the champion in the school singing contest and got the 5th placing on the Saturday's contest.

This singing contest was organised by an event organiser inviting children of 3 different categories to take part, that is 5-6 years old, 7-9 years old and 10-12 years old. Pearl belongs to the youngest categories. After the competition, we realised that besides the 3 students from Pearl's kindergarten, the rest are all from music or vocal schools. They have been taught of the technique of singing and dancing on stage, whereas Pearl just had a little guidance from her school teacher. That was the main losing edge.

Pearl is singing and dancing on stage

Helping her daddy to control the video cam

Enjoying ice cream while watching and waiting for the other 2 categories to finish their contests before result could be announced.

Too tired of waiting for the result, taking a rest.

Pearl was very disappointed that she was unable to win any prize, she told us that she has done well in her singing and why not prize for her, we had to explain to her that she have done very well, which she did, better than the competition in school, but other kids have done better because they have professional singing teacher to teach them, that's the advantage.

Though she did not win any prize, we are so very proud of her, especially seeing her going on stage to sing without fear and with full of confident. Pearl, you have conquered the fear which mummy has no guts to even think of trying. Keep it up!!

Crystal went for another competition on Sunday, this time was the word search competition, occasionally she tries on some word search exercises in the work books. She managed to find all the words in the contest but probably she was not fast enough to complete the tasks as compare to others students, she too did not win any prize this time. But she managed to win herself a magnetic book mark by answering question in the quiz. She said better than none ".".

What a "competitive" weekends we have had. We treat these kind of activities as training ground for them to gain experience plus exposure and hopefully to unleash their potentials in areas they are good at.

Pearl's achievement in singing contest

I still remember clearly that Pearl was screaming and crying fiercely when her teacher and me trying to bring her on stage to sing along with her fellow school mates during Chinese New Year's performance one and a half years ago. We ended bringing her away from the stage, the group singing without her.

It was a jaw dropping situation when we saw her singing solo in her school's singing competition yesterday, everyone of us, including her teacher still in disbelieve that she could have such a breakthrough, she got 7th placing (coincidentally she was the 7th contestant as well) among the 20 contestants , bringing a big trophy home with her for the 1st time. Pearl is very happy, and we can feel the sense of achievement in her though she didn't manage to get into the top 4 placing.

We would like to thank her teacher for giving Pearl the opportunity, for her encouragement, her time in training and guiding Pearl from the audition stage through the final stage of the competition, she even gone through the trouble of looking for a suitable outfit and accessories for Pearl from the school's collections which otherwise the parents have to provide. Pearl brought home 2 outfits to choose. As a busy mum, I only realised in that very morning that the only accessory lacking is a suitable necklace to match the outfit, from the rushing hours in the morning, I found my own handmade designed beads necklace and let her used it, it is one of the pieces of necklace that I put together some 3 years ago when I was very much into beading works. It is not a matching piece of necklace but it is better than none.

Pearl and her fellow contestants

Singing on stage.

I was very nervous while waiting for Pearl's turn to perform as if I was the one who was going to sing on stage *faint*.

photo with her school teachers

The finalists with their trophies

Pearl performed very well. Crystal has gone to school and was unable to attend. The daddy did not let her miss out this special event, he recorded it down and let Crystal watched it at home right after school.

with proud mummy

and daddy

having light lunch after the function

Simple but well accepted

Last night, when I told Crystal I am going to prepare her sandwiches for her recess time today, she said no, not again... I guess it was not because of my sandwiches no nice, I knows she prefers more solid food, like rice or noodles, that kind of food, just like me.

So to make sure she eats her food during recess time, I asked her what she would like to have, I will tapau for her. She said "Huh? The same old food again?" she has been having fried rice, meehoon from school's canteen for the past eight months, I understand how she feels, boring with the food there already.

"I want the mee you cooked." She said. "That's mean, you want mummy to wake up very early to cook for you?" I told her. After thinking twice, she said "Why other people can and you cannot? If really can not then never mind la mummy!" Goodness, she is challenging me!!

As I know she had enough of the canteen's food, I made a point to get up earlier this morning (just happened that Clet has to catch and early freight to Sandakan). After he left, I quickly cooked up a simple mee with dried shrimps and egg for Crystal.

On the way to school, I told her I have cooked the mee she requested and do expect it to be less tastier cos it's mummy's cooking, always less salt and seasoning as much as possible, if she doesn't like it then she may buy food from the canteen.
Curiously, I asked her how is the mee when I fetched her from school just now, I was very surprise to know she loves the mee and so does her friend whom she always have tea break with. She asked whether she can have the same again tomorrow "__", that's means I have get up much earlier again la... Will try *O*.

A surprise for me

Crystal came home from school with a bunch of Taiwanese Pak Choy in a plastic bag. The Daddy was surprise and started to question her. She told her Daddy that she bought it from school to surprise me. Not that she likes to eat vegetable but she knows I always buy vegetable and must have a dish of vegetable in every meals if possible.

I heard with disbelief when Clet told me about it after fetching Crystal from school this afternoon. I was very touched with her act and the thoughtfulness that she possesses at her tender age. She spent her little pocket money to buy me vegetable from an elderly lady who is selling vegetable in her school. She said she is the only student patronising while the rests were all parents.

We cooked the vegetable that she bought for dinner but she only ate a bit. It is just meant for me, she said.

To avoid her from buying vegetable from school again which is not practical for her. I keep reminding her that mummy has got plenty of vegetable in the fridge so please do not buy for me. She just smiled.

The best birthday present

I have not been participating Tuesday Toot for quite a while , and I am back this week cos I have to give my precious little daughter, Crystal, a "Toot" for her wonderful birthday card that she had personally designed for me on my birthday last Wednesday, 2nd December.

She insisted to draw me a birthday card just an hour before the birthday dinner. She has also insisted her Daddy to buy me a birthday present on the very afternoon, popping in and out of the boutiques in the shopping complex, and finally, she decided on a floral long skirt for me. She was so tired that she felt asleep in the car on the way to fetch me off from work.

The messages in the card is simply pure and sweet though with some spelling mistakes which I do not mind at all. I love her thoughtfulness and her creativity. I read the card again and again, and always put a smile on my face each time I read it. This has become the wall paper for my computer at work. It takes the work pressure off me by looking at it. :D

Thank you, my precious Crystal, you have given mummy the best birthday present ever, love you lots!!

Especially designed by Crystal

Home baked pizza

Nice to have public holiday! Got the chance to bake something in the oven. I bought a 10" pizza pan the other day, and eager to try baking a pizza. It's a home baked pizza cos I used the pre-packed pizza flour for the dough by just adding on the toppings so it's not a home made pizza.

my new 10" pizza pan
Our girls have longed been asking me to make a pizza after seeing one of the Barney VCD last year. After pressing the dough on the pan and spreading a layer of thousand island dressing, I let them put the toppings on the dough however they want it. They enjoyed the task very much.

An unbaked pizza fully packed with chicken sausages, crab stick, mixed vegetable and shredded cheddar cheese. It is too thick than I was worried whether the dough can be cooked probably or not, I took the chances by putting it into the oven anyway, just need a bit longer baking time.

The baked pizza after 30 minutes. 10 minutes longer than the instructed baking time.

Crystal kept saying it's very delicious, she finished the whole portion of her share (cos she is very hungry at tea break, no lunch earlier on for the day).

Like usual Pearl eat some and play at the same time, she only ate the toppings but not the pizza bread.

The pizza bread is not as nice as expected. Probably I should make my own dough from scratch next time (only if I have got the time :C)

Our saturday

As a full time working mum, I always look forward to weekends. It's so relieve that I still can go back to sleep when I am awake at 6am during weekends, that I got to spend some time with my girls, not sit around but being around with them at home even though I am always busy with the never ending house chaos. Praying hard to become a WAHM with a helper so that I can spend quality time with my girls, being with them every single moment is a precious moments to me...though there are times they drive me nuts..:@

Our niece, Kathleen, came visit us today, and our girls are shouting with joy because we have been waiting to have her around. Kathleen brought along two VCDs. Their afternoon were filled with activities. They watched VCDs, surfing the web, colouring, blowing bubbles, sharing "junked" food (keropok & jellies), decorating cup cakes, went to church and had dinner together after the mass. Pearl was so exhausted that she dosed off right after dinner at the shop. Too excited to having Kathleen around that she did not take her afternoon nap.

watching TV while having afternoon tea with the cupcakes which they put the toppings on

the cupcakes that I baked for tea

colouing session in progress

Reward For Good Results

To reward for her good academic result, Clet bought Crystal a cookery set as gift, she chose it herself. She attained a 2nd place in the class in her first year of kindergarten, which is not bad at all considering she never had any tuitions and playing computer games at her free time most of her time.

The school awarded her a medal for her good achievement

A cookery set was given by Daddy as a reward for job well done.
Crystal was playing

and Pearl joined in

As usual, they disagree with each other while playing the cookery set, Pearl went off and grabbed a book to read by herself; As big sister, Crystal came round and pujuk her :D