我是幸运的。
上天眷顾我，让我在决定走出去创造我的未来那一刻，选择了正确的团队。
这里没有勾心斗角，没有你愚我诈，没有暗箭，最重要的是没有消极。有的是支持、扶助、提携与积极的能量。
KH、MZ、SY....每个都帮了我很多、很多。不仅是来自训练，或得到那第一张支票，更重要的是在我面对低潮时，怎样坦然面对。
经过半年的心理建设，很多看法都有所改变，人也比较豁达、正面。是时候了，一直认为自己不可能做的事，我决定跨出那框框。上苍又再一次地把幸运之手搭在我肩上，第一位让我联系上的，竟是需要我帮助的人。就这样的，过程极其顺利地开始、进行、结束。F，欢迎你加入我们的大家庭！我相信你已经找到创造未来的地方......
人的一生怎么走，就看你怎么想。
一路走来，风风雨雨。
这半年可说是近十年来，最“平静”的半年。“静”--不是思潮的静、不是生活无趣的静、不是终日无所事事的静，而是心湖的静。At peace with oneself。
对新环境的期待，新生活的憧憬，接踵而来的却是家里传来的噩耗。我真的好恨！为什么又要让我面对失望，对人性的自私感到彻彻底底的绝望？？
回顾当初，我有所领悟--这是上苍给我的一次机会。与其固执的抓着过去了的承诺，不如积极地去创造自己的未来。曾经认定理想的工作，是配合自己性格的。真天真啊！别人的成功一定是因为他们幸运。好无知！自己决不比任何人差。好狂妄！
当一个人的心灵真正地开启，蒙蔽多时的双眼自然会变得雪亮。其实，身边的许多人、事、物都是值得学习的对象。没有人可以幸运一辈子，一味只懂得批判，不懂得欣赏，拴住了自己的心，阻碍了自我发展。
今天，我过得更自在、更快乐。
朋友们，希望你们都能打开心灵之窗，让快乐的暖流流进！
This is so funny!!! En's trying to see what her teacher is doing.... hahaha..
4.30pm - Off to fetch Daddy.
4.55pm - Still early. Let's take some pics around IMFT.
5.15pm - The beginning to a LONG overnight ride.
We stopped at Wendover for dinner. Wendover what??? Heard of Las Vegas? Wendover is just like a mini Vegas, with Casinos everywhere. Besides Casinos, there's nothing else. It's actually a 'regular hangout' for some of K's colleagues..... nearer than Vegas, with better odds for 'gamers'.
Then it's on the road again.... Along the way, whether it's a small town or big cities, there's 1 thing in common - CASINOS! So, Nevada is all about gambling.....
Have I ever mentioned the pre-school En is attending is known as Challenger School?
Today, they are having their Spring Programme, where the classes take turn to perform for parents and family members. Daddy specially applied for half day leave to support her.
These few days, Lit' En developed a new "interest" - Sleeping with her friends in her little "bed".
Well, she's actually sleeping on a comforter placed on the floor....
And we finally get to have the whole bed to ourselves! Let's hope this phase will last...
Ever wonder what your cells look like after a meal?
So what do we do? Supplement our bodies (Hold on! Don't just go running into pharmacies n grab anything u can lay ur hands on - Not ALL supplements r made EQUAL)!
Well, I managed to get some samples of supplements and decided to do an apple test.
1. Fill 5 glasses with water.
2. Add slices of apples (from same source) into each glass.
3. Drop 1 sample of supplement into each glass.
4. Wait n see for 5 days.
Supplements used (L to R): GNC Men's Ultra, USANA Essentials, GNC Women's Ultra, Usanimals, Vitamin World Animal Chew
The first 3 are for adults and the last 2 for children. The samples are chosen as they r meant to provide all-over protection.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Frontal View
Do your own test and see the difference. It's FUN (Keep them away from ur little ones though)!
今天恩恩画了一幅画，里面有三个人头：爸爸、妈妈和恩恩。
妈：哪一个是妈妈？
恩：（指有一些头发的）
妈：哪一个是恩恩？
恩：（指头发多的）
妈：哪一个是爸爸？
恩：（指没有头发的）
妈：为什么爸爸没有头发？
恩：他老了。
然后她继续“无理头”地说：“他的眼睛坏了，因为他躺着看电视。”
晕！这个小鬼越来越“厉害”！
This is the no. that En's class will be dancing for her Ballet recital in mid-june. Take a glimpse..
Our first visit to the pool in 6 mths! There are a number of indoor pools here, attached to recreation centres, where u can choose to pay a daily rate (in this case $5/ adult and $1/ child 3 and under) or buy monthly/ annual passes. The passes allow u to use other facilities like gym etc too. They have hourly childcare facilities for you to drop your kids if u're taking classes there.
The pools provide life guard approved life vests and that's about the only floatation device approved for use. And they have children play area n slides too! But the indoor temperature was colder than outdoor when we went, simply too cold for En, especially out of the pool. She used to enjoy prancing around the pool back home but didn't like it here. Was shivering all the while...
Will certainly hit the outdoor pools after they open in late May!
Why am I writing this post? Guess someone had just touched a sensitive spot in my heart....
I have a few raw nerves, which are particularly tender and hidden most of the time, away from view but highly sensitive and easily triggered.
Seriously, is it our society at large, the government policies, educational system, high standard of living, materialistic nature of our people or what?? Few seems to be able to see the value of having a mother at home with the kids, worse, many undermined the contribution of these women. The government tells u "all abled body, young n old, men n women, we need u to contribute to society by WORKING, generating income. So yes, for women who work, relief for these, help for that, more day care facilities etc etc etc. Look at our women MPs, all high flyer blar blar blar.... for those who chose to stay at home, urmmm, we will, perhaps we may come to u someday (someday after we managed to create more ELITE, after we encouraged more to work, after we make retirement age 70, after..............)", our elders tell u "spent so much on education, u must work, so next time u have $$ to retire, we'll take care of ur kid (n spoil them rotten).... ", acquaintances and friends say "wah good life ah. Tai Tai ah........", ur life partner may go "my colleague's wife make so much, so much, so much... who n who is so worried their wives will quit their jobs.... I don't have anything to give u, don't expect me to help with ur family (but I want to change to a bigger car)... bcos u don't work, I have to blar blar blar (translate to u're not contributing, u don't deserve to have MY $$, it's ur duty to take care of the child urself without rest for the peanuts I'm giving u, and u better spend those peanuts WISELY......)....
Am I the only one? I'm certain I'm not. We r a forgotten bunch - forgotten by society, forgotten by loved ones. Some with older kids, they r probably being forgotten by the ones they painstakingly raised n nurtured, being taken as a shame, because they had missed out on a part of social progression, outdated now. If this is how u feel about ur mothers, the hand that raised u, the one who put u first among others, shame on u!
People out there, next time u meet a mother who has chosen to stay home with her children, the best thing u can say to her is "U r doing a fine job. I applaud u for your decision". Stop sniggering remarks like "Wah Tai Tai, leading good life ah. Nothing to do". If u really think it's ez, try doing it urself!
Perhaps I'd reacted too strongly to a comment that came from one who wasn't even a crucial figure in my life but enough is enough......
The LONG awaited recipe from my husband. YY, I know u'd been waiting for this. BUT, BUT, BUT, let me make myself clear, I do not know the exact amount for the condiments added (nor does K "p), so use your own discretion and marinate according to taste.
Ingredients (2-3 pax)
*2 Chicken thighs (cut in chunks)
*1.5 cup uncooked rice (washed and left to dry on plate prior to use. Rice must be DRY b4 cooking)
*Few slices of ginger
*2 tbsps Minced garlic
*2 clove Shallots (sliced thinly)
*1 sprig spring onion (optional)
Marinade for chicken (overnight, min 2 hrs)
*Oyster sauce (use the dried scallop version if u want better taste)
*Shaoxing/ Huadiao wine
*White pepper
*Light soy sauce
*Sesame Oil
*Corn flour
Seasoning
*Oyster sauce
*White pepper
*Sugar
*Salt
*Light soy sauce
*Dark soy sauce
*Shaoxing/ Huadiao wine
Directions
1. Heat some oil in pan and stir-fry shallots, garlic and ginger slices till golden brown. Add uncooked rice, salt, white pepper, light soy sauce and sesame oil to fry till all the grains are evenly coated and the rice is HOT.
2. Pour rice mixture into rice cooker (claypot for more traditional flavour) and add water as per normal cooking. ON UR COOKER.
3. Stir-fry minced garlic till fragrant. Pour in chicken and spring onion and fry on high heat till the chicken starts to brown. Add oyster sauce, salt, light soy sauce, sugar, dark soy sauce and water. Simmer for 2 mins. Sprinkle a tsp of Shaoxing/ Huadiao.
4. Once the water in rice cooker is about to be completely absorbed by the rice, pour chicken and gravy over rice and leave to cook.
5. Leave in cooker for a few minutes after rice finished cooking to allow rice to "burn" a little for the crisp and punch.
6. Ready to serve.
I assure u - THIS IS A GREAT RECIPE! It's something I can't resist and don't mind eating over and over.
Something to note, be GENEROUS with your seasoning.
Why do I write an article about Fishoil?
First of all, I started seriously taking fishoil when I conceived En. Like all parents out there, I wanted my baby to be smart(with all the hype about DHA, EFA etc) n healthy. So I picked one off the counter and brought it to the gynae. When he gave the green light, I went ahead.
True enough, she was rather early on many of her developmentally stages, especially potty training haha (she dropped the diaper both DAY n NIGHT when she turned 2). But I stopped taking fishoil sometime after childbirth cos I figured my breastmilk is good enough for her (besides it's quite costly, u get what I mean??).
However, as she got older, I decided to give fishoil a try again, by feeding it to En directly (ya, I'm talking about the capsule type, not the syrupy sweet stuff). Trouble! Cos En has a very sensitive sense of smell (she would feel nausea smelling her own poo, even the smell of SNOW was too much for her when she 1st came to Utah). Of cos it didn't work, not even with mixing into her food. Luckily, Mummy was still breastfeeding her, so she could still get it if I took them (kills 2 birds with 1 stone :)). Ha! Soon after, we decided to force weaned her (she was 21 mth already leh), so.......
Now, thank God! I'd managed to re-introduce to her fishoil, re-formulated with lemony taste. Now she's enjoying her rainbow fresh milk, Milo(occasionally) etc. She knows it's her super drink and it'll make her STRONG like Inuyasha (a manga charactor "p). Now she gets the DHA, EFA she needs and I do not have to lug tins n tins of milk powder (guess many believe formula milk is better all bcos of the big D n E). Besides BREAST, FRESH is certainly best haha!
BUT, don't make the mistake I made, i.e. simply picking any fishoil u find off the shelf. If u had been following news reports, u would know that many of the commercial brands carried high level of heavy metals, if u r not careful, u may essentially be poisoning your precious ones. I was LUCKY I picked one of the safe ones initially.
The link below provides more info on fishoil n recommends u to a reliable source:-
http://www.simplygoodhealth.org/fishoil/z.php?id=3571880&eid=blog
(If anyone is keen to introduce ur children to a safe and reliable source of fishoil, feel free to let me know. I can help u get a good price :))
How much effort can a person put in for his work?
How much effort can a person put in for his friends?
How much effort can a person put in for his father/ mother/ brothers etc?
How much effort can a person put in for his wife?
How much effort can a person put in for his child?
110%, 110%, 110%..... for the last two, any value is TOO MUCH. (perhaps the numbers may not be that accurate but the message is clear - that it's easy to be taking your closest ones for-granted)
At the end of the day?
How many actually self-reflect on the consequences? Touch your heart. When things happen n your child is not close to u, is it easier to simply push the blame on others or to take heart and really think what should be done? Years go by, till this day, probably I'd told myself hundreds of time that I'd given up, but deep down, I hope for a change.
How long can this turmoil last, before the heart really dies and every hope fizzles off???
The Hogle Zoo at SLC is a great place for families. Though it's not as impressive as our Mandai Zoo (bearing in mind we have a world-class zoo), it's more spacious and we can get close to the gentler animals. There's also a mini train ride which I'm sure the kids will love, though it's a tad too short. If u're an avid fan of primates, this is THE PLACE!
When we got to the penguin section, they were all standing with their faces to the door.... strange. Perhaps waiting for food?? The Giraffe holding is the best. U can really get sooooo close to them. Of cos the children will love the playground as well.
