I can’t help but to bad mouth MAS one more time cos I really beh kam muan at them. If we cancel the flight, we have to pay penalty. But when they cancel the flight, what do we get? NOTHING! Instead of leaving on 26th 9.30am flight we have to leave on the 25th to Singapore by Silk Air, therefore, catching Singapore Airline flight at 1.15am. So wasting our time, right?

We managed to settle the kids when they came home from school at 7pm before rushing off to the airport. Prince is as usual, purring at Daddy while Daddy was showering him. One word that cracked us up was when Prince said, “…. but Daddy, you must buy me surprise from Beijing, ok?” Mengada betul budak tu. The one I really have difficulty leaving behind is Baby Princess. She has been down with food poisoning 2 days ago – vomiting, dirrhoea and now catching a fever. Really felt bad to leave her with my Parents. That is why I was so mad at MAS cos we have to waste our time with all those transit in Singapore.

“Yi Lu Suen Fong” – Have A Safe Journey

Before we left home, my Dad gave us an angpow each. Really touch my heart. Initally, he refused to accept the allowance I gave to him but I insisted and shoved them in his pocket. In return, he gave us a blessing. What’s more can I ask for *snif*

Hubby was driving at 160km/h as we was running really late (1.5hr before check in time) and we took only 20mins to arrived KLIA. I know this is nothing to be proud off. He kept on saying, “It’s not me la, it’s the car!” Asif!

I have to tolerate Daddy’s numorous phone calls as this is his working trip actually. Took this in KLIA while waiting for the Aerotrain to arrive.

Upon reaching Changi Airport for our transit to Beijing:

You think he is still alive?

Flight was good. I wish it was a longer flight as 6 hours journey is too short for a nap.

Sunrise in Beijing Airport the moment we touch down. Typical China man get up from their seat while the plane was still taxing.

Coming to this best part where the hotel was supposed to send a Limo to pick up Daddy. There wasn’t anyone seen at the airport so Daddy called the hotel and was told they wasn’t informed of our reschedule flight. (Now you know why I kept on badmouth MAS!) Partly was because of some miscommunication somewhere between the hotel & his Sexi Secretary too. But we was told there are someone at the airport picking up some hotel guest and ask us to look out for placard 39 Dragon. No one insight. We was at a total lost and finally when there was fewer passenger in the airport, we spotted a guy holding this:

39 Zhong = centre. So Daddy just tried his luck and bingo! He is picking up guests to The Westin Hotel. We are still puzzle with the placard. What is 39 Zhong? He checked his notes again and our name is not in his list as he is here to pick up 14 passagers that is arriving in another 20mins. How can that be? Since he is heading to the same hotel, we might as well wait for him to hitch a hike. That was a good one hour before Daddy’s handphone rang and was told the Hotel Limo has arrived to pick him up. Woot! You see la, he always complain of work but to me, he is treated like a King whenever he travels for business. Limo wor. This is my first time sitting in a LIMO! And Woot….

What a pampers! Free thing wor, take la. I took the 2 mineral water as I like the unique bottles and also the Evian face spray for my hydrated skin. I’m not fond of mints and I’m so kind to leave them some granny smiths apple. kekeke…. In my heart I keep on thinking, “Dang, he get pampered on his working trip and I have to suffer at home. Life is so unfair!” Not only that, the driver was accompanied by a hotel staff that kept on apologizing to us and they was so sorry to make us waited for an hour in the airport. They moment she said they are upgrading our room to Executive Suit, I have to tahan not to smile so cunningly. Hence why I get to blog for free now and even dine at their Executive Lounge. *cough* Don’t even get me started on their bathroom fixtures. Sparkle like a diamond and they had a big shower head called ‘Rainforest’ shower. Go imagine that!

You think this is the ending? Not yet. Read on. At about 3pm, the event manager, Alice came to our room to deliver personally some meeting stuff to Daddy and once again she apologize to us. She asked me to choose anywhere that I’d like to go and the hotel Limo will chauffeured me around during Daddy’s absence (meeting la). NO WAY! First of all, I am too shy with strangers and secondly they have given us such a warm hospitality that I am too shy to accept. Since she insisted, I told her that I’ll like to go to The Great Wall of China. That is the only place that we have to hook up with the hotel tour as the journey is about 1 hour from the place we was staying and cost us about RMB800 (RM400) per person. Now I managed to get them for free. Why not right? I think The Westin Beijing, Chaoyang deserved a mentioned here. This hotel is also where George Bush was staying during the 2008 Olympic Game.

This wrap up some rambling before the tour kicks off. And today I learn a new word. Winter clothes is ‘tong tien yi’ and not ‘lern yi’. You don’t ask for cold clothes right? *sigh… so embarassing can die!

You know, I am so wanna bad mouth this Malaysia Airline (MAS)!!! Is there any reason why they can simply cancel their schedule flight 7 days before departure and never thought of the inconvenience that we (THEIR CUSTOMERS) is going to face? So irresponsible! Because of them, I have to fork out extra $$$ to fly with SIA and they really screwed up my timing and wasting my time with all the stewpig transit in Singapore. So kanasai lidat!

Ok, done ranting now.

This time I won’t be gone for long. Just 6 days compare to previously when I was away for 15 days! My Mom have been staying with us for a week now. I do felt very relax when she is around especially when come to the cooking part. All finger is cross that the kids will obey their Grandma and their Guardian. But I need not worry too much about that cos my Mom is more fierce than me. Muahahahaha.

On the kids part, the two girls is quite ok about my absence even though Baby Princess sometimes will ‘teh’ (manja) a bit. But the 7 y/o Prince? Fuyoh! Every day he will purr like a cat. You know how the car purr right? Body away from you but the head resting on your arm/shoulder, rubbing and I can’t even hear what he was talking! That is my definition of purring. hahaha! I really don’t know how to leave the house tonight 🙁 .

On work wise, no eye see. Must remember to lock all my stationaries. Those bugger love to steal my stuff especially my pen & pencil. The only thing they won’t take is my ruler and box cutter. Quite an idiot right?

I will have one schedule post on Monday on my bento and will try to sneak in some update if time permit. Till then, take care, have fun, say hi to your Mom for me. XOXO

Short note: At the same time I received my completed Photobook, I received my FREE prints from EOE Online in 2 days time. That is very efficient of them! Thank you so much EOE Online. I will definitely choose to have my photo printed out with you in near future. ~ end ~

They isn’t the most beautiful of kids but thank goodness they are so cute during their toddler year! The package I bought one year ago from Photobook consist of 3 books – Large, Medium and small at a discounted price of RM380.00. I used up the large book for my trip to US and reserved the Medium for Baby Princess.

To begin, this is the front cover for the medium book as I wanted to compile a book for her from age zero to 3 years old since the two older kids have their own personal album too which I made for them with ‘scrap’ material instead of digital scrapbook (which of course is much nicer la).

Baby Princess was overwhelming when she saw the book. She even wrote her name on the back of the book cover. Luckily she was using pencil or else I will sure piak her.

She really know how to irritate us with this page as she keep on showing or telling everyone, “See, my Mummy carry me. I am so tired.” She said that line to almost everyone and we have to ask her to shaddup.

Medium book is the size of a A4 paper. Depending on your liking, I prefer my photographs to be as large as possible. Kiasu ma. I’ve seen layout from other bloggers. Some like the photographs to be small. It all up to individual as long you like what you are doing. No need to compete with people. Seriously! (Waitaminute. What type of English is this 😕 )

For pictures that I really like, I will blow them full page rather than put them in scrap as too much scrap can be very distracting too.

This medium size book took me about 2 weeks to finish as the first few days, I spend most of the time compiling and reorganized all the scrapbook images from the external hard disk and another few days to compiled photographs from the overloaded laptop computer. All along, I have been rushing to complete layout by layout. There is no time for me to think of the words that I wanted to put in there. Really regret 🙁

I have yet to talk about how unhelpful and stewpig less intelligent the staff is at Photobook. They have the suckiest people in there that misunderstood me all the time. To cut long story short, the Boss called me after many uneventful phone calls and he finally said this, “Don’t worry we all at Photobook know about your case now.” Isn’t that cool or what! I am so famous! 😕 I really told the Boss, “I was warned by other bloggers that you have the suckiest management. It was so true! If not because you print a good book, WE have long gone to Pixart!” While I was at their office to collect my books, the moment I mentioned my order number, that guy say, “You are Sxxx Jxxx. Ling Sxxx Jxxx, right?” And I go, “Oh, oh. Don’t tell me you are the Cxxxxxx (the boss).” See, I’m so famous until he can remember my chinese name and even pronounce them accurately. (Fyi, not many people can pronounce my chinese name correctly.) But it’s true la. Their printing is good and their price is cheaper than Pixart too. But you know what, that moment you hold the Photobook in your hand is like that very first moment your baby was delivered to this earth. All the hardwork, sweat and pain immediately vanished. You smiled from ear to ear admiring your ‘baby’. Flipping from page to page….. Eh, I talk too much right?

Next is the Small Imagewrap photobook. Remember I saying I have to rush thru to complete the layout for the photobook? I took 2 days to finished 64 layout. Amazing eh? The book cover is the same picture I used on the left (refer to above pix) except I have the year written 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 & 2007. Finally I settle with CNY and Christmas from year 2003 to 2007. That way, I can include members from my extended families.

As usual my Baby Princess love to make goofy faces. She goes, “Ho, Ho, HO!”

Now I was asking myself. Does anyone take a picture of their completed Photobook to put in a Photobook again? It was like putting a memory into a memory. Hmmm…

Prince was in the PJ he wore during CNY in 2005. Amazing that he still can fit in to his PJ’s after 4 years!

I purposely left that missing-button-hole on his PJ’s unedited. He no longer like the Superman’s wing but love the PJ to bits!

Most of the pictures from earlier years are shot using Sony T-10 camera. From 2007 onwards, I started to have better pictures 😉

One for the memory. We was at Canon Center to pick up my dSLR 2 days before Christmas in 2007.

There are still thousand of prints in my laptop. I am still contemplating if I should continue with the rest of the album like our many trips to Genting Highlands, Cameron Highlands, etc. Will see about that on their (Photobook) next promotion. I better wrap up this post cos the more I type, the more lengthy it has become. LOL

Ever since school reopen early of this year, kiddos have been bringing bento to school for their lunch. Prince is the one that set such a routine that Friday is canteen day and I gladly obliged as I get a day rest from all the nerve wreaking too. They used to buy “yee meen” or “cheng tong meen” every friday till one day, the word ‘nuggets’ came to existance.

Left to right: Fried rice (left over), chicken nugget with ketchup on the side, celery & carrot stix with kewpie mayo on the side and dragon fruits.

Well, here is my Motto – “Never Buy Food That Mummy Can Prepare”. Moreover, RM1.00 for 2 pieces of nuggets is a bit over priced. Next day, the kiasu and kiamsiap Mummy went and bought chicken nugget to be included in their bento (since they like it so much).

And you know what I hate the most? That darn smelly and oily kitchen at 6am! Grrr….

If you ask me what is my resolution, one of them would be conquering all the places listed as the 7 Wonders of the World. Impromptu, I have been to Grand Canyon, USA during my Vegas vacations in 2006 and Angkor Wat, Cambodia (nominee) when I won a photo contest organized by www.asiayak.com in 2007  . The place that I very much want to conquer now or in near future is The Great Wall of China before I get older and can’t walk the wall collapse and also The Great Pyramid of Giza.  To cross out another country on my list will be none the less, *drum rolling*…..

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Holy cow! I didn’t know we need to get a China Visa. If I were to book my own flight, I will surely get stranded in the airport. Good thing we book the tickets via a tour agent and finally I get my Visa done at RM40.00. Unlike US Visa, China Visa is only valid for one month and for one miserable entry only. Boohoo!

For the above shots, I have to tried about 12 times before getting that result – a very deep bokeh so that I do not have to mosaic any info in the pix. Isn’t it a very beautiful Great Wall? 😉

Sometime ago, I received a forwarded email (I’m sure most of you received that too) that shows what triangle number is make out of which grade of chemical that was used to produce plastic. It was said the WORST ONES are Nos: 3, 6, and 7. I’ve never bother to check the numbers in my household as I always go for the branded ones (Instinct tells me that branded ones are more reliable. Duh!)

One fine day, Princess came home and told me, “Teacher say my water tumbler is no. 7 (pointing at the triangle number). Very poisonous.”

Then I quickly refer back to the email and very true, no. 7 is the most poisonous!

The above picture was taken 2 years ago. Spot that High School Musical (HSM) water tumbler. I don’t blame Disney for producing the product. Maybe it’s that trademark “Made In China” product is all not reliable! And I quickly went and check her HSM bento box.

Fuyoh, luckly it was no. 5!  I  gave Princess two options:

1. You want to use nice stuff but poisonous or
2. You want to be healthy and throw away all your HSM stuff

No doubt, she go for option 1. Then I thought to myself. How harmful is those chemical? After this incident, I have been very careful and always check the bottom of plastic food containers. The next round, I am going to buy only rock tumblers or stainless. It’s time to educate her on safety rather than beauty. (Hey, they rhyme!)

The Photobook voucher I bought last year is nearing it’s expiry date and I have started compiling pictures and scarp elements before CNY so that I do not have to rush on the LO (layout).  During the long CNY break, I managed to do 6 LO only.  And right after the long break, I was burning the midnight old to complete 2 books with a total of 104 LO.  I’m walking like a zombie now O.O  I was so relieved when I finally submitted my 2 books to Photobook which means back to my usual blogging and hijacking!

While going thru tons and tons of my photographs, I realised I have never send any of them for printing since I own a digital camera in year 2003.  Since EOE Online (a first online photo printing in Malaysia) is having a blogger’s review campaign, I decided to jump in the bandwagon.   This is what it is all about if you want to get your photographs print for FREE.  FREE!!!!

1. Place a print order via eoe Online for 50x4R and 2x8R photos. At the payment page, please select ‘Bank-in’ option. You do not have to make any payments.
2. Publish your review on our online photo printing service with a link back to the eoe Online website.

The rest of the terms and condition can be found in their website.  After doing step 1 and 2 on the above, you get your photographs print for FREE and delivered to your doorstep for FREE too.  FREE! Another condition is you need to own a blog for at least 6 months and have at least a minimum of  30 posts. Of course frre thing come with a price la.  Sis, if you read this, let me use your blog if you are not interested in the free prints hor.

For the past few years when my Sister became our neighbour, she has been playing prank on my kids especially during their birthday.  She will leave presents outside my house and sign off as Optimus Prime or Troy Bolton (Zac Efron).  Now I regretted I did not take any pictures of the past presents especially the lastest one for the Prince as Sis really deco the box and drew a big Optimus Prime on it.

Last Saturday being Valentine’s Day, there was a red envelope address to the Princess with postmarked postage from U.S.A. I have to hold back my laughter when I retrieved them from the post box.  I called out to Princess, “Kharsyn, there is a letter for you!” She came running, “Yes!  My friend send to me wan.” She tore the envelope and pulled out a Valentine’s card of Troy Bolton on the cover.  That’s very nice!  Of course the silly girl was so thrilled she was totally speechless.

My Sis is always very creative but this time, she had gone TOO creative! Suddenly I felt like photoshopping my own face next to Troy Bolton.  The 9 years old is not easily tricked now after the past few years prank.  But we still keep the true identity from her.  It takes a reality to know Troy Bolton won’t send her a card, that is for sure and she kept on asking me who send them.  “You see, it was signed by Troy Bolton wat.”

To spice things up, there is a postcard size photo attached *rolling eye*

My kids love to compliment their rice or porridge with chicken floss.  It is even a bigger hit with Baby Princess who is a very picky eater.  She doesn’t mind eating white rice and chicken floss everyday.  Even when we are out of chicken floss, she doesn’t mind white rice.  Sometimes, I nicknamed her ‘White Rice Baby’.  To me, as long as she is willing to eat, I’m fine with just anything cos she only drinks milk and refuses solid when she turned one.  I know, that is very weird.  She started eating solid willingly when she joins the daycare at the age of 2 yrs 9mths.

To make the onigiri, I opt out the rice vinegar.

I preferred to use a onigiri mould.  Make a well at the centre of the mould.

Placed chicken floss on the centre.  Cover them with rice again before pressing the mould together.  Turn them out and you get a triangle shape.  You can use your hand to shape the rice but it is messy work plus you get odd sizes which I don’t like.   Not forgetting, hot too.

For the older kids, they have homemade sui mai.

Method:  Season minced meat & prawn meat with soya sauce, pepper, sesame oil and corn flour.  Wrap them in wanton skin.  Snip away remining wanton skin. Optional, garnish with some crabsticks.  I put them in moulds again so that I get even sizes.  LOL.  I am quite particular about sizes.  Oil your plate before steaming so that the wanton won’t stick to the plate.  Steam them for 5 mins or till done.

I have different types of eater at home.  This is Prince’s Bento as the Eldest Princess doesn’t like green.  I do give her optional like cherry tomatoes (Prince hate it) or carrot sticks (Prince hate it too).

Place a sheet of baran in between the onigiri so that they won’t stick to eath other.

Early of the year when the kids goes back to school after their final term holidays, I set out some rules for them. I know it required lots of discipline and has to be very stern to make sure it work:

1. Back from school, no TV
2. Take a shower before dinner
3. No eating dinner in front of the TV
4. Homework by 8pm
5. light bulbs off at 10pm
6. Wash your own school shoes on Saturday

And how do I fair?  Bear in mind that I have a very obedient 9 years old girl and a mischievous 7 years old boy.

Rules no. 1 – The first thing when they (usually no.1) stepped in to the house, I gotta put on my loud speaker, “NO TV!” – Yay, it works!

Rules no. 2 – Failed. Cos the kids took such a long time (usually no.2) in the shower. Too much time was wasted.

Rules no. 3 – Sometimes yes and sometimes no. I’m too soft hearted 🙁

Rules no. 4 – Successful!

Rules no. 5 – Unfinished (usually no. 2) homework to be continue the next day at the daycare.

Rules no. 6. Up till today, they only wash twice. The rest of the time was Mummy, Mummy, Mummy!!!! That too, I am soft hearted. Double whammer! Not that Mummy hand wash their school shoes. The washing machine takes care of the job. But one thing I make them do is to apply the shoe white before putting them under the sun. Kids just simply love that chore very much.

Since some of the rules did not work out for me, I tried the other way i.e.

7pm – Reached home. Had dinner. Sometimes at the dining table, sometimes on the couch. I gave up on that, really. Watched a little cartoon on TV.

8pm – No. 1 will shower first while no. 2 still hook on TV. Then no. 2 turn to shower while no.1 continue TV.

8.30pm – Homework.

10pm – Off to bed.

Not the way I’ve planned out initially but this way, everyone is happy and I don’t get too stress up yelling at kids to do this and do that.