Family Outing to FRIM

This is about our family outing to FRIM (Forest Reserve Institute of Malaysia) during the last school holidays. We wanted to go somewhere near and cheap - so FRIM was the right choice for us. The day was really quite interesting and at the end, there were a lot of "thank you"s to say to Heavenly Father.

First of all, the car tyre was flat even before we left the house. DH managed to replace it. About 10 minutes into our journey, there was a weird sound from under the car. It was getting louder and clearly, something was wrong. DH said maybe it was the car's arm coz' the mechanic did say it needed changing. We turned around to go home. Poor KokoD was really disappointed. He was looking forward to playing at the waterfalls.

The car was getting difficult to maneuver but we managed to get home all right. The moment DH got down from the car, he figured out what was wrong -- he hadn't tightened the nuts on the wheel when he changed it. He couldn't tighten the nuts when the car was jacked up. He was going to do it after he lowered the car down. But the kids were being noisy (as usual) and he claimed to be distracted (as usual), and so forgot to proceed with the tightening. Soooo, we got those nuts tightened and off we went again.

First stop at FRIM was to go look at the huge Toman fish they were rearing at a pond. DH said there was an 8 feet Toman but we didn't see it. I think the biggest we spotted was about a 4 footer.

On the bridge looking for the elusive "monster" Toman.

Then off we went to the waterfalls. We picked a spot towards the bottom of the falls because K had scrapped her knee earlier in the week and couldn't walk properly. (In fact, she was hopping on 1 leg the whole week, like she was suffering from a broken leg. But that is another "dramatic" story). So, there was no way we could climb higher.

This looks like a nice place but it's too high for K to climb.

Here we are at the lowest part of the falls.

BabyD at first complained that the water was too cold. He chose instead to help himself to the goody bag. This boy just loves to eat. Throughout the day, his hobby is looking for things to eat.

But eventually, he found his way into the water and enjoyed himself thoroughly. They splashed around for about an hour or so. When they declared they were ready to call it quits, DH made a surprising discovery as he was helping them get out -- SNAKE!


Yes, lurking nearby under the rocks was a black and yellow snake. That just made getting out of the water a speedier process. No one got hurt (including the snake). We cleaned up at the public toilet nearby and headed to look for a place to eat lunch. KokoD was a bit traumatized... actually not really traumatized but quite disturbed. He kept saying "stupid snake, stupid snake." In the end we had to tell him we were kidding just so he would stop saying "stupid snake."

GRATITUDE LIST FOR THE DAY

• DH didn't give up on the idea of going to FRIM even when he saw the flat tyre (and that his mood didn't turn black as thunder.)
• We didn't get into an accident because of the loose tyre that was wobbling all over the place as we drove.
• That the snake didn't decide my kids look like yummy lunch or decide to join in the fun.
• I didn't get morning sickness while we were out (but crashed on the bed when we got home).
  

London Bridge Is Falling Down - New Version

This is KokoD's version of the nursery rhyme London Bridge is Falling Down:

London bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down,
London bridge is falling down,
My fat lady.

Build it up with iron balls, iron balls, iron balls,
Build it up with iron balls,
My fat lady.

3rd Month of Pregnancy

I'm already a little past the 3rd month of pregnancy but the morning sickness is still around. It's not too bad during the day time but I really get uncomfortable in the evenings. At least I'm hardly puking anymore. Energy level is still down. Doing a little bit of work still exhausts me. If I need to do anything, it has to be in the morning. That's when I feel the most normal.

Eating is still a big problem. Gone is my appetite for noodles like "Chee Cheong Fun". Now, the only thing that strikes my fancy are sandwiches: chicken ham- a slice of cheese- pieces of apple, tuna in mayo-scrambled eggs-pieces of apple.

I was eating a lot of oranges last month. This month, the fruits of choice are watermelon, plums and apple. The mango tree at the back of my house started fruiting. What good timing. I managed to pull some down (while getting bitten by some angry red ants) to make 3 jars of pickled mangoes. Aaaah, a pregnant women's dream food.

I don't know what kind of mangoes they are but they are not that sweet. Anyway, I pluck them green so I have sour mangoes -- just nice to be pickled or to eat with rojak sauce. To pickle it is very easy. After cutting it up, I just rub them with salt. Leave it on for a while. Then I add on lots of sugar and put them into jars. After 1-3 days, you will see the mangoes give off some juice. So, don't need to add water or anything. This is how my FIL did it, so I just follow his method. I'm sure there are other ways to pickle mangoes.

Last checkup at the clinic, I lost 2kg. I'm now 64.2kg. I've not been below 65 kg for a looooong time. I'm sure I will start piling up the weight once I get my appetite back. I'm soooo looking forward to eating curry mee.

The tummy seems to be getting a little bigger. I haven't felt baby's movement yet. Hmmm... when do you start feeling the baby move? Pregnant for the 4th time and I still don't know this fact. Hahahah.

Baby Milestones: 27 Months Old

I guess I shouldn't call these posts "baby milestones" anymore coz' BabyD is really more of a toddler now. It's been a while since I've done an update on him so I'm sure I'm going to leave something out. Well, these are some of his latest developments:

• He still isn't speaking very clearly, so he still gets a lot of puzzled faces from us. Most of the time we only hear the vowels in the words. For example, "orange" becomes "o-in". But the important thing is that he is trying to speak and is now able to string 2-3 words together. You just need to have a mother's ears to interpret what he is saying. Actually... let me rephrase that... you need to have MY ears coz' I think other mother's won't get what he is saying either:)
  
  
• He likes to count. I'm surprised that he can count from 1-12 and not miss a single number.
  
  
• He still loves to read books. I now leave out the last words to the sentences in the book and let him fill in the blank.
  
  
• He is pretty good in playing matching games. He can identify which pictures are the same. I will sometimes do activities with him to match shapes, colors and alphabets. I played a memory game with him -- you know, picture cards that are laid face down and you try to pick 2 that look the same. I was surprised that he could remember where some of the pictures were.
  
  
• He is now a computer addict! I introduced him to starfall.com a few weeks ago and now he is hooked on it. After 1 week, he learned how to navigate the mouse. He now will move the mouse and click the images on his own. His favorite alphabets would be "T" (that's where the choo-choo train is), "A" (coz' he loves the dancing astronaut), and "Z" (coz' it's got that catchy "zig-zag" song).
  He can even do some of the activities on the website. For example, there's one where he has to put the capital A in one basket and the smallcaps A in another. He gets it done with 100% accuracy. And for the letter T, he has to identify which of the 3 letters don't make the /t/ sound. He gets that right too. Okay, I'm sorry if I sound like I'm bragging. Really, that is not my intention. I'm just always amazed when they learn things so fast.
  
  
  Even though engrossed with the computer, he still can take a break and give mommy a pose for the camera. Now a pose means saying "cheese" and making the peace sign.
  
  
  
• He is totally weaned off breastmilk. I decided to do it 1 week before Chinese New Year. I tried using the chilli sauce trick but it wasn't very successful. I also tried the "nen-nen is injured and have to put a bandaid" trick (which worked for KokoD) but that failed too. So, I had to use the cruel method - just refuse to give in. Sigh! Stressful I tell you. Sometimes I would be able to distract him with other goodies like juice or biscuits. If he was sleepy, I would bargain and say I would sing him to sleep instead. I must say, he is really a good little boy and give in to some of my bargains. Unfortunately, bargains don't work at 4am. Mommy and daddy just have to endure the angry screaming. Poor neighbours too. Thank goodness we didn't receive any complains. I would say his early morning protests lasted for about 2 weeks? Or maybe it was 1 week but felt like more. Hahahah. Anyway, it just goes to show that there is no one way to wean a child. I had to do it differently for all 3 of mine. You just need to find a way that is suitable for the child.
  
  
• We are still working on the potty training. There are still plenty of accidents. A successful day depends heavily on our memory to remind him to go. And though he will tell you that the toilet is the place to poo-poo, I still need to catch the little grunts that indicate there is some "big business" going on.
  
  
• He is very thoughtful and quite well mannered. If you do something for him, he will immediately say "ta-too" -- that means "thank you." One night, he laid his head on my tummy. After a few seconds, he got up and looked at me. Pointing to my tummy, he said "ba-bee? Uack, uack?" He was concerned if he slept on baby, I would feel like vomiting. Hahahah. Now that is consideration I wish my other 2 kids would practice a little.

Do You Have What It Takes To Start A Home Business?

Starting a home business these days is a very viable option. However, there's always the fear and the doubt of whether you have the "stuff" to pull it off. Well, if the idea of starting an online business ever crossed your mind, but you just weren't sure if it was right for you - I just found something that might help. It's a quick quiz that will show you if you're suited for an at home career, what type of business you might set up and additional tips to help you get started.

The quiz only takes a couple of minutes and you can take it right here, just click the text below:

QUIZ: ARE YOU READY TO WORK AT HOME AND START YOUR OWN BUSINESS?

2nd Month Of Pregnancy

I realized I've never recorded any of my previous pregnancies. So when people ask me if this pregnancy is any different from the rest, I can't say much coz' I've only a vague memory to draw from. Yes, I admit that I have a problem with memory. My DH will attest to that.

The only few things I can remember from past pregnancies are these:
1. With the first, I had a lot of migraines. And I ate a lot of oranges.
2. Second pregnancy, I ate a lot of mangoes. Also had a short craving for KFC's Zinger burger.
3. Third pregnancy I lived on toast bread for more than a week. I fancied western food over asian food.
4. With all 3 pregnancies, morning sickness lasted for about 3 months.

Well, this time round I thought it would be good to journal down my pregnancy experience. I think I shall call it "MY PREGNANCY CRAZIES".

Image via Wikipedia

Let's see, I'm a little over 2 months preggy. Morning sickness is not as bad as the 3rd pregnancy. I'm not vomiting as much though I do feel uncomfortable throughout the day. I burp constantly like I have a dragon in the tummy. Where is all these gas coming from? I'm pretty okay with lunch but struggle with dinner. The morning sickness feels worse towards the evening. So, it is almost certain that my face will be looking down at the toilet bowl at night to make several disgusting deposits. Oooh, how I hate the taste and sore throat after. (Sorry if this is all disgusting to you. Pregnancy can be a disgusting affair. Hahaha).

I think all my body's energy is channeled to growing this baby that I have no strength to do anything else. I've employed my children to do the sweeping and mopping of the floor. Regular chores like these leaves me utterly breathless. So, the past few weeks I've been vegging out on the couch or sprawled out on the bed. Boy, I really do feel NON-FUNCTIONAL. Thank goodness I have a wonderful DH who has taken over the kitchen and the business of feeding the family. So single girls out there, make sure one of your criteria to look for in a husband is that he can cook.

I miss enjoying my food. It is torture to see food that I love but be turned off by it. I run out of the house when DH starts cooking coz' the aroma just makes me feel worse. Yes, I actually take a chair and sit outside the house until the cooking is finished.

I have had some cravings. It usually happens when I'm taking a nap; I start dreaming about the food I want to eat. I feel like a crazy woman. A few weeks ago I so badly wanted to eat hokkien fried mee and cantonese style kuey teow. Yesterday, I dreamed of eating "chee cheong fun". Unfortunately, I am not living in PJ anymore where it is easy to buy these stuff. And sad to say, I don't have one of those DH who will drive 1 hour across town in the wee hours of the morning to satisfy your craving. My craving was so strong at that moment that I even had a few choices for DH -- 1st choice = chee cheong fun, 2nd choice = tausa pau, 3rd choice = mee konno (kicap mee). DH finally agreed to satisfy my craving after I broke down and cried. YA, crazy! I actually broke down and cried. Crazy pregnant hormones. Unfortunately I had to settle for choice #3. It was the easiest for him to do. I'm still holding out for my "chee cheong fun" though. Pasar malam is tomorrow and I know they have it there :)

Regarding clinical checkups, I have opted to do them at the government clinic (Klinik Desa). The clinic is only a stone's throw away and it's FREE! Sure beats forking out RM80-RM100 for a doctor's visit. My last pregnancy I went to UMMC for check ups. That was cheap too - only a few ringgit each visit. I feel that the government facilities do a more thorough checkup than the private ones. They do blood tests for HIV and other stuff. There's also the glucose test. First time visit is always the longest because they have to take down your history and do all the necessities. Well, I haven't really decided where to deliver this baby. Thinking about the Sg. Buloh hospital but I think I'll have to visit the place first. Anybody has any experience there?

9 Questions Tag

Okay, this tag is to show Family First that I can write fun posts too :)

1. Have you ever been on TV?
Yes. It happened during my golfing days. Usually it would be during the sports news. They would either show me playing or it would be a short interview. I was also invited to be a guest on a children's game show. Can't remember the name of the program now. It was really a crazy thing. I was on the golf course playing a round when someone from the National Sports Council (MSN) called to tell me I was supposed to be at the studio for the recording. So, I had to quit my game half-way and rush over to the recording studio. There I was all sweaty and I had to change into a pair of track suit they gave me (which probably made me look fat and ugly). What was my job? Lead the kids in a short stretching session for them to warm up for their game. And then, as they played, I had to cheer them on. Felt a bit stupid as I would just stand around and yell "cepat, cepat adik" or "laju, laju lagi" (translation = faster, faster). I was actually very embarrassed about the whole thing and didn't tell anyone. But still some of my friends with young kids watched the program and informed me that they saw me (*blush).

2. Have you ever sung in public?
Does karaoke count? Hehehe. But I guess I will say yes to this question as I was part of the school choir in primary school. We sang during concerts and also for competition. Public is involved in that right?

3. Have you ever dyed your hair blond?
If I had continued to play golf under the hot, hot sun, I think I would be blond now. But no, I never dyed my hair blond. It's damaged enough.

4. Have you ever eaten frogs' legs?
I think so, I can't remember. If I did, it was a very, very, very long time ago.

5. Have you ever received a present that you really hated?
No. Don't get many presents (sob, sob) so I appreciate what I get. It may not be what I want, but I won't hate it.

6. Have you ever walked into a lamp post?
If I did, it probably caused some amnesia that I don't remember it.

7. Have you ever cooked a meal by yourself for more than 15 people?
I've cooked a meal by myself but not for 15 people.

8. Have you ever fallen or stumbled in front of others?
I'm sure I have. But no big deal that it would stand out as something memorable.

9. Have you ever done volunteer work?
Yes. A few years back I would visit the pediatric ward once a week to help out an NGO do some children's activity for children with cancer. I stopped when I got preggy with no.2. Also after the devastating tsunami, DH and me volunteered half a day at the buddhist temple to pack stuff that people had donated.

So, who shall I tag now? Who needs to have a some fun injected into their blog?
1. Health Freak Mommy
2. Min
3. J@n!ce
4. Footyman
5. Mumsgather

9 Simple Ways to Save Money on Your Groceries

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It never fails, we budget for our groceries, but the bill always ends up being more. We underestimate, run out of things faster than expected and overall, everything is becoming just too darned expensive! To make things a little bit easier, here are 9 simple ways you can start saving money on your groceries.

1. Go with a List: Yes, I know…it’s a pretty obvious suggestion, but it’s amazing how effective it can be. You can purchase only what you need and avoid all the other yummy distractions of the grocery store.

2. Meal Planning: Planning your meals in advance makes it easier to get your list together and ensure you buy only exactly what you need. You can get help with your meal planning at Dine Without Whine AND they actually put your grocery list together for you too.

3. Eat Before You Go: Another classic tip. If you’re hungry, you’ll want to buy (and instantly eat) everything! Have a meal or good snack before you go to avoid impulse purchases.

4. Stock Up on Staple Items When They’re On Sale: If you see ketchup or your family’s favorite sauce on sale, stock up. Or if it’s a certain type of soup or frozen vegetable your family eats all the time, buy a bunch of it. As long as it doesn’t spoil and you have space to store it, you will save money in the long run. The nice thing about this is if you continue to stock up on a variety of items, you’ll have a nice pantry full of food at any given time.

5. Cook from Scratch More Often: Yeah, yeah…it sounds easier said than done, but it doesn’t have to be too complicated. It’s no secret that pre-packaged items and convenience foods come at a premium price. They save you time in preparation, but they eat up your budget and let’s face it, time IS money. Plus, if you’re using Tip #2 and planning your meals, cooking from scratch more often is a whole lot easier.

6. Comparison Shop Before You Leave Home: No, I’m definitely not suggesting you go from store-to-store looking for the best deal. That takes too much time. Check the flyers that come to your door and see who is offering the best deals on what you actually need. If you don’t have any flyers at your door, visit the store website as they generally post flyers online.

7. Use Coupons Sparingly: Sure, coupons offer a great deal, but most coupons you’ll find are for items you don’t really need or use. Resist the urge to think, “Wow, that’s a good deal” and search for coupons based on items you need to purchase instead.

8. Keep the Little Ones At Home: If you have young children that want everything that they see, it’s easy to get into the trap of buying items you don’t need, treats that aren’t healthy and become victim to other grocery store distractions. Keep the kids at home with Daddy (it’s a good bonding opportunity) or a relative. You can even swap grocery store shopping times with your neighbor. Not only will you save money, but you’ll save your sanity too!

9. Make Quick Stops for Fresh Ingredients: This may not be easy if you’re on a tight schedule, but if you can work it in, it can save you a bundle. One of the biggest culprits in grocery budgets gone bad is spoiled food. If your fruits, veggies and other perishable items are always going bad, consider shopping for them more frequently, but in smaller quantities and restrain yourself from buying items you don’t need. If you have any teenaged kids, this would be a great chore for them too.

There you go – 9 ways to save on groceries. But in order to make these tips work, you really need to have a plan in place. You need to know what your family needs and what you’ll be eating. To make your meal planning a whole lot easier, sign up for you 1 ¢ no-risk trial at Dine Without Whine. You and your grocery budget will be glad you did.

Chinese New Year 2009

I know, I know, this Chinese New Year post is a bit late. Celebrations are already over. I'm probably one of the last people still blogging about it. But that's what happens when you have a preggy lady still in her 1st trimester -- will update on my pregnancy later.

Well, family reunion started on my side of the family first. Didn't go back to my mom's house this year. My 3rd brother played host at his new house. That made it very convenient coz' we don't have to travel far and fight traffic jams. My mom did most of the cooking. I only contributed one dish - sweet and sour pork. My brother told me NOT to open a restaurant. Humph! Okay-lah, standard can be better but what do you expect of a pregnant lady who can't stand the smell of food! Nevermind, I will redeem myself next year. Heheheh. Also took the opportunity to let my brothers know they have to prepare extra "ang pow" next year.

The Lim Clan
(Well, my side of the Lim family. If you didn't know, me and hubby have same surname)

By the way, my 2nd brother lost a lot of weight. He has been taking HerbaLife. If you too have some weight to shed or are looking for a work-at-home opportunity, you can visit his website at
http://www.WorkandPlaytoday.com or http://www.ShapeUpStore.com. Sorry-ah, doing a bit of promo here but really, my brother has lost a LOT of weight. His belly is GONE!

Then after midnight, we drove back to Bukit Mertajam to my in-laws place. Save some toll money because got discount travelling at that crazy hour. Only thing exciting was our half-day trip to Penang Youth Park. The two older kids have been there before but not babyD.

The wading pools are still there.

The park is also still lots of fun.

Only thing missing was that jumping thing that K tried last time (you can see the video here). But still lots of things to climb. BabyD definitely has some monkey blood in him.

I would have taken lots more pictures but stupid me forgot to charge the camera and didn't bring the charger. So, that's my tip for today: MAKE SURE YOU BRING THE CHARGER FOR YOUR CAMERA WHEN YOU GO FOR HOLIDAY!

My New Family Book Store

I've been doing some modifications to my bookshop (Value Bookshop) and now you can see the differences I've made. Not totally complete because I don't have that many products up yet. The "cupboard may seem a little bare", but there is stuff there for you to check out.

Just to give you an idea on what's going on, the bookshop is now focused on digital products. So, no more shipping fees. After payment, you can download the product immediately unto your computer. But not everything requires payment, there are some FREE guides and reports there too. Products are catered towards making you a better parent. So I'll scout for e-books that touch on parenting, home management, cooking, recipes, children's education etc....
Latest entry is a FREE Valentine recipe card giveaway. There's also a product to help you learn how to make money from writing - be a ghostwriter.

So, scoot over to my new FAMILY BOOK STORE and tell me what you think about it.

Do Your Little Ones Act Like Vegetables Are Poison?

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Kid's meals should be easy, delicious and healthy. Getting children to eat vegetables is a major negotiation. Finding a way to get vegetables into the mouths of babes is easy when they are part of the fun. Coming up with creative ways to get kids involved in the preparation and the cooking of kids' recipes is part of the fun. Child friendly recipes will allow you the peace of knowing your children are eating healthy and they will enjoy feeling in control of what they are being fed.

Take your kids shopping with you. Let them choose the fruits and vegetables they enjoy. This is generally the simplest way even with children as young as 4 years old. Children learn to eat healthier when they are a part of the cooking and the meal planning for the family.

Children really like color. Even with food, kids will look, then smell, and finally taste. So a variety of color in meals is great. Eating a mixture of foods greatly improves the chances of consuming all the nutrients you and your family need for optimum health.

A exciting way to get your kids to eat vegetables is to use the vegetables as part of a project. Kids get to count, make shapes, and then eat what they create. You get the satisfaction of knowing that you are giving nutritious foods into their diet.

Kids Recipes for Create My Own Soup

Let your children count the carrots and celery pieces. Let them spell their names with the noodles if you include alphabet noodles. You may find other novelty noodles like car shapes, etc. Create a topic of the soup creation.

Cut star shapes out of the carrot slices and zucchini (using an aspic cutter) then set to the side.

Ingredients:
*1-2 carrots
*1 zucchini
*4 cups low sodium chicken broth
*1/4 cup shaped pasta
*Dash of sage
*3/4 cup chopped, cooked chicken
*Salt and pepper to taste

Bringing it All Together:

*Let the kids help you wash the vegetables. Once finished you can wash the carrots and zucchini softly with a vegetable brush.
*Cut the vegetables into 1/4-inch slices.
*Cut star shapes out of the slices, and set them aside.

*In a medium sized pot, bring the broth to a simmer over medium heat.
*Add the carrot stars and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the carrots are tender.
*Add the pasta, zucchini and chicken. Continue cooking the soup for another few minutes, stirring occasionally, just until the pasta is done. Makes 4 servings.

*Let your kids find their names or count the number of shapes in their soup bowl. The kids will like the adventure and fun, you will feel good knowing they are eating their vegetables.

Would you like more Kid-Friendly Recipes? Christine Steendahl – “The Menu Mom” invites you to visit Kid Approved Meals at http://www.kidapprovedmeals.com to download your personal 13 week breakfast and lunch menu made just for kids!

Free Valentines Report and PLR Giveaway

Valentines is coming up. This report "14 Valentines Fun Ideas for Whole Family...Plus 5 Romantic Ideas for Mom & Dad" just came out. If you're looking to make Valentine's Day special for your children and hubby, then you'll appreciate the ideas shared.

On top of that, here's a super PLR offer and you won't have to log into your PayPal account or whip out a credit card to get it. All you have to do is go to:

http://www.valuebookshop.com/valentinesplr.htm

You can customize and brand the above report. You get the full 4-page report plus:

- opt-in page template to build your list with the report.
- 4 ecover graphics to promote your report and give it a professional look
- 3 promotional banners to further spread the word about your fun report

Valentine's Day is right around the corner, so grab yours and start promoting now! Again, the link to claim your PLR is at:

http://www.valuebookshop.com/valentinesplr.htm

If you have your own online business or thinking of starting one, your readers will love receiving the report!

Meal Planning: Save Time, Reduce Stress, Eat Healthy & Enjoy Your Family

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The children are running around the kitchen. The dog is barking it at the door and dinner should have been on the table thirty minutes ago. It’s a common scenario in many households come dinner time.

The reason that most meal times don’t always go smoothly may because dinner the last thing on your mind and when it’s time to get food on the table, everything else goes haywire in your house.

We have all been there, but with a little bit of meal-planning, you can be serving up delicious meals the family will be glad to gather around the table for.

Meal planning can make it easy to get dinner on the table in no time on a busy night. Not only do you save time, but it’s economical too. You buy only what you need, avoid the drive-through line up and you can concentrate on using fresh ingredients – instead of prepackages items from the grocery store. Every mother should have a set way to plan all of their meals in advance for the week…it’s a true life-saver.

The first step to successful meal planning is to sit down before you head out to the grocery store for the week (or sign up for the affordable Dine Without Whine Menu Planning Service & they’ll make that plan for you) .

It is best to plan what food you will need to have on had before you head to the grocery store when planning the week’s meals. Meal planning will make good use of a well stocked pantry and will only need a regular amount of grocery shopping. By having your meals for the week planned out, you will be able to write a grocery list that you can stick to (Dine Without Whine actually puts your grocery list together for you too). This will help you to save money by keeping you from not buying extra food that you will not use.

As you plan your week’s meals, make sure that you think about ways you can cook once and make two meals out of it. It’s easy to do a lot of cooking on the weekends so that you can do minimum cooking on busy week days. You can grill up chicken breasts on Sunday and use them in pasta on one night and then in fajitas another night. There are many ways that you can reuse the cooking from one night to make the next meal that much easier.

Meal planning can also help to cut down on your prep time in the kitchen when you are cooking. By knowing the meals that you are going to cook in advance, you can wash and cut vegetables when you bring them home from the grocery store. The simple act of pre-measuring the vegetables that you would need for a meal will cut out a lot of additional cooking time.

To be successful with your meal planning, you will want to take into account a lot of factors when you plan your meals for the week. One of the most important things to keep in mind is your weekly schedule of evening activities. The nights when your family has many activities planned are not the evenings to make meals that take along time to prepare. It will be those nights that you will want to use the meals that use the food that you already prepared on the weekends.

Meal planning is a skill that will take some getting used to. The first couple of times that you attempt to plan out your meals for the week, you will have some missteps along the way. After awhile it will become second nature to plan all of your meals in advance and you will wonder why you did not start to do it sooner.

To make your meal planning a whole lot easier, sign up for you 1 ¢ no-risk trial at Dine Without Whine. You and your hungry family will be glad you did.

Battling Morning Sickness

I really don't need a home pregnancy test to tell me I'm pregnant. The nausea of morning sickness is a definite sign already. Past pregnancies tell me I have to endure this for 3 months. Can't wait for food to smell good again.

So, how do I combat this nauseousness?

• Don't let myself get hungry. Small meals and lots of snacking.
  
• Snacks usually comprise of crackers, fruits or toast bread. Because it's Chinese New Year, I have Chinese New Year goodies to keep me occupied too e.g. prawn crackers and "Matt Foong Tau" a.k.a Beehive a.k.a Bunga Ros.
• Bland food. No more nasi lemak or curry laksa.
  
• Lot's of burping. Hahahaha.
• Sour plums ("shin mui" or "semboi")
  

My energy level is almost rock bottom. I do feel grateful that I do not have to go to work to meet deadlines and please bosses. Kudos to working pregnant moms. So, if you see a little less activity from me these few weeks, just know that I'm probably sprawled out on the bed or hiding from nauseating smells.

Related post:
Things I Love When I Have Morning Sickness

UPDATE (6 Feb 2009)
I've heard that ginger is particular good in helping with morning sickness. After 3 pregnancies, I decided to finally give it a try. So, slicing up some ginger (about 4-5 slices), I put them in my mug and add some hot water and honey. I let it sit for awhile for the ginger to fuse into the water. Once I finish the mug, I just top up with more hot water and honey. Sipping it throughout the day seems to help. Well... I think that is what is helping me feel better. Make no mistake, I'm not CURED of morning sickness. The discomfort is still there but not so intense.
So, if you are pregnant and also battling morning sickness, maybe you can give this remedy a try.

What I Don't Want To Hear When I Tell You I'm Pregnant Again

I'm sure you know what the above picture means - Yes, no.4 is on the way. Before you make any comments or pass any judgement, read the rest of this post first.

It's been interesting to hear what people have said to me each time I announce that I'm pregnant (especially family members.) With the first baby, everyone is generally very happy. They'll say "Congratulations", "Great news", "I'm so happy to hear this" etc.... With the 2nd baby, the excitement is still there but not so much. The general reaction is like "Good, your first child will have a playmate" or "Yes, 2 children is a good balance". When I announced my 3rd pregnancy, it was like "Another one?" I felt like a brave soldier who was daring enough to have more children than I have hands. Now with this 4th pregnancy, the enthusiasm is definitely gone. My mom said "Up to you lah, since you're so fertile". Father-in-law had only 1 sentence: "ko chai pregnant?" That's hokkien for "pregnant again?" Not even a smile or a glimpse of happiness. Mother-in-law has yet to find out and we'll tell her when we go back for Chinese New Year this Sunday. Can't wait to hear what she says (yeah, right). I've also gotten questions such as "was this planned or was it an accident?" and "how many children are you planning to have?"

Well, I just want to point out that:

1. I'm happy to be pregnant again. Having a child is a good thing - it doesn't matter what number the child is. Each pregnancy is a cause to be celebrated. So what if the baby was planned or an accident? It doesn't make the baby less precious. Each deserves some enthusiasm and excitement, not dread and skepticism.
   
2. I've been taught that each child is a gift from God. I truly believe this. I feel honored that Heavenly Father trusts me enough to send that spirit to my home. Can I handle 4 kids? With His help I can. He won't give me something I can't handle. I know if I have faith, put my trust in Him and counsel with Him in all that I do, He will bless me with the skills and knowledge needed to care for this family. Successful parenting is not a one-person job. It involves 3 people: mother, father and God.
3. My children is my wealth. Yes, definitely our expenses will go up but I believe the Lord will provide. We try our best and do what is right and He will do the rest. We may not live in luxury but that won't scar my children. On the contrary, they will learn to overcome problems and hardships. Plus, what they really need is parental love, support, and guidance. When we come to the end of this life, family is the only thing that matters. I believe that families are forever. Not our house, car, money and possessions.
   

So, when I tell you that I'm pregnant, even if it's for the 10th time, be happy and give me an enthusiastic "CONGRATULATIONS!" I'm excited and that's why I'm sharing the news with you. To me, it's wonderful news. So don't rain on my parade. What I need is for you to be happy too. I need your support, not your judgement.

Okay, that's all I want to say. You can go ahead and make your comments now :)

The Way Kids Think

Tonight, my son read a book titled "Grizzwold". It's about a very huge bear that had to leave his forest because the trees were being cut down to be made into paper. So, he had to find another place to live. His travels took him to the mountains, prairie, desert, the city, zoo and the circus. Anyway, to cut the story short, he finally finds the perfect home at a national park. But he encounters hunters. Luckily there was a ranger there to tell them hunting wasn't allowed. He told the bear "You will be safe here. People cannot shoot animals here. They can only shoot pictures."

KokoD: Mommy, what does it mean "shoot pictures?"
Me: It means to use a camera and take photos.
KokoD: Oh, I thought they hang the pictures on the trees and shoot them.

Hahahaha. Imagine what picture he would have in his mind if I told him a lot of aunties here like to "shoot pictures" as a hobby?

Nasi Ambang

I mentioned on Facebook the other day that I was looking forward to eating Nasi Ambang. A friend of mine commented "what is Nasi Ambang?" I promise to load a picture of it and so here it is.

I believe this dish is from Johor but originate in Jawa. Don't know quite how to describe it -- it's got salted fish, chicken, coconut (I think), mixed vegetable with noodle. It's a little spicy. However, looking around the internet, I realized that the nasi ambang tends to look different. Anyone can shed some light on this? Is this like a "chap fan" (chinese mixed rice) concept?

Anyway, I just discovered this dish a few months back. It was being sold by this little van by the side of the road that leads to my house. DH said we should try it one day and we did. I liked it. Then I realized that actually, the pasar malam also have like 2 stalls selling nasi ambang, but like I mentioned earlier, looks a little different from the van seller's (I like the one from the van). And what I didn't realize was the pasar malam one, the packet was big enough to feed 3 people. One packet = RM5.00

Well, if you've never tried it before, go to your next pasar malam and see if you can find it. If not, my little van seller caters her nasi ambang and I have her phone number. If you're not in Malaysia, well... too bad. Guess you'll just have to make a trip here :)

Have A Good Day

Every day when I drop off KokoD at his kindy, I tell him to "Have a good day!" And I really want him to because his first few days at kindy was shaky. When I pick him up I will ask "was it a good day?" Thankfully it has been a good day for the last few days.

Anyway, I dropped off K at school today. And as she got down from the car I said "Have a good day!" KokoD was in the car with me and this is what he said:

KokoD: Mommy, why must you say that? Just say good-bye and that's it.
Me: Because I want her to have a good day. I want her to be happy. I want her to have a good experience at school and hope everything goes well for her.
KokoD: Mommy, I'm used to my class already. So, you don't have to say that to me ok.
Me: So you're okay with your school now?
KokoD: Yes and don't ask me anymore ok!

My reaction:
Happy - Glad that he has adapted to the school.
Sad - Coz' I still want to know how his day went. Now I can't ask.
Amused - Didn't know that a simple wish of "have a good day" can create stress. Hahahaha.

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5 Tips to Make Your Home-Based Service Business Work

So you’ve been thinking of starting a business from home. You’ve got some skills, don’t have a lot of space for inventory, so you figure it might be a good idea to start a service business. In fact, it’s a GREAT idea – you just have to be prepared to get your business off the ground and balance all the work/life responsibilities that are on your plate.

This article is going to provide you with easy-to-follow tips to do just that, but first, if you still don’t know what type of service business to start, here are a few popular suggestions:

• Ghostwriting for the Internet: Write articles, reports and other information for online business owners.
• Transcription Business: Create written records of audio recordings, meetings and more.
• Virtual Assistant Business: Provide administrative support, secretarial services and more for other companies.

It doesn’t matter what type of service business you start, there will be some challenges along the way. Here are some tips help you as you go along:

1. First and foremost, set your working hours and ensure everyone in your household is aware of them and respects them. If you happen to be a mother or have other interruptions during the day, there’s nothing wrong with setting aside smaller chunks of time where you’ll be working. This isn’t the “real world” work setting anymore – it’s better. You work at home and you can decide when you work.

2. As a service business, you have two very important roles. One of those roles is to provide service for your clients. The other is to FIND those clients and the time involved in this is something many service-providers don’t take into account. Ensure you have enough time for providing services and the marketing tasks for your business – or hire some help to make the most efficient use of your time.

3. Charge a fair and rewarding rate. Even if you charge your clients for each hour you work for them, there are many tasks (administrative, marketing, etc.) that you don’t get paid for. To set a rate that is worthwhile to you, you need to decide what type of overall income you desire and figure out how many hours total (all business activities) you want to be working. If you find you can’t charge a rate that is worthwhile, consider another business idea or target a specific type clientele that is willing to pay the rates you charge.

4. Be choosy about your clients. It can be tempting to simply take on any clients because you may need the cash. Unfortunately, bad clients can drain your time, suck up your energy and end up being more work than they’re worth. Resist the temptation to just take any clients because your business will be more fruitful in the long run if you work with easy-to-manage, low-maintenance clients.

5. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. If you find yourself taking on more clients than you can handle to earn more money, revisit tip #3 above. You may be concerned about giving your clients a good deal, but they actually suffer when you can’t provide the quality service they deserve. Instead aim for fewer clients, charge more and give them stellar service.

If you keep these things in mind, your transition to a work-at-home service provider will go much more smoothly. It’s not always easy and when you’re first starting out, it can be tough to find that balance and a schedule that you can work with. But stick with it and keep refining your process and you’ll find yourself owning a very rewarding business that you absolutely love.

Recommended
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