Who would you rather die first?

Today my mom told me that my back neighbor had passed away. It feels weird, and tragic, that the lady I see walking her children to school every morning is suddenly gone. We were told it was due to an accident. I believe she has 6 children.

This got me thinking about my kids. Would they be better off if I died first or their dad? I know, I know... such a morbid topic. Anyway, I posed my question to my kids just to see how their minds work.

So, I went to each of them and asked this hypothetical question:
"If an angel appeared to you and told you that one of your parents need to die and he gave you the opportunity to choose which parent it should be, which would you choose?"

K: I don't know. Don't ask me to answer such question. Both also I don't want dead. Don't force me to answer.
D1: I'll choose mommy (answered hesitantly coz' he thought I'd get angry). Because I'm a boy and you know... boy with boy (meaning he still has a dad to bond with and show him the ropes). Plus, daddy earns the money (smart kid, as I suspected).
D2: I choose daddy. Because he is older (what do you expect from a 4 year old?)

Anyway, in my situation, I think my kids are better off if I died first. I agree with D1; Daddy earns the money and so if he died first, our family would not have to go through a major, major change. If I died first, the family would not suffer financially. And fortunately we still have grandparents that can help take care of them. Of course they would miss me but I don't think their life would be turned upside down.

What are your thoughts on this? Who would you rather die first, you or your spouse?

p.s. Just to make things clear, this is just a hypothetical question. It is not about making death wishes. Please do not be offended.

Poster Your Images

What do you have on your wall? Most people like to put up family pictures. My DH, he likes to put up posters with motivational quotations. For example, these are some sayings from his posters:

• Think Out Of The Box.
• Failing Doesnt' Make You A Failure. Giving Up Does!
• Challenges Can Be Stepping Stones Or Stumbling Blocks. It's Just A Matter Of How You View Them.
• Worry Is Like A Rocking Chair. It Gives You Something To Do But Doesn't Get You Anywhere.
• Success Is What Happens When Preparation Meets Opportunity.

I've noticed that many people have started to think about Christmas gifts. You know what? A poster is a nice gift to give a friend. Maybe even a family member. Almost all of us have tons of images lying in our computer's hard disk. It is so easy to convert some of those images into custom posters. I know some of you are lucky to have a DSLR camera. I've seen plenty of awesome looking photos on blogs. Imagine adding some motivational words to an beautiful picture and then send it for custom poster printing. I think that makes a unique gift with a personal touch, don't you?

I know my son would love it if I converted some of his bird pictures into a poster. He is a budding birder. Here are some of his pictures:

Amazingly, poster printing is quite affordable. You could get a 24" x 36" poster printed for $19. It's a small price to pay for turning a lovely memory into a work of art.

Well, that's just a thought about what you can do with your tons of images and ideas for gifts.

*This post is brought to you by PosterBrain

My Prayers Were Answered

Today I decided to work on our income tax.

I looked high and low for our 2010 Life Assurance Premium Statement because it is deductible. I thought I had kept it in the business expense document folder but it wasn't there. I figured it must be my very poor memory that I couldn't remember where I put those statements.

I checked and double checked all our drawers. I went up the attic to see if there were any more boxes with documents. I made DH go up the other attic too. I just couldn't remember where I put those statements and figured it was misplaced when moving house in November.

I said several silent prayers to Heavenly Father that I would find it.

Well, guess what??? I did find it. It came in the post.

How stupid of me. Of course I couldn't find them because the insurance company hadn't sent them yet. The insurance statements I remembered putting away in the folder were actually those of 2009, not 2010. So either my memory is too good or too lousy.

Anyway, I am at awed at how this small prayer was answered. Of all days for the statement to come in the post, it came today. It came at the very moment I was looking for it. Coincidence? Hmmm....

I don't know if you are the same way but if I can't find something that I need, it bugs me and bugs me until I find it. It's like I can't rest in peace. Anyway, I am grateful for Heavenly Father's tender mercies. It was a small matter but He helped me anyway.

I am thankful for all my blessings, big and small.

Care for some blog hopping?

One thing about blogging is meeting other like minded bloggers. I haven't been doing much blog hopping lately. Thought I'd do a little catch up and joined this blog hopping list. Why not jump on the bandwagon and meet new people?

Online Garage Sale!

I'm moving and I need to let some things go. I've created a webpage where you can view the stuff for your convenience. Not everything has a price. Some things are free. What might you find?
Baby slings, carseat/baby carrier, bicycle, microwave oven, cake mixer, fisher-price baby gym and books (parenting, children and business). I'll add on as I pack stuff up. So do give it a look and see if you want anything. Oh, and spread the word for me among your friends. Thanks.

http://valuebookshop.com/moving-house-sale.htm

Do You Trust Your Mechanic?

Last Tuesday we sent in our car for service at Proton Edar and we waited for 3 hours for it to get done. 3 very, very looooong hours. AND I had the baby with me. Thank goodness she didn't really put up a fuss. And thank goodness there was a food court nearby. Unfortunately there wasn't much food left to eat but it was good enough to keep us going until evening.

When it comes to car repairs, it is so important to find a mechanic that you can trust. There are so many "con-men" out there waiting for gullible victims. They will either do a shabby job, use cheap lousy spare parts or simply change parts of your car without your permission and then charge you a bomb.

When we were living in PJ, my DH sent his car to a mechanic in Taman Paramount. He was a really trustworthy guy. Sometimes he won't charge us for little problems. Then we moved out here to PA. We were lucky to find another trusted mechanic. He and my DH built a good relationship. He would even treat my little boy to roti canai and milo.

Since we are moving soon to another town, we have to hunt again for a trusted mechanic there. If we were in U.S., it would be easy because there are websites like RepairPal that allows you to find a mechanic in your area and you can also get repair estimates. For example, if you lived in Dallas, you could get from the website a list of Dallas auto repair. Plus, if you want to get more information on a certain type of car like Chevrolet Silverado, you can read reviews, problem reports and questions posed by other people.

I have to send my car again to Proton Edar because the brake fluid is slightly leaking. They didn't have the spare parts the other day and so they will schedule another appointment for us. I dread the idea of going back there. Hopefully it won't take another 3 hours to do the brake job.

*This post brought to you by your friends at RepairPal

Do You Get The Best Or The Worst?

When it comes to meal times, I am the last to eat. Not because I am a slow eater but because of the baby. DH and me will take turns to take care of her. So, I let him (and the kids) eat first and after he is done, I get to eat.

When you are the last one to eat, you learn a lot about your family (and maybe yourself too). How much and what kind of food they leave for you can say many things, it depends on how you interpret it.

So, as I sat down to have my dinner tonight, I was left with a fair amount of veges and 2 pieces of chicken. The 2 pieces of chicken were parts that nobody liked (even myself): chicken breast. So what are possible lessons I can learn from this:

1. I have very selfish children. They eat the best and leave what they don't like for their mother to eat.
2. I have spoilt my children. I always give them the best and that's why they only know how to "take" and don't know how to "give".
3. My children don't think I am a very good parent and so don't think I deserve to have the best.
   
4. I haven't taught my children properly.
   
5. I need to be selfish and put aside what I want to eat first before letting them eat.
   
6. I need to learn how to love eating chicken breast.
7. I'm crazy for trying to gauge my parenting skills or how much I am loved by what my kids leave for me to eat.

Which answer will you pick?
And, if you were the last one to eat in your family, what would you get? The best or the worse?

p.s. I love my DH coz' he usually makes an effort to leave good stuff for me to eat :)

Where Do Missing Socks Go?

Has anybody solved the mystery of missing socks? When it comes to babies, it's usually the mittens and booties that go missing. It's baffling! You send two for washing and only one comes back.

Well, in my case, I might have figured out how it is happening. Take a look at this picture.

My tree is eating them up. Either that or someone is trying to grow socks in my garden.

Just look at how deep inside it was. It was not easy to see it. You can say I was even lucky to spot it. I don't know how many days my FIL has been watering it. Where are the other missing socks? Maybe the plant digested them already. Who knows?

What's your theory on missing socks?

What Do You Wear To Sleep?

Are you a pajamas person? I used to be. When I was growing up, I used to wear those cotton 3/4 pant pajamas. They were very comfortable, especially for our hot weather. I haven't been able to find those kind of pajamas nowadays. The ones I see at the store are all long pants. I did find some that were selling online at womens pajamas. They call them cropped pants. This online store has lots of varieties to choose from: flannel, thermal, footed, cotton, chemises, lingerie, silk and satin. I didn't even know there is such thing as moisture wicking pajamas. Sounds like a good thing though coz' the weather these days is soooo hot, you sweat like crazy. They also have couple matching pajamas, but I doubt my husband is the "let's match pajamas" kind of person. My kids on the other hand would jump on the idea of matching pajamas with each other or with me.

When I was studying overseas, I indulged myself in a pair of silk pajamas. Ooooh, they felt very nice on the skin. They were my favorite thing to wear when I was home. Yeah, pajamas were not only for sleeping. They were for lounging around the house too.

When I was pregnant, I wore caftans to sleep. It was comfortable as there was lots of room for the big bump. Plus, it was nice and airy. Good for those hot nights (I mean weather kind of hot okay).

Now that I'm back to breastfeeding, its t-shirt and pants for pajamas. Very boring if you ask me. I think I would like to get back to women's pajamas. I don't know. Maybe it's the relaxed feeling you get when you change into some nice comfy pajamas at the end of a looooong day. Don't quite get that feeling with t-shirt and shorts. I guess I'll have to add "buy women's pajamas" to my shopping list. Hope I find some nice ones to choose from. Silk again? Hmmmm..... something to consider.

Happy Mother's Day Everyone

Here is a video by Kelly Corrigan and it is perfect for Mother's Day. Every mother needs to hear the words "Thank You". Those 2 words does wonders for our spirits (especially when we are down) and makes us want to do more. Here is my "Thank You" to my mother:

• Thank you for making sure I have enough to eat
• Thank you for trusting me to drive your car around (even when I just got my license)
  
• Thank you for making those trips up to visit me and the kids
• Thank you for worrying about my welfare
• Thank you for taking me to the swimming pool when I was a kid and teaching me how to swim

Through Facebook, Kelly asked her friends and fans to list all of the things that mothers want to be thanked for and to share photos. What a great idea. Here is what I want my kids to thank me for:

• Cooking everyday
• Choosing to stay at home (not running away) even though I often get headaches from the noise, fighting, whining and complaining.
  
• Giving you the best milk as a baby - Breastmilk
• Taking you to church every Sunday and teaching you the gospel
• Stocking up the shelves with books, books and books
• Getting up in the middle of the night to change your diapers
• Taking pictures to document your childhood days
• Teaching you how to do chores around the house so you can be independent latter in life
• Always letting you eat the drumstick
• Putting bandages on all your cuts and bruises

Okay, okay... don't want the list to get too long. Hehehehe. So, what would you like to be thanked for this Mother's Day?

Put Fun in Fundraisers

Last year, my girl came back from school with a card. It was a card that most parent's dislike. No, not a report card. It was a donation card. The kind that have you asking friends, colleagues, neighbors and relatives to write their name and how much they are willing to take out of their wallets. I hate doing that. When I was younger, my school had me do that too on occasions. I remember my mother was so bold as to approach the Yang diPertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan (the king of our state at that time) to donate. They used to play golf together once in a while.

Anyway, this kind of fundraising is not a good idea if you ask me. It's a win-lose situation. I know charity means not asking "what's in it for me?". However, shoving a donation card into someone's hands and asking for money is like slapping them with a summons. There is no excitement there. People would appreciate getting something back in return. How about brochure fundraising? For example, over at FastTrack Fundraising, they have brochures for gourmet cookie dough. So, instead of a donation card, people get to flip through a brochure to select what yummy cookie dough flavor they want to buy. There's also brochures for scented candles, magnetic fridge frames and Crayola cooking kits. Another cool fundraising idea is to sell discount cards. You could approach local stores like restaurants, hairdressing salons and recreation places to participate. Everybody likes discounts.

So, a message to whoever is planning a fundraiser, especially schools (cause really, the mom is always the one going around asking for money, not the kids), please be a little creative and make it fun.

p.s. If you have lots of money and want to do some good in the world, you can check out the philanthropy forum.

* Brought to you by your friends at FastTrackFundraising.com

Do You Think Of Death?

Do you have grim, morbid moments? I do. When I was little, I remember waking up one night crying because I dreamed my mother died. My daughter has had a dream like that too. She dreamed I died and she woke up crying. Sometimes, I would ponder... what would happen if my husband died or if I were to lose one of my children. I wonder if I would be able to bear the pain? My parents are getting older everyday. I know one day in the near future, I will have to see them go. Can we ever be ready to handle death?

A friend of mine passed away a few days ago. Earlier in the year, a friend's sister lost her son. I cannot fathom the grief the family is going through. Are there any words that can bring comfort?

Easter is just around the corner and reminds us that Christ has overcome the bands of death for us. We will all be resurrected. There is the hope that families can be together forever. HOWEVER, we will still feel the emotions of losing a loved one.

During those days of mourning, I would think hiring a professional like Funeral Agent is important. I know I will be too devastated to even think how to plan a funeral. It will definitely be helpful if someone else could handle stuff like transporting deceased , paperwork and funeral services. All these things needs to be done competently and with compassion. The last thing you need is more stress.

I pray I will have the strength to face such trial when the time comes. May we all find peace and joy this Easter season.

"I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:"
(John 11:25)

*Brought to you by your friends at funeralagent.com

Funny T-Shirts For Boring Wardrobe

I like wearing T-shirts. It's comfortable and practical for my "work". It is perfect for cooking, cleaning and running around in this crazy heat. However, there are days when I look into my cupboard and wonder what to wear? Most of the t shirts are plain colored. Some have a little design to it. Sadly I admit, my t shirt collection is quite boring.

Maybe it would help to add a fun shirt like Nerdyshirts funny tshirts. The amount of time I'm spending on the computer these days, I could qualify to be a nerd. But no, the t-shirts there are not just for nerds. It is for anyone who wants a break from their boring t-shirts. They have a white t-shirt with graphics that make you look like you're wearing a working shirt with a black tie. They also have movie t-shirts such as The Hangover t-shirts. That one is quite cool. It makes you look like you have a baby strapped to you. New moms probably won't buy that though. They already have real babies strapped to them. Hahaha.

You know, sometimes life gets busy that we forget to laugh. Just yesterday I looked in the rear view mirror of the car and noticed I'm getting frown lines on my forehead. So, if your life could use a little humor, maybe a funny t-shirt will help. Why not take a humor break now and look at some funny pictures.

*Brought to you by your friends at Nerdyshirts.com

What Would Your Custom T-Shirt Say?

I love this baby onesie that says "bad hair day". It's really perfect for babyK as she really does have some bad hair days. I have another one that says "I love Daddy". Obviously I bought that to "polish daddy's shoes"; motivation for him to take care of her more often so I can have some free time. Heheheh.

So anyway, I was thinking, if you had to write something on your T-shirt, what would it say?

I was looking at some Cafepress custom t-shirts and saw some that might suit me. There's one that says "I'm not bossy. I just know what you should be doing." And I'm sure my daughter would reply with the T-shirt that says " All I hear is blah, blah, blah, blah, blah..." :)

There are some food t-shirts as well. There's a cute one that says "Cereal Killer". DH would probably wear the one that says "Got Chili?" He can really eat spicy stuff. As for me, I would definitely wear the one that says "Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first." Some days I would need a shirt that says "What to cook?" If you're a mom who cooks everyday, you'll know what I mean. Sometimes you just want to get away from cooking the same ol' stuff. That's when websites like the Food Network comes in handy.

Other sayings that should be on my T-shirts:

• Go to sleep
• No, you can't use the computer
• They're not my children. I'm just babysitting
• I make milk. What's your super power.
• I'm not nagging. I'm just reminding.
• I'm baby food.

So, what would your T-shirt say?


Brought to you by your friends at cafepress.com

The Wrong Way To Protect Your House

DH decided to net up the gate so we could let our rabbit roam free. When I looked out to see what the rabbit was doing, I saw her at the gate, looking out very intently. I thought, "Wow, we have a guard rabbit."

But then DH told me to take a closer look. Actually, she was keeping an eye on the cat outside. I wonder what the cat was thinking? And I wonder what the rabbit was thinking?

Cat: What long ears you have? And where's your tail? Can you meow? You walk funny.
Rabbit: Have you never seen a rabbit before? And no you can't come in. This is my territory.

The Aroma Of Homemade Bread

For the longest time I've wanted to get a breadmaker. Well, I finally got one. Tesco came out with their own brand and it only costs RM199. That's real cheap compared to other brands, and there's not much choice here in Malaysia.

So, how did my bread turn out? Take a look.

So far I've only done simple white bread. Turns out quite nice. I want to do whole wheat bread because it's healthier. Unfortunately stupid me bought the wrong thing when I went to the baking shop. I was suppose to get whole wheat flour, I got whole wheat instead. Anybody knows what I can do with whole wheat?

Just in case you're wondering how to make bread with a breadmaker, here's basically what you do: Throw in the ingredients in the recommended order (read the instruction manual). Mine says to put liquids first (water, oil, milk), then the dry stuff (flour, salt, sugar) and last of all, yeast on top. Press a few buttons to select the mode and color of crust. Then, press start. Walla! 3 hours later, you have nice, warm bread to eat.

I am going to enjoy my breadmaking the next few weeks. Anybody have a nice breadmaker recipe, please share.

Need To Catch Some Lizards?

The other day my daughter walked into the kitchen to get a snack and then came quickly running out while giving the most fearful scream "AAaaaaaaaaargh". This is what she saw:

Sorry, this picture may not be for the squeemish.

This was a box of chocolate almond cookies given to me as a birthday present. I believe my little son had some the night before and may not have closed the lid properly. Anyway, I can understand if there was only one lizard inside. Maybe it got caught by accident. But THREE lizards???? I don't think this was an accident. I think they were after my cookies! And here I thought that lizards only ate insects.

Anyway, I closed the lid tight and left them in there to die (Ewww, no way I was going to let them out). These hardy creatures lived several more days. KokoD observed them like a science experiment those few days. He noticed the cookies were getting less and less. Which confirms the fact that THEY EAT COOKIES!

Anyway, if you are looking for a lizard trap, this could be a solution. This is probably the most bizarre way to catch lizards. Actually, it's not even proven to be successful. Maybe this is just a one time thing or maybe it's just the lizards in my house. I'm definitely not trying again to see if it works.

My first thoughts when I saw those lizards.... "Thank goodness I already ate most of those cookies".

Do You Have A Special Valentine's Day Memory?

Image via Wikipedia

What has been your most memorable Valentine's Day? For me, I'm still waiting for my DH to give me a romantic surprise. Maybe I'm thinking all wrong. Instead of waiting for him to give me a surprise, maybe I should be the one to give him a surprise.

Anyway, Valentine's Day is coming up fast and I know there are a lot of guys out there thinking "what can I do to make Valentine's Day special for my girlfriend/wife?" Well, let me give you some ideas on what would make any girl happy (these would serve as hints for my DH too).

A Day At The Spa
We ladies like the thought of having a good massage and being pampered. A treat at the spa doesn't have to be for one person. Make it a date and go together.

Romantic Weekend Getaway
Book yourselves a place in a nice hotel. If you are married with kids, arrange to leave the kids with someone you can trust. Enjoy some down time together.

Fresh Flowers With Balloons
I know flowers are such a traditional gift. So what? Doesn't mean we ladies don't like it. How often do we get a bunch of sweet smelling flowers. It doesn't always have to be roses. If you know what her favorite flower is, get those. You can top it off with balloons. Make it more special by writing your love messages on the balloons. Fill her bedroom with all the balloons.

Special Dinner
If your wife is like me who cooks everyday, give her a break. Treat her to a nice dinner at a fancy restaurant. You'll make her more happy if you also bought her a new dress to wear to the dinner. Alternatively, you can cook the special dinner yourself. Just make sure you are a good cook first.

A Scrapbook
These days it is so easy to make a digital scrapbook. Why not create one to highlight all the things you love about her. Journal how you feel for her, why she makes you happy, what were your thoughts the first time you met her, why is she special to you and what are your wishes for her. You can make the scrapbook into a slide show and even add her favorite music. If not, print it out into a photobook.

I believe that we should go through life creating special memories. This Valentine's Day is an opportunity for you to create a wonderful memory for your loved one. Unfortunately, the downturn in the economy may make it difficult for you to do certain things. So, you either have to be creative with your tight budget or you could opt for a cash advance.

Message for husbands:
Don't let your wife end up like me. I have no special memory of Valentine's Day... yet. Create a special memory for her; One that she will remember when she's old. Just imagine her sitting down on a rocking chair one day, telling her grandchildren about the day grandpa....

Mother's Day!

Forgot to put up a post to wish all mothers, "HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!"

As for me, mother's day came, mother's day went. Nothing special. Went to church as usual. Since I'm in the primary organization (nursery teacher), I helped the kids make some lollipop flowers for their mothers. Two sisters (the primary president and her counsellor) were busy making sure all the mothers would get one, nobody made for them. So, I crafted a few more at home and added some "extras" to the gift.

Grabbed a small decorative cup, added shreded crepe paper and some candy. Stuck the lollipop candy on top.

Recycled a glass jar, had my daughter stick some gold stars on it, added some shreded crepe paper and then threw in some candy. Top it off with the lollipop flower and a carnation.

It's really interesting how I got the carnation. DH is working on a Malaysian florist website and he went over to the lady's (her name is Mei) house to discuss some details. I went along with him coz' he also had other errands to run and it's easier if someone sits in the car so you don't waste time looking for parking. Plus, it was a great excuse to get my Mother's Day treat: Ipoh Chicken Rice over at Jln. Gasing. Anyway, back to Mei's house... She's such a nice lady... She gave me a basket of floral arrangement. And then when we were about to get into the car to leave, she comes running out of the house with a box of Ferrero Rouche chocolates to give BabyD because she said he was so good to wait for his daddy. Nice lady huh? I forgot to take a picture of the flowers but it was Geberas and Carnations. If you want to see her wonderful floral masterpieces, go to her website -- http://allcoloursflowers.com/
At the moment there's only one link to "Mother's Day" flowers. There are more products coming up. DH and me are working on the site and will be uploading the new pages soon. If you are looking for floral gifts, do look for Mei. Once again, she's such a nice lady! I'm sure you'll be happy doing business with a nice lady :)

Okay, so what did I get my mom? Well, I haven't gotten it yet but I know she likes the solar garden lights I have in my garden. I'll be getting a few for her as her Mother's Day gift.

As for my kids, my daughter made me a Mother's Day card. Errr... that was it. I guess mommy is special to them everyday so Mother's Day is no biggie. Heheheh. Yeah, that's what I like to think :)

Free Baking Workshop Update

I got a call last night telling me that I'M IN!!!! Yes, they selected me and so I'm off this Saturday to the wonderful world of baking. I'm so excited. Thank you judge(s). Does this mean I owe you a golf lesson? Hahahahah.

In case you don't know what this Free Baking Workshop is about, check back at this posting:
FREE BAKING WORKSHOP

I'm gonna be learning how to make:

• Sweet buns (with red bean, tuna and hot dog fillings)
• Moist chocolate cake
• Chocolate fudge &
• Chocolate chip walnut cookies