Goreng Pisang Cheese Bukit Jelutong

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you would have noticed how extremely anal I am about hygiene. One of my biggest pet peeves is people touching my food. Especially when that person is selling the food for my consumption. It absolutely tickles my nerves!!

In my ideal world, anyone selling food should be wearing disposable gloves or using tongs to handle their wares. Gloves should then be taken off when handling money. This practice is noticeably absent at food stalls by the road side. Sometimes, even the small stalls in shopping malls do not use gloves! *shakes head*  I had an especially bad experience with Leko Leko in Plaza Alam Sentral... she started off strong using tongs to handle the hot keropok lekor, but then she got frustrated with using the tongs to stuff the keropok lekor into the paper bag... and started using her hands! It was such an awkward moment for me. Should I tell her off, refuse to pay and walk away? On the other hand, she fried the keropok lekor just for me (there were no other customers in sight), it costs only a couple of ringgits and I felt sorry for her to lose a sale. *sigh* Sometimes I am too nice. In the end, I paid for it and then threw it out.

So when I found a food stall that actually met my hygiene standards, I simply had to share it with you! Our local goreng pisang stall in Bukit Jelutong not only serves scrumptious goreng pisang cheese, but they also use gloves. I also noted that they do not use the gloved hand to receive money from customers.

(I had another annoying experience at another stall, where the lady actually used her hand to hold the block of cheese and started grating it on top of my goreng pisang. Erkkk... yuckssssss. That one went straight to the bin, of course.)

They even entertain drive thru orders too!

One hand gloved (to handle food) while the other was not (to handle money).

Crunchy and cheesy, lip smacking good!

Check out those strings of cheese oozing between each piece of goreng pisang. *drool*

Do you have any particular pet peeves when it comes to food hygiene? Have you ever told off someone for mishandling food? Do share. Remember, halalan toyyiban is not just about being pork/alcohol free, but also safe, hygienic and clean.

Fans of Daiso

I get so overwhelmed whenever I step into Daiso.

For starters, the shop is stuffed with things. Secondly, most of them are written in Japanese so I have to pick up each product and read the small English description at the back. And of course, there are so many products displayed that I cannot afford to pick up each and every item that catches my eyes.

Hence I stick with things that I know from sight, such as baking pans, spatulas, cookie cutters... even decorative boxes! 

Recently, I joined a Facebook page called "Fans of Daiso" where members review and recommend items that they purchase. They would rave about items that they love, provide pictorial testimonials and even post real time updates when certain products are stocked up. From then on, I started looking at Daiso in a whole different light!

Last week, I stepped foot into Daiso and started hunting for the recommended items. Here's my loot:

The over glorified egg timer.

This is such a hotttttt item in the Facebook page discussions. Everyone is looking for it, and everyone who has one swears by it. I was extremely intrigued by how such a simple item could drive people to start hunting for it in Daiso outlets at other countries, while some would pay a premium to get hold of it. It is almost always sold out in Singapore. So I started stalking for it too. When I eventually found it during my second Daiso trip, I was sooooo happy! (I am officially as Daiso-crazy as the other members now!) Can't wait to try it out.

Window cleaning sheets, kitchen grease sheets, microwave and washing machine cleaner,

More items to help you at home! Some members swear by the window cleaning sheets. Not only does it clean windows, it removes water stain marks too. However some complained of dried markings on the window after cleaning. As for the kitchen grease sheets, apparently they make cleaning the stove so much easier. The washing machine is another hot item, I saw pictures reviews of how much fluff and dirt the cleaner managed to extract... *shudders* Last but not least, the microwave oven cleaner comes with a sponge; just wipe your microwave using the sponge and it becomes sparkling clean. I have yet to try them all... so I can't say much.

Melamine sponge, bear shaped pan and silicone tongs.

They don't call this the "Magic Eraser" for nothing - the melamine sponge can be used to clean tough stains such as stained grout and tiles, tarnish on silver and sometimes even rust. Bear shaped pan for Aiden's pancakes. I also bought colourful food picks (not in picture), hoping it would inspire me to start making bento for Aiden's lunch.

As for the silicone tongs - simply push the sides of the tongs together and you can lock them in place by just pulling the ring at the top. Very sturdy too. Such a steal for RM5!

Sponge rack and soapsuds dispenser.

I hate how my maid would leave the sponge just by the sink. The rack makes it much more organized (and clean)! As for the soap suds dispenser, according to the instructions, add some liquid soap and lukewarm water and you get soapsuds! 

Steamer and steaming cloth... for my dim sum!

Unfortunately, the steamer was a bit flimsy. Ian got hold of it and actually managed to tear the cover apart. But the steaming cloth is good... for steaming pau, dim sum or vegetables. Keeps your steamed items dry from the steam.

Lemon spray and cap resealing.

Simply cut the top of your lemon, screw the lemon spray in and you can spray lemon onto your salad. Since Hubby loves to drink water infused with lemon, I decided to give this a try and see if it works - just to give an extra boost of lemon in the drink. Some claim that it doesn't work. Looks like it's a waste of RM5 then! As for the cap resealing, members usually use it for flour. I bought it to reseal Aiden's Koko Krunch, cos it's such a nuisance to keep tying it up airtight after opening.

Foot patch, detergent for woman and sticky ear cotton buds.

Members claimed that the sole sap sheets would be wet when they wake up the next morning. Sore joints would be cured, and they feel fresh. Hubby and I tried it out and when we woke up, mine wasn't wet but his was damp. Both were certainly stained with "toxins". The blue ones are apparently the best seller. The detergent for woman is excellent for washing delicates (or even the sink) when it is that time of the month. I can vouch for this - minimal scrubbing required to get rid of the "colour", even on towels. The sticky ear cotton buds are used for cleaning babies/kids' ears (brilliant idea!)... no need to dig and scrape anymore. The ear wax will supposedly stick to the adhesive.

Shopping at Daiso is suddenly so therapeutic. *grins* I still have a longggg shopping list of items that I have yet to purchase. But I'm going to try all of the above items first, before I go for my next Daiso shopping spree. Hope I have inspired you to start shopping at Daiso. That's what fellow shopaholics are for! *chuckles*

How I Spent My Bonus - Part 2!

Awww... you cannot seriously believe that I would fail to purchase a handbag with my bonus, right?

The piano that I bought in How I Spent My Bonus - Part 1, was merely smoke and mirrors. I was just trying to distract you from my actual splurge, which is quite a no brainer actually - a new handbag!

But this time, instead of keeping to my earlier vow to only splurge on a Chanel whenever I have a baby.... erm fast forward to just a year later, I found myself carrying home a Chanel paperbag! *cue scream of disbelief yet again*

No, no... it's not another Chanel classic jumbo double flap, nor issit the medium (although the medium flap is calling out to me, oh so loudly). *drumroll* I bought myself my first seasonal flap! The bag is called the Chanel Coco Shine and it is part of the spring/summer collection of 2015.

Looks like it's instant noodles for me daily for the rest of the year! *chuckles*

Instead of bombarding this post with tons of pictures, here's a video of the unboxing of my new Chanel Coco Shine in electric blue patent with silver hardware... just the roll of the name on my tongue is enough to make me sigh in delight. *sighhhhh*

Okay fine... I cannot resist. Here are a few photos of my new baby:

The box! Despite it being a seasonal flap, it still comes with a magnetic box and all.

The iconic Chanel camellia.

Not only is it electric blue, it's patent too! I'm such a sucker for bright eye-catching colours.

The leather handle... very comfortable on the shoulders too!

Stickers still intact. (Don't worry, I took them off already!)

Love the miniature logo on the classic Chanel logo.

Matches beautifully with my new Ferragamo heels too!

Just for the record, Hubby was miraculously supportive over my new purchase. Here's proof:

Our typical husband and wife banter. That last statement of mine was said in complete sarcasm, no worries! *giggles*

The Yes Experiment!

Saying Yes to my two boys!

I always believe that a mother’s place is always with their kids.

However, I am a working mother. I wish I can spend more time with them – supervising Aiden with his homework, cuddling with Ian for his afternoon nap. But I have to juggle my responsibilities at work too. Such is a working mother’s dilemma.

Consequently, I compensate by spending quality time with them whenever I am home. When I am not at home, I trust my kids to my maid; but supervise them via CCTV. But since I am not physically home, I protect my kids further by implementing strict rules, such as not playing outside unsupervised. You can never be too careful nowadays!

Ian is quite the boisterous toddler - he's flitting around the house, climbing anything that looks even mildly adventurous and poking his fingers where it is not needed. (And it’s not even the Terrible Twos!) Persuading and rationalizing with an 18 month toddler to stop doing these mischievous things is akin to waiting for the moon to turn blue. Hence I resort to my favorite word, "No!" - Quick on the lips and oh so easy to utter. I even find myself saying "No" to Ian more often than I say "No" to Aiden.

So unfortunately, everything is a "No" for Ian nowadays, to a point that I feel it has become a knee-jerk impulsive response to almost anything audacious that Ian wants to attempt. Subconsciously, I know saying "No" this many times to a child must not be healthy. I am worried that the word "No" will lose its punch and Ian will become even more intrigued with the "no-nos".

Running after Ian who had his heart set on picking up the very attractive vase in his sight.

Aiden occasionally gets the big N-O when he asks to do things that I am not comfortable with. I can rattle off at least a dozen examples; from cycling around the neighbourhood on his own, to even wanting a pet. I have tried rationalizing my decisions with him, pointing out the risks and hazards associated with each request. However; sometimes I feel that he is too young to comprehend the rationale behind my choices.

Hence when Friso Gold approached me to participate in the "Say Yes" experiment, I accepted the campaign with open arms. It was certainly refreshing to try being neither a stern disciplinarian nor an overprotective mother in my household!

I ran the idea of the campaign through my darling husband. He was very supportive, especially as he had seen firsthand how attached I was to the simple one syllable word of "No". So for the next few weeks up until the day the experiment started, every time I said "No" to Ian (or Aiden), he would give me "the look"... His lips pursed shut trying to suppress a grin, while his eyes sparkled with laughter. Indeed it was quite an effective way to make me realize the number of times I was saying "No" and how tiresome it was. I realized then that I needed to adopt a different parenting style in raising my kids.

If you feel that you can relate to what I am going through, or probably going through the same at home, join me on my journey of "Saying Yes". Over the next 5 weeks, the Friso Gold Yes Experiment micro site will be releasing videos of the positive parenting experiences that I went through with my family.

Check out the video of Week 1, which chronicles my parenting style and how I eventually agreed to the experiment.

So fellow “No” mothers, click HERE to head to the Friso Gold Yes Experiment micro site, and together we can learn to embrace saying “Yes” to our children (to reasonable requests – of course). If you are unsure about whether you are a “Yes” or a “No” mother, there is even a quick test under the “Expert Advice” tab to help you decipher your preferred parenting style. Also, don’t forget to leave a comment after viewing the video! There are some really cute moments in that video that are definitely worth a chuckle or two. *smiles*

So Much More!

Have you ever noticed how whenever we’re on our smartphones, sometimes we merely nod at whatever our kids say? Here I am getting cozy on the couch, trying to post a status on my Facebook; and Ian walks up to me, pats my thigh and starts on his baby talk. I nod my head at whatever he is saying. He continues prodding me by climbing on me and pointing out to something. Out of the corner of my eye, I spy that his ball had rolled under the couch and he wanted my help. *cue guilty feeling*

Sounds familiar? Well, instead of just putting down your smartphones, why don’t you try something extra? Give him a bubble bath instead! Studies have shown that parents put their gadgets away when giving their child a bath (no one wants to get their mobile devices wet!)… And in turn, you get to give your little one your undivided attention that he/she deserves.

Annually, approximately 8 billion baths are given using Johnson’s products. 8 BILLION!!!

Johnson’s Baby Science of the Senses is bubbling up a brighter future for Malaysian babies by advocating parents to make bath time as bonding time. By using Johnson’s Baby bath time products, you can even make your child’s bath time a multi sensorial playground. The four step ritual starts with a relaxing baby massage with Johnson’s Baby baby oil, cleaning your baby with Johnson’s Baby top to toe wash, moisturizing baby’s skin with Johnson’s Baby lotion and powdering up with Johnson’s Baby sweet smelling baby powder. Don’t forget that post-bath cuddle too!

I just love nuzzling Ian after his bath time. It is true; one of the scents people around the world associate most with baby is the scent of a Johnson’s Baby baby product.

Oh the power of bath time! Enjoyable scents have been shown to improve baby’s mood and alertness. Infants given routine touch and massage are more likely to experience weight gain and increased bone mass. Playing with bubbles even help babies develop hand-eye coordination while splashing helps teach them cause and effect. This is certainly Science of the Senses!

Johnson’s Baby and KPJ Ampang Puteri recently joined forces to launch the So Much More campaign – an initiative to educate young parents to optimize their baby’s brain development and overall well-being through a multi sensorial stimulation bath time.

Officiating the partnership between Johnson’s Baby and KPJ Ampang Puteri Specialist Hospital at the launch of the So Much More Campaign.

 Launched by YB Datuk Hjh Azizah Datuk Seri Panglima Hj Mohd Dun, she called for Malaysian parents to focus on having quality time with their children to ensure they grow up to be smart and stable for the future of Malaysia.

There was also a panel of experts on hand where they discussed the use of Science of the Senses in optimizing baby’s development. Did you know that by just three years of age, 85% of baby’s brain is formed? Hence every experience leading up to this helps to shape baby’s brain. Johnson’s Baby certainly gives So Much More to help this multisensorial stimulation – what a baby feels, smells, hears and sees during bath time.

Panel of experts leading the discussion.

Scha al-Yahya, celebrity mum of little cutie Lara Alana, was also there to share her joys of motherhood and her approach to baby care through multi-sensorial stimulation.

Fielding questions from the floor.

Beautiful Scha.

I couldn’t resist a photo opportunity with Scha herself.

So the next time you’re bonding with your baby over a bath, remember to stimulate their senses using Johnson’s Baby baby products. Optimizing your baby’s brain development is now just a bubble bath away!

Mummy bloggers enjoying bubbles scented with Johnson’s Baby baby products.

Adorable cupcakes served at the media event. Duckies taking a bath, with Johnson’s Baby bath products, no doubt!

My Pit Stop Boys

Saturday morning is almost always reserved for washing the car! And if it is not done on Saturday, the activity would then be brought over to Sunday morning. That's how much dedication the boys (Hubby included!) have over the car.

Although I am no big fan of washing the car, I certainly appreciate the father-son bonding during this activity. Most importantly, I appreciate those precious minutes when the kids are out of my hair! So while Hubby is busy lathering his baby with soapsuds, Aiden sprays water to rinse the car, whilst Ian... erm Ian just plays with the car wax bottles, he's helpful that way!

Last weekend was no different. Incidentally, the boys were in their Lightning McQueen pyjamas (with checkered pants) and they looked just like a pit stop crew, only way cuter!

My pit stop boys!

Aiden's interest in washing the car has been evident since he was just a little toddler. He loved accompanying his daddy outside, using his tiny fingers to scrub the rims. (Child labour law, anyone?) Hence nowadays, it is simply natural that he takes his role seriously. He is not only responsible for rinsing the soapsuds away, he is also given the responsibility to scrub and wipe the car. The only thing he is not allowed to touch is the wax!

Check out Aiden's focused face!

Ian on the other hand, is responsible for carrying bottles around. Heh - i'm just glad he hasn't slipped and fell so far!  

Engrossed with the soapsuds on his arms.

Have you ever heard about this joke, where a man shows the number of products he uses on his car, versus how many he uses on himself???

Sounds familiar??

Well, here's my Hubby's range of product that he uses on his car. As for the range of products he uses on himself... let's just say he enjoys using my Sothys facial wash, Bath and Body Works body wash, Shiseido shampoo (without the conditioner, thank god!) and sometimes when he runs out... even my Rexona deoderant! Luckily toothbrushes are sold in a set of two, if not I'm sure he would trespass to that territory too!

Ian trying to figure out why his Daddy needs so many bottles to wash one car.

The other attraction that makes washing the car so enticing for the kids... is of course the water play! And not just water play with rinsing the car... but Hubby even makes the effort to inflate the inflatable pool and places the garden slide into the pool to make a mini water slide. Toys optional, depending on what the kids drag into the pool.

The slide even has a hose attachment to make it into a water sprinkler.

A big splash from Aiden... Ian of course followed suit soon after.

So this is how my kids bond with their Daddy. Cheap and effective too! Do you and your kids have regular bonding activities that I can replicate with Aiden and Ian? Do share!

Biking With Baby Onboard

Adorable smile from Ian!

Poor Ian, every time he sees us reach for our bicycle helmets and walk out the door, he would wail woefully, as if protesting our decision to leave him home to go cycling. And every time he does that, my heart would break and I would be laden with guilt. 

How can a mother indulge one child in an activity of his choice, but leave the other crying at home? *shakes head*

So I decided to bring him along. Major decision made there... especially after all the hoo-haa about how I am afraid of heights and all. Also the fact that the last time I was on a bike was when I was 15 years old. Yupppp... I'm still learning the ropes about balancing myself on my bike, and now I want to balance a precious cargo too?? Aaahhh the things I do for my kids. *sigh*

Our local bicycle shop.

We managed to get a bicycle baby seat from our local bike shop in TTDI Jaya. The shop is aptly called Kedai Basikal. *grin* They had two options on sale - either the rear child seat or the front child seat.

• Front child seat: Makes the child feel as if it is his/her bike as they get to see the same view as you do. Suitable only up to 3 years of age.. anything above that then it becomes an obstruction to your view. Low weight limits. Taller riders may find their knees bumping to the seat. More balanced. Less jarring ride to the child, since they're not right over the wheel
• Rear child seat: Suitable for older kids too. Not as social or fun as their front view would probably be your sweaty backside. Needs a strong rear rack to support the seat.  

Both options (as available in our local bicycle shop) had a harness system and foot buckets (with guards to keep their feet out of the spokes) for safety. The harness runs on one adjustment, hence you will have to slide the harness over their heads first before putting their helmets on. Unfortunately, Malaysia does not have the market for toddler helmets, so helmets have to be customized to fit. ($$$!!!) Note that it is probably not a good idea to take infants by bike until at least nine months old (good head control).

In the end, I chose the rear child seat, especially since I wanted the seat to last us a good few years, and also because I was nervous about having Ian in front of me while cycling. What if he decides to hold the handlebars? Hmmm...

Baby bicycle seat! Andddd I don't even have to take the seat off to fold the bicycle.

So how was my maiden ride??? Fuhhhh... very unnerving! I was very nervous about going on bumpy roads or going up onto the sidewalk. I was worried that Ian would fall off or I would lose balance and tip over. Alhamdulillah, after a few tries, I am happy to report that I am now more confident. Of course, I never leave him unattended even when the bike is on a kickstand.

And Ian really enjoys going on the bicycle. He especially loves going downhill, feeling the wind rushing past him. I try to make it a point to cycle every afternoon with him (except when it rains). Aiden, Ian and I go to the playground and even the clubhouse together! Nowadays, Ian would even take my helmet, attempt to put it on his head and point to the bicycle... that's how much he enjoys his afternoon rides.

With this, I am fair to both of my boys. Not only that, it is also a great bonding activity for us. Hence this mother of two is a very happy mummy! *smiles*

Detox, Anyone???

I had lunch with a girlfriend recently, who shared her experience with detox. She tried the La Juiceria one day detox program. According to her, her pee (excuse my language!) smelt so bad that she felt sorry for the person who was going to use the toilet after her! *chuckles*

I guess the toxins going out of her body were responsible for the smell and all. Which is ultimately a good sign, no?

Convinced, I decided to give it a try too. Last Friday, La Juiceria opened their latest outlet in Nu Sentral. So I decided to take the plunge! The one day detox program includes 6 bottles of cold-pressed juice for RM99. It also comes with a cooler bag (to keep your juices cold for your trip home), organic raw cashew nuts (in case you feel hungry) and a very detailed detox cleanse schedule.

Do you think you're ready for detox? Detox is a strict diet regime - hence for the entire day you will consume no food, no sugar... (and no fun!) as the purpose is to take the loads off organs that detoxify the body. If you think you can do this, read on about my one day experience below!

La Juiceria one day detox program... plus a complimentary Vital Shot (or The Defender).

So the first thing I did when I rolled out of bed... was planned what I wanted to have for breakfast. No seriously, that was what I did. Until I opened the fridge and realized that the juice was going to expire that day! *boohoohoo* So first tip - buy this only when you have made time in your schedule to detox. These juices are best consumed within 2 days, and will expire on the 3rd day (the day I did my detox). 

Went through the detox cleanse schedule, and set my mind to follow it to a T. No food for a day? Given my previous experience with the paleo diet, this one... aaahhh kacang putih lah! 

So breakfast became warm lemon water instead. An hour after that I had my first juice - Goodness Greens. Oh my god... it was the worse taste ever. I think I gagged after the first mouthful! (Fret not, the rest of the juices were quite bearable!) It took me half and hour to finish it,and you even have to swirl the juice around your mouth to release salivary enzymes that help break down the nutrients for easy absorption... ewwww.

300ml of water after that, it was time for brunch with juice #2 - Mint Lemonade. Much better taste. Unfortunately, due to all the liquids I was consuming, I had to run to the toilet every half an hour. And just my luck, I had to send the car to the workshop that day. So I had to brave peeing at the workshop toilet - I was that desperate. Sigh, where was my bladder control when I needed it??? Hence tip #2 is, make sure you have easy access to (clean) toilets when you do this. No important meetings too, cos you will run out of the meeting quite frequently and annoy your boss immensely! *grin*

300ml of water after juice #2, my tummy was growling for lunch. Downed juice #3 - Tropical Greens... uurrgghh it was as horrible as the first juice. I'm really hating these green coloured juices! The good thing is, the pang of hunger went away. 

No green juices, please! Any other colour but green!

300ml of alkaline water and lots of toilet breaks later, I had juice #4 - Gold Glow for tea time. This one tasted quite good! I'm happy with anything but green juices. After 300ml of water and frequent visits to the toilet, the clock showed 6pm and it was time for (very early!) dinner with juice #5 - Beet Aid. This one was bearable but I wished it didn't have the ginger taste in it. 

Next, according to the schedule - it was time for light exercises. Cycled to the clubhouse with Aiden and Ian plus 600ml of water. Broke quite a sweat cycling uphill - a very satisfying workout. At 830pm, I had juice #6 - Almond Mylk (not a typo!) for dessert. And it was quite a good dessert too. Loved the milky consistency and delicious taste. This one is the best of them all! Took a long bath, 300ml of water and retired to bed early... all as per the detox schedule.

The detox schedule and cleanse checklist.

So my verdict? Despite the numerous toilet trips, there was no suspicious smell at all. Possibly because I cleanse my colon frequently using Teh Orang Kampung (a cheaper option too). I had hunger pangs, but they were cured after every bottle of juice. (Although I was very tempted to have a bite of Hubby's mee goreng that night... but I persevered!) *yeay* I felt fresh when I woke up the next day and noticed a marked difference in energy, so that's good. I also lost 1.5kg, mostly water... And gained 500gm the very next day to make a total weight loss of 1kg.

Would I repeat it? Probably not, as I think you can probably concoct your own juices based on detox guides online. Although I have to admit, certain ingredients in the juice, like kale, is not easy to find in our country (unless it's Chinese kale i.e. kailan *grin*). But if I do try it again, I would probably buy the juices individually. The juices are about RM12 each. Logically, 6 bottles will cost plus/minus RM72, so why pay RM99? Probably because of the cooler bag (RM25) and organic nuts (RM6).

Bottom line is, detox - good. Price - not so good.

Oh by the way, this is not a sponsored post. Good luck with the detox!

Herb Garden?

I have always wanted my own herb garden.

Well let me rephrase that. Since Malay cooking does not really use much herbs... it isn't really fair to ask for a herb garden. Instead, I want a garden where I can just petik daun limau purut, or daun kunyit or even belimbing buluh whenever the recipe calls for it.

Now that my gardener has dedicated the patch of land outside the house for non-decorative plants, my maid has been hard at work every evening tending to her beloved pokok kari, daun kunyit, daun pandan, serai and pokok pisang. So Hubby then suggested that we just continue adding to that patch of land, this time with other plants of my liking.

Off we went to Sg Buloh!

(Set your Waze to Hospital Sg Buloh. Once the hospital is on your right, continue further and take the second junction on your left. Then be prepared for the urge to buy everything you set your eyes on because you will be spoiled for choices!! Don't forget to negotiate on price!)

Woah, unlike decorative flowers, these vegetable plants don't come cheap! If you want plants that are already flourishing to about half your height, be prepared to fork out RM15-20 per plant. If you fancy some durians, a small pokok durian can go up to RM40 per bag. Since I am well known for not having green fingers, I chose the smaller sized plants (and just hope they grow!!)... which was about RM8 per pot.

Our haul for that day.

So what did we get? From left to right (in the picture above), we bought belimbing buluh, parsley (for aglio olio!), mint leaves, daun limau purut, limau kasturi, pegaga, petai (cue big laugh here!) and daun kesum.

Hubby also decided to chop down our banana tree... it didn't look as if it was growing any further, probably due to the trauma from us moving it from the front of the house to the back of the PE.

Let's just hope it matures on its own!

Our back door leading to the plot of land behind the PE. You can barely see Hubby hard at work in the background.

Let's hope my dream of having a thriving "herb" garden comes true. If it does, and you're ever in the neighbourhood, feel free to have some for your own use! *smiles*

Mother's Day for a Mother of Two!

Happy Mother's Day to all my readers!

First and foremost, I hope your husband remembered to wish you. *chuckles* Discounting birthdays and anniversaries, this is probably the only other day when a woman can expect to be spoiled silly by her husband and kids. As for me, Aiden makes cards at his school for almost every other occasion of the year, so even if my husband forgets, I can almost guarantee that I would get a card from my son. (There is absolutely no chance for him to forget, anyway - since Aiden has been excitedly whispering plans for Mother's Day with his Daddy almost daily... I overheard breakfast and a present... oooohhh can't wait!)

So come Mother's Day... I rolled out of bed, only to be greeted by the sight of my three boys sound asleep. The house was absolutely quiet, especially since my maid was on leave.

(Huh, what happened to breakfast in bed??? Shouldn't my profession deserve a day off on Mother's Day? Oh well... tough luck!)

I got to work preparing breakfast. Next, woke the house up and went off for a Resident Association meeting. Close to the end of the meeting, I got a call from Hubby saying that Aiden wanted to "wait to have breakfast with Mummy!" Heh - no wonder they were so quiet throughout my meeting... they were preparing my Mother's Day breakfast!

Aiden excitedly showing the Mother's Day card he made for me.

My 'surprise' mother's day breakfast.

Guess what! Apart from the card from Aiden, there was also another homemade card (obviously done last minute by dear Hubby... *grins*), flowers, a Mother's Day sash and also a pink crown for me to wear throughout the meal! (They obviously ransacked my party craft room for this!)

Apart from the reheated roti canai, the nasi goreng and scrambled eggs were as prepared by yours truly earlier in the morning... Well, it's the thought that counts!

I was so moved by Aiden's words in the card... *sniff sniff*

My Mother's Day sash and Hubby's card... next time get a store-bought card please, Hubby! *smiles*

Since it was the weekend, the kids had their routine classes to go to, so my Mother's Day celebration only resumed much later. We went to Gardens for an early dinner, and I was pleasantly surprised with my Teriyaki Salmon... crispy skin and tender on the inside, paired beautifully with udon mee. *drool*

I would gladly have a second helping of this!

A Mother's Day treat to myself, courtesy of Sephora. Don't tell Hubby! *shhhh*

So that was how I celebrated my Mother's Day - simple but memorable. I hope you had a great Mother's Day too!

P.S: Hubby... I'm still waiting for that spa trip!
P.P.S: Aiden, I was moved when you proclaimed how Mother's Day is a day for me and how I could have "anything" without having to ask Daddy; then much later you managed to convince me to buy a Star Wars light saber for you whilst I came home empty handed.... Wow... how did you manage that??? *kisses*