7th and 4th birthdays

Our 7th year as parents…

….we may not be the best parents; but we are trying our best every day….

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Happy 7th birthday to our dearest Noelle!

2019 has been a wonderful year of growth! 🌞 We saw you bloom into a more courageous, resilient, caring and mindful girl. 🌈 You amazed us for being an independent streak – i.e requesting for a room for yourself and sleeping on your own! You are forgiving as ever and we managed to get through your friends’ issues together. You are self-disciplined, self-motivated and self-determined that I want you to forever keep. You are always so important to me, and the whole family. You will always be my baby, my go to girl, my superhero and my heart!

Once again, happy birthday and hope you will enjoy the day that we have planned!

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Happy 4th birthday to our little chatty and humorous Nikki!

You have been awesome for the year 2019! You have been friendly to most people; showed your enthusiasm and braved yourself through new ‘adventures’; practice kindness and increasingly playing the role as a big sister to Norrah! You are so dedicated to following mama to pick Noelle jeh jeh up on a daily basis – walking up and down hill without complain.

Being the middle child, sometimes we may have overlooked and wonder where you fit in. Despite our bickering (because you are as firm as mummy), we have also learn about each other more in the year! 😘 We have another year to enjoy both ourselves to the fullest before you enter pre-school! And I trust we will make the best of 2020 together!

>> I bought her Anna’s dress but she wants Belle’s dress which she worn on her 3rd birthday! She is indeed unique with her choice! 🙄🤣

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Their annual birthday treat has been visiting indoor playground; usually jungle gym and last year was parenthood. But I told them last week they went Kidzania already (which is part of their birthday treat); so today we went to sing K instead in this rather new Karaoke place – Manekineko 🐱.

We went during their happy hour which is RM15 per adult. Kids above 90cm is 50% off. Then I was just checking with them ‘if birthday, got anything special?’ The crew asked ‘whose birthday?’ So we told them it was Noelle and Nikki’s birthday today. And they said ‘free for them!’ 🤭😂 So, we just paid for two adults and sang for 3 hours (we got a small room with no standing mic but it was ‘ok’ for the price we paid!). It also comes with free flow of drinks and titbits. Since we had brunch already, we didn’t order any food.

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We went to Unicorn25 cafe for their birthday celebration because they love unicorns! 🦄 But sadly and disappointingly (we were there by 10am, meaning they didn’t ‘refill’ their cakes yet), they only left 3 chocolate mini unicorn cakes (previously they had the strawberry one which was so yummy). Being ‘kiasu’ 🤭🙄🤣, I quickly told the lady we are taking three of the remainder cakes. Actually quite regrettable since it was rather choking to eat the chocolate cakes (Noelle had half, Nikki had less than half and Norrah didn’t even want to eat it except for the frosting).

We ordered kids’ meals for them which come with unicorn keychain each. And also a big breakfast and coffee for ourselves.

So that’s their simple birthday celebration! 😁😁

>> Papa asked them what they want to have for dinner and both said ‘mama cook!’ 🙄🙄 So our dinner is at home tonight!

PJKita Community Library

Last library hopping for 2019!

PJKita Community Library

A rather small and cosy library, more for the neighbourhood. I think it was quite good an initiative, but then ‘misused’ by some kids. The books there are quite new because the library was set up just few years back. They have toys there too. Both Norrah and Nikki had more fun here because of the toys while Noelle got distracted by toys – so she just read 5 short stories there in our 1.5 hours stay there.

Scenes in the community library – honestly the kids were treating the library like their own home.

At one point of time, while the three girls were playing with the big Lego, a group of rather rowdy boys (youngest probably younger than Nikki) came and stood there like ‘gangster’ – demanding the girls to move aside. Since the girls have been playing for some time already, I told Noelle to just read her books and let them play instead. She did as told and the two younger ones played with the smaller lego.

There were also two teenagers watching after the younger boys but they were playing their phones. However, they turned their phone volume so loud, that it was so distracting. Straight forward, I told them off that this is a library and they should lower down the volume. I was given a nasty look; so I gave them back a kns look! 😒🙄

In between looking after the two, I turned to Noelle as she was reading to me and in moment, Nikki cried! 😒 She told me the (same size as Nikki) boy ‘touched’ her! 🤦🏻‍♀️🙄 I told her no need to cry but tell the boy not to touch her – while at the same time, my kns face turned on! 😒😒😒 (sorry, I couldn’t be more patience with other kids – who disturb my kids and my peace).

After a while, they left! But one thing they did rightfully was that they know how to put back the toys that they played with. Thereafter, we had more peace time. I even taught Noelle how to play congkak. We left before 12pm; so that we can be home for lunch (though I went to tapau)!

Photo: <here>

PJ Community Library

#throwback

Library hopping this school year end holiday!

Today’s PJ Community Library! Not our first time here but Noelle doesn’t remember her first! There are wide range of books though there are the older collections – Noelle read 12 books in about 1.5 hours while I read to Nikki about 6 books! I find the books a little dusty despite there’s cleaner wiping around (my eyes started to itch when I was there 🤦🏻‍♀️)

We didn’t enter the play area that requires RM7 per session for one kid (because if we enter, we no need to have lunch🙄)!

Photo: <here>

No2 attends music class

Nikki’s first trial music class

No need to guess, but Nikki’s following Noelle’s route – she will be attending kindy only in 2021. I don’t doubt her social skills and her ability to take instructions. She has shown me a lot of her capabilities at less than 4 years old. But I do fear that she might have a huge separation anxiety when she goes to kindy (because she will be away from home like 4-5 hours then). So to transition her, just like how we transition Noelle, we are putting Nikki in trial music class. (Actually we procrastinated in starting her because of the Saturday morning class – which we might lose our a full day family outing in the future). She was actually very excited that she is going ‘school’ (so ready this morning too). She was in fact pestering us ‘how long more?’ (Before we go)

In the first class where I am able to sit it, she has proven to me her ability to catch up with her peers. I thought she would be sticking to me at point of entering class – but she was fast to warm up (already running around). She had fun today and told me that she would want to come again. Then I told her from next week onwards, she would have to come up and be in the class without mummy. She thought for a moment and said ‘but mum, I cannot reach the door to open it!’ 🤣 initially I thought her ‘but’ was she doesn’t want to go!

Ok….guess we will probably stick to this for a year (once a week).

>> 8 days to 4yo!

Video <here>

Our third time in Kidzania KL – 2019! 🤭

Not that the tickets are cheap and not that we are ‘rich’ – but thanks to Spritzer for sponsoring 4 of our tickets this time round. We only paid for Norrah’s toddler ticket price online (about RM33). I told hubby that he doesn’t have to follow (and go work) but he didn’t ‘trust’ me that I can handle them three alone in Kidzania! 🙄🙄 But if he doesn’t come along, I probably starve myself at Kidzania! 😂

** we paid full priced for our first visit and only paid for Noelle’s ticket for our second visit (because was gifted by a BNPer)

A summary of what the girls did yesterday:

1. Magicians

2. Mission wrap-pers

3. Canon photographers

4. Dance like a star (dancers)

5. Junior researcher for Sharp Plasmacluster

6. Fashion show models

7. Soap makers (actually 6+ only can join, then I told the crew Nikki just wanted to watch beside Noelle, but at the end she allowed Nikki to make the soap too and get kidzos)

8. Touch n Go ewallet innovator hub (only Noelle could do this)

9. Paramedics

10. Spritzer Factory Deliverymen

11. Toddler’s room

12. Air Asia flight stimulators

13. Chocolate makers at Malaysia Palm Oil (last slot, Noelle and Nikki got to share a space and paid for one spot – but the crew was nice enough to involve Nikki and gave her a chocolate for free)

They only repeated Air Asia flight stimulators because Noelle wanted to be a pilot again! We waited the longest for paramedics play! This time it came with an ambulance ride. Touch n Go innovation hub was an eye opener for Noelle – keying in data and scanning codes! Two stage plays for the girls – good practice for them (on overcoming stage fright, if any). Norrah didn’t play any play this time – she is still rather timid. She enjoyed herself in the toddler’s room though, which the two Jeh jehs also joined while waiting for their turn for flight stimulator.

They were rather indecisive on which play they liked most but this morning Noelle says that she enjoyed making Mission wrap the most (she kept reminding me to buy wrap for her to make) while Nikki likes to be a chocolate maker. They actually brought home two pieces of chocolate, which I told them to chill it at home first – and yes, they will get to eat it later (in few days time)!

Hubby and I were ‘smarter’ this time round. We took turn to go down have our lunch (at McDonald’s)- which is definitely cheaper and more in quantity! 🤣 The kids ate their wraps and biscuits (Norrah was sleeping when I babyweared her out – that girl had fries too while I eat😒)

Actually they have completed 80-90% of the plays in Kidzania Kuala Lumpur in 2019 (some even closed down already – for example, saloon and jewellery maker), there are some with height restriction for Noelle. I think this will definitely take a long while before we visit Kidzania again unless I win tickets again 🤭🤣 (hubby told me that I do not need to be so hardworking in joining Kidzania’s contest)!

#kidzania

More photos: <here>

Kidzania tickets from Spritzer

My kids (especially Noelle) are my biggest supporter when it comes to fb contests! They allow me 5-minute breaks for filling up contest comments (most of the times, it is more than 5 minutes 🤭🤣) and they comply with my ‘orders’ if I need to do any videos (they are willing participants and with consent from them🙄 so I am not ‘making use’ of them)! They are the happiest whenever I win something regardless of the prizes won!

This time round – I won something which is so precious to them! 4 Kidzania entrance tickets! 😆 It is like ‘dream come true’ for them! Well, this is a reward for their support and also part of the Christmas + birthday pressies from me!

Thanks Spritzer for selecting me as one of the winners! Today we went to its ‘factory’ for collection of the tickets! And Kidzania…we are coming soon again! 😆

#29thwin 😁

Photo <here>

Dream Vending Town @ Quill City Mall

I got to know of this pretend play city through a friend’s posting (like a month ago). Then I went to check on their facebook page and found that all slots taken. After a week or two, an old ‘peng you’ tagged me on a contest and so I joined. On the night I joined the contest (two weeks ago), I checked on the facebook page again and found that they were opening more slots for weeks ahead. So I managed to book two tickets for Noelle and Nikki (I gave the ticket I won to a friend – easy win 🙄). The entrance tickets are free of charge.

This is a mini version of Kidzania. It is kind of educational, not just play. They get to know about what they should do during plane emergency, how to detect robbers, how to prescribe medicine, how to select grocery items plus calculating the amount, road safety information and how to rescue victim from fire. Each session takes about 20-30 minutes. Both Noelle and Nikki found each of the session fun. Noelle did a good job in looking after Nikki throughout the session. I also observed that Noelle tend to concentrate during briefing and participate when questions are asked. Nikki was still kind of blur but she is learning fast on taking instructions. I helped her with writing and calculations (very funny thing during the calculation of groceries, I counted/wrote wrongly the amount – when the crew asked Nikki to confirm her amount, I admitted that it was my error 🙄😂)

** I got advice from a friend whose daughter participated. We arrived early as they start on time! We were the earliest there. Initially I thought I took the wrong step of registering for the earliest spot. But I find that it is the best time to join – because not many people yet when it started. And it ended just in time for lunch and then back home for nap (you know la, I am very particular about naptime!🤣)

Photos <here>

Video <here>

Second win fo Jamaica Blue Malaysia’s vouchers

Ooopppsss! We did it again!

About two weeks ago, I brought the kids out to Jamaica Blue Mid Valley. And we had brunch, utilising the vouchers that I won previously. It was our first time having our meal at Jamaica Blue Cafe and my daughters gave them a thumbs up! Then, came another contest last week and I just tried my luck with the photo that we took during our time at the cafe (with a comment that I would like to bring my hubby to try their dish). 🤣 Ok, I was rather surprised that they chose me as a winner again this round. And the vouchers arrived today! We will definitely bring our papa to Jamaica Blue this round so that we can try other/more dishes at the cafe! 🤭🤣

Thanks again Jamaica Blue Malaysia for selecting me as the winner, second time consecutively! 😆

#28thwin

#jamaicabluemalaysia

Photos: <here>

Taste, Love, Memories

Presenting: Pressure cooked Angel Brand Hoisin sauce and honey pork belly (my consolation win in Kuali’s fb contest)

Simple four ingredients used: Angel Brand Hoisin sauce, cooking/baking honey, homegrown spring onions (that’s why it is skinny) and ginger

Pressure cooked using bake mode for 15 minutes!

I was first introduced to Angel Brand formerly (when I started cooking with seasoning) by a cooking facebook group. They have gave me samplings of Angel Brand products and after that, I have stick to the brand. I found that Angel Brand products use the least or none msg; and thus feel it is safer to introduce seasonings to my kids!

Though Angel Brand came to my kitchen ‘late’, I have fond memories of this brand from its logo! When I was a child, I could easily spot Angel Brand logo bottles in my nanny’s kitchen – after these years, I realised that she has been using Angel Brand too and she loves steaming fish served with Angel Brand taucu (or the formal name is bean sauce)! It puts a smile to me that yummy home cooked was prepared for me when I was a kid even when I was away from home! And I hope my kids will have fond memories of my cooking when they see Angel Brand when they grow up! #legacy

Thanks Kuali and Angel Brand for organising this giveaway contest!

#kualicontest #cookingcontest #angelbrand #angelkualicontest #sauce #cookingsauce #contestmalaysia #contest #win #recipe #recipes #cook #cooking #food #foodie

#27thwin

Photo: <here>

Our first visit to Lost World of Tambun

Thanks Lost World of Tambun for the wonderful memories with the kids! We spent 4+ hours there right after our long drive from PJ.

Though the park seems ‘small’, seriously not enough time to explore the whole of it. The kids were more interested in the kids pool with slides and also the wave pool (plus manmade beach). We did dip a while into the hot spring 🥵. We rented the twin float for the river. Noelle and I did try one of the adult giant slide (sorry, cuckoo mind…can’t remember the name of the slide). There were 4 slides but each time only one tube can go in🙄 – not rationale – but it made the wait long. Norrah fell asleep while waiting for us. I was wearing my shirt the whole time in the park until I have to go on the slide – I think I was the only one with bikini 👙 🤭

We did not have time (exhausted) to go to the safari park but we managed to see giraffe, ostrich and zebra during our ‘cruise’ on the ‘longest’ river (that require you to make a u-turn🙄 because it is not connected).

We only went for two merry-go-round rides (one for the smaller kids and another for the big kids). They managed to see Barbie and not interested to explore ‘hot wheels’ section (actually no one in the park was interested 🤭😆) -both the Barbie and Hot Wheels section were like ‘pak lalat’.

Photos: <here>