Winning a trolley load of books

We woke up today with a surprise inbox message that we won a trolley full of books from Big Bad Wolf Books! 😅😅😅

The setback was we have to ’retrieve’ the prize from Seremban TODAY. Initially, I hesitated. 🙄🙄 But after a morning swim, I made up the mind to go! 🥲😬🤣 since hubby said just 45 minutes drive!

I can go myself but they wanted to follow 😛

And so we were here AGAIN!

We actually took an hour to wipe and arranged the books (plus I climbed very high to take the picture) on Friday for the entry. I told Noelle it was worth the effort! 😬

these are old books but old books don’t deteriorate in the knowledge/value they give! 🙂

Thank you BBW!

Photos: https://youtu.be/0R_Y_K_fAAw

Today supposed to be a day to chill before school resume tomorrow. I woke up at 5am, thinking of so many things to do – including weekly groceries. Luckily I managed to wash one washroom before I read the winning message.

I even thought of giving away my win – trying to figure out who stays in Seremban and even thinking of asking hubby’s buddy if he is in Seremban. 🤣 The 30 minutes swim made me ‘think clearer’. And so we went.

Half way the journey, I realised that I didn’t bring my wallet. 🫣 I thought it was in my bag but it wasn’t. Then my mind went to think – did I drop my wallet yesterday? So freaking stress 🙄🥲🤣 It was like – I want to go collect my prize now and I want to go home to see if my wallet is there. (When I am stressed up, they will get snapped by me. 🫢🫣) Next, I was thinking if BBW need my Mykad. Hubby said he has my soft copy’s. (But at the end, they just look at my facebook messenger 🤣).

We arrived early and had our brunch at ‘Yi Poh’. Then since it is in Lotus Seremban, we did our weekly groceries first. I was also thinking if the message is a ‘scam’ because it was sent from a personal account and the person hasn’t reply me. So, I went and asked the staff to confirm. 🤣

After doing groceries, we were still early. I asked if we can start the haul earlier since we were coming from PJ. Luckily they agreed. We took 1.5 hours to settle the haul. I sweated so much there. 😅

We drove home immediately. I told hubby to settle the kids to nap after their shower (around 2sth) while I get the groceries done and prepared dinner (so I just took down frozen satay to air fry and decided on fried tomato rice). A total relief to find my wallet at home! 🫣🤣

By 4pm, I was finally done with the kitchen stuff. Since hubby is having backache🙄🙄, I went down to carry all the books – three big IKEA bags. Thanks to my faithful grocery trolley, I just needed two rounds. Next, it was wiping each book, which took me about an hour. In between, I told them to settle their Mandarin tuition homework and packing their school bags. (I woke the two elder ones up)

I had a 20 minutes break before started cooking dinner. We had our dinner early and finally settled by 715pm.

I think I will drop on the bed soon! 🤣🤣

But I am thankful for a ‘lifetime’ experience and hopefully a childhood memory for the kids – that we actually did a winning trolley of books together! 😚

….

Our winning entry: https://www.facebook.com/1618058788/posts/10223821723043849/

Goodbye 2021!

It’s the time of the year when most people wrap up THE year.

As I penned this down, I have to admit that in 2021, I’m emotional and exhausted. I feel like a bad mum because I am not enjoying responsibility. Most times, I feel I am exhausted from the cleaning, cooking and being needed. I’m tired of being asked questions. At times, I feel like I’m dying for a real break from life for being a mom, from being needed. I feel very alone (fortunately I never break any friendship this year). I’m easily flustered and frustrated. I don’t have much time to self-care and get to know myself. I focus on the girls and sometimes I get ignored by them. I feel under appreciated. I feel envy of people ‘enjoying life’ while riding ON the things I do. I am tired of people who think they did so much but much is just for themselves. But, I hope all these are JUST misconstructed feeling.

Gratefully, there are things and people who often pull me out. Thanks for remembering my kids and me when we don’t even stay connected on day/week/month to day/week/month basis.

As we end the year, I hope for a happier me. And you too!

Happy New Year!

…..

It’s 31 December and so it is also time to mark down their reading list! This is the third consecutive years we do it – reading aloud one book a day (at least).

This year, Noelle has clocked in 530 books for the year. There is a massive increase as she also started included reading aloud a BM story book a day as the year went by. In addition to that, she read at least 48 long story books (she only started recording this in June, imitating her papa).

Also in 2021, Nikki joined the ‘party’. She read aloud 336 books (this also mean we read THAT many books with her).

This is not a reading competition but to cultivate good reading habits.

Good job to the girls!

Norrah, are you joining next year? 🤣

Reading list:https://youtu.be/MKFB3n-hqr0

Our first visit to TTDI public library

Our first visit to the newly renovated TTDI public library 📚

The kids’ section and its selection of books are great; but not for the adults’ section. The girls had fun there – Noelle managed to read four books; I read one book with Nikki and Norrah poop there 😒🤦🏻‍♀️🙄 (no baby room but I managed to change her in the lady’s toilet). Not many people today (probably school still running) – great decision to pay a visit today; more manageable since I am alone with them. We spent about 1.5 hours there this morning.

There’s also this ‘book donation’ section which we can take any books home. But we left some of my old books there instead. I think public library is a better place to leave our unwanted books there then BNP.

Photo: <here>

A book that captivated her heart (and my heart) – Two sisters, one sarong

Short synopsis (which is a spoiler 🤭🤣)

The first child (a girl) was born and gifted a sarung by the grandma. The sarung, which was a hammock and also used to kangaroo her by the mum, was a precious piece to this firstborn. Then came the second born (a girl) who also treated the same sarung as favourite. Both played with it and shared the sarung as their blanket. As they grow bigger, they have to go into separate rooms. They fought for the same sarung and it was eventually torn into two pieces. Each of them had half of the sarung, slept separately and never really spoken to each other again.

One year later, they were introduced to their youngest sister. While the first and second borns were ‘friends’, the closeness was never there.

Some years later, both the three sisters went picnic at the river banks. The eldest and second sisters had used half of their sarungs respectively as picnic mats. The youngest was sitting at the riverbank playing alone. Unexpectedly, the youngest fell into the river. Both the elder sisters tried helping the youngest up, but their halves sarung couldn’t reach the youngest sister. Finally they decided to join the halves sarung – which became longer – and it reached the youngest, so they manage to pull her out! From then on, three of them became close to one another (again).

>>> It is a great story for three of them BECAUSE of the similarities- THREE SISTERS (that was how the owner of Sang Kancil Online Bookstore sold to us too 🤭🤣) and how Noelle and Nikki always fight for the same scarf/blanket! Plus the ending is sweet and has a good moral.

>>> Once purchased at the booth stall, Noelle can’t wait to show and tell papa about the book. She was literally holding the book everywhere she went! The book has very good picture illustrations too! 😁😁

“Read and be better. Don’t read and just be.”

Started our school holiday ‘boringly’ by visiting the Popular book warehouse sales. 😂😂 They have few running simultaneously over the country during this school holiday period. Not sure about others, I found some great buys for the girls. 5 books for RM20.

What else we did at home?

Arranging cards by numbers and patterns

Sliding balls on a scarf <video>

Inserting stuff into a bottle

Our annual visit to Big Bad Wolf 2018

This year we had many obstacles before we actually got to BBW. We supposedly go on last weekend but Norrah was down with rashes. Then we planned to go on Thursday night but Nikki was unwell. Yesterday’s initial plan was to ‘Grab’ to hubby’s office. We waited about 15 minutes and there wasn’t any driver. Next the fare price increases (close to double), that hubby decided to come home to fetch us (actually we wanted to bring them a visit to papa’s office building, but with disappointment). So finally we made it to BBW, arrived around 9+ at night and spent close to two hours there! (I think we could have spent longer if I am in perfect health – feel like I am getting Nikki’s germs 😓). Traffic was kind of smooth and we didn’t have problem finding parking in the building.

This round we were ‘smarter’ to bring along a trolley bag to put our chosen books. That also kept Noelle occupied without complain- she was happily pushing the bag and putting in books that we wanted. This time round we no longer look for board books, but moved to ‘reader’ level. We only grabbed few activity books for Nikki. If one ponder about the ‘quality’ of the books, Lady Bird and Penguin are brand names – that are on sale at less than half of its normal prices. BBW has now also included many school books (primary and secondary) – which I haven’t aim on – maybe next year when I get to know more about Noelle’s primary school teachings.

Book review: Parent-babble

Mama’s holiday read since 16-08-18

Finally completed🤭🤣

‘Parent-babble’ – one needs an open mind to read this parenting book 🙄😂 especially those who are very pro attachment parenting, respectful parenting, breastfeeding and anti-spanking. The author tries to debunk many of the modern parenting styles. I would admit that I wanted to stop reading this book at some points – but it was a good reflection on my own parenting style! I am neither pro or anti against any one style – to be honest. It very much depends on our children personalities and how they would respond to our approach to parenting.

Toys out, books in

I have been decluttering since last week. Mainly their toys, clothes and stationaries. In the midst, we managed to give away some small items like cot booster and baby high chair bumper; also threw many small pieces of toys, (art) papers (mainly Noelle’s work🤭😂) and the cot mattress. A lot more toys being retained (of course, if not my kids will ‘murder’ me🙄) but I reshuffled and repackaged them – store them in different places (a lot more reachable actually). As for clothes, some of Nikki’s handed down to Norrah. And Norrah’s seems too old to hand down, so we are using as old cloth! 😆 This round, not many of Noelle’s goes to Nikki! 😜

This morning we went to pick some hand-me-down books from my cousin. It was ALOT and I could only fit probably less than half of them into this cabinet (in this cabinet – there are mix of our own books and the hand me downs). I choose those that are suitable for their age (there are lots more in the store room – probably in a year or two later, or when I can find space!) Besides that, they also received some board games – most are played before and one is unopened!

Noelle was pretty excited when she saw the board games when she entered the car from school. (I unload the car sparingly)

Noelle: Wowwww….new games!!!

Me: Ahaa…Aunty SY gave us allll these, plus a lot more books! It is a lot, a lot!!!!😵

Noelle: (silent and didn’t bother me, then opening one of the games) ohh…this one is old one!

Me: Yes, old one but still can play right??😁😁

Noelle: Ahaaa

Me: Just like mama give away things that we don’t need but still can be used by others!

Noelle: oohhh😯😯 but there’s one not opened yet!

Me: oohh…probably the gor gor and jeh jeh have a similar game already – so giving you the extra one! 🙄🙄 Or maybe someone gave them and they didn’t open it! 🙄🙄

Noelle: ooohhh😯😯…I am so excited! 😆😆

Noelle was more excited that there was this Ladybird Peter and Jane set (which we didn’t get them – cos she has been reading them in school). She even told me that today they don’t have to do outdoor activity because she wants to read the books! 😆

Thank you once again Aunty SY for the books! 😁😁

Our short visit to the Perpustakaan Raja Tun Uda, Seksyen 13 Shah Alam

Actually we didn’t expect the crowd there. And they were having kids activities – so both joined the art and craft session – which is cutting and pasting a rabbit. I did for Nikki while Noelle sat there and completed all by herself.

There was also this ‘read, write and play’ by LEGO. The kid needs to read three books and write a short synopsis for the books before they can play the LEGO. While Noelle was excited to read a book so that she can join, we told her our purpose is not to ‘play’ but to read books. Then I told her ‘THREE books’ and I am NOT going to do FOR her. She did make a fuss (coupled with feeling hungry). We left after that.

I only managed to stay in the kids’ section as they have strict rules that kids under 10 can’t enter the other levels. I was a little disappointed with the noise, running and jumping around of the kids like a playland in the kids section (without supervision or with supervision but didn’t bother);- it was quite difficult for me to help Noelle with her reading. This seriously need improvement – as in stricter rules; and I don’t remember the PJ library was at this kind of state. In fact, for the kids section, the PJ library seems to have better choice in terms of range of books and it was more organized (then).

KLCC Popular Bookfest 2018

Train ride to the KLCC Popular Bookfest 2018

Noelle has been talking about train ride since we came back from Hong Kong! And since we wanted to go to the Popular Bookfest in KLCC – we took the train (nothing better to do to ‘torture’ ourselves 🙄🤣 – but this is NOTHING compared to Hong Kong – hubby says ‘wet wet water’🤣)!

From our home to KLCC to book fair and back again home, it took us about 5 hours (on foot and train)! We didn’t play with the idea of bringing them to the KLCC outdoor playground! 😝 We asked Noelle if the train ride in Malaysia or Hong Kong nicer; she chose ‘Hong Kong’ and the reason given was hilarious ‘because Hong Kong train (priority) seats have smiley face’! 🤣

Generally, this year round’s Bookfest- the varieties and bargains are good (for those books we want; not sure about ‘your’ choices!) Hubby bought biographies, self motivation and investment books. I bought parenting books! And the kids get their Peppa Pig, My little ponies and some activity books!

Before and after hair cut 😆😆

After the hair cut, as usual we will drop by at McDonald’s playground. There is a twin slide there. Both Noelle and Nikki were going down at the same time. Then came a girl (guess about same age as Nikki – judging from the size) who went on the opposite direction of Nikki and trying to push Nikki away. Nikki didn’t retaliate back. I called out from far. Instead of pushing the girl away, Noelle actually pulled Nikki to her side! ✌🏻

Smart move by Noelle! I am proud because they didn’t gang up and be a ‘bully’.