Laughter at home

Christmas day 2008 -
brought the kids to do final shopping before school reopens in 2 weeks time, as well as preparation for coming Chinese New Year. Finally managed to buy shoes for #2 & #3, which I found is not easy to buy a pair of nice shoes for both with reasonable price , and yet they have their own preferrence. #3 is a beauty conscious, not so happy with the final choice, yet under such circumstances I advised her to get hers.

Back home, the #2 (is closer to her) convinced hers is nice with dress. Off they went to the room to test their fashion parade....giggles and laughters heard. Suddenly I aware that we had no such laughters since they lost their daddy 7 years ago. I have to blame myself for this, as every CNY eve and 1st day of CNY, I brought them together to pray their daddy, and I was never in the mood for CNY decoration / celebration since then, the 3 girls never complained and always be silent on this although they helped my sis and parents to decorate houses for CNY....until last year I made a change that we only go to Gambang (memorial park where their late daddy is placed) on CNY eve and send them to their friends house on the first day of CNY.....

thank you to my friend (FY) who always there to enlighten me and reminds me that kids "their names is kid",...they enjoy wearing new clothings during CNY and giggles with their fashion matching with shoes, socks ...had a good chat with them before to sleep as they wanted to listen my story shared with their late daddy during our travelling.

LIFE IS IMPERMANENT

Received a phone call from SIL informed that her SIL (hubby sister) committed suicide yesterday, left behind a 8yrs old daughter. In a sudden, I am lost...have gone through many events in my life for the past 7 years and I think it is not easy to the deceased to make such a drastic decision, even when the brother (my SIL hubby) was with her few minutes prior to her action.

Though I told myself not to look back with what I went through, I have been thinking lately that I should be satisfied that there are true good friends around me all this years, be it those around me and those I know "virtually" (online friends who are yet to meet each other). I must learn how to appreciate what I have and not to focus on what I am sad of. My utmost appreciation to friends & family members who always encourage me during my up / down time in my life....

MA, Stash II

- latest stash from Stitching Bibs & Bob, I meant to buy Belle Soie silk for
my Love with a Capital L project, as usual I could not resist to add in
LHN's Book Shelf and some other Valdani overdyed flosses

- sock yarn Dec 2008 from Sock Club 2008/2009 from Wollmeise.

Christmas MA to Joanne Ng

- this XMas MA is a surprise to me indeed. Wee Kie received hers

from Diane. When I saw an envelope from Lillie, I thought this is

MA inside to her. So I did not open and let her opened the envelope.

She called from my sister house and asked "Mummy, Diane is

daughter of Auntie Lillie? There is a MA from Auntie Lillie to you"

in short while , I went to my sister house to admire this lovely MA.

- my eldest daughter, Wee Ven is inspired by MA received / made

by Wee Kie, yet she dares not to take up the challenge to an

exchange. So she stitched this for my sister in a day, and did the sewing

finishing herself.

Stash and MAs

- #2, took up MA challenge for the 2nd time, and fortunately Lillie arranged her daughter,

Diane to be her partner. Diane stitched a lovely Santa MAs and great finishing. #2 (Wee

Kie) loves it very much and kept asking me when is the next exchange prior to school

opens in Jan 2009.

(Xmas MA: from Diane to Wee Kie)

- MA from Wee Kie to Diane. After the first exchange (Quaker MA) , she gained

confidence to do this MA. Great appreciation to Margaret Wong, who is willing

to be Wee Kie's first MA partner. The first MA was helped by me in finishing,

but on her 2nd MA, she wanted to do it by her own. Glad that she enjoyed

stitching & sewing. Thank you, Lillie for such a good arrangement. Diane did

a gorgeous MA.

long hibernation

- bought his Wonder Mould from Wilton PJ. I baked the cake, decoration by my #2, Wee
Kie, this is the first decoarative Barbie doll cake as a trial piece. As she planned to decorate
a 2nd one for my niece (Jordan) as birthday cake when she was here last week .

- baked normal buttercake for the wonder mould, and kids (my 3 girls and another 2 boys of
friend kept asking when could they eat the cake. So baked additional in this bear mould,
which I bought from Wilton , PJ.


- sunflower silicone mould bought from Wilton PJ.

- I did bento from time to time, just that I am lazy to take photo,

as I was rushing to office (most of the time). this bento is for #3

- my last batch of bento gears in 2008

It has been more than 1 1/2 month for me disappearing from blog world. November 2008 was a "testing" month for me. Brought my mum in / out hospital, as she was schedule to have cataract surgery on 9th Dec and finally the General Hospital did it as scheduled. They had been telling me postponed , on and postponed. Very frustrating as during that time, the nurse did some mistake and I have to bring my mum for additional visit. Every visit means I have to take 1/2 day off from work and I have finished all my leaves, as on the 14th November , my dad fell off from roof and admitted to hospital. Basically I was in / out clinic, hospital every weeks and was sick almost every week , may be due to the wet weather and I was running in / out from car and got myself wet due to dizziling raindrops. I should not have complained though, as I fully utilised the 3hrs waiting hour in hospitals to knit / cross stitch.

During this "challenging" period, friends are my good moral supporter and helped me a lot. I am tired and worn off especially both parents are not cooperative patients at all and until today my dad is supposed to be bed-ridden yet he is not cooperative and moved around in the house, which leads to worsen fractured hip-bones. Just wished both well and be cooperative to doctors advice.

The above photos meant to be uploaded since ages ago:...

stash

I just received this batch of bento gear from nst.my; accidentally bought extra 2 tier Pooh lunch box (so I am giving my #3 friend); Marie (claimed by youngest), Mickey for 2nd, Pooh (ummm,) may be just for spare, as #1 do not want carton character except Snoopy. Silicon cups, heart shape food cup; snoopy cutters and HK snack box for #3.

Latest yarn stash from Rakuten Japan, which is worth buying. 13 balls of baby soft merino wool (brand: Pino; 40g / 125m)

though blur, finally get this yesterday bento uploaded....today just packed simple meal - steamed sweet potato, red cabbage, sprout ; kiwi & green apple.

BTW: also received number of knitting magazines last week. Expecting another batch of recipie books from Taiwan.

Updates Oct 2008

NOT MUCH SPECIAL BENTO BEING PACKED....my eldest is picky indeed and sometimes I just leave it to her to pack her own food. My second is too worry that I would packed more for her, so she normally will pack bread into her lunch box the night before, she is very organized indeed and she will get ready her uniform / snack/lunchbox and water all ready nicely the night before. Whom I always wished my eldest is learning from this not to be procastinating and always "kelam kabut" in the morning....my youngest? depends on her mood, she leave her lunch box at my sis place and I pack simple snack for her as she is in afternoon section.

grab bag of 10 Noro Kureyon from LittleKnits

Bento 15 Oct 2008 for #3:

moulded egg cut into halves, steamed potato, carrot and grapes

Lunch 15 Oct 2008 (last week had lunch appointment, therefore did not

pack for most working days)

steamed potato, carrots, eggs, grapes & red cabbage & sprouts

20 Oct 2008 - for #1

home-baked raisin buttercake, scone and kiwi

salad & rice (with sweet potato and dried dates)

wrapped with nori, silicon cup just purchase from

nst.my

#3 requested on Sunday that she wanted raisin

buttercake and scone in her new HK lunchbox, which I just received from nst.my

lunch for me was: 2 rice balls, red cabbage, sprout, half kiwi and green apple. No photo as it is quite blur.