Our Little Chat

Picture sourced from google search

Me :          Are you happy being with Mommy?
Isabelle:   Yes... of course (apparently this is her latest most favourite sentence)
Me:          Are you sure?
Isabelle:   Yes... of course
Me:          Can Mommy go to work in the office like Daddy?
Isabelle:   Yes... of course
Me:           Are you sure? Mummy can go out to work?  Whole day?
Isabelle:   ***Pause***
Me:           Mummy will go to work soon okay?
Isabelle:    No.. I want to stay with Mummy (hug).  You no go to work.  You must promise me.
Me:           Teary eyed

Cooking - Sushi

It has been a while, a long while since I last made sushi at home.  My sushi mat has long been gone. There was this Japanese fair going on in malls recently.  They are tiny bit cheaper now that they are on promotion.  I could not resist the temptation to get one of it and usher back my sushi making days.

Cucumber, crabstick, meat floss, mayo, wasabi... all that I need to make a basic roll of sushi.

Tools Needed:
-  Sushi mat (made of bamboo)
-  Nori sheets


Ingredients:
Rice
1.  2 cups of pearl rice or sushi rice (cooked)
2.  Mix 4 tbsp of vinegar + 1/4 tsp sugar + a pinch of salt
3.  Mix the vinegar cocktail with the cooked rice


Fillings I used
1.  Crabstick
2.  Luncheon Meat
3.  Cucumber strips
4.  Carrot strips
5.  Meat floss
6.  Salmon spread
7.  Mayonaisse


Method:
1.  Lay nori sheets on the sushi mat
2.  Spread rice (room temperature) on the nori.
3.  Spread fillings on the rice (in the centre)
4.  Start rolling away.   To cut the story short, here is a video of how to roll sushi

  Itadakimasu!!! 

(Let's eat - Japanese)

Shh Shh Success - Part 2

Since her last bocor incident, we have had very dry floor, dry pants and skirts till today!  We even dared ourselves to bring her out of home for outings without her diapers and no accidents.  Her success record of being out without diapers on her ranges between 2-5 hours.  She would asked to be brought to the washroom when it was time.   Isabelle praised herself good girl and claims that big girl needs no diapers.  *clap clap*

picture sourced from google search

However, she still refuse to poo in the toilet. She asked to put on her diapers whenever it is time for poo poo.  We have tried all ways to persuade her to do it in the toilet.  From rewards of chocolates (TABOO!), sweets, stickers, cartoons and even some threatening.  Still, alas!  Yet, she opt to hide behind curtains and under the table and would rather not have her rewards.  We asked her what happened to the 'big girl no need diapers' policy of hers.  She said 'Isabelle, me baby!'.  

picture sourced from google search

I am out of ideas to encourage her.  My patience and hope is running thin.  Maybe I should just wait and when she is ready, it will just happen.

Happy Little Ones

Cheeky

 

Happy

Precious 

Lord,

I thank You for the precious gift You granted us.

Children, indeed, they are your greatest gift.

Protect them and carry them when they can't stand on their own.

Give them pure thoughts and a heart for Your word as they grow.

Help them see things as You do and remind them of Your love,

for they are never too young to know.

Help us Moms to raise and teach them in Your ways.

Replace our fears with the confidence of Your words and promises.

And may we bring up children to glorify Your name.

Amen.

Children are an heritage and gift from God, and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. 
Psalms 127: 3-5  

Cooking ~ Chinese Chives Minced Pork with Black Bean

Since I tried this dish in a Taiwanese restaurant, I have been craving for it and wanted to try to make it at home.  It took me 2 weekends to hunt down the chinese chives at the wet market.  Somehow, it is very rare and usually not available in supermarkets. 

Ingredients:

1.  1 bunch of chinese chives (with flower buds) - cut into small pieces, approximately 1cm length.

2.  Minced pork or chicken - seasoned with pepper, soy sauce and a dash of cooking wine

3.  Chopped garlic

4.  Ginger - thinly sliced

5.  Red chili - sliced

6.  Fermented black bean - 1 tsp

Seasoning:

1.  Sugar - adjust to taste

2.  Pepper

Method:

1.  Heat oil and saute the minced pork till they turn golden.

2.  Add in garlic and ginger.  Stir well till fragrant.

3.  Add in black bean and stir for another 1 minute or so.

4.  Add in seasoning and adjust to taste.

5.  Add in chili.  Stir well.

6.  Dish out.

Result

DH - No need to go back to the restaurant to eat this!

DS - Good!

Me - Will definitely cook this again!!! 

Cooking ~ Meat Floss French Toast

Vanessa gave me a big packet of pork floss she took home from her recent trip back to Taiwan.  It is very delicious.  The seaweed in the floss gave it a special taste too.  Almost similar to those I used to buy from Wing Heong.

Meat floss is one of the very versatile food one can have at home. Roll it up in sushi & egg rolls, mix it with rice, fried rice with it and of course, the most convenient way to eat it is to enjoy it with porridge.   But my favourite way to have it is on a toast.

This is what I had for breakfast today.  I had some extra time to make something other than just bread & jam today because Isabelle slept in late.

Ingredients:

1.  1 egg - beaten

2.  2 slices of bread

3.  1 pc of cheese

4.  Meat floss

5.  Oil or butter for frying.

Method:

1.  Heat up butter or oil.

2.  Arrange the cheese on the bread and topped with meat floss.

3.  Slightly pinch the edges of the bread to seal it.

4.  Dip bread into beaten egg.

5.  Panfry in the butter/oil till it turn golden and crispy on both sides.

Sleeping Positions

Picture sourced from google search

Poor Daddy, ends up sleeping on the couch. 

For our case, Daddy sleeps on the single bed pull-out while me and Isabelle comfortably hoards the real bed. 

Daddies, thou art so great and generous! :)  Thank you!

So, which of the above best describe your family's sleeping positions?