My Long Lost & Found Friend

She was my schoolmate, busmate and best friend. Rachel & I had so much to talk about during classes, recess session, on our way home in the bus, tuition class, over the phone and we would never finish talking. I have many good friends but Rachel was one of a kind and a true friend who I can be myself when I am with her. She does not judge me for who I am or who I can't be.

After completing secondary back in 1993, we went separate ways to pursue each other's dreams. As we get busy and busier with after-school life, we had less and less time to continue to keep in touch. After attended her wedding in 1999 and her moving down south to Singapore, we had even fewer chance to meet up and then we just lost touch since then. But every now & then, I would think of her and all the sweet memories we shared. Life was innocent, naive and good.

11 long years passed by and I found her again through another good friend, LL. LL bumped into Rachel in the train one day (few years ago) and quickly grab her contact to pass to me. After a few years, Rachel uprooted from Singapore and moved back to KL to live with her parents. I was glad to have her back here, nearer to me but was sorry for her reason of moving back (out of privacy and respect, I shall not blog about her story here).

When Rachel called me up to invite me to her son, Caleb's birthday party, I did not even think twice and said yes immediately. I was very very delighted that I will see her again after 11 years! I am also going to see her whole family who was like my own.

It was truly wonderful that we finally reunited again and seeing her relived the memories of our good old days. The faces and feeling felt so familiar and fond. And most importantly, we still have that much to talk about. Her mother kept shooing us to stop and have some food. And oh boy, how I missed her delicious lasagna and the last time I tasted it was more than 13 years ago.

And Rachel, you were my best friend and always will be. This time, I will not let us separate for another 11 years again!

Power of P & P

Power of prayer & patience is simply wonderful!!

I had difficulty rinsing Isabelle's shampooed hair since about 1.5 weeks ago as I have shared in my earlier post. Almost devastated, I added this into my prayers. I asked God to teach me how to deal with it or to teach me how to bluff her to let me get the job done.

As usual, took Isabelle into the bathroom and as usual again, once the water touches her head, she shrieked. I stopped and let her play with her unusual toys aka plastic spoon and some container lid. Then I uttered "Lord, please help me". I continued to play with her and then after a while, as I told her "Let Mummy wash your hair ya" I slowly lie her head down on my wrist. Surprisingly, she didn't struggle and today, after 1.5 weeks, I finally get to really wash her hair!!

And my baby's hair is now squeaky clean and smells lovely!

Our Lazy Lunch today

Since Isabelle's food preference matured from porridge to soft rice with dishes, I have been cracking my brain to come up with dishes that goes for the whole family. Not too salty, not too sweet, not spicy and in 3 words : Works for toddler

Today, I am in lazy-1-dish mood. Friday used to be my cooking-off-day when I put my cooking mind to rest and I only cook Isabelle's porridge. But now with the change of her food fondness, I had to change my routine as well.

Minced meat with potatoes, carrots, pumpkin and peas stew. Easy as abc and I hope she will finish her lunch later today.

Portion is slightly bigger, enough for mummy's lunch too.

Cooking ~ Minced Pork Noodles

I am so happy with the warm response from Mummy Jenny and I am more than glad to share the recipe. Thank you :)

However, I do not have the time to take picture of every step of it. But I will try when I cook it next round.

What You Need:

• Oil for frying
• Minced Pork (marinate with salt, pepper, sugar & Xao Shing wine *optional*)
• Noodles of any preferred type (recommended Vits for its springiness)
• Chopped garlic
• Diced chinese mushroom (soaked for 1 hour prior to cooking)
• Some green vegies (choy sum or pakchoy or any type of preferred vegie)
• For seasoning ~ Salt, pepper, sugar, light soy sauceoyster sauce and dark soy sauce for color and water
• Concoction of water and cornflour for thickening & glossiness
• For garnish ~ chopped spring onion & fried garlic

How To Cook This:

1. Fry half of the chopped garlic in oil and keep it aside with the oil for later use.
2. Saute the rest of the chopped garlic with the minced pork till fragrant.
3. Add in mushroom, fry till fragrant
4. Add in seasonings & water.
5. Simmer for approx 10 mins
6. Add in corn flour concoction and stir (according to preferred consistency and the cornflour is for glossiness of the dish)
7. DONE

To Serve:

1. Blanch noodles and vegies
2. Lay noodles and vegies on a plate
3. Scoop the minced pork and pour on top of noodles
4. Sprinkle garlic generously on top
5. ENJOY

Hope you like this dish and dont forget to share the photos and comments when you try this out. Happy Cooking!

My La Sau Noodles

The best food critic at home, my DS specifically requested me to make this for dinner tonight, the 3rd time for the past month.

My version of noodles topped with minced pork & mushrooms and some greens, sprinkled with glorious fried garlic. Both DH and DS finished off their portion very quickly. I am not sure if it is because they were both very hungry. But whatever the reason is, a clean plate is a sweet compliment for me. All the chopping, cutting & frying pays off.

It is delightful how such a simple dish could bring such pleasure and satisfaction.

Now, I have to restock some good old pork in the fridge as I have a hunch I will receive request to make this, for the 4th time.

Being A Mom Taught Me...

Being a mom has taught me....

THE ART OF MULTITASKING

I can no longer take my own sweet time in most of the things I do. No more washing hair, scrubbing and cleaning my face separately during shower. I had to do it one shot. It is amazing I could do it in 1 minute when I used to do all that in 10 minutes before the baby came.

PATIENCE

Impatience is my trademark. Step on my tail & I will explode. I have learn to be patientand I am still learning.

BETTER TIME MANAGEMENT & PRIORITY SETTING

Staying up late to clean up the mess from the day while the rest has gone to bed and snoozing away so that the next morning, Isabelle & mummy has a clean place to play and spend the day. Prior to having Isabelle, all the chores can wait till weekend.

APPRECIATE CARTOON

I now watch more Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episodes a day than my beloved series in a year.

UNDERSTANDS FUSSY BABIES & EMPATHIZES FRUSTRATED PARENTS IN PUBLIC PLACES

I am not a snob. But before we became parents, scene of screaming kids and wailing babies really put us off. We would turn and give them the irritated please-shut-your-kid-up-you-are-disturbing-us-and-very-annoying look. We could not understand why can't the parents do something or just do not attempt to bring such difficult baby out to torture the rest of the public and please just stay home.

PUTTING MYSELF LAST, SACRIFICE & APPRECIATE

The real meaning of sacrifice and I can now feel what my parents specially my mother felt and went through raising me. Not only I appreciate what my parents has done for me but I know I want to give back in folds the love they gave me in any ways I possibly can. Thank you Mom & Pa.

Perks Of A SAHM!

When I told my exboss and my other friends about my decision to quit and be a SAHM, they questioned if I can endure staying home 24/7 after being out in the working environment all my life.

My answer was 'never try never know and there is always a first time for everything'.

I am glad I survived quite successfully and I love what I am doing! The best part is I know my baby is getting the best in everything.

Friends who sometimes call me up to chat over the phone or over msn had the tendency to assume that being a SAHM would means I get to nap with the baby all the time OR I am busy with dirty diaper every moment of the day OR I would sit and rot due to boredom within the 4 walls of the home.

I am just so sorry to say you are all so wrong! I might easily have a more enjoyable and certainly more rewarding job than you can imagine!

I do not need to wake up with an annoying alarm clock and having to rush to work. I do not need to fight the crazy morning traffic. I do not need to literally drag myself to work and knowing I have to face a group of monkeys who would die without office politics and can't wait to make other's life miserable. I do not need to fight yet another round of after working hours traffic and come home feeling all worn out and can only wish that tomorrow would be a better day.

Just to correct some assumptions out there, here are the 'perks' of being a SAHM:

• We wake up to a happy baby, smiling and we know it is going to be another fun filled day
• We look forward to the games we are going to play with our little precious
• Maybe if there is a pool at home and weather is kind, we can bring them down for a cool dip
• Politics FREE
• Traffic Jam FREE
• We are there when our little precious took their first step, uttered their words, had their first fall and we are there for them 101%
• We get to bring the baby to a shopping mall on a weekday during off peak hours when everyone else is struggling a long day at work and wishing that 5pm comes soon
• And yes, when we feel our eyelids getting heavier, we can just take a nap with our little one right next to us and no worries being caught falling asleep at work or worst still, in a meeting!

Of course, that is not all and the list goes on and on.

True that we do not have the luxury of getting the monetary pay at the end of each month. Nor, do we lead an active social life as often as we'd like or to dress up glamorously on daily basis. Nevertheless, the job of a SAHM is surely not plain boring and only full of endless housechores and not to mention the rewards are beyond any salary can get you.

Ok... kind suggestion from Mummy Jenny, here are some of the shortcomings of being a SAHM:

• No pay
• No EPF and SOCSO
• No benefits
• No medical allowance
• No sick leave
• No annual leave
• No bonus
• No off day on Saturday & Sunday

Does it bothered me that I am not entitled to any of the above?

No.

Have I ever thought of returning to workforce just to enjoy the above?

Honestly, I only thought about the salary. But then again, it was just some thoughts that came to mind when I am on idle mode and I would not trade what I am doing now for any other job. So, answer is NO.