All the way from US

Finally I got my Coach bag!
I ordered this Coach bag online from this website. The blogger is very friendly and she responses my email and questions very fast. I asked them to sent to my company. I got the bag yesterday around 4pm as promised by her. I think I will buy more Coach bag from her in the future. :)
So, if you are interested too, feel free to drop by at her blog and have a look. Maybe you will find one bag that you like. Don't worry, I think the price is reasonable and the bags are authentic.

Now I have a matching bag for my Coach purse that I bought from Japan 3 years back!

2010 Raya Holiday

This year Hari Raya we had 4 days holiday! My younger sister, Christine and her family (brother in law, Stephan and nephew, Joshua) came to visit us in Penang during this long holiday. We brought them walk walk around Gurney Plaza, Queensbay Mall, Batu Feringgi, and makan-makan at some famous places in Penang. So sad that we only manage to snap a few pictures of each event as there're always got 2 two years old who wanted to "take the pictures for you" whenever they saw the camera.... (-__-)" 

My sister they all reached Penang on Thursday (9 Sep) at 3pm. David and I took half day leave to pick them up from the air port. As Joshua and Christine were both very tired already so we just stayed at home on the first night. But David brought Stephan to have lok lok for supper. The next morning, we went for kueh teow soup at 7 Village near our house.

After breakfast, we went shopping at Gurney Plaza. David bought some moon cake from the Baker Cottage and Dai Tong. All very nice.

We had lunch at Nandos before we headed home. Didn't manage to take any of the food we had at Nados because Samuel "fainted" that time and I had to carry him in my arms as we didn't bring the stroller. However, the chicken was nice. :) At night, we just had simple dinner at a restaurant behind the Pacific Mall. I forgot the name of the restaurant. It serves very nice roast duck. But we reached there too late and the roast duck already sold out. So, we had roast pork, cha siew, roast chicken, stir fried lettuce, prawn and 芙蓉蛋. All the dishes were nice. :)

The next day, Mom cooked super delicious pork leg bak zhen (八珍猪脚) for lunch. *yummy... sorry no pic also... sad* We stayed at home for the first half of the day. Samuel and Joshua woke up from their nap around 2pm. We decided to have dinner at Tambun - sea food for dinner! yeah! Here are the only 3 pics that I managed to snap during the dinner. Yup! Busy with Samuel... :(   Anyway, we had crab, prawns, squid, cray fish, and mix vege. After dinner, we went walk walk at the Auto City before went home... help to digest the food... :p

On the 3rd day, We went to Queensbay Mall after lunch. Spent whole day there and we brought them to Batu Feringgi to walk walk. We also dropped by Hard Rock Cafe Hotel Penang to snap some photos. Only Stephan and David went down to "look see", Mom, me, Christine and the children stayed in the car, as both Samuel and Joshua fell asleep during the journey. The hotel looks very nice. Maybe will fine one day to stay a night here... hahaha...

We then headed down to Penang town, to have dinner at the Sungai Pinang Food Court. We ordered some BBQ sea food from the East Coast BBQ stall. Besides that, we also had fried kueh teaw, loh mee, friend oyster, popiah, rojak and porridge for the children, Christine and Mom.  Great dinner!!

 Mom was sick on the 4th day of Christine's stay. So, on the forth day, we let Mom rest at home and we went to Penang island to find food again before they went to the next day. We wanted to bring them to have the bak zhang near the Burma Road. But the shop was closed for renovation. David's colleague brought us there before and the bak zhang was really nice. So sad... We then brought then to try out the famous cendul and laksa near which was about 2 street behind the bak zhang. We also brought them to Him Heang biscuit to buy some tao sa bia to bring back as souvenir.

In the evening, we brought the kids to swim at the pool. This was the first time Samuel and Joshua went swimming. Too bad we didn't bring the camera down to the pool so we didn't manage to capture all the funny and cute expression of both of them when playing in the water. No worries! There will always be next time. Here are some pics taken before we went down to the pool.

ah... it was a great holiday. Although Samuel and Joshua were like fighting everyday. :p Poor Joshua went back to Sibu with 3 scratches on his forehead (very jia lak one... got bleeding somemore!) and 1 on the neck... all from Samuel... (-__-)" But Samuel did make up with Joshua before he went to air port. Samuel hugged Joshua... :)  There are still best friends. :)

*Joshua, hope to see you soon again... :)*

天父给孩子的信

我的孩子：

你或許不認識我，我卻認識你的一切。詩 139:1
你坐下，你起來，我都曉得，詩139:2
我也深知你一切所行的;詩139:3
就是你的頭髮也都被數過了。太10:29-31
你是照著我的的形像所造的，創1:27
你生活、動作、存留，都在乎我，徒17:28
你也是我所生的。徒17:28
甚至在你尚未成形以先，我已曉得你，耶1:4-5
在創立世界之前，我已揀選了你。弗1:4

你不是個錯誤，你所有的年日都寫在我的冊上，詩139:15-16
我定準你的年歲和所住的疆界，徒17:26
你的受造，是極其奇妙可畏！詩139:14
我在你母腹中塑造你， 詩139:13
領你由母腹中出來。詩71:6
我被不認識我的人所誤傳，約8:41-44
我並非冷漠而憤怒的，乃是完全的愛。約壹4:16
我願在你身上揮霍我的愛，只因為你是我的孩子，我是你的父親。約壹3:1
我能給予你的，遠超過地上的父親所能給予你的，太 7:11
因為我是完全的父。太5:48

你所領受各樣美善的恩賜，都是從我來的，雅 1:17
因為我是你的供應者，我必供應你需的一切。太6:31-33
我向你所懷的意念是要叫你末後有指望，耶29:11
因為我以永遠的愛愛你。耶31:3
我向你的意念其數比海沙更多，詩139:17-18
我因你歡欣喜樂，番 3:17
我決不停止施恩與你，耶32:40
因你是我的珍貴的產業。出19:5
我全心全意栽培你於此地，耶32:41
我要將偉大奧秘的事指示你，耶 33:3
如果你一心一意尋找我，就必尋見。申4:29
以我為樂，我就把你心裡所求的賜給你，詩37:4
因為是我在你心裏動工，使你心裡能立志行事。 腓 2:13

我能為你成就一切，遠超過你所求所想的。弗 3:20
我是你最佳的鼓勵者，帖後2:16-17
也是在一切患難中安慰你的父親。林後1:3-4
你傷心的時候，我靠近你，Psalm 詩34:18
如同牧人懷抱羊羔，我懷抱你在我胸前，Isaiah 賽 40:11
有一天，我要擦去你一切的眼淚並帶走你在世上的一切苦楚。啟 21:3-4

我是你的父，我愛你如同我愛我的兒子―耶穌一樣，約17:23
因為在耶穌裡，就顯明我對你的愛，約 17:26
祂是神本體的真像，來 1:3
祂來是表明我要幫助你，不是敵對你，羅 8:31
並告訴你：我不追究你的過犯。林後5:18-19
耶穌受死，使你可與我和好，林後5:18-19
祂的死，是我愛你最極致的表達。約壹4:10
我為你捨棄了我所愛的一切，使我或許能得著你的愛。羅8:31-32
你若接受了這份禮物我的兒子耶穌，你就接受了我。約壹2:23
無論任何事都不能叫我的愛與你隔絕。羅8:38-39

回家吧！讓我為你預備一個天上所見過最大的宴席，路15:7
我一直是父親，也永遠是父親，弗 3:14-15

問題是...，你願意成為我的孩子嗎？約1:12-13
我在等著你。路15:11-32

愛你的爸爸
全能上帝

Samuel, 21 months

In laws went back to Kuching on 28 Aug and my Mom came over on the same day to take over the "duty" - baby sit Samuel for us. David and I both feel that it's the best to ask our family members to look after Samuel at home than sending him to baby sitter. We are really grateful to our parents for willing to sacrify their time and "freedom" to come over here in Penang- a totally new place for them with no friends around to take care of a naughty boy 8/5 a week.

When Samuel saw grandma first the first time after 2 months, he looked puzzled and kept staring at Mom when Mom calling him. He was searching in his "data bank" to recall this familiar face. Then he smiled at Mom. He remembered!! We asked him to call "nyie ma" (mean grandma in Foo Chaw - yup! We talk to Samuel in Foo Chaw dialect). He called "Ma"! hahaha.... Mom was so happy to hear that.

So sad that Samuel was in some kind of "transition period", just like last time when my in laws took over Samuel from my Mom. He didn't want to drink milk and eat. Mom was at home with Samuel alone. She could not cook, could no go to the washroom, and Samuel was like stick to her all the time. He follower her to everywhere she went. On the 3rd day, he fell sick with running nose and mild fever. I had to take 1 day emergency leave to stay at home to help mom. Thank God he is ok now. Hopefully tomorrow he will be a good boy and be nice to grandma at home when David and I working.

At the month of 21, Samuel now can say some simply sentences to express himself, like:
1. "Baba, car kak!" - mixture of English and Foo Chaw which means "Daddy, my car (toy) stuck *somewhere*"
2. "Mama, giang!"- giang in Foo Chaw means scare.
3. "Baba, night night... bye bye..." - usually say this to his Daddy before going to sleep.
4. "Mama, o o!" - saying this, pulling my hand and pointing to the bedroom which means he want to sleep already.
5. Saying "cai cai!" and pointing at the vege - means he wants to eat the vege. Samuel loves vegetable!
6. Rushing into the bathroom happily when he hears the tab water running and say "boom boom!" - yup! time to bath and he loves bathing too!

Samuel is a good boy... but only 1 thing that always give Daddy Mummy and everyone headache - eating habit! He has a very very bad eating habit! He doesn't want to sit on the high chair and eat... he needs to turn on the tv, sitting on Daddy's lap and eat. Or plays with his toy and eat... all these I think is not good for him and may affect his digestion. hai... I really need help on this. We can only get him sit on the high chair for 5 mins (the most) and he will stand up, asking you to carry him... *sign*

Apart from that, we also have problem cutting his finger and toe nails. He will scream to the top of his lungs, shaking his head, pad on his chest and say "pa pa" (means scare) when he saw the nail clipper. I never hurt him before when I cut his nails last time and as I remember, neither does my mom or anyone! So, we can only cut his nails when he is sleeping. Oh! one more thing! He hates it when we cut his hair. Same reaction as he sees the nail clipper, he will start crying and shaking his head when he sees the scissors! Ooooo.... God please help me!

Well, no matter how I still enjoy all the time I spent with my boy. I love my family... :)

Samuel is back in Penang!

I went back to work early this year and sent Samuel back to Kuching to be taken care by my mom. David and I had been traveling back to see him in Kuching in monthly basis. We had been praying for God's guidance on how to go about for this matter. As both of us need to work and we fell safer for Samuel to be taken care by either my mom or his mom. But we can't effort to fly so frequently. Air tickets aren't cheap. So we decided to ask his mom to come over to Penang to stay with us and help us to look after Samuel. Mother in law cannot stay here for long. So, after we discussed with my mom, she agreed to rotate with my Mother in law. Basically the schedule will be, MIL 3 months and my mom 3 months. Hope this will work.

Glad to have Samuel back in Penang and it feels good to see his smile everyday. I love you, Samuel!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

Now that I am a mother too, now only I know how it is like to be a mother.

I am so blessed to have a loving, dedicated and patient mother and I appreciate her more each day. As I grow older and wiser, I realize what an extraordinary person she is. 

I don't know how to thank her for her love and hard work of raising me up, except to ask You to bless her as richly as she deserves. Pour down Your grace on her. And I pray that You help me live up to the example she has set. I pray that I will look as good in the eyes of my children as my mother looks in mine. 

On her birthday. I pray that Your Holy Spirit will constantly inspire and strengthen her. Help her to rely on Your tender mercy and unconditional love. May she receives Your grace abundantly in this earthly life. In Jesus name I pray.
Amen!

Losing weight in a healthy way

I have been trying to lose weight after my delivery and it was like 20 months ago!! But sad to say that I am still very far away from my target weight.

I was quite plump when I was little. See the picture below, I was the "bigger size" one on the right. The skinny one is my younger sister.

I hit my "fattest" record - 58kg when I was in uni time at 21. Can you imagine how I look like that time? I'm only 153cm tall and with 58kg body. I looked like a penguin!

I only started to slim down when I was 23 or 24 and the lightest record was 45kg. I worked my ass off to hit that number. I tried hundreds of ways to slim down - slimming pills, went for slimming center and signed up multiple slimming package that cost me thousands of ringgit, bough the Osim u-Zap, dietary supplements, etc... I felt great that time as I could fit into any clothes that I liked, bare back, tube top, spaghetti...

 












I didn't gain much weight when I was pregnant, just 15 or 16 kg. Unfortunately, I also didn't lose any of those weight after my delivery *sign*. My pre pregnancy weight was 46kg and my post-delivery weight is 59kg. And yes! My BMI tells me that I am 10kg over weight!!
 
I just could not accept it when I had to go from size S/ XS all the way up to size L! All my jeans could not fit any more (well... I kind of accepted this as I know 26 inches was way to "Impossible" to me). I had to buy those "aunty jeans" (stretchable one) with 31 inches waist line! I hated to see myself in the mirror! I know exercise is the best way to lose weight as it not only helps to remove all the excessive fat, but also tone your muscles. But I am not the type of person who likes to exercise, not even yoga... So, back to the old way, dietary supplements!

First I went back the old product that I used to take last time. A green smelly powder mixed and shaked with fruit juice that taste like pepper and I had to starve... I mean, no rice, no bee hoon, no KFC, no bread... Just the "green thing" and water. Poor me could only "tahan" for 3 days and I gave up. I remembered I tried this product before last time and it really worked! But not this time. So I tried other product! And... Herbalife is the best! It is tasty, no restriction on what food that you cannot eat (just don't be too oily and try to avoid fried food), no feeling of hunger and the most important of all the price is affordable.

I started taking Herbalife about 1 month ago (on 22 June 2010 to be exact) and lost 4kg. Now, I am weighing at 55kg. My target weight is 49kg, but if can go to 45kg is the best la!

I got the Shapeworks Quickstart pack which contain one Formula 1 Nutritional Mixed Soy Powder Drink, one Formula 3 Blended Soy and Whey Protein Powder, one Tea Mix with Hibiscus and one Herbalife measuring spoon. There are several flavour for Formula 1 - vanilla, chocolate, cappuccino, strawberry and tropical fruits (mix fruits). As for the tea you have peach flavour or lemon flavour which both taste real nice.

How to consume Herbalife?
*********************
I replace breakfast and dinner with Herbalife! As for lunch, I take normal "colorful meal" which contains rice, vege and meat. I try not to take oily or fried food. Besides that, I also make sure I take the tea mix! Every morning, I will mix 1 small scoop of the tea mix with 250ml of cold water.I also drink a lot of water (minimum 1 liter) to avoid constipation. haha...

To prepare the Herbalife shake: Mix 2 scoops of Formula 1 and 1 scoop of Formula 3 with 250ml cold water and shake. Fast, easy and tasty!

I'm going to weight myself again in 2 weeks time. Hope can see a smaller number... wish me luck!