First Term Over

Kz's school gave us back these books. These was first term's books. Second term will start in June. So the other day, I was going through these books, I thought I could learn a little Mandarin as well, so I picked book #1 (there were 5 books, can you see?). I was expecting simple Mandarin First Words kinda thing like "wo" (me), "ni" (you), "jia" (house). But I was wrong, these Mandarin books straightaway started with sentences! I wonder how 3 year-old kids memorize the characters.

Anyway, I prepared these for the teachers. The kindy will be celebrating Children's Day together with Teacher's Day. These are just packs of oat bars wrapped with a note inside and a self-coloured tag from Kz. Hope the teachers like it.  

And, these are the cupcakes I ordered from the home-baker (in my condo) for the class party. Kids are advised to dress in party clothes and I think they are gonna have party, food, fun and all the sugar rush all day long. I hope the teachers and all the kids will be happy :) 

Here is the happy boy that morning. When he sees the cupcakes, he says he wants to go to school, haha.

Princess Ribbon's Mac, Egg & Cheese

Don't expect to see restaurant's style of mac&cheese. And don't compare. It's my version of (very) simple and fast milky-eggy mac&cheese, ready in 10 minutes!

It was 7pm and Kz wanted macaroni. What? Macaroni? I got no soup in the fridge.

I don't have chicken cubes at home. It's MSG anyway. Not good. So how to make macaroni (without soup) in the shortest time? Ok, no soup. How about oriental style fried macaroni? Nope, too late to thaw minced meat and mixed vegetables (from the freezer), too lazy to chop garlic or shallots, soak and wash and chop brocolli, mushrooms and all (and puh-leese, the portion is just for Kz alone, you want me to do all that?).

So, I took the shortest way out. I boiled some macaroni with 2 beef balls and 1 seafood tofu (nothing can go wrong with assorted balls). Once soft, I drained the water, added a cup of milk, one slice of cheese, wee bit of salt (I really mean wee bit) and cracked an egg. So now we have mac & cheese with egg.

I was praying that Kz would shut up and eat up. Surprisingly, he did both, and gave thumbs up too! He said "Hmmm, good!". Kz left what was below. So was it good? You bet. Not self praising, but if this brat says good, means that something is good. 

Farm In The City

It was Sunday. The time was 10.45am. Hubby was lying on the bed, Kz was jumping on him up & down, up & down. G just woke up from his morning nap. I was nagging Kz to stop jumping on the bed and to watch out for G, who was slowly crawling up to the bed as well. Hubby said "It's ok, let him be, it's family day". Family day? Rang a bell. Why don't you take us out, I asked. Where, he asked. Hmm, Farm In The City? Not very far from us. Ok, let's go, he said! 

We reached after 25 minutes drive.

We didn't take the stroller. So I used the "kangaroo pouch" to carry G around. Ok, sorry for being long-winded, it's called baby-wearing ~ Carrier.

Kz had fun seeing turtles, birds, fishes, rabbits, guinea-pigs, ponies, reptiles.

I was sweating so I didn't pay attention to the animals. I was just hoping to go home as soon as possible, but I didn't whine or complain, because I was the one who wanted to come. So not many pictures ya, sorry.

Oohh, a family photo with the giant tortoise. We chose this photo to be converted into a mug as a souvenir before we left the place.

Ok, bye!

Rude

Somebody in the office has been acting really cold to me out of a sudden.

If you are reading this, you know who you are.

Your copyright, I know - We are in the middle of something, you just stop and cut off halfway.
That's just plain rude. That's so not you. 

I made initiatives (to chat). I made effort (to ask what's wrong). Don't say I didn't. 

But you cut off just like that. No replies. Nothing.

I hate no-replies.

I don't like.

Readers, don't get me wrong. It's not an affair. It's not even flirting, haha (Though I'm talking like it's one).

It's pure office related. Nothing personal.

He is a sweet guy. Approachable. Helpful. Reliable.

I know I can go to him if I need help.

He would help if he could. And he did. All I have to do is just ask.

I thank you for what you have done.

Frozen Porridge

Maybe this post will get some readers upset with me. Yep, I cook a big pot of porridge, freeze them, heat them up for G everyday - a cube a day. I've been doing this for a week, and so far, G is fine. No tummy upsets or whatsoever.

Brocolli-potato-carrot-egg yolk puree

You see, my mum stopped taking care of G last month. Now G is sent to the nursery downstairs of our condo - for the sake of our convenience. No own-cooked food allowed, not Chinese operated, there, I think I've said enough and you get the gist.

Ok, why a nursery and not a nanny. Don't ask.

I can only give them G's cereals (Cerelac) and basically G's surviving on milk and cereals only the whole day. They cook soft rice (and soup) too, but I don't think G's ready for rice. They agree to cook porridge for G, but I never asked what type of porridge, just have to trust them I guess.

Brocolli puree added into porridge

The only way I can think of is freezing porridge using baby cubes. I want him to have home cooked porridge everyday at least for one meal (until he is ready for adult solid food which he can eat in the nursery). And there's no time to cook porridge by the time I reach home from work everyday. So the only way is to freeze & reheat (in a hot water bath).

Chicken-fish-pumpkin-carrot-egg yolk puree porridge

Ok, you may say - use the slow cooker. Errr, 13 hours cooking in the slow cooker, from 6am til 7pm? (I leave the house at 6.30am and back to the house at 7pm). The porridge would have turned sourish & "out of taste" (believe me, I've tried that).

And.... It's just two tablespoons of porridge. 13 hours boiling. Go imagine.

Steamed Cupcakes Again?

Sometimes the TV works, sometimes it doesn't.

G is a very sticky baby and he glues to me like a koala. I cannot do anything with him around, not even go pee or poo, really! If I really need to poo, I need to open the toilet door wide, and he would wait faithfully in front of me, watching me! Yes, watching me poo.

Anyway, on one "peaceful & quiet" morning (coz both Kz & G are not fighting), I was feeling "itchy" to steam cupcakes again, this time not using Milo, but cheese as I have one slice of cheese left in the fridge. Could have just eaten it by myself, but like I said, I was feeling "itchy". I "invented" and "agak-agak" in my ingredients (again), and came up with my steamed cheese cupcakes

For ahem, presentation and also to attract Kz, I topped the cupcakes with chocolate chips before steaming.

Kids are easy to please (in Kz's case, if there are Kinder-egg, Koko Crunch or trucks, or anything chocolate). Kz looks very happy with the cake. 

I'm not praising myself, but if you see him eating something, means that something is good.

Fast forward, ok, time to nap. Zzzzzz. Sleep longer, babies, kay? And mummy can finally have some me-time and peace.

The Next In-Thing

So, this is the next in-thing that is happening in the office. Crunchy oats+cereals called Date & Fate (I'm NOT selling nor advertising for this product), but well, just to let you know what's happening in the office.

People sell, people buy, I also buy. That's it. I bet (most) girls are like that. You see others buy, you also want to buy.

Here's my Date & Fate, with the tagline - Date & Fate, bring us Fate & make us Date. 

Duh, so lame!

Very colourful individual packaging inside. It's good for munching in the office aka "itchy mouth" time. I like small individually-packed goodies, easy & convenient, yes?  

Here is how it looks like. Crunchy oats+cereals coated in white chocolate (they claimed).

I can finish the whole thing in one bite. Sometimes I eat just like that, sometimes I open a few packets and dump them into my Milo.  

Call me cheapo, but since muesli bars are so expensive to eat nowadays, when colleagues recommend these, I grabbed two boxes without thinking. It certainly looks like muesli, tastes like muesli too, but of course, the real thing is more delicious, with real fruits and all.