I know this is kind of materialistic of me. But hey, don't we all wish for things?

We just moved house and we don't have a lot of things although we already spent so much for the things needed for our new house.

And so my wish list for 2013 would be: To have

1. Electric stove (with cabinet, please)

2. King-size bed frame

3. Family size refrigerator

4. Kitchen cupboard.

Now that I have a list... I can wait until I am granted my wish.

Do you have a wish list for 2013, too?

Since I started working, our family has to go through many changes. Our waking and sleeping times had to be earlier than usual-- it was a struggle at first but eventually, we all got the hang of it.

 Although my job is a bit demanding with time, I am happy that I also get to earn for myself. It means that I can buy things without having to ask from hubby, and shopping is a lot more fun and fulfilling! :)

 But of course, earning is not just about getting to shop for whatever I want.   I am also thinking a lot about saving up not just for family trips but really, just saving up for the future. I have been reading a lot about Annuityadvantage lately, and how I can make the most out of my investments.

I believe that saving up for our growing family and ensuring that our kids get a good future from it is a lasting gift my children can be very grateful for.

One of the things that I enjoyed while packing our things for our move was coming across old photos. We don't keep hard copies of photos much these days since they are mostly stored in our computers but I think it's also great to have many of them printed and kept in photo albums. Sometimes it's just good to do it the traditional way, huh?

 Anyways, baby photos of the kids, family vacations and camp outs made me smile. I am so missing all those activities we used to do when the kids were a lot smaller!  They were with us in every trip.   We should do a camp out somewhere soon. Maybe we should buy Big Agnes Copper Spur UL1 before we set out on a trip. I can almost imagine the four of us in a tent, making a campfire by night eating barbecue. Sometimes time with the family don't have to be expensive. It's the time spent together that counts-- their memories last a lifetime!

First, I want to thank my sis-in-law, Dewi, and bro-in-law, Ramesh, for looking after the kids while my husband and I were away to Seoul, South Korea.

Anyways, I knew about this trip one year earlier so I sort of prepared slowly from saving money to getting to know what to do and what to wear (especially it's gonna be winter) in South Korea.

 We first went to Seongnam-gu to attend a conference. Stayed in a very nice hotel called Vine Hotel. It wasn't on the internet so we didn't know how exactly it was like.

   

To our surprise, we found jacuzzi in the room. Think all you like how we made use of it coz we
really did a lot. LOL

   

 I loved the bubble bath. The hotel amenity included bubble bath liquid (used all of them for my almost every day jacuzzi) one hair brush and comb, and other toiletries. They also included shaving cream and after-shave, toner and moisturiser. They have coffee and tea maker, too. That's when I discovered Korean tea. Now I am hooked with Korean tea.

   

 That's me (above image) at the subway train.

 The conference was held for 4 days. So it's basically just hotel and conference venue for 4 days for us.

 After the conference, we went to Gangnam where I booked our hotel. Tried Agoda, HotelsCombined and some other online agencies and found Agoda.com to be the cheapest. I book Star Gangnam Hotel. It's reasonably priced knowing it's at the centre of Gangnam. It's pretty convenient too as it is two stations away to COEX mall. The hotel is just 20 meter walk to the train station.

 

 Below image is the husband goofing around.

 

There's no way we can watch Breaking Dawn part 2 in Kuala Lumpur so we watched it in Gangnam, Seoul, South Korea. We paid 24$ for the two of us (shocked) but it was worth it.  

 I really enjoyed the trip. It was cold but we were made warm by Heattech clothing we purchased from UniQlo in Sunway Pyramid.

I was invited to a media launch of the latest Chevrolet model, a Chevrolet Sonic but wasn't able to go because it was a short notice I couldn't make arrangements. However, wanna keep you updated on what happened on the day of launching:

Chevrolet Malaysia today launched a new subcompact vehicle named Chevrolet Sonic or the “Sonic”. The Sonic is available as both a four-door sedan and a five-door hatchback, giving it a presence in the highly competitive B-segment.

The Sonic promises a far superior refinement, plus better safety, and higher performance. It is also one of the safest, especially among value-leading compacts when compared to other vehicles of its size and price class.

Designed to deliver youthful exuberance for modern, on-the-go lifestyles, with precision handling and performance derived from a proven, global platform, the Sonic is targeted at the young, trendy and upcoming generation, also otherwise known as the "Generation Y‟.

Pandalela Rining gives Chevrolet a thumbs up

Kids have been asking me to teach them the lyrics for the song "Me Without You" by Toby Mac. 

So here it is:


"Me Without You"

Raindrops rollin' off my brim
Streetlights got the pavement glistenin'
Touchdown, I fall into Your arms
Right where I belong
Your everlasting arms

And where would I be
Without You...

I'd be packin' my bags when I need to stay
I'd be chasin' every breeze that blows my way
I'd be building my kingdom just to watch it fade away
It's true
That's me without You-ou-ou-ou-ou-ou
That's me without You-ou-ou-ou-ou-ou
That's me without You-ou-ou-ou-ou-ou
Don't know where I'd be without You
(Wooooah, without you)

Flashback, stepping through the scene
There's You and there's a very different me
Touchdown, You had me at belief
You had me at belief, You did

And where would I be
Without You, without You...

I'd be packin' my bags when I need to stay
I'd be chasin' every breeze that blows my way
I'd be building my kingdom just to watch it fade away
It's true
That's me without You-ou-ou-ou-ou-ou
That's me without You-ou-ou-ou-ou-ou
That's me without You-ou-ou-ou-ou-ou
Don't know where I'd be without You

(Where would I be...)

[WHISPERING]
(I was so deep,
So incomplete
Til' You rescued me
Yeah, You rescued me)

You rescued me
You are mine, I am Yours
You rescued me
And I am Yours forever
You saved me, remade me

And where would I be

I'd be packin' my bags when I need to stay
I'd be chasin' every breeze that blows my way
I'd be building my kingdom just to watch it fade away
It's true
That I'd be packin' my bags when I need to stay
I'd be chasin' every breeze that blows my way
I'd be building my kingdom just to watch it fade away
So true
That's me without You-ou-ou-ou-ou-ou
That's me without You-ou-ou-ou-ou-ou
That's me without You-ou-ou-ou-ou-ou
Don't know where I'd be without You

That's me without You-ou-ou-ou
That's me without You-ou-ou-ou
That's me without You-ou-ou-ou
Don't know where I'd be without You

 

Schenker's birthday. His 8th.

We didn't plan to do anything... but when I knew my friends were coming, I planned for a barbecue party.

 And because we love to dance, we thought of giving Schenker a surprise dance performance from one of One Direction songs, "What Makes You beautiful." Schenker loves that song so we thought it would be great to dance for his party.

 And so here we were...

 

 I made a lot of mistakes... but I had fun.. truly. Thanks Grace, Joy, Karisse and Renel for dancing (and for teaching me) with me.

I was browsing the web to look for some nice ski jackets in preparation for our our upcoming trip plans when I got to this website with wide choices of ski jackets. I actually have two choices whether to buy in the mall or buy marmot ski jackets on line.

Considering the time we have, I think it is wise to buy the jackets online because I have some coupons here to use so I can avail some discounts. That’s wise shopping isn’t it?

 

We have this material handling rack at home that is really helpful because it help us maximize the limited space we have.

You see, there are some things that we can’t just dispose of like our Christmas decorations which need ample and proper space or else they won’t be of use for the next Christmas season.

I’m just happy that my hubby came up with this idea of buying one for our storage room though at first I didn’t see its importance. It really pays to listen.

 

I am having some friends over for a week and right now, we are watching a Hindi movie called Jab We Met.

 

 The film tells the story of a feisty Punjabi girl who is sent off track when she bumps into a depressed Mumbai businessman on an overnight sleeper to Delhi. While attempting to get him back on board when he alights at a station stop, both are left stranded in the middle of nowhere. Having walked out of his pressurised corporate business after being dumped by his girlfriend, the man has no destination in mind, until the girl forces him to accompany her back home and then on to elope with her secret boyfriend.

What the world needs is music to enliven it. At home, music is part of our morning routine. Upon waking up, the first thing that I do is play some music to awaken my still sleepy senses. The kids are into it too and I’m glad that my little man has shown an interest in playing the guitar.

I promised him that he become very good in playing I’m going to buy a very nice guitar from bugera v5 guitar center. Call it an external drive to push him to do better and somehow I can see how effective it is.

 

I’m excited about the summer. Like the kids, I can’t wait for it to come because hubby and I are planning to spend it somewhere in the beach. Plans have not yet been finalized but the kids are already busy talking what to wear and what games they are going to play in the sandy shore. For now, though, one can't stop wondering if we live where there's winter. One can definitely go skiing, wearing one of those ski jackets. I guess I would definitely plan for it, especially if we live in a country where there's snow.

Many people have been into yoga nowadays and if you have been persuaded to join the bandwagon, you can definitely do it. Surely, everybody knows that yoga is an exercise that aims to unite the mind, the body and the spirit and has a lot of physiological, psychological and biochemical benefits for our body.

Studies show that yoga has even more health benefits than mere exercise and that interests me a lot. For a start, you may buy yourself yoga bolsters and get ready for your very first yoga session. Let me know how it goes for you, yeah?

 

Chilli Pan Mee. My students introduced me to chilli pan mee and I have never stopped thinking about it ever since. LOL.

 Pan Mee (Chinese: 板麺, pronounced as ban mian) is a Hokkein-style noodle, originating from Malaysia. Its Chinese name literally translates to "flat flour noodle". It is part of Malaysian Chinese cuisine. The dough is made from flour (sometimes egg is added for more flavor).

 Traditionally, the dough is hand-kneaded and torn into smaller pieces of dough (about 2 inches). Nowadays, the dough can be kneaded using machine into a variety of shapes, the most common shape being flat strips of noodle. Dry chilli pan mee is becoming popular, especially in the Klang Valley.[3] This dry noodle is served with minced pork, fried onions, anchovies, and topped with a poached egg which is stirred into the noodles.

The most important part of the dish is the dry chilli mix (or sambal) which is served with it. Those with a strong tolerance for chillies often add several spoonfuls of the chilli to the noodles, though most are content with one spoon of the fiery chilli.

 

My little girl wants to dress up for the Halloween and she wants to be a scary doctor. She said she wants to have her hair down with a stethoscope and some medical scissors as her props.


To complete the ensemble, we tried to look up for some lab coats for women online hoping that there are sizes available for kids. Luckily, we found one and you bet, my girl is now ready for the Halloween.


 

We've always promised the kids to take them to Sunway Lagoon Club. And so we took them there for a dip in a pool a couple of weeks ago.

   

 We're actually been paying the monthly fee to use the facility but since we're too busy, we don't go there regularly. Thanks to the kids for always bugging us to go. At least we can make use of the facilities.

   

That's Samatha up there enjoying the kids' pool. 

 And getting a bit more cozy at the jaccuzzi. 

 

 It is just so refreshing. I hope we can visit more often next time.

When my husband and I were newly married, we would go to Singapore at least once a year just for a visit.

Last year when my parents came over for a two-month visit, I took them to Singapore for a couple of days. That was the last time I went to Singapore. But I really loved our time there. Since we were there for only a couple of days, we hit Sentosa Island and Orchard Road. These two places are not-to-be-missed places while in Singapore.

Sentosa Island is tagged as Asia's favorite playground. You can spend a day there and realize it's not enough to cover everything.

   

Things you can do and visit in Sentosa Island include:

1. A visit to Universal Studios
2. Hang around either of the beaches, Palawan Beach and Siloso Beach.
3. Visit Fort Siloso
4. Visit the Underwater World
5. See Singapore's icon, the Merlion.
6. You may experience the Song of the Sea as a finale of your visit in Sentosa. It's a spectacular waterworks show in the evening.

Things to do in Orchard Road.

   

1. Go shopping.
2. Go shopping some more.

 LOL.

It's pretty much a haven for shopaholics.

If you're looking into what you can do for a family trip this school vacation, you may check out www.dialaflight.com and plan a trip to Singapore.

I might do just that since I am missing Singapore so much.

Went to Citta Mall for the first time yesterday at Ara Damansara for a meet up. Our friends took us to Baci Italian Cafe. It's my first time there and I truly love the ambiance. Since I love Italian and couldn't pass up the pasta, I ordered penne pesto. It's actually my favorite pasta of all times.

   

 My husband ordered this moist chocolate desert and I took a bite, inspite of my diet.

   

 Sigh. Who can resist this lovely, mouth watering chocolate cake? And so I promised myself I would fast today. LOL. That's a joke. Anyways, looks like Citta Mall is going to be my family's hang out in the future. :D

Thanks Aunty Lillian for the lovely treat. I had a good time catching up with you.

     

My 9th year wedding anniversary with the hubs is coming up so soon. And now I am cracking my head on what to give to my dear hubs for this special day. Will he appreciate a tie or a raymond weil? Would going out of town, just to two of us, better? I am not sure yet. But I am hoping that we will be able to celebrate our wedding anniversary quietly but memorable. Here's to us.

The hubs came back from his one-week out-of-the-country trip. We thought of going out to spend time as a family before I went to church for the students' practice for the Awards Night.

To my favorite mall, Sunway Pyramid, we went!

I've been wanting to go to Delicious and I thought of giving myself a treat. I think I deserved it, after losing 4 kgs in 2 months.

I ordered cottage pie... and coke, obviously. It's my cheat day, remember? I haven't been drinking coke for the past 2 months and I thought... yeah well, one can of coke can't hurt.




Schenker's order was toasted ham and cheese sandwich. It came with fries and salad sticks.






And because I declared it a cheating day, I ordered this for dessert.

Delicious Berrilicious Chocolate Pavlova (RM13.50!)


While I enjoyed my dessert, the kids enjoyed the time with their father. He-he.

Showing my outfit for the day, too... with the best accessories one can ever have: My children.

Delicious Sunway Pyramid rating:

Food: small portion, big money
Dessert: to die for
Customer service: Needs improvement (we called for service for so long before somebody came to us.. while we were calling, saw them just talking). Also, served by a not-so-friendly waiting staff.

It's probably because we went there in the afternoon and mostly, during those times, one can get very bored/ready to nap. They are probably in their best moods either in the morning or in the evening. I have yet to experience.

Honestly, I don't mind going back there for Delicious dessert. There were quite a few that I wanted to try. Maybe, on my next cheat day, I might. And if I do, it's gotta be at a different time. (Gotta give customer service a benefit of the doubt).

More than two years ago, when we were at Camerons, we were wondering why Starbucks or Coffee Bean haven't established their coffee shops there. We thought it would be a good business because people would naturally go for coffee or tea there.

More than two years later, which was last week, we were elated to see Starbucks in Camerons. It would be nice to have coffee there. Ahem, actually, I had a wrong motive. I was elated to see Starbucks. It would mean I could go online! LOL. I really have to because I need to check my writing assignments.

The other tea shop that we love have a wi-fi but we couldn't connect to the internet. It was connected and the signal was excellent but we couldn't open the internet. They must have a wireless security system that would allow them to block any outside users. Too bad. People nowadays would love to hang around coffee shops that have wi-fi. Their loss.

Posted 3/27/09