LaundryAmah

I know I have not mentioned much about you and then you suddenly left us just like that! We have not really taken good care of you…I’m sooooo sorrryyy…Duke! We’ll miss you…

He was given to us 2 years ago when he was 3 years old, which means he’s only about 5 - 6 years old! Meaning, he’s about 43 years old in doggie years leh…what happened?

We fed you with darn expensive good food, heart-guarded you monthly…or maybe not?? errr..Apah can you verify if you did?? Ok ok…confession, we hardly spend time with you…yes guilty as charged! The kids are afraid of you except Kylie but she’s so short so I cannot allow her to be around you just in case you get too rowdy and topple her over ma… Anyway, we are still wondering what happened to you as you didn’t show any signs that you were not well… Only thing I don’t like about you is that you are not obedient and will run out of the house when we accidentally open the gate and we have to drive around to look for you and it’s so hard to get you back in the car!  Now we don’t have to worry about that anynore…

Since it’s Mid Autumn Festival today, me take the opportunity to wish everyone a very happy reunion time with your close friends/family/relatives and happy feasting of course! For those who are not celebrating, Happy Tuesday lor.  Since it’s Mid Autumn Festival, Kieran doesn’t need to go to school (hip hip hoorayyyyyyyy..for all of us!). So Apoh took him along to visit a relative in Serdang to distribute the “red bomb” (wedding invitation) and Apoh specifically said only Kieran and not Kylie! Sobzzzzzzzzzz…cos Kylie is too difficult to handle she has to come to office…poor Auntie Angie…..

Oh this post is about Kieran…

He is still struggling with his homework and Auntie Fiona (brother’s fiance) has been busy with both work and wedding preparation so has not been able to help out with Kieran’s homework lately. I’m cool about that but Apah has been getting very stressed. I really don’t want to push him too hard.  And the %£&* teacher is so stingy and prints some of his work in such small prints, he has to use a magnifying glass in order to see the strokes clearly! I wanted to get the photo of him using it but he refused, I guess he was feeling embarrassed! No mommy is not trying to embarrass you, just wanna share your experience only la…

His addiction to tv is getting more severe and must have his dose of morning tv and of course the whole weekend (if we don’t go out) he will be glued to the tv. Piss me off max as he will be in his tv world and doesn’t respond to anything until I scream and threat to bring the cane!

We have password protected the Cartoon channels and at the moment he’s being grounded for 2 weeks so he was playing with the remote and he discovered Channel 24, Astro Ria!

Me- Eh how come cartoon again? I said no cartoon!

K-This one is Malay one….

Me-*shocked with mouth opened wide wide and nothing to say*

He hardly take afternoon naps now since he started Standard 1, even weekends, he rather play or watch tv. So there were times he would fall asleep if he runs out of activities, but then again where can he run out of activities one…can…in the car la!

I really should be doing more updates on the kids but somehow mommy’s activities seem to be more happening! Oops!

I do not have her latest weight since the last visit to the paed was quite some time ago (phew! I don’t want to go unless it’s for an immunization shot lor). Height is 83 cm, I reckon she’s kinda short so I am thinking of buying a trampoline for her to jump since she’s so hyper anyway! Do you think it will help her grow taller???

She’s been picking up more words and is able to convey to us simple requests such as:

• I want…. (when she wants something from us but most of the time in a whiny tone)
• I eat… (when she wants to eat something, also in a whiny tone, in fact, all her requests are in whiny tones!)
• Not nize – not nice (when she doesn’t want to eat her food)
• Apen – Open
• Close
• offf - when she wants us to turn off the tv/lights etc

She is able to address the people closest to her besides daddy n mummy either when she sees them face to face or pointing at photos :-

• Ilie - Kylie (herself of course)
• Tor - Kor kor
• Tatak - Kakak (maid)

When we ask her..

• where is daddy? her answer = Opis (Office)
• where is kor kor? tooool = School

Other words…

• nighttt.. - Good night
• shita - Shika (her comfort bolster)
• tee you - see you
• iii mammee - hi mummy (She never fails to greet me when I reach home by running out to the gate, the same goes when she sees Daddy, Kor Kor, Apoh, Auntie Angeline and the maids)

She loves to sing and dance (although not the words, in her own language la and her movements doesn’t really go with the beat!)

She still doesn’t like to read books, when I attempt to read to her she will keep turning the pages and doesn’t allow me to finish reading even a sentence! (that explains her lack of speech I guess)
She doesn’t sit too long watching tv even Playhouse Disney programmes..unlike Kor Kor (I have to scream scold, beat or threaten to stop Kor kor from watching tv!)

She sticks to me like glue in Sunday school and should I move out of her sight she will start crying!

How she annoys & irritates Kieran:-

• Playing with his pencil box and its contents or his school books etc especially when Kor kor is packing his bag for school and this really gets to Kieran and gets him really upset (as he is already very tensed with his homework and all)
• Climbs the piano stool and bangs on the piano when kor kor is practising the piano

Recently I noticed she started making faces and also sticking out her tongue with a very cheeky expression! She must have picked it up from the older kids! To sum it all, she’s quite a handful and very demanding girl despite her limited speech as she is still able to assert her demands by SCREAMING!!

5 Things Tag

Sorry pretty mama for submitting this long overdue tag…better late than never hor??

INSTRUCTIONS: Remove the blog in the top spot from the following list and bump everyone up one place. Then add your blog to the bottom slot, like so:

1. Leah
2. Kiasumum
3. LemonJude
4. Sasha
5. Rachel
6. Lovelymummy
7. Laundryamah

Choose 5 people to Tag :

Alamak…must I?? Since it’s so long overdue I better not lerrr..
What were you doing 10 years ago?
Alamak can’t remember ler…dating la..kakakaka

What were you doing 1 year ago?
hmmm recovering from my shopping trip in Bangkok and planning for the next trip!!

Five snacks you enjoy

1. Chocolates
2. McDonald’s choc sundae
3. Bakers Cottage Orange Chiffon cake
4. Arnotts Thins Chips!! (I so heart them but not available here lor..)
5. Anything that I baked la.. (die lor…all also sweet one!)

Five songs that you know all the lyrics to

I noticed that Lovelymummy’s songs were all nursery rhymes…counted as songs meh?? errr..Basically I can’t remember all the lyrics of any songs lor..but only the choruses, can la..

Five things you would do if you were a millionaire

1. Invest my money so that it will grow in order to maintain my millionaire status!
2. Then I will buy my to-die-for dream bag, 2.55 black lambskin Chanel bag
3. Will go travelling, visiting all the places that I’ve not been before than go another round to the places I love!!
4. Give to charity (only those that I know are genuine!!)
5. Give to Missions (money to help struggling churches around the world)

Five bad habits

1. Shopping (buying shoes & bags)
2. Spending too much time blogging on the computer
3. Spending too much time watching tv
4. Bouncing my hair each time after I’ve had them styled at the salon & pouting my lips in front of the mirror (thanks to Piggy Hooo)
5. Snacking on sweet stuff…

Five favourite toys

1. Winnie the Pooh bear
2. My baking stuffs
3. My Oven
4. My garden tools
5. My Ikea collection

Five things you like doing

1. Shopping
2. Going to the salon to have my hair washed & set
3. Watching tv
4. Kissing my kids (sorry Apah..not you!)
5. Baking

Five things you would never wear again

1. My school uniform
2. Mini skirt
3. Off shoulder tops (but the one sided ones I don’t mind..)
4. Tartan skirt
5. Baggy pants

What happened on my birthday?

Again another overdue tag from this mommy…but hor I think this tag is like errr..quite duhhhhh….I mean like quite meaningless lor…who invented this ah??? blekkkk…

1. Go to Wikipedia.
2. Type in your birthday and search for your birth date: 23 January
3. From the results, list down 3 events, 2 births and 1 holiday

3 Events:

1. 1997 - Madeleine Albright becomes the first woman to serve as United States Secretary of State.
2. 1978 - Sweden becomes the first nation in the world to ban aerosol sprays, believed to be damaging to earth’s protective ozone layer.
3. 1943 - World War II: Australian and American forces finally defeat the Japanese army in Papua. This turning point in the Pacific War marks the beginning of the end of Japanese aggression.

2 Births:

1. 1350 - Vincent Ferrer, Spanish missionary and saint (d. 1419)
2. 1813 - Camilla Collett, Norwegian writer and feminist (d. 1895)

1 Holiday:
January 23 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

These are the people who have participated so far:
Mommyness is Happyness
This is a Miracle
Life’s prisms
Rooms in My Heart
Life’s Roller Coaster
keeyit’s Wonderful Life
lingzie’s Tummy Treats
Lilian Chan’s 5xmom
Just my rambling
Adrian’s void sky
Sasha’s Tags & such
Lemonjude’s Memoirs: *CRoSs mY hEARt*
Montessorimum’s Our Future Our Children
Chinnee from De’moments
Bubba Stuff
Mum & Kids in Wonderland
Malaika Xiao Yu
Laundryamah

Nice Matters Award

Received this lovely award from this equally or nicer mommy. It really was an honour and I am not sure about the inspiring good feelings and inspiration part lor… sampatness.. (craziness) maybe la! kakakakkakaa

According to the originator of the Nice Matters award it is intended for “those that are just nice people, good blog friends, and those that inspire good feelings and inspiration! Those that care about others, that are there to lend support, or those that are just a positive influence in our blogging world!” For those receiving the award, you may like to pass on the award to 7 whom you think deserves it.

The 7 bloggers (Actually there are more than 7 but since this required 7 mai 7 lor.. and in no particular order or preference) whom I would like to dedicate this award to are:-

1. Zaramama
2. Jazzmint
3. Angel
4. Kings Wife
5. Angeleyes
6. Huisia
7. Big Pumpkin

Ok that’s about all..I think…

Yes Amah the gila-fied went to Jacky Cheung’s concert last Friday with Jazz, King’s Wife & Angel. Actually both KW & Angel bought tickets later so they were sitting like a few rows behind us. But we went together-gether so more fun la..I actually put on my MSN asking who wants to go to his concert and for so long no one responded . Thank goodness Angie was talking to Jazz and told her I wanted to go!! Oh, Zaramama was another one who bought the tickets later so they sat at a different place. Next time must advertise on the blog la..like that can get more response hor??

Anyway, the show was FUNTASTIC and was really worth every sen despite us sitting so the far away..at least it was cooling and we didn’t get the rain!! We really had a good time and the excitement actually began at the earlier part of the day, sms-ing & im-ing each other what to wear, what time to meet for dinner..we were giggling just like some teenagers!! kakakakaka…Dinner was really early, 6 p.m. and we arrived at the stadium before 8pm! There were still a lot of parking and the jam was not that bad.

Jacky brings back loads of memories as I started listening to his songs since my school days! He’s like in the business for like 23 years wat! In fact I discovered that his kids were born in the same years as my kids! Yeah…cheap thrill! Love all the songs he performed and was in awe at how he still managed to jump and twist (I mean really twist lor) around like a young performer!! Managed to see him twist using the cheapalak binoculars I brought but cannot see the face expression lor..in fact I can only see clearly once I directed the binoculars at the big screen!! hahahaha..

All in all, it was truly a great show but the going back to car part was like..errr..I actually had problems getting to my car, I went to the wrong parking bay and was like kinda panicky..thank God KW & Angel found the car first and directed me over! However, it took us one hour to get out! We were quite hungry and thirsty from the screaming (no jumping as the people around us were so “civilised”) and went straight to Steven’s corner but there were so many people we had to wait another half an hour to get our food! The garlic cheese naan was super yummy but the Satay was like eeeeee half cooked (cos we kept begging asking for our food).

Since I had to drop off the girls to collect their cars so I managed to go up to my office home to go to the loo & then showered there since I was up there anyway..didn’t want to make so much noise when I reach home la…

Time flies…you have left us for 8 years already…again today we are not able to be at the grave since it’s a weekday, and I think LaundryApoh forgot about this since she didn’t say anything about visiting your grave.

Many of your friends still remember you (yes we still receive calls from people asking for you!) and just a few days ago, your ex-staff came to the office and said something good about you…(I was like ya right, when you were alive he lied and spent a lot of company’s money for nothing and practically destroyed 2 of company’s vehicles). Nevertheless, he still looked up to you with respect, I am not sure if it’s just for show but he did…

The kids are growing up and they are well and healthy, very naughty at times but I know if you are still around, they will even be more naughty as you will spoil them rotten, especially Kylie…I know you will….If you are still here,  you will bring the kids out for breakfast at Sec 14 chee cheong fun and lunch at Yook Woo Hin during the weekends… sigh…. I just feel so sorry that the kids are not able to enjoy that with you… But I keep reminding them about you and how you would react or think or say in certain circumstances..

Anyway, one more happy news for you is your youngest son is getting married and he is so blessed to find a girl who’s really accomodating and nice… (cos she can actually live with Apoh, your wife!!). The house is also being renovated and upgraded too, a mess and yes we have added aircons (I know you will disapprove… but have to la.. cos your grandchildren are very spoilt very hot ma..).

The business is doing fine, not making like millions but enough for all of us, I know the business is the product of your hardwork and you practically built it up from nothing, my only regret again I have to say is not being able to maintain the factory lot in Puchong.. I just drove past it the other day and I felt soooo bad… I’m sorry dad..

It was your birthday yesterday and I forgot! *smak*

I was listening to Jacky Cheung’s CDs (cos me trying to get into the concert mood..kekekke) and then this song really made me think of Leslie lor..”chik si nei lei hoi, ngor yit ching mei goi…” (eventhough you left my love for you will not change…) ayoooo..ya lor…my love for Leslie will not change lor…missing you Leslie..

Each time I am away, I really thank God that the kids do not act up or look for me…that means I can go away more often! muahahahahahaa…just kidding…Kylie has been picking up a lot of words lately and able to let us know what she wants in short sentences, err like 3 word sentences la..Kieran as usual, still addictive to cartoons and must have a dose every morning before we leave the house.

During the long Merdeka weekend, Apah had to be away overseas (for work la..) so I took the kids to Putrajaya. Apoh wanted to see the flower show and we wanted to see the fireworks but unfortunately there were no fireworks that night! Rats! Besides, it was a rainy day…double rats..Anyway, we went along with my cuzzie and her 2 kids plus a family friend’s kid. The kids really had a lot of fun!

Kieran was so happy and really liked Benson (cuzzie’s son) and they were holding hands everywhere they went! Kylie too was really attached to Benson, which I found so strange cos I’ve not seen her so attached to another kid like that before! We hardly spend time together with cuzzie’s kids so I guess we must make more efforts in going out together!

It was a good time but the flower show was not that impressive and it began to rain so we decided to go to Alamanda since the kids were asking for food. I wasn’t sure of the way to Alamanda from the flower show and as we were driving along we saw the jetty beside the lake. Cuzzie wanted to find out the cost to ride on the boat and we stopped to ask. The cost was RM30 for adults and RM20 for kids! We thought the price was kinda steep since there were so many of us and cuzzie said the offer that came with ice cream was not available ledi! So we decided no lar..just went to Alamanda lor..

Both Kieran and Benson are really fussy eaters but since they were so happy together, they ate a lot that day! But the food was like mainly junk la..waffles & brownies! But we didn’t care since they were so happy!

Then following the weekend, Kieran had 3 days break from school due to UPSR exams so of course I rejoiced la! Since Apah was away, I had to take over his job to pick up Kieran from school ma..so no school means no need to pick him up!! HOORAY!! But no school means havoc at the office! So after the first day, I decided to send the kids to Apoh’s place…muahahahahahhhaa…

The kids pulled the matress right into the centre of the office and had a slumber party! Thank goodness no visitors came that time. Noticed the blankie over them? It had Kieran’s name and DOB embroided on it. It was homemade by a family friend from the US.

Dinner on day 8 was a treat from Piggy Hooo and we had Aussie food for a change! It was really a heavy dinner (again…only more meat, as in RED meat). We had wine too, in fact I had a lot of wine in this trip and I’m like kinda get addicted to wine lor…I find the food presentation was not really that impressive but the quality was pretty good. I just can’t get over the potatoes there, really taste soooo yummie! And the pumpkin soup…you really taste the pumpkin…like so pumpkinish lor..

I wanted KY (my host) to sleep in at least for this day but somehow, we woke him up! He’s a very light sleeper (is there such a word) even the slightest sound get him up! My buddy Ms F came to pick me up to go to her church. She was late…(had to oi oi her baby to sleep first) and she brought her 1st son along. She was speaking Cantonese to him and he was replying in Aussie English of course, u know the lousy Auussie accent..hahhaha…

I kept yawning in church and couldn’t concentrate! In fact there were a few moments that I nearly dozed off! Bad girl…After church we went back to Ms F’s house and I tried the dumpling she made (inspired by the dumpling we had at Bob’s Kitchen the other day). Wow, her dumpling was quite good, only thing the skin was not so good since it was bought off the shelf. She also made some really good chilly sauce for dipping. Actually, she’s become a “yellow face woman” (literal translation from Cantonese) lor. That’ what I dread most…to become a “yellow face woman” but I can see that Ms F is happy, so let it be! LOL!

Anyway, this is me and her 2nd boy, who suffers from ezema also….so cham lor.. By the way, the painting behind me was painted by Ms F, she’s quite good with this also, too bad I didn’t take the photo of all of them…maybe she should do that for me…

KY came to pick me up and off we went to the DFO at Chelteham for more damage shopping. The DFO is not too far from Springvale and is bigger than the one at Rhodes Sydney. And of course Amah shopped like there was no tomorrow (yes no more cos Amah leaving Downunder leow..). Initially I was worried how I was going to bring the stuff I bought but somehow that day I didn’t think about it and just kept adding more loot…(buy now worry later kind of attitude).

I even bought muffins which KY asked me to leave at his place since we were so tight of space…but I really couldn’t do it and had to bring them back! So yummie leh..Notice the Tim Tam? They now have in various types, but I only bought this one and the original one. Tim Tams are like the star Aussie Product in the supermarkets and they have like premium shelf space and are like everywhere! I managed to get them at the lowest price (surveyed price since day 1) at AUD1.99 which is about RM6. Guess how much they are selling here at Cold Storage? (RM10+ lor!! But they don’t have the full range here la…)

After shopping, we went to Springvale for Vietnamese food. I wanted to buy my hosts dinner, so I pretended to go to the toilet and excused myself to find the cashier. Unfortunately, my host caught me in the act and refused to let me pay! Shiats!

Anyways, we had to rush back as time was running out, and I had to stuff pack my new loot in and we were supposed to leave for the airport like in an hour’s time! I stuffed and stuffed but my bag was bursting and couldn’t fit in the stuff I bought so I forced asked Mr D to allow me to use some of his luggage space and I had to re-pack for him in order to fit in my stuff. At the end, I still had to pack an extra box!

We drove back the rented cars to the drop off at the airport. Everything went smoothly. Check in was however a nightmare but thank God we were early. In total we had 8 bags and 3 boxes and the total weight was 230+ kg which had exceeded the allowed 200kg! We chatted up the lady handling our check-in and she seemed to liked us and finally allowed us the extra without having to pay the penalty!! I actually screamed out, “God bless you!!” so loud!

We passed check-in with flying colours and now the hand luggage part…We were not able to bring in water as they didn’t allow it eventhough it was for baby milk purposes..but they didn’t allow Aunt2’s massage cream as it exceeded the allowed amount. We nearly had an argument with the officer but after showing them the doctor’s letter and much explanation, they allowed the cream in! They weighed my hand luggage and phew…it passed! Claimed my GST from my shopping spree (allowed for purchases above AUD300 on a single receipt).

The flight back was smooth and again I didn’t manage to complete the movie I was watching..and it was a pretty good one too! Rats! All in all, it was a really good trip, and I am so grateful to my buddies for being such great hosts and would like to thank them for taking such good care of me (especially for stuffing feeding me).

That’s all about my Downunder Journal…and updates on my kids will be on their way soon before you forget Kieran & Kylie!!

The Seafood dinner at Boxhill was fantabulous and yummilicious! My first time eating snow crab. white colour baby crab! The crab was still swimming in the aquarium when we selected her and four other live abalones too!

That’s me with my fantastic host KY and MsW, the one who brought me shopping!

Empty oyster shell…oyster swallowed leow…

Fried wax meat with super sweet and crispy Kai Lan (the wax meat taste doesn’t really blend in)

After dinner we dropped Ms.W home and we managed to meet up with her family. I haven’t seen her parents since uni days! I remember her dad and mom were (still are!) really good cooks and I can never forget the dinner we had there more than 10 years ago!

Saturday morning started of with a little chaos as both me and cousin M had to wake up early to wash and blow our own hair! No Ah Ngor (our hairdresser) to help us…no styling aids…ayooo…what to do cincai (simply la) tied up my hair in a bun la. Cousin SM managed to still curl her hair! Terrer! Why all the fuss? The reason for this trip la..it was Piggy Hooo’s graduation ceremony day la!

We drove down to the Melbourne University, thanks to the trusted Melway but when we saw the trams we kinda panicked! We managed to find the place and there was a parking near the hall. Phew! Cam whore session began immediately upon arrival, including the kids!

Saw this bicycle at the Melbourne Uni grounds…so cute lor..

After the cam whoring session, I left for the city to meet up with another old friend who migrated to Melbourne a few months back. He is still looking for a job…so I didn’t want him to pay for yum cha but he insisted and said that he made enough from his employment in Shanghai! I felt so bad lor…The food standard has deteriorated..not as before…but nevertheless..ok also la…Oh one more thing, yum cha has to be booked before hand for weekends if not…eat yourself la!

Eric with his Shanghainese wife, who’s pregnant with their 2nd child, so I really hope he finds a job real SOON! All the best! Mom always remembers Eric as he has a very deep and old man’s voice, and he was our chauffeur in our uni days! hahahaha..

After yum cha I went to this familiar place to wait for KY to pick me up. We used to use this place as a waiting place…

Flinders Station (main train station in the city)

After that we went on our way to Dandenong Ranges to feed the birds.

Fine, I will take my rubbish home!