Mum's Birthday...

Baba, Mama & Birthday Cake...

It was a crazy Sunday, was busy almost the entire day preparing for Mum's birthday.
Baked the cake on Saturday morning and decorated it on Sunday morning. Think it's the most beautiful cake I've created so far :) Actually, this is only the 2nd birthday cake that I've attempted. The 1st one was for my sister, SY, whose birthday was a fortnight ago.

Been quite some time since we have people over for dinner, so spent a bit of time cleaning up the house...

Spent over 2hrs preparing dinner at the kitchen for 5 dishes & a soup with a lot of help from hubby who helped with most of the washing up. He questioned why none of my sisters suggested coming over to help... I said it's okay, if they want to help, they'll ask. If not, it's okay. I'm manage... but of course with his help :)

Finally, with everything cooked, & no major accidents, everyone was full of praises for the meal that I've prepared. Mum & dad were clearly impressed. Dad was telling everyone that I never used to cook, but now I've made a lot of improvements.

When I brought out the birthday cake, everyone was further impressed...
My youngest sis, SL: You made this??? It look better than those sold outside...
Mum was almost grinning and it's apparent that she's very pleased with her birthday cake :)

After dinner, fruits & cake, we sat in front of the TV, drank tea & watched F1. A great evening spent with the family....

Perfect Lunch...

Hb had a craving for fried chicken, so I prepare Nasi Lemak for lunch. I gave him a bigger portion... He had 4 fried chicken mid wings, 1 had 3. I think I must have overcooked the chicken wings a little. Anyway, as usual, I waited for him to take the first bite & waited for his 'appraisal'.

After taking the first bite of his chicken wing, it was apparent he liked it. He had all kinds of expressions, just trying to prove his point. He thinks he's on a show promoting food :) Of course, he stole another wing from me so that he could have 5, leaving me with 2. After I finished my 2 wings, he moved his plate to the other corner of the table & eyed me suspiciously, afraid that I might 'steal' back my wing.

And just to play safe, like a dog, he has marked his property... He took up the wing & licked it, just so that I will find it disgusting enough and so not want the wing. Man! How childish can u get? He's just being silly :)

Finally, after cleaning up the plate, short of licking it clean, he thanked me...

HB: Fantastic! Thank You! Very Good! But tomorrow, I need something light for lunch. Bee hoon soup is good.

Me: But tomorrow is Saturday, my off day leh! I'm on 5-days work week!

Lol :) The weekend is here!

Perfection is Subjective...

Perfect- adj., without faults or defects...

Nobody is perfect. I'm not perfect. Life is not perfect.

Once you can accept the fact,

it's easier to accept people as they are.

It's easier to accept yourself for being who you are.

Don't have to envy others for what they have, how they look, how they live...

The same person you envy could be envying your life too...

Look at all that u have. Be contented.

Love yourself more.

You will enjoy life more.

If you look, you will find faults. Definitely. Don't even have to look too hard....

It's easy to fall into the trap of complaining about life, complaining about this & that...

It doesn't help to change the situation. It could make matters worse.

Look at the positive side, the bright side.

Take on a more positive attitude. That will definitely help in a lot of ways. :)

A New Day! A New Beginning!

It's a beautiful day! A new day! To explore & learn & do something new! It's totally yours to decide how to spend it meaningfully. It's exciting! When was the last time you did something for the first time? I'm going to have an adventure today! :)

Laughter is the Best Medicine

Yap, we've heard this often enough. "Laughter is the best medicine." Research has also shown it has positive effects on our health. Laughing clubs/events are held so that people can just laugh out loud. So when was the last time you laugh out loud?

I'm glad my hubby always manages to make me laugh everyday. Yap, everyday. Is it normal? Or is it just us? He's always up to some mischief, behaving just like a little kid, but he never fails to make me laugh. I think our neighbours must have thought that we are crazy, always laughing :P

So is it normal? Laughing everyday? I've forgotten what it was like not to be laughing away...

Be Happy by Bossini

Was on my way home after marketing this morning when I walked by Bossini & saw that they're having "Happy Prices" for their Polo-Ts. So got myself a few "Happy" items :)

Campbell's glass bowl & Be Happy Spoon :)

My soup will surely taste even better in this bowl. Mmm... Yummy!

Happy soup by happy chef, in a happy bowl with a happy spoon :)))

And the man who eats from it must also be a happy man :)

Uplifting T-shirts working like Magic to make the World a Better Place...

"Heal the world, make it a better place, for you & for me & the entire human race..."

The Amazing Human Spirit- Nick Vujicic

It takes that little 'extra' for anyone to be 'extraordinary'. Some people have that very much extra that make them really extraordinary. We can look at these people who can really inspire us in our own lives. Nick Vujicic is one such man.

When you fall, how do you get up on your feet again? But how can we do it without the aid of our limbs? A lot of the things and routines that we do daily, like walking, brushing our teeth, etc, we take them for granted. Imagine a life without the use of your limbs... How do you get around? How to answer the telephone? Swiming? Fishing? Eating? Seems mission impossible without using any of our limbs?

Nick Vujicic is born without any limbs. Nick Vujicic can do whatever we can! In fact, he has accomplished more! He didn't have a miracle & suddenly grow new limbs. He is the miracle! He's able to overcome his physical challenges & do a lot of these physical things that may seem impossible for a guy without limbs. And he has gone even further to be a motivational speaker & touch the lives of people around the world who have met him. Meet him today & see for yourself.

"Be inspired. Be challenged. To be more than you can be in life."
Life's not perfect, but it's still good!

Nick's official Website: http://www.lifewithoutlimbs.org/

You-Tube Videos:

"No Arms, No Legs, No Worries" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnT9vIX048E&feature=related

If he can do it, so can us. If he can be happy, why can't you?

It's All About Timing...

This morning after doing my marketing, I stopped by Watson & finally got myself a box of pregnancy test kit. My menses is very late & have been keeping my fingers crossed, hoping for some good news. Came home & realized that I didn't need to use the kit at all... My hopes are crushed... again...

My DH comforted me, saying that it's okay, at least he still has my undivided attention. He's still going to be my big baby. Life's still good.

Well, at least I didn't have to waste a test kit again. The last time, tested negative & menses came the next day.

Life's not perfect, but it's still good. Will make some butter cookies later. If I can't make a bb now, I can still make some cookies :)

Dance Like Noone's Watching

We convince ourselves that life will be better after we get married, have a baby, then another.
Then we are frustrated that the kids aren't old enough and we'll be more content when they are.
After that we're frustrated that we have teenagers to deal with.
We will certainly be happy when they are out of that stage.
We tell ourselves that our life will be complete when our spouse gets his or her act together, when we get a nicer car, are able to go on a nice vacation, when we retire.

The truth is, there's no better time to be happy than right now.
If not now ... when?

Your life will always be filled with challenges.
It's best to admit this to yourself and decide to be happy anyway.

One of my favorite quotes comes from Alfred D Souza ...
"For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin.
But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid.
Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.
"This perspective has helped me to see that there is no way to happiness.
Happiness is the way.
So, treasure every moment that you have.
And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special,
special enough to spend your time ...
and remember that time waits for no one ...

So stop waiting...
until you finish school ...
until you go back to school ...
until you lose ten pounds ...
until you gain ten pounds ...
until you have kids ...
until your kids leave the house ...
until you start work ...
until you retire ...
until you get married ...
until you get divorced ...
until Friday night ...
until Sunday morning ...
until you get a new car or home ...
until your car or home is paid off ...
until the first or fifteenth ...
until your song comes on ...
until you've had a drink ...
until you've sobered up ...
until you die ...
until you are born again...
to decide that there is no better time than right now to be happy ...
Happiness is a journey ... not a destination!!

Author: Crystal Boyd, 1998
In the book "Midnight Muse"


Thought for the day:
"Work like you don't need money,
Love like you've never been hurt,
And dance like no one's watching."

An old Irish Proverb

The Miracle of Life

Yes, we're all born champions! We are all lucky winners! The fastest or luckiest sperm with the perfect timing fertilizes the ovum & hence the miracle of a new life. The fertilization process takes less than an 1hr.

The probability of getting pregant for a married couple within a year is only 20%. Even after that, it's not the end of the story. Miscarriages can often happen in the 1st trimester. There are always other risks link to the pregnancy. But to cut the whole story short, what I'm trying to say is that against all odds, we're borned.

Don't take life for granted! Celebrate life! Spend it wisely the way you deem fit cos it's your life. Life's too short & precious to be wasted on feeling unhappy. So be happy everyday! :)

For everyone, be thankful that u're born & be filial to your parents. Don't let your parents worry too much about you cos they will always do...

For parents with children, spend quality time with your children.
Give your children a chance to enjoy life as a child & teach them well.
Why wait for the teachers to discipline your child? It's your child, not theirs.

An infertile couple wishes for a child.
Parents with a handicapped child hopes that their child is born normal.
Some may even regret having the child...
The parents with a normal child hopes that their child excels in this & that.
& the story goes on...
U get the idea?

If you have it, life's good!
If you don't have it, life's also good!
Be happy with what you have or don't :)

About Being Contented

It's about being happy with whatever you have...
It's about making the best out of whatever you have.

A man born without legs hopes for a pair of legs.
The man without shoes hopes for a pair of slippers.
The man wearing a pair of slippers hopes for a pair of nice shoes.
The woman with a pair of shoes hopes for more pairs of shoes.
Then of course, there's one who goes on to owning over 6000 pairs of shoes...
Even if she wears a different pair everyday, it'll take her 16 years to wear all of them at least once!

Yes, we women all know about this. Just look at the pairs of shoes we have outside the house, in the shoe cabinet, under the bed, some still with price tags... This used to be me, but not anymore... I'm happy with what I have. I buy new shoes if I NEED them.

The shoe analogy is just one. We're always looking for more, better & latest...

The homeless man looks for a shelter.
The man with a shelter wants a home.
The man who lives in a 3-room flat wants a bigger flat.
The one who lives in an executive flats want to upgrade to a condominium.
The one who live in a condominium wants a penthouse/ landed bangalow...
When u're there, what do you want then?

Just like the games in Facebook. You work, you earn, you expand. You work harder, you earn more, you expand bigger. So when does it end? When will you be truly happy?

So what after u've got them? I wonder... cos it simply makes us happy in different way, making us feel contented for a little while & then we go in search for the next contentment level...
It seems like we're in a constant search of contentment & happiness... So life is a constant search about contentment & happiness?

For now, I'm happy with my simple homemaker's life...
Experimenting in my kitchen, blogging & playing games on FB :P, & with my DH 24-7 :)
Contented with life ... Of course, I seek to cook more dishes & bake better...
There's always still something to look forward to...
Boring Life? Well, it's just me & I'm happy :)

Birth of Blog "Life's Good"

Have been thinking of creating a new blog (other than blogging about food :P) for the past few weeks. Just want another space to voice my thoughts & experiences. Life's been good & I really want to count my blessings. It's about the simple pleasures, life in general & about not taking things for granted.

http://www.rainbowcomesaftertherain.blogspot.com/
Yes, if you want the beautiful rainbow, you need to put up with the rain. In the first place, the rain is not a bad thing. It norishes & give life. And after the rain, there's a beautiful rainbow.
Likewise in life, we often face challenges & difficulties, life's not totally smooth-sailing. These make life all the more interesting and we grow from all these challenges.

The following are my basic beliefs:
"If you want the rainbow, you need to put up with the rain..."
"When a door closes, another door will open..." Just look for another better door!
"What doesn't kill you will make you stronger..."
"There's a time and place for everything..."
"It could be worse!"
"It could be a bessing in disguise..."
"Smile & be happy..." A smile is free & it lights up the face!
"Stay positive!"