High Heels

Your ballet dance shoes are finally home. I had to go to the studio to pick it up today and just on time before your online lessons.

As the shoes goes "clickety clack", Ah Kong said that you should not practice in the room anymore as the shoes will scratch the wooden flooring. So practice will need to be in the living room. You told Ah Kong "You cannot watch TV for 2 hours while I have lessons". Haha...

These pictures were taken by you as you wanted to show daddy (who was at golf) your new high heels.

Brownie in a Mug

It has been a while since we both baked anything. And we're usually stuck with too much of the cake when we do bake. So I was happy to find a recipe for one portion in a mug which is cooked in the microwave. I was initially apprehensive on the results, so I read all the comments and tweaked according to recommendations too. Wrote down the recipe so that you could follow them.

Here is the making of your "brownie in a mug":

Measuring out the ingredients

Mixing the ingredients up in a mug (my favorite coffee cup)

Ta-da!! The brownie is cooked

The whole process took us no more than 10 minutes from measuring the ingredients to cooking it. And the taste got a "big passing mark" from daddy even when he ate the half you kept for him. We heated it up a little more and topped it with vanilla ice-cream. 

Again on Sunday, we made vanilla with choc chips in a mug. Today, we will be trying out something savory: Pizza in a Mug. Wish us luck!!

Moving Into Her Own Room

It's been a while now that we planned to move Mei-mei to her own room. Initially, we thought to let Ko-ko pick whether he wanted to move to the larger room. After moooOoooOooooonts of deliberating, he finally decided to stay put in his current room. 

So we did a little decorating to the other room, so that it is a little more suitable for Mei-mei:

Decorated the cupboard doors

Unicorns on the walls

Added her books to the book shelf

And this Saturday was supposed to be "the" day. But just as bedtime rolled in, Mei-mei heard the thunder and decided to camp in our room for the night.

Then on Sunday night and Monday night she has been sleeping on her own in the room. It was a difficult night for me on Sunday as I was worried that she would wake up in the middle of the night so I kept waking up at the slightest sounds that I hear!

This morning, she even made her own bed. 

Bed is all messy coz her EVIL Ko-ko jumped on the bed!

We're proud that you have progressed on your own to the new room. But you are always welcomed to sleep in our room anytime you want to. Just like Ko-ko is still welcomed to camp in our room if he ever wants to.

CMCO Again

On Saturday evening, it was announced that Penang along with many other states in Malaysia (excluding Pahang, Perlis, Kelantan and Sarawak) would be placed under CMCO again as a result of the spike in Covid cases again. 

This meant that schools will return to being online and increases in restrictions again. It's a good thing that I am still working from home. Or else, I'm not sure how Mei-mei would behave during lessons (Ko-ko too!).

The reaction from the both of you on the CMCO:

Evan: Forever on movement control! There goes my youth!!

Evelyn: I like and don't like having online school. 

On Sunday we headed to school to pick up books. First we went early in the morning for Evelyn as daddy and I had planned to go to Tesco but abandoned the plan as the queue to enter was so long. Then we bought groceries and lunch. After lunch, we headed to school with Ko-ko to pick his books and then went to the hairdresser for both Ko-ko and daddy to have a haircut. 

One good thing (for everyone) would be that we all do not need to wake up so early to get ready for work/school. 

Today Mei-mei woke up early.. perhaps it is her "internal alarm clock" and was all ready before lessons began at 8.00am.  

As for El Sluggo Ko-ko had to be woken up. He refused to wake up earlier so he just ate his breakfast then sat on the throne and finished right before Assembly started at 7.30am.

Here is a picture of Mei-mei having lessons next to me. 

We have a long, long 1 month to go. Thank goodness you will both be on a 1 week break starting this Thursday. 

2020 Christmas Tree

As usual, we get ready to put up our tree early in November. After all the hard work to put it up, might as well have it up as long as possible. 

The original plan was to just have daddy bring up the box containing the tree. Then the plan changed to have just the tree set up. Then since I had brought down all ... we ended up setting up the whole tree after all.

The two of you put on the ornaments after Mei-mei finished with her ballet lessons while I wrapped the dumplings. Of course, I had to remind the both of you "NOT TO ARGUE" as you put up the tree. Ko-ko suggested to go with red and gold. And I could hear him exclaiming, "Is this red or gold?" "Isn't this blue?!"

Oh well, the both of you worked hard and did a great job setting up the tree. 

A Dumpling Story

It was voted that this weekend was to be "dumpling" night. So early in the afternoon, I started cutting the cabbage while Kakak helped with the rest of the veggies. Look at the cabbage! Filled up the whole pot:

Filled to the brim!

Started to wilt right after daddy added salt

Became so little after it was left with the salt for around 15 minutes

Here is the rest of the ingredients, all finely cut:

And these are the seasoning. Daddy usually "wings" it. We try out the flavor by cooking a tiny piece in the microwave to ensure it is tasty and flavorful enough. 

No time to take pictures of the process to wrap the dumplings up. Here is one of the many trays I wrapped. Made a total of 150 dumplings (excluding Mei-mei's cheesy ones.. she made those herself)

My job is done. Turn it over to the boys to fry them. They sure a fast. This time they fried a couple of batches then we ate and continued to fry again. That way, we got to eat warm dumplings throughout the meal. Good pla!

Don't the dumplings look just so delicious?

Kolam in School

As usual on the very last minute you called me to ask me if I had food coloring. Luckily I had some red and green ones which I had bought many years ago for decorating Christmas cookies. 

Then when I reached home, I get the next question "Do we have any vinegar at home?". Aiyo... Luckily Ah Ma had some antique vinegar in her larder.

The next day you came back the with dye (nope, you didn't bother to bring the vinegar to school that morning) and rice. Then "we" had to do the assigned task of coloring the rice red and green. 

The red looked abit orangey.. but oh well.. as long as it is colored!

You stayed back on Wednesday and I got this picture from your phone of the kolam you made with your team. 

Looks nice. I think "we" colored the rice quite well after all *grin*

Happy Halloween 2020

Mei-mei had been looking forward to Halloween for a while. As usual the TV programs were advertising Halloween throughout the month of October. Obviously we had nowhere to go with the Covid cases spiking in Penang again.

When daddy and I went to Mr. DIY in search for some things for your school's Children's Day party pack, I spotted the banner. So I picked one to decorate the house for this event. And I also picked some Halloween chocolates in Jaya Grocer when I saw them. 

While you were in the green room having virtual ballet lessons, I quickly set up the simple decoration: the banner and the pumpkin witch which we bought a couple of years back. 

After dinner, Mei-mei had planned a game involving everyone. Each one of us were given a "random" number. When it is our turn, we could get to go to the "loot" and pick some chocolates. 

Setting up the loot

Before we started, I tried to take a picture of Mei-mei. Tough.. kept getting photobombed.. I wonder by whom!!

Spiky head!

Bum photo bomb

Oops... where is Evelyn?

Aha! Finally. By the way, she picked dark clothes for this celebration (Black t-shirt belongs to Ko-ko)

So the "game" began with everyone getting a pumpkin/bowl to keep the loot:

Ko-ko holding on tight to his pumpkin

Being goofy with his number (obviously Mei-mei gives you priority.. got number 1)

Daddy also being silly with his number

Now it's time to pick your chocolates:

Ko-ko tried to rob the whole lot of chocolates!

Evelyn looking closely at Ah Kong Picking

Supervising her daddy

Ah Ma got special treatment. Mei-mei brought the loot to her

Next we had to wish "Trick or Treat" to everyone and see if we can get more chocolates.

Trying her luck with Ah Ma

And now Ah Kong

Ko-ko tried to rob her again!

Daddy also a tough negotiator!

Next was our usual "Treasure Hunt". You guys said that I usually make it too easy. So this time, I made it tough!!

My two cute Treasure Hunters

Can you spot the chocolate skull?

How about here?

Searching high..

... searching low...

.. and still searching...

... and searching....

When you both finally found the chocolates, Ko-ko and Mei-mei each had a round of hiding the chocolates too. 

Look at the loot!

Weekend Chores

Weekends means that the both of you have the task to wipe the dining table after we've had lunch. Saturday being Evelyn's turn and Sunday is Evan's turn. 

Today, Ko-ko (as usual) could not eat his lunch so early. So we finished lunch before he started on his. So Mei-mei quickly wiped the table and left this message for him: