Archive | October, 2014

Where Did Time Go?

31 Oct

It’s a significant milestone today not because it is Halloween but my firstborn, M1, has graduated from high school. Where did 17 years go?

It seemed like only yesterday when I was waddling like a penguin and pregnant with her, dizzily happy that our little family was about to grow. Wasn’t it just two days ago, when my heart cracked a little as we sent her off to kindergarten, teary-eyed and frightened yet putting up a brave face? And when M2 came along, the labor pain was all worth it.

Gosh, although living through 17 years may be a long time but looking back and reliving it is not. The journey has had its fair share of ups and downs, from dealing with a demanding baby to boisterous toddler and defiant teenager to matured young adult, you name it, we went through it.

To many more years to come, M1, I love you.

Okay I think I’m gonna bawl…

Tags: ,

It’s An Update?

30 Oct

Candy Crush released an update for the iPad on Tuesday but it’s a weird one. It announced that the new chapter has Levels 696-710 to play but looking at it, after updating, it’s no different from what I already have on the iPad! I say no different because Toffee Tower is already on my device and I am stuck at Level 699–in the middle of the chapter, the so-called new chapter all this while prior to this new release. So where’s the update?

Strange…

Tags: , , ,

Hotel Pillows Suck

28 Oct

Sometime back I read an article on CNN (http://edition.cnn.com/2013/08/27/travel/hotel-pillows/index.html) about hotel pillows and thought about my habit of bringing a travel pillow along.

Whenever I travel and wherever it may be, I am guilty of bringing my travel pillow along. But I am sure I am not the only one with this idiosyncrasy. While some hotel/resort offerings are nice and comfortable for our enjoyment, the comfort of the offered pillow is just too critical. It can make or break the vacation happiness. I dare say my faithful pillow has clocked in some impressive mileage along with me.

You can give me foam, memory, contoured, down-filled with goose or chicken feathers for all I care, my travel pillow takes the shine out of the hotel’s star rating.

Does this mean hotel pillows suck? Yep, at least for me, regardless of the 3-, 4- or even 5-stars accorded.

Tags: , ,

Mummy is an Impostor!

27 Oct

As we get older, our physical appearance gives us away. I have a—how do you say—a little patch on my cheek which is a shade darker than my usual complexion. Hormonal changes and time had it growing from a tiny dot many years ago into a much bigger one now, sized like a five cents coin.

Vain as I am, I try to mask it by applying all sorts of whitening cream to camouflage or reduce its diameter. And it works.

The girls had gotten used to it over the years but not too long ago, they noticed the prominent ‘Mummy feature’ is no longer prominent. So much so, sometimes they say I am an imposter!

There was one night many months ago, M2 peered at me and queried,”Are you my mummy?”

“Of course I am!” I asserted.

“Do the Mummy test,” M1 said.

And I was given the Mummy Test: “What is one plus one?”

Obligingly I would say the correct answer and they looked at each other and beamed, “Phew! It’s Mummy alright.”

It is an on-going family thing that whenever they doubt me, they’d throw this silly question at me for verification. If I give the answer “Two”, M2 would raise her eyebrows and say, “You’re an impostor! Where is my mummy?”

The silly things and rules we have at home…

Tags: , ,

But Mummy, These are the Good Ones

24 Oct

One evening, I was commenting to the girls that I don’t seem to have a recent good picture of the two of them in my iPhone5S. My pictures are mostly on food, golf and places. Whenever I talk proudly of them to friends, the only pictures that I could show off (of them) were the US Great Adventure Road Trip ones, and they are like 2 years old! Eeesh.

So M2 cleverly airdropped some pictures of them to my phone, convincing me that these are the good ones. This is what I received.
MM7

MM8

MM9

Tags: , , ,

All Aboard!

23 Oct

I made short work of Choco Rio Grande once the tickets came. This was because Level 515 of Farm Heroes was tough to pass and I had all this energy, so crushing candies was the best activity especially in the cold rainy weather.

Eventually, I did pass Level 515 and am now at Level 517 while for Candy Crush, another set of tickets came for me to go on to Toffee Tower; I am now at Level 699. I have been alternating between devices, using both the iPad and the laptop.

And when on the laptop, as if candies and farm animals are not enough, the curious in me tried King.com’s new game: Candy Crush Soda. Similar to the candy version, this game requires one to pop soda bottles and rescue gummy bears. Quite interesting… Oh dear, will this be another new addiction?

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

How Come I Never Got Flowers? Part 2

21 Oct

The big exam is nearing for M1. She has been very focused and determined. For this, I am so proud of her but I also worry at the pace that she has been pushing herself.

At times, she would wake up at 5.30 in the morning and put in an hour’s study before getting ready for school. Such discipline! I must admit I was never like that in high school. Maybe in college burning the midnight oil, yes but never like this, waking up before the sun.

Her language teacher has been really supportive. The extra classes under her tutelage has done wonders for my child. And the encouragement the teacher gives her has been truly amazing. She even treated M1 and some of the other students to dinner and a movie two weeks ago. A break and some relaxation time for them to unwind and not be so uptight with the exam preparation. Wow.

Teachers nowadays make me envious. How come I never received such treatment when I was in school? Prior to this, M1 received flowers from her teachers for good luck and now this, an outing treat. As time draws near to the exam, it will be all up to her and at that point, we give her all the moral and emotional support. I know she will do well and will always be proud of her no matter what the outcome.

Tags: , ,

Chat

Ah! Finally…

20 Oct

You got to believe in yourself regardless of what you face. Last week, I was just lamenting that I was still stuck at Level 677 of Candy Crush when my other fellow candy crushers have managed to pass it. I didn’t believe I could not do the same, after having this feeling that the level has gotten easier.

So I was crushing candies like a maniac over the weekend, in between playing golf like a pro on tour (I played for three consecutive days).

Guess what? I finally crossed Level 677! Yay and double yay. After so long, I finally crossed the dastardly level of all dastardly levels. Tickets have come my way and I am now at the new chapter, Choco Rio Grande.

Tags: , , ,

Chat

Why Can’t I Do it?

17 Oct

I find it incredulous that four friends have managed to overcome Level 677 of Candy Crush and I am still stuck. I noticed since its latest update, the level feels slightly easier; maybe that’s why they have moved on. I should go back to trying because of late, Level 515 of Farm Heroes is so hard!

Tags: , , ,

The Taste of Fall

16 Oct

It’s amazing what one can find from Tesco. On our third day in Krabi recently—when it rained and we had to alter our activity plans—we checked out Tesco Lotus. We found Pepperidge Farm’s Caramel Apple Pie cookies, a flavor we never saw (or noticed) in the grocery stores back home. So we bought it and brought it back.

Several nights later after the holiday, we decided to eat it.

“Mummy, before you ask for the cookies, let me ask you something,” M2 started off and then continued, “Have you ever wondered what Fall tastes like?”

“Fall has a taste? I never knew,” I replied, somewhat amused.

“These cookies. They taste like Fall!” quipped my second child.

“Aren’t they awesome?” she rolled her eyes in bliss as she took a bite and shared the rest of the cookie with me.

I’m not sure if one can taste the Fall season. Either the packaging design is effective to evoke her reminiscing of Fall or she’s seen something like this on the internet, it’s hard to tell. I have to find out one of these days.

As for cookie, it tasted just like a cookie to me.
Cookies

Tags: , , , ,

← Older Entries