Yummy Sunday- Nan Tandori Chicken

This is an Indian Food with Nan bread, grilled chicken and curry. Tandori means Bamboo so, this can be literally translated as Bamboo Chicken. This is one tasty meal but sad to say, eating the grilled chicken reminds me a lot of Dear Manok in Cagayan and somehow this can't compare to how juicy and delicious our lechon manok is. But as an avid bread eater, I like the nan bread so much especially if it comes with different flavors.

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The Fashion

If I have to wear eyeglasses, I would have to choose those fashionable glasses. Who would want to look 10 years older with an old unfashionable pair right? With Zenni Optical you can now afford to be in style since it's just cheap. Imagine, a $ 8 Rx eyeglasses! So, How You Can Start Spending Smart? Of course by getting cheap but quality eyeglasses. Here are 3 of my My favorite high fashion eyeglasses.

Searching for Homeschool Materials

I've been procrastinating in planning for my li'l girl's homeschool for next year. It was only during our Cameron Highlands trip that I remembered to 'take action' on it. We actually met this sweet lady at the place we were staying. She's a teacher in a church based school that's using the homeschool curriculum Alpha Omega. And I was so glad that I was able to meet her. I would say that must be one of the reasons why we were in Cameron at that time. You see, so far I've only seen one homeschool curriculum and when I saw it, I personally didn't like much. It was mostly fill in the blanks and the material doesn't look so attractive for small children. So, I personally think that, that material won't fit my li'l girl.

And it was good because after I talked to the teacher, she was able to introduce to me other homeshool materials. She pointed out two good homeschool curriculums, Abeka and Alpha Omega but told me that Abeka is the best.

So now, I'm currently reading reviews on both curriculums and trying to see which one would fit me ( the future homeschool teacher) , for our li'l girl and our budget. I just hope and pray that everything will be set before the year ends.

Virus Threat

I was so surprised when I found out that there are 40 different kinds of viruses found in my computer system!! I immediately downloaded a different anti virus program fearing that my system will be paralyzed and beyond repair. And thankfully they have been removed and it's back to being virus free.

I would really want my netbook to be problem-free and in good condition for many years. I'm not sure if that's a possibility but as what my Hubby always say, I have to take care of it. You see, he's the 'cleaner' of my netbook and is more concerned with its condition of it than I am. :) I know that I can always get Computer Help from him but with my virus experience, I think I have to seriously take care of it. Though there are good technicians from fastteks and other shops, but it's as what they say, 'prevention is better than cure'.

Plans For My North Thailand Trip

I can't believe that there is only another 2 days to go before my 'solo' trip to North Thailand. I might sound like a broken record already but I'm having mixed emotions here - excited for the trip but sad to leave my hubby and kids.

But as what my Hubby says, it'll be a good break for me..and my Mom would always remind me, " it's a once in a lifetime opportunity ( winning a free trip like this) " whenever I have second thoughts of going.

So, I AM GOING..and I'll try my very best to make most out of it. So, one of my plans was to read a lot of books. I haven't been reading a lot of books since I had children ( and my blogging career). I also don't know how many books I can read in this 8 days trip but I was glad that the Christian Bookstore had a Merdeka Sale here. So, the books that are normally 20RM-40RM plus was on sale for only 5-10RM. So, I grabbed 3 books with the hope that I could finish all these before I come back.

Then, without kids and extra bags to bring along, I can take as much photos I like. Maybe then, I can hone my photography 'skills' and try to show you beautiful shots of Chiang Mai, Sukhothai and Lampang. ;)

And last but not the least, I'll try to rest well, sleep straight ( without interruptions of a hungry, chubby toddler that cries out "Mii, Mii, Mii" every 3 hours.. but I guess I'll miss that much..huhuhu!:) and eat well!! Wow! Thai food!! Hahaha!.. Now , typing 'Thai Food' made me excited! LOL!

So, that's some of my personal plans aside from our busy itineray of riding the Elephants in Lampang, cycling in Sukhothai, taking a dip in the hot springs en route to Chiang Mai and a lot of activities lined up.

Our Cameron Highlands Trip

Finally, we were able to set foot on Cameron Highlands! And I would say that Cameron is a very beautiful place and perfect for peace and relaxation. We stayed at the OMF Bungalow which is situated a bit far from the town proper. I love the bungalow's building design. Staying at their bungalow made me feel like we're in England ( especially with the cold weather and beautiful scenery surrounding it). Heheh! Tricia even calls it a 'castle'.

On our first day itself, we went to Brinchang town and visited the "Big Red Strawberry Farm'. There are actually countless of strawberry farms in Camerons but I'm glad we chose this farm because it's huge, nicely maintained and quite new. There we saw rows and rows of strawberry plants, flowers and other vegetables. And of course right after the tour we got to taste their strawberry waffle with ice cream. It was Tricia's and Lyle's first time to see and taste real strawberries so it was quite an experience for them.



The next morning, we visited the Boh Tea Plantation. I would say that this was the highlight of our trip and a 'must see' in Cameron Highlands. Though the long, narrow and winding road seems a bit tricky to some of the drivers but you'll never regret going there. The scenery is just amazing with the huge tea plantation. It's like the mountains were covered with a beautiful green carpet. We had to walk all the way up to their cafe but the view was even much better up there. And of course, who can't resist taking a sip of the famous Boh Tea with a bite of the scones and apple pie. ( photos reserved for my Yummy Sunday post).



Then in the afternoon, on our way back home, we also visited other farms, the Butterfly Garden, The Honey Bee Garden and Kea Farm. So, that was our short but sweet trip to Cameron Highlands. It was not like Branson vacations but I'm thankful to God for giving us the opportunity to visit that wonderful place. Hope to go back there next time and stay longer..


I'll post more photos and details on my travel blog.

Certified "ATE"

I'm glad that finally my Li'l girl has understood her role as an Ate and she's doing it well. I know it's quite late for her since I know some kids take their role as a big sister/brother earlier. But I'm just thankful that she has passed through the stage of 'annoying' her baby brother and is now more understanding and caring towards him. It's very evident that she just adores him so much.

They can play better now and Tricia gives in easier to her li'l brother. Now, we just continually have to teach our li'l boy to give way too as he's also wants things his way. He's kind of tough actually.

As a parent, I continually entrust my children to God. I know I can't mold them and nurture them on my own. My kids are a bit spirited and strong. And slowly but surely, I know that in due time, by God's grace, they will be molded and trained well.

Tricia putting Lyle's socks and at the same time cracking some jokes... I really like to see her help her li'l brother whether putting his socks for him or holding his hand to help him wash up.

Flight Canceled

I just received an SMS from Airasia last night informing me that my morning flight to Bangkok has been canceled and I needed to take the afternoon flight instead. It's too bad why they had to cancel my morning flight. I chose the morning flight so I could have time to go around Bangkok before our orientation at 6pm at the hotel which we're staying. Now, with my changed flight, my friend ( who's also a Filipina and co-winner of the contest) has to wait for 4 hours for me at the airport and we might not make it for our trip orientation too.

But still, I'm thankful that at least my flight is only a few hours delayed and not a day delayed. If then, I would truly miss my trip since our travel team is already off to Chiangmai on the morning of the 2nd day.

I'm already kinda excited for this trip. Finally, I already got my travel insurance, got a big backpack and proper shoes ( not exactly from UGG Australia) for jungle trekking, biking and other activities.

I just pray that everything will go on smooth and as planned.

Heavy Rain and Tropical Storm Danny

As I am writing this, it's heavily raining here in Taiping. It has been raining this heavy for several minutes now. Taiping is known to be the wettest part of Malaysia with rain throughout the year. But usually, it only rains heavily for awhile and then it stops. Sometimes, the sun will even shine right after the rain. Storms are not so common here in this part of the world so, there's nothing much to worry except for an overflow of the drainage system.

And speaking of storms, I heard that the tropical storm Danny is on it's way to the Bahamas and southeastern part of US. I just pray that everyone will be safe at that part of the world and not much damages will be incurred.

Short But Sweet Holiday

We just came back from a short 'holiday' in Cameron Highlands. I would say it was a short but sweet trip as our family has enjoyed it. TOur trip that was not planned earlier. So, it came to a surprise when we got a booking for the bungalow where we are supposed to stay. It's a school holiday and it was said that bookings for that bungalow must be made months earlier to get a room. And thank God we got it booked at such a short notice ( a few days in fact).

So, we all left to Cameron the other day and we truly had a wonderful time there. The bungalow was just perfect for 'rest'. It's situated outside the town and the scenery was just beautiful. Of course, we didn't pass up the opportunity of going around town and visit the Butterfly Farm, Strawberry Farm, Honey Bee Farm and Tea Plantation. Our kids loved the visits to these farms. I was just so amused by the strawberry souvenirs that are all around town, they won't exactly be perfect business gifts but I'm sure li'l girls would love those cute strawberry stuff from slippers, umbrellas to hair clips.

Anyways, I'll be posting some photos and details on our trip in my travel blog soon.

Yummy Sunday - Nasi Lemak

One dish that you really have to try when you're in Malaysia is the Nasi Lemak. But I guess you will never miss this famous dish because this is so common and can be found almost everywhere. This is actually a Malay food and a common breakfast meal. A simple Nasi Lemak sold at the hawker stalls can cost from 1RM ( around 14Pesos) but those found in the restaurants can range from 3-6 Malaysian Ringgit.

The Nasi Lemak above is from Old Town Cafe and is the special kind because it comes with chicken. Nasi Lemak by the way consists of rice cooked with a bit of coconut milk and ginger strips, Sambal a spicy 'sauce' with Ikan bilis ( dried dilis), peanuts, egg and cucumber. For the special type, it also comes with chicken or other meat.

And by the way, it really taste deliciously spicy!! :)

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Almost Ready...

Not quite.. I'm not quite ready for my trip to North Thailand yet. I still don't have my travel and health insurance. I found a site to get my health insurance before , but then, when I read their 'terms and agreement' I was already doubtful of the site.

So, today we had to go around town and look for a local insurance company that offers affordable health insurance. And I'm glad we found one and we'll be going back there again this Monday to have it done.

To Ipoh We Go

I need to get our clothes and things ready now, because we're going to Ipoh for tomorrow's church service. Ipoh is actually about an hour drive from Taiping. It's not a very long journey and I especially like the scenery that meets us when we go to that place. Our kids also look forward to entering the tunnel. We actually have this family 'tradition' of doing a countdown whenever we go in and out of the tunnel. But with Lyle now, learning to count 1-10, we have to change a bit and count from 1-10 ( instead of a countdown) when entering and exiting the tunnel. It's just so cute to hear him proudly count and join us in the fun. Here's how he would count , " An, to, tree, por, fa, sik, eben, ee, nay, Te!!!" Hahahaha!! I'm sure we'll have a fun and blessed Sunday tomorrow!

Have a blessed weekend to you too!

1st Horseback Ride

I'd like to share this video, taken more than 2 years years ago. Tricia was just 3 years old at this time and it was her first time to ride a pony. She was so delighted and even ended up asking us to buy a pony for her. :) As doting parents, we looked for a pony for her.. but just a pony doll since that's what we can only afford. :)

I'm sure it's so expensive to buy a real pony and not to mention you need to have someone to take care of it, have a big space for it to run around and buy horse supplements and supply. So, I wouldn't even dare to dream to have one.:)

What's A Howdah?

Does anyone here know what's a Howdah? This seemed to be the million dollar question of Who Wants To Be a Millionaire last night.

And when I searched in in Wikipedia, here is what I got:

A howdah, or houdah, is a carriage which is positioned on the back of an elephant, or occasionally some other animal, used most often in the past to carry wealthy people or for use in hunting or warfare. It was also a symbol of wealth for the owner, and as a result were decorated with expensive gems.

Well, this is actually the first time for me to hear such word, so I guess I don't have any hope of winning " Who Wants to be A Millionaire". Hmm.. I should have read more books and studied more while I was in school huh.

But anyways, it's nice to learn new words and new things!

12 Days to Go!

Another 12 days to go and I'll be off to North Thailand. My kids are quite 'prepared' for my 8 days absence (I think). Tricia already understands that I'll be away for quite awhile and she says it's okay but she'll miss me. She never fails to tell me that I must buy for her some cartoon dvds too. :) As for our almost 2 years old boy, every time I tell him that 'Amma, will be away for 8 days' and 'not to miss Amma so much' , he only manages to nod his head and say "yesh!" with a smile. Hmm.. I wonder if he understood the reality of "Amma' not being around for a long time. He's actually more clingy to me than my Hubby. But I guess the 8 days will have to change all that.

Haay. am I really going or not? Hahaha!! Until now, I'm not yet 100% sure of this trip. Almost everything is prepared now , the booking ( courtesy of Intrepid Travels as my contest prize) , the air tickets and etc. All I need to get is a travel and medical insurance for the duration of the trip. I already found a site online that sells this and they even have term life insurance quotes online . BUT , the traveler ( me!) is not that prepared yet.. It'll be my first time to travel without my family and that is to a different country. My Hubby and family on the other hand were the ones who encouraged me to take this once in a lifetime opportunity and go on a break... hmmm..

Long School Holiday

It's going to be a long school holiday for our li'l girl. She won't have classes from the 21 August till the 31st. Wow! That's a 10 days break!

In line with the long school holiday, I've been hoping that we could go out somewhere and spend time as a family, especially I'll be going on an 8 day trip to North Thailand at the end of the month. I've made some plans for the school break but many things are still uncertain as of now. If we can't go out of town as a family, then maybe I'll have to make other plans such as picnics at Lake Gardens, swimming at the Coronation pool and other things. It's good to keep our girl and ourselves occupied and take opportunity of this long break.. :)

The Night Owl

I'm a certified night person. I think more clearly at night that's explains why I write my posts, do my reading and other activities at night. And because of this, I'm used to sleep late. But for the past weeks, I've been sleeping unusually late and had to get up quite early for our girl's school.

As a result I now have dark circles under my eyes and experiencing more break outs! Huhuh! I'm trying out certain products for my face now though I'm not sure if these are effective like Acnepril .

Yummy Sunday- Puto

I miss these colorful 'putos' ( steamed rice cakes) made by my cousin in the Philippines. She makes delicious 'putos' and we made it a point to order from her everytime we celebrate special events in our house. Her 'putos' are very sweet, soft, fluffy and oozing with cheese.

Haayy.. just looking at my Yummy Sunday entry this week, makes me hungry and crave for 'puto'.. .. Can anyone send me some here in Malaysia, please?..hehehe!!


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Long Nose or Short Nose

I'm married to an Indian ( Malaysian) and it's quite amusing because whenever we're in the Philippines, one of the first thing that people notice about my husband is his 'nose'. What tickles me more is the fact that most people would refer my Hubby to have a 'long nose' instead of saying 'sharp nose'. One of my friends told him, " I like your nose. You have a very long nose. I wish I could have a nose like yours!" and he was not kidding because he sounded so serious! LOL! I wish I could recommend for him to get a non surgical nose job , but I'm not sure if he is that willing to undergo the procedure too. But I found a site that can be very helpful to those who are considering this type of nose lift. Yes, there are pros and cons for this enhancement that's why it's best to read a lot of articles and research about it.

9 Hours Power Cut Off

We received a letter from the Electric department today, informing us that there'll be power cut off from 9am-6am tomorrow and Friday due to some repairs/improvements that they are doing in the area.

Nine hours without electricity is quite long especially during this season when it's so hot and humid. Even with the fan set at number 5, we still feel so warm, how much more if we don't use fan at all! Never mind if I don't get online for 9 hours nor watch the TV but 9 hours without the fan will be a bit more difficult for us and the kids.

Our solution? After finding out that my sis-in law didn't get the power cut off notice, we decided to 'invade' her house for tomorrow while she's in her office. :) Thank God that there's always a solution to every problem. :)

On Internet and Hughesnet

The internet has already become an important tool for me. This is where I have my own small 'business', I keep in touch with family and friends and get updates with the news and information around the world. So, when our internet connection has been down for a few days last, it seemed that I really missed out a lot of things and was trying to find ways on how I can get internet connection. At that 'desperate' time, I even opted to get an internet dial up card. I know that dial up connections are quite slow and a hassle but I think it's better than no connection at all. But sadly, we didn't find any pre paid cards for dial up so I just ended up going to the internet cafe to get online.

Good thing that our internet connection is back and running now. I don't know what made it disconnected for a few days, but I'm just glad that it's back. I just wish that we'll have a problem free connection just like what I've heard from hughes net satellite. It seems like having a direcway through hughesnet would be the best choice because the connection is super fast and you can be connected anywhere! I heard that there sign up for this satellite internet is quite easy too.

Yummy Sunday- SubWay

Have you ever drooled after someone described how delicious the food he/she ate? Well, that's what happened to us when our American friend described to us how delicious Subway sandwiches taste.

So, when my Hubby and I had a short visit in Kuala Lumpur, that' was one shop we immediately searched for. Subway sandwiches really look enticing and huge too! So, we decided to just share the sandwich and not to order one for each ( that also gets us to save $) :)

And so, we had the first bite, then second bite and then the third bite? Hmmmm... yeah, it does taste nice but not as delicous as what we imagined it to be! Hahahaha! But, somehow we understood our friend, he's an American and his taste buds are very much different from us. So what may be SOOOO delicious for him can only be 'just nice' for us. But, anyways, Subway sandwiches are still YUMMY... :)...and I like their choco chips cookies too.. YUM!

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At the Library!

The Taiping Public library was our destination as my li'l girl and I had our girl's day out last week. We've actually been there a week before as a family but we didn't stay long since our li'l boy was already so uneasy and was busily disarranging all the books. My li'l girl on the other hand,reluctantly went home since she found a lot of interesting books.

So, last week, my Girl and I got to spend some time together at the Library. I read to her some children's encyclopedia and she just loved it. She also found some nice, colorful storybooks.

The Taiping Public library is actually one of the oldest libraries in Malaysia. What I like about the library is the space they've alotted for the children. Aside from the Children's book section, they also have a children's room where the kids can freely sit or lie down and be as they are as they read.




We're hoping that this library trip can be a regular thing for Tricia. We would really want to cultivate her love for reading.

Still A Lot to Learn

Even if I've already been in the blogosphere for more than 2 years now, but I admit that I still have to learn a lot about all the technicalities of it. One reason for this is that I've stopped exploring and experimenting on my blog and I've become overly contented of what I know.

Just recently, I found out the great importance of getting a webhost for my blog. So, I got one of my WP blog, self hosted. I actually, don't have any idea how to do all the 'transfer' from my WP blog to a webhost but it was a good thing that my friend was willing to do it for me. The transfer went very well, but then when it was time for me to create a post, I found out I don't know how to create one in a self-hosted blog! Hahaha! I've tried to search through google, found some sites but I didn't seem to find the right answer. So, now I'm desperate again and sent a message to my friend to help me.

So, if you're like me who don't have much idea about webhosting, then better turn to webhosting geeks since they have a complete array of choices, reviews , advantages and disadavantages of every web host provider.

Thank YOU!!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my family and friends who remembered and greeted me through email, YM, facebook and my blogs on my birthday! Thank you so much! My day was made more memorable by your thoughts and greetings. Indeed, I'm so touched and blessed by your sweetness and thoughtfulness.

Thanks my Mom , Sis and Cousin Nang Grace too who also took the time and effort to write a post in their blogs for my birthday.

My birthday post is in my other blog. Click HERE to find out about my Happy Birthday. :)

Downloading

I get amused as I read the word 'downloading'. It reminds me of my li'l girl when she was barely 5 years old and told me, " The game is not yet downloading, Amma!" I was surprised that this term which I've only known a few years back has already made its way into my kid's vocabulary. Well, Welcome to the internet age!

With the internet age, we can also download everything in our computer now. From movies to music, programs and etc. When I mean etc. it literally means everything else. So, do you want to check out of your favorite song or movie can be downloaded into your computer? Then, just try to check out Powerfull Rapidshare Search Engine .

Yummy Sunday - Birthday Treat

Today is truly a Yummy Sunday for me because it's my birthday! (I'll have to write a separate post about my birthday) :) As my birthday treat, my Hubby brought me for a movie date and Starbucks. I love coffee and it's actually my first time in Starbucks here in Malaysia and their frappucino is YUM! How I wish coffee as tasty this won't be too pricey if not I'll have a dose of their coffee everyday. Hmmm..

I had this. Java Choco Chip Frappucino

Blackforest Cake

While my date had a Beef Stroganof and Green Tea

Yummy huh? How I hope it'll be my birthday again tomorrow so I can have another movie treat and Starbucks Coffee! Hehehe!!

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The Rock

Meet my li'l guy, he has truly grown so fast and became SOOO heavy now that my Hubby and I would sometimes call him 'the rock'. "Can you please carry this big rock here please!", I would tell my Hubby when I feel that he's already so heavy to carry.

Our li'l guy is actually going to be 1 year and 10 months this month. Yes, he can walk well and even run so fast! But there are times when we walk long distance ( and we forget his stroller) that we would want to be carried. My Hubby and I really have to take turns in carrying him because he has become too heavy that we usually end up having back pains at night! No kidding! But back pains are actually not much of a problem for me since it doesn't last long. But for my Hubby, he will then need to take some kind of pain relief medicine. What he's taking actually just a normal medicine and not especially meant for back pain relief but it's ok. Oh, there are just a lot of pain relief medicine available now from arthritis pain relief to back pain relief. But for an average person like me, they are all the same as long as they relieve pain.

Anyways, back to my li'l guy, I'm not complaining but I'm actually happy that he's big, healthy and cuddly like Pooh Bear! :)

What's Up?

It's been quite awhile since I've updated my blogs. I'm actually a bit lazy to write these days and somehow I'm just forced to write because of my tasks that are due. So, wonder what I've been busy these days.. I've been busy joining online contests....hehehe!

I don't know but it has already been 2 successive nights when I didn't do any of my online work but instead searched for different online contests and joined them. I think I'm quite inspired to join more contests because I've won a few myself plus I have a friend who has joined and won a lot of contests . And not to mention it's quite fun to join too!

So, maybe later on I'll be posting some of the contest I've joined or even make a separate blog for it. :) Oh...am I a contest addict in the making? ;)