I finally did it.

This is not a bake post.... but just to document a little achievement of mine. :)

At the starting point.

Running the marathon had always seemed to be an impossible dream for me. I always wondered how anyone can push one's body limits to complete 42.2km within hours! of course being a freshie marathon runner, I'm not that crazy to want attempt the full marathon. I was only eyeing on the 10km. In fact I had signed up for it last year, but in the end, chickened out because I had not been training at all for the run.


This year however is a different case. I had promised myself at the beginning of the year to run the 10km, come what may. But I nearly could not do so, when I missed the registration deadline and the spots were filled up. My company had it arranged as a corporate event, and they offered to pay for all the runners. Thankfully, I finally was able to sign up when they opened up for more places. Also amongst my siblings, they are all running the full marathon! so u can see, I'm the least athletic amongst them. I decided to pace myself in the practise runs in the months leading up to the race today... but the most I could cover during those practises were max. 3km. Still I wanted to run.... and I did.


I'm glad I did it.

And the Award Goes to....

Ching of Little Corner of Mine....

A dedicated mother with 2 pretty princesses and a lovely blog that documents her bakes and dishes that she cookes lovingly for her family.

Beachlover Kitchen

Many yummy bakes and dishes can be found on this blog! And I know for sure that the recipes work 'coz it's all tried and tested. And she has a very cute little one too.

I'm passing this Kreativ Blogger Award to these 2 lovely ladies who had walked with me thru' my blogging journey. Thank you for all your encouragement and support!

And of course, special thanks to Rei for awarding this to me. :)

GONG HEI FATT CHOY!

Finally a day before CNY's eve.... I was trying my best to finish the pineapple tarts yesterday... and I got a sudden attack of migraine when I smelled some paint. I think it's probably a neighbour doing some paintwork ahead of CNY. The smell of the paint triggered the attack and it got so bad that I was tearing while wrapping the tarts. LOL... I did most using my usual recipe and one batch using butter in the recipe... both are melt-in-the-mouth texture, so I'm really pleased how they turned out. More importantly, I've completed the pineapple tarts, all 250pcs of them... here's how they look. :)

These are dried shrimp cookies... did it during one of my recipe-testing sessions. i quite like these but nephew said it tasted too fishy. :P

I wish everyone an OX-picious new year!

May health, wealth and happiness be with you everyday! GONG HEI FATT CHOY!

Reflections & Moving Forward....

First of all, a very Happy New Year everyone!

I spent my last moments of 2008 and first moments of 2009 stuck in traffic. LOL... Bro offered to drive us to catch the fireworks at Marina Barrage and I was all for it as it'll be a good chance to let the kids experience not sleeping past midnight and watching fireworks. However, the kids fell asleep before we even left the house and so we're left with 4 adults. Made our way to Marina Barrage and there was a terrible jam. When we're within 1km or so, we were turned back by the traffic police as the car park was totally bursting. So changed of plans last minute and I suggested that we drive down Shenton Way and find a parking lot... guess it was a really bad decision... but then again... all roads around the city were jammed! So there we were, trapped in a jam and listening to the countdown on the radio. We did see fireworks tho'... glimpses of it in between the tall bldgs! Made a turn at the nearest junction to go home after that as the show was over by then. I hope this is no indication of how my 2009 will be!

2008 had been a roller-coaster year for me. There were plenty of ups and downs. Some bad decisions I made years before came back to haunt me before the year ended. I would not say I regretted making those decisions, but alot of what-ifs did flash thru my mind. I guess I just needed to brace up and move on. Needless to say, I've made some decisions in 2008 which I hope will turn out fine in the years to come. I did manage to attend a couple of baking classes which I really enjoyed and benefited from. On the home front, I had less issues with family and friends compared to 2007 which I am really grateful for! Career-wise, I've moved on to another company which I am enjoying myself better.

Moving on 2009.... Cherilynn is starting her primary school education. I believe she'll have no problems adapting to it. As for DS, I wish for him to be more sensible. It's gonna be a tough year ahead judging from my horoscope and zodiac forecast, not forgetting the bad economy.But whatever life throws at me, I've got no choice but shoulder on.

For now, I count my blessings. At least compared to others, I'm still blessed... with loved ones, health and a job. I did not make any resolutions for this year. Just hoping that it'll be a smooth-sailing year.... and finally get to feel happy again.

Tagged

Been tagged by Ganache-Ganache for a meme...7 facts about myself.... hmmm :P


ok... here goes...


1. I'm left-hander. my parents tried getting me to write or use my right hand more when they discovered that i'm left-handed... but well, guess it din work for them. LOL... and I believe left-handers are a pretty smart lot!


2. I only started decorating cakes after my son was borned. I started off baking loafs and cookies... using a very small oven which more often than not,burnt my bakes! Dear son was borned on Christmas Day, so since his 1st b'day we've been celebrating his b'days for him... and it's so hard to order/buy b'day cakes during the Christmas season that I decided to bake a b'day cake for him. And i've been hooked since. :)


3. I consider myself adventurous when it comes to food. I like to try all kinds of cuisine when overseas...


4. I used to be a coca cola fan. I must have a can of coca cola everyday when I was in teens... of course back then I never seemed to put on weight... definately not something I should try doing now at my age! But I do enjoy drinking coke once a while now.


5. I'm pretty bad-tempered and impatient. (LOL)... but I can say that i've mellowed down alot in the recent years... guess it gotta do with AGE!


6. I cannot stand noise... especially early in the morning... and my kids can attest to this! If there's commotion or fights early in the morning, they do get it from me. and it spoils my whole day.


7. I am never someone who's good with words or make friends easily. Maybe 'coz I don't warm up easily or just that I'm not the chatty type of person. Some remarked that I look fierce while some say that I'm always so cool (wahahahahaha)... but in actual fact, I'm neither. I'm just not too comfortable making the 1st move...

*phew* finally done. OK i'm supposed to pass this tag onto another 7 bloggers... but I guess I'll stop here. Anyone who wish to try this tag can go ahead and post... just link me back, k?

Your support much appreciated!

Ching had tagged me to this urgent request. Of course, I'm more than happy to help. Breast cancer affects women of all ages, so I'll definately chip in to help spread the word.

The Breast Cancer Site is counting on everyone's help to generate 8 milion clicks so that the sponsors will part with more $$ to give out free mammograms to the poor. So, PLEASE go to this site and click on the pink button as many times as you can. A little help goes a long way!:)

Peace Award

I've been awarded this Peace Award by Elyn. Thanks dear! We all try to make this world a better place, kay? (LOL)

Tag : Life is Full of Gratitude

Thanks Ching for tagging me on this. Really made me sit down and reflect on my life...

I'm grateful for my parents, especially my dear mom who helped me with my kids... and also giving my precious advice that takes me thru' everyday... I'm grateful for life at the moment... tho' there's always complaints, abt the ppl ard me, abt the environment... but being just able to go thru' the day, experiencing happiness, sadness, anger or even bitchiness! :P I'm grateful for that... I'm grateful to having my friends around me... I'm not someone who can warm up easily or make friends easily, which explains why I don't have many close friends, maybe just a couple of them.. but to me, I find that that's enuf. And tho' we do not contact each other everyday or even meetup often, but still a msg, a sms or an email to enuf to keep each other updated. Life is such that everyone is so bz with their everyday lives, esp those who have kids and work(meaning me), and that usually means feeling so tired by the end of the day. it' really takes alot of effort keep in contact.

~Start Copy~
In order to be able to achieve and maintain happiness we need to, actively, be able to do two things: Complain and then let go (Dump the baggage, the roadblocks to happiness.) Express Gratitude (The open expression of gratitude promotes happiness.) After all everyone has something to be grateful for and/or something to complain about. If you would like to share, please follow the appropriate link and do so: “Are You Grateful?”, “Complain Complain Complain.”

Add your name to the current List of Contributors: 1-Attitude, the Ultimate Power 2-Max 3-DianaCA’s Metamorphoses 4-Mental Poo 5-My Thoughts 6-Baba Doodlius 7-Wake Up America 8-Life is a Roller Coaster 9-Life is beautiful 10-Pinay Mommy Online 11-Nelle-LucidCreativity 12- Juliana of PinayWahm 13- Juliana’s Lair 14 - Hailey of Hailey’s Beats and Bits 15 – Choc Mint Girl 16- Zooropazoo- 17 Rainbows 18 Little Corner of Mine - 19 Baking Fiends Unite (Add your link here).
~End Copy~

I'm passing this tag to: Elyn

Catching up....

Well, since my oven is down, I guess I'll play catch up with the MeMe tags and awards that were generously passed on to me. I'm sorry if I had left out any of the tags or awards ...

First up.... the FOREVER FRIENDS globe...
It's been a really wonderful experience for me since I started this blog. I came to know many frens... and the support that I've been getting! I'm so grateful and happy that I made the right decision to start a blog... I dunno what I've been missing! LOL. Thanks to Ching for awarding me this... forever frens, yah! *wink*


Next will be a MeMe... Before I was a Mom
I'll try my best to work out this MeMe...


Before I was a mum; I'll go on vacations during the off-peak seasons (ie, no surcharges, no kids running amok at the places I went to and basically taking off anytime I fancy!)

Before I was a mum; I meetup with my frens everyweekends, catching up on life.


Before I was a mum; I go shopping every weekends! And it meant a whole day out at the shopping belt.

Before I was a mum; I wasn't very into baking. And I was using a really tiny oven which my aunt gave my mom when I felt like baking something. Needless to say, the bakes turned out blergh.


Before I was a mum; I not planned to have any kids!

Special thanks for Ching for giving tagging me. Now when I looked at my answers above, it really made me thing... how will my life be now without my kids??!?!


And of course, thanks for labelling me as a pretty mom! LOL


I'll be tagging Ching, Ning's Mommy and happy Homebaker for this MeMe... have fun!

MeMe - Five facts about myself

This is my 2nd MeMe... abit tough for me to do this MeMe... cracking my head over this ... and here goes:


1. I'm a middle child... and suffer from the classic middle child syndrome! :P

2. My oven has been with me for over 8 years. It has broken down a couple of times and it just went "kaput" 30mins ago! guess it's time to hunt for a new oven but I really can't bear to put this baby to "rest".

3. My fav pastime is blog-hopping. And of course, I go to foodblogs!

4. This is an exciting year for me! New home, new workplace!

5. I'm a home person. I can stay at home for days in a row without stepping out at all!


Phew! Finally done....

Awarded!

Thanks to Elyn for awarding me this....

Abit embarassed abt receiving this, as I dun think I'm as nice as I appear to be! :P

Happy Chinese New Year!

Here's wishing everyone a Happy and Prosperous Year!

新年快樂!!!

A short update...

Hi folks!
Sorry that there's not been any new post of late. I've been bz getting my new place done and plan to move into the apt b4 the chinese new year... which means i'm left with less than 1 mth! *gulp*


I promise to get into my baking as soon as i'm settled in, k?

Till then, take care everyone!

Friends....

It's been some time since I went blog-hopping. Been bz with my work, and trying to settle my new accomodation. So i was pleasantly surprised to see that i've been awarded by dear Ching! I came to know Ching thru' a baking forum. At that time, I had not started blogging... I was just a newbie at the forum and was (still is!) impressed by her blog and also her bakes... and dishes!

It's been a year since I started blogging and I've "met" many wonderful friends this way. It's really wonderful how strangers can come together as friends thru' the love of food/baking or just sharing the same views/thoughts on certain matters!

Christmas is just round the corner and this is the time of the year to give my thanks... Thank you to all my friends who had supported me thru' the year.

That said, I'll like to pass this award along to ....

Elyn

Altho' I've known Elyn for only a year, it felt like i've known her for ages! and it's such a co-incidence that we're actually so "near" each other before we got to know each other!

Ning's Mommy

Ning's mommy has been a regular visitor here, and for that, I THANK YOU.

Happy Homebaker

HB has a very interesting blog. She's so into trying out different recipes, and generously sharing the good ones!

Loooooooong MeMe

OH! I've been tagged again...so here goes!


1. Name one person who made you laugh last night? hmmm.... too sick to laugh. :(

2. What were you doing at 0800? On the way to get some b'fast.

3. What were you doing 30 minutes ago? Reading at Ching's blog and realised that I've been tagged! LOL

4. What happened to you in 2006? I turned a year older.

5. What was the last thing you said out loud? I'm just ignoring you (to a fellow coll! LOL)

6. How many beverages did you have today? Had cups of plain water and a cup of soya milk.

7. What color is your hairbrush? Grey.

8. What was the last thing you paid for? My lunch today.

9. Where were you last night? On my bed, trying to get some sleep.

10. What color is your front door? Brown.

11. Where do you keep your change? Wallet.

12. What’s the weather like today? Warm....

13. What’s the best ice-cream flavor? My fav chocolate.

14. What excites you? Having something to look forward to everyday.

15. Do you want to cut your hair? Been there, done that (just got my hair cut SHORT! 2 weeks ago)

16. Are you over the age of 25? Yes. (unfortunately)

17. Do you talk a lot? I dun warm up easily, so I'm a quiet person to many.

18. Do you watch the O.C.? No.

19. Do you know anyone named Steven? Yes. at the moment, 3.

20. Do you make up your own words? Yups.

21. Are you a jealous person? You're looking at a green-eye monster rite now.

22. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter ‘A’. Adeline.

23. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter ‘K’. Keith.

24. Who’s the first person on your received call list? DH.

25. What does the last text message you received say? "Sure!"

26. Do you chew on your straw? Nope.

27. Do you have curly hair? Nope! But I used to wish I have natural curls.

28. Where’s the next place you’re going to? Going home after work....

29. Who’s the rudest person in your life? Dunno.

30. What was the last thing you ate? Sugar-coated soda biscuits from the pantry.

31. Will you get married in the future? Errrr......

32. What’s the best movie you’ve seen in the past 2 weeks? What movie?

33. Is there anyone you like right now? Yes.

34. When was the last time you did the dishes? I can't remember.

35. Are you currently depressed? Nope.

36. Did you cry today? NO. and hope not for the rest of my life!

37. Why did you answer and post this? 'coz Ching has been a very sweet and nice virtual friend of mine. :)

38. Tag 1 person who would do this survey. (think 1 is enuf lah!) Elyn

Headless chicken!

This is the 1st time I've been tagged! and i really have no clue to what i'm supposed to do... so I decided to cut and paste the same stuff Ching did and then figure things out along the way! LOL....


Thanks Ching for tagging me and giving me this "MeMe" experience....

MeMe: Five Things

Found in my room:

1. My beloved deskstop PC
2. Stacks of baking books (I leave them just next to my bed and read them when there's nothing interesting going on the TV... and of course, bookmarking recipes that I intend to try... LOL... but mostly, the books are there to gather dust!)
3. TV (facing the bed! i know... this is bad ;P)
4. My wardrobe (overdue for a cleanup!)
5. Lamp (at the bedside - i hate to stumble in the dark)

I have always wanted to do:

1. Be a lawyer (dun laugh.... it din happen and will never happen now)
2. Stay at home (not necessary, as a MOM... i just love lazing around at home, instead of gng to work! LOL)
3. Travel (without a care in the world! the list of to-travel countries is catching up with my to-bake list!)
4. Sell my bakes (it's happening right now!)

Found in my bag:

1. Mails! (yes, it may sound weird to you, but I keep my mails in my bag.... I go thru' my mails on my way to the office... )
2. Keys (and still I often can't find it)
3. Mobile phone (I can't imagine my life without it!)
4. Pouches (one for makeups, one for the coins, one for the wallet etc...)
5. Lozenges (I left 1 pack in my bag mths ago and till now it's still there!)

Found in my wallet/purse:

1. Credit cards
2. Notes and coins
3. Name cards (of my DH's, the banker's, friends' etc)
4. ID
5. ATM cards

I am currently into:

1. Blogging
2. Trying new recipes
3. Planning a diet plan for myself (I dunno if this will happen tho' )
4. Planning an exercise routine (this is supposed to go with no.3)
5. Picking up new skills in the office

5 Candidates to tag:

1. Elyn
2. Edith
3. Happy homebaker
4. Patricia
5. OvenHaven

Now I'm rockin!

Wow wow wow.... never knew I can get a award! (Let me pop some champagne!)...... Thanks Elyn for passing this award to me....

Lemme pass this award to Angie of My Kitchen:My Laboratory, whom has been an inspiration to me! (and I hope will update her blog soon and pass this award along :) )

Observation of a 7 yo....

DS and I were crossing the zebra crossing last nite to get to the MRT stn to deliver a cheesecake.....

We made it thru' and he suddenly turned ard and asked me "Mommy, why is that called a zebra crossing? We're the ones who crossed it, not a zebra.... the zebra is lying there!"

Tell me, shd i laugh or cry???? (btw, I rolled my eyes and it's still stuck at the back of my head.)

You Are 32% Vain




Okay, so you're slightly vain from time to time, but you're not superficial at all.You are realistic. You know that looks matter. You just try to make them matter less.

http://www.blogger.com/

Cherilynn turns 5 today.

My little princess is 5 today... time really flies.... still remember the day when i discovered myself pregnant again when DS was only 6mths old. Went to buy the pregnancy test kit and hoping that it's not true! haha... BUT i can say that not once have i regretted having her. She's a BABE!
Happy 5th Birthday, my little princess! YOU rock my world..... hope your days will be filled with joy and happiness....