Last note from this blog!

H A P P Y N E W Y E A R ! ! !

YES, last note from this blog! started a new blog, my 2nd blog. http://elsiethng2.blogspot.com/

i will continue to blog with the new blog as i have hit the limit with loading images on this blog. looking forward to blog on new topic - BABY! will do a summarise on the scans and my pregnant experiences. and of cos when i am due in June it will be lots of blogging on baby! hopefully i will still have the energy and time to blog then! 2008 has been kind. learnt alot of new things and i enjoyed taking all the hands-on cooking classes this year. best thing that happened is definitely the news of me expecting. i hope 2009 will be better and happier! Happy new year to all! best wishes! ciao!

Week 17th counting down to end of the year!

just 3 days to the last of 2008! this week baby's 17th week will spend 3 days in 2008 and then begin 2009! baby's been good, less stretching but that makes me non-stop worrying if everything is ok... with me passing 4 months, i have just 5 months to enjoy the the preganancy and begin another new path in my life.

monday 29th - stayed at home and planned what to cook for ny eve. we are having a potluck party for the last day of the year. everyone who can cook or wanna try to cook has to come up with a dish. my cousins and siblings grouped together, pull our funds and i came out with 6 items for the party. then i head out with mil to supermarket to buy stuff for the dessert 1st. then i was home thruout and waiting to watch the ever-long 2 hours little nonya. i personally find 2hrs way too long! early nite for me again...

tuesday 30th - waking up from weird dreams make me so tired! no nothing sexy just weird places and gosh doing impossible things. went out with ann to holland v. we were in search for angmo cooked crab meat. we started out with having pizza at one of our favourite place in H.V.
Da Paolo. althou they have expanded and have many outlets now, ann & i still prefer this shop at Chipbee Gardens. after our eatout we head to track the crabmeat but too bad that they are not bringing in anymore of the crabmeat!!! then i bot myself a froth beater... thou i dun drink coffee, i wanted to to froth the milk for gx! and i got a new purple silicon glove! as i didnt have hands to get joyce her housewarming and post xmas gift, ann said we are gog to go back again next week for a chillout! then we left to go to our favourite bread shop! ann loves the bread at provence too. we then sat down again for early tea! sat next to a couple prop dating and gosh the worse topic - y i didnt go RI jc but instead ACS... OMG! boring! the guy just went ont non-stop! he's prob rich... and definitely boring. lucky for us we got to move a seat away from them but they were speaking loudly in the tiny place... ERGH!!! then we went to shop for the rest of the ingredients and we couldn't find some of the stuff and then we changed a few items for the party. head back to KCB to marinate the chicken wings and went home to rest and pack my room.

wednesday 31st - woke up early to send gx out for work. then refuse to sleep cos of weird dreams again! so i started blogging for the last time on this blog. i have created a new blog as i find no solution for my photo-uploading and i tot its great to have a new blog... nothing exciting for the name of my 2nd blog... is just At the end of the rainbow ii ... ... need to learn to resize my huge pixel photos. something new to learn for the year 2009! gog to meet ann later to get more food items and go back to mum's to cook a storm! hopefully the cousins and bro&gf will come on time to cook! update on the party will be on the new bloggie!

goodbye to my old blog ... where all my treasures are! but i guess the things i will get to learn in 2009 will create another treasure box!

my first trimester

baby taboos, myths, do and don'ts, experiences. Everyone is eager to share and i appreciate their advice. i learnt alot from everyone's experince, but sometimes i don't appreciate, not that i doubt what they say... its about the right time to say certain things. i learnt alot from books that were passed from my aunt and i got some on my own. the ones i got are usually are more asian based cos i needed information that are not found in the westernised books.

decided to record some of the things that are not mentioned in books but passed on from generations to the next and shared on with friends. One that i dislike (mild word cos i felt more than this) cos of the wrong time... this seriuosly got me mad.... was dun be angry with the child if not your child will look like and behave exactly like that boy... i was cooling down, trying to calm down and seriuosly not that angry yet... then when i was told that... i boiled~ when ones trying to help... look, think before action! GOSH!

yes hormones... not only affect the pregnant lady... it affects kids too... some just can't stand it and they make your life miserable... i have only seen how sticky kids get to their mum when the mum is pregnant. the kid became pesky and really stuck to mum and wires in the child goes haywire. thats why i am trying to rest as much now... going to ignore the craziness at school... me happy = happy baby... i want to be happy! IGNORE!

out of the people who shared i learnt something new from the train ride yesterday. her theory that in the late trimester, should avoid tumeric as she believes this cause jaudice in babies. taught me how holding the tummy protects my baby, something that i have been doing by instinct and have not heard anyone mention about it before. steaming winter melon is good and dun take too much soya bean milk.

out of sudden i just can't remember much... another symtom of pregnancy... forgetfulness. i want to sleep... i need to wake up and be happy... at this moment suddenly feel like crying... haha... really emotional ... up the hill one moment and down the very next minute... i am Elsie... i am going to be mother soon... i still feel like a child... i dun seem to have grown up yet even thou my baby is growing... motherhood... big word... scary at times and excited its finally here... what will my child be like? i want to go sleep... so tired suddenly... must mention that my prayers were answered for my train unpleasantness. been meeting people who have big hearts. they gave up their seats to me and i feel very fortunate. i even met a lady who let me cut her q when paying up for fishpaste and tofu. she prob saw me struggling with my shopping bags... i really wana thank these nice people i met. THANK YOU!

sad week

drama for so many days by one of my boy... had enough of people on my nerves. Even my own family member is on my nerve every weekend i go home. i REN liao but i can't seem to take it anymore, if anyone wana feel frustrated i say please learn not to take it out on people. go find yourself somewhere, something else non-living to punch! ... good thing is that i still have a bunch of people i can turn to feel happy. Yesterday Wed 26th, met my old collegues and they are my buddies from Eton house. Alice turned up too! i was very happy and we were chatting and sharing and eating. i ate alot cos i didnt take much for lunch. no camera no pics.... worse of all all i wanted to do now is to post pics from hp... can't find the wire... XIANZ!!! i can't stand my forgetfulness but more of my temper cos i know its not good for the baby... i hope today's trip with dap will make me feel better... hope that i can find my evening dress for my sis wedding... everyone wear so glam... i gota find some shimmer too! i hate being grouchy but really i need help to stay happy... WHERE"S MY WIRE!!! ergh... all i wana post is something that made me smile early in the morning in school... my student from last year came in and gave me a cookie for thanksgiving and its so cute. till i find the wire, think this remains as an unhappy entry...

monday mrt blues

recently i have been having a terrible experience with the trains. i can't help feeling so trap in the train with terrible people. seen enough of weirdos on the train for the past 3months. have u ever sat next to someone who reads a book on healthy living and sneeze openly without covering up? loud and wet. ew.... yah. then people who have flu but can't stop sniff without their hands covering up? instead their hands are busy holding their precious game toy?

today i sat next to the "sniffing game boy". then came a man who stood very near me... he's the second one i met in these 3mths, i dun understand why these men need to stand so near me... i am sitting and dam the height and they are standing so near me. if u get the picture. SICK! today the guy even had papers open up in my face... wanna know how near? less than a palm away was how near his papers where to my nose. ERRRRR....

today after school, another episode of PRIORITY SEAT DRAMA. a nice young gal stood up and tap an old lady to give her seat to her... in split second somehow i saw a dash and this young sorry to say ... C lady... slam herself to the seat... the people on the same bench turn to look at her... saw a few disbelief face... esp the lady who had a bandage on her leg... i was in shock... cos i happened very fast, dun know where she dashed from... she then pretend not to look and FALL Asleep... can she sleep? so sleepy??? OMG! then she made so many faces as she tried to sleep... can guilty-conscious people sleep in peace? lots of eyes still on her... the little gal was shock but the sleeping lady looked fierce... so she just stood there... when the train arrived at the next station, the young M boy who sat next to that woman... stood up... not a heroic act, just getting down... couldn't he get up earlier to give up his seat to the old lady? after all said... so why didnt i give up my seat??? wanna know... i really feel like revealing but as i promised i have to wait for one more week... i have my reasons... valid reasons...

i pray that i dun have to experience so many unhappinesss in the train... i just wana peacefully take the train without looking rude when i cover up when people cough or sneeze openly... if no one does that then i dun have to start feeling vex... no blasting music, loud kids is unavoidable cos its hols just dun blast hp.... use earphones... if not there will be war in the train... unbearable. no more unkind acts please...

karma

have you ever see a pregnant lady giving up her seat to another pregnant lady???

OMG!!! a smaller tummy but still with a baby, gave up seats to a much bigger prob 5-6mths tummy while the rest without a baby in the tummy stayed sitting!

conscious? sleeping conscious? yah man all pretend to sleep...

dun understand why since u mit get down like in next 2 stops why can't u give up your seat!!!

gx say this will go on ... nothing will change... only when the needy are lucky, they meet good people, they get seats...

Since 19 october till 27 october

been unwell and feel terrible at times. been adjusting and am getting back on track. thats the main reason that i haven't been blogging cos all i wanna do after work is rest. also sadly the camera, the handy one that i always have in my bag deaded. i did go look around with gx but the one i eyed on... not nice, so i didnt buy it and i have yet to check out others.

celebrated gx bdae in simple style as he wanted. but still i threw him a surprised party at mum's place. will take time to update on his bdae when i load the pics from our bigger camera. on his actual day 26th, all we did was laze and he played games, just the way he wanted to spend his day till afternoon. we managed to go on to ikea to get my orange ginger cookies.

hated the experience in the busy ikea eatery. hate the way people jostle around to get seats and when they got seats i dun see why they need to hurry over and almost trip me! it was an OMG situation! i wasn't even bothered to take their table, gf already sat down, so whats the hurry! i was really pissed! yes thou he said sorry but in a quick manner and turn to face his gf straight. small thing but its not so in my case and u will understand why it isn't... i was in shock in my getting-well state!

i am very lucky to have a very understanding hubby and supportive families. i need to feel better soon. need to stop being so grouchy! i need to clear the mess in my room. good thing that happen this whole month is that i have been drinking water. YES... its huge! cos i dun like drinking water! think my long time frens would know that fact! i have been often nagged by ser esp!

To shanice: thanks for your concern and i deeply appreciate your note to GX! yes we have been planning for walks, he has been trying to being me out but haha the sky doesnt permit everytime we prep to head out! once we get to do it, i hope to have my new handy camera to take pics to show you! also i love your weekend trips! ENVY! so many interesting places to go! anytime you need anything herbs, spice, let me know, i will get it for you! You are such a great cook! i hardly can cook chinese! impressive! i need to learn from you and practice cooking more often!

to all my frens, i hope that everything is well for everybody... for the boys! you know who u are! jiayou. life is not as simple but bear with it and bite the bullet. will try to update more often... cos this weekend i got something interesting to attend to and i hope it will turn out successful.

not well

i haven been feeling very well. glad i met up with dap on thursday. we had a long chat and i am glad she asked me out cos i was in a pretty bad mood that day! thou i was in a foul mood but yet i was so amazed with what happened that afternoon! helen gave birth to her baby boy the day before her bdae! amazing!

friday was a quiet morning after 9am cos my class went on a field trip to little india. but even thou when they came back everything was still ok for me cos they did deepavali artwork. i was so happy that BK have mushroom swiss but with chicken patty! cos i dun eat beef i haven eaten mushroom swiss for a very long time! but i end up throwing it up! wasted! just stayed at home with gx watching tv.

saturday was supposed to meet gx at vivo but in the end i napped and didnt wana rushed to vivo... so he tabao home very nice char kuey teow that has alot of veg! but it was very yummy! he got me prawn noodles which was ok only. after lunch both of us took a sofa each and slept till evening! woke up prepared and went to mums. while i came home, he went to attend tony's bdae at df...

sunday a planned, gx brought me to pray and we end up trapped in the building cos it was pouring very heavily! when it stopped we hurried to the temple and end up trapped in the temple cos the rain came pouring heavily again! i felt at peace thou at the temple. then when it stopped we hurried back to the car. glad we did that cos it started pouring once we drove out of the carpark... we decided to stopped at suntec and was so glad to bump into a fren! couldn't be more thrilled to see her! ate vietnamese for dinner but bad day again with gastric juices popping out my food again! now i feel hungry... i better sleep... hopefully this week i will get well and feel better... i need to sleep now!

need to stay positive!

i have been lazing for this fall hols. except for tuesday evening spending a good 3hours learning new recipes. but i am fine as long as i am happy and napping thru the whole day. but today, early in the morning, i read a negative blog. so negative that i dun feel like going for classes anymore. i can understand the message and feel the unhappiness for the person who wrote it. nothing wrong with that but it affected my mood.

everytime i step into a school, esp when i am unfamiliar with anyone, i feel stressed. its always nice to be greeted by a smile but trust me, so far only Caneles made me feels really at home. Chef Pang, thou the Executive Pastry Chef of Les Amis Group, he is the nicest! no airs at all. at least he treat us in a comfortable manner. The other schools that i go too, it all depends on the chef. Chef Ho and Chef Nan are also nice people i learnt from. these are the chef that i took pics with! cos as i say they are nice to accomodate to simple requests and address all questions that need an answer. most chef will answer all questions but sometimes u feel that chef seems to be "surprised" with simple questions asked by students... most people who attend class either dun cook at all, thats why they are there to learn or like me i want to learn how to and most of all perfect my cooking or baking. most owners i have to say are very stern. i always look forward for class but somehow my mood is a little dampened by what i read today.

i will still be going for class. just need to stay positive and go do what i like and dun bother with what i read today. i need to keep learning and i enjoyed my classes so far. some classes will be the 1st and last time i will be doing that recipe but i am glad that at least i had a chance to do it, learn it or tasted it. POSITIVE! think the 2 chef that i am learning from for the first time look nice. stay POSITIVE! also attending 2 more chef nan's class. going to do some packing of my many recipe books i have. think its time i experiment some of the recipes on my own.

but its hard to stay positive about the fact that hols is ending soon. will be back to school on monday. things are going to change... i hope i can deal with it. i need to stay POSITIVE!!!
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UN DAY 2008

it's not the actual UN day yet but school celebrated the event on fri Oct3rd. this year the school arranged a slide show and i found it very touching, thou it started out as a funny clip to me. yes touching to the point i fight to hold back some tears... maybe it is seeing the slide during the event, before that the kidos clapped and scream in joy when the flagbearers walked out with the flags of all the countries and the UN speech by a kido from 2nd grade. the slide was a nice touch to this year's UN day. found it and i wanted to share it. i find it very meaningful.



more clips from the guy and his webpage. enjoy!
http://www.wherethehellismatt.com/videos.shtml?fbid=jpQN6C-TvWH

oh watch it in high quality on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlfKdbWwruY!

my tape writer and my mini pantry

got a very old school tool... thanks to dap cos she was the one who wanted to get it and i couldn't miss it! a tape writer. haven seen this tool for very long. remember that i used to have it to label my stuff when i was very small. thou i got it for quite some time, i didn't get down to using it. i had in mind what to use the tape writer for.

bought extra tape just in case i can't find them next time. its easy to use. insert the tape and then turn the dial to the alphabet to the indicator, then press hard for the letter to be punched onto the tape. repeat steps and when all text is typed out, turn dial to scissors symbol. fun!!! love it! my first project... organising my pantry! i was very inspired by my new cooking school's pantry. so i started my very own mini pantry.

i got so excited doing the it and i am glad i did. love my new little pantry! i need to get more containers and then i will get to play with my tape writer! most importantly is that i wana bake something soon... i am attending new classes soon and i am pretty excited.

i hope that i recover soon... hopefully i get more time to get to do what i love to do... but i need to get well first!

i am fluey

it normal to see me down with flu but this time it is stuck to me for too long.... way too long and i am getting so tired. thou i rest the whole of sat at home... it did not help. sunday went out with in-laws to eat dimsum at sunshine plaza. its my 3rd time there and i like it. we were lucky that we need to wait for a short while cos after we got our seats, the line got so long!

am so ready to start something new this month but i really need to find the time to make my way to start this next project of mine. i need to recover soon cos my next set of cooking, baking classes are about to start soon. excited but right now dun feel well at all to go! i need to recover! booked a massage at angies and can't wait for it to happen! i really need the massage!

mum bdae this sat and everything is going well and i hope she would like the surprise party. well she knows there is gog to be a party but still we kept a secret from her. i need to get down to plan my days in sept i got so much to do so little time! my 3rd wedding anniversary is coming and L's bdae then twins' bdae! i can't wait for it to happen but i am so exhausted right now!

i need to get well.

should or shouldn't

what should i do? what shouldn't i do? when should i do it? when shouldn't i do it? where should i do it? where shouldn't i do it? how should i do it? how shouldn't i do it? why should i do it? why shouldn't i do it?

But the main question is SHOULD I DO IT OR SHOULDN'T I DO IT???

gosh so many things to consider! so to do or not to do.... placed this matter at the back of my mind for so long. i need an answer. for now i am gog to rest... i am tired still recovering from flu... body still aching... i need to sleep and wake up for pilates.

2008 Summer Holiday Best Moments!

the best moments of 2008 Summer holiday

Attended alot of birthdays parties! Lety bdae was at One degree 15 cos the food was good and definitely good times! the boys surprised Letycia with the cantonese bdae song. non of the boys can speak cantonese except my bro who is alittle better. and the party was exciting cos the older cousins gota stay overnight onboard on a boat! while the adults gota travel out cruising singapore waters, visiting kusu island the next day! while the adults were out, we cousins brought the 3 youngest ones out to underwater world... challenging but they were considered very well-behaved.

nesa hello kitty party! ann and i put in alot of effort to run this party for her from getting goody bag stuff, balloons and getting the party food! aunt k, mum, ann and me cooked thai dishes for the 1st time for this party! then ann's surprised party ar mezzabar at mandrin. got her a very huge bouquet. then on nesa actual bdae, we brought her and lety out for movie. then after movie we had hi-tea at Ritz. on ann's actual bdae she threw a family ktv session.

in july gx and i attended a very different and interesting party. Pats invited us to his uncle's party and i was thrilled by it. very kampong style and the food was good! the next day we attended Pats' daughter's party. for both parties we got balloons for the bdae kidos! the party was very cute esp when the kids did the yoga poses. sil held a party at home for her frens, gx and i ordered a jelly for her party. gx and i got her cookie monster and we bought more cookies for him!!!

the only sport i did : Bowling! we were all met up over saturdays to bowl and once the family bowling competition was over, we stopped! but it was fun bowling with my family! this is our 2nd family competition but its the first time we have a trophy!

meeting up with old friends : was very happy to be invited to Song and Jaz's housewarming. lovely house. then was glad we went dinner with Soh and Helen and had a great korean BBQ meal! also i attended my primary schoolmate, my very good fren, Serene's wedding.

we attended Faith's wedding and this is the only wedding i have attended that has so many professional cameraman. at least i spotted 3-5. it was also fun to receive printouts on the spot for our photos that we took!

new interesting places i visited : keppel island. it was interesting to know that this is a private-owned island. nice place. the other would be col bar. the setting is so 70s-80s! also here i had the best lunch, the food was ok but it was a fantasstic lunch cos the whole family attended. was happy dad could make it. also visiting the top of mount sophia with dap was cool!

the best buy: got lots of plates and utensils for home. my most expensive buy would the tee... from comme des garcons bought at old school. favourite buy would be this pen!

favourite gift would be my crystal beads from gx!

coolest pics taken : with the fishlens camera, dap and i took interesting shots on our 1st wednesday trip. i love the pic dap took of me at the museum. of cos not forgetting the mini polariods we took on 2nd and 3rd wednesday meetups! also the wednesdays i had with dap definitely made my summer really fun, going to different places and exploring singapore! somehow we just walk and keep walking - from arts to photography to food to new finds! would love to do this again!

best summer buddies: during june would be with nesa, she accomplained me to most places cos she was on holiday! with nesa i oso experience many new things! esp our candy making! ann, thou we meet not many times but i was glad she made the effort for nesa's bdae and esp our vegetarian trip to little indian.

not forgetting my walking buddy dap! i love this pics of her! also my sibling and cousins for all the niteouts we had! of cos i have to thank Pats! she brought me out to eat yummy food from different corners of singapore! finally gota try the pepper crab from Joo chiat! also it was nice to have met a new friend from Thailand! she helped relaxed my tense shoulders and gave me alot of health advice!

new dishes : mothers' day party was neat cos i cooked for the first time, something i learnt for my spanish tapas cooking class - pranws with chorizo! also i prepared spinach dip. nesa's bdae i arranged a list of thai food for her party! almost everything was first time! i did the vietnamese spring roll with peanut sauce with mum. seasoned the vietnamese porkchops! did pats' thai salad. aunt cooked prawns in wantan skin for the 1st time and mum tried cooking pat thai and it was not bad!

the only new sweet i did this summer was candy making with nesa! this is actually quite fun but still must have a little more patience! pats introduced Heng Hwa food. first time i eat cockles that are served cold with lots of garlic and chilli soaked in black vinegar! the clam noodles are very nice! the black pepper crabs is nice! i love black pepper crabs but this was alittle different compared to the others... and not forgetting the thai noodle soup i had cooked by Diana's thai fren! soooo good!

i got the recipe from diana's fren but no quantity was given and i have researched the internet to coem out with the proportions... gog to try this for gx! he loved the smell of thai soup! the best recipe learnt was from innovative pats who created this taupok dish! this is soooo good! taupok with veg stuffing! oven baked and not fried! served with her thai chilli sauce and its sooo good! also i need to thank ann for joining me on my vegetarian day! she introduced me a restuarant for very nice naan and the rocket thosai thats so huge! also that i found that i do have many choices for vegetarian days!

with dear : cos he started his new job, he's been working very hard everyday. he gets home average 8 to 9pm and he stil has to bring work home sometimes. not very used to it cos before this job, he's always had so much time for me. but still we have quality moments! thanks to uncle m and aunt o, we got stay onboard a boat. and all the parties we attended together gave us time to catch up with each other and with family and friends.

was glad we had a 2 days away from home and had a great relaxing time at Changi Hotel. we had time for walk, ate at italian restaurant trying for the 1st time, cantaloupe with parma ham. love swimming pool here!

best shots we had were the ones with the lollies!