Up To Something!

Read this somewhere:

And remember that a baby who is quiet for a very long time could be enjoying entertainment of a dangerous or messy kind! Instead of enjoying the peace, check quickly!

My mother-in-law always reminds me that when the young ones are quite, they are up to something cheeky. And yes, so true!

We were all at the living room watching telly, talking and Jens playing with his toys or from time to time walk from the kitchen back to the lounge. We were used of him away for a minute. Little did we know that he had ventured off to the toilet and pulled the tissue from the roll, making heap on the floor and the card board roll in the toilet bowl. He just gave us all a cheeky grin when he was caught.

Now, I’m getting wary if he’s gone quite for a few seconds so, I am always on the alert mode especially when he’s in the kitchen as he has a fetish on opening the cupboard under the kitchen sinks where the potatoes and onions on one side are kept and the cleaning stuff on the other.

When I know that there are just the two of us around, I let him play but I always check on him. And actually, Jens is a show-off baby. He always wants somebody to look at him when he’s doing something – might want to be an actor someday. :)

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Spend-thrift

Even if the economy is on the verge of recession or according to some economist/business analyst/blah, we are already on it, I’m always on the spending mode. Much to Mcj’s annoyance.

I can’t help it. I am not spending all the time but if I conceived something in my mind, I would immediately hop in front of the machine and look it up the net, check the features, uses, read reviews, know the prices, where I can buy it, etc. Along the way, I would find something interesting then one thing lead to another. And because sometimes, I just left the browser open on my computer, what will hit your eyes when you look at my screen would be shopping websites.

Talking of the most controversial hobby and my favourite “sports”, I have been brewing some ideas for presents for our rellies when we go for a holiday next year. Some wholesale items that can be bought at the coast. I know the name of the place and some products that they sell. I also know somebody working there, I don’t know where is the store. But that’s easy to remedy. The biggest problem is, would Mcj agree with my budget? I’m crossing my fingers.

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The Weekend That Was

This sounds late but our last weekend was as usual busy. It didn’t rain so I was able to do my two weeks washing and dry them. I cooked dinner for 2 days. I think, I am confident now that I can be able to construct a meal from scratch.

We watched the movie The Shawshank Redemption that I recorded last weekend. We’ve seen it before but I want to have a copy of it. And it’s our hobby to watch movies that we like over and over again.

It was Mcj’s happy today last Sunday. Not an eventful day because he was and still is busy at work.

I had another driving lesson, early Sunday for 1.5 hours. The instructor, D, said that I’m getting there. My steering and speed control is getting better. Turning is now a minor problem. We went through reverse parking, simple parking, u-turn in a T-intersection, three point turn, etc. Got another lesson next week.

How’s your weekend? I hope it was fun and you didn’t use weight loss pills to shed those unwanted pounds gained from weekend indulgence and decadence.

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Soup Recipe

Almost every weekend, I make soup for Jens and Mcj. I don't have a recipe for it. I don't use too many different ingredients or something dear. Nor do I buy something special for it, say adding a new item on my shopping list. I don't but I am proud of my cooking.

When we have chicken wings for dinner, we don't cook the bonny part. We cut it up. Used to give to the cat, but Lucky doesn't like them anymore. There goes my meat. Sometimes, some of them will have this un-grown feathers in them, I took them off. I cut up a couple of carrots, some cubes of pumpkin and a piece of potato cut in four. Plus my special ingredient, split peas (or you can use any beans). Jens doesn't like the skin, it sticks in his mouth or whatever reason it. He just simply doesn't like it. Split peas have no skin in them. The peas or beans will thicken the soup. I also throw in whatever left over is in the fridge. No salt or seasoning. Slow cook for about two hours or until thick enough. By then all the ingredients will be mashy.

It is yummy. It will taste, naturally sweet because of the pumpkin and carrot. Your kids will love it. It doesn't need so much effort to do. All natural flavours.

And the chicken wings? If you don't like the bones, you can fish it out and give to the birds or cats or whatever.

I haven't taken any photos. It's not that my SD card is full. It just didn't occur to me to take some photos. :) Maybe this weekend.

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Borrow, Don't Buy

That's my motto when it comes to books.

Since, I found out that I can borrow books (read: paperbacks) that are just recently published from our subur's library, I don't spend on books anymore. I know that buying books is like building up a collection and I really know the feeling of amassing them. But for now, I don't want to create more mortgage for me. We are running out of storage space. :)

Registering at the library was one of the best things that I ever did to save money. I get to read the latest release without having to spend a penny. Well, a penny maybe for the fuel in going to and fro.

I also get to borrow audio materials and some books for Jens. Because let's face it, however many the kids books are, they will eventually get tired of them. :) So variety is a like a holiday.

I've borrowed so much and read so many but there's one book that I would love to recomment to everybody. Sundays at Tifanny by James Patterson. I don't really know how to give a good review but I will give this one a thumbs up. It is a very light read, words are so simple to understand, just your common English words, simple story, too few characters but you can't put it down.

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Wise Spending

Buying stuff for you child needs a lot of thinking. Babies grow up so quickly and before you know it, they become toddler, junior, kindy, so on. It is important to plan things before you buy them.

Clothes can be outgrown in a span of two months. And if you're like me who does the washing just every week, you need to have at least 10 pairs to make both ends meet. So buying at least 10 pairs every two months is a pain. Literally to the pockets. So what I do, is buy clothes that I see will fit him for the next six months or so. And I don't really buy expensive clothes for Jens. It's just impractical.

But it's a different story when it comes to stuff that he can use until he is 3 years - like pram. Yeah, his pram can hold a 17kg child, so he'll still be using it until he might be two years. But he's not actually using it now. Just when we are going for a long day out that he needs to sleep - which he doesn't do actually.

Stuff like cot, high chair (like Stokke Tripp Trapp maybe), toys, books, etc also needs to be invested.

But I can't really say, I'm a wise spender.. but at least I'm trying.

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On The Wheels!

I finally got on the wheels last weekend. I booked a lesson for an hour last Sunday. Before that, Mcj let me took over the wheels from the gate up to the curb close to the house on Saturday. We had another session Sunday morning and after my lesson with the instructor.

So far, not good enough! :)

I need more practice. I have another lesson with Dave on Sunday for 2 hours. You bet I'll have another run around the place before that so I am not wasting time learning the basics during the paid lesson.

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Tired!

acne. I got something like it now in the area between my eyes, just at the top of the bridge of my nose. It's the famous spot for zits. It's not the type of the month. I can't say that I always get it, though I have an oily skin. It's just a sign of lack of sleep.

Two nigts ago, Jens was not feeling well. He was whingy and at mitnight he was running a temperature. Worst of all, we ran out of baby paracetamol. (We went shopping that day but daggy Mum forgot to buy.) So I just put ice pack on his neck to cool him down. At 3PM, all the ice had melted so Mcj wet a rag and we wound it on Jens' neck. He wasn't that whingy at all. I was just worried that his temperature would shot up. Jens even wanted to play so we did until we both got tired (I was actually tired). I expected him to sleep but didn't. He was awake at six and went back to bed at 7:30. Unfortunately for me, I have to get up then to do my weekly routine.

I haven't made up for my lost sleep yet. Maybe tonight so this old zit will go away soon.

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