Loving Today!!

I love today..

Yessss, for :

1. Hubby is coming home today and I will be seeing him tomorrow morning!!
2. Holidays are approaching.
3. Got the submission done yesterday for a nice couple.
4. Get the drawings printed out and ready for contractor to quote for another job.
5. Finally have time to check for another project's drawings.


Can't wait can't wait to see hubby!! Yippie!

This long wait is only after 2 short (looonnnng!) weeks of hubby's assignment to New Zealand. He was kind of lucky to catch a glimpse of the heavy snow fall in Wellington. Emotionally, I guess he is worse than me. Home sick, missing ME and the boys, missing the house, the bed, well, everything here! Well, just 2 weeks!

See, it is kind of strange that when he is away, I have ALL the energy to get up early, cook my breakfast, prepare Jien's breakfast, read them books, play with them, bring them to the park, to the malls, etc etc...The moment hubby is back home, the adrenalin level will drop to the lowest low. I don't know how you see it. But I see it as I am such a LUCKY mom.

Counting down, counting down!! ;)

Quite a Fruitful Year

Last year, I THOUGHT I have not accomplished much in my work and also my personal life. It is like so quiet and yet forever busy kinda thing.

Then recollecting back, I saw myself moving into a new house, new environment, new neighbourhood and my boys LOVE where we are staying now. They just LOVE the new house.

Then one of the bungalows that I had designed was selected by the developer to be interviewed. And so they interviewed the happy clients and took pictures and videos of the house. Pleased.

Then without me knowing, another house of my design was published (without acknowledging me, the ID took credit of EVERYTHING...hsh, hush..) in a local magazine. I was delighted when my client showed me and gave me a copy. Delighted.

Then with friends' encouragement, I submitted our newly renovated house for a design competition organized yearly by the fellow Architects in Malaysia (PAM) and guess what?? I am shortlisted! I did not expect anything but I am shortlisted! Hey...

Not bad after all...kan? (* ps : just in case you wanna know : I did not win la! ;) ) The picture on the left showed my favourite part of my house which is not selected to be published in the medalists / shortlisted booklet....Don't know why they had selected the normal views of the house...hmmm...want to ketuk who ever choose the pictures! ;(

Courses Options

Sometimes I felt empty inside. I have been churning up designs after designs; taking care of the kids day in day out. I felt that I needed a change. Maybe I should take up some courses. For a start, cullinary class maybe? Or fashion design/sewing class ? Or maybe joining .....? Hmmmm...still seeking.

Yeah...maybe I should start doing something different before I feel stale, useless and lifeless!

Frantic Start

This is a crazy month. I signed up for an examination to be a facilitator for Green Building Index last month and from then on, it is :

. No weekends
. Waking up middle of the night to study
. Waking up middle of the night to catch up with work
. fatigue
. fatigue...
and fatigue........

First, I don't really INTEND to be one. I just want to know MORE about this GBI thingy. It is an in thing in the industry. Plus, more architects and even clients already know more in depth, I can't be just sitting and relax and I don't want to be in the last batch either.

The highlight is my maid was away for 2 weeks for her 'vacation' back home during this critical period. And that blown my brain and body apart, well, almost..

Thanks to my dear dear husband who had been so helpful taking care of the kids and cleaning the house, I mainly need to cook...;)

It is all over, and now live is back to normal and my maid is back! Yippie!

Good to go NORMAL again, ahh.....being able to sleep till 8.00am is good!

;)

Thinking Mode

I am extremely busy lately. Well, as usual.

And when I am thinking, I mean having deep thoughts; when I am forcing my creative juice of my noodle, when I am twirling my pencil trying hard and quick to come out with something - I need warm air! Yes, I can't think when the air con is in full blast. Just can't.

I remembered having to escape down to the library section in my previous office to do that. Or go out to the cafe nearby, anywhere but not in the freezing dry air in the office!

So sometimes hubby will come back and ask, 'Aren't you feel stuffy and hot in here?'

I just brushed it off with a big smile. ;)

(*picture showing my cheeky son peeping through the intended gap for ventilation just so that I don't I run out of air in my office while thinking! ;P)

Where to GO?

We have been hit quite badly after moving
to this new house. I mean our pocket is now in CRISIS. Well, considering whacking the old shattered house and almost rebuilding in that sense....

But the traveler bit of me is bugging me lately. I have not traveled to NEW places since like ages ago. Yes, I do traveled to Singapore just last year but that is like RE-visiting. I don't consider that so REFRESHING.

But with small budget, where can we go? Yes, I mean WE. I can't do without my boys. Neither can they. So, any suggestions?

(picture showing our little green patch on the 1st floor........oh! how I wish to trek somewhere, with my back pack and of course, this time, I must picture it with my boys too! haha!)

House

House is so important.

Especially for me, house needs to be cozy, comfortable and also be quite tastefully done...at least to my eyes. :)

So as I mention, the house is almost almost there. I am pretty excited over the look. Of course, any house will look so much better without grilles and so is ours... ahhhh...those nasty looking grilles. Well, apa boleh buat...

The other day, I brought a new friend of mine (a client of mine actually) who happened to be in Interior business doing built-ins. He was all too excited when he sees the house. He wanted to do the built-ins, no sharing with others........as he wanted it to be his and his profile only. He adores the concept and all......bla bla bla.

Deep inside, I know he won't be my contractor and so it is true. The cost is almost 3 folds of my the other contractor. Wah!! 3 BIG FOLDS!! But I am really happy and proud that him, being an ID, loves the house! ;)

So be it, I know the house will still look good with my the other contractor..

I don't need 6 figures ID job to make my house look EXTRA good. Architecturally it is already nice and all I need is some very basic built-ins to store things, that's all.

Can't wait to move in! About a month more to go!! Yippie!

Deserted blog

I was so occupied with works and my new house-to-be that I have absolutely deserted my blog site and also my fellow blogger friends...

It was a crazy May and June is worse. I can feel each of my nerve beeping with siren! Yes, I am stressed up. I admit that. With stress, I don't get any thinner but I grow side ways..duh, that makes things worse for me!

BUT BUT BUT I am really glad that the house is looking good now..from its poorly maintained, tattered, old fashion, disaster interior state, it is now slowly transforming into a more vibrant, lofty, modern, airy and well-lit house. Yes, ours is an intermediate house, but we have so much light in our living room and kitchen and all rooms!! I am pleased. Pictures? Wait la..belum siap lagi..

Kids? The elder one almost fractured his bone the other day, again..yeah..almost. We went to my friend's house, the huge TV was placed on a mini side table and dear son, with his itchy hands went touching it (or leaning? or pushing? God knows!) and all I heard was a loud thud! And I thought, oh Lord, I hope the TV does not smashed .......as it would cut the boy!! Blood! OMG!

No la, just minor accident. Yes, I did go crazy at that moment. I pushed the TV away, scooped up my boy and rushed to the hospital with a screaming boy. He is all fine and running now but I still have this occasional back cramps. Hey! It was a good 6 hours of waiting and getting the foot (well, feet, yeah, both but NOT at ONE-go and for that extra X-ray, we waited for an extra 1.5 hour!! fffff...) X-rayed bla bla bla....

The little one? Walking is like running for him!! He is super active and climbing is his forte! He loves biting his brother and we all know that it is because he loves him so much! wakakaka!!

This little one is more tuned into Astro - Xiao Tai Yang than Playhouse Disney! One Cina AhPek we have but boy we are glad! :)

Till then...........

Renovations

I don't know how many times I had been drawing and knocking down walls for other peopl's houses. This time it is MINE, yeah, OUR VERY OWN HOUSE, from the floor to the ceiling and to the roof!

Compared to our renovations done to our tiny apartment last time, this is at least 5x the work. Everything seems to be so old and meant to be torn and thrown.

If only we had more budget! Well, nevermind. I will twist and turn and squeeze my brain to make the house looks good with an extremely tight budget.

We finally started work on 3.3.2010! Consider a good date on the lunar calender. I just pray that everything goes well.

I have to reinforce myself with these reminders ALL the time :

1. This is just another house, relax....
2. Use your brain, cheap material can look good too...
3. Breath, DEEP breathe, remember - CANNOT argue with your partner during the process.


I have to say, being a designer, my brain always, yes, always flashes with ideas and images. It is nice that you can imagine things but when the images start to twist and kept coming or when you are trying to imagine hard for alternatives, I tell ya, it KILLS so many of my brain cells!! Haha...and when you see me staring in blank, and yes, I am not listening to whatever you are talking, nothing travels into my eardrum as my brain is flipping through images. GOSH, I tell ya, it must be tough being my partner sometimes.

Honey, I guess ya know what I mean..:)

Long-break Effects

The holidays ended finally. Too fast and too short. I think.

I am slowly picking up myself to work. As usual, there are always things to draw, letters to type, phone calls to be made...and I put ALL that behind me and I am flipping through one of my favourite architectural magazines, newly arrived and hot in my hands..

I am not those springy and ever-in-the-high-spirit type of person. I need to settle and ease myself to the right mode every time.

I love the way the Chinese companies celebrate the 1st day of working though. Must dress up nicely, red if possible. Lit up the red long fire crackers to signify good luck- the thundering sound that breaks the normally quiet morning, I LOVE IT. It somehow lift up the spirit better (at least for myself). And the lion dance? I just simple LOVE it. Speaking of which, I did not see any performance- live, YET, this year. I could just hear the drums and symbols beating from afar... Anyways, this idea of celebrating the 1st day of work, it gives hope, it lifts up the spirit and it sets the mind to work harder and have a better year ahead!! I LOVE THE SPIRIT, I LOVE the positive attitude.

Maybe next year, I should do the same. YEAH!! I really think so! Great!

Oopsy! Waita-minute, does that mean that I am going to break the law?? :P

Gong Xi Gong Xi

I am still working at the moment, imagine this....imagine a woman working few mornings ( yeah, 2am in the morning ), looking fat (sitting too much), messy hair, long un-pedicured nails, pale-looking and not forgetting that red-shot eyes...I think I have to hide myself this CNY! Hahaha!

Anyways, this Tiger year, I managed to squeeze out my limited available time (with hubby's assistance) to bake some cookies for us, MIL and my father! Phew! Baking simply because I think the cookies out there are just way too sweet and I just want to feel the hectic feel of CNY. Yeah, cleaning, baking, wiping, dusting - all the hard work before the CNY is quite a norm ever since I started working. :)

I want to wish everybody a very happy CNY and have a wonderful holiday! As for me, I am going to snooze the whole holiday. Zzzzzzz........;P

It is DONE!

After 2+ long years on site, the house I like is finally ready. This weekend, I am going to take her pictures for CF purpose.

I. AM. SO. HAPPY.

Best of 2009

The list goes like this:

1. Successful pregnancy. Non diabetics
2. My baby Jung was born, totally natural, without any epidural or drips. He is such a cutie pie and now he is turning 10-month old soon!! :)

3. Bought our new house. Yes!! Landed one. MORE space now! HOORAY!
4. My father turned 80-year-old!! And I pray he will still go on to celebrate his 100-yo birthday with us!! :)

5. My Jien attended the nursery without much fuss. He is the 'monitor' of the class I think. Monitor the class, standing most of the time, surveying the teachers' room, check the radio, checking the food, flip through the books at the rest corner and most of the time, watching others playing and cheers as an on-looker. I am SSSSSssssso...........proud.....?! Anyways, he was just 2+ then. I can't expect much; as long as he did not complaint much, I should be thankful already, heh? ;)

6. I can't think of any now, well I think I should count myself healthy and the rest of the close family members are all happy and healthy and blessed!!

7. I think being able to loose weight and fit into my old jeans within 5 months after pregnancy counts? :) Glad I did not turn into a big lump of fats after giving birth. Phew!


Seven is a good number, I think...and I hope I can have more lists to share with you all at 2010! Let the TIGER roar me high!! hahaha!

Happy New Year! Belated as usual..

I am so so so busy and finally here I am again! Hello friends out there (waving hands, madly) !! How do you do and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Work is starting to pour in and money wise, I have yet to see but I certainly need good planning this year as time is flying and with 2 kids now, the usual work that I need a good 3 hours to complete seems to be taking days (forever) and THAT is certainly not what I have expected and it is getting on to my nerves and I need to deal it with care before I go CRAZY.

Well, we managed to squeeze in a mini trip down to Singapore on Jien's birthday (to update some pictures later) for X'mas. The journey was not too bad. Maybe we were both mentally prepared for the worst. Haha!! We put up 4 days in our friend's house and the boys, friendly as they could be, did not show much tantrum (good lord! ;P).

We spent a good day in the zoo. Yeah, a good day means a WHOLE day. It started from around 10.30am to almost 5pm in the evening when we 'touched down' our friend's home!! The boys were so tired and knocked out once they hit the car. Haha!! And I myself was fast asleep that night.

I had a 2 days' crash-course learning WHO IS ADAM LAMBERT. My girl friend in Singapore was so crazily fascinated and in love with this young chap and not wanting to feel left out when we next have a gathering, she actually showed me the idol's first and till the last move - being boycott. Handsome, yeah...ok. Talent? Yes. I think he has powerful vocal. And he is a natural entertainer. Hmmm.......crazy for an idol? Me...nuh..no time. I have 3 boys already. Not another one ppppppleeease!

One of my highlights during the trip was to meet my LOOOOOOOOOOOONG lost friend. We last seen each other like probably 20 years ago? :) We have found each other again and guess what? We both ended up as designers!! We are now mother for 2 kids and we worked from HOME! What a coincidence and this time around, I don't think we are ever going to lose touch again, eh?? :P

x x x x

Resolutions?

I am certainly going to ENJOY my life more!! This is my resolutions!! Living my life to the FULLEST!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Hugzzz!!

SUEH!! puik puik!!

Oh it was a terrible November!!

First I was so so busy with work, but then, the client did not pay!! It is an ID job and we are the contractor. After paying half of the work, he had been using his partner as an excuse. 'Oh my partner went for Haj, after that should be ok' 'oh.. I am waiting for the funds myself' After that, 'oh he is very tired after Haj, so busy, I can't even see him myself'. After that, sick la, oversea la, whatever bullshit you could think of....

Then it is the stubborn bacteria/virus that cause all my 3 boys to be sicky for more than a month!! Goodness...!! Well, good thing is they don't have fever. I consider that lucky.

Then the BIG thing. Our house got broken into!! Yes. We only realised that 2 days later as the house was not in a mess AT ALL. I am not going to elaborate. Too painful to bring back the story. We had lost 4 nice watches (our birthday's gifts to each other), some cash, some jeweleries and a laptop.... I certainly think it is an inside job - the guards!! They are new (I don't know why the stupid management changed the team as the last badge was SO GOOD!) and they don't look good / kind. :( Yes, the police came, did a report and took some finger prints. THAT WAS IT?? My Iranian neighbour was so shock that the police did not question the guards nor get any CCTV records from the management nor asking the neighbours what-so-ever, NONE. Yes, we paid the police's salary but their job is to make reports only. Catching the thief, oh ppppleeeaseee!!

Then I realised I lost some keys for my project. I need to replace the locks. S.H.I.T.

Then another job the Contractor blew up the job as the carpenter was admitted to the hospital and I gotta find another one to continue the job. I hate working with this one as I knew that he is not that honest and his costing is SKY HIGH as we need to pay for his super luxury lifestyle - branded T-shirts, luxury cars and houses. Haha!! If not because I had to deliver to my client and the fact that I can't get my other contractors to help (year end and CNY rush), I would tell him - GO FLY KITE!!

Then the i-phone decided to give up yesterday!!

I am really drowning!!

Lucky thing - my boys loved me and my hubby supports me ALL THE WAY!! Nobody gets hurt and we still have lots to eat, a house to stay (a new one in fact coming our way)..what else to ask?

I reeeally need to have a GOOD YEAR to start next ...Pray pray pray...!!

Neighbour

The other day, I decided to take the boys down for a walk. On the way out, I saw my neighbour with her grandson both standing outside the house with a guard probing the lock. She, an Iranian, with her very broken English, said that the key was broken and stuck. She said it should be alright, the guard is helping her anyway.

I had not spoken to this very neighbour of mine though they had moved in for maybe 6 months now. Yeah, bad. Real bad of me right, so snobbish and UN-friendly. I know. But apartment living is like this I suppose. You lockthe door and you just don't see anybody else. I can't be knocking their door and say HELLO?? So the most is an occasional HELLO if we bump into each other in the lift. And the worst part is, I go out of the house during the non-peak hours, so to be frank, I hardly know my neighbours - horizontally (same floor ) or vertically (worse still). BUT BUT BUT I do see their maids though. Most maids and old folks bring the kids down to play and I am more 'familiar' with these faces...duh...

So back to my story...

When I got down, it started to drizzle, so I picked up the letters and went up straight. She was still there. Without any hesitant, I invited her in the house. Apparently the guard could not fix it and he had to get a locksmith. I talked to the locksmith over the phone, I knew he must be a Chinese somehow and it would be better if I do the talking. He said the fix would cost RM120 and asked whose house was that. I said my neighbour, an Iranian family. I told the old lady about the price, she said she does not have that much now but her son will be back soon. I told the him to come, I will pay first. He said DON'T. He said his experience with these people are NOT GOOD. They don't pay and asked me not to do this, just forget about it. I steadfastly assured him that I would pay. 'DON'T.WORRY.JUST.COME!' I think I am doing the right thing. Even if the son does not pay me later, I don't want the poor lady to be stranded out with the 2.5 yo and it was near dinner time!

So while waiting, we had a 'conversation' (see, it is quite hard to grab what she meant with her limited vocabs) and the boys were enjoying each other companion and started playing.

Soon after, hubby came back and this handy man of mine took less than 30 seconds to probe open the door. The old lady was so relieved. I called off the locksmith and he was relieved too. :P

ALL SET and the best thing was that sets on our friendships. My Jien happily strut in their house and played with his new friend and refused to come back home until we had to drag him back for his dinner.

The other day, the lady cook us a bowl of yummy Iranian noodle soup. All ingredients flown in from Middle East. It is very rich and delicious.

I am glad that it all turns out so rosy and sweet.

3rd Harvest

Our 3rd harvest is by far the most successful one. I had 2 batches of the seeds planted at 2 weeks intervals and as I had used the previous seeds from my last batch, I have got too much to plant!!

So we ended up eating fresh lettuce (psss..no pesticides!) almost EVERY MORNING!

LOVE IT!

Getting Older

Oh yes! It was my birthday. Last Monday. I had a few days' celebration, as usual. We started warming up the event by celebrating it with my most precious people on earth - Hubby and my 2 beloved boys. Yes, a dinner at Bijou, Mon't Kiara. Lovely. I love the interior decoration. I have no idea how is the food but just looking at the ID in the papers, I said go ahead and try. The result? No regret. :P Best of all, we had the restaurant almost to ourselves as the patrons that came after us went to another section of the restaurant, so yes, ALL to ourselves. So we don't have to worry about our boys annoying the romantic ambiance...hmmm....and ahHHH...ERR...too dark??!! Hello, I cannot read the menu! Gosh!! Am I too old or was it really too dark?! And seeing and pity this ah soh, the waiter then adjusted the dimmer and it was all then COZY and WARMTH. :p

Then, the next day, we had a celebration with my in-law. Yeah, they seemed to remember my birthday WELL. Not my father, not my brothers.......We had Japanese food and then a lovely cake from the kids. I selected the green tea cake from Lavender and it was good!! Not too sweet and the texture is smooth and it just melt in the mouth....Maybe order the same thing for Jien's birthday...keke

Then, it was my REAL b'day on Monday. Hubby gotta leave for Taiwan. WORK. And I have to slog like crazy having fetch Jien to and fro his 'school'. I had decided not to overwork myself and my maid during this testing time of not having hubby to assist, so NO DINNER at home. We went out for dinner! Yes, with baby and all!! And WE.MADE.IT.THROUGH!! It was enjoyable, completely relaxing (for I had expected the worst) but but BUT things turned out rosy. Ahhh.. The boys behaved themselves like angels! :)

This year I received the most birthday wishes I think. Online wishes. Thanks to FB! Geez.....amazing! But it was sweet. :) Thanks to all my frenz out there for the warm wishes (I even received a card from a friend who is actually traveling now in Egypt), thank you all !! muak muak hug hugz!

Buzzing bee

Busy busy busy..

Woke up around 7.30am everyday, feed baby, then get myself ready. Have my breakfast then put baby to sleep.

Then sneak a little bit of time to read e-mails/facebook and start work. Pick up Jien in the school around 12pm, bathe him, feed him and myself and spend about half an hour or more with the kids while my helper have her lunch and clean up the mess in the kitchen.

Then work *disturbance* - work - work *baby cry* - work *Jien knocking on the door*........work...break....break...duh..

...then express milk in the evening. Prepare dinner, bathe, eat my dinner with super speed (while feeding Jien) then put my punctual baby (8pm) to sleep.

Only then, I can start to unwind a little. Read a bit of paper or book, chat with hubby a bit (poor him, so little time for him!). By 10pm, prepare to sleep and we sort of 'take turn' reading to Jien and 10.30 - pengsan.

Come weekends, the working part will be replaced by seminars, marketing, taking care of the kids(helper on leave what...) but in a somewhat relaxed manner.

Psss..........actually I enjoyed it when I go out for meeting (that is when my maid is taking care of the 2 monsters). On the journey, I try to relax myself. At least, it is a consolation that I have my 'own' time!

So another baby to come??? Nuhhhhh.......With this kind of schedule? You gotta be kidding me!

Drips

No, my house taps are ok, no drips and no leaking.

It is my milk supply - drips, only.

It is just ONE day out and missing schedule to express and there you go, drips only.

I am SAD!! I want to continue breast feeding my baby - for at least another 6 months from now! But alas so little. It is either I stay at home so that I can boost up the supply again (which is kind of impossible lately, lots of meeting etc!!) or I should just give in to formula...

I try the formula for his cereal and he seems to enjoy it. (unlike his brother who rejected any other drink except mama's milk)

I guess I just have to be contented with mixing both now.

Arrhhhh........I am SAD!