Mummy Finally Knows How To Cook

Every weekday, we will go back to my mum's place for dinner.

Last Monday, my parents went for their 7-day holiday and I had decided to cook for my family. I never prepare dinner before and this year will be my first.

As I've said before here, I dread cooking. That's why for all these years, I had never stepped into the kitchen. Every weekend, either hubby cooks or we have our meals outside.

This year, is a different year for me as it's my year and I want it to be special. 2 days before my mum flew, I asked her how to prepare soup and she gave me some tips and ingredients to cook.

I also asked hubby for step-by-step on how to cook fried rice.

On the first day of the Mar holiday, I was quite nervous when the cooking time was near. I didn't have to prepare much as most of it were cut/prepared by hubby. All I need was to cook.

I told myself, I must do it. Whether it's undercooked, overcooked, too salty, too bland etc, I have done my best.

The end result for Monday's dinner looked like this.

The kids gave me 9/10 while the gourmet king gave me 7/10 due to the egg not being golden brown and the soup not enough taste.

Overall, their encouragements made me felt good. Finally, I was able to cook !! I felt a sense of achievement !!!

For the rest of the week, I had prepared fried rice and fried marconi. The more I cook, the more familiar I am with how much oil, salt, soy sauce etc to use. I felt good, really really good.

On Friday, it was supposed to be a break for me but the kids wanted to taste my fried rice again. So that day was the first time I cut the ingredients myself, finally.

Woohoo! I managed to overcome the obstacle and did it!

I felt so proud of myself. ;p

After cooking for 4 days, I know that from now onwards, I will cook more often for my family. Also, now hubby cannot say I don't know how to cook. Haha~!

Last but not least, the kids were also happy that their mummy finally knows how to cook!

Simple Food, Simple Thoughts

Beginning of this year, the study help group had done something which I applauded their passion in helping the kids in their studies.

The in-charge told me for this year only, the centre will purchase assessment book for individual subject for each individual and we do no have to reimbursement them. For next year onwards, they will write the name of the assessment book and we shall purchase on our own.

Can you imagine how much they have to spend?

Deep down in my heart, I really appreciate their effort. Really. Hence I requested hubby to prepare some finger food or whatever to show our appreciation.

Our blueberry muffins still need alot of improvement and so he decided to make potato + apple salad for them instead.

Hope they will enjoy this simple food we have made for them

Our 1st Baked Blueberry Muffins

My close friends know that I do not know how to cook. In actual fact, I dread cooking!

I dread cutting. I dread wondering if the food is over-cooked or under-cooked. I dread getting burnt.

As years go by, I begin to realise that if I can cook for my loved ones, the feeling will be fantastic.

Hence I make a resolution beginning of this year to learn to cook/bake for them. Which means I have to overcome my fears.

My resolution started to materialise when my good friend baked muffins for us and the kids requested me to bake for them. It is also a good opportunity for the kids to experience in cooking/making/baking.

So I asked my friend for her recipe and last saturday, finally, I baked for the 1st time!

At first, hubby who went out, asked me to wait for him so that he could be by my side to guide me, as it was my first. I thought for quite a while and decided I should do it without his help so that he could give comments on my first bake.

I was quite nervous as the kids were by my side, waiting for my instructions on how to assist me.

I requested my girl to read out the ingredients and I made the preparations. The 3 of us had a lot of fun together. The children enjoyed sifting the flour and beating the egg while I enjoyed the whole process.

The children were so excited when the muffins were done!

When hubby returned home, he tasted it and gave a thumb-up. I think he is just trying to make me happy. Haha. However, even the kids said they tasted good. Hmm....

I think the muffins still need alot of improvement and I know I will bake again. :D Whatever it is, I am so happy that together with the kids' help, we baked our 1st baked Blueberry Muffins!

Great Work On 2 Time-Table

My daughter has Chinese test on Monday and I need to spend more time with her on revision.

My boy was sitting beside me doing something quietly and he showed me what he had done.

I was so surprised that he can do these as I'd never taught him.

Although there are some mistakes, I still praised him.

Great work on 2 time-table!

Update On His Behavourial #3

It's coming to the end of Term 1.

From the last update on his behavourial #2, it was about a month ago. Now my boy is more aware that he has to finish his school work before playtime or watch his favourite cartoon. So whenever I give him worksheets to do, he will not reject. Phew. It's quite easy for me to teach 汉语拼音 now.

Now he can focus on worksheet for 30 - 45 mins, with occasion standing up. An improvement there is !

The super telescope is still working. Hehe. Secret has not been revealed yet. Everytime he returns home, he will ask me what I can see from the telescope. Most of the time, I repeat the same thing like, his love for water cooler, he being the time-keeper etc.

And it is through this "telescope" that I come to know a few new events.

Boy: "mummy, what did you see from the telescope today?"

Me: "I saw you keeping track of the time because you are the time-keeper."

Boy: "I am not the time-keeper now. I am the group leader."

Me: "Wah! This is a great improvement you know! So what do you do as a group leader?"

Boy: "I collect homework and pass to teacher. But I want to be the monitor leh."

Me: "You must work harder to behave then one day teacher may choose you as the monitor, ok?"

Boy: "Ok. Some more? What do you see in me do in school?"

Me: "I saw you behaving in classroom today" (trying to say positive attitude to motivate him to behave better)

Boy: "Ya ... but teacher taped a square on the floor and I need to sit inside. Teacher said I cannot go out of the box. Joel also sit inside a box."

Me: "why must you sit inside?"

Boy: "because I cannot sit still on the floor, I keep moving in front and backwards. So I  must sit inside the box."

Me: "do you feel sad?" (wanting to check if this action bring his confidence level down)

Boy: "no. When I can stop moving around, then teacher will take away the box. Then will left Joel only"

Me: "ok, so I hope the day will come very soon. Must let me know ok!" 

You know, I can never stop worrying about my kids. I am sure most mothers feel this way too. I just hope his behaviour will keep improving day by day. I recalled when he just started P1, I kept worrying few things.

- dont know how to unhook/hook his shorts when passing urine and worry he may control his bladder instead

- dont know how to buy food as he still unsure of dollars/cents and worry he may decide to go hungry

- cannot remember to bring wallet for recess to buy food and worry he may go hungry

But the above worries are unfounded. He just managed it.

Only one worry left.

That is, he controls his tummy pain and returns home for poo. I had taught him to use toilet paper but he prefers to use water. Hence he will try to control tummy ache. Hope the tummy ache only happen once in a blue moon.

I feel that he is getting more mature. Yesterday I taught him how to use coin phone to call me from school. Just now, he did it. Sweetness in my heart now~ :)

The Super Telescope

First of all, I must admit I told a white lie to my boy.

He is currently immersed in the role of Captain Hook of Jake and the Neverland Pirates and so I told him that I had a super telescope like Captain Hook, which enable me to see what he is doing in school.

Previously, my question: "So any funny thing happen today?" in my post here, does not work anymore. So I crack my brain and thought of this method.

It is quite comical talking to him as he will tell me a lot of things without me asking much. He keeps asking me to show the telescope and I told him it’s a secret.

Me: "Boy, today I can see you went to the toilet and drink from water cooler" (remember he told me about why he likes toilet break”

Boy: "how you know? Is it you used telescope again?"

Me: "Yes"

Boy: "Then did you see I play catching and climb up to 5th Storey?"

(I really don't know about this)

Me: "Oh yes, I can see you play with your friends right?"

Boy: "Ya. Then did you see I play water from the cooler?"

Me: "Ah….yes, you are so mischievious. Please behave or else your teacher may catch and scold you. Hmm…I also see you behaving and sitting down to do worksheet in classroom"

Boy: "Ya, but I got stand up abit because I can finish faster. What else can you see?"

This time, I need to crack my mind to think. So, I pick up some events from his daily conversation with his sister, like this;

Me: "I saw you sneaking outside jie-jie’s classroom to peek at her during your recess. Please stop as you may disrupt the lesson."

Boy: "I told my friends I don’t want to go because you have telescope to see, but my friends ask me don’t care you. So I go and see jie jie. Then when I am outside, jie jie's friend said: hey! your brother!" and he laughed.

And it goes on and on with him saying many stories which he thought I could "see" with the telescope. Haha!

I quite like this white lie method as it really works in knowing what he does in school. However, in time to come, I shall reveal the secret about the super telescope.