Random Questions On A Random Day

Pam Song: Actually, what is your ideal house?

The Husband: Nah… *points at me* You. It’s a person. Pam Song.

🤭

The Problem With Moving

Source: "The problem with moving abroad" by @destination_savvy

Saw this on IG today and it just summed up how I felt

when I was in the thick of planning my move back to Penang. 

No, I never lived abroad. Never had the chance. I studied, began my career and started my family in my homeland 🇲🇾, except I was a 3.5-hour drive away from the city in which I was born. 

Moving to KL at 17, I didn't think anything would change. I didn't feel the difference nor expect the divide when I left. I didn't foresee any detachment. I mean, I was born and bred in Penang! NRIC 07! I would always be a Penangite! And a proud one at that! 🫡

But still, it happened. This happened. 👆

It was only when I was preparing for my move back to my hometown a good 18 years later when I was in my mid-thirties, that the distinction between the me then and the me now became obvious. I realised that I didn't know how to move back home,... because home didn't feel like home anymore. 🫤

I left a carefree teenage student at the cusp of life.

I returned, a wife and a mother, and later a survivor, 

with a business to run and a home and family to care for. 

I can't explain it any other way. It really, really felt like time stood still the whole time I was away, and I had outgrown this life that once was mine. To be honest, Penang was almost unrecognisable. I couldn't get to where I wanted to go without Waze. (I learned to drive in KL. 😅) And even old friends had turned into familiar strangers almost two decades later. 

Still, I had to try.

Refamiliarising myself with my little island took a while. In fact, it took longer than expected, no thanks to Covid and the lockdown. And although I still miss my life and friends in KL so many, many muchness, 4.5 years later, I can finally say that I'm starting to grow accustomed to life back in Penang. 🏝️

I've kinda settled on my favourite hawkers, haunts, and hangouts; places where the aunties, uncles, and service staff know me, my name and my order well enough for me to sit down and just have the food arrive. (Every day go same place, eat same-same. 😆) I've rekindled old friendships and made new ones. But yes, I still use Waze everywhere I go; at least now it's mainly to avoid traffic. (Penang also always jam.)

Is this home? Well, my house here feels like home. 🏡 But beyond these four walls, I still have a ways to go before I can honestly say that Penang is, without a doubt, where I feel most at home at as opposed to anywhere else in the world. In the mean time, I guess this is my truth:

Penang is my base, KL is my escape and Family is my home.

Cuti-Cuti Malaysia

Sort of. 🤣

Patient toiletries plus the latest in hospital fashion. 💃

And so my hotel stay begins. 🙆‍♀️

This is gonna home for the next 7 days

at the very least. Might as well get comfy.

My bedside drawer stuffed with all my kachang.

Didn't bother packing a fully-equipped toiletry bag cos I probably won't use anything other than my toothbrush and toothpaste anyway. Was informed that I'm to take a antimicrobial bath later today. Then I doubt I'll be doing any showering post-op. So... yeah. No need toiletry bag la. #packinglight Also, I doubt I'll have any visitors anyway. #sadbuttrue Hence, look like crap also nevermind la! Hahaha. 

Things That Matter More

If I were to hold up a piece of paper that had a single dot on it and asked you what you saw, you'd probably say – a dot. Why? Because our perspective is usually skewed towards noticing the bad and not the good. The blemish, stain and speck on the otherwise flawless environment it rests on. Because it's easier zooming in on a single, teeny-tiny, dark spot on a white piece of paper, instead of focusing on that entire white paper itself. Easier to bemoan the cloud than to appreciate the silver lining. Abhor a pimple than admire a pretty face.

Now, here's the reason to that analogy...

We've pretty much given up on live-in helpers. We've had them on and off ever since JZ came along but after a few crazies and a handful of bad apples, we've decided that enough is enough. 🙅‍♀️ Enough agency fees spent; enough frustrations endured. The kids are older... I was just two shots shy of being done with Herceptin (at the time)... It was time to go it alone. We were ready. All the best, good riddance, bye-bye. 👋

Well, I'm happy to say that in the past 2 months since we started playing house, our home is majorly neater but marginally dustier, the kids are doing more and grumbling less, I'm happy to not have to deal with any drama while The Husband is happy to not have to spend RM1960 a month, and I'm usually so tired by the end of the day that I sleep better now than ever before. LOL. All in all, it's been good. Really good. This step towards independence has worked out quite well for us, if you ask me.

But of course, there are days when things just. don't. work. out. the way they should. Those one-off black-dot kind of days when there's just too much laundry to be done, too many toys on the floor and too little time to do it all. On days such as those, I tend to internally groan and grouch the situation that has befallen me. BUT... there's always one thing that never fails to return a smile to my face:

When I see my boys quietly enjoying

each others' company and entertaining themselves

(as they steer clear of their monster mom).

My house may be messy, but my heart is full. ❤️ 

And if you ask me, I think the latter matters more.

MCO Day Dunno-What

You'd think that being stuck at home on a month-long timeout would be fun on all levels in this day and age with smart phones, 4G, high-speed Internet and Netflix but... not quite so lehhhh... 😩 Not when it's not really a holiday. And especially not when you have kids. And 106 moving boxes to unpack. And life goes on. And work goes on. And you've still gotta eat. And them kids gotta eat. And you have a husband who always eats. Heck, this ain't a holiday, yo! This is tougher than normal life!!!


The days have started bleeding into one another. I can no longer tell if it's Sunday or Monday, or Wednesday or Whateverday. The flip calendar on my tabletop has stopped being flipped. Mainly cos I haven't bothered doing any flipping, and also cos I haven't got the time to bother with trivial things like flipping a freaking calendar, between being Michelin gourmet chef, Oxford-grad international school teacher, award-winning freelance copywriter and super house manager all rolled into one Mad Murderous Mom. 😡


Seriously, the only bright side to this "STAY AT HOME" season is that we're living in our own place. I love our new home and it's really coming along. But uh... can I be alone in it for 2 seconds?? 🤣🤣🤣

Raising Our Children Near Their Grandparents

One of the major factors that spurred our move back to Penang was the fact that we would be raising the boys near their grandparents. To finally being close enough for them to see my parents and my in-laws often enough to be able to build healthy, strong familial relationships with them.

I think we've achieved that.

We moved out of my in-laws' place and into our own home on 4 January 2020. Even so, the boys still frequently ask for yummy dinners and cousin sleepovers at Ah Kong and Ah Ma's house. They also always ask to visit Kong Kong and Por Por's house to do random fun things like gardening, playing fireworks, or even discussing Pocket Frogs strategies.

16 February 2020 – JJ showing Ah Ma some love one random afternoon.

8 January 2020 – JJ tickling Kong Kong's ear on the way to lunch.

29 September 2019 – Exploring the Penang Botanical Garden with Por Por.

22 November 2019 – JJ and JZ chilling out with Ah Kong after dinner.

Looking back at these pictures while I organise my Google Photos into albums, I really think we did the right thing by coming home. #familymatters #familyfirst

AliExpress & Mommy FTW!

Totally loving my AliExpress buys for the boys' room.

Veli chip, veli gud, I veli hapi! Win-win-win!

Are the boys super into space, though? Nope. They prefer dinosaurs. But it's Mommy's house so Mommy can do whatever she wants. 🤣🤣🤣 #pullingrank #thatslife #dealwithit #Ihavebettertaste

TOP 2019 Watchnite Service Testimony Mini Series – Part 1: God's Timing

NOTE: This testimony is the first of 6 instalments.


When we stepped into 2019, my family and I were prepared for a busy and challenging year ahead. Moving towns, moving homes, changing schools... new friends, new home, “new” church... there was so much adjusting to do. Little did we know, all that... was the easy part. We found out I had cancer in August. After that, our crazy year got infinitely crazier.


The second half of 2019 turned out to be exceptionally rough for me and my family. But in spite of the trials, tribulations and difficulties we faced, we see God’s hand guiding us and comforting us every step of the way. Here are just a few ways God has shown himself so real to us as we battle cancer.


PART 1: GOD'S TIMING

After years and years and years of talking about relocating back to Penang – and honestly, trying our best to do so and failing many times – we finally made the move this year. The ability to move back was a miracle in itself.

We found out about the kids' new school by fluke, and in one visit, we were given a guided tour of the grounds, the boys got assessed and were immediately offered places, we paid the registration and deposit, and... overnight, our kids became Penang school enrolees. So, schooling – kautim. 🏫

We also super-last-minute decided to go look at homes the day after because... well, the agent called, and we suddenly had time to spare since we didn't have any reason to survey schools anymore. Haha. So ma go look-see-look-see lor. No expectations whatsoever.

Truth be told, it wasn't our first rodeo around Penang properties. But we somehow never checked out any units at this place he had keys to that day. To our surprise, we took one look at the place, fell in love with it, made an offer that was accepted, and that was that. House – also sorted. 🏡

In a nutshell, everything just fell into place (Psalm 16:6) that one visit back last year, which resulted in us moving back this year. It was truly a miracle how the two concerns we just couldn't address the many, many, many years before were suddenly and effortlessly solved in just two days. ✌️ And just like that, we were coming home!

And a week after moving back,

we discovered the cancer. 

Thing is… if we hadn’t moved back, there is no way we could have gone through treatment this August to December without the kids being affected because we had no helper and no family support in KL. #flyingsolo #ittakesavillagetoraiseachild

Back here, we are blessed to have a helper to handle the home, grandparents to help babysit the children, and Mama to manage our meals for us during this time while I'm out of action. So what I’ve learned from our miraculous move back is this:

God’s timing is always perfect.

He’s never early, never late.

Cool Dude Alert

Been busy moving stuff over to the new house lately cos – YES! Our home is ready! Finally! 🏡🎉🌈 Been trying to appease Mama by removing our clutter-load of boxes from her guest room whenever I manage to muster up some strength to do so. Slowly, slowly la. A few bags 🛍 and boxes 📦 – one car-load at a time. 🚙💪 

Today was no different. Loaded up the car with a bunch of old seaweed boxes, got into the front passenger seat, turned around to check that JJ wouldn't accidentally get squished by them if we took a corner, and was greeted by this sight: 

LOL. Tiba-tiba only got sunnies on, this fella. 😎

#macammacampunada Haha.

Cool, man, you. Very cool.

I Wish That...

1. Chemo didn't take quite so many moons to complete and that I was already done with treatment by now.

2. My cancer wasn't HER2+ so we didn't have to spend so much money and we would be done with treatment by Christmas instead of having it drag on till the 3rd quarter of 2020.

3. Renovating a home didn't take so long and wasn't this messy.

4. There were creative classes I could take here in Penang. Like calligraphy or oil painting or flower arrangement – something fun for me to indulge my creative side a little.

5. I had one of those vacuum mouths all those mukbangers seem to have. SLUUURRPPP!

Do What You Can, When You Can

Time flies. With Chemotherapy + Immunotherapy Round 2 coming up this Tuesday, I figured I'm probably feeling my very best possible right now so... I better get to doing whatever I can, while I still can. 💪


Got productive and sorted out all my CROWN Relocations moving boxes that were stacked up to the moon in Mama's guest room 📦📦📦, and put them into 45L storage boxes that I bought from TESCO at a discount.

Tadaaaa! All stacked up and neatly arranged from heavy (bottom) to light (top), and organised by room and content type for easy unpacking later. #OCD Quite a good job, I think. Nice and neat.

 Ok la. Exercise for the day – done.
Now time to pancit. 😅

Testimony: Room Decor & Poncho Delivery, Straight From Heaven

I've kinda moved into a separate room in the house with its own ensuite bathroom for the duration of my chemo treatment for the safety of the kids and everyone else at home. (Apparently, the toxins leach from my body in various ways through body fluids, especially during the first 24-48 hours after.) 

The first few nights were lonely, I must admit. Quite natural considering I've not had a single night alone since the kids came along, I suppose. (I birthed cuddle monsters. 👩‍👦‍👦) But after awhile, I started to appreciate the quiet. I could blog in peace... Leave the lights on... Make as much noise as I wanted... Not have to use earphones... It wasn't all bad. 🙂

Still, a mom's a mom. When it came to the actual bedtime, I always felt like something was missing. No tiny, warm body with its limbs wrapped around me – something's wrong with this picture! So a day or two into this new sleeping arrangement, I put up some framed photos of me and the kids in an effort to feel less like an empty nester. That was all the decor there was. 

Until EJ's care-pack arrived last night.

Now my temporary room has decor! Wheee!

Now, about that poncho...

Every time I my eyes fall upon it, my heart warms, for I am reminded of just how much God cares for me, and how He's taking care of me. Here's why:

Over dinner, Melsong and I were just talking about what to wear during my next chemo session that's coming up. You see, it's pretty cold in the chemo department. And you kinda get colder when the treatment starts cos cold liquid is going through your veins. So, the last time I was there, she lent me her pashmina that happened to be with her. 

This time around, she thought I should wear a jacket siap siap before I start, to keep warm. Me, I thought I'd go with a pashmina again cos a jacket means I'll have to wear the jacket ALL THE TIME – even if it gets hot – because I'd have an IV line in my hand and I won't be able to remove my hand through my sleeve. 

Well, little did we know that while we were intensely discussing chemotherapy outfit options 💃 #priorities 😂, God had already provided me a poncho – the perfect keep-me-warm piece for one with an unusable hand – and it was right there sitting in a delivery box in the car, just waiting for me to open it up!! Coincidence?? I think not! 

So yes, every time I see that poncho, I am reminded:

------------------
Philippians 4:19
------------------
19 And my God shall supply all your need
according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

--------------------
Matthew 6:26-32
--------------------
26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

I went to bed feeling happy and grateful for friends and for a God who supplies all my needs and knows what I want and need before I even ask it or know it myself. Then this morning, I realised...

The decor even matches the room!

Trivial? Not to me. #fussypot Another coincidence? No way. And if you were wondering, EJ wouldn't have known either. She's never seen this room. Heck, even I didn't realise the room was this white and lilac until now that I'm paying attention. 😅

So, if something as simple as a warm poncho and some matching furniture, my God has already taken care of for me... would He not then take care of me? 🙆‍♀️

Living With JJ In The Future

JJ always tells me he wants me to live with him when he's older and has his own place. Sometimes, he tells me that we share a unit. Other times, he tells me I should be on one floor, and he will buy a unit on the 11th floor of the same condo and live there "together" with me. He usually talks about this whenever we're in the lift alone and it warms my heart to hear him speak this way about our future cos... you know la boys. Once they grow up, they no care Mummy no more. 😢 #realitiesoflife #facingthefacts

Today was another day for another

such conversation with my youngest-born.

But with an unpredictable twist.

Because JJ is unpredictable like that.

JJ: Mommy, next time can you live with me?

Pam Song: Caaaannnn... 😍😘

JJ: *matter-of-fact-ly* Because I cannot cook yet.

Pam Song: 😳🤨🤔

Right. *rolls eyes* My clingy, loving son is gone and his very-pragmatic, tham-ciak split personality persona is back to rule the day. 🙄 #kenaguna #likeJekyllandHyde

Do You Have A House?

As heard coming from the backseat on the way back down to KL after a busy week of seeing contractors and getting quotes in order for our Penang house reno to (hopefully) commence ASAP so we can move in on schedule.


 JJ: Kor Kor, will your house have a lot of sweets? 

 JZ: I don’t even have a house!!! 🏡 *wrings hands in the air exasperatedly*

 JJ: *sadly* Me also. ☹️

LOL. Kids. They really crack me up la.
Talking about home ownership at 4 and 6. 😂

Speaking With Contractors

So we've been working on the house since late 2018 but nothing much has materialised as yet. The house is still an empty shell with no light and running water, and we're still knee-deep in discussions concerning table heights, shelf widths, and drawer depths. Haven't even gotten into the soft finishings of paint, colour and material yet. I can't say I'm not frustrated by the delay. 

It's also been extra frustrating discussing the reno via WhatsApp, no thanks to the distance between us, the house and the contractors. Hokkien-speaking contractors, to be exact. This was today's highlight:

Yes la yes. Please school me on "the deep"

cos I no un what you is talking. 😓🤦‍♀️🤷‍♀️

7 Boys, 3 Moms & 0 Help: Part 2

If I can do this, I can do anything! Because dudes and dudettes, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls... this aunty is done with the dishessssssss!!! 💪💪💪

Ok, no. Not really. After this, I gotta go
put all these out to dry on the drying rack. 😅
#amothersworkisneverdone
#aplaydatemothersworkislagineverdone 😂

Actually, my stacking game is strong so that pic doesn't do the pile justice la. 😆 #selfpraise You can't see it but there was a total of: 11 plastic bowls, 7 plastic cups, 2 mugs, 3 drinking glasses, 10 forks, 4 spoons, 1 knife, 13 jelly cups, 2 jugs, 3 glass containers with covers, 1 chopping board, 2 kitchen knives, and 1 baby bottle (for measuring syrup). *pause* Rats. When I list it out like that, it also doesn't sound like a lot. 😕 Why ah?

Heck it, it was 60 items altogether!!! 😑

This is why I shall not plan another multi-kid playdate anytime soon la, I think. Clearing up the house – okay. Washing 60 dishes – NO-kay. And this is also why I definitely need a dishwasher in my new home. Sekian.

7 Boys, 3 Moms & 0 Help: Part 1

Sometimes, I think I'm too optimistic

for my own good when it comes to cramming in

activities for myself and my kids. 😅

See, I've been trying to plan more playdates for the kids since they'll be leaving KL soon. This is their last term in their current school cos we'll be heading back to Penang after this term and they'll begin the next school year at a new school on the island where I'll bet they know no one there. 😢


You know, I feel extra sad when kids have to part ways because it's often not of their own doing. They're just going in whatever direction we point them in. Even if it means saying goodbye to good friends with the possibility of never meeting again. Because unlike adults with phones, Facebook, WhatsApp, money and the power of control over our own time, goodbye always seems so final for kids. Sigh.

So, I'm determined to do what I can while

they're here, to help them further develop

and (hopefully) preserve their friendships.

Having said that, our schedule is packed! JJ had a playdate at his friends' home on Monday i.e. yesterday. Today, JZ had a playdate with his friends at our place. (7 boys!!!) Tomorrow, JJ and I are going for lunch date with a bunch of his classmates and their moms. Very happening, I know. It's all about connecting, connecting, connecting these next few months. 👯


But today, I think I overdid the crazy. Hahaha. I must have been mad to agree to having 5 boys over for a playdate. That's 7 boys when you include my kids. SEVEN! Siao liao! 🤪 What was I thinking!? 🙋🏻🤦🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️ Thank goodness 2 boys couldn't make it in the end or else it would have been 9 boys altogether. 😬 Gila.


What's worse was that today happened to be swimming day in school for 6 out of the 7 boys so... considering they came right after school, all of them are extra dirty and super chao chao. Yuck. My poor carpets and sofas. 🙈🙉🙊 Aiyaiyai! Must remember never to plan any playdates after school on Tuesdays. And even if I do, not in my home!


Anyhoo, they all behaved relatively well. Much, much better than I expected. (It was me and another mom versus the whole lot of them. One other mom had a ballet class to teach and the other went to the bank.) Beyblade fever was high and it sparked a tiny tiff to the end of the playdate but overall, it was all good. For my sake and sanity, I let the kids have some TV time at the last 15 mins so I could start clearing up a little.

7 boys in 1 small playroom.  Year 1 (6yo) x 4,

Reception (5yo) x 1, and Nursery (4yo) x 2.

They all left between 4.30pm and 5pm, and I was done with the clearing up by 5.30pm. We had to rush out to get some bedding sorted. (Exciting Penang house stuff! Read here for more info.) So I just dumped all the dirty dishes into the sink and made a run for it. 🏃🏻‍♀️💨

Well, I'm paying for it now. 🙄😖😩

My glorious pile of half washed dishes.

What the heck was I thinking, having 7 boys over??? 🤦🏻‍♀️ Maybe I just wasn't thinking at all la cos that's hosting 7 boys in my home, with no helper to help clean up after! *slaps self for supreme stupidity and zero foresight* Aih... Ok la. No more blogging. This maid's gotta put on her other glove and get back to work. Bye!

Living A Life Where Change Is Constant

University Hospitals lists the top 5 most stressful life events as follows:

• Death of a loved one. 
• Divorce. 
• Moving. 
• Major illness or injury. 
• Job loss.

I'm grateful to not to have had to deal with the stress from 4 of the life events mentioned above. (Not counting Kong Kong and Princess' deaths. 😢) But the only one that I have been through – moving – well, I've done that so many times I've more than made up for the lack of the rest.


Was talking to an old friend from Penang this morning when it suddenly dawned upon me that I've moved homes 12 times since I was 17. That's TWELVE TIMES in the last 17 years of my life, yo. No exaggeration. Let's recount just for kicks.


📦 MOVE #1 @ January 2002 – Moved from my family home in Penang to a triple-sharing rented room in KL to begin my college life at Taylor's College, Subang Jaya (TCSJ). 13 girls in 1 rat-infested, flasher-frequented house. Yay!


📦 MOVE #2 @ January 2003 – Moved to a twin-sharing room in a small shoplot that's closer to class. 10 girls, 1 shower, 1 toilet, total fire-hazard. But who cares? GOT WASHING MACHINE! Woohoo! No need to carry 8kg of laundry from home to the laundrette or hand-wash anything ever, ever, ever again amen!


📦 MOVE #3 @ Early 2004 – Tenanted The Husband's aunty's empty double-storey house in USJ 9 with some friends and had an awesome degree life there. My own room, at last – whoopee! My first time having a queen bed to sleep on, too – yay! This place was quite a distance from TCPJ Bali campus so my parents ended up buying me my first car for easy commuting. All things considered, it was definitely a good year for a teenager. Haha. 🚗💨


📦 MOVE #4 @ 3rd Quarter 2007 – Moved into the master bedroom of a unit at Damansara Perdana that was tenanted by a colleague from MCKL. This was my first time living out of Subang area since moving down to KL. No choice but to move lah because the USJ 9 house was to be sold, but also glad to move cos Damansara Perdana was so much closer to MCKL – my workplace at the time. That meant no more hour-long car rides to and fro from work, and no need to pay toll. No complaints also cos I finally had an adjoining bathroom! Wheee!


📦 MOVE #5 @ January 2008 – Moved to a double storey house in Ara Damansara with the same MCKL colleague. (Our previous home owner wanted to sell the place.) Got a bigger room so yay! Only horror was finding out that the water pressure was super shit after we moved in. 😰🤦🏻‍♀️


📦 MOVE #6 @ January 2009 – Moved in with The Owner – the easiest-going housemate I ever had, who was also the first housemate who was neither a friend, nor a colleague, nor a college-mate. We basically had nothing and no one in common but heck, I was really blessed to have the best time of my life with the E0506 gang. (Yup, with The Owner, it was "Buy 1, Free 5" because his group of college friends were tight and we ended up hanging out together often during the weekends.)


📦 MOVE #7 @ Mid-2010 – Moved back into my family home in Penang and started work at KRPG. That meant bye-bye, friends! 😭 Bye-bye familiar hangouts! 😭 Bye-bye, KL shopping! 😭 Bye-bye, 4As agencies! 😭 Bye-bye, global accounts! 😭 Bye-bye CHCKL! 😭 Bye-bye, adjoining toilet! 😭 But hello, family + free meals. LOL.


📦 MOVE #8 @ Mid-2011 – Moved in with my in-laws when I began married life. Lots of adjusting to do and discoveries to make in my newly minted marriage and with living in an unfamiliar family home. Not easy considering The Husband was away for work 5 days out of 7!


📦 MOVE #9 @ End-2011 – Moved down to live in Mont Kiara, KL to be with The Husband as post-marriage LDR just wasn't ideal for us after having already gone through 10 YEARS of LDR. Cukup la, bro!


📦 MOVE #10 @ 2nd Quarter 2012 – Moved back into Subang as Mont Kiara was the worst hell hole ever! I hated living there. The toilet stank, the house was perpetually dusty, the roads were badly paved, food was expensive, and the traffic jams were horrendous! Day and night – always jammed! What the heck!?! I dunno why I still have so many friends living there. No un. 🤔


📦 MOVE #11 @ October 2014 – Moved to our current condo which is closer to the city and also closer to JZ's preschool. This move was exceptionally trying and tiring for me because I had all of 2 days to pack up and move everything because I was in Penang before that to deliver JJ. This also meant that I was moving homes fresh out of confinement with 1mo JJ 👶🏻 and 1y23mo JZ 👦🏻 with me. Perfect timing, right?? 😅🤪 #caripasal


📦 MOVE #12 @ January 2015 – Moved next door. Like literally right. Next. Door. Hahaha. Ciak pa bo su cho, right? No la. Not really la. Got reason wan. We decided to rent the house next door the year before while our actual unit was finishing its tenancy agreement.

But even though it was just next door, move is still move la. Still have to pack up E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G and then unpack E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G wat! Summore we were packing and moving and living there while reno was being carried out. OMG, things were so crazy, messy and dirty that JJ ended up having to nap in a stuffed luggage bag because the beds were already moved over but weren't set up yet. LOL. You look and see! Siao or not?? Hahaha.

😅😂🤪

This one started life rough.

He'll be tough. Hahahaha. 

Anyhoo... that's the long and short of it all. My next move is coming. And because the kids are both in school now and I've already got a dozen moves under my belt, I'm going with experience and starting my packing early. I can't pack all of it, of course. But whatever I can, I'm doing.

Under-utilised kitchen gear and serving dishes – packed.

Kids' old toys – packed. Kids' old clothes – packed.

My too-small-for-me-now clothes – packed. 😅🙆🏻

Honestly, I'm beginning to look forward to this move. It won't be easy considering I've got three lives to pack, not including my own. But I'm silently praying that it will be the last move I'll make in a long, long time. 🙏🙏🙏


So that I can unpack all our things without the thought of having to keep boxes around for the next move. So that I can make plans without an impending future move lingering at the back of my mind. So that my family and I can finally grow roots and find permanence and belonging where we're at. So my kids can grow up without the insecurity of instability and the stress of constant change.

 Yes, I'm looking forward to this move. ☺️

Blessed To Be A Blessing

I've been filling my home with framed quotes and verses to up the positive around here. Last week, I decided to prepare one for an acquaintance, too. (Her mom isn't doing to well and was in ICU.) We're not particularly close but I felt led to do so and so I did. Passed the framed bible verse through a mutual friend and today, my WhatsApp message ding-dinged with this heartwarming exchange. 

"Whoever brings blessing will be enriched,

and one who waters will himself be watered."

– Proverbs 11:25 –

Making A House A Home

The Husband and I have been living in KL for about 5.5 years now. (I moved back down to be with him a few months after we got married.) In these 5.5 years, I've moved a total of 4 times. Yes, FOUR. FREAKING. TIMES. 😅 Crazy, right?


The first move was from Penang down to Mont Kiara in KL. 4 months later, we moved to Subang cos ugh, don't get me started on the MK jam. We lived in Subang for about 2 years then moved to our current condo. A year later, we moved down the hall to another unit in the same block of the same condo. LOL. #gila


Anyway, I've kinda unintentionally resisted setting up home in these houses cos... well, we've somewhat always talked about moving back to Penang someday. So, at the back of my mind, I thought – why put in any effort or throw in any money into a place we won't stay very long at? Doesn't make sense, right? At least that was what I thought at the time.

But now, I'm beginning to think differently. 

Mainly cos my dream of moving into our own home back in Penang is very quickly becoming a reality that is always just beyond my reach. 🙁 That one dream that still eludes me and escapes my grasp each and every time. 😔 It always seems like we're making plans to head back this year. But "this year" always turns into "next year" and then "not now" and "see how". 😢 Still, it's a dream that I hope never becomes "never". 🙏

So yes, it looks like we're here to stay for now.

It's a little of a "yay" and a little of a "nay" for me, to be honest. I've always loved being in KL because my church, my friends and my work are all here. But there's just something about having your own home, decorated with your own stuff, in your own style, with everything placed, set and done your way, that's just so deeply fulfilling and satisfying for a woman. Plus, the feeling of permanence that comes with living in your own home just makes a big difference.


Thing is, although the store room in our Penang house is filled with boxes upon boxes of MYSALE steals, Daiso buys, random decorative stuff and other kitchen knick-knacks from everywhere possible by now 📦📦📦 – household hoarding is my secret joy and financial Achilles heel 😅 – I've not unpacked any of it. Why? Cos I've always wanted to unpack it all in my own space. Very idealistic, I know. So I've waited. And waited. And waited. ⏱

Until now. Cos... screw it lah!

I'm tired of waiting to be happy. 😤

Some of my latest buys are still in KL so I've decided to just unpack and use them NOW rather than later. It's time to make this house our home. #determined

Side table and geometric tea light holder

from MYSALE. Potted plant from SSF.

Kids organising bins from MYSALE.

I really love how easy and convenient preparing the kids for school is now that I've started using these bins. JZ's stuff are on the left half and JJ's stuff are on the right half. This includes school bags, library books, uniforms, PE attires, socks, underwear and diapers – everything in one place without me having to run in and out of the bedroom for anything before rushing them off to school. A winning buy that's totally worth the money! #score

Serving tray, wooden brain teasers and wooden tissue box

from MYSALE. Table from IKEA.

Some brain teasers in the middle of the hall to entertain the guests we're looking forward to having over now that we've integrated ourselves into our cell at SIBKL. (We ended up hosting hangout night with some cellmates 2 weeks ago.) God has really been good to us. He brought us to the perfect cell with all right dynamics, the same maturity, and the perfect psychographics for us to thrive and feel comfortable in. Yay! 

Anyhoo, I digress. 

Back to the subject at hand.

Tray table from MYSALE.

 Glass vases from MYSALE. Photo frames from IKEA.

Lavender potted plant from SSF.

This is a difficult wall to address cos it's right next to my bedroom door. Put anything too big there and it blocks the entryway. Anything too small, and it seems odd and out of place. I can't decide if I want this setup here permanently cos it's a little low but, it'll do for now. I think the pictures help breathe a little more life into this little corner of the house, though. I'm kinda glad I decided to remove them from our bedroom bookshelf and put them out here. 

Table and colourful kiddie bookshelf from MYSALE.

Table lamp from IKEA. Diffuser from Young Living.

Put these in one corner of our bedroom. (That wall was left empty before and the diffuser was diffusing from the floor.) They help make the room feel more organised, personalised and lived-in. I plan to get a 2-seater sofa and/or a work table to effectively use up the rest of the space in front of our bed. Hopefully I find something nice and cheap! Haha. SSF, maybe?

Aiya, there's more ID and sprucing up to be done once I get my stuff from Penang back to KL la. I can't wait to get to it! 🤗 But bringing all back down is going to take a whole lotta trips up and down the North-South. Not an easy feat considering we always travel back to Penang with the kids and a helper so there's hardly any empty space in the car to begin with.

Also, filling in the little gaps around the house will require spending more money at SSF, MYSALE, IKEA and Daiso. 💸💸💸 (These seem to be the only places I shop at, eh?) You'd be surprised how much the miscellaneous things can cost! So, Imma really have to pace myself on that one lest I go broke trying. 😁

Oh well, at least I'll be a happy woman

eating white bread and plain porridge

in my very pretty home. 😝

LOLOLOL!