The Art of Making 旺来, 旺来, 旺来 挞!!!

皇天不负苦心人

After years of tweaking recipes,

I finally found the ONE!!!

入口即融

BEST of The BEST!!!

For the 1st time in my life I did not felt like I was wrestling with the pineapple.....

All thanks to wonderful tutorials found on youtube and google!

(Just type: How to cut a pineapple... and Voila~)

See!!! You can learn EVERYTHING from the internet!!!

Pot FULL of grated Pineapple with cinnamon stick.....

I've learnt my lesson of not filling the pot to the brim!!!

Cause when it comes to a rolling boil,

Pineapple Juice splatters everywhere -.-"'

The Full Pot of grated Pineapple reduced to this!

Only 1/4 pot.....

That's alot of work for so little jam!!!

My neighbor asked me; "why so leh chey,

got to buy pineapple and do from scratch?!?!? Buy pre-mix lah~~~"

My reply was: TEXTURE!!!!!

Rubbed in Butter and Flour

(Looks like golden sunshine bread crumbs!)

Adding the rest of the ingredients.....

Lovely tart base waiting to be topped.....

Delightful tarts basking under the oven heat!

Friends popped by to "learn" they dying art of making pineapple tarts.....

All Done! Packed, Sealed and Ready to be Exported!

希望各位在新的一年里,

年头旺到年委!

钞票多到 数不清!!!!!

HUAT ARR!

Hiroshi's World of Reality

Week 3 Homework

Our consistence & hard work paid off!

Hiroshi managed to write

without me drawing guidelines

all over his homework!

AWESOME IMPROVEMENT!!!!

(He drew the egg & I helped him with the fish!!!)

I am once again MOTIVATED!!!!

Mini BBQ Gathering at Couz Yvonne's Place.....

The reason why we are still MAID-LESS.....

I have always had a problem

about the idea of having some random strangers

take care of my kids,

while I head out and build my career....

I think it is a basis of TRUST.

And I CANNOT TRUST someone else

to do such an important job.

When I see this scene in the playground,

it was a reconfirmation that my hunch was RIGHT!

These 2 maids were seen

talking on their mobile phone for eternity...

(Well, I can confirm at least for the full 30 mins

when I was there with the kids,

and even when I left!

And they do this every day!!!

from Monday to Friday!!!!!)

They do not seems to have any connection

with their surroundings

or

with their employer's kids!

*slap forehead*

I wonder how much they are paid

to yak their salaries away?!?!?

Fine Motor Skill Exercise: Spray Bottle

A simple exercise

for developing fine motor skills

Sophia having a Spray Bottle War with Hiroshi.

The kids were lightly drenched,

but the had tons of fun spraying at one another!!!

Hiroshi's world of Reality

Reality struck us

when Hiroshi brought back

his 1st homework last weekend......

Our son is finally in Kindergarden 1,

and he's GOING to be 5 this year!

Time flies!

However, the bad news is.....

we felt that we didn't prepare him well enough for school!

He couldn't even write his alphabets.

Honestly speaking, we were disappointed.....

But, it wasn't his fault at all!

We haven't been great parents....

We haven't put in the extra effort of educating them

or putting them though 101 enrichment classes

like the rest of the parents in Singapore!

Their childhood by far

is all about having Fun,

watching the gogle box,

and shopping!

What the hell have I been doing with my kids?!?!?

*guilty*

Well, no point dwelling on what we should have done....

Instead, let's focus on what we can do NOW.....

I am determine to make wrong right!

I am determine to start educating my kids NOW!

Patience and perseverance

have a magical effect before which

difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.

~ John Quincy Adams

2nd Week Homework

VAST improvement from last week!

Good job darling!

(Hiroshi did this on his own!

I did helped him on the drawing thou....

I know it sucks! NO laughing!)

Let's do this together!

The difference between Malaysian & Singaporean Chinese New Year.....

This blog posting is written for a friend

who kept asking me

what to pack for her prosperity hampers....

*nuge friend*

Please save this blog posting!!!

Before, I met Kitson,

I am very much accustom to

ONLY

bringing 2 mandrian oranges

(nothing more, nothing less!)

for all my Chinese New Year Visition....

However, after marrying him,

I realized that people across the causeway

do celebrated this occasion differently.....

One significant difference I saw was

they didn't go around carrying

only 2 miserable mandrian oranges.....

They went around with boxes of oranges!!!

Oranges sounded so much more meaningful

when it is given in boxes!

coz, in cantonese they say

一箱金!!!

(super duper generous hor!!!)

One thing for sure,

is that.....

These Malaysians go around CNY visitation

bringing more than JUST oranges!

So they say when you are in Rome,

do what the Romans do....

*smile*

So for all these years,

I did what the malaysians do.....

Visit with more than JUST oranges!

I pack my own prosperity hampers!!!

Content of my Prosperity Hampers:

1: Abalone

The year will be filled with abundance

that Confirm Guarantee

sure got plenty of Leftover (包余).

2. Birdnest

青春美丽

Which means staying Young and Beautiful!

(if you are packing a hamper for me...

Please include this!!

Wahahahahaha...

If not

SK II I also don't mind!)

3. Essence of chicken

龙马精神

Keep Vigorous spirit especially in business!

4. Pineapple Juice

旺,旺,旺

HUAT ARR!!!!!

5. Kickapoo Joy Juice

The name says it all JOY JUICE!!!

6. Sweets

甜甜蜜蜜

May the whole year be coated with candy!

7. Nian Gao

年年高升

(Essential to those working or schooling)

Which means to get promoted every year!

8. Dried Oyster

In cantonese this one sounds very much like 好事,

Which means "fortunate situation".

9. Sea Moss

In cantonese this one sounded like 发财,

which means to prosper!!!

HUAT ARR!

10. Dried Mushrooms

东成西就

This meant to have

your wishes fulfilled from the east to the west!

11. Peanuts / Groundnuts

花生 / 长生瓜

It meant the flower of life/

the nut of longevity!

12. Longan

金精火眼

Essential to those trading in stocks and commodity,

Which means bright & far sighted for all investments made!

Have fun packing your own hampers!

(Do remember to send me one thou!!!)

HUAT ARR!

Reunion Steamboat Dinner with Friends.....

I am terrible at keeping in touch with friends and relatives.....

But, believe me people...

I am TRYING my very BEST!!!!!

*weak smile*

The last time I met up with these bunch of friends

was at a christmas gathering

at Margie's place during 2008!

This time round is Reunion Steamboat dinner at Christine's place!

The host; Christine, Myself & Margie

See how much the kids has grown since the last meet up!

The BABES!

The HUNKS!!!!!

We should do this more often!!!

The kids had so much fun!

Christine, Thank you for inviting Us!

Margie, Thank you for the Ben10 & Dora watches!!!

(The kids still can't take their eyes off those watches!!!)