Roast Beef Sandwich

My lunch 2 days ago........

Who knew that roast beef, balsamic vinegar, mustard and mayonnaise tasted so good together.

Major changes coming our way.....

Its not an easy job. RH and me has been doing a bible study on this topic for 2 days. In it, we learnt that children are a blessing from God. When God want to bless families in the past, He would always ensure that they have many decendants.

What does children do besides that?

• It causes you to slow down and know what is important in life
• be closer to God
• helps us to rely on God and not on ourselves
• helps us to be better people as we become role models to them
• being more selfless, less selfish
• helps bring couples closer together

I am not sure about how RH feels, I am guessing that he is not thinking about this until "D" day, but I am definitely feeling a little stress about being a mom. Not only do I feel that the baby might just take up ALL my time, I am afraid that I would not be such a good role model for the baby.

I think that being good role models are definitely hard. Cos you can't tell your kids not to do something, turn around and do the exact same thing. It just does not work that way. There are going to be some major changes coming our way.

However, I truly believe that God will guide us in this area so I try not be unduly worried....... and to end this post on a happy note....a picture of me in my 26th week. Tummy has grown bigger yet again. :P

{Me @ 25 weeks}

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This is my bedroom floor when RH is going to Indonesia. He at least brings 3 handphones along.

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Oh by the way, I have decided to give wordpress a chance so I am double posting everything in wordpress for the time being. Visit me there if you are tired of this background.
http://chalim.wordpress.com/

God is so Good....

We had another ministry training this weekend. Another blessed round of being prayed over. This time, seeing my obvious tummy, WK decided to pray for baby too. It was wonderful. Just when he started praying, I felt the air around my head become heavier and something seem to settle around me causing me to tear.

Had lunch with a husband and wife friend on Sunday. They announced to us on Thursday that they were pregnant and I am so genuinely happy for them. It took them 5 years and 4 miscarriages to get to this stage. I even began praying for them to conceive early this year.

It was truly amazing their testimony and story of how they got pregnant and I know that it is truly the miracle of their prayers that they are able to have a smooth natural pregnancy. It was so fun to see them both getting excited over baby stuff and little baby shoes.

This weekend has just been an amazing weekend and God just showing us how sovereign and all caring He is.

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I was just thinking about how Bakong would address my siblings and I really wanted him to call them by the traditional Hokchia titles so as to preserve the tradition. Now a days, more and more of our family's children just call out a generic title followed by the person's name as to differentiate them eg. Yi yi Qiao bor Yi yi Yu......

I really wanted Bakong to call my siblings first aunt, second aunt, third aunt and so on in Hokchia just like how we address our Uncles and Aunties, so here is what they are gonna be called:

1. SB - Duayii
2. EP - Duayii Riong
3. SY - Sayii
4. DC - Siyii
5. SK - Nguyii or Muiyii
6. Kiu Kiu

Hehehe, it does sound like some bad case of tongue twisting but I really think that we shoudl preserve tradition and I would be really honoured if I was addressed similarly by my nephews and nieces....

PS: I am feeling kinda upset that my doughnut class scheduled on Tuesday has been postpone.

Classes Galore.......

This is a busy September. I have signed up for 2 baking classes and a scrapbook class plus I have to sit in for SY for one of her baking class which adds up to 3 baking class and 1 SB class. Not mention Alpha on Thursdays and 2 saturdays for ministry training and Alpha Day Away respectively.

Busy Busy Busy Pregnant woman is what RH calls me. I am thankful that I am still very mobile despite my huge tummy (I measure 34 inch). I still drive to work, pick up my own laptop, stand for 3 hours in baking class and just about able to do most anything except climbing. Just a little lazy when I have to stretch and bend down to pick up stuff cos it is kinda uncomfortable. I feel like I am squashing my tummy thus squashing baby too but I am quite sure that baby is safe, surrounded by a swimming pool of amniotic fluid.

I guess it is sort of my last chance to be active before my third trimester hits and I get aches and fatigue. I have heard that it is particularly tiring in your 3rd trimester. Plus, after baby is born, I probably would not have time for much actvities except taking care of him.

Here is what I churned out from my last two baking classes. For those who enjoy baking and wants to take their baking to the next level, I highly encourage them to take classes that explain the science and theory of baking. It is really interesting as you get to learn how the various ingredients contribute to the cake/pastry's characteristics. It is not the usual "follow the recipe" classes. Think of it as learning the "behind the scenes" secrets.

The class that I sat in for SY is just that. A basic cake foundation stage 1 class. We do not learn how to make fancy cakes but the instructor goes on to explain in detail all those theories. I really do enjoy the class and it might be because I took the class at Creative Culinnaire with Chef Judy. She is really generous with her knowledge and I can just see the passion she has for baking. She always strive to use the best quality ingredients in her shop, of course, within the budget so her cakes are affordable. Enjoy the pictures and sign up for her class if you are interested. Or if you want a more intensive class, BITC is also offering these classes.

Creative Culinnaire

http://www.creativeculinaire.com/

Eng Hoon Mansion

#01-03/04 17 Eng Hoon Street

Singapore 169767

Tel: 63241663

{Walnut Cake and Marble Cake, Cake Foundation Stage 1)

{Chocolate Sunflower Cupcakes, Cake Foudation Stage 1}

{Molten Chocolate Cake, Crazy for Chocolate Class}

{Velvet Chocolate Cake, Crazy for Chocolate Class}

{Flourless Chocolate Cake, Crazy for Chocolate Class}

Soooo Boring!

Nothing really to update, hence the lack of post. After the initial 3 months, I have been feeling quite normal, unlike a pregnant lady. Only think is that I:

• pee more often (which I am so getting used to)
• can't sleep well becos I am used to sleping on my back but now I can't (cos if I sleep on my back, it will press on some blood vessels which will not supply oxygen to me and bb) so I alternate between lying on my left then my right.
• baby is kicking harder and at random times of the day (so sometimes morning, sometimes in the middle of the night)

I just bought 2 new maternity tops and 1 baby outfit. Gonna import the rest from Indo cos it is like half price over there. Anyways, about the materinity clothes I bought, I actually bought it in a non-maternity shop. Its cheaper anyways but its funny how I can find stuff in non-maternity shops for my bulging tummy. One of them is kinda like a short empire wait dress/top, which is kinda popular now so i am not surprised but the other top is more like a really baggy shirt with frills on top and I cannot imagine wearing it at all if I were not pregnant cos it would look so dowdy on me.

I always promised myself that I would be a fashionable preggie even before I was pregnant. I was not gonna reduce myself to be a fashion slob that lots of pregnant women become. However, I also never realized how much hard work it is to be fashionable for a preggie.

1. With the selection of maternity wear here, its no wonder preggies are not fashionable at all. The nicer maternity wear imported from USA, Aust or Europe are just to expensive to afford to wear for a few months.
2. Our mental and physical lethargy is soooo bad that you just wanna wake up, put on "anything", go to work, come back and just get out of "anything" and into bed right away. Yep, when you are feeling backaches and headaches and nausea, you are just not gonna bother to dress up.
3. Some women become physically unattractive during pregnancy because of hormones imbalance. Soem women get really bad acnes, gigantic bloated arms and feet, big bottoms and thick feet not mentioning the huge belly you have to tout around all day. Nothing you do will make you feel prettier.

So guys, excuse your wives if they look kinda dowdy for the next 9 months. Having a baby is really hard work. If others do not understand, our own husbands should try.

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I have always believed Singaporeans to be a relatively polite society except for the few exceptions (sometimes foreigners). So, I did expect that I would definitely be treated better after I got pregnant. People opening doors for me, giving up their seats or like letting me into elevators first.

Well, reality is slightly different. Not many people in Singapore actually is like that. I often have doors that slam in my face and I really need to hold out my hands so the door does not bang into my tummy. Or have to wait for seats in MRT, buses, public places and foodcourts. I have encountered once when I was waiting at the entrance of an elevator but had to stand aside when the doors open cos I was afraid of being pushed down by a group of ladies who was rushing into the lift and they were behind me to begin with. I waited at the side of the entrance and waited till ALL of them marched in before going to the lift myself.

However, they are also polite and considerate people in Singapore. Its just that the norms are the inconsiderate ones while the considerate Singaporeans are a rareity. I do wanna commend on Marriott's excelent customer service though. I was having lunch one rainy day with my sister at Marriott's cafe. Lo and behold, 3 minutes after we were seated, a waiter came up to me to hand me a huge pillow for my back. Talk about good customer service. Whereas at a buffet dinner at Raffles Hotel on Saturday, RH had to ask for a more comfortable chair as they had us seated on very low sofas which were albeit comfortable for high tea and chit chats but very uncomfortable for consuming our dinner which were at sitting on a normal height dinner table.