Sketches of Life|Life Lived in Simplicity

Like I do not have enough to do, I started sewing again and just a few days ago, I re-learn how to crochet. I really cannot sit still eh. No wonder cannot put on weight. hehe.

So what I am doing now? I’m a full time mom, full time teacher, part-time working at my CC and whatever spare time I can get, I sew and crochet. As you can see, the time gap between this post and the last. I have been very busy. MIL just came back from 5 weeks of house hopping, so I have more free time now coz she does the cooking for hubby now. So, I use that time to sew.

Actually, I did not plan to sew any bags yet but someone on FB asked me to sew (but she not yet buy any of my bags yet!) and other FB friends started buying, I got excited and motivated to sew more bags.

Then comes the crochet to teach my 2nd girl who loves craft work. Soon, I might crochet some bags to sell too! ^.^ I was looking at wide selection of burlap gift bags, not bad the design. Simple and practical. Might crochet one or two for my girls to use.

MIL has gone to live with her other children in KL. She will be house hopping for the next 4-5 weeks. She has 5 sons living in KL now. 4 with a family and one still single and available.

This is not the first time she left us at home for more than a month. Since we are often at work, we do not miss her presence much. Only when I need to send my girls for piano lesson and Chinese tuition, I have to bring everyone with me and not leave them at home. Quite inconvenience when the babies are napping at that hour. So, we’ll be at my parent’s house on piano lesson and tuition days. That is 4 days a week.

My 10yo n 8.5yo daughters goes for piano lesson. I am thinking of sending my 7yo for violin class but hubby disagree coz the sounds of the violin played by a beginner is not pleasing to the ear. Slowly lar right. Soon, the violin’s sounds can put you to sleep. What about trumpets? I found exciting trumpets for sale. Noisier than the violin I presume.

Two of my eldest girl are learning the piano. Which musical instrument should I let my 7yo son learn. So far, he has not shown any interest in any, unlike my 4yo son who loves the drum. My 7yo son has a very high pitch voice. I’m thinking, maybe I should let him try out the violin. Then he will realize how his high pitch voice hurts our ear drums at times. But then, violin lesson is expensive too. Ok lar, let start him with something smaller and less expensive. Let him learn playing best lanikai ukulele.

Olive Baby Nappy Cream and Baby Moisturizer Milk

When I received both products, I have no idea how to review them because I do not need to use nappy rash cream on my baby because he is on 99% cloth diapers. Cloth diaper = no nappy rash. As for the moisturizer milk, I am not into putting any “chemical” on my baby soft skin except for the Sebamed soap for bathing. But we’ll see. Read on.

Thanks (no thanks) to Chinese New Year, I have to wear my baby disposable diapers because we are out of the house frequently and for long hours. After 2 days on disposable diapers, I saw my baby scratching his bum bum. When I check, lo and behold, there are some rashes there. My poor baby.

Aha! My opportunity to test Olive’s Baby Nappy Cream. After 2 days of applying the Nappy Cream after each wash, his bum bum is as good as new. I am a happy mommy. No need to borrow my sister’s nappy cream. I have one which is better than hers.

Just a few days ago, another type of rash appeared due to wearing soiled diapers. This time it took longer for it to go away because he was purging for 2 days and a few times, he was left soiled un-noticed. After the purging stopped, I applied the Olive Nappy Cream religiously for 3 days and now my 11mo is nappy rash free.

As I mentioned, I am not keen in applying any “chemical” on my baby’s soft skin but I give it a go with Olive’s products because it is made of natural plant extracts and extra virgin olive oil. Apart from that, their products are:

* pH balanced

* free from mineral oils and propylene glycol

* free from petroleum by-products

* free from synthetic preservatives or parabens

* free from sodium laureth sulphate

* free from irradiated ingredients

* free from artificial colourings

* free from dioxane

* free from ethoxylated surfactants

* fast absorbing, non-greasy

* nutrient rich and concentrated

* suitable for all skin types

* pleasantly scented using hypoallergenic fragrances.

More than enough to convince me to apply the cream generously on my baby skin.

As for the Olive Baby Moisture Milk, I have not tried on my baby yet. No reason to BUT I tried it on my crack fingers just before the CNY while I was having a baking Nyonya Pineapple Tarts marathon. I thought, my fingers are made of iron so I did not bother to wear glove when cutting the pineapples. The acid from the pineapples sliced through my fingers like a sharp knife. Apart from that, my fingers became super dry. I need fast healing because I have hundreds of pineapple tarts to bake. Then I remembered the Baby Moisture Milk. If it works on my skin, I’m sure it will work on my baby’s soft skin. So, before bedtime, I applied a tiny dropped on the cut and pampered my hands too. The next morning, amazingly, the cut is healed and my hands stayed soft. I managed to bake pineapple tarts without ouching away.

I am only giving you a glimpse of 2 of their products. You can check them out on their website and facebook page for more info on other products, reviews, as well as promotions and contests or directly go to their stores to sample them yourself.

God has been very good to us. Again He is our Jehovah Jireh. As you all know that my girls are taking piano lesson and their teacher informed us that we need to get them a piano for them to practice at home. She can even help us to get one on installment. We can’t afford to pay the down payment for a used car, what more for a piano. We told our children, for the time being to be contented with just a battery operated keyboard and pray, in due time God will bless them with a real piano.

Just last month, my girls told us that they can no longer practice on their 54 keys keyboard. Not enough keys! I told hubby about it and knowing our financial situation, I agreed with hubby when he told his children to imagine the keys are there when they practice.

God saw and God bless! My eldest BIL recently moved to the city from living in an estate bungalow. He decided to give away his old acoustic piano because it is big and heavy. He offered it to us and we said “Yes!” immediately. We need only pay for the transportation cost. Isn’t God good! From spending RM5-7k, we need only come out less than RM500.

Next in our prayer list is an 8 seaters or more MPV. The mpk mini laptop keyboard, maybe later if my children decided to study music production. Anyone wanna give away their MPV?

It has been a very hectic week for me, juggling between family, homeschooling, work and baking Nyonya Pineapple Tarts for sale. On the days I have to work, I pack all my 6 kids and their books to work. On non working days, I’ll be busy baking Nyonya Pineapple Tarts and running errands for hubby. Once my tarts order is fulfilled, I am left with only one day to do spring cleaning. Thanks to one of my brother in laws, I only need to spring clean the toy room, empty my children’s room to make way for other family that will be returning for the CNY celebration, my children’s study area and my own room. Tomorrow is CNY eve already. After CNY is over, I wish to be able to relax in a heated pool where the pool heat pumps is working.

Next in my homeschooling project is to make jewelry with my kids. In order to do that, I have to drive to the busy Bunga Raya road and almost impossible to find parking area to buy all the stuff needed for jewelry making. I plan to start it simple with just beads and charms but where to find pandora charms? Something they can wear during the CNY. I’m excited and my kids will be more excited. Maybe I’ll go tomorrow since hubby will be home the whole day.

It has been a while and I have been very busy. Busier that usual. I am still on the trial and error period on the new schooling schedule. Since CNY is coming, I am including baking in the curriculum.

So far, we had 2 baking session.

We baked German Cookies…

And today, we baked Rolled Pineapple Tarts

And will bake the same again on Monday to give to friends. Then another batch a few days before CNY.

I was out shopping at AEON with my eldest (9.5yo) and youngest (8.5mo). My intention was to renew the AEON member card but since we are already there, we decided to shop for hubby’s birthday this Sunday. I managed to buy something that he needed but I got the wrong one and more expensive one. After paying for it then only I found one that he would want and it was cheaper too. That is the disadvantage is you have limited time to shop. I grabbed the first thing that I see. I was so tempted to buy the other one and keep the wrong for dunno who but that will be a waste of money right? I just hope he will like the one I chose lar. My eldest said that it is nicer than the cheaper ones.

Anyway, on the way back to the car, my eldest stopped at the $5 shop to find something for her daddy. She found one and I helped her pay for it. She also spotted some holiday wreaths and with her puppy face, she asked me whether she can have 2 of it to decorate her room. Since it is only $5 for 2, I bought it for her. There goes another $10.