Song Sharing Sunday #242 - Burn ~ Ellie Goulding

I cannot remember when was the last time I cried because I was in too much pain.
Was it during the pre-delivery of my younger one, when the contraction started to get really severe?
Was that the last?
Now I can tell you that the last time I cried because the physical pain was too much for me to hold back my tears was yesterday.

My elder son was still not feeling very well and he asked for a soupy lunch.
So I decided to boil a small pot of carrot-corn soup for him to go with his noodles.
After I had transferred the soup over to his bowl, I realised that it was so full, it was almost spilling over.
Thus I put a plate below the bowl so that even if the soup spilled over, it would flow over the edge of the bowl and onto the plate.

Feeling very safe about my plan, I put BOTH of my hands on the left and right side of the plate, with my thumbs on top of the plate and the other fingers on the side of the plate, to bring the bowl of hot noodle soup out to the dining table.

Never did I expect that the soup actually SPLASHED out of the top of the bowl and onto my left hand.
My natural reflex was to tilt the bowl towards the right because of the SHARP PAIN I was feeling on my left fingers.
Wrong Move!
With the sudden tilting action, my right hand was washed with the hot liquid too.

I forced myself to hang on to the plate and not drop it on the floor, or else my elder one will have to wait again for his lunch to be re-cooked.

With the severe BURNING SENSATION that was on my 10 fingers, I forced myself to walk back a few steps and put the bowl of noodle soup down on my kitchen cabinet top.

Reached for the tap.
Turned it on full blast.
With elbows resting on the edge of my sink, I placed my red as lobster hands under the running tap water....

The tap water flowed like waterfall....
...and so did my tears....

It was very VERY Painful.....

Some of my knuckles started to swell...
...and I could not bend them...

My boys were with me in the kitchen and witnessed everything.
Hubby heard the commotion and rushed in; saw the splashes of soup on the kitchen floor and me in my pathetic position infront of the sink, he knew what happened at once.

My heart was pounding fast...
My mind was racing in circles...
I did not know what to do next...
I needed direction.

Hubby: "Go apply toothpaste."
I obeyed.
My whole hand, completely covered with what's supposed to be on my toothbrush......
I started to sob harder as I applied it over my hands, my hands were so SO SORE...a small brush across the skin hurts.

Then Hubby brought me a big bowl of water filled with ice.
"Soak your hands to numb the pain."
I did as I was told once again.

It was FREEZING COLD!!!

I do not know if it was wiser to use the ice water method or not because though the burning sensation was numbed, my hands were shaking like crazy because it was so terribly cold!!!
The chill was moving up to my wrist.
I kept pulling my hands out after soaking them for 10 seconds or so.
Once the cold feeling is gone, the burning feeling came back and my red hands will be submerged again.
I kept doing that repeatedly for countless times....until I could see that the swelling and the redness were showing improvement.

The most painful part was my knuckles, I could not bend them.
The fingers which I had rings on, were also feeling the strain, but I could not remove my rings because of the swollen knuckles....*cry*

I applied cream on every part of my hands and I dare not touch anything because the skin was so sensitive.
As time passes, my 4 rings were removed from my fingers at different times because the swelling of different fingers subsided at different speed.

This morning, my hands felt so much better.
Now, the only parts that still feel some 'leftover' sore are my left middle finger, my left thumb around thumbnail area, my right thumb, my right index finger, my right middle finger and my right ring finger.
Till now, my rings have not returned to their homes...maybe tomorrow...

The word "Burn" came to my mind at that point of time when I scalded my hands and thus the 'reason' behind today's song.....

Every Song reminds me of a person, an event, a place, a smell, a taste....a secret, do you have a song to share today?

Burn
~ Ellie Goulding

 

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My Birthday 2013

Ever since I left my singlehood status, this year's birthday celebration with my family had been the unhappiest birthday celebration and I hope it will stay as the unhappiest record. I want my HAPPY JOYFUL, FULL OF LAUGHTER birthday celebrations like what I had....in my previous years. There were tears, angry words exchanged and disappointments this year......

Birthday celebration had always been something that I TREASURE ALOT with my family when I was still single, because it is the ONLY day whereby no matter how much quarrels and fights go around daily, on this day, my parents will be at peace with each other and have our usual midnight cake-cutting ceremony.

To many, birthday is just a special day for the birthday person every year.
But to me, birthday is a day I see my parents smile....
Regardless if it was my father's, my mother's, my sister's or my birthday, the other 3 will try their best to make the birthday person happy.

Therefore since young, birthdays hold a very special place in my heart.
Its a day that tells me that no matter how tough life was for the past 364 days, this is THE DAY that everything will be fine.

Very fairy tale?
Maybe.
But to me, its a hope.
A feeling of contentment and gladness.

======

My elder one had been sick few days before my birthday and when its time for the midnight cake cutting session, he was asleep. Though my thoughtful boy did set his alarm to wake him up 10mins before the clock struck 12 midnight, he woke to tell me that he was too tired. I understand and so this is the FIRST YEAR (if I remembered correctly) I did not have my midnight cake cutting session with my current family.

The kids agreed to cut the cake before they go to school the next day, but in the end, they did not. They were unwilling to wake up when I woke them up in the morning. So we decided to cut the cake after my birthday dinner.

Life was as per normal in the afternoon. School work and piles of them....by the time all was completed, it was about time for dinner.

Just before my birthday dinner, siblings verbal fights started, but was under control when we reached Jack's Place.

After a sumptuous meal, we got home and were ready for my cake cutting moment. I like to cut cakes at night, when its really dark, which is why we waited till dinner was over.
Yet, instead of seeing how entusiatic my boys are over how many candles each of them could help me put on my cake, a real fight happened between them. This is VERY RARE!

It is common that they have dreadful verbal exchanges, but to have a REAL fight with fists and legs in action is something that hhhhhmmmmmmm....I could not even recall when was the last time!!!! So this was the first time I watched my boys having a REAL tussle.......and it happened to be on my birthday....
And its JUST BEFORE they were supposed to sing me my happy birthday song!

I was very sad.
I was very disappointed.

Hubby and I broke them up and my younger one was crying uncontrollably. Another very rare sight.

Hubby wanted to just get the cake cutting session over and done with, with his own effort without my boys. Meaning, he will be the only one singing the birthday song for me.
I refused!

If I were to go ahead when my elder one's face was as black as charcoal and my younger one's face red with fiery tears, (I know myself), I will always remember this horrible birthday on every of my future birthdays.

Birthdays = Happiness
Birthdays = Laughters
Birthdays = Hope

That's what birthdays are to me and I will NOT let anything or anyone ruin this little belief I had held on to, for all my life.

So I told the kids how disappointed I was.
Hubby added: "How would you feel if it was YOUR birthday???!!!"
I told them that I will be giving them a few minutes to cool down.
I told them that I want a LOUD JOYFUL Birthday Song, but its unachievable when the two of them have not calmed down.

I waited......
The tears dried.
The colour of their faces went back to normal.

I know they were ready.
And after that, they REALLY MADE ME HAPPY again!!!!
They smiled.
They giggled.
They sang....oh so LOUD!!!
*Super Grin*

If I had not shared the story with you....would you have expected such drama actually happened before the photos below were taken??????

My Favourite FIRE STEAK!

Ssssmmmmokingly Yummy!

No matter how the celebration began, I am glad that it still ended with smiles on faces.

This year, like previous year, I had my birthday celebration with 3 different groups, my own family, my sister and BIL and my closest secondary school friends.

I love to try new things on my birthday or dine at places which I had not been to for a long time, which is why I chose Jack's Place (its been years since my last visit) above and Ambush (first time) with my sister and BIL.

As usual, endless topics to talk about and we chatted till the restaurant started to close for the day! *laugh* Its really not easy to make this group stop talking.......Thank you sis and BIL for the treat! *hugs*

=========

Ever since I visited KISEKI with my own family last year, see post "My Birthday 2012", I vowed to re-visit this awesome restaurant again! Loved the ambience and the food!

 However, one of our 'gang member' could not join us because of health issues, so we decided to meet again on another day. Partly also because my friend forgot to take my birthday present with her when she left her office. So we had to fix this meet-up to pass the present to me.

 This is the first time, ever since I got married, we are meeting up NOT because of any of our birthdays. The feeling was really nice. The best part is, the food at this Pique Nique (below) is REALLY YUMMY! None of us have been there before, its our first time in this cozy restaurant and we were definitely well-fed! YUM!

Presents from my 'Girl Gang'

 Thank you girls!
Looking forward to our next meet up in December!

Yup!
That's it for my birthday for year 2013!

I also want to thank all who wished me on Facebook, Watsapp, Messenger, Skype, SMS.
*Super Hugs*

Song Sharing Sunday #241 - Because You Loved me ~ Celine Dion

Yesterday reminded me once again how blessed my sons and I are, to have 'this man' in our lives.

Saturday 21st September 2013:
Hubby went to work early in the morning for 2 hours.
Rushed back home so that he could bring our boys to visit my Chinese Physician uncle, because both were sick and he did not want me to bring them there alone.

While our boys and I waited at the Medical Hall, he went to the wet market to buy ingredients for tonight's dinner; as our children needed special diet because of their illness.
After we reached home, he started brewing the herbs for our elder one first because he appeared more sickly than the other. With fever, muscle ache, headache and stomach upset, he really needed more immediate attention.

As for the younger one, his share of herbs will help to get rid of the stubborn phlegm which refused to leave after 2 months (after visiting two different GPs four times!)!

Each packet of herbs needed almost an hour to brew and my boys had to consume one packet per day for the next couple of days.
To prevent me from getting burns, he refused to let me brew the herbs and took up the task on his own.

It takes a lot of patience and checking of water level consistently. In a second of carelessness, hubby scalded his finger. *heartpain*
A 'bubble bump' popped out on his finger after some time. *double heartpain*

After about an hour, elder boy drank the Chinese medicine without much issue even though he hated the taste and smell. A sweet was given at the end, as a reward for finishing his bowl of bitterness.

While I was monitoring our elder one in the bedroom, hubby went on to brew the herbs for the other child.
Due to the bitter taste, our younger one's negative thoughts and attitude took over. Causing him to vomit out EVERYTHING. This is NOT his first time drinking herbal medicine.
Previously, he could finish whatever that was inside the bowl.
However, this time, he kept saying, "Not nice. I want to vomit." The more he said it the more he started to gag and in the end his negativity won.

Hubby told me to wash up the messed-up kid while he chose to do all the dirty work of cleaning the dining table, dining bench and the floor....removing whatever that our younger one had vomited.

Hubby had no choice but to brew a new packet of herbs ALL OVER AGAIN!!!!
When that was done, hubby chose to divide the quantity into several tiny feeds so as to encourage my younger one. Though it took almost 30mins to get it down into our boy's tummy, with reheating needed in between, his method worked.
No more vomits.

Spending almost 3 hours in brewing the herbs (3 separate brews), he hardly had time to rest.......and he realised that it was almost time to prepare dinner.
This is the first time I see him spend so many hours in the kitchen.

Our younger son had to complete18 pages of Chinese 'practise' writing, which requires him to write about 64 chinese characters on each page. It was the most torturous school work my younger one ever had so far and he needed lots of encouragement. Therefore, I stayed with him in the study room while hubby did the  chopping, dicing and slicing the ingredients for dinner.

He went on to prepare a simple yet very delicious meal for the family. Even the two sick ones' appetite increased! Our deal had always been: one-cook while the-other-wash. So since he cooked, I did the washing up.

Finally, I can see him sitting comfortably on the sofa, relaxed, at eased.....after a tiring day....slogging for us.

Thank you Dearie!

Because of your love for the family, we are truly blessed.

*hugs*

Every Song reminds me of a person, an event, a place, a smell, a taste....a secret, do you have a song to share today?

Because You Loved Me
~ Celine Dion

 

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[Final] Revised Recipe for Nutella Muffins using HappyCall Pan

This is a continuation of this post "Nutella Cupcakes with HappyCall Pan", so if you had yet to read that, you will NOT understand why I had changed from a 3-ingredients Nutella Muffins to the current 7-ingredients Nutella Muffins.

Thus, I strongly suggest that you hop over there first before you continue here.....

Though the previous post seemed to be a nice ending, I made a number of mistakes after that.
Firstly, I misunderstood the difference between muffins and cupcakes and I was corrected by my friend sternly after she read my post. Thus, it was a wrong title for the previous post.

Next, I had NO idea of how to pack them for people who are not staying with me. I did not cool them enough and put them inside an air-tight canister! *faint* The end result was horrible! The muffins became soggy and stuck to their teeth which was TOTALLY THE OPPOSITE of what my family tasted when we were at home. *slap forehead*

Lastly, I mentioned in my previous post that overnight muffins did not taste as nice, its not true!!!
  All because of the way I stored them.
Now that I know the reason, my Nutella muffins still taste nice even leaving them overnight.
Therefore, I can do night baking now and spend my day time with my family, instead of cooping in the kitchen.

Anyhow, I was taken aback by how much my hubby and my 2 boys loved my Nutella Muffins. They get gobbled up so fast and my boys, especially my elder one will say: "Mummy, can you bake Nutella Muffins again? No more already." *faint*

I had been baking like almost every alternate day with 2 bakes a day! The frequency of my bakes had become so often until hubby thinks I should go get another HappyCall Pan to meet the 'big demand'! *laugh*

I am so glad that out of 18 rounds of baking, from earlier part of August till this day, ALL 18 bakes were deeply loved by my family. Each bake produces 12 mini-muffins, so I had baked an equivalent of 216 mini-muffins to date!!!!! *faint*

Why I used 'equivalent' is because now I have 3 different muffins-holders :

Normal-size, 

Mini-Size 

and 

Super-Mini-Size.

Just in case you think that I had been counting, I didn't!
With the grams stated clearly on the Nutella containers, it is not difficult to keep track!
Just count the number of containers used! *laugh*
That is how happy I am!
The one and only thing I baked that was successful from the starting point.


In the previous post, I stopped at 6-ingredients and was truly happy with it, but still, not completely statisfied. I wanted more Chocolatey taste.
You know, the bitter-sweet Chocolatey taste?
Then my friend suggested that I should try Cocoa Powder.

Oh my!!!
It gave me the taste I wanted!
Yeah!
*clap clap clap*

After the difference cocoa powder made to my Nutella muffins. I played with the ingredients a few more times.

• Put in Cocoa Powder, but took Cinnamon Powder.

then another time....

• Reduced the amount of Nutella with Cocoa Powder alone.

then another round....

• Reduced the amount of Nutella with Cocoa Powder and Cinnamon Powder.

Yes, I played with the ingredients for another 3 rounds before I finally decided to stick to this:

• 100g of Nutella
• 2.5 tablespoon of Self-Raising Flour
• 1 Egg
• 1 tablespoon of Salted Butter
• 2 pinch-es of Cinnamon Powder
• Half teaspoon of Light Sour Cream
• Half teaspoon of Cocoa Powder

•  I mixed the Self-Raising Flour, Cinnamon Powder and Cocoa Powder in one bowl
• And mixed the rest in another bowl
• Before I combine them together

 

•  Bakes for 20 mins for mini-size Nutella Muffins
• Bakes for 22mins for normal size Nutella Muffins
• Bakes for 16mins for super-mini-size Nutella Muffins
• All using HappyCall Double Pan on gas stove
• Fire between small and medium

***The amount of time may vary for you, just remember to use the toothpick to test.

Poke in the middle of the muffins, if the toothpick comes out clean, its ready.

And this 7-ingredient recipe for my Nutella muffins had stayed the same for the last 11 bakes and gave consistent results throughout.

So no more changing!
This 7-ingredients Nutella Muffin recipe is here to stay.

Yup!
That's it!
Another post of mine that made me smile........

Related Post : Nutella Cupcakes with HappyCall Pan

Song Sharing Sunday #240 - I See The Light ~ "Tangled"

Life is full of ups and down.
But the distance feels further when its headed for the ground.

And there's nothing more painful
Than to let your feelings take you down.

Everyone has such experiences.
The older you are, the more you will experience....because its a cycle.
I learned that the cycle is every 9 years.
Regardless if its 9 years or not.....I am once again having the feeling that the day I can sing this song again....is just round the bend.... 

I know its there.

And I am not holding my steps.

I continue to move forward, even though the wind is against me.

I will get there.....

.....eventually.......

and See The Light.....

....once again.......

Every Song reminds me of a person, an event, a place, a smell, a taste....a secret, do you have a song to share today?

I See the Light
~ from the movie "Tangled"

 

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My BIGGEST Mooncake Ever!!!

Received this BIG surprise from my sis and BIL on Sunday, 7th September 2013.

Firstly, the packaging was so oriental and I LOVE oriental things, especially the pop-up velvet wordings on the cover.

 Kept rubbing my fingers on them.....an action that comes naturally whenever I touch velvety stuff. Actually.....my fingers were busy playing with the cover. They were either rubbing against the velvety chinese wordings or my index finger would be swirling the pale yellow "xu-xu" that's dangling from the cover. *laugh* My new toy!

Sister always remembers to buy egg-yolk-mooncakes for me. Not the snow skin type, but the traditional kind.
The more yolk the merrier I would be!!!!

Ok, spare me the cut-down-the-calories and eat-healthy type of talk.
Its ONCE a Year indulgence!
Come On!
Get a Life!

And when I saw how many egg-yolks there were!

My eyes glittered!

*ting ting*

As if it was not good enough, I got a pleasant surprise when I lift up the cover......Tea to go with it!
Great for digestion!
Nice combo!
*thumbs up*

Then came the  

BIGGEST  

SURPRISE OF ALL!!!!

A 16cm Diameter Mooncake!!!!

*Jaws Dropped*

*SCREAM*

Ok Sis!

Spot the word "EVER" in the title???

This is BIG enough to satisfy my yearly craving for egg-yolk mooncake already.

So NO MORE 'upgrades' ok???

*huge laugh*

And this reminded me of the GINOMOUS mooncake featured in the show : Jia Hao Yue Yuan.

*eyes popped*

Love the thought. 

Love the effort. 

Love the surprise.

Love the mooncake.

Thank you Sis and BIL!

*hugs*

 My BIGGEST Mooncake Ever!!!

Song Sharing Sunday #239 - Love You Like A Love Song Baby ~ Selena Gomez

It was pretty funny when I heard my boys singing to this song during a car ride....'cos all that they sang was "Beep Beep Beep....."
*giggle*

Every Song reminds me of a person, an event, a place, a smell, a taste....a secret, do you have a song to share today?

Love You Like A Love Song 
~ Selena Gomez

 

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Song Sharing Sunday #238 - Applause - Lady Gaga

APPLAUSE!!!
Its September!
One of my Favourite Months!
Whoo-hoo!
*clap clap clap*

This lady needs no introduction.
Its been a long while hasn't it?
Here's Lady Gaga's latest song........

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Every Song reminds me of a person, an event, a place, a smell, a taste....a secret, do you have a song to share today?

Applause - Lady Gaga

 

Applause Lyrics:-

 

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