Week One of New Role - SAHM.

My dad went for a bypass surgery a week + ago, and that also means that we (the kids and I) have not been going to their house for that long. Yes, I was already homesick by end of the week. Yep - overly attached I know and I take that as a compliment heh. 

So, with that I officially got to embrace my new role as a Stay-at-Home-Mom (not really because I have my Shop.com business), I realized that I cannot only just take care of them day-in and day-out - because, by the mid-second day, I was feeling lazier than usual. I was just chilling with them, have zero motivations whatsoever to do anything. I was literally counting the hours for my husband to come home so we could have dinner together and stuff. 

Then, on the third day, I told myself I need to find something to do - that I love, or would potentially love. 

So, I started searching for recipes for food items that I want to eat but don't want to order from outside. Soon, I find myself texting Adrian my bakery to-buy-list so he could get them for me when he comes home from work. 

The more I bake and the more I cook new food items that I have not tried before, the more motivated I was to do my work and take care of my children. 

And this is a true story. 

I have a higher tolerance and more patience towards my kids on days when I do bake or cook. I don't ki siau so fast and I actually spend more quality time with them, instead of just letting them watch TV to pass time by. 

So, when I say baking is my therapy, it really is. 

Now, some of you asked how do I even find the time and energy to bake and wash and handle the kids at the same time. The funny thing is I don't know. 

Because logically, it would mean I actually have to come out with extra energy & time to do the extra thing - but the funny part is although I do feel more worn out by the end of the night, I don't actually feel exhausted - as compared to when I do absolutely nothing else but taking care of the kids. 

Get what I mean?

Maybe you do, maybe you don't. 

But if you do, you should try to find something to do other than being a mom, because you will find that your everyday life becomes more interesting and less stressful. I don't even know if that makes any sense but yeah, please try them. You will at least feel less miserable and lonely. Hah. 

It could be knitting, arts and crafts things, gardening, cleaning, re-organizing, or creating Youtube videos. It could be anything you want! 

Except for anything that involves using your phone all the time I guess. 

Because watching Netflix just makes you feel lazier and you will feel extra exhausted after watching a TV show or a movie - also a true story. 

Maybe choose something that your kids can be involved in of some sort. Although honestly sometimes I want to be baking alone - while they are taking their naps. 

We foresee many more weeks of us staying in our own homes so there will be more recipes coming up - but after a few tries, I can be good at it - like my twisted cinnamon buns. I am still not happy with how it turned out, so I will trial and error with other recipes and see where I go from there. 

To my friends who live nearby, get ready to be my guinea pigs (hah). 

So yeah, the first week of full-time mom and I am already baking so much. I hope I don't end up eating all the baked goods if not people may start asking me if I am pregnant. Heh. I am not yet. 

Oh, and here's a tip on how to get your children to enjoy every meal - only let them watch TV or let them have screen time after they finish their meals. That way, they either have conversations with you during the meals or enjoy finishing up their food. 

I did a comparison and they took so much longer when they have screen time during mealtime. I also lost my sanity more times during that time. So, to make sure everyone is well-fed and happy by the end of mealtime, no watching TVs at all. 

Alex knows this very well by now. Sofia cannot really be bothered because every time she has food in front of her, she is 100% focused. No problem with that. 

Okay, enough of the end of week one thing. 

Till next time, bye now. 

10-Ingredients Chocolate Brownies (One Half With Peanut Butter)!

Brownies are one of those dessert things that my family would crave randomly - quite often actually. And since we love to eat them so much, it is better if we learn to make them and be good at them. 

That way, we can use good ingredients that we can afford heh. and make it less sweet. 

I was very keen to learn to make brownies because I saw online a few recipes and they seemed so doable. I also know and read online that not all recipes will ngam you so try a few times baru tau. 

Then, one day I saw Pat K's IG and she mentioned that she has tried a few recipes and this is the one that she likes the most - so I decided to give it a try. Ingredients are simple enough so the trip to a bakery to get those supplies was easy. 

This is my third attempt (first time with peanut butter) and I am loving it! It turned out to be better than the first time I did it - the differences were I used a better cocoa powder and chocolate chips and I pre-heated the baking pan this time. 

So, this round of brownies was way better - crispy on top and gooey in the middle. In the recipe below, I minus the sugar content already so it is a little different than Pat K's. We prefer less sweet brownies because when brownies become too sweet, it's not nice (to us anyway). Actually, even after I lessen the sugar content, it is still sweet. I don't dare to lessen more because scared later the recipe will lari sikit. Heh. 

So here goes. 

10-INGREDIENTS CHOCOLATE BROWNIES (HALF WITH PEANUT BUTTER)

Ingredients:-

• 225g salted butter (melted and cooled)
• 2 tablespoons canola oil 
• 150g brown sugar
• 100g white sugar
• 4 eggs (room temperature)
• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 140g all-purpose flour
• 120g unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 200g chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)

STEPS:-

1. Preheat the oven (and baking pan with baking sheet lined) to 175 degrees Celcius. 
2. Combine butter, oil, and sugar (brown and white) in a large bowl. 
3. Add eggs, vanilla extract, and salt. 
4. Whisk till everything is well combined. 
5. In the same bowl, sift in flour and cocoa powder. 
6. Add in chocolate chips (or chocolate chunks). 
7. Gently fold the batter with a spatula till well combined. DO NOT OVER-MIX - that is why I add in the chocolate chips then only mix together to avoid over mixing. 
8. Pour the batter into the preheated baking pan. 
• This is where you add the peanut butter (if you want). 
• Put a few dollops of peanut butter on top and straighten them out with a butter knife.
• Or you can pour half the brownies batter then add the peanut butter and then 'close' it with the other half of the brownies batter. 
9. You can add more chocolate chips on top (totally optional). 
10. Bake the brownies for 35-40-minutes (my best is 35 minutes).
11. Once the time is up, turn off the oven and leave the brownies inside for a good 2-minutes. 
12. Remove from the oven and let it rest/cool down before you cut with a plastic knife (brownie hack: your brownies won't stick to your plastic knife). 
13. Or even better if you can get those brownies cutter and then you will get even cut brownies - unlike mine. Every piece is unique hah. 

So there it is. 

I modified a bit on the recipe and steps according to what worked for me so yeah. You can go try and see. Maybe you would like to add more sugar to yours or use bitter chocolate chips etc. I used milk chocolate chips and they are so yummy, please. 

Till next cooking and baking, bye now. 

Getting the Right Laptop!

 Why is it such a difficult decision to make when it comes to getting the 'right' laptop? 

We have talked about getting a new one after I officially resigned from HTT and until now, we are not ready to cross that bridge. We don't know which one to get! 

We wanted to get a tablet - I love (so love) the Microsoft Surface Go 2 (with red everything) but a friend shared that it is not worth the money. So, I am now back to square one. 

My mind was pretty fixed with Microsoft but after that review, I need to not go there anymore. Adrian tried to convince me to get Huawei (like his) - but the way they placed their webcam, umm I cannot. 

Huawei is definitely out. 

Apple laptops are out too - because they are ridiculously expensive and I don't need such a fancy laptop. I love how nice they look though. A for that. 

I am either for Dell or HP - because I have used both and loved using both. 

I was leaning towards Dell Inspiron 14 (2-in1) where they have touch screens and adjustable screens but Adrian said touch screens laptops are not very good. So, now I am back to the box - of no decisions made. 

So, if you are reading this, and have similar criteria like mine, and have made a very 'worth your money' purchase on a laptop, please share with this girl. I do not want to buy the 'wrong' laptop. 

Must-have criteria:

• Lightweight (have to be able to carry out when with kids)
• Preferably 14-inch screen size or smaller (don't want too big)
• Budget not more than RM2,500 (below RM2,000 even better)
• Backlit keyboard (because sometimes I have to work in the dark, so I need the keyboard lights)

I even googled 'Best Laptop for Moms' but I gave up going through the list after 2-minutes. All the comparisons between the processors etc. I cannot. 

I am currently using Adrian's old laptop and to be honest, it can still be used but there are 2 things that made us sort of want to replace it with a new one. First, its' sound system is a gone case so no watching movies or listening to Spotify, or trying to edit more videos (boo), and second, its battery is also a gone case so that means I have to always connect it with the power supply. 

And that is an issue because, with 2 kids at home, I have to be able to work anywhere (anytime), and not having to connect my laptop 24/7 is crucial. 

So, please help a friend out. Which laptop have you used before that is not super fancy? I just need a laptop for normal everyday use, and I don't want laptops that lag too please thank you. Or are there any laptops that I should avoid buying - also very important. 

Thank you in advance! :)

Till next time, bye now. 

2D1N Hotel Jen Penang Georgetown by Shangri-La.

Big shoutout to Tourism Malaysia for making this staycation happen. I know you a bit blur now why I said that heh. 

Because Tourism Malaysia came out with a Stimulus Package alongside MATTA and Shopee - where they are sponsoring RM100 per person (discount) for any tour package purchased on Shopee that is in line with MATTA. 

Needless to say, Holiday Tours has a few packages lined up and one of them was a 2D1N staycation at Hotel Jen Penang Georgetown by Shangri-La! 

The selling price for the 2D1N Hotel Jen is RM115 per person for the 2D1N package, so with the RM100 discount voucher on Shopee, we actually only paid RM15 for a hotel staycation. 

Every account is only entitled to 1 RM100 discount voucher, and there were like 12 of us so we needed 12 people to buy and utilize these vouchers on Shopee - so we reached out to friends (haha) to help us out (only if they did not plan to use them) and finally, we managed to get all the vouchers and wala - it was staycation time! Heh. 

You can try this link (click with your phone app) and see if the package is still there - because I am quite sure the Hotel Jen's package is fully booked/purchased. But there are many other packages that you can use this RM100 voucher on. 

You can only enjoy this voucher thing via Shopee App - if I am not wrong. 

We emailed the Reservations Team days prior to the check-in and requested for all rooms to be on the same floor and if possible, to have multiple connecting rooms - and to have early check-ins. 

We were informed that early check-ins were not possible due to the high occupancy rate that week so that was a bummer that we had to only check in at 3PM - but being us, we went to the hotel early anyways, at like about 1245PM. 

We decided to try request for early check-in (again) and it worked! We managed to check into 2 rooms first and then by 2PM, all our rooms were ready! So, that works! Heh. Perseverance is key :)

This is the package that we purchased. 

It is inclusive of:-

> daily buffet breakfast

> entrance ticket to 3D Trick Art Museum

Oh, and we paid an extra RM10 per room for the weekend surcharge. 

Now, about the stay and the room and the breakfast. 

The staff was friendly and helpful. It was such a pleasant check-in experience with them. The lobby is nice and clean, even the hallway to the rooms. There were lots of sanitizers in the hotel so very convenient to wash your hands every 5 steps. Heh. 

The room (Deluxe Room with King bed) was quite spacious - and I love that they have an extra lounge chair by their giant window (which I love so much!).

Overall, clean room with a clean bathroom so I think I will give it a 4 out of 5 stars. 

The missing 1-star because of its location heh. I think it is a great hotel for those who prefer to explore the city and do some cafe hopping and for businessmen for sure. But for families with children, it is not very ideal - just because there were not many things to do in (around) the hotel. 

No beach and the pool are very basic. Also, cos Covid so no swimming for all of us so bleh. 

Only 2 rooms were connected - my grandma's and ours. So our room was the party/supper-room. Yes, we tapau food from Green House - like curry mee and tailok mee and steamed chicken. Heh. 

So here's a fun hack. 

Do you know that you can call the hotel and request bowls and cutleries from the restaurant and they will bring it to your room? We requested 5 bowls and cutleries and they delivered. 

Like legit super nice good quality bowls that they use in the restaurant okay - not those plastic bowls. 

That is why we could enjoy our curry mee and yee sang kai chok. Heh. 

So now you know ok. 

Here's a short video of the room :)

Till next staycation, bye now. 

Mamu Maggi Goreng at Old Winston Coffee Garden, Penang.

This is the best Maggi Goreng in the world okay - based on my opinion (and most of those who have tasted it) heh. 

If I already up-ed your expectations, then too bad. Hah. Because when I crave maggi goreng, this is my to-go place. I mean like - we (our gang) will purposely plan for lunch together at this place when most of us are on leave. Good thing my office super near to their current location. 

They have switched places a few times but always around the same area - KDU College Georgetown area. The previous place they were at, the packing costs RM6 per entry and that also you can still see many people dining there. The parking fee is not charged by them by the way. 

I think most people usually park further and walk to their old place. 

Now, they are stationed at the Old Winston Coffee Garden (used to be a famous dim sum place in the AM) and the parking is RM2 per entry (also not by them). 

So, they are famous for their Maggi Goreng and Nasi Goreng. I only always just order their Maggi Goreng Telur Atas - another comfort food of mine. 

By the time I finished an entire plate, I would be so full and satisfied. 

The only minus thing about that place is, it gets so so hot. They have fans but the heat under that zinc roof is insane. I would sweat buckets and my behinds would get wet. People probably think I peed on my own. Kid you not. 

Ask anyone who has eaten there before and they will tell you how hot it can get over there. 

Then again, we tried to tapau back but it just didn't taste as nice. 

You just gotta eat it there and experience the whole heat la I guess. Hah. 

So, please go try it okay! 

He says: Classic! Something you couldn't find elsewhere. Didn't like it at first but became a personal favorite!

She says: This is not the typical maggi goreng you get at nasi kandar stall. This one is basah and sedap. There are some vegetables in it and it's spicy and super yummy. If you don't like your maggi goreng to be basah, then you will probably not like this one. You can choose to add ayam goreng and sosej also if you want. 

Till next makan, bye now. 

3D2N Shangri La's Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, Penang.

This is another supposed-to-be-posted-one-year-ago but here I am - never too late is the way to go hah. 

For Adrian's 30th birthday last year, I decided to surprise him with a few surprises but the one that I was looking forward to the most was this staycation. If you watch this video, you would know how he reacted when he found out that his birthday present was a 2-night staycation at Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa. 

Why this hotel you ask?

Because it's one of the 5-star hotels that Adrian really likes (though he never stays before) but he really loves the wooden feel that this hotel has. Knowing him, he would never pay to stay at any 5-star hotel unless it's a really good deal - same with me also actually but I not so extreme la. Heh. 

That time last year, Rasa Sayang had these FB live sessions where they give out promo codes for their rooms if you book with them directly and so, it was just the right time! 

You have to stay a minimum of 2 nights to enjoy these discounts (Facebook Weekday Offer) and I paid a total of RM420 for 2 nights - so that makes it RM210 for a Garden Wing Deluxe Garden View Room - which was acceptable (I think) for me. Hah.

That price included daily breakfast for 2 adults, early check-in at 12PM, and late check-out at 4PM. It was these conditions that they were shouting so loud about. 

I also sent them emails to request these (below) and that is also because their website asked if we would like these items so we of course said yes. 

Baby bottle sterilizer

Baby bottle warmer

Baby high chair

Baby playpen

Baby toilet seat

Needless to say, we did not get any of the above. They did not even update us if they have these or not to be sent to our room. They just continued being silent about it. I think if you don't have these items, you should not list them as optional for people to choose from, or if you are out of it, you should at least inform us. 

Good thing I emailed them again about 1 babycot before the trip starts. 

This was actually the second red flag. 

The first being - that we had to wait in the lobby for few hours even though we were told that we could check-in at 12PM - instead of 3PM. We reached the hotel at about 1PM and the receptionist looked lost and cold (he probably had a bad day or something because he was anything but friendly). He walked into the back office for like the 40th time before he could tell us when exactly we could check-in. 

We also reminded him that we were told that we can check-in by 12PM and it was already close to 2PM by the time we talked to him and all. The only thing he could tell us was, the rooms all not ready so we had to wait. Oh man. 

I understand that they may be under-staffed but do not tell people that they can come and check-in by 12PM. My 2 kids were going crazy by the time they called us. It was such a bad way to start the staycation. 

So, that's the first red flag okay. 

We decided to be positive and put all that behind us and just enjoy the weekend. 

It was not too long after we checked into the room, that Adrian realized the rooms were dusty (bed frames, side tables, main table, and chairs) and even Adrian (who usually is very very cincai kind of person) was highly disappointed. 

Their pillows had a funny smell and we did not dare to open up the sheets. 

The grass outside our balcony/patio was long and really messy and dirty. 

It was already affecting Adrian and he is usually the super-not-OCD-kind. We cleaned some common areas on our own. 

Their buffet breakfast is two thumbs up though. I did not go for any breakfast because I didn't feel like to so I stayed in the room with Sofia instead and slept in. 

But according to Adrian and his mom, it was pretty good. They have quite many choices. 

So, I guess in the overalls of it all, it is safe to say that we will not be doing any staycations at Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa - unless the deal is super good - like RM100 per night or something hah. 

If you ask Adrian, he will probably give you a worse review. Heh. 

Here's a quick room tour of the room. Sorry, no photos this time. Heh.

 Till next staycation, bye now. 

Project Can by Haru Hari at Lebuh Gelugor, Penang.

Don't think you will miss seeing this newly launched cafe when you drive along the forever-busy-Jalan Masjid Negeri. This Project Can Cafe is on your left if you are driving towards the Penang Bridge and in the evening, it is even more obvious because the outdoor fairy lights would be switched on. 

The place is very cozy with giant trees providing so much shade and a homey-nice-warm-feeling. 

We woke up one Sunday morning and decided to try this place for breakfast. Partly because they have such a big outdoor area so I was not that paranoid about bringing my kids to eat and play. 

We were 30-minutes earlier than their official opening time, so we waited outside and look-see the surroundings. 

FYI - do not park your car on the pavement along with the cafe with yellow lines because we were told by the workers there that policemen have given many love letters to people who parked there (one of them is my SIL: Jaryn! Hah). Policemen would come up to 5-times in a day. 

We ordered 4 mains for 5 adults and 4 kids - finished everything because we were hungry and also because it was good - yummy good and portion big good. 

Their drinks were okay-okay (in our opinion) but food-wise, good lah. 

TIRAMISU - RM20

THE BIRD NEST - RM25

Deep fried shredded potatoes & leek, katsuobushi (beef bacon or ham) & mixed veggie pancakes. 

CAN BREAKKIE - RM25

Beef bacon, Heinz baked beans, McCain hashbrown, chicken ham, chicken sausage, mushroom, mesclun (green salad), tomato, sliced artisan sourdough and scramble kampung eggs. 

Overall:-

> Tiramisu cake is surprisingly very yummy and I don't even like tiramisu in general. 

> Can Brekkie is also surprisingly bigger than we expected and also yummy (portion for 2 persons)

> The Bird Nest is also very yummy and it tasted like a different version of okonomiyaki. 

For sure, we will come again to try their other food items. Also, you may want to call them to make reservations - especially on the weekends because they don't have a lot of tables so if you do not want to walk away disappointed, do call up first!

Till next makan, bye now.