get your own hosting

After blogging for more than a year, I am rather pleased with all the wonderful lessons learnt, nice friends whom I got acquainted with online and the unexpected monetary returns.

There's one thing I strongly recommend if you are thinking of blogging on a more serious note. That is, you should at least host your own domains instead of using the free blogging platforms. This was my very first blog which explains why I'm still updating it faithful on a regular basis. Plus, this is a personal blog where I share my life, experiences and what-nots. But after this first one, I then move on to 5 blogs within a year and hosted them with Hostgator.

Since I'm sharing the hosting account with DH, I chose the unlimited domains plan, the cheapest being the Baby Croc Plan. I have never quite had any problems with Hostgator unlike some of my friends, who often experience hiccups from their hosting companies. For Unlimited Domain Hosting Only $9.95 a Month, I believe it's a good deal. Of course you may tell me that you can find unlimited hosting cheaper elsewhere but what I can say is that Hostgator has rarely any downtime or loading hiccups. Even if there is, it is often restored very quickly and the support has been excellent so far.

So if you are serious into getting a hosting plan, check out Hostgator, Unlimited Domain Hosting Only $9.95 a Month
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weight loss requires perseverance

My leg magic machine is working so well for both DH and me as we faithfully spend a few minutes on it everyday. According to the product site, it is supposed to help those who are in a weight loss program. But the reality is not many people can lose weight by getting on a machine as it requires lots of discipline and perseverance. From what I read at lap band Houston that one of the quick weight loss methods is through a lap band surgery procedure which includes an insertion of an inflatable adjustable gastric band around the upper portion of your stomach. This procedure makes the person eats less and thus promote weight loss while having that feeling of fullness.

Whatever weight loss methods you choose, always consult your doctor before undertaking any medical procedure as it is important to check your health condition to ensure that you are physically apt for it.

motivated by rewards

Are you motivated by rewards? I'm not just referring to work life but in your personal life too. Well, like it or not, all of us do, in one way or another. We tend to think that only children are motivated by rewards and this is not entirely true.

I've started the reward system on my boy in this whole toilet training journey. He did good yesterday at home except for one accident in the evening. Today was good. I told him that I would reward him with 2 mini smarties if he goes pee pee in potty and he did. He didn't poo today, though he was in and out of the potty a few times. I figured that he might have done too much yesterday with 4 poops.

I also promised him that if he accumulate 5 stars, he'll get a toy and he's already had four! Everyday, I'll make it a point to remind him and encourage him to work towards getting more stars. Star = Reward = His Favourites.

This reward system seems to be working... my hubby is surprised but I reminded him that all of us loves to be rewarded... children and adults, we all love rewards.

have fun with Groovle!

I am quite certain that many of you use Google to search for information in your daily life. Personally, I use it everyday to search for anything under the sun, from stock images to health information, to online shopping, reviews, researching on new educational toys for Clayton, download music..etc.

What some of you may not know is that you can actually Personalize Google in your PC or laptop. I added one of my favourite photos and the greeting page will automatically appear once I launch my Firefox in the morning. You can feel free to add a celebrity photo, a motivational image or anything personal or sentimental to you cos it's your own page. Plus, it's free and you can even move the search box to any place on the page. Personalize it to your liking and make it your own unique greeting page when you start your PC. Check it out now and have fun with Groovle!

Clayton poo in his potty by himself!

Oh, he did it, he did it, he did it! It's the beginning of a breakthrough for me!

For months, I've been stressed over this potty training saga. Clayton wouldn't tell me that he's going to poo poo or pee pee and like many moms, I had to clean up his mess. Everytime he goes to the toilet consistently, we'll be interrupted travel and other plans so we had to start all over again.

I have been talking to parents and teachers and everyone just kept saying 'be patient and dont' give up. Well, it's easier said than done cos I haven't got a maid and I have to work too.

So I was advised to offer him an attractive reward by a friend and I decided to try it this morning. I told him after his first poop in the diaper that I would take him to Kidzsports if he poo in the potty. I then heard a loud scream - "Mama, I poo poo" coming from downstairs while he was watching TV. I ran downstairs frantically thinking it would be done messily on the floor again cos I had taken off his diapers. But to my pleasant surprise, I saw the pants on the kitchen floor and his poo was in the potty! Can you imagine how delighted I was? He had never done it in this potty by himself and he did it this time and best still, he took off his pants without any help!

I pray that this potty training will be heading towards success with this little victory. And yes, we are off to Kidzsports this weekend!

a day in a park in kepong

At one point, I was frustrated at DH for suggesting a boring place for lunch. I mean, why can't we go to the mall instead to a neighbourhood eating place, it's the weekends, you know! I wasn't too pleased but didn't want to end up in an argument so I took his suggestion.

The lunch was fine and I took a snooze when we got home. I supposed my body needed that rest badly. Just when I thought that the day was going to end in a boring manner, he suggested that we should go to FRIM (nature reserve) and I agreed.

FRIM is in Kepong but we missed the turn off and didn't make it there but we found another nice park to go to as we travelled along the highway. We were attracted by the colourful flights in the air, I couldn't believe my eyes, there were so many beautiful kites in the park!

As we entered the park, there was a huge playground next to the open field where all the kite enthusiasts gathered. Clayton had such a ball of a time in the park... it was one of the more beautiful playground in Kuala Lumpur. Why didn't anyone tell us that? Though it was a little crowded, we didn't mind and all we did was to keep a watch eye on Clayton.

He climbed, ran, walked, slided, jumped, swing and did everything a child would do when they spotted such a delightful playground. The park is huge and windy and is encircled by a big lake. You could see people fishing, cycling, jogging, strolling, sitting around... there is even a 'reflexology' stone pavement for those who need to activate their foot pressure points.







Last but not least, who would have expect that the sunset here in Kepong is golden and unbeatable, just like what I witnessed in Hawaii, minus the coconut trees and humidity...

recruitment is a daunting task

Since the start of the year, DH has been focusing on recruiting a couple of staff for our company and sad to say, the outcome has been bleak. I am shocked that so many interviewees stood the employers up even though they said that they would come for the interview. What have they been taught in their schools and by their parents, I wonder? I would expect them to give a call if they change their minds.

These days, recruitment is a daunting task for most employers. I wonder if it's time to seek help from head hunters or professional recruitment companies like A.E. Feldman Associates, Inc. who specializes in risk management jobs placement, human resource consulting, IT, communication and more. Appointing a recruitment company to take over the recruitment process can ease lots of stress and unnecessary frustrations for the employers.

a coffee talk with a young friend...

We sat on the bed and played our nightly activity toy - Mighty Mind. He is getting better and better at it, it's impressive :) After playing his musical piano, we started chatting like friends. At times, I didn't understand what was he saying but I knew he was trying his best to make sense. I lied down and listened patiently and paid full attention at his stories. I asked him questions and he could answer. He told me his favourite teacher, who he loved, sang me a Sunday School song and I thought that was cute.

These are the precious moments I treasure so much with my little boy. It's like having a coffee talk with a young friend and I enjoyed his company so much... it's so sweet, so valuable and I won't trade him for anything else on this earth...

Trust in Him

The clock is ticking and in less than three years, we gotta to be out of here. There are so many things running through my head and the main concern is on clayton's education. The Queensland education system requires him to start year one when he turns six so we need to plan towards that.
Then again, is it queensland or somewhere else. Will I like Brisbane? I haven't had much lingering memories like I had for Perth so I feel so uncertain. But maybe it's too early to plan the details at this stage. I believe this is where faith needs to take over. Only He knows what the future holds so it's better to cast my cares on Him than to worry the unknown. Trust in Him... I tell myself.

clayton and his cute cousins

Clayton is still missing his cousins. He still talks about them and keeps telling me that he wants to go America next week and he'll say 'bye bye' to mama... I guess he still cannot understand the distance bit.

He had a great day out with his cousins on the last day in Los Angeles. I was out shopping for my LV bag with my cousin and DH's auntie and uncle brought them four to a nice park. Here are Clayton's cute and good looking cousins... they had such fun!

great discovery at zenni optical

I thought I spotted my previous pair of prescription glasses at Zenni Optical and guess what, it is only retailing at $19! When I told DH about the low prices, he found it to believe what I said till he checked out the website for himself.

Though I have never ordered a pair of prescription glasses online, my Great Discovery: www.ZenniOptical.com seems to make it easy and convenient for their customers. You can select your frame colours, lens and other add-ons by using the pull-down menu in each option before placing your order. But first, why don't you check out the wide selection of frames available at low prices?

ranting, ranting, ranting

It seems like DH is still not very forward thinking in his parenting style. He still thinks that children should only grow up with catching fish, playing marbles and climbing trees. We are no longer living in a kampung lah dude, this is the internet age, the 21st century! Those days, there was no internet, no mobile phones, no cable TV...etc. He's complaining that Clayton gets too many educational toys - is there a problem? C'mon, I think I have been moderate in buying toys and books for him; plus, they are for his development and growth... when is he moving away from this chinaman mindset? Sigh!

save on trendy prescription glasses

These days, many people don't just wear prescription glasses for functionality but style and design are both important elements when it comes to choosing a pair of glasses. With so many brands and designs, fixing a pair of glasses is no longer cheap, especially if you pick a high fashion label.

But if you are not brand conscious and just prefer a nice and stylish pair of prescription glasses, here is a Great Discovery: $ 8 Prescription Glasses From Zenni Optical! Before you think that you are getting junk at this price, check the website for yourself. Most of the eye frames are trendy and of nice finish as you are buying straight from the manufacturer. Rimless, plastic, stainless steel, titanium or metal, the selections are attractive and wide for those who are out to save.

the beauty of big bear lake

I'm still running through our photos taken during our US trip and somehow, I cannot forget the beauty of Big Bear Lake, which is only about 2 hours drive from LA. This is a popular vacation spot for families and ski enthusiasts. The most fun part was that we found a frozen lake on the mountains where we could glide and slide around - the kids had so much fun! Sometimes, I wondered if the frozen lake would crack while we jumped on it too much...

Do you travel with a travel insurance?

Sometimes, I wonder how many people actually travel with a travel insurance or do they think it's just a waste of money and efforts. Well, if you believe that life is unpredictable then a travel insurance is necessary to minimize stress, cost and add to your travel a peace of mind. DH always makes sure that we have this settled before any vacation since it will cover unexpected medicals, air travel incidentals..etc. What are your thoughts on this? Do you travel with a travel insurance?

I really like Camper

Call me a Camper fan, Camper freak... whatever! It is stylish, unique, artistic, cool, chic and different! I know many people trying copying some of their styles but if it's not Camper, it's just not :)

I'm glad that no one tried to copy Camper's line of Twins cos they are unique to the brand. Twins basically mean both the left and right are not the same but they complement each time. Sometimes, my friends would think that a feature is missing from one of the sides, not knowing that they are made that way. If you are not open to creative stuff, it may be too weird for you.

But if you are keen to check out Camper online, the sale is on and you can save up to 30%! I wanna get these ones lah... so tempting!

good deals from couponchief

In case you think the retailers are giving you a break from your recent Christmas shopping, look out for more attractions and deals this Valentines day! One of the ways to shop and save online is via coupon codes. If you haven't tried shopping with online coupons, then you don't know what you are missing! These savings can be significant if purchases are accumulated, that means you can end up buying more. Here are some good merchants from CouponChief.com:



1) Target is one of my personal favourites and America's second largest retailer. It is affordable, trendy, good mix of styles, brands and trends, reliable quality and friendly. Shopping at Target is like a one-stop shop for everything and every occasion. Shop with Target now and received $5 off every $50 and free shipping for purchases over $50 on women's, men's and kids' clothing, shoes and accessories.



2) eBags is a great stop for anyone who adores bags like I do! There are bags for any occasion - casual, outdoor, adventure, travel, baby, business, digital gadgets, computer, evening... whatever! They even have my favourite brand, Crumpler!

Coupon Chief has a great list of merchants and coupon codes available for your pick. Check it out.

camper having a sale now!

Clayton and myself had a nice day out in the mall on Sunday. I took him to The Gardens at Mid Valley, had lunch and spent some time in Borders. To me, this is better than being in the library!

Whenever I'm in The Gardens, I just have to peek in Camper for a look, to see if there is any new stuff. As always, I will spot something, and this time, it's another cool pair of Twins! I bought Clayton his golf clubs since we've been talking about taking him to golf lessons :) Kinder Golf may seem the best place to go but daddy seems to think he can do a better job.



Actually, if anyone out there is keen to buy Camper in Kuala Lumpur, the shop is having a Chinese New Year sale right now, offering 10 - 50% discount on the shoes! Otherwise, buy online at camper.com which is having a 10-30% sale from now till end february 2008. If you are looking at other shopping ideas, do take a look at Barnes and Noble coupons and other coupons at coupon chief's website.

i'm a travel freak!

It seems funny but overnight, my house is filled with 4 new luggages in the span of three months. We bought a luggage for our trip and ended up with three others - one High Sierra Duffel bought in Waikiki and two others loaned to us by DH's auntie. Actually, we won't be able to store all our new stuff if not for all these luggages and it took me a week to unpack everything. Yes, I did ALL the unpacking and DH would only keep peeking.

Finally, we put all the luggages away and they will be empty for a while til our next family vacation. It's time to get back to the daily routine and work towards another well-deserved holiday for this year :)

Told you I'm a travel freak!

Destination by YellowRen

It had been a long time since I visited Evangel family church again. Though I had left Evangel for 8 years to date, it still felt like home whenever I got a chance to worship in that church. I had grown up in Evangel and through in all, it will always be close to my heart.

It was nice to catch up over lunch with Pas Lim and Pas Marion, Pas Dale, Pas Chui, Pas Mong Yee and Dayna. Clayton found company with Joseph and I was at one point worried that he would get too rough with him.

Pas Mong Yee was gracious to give me the DVD of the Destination Tour produced by YellowRen, a trio made up of Dayna, Pas Mong Yee and Chee Kong. Listening to the CD always brings me memories of those days when I used to sing with Dayna and Pas Mong Yee. I didn't know I missed singing so much... it's been so long.

Destination is a great collection of gospel mandarin songs and you should check out the website for more info.

it's shopping time again?

I've been receiving many sms notifications of sales and discounts in stores and boutique chains. It looks like it's shopping time for those who haven't had enough of Christmas buys. This is a time where retail shops have to do their best to promote their products for the coming New Year and Valentines day. With new malls springing up on every corner of KL city, you can find all sorts of luxury labels to homegrown brands, shopping from household products, resort wear to gold cufflinks for the men.

For me, I've banned myself from more use of my credit card until my holiday bills are all cleared.

pregnancy and parenting resources

I just got news from a friend in Shanghai who is expecting her second baby. She is one of those who enjoys pregnancy and going through labour - how rare! Yet, I am encouraged by her enthusiasm and excitement in parenting, especially when she told me about how she truly cherished her parenting moments with her first child.

Whether you are expecting for the first time or second, or even third, it is important to keep a positive attitude and maintain a cheerful countenance. Keep yourself and the baby healthy can be achieved with healthy eating habits including exercise and a well-balanced lifestyle. During the EARLY PREGNANCY stage, you should also include relevant vitamins and supplements into your daily dietary plans. These days, the internet provides a pool of resources for the expectant moms. You can educate yourself with useful articles on parenting, pregnancy, childbirth and videos on related topics. I find the 'green parenting' article to be interesting and appropriate for today's modern eco-parents. Don't forget to gather some tips on baby's growth and sleeping habits too!

your last online purchases

These days, buying things online can bring you huge savings especially if you take time to do your research diligently. I know some people are still hesitant about online purchases due to security and shipping concerns. Personally, I have had few good experiences in online shopping and will continue to buy online if I need to. Some sites offer directbuy privileges to members which can spell big savings in volume purchases.

With online shopping becoming common, what is your personal experience to it? When is your last online purchases?

capella university

Everyone is talking about having big goals, dreams and plans for the New Year and I think it's an absolutely wonderful thing to do. One of the things that many working class individuals may consider is to further their education for the betterment of their lives and careers.

If you are in search of a fully online university, have a look at the courses, programs and curriculum at capella university who was founded in 1993. Home to various certificate programs and degrees in business, information technology and human resources, to name a few, the school has more than 20,000 students from all 50 states and 56 countries. For more information, please visit http://www.capella.edu or call 1.888.CAPELLA (227.3552).

treasuring parenting from home

Traveling with a three year old can be both fun and stressful, depending on your expectations. Clayton loves to hang around with my mom and grandma always has a new toy for him whenever he's visiting. By being a curious and active toddler, I always have to remind my mom to put away hazardous objects including safety utility knife rand anything that is sharp.

I'm glad that Clayton likes grandma's company and I can even leave him with mom for a few hours when I'm out for special functions or dinners. Sometimes, I admire couples whose parents are hands-on and able to babysit their kiddos, other times, I don't. There are always pros and cons to this and I believe it all depends on the couples and their preferences. For now, it's back to full time parenting while working from home.. this itself is a blessing I truly treasure.

a wonderful 2008 sermon

It was nice to be back again , being the first trip of 2008. I needed a haircut desperately and since this was a wedding we couldn't miss, these were good reasons for making this trip.

I was also delighted to be in my home church on the onstart of the year. It was great to see all my friends, pastors and church members again and Clayton was having a great time in Sunday School. My senior pastor and my founding pastor were so nice to invite us for lunch with some good friends and pastoral staff... it was one of those moments I cherished.

Evangel Family Church is always so close to my heart though I only get to visit the church once or twice a year. I was privileged to hear Pastor Lim's sermon again, I truly admired this man's preaching and heart all these years - he is still one of my favourite preachers.

He reminded us that God's hand is on all our circumstances and opportunities in 2008 and with Him, we can trust that He is able to do more than what we can think or imagine. Most importantly, we must acknowledge Him in all our aspects of our lives. And with Him, we don't need to fear our future in 2008 as He will grant us the strength to carry out the task, with freshness and cheer.

a wonderful wedding dinner

We are off to Singapore this weekend to share the joy of two wonderful friends of ours who tied the knot of New Year's day. It was such a joy to also some familiar faces during the cosy dinner and we felt so privileged to be in the company. The speech of the bride and groom touched my heart, especially the bride... did I mentioned she was a sweet but lovely lady whom I had known.

Though it was short and simple dinner, we had a great time and was glad we made this trip. For me, it was good to be home again... and yes, I needed a haircut before CNY :)

we love traveling light, yet...

We are that sort of travlers who believe in traveling light. Yet, we left for the US with a big luggage and my faithful Mandarina Duck Carry-On and came back with 4 big luggages and one carry-on :) I still cannot figure out why we need all that space. It could be the five pairs of shoes DH bought or the 3 pairs of mine. Then he had lots of t-shirts from Hawaii (from ABC store) and I've got some from the outlets. I cannot deny that US is a shopping haven for cheap and affordable apparel! Where can you find a nice pair of North Face athletic shoes for $50?

This time, we traveled with our laptop and all the important cables, including DH's HDMI mini cables. The laptop was great in linking us up and allowing DH to do his options trading. It was nice to be 'earning money' during the vacation - I am truly thankful for this.

It's now back at work and it looks like the pressure is building up in a slow pace for now...

clayton's fun activities

Clayton had done a few new things during our vacation, from riding on the carousel to a few minutes on the ice skating rink. It was tough getting him to step on snow though he enjoyed sledding down the snowy slope with mummy, daddy and Auntie Anne. He looked so cute in his winter jacket and I could see that he was trying hard to balance himself! Here are some shots of his new activities during the trip...

Clayton missing his cousins

It's been four days since we left LA and Clayton is still asking about Auntie Anne and all his cousins. He had such a wonderful time with them and he actually told me that he liked America - lol!

I'm thankful that he has been a good and flexible traveler except for his dislike for Mexican food and too much of typical American flair. He still prefers his rice and noodles opposed from lots of meat and dairy stuff. But most of time, he ate fine though he was often distracted with the toys in the house. As for us, those toys and his cousins serve as great 'babysitters' for us and that was the only time we could sit down to catch up with everyone.

Looking back, all these wonderful moments feel like yesterday...

silver for investment

We went scouting for a nice wedding gift for our close friends yesterday. Since we were at a lost of what to get for these two lovebirds, I suggested to DH that we checked out Tiffany gifts. I was shocked to pick up a silver photo frame that cost RM800 and it was nothing more than an ordinary heart-shaped frame.

Coming to value of silver, I know silver bullion has been long regarded as an investment for some people. I suppose it is different when silver is purchased as an investment as the prices can appreciate in the long run. The experts at Monex Precious Metals can tell you that more and more people are investing in silver and other precious metals since the world demand for silver now exceeds annual production.

How about you? Are you into silver too?

sunsets in hawaii

Who says Waikiki is only but a commercialized city with just lots of tourists and nothing else? I don't deny that there is a tourist every corner but so what? Till this day, I still adore the sunsets, sunrises and hangloose atmosphere in this beautiful shore. There is always something to do and sometimes, you can just sit on the beach and do nothing and you can feel so peaceful and happy.

Every sunset is different - all thanks to Mother Nature and they are just so captivating. Here are some of my sunset shots of Hawaii...

photos uploaded in facebook

The month of December had been a good break for me. In terms of work, we took a break as we prepare for the New year. As far as blogging is concerned, I took a break too as it was hard to update my blogs regularly when I was traveling. All thanks to efficient internet connections in our accommodations, I could still get some writing assignments done.

I'm still waking at 6am but it's getting better now. I've already uploaded some of our trip photos in facebook and check it out if you are keen! Those are only part of what we had...more to come!

are wedding bells ringing?

We just confirmed our attendance to a wedding of two close business friends and I can't wait to send them both personal hugs on that day! Coincidentally, I came across a beautiful flowers site that has some of the well-thought wedding flower packages for brides to be. The flower selections are great for the busy bride who has thousand and one things in her mind.

Besides offering great flower ideas for the bride, there is lots of information on all the various flowers which serves as a handy guide for the bride to be. Whether it's wholesale calla lilies or exotic roses, the flowers are cut fresh and ordered directly from the growers and not stored in cold rooms for days. This is an important thing to consider if you like your flowers to last longer and look fresher on the wedding day.



Personally, I like the wedding flower packages that allow the bride to mix and match her selections, which can help to save time and money for the couple. Do if wedding bells are ringing for you, head down to the site and check out for yourself.

smooth long haul flight

Can you tell that I'm suffering from jet lag? I've been waking up at 4am and 6am and so is my little Clayton and DH? Worse! He woke up at 2am and it seemed that he wasn't ready to overcome jet lag.

This is the first time we have traveled to a country with a vast difference in time zone and I am truly glad that Clayton is coping better than expected. He was good during the 14.5 hours flight coming back from Los Angeles and the long haul flight was truly a breeze. China airlines may not deliver like Singapore Airlines but still not so bad, really.

I suppose it is manageable especially when we can save more than RM 10K from the airfare. Traveling with a 'better' airline and sector means paying more for airfare and eating into my shopping! I tried getting some sleep during the long haul flight and reading some info on cerebral palsy and watching Rush Hour 3 and Nannies Diary in the plane.

Looking back, it was a great vacation and I am already missing Hawaii...

Have a blessed 2008!

Oh yes, I know I'm late in this but that's because I haven't had internet connections in the last few years at the mountains! It was nice spending New Year on the Big Bear Mountains and somehow, a snow-capped mountains was always a wonderful sight to behold!

We had a big cabin with nice platform beds for everyone and a cosy living and dining area where we could hang on - it was nice.

So here's a belated quick note to wish all my readers here a Blessed 2008! Wishing everyone good health, great success and lots of wonderful surprises!