Gratitude: Tradition, Food and Drinks

Today I am thankful for tradition.

It is believed that part of celebrating the Spring Festival and ushering in of the new lunar year, is to eat well. If there is one single CNY tradition that I keep with my little family, it is to have our meals together. A family who eats together, stays together.

As such, we are thankful to all the chefs who worked hard to put food on our table today, forsaking their own time with family and friends. Hampshire Mummy kitchen is close, save for making Bean his meals, breakfast and tea for the rest. 

Ultimately, we are thankful to Allah s.w.t. For his Blessings of food and drinks to us. Although we start every meal with "bismillah" and end every meal with "alhamdulillah", I just want to note how thankful we are for receiving His Provisions. 

What are you thankful for today? Do share!

Gratitude: Family

Today I am thankful for my family.

It is just the four of us, and we are family. I pray no one will ever or can take that away from us. Amin!

I am also thankful for my in-laws and The Lloyds who help us in so many ways.

Gong Hey Fatt Choy to those who are celebrating. Stay safe to those who are travelling. Happy holidays to those who are enjoying the congestion-free traffic in the city.

May health, happiness and contentment come your way.

Note To Self

Pretty good lighthouse beacon, wouldn't you agree? Certainly is, for me. Hope that you will find this useful too.

Teething Gel

A pea size, rubbed on red, angry, sore gums with more teeth about to erupt any day begets a calmer baby with no broken sleep. Bliss!

What do you use to ease your little bub's gums? Please do share!

Chinese New Year

Gong Hey Fatt Choy!

As a Muslim revert, Chinese New Year is a cultural keepsake for me, as rememberance of my ethnic background and not much else. It would have been so different if my parents were still around, or if I had any siblings.

Firstly, we will be dressing the two kids in traditional costume on the first day. Qibao for The Little Girl, and SamFoo for Bean. These costumes will be worn again during open house at The Playschool. The Playschool runs an awesome culturally correct syllabus so I am having it really easy, apart from having to look for a peony motif peach or dusty pink headscarf for myself this year.

A small gift of Ang Pow will also be handed over on the first day of Spring Festival to my children. It is just a gift, and perhaps sadaqah if we happen to meet other children celebrating. We have no Chinese relatives, no reunion dinners and no traditional ushering in of the lunar new year.

The Little Girl enjoys watching lion dance, acrobatic troupes and traditional bands perform at shopping malls. Her annual highlight!

Yes, we have some mandarin and tangerine at home. But of course! Part of our fruit intake. No store bought cookies this year as we are watching gluten intake of The Little Girl, and may have to bake some ourselves.

Reunion dinner will be the usual simple dinner we eat at home, or perhaps a treat of Japanese meal at the hotel next door, children permitting. My in-laws have not suggested reunion dinner either so it will just be quite ordinary.

No, I am not obsessed over the luck predictions/ year and elements as all those are plainly syiriq to me. All I can do is pray for safety, health and happiness.

Really simple, yes? Do share how Spring Festival is celebrated in your household.

Eating Properly

Do you eat properly?

We have been eating mostly clean, raw, organic and/or minimally processed food lately. It is a trying process initially but once your taste buds adjusts, you will start to recognise the myriad of tastes of fruits and vegetables.

Most meals are home prepared or cooked. When eating out, we choose salads with lean meat that comes with the usual request of dressing on the side.

Admittedly, this is hard work. But like any other pact or commitment, some hard work and self-discipline are required. I was going to say self-respect, but that may seem too harsh!

The shock it does to the system! After a few days of such food and drinks, The Other Half and I are feeling less sluggish. Drop in body weight from cutting down sugar is a good consequence too. I was 52kg but now stand at 49kg. Just 1 more kg to pre-pregnancy weight.

The plan is to rebuild my stamina and muscles, tightening all those post-2-pregnancies flubber around the abs.

Are you with me? Let's do this for the sake of our little ones and family, beyond self-vanity.

Yes, that also means less cookies/arrow root chips binge come this Chinese New Year.

Sanity Preservation

Do you have days when you just want to turn yourself off, go into a hibernation mode and be free from all forms of negativity?

Today was one such day. I am glad it is coming to an end and alhamdulillah Allah s.w.t. Is the best Listener. To Him I give all my thanks. For another chance to make tomorrow a better day, to be a better person.

*DND mode on*