Chloe is currently in Grade 2 and besides her school friends – we also make sure she has friend from other schools. And since she is taking up so many extra-curricular classes, it is inevitable to be asked out for play dates and vice versa. But my play dates usually involves the mommies as well – that way moms can get together and eat, chat and drink – and most importantly relax. Thank God for electric grills , because we can grill just about anything for everyone. So everyone brings whatever they want to feed their kids and just throw it onto the grills I have and it’s that easy. I make lots of ice lemon tea and lemonade for the kids – and for us mommies – I add in a bit of my special liquor – like the cranberry ones that I bought locally from Lunenburg. My play dates are always a hit – because we have the trampoline – the swings and those big inflated castles for the kids to bounce and slide.
Celebrating Grandparents’ Day
This weekend is Grandparents’ Day – although some may argue that it’s a way commercial business make you buy more gifts and spend money – I think it is important to acknowledge Grandparents who played a very important part in your child’s life. After all, Grandparents are the next closest relative besides the parents right? and even though grandparents don’t look for gratitude – I think it’s important to show Grandparents how much we appreciate their help, love and gifts they pour onto your kids. While I had gotten my mom gifts at Shari’s Berries – for grandparents’ day – we are going to order some cheese and flowers. So for those who are not aware that Grandparents’ day is this weekend – you still have time to order your gifts now – it doesn’t need to be a whole bunch of gifts – just chocolates, cheese or flowers are very nice gestures to show you appreciate them.
Bedside Table/Drawers
So I finally settled for a Wicker’s emporium Maize 3 drawers storage for a bedside table and plus it was 50% off – so I bought it for my bedroom. I had wanted it in a different color – but they only had this color or the multi-colored ones – so I settled for this color since our bedroom’s furniture are almost all brownish in color. Looking kinda gloomy I know you are gonna say – but not to worry because I ordered a painting from Etsy – and am looking forward to getting it – that way I can add a splash of color to our bedroom. I feel that it is time to dress up our bedroom since we haven’t for this long. We’ve been in this house for almost 7 years now and as surely as I am trying to dress it up – everything seems desperately slow – because I just can’t find anything I really liked. And I won’t settle for less or just an item – that I mediocrely liked. Like for my tv room/living room I would really like to get some calligraphy work for the living room – but of course to do so – I would have to go home for it – because you need to be quite selective – as to who write the calligraphy for you. Oh well – we’ll just have to wait then.
Hurricane Irene
So Hurricane Irene is coming our way – everyone in the East Coast was warned and told to be prepared. We don’t know what is going to come this way – it’s a hit and miss around here but everyone is busy putting away their patio furniture and swing set – and anything that is left out in the yard. We are very lucky because we have a wooden swing set that is nailed deep down into the ground – and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. So each time we have high wind or bad weather – the only thing that doesn’t need moving around is the wooden swing set. We bring in the trampoline, the patio set, the cloth hangers and even the mosquito net comes right down. I hope we won’t get a lot of wind and rain – because it can get nasty – so are you prepared for Hurricane Irene?
Fairly Fashionable
My nephew who will be attending University during this fall called to ask me about getting a new wardrobe for school. He thinks I’m fairly fashionable and would like me to go shopping with him and his mom – he was petrified that he would have to dress up the way his mom wants him to in University. I can completely understand his predicament – because my mom was the same way when I was a young adult – she wanted me to wear frilly stuff *slap forehead*. I found some armani exchange coupons for him and told him where he can go look at some of the more fashionable clothes and to show his mom what he liked before going shopping – that way she has an idea – what is suitable for him now. Like all moms – I can understand where his mom is coming from – but I’ve also been a young adult before and can sympathize with him. So here’s a win- win situation – for I really think that AX clothing are a great buy.
12 Yrs In Business
Definitely not an easy feat – but I have to say PB did a pretty good job – from the start – till when we had a tough time some 4 years ago – and now bringing the business back where it should be and even better than I had anticipated. Being in business for this long also means constantly upgrading – and the money that we made – always goes back into the store somehow. Besides the paying of bills – and stocking up inventory – and buying what is necessary to live on – we rarely splurge on ourselves. This year we are looking at getting a barcode scanner for the store – because it would be a lot easier if we were to hire on part-timers. We don’t have to specially train them how to punch in the codes and look out for the price difference – all they need to do is to scan the products and once scanned – the cash would balance and we won’t have to worry about missing money.
We are also constantly looking for ways to make things a lot easier on us – the initial part to put everything into the system using the scanner may be a bit tedious but in the long run – it would be a lot easier – we don’t need to hire a very skill person to man the counter for us – even a monkey can do it – like the sales person said. And yes – as we look forward to celebrating our 12 yrs in business at the end of the month – I hope this year PB would give out some free gifts like pens or memo pads – to our regular customers. What do you think? should we have cakes and coffee too? or get the local radio to come celebrate with us.
Spending Money On My Kid
Chloe’s handmade hat from Vancouver got stolen just before school ended – and it was a pretty expensive one of a kind hat. She was devastated and I quickly got her another one – to replace the one that was stolen. Some people might think that I’m crazy to spend so much money on a hat for a kid – but when it comes to spending money on Chloe – I have no qualms at all. Call me anything you want – but if it had anything to do with Chloe – whether it is directly or indirectly – I won’t mind spending money on her. Of course, that doesn’t mean that I am going to go out there and buy her a iPad or a Iphone – you know what I mean right? I try to give her to best in terms of nutrition – and school stuff – things that is compulsory – and yes ! i do splurge on her like her hat – but I figured it’s a good hat and it will be used for a long time provided it’s not stolen by someone.
The Kid Who Is Afraid Of Dogs
This is the girl who is afraid of real dogs – but insist on having a dog for a pet – a toy dog of course – isn’t that strange ? Yes! her pet dog’s name is “clever” too – hahahhaha!!! So I told her that she would love her Kai Mah’s doggy – because they are as small as her toy dog – she asked really? hahah!
The Western Men & The Chinese Men With Electronics
I wanted to think of a title that won’t offend my Chinese friends – but there isn’t really a good way to put it – without upsetting some. But this only applies to those who are not technically inclined because the Chinese men that I’ve met – are not very technically inclined – well – except for the engineers I used to work with. But truth be told the Western engineers are by far more handy and knowledgeable when it comes to anything electronic. And I can prove it because PB is such a person – ask him about wires, cable or even digital video cables, he is able to tell you exactly what they are for and how to use it. But if I were to ask a chinese friend – I seriously doubt they are so good with it. Some of the chinese male friends I had known all my life – don’t even know how to tune a VCR to record what is on tv *slap forehead* so can you blame me for wanting to marry a chinese? well – of course, there is more to knowing about cables to choose from a Chinese to a Westerner – but that’s for another post and another day.
A Collection Of Jewelry
My love for jewelry started when I was very young – I think it was my grandmother who actually got me interested in jewelry and when I was young and visiting my grandmother – she would take out her jewelry to show me. My great-grandmother who loved my sister so much – left her a ring – on her deathbed – so you see how we all got started young with loving our diamonds and gold. My grandmother also kept most of her jewelry at home therefore, she had all her jewelry insured – even an engagement ring insurance – that’s to tell you how early she started with buying insurance for all her jewelry. Being a Peranakan – descendants of Malay and Indonesia – they have exquisite jewelries – it’s too bad that my mother didn’t get left with a lot of her jewelry since she was the oldest amongst her siblings. But because of generations of love for jewelry – I too develop a love for them and passing on the tradition to my daughter.