Sunday, February 20, 2011

Jay Jay on Diet!

Dr. Belinda has given a very strict order! Jay Jay is over weight! And he has to cut down his in take.

During the week the mommy went to US, father and son has decided to put up a challenge!

Jay Jay and Papa has to reduce 1KG by the end of the week!

So we keep track of our weight every morning and night. Here is the rule: 1. Eat healthy - less carbo - more meat more veggies. 2. If given two nuggets only eat one. 吃七分饱! 3. Don't fill up stomach. 4. Don't drive to Clementi Central. Walk. And the reward is 1. If drop by 1KG (count only the absolute number) earn 1 toy. 2. Drop 2KG - 5 toys 3. Drop 3KG - 10 toys

So, there is a lot of incentives here. And I am very impress that Jay managed to get 3 toys out from me.

And at the end of the week, he learn about how to not eat so much and so full. It's fun. Yes, he got all kind of excuses for being tired walking to Clementi but, no choice, the 40min walk really helps to burn those extra fats! Haha

 

And he is really tired after the walk. But He got a good sleep!

 

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone4

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Double Jay Agent

Sometimes you really need to think how to have fun with your son.  If you are attending a wedding dinner, and you make your son wear a bow tie, then, be it, wear like him.  So that you can take a good father and son photo.  HaHaHa

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Its very fun to do so.  So that the son can see that his father also wearing the same thing and thought it is like that, have to wear that , etc etc.  Otherwise, if he sees no one wearing it, he probably refuse to wear it next time.

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As you can see, Father and son match match, and mother and son tak match the color.  hahahahahaha

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Hmmm... do you think we can make mommy wear a bow tie next time?

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Baby Kay First Official Hair Cut (Not by Mommy)

It was Sunday, all the boys' hair are long, including mine.

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Look at Jay's hair, long like Some-Seng-Kia like that... So we went back to Kimarie Saloon at Suntec City Mall.

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So, both myself and Jay Jay sit on the chair and let baby Kay to observe.

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You know Jay is enjoying the hair cut by the cute Jie-Jie there... and baby Kay is watching behind, observing everything.

Mommy:  Look Kay Kay, KoKo, PaPa are cutting hair, let's cut hair.

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So, Mommy also sit down, and the hair styler quickly bring out her tools and within 5min, with help from Mommy, Kay Kay has his first hair cut.  And he started to grumble.  But is a nice hair cut!

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Look at him, the hair cut looks much better.

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It is definitely much better than the first few times mommy cutting his hair.

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Jay Jay's hair cut is not that bad too?  So as mine!  We will visit Kimarie once a month from now on!

 

Baby Kay & Swimming Pool

Baby Kay has become very daring nowadays.  Everything must try without fears.

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He just love being in the water.

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You asked him to kick, his leg will start kicking the water in the pool.

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And he always wants more kicking in the water.

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Sometimes, he even forgot that he is standing in the water.  Wow.

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The way how he stand so steadily makes me proud of him.

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As for his brother, Jay Jay, still learning how to swim.  But has lots of improvements.

If you do not want your kid to be afraid of water, better start them young, let them touch the water, stand in the water, play in the water, learn swimming in the water.  Like that the phobia will be gone.  As a dad, I am still sometimes scare of the water.

 

Jay Got Talent in Drawing?

The last I checked, he still needs lots of work in his drawing skill.

But this morning...

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Dad:  Hey Jay, why don't you draw Shu Wei, since you like her so much.

Jay:  Okay!

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Jay:  Papa, Shu Wei has very big eyes.

Jay:  Papa, Shu Wei hair is longer than her ears.

Dad:  What is Shu Wei wearing.

Jay:  Papa, Shu Wei wearing a blue skirt.

Jay:  Papa, Shu Wei has a big smile!

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Out of the blue, he just draw Shu Wei from his memory.  And for a 4 year old, I think this is not bad at all!  Haha!

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Just in case, you wonder who is Shu Wei, the gal in the white dress.  :)

Monday, February 14, 2011

Pita Bread with Sausage & Egg

 

This Valentines day, my wife has to go to US for work.  So, that means, I have to look after Jay & Kay myself with the help of my domestic helper.  This includes designing the kids menu everyday.

Day #1.  Pita bread with vege, sausages and eggs.

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Basically, this is a very healthy food.  I was told.  Especially, I added in some vegetables in there.

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Jay agrees to it.  He specially love the pita bread with sausage.

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We bought this Pita bread from Cold Storage.  and I have also see it in Giant and NTUC.

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We used the Pan Pacific Hotel's german sausage that you can get from Cold Storage.  Don't pan fried it, simply boiled it to cook will do, as the theme is healthy food.

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Of course, you need Japanese mayo and Tomato ketchup too.

And its actually not too bad.  And like what the advertisement says, you can wrap almost everything with the Pita bread.

 

CNY Celebration & Taking photo with our MP Yu-Foo Yee Shoon

The date is Feb 13, 2011.

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It is the time of year where our estate, Park West Condo, arrange a Lion Dance to celebrate CNY.

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However, this year is special.  As there is a guest of honor joining the CNY celebration @ Park West.  She is MP Yu-Foo Yee Shoon.

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No wonder it was so crowded this morning.  I have never see such a huge show up @ such event.

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And this year, the lion dance and the dragon dance is exceptionally good.  The performance is also great!  The timing is controled within MP's departure timing.  The Lion & Dragon Dance show is just good timing.

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Hmmm... may be MP does not want to promote too much of gambling, so, the oranges this year is also simple and to my surprise, without four numbers.... hmmm... its a 财 character which mean money.  But if you look carefully, you see two 8's, a 7 and the last number sort of looks like 5.  So, it shall be 8875 for this year.

The minister actually gave a quick speech, promoting her divisions, etc.  But there are two things that she mentioned that raise my eye brow...

1.  She likes our estate as it is one of the oldest condo estate that still have a lot a lot of big spaces, etc.

==> Yipee!  Does that mean that the ENBLOC will not go thru?  FYI.  We did not sign for enbloc.  Park West is very near Clementi center.  In fact, it is one of the condo that is nearest to it.  There is a new shopping mall - Clementi Mall opening soon.  And our estate is quite big and feel very good.

2.  Around our estate, there are quite a number of famous school, i.e. Nan Hua Primary School, since the estate is so near to the school, she mentioned that our kids will have very good chance to get into Nan Hua.

==>  OK.  If my Jay Jay and Kay Kay failed to get in, I am sure to go and see her.  :)  But my wife reminded me that she also looking for volunteers to help the department or so... Hmmm.... Does it mean that I also need to volunteer myself?  Since I got rejected from Nan Hua for Volunteer job, 2 times.  May be I will volunteer for the community center in this area?  Hmmm... I need to do serious consideration on this!

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MP then walk towards us, and then, and wanted to take photos with this family (us).  So, we had a very nice photos with the MP.

Just in case you wonder who is the couple on my right, they are the owner of my Block 4 unit in the same estate.  I sold the unit to them a year ago.

 

Sunday, February 13, 2011

The Black Fungus in my Fuchow Red Wine Chicken Mee Suah

Saw a few posting from my FuChow cousins, making comment about the Black Fungus.

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I learned this from my uncle Yee Meng (the Ngooi's).  A few year back, I went to his house for CNY gathering, I also amaze and surprise he put the black fungus in.  After I tasted it, I found that the FuChow Red wine taste is in there mix with the strong black fungus taste creates a unique taste and unforgettable one.  Since black fungus is good for high blood pressure and your heart, so, ever since then, we will add it into our Red Wine Chicken soup.

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Here are quick steps to cook Red Wine Chicken Soup.  Since I need to go and pick up my Yu Shang, so, my wife will cook this dish.  And I am not around to take the step by step shot.  But you get the idea...

Step 1.  Slices (thin) a lot a lot of Gingers.

Step 2.  Marinate the Chicken with a bit of salt, a bit of sugar, a bit of soya sauce, and FuChow Red Wine.  Marinate 1/2 day.

Step 3.  Soak the black fungus for 1/2 day too.

Step 4.  Heat the wok hot.

Step 5.  Put sesame oil (note, not cooking oil) into the hot wok, let it heat up.

Step 6.  Put all ginger slices in there.  Stir fry it, and then slow stir fry it for a while until it turns golden color.

Step 7.  Put in Chicken into the wok, heat up and stir it.  until the surface of the chicken turn a bit white.  NOT FULLY COOK!!!

Step 8.  Pour in your red wine.  I cook 1 whole chicken.  So, I used 1 bottle of red wine.  for 8 people.

Step 9.  Bring it to boil.

Step 10.  Pour everything into a big pot, add water (thats for the soup).

Step 11.  Cook the soup until boil, then, slow cook it.

Step 12.  Cook for 30min-45min depending on how you like your chicken to be.

That's it!

When you serve it, don't forget to have a MARTELL VSOP there.  Add a teaspoon of Vsop.  Very nice.

I am glad everyone loves this dish at the party.  And make them have more guts when playing mahjong later. hahaha

The making of Liew Kee Lap-Cheong Chicken Rice (廖记腊味鸡饭)

Here is how you make the tasty Liew Kee Lap-Cheong Chicken Rice

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Step 1.  Marinate the chicken.  Use a bit of salt, a bit of sugar, a bit of soya sauce, a bit of chinese wine, a bit of oyster sauce, a bit of sesame oil, a bit of starch, etc anything you can think of to marinate your chicken.  Get fresh fat chicken from the wet market.  We need the oily fat to bring chicken taste into the rice.  Marinate it for half a day la.  (we are free in the morning, and then go shopping, and come back at evening).  Put marinated chicken in your fridge.

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Step 2.  Prepare 3-5 small onions, 3-5 small garlics, 1 big onion, and a piece of ginger.  Dice the onions and garlic.  Cut the ginger into really thin strips slices, etc.  And the heat your wok.  Pour enough oil in the wok, let it heat up more, put everything (onion, garlic, ginger) into it, stir it, change to small fire to slow heat it.  爆香.

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Step 3.  I used 五加皮酒腊肠.  Normally can get the lap cheong from Giant supermarket.  I used grade A dried mushroom.  Those that grow on wood.  In the morning, soak the mushroom in hot water (a big bowl).  DO NOT THROW AWAY THE mushroom water.  As we need it to cook the rice later.  Cut the mushroom into slices.  Cut the lap cheong into slices.

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Step 4.  After you fried the onions, ginger & garlic (when they turned golden color), add in the Chicken.  Stir fry it.  (for 30sec to 1min).  The aim is not to cook the chicken.

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Step 5.  Add the lap cheong & the mushroom and continue stir fry it for another 30sec to 1min.

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Step 6.  Add DARK SOYA SAUCE (salty one or sweet one is fine).  Stir fry it for another 30sec-1min.

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Step 7.  Forgot to tell you that you need to soak your white rice in water for 5min or so.  Do this before you start cooking.  Then, remove all the water, and then pour the white rice into the wok.  I prepare 4 cups of rice for 1 whole chicken.

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Step 8.  Stir fry for another 1min or so.  Until the rice covered by dark soya sauce.  Then, turn off the stove.  Prepare your rice cooker.

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Step 9.  How much water you should add.  Rule of thumb:  The water should cover slightly your fingers.  That is the height of water (remember?  you got MUSHROOM WATER) you should add.  Use this rule be it when you use rice cooker, clay pot or a pot on the stove, never go wrong (even cooking white rice).  But make sure you pad the rice, chicken nicely flat before you check with your hand.  Start cooking!

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Step 10.  After mid way (10min?), go check the rice cooker, and stir the chicken rice.  So that you do not have very dry rice on top.  and let the rice cooker continue cooking.  And then, you add what every decor you need.  Green onions, chinese parsley and fried onions (you can buy this from Cold Storage).

 

 

A New Mahjong Table

It's been 3-4 years I have not touch Mahjong...

And my hand is itchy, so, I decided to google it.

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OK... Swee Huat Plastic Co... Let's go there...

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It's a very old building.  Looks ulu, feel ulu.  So, I went up to the 4th floor, and found Swee Huat the company selling lots of different kind of mahjong table.  And tiles and others.  They are wholeseller.

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So, I bought a foldable mahjong table.

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I love this mahjong table... can keep nicely in the storeroom...

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Looks nice, is it not?  Let's start playing!