Post Christmas

Hey guys! A belated Merry Christmas to you.

And how are you coping with the holidays? I survived mine. LOL! It was crazy and frantic and amazing and stressful. But I love it all.

There's another holiday in the offing but I will pass on the craziness. I will just stay at home and cook some food to nibble while waiting for the new year to come.

Anyways, what did you get on Christmas?

I got a handful of gifts this season. I got a dehumidifier and an iPhone 4. Pretty neat. Thanks to hubby.

I also got some girly stuff like pouch, passport cover, a crocheted vase runner and a vase. I love them all.

I also got a perfume. But I bought it myself. LOL! Who says you can't gift yourself, right?

Hope you're having the best holiday ever. Cheers to the new year. Here's hoping it brings a lot of wonderful things to us all.

Personally, I am looking forward to more great finds and more travels.

It's next week

Wow, it's Christmas next week! Can you believe it? It's next week!

Hahaha. Forgive moi, I am just so excited. I love Christmas and everything that goes with it. Parties, celebrations, gift-giving, food and more food!

Speaking of gift giving, I am still confused what to give the hubs. I know it's going to be a gadget but I can't choose between cell phones or laptops.

He's been giving me hints about iphones and macbooks. I couldn't possibly afford two items. I just have to choose which one.

Ahhhhh...Christmas.

Got to go. This one is just a quick post as I have a long list of things to do today.

Merry Christmas guys!!!

Muffins, the healthy kind

Let me share something. I've tried South Beach Diet and it worked with me. I have lost 5kgs in 14 days (phase 1).

At first I was hesitant to try another diet. It never works. But this SBD really does. Of course you have to follow the diet religiously.

During phase 1, carbs and sugar are off limits. It was difficult but what I find more difficult was planning my menu. Thankfully, you can easily find recipes online.

Here's one of my favorite South Beach Diet food: Egg muffins

It's just eggs, spring onion, green bell pepper, tomatoes and cheddar cheese baked in a muffin pan.

It's so delicious! It makes me think I am not on a diet. LOL!

Since losing weight, I have breakouts. Not the alarming kind but enough to make me run to the nearest pharmacy and buy mild acne treatment.

If you're keen to lose weight, try SBD. And don't forget to include the egg muffins in your diet.

Saturday 9: Reason to Believe

Welcome to Saturday 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme!

Saturday 9: Reason to Believe

1. Has anyone asked you to believe in something that called for a huge leap of faith on your part?
++ Nope.

2. When is the last time you moved? Why did you move?
++ We moved last July because we wanted a bigger apartment and a place for my son to go bike or sccoter around. I didn't hire any movers but I was ready with my roadside assistance plan if ever need.

3. Malls? ..or Internet? Are you doing more online shopping this year? The polls say we are, but I'm curious about what the real people are doing.
++ Malls. I "window shop" online but I still go to the malls to buy.

4. Do you remember the first meme you participated in and if so, what was it?
++ Can't. The first meme was like ages ago.

5. If you could invent something, what would it be?
++ Zero calorie but yummy to the tummy food. LOL!

6. Are you finished with your shopping? Do you still a few things to go? What? Not even a game plan? ...or is there just one person you're having trouble finding something for?
++ Still halfway through. But I will get there. And no, I don't have trouble finding something for someone.

7. What's left to do at your place (or where you are going)? Is the tree up? ...or maybe you're just happy you found the Christmas coffee mug and are calling that good?
++ Just to party. Everything's up. Well except for the menu. I haven't planned that yet.

8. Is your life turning out the way you thought it would when you were a kid? If not, is it better or worse?
++ It's a lot better than I thought it would be. Thank God!

9. Tell us about something you'll miss about 2010.
++ Nothing actually. I love new beginnings. And I am so excited about the new year!

Christmas List

Dear Santa,

I have been good this year. You know that, don't you? Before you prepare your gift for me, please consider my requests.

1) A macbook

2) An ipod nano

3) An ipod dock to go with it

4) A nice bag (You know what I like)

5) Any of these Lanvin flats

6) A set of baking pans and utensils

7) A voucher for travel, preferably

It is not much, is it Santa? I was really good the whole year and I am still good up to now.

Love,
Sam

My dream bags

Every girl has her dream something. Dream house, dream holiday/vacation, dream bag, etc, etc.

I am not different. I have these dreams. It's nice to dream. But of course, I also know my limitations.

If money is not a problem, I'd buy these bags.

A classic Chanel flap bag. I think almost every girl wishes to have one of this. It's classic. It goes with everything. It can be worn during daytime and nightime. It's very versatile.

This is a Hermes bag. This is not exactly my dream bag but the one I really like, I cannot find a picture on their website.

My dream Hermes bag is not a Kelly. It's the simple Hermes HerBag. It's a working person's bag. I like the color. It's almost the same as the one above. And I believe the price is not as steep as the famous Kelly bags.

These bags are not impossible to own. Yes, they are expensive but if I want to, I could save up for it. But I probably won't. Why? Because when the times comes that I've saved up enough, I don't think I could let go of the money. LOL!

But if these lands on my doorsteps (are you reading this Santa?) and it's free, I'd be a total fool not to accept it.

What's on your dream list?

Cutie for day: usb sushi

Sushi, anyone?

I found this at dynamism.com

I'd surely buy this one if it's available here. But then again, I might confuse this with the real food and eat it. LOL! They look almost real, right?

Gifts

I am making my Christmas list now. And if you're my friend, don't worry you're not included in my list. LOL!

Seriously, the list is really getting difficult. I admit I am not the best gift giver in the world. I always have a hard time choosing the right gift for people I care about. I know that at the end of the day, the thought counts more than the gift itself. But it's really easier said than done, right?

But if I lived in a cold and snowy area, I am sure I will buy one or more toro snow blowers as a gift for my friend/s.

Why? Well, it's definitely a useful and thoughtful gift, don't you agree? I would love to receive this gift too, that is if I lived somewhere snowy.

Itching to travel

From the start of this year, my family and I had been travelling every month. We had been to Hongkong, Siem Reap, Kep, Hanoi, Manila, Subic, Tagaytay, Singapore and Bangkok (twice).

When we got back from Singapore last September, I told hubby I was done with travelling until our next scheduled travel next February 2011 to Malaysia.

I thought that would be okay. But lately, I am so tempted to travel again this month. I don't know where. I just want to go somewhere.

And besides, there are so many travel deals this holiday season that's too difficult to pass up.

The problem is I don't know where to go. I want somewhere closer but it should be a place where I haven't been to. So cities like Bangkok, KL, Singapore are immediately off the list. I only have one choice, to go to Sihanoukville, a beach town here in Cambodia. But I am not in the mood for a beach setting during this holiday.

What a big problem I have, said hubby.

He suggested we just stay here and we'll plan a major trip for next year. His friend is inviting us for a week's stay at Auckland. We might take up the offer.

So I guess, we'll just save up now and travel again next year.

Hopefully the new year bring us all good fortune to be able to afford travel. LOL!

As high as the sky

Honestly, who wants to go over cheap life insurance when you can go shopping online? I mean, yeah life insurances are important but which one is more fun, huh?

I got yah! Well, if you're like me, then you'd go for shopping. And speaking of shopping, here's something I found online which caught my interest. Brisbane by Jeffrey Campbell $192







All photos from needsupply.com

What do you think? I like it. Problem is, I couldn't wear heels without tripping over. But even if I could wear heels as high as this, I don't think I could pull it off. I am too shy and my taste in fashion runs from conservative to boyish only. Sometimes a little girly. But that's about it. Boring I know. Hahaha!!!

I like the shoes though. And it definitely is eye catching!

Black tv stands

I am looking at different tv stands right now. Online of course. I have been wanting change our tv stand. For one, it is a bit small. Second and most importantly, it does not match the rest of our furniture in the living room.

Well I guess I could claim there's art in variety. Hahaha! Whatever.

I am actually really tired of looking at our stand. Even the hubby agrees.

Okay here's what I am looking at:

Southshore $229

Something black, simple, sturdy and with just the right number of shelves for our DVD players, Wii and remotes.

Or I could go with this:

Southshore $798

Still black, but bigger, nicer and expensive.

Either of the two is fine with me. But if Santa is reading this, please give me the bigger one. LOL! It doesn't hurt to aim higher, you know. Hahaha!!!

Lanvin Flats

I haven't worn heels in a long time. Well, except every Christmas of course, where I try to dress up and wear heels.

But my everday staples are flats, sandals, flipflops and sneakers. Besides I am a mom with a toddler. It's hard to run around in heels.

I was window shopping for flats and I fell in love with Lanvin flats. Here are my four favorites. All photos are from net-a-porter.com

Lanvin Metallica Leather Ballerina Flats - £247

Lanvin Leopard Print Ballerina Flats - £374

Lanvin Canvas Leather Ballerina Flats -£243

Lanvin Leather Ballerina Flats - £260

Saturday 9: Dark Lady

Welcome to Saturday: 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme!

Saturday 9: Dark Lady

1. Have you ever been to a fortune teller? If yes, what happened? Nope. But it's always thought.

2. How do you cope in an uncomfortable social situation? I keep quiet or I leave.

3. A genie appears (of course). She asks, “If you had 3 wishes but each took 3 years off your life, what would you wish for and why?”
1) A healthy son (no sickness whatsoever).
2) To travel the world with my husband and son.
3) To be able to eat anything without gaining any weight.
I don't think I need an explanation for my wishes.

4. Would you rather lose your soul mate or never meet them at all? Lose, I guess. It's something like, "it's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all."

5. What is the hardest thing that you have ever had to do? Watch my son battle it out in the hospital.

6. Have you ever had a miracle happen to you or your loved ones? Yes. Everyday is a miracle itself.

7. Tell us about a quote that you can relate to. Why can you relate with it? The golden rule: Do not do unto others what you don't want others do unto you. I try to practice this.

8. What personality trait has gotten you into the most trouble? Being punctual. Some people don't like to be on time.

9. For those in The States, how was your Turkey Day? If not from the US, do you celebrate a day like Thanksgiving? Christmas is also a Thanksgiving in our family. But then again, everyday should be a thanksgiving day, right?

Dark eyes

I woke up with a dark eye circles. It's not funny. I am mildly annoyed. I know I haven't been sleeping well but I didn't expect I'd have a prize this soon. And to think I've only slept badly for a couple of nights. Oh well, I am really getting old. LOL!

I don't want to use a cream right away, so I searched for home remedies. I should:

a) Sleep for 8 hours. I think I could do this starting tonight.
b) Apply used cold tea bags on my eyes. This shouldn't be difficult as I drink tea everyday. I just need to put it in the ref for a couple of hours to make it cold.
c) Use sunglasses when going outside.

If this doesn't work, then I guess I will have to rely on creams. Now, let me search for affordable and available creams here.

My favorite Body Shop Products

I am running out of of my Peppermint Intensive Foot Rescue. And I couldn't have another one unless I go to Bangkok or Manila. What a bummer!

This product is not just a want. I need it! My feet are so dependent on this that if I don't have this or even if I apply other products, my feet turns really dry. Ugh!

And I love this even more for its price - about $15 (according to my recollection). You know what, that's why I love products of Body Shop. They're not just effective, they're also pocket friendly.

Here are some more of my favorite products.

Tea Tree Facial Toner and tea tree oil soap. Back when I had pimples, I religiously use tea tree oil products from Body Shop. I loved it.

Hi-Shine Lip Treatment. I have a dark and dry lips but I hate wearing lipstick. This hi-shine lip treatment does not only treat my dry lips it also makes it shine. Hehehe. Seriously.

What about you? What are your must have beauty products?

Well, I hope Santa is reading this. I need the foot rescue and the lip treatment for Christmas. That would really make me happy =)

Luxe

So here's our theme this year. Gold for classic and luxe.

Surprisingly it wasn't difficult to find the ornaments here. We had a whale of time decorating our tree.

We're so looking forward to Christmas!

Christmas Inspirations

If you haven't put up your tree or still thinking about a christmas theme for your christmas decors at home, here are some pictures for your inspiration.

I got all of them from Better Homes and Gardens website.





I do love the red theme. Red mean Christmas for me. Well, and so is gold.

For our home, I used a gold theme for our tree. The rest of the decors though are in red and green combination, which I love!

I will post the pictures of our tree when I get back from a little shopping. I still need to buy some more ornaments and some osha signs for my sons room.

So ta-ta for now.

What's in a bookshelf

I love books. And I think it's but natural that I love bookshelves too.

This bookshelf below is not your traditional or usual kind of bookshelf. It's called The Stagger Shelf and is made of toasted vertical grain bamboo and finished with organic, non-toxic Hard Oil. Stainless steel screws and adjustable steel feet.

Photo from vivavi.com

I do love it. If only I have a bigger house. Or if only I could afford it. Price? Well, it's only $3,975.00. *Shakes head*

I'll just probably have a replica of it. Something smaller and of course cheaper.

Quick Post

I think I get sick about 4 times a year. When I say sick, it means I have the flu. And when I have the flu, it usually is nasty. Just like now.

Oh I hate being sick. I hate taking medicines because I am forgetful. Blame the age I guess. I really should drink more vitamins and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Why does hubby get sick so rarely? I mean, we do eat the same food. I actually exercise more than him. I have a better sleeping pattern than him. And I eat more veggies than him. So why do I get sick easily?

I hate my immune system.

Or maybe I should love it. I don't know.

Now, excuse me while I go get some more tissues.

It's Christmas soon

It's like broken record but I have to ask. Have you done your Christmas shopping? Because if you ask me, I haven't started anything yet. LOL!

Okay, that is not entirely true. I have been peeking here and there and I have bookmarked a few sites which I think I might buy from.

Can I show you some items which I would love to receive this Christmas?

Designer Peppermills. It's so cute. I want one in our home.

Custom Wine Bags. I love how colorful the bags are.

Christmas Treat Jars. I can put in cookies and give it to my friends as gift.

I also wouldn't mind receiving a Personal Creations baby gifts. After all, my tot will forever be a baby to me.

What about you? What do you plan to give or what do you want to receive this Christmas?

She likes men in pads

Well, I am not one to indulge in gossips. Really. LOL!

Kidding aside, I do like reading and looking at celebrities pictures - what they're wearing, who they're dating, etc, etc.

And I thought Kim Kardashian's boyfriend is still Reggie Bush. I am so late. Hahaha. She's got a new boyfriend. It's Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Miles Austin.


Photo from huffingtonpost.com

Now I wonder how many nfl t shirts Kim has now? Must be more than a dozen now. Hahahaha!!! Good for her.

Now, let me check out some more celebrity gossips. Shhhh....

For Inspiration

Photos, all from Design Sponge Online. I love browsing this site. I feel inspired. Check it out for your dose of inspiration.

Dresses for the Holidays

If body type or weight is not an issue, I would wear any of these dresses for the holidays. Photos from respective websites.

J. Crew $198

Banana Republic $225

Gap $59.50

Zara $100 (SGD169)

Zara $131 (SGD169)

Zara $69.84 (SGD89.90)

What's your pick?

Gel as birth control pill

Let me quote billionaire, bad boy, hero Oliver Green aka Green Arrow on Smallville: "Okay, that's officially the biggest news I've heard all day."

And I am referring to this news: Contraceptive gel could replace birth control pill

Source

How does it work? Simple. You just have to rub small amount into your arms, legs, shoulder everyday and in turn it delivers a dose of hormones that prevents pregnancy.

Moreover, it doesn't have any side effects and it's suitable for those who are breastfeeding.

It's still in the early stage of development though but if it gets out to the market, I would be sure to try it. Not because I am breastfeeding but because it doesn't cause any weight gain. Hehehe.

We do live in an amazing time, don't we?

Now, I am off to read more about business debt consolidation. We need to learn some practical stuff as well.

Saturday 9: Elected

Saturday 9: Elected

1. Many of my friends have commented they cannot discuss politics with co-workers, family, friends and others without conflict rearing its ugly head. Do you feel you can talk with your family and friends about this particularly divisive election?
+I am not from the US, so I when I answer yes to this question, I am referring to our local election. I've never had any heated arguments or discussion regarding politics. Maybe because we all like the same candidates..so far.

2. Do you know who you're voting for in next week's election? How did you decide?
+Not applicable to me.

3. What do you think is the most important issue in next Tuesday's election?
+Same as number 2.

4. Can you go a day without laughing?
+Yes, but it doesn't mean I have to. Right? =)

5. Do you think that you can chose who you want to love?
+Yes. Sometimes, the head rules over the heart.

6. Have you ever been on stage? For what? When I was younger.
+For different reasons: dancing, speech, quiz bee, etc, etc. All school related.

7. Would you ever live in a different country? If yes, where?
+I have been living in different countries for the past 6 years now. 3 years in Maldives, 2 years in Malaysia and 1 year in Cambodia (until now)

8. Any plans for Halloween? Not much.
+We just attended my son's Halloween school party yesterday.

9. The last costume that you wore, what was it and why did you choose it?
+From where I grew up, Halloween was not of big importance. We didn't celebrate it. Hence, no costume =(

Totes that won't break your wallet

If you're like me, you'd love these totes. Simple, no frill and everyday totes. Most of all, they're all easy on the wallet.

Tory Burch Jaden Canvas Tote, Black $195

Tory Burch Jaden Canvas Tote, Tanzania Purple $195

Tory Burch Jaden Canvas Tote, Tory Orange $195

Burberry Packable Tote, Plum $250

Burberry Packable Check Tote $295

Burberry Ikat Canvas Tote, Trench $595

Hunter Boots Saratoga Tote $395

Photos all from NeimanMarcus.com

I am honestly liking Burberry bags now. When I was in Singapore I was contemplating of buying a Burberry. And then it slipped my mind because I bought a Gucci bag instead. But when I was in the airport, I saw Burberry again and I wanted to have one. Unfortunately, my wallet can only cough up one bag at a time =(

Which of these totes you like best?

For dipping and diving

I think this is one of the coolest bath tub I've ever seen:

Maax Collection Viaggi Free Standing Soaker Tub. You want to guess how much? Don't, I'll just tell you. Hehehe. It's $9,450. I guess if you're loaded this is cheap. But for us, working class, we can only dream. LOL!

If I have a bathroom like this, I'd be sure to make everything look and smell good. How? First, I'd make sure I have the best bathroom fans installed. Second, I wouldn't use it. It's just for display, or for bragging. LOL!

Seriously, it's not bad to dream. In fact it is encouraged. So, from today onwards, I am hoping, I'll have a bathroom like this one day...

Of pills and exercises

Diet pills that work without exercise, is that possible? I've been wishing for a pill like that eversince I couldn't lose the extra pounds left by my pregnancy.

But guess what, I am too scared to try even one.

In the mean time, I will eat right and exercise everyday. I've been doing my routine exercise daily for two weeks now. But still no changes in the scale. I must still be eating a lot.

I remember when I was trying to lose weight a year ago, it seemed easy. I did not deprive myself with anything. I just ate in moderation and I exercised a lot. Probably twice a day. I am thinking I should do it again. I should log my exercises and the food I eat. That way, I could monitor everything.

Tomorrow I'll be doing new set of exercises which I got from self.com. It's called plyometrics.

This is going to be exciting. If you want to see the complete set, sign up self.com. I did! =)