It’s that time of the year again - I’m getting prepared for the holiday parties and also birthday parties not only for Chloe but for Chloe’s friends too. We have a few friends who were born at about the same time as Chloe - and every year I try my hardest to attend all of them. This year I have no excuse - since we have Gary to help out in the store. And you all know when you attend any holiday parties you want to look your best. So I’ve booked myself for a haircut and hair coloring, a facial and a pedicure - and then I’m also looking at getting some eyelash tinting done. But PB laughed at me - and said I should get some eyelash growth serum first before doing the tint - because my eyelashes are not as long as Chloe’s - so if I want my tinting to stand out - first to grow some more eyelashes. So yes! i’m seriously thinking of the eyelash growth serum - anything to look pretty right.

Looking back to my life before living in Canada makes me smile - because never would I have thought I was so passionate about supporting our local businesses and online shopping. Where I come from - we have shopping centers 8 stories high in department stores. Where I am now in a remote area in Canada, it’s really hard to shop for everything in town. I’m passionate about buying local because the spouse owns his own business - a small one - and without the support of the local community - we could never have a comfortable life. Therefore, whenever I can - I will only shop locally or within Canada - it’s smart move to shop within Canada because shipping is cheaper and in a lot of cases it’s even free. Most importantly, I don’t have to pay for brokerage fees. If I needed to buy a big item like a painting (made the mistake once and paid as much for the brokerage and shipping fees as the painting itself).

Since I can’t head to the city every time I need something (because of the store and Chloe at school), shopping online at places like Centrsource or Roots are my best options. I like to shop for everything under one roof, so it’s great when you find an online shop that carries most of the things I need. And I never shop for anything that is not on sale or has a deal/great offer, for I get a little carried away when I shop - don’t you? I’m checking out Centrsource as I write and it’s very unique, it brings you to the site the offer is on - and you deal directly with the seller/shop - pretty neat. And I can shop after Chloe has gone to bed so I can read up on the things I love and get the best deals. Now if only they carried Asian groceries I’d be all set.

I’m so excited - we just booked the Westin Hotel at an incredible rate - and we are heading to the city for the weekend - a long overdue break - to be honest. We haven’t gone anywhere during the summer and it is driving me crazy - because I had hope to bring Chloe to the city to do some shopping. We didn’t even buy her any new clothes for school - for the local kid’s boutique here closed its door just before the summer. We bought some tourmaster jackets for ourselves online in preparation for the fall/winter - but we didn’t get poor Chloe anything. So this trip to Halifax we hope to get some good quality jackets like the Tour Master’s at kid’s size and of course at a sale price. I told the spouse that since we spent some money for ourselves on Tour Master - we should get a bit of stuff for Chloe during this trip too - like gloves, jacket and pants. I loved the leather gloves I got for PB from Tour Master - they were at a very good price - so lets hope we can get quality stuff for Chloe at just as good price too.

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.

While some parents paint their kid’s nails and color their hair as young as 5 years old - I don’t even encourage chloe to put on fake tattoos like the ones she got from her summer day camp. Why? because some are hard to get off - and it might just cause a rash on her skin. Painting nails are not encouraged too - because I want Chloe to enjoy being a kid as long as possible. She can take her time - to grow up and enjoy all the things I never did - and be carefree - painting nails - putting on lipsticks are just too adult for my liking. I feel that if I let her do all that - she might start growing up before her time is up yet - and will be up to no good even before she turn into a teenager.

I try to teach Chloe it’s not the outside that’s important - it’s what inside that is more important than anything and a girl’s self worth is not by what she look - but by being selfless, honest and good hearted. Kids should not be taught to paint themselves up and look like a wayang actress to be admired. I want to teach Chloe to be sure and confident of herself - by being her.

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.

A new Yoga studio just opened upstairs from our store - and the kick boxing opposite our store - at the same time - well almost. I’m interested in both - and even though I don’t have the strength or muscles to do both - I think I don`t need anything special to build my body mass as read on www.creatinepowders.com. I think those are more for body builders and wrestling fighters that are having a show at the Mariner Center later this month. It`s amazing how they do it - I wonder if they really take stuff like creatine powder for leaner muscles but they sure looked good from the posters that I saw around downtown. Anyhow - going back to Yoga or kick - boxing - both are about the same prices for the group classes and both as just as convenient - and I`m sure both are good for keeping healthy and fit - so which one? Keeping fit and calm is good - but I also want to be able to build some muscles and strength. I think they do offer trial classes - so I’m going to do that - and then decide - wish me luck!

We are heading to the city this weekend and I can’t wait - it’s long overdue - and we should have gone to the city in April for my birthday. Unfortunately, because of my dentist (filling caused me so much pain) - we didn’t go at all. I’m going to be having a shopping spree and eating spree - I’ve got so many things I wanna buy - from corsets and bustiers to skin care products and maybe a real leather bag from Roots that I’ve been eying on. And then I’m also going to the Swaroski store in Halifax - to treat myself. Japanese food is a must - and some dim sum on Sunday - and of course, lots of chinese groceries. Hopefully, I can find some lingerie for myself as well - since there are none here that I like. I’m so excited to be trying out clothes and lingerie but it would have been nicer to go with my girlfriends instead of PB. But oh well - can’t leave the kid with him and go to the city and have fun right?

Who doesn’t want to be a happy mom right? but with so many things going on with one’s life - it is more a conscious thing than saying - I will be happy if and when. So now that things had gotten a bit more calm at the store - no more employees to worry about woohoo!! I am able to tell myself or rather force myself to look after myself first too. You see, like all moms - when i go shopping - and with every good intention - I walk into the mall wanting to get something for myself earnestly but ends up with stuff for Chloe or the store - or even the spouse. I sometimes, get Grammie’s pepsi first rather than my own personal items *smack, smack” - yup I’m this way. Many people including myself thinks that when so and so is happy, I will be happy too - but we cannot be more wrong! because how can the other person be happy if you are not? just like chloe or PB - how can they be happy - when I’m always grouchy or screaming or stressing out myself right? So yes! this year I’ve consciously taken care of myself and doing the things that I need to do for myself first - it’s not easy - I still fall back to my old routine and thinking - but I’m doing it - so half the battle won there. So remember girls - if you want to be a happy mom - you have to stop, breathe - and spend time for yourself and treat yourself - in other words - love yourself today!

Spring weddings are so beauty - don’t you think? we’ve just attended one of a close friend and it was absolutely beautiful - despite the fact that the weather was still a bit too chilly for our liking. But the bride was beautiful and the designer bridesmaid dresses were to die for! I told PB that had I known that the bridemaid dresses were so gorgeous - I would have begged to be one of the bride’s maid - hahhaha!! But it was a beautiful wedding and everything was perfect - even the wedding cake were yummy and gorgeous. The bride and groom served us the wedding cake themselves and it was definitely a very nice gesture. The couple was the sweetest and I wish them happiness always.

I took a shower last night and cooked my rice and let it sit enough and put them in the fridge for the next day to fry some pineapple rice for Chloe to eat in school. And also planned to go out and get some stuff done before going to work this morning - but alas the kid got sick in the middle of the night and puked like 8 times and we only got to sleep at 8am. Didn’t get up till almost 11am and late for work and all - and my acne started popping out of course - what else is new. Every time, I don’t get enough sleep - this is what happens - *sigh* - but what can you do right? for folks like me - we just have the best acne treatments on stand by - like tylenol at home. Yes, you can’t have any best laid plans when you have a kid at home. Poor Chloe - was so gung ho about everything and didn’t cry nor anything - she even said she was sorry she had to wake us up. Poor kid!

So PB’s cousin wedding invite arrived today in the mail - and on the envelope it was addressed to : my maiden name - PB’s name and Chloe’s name without her family name. What a weird invite ? I saw PB looked at the invite as we came home and I was busy getting the heat up - and the next minute it was gone. I had asked PB what letter it was - and his reply - there was none. I guess he was trying to hide from me - because a few days ago - one of his aunt just asked me another ridiculous question about Chloe and I got ballistic and went crazy - hahah! Anyhow, we will be attending the wedding in New Brunswick and I want to look my best - and wear my best dress - time for the best weight loss supplement and a control diet and more exercise before the wedding in May! It doesn’t matter that they don’t think I am family - or Chloe is a KILLAM - but I’m going to look great if I am attending that wedding.

Skin care expert I am not - I don’t know why people/friends/customers always ask me about skin care and wondering why I have perfect skin and they don’t. I guess I am born lucky - I never had to suffer with pimples or acne even when I was a teenager - so never needed special skin care products - nor acne scar treatment when i became and adult. But not many people are that lucky - and like some of my customers here - they could really need some help. But I can’t really tell them what to use - because I never had them - I can only redirect them to what I’ve read and hopefully it will help them. Acne scars are really terrible - it can make a person lose confidence in themselves - I’ve seen it happen to a wonderful childhood friend of mine. But in this day and time - no one should suffer in shame because they have acne - they can get help.

Sometimes it is hard to tell someone to go get something done about their acne scars - which was exactly what happened yesterday at our store. We have a long time customer - who always had this acne problem - but after she gave birth to her daughter - it seems to have gotten better. But a year and a half later - we see her at the store - and she was back with new acne and more scar. It was so bad - that Chloe didn’t dare go near her - nor cross her path - to get her movies where that customer was standing. Poor kid and poor customer of ours. I wished I knew where I can get her the best acne scar treatment but even if I did - how do I go about telling her without offending her. I felt so bad that Chloe behaved the way she did - but you can’t really blamed her coz’ it was really bad - the acne I meant - and such a pity - because that customer is really a pretty young woman. Anyhow, I took the opportunity to tell Chloe that personal hygiene was important - if she didn’t want to get acne in the future.

Chinese New Year’s goodies started coming for me and Chloe from all over the world. Friends from United States, Montreal, Toronto and all the way from Australia - came for us - the last 2 weeks and I haven’t had the chance to post it up on my food blog - but I’ve started stuffing my face with them of course. Chloe doesn’t know how to enjoy it yet - and PB - he wanted me to have more of them - so that I can get my fill and don’t feel so home sick. I thought no one makes these pineapple tarts that my mom makes but I was wrong - someone did and it looks almost like the ones my mom bakes every year during Chinese New Year when I was a kid. These pineapple tarts are so good - they are very expensive - so I’m eating them slowly and enjoying every bit of it. I already got some weight loss pills because I know I’m going to put on so much weight - from all the goodies that I’ve received. But hell if anything is going to stop me from eating them! hahah!

I know of someone personally with a real weight loss story which I find very inspiring. Every week, I would read her blog to see how much weight she lost - and she went from 330 Ibs to 164 Ibs within a year. Of course, she had a gastric bypass - but she also did her exercises - and walk a lot and started eating different too. It is definitely inspiring - and if she can do it - so can I - fo I’m not even her present weight at the moment - but am trying to lose some weight - so that I can have more energy and because being a diabetic - i need to keep my weight under a certain number. I wanted to share this with those who are struggling with their weight - so if my friend can do it - so can you - there is hope. I do find stories like this one - very inspiring for someone like myself - who have been trying to lose weight the safest way.

So February is round the corner - already one month into the new year - and i still haven’t started on my exercise again. First I was too busy - then I got sick - and of course the store was busy and during Christmas - I received lots of goodies from home - so I had to stuff my face with it. Well, you get the idea eh? With Chinese New Year around the corner and more dinners to go to - with Chinese friends from here - you know what I need right? yes ! a lot of help from the latest diet pills that would work quick and not expensive but most importantly safe. The reason why I say this is because - Chloe was lying on my tummy this evening watching tv - and she said and I quote ” oh mom! i’m glad you haven’t exercise yet - your tummy is so comfffffyyyy!!!” - so you get the picture eh? round tummy - like a fluffy pillow. So yes! diet & exercise - here I come! I better!

And it’s true isn’t it - we want to lose some weight and look our best for the new year. And more so for me - since I saw my neighbor at the grocery store today - looking fabulous! boy ! do i envy! time to get the best weight loss pills and make sure I look as fabulous for the two weddings I have to attend this year. After all, I hate going for weddings and having my pictures taken and looking like a whale. No fun at all - when someone else sees your picture and asked who the whale is right? So yes, exercise, exercise, exercise and eat right and get some weight loss supplement. Was losing weight and looking great one of your new year’s resolution? the truth now!

I’m in the middle of winter and my forehead feels funny - a bit painful but not that bad - so i touched my forehead and realized that I have bumps coming outta my head - I am having pimples!!! and also my forehead feels wrinkly! i panic and asked my spouse to look for the best forehead wrinkle cream for me and I have to stop eating chilli sauce and anything spicy - I guess my body is trying to tell me something. On the other head - I’m already 45 - so wrinkles are to be expected and I know i can’t get rid of them - but at least - I can try and lighten it. My mom used to say - one has gotta admit that one needs help - when you are this old - wise old mom.

Last year I went to a different eye doctor - because my old one refused to give me a prescription for bi-focal and I was so sure I needed it because when I need to read anything - I have to remove my normal glasses. So I got my bi-focal last year - which cost me a good $500 - for a pair and what happened? I still couldn’t use my bi-focal - because it doesn’t seem to work very well for me. And how do I read now? I still need to take off my glasses! *sigh* - so after paying so much - and not being able to use it leaves me very frustrated because I could have gotten 2 pairs for the same price if not because of my bi-focal. So now i’m sticking to cheap glasses since I don’t have to have bi-focal - that’s for sure. So I’m wrong - and my old eye doctor is right.