Happy Labour Day!

It’s finally the end of April and tomorrow is Labour Day where we celebrate and take some time away from work. Woohoo! A three day weekend awaits us starting tomorrow, how cool.

There's a lot to look forward to and I'm excited about the weekend ahead. The weekends that I enjoy most are the ones which are usually spontaneous, fun and not heavy on planning.

This weekend will definitely be spent on typical house chores and devoting my quality time with kids, but I also fully intend to relax and pamper myself either with a shopping spree or by getting glammed up at a beauty salon. :)

Ultimately, I like to spend a bit of quiet time alone taking care of my own needs instead of others all the time. C'mon, everyone needs at least one indulgence, right?

How's everyone else doing? Hope everyone has a great labour day weekend!

***********************************
First Commenter - Mariuca

Wordless Wednesday - Terracotta Warriors of Xi'an

One of the masterpieces that will leave me fascinated during my China travel has got to be the Terracotta Warriors. What struck me most was how huge the archaeological museum was complete with bronze chariots, clay horses, soldiers, generals, weapons and how under explored most of the excavation sites were. That said, what we saw in the museum was only a fraction of the army; there were tons of figures remain buried. In case you don't know, the terracotta warriors are now acknowledged as 8th wonder of the world.

Xian is a 'must see' place, especially if you love Chinese history. I can't help but admire the warriors for their intricate designs and sheer size, they were absolutely amazing. Unfortunately, I didn't capture as many outdoor pictures as I would have liked to as the weather wasn't permitting.

Anyway, these amazing relics are divided into 3 pits. Sorry the pictures are quite blurry. The lighting was low and flash photography was strictly forbidden.

It is a belief that these replicas are actual warriors who were buried with their emperor so that they could guard him in his after life.

Each warrior has a different and unique appearance and facial expressions of which no two are exactly the same.

The major excavation pit (Pit 1)

The warriors were originally painted with bright colors, but the colors faded after some time upon contact with the air and light. So the archaeologists have decided not to unearth any more until they find new measures to preserve the color. (Pit 1)

Pit 2: Every piece carefully put together. Many of the statues were destroyed shortly after the emperor's death and have since been restored.

Pit 3: Many of the figures have been restored but are missing heads.

Made a visit to the souvenir shop, where replicas of the soldiers carved from the same material can be purchased. It was truly impossible to get close with the 'actual' warriors, so I captured a bunch of these statues in the souvenir shop. Now that is what I call 'the ultimate satisfaction'.

**********************

Black Fashion

One look at my wardrobe and you can notice immediately that the entire three-quarters of my closet consists of mainly black. And possibly most of them are short sleeved tops and long pants, skirts in different styles. My reasons? Black is a great slimming colour, glamorously cool and I will easily match any outfit for any occasion even when I'm running late. You can never go wrong with black as it will be always in vogue due to its simplicity of style and elegance. Somehow, I decided enough was enough. No more buying blackies!

In the end, I went through a period of buying other colored clothes. I understand there are ways you can look slim and tall wearing other colors. But after sometime, I would go through my closet and often complain about having nothing to wear! Eventually, I’ve gone full circle and back to square one again. I actually feel much comfortable wearing black than any other color.

I came across some goodies which leads me onto sharing my latest object of fanciful desire of the moment. These are the top three of my favourites. Each of the black outfit is delightful on its own. Needless to say, I would need to be much taller and much slimmer for these outfits, but you know a girl can dream! Most of all, it's also a matter of knowing my limits, so I don't dress to irritate. :)

*************************
First Commenter

PhotoHunt - Protect(ion)

It is important to protect the seas, rivers, lakes and beaches from pollution in order to save the environment for our ourselves and future generations.

**************************
First Commenter - Mei Teng

Captured in Black and White

I've to confess that I haven't been good at accepting and posting tags and I apologize to all my blogger friends who have been so supportive and kind to think of me. But this morning, Mariuca has presented me with a really fun tag which is just too cool to resist.

Here is a picture of my younger sister, Jen, and her beloved husband Wesley. This image was taken and edited by their good buddy Jonathan. I've always been fascinated by black and white pictures and it's a simplicity that never goes out of style. I love this picture because it has a feel of the romantic and sentimental touch, happy tunes of the couple. Wesley was the perfect listener, dedicated hubby, and comforting shoulder to cry on. It’s no wonder Jen is crazy about him.

} Start Copy

"A good Snapshot stops a moment from running away."

When you photograph people in colour you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in B&W, you photograph their souls! ~Ted Grant

} End of Copy

Rules:
Copy the quotes above from start copy to end Copy.
Replace the Photograph with your own or your loves ones’ Black and White captured moments that you want to cherish for the rest of your life.

This tag is open to anyone who wants to play. Have fun!

**************************
First Commenter - Mei Teng

Wordless Wednesday - Earth Day (Go Green)

Going green and eco-friendly are the current buzzwords. With the hysteria surrounding global warming and climate change, it's never too early to get started on saving Mother Earth. Each of us can bring a significant role in adopting a more responsible and healthy lifestyle by doing basic things such as switching off the electrical appliances when they're not being used, practice recycling, avoid the use of Styrofoam and plastic bags and reduce water usage. These are some of the reasonable ways to protect our planet, before it is too late.

Happy Earth Day!

**************************
First Commenter - Mei Teng

Learning Taekwondo

My 13-year old daughter decided she wanted to take martial art lessons after seeing some cool demonstrations at the shopping mall earlier this year. As a parent, I don't see any reason to stop her from learning martial arts, if she shows an interest. She has enrolled in the taekwondo club in school, and she’s enjoying every moment of it. She enjoyed learning and practicing new kicks and forms and her instructor who has a quirky sense of humour made her classes even more fun.

Every couple of weeks the instructor demonstrates a variety of different tricks and flashing kicks that inspired her so much she wanted to do more. She may not kick as high as some of other kids though but it is a great workout and it helps keep her flexible and active. It’s incredibly fun to watch her working hard and develop plenty of skills and abilities through taekwondo. Her smiling face at the end of each lesson tells the story. It has been a wonderful inspiration to her, as she carries this self-esteem with her through any activity she is doing in school.

It is an amazing martial art that my daughter truly appreciates a lot. Taekwondo has taught her mental discipline and perseverance. It is an awesome sport and I support it as being part of the school curriculum as it benefits her and other kids in numerous ways.

Thanks to Ma'am Joyce, for being an all around awesome instructor of teamwork, and for teaching and guiding her students to perform their ultimate best.

*************************
First Commenter

Photo Hunt - Purple

Purple is a pleasant color. Some of the greatest things in nature are associated with purple. Grapes, eggplants, plums, violets, orchids and lavender are all popular shades of purple. It’s a lovely combination of rich, hot red with calm, cool blue that never goes unappreciated.

There’s nothing more delicious than a blueberry creamy cheese cake! The filling is deep purple and it had the right amount of sweetness and not too overpowering. One bite and you'll forget all your woes.


Happy PURPLE Saturday!

******************************
First Commenter - Mei Teng

Wordless Wednesday - Nyhavn, Copenhagen

It was an amazing experience visiting the ever popular Nyhavn (pronounced "New-Hown") which literally means 'New Port' or 'New Harbour', but is not as new as its name suggests. The wonderful canal-street is lined with colourful old houses, street musicians and veteran sailing vessels with some famous cafes and restaurants. The famous fairy tale author Hans Christian Andersen used to live here.

there are numerous boat trips from Nyhavn around the harbour area and canals to historical sights and known places.

The great Memorial Anchor in front of Nyhavn is a monument commemorating all the Danish sailors who have died during World War II.

**********************
First Commenter - Monica

Ruby Tuesday - My nephew's Birthday

No birthday party is complete without the celebratory cake. This fresh cappuccino flavoured cake is a huge hit and tasted great.

It was my nephew's 3rd birthday. Unlike the previous years, my sister threw a big birthday bash for her son. As times get tough, they can't afford to organise a large party this year, so it was pretty much of a low key celebration. A small scale party definitely keeps down expenses, waste, and messes. After all, not all children would recall their birthday parties when they grow up. It seems like the amount of food waste that usually goes into the trash can be pretty considerable. Apart from that, rubbish, empty or half filled plates, bowls, utensils, cans, desserts, and even toys are left lying around after the party is over. The last thing I ever want to do after hosting a grand birthday party is having to spend hours of cleaning up the mess left behind.

Only immediate families were invited to the party and my mom made some of the foods that are common favorites. Even though the affair was homely and small, we enjoyed it immensely.

************************
First Commenter - Lina

Photo Hunt - Triangle

The photos were taken during a holiday trip to Europe a few years ago.

I spot a triangle here, can you?

I love the formation of small triangles in this picture. Can you see those triangles here? If you can't, please click photo for enlargement.


Happy Photo Hunting and have a great weekend!

**************************
First Commenter - Elaine Ling

Are you health conscious?

Many people are starting to become more and more health conscious these days and I'm no exception. Due to my busy lifestyle of juggling work, family and other commitments, taking nutritional supplements seems to be the best way to go. I should practice looking my best at all times because I want to still look good even when I'm 50. :) It's amazing to see some 50 year old people look like they are in their early 30s! I've to confess that it is rather difficult, even for me, to stay away from fast foods or unhealthy foods at times. More often, I eat my fruits, vegetables and whole grains, but when it comes to chocolates, I throw caution to the wind! I understand how people enjoy their meals and what tantalizes their taste buds. Hey, everyone needs at least one indulgence, right?

Anyway, here's a list of dietary supplement protocol that I take on a regular basis.

Natural Factors Cod Liver Oil is a nutritional supplement derived from the liver of cod fish, and it is chalked full of omega 3 fatty acids, as well as vitamins A, D. I take cod liver oil to keep my joints supple. It is especially useful for individuals with digestive problems since they may have difficulty converting Beta Carotene (provitamin A) into vitamin A.

Kordel's Evening Primrose Oil (EPO) has many beneficial properties which promote general well-being with little or no known side effects. It certainly improves my skin condition as well as effective for pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) related difficulties.

Alterni's High Absorption Milk Calcium- A good calcium supplement that is natural, contain a combination of minerals in the right ratios, and is highly absorbed and easy to take.

Organos Fruits and Vegies Antioxidant capsules-each capsule contains 500mg of organic fruit and vegies extracts. Antioxidants help prevent the free radical damage that is associated with cancer and heart disease.

With these nutritional supplements, I get wholesome nourishment my body needs, easily and conveniently. It seems to be a wonderful win-win situation for me as it helps to boost my health and wellness to my family. I take short walks every morning and feeling physically better, even lost a bit of weight! Because everyone needs me, I need to take good care of myself too.

*********************************
First Commenter - Mei Teng

Wordless Wednesday - Hungry Caterpillar

While tending to my garden yesterday, I noticed a fairly large moth caterpillar sitting on my plants. I've no idea what species it is, it's rather dully colored. Although I enjoy looking at this weird and wonderful little creepy crawlie, I don't like what it does to my plants. I don’t feel comfortable using chemical pesticides under any circumstances though, I never do and just let nature take its course.

As you can see from the picture, the creepy crawlie stretched along the stem of the top leaflet, munching on one of the leaves. One caterpillar will easily eat the entire plant leaving a very unpleasant sight. Fortunately, my mom has tons of these plants scattered about her back yard that I can move the larva to.

****************************

First Commenter - Digital Flower Pictures.com

My baby is sick

These days the weather can be pretty unpredictable. One day it could be raining non-stop, the next it's the burning hot weather and with this change in weather usually strucks the coughs, colds and fevers. It actually started last week when my hubby threw up and he had a respiratory virus but he's feeling much better now. By Saturday, my baby started running fever and last night particularly, we had a night of musical beds. My girl was grunting with teeth clenching with tears in her eyes. That's only because her throat and colds were bothering her. Typically, when my children get sick, I don't sleep well.

photo taken while she was sleeping soundly yesterday afternoon

Last night she ended up sleeping with us because I had to get up so much to check on her. She's been really fussy for the past few days and had lots of sneezing and nasal congestion making it difficult for her to breathe normally. I fed my baby some medication and apply nasal drops but it seems like she hates those medicines, they're way too sweet for her liking. Today she has gotten up a bit warm but she was in much better mood than she was in yesterday. She hasn't felt too good all weekend, but she didn't seem to be getting worse though. Her appetite was badly affected and her mood swings, to say the very least.

As parents, one thing we all dread is when our kids fall sick. Trips to the doctor, forcing medication down the throat of a wailing child and taking leave from work to care for them turn our lives topsy-turvy. If you have kids you know what it's like when your kid is unfeeling well.

Time for medication. It is really freaking her out. she just runs away or screams and cries at the top of her lungs.

Hopefully my baby will feel better soon, so we can have fun later this week.

****************************
First Commenter - Julia

Photo Hunt - Stripes

The style of this building has a nice subtle horizontal stripe pattern to it. It's brightly painted with red stripes.

With the hot and humid weather here, I make it a point to wear my driving gloves when I'm roaming around the city working or running errands to protect my skin from the damaging effects of sun exposure. I know tanned skin is in vogue in the west but fair skinned is always a winning factor for Asian women. As fair and flawless as I'd like it to be, this pair of gloves with colored stripes definitely give me a boost to prevent my skin from looking even crappier and darker in the future.

Stripes have always been a popular style in fashion each year. I usually pair stripes with only plain or simple pieces to avoid looking too busy or keep within the same -color family.

What's the first thing you notice about a zebra? Yup, it' s the stripes. Zebra stripes absolutely mesmerize me for some reasons. They also inspire designers to use them in furniture, carpets and fashion.

You can never go wrong with STRIPES.

*****************************
First Commenter - Lina