Make your own noodles

My kids tend to go through a whole LOT of homemade playdough. Yours too? How about we use that to our advantage and have them make their own lunch? hehe...

 The recipe is super simple. Only 2 ingredients. 500g of flour, and 5 eggs. Yup, that's it. Dump the flour into a huge bowl (pink bowl is a plus, obviously), make a hole and break the eggs into it. Mix it up. Knead. It makes a nice soft pliable dough. If you find it too wet, add a bit of flour. If too dry, add abit of water.

Then let the kids play with it. The longer you play with it, the better the dough will be.

Still playing the dough. Mia liked the texture so much that she asked for more the next day, just for playing.

Set your noodle maker on a floury table. I got ours from Giant, cheaply at around rm30+. It is very simple to use and the kids can operate it on their own. We were pretty much wrestling each other ( even me!) to get a turn to use the noodle maker.

When we're done this is what you get. Beautiful homemade noodles. Dry it on a kitchen towel.  You can use right fresh pasta right away or leave it to dry for a couple of hours, then keep it to use another day. It should keep for a week or two.

Freshly boiled pasta. Yum! It's a hit with the kids.

Oh, did I mention we go through a LOT of pasta too in this house?

I'm back!

Oh my it's been months since my last post. How have you been?

A lot has happened in the last few months for us. I turned 31 (waaaa!) and Mia turned 3!

She's the cleverest, cheekiest 3 year old you'll ever meet. Her vocabulary of both English and Malay has grown extensively and quite often what she says are funny, witty and bound to surprise you.

My boy Adam is a lot taller now, most his clothes are starting to look short on him but he's still as thin as ever. He is homeschooled and very proud of the fact. He's my little homeschool ambassador.

And there's another little surprise. Notice a, ehem, small 'bump' in the picture above? I'm almost 5 months pregnant! Hello Baby no 3! Wish us luck!!

*pictures are from Mia and my birthday trip to Cameron Highland a couple weeks ago.

Mia's easy skirts - a tutorial

I made these skirts yesterday for Mia. They took about 10 mins each to sew. I thought I'd do a tutorial here for anybody who'd like to try one. This is a very good choice for a first project if you're learning to sew.

(please excuse the crumpled pink skirt. already been worn and may have a bit of pee on it too. shhh)

Start with measuring your child. You will need her waist measurement and the length of skirt you want. You will cut a rectangle of fabric like the above. The width of this rectangle will be her waist measurement times 2, and the length would be the length of the skirt plus 1.5".

For example Mia's waist was 18" and length of skirt for her was 10". So the size of the rectangle above was 36" x 11.5".

Sew up the side and zigzag stitch/serge the edges.

Press the seam to one side.

While you're at the ironing board, press the bottom hem of the skirt. To do this fold up by half an inch, then then fold again by half an inch to enclose the raw edge.

Sew the hem.

Now zigzag stitch or serge the top edge of the skirt (not shown in pic). Then mark the top edge at four places (divide skirt into four equal sections. Or more sections if you're making a bigger skirt)

Get a length of elastic that is your child's waist measurement minus 4". Mia's was 14" long.

Sew it up into a circle using a zigzag stitch like the picture above.

The mark the elastic into 4 sections and mark.

Fold down the top of the skirt by half an inch and enclose the elastic in it, pinning at 4 places that was marked. Sew over the top of this enclosure (yes sew over the elastic) using a wide zigzag stitch while stretching the elastic to fit the fabric. See picture above. To do this start by stitching a few stitches at the first pin, remove the pin, the hold onto the next pin  stretch the elastic to fit the fabric.

This may seem difficult to imagine, but trust me it is wayyy easier that making a loop to insert the elastic into. ( I hate threading elastic into the waist. and the elastic always likes to curl up or down or all over the place )

This is what it will look like from the inside when you're done.

And from the outside. Quite an even neat finish.

Tadaa you're skirt is done.

Happy sewing!

dreams

This morning. Adam just woke up...

me: Adam did you have any dreams last night?
Adam: yes!
me: what was it about?
Adam: i go to escalator, there's some friend.. then friend fall down the escalator. there's a police! then i said sorry....
me: ooo.....mia, did you have any dreams last night?
Mia: errr..... there's some police....
Adam: hey, that's my dream!

Sewing tips, by Adam

The other day my mom made an apron for Mia. It's pink with pictures of sweets and cakes. Pink is for girls so I can't wear her apron. So I told mom "I want to make my own apron! Use your *knitting!" She got all excited. This is the first time I asked to sew for myself. Chill mom...

I have this old apron that came with my kitchen. It's nice but all dirty now. I used the apron to draw my new one. I chose the green fabric myself. I used my color pencil and mommy's ruler to draw.

tadaaaa!! Then I just cut through the line..

Then I started sewing..mom pressed the the feet of the machine for me because I can't reach it. I think next time I must figure out a way so I can use the presser feet myself..

the other part I liked was pinning

it doesn't matter if it's wonky...just go with it...

sewing is easy peasy!! I've helped my mom millions of times so I can tell how it works...don't worry if the lines aren't straight...

my apron!!

If you're thinking about starting sewing, stop thinking and just start sewing! If I can do it, so can you!

*Adam refers to all my sewing and knitting things as 'mommy's knitting'

Worm Digging Tutorial, by Adam

I came across worm digging by accident recently while having a picnic at the park with my family. Mom, Mia and I were on the picnic blanket having our lunch while Daddy was taking our pictures. I was going to put on my yellow boots to join Daddy when I saw it. A huge worm! Right under Mommy's feet! I told Mom and she screamed in shock! Silly Mommy ;)

Aaanyway, after that I decided to go on a the search for Worm-py. Ah yes, I like to add a Y at the end of any word as I see please. Choose can be choo-sy, Up can be Up-py, Snake can be Snaky, Shoe can be Shoe-shi. Mom said 'Oh you mean Wormy, Adam?'. No Mom, I said Worm-py! *roll eyes*

Right, I'm getting a teensy bit distracted here. Let's get back to finding Worm-py.

First step, gather you tools. You can use a fancy digger, or use whatever you have. Here I am using a pair of plastic fork and spoons from our lunch earlier.

Now, start looking for worm trails. Daddy told me that the best way to spot a worm hole is by the 'fresh worm poop' on the ground. These are round little brown things..that looked like..well, poop!

Once you spotted these trails, just go on and start digging! Use your hands if you wish. It's a lot more fun I can promise you!

Try to rope your little sister into helping you dig as well. Remember she might need a little guidance, but she'll get there soon enough.

There, I told you. She's already enjoying it. Cutting your job in half. Ha!

Now little sisters are notorious for getting distracted easily. Especially when she sees you so focussed that it gives her an opportunity to launch an 'attack' at you. Cheeky! But, if you're a toughy like me, you might want to consider letting it slide. She's only little.

See how happy she gets?

Where was I? Oh yes. I was digging. Now after some exciting digging you may find little tunnels where the little Worm-pies live. Be gentle and eventually you will find what you're looking for.

Taraaaa!!

The End!

Two in a row

This girl always manage to surprise me. 2 new words in a row.

This was yesterday - PURPLE

and here's one from today - THERE (taught by Adam)

I'm proud of you, my little genius.

Mia is one

Dear Mia, my daughter, my princess, my pride..

You are one year old today.

You are the cheekiest little girl I've ever met. When you don't get what you want, you curl your mouth open ( i must get a pic of this ) and pretend to cry. You look so cute it never fails to make me and Daddy smile. How can we get mad at you when you make that face?

You are so smart. You understand everything we say. You absorb everything like a sponge. Even when I think you're not listening. If I asked you tonight to find something that I just introduced to you this morning, you will know where it is.

Recently you learned how to kiss. Wet and sloppy of course. You can almost say 'kiss' too. You only offer a kiss when you're very happy. A kiss and a sweet smile. Let me tell you, getting a kiss from you is the best feeling in the world.

And that special smile of yours, with your eyes crinkled up they're almost closed. You can get away with anything with that smile, you know.

You love your Daddy very much. Always hugging him, calling after him, and you won't let him go to work. You're his princess. He loves you more than you know. I'm afraid your future husband will have a very difficult time asking for your hand :)

You hate car rides, or train rides or anything that requires sitting still. You love being at home, or at the children centre, where you can roam around happily. I thought your brother Adam was energetic, it turned out you're even more so. I can hardly keep up.

You brother loves you the most. He protects you, he greets you when you wake up. He loves it when you hug him. You two are learning to play together. You fight with him all the time too, that's what siblings do. But watching you two together, aah...it is the most blissful feeling for me.

I long for the newborn that you once were a year ago. So soft and little and fragile. But I am proud to embrace the clever little toddler that you are becoming. I love you so much, princess..

Happy First Birthday Mia.....

Mia's (back-up) birthday dress

This dress style has got to be my favourite one. I love gathers and pleats and this dress is full of it. Bubble skirt and pheasant style top. The pattern is Miss Lily, from the Handmade Dress.

It's quite an easy construction. The whole process from cutting to sewing to finishing took about 3 hours.

I love bubble skirts! it just looks so girly and magical. The fabric is not the fabric I had in mind, it's a trial fabric, but still cute...to try the pattern for the first time..a girl can't have too many dresses, after all, right? I'll update again once I have the real birthday dress completed..

oh..so good to be sewing again...

Mia @ 11 months (and Snow Day)

I have a sneaky suspicion Mia is trying for the fastest growing baby award..gosh..she's practically a toddler already!

She's a stable walker by now and can walk any distance she likes, or run, even. With her tiny little body she looks like a penguin waddling around the house. She follows me around where ever I go, and she is very quick. Every trip to the toilet is a race because she will be banging on the toilet door before I even had the chance to sit on the loo.

She understands everything we say to her. Honestly, she does. And she will respond to prove it. If you ask her, where's your Princess book Mia? She'll go and fetch the Princess book.

Yesterday she picked up a blanket, pulled it over her face and giggled. I asked, 'where's Mia?' and she pulled the blanket down, laughing and smiling proudly. Pandai main cak cak...adam la ajar ni...

She's very possessive of me. No one can come near me. If she sees me cuddling up with Adam or Daddy, she'll come over and start crying, until they leave me alone with her.

If she wants cheese she says 'chissss, chissss' . if she wants susu she says 'ssss,ssss'. She tries to repeat after the words we say.

We have a little gate at our living room door to prevent her from going to eat shoes in the hallway (one of her favourite activity) but lately she figured out how to open it! So much for babyproofing! honestly, we've had many adults guests who couldn't figure out how to open it...in fact everything in the house is now subject to her experimentation...the tv, the speakers, the wires, the bookshelf...Adam keep going 'Mia, no! nanti Daddy marah!'. But she just smile cheekily and keep going at it...but when Daddy's at work, Adam says 'It's ok Mommy, biar je iya (mia) main..Daddy work, Mommy...'

Oh yes, he constantly covers for her. If he sees me or Daddy telling her off he'll say 'Daddy, sian iya (mia) ....janan (jangan) mawwah (marah) iya...'. Or sometimes he says 'It's ok Mommy...iya kecik Mommy...'. hheheheh...do you know how lucky you are Mia?

You are well-loved, my dear. Happy 11 month birthday!

Here are more photos from our recent Snow Day. As usual not much snow in London but we made the most of it...

Adam had the most fun, naturally.

We tried to make a snowman....but...like my husband said,dgn Adam memang takkan siap2 nyelah...he said nak buat 'sandcastle'.

it was pretty heavy snow that day...is it bad that i want to wish for more snow? the news says it's pretty bad already...and everybody hates it because it makes travelling impossible and dangerous..but for us who aren't travelling anywhere, i'm content to stay at home with the kids, blissfully knitting and staring in wonder at the snow falling outside...

my little snow angel