Hello!

So much have been neglected here. So much so that saying sorry sounds so trivial. Oh well 2017 has come and gone and we are well into February of 2018.

WHA!

Like, did I miss blogging? I certainly did. And do. But when you keep stopping midway into a sentence and ran out of ideas to phrase yourself properly, you just stop and can't finish. Can't finish. For like 6 months ago! Haha.

Anyway, this is a short update. Last Dec we had a family trip to Koh Samui, Thailand... a beautiful gem of an island. Every year since my girl turned 1 in Dec 2015, it has been a bi-annual tradition for us to take a family trip away from home.

 Koh Samui, Thailand @ Dec 2017

So for this year when she turns 3.5, a return trip to Danang, Vietnam in June sounds like a really good idea since the last we went there in Dec 2016, it was 'winter' to them and it was wet/rainy/cold throughout. They say June is summer in Vietnam, so hopefully we could have more time under the sun, on the beach and in the pool. Which are my daughter's main playground. Me? I only usually just enjoy the FOOD and the SCENERY of a new place. :-)

And how has your 2018 been so far? I look forward to mine with lots of hope, faith and prayers.  Hope it's not too late for me to wish you all ...

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2018!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!

It's 2017! Helllloooo!

My my how time flies when you're not blogging much anymore. And look it's already 2017! Hello Hello Hello lovelies and Happy New Year You You You and You!

 2017, we are OK!

Gotta say I miss blogging and I must say there has been numerous times in the past few months that I tried to make a comeback but words simply won't come although there are so many things I can blog about. Perhaps I just lost my mojo, or perhaps I forgot how to be readable again, or perhaps I was simply busy. Yes you know, with work, a toddler, a house to keep, work travel etc., pretty much the same stuffs a lot of you are experiencing out there too, except in my case, blogging became neglected and the more I leave it behind, the more rusty I get.

But let's try anyway, okay?

A little update:
1. Celebrated my 3rd wedding anniversary on 14 Dec. Going strong.

2. My baby girl turned 2 on 16 Dec. That made her a toddler now, and as per the airlines, no more an infant, so she is entitled to her own seat, although she kept insisting on sitting in my lap throughout flights in and out. She has now learned to talk and her pronunciation is getting clearer everyday although sometimes she still indulges in her baby talk -- the one where she just open her mouth, speak incoherently rolling her tongue with every word. Cute actually, something I'll miss soon. Her understanding of things also improved a lot.

Briskwalking along Danang's Port Front....

3. Celebrated my birthday on 22 Dec in Danang, Vietnam. Officially a year older and well, age is catching up so there are no time to dilly dally anymore.

Surprise complimentary cake from the hotel in Danang...

4. Yes, we travel to Danang, Vietnam before the Christmas holidays. Fell in love with Vietnamese iced coffee, the best I've ever had ever. I even learned how to make my own while there -- was really so easy. Except here back home, the taste isn't the same. Must be the condensed milk that we use. Danang was a much better city than Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi (I've been to both previously), the food and coffee here is sooooo much nicer. Although in their defence, I was 5 months along when we went to the later 2 cities so my appetite and food adventure were repressed. I'll blog more about Danang soon!

5. Weight loss journey has been coming along slow but surely too. Gaining my pre-baby weight is acceptable, although that is still considered overweight by the BMI calculator. So this year I'm extending the journey to get my ideal weight again (again as in the last time I weight according to my height and gender was like when I was a teenager. Hah.) No strenuous exercise, no complicated calorie counting (suck at those), just a brief effort every day to do something fun and yet calorie burning. Go figure. As long as it takes baby!

2017 is going to be great! I can feel it! So let's move on along and take the year year by storm! Have a good week ahead you you you and you!

Signing off for now,
Coffee Girl

Closing the year with a bang bang baby!

Some things feel like they happen too fast, and some things feel so slow in moving. And here we are calling for the curtain call to drop on the last show of the year. But hey, the year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on of a continuous adventure. 

Although a lot has taken place and so much has happened since the beginning of the year, here's the perfect closure for me... Baby Otter has arrived! And that officially made me and hubby a New Mommy and Daddy!

Our little bundle of joy, Miss Carissa Dhea was born on 16 Dec 2014 at 8.44am, weighing at 3.69kg. Yeah I know, she was quite a handful of a little bundle. LOL. Can't believe it's already 2 weeks and 1 day since that happened! As of now I am at home resting, recuperating, recovering, rejuvenating and adjusting. I'll tell you more about her later when I can sneak in longer minutes to write more in between the so-called 'Confinement' period.

my own dimply hairy baby arm... :D

Meanwhile, there's just a few hours more to midnight. And it looks like this year I will be breaking tradition by not driving to the BDC Flyover to watch the fireworks display at midnight to usher in the New Year. Let's just hope the merry-making neighbours will bring out the big guns tonight at my housing area instead so baby, daddy and me can just watch the smokes and lit-up sky from inside the gate.

So then, let's close the chapter for 2014 and start a new page for 2015. Ah cliche.

HAPPY BLESSED NEW YEAR EVERYBODY! 

Got resolutions? :D

Google Pic 

See you in another entry post in January 2015!!

The Beginning of All Things Good...

My first post for the New Year! And I am like 14 days late! So random.

There are a few posts on the way prior to this one being written, but they are still in the draft list. And some more stories I said I'd write about, but hey, first thing first...

ALL HAIL 2014!

And ya, if you noticed, I attempted to give this blog a makeover. A bit overdue. But I hope it will stay awhile until I can do some more proper revamping work. Whatever it is, there will always be coffee somewhere in this space. :)

Anyway, I promise to write more soon. There are soooooo many things to put into words I hardly know where to begin! The wedding tips, the honeymoon cum Bali trip, the moving house, the whole interlada about being called a new wife cum daytime career woman etc ... it's a lot to digest but it's an adventure of a lifetime that is much better in reality than just coffee-induced daydream. And here I am, can hardly believe I just said that. Haha.

Hope I still have my writing muse, so hold that thought. :) Meanwhile, here's a visual of our first meal cooked and ate at our new home, by yours truly. Never going to be a world renowned chef ever, but I promise I can fix a decent meal. Like my mother. Hopefully.

Herbal chicken, kangkung in oyster sauce (water spinach) & salted fish...

Till then, hope you all have a good month and a good year!! :)

The Year In Review: Personal Best Moments of 2013 & Welcoming The New Year!

CURTAIN CALL!! 

It has been one amazing year for me, personally. While I don't want it to end, the book still has to be closed because the chapter is finished and today marks the last page. But let's not fret. Life must go on boldly forward because we have everything to live for in 2014!

Meanwhile... 

A Recap of Best Personal Moments for 2013. 

1. Spend the early parts of the year away from home organizing events a week apart from each other... A buildup to the General Election. One Division after another, and always coming home feeling drenched and in need of a good rest. But with awesome colleagues, anything is possible. 

In the spirit of 1Malaysia la kan... against a potent choc brownies...

2. Breezed through the General Election 2013... because the hard and difficult parts have already been done earlier. 

3. Met Zamani in person! ... From Slam. He has always been my favorite local talent since school days. *Sigh* I couldn't believe he got so skinny!

Zamani Slam: Kembali Terjalin...

4. And got a free hug from Ironman!... The adventures my job brings me everyday. No Thor, but this will do.

Superhero overload...

5. Recruited a new blood donor. If this is member get member program, I'd have a cool downline. :) Because it is my only unselfish passion so far. And now I don't have to do it alone or look for a friend to accompany me. My husband is now my special moral-support partner!

And our blood group is the same as well...

6. First Valentine's celebration with Mr Right. At home eating simple home cook food. And gifted with my first silver cross necklace! <3 I foresee many Valentine celebrations will be spent alone together at home after this. 

To be worn close to my heart...

7. Ventured into Charms-making Business... Slowly and steadily, online and offline. This is another passion that I see should take off quite well, if only I have more time and focus. Tell you more about it later. Meanwhile for now, you may check www.eheartcharms.com

 Tranquility charms bracelet... from EHeartcharms.com

8. Cook more at home these days... because the guy I'm going out with loves home cook meals and especially Dayak food. 

Sambal nenas (spicy pineapple in prawn paste)

9. Visited Limbang! At last... And now the only Division I have yet to step foot on is Kapit. Although I've been to Song a few times. Wait ah 2014... 

For work, that is...

10. Ventured out of the country... to Phuket and Bali! To two countries at one time! -- Got my passport this year and well, ventured overseas for the first time. I know, I know... late bloomer and all. But two international island resorts in one go made up for it!

Phuket!

11. Got a surprise proposal! Every girl's dream, stuffs of fairy tale... to have a guy she loves go on one knee in public, open a beautiful tiny box and pop the question. What kind of girl could or even want to say No to that?  Oh you could also read about it HERE.

The precious props...

12. Went to Bangkok! ... an unplanned trip but an amazing journey nonetheless. 

Met and had coffee with George Clooney at Madame Tussaud, Bangkok

13. Got properly and formerly affianced... with the families' blessings and approval. And then it is made official because the earlier one was more of a personal engagement. 

Official engagement day...

14. Given an acoustic guitar by le fiance... An early birthday present, he said, 3 months away from the real birth date. The only guitar I ever had was given by my dad on my 18th birthday. It broke after I brought it back from college during my senior years. Some stuffs are to be cherished forever, more for the thoughts that count. 

Rocking good times...

15. GOT MARRIED! To this amazing guy on Dec 14 2013! The same one who proposed to me. It was the most beautiful, most memorable, most exceptionally amazing time of my life. Walking down the aisle in daddy's arms in daddy's tiny country church, feeling like the most blessed and most beautiful bride in the world. The day we exchanged rings, vows, and got united in front of God and men. A truly special day in any girl's life.

Getting all dolled up, morning of the wedding...

16. Went for honeymoon right after... to the islands of the gods, Bali again! No words can describe my state of happiness at this point.

Lounging good times in Bali...

17. Celebrated Birthday Bali style! ... because we were already there. Got serenaded by one of the coolest local acoustic bands I've ever had the honour to watch.

 The birthday kiss!

18. First Christmas as a newly wedded couple. With both sides of the family.

19. Moving to our new marital house. Right after the honeymoon. :) So by New Year, I'd be a driving a distant more to work than usual. 

20. About to spend New Year's Eve with awesome companies, awesome food, and awesome FIREWORKS display across the City!

So then, there it is. I may have missed a few milestones but that's ok. Next year I'll have a proper diary. In a rush now for the New Year's Eve get-together. Till then lovelies, here's wishing you...

A JOYOUS & BLESSED NEW YEAR 2014!

What doesn't kill us last year will only make us stronger this year!

Amen.

Wohoooooo! Release the fireworks!

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Resolutions, anyone?

It's tough to live among the optimists.

These bunch always make a list of what they want to achieve every beginning of the year. In fact, they started talking about it way even before December of the previous year ends. And sometimes I can't help but poke fun at them for looking too far ahead when they're not even sure if they could achieve any of those endless list, let alone tick them one by one. And if you notice, some actually would recycle (if that's even possible) all the past unfulfilled wishes to the next year in the hope of trying to at least salvage some pride in attempting to fulfill them. Hard work, that.

Oh for sure, no offence to the optimists. In fact I hold you in highest regards (yes for real, that's no-oo, not sarcasm at all) because I was once one of you until sometimes it got too exhausting.

Ok get this: I'm not an optimist. Neither am I -- yes this is me speaking out loud the words from the back of my mind -- a pessimist. I am, if you can call it anything, is a daydreamer who lives the life of a realist. And being a mixed breed of a daydream believer stuck in reality, I too, have a list of things I want to see done or keep doing, not just this beginning of the year, but at all times, while I still breath, Mayan afflicted or not.

So, we don't play around with resolutions because that's what the optimists will do. And me, forever loving to procrastinate and all, do not like to be bogged down with wish list. Instead, here's a little reminder of what I should keep doing.

Note To Self:

#1. Hang On

The greatest oak was once a little nut who held its ground. 

#2. Blog On

Easy reading is damn hard writing. But I have resolved to be consistent in posting.

#3. Keep Calm and Drink Coffee

Actually, this seems to be the basic need of the human heart in nearly every great crisis — a good hot cup of coffee.

#4. Keep Dreaming 

The best reason for having dreams is that in dreams no reasons are necessary. 

#5. ...But Be Realistic

Everything you can imagine is real.

If none of these make sense, that's okay because at the end of the day, like every dreamer out there, I too want a homelier home, a better car, a fatter paycheck, a dream career, a new status, travel the world, be a millionaire. But in order to get that, don't we all need to first discover ourselves and what we truly want and what truly matter?

Hello 2013. How will you fare?