Just some stamping over the weekend...

Ayer Hitam & Kluang Outing

On Good Friday last week, we took a drive to Ayer Hitam. Mummy dearest wanted to look for the 'Thai triangle lounge mattress'. And I have been craving for the Kluang toast. And it was my aunt's birthday. What a good excuse to go!

First stop was Kedai Kopi Tang Chuan.

You can find out more about it on johorkaki's post.

Their pao is good. The comment I get from the husband and my mom was that the pork is nicely made. But I wouldn't say it is significantly better than the ones in that dim sum place in Perling, Tasixi. Not bad, but service was a bit bleh. We weren't given small plates. And they aren't particularly courteous. I guess the legacy gave them the entitlement to be like that. 

Just around the corner, is the popular local market, selling many locally made products.

I was expecting a bad traffic but surprisingly the little town was quiet! I love it! No crowds, yay!

Ayer Hitam is truly a ceramics town. Aw Pottery and Claytan are there. I wanted to visit Aw Pottery, but it was closed that day, just for that day. I was quite disappointed, as I wanted to enquire if they offer classes. Lately I've been bitten by the ceramics craze. I took a beginner's pottery class 13 years ago, and I really enjoyed it. I would love to get my hands messy again with clay. And oh, how I would LOVE to draw on raw plates, bowls and mugs! And then go through the processes to finish the wares. It really is very interesting. I think this will be my retirement plan :)

I just love local products and this place really make you feel at home.

 Second last piece! My mom was happy :) She said in JB town, this would cost RM120... but here, after discount it was RM85.

There were also a lot of local snacks like banana crackers, tapioca chips, kuih bangkit, kuih bahulu, rempeyek (peanut ikan bilis cracker), that crispy shreds of coconut snack and many more. 

Kluang is just 10-15 minutes drive from there, so we decided to drop by the popular Kluang Railway coffee shop. 

Yes, the original coffeeshop. They have a Facebook page now. 

This was indeed a good day to visit, because it wasn't crowded and we could actually find a table. 

I wanted to visit Yuen Fatt, the popular local Chinese cake shop but we were just too full to be in the mood to buy more food. Maybe next time!

Mizzue Tote

Facebook advertising really works.

Last Friday night before bedtime, I saw it. This is the bag I've been looking for.
"50% OFF TODAY ONLY. ENDS MIDNIGHT", it says. I went to retrieve my credit card number.
It arrived Saturday afternoon.

Loving it.

First swim

Darren is now 6, and has been reluctant to submerge his entire head in water. He can put half his face into the water, for 2 seconds. That's about it.

Last weekend, he did it. Out of the blue. I squealed with delight. He also swam for the first time. Like Daniel's first swim, I was beaming with pride of joy.

Growing up fast!

Angry Bird Activity Park @ JBCC KOMTAR

Yesterday, according to the boys, was the best day ever. Any days with theme parks, are the best days ever.

Just to share...

The map. Looks big, but it's not as big as I expected it to be.

I'll start with the 'baby' section. These paddle-less bikes are so cute. Toddlers use their legs to push. 

The toddlers' terrain. Haha. By the way, the park is aaaaaalll carpeted. The baby section's carpet ground feel softer. Like walking on thick cushion.

 Nobody followed the 'Below (5) Years Old' sign.

The angry-go-round.

Ball pit for babies.

 Some fun building blocks to form interesting creations.

Angry bird games.

The thinking game, where you have to step on the answer to simple mathematical quizzes. The boys played for 30 seconds. Hahah.

I think this is the most fun section for everyone. Similar to Zoom Park, you can dive into a sea of foams.

And some age-appropriate trampolines.

This is fun too. Pretend you're trapped in a building on fire and you have to jump down to a large air-filled safety pillow. 

The usual playground with lots of tunnels, chambers, tubes, nooks and crannies. Good luck finding your kid in there...

Bicycle cart track.

Soccer interactive game.

Scooter track, for above 10-years-old.

Aim-and-shoot game.

My happy boys! 

What people say is true. There's nothing that makes you happier than seeing your children happy.

Letters To My Boys: Be the best buddy for each other

I never knew what having a sibling feels like until I had the two of you. You probably don't realize it but I'm always watching...

Watching you play together.

Watching you annoy each other.

Watching you fight with each other.

Watching you forget everything and laugh together again.

And I realize how more important it is to be close to each other as brothers, than it is with me or your papa. As a good friend once said, we won't be around forever, and when we're gone, you still have each other and you will be the closest person in the world to each other.

Though you guys have bad clashes all the time, I know deep down, you care for your brother, and love him very very much. Daniel, you may not remember this, but when Darren was about 2, he had a bad phlegmy cough and the doctor used a ventilator to help him breathe better. Darren hated it and was screaming, kicking and crying. You watched in tears, and left angrily. You were angry at the doctor and nurses who 'forced' the ventilator mask on him. I knew then how you love him.

Remember the time Darren sat at the back of my bicycle and got his heel badly scratched by the moving wheel? He screamed and cried. You watched in tears, went home straight to your room and wrote a letter. You said you were sorry you couldn't protect your brother. You were sorry you couldn't stop the pain. My heart melted. Darren was limping for a couple of days, and for that couple of days, you did not tease or annoy him at all.

Darren, being the younger brother, I know how much you look up to your gor gor. I can imagine how it feels. For as long as you can remember, gor gor is always there, as someone to play with, someone to spend the long days at home with, someone to do something with, someone just beside you all the time. Like a buddy.

Whenever we buy something for you, you'd always ask for another one for gor gor. You are always thinking of him.

These days, you like to sing pop songs, albeit indecipherably. You'd sing alternately with your brother. Daniel would start the first line, Darren would do the second and so on. It is so endearing to hear you sing to your hearts' content.

Stay this way, my sweethearts. This makes me the happiest mom.

One of my favourite picture.

Both of you playing 'The Happy Song' duet. 

And also, you don't know this, but when you guys are asleep in your beds, I look at you and I feel like I love you so much that I want to inhale you.

Neon Stencil-Painting

Last weekend, I got my hands messy with acrylic paints. If you ask me, stencil painting is one of the best DIY ways to create beautiful prints on fabric. It is easy and almost mistake-proof.

All you need is a stencil sheet with the cut out shape or design, stencil brush (flat bottom) and your choice of acrylic/fabric paint.

I made some customized cushion covers for a dear customer, who was into neon. 

Hand stamped letters.

Dots and triangles...

Woke to a beautiful mess on Sunday morning.

Such happy colours!

Desaru

Yep... again. Ever since a new highway made its way to Desaru, it's faster now to get there. And I feel lucky living in Johor Bahru where I can access a lot of beaches and islands easily.

Yesterday, Desaru beach was the most beautiful compared to the other times. Maybe it depends on the tide, season, wind etc. The water was my favourite shade, aqua greenish blue, and it was clean and clear. It was windy and the sky was blue. I don't know what is more perfect than that!

The compulsory cover-me-with-sand-mummy!

This boy avoided sea water when he was younger. He won't even let the water touch his toes at the shore. Every time we go back to Desaru, he gets braver. 

The waves were fun to play with. Not at a dangerous level I think. Daniel enjoyed the waves tremendously.

Absolutely lovely.

Crafty February

...and March.

Just a few things I made...

Custom designed rubber stamp.

Customized typewritten Tyler Knott Gregson poem.

A lunch tote for myself.

Mailing out orders.

Our birthdays.

An IKEA table for him. I wanted this desk to the boys to feel free to unleash their creativity and art interest. I place it in the living room so that even while they are watching TV, they can draw at the same time.

Another custom designed return address stamp.

Zakka tote.

I love these shades of blue at the moment!

I've been itching to get my hands dirty with clay lately. But I don't have the tools and materials yet. Ceramics is my next craze! Now I'm waiting for a chance to visit Aw Pottery in Ayer Hitam one weekend. Excited!