On The Roll

A couple of weeks ago I had posted about the Wedding Invitations (<-- click there if you have not seen it before) I made for my Sis-In-Law. The wedding is about a month away now and I have finally finished making many other things, and here they are.

I made the ring bearer pillow, 6 bridesmaids bags, and 100 Wedding Programs. The goldish-champagne color fabric I used on the pillow and bags are from the matching shawls of the bridesmaids dresses. The bride (my SIL) did not want them to use the shawls and she mentioned that it would be great if the bridesmaids have matching bags so I will be surprising her with these. Each bag is monogrammed with the bridesmaid's initials. I found these iron-on monograms in a fabric store which ended up so well with it. And easy to apply too.

Now the Wedding Program shown on the picture is still in the working progress. I had to stencil out the hole one by one so that took a lot of time. Then I printed on a gold vellum with the Double Happiness, the commonly used Chinese Wedding character.

This is truly the first time I took a major sewing project. I mean I've always done pillows for my home, but never had to design things to this extent and of course all these made me awfully proud to show off my newly found skills.

Now I just have the Menu, and Bachelorette Party (wooot!) planning to finish. But that's a whole other topic. I will need to consult ideas with you guys about this on the next posting.

Porcelain Hugging Goddess and Paradise

I went for an ultrasound this morning and I saw the heartbeat! Yipeeee! Although we are still very early in the first trimester but after seeing the heart flutters we are even more so hopeful now. The baby is due in February and I am looking forward to the journey. My 3 year old asked if I can swallow him and so he can say hi to the baby. It was such a sweet request and so my eyes really teared up. Ok, you can forgive me for being overly emotional - after all, I am pregnant! hehe. I also realized how boring this blog has gotten so this will be my last posting about the pregnancy, well for now anyway. By tomorrow I will hopefully have something more interesting to say other than telling you my tales of Porcelain Hugging.

Anyway, pls. visit my newest BE blog renter Kailani of The Pink Diary also showing in my sidebar. How can I not take a bid from someone who lives in the paradise. Oh gosh I miss Hawaii! (Ha-Va-Ee and not Ha-Why people!) Kailani has started her own blog ring Carnival of Family Life where Moms and Dads can hang around and talk family. So, what are you waiting for? Go on and bring Kailani some sugar and alohas.

Feels Like Life On Hold

Last week I posted about my pregnancy and bleeding. The good news is, my HCG level has increased from 269 to 2265 which looks very promising, but I am still not out of the woodwork. The Nurse practitioner had called that I am scheduled for an ultrasound next week on Monday to see if they can detect fetal heartbeat. I am now extremely nervous and cannot think about anything else but this. I can't possibly write about anything else because I am so consumed with so much worry. I went through this whole ultrasound before where I saw the the fetus, but there was no heartbeat. I am just dying inside with the thought this could happen for the third time around.

Thank you for those who has emailed me to check how I'm doing, I truly appreciate the thoughts. I'm hoping to write really great news by next week because frankly I'm getting tired of myself going on like this.

Monday seems like forever and the waiting is driving me nuts.

Sugardaddy Dear, Want A Treat?

Inspired by Smit, I made a video for my husband - a Father's Day treat! But I'd like to remind you to bring a box of tissue, because it is quite emotional. You may purchase popcorn and softdrinks from my sidebar (ok kidding) . I am SO winning an award for this film.

Click here and enjoy - Part 1

Click here for - Part 2 /The Sequel

Deciphering Kiddie Language

Funny how as parents, we are the only ones who understand our children's language. My little one is growing up and I somehow miss how he once mixed his sentences with his own words. And being so animated when talking, the cuteness just overflows.

He says: You have BIG hekabumbum, I have a wittle wittle one.
He means: I have a humongous breast (from the size he was showing with his arms), and his is little.

He says: Mama, where's the mohmote?
He means: Where is the remote? (Daddy has trained him early)

He says: I luv hang-guh-ber.
He means: He loves Hamburger. (Could he be more German with that word?)

He says: I bog my head. ( Bog is more like a big thump sound)
He means: I hit my head.

Children are so fun! What funny words have you heard from children?

Please Stick Around My Lil' Bean

Since last week I’ve been irritable, emotional, hot, and hungry. We've been trying to get pregnant for so long – so all these were welcome signs for me. Yes, I’m pregnant! I finally took a pg. test and sure enough, I am. But no victory dances yet. Last week I started bleeding and spotting sporadically. You see- I have been thru this before. This is my 5th pregnancy (yikes) and so far I only have 2 wonderful kiddos at home. My last 2 pregnancies resulted in miscarriages and needless to say that I am quite paranoid of the possibility.

I am only about 5 weeks pregnant so an ultrasound won’t be able to detect a fetal heartbeat just yet. Instead my doctor ordered a blood test this morning and another one by Monday. Hopefully my HCG level will show a progression which will then lead us to believe that this will be a viable pregnancy. Well for the moment at least.

With my second baby, I also bled and spotted throughout the whole pregnancy ride. Doctors couldn’t really figure out why but I was in and out the hospital at least every other week, every month if I was lucky.

My husband doesn’t really want me to tell people yet about this pregnancy until the first trimester is over. That’s another 7 weeks away! Somehow I feel cheated from having to shout out how happy my heart is. When they told me I was going to lose my 2nd baby we kept the pregnancy quiet, but we didn’t lose him. He’s here today and I wish I was more positive then and have my family and friends shower me with more positive energies. It would’ve helped in those many depressing complications we had gone thru. So now I feel like, whatever…if it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. I for a little bit will blog about how happy and excited I am. Keep your fingers crossed for me – I really need this little bean to hang on tighter.

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Please visit my new renter Mama C-ta. I needed to see a blog with a baby in there to rub some goodluck and sure enough Mama C-ta bidded for the spot. :-)

Lend Me Your Ears - Just Ranting...

I don’t quite understand how people can walk around everywhere with their cellphone earpiece attached like they are somehow born equipped with it already. I think they are wonderful inventions but I also think that people tend to go overboard with such things.

I mean – voicemails are meant to catch missed calls, right? Is it always that important that we have to carry it everywhere? I know that I completely get annoyed with people that instantly pick up their calls in the middle of our conversation. I get annoyed with people that talk to their cell speakerphone in public. And I certainly get annoyed with people that doesn’t turn off or lower their ringers in places such as restaurants, theatres, library etc. What happened to etiquettes?

For instance, this weekend I was grocery shopping and there was a Mom and Dad with their toddler sitting in the cart. Both parents were sporting their bluetooth earpieces. The Dad was walking behind the Mom and Toddler while talking loudly and animatedly with obviously a good buddy about the ongoing Soccer World Cup on the phone. As the Mom busied herself with the shopping list, her cellphone rang and she automatically picked up her call. She laughed her way throughout the aisle with someone on the phone with her baby just sitting. On their way out the grocery store, I overheard the Mom telling her husband “I’m so glad we took her out to shop with us, she’s been so cooped up inside the house, and I noticed that she was soooo bored”. Huh? Pfft! I on the other hand was way to nosy to be noticing, maybe I need one of those earpieces to keep me occupied and mind my own business. hehe

So what's your take on this earpiece matter?

Re-introducing "My Pretty Stack"

I confess -- I am one of the biggest "bookslut" I know. And because my children are starting to be more and more independent each day, quality reading is back in my life again.

For a couple of years now I've been buying and buying all the books I drool over on my little trips to the bookstore. As I detour thru the aisles of new releases and non-fictions on our way to the Children's area for story time at Borders, I grab and buy a book here and there. But the reality was that I never have time to read them for the sheer pleasure of it. So my collection grew and grew along with the dust.

Every now and then the pretty stack of books were dusted with guilt and self- searching moments. "Where did I go?" "Where did the girl that once inhaled books with a passion go?" "Is this the new me - the one that read the magazines such as Cosmopolitan, and Glamour for non-committal, quickie readings ?" Have I dissolved to the contentment in answering endless magazine surveys and questionnaires on "How sexual are you?" and "What does my lipstick smudge style say about my personality?" Say, it isn't so! (sigh)

But time has passed and finally my 6-year-old kindergartener can now read "Hop on Pop" and "10 Apples On Top" by himself. And now, my 3 year old is less disrupting during reading hours, so our 1 hour 2 book marathon has now turned into 30 minutes for 2 books. And voila! All of the sudden I have time to read to myself at night.

I ran to my pretty book stack and now have planned to read one after the other. Ok, maybe this is too much pressure but with much to my happiness, I cannot help but giggle and count over how many books I've read so far since January of 2006. It used to be 1 book a year, but now --- check out "My Pretty Stack" a mainstay linked box located in my sidebar! So far I have that much books read this year. An impressive feat for me! (patting myself in the back)

"My Pretty Stack" will be updated continually as I go along, so show some love by checking in there once in awhile. Please feel free to comment on the books and suggest some for my future reading. Better yet, tell me about the latest book you've read and would you recommend it?

Skinnymarink

Skinnymarink kadink kadoo...Skinnymarink ka doo... I love you... lalalalalala. Still humming this tune after hearing my son's kindergarten graduate class sang this song for the parents as part of their commencement program. Yesterday was an extra sweet day. My parents came early and so did my older brother to watch my big boy receive his long-awaited Kindergarten diploma.

Proud parents were armed with video and picture digital cams. The kids were donned with caps and gowns and managed to stay still with the papparazzi of parents. We still can't believe how fast this joyous ride of parenthood has been for us. One day we found ourselves pregnant, and with what it seems like a flick of a finger we are now juggling 2 boys who will be both in school by this fall. Amazing!

Can't wait til' both boys leave for college. My husband and I have plans in getting them out quick. There will be no coming back home. And we also plan to hide and escape from them in some remote Pacific Island.

The New Sugar-do!

Of all dates to launch my new look I had to pick 6-6-6. But you won't find anything heathenish in here - it's all good omen and good vibes with lots of sugar sprinkles.

So what do guys think of my new look? Does my butt look big in this color? Well I simply love it, and a big thanks to the fabulous Cat from blog-togs for making this design. She took the time to completely make me happy - I just hope I wasn't so difficult on her. And here's my new banner that she had designed as well. Cute huh!


I also noticed that so many from my blogroll ( Great Day,Crazy Thoughts, Mama? Mama, Come Here!,Another Mommy Moment, and Incoherent-ish ) has redressed their blogs lately too - and I of course might as well go with what seems to be the in fashion.

Since I've been roll-calling...I also want to send a big Congratulations to Moderately Confused's new baby girl! :-)

Oh, and do visit my newest blog renter Hot House Momma . As her self blog intro says:

"Take a peek into the uneventful life of a stay at home momma of two. Names have been changed to protect the guilty. It's time to start believing everything you read."

So won't you please check her out from my sidebar and bring her some sugar.

A Good Sad

The fabulous Cat from blog-togs is trying to redress my blog and should be up and running by Tuesday. The new design rocks and I can't wait to show you guys. But before I have her change over, I just want to have a few moments to say goodbye to my old design. I was so proud of this header that I designed myself, but it is just time to go. Out with the old, In with the new. *sniff *sniff...goodbye old design, I shall miss you once in awhile.

Pudding Brain - I'm Exhausted!

Whew! I didn't think I'd make it here in blogland at all this week. Besides this past weekend's holiday and an event that my company sponsors monthly, I had also excitedly volunteered to do a major project on my own time - All I can say is that I can't believe that I'm alive to even tell you all about it. (oh the drama! hehe) But before I get into details I would like to apologize to my blog renter Jen from A Tight Knit Mom for not having had the chance to even acknowledge her presence in my blog. So, Jen I'm so sorry! And for you my awesome readers, won't you please click and visit A Tight Knit Mom located in my sidebar and let Jen know that I've sent sugar her way.

Now back to the project I mentioned earlier. My sister-in-law is getting married this July and being the good family that I am, I volunteered to do her invitations for her. I guess you can call me as a Jack...errr I mean "Jane of all trades, master of none" kinda girl. hehe.

Anyway, the wedding will be in a traditional Chinese theme, and so I thought it would be great if I can make the wedding invitation inspired by a cheongsam (Chinese Dress).

And here is the result of my 65 hours of work:

My sister-in-law managed to purchase some chinese fabric buttons (frog buttons) from China and I basically scoured thru textile manufacturers and was able to buy the silk material at $5.99/yard. Quite a deal don't you think?

Then when you open the invitation I had printed the "Double Happiness" character on a gold vellum paper. The character is a commonly used symbol in Chinese Weddings. Behind the gold vellum shows the printed invitation.

The next one shows you a little bit on how I just basically wrapped a paper with the fabric to use for the invitation. If the picture was any bigger, you would've seen that I've used scotch tape just to use for the sample. For the final product I used a spray craft glue.

And in the last picture below, I was able to use my very little itty bitty knowledge with Adobe Illustrator to make the map and the rsvp card.

I've done dozens of invitations before, but this is what I am most proud of. (Ok, other than my own baby announcements donned with my babies faces in there of course...hehe.) I had to make 150 of these invitations, meaning 150 pieces of materials to cut and glue, 150 pieces of envelopes to calligraphy by hand, 150 pieces of rsvp cards, stamps, and envelopes to label, and 150 pieces vellums and maps to print and cut. Now you know why it took me 65 hours altogether - and that is with some little help from my friend and husband!

I need some sleep! Boy, do my sister-in-law owe me big time!