My job updates

This year has a lot of things that was unexpected in my job situation. My previous updates were this post and this.

I know it sounds very promising, but turned out it was just an ideal situation I was hoping for (sort of too good to be true). So I was supposedly to start my new job on Feb 15th, but it was pushed back to March 15th and again to April 4th. And my so called part time job (supposedly to keep me busy till my new job start on Feb 15th), that didn't work either. That is sucks. I can't do anything about it.

I tried looking for other job but the job market seem to slowdown and all I heard were more and more of retrenchment and paycuts. That was not good at all. I keep praying to God and hope that this is what was meant to be from the beginning. I know I can only wait and see what's His plan as there's nothing I can do about this situation. I am really on His mercy now.

Last year, I thought all that I wanted was to be able to stay at home and spend more time with my daughter. But this past few months made me realized otherwise. I love spending time with Chloe, but I also like to be able to go to work and earn my own money. My dissatisfaction in my previous job and the feeling of unappreciated by my boss were the ones that made me quit my job and its nothing to do with my desire to stay at home at all. God really knows what is best for me and He uses this situation to make me realize what I really want in my life.

Now, I just take in one day at a time and be grateful of what that I have now in my life. I will rest and put all my trust in Him and let Him do the work. Thank You, Lord. Can't wait to see what's in store for me.

On Saving Electricity...

Last October, we decided to change the water heater from electricity to gas type. According to the seller and what I (assumed) know of, we are going to save about 1/3 of the bills from the electricity used.

So we spent $1450 on the whole things. New gas water heater $300, 2 new shower heads + 1 water tap (mixer) for the kitchen sink for a total $350, and the installation costs $800.

A big spent, hoping to get a nice rewards in terms of longtime savings in the electricity bills.

But it doesn't turn out well. First month, instead of going down in the bills, it spiked. A bit higher than usual. I blamed it to the usage of air-conditioners (which I think maybe we used it a bit more than the other months)

But December came, it still doesn't show any changes. I am pissed. Something's wrong here. And I just found out the culprit. My mother in-law. Yeah, she used the gas water heater without knowing that she was using it all the time. How? you might ask.

Here's how. The water heater will on when you didn't turn the tap to the most right position (first mistake, believing what she told me that she knows how to use the tap). And she always on the tap to the max/ high pressure whenever she washes clothes, which makes the water out still cold even though the heater is on.

What a waste of money...

Now, I have shown her how to 'operate' the tap properly and hopefully the bills will go down.

Remember friends, if you are changing any water heater from electricity to gas or whatever upgrade you make to save electricity, just make sure everybody in your house knows how to do the things right... Otherwise you just ended up paying more instead of less. (in my case, we assumed my inlaw knew how, and we, I mean I, had a passive aggresive attitude here)

But to be honest, although without my inlaw problem above I don't think I save a lot. Just for information the electric water heater consumption is 2300 Kw/h and compared to the gas water heater consumption is 8000 Kw/h. I am wondering why people always said gas heater is paying lesser bill.

Any thoughts??

Hope for Year 2016

2015 went by so fast. We made it through with little conflicts and lots of contentment.

God has been so good to me in 2015. I was hoping to get a better job (in terms of salary, colleagues and location), spend time more with my daughter, go to church every week and a few months rest (sabbatical) from work. And God gave me all that. Praise Him!.

Now moving on to 2016, I just want to be able to know Him more, spend quality time with my family, and enjoy my life, live in the moments. God please give me wisdom, patience and peace in my life. As I know the world is getting darker and evil with each passing day. Protect us O Lord from all dangers and bad things.

Amen!

A little update on God's plan

My interview went very well. I will get the decision whether I am accepted in the company within 2 weeks time. But as it turned out, I will only be starting to work in the company on February onwards if I am accepted. And so.... I guess I have to be a stay at home mum for a while.. or so I think. But that's not what God's plan.
And so, yesterday I was called by my ex-colleague (different company from the one I was interviewed with last week) and she asked me whether I will be interested to work part time with her. What a coincidence! If you believe in that. or luck!. But I am into God's work and I know it is God. Nothing of coincidence. I am blessed and it is all planned out for me.
Thank you Lord for your Grace and faithfulness. I do not deserved all these but because of Your love for me I get to know You.
Thank you Jesus. I love You more and more.

I will give more updates on this... because God's work is always wonderful.
Amen!

Year of His Restoration

That is what my church's message for this year. And I've been trying to understand and get the message for myself.
A bit of background story here... I don't like my job, I dislike it. I complained almost everyday about it. So when the church said about restoration, well.. I believe God will do something about my job. January.. nothing happened. February ... I took action by giving resignation letter to my manager. There's a discussion and made me feel I have to stay a few more months to see changes in my workplace. March, April and May still nothing happened. And so I quit. June, July passed by. I took my time sorting my mind and decided to go back to find another job. August came with a new environment of job. I thought this is it. It will be my workplace for a few more years before I decided to retire. But turn out I also felt not right. So I quit less than 3 months later. All the above was my way to get what I want. My own effort.

That is when God turn up and show me the way. I dont have to do anything to get an offer, I just have to rest in Him. I got a message from my previous colleague whether I still interested working with her. I was very excited. This company is the one that I always talked about with my husband. Its location is within 10 minutes bus ride, it is a multinational company ( headquarter is in US ) with very good working hour. I always pray to God hoping I can get into the company again.

And now I was halfway there. Interview will be this coming Thursday. God is good. He is really good. He knows what is the best for me. Thank you God.

Contentment

I was reading this post from Emily A. Clark blog and it described what and how I feel exactly with my home. I sometimes feel that this is not my house and too many times I'm feeling like an outsider in my own house. Yet when I go outside, I miss my house dearly.
So now, I want to embrace the feeling of contentment.
My house may not be perfect, but it is mine and it's filled with our hearts. and for so many more years to come.

Have a nice day, everyone! :)

I am 'an unemployed Mom'

I am officially not a fulltime working mother as of June 6th 2015. A decision that comes with a complicated situation that I am in right now. I hope I am getting clearer of what I want and what I want to do with my life right now but it seems I am blur about my own future.

I am not a stay at home mom. yet. My criteria of SAHM is :
- have to be able to cook for the family. I cant cook and with the living situation I am in right now -muminlaw stay with us- I definitely wont be learning to cook in a near future.
- be supported 100% by the husband. My 'not working situation' is my choice. Not his preference. so there is big difference.

So thats it. I can call myself an 'unemployed mom' for now.

Blogging love...and random musings

One of the reasons I started my blog is to capture whatever feelings or things or any random loves that I can 'see' in the images captured beautifully by other people. Here are some of the 'love' that I found lately. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

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Hello again

So sorry I abandoned this blog for so long. To write my past few months daily life would be a challenge but anyways... here I am.
Starting over again.
Picking up where I had left
Today...
I am back to writing my diary again. here.
Firstly, I have an account on Carousell - an app which allow all of us here in Singapore to buy, sell or trade anything that we have. Go join us at Carousell! and support me also haha.
2. I will be going to Italy for company trip in December for 8 days. Yay!. But..... - I will go alone.without my family. sob sob.
3. I am still working full time, juggling with my time as a career woman, a mother and a wife. It is hard. but I pace it day by day. God help me.
4. My house still in a mess, disorganized and need parttime helper.
5. I am contemplating of quitting my fulltime job to be a fulltime mother with some side job...
6. My husband is currently unemployed...
7. My Chloe keeps talking and talking that sometimes I just said ok to make her stop questioning me.

Update on maid

I employed maid on 13th February. My birthday. And the maid lasted only 1 month. She cannot work well with my inlaw. Many problems occured. I just feel very exhausted with my feelings nowadays. On one hand, I want to believe on what the maid reported to me but on the other hand, it means I'm not believing what my inlaws tell me.

Maybe all of this happened for a good reasons. I am just hoping all works for the better future.
God, if You understand what I'm dealing with, please lead me to have understanding of Your way in my life. Feels very alone in this journey.

But overall, I feel grateful for the short moments when the maid is around. I feel we accomplished some things... like :
- celebrate Chloe's 3rd Birthday at her preschool
- having a quality time with my Chloe (play water in our inflatable pool in the living room)
- Chloe had an outdoor activities every other day (such as, cycling to the park or walking to the neigbour's garden)
- have report on what has been done the whole day with Chloe (from my maid)
- clean car
- fresh and clean bedsheet every week
- ironed clothes
- a person to talk and share with.

Hope next maid will be better than this one. (still contemplating of taking another one for now)

Happy day everyone!

Update news! Chloe and her preschool

Apparently, she went out of her school the other day unnoticed by her teachers. Which is a bad thing for a preschool. How can a child be let out of school without supervision ? I have no idea how it happened. Luckily, there was this one nice maid who brought her back to the school and report the incident.This happened on the 2nd week of her school.
We had a meeting with the principal and the teachers the next day and make sure this won't happen again. We will give 2nd chance for the preschool to prove to us that they are as reputable as what they claimed all these years. Will keep you all updated about her preschool every now and then.:)

I believe God is watching after my Chloe and my family.
Thank you God for Your protection. Amen

Chloe's First few Days in her PreSchool

Chloe started going to preschool on 13th January. We as parents had alot of worries over 'what ifs'. It turned out that its not as bad as we think it will (God's help of course).
We take bus everyday together in the morning and her grandma will fetch her home in the afternoon.
She kinda liked it.
Although there are times where she prefers to be playing alone by herself..in the class but most of the time she is having fun with all her new friends.
She makes me proud by not crying or throw tantrums from the third day onwards.
Just hoping tomorrow and the next day and so on will be just as great as today.

Love you, Chloe :)

Happy New Year 2014!

I am very grateful that I went through the year 2013 with not so many glitch and less confrontations/ arguments with my inlaws. So yeah, it is pretty smooth year for me I think. haha. Well, if you are staying with your inlaws (whether you in their house or they're in yours) you will know what I mean and how I feel.
I am also feeling so blessed with my job, and my husband- who found a better job than the previous year (and help us tremendeously on our financial side), and with all the relationship with each of our family members. Thank You God for all that.

Next, for the year 2014 resolutions... here are some of them :
1. Good relationship with my families and friends
2. Work out to eliminate my tummy's fat. Ha!
3. Go church more often if not every week.. Help me God
4. Work more efficiently and more productive...errr or at least try to
5. Blog more often... yes definitely...will try to. haha

So for everyone who read my blog, here a glimpse of my first day of 2014 :)

afternoon at the Bugis temple. crowded.

Chloe as usual is waiting with her water bottle.

at home - me and Chloe. who sit on my back, while watching youtube on her Ipad.

 Yeah, I smiled while taking this weird position pictures.

finally asleep at 6.30pm after missing her nap today. Hope it last till tomorrow. which seldom not.

and last words for my first blog post in this year...

Happy New Year 2014 to all of you... and your family as well. May Peace, love and Joy will always be a part of your life. :)
Amen

Its December..

before you know it, life has just passed by so fast that now it is December..
I've done so many things yet feels like not achieving anything yet. Do you ever feel like that too.?
Now it is December and I have so many plans I wanna do.. here are my lists :

1. setting up the Christmas tree with Chloe,
2. tidy my house (as always),
3. make a donation to people in need,
4. having a Christmas dinner with family, and
last but most important is...
5. to be happy and grateful with what I have.

Thank You Lord for December. :)

Chloe was hospitalised..

and so I spent my weekend in the hospital with her. She was so demanding and threw her best tantrum of the year. I was so exhausted that the situation made me realised that my everyday routine is much easier compared to the one day I spent with her in hospital.
Yes, she is my joy and my precious daughter. I love her and no matter how hard my day is.. I still love her so very much.
She was sick and she needs me more than anything.
She hugged me and clinged to me to sleep.
I guess when I post 'Lord help me' the day before.. God really helped me
to realise that all is well and I just need another revelation from Him to understand that He has done all the best for me.
So thank you Lord. for giving me the revelation.
My days are easy because He has protected us from all sicknesses and keeping us all healthy all year long.
I am thankful because of that.
Thank You Lord.
And as I post this, my Chloe has been better and back to her normal energetic girl that I know of.

Happy day everyone!

In the midst of my hectic daily life..

I wish I have more time for myself...
to sleep
to cuddle my daughter
to play with her
read with her
sing with her
and by end of the day.. I wish I had more time to be with her.
but this is how it goes in my real life.

7.30am to 7.30pm go to work.
8pm dinner
8.30 - 9.30pm play with my daughter, I take a bath
10pm laundry & cleaning time (my daughter will be on the bed with her ipad)
11.30 pm Chloe sleeps, I am exhausted
12 midnite, we all sleep..
....
3am I wake up, to have a 'me time' which is sewing
5.30am tired but contented. and fall asleep once more..
till morning (7am) comes and I'm ready to start another day.

Yes, it is hectic ..
but I am a working mom. and mothering never ends when my day jobs end.
For a full time mom, I envy you for having so much time for you and your kids.
Yes I know it is tiring but it is understandably worth more than anything in the world.. at least by my opinion.
I hope I can be JUST a full time mother.
But for now... full time working mother is what I do.

Lunch Tote bag

The other day, when I went out for lunch and on the way back to office, I saw this good offer. Which is a magazine that cost $5dollar but it got so many freebies inside like a bottled water, a small sample bottle of laundry detergent and a lunch tote bag.
This is the lunch tote bag I have..

Well, today while browsing online  I saw something similar to that tote bag and it cost US$24.99.

Wow! 

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It always makes me feel good knowing that I scored on free good stuff! Haha

Happy Day everyone!

Mother's Day

Just happen that I was planning to get a new phone for the past few weeks and my choice is Iphone 5.

So last Saturday we (my hubby, I and Chloe) went to nearby mall and hubby told the Starhub customer service that he intended to recontract his phoneline and get the Iphone for me. To his surprise he was told that he cannot recontract because he already recontract earlier before. My husband knew for sure that he can recontract and was never turned down before. This made my husband so pissed off. He then called the hotline and told that he can actually  recontract but only tomorrow (which is fine for me of course). So we went home empty handed.

The next day, we went to the same Starhub branch (it is near our house) but greeted with different person at the customer sevice. And it was a very pleasant one with a little question asked. We queue for 30 minutes and was attended quite professionally. We were about to sign the contract when the guy attending us said that due to celebrating Mother's Day, Starhub is giving a $50 dollar off for purchase of Iphone 5 on this day only and another gift certificate to dine at the Restaurant of our choice (there were these lists of restaurants for us to choose). We were so happy with this surprise because even without the discount and all that I will still want the phone.

So I guess the incident the day before was a blessing in disguise. From God. Because no matter how we put it, there is no way we can come out with the perfect timing to get the phone. And I purchased the casing straight away that day. The tag said it was member price $29.90. And I feel it is quite good. So we went to cashier to pay and end up we only have to pay $16.00 ( got another further discount). What a beautiful day it is for me. To struck not only one deal but 2 at the same day. I feel very blessed.

Well, this is how I spend my day on Mother's day.
I am not the type who will be fussy over this kind of day. Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, Father's Day.. all look the same to me. Just another day. And I was raised like that. In fact, I grown up not knowing have this kind of day (haha.. blame my parents for being so ignorant then). So I did not expect anything other than just to spend my weekend with my family.
Thank you God.. for making this Mother's Day so special.

Happy Mother's Day to everyone who celebrate!

Splurging on games

Last week we were bored.. of our mundane lives..
sort of..
So my hubby suggested to buy CD games (the PC one) so that we can have some entertainment at home. But in the end we went home with this..

XBox360

It is an impulsive buying I tell you. We do not have any intention to buy it in the first place.
But then we went to this mall (Funan IT Mall) and met the salesperson and got 'psychoed' there while watching this grown up guy (30+) doing his dance move following the games instructions... the song was 'Ice.. ice.... baby...' And then we were like "What the heck is he doing?" He is not even a promoter of Xbox. Well... he is an Xbox addict I guess. lol
So then I dunno why or how or when but somehow the idea of having this Xbox thing is becoming not so bad at all.

So we came home with this 'baby' and had since tried some of the games. and even have an hour fitness session together with hubby and our goddaughter.
So far so good I think. till the bill come... later...we are all happy. :)

Happy Weekend everyone!

psst,  it costs $549 with all the free games added.
O.M.Gosh. Most expensive games I ever bought. $$$.

Care for myself

I read this blog - Lovely Lue the other day, and I was so called getting my 'enlightment' on things that I never care before. My skin (beauty). Not that I am beautiful in a supermodel kind of standart, I am far from that. But by reading that blog I somehow understand that God makes me beautiful as who I am and I should do something to appreciate it.. by taking care of it. So I make a decision to treat myself better now and give absolutely the best (or better) for myself because I am worth it and I am blessed to have what I have now.
So what I do first thing is... getting a nice haircut. Because it is almost 1 year+ ago the last time I did and got a cheap 10dollar cut.

before

After :)

Now I feel much better already with my new haircut.


Next thing...  do routine skin care (especially face).

my first set of skincare product from Skinfood

For my entire life I never dedicated myself to do this kind of skincare routine day and night so when I read the above blog (which is written by professional makeup artist who is passionate about it) I am ashamed to say that I have neglected the basic care of my skin. Fortunately for me the damage is not so great ( as far as I know.. *fingercrossed*) I only have several dark spot and abit wrinkles here and there due to age and sun.. I think. :)
Well... I am starting anew now by buying a set of skincare product (for my face) and slowly but surely I will try to care for the whole entire part of my body. No more $10 products. I promise myself. Haha.
Thank You God for your blessings in my life.
Amen