Junya turns 2 years 11 months today, and Sakura is… 1!!

I still remember the days when I was so so so nervous to find out the gender of my second baby… If it turned out to be a boy again I will make myself a third one lol.

And now my baby girl is 1 year old. Which makes her not a baby anymore T__T. And in one month’s time, my toddler boy is also not a toddler anymore. Omg it’s a little too much to take in at one go. Haha.

I have celebrated a first year birthday, twice!!! Now that’s an achievement for myself haha. read more

Junya has his imaginary belongings. Now it’s my turn to have imaginary friends. Annoying ones.

This is how it feels like to spend a usual day at home. A dozen of imaginary oompa loompas trying to interrupt, distract and stop you from achieving anything at all. A few parachuting zigzag across the room, some climb right next to your ear and start playing drums, some eating ice creams that are already melting away at the spot you have just cleaned, a couple more bursting helium balloons everywhere else and one crawling at your leg crying to be picked up. read more

Yummy post today! Here are two weeks worth of Japanese noms during our trip to Osaka (and a week in Tokyo).

OSAKA

Ichigo

The first thing I hunted for was Ichigo.

A box of White Ichigo from Kuromon market for only 400 yen.

Sakura’s first.

Nom.

Hakata Amao. Soooo huge!

Spamming all the Ichigo pictures.

Ok last one!

Ramen

Kinryu Tonkotsu Ramen in Osaka! They say that Tonkotsu soup in Osaka is a lot lighter, so if you are used to the rich taste in Tokyo it’s gonna taste too light. I agree. Still love my Ichiran! read more

Sakura is turning 1 next month and Junya is turning 3 the month after next. 不知不觉 I have already taken up the daunting job as a mother for 3 years.

You’d think that I’d be quite experienced at my job now but noooooo. Every single day is a new challenge and every single day I am still repeating a trial and error process and learn from where I have failed.

Junya is in a dilemma between wanting to be the independent big boy who doesn’t need to hold hands on the road and can pour his own milk and eat only whatever he wants, yet at the same time a baby whom mama will carry from his bed to the living room upon waking and put on his socks. read more

I was really really looking forward to our trip to Japan this spring, because it would be the first time seeing cherry blossom after missing it 2 years in a row.

However we had a problem. As everyone knows, the sakura season is insanely crowded with tourists in Japan. We confirmed our trip only a few weeks prior to flying, and we could not find an accommodation. Our regular apartment chains were fully booked, and hotels weren’t really an option as we need family-friendly amenities. We panicked. read more

I feel shy to even call it “coordinate” because they are technically just “random pieces of clothing I grab from beneath my toddler’s feet to put on and lumps of make up I hastily brush against my face so I look human when we are already very, very late for the intended train ride to catch“.

To be honest I don’t even dare to post #ootd photos anymore because I feel that I have been so out of touch with whatever that’s in-trend now because the word “fashionable” has disappeared from my life from quite a while ago. I haven’t bought any fashion-related item for myself for at least a year. Or more. And the last time I took a selfie was when I accidentally pressed the front camera button and all you could see was my chin and a big frown. read more

Quick omiyage shopping haul post! The usual every time I come back from Japan ^^.

Most of the items are from combini, Akachanhonpo (baby products), Don Quijote!

First there’s world yummiest granola – Furugura from Calbee. The usual version is sold in Singapore but I have not seen these editions yet. On the left is 20% less carb version and on the right is a seasonal edition Tropical Coconut flavor.

Everyone’s favorite snack Cheeza in diffrent cheese flavors.

Hunted for this eye cream for a friend as she said it is quite good, so got myself a tube too. It’s only 1000+ yen!! read more

Junya turns 2 years 10 months today, and Sakura is 11 months old now.

This month we spent most of our time in Japan, so it is 3 whole weeks 24 hours altogether again.

Same nap same bed again.W12

Here’s the regular monthly update!

For Junya

Also read Junya’s  1st month , 2nd month , 3rd month , 4th month , 5th month , 6th month , 7th month,  8th month, 9th month , 10th month , 11th month , 12th month , 13th month , 14th month , 15th month , 16th month , 17th month , 18th months , 19th month , 20th month ,21st month , 22nd month , 23rd month , 24th month , 25th month , 26th month , 27th month , 28th month , 29th month , 30th month , 31st month , 32nd month and 33rd month here. read more

After 2 years of missing the blissful clusters of pink everywhere in Japan, I am back.

2012

2013

2014

2015

Didn’t make it to Japan in spring due to the danna’s work commitment.

2016

Didn’t make it for cherry blossom because it would be too near my due date with Sakura. But I did manage to catch the one and only early bloomer in Shinjuku gyoen.

2017

Hanami on Tuesday in Osaka. This time with Sakura.

Still the best thing ever ♥

Many of you who are reading this page probably have something in common: you love Japan too!

Many, many, many of my readers send in emails and comments to ask about travel tips to Japan, and sometimes I really do not have the time to answer each and every one of them, and I feel really bad. Which is why I am trying to sort my Japan travel blog posts under a better categorization and also to work on more FAQ posts.

For Malaysians who are thinking of visiting Japan, this year would be a very good year because 2017 coincides the 60th Anniversary of the Establishment of Malaysia-Japan Diplomatic Relations. They have been good friends for a good 6 decades! read more

My family and I live in Singapore now, and we travel to Japan many times a year. It is ironic that the place that I called home, is the place that we visit the least now.

I am often asked if I miss anything back home in Malaysia. The answer is yes, of course. There are many many things that I miss. After all I have spent my entire life there. Seeing the @CNABringsMYHome campaign made home especially more nostalgic.

Like most people who are away from home, of course the thing that I miss most is my family. My mom lives in Seremban, the town that I grew up in, with Cheddie and Champon. Many people wonder where Champon is since we have moved to Singapore. He lives with my mom now. We had plans to bring him over to Singapore with us, but got postponed because of his health issue. We miss him dearly. read more

This is a cooking diary for myself. It is looooong cuz it’s a couple of months’ worth of meals haha. If you like you can browse through it and hope some of them give you some ideas on some simple cooking for kids and busy mama like yourself. (If you love the food but are not a mom or don’t like cooking then ask your husband/boyfriend cook for you lol).

I used to do #lunchforjunya but since now that he eats his lunch in school, it has turned into #breakfastforjunya instead.

I thought that since Junya’s school serves both breakfast and lunch, I could save some time (and snooze my alarm a few more times) in the morning to prep him for school. But it turned out to be quite the opposite. I have been waking up extra early to fix breakfast since the second day of his school life, and it was because of this: read more