We are back from Tokyo!!!

I’m back KL now to take a rest. Every time we come back everybody gets sick -_-. The weather maybe? Looks like the haze is back T___T.

To add insult to injury, our helper decided not to return after we sent her back to her country when we were away. The danna had to go back to Singapore immediately for work. Now I have to take care of Junya alone at 8 months pregnant. Two nights ago Junya vomitted and had diarrhoea, and now it is my turn.

Things can’t go any worse than this at the moment. It’s a little bit depressing really. But I will be strong. I am a mother. There’s nothing I can’t do. read more

I’m back from Japan!!! With lots of Omiyage! <3

I went to 3 prefectures this time in Tohoku, so here are all the specialty for each prefecture, hopefully it will serve as a guide for souvenir shopping when you go to Tohoku in the future. ^^

I would have bought a lot moreeeeee if i wasn’t heavily pregnant and had to lug all the stuff all over 3 different prefectures.

Here goes! Starting with Iwate.

Iwate Prefecture

One of the most popular souvenirs you can get from Iwate prefecture is Nambu Senbei. I visited their store in Ninohe, Iwate Prefecture so i bought lots of stuff! read more

Part 3 here. Part 2 here.  Part 1 here.

Super long food post from our Japan trip in Sep/Oct!

It was probably the worst trip for me when it comes to enjoying food, because my nausea was getting really serious T___T. I gagged myself through cooking breakfast, and i usually didn’t even eat dinner because evening sickness was the worst.

Ok actually the worst is changing Junya’s diaper after he poo pooed. Until today i still have phobia lol. Arghhhhhh this morning sickness thing sucksssss. read more

This is Junya’s second time to Tokyo Disneysea!! (Third time, if you count the time when he was inside my tummy XD). You can read the previous blog post here.

I realized i have been to Disneysea 3 times in a row instead of alternating between Disneyland and DisneySea. Well for first timer it could be a very tough decision. I like both the theme parks, but i was at Disneysea again for only one reason: Gelatoni.

It is Junya’s favorite and i wanted to get ALLLLLL the Gelatoni merchandise for him! #Badparenting lol. read more

From my previous Japan trip in October!

Sometimes i feel that i’m so lucky to be a mother, otherwise i probably will not ever rediscover all the juvenile fun stuff. It feels like i have unlocked my happiness horizon and am now able to appreciate even more things, including pushing a toy bus around.

This time around we brought Junya to Fantasy Kids Resort, a playground in the same mall as Moff Animal World in Inzai.

We went there without any expectation, and it turned out to be the largest indoor kids playground in Japan, and the best i’ve ever been!!! read more

Today i’m going to blog about an awesome animal farm which you can pet an alpaca!!!

Of course, in Japan. 

We accidentally found out about this place when we sent off a friend to Narita airport. Initially we wanted to go to Mother Farm again, but turned out that it was too far away so the danna searched for a nearer animal farm. And Bingo.

Moff Animal World

Funnily enough, we thought that it was a park/farm like Mother Farm, but it turned out to be an indoor mini zoo inside a shopping mall called the Big Hop Garden Mall in Inzai, Chiba Prefecture. read more

I have briefly talked about this movie before, “Kiseki No Ringo”, literally, the “Miracle Apples”.

(Bonus of the movie: Original soundtrack by Joe Hisaishi!!!!)

The danna told me to watch this movie, and he said i would appreciate Japanese fruits even more after i watch it. And yes, i was really glad i watched it, and now i have unlimited respect for the farmers in Japan.

As i have talked about grapes, melons, peaches in Japan, apples are just another priced produce especially in Aomori, a prefecture in Tohoku. read more

Today i’m blogging about my baby item shopping haul from Japan!!!

If you are into health and convenience (then again, which mom isn’t???) and maybe some kawaii, Japan will be your shopping heaven for your babies/kids.

Ever since i had Junya, 80% of my luggage space are reserved for Junya’s items. Cannot resist.

Before that here are some things you will need to know if you are going to Japan with your baby/young kids! I may have mentioned it before but here they are again:

Diaper Panic read more

Haven’t updated in a while!!

There were guests staying with us in Japan this time so our family has been doing some touristy stuff these couple of weeks, and few days ago we went to Solamachi (the mall where Sky Tree is!) with our guest Carolyn, who finally came to Japan for the first time as a result of our brainwashing. I hope she is a convert now 😀

First family photo at Sky Tree! The line was about 90 minutes long so we didn’t go up to the viewing deck, but Solamachi is a great place for shopping too! read more

I’ve talked about the origin of Itadakimasu and the significance of Mottaitai.

Today i want to talk about this word called “umami“, it’s not a phrase like itadakimasu or mottainai, but still related to food, veeeery yummy food, because i know you guys love eating XD.

So let’s see!

You may have heard of umami, since there’s the famous “Umami Burger” in the US. But what is it?

If you watch anime or Japanese drama, i’m sure you know the word umai, which means “delicious“. And mi means taste, simply: “delicious taste“. read more

I’ve never had so many friends all at once in Tokyo before!!!

Team Number76 in Tokyo!!!

Back in June Number76 had a company trip to Tokyo, and since there are more than 60 staff now they had to split it in two groups, 30 each week and i joined both group for their outings XD

People like Amy and Steve are Tokyo experts now, but there were many staff who set their foot in the land of Japan for the first time, so it was all very exciting!!!

It was Junya’s first tme seeing so many cute fashionable girls at once too lol. On the left side is Yui chan’s (NALU assistant) blond tresses and on the right is Sue Ann’s purple locks. XD read more

This post is an extension to the previous post on the meaning of itadakimasu.

You now know that when one says Itadakimasu, one is humbly expressing his gratitude to mother nature, and everything that brought the meal on his plate. And when you feel thankful for your food, naturally you will want to savor the very last bit and not waste any of it.

And that is the concept of Mottainai, which closest translation in English is “wasteful”.

But just like itadakimasu, there is a much deeper meaning to that. Mottainai expresses the feeling of awe and appreciation for the gifts of nature or the sincere conduct of other people, and to show one’s gratitude, you will use/consume something in its entirety. read more