A Vacation Without The Children

Holiday is over and it is time for the children to return to school. Do you like holidays or school days better? Holiday is a time to travel and to relax. For me, holidays would mean more time with my children and less time for myself.


Have you gone on a vacation without the kids? Frankly speaking, I have not! My parents and my siblings have just returned from their trip to Bali, Indonesia. The first thing my father said to me when they stepped into my house is that: “You should go for a tour with your hubby and leave the kids with us.” Finally, somebody volunteer to take care of the kids. Should we go for a tour, just the two of us?


The thought of it makes me excited. If my parents nod their heads, there are many places I wish to visit. How about a Hawaii vacation? The beaches, the warmth of the people, the Hawaiian cuisine and the Hawaiian dance are pictures dancing in my mind now. If I were to visit Hawaii, I would not want to miss Maui and Kauai, the two beautiful islands nobody could resist.


Should I book one of those Maui vacation rentals and Kauai vacation rentals? School has just started and it is really impossible to go for a vacation now. So, all I can do now is keep dreaming and hoping that one day, my dream will come true.

Hubby Missed London

My husband took his degree in United Kingdom and his brother took his degree in the United States. Today, both of them have their own business and they relate their achievement to their exposure and experience gained when they were overseas. If I have the chance, I would love to gain this exposure too but I am not young anymore. So, all I can do now is to hope that my children have the opportunity to go overseas.


My husband still missed London and my brother in law still missed New York. I know that deep down in their heart, they still wish to go back and visit the place where they have stayed a few years ago. What they have to do now is to save some money and with the click of the mouse, book a hotel in just minutes. The day will come when we can all step into London and New York and maybe that is the day we attend our children’s graduation ceremony.

Husband's New Love

My husband has a new love. He would spend lots of time with his new found love, looking at it and exploring it everyday. He aroused the children’s curiosity and got them all excited about it too.


Now, I wonder where he finds his love, his Global Positioning System (GPS). Did he buy it from the shop or did he play text based reverse-auction game online and won some free gifts or cash prize? Everything is possible in this IT driven world where you can find almost anything online. bid4prizes.com is one website which offers sweepstake with amazing prizes to be won simply by guessing the lowest unique number for a particular prize. It is that easy!


If I know my husband well enough, he is a person who will dig out his own pocket money to purchase something he likes. So, my guess would be he bought it from the shop.

Self Defense For My Children

People who have seen me would never believe that I have learnt Taekwondo and have even obtained a black belt before I ventured into Chinese martial art. Taekwondo and Chinese martial art are my form of exercise to keep myself healthy and fit. When it comes to life threatening moments, I doubt I can use these skills to escape and save my own life.


Now, having children of my own puts me in a difficult position. Do I want to send them for martial art classes or do I want to put them under Close Combat Training taught by the world leader in self defense? The world today is not safe anymore. When I flip through the newspapers, all I see is crime and violence everywhere. How are our children going to survive in this world if they are not equipped with self defense skills?


It would be wonderful if we can obtain more information on the truth about martial arts and I would even consider Captain Chris’ Close Combat for myself and my children. Love is to provide our children with skills to survive in this turbulent world.

Time And Money Well Spent

Our trip to Malacca was wonderful. Although we have been to Malacca many times, this was the first time we stayed in a five star hotel. Despite waiting for two hours upon checking in, we generally like the room and the children enjoyed their swim.

We took a trishaw ride that enabled us to see many places of interest and some tourist attractions. The boys loved the ride and I enjoyed too as the boys were able to sit still for about 20 minutes and that means rest for me.

That evening, we met Miche, Jesslyn and Leah. I love meeting them but time was too short for me to really learn from my “seniors” although I have gained some new knowledge about blogging. We hope to meet again and I think we will.

Now, this trip kept me thinking about the use of money. If we have gone overseas with the children, we would be spending a lot more. As long as time is well spent and everybody is happy, I would say that the trip is good. So, it really doesn’t matter where we go but who our traveling companions are.


I think you would agree with me that money earned must be spent wisely especially when you have children. Wouldn’t it be better to save some money for their education? My husband is one who does not believe in putting his money in a fixed deposit or insurance. He would rather invest his money in properties. To him, that will generate income and properties invested will be our children’s education fund.


Some people may think that investing in shares or bond would be a better move. For me, I wouldn’t want to put all eggs in one basket. Investing in gold or gold bullion would be another alternative. Gold is in great demand and its value has increased tremendously over these five years. If you look at the gold price chart, you would agree that gold is quite a secure investment. So, I may want to influence my husband to buy gold for the sake of our children’s future.


Now, what do you think? What is your ideal vacation? What about your mode of investment? Many of you have children and being parents, we worried about everything including our children’s education fund. I would love to hear your opinions and views.

When You Have Three Kids ...

What happens when you have three children? Do you still enjoy life? Well, I would say that life is totally different and many sacrifices have to be made. You can’t be going out with friends all the time when you have crying babies and demanding children to attend to. You can’t be wearing sexy dresses when you have to worry about your children throwing out on you and pulling your dress but you can still look presentable with a nice blouse and light makeup.


Now with three kids, I often go out in jeans without a handbag. You may want to ask me why and I can tell you that it is really not convenient to wear a dress and to carry a handbag while looking after three active children. You may have to chase them at times and bend up and down if you know what I mean.


So, do I enjoy my current life? I DO! With the children around, I miss many things but I gain a lot too! At least I spend time with my children, laugh with them, learn with them and grow with them. Off course when they are naughty, I get very angry but come to think of it, they are my angels, training my patience and I have to thank them in return. These moments are precious to me and I love every minute of it. I can still go shopping for handbags and sexy dresses when they grow up. It will never be too late.

A Wonderful Friend

Last Sunday, I attended the “Best of You Teenager Workshop” which I mentioned in my previous post. I was there to help my friend, Meredith, who gave this course for free as her contribution before she migrates to Australia early next year. She has been very busy engaging movers to move her house contents but at the same time, she gave us her commitment to conduct this workshop. She is so wonderful!


During the workshop, she told us that she decides to migrate because she wants to give her children a better education. I totally agree with her because I could see the difference between local university graduates and graduates from overseas. Have you wondered why the top CEOs of big companies are all Europeans but not Asians?


I know the hassle of migrating. You have to sell your house here and buy a house there. Getting mortgages or home loan is an item to be added to your list of things to do. Expenses can never be low when migrating. There are just too many things to pay for such as insurance for traveling, fees for movers and expenses on new house and furniture.


There are many things to worry about but Meredith is very positive and knows that once she commits herself, she will definitely deliver and she did!


Let me share with you what I learnt through helping her in that workshop in my next post.

Shop Online

I have been using the internet to do many things such as to pay bills, to track shipments and to purchase goods. It is so convenient that with just a click of the mouse, everything is done in just a few seconds without us having to be stuck in a traffic jam and without us having to queue up for our turn. It just helps to save time and energy.


I have shopped for nursing wears and baby products online and I like the whole concept of shopping online. Nowadays, I shop for many things online. I came across Secondact, an online retail website which offers a variety of high-definition televisions (HDTV) both refurbished and new from factory closeouts and overstocks. There are many brands and sizes to choose from and most importantly the prices are very competitive compared to others. Apart from that, there is a feature called “Great Deal of the Day” where we can find further discount for a featured item for that particular day. Isn’t it great? It actually helps us to save money!


So, if my husband ever mention about changing a television, I would take him on a tour to Secondact to search for a suitable television set for our home.

A Tutor For Karl?

Karl will be in primary one next year. We plan to send him to a Chinese primary school to enable him to pick up the Chinese language because we speak English at home.

It’s really different studying in a Chinese school. There is a lot of homework and that means pressure for the children too. During our time, I don’t remember the syllabus to be that tough. I came from an English speaking family but I manage to excel in the Chinese school without a tutor. Off course I do get some homework help from my parents who are both teachers but for Chinese language, they can’t do much.

Can Karl cope with his studies and homework? Does he need tutoring? If I send him for tuition, will it add on to his burden and pressure? Sending him to a tuition centre would be very time consuming for me too.

I always believe that if Karl can cope, there will be no need for a tuition class but if he is weak in certain subjects, I may consider online tutoring which is more convenient and I can do it together with Karl at the comfort of our home.

Hubby always says that I should put more effort in coaching Karl especially in Math. If Karl can build a strong foundation in Math, he will have no problem learning Algebra, Trigonometry and Probability next time when he grows up.

Let’s hope Karl can adapt well in the Chinese primary school next year.

A Trip To Australia

My sister is currently working in Australia and she has been urging me to bring my parents over to Australia for a vacation. We are still searching for the right time.

Since the kids would be tagging along, we may not want to miss Gold Coast and Surfers Paradise. Gold Coast is known as Australia’s theme park capital offering a great variety of exciting rides and wild life experience whereas Surfers Paradise is a popular holiday destination with theme parks, family attractions and beaches for the whole family. Selecting the most suitable hotel from the list of hotels in Gold Coast and hotels in Surfers Paradise is definitely an important task as there are so many things to see and do that we do not wish to spend time traveling instead of enjoying ourselves.

What if I prefer a more relaxed vacation away from all the crowds and the rush? Adelaide would be a nice place. It would be a different experience all together as my children would learn to be calmer when they get in touch with nature and they can even pick up a new skill – waterskiing! There are so many hotels in Adelaide that I may choose from but I would definitely prefer one which gives us the feel of calmness.

How can I miss Perth if I am going to Australia? It would be wonderful to stroll along the beaches, to try the food and wine and to cultivate my husband’s patience through fishing. So, looking for Perth hotels will be on my to-do list too if I am serious about going to Perth.

There are so many places to visit and so many things to see and do. I really do not know how to choose. Oh, I just wish I have more time to visit all these places.

To Bali They Go

I’m in a holiday mood. Are you? Initially, when my sister planned to take my parents and my brother for a vacation, I was very eager to join them. After much consideration, I stepped back as I think with the children around, my parents and my sister would become baby sitters instead of enjoying themselves.


So, decisions have been made for them to go to Bali, Indonesia, to be indulged in spas and massage. They have been cracking their head on itinerary as this trip is a free and easy tour package. How nice it would be if there is a trip planner to guide them through all this planning. With a trip planner, they would be able to plan a wonderful trip that suits their taste.


Yes, I think they need a trip planner! My sister would be happy upon hearing this and that’s just what I am going to do – to inform my sister about this.

A Table Lamp For My Son

Karl will be in primary one next year. I am a little tensed and worried that he might not be able to cope. However, I keep telling myself that Karl has to learn how to adapt in the new environment and learn how to be independent. I can’t be protecting him forever, can I?

I am thinking of setting a study place for Karl with a study table and a table lamp or a desk lamp for him to study and to do his homework. The lamp would be important. In Europe, people prefer yellow lights but in Malaysia, most people like fluorescent light. I really do not know which is better but I do not want him to end up like me, wearing spectacles.

So, I better start planning and shopping for the appropriate study table, chair and table lamp.

Europe Tour

Sabinem asked me why we desire to send our children to London for tertiary education. Well, both hubby and I thought it would be a different experience for our children to be away from us. They gain exposure, they see different things and they mature faster when they have to be independent.


Before they go over, we would love to survey the place. So, it means a Europe tour for us!


As hubby has been to London before, it would be a good idea if we get about in London in a car, to explore the place ourselves at our own pace and to look for a hotel from the range of hotels in London.


There are so many places that I wish to visit such as Paris, Berlin and Barcelona. I wish my children will get the same opportunity when they study there. Finding hotels in Paris, hotels in Berlin and hotels in Barcelona would not be difficult as hubby has been on a Europe tour when he was studying there. A free tour guide! How about that?

Study and Work

Being parents, we are always hoping to see independent children who can survive in today’s world.


My husband took his degree in London and at the same time engaged himself in part time jobs. Looking for jobs in London was common among students as it is not very difficult for students to find London jobs. It’s actually good as they learn how to spend money that they earn instead of asking from their parents.


Now, when it comes to our children, both hubby and I hope that our children can further their studies overseas especially in London. If they can make it into one of the top universities there, we would definitely send them even if we cannot afford the entire tuition fees. Hubby told me: “Whatever I do, I will get an air ticket for them to go over and they have to find a way. In London, they will not go hungry as they can hunt for part time jobs in London like I did. Your duty now is to train our children to be independent and to excel in their studies.”


Oh, what a heavy responsibility he gave me. I just hope I can train our children well.


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Have You Requested For An Insurance Quote?

My mom told me a story about her friend whose husband died of an accident and left her and the children with nothing. Being a housewife, she has no income and she was at a lost on how to carry on life without income. It’s a sad story, isn’t it?

It may be our turn one day and we as women should start planning now. Whole Life Policies would be good to at least ensure that while the woman looks for a job, the children don’t go hungry if (touch wood) something bad happens to their father.

Have you requested for an insurance quote? If not, try Insurance Quoting Services. It’s easy and convenient with just a click of the mouse.

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Medical Coverage

All my children were admitted when they were babies. Karl was admitted for Urinary Tract Infection when he was four months old. Wayne was admitted for food poisoning when he was 5 months old and Nyn was admitted for Bronchiolitis when she was just two months old.

All their medical bills were paid by us as we did not have medical coverage at that time. Hospitalization rates today is really high especially in cities like KL. Without healthcare coverage, we need to spend a lot of money paying those bills to the hospitals.

More and more people treat medical insurance as a must but getting medical insurance quote is another time consuming task, especially for busy parent like me. With internet, all things are possible and Flexible Insurance Programs make it easier for me to get the most suitable medical insurance coverage for me and my family.

Brought to you by your friends at Advantage Medical Quotes(http://www.advantagemedicalquotes.com/)

Blogsvertise

This blog of mine is started with the help and encouragement of Chinnee, my playgroup buddy. Chinnee told me that she is blogging for money. My initial reaction was: "Blogging can earn money?"

Then, Elaine, another blogger who monetize her blog, suggested that I should try writing paid posts too. She is kind enough to give me a list of websites that I may wish to register. From the list, Blogsvertise caught my eyes.

Kerry, a new blogger who had registered with Blogsvertise and had done a few paid posts, also urged me to try and so did Miche.

Well, I hop over to Blogsvertise and found that it is possible for a person who has a blog to earn some money by writing or mentioning the advertisers' websites products and services three times in their blog to help the advertisers gain exposure and publicity.

So, I thought I would give it a try and have registered. Hopefully my blog will be approved so that I can join you in writing paid posts. That's what Miche told me.

Thanks my dear friends for all the help and encouragement.