Tracy's Nest

Monday, April 24, 2006

Fun 'n' Go Tag

Don’t know what made me went into Twinsmom blog (after visiting mine) this morning cos usually I’ll go into mybabybay first.
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Maria, u were correct, I didn’t read ur tag but scrolled down to see who u tagged. I saw my name but in my mind I was having this thought. Could the name be mine? Or Twinsmom might have tagged another blogger by the name of Tracy leh. I clicked on the name Tracy and it went straight into my own blog! Gaks! It was me alrite. I was tagged by the wonderful and super duper mom of the Belles – Twinsmom.

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Anyway, I scrolled to the top of her post again and continued reading. Eee, found this very interesting so decided to play along. Okay, here goes:

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1. Grab the book nearest to you, turn on page 18 and find line 4.

sured 3. to be used to address oth- (A Chinese-English Dictonary With Order of Strokes – with Hanyu Pinyin).
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2. Stretch your left arm out as far as you can.
That’s the wall and window of my office room.
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3. What is the last thing you watched on TV?
F1 in San Marino Grand Prix.
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4. Without looking, guess what time it is?
11.15 a.m. kua.
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5. Now look at the clock, what is the actual time?
11.30 a.m.
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6. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?
Boss speaking to a client on the phone.

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7. When did you last step outside? What were you doing?

Just now. Took the newspaper from the table outside my room.
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8. Before you started this survey, what did you look at?
Staring at the computer, thinking whether to do this tag or not. *better do it if not I'll feel dat I'll be a spoiltsport and Maria will not fren me (heehee)*
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9. What are you wearing?
Short sleeved Body Glove Yellow T-shirt and Padini Black Skirt.
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10. Did you dream last night?
Yup. In a classroom, talking to a classmate about Science and don't know what 'rubbish'.
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11. When did you last laugh?
Listening to this morning's My FM’s “Wong Gung Chan Lan”.
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12. What is on the walls of the room you are in?

A list of client’s telephone numbers, 2006 calendar, Process Colour Chart, Air-cond. and switches.
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13. Seen anything weird lately?
Errr...... *thinking and trying to recall* Oh yes, yesterday when I was in Carrefour (Carnival Fest), one of the staffs, a Malay guy, was wearing a Malay baju with songket and on top of him was a Chinese Ah Pek straw hat (neh..... the one the farmer's wear in the farm). Is dat weird? I thought he should be wearing a songkok.
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14. What do you think of this quiz?
Quiz? Oh, okay, it’s fun.
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15. What is the last film you saw?
In the cinema? Gaks! Dat was ages ago. Police Story Part ? (sudah lupa). At home (DVD) – Ice Age 2 together with Destinee.
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16. If you became a multimillionaire overnight, what would you buy?
Houses for my family esp. for myself, my sisters, brothers and daughters.
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17. Tell me something about you that I dunno.
I dislike people esp. my boss and clients rushing me into doing things. *Kakakakaka, don't let my boss sees this*
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18. If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do?
Change it into a world of fantasy. I'm a dreamy person.
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19. Do you like to dance?
Used to when I was a teenage girl but now can't even bring my legs to the steps (too heavy oredi, heehee). Love to watch ppl dance esp. floor dancing.
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20. George Bush.
President.

21. Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?
Wenly. (Dat's the name of my eldest daughter)
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22. Imagine your first child is a boy, what do you call him?
Ethan. Too bad no chance.
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23. Would you ever consider living abroad?
Yup. Singapore or Hong Kong or maybe Australia.
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24.What do you want GOD to say to you when you reach the pearly gates?
"Oh, I've been waiting for u to make u the angel to look after the children on earth".
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25. Five (5) people who must also do this meme in their journal.
1. Rachel (it’s an easy one, u better do ur homework this time)
2. Michelle (taking my revenge (heehee), try this, it’s fun)
3. Sabrina (haven’t seen anyone tagged u b4)
4. Dinah (want to know what u’re going to say besides saying Goooood Morning)
5. Blur-blur (sorry, cannot think of anyone else who has not been tagged)

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Curry Chicken and Luncheon Meat Puffs

Most of the blogs I read were about FOOOOD! I'm not going go 'chap she' (lose). Last Saturday, EFNTD (for some of u who don't know - EFNTD - Eat Full Nothing To Do), decided to make some puffs to 'jiaw' (eat). Actually was supposed to make Tuna Puffs but so 'big head prawn' (forgetful) of me to forget to buy canned tuna (sorry Twinsmom, next time okay?).
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So, dug the fridge, aha, found chicken meat. Searched the pantry and found meat curry powder, potatoes, bombay onions. Yippee, I was able to make Chicken meat and potatoes puffs instead.
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Potatoes, bombay onions and chicken meat (diced), curry powder (make into a paste)
Ingredients after frying
Baked Curry Puffs (rectangular shape) and Luncheo Meat Puffs (longer in shape)
Cut-up view of the puffs
The puffs were not so nice looking but luckily the taste was 'yummy, yummy'. I made about 28 pieces of Curry Chicken Meat puffs and 12 luncheon meat puffs. Distributed them to Elyss (my elder dotter) who visited me and my neighbours.

Seafood Noodles

Went to wet market on Sunday. Decided to cook home-made Seafood Noodles. Bought 2 types of cuttlefish - white and brown, ikan tenggiri to 'thump thump thump' for fish paste, crab stick, fish meat and sawi.


Ingredients for the Seafood Noodles:
Front: ginger slices and fish meat
Middle row: fish paste to make fish balls, white and brown sotong, crab stick, fried fish cake from the fish paste
Back: Meehoon, sawi and ikan bilis soup
Tra da ....... a bowl of delicious Seafood Noodles!
updated 20/4/06 at 4.15 p.m.
Fish Paste
Ikan Tenggiri (buy from wet market and tell the fish monger the ikan tenggiri are for making fish paste)
Salt to taste and water (mix)

Method:
1. Cut (gliding the knife sideways) the ikan tenggiri from the tail up to the head on both sides of the fish – from each fish, u’ll get 2 pieces of fish meat (with the skin). *hope u get what I mean*
2. Use a spoon to scrape the meat. Don’t waste, scrape as much meat as u can, even from the bones (of course make sure u don’t grate the bones into the fish meat).
3. Get a large piece of plastic, put the meat onto the plastic, fold the plastic and knead, adding the salt water (little by little) as u knead.
4. The fish meat will be become stickier as u knead. Do not add too much salt water/water else the fish paste will be too soft. Knead until u get the desired firmness
5. Wet (not too wet) ur hands with water, put the lump of kneaded fish paste on ur hands and pat until into a ball.
6. If neccessary, u can divide the kneaded fish paste into two portions - 1 for fish balls and the other, fry with oil to make fish cake.
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Easy, isn't it?
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(psst, psst Michelle, don't know how to post in cookblog wor)

Thursday, April 13, 2006

Schooldays Meme

This post was supposed to be up earlier but just couldn't find time to finish. Finally, was able to continue with it today (sorry Michelle - Tim's and Emily's mummy).
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I’ve been reading this schooldays meme from bloggers, in which some were in Chinese (which I had difficulty cos I'm a banana in reading Chinese *shame shame*) and I was hoping dat nobody will tag me on dis. *duh* Luck wasn’t with me, Michelle told me on msn dat she tagged me. Ar????!!! Dat was what I replied. Imagine, my school days were ages and ages ago. Actually, in a way, it was good, she forced made me recall of my good old schooldays. “Sei lor” (die lor) got to crack my rusty brain first. But .... heehee, I think I still have a very good memory of what happened during my school days. If I'm not going to bore u, do continue reading. Okay, here goes:
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How many schools did I go to?
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1. Kindergarten
I haven’t attended any kindergartens before. During my time, there was only one miserable kindy in my hometown and were attended mostly by ‘rich’ people. My mom was ‘struggling’ – doing all kinds of jobs to keep my sis and me alive (my papa left us when I was 2) other than tapping rubber in the rubber estates as early as 4-5 in the morning. So, with the mere income, there was no extra money to send me and my sis to kindergarten.
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2. Primary School
Tunku Kurshiah Primary School in Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan, was where I attended Std. 1 to Std. 6. There were only 2 English Medium schools (1 all boys and 1 all girls), 1 Malay and 1 Chinese Medium school. My school was an all girls school. My mom actually registered me into a Chinese school (there was this chop of the Chinese school on my birth cert but was later cancelled) and I don't know what made her changed her mind when she decided to send me to an English school instead. I remembered when I first started my first day in Std. 1, I made frens with 2 little girls (Lee, a very talkative one who encouraged me not to be scared; and another, Ho, whom I’m still in contact with).a
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My studies were not too good and not too bad but I found myself to be in a good class (good in the sense dat I was able to be with the brilliant students). The classes were categorised into Blue, Red and White. I was in Std. 1 Blue, 2 Blue, 3 White, 4 Red, 5 Blue and 6 White.
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When I was in Std. 1, I was chosen to contest in a fashion show but I had no beautiful dress to wear or to show. My 3rd uncle (who was still studying) came to my rescue and helped me by buying me a beautiful frock, with pink flowers and short puffed sleeves, from his hard saved pocket money. My dress won the 2nd prize. I lost to my classmate who wore a very beautiful blue frock with laces.
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The most unforgettable memory was when I was hospitalised for a week. I was in Std. 3 then. I had high fever and purged every now and then. I was gritting my teeth and clutching my fists and I can still remember a steel spoon was put in between my teeth for fear of having my tongue being bitten. I was rushed to the hospital and was put on drips. Guess I was too young to understand. Maybe I had what we call, a seizure. After discharging from the hospital, I felt a stiffness on my right hand and the best thing was I need not do any homework and was excused from writing (hahaha).
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I had my first pair of specs when I was in Std. 5 and everyone started calling me 'sei ngan mooi' (four-eyed girl).
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Studies, I was not too good but I was very good in atheletic sports. I participated in long, high jumps, hurdles and relays. I took part in the March Past when I was in Std. 6 and the “house” which I was in won first prize for the ‘best march’. During dat time, the prizes were not in terms of trophies but colour pencils, pens, books, towels, etc. I still can recall when I was in Std. 6, I won 6 prizes! The 6 prizes were won from the events I took part and brought home 6 towels for my mom and she was so happy.
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I took part in the interschool debates and essay writings and won prizes for my school. I entered in a singing contest too where I rendered a chinese number when I was in Std. 6. Dat didn't win me anything cos I lost to my classmate, and oh yes, what a coincidence, to the same girl who outshone me with her blue frock with laces (haha, maybe the judges 'gave face' to her becos she was the Head Prefect). I was oso given the part to perform by singing a Malay Syair on Teachers' Day.
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There was one teacher, Mrs. Choo, whom I dislike. When she was pregnant, she was so lazy dat she laid on a lazy chair which she brought and napped behind the class beside a cupboard which blocked her view from outside. She would teach us for the 1st half of the period and the 2nd half, she would ask us to do our own work and she would be dozing off at the back of the class. Sometimes she would pick one or two of us to massage her shoulder! I'm still wondering how come we didn't report her to our headmistress. *duh*
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An incident which is still in my memory is when I was in Std. 6. I don't know why my nose always bleed. The teacher on duty and my classmates would help to tilt my head and pat water on my forehead. My school blouse and uniform would be stained with blood drops.
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3. Secondary school
After Std. 6, I was in Tunku Kurshiah Secondary School and placed in Form 1A till Form 3A. My studies deteriorated when I was in Form 1 till Form 3, maybe it was due to my love for sports and I suppose I was too engrossed in them. I was even given the chance to design the uniform for the March Past.
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After passing LCE (now known as SRP) but with not very good results, I was given the choice to choose either to be in Arts or Home Science. I chose Arts cos I didn't like the teacher who taught Home Science and I was not interested in sewing. I did something which I least expected. I was the one who stood firm and refused to take up Home Science and all my classmates followed suit. Our Headmistress lectured and advised us but we had our stand and the Home Science class was 'abolished' dat particular year.
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I forgot why I was not interested in sports any more when I was in Form 4 and I had the urge to study. I was the Top 4 student in class, never exceeded the 4th position. I was interested in books, so got myself to be a Librarian so dat I could have special privilege in borrowing books of my interest.
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4. Stamford College
Before receiving my MCE's results, I took up a course in shorthand in an institute near my house. After which I 'migrated' to Petaling Jaya and enrolled myself into Stamford College. My frens who were with me took up Accounting Course and I was the only one who took the Secretarial Course.
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Maybe I was a bit 'ulu' cos I came from a small town. So, coming to a big city was something 'challenging' for me.
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5. Goon Institution
I switched from Stamford College to Goon Insititution as all my frens were in the latter. I did not want to be separated from them and dat was where I pursued my Secretarial Course.
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Was I the class ‘taiko’ (big bully) or the teachers’ pet?
I was definitely the teachers' pet during my primary school days cos I was best known to be the school's sports girl and I was a quiet and a 'yes yes' girl.
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I was quite a rebellious girl when I was in Form 4. The Home Science teacher 'hated' me and the Health Science teacher (a freshie) always picked on me.
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I remembered once during a Health Science period, I was sitting at the back of the class. My text book was up but behind the book was a comic. Yup. I wasn't paying attention. The teacher, Miss Ho, was teaching something about dermatitis and she knew I wasn't paying attention. She purposely called my name and asked me 'any questions?'. I stood up and asked 'Why do people blush'? She was caught by surprise and she BLUSHED but she answered my question. Another scenario was, she asked the class a question 'what must we use to take something out from the beaker?' I quickly raised my hand and answered 'TONGS' (jolly well knew dat her boyfren was a Mr. Tong from another school). The whole class laughed and she BLUSHED again. Yet, there was another time, u see, I was one of those who could memorise a page of text and it happened during a test whereby I wrote the answers to the question and exactly from the page of the text book and Miss Ho suspected me of copying (as she was trying to pick on me and she 'blew' her top dat day). She made me stand outside the classroom for the whole period! Know what I did after dat? I recited the page of text to her. She BLUSHED again! But dat was not what I could swallow. Know what I did again? I took a 50 sen coin and made a scratch mark on the driver's door of her car! I was sure she knew who did dat to her car but she had no evidence. (Kakakaka, I had my revenge - very bad of me hor?)
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What was the biggest rule I broke in school?
Not attending the Literature class was the biggest rule I broke. Not dat I didn't like the lesson, I loved English Literature. We were grouped into 2 – English and Malay Literature classes. Those who took Malay Literature were placed into a class and English Literature in another class. The lesson was too boring for my liking as we were made to read and read and read from the book during the lesson. Not in the English Literature class meant I could always be found in the canteen. FYI, I got a "B" (MCE) for dat subject.
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Three subjects I enjoyed
English – love dat subject since I was in Std. 1.
English Literature – not attending the class didn't mean I disliked the subject.
History – interested to know about back dated stories esp. about Chinese History.

Three teachers that I remembered
Miss Goh – She was my class teacher when I was in Std. 1. She was a very tall lady and helped me thru most of the subjects by giving me extra lessons when she was free.
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Mrs. Tilaka – She was my English teacher who made us pronounced A-Z properly and correctly esp. the R(rrrr).
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Miss Pillay – She was my English Literature teacher in secondary school and was always like a friend to me. I always 'ponteng' from her class but she made no notice of dat cos she knew I could do well in the subject.
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PHEW! Dat's it. Gosh! Didn't expect I had such a good memory. Proves dat I'm still young, *cough, cough, cough*. Hahahahaha!

Thursday, April 06, 2006

Drawing of Jai Jai

I posted on Destinee attempts at drawing on 9th December, 2005 and one of the drawings was the drawing of her close fren's brother, Jai Jai.
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This was what she drew of Jai Jai when she started drawing. (She said Jai Jai has large eyes and little hair)


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Yesterday, when I asked her to draw 'Jai Jai', she had this version.
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She drew his body with hands and legs.

Wasn't dat an improvement from her?

I like the way she grips her pen or pencil. Pappy taught her only once and she was able to hold and control the pen or pencil correctly.

Tuesday, April 04, 2006

I do it my way

I didn’t expect to have so many responses to my previous post about my Destinee's ‘NAUGHTY CORNER’. Guess I have to make myself clear to my fellow bloggers and my girl so dat everyone won’t get the wrong idea dat I always beat/scold Destinee. ‘Sked sked’ (borrowed from Zara) leh. People might think dat I’m a child abuser (boohoohoo, I'm not). I did mention dat the rotan is now used for threatening purpose and for using to 'sweep' things out from under the sofa or behind the TV stand.

I know dat spanking is not a solution but sometimes when my kid gets on my nerves which I'm not able to endure, the cane has to come in and of course it's for threatening purpose. She won't let me have my 'freedom' for a moment. She'll disturb me when I'm watching TV programmes, she'll call aloud when I'm either bathing or doing 'business' in the toilet, she'll want to sit on my lap when I'm typing or at the dinner table, etc. etc. etc. She's a super duper active kid! U can always either hear or see her talking, jumping, hopping, dancing, singing, skipping, playing the whole day EXCEPT when she's sleeping. My maid will always say: "Mengapa dia selalu sangat segar, tak berhenti?" (Why is she always so active, cannot stop?).


She is always doing the dangerous 'stunts' which will make me have a 'heart attack' or make my 'blood pressure' rise. It's not dat I don't teach or advise or talk to her in a nice way, it's only with the threatening of the cane, she'll stop. Even her pappy (known to be one without temper) sometimes cannot bear her naughtiness.

After reading Maria's "Don't scold them, they are not my kids", I do agree with Maria dat we sometimes tend to treat our fren's kids better. It's true dat we can't and have no rite to scold or cane other ppl's kids and it's not dat we don't love or have to mistreat/abuse our kids. Come to think of it, we have to face our kids every day and to some of u, the whole day, while with other kids, it is just for a while or for some time only, then they'll be with their parents. We are not facing them every moment. The reason is dat we are facing our kids every moment and have to bear with them every second of the day. How long can we bear/stand or test our patience? For one day? Two days? Three days? There's bound to be some scoldings if not beatings. Maybe babies, 1 - 2 years toddlers can be spared cos even if we beat them, they won't understand (or maybe they do understand and we can't underestimate them). But as kids grow older, I guess there should be a limit to the tolerance of their misbehavings. And I'm sure I don't want to hear dat my child is a spoilt brat.

For example, when my fren visits me, her kids will be playing with mine. Suddenly, my kid does not allow my fren's kids to touch/snatch her toys and my kid hits one of the kids. I'll definitely get hold of my kid first and tell her dat she shouldn't be doing so and dat she should share her toys with her little frens but at the same time, I'll have to beat her on the palm for doing something bad. If the scenario is vice versa, I definitely don't have the rite to scold or hit ppl's kid and I too will get hold of my kid and tell her dat she shouldn't be snatching other ppl's toys. (Have I done wrong?)
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I bought books on "how to discipline, how not to scold or spank, how to say no, how to deal with the difficult child". I find dat what they have mentioned in the books, which most of the methods, might be effective to some but they just wouldn't work on my kid. So, I might as well do it my way.
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A big PHEW! Not easy being parents, rite? Really needs a lot of patience, time and most of all a sane mind.
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(updated at 2.50 p.m.) On top of all the naughtiness of Destinee, another problem with her and which she loves to do is SCREEEAAAMMM! I really have the phobia of hearing her scream which will sometimes make me go 'ga ga'. Pappy and I are not the loud spoken and talkative type and not naughty kids when we were small.