It's Hard to Say Goodbye

Still busy packing but I'd like to leave a footprint here about Boulder before moving to San Francisco, ya, I'm moving to SF really soon. Chean & I are excited about the move, SF is a beautiful city but deep down, we both know that we are going to miss Boulder very very very badly...

If you do not already know, I have been living in Boulder, CO for approximately 3 years now. After going through all the ups and downs in this sweet little town, I feel utterly sad to bid goodbye for good. Ok, right now I'm hearing a voice asking how do I find Portland, OR then... Hmm, you know what, I really like Portland a lot, but I'm in love with Boulder.

Let me put it this way...

Portland is kinda like an A+ boyfriend which you don't really have much to hate about, and you don't regret all the things you've done together but you always know you can still find a better one if you step out of the comfort zone and be a little more adventurous. On the other hand, Boulder is like a husband material, you're mature enough to understand your needs and ready for marriage thus you put in as much effort as you could (even when things didn't work out as you wish), hoping the relationship will flourish and grow strong, and eventually settle down in a safe cocoon.

That how I feel about Boulder... Simply good life, no hassle, no rush, no stress. It really is a G.R.E.A.T and S.A.F.E place to raise a family. How safe? All my neighbors store their expensive & high-end strollers at the front porch (I store it at home or in car due to the dust), they also place the children outdoor toys at the sidewalk (I do the same too), and well, I sometimes forgot to lock my car but I can just leave Mr. Bronze unlock for a night without worrying much... That's how I define a safe neighborhood...

Now, some not-so-awesome pics to remember the awesome life in Boulder (T____T)


#1 Chloe BB & I lazing & chilling at the park on a random evening :)


#2 Hello-ing with our neighbor's cute pup~


#3 Went to a furniture store nearby for some home improvement stuff.


#4 Met a tons of friendly and very well-educated kids every time we're out & about, like this one, I still fondly remember our conversation...

5 y/o Boy: You've the cutest baby, how old is she? (Good manners and very sociable)
Me: Thanks. She is 14 months.
(Then Chloe suddenly decided to pull his sunglasses!!! Ohhh Nooo!!!)
Me: I'm so sorry, she is very into sunglasses lately.
5 y/o Boy: That's ok, she can play with it (waving the sunglasses to Chloe). Oh, you know what, I have an extra pair at home, should have brought it with me so that I can give it to her (Willingness to share, checked).

W.A.L.A.O! I nearly wanted to ask his babysitter what school does he go to, such a good kid! So confident and well educated. Later, I found out that basically this articulate kid is just one of many super smart kids in town. I would love to see Chloe growing up in Boulder, together with them.


#5 Another typical evening, riding on her car then drawing on the sidewalk. Now that she befriends with the neighbor kids and we will walk down a block for some fun time with her new friends.

Then these were taken yesterday, at the park too...


#6 The trainer and the soccer team. Cute enough? Wait til you hear their conversation.

Trainer: Dominic, you're not doing your best, move faster! Tell me your name!
4-5 y/o Dominic: Golden Tornado!!!
Trainer: That's a strong name, I like that.

Laugh die me. Hahahaha...


#7 Saying Hi to Baby Grant, the family just moved to Boulder from San Francisco! What a coincidence ;)


#8 That's Daddy Chean being an angel to his baby when Chloe's busy doing her baby stuff aka running away from us, tossing sand, pulling grasses, chasing birdies, climbing the unclimbable object & etc (now the wings make sense because speed is everything when it comes to parenthood)...

Last but definitely not least...

A meaningful pic to end this unorganized blog post...


#9 Meaningful because I was so wasted yesterday, LOL...

Happy 2nd Wedding Anniversary to you, Darling Chean ❤❤❤

We got married, we had the bestest time together til God decided to add some bumps to the smooth ride... We got lost in life til we almost lost hope, we broke down so many times but we always remember to lift each other up, we been through the toughest challenge and sailed through the storms shoulder to shoulder... Life taught us hard and we learned a tons throughout the bumpy ride, but most of all, we learn to love each other better.

And all these, the happiest and the saddest moments took place in Boulder, a place where we grow the most. Thank you Lord for the complete healing and blessings; thanks Darling for completing my life, and for being such a wonderful & fun daddy to our baby.



Boulder, thanks for all the great memories, so long! Watch out San Francisco, the Laws are coming!!!



p/s: I always ask whenever I take pictures of others or strangers, no worries ;)

 

Love & Kisses,
Bev

Updates & Karaoke Time

Not that I'm being lazy or what, I honestly run out of time to do anything for myself!!! Just got back from a short & sweet vacation in Portland & Seattle, all the baggage are lying on the floor untouched, and holly molly, I'm moving out of Boulder in no time yet I have not pack a thing, seriously stressful @.@

But I still managed to syiok syiok sendiri and sang K.A.R.A.O.K.E at home only when Chloe's napping of course, lol~~ Well, I'm just being Beverly, what to do :p

I'm definitely not a good singer cause most of my BFFs sing better than me, and my bro & my sis always comment that I have a very childish voice, which I admit :'( But I really enjoy singing a lot and I sing (nursery rhythms) on a daily basis. So, there's this beautiful morning I woke up with a semi-smoking voice (I was about to have sore throat or something), but hey, I seldom have that voice!!! I jumped up high browsing for super duper sad song on Youtube, trying to fully utilize it before it's gone, and I eventually found an Ah Mei's song that I always wanted to sing...

Then I gave it a shot (Click H.E.R.E to listen)...

Hmm... Not sure if it turns out decent but this whole thing makes me miss Beverly's Voice so much. Maybe I should really bring back BV cause talking requires less work than writing, at least to me. And speaking in Cantonese makes me feel like I'm talking to my family, the feeling of closeness and genuineness.

Anyway, that's just a thought. I guess we won't see each other so soon until I settle down in a new city. Life is as fun as always, never stop loving your life! See ya!



XOXO,
Bev

Na Na Na Na~

Nearly a month ago, we brought Chloe to a fun summer concert in the park for a thoroughly enjoyable evening. It was just a spontaneous evening activity but with lotsa unexpected rewarding and memorable moments. That's also the time she learned to mimic the conductor by raising and swinging her arms, tapped her toes & stomped her feet rhythmically, also surprisingly made the "Na" sound and S.A.N.G a classic Beatles song--Hey Jude (just the last part though :p ).

She then continued to "Na" for the next couple days and I managed to record all these priceless vocal pieces and eventually, compiled them together. The audio clip that I'm about to share consists 3 separate recordings, the first part was recorded when Chloe BB just got out of bed, I was changing her and trying to make her stay in the lying position (moms, you know how hard this is) @.@. Then the second one recorded when I was carrying her up on the stairs (you'll hear me catching my breath and trying to stay alive), god knows why she had such mood to sing that time; fortunately, super Mama Bev managed to single-handedly carry her and pressed the record button on iPhone (again, moms, you know how hard this is). Finally, the last part is the actual Hey Jude piece played by the band during the park concert; I recorded it because Chloe enjoyed it so much.

It's almost impossible to set up a recording session with a young baby, so please pardon my annoyingly high-pitch singing voice, it's just a mom thing to get my baby attention and to engage her in the singing part.


Click H.E.R.E to listen~ Enjoy :D



Love,
Mama Bev

Not Quite Hippie

Chean gave me a dreadful look the very first time he saw me in this skin-showing dress, that was about two month ago and I totally understond where he's coming from... It's not the skin-showing design that got him saying "uh-huh", it's my excess belly fat! It was bursting & squeezing out from the criss-cross waist part!!! I then kept it in the closet and stored it in the lose-weight-before-you-wear-it section. I'm quite confident that I can carry it well when the time comes, you know, when my body naturally, gradually and healthily gets rid of the extra pounds, I'm gonna do it slow, eat healthy and get more rest at night, I'm nearly positive that I'm able to pull it off before the leaves fall off trees in the Autumn...

Ya, those are some of the self-deceptive words I feed myself for breakfast, every damn day.

And then the summer passes by in lightning speed.

No, I do not lose a pound.

And I finally come to accept the fact that I'm morphing into my 30's, that's the age when metabolism begins to slow and causes disarming effects like a bigger belly and steady weight gain. Thus, I can either workout or just sit there to celebrate a bigger belly! Yeah, belly, you did great today, thanks for the extra 2 inches, that kind of celebration.

No pain, no gain. No exercise, no weight lost. That's the damn deal I sign up for. So I started to workout last week, 30 mins a day with a elliptical trainer, also watch my diet and daily intake... Not to forget my favorite hot bath, that usually makes me sweat 2 pails of water weight...

Despite my weak body & low stamina, I survive (although I almost passed out once, how lame). To reward myself, I digged out the dress yesterday, the one with criss-cross waist design that I mention earlier, and put it on courageously...

My heart skips a beat...

I. Can. Wear. It. Now!!!


#1

** Itemization **

Headband, Forever 21

Dress, Lush from Nordstrom

Booties, Forever 21

Bracelet and bangles from Juicy Couture, Tiffany & Co, and Coach

#2


#3


#4

So I ran to Chean and screamed, "Look at me!!!"

And he went, "Hmm... Still not feeling it, I think it's the dress being too hippie, not your weight issue."

Anyway, my intention was to get him saying "You lose weight!" instead of criticizing the dress's design and of course, he never fails to disappoint me. Anyway, not that I care bout his opinion. Anyway, that's how I come up with the title. Anyway. Anyway.

Just when I was getting too carried away, I thought I could sit down and strike a pose with that dress but once again, my belly fat betrayed me! The cruelest fact is, I can only wear this dress standing, if I sit the belly fat will rush to burst out from the criss-cross part!!! W.T.H!

No, not getting there yet. I need more workout.

Or perhaps Chean is right, it's the damn dress, not my weight issue.



Feeling meh,
Bev

S.H.O.E.S!!!

*************** Chloe's Collection ***************

Took these pic a while back for the record of Chloe's Collection before I added more stuff in her tiny closet, so do expect to see more similar pics in the very near future :p


#1 Added a new addition from Joy Folie. The matchy hairclip comes together with the shoes.


#2


#3 Stride Rite, 3 styles in 1. I'll let her pick her own choice then scream "that's a good pick" right at her face, lol... A fun way to encourage & build confidence ;)


#4 From Stride Rite too.


#5 Needless to say, it's Stride Rite again! Among all the shoes that I bought for BB, she finds Stride Rite the best and also the most comfy!


#6 The soft leather sole really makes a huge difference for pre-walker~


#7 Chloe used to throw a little tantrum every time I put her shoes on, but definitely not with these (^___^)V

Thanks May Lyn for introducing such awesome baby shoes to me last X'mas, and the most awesomest thing is that I got to purchase these, ya, all three, with 50% discount!

*************** Mama Bev's Collection ***************

#8 Coach, ballet flat.


#9 Coach, signature slipper.


#10 Enzo Angiolini, Sandals.

Y.A.Y!!! Fall is almost here and it's time to replenish my shoe closet with booties and knee-high boots! I already know what I'm going to get, and will head down to the mall this coming weekend, super duper excited~~ Share with you guys more if my dream-comes-true boots work out right, see you around ;)



XOXO,
Bev

Vitamin C Injection Review

Promise is a promise (although it's overdue :p). So here comes the review for the most frequently asked question ever--the Vitamin C injection I got in Malaysia (M'sia).

I always wanted to try out this super popular beauty procedure (also very very common in Taiwan) ever since Barbie Hsu (Da S) revealed her skin whitening secret. See, I say I "want" that means it's not really a need because back then, before I gave birth, my skin was always in superb condition, zero blackhead, pore-less and pimples only visit me once in a blue moon. In very rare occasion I did encounter skin problem like shingles and red spots due to allergic reaction, but most of the time my skin was problem-free and even smoothly sailed through the rough hormonal changes during pregnancy.

Things changed 360° after my baby was born...

Dry skin, dull complexion, blackheads, whiteheads, and worse, my face has exploded with acne before and during each menstrual cycle!!! I hate PMS acne because it never stops, and it leave scars and marks! A.R.G.H!!! Then things got even worse when I was in M'sia, thanks to jet lag and the super humid & hot weather. I bascially looked like sh*t during CNY, I swear; Vit C injection had become a need than a want. Anyway, fast forward to 2 months after I received the 3rd Vit C injection, I see improvement despite the fact that many people still doubt and question about its effectiveness and side effects, I experience it first-hand myself.

A brief photo diary before I dig into the details, these pictures do not tell much and most of you may have already seen it on my FB, but I must include them to make this post more creditable, lol.


#1 My sis took this one for me as she accompanied for the first treatment.

Ya, ya, now you think I have flawless skin and fair complexion after seeing this pic... N.O.P.E, it's just my super awesome makeup skill manipulating you.


#2 Posted a pic on FB and my friends thought I was sick, how caring!


#3 As I stated that time, I really can't tell much except softer & smoother skin, but who doesn't want to have baby-soft skin again? So I went for the 3rd dose.

And...

Taa Daa...


#4 I got fairer! Like instantly after the next day! I went out yum cha with my BFFs and they were amazed :D Also, if you're a BS fan I'm sure you notice that my knees are always in darker tone (because I'm a 黑肉底), but not in this pic, woo hoo!


#5 Then just when I really feeling the awesome effect I restarted my career and failed to catch up with the treatment... The ideal plan was a 10-week course, one injection every week but I dragged for about a month until the 4th dose :(


#6 And the last one in May. The total of 5 injections, IV drips to be accurate.

So, do I find it effective? Hell ya, I wish to complete the course once a year. Do I recommend it? Yes and No, it really depends on your need and I guess you should talk to the doc instead. How long will the whitening effect last? Vitamin C is soluble and to be honest, it doesn't last very long, probably a week or two after each treatment. So don't solely rely on the Vit C injection, healthy diet and lifestyle are always the golden rules for beautiful skin! Never forget good skincare products too!

I did it at a very down-to-earth clinic, Klinik Mediviron Taman Dawn, Negeri Sembilan, with Dr. Chuan Kar Kan. Speaking of Dr. Chuan, he is actually an old neighbor of mine, ok, my bad, I didn't quite recognize him but my mum insisted we're friends, so ya, hilarious reunion at the clinic when my mum sought him out for consultation and that's the time I learned his clinic offers Vitamin C injection.

Now, the geeky part. The Vit C injection actually comes with 2 forms, you can either take a jab or a drip, it's really up to you but I think drips allow greater absorption; it doesn't just contain Vitamin C but also Glutathione (an antioxidant).

About the price? I verbally signed up a course so I got a special rate for my determination, being poke once a week is not fun after all. Thus you have to seek for consultation first, feel free to tell Dr. Chuan about me or my blog, you may scope some "special" treatments, who knows, some of my friends are seeing him now ;) Oh, before I forgot, you need to request a special cream from Dr. Chuan, he gave me this super awesome cream that will temporary numb my arm after the first injection because I've zero pain tolerance. Phew, that made the experience less painful and sooooooo much better, hehe.

Alright, guess I just have to stop here, am scarifying my beauty sleep for this sentence, moreover tomorrow is gonna be a long Monday. Go ahead and leave me a message if you have more question, see ya!



P/s: Please bare in mind that this posting is not an advertorial; I'm just sharing my personal experience and always remember, what works for me might not work for you ;)



Take care,
Bev

Chloe Takes San Francisco Part I

Whee~~ Just gonna add one more post about our recent trip to San Francisco before the Vitamin C injection review :p Hope you won't mind seeing cute little Chloe's pictures and of course... aheemm... her pretty mama, hahahahaha... Seriously. I do need to build confidence and instill self-esteem in order to keep this blog going :p


#1 Chloe and the San Francisco (SF) skyline.


#2 Ordered room service, tasted surprisingly good, especially the pumpkin soup! (^__^)b


#3 Dinning at Fang for a quick dinner.


#4


#5 Yummylicious! Fang's Pekking Buns, highly recommend these except it's a little oily :p


#6 Didn't take much pics in the Chinese restaurant because Chean & I were famished!


#7 Beautiful night view from our hotel :)


#8 Hola, the next day morning!


#9 All changed and ready to have some fun!


#10 "Wait, let me reply some important emails!"



#11 It's always an uneasy task to get a decent pics together...


#12 Y.A.Y!!! We did it~~


#13 After living in Boulder and seeing layers and layers of mountains for about 3 years, I have to admit, it's quite exciting to welcome a brand new day with a downtown skyscrapers view, hehe...


#14 Strolling to our breakfast destination.


#15 A friendly neighborhood breakfast place, The Grove.


#16 Chloe Bao Bao is growing wayyyyyyy too fast, don't you think?


#17


#18


#19 Mmmm... This pic makes me drool~~


#20


#21


#22 The vibe of the restaurant immediately made me a local, casual and inviting ;)


#23 A happy picture.


#24 Darling Chean said I look cute in these, wakaka~~ What to do, just have to put these up on BS :p


#25 Not really the best but good coffee ;)


#26


#27 Decent breakfast I would say, but I enjoyed it very much.


#28 Paparazzi shot, hehe~~


#29 Like this one ;)


#30 Circus in the park, cool!


#31


#32 She always finds water fountain mesmerizing @.@


#33 Laughing too hard!


#34 Many have asked me about this leopard print maxi dress (the same dress I wore on Chloe's Big One Birthday Party), it's actually a Lush junior's dress I bought from Nordstrom ;)


#35 "That's the place I wanna go next!"


#36 Daddy's Chean fave pic of the day~~


#37 At last, the Law's ritual--family portrait!


Wishing you an extra special weekend (though it's Sunday already)! See you soon~~



XOXO,
Bev