My Life in Mono...

Latest obsession...KPOP

I have a confession to make. I LOVE KPOP music, that's Korean Pop music to those who don't know. There I said it. It's out in the open. I am not a closeted fan anymore and I am not afriad to admit that I am one NOR would I blame a certain someone for it anymore. HAHAHA. ;*)

 

I was introduced to KPOP by non other than the KPOP Queen of The Family, May. When she was living with us for a while, I use to hear KPOP coming out from her bedroom all the time. One day she played this really weird but catchy KPOP song, by the guys from BigBang (pictured above), and I asked her what the hell was she listening to and she showed me this really cool youtube video and from that moment on, I was hooked. 

 

To be honest, I don't really listen to anything other than Top 40 songs. I have tried listening to French music, Chinese music and Spanish music but nothing stuck. Maybe it's because I know I won't be able to understand or sing to the songs. Not sure why it's different with KPOP music though. Maybe it's the beat or the cool suave way they rap in their own language, all I know is that I am utterly obsessed with it at the moment. I even wake up early on Sundays just to watch SBS PopAsia at 830 in the morning! I am a bit worried now. 

 

So what happy genre of music have you stumbled into? Jazz? Clasical? Something you thought you wouldn't listen to in a million years.

{image source here}

Birth Markings...

The other day, I saw this beautiful video via Marvelous kiddo and I cried. I cried really hard. It didn't help that I was also nursing a cold and couldn't breathe but I had to. This video was the most honest and amazing video I have ever seen. It's called Birth Markings. Make yourself a cup of tea and let yourself be amazed for the next 20 minutes. 

I love how this video is so honest about our body. A mother's body. Us mothers are so pressured these days to lose the baby weight, to have a flat belly after just hours of giving birth. Nature doesn't really work that way. In reality, mothers do have stretch marks, we do have flabby belly and why are we made to feel guilty of having them. We grew another human being inside of us. Of course we are going to stretch in places that we never knew we could even stretch. 

One quote from one of the mom's they interviewed struck a chord, "You are a mother now and you need the right body to do the job..." She was right! We do need a new body to function. We need a new body to function with less sleep, with carrying a helpless baby, with doing 50 million things all at once. We can't do it with the old body. The Pre Mummy body. 

I use to be ashamed of my belly. I use to hate it when M looked at me if I am topless or naked. I was so scared that he might think that it's ugly and he would rather a beautiful wife with no markings or a flat belly.

When I think about my stretch marks, my tiger stripes as I call them, I would be sad and beat myself up for not having a flat belly but then I think of the wonderful baby that I grew inside of me and everything that I was ashamed of melts away. It was WORTH IT. Considering the difficult pregnancy that I went through, I earned each and every stripe. They are my battle scares. I have even grown to love my C section scar and when the Lil' Tiger grows up, I will tell her stories of how she was born. I can even show her where she came out from. 

I know she will not be my only child as we are planning to have more, but I know now that I would embrace each and every stretch marks that I get. And when the day comes, I would tell my children how proud I am that they grew in me and gave me something that they can never take away. My birth marking. My stripes. My scars.

So... in honour of honouring my body today, I would like to share with you my tiger stripes....

 

 

Today's Fav...

Now if only I have the money to actually purchase this bag and travel some where. 

{via Mylookbook}

Fresh Salsa...

I can't get enough of fresh salsa. I am totally obsessed with it this summer. Funnily enough, I do not like to eat tomatoes, coriander and onions on its own. But mix them all together....AMAZING! 

I would make batches and batches of salsa every week. I think I make at least 3 batches a week. I eat them for lunch everyday. You would think that I would be sick of it but no. It's so refreshing on a hot summer's day. I eat them with everything. On toast, with chicken, with grilled fish, with crackers, on pita bread and etc.

So here is my take on fresh salsa. It's how I like to make it AND it's easy to make. 

INGREDIENTS

2 medium sized tomatoes (chopped into tiny pieces and de-seeded)

half a red onion (chopped into tiny pieces)

1 bunch coriander (chopped into tiny pieces)

1 medium sized avocado (chopped into tiny pieces)

juice of half a lime 

salt to taste

 

HOW TO

1. In a bowl, mix tomatoes, onion, coriander and avocado.
2. Squeeze lime juice all over and mix well again.
3. Add a little bit of salt to taste. 
4. Enjoy! 

 

You can have fresh salsa with everything. M likes it with a little bit of cut chilli as well. I usually get the chilli from our garden. I also usually ommit salt. I usually do not like salty food. 

Let me know what you think? 

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Stay tuned for this evening's post where I draw the winner for the Huggies giveaway. If you have not entered, what are you waiting for??? It's still not too late to enter. I will announce the winner this evening. 

Saving all my love for.....

 

ME! Yes ME. Today, on Valentine's Day, a day for love and mushiness, we often forget the most important person in our lives. OURSELF (yes that is a word. I looked it up)! Self love is often seen as being selfish and a little bit vain but what is love if we do not love ourselves first? 

How much do I love thee me... let me count the ways...

1. I love that I am brave enough to say "NO" from time to time when others find it so hard to do. If I do not think that it's appropriate  you will get a no from me. 
2. I love that I can be alone all on my own. A lot of people I know are scared of being alone. Scared of being by themselves. I am most comfortable being in alone. I can go watch a movie by myself. I can go to a cafe by myself. Hell... I even went on a theme park tour around the Gold Coast by myself. I do this because I like my own company. 
3. I love that I am fiercely loyal to those I love. You mess with them, you mess with me. I have been through thick and thin with them and for someone else to hurt them in anyway, they will have to answer to me. 
4. I love that I can be honest when need be. I tell it like it is... but that doesn't necessarily mean that I have the right to be rude. I will bite my tongue when need be and usually if I am honest with you, it means that I care for you or you are REALLY out of line. 
5. I love that I have made another human being inside of me. I think that she is one of the greatest gift I have given mankind. 
6. I love that I am compassionate towards animals. This is also a reason why I can't watch movies about animal. You can bet your bottom dollar, I will CRY. 
7. I love that my sense of humor is wicked. I will try to make everyone I know laugh at me or with me. I have no problems being called a clown. I think I was the class clown in school. Laughter is the best medicine right? So laugh at me all you want. I don't mind.
8. I love that I am a good listener. You can tell me anything anytime of the day. Email, text, call or a coffee date, I don't mind. If you have something to share, I am happy to listen to you talk. 
9. I love that I am a good wife. I may drive M nuts and frustrate him from time to time but I know I make a good wife. :*) Also prease refer to point 5. I also support him in anything he does. 
10. I love that I am a good person. I volunteer for charities and I am considerate to other people. I give way when I am driving, I give up my seat to those in need, I smile at people and greet them on the street. I say PLEASE and THANK YOU all the time. 

So there you go.  10 reasons why I love myself. What do you love about yourself? Join in the fun here or on Ms Glowless's blog.