2013 - Gone in a flash! 2014 - What to look forward to?

Happy New Year 2014! I can't believe 2013 has just gone by!! I must say the past year seemed to go by in a flash or am I too muddle-headed to recall what transpired? As usual on 1 Jan every year, shall try to review the happenings of the past year, and look forward to the brand new year.

Blogging
Let's start with blogging. Yes, my blog is officially 6 years old (started on 1 Jan 2007). There were times when I didn't feel like blogging at all and thought of just shutting it down. But somehow I hanged on, it is still a medium for me to share my thoughts and what I enjoy doing. Have to remind myself, it doesn't matter how frequent I post or what I post because it is after all my personal blog.

Managed to blog slightly more in 2013, but still lots of backlogs which I hope to clear (I think I'm hopeless, repeating this statement year after year yet unable to fulfill :p). Oh oh, I finally consolidated my travel posts in the page "Travel - Eat, Sleep, Spa and Shop" which you can access from the tabs above (below the blog name), an easier way to browse through all my travel posts now. Still yet to consolidate the "Recipes", "Spa" and "Shopaholic" pages, which I must do so this year!

Work (and not)
I was working part-time most of this year. Long story, but to cut the story short, my one-year part-time contract ended in April, then extended for two more years. But I resigned after another half a year for personal reasons.

Yes, so right now I'm a homemaker, SAHM, bummer, whatever you call it. Work or not, I still run the household, from cleaning, washing to cooking. And I'm not a tai tai. Period.

Not sure if I will hunt for a job this year, will decide as we (my family) goes along and if there's suitable opportunity.

Cooking & Baking
Good news is, I had more time to cook and experiment on new dishes especially the past few months which I totally enjoyed. Have been kept busy with Asian Food Fest (started by a group a avid home cooks) as well as MediaCorp Channel 8 cook show 3 Plus 1 Series 4.

Asian Food Fest gives me the opportunity and courage to attempt cuisines out of my comfort zone especially the December theme on West Asia (Middle East) cuisine which is an eye-opener. So far, I've attempted Japanese, Thai and Middle East cuisine and looking forward to the upcoming ones. Check out my posts under AFF series.

The Cook Show 3 Plus 1 Series 4 which is currently running, provides lots of new ideas and tips on what to cook for the family. Check out my posts under Cooking Show 3 Plus 1.

As for baking, surprisingly have been baking lots of rainbow cakes and lychee ombre cakes. Ever since I blogged about dear son's rainbow cake for his 3rd birthday and subsequently lychee ombre cake, I received quite a number of queries on whether I bake them for sale. Since then, have had quite a number of orders =D. Amazing! Check out my posts under Baking - Cakes.

In this new year, will continue to test new recipes and improve on existing ones.

Launch of Meg's Pastry Studio
As a result of the order queries, finally decided to launch an online baking shop consolidating the bakes that are available for orders. Introducing Meg's Pastry Studio.

Taking things really slowly at my own comfortable pace because I wish to keep it at a hobby stage for now. Not sure if I would develop it into something more in future but no hurry, because I still want to enjoy baking and let others enjoy my baking and not for the sake of profit and loss.

In this new year, would like to test more new recipes and introduce them for sale!

Travelling
This is both hubby and my indulgence so yes it's still an integral part of our lives. Where have we been the past year, well the same old same old :p Not very adventurous, but who cares so long as we enjoyed ourselves :)

Malaysia - Desaru, Genting Highlands, Melaka.
Indonesia - Bintan
Thailand - Bangkok (2 times), Phuket (2 times), Koh Samui
Japan - Nagoya, Hokkaido

Didn't go Tokyo at all this year (GASP!) but went to two new places in Japan, Nagoya and Hokkaido and they are awesome! What can I say, let my blog posts and photos tell the story :))) Check out "Travel - Eat, Sleep, Spa and Shop" for the blog posts.

For 2014, I hope to return to Tokyo, as well as a few chillax getaways to Samui and Phuket once again. Probably a family trip to Taiwan?

My soon-to-be-4 little rascal
Save the best for the last. Dear son is growing up fast, he's going to be 4 in two weeks' time. He's super cheeky and chatty, and damn dramatic; relentless in asking 'whys' and annoyingly challenging us with never-ending 'buts'. He makes me happy yet angry, many a times I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Recently he learnt to apologise (very sweetly) after making me mad, but just as I was melting, he continued by giving excuses e.g. but because just now you never...

He's also a meddlesome little helper during my baking, so I let him help out for certain bakes. Will task him to gather ingredients like oil, flour, sugar and bakeware like measuring spoon, weighing scale, spatulas. And let him weigh the ingredients, mix the batter and scoop the dough etc.

 For this year, hope to involve him in more outdoor activities and sports since 4 years old seems to be the starting mark for a number of sports.

What's in store for 2014
Don't really have any specific goals. Probably to get fit once again (starting yoga once a week and aim to go for jogs 2-3 times a week), develop my pastry studio, be healthy and happy.

2013 wasn't a smooth sailing year (constantly feeling vexed and frustrated), so here's to a better 2014!