Morning exercise

Usually, Saturday mornings would be the time to do my marketing at Tampines Giant for the week's groceries. However, usually if we still have food in the fridge and just need a few more things, I would just go down anytime to my house supermarket down at my block. So, if that happens, our Saturday would be free and we would go out in the morning together as a family since the children all wake up early. Went to the Waterway again for some morning exercise. It seems to be our favourite haunt as its near our place and the scenery is fantastic. Love it! Brought the children for some fun in the water area at 8am in the morning.

CT cycled and met us there, while I drove the children.

While the kids were playing, I went around admiring the flowers..

After that, I exchanged with CT and cycled home while he drove the children back. It was fun as I always wanted to explore with my bike. I stopped many times to take pictures and I enjoyed myself!

There's my rockhopper bike in the picture below which I bought it when I was still studying..which costs me $1k!!! Yup, I was THAT crazy about cycling in the past. (Reminds me of my midnight cycling days in Uni)

On the way home, I also took pictures of the design of our Punggol flats. This is one of my favourite HDB design in Punggol!

And this is the worst! The design is so old..like any old flat in Singapore! I still cant believe they would have this kind of flats in Punggol and will be surprised if people buy this!

I really enjoy looking at property and so I wont be surprise that maybe sometime in my life, I would do something related to property as a job!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Today's CT's birthday and to celebrate his birthday, I purposely knocked off straight after school to go to the market and buy groceries to cook dinner for him. CT is a very practical person and he has mentioned before that he does not really want any presents. So I thought, the most practical way is through his stomach!

Cooked sirloin steak, creamed corn soup with fresh flower crab meat, stir fry veggies and crispy pork belly..Also went to buy a cake for him for the kids to enjoy as well!

When I got home, the kids actually prepared cards for daddy. All thanks to my helper, Wina who initiated it!

Here's what Danielle drew for daddy!

She actually drew all that but my helper held Danielle's hand to write those words.

Here's what Caleb did..he did all these all by himself.

Very impressive and proud of them for drawing so well!

I have always wanted my kids to grow up appreciating people around them, not taking anyone for granted as well as to treat people with love and respect. And I know by insisting this, it will require a lot of effort initially. Its the same as teaching my children manners. Its tiring to always reminding them to say, "please" and "thank you" and to call people when they see them or before they eat..It's very trying but I know all this effort will be worth it when they grow up to be respectful and loving.

“Life affords no greater responsibility, no greater privilege, than the raising of the next generation.” - C. Everett Koop

Parents, treat this as your calling..don't give up! The result will be well worth the effort you put in now!

Yet another festival...

This year, Chinese New Year falls on 23rd January..so it feels like I just celebrated Christmas, then there was New Year and now, Chinese New Year. One after another..Frankly speaking, the thought of it makes me tired.

I do not like festivals for the fact that there is just too much eating and too many people. (I do not like gorging myself with food and I simply hate crowds)

However, festivals like these bring people together which is why though I do not look forward to it, I appreciate it. That is why in my own selfish mind, I wish I could just go on a holiday during Chinese New Year and flee away from all that visitations, but yet on the other hand, I force myself to stay in Singapore as I think that Chinese New Year is only once a year. How often do I get to some of the relatives? And because I appreciate family ties, no matter how much I want to get out of the country, I choose to stay and spend time with my family, relatives and friends.

On the first day of Chinese New year, always made it a point to eat rice with vegetarian chup chye (Cantonese Style). I would cook it every year for my family's breakfast. But this year, my mum cooked so much that she gave me some the night before to bring back home. Visited my parents after that to serve tea and to thank them for bringing me up. Its so old fashion but I like it as I want to show my appreciation to my parents and I think serving tea is quite significant. Will def want to instil that in my children.

We also managed to skype with my bro and his family in New York.

Even my dog, Ashley skyped as Janine missed Ashley alot.

First day of Chinese New Year is always the most busy day as we go to 6 houses for visitation..all my husband's side. And this time round, I was the driver as we took my brother's car for visitation since my mother-in-law came with us. So drove from Simei to Tampines, back to Simei, then Pasir Ris, then to Choa Chu Kang and then to Yio Chu Kang...from late morning all the way till 9pm. Exhausted but I have to say, I felt accomplished after that as it was a huge task which I never thought I would survive! Because every year, CT would be the one driving and I would probably sleep in the car during those long journeys. At our last house in Yio Chu Kang, we always have dinner there and the signature dish would be the pig's stomach soup which is the best I have tried so far as the black and red pepper corns my relative used is so fragrant and power! So at least, something to look forward to after all that visitations.

On the second day of visitation, we just go to one house where all my relatives gather. So it was a relaxing time. For this house, I called my relative, the 'carrot cake' aunty as she would pan fry yam cake and carrot cake for us. Its always so good and that would be our lunch for the day. The kids loved it too. After that, they would just spend the whole time playing outside the corridor!

Really hope they will all grow up playing with one another and maintaining that close relationship. My uncle also mentioned that when they are gone, its really up to our generation to maintain all these and we cannot stop meeting up. Yes, I totally agree and I will definitely love to do that as relationships are hard to come by and when it comes by, we have to treasure it and make the effort to sustain it. Definitely cant wait where our children stay together with their cousins for overnight camps like how I used to do that with my cousins.

New beginnings..

New year means new beginnings and I will always wonder what eventful thing will take place this year. Whatever mistakes I made in the past will all be wiped out as I start the new year.

Actually, I think my parents named me well...as not only once a year, but every day is like a new beginnings for me. Whatever happened yesterday or last night is all in the past..I keep having the hope that it is a new day..the old is gone..the new has come!

I remember there was once a story I read somewhere telling of this guy who always sings in the morning from his house to the lift lobby. And every day, his neighbour would take the same lift down with him and always noticed his singing. So finally, one day, his neighbour finally got curious and asked him," Why is it that I always hear you singing every morning? What makes you so happy?" And the guy replied, " Well, it's because it's a brand new day today and I have not yet lived this day."

So many people I know live life daily as if its going to be the same day in and day out- routined and mandane. Students alike..when I see them dragging their feet to school and treating as if every day is going to be the same old day. But with this story, it gives us a whole new perspective. Cheer up and be excited for this brand new day as we have not lived this day before! With that in mind, it gives me great excitement to do a better job whenever a new day comes and to touch more lives!/

I think that is why I seldom sleep...maybe only during weekend afternoons. If not, I would rather spend time with my friends and loved ones as much as I can as I get pretty excited about being with them and to just enjoy life around me.

My family can be considered an early bird family. My children wake up by 7am. So today, being the New Year Public Holiday, I brought the family to Punggol Beach for some exercise and fun!

I was starving..so bought a packet of Nasi Lemak from this guy who sold it in a bicycle just by the carpark.

The children had fun playing with their skate scooter (which is actually mine) and training bike.

The children has lots of fun playing at the slope..

As well as in the playground

The place has been done up quite nicely.. I will definitely be back again in the night when its more cooling...as well as when there will be eating places and the horse riding centre..

Happy New Year everyone! May this year be a good year for all of you as we look forward to each new day in a whole new perspective!

New Year's Eve at the Gardens

Decided to bring the children to the Chinese and Japanese Gardens today. I probably went there as a kid before, but have totally no recollection of that place. So, it was nice to visit it and venture to the other side of the island.

Certain part of the Chinese Garden made me feel like I was in the scenes of Jin Yong's martial arts drama show which I used to watch when I was a kid growing up-"Return of the Condor Heroes 神鵰俠侶" or "Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre 倚天屠龍記"

During our visit there, Danielle ran too quickly and fell down on the gravel road. Poor gal.

Looking at her reminds me of my childhood as well of how I so often get into accidents, get cuts and bruises etc. Oh well.. Anyway, one thing I learn from them is how fast their recovery rate is! They do not stay in self-pity mode for long and very soon, you see them all smiles again as she fed the fishes.

After that, we dropped by at IMM for dinner and to the children's playground before heading back home.

As usual, time spent with my children is always time well-spent.

Indoor play..

Having received new toys from Christmas sure excites the children! Day and night, they have been asking to play Playdoh..

Most parents I know do not like their children to play with this as it creates a lot of mess which they will end up cleaning. As for me, I definitely feel controlled mess is fine and if the children can learn something by being messy, why not? Its just like feeding my children. Do you train your children to feed themselves thus allowing them to mess up the floor, or would you rather feed them so that they can eat faster and cleaner?

Anyway, I always believing in providing a safe, secure and loving environment for my children to make mistakes or in this case, create mess so that they will learn. I do not wish to provide them with so much that they become too reliant on me and assume that I will always be there for them.

Today, I did with them an art and craft which was given to them for their Christmas. We had lots of fun doing it together. Here's Caleb's piece of work!

They stick it on their own..

After that, I displayed their masterpieces on top of my piano to give them a sense of satisfaction. They seemed very pleased with themselves. Good job Caleb and Danielle!

Christmas with friends..

My students, whom I have regarded as friends, came to my house to celebrate Christmas together. To be honest, I find it hard to separate friends and students relationship. To me, as long as I know your name and a little about yourself , I consider you my friend already. That does not mean my students can take things for granted because in any relationship, there has to be mutual respect. So be it a teacher-student relationship or a friendship, I still expect my friends or students to show me respect as I show them the same. But anyway, now that they have graduated, I can safely say that they are my friends. I specially prepared for them a Christmas dinner. I just love inviting people over for a meal and cooking for them. Just wish my house was a little bigger to host more people.

Prepared ham with sauce (compliments from mum), grilled chicken wings, fruit salad, cheese baked pasta or whatever you call it as well as burrito wrap with chicken marinated with mexican rub (self wrap). After that, also treated them to ice cream.

Like to thank them for bringing gifts for me and my children.

But I wondered if it was really for my children or was there some kind of hidden agenda. Hmm..

After lunch, they played boardgames and we went down to play at the rooftop garden playground as well as the ground level playground

Think they had fun playing with my children..

All of us had an enjoyable time. I sincerely wish them all the very best in their next phase of life in tertiary education!