Weekend damper

Last Saturday was one of the few Saturdays when we were free. So I suggested taking the children for horse riding near Punggol Beach as Danielle has been wanting to ride horses again, since the last time she tried when we were in Penang a couple of years ago.

So at about 4 plus, we drove there, parked our car at the "Outward Bound School" carpark, crossed the road to "Punggol Ranch"

This place is owned by "Gallop Stables" and you can not only ride horses here, you can also have a staycation in one of these trailers for your family. When we went there, we could see a number of families staying inside.

Each horse/pony ride costs $10 for a round at the back of the trailers, along the path- to and fro. Makes you feel like you are not in Singapore. So, Caleb had his first ride on the pony and he seemed to like it.

As for Danielle- the one who said she wanted to come for this, in the end, she cried and refused to get on the pony just because she doesn't want to wear the helmet! Can you believe that? Oh well, but that is my girl. The kind of girl who knows what she wants and when she doesn't want, nobody can force her. I can relate to as its totally my genes! haha! 

Anyway, from all that crying, it kind of dampen the whole outing as she was still whining and crying when we brought the children to the Punggol beach for cycling. So in the end, Caleb was cycling while CT went on Danielle's skate scooter to accompany Caleb.

Caleb has been rather speedy in his bicycle. He is such a boy! Doing stunts from standing up while cycling, to cycling with one hand and going real fast down the steep slopes by still pedalling hard. That's my boy.

There was major construction going on along the beach which is a good sign as it means more happening things coming to Punggol! Yay!! I am guessing F&B outlets!

 Finally, Danielle opened up again and smiled when she took over Kor Kor's bicycle!

Thought that would be the end of the drama for the day until when we went back to our car at the carpark to go for dinner, we saw this!!! A vehicle actually hit our car and went off ! So pissed and sad at how humans can be like that..so irresponsible!

  

Thank God, someone left a note on our windscreen telling us of the car plate number of the trailer that hit our car. But didnt really do much good since the witness didn't leave us her number (yes, guessing its a girl from her super neat handwriting)

After what had happened, I didn't have much appetite. We went straight to the police station to file a report for insurance and had a quick bite nearby before heading back home. Sigh..

I tried to find something positive from this situation and all I can say is thank God that we were not in the car when this happened and that no one is injured or traumatised.

Just had a random thought that maybe its better off without a car..

Draining Holidays..

Finally the holidays will be coming to an end. I can soon go back to my regular routine of reading, watching TV, surfing, blogging and cooking. This week so far has been draining as I have to think of what to do with my children.

On Monday, I had homemade pancakes with the children for breakfast.

Caleb is more of a sweet tooth. So he likes his pancakes with honey and banana.

Danielle likes savoury. So here's hers!

As for me, I like both! Used to like savoury but ever since I have been introduced into the world of sweets and cakes, I love it too! So I had one pancake with strawberry jam and bananas and one pancake with ham and butter.

After breakfast, brought the children to the rooftop garden for cycling. I love it there as its more spacious and hardly anyone there. Caleb got me to look up and appreciate the beauty of the clouds. Great lesson for me to just stop and look up!

For lunch, I cooked cream of chicken and mushrooms with rice for the children. Its a great one pot dish with sour cream, mixed vegetables, onions, garlic, chicken slices and salt.

As for dinner, we went for a family birthday celebration dinner at Peach Blossom, Marina Mandarin Hotel. I took the train with the children to meet my hubby there early for shopping. There's the children drawing in the train and station.

On Tuesday, we stayed home and did art and craft as suggested by them. So I just went into Youtube to see what I can do.

In the evening, brought them to the roof top garden again for cycling and Caleb found a dead lizard.

On Wednesday, brought the children to the museum and National Library. Took the train all the way there.

Took the lift all the way to the top of the library to see the view.

Wanted to go to another museum but I was so tired and drained. So after the library, we had a quick lunch at a Chicken Rice Shop along Seah Street before making our way home by train.

After reaching home, me and the children plopped in bed and slept for quite a while. They slept for almost 3-4 hours!

Yesterday, brought the children to Ikea for lunch and to walk around before heading back. And because it was so windy in my house, the children could fly their kites.. It was simple joy and fun!

I am just thankful that the school holidays in September is only one week...

A decision I have not regretted

My decision to quit my teaching job for 10 years to stay at home to be with my children has been nothing but joy. I never knew it could be so liberating. I remembered when I took my maternity leave after giving birth to my second one-I couldn't take staying at home and being with the children as after a while, they got into me with all their crying. So, I guess there's a time for everything and this decision to stay at home for this season has been timely.

For stay-at-home mums, maybe they have higher expectations of their children as they may use the guilt card on them- "Since I quit my well -paying job to take care of you, you better be a good child and do well in your studies etc etc.." I know the kind of frustrations it can turn into when their children end up being a monster as mums will tend to doubt themselves whether they have made the right decision or not and feel so unaccomplished since they cant find any purpose anymore. Oh gosh. Cant imagine.

I love to fast forward my life to envision what I will be so that I can learn to avoid certain obstacles or unpleasantness by changing what I do in this present moment. It will definitely save a lot of heartache and pain.

Anyway, I cant help but thank God for my hubby and children everyday. They have been a joy to be with and it's just nice to act goofy around my children without them judging me! There's so much I have learnt and will continue to learn from them! But for now, it has been one enjoyable and pleasant journey.

Pleasure or pressure?

Its the beginning of the September School Holidays already and its time to start planning what to do with them during this one week. Swimming is definitely in the list as they don't swim as often as I want them to swim. I can't help but think of my childhood when I started swimming at the age of three and already competing at the age of 6 and now, Caleb is already 6 years old and he is still not confident in the water.

I keep asking myself, should I pressure them to swim or should I just continue introducing them to the pool till one day they are confident enough to take the plunge and swim on their own? It has been bothering me actually as it is definitely a life skill that they need to pick up and the memories of my childhood keep returning.

Anyway, because I did not really have a pleasant childhood swimming and training intensively, I may just take the opposite route to go easy with my children and allow them to naturally tell me they want to learn or slowly discover how to swim on their own.

I want swimming for them to be enjoyable and not something being forced. My role as a parent, I feel, is to create happy memories and so, I do not wish to jump in the bandwagon with most parents who sign up endless lessons for their child, resulting in both tired parents and children.

I will just enrol them in lessons I feel it is useful and when they agree to it..

That's Caleb learning how to put his face underwater and breathe properly.

For now, I am glad they enjoy the water and though they are not brave enough to try out those water playground slides, I am sure in time to come, they will. So what's the hurry?

Class Belle

Danielle has been doing great in school, as claimed by her teacher when we went to her school yesterday to pass to her teachers the Teacher's Day presents as well as to see Caleb's teachers who wanted to meet up with us for the Parent-Teacher Conference.

Danielle's teachers did not request for us to see them as she was doing well and so, there's nothing to highlight. So when we approached her teachers yesterday to pass her the present, she just commented that Danielle is very "ON" and is sought after by many boys in her class.

Indeed, that is my girl. Whenever she comes home, she would insist that she gets her homework done immediately despite the time or even if the homework is due only in 2 weeks time. She is a model student as she would sometimes do her assessment book on her own and while I keep telling her you can stop now (as she has done about 6 pages of it already), she still insists on carrying on as she aims to finish up the book as quickly as possible!

I have to say, when it comes to her, I have to tell her to stop doing so much and also tell her that she does not need to do her homework now as it is due in 2 weeks or it is very late now. I have to actually deter her to do her work. How strange...Of course, I try to encourage her by not stopping her from being so "ON" all the time, but its so tiring when I have to sit beside her as she finishes all her work. Ha!

When she comes home from school, she would also show me letters, drawings or gifts from her boys in school. She tells me about the few boys in her class who likes her.

Last year in Nursery, her best friend, Grace and close friend, Josh were in the same class.

Then this year, Danielle and Josh are still in the same class as Grace goes to the other K1 class. So I guess, Josh drew closer to Danielle and vice versa.

So these were gifts and drawings from Josh to Danielle this year.

There was this drawing Danielle recently received and she told me it was from Josh but when I asked Cheryl (Josh's mum) whether it's from her son, she commented that it doesn't seem to be Josh's style.. So this drawing below is from a mysterious boy!

And then there's this guy Davin and Derrick. Both of them drew this for Danielle..

And also recently, Derrick bought for Danielle a Smurfette..

As much as I enjoy seeing my girl receiving so much attention and love, I know I should not encourage it. So I constantly remind her that they are just friends and you should be thankful they give you all these but don't expect. I hope to remind her to be humble and just be thankful.

May she stay innocently sweet, humble and loving to all those around her!

Look forward to cell group

I have joined a new cell group with my family when our church did the "40 days in the Word" Series by Rick Warren and I have been looking forward to meeting up since as we have a good mix of people!

Our cell group leader, Derrick has been a wonderful leader in shepherding and leading us. He has a heart to serve and you can see by the food he prepared for us and sometimes, cook for us!

As you can see, with such wonderful and wide spread of food, it definitely made us closer as a group too!

Another plus point is that Caleb's Kindergarten classmate, Lucas is in the group as well. They have a wonderful time playing together each time when they meet!

Cell group has been a wonderful support for my family-emotionally, physically and spiritually. I have really drawn closer to my brothers and sisters in Christ and wish that as a group, we will continue to grow spiritually!