the upcoming perth trip is gonna be really exciting... faith stretching... =P
as details of the trip are coming in... i get a little more nervous with each email...
the team would be ministering in 2 churches... then share at a women's cell group... think i'd be alone for this one... stress... =P
have not done this for a while liao...
but i know that faith will rise a little more with this experience..! =)
Tuesday, 31 August 2010
food itinerary
dad jus planned out our food itinerary...
dinner
curry fish head + durian
breakfast
black noodle (gals' special order from hawker centre)
carrot cake
mee siam
mee rebus
lunch
chicken rice (coffee shop @ bishan)
orh luak
dinner
crabs + zhi char
supper
prata
sure put on weight..! =P
dinner
curry fish head + durian
breakfast
black noodle (gals' special order from hawker centre)
carrot cake
mee siam
mee rebus
lunch
chicken rice (coffee shop @ bishan)
orh luak
dinner
crabs + zhi char
supper
prata
sure put on weight..! =P
Monday, 30 August 2010
new hobby..?
received a scrapbook mini-album kit... put together all by herself... as a farewell gift... before i left for japan...
during the first 3 months... i managed to paste the coloured paper onto the cardboard for the album... but that was it...
we do not have a coloured printer... so i couldnt print photos at home... and was too intimidating to go out and get them printed...
until last week... joanna had to print 3 photos for her school's homework... and so... she and i went to the shop... and gave it a shot...
and it was easy..! within 10min... we got our photos... with that i printed another 10 for my mini-album project... =)
so i started yesterday... on the very first photo... took a long time... playing around with the kit... managed to stick the main things on the cardboard... and then it was time to go out...
while outside... i spotted some really cute stickers...! like this one... so pretty the flowers... and they are 3D..!
during the first 3 months... i managed to paste the coloured paper onto the cardboard for the album... but that was it...
we do not have a coloured printer... so i couldnt print photos at home... and was too intimidating to go out and get them printed...
until last week... joanna had to print 3 photos for her school's homework... and so... she and i went to the shop... and gave it a shot...
and it was easy..! within 10min... we got our photos... with that i printed another 10 for my mini-album project... =)
so i started yesterday... on the very first photo... took a long time... playing around with the kit... managed to stick the main things on the cardboard... and then it was time to go out...
while outside... i spotted some really cute stickers...! like this one... so pretty the flowers... and they are 3D..!
as we shopped some more... i was so tempted to buy some more stuff... my eyes seemed to have opened up and saw really cute stuff for scrapbooking..! =Pbought 1 more sticker and a roll of stickered border... for my page on the fun we had at the river bed in yamanashi... =P
anyways... this is what i could do... never did this before... thought it looked a little plain... so i guess this page is unfinished...
ribena... thanks so much for this..! =)Saturday, 28 August 2010
in jus 3 days
got a job...
got air tickets to singapore... and perth...
got exciting projects lined up...
got so excited..! =)
got air tickets to singapore... and perth...
got exciting projects lined up...
got so excited..! =)
Thursday, 26 August 2010
becoming a reality
after planning and coordinating the flights... i tried booking the tokyo to singapore flight... then came the part i had to fill out the passport number... and suddenly i was reminded that we all are holding onto diplomatic passports... actually didnt know what that meant... dunno can travel out of the country of posting or not...
so i started searching high and low for the note that spells out what we can and cannot do due to the fact that we have been issued diplomatic passports...
sigh... couldnt find... and being already so excited... couldnt wait for hubby to call back to ask... i acted on my own... i emailed MFA to enquire...
no reply till now...
but wad was great was that i spoke with hubby over the phone and he directed me to where he had kept all the documents... and there... i found what i was looking for...
so i started to read it carefully....one document states that hubby cannot leave the country of posting during his course... yet another stated that he can... so i am still confused...
anyways... worst case scenario...
we go back to singapore on our diplomatic passports... and fly to perth on our normal passports... that will do... wont it..? =P
but a bit leh cheh la...
means i have to carry 6 passports with me...
so i started searching high and low for the note that spells out what we can and cannot do due to the fact that we have been issued diplomatic passports...
sigh... couldnt find... and being already so excited... couldnt wait for hubby to call back to ask... i acted on my own... i emailed MFA to enquire...
no reply till now...
but wad was great was that i spoke with hubby over the phone and he directed me to where he had kept all the documents... and there... i found what i was looking for...
so i started to read it carefully....one document states that hubby cannot leave the country of posting during his course... yet another stated that he can... so i am still confused...
anyways... worst case scenario...
we go back to singapore on our diplomatic passports... and fly to perth on our normal passports... that will do... wont it..? =P
but a bit leh cheh la...
means i have to carry 6 passports with me...
Wednesday, 25 August 2010
so blessed... i cant contain it..!
after contemplating... praying... talking... over the last 3 weeks... my family and i finally decided that i should take up the offer and be a part of Oops! Asia Singapore...
and so... the email was sent out this morning... and the things that happened following that was simply amazing... =)
there is this opportunity for me to go to perth in oct cos of the ministry that i will soon be joining when i return next year... and the ministry has even extended the invitation for me to take the gals along with me on this trip... of course the gals were elated...
but due to cost... the gals understood that they may end up not going...
so in my email... i asked for permission to be excused from this trip... if i were not able to arrange for childcare for the gals during that period... but assured them that i will try my best to make it for the trip...
i began searching for the cheapest flights from tokyo to perth... there were no direct flights... at least 1 stop over... either in sydney or in singapore... and the cheapest one makes me stop over in singapore for over 8hrs..!
at that point... a thought came to my mind... that i can actually spend some time in singapore in between flights..! and at that very same moment... my dad came online... and we talked...
then he too... encouraged me to take the gals along with me...
with that we both searched the net for the cheapest fares... then we realised that it was cheaper for us to book the flights separately... i book the flight from tokyo to singapore... while my dad helped me book from singapore to perth..!
a lot of coordination went on... cos the timings need to match... needed to factor time to check out and also to check in for the next flight...
after trying a few permutations... getting very excited along the way... we arrived at the best one...
gals and i will arrive in singapore... in the evening... spend the night with my dad... eat chicken rice... laksa... char kway teow... then next morning... meet the team from Oops!... and take the flight to perth...
upon returning... we'll leave with the team on the same flight for singapore... reaching in the evening... spend another night with my dad... eat durian... chili crab... orh luak... then the next morning... leave for tokyo...
and the best part of it all... we get to save over $1300 by doing it this way..! =)
God is so good..!
and so... the email was sent out this morning... and the things that happened following that was simply amazing... =)
there is this opportunity for me to go to perth in oct cos of the ministry that i will soon be joining when i return next year... and the ministry has even extended the invitation for me to take the gals along with me on this trip... of course the gals were elated...
but due to cost... the gals understood that they may end up not going...
so in my email... i asked for permission to be excused from this trip... if i were not able to arrange for childcare for the gals during that period... but assured them that i will try my best to make it for the trip...
i began searching for the cheapest flights from tokyo to perth... there were no direct flights... at least 1 stop over... either in sydney or in singapore... and the cheapest one makes me stop over in singapore for over 8hrs..!
at that point... a thought came to my mind... that i can actually spend some time in singapore in between flights..! and at that very same moment... my dad came online... and we talked...
then he too... encouraged me to take the gals along with me...
with that we both searched the net for the cheapest fares... then we realised that it was cheaper for us to book the flights separately... i book the flight from tokyo to singapore... while my dad helped me book from singapore to perth..!
a lot of coordination went on... cos the timings need to match... needed to factor time to check out and also to check in for the next flight...
after trying a few permutations... getting very excited along the way... we arrived at the best one...
gals and i will arrive in singapore... in the evening... spend the night with my dad... eat chicken rice... laksa... char kway teow... then next morning... meet the team from Oops!... and take the flight to perth...
upon returning... we'll leave with the team on the same flight for singapore... reaching in the evening... spend another night with my dad... eat durian... chili crab... orh luak... then the next morning... leave for tokyo...
and the best part of it all... we get to save over $1300 by doing it this way..! =)
God is so good..!
Monday, 23 August 2010
fried rice
being the summer vacation... i have to oso prepare lunch for the gals... so looking at what i have in my fridge... and with the different scraps of food... i announced that we would be having some fried rice for lunch...
there were bits of carrots... daikon... chai por... minced pork... onions... eggs...
as usual...rachelle made a bee-line to the fridge to get her bottle of mayo... then i asked her to try first... so that she would know how much mayo to put... actually was afraid that she would put on too much weight with all that mayo... =P
so she tasted some... and remarked 美味しい..! and then said... no need mayo...
haha... that's the best compliment to any chef ..! =)
there were bits of carrots... daikon... chai por... minced pork... onions... eggs...
as usual...rachelle made a bee-line to the fridge to get her bottle of mayo... then i asked her to try first... so that she would know how much mayo to put... actually was afraid that she would put on too much weight with all that mayo... =P
so she tasted some... and remarked 美味しい..! and then said... no need mayo...
haha... that's the best compliment to any chef ..! =)
wipe your hands
was at the zoo... having our onigiris... i was done with mine... and i was wiping my hands with a piece of wet-wipe...
mom
the japanese wipe their hands BEFORE they start their meal... we are so used to wiping them AFTER we eat... which do you think makes more sense..?
dad
i think it makes sense to wipe BEFORE you eat...
mom
i think... AFTER we eat...
joanna
both of you are WRONG... we should wipe our hands before AND after we eat...
guess she was right... =P
mom
the japanese wipe their hands BEFORE they start their meal... we are so used to wiping them AFTER we eat... which do you think makes more sense..?
dad
i think it makes sense to wipe BEFORE you eat...
mom
i think... AFTER we eat...
joanna
both of you are WRONG... we should wipe our hands before AND after we eat...
guess she was right... =P
Saturday, 21 August 2010
most memorable
guess the most memorable experience that we had over the last week... would be the one we spent at the river bed...
it was an experience we would never find in sunny island singapore... what made it feel good for me was the fact that the particular river bed that we went to... was the one that our host family frequented when their boys were the gals' age... dunno why... but it jus makes it so much more special...
our host family is jus great... they treat the gals as though they are their grand-daughters... remembering what they liked and disliked from the previous trip...
back to the river bed... the water was really so clean and refreshing... the gals drank from it... but i didnt... didnt think it was that wise to be drinking where we jus played... =P
the view at the valley was magnificent... upon reaching there... i remember thinking to myself... how nice it would be to be praying through a worship set right there... worshipping God...
there the gals 'mined' for gold bits in the river bed... hiked up a rough terrain to get to a mini waterfall... caught tadpoles with their bare hands... pee-ed among the bushes... haha... and even learnt how to stay calm and still when a bee was near...
all these are so precious to them... to us... brought back some childhood memories for hubby... esp the tadpole catching part of it... jus that he did it in the long kangs... =P
indeed... i am so grateful to God for giving us our host family... and for this experience... dun think the gals will ever forget this... =)
it was an experience we would never find in sunny island singapore... what made it feel good for me was the fact that the particular river bed that we went to... was the one that our host family frequented when their boys were the gals' age... dunno why... but it jus makes it so much more special...
our host family is jus great... they treat the gals as though they are their grand-daughters... remembering what they liked and disliked from the previous trip...
back to the river bed... the water was really so clean and refreshing... the gals drank from it... but i didnt... didnt think it was that wise to be drinking where we jus played... =P
the view at the valley was magnificent... upon reaching there... i remember thinking to myself... how nice it would be to be praying through a worship set right there... worshipping God...
there the gals 'mined' for gold bits in the river bed... hiked up a rough terrain to get to a mini waterfall... caught tadpoles with their bare hands... pee-ed among the bushes... haha... and even learnt how to stay calm and still when a bee was near...
all these are so precious to them... to us... brought back some childhood memories for hubby... esp the tadpole catching part of it... jus that he did it in the long kangs... =P
indeed... i am so grateful to God for giving us our host family... and for this experience... dun think the gals will ever forget this... =)
onsen 温泉
whenever others know that i am in japan... one of the very first remark or question is... have a tried the 温泉..?
i have been very reluctant to visit one... even my korean neighbours have suggested that we went together some day... i usually will be the one that is not too keen...
reason is simple... i dun like the idea of being naked in public..!
but it seems that for the japanese and koreans alike... 温泉is very much of their culture... family bath-times were normal...
i told myself that before i leave the land of the rising sun... i would have visited an 温泉at least once...
well... i did... with the gals... while on our trip to hokkaido...
guess it was easier to go with the gals... they kinda give me courage to go... at least if we did something different from the others... there will be at least 3 of us...=P
the gals were... like me... hesitant initially... but went with me anyhow...
the first was at the hotel in niseko... dressed in our yukatas... we bravely marched to the 温泉... before getting there... there were jus so many questions in our minds... wad if we embarrassed ourselves..? the gals jus squirmed at the idea of seeing other naked bodies...
anyways... we went... and actually found the whole experience rather enjoyable... nobody really cared how you looked... in fact... no one was looking at no one... everyone was jus doing their own stuff... showering... soaking... simply enjoying themselves...
before we dipped into the 温泉... we had to shower first... there were many showers... each station had a stool and a basin... shampoo... conditioner and body foam were also provided... we were to sit on the stool and shower...
as we were showering... it was common to see women scrubbing each other's back...
after the shower... we dipped in the 温泉... joanna found it too hot... and took a long time to get in... but she didnt stay in there long... rachelle could almost instantly submerge her whole body into the pool... i found it most relaxing... shiok..! =)
people usually dun soak for hours in there... 10min at most... then a quick rinse... and out they'd go... and so did we...
it was such a good experience that rachelle and i went again at the hotel in furano... joanna did not join us as she skinned her knee jus moments before we went to the 温泉... rachelle and i went to the one that was outdoors... so cool i tell you...
what an experience we had...
looking forward to more 温泉experiences here..! =)
i have been very reluctant to visit one... even my korean neighbours have suggested that we went together some day... i usually will be the one that is not too keen...
reason is simple... i dun like the idea of being naked in public..!
but it seems that for the japanese and koreans alike... 温泉is very much of their culture... family bath-times were normal...
i told myself that before i leave the land of the rising sun... i would have visited an 温泉at least once...
well... i did... with the gals... while on our trip to hokkaido...
guess it was easier to go with the gals... they kinda give me courage to go... at least if we did something different from the others... there will be at least 3 of us...=P
the gals were... like me... hesitant initially... but went with me anyhow...
the first was at the hotel in niseko... dressed in our yukatas... we bravely marched to the 温泉... before getting there... there were jus so many questions in our minds... wad if we embarrassed ourselves..? the gals jus squirmed at the idea of seeing other naked bodies...
anyways... we went... and actually found the whole experience rather enjoyable... nobody really cared how you looked... in fact... no one was looking at no one... everyone was jus doing their own stuff... showering... soaking... simply enjoying themselves...
before we dipped into the 温泉... we had to shower first... there were many showers... each station had a stool and a basin... shampoo... conditioner and body foam were also provided... we were to sit on the stool and shower...
as we were showering... it was common to see women scrubbing each other's back...
after the shower... we dipped in the 温泉... joanna found it too hot... and took a long time to get in... but she didnt stay in there long... rachelle could almost instantly submerge her whole body into the pool... i found it most relaxing... shiok..! =)
people usually dun soak for hours in there... 10min at most... then a quick rinse... and out they'd go... and so did we...
it was such a good experience that rachelle and i went again at the hotel in furano... joanna did not join us as she skinned her knee jus moments before we went to the 温泉... rachelle and i went to the one that was outdoors... so cool i tell you...
what an experience we had...
looking forward to more 温泉experiences here..! =)
Friday, 20 August 2010
mt fuji
hubby and a few of his classmates are gonna climb mt fuji tmrw... a night climb... reaching the summit at day break...
many have climbed and the experiences that i have heard... rather mixed... some vowed never to do it again... some enjoyed it... some got really sick... some kept on climbing...
praying that hubby's prepared for the climb... that he will be protected... and he will enjoy the climb... and be awed at one of God's most magnificent creation...
that means... the gals and i will be spending the night by ourselves... which means... i will have more time to blog..!
have been wanting so much to blog about yamanashi and hokkaido... the memorable experiences that we shared... jus gotta blog them... so that i can return to read them years later... =)
many have climbed and the experiences that i have heard... rather mixed... some vowed never to do it again... some enjoyed it... some got really sick... some kept on climbing...
praying that hubby's prepared for the climb... that he will be protected... and he will enjoy the climb... and be awed at one of God's most magnificent creation...
that means... the gals and i will be spending the night by ourselves... which means... i will have more time to blog..!
have been wanting so much to blog about yamanashi and hokkaido... the memorable experiences that we shared... jus gotta blog them... so that i can return to read them years later... =)
10 more days
that's exactly how much time i have to come to a decision...
have been struggling a bit... yet at the same time... standing in awe of what He has provided... humanly... i am struggling with a lot of 'what if'... the unforeseen... things of which i have completely no control over...
when i asked the gals for their opinion... if i should take it up... rachelle asked me back... why are you not accepting the offer..?
though a very simple and innocent question... it has set me thinking... really... what's holding me from making that decision..?
is it cos i am still thinking of going back to the team at my home church..?
or am i afraid to quit teaching... for the second time... and most probably my final time to do so...
what if i dont like doing what i am to do..? what if i am not up to it..?
then it is at this point that i find myself reminding myself that it is not about what i can or cannot do... but what God has designed me for... so if i were designed for this... He will enable me...
so then... is this what i am designed to do..? =P
have been struggling a bit... yet at the same time... standing in awe of what He has provided... humanly... i am struggling with a lot of 'what if'... the unforeseen... things of which i have completely no control over...
when i asked the gals for their opinion... if i should take it up... rachelle asked me back... why are you not accepting the offer..?
though a very simple and innocent question... it has set me thinking... really... what's holding me from making that decision..?
is it cos i am still thinking of going back to the team at my home church..?
or am i afraid to quit teaching... for the second time... and most probably my final time to do so...
what if i dont like doing what i am to do..? what if i am not up to it..?
then it is at this point that i find myself reminding myself that it is not about what i can or cannot do... but what God has designed me for... so if i were designed for this... He will enable me...
so then... is this what i am designed to do..? =P
Thursday, 19 August 2010
photos galore
finally managed to upload all the photos taking over the past week... phew..!
a total of 8 albums...
3 @ yamanashi...
4 @ hokkaido...
1 @ rachelle's 10th bday...
now to blog about them..! =)
a total of 8 albums...
3 @ yamanashi...
4 @ hokkaido...
1 @ rachelle's 10th bday...
now to blog about them..! =)
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
backlog
there are jus so many things that were blog-worthy the past 2 weeks... but hardly have the time to be alone to do so... still in the midst of sorting and uploading our photos on FB...
and it is getting so warm here... that i find myself doing 'new' things... things that i have not done before in sunny island singapore... like carrying an umbrella to shade the sun... having a towel constantly in my bag... going for dips in the public swimming pool... having meals that are cold... like cold ramen and soba... turning the air-conditioning on for 24hrs... phew..!
and did i mention cicadas..!!! they are so irritating..! not that they are in my house... but they are everywhere outside my house... and the sound they make... for 24hrs a day... is so loud and irritating...
gals go back to school next wednesday... think i should have time to myself... to blog... to clean the house... to pray and ponder about taking on a new job...
and it is getting so warm here... that i find myself doing 'new' things... things that i have not done before in sunny island singapore... like carrying an umbrella to shade the sun... having a towel constantly in my bag... going for dips in the public swimming pool... having meals that are cold... like cold ramen and soba... turning the air-conditioning on for 24hrs... phew..!
and did i mention cicadas..!!! they are so irritating..! not that they are in my house... but they are everywhere outside my house... and the sound they make... for 24hrs a day... is so loud and irritating...
gals go back to school next wednesday... think i should have time to myself... to blog... to clean the house... to pray and ponder about taking on a new job...
Saturday, 7 August 2010
holidays..!
gonna be spending the next 3 days with our host family... in Yamanashi... this will be our second visit... fell in love with his house during the first visit... so kind of them to invite us again... =)
then back on wednesday...
off again early thursday morning... to catch a plane to Hokkaido..! pick up car... and begin our journey..! so exciting... first time... a self-drive trip... 4 days... 3 different hotels...
bag is packed for Yamanashi... but not for Hokkaido... think we should have enough time to pack on wednesday night... =P
then back on wednesday...
off again early thursday morning... to catch a plane to Hokkaido..! pick up car... and begin our journey..! so exciting... first time... a self-drive trip... 4 days... 3 different hotels...
bag is packed for Yamanashi... but not for Hokkaido... think we should have enough time to pack on wednesday night... =P
Wednesday, 4 August 2010
amazing..!
jus had the most amazing chat on FB... amazing cos it seems that God has opened yet another door for me... something for me to be seriously praying about...
job scope and pay package have been emailed to me... sounds so exciting... something that i would really love to do...
now to pray over it...
job scope and pay package have been emailed to me... sounds so exciting... something that i would really love to do...
now to pray over it...
Monday, 2 August 2010
parent-teacher conference
met the gals' teachers today... was really reluctant to go... especially when they are 1.5hrs apart... lasting approx 20min each...
i went nonetheless...
met with rachelle's teacher first... he speaks almost no english... and i spoke very little japanese... there were many awkward silences during the 20min... i did most of the talking... half english... half broken japanese... dun really know if he understood a thing that i said...
then it was joanna's turn... this time it was not as challenging... there was another japanese teacher who came along to help translate... her english is not too fluent... but definitely more enjoyable than the previous...
at the end of the day... gals seem to be doing very well in school... raising their hands to try answering in japanese... hardworking... always smiling...
良かったですね。。！
i went nonetheless...
met with rachelle's teacher first... he speaks almost no english... and i spoke very little japanese... there were many awkward silences during the 20min... i did most of the talking... half english... half broken japanese... dun really know if he understood a thing that i said...
then it was joanna's turn... this time it was not as challenging... there was another japanese teacher who came along to help translate... her english is not too fluent... but definitely more enjoyable than the previous...
at the end of the day... gals seem to be doing very well in school... raising their hands to try answering in japanese... hardworking... always smiling...
良かったですね。。！
august... already..?!?!
it has been 4 months... how time flies..!
it has been jus amazing for the family... the gals are so much more bonded now... relating well with each other... it simply warms my heart... =)
back at home... everyone was jus too busy... hubby does devotion with the gals twice a week... but here... not only does he do at least twice a week... the gals even have put up a notice to say that every monday and saturday nights... are family devotion nights...
with no car... and no where to go after dinner at home... we are playing more games together as a family... wii... board games...card games...or simply jus talking...
our dinner times can last from 6.30pm... to about 8pm... almost every night...
really thanking God every day for this opportunity He has given us... =)
it has been jus amazing for the family... the gals are so much more bonded now... relating well with each other... it simply warms my heart... =)
back at home... everyone was jus too busy... hubby does devotion with the gals twice a week... but here... not only does he do at least twice a week... the gals even have put up a notice to say that every monday and saturday nights... are family devotion nights...
with no car... and no where to go after dinner at home... we are playing more games together as a family... wii... board games...card games...or simply jus talking...
our dinner times can last from 6.30pm... to about 8pm... almost every night...
really thanking God every day for this opportunity He has given us... =)
Friday, 30 July 2010
すごい。。！ {su-go-i = awesome}
was out of the house this morning from 9am to tutor a neighbour's daughter... left the 2 gals at home... set them each a paper to do...
while i was at neighbour's house... i was offered some grapes... and neighbour was nice enough to walk over to our house... to give the gals a bowl of grapes too...
after a little while more... there was a knock on the door... my gals were at the door... they had wanted to return the bowl... my neighbour then exclaimed... すごい!...
initially... i thought she was surprised that the gals had finished the bowl of grapes... but no... in the bowl was ham omelet..!
rachelle had used 3 eggs and a slice of ham... fried them in the pan... put them in the bowl... and returned the bowl..!
instantly... i swelled with pride... =)
this gal has been watching me... you see... neighbours and i have been sharing food with each other quite often... and each time we receive a plate of food from them... the plate will never be returned to the neighbour empty... i will prepare something... put it on their plate... then return them... even if it were jus strawberries... the plate is never returned empty...
the gals had asked me why... which i replied... that by returning an empty plate... seems to say that i wanted some more from them... and in any case... it was much nicer to return the plate with something else on it...
this made me see how important it is for us parents to be exemplary in what we do... how we conduct ourselves...
truly... our children are always watching us... they are really our mirrors..!
while i was at neighbour's house... i was offered some grapes... and neighbour was nice enough to walk over to our house... to give the gals a bowl of grapes too...
after a little while more... there was a knock on the door... my gals were at the door... they had wanted to return the bowl... my neighbour then exclaimed... すごい!...
initially... i thought she was surprised that the gals had finished the bowl of grapes... but no... in the bowl was ham omelet..!
rachelle had used 3 eggs and a slice of ham... fried them in the pan... put them in the bowl... and returned the bowl..!
instantly... i swelled with pride... =)
this gal has been watching me... you see... neighbours and i have been sharing food with each other quite often... and each time we receive a plate of food from them... the plate will never be returned to the neighbour empty... i will prepare something... put it on their plate... then return them... even if it were jus strawberries... the plate is never returned empty...
the gals had asked me why... which i replied... that by returning an empty plate... seems to say that i wanted some more from them... and in any case... it was much nicer to return the plate with something else on it...
this made me see how important it is for us parents to be exemplary in what we do... how we conduct ourselves...
truly... our children are always watching us... they are really our mirrors..!
Tuesday, 27 July 2010
public pool
we are staying very close to the community centre... it has lots of facilities... like the library... gym... indoor and outdoor pools... children's hall...and many other services...
today... one of the gals' friend asked if the gals would like to go swimming... being the typical singaporean... i tagged along... jus cannot bring myself to let them go without an adult...
and so... i thought i'd be going with 4 gals... but it turned out that there were 2 boys and 3 gals... a total of 5 kids under my charge... felt like mother hen...
anyways... i really enjoy the pool..!
everything is so organised... so clean... so systematic... i mean... not state-of-the-art equipment... nor interiors... but jus super pleasant...
before we enter the premise... we had to remove our footwear...
as we enter... we bought tickets from the vending machines... then walked through a few ladies who greeted us happily as we made our way to the changing room...
there in the changing room... there were more lockers than shower facilities... lockers required a 10円 to work... the best thing about it is... you can lock and unlock as many times as you wish... not like the ones back at home... where you forget something... you'd have to put in more coins to lock it again...
then we walked towards the pool... there is this sensor that will automatically turn on 4 showers as you walk past... and it's warm water..! so no rude shocks..! I LIKE..!
the pool was crowded... not surprising cos of the heat... but what's surprising is that the water is super clean..!it was so clear... not cloudy at all...
after swimming for about 50min... there was an announcement for all to leave the pool to rest... for the next 10min... there were people cleaning the pool... 2 will be doing laps in the pool to look for anything items at the bottom of the pool... another 2walking along the perimeters of the pool with large nets... fishing out hair... and other floating particles... yet another 2 scooping water from the pool to flush the other dirt that are along the edge of the pool...
then after 10min... another announcement will be made... signalling that the pool is now ready for us to enjoy once again...
a wonderful experience... thing we are gonna do this more often in this summer..! =)
today... one of the gals' friend asked if the gals would like to go swimming... being the typical singaporean... i tagged along... jus cannot bring myself to let them go without an adult...
and so... i thought i'd be going with 4 gals... but it turned out that there were 2 boys and 3 gals... a total of 5 kids under my charge... felt like mother hen...
anyways... i really enjoy the pool..!
everything is so organised... so clean... so systematic... i mean... not state-of-the-art equipment... nor interiors... but jus super pleasant...
before we enter the premise... we had to remove our footwear...
as we enter... we bought tickets from the vending machines... then walked through a few ladies who greeted us happily as we made our way to the changing room...
there in the changing room... there were more lockers than shower facilities... lockers required a 10円 to work... the best thing about it is... you can lock and unlock as many times as you wish... not like the ones back at home... where you forget something... you'd have to put in more coins to lock it again...
then we walked towards the pool... there is this sensor that will automatically turn on 4 showers as you walk past... and it's warm water..! so no rude shocks..! I LIKE..!
the pool was crowded... not surprising cos of the heat... but what's surprising is that the water is super clean..!it was so clear... not cloudy at all...
after swimming for about 50min... there was an announcement for all to leave the pool to rest... for the next 10min... there were people cleaning the pool... 2 will be doing laps in the pool to look for anything items at the bottom of the pool... another 2walking along the perimeters of the pool with large nets... fishing out hair... and other floating particles... yet another 2 scooping water from the pool to flush the other dirt that are along the edge of the pool...
then after 10min... another announcement will be made... signalling that the pool is now ready for us to enjoy once again...
a wonderful experience... thing we are gonna do this more often in this summer..! =)
Monday, 26 July 2010
birthday party
rachelle asked if she could have a birthday party next month... she'd like to invite her international friends staying in the same block as us...
this will be our first birthday party...
joanna had her birthday 12 days after we moved here... so there was no party... have not made friends yet...
the only problem now is that our place is really too small to hold a party... so venue is a consideration now... might have to seek permission to use one of the function rooms at first floor...
as we'd be back from Hokkaido on the 14th... and the party's on the 15th... we decided that it'll be a tea party... from 3-5pm... so that there will not be any major cooking involved... maybe some nuggets and fries...
guess it'll be fun... =)
this will be our first birthday party...
joanna had her birthday 12 days after we moved here... so there was no party... have not made friends yet...
the only problem now is that our place is really too small to hold a party... so venue is a consideration now... might have to seek permission to use one of the function rooms at first floor...
as we'd be back from Hokkaido on the 14th... and the party's on the 15th... we decided that it'll be a tea party... from 3-5pm... so that there will not be any major cooking involved... maybe some nuggets and fries...
guess it'll be fun... =)
towels
have seen many pretty handkerchiefs here at the departmental stores... in fact... they are everywhere..!
never had i imagined myself spotted with one of those... i mean... we have tissue papers right..? so convenient... jus use and throw la...
since the 2 days spent at Disneysea and Disneyland... i have come to appreciate them..! and i would not leave the house without one in this summer heat...
having a towel with me is such a great thing now... tissue papers may tear when wet... or worse yet... you get bits of them stuck on your face and everyone sees it... but jus wont tell you that you have them on your face..!
the towel absorbs all the perspiration... put it over your head to shield from the sun... better yet... wet it before use... so refreshing..!
never had i imagined myself spotted with one of those... i mean... we have tissue papers right..? so convenient... jus use and throw la...
since the 2 days spent at Disneysea and Disneyland... i have come to appreciate them..! and i would not leave the house without one in this summer heat...
having a towel with me is such a great thing now... tissue papers may tear when wet... or worse yet... you get bits of them stuck on your face and everyone sees it... but jus wont tell you that you have them on your face..!
the towel absorbs all the perspiration... put it over your head to shield from the sun... better yet... wet it before use... so refreshing..!
me-time
since the start of the summer vacation... hardly have much time for myself... to be on FB... and blog...
gals are at a friend's church for a 3-day summer day-camp... from 10am to 3pm..!
wooot..! =)
got this strange thing about me... when someone is at home... i dun like to do chores... not even sweeping the floor... so the house was not in her best state... =P
so today... immediately after the gals set off... i started cleaning... changing the bed sheets... vacuuming... wiping... washing...
happy to say... the house looks great now... and i still have time for myself to blog..!
yeah..! =)
gals are at a friend's church for a 3-day summer day-camp... from 10am to 3pm..!
wooot..! =)
got this strange thing about me... when someone is at home... i dun like to do chores... not even sweeping the floor... so the house was not in her best state... =P
so today... immediately after the gals set off... i started cleaning... changing the bed sheets... vacuuming... wiping... washing...
happy to say... the house looks great now... and i still have time for myself to blog..!
yeah..! =)
Friday, 23 July 2010
summer vacation
so the summer vacation started... 6 full weeks of it...
we're into the 3rd day of it... and the heat is starting to get really unbearable... it hit 36 degrees yesterday...
looking forward to our holidays... and events coming up...
we kicked off the hols by going to Disneysea and Disneyland... making the gals miss 1 day of school... and a day of summer swimming program...
gals have a summer swimming program for the next 2 weeks... and they are already very tanned liao... have been slathering them with sun screen before they leave for their swim... but the sun is really unforgiving...
we're looking forward to a live baseball game happening 2 weeks later... our host family's really great... they bought the tickets and invited us for it... =)
then a week after the game... we will be again visiting our host family's home in yamanashi..! for 2 nights this time..! really looking forward to the stay...
immediately after the stay... we will be going Hokkaido for the following 4 days... self drive..! another trip that i am so looking forward to...
amidst all these... i am hoping that we find time for the gals to catch up on their singapore syllabus... actually planned for the gals to complete the year's work... =P
we're into the 3rd day of it... and the heat is starting to get really unbearable... it hit 36 degrees yesterday...
looking forward to our holidays... and events coming up...
we kicked off the hols by going to Disneysea and Disneyland... making the gals miss 1 day of school... and a day of summer swimming program...
gals have a summer swimming program for the next 2 weeks... and they are already very tanned liao... have been slathering them with sun screen before they leave for their swim... but the sun is really unforgiving...
we're looking forward to a live baseball game happening 2 weeks later... our host family's really great... they bought the tickets and invited us for it... =)
then a week after the game... we will be again visiting our host family's home in yamanashi..! for 2 nights this time..! really looking forward to the stay...
immediately after the stay... we will be going Hokkaido for the following 4 days... self drive..! another trip that i am so looking forward to...
amidst all these... i am hoping that we find time for the gals to catch up on their singapore syllabus... actually planned for the gals to complete the year's work... =P
Tuesday, 13 July 2010
perspective
which is yours..?
you burn with so much passion...
that others see you burn...
and then catch the fire...
or
you burn with so much passion...
that you wanna spread the fire...
and burn others...
you burn with so much passion...
that others see you burn...
and then catch the fire...
or
you burn with so much passion...
that you wanna spread the fire...
and burn others...
happy gal
rachelle had her cast removed yesterday... she had been looking forward to this day... and so have i...
she no longer needs my help during bath time... no longer do we have to 'tahan' the stench from her cast... jus one more follow-up trip to the docs... and that's it... i hope...
since walking out from the doc's room... she has been beaming from ear to ear... telling us how light her arm feels... humming... singing... basically jus very happy that the cast is finally off...
funny thing is... now that she is so used to using her left hand... she was seen feeding herself with her left hand... responding with her left hand when we hand something to her...
no play for one more week... jus want to be extra careful with the arm la...
she no longer needs my help during bath time... no longer do we have to 'tahan' the stench from her cast... jus one more follow-up trip to the docs... and that's it... i hope...
since walking out from the doc's room... she has been beaming from ear to ear... telling us how light her arm feels... humming... singing... basically jus very happy that the cast is finally off...
funny thing is... now that she is so used to using her left hand... she was seen feeding herself with her left hand... responding with her left hand when we hand something to her...
no play for one more week... jus want to be extra careful with the arm la...
Thursday, 8 July 2010
holiday planning
we had a family conference yesterday... gals were so excited about it...
we all sat at the dining table and discussed about plans for the 2 1-week holidays... 1 this month... and another the next...
on top of hubby's schedule... we had to also take into consideration the gals' summer swimming lessons in school...
at the end of the 'conference'... booked a 2 nites stay at a hotel near Disneyland... as for the next month's hols... we will be visiting our host family in yamanashi again... 2 nites this time... and following that... a 3-4 days trip to Hokkaido...
now to plan the Hokkaido trip... should we book everything ourselves... or go through a travel company..?
so fun... =)
we all sat at the dining table and discussed about plans for the 2 1-week holidays... 1 this month... and another the next...
on top of hubby's schedule... we had to also take into consideration the gals' summer swimming lessons in school...
at the end of the 'conference'... booked a 2 nites stay at a hotel near Disneyland... as for the next month's hols... we will be visiting our host family in yamanashi again... 2 nites this time... and following that... a 3-4 days trip to Hokkaido...
now to plan the Hokkaido trip... should we book everything ourselves... or go through a travel company..?
so fun... =)
Tuesday, 6 July 2010
proud of me
when i returned from my shopping trip today... there was a memo in my mailbox... all written in japanese...
with my little japanese... i gathered it was a note to say that there was a delivery made while i was away... guessed it was a book that i've ordered through amazon...
there were numbers on the note... guessed they were telephone numbers... tried one... but it seemed that was not a telephone number...
deciphered the memo a little more... figured out the driver's mobile... and decided to call...
'hello... すみません。えいごをはなせますか。'
(excuse me... do you speak english..?)
'... ... ... ...'
(i dont speak english)
'すみません。だいじょうぶです。'
(sorry... it's ok then)
'... ... おなまえわ。'
(name?)
'~husband's name~'
'わかりました。'
(i understand)
'delivery... きょう... だいじょうぶですか。'
(delivery... today ok?)
'... ... ... ...'
(~guessed~ ok... from 4-6pm)
tada..!
i conversed with a non-english-speaking japanese... and arranged for a re-delivery of my book..! ha..! =)
with my little japanese... i gathered it was a note to say that there was a delivery made while i was away... guessed it was a book that i've ordered through amazon...
there were numbers on the note... guessed they were telephone numbers... tried one... but it seemed that was not a telephone number...
deciphered the memo a little more... figured out the driver's mobile... and decided to call...
'hello... すみません。えいごをはなせますか。'
(excuse me... do you speak english..?)
'... ... ... ...'
(i dont speak english)
'すみません。だいじょうぶです。'
(sorry... it's ok then)
'... ... おなまえわ。'
(name?)
'~husband's name~'
'わかりました。'
(i understand)
'delivery... きょう... だいじょうぶですか。'
(delivery... today ok?)
'... ... ... ...'
(~guessed~ ok... from 4-6pm)
tada..!
i conversed with a non-english-speaking japanese... and arranged for a re-delivery of my book..! ha..! =)
Monday, 5 July 2010
s.a.l.e.s.
jus over the last 7 days...
1 zara denim shirt
1 baracuta t-shirt
1 gap tailored bermuda
2 t-shirts
dilemma...
stay home on weekends... boring...
go out on weekends... expensive... =P
1 zara denim shirt
1 baracuta t-shirt
1 gap tailored bermuda
2 t-shirts
dilemma...
stay home on weekends... boring...
go out on weekends... expensive... =P
Wednesday, 30 June 2010
mommies' night out
the 3 of us... my 2 korean neighbours and i... met in the afternoon for our weekly group study... to learn english... and japanese together...
but we are getting very sluggish... so i introduced the 5 love languages to them... got them to do the assessments to find out their love language...
it was really interesting... with no common language... it was rather funny... i had to explain the assessment to them... statement by statement... using gestures... and even role play..!
then my immediate neighbour prepared dinner for the 2 gals and her 2 daughters...
when the gals have had their dinner... my other neighbour's teenage daughter babysat the 4 gals at my home...
we told them that we;d be gone for about 1.5hrs... but we ended spending 2hrs at the joint... and then adjourned to the supermart for groceries... =P
really enjoyed ourselves... and i later found out that hubby was at the same joint last night with the guys..!
looking forward to more..? =P
but we are getting very sluggish... so i introduced the 5 love languages to them... got them to do the assessments to find out their love language...
it was really interesting... with no common language... it was rather funny... i had to explain the assessment to them... statement by statement... using gestures... and even role play..!
then my immediate neighbour prepared dinner for the 2 gals and her 2 daughters...
when the gals have had their dinner... my other neighbour's teenage daughter babysat the 4 gals at my home...
we told them that we;d be gone for about 1.5hrs... but we ended spending 2hrs at the joint... and then adjourned to the supermart for groceries... =P
really enjoyed ourselves... and i later found out that hubby was at the same joint last night with the guys..!
looking forward to more..? =P
Tuesday, 29 June 2010
activity-filled days... =)
thought that i would be super bored... and grouchy while hubby is away...
today is day one... and i really had no time to be bored...
not when you have such spontaneous neighbours..! =)
it all started out in the morning... i had wanted to walk over to invite my immediate neighbour over for dinner... it's really no fun cooking for jus 2 children and an adult... and it's really easier to cook more... rather than less... for me la...
as i was about to ring her doorbell... i met my other korean neighbour... jus 2 doors away... she said that she was out of toilet rolls and asked if i'd like to go with her to the nearby store to do groceries... i agreed...
and so the 3 of us met jus an hour later to do groceries together... we landed up in shinjuku... they brought me to a korean supermarket... and i found it most interesting... refreshing... and i actually found a frozen whole chicken there..! and it was very reasonable priced too...
then we went to another store... a huge store... much like our mustafa... a little cluttered... but stuff there is really reasonable... so nobody is really bothered by all the clutter... =P
after shopping... we did lunch at a authentic korean restaurant... we all had 炸酱面... nice..! =)
upon reaching home... immediate neighbour invited us over for coffee... and we all chatted till the gals returned from school...
then i had to take rachelle for her check-up... got back in time to prepare dinner...
in the end... my other neighbour dropped by as well... and dinner lasted till 8pm... and during dinner... we made more plans for tomorrow... thursday... and even friday..!
my other neighbour has 2 teenage daughters... and they are going to help look after the 4 younger gals... while the 3 mommies go for a nice dinner together...
so looking forward..!
today is day one... and i really had no time to be bored...
not when you have such spontaneous neighbours..! =)
it all started out in the morning... i had wanted to walk over to invite my immediate neighbour over for dinner... it's really no fun cooking for jus 2 children and an adult... and it's really easier to cook more... rather than less... for me la...
as i was about to ring her doorbell... i met my other korean neighbour... jus 2 doors away... she said that she was out of toilet rolls and asked if i'd like to go with her to the nearby store to do groceries... i agreed...
and so the 3 of us met jus an hour later to do groceries together... we landed up in shinjuku... they brought me to a korean supermarket... and i found it most interesting... refreshing... and i actually found a frozen whole chicken there..! and it was very reasonable priced too...
then we went to another store... a huge store... much like our mustafa... a little cluttered... but stuff there is really reasonable... so nobody is really bothered by all the clutter... =P
after shopping... we did lunch at a authentic korean restaurant... we all had 炸酱面... nice..! =)
upon reaching home... immediate neighbour invited us over for coffee... and we all chatted till the gals returned from school...
then i had to take rachelle for her check-up... got back in time to prepare dinner...
in the end... my other neighbour dropped by as well... and dinner lasted till 8pm... and during dinner... we made more plans for tomorrow... thursday... and even friday..!
my other neighbour has 2 teenage daughters... and they are going to help look after the 4 younger gals... while the 3 mommies go for a nice dinner together...
so looking forward..!
manga come alive
hubby was with us the whole of last weekend... it started out with us being clueless about where to go... but it ended up pretty well...
decided to visit the Tokyo Dome... never been there... really dunno wad to expect... but with no other suggestion... we headed there...
thought it's jus gonna be much like our indoor stadium... nothing much... large spaces... probably a small amusement park there... maybe good enough to keep the gals happy...
but it turned out to be a very interesting place..!
i was most fascinated by the cosplay there... so many of them...! so interesting... they'd jus be that character for that day... they'd behave like regular ppl... going on rides... eating... hanging out... maybe the only difference is that they are also busy taking photographs of each other...
i must say that some of them were really very nice... i was really so busy looking at them... there were so many of them... it was really hard not to stare... =p
gals have loads of fun on the many rides that they had...
all in all... a very enjoyable family day... =)
decided to visit the Tokyo Dome... never been there... really dunno wad to expect... but with no other suggestion... we headed there...
thought it's jus gonna be much like our indoor stadium... nothing much... large spaces... probably a small amusement park there... maybe good enough to keep the gals happy...
but it turned out to be a very interesting place..!
i was most fascinated by the cosplay there... so many of them...! so interesting... they'd jus be that character for that day... they'd behave like regular ppl... going on rides... eating... hanging out... maybe the only difference is that they are also busy taking photographs of each other...i must say that some of them were really very nice... i was really so busy looking at them... there were so many of them... it was really hard not to stare... =pgals have loads of fun on the many rides that they had...
all in all... a very enjoyable family day... =)
Wednesday, 23 June 2010
wise words
was in msn with a dear friend... sharing about family values... about wad matters... about money... about many many other stuff...
then some where in the conversation... i said...
life's luxuries are in its simplicity...
then i paused... re-read wad i jus typed... fwah... quite profound leh... =P
and it's so true... the luxury of time... of being there for your family... of being a happy unit... of catching a sunset together... of sipping coffee together... of waking up next to the one you love... of preparing meals for the family...
all these... are really simple acts of love... does not even cost much... but yet are labelled as luxuries by many... luxuries because life has become complicated... life has become clouded by the world's standards...
take a moment now...
and do a simple act of love for the one you love... =)
then some where in the conversation... i said...
life's luxuries are in its simplicity...
then i paused... re-read wad i jus typed... fwah... quite profound leh... =P
and it's so true... the luxury of time... of being there for your family... of being a happy unit... of catching a sunset together... of sipping coffee together... of waking up next to the one you love... of preparing meals for the family...
all these... are really simple acts of love... does not even cost much... but yet are labelled as luxuries by many... luxuries because life has become complicated... life has become clouded by the world's standards...
take a moment now...
and do a simple act of love for the one you love... =)
Tuesday, 22 June 2010
SAHM
have been wondering wad i should be doing when i return home in 2011...
really dun feel like going back to teaching... not when there have been so many more changes (not good ones) since i left... it's actually quite a scary thought... to go back to teach...
full-time ministry..? have been pondering over it... not too sure if it's the same capacity as wad i used to do... not even sure if it's gonna be in tpmc...
so i have asked my gals... on separate occasions... i asked for their views... wad do they want me to do when we get back home...
their replies were similar...
1st choice... mommy to stay home...
cos they like the idea of coming home and seeing mommy... and that mommy is there to help with school work... and cook...
then i said that we are jus living next to yeye... their reply was 'it's not the same'... i guess they are right... who could take over my role..? who could take over the role of any mommy..?
2nd choice... work in church...
then they went on recalling how much fun they had in my office... how they'd come and pick me after meetings... and after courses...
that's it... the option of going back as a teacher... is not an option for them... it's a firm NO...
when asked why... the reason was simple... they wanted more of me... they felt that when i went back as a teacher last year... they had lesser time with me... and they didnt like that at all...
well... i gotta keep praying... duno which doors will open when i get back... jus gotta keep ears and eyes tuned towards Him... and He'll illumine my path when i get there... =)
really dun feel like going back to teaching... not when there have been so many more changes (not good ones) since i left... it's actually quite a scary thought... to go back to teach...
full-time ministry..? have been pondering over it... not too sure if it's the same capacity as wad i used to do... not even sure if it's gonna be in tpmc...
so i have asked my gals... on separate occasions... i asked for their views... wad do they want me to do when we get back home...
their replies were similar...
1st choice... mommy to stay home...
cos they like the idea of coming home and seeing mommy... and that mommy is there to help with school work... and cook...
then i said that we are jus living next to yeye... their reply was 'it's not the same'... i guess they are right... who could take over my role..? who could take over the role of any mommy..?
2nd choice... work in church...
then they went on recalling how much fun they had in my office... how they'd come and pick me after meetings... and after courses...
that's it... the option of going back as a teacher... is not an option for them... it's a firm NO...
when asked why... the reason was simple... they wanted more of me... they felt that when i went back as a teacher last year... they had lesser time with me... and they didnt like that at all...
well... i gotta keep praying... duno which doors will open when i get back... jus gotta keep ears and eyes tuned towards Him... and He'll illumine my path when i get there... =)
sweet 姐姐
brought the gals out to a big toy shop yesterday... we had no intentions of buying anything there... jus there to see... and to get out of the house...
joanna has been asking for a pair of boots and a bag since we arrived here... it's not easy looking for a pair of boots for her... as her feet are too large for kid size... and too small for adult size... bag... cos she has no other bag than her knap-sack which she uses for school...
so while there... she spotted a bag and i thought that it was rather reasonably priced... and said she could get one... then rachelle wanted one too... but i said no as she has one brought over from home... then she became upset...
to make the trip a little sweeter for rachelle... i let her buy a pretty little notebook... and then joanna wanted one too... haiyo... made me so mad... this will never end..!
so i said no to joanna... and gave rachelle 1000yen to go get her notebook... leaving a sulking joanna with me...
as rachelle was taking a long time... i went up to see... she was jus at the check-out... looked at me... and said that she had bought 2 notebooks... one for joanna too... so sweet la this gal... but with my money worr...
i later realised that rachelle has bought 1 for herself... then realising that she still has enough money for another one... went to get one more for her sister...
i told rachelle not to tell joanna yet... let it be a surprise for her when we get home...
but joanna's chin was about to reach the floor already... she was still sulking... so i let rachelle tell her that she has gotten one for her too...
wad i witnessed for the minute was amazing... warmed my heart... =)
immediately after rachelle had whispered in her ear... joanna turned to hug rachelle... and with tears in her eyes... repeated 'thank you 姐姐!' many times...
then when i walked over... joanna turned to hug me... this time crying already... and thanking me oso...
so funny ah this gal... happy until cry... haha...
but it was nice to see lar... that's rachelle lor... though she does not always display it... she actually loves joanna a lot...
and i know that it true for joanna too... =)
joanna has been asking for a pair of boots and a bag since we arrived here... it's not easy looking for a pair of boots for her... as her feet are too large for kid size... and too small for adult size... bag... cos she has no other bag than her knap-sack which she uses for school...
so while there... she spotted a bag and i thought that it was rather reasonably priced... and said she could get one... then rachelle wanted one too... but i said no as she has one brought over from home... then she became upset...
to make the trip a little sweeter for rachelle... i let her buy a pretty little notebook... and then joanna wanted one too... haiyo... made me so mad... this will never end..!
so i said no to joanna... and gave rachelle 1000yen to go get her notebook... leaving a sulking joanna with me...
as rachelle was taking a long time... i went up to see... she was jus at the check-out... looked at me... and said that she had bought 2 notebooks... one for joanna too... so sweet la this gal... but with my money worr...
i later realised that rachelle has bought 1 for herself... then realising that she still has enough money for another one... went to get one more for her sister...
i told rachelle not to tell joanna yet... let it be a surprise for her when we get home...
but joanna's chin was about to reach the floor already... she was still sulking... so i let rachelle tell her that she has gotten one for her too...
wad i witnessed for the minute was amazing... warmed my heart... =)
immediately after rachelle had whispered in her ear... joanna turned to hug rachelle... and with tears in her eyes... repeated 'thank you 姐姐!' many times...
then when i walked over... joanna turned to hug me... this time crying already... and thanking me oso...
so funny ah this gal... happy until cry... haha...
but it was nice to see lar... that's rachelle lor... though she does not always display it... she actually loves joanna a lot...
and i know that it true for joanna too... =)
Sunday, 20 June 2010
couple time
before coming here... hubby and i were prepared that we would have no couple time for a year... cos we do not have another caregiver other than ourselves...
but since coming here... we do have quite a few couple times... =)
there were times when hubby did not have to go to college in the mornings... giving us time to sip our coffee leisurely together... followed by a simple lunch...
and jus over the past 2 days... we have had two 2-hr couple times...
yesterday was the gals' school's open day... which means they were in school... hubby took the opportunity to go to college in the morning... while i went to the open day myself...
then we met for lunch... a little shopping... then back home jus in time for the gals' return from school...
jus now... hubby and i wanted to shop at the shopping mall near our place... but the gals would rather go home... so we gave them the option of going back by themselves... while hubby and i walked on...
they agreed... so we handed them the house key... and my mobile phone...
our place was about 500-600m away from the train station... they were to call us when they arrive at the main gate to our place... and then again when they are home...
they did... =)
while hubby and i were shopping... we thought it'll be nice to have dinner at the singaporean restaurant in the mall... so we called the gals and asked if they'd like to have hainanese chicken rice for dinner...
of course they said yes...
so we arranged to meet at the mall at 6.10pm... and we did...
happy that the gals are independent... and also that they are used to us having our couple time... feel that this is important... to give the gals a sense of security... that daddy and mommy still love each other... they still go on dates together...
happy... =)
but since coming here... we do have quite a few couple times... =)
there were times when hubby did not have to go to college in the mornings... giving us time to sip our coffee leisurely together... followed by a simple lunch...
and jus over the past 2 days... we have had two 2-hr couple times...
yesterday was the gals' school's open day... which means they were in school... hubby took the opportunity to go to college in the morning... while i went to the open day myself...
then we met for lunch... a little shopping... then back home jus in time for the gals' return from school...
jus now... hubby and i wanted to shop at the shopping mall near our place... but the gals would rather go home... so we gave them the option of going back by themselves... while hubby and i walked on...
they agreed... so we handed them the house key... and my mobile phone...
our place was about 500-600m away from the train station... they were to call us when they arrive at the main gate to our place... and then again when they are home...
they did... =)
while hubby and i were shopping... we thought it'll be nice to have dinner at the singaporean restaurant in the mall... so we called the gals and asked if they'd like to have hainanese chicken rice for dinner...
of course they said yes...
so we arranged to meet at the mall at 6.10pm... and we did...
happy that the gals are independent... and also that they are used to us having our couple time... feel that this is important... to give the gals a sense of security... that daddy and mommy still love each other... they still go on dates together...
happy... =)
Friday, 18 June 2010
school on saturday
it's the school's open-day tomorrow... thought it was quite a creative way of allowing the parents experience wad a day in school is like... cos of this... the school is closed on monday...
school will function as per normal tmrw... the only difference is that... parents will be there... there will be time set aside for each level to play with their parents...
and since lunch is provided in school... parents have the option to eat with their child in class...
but lazy me... have opted to be there only till 10.30am... after play time with rachelle... then with joanna... then it's home for me...
when joanna asked why am i not staying till 2.30pm..? i told her that i wouldnt understand wad's going on... and her reply... 'i oso wad..?!?'
so true... but dun wan la... so i told her i wud be home baking cheesecake... ready for their return after school... =P
school will function as per normal tmrw... the only difference is that... parents will be there... there will be time set aside for each level to play with their parents...
and since lunch is provided in school... parents have the option to eat with their child in class...
but lazy me... have opted to be there only till 10.30am... after play time with rachelle... then with joanna... then it's home for me...
when joanna asked why am i not staying till 2.30pm..? i told her that i wouldnt understand wad's going on... and her reply... 'i oso wad..?!?'
so true... but dun wan la... so i told her i wud be home baking cheesecake... ready for their return after school... =P
Thursday, 17 June 2010
wad a week
finally... i have time to blog... time to drink my coffee in the quiet morning... munching a sandwich between web pages... =)
it's been almost a week...
the online conference that i had signed myself up for started last friday... the day that rachelle fractured her arm... with her at home... i hardly had any time to go into the conference...
rachelle's arm is healing well... jus that we have to keep going to visit the doc...
1st visit... to steady the arm and medicine to reduce swelling and prevent inflammation...
2nd visit... to change the bandage...
3rd visit... to put on the cast...
4th visit... this was the shortest visit ever to any doc... went into the room... doc pressed her right fingernails... said that the colour loos good... means that blood circulation is good... then that's it... all done in under 2mins...!
next visits are weekly... till the cast is off... doc said about a month...
we checked with our insurance agent last night and thank God... 100% claim will be made as we had the gals covered under some accident plan... which includes accidents happening overseas too...
so... back to the conference...
by wednesday midnight... every week... we have assignments to submit via a forum... rachelle was home on monday and tuesday... so i had planned to complete my assignments yesterday morning... then hubby told me that he need not go in yesterday as there were no classes...
rare... so cannot waste this opportunity to be alone with hubby... so we went on a date... shopped and lunched at places we'd not go with the gals... not cos these places were sleazy... haha... jus that our gals dun like to shop... and walking through the ladies department with them asking 'when are we going home?'... is a really pain...
so i had only last night to complete my assignments... and i had to be the hero to commit myself to 2 courses at the same time... =P
well... i completed the assignments without going through all the audio... video... and reading materials yet... almost there... but not all... so will make use of these 2 mornings to listen and be renewed in the mind... =)
with all that i have gone through... this is good stuff... a little deep... but it sets my mind thinking about worship... and cos i am doing the history of worship... it has opened my eyes and mind about how vast this is... how rich our history is... and how much it has built our worship of the present...
gonna go listen to the audio teachings... and do ironing...
the beauty of an online conference... =)
it's been almost a week...
the online conference that i had signed myself up for started last friday... the day that rachelle fractured her arm... with her at home... i hardly had any time to go into the conference...
rachelle's arm is healing well... jus that we have to keep going to visit the doc...
1st visit... to steady the arm and medicine to reduce swelling and prevent inflammation...
2nd visit... to change the bandage...
3rd visit... to put on the cast...
4th visit... this was the shortest visit ever to any doc... went into the room... doc pressed her right fingernails... said that the colour loos good... means that blood circulation is good... then that's it... all done in under 2mins...!
next visits are weekly... till the cast is off... doc said about a month...
we checked with our insurance agent last night and thank God... 100% claim will be made as we had the gals covered under some accident plan... which includes accidents happening overseas too...
so... back to the conference...
by wednesday midnight... every week... we have assignments to submit via a forum... rachelle was home on monday and tuesday... so i had planned to complete my assignments yesterday morning... then hubby told me that he need not go in yesterday as there were no classes...
rare... so cannot waste this opportunity to be alone with hubby... so we went on a date... shopped and lunched at places we'd not go with the gals... not cos these places were sleazy... haha... jus that our gals dun like to shop... and walking through the ladies department with them asking 'when are we going home?'... is a really pain...
so i had only last night to complete my assignments... and i had to be the hero to commit myself to 2 courses at the same time... =P
well... i completed the assignments without going through all the audio... video... and reading materials yet... almost there... but not all... so will make use of these 2 mornings to listen and be renewed in the mind... =)
with all that i have gone through... this is good stuff... a little deep... but it sets my mind thinking about worship... and cos i am doing the history of worship... it has opened my eyes and mind about how vast this is... how rich our history is... and how much it has built our worship of the present...
gonna go listen to the audio teachings... and do ironing...
the beauty of an online conference... =)
Saturday, 12 June 2010
signed up for conference..!
was searching for online courses...
preferably something to do with worship...
even asked around for recommendations...
after a week of searching... i found worshiptraining.com... it's an online conference... either works for an individual... or as a church...
looked at the line up of trainers and speakers... and noticed that it looked pretty 'safe'... so i asked shifu to take a look-see before i decide to dive into it...
very soon after... shifu said that it sounded really good and i should go ahead and give it a try... which i did... =)
there are weekly assignments... forums... online interaction... live sessions... it looks really interesting...
so here i go... into my first course... out of 4... each course takes about 4 weeks... and there are 4 courses... and 4 essentials to complete in a year...
looking forward to this conference... hoping to learn much from this... getting enriched along the process...
really wanna keep updated... and refreshed... dun wanna be going back to church and be stale and outdated in my trainings... wanna still be relevant and useful... =)
preferably something to do with worship...
even asked around for recommendations...
after a week of searching... i found worshiptraining.com... it's an online conference... either works for an individual... or as a church...
looked at the line up of trainers and speakers... and noticed that it looked pretty 'safe'... so i asked shifu to take a look-see before i decide to dive into it...
very soon after... shifu said that it sounded really good and i should go ahead and give it a try... which i did... =)
there are weekly assignments... forums... online interaction... live sessions... it looks really interesting...
so here i go... into my first course... out of 4... each course takes about 4 weeks... and there are 4 courses... and 4 essentials to complete in a year...
looking forward to this conference... hoping to learn much from this... getting enriched along the process...
really wanna keep updated... and refreshed... dun wanna be going back to church and be stale and outdated in my trainings... wanna still be relevant and useful... =)
Friday, 11 June 2010
dun complain
learnt a major lesson today...
had been lamenting how restless i have become... about how life is getting boring and monotonous...
this morning... after done with my chores... i settled nicely at my desk... ready to relax in front of my computer...
jus then... my mobile rang... it was a call from the gals' school...i was informed that rachelle is at the sick bay... that she has hurt her hand... and i was to get her to see a doctor...
within 20min... i arrived at the school...
from rachelle... i learnt that she was on the unicycle during free play time... was about to fall off the unicycle... she tried reaching out for a nearby bar... but missed the bar... and her right wrist hit the bar instead...
as i spoke no japanese... i requested for the school to call hubby's liaison personnel for help... and soon after... someone came and accompanied us to the nearby hospital...
the 5min cab fare there was about SGD$12...
at the hospital... x-rays show that rachelle has fractured both bones in her right wrist... she had to be in a sling till monday for the swelling to subside... before putting it in a cast...
today's treatment cost about SGD$450...
the school said that the expenses will be borne by the school as the accident happened in school... i am hoping that this is true... cos there's gonna be more expenses coming... as there will be more trips to the hospital...
we will have to go again tomorrow to check if swelling has subsided... then on monday for the cast... on tuesday for a check... then once a week till the cast is removed...
now with her at home... i face the challenge of keeping her occupied...
when she came home... she played Wii with her left hand... then she was jus watching a movie on my computer... but before she even finished the movie... she got bored... and wanted to do some work in ther assessment book... now she is playing with cards... but i can tell that she will be on to something else really soon...
better dun complain about being bored anymore... =P
'Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.'
1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18
had been lamenting how restless i have become... about how life is getting boring and monotonous...
this morning... after done with my chores... i settled nicely at my desk... ready to relax in front of my computer...
jus then... my mobile rang... it was a call from the gals' school...i was informed that rachelle is at the sick bay... that she has hurt her hand... and i was to get her to see a doctor...
within 20min... i arrived at the school...
from rachelle... i learnt that she was on the unicycle during free play time... was about to fall off the unicycle... she tried reaching out for a nearby bar... but missed the bar... and her right wrist hit the bar instead...
as i spoke no japanese... i requested for the school to call hubby's liaison personnel for help... and soon after... someone came and accompanied us to the nearby hospital...
the 5min cab fare there was about SGD$12...
at the hospital... x-rays show that rachelle has fractured both bones in her right wrist... she had to be in a sling till monday for the swelling to subside... before putting it in a cast...
today's treatment cost about SGD$450...
the school said that the expenses will be borne by the school as the accident happened in school... i am hoping that this is true... cos there's gonna be more expenses coming... as there will be more trips to the hospital...
we will have to go again tomorrow to check if swelling has subsided... then on monday for the cast... on tuesday for a check... then once a week till the cast is removed...
now with her at home... i face the challenge of keeping her occupied...
when she came home... she played Wii with her left hand... then she was jus watching a movie on my computer... but before she even finished the movie... she got bored... and wanted to do some work in ther assessment book... now she is playing with cards... but i can tell that she will be on to something else really soon...
better dun complain about being bored anymore... =P
'Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.'
1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18
Wednesday, 9 June 2010
Mr Google
starting to get really... really restless at home... on weekday mornings...
many suggestions have poured in from hubby and friends...
brush up on your japanese
but i am too lazy... no motivation... the ppl i interact with each day... are non-japanese... so no chance to practice...
watch korean / jap / HK dramas
i am not a movie person... dun really like to sit around and watch for hours... =P
shopping
scary... sure to increase expenditure... besides... i dun really like to shop alone... once in a while it's ok... but generally... i dun like to do anything alone...
so... that leaves me with Mr Google... most of the time... and i am beginning to enjoy it...
from him... i have learnt to make so many new dishes to satisfy my family's tummy... like today... i learnt how to make chawanmushi... teriyaki chicken... and oyakodon... my gals' favourites... =)
actually... i am also searching for an online course that i can do... hopefully something to do with the study of worship... but have not found anything yet... so please give me a buzz if you have anything to recommend..."
many suggestions have poured in from hubby and friends...
brush up on your japanese
but i am too lazy... no motivation... the ppl i interact with each day... are non-japanese... so no chance to practice...
watch korean / jap / HK dramas
i am not a movie person... dun really like to sit around and watch for hours... =P
shopping
scary... sure to increase expenditure... besides... i dun really like to shop alone... once in a while it's ok... but generally... i dun like to do anything alone...
so... that leaves me with Mr Google... most of the time... and i am beginning to enjoy it...
from him... i have learnt to make so many new dishes to satisfy my family's tummy... like today... i learnt how to make chawanmushi... teriyaki chicken... and oyakodon... my gals' favourites... =)
actually... i am also searching for an online course that i can do... hopefully something to do with the study of worship... but have not found anything yet... so please give me a buzz if you have anything to recommend..."
Tuesday, 8 June 2010
differently
so... wad are the things that i do differently here..?
ironing
the same thing about ironing is... i still HATE to iron...
here... i sit on the floor and do my ironing... was not too used to it initially... so we put the ironing board on the table when we iron...
the ironing board here is designed for use on the floor... it's not even as long as the ones we have back in singapore... it's about half the length... so u can imagine my frustration when i iron pants...
but since... i have adapted to this new style of ironing... jus that i get pins and needles in my legs... each time i finish ironing...
handkerchiefs
think tissue paper... jus that ppl here use handkerchiefs...
when packing for the gals' outing... there was a given lis of things to bring for the trip... among the many... there were at least 3 different types of towels/handkerchiefs that they needed to bring...
one for wiping perspiration...
another for cleaning your after lunch...
yet another for drying your hands after washing them...
socks
hardly anyone here is without a sock... or a socking... or a legging... or tights...
this i have grown to love... =)
cos it's so comfortable..!
they have so many designs... i simply love the lacy ones that jus cover your toes... and are not seen after putting on your shoes..!
i tried getting such back at home... but they were all so disappointing... either too thick... or the heel always slips down after 10 steps...
ppl here are spoilt for choices here... and they dun really care if their socks or stockings show... i had thought it looked kinda weird with their socks showing... but some ppl here really do it quite nicely...
packing your own groceries
at the check-out... your groceries from your shopping basket... is taken out... item by item for scanning... and then they are placed neatly into another shopping basket... the cashier then places the required carrier bags on top of the groceries... smiles and says thank you...
then you carry that basket to a table-top nearby... and start your own packing...
at the packing station... you will notice a damp cloth... for those who find it difficult to open the carrier bags with their dry fingertips... there is a pair of scissors... plastic bags... strings... a dustbin...
i've seen ppl emptying their styrofoam trays of meats into the plastic bags provided... and discarding the trays in the dustbin... guess this is because of their disposal system here... which i will tell you more later...
after packing... ppl will return the shopping basket... though many ppl use the stations... i have never seen a dirty station in any store...
disposal system
the question that the gals kept asking since we came here was...
'is this plastic..? or paper..?'
there are no rubbish chutes here... not private ones... nor shared ones... nothing... jus a designated area...
we are to separate combustibles from non-combustibles... and we are to dispose of different types of waste at different days of the week... different places have a different schedule...
here in naka-megura...
every tuesday and friday... we get to throw food waste... combustibles... i usually look forward to tuesday... cos i will have 3 days of food waste in my house...! pee-yeeew..!
only thursdays are for non-combustibles... like cans... aluminium... pet bottles... plastic containers for food... cling wrap... i really cant wait for thursdays to come... cos there really is a lot of non-combustibles to throw..! so i have to rinse everything... especially meat trays and sauce packaging before discarding them... and they are so bulky... we usually have at least 4 plastic bags full of these to throw on thursday...
the 1st and 3rd saturdays... are for things made of metals... like scissors... and glass...
and if you wanna discard batteries... you'd have to bring them to a store that collects them...
many... many more differences...
that's wad's making this journey so interesting..! =)
ironing
the same thing about ironing is... i still HATE to iron...
here... i sit on the floor and do my ironing... was not too used to it initially... so we put the ironing board on the table when we iron...
the ironing board here is designed for use on the floor... it's not even as long as the ones we have back in singapore... it's about half the length... so u can imagine my frustration when i iron pants...
but since... i have adapted to this new style of ironing... jus that i get pins and needles in my legs... each time i finish ironing...
handkerchiefs
think tissue paper... jus that ppl here use handkerchiefs...
when packing for the gals' outing... there was a given lis of things to bring for the trip... among the many... there were at least 3 different types of towels/handkerchiefs that they needed to bring...
one for wiping perspiration...
another for cleaning your after lunch...
yet another for drying your hands after washing them...
socks
hardly anyone here is without a sock... or a socking... or a legging... or tights...
this i have grown to love... =)
cos it's so comfortable..!
they have so many designs... i simply love the lacy ones that jus cover your toes... and are not seen after putting on your shoes..!
i tried getting such back at home... but they were all so disappointing... either too thick... or the heel always slips down after 10 steps...
ppl here are spoilt for choices here... and they dun really care if their socks or stockings show... i had thought it looked kinda weird with their socks showing... but some ppl here really do it quite nicely...
packing your own groceries
at the check-out... your groceries from your shopping basket... is taken out... item by item for scanning... and then they are placed neatly into another shopping basket... the cashier then places the required carrier bags on top of the groceries... smiles and says thank you...
then you carry that basket to a table-top nearby... and start your own packing...
at the packing station... you will notice a damp cloth... for those who find it difficult to open the carrier bags with their dry fingertips... there is a pair of scissors... plastic bags... strings... a dustbin...
i've seen ppl emptying their styrofoam trays of meats into the plastic bags provided... and discarding the trays in the dustbin... guess this is because of their disposal system here... which i will tell you more later...
after packing... ppl will return the shopping basket... though many ppl use the stations... i have never seen a dirty station in any store...
disposal system
the question that the gals kept asking since we came here was...
'is this plastic..? or paper..?'
there are no rubbish chutes here... not private ones... nor shared ones... nothing... jus a designated area...
we are to separate combustibles from non-combustibles... and we are to dispose of different types of waste at different days of the week... different places have a different schedule...
here in naka-megura...
every tuesday and friday... we get to throw food waste... combustibles... i usually look forward to tuesday... cos i will have 3 days of food waste in my house...! pee-yeeew..!
only thursdays are for non-combustibles... like cans... aluminium... pet bottles... plastic containers for food... cling wrap... i really cant wait for thursdays to come... cos there really is a lot of non-combustibles to throw..! so i have to rinse everything... especially meat trays and sauce packaging before discarding them... and they are so bulky... we usually have at least 4 plastic bags full of these to throw on thursday...
the 1st and 3rd saturdays... are for things made of metals... like scissors... and glass...
and if you wanna discard batteries... you'd have to bring them to a store that collects them...
many... many more differences...
that's wad's making this journey so interesting..! =)
Saturday, 5 June 2010
happier now
after rachelle's manisfestation of school refusal... I met up with her class teacher that very day...
spent more than an hour with her teacher...
everything seemed to be going on fine in school... teacher reported that Rachelle is attentive in class... and will raise her hand to ask question when she is in doubt... and that her classmates are always encouraging her... and involving her in their play time...
we were puzzled as go what then could have caused so much anxiety in her...
then teacher recalled and showed me a stack of test papers that were used in class... even I thot that they were difficult..! it's all in Japanese..!
teacher told me that Rachelle actually cried during one of the tests... it was a kanji test... which she scored zero...
it was only then that I realized that it could be part of the reason for her anxiety...
she has never scored a zero for anything in school... and with her character... I dun think it went down well with her... and I am also guessing that she is becoming more aware if herself... and does not wanna be different from her peers...
understanding that... I asked if the teacher notifies the class of the test... he said no but will do so for the next test... I was glad that he is doing it all gir Rachelle...
so 2 days ago... Rachelle was informed of the kanji test for the following day... that night... she was so diligent... armed with hubby's kanji dictionary n his electronic jap dictionary... she found out ghe meanings of the characters jus do that she doesn't jus learn how to write them... but also know give meaning to what she was learning...
she came back the next day... beaming... she had scored 100% for the kanji test... :)
so very proud of her...
spent more than an hour with her teacher...
everything seemed to be going on fine in school... teacher reported that Rachelle is attentive in class... and will raise her hand to ask question when she is in doubt... and that her classmates are always encouraging her... and involving her in their play time...
we were puzzled as go what then could have caused so much anxiety in her...
then teacher recalled and showed me a stack of test papers that were used in class... even I thot that they were difficult..! it's all in Japanese..!
teacher told me that Rachelle actually cried during one of the tests... it was a kanji test... which she scored zero...
it was only then that I realized that it could be part of the reason for her anxiety...
she has never scored a zero for anything in school... and with her character... I dun think it went down well with her... and I am also guessing that she is becoming more aware if herself... and does not wanna be different from her peers...
understanding that... I asked if the teacher notifies the class of the test... he said no but will do so for the next test... I was glad that he is doing it all gir Rachelle...
so 2 days ago... Rachelle was informed of the kanji test for the following day... that night... she was so diligent... armed with hubby's kanji dictionary n his electronic jap dictionary... she found out ghe meanings of the characters jus do that she doesn't jus learn how to write them... but also know give meaning to what she was learning...
she came back the next day... beaming... she had scored 100% for the kanji test... :)
so very proud of her...
eco-friendly
of the four of us... lil joanna's the most Eco-friendly of us all... in fact... I think she's the only one..!
she will always switch off the lights whenever she leaves the room... and just before we leave the house... she will ask if we have switched off all the lights in our room... and when she sees any of us letting the tap run while we reach for soap... she'll come and turn off the running tap for us... the best part is... she does it without complaining nor nagging..! it's pretty amazing to watch..
when she noticed that a room light is not switched off... she'll ask the person standing nearest the switch to help switch it off... and I so love the way she asks...
'daddy... can you help ME to switch off that room light..?'
so cute rite..? she said to help HER when it wasn't even her who had left the light on..!
it's like she owns the responsibility to save electricity and water...
jus find it so amazing... :)
she will always switch off the lights whenever she leaves the room... and just before we leave the house... she will ask if we have switched off all the lights in our room... and when she sees any of us letting the tap run while we reach for soap... she'll come and turn off the running tap for us... the best part is... she does it without complaining nor nagging..! it's pretty amazing to watch..
when she noticed that a room light is not switched off... she'll ask the person standing nearest the switch to help switch it off... and I so love the way she asks...
'daddy... can you help ME to switch off that room light..?'
so cute rite..? she said to help HER when it wasn't even her who had left the light on..!
it's like she owns the responsibility to save electricity and water...
jus find it so amazing... :)
Wednesday, 2 June 2010
expands upon heating
this week... rachelle and i are covering the topic of energy... heat...
we did a few experiments at home... and all the time joanna was listening in... and looking silently...
today... we sort of wrapped up the topic... and got rachelle to state that... matter expands upon heating... and matter contracts when cooled...
then joanna asked...
'mommy... can you heat me up so that i can grow bigger..?'
cheeky lil gal... =)
we did a few experiments at home... and all the time joanna was listening in... and looking silently...
today... we sort of wrapped up the topic... and got rachelle to state that... matter expands upon heating... and matter contracts when cooled...
then joanna asked...
'mommy... can you heat me up so that i can grow bigger..?'
cheeky lil gal... =)
Tuesday, 1 June 2010
silent...
one of my friends asked me yesterday...
'hey... not many posts from you lately on FB... what have you been up to.. ?'
well... life can get a little boring here... especially when the hubby has assignment after assignment to do... i actually jus live for the weekend here... so if he needs to do his work... saturdays and sundays are jus another day spent at home...
yea... i could bring the gals out... but the gals dun like to shop... so i gotta get creative... maybe a picnic at the nearby park... but then... i get lazy get thinking of organising it...
spending monday mornings alone after all have gone to school... is something that i look forward now... maybe it's cos after the weekend with the family... i really want to spend some time being alone... jus doing the things that i like... like FB-ing... blogging...
then the rest of the week... is now very much a routine... i spend the mornings tidying up... washing and cleaning... laundry and ironing... then during lunch... the dinner menu will be planned and prepared... cutting the ingredients...
when the gals come home in the afternoon... it'll be their homework... and then homeschool... followed by cooking dinner... usually by 6pm... dinner will be ready...
then after dinner is when the family bonds... with conversations over the dinner table... over desserts... notes from school for hubby to read... then Wii game... or any board games that we have brought along...
very soon after... it's bedtime for the gals at 9pm...
life is simple... it's different... it's relaxing...
it's something that we would never had the chance to experience... if not for this opportunity... and i am grateful for this... =)
'hey... not many posts from you lately on FB... what have you been up to.. ?'
well... life can get a little boring here... especially when the hubby has assignment after assignment to do... i actually jus live for the weekend here... so if he needs to do his work... saturdays and sundays are jus another day spent at home...
yea... i could bring the gals out... but the gals dun like to shop... so i gotta get creative... maybe a picnic at the nearby park... but then... i get lazy get thinking of organising it...
spending monday mornings alone after all have gone to school... is something that i look forward now... maybe it's cos after the weekend with the family... i really want to spend some time being alone... jus doing the things that i like... like FB-ing... blogging...
then the rest of the week... is now very much a routine... i spend the mornings tidying up... washing and cleaning... laundry and ironing... then during lunch... the dinner menu will be planned and prepared... cutting the ingredients...
when the gals come home in the afternoon... it'll be their homework... and then homeschool... followed by cooking dinner... usually by 6pm... dinner will be ready...
then after dinner is when the family bonds... with conversations over the dinner table... over desserts... notes from school for hubby to read... then Wii game... or any board games that we have brought along...
very soon after... it's bedtime for the gals at 9pm...
life is simple... it's different... it's relaxing...
it's something that we would never had the chance to experience... if not for this opportunity... and i am grateful for this... =)
Monday, 31 May 2010
happy anniversary..!
the past 10 anniversaries were celebrated without the gals... this year... not that we do not have any caregivers cos we can always drop them off at our neighbour's... but rather... thought that it would be nice to have them around... and involve them in the celebrations too...
it started with shopping... hubby went on the shopping date with rachelle... while joanna was with me...
we went to takashimaya @ shinjuku... we separated for 2 hours... to hunt for a present for each other... it was a nice experience... the gals had a say as to what gift to buy... or a say in the choice of design...
the gals enjoyed the shopping dates... =)
we met up later and went for dinner at sizzler... the gals were so eager for us to open our presents during dinner...
hubby got me a purse from paul smith... rachelle helped choose the design... and they thought that the usual browns and blacks were too boring... and felt that this one was the most 'me'... =)
joanna and i really had a hard time... shopping for hubby is never easy... so we had to think through his daily routine... thinking wad could make his routine more enjoyable... something that enhances...
hubby drinks a lot of coffee when he reads or writes his papers... he usually drinks from his usual 100yen coffee cup... sometimes he forgets that he still has coffee... or that the coffee turns cold to fast...
and so... we got him a bodum desktop tumbler...
joanna felt funny that my gift to hubby was so cheap... compared to what hubby had spent on mine... but hubby told her that it's really the thought that mattered... and he liked the tumbler...
though hubby and i miss shopping together... and winding down in the evening after dinner over a drink... it was meaningful with the gals... =)
it started with shopping... hubby went on the shopping date with rachelle... while joanna was with me...
we went to takashimaya @ shinjuku... we separated for 2 hours... to hunt for a present for each other... it was a nice experience... the gals had a say as to what gift to buy... or a say in the choice of design...
the gals enjoyed the shopping dates... =)
we met up later and went for dinner at sizzler... the gals were so eager for us to open our presents during dinner...
hubby got me a purse from paul smith... rachelle helped choose the design... and they thought that the usual browns and blacks were too boring... and felt that this one was the most 'me'... =)
joanna and i really had a hard time... shopping for hubby is never easy... so we had to think through his daily routine... thinking wad could make his routine more enjoyable... something that enhances...
hubby drinks a lot of coffee when he reads or writes his papers... he usually drinks from his usual 100yen coffee cup... sometimes he forgets that he still has coffee... or that the coffee turns cold to fast...
and so... we got him a bodum desktop tumbler...
joanna felt funny that my gift to hubby was so cheap... compared to what hubby had spent on mine... but hubby told her that it's really the thought that mattered... and he liked the tumbler...
though hubby and i miss shopping together... and winding down in the evening after dinner over a drink... it was meaningful with the gals... =)
Wednesday, 26 May 2010
COSTCO warehouse
finally visited the much raved about COSTCO yesterday... heard of how cheap stuff there are... and i was really excited about getting there...
so together with my 2 korean neighbours... we set of in the morning... it was an hour drive...
when we reached there... i was so overwhelmed by the size of everything... everything was so huge..! things are definitely cheaper... cos instead of buying 10 eggs at a time... you'll have to buy 30.. at least... of course... the more you buy... the cheaper it gets...
after about 2hrs there... i was SGD200 poorer... =P
however... my fridge is now bursting at the seams... bought lots of pork and chicken... even prawns...
my verdict...
yes... costco is cheap... but unless i share what i buy with my neighbours... i'd be wasting more food cos i dun think we can eat fast enough before the foodstuff expire...
so for me... i'd still visit the nearby supermarket for the daily stuff like bread... ham... milk... and veggies... then for heavier things like rice and beer... i'd go online to order and let them deliver...
and maybe once a fortnight... i'd visit Jusco... to buy things like coffee and frozen stuff...
costco..?
only when my neighbours wanna go... then i'll tag along...
so together with my 2 korean neighbours... we set of in the morning... it was an hour drive...
when we reached there... i was so overwhelmed by the size of everything... everything was so huge..! things are definitely cheaper... cos instead of buying 10 eggs at a time... you'll have to buy 30.. at least... of course... the more you buy... the cheaper it gets...
after about 2hrs there... i was SGD200 poorer... =P
however... my fridge is now bursting at the seams... bought lots of pork and chicken... even prawns...
my verdict...
yes... costco is cheap... but unless i share what i buy with my neighbours... i'd be wasting more food cos i dun think we can eat fast enough before the foodstuff expire...
so for me... i'd still visit the nearby supermarket for the daily stuff like bread... ham... milk... and veggies... then for heavier things like rice and beer... i'd go online to order and let them deliver...
and maybe once a fortnight... i'd visit Jusco... to buy things like coffee and frozen stuff...
costco..?
only when my neighbours wanna go... then i'll tag along...
Friday, 21 May 2010
irony
it all started out with me thinking that i would probably be talking more with the idian lady next door... i mean... there is no language barrier... we both speak fluent english... she has a son that is the same age as rachelle... our children even go to the same school...
little did i think that i'd be spending most of my time now with Munjoo (korean lady next door)... the major problem between us was language...
funny how things turned out... i hardly see nor speak with the indian lady... in fact... i am now friends with 3 korean ladies in the building... one is Munjoo... then Munjoo's neighbour... and Munjoo's neighbour's friend who lives one floor down...
the 4 of us started going out... wad i thought initially was a shopping trip... and since then we have been to each other's house for tea... coffee... lunch... and we are often seen passing dishes of our own cooking for each other to try... especially at dinner times...
we have even started our very own english and japanese study group... which are on every thursday...
so how do we overcome our language barrier..? we act... charade... make sound effects... hand gestures... and though it often resulted in the meanings lost in translation... we do have a good laugh at each other...
especially for Munjoo... her neighbour (Yi-san)... and myself... we are closer... maybe cos we are on the same level... and the fact that we have 2 daughters each... =)
wad tickles me most is the sharing of food amongst the 3 of us... i would receive a plate of their home-cooking... and not wanting to return an empty plate... i'd prepare something and place it on the plate... and return it... then the cycle continues with Yi-san... then i'd share my chicken curry... they'll share their kim-chi rice... ... ...
it's fun... =)
little did i think that i'd be spending most of my time now with Munjoo (korean lady next door)... the major problem between us was language...
funny how things turned out... i hardly see nor speak with the indian lady... in fact... i am now friends with 3 korean ladies in the building... one is Munjoo... then Munjoo's neighbour... and Munjoo's neighbour's friend who lives one floor down...
the 4 of us started going out... wad i thought initially was a shopping trip... and since then we have been to each other's house for tea... coffee... lunch... and we are often seen passing dishes of our own cooking for each other to try... especially at dinner times...
we have even started our very own english and japanese study group... which are on every thursday...
so how do we overcome our language barrier..? we act... charade... make sound effects... hand gestures... and though it often resulted in the meanings lost in translation... we do have a good laugh at each other...
especially for Munjoo... her neighbour (Yi-san)... and myself... we are closer... maybe cos we are on the same level... and the fact that we have 2 daughters each... =)
wad tickles me most is the sharing of food amongst the 3 of us... i would receive a plate of their home-cooking... and not wanting to return an empty plate... i'd prepare something and place it on the plate... and return it... then the cycle continues with Yi-san... then i'd share my chicken curry... they'll share their kim-chi rice... ... ...
it's fun... =)
Wednesday, 19 May 2010
scrapbooking
got started after dinner...
managed to only paste pretty papers on 2 pieces of cardboard from the album... =P
but felt that it was fun... something that i can do... it was somewhat therapeutic...
right now... i need to choose the photos that i want... so that i can really begin on the album... but think choosing which photos go into the album would be the toughest part of the process..?
anyways... let's see how i progress from here... =)
managed to only paste pretty papers on 2 pieces of cardboard from the album... =P
but felt that it was fun... something that i can do... it was somewhat therapeutic...
right now... i need to choose the photos that i want... so that i can really begin on the album... but think choosing which photos go into the album would be the toughest part of the process..?
anyways... let's see how i progress from here... =)
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