Monday, February 28, 2011

~ It's Test Week Again ~

I have been seriously lacking in updating my blog recently. Many things have happened straight after CNY and I have been struggling with getting my life back on track. The new year didn't start well and I'm hoping things will get better.

The children are in their usual bubbly self making me happy and angry every day. There is also more work and comittment on my end to monitor the children's studies as they progress to K1 and P2. Denver is having his CA1 tests this week. He had his Maths test earlier today, English and Chinese for tomorrow and Chinese Oral on Friday. I haven't been spending as much time coaching Denver compared to when he was in P1. He is spending longer hours in school and having more homework to complete after classes. Play time seems to be getting shorter with all the work but he is lucky that he only has 1 Chinese tuition lesson to cope with.

I'm hoping (as much as he does) for the test week to be over and the children can look forward to enjoying their March holidays.

Friday, February 18, 2011

~ Opening our Red Packets ~

Denver has been looking forward to open up the red packets today. This also marks the end of the 15 days Lunar New Year celebrations.

The children sat down and teared open their red packets, happily taking out the coloured dollar notes within. "$2, $2, $2, $2, $10, $2, $2, $2, $2........ Why so many $2?" Denver commented. He was hoping to see  $10 notes or more so that he can get richer. Alamak! Our little boy is really getting "money-minded".


Gladys, being younger and innocent didn't bother about how much angpow money she has collected and only takes pleasure in taking all the money out from the red packets. She is now able to recognise the numbers and differentiate the various dollar values. :)

The children are definitely the happiest lot this CNY season with yummy food, new & old friends plus red packet money to keep them cheery all day and night.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

~ Sleeping separation - Gladys ~

It has been a week since we put Gladys to sleep in the same room with her gor gor. It all started with Gladys promising us that she will sleep on her own when she is 5 years old. Hubby took the golden opportunity and started her off on 人日 even though her birthday is on September. ^_^ She was kind of reluctant at first but staying by her side till she sleeps helped for a start. When the children are sound asleep, I moved back to my own room.

Without the presence of the children, our bed felt so big and empty. I started missing Gladys' cute little sleepy face and how she likes to kiss and hold onto my hand as she sleeps. My consolation is we still find her sleeping by our side when we wake up in the morning. Like her brother, Gladys usually sneaks back into our room in the middle of the night without my knowing.

It might take a little more time before our dear princess get used to sleeping without her beloved Daddy and Mommy but we are not in a rush. Afterall, Denver only learned to sleep on his own when he was 6 years old. In the meantime, I still get to enjoy waking up with Gladys by my side.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

~ Sunday Cycling ~

Denver is able to bicycle pretty well now and yesterday, Hubby took off the training wheels from Gladys' bicycle since she has been so jealous of her gor gor who do not need to ride on 4 wheels anymore.



Still it is so much harder to teach Gladys to bicycle as she finds it harder to understand the techniques and not very comfortable with her wobbly bike that she was so used to. It is also adding a lot of strain on our backs since we have to bend down more to direct Gladys. It probably will take a longer time for our little girl to bicycle since we can only practice with her once a week. Hopefully she will continue to have the determination on her 2-wheel bicycle. :)

Wednesday, February 09, 2011

~ Lunar New Year - Day 7 (人日)~

The 7th day of Lunar New Year is 人日. Considering it as everyone's birthday. Unfortunately, I was not in the most cherry mood due to work matters. Nevertheless, Hubby bought a fruit cake from Bengawan Solo just to celebrate this special day with the children.

Denver & Gladys didn't really understand what is 人日and are only keen on eating the cake that is set before them.


One lighted candle for each of them to blow so that they won't fight over it.



人日快乐!

Monday, February 07, 2011

~ Lunar New Year - Day 4 ~

Every CNY, we will visit Kevin's parents home at Tai Keng Gardens. Hubby and his buddies have spent a lot of memorable time during their schooling and childhood days over here.

Denver gets very excited whenever he learnt that he is coming here for visiting. The children loves the swing at the front yard, the open grass patch where they can play ball and badminton and not forgetting the yummy home-made Kueh Lapis that Kevin's mother will always made for us. 


This year, Denver & Gladys made new friends with the other kids as played PSP, hide-&-seek and running in and out of the house, screaming and laughing. They are definitely having a great time this CNY. :)

Saturday, February 05, 2011

~ Lunar New Year - Day 3 ~

As Hubby always said... after CNY eve has past, the CNY holidays just come and go very quickly. We are into Day 3 of Lunar New Year and very soon we have to keep our holiday mood and get back to action mode.

It is a fairly quieter year despite the long weekends. We don't have as many visiting compared to the previous years and today we just spent our day lazing in the house most of the time. Bbil's family dropped by this morning to help us clear some of our CNY goodies and we went over to his place for lunch and dinner.

The only main activity we had this evening was going to the carnival (It's a Great Great World - 大世界) near Sengkang CC which thrilled the kiddos. (http://bpdgtravels.blogspot.com/2011/02/its-great-great-world-carnival.html)

More CNY visiting will continue tomorrow before the we get back to work/school. :)

Friday, February 04, 2011

~ Lunar New Year - Day 2 ~

Day 2 of Lunar New Year and we woke up early to go to the temples for prayers. This is a yearly 'tradition' for us to pray for a better year ahead. The children are dressed in Blue today and they looked great!


Our first destination is 韭菜芭城隍庙. We spent some time praying to 太岁and other deities depending on our zodiac.







Next is 洛阳大伯公宫. I wonder if it was due to the incense or the food I have taken for the past 2 days. By the time I reached the temple, I am having a very bad cough and flu. It was so bad that my nose is blocked and I can't even smell a thing. Hence, I didn't went in to pray and waited outside.




We went back home after lunch and I spent the rest of the afternoon sleeping. Luckily, I recover my scent of smell and was feeling a bit better after taking the medicine.

We go to Hubby's brother's and friend's house for visiting for the night and that pretty much ended our Day 2 of CNY.

Thursday, February 03, 2011

~ Lunar New Year - Day 1 ~

新年快乐!扬眉兔气!兔年行大运!After dressing the children up, I always love to take pictures with them. It's amazing to see how much they have grown as each year passed.


Gladys is getting prettier and she wore a pretty white flower dress and a pair of flower shoes. So sweet! Mommy also wore a dark coloured flower dress to match. Hahaha. ^_^


Denver is getting taller and smarter with a neater hair style (much better looking compared to his botak hair style when he was younger.)


Our pretty girl and smart looking boys are ready to go visiting to eat and collect angpows!

We went to 2 temples and it was super crowded at 四马路观音庙 as expected. Despite the long queue at both sides of the temple, it did not stop the devotees' determination from going in to make their prayers.   


Compared to the previous years, we have lesser home visitings this time. Just today alone, we only went to 5 houses and 2 temples with a noon break. Typically we could have visited 9-10 places in a day. :) This might be a good news for Hubby as it would mean he has more time to rest after driving for the whole day.

Day 2 continues tomorrow!

Wednesday, February 02, 2011

~ Spring Cleaning & Reunion Dinner 2011 ~

Chinese New Year eve is always a very busy day for all of us because we need to pray and complete our last minute spring cleaning to welcome the new year. This year, we have more pots of plants along the corridor to brighten our home. The sunflowers are so pretty. :) Hopefully the weather will be as sunny as the flowers during the CNY holidays.


Not forgetting the last minute spring cleaning as soon as we knock off from work. Mopping, changing the bedsheets, laundry and putting out the Chinese new year's goodies. That is a lot of hard work but we would like to start the New Year clean and tidy.


The most important thing to do on CNY eve is having our reunion dinner together. We started with 捞鱼生 (abalone toppings) wishing for a prosperous year ahead. Every year we have steamboat dinner together and there is always a lot of food spread on the table. The children is only keen on dropping the fishballs, prawns and meat into the soup while the adults finish them. ^_^


Here's wishing all a HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR! 恭喜发财,万事如意!