My family just returned from Singapore. Orchard Road was beautiful with lights on the street. However I think the decoration was not as good as my last visit.

I planned this trip in June as I saw some of my SIA frequent flyer miles were going to expire. I wanted to go Bali but my hubby didn’t like that place. We settled for Singapore since I have free stay in Singapore Hyatt too. That hotel is superb. They gave us complimentary meal by the pool because I had a tiny complaint.

My children love the SIA airplane ride because of the TV, I have to bring my own headphones for them to watch cartoon. The air stewardess brought toys for them. Next they enjoyed the swimming pool and cartoon channel in the hotel. The rest was just ok for them.

First stop, none other than Sentosa Island. My friend recommended the Luge ride which Emily absolutely likes. You should try it when you are there. It is a ride on a plastic thing that goes downhill. She told me she wanted to ride it alone the second time. I didn’t like the sky ride as I have height phobia. Tim has really sweaty hands when he rides that too.

We also went to the Underwater World but were a little disappointed because there was no dolphin show. The seal show was pathetic. Only 10 minutes and after that, they were all out to get our money by asking us to take pictures with the seal.

We went around the tunnel to look at fishes a few times as we were looking for the scuba diver to come down to feed the sharks. No scuba diver there, he didn’t come. It was stated in the pamphlets the timing but no divers. We found the diver out in another big tank. He was cleaning the tank. Another disappointment.

Timothy decided he wanted to go the beach. Well, it was really hot that day and it wasn’t such a good idea. I don’t want to be burn like a sausage. He was really persistent, so we take a tram ride to the Siloso beach. We found a very shady area where we rest. The children had fun with the sand playing. Well we can get this from Penang Island and I asked myself, what are we doing here??!! I guess the view is much better and it is free.

Next I will blog about the Hippo tours and the famous Singapore Flyer.

Yeap school’s break is here. My children are very happy. They kept pestering me what they can do during the holidays. We will be going on a vacation to Singapore, I got some frequent flier miles to burn.

Today, I saw Tim and Emily a little bored. I decided to take out some flour, salt and water to make them some playdoh. They sat there to play with it for an hour. Isn’t it great? No fighting and both of them telling stories of what they are making. It is definitely better than TV. I threw in some alphabets cutter for them to play. I can keep the doh for tomorrow for them to continue.

It is really easy to make playdoh. You just put 1 cup flour and ½ cup salt in to a big bowl. Add coloring to ½ cup water. Slowly pour the water, while mixing it using hand. You will get a nice doh. Emily said “It smells like bread”. Yeap I can bake it if I want too….:P

You can try it with your kids.

Look what my itchy hands did??!! Emily loves it. Tim says it is bad omen.

Happy Wednesday!

Finally the busy weekend is over. I have 1 graduation, 2 concerts and 1 Sunday School prize giving events to go.

First off, my brother’s Master graduation was held on Friday and ceremonial dinner was on Thursday. My parents came up to Penang to attend his graduation. Since my parents were here, they also wanted to attend my children’s concerts.

Both Tim and Emily’s concert were on the same date. Tim started at 7am in the morning while Emily started at 9am. I attended Emily’s concert while my hubby attended Tim. Tim’s concert was a lengthy one. Although the concert started at 8am, the actual performance begun at 11:00am. There was 3 hours of speech, prize presentation and what not. Poor hubby had to wait for a long time. Ooh, he told me that we can buy the recorded DVD.

Emily’s concert was a breeze, started at 9am sharp and ended punctually. Her class did 2 musical percussion pieces. It was lovely. Lastly was the Sunday School prize giving events that I had to prepare some prizes for the children.

Aren’t they cute??!!

Well, at the end of it all, my hubby and 1 received 3 bouquets of flowers. It is not even my birthday or anniversary. I am so pleased.

Timothy received his Year 2 books after returning his Year 1 books. Some of them are brand new one. I am not sure why the Moral book is the most torn and tattered. Either it is over used which is a good thing or the school never change the Moral book. Let’s hope it is the first one. Today he packed the Year 2 books to school. He thought the teachers will start teaching it. :rolleyes:

Additional job for me is to get it wrapped. I remembered when I was in primary, my mum, sister and brother will wrapped the books. I was the youngest and they don’t allow me to do. Maybe I will mess up the new books. After I insist that I want to wrap my books, they gladly hand me all the books to wrap including theirs. I do enjoy wrapping them. Today, things get easier because they sell those pre-wrap plastic where I can just slip the book cover. If I have time, I still like to wrap it the old way.

On another topic, today I received a message from Tim’s school that his concert will be held on Saturday. It was a last minute notice. The school sent out a notice for rehearsal but didn’t really state the actual date of the concert. I SMS Tim’s classmate’s mother and she told me it is on Saturday. After school, when I picked Tim up, I confirmed it with his teacher.

Now the headache, Emily’s concert is also this Saturday. Her school sends out a notice a month ago. Both in the morning and both held in different places. Which one should I attend? I want to see both…sigh. How? :wall:

Guess what my hubby get for me? Click here.

Every morning I have difficulty starting the engine. It cried a little and fall back to sleep. No matter how I kick start it, it falls back to sleep. It takes more than 30 minutes just to get it move a little.

What am I talking about? I am talking about starting Emily’s engine, waking her up in the morning and preparing her for school. It is getting tougher and tougher. Initially I get the swimming pool in the bathroom to wake her up. She wakes up immediately knowing she can play with water. She feels refresh after a bath.

This week she pays no attention to the swimming pool. How ah? I run out of ideas. Nope TV doesn’t work either.

My hubby and I make sure she sleeps by 9:30pm but it doesn’t helps. I am running out of tricks. Well, I hope I can tolerate for 1.5 weeks before holidays start.

I was working at odd hours lately, thanks to US and EU team. Of coz, I am also chasing the TVB series ???. Yesterday I beh tahan (cannot tolerate), I had to sleep. My hubby brought Tim to church and left Emily with me.

Well, I told Emily that I want to take a nap. She is fairly independent now, she can switch on the TV and DVD herself, she can entertained her and play on her own. The only thing I don’t allowed her to do is make her own milk. Wow, she has the whole house to herself and does whatever she wants.

After 1 hour, she came to me while I am snoozing. She told me she has nothing to do. Poor gal. I told her to brush her teeth and sleep early. She helped me switch off all the house lights, brushed her teeth and slept. Both of us slept until next morning. I didn’t even hear my hubby and son came back.

By the way only 1 thing can wake my gal up early in the morning to go to school. Guess what’s that?

I was teaching Emily and Tim the age difference between them and their older cousin.

Mummy: Your cousin CC is older than Tim by 1 year old and Tim is older than Emily by 2 years old.

Mummy: Emily is 5 years old. Add 2 is 7. Tim is 7 years old. Add 1 is 8 and CC is 8 years old.

Mummy: When Emily is 20 years old. How old is Tim?

Emily: Tim is 22

Mummy: How old is CC?

Emily: CC is 23.

Mummy: When Emily is 100 years old. How old is Tim and CC?

Tim: Tim and CC will be in heaven. 😯

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Are we parents being too competitive? Some of us are stress up because our children are having their exams. Some wanting their children to get high marks, I mean high like 100. Below 95 is unacceptable to them. Really, I just want Tim to pass, getting above 90 is a bonus. He surprises me a few times. I don’t send him to any tuition and I helped him with revision one week before exams.

The other day, I was talking to a mother whose child is in the same school with Tim. She was telling us with other mothers that his child scored 100 for 3 paper and 97 for the last paper. Yet, he only got number 7 and she mentioned that her son’s friends were calling him stupid. Suddenly I turned very small, hoping she doesn’t ask what my son got. Moment like this will make some mothers to be competitive so that they can brag.

Oh, I also have a friend who takes leaves to tutor her kids one week before her exams. She wants her kids to score above 98. Anything below 95, her child will receive light punishment and scolding.

By the way, whether the child scored 85 or 90 or 95 or 100 in primary school, it doesn’t make a different because in UPSR, it will be A. Give your child a break! For primary stage, I rather my child scores 85 and have more time for other things like sports or hobby.

Anyway, parents try to relax a little and not to pressurize your child. Most important is let the child have fun in learning. Learning is not about scoring high marks, it is applying what they have learned. That is why I liked the western education system where they put more emphasis on practical assignments. Innovation does not come from head knowledge but how to convert knowledge into creation.

Hooray!! Exams are over. At least for Tim and mom!

Emily’s new teeth cannot wait to come out. Last week, she told me another tooth is loose. As usual, she doesn’t want me to touch it. She showed me by moving it. Well, I cannot do anything and let it be until it falls off.

Last Friday, she even has difficulty eating jelly. She accidentally bite on to it, it bleed a little. We were at the church enjoying supper after service. She continued to play on the slide. Later she came to me with the tooth on her hand and with a little bit of blood on her mouth. After I wipe off the blood, I saw the surface of the new tooth. At first, I thought the old tooth chipped.

Later I realized, it is her new tooth sprouting out and pushing the old tooth away. The new tooth cannot wait to come out, a little impatient just like her.