Happy Birthday Kitson!

Another year older,
Another year wiser.

The contented birthday boy with his coconut drink!

Hiroshi giving the secret recipie birthday cake a huge thumbs up!

Thank you Sister Peggy & family for the Birthday Surprise and Treat!

Happy Birthday George!!

When I was dating Kitson,
I attended George's full month celebration in Ipoh!

And he's 7 today!!!

*staring hard at wrinkles and greying hair*
Time Flies!!!

Hiroshi's Woes of Reading

We managed another page in the book!

*wipes away perspiration on forehead*

I wonder if this is the pitfall of our educational system?!?!?

Hiroshi is definitely not learning to read,

he is merely memorizing!!!!

Page 2 of A School Bully
Q-dees Building blocks graded reading programme

Sophia picking daddy up from the airport

After a long bus ride,
Sophia is excited to surprise daddy at the airport.....

Hiroshi's World of Reality

Week 12 Homework

We're starting to get the hang

about writing 2 pages of homework every week...

Oh well... at least Hiroshi doesn't complain that much anymore!

But, it seems that we now have new uphill challenges ahead:

the Q-dees Building Blocks Graded Reading Programme....

Hiroshi is expected to read a book!

Seriously speaking,

I cannot remember myself reading books at the age of 5!

The teacher's atrocious note on his book:

"Needs practice.....

Isaac really needs to put in effort in reading.

I am trying my best to motivate him.

Pls go through the book with him."

So honestly, if the teacher did try so hard to motivate him,

why can't he even read the 1st word on the book?!?!?!?!

*speechless*

Through bursting every single blood vessel in my system,

we managed to read ONE page in the book!

Darn... Many more pages to go!

But, we should learn to REJOICE at the current achievement

rather than concentrate at the huge mountain ahead!

1st page of A School Bully

Q-dees Building blocks graded reading programme

Simplicity of a Child's Life.....

I love simplicity of a child's life!

I love how an umbrella on a rainy day

instantly brightens up Hiroshi's gloomy day!!!

Nasi Ulam

Nasi Ulam is Malay for "rice" (nasi)

with a whole variety of local greens.

These greens comprise vegetables, herbaceous plants,

edible wild plants, shoots, leaves, and stems.

Description

Also known as kampung salad,

Nasi Ulam is a signature dish of Peranankans as well as the Malays.

Nasi Ulam has been a popular dish

with the natives of the Malay Peninsula.

But like many dishes in South East Asia,

other cultures also have their version of the dish,

especially the Peranakans who adapted the dish

until it became an integral part of Straits cooking.

It is now known as "Queen" of all Peranakan rice.

-By Suchitthra Vasu

Recipe adapted from Tracer (www.umami.typepad.com)

Ingredients:

(some quantities are vague,

because it can be guess-timated according to personal taste):

4 cups of rice, cooked

Salted fish, about 10 g, fried, then cooled and shredded finely

Dried shrimps, about 1 big handful, fried and cooled

1 tbsp belacan, toasted

2 tbsp kerisik (toasted grated coconut), dry-toasted in a wok

Herbs ( Finely sliced)

Handful shallots

1 serai (lemongrass), only the tender inner parts of the white end

1 bunga kantan (ginger flower)

3 stalks daun kesom (laksa leaves)

3 stalks basil leaves

3 stalks mint leaves

3-4 cekur leaves

6 kaduk leaves

1 turmeric leaf

1 kaffir lime leaf

1 cm fresh turmeric, finely chopped

pepper to taste

toasted almonds for garnish

I personally have a love hate relationship

with this amazing peranakan dish!

I swear the "finely slice herbs" in the recipe is a pain in the arse!

But whenever,

I shove a spoonful of Nasi Ulam into my mouth,

my stomach would immediately ease the pain in the arse

telling it that it's all worth it!

Arrgh!!!

*Complicated Human Anatomy*

Now the bad news....

Hiroshi loves Nasi Ulam too!!!!

Recipe for Successful Marriage.....

Preheat oven by taking a good hard look at yourself

with all your attributes and all your faults.

Then prepare yourself

by taking a realistic look at your mate.

Note what you really love about your partner

and be flexible and accepting of the other’s faults.

Understand that marriage is not always an easy road,

but if careful with each others feelings,

it can be a great success.

Make Marriage:

In a large bowl full of space where each individual can grow freely

and fully express themselves,

stir together

1-1/2 cups God’s Love ( do not substitute )

1-1/2 cups Kindness

1-1/2 cups Patience

In another bowl , whisk together

3 cups Respect

1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Understanding

1 teaspoon Generosity

1 teaspoon Forgiveness

1 teaspoon Sense of Humor

1 teaspoon Unselfishness

1 teaspoon Responsiblty

1 teaspoon Constructive Criticism

(This last ingredient is a leavening,

so administer carefully and in small amount

or the marriage could turn bitter.)

Stir together and pour into prepared heart.

Bake Marriage:

Bake marriage in the middle of a hot oven

full of life’s major hurdles for a time,

then reduce heat and bake longer

in life’s constant little irritations.

The marriage should rise above these problems

and form a wonderful union.

Note the glorious aroma.

Make Filling;

In a small bowl with a good mixer, blend together

1 cup Leadership

½ cup Gentleness

Fill Marriage:

With a Long knife of TRUST ,

cut the marriage into two distinct personalties.

On the bottom,

spread the Strong, but Gentle filling.

On the top, spread

1 cup wit and intelligence, spiced with humor

Place distinct personalities together,

one on top of the other.

Make Marriage Seal:

In a bowl, over simmering passion, melt together

½ cup JOY

1 Tablespoon Playfulness

Melt together, stirring in

3 Tablespoons Laughter

one moment at a time.

Place over a bowl of good times and bad times,

and stir until it flows freely.

Seal Marriage:

Pour this mixture over marriage,

spreading over the top and allowing

to drip over the sides to others.

Sembawang Shopping Center; Splash Park

Spanning 15,000 square feet, the spraypark features interactive features

to provide entertainment and amusement for children.

The design concept is to bring an interesting element of interactivity and fun

into the playground, thus attracting patronage the shopping centre.

Departing from traditional playground equipment,

PLAYPOINT design a mix of splash play and dry play in the playground.

The different elevated grounds between the dry and wet zone,

creates a multi-layered playground that creates a more interesting landscaping.

The Splash Park uses whimsical "Aquatecture®" from WATERTOYS.

It features a host of ground sprays pads

and equipment that creates a fun and vibrant playscape.

The 3 embankment sides are used

as a transition between wet and dry play zones.

It allows children to easily slide from the wet playground

to the dry playground with relative ease.

The Dry area also uses the KOMPAN playground equipment.

With ELEMENTS playground catering for 2-5 years old ,

GALAXY for the 6-12 years old

and a covered fitness area for adults,

it provides good entertainment fun for the whole family.

-source from www.playpoint.com.sg

This is the same company that designed and built

Rainforest Kidzworld at Singapore Zoo!!!!

Water Play is available at

11am -2pm

OR

5pm-8pm

Free Shuttle Bus from Yishun and Sembawang Mrt Station

from 9.30am to 10pm daily

It's AWESOME!!!

The kids had so much fun

shuttling between the wet and dry play area!

Hiroshi with the HUGE water gun!

Sophia looking too feminine

for the mean looking water gun.....

Hiroshi who refused to get out of the Splash Park!

Adeline with all-showered-up Sophia

(taken by Adeline's hubby; Wein

with Adeline's canon 550D)

Dinner at Aston

Hiroshi saying: "I SEE YOU!!"

(Taken by Adeline with canon 550D)

Cheeky Sophia

licking her mushroom soup mustache....

(taken by Adeline with canon 550D)

Great outing!

We should this again and again and again and again....

Hiroshi's World Of Reality

Week 11 homework

We breezed through this week's homework,

since Hiroshi is an expert in alphabet tracing!!

*Big Wide Smile*

Happy 1st Month Baby Alphaeus!!!

We have another nephew joining our family,

Baby Alphaeus,

Son of Jack & Celest.

Baby Alphaeus & Myself

*peace*

This is what you get when your mum works for a awesome baker!

Canelé Pâtisserie Chocolaterie

Love it, Love it, Love it!

Getting Organized....

This is the state of my bag....

Ultimate Mess!

Not much of a problem

until you need to find that tiny bunch of key

when your balder is at the brim of exploding!

Made with Love Bag Organizer

Bag Organizer Rolled Up

Bag Organizer in my Chiong Agnes B Bag

Now I can change bags anytime I want to.

Even at the very last minute!

Just take out the bag organizer and swap bags!

Easy as A,B,C!

Finally,

No more pants wetting!

No more missed calls!

*grin*

I am officially PUNK-ish!

I thought this was the BEST opportunity

to try something that I've always wanted to try,

but never had the guts to.....

I agreed

-

-

-

-

-

to be a hair model!

Talented Simon working magic on my hair....

Brilliant Steven who painted my hair

in every spectrum of the rainbow colours!

Ck, Hair Instructor aka Discipline Master

*giggle*

Simon, Owner of Elle Salon & Elle Hair Academy

All the pretty Models of the day!

I'm Lovin' It!

PUNK PUNK

SUPER PUNK!!!

A Pleasant Surprise

Think this birdie must be lost during the migration.

He was all alone when we found him in a coffeeshop!!

He even eats Tau Pok soaked in Bak Kut Teh!!!!

Hiroshi Learning Sight Words.....

The Dolch/Sight Word Lists were developed by Edward W. Dolch

who found that there are 220 most common words

that appear over and over again.

When students, especially those with Dyslexia

or language learning disabilities focus on the Dolch/Sight words,

confidence and reading ability improve.....

It hasn't been a really consistence effort,

I've gone on and off the programme!

This is our effort a lil after 2 months.....

Hiroshi still has a few more word to learn

before completing the pre-primer sight word list.....

Circle Line Discovery

Managed to get on the circle line by chance

after Easter Sunday Church Service at Indoor Stadium.....

Auntie Ivy & Hiroshi

Ivy & myself playing with

camera's smart smile detection function....

Ivy experimenting if the camera would still take a picture

if she's not smiling......
Of course it would!! Coz I am Smiling *'u'*,

and now you look SILLY!!!!

Wahahahahahaha.....

Fully convinced of the smile function, she decides to smile again!

Sophia & Myself

Ivy and the "starting to get complicated" train map of singapore.....

And I mention the train ride was FREE!!!

wooohooo.....

My "Auntie" slogan: Cheap is good, But FREE lagi BEST!

Circle line will officially open on the 18th of April 2010!!!

Praise Singapore for it's effective transportation system!!!

Hiroshi World of Reality

Week 10 Homework

Great news for Easter Holidays

Kind teachers stick to ONLY 2 pages of homework!!!

Hence, stress level is greatly reduced!

I've also notice that Hiroshi has taken a keen interest in Chinese.

Each time he brings home his chinese little reader story books,

he is able to read it from START to END!!!

I'll like to thank 陈老师 for her patience & guidance.

Hiroshi started school at 17 months,

he could not even understand his own chinese name

when it was being called upon....

But today, he is recognizing chinese characters

and reading story books!!!!

Isn't that a vast improvement that calls for a celebration?!?!?!?

I am still waiting for the day

when we can have a proper conversation in mandarin!

But, till then....

I am proud of his current achievements!

Good job Son!