New Year, New Beginnings

Loads of Xmas cheer with time well spent with loved ones. 2011 coming to a tail end as we await for the new year of new beginnings !

2011, a bountiful year I've had.
- We twirl with 2 little ones and guess what, i can't imagine life with just one
- Little of couple tiffs, many of hand holding, kisses and hugs
- Lost friends
- Rediscover colleagues, befriended "jie-meis" at work
- A long time best friend is back, welcome HOME
- Debt free, financial freedom (gee, i can fry my boss any time and be at peace with shopping then)

2012 will be another exciting year which i want to divest my time learning new things and exploring other aspects of my life. Striving for more travels with J & the kids is one on the agenda.

With this, i mark THE END of my blog writing journey, with so many memories to keep, print and made into albums. I can't wait to see the output of this project :)

Open mind, open hearts, open eyes to many more NEW things.  Happy New Year!

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Academic Excellence

I found this over the long weekend.  I showed it to my dad and my in-laws.

SY Dad:
Dad : Oh my, whose results are these?!?!
SY: Jason's
Dad : Erhmm, but almost all subjects FAIL ??
SY: on the next page, it states 40 days absent from school, 40 days of medical !
I think my dad would shudder in fear if i showed this to him during our dating days.  hey dad, this is the guy i am dating, gulp.

In-laws:
FIL : The school is very high standard, you know
SY : hmm, so high till almost all fail?  almost all is in the RED.
MIL : Is it??  i always thought he is not too bad in his studies (and she is NOT joking)
SY: huh? this is called not too bad?? And so many days absent from school?
MIL: But but, i DID send him to school everyday!
FIL: Haha, smiling, Shawn will likely be the same too :p
SY : *almost fell off the chair* touch wood, touch wood, so not funny

If you only have 2 sons, and both having this set of red numbers, you really need to be damn damn cool to be able to sleep at night.

But importantly, it's ALL about each parent's perspective.  I am not sure if i can be at that level of "coolness", but at least i have this set of results to remind myself....

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Some things never quite change

You see this long table seated 9 pax, dressed in our work gear, sipping champagne and wine.  Ever wonder what does a bunch of males and females (age : mid 30s), yak about on a night out?

We seriously discussed :
- growing our eyelashes at $195 per month.  Latisse is the word, repeat after me
- buying a heat cap (which you microwave for 2 mins), apply hair mask, voilà supposedly luxurious hair is yours
- debating over the existence of the Lama's sleeve dog, which apparently lives on saliva ?? erhmm
- everyone, i mean everyone except muah is hitting the gym every week. i see cleavage on the guys and slim silhouette of the gals.  *envy*
- how cutting tomatoes can be extremely dangerous that one was rushed to A&E recently for stitches
- the craving for yummilicious champagne brunches continues

Master the art of being silly. They really really make me laugh all night.  After a decade, they still talk the same !

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Our Tree is Up!

Can you reach for the top? Higher and higher, almost there.  The kids are easily excitable, hyper over the tree.  A little trim at the bottom (for pressies), a douse of water, we are ready to bring it into the house.

The weather has been cool, the smell is in the air, Xmas carols, pressies on the way (for obvious reasons, why we can't have the presents under the tree too early :p), stock up on the champagne, the roast, the ham, we are almost ready for the long weekend. 

With Kids, it will not be quiet.

With Family, it will not be empty.

With Christmas, you will not be walking alone.

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The brothers get WOKING

If i haven't talked about how well the guys in our household cook, let me say it here again.  They are good, great and fantastic cooks that does magic to simple stuff in the kitchen.  Which also explains why it's so darn hard to lose weight. 

Over the weekend, the 2 brothers work around the kitchen with a Japanese & Grill theme put together.  Rainy days are best started with a hot steaming bowl of miso soup, doused with kelp, spring onions and bursting flavors of the clams.

Next is a cold dish (can also be served hot if you prefer).  Stew the radish in chicken broth of dried cuttlefish and oysters, with salt added to taste.  Chill (to v. cold) before serving.  Radish are like sponges, they mop up the goodness of your broth and when you bite into them, the richness of the soup flows and because they are chilled, it's very refreshing to the palette.  Tip: Often some radish may be bitter and hence best blanched before stewing to rid of any bitterness.

The main menu :

Salads: Greens drizzled with Jap sesame dressing

Rice: Cooked with green peas and a pinch of salt added. Served with sliced mushrooms simmered in soya sauce and Japanese mirin.

Fish : Grilled with generous sprinkling of chunky sea salt (this gives a crunch and flavor when you bite into the salt bits together with the fish).  

One of the best addition to Scrumptious and Dribbles in 2011.  Very healthy and hearty.

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Stress free weekends

It took Mister Shawn quite a while to enjoy sandplay (without boots on).  Alyssa is our rough and tough type of girl, that thinks nothing of the sand bits or the crashing waves a near distance away.

Recently, we found a sweet spot along East Coast beach where you can see air planes from afar one after another, soaring over your heads every 10 minutes.

The duo delight themselves in cooking up a storm for a good hour.  Every weekend comes and go by, just us and the kids.  Play, sleep, eat and back to play again.  Stress free weekends seem too good to be true but  let's hope its here to stay.

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Hennessy and Chinese pop?

Recently, i did stuff that i have never done before.

Drink Hennessy in a mando-pop club, Shanghai Dolly that blares Chinese songs.

Being in a Chinese/canto club is one thing, drinking Hennessy (!) is quite another. No offence but i always thought Hennessy is kinda reserved for a certain type of crowd (either the v young or the very old haha) :p We had white wine at 1 Altitude, then Moet & Chandon champagne before closing the night with happy hour pricing of 2 bottles of Hennessy at Shanghai Dolly??  What on earth are we thinking!  

You can imagine how the night turned out to be.  It ended with J swinging by to pick up his sober wife (surprise, surprise), armed with 2 mini-tubs well lined with plastic bags for my friends at 1am.  Very very smart of a husband i have.  If J didn't come by, i am not sure how i am gonna manage the girls out of the club!

I have to say i have not enjoyed myself that much for a long long time, being with people who play hard unreservedly. A refreshing change from what i am used to.  Humming to cheena songs, drinking some old man drinks, playing 5-10 and giggling like a young girl. GeREAT night out. 

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My spouse's best friend

When Shawn was trying to "proclaim" that he would like me to be his wife, J has the perfect reply for him.

Mama is my girlfriend, my wife and my best friend.   You go find yours.

When you hear this from your hubby, you smile and squeeze his hand.   I am glad i am my husband's best friend.

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Holiday 2011 Disney series - The Works

Our 3rd family trip to Disney.  And we still have an unforgettable time.  Hmm.... i wonder why.

Alyssa's first trip up in the sky.   Bravo girl.  Yeah, she's a tough cookie.

Besotted with the merry-go-round but honey, you've gotta get down and re-queue.  She complains each time the music stopped and safety belt unbuckled.

Meet Mister Shawn's idol, Buzz Lightyear!  We've got a truckload of Toy Story figurines.   They are just too cool to skip.

My favorite.  Crystal car cabin, a 20 min cable car ride that you can look right through to the very bottom and boasting a panoramic sea view.

The kids are entertained while the parents take a break over pre-dinner drinks and snacks by the side.  Time-out.

They are quite a sight in the hotel.  Hard to miss them, when you see rumbustious kids rolling all over the floor, squealing away (day after day?!).

After a day in Disneyland, we wind down to the indoor heated pool.  4 of us, wrapped in super cute Mickey bathrobes waddled down to the poolside.  We even had a quick dip in the whirling hot jacuzzi tub.  A nice long evening nap ensue.

A good 5 days together and fond memories for all to bring back to Singapore.  To be honest, J & I have started to ponder over our next holiday spot, probably 4 months away  :)  i love family holidays!

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Vanity hobby - Top 5

As we push past 30, we move beyond the 3 step skincare (cleanse, tone, moisturise). You move (read: should invest) into a zone of serums, serums, serums.  Layering becomes the norm, which is also one of the reasons why i feel Asian ladies do somewhat "age better".

With the multitude of products, admittedly, i seldom do a re-purchase unless the product proves itself beyond comparable, of superior quality.  I constantly like new finds. A peek into my top 5 must-haves which i have and will re-purchase. 

1) Diorsnow UV shield SPF50 PA+++
this baby is relatively thick in texture and creamy but miraculously dries to a semi-matte finish. Not only does it keep the sun out, it keeps the oils away.  A perfect sunblock and base. I have not been able to find a substitute to this costly baby.

2) Clarisonic Mia
this brush is like my Braun electric toothbrush. you can't turn back the clock to manual cleansing anymore.

3) Bioderma cleansing water
water that cleans like a dream. i am still amazed everyday that something which feels, look, smell like water but take out whatever gunk effortlessly.  You don't ever need to worry about oil seeds or clogs.

4) SAL whitening lotion
high concentration of arbutin that works to lighten sunspots.  no imagination required, it does its job.  I do not like to be too fair, so after a while, will only use on spots rather than the entire face

5) Cle de peau concealer stick

yes, believe all the raves that's been written on the internet. every bit is true.   if you can get over the whopping (!) price tag, trust me, you will never get over this product (shade: ivory for me).

It's always nice to check out another lady's must-haves..... shop away.

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Holiday 2011 Disney series - Top 3 lifelines

Overdue on our holiday postings, been sick for the past week. Our top 3 lifelines during the holiday.

1) Nutella
Array of breakfast selections does not draw my kids away from their all time favorite, must-have Nutella spread on bread. That simple. And yes, we walk around with our tub of Nutella.

2) Soba sauce and angel hair pasta
It's a joke if you tell others you need to worry about food in HK right? Ironic but often, it's done way too salty for the kids to stomach. Nothing too complicated. J grabs angel hair pasta, dump into a small thermos flask, hot water, 10mins done. Chill in fridge, drizzle with soba sauce, ready for serving with fish, chicken ordered by the side.  Healthy and hearty.

3) Our abode
Now this is very very important for our idea of a holiday to be accomplished :p.  Well, we have a 16mth old in tow, so at intervals of the day, we need good rest and namely, space.  Space for them and US.  Needless said, the kids were thrilled, particularly during bath time. They had good fun daily in the tub by themselves (Disney TV cartoons blaring in the toilet!), while i lounge by the side, talking to J.

The living room and bedroom each opens up to a balcony area, with a view.  But a pity, fireworks can't be seen from the balcony.   i would highly recommend this abode for families with young children (note: plural).

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Show me your teeth

Where's your teeth? Show me, show me, show me

I have to remind Brother Shawn not to put his finger into her mouth. She's no longer a baby but a little tiger full of pearly whites.

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Gifting

Xmas is round the corner and it's almost time to start making out a list of pressies for the little ones.  I do enjoy this shopping greatly for the past few years, to see their faces light up and excited by it.   We give because we want to bring the "xmasy" joy of sharing with other kids, small thoughts, not because we are expecting something in return.

In fact, we are totally COOL and happy without any back.  It dawn on me that in the past, we do get very expensive presents that make us gasp.  Although not my friends (sorry i can't help if you are one, oops!), i do know and have read about how other parents would compare the value of pressies (even b'day goodie bags) and it's an Asian thing that they felt somewhat compelled to give something back in equivalent to be polite.  To me, that's my pet peeve and i don't buy that, neither do i care.  Coz kids don't really know what's expensive and what's not.  In fact, they only care about what they can play with (which sometimes can be just inexpensive bottle caps(!)) and the unlimited time to play with them.


2010 Xmas zone

So with this joyous festive season coming up, let's put on some of our thinking caps and fiddle with what our children truly would like to have.  Worry less on $ value (keep the balance for charity :p), worry more on what we can conjure for the kids.  More time, less $$, more meaning to this fabulous holiday season!

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Holiday 2011 series - the flight

Just a 3hour flight into HK was a start to make me perspire a tad and rattle my nerves.  I am just glad i am not alone in this.  An hour into the flight, Alyssa decide to stage one of those classic horror babies symphony that we often see and hear about.  Mind you, it was a full flight that morning.  We cajole her with snacks, books, toys, pacifier, TALK to her, the list goes on.  It's not like we sat there doing nothing.  She was just in one of those "i am not comfortable, i need to voice out" mode.  I had heads turn to catch a glimpse of our star.

I looked helplessly at J and our little angel in his arms, who simply went, "it's alright.  what's there to be stressed?  she will get tired out from crying and sleep soon, dear. "  That was it.  Unfazed, not a twinge of embarrassment.  His classic reply (well, thank god no passenger talked to us), "this is part and parcel of traveling with kids."  Gulp.  

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End of year family holiday 2011

When you tell a 4 year old about going to Disneyland Hong Kong, you see his face instantly lights up with excitement and happiness.  Suddenly he knows exactly what day of the week he is in and start to count down to it.

I get lots of "huh, Disneyland HK again??" and "what, 5 days just being at Disney only?!"  The answer is simple, the children doesn't care how many times they've been there coz they just want to be there!  J & I are most happy enjoying ourselves when we know our kids are having a time of their life too.

Holiday starts right at home today for Gavriel's birthday before we catch the morning flight out on Sunday. We gonna veg out for the next 5 good days.  Take it slow, do all the kiddy stuff 100 times over, eat ourselves silly with kiddy junk food, watch Disney cartoons all day, take walks and enjoy the cool weather.   To be honest, just being at Changi airport with those jumbo planes in sight is enough to excite the kids tomorrow.

Like what Shawn says, "no school, no work, it's family time!"

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Say Hi !

We've been out and about, enjoying our time with the little ones.  Looking forward to our 1 week holiday in November and Xmas is just round the corner.  Oh my, i love these months.

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