Another Surprise!

Tuesdays always been a busy day! Usually, hubby will drop Nick and me at Siglap Centre for his enrichment classes, but today, he couldn't.  He had to send MIL back to the train station as she's was here to care for the kids while we were busy with our carboot sale. 

I dashed off at 9.30am in the morning, dropped Nick for classes, brought Grace for breakie while waiting for Nick to complete his lessons, "ta pao-ed" lunch for Samuel since i was too lazy to start thinking of what to cook for him when i get home.. 

Nick was done with his classes at 10.45am, tried hailing a cab which took me over 20mins before 1 arrived empty and dropped them to school before me returning home wanting to catch up with my housework and emails.. 10 mins to 12noon then.. Tired..

10mins after i reached home, changed, opened the windows, i heard the front door opened!  Ya, you have guessed it RIGHT! Daddy is home! And, he declared he's on half day and taking me out for our pak tok..   Gosh! I mean it's a pleasant surprise again in 2 days, but i have loads of laundry staring at me, floor not mopped, emails not replied, etc etc!! And Sam was to come home in another hour and the half.. 

  

Anyways, not to disappoint daddy who made an effort to date me, i had to "beg" grandma to look after Sam for the afternoon, bring his clothes and lunch over to her place etc.. 

  

And guess what? We went shopping, holding hands (ya, cos since the maid left, our hands are never free since we had to hold on to the kids)!  *happy*

Hopeless Me

Last Friday, i collected hubby's new Macbook Pro and Sam's new LG lappy.  I was also suppose to pick up our new Singtel Mio Modem as we upgraded the network speed (actually, i have no idea why we did the upgrade since our existing speed is something that no one should complain about if they had tried the networks in almost every other part of the world!), but i was carry too much things after i picked up both lappies that i decided to pick the modem on Monday instead.

Nevertheless, being a Mac user for many ages, i set-up and downloaded the programs from hubby within mins, converted Sam's old ibook (yups, it's an ibook and i know it can be send to the museum soon!) details and login for my Missy Grace to use without any headaches!

Now, with Sam's LG lappy, i am still struggling with setting up the network, inputing the password that keeps informing me that there is an error, and other problems like slow start up and takes forever to shut down.. It's close to making me PUKE BLOOD at this rate it is going!

It's Day 4 since i brought the LG lappy home, and i've still got no clue how to get that done!! ARGH...

Lesson learnt.. 

1. Stick with Macs in future. 

2. If we really need to get a PC, ask for someone to get it properly setup before bringing it home!

Good Bye SE K850i, Welcome N97

Farewell  Welcome

My SE K850i has been giving me problems for some time, but i've been taking it to the shop, spending over a hundred getting it repaired again and again! It's always the same problem, hanging or shutting down and restarting on it's own or just shut down and never restart again. 

  

Hubby has been nagging at me to get my phone changed for the longest time since i am half the time unreachable due to the shutting down and not restarting problem, however i was reluctant to do so as i wasn't able to find another 5MP camera phone which i fancy currently.

  

Been talking about wanting to get an iphone, but since hubby and myself aren't Singtel users, we would have to buy it at a market rate which means close to a thousand, but i just couldn't convince myself to part with that money for a phone.. :P  Was also looking at some other blackberry, Nokia etc (i have always fancy high tech phones but simply have no use for such technology since i am half the time at home, and the only functions i use for a phone will be call and sms!) but just couldn't bring myself to pay a couple of hundreds to a phone!

  

Finally, with the $$ we made from the carboot sale after selling off our 3 car seats, 2 maclaren prams and other kids stuffs, hubby decided to surprise me an N97 with the money we made!! A phone i've been eyeing at everytime i walk pass the shops, but just couldn't make up my mind since it's going to cost me over $600 even if we were to re-contract the M1 line. 

  

I have to say i was pleasantly surprise to be presented with the phone, and is glad that hubby decides to spend the money we made under the hot sun to pamper me with a phone. :)

  

On second thoughts, the car bootsale and burnt skin wasn't that bad after all. :P 

What Have We Been Up To Lately?

Over the weekend, we joined the SG carboot sale, Playground @ Big Splash to sell off some of our pre-loved items. 

  

Great fun, but well, hubby and myself are "cooked" alive under the hot sun (Thank god the kids were at home otherwise i would think their BRAINS will be cooked too!)! We had nice neighbours to keep us going under the extremely hot weather.. :) We joked, chatted, laughed, shared drinks and even shared tips on how to sell the stuffs etc..

  

Well, but having that said, i think this will be the 1st and the last time we are participating in carboot sales as we are both seriously burnt under that hot hot sun! :)

Will try and remember to take a pix of hb and myself to show how "cooked" are we soon! :P

Am i Feeding Humans or (er) Pigs?

1kg meat + 0.5kg of tiger prawns + 400g water chestnut + 45 mins of wrapping them up = 32 huge 水饺

  

And 15 mins after they are placed on the dining table, all are gone! 

  

And who ate them? 

  

2 Adults and 2 small kids!

  

I expected to have some left for supper and tomorrow's lunch, but all were gone in a flash!

  

Scary..  They all must be staving and all of them must be gluttons!

  

Oh, and at 8pm, 1 of the adults had to cook supper for himself. After that, his son had to ask for 2 pieces of Nutella bread and his daughter asked for a huge bottle of milk.!!

Am So Tempted!

Well, mummy is so tempted to bring Nick and Grace to Japan once again, after reading Derick + Nicole's blog on their recent Japan trip. 

  

Nick's been there once, but when he was much younger. And mummy, at that time was heavily pregnant with Grace and daddy was in Japan for 6 months due to work, so mummy missed daddy, and so she secretly booked the flights and hotel (for the 1st night) a day before the departure, and only informed daddy and grandma when she arrived in Japan, we were almost unprepared!  No maps, no itinerary, no hotels from the 2nd night onwards, limited winter wear (and it was freaking cold winter then) etc! 

  

Ya.. that's my mummy and it was not the 1st of such trips neither will it be the last! She's always doing that. Applying leave for the next day when she was working, booking hotels and air-tix then, and off she goes the next day.  And if daddy cannot make it, she is more than glad to take the kids along and leave daddy at home :P

    

Back to Japan trip.. If you wonder why is mummy so tempted? Well, because Nick loves the Thomas Land and Grace will love the DisneyLand.. 

    

And what about Sam and Daddy? I think Sam will have to stay since he's having school, and daddy, stays too cos we need to have someone to look after Sam and, daddy needs visa into Japan which will take too long and mummy couldn't wait! 

  

How how?? To go or not to go.. To go or not to go??

Do You Remember Your Wedding Vows?

We heard of 2 upsetting news today. 

  

A girlfriend of mine, has decided to call it quits and is heading for a divorce..

  

A friend of my hubby has also decided he had enough of his demanding wife and wants out to his marriage.. 

  

It's common these days since it's marriage don't mean a lot.  Afterall, most people just fall in love, decide to get married, get the documents signed, and when they want to divorce, go to a lawyer, sign the document, sell their property, and that's it!  Sometimes,  even counselors advise couples who cannot compromise and work out their difference to get a divorce so that it will benefit the children better.  

  

Cannot help feeling that people nowadays take their wedding vows so lightly.. Sometimes, it makes me wonder if i am old.. To me, marriage is for a lifetime.. A couple needs to work out their differences and learn to live with some flaws of their partners. Marriage is never a bed of roses, it takes loads of effort to keep it going, lots of communications just to avoid a miscommunication, plenty of love and respect for each other to keep that flame burning till both are old... Or am i just ancient to actually believe in that?  But isn't this what we have agreed upon infront of the wedding solemniser when we took our vows?

  

Do you remember your wedding vows? 

  

This is mine.. 

From this day forward, I promise

• I will laugh with you in times of joy and comfort you in times of sorrow.
• I will share your dreams, and support you as you strive to achieve your goals.
• I will listen to you with compassion and understanding, and speak to you in encouragement.
• I will help you when you need it, and stand aside when you don't.
• I will remain faithful to you for better or worse, in times of sickness and health.
• I will respect and love you always.

With that, i will marry you..

I am still trying and learning the ropes to be a better wife for my husband. Are you?

Grace's Milestones @ 27 months

Mummy usually don't remember the details of what Grace is able to do or some of the funniest things she says in the day that made us all laugh.. 

But daddy has made a special request for mummy to pen down Grace's month to month milestones so that we can remember and talk and laugh about it when we are old, mummy will be updating this on month to month growth as and when she remembers and she has the time..  Most of the milestones are just normal of a child at her age, but since daddy has made a special request, so here is it.. 

Grace's achievements @ 27 months

• completes a 40 piece puzzle in 6 mins
  
• given a min to memorize the locations of 40 pictures (20 sets), close them and match the correct pairs
• able to memorize grandma and grandpa's mobile numbers
• able to solve simple maze
• undress and dress on her own
• is diaper-free in the day
• speaks in sentences, able to describe exactly who does what to her or hits her at which part of the body and understands simple instructions given by mummy or daddy
• packs up / motivates the brothers to pack up after playing with toys
• sit down quietly at the book corner for over an hour to "read" and flip her brother's books and magazines without creating a mess and packs up properly after reading

And will update more when mummy can remember.. :)

Shows, Shows and more Shows!

Ever since Nick and Grace got introduced to theatre plays, they never seems to get enough of them!

  

Shows the 2 little ones seen recently (Sam didn't go because he's a little too old for such babies play).. 

1st show : The Ginger Bread man and Grace been singing that song every time she wants mummy to run and catch her. She will pretend that she's the ginger bread man.. 

  

2nd show : Tiger Loses his Stripes plus other stories with Tick, Tack, Tock. Every now and then, they will be singing "there's a frog on head on the lady, in a boat (and i cannot catch what they singing) swimming in sea"

  

3rd show : Boom Bah with daddy

   

4th Show : The boy who cried wolf with daddy which daddy claim the kids were watching attentively while daddy dozed off :(

* mummy noted that daddy is not a suitable candidate to watch plays with the kids.*

    

On Friday, mummy collected the tickets for our next few plays from Sistic. And, as usual, daddy was about to faintz when he saw what mummy had bought. 

  

2 October : 'Into The Deep Deep Forest: The Nicest Egg in the World'

11 November : The Jungle Book

12 November : ACT 3 International Swimmy, Frederick & Inch by Inch by Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia, Canada

04 December: Thomas & Friends Live On Stage "A Circus Comes To Town"

11 December: SSO Babies Prom 2009

P.s daddy: Grace, Nick and mummy are so looking forward to watching them.. :) Thanks for footing mummy's card bill when they arrive. :P

Grace is going back to Kindergarten in 2010..

Mummy wanted to home-school little Grace, but due to shortage of materials, it's almost impossible to do so. And to make matters worse, daddy didn't believe in home-schooling and he feels that mummy's so called "home-schooling" is a waste of money and is an excuse for mummy just to buy more "toys" for the kids!

So, fine!  Yesterday morning, before mummy went to Bugis Junction to meet the aunties for lunch, mummy decided to bring Grace to Shichida Kindergarten and registered her for 2010 Pre-Nursery classes.  The reception aunty was very nice.  She waived the $150 registration fee since Grace was an ex-student of the SM class so mummy only paid the deposit of $800 for now. 

  

The reception aunty also informed mummy in Dec, she has to make another trip down and pay for Grace's Jan fees and to purchase the uniform. 

  

Mummy happily went home and "report" to daddy that she had registered Grace for kindergarten.  Daddy was happy initially until he heard "Shichida", and when he was informed of the fees, his jaws just had to drop... :P

  

Logistics of getting her there and back hasn't been worked out yet for the time being, but mummy thinks Grace should be taking the school bus home since classes are from 8-11 am only.  And according to the reception aunty, the school bus ah chek will likely charge daddy another 80-100 bucks for the trip home.. :)

  

Daddy asked "what about her twice a week Montessori enrichment classes that she's attending now?" 

Mummy thinks Grace should still continue with that, but maybe at a different time slot since it will benefit her too.. 

  

Daddy says he's going to faint.. :)

  

Daddy, home-school cheaper right? :P

Pissed Over an Idiot!

Gosh, i am so pissed with an idiot today! 

  

As usual, we brought #2 and #3 to Ikea playground and as usual while we were about to leave, we allowed Nick and Grace to Q up to buy their hotdog bun. 

Then there was this malay boy (late 20s) who apparently cut their Q, and we kept quiet.. And another malay aunty did the same. So we nicely told the staff that the kids are in the Q and are waiting for their turns to purchase their hotdogs.  And guess what? The malay boy actually had the cheek to tell me in my face "OH, so this is what parents do these days. They make their kids Q and buy food while they stand there and just relax".. 

  

Wah piangs.. Made me boil! I told him straight off in the face, "Well, at least these young kids knows what is Q up and such a grown up like you has to cut their Q.. This is what happens when the parents don't teach you to Q and buy food when u are young!" 

  

My dear hubby got to drag me away before i start to abuse him with my limited F languages.. 

  

Come to think about it, i also think it's funny. it's one of the few times that i get so worked up over idiots.. :P

Don't You Think She Deserves To Be Punished?

After Grace came home from Polliwogs, she took Nick's pencil and started drawing on the walls again..   

  

This isn't the 1st time she's doing "art-work" on the walls, so mummy was determine to make her remember that she's not to draw on the wall!

  

"Art-work" done 3 weeks back.

Mummy made her rub off the pencil marks.. She rubbed over an hour and the more she rubbed, the more "bo kam wan" she became, but she refused to cry!  *see all the patterns she has when rubbing*

  

Then, daddy came home from work! The moment he stepped into the house, Grace's tears flowed like tap water. But mummy didn't allowed her to walk over to daddy and insisted she still has to rub off all the pencil marks! So she cried louder and louder hoping daddy come and rescue her which he didn't till much later!  She tried to give mummy the eraser a couple of times and tell me to "rub yourself" but mummy heartlessly told her "u drew the wall, so u rub yourself".  Lasted another 20mins before mummy told her to this is the last time i am letting her off, the next time she's got to clean up everything! 

  

Notti girl went straight to daddy, started complaining that mummy made her rub the wall, her hands are so painful, ask her father to look at her fingers that are all red, and then drama mama weep until her face so red and hugged her daddy's leg refusing to let it go until daddy had no choice but to pick her up and carry her into the room! :P

Daddy walked past mummy and whispered "stepmother at work" into mummy's ears! *argh*

Gone Polliwogy Again...

Hahahahaha... Mummy gone gaga over Polliwogs again!!  And guess who benefited from it? hahaha.....

We went to Bugis Junction to have lunch with aunty Kelly, aunty Kris, aunty Gene, aunty CJ, Baby Erica and Baby Lucas. Afterthat, we proceed to polliwogs so that the mummies can have a timeout session while the little ones run and climb and tire ourselves silly!  It was raining cats and dogs by the time we wanted to leave and lucky, Aunty Kris drives otherwise we either have to brave the rain to get to Polliwogs or we will have to loiter till the rain stops and then go home!   

Thank you aunty Kris for bringing us to Polliwogs!!

She was supposed to crawl thru the tunnel, but she refused!  She only wanted to hang her legs in the air and swing her body!Grace swimming in the ball pit..The notti little pig was so exhausted after 2 hours that she decided to just take a break... 

Feeling Disappointed.. :(

Nick just started learning music recently. Teacher felt that he is progressing exceptionally well and he's been very diligent in practicing. Teacher suggested sending him for an audition which i did. For a 4y.o. who is still a beginner, he played very well.  Maybe because mummy personally coached him this time round and she didn't do that when Sam was learning his piano and violin, so she cannot help it but feel very disappointed when Nick wasn't selected!

  

Mummy took it out on daddy saying that it was all his fault since daddy wasn't supportive on sending Nick going for music classes, let alone the audition.  Daddy wasn't keen in spending his evenings and weekends sending and waiting for Nick to finish classes. Daddy also felt that we haven't been keeping to our budgets especially since mummy has stopped working.

  

Mummy knows it, just that she feels that if Nick has the potential, then why not? All others can be compromise in one way or another..  Right? :(