Enjoying our homeground

In the short two weeks, we tried to do as much as we could...visiting the dentist, the doctors and places...


Little Ann just couldn't contain herself...release your spirit my girl, enjoy yourself, my little princess

We also made time for the Botanic Gardens...it was HOT! HOT! HOT! but we had a fabulous time.


As it was nearing the Chinese New Year holidays, we literally had the whole park to ourselves. You can see, the kids had a great time, even the scorching heat of 35 deg C didn't bother them


Fish food became...


bird food

What an eventful day....all tired

but of course, papa will always be there to give me a lift!

We also managed to squeeze out some time for the kids to go to their favourite chill-out place - the Queenstown library


The kids were disappointed as they couldn't borrow any books but the disappointment was turned into joy when good old uncle Moses bought them some books and we headed to the Brash Basa complex to by some secondhand books. (Read - one whole luggage full of books was brought back to Shanghai) We paid only SG50. If we had bought those books from here, it would have easily cost us more than SG300

The kids also spent two days out at the beach. Thanks to their uncle and our brother-in-law, we now fondly name him - Bala.

Always great heading home

Last year, in the US, Chinese New Year was a non-event and I blogged about it. It was a miserable feeling. This year, everything has changed. Chinese New Year is a huge festival in Shanghai, China. Offices and schools are closed, at least for two weeks. I just can't wait to get home. Air tickets and hotel were booked way in October'09. Finally, I could be home for Chinese New Year. The kids were all excited...


Arrival at Changi Airport..taking a break and enjying the Singapore air

I chose this hotel as it is near families and friends and also for its nostalgic ambience, not forgetting the reasonable rates offered.



The Link Hotel used to be a public housing. I was told that it was bought over by an overseas businessman, he refurbished it and turned it into a hotel. Very innovative indeed. The surroundings are very rustic and has the old Singapore charms. Just round the corner, is the famous Tiong Bahru market. I do not deny that this market house some of the best and famous food stalls in Singapore.


The sight and sound of a faous market. Not surprising at all to see long Qs at various food stalls.


The kids enjoying a heartlander breakfast...Kai with his fried carrot cake and Ann, her favourite "you tiao" (dough fritters) and my favourite good old "kopi peng" (ice coffee). Now, who needs a hotel buffet breakfast when there are REAL food in abundance. As you can see, not much pictures taken on the rest of the breakfast treats because they have all been gobbled up quickly

回家的感觉真好

My little sweetheart, my little princess

Well, it has been one busy day...Ann is involved in the school Chinese New Year celebrations and I have been busy getting her ready...


The most productive and efficient helper...tying Ann's hair while she has her breakfast...save time


There, all ready...my little princess


Getting ready...skipping her way out. That's little Ann, vibrant, energetic...a very free spirit


Can you spot her...there she is!


The dancing princess


What really amazed me was that these parents were such a great sport, yes, these were parents dancing on stage with their kids. Sometimes, we just have to learn to let our hair down!


Solving puzzle with the kids...trying to win the most photogenic award. We didn't win that but we won the most creative award for our recycle bag. Sorry forgot to take the picture, cos we were all so excited!

Look out as I begin my blog on our journey back to our homeland for the Chinese New Year holidays!!!!

Here's looking at you, dude!

Kai spent 1 year in Henry Park and when he was in P2, he only stayed for the first term and we were relocated to USA for a year. At US, he was in grade 2 for 2 months and then went up to grade 3 and he didn't finish grade 3, we went back to Singapore and he went back to Henry Park P3 for 4 months, we were then relocated to Shanghai. In Shanghai, he went up to P4.

That is to say, Kai did not finish his P2 and P3. While in Singapore, we got a Maths tutor to give him a "crash course" on his P3 Maths as we know that will be a killer when he goes to the Singapore Shanghai International School.

Sometimes, I think and feel sad that Kai has to do all these ding dong-ing from country to country...I wonder if it is really fair for him. While he is here, so many times, he cried over his Maths and Chinese because they only offer higher Chinese over here and Kai is already so bad in his Chinese. Now, he has to handle higher Chinese, that really will is a killer. Sometimes, I also feel the stress from his studies cos' I am helpless especially when comes to his P4 Maths...so many times, I just blew it.

Finally, the mid-year exams are over and Kai (warning...bragging) tops his class in Science and English and Maths, he scored 80 and higher Chinese, he passed with a 52!

I was really touched.... all these nomadic life did not affect him, in fact, he went against all odds to give his best performance.

Kai chose the Singapore Shanghai International School although he was given the choice to choose other international schools. He could have have gone the easier way but he chose the more rigorous one.

I really hope this fighting spirit will stay with him for the rest of his life because he is going to need it so much when he steps into the working world.

Home...for mummy's homecooked meals

One mother wrote this in one of the mama's forum...

classmate 1 :"Why are u in hurry? Hungry?"
son replied:" Oh, my mummy cooking claypot rice, my favourite. I am very hungry now."
classmate 1: "So good!"
son: "My mummy cookings very nice. I love my mummy cookings. She always cook our favourite food."
classmate 1: " My mummy don't cook. Only auntie ( the maid) cooks."
classmate 2: " My mummy worst. Don't know how to cook. Only packet home for us!"
son: " Everyday I want to go home fast. Everyday I want to eat mummy food. Your mummies so lazy ....."

It was a very innocent but sweet conversation among three small kids but I felt it spoke volumes of what our kids really want from us....

NOT...
the latest Playstation
the latest DS
the latest XBox 360
the furthest, most expensive holiday
the best condo to live, the best car to sit in....
(of course, if mummy and daddy could afford all these, they will be happy too)

It is really very simple - time, love, fun and a good homecooked meal!

Talking about homecooked meals, I realised I haven't posted pictures of my culinary works for quite a while. This is because of the longer nights and shorter days. By the time I finished cooking, the sun was gone and with no natural light, the pictures would turn out awful.While there is sunlight today, here is what we will be having for dinner tonight...

Baked chicken!A recipe shared by a fellow mama. What I love about it is that it is not messy, not oily...just delicious and healthy cos' it is baked not fried! Yum-mo!

It's all about...BELIEVE again

DH and I sat at the dinning table, having our breakfast last Sunday, talking about our nomadic life. We looked at our life in the States and missed our friends there and all the fresh air, great food we have had. It has been almost half a year in Shanghai and we are still struggling to settle in. Here is a land of many opportunities, if one can survive the tough living conditions, there are indeed plenty one can do.I told dh I wonder how long I can hang on, how long will it take before I lose all my sanity...the cold winter, Kai's examinations...all these only make it more stressful.We ended off our talk with no solutions and got the kids ready for our Sunday service. That's the thing, even when life is down and out, go to church!

God sure has his way of helping us deal with life's challenges. The speaker for that day was none other than one from our homeland, Singapore. Some of you may know him, Pastor Lawrence Seow. Once a great pastor, now a great evangelist.His message was something we have all heard before...

The feeding of the five thousands. A familiar story about how God used five loaves of bread to feed the mulitudes. The really amazing thing was that he shared on something which we didn't realise before and have never heard before. Mark 8:19 to 20

When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?"
"Twelve," they replied.
And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?
They answered, "Seven."

If we were to plot a graph base on the facts given above, it will look something like this...


If God used seven loaves of bread to feed 4,000 and five loaves of bread to feed 5,000, base on the graph, one loaf of bread, God could have fed 6,000 people. That says something about Him...

He uses small resources to accomplish big things!

Looking at another famous Bible story - David and Goliath.

Who defeated Goliath? Not the Philistines with their armour and weapons but little, wee David with his stones and sling shot.

The Philistines saw Goliath and said "he is so big, we can't defeat him!"
David came and saw Goliath and said, "he is so big, I won't miss him!"

And yes, David did not miss him, he struck him right in the middle of his forehead. It was David and his little resources that defeated the giant.Who we have is more important than what we have. As long as we have our loved ones with us, our families with us and God with us, all life's challenges will come to nothing.

When the family moved to the US, we moved with lots of fears and worries as we moved with no prior relocation experience. We moved together as a family, believing God will handle everything and provide everything and indeed He had, blessing the family with wonderful experiences and people coming our way.

Looking back, we told ourselves that with the US experience, we could handle Shanghai much better, trying to work things out ourselves...in actual fact, what God really wants is to give Him everything and He will work miracles in our lives.Once again, we are reminded that God is in control if only we allow Him. The giants will fall at our feet.

So, from now onwards, we will just BE here and LIVE!"

If you believe God exist and at the end of your journey, realise He actually doesn't exist, you have nothing to lose. If you don't believe God exist and at the end of the road, realise that He indeed exist, you have everything to lose."
Profound...but so true.

Looking back, giving thanks again....


Happy 16th Wedding Anniversary

Today, dh and I celebrate our 16th years of marriage...

Looking back, giving thanks

We often hear people saying, "don't look back", "let go of the past", "look forward", "let the past be past"....but I say, it is good to look back and give thanks for it is our past that shapes our future.

2009 has been a very trying time for the family. We moved from the States back to Singapore and from Singapore to Shanghai. It was changes, changes and more changes. I looked back and saw what I wrote in my blog..."Our life is such, a little of everything, put together, placed under the intense heat of trials and testings, we emerged a better person! If you ask me is 2009 going to be tough, I said 'yes', can we managed? I said 'Yes and YES!' "


And believe it, it has been one very tough year for all of us...BUT God has been good, very gracious indeed. His Grace has always been sufficient for us whatever that come our way. I know God will never take away the challenges, He will never take away difficulties and trials, that has never been His promise to us. His promise to us is that "My Grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." 2 Cor 12:9

One of the greatest challenges living in Shanghai is feeding my family. There are so many food scare that every food item I buy, I have learned to read the really small prints. I have learned to read the ingredients, I have learned to look out for the right labels but really, that is so much I can do. The rest I can only depend on God and trust Him to feed us the right food. I have learned not just to say my grace before meal times, I have also learned to pray when buying food items. Call me a paranoid...it's a mother thing, to feed her family only with the good and healthy stuff.

2009 also saw God being faithful to a friend who gave birth to a baby boy at her 26th week of pregnancy but every child of God is precious, the baby is now 3.1 kg and is home with his parents. God is also faithful as He blessed a very good friend of ours with a pair of twin girls. However, there were also friends who were facing tough times in their life and we continue to wonder why and we continue to pray and trust. We just received news that one pastor back home has just discovered he has lung cancer...such is the reality of life. Don't you think you ought to live life to the fullest, live your life as if it's your last day on earth.

2010 will continue to be a challenging time but God will also continue to be there for us. Bill Crowder said, "we find encouragement and power to persevere in life's darkest hours - power rooted in God, who is compassionate and merciful. Even when life is painful and hard, we can persevere because God is there, His mercy endures forever (Ps 136).