Updating my project list - October

There are many projects at hand, some for my girls and some for the little shop.

1) Ash's quilt (yes, it is still waiting patiently but I am not putting it off anymore.)
2) Ash's mary janes (so that her feet was kept warm when she sleeps)
3) Ash's hooded poncho
4) Ash's princess gown for her upcoming birthday
5) Diaper cosies
6) Aver's mary janes

Let's hope that all these can be completed by end of October.

From my point of view

Just thought it would be fun to get pictures of what I see when I sit at the back of the car.

Precious Moments

Today was the Precious Moments event...I would not want to talk about the event as it is quite lousy compared to the previous years.

Reasons?

...crowd control = weak! There were so many people and so little space.

...queue system = none! There were about four different queues and no signs to show which one was which.

...sales assistants = clueless!

...buffet lunch = what lunch? The food was so limited that everyone simply stand by the buffet table to eat so that when the dish is out, they can be the first to the food. Not to mention that some no brianer spilled rice on Aver's pram without even apologising!

I think I was super unhappy because after queing for almost 3 hours to make our purchase, the figurine that we want was sold out!

So to make ourselves feel better we took pictures with the two mascots.

I sacked the cleaning lady

We are in need of watching our expenses so I had been thinking about terminating the cleaning company's service for quite awhile. However, Superpig had assured me that it was alright to continue and it would also ensure that I am not overtired. I am happy that he said that but I also do not want him to be stressed over the expenses.

Other than the above reason, the cleaning company really is not up to my standard. More like they did not fulfill what they had promised. There was supposed to be scheduled window cleaning, steaming of beds and so on but after so many months, nothing was said or done.

So I decided to end our relationship with the company and engage the lady personally. I must say that she clean the house well enough but there are areas that I am not happy with but still willing to tolerate. However, she asked for $280 for 4 hours of work per week... and I am shocked. Market rate is around $160 to $200 for 4 hours work with ironing.

Superpig decided to engage her at $260 for 5 hours work with ironing per week but I still think it is too steep. So I told him that I am only willing to pay $200 and since she is not willing then I have to say goodbye to her.

After saying goodbye, the housework is back on my shoulders. I am most willing to do them and will also draw up a schedule to do them too so as to be more disciplined. Then I rope in Ash too.

She is in-charge of mopping the three bedrooms.

Crochet Poncho

I am in a blogging spree... I don't really like to lump everything in one blog post so. I prefer to make little posts of the different thoughts.

Here is one on the crochet poncho I completed about two weeks ago. I found the pattern Crochetville and decided that it should be easy enough to follow.

I must say that it is quite easy but it was a challenge to keep count of the initial 96 stitches. Then I had to make sure that the chain was not twisted when I joined it together. I think I redid the beginning quite a number of times. However, I am quite happy that I redid it and the result was really good.

Yet again upon completion of the poncho, I realised that the chances of Aver using it in our little sunny island is quite slim. But who cares... I like it, I enjoyed the process of making it and I will take it out along with us in case she gets cold while shopping.

I realised that when she wears the poncho and the leg warmers together she looked like a caveman baby. Ha...

Noise...migraine...help!

After seven years living opposite nobody then recently the house was sold and in come the contractors.

Renovation started three days ago and it also marked the start of my migraine. I had already being trying very hard to live with the massive amount of noise pollution caused by renovation works in the houses opposite my block as they are slowly filling up. Now, I have to deal with the one that is right outside my doorstep.


I can only hope for the renovation work to be completed as soon as possible and my migraine to be gone along with the contractors.



Now I await the moving in of our neighbours.

The world of blogging

I was introduced to blogging by a friend who no longer visit my blog anymore. What's the reason? I don't know either. Think that our friendship just sort of frizzled out but that is another story for another time.

So... back to the world of blogging.

I like to read blogs written by many creative people and I am amazed by the quality of their writing and also the stuff that they do.

Here are some of the blogs that I read and hope to share with you why I read them.

1. riceandsoup
- The author is a friend from church and I like the way she writes.

2. Fluffy Flowers
- I like the little creatures that she make and they way she describes the things around her. It makes me want to get out of this crappy place. And since I cannot ... it spurs me on to create a pleasant living space.

3. Tiny Happy
- I chanced onto her blog when a mother from a forum sewed a shoulder bag based on a tutorial she put up in her blog. I like the items that she sew and really love the baby shoes. I also like her photos.

4. Cuisine Paradise
- A beautiful blog which show the love of a mother through her cooking. I learnt a few dishes from her blog and truly admire her ability to involve her son in many of her baking sessions. It was through her that made me try to bake with Ash too. Now I truly admire her strength as a single mum. My heart broke when I read her blog, finding out about the change in her life. It was like my own sister going through the trials of life. She may not remember me now but we had msn-ed each other years ago.



5. Angry Chicken
- I like her crafts, her ideas and her style of writing.


I noticed that these blogs that I read have very pretty photos and it make my blog pale in comparison. Reading about them also sort of make me think about my life ... its kind of boring.

So, first and foremost, I have to learn to take better photos and I would like to blame it on my camera and hoping for a new one. However, I do have a superb Canon 350D which I threw a big tantrum in order to have it. So there will be no new camera coming, no matter how big a tantrum I am going to throw.

Then, I need to brush up on my writing skills. To think that I was an English teacher ... shame on me.

And, there should be more activities with my family members other than shopping... which I have greatly reduced. However, the weather is too hot for anything except to seek refuge in air-conditioned places.

Lastly, I hope if anyone is reading, please leave comments so that I have the motivation to blog on. I hope to hear from people who read my blog (if there is any...) so that I can improve.

Clearing the house

One of the projects listed in the previous posts was to clear up the clutter around the house.

I finally embarked on it the night before.

I started with the study room and found a few nice things for the upcoming Christmas.

Now, I wonder why I had not given them earlier?

Why were they kept aside?

Then I found a few treasures too.

A book that belonged to my father... it teaches conversational Malay.

Maybe just one day, I may embark on learning our official language.

Then a Carebear Sticker book that belong to Superpig.

Oh... I so love them.

A few books that I truly liked when I was a little kid.

My primary school hymnal... I wonder whether Ash will have the same hymnal when she goes to Primary One next year.

Oh... and my two diaries which bring me lots of pain when I read it. Ouch... I was so naive and childish.

Some completed projects

Had been rather disciplined so far so managed to complete a few projects.
So I am rather proud of myself.

First up... more snowskin mooncakes. This time round I made mango snowskin in Hello Kitty shape.

Next, hair band... I crocheted this one for Aver but it was too long hence it now belong to Ash. Doesn't Ash look like a princess when wears it?


And ... more leg warmers. I was not satisfied with the first pair as they kept coming off Aver's legs. What good are leg warmers when they cannot stay on long enough on the legs to keep them warm?

So here you have my two princesses giving their sweetest smiles to say good bye.

My Melody Snowskin Mooncakes - 11 September 2007

I made my third batch of snowskin mooncakes.

This time I made green tea ones.


Gave a few to my brother's girlfriend and to my friend and left with four for Ash.

Superpig requested for more.

With his support, we went to buy more stuff for more mooncakes making.

Tonight will be another mooncake making night.



Do they look cute enough?

The recipe for snowskin mooncakes is here.

Time Flies

Time flies past very quickly and it kinds of scare me a little.
I thought I had just given birth not long ago and now Aver is already coming to 9 months.
I thought I just put Ash into childcare and in a few more months she will be in Primary 1.

So in order to maintain a little control over time and life, I seriously need to have better time management and goal setting.

There are things to be completed and I am giving myself a strict dateline to do so.
I realised that I am so hooked up in the internet going through the many forums and blogs that time just fly by my face without me realising it.

Hence, I will be limiting my time on the internet reading blogs and forums to an hour a day. There will be no bargaining in this area.

Mondays - Cross stitching
Tuesday - Sewing
Wednesday - Scrapbooking
Thursday and Friday - I can choose any of the above to do or I can bake
Saturday and Sunday - Usually the day is so packed that I would not have any energy left for my crafts.

Now a few projects that I need to complete:
1. Snow skin mooncakes
2. Crochet leg warmers
3. Ash's quilt
4. Diaper bags

Okay, I have to be very strict with myself.

I so love butterflies

Whilst teaching in the previous school, I was handpicked to go for the annual Science Fair. In preparation of the fair, together with my colleague, we went to learn about butterflies. It was then that I fell in love with them.

So you will see more butterflies in the future.

Please leave a comment to let me know how you feel about them.

Another Sketch

Here's another sketch that I did.

Very simpler but it does lift my spirit up.

I have a fear for balloons. If one is to burst not too far away, I will scream in fear and continue to shake in fear. People around me are more horrified by my scream then the bursting of a balloon.

Whenever, a kind staff of Macdonalds come by smiling with a handful of balloons, coercing Ash to take one, you can see me violently shaking my head. She is accommodating enough not to take one most of the time but I cannot bear to see her downcast face all the time. Hence, I will reluctantly allow her to have one once in a blue moon. However, I will always reduce it to a pitiful pea size (okay...its bigger than a pea) so that it will not burst.

However, I cannot resist balloons that come in the shape of a heart. Somehow, I am drawn to them. My secret wish is to have many many heart shaped balloons and to let them go into the blue sky.

Maybe, it is to say...spread more love to people around us.

My Lousy Mood

I am glad that I am out of depression.
I am even grateful to a wonderful Superpig for his support and care.
I am truly thankful that God is watching over me everyday.

I still have my many down moods and that is why I am thankful that He is watching over.

Like today, I felt as if I am a failure.
I felt that I am a loser who is unable to achieve anything.
However, that is not true based on the projects I had accomplished so far.
But the mood just came.

So I had to distract myself.
Hence, I drew a picture on Photoshop.
It looks like a kiddy drawing but it did lift my spirit up a bit.

Weekend Fun Part 2 - HI-5 is in town

Went for the Hi-5 show last night with two princesses and Superpig.

For days, Ash had repeatedly talk about the show that she will be watching.
On Sunday itself, she kept reminding us that the show was at 7 pm.
After church, we went shopping around and she kept asking whether is it 7 pm.
She must be very excited over it.

She enjoyed herself there although she was too shy to jump around like the other kids.
She went home with a Hi-5 cushion. And the only reason why she got to have it was because Superpig has a fetish over cushions.


Aver also enjoyed herself during the show.
Before the show started, she went off to dreamy land but with 5 minutes into the show, she woke up.
That was her first time watching Hi-5...first time...she had not watched it on TV yet.
When they sang, she danced. (My poor aching arms...)

As for Superpig, he fell asleep in the second part of the show.
That was what he did the last year too.
So I think next time, I will not spend money on another ticket for him.
I highly recommend that he sits outside and take a nap while we girls go enjoy the show.
Oh... plus pay for all the things that we want to buy.

Weekend Fun - Snowskin Mooncakes

Due to my love for snowskin mooncakes and the prices for them are really sky high and considering the fact that I will also not bear to eat them hence will be thrown away, I decided to search for its recipe and do it myself.

I was not so eager at first but while surfing the web, I chanced upon a blog entry where she had Hello Kitty Snowskin Mooncakes and that motivated me.

Alas, the search for the Hello Kitty mooncake mould was not successful. However, on a forum a mother posted her version of the snowskin mooncake using cookie cutters...so now there is no turning back.

Now, you be the judge and tell me what you think of them. Please feel free to leave your comments so that I know someone is reading.

Stressed out parents in Singapore, myself included

Had to put this down to remind myself to watch my own actions.

I was at a beautiful nursing / diaper changing room in a mall ready to express my milk. This is a once a week routine since I have to go to school once in a week. I totally hated the idea of expressing in the staff toilet so I make an effort to go to the mall before I go to work.

As I was saying, every Wednesday there will be a mother and daughter in the nursing room too. The girl will take a nap on the little bench in that room for how long I am not sure. Why does she have to take a nap there? I do not have any idea too... my guess is that they have another lesson in the same mall to go to after that nap.

However, this particular day was different. The girl had to complete a teachers' day card for the upcoming Teachers' Day. Her mother was trying to get her to write the words "Happy Teachers' Day".

The conversation below is as best as I can remember...

Mother: Remember har... I want you to write small small.
Daughter: Okay. But why, Mummy?
Mother: You must learn to write small already. How can you keep writing so big.
Daughter: Okay

Since I was in a little room, I can only guess what is going on outside on that little bench.
A moment of silence later...

Mother: Why you write like that? Can't you write properly? Follow the card below!
Daughter: (give a little whine)
Mother: Your handwriting so ugly. Everyday you have to write one page for me.
Daughter: I don't want...
Mother: No! You will write two pages for me.
Daughter: I don't want. I write one page. (Whine plus sobbing)
Mother: You don't bargain with me. I say two means two. You not shameful meh? You handwriting so ugly. You not shameful, I see already also shameful! You teacher see already also shameful! You are K1 already. One more term, you will finish K1 then you will go K2, still write so ugly!
Daughter: (very quiet)

Mother: Capital letter! (slap or hit daughter)
Daughter: (sobbing)
Mother: Capital letter.. you never hear me say meh?
Daughter: Got...
Mother: Then why you still write small letter! Don't make me angry har? I am very angry liao! Why must you always like that! teaching you very frustrating!
Daughter: (quiet now)

At this point, I realised that I was hearing myself ... it sounded so familiar.

Mother: Write bigger! you write so small who knows what you are writing! Write bigger lah! Three words only also make me so angry. Can you see the card below? Copy it lah! I put the card below so you can copy. What is the card for?
Daughter: For me to copy... (sobbing again)

Okay, I was a little confused ... didn't the mother said to write "small small" at the beginning?
Also, I felt all tensed up in the room that my milk expressing session was not at all successful/
I also felt so sad for the little girl and for Ash too. I was at the verge of crying and was shivering uncontrollably.

Mother: Aiyoh! Why you write like that! I tell you the whole of next week I am not going to bring you out anywhere! You are staying at home to do homework.
Daughter: No... I want to go out... (sobbing)

I got too emotional to continue expressing in there plus milk was not flowing so I thought it would be better for me to get out of there.

I must also mention that the mother did hit the daughter a few times during that whole session.

When I got out of the cubicle, I wanted to tell the mother to relax and also to stop shouting at her as it does not help in the situation at all. I know because I am like that too when teaching Ash.

Through her, I saw myself clearly and I also felt the fear the child was feeling. It is all clear to me then... we are all too stressed up in our Singapore education system.

Why are parents spending hundreds after hundreds of dollars in finding the best enrichment class for their children? The Learning Lab... promise to deliver results, all so posh and expensive. Growing Up Gifted... the name itself is enough to pull the crowd. Shichida ... training a genius at an exorbitant price. And the list go on...

I am caught up in it too. I am tempted to put Aver into Shichida school and Ash to Learning Lab...but I cannot afford the fees. I realised that the time I spend with them, teaching them through playing at home, spending only a fraction of the fees, my daughters are still learning well.

Walking out of the nursing room, I promised myself to stopped being so stressed up over Ash and her studies. She is a very clever girl and she performs so much better then her peers. She did not attend any posh enrichment lessons. I taught her at home but it was not a stress free event. Now, I will ensure that it will be stress free.

I'm not a plastic bag too!

Okay... I finally managed to get this project done over the weekend.

I managed to make two of them and will be making more of it.

Trust me, I will be using these instead of plastic bags when I go grocery shopping with Superpig.

However, for wet, cold, frozen food, there will be a problem... Still thinking of a way out of it.

Oh... I love crafts.

Black Pepper Crab Version 2.0

Went to the supermarket on Sunday with the intention of buying vegetables for Aver's meals, Superpig saw the live crabs were on offer. He could not resist. (There are two things he cannot resist; crab and durians)

So he painstakingly chose 3 live crabs.

So based on a recipe shared by a mum on the forum, I whipped up Black Pepper Crabs.

And the end result ...

I must say that I truly enjoyed it too.

What is your say, Superpig?

A new dress for Aver

I cannot help but be elated with myself.

I managed to complete a dress for Aver in about 5 hours or a little more.
I started it the night before and continued this morning as Aver napped.

Since I finished it while she was napping, I cannot resist putting it on her.

Here she is looking nice in her new dress.

My two prettey girls in their new dresses.

For now... another item strike off from my To-do list.

Yipppeeee!