tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65469652524872575122024-03-29T01:20:02.671+08:00A Happy MumA parenting blog about the happy moments and hard truths of being a mum~Summer~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478137784353655124noreply@blogger.comBlogger1021125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6546965252487257512.post-9201243897970917422024-03-26T20:43:00.020+08:002024-03-27T00:53:29.502+08:00Happiness is... cherishing family time while it lasts<p><b>树欲静而风不止,子欲养而亲不待</b>。</p><p>I learnt this saying recently and when I read about the meaning, tears welled up in my eyes uncontrollably. Yup, I've been having quite an emotional struggle recently as a mum and it's been a rough patch in this parenting journey. The saying literally means that the tree wishes to be quiet but the wind will not cease, the child wants to show filial piety but the parents are already gone. It is a reminder that things don't always go our way in life and there are many things that are out of our control. What we can do is hold on tightly to our loved ones and make sure we cherish them while we still can. </p><p>It's something that I reiterate to my kids every so often, to 珍惜眼前人, to make the most of every moment and not live to regret it when we lose the opportunity. I know it's easier to be said than done, especially when every day seems like a mad rush to complete the never-ending tasks on our to-do list. But, it IS very important to spend time with the people who matter to us, especially our loved ones who are growing older day by day.</p><p>In this post of <i>"Happiness is..."</i>, it's about cherishing family time while it lasts. </p><p>******</p><p>Every mid-autumn, I will bring the kids out to a park and have fun with lanterns, sparklers and at the playground. We will bring along mooncakes and some tea too, and it's something I look forward to year after year.</p><p>I'm not sure how long this will last because from the way I see it, the elder children are growing up fast and will outgrow many 'kiddy' things very soon. It is my hope that they will not be consumed by screens but will always have a child in them. In any case, we are never too old for some fun and spending time to bond as a family is not something you should grow out of, no matter how many years pass us by.<br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz7nlnevAWbKdb0MW5HaGs8-JDhZjYgIIHUw90RQzEejxE-UKLgOLH16R2Hj5tNysIQj1BRsoBOzxEHwV-P1qTqaGQYkw9F_em1AwBIV82B7NHV-i7lrxyWm0leycuXvstr4lwC1pmVMNQIaSMSaFZIYMs31z6Bpb4mAiMZWZma-qr9ChA_HTYNNEFksg/s1000/20230929_203022.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz7nlnevAWbKdb0MW5HaGs8-JDhZjYgIIHUw90RQzEejxE-UKLgOLH16R2Hj5tNysIQj1BRsoBOzxEHwV-P1qTqaGQYkw9F_em1AwBIV82B7NHV-i7lrxyWm0leycuXvstr4lwC1pmVMNQIaSMSaFZIYMs31z6Bpb4mAiMZWZma-qr9ChA_HTYNNEFksg/s16000/20230929_203022.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nGnkTGtYZKQbk3FdSu2NYx8D0QpE5eMm7Qu0rUjhsGOKiUwFMesjp9kO9os2TeiqR7eLUD3pHTzFdeWrid-nz9bE2jykfJMYDek2CYYH-Z2AmTXungWGed6Dub1rl0dlJf7xL6d3HSXZuZqCVqF0Dioyyy_-S9pN6AvkgAEu2HTmHWTFKdtE7IMCJmg/s1000/20230929_220229.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nGnkTGtYZKQbk3FdSu2NYx8D0QpE5eMm7Qu0rUjhsGOKiUwFMesjp9kO9os2TeiqR7eLUD3pHTzFdeWrid-nz9bE2jykfJMYDek2CYYH-Z2AmTXungWGed6Dub1rl0dlJf7xL6d3HSXZuZqCVqF0Dioyyy_-S9pN6AvkgAEu2HTmHWTFKdtE7IMCJmg/s16000/20230929_220229.jpg" /></a></p><p>This year, we had a minor accident when Ansel went to touch the hot part of the sparkler right after it burnt out. He suffered a burn which swelled up to become this huge blister so I had to bring him to the doctor after that. He was really good in letting me apply the medication daily and didn't cry when the blister accidentally burst. So I guess we all learn from mistakes like this, both parent and child. Trust me, after 15 years of being a mum and with 4 kids under my care, I still make mistakes every single day. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjJNg61Ttmv-KbO0MYHKaB3-imLe5Jj0fG8c4sVI4ZrqWQ0iZrsM6-ecKv1abFqi7nC0E5he6_yYaI7pRzvGNB-Diwn0V4hoWGB-XpFdmjCtf70fdwGeLgtnMRcuXyLZE8LRuQ2IErikC6ffpz5kECMIW43HuC5iiNpY7vJMiW76gTrVfKzzKlQlaVEvk/s1000/20230929_210934.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjJNg61Ttmv-KbO0MYHKaB3-imLe5Jj0fG8c4sVI4ZrqWQ0iZrsM6-ecKv1abFqi7nC0E5he6_yYaI7pRzvGNB-Diwn0V4hoWGB-XpFdmjCtf70fdwGeLgtnMRcuXyLZE8LRuQ2IErikC6ffpz5kECMIW43HuC5iiNpY7vJMiW76gTrVfKzzKlQlaVEvk/s16000/20230929_210934.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHjesgm8Cxfdg35oxaJrcr82OxY5BNp2UTC5F_31GW5-Jv09O1iL_t3_SeOqe-3gOHVZ-_B0NJMO9EFUz9WApnjB9cPE8mlujZsz9JDb03xXFfjeR3PT8n8nGX-UM4p1JItf6liZuhKJaX6gmeZYyfF-NvVRu1UYyL6t2RvMnxKrxJkFEocs31unVM-0/s1000/20230929_203454.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHjesgm8Cxfdg35oxaJrcr82OxY5BNp2UTC5F_31GW5-Jv09O1iL_t3_SeOqe-3gOHVZ-_B0NJMO9EFUz9WApnjB9cPE8mlujZsz9JDb03xXFfjeR3PT8n8nGX-UM4p1JItf6liZuhKJaX6gmeZYyfF-NvVRu1UYyL6t2RvMnxKrxJkFEocs31unVM-0/s16000/20230929_203454.jpg" /></a></p><p>We were supposed to go for the Mandai Wildlife Run and the kids and I were looking forward to this mum-and-kids bonding day. Alas, the weather was not kind to us that day and after waiting for nearly an hour, we were regrettably informed that the run was cancelled. The good news was we were allowed to enter River Wonders earlier than the public and we could also hop over to the zoo for some sightseeing too.</p><p>So we might not have run 5km as we had planned to (we would have probably walked more than half of that), but we spent the entire morning and afternoon admiring wildlife and marine creatures and it was still a day well spent. I simply love taking the kids out on my own and it's something I cherish very much before they all grow up and lead their own separate lives.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimAx2Qp7zDfFFxt_E76o6eQbvP7b2VExhs_lsrTHGdqpnkQex4rurwWOz8Fgj-gNUbABNChcQI4qETmmQ9xq1HI2VctmHJXiDirIzTHq8DxaJE16HWInbTSSWbHRp4YVC6Tpp7UmwE82Zwzlg6g3tg1IRxhLieD98_mNDwwyi2UveAG94vUqUsCHUjAz0/s1000/collage274.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimAx2Qp7zDfFFxt_E76o6eQbvP7b2VExhs_lsrTHGdqpnkQex4rurwWOz8Fgj-gNUbABNChcQI4qETmmQ9xq1HI2VctmHJXiDirIzTHq8DxaJE16HWInbTSSWbHRp4YVC6Tpp7UmwE82Zwzlg6g3tg1IRxhLieD98_mNDwwyi2UveAG94vUqUsCHUjAz0/s16000/collage274.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14EVHNslN-qfHK2nLRVhTvYlzd_27MikOejjRxDw4nRz4ypxB2-RmP6kaqmQRmBnkv805uceUP6BcSsOEO6Sas4X6Y1vwC4h9UukdOmkIDZCZ3ZzobW6eOy_UExQNUDi7EEYXe2VgF-tk2MsDn98G5w2ffmjXl0mzA0RQZZ6dHUo-XfrfG36gobvbWcM/s1000/20230924_131800.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14EVHNslN-qfHK2nLRVhTvYlzd_27MikOejjRxDw4nRz4ypxB2-RmP6kaqmQRmBnkv805uceUP6BcSsOEO6Sas4X6Y1vwC4h9UukdOmkIDZCZ3ZzobW6eOy_UExQNUDi7EEYXe2VgF-tk2MsDn98G5w2ffmjXl0mzA0RQZZ6dHUo-XfrfG36gobvbWcM/s16000/20230924_131800.jpg" /></a></p><p>My Dad turned a year older this month and we had a yummy Japanese meal with him. The ironic thing was we had actually planned to treat him to dim sum or some chinese delight but the restaurants were under renovation so this was totally an impromptu decision. I expected it to be an average meal or less, especially when the menu seemed limited. It turned out to be so much more delicious that what we thought and even my parents gave it the thumbs up too.</p><p>After dinner, we went to my parent's home for the cake cutting ceremony and my Dad was happy to receive this huge collage from the kids and I, which included photos and handwritten messages. You know, it's really not the food, but the company that matters and I am glad that my kids spend plenty of time bonding with their grandparents month after month.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTya0hyrycaS3fOfxxmL68acKvGeMaHx2eDCnSR3r7y87rJLCwm80DlyVprUHy05F0w0zY6aKze-LTtuBR7CGhoq2K3d2B-Dze3_Lszqa2rSGYJbFx1QwyI7WG0LBpZSM9vhQsO6aAX8MYulEndj_pCfNI_vVBm49T6V1b5HPAlJr73LoPmOQjejOW_X8/s1000/20230923_201518.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTya0hyrycaS3fOfxxmL68acKvGeMaHx2eDCnSR3r7y87rJLCwm80DlyVprUHy05F0w0zY6aKze-LTtuBR7CGhoq2K3d2B-Dze3_Lszqa2rSGYJbFx1QwyI7WG0LBpZSM9vhQsO6aAX8MYulEndj_pCfNI_vVBm49T6V1b5HPAlJr73LoPmOQjejOW_X8/s16000/20230923_201518.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggtVbfaTRZwSnTmmkQd2MHKJTmCKHFkLI98Cv5Wz0vXZQv6fKtZohLcDMvaxGLNVYbbaLSgNy6X09SxZuBDbNcix0ImBMJ9thqciI2NBbUp5NQ-FGwsP1znNMNZT3elJLXS6YB0FKlOXGSE1OVyLgp-xB1xMw02S3yqW0OgmMEptapBqnn5Q31e-cysxw/s1000/20230923_213901.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggtVbfaTRZwSnTmmkQd2MHKJTmCKHFkLI98Cv5Wz0vXZQv6fKtZohLcDMvaxGLNVYbbaLSgNy6X09SxZuBDbNcix0ImBMJ9thqciI2NBbUp5NQ-FGwsP1znNMNZT3elJLXS6YB0FKlOXGSE1OVyLgp-xB1xMw02S3yqW0OgmMEptapBqnn5Q31e-cysxw/s16000/20230923_213901.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmLPrTx1d3cS8MiTTYl3rsxhZCBVmvjWDAZgsCpvSLOcebIPv4h_vuvbDiHkmhgyc6yqTckjxNftmggB9H4X0I3HoxupCd0uru6fwL3y8ghB2PEZJfG-oJ_zC5KZYY0fZuWCqpiV6yyltD-NYoGXfXmxJ1gzkHM5PgsX3TQs4KiGKBv2JqQdPHgTqoWD4/s1000/20230923_214033(0).jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmLPrTx1d3cS8MiTTYl3rsxhZCBVmvjWDAZgsCpvSLOcebIPv4h_vuvbDiHkmhgyc6yqTckjxNftmggB9H4X0I3HoxupCd0uru6fwL3y8ghB2PEZJfG-oJ_zC5KZYY0fZuWCqpiV6yyltD-NYoGXfXmxJ1gzkHM5PgsX3TQs4KiGKBv2JqQdPHgTqoWD4/s16000/20230923_214033(0).jpg" /></a></p><p>Hello, Skechers Friendship Walk! We might not have done the Zoo Run but we did complete a 5km walk in our comfy Skechers kicks. I always look forward to such family events and it's such a good, healthy way to wake everyone early on a weekend and spend time together. The hubby was feeling sick that day so he actually dropped out of the walk very early in the race and the kids were left with me.</p><p>With a toddler who wanted to be carried for a good part of the journey and a mum who stopped to take photos here and there, we didn't realise that eventually, we were the last to complete the walk and last to receive our medals. Haha, better late than never! It was already an achievement, to me, that we finished the entire walk and I was so grateful that we crossed the finishing line together.</p><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgraxIlxDhyphenhyphenKpSTT00zg4NhDdDuLo1GA4WjQPxqgGcMvVPpkX_206AdtMkt_sBXV8UKi8Bk2omyQzLkimGqAdkkvk7sa1PjT_hHg3MGEbOdDj6M6AQO9_VqdHKBZbZ5S6vXjWVQAuFoMyGOD73id3z0bNGyPlgv4lWuKiuMVgEiCOm-stKZKDmlyIZ2r_Q/s1000/collage275.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgraxIlxDhyphenhyphenKpSTT00zg4NhDdDuLo1GA4WjQPxqgGcMvVPpkX_206AdtMkt_sBXV8UKi8Bk2omyQzLkimGqAdkkvk7sa1PjT_hHg3MGEbOdDj6M6AQO9_VqdHKBZbZ5S6vXjWVQAuFoMyGOD73id3z0bNGyPlgv4lWuKiuMVgEiCOm-stKZKDmlyIZ2r_Q/s16000/collage275.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPFkmZK4WlQ0SfN1EsUsDNamwOaVgiPWOSwmeBJ6Xwrg8HcWZDb2YL8L5K4sj0fxMx97Lmyg_6I4A_dvd-GrxwxEzTdGWpjAEDasUtquOIpLleY-tWZ9yIaul_2cM1QoPRGg43P_6pKNid190X2pDmhUv18jywx1n80hot5kPNyz7u3R_vnfwJzIR38tE/s1000/20230903_082618.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPFkmZK4WlQ0SfN1EsUsDNamwOaVgiPWOSwmeBJ6Xwrg8HcWZDb2YL8L5K4sj0fxMx97Lmyg_6I4A_dvd-GrxwxEzTdGWpjAEDasUtquOIpLleY-tWZ9yIaul_2cM1QoPRGg43P_6pKNid190X2pDmhUv18jywx1n80hot5kPNyz7u3R_vnfwJzIR38tE/s16000/20230903_082618.jpg" /></a></div><div>We've been going to less movies these days but this was one that couldn't be missed - Paw Patrol The Mighty Movie! The eldest had to skip it due to CCA but I also think that she was happy to spend time running with friends instead of watching an animated film with us, even if it was one that she used to love as a small kid. For now, the other kids still love watching such shows so I'm gonna treasure these opportunities as much as I can. I personally thought the story about Skye was such an inspiring one!</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNbzXohgDOMoJZ1uH8k0UFE0TLY64zHxie56J2LSkcNMQbzQnSPk8nkiEY7ypxdNUrHN7DHtGuQURHbsWXzajVT9m41BPGLISn1lCm6OaU_wxykWllMqFmq4RcfHuZqhzoqWKg80mWTGDjz4Xc_p-4cGPXudEAioI94ki_sVCcRWau3WpZ7ToXdKMG6oE/s1000/20230923_101002.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNbzXohgDOMoJZ1uH8k0UFE0TLY64zHxie56J2LSkcNMQbzQnSPk8nkiEY7ypxdNUrHN7DHtGuQURHbsWXzajVT9m41BPGLISn1lCm6OaU_wxykWllMqFmq4RcfHuZqhzoqWKg80mWTGDjz4Xc_p-4cGPXudEAioI94ki_sVCcRWau3WpZ7ToXdKMG6oE/s16000/20230923_101002.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Family meals are still a big part of our life and even though I don't cook on a daily basis, we still eat together every day. I might not like the washing up but I love listening to the kids' stories - bickers are part and parcel too - and it's a way for me to understand more about what goes on in their lives.</div><div><br /></div><div>These are the memories that I believe they will hold dear when they grow up and move on one day, and hopefully they will have homecooked food with their kids and relish in the joy of family meals.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrF8Jp1NUKjGgLb_BifrdwMM94rv0idyBE9TKpZP691rjbRonhBHOpHs7CgZTDTKGsA-5aCiL3A5cGEDWqXmrmVIVYRW1k_Ppf17zLtTr_0StrkkxlfCGxqeFE0sdKHlyutTVmsZv_iUaiCZNzRfEH_ms3Q4WxDJ0Z5h037tyT1QjUoaGfX2M8QIV0OX4/s1000/20230921_195159.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrF8Jp1NUKjGgLb_BifrdwMM94rv0idyBE9TKpZP691rjbRonhBHOpHs7CgZTDTKGsA-5aCiL3A5cGEDWqXmrmVIVYRW1k_Ppf17zLtTr_0StrkkxlfCGxqeFE0sdKHlyutTVmsZv_iUaiCZNzRfEH_ms3Q4WxDJ0Z5h037tyT1QjUoaGfX2M8QIV0OX4/s16000/20230921_195159.jpg" /></a></div><div>I seldom go for gatherings with my friends because I'm usually so preoccupied with the kids - yup, and I wouldn't say that is healthy but neither is it wrong. It's just ultimately a personal choice. However, I do make it a point to meet up with my bunch of jie meis on their birthdays especially since 2023 is the year when we all hit the big 4.</div><div><br /></div><div>My bestie chose to have a karaoke party to celebrate her special night and it was a crazy girls' night out complete with an overwhelming amount of food, lots of booze, high-pitched singing and nostalgic oldies. I do miss those days when we would party till dawn and go for 'supper' which seems more like breakfast, and those memories will always stay in my heart.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaM9-8Y7N2wVpckgViYjuuUkrhQe0w6q7cAzHHKAC1vcTj1Pa5xx80-yFCzLPbL8nKCvA8rEKMcb3p8G5aKzocFbN8xRTZ7YquqlylpNnVQgqMCsZd42Y9orzHvus94HF5eBH13vouwUznJ6cZdPBAxG3N19P3BOg5Lndzimqh9u70ELOfiwhdALRfYMY/s1000/20230930_210036.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaM9-8Y7N2wVpckgViYjuuUkrhQe0w6q7cAzHHKAC1vcTj1Pa5xx80-yFCzLPbL8nKCvA8rEKMcb3p8G5aKzocFbN8xRTZ7YquqlylpNnVQgqMCsZd42Y9orzHvus94HF5eBH13vouwUznJ6cZdPBAxG3N19P3BOg5Lndzimqh9u70ELOfiwhdALRfYMY/s16000/20230930_210036.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9K3J6Pmmd1Li5ddOB2Y7BvqGHMd4TOHN7SXjuz7AMjA6lrm0ZbQUlwzKKZl9qu76c9qA6yWulXVWmA_1cyCoiupZ95vkLzhLEhEGkYvLqhx_XH34EL_IZxR3Lmz_1FaJ2uxSbLAkTW5vweCkP2gX-3nVs1xeVqSDaIeKaUeun7HBh_frHMNx10MXzbI/s1000/20230930_230319.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9K3J6Pmmd1Li5ddOB2Y7BvqGHMd4TOHN7SXjuz7AMjA6lrm0ZbQUlwzKKZl9qu76c9qA6yWulXVWmA_1cyCoiupZ95vkLzhLEhEGkYvLqhx_XH34EL_IZxR3Lmz_1FaJ2uxSbLAkTW5vweCkP2gX-3nVs1xeVqSDaIeKaUeun7HBh_frHMNx10MXzbI/s16000/20230930_230319.jpg" /></a></div><div>Last but not least, the highlight of the month had to be our Legoland trip where we brought my Dad and Mum there. It was my Dad's first visit and I had brought my Mum here when the park just opened, which was over a decade ago already. So this trip was one that we highly anticipated and to save on cost, we stayed in a nearby apartment together instead of the costly Legoland Hotel.</div><div><br /></div><div>I simply love seeing how my parents were spontaneous to go on the rides with the kids, including trains, boats and even roller coasters - my Mum did it with the elder three as Ansel was stuck with me. My Dad said their hearts wouldn't be able to take it much longer and he already opted out of the more thrilling rides, which made me cherish each and every such opportunity to bring them out even more. </div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVv9aRsbmqGGNLBxQtfuf_RDzPq0DXbEQ20SPtz5zmV3jmOsl0tWNsSMg8So0d5b4DJIoWUrne7swtnZsjfS7Ptfm8xW6pTxkUq4BjYxMXdf3EBcGdZOWTYw47eYDritGmvG7bKcG5B_dmBnFt1F_HHJ6193V4Y3STcTy4X5k3U98frGca2m6jypXKx9A/s1000/20230907_174616.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVv9aRsbmqGGNLBxQtfuf_RDzPq0DXbEQ20SPtz5zmV3jmOsl0tWNsSMg8So0d5b4DJIoWUrne7swtnZsjfS7Ptfm8xW6pTxkUq4BjYxMXdf3EBcGdZOWTYw47eYDritGmvG7bKcG5B_dmBnFt1F_HHJ6193V4Y3STcTy4X5k3U98frGca2m6jypXKx9A/s16000/20230907_174616.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFvi1DOUNWLj93yToFVv7ykEW30Et8t2w6KwYeThCGrSlN5cXmqrOQsH5yuT3cUsaAszTwn_DXN2S-oPmcHVgLIbLIuDuvaYBVSGoWzaOUJ7EM8F3sv1WP2ESiTJud3P-pJl4kjGQKeF3vg2TDyZ6DNs6KQLP0vMRUv867ldSvPDoS558bI8zFoBb2CiU/s1000/20230907_160714(0).jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFvi1DOUNWLj93yToFVv7ykEW30Et8t2w6KwYeThCGrSlN5cXmqrOQsH5yuT3cUsaAszTwn_DXN2S-oPmcHVgLIbLIuDuvaYBVSGoWzaOUJ7EM8F3sv1WP2ESiTJud3P-pJl4kjGQKeF3vg2TDyZ6DNs6KQLP0vMRUv867ldSvPDoS558bI8zFoBb2CiU/s16000/20230907_160714(0).jpg" /></a></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKjr3VA3BloMpy7WSs4I-M61JkRDNMJqpBVR0ihAFsojIciel0zH4RJ6J0bD9jW4NgkiMcg6mo7ktbd8Pm1XLWN6Gc19DxDGI2cHDEF9cWfIQRgahvEcNnSeU4AGI1RmwUjeW6RXYDi-fjcQTlBnQPxDgOCEB9pCF88tF2NjMJk2oMoJS_7bcUAor6TA/s1000/20230907_121427.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKjr3VA3BloMpy7WSs4I-M61JkRDNMJqpBVR0ihAFsojIciel0zH4RJ6J0bD9jW4NgkiMcg6mo7ktbd8Pm1XLWN6Gc19DxDGI2cHDEF9cWfIQRgahvEcNnSeU4AGI1RmwUjeW6RXYDi-fjcQTlBnQPxDgOCEB9pCF88tF2NjMJk2oMoJS_7bcUAor6TA/s16000/20230907_121427.jpg" /></a></div><div><div>The only regret was most of us were feeling sick on this trip, especially Ansel who was having a cough and fever, so the kids were whiny and Ansel was basically my superglue from the start to end. My parents also saw and heard the kids bickering from time to time and they must have wondered how I can tolerate it day in day out. Oh well, welcome to my life, Papa Mama. But, trust that I will try my best to raise and nurture your grandkids well because it's the only thing I do every day in my life now.</div><div><br /></div><div>So we made a promise to visit the parks again next year in 2024 (guess what, by the time of writing this in March, we already did!) as an extended family and I also made a resolution to do it as many times as possible as long as the kids and my parents are willing to come along. I know the kids will all outgrow this wonderland one day but when that day comes, we would have made an invaluable treasure trove of memories that will be deeply etched in our hearts.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMU4kcVl-AQKoLRbx17P7riytuQzhKlAaIUwHiiTQwfJYDR6IUhrOpDw7V8wZHvXUaYFNg3igApAUtbHLmtf9CTADJgfUX3Ec9JgP_R9Ojv9TfZqapWzMJ8LnP3XOtxfo3iUlhCp6OJxW0L3omyVI6mzqCAkijtNYRsH_giPrGNxpdo1SgbQhEk0GR14/s1000/20230907_112436.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMU4kcVl-AQKoLRbx17P7riytuQzhKlAaIUwHiiTQwfJYDR6IUhrOpDw7V8wZHvXUaYFNg3igApAUtbHLmtf9CTADJgfUX3Ec9JgP_R9Ojv9TfZqapWzMJ8LnP3XOtxfo3iUlhCp6OJxW0L3omyVI6mzqCAkijtNYRsH_giPrGNxpdo1SgbQhEk0GR14/s16000/20230907_112436.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCaWeW8RS-R_kg7Vohp9tRATc-PgZr-SdA0hyFGCrSnf8uRt735YqBP7oyRXFhbqEr3fJdziDG1e7LV4P8gD_Q-Opqkq3RsS6MGszjYBZDYWVwMLNyOMHGSdrQwdXuVEGIYCuOnKAgY9HB2SHo2d4FnLk8CUzAeNbbjz8ZKDuan4Ih0VwWm_MkjhQcYVU/s1000/20230907_103715.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCaWeW8RS-R_kg7Vohp9tRATc-PgZr-SdA0hyFGCrSnf8uRt735YqBP7oyRXFhbqEr3fJdziDG1e7LV4P8gD_Q-Opqkq3RsS6MGszjYBZDYWVwMLNyOMHGSdrQwdXuVEGIYCuOnKAgY9HB2SHo2d4FnLk8CUzAeNbbjz8ZKDuan4Ih0VwWm_MkjhQcYVU/s16000/20230907_103715.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>That marks the end of a memorable September for us which included lots of happy family time that we are greatly thankful for. <b>懂得感恩,不忘珍惜</b>。</div><div><br /></div><div>Till the next post!</div><p></p></div>~Summer~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478137784353655124noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6546965252487257512.post-54299028546758597932024-03-20T19:16:00.064+08:002024-03-22T15:48:21.111+08:00Work Hard, Party Harder - Happy Halloween 2023<div>My kids look forward to Halloween every year. This is not because we would attend large scale parties or do anything over the top but because of our yearly DIY celebration held in the comfort of our home.</div><div><br /></div><div>Following our "Spooky Party" in 2020, "Back to School" celebration in 2021 and "Skeleton Carnival" in 2022, this year, we had a "Work Hard, Party Harder" theme. I actually decided on the theme long ago when I heard that Kidzania was closing its doors and I wanted my kids to be able to experience the joy of trying out different occupations. Of course, the activites had to be kept simple and couldn't be as elaborate as the ones in Kidzania, but it would still be a fun way to play. For me, Halloween is always about having fun and making memories.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's sharing more about the celebration, including the characters, outfits, activities, trick-or-treat finale and a special surprise for the kids at the end.</div><p><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5xrdR4hxv4zfsQZgC8alKJmIYPms7w_czc2JwsFIrPxEdz3luTyeD8jJs5UZVh6J_Q_L2eTp-10iWhwdGFwDSruIA4E9SXs0BN1ISl3208LNJjfDz_NwxU8T4-u1RHjjUeY8HygbfVQxy7zF33INhLM8H7nOoNeLVYPWhVNvk429SEaXUEqZZNBNQ2Iw/s16000/20231028_171538.jpg" /></p><p><b>The Characters</b></p><p>Each of us took on a different occupation so we could dress up accordingly. Introducing</p><p>- Ariel the Veterinarian</p><p>- Ansel the Race Car Driver</p><p>- Summer the Photographer</p><p>- Asher the Kung Fu Master</p><p>- Angel the Arachnologist</p><p>- Xavier the Butcher</p><p>We kept to the colours of red, black and white and kept cost to a minimum by mainly using what we have in our wardrobes and Halloween stash (yes, I have a whole section in my cupboard dedicated to storing anything Halloween related).</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTY9JeFuqkqcWvwsmQGdOJ-FCOQJuQ7IZI7aQDkkGIYi-WFQpDjJRP7I2E6oeLWZ_gllcN9zO8p8VEGx3ef42dfRQsL696t9bzmarUtCnpJCtBVI9IhDOYpzMxY-ct4Oj3VF0dhGJywJfDcodogIiNPIjny2hJr2cPwL-mX3beEN_iBNFC6_9R1EZuRG8/s1000/collage273.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTY9JeFuqkqcWvwsmQGdOJ-FCOQJuQ7IZI7aQDkkGIYi-WFQpDjJRP7I2E6oeLWZ_gllcN9zO8p8VEGx3ef42dfRQsL696t9bzmarUtCnpJCtBVI9IhDOYpzMxY-ct4Oj3VF0dhGJywJfDcodogIiNPIjny2hJr2cPwL-mX3beEN_iBNFC6_9R1EZuRG8/s16000/collage273.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnIQH_0eYPYtVnq4XrihvyDt2_d6k9ww8og0hY4jeCSpWxQn6BSDGOYjzXxXqI-5DC5z-rr2AjHM4MJSevmHSo5x-gLmdGUtJsbi_gZbyld_Gg9fHwle_12qvtI5Y5W9FSyYnQQsUCE1vaOtyxyAlWlvI4eM-ZwyKiXaIMp0EGLgu_n_2tPM9u36hiuqM/s1000/collage272.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnIQH_0eYPYtVnq4XrihvyDt2_d6k9ww8og0hY4jeCSpWxQn6BSDGOYjzXxXqI-5DC5z-rr2AjHM4MJSevmHSo5x-gLmdGUtJsbi_gZbyld_Gg9fHwle_12qvtI5Y5W9FSyYnQQsUCE1vaOtyxyAlWlvI4eM-ZwyKiXaIMp0EGLgu_n_2tPM9u36hiuqM/s16000/collage272.jpg" /></a></p><p><b>Getting Ready</b></p><p>For the decor this year, I bought a few additional items from Daiso including a ghost, hanging vines, spider webs and bloody footprints, and added them to what we already have to jazz up the house.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ffSZskiyCSmsn_LJAKrZ8xZLUbv3aTD_Xnn7la5Gw9hTn_ijevPSRUWU3MTnJS49Vq2R2rCgWb0BapQpSPsltbqgUnqBf5hIruwLLSzKf6aAH0DlxP59y8V9p4xwaxO7qhwFE_INmvMDYAafMLpH11KOtls-V6iNZlAhOMrON9aWYtBwnuP_GrODpYQ/s1000/20231026_065054.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ffSZskiyCSmsn_LJAKrZ8xZLUbv3aTD_Xnn7la5Gw9hTn_ijevPSRUWU3MTnJS49Vq2R2rCgWb0BapQpSPsltbqgUnqBf5hIruwLLSzKf6aAH0DlxP59y8V9p4xwaxO7qhwFE_INmvMDYAafMLpH11KOtls-V6iNZlAhOMrON9aWYtBwnuP_GrODpYQ/s16000/20231026_065054.jpg" /></a></p><p>As for the makeup, we made use of tattoos that came in the form of scars, wounds and bullet holes. I thought they looked pretty real and apt for the occasion and we would never be able to achieve the same look using our mediocre makeup skills. The makeup process is usually very fun because we would fool around, make funny faces and experiment with different looks.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdUipY7iYAtSwfRzDAZLuk0wXEATO0OKFy19oJcA61rL9b-ZkgcvjCuY4vE8CRcR8O0LC75hWBuc3CjHWnZa2mHFFrWj_Osz_IuacOyRdNcfDlgHqe1ttpLUSts143MIOg3NrNHwODy_gq-N31GakiFqv3j-7IXkMvYBZHyC0Z1R1uPY721n6FVcO0sYY/s1000/20231028_163449.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdUipY7iYAtSwfRzDAZLuk0wXEATO0OKFy19oJcA61rL9b-ZkgcvjCuY4vE8CRcR8O0LC75hWBuc3CjHWnZa2mHFFrWj_Osz_IuacOyRdNcfDlgHqe1ttpLUSts143MIOg3NrNHwODy_gq-N31GakiFqv3j-7IXkMvYBZHyC0Z1R1uPY721n6FVcO0sYY/s16000/20231028_163449.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCup92c5y_FcvvpBtBeW2U3BC32yfFMXCqSlsjsQvqiTC0l7SGfsd8tqWLBOigVctdqgT8iPyZoHQVq5bYFmrbg3kJAmcN0sPv4jS4LwH1YhwbCCygYCVKFoj9kIxpnFxPhF1dLwqgUMtE8vjDeLvHO5uxlXIxMm9aw7pdTjWc78MB23RWgBpRUOZchPM/s1000/20231028_162840.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCup92c5y_FcvvpBtBeW2U3BC32yfFMXCqSlsjsQvqiTC0l7SGfsd8tqWLBOigVctdqgT8iPyZoHQVq5bYFmrbg3kJAmcN0sPv4jS4LwH1YhwbCCygYCVKFoj9kIxpnFxPhF1dLwqgUMtE8vjDeLvHO5uxlXIxMm9aw7pdTjWc78MB23RWgBpRUOZchPM/s16000/20231028_162840.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxprJR8IDY-ZrGhXfXVDzdCZdInjyfSnr-n4a9_wCWgAgJ9rg5ZB1Y0rYA3AgbvRCC7uOjfRwswP2iET4h67G8vbECU9nwXgDj6-fjNbTpqnO2KGKmNkQmZgmaVwIDHUTmet0Hxrxd1mp8jiYD2BCM4Mres5-7BtqUx-mhQQiPUh19Ir3Hkr0q9scve2s/s1000/20231028_163503.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxprJR8IDY-ZrGhXfXVDzdCZdInjyfSnr-n4a9_wCWgAgJ9rg5ZB1Y0rYA3AgbvRCC7uOjfRwswP2iET4h67G8vbECU9nwXgDj6-fjNbTpqnO2KGKmNkQmZgmaVwIDHUTmet0Hxrxd1mp8jiYD2BCM4Mres5-7BtqUx-mhQQiPUh19Ir3Hkr0q9scve2s/s16000/20231028_163503.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8UpAh_UoG6BbHwl3gvgGeXiMiCm1gmvT3I9p-7RXFfuZ-7-cCpSqRS_Hcsy3cHqx2TJrjpp4LWgwEmZsQ4sc_v97HjGDTAtV_Pv6U9DxMGkfaNEk2R4WxtPkmM0FTSmDmyyU_QxXCs2ICn29o3kqtcGPTC7Y6wX-peS6wy4qjrF-mmxh-tOoJuecyh4/s1000/20231028_164431.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8UpAh_UoG6BbHwl3gvgGeXiMiCm1gmvT3I9p-7RXFfuZ-7-cCpSqRS_Hcsy3cHqx2TJrjpp4LWgwEmZsQ4sc_v97HjGDTAtV_Pv6U9DxMGkfaNEk2R4WxtPkmM0FTSmDmyyU_QxXCs2ICn29o3kqtcGPTC7Y6wX-peS6wy4qjrF-mmxh-tOoJuecyh4/s16000/20231028_164431.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinLpP9HlRpe7Va7H_4VSH_ZBtkA4dT2kaqIUq5_PRdqVMiAIRN3L46BZAVtxrF2_1oJMQdBrVJvkHnsgg3PNdJ04BoFerx1ly_eMr7B8YS_uXXWqVQErMJzjTe5ODNGmO_1KEA1dMJjsX_oCCqanUpyjOE8w2FO4kkPXaoggf6bFAhmPfYjpHAPdsaBM8/s1000/collage271.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinLpP9HlRpe7Va7H_4VSH_ZBtkA4dT2kaqIUq5_PRdqVMiAIRN3L46BZAVtxrF2_1oJMQdBrVJvkHnsgg3PNdJ04BoFerx1ly_eMr7B8YS_uXXWqVQErMJzjTe5ODNGmO_1KEA1dMJjsX_oCCqanUpyjOE8w2FO4kkPXaoggf6bFAhmPfYjpHAPdsaBM8/s16000/collage271.jpg" /></a></p><p>The first thing we do every time we are done with our makeup is to take family photos! Yup, these are priceless memories to me and I am very thankful that the kids usually cooperate and are patient with me - I think it's mainly because they know that I have a whole lineup of games and prizes waiting for them, haha.</p><p>I realised I didn't take much photos of our decorations, including the footprints, spider webs and dangling skeletons but I have included them in the video so do read till the end and view it if you are keen.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU31pNgf5ZGEVhw-96fzUwsqp3kc7Dt7N2OUAmaDj15nwQ2EQpf16Xa8IZxxy8es4nF1FjcBpiS-bk10YRiKeGtb7SDY0vViGttV0NUnn1IgIndn64OAMEalq1v9NNyUZTOvAsfooAQ7nhByRfvEj0GWWRh8cMh1tGDu_5n7sSIFrlIU58GDjGdA2JWoY/s1000/20231028_171535.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU31pNgf5ZGEVhw-96fzUwsqp3kc7Dt7N2OUAmaDj15nwQ2EQpf16Xa8IZxxy8es4nF1FjcBpiS-bk10YRiKeGtb7SDY0vViGttV0NUnn1IgIndn64OAMEalq1v9NNyUZTOvAsfooAQ7nhByRfvEj0GWWRh8cMh1tGDu_5n7sSIFrlIU58GDjGdA2JWoY/s16000/20231028_171535.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrXbsflvAAMS6f4Q8w8pP6B8_cpLeijocz9MjiSm50GgKUTvBvlk2EHuuz0xWE-ZIL2B7iVrcw75c9j6_YsHu4SKdGt1KksPFFKJWGikgV32WWhOl42R260Opa1z_fg0FdVTj1aS-yU2taCEFsm4O4YuZ1NTkWddcAnWm6xZQ7dZnLAM42nRHgtrbfJNU/s1000/20231028_194717.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrXbsflvAAMS6f4Q8w8pP6B8_cpLeijocz9MjiSm50GgKUTvBvlk2EHuuz0xWE-ZIL2B7iVrcw75c9j6_YsHu4SKdGt1KksPFFKJWGikgV32WWhOl42R260Opa1z_fg0FdVTj1aS-yU2taCEFsm4O4YuZ1NTkWddcAnWm6xZQ7dZnLAM42nRHgtrbfJNU/s16000/20231028_194717.jpg" /></a></p><p>To make things a little more fun, I printed and gave every kid a stamp card so they could collect a stamp every time they completed a task.</p><p><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE0eQTWegpUBTF3foM01c6RBrazjkcV96NqF80BWNp2aozz78aCFs9Ox0wcpXA8GOdrzGRsqAMbLK41oDeTkozwNKgPYoo8AaDr-FC2Onhq-aBhAC6v_ogXpAqipR5vFsUNDvxBu0vxVRHvdl4KAHnHJZdqaBgXngxrjGFm-mCG_IknvVyFUIFtkHArSU/s16000/20231028_173517.jpg" /></p><p><b>The Activities</b></p><p>Let the party begin!</p><p><i>1) Be an Artist</i></p><p>We started the night with a fairly simple activity and that was taking turns to draw Halloween-related items for others to guess. These included a crow, cauldron, goblin, pumpkin, broomstick, zombie, Frankenstein and more.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcoiayDwI-8yZ10L-G4NONvDM2MwBF8_84m1b4a5edqQnPpwzBYCpRoviGa5-keoi3UClcv9b0tp1HgMLbeBLzsSWCHsJ2wxGI02ENxyQ3Zn5fEWQQ-qDrmabCBsYj5rg1M-o2i2W2V-MUYt1BF-_21KhG8hz_cjWo20A5M69x1E8jtSBucvMBmfwQWcA/s1000/20231028_173740.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcoiayDwI-8yZ10L-G4NONvDM2MwBF8_84m1b4a5edqQnPpwzBYCpRoviGa5-keoi3UClcv9b0tp1HgMLbeBLzsSWCHsJ2wxGI02ENxyQ3Zn5fEWQQ-qDrmabCBsYj5rg1M-o2i2W2V-MUYt1BF-_21KhG8hz_cjWo20A5M69x1E8jtSBucvMBmfwQWcA/s16000/20231028_173740.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxs2ua_q3-Mnd4Zi3UKcA_UEU4a7WJQLMGEHra8vlYm-GT2KCshTNiHueY_vlYosWksDFN1aM0t-i48c3VLB2mDzKesOWiNdzFgo14VenZjvp6PFAMAphKCR8AFqMMUjYv-SkxD0wslf4KrdTeieWyZ-282LVl8_CmhJRi2_SCAl76wAIPPfdyznt8txA/s1000/20231028_173619.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxs2ua_q3-Mnd4Zi3UKcA_UEU4a7WJQLMGEHra8vlYm-GT2KCshTNiHueY_vlYosWksDFN1aM0t-i48c3VLB2mDzKesOWiNdzFgo14VenZjvp6PFAMAphKCR8AFqMMUjYv-SkxD0wslf4KrdTeieWyZ-282LVl8_CmhJRi2_SCAl76wAIPPfdyznt8txA/s16000/20231028_173619.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKiby9PLY7SaL4KuvxVhyphenhyphenRog6ZFWmLe2-KH29dip6TIXKeYT0p7QrEACeYakrgokYN1oXoUxlOBeEndTZ3sQmhDVcsgfV6FDK2sKIQJcPo9tvV3m5e9jpLlJ4ZTUvM6y1P3DTzfQ1BOlOayI-k2wTmUoGkNve7qV8jY_EK7HJAq2FoqkJla4jcRnq-wo/s1000/20231028_174657.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKiby9PLY7SaL4KuvxVhyphenhyphenRog6ZFWmLe2-KH29dip6TIXKeYT0p7QrEACeYakrgokYN1oXoUxlOBeEndTZ3sQmhDVcsgfV6FDK2sKIQJcPo9tvV3m5e9jpLlJ4ZTUvM6y1P3DTzfQ1BOlOayI-k2wTmUoGkNve7qV8jY_EK7HJAq2FoqkJla4jcRnq-wo/s16000/20231028_174657.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJfJvuE3P0WVDr0Y_wl6TBBIpZjikYsh86C9dCmXcMcxRXrjpqzwq0u3a2SV31qpxlQGVdIvg3CFlsFSTBtNQw_CSWtg0IT5zakQIEUWPggHC4VYFDf5T15junGDetdFmPR4Z_C9udgCmxgWaZIJ3hYFKYPT2G2BTGcaGtE0Ct7-HjkmecMjLWr0-O-vs/s1000/20231028_174926.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJfJvuE3P0WVDr0Y_wl6TBBIpZjikYsh86C9dCmXcMcxRXrjpqzwq0u3a2SV31qpxlQGVdIvg3CFlsFSTBtNQw_CSWtg0IT5zakQIEUWPggHC4VYFDf5T15junGDetdFmPR4Z_C9udgCmxgWaZIJ3hYFKYPT2G2BTGcaGtE0Ct7-HjkmecMjLWr0-O-vs/s16000/20231028_174926.jpg" /></a></p><p><i>2) Be a Policeman</i></p><p>The next activity was a test of their marksmanship as they took on the 'bad guys' and attempted to shoot them down.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJLtPmrocBuGXAhJq930Xl9MPGNcwzaKDOtSWeL-pt1dljUvtIuRsv2q1y6e_QU2kUWSEXGO3Ut_-GcyUTnyJ9_RP7CT9BSlwwVlzuTLkTDnuG_NHG_L556mOa0G8Yx8HRi4EVeWil2FwDR8-3fQ7diBl13lRsI6kPtbLmW9Cx18HSb08g1HdUyjexrk/s1000/20231028_175706.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJLtPmrocBuGXAhJq930Xl9MPGNcwzaKDOtSWeL-pt1dljUvtIuRsv2q1y6e_QU2kUWSEXGO3Ut_-GcyUTnyJ9_RP7CT9BSlwwVlzuTLkTDnuG_NHG_L556mOa0G8Yx8HRi4EVeWil2FwDR8-3fQ7diBl13lRsI6kPtbLmW9Cx18HSb08g1HdUyjexrk/s16000/20231028_175706.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeBebhiB0sE_Ewi6D6lUmBqiYQMQPFNiOZPWsHAqSQsuF6Xly6K-_Z6mQdHjVDFfbel1XHmWrKMIEsfhwEgzmoZAdIWHffR-deYk2rFJLq_5ysiW0exx1PHhFFm5J0BZylqAt2xohdGV77OqCmHDAUyWLVurB2yaK0qdmCuVh7_k_M9B279R9BSY2gNRQ/s1000/20231028_180209.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeBebhiB0sE_Ewi6D6lUmBqiYQMQPFNiOZPWsHAqSQsuF6Xly6K-_Z6mQdHjVDFfbel1XHmWrKMIEsfhwEgzmoZAdIWHffR-deYk2rFJLq_5ysiW0exx1PHhFFm5J0BZylqAt2xohdGV77OqCmHDAUyWLVurB2yaK0qdmCuVh7_k_M9B279R9BSY2gNRQ/s16000/20231028_180209.jpg" /></a></p><p><i>3) Be a Dancer</i></p><p>In line with our tradition, we included a dance and this time, we danced to the famous scene from 'Wednesday'.</p><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO-Yi4ojM2LtOv51AoYi9EODQlGAxgzwLWE1nfTzLsLJSMtJDGmPPCMvWzjICQtr0MXHb4ihwUx_aLt5nboQgM09b6J0KrfLbV9veiXz3yKuHAdZGkNr3aE6PQWKARVFjT4ySrwkqyGK73taRGJb9M4Kjzy4T_dLx6AJ4JEbhu1PPhH2uTzsahw3UxNGg/s1000/dance.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO-Yi4ojM2LtOv51AoYi9EODQlGAxgzwLWE1nfTzLsLJSMtJDGmPPCMvWzjICQtr0MXHb4ihwUx_aLt5nboQgM09b6J0KrfLbV9veiXz3yKuHAdZGkNr3aE6PQWKARVFjT4ySrwkqyGK73taRGJb9M4Kjzy4T_dLx6AJ4JEbhu1PPhH2uTzsahw3UxNGg/s16000/dance.jpg" /></a></div><p><i>4) Be a Chef</i></p><p>The kids love making homemade 'pizza' so this was a fun, hands-on activity for them as they chopped and sliced mushrooms, ham, pineapples and tomatoes. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0PpM2I2K7H8_FkES-B6eLM_Du2turulru3x-fr8DDDsG1vqhCng1BRS1pBqI0N5HurtrIs2Oef0T0s1STafx1-dtuB7pm2ifwdFiJxOj_3jr6mREFhjFUw2q1-y7qw7FBrUsGm48zAxctxcF4yw3DRc9kKZiVZ57oLu6Ti7Ks83i9GbuDOuxR7xv1ppw/s1000/20231028_183721.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0PpM2I2K7H8_FkES-B6eLM_Du2turulru3x-fr8DDDsG1vqhCng1BRS1pBqI0N5HurtrIs2Oef0T0s1STafx1-dtuB7pm2ifwdFiJxOj_3jr6mREFhjFUw2q1-y7qw7FBrUsGm48zAxctxcF4yw3DRc9kKZiVZ57oLu6Ti7Ks83i9GbuDOuxR7xv1ppw/s16000/20231028_183721.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjufmQfeZ2WZAnQWo5FZG4Vre2V64MCa8eHxLsreJNbCiExKg5SCvFj8ZgfyoDqNUllkImOg_DlomMioD_4mWL1dM1zXZ106mhQFplrriYuWVLYwUZGLPHS5dEsWPH5h9H7Pd9ojezRKqpuQ7GHZC7PdOATBtouLAK8G55tI93IULSqSSI5BMD6Uw9xBXY/s1000/20231028_184334.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjufmQfeZ2WZAnQWo5FZG4Vre2V64MCa8eHxLsreJNbCiExKg5SCvFj8ZgfyoDqNUllkImOg_DlomMioD_4mWL1dM1zXZ106mhQFplrriYuWVLYwUZGLPHS5dEsWPH5h9H7Pd9ojezRKqpuQ7GHZC7PdOATBtouLAK8G55tI93IULSqSSI5BMD6Uw9xBXY/s16000/20231028_184334.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2OztGKZTSEsqMbYQz203SGYTaSACnGtFCp3t3d9qQ_ZzGN_270vtpiM0LGsv0u9YZ2zFyeh9NUPZm_nPXvMDM809ggfgeYFZ-j1BIatQjoYUafJZsbzvHPVkvzVGrrjPLmQaR5mHlgV4m8J8yQDLlYdP-Atfitc2OHJfUi524jmJcXho4rm1xb0CYjyE/s1000/20231028_185715.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2OztGKZTSEsqMbYQz203SGYTaSACnGtFCp3t3d9qQ_ZzGN_270vtpiM0LGsv0u9YZ2zFyeh9NUPZm_nPXvMDM809ggfgeYFZ-j1BIatQjoYUafJZsbzvHPVkvzVGrrjPLmQaR5mHlgV4m8J8yQDLlYdP-Atfitc2OHJfUi524jmJcXho4rm1xb0CYjyE/s16000/20231028_185715.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNqwscJTVVP2bdBnrVlQCEmWW1dD7FbVrKMDEKNbWnI1JJiaFKrMpEZFJlF3tLxRvQQtri5aifqQQMhXCWo6h7lBwGAnfvLNx1Hhl6FdypiN7dxmtU-TJFzt6_fGLoID5yNQ80EwRyoLr0hTSgm3XN9zKN0eam5tRgDHS8vfaqqdRllwaWCqEyhKgfmck/s1000/20231028_185418.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNqwscJTVVP2bdBnrVlQCEmWW1dD7FbVrKMDEKNbWnI1JJiaFKrMpEZFJlF3tLxRvQQtri5aifqQQMhXCWo6h7lBwGAnfvLNx1Hhl6FdypiN7dxmtU-TJFzt6_fGLoID5yNQ80EwRyoLr0hTSgm3XN9zKN0eam5tRgDHS8vfaqqdRllwaWCqEyhKgfmck/s16000/20231028_185418.jpg" /></a></p><p><i>It's Dinner Time!</i></p><p>Looks yummy, right? We tucked into the pizza heartily and the kids were also ecstatic that I had ordered McDonald's for them too. I do that on Halloween every year and I think it's something that we all look forward to. We also bought a box of Halloween themed macarons and Ariel and I enjoyed eating it, even Ansel said it was nice too!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1dvsUSEkb-f_bRoHmJ-jkfY6hb2Lg5F34yECKG6F4FPyviA-I34Q1pbsEZdEc20MybZUwYLdTQgOm3ItVX8E-6D3xy56TU1Jy9PwkVt5fUSHzqASnw6qOZQb8v_IE7LxBRkOizqbopnbIcfNf8uBgKhU_0OJejuTQPYisnrZPklMjb1uMVa0ZYf1rtpM/s1000/20231028_185939.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1dvsUSEkb-f_bRoHmJ-jkfY6hb2Lg5F34yECKG6F4FPyviA-I34Q1pbsEZdEc20MybZUwYLdTQgOm3ItVX8E-6D3xy56TU1Jy9PwkVt5fUSHzqASnw6qOZQb8v_IE7LxBRkOizqbopnbIcfNf8uBgKhU_0OJejuTQPYisnrZPklMjb1uMVa0ZYf1rtpM/s16000/20231028_185939.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzJBffrmBs2lOo7SSHMzxCNKYoSJgMOeWk5kuJca8QyMUpkZHfLbv_9xV1PpOIaSX3T8oBtCaLiaBKfct81q0gLwhiiLWKol7tSnbqCIUgv3MABB1SYAAkoECOin2fVmn1VPuDewyjmHfjcvfvZjOjzmCvHMXY3xPEhirMq4f5gGVR3riZWrc75YBnY4I/s1000/20231028_185111.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzJBffrmBs2lOo7SSHMzxCNKYoSJgMOeWk5kuJca8QyMUpkZHfLbv_9xV1PpOIaSX3T8oBtCaLiaBKfct81q0gLwhiiLWKol7tSnbqCIUgv3MABB1SYAAkoECOin2fVmn1VPuDewyjmHfjcvfvZjOjzmCvHMXY3xPEhirMq4f5gGVR3riZWrc75YBnY4I/s16000/20231028_185111.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIHUMLaArs-AlYCXnvbD62lZA56-jZFehpy9C9Fm4aEfv1NKkHfnDCovUI3DWG5nprCloMJXisAVP57C1pEm7Hne4nyQbmmG8obs4-M87bUK0motyIc1XjU2o-kojebL6lSwUo4SYpwCPKYipKf5aPl12gNvZbQilFXP0czSnkZgFROOIN1ibU-c_6iXo/s1000/20231028_185238.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIHUMLaArs-AlYCXnvbD62lZA56-jZFehpy9C9Fm4aEfv1NKkHfnDCovUI3DWG5nprCloMJXisAVP57C1pEm7Hne4nyQbmmG8obs4-M87bUK0motyIc1XjU2o-kojebL6lSwUo4SYpwCPKYipKf5aPl12gNvZbQilFXP0czSnkZgFROOIN1ibU-c_6iXo/s16000/20231028_185238.jpg" /></a></p><p><i>5) Be an Architect</i></p><p>Moving on to the second part of the night, the kids designed and built houses for their skeletons using Lego bricks. This was a test of their creativity and what we loved most was the 'Show and Tell' session where they explained to us their creations, which was way better and more imaginative than I had expected.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsrbhmGM_CGEE4-Ai4c4Wea9xhEIxdiQtv8mLMkjlLeKrF93TkHvQlTyoR0qmcw-uRj17oWbHr2Dib_zietJxbOTYwH7RbIe1dxvMHYS0ZDiO57kGKTXqUnM8TjbN6CufIPlQ_tPHDQytCAwi87IQwNLOkLSsxM2FrRHrSZCViEJPltztRqJ00Hc9qbjU/s1000/20231028_200450.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsrbhmGM_CGEE4-Ai4c4Wea9xhEIxdiQtv8mLMkjlLeKrF93TkHvQlTyoR0qmcw-uRj17oWbHr2Dib_zietJxbOTYwH7RbIe1dxvMHYS0ZDiO57kGKTXqUnM8TjbN6CufIPlQ_tPHDQytCAwi87IQwNLOkLSsxM2FrRHrSZCViEJPltztRqJ00Hc9qbjU/s16000/20231028_200450.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEPe6QeWQiMOLF3C285C8PgKleU0hcbGs5yvHLHmgQ7WFaIUClLa3QAulZ1l6e1-3fDI39oy8TshO1Jg9J4eI-r2ADxuy5ar2td6HoY0hN5eRSS2cMO2ph1mvmnDeJ2AwYYyZFRf3mudzXcfXjbui_8hfapqMc6fDHz4V3QBjsLLdklGj0MALWdKThf5M/s1000/20231028_200541.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEPe6QeWQiMOLF3C285C8PgKleU0hcbGs5yvHLHmgQ7WFaIUClLa3QAulZ1l6e1-3fDI39oy8TshO1Jg9J4eI-r2ADxuy5ar2td6HoY0hN5eRSS2cMO2ph1mvmnDeJ2AwYYyZFRf3mudzXcfXjbui_8hfapqMc6fDHz4V3QBjsLLdklGj0MALWdKThf5M/s16000/20231028_200541.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqcKeqzny5kHhLJV9OQoVRTb9RuXPbxatMVhdzz-BDhSav0TaS32ARWLssCIpYed0NpnfTohPntBKdLrwXqy1lmlogiBEXQm049FNv_b9MbciI5Fo_z01oBM59xqRqRoWan_b9Dfg35dD8R9RdpkxXIgVM0fx8kK3_6faUtZmt2E1wvO7Wst_O1DGaMOQ/s1000/20231028_200657(0).jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqcKeqzny5kHhLJV9OQoVRTb9RuXPbxatMVhdzz-BDhSav0TaS32ARWLssCIpYed0NpnfTohPntBKdLrwXqy1lmlogiBEXQm049FNv_b9MbciI5Fo_z01oBM59xqRqRoWan_b9Dfg35dD8R9RdpkxXIgVM0fx8kK3_6faUtZmt2E1wvO7Wst_O1DGaMOQ/s16000/20231028_200657(0).jpg" /></a></p><p><i>6) Be a Room Attendant</i></p><p>We love cruises and are always amazed by the towel animals placed neatly on our beds by the room attendants. So the kids had a go at folding animals like swan, elephant and sting ray and it was pretty fun!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIIJlupobV9dxcNC7XA2eIQKzbGPtfd1GF6To4zlK9oDZeJirclEcQwdMUR7MzxepBUzYzafLR7yW7Mrk-OR96J3WRhLad-09LQj5EQ59UwGZhvUsTxZ-VjCIV8WjoiofCqj8XLh_ftolGOlmbeQUWPe2Dbc4YW3C1XYkaRFhPLVT7C83AVKoalgMRrCQ/s1000/20231028_203243.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIIJlupobV9dxcNC7XA2eIQKzbGPtfd1GF6To4zlK9oDZeJirclEcQwdMUR7MzxepBUzYzafLR7yW7Mrk-OR96J3WRhLad-09LQj5EQ59UwGZhvUsTxZ-VjCIV8WjoiofCqj8XLh_ftolGOlmbeQUWPe2Dbc4YW3C1XYkaRFhPLVT7C83AVKoalgMRrCQ/s16000/20231028_203243.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbdrer4fbV216hymuY9iDMTfBSXZeFbgER7TWda2t4keqgX7SFAuUi_y6c_bjm936pgRSkBsTj-FvzONYbTkOBpALGM72gnwby54HVYwIs1cLq8Y6Mnchpyv3nnA9j_dA4GPLlhU_sUGDtXcgq8x6vvtHC5PwvNpD8wWO2W_WVWhjUpHyFgIndrzNtPPw/s1000/20231028_203614.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbdrer4fbV216hymuY9iDMTfBSXZeFbgER7TWda2t4keqgX7SFAuUi_y6c_bjm936pgRSkBsTj-FvzONYbTkOBpALGM72gnwby54HVYwIs1cLq8Y6Mnchpyv3nnA9j_dA4GPLlhU_sUGDtXcgq8x6vvtHC5PwvNpD8wWO2W_WVWhjUpHyFgIndrzNtPPw/s16000/20231028_203614.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiknaUFnyVVg1mH9p-fgENc7y79ZyqgHZ7XYvXUv2B7ZNmTqFVbZ-CtDDdEXV5RzsXB6eQglKuMNPgPuzCKzCKye-56khLoXLWeYk8HqcdFl5v8_OEn3804zpVhzRqiVDbrWrEWhQQKm7G6bITm30nnMzS_ok_3vtMBmNDoU-WqS63ZgsnFsqFWTmlAj4A/s1000/20231028_202731.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiknaUFnyVVg1mH9p-fgENc7y79ZyqgHZ7XYvXUv2B7ZNmTqFVbZ-CtDDdEXV5RzsXB6eQglKuMNPgPuzCKzCKye-56khLoXLWeYk8HqcdFl5v8_OEn3804zpVhzRqiVDbrWrEWhQQKm7G6bITm30nnMzS_ok_3vtMBmNDoU-WqS63ZgsnFsqFWTmlAj4A/s16000/20231028_202731.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsEs1KUhIIdu9qdlWsfts6q2sDSBV5Mj-8AUPdcEgpzv6citPEdKvDML2zDECjtRgSLy4KwcgdjC448klxWlEPoCBFFn6C4kRvoHBuaMEkg5GtDr0yvpZn-bFjeBpLju-_IRIwjmwrffK7fRGCjAUgiP6U-1FFAi7HCIIHxOLA7DLyj2zQa-Wf_JvPo90/s1000/20231028_202124.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsEs1KUhIIdu9qdlWsfts6q2sDSBV5Mj-8AUPdcEgpzv6citPEdKvDML2zDECjtRgSLy4KwcgdjC448klxWlEPoCBFFn6C4kRvoHBuaMEkg5GtDr0yvpZn-bFjeBpLju-_IRIwjmwrffK7fRGCjAUgiP6U-1FFAi7HCIIHxOLA7DLyj2zQa-Wf_JvPo90/s16000/20231028_202124.jpg" /></a></p><p><i>7) Be a Scientist</i></p><p>Time to make some slime! I knew this was something the kids would enjoy and to add a touch of Halloween, I bought a few packets of Halloween themed sequins to add into the slime.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCKWQ2UTAqtUYbsaxQmFem-0-15gDW9Bdv62gCEv4oNdgNVPsTcWd6WA-Ey1wgAc-qe-9nxmKvtdkygSHtL9Uzgc0TbFgvjY2U5Ieq7QuInNoiI_OJ5h_8xpTeKWzV9vcObqfDfreJeiUCWhyYlqC3k3OCZmudrmGGNKBqMuJ_gEXWesrYYqLKcAbhLSM/s1000/20231028_204548.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCKWQ2UTAqtUYbsaxQmFem-0-15gDW9Bdv62gCEv4oNdgNVPsTcWd6WA-Ey1wgAc-qe-9nxmKvtdkygSHtL9Uzgc0TbFgvjY2U5Ieq7QuInNoiI_OJ5h_8xpTeKWzV9vcObqfDfreJeiUCWhyYlqC3k3OCZmudrmGGNKBqMuJ_gEXWesrYYqLKcAbhLSM/s16000/20231028_204548.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioWnp_bqdCDlLipwfY0oCbu5ow1PVSlAOhPF__RlqniTJhsnygRfXA0RgIVxo2CEEYc7tBIeFAKoO6zmgw8EKFt_MiSwNyGdznG3xXFJV3B9rPBrwMnKdfn0sCEt10xl8QBUvuj1iy2LMXZiQUrUhH2OQ3sMSXwHXwrb9n6Oot00ILAxbvPSGP7a77vcE/s1000/20231028_205327.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioWnp_bqdCDlLipwfY0oCbu5ow1PVSlAOhPF__RlqniTJhsnygRfXA0RgIVxo2CEEYc7tBIeFAKoO6zmgw8EKFt_MiSwNyGdznG3xXFJV3B9rPBrwMnKdfn0sCEt10xl8QBUvuj1iy2LMXZiQUrUhH2OQ3sMSXwHXwrb9n6Oot00ILAxbvPSGP7a77vcE/s16000/20231028_205327.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQF8ObofFuQbmHEo9V598kD1EPS8FSe-ZGCySxNVHc58guzcMY6B6cmzWit1rlsrIJxj-wpk-eGPesXMxg-dxjulpb1JtU-5R4-87o1o7YmXvK2-vOA_7IBzckNg_Lom8CCe_JczRfsOdW5gAebvMbNsJxEVu4i_kUGnTwDNNByIos8GJVBtbjR2HlgK8/s1000/20231028_211100.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQF8ObofFuQbmHEo9V598kD1EPS8FSe-ZGCySxNVHc58guzcMY6B6cmzWit1rlsrIJxj-wpk-eGPesXMxg-dxjulpb1JtU-5R4-87o1o7YmXvK2-vOA_7IBzckNg_Lom8CCe_JczRfsOdW5gAebvMbNsJxEVu4i_kUGnTwDNNByIos8GJVBtbjR2HlgK8/s16000/20231028_211100.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDf9UvDru_odClLtAkUm85xsBU1NsMpjad5U1oZ6PNoZeyCZ_lSaXSwDdjmyUY196FWOWAr7JHyHsR2vLAQmVzwpt8rL9fTiDdz-pr5o51trRYf-OthZKKeQv1dUNtQ9Y2u6YIAC7LbePYbyQtH2aEnEu7hsQP1_nqTWjb4KXKFIclJs6DQdp57Dy3iBI/s1000/20231028_211301.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDf9UvDru_odClLtAkUm85xsBU1NsMpjad5U1oZ6PNoZeyCZ_lSaXSwDdjmyUY196FWOWAr7JHyHsR2vLAQmVzwpt8rL9fTiDdz-pr5o51trRYf-OthZKKeQv1dUNtQ9Y2u6YIAC7LbePYbyQtH2aEnEu7hsQP1_nqTWjb4KXKFIclJs6DQdp57Dy3iBI/s16000/20231028_211301.jpg" /></a></p><p><i>8) Be a Puzzler</i></p><p>The last 'occupation' was for them to go around the house to solve puzzles. First, they had to decipher the clues given to them on the cards to move from spot to spot around the house. This would lead them to the next clue and at the final destination, they obtained a box of jigsaw puzzle. Once they pieced it together, it was an obvious hint that Cookie the dog (which belongs to Vet Ariel) had been kidnapped by the butcher and was going to be slaughtered if we didn't save it in time.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-upcqdI-MlQcMhNpcQ_-yrn17oMeMzqXvU4dLPXBsKbVBoku3cyQrVQHZaCxGHsT1vqen7y1mLf2mbhZb5FvLiESx36vBpO_sQklwzBJgj5ugpwh0fH9QXua-Fwt5efhQYrvyEuKEgk3dHEliSjbsNBp0cPT6j9CiBmlFgj0kvf6CkZUXL0WgNLE6qs/s1000/20231028_212742.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-upcqdI-MlQcMhNpcQ_-yrn17oMeMzqXvU4dLPXBsKbVBoku3cyQrVQHZaCxGHsT1vqen7y1mLf2mbhZb5FvLiESx36vBpO_sQklwzBJgj5ugpwh0fH9QXua-Fwt5efhQYrvyEuKEgk3dHEliSjbsNBp0cPT6j9CiBmlFgj0kvf6CkZUXL0WgNLE6qs/s16000/20231028_212742.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_KQNUif8o1FeF91cUQ9RQFd0DsCf0PM2L6-hma_qgwSpMUdrqZ7CHuiCy6ZTCF7eHTydnsTJ3uTLNM7qLjWu_84p2sXLLMdGi8dBlv-ns3Cp9vHJKswfr8_Ihc3bQEf-34EQwzY_euvK-5aHyAMEeWZO5cuGzVrVsyBuQhEMAOgtntlkRHxIguCtsmag/s1000/20231028_213151.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_KQNUif8o1FeF91cUQ9RQFd0DsCf0PM2L6-hma_qgwSpMUdrqZ7CHuiCy6ZTCF7eHTydnsTJ3uTLNM7qLjWu_84p2sXLLMdGi8dBlv-ns3Cp9vHJKswfr8_Ihc3bQEf-34EQwzY_euvK-5aHyAMEeWZO5cuGzVrVsyBuQhEMAOgtntlkRHxIguCtsmag/s16000/20231028_213151.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC6Jk4mRxsCaWJNLLc2kUCF9chYndOUTGMSXvKqp9xTi8OS7lJ6CiucCzXYlGJadqcI5ufjBe30s-F3Wa7mc7TpbE-rTE1NA_QT6rtN5JWAPYiWTJyaSNiOKX4Yv35v_9Q1D2iU_lXNTqwshLqc6_EjeOdkZokSgsO9HHn65sd-WHYVCCmp11mZ95-Wok/s1000/20231028_213712.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC6Jk4mRxsCaWJNLLc2kUCF9chYndOUTGMSXvKqp9xTi8OS7lJ6CiucCzXYlGJadqcI5ufjBe30s-F3Wa7mc7TpbE-rTE1NA_QT6rtN5JWAPYiWTJyaSNiOKX4Yv35v_9Q1D2iU_lXNTqwshLqc6_EjeOdkZokSgsO9HHn65sd-WHYVCCmp11mZ95-Wok/s16000/20231028_213712.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdC9kvRpbdHYNIgzt_5HV2X7GllcWdCF4QLcckN6_qjjd8BFJEnp9t7jAWsJPi08H0ifzN7jzE70cqGc-F-wE7sPz2b_HZovR-yY0-hzokzkdmHJnMzJXo2k2u82SFeARDxu0agMMC9logGGNpd6DFx7B5P4at68GRCpaoq1u3tvCXQHRHCawsNgW653A/s1000/20231028_213841.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdC9kvRpbdHYNIgzt_5HV2X7GllcWdCF4QLcckN6_qjjd8BFJEnp9t7jAWsJPi08H0ifzN7jzE70cqGc-F-wE7sPz2b_HZovR-yY0-hzokzkdmHJnMzJXo2k2u82SFeARDxu0agMMC9logGGNpd6DFx7B5P4at68GRCpaoq1u3tvCXQHRHCawsNgW653A/s16000/20231028_213841.jpg" /></a></p><p><i>The Finale</i></p><p>So off we went downstairs for trick or treat and as we searched for the butcher, the kids also picked up plenty of treats and skull tokens (I printed and cut these out for one of the past Halloweens and have kept them in good condition) along the way.</p><p>Upon spotting the butcher, the kids saved Cookie, befriended the Butcher, gave him a hug and all was good in the world again.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uH_j-fThy-1jppNQ2dbO9juqtcuPghIYMw71TGiJUeqtLOyD08sM5GGmgXWPkfeVBSl5XTvisV7mV3HMhwOYtBbx2abwyBkJFRe_uRMBnaN_K4gv1_VBedqZSLclsGyDRMsC_kWf3ChJEoLRmqe_kLEd2WpqqTPh3OS0ojQJ9gxLlEKxY9v-YV8soBw/s1000/20231028_215105.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uH_j-fThy-1jppNQ2dbO9juqtcuPghIYMw71TGiJUeqtLOyD08sM5GGmgXWPkfeVBSl5XTvisV7mV3HMhwOYtBbx2abwyBkJFRe_uRMBnaN_K4gv1_VBedqZSLclsGyDRMsC_kWf3ChJEoLRmqe_kLEd2WpqqTPh3OS0ojQJ9gxLlEKxY9v-YV8soBw/s16000/20231028_215105.jpg" /></a></p><p><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Hdf96d52ABplmPI7A55VFOUENLMH0Q947sk78uZkxlYrtf9Y8V8CXNBHt2UI6N0WU2_ZgPZoIcUuI3ntIC6viu7JxeLXxMWQ-Jjeg7lFI4ZG_FXm8hN4ViDqYWoNGVaXVCp6mQyGGGoDXfI6ZFabNWJfuDQzLlsgbPGq66zw9HRk-xfxOTtt1AFmPOA/s16000/20231028_215955.jpg" /></p><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNYQoChifDYdbVNzAV0S0j_tvqa8UmeNYxb2MxXVECT9EuofT8FJHZ8FCfCxeyFdSwV54GmvAYzUX_c54GTUJiImJd9c-5pWDxPvHza8xKq9ZfsKAGU9H0Hfx6Sr4MimT8GLq6dXT-kEt-LFV4pqzpMYvLndvKFAGa0EKGJgJOBKeY0JtQ1sIAtTpdGlc/s1000/20231028_221446.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNYQoChifDYdbVNzAV0S0j_tvqa8UmeNYxb2MxXVECT9EuofT8FJHZ8FCfCxeyFdSwV54GmvAYzUX_c54GTUJiImJd9c-5pWDxPvHza8xKq9ZfsKAGU9H0Hfx6Sr4MimT8GLq6dXT-kEt-LFV4pqzpMYvLndvKFAGa0EKGJgJOBKeY0JtQ1sIAtTpdGlc/s16000/20231028_221446.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div>For the final surprise, I gave them a word puzzle to unscramble. Can you guess what it spells? Watch the video below if you wanna find out what this big reward is.<div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCgC9zcqRSAZbWehj5tqNIrZ1kMMSjYfetoCBuq2CNWTsS709HL18BcVY72SgrjKIVaUAPIoQe6dojXWb0N0J5MBeta5SgIe2kJ4fZN-JO3FdoHjIG8i3ioHhCLLPRugp4i7M19BbfnwoqbAfMS4nLiUDZWmHL39RWKLzcD60uq6iwjRVeLMvLHRG0kbU/s1000/20231028_171452.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCgC9zcqRSAZbWehj5tqNIrZ1kMMSjYfetoCBuq2CNWTsS709HL18BcVY72SgrjKIVaUAPIoQe6dojXWb0N0J5MBeta5SgIe2kJ4fZN-JO3FdoHjIG8i3ioHhCLLPRugp4i7M19BbfnwoqbAfMS4nLiUDZWmHL39RWKLzcD60uq6iwjRVeLMvLHRG0kbU/s16000/20231028_171452.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>To end off the night, we had a movie night where we watched Vampires vs The Bronx (yes, it always has to be a 'scary' movie on this night!), ate snacks and relaxed as family.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sometimes, I wonder if all the effort put into Halloween year after year is worth it but seeing the happy smiles on the kids' faces and even receiving 'Thank you' notes from them, I know I will continue to keep this up for as long as I can. It was an absolutely awesome night where we 'worked hard and partied harder' as we made another set of priceless family memories to keep for a lifetime. </div><div><br /></div><div>******</div><div><br /></div><div>We always love watching our Halloween videos so here is the latest one for us to reminisce next time. Check out all the fun highlights here.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yP8SSA7fK90?si=dSUIljx1AkeESMQQ" title="YouTube video player" width="640"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>Till the next Halloween!<p></p></div>~Summer~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478137784353655124noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6546965252487257512.post-33641661255872078082024-02-28T13:12:00.000+08:002024-02-28T13:12:08.878+08:00Happiness is.... cherishing the old<p>旧的不去,新的不来。</p><p>This Chinese saying essentially means that to make way for the new, we have to get rid of the old. I think there's truth in that but there are also times when the old is worth clinging onto or we just can't to see it go. Like a sentimental piece of clothing, a place of attraction that holds many fond memories, a bracelet that belongs to Grandma, a well-loved book that has been re-read thousand of times and so on.</p><p>In this post of <i>"Happiness is..."</i>, it's about welcoming the new while also cherishing the old.</p><p>******</p><p>We visited Bird Paradise for the very first time since it opened its doors. The kids and I have very fond memories of our dear Jurong Bird Park because it was there that we celebrated many birthdays, fed lots of birds, watched shows, picked love seeds, admired the waterfall and had lots of quality family time. </p><p>We especially loved the playgrounds, both wet and dry, and the kids had lots of fun playing, running, swinging, sliding, enjoying the tipping buckets and getting wet together. I made sure we visited it a couple of times more before it officially closed and honestly, while we were looking forward to the new park, a part of us couldn't bear to see the old one go.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Om926BVptwtKhG0PyF6JFIq7CitgHMJ9JfsdeyX7K6XW_US4w1gXkCF8lAFsFECNXFFibRy-255MOJBaYv2tM4egUDdWRn82O627Y9ZirZT4a5ChMZs8qrHhdYxjpHhA8snWzKo8WHswFFLmCUcHH1C3qaoAQ9wgJ0o7IyJi2P8eTauZxPzvl6Xd6QI/s1000/20230827_151825a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Om926BVptwtKhG0PyF6JFIq7CitgHMJ9JfsdeyX7K6XW_US4w1gXkCF8lAFsFECNXFFibRy-255MOJBaYv2tM4egUDdWRn82O627Y9ZirZT4a5ChMZs8qrHhdYxjpHhA8snWzKo8WHswFFLmCUcHH1C3qaoAQ9wgJ0o7IyJi2P8eTauZxPzvl6Xd6QI/s16000/20230827_151825a.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIxc987NbJUMg9DMzzBkEEaPh9aiB2DP-dBuUBOS185i2ltzcQZhTxKskuuaovJTFNtTcD2XpvjItpJIxBqf3rCAPFgYegFxtYbp-xy_YL_8Zwx5szns8RY7Eh0Iiq9C1PJHNDOjiYX7hz1zF-Qsi0lZ4Z1_g_697PTQgZqQg1_0o954LyhqsxekFyt1s/s1000/20230827_150834.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIxc987NbJUMg9DMzzBkEEaPh9aiB2DP-dBuUBOS185i2ltzcQZhTxKskuuaovJTFNtTcD2XpvjItpJIxBqf3rCAPFgYegFxtYbp-xy_YL_8Zwx5szns8RY7Eh0Iiq9C1PJHNDOjiYX7hz1zF-Qsi0lZ4Z1_g_697PTQgZqQg1_0o954LyhqsxekFyt1s/s16000/20230827_150834.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2SLGiwt3pwMpChCOZ0hiKY_fQtd6Xv_cMUPj441_fsrIR8Ww2dn0Kx3qbOxHG6_6gFdkufuTUDepgvGtZ4dD_2m81BNvQnZp_HonR3118LueyRgFlvZ00UqeNRlX38LAptT_EpQCS2nAz-YocOaSVPUO6cVaRu28KlEsIfCoYEPvzVw4kvnMiqHboJ-8/s1000/20230827_153333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2SLGiwt3pwMpChCOZ0hiKY_fQtd6Xv_cMUPj441_fsrIR8Ww2dn0Kx3qbOxHG6_6gFdkufuTUDepgvGtZ4dD_2m81BNvQnZp_HonR3118LueyRgFlvZ00UqeNRlX38LAptT_EpQCS2nAz-YocOaSVPUO6cVaRu28KlEsIfCoYEPvzVw4kvnMiqHboJ-8/s16000/20230827_153333.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU9QCyQ95FSGb0RZyUmHPwBdbzS492fZ2UVcY1MOBuup0G8qSuFr4ftD9HLxTWiGIMj0Dq4KNSXat4g7lGal7THS3ZEJuT0aI4oj5Pix7PBecVblwrk2FTTL_wJya8GOQ75YviA1x-dRWxqb3J4-v8UZU160MqMgTI5YlsKzqP6VFGFZPelAe_-LCpeqY/s1000/20230827_152152a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU9QCyQ95FSGb0RZyUmHPwBdbzS492fZ2UVcY1MOBuup0G8qSuFr4ftD9HLxTWiGIMj0Dq4KNSXat4g7lGal7THS3ZEJuT0aI4oj5Pix7PBecVblwrk2FTTL_wJya8GOQ75YviA1x-dRWxqb3J4-v8UZU160MqMgTI5YlsKzqP6VFGFZPelAe_-LCpeqY/s16000/20230827_152152a.jpg" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>We're not saying that we don't love the new Bird Paradise because with the vast outdoor aviaries and newly built habitats, we were still thankful to be able to come up close with these beautiful birds. Moreover, the feeding sessions and shows remain. I remember years back in Jurong Bird Park, feeding doesn't require guests to hold feeding cups that comes with a hand holder and the kids had fun holding mealworms in their hands to feed the birds. </p><p>While we are excited to see the newly integrated Mandai Wildlife Reserve and the opening of the Rainforest Wild in future, we will definitely miss our old Bird Park and luckily, we have many videos to help us reminisce and remember the good old days.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjty6R_0rFU55PdnQqgA_tqv1yUbFe-86NQZUxFV1ZCJMpjYLBjjHwqTCO0ax_shCILHIb244nw3J-HLAdWB-XWagyhQBSTcBD6_1L7UD8zyoT_BngTG21ufNvgSFWHGvKFn2kfG-3WLNCNvqbuq6TMrpW99xdh3dbP61W3prJj5oh3ZiUw9PvdRJslL0o/s1000/20230827_175805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjty6R_0rFU55PdnQqgA_tqv1yUbFe-86NQZUxFV1ZCJMpjYLBjjHwqTCO0ax_shCILHIb244nw3J-HLAdWB-XWagyhQBSTcBD6_1L7UD8zyoT_BngTG21ufNvgSFWHGvKFn2kfG-3WLNCNvqbuq6TMrpW99xdh3dbP61W3prJj5oh3ZiUw9PvdRJslL0o/s16000/20230827_175805.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKW7bsRG02TVWTSWRdysa0q4kb5IoEicpo4Runh_6qk9RbWAbiJ6L_jKlcSSG6Xz038exaoPGACJSggZNcARAWXVBFosFnsWDAuolMUiCfv8fPWojvCovs9Rz8nLIwOACLBG-Hm3Y0j8u8z5adJ_iy-q8RowtlHenFFjk7Xz0I0TbcrMWytvdvBJ9Rsng/s1000/20230827_173150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKW7bsRG02TVWTSWRdysa0q4kb5IoEicpo4Runh_6qk9RbWAbiJ6L_jKlcSSG6Xz038exaoPGACJSggZNcARAWXVBFosFnsWDAuolMUiCfv8fPWojvCovs9Rz8nLIwOACLBG-Hm3Y0j8u8z5adJ_iy-q8RowtlHenFFjk7Xz0I0TbcrMWytvdvBJ9Rsng/s16000/20230827_173150.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk9h0XI7dsklrNgkDraAuh8wuMbR36av7-dQ7VxXGnvE_dZ39jor_bkw0SDs75x_b7VBebtZ8oqzOzxLM087gqXMiTul1_63DTpy1tt0DUdt4rC19dM_7y0Bl75VaIQJxlatFloPE3L6BGGhHuH1rBFCtISc9Sbj_ytSkFvmKCGW6z7CXopidQKUuWFwE/s1000/20230827_170500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk9h0XI7dsklrNgkDraAuh8wuMbR36av7-dQ7VxXGnvE_dZ39jor_bkw0SDs75x_b7VBebtZ8oqzOzxLM087gqXMiTul1_63DTpy1tt0DUdt4rC19dM_7y0Bl75VaIQJxlatFloPE3L6BGGhHuH1rBFCtISc9Sbj_ytSkFvmKCGW6z7CXopidQKUuWFwE/s16000/20230827_170500.jpg" /></a></p><p>In keeping up with tradition, we celebrated National Day with our extended family and watched the parade together. I would think that this is a tradition that is worth keeping, no matter how old we get. It was nice to see everyone donned in red and white and as always, the kids and I love to put on tattoos too. </p><p>Cherishing the old also means that we treasure every opportunity that we get to gather with our parents. The hubby and I are very thankful that all our parents are still healthy and active as of now and we really hope to be able to bring them to more overseas trips, have more gatherings with them and go sightseeing with them more while we still can. I miss my Popo very much and I always tell the kids that they are so fortunate to have all four grandparents still around and it's a blessing that they shouldn't take for granted.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDuNiAKIGyaOOzVVMKnrkWbq6P6NwfYQCQuJUhN6kK1fa2_8peDvt_d6OwcQGlbhz_MJXKuTtG829A07G4dXNJlMMxttNDCCg36pGPNZk4TMbrRNkyxAKM6m5ZOT2bAB1Z0phBucdXsWS0GaY-UnXmLCl1WvASoSAc6lVFC-_lcWr477AcPN3IJgyl3Ww/s1000/20230809_212053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDuNiAKIGyaOOzVVMKnrkWbq6P6NwfYQCQuJUhN6kK1fa2_8peDvt_d6OwcQGlbhz_MJXKuTtG829A07G4dXNJlMMxttNDCCg36pGPNZk4TMbrRNkyxAKM6m5ZOT2bAB1Z0phBucdXsWS0GaY-UnXmLCl1WvASoSAc6lVFC-_lcWr477AcPN3IJgyl3Ww/s16000/20230809_212053.jpg" /></a></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg20wyvrF-7GbfX7A_cmZdOI-yeoYWmGfYHhHbkRQmupeZxklx9RRWpfpFzhxDkttjr8Ixdgq8oR-MebgqbuMtcY0F0Q6i69qTzSm3vzGgN3WDqDT4BBM5z0_w2jVo3KA3NjI-hi1DSknLq4BwaRu1lpFJNMNvmb4HimRVN1Blm4ETYePGbwC632E9AjsY/s1000/20230809_233208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg20wyvrF-7GbfX7A_cmZdOI-yeoYWmGfYHhHbkRQmupeZxklx9RRWpfpFzhxDkttjr8Ixdgq8oR-MebgqbuMtcY0F0Q6i69qTzSm3vzGgN3WDqDT4BBM5z0_w2jVo3KA3NjI-hi1DSknLq4BwaRu1lpFJNMNvmb4HimRVN1Blm4ETYePGbwC632E9AjsY/s16000/20230809_233208.jpg" /></a></div>Even with the advent of digital technology, it cannot replace what a good, old theatrical performance can bring to the audience. The kids and I still love watching productions and seeing our favourite characters coming live on stage, and we were very thankful to be able to catch a couple of shows this month, including Goldilocks and the Three Bears. It was a Mandarin production and I loved it to the max and thought it was a good way for the kids to brush up on their Mother Tongue too.<div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Qbb0HxPNPhUrhNLr0lN8QRtdweZ1CCFvHKBhvq0izQJvlBNOk2_x5pG-gWqai7daUdsyYepKLHZZkg-Tq-LgFXf_poZqH-ClOyrBMPx6S4z7cxXeYn7RFwbM6hp1QP0RsBI6H9-jr3ZIE8CuXTbNZcWWi6PQMFeGtNKGE16PU4az4yfYuIATMQgL0q8/s1000/collage268.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Qbb0HxPNPhUrhNLr0lN8QRtdweZ1CCFvHKBhvq0izQJvlBNOk2_x5pG-gWqai7daUdsyYepKLHZZkg-Tq-LgFXf_poZqH-ClOyrBMPx6S4z7cxXeYn7RFwbM6hp1QP0RsBI6H9-jr3ZIE8CuXTbNZcWWi6PQMFeGtNKGE16PU4az4yfYuIATMQgL0q8/s16000/collage268.jpg" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSdoL65rv0NUUKMBwp7zB0dcsDlZaeAaooewpKI-reFJz8zqDoGU2b6pcZ_OFjiuDqx02F72ujkM3dNHJJImimLai_sB9wu5Rh4t-XFhRc4wgwGw_A7EypkBBPyapkEsOHqbnru5bm6QXkNmGJR7aHjmUvE4tggNVWuW-j-ZN-MN-8OGbL57W-TbCMQD4/s1000/collage267.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSdoL65rv0NUUKMBwp7zB0dcsDlZaeAaooewpKI-reFJz8zqDoGU2b6pcZ_OFjiuDqx02F72ujkM3dNHJJImimLai_sB9wu5Rh4t-XFhRc4wgwGw_A7EypkBBPyapkEsOHqbnru5bm6QXkNmGJR7aHjmUvE4tggNVWuW-j-ZN-MN-8OGbL57W-TbCMQD4/s16000/collage267.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVygw035FLxSS52CoWgaf-_Ih11yaALP4YLTm7ea7sqXJMlvG_Uyn_RJbsXV66WMy4v-SQgB2QrtYozjgIrcYPimz20CtSH2QoVpw0SUGWLZrte5f5_Jr0M65f2GD4Tzw2RUvXDpPVdSOyI24IStIIw-SWus6NJ1P-UqcW19fD5MCWpFMB0JcmkY3jeLc/s1000/20230819_150424.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVygw035FLxSS52CoWgaf-_Ih11yaALP4YLTm7ea7sqXJMlvG_Uyn_RJbsXV66WMy4v-SQgB2QrtYozjgIrcYPimz20CtSH2QoVpw0SUGWLZrte5f5_Jr0M65f2GD4Tzw2RUvXDpPVdSOyI24IStIIw-SWus6NJ1P-UqcW19fD5MCWpFMB0JcmkY3jeLc/s16000/20230819_150424.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhywFSNPSy53OHPhRuxBuUt3rX2gV6rHIr_NLn77vaLDMESGwcEuIZ1OKYMcgjJVqaTPzd_CcW_KSr6mEpR3yveXlfTT6negAYhwsYlz8JUtfSbzfWNmSGzTNtonEbP2NJrKme0fmaDRxj5qJKqtAyAOLfGtOKq0cVxJHJsiZIusoSJXzs_LjgxyZd9YZw/s1000/20230819_120119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhywFSNPSy53OHPhRuxBuUt3rX2gV6rHIr_NLn77vaLDMESGwcEuIZ1OKYMcgjJVqaTPzd_CcW_KSr6mEpR3yveXlfTT6negAYhwsYlz8JUtfSbzfWNmSGzTNtonEbP2NJrKme0fmaDRxj5qJKqtAyAOLfGtOKq0cVxJHJsiZIusoSJXzs_LjgxyZd9YZw/s16000/20230819_120119.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>With Teacher's Day around the corner, the kids and I spent days doing the presents, including dozens of bouquets of Rocher flowers and handmade cards. It's really easy to walk into a store and just grab a gift, but in my opinion, handmade gifts will always be the rest. Yup, I'm traditional and maybe a tad old-fashioned in that sense, but I deeply cherish every handmade gift that I've ever received because they speak so much more than words. </div><div><br /></div><div>Therefore, since the kids are young, I always tell them to make cards for the family members (including the grandparents and their own siblings) on their birthdays. So far, we have not missed anyone yet and hopefully we can keep it up for a long, long time. Ariel also wrote cards for her school teachers and Taekwondo coaches this year and I love all the cute drawings that she included.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwCH8vBytrPw9qwiRx9TlOOZM4596qvQTFRevN6N01X91pRuqwH_S2a3lLywjCqutEGGSb4kYb5LygT9otaJ_Ep_03xkSNZ2wWGXULDSWJwiJj41ojIP7HGcwMJIclSKjO6LF4yg4z4QEtDtzOFtZIokCxvdRtDaPQHs_Pl2uUbsRPpur6Uz9NlFucDS4/s1000/20230829_135251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwCH8vBytrPw9qwiRx9TlOOZM4596qvQTFRevN6N01X91pRuqwH_S2a3lLywjCqutEGGSb4kYb5LygT9otaJ_Ep_03xkSNZ2wWGXULDSWJwiJj41ojIP7HGcwMJIclSKjO6LF4yg4z4QEtDtzOFtZIokCxvdRtDaPQHs_Pl2uUbsRPpur6Uz9NlFucDS4/s16000/20230829_135251.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8TuPXZoX0RhTANm1DIpSjyGU10cVQT6aY8TT1Qm-Dl6wp1EeR9Dolsgs_mH01f9j5tnSX_qFdMj4sYto7cJ98YKnnpPNpYsgG7WCbHeout_lH4Ql7BfjeHLQDibJVoZwWcUHRM45ZkHOJV80e4xufO8a5TvwgTz0lZtOswZYGKpLPqRl2e1CqCC5ehDw/s1000/20230829_210241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8TuPXZoX0RhTANm1DIpSjyGU10cVQT6aY8TT1Qm-Dl6wp1EeR9Dolsgs_mH01f9j5tnSX_qFdMj4sYto7cJ98YKnnpPNpYsgG7WCbHeout_lH4Ql7BfjeHLQDibJVoZwWcUHRM45ZkHOJV80e4xufO8a5TvwgTz0lZtOswZYGKpLPqRl2e1CqCC5ehDw/s16000/20230829_210241.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS8hhRShERLOWld-pW3l13ELxi4yLwNevD5lWF-QaFRPi1N0Lbp7SNZgzu8ldLQiJL-KNZhDGkIowX0tUvlo-kV3dPOWi3KcDrRFN_tgXPRw88JDZBoeHImY3heyVqaa0balI8csjkJ1Jp8FZLs3yoHi6UY-PjD8B-YGZI-_gmm4KMilQdhbj78WO6ytU/s1000/20230829_211515(0).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS8hhRShERLOWld-pW3l13ELxi4yLwNevD5lWF-QaFRPi1N0Lbp7SNZgzu8ldLQiJL-KNZhDGkIowX0tUvlo-kV3dPOWi3KcDrRFN_tgXPRw88JDZBoeHImY3heyVqaa0balI8csjkJ1Jp8FZLs3yoHi6UY-PjD8B-YGZI-_gmm4KMilQdhbj78WO6ytU/s16000/20230829_211515(0).jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The two middle children dressed up as storybook characters to go to school one day. I cherish moments like this because once they graduate from primary school and become teenagers, it will never happen again. So every time they ask me to do handicraft with them to create recycled costumes, I'm always up for it. It doesn't need to be elaborate or over the top; as long as it's something made from your heart together with your child, the process of making it is more important than the outcome.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1X_mlYfZ4B6MzdM_wjK5hi_UZqtqtYqirSYcSHGBdxbuu4aEsZynSVQ-JPucM3IauWvKUaM_FnHvf70F8W2avNRGIZ_AOFMYQSPbYu3NFXqtzHi8zvMoXIL-MIUXxVRVwJ3Fa39O5tzgAYZDJIyeymqh8C-btHe4260Nit7lKhdbmpdH7xvrHrIbSmkY/s1000/20230831_071308(0).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1X_mlYfZ4B6MzdM_wjK5hi_UZqtqtYqirSYcSHGBdxbuu4aEsZynSVQ-JPucM3IauWvKUaM_FnHvf70F8W2avNRGIZ_AOFMYQSPbYu3NFXqtzHi8zvMoXIL-MIUXxVRVwJ3Fa39O5tzgAYZDJIyeymqh8C-btHe4260Nit7lKhdbmpdH7xvrHrIbSmkY/s16000/20230831_071308(0).jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If there's something we don't mind more of, it's new shoes! In preparation for our Skechers Friendship Walk, we collected our new kicks and the kids were happy to be able to pick out their own designs. New shoes are important for them because their feet grow so fast, you know what I mean?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As for myself, the ironic thing is that I have quite a few pair of new, barely used shoes in my cabinet because for the past few years, I only stick to the same pair of covered shoes. It's like, old shoes just feel so much more comfy once broken in and I have a tendency to wear the same pair till it gets totally worn out or holes start appearing before I switch to a new one. Gotta make the most of everything, right?</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikKr7n65CfGcbz6wS8fDvM9nYLcgVLdCWzxlY8PwsryuCdCsEp6dCBcL48qUpet5xrcjQBktMK4LK2PfAuI6q80AV4KXIAMka2Iuv1w3a1jIlTb3sAB88Vk3_RIfzha_pbNTg7amWX_X_POHMaRsTUVdgY1m45W9kxelk4curp1p6h9ZJ5i-xsYb0kX6I/s1000/20230831_143031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikKr7n65CfGcbz6wS8fDvM9nYLcgVLdCWzxlY8PwsryuCdCsEp6dCBcL48qUpet5xrcjQBktMK4LK2PfAuI6q80AV4KXIAMka2Iuv1w3a1jIlTb3sAB88Vk3_RIfzha_pbNTg7amWX_X_POHMaRsTUVdgY1m45W9kxelk4curp1p6h9ZJ5i-xsYb0kX6I/s16000/20230831_143031.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaW3homlz8L2-6GFXfDlfdlPav__gwufLxihYwabDfelysmU1yFCMCRfG2oIj_Er6eLDgBk2JLfkd4N-jhP0vILfSSKzk04P5gKprV2usWSGSsFA1xpEG75qX9-QMu8uupEeBcyGF6awVumpdIQPRUxpd2Pl1i4nl9zI95l6Q7z_6uC_U0EJqeB3qK6TM/s1000/20230831_142347(0).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaW3homlz8L2-6GFXfDlfdlPav__gwufLxihYwabDfelysmU1yFCMCRfG2oIj_Er6eLDgBk2JLfkd4N-jhP0vILfSSKzk04P5gKprV2usWSGSsFA1xpEG75qX9-QMu8uupEeBcyGF6awVumpdIQPRUxpd2Pl1i4nl9zI95l6Q7z_6uC_U0EJqeB3qK6TM/s16000/20230831_142347(0).jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0Gwx0DFc48310tSay23F_7HnQ3PxkW5iMm5yTJ8Q3VpxSr-PP5pEDwfou7YOMIZ5qhPLbWeAaaQ8h78cJuNDtpyzr39ym9ijZnJy_SuPsmAMh5_tBFeA3MV2Th2hqsNH9v0ZGFxvrD1Q8ChivAjqJSeL5OflD0h_TpJ4D1BXptzDPG1cEBrAUiq6HbY/s1000/collage270.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0Gwx0DFc48310tSay23F_7HnQ3PxkW5iMm5yTJ8Q3VpxSr-PP5pEDwfou7YOMIZ5qhPLbWeAaaQ8h78cJuNDtpyzr39ym9ijZnJy_SuPsmAMh5_tBFeA3MV2Th2hqsNH9v0ZGFxvrD1Q8ChivAjqJSeL5OflD0h_TpJ4D1BXptzDPG1cEBrAUiq6HbY/s16000/collage270.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I still love to bring the kids around Singapore and this month, Ansel got to explore a couple of places. He was happy to visit Cafe Melba Goodman with us because besides having a vast field and bouncy castles, they were also scooters, hula hoops and ball games for him to try out. I wanna bring them to more places before they grow so big that they start feeling reluctant to hang out as a family.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But, we also have our few favourite hangouts and these are the ones that will remain special in our hearts, including some of the nature reserves, neighbourhood parks, as well as our Singapore Zoo and Night Safari.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbOPA_2eHRFalHqjZGnhbgbHJ-N1CTfwJ13eHz9r6KUYGLzExBeRjCaWSoibpMVzQNr2yFxpyBa6GytIKqDe98z1Nu5bHfdnR43wO1EonTpvkwiMIS9ASUC3kSchCIY3esPeClmMEaSfayrO_CK9pinCOi2fGqOJalwE4KqUg1aE4eOuu1_X0mcuWpns/s1000/20230810_125152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbOPA_2eHRFalHqjZGnhbgbHJ-N1CTfwJ13eHz9r6KUYGLzExBeRjCaWSoibpMVzQNr2yFxpyBa6GytIKqDe98z1Nu5bHfdnR43wO1EonTpvkwiMIS9ASUC3kSchCIY3esPeClmMEaSfayrO_CK9pinCOi2fGqOJalwE4KqUg1aE4eOuu1_X0mcuWpns/s16000/20230810_125152.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Even though they bicker every single day, it is a dream of mine that my kids will grow up to be loving, protective and caring siblings. Underneath the squabbles, I can also see their love for each other and I can only hope that this love will grow stronger over the years and never be broken. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When they grow up, have friends of their own or even settle down with their individual families, it's moments like this, with the four of them side by side looking young and cute, that I will miss dearly. Yes, time flies and can never come back, I know, but I am a very 念旧 person so I guess it can't be helped. Haha.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFY4QWw6m1cJQJViqXGGp_Kx63IfXUEykSOJcn2Tli7exsaVdC3APLhoRtd0HQgTZU1lX4QLO6-wTzwleH5D_nVzJ3Uq0__Gogq3zBq90KVJHseL-iYtlchPtt07YVeZs_Rg0R6mTVrCqoYgGBPUMMcklgrdP2Z-WTuZbniOdNs4_ymrF34pPL4eOt5MY/s1000/20230827_155222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFY4QWw6m1cJQJViqXGGp_Kx63IfXUEykSOJcn2Tli7exsaVdC3APLhoRtd0HQgTZU1lX4QLO6-wTzwleH5D_nVzJ3Uq0__Gogq3zBq90KVJHseL-iYtlchPtt07YVeZs_Rg0R6mTVrCqoYgGBPUMMcklgrdP2Z-WTuZbniOdNs4_ymrF34pPL4eOt5MY/s16000/20230827_155222.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJU2ShgbqIOX7u4hxJNVP_uahFS7LksaomKxBRpUfBeEs1E2afUN0TmrdOZHBw_3NQKrHsnyz6DBED_1ET1OJnmN9nYr0j_Dbhg-gQTx5mfwCJNZf7mvCzu82Yu0uXwYCHfalqYojIFMqgm6IiaY89a3BiVL6DOINOrCLe_ipy7CsQRVTt9Ql9mgQpww/s1000/20230817_132315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeJU2ShgbqIOX7u4hxJNVP_uahFS7LksaomKxBRpUfBeEs1E2afUN0TmrdOZHBw_3NQKrHsnyz6DBED_1ET1OJnmN9nYr0j_Dbhg-gQTx5mfwCJNZf7mvCzu82Yu0uXwYCHfalqYojIFMqgm6IiaY89a3BiVL6DOINOrCLe_ipy7CsQRVTt9Ql9mgQpww/s16000/20230817_132315.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The three older kids showed off their Taekwondo skills at National Day Fiesta 2023 and of course, we were there to support and cheer them on. When I first signed them up for the sport, it was just as a year end holiday activity and I didn't think that they would be so committed to it or aspire to achieve black belts. For now, they are all going strong and have been passing their gradings consistently. Seeing them as a trio (too bad the youngest is too small to join in) on stage makes me beam with pride and I hope they will continue to persevere till the end.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP9z5Cxn1Svb9c-QyyQx82zwU8rQWWDQXF3_6ylrVwMbVSdfwCk-NDt1pygfSUH1DGaZKg-eiGmO5zdDcYNY0yfQO00r0nK6r4KSRfTDyXH3nphNcaUU8BcaV9dGazSeYBK78_7-DewJ59-JbZhc6N7VrG0kTZ5AEVmlN3UC1pfYQLkVvoCiMldVcBNks/s1000/20230806_114257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP9z5Cxn1Svb9c-QyyQx82zwU8rQWWDQXF3_6ylrVwMbVSdfwCk-NDt1pygfSUH1DGaZKg-eiGmO5zdDcYNY0yfQO00r0nK6r4KSRfTDyXH3nphNcaUU8BcaV9dGazSeYBK78_7-DewJ59-JbZhc6N7VrG0kTZ5AEVmlN3UC1pfYQLkVvoCiMldVcBNks/s16000/20230806_114257.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBYfvkPk80tkgawb8YmZOdwZR746QT_A3QSScpl6mvvLXDdr9QY0wEn_30itcQIsWbOQcdxQbctkyUSNEcx0sbQymTEKC3a51kpcG6_x5-9Rho3C2xWj4o5DZu_rmWEGmm3C2W6emOLuXCw8KbgjZrKaAZ1XsoTRUCUDizrWDaAkfW73EH0TxsBG4ZPRo/s1000/20230806_112532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBYfvkPk80tkgawb8YmZOdwZR746QT_A3QSScpl6mvvLXDdr9QY0wEn_30itcQIsWbOQcdxQbctkyUSNEcx0sbQymTEKC3a51kpcG6_x5-9Rho3C2xWj4o5DZu_rmWEGmm3C2W6emOLuXCw8KbgjZrKaAZ1XsoTRUCUDizrWDaAkfW73EH0TxsBG4ZPRo/s16000/20230806_112532.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrPulhgzt39HUVFBNxSnBPuTBgsFnrD_kQ0lBrfFiwiMZppBXKmCUao0Z_7FVpyixSBhUWq7xlPBY2aFcl3eWBdMdpWc8CJcV5ndKfOz2HyjxFwRstmVGZxfXGYcOZln5-xpDIVUiVBeDhx4utE7atamR3GOjLprLCealJ2xyo3SxXsS03rzMXR2hRh0/s1000/20230806_112427.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrPulhgzt39HUVFBNxSnBPuTBgsFnrD_kQ0lBrfFiwiMZppBXKmCUao0Z_7FVpyixSBhUWq7xlPBY2aFcl3eWBdMdpWc8CJcV5ndKfOz2HyjxFwRstmVGZxfXGYcOZln5-xpDIVUiVBeDhx4utE7atamR3GOjLprLCealJ2xyo3SxXsS03rzMXR2hRh0/s16000/20230806_112427.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div>Last but not least, the big girl cooked dinner for us for the very first time! It was a simple, delicious and hearty meal that warmed my heart. I admit we order takeaways at times because more often than not, I am too tired or lazy to cook. I do love having home cooked meals but they take a lot of effort and time to prepare and wash up.</div><div><br /></div><div>So even though this felt like a one-off since it didn't happen again, but maybe it is the start of a new norm where the kids could cook for the parents next time? That will definitely be a new norm that I will welcome wholeheartedly. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21BTGIy5bBWuRaYwlFtS7dU4Sxyq4TAXtKSdG0ULuV7AnohqiACrjvt7CVRPVkGwlai2I8Jka7zTgAxrebDSOXvTCp6CciP2zCrDsYkbV7NBozEeJ3SZnoFO10ea9RqKAI1hhLJUJjsrOrU6S30DQ6BLWI4DzczlW_3ub3YcH2wUjkY0wudS_83mXxvY/s1000/20230831_201527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21BTGIy5bBWuRaYwlFtS7dU4Sxyq4TAXtKSdG0ULuV7AnohqiACrjvt7CVRPVkGwlai2I8Jka7zTgAxrebDSOXvTCp6CciP2zCrDsYkbV7NBozEeJ3SZnoFO10ea9RqKAI1hhLJUJjsrOrU6S30DQ6BLWI4DzczlW_3ub3YcH2wUjkY0wudS_83mXxvY/s16000/20230831_201527.jpg" /></a></div><div>That marks yet another month in our family life. I might be slow in catching up with these posts but rest assured I will do it one way or another. Till the next post of <i>"Happiness is..."</i>!</div></div></div>~Summer~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478137784353655124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6546965252487257512.post-40493179233467941872024-01-26T11:18:00.016+08:002024-01-26T17:12:46.347+08:00Happiness is... not being too hard on yourself<p>If there's one thing that I would want my kids to learn, it's how to embrace failure in life. </p><p>While we all love to taste the sweetness of success, it's important to remember that it usually goes hand-in-hand with failure and comes as a result of sheer hard work and determination. When we fail to achieve something, it is how we get the opportunity to learn, to figure out what went wrong, to develop a growth mindset, and to make ourselves stronger and more resilient as we set out to try again.</p><p>Instead of being putting ourselves down when the results don't meet our expectations, we should find our positive inner voice, stop the self-criticism and move on from the past. It doesn't mean that we don't work hard or we do things half-heartedly in life; it just means that we give ourselves credit, celebrate the small wins and remind ourselves that we are enough. In this post of <i>"Happiness is..."</i>, it's about not being too hard on ourselves.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3eQ0b0CgMEpTqmrDOakHABYPhN3DZTHEXwScuHWjMdLmOx8lkTNnwCFcLTswRfiow6o77DzIjKAXKGSd2qQ8g7iqGiwEdyzu02dydfjWr8gA13KXdU_yC9P8s2acr1OfVhy_zVx0-PMWTn6hVQ38v7lPIwqacsXUDYuswWK_5hEUx8XwyZ6E9wRguusY/s1000/20230716_200426.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3eQ0b0CgMEpTqmrDOakHABYPhN3DZTHEXwScuHWjMdLmOx8lkTNnwCFcLTswRfiow6o77DzIjKAXKGSd2qQ8g7iqGiwEdyzu02dydfjWr8gA13KXdU_yC9P8s2acr1OfVhy_zVx0-PMWTn6hVQ38v7lPIwqacsXUDYuswWK_5hEUx8XwyZ6E9wRguusY/s16000/20230716_200426.jpg" /></a></p><p>One of the highlights of July for us was the National Taekwondo Poomsae Championships which was held at Toa Payoh Sports Hall. Similar to last year, the three older kids joined in the siblings category and they were to perform a synchronised poomsae (a sequence of movement) together.</p><p>For weeks leading up to the competition, they trained hard together, got into bickers, got nagged at by their coaches and were pushed to their limits. It wasn't easy for them to execute the moves in sync and they also had to make sure they put in adequate strength and power into every punch and every kick. I was there to witness their trainings and help guide them along too, and I saw the effort, sweat and tears behind the scene.</p><p>On the big day, I could feel their nerves but they gave it their all on stage and I actually thought they did a much better job than expected and their timings were more synchronised than last year. Alas, we didn't manage to get onto the podium as they missed the bronze medal by just a tiny margin. Yup, it was really by just a small fraction of a point. </p><p>Their disappointment was evident and could only watch on with envy as the winners collected their medals. It was easy to blame each other and feel guilty about not putting in more effort, but what I wanted them to know was that they already did their best and it wasn't easy standing in front of an intimidating panel of judges and doing a poomsae in front of hundreds of people.</p><p>So I gave them a pat on the back and told them we could learn from the experience and try again next year. The hubby treated us to a nice dinner, assured the kids they did a good job and we made sure they knew we were proud of them. To my dear kids, please remember that failure is a part of success and that it should motivate us to try harder in future. Instead of giving up on ourselves or each other, let's give support, show courage and be confident that we will only get better with experience and time. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLZuPgbORb_pN0cIsJG3lXpEydSGfV2C1z-eCImeaI__AT5tdxJ46cH9gB4nk9PLUlIls6FZFD8hgVZrNA6Da6HEZY9kZDgwzf38bx1Ac5RdQh6du3dDXMz1VD0466fDrI0OI2gMfulOB3FV3sUjU17lRh5fRxgSZbiwLxfFVictGWFnFcmAincWCmZc/s1000/20230716_193949.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxLZuPgbORb_pN0cIsJG3lXpEydSGfV2C1z-eCImeaI__AT5tdxJ46cH9gB4nk9PLUlIls6FZFD8hgVZrNA6Da6HEZY9kZDgwzf38bx1Ac5RdQh6du3dDXMz1VD0466fDrI0OI2gMfulOB3FV3sUjU17lRh5fRxgSZbiwLxfFVictGWFnFcmAincWCmZc/s16000/20230716_193949.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSJR3zue_h5DKLnSkM83NyuPNLEg5LE15ZhPMsZ-SrfX3wOOmXrtu3P2d00mD531xec4mY2sqSD_p9nHKKTj8tBJyZEqSzosAY05NE0tf_gzv4L7mqF1ra2NnC4MNdjFhGvniCAqyciaE5gpLqlrNnQEs3e_sIX9YFWNn0D4pBO2FE1rdDIQr5oKiTdMw/s1000/20230716_172146.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSJR3zue_h5DKLnSkM83NyuPNLEg5LE15ZhPMsZ-SrfX3wOOmXrtu3P2d00mD531xec4mY2sqSD_p9nHKKTj8tBJyZEqSzosAY05NE0tf_gzv4L7mqF1ra2NnC4MNdjFhGvniCAqyciaE5gpLqlrNnQEs3e_sIX9YFWNn0D4pBO2FE1rdDIQr5oKiTdMw/s16000/20230716_172146.jpg" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p>With four kids to keep me busy all day along, one of which is stuck to me 24/7, it's hard to always find time to get groceries to cook. I would love to have home cooked meals for my kids every day but I also realise that cooking (which also includes preparation and cleaning up) is a truly exhausting and time-consuming chore. </p><p>On some days, I just choose to give myself a break from it all and we would make our way to the nearby coffee shops or food court for lunch or dinner. The kids love going on such trips too as they get to scoot, chat with me and get a breath of fresh air. Now that the youngest one is not a baby anymore, I guess it's really okay to eat outside food too, even though it is a tad saltier than what I cook at home.</p><p>I don't feel the guilt like I used to in the beginning because I know I can't do it all and yup, I can't be too hard on myself all the time too, right? In any case, I relish the joy of eating with my kids, no matter if it is home or out. Since the hubby comes home very late on weekdays, it means I have Mondays to Fridays to dine with my kids on my own and that is quite a lot of mother-and-kids time we are talking about. I love hearing all their stories in school, telling them about my own childhood secrets and just sharing about anything under the sun.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAFaFIXkjqjUgNs0DyF333Zj9yVyEi-RP538Z5ZdwcT8-1x2gghJ4V5sDzF6CQ9WNtWEzFeJf0iOID2d9feVx0JU25507UZa1ock-C7mA-zru8KCtzhMNuX5f7gJcJFxsmedIWnpWZFnViY83FHfHNP-Tgmi1njH30dmeDXSXoW7XRKflSH0tyX5tHSbg/s1000/20230726_124134.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAFaFIXkjqjUgNs0DyF333Zj9yVyEi-RP538Z5ZdwcT8-1x2gghJ4V5sDzF6CQ9WNtWEzFeJf0iOID2d9feVx0JU25507UZa1ock-C7mA-zru8KCtzhMNuX5f7gJcJFxsmedIWnpWZFnViY83FHfHNP-Tgmi1njH30dmeDXSXoW7XRKflSH0tyX5tHSbg/s16000/20230726_124134.jpg" /></a></p><p>My sisters and I turned 40 this year and yup, this is the group of friends who have been my pals from Secondary 1 all the way to now. It's amazing that we still meet up whenever we can even though we are all mums now, and I love how our kids can play together too.</p><p>So yes, I might be a stay-at-home mum who has very limited me-time and friends-time because without any other caretaker or part-time helper, I have to be there for my kids and for my home. But I still find snippets of free time here and there to do the things I want to do and one of them is meeting up with friends where we can confide in each other, share parenting tips and reminisce the good old days.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFGHYpMDLj8YhmFpCMrBMcZrh14JA3heGCUVbTh_N5dVIrwEMFAC9RBmLGwgqyyXLr2ZfqoidktnF0vvNS6S7XlW2TWgTvGEvr3s0fknKyXhMtnbobv-Xk3GaWgJ9-BTo_1Y_a4MHz_4NNJmdE708AnrGTovng547yS5TJ_Eip3qckFNPKiNrbUOMqyUQ/s1000/20230707_123802.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFGHYpMDLj8YhmFpCMrBMcZrh14JA3heGCUVbTh_N5dVIrwEMFAC9RBmLGwgqyyXLr2ZfqoidktnF0vvNS6S7XlW2TWgTvGEvr3s0fknKyXhMtnbobv-Xk3GaWgJ9-BTo_1Y_a4MHz_4NNJmdE708AnrGTovng547yS5TJ_Eip3qckFNPKiNrbUOMqyUQ/s16000/20230707_123802.jpg" /></a></p><p>We also did a mini family photoshoot with <a href="https://www.bloomphotography.sg/" target="_blank">Bloom Photography</a> at their new studio and I am deeply thankful for all the precious moments they have captured for our family over the years since 2020. We have done numerous shoots with them, including Christmas, maternity, cake smash and more, and every of them left behind such treasured memories that I hold dear.</p><p>That said, I do realise that we have likely been dropped from their list of influencers and I totally understand why as I have not been as active on social media or the blog as I had been in the past. It gets harder as the kids get older, even though I would never wanna give up writing and sharing about our lives. I feel a little sad when clients stop collaborating with us and it's easy to berate myself on why I am not doing as much as I could or being more pro-active in creating content.</p><p>However, I need to be at peace with the decisions I've made regarding how I wish to move on as a blogger, as a mum and as a person. So while I am still appreciative of any new 'job' or sponsor that comes knocking on our door, it's not my priority now and I need to be cool with that. If you have been a faithful reader all this while, I thank you from the bottom of my heart and please know that even if I tend to write less and at a slower pace these days, I am not going anywhere and I will still be me - a happy mum.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJCI2QzmHLzWQoW5v-Gh7g0NnLlW0tT983oqBNwb3yoqM6trqF0rKfiYYMXrzAxwlFCzwRckfiDDlyjNx2SgtsWVAY3GmEJq4OIsUQM32HXEo5Sz6gaO1mL9F_D5Bmx-8OOY6UpSoTfBGgPhSBRtEM4xFVA26HKkyrJvymqB-c7ri3lQWAEGyt2OgpHc/s1000/220723BLOOM_032.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJCI2QzmHLzWQoW5v-Gh7g0NnLlW0tT983oqBNwb3yoqM6trqF0rKfiYYMXrzAxwlFCzwRckfiDDlyjNx2SgtsWVAY3GmEJq4OIsUQM32HXEo5Sz6gaO1mL9F_D5Bmx-8OOY6UpSoTfBGgPhSBRtEM4xFVA26HKkyrJvymqB-c7ri3lQWAEGyt2OgpHc/s16000/220723BLOOM_032.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5atMly7e87_OIUFzL-Pe6TLCr89EmhdFqqQW26IvKjHcXt1wUS_Qq-n0kzq3Wvuk5qoziP0lyYROsr5peWCeMEePLhtKFIw3FwM3MlY0GkGfesQVwlcK9WZBJ054pFatnNWRS0vCyaoRKRwM2LUGJL4S-Za64LVy6VBaLbjuq_J6Ax6a_9G7R7bBciJE/s1000/220723BLOOM_027.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5atMly7e87_OIUFzL-Pe6TLCr89EmhdFqqQW26IvKjHcXt1wUS_Qq-n0kzq3Wvuk5qoziP0lyYROsr5peWCeMEePLhtKFIw3FwM3MlY0GkGfesQVwlcK9WZBJ054pFatnNWRS0vCyaoRKRwM2LUGJL4S-Za64LVy6VBaLbjuq_J6Ax6a_9G7R7bBciJE/s16000/220723BLOOM_027.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq2GqHl1qHHioc-jShKPyaK-h6BBxouhB-QSpRPYo_vJ0IexHmIGYNoF2FrC3yF_3_1sdBCThB2VxIVmbhI43Cr1Hb-gWlAYHePIB50TW5xaEKnUcuSfnwwu1rnxPK7HdWoLhBg3Tuj5oLfrfCphy_GuzlMb711pSo3iUVKuwYlDL90mb0Uec7QJ6PXac/s1000/220723BLOOM_025.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq2GqHl1qHHioc-jShKPyaK-h6BBxouhB-QSpRPYo_vJ0IexHmIGYNoF2FrC3yF_3_1sdBCThB2VxIVmbhI43Cr1Hb-gWlAYHePIB50TW5xaEKnUcuSfnwwu1rnxPK7HdWoLhBg3Tuj5oLfrfCphy_GuzlMb711pSo3iUVKuwYlDL90mb0Uec7QJ6PXac/s16000/220723BLOOM_025.jpg" /></a></p><p>See our messy home? Toys strewn everywhere, a sofa forever filled with laundry, a dining table that also functions as a put-anything-and-everything-on-me table, dusty floors, buckets of dirty clothes, untidy study area, unmade beds and more. It's what I face every day and trust me, even if I get everything back in its place and make the whole home seem neater and cleaner, it lasts for barely a couple of hours before everything gets messed up again. It's a vicious cycle, isn't it? </p><p>But you know what? We've all learned to close one eye and not mind the state of our home. Whenever I asked if we should get a part-time cleaner, the kids refused and said they do not want and that they can try to help out more (the key word is <i>'try'</i>) or that they are totally fine with the mess. </p><p>Amazingly, our untidy living room is still the one place that we play, dance, have fun, watch movies, enjoy family time and make lots of memories. Yes, we still dance and exercise together from time to time even though I have not been posting about it on social media. I love seeing their happy faces and how they can all dance together, sometimes pairing up and sometimes piggybacking each other. The firstborn has less free time as she grows older and she much prefers to dance to Kpop than any other dance, but she still joins in from time to time and it is just a heartwarming sight to see them like that.</p><p>So yeah, never mind the mess but care more about the smiles and memories, right?</p><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEB_M4045u45dN7I3xFVx9OtS7MRI1W7kYjpIX9NbpvNdKBVPP0VSx_HTmSHCZK05mTupcSH4ivrvmg7TV6-SeCwLZ75tzzeaPdvD0XhdYfSYe65HulhyphenhyphenhAzt4mPzzv2V-fjqhVURXt66grKOCg13bg28LUt6xJ2MI530k8BBPt2bWaCNLJUwi9_z7hY0/s1000/20230728_235215(0).jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEB_M4045u45dN7I3xFVx9OtS7MRI1W7kYjpIX9NbpvNdKBVPP0VSx_HTmSHCZK05mTupcSH4ivrvmg7TV6-SeCwLZ75tzzeaPdvD0XhdYfSYe65HulhyphenhyphenhAzt4mPzzv2V-fjqhVURXt66grKOCg13bg28LUt6xJ2MI530k8BBPt2bWaCNLJUwi9_z7hY0/s16000/20230728_235215(0).jpg" /></a></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd8w9rWa1DjEvekXQU655LlOce87djYpJl8n3QScvoVrzxvwU6jrWcxwzfgy1Butv9-h4T8Eprm-HhC4xld8InAoFYX9V3astmO0Nma1_ORqZ69HyorXb3Jca5Dzz1cmMxowKyudlv6y_ecu26Z7_PbIueZKb6FLEb4rT3QypwekUeBxEsGS02wYeldc0/s1000/20230728_234802.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd8w9rWa1DjEvekXQU655LlOce87djYpJl8n3QScvoVrzxvwU6jrWcxwzfgy1Butv9-h4T8Eprm-HhC4xld8InAoFYX9V3astmO0Nma1_ORqZ69HyorXb3Jca5Dzz1cmMxowKyudlv6y_ecu26Z7_PbIueZKb6FLEb4rT3QypwekUeBxEsGS02wYeldc0/s16000/20230728_234802.jpg" /></a></div><div>If you are reading this, please know that you are doing more than enough for your family too and it's okay to take credit for it and give yourself time to rest and relax every once in a while. Nothing can be perfect and there is no such thing as a perfect mum, a perfect kid or a perfect home, but we can see beyond the imperfections in our lives and realise how they all fall into place and let's just say that life is perfectly imperfect.</div><div><br /></div><div>I love my life as a mum and I hope you are loving yours too. Till the next post on <i>"Happiness is.."</i>!</div><div><br /></div><p></p>~Summer~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478137784353655124noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6546965252487257512.post-40562776545151058112024-01-10T10:59:00.231+08:002024-01-19T13:53:44.228+08:00Our 4D3N family trip to Desaru<p>We love travelling as a big family and are blessed to be able to bring our parents, who get along really well, on holidays overseas. Even though we gather quite often at our place for festivities, it's different when you visit a foreign place and go sightseeing together.</p><p>The last time we went abroad together was in December 2019, right before the pandemic hit. We went to Club Med in Bintan and it was an enjoyable trip for everyone. I do wish we can bring our parents to further places like Japan or even Europe but it costs a bomb even for our family of six alone, which is why we are still sticking to neighbouring countries for now. By that, I do mean Malaysia. Yup, but that's better than nothing, right?<br /></p><p>Upon reading how there are activities catering to both the young and old, we decided on visiting Desaru during the June holidays. It turned out to be a wonderful, absolutely memorable 4D3N trip for us so here's sharing our itinerary and all the fun things we did as a family.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_-BasjnXzhqIBQ4I-oz4dTvjgU8qV8J4olifkMblhigZID_y8tDL38hRndHOFpt7VF2RazAArvP0MGi-JZSIu0M8eDkFZqhV7psBVBjBxbOV69S6WgUH3DrMU4gl-DeEpH4XvvUKj5LnW5ehZyCHe-pePPLc3vlmh-j871AKl2Sc7McTI8qrg1oBBik/s1000/20230604_164900(0).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_-BasjnXzhqIBQ4I-oz4dTvjgU8qV8J4olifkMblhigZID_y8tDL38hRndHOFpt7VF2RazAArvP0MGi-JZSIu0M8eDkFZqhV7psBVBjBxbOV69S6WgUH3DrMU4gl-DeEpH4XvvUKj5LnW5ehZyCHe-pePPLc3vlmh-j871AKl2Sc7McTI8qrg1oBBik/s16000/20230604_164900(0).jpg" /></a></p><p><b><u>Day 1 - Check-in + SK Mall + Ostrich Farm + Dinner in Jade Garden Seafood Restaurant</u></b></p><p>While we drove our 7-seater Toyota Wish to Desaru so that we could have a car to ferry us around, it could only for the six of us as we had to make space for the luggage and lots of bags. Thus, we bought ferry tickets for the parents and picked them up at the terminal in Desaru when they arrived. The car ride didn't take longer than three hours and it was fairly easy to get to Desaru by following the GPS.</p><p>Since we had a big group of 10 pax, we rented an entire house that came with two stories, a huge living space, a fully equipped kitchen, a front porch and four bedrooms. This cost us less than S$180 per night which was really reasonable and affordable. I booked mine on Agoda and if you just key in Desaru and look around, there are plenty of homestay choices and we would take this over hotel anytime because it helps to save a significant amount of money. Granted, you do not get facilities and there is no breakfast provided, but we make do with what we have and we brought back our own breakfast each day - which is good since the parents can choose what they wanted to eat. Take a look at the house below.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0T5IezXos0JcjiX8kPvztU1E08h_KylD_4tz9N94YKc5IzWfmnSbAGwIXCyWrVpKLs1gelXqUoOaxjFbQK9jfYQ1IXzig7tP-hDbURAZ1TW_HgD2m7QfxCiNeOq1yZzBgBWDJ1PcDabs7u_iOuXb77Kq5hyphenhyphen01Bhhn2NcSWZEyq_iwkuEJbLoB-KFrkDE/s1000/20230604_141220.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0T5IezXos0JcjiX8kPvztU1E08h_KylD_4tz9N94YKc5IzWfmnSbAGwIXCyWrVpKLs1gelXqUoOaxjFbQK9jfYQ1IXzig7tP-hDbURAZ1TW_HgD2m7QfxCiNeOq1yZzBgBWDJ1PcDabs7u_iOuXb77Kq5hyphenhyphen01Bhhn2NcSWZEyq_iwkuEJbLoB-KFrkDE/s16000/20230604_141220.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBY7A8WExKF6hOYmhphlhgK1b17-Rg87t7hxH0PbQbIL2egawKRKyFb8o0Rv_Sy1QKzZrLXDWPEVwYXPmksCgLaZNh-T10lrBrGijJBp2HIb3bnOumiqBxgeV6Ic2SQ1woWGxKP11ZLCrcdlgNF6FLFfsIMEGRsr3kXIYn7ASmmgBszxE7i7a6Pc985rw/s1000/20230604_141127.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBY7A8WExKF6hOYmhphlhgK1b17-Rg87t7hxH0PbQbIL2egawKRKyFb8o0Rv_Sy1QKzZrLXDWPEVwYXPmksCgLaZNh-T10lrBrGijJBp2HIb3bnOumiqBxgeV6Ic2SQ1woWGxKP11ZLCrcdlgNF6FLFfsIMEGRsr3kXIYn7ASmmgBszxE7i7a6Pc985rw/s16000/20230604_141127.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy7P1x38JkAPPF36xk5rHv7HXV3T2faCeOVI0RpytLrRaxa5rIVCBQnJc0g08D3jV2QZyFVNfVg4dgucAth1_Dh4FcIatL65YgODeHrRUqriBlJUEJuq_wp6NIUX0F8NUNxmUQAuFBLtPljq-f6gUr1Iod3y9tdEDlxqnZxWIWOOzOFMGaA5JqchchXpE/s1000/20230604_141134.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy7P1x38JkAPPF36xk5rHv7HXV3T2faCeOVI0RpytLrRaxa5rIVCBQnJc0g08D3jV2QZyFVNfVg4dgucAth1_Dh4FcIatL65YgODeHrRUqriBlJUEJuq_wp6NIUX0F8NUNxmUQAuFBLtPljq-f6gUr1Iod3y9tdEDlxqnZxWIWOOzOFMGaA5JqchchXpE/s16000/20230604_141134.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRu4cwjIS_6_IAZE1n-gjGmIkBe09z27dxj722kuIkBvC9_iHXtaam2f5TRlZfpoGA_irvlGFCxBqNFiHDhssJWJXFd0yGVXQb6rCPhmJuFiVuEm2Z_WcSnpfLvyFOLtIfshddYAKFf6c-7XUl6LDhWzitr1_-Fbv6TpRkz8qNyc2PG47prjBxZVZvOYY/s1000/20230604_141143.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRu4cwjIS_6_IAZE1n-gjGmIkBe09z27dxj722kuIkBvC9_iHXtaam2f5TRlZfpoGA_irvlGFCxBqNFiHDhssJWJXFd0yGVXQb6rCPhmJuFiVuEm2Z_WcSnpfLvyFOLtIfshddYAKFf6c-7XUl6LDhWzitr1_-Fbv6TpRkz8qNyc2PG47prjBxZVZvOYY/s16000/20230604_141143.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOo3vKJYgQT0K7Z7xD7oX170-dqgNoq5rGuLOCKH3EmcC5cHQDPDNazMENNltk_W4sw2Rn6XGF4GLA4o0oRUXYWAxWLHPG098O9mSTSq158H1Qcw845CILMi9Le6jNwXKBcK6R6o3D_VwYFIvJ9WSYi7E_tOVwQpekNByVXNr8OBy6004Zlws6u_YBcoI/s1000/20230604_141341.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOo3vKJYgQT0K7Z7xD7oX170-dqgNoq5rGuLOCKH3EmcC5cHQDPDNazMENNltk_W4sw2Rn6XGF4GLA4o0oRUXYWAxWLHPG098O9mSTSq158H1Qcw845CILMi9Le6jNwXKBcK6R6o3D_VwYFIvJ9WSYi7E_tOVwQpekNByVXNr8OBy6004Zlws6u_YBcoI/s16000/20230604_141341.jpg" /></a></p><p>For the boys, the highlight was this huge tub in the master bedroom and they were so happy playing in it together. I always remind Asher that it won't be too long till Ansel grows up and they both get too old for this, so cherish the brotherly, fun times while they last.</p><p>As for the girls, they fell with love with three cute cats who hung out at our porch and were tame enough to pat and be carried. So much so that they gave them each a name - Sparks, Oreo and Kopi.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJjGlxRPFTqAMJ5VKudu1mzDb6S4w1jezPGM1-IQ4LoiiqBevVBQqaX6mlCB80NoQYPo-MkrE3b4b_1pxVBBqLcyzcGrZ0qZZdiLJqcwyV_m7AkXqTafAQG1TzVEwsdLQlk7QwJxVjTLy_qe6RMpm1bgBu9BilKCdkUHfjcAQue189YLzsEokR_riF2A4/s1000/20230604_211751.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJjGlxRPFTqAMJ5VKudu1mzDb6S4w1jezPGM1-IQ4LoiiqBevVBQqaX6mlCB80NoQYPo-MkrE3b4b_1pxVBBqLcyzcGrZ0qZZdiLJqcwyV_m7AkXqTafAQG1TzVEwsdLQlk7QwJxVjTLy_qe6RMpm1bgBu9BilKCdkUHfjcAQue189YLzsEokR_riF2A4/s16000/20230604_211751.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivzZw6tQ3qtVIXtWmOMK6z1fqE3g5IyHc2l1SEvHwZW0fIQTteZlUkxBUwmkjjb46Sp153CLOMgeTt48MOtciEySHLmTiRkzdaYXtUVSn4QcdY2Z5H7rQt0hMNEGAKqR8orX6F43ussZR6txYVbHeK3SIUaoW_ysrRQmSqdvM0oPWlro4bVnUd9fzgwLA/s1000/20230604_143556.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivzZw6tQ3qtVIXtWmOMK6z1fqE3g5IyHc2l1SEvHwZW0fIQTteZlUkxBUwmkjjb46Sp153CLOMgeTt48MOtciEySHLmTiRkzdaYXtUVSn4QcdY2Z5H7rQt0hMNEGAKqR8orX6F43ussZR6txYVbHeK3SIUaoW_ysrRQmSqdvM0oPWlro4bVnUd9fzgwLA/s16000/20230604_143556.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJa9sabsvL35K5rDOI5VJu-mVwspPW_bMu4IhjnVIOIKaIoLW3ruvPtZ3DOe2b4256CD743dEf05wDkOgIB63FbqXfRt2KVk3WXZSLqp3d6s-NpMq9iiMw5ryxt1OU5mGpn2FSh7QIssgDFz2UZF_Ftholxt8ow19QLd1Vi7kZncGXJnU3tkxgHqKTOTY/s1000/20230604_143618.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJa9sabsvL35K5rDOI5VJu-mVwspPW_bMu4IhjnVIOIKaIoLW3ruvPtZ3DOe2b4256CD743dEf05wDkOgIB63FbqXfRt2KVk3WXZSLqp3d6s-NpMq9iiMw5ryxt1OU5mGpn2FSh7QIssgDFz2UZF_Ftholxt8ow19QLd1Vi7kZncGXJnU3tkxgHqKTOTY/s16000/20230604_143618.jpg" /></a></p><p>While we waited for the hubby to pick the parents from the terminal, we hung out at a neighbourhall mall called SK Mall. There's not much shops to boast about but the kids did have fun playing on the kiddy car rides, claw machines, games and also enjoyed a candy floss treat. Sometimes, I prefer smaller and less crowded malls like this as compared to the bustling, megamalls. You know what I mean, right?</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnwaRt4DCn2B6ag6naGFOQ89F0VBPPOjCCa59CqnvxjP7bkwdLfDaPhf9apSTVuUaxkZisU6jMJxGVNo4q6cRpLNOB1yY3dDXddZ3d0MUk5rQFYqxCFScWW3iHUS9gk9XVyw63EWqPH2wkhtbh4yJwEY4hZHhGlmpCaTT7f8_sJts3Y6H_WBvNjDJ0Vg8/s1000/20230604_105826.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnwaRt4DCn2B6ag6naGFOQ89F0VBPPOjCCa59CqnvxjP7bkwdLfDaPhf9apSTVuUaxkZisU6jMJxGVNo4q6cRpLNOB1yY3dDXddZ3d0MUk5rQFYqxCFScWW3iHUS9gk9XVyw63EWqPH2wkhtbh4yJwEY4hZHhGlmpCaTT7f8_sJts3Y6H_WBvNjDJ0Vg8/s16000/20230604_105826.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8TtIUbXIfqiGWVTpKxoDu7nys6Sxql7NPEo2IxB3BHvBIg0_2BDRnyQ6X87sjywSBRU1CmdyWHk9zFT_xY6uXkOIej2qbhk_wJj4ej2XgT5I-_PIbUzEENHbqIPg4I8-2aOuQm73tNg2wxzDlH0Ns8jVR1G3pQmJ31pjWTqX2Wq5LatV-VwePDcv9Ha8/s1000/20230604_131230.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8TtIUbXIfqiGWVTpKxoDu7nys6Sxql7NPEo2IxB3BHvBIg0_2BDRnyQ6X87sjywSBRU1CmdyWHk9zFT_xY6uXkOIej2qbhk_wJj4ej2XgT5I-_PIbUzEENHbqIPg4I8-2aOuQm73tNg2wxzDlH0Ns8jVR1G3pQmJ31pjWTqX2Wq5LatV-VwePDcv9Ha8/s16000/20230604_131230.jpg" /></a></p><p>The highlight of Day 1 was visiting the Ostrich Farm which is about half an hour's drive from where we stayed. It wasn't our first time seeing and feeding ostriches up close but this was the first real Ostrich Farm so that made it kind of special. Not only did we see newborn chicks, we also stood on an ostrich's egg, saw how an ostrich egg has to be meticulously opened by drilling and nailing, and tasted a delicious ostrich egg omelette and sponge cake.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZtAFZRw91DFUgkdiwLb2PE0dk6mDBc0ZrIs74aA0XovzgRMoG4i5gLdjidD_mxUNagfer5Yh5TLRVlDEqQZVFt6CLZEE17AJpuepu8jFIt2_4RRwVEvqoWtLIqErM_AhadZbfiGv9c3ZJPawodI0tZZ1RGKkcXAYbtrszg59gpMZKlOdydUy8zzWx_kM/s1000/collage266.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZtAFZRw91DFUgkdiwLb2PE0dk6mDBc0ZrIs74aA0XovzgRMoG4i5gLdjidD_mxUNagfer5Yh5TLRVlDEqQZVFt6CLZEE17AJpuepu8jFIt2_4RRwVEvqoWtLIqErM_AhadZbfiGv9c3ZJPawodI0tZZ1RGKkcXAYbtrszg59gpMZKlOdydUy8zzWx_kM/s16000/collage266.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJs54nJ995qq1x-Yzhck9bPJQCNI3mzwwd-3UH7gDdsfgmKjIqomql8_cUJ0HGQWbBM6UsY0eCeswQ_BenT71VvQ-q1mzGW_cg8_Yk8UbpzrWj6jD3qa7sn8a5OU2-ETteg7_d5X__f71IIqFUDVctL_XswkcEEfXRYA2iSf7ysnllv0riy1eJc8aBBuU/s1000/20230604_162748.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJs54nJ995qq1x-Yzhck9bPJQCNI3mzwwd-3UH7gDdsfgmKjIqomql8_cUJ0HGQWbBM6UsY0eCeswQ_BenT71VvQ-q1mzGW_cg8_Yk8UbpzrWj6jD3qa7sn8a5OU2-ETteg7_d5X__f71IIqFUDVctL_XswkcEEfXRYA2iSf7ysnllv0riy1eJc8aBBuU/s16000/20230604_162748.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif58Xg-ULby5aGgdIqoyCT1Vd2StjkfXIoj0VZPM4_GeNUFtFW7UZwJblhEL__sfkam8RoYwXF1nYRD5bEeo9hmUaBA3pscbQLwBuj32Z0bUP3nYbMoHUv-Ni_QSbzhAixAC3OlrhoaGZHZOkgU_f-9n828IktBJVtbS3AsofsoohhHRfoZZ2tBEDmAHg/s1000/20230604_162828.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif58Xg-ULby5aGgdIqoyCT1Vd2StjkfXIoj0VZPM4_GeNUFtFW7UZwJblhEL__sfkam8RoYwXF1nYRD5bEeo9hmUaBA3pscbQLwBuj32Z0bUP3nYbMoHUv-Ni_QSbzhAixAC3OlrhoaGZHZOkgU_f-9n828IktBJVtbS3AsofsoohhHRfoZZ2tBEDmAHg/s16000/20230604_162828.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3XoYGFzdXwW5be5BxNvARYqKbLJq4PSMZKxPotFOny5a6AAGzDpExPnpkOg1_UADV-FSAgdLjuK215dDDUlwZzn9XhrhoZmtNs4GapnZ3K4BJoR1DVpMtljOwtCO-cHC7247Vy7W8rQMW71xT9WfCZOAbJ5wpRyRczXTH2N7saf1uMUad8ikK30FGTvE/s1000/20230604_163052.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3XoYGFzdXwW5be5BxNvARYqKbLJq4PSMZKxPotFOny5a6AAGzDpExPnpkOg1_UADV-FSAgdLjuK215dDDUlwZzn9XhrhoZmtNs4GapnZ3K4BJoR1DVpMtljOwtCO-cHC7247Vy7W8rQMW71xT9WfCZOAbJ5wpRyRczXTH2N7saf1uMUad8ikK30FGTvE/s16000/20230604_163052.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEM4eD0PRucupOkA-lBDsYxC68PyU7ZSc734Vqu2dtcpyksPuEs6U8uIkc6NCiahn8CS99SAs7_nVM2sHPQurLLJ8gKrpkU3kEHV6XKcJn3gYl7nE-UBDJkjAGfvg1nHDwr6JMg03yknTJ47CGkVDDDAifyGKtKjbEbBMqoy_nAuWpcS2RB1rLvhfXmFw/s1000/20230604_163321.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEM4eD0PRucupOkA-lBDsYxC68PyU7ZSc734Vqu2dtcpyksPuEs6U8uIkc6NCiahn8CS99SAs7_nVM2sHPQurLLJ8gKrpkU3kEHV6XKcJn3gYl7nE-UBDJkjAGfvg1nHDwr6JMg03yknTJ47CGkVDDDAifyGKtKjbEbBMqoy_nAuWpcS2RB1rLvhfXmFw/s16000/20230604_163321.jpg" /></a></p><p>The kids enjoyed the feeding very much and all our parents had a go at giving the ostriches corn kernels and vegetables too. We also took a nice family photograph here which is the first one in this article and my favourite of the lot. It was also nice that the staff here spoke in both English and Mandarin so that our parents could understand the farm tour.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFXFPgbxWhHKWH8zVr3uL-682bOwlwP2ixnBYLYjvvoVyW9WnUkziZ2Azrmk1APR7ZRxaTsARdd4cAsNlTvOtDKky_9_fNZkjMr8VgCbbL0FDqB_4LSYbpCewICYqqKUWqCKLVz253EcXBjangakl3mPBhOWgDyO8whcDeEAB89VWu_XVhey0IKfvR50/s1000/20230604_171650.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFXFPgbxWhHKWH8zVr3uL-682bOwlwP2ixnBYLYjvvoVyW9WnUkziZ2Azrmk1APR7ZRxaTsARdd4cAsNlTvOtDKky_9_fNZkjMr8VgCbbL0FDqB_4LSYbpCewICYqqKUWqCKLVz253EcXBjangakl3mPBhOWgDyO8whcDeEAB89VWu_XVhey0IKfvR50/s16000/20230604_171650.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTOyqhnqK1RZEfU7gF43A1OswgHuPvseFwU5zU-EeBHuulZ-87ZuB9z9Ir2_D4bHMA8o2ifXPBirN-8DQFl3hGDpAXlSfwtSI1dE6vfmsy7M_FcqVlzfh8GVeFGXaabSk92LVeACBfgkSZPWwRTeyYsN5zBYjk-OV_fD-exq8atATWGbJVug5okE6TKOw/s1000/20230604_165901.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTOyqhnqK1RZEfU7gF43A1OswgHuPvseFwU5zU-EeBHuulZ-87ZuB9z9Ir2_D4bHMA8o2ifXPBirN-8DQFl3hGDpAXlSfwtSI1dE6vfmsy7M_FcqVlzfh8GVeFGXaabSk92LVeACBfgkSZPWwRTeyYsN5zBYjk-OV_fD-exq8atATWGbJVug5okE6TKOw/s16000/20230604_165901.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCafYbUx-IpLSqiS2QYLhuzlj6gjwatXPYFzpQwZciVY71Rr0-z-DXSqKXWz2_3lnckoq5BHu5dJI8iKKtR7vcb84sEUp8zPLRwGFZVQX2sViOKbPyEoWt5TeLKo4rflwRrTIRh0F_HtVW2rWWU7zdzKNGj91IADCBJE_5pM8Pp-TkcY6jR4T403XPrE/s1000/20230604_170832.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCafYbUx-IpLSqiS2QYLhuzlj6gjwatXPYFzpQwZciVY71Rr0-z-DXSqKXWz2_3lnckoq5BHu5dJI8iKKtR7vcb84sEUp8zPLRwGFZVQX2sViOKbPyEoWt5TeLKo4rflwRrTIRh0F_HtVW2rWWU7zdzKNGj91IADCBJE_5pM8Pp-TkcY6jR4T403XPrE/s16000/20230604_170832.jpg" /></a></p><p>For dinner, we made our way to Jade Garden Seafood Restaurant which is not far from the ostrich farm. Yes, I think it's quite the norm to eat more seafood meals when you are in Malaysia since it is much cheaper than in Singapore. I have to say that my kids (and myself too) don't appreciate seafood much - yes, they don't really fancy crabs, lobsters and prawns even though we tell them these are expensive stuff - but it was nice that we were able to treat our parents to a delicious meal and see them happily tucking in. I supposed the kids would be happy just eating KFC, haha, which is what I would like too.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5SZ1UkRsMb7Gk7MbLLzxVf_hHyBDj3Uwf-hCFxG0dvD3bBxBJrlq2nYtSS_9nyjBKlFDUgb2lyia6ePqg_Pak7L7lq6xycfq-OxxmOwQAdGAABjOnfJs9DZC7GJJB2P0hfxcAlxNVcjTZT3Ltr3dTW6Y8S0rhiLWcEpogwbPlA1Kygw5obPBR2THMGTE/s1000/20230604_175727.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5SZ1UkRsMb7Gk7MbLLzxVf_hHyBDj3Uwf-hCFxG0dvD3bBxBJrlq2nYtSS_9nyjBKlFDUgb2lyia6ePqg_Pak7L7lq6xycfq-OxxmOwQAdGAABjOnfJs9DZC7GJJB2P0hfxcAlxNVcjTZT3Ltr3dTW6Y8S0rhiLWcEpogwbPlA1Kygw5obPBR2THMGTE/s16000/20230604_175727.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRDY5qc9mLqdPHTUw2eFKelvt_z9cz4IlqFkjVaEGmHvSu04mxL14jWyfKX6VnUjwZY2HHS1ienbVQ113693fFvhYYUp9aZlH0WsUNXQQTttgqYmpmVpCTvXF8w3JVQmml9oA57PCHDOuyBB6JfgZB-4kWW1EovhjmdzJTGoSBlAarzb5o9TYmyvLQUTY/s1000/20230604_181354.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRDY5qc9mLqdPHTUw2eFKelvt_z9cz4IlqFkjVaEGmHvSu04mxL14jWyfKX6VnUjwZY2HHS1ienbVQ113693fFvhYYUp9aZlH0WsUNXQQTttgqYmpmVpCTvXF8w3JVQmml9oA57PCHDOuyBB6JfgZB-4kWW1EovhjmdzJTGoSBlAarzb5o9TYmyvLQUTY/s16000/20230604_181354.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYaQ4UiP_yjmxxxawJIvKzze7I8Fu4Nt7om5U4O_dSGOTAvmEnkKa5bgdSPgz27NSdaibpk2SrarYz1HTHNfH15ccJOspgyn6av56efpkL_VbmYec2m7Rt7rkUXTdEYZZyK74EusDzBUORgskyZIo1dG95EEsZIpK2IDkldRj4113Bysrv_OpzqbAh_gY/s1000/20230604_182214.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYaQ4UiP_yjmxxxawJIvKzze7I8Fu4Nt7om5U4O_dSGOTAvmEnkKa5bgdSPgz27NSdaibpk2SrarYz1HTHNfH15ccJOspgyn6av56efpkL_VbmYec2m7Rt7rkUXTdEYZZyK74EusDzBUORgskyZIo1dG95EEsZIpK2IDkldRj4113Bysrv_OpzqbAh_gY/s16000/20230604_182214.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgf_F0jKdiGJixH0o-zQ-dH5ZDKVVsKG9dJiLH6l8oHjFiw1hUL0jB7Y2EFjw79svjgP38FQK-pnpa4kCPTpGTDPZ17O92vqa7GbdD5ypYcRdSE3FiofAPJ7X5wd3GHx5rxbdObgU8LDJVMEI0YL4QZVBYSe9c7Qjni2isLIDpHcee0W4tpIfGYPJy0g8/s1000/20230604_182332.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgf_F0jKdiGJixH0o-zQ-dH5ZDKVVsKG9dJiLH6l8oHjFiw1hUL0jB7Y2EFjw79svjgP38FQK-pnpa4kCPTpGTDPZ17O92vqa7GbdD5ypYcRdSE3FiofAPJ7X5wd3GHx5rxbdObgU8LDJVMEI0YL4QZVBYSe9c7Qjni2isLIDpHcee0W4tpIfGYPJy0g8/s16000/20230604_182332.jpg" /></a></p><p>While our parents were eating heartily, the kids were happy to quickly finish their food and go for a night stroll with a beautiful view of the sea. I guess travelling in a big group means even if the likes and desires of everyone might differ vastly, you compromise, give in and do your best to make everyone happy. That's all we want from a holiday, right? Joy, relaxation and priceless memories.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm52nKiMlAw2UHd-Gs5U3fQND26IL8VnU1HrC1xvIDq6-e4kZj4C9_3wOOPT8aF1hV8d5PdnM0xZkAjeFOtimMBzQ2OOSTOdmOATABmVVwRbGpw5vS9tYGBcrDiQar7W0aLvYTzc7RO3G4YKuPo_R8WLFcsE0ozmcKvvPbAJjYk8fgUWbI5PzYMS6BkMc/s1000/20230604_193130.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm52nKiMlAw2UHd-Gs5U3fQND26IL8VnU1HrC1xvIDq6-e4kZj4C9_3wOOPT8aF1hV8d5PdnM0xZkAjeFOtimMBzQ2OOSTOdmOATABmVVwRbGpw5vS9tYGBcrDiQar7W0aLvYTzc7RO3G4YKuPo_R8WLFcsE0ozmcKvvPbAJjYk8fgUWbI5PzYMS6BkMc/s16000/20230604_193130.jpg" /></a></p><p><b><u>Day 2 - Adventure Waterpark Desaru Coast + Dinner in Desaru Seafood Corner</u></b></p><p>On the second day, we made our way to the Adventure Waterpark for some splashing good times. The kids love going to waterparks and what this one so special is that my Dad and Mum joined us too, woohoo! While my parents-in-law decided to drive the car around to visit temples and go shopping, my parents told me that they would join us so they could play with the kids too. <i>Awww, </i>it's what I would wanna as a grandma too next time and hopefully, I can still go on exhilarating theme park rides with my grandchildren.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrtlat6eFQCsHYB8_3-mjUslqSrYvQU5cdeiN_0emMohLAE97J1ERcvSUeNBDPgUZTsyNEQ8iM-bDRtG8H_zzvPP93XMzn-ogQC0Xy7WFnAKm5iJ9VK-Sw3eqizo7qR4lB-WQSCVvUvBFeIks5WH6BpGoWeDe8EaPk8FabcGloj1HrOreJq0ETSHh1h6U/s1000/20230605_104501.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrtlat6eFQCsHYB8_3-mjUslqSrYvQU5cdeiN_0emMohLAE97J1ERcvSUeNBDPgUZTsyNEQ8iM-bDRtG8H_zzvPP93XMzn-ogQC0Xy7WFnAKm5iJ9VK-Sw3eqizo7qR4lB-WQSCVvUvBFeIks5WH6BpGoWeDe8EaPk8FabcGloj1HrOreJq0ETSHh1h6U/s16000/20230605_104501.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6lFk-3x4DCQunUAmvQRR6dPYgQ2Yh3kklRc_7VRpjEQtHx89RZXFhYqNZLXCW3TTJSIzG22yndHayqT8mjDu3rOinQnjNNwo_fxfY_R8XmzXL8TYiubTLTEISJEmwghFe8pqyWUXXxcajdk1BdM4MgZFW_FXOCMhYTRKC2JdaYVrbGK6kKB6637KoGuo/s1000/20230605_114619.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6lFk-3x4DCQunUAmvQRR6dPYgQ2Yh3kklRc_7VRpjEQtHx89RZXFhYqNZLXCW3TTJSIzG22yndHayqT8mjDu3rOinQnjNNwo_fxfY_R8XmzXL8TYiubTLTEISJEmwghFe8pqyWUXXxcajdk1BdM4MgZFW_FXOCMhYTRKC2JdaYVrbGK6kKB6637KoGuo/s16000/20230605_114619.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj61HWJvalVUZxeahG2magTSAsRaP9a_mEDYJgaLGfEEzTaGGWQBpl8EdHRqMLiPd9znH02PAl7wvQ2pZjmbE3rWI17OdctKMeeknz__ox2ZVMjHaGmUgnjDZPvhTNgtddxPDc5S0Vo2lqkP6sbUyPlS0ibb9AoFtTVdRPNGWZH7qOs59llTwt15mACu18/s1000/20230605_121215.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj61HWJvalVUZxeahG2magTSAsRaP9a_mEDYJgaLGfEEzTaGGWQBpl8EdHRqMLiPd9znH02PAl7wvQ2pZjmbE3rWI17OdctKMeeknz__ox2ZVMjHaGmUgnjDZPvhTNgtddxPDc5S0Vo2lqkP6sbUyPlS0ibb9AoFtTVdRPNGWZH7qOs59llTwt15mACu18/s16000/20230605_121215.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihVxnVm9cJGSov7H-IZ85Olt5JxzPiAU_UpO7kLLSUzYBiJ0wKOcUS46Km5L4oSIOcTl8Oq377hRtaukcXJ4tx51bg3ZnPo9jW4va28hTwIurQFrN-1ohfsy7dB_0iBx3o1_ndB9pCWNVGx8U-IiwwhnEd8pmanzIwXqxw-E5ZyYiMHxu5P7u0Gtyip_c/s1000/20230605_121403.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihVxnVm9cJGSov7H-IZ85Olt5JxzPiAU_UpO7kLLSUzYBiJ0wKOcUS46Km5L4oSIOcTl8Oq377hRtaukcXJ4tx51bg3ZnPo9jW4va28hTwIurQFrN-1ohfsy7dB_0iBx3o1_ndB9pCWNVGx8U-IiwwhnEd8pmanzIwXqxw-E5ZyYiMHxu5P7u0Gtyip_c/s16000/20230605_121403.jpg" /></a></p><p>The weather was kind to us that day so we went on nearly all the rides around the park. I love how there is usually a kids zone so that the younger ones can hang out here while the older ones can go for more exciting rides. Ansel was just too happy to have his siblings with him and they took turns to take him down the slides. I love seeing all their smiles and besides being the caretaker, I am also the videographer because I make sure I capture those happy moments so we can compile them into a video to remember for a lifetime. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMNAgq0qL3Ndi3C7UUnsAvfgVEHF2n_SnQzrgZrt1uAd1i0wNLAaNv04cMZNEoEZ8GMAUZYkTpPdGELLFki1m3s8ssiOTh6P4XUTwWPsNe4PBX7a_A0c8KhZ436-R61hKamQjEmxSVg33qv0FsX8TUr0Mxb-d3akEEvbOcTLgHLDJny-82DJ0iWHjf1UQ/s1000/20230605_153004.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMNAgq0qL3Ndi3C7UUnsAvfgVEHF2n_SnQzrgZrt1uAd1i0wNLAaNv04cMZNEoEZ8GMAUZYkTpPdGELLFki1m3s8ssiOTh6P4XUTwWPsNe4PBX7a_A0c8KhZ436-R61hKamQjEmxSVg33qv0FsX8TUr0Mxb-d3akEEvbOcTLgHLDJny-82DJ0iWHjf1UQ/s16000/20230605_153004.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyl1Fa7LGyZxL7pueYQxD8h_UDHIL2TB9lTOEeO2_gbfyaXVFoU9aVuDBP740LcmU7QYCFHHt4HZytkFubv3rVIHQBOrixo2bsaiI-_tp0pyKF5Ok3teHGQCWNOq4aX7q_9pHLV2UizJsq9s7wu3fFvVN9NixnSzyb2YJjFMB7rA5e5-CGe_jJppcjmbQ/s1000/20230605_121833.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyl1Fa7LGyZxL7pueYQxD8h_UDHIL2TB9lTOEeO2_gbfyaXVFoU9aVuDBP740LcmU7QYCFHHt4HZytkFubv3rVIHQBOrixo2bsaiI-_tp0pyKF5Ok3teHGQCWNOq4aX7q_9pHLV2UizJsq9s7wu3fFvVN9NixnSzyb2YJjFMB7rA5e5-CGe_jJppcjmbQ/s16000/20230605_121833.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFQKZj6WrxIAI_trlrTI9Fd8fac-pCUr0YaWo9fui0GrnKfq70-h4HZawtqbpZIjetEr-zBYIAMc4yVuV10XYqsHM1TuUyXpMzp-sCviwylef8OoDb3S-MVr-alMJulJc27f86mDA0E6nCQjHaSN7ZndimwKcAT7U6OEolIv2OzVATIbjIJ1S_61UVYc/s1000/20230605_121640.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFQKZj6WrxIAI_trlrTI9Fd8fac-pCUr0YaWo9fui0GrnKfq70-h4HZawtqbpZIjetEr-zBYIAMc4yVuV10XYqsHM1TuUyXpMzp-sCviwylef8OoDb3S-MVr-alMJulJc27f86mDA0E6nCQjHaSN7ZndimwKcAT7U6OEolIv2OzVATIbjIJ1S_61UVYc/s16000/20230605_121640.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoVHUBnbQKD0zjFCENs3237_hsNvGFZrRFYkcqx7d8W0YF7eDJ0aeCrny62Z7YJdNChdunMJaI0Rzf-lUEl3uR7llMMQoFolHumVSds_cnmtJiXL9vMsHwC9UNUQovax4MyZqpLmDt5BvzxJRZ5fCve19NNt341E2m41vgNsXCn8zDXwD9z5esvZR7Nx8/s1000/20230605_121618.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoVHUBnbQKD0zjFCENs3237_hsNvGFZrRFYkcqx7d8W0YF7eDJ0aeCrny62Z7YJdNChdunMJaI0Rzf-lUEl3uR7llMMQoFolHumVSds_cnmtJiXL9vMsHwC9UNUQovax4MyZqpLmDt5BvzxJRZ5fCve19NNt341E2m41vgNsXCn8zDXwD9z5esvZR7Nx8/s16000/20230605_121618.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5V8GPXuMWnqTadVdjcEkE45iSQyjOqizjiv7dXLFF6kA1qUhHNvgH1oEXEodjNXT6YplbJs4jC2u7rHToX7tRbb5muQu6CjJPJzco0XmzKS0Q5CjpckJVKoEoLmqCCeuHH109tqktLIl7B9usp-OF8CRiTbSB3Ltiy-7aZRQgDxYTwbrnNGauFUzlOv4/s1000/20230605_143556.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5V8GPXuMWnqTadVdjcEkE45iSQyjOqizjiv7dXLFF6kA1qUhHNvgH1oEXEodjNXT6YplbJs4jC2u7rHToX7tRbb5muQu6CjJPJzco0XmzKS0Q5CjpckJVKoEoLmqCCeuHH109tqktLIl7B9usp-OF8CRiTbSB3Ltiy-7aZRQgDxYTwbrnNGauFUzlOv4/s16000/20230605_143556.jpg" /></a></p><p>The park is rather huge and there are some rather special rides and activities that we don't have back at home. For instance, you can go on an exciting viking ride, paddle boat against a waterfall backdrop, play a game of mini ball, play chess, go into the dunk tank or even go on a roller coaster ride that is sure to make waves.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ5d4a0EhOwBDDHmGD_ywCcY_ScSZlrPlkphKEI0SLL_Ml3qWV14s5pMz1VckX2vaFjPRQOUE4YNL_cI59hxfPT0yHZ3QyLMgC3bBTXEWZw_4CzJGg3uGPQ1_urZxRcvSUBpCw4_7Tt7I5-nYYq5AgMpxgoaHToimoEjNzP9dEXin_lVOidJt4hyfzUPM/s1000/20230605_165041.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ5d4a0EhOwBDDHmGD_ywCcY_ScSZlrPlkphKEI0SLL_Ml3qWV14s5pMz1VckX2vaFjPRQOUE4YNL_cI59hxfPT0yHZ3QyLMgC3bBTXEWZw_4CzJGg3uGPQ1_urZxRcvSUBpCw4_7Tt7I5-nYYq5AgMpxgoaHToimoEjNzP9dEXin_lVOidJt4hyfzUPM/s16000/20230605_165041.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_D8bWwdfOydfrCNzlJ6CrudEqvuuXTnR_YPATj1qTJlxF4KpYe_vhbrQhhLGOLUePO5wz1t3_m82dKnehlMUxsz4nDM8cdvjL0sh1QmFft955LS6zIPOQtG_BcTd7Jxs7xSv6ByDXtt9Vapm5b5sj7mP9doOHj8oidKc5TQ94O3mbkd1wOQEWcy34Nw/s1000/20230605_164821.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_D8bWwdfOydfrCNzlJ6CrudEqvuuXTnR_YPATj1qTJlxF4KpYe_vhbrQhhLGOLUePO5wz1t3_m82dKnehlMUxsz4nDM8cdvjL0sh1QmFft955LS6zIPOQtG_BcTd7Jxs7xSv6ByDXtt9Vapm5b5sj7mP9doOHj8oidKc5TQ94O3mbkd1wOQEWcy34Nw/s16000/20230605_164821.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4qMwi3Ju44tLNKpbOzhYuAr73fPhfBLYMeZL8Ub1L1GTzS-b1T68XVtuTdEbGyclLTb4YS9PYUIxG3inZ3Z_HjzrwvpIylOy8XzpfqiVRp-h5OLwsh_DRFWI3qjNXg3-prDh2UaHx98rTrKmjUCpzrqn30nvPdV7EFpPN0eKUGXGLYmR2G9aCm1V2Obg/s1000/20230605_142628.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4qMwi3Ju44tLNKpbOzhYuAr73fPhfBLYMeZL8Ub1L1GTzS-b1T68XVtuTdEbGyclLTb4YS9PYUIxG3inZ3Z_HjzrwvpIylOy8XzpfqiVRp-h5OLwsh_DRFWI3qjNXg3-prDh2UaHx98rTrKmjUCpzrqn30nvPdV7EFpPN0eKUGXGLYmR2G9aCm1V2Obg/s16000/20230605_142628.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxubZboryPvO0BNoif_6BYF-NQDVCuwpQ6d-tqIcPbLMx5Y7NyL2JmUueSglzip21ogLzHZGxfhD2dOeqh-3ljD5i6q0sHsUGGpWjIavQL9vLQTVOx3lTUO8rsatZtvpPMmtiDtrcCd5YmYdUP4mL3XMILLy7ghpMf29OP-PjF9Zjay8Xie8XKStOZaqI/s1000/20230605_141655.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxubZboryPvO0BNoif_6BYF-NQDVCuwpQ6d-tqIcPbLMx5Y7NyL2JmUueSglzip21ogLzHZGxfhD2dOeqh-3ljD5i6q0sHsUGGpWjIavQL9vLQTVOx3lTUO8rsatZtvpPMmtiDtrcCd5YmYdUP4mL3XMILLy7ghpMf29OP-PjF9Zjay8Xie8XKStOZaqI/s16000/20230605_141655.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMoWCQBWwRrkha77btMzunm9Kk5pKh_x24cMEMG_P0CvfwxzH3wqa8tkPaPTIVhZ7h48hWeJ1v3aySPB4wNuqyyinTV24NbKPTQVnGnvpjJ3zmj_IdNyRgR85pCigRpfCoog-LyKtvvrJacNC-a2DsMfUOKi9RGYnpsBRWnXtJgaJ9KsyMSIL5Urg3-wc/s1000/20230605_164709.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMoWCQBWwRrkha77btMzunm9Kk5pKh_x24cMEMG_P0CvfwxzH3wqa8tkPaPTIVhZ7h48hWeJ1v3aySPB4wNuqyyinTV24NbKPTQVnGnvpjJ3zmj_IdNyRgR85pCigRpfCoog-LyKtvvrJacNC-a2DsMfUOKi9RGYnpsBRWnXtJgaJ9KsyMSIL5Urg3-wc/s16000/20230605_164709.jpg" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKxRCUK-15_ksc5kbzXt9KwfgXi0eYh-y_D16uL0mDIBMlSQvK3xU0yzGEk9-utqVi8XFT3o79dN25GxgIKTYWzZ22X9reWJHVEpFIAF-p3SSB_ydqQzkhoeUQXCBtMLqAOmFxb1r_Nk3Imzz1_dqEtOlHTAOavN5wG8KVPAJOZ-47wlpNQ7SUmOnpssI/s1000/20230605_174846.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKxRCUK-15_ksc5kbzXt9KwfgXi0eYh-y_D16uL0mDIBMlSQvK3xU0yzGEk9-utqVi8XFT3o79dN25GxgIKTYWzZ22X9reWJHVEpFIAF-p3SSB_ydqQzkhoeUQXCBtMLqAOmFxb1r_Nk3Imzz1_dqEtOlHTAOavN5wG8KVPAJOZ-47wlpNQ7SUmOnpssI/s16000/20230605_174846.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibXDyJwZ9U2oxH6ppMGBPPTY_ZGfMZW2jaX8ok5Unw38M4J2HQ9yfV8OKzRTExunmqY_uKRtSLl1SJ9cr59JM-017v38RmjJB7SWU-CBGSqSrAkFbgotd9iyGj7dgG5t4VXm31SbI6WPrRG7Kc8HTkRW9HRTBSRyI0qz0J8OCkyYdaMU05zNOD7HnK-lk/s1000/20230605_115713.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibXDyJwZ9U2oxH6ppMGBPPTY_ZGfMZW2jaX8ok5Unw38M4J2HQ9yfV8OKzRTExunmqY_uKRtSLl1SJ9cr59JM-017v38RmjJB7SWU-CBGSqSrAkFbgotd9iyGj7dgG5t4VXm31SbI6WPrRG7Kc8HTkRW9HRTBSRyI0qz0J8OCkyYdaMU05zNOD7HnK-lk/s16000/20230605_115713.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivDdXjtUHOZp1m44_uQYDwvd-YGMN2fzg2_XVbEwi_pyf_ImZZ5sy8z-dudjiEn09zlIHKS9MhQaQMkXdHISnyXLk-YaV7iuKK-uQhm2kg-drILwCKdL7V61ZimNvuOtocLzmZ5TLZiW-6dNqADuuoLbncswFC0uqaRSKmDq9EYUlFXUXuY4tc7BgoXSM/s1000/20230605_135825(0).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivDdXjtUHOZp1m44_uQYDwvd-YGMN2fzg2_XVbEwi_pyf_ImZZ5sy8z-dudjiEn09zlIHKS9MhQaQMkXdHISnyXLk-YaV7iuKK-uQhm2kg-drILwCKdL7V61ZimNvuOtocLzmZ5TLZiW-6dNqADuuoLbncswFC0uqaRSKmDq9EYUlFXUXuY4tc7BgoXSM/s16000/20230605_135825(0).jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Z_hFzfIRWhBhDA7zoS1pmBMOXg6gE3MfSoSqdpVzeFB_nmsroTG-MVxEVoibACY8IW_-xMDCNfcEjfz1LDAtIOOJceNDdVqS11TBHY9Hiq0HFlRnVBUkdPhKHDoIdfKmWy2SRzhEwqPaXg89_0XsF1WCDIMD0UgZCVotgutykzwKhRC4M2tB7fZL6yc/s1000/20230605_145352.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Z_hFzfIRWhBhDA7zoS1pmBMOXg6gE3MfSoSqdpVzeFB_nmsroTG-MVxEVoibACY8IW_-xMDCNfcEjfz1LDAtIOOJceNDdVqS11TBHY9Hiq0HFlRnVBUkdPhKHDoIdfKmWy2SRzhEwqPaXg89_0XsF1WCDIMD0UgZCVotgutykzwKhRC4M2tB7fZL6yc/s16000/20230605_145352.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMm5g-9y3XmjibBB8kZXZD-a3Vv78jasiswtQNqTimkQdLeJoDLGwKNVyn5dAOAGa55EGWml1nBdYt_irr9gxoB633J1_sEUmqtaHwqfNoMCRnhz-2-b3u_mpnUSNz1KapF4NrMhZu21ZSCDYnHjG2I3sp6C8maunmQZYwOIh43jE1dHs70l81y6d064o/s1000/20230605_145356(0).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMm5g-9y3XmjibBB8kZXZD-a3Vv78jasiswtQNqTimkQdLeJoDLGwKNVyn5dAOAGa55EGWml1nBdYt_irr9gxoB633J1_sEUmqtaHwqfNoMCRnhz-2-b3u_mpnUSNz1KapF4NrMhZu21ZSCDYnHjG2I3sp6C8maunmQZYwOIh43jE1dHs70l81y6d064o/s16000/20230605_145356(0).jpg" /></a></p><p>See what I mean, right? I was so thankful that my mum was able and willing to go on the roller coaster ride with the kids so I could capture this very precious moment (I already sat with the kids before that, yeah? It's not like I wanna miss out on all the fun too because the kids will be very sad if I opt out of all the fun just to take photos). </p><p>There is also a gigantic wave pool which was where Ansel hung out with the hubby while the rest of us wandered around. One of his favourites was the lazy river and he loves to sit on me in the float and just go round and round - which was exactly what we did for an hour or so. </p><p>By the way, you can top up a fee to book a hut to get some shade from the sun, which was what we did so that my parents could rest when they needed to. Ours was located right in front of the wave pool and it was pretty awesome because there was real sand all around. Did we stay till the park closed? Of course, we did. </p><p>For dinner, we went to Desaru Seafood Corner and our favourite dish there was the stir fried lala. The kids were all exhausted when we got home so we relaxed, played with the cats, and had a family movie night on the comfort of the couch.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv6CrAMtBkCEfDQPKdMZZpukGHZdu1YliT1sgO5yfVV88_6mHI2pPppmUjW_5NXRK4DZiipHzTAgOTb-zy5TeH9lU4IhQEB6ciOq4YT7bdGiZBHWCw672TDyZwg57Q6EgHVShG1XkwUCUN02xRF8VDYJxMI0qboEPuH_GI_4oQI9hj14FEoPj6aWVwawY/s1000/20230605_175712.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv6CrAMtBkCEfDQPKdMZZpukGHZdu1YliT1sgO5yfVV88_6mHI2pPppmUjW_5NXRK4DZiipHzTAgOTb-zy5TeH9lU4IhQEB6ciOq4YT7bdGiZBHWCw672TDyZwg57Q6EgHVShG1XkwUCUN02xRF8VDYJxMI0qboEPuH_GI_4oQI9hj14FEoPj6aWVwawY/s16000/20230605_175712.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt3YsIC7Rc1Pg98twnWF-Ix05m2IHIx11zyzpL4efUAo_yiLEOSadbACyZgaF3hh11K6Vj0SgSDXDGRaR_Zyiz9NGVdMgWA7TsQ74HsfE5pHxZppzNmbFB7vG1rZQjFXTwan5fxt-F_Nl4OYwLOEBNDGQK4mfdZKMMrA53wMo-KFAhBNPrLsWcVGwV914/s1000/20230605_175402.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt3YsIC7Rc1Pg98twnWF-Ix05m2IHIx11zyzpL4efUAo_yiLEOSadbACyZgaF3hh11K6Vj0SgSDXDGRaR_Zyiz9NGVdMgWA7TsQ74HsfE5pHxZppzNmbFB7vG1rZQjFXTwan5fxt-F_Nl4OYwLOEBNDGQK4mfdZKMMrA53wMo-KFAhBNPrLsWcVGwV914/s16000/20230605_175402.jpg" /></a></p><p><b><u>Day 3 - Teluk Sengat Crocodile Farm + Desaru Fruit Farm + ATV Ride + Dinner in Nelayan Seafood By The Coast + Firefly Tour</u></b></p><p>For Day 3, I had booked a tour in advance and we were in for an exciting lineup of activities from morning to night. You can search for any tours you like as there are quite a lot to choose from but ours was booked with Desaru Fruit Farm and you can check out their list of tours <a href="https://dff.world/shop/" target="_blank">here</a>. When planning your itinerary, do check out whether the attractions are closed on any days, for instance the waterpark is closed every Tuesday, so you can avoid making any wasted trips.</p><p>Our first stop of the tour was to visit Teluk Sengat Crocodile Farm which is about half an hour's drive away from Desaru. I have to say that we were not very impressed by it and it pales in comparison to the Langkawi one which we went years ago. Initially, we were told that there was feeding activity available and the staff told me it cost RM20 for three pieces of chicken. So I reckoned all four of my kids and probably our parents would wanna try it out so I bought two sets of it, assuming that at least six people would get to 'feed' the crocodiles. It turned out that you merely pay to watch the staff feed the crocodiels and he did so from the second level and threw the chickens - yes, we are talking about whole chickens here - one by one into the pond.</p><p>So yup, we watched him throw a total of six chickens - he was surprised that we bought so many but well, the instructions weren't clear to begin with - and the crocodiles got to eat a little more that morning. The farm is small in size and can be completed with 30-45 minutes, including the feeding, so we said goodbye to the crocodiles and made our way to the next stop.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxSLOQ3OX0jbSx6CZbZ7EHuxrvq4RSR-GHDBBJUe8QNxMhEXXiJZebhmofqBCJ6K_V8Z8BBG5KyujKDS_FwGZgmguTXY2H__iBvSDh5B92CsS8kppa621cIfSa7QW3SPnDT8vtKpH3taU35DelWXWD4xexsslhFdQmt8F8VY4f366a230XnMboKQCNfA/s1000/20230606_111907.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxSLOQ3OX0jbSx6CZbZ7EHuxrvq4RSR-GHDBBJUe8QNxMhEXXiJZebhmofqBCJ6K_V8Z8BBG5KyujKDS_FwGZgmguTXY2H__iBvSDh5B92CsS8kppa621cIfSa7QW3SPnDT8vtKpH3taU35DelWXWD4xexsslhFdQmt8F8VY4f366a230XnMboKQCNfA/s16000/20230606_111907.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixkwU6SccAxS_NWtvJHSs1oeB2Oobt7mPCE4R4pK-d6loxFGj5a37pfF4hzOuIugZ9HXaFjsmJZrOaGBBT5DstKVsZhFe4C8fqLbTCkPyIb8ZHoG_CoDlbmvmaSR7jpbQLFUobfqto0uhF2m2c0NALp8FleFepUR71G0WozRXFcFdXgzx8d-2-m1TbjVo/s1000/20230606_105230.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixkwU6SccAxS_NWtvJHSs1oeB2Oobt7mPCE4R4pK-d6loxFGj5a37pfF4hzOuIugZ9HXaFjsmJZrOaGBBT5DstKVsZhFe4C8fqLbTCkPyIb8ZHoG_CoDlbmvmaSR7jpbQLFUobfqto0uhF2m2c0NALp8FleFepUR71G0WozRXFcFdXgzx8d-2-m1TbjVo/s16000/20230606_105230.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoVKO8kVtcz-_iRUnLiipiPBZRML3fFpfxX6Q8j0ZPd1_jgzkdq7HqFOR-7K0cEJKRxc-ivsK4P3DYHnmTY3fPpJfV8U9ezUsmBQofal9zHj8FlGN007IMsPIFoByoGt9UZ24hczXIEFjuQvrfaXpGYzjLY72foGy9_sJ6Ad1jl_KIugxZxiuNfqhBuMM/s1000/20230606_105520.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoVKO8kVtcz-_iRUnLiipiPBZRML3fFpfxX6Q8j0ZPd1_jgzkdq7HqFOR-7K0cEJKRxc-ivsK4P3DYHnmTY3fPpJfV8U9ezUsmBQofal9zHj8FlGN007IMsPIFoByoGt9UZ24hczXIEFjuQvrfaXpGYzjLY72foGy9_sJ6Ad1jl_KIugxZxiuNfqhBuMM/s16000/20230606_105520.jpg" /></a></p><p>Our next stop was Desaru Fruit Farm and after walking along a trail to learn more about some locally grown fruits, the kids were delighted to see that there was a mini petting farm where they could feed rabbits, chickens and goats. Yup, there is no doubt that animals excite my kids much more than fruits, haha. There is also fish pond nearby and fish feed can be purchased. One very special animal that we fed here are the.... llamas! Yup, there was a pair of beautiful, tame llamas and I went with the kids to feed them some grass - this was done at a fee, of course. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEFYq0i7NNYXLB8j3KwUrqPOWwiLibAj-YTC5NTSX3aX9-z9w292nNnPxa2jAFsl0Gsq1GuzdcH3BAedK9FXqIIuEHkp-KLbfLtNaWaiGUm9hhFU4S71MLUpddZVhTP0RszgY6EPmuddoiiskPo6ClWXcr4tV39QEiI8ewZ3nFuuYheL_uUG0c0L85Qis/s1000/20230606_133207.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEFYq0i7NNYXLB8j3KwUrqPOWwiLibAj-YTC5NTSX3aX9-z9w292nNnPxa2jAFsl0Gsq1GuzdcH3BAedK9FXqIIuEHkp-KLbfLtNaWaiGUm9hhFU4S71MLUpddZVhTP0RszgY6EPmuddoiiskPo6ClWXcr4tV39QEiI8ewZ3nFuuYheL_uUG0c0L85Qis/s16000/20230606_133207.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy5dlLSxjH5q8tUu7eqsdn47xTg3qWhp7c7RDxyJZE7-eRW5sDsjpbLyj5lE8mYDJrbcT4jMVg8LQEC_Q_HKFLl9UwKSLZLQwOvPPdyDnWAPobERvXsEm5pBtNuKQh2CBrm17E0YpapxigrmK889lG8QDhiveETTEwrC0rT7uAwkyFe_lYvLaBURP5hbI/s1000/20230606_134322.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy5dlLSxjH5q8tUu7eqsdn47xTg3qWhp7c7RDxyJZE7-eRW5sDsjpbLyj5lE8mYDJrbcT4jMVg8LQEC_Q_HKFLl9UwKSLZLQwOvPPdyDnWAPobERvXsEm5pBtNuKQh2CBrm17E0YpapxigrmK889lG8QDhiveETTEwrC0rT7uAwkyFe_lYvLaBURP5hbI/s16000/20230606_134322.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb1VJYcxhoU76tamJrKQZixW-l9uUjCBIx48OnLJEZbnJ7J5rFPQRaDCcLsupSc2NnTCwu0QwLbrW1cxd0Xv04hiUUYa3GvzKkprF_pA5bgRHJvk0NQrniyu6DbF4MLybf7qmdvxNYAPrVLif2l_TXm64oAlwgyUXOefzywcYZezTl0SYdehLyjsCNSuQ/s1000/20230606_132454.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb1VJYcxhoU76tamJrKQZixW-l9uUjCBIx48OnLJEZbnJ7J5rFPQRaDCcLsupSc2NnTCwu0QwLbrW1cxd0Xv04hiUUYa3GvzKkprF_pA5bgRHJvk0NQrniyu6DbF4MLybf7qmdvxNYAPrVLif2l_TXm64oAlwgyUXOefzywcYZezTl0SYdehLyjsCNSuQ/s16000/20230606_132454.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSfqb9nBzJvFSjL-Z2K_O_yb-HOtogyjUzqdzYJ6B7sXSazf2WWtyu_HW1r-Zlz2-9fJR8Hm3c4_jpn_EwP5r1D46BBIIs55-4jpFMTFHBMMGPN6w6cWbmfW3S2Ulct2GM-YfsKt3BpGKyFD0zE2Hvyk0wRpye5p1Z2d3xBAreZ07ANa7nsWRsEJJB8UQ/s1000/20230606_130810.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSfqb9nBzJvFSjL-Z2K_O_yb-HOtogyjUzqdzYJ6B7sXSazf2WWtyu_HW1r-Zlz2-9fJR8Hm3c4_jpn_EwP5r1D46BBIIs55-4jpFMTFHBMMGPN6w6cWbmfW3S2Ulct2GM-YfsKt3BpGKyFD0zE2Hvyk0wRpye5p1Z2d3xBAreZ07ANa7nsWRsEJJB8UQ/s16000/20230606_130810.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcX4zAtQ1tMghWWcdJ5Jgq9rZMRPB3I8AqkBEPH0NZxU0ptLpYcaOjNnKETF0vk0Kt62sbPrvvt_9_zLfwirhk6tyj6RQcwQnyDQqjzNoez8nOA0YY1NGAUk9nMkcEtWoCnPzdWg7OpoPGGxHHPNHNlwIsCmRV_ZPJ1zKtxlPrIGwh6PO7IVca3ZipwP4/s1000/20230606_152412.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcX4zAtQ1tMghWWcdJ5Jgq9rZMRPB3I8AqkBEPH0NZxU0ptLpYcaOjNnKETF0vk0Kt62sbPrvvt_9_zLfwirhk6tyj6RQcwQnyDQqjzNoez8nOA0YY1NGAUk9nMkcEtWoCnPzdWg7OpoPGGxHHPNHNlwIsCmRV_ZPJ1zKtxlPrIGwh6PO7IVca3ZipwP4/s16000/20230606_152412.jpg" /></a></p><p>An activity that I was very much looking forward was the ATV ride, woohoo! For this, kids 16 and below had to ride as a pillion with an adult so thankfully, we had just enough pax to make it work.</p><p>While my mother-in-law was afraid to ride alone and chose to do with with my father-in-law, my parents, the hubby and I each took a kid with us so that made 10 of us on five double ATVs, woohoo! Once we put on our helmets and listened to the safety briefing, we were all set to go!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTt9IZkBH4iSd3aunXCuTrC3qek4LM7AaQvyvXFUYBHLR9_3wDVc7w3I30GmqZhxmWHYr2LshUsq38YQhibx_D93cZOAwNt1So2UMcvYIAf5AEN9Unsj02Bo2dkuzg4-AlglHGk7nW3awWSSUTjTyRTamaoubr6bEXGScVE3PNkWzOMLDj0xxO5tF1fhk/s1000/20230606_120909.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTt9IZkBH4iSd3aunXCuTrC3qek4LM7AaQvyvXFUYBHLR9_3wDVc7w3I30GmqZhxmWHYr2LshUsq38YQhibx_D93cZOAwNt1So2UMcvYIAf5AEN9Unsj02Bo2dkuzg4-AlglHGk7nW3awWSSUTjTyRTamaoubr6bEXGScVE3PNkWzOMLDj0xxO5tF1fhk/s16000/20230606_120909.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhaXsRewc2nflEyy7m6GtsRAmm_j8FZ69cVndZNI_SnFFNIGrkIgwug5333Obk4ndk-IZvrX_Ue4REvrdGToABYzo9HLgQOEq1Dz5O0QH5iJP_GZvKRPkJEtU5a1qR-UgbgwYINI7QGJhIWsW4Gioi6Nd3wHIA3wulOIjoSsk5gpMEIAgpNDUq8nqvMAU/s1000/20230606_122841.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhaXsRewc2nflEyy7m6GtsRAmm_j8FZ69cVndZNI_SnFFNIGrkIgwug5333Obk4ndk-IZvrX_Ue4REvrdGToABYzo9HLgQOEq1Dz5O0QH5iJP_GZvKRPkJEtU5a1qR-UgbgwYINI7QGJhIWsW4Gioi6Nd3wHIA3wulOIjoSsk5gpMEIAgpNDUq8nqvMAU/s16000/20230606_122841.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Fx0WlV1myoew29PU6CJjPRFDXSF0MuA7EubGWRbJ09i-ProwC-XYWERzkUoSn9AgKkEwTbNiHS61CdnvCNrIRAwOtmAHJttQ5SXsosQH87lgsN7OYIVhO0NEWnpACQ1WFBiNg9shURE30EfwfcbbwiDRNWeO6ewvB44MC6qpwO0SV8a3s8m3SUXesLE/s1000/20230606_122149.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Fx0WlV1myoew29PU6CJjPRFDXSF0MuA7EubGWRbJ09i-ProwC-XYWERzkUoSn9AgKkEwTbNiHS61CdnvCNrIRAwOtmAHJttQ5SXsosQH87lgsN7OYIVhO0NEWnpACQ1WFBiNg9shURE30EfwfcbbwiDRNWeO6ewvB44MC6qpwO0SV8a3s8m3SUXesLE/s16000/20230606_122149.jpg" /></a></p><p>See, even Ansel had a terrific time! According to my mum who has been on a few ATV experiences (yes, she is quite an adventurous and daring mum as you can tell by now - that is where I get my genes from too), this one was considered quite long - a full 20 minutes or more - so it was pretty worthwhile since it was included in the tour package.</p><p>Both lunch and dinner were provided too. We had our lunch at the Fruit Farm and were totally impressed with wide range of super fresh fruits along with yummy dishes like fried chicken, green curry, prawns and tom yum soup. Dinner was by coast at the famous Nelayan Seafood Restaurant and we were treated to a nice meal including calamari, lobsters and steam fish. No, you don't get to pick from the menu for either meal so you just have to eat whatever is served. We were pretty satisfied and happy with what we got.</p><p>That's not all for this very happening day! After taking a walk by the beach where the kids found lots of crabs, we made our way to our boat ride which was going to take us on a firefly tour. How fun to do it with both the kids and the parents, right?</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtzTIbH0VrLuY3TN0YOSwU6_-pPNz3pnROu_ZSa3JAGnc10IXY6J7AQEqU3lX7LDCLxdvrcwt6dfn-WGzFE4vGLaK5SU-0IP54dsU3JBYDrgIgtUH_s2PzI2ZdoOX-q6fdKrzkj8GQIWByw3lqZBteBFh3oOvwkeyqrgvTPYMPOlKkxlaEu8mSzjan2P0/s1000/20230606_194818.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtzTIbH0VrLuY3TN0YOSwU6_-pPNz3pnROu_ZSa3JAGnc10IXY6J7AQEqU3lX7LDCLxdvrcwt6dfn-WGzFE4vGLaK5SU-0IP54dsU3JBYDrgIgtUH_s2PzI2ZdoOX-q6fdKrzkj8GQIWByw3lqZBteBFh3oOvwkeyqrgvTPYMPOlKkxlaEu8mSzjan2P0/s16000/20230606_194818.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RqaJACpIC9TrMiBfFQIWtClS8qenhpWwi47gwuoa_URZzXJdwltBldf4IiiSZFUDR0MEjE7eQdp1JPZP70pX17BN8W1uJu3YJllw1c9TZTuekeb6fgAPr6j_Gyb9DnFssiWYvzuYOkGx12pn2ukMZg_ALkbguZwwAmW_w7LLl76Jcpg0AsqLMfNvIEs/s1000/20230606_203252.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RqaJACpIC9TrMiBfFQIWtClS8qenhpWwi47gwuoa_URZzXJdwltBldf4IiiSZFUDR0MEjE7eQdp1JPZP70pX17BN8W1uJu3YJllw1c9TZTuekeb6fgAPr6j_Gyb9DnFssiWYvzuYOkGx12pn2ukMZg_ALkbguZwwAmW_w7LLl76Jcpg0AsqLMfNvIEs/s16000/20230606_203252.jpg" /></a></p><p>The big question: Did we see any fireflies? The answer is yes, we did! There was dozens of them which looked like flickering green dots and the captain made sure all of us on board were able to see them. One of the staff even took a leave which had a firefly on it to pass to Ansel so he could hold it. How nice! It was all too dark to be filmed, of course, but it is also the memories and experience that will live in our hearts.</p><p><b><u>Day 4 - Playground + Tanjung Balau Beach + Home Sweet Home</u></b></p><p>On the last day, our parents chose to go sightseeing together and the hubby gave them a lift after breakfast. The kids and I went to this nearby playground to have fun and what was awesome was that the cats were with us too, as if knowing that it was time to bid farewell.</p><p>We bought some pop pop snappers to let them try and it was Ansel's first time playing with them so it was quite amusing and heartwarming to see them smiling and having fun.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyignGMfGLgVrAyPyRmfTYKzMD8lD9TnApII5pFL3Wot55W5UJHLS1LnUnmhYCH-FT77UzKIgJieQdRtEkKDNdScAP76-2_BCeIezK4AT-4nA56PJ06V_uu8wS1dsXi3E7RNDz_Vr5apptWva6W6WnDqq2G4U6viIOtMS7j4_NYTd7_10weoNb3OSCM-8/s1000/20230607_110024.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyignGMfGLgVrAyPyRmfTYKzMD8lD9TnApII5pFL3Wot55W5UJHLS1LnUnmhYCH-FT77UzKIgJieQdRtEkKDNdScAP76-2_BCeIezK4AT-4nA56PJ06V_uu8wS1dsXi3E7RNDz_Vr5apptWva6W6WnDqq2G4U6viIOtMS7j4_NYTd7_10weoNb3OSCM-8/s16000/20230607_110024.jpg" /></a></p><p>After packing up and checking out, we were not ready to head home just yet. The kids had been wanting to check out the beach so we made our way to Tanjung Balau. It was an awesome afternoon because not only was the weather good to us, the kids were also thrilled that the beach was teeming with marine life like small fishes and crabs. So we went fishing (and released them after), flew a kite, built sandcastles and just enjoyed our last day of holiday as a family. While it was awesome being with the parents, I also appreciated this afternoon that we had all to ourselves as a family of six too.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8x28coa41cRBEIwAi7zChC4BZOmKE9wSwdLo9gVW4KQeENhBcHuYfkIvMKRW6HfBJ1jLm3zL6ZaZhQUmm4u5UO3_2wEIqdvkmvo7bbzFAyvxk-lXyQTibGFjROiI6hyphenhyphengGBZDEa45tW8ZLKaeddK227DJkLl6GAiIy_wn1b6XNOfHY7RLrfzNu2U1wqiE/s1000/20230607_155234.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8x28coa41cRBEIwAi7zChC4BZOmKE9wSwdLo9gVW4KQeENhBcHuYfkIvMKRW6HfBJ1jLm3zL6ZaZhQUmm4u5UO3_2wEIqdvkmvo7bbzFAyvxk-lXyQTibGFjROiI6hyphenhyphengGBZDEa45tW8ZLKaeddK227DJkLl6GAiIy_wn1b6XNOfHY7RLrfzNu2U1wqiE/s16000/20230607_155234.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyz2MJhQr_cnrW90-piYTr3bt55bNvcI_MLmmfubWvofNh_FrybHVNMAd5j5oJ3F0AX7YVwDkDtgsku0hGkQFrUKqavENmjLpiv2AHQJ-i-SvTJJhHtZX4KKlzOn1CR7OGBN5qf1vCiJgSPz9ypFlA8Mpu_7Gm0HorI_8PXxWBfIzMqI3CaLW_gHfAal0/s1000/20230607_162921.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyz2MJhQr_cnrW90-piYTr3bt55bNvcI_MLmmfubWvofNh_FrybHVNMAd5j5oJ3F0AX7YVwDkDtgsku0hGkQFrUKqavENmjLpiv2AHQJ-i-SvTJJhHtZX4KKlzOn1CR7OGBN5qf1vCiJgSPz9ypFlA8Mpu_7Gm0HorI_8PXxWBfIzMqI3CaLW_gHfAal0/s16000/20230607_162921.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikmctTWyEfbvJnsfFfcv2RRBU1amV3drgY-0rXPZYVTT_wYmNam1pAqbwDdw5Khjb_34_JzohxUaoOQ0hC3hrs2tIiHmdYEVsSty5IMnhiUxwxxTIuHtGDtvNNFZZzASWu8JU1Sf3JkAdI3ibeledl7EeF-ybREeDE6t-UeQ_wT_8ZZE4cSuyU443vqFE/s1000/20230607_171451.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikmctTWyEfbvJnsfFfcv2RRBU1amV3drgY-0rXPZYVTT_wYmNam1pAqbwDdw5Khjb_34_JzohxUaoOQ0hC3hrs2tIiHmdYEVsSty5IMnhiUxwxxTIuHtGDtvNNFZZzASWu8JU1Sf3JkAdI3ibeledl7EeF-ybREeDE6t-UeQ_wT_8ZZE4cSuyU443vqFE/s16000/20230607_171451.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQfvKfVBqhqsElp4ztCMgZo9IDswJJTWMPlnikw7Ba59FcK2dMTVCA9CoOWjI9y-GIZRWA8bB2QG6H-cZ2RJoa9_JdCmLT8waBacgPU6f4gtiI9_EPv4O_DRX2avI9jzZX2BalBiIMWVVbhBZj3JVxToThZQVHkBLc0VWcTWPgC3EzD23GQji5fl95ys/s1000/20230607_171459.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMQfvKfVBqhqsElp4ztCMgZo9IDswJJTWMPlnikw7Ba59FcK2dMTVCA9CoOWjI9y-GIZRWA8bB2QG6H-cZ2RJoa9_JdCmLT8waBacgPU6f4gtiI9_EPv4O_DRX2avI9jzZX2BalBiIMWVVbhBZj3JVxToThZQVHkBLc0VWcTWPgC3EzD23GQji5fl95ys/s16000/20230607_171459.jpg" /></a></p>So we came home looking way more tanned than before, had lots of sand and dirt in our luggage, but also brought back a treasure trove of happy smiles and precious memories. It's always wonderful to go on family trips, even though we all know that underneath those joyful pictures are the usual tantrums, meltdowns and bickers.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNFUELCWpkQ6GtbzYBYjZ_hSG2EK85nIoEE05NMLrGHrGqzHhgZR9bVZZTCkE8uZyD1oAGcZdXojMc5_RUNUfkoRzhqaX6mwFKaiDC8esSFxA2ErIE6ZoMxcRi0XHgTN5NKBgoJdp-92avgiMbFw3iz6D9NU0g9DyDjpUXIgwuhdt2rvpb1h9CnqzWb8/s1000/20230606_190758.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNFUELCWpkQ6GtbzYBYjZ_hSG2EK85nIoEE05NMLrGHrGqzHhgZR9bVZZTCkE8uZyD1oAGcZdXojMc5_RUNUfkoRzhqaX6mwFKaiDC8esSFxA2ErIE6ZoMxcRi0XHgTN5NKBgoJdp-92avgiMbFw3iz6D9NU0g9DyDjpUXIgwuhdt2rvpb1h9CnqzWb8/s16000/20230606_190758.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I know we will cherish this trip for a long time to come and in fact, the kids have watched the video I made for them dozens of times already because it just feels nice to reminisce and talk about the happy times every once in a while. Here's the video, in case you are keen to watch it too.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">******</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Cg0ic70f6SQ?si=WIhHyGOfLewxMo3O" title="YouTube video player" width="640"></iframe><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">******</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That marks the end of our 4D3N stay in Desaru. Till our next overseas trip!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p></div>~Summer~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478137784353655124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6546965252487257512.post-30799894852764596922023-12-04T23:22:00.004+08:002023-12-04T23:22:48.087+08:00Happiness is... having a well-deserved break<p>School holidays are always worth looking forward to because they are usually jam packed with lots of fun activities. I always think that it is a well-deserved break for the kids after working so hard for the whole semester. As for myself, I much appreciate not needing to wake up early every morning and love that we are able to do what we want and go where we want as a family. </p><p>It might sound weird but I also love having everyone at home even if it means living in chaos every single day. Yes, it's definitely very noisy and rowdy and full of endless bickers but deep down, I know these are the things I will miss when the kids are all grown up and move into their own nests. That is when I will feel the peace, the quiet but also the emptiness. </p><p>In this post of <i>"Happiness is..."</i>, it's about having a well-deserved break and making the most of the June school holidays.</p><p>******</p><p>We went on a mum-and-kids boat ride and it was such a beautiful afternoon as we felt the warm sun rays on our faces. The kids and I enjoyed the sea breeze, we saw some of the north-eastern islands like Pulau Ubin, Coney Island and Pulau Tekong, and we also visited Smith Marine which is a floating restaurant and the kids loved feeding the fishes there. I always love going on such first experiences with the kids because they make some of the best memories ever. That is also I make sure we make videos and upload them to YouTube to remember such moments - it's like a legacy that I will pass on to the kids when I am gone, you know what I mean?</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2yD7URRDDTanTzyZUoq5ZJEJGHvVG2iRbSDUGOIX0qf8eTzK9N5lRagKRjWByuSuPpV2OFoXdu-BP97NPRo5Bmn83nQcd3ZZiU7dB6vH7Tp7mBap3myr1eJHyQwMnBJzswpnsil286V6dc6-t9jLUC051eja2JybgdtbhkdnKIGfOy2fz9W2BcO938zg/s1000/20230622_172401(0).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2yD7URRDDTanTzyZUoq5ZJEJGHvVG2iRbSDUGOIX0qf8eTzK9N5lRagKRjWByuSuPpV2OFoXdu-BP97NPRo5Bmn83nQcd3ZZiU7dB6vH7Tp7mBap3myr1eJHyQwMnBJzswpnsil286V6dc6-t9jLUC051eja2JybgdtbhkdnKIGfOy2fz9W2BcO938zg/s16000/20230622_172401(0).jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiejpKbt1PvUkcP1zsAhPNG9GRTbmsUkCapMpbx4OcFTBLdRMneGCfHUlKgMLQAnUYR0Wo3amCZOlxmMr4357N2vP2E8fbNskyOp10Sku_GDQvf8SPq_gNbzRDX6z_ex1AhEKR9XsqUY0RUqJFVAk5JEgBoDY6gJAtOs9ljEDvY9ScJdeu5b-qDy0fPIE/s1000/20230622_154412.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiejpKbt1PvUkcP1zsAhPNG9GRTbmsUkCapMpbx4OcFTBLdRMneGCfHUlKgMLQAnUYR0Wo3amCZOlxmMr4357N2vP2E8fbNskyOp10Sku_GDQvf8SPq_gNbzRDX6z_ex1AhEKR9XsqUY0RUqJFVAk5JEgBoDY6gJAtOs9ljEDvY9ScJdeu5b-qDy0fPIE/s16000/20230622_154412.jpg" /></a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9HbvNjxckRpLn8bSj34WIwO-RC_HGMlRZxJNlnX5sTFGP_2arpZ7pPJR3c5yyuy5v9Hh-BK8oedETHtOwpnOjpmReBI1H06hN_TJK8xRFmTbryjisSAydcQ4teDXvzGdda00bWvE6Iv5pegY3dXK4D2Bnfl4RMBtNcoSfUpaCU0MabcS0odwYnV_aq0/s1000/20230622_152551.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9HbvNjxckRpLn8bSj34WIwO-RC_HGMlRZxJNlnX5sTFGP_2arpZ7pPJR3c5yyuy5v9Hh-BK8oedETHtOwpnOjpmReBI1H06hN_TJK8xRFmTbryjisSAydcQ4teDXvzGdda00bWvE6Iv5pegY3dXK4D2Bnfl4RMBtNcoSfUpaCU0MabcS0odwYnV_aq0/s16000/20230622_152551.jpg" /></a></div><p>The biggest highlight of our June holidays was our overseas vacation where we made our way to Desaru in Malaysia as a big family of 10 - yup, we brought our parents along to join in the fun too! While we might not be able to afford luxurious holidays and bring them to faraway places, I hope they know how much we love them and how we cherish having them around. </p><p>We rented an apartment to stay together, we squeezed in a 7-seater car to make our way around, we fed ostriches, rode on ATVs, went on a firefly tour, saw crocodiles, ate seafood meal after seafood meal, visited the Waterpark and more! I will be sharing more about our trip in the next post so stay tuned for that if you are keen to find out more.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjquxHEhyj7gEDY9xfRxyRoAzFzLeXUAAI0sCrMKcDDEAeGrtmcaPbTVLIsV987av0VZFTh0gwa16rveZDAENZu-sWyQskdvdBU_qDUfJ4KOKETB8GVfgo2LRtLa1JLK130Scl-Od0ohhOmNnZTlkK5QEJoYTiI9L2pCq6nQ7vmafGdAPV5Pzt6YQ3jLHQ/s1000/20230604_164900.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjquxHEhyj7gEDY9xfRxyRoAzFzLeXUAAI0sCrMKcDDEAeGrtmcaPbTVLIsV987av0VZFTh0gwa16rveZDAENZu-sWyQskdvdBU_qDUfJ4KOKETB8GVfgo2LRtLa1JLK130Scl-Od0ohhOmNnZTlkK5QEJoYTiI9L2pCq6nQ7vmafGdAPV5Pzt6YQ3jLHQ/s16000/20230604_164900.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiOBmxPu-ID3s1B5650Opi6AAm3yWDNxq6fnbUCk9ewnNyOTIxHh2ROuuqAXha9Rq4HzcE0T-_ukkciNkh7XIvh7kUJgr68pR7uzEk3h1G9Gt6Onh843wwUM2qiA0sO5KW1SIdlV_5bQzHKUlElbMs6fFEQctM7Kw8GYyYB6yT-48pw0kiTFJvyrtUvgE/s1000/20230604_171528.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiOBmxPu-ID3s1B5650Opi6AAm3yWDNxq6fnbUCk9ewnNyOTIxHh2ROuuqAXha9Rq4HzcE0T-_ukkciNkh7XIvh7kUJgr68pR7uzEk3h1G9Gt6Onh843wwUM2qiA0sO5KW1SIdlV_5bQzHKUlElbMs6fFEQctM7Kw8GYyYB6yT-48pw0kiTFJvyrtUvgE/s16000/20230604_171528.jpg" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizqmaLwakEqn3NEeUpTu6_h8sukH5BqxTXK8seBARnQNxywyJDfbj2QKPXxnkb_zPH2qKpERQgupiONlJykW_CTn_ntBBkwr4l7o2sGIL-UFvJjImIhO7rC0q_saMU7ZCeKpzTeAEnlyo_NhJ4839t-_IEejFA9ymtR0mgE6L9fIxbJb3_bFEoLvzOkXw/s1000/20230605_164710.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizqmaLwakEqn3NEeUpTu6_h8sukH5BqxTXK8seBARnQNxywyJDfbj2QKPXxnkb_zPH2qKpERQgupiONlJykW_CTn_ntBBkwr4l7o2sGIL-UFvJjImIhO7rC0q_saMU7ZCeKpzTeAEnlyo_NhJ4839t-_IEejFA9ymtR0mgE6L9fIxbJb3_bFEoLvzOkXw/s16000/20230605_164710.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKZUuZAG3oAkjp9ilozroKjkA35YacAcfga7tqS7wvEp-F-L_Sr6GdklkYbmQtcqDZ33R-1awghWnNffcvYjJahV-EGJyHf65JBuVfMx9Rn8qJhZmB4U_gjY-PTxwMWBb5dJoKyw7FkqaUBJQmTJaQBlcaYRJ0WJbAi5M7-Atu5X7CVFLvIkKjl8Raxa4/s1000/20230606_123731.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKZUuZAG3oAkjp9ilozroKjkA35YacAcfga7tqS7wvEp-F-L_Sr6GdklkYbmQtcqDZ33R-1awghWnNffcvYjJahV-EGJyHf65JBuVfMx9Rn8qJhZmB4U_gjY-PTxwMWBb5dJoKyw7FkqaUBJQmTJaQBlcaYRJ0WJbAi5M7-Atu5X7CVFLvIkKjl8Raxa4/s16000/20230606_123731.jpg" /></a></p><p>Indoor playgrounds are still a big hit with the kids and I know it won't be the case when they get older. Like in Angel's case, she wouldn't have joined us had it not been for the fact that Ansel is still a toddler and she loves that she can take care of him and play with him when we are out. So yes, this happy little boy gels the family together and I can only count my blessings that he is ours.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWRQ22BlIgIRqfYhpBCoZ8reEzVhRVyWrRcA6JxN_-WXrrMdgNttC1d18sJQynnlWzPXCrUhdW8XHCKg933ipR_84Oysr-oL10eebyU1TmgUIHq6yq-D1Syo-JYAJiVMf8Y9fDGvoOuSMZNwZJbpdVKaF0T_Xxik3vveg7xuU7B4v9qrb42nXDF3MMj8/s1000/collage264.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFWRQ22BlIgIRqfYhpBCoZ8reEzVhRVyWrRcA6JxN_-WXrrMdgNttC1d18sJQynnlWzPXCrUhdW8XHCKg933ipR_84Oysr-oL10eebyU1TmgUIHq6yq-D1Syo-JYAJiVMf8Y9fDGvoOuSMZNwZJbpdVKaF0T_Xxik3vveg7xuU7B4v9qrb42nXDF3MMj8/s16000/collage264.jpg" /></a></p><p>We also had play dates with our friends and one of the parks we visited was the newly revamped Pororo Park in Marina Square. With its mini train, small cars and kiddy shows, it's a park suited for younger kids so Ansel had a blast there. The funny thing is the rest also enjoyed it because they played tag and did crazy things like doing a catwalk down the slide. Sometimes, it's not so much of what we do but we are with, right? </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1QRhwArqcCtGfWaswOmcsYZQ0XF8YOcxWe_2E5lfcBF9RdroY2SWXjKzwuIoWudc0pwEmw-rAjT9VnMPcP0C0fOBpv7NnyvPUroXTCAq4aVKZPRV5PxABtVZutYGYQsUkm3t7gbq4-r_Yb6HQhYkvFTY9x2Q5kcW8-lEii3WIPxcwxt_OY3Cvb7NkG4/s1000/20230619_161207.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1QRhwArqcCtGfWaswOmcsYZQ0XF8YOcxWe_2E5lfcBF9RdroY2SWXjKzwuIoWudc0pwEmw-rAjT9VnMPcP0C0fOBpv7NnyvPUroXTCAq4aVKZPRV5PxABtVZutYGYQsUkm3t7gbq4-r_Yb6HQhYkvFTY9x2Q5kcW8-lEii3WIPxcwxt_OY3Cvb7NkG4/s16000/20230619_161207.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD8Pdd1CMX_mXKzEUscDXrywf8lL3Um3DmJ5NMx06r-G6qM1jiLlWLEmP0zH_qnqBCNfcFJnyWlz5zOsDVWKNS_7xQV4xfIdLBwJOXKObqgqBFvaOYFs5UvNE-9uL1vp0dyl-Flgjrc-SpgNV-wartv0i31D_6-lAwAQkULeByEVUBldoZklhi0hqyRmA/s1000/20230619_152750.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD8Pdd1CMX_mXKzEUscDXrywf8lL3Um3DmJ5NMx06r-G6qM1jiLlWLEmP0zH_qnqBCNfcFJnyWlz5zOsDVWKNS_7xQV4xfIdLBwJOXKObqgqBFvaOYFs5UvNE-9uL1vp0dyl-Flgjrc-SpgNV-wartv0i31D_6-lAwAQkULeByEVUBldoZklhi0hqyRmA/s16000/20230619_152750.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxcQlueEUaep3MbSp0rdbDG0n4nMtG1adPWBam2EGeLpvnRUp9RBDoqsqjvAHXVhd-ysUXoDViyTtiI6P1RZLpcMtMhmM2FFa-wnN5Bio-NxqmipqE-Th014Ut63_D3x_PttPMq88u0LNJR1uATOkgWPj420w6ScjNqtUT0IwXUM-3hkiltOh14W9a09c/s1000/20230619_150009(0).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxcQlueEUaep3MbSp0rdbDG0n4nMtG1adPWBam2EGeLpvnRUp9RBDoqsqjvAHXVhd-ysUXoDViyTtiI6P1RZLpcMtMhmM2FFa-wnN5Bio-NxqmipqE-Th014Ut63_D3x_PttPMq88u0LNJR1uATOkgWPj420w6ScjNqtUT0IwXUM-3hkiltOh14W9a09c/s16000/20230619_150009(0).jpg" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>One slide for each kid! Seeing them like that makes me wonder how they all popped out of my tummy, haha, but it's honestly my greatest blessing to be a mum of four. Yup, life feels complete for me at this point and I just want to enjoy seeing them grow up because the years are too fleeting when you have kids.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw42xqszN6EMUhUWdB3UBTWgs1KMAcy7i3m8OxmWTglObJqCFy0SjdyQPGK2Ko20fjPvKrSuGlzhqCKd9fkv9w9iKTqVIWW2VU5z9cqmOrpHk4cYuOC4mQH0CWKSSEht6rj9otE_UFWJc8OnpyFEF543Tj-xqmdunPoKCa5z9GjmsQcYXbcBtSweqo_iQ/s1000/20230619_151238.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw42xqszN6EMUhUWdB3UBTWgs1KMAcy7i3m8OxmWTglObJqCFy0SjdyQPGK2Ko20fjPvKrSuGlzhqCKd9fkv9w9iKTqVIWW2VU5z9cqmOrpHk4cYuOC4mQH0CWKSSEht6rj9otE_UFWJc8OnpyFEF543Tj-xqmdunPoKCa5z9GjmsQcYXbcBtSweqo_iQ/s16000/20230619_151238.jpg" /></a></p><p>We also love water playgrounds and are thankful to see that the rooftop ones at shopping malls have finally opened up after being closed during the pandemic. The eldest is not a fan of getting wet, like how she much prefers running to swimming, but the rest of the kids still love water play and that is the good thing about having more kids - they are usually not alone and have each other for company.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS48XAHSK6uLTkDIUIxLT_bRHw0pQPyUdTw2BPCLIsQUKt53LZRoGaayagctA7qM6ykLy5TU4CjU0VdoTrDLXoMsuNWqnU4Mmb1FM4AqndJafTcRYfr8DfhdYrgM0ivzBV1GiE1DG7u_8XejkXNVfkbe1JtbN6pUKVn_HhwqvrAM3mohMYkpjRHx2fFJg/s1000/20230601_161123.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS48XAHSK6uLTkDIUIxLT_bRHw0pQPyUdTw2BPCLIsQUKt53LZRoGaayagctA7qM6ykLy5TU4CjU0VdoTrDLXoMsuNWqnU4Mmb1FM4AqndJafTcRYfr8DfhdYrgM0ivzBV1GiE1DG7u_8XejkXNVfkbe1JtbN6pUKVn_HhwqvrAM3mohMYkpjRHx2fFJg/s16000/20230601_161123.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnDr5ZdD-2ZGfusaGsSpX-KRShe_C0NKP3Mhpr6cy1UI_XtYkSkjJsaGp55310tD3i_gdu6pkWCvJjlCEddAAmPzwjyRFoviLPebXdkaqhOc3BNboDelyV7ZECCvyuIGJpn75IP4RvEd6q9XzyBNmOgMFPEeNauSuAKwe0zvQkHBfdftXxgF0Z6XEN5o/s1000/20230601_162224(0).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAnDr5ZdD-2ZGfusaGsSpX-KRShe_C0NKP3Mhpr6cy1UI_XtYkSkjJsaGp55310tD3i_gdu6pkWCvJjlCEddAAmPzwjyRFoviLPebXdkaqhOc3BNboDelyV7ZECCvyuIGJpn75IP4RvEd6q9XzyBNmOgMFPEeNauSuAKwe0zvQkHBfdftXxgF0Z6XEN5o/s16000/20230601_162224(0).jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIo-xOGCLYQDHZrDJHZCGSWB1933SxrACEi04K17FXe0jjB1OVZefaHhZz1xqmt71qhmVxIV6O6CRdPEP1SkbKseFeLvW-omhRm5yYyEkKBU1TM_C0NC6ATuD5vnuFAY9JWDZZ0UHFwE5uaLJtNn1k6Fo216lZJ_o02WvrUVKS97wtXwW00w7ot2oeXe8/s1000/20230601_162909(0).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIo-xOGCLYQDHZrDJHZCGSWB1933SxrACEi04K17FXe0jjB1OVZefaHhZz1xqmt71qhmVxIV6O6CRdPEP1SkbKseFeLvW-omhRm5yYyEkKBU1TM_C0NC6ATuD5vnuFAY9JWDZZ0UHFwE5uaLJtNn1k6Fo216lZJ_o02WvrUVKS97wtXwW00w7ot2oeXe8/s16000/20230601_162909(0).jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKvoLZ6A1Cr3wktZ2R1n-bW1b7vpX3pg0yor_ZwNWZLRHS0zaGon-lHQf2CGtEcA3l0p4nUHhmwh079MJFJ8Y9cAm7XZs_MLNqo8tE3CtL8cVoTk_vKFocgdgEiCYRSEsEF-m5FtIPJUupZn_mrmbyuUwOrRxxRDp9eIbqSsO-LwOAbpcU9Ehom3N0x3g/s1000/20230601_163313(0).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKvoLZ6A1Cr3wktZ2R1n-bW1b7vpX3pg0yor_ZwNWZLRHS0zaGon-lHQf2CGtEcA3l0p4nUHhmwh079MJFJ8Y9cAm7XZs_MLNqo8tE3CtL8cVoTk_vKFocgdgEiCYRSEsEF-m5FtIPJUupZn_mrmbyuUwOrRxxRDp9eIbqSsO-LwOAbpcU9Ehom3N0x3g/s16000/20230601_163313(0).jpg" /></a></p><p>The kids love playing at the arcade and every time we go, I have to remind that it is a privilege and a treat and they cannot take such visits for granted. I mean, here we are spending hard-earned money away on electronic games and it's not something I did in my childhood so I feel the need to educate them about this. We try our best to wait and make use of the best deals when it comes to topping credits, like how Timezone had a get $500 worth of credits with $200 top up and it lasted us for over a year which is quite a good deal considering I have four kids who all love to play. We also visit the 'cheaper' arcades and one of them is Paco Funworld at Kallang Wave Mall.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-gG2wYNxdSwZBqxeYcZp931NA-6DzQGTHmzUFZOOR9Ip_L85NUE77r_4kYW5pLZYCFlTXIzyMVAunxDWmubixJ2C5UwDJVnkxUZcwaSCF4ge7XNYGgg3hYRS6Zwm3RqctrQY6iYRFkAx_wiHGN8RmErN2A3_z32-NQ7KAFx-HWF1V6Ne6GzLfavTM_PA/s1000/20230608_201128.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-gG2wYNxdSwZBqxeYcZp931NA-6DzQGTHmzUFZOOR9Ip_L85NUE77r_4kYW5pLZYCFlTXIzyMVAunxDWmubixJ2C5UwDJVnkxUZcwaSCF4ge7XNYGgg3hYRS6Zwm3RqctrQY6iYRFkAx_wiHGN8RmErN2A3_z32-NQ7KAFx-HWF1V6Ne6GzLfavTM_PA/s16000/20230608_201128.jpg" /></a></p><p>The littlest loves all kinds of ball games so since it was the holidays, he also enjoyed a treat when we saw a popup carnival near where we live. By the way, every day is still a holiday for this boy because he doesn't go to school yet! Haha. Yup, he is turning three next year so that's probably gonna change when the time comes but for now, I love having him at home 24/7 and I love waking up to his lovely face every morning.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJtQ76j-FLjklEiNvWU7R-xzdUsxJFmPOo6s0Cx3RmSuQmSMwaUCHbr5o-XnRJ4BjNgTDiHuPwcEgyouBqxxgbplqJQq8N0h-prwbU0gq5a2komASZk5AEz2lYEIvKI9dU3QFaFamXoXUtUlkexNC5Ks2K1KzYmmAwcRDZ97S2oZwDYR9iP8uq1z4PeuI/s1000/20230623_182358.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJtQ76j-FLjklEiNvWU7R-xzdUsxJFmPOo6s0Cx3RmSuQmSMwaUCHbr5o-XnRJ4BjNgTDiHuPwcEgyouBqxxgbplqJQq8N0h-prwbU0gq5a2komASZk5AEz2lYEIvKI9dU3QFaFamXoXUtUlkexNC5Ks2K1KzYmmAwcRDZ97S2oZwDYR9iP8uq1z4PeuI/s16000/20230623_182358.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpW8N6oRxuRjpOHbAyHis4K5ZoNrLZf-lHchYFsLGohkLkHHzdMNkMCxHz7FMTRviGvFxERpc5tHU2CMz7qJ08a05Pd5tSLMClLFi2yPZH3ZSKK6-gWqyTfQ3W3CVfDwOEemGXLOW7LNGAHdiOMWIGJUOM7FZgpKA_Ui87fjDqf6ZAQ-YCPFHkHEsRCwU/s1000/20230623_183620.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpW8N6oRxuRjpOHbAyHis4K5ZoNrLZf-lHchYFsLGohkLkHHzdMNkMCxHz7FMTRviGvFxERpc5tHU2CMz7qJ08a05Pd5tSLMClLFi2yPZH3ZSKK6-gWqyTfQ3W3CVfDwOEemGXLOW7LNGAHdiOMWIGJUOM7FZgpKA_Ui87fjDqf6ZAQ-YCPFHkHEsRCwU/s16000/20230623_183620.jpg" /></a></p><p>Do your kids love Ninjago too? My kids love watching the cartoon series and also taught me the names of every character. They were happy when I surprised them and told them we were going for a Ninjago event and even more thrilled to see Kai in person and give him high fives too.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq3demJq3R6_PvysWLvzrstPw2nR7ktTj3W8PfQm0lpiXUm1YYf5DuA6a8hKOWZPcViMn8Nn1ao9AZIgklxSTMzAH6uajuphLT4yeEeGFbeQwzKFkQEI885LxsEWMkYBIFFfbN_r9zEQKLUHrzvMOjf0XVsDZ4HQ7HMcmQtY64w_nxXZx3PKHMxlPxKCI/s1000/collage263.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq3demJq3R6_PvysWLvzrstPw2nR7ktTj3W8PfQm0lpiXUm1YYf5DuA6a8hKOWZPcViMn8Nn1ao9AZIgklxSTMzAH6uajuphLT4yeEeGFbeQwzKFkQEI885LxsEWMkYBIFFfbN_r9zEQKLUHrzvMOjf0XVsDZ4HQ7HMcmQtY64w_nxXZx3PKHMxlPxKCI/s16000/collage263.jpg" /></a></p><p>Movie invites are rare and few these days but we are thankful for each one that comes knocking on our door. The kids love watching movies in cinemas and this one we caught turned out to be better and more meaningful than expected because it touched on family ties and what it means to be a teenager's mum. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzjmp0zo2QpBV82i3_Pm01nWOZFu4O_TFPkbt-WybcSAN7mWcg69VXMi7rBFeZsjIWIeMqlqfYSV8Qr13EBjZ_ryU2oIoUIeRF9y9d1bIDU_kPrXfM92-zjmzGJwgL1H5HI0NqDd9R4WdH65u3TuT3RPHc-DGXLqPcJirJJQo4gF4E5zI-_hUOVLoV7no/s1000/20230621_181006.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzjmp0zo2QpBV82i3_Pm01nWOZFu4O_TFPkbt-WybcSAN7mWcg69VXMi7rBFeZsjIWIeMqlqfYSV8Qr13EBjZ_ryU2oIoUIeRF9y9d1bIDU_kPrXfM92-zjmzGJwgL1H5HI0NqDd9R4WdH65u3TuT3RPHc-DGXLqPcJirJJQo4gF4E5zI-_hUOVLoV7no/s16000/20230621_181006.jpg" /></a></p><p>We also caught Baby Shark Live on Stage and it was a treat for Ansel whose first birthday was a Baby Shark themed party. Look, he even brought his plushies along! It was a little too kiddy for the rest of the kids but as usual, they were there to accompany Ansel and it just feels nice that we still go on lots of mum-and-kids outings since the hubby is mostly busy at work. I really love taking the kids out on adventures and will continue to do it for as long as I can.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyBb-wtfXTfaprToP5WRc4diE6Udxiuv9K9-9FCKP0yhNF1OQAFyr4TtTJDx0coTu8teAiLimkJX-G2TT286hVjK03Wy9UkaGdBxYo6un9_E98rZlH5WtERJxiYE6v-LPpFgUyBeI8zoLdSdru2jJQmSkzZM-usjqKcFr51jsu8mQx6Jur8YU3TWfZDao/s1000/20230616_133720.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyBb-wtfXTfaprToP5WRc4diE6Udxiuv9K9-9FCKP0yhNF1OQAFyr4TtTJDx0coTu8teAiLimkJX-G2TT286hVjK03Wy9UkaGdBxYo6un9_E98rZlH5WtERJxiYE6v-LPpFgUyBeI8zoLdSdru2jJQmSkzZM-usjqKcFr51jsu8mQx6Jur8YU3TWfZDao/s16000/20230616_133720.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBTcte3vlo4LmmEHvMU-55m1On8zitqfMLa2p40kjotEWaxwRrhM1FJU3_Diwam9_XVbmJdgxdMq_-kIRY8sKKzmsK_lU5N5EvLYA7PIurWkC0k5kSLrvXRS5tqEhU3UvnTESozVZa7aaehF04zAaJfblXSSw8m_uma3j3VDG7eoRo-J4YPha6G6yA-sc/s1000/20230616_143109.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBTcte3vlo4LmmEHvMU-55m1On8zitqfMLa2p40kjotEWaxwRrhM1FJU3_Diwam9_XVbmJdgxdMq_-kIRY8sKKzmsK_lU5N5EvLYA7PIurWkC0k5kSLrvXRS5tqEhU3UvnTESozVZa7aaehF04zAaJfblXSSw8m_uma3j3VDG7eoRo-J4YPha6G6yA-sc/s16000/20230616_143109.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQj4vcmdULcdF-J1c-pe3gdiw6Imoaa8ueu_Z5BiDpY9c4N7THZC2-q-TK4Qg9C9jaMBaFJAGn9doPvRdwWUzI5efpQRQ3q33hM4XVR118XKBrYYPc5FSSSv516uJc0HmpphfZRmxrLQ57jXNzOBOGsoxAu55K3JegZTvdK0pFjP1ZsnE5H4eQfNa253g/s1000/20230616_142857.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQj4vcmdULcdF-J1c-pe3gdiw6Imoaa8ueu_Z5BiDpY9c4N7THZC2-q-TK4Qg9C9jaMBaFJAGn9doPvRdwWUzI5efpQRQ3q33hM4XVR118XKBrYYPc5FSSSv516uJc0HmpphfZRmxrLQ57jXNzOBOGsoxAu55K3JegZTvdK0pFjP1ZsnE5H4eQfNa253g/s16000/20230616_142857.jpg" /></a></p><p>Theatre shows are something that we enjoy very much and they are usually animated, meaningful and educational. We caught Adventures with Andi on stage which is a story about ants and even got to meet the author, who is non other than our amiable and beautiful Minister Sun Xueling. She was so nice as to ask for the names of all the four kids and penned them down in her autograph on our book.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg6SrhTuMOJWLlKcHgBngCPfTIy0P5SfLlsOqYKi_xubylf3S4Xhq_Ir2QEHpyA83I15NulGWFwe2xmZ40FzA525CqqTjy-3BM6wPNsLRHfOCIZNTanrgAzpl0LZxEdN7gScGW4Q4a41LBxDJ1bqmTBMPKoGuk0lCkozg8lK4540aCTIcv-SNJ-NI1FQQ/s1000/20230609_123630.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg6SrhTuMOJWLlKcHgBngCPfTIy0P5SfLlsOqYKi_xubylf3S4Xhq_Ir2QEHpyA83I15NulGWFwe2xmZ40FzA525CqqTjy-3BM6wPNsLRHfOCIZNTanrgAzpl0LZxEdN7gScGW4Q4a41LBxDJ1bqmTBMPKoGuk0lCkozg8lK4540aCTIcv-SNJ-NI1FQQ/s16000/20230609_123630.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8qZg-o7bVZ8Zrj-4CxSY6SDof9aoztOtaFSTe4OgNumTEz5ELDfRyhzOidsSG4M2fisBnW5KuRuYf3h-uZhbd14JbAR4JEIHy5NOcqXjJ3ghrHLMUAjSKh4Yu-9cqwOUQEdTMiGM3hxaAUKxbKauL_QKC_g5ctBEDkSV8mPrpPH0j70KblteTrjezlww/s1000/20230609_122936.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8qZg-o7bVZ8Zrj-4CxSY6SDof9aoztOtaFSTe4OgNumTEz5ELDfRyhzOidsSG4M2fisBnW5KuRuYf3h-uZhbd14JbAR4JEIHy5NOcqXjJ3ghrHLMUAjSKh4Yu-9cqwOUQEdTMiGM3hxaAUKxbKauL_QKC_g5ctBEDkSV8mPrpPH0j70KblteTrjezlww/s16000/20230609_122936.jpg" /></a></p><p>While he doesn't go to school yet, he loves his weekly Heguru lesson and has benefitted tremendously from it in the past year. It's plain to see how much he enjoys all the activites, especially the puzzle and memory games, and he also like to do the crafts too - for instance, he did a cute popcorn card for Father's Day.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiymZAz3jP9KDNBk8EsYvzGGaoPw70tPBU-TOsvryoW1kKstbYJ-cRbxNfHVYOyfBaaaPvEwx5xZePTaG3NWETkJ2r8oCqgW-y1pSm4MdPjY7qyetcy42ef_gPXhSHN0X0PTkn32aaATG6dtGNb4-XQq_FexJBfbizc9USymigGtJvDuXI9e5erMn9XGQU/s1000/collage265.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiymZAz3jP9KDNBk8EsYvzGGaoPw70tPBU-TOsvryoW1kKstbYJ-cRbxNfHVYOyfBaaaPvEwx5xZePTaG3NWETkJ2r8oCqgW-y1pSm4MdPjY7qyetcy42ef_gPXhSHN0X0PTkn32aaATG6dtGNb4-XQq_FexJBfbizc9USymigGtJvDuXI9e5erMn9XGQU/s16000/collage265.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Talking about Father's Day, we had a family gathering to celebrate this day and it's a little ironic because the chefs were the hubby and my father-in-law even though it was a time to celebrate <i>them</i>. Yup, they are the best cooks around and I really can't imagine what we will eat without them. Probably catered food, haha. But nothing beats home cooked meals and I am truly thankful that we hold such gatherings regularly and come together as a big group to chat and catch up with each other's lives.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPbefgCubQxTkcnQnXc4Arbll9oA62IK-43-R82mmOTd0bvD5GjbhhpH4jLpwkINEjdiCW65oFDUlypQ64g94p3n0D2GN-HxLnYGiK6i_B-GnnVOyvDmxlUDrS9_zMArZFeNdD6b1sU6cfuyuVv_J-E0VqjZqW4OjxuoneczsWGj1KpcCI1l_Qoif_4TA/s1000/20230618_193553.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPbefgCubQxTkcnQnXc4Arbll9oA62IK-43-R82mmOTd0bvD5GjbhhpH4jLpwkINEjdiCW65oFDUlypQ64g94p3n0D2GN-HxLnYGiK6i_B-GnnVOyvDmxlUDrS9_zMArZFeNdD6b1sU6cfuyuVv_J-E0VqjZqW4OjxuoneczsWGj1KpcCI1l_Qoif_4TA/s16000/20230618_193553.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The elder three are still keeping up with their Taekwondo lessons and honestly, I didn't expect them to come this far when I signed up for the class as a holiday activity over one and a half years ago. Well, if they are serious about wanting to achieve the black belt, I will definitely give them my fullest support. I am so thankful for such PA courses that provide affordable rates (ours cost $5/kid per lesson) and even if means training in void decks instead of air-conditioned studios, it's a low price we are very much willing to pay.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjToAGJ51zO9avNSn9CLFTekRnEGGnWtBd2IOIBDEPC_bRuBx27NkoBp8bxewg8t-hVVZy1FplF1q7_atNQ-Iw6NU_4jFbWw2Ae2HViu94neGyZrBPSpLI-CgcokmmnEPIQdot5Lw-Y_Gxay7G_R5IL_jnen0fEFVJpcqohB4thRH17UZv1n3FVRaVg-6c/s1000/20230627_212128.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjToAGJ51zO9avNSn9CLFTekRnEGGnWtBd2IOIBDEPC_bRuBx27NkoBp8bxewg8t-hVVZy1FplF1q7_atNQ-Iw6NU_4jFbWw2Ae2HViu94neGyZrBPSpLI-CgcokmmnEPIQdot5Lw-Y_Gxay7G_R5IL_jnen0fEFVJpcqohB4thRH17UZv1n3FVRaVg-6c/s16000/20230627_212128.jpg" /></a></div>Having Ansel was one of the best things that happened not just for me, but for Asher too. He sometimes feels like an outcast when the two sisters leave him out of their secrets but having a little brother changes that. I love seeing how they have their brotherly moments too, such as when they have fun in the bath tub and play together. I keep reminding him that this might only last for another year or less because Ansel is growing up so fast these days so while he could still do it, treasure it. I know he does. <div><br /></div><div>I took these photos because I heard him singing to the little brother and the lyrics were along the line <i>"You are the best, best, best brother in the world..."</i> which melted my heart. They also exchanged hugs and kisses which was a heartwarming sight to see as I know they will soon outgrow this phase too. For now, I love seeing how they bond as the best brothers in the world and hope they know how much of a gift they are to each other.<br /><p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3zTUbR9LJn5wVZrLNypX8dp25kXFSDipqRDuuVE2j43XTOMC0ZmvR2AmZRjy-IsWfo08v4bpiOgPY6CECyl3qibaYxECvB0QR_y4-8Q4ayLRoxOisKTaW1S83tNdszxnGcqzhDgZAefu36xA5UetHI1L7zYD1ucdmzZirblKirYd58hMzIW6smtsMW10/s1000/20230622_230404.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3zTUbR9LJn5wVZrLNypX8dp25kXFSDipqRDuuVE2j43XTOMC0ZmvR2AmZRjy-IsWfo08v4bpiOgPY6CECyl3qibaYxECvB0QR_y4-8Q4ayLRoxOisKTaW1S83tNdszxnGcqzhDgZAefu36xA5UetHI1L7zYD1ucdmzZirblKirYd58hMzIW6smtsMW10/s16000/20230622_230404.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-QH_fJooFzWuzgxYbD5WAaePvim4b_Y0fnfDjLPV7z-Ht89ooO5Tj_XFvwO5E54GjE5YastNqvVhsA7b352Qdfg6K5VoDuUJBVKFnr7T5N8ZpnCPMwrK12zvahhcnnLTc5y0YYqqhewRxrOSanSUY9JaIr2Q6tSVBsrP43n8CSQ9Vwhu1Dfq6wjFB7UA/s1000/20230622_230359.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-QH_fJooFzWuzgxYbD5WAaePvim4b_Y0fnfDjLPV7z-Ht89ooO5Tj_XFvwO5E54GjE5YastNqvVhsA7b352Qdfg6K5VoDuUJBVKFnr7T5N8ZpnCPMwrK12zvahhcnnLTc5y0YYqqhewRxrOSanSUY9JaIr2Q6tSVBsrP43n8CSQ9Vwhu1Dfq6wjFB7UA/s16000/20230622_230359.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkxm1ijlgtn8aYiBsBHZDGnEnKK2lc6bdiDPOSBkAgv0Kll8SuD1fZjpW_LDR253bEKx5XxmEm74E3gZxaG8UcycpIFzrJEeI_j5GBSZKLZDZ6FWgRroy_4uZnDrUKAIVJ-ZRthJOxPHUsrbvi8oXzOGer6CEbIrf2hUyy7rwcJJOFJeVWHAH0bpySuFk/s1000/20230622_230323.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkxm1ijlgtn8aYiBsBHZDGnEnKK2lc6bdiDPOSBkAgv0Kll8SuD1fZjpW_LDR253bEKx5XxmEm74E3gZxaG8UcycpIFzrJEeI_j5GBSZKLZDZ6FWgRroy_4uZnDrUKAIVJ-ZRthJOxPHUsrbvi8oXzOGer6CEbIrf2hUyy7rwcJJOFJeVWHAH0bpySuFk/s16000/20230622_230323.jpg" /></a></p><p>Oh, on another note about the brotherly bond, the toddler can't really scoot by himself yet but loves to be on it so the big brother loves sharing this small scooter with him even if it means he has to squeeze and put his foot sideways. Whenever we go out these days, they will ask to scoot together and it's yet another fond memory that will be locked in our hearts. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFKNjAZ3YZIJ5OgYSTkjJiE0QCSXD1rISAbaak17NUmUySJmibbRiqkh4mQrDaRrxZ6iXplYUvv50YESsp9ikOq980UlDPCvIEroOD6ZwvGRfP1laY4e2St_CAJBsbhYM-WnfUfHHJnOx4b7n-Q7oEGdszlEA0dX2i50pwIy-la-cW0T_vHV0H0nISynA/s1000/20230613_193354.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFKNjAZ3YZIJ5OgYSTkjJiE0QCSXD1rISAbaak17NUmUySJmibbRiqkh4mQrDaRrxZ6iXplYUvv50YESsp9ikOq980UlDPCvIEroOD6ZwvGRfP1laY4e2St_CAJBsbhYM-WnfUfHHJnOx4b7n-Q7oEGdszlEA0dX2i50pwIy-la-cW0T_vHV0H0nISynA/s16000/20230613_193354.jpg" /></a></p><p>We love having Japanese food but usually go for the cheaper ones like at food courts or Genki Suship. This was at Tampopo which we deem as expensive - the total bill can amount to over $110 - and it only happens once a year for us because we use up our CDC vouchers on a lavish meal like this. Yup, that is why we needed to take a photo. Haha. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWZYUJ2OTJ7jaLT2l9cDq7E9QRFWzUeqR4RD0NIK9uFEpcEKJ3qXOn6l_sNi1Ha9Xp6fn2bT2kjzApGoCWpCiCY5_VI0QD4FFUEGPLoARczoAysn7KP-u97D52Kum6E128FvXEnQuK_8HKrQDMKNJ3Uq_Kh7d7Xhd24ppgY8hLcbAqrEUK9_IMAfTjvMI/s1000/20230613_200900(0).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWZYUJ2OTJ7jaLT2l9cDq7E9QRFWzUeqR4RD0NIK9uFEpcEKJ3qXOn6l_sNi1Ha9Xp6fn2bT2kjzApGoCWpCiCY5_VI0QD4FFUEGPLoARczoAysn7KP-u97D52Kum6E128FvXEnQuK_8HKrQDMKNJ3Uq_Kh7d7Xhd24ppgY8hLcbAqrEUK9_IMAfTjvMI/s16000/20230613_200900(0).jpg" /></a></p><p>Holidays usually mean we spend a little more than usual and another treat we had was to dine at Slappy Cakes since the kids wanted to have fun and make their own pancakes. Can you see what character we were trying to draw for Ansel on his plate? Well, it's his favourite JJ from Cocomelon! We also drew animals like rabbits and Ariel was so sweet as to make pancakes that resembled a mother and daughter and she said it was me and her.<i> Awww.</i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlvkJ9oS-aw0YoSa05Q-9z-SYfqV5J_D4ybSAdluTj_LdpLkN38JSGbAzckqtl7ILNlXgULG7vsLtjuwHJNse2j2eCeIG2klY28AwchmII9R8kjj90JZZ-yaEXucZQDGh3DSfawd8YdBm7zvp-cwVc55wH_3z8eT_TVXL27OKH0ufeNrYD5yqqGbLKcI/s1000/20230623_195554.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNlvkJ9oS-aw0YoSa05Q-9z-SYfqV5J_D4ybSAdluTj_LdpLkN38JSGbAzckqtl7ILNlXgULG7vsLtjuwHJNse2j2eCeIG2klY28AwchmII9R8kjj90JZZ-yaEXucZQDGh3DSfawd8YdBm7zvp-cwVc55wH_3z8eT_TVXL27OKH0ufeNrYD5yqqGbLKcI/s16000/20230623_195554.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5mDTmPe-acczWm5qQiKu4hDDQxm77thSa8jnAk2x8gaA6OIsOzG5eo_DTZNpHr-YXoQP67YJcwHEg3SmVV9lO58wniYll5K6TM-nYMcooBBNExeGML3xUYN2mfuQrFJDdcO5ayrBL6ysiaTSsxE30xf9TuwZr8oJ8qIBbQ7PDzs3nP_lxpCFZjBHevg0/s1000/20230623_194156.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5mDTmPe-acczWm5qQiKu4hDDQxm77thSa8jnAk2x8gaA6OIsOzG5eo_DTZNpHr-YXoQP67YJcwHEg3SmVV9lO58wniYll5K6TM-nYMcooBBNExeGML3xUYN2mfuQrFJDdcO5ayrBL6ysiaTSsxE30xf9TuwZr8oJ8qIBbQ7PDzs3nP_lxpCFZjBHevg0/s16000/20230623_194156.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCBp9tFdFhjy2eHTeBnYwDxXbI6-G_RK4mMoPdDesm76-1KxwfqppNcBJ9e4atfDsevi6jO8jWurWE71IX43FtkeD83taM7tla6NeObIR1K2PT5LUV-8ao4BxbdvP1YPuGWCWNDHMjSYdiGJ_yaKj1UpKXJDznQ-X_fFNVI2AYpCvxh250uKqje-RXqhY/s1000/20230623_194149.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCBp9tFdFhjy2eHTeBnYwDxXbI6-G_RK4mMoPdDesm76-1KxwfqppNcBJ9e4atfDsevi6jO8jWurWE71IX43FtkeD83taM7tla6NeObIR1K2PT5LUV-8ao4BxbdvP1YPuGWCWNDHMjSYdiGJ_yaKj1UpKXJDznQ-X_fFNVI2AYpCvxh250uKqje-RXqhY/s16000/20230623_194149.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaXCGYtQFTgzeDhWJJcMjBA2mB8j3K1mgJVE081xvQJQe2zx6QneWCeV656faGUWR2RgO21YNX9mTd-OZHDUpBMco5sLUpcCGUIoE0qVrE-zZNB3Za5Xz1GssKJARSBAmWIgHhybD09FRJg4XRvxGv27nMEjBFq_7JZLV_21eirk20DgecKabghC5Tf_Q/s1000/20230623_193535.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaXCGYtQFTgzeDhWJJcMjBA2mB8j3K1mgJVE081xvQJQe2zx6QneWCeV656faGUWR2RgO21YNX9mTd-OZHDUpBMco5sLUpcCGUIoE0qVrE-zZNB3Za5Xz1GssKJARSBAmWIgHhybD09FRJg4XRvxGv27nMEjBFq_7JZLV_21eirk20DgecKabghC5Tf_Q/s16000/20230623_193535.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmShMZON-MU8su0xtbz9V2nehTXeAPFhj-Wfblwj55N9GtLHPW-Yc87aJ01Ahf1OXc8EbstScxEEqtMVKU-wg0Zics17cisgyedy9eVSWLTP9VoSFQn1RW7_7zyD69hdBvXyAQzmKOgVLJWNx4U-3HY4n9yLR6uPBQVhy5rRo7rwB0f7-_1aabSYwnYkk/s1000/20230623_193153.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmShMZON-MU8su0xtbz9V2nehTXeAPFhj-Wfblwj55N9GtLHPW-Yc87aJ01Ahf1OXc8EbstScxEEqtMVKU-wg0Zics17cisgyedy9eVSWLTP9VoSFQn1RW7_7zyD69hdBvXyAQzmKOgVLJWNx4U-3HY4n9yLR6uPBQVhy5rRo7rwB0f7-_1aabSYwnYkk/s16000/20230623_193153.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So you see, we don't always need to fly to another continent or go on luxurious holidays just to enjoy a well-deserved break. Why, we don't even need to dine at expensive restaurants or receive exquisite gifts in order to be happy. 对我而言,幸福其实很简单,只要和爱的人在一起,心中就自然快乐. I had a good month of June and it was because of one simple reason - I spent it with the people I love and we made so many memories together. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Good times won't last, I know, like how this toddler will soon outgrow the carrier and I might not even be able to piggyback him anymore. I will miss this feeling of having him snug against my chest, I will miss the sweetness of breastfeeding this last baby of mine (I still am!) and I will miss being able to lift him up into the air and cradling him when he's tired. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuKXBKq4_1ZQmgq0ua7TwEFLBVuMzBcE5KyrNOUUbbjtdwGAezO08HcZM1Zfm_mSytV0TQ1v5K7CKoSJ96pBMhE2wRufHkInYuOhh4l22OqUnSjjSvikBbwpXvUnzV1IOooDl6DTcw9uta16J-2XdiU0cyC2mXyM5nzmKA8w5o2ycjIcC2ihzxufFoefI/s1000/20230622_181014.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuKXBKq4_1ZQmgq0ua7TwEFLBVuMzBcE5KyrNOUUbbjtdwGAezO08HcZM1Zfm_mSytV0TQ1v5K7CKoSJ96pBMhE2wRufHkInYuOhh4l22OqUnSjjSvikBbwpXvUnzV1IOooDl6DTcw9uta16J-2XdiU0cyC2mXyM5nzmKA8w5o2ycjIcC2ihzxufFoefI/s16000/20230622_181014.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So yes, it still boils down to the same reminder every time - <b><i>cherish while it lasts.</i></b> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Till the next post on happiness!</div><p></p></div>~Summer~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478137784353655124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6546965252487257512.post-14774055169267601652023-11-03T14:04:00.099+08:002023-11-12T13:48:48.840+08:00Happiness is... creating a treasure trove of memories<p>生不带来,死不带去。</p><p>We bring nothing with us when we are born, we take nothing with us when we die. That is why I think that tangibles like money and valuables as well as intangibles like fame and power should not matter so much to us during our lifetime. At least, I don't think they matter a lot to me.</p><p>What matters more to me is building up a drawer upon drawer of cherished memories, spreading kindness to family and friends, finding the simple joys and making sure that we love hard, love deep and love from the heart.</p><p>In this post of <i>"Happiness is..."</i>, it's about creating a treasure trove of memories because that is what I think we bring with us when we pass on. A contented heart, a fulfilled life, and countless happy moments from the past.</p><p>******</p><p>For my 40th birthday this year, I got for myself a present that I've been wanting for years. Nope, not diamond rings, luxury bags, designer shoes, expensive cosmetics or giant bouquets of roses. Those truly don't interest me at all and I would rather not spend a penny on them. But for this, I would willingly save up for months and then spend everything on it.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCQi_ikPbmVW7yOo-Ju49SrrNdXqOTmtNBBCWQ7LS1Mz7pZJ4xine4z6Ly2jR43VMXfmWUdl6RkhabYFNPxnY6JUqm3yYbPVdThF3mg3Mdi64auouFMzC1lzeaX49KVUUScVsIeyRmmTVRoDaOdAhsRCGOn57UfCIEtNIt6FBl26MdVjnk42hhPg_9Uc/s3799/20230510_124620.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2139" data-original-width="3799" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCQi_ikPbmVW7yOo-Ju49SrrNdXqOTmtNBBCWQ7LS1Mz7pZJ4xine4z6Ly2jR43VMXfmWUdl6RkhabYFNPxnY6JUqm3yYbPVdThF3mg3Mdi64auouFMzC1lzeaX49KVUUScVsIeyRmmTVRoDaOdAhsRCGOn57UfCIEtNIt6FBl26MdVjnk42hhPg_9Uc/s16000/20230510_124620.jpg" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p>Look! This is my mini treasure trove containing lots and lots of love and happiness. These 36 pictures were specially curated because they each represent a memory that I hold close. Together, they kind of tell the latter half of my life story, starting from when I got engaged to the hubby on the Eiffel Tower. 15 years on, we are now Mum and Dad to four lovable kids and still have a lot more to learn and grow in this parenting journey.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdxDKGJtGp4FcfX4g4PqJkeayGQ-nIGHxlQsumrevFgQtRDHFvRkiDEcuU5mZqeoaeoxuwghApSHJ4fsqeqU-oR-lN-6jLMOHKQxLJgEJNvEhGFpTo2b1rlz6ePzLlzkey96XOz-UesL00Z4A87sBB5Y6N5zGtgMSbW6d-3v8j56BCGSXLdLqj5tgNXo8/s4000/20230510_124650.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdxDKGJtGp4FcfX4g4PqJkeayGQ-nIGHxlQsumrevFgQtRDHFvRkiDEcuU5mZqeoaeoxuwghApSHJ4fsqeqU-oR-lN-6jLMOHKQxLJgEJNvEhGFpTo2b1rlz6ePzLlzkey96XOz-UesL00Z4A87sBB5Y6N5zGtgMSbW6d-3v8j56BCGSXLdLqj5tgNXo8/s16000/20230510_124650.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQCKw6UteqfUDAMs_F4maMtMzB7KF7DAo6HnHWU93Lt64UpMegJP2X6z_d353l0sooISi22YvRfGUkzmU-KtFwycQ9hquCZ_mC80vKVw34W1-w7Af8y1ZqxXHVaIUUBK-hgbKptAYPh547UnHIMOl0B8nb0n46q_QOmTyKSBOJwNAf8JF8C4HArTuZPmM/s4000/20230510_124640.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQCKw6UteqfUDAMs_F4maMtMzB7KF7DAo6HnHWU93Lt64UpMegJP2X6z_d353l0sooISi22YvRfGUkzmU-KtFwycQ9hquCZ_mC80vKVw34W1-w7Af8y1ZqxXHVaIUUBK-hgbKptAYPh547UnHIMOl0B8nb0n46q_QOmTyKSBOJwNAf8JF8C4HArTuZPmM/s16000/20230510_124640.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC3jUkdbfb4X26ghnHZkx8KGnucciy8ij7ZE-f68Hg04Cpd7Stxzo2XpWSbGLC-0m_T9gnS20RIRR9kHsTXQzIT6q1OxIvhzTmlb1lR7-eHFJoR4oCwCJW1MHONxGBZ4imz7SmYqJIQYrpR3RJcOUqjEW_z4CnD5YXeS3Tpdx2U6UeOmzyjt2V0eiRJWQ/s4000/20230510_124633.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC3jUkdbfb4X26ghnHZkx8KGnucciy8ij7ZE-f68Hg04Cpd7Stxzo2XpWSbGLC-0m_T9gnS20RIRR9kHsTXQzIT6q1OxIvhzTmlb1lR7-eHFJoR4oCwCJW1MHONxGBZ4imz7SmYqJIQYrpR3RJcOUqjEW_z4CnD5YXeS3Tpdx2U6UeOmzyjt2V0eiRJWQ/s16000/20230510_124633.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Weekends are precious family time so even if they are usually filled with bickers and non-stop nagging, we still make sure we do things together and spend quality time with the kids. The FunFam Sports Fest 2023 was a nice way for us to bond as we conquered the station games one by one, including walking on planks, balancing on blocks, shooting down cup pyramids and wearing hoops on our heads for the others to aim and throw balls in.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I wish we can continue doing this kind of stuff even when the kids are much older. Please don't say you don't wanna hang out with your old Papa and Mama already, okay?</div><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX90jRgGYjs1mj9iC9otbkxb7Hhla8BxjsfmF31Z07GIsTgXbGbEt5On6WKsblRG0VHJ10QDp_f5dKgRi2QqbDf_vJrnaH3OdcJWN713cTj0AnlBAdeqc9_X1aG_RuHcDllFtvqK2P4Q3vv9swAsiOJUUbRvD6CGVToDUuKBcvtyQ0NB1nW2OdzRLqWVc/s4000/20230528_131820.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX90jRgGYjs1mj9iC9otbkxb7Hhla8BxjsfmF31Z07GIsTgXbGbEt5On6WKsblRG0VHJ10QDp_f5dKgRi2QqbDf_vJrnaH3OdcJWN713cTj0AnlBAdeqc9_X1aG_RuHcDllFtvqK2P4Q3vv9swAsiOJUUbRvD6CGVToDUuKBcvtyQ0NB1nW2OdzRLqWVc/s16000/20230528_131820.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn5qgF-aQVybwmrbpcuCE8f6sIcWXkay8hgv6FLQBMkGdjyitJ7iOn9HZgLKGEPh4RcmGTF_yyTizMGC0nvNVLQ6fXPRyMbBfZK955II-0kVxvW-_UCC36Fz7KjHQMEgzagGqap8t6dmzq3hpbOuvyAghs7m12Kg8XiSBNStVFMtiU6ONZfwc2MenfCm4/s1000/collage262.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn5qgF-aQVybwmrbpcuCE8f6sIcWXkay8hgv6FLQBMkGdjyitJ7iOn9HZgLKGEPh4RcmGTF_yyTizMGC0nvNVLQ6fXPRyMbBfZK955II-0kVxvW-_UCC36Fz7KjHQMEgzagGqap8t6dmzq3hpbOuvyAghs7m12Kg8XiSBNStVFMtiU6ONZfwc2MenfCm4/s16000/collage262.jpg" /></a></p><p>We love visiting our airport because there's always a lot to see, eat and do. Jewel is a great place to hang out and we can never get enough of admiring our majestic Rain Vortex. This month, we went for a night's stay in Changi Experience Studio where we got the opportunity to stay in a tent, paint and craft our very own airport, and the kids also had a chance to go on a flight simulator and interact with a real life pilot.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKvZLgZVVBFiGDHVBgO9vFCBPtZwjC5BhnSaMZ1kLsq-xPU7KsgHHFDXGPIK5fZBw9KlKZO9L0HuZbaBiZ6I_WIe_AYGBeHPNIJ5jw6A8AENNnnY2S_uZR97uVVImREX8J5WDeBuSTaS6SkRURx1PygUW_IBIQdKCs_8C6QCEGMeDg72r463mDMvFgGHo/s1000/collage258.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKvZLgZVVBFiGDHVBgO9vFCBPtZwjC5BhnSaMZ1kLsq-xPU7KsgHHFDXGPIK5fZBw9KlKZO9L0HuZbaBiZ6I_WIe_AYGBeHPNIJ5jw6A8AENNnnY2S_uZR97uVVImREX8J5WDeBuSTaS6SkRURx1PygUW_IBIQdKCs_8C6QCEGMeDg72r463mDMvFgGHo/s16000/collage258.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHGxjmhkpzTu7hOH07LVV6h4IZaOPJELgFajUnO5-A10F1n70ezEXMuU8QXVOvm45FV1VHAK1ZtW_9aOZxsIFIu7chHjVtRDZ5cLCr1M6burun0CcUYTUptZJyhkHy4teqdaJzJfgaH5h8O6gaTWQqp3Vbe1SPug-UGnFwb88cC1lvuFTBbNu2aKcSnNo/s1000/collage259.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHGxjmhkpzTu7hOH07LVV6h4IZaOPJELgFajUnO5-A10F1n70ezEXMuU8QXVOvm45FV1VHAK1ZtW_9aOZxsIFIu7chHjVtRDZ5cLCr1M6burun0CcUYTUptZJyhkHy4teqdaJzJfgaH5h8O6gaTWQqp3Vbe1SPug-UGnFwb88cC1lvuFTBbNu2aKcSnNo/s16000/collage259.jpg" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOBCcb-3PubgWYLAP1qvEZalYjHXEoc2zPkEt9UIGzEOQWsO7_2XT0BYwSpCq9DTJ1D6B6kEcBmrBY21i1Ti94vDr7wabezFjj7ViUGHtUOiSsrxxN2OqZfNYjlLDnKLX7QaxpcAn6b-CgA9GNLgIB3zTB3NbtOR7sov_2jUm8wFU5BoxDbMDlih9_MYk/s4000/20230520_135414.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOBCcb-3PubgWYLAP1qvEZalYjHXEoc2zPkEt9UIGzEOQWsO7_2XT0BYwSpCq9DTJ1D6B6kEcBmrBY21i1Ti94vDr7wabezFjj7ViUGHtUOiSsrxxN2OqZfNYjlLDnKLX7QaxpcAn6b-CgA9GNLgIB3zTB3NbtOR7sov_2jUm8wFU5BoxDbMDlih9_MYk/s16000/20230520_135414.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMhAG7NPQ8_Sv5Gx0712brmn6swR3GjSRI61XH7d9-NPcJud26v1uslrmyGSM5MfgMQujQ_iedMFO_hLPf6rMjOn1RGZVkv6iISwT9u0t54ZcZ5O5U4biJAUUO0ZNWVtuNpzZUfBM2gUKODJsWZK9JpDpyf7hsAt42bg-GEmaaSSO5caf_g5uFjWhql4M/s4000/20230520_121623.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMhAG7NPQ8_Sv5Gx0712brmn6swR3GjSRI61XH7d9-NPcJud26v1uslrmyGSM5MfgMQujQ_iedMFO_hLPf6rMjOn1RGZVkv6iISwT9u0t54ZcZ5O5U4biJAUUO0ZNWVtuNpzZUfBM2gUKODJsWZK9JpDpyf7hsAt42bg-GEmaaSSO5caf_g5uFjWhql4M/s16000/20230520_121623.jpg" /></a></p><p>Water playgrounds are still well-loved by the little ones. This was Ansel's first visit to the one at Kallang Wave Mall and he had lots of fun! This little one is very blessed to have his Korkor and Jiejie to take care of him and play with him. Among the four, the firstborn is the one who is least keen in water play and now that she is all grown up, such playgrounds don't appeal to her anymore. So while the rest were having a splashing good time, I took her downstairs for some one-on-one time as we shared a scoop of gelato and a glass of iced chocolate. There are the moments that matter.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt2wjsG20z0oS4IK4z2BbOt_gCbl1DsPfgpg7xw1xjEB2ZvjwJR9iTzhm8Ci8YNdp45z5p3TIFKDXb2R7iqXsw0xx-gIbgjtZHX6aMl3DeJZxZX69V4S0NacMNVtq4xTkRh1tckcSzlIDNDRyDq_qgv-chm0PnTGTFoxT6eGXiBHCY3LZvvQcj8rbLcfY/s3612/20230528_150902.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2034" data-original-width="3612" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt2wjsG20z0oS4IK4z2BbOt_gCbl1DsPfgpg7xw1xjEB2ZvjwJR9iTzhm8Ci8YNdp45z5p3TIFKDXb2R7iqXsw0xx-gIbgjtZHX6aMl3DeJZxZX69V4S0NacMNVtq4xTkRh1tckcSzlIDNDRyDq_qgv-chm0PnTGTFoxT6eGXiBHCY3LZvvQcj8rbLcfY/s16000/20230528_150902.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_K0FSNLBuSyJ8bB4cqrrI7ZAmUP_ArIw1xU8JILB44_m6SQl8jZdQgonr0yNyavk35FQhy-YpzLDnZ3shWfJNOWLulPbuik8OdxypsjrwLMJ1VbH4hiRsvaAjAyy32OGjE8PRMsyqEfPTtIcgQIByd4cQJgySqL47xsneIggA4xQP70uo4d01tRqbo8/s1000/collage261.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_K0FSNLBuSyJ8bB4cqrrI7ZAmUP_ArIw1xU8JILB44_m6SQl8jZdQgonr0yNyavk35FQhy-YpzLDnZ3shWfJNOWLulPbuik8OdxypsjrwLMJ1VbH4hiRsvaAjAyy32OGjE8PRMsyqEfPTtIcgQIByd4cQJgySqL47xsneIggA4xQP70uo4d01tRqbo8/s16000/collage261.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p>See this boy who is fast growing up? We were debating if his romper was that of a pilot or security guard but I decided on the former and he looked so cute with his pretend luggage. Well, at two years old, he still hasn't gone on a flight yet and I'm not sure when will his first experience be, but it's surely something we look forward to because holidays are always so much fun. Travelling as a family of six costs a bomb though, I know, and that is why we have to plan such vacations sparingly. <div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit6ZE83QOx23RUrIdOxfahwC8wE9Tp1v1vgt5D3WIjQLx1OUzDmsSWrAZnkRaH-us-U0y27STar-A36rhVt6tw0wa3JIyGQ7TddAQuBeigLBbdcn3eOVWQjANiEAGBw-6dQTdtQL5IzMJlBRu8w06eHpNKPrDMFuGSVCVTKYiHus44d-PQsdcK-X2N0R8/s1000/collage255.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit6ZE83QOx23RUrIdOxfahwC8wE9Tp1v1vgt5D3WIjQLx1OUzDmsSWrAZnkRaH-us-U0y27STar-A36rhVt6tw0wa3JIyGQ7TddAQuBeigLBbdcn3eOVWQjANiEAGBw-6dQTdtQL5IzMJlBRu8w06eHpNKPrDMFuGSVCVTKYiHus44d-PQsdcK-X2N0R8/s16000/collage255.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Bouncy castles are always fun for the kids, especially when you get to jump, run and play with your siblings. We were at Jumptopia for the preview and had such a fun time there that we returned after dinner for more playtime and were among the last to leave. I guess the good thing about having more kids is that, despite the incessant bickers, they will never have to be alone. I also made sure I joined in the fun so toward the latter half of the night, I put down the phone, got into action and played with them. Memories are not just captured on camera, right? If anything, the heart is the best camera so make sure you leave behind moments that last and memories that matter to the kids.<br /><p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLp9Li5c83cjT8-MF9Fmik7G-KCOf8NRXPw7cSQjRNSS3ti1fVxt7-U3jsqa7CH_CcoSHVQKidSuZO9-_tPxQtBntSdp9U4E64A9Eqmoi4JQTnTb4ncg2VXH8ooSgaLavxZaj_jtBdhWMZ_F1K1qTjirFSCXu7d7mwDMBKKHiBB62KiotAc2xfsMCgRvU/s1000/collage260.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLp9Li5c83cjT8-MF9Fmik7G-KCOf8NRXPw7cSQjRNSS3ti1fVxt7-U3jsqa7CH_CcoSHVQKidSuZO9-_tPxQtBntSdp9U4E64A9Eqmoi4JQTnTb4ncg2VXH8ooSgaLavxZaj_jtBdhWMZ_F1K1qTjirFSCXu7d7mwDMBKKHiBB62KiotAc2xfsMCgRvU/s16000/collage260.jpg" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At the airport again? Yup, I think we come here pretty often because there are so many events being held here. I would say media invites have been far and few this year and that is because I've greatly cut down on writing and sharing on social media too, but we are still thankful for every opportunity we get. The kids particularly enjoyed scaling the walls at Climb@T3 because indoor climbing is always so much fun. I challenged myself too and it was a nice feeling being there and trying my best alongside the kids. We always feel a sense of achievement when we get to the top and I am glad to see that all of them are enjoying this sport.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLcPwPSCldrsw6KGRxEiwW3WoxTnKZYA_MXZtr_oHtcbR32mivLlNFxwZr0isqsANwUrpeSXcV7soCfiQSZEwlQIO6TcWe-7yfG32NFnW9n66pIFL3uipaolNmSKWc4FOA9et2QIP0ZPGk9JxqfDjlImHRfe2OgRn8wsfj_tnFqvvO3M137JoAAfkW6Ww/s1000/collage257.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLcPwPSCldrsw6KGRxEiwW3WoxTnKZYA_MXZtr_oHtcbR32mivLlNFxwZr0isqsANwUrpeSXcV7soCfiQSZEwlQIO6TcWe-7yfG32NFnW9n66pIFL3uipaolNmSKWc4FOA9et2QIP0ZPGk9JxqfDjlImHRfe2OgRn8wsfj_tnFqvvO3M137JoAAfkW6Ww/s16000/collage257.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9TxPNGiP-zETB8wN3FIcWs9hlxfre_H1tTHk1Smv9lY5Jt7iFbIkiCGUZq3otrgswGy9sVXdJbAg9kDqxndanb422rPNMm0E8731VYKnIaF2Z8QAaNh_q0_MZ7ZXJQbFda_Kt6rnO8rr-GteMP6QqT16ynrN9-UmDbJuJ-cr5NAY50VONbMeio2k1kp0/s1000/collage256.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9TxPNGiP-zETB8wN3FIcWs9hlxfre_H1tTHk1Smv9lY5Jt7iFbIkiCGUZq3otrgswGy9sVXdJbAg9kDqxndanb422rPNMm0E8731VYKnIaF2Z8QAaNh_q0_MZ7ZXJQbFda_Kt6rnO8rr-GteMP6QqT16ynrN9-UmDbJuJ-cr5NAY50VONbMeio2k1kp0/s16000/collage256.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We love theatrical productions and will continue to support them for as long as we can. I feel that it's so much better to see real life people acting, dancing and singing on stage than to let the kids watch big screens only, you know what I mean? We caught Shaun The Sheep's Circus Show on stage and the antics were truly entertaining.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOeOR-jZ38TEbm_iyvhjbCyW3K7FQI3LmOIUBbt6XFCby8IHHH9a2E65c8reRyo9B7e69iBzsMs6NM-tIclxu9hhE1FrBSVSO6WKknNTodTBfaa6asNQ5lCzgOqIe9wJpcPOHgs3DIuQy3AbxACDQH8cQzt9efOHwBZzl3qrsZv5GclFq3v5rDLyzqCRU/s4000/20230510_182912.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOeOR-jZ38TEbm_iyvhjbCyW3K7FQI3LmOIUBbt6XFCby8IHHH9a2E65c8reRyo9B7e69iBzsMs6NM-tIclxu9hhE1FrBSVSO6WKknNTodTBfaa6asNQ5lCzgOqIe9wJpcPOHgs3DIuQy3AbxACDQH8cQzt9efOHwBZzl3qrsZv5GclFq3v5rDLyzqCRU/s16000/20230510_182912.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Despite what I just said about screens, we've always been avid moviegoers and the whole family loves going to the cinema. This month, we caught a couple of nice movies, including Transfers: Rise of the Beasts, The Little Mermaid and Guardians of The Galaxy Vol.3 and the kids were happy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeaQNRFbZF50TP868_bPdDs684oD9LKmNqYC_QDzyv38iB_fp9tN5BCaQYc5Mppp8HChLm-nWJljUvGuO7YeZsdKNUlTflDNDqAWgjgEil1F1SNmuTPDmoALirfUdLaGDJzJIYegFqo_4fdj5XSHGHX8-gv0aGeVSuMLNpeV3cpd8FatpfS2FxFJLRQMI/s4000/20230531_134909.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeaQNRFbZF50TP868_bPdDs684oD9LKmNqYC_QDzyv38iB_fp9tN5BCaQYc5Mppp8HChLm-nWJljUvGuO7YeZsdKNUlTflDNDqAWgjgEil1F1SNmuTPDmoALirfUdLaGDJzJIYegFqo_4fdj5XSHGHX8-gv0aGeVSuMLNpeV3cpd8FatpfS2FxFJLRQMI/s16000/20230531_134909.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZiD5W2dzYDmDrFDBAdQkdCyCjtHhZKxtH1H3vLgHKyRkEFde-CgpqQCVsQ1QoPv-qiCQlslWxCtUh0gJ6lY8eVrshBpUBmemDUTFrcNqlw6YYyQ51SzGLnmtauP0qF1o0j4cPEllMlEZ0kZ0iEnC86Ma_br-y6kP9UE3VgeP5nGpM5tYHVITXixijXMo/s4000/20230531_134843.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZiD5W2dzYDmDrFDBAdQkdCyCjtHhZKxtH1H3vLgHKyRkEFde-CgpqQCVsQ1QoPv-qiCQlslWxCtUh0gJ6lY8eVrshBpUBmemDUTFrcNqlw6YYyQ51SzGLnmtauP0qF1o0j4cPEllMlEZ0kZ0iEnC86Ma_br-y6kP9UE3VgeP5nGpM5tYHVITXixijXMo/s16000/20230531_134843.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwIbOseoqGUx3s5xTOQY9gUIEYbeNTBEHtVorR06U-hwdQqAVKWE6rggoqIH8-ikvzdLxm5f81wEsWG_ioArioXKEqO7b5cE4jmmcQjnCbMi5UWqyrrvC1kYV3HxpSp0nRaCYLUUCyXZc7Kfo8i5LyAVHdqsicUKYHhoSyl-tml9WcFeYz9wRB3tSHIBE/s4000/20230526_220644.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwIbOseoqGUx3s5xTOQY9gUIEYbeNTBEHtVorR06U-hwdQqAVKWE6rggoqIH8-ikvzdLxm5f81wEsWG_ioArioXKEqO7b5cE4jmmcQjnCbMi5UWqyrrvC1kYV3HxpSp0nRaCYLUUCyXZc7Kfo8i5LyAVHdqsicUKYHhoSyl-tml9WcFeYz9wRB3tSHIBE/s16000/20230526_220644.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG8x_Kvjsm1ksJk0SpSsB6lcTxruEj-YAvCiba3_8qVaIiNk2ONx_I6uP4EPmWBtXISOOUt94zuQ21Ejr3Vr8kUNSHwA58umhoGa62d26N9jmlbNFE1rr0PZua1TraZ8qrVuoW_Ajv6z0sMTNOJKD7o5zf0Q4BEZvD48bzkZ8cmkq8TvQ3nSa0Ny2bgeU/s3823/20230507_154207.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2152" data-original-width="3823" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG8x_Kvjsm1ksJk0SpSsB6lcTxruEj-YAvCiba3_8qVaIiNk2ONx_I6uP4EPmWBtXISOOUt94zuQ21Ejr3Vr8kUNSHwA58umhoGa62d26N9jmlbNFE1rr0PZua1TraZ8qrVuoW_Ajv6z0sMTNOJKD7o5zf0Q4BEZvD48bzkZ8cmkq8TvQ3nSa0Ny2bgeU/s16000/20230507_154207.jpg" /></a></div><div>We made a trip back to Pasir Ris fishing pond so that the kids could try fishing in the sure-catch pond again and we could have fresh fish to eat afterwards. Haha. Just look at their happy faces when they pulled these huge mangrove jacks and seabasses out of the water!</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXnaDYcfF7H97sx38OQNNmuTy8e_PWBFJAngAcK9G_BX5dYrCZ9Qrrz50K9n4rN__v3kaRYb-R_HGwo9H044hybRFjt4dFFAqdyvICC1MerI9C5ZQzwFKWLZUWOoesoxl8vGSTTsJkeOrNfT0OtDCN2kLZzpdPm4xqByeXkMkNZ4xN9wHmcAF7lEU8jCg/s4000/20230529_164645.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXnaDYcfF7H97sx38OQNNmuTy8e_PWBFJAngAcK9G_BX5dYrCZ9Qrrz50K9n4rN__v3kaRYb-R_HGwo9H044hybRFjt4dFFAqdyvICC1MerI9C5ZQzwFKWLZUWOoesoxl8vGSTTsJkeOrNfT0OtDCN2kLZzpdPm4xqByeXkMkNZ4xN9wHmcAF7lEU8jCg/s16000/20230529_164645.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgElHwRN7esDCpK2uSOs3AiXHqZq1ST0Y6fjZ1RbZjzWuKMHPCXMucgo3BUPCCexTp-U2KEDhEJ6uYeQ0tHOcfPlhu4YprbkzlDie7Wqxii6-0UsNEh1HKSMLVUm5jYAbylvV-8eEkxGPkHn90Hxkh1M9RIQ3_VgnrnLF95S8QkbelCp0SLrjuEXmRGNvA/s4000/20230529_163952(0).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgElHwRN7esDCpK2uSOs3AiXHqZq1ST0Y6fjZ1RbZjzWuKMHPCXMucgo3BUPCCexTp-U2KEDhEJ6uYeQ0tHOcfPlhu4YprbkzlDie7Wqxii6-0UsNEh1HKSMLVUm5jYAbylvV-8eEkxGPkHn90Hxkh1M9RIQ3_VgnrnLF95S8QkbelCp0SLrjuEXmRGNvA/s16000/20230529_163952(0).jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQBxz52HGp1RyuPRw6yfLa15vX-xS2tjDMijz8jBR6VmBc5UxBE57pWRLpaSC4hLSKoYMUR1b91-IE898Jewah89X70ztmrlLfo-cLTp-yWywBY0cj29j_72QFdoOYDhCNGjJyCtz-uMVeCgGL_tZO6srGKGAX8retI-mVOc1shN4nzEZQ-9JG_EPB-Ig/s4000/20230529_163610.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQBxz52HGp1RyuPRw6yfLa15vX-xS2tjDMijz8jBR6VmBc5UxBE57pWRLpaSC4hLSKoYMUR1b91-IE898Jewah89X70ztmrlLfo-cLTp-yWywBY0cj29j_72QFdoOYDhCNGjJyCtz-uMVeCgGL_tZO6srGKGAX8retI-mVOc1shN4nzEZQ-9JG_EPB-Ig/s16000/20230529_163610.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Family meals are one of the best things ever and no matter how messy the house is, it is more important to come together to have a nice time over home cooked food, don't you think so? It is also the time when we talk and catch up with each other most. Don't get me started on the bickers, they are part and parcel of mealtimes too, haha. But I hope that these moments will leave behind heartwarming memories in the kids and one day when they are all grown up, these are the times that will be dearly missed.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCLqJWHn7J00BY9eLXd82ffkUqG56jO3pF0Ft2-fbuzFDmZv18ESmkDbKnPRdJWtt8EftvGFvLAbZAT6unP5o49E2K_KB1HjV2hbmOL0znTh0jPLEIaZebFgVyiD8wZuh2yMIfbMc6mobm-skO4SMMKUKwfF_Y0_8EXkMf2f-20Xnrp-TmIDWZuB_bseo/s4000/20230529_201757.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCLqJWHn7J00BY9eLXd82ffkUqG56jO3pF0Ft2-fbuzFDmZv18ESmkDbKnPRdJWtt8EftvGFvLAbZAT6unP5o49E2K_KB1HjV2hbmOL0znTh0jPLEIaZebFgVyiD8wZuh2yMIfbMc6mobm-skO4SMMKUKwfF_Y0_8EXkMf2f-20Xnrp-TmIDWZuB_bseo/s16000/20230529_201757.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>One of the things we still love to do at home is dance! I think it might get harder as the kids get older and bigger and have their own genre preferences, but hopefully we can still come together to boogie to the beat every once in a while. Dancing makes us smile and makes us happy, and memories such as us dancing to Waka Waka and making human formations are something that I hold very close to my heart.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxbTS50b9WYtMKSveGykC4eh2TMpEPM0rBFZibivnKh8_XoqlfVgEjOyF8OQcApQwJVcQz3j1puyi6ToWX5AVrh4qQWoOfxxf3c-2XU1B4ofKFoATYKc0QzODqY3yxM5Ui8QhJFc1B-DT1s920pqGdfzqwxwVRYxdzQGVhVNJTr0GYlSSFfwlowvLUNwU/s4624/20230506_223315.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2604" data-original-width="4624" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxbTS50b9WYtMKSveGykC4eh2TMpEPM0rBFZibivnKh8_XoqlfVgEjOyF8OQcApQwJVcQz3j1puyi6ToWX5AVrh4qQWoOfxxf3c-2XU1B4ofKFoATYKc0QzODqY3yxM5Ui8QhJFc1B-DT1s920pqGdfzqwxwVRYxdzQGVhVNJTr0GYlSSFfwlowvLUNwU/s16000/20230506_223315.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2KZ1vOu_LP4B0dMrnnQpcTqMLVtfq5mYqNTW0ZP8a0RX6G_SZLVa77Gl6fc_SScNlL6mXjJgHQ3fQYyR5z9oxuT9wvvpOzZLcJ5umGJFw2r7KRdxLp41vliY-BQl8DUVbwvABevT3mgSG_iwg6FfSpfnhN2ozbKqBuzTNiZ1NwmW7TtitES_EwC6kONo/s4624/20230506_225123.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2604" data-original-width="4624" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2KZ1vOu_LP4B0dMrnnQpcTqMLVtfq5mYqNTW0ZP8a0RX6G_SZLVa77Gl6fc_SScNlL6mXjJgHQ3fQYyR5z9oxuT9wvvpOzZLcJ5umGJFw2r7KRdxLp41vliY-BQl8DUVbwvABevT3mgSG_iwg6FfSpfnhN2ozbKqBuzTNiZ1NwmW7TtitES_EwC6kONo/s16000/20230506_225123.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The hubby turned a year older this month and we had a simple celebration for him at home. The kids presented him with their handmade cards and I particularly loved how they drew submarines and personalised the cards for him. Like me, he doesn't need fancy celebrations or lavish presents to be happy and I think it's our simple mindsets that drew us to each other in the first place. </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4aZ8gvy0HiuPKvAUuW-db64OAI_YoJBUwBA_j65F84GraZ1a5UJZ6AVFFgW8skndVN4ZLO215pkQKVmfchXFOrK5KhHXULidMfq9QUWZr9fkdg8BFuk0MykhxW2mTyHBi9oUDly9u37wwgQZlBmBB8BNVJ3R_jk6BozJZrA3R1Ygc9JX3k1SNlbu54Io/s4000/20230529_210640.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4aZ8gvy0HiuPKvAUuW-db64OAI_YoJBUwBA_j65F84GraZ1a5UJZ6AVFFgW8skndVN4ZLO215pkQKVmfchXFOrK5KhHXULidMfq9QUWZr9fkdg8BFuk0MykhxW2mTyHBi9oUDly9u37wwgQZlBmBB8BNVJ3R_jk6BozJZrA3R1Ygc9JX3k1SNlbu54Io/s16000/20230529_210640.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJzvj20iq9s48za3TDZeyp8VOAYYTAlAu3OL8AX3asnA0HBTZfQO8mpz1PMs5UfM0nPKHMWDTCuBzp1_zZHc2F1I0CmCu4VzFpEgkCfWiDSjaRhhoBMVAurwjqhmQzjeBAumNAF0RNzF3IDPITf0n-xRL-aPn-reaux3jXfk-9zTNffhstjnW225jXyZw/s4000/20230529_210542.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJzvj20iq9s48za3TDZeyp8VOAYYTAlAu3OL8AX3asnA0HBTZfQO8mpz1PMs5UfM0nPKHMWDTCuBzp1_zZHc2F1I0CmCu4VzFpEgkCfWiDSjaRhhoBMVAurwjqhmQzjeBAumNAF0RNzF3IDPITf0n-xRL-aPn-reaux3jXfk-9zTNffhstjnW225jXyZw/s16000/20230529_210542.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjNnO6CdzfOlS-YyCYw7WWAQ8FRySaMCJ-jyJpgiPHegBj7DYREvq2XxkX-l9wbi3CNak0kC2G6ajUhxiTtCLlmLDotNIw-7C8wBIqwzLjC0amn2NKk47Wrn542XKwJseJyBOiqFpGxSOmxQJ75S9jkkRcYVZgdY_RrTmOJnURQbP0IiTN6Dx8FGJobVY/s3968/20230529_210429.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2232" data-original-width="3968" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjNnO6CdzfOlS-YyCYw7WWAQ8FRySaMCJ-jyJpgiPHegBj7DYREvq2XxkX-l9wbi3CNak0kC2G6ajUhxiTtCLlmLDotNIw-7C8wBIqwzLjC0amn2NKk47Wrn542XKwJseJyBOiqFpGxSOmxQJ75S9jkkRcYVZgdY_RrTmOJnURQbP0IiTN6Dx8FGJobVY/s16000/20230529_210429.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">He did suggest going to the beach and so we did it despite it being a scorching hot day. We spent a couple of hours in the sun, didn't really catch anything with our rods, took a walk on the sand, attempted to build sandcastles but didn't really succeed, yet we went home with our hearts full.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD3wf41qQZJx5H9gk3Gij18Z07QCw3DfivXzaPZnBQ56fKCTM7U4tDZSneQolEhOpGl4_kOrklGhptg9nIQ9M-hmpHWGe1vxD58cQ81nujHeuHSe7ubYVi3Irtyv3P-oRkYhTE26uOLJ7yzYw-g9q3ClFifG8Qka4i0r98Pt2FtTfD5fjnFTODJ2UhX8w/s4000/20230529_152141.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD3wf41qQZJx5H9gk3Gij18Z07QCw3DfivXzaPZnBQ56fKCTM7U4tDZSneQolEhOpGl4_kOrklGhptg9nIQ9M-hmpHWGe1vxD58cQ81nujHeuHSe7ubYVi3Irtyv3P-oRkYhTE26uOLJ7yzYw-g9q3ClFifG8Qka4i0r98Pt2FtTfD5fjnFTODJ2UhX8w/s16000/20230529_152141.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYVwpJ7V93YBl_7OCKaa5z52VEyphUzeUZJvIUivDvV9Him7XTAliqLGQ5ZHIfRJPkex8zUURedlbfy0t2aXJS1yLh_c7GF2iWOfUZ8k8HF9A4vERp3zMF9yIvqod-JcPmf_CUXV12T1BtKu5yD5y9YeLdm92vl81vI5bzm1LD81JxDfGFJJOEmCEvDAg/s4000/20230529_140540.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYVwpJ7V93YBl_7OCKaa5z52VEyphUzeUZJvIUivDvV9Him7XTAliqLGQ5ZHIfRJPkex8zUURedlbfy0t2aXJS1yLh_c7GF2iWOfUZ8k8HF9A4vERp3zMF9yIvqod-JcPmf_CUXV12T1BtKu5yD5y9YeLdm92vl81vI5bzm1LD81JxDfGFJJOEmCEvDAg/s16000/20230529_140540.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiagVE3DTFEmSAL-BiRzPPtzGTNTuWAXsJwt_c3So2hLGLyp_XK48FX_hc0gxbxeAYXGDw6GkGWjT83JYiQJQhctS60OpUda1NFkrEfIJBU4PYUCy1MOQ5_dRKzL8ob153D8xiuUUNbIPv8Gc70MzEmC3rqgUjw-Y1WpxUaHBGDZVdrp2OSAAcivLbiEzM/s4000/20230529_140118.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiagVE3DTFEmSAL-BiRzPPtzGTNTuWAXsJwt_c3So2hLGLyp_XK48FX_hc0gxbxeAYXGDw6GkGWjT83JYiQJQhctS60OpUda1NFkrEfIJBU4PYUCy1MOQ5_dRKzL8ob153D8xiuUUNbIPv8Gc70MzEmC3rqgUjw-Y1WpxUaHBGDZVdrp2OSAAcivLbiEzM/s16000/20230529_140118.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The last highlight for this month was my one-on-one date with the firstborn and guess where we went?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yup, we went for our first concert together and of course it HAD to be a BlackPink concert. This girl is a Kpop lover and I was glad for being able to spend half a day with her because it's truly rare. We went for dinner and had ramen together, then made our way to the Indoor Stadium, stayed till the very end of the concert before squeezing with the crowd to take the train home and stopping by 7-Eleven to have cup noodles for supper before that. What a fulfilling night, what a closetful of memories.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYx8xQGrkP_-F9yvprO_Z-FO7Ctk_WwylDGCdw7zhb4mJK2460vicCKd4VFYzo_uU6WxTsCx61JpK8bndig3v-xVlyMAeVCIX398C4q0Jd26NgCYYvLqvMyQysObOuhSpkteBqLcDaKbuwkzFHqXFtXFPCCye0zHbhWxAmV9gJXdIK7cUxAcDGbwg58Es/s4000/20230513_192327.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYx8xQGrkP_-F9yvprO_Z-FO7Ctk_WwylDGCdw7zhb4mJK2460vicCKd4VFYzo_uU6WxTsCx61JpK8bndig3v-xVlyMAeVCIX398C4q0Jd26NgCYYvLqvMyQysObOuhSpkteBqLcDaKbuwkzFHqXFtXFPCCye0zHbhWxAmV9gJXdIK7cUxAcDGbwg58Es/s16000/20230513_192327.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk5x2GsgeuDRLtXwjEpNlH6dpedBIunx41tWRphv3jmwaHkkffFkKlzAzYrJYI5Jh5RUocnBMKt2XK6fZtR6TCssJrpjHJ9HUZAky3LY2zXTDU-JkVb77QVHIybzE37QE3EFKTbdQxKyp7i6lkM0nidU4-RJikaS6mzFdXAPmU-o5NSqpWhyBws1GVXdo/s3968/20230513_172310.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2232" data-original-width="3968" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk5x2GsgeuDRLtXwjEpNlH6dpedBIunx41tWRphv3jmwaHkkffFkKlzAzYrJYI5Jh5RUocnBMKt2XK6fZtR6TCssJrpjHJ9HUZAky3LY2zXTDU-JkVb77QVHIybzE37QE3EFKTbdQxKyp7i6lkM0nidU4-RJikaS6mzFdXAPmU-o5NSqpWhyBws1GVXdo/s16000/20230513_172310.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1qhoE7zgvMKhg87x8LFrQi_fhcZ-Ysq_8sNwxZMJs-gECx2vaezynFKCDJrjO3wXQOvGWkGQI3esohhtwFQQA5ii5RswJSOUC4qwA8WopxDOzUMtGbHMGwX095DRqYAAXGLfkMFkHU6u-z9iFXGNtwmAp1ts2ZpwwcyomyFk4aZ_m3inWPJb9TcWdAR0/s3968/20230513_233228.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2232" data-original-width="3968" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1qhoE7zgvMKhg87x8LFrQi_fhcZ-Ysq_8sNwxZMJs-gECx2vaezynFKCDJrjO3wXQOvGWkGQI3esohhtwFQQA5ii5RswJSOUC4qwA8WopxDOzUMtGbHMGwX095DRqYAAXGLfkMFkHU6u-z9iFXGNtwmAp1ts2ZpwwcyomyFk4aZ_m3inWPJb9TcWdAR0/s16000/20230513_233228.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQnztwQzn2HUkAakss4FdwAhmAoCVtU-CqtuvdAB5bRBRk9XRT5nu-X1K9VsbC6x4Rk0RMM5CTU5yrK-ZpZTFXHsWGSKTFMXvltRXUGy7w9B9iYKYDDvi4fu22nPlpXrs0geusvxXTVB5KE7NKfYW_PiFCPr38oZUn_VOxqJHM1JM0l_7P7MFLdzvgXfU/s3968/20230513_214847.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2232" data-original-width="3968" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQnztwQzn2HUkAakss4FdwAhmAoCVtU-CqtuvdAB5bRBRk9XRT5nu-X1K9VsbC6x4Rk0RMM5CTU5yrK-ZpZTFXHsWGSKTFMXvltRXUGy7w9B9iYKYDDvi4fu22nPlpXrs0geusvxXTVB5KE7NKfYW_PiFCPr38oZUn_VOxqJHM1JM0l_7P7MFLdzvgXfU/s16000/20230513_214847.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That concludes the month of May for me and I think it was quite an happening one where I made lots of precious memories for keepsake. This is also why I still insist on jotting down these events and things that we did as a family - to remember.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I hope you are creating a treasure trove of memories in your life too and spending quality time with your loved ones. They are what truly matter at the end of the day.</div><p></p></div></div></div>~Summer~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478137784353655124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6546965252487257512.post-56694044969866200342023-10-11T17:07:00.003+08:002023-10-11T17:31:36.204+08:00Forty<p>40. </p><p>I always wonder how it would feel like to turn 40 because it would mean that half of your life has passed. Have the decades been well spent? Did you achieve what you dreamt of as a kid? Are you contented with where you are in life now? What do you want to do in the second half of your life to make it an even more fulfilling one?</p><p>And the most important one: <i>Are You Happy?</i></p><p>As a kid, I had big dreams of becoming an entrepreneur but I also had simpler ones of becoming a mum who loves her kids. I guess having only two years of work experience before moving to Sweden didn't help to achieve the former but I did make the latter come true at the age of 26. Then at 29, 32 and 37, I became a mum again and again and decided that four is the ideal number for me. </p><p>Well, I can't say that motherhood is a bed of roses and this journey is definitely much harder than how I envisioned it to be. The struggles, the flare-ups, the frustration, the fatigue, the self-doubt - all these are very real and take an incredible amount of strength to overcome as I try to be a more patient, understanding and loving mum. After 13 long years, I still have a long way to go and so much to learn.</p><p>That said, I do think I love being where I am and who I am in this stage of my life. Sure, I still make lots of mistakes, make hasty decisions that I regret, have unfulfilled dreams and I'm not totally sure of how life will pan out in the next couple of decades. But right now right here, I am proud to be a stay-at-home mum who doesn't work for a salary but work tirelessly for the home and the kids, who doesn't do big project presentations but reads bedtime stories every night, who need not attend meetings but enjoys listening to the chatter when the kids come home, who doesn't wear formal clothes and feels most comfortable in a baggy shirt and shorts, who can find a thousand ways to complain about life but chooses to see the cup as half full and loves her life to the max.</p><p>Here's sharing more about the day I turned forty - a simple but happy celebration filled with love and laughter. Just like the way I've chosen to live my life all this while.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2WXeMlmzSK4-7kICLfwDmSgpLPCzci6RK34rNIv8fghCfYo8CEeNqUKC1H2PbO0loyuv36QMSOR5xsX-sBxGuZHfu_ZauSpUlkPIgPKDaxau7JIvchlBbOqZObt01-wFCVNbh3OAvjTXLr8olR0NkUaEyRQ62psc67roOLExPt9dKG0fySzBNOiJFLOs/s1000/20230408_213149.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2WXeMlmzSK4-7kICLfwDmSgpLPCzci6RK34rNIv8fghCfYo8CEeNqUKC1H2PbO0loyuv36QMSOR5xsX-sBxGuZHfu_ZauSpUlkPIgPKDaxau7JIvchlBbOqZObt01-wFCVNbh3OAvjTXLr8olR0NkUaEyRQ62psc67roOLExPt9dKG0fySzBNOiJFLOs/s16000/20230408_213149.jpg" /></a></p><p>******</p><p>Handmade cards mean the world to me. Every year, I look forward to receiving cards from the kids but never once have I taken them for granted. I know how these take effort and time to make and am truly thankful that we still keep up the tradition of making cards to show our love. The older kids helped Ansel to make one too which was really sweet of them. Angel did a special one this year in the form of a DIY candy bag filled with handmade 'candies' that contain a message in each of them. So much thought, so much effort. Thank you, all my dears!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_jFUbXhw-vcQOaerkfQUrWPReHkr8hpVdisoihnYR-QUSXivnsh-jSaVMdOLPjn1woDucDcnwZQLlYr7Ki_7c6BvLx9y-rU9DZ2MnF-JM4U59DtYdxdKSJ0ihaOEC00aNSKCYP7Qdi3ngXL-FAdUsvHMnbNQaRll6l6Osmu1t3USlfUK5bqIdzQG4W34/s1000/collage250.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_jFUbXhw-vcQOaerkfQUrWPReHkr8hpVdisoihnYR-QUSXivnsh-jSaVMdOLPjn1woDucDcnwZQLlYr7Ki_7c6BvLx9y-rU9DZ2MnF-JM4U59DtYdxdKSJ0ihaOEC00aNSKCYP7Qdi3ngXL-FAdUsvHMnbNQaRll6l6Osmu1t3USlfUK5bqIdzQG4W34/s16000/collage250.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>The girls woke up extra early on my birthday because they wanted to surprise me with breakfast. Together, they made pancakes which were yummy, delightful and deeply cherished because of all the love that went into making them. Well, I did help with the cleaning up but my heart was grateful and this was definitely one of the best breakfasts ever.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiI3th-XcSmeEW-FQ-i_iPU_DeuxivbxjNiMgvk6uWz-VhG68T61_P5i6vSpnFEmEvbtKV3cIeJ6VDqSVyuM6nUBVLT9GR1Lvp_sv3bhUNsfiPsq3xdZHdvLvimcf_Shh-pMuX6MqMohUGQWPIgrtl1SOL-vwCfIrvtWbgQCkVG8f8HNqPlUzMJX6x84s/s1000/collage247.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiI3th-XcSmeEW-FQ-i_iPU_DeuxivbxjNiMgvk6uWz-VhG68T61_P5i6vSpnFEmEvbtKV3cIeJ6VDqSVyuM6nUBVLT9GR1Lvp_sv3bhUNsfiPsq3xdZHdvLvimcf_Shh-pMuX6MqMohUGQWPIgrtl1SOL-vwCfIrvtWbgQCkVG8f8HNqPlUzMJX6x84s/s16000/collage247.jpg" /></a></p><p>On my big day, we didn't have a lavish celebration nor did we gather big groups of friends to celebrate together. In fact, a couple of us were feeling a little under the weather but thankfully, we still managed to head out and have some fun. First up, we had a family badminton session! I always love playing badminton with the kids and I don't think we do enough of it, considering how both the hubby and I were badminton players back in school days. It is even more rare that we have a court session because this needs to be booked and costs money. So I totally treasured this 2-hour session and had fun with the kids. I even did shuttle run with Ansel too - he loves to run! - and it was nice seeing the smiles on all our faces.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgExLKf1-wAvY79xOcmP4VurQzdjm_U7JXkbTMkexvOuWnKGa6R4FkaclEJ3dDrURnHDHl6_gqmEXcF9eSkiW16H_JFLvJXc_pCGz5OZ6UQFYRAcbEh7X5LTfWqKPy99NxkS8iYDthc_VWrq_6fKbl8lURRxy0ic32ZaNIa9BNHPKuEWwggSCTTLCEGs/s1000/collage251.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgExLKf1-wAvY79xOcmP4VurQzdjm_U7JXkbTMkexvOuWnKGa6R4FkaclEJ3dDrURnHDHl6_gqmEXcF9eSkiW16H_JFLvJXc_pCGz5OZ6UQFYRAcbEh7X5LTfWqKPy99NxkS8iYDthc_VWrq_6fKbl8lURRxy0ic32ZaNIa9BNHPKuEWwggSCTTLCEGs/s16000/collage251.jpg" /></a></p><p>After that, we jumped into the pool for a dip and swim. The younger ones had fun on the playground, especially the slide, while the rest of us just chilled in the water as we watched monkeys walking past.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGqc903Sk4VUSThtEqiRxjVKA8r2JkG6hpgSLFWEEWiFfyKw172qj9GzsUFg5LsaUf-IaDZdWnIdlt5QGsSn6R5APLpIwHTPQ-aERyUrt4yvmhupvQ_C_AdHKYj5fBHKb2ATXaon6dOsBEpOx5jupGFzDn_sZgoVPltr4RMaRBS4gTM8TTfzbGEZmUGc/s1000/collage252.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGqc903Sk4VUSThtEqiRxjVKA8r2JkG6hpgSLFWEEWiFfyKw172qj9GzsUFg5LsaUf-IaDZdWnIdlt5QGsSn6R5APLpIwHTPQ-aERyUrt4yvmhupvQ_C_AdHKYj5fBHKb2ATXaon6dOsBEpOx5jupGFzDn_sZgoVPltr4RMaRBS4gTM8TTfzbGEZmUGc/s16000/collage252.jpg" /></a></p><p>Lastly, we ended off the day with one of my favourite pastimes - Karaoke! Yes, we always love our KTV sessions and it makes me happy to see that the kids love to sing too. In fact, they sing more than we do and the girls love Kpop so much that they will get up to sing and dance too. We spent a little more to get this spacious room that comes with a table soccer - much to the delight of the boys - and we could even order our dinner in so that we could eat as we sang. <i>Shiok!</i></p><p>The hubby only sang one song that night because the kids took over most of the session, haha, but it we managed to sing a duet that was featured in our wedding video and had special meaning for both of us. So that brought back some memories and was a heartwarming way to end off the night.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHtuTHbQ9nBEqYMUf7ojlxOhRGnE63Fwv_VkzajPhAxYfQnaJiLEEA_8QlKJrEgmUfpY2WFOUrvfqnHUlctofcBIdCwrUFdvNHjbfqPy6PjK3vNEzJ8aOBx28mVbEaSF07Q8-JDYlt9v301xeNe0fjm_pKhw28Kf6P6IsupyBPOa-shy38EHQHpZ102k8/s1000/20230407_183825.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHtuTHbQ9nBEqYMUf7ojlxOhRGnE63Fwv_VkzajPhAxYfQnaJiLEEA_8QlKJrEgmUfpY2WFOUrvfqnHUlctofcBIdCwrUFdvNHjbfqPy6PjK3vNEzJ8aOBx28mVbEaSF07Q8-JDYlt9v301xeNe0fjm_pKhw28Kf6P6IsupyBPOa-shy38EHQHpZ102k8/s16000/20230407_183825.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZG3FXDFhSRmAdYA0kgDjDh_ETh8_ILD6oDgX3Ru2bOB6e5KWmdkXEWsUgllWNJHcZNDe88gshYIAhUyx6ee7cJShIqKHrrQptOj7PEyZ5EzfZOh87jpPqY4DwbIaUCn0QPoEoEtoESHz1nPGyr28dBbYVQ_2Wj5C00GwH2R9UzeaiXlJe1ammF_jVFs/s1000/collage253.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZG3FXDFhSRmAdYA0kgDjDh_ETh8_ILD6oDgX3Ru2bOB6e5KWmdkXEWsUgllWNJHcZNDe88gshYIAhUyx6ee7cJShIqKHrrQptOj7PEyZ5EzfZOh87jpPqY4DwbIaUCn0QPoEoEtoESHz1nPGyr28dBbYVQ_2Wj5C00GwH2R9UzeaiXlJe1ammF_jVFs/s16000/collage253.jpg" /></a></p><p>Of course, there always has to be a cake and we had brought over one that was sent by a friend so that the kids could have the chance to blow out the candles together. Actually, it needn't always be a cake but there must always be a ceremony that includes singing the birthday song, making a wish and blowing out the candles. Even if you do it on a scoop of ice cream or a cup of fruits. Yup, I guess I am traditional that way and I still believe that birthday wishes can come true. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF_DPQJNMFC0AoVsLpX7lgawbHebzK5ZiWJZlqAWCM-gGUPBBOVpl9iSmjwrTFT-UufQ6Cg4CRzB4OkLndv9O3nUlBz1CnB0LgJtg9YQ6xpZbfDeepv2AbBeDk35AolvR6CR23h_1H0tB2xV72XRg5bkFqPOKkgOoQtmDOXP1RcMlX--7iaihbiiPMN8s/s1000/collage254.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF_DPQJNMFC0AoVsLpX7lgawbHebzK5ZiWJZlqAWCM-gGUPBBOVpl9iSmjwrTFT-UufQ6Cg4CRzB4OkLndv9O3nUlBz1CnB0LgJtg9YQ6xpZbfDeepv2AbBeDk35AolvR6CR23h_1H0tB2xV72XRg5bkFqPOKkgOoQtmDOXP1RcMlX--7iaihbiiPMN8s/s16000/collage254.jpg" /></a></p><p>Frankly speaking, I don't really have many close friends but for those that I do hold close to my heart, I met up with them in the month of April and we had a good time together. The most lavish celebration this year goes to my yacht party where I hung out with four of my besties - thank you for going the extra mile to plan this and for making time for me! - and we had a blast drinking, partying, chilling out, chatting, enjoying the sea breeze and more importantly, each other's company.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf6qkJX_ql9-t7-YgNS1AI19oeHwrrppbor7oIbq1iOYESY-mlXSSfqbJppfbZg0m3ocyEJbJ1w5_g5uaWl2F98VHvS4IVOgETs7g9K4Gz6YkX_PTy7V-nsnU912WjN5qwFxmT429lZqxqUmdPjg2ID0z-bUts3pXisgX4LHnu8bS2smyg3cQiGjmzMZE/s1000/20230401_170746.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf6qkJX_ql9-t7-YgNS1AI19oeHwrrppbor7oIbq1iOYESY-mlXSSfqbJppfbZg0m3ocyEJbJ1w5_g5uaWl2F98VHvS4IVOgETs7g9K4Gz6YkX_PTy7V-nsnU912WjN5qwFxmT429lZqxqUmdPjg2ID0z-bUts3pXisgX4LHnu8bS2smyg3cQiGjmzMZE/s16000/20230401_170746.jpg" /></a></p><p>My parents always treat me to good food when it is my birthday and this time, we headed to Golden Mile for sumptuous steamboat dinner. It is our of our favourite places to dine in and this was the place where the hubby met my mum and my beloved Popo, who I still miss every single day, for the first time too. Yup, such precious memories. My Dad also made sure he brought along my favourite cake - Coco Exotic from Four Leaves - for everyone to enjoy. Thank you for the love!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb1032X79VztB4ci7p9Y5ZL312J0vh_1KMUB-2XXtnui97wtBqCEAgSQ5P4E4xcRT66F8-Yt9sItRp_theWFf3EPgqoSPVaJxKSs3Owyag89nvm4puasTARdTkS0vBaP0YMjGXnZmSgleT6pI0LRqjV--C_vRFY7smjMEY17m4DSRl9BwjSbUIWH5iPZ0/s1000/20230415_202802.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb1032X79VztB4ci7p9Y5ZL312J0vh_1KMUB-2XXtnui97wtBqCEAgSQ5P4E4xcRT66F8-Yt9sItRp_theWFf3EPgqoSPVaJxKSs3Owyag89nvm4puasTARdTkS0vBaP0YMjGXnZmSgleT6pI0LRqjV--C_vRFY7smjMEY17m4DSRl9BwjSbUIWH5iPZ0/s16000/20230415_202802.jpg" /></a></p><p>As I've said before last year, I love BBQ sessions and we actually booked a pit during my birthday weekend so we could have a barbecue with the parents. Alas, things didn't turn out that way as some of us fell sick so the gathering had to be postponed. We didn't want to waste the session so with just our family of six, we still made our way to the pool and had a simple but totally delicious dinner which included roasted marshmallows, yummy chicken wings, sweet potatoes, nicely burnt bacon as well as ice cream and apple cider for dessert. Oh yes, we received a birthday cake sent by another group of friends so I had a second cake-cutting ceremony with the kids, woohoo!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRFQVhZJ7fzwzkP1b5dXFEcJdjF6tuzyHuSCOvs2YLrfEWPw9GPHzsAzGUfxu6cPqgU0gLzKtgp2-yCEaoi_wL8TyVZfAAu6pzptGvKRlKmkTefP7iabs9kTudmbrwHc5CC0PUACafSl0neRh3JYEAODELrloYMYzfgxAt9ugoNitIuYrX6uPaNwcmWts/s1000/20230408_213339.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRFQVhZJ7fzwzkP1b5dXFEcJdjF6tuzyHuSCOvs2YLrfEWPw9GPHzsAzGUfxu6cPqgU0gLzKtgp2-yCEaoi_wL8TyVZfAAu6pzptGvKRlKmkTefP7iabs9kTudmbrwHc5CC0PUACafSl0neRh3JYEAODELrloYMYzfgxAt9ugoNitIuYrX6uPaNwcmWts/s16000/20230408_213339.jpg" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhleJTsKopYE82l88GVdCnSLX9P6mPoN37b7oqr8axpukpzH54eNPfuHPX2I4Ffk_pZCLApuKk7YMv2K3o8W0e7O7L7I0XcbF2iAYEpmC0LYowkc80GYVq9go8SOCRC5Jbkjk3SRXa7PXvv5T6N6kTSdtXU4gnGTs3DulwbrqCgVOFStbMh2tAO0LLTdHc/s1000/20230408_213014.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhleJTsKopYE82l88GVdCnSLX9P6mPoN37b7oqr8axpukpzH54eNPfuHPX2I4Ffk_pZCLApuKk7YMv2K3o8W0e7O7L7I0XcbF2iAYEpmC0LYowkc80GYVq9go8SOCRC5Jbkjk3SRXa7PXvv5T6N6kTSdtXU4gnGTs3DulwbrqCgVOFStbMh2tAO0LLTdHc/s16000/20230408_213014.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So this is forty and this is me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Am I happy? </i>Yes, I am. 100%. And I can't be thankful enough to be where I am right here right now. Life is beautiful the way I see it and I've been truly blessed to be a mum of four and be surrounded by lots of joy, love and laughter. Sure, throw in tantrums, bickers and non-stop backtalking too, but it's part and parcel of my life and I wouldn't trade it in for anything in the world.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Till the next year!</div><p></p>~Summer~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478137784353655124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6546965252487257512.post-43141813175460560922023-09-18T13:39:00.006+08:002023-09-21T18:56:10.647+08:00Happiness is... turning a year wiser<p>April makes a special month for me because it is the month in which I was born in 1983 and then got married in 2008. Yup, that also means I officially stepped into the 40s club upon celebrating my birthday this year.</p><p>It wasn't a lavish or over the top affair because simplicity has always been more of my style. Moreover, some of us had fallen sick during that period so in order not to spread the virus to others, we chose to stick to ourselves and have a cosy celebration as a family of six. I will dedicate another post for more details and thoughts on turning 40 but here's a quick look at how the month went.</p><p>In this post of <i>"Happiness is..."</i>, it's about turning a year older, and hopefully wiser, and treasuring the simple but memorable celebrations. </p><p>******</p><p>I love barbeques, do you? There's something about the aroma of BBQ food that delights me and it's a treat to be able to eat barbequed chicken wings, sweet potatoes and roasted marshmallow. To satisfy my craving, we had a small BBQ session for just the six of us even though some of us were sick. The kids were still happy to jump into the water for a night swim and we also got some ice cream from the supermarket as dessert. My heart lives for such simple but loving moments and it's everything I ever need or can ask for.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkvwuLYPB2_T7780xVJcc1JgcEz1dmmuTUC50_-qBS1rwkV2_c_JjPJM-lKHpr5bTlNgFftn_T4_TPgXPSOSJommzFJerj3Mf_ZR5TaOrS9dkYNVC3HrTKIvvBc3TVUxdcMaS5OMyXlZu0LJJuZo2z0kL8OzvwiQn0wi569N50btEmIFYr8LPm130gsts/s1000/20230408_213039.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkvwuLYPB2_T7780xVJcc1JgcEz1dmmuTUC50_-qBS1rwkV2_c_JjPJM-lKHpr5bTlNgFftn_T4_TPgXPSOSJommzFJerj3Mf_ZR5TaOrS9dkYNVC3HrTKIvvBc3TVUxdcMaS5OMyXlZu0LJJuZo2z0kL8OzvwiQn0wi569N50btEmIFYr8LPm130gsts/s16000/20230408_213039.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi20T1kimTo2SvCKXsd95M-8kxr7JFy6ydLaAaFp0W6Xyh7KNPSWOa7j4G53fG_QkHN97kMI5E8w3HBaE5-5IMH9oFNwckB_GZA8QkdNKQ8_Z3tqAUN8QWlraKgjqCxgPnvH_lhvdsUW15KAqbN1YSUBhBGXaozMEuYFL-0dIgLAGCrcdQegwSsDw_azsQ/s1000/20230408_185113.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi20T1kimTo2SvCKXsd95M-8kxr7JFy6ydLaAaFp0W6Xyh7KNPSWOa7j4G53fG_QkHN97kMI5E8w3HBaE5-5IMH9oFNwckB_GZA8QkdNKQ8_Z3tqAUN8QWlraKgjqCxgPnvH_lhvdsUW15KAqbN1YSUBhBGXaozMEuYFL-0dIgLAGCrcdQegwSsDw_azsQ/s16000/20230408_185113.jpg" /></a></p><p>Of course, having a meal with our parents is a must too and after we recovered from our illnesses, we took my parents and in-laws out for a yummy steamboat at Golden Mile. My dad brought me my favourite cake, Coco Exotic from Four Leaves, and the kids and I loved every bite of it. Sometimes, I wonder if I make my parents proud with what I've achieved in my life, even though I don't really know what that means apart from having four kids and trying to raise them to the best of my ability. I have done, and will probably continue to do, some silly things and make silly decisions in my life but hopefully they know how much I love them and treasure them all.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglPw1khnlMRgQotL9BpCC1MbTSDP0WTz3CsSZDsqPfKde3IIpYOhAoZz6RvBu5lhGk-HjQTT5svJ7u2_60rDL5xh_kaSGoIoeVrUjLfuMUPmSkiDfDb0Jw_IdN_N92S-PkS8JKf-fYWIn2j6L12gzs_NSUzeeOnMTIaQfgL5o9n4pwRWZOFRdp9RkrcZI/s1000/20230415_191434.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglPw1khnlMRgQotL9BpCC1MbTSDP0WTz3CsSZDsqPfKde3IIpYOhAoZz6RvBu5lhGk-HjQTT5svJ7u2_60rDL5xh_kaSGoIoeVrUjLfuMUPmSkiDfDb0Jw_IdN_N92S-PkS8JKf-fYWIn2j6L12gzs_NSUzeeOnMTIaQfgL5o9n4pwRWZOFRdp9RkrcZI/s16000/20230415_191434.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK6q9fkomcCnCefPFfG59MIMkqblX72ykCcdB_OqlOsYJPR0c640riNu2AdEy1itk850DdPrTKZgKzuxEHRmzFiFYsdJqgDpKKS0_WXJm1htXKIDoa8WeYQhH-Uqaq-2hPbGEIGKCqEJUZVrsXYxEn-fdu26yI0EZylNdcqcCr0IDyR41lTaeRdvSsx60/s1000/20230415_202939.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK6q9fkomcCnCefPFfG59MIMkqblX72ykCcdB_OqlOsYJPR0c640riNu2AdEy1itk850DdPrTKZgKzuxEHRmzFiFYsdJqgDpKKS0_WXJm1htXKIDoa8WeYQhH-Uqaq-2hPbGEIGKCqEJUZVrsXYxEn-fdu26yI0EZylNdcqcCr0IDyR41lTaeRdvSsx60/s16000/20230415_202939.jpg" /></a></p><p>Handmade cards mean everything to me and that is something that will never change. The kids made me these beautiful cards for my birthday and I appreciate each and every of them so deeply.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFBNOvYO3Lh5GxlbehiGh6rag_LjrqiGAMQiDufcXN0YqLEXcwCNWl4ncY7C2mTAG2wo_iySBRAXXwcH41wdLJiuIDP-H0vRovcZruUzzb43RWN5S7UmW9o0xo86QGVY9vlUSLCOSaCUJVuMUzPZfVpxLCvklKQOEpSNcw6bQqgQJecFeAr8YsYHJoMlI/s1000/collage249.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFBNOvYO3Lh5GxlbehiGh6rag_LjrqiGAMQiDufcXN0YqLEXcwCNWl4ncY7C2mTAG2wo_iySBRAXXwcH41wdLJiuIDP-H0vRovcZruUzzb43RWN5S7UmW9o0xo86QGVY9vlUSLCOSaCUJVuMUzPZfVpxLCvklKQOEpSNcw6bQqgQJecFeAr8YsYHJoMlI/s16000/collage249.jpg" /></a></p><p>Oh, I did have one lavish celebration with some of my 姐妹s and that is because one of them had gone ahead to book a yacht party when we realised that I had missed one of their hens' night celebration - which was on a yacht - when I was living in Sweden. It was a 尽在不言中 celebration and we talked so much yet many things remained unsaid, and I know these are the girls who know me best in life and will always be there for me when I need them.</p><p>For me, it's truly rare to have a few hours of me-time away from the kids so this was very much appreciated. We drank, we sang, we ate, we partied, we chatted, we confided, we had supper after disembarking and the only regret was that I couldn't jump into the water to do paddleboarding due to the presence of lightning. However, that meant I had more time to sit around and chit chat with the girls and that was something I cherished too. Thank you all for the precious memories and for taking time off to spend a day with me!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFTR3Nf23fe7MEZDPad7Fnvjm7g_tk6lb0ykqbGQ0qYsg9y4TknfaHcnRUHgNQ4BE87Ube4c36t4dxfW-cbRO2ny_vDvLXpNIli0QqC-RyKiDtQkpLWkuQkmH4yctQX4-C1kZgsKfV0228hfZPc1gtSkmua-c4-b-RGdFa5xSiqZ2BqgidUcnG2wVtR5k/s1000/collage246.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFTR3Nf23fe7MEZDPad7Fnvjm7g_tk6lb0ykqbGQ0qYsg9y4TknfaHcnRUHgNQ4BE87Ube4c36t4dxfW-cbRO2ny_vDvLXpNIli0QqC-RyKiDtQkpLWkuQkmH4yctQX4-C1kZgsKfV0228hfZPc1gtSkmua-c4-b-RGdFa5xSiqZ2BqgidUcnG2wVtR5k/s16000/collage246.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWxzxyZgujl3rvfXAXGEmheeQ_7vokxiejsXwdq-immZltIpSmJeSjLvBPkHr4NHKUeIr9wWbcTnJeH3j1UnWqeFseMqEUEbTvFqCrecivi_3ofH7A8kO4CxIRaErIjCTGUyOLrBrLP25MxbrLOTSllV44ZG6a53eH6Bd3v7iEu8XQ5owvRTUX8vZzw48/s1000/20230401_180325.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWxzxyZgujl3rvfXAXGEmheeQ_7vokxiejsXwdq-immZltIpSmJeSjLvBPkHr4NHKUeIr9wWbcTnJeH3j1UnWqeFseMqEUEbTvFqCrecivi_3ofH7A8kO4CxIRaErIjCTGUyOLrBrLP25MxbrLOTSllV44ZG6a53eH6Bd3v7iEu8XQ5owvRTUX8vZzw48/s16000/20230401_180325.jpg" /></a></p><p>We still love visiting parks and exploring nature reserves on the weekends and this month, we made our way to Rifle Range Park for the first time. It was drizzling but we didn't let it dampen our enthusiasm but instead continued to hike in the rain. We trekked all the way to the top, took some nice photos, stopped to admire the animals, had some cold beverages to quench our thirst before making our way back.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRzJd6a_vZ_c6rUURJM81X6tdXEj1_Rqa6_d_sWrt0-j7QCV9KqZPlwyWIfGAP46H5WX01UuG6RLIz32G8ss8uuHu1IGN_JA1E3QQItpslMOOPZ14Stz9YFrB1-NgI4ukcJqCF4vmBhxgYi797mFbF0k4p1QsAeRt4junm-xymziBApl9oz7sIfqINM1E/s1000/20230424_171557.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRzJd6a_vZ_c6rUURJM81X6tdXEj1_Rqa6_d_sWrt0-j7QCV9KqZPlwyWIfGAP46H5WX01UuG6RLIz32G8ss8uuHu1IGN_JA1E3QQItpslMOOPZ14Stz9YFrB1-NgI4ukcJqCF4vmBhxgYi797mFbF0k4p1QsAeRt4junm-xymziBApl9oz7sIfqINM1E/s16000/20230424_171557.jpg" /></a></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOAC83cC_XgfdVsTNv8fKjkfuCd3kqblfShziXvxWYuxdWDHGAE5RNwo3EfxpAssdy11aPJyQxHRUi8Z4Z5tJJt1jG8F245j3mTSr47_xpRn162-P0cSL0-QskcP-dR-hALuHlkFcGRvo3OXX2aBCCHR7lLTFfXt-qK3NTgXvhSKo-PTRE1DvWE1juIWY/s1000/20230424_173134.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOAC83cC_XgfdVsTNv8fKjkfuCd3kqblfShziXvxWYuxdWDHGAE5RNwo3EfxpAssdy11aPJyQxHRUi8Z4Z5tJJt1jG8F245j3mTSr47_xpRn162-P0cSL0-QskcP-dR-hALuHlkFcGRvo3OXX2aBCCHR7lLTFfXt-qK3NTgXvhSKo-PTRE1DvWE1juIWY/s16000/20230424_173134.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjONAbJeXGVhNF4IVXnOagKIN99plEFCF9_WZhBUtvcXUcI8LpWUu6muAgDpVV7KHRFXOeXzqY-_nPT2hg0CdZiFs4ZLDbkHfcl09WJGalA4aZyZOAFj2DjnszihFWFcWJ_UdvCo4bE2UPYV_9NCGk_YoOMY3RVQnEccCZAqVf715BlENRHacLIcYPNjGU/s1000/collage248.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjONAbJeXGVhNF4IVXnOagKIN99plEFCF9_WZhBUtvcXUcI8LpWUu6muAgDpVV7KHRFXOeXzqY-_nPT2hg0CdZiFs4ZLDbkHfcl09WJGalA4aZyZOAFj2DjnszihFWFcWJ_UdvCo4bE2UPYV_9NCGk_YoOMY3RVQnEccCZAqVf715BlENRHacLIcYPNjGU/s16000/collage248.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I hope the kids will always love coming to parks as a family, no matter how busy life gets as they grow older. It won't be easy to keep doing this once they have their own social circles and start to use more electronic devices. But hopefully, we will always know when to keep our phones and just enjoy being close to nature and spending time with family - the one thing that matters most in our lives.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXbeBsArfNuXX_CHRk5xZzH4QoSVAUiZTo4TDC1TNZGc6JAM327oNUwQgVIkmvnEo7aqJxnj81XCtp9fRcvyCFRcZmKwUGwvzTfbyRGRWasIDQgyewmXoH5xM_wBIKJWK1t2ifS2LzOS0Hi8STBQhiSNedDQCYw2kaDf2y6Ftv2s1QLfuYUdFFl-ndV5M/s1000/20230423_175352(0).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXbeBsArfNuXX_CHRk5xZzH4QoSVAUiZTo4TDC1TNZGc6JAM327oNUwQgVIkmvnEo7aqJxnj81XCtp9fRcvyCFRcZmKwUGwvzTfbyRGRWasIDQgyewmXoH5xM_wBIKJWK1t2ifS2LzOS0Hi8STBQhiSNedDQCYw2kaDf2y6Ftv2s1QLfuYUdFFl-ndV5M/s16000/20230423_175352(0).jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For our 15th wedding anniversary, we brought the kids out for a meal at Swensen's and had a fondue treat too. I know many couples choose to celebrate this day on their own sans kids and they tell me couple time matters. However, besides being impractical for us since we don't leave the kids to other caretakers, I also think both the hubby and I prefer to have everyone together on our special day. It's just how we are wired and how we like things to be in our family. No right or wrong, I guess?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuVfpUF0J2nDLbrq1iXOREx0WZa7E_DtqGCULrV6ZBvflbovOT7WminNd__BzLSsrMYvtUHkjrNEngmBLLONgMsQ9d1V0mqOL6S44npCShVBTI_jGtjmFgun9TZmnrwi5PYP9e3hjtPESOuuZqrvfiKf1osbn2Ka30TaWtpNue8PrCTlJ1-8UgHwH64Kw/s1000/20230426_213614.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuVfpUF0J2nDLbrq1iXOREx0WZa7E_DtqGCULrV6ZBvflbovOT7WminNd__BzLSsrMYvtUHkjrNEngmBLLONgMsQ9d1V0mqOL6S44npCShVBTI_jGtjmFgun9TZmnrwi5PYP9e3hjtPESOuuZqrvfiKf1osbn2Ka30TaWtpNue8PrCTlJ1-8UgHwH64Kw/s16000/20230426_213614.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1UfscyUvc115VegsVav9ENlVogTlIqaXPHt0e_-7ls4JR9gAYBJTa_tv9c7xbDR60KCoitbrzu_ygZLFs_CUiq58l7z7e3AvOGoMKlWEvUcZHY9d6T2ZwAzqfKP9-6T9csPmomb1HmN1Kso6sSJF1sbRaCc9DcufPFYPCeuT628Wj2kMqaOhIug7eCjU/s1000/20230426_213449.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1UfscyUvc115VegsVav9ENlVogTlIqaXPHt0e_-7ls4JR9gAYBJTa_tv9c7xbDR60KCoitbrzu_ygZLFs_CUiq58l7z7e3AvOGoMKlWEvUcZHY9d6T2ZwAzqfKP9-6T9csPmomb1HmN1Kso6sSJF1sbRaCc9DcufPFYPCeuT628Wj2kMqaOhIug7eCjU/s16000/20230426_213449.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw_Zi3y-gT_tssIci4lzFQk8TbOQ7aeiGTDlofRQM3jGVnXolRancsW3ZhqpshBPXbNDxSI8QsH_2WgUHKx5hrOTYYk98EA8K_8Bmr5RehFzvd6reG5NIY4U1FUzEzAfR2OeaJe_HUrDtblu666VUaUc81mzyNItiqYmo7U4slVZu6dPWgBvcDz5F1mVo/s1000/20230426_205753.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw_Zi3y-gT_tssIci4lzFQk8TbOQ7aeiGTDlofRQM3jGVnXolRancsW3ZhqpshBPXbNDxSI8QsH_2WgUHKx5hrOTYYk98EA8K_8Bmr5RehFzvd6reG5NIY4U1FUzEzAfR2OeaJe_HUrDtblu666VUaUc81mzyNItiqYmo7U4slVZu6dPWgBvcDz5F1mVo/s16000/20230426_205753.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I mentioned before that I can never say no to pasar malams because despite the crowd, we still love eating pasar malam food - orh ah mee sua, braised pork rice, steamed corn, tutu kueh, tea leaf eggs, Taiwanese sausges, Ramly burger etc - and the kids get to play games afterwards too. This time round, we had a blast at the claw machines and caught not only plushies, but instant noodles, biscuits and lots of snacks too. Haha. It makes me feel like a kid sometimes but it's nice doing this with my own children and they enjoy the satisfaction of catching something too.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgRpxXPRjUqajzVlUn2XQdNCSmbiSZ9Dgpm3nYd9NIO-wy5AKHux7ExN5wYN6xtmvMy4lFw_gWhM5vErTFWl-jxdn5I1DFjTxOn8TQ_QSWmS4hO-XFAzTKgzsJpseuf6QQRb6bemqmVzBx7R-q6no3iML84S4ZkJ6P8tMQmVv7hkO5ldoz0Td8tm8N1fo/s1000/20230414_214059.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgRpxXPRjUqajzVlUn2XQdNCSmbiSZ9Dgpm3nYd9NIO-wy5AKHux7ExN5wYN6xtmvMy4lFw_gWhM5vErTFWl-jxdn5I1DFjTxOn8TQ_QSWmS4hO-XFAzTKgzsJpseuf6QQRb6bemqmVzBx7R-q6no3iML84S4ZkJ6P8tMQmVv7hkO5ldoz0Td8tm8N1fo/s16000/20230414_214059.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsQ_4078Ymh_BnilwlTI24NbjWPSm5B7tD6HjFou_AIW4KqxQgQ1iM4hQchOZf_mquJs7m1R12NCOyO8QbT26N5fFhCQJ-Oh1e_OJvS9MDmtFdfyF_8LjoytnO0dLf2dgGjApjV8vKQuuebbysD1e_O1lGiwcAh0cgqn5JWqEUB1MaRsb2H57fyti01ic/s1000/20230414_212618.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsQ_4078Ymh_BnilwlTI24NbjWPSm5B7tD6HjFou_AIW4KqxQgQ1iM4hQchOZf_mquJs7m1R12NCOyO8QbT26N5fFhCQJ-Oh1e_OJvS9MDmtFdfyF_8LjoytnO0dLf2dgGjApjV8vKQuuebbysD1e_O1lGiwcAh0cgqn5JWqEUB1MaRsb2H57fyti01ic/s16000/20230414_212618.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdUwGKf6q7UOAZEdnlz_PJWiNFUdPrjidGqg1ek9v4a-EYwB9kNCQYRXpjqT8zFA_z77-k9F-QsDNu6BfHoWV8EzQAyPSg4dkqT0cPT7SP98DlgN83fNpTS-HccE1RJVkqfLtcEgbG1HEA8K-jXcmNzJPQCzcCAwzwnPy01PFlaeJPMLbfDIIIcQgC-z0/s1000/20230414_211932.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdUwGKf6q7UOAZEdnlz_PJWiNFUdPrjidGqg1ek9v4a-EYwB9kNCQYRXpjqT8zFA_z77-k9F-QsDNu6BfHoWV8EzQAyPSg4dkqT0cPT7SP98DlgN83fNpTS-HccE1RJVkqfLtcEgbG1HEA8K-jXcmNzJPQCzcCAwzwnPy01PFlaeJPMLbfDIIIcQgC-z0/s16000/20230414_211932.jpg" /></a></div>Back at home, I set up the tent for Ansel to have some fun during the day and also bought a whole tray of beans for sensory play. The siblings still love playing with him and it's nice that he has so many people to entertain him whenever Mama is busy cooking or needs a break. This boy is growing up so fast, isn't he?<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrb9uiyGHJJF1EKnW3skgMJ7IisST5x37XCNXn9kqg2n0GEfw6vnQstJ9dJN5MtN9TqrNysT48iIQ14GeWnbKN0M_cMikkbzjNvQJso_Pb680sNS3Q5TKNqn0d8NNO2Xy9Jpk0gRCWgBVzRM06qS3B-H-nQE8j95hnpZWHB09AJTII7sUuXvlSw8b84E8/s1000/20230413_195224.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrb9uiyGHJJF1EKnW3skgMJ7IisST5x37XCNXn9kqg2n0GEfw6vnQstJ9dJN5MtN9TqrNysT48iIQ14GeWnbKN0M_cMikkbzjNvQJso_Pb680sNS3Q5TKNqn0d8NNO2Xy9Jpk0gRCWgBVzRM06qS3B-H-nQE8j95hnpZWHB09AJTII7sUuXvlSw8b84E8/s16000/20230413_195224.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've been blogging and sharing less so it makes me extra grateful to be invited to any media events. Watching movies is still a favourite pastime of ours and we are always happy to attend any premieres. This time, we caught The Super Mario Bros Movie which turned out to be much better than I had expected and it evoked so many childhood memories of mine too while entertaining the kids to the max.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCeSMRT2eHjB8JtAPOiTuNANGKJ3m0pg-QoEXGKLWUp17sPdImZU_E5frvjcPyU2jJLNP9ZIj3BefH3WgxU8CzFeaPzodHJlZ_0K7l8Qx4jPzZGbQRynurE97K3BrNETl-zIUQr5xPH_DPO4hUFUqj2g6FmKjEsaX6kAq7uMZZNfn13LPwkOFriL4xVlg/s1000/20230405_183244.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCeSMRT2eHjB8JtAPOiTuNANGKJ3m0pg-QoEXGKLWUp17sPdImZU_E5frvjcPyU2jJLNP9ZIj3BefH3WgxU8CzFeaPzodHJlZ_0K7l8Qx4jPzZGbQRynurE97K3BrNETl-zIUQr5xPH_DPO4hUFUqj2g6FmKjEsaX6kAq7uMZZNfn13LPwkOFriL4xVlg/s16000/20230405_183244.jpg" /></a></div>The kids tried out fishing too and since it's a sure-catch pond, you bet they were ecstatic when they fished a gigantic seabass or mangrove jack out of the water. I have to give the hubby credit for letting them have these fun experiences and even though we are not rich, he is always willing to spend on the kids and they are lucky to be able to savour such moments.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaFkdGfoTlX2iNb5KtExOwf3xoUHlmHnddbn6H7vcutXtEE9vpdisGXvkGyB0yPPDUxvA0Goidh2kVTx18oVfb_eP8ODvy2tPBWwq9sfcpKy_S6rTubdXsWjTBSJI_Ct4Z7V_UnkUarREG1JmYI12rIJnU3mApQvyMHlF1R0wy_EzpDcuff7E55Rtf0Y0/s1000/20230402_165808.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaFkdGfoTlX2iNb5KtExOwf3xoUHlmHnddbn6H7vcutXtEE9vpdisGXvkGyB0yPPDUxvA0Goidh2kVTx18oVfb_eP8ODvy2tPBWwq9sfcpKy_S6rTubdXsWjTBSJI_Ct4Z7V_UnkUarREG1JmYI12rIJnU3mApQvyMHlF1R0wy_EzpDcuff7E55Rtf0Y0/s16000/20230402_165808.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKLROzmuUpPTnX2uvZqQFWaphQamW6g5UPvyp7e-mmAZQu7HNmMM0dTXSq8YKVU5yNQBlNRddNP8LRINP6ZnjzFchEXFYXJi2e90RTfAGdxDJk9uEKPHKXK7_--1e8Q54BEt1bPJUfVwpfJH1YgfktLf6qNj6nvE3dshuFd591bO9wvk-5M8H_bWH5TDo/s1000/20230402_164348.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKLROzmuUpPTnX2uvZqQFWaphQamW6g5UPvyp7e-mmAZQu7HNmMM0dTXSq8YKVU5yNQBlNRddNP8LRINP6ZnjzFchEXFYXJi2e90RTfAGdxDJk9uEKPHKXK7_--1e8Q54BEt1bPJUfVwpfJH1YgfktLf6qNj6nvE3dshuFd591bO9wvk-5M8H_bWH5TDo/s16000/20230402_164348.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqhaa6A1ndMnZsynbNIa4p0iFqmScIZtxPYdFaAcxfiIJaHQ8fm8HLQJV3LfYycR6h4RH8ikLyLSlohOMwL9dpgHhAVprE3lODxOAleKW2XRm5KrmM30W9uH5UliB3voYa1MRv6wzTVdDrvqqkS3QYkaykAFh-da584km9AzdWiW1qtQOydtV1vCUqnfs/s1000/20230402_164252.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqhaa6A1ndMnZsynbNIa4p0iFqmScIZtxPYdFaAcxfiIJaHQ8fm8HLQJV3LfYycR6h4RH8ikLyLSlohOMwL9dpgHhAVprE3lODxOAleKW2XRm5KrmM30W9uH5UliB3voYa1MRv6wzTVdDrvqqkS3QYkaykAFh-da584km9AzdWiW1qtQOydtV1vCUqnfs/s16000/20230402_164252.jpg" /></a></div>The big girl has been saying it's nice to eat Yakiniku and be able to cook your own meat ever since she went out with her friends and tried it. So we went to experience it too and it was indeed pretty yummy! I am a beef lover and like I said just now, I love BBQ food so grilled meat makes me happy too. Hee. It's nice to see that the kids enjoy the cooking process too!</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-lOnGYHeuWUdT9_ILSHQsP56EWM4fVv3vRAU69pDH_lZ4HWrdi_geewsDDwYxNz_Xker52r3cSHYvp4A1tJ3BPMIjHyFQw7sODCPorQNNyRD0Jc6MxQmFSeYwQPnwX-bfY6msz2WGWpMy0R9efAYmimU_1XOHBwPL-HsYOyaGe_uYfznHuwfA9IMdDtY/s1000/20230402_132418.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-lOnGYHeuWUdT9_ILSHQsP56EWM4fVv3vRAU69pDH_lZ4HWrdi_geewsDDwYxNz_Xker52r3cSHYvp4A1tJ3BPMIjHyFQw7sODCPorQNNyRD0Jc6MxQmFSeYwQPnwX-bfY6msz2WGWpMy0R9efAYmimU_1XOHBwPL-HsYOyaGe_uYfznHuwfA9IMdDtY/s16000/20230402_132418.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Last but not least, another highlight of April was having a one-on-one date with Ariel! I decided to do something special with each of the kids this year and that will mean I need to take time off with each of them and this has to be done when the hubby is around to look after the rest. Ariel is the first to have a sesson with me and we decided to sign up for a mother-and-child culinary class, woohoo! We had her favourite eggs and toasted bread at Yakun for breakfast before making our way to take the MRT to Buona Vista to Palate Sensations where the class was held. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8I6DrcIDhN6f8XSrN_WbsNqMRneIaY7pLkIKDl2VEmtmxn3rLia743vH9hOb4Ouyi9_RnYfk4KfAQOQpeUjqKXJDg0U9XftnIryGsw2M_GStBiQ4tLzbX9D8byVMB54hV61wGowkRYBUFYzP8FZAlb3urV2GudYyvqAJtQcgyASWQWnCtD4226-MA2Bk/s1000/20230416_081918.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8I6DrcIDhN6f8XSrN_WbsNqMRneIaY7pLkIKDl2VEmtmxn3rLia743vH9hOb4Ouyi9_RnYfk4KfAQOQpeUjqKXJDg0U9XftnIryGsw2M_GStBiQ4tLzbX9D8byVMB54hV61wGowkRYBUFYzP8FZAlb3urV2GudYyvqAJtQcgyASWQWnCtD4226-MA2Bk/s16000/20230416_081918.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh52K9pT4QCBAdnsy87qsw4etrgg_qBSwjf5I69EVzwbzXEYP3e1Po-YwS41yy9d9S_FLSrGoTTXPNwarfRVT3xQFNqFMiUFmgV9e2R7kFUcwSI8vAR0SOhppp2rjq5q6fiEKSeDMn-JWZ_L4ToRLwMtDTPb-xDewENn0714tvTnXEndtxOm53iSvq0R7w/s1000/20230416_114413.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh52K9pT4QCBAdnsy87qsw4etrgg_qBSwjf5I69EVzwbzXEYP3e1Po-YwS41yy9d9S_FLSrGoTTXPNwarfRVT3xQFNqFMiUFmgV9e2R7kFUcwSI8vAR0SOhppp2rjq5q6fiEKSeDMn-JWZ_L4ToRLwMtDTPb-xDewENn0714tvTnXEndtxOm53iSvq0R7w/s16000/20230416_114413.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJfkl7ldyUIAmsF0VoMvtwH-nztZD78Sq5qK-DyBReghJQrBirSZFdeT6_Y1QOURHdNObYEaomchk5X49Gmit6MKszfXlnBoaj1-zMbFYZEUhQydwSBOsUqzaMvEFJ5AhG-IQK3RusmsVqPXOSvRFJ7sbCxg0RTVHT-wXuI9DpTGE5rNrCpyEWaeyCas/s1000/20230416_100554.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJfkl7ldyUIAmsF0VoMvtwH-nztZD78Sq5qK-DyBReghJQrBirSZFdeT6_Y1QOURHdNObYEaomchk5X49Gmit6MKszfXlnBoaj1-zMbFYZEUhQydwSBOsUqzaMvEFJ5AhG-IQK3RusmsVqPXOSvRFJ7sbCxg0RTVHT-wXuI9DpTGE5rNrCpyEWaeyCas/s16000/20230416_100554.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN923qL2kBUO0iUi4WMl4F31LkRQ-GtH8acRJK_tt7DhPhLdqJItjhwj8XP3FwEEc9G5gyZNeTxKOJu1175UjnHLxWdoE_-Q6Z7jrSEeJZqgi2SIX8WIFn0yv9YFuEkCrTRz44fhabqEzIwheOIieUiHHUldp1ZYeDkNPRYiujchWz6yZA8MWo-IKtNo8/s1000/20230416_111553.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN923qL2kBUO0iUi4WMl4F31LkRQ-GtH8acRJK_tt7DhPhLdqJItjhwj8XP3FwEEc9G5gyZNeTxKOJu1175UjnHLxWdoE_-Q6Z7jrSEeJZqgi2SIX8WIFn0yv9YFuEkCrTRz44fhabqEzIwheOIieUiHHUldp1ZYeDkNPRYiujchWz6yZA8MWo-IKtNo8/s16000/20230416_111553.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For two hours, it was just me and her as we made Shepard's Pie and Chocolate Cupcakes from scratch. We chopped, diced, measured, mixed, fried, frosted and decorated to our hearts' content and I could tell she was very happy that morning doing something she loves with Mama. The end product turned out to be really delicious and we brought them back for the rest of the family to try too. One-on-one dates are precious to me and I hope we'll always find time to do so year after year.</div><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDChAwqQPAELaAqMR6tMuGjTXhL-BISrzcxeTpL-ix8GUGfVfV_-q21TvsiAwSNY_wz4BNg-js9gYdHABZ2VRudI-abLYMkKLZObJ-3gkCnHcZYui1ZiCh0GKGTG6x7kK1EO0VKBog8QtwH8Wuzb0chY1pcxI5fj7QsG_iQqzyCz0FA-YXoATtOSm7Xrk/s1000/20230416_115236.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDChAwqQPAELaAqMR6tMuGjTXhL-BISrzcxeTpL-ix8GUGfVfV_-q21TvsiAwSNY_wz4BNg-js9gYdHABZ2VRudI-abLYMkKLZObJ-3gkCnHcZYui1ZiCh0GKGTG6x7kK1EO0VKBog8QtwH8Wuzb0chY1pcxI5fj7QsG_iQqzyCz0FA-YXoATtOSm7Xrk/s16000/20230416_115236.jpg" /></a></p>That marks the end of a fun-filled, cosy and memorable April for us and it was a month filled with love, joy, good food and family bliss. I'm truly lucky to turn a year older and be where I am today in my life.</div><div><br /></div><div>Till the next update!<p></p></div>~Summer~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478137784353655124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6546965252487257512.post-92029113677087212662023-08-14T19:24:00.144+08:002023-08-20T14:34:26.039+08:00Happiness is... being together<p>I love the March holidays even though it only lasts a week. I mean, a week is not that short too and it is a much appreciated and well-deserved break from the hustle and bustle of daily life.</p><p>Even though it is technically for the kids to take a break from school and from the endless homework, I think I look forward to it as much as they do because I truly enjoy having all the kids at home, of knowing that we can switch off our early morning alarms for the time being and having the freedom to do what we want every single day.</p><p>I think that is also why I love weekends so much because I see every weekend as a retreat and an opportunity for me to get away from the mundane chores and mum duties. It helps that the hubby is home on weekends because that is when I feel like I can finally take a break, sleep in more and not feel guilty about not cooking but instead let him take over the reins in the kitchen or just eat takeaways.</p><p>In this post of <i>"Happiness is..."</i>, it's about enjoying getaways and every opportunity that the family gets to spend together.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHe6TTt8kenjyR9m58rnVESFU1a52h-ZxSUDp_KffCcQOO2Gjz7Bf6jpFelrAEi-HAXdcAG4jQQ9oplRm8hdOs8-LppJvow3_T6TdwpMceEPxzz_ecExh81PoQIgXvWVij8dKmgvIDehoGQu2YpXankgxVks1aXwDQQdY3yQpTC5_EZyWjQKEZ1UOkhVM/s1000/20230331_184031.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHe6TTt8kenjyR9m58rnVESFU1a52h-ZxSUDp_KffCcQOO2Gjz7Bf6jpFelrAEi-HAXdcAG4jQQ9oplRm8hdOs8-LppJvow3_T6TdwpMceEPxzz_ecExh81PoQIgXvWVij8dKmgvIDehoGQu2YpXankgxVks1aXwDQQdY3yQpTC5_EZyWjQKEZ1UOkhVM/s16000/20230331_184031.jpg" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Water playgrounds are still very much a favourite for the kids. Well, not so much for the eldest who is not a water baby and loves being on land more, but for the three younger ones who love every opportunity that they get to splash around. We were thankful to see that the free play areas in shopping malls have started to open up to public again after a long hiatus and the kids had a blast.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZHMlFlEqqioh5ecUfcW2gQqWBsQ0qnYwGVYL2GVNmEBkcUx5mQrixyEE9d4zz83AOgEhJWeN9Sl2Ulm0ej7uY7JWHN2ES2v-ClA8692y66DeZTsl7jbPOpSSrRDtw3h7koFKhqPEX2rHgxHHEVq5sxiL8wdGHoBRcSYUk8itW-_bBGi9oVVVg37IJ1ac/s1000/20230331_182914.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZHMlFlEqqioh5ecUfcW2gQqWBsQ0qnYwGVYL2GVNmEBkcUx5mQrixyEE9d4zz83AOgEhJWeN9Sl2Ulm0ej7uY7JWHN2ES2v-ClA8692y66DeZTsl7jbPOpSSrRDtw3h7koFKhqPEX2rHgxHHEVq5sxiL8wdGHoBRcSYUk8itW-_bBGi9oVVVg37IJ1ac/s16000/20230331_182914.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi39IjeSMynB6nE2VMt28bL_OyTeQB-IuyTTzJv4PFx-HCg4ux6Mbvf5gDvnBGid8QJpPP1XUjiJiuIpYc650k-pFNhtRyVtM9wYvxIeBJVep3ZAPd_8F5PgjIDhUBAW-yk0eJDHpSvJLZcUY7h0qAa3-BO-7_8YgA80ot6fngCN_nk3Yu4LKskqVALZrM/s1000/20230331_181043.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi39IjeSMynB6nE2VMt28bL_OyTeQB-IuyTTzJv4PFx-HCg4ux6Mbvf5gDvnBGid8QJpPP1XUjiJiuIpYc650k-pFNhtRyVtM9wYvxIeBJVep3ZAPd_8F5PgjIDhUBAW-yk0eJDHpSvJLZcUY7h0qAa3-BO-7_8YgA80ot6fngCN_nk3Yu4LKskqVALZrM/s16000/20230331_181043.jpg" /></a></div>We came together with the parents and the extended family to celebrate my mum-in-law's birthday and it's nice that we still keep up with our gatherings quite regularly. When I am a grandparent, I hope to still be able to gather with the kids, and hopefully grandkids, from time to time too. Family is everything to me. Even though I leave the cooking to the hubby and my father-in-law, I am the one who packs and cleans up the house before and after everyone goes and I tell you, that is quite exhausting every time because our house is seldom in a presentable state. Haha.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxqNWU57z7eZ8gym0PbOTd2zYqW4EWRQWTvDZlBHwPzEcM6r8M8B4MZQ-pG7NYU6p1Y_pb_gD1dzRGO1NZBeChJF3h6u3bZzQ4z9EWvX_h5LEs-jTtv5_b4cGMkgPehaBNgQfRt0h6Blp3DhSgPXVzpKFQH1Uw39Z4JazMl83Jp6NQM2AdXkJN7JiVgI/s1000/20230326_161358.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxqNWU57z7eZ8gym0PbOTd2zYqW4EWRQWTvDZlBHwPzEcM6r8M8B4MZQ-pG7NYU6p1Y_pb_gD1dzRGO1NZBeChJF3h6u3bZzQ4z9EWvX_h5LEs-jTtv5_b4cGMkgPehaBNgQfRt0h6Blp3DhSgPXVzpKFQH1Uw39Z4JazMl83Jp6NQM2AdXkJN7JiVgI/s16000/20230326_161358.jpg" /></a></div>Did I say before that I love pasar malams? Yup, whenever I see one in our neighbourhood, I can't resist bringing the kids there. We will find a table to sit around, get a variety of food and snacks, and then let the kids have some fun at the claw machines and games.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGKsPqB9JnaapSTzpBxaO_Qz_NZEoNWGQFuF316YKUQnfC7RP7leNMl5n8vAJAdfm6ouG4QiKmgqDZz5LrkxVSbkHtDSVzGuLhFMMWdohZHGNX5iOfWyYyePDG-CDgY0PvCE-AecOoI1EjitCTkEzmrmoD0HbxrSHGnhZfWKE7jXt6XQE5VHsJt5ew8jg/s1000/20230324_205309.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGKsPqB9JnaapSTzpBxaO_Qz_NZEoNWGQFuF316YKUQnfC7RP7leNMl5n8vAJAdfm6ouG4QiKmgqDZz5LrkxVSbkHtDSVzGuLhFMMWdohZHGNX5iOfWyYyePDG-CDgY0PvCE-AecOoI1EjitCTkEzmrmoD0HbxrSHGnhZfWKE7jXt6XQE5VHsJt5ew8jg/s16000/20230324_205309.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">River Wonders is one of our favourite places to visit even on rainy days as the place is mostly sheltered. It doesn't matter that we've been here umpteen times already, the kids still find every visit fun and interesting as they get to admire the beautiful animals and get up close with nature. We love seeing Kai Kai, Jia Jia and Le Le too and the kids love going on the Amazon Rainforest boat ride. Well, Ansel can't go on that yet so he had to stay with the hubby and the eldest chose to give it a miss too. So sometimes we do have to split up in order for everyone to have fun and the good thing about having a big family in even numbers is that there are quite a few permutations and different ways for us to do so. Haha.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq3IqGQJXELnJI5tqXKd6iVVWm5aaVMNdEj_EMBZgmEBFoAmJ2gxwJ3-CDtJ4Q-aTtA3skA6pVhVUuzy4_4nq8k65Ge_3eMJ4GDJzpYgJyBAp35Scp_JTLGw1dxneIYZc6TGZEmXtFZwF3ev99-dtkXLJ20tGCgS1pexvRxz7SfUVUMK0sVPYNLBiWGVo/s1000/20230319_172648.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq3IqGQJXELnJI5tqXKd6iVVWm5aaVMNdEj_EMBZgmEBFoAmJ2gxwJ3-CDtJ4Q-aTtA3skA6pVhVUuzy4_4nq8k65Ge_3eMJ4GDJzpYgJyBAp35Scp_JTLGw1dxneIYZc6TGZEmXtFZwF3ev99-dtkXLJ20tGCgS1pexvRxz7SfUVUMK0sVPYNLBiWGVo/s16000/20230319_172648.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDyW21coxHruETdHFWaPyyofFEBT5np88CqTWroB2LlVBiU0CzNF--yhesCFJLT0tN0q-at4frSCdTnX4CP3xWbAZDYk7hWxRsPhpxtRIYEw8U8tkaoBDTrPFkUTM20Z0Imapm6cRkc3a-D-OtUSOkucTf5bZ4LF0PR2j13qNFZf70vdoHysCfiPtU_kw/s1000/20230319_172211.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDyW21coxHruETdHFWaPyyofFEBT5np88CqTWroB2LlVBiU0CzNF--yhesCFJLT0tN0q-at4frSCdTnX4CP3xWbAZDYk7hWxRsPhpxtRIYEw8U8tkaoBDTrPFkUTM20Z0Imapm6cRkc3a-D-OtUSOkucTf5bZ4LF0PR2j13qNFZf70vdoHysCfiPtU_kw/s16000/20230319_172211.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr3XBUSsRivk93GEvWKj9B1sgot1lYdynMYvSacoiRnWluR_l0-tZG4qN4NTj1YF52F_a6m98_DkxsdkrlCNz1S5iPD8KR2xbyIfxl0SjwsLLUTEG_2f26HSMYShzgaBS5QQKqMderJ-FeJGCtqFllhnUp8W6m7O_Ox4PygEIIFj4-jgs_PtiXZqotBBA/s1000/20230319_162041.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr3XBUSsRivk93GEvWKj9B1sgot1lYdynMYvSacoiRnWluR_l0-tZG4qN4NTj1YF52F_a6m98_DkxsdkrlCNz1S5iPD8KR2xbyIfxl0SjwsLLUTEG_2f26HSMYShzgaBS5QQKqMderJ-FeJGCtqFllhnUp8W6m7O_Ox4PygEIIFj4-jgs_PtiXZqotBBA/s16000/20230319_162041.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTooJKwxkxHmyWVXCKpe9VfWXGdbyjJZwoT8MqpYLrJhe7fENDPGRYdzk7-4xTHoexKPh3ZEH-RTIQj__wMjL_EH3VSI6726kUwkO6C9bCn8uNHRyBdgDugCT5WDzPPpRYZ3FKCP7dn5S1SF3W3dCHpq9ahJbF49sJoM8sqJf6jN2m0P5GHGaCJgkEWdg/s1000/20230319_154841.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTooJKwxkxHmyWVXCKpe9VfWXGdbyjJZwoT8MqpYLrJhe7fENDPGRYdzk7-4xTHoexKPh3ZEH-RTIQj__wMjL_EH3VSI6726kUwkO6C9bCn8uNHRyBdgDugCT5WDzPPpRYZ3FKCP7dn5S1SF3W3dCHpq9ahJbF49sJoM8sqJf6jN2m0P5GHGaCJgkEWdg/s16000/20230319_154841.jpg" /></a></div>The highlight of our March holidays had to be our visit to Johor Bahru where we visited Legoland, Aeon Mall, Medini Mall and Southkey Mall. This was our first visit to Southkey Mall and the older kids were thrilled to go on a go-karting adventure at Kiddy Circuit. The staff actually allowed Ansel to tag along with one of them but alas he was a little intimidated by it all and chose to stay with me to watch from the sideline instead.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqw4jg1s2Y9gpGMEsOMyZN7TawYiDzDqbP6mMg-gPFXQ4IHFXmTwUrrffnZ1I8fSbP-2pJ8tgf8bIPc-MsWuG-_dWIEfqiLsQy1cB0TasXvVqztrXNekVAdhW15txkHY6Lq2fQWF_7CulyjzjYPh1KKryLBNVZNYXUZS4M1f42K7Zo0pcUh97eYQWHfh8/s1000/20230317_222417(0).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqw4jg1s2Y9gpGMEsOMyZN7TawYiDzDqbP6mMg-gPFXQ4IHFXmTwUrrffnZ1I8fSbP-2pJ8tgf8bIPc-MsWuG-_dWIEfqiLsQy1cB0TasXvVqztrXNekVAdhW15txkHY6Lq2fQWF_7CulyjzjYPh1KKryLBNVZNYXUZS4M1f42K7Zo0pcUh97eYQWHfh8/s16000/20230317_222417(0).jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinK2RfyW2icCRKqa1HwHjtpuiH9OLFBI3_eR2rKDP6WSg1Fsvo5x6Vc8cW_HL7WRXLOtOXiAJnj8MhG35mYj723RRyrvXEGEPBaqN3FqXQ_xYVnu-A1t_ozxKcp8Bw1xztkXhPV_IZDKOZw0rHN5GBhORO_60pshGvv_U8ec7i749CSZ-QP01Wb9lvpIw/s1000/20230317_195141.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinK2RfyW2icCRKqa1HwHjtpuiH9OLFBI3_eR2rKDP6WSg1Fsvo5x6Vc8cW_HL7WRXLOtOXiAJnj8MhG35mYj723RRyrvXEGEPBaqN3FqXQ_xYVnu-A1t_ozxKcp8Bw1xztkXhPV_IZDKOZw0rHN5GBhORO_60pshGvv_U8ec7i749CSZ-QP01Wb9lvpIw/s16000/20230317_195141.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0yFpDW0xDEP73GcUqWv0wLAIOTEW8oMZOyFKQzMtJx_-1u1lX_JK_PxriYL5df3duuEkkQ4GylKcK62t3q5VzwXaIwQDITBWzZQNn10Q_yrVCysEt3R2VjvUZuUN02K0-UCOCFR__iXVNQgpQvtlDzSXbDkYsdRKpN9h8zFO3_jVsdC8tuHkOw-flmQ/s1000/20230317_194735.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0yFpDW0xDEP73GcUqWv0wLAIOTEW8oMZOyFKQzMtJx_-1u1lX_JK_PxriYL5df3duuEkkQ4GylKcK62t3q5VzwXaIwQDITBWzZQNn10Q_yrVCysEt3R2VjvUZuUN02K0-UCOCFR__iXVNQgpQvtlDzSXbDkYsdRKpN9h8zFO3_jVsdC8tuHkOw-flmQ/s16000/20230317_194735.jpg" /></a></div>On the other hand, he loved the mini train in Legoland and couldn't get enough of it. Just look at that happy face! I am so thankful to have this last baby to savour these moments with and seeing him happy warms my heart so deeply. For now, he is quite petrified by the dark and doesn't like rides such as Ninjago. He would cling onto me and start whining to show his fear but you know what, I am pretty sure it is a passing phase and he will soon outgrow it and subsequently love these rides as much as his siblings do. For now, I shall be here to comfort, soothe and protect you for as long as you need me, my baby.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkEf12ypH_B5BrWuJODaD1j5_WvQM0ti_ZrRag5PlXWHjJKOYqJ5nV9MryOB5ljyEbkF0_ZNeTUnp5MYM3NFCkkKoTUkM3UiaQiMYCFKjS1lC7nLfod5sA2ZwaMqvsXyhxo2VKnDcE0XUHFkX-l4Js3WFfn97xZFBBhuBRdZ2Vxtj_Jx1ZMpnl2_XdTkE/s1000/20230317_171221.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkEf12ypH_B5BrWuJODaD1j5_WvQM0ti_ZrRag5PlXWHjJKOYqJ5nV9MryOB5ljyEbkF0_ZNeTUnp5MYM3NFCkkKoTUkM3UiaQiMYCFKjS1lC7nLfod5sA2ZwaMqvsXyhxo2VKnDcE0XUHFkX-l4Js3WFfn97xZFBBhuBRdZ2Vxtj_Jx1ZMpnl2_XdTkE/s16000/20230317_171221.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH4pixpjx-9CrGplwUyHdIfPiy99CFwVjhBxZo2KS6ZXn_EE0YlHdH-ppqvIMsDazbOTCBNLHS_JCTfVSI9d8yqYmxaE4hm5eCFf5DUkNY0uEwY7OqIQGg2KAvviEodkS5hEUxuzlfLmc5OavR5ii3wwkxhW5FwOTHQJjOgAVMcrUwvBbG_TfBtYKNw24/s16000/20230317_170005.jpg" /></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Some of this toddler's milestones include going on rides like the City Airport, Beetle Bounce and Junior Driving School for the first time ever. Yup, he has grown taller and passed the minimum height limit since our last visit and now qualifies for more rides. I was full of excitement and even hysterical when he went into the car himself and kept telling him to step on the pedal, keep his foot there and turn at the bends. He didn't quite manage to do everything but considering it was his maiden attempt, I think he did very well and was a brave little boy.</div><div><br /></div><div>He laughed so much on Beetle Bounce which reminded me of how Asher laughed and cried on his first try. Haha. Well, Ansel loved it and wasn't scared at all and you should see how wide open his mouth was and how loud he was. It just made all of happy to see and hear him like that and I would never get tired of accompanying my kids on such rides as long as they still want to do it.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnf1o5vqkXghOuMPKCh7qi_bgiA3-pGBaNPNjOPGjjn44wOUNZ28awXJ5uJ45UylcAYDcoCoFwJuO-wjMK0v0sSlgh5aGAygpKlaLWyNNkK8foNvMYyy1CskcBPc7Aqg7oRQkSwnpcDHQ4_FoMuKX0v6MpjCzKJTUqBLa7hy6ZaLfW_yWzdV3eIrBFDVM/s1000/20230315_150319.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnf1o5vqkXghOuMPKCh7qi_bgiA3-pGBaNPNjOPGjjn44wOUNZ28awXJ5uJ45UylcAYDcoCoFwJuO-wjMK0v0sSlgh5aGAygpKlaLWyNNkK8foNvMYyy1CskcBPc7Aqg7oRQkSwnpcDHQ4_FoMuKX0v6MpjCzKJTUqBLa7hy6ZaLfW_yWzdV3eIrBFDVM/s16000/20230315_150319.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-ldrO6cvBKwtEDyKfdQTG-wh81ajQNFccwrEyDEBZ4pFcRPxKZ81S3416kszi06mixAIIKbsRD5yGSArkpvGjMftNoCjDxVuCymy1BufR3iEQa6HxUBf-2n9rlwfIdawexUURbOD3AXLoQ3hT_JivkJSztXmP-vaFbmkJkiy3MNHCkXg6KHRANf-Zm0/s1000/20230317_135502.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-ldrO6cvBKwtEDyKfdQTG-wh81ajQNFccwrEyDEBZ4pFcRPxKZ81S3416kszi06mixAIIKbsRD5yGSArkpvGjMftNoCjDxVuCymy1BufR3iEQa6HxUBf-2n9rlwfIdawexUURbOD3AXLoQ3hT_JivkJSztXmP-vaFbmkJkiy3MNHCkXg6KHRANf-Zm0/s16000/20230317_135502.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWgIaO4E3dWskrkf66y9ACAT7qJfcpVP_5aHuR24FCV3kH3N_l9b8ORMBtqYPGV06UGUm2_ntghapAKEBJDRFQGe9dDHHUviu8RupzRDmmUB--2I3f3l1cLf6V0MwrGznVCIuYYjfF-UyAT5USPucou9ff4my1ELBs7b4_4Yd0W_5TAKAe7UscCczm21Y/s1000/20230317_160733.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWgIaO4E3dWskrkf66y9ACAT7qJfcpVP_5aHuR24FCV3kH3N_l9b8ORMBtqYPGV06UGUm2_ntghapAKEBJDRFQGe9dDHHUviu8RupzRDmmUB--2I3f3l1cLf6V0MwrGznVCIuYYjfF-UyAT5USPucou9ff4my1ELBs7b4_4Yd0W_5TAKAe7UscCczm21Y/s16000/20230317_160733.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuNHCUCcYECzVko3kPERY67qWGmg8EIlSMGmvrb-uj-UVJHc42S2ergkob4fJWVA0DyHBCgUJ4N1W17ke5G33KUqZO7LyzZfCeLKFDkOScBT-vVmHIuXQA6EQpPGMaG3MNfUP0NHAN31wFAcLoEPVYwslMzmH2QAJu9arNkp0g_WUBdz4SvCJ38-xBL3g/s1000/20230315_160443.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuNHCUCcYECzVko3kPERY67qWGmg8EIlSMGmvrb-uj-UVJHc42S2ergkob4fJWVA0DyHBCgUJ4N1W17ke5G33KUqZO7LyzZfCeLKFDkOScBT-vVmHIuXQA6EQpPGMaG3MNfUP0NHAN31wFAcLoEPVYwslMzmH2QAJu9arNkp0g_WUBdz4SvCJ38-xBL3g/s16000/20230315_160443.jpg" /></a></div><div>The older kids are still very happy to visit Legoland and look forward to every trip. So I think we still have many years to go before they all find this place too kiddy for them. Simple things like touching a sea star in SEA Life and building a LEGO house still bring them joy and make them smile and I am thankful for that.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Q4PFp8b2DVwyGWhdeu-lF0ESg8DhAT8deJomJfX2VW4tXaOut18a5gxtalg6ig9c7BLwFf-Y2Zfv9QWqs_ToFkyGx2sVwYvzPAEsWZP3FYZwhLc5YXr6kAxPZlcD-ej3lpL0XmDIURCPeClIkPkF48Id6FSLepUDr7WMwE2VE-MS9ve1dWfq2IwYD3I/s1000/20230317_144827.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Q4PFp8b2DVwyGWhdeu-lF0ESg8DhAT8deJomJfX2VW4tXaOut18a5gxtalg6ig9c7BLwFf-Y2Zfv9QWqs_ToFkyGx2sVwYvzPAEsWZP3FYZwhLc5YXr6kAxPZlcD-ej3lpL0XmDIURCPeClIkPkF48Id6FSLepUDr7WMwE2VE-MS9ve1dWfq2IwYD3I/s16000/20230317_144827.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEius4qeo24srv6aEcPVmtBOPMxWMLE4Awa9X0TMzGHeeRvhLWA10fSAAuhb7GG5o3HUaY5UARRB71-S67Wqfoix_gVZSWjrThTMwg7kf5ogsUWLmIFBn5qu2iUegKk6meNyBt-PcHstwHwYcYdB2-Eb6qwJhmYg-X_xw3SSZK79oH2KLBVZZqjbP1Bkiqs/s1000/20230317_132621.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEius4qeo24srv6aEcPVmtBOPMxWMLE4Awa9X0TMzGHeeRvhLWA10fSAAuhb7GG5o3HUaY5UARRB71-S67Wqfoix_gVZSWjrThTMwg7kf5ogsUWLmIFBn5qu2iUegKk6meNyBt-PcHstwHwYcYdB2-Eb6qwJhmYg-X_xw3SSZK79oH2KLBVZZqjbP1Bkiqs/s16000/20230317_132621.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div>This time round, we stayed at an apartment because the cost is just too much different from staying in the hotel. We paid for around S$80 per night for this 3-bedroom apartment which comes equipped with a kitchen so we could make our own breakfasts every day and we even cooked dinner on one of the nights too. Yup, it just makes more sense to stay in apartments when you have a big family. I love how cosy everything was too and we always make it a point to have movie nights on our overseas trips. The playground downstairs was a bonus and kept the kids happy every morning.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXclb9XArzsEBwU74iNNQ3IMgPWgZoqcpG3ZsXEcPBXMCG0k7CjGUtr7Q1AP_QhWYWAeOIopeBX1HSEHKQwDMips-rsR0l2tJdTtZ1WnvkyQYpNIeuahkqoRv1r9rtpaVuBICuiwwO_32-9LLQWVFjs-i9GYXl-f3Qm15Dy98XeGvxbpxa9ZMEt2xQmBc/s1000/20230314_222309(0).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXclb9XArzsEBwU74iNNQ3IMgPWgZoqcpG3ZsXEcPBXMCG0k7CjGUtr7Q1AP_QhWYWAeOIopeBX1HSEHKQwDMips-rsR0l2tJdTtZ1WnvkyQYpNIeuahkqoRv1r9rtpaVuBICuiwwO_32-9LLQWVFjs-i9GYXl-f3Qm15Dy98XeGvxbpxa9ZMEt2xQmBc/s16000/20230314_222309(0).jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRcRPvsG88ypnSFJ_PDwLb6fEXt20qgiJbr1MkIgsj2Mi21wFaJBCnP-Kg_LoIxAP_mcd1Y_HIG58EbHbdiELww_bf3Gw-G9SrGSdDEdC1TFxwbEMXP6IIDhGy0_GZijnZib0KcE77z4lT0VKHSaEQIegdyR9xN8bG_nG4BNCpMuj-fHiKfCyrEf8PhxY/s1000/20230314_231336.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRcRPvsG88ypnSFJ_PDwLb6fEXt20qgiJbr1MkIgsj2Mi21wFaJBCnP-Kg_LoIxAP_mcd1Y_HIG58EbHbdiELww_bf3Gw-G9SrGSdDEdC1TFxwbEMXP6IIDhGy0_GZijnZib0KcE77z4lT0VKHSaEQIegdyR9xN8bG_nG4BNCpMuj-fHiKfCyrEf8PhxY/s16000/20230314_231336.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisshnzFFhYq2svosty4RJxn7X-9rQCYf1y7HqCnsF_bdzWWdAJQbmot01zx82uMQT2TKHIpg0V38FErLNAxAS1WzDrJ-eDCzAhMFWXoE4Y2_HTBt7R4nu2Eh5LdSlxfselgxTiJuNJCuOsV5QHtlL01w4VTIe2-dGZl_PtdB5r9dsMNQ84tMKVIAYa6Bo/s1000/20230315_111633.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisshnzFFhYq2svosty4RJxn7X-9rQCYf1y7HqCnsF_bdzWWdAJQbmot01zx82uMQT2TKHIpg0V38FErLNAxAS1WzDrJ-eDCzAhMFWXoE4Y2_HTBt7R4nu2Eh5LdSlxfselgxTiJuNJCuOsV5QHtlL01w4VTIe2-dGZl_PtdB5r9dsMNQ84tMKVIAYa6Bo/s16000/20230315_111633.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtgPwUA-h1MKxufizaV01CGLphjCBnV0UFTFyxKD1UeFxxgwQA4GyikOKi8C-rNr8p_OOr_vrcU0GRNzewv57yStY72Thcfe63EFOB2iMl9E2uvcA8YWfia6fBPpYVSFSUiE2XIvyXgbTI5awlya688C-dLaHJ5T7ckj0A50qcBzuACu1EuFwZhkL50qc/s1000/20230316_201830.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtgPwUA-h1MKxufizaV01CGLphjCBnV0UFTFyxKD1UeFxxgwQA4GyikOKi8C-rNr8p_OOr_vrcU0GRNzewv57yStY72Thcfe63EFOB2iMl9E2uvcA8YWfia6fBPpYVSFSUiE2XIvyXgbTI5awlya688C-dLaHJ5T7ckj0A50qcBzuACu1EuFwZhkL50qc/s16000/20230316_201830.jpg" /></a></div>Even though I don't think the rides at the Water Park in LEGOLAND are that thrilling - in fact, we agreed that the rides in Wild Wild Wet can be more exhilarating instead - we still love coming here and every visit is an enjoyable one. The wave pool is a big hit with the kids who just love to laze around here and Ansel loves many of the rides and activities including the Duplo pool, Build-a-raft River and boat building using LEGO bricks.</div><div><br /></div><div>Since the hubby was nursing an injured knee, that meant I was the one to accompany the older kids on the rides and despite the long queues, we still had a blast and enjoyed every ride. It's funny that Asher and I are always the ones screaming the loudest while the girls just choose to be cool or laugh it off. Haha.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzhtHnD_Plb_OMwgfbVLzoZ9wWhIGXR2vIZMXacY1em0q_MedY0oX-VeKvwmZPwalAGdNAP8HHGYtRYVk-BJH_GAzzNfh5Qfzqeu35N9xAXBlp9WwAzbyPmoUT8T57grkmy5X_62AkZbmvb3iOeFYS1Qe1c5j801Ogac0tZCrnK1goFGQRExo-DyymJMw/s1000/20230316_164419.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzhtHnD_Plb_OMwgfbVLzoZ9wWhIGXR2vIZMXacY1em0q_MedY0oX-VeKvwmZPwalAGdNAP8HHGYtRYVk-BJH_GAzzNfh5Qfzqeu35N9xAXBlp9WwAzbyPmoUT8T57grkmy5X_62AkZbmvb3iOeFYS1Qe1c5j801Ogac0tZCrnK1goFGQRExo-DyymJMw/s16000/20230316_164419.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmNz-PnR8_5AQUe4KtLdDiK3Xdx_OKNm4SH5MkhHu8euAq6M_c1Iigv2ElFOqSQwxTG1GoZKJh9WWplo2eV3Y4XHsfws6q02T8CRiFNlYqgS5wScx8NwP9juR2UqDkcta-ZJc14wyygFFn9BcYt3UE9vN24rh3RqUxBi65hjMyyI3lgdZXA4Mv4gz-ZEY/s1000/20230316_161245.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmNz-PnR8_5AQUe4KtLdDiK3Xdx_OKNm4SH5MkhHu8euAq6M_c1Iigv2ElFOqSQwxTG1GoZKJh9WWplo2eV3Y4XHsfws6q02T8CRiFNlYqgS5wScx8NwP9juR2UqDkcta-ZJc14wyygFFn9BcYt3UE9vN24rh3RqUxBi65hjMyyI3lgdZXA4Mv4gz-ZEY/s16000/20230316_161245.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYHRZiLH1r5zD_igsJFFRiPxgI_Thh-flRcAjjwEHAUDZDZFEg_X6UKb57i8zT7CFzzl-CBwhhz6kfYOWCXkskOk7vYltp2xJsY9B2COdkb33fZFpCi9JwVXpjJK0wcnAbp_DTIVufdJlXLouKUqMA_jC_bJVJoPF-08abnve_hnZgfFqjj7Nrp_JJYPg/s1000/20230316_144257.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYHRZiLH1r5zD_igsJFFRiPxgI_Thh-flRcAjjwEHAUDZDZFEg_X6UKb57i8zT7CFzzl-CBwhhz6kfYOWCXkskOk7vYltp2xJsY9B2COdkb33fZFpCi9JwVXpjJK0wcnAbp_DTIVufdJlXLouKUqMA_jC_bJVJoPF-08abnve_hnZgfFqjj7Nrp_JJYPg/s16000/20230316_144257.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSTqOid2kfjCRnIr7YJzUJ37zSpWHMDdbspXYwmcLQeMaIGL4s_7mCcfx5eX8NGxqhyjCsjvupScx84woH2YC73vcZWqVF7_-H4V9TMB8s_AkmvNFP2LjSxp8CtJR0R8-8WMVKOzV2ILgrw7LR5m5BLW2hKn5golkkh90QVGKLfR31Y-4QmLGtCRkwkS0/s1000/20230316_122639.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSTqOid2kfjCRnIr7YJzUJ37zSpWHMDdbspXYwmcLQeMaIGL4s_7mCcfx5eX8NGxqhyjCsjvupScx84woH2YC73vcZWqVF7_-H4V9TMB8s_AkmvNFP2LjSxp8CtJR0R8-8WMVKOzV2ILgrw7LR5m5BLW2hKn5golkkh90QVGKLfR31Y-4QmLGtCRkwkS0/s16000/20230316_122639.jpg" /></a></div>Being able to spend time with their Papa is one of the things the kids most look forward to and one of the reasons why holidays are so precious to our family. You will understand this if you are married to a sailor and know why time spent together is so scarce and invaluable. Doing things as simple as taking a train ride around the park still brings us joy and I think it's because of one reason only - that we are together as a family.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJaF9iOLSSa2vEF5KwtfCVx8K1Wqz79LptKBXtP_G0oHlsUncTJdR7dQnOh85zQ8HnqRZHsrDLgPWA93eiIzbv69PkJjdOTCkKzuUZJogyDrJdh0vK1X62JqTlHGGLJXEcXPD7j7woe0VDy7ARBopIwHRvZXJTBZ4ETm5XfnaiNuXMXZ1OMcZLEMDm3Bw/s1000/20230315_142605.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJaF9iOLSSa2vEF5KwtfCVx8K1Wqz79LptKBXtP_G0oHlsUncTJdR7dQnOh85zQ8HnqRZHsrDLgPWA93eiIzbv69PkJjdOTCkKzuUZJogyDrJdh0vK1X62JqTlHGGLJXEcXPD7j7woe0VDy7ARBopIwHRvZXJTBZ4ETm5XfnaiNuXMXZ1OMcZLEMDm3Bw/s16000/20230315_142605.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-tsq4qBinP7z9haRnD-gJM9Zix4qEqrx_xcgWEuF_KrZWFAhjd9C9tH7lFhqkeXX4RPS6__SZJb3YwvTwQo7gCDhhbVLmowdAZzoyUaQ_U_dUObuHYH54JfJB4keoOMy82eGvgwJLxX_jIcBNklV02994yrfUxVbGHTEJu6Q1-1t47kpq74ctfZ6ByCc/s1000/20230315_130228(0).jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-tsq4qBinP7z9haRnD-gJM9Zix4qEqrx_xcgWEuF_KrZWFAhjd9C9tH7lFhqkeXX4RPS6__SZJb3YwvTwQo7gCDhhbVLmowdAZzoyUaQ_U_dUObuHYH54JfJB4keoOMy82eGvgwJLxX_jIcBNklV02994yrfUxVbGHTEJu6Q1-1t47kpq74ctfZ6ByCc/s16000/20230315_130228(0).jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div>It's also nice seeing the kids grow up together and even though bickers are still inevitable and will probably always be so, their love for one another is plain to see despite the differences in age. Siblings are one of the best gifts I have given to them and hopefully one day they will realise this too. I love seeing how they shared two Paddle Pop ice creams among themselves - 你一口,我一口 - and it is my dream that they will always appreciate the simple joys in their lives.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEkb5ubc9pVpncw7cIKlL70ftZVjR2no87c6lZJkSiivoNRyCqQGgdsSVhsC-edbQpApwaRSSBOOu51bUj5KGtpAJ9ZdFc0046ciM64Fz-RmZgO-cSR_FIzesXATIDlsPtYLUckVEmtFAK-REVbvk8WZIOVCFsjMI9GM0DzxIXu73tuuEEd9egqoCRHaM/s1000/20230315_115725.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEkb5ubc9pVpncw7cIKlL70ftZVjR2no87c6lZJkSiivoNRyCqQGgdsSVhsC-edbQpApwaRSSBOOu51bUj5KGtpAJ9ZdFc0046ciM64Fz-RmZgO-cSR_FIzesXATIDlsPtYLUckVEmtFAK-REVbvk8WZIOVCFsjMI9GM0DzxIXu73tuuEEd9egqoCRHaM/s16000/20230315_115725.jpg" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig8lZYxh7bSquRKoyzRjpdLBRsF7-skpvDrBZBQKuHM-m0dQwce01ajCURH57IDuak8Qvfdh-B8I-EYjFQIUpweisidBMwkgRmoR47QI3WngherukIiVEER6ksNl7no-NCqZUIQXHgO3OF-3senM2-nwaUqUl-XhC45JZWcQ8KVeHfYfAYd32gOLsSW40/s1000/20230315_140007.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig8lZYxh7bSquRKoyzRjpdLBRsF7-skpvDrBZBQKuHM-m0dQwce01ajCURH57IDuak8Qvfdh-B8I-EYjFQIUpweisidBMwkgRmoR47QI3WngherukIiVEER6ksNl7no-NCqZUIQXHgO3OF-3senM2-nwaUqUl-XhC45JZWcQ8KVeHfYfAYd32gOLsSW40/s16000/20230315_140007.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The boys also love the kiddy car rides at AEON Mall which the girls have already outgrown but they still like using the remote control to help the little one navigate his way around. You know, just a few years more and all my kids would have outgrown such rides and I'm not sure how I would feel then. I know I will definitely miss having the younger them around and still be able to lift them up, hug them to sleep or kiss them every night. These are the perks of being a mum that I don't wish to take granted and that is why I hold Ansel close to me every day while he is still tiny.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0oC8ZCepDsU2XNvbSCA-zbvXNZVoDUP5d58atFXtcwzZC98MVtZvzmgECHz_w7OeenPQ_OFRkBGLGv8hRRVkzTHUqJlxMIQ1j6epTx-YWAgjig_ugB1Hu3nez4-xDIJEasxr_mfeWl2exL3_yEuqXLvN9FcygTcSMzHSxtENnhBrXjUtAZtyh63j0pDI/s1000/20230314_191922.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0oC8ZCepDsU2XNvbSCA-zbvXNZVoDUP5d58atFXtcwzZC98MVtZvzmgECHz_w7OeenPQ_OFRkBGLGv8hRRVkzTHUqJlxMIQ1j6epTx-YWAgjig_ugB1Hu3nez4-xDIJEasxr_mfeWl2exL3_yEuqXLvN9FcygTcSMzHSxtENnhBrXjUtAZtyh63j0pDI/s16000/20230314_191922.jpg" /></a></div>Given how the kids are growing up and how I've stopped being so active on the blog and on social media, sponsored opportunities are getting less and less as the days pass by and it's an inevitable part of this journey. If you are one of the readers who have stayed with us all these years, I thank you from the bottom of my heart and rest assured that I will keep writing not to earn, but to truly share about our family journey. </div><div><br /></div><div>I have kind of made peace with it and instead of lamenting on lost opportunities, I cherish what we still get and for those that we don't but I know that the kids will enjoy, we pay for them from our own pockets and find a way that works for us. For instance, for Disney Magic on Ice, I made use of a bank promotion and booked for us tickets in one of the lower categories so that we can still go as a family. It is always a fun performance to watch because of how we can relate to every story and we love seeing the grace of the skaters as they glide on the slippery ice.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd4NQFwG-eE97e5jOJiR_bPb8payAv44A3R-ao10GJizCl1eJaESqlA4_BZobxNK7TudNnIKICXL7EaYQ1CxJPpvnHUMcGTg-kW_BK5Fx38GpJCrfUnizJhiWdUprgZgGz7IMiW1K1isU564LwtcOvUK1Wem6aRf6FBH6XhwOwuukwxKterWBVEQrvjjw/s1000/20230312_201228.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd4NQFwG-eE97e5jOJiR_bPb8payAv44A3R-ao10GJizCl1eJaESqlA4_BZobxNK7TudNnIKICXL7EaYQ1CxJPpvnHUMcGTg-kW_BK5Fx38GpJCrfUnizJhiWdUprgZgGz7IMiW1K1isU564LwtcOvUK1Wem6aRf6FBH6XhwOwuukwxKterWBVEQrvjjw/s16000/20230312_201228.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg78b9grK8VtolXCx8U-2iI2otnZzHzX2J-ohh2-YsoWK4ykvJH29UF1f88gNySztQZzHxETE4PkxtGVcLF8wOSyPMCy9C8dpAfm_YggCL32Ogs2NEy_i3iev4Iolv-M3NrpjGFlQuRG2nopnJuR1G-iAd4jRL8LEaZlzL71JAUYvzBsEvjvQ_KMirJUlk/s1000/20230312_191230.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg78b9grK8VtolXCx8U-2iI2otnZzHzX2J-ohh2-YsoWK4ykvJH29UF1f88gNySztQZzHxETE4PkxtGVcLF8wOSyPMCy9C8dpAfm_YggCL32Ogs2NEy_i3iev4Iolv-M3NrpjGFlQuRG2nopnJuR1G-iAd4jRL8LEaZlzL71JAUYvzBsEvjvQ_KMirJUlk/s16000/20230312_191230.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsZwdbU0LbjlEmuoKwJ-pLNNV4GHYY1wWIWanYKzVtwq-7zY-2sVso9Fg5loYsctnDbnRTFc-HVsns2N1BIjzV8VUjSsevR0NYyA6cCXlSDf3OpUbvlDC6g5gxLPY5zTNFIwTwIwlIIz0fFKLD9tb8hmcryP-0aOU_1aZ99-Y5nd010xeMEbaSrgqz63g/s1000/20230312_182334.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsZwdbU0LbjlEmuoKwJ-pLNNV4GHYY1wWIWanYKzVtwq-7zY-2sVso9Fg5loYsctnDbnRTFc-HVsns2N1BIjzV8VUjSsevR0NYyA6cCXlSDf3OpUbvlDC6g5gxLPY5zTNFIwTwIwlIIz0fFKLD9tb8hmcryP-0aOU_1aZ99-Y5nd010xeMEbaSrgqz63g/s16000/20230312_182334.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I really wanted to bring the girls to watch Frozen the Musical and since we did not manage to do a media review, I paid for the tickets for three of us. Despite sitting at one of the last rows, it it was an awesome mum-and-daughters night out and I hope my girls will always have fond memories of that evening as we sang to familiar tunes and were captivated by this classic story of two sisters who loved each other so much - perfect for the two of them.</div></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NuuV9rVeSKLICqb71H4SrrSMehA4Cvwxax1tqO7xtxBhirlJsL8ojz_HciXhGlKqVjAJc7eXT02PFDpTML0cy7apSAkb_FFseQ8HlvLKJRDVwF_4pCAGu0OJQxj5uK78wYc-H-rkhSMuvP7kd3GminYDFc8G-sWThT04mAyrLLVLTzDAOAu94wVAxks/s1000/20230308_211904.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NuuV9rVeSKLICqb71H4SrrSMehA4Cvwxax1tqO7xtxBhirlJsL8ojz_HciXhGlKqVjAJc7eXT02PFDpTML0cy7apSAkb_FFseQ8HlvLKJRDVwF_4pCAGu0OJQxj5uK78wYc-H-rkhSMuvP7kd3GminYDFc8G-sWThT04mAyrLLVLTzDAOAu94wVAxks/s16000/20230308_211904.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoshT_qoNFMkM2LWYCdTADim7P0prZ3h1l2XWT5bMK6umy5G4K6oks2XzxiIlwvQ1eHS65F5nJWmh9Vb-2mesF4ATzUuLAhJ20XnQIL66tyffVq-0MfHXY6sb24KVa0k-msIoZrqXSBkVi8dbopL_cZpfoIAK7dI7UbKbdcp2qkDhkf1HHWxQ-5spIISo/s1000/20230308_195531.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoshT_qoNFMkM2LWYCdTADim7P0prZ3h1l2XWT5bMK6umy5G4K6oks2XzxiIlwvQ1eHS65F5nJWmh9Vb-2mesF4ATzUuLAhJ20XnQIL66tyffVq-0MfHXY6sb24KVa0k-msIoZrqXSBkVi8dbopL_cZpfoIAK7dI7UbKbdcp2qkDhkf1HHWxQ-5spIISo/s16000/20230308_195531.jpg" /></a></div>The airport is one of our favourite places to hang out during the holidays because there is always so much we can do here. This time round, we scaled the walls at Climb@T3 and as usual, indoor climbing is such a challenging but fun and rewarding sport. I love seeing their looks of joy and how they get a sense of achievement every time they get to the top and the best part is I get to do it with them too so we can cheer each other on.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Z3OgjZ_MXGrHloDGfbCcc-AF52DytlGCufhq2Fg7cD0uVOXoFg5Lh98e2pILrx0YuIsAWuaekXcvwNIphvgf1BPb159ZIzTIJuBqlL-Z7F66_Z5dFzSyuzGGOX0wyj6VCAozIaZdWmo0Oc9o8gyxIPKvWOav2ugUHlrLy-VlrlsIRLVQPtRIACvth-I/s1000/20230304_200140.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Z3OgjZ_MXGrHloDGfbCcc-AF52DytlGCufhq2Fg7cD0uVOXoFg5Lh98e2pILrx0YuIsAWuaekXcvwNIphvgf1BPb159ZIzTIJuBqlL-Z7F66_Z5dFzSyuzGGOX0wyj6VCAozIaZdWmo0Oc9o8gyxIPKvWOav2ugUHlrLy-VlrlsIRLVQPtRIACvth-I/s16000/20230304_200140.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKQRckxu5QCdcpj8rYB6JAfOxoO9gTa0Lz_OGvy_0L7LzNJbeYbCchsBeczUCLZNmuyJvLZE8dZjozaM0GCcrv0qU4Rr3zN5rwSj7E_TCJ3J65x92h_IY9YK9pa0Js9J64NVgQ-oRujC2PhxewF4s-nA06puvLC-tAogdWD6p2HNrRP16g7TMdzqUueI/s1000/20230304_193402.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKQRckxu5QCdcpj8rYB6JAfOxoO9gTa0Lz_OGvy_0L7LzNJbeYbCchsBeczUCLZNmuyJvLZE8dZjozaM0GCcrv0qU4Rr3zN5rwSj7E_TCJ3J65x92h_IY9YK9pa0Js9J64NVgQ-oRujC2PhxewF4s-nA06puvLC-tAogdWD6p2HNrRP16g7TMdzqUueI/s16000/20230304_193402.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxfYbCaMGsv-Xk_eX8GMk-UMrN6OIq7yXN1DUk7UgJ11pPooXm3IqARnKZX5aSxzhu5HtIDyLz-quco6GitT1h1TRXDcCOHLpWlBA0VoA8k6K-7cRaaLkDyCUuazOZmoCESVhViJyX0OG9vhDSrEiCUFn2oOoHzvy_OG-sZu9_adw16UW6fcckL9VMG_w/s1000/20230304_193602.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxfYbCaMGsv-Xk_eX8GMk-UMrN6OIq7yXN1DUk7UgJ11pPooXm3IqARnKZX5aSxzhu5HtIDyLz-quco6GitT1h1TRXDcCOHLpWlBA0VoA8k6K-7cRaaLkDyCUuazOZmoCESVhViJyX0OG9vhDSrEiCUFn2oOoHzvy_OG-sZu9_adw16UW6fcckL9VMG_w/s16000/20230304_193602.jpg" /></a><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>We also went on mini carnival rides at the Rilakkuma Holiday and even though it was more meant for younger kids like Ansel, the rest still accompanied him so that he wouldn't be lonely and having him with them meant they could still find a reason to enjoy kiddy rides, haha. Yes, dear baby, you are so blessed to have three elder siblings who dote on you so much and can't get enough of being with you. </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2M_fqOQRu191HABgqL9eGhQw_qcczCgB8a9L5U_2QIQNUW6-tpryMOTAox9PhITNR9uiMzicq0Wra2LBGaUPWcyr9-8QhbMSHstwU9jvF28UprFx3sgRQeqOUi0lIB5OoR0cGnxJpfQxTkao10afLOF9wxQu7efFykglzjblNYxBkgKE7BA6exPITtQ/s1000/20230304_171608.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2M_fqOQRu191HABgqL9eGhQw_qcczCgB8a9L5U_2QIQNUW6-tpryMOTAox9PhITNR9uiMzicq0Wra2LBGaUPWcyr9-8QhbMSHstwU9jvF28UprFx3sgRQeqOUi0lIB5OoR0cGnxJpfQxTkao10afLOF9wxQu7efFykglzjblNYxBkgKE7BA6exPITtQ/s16000/20230304_171608.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuAu4lQ2Fca8bXmoek-91bA7yNJ7cP1NIM1MgvtJ-xlxtvAOttj5yILZZHZZuIDcjxiGwSqStKC0fAmHuck8EFSAVGIMQSYwTR_HwZ2myVZPAadzsAg-_OuILyaFk4z-M6oHrAka1XJhb9IdYHCLDwVCc7qgBpRwErLMi9VSswlnB9MQiWqAFrrxxOQdA/s1000/20230304_165725.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuAu4lQ2Fca8bXmoek-91bA7yNJ7cP1NIM1MgvtJ-xlxtvAOttj5yILZZHZZuIDcjxiGwSqStKC0fAmHuck8EFSAVGIMQSYwTR_HwZ2myVZPAadzsAg-_OuILyaFk4z-M6oHrAka1XJhb9IdYHCLDwVCc7qgBpRwErLMi9VSswlnB9MQiWqAFrrxxOQdA/s16000/20230304_165725.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>After every retreat, it's still an awesome feeling to be home because that is still the best place to be. Never mind the constant mess with toys strewn all over, the never ending piles of laundry and just lots of things scattered here and there. Having a mess of toys in the living room means that the kids are playing together instead of being glued to their own devices and staying cooped in their bedroom, right? Yup, I choose to see the positive side of things and be grateful for what we have. We play together, sing together, watch movies together, dance together, eat together, do chores together, laze together, read together and just grow up - for me, it's grow old - together.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5GCzI1-cP0xrlh8iWLpCT0X1Gzt0gkh3vDBX5cLCisjHRVTXlcd8mcYxZEhnLVYhiEDbD1HWqEonKu_gXUIwkOgQA8n7hhgeFuIWeJObM7gdq0dA_dJsBnXm1jZnNLss2jrYLv8rVQLJ-P_piXVH2dJEe4sgP6k7AHtQX5HRu5ic4KvKuoCmF8f0_4vE/s1000/20230312_130534.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5GCzI1-cP0xrlh8iWLpCT0X1Gzt0gkh3vDBX5cLCisjHRVTXlcd8mcYxZEhnLVYhiEDbD1HWqEonKu_gXUIwkOgQA8n7hhgeFuIWeJObM7gdq0dA_dJsBnXm1jZnNLss2jrYLv8rVQLJ-P_piXVH2dJEe4sgP6k7AHtQX5HRu5ic4KvKuoCmF8f0_4vE/s16000/20230312_130534.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfPg4H_zoMJ4F3f6dDvE9i_FzWZ2q7Arga_-bJAZte4bGSni_HXMaFH81MMc0Ms9al8um8ys1tyb2KQ2K4lqq6UPlU2yokvvF-cESvP9C-h87wsBNyU4KTjuKf4QewzAyYTZb4tN-0gJOPiODVsP11oRzZAfi3PVeUuHPaw2sPzJNJd6Hl_LFo2KlEEww/s1000/20230303_231221.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfPg4H_zoMJ4F3f6dDvE9i_FzWZ2q7Arga_-bJAZte4bGSni_HXMaFH81MMc0Ms9al8um8ys1tyb2KQ2K4lqq6UPlU2yokvvF-cESvP9C-h87wsBNyU4KTjuKf4QewzAyYTZb4tN-0gJOPiODVsP11oRzZAfi3PVeUuHPaw2sPzJNJd6Hl_LFo2KlEEww/s16000/20230303_231221.jpg" /></a></div>Together. I guess that word is one of my favourites in the dictionary because it just means so much to me. Till the next update!</div>~Summer~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478137784353655124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6546965252487257512.post-85252741607869142382023-08-03T16:00:00.445+08:002023-08-05T17:33:33.143+08:00Our mum-and-kids trip to Club Med Bintan<p>I had been wanting to do a mum-and-kids vacation for some time and was very excited and thankful that we got the opportunity to do it at the end of last year.</p><p>This being the first time that I brought four kids abroad with me on my own, I was secretly confident yet also a little nervous because anything can happen on a trip and without the hubby there to protect and guide us, I knew I needed to step up my game.</p><p>So I chose a destination that wasn't too costly since we didn't need to fly, was all-inclusive meaning our meals, accommodation and entertainment were all settled, and somewhere where I had extra eyes to help me keep an eye on the kids and make sure they wouldn't get lost. The choice was straightforward - Club Med Bintan, woohoo!</p><p>Here's sharing all about our trip, including the memorable moments and fun highlights. If you are feeling half-hearted about whether to bring the kids on a solo parenting holiday or not, my advice is don't think too much, just go for it! Everything will work out in the end and the beautiful memories will be yours to keep.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg83K5ZfR4rIcIqLpXXNIVJWI2sYxDQinxh-HLzppU2N_5UL6FbFoD_p1BzzXPqQtwsgwJQFi4A7FpWH_C6Epu8K_GHBRney-vXnDrVp6fSkvk2CUz6G0voIHhu4Ey2QX9IakisEcK2spsWy6DHTeHnrMy9HV_WS6axRUK5SFOQUpNfulWhBzUuPp_7j04/s1000/20221230_140425.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg83K5ZfR4rIcIqLpXXNIVJWI2sYxDQinxh-HLzppU2N_5UL6FbFoD_p1BzzXPqQtwsgwJQFi4A7FpWH_C6Epu8K_GHBRney-vXnDrVp6fSkvk2CUz6G0voIHhu4Ey2QX9IakisEcK2spsWy6DHTeHnrMy9HV_WS6axRUK5SFOQUpNfulWhBzUuPp_7j04/s16000/20221230_140425.jpg"></a></p><b>A Rocky Start</b><div><br><div>After bidding farewell to the hubby at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, the kids and I were left to fend on our own and it was an exhilarating feeling for me as we checked in and waited for our turn to board the ferry. </div><div><br></div><div>The 1-hour ferry ride turned out to be quite an eventful journey after all. Guess why? Well, the toddler started crying non-stop soon after we departed and it was the kind that could not be soothed. I tried to give him snacks and feed him breast milk but when it all failed, I had to carry him to walk around, take a look out of the window, distract him in the loo and just try to make ourselves less of a nuisance with his incessant crying. </div><div><br></div><div>It turned out that he was feeling seasick and so halfway through the journey, he puked big time and I wasn't in time to catch it so the vomit went all over him, myself, the baby carrier and even our socks and shoes. <i>Eeewwww.</i> I know. We were all wet and smelly for the second half of the journey but thankfully the boy seemed to feel better at this point. </div><div><br></div><div>The queue at the custom was long as expected and so we had to queue up while all drenched in vomit and the toddler only wanted to be carried instead of walk. Slowly but surely, we crossed the customs and the first thing we did was to retrieve our luggage so I could get some spare clothes. Alas the toilet was a distance away so I popped over to the Club Med check-in counter to get ourselves checked in first. The staff told me that the shuttle bus would not go off so soon as they were expecting more guests so he told me to feel free to head to the loo. I mean, I didn't want us to dirty their bus too, right? So I brought Ansel with me to change out of our smelly clothes. But by the time we got back, the bus had left without us!!! Yup. Oh dear oh no.</div><div><br></div><div>The rest of the kids started to grumble about the long wait but thankfully, the staff had it all worked out. They told us not to worry as they arranged a private transfer for us. Woohoo! Yeap, we went into a car and had our own private chauffeur who drove us to Club Med and we arrived at the same time as the shuttle did. Phew.</div><div><br></div><div>So despite the rocky start, we still made it to our destination safely and that was all that mattered to me. We kept our spirits high, enjoyed the warm towels and welcome drinks, went for a good lunch and took some time to relax while waiting for our rooms to be ready. </div><div><p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyIcRNuxKANkXXZCANFXDZxWyorwn214O_p_WCHB5ZVUGBdx67GWN-ZomeCrgc1JzbV__BphOGpEhR0QvcqonCEegu6arC--l0P-l2r_w7C8VTa2cFv5Pn-OYbHPjF1l7d-K9hG8Z91_s4e061LS9SYT2FTH32TYoASpgqYCWbxImAhtrGSBrVI9oFI2Q/s1000/20221230_190625.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyIcRNuxKANkXXZCANFXDZxWyorwn214O_p_WCHB5ZVUGBdx67GWN-ZomeCrgc1JzbV__BphOGpEhR0QvcqonCEegu6arC--l0P-l2r_w7C8VTa2cFv5Pn-OYbHPjF1l7d-K9hG8Z91_s4e061LS9SYT2FTH32TYoASpgqYCWbxImAhtrGSBrVI9oFI2Q/s16000/20221230_190625.jpg"></a></p><p><b>Taking it Easy</b></p><p>For this trip, I reminded myself to take things more leisurely and enjoy what each day had to offer. We didn't have a packed itinerary, we decided what to do or where to go spontaneously and I also made sure I didn't get too uptight about taking videos and photos since it wasn't a sponsored trip. Sure, I wanted to capture the moments for our own keepsake but at least I wasn't feeling stressed about it but instead enjoyed filming. It's a different feeling, you know what I mean?</p><p>Right after we checked into our rooms, I asked the kids if they wanted to go for the activities, take a hike or go to the beach. The past me would have gotten them changed and ushered them out of the room because it was a short trip and every minute mattered. This time round, we decided to instead just idle in our room and I managed to connect the TV to our Netflix so we chose to huddle on the bed and watch a Jackie Chan movie.</p><p>Yup, I guess our preferences, routines and way of doing things might differ a little as we grow up and our mindsets and outlook on life shift over time. What will never change for me is that no matter what we do, we stay together as a family.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgZsAm5DirSIkjL99hXHmIfjkGGugpYGLpFtGruj57swXStMN_mm--5EMT8mvJqL2axqB1sxfmfPet5sV1Ul9DffCZfYCdPTeyZymVblCQcghRfh0TIGK1IFb-BWQAab8f2Tt-GpmNwO4jaQq5cyt7M8vMNIhE6kTGpRupdQsTUXn2KedQ-_DewhlEIc/s1000/20221227_154704.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgZsAm5DirSIkjL99hXHmIfjkGGugpYGLpFtGruj57swXStMN_mm--5EMT8mvJqL2axqB1sxfmfPet5sV1Ul9DffCZfYCdPTeyZymVblCQcghRfh0TIGK1IFb-BWQAab8f2Tt-GpmNwO4jaQq5cyt7M8vMNIhE6kTGpRupdQsTUXn2KedQ-_DewhlEIc/s16000/20221227_154704.jpg"></a></p><p>After the movie, the kids decided they wanted to the beach so I said "Sure, let's go!" and off we went. While the elder ones tried catching fish, the toddler and I sat on the loungers to enjoy a satay, a bread and a drink before we went near the sea to enjoy the feeing of waves lapping at our feet. This was the kind of idyllic life that felt like a dream come true and even if it was only for three days, I was deeply thankful.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9bTC_JMc-o6YNB8IbVzuPcmSFb1l9GE4nZiWZ2XOz5CJe8NEOPYa5WSD0SZ5khaA5UrQeErnUYEeOH0BdSldBQ0DMg6yLL4PQdpzT2VPJiUJrFUeRHNdl8tr5AjKUJwM81eRvbI9SuzxfgLVpHW3mCAk7O4syAG0c8nSr6ZiH3Zwh6my7WFa9e3isln4/s1000/20221229_181223aa.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9bTC_JMc-o6YNB8IbVzuPcmSFb1l9GE4nZiWZ2XOz5CJe8NEOPYa5WSD0SZ5khaA5UrQeErnUYEeOH0BdSldBQ0DMg6yLL4PQdpzT2VPJiUJrFUeRHNdl8tr5AjKUJwM81eRvbI9SuzxfgLVpHW3mCAk7O4syAG0c8nSr6ZiH3Zwh6my7WFa9e3isln4/s16000/20221229_181223aa.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifIymcu3K-Vb1CoBtnTxnAqDiZnzBv_vlT2MWb22KdG69dq_1ygI2gdrKu9FzY-1XSl0A6LZTOngivqW3LLcKwEJ6ndC7yHU-VIHvyAfeXG2PtGdkvVO0CjJVMnDiqS1P4cn5yrV1BrlIKgw03LnJfpqdHbTtSmztfQH4LO3IZOl6NL9oWoscKWEQ5dv8/s1000/20221227_175341.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifIymcu3K-Vb1CoBtnTxnAqDiZnzBv_vlT2MWb22KdG69dq_1ygI2gdrKu9FzY-1XSl0A6LZTOngivqW3LLcKwEJ6ndC7yHU-VIHvyAfeXG2PtGdkvVO0CjJVMnDiqS1P4cn5yrV1BrlIKgw03LnJfpqdHbTtSmztfQH4LO3IZOl6NL9oWoscKWEQ5dv8/s16000/20221227_175341.jpg"></a></p><p><br></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk4dqo9bH0tJTvuzzvWcVucgKEcjLdrQMF9X_uwMTH1XoyVWjg68icqFD_qy_LcZSJdyJ0CbGsUIy0uv1dprpkot9J9im10UcUWkELar7S_MYO7HTsDnEAiAYzlIwsHFuEKWE0eSju4zcMLmRgGuldRUWgWxTXP0ANDA1y6aK7t6qZ77bCAhwyHefrTEc/s1000/20221227_175533.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk4dqo9bH0tJTvuzzvWcVucgKEcjLdrQMF9X_uwMTH1XoyVWjg68icqFD_qy_LcZSJdyJ0CbGsUIy0uv1dprpkot9J9im10UcUWkELar7S_MYO7HTsDnEAiAYzlIwsHFuEKWE0eSju4zcMLmRgGuldRUWgWxTXP0ANDA1y6aK7t6qZ77bCAhwyHefrTEc/s16000/20221227_175533.jpg"></a></p><p><b>Food Galore</b></p><p>One thing that we enjoy most about every Club Med trip is..... the endless buffets and sumptuous food! We actually looked forward to every meal and enjoyed the dining experience. I loved seeing what surprise was on the menu each time while the kids loved the idea of being able to walk around to pick out their own food. Well, they basically ate pasta, udon, fruits and ice cream every time and likely didn't make the cost of their stay worthwhile since they are not seafood fans. But they were happy and seeing their beaming faces made me happy too.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzZUbL8v3r3abGAeMlNy7YrUWPzog8eBzCHnevDzv5mZhMuwnM7XVUN3ZWsnvsQQwRaFIiZFV-gAcXBkemWQXDfs_nPdZh32y7hc9E9uHpxHFhcscDR-4b6Tu5mD8l5koXUI884quHFcdjXOTBIc9KqGQ-sFAwIEyk3UH4zCkLCQpMHBLQVFl7QSzUcgY/s1000/20221229_154948.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzZUbL8v3r3abGAeMlNy7YrUWPzog8eBzCHnevDzv5mZhMuwnM7XVUN3ZWsnvsQQwRaFIiZFV-gAcXBkemWQXDfs_nPdZh32y7hc9E9uHpxHFhcscDR-4b6Tu5mD8l5koXUI884quHFcdjXOTBIc9KqGQ-sFAwIEyk3UH4zCkLCQpMHBLQVFl7QSzUcgY/s16000/20221229_154948.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVpZ73MvFlqiYdzll7VPc0rTkZjA40OsrEZN_TDcc4630PJ8-lGnZJutZTlcqSTEAP0qEtiq5HF_TJPd4zbHJ_yd2aWg_HhCWfH1eULqAOaRNlk9IT5pOl-wQQIsoZP0nY0hP-dPFR3VnS8jaoeb9FdO6-Lt2ZWZycwY6DGf3UMsj7X1f6M3wzMJMxqM/s1000/20221227_131419.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVpZ73MvFlqiYdzll7VPc0rTkZjA40OsrEZN_TDcc4630PJ8-lGnZJutZTlcqSTEAP0qEtiq5HF_TJPd4zbHJ_yd2aWg_HhCWfH1eULqAOaRNlk9IT5pOl-wQQIsoZP0nY0hP-dPFR3VnS8jaoeb9FdO6-Lt2ZWZycwY6DGf3UMsj7X1f6M3wzMJMxqM/s16000/20221227_131419.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3c9Cdze1GRstvpNmkANdpH-7A8DluXyaoVK9PKbTkSj_H8K5ODr0tIs0ncKaBG7aG-8DLsRSOObAdvPeVn6yMWSWF_pwogKmTTVG_pEK1FEWprfyv-8EtESVSrNgP_pvyBm5kK3QS0U0ei1rEzOq766754wch1CBInSEzS8M2cxNHNrH78qJ2qx_uL4/s1000/20221228_141008.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3c9Cdze1GRstvpNmkANdpH-7A8DluXyaoVK9PKbTkSj_H8K5ODr0tIs0ncKaBG7aG-8DLsRSOObAdvPeVn6yMWSWF_pwogKmTTVG_pEK1FEWprfyv-8EtESVSrNgP_pvyBm5kK3QS0U0ei1rEzOq766754wch1CBInSEzS8M2cxNHNrH78qJ2qx_uL4/s16000/20221228_141008.jpg"></a></p><p>This was the first time we managed to stay for a poolside buffet too and it was mad awesome! I loved how the chefs practically shifted the whole kitchen out and we were able to have an outdoor buffet in the moonlight. Some of the dishes were really yummy like we had Peking duck and grilled lamb chop. The kids also loved the milkshakes and the mocktails and would have more than one each at every meal. Haha. I know I know, a little too sweet but hey we were on vacation, right?</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW7zQT8F2zMI5NqnW7T_w3M9rKRoaUEJn3j94-Bm3tG3jgwkI1Cqqu40wp6kmWjXdeHErY2DhduHA9R--wDi2PAt7dX65_b-lD9BaHt9gi8vGrEcjevjnIuMn9mT06KyLzNV13WRJ1R6OdNu5QXeNPC9LaAqpRLe4fkyHwwBdQdiBPCKLzYM947-ECgMY/s1000/20221229_193447.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW7zQT8F2zMI5NqnW7T_w3M9rKRoaUEJn3j94-Bm3tG3jgwkI1Cqqu40wp6kmWjXdeHErY2DhduHA9R--wDi2PAt7dX65_b-lD9BaHt9gi8vGrEcjevjnIuMn9mT06KyLzNV13WRJ1R6OdNu5QXeNPC9LaAqpRLe4fkyHwwBdQdiBPCKLzYM947-ECgMY/s16000/20221229_193447.jpg"></a></p><p>Another thing they super loved was the ice cream! Haha. Yup, this Mama kept one eye closed since I love ice cream too and it isn't always that you get to enjoy a delicious scoop of ice cream after every meal. It was something they looked forward to and Ansel was especially happy because it was such a treat for him. I loved the other desserts like cakes and puffs too but for my kids, nothing beats ice cream.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS1iPBcztaLt-J3ZUHCr2yd5UToGFD0M1O-k4KIlmBOgd42SrrmL_SwVV0Y5ivGC9gz_glBpxccq_T36e23RHvCwgIO5qRVnY4NrdscLRsaiu16EKpUD7ODo60dW54L40QYuYvOss-jXiNs2dQ0kZB2CQBpw_aiNDtI1KgqpS2hnDm62nr82GXJsX2H3E/s1000/20221227_135801.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS1iPBcztaLt-J3ZUHCr2yd5UToGFD0M1O-k4KIlmBOgd42SrrmL_SwVV0Y5ivGC9gz_glBpxccq_T36e23RHvCwgIO5qRVnY4NrdscLRsaiu16EKpUD7ODo60dW54L40QYuYvOss-jXiNs2dQ0kZB2CQBpw_aiNDtI1KgqpS2hnDm62nr82GXJsX2H3E/s16000/20221227_135801.jpg"></a></p><p><b>Achieving Milestones</b></p><p>Every overseas trip also involves achieving milestones and seeing the kids grow up. </p><p>For our Club Med trips, the trapeze is always a highlight for the kids and they look forward to trying it out every morning with the Mini Club. I always think it is quite a daring feat as the trapeze is really high and even climbing up the tall ladder takes courage. It is no wonder some kids give it a miss or just give up halfway and that is nothing to be ashamed of.</p><p>I remember Angel's first try and it took me lots of coaxing and persuasion before she was willing to get up there. I cheered for her each step of the way and I could sense that she was feeling nervous and apprehensive. The moment she took her first step out and swang across, I felt so much pride and was so happy for her. As for Ariel, she is more of a daredevil and it didn't take much persuasion but I knew she was feeling anxious on her first try too. Kids have to be at least aged four to try but hey, four is still a very tender age and perfectly okay to feel fearful, right?</p><p>As for this trip, it was the first time Asher was allowed to go up since our last visit was in 2019 and he wasn't four yet at that time. I kind of assumed he would need more assurance and coaxing as he tends to be more scared when it comes to this kind of things like roller coasters. I wouldn't even be surprised if he chose to kick up a fuss and refused to try at all.</p><p>But lo and behold, he decided to do it and it didn't even take me much to talk him into trying. He just said he wanted Ariel to go first so he could see how she did it and there he went, right after her. He climbed up the tall ladder - which was scary to me because it was so high and all you had was a harness - and made it to the platform. On his first swing, he even tried to mimic what Ariel did and that was to put his feet up onto the bar and turned himself upside down. While he was scared to let go of his hands, it was so awesome for a first attempt already.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMclL2z35Eifp6lovOPrJ4VTgc2Jil64pPDHe3GXre2TZQojUUNMb26kr1J4EOKEchRSglvBZL2eEnY41AJXqvzRo41DAL_5Syfh6m6iz6gsZQtsZdFI-E4YdaI1mEylfwavVNcE2OmCZkdAuGpS8AJB2goK8c13FGDUs6D6gMC5DWHRU0CcZGcuuihiI/s1000/20221228_093714.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMclL2z35Eifp6lovOPrJ4VTgc2Jil64pPDHe3GXre2TZQojUUNMb26kr1J4EOKEchRSglvBZL2eEnY41AJXqvzRo41DAL_5Syfh6m6iz6gsZQtsZdFI-E4YdaI1mEylfwavVNcE2OmCZkdAuGpS8AJB2goK8c13FGDUs6D6gMC5DWHRU0CcZGcuuihiI/s16000/20221228_093714.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0HtHp3emTZD7LVakknHlO7JPSuDReGo7pL4cmb2hPX570fsBJ63R9dkedSTmtv5uRTdVg2W60_oO0OawuBISwRRmFfLCfk9WTC3hA8-UgJalYdfQwGvEx4yerYLm_mgBqMzat5a274MKdJx0mknwFC3R9n__aRhQGfBohmnKgE-8VsYeaZ6gk47rWuo0/s1000/20221228_093729.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0HtHp3emTZD7LVakknHlO7JPSuDReGo7pL4cmb2hPX570fsBJ63R9dkedSTmtv5uRTdVg2W60_oO0OawuBISwRRmFfLCfk9WTC3hA8-UgJalYdfQwGvEx4yerYLm_mgBqMzat5a274MKdJx0mknwFC3R9n__aRhQGfBohmnKgE-8VsYeaZ6gk47rWuo0/s16000/20221228_093729.jpg"></a></p><p>On his next attempt, HE DID IT! He let go of his hands, stayed upside down and even did a back flip too. Hooray! It was amazing to watch and he gave a big, wide smile the moment he came down. And he told me "<i>I thought I cannot do it but because Mama you kept telling me I can so I tried. And I did it!" Awwww. </i>That was such a wonderful thing to hear and so sweet of him to give me credit for it too.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFGhlklZ_9PU_gcTL-eBLr9b5PB9iv6qtKF8DnD-kKFCoQQvRqHWzvFgMgQ52wrbe760yZgKN8UtP2tNw94W8NeEK4j8OSDICwfFtmXYnRhO_A6lp7VsEiG2Yn7UF38cjgwDnKFem0G5DkwTfKcNz1EwaDRIvWBt0a8r5JgzMP9Ka_HlwrPAbIpxq9vOg/s1000/20221229_093940.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFGhlklZ_9PU_gcTL-eBLr9b5PB9iv6qtKF8DnD-kKFCoQQvRqHWzvFgMgQ52wrbe760yZgKN8UtP2tNw94W8NeEK4j8OSDICwfFtmXYnRhO_A6lp7VsEiG2Yn7UF38cjgwDnKFem0G5DkwTfKcNz1EwaDRIvWBt0a8r5JgzMP9Ka_HlwrPAbIpxq9vOg/s16000/20221229_093940.jpg"></a></p><p>As for myself, I always love challenging myself on the trapeze too and it is just so coincidental that every time I can make it for the session, it is always raining and I will have to do the indoor one. This happened during our last couple of trips too. The thing is maybe it is fated as I do prefer doing the stationary trapeze since the outdoor one might scare me due to the height. The staff told me the stationary one is actually harder as you require more strength to do the poses and haul yourself up but that's what makes it fun too, right?</p><p>So I challenged myself to do a few poses this time round and I must say they aren't as easy as they look. Is it a milestone for me on a personal level too? Definitely.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSdwYVzP8kV5zjm1QaCWbwUtZrwDf8OXDRxQb_Tw9ENc3LH78yethU-9Fnv6lCrFmEUVdCt5QJideA9Qp2-MLUvh6m-t_8Xj-pOqKi_NwJ9b3J-F2dWCTEUgsSo-HvZxSiMVNEVtDoDReoIlC9PKBLLFepbHcGRoRGEF5EyMhBIfy-an80f1vsMhanDE/s1000/20221229_165212.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSdwYVzP8kV5zjm1QaCWbwUtZrwDf8OXDRxQb_Tw9ENc3LH78yethU-9Fnv6lCrFmEUVdCt5QJideA9Qp2-MLUvh6m-t_8Xj-pOqKi_NwJ9b3J-F2dWCTEUgsSo-HvZxSiMVNEVtDoDReoIlC9PKBLLFepbHcGRoRGEF5EyMhBIfy-an80f1vsMhanDE/s16000/20221229_165212.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7I0kZFaAqtoNx7AgAFhuXUuK5Uq5oKuil44h--kcs_rKTkL5mM8awyicxf7aBc-W8q9ISQAOHWdJqcwWWiOY2DeKdtLPLIsMbPQzJcdVrIWmL9kBeE7H_l0H5PD3tbHA8NCOBJsswT9PCo14ce0bFym0qfUyhR9c0Za-VZbdcK2j0xoFIKvwfzONLOw/s1000/20221229_170014.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7I0kZFaAqtoNx7AgAFhuXUuK5Uq5oKuil44h--kcs_rKTkL5mM8awyicxf7aBc-W8q9ISQAOHWdJqcwWWiOY2DeKdtLPLIsMbPQzJcdVrIWmL9kBeE7H_l0H5PD3tbHA8NCOBJsswT9PCo14ce0bFym0qfUyhR9c0Za-VZbdcK2j0xoFIKvwfzONLOw/s16000/20221229_170014.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaqB8gDyboC_0wxMZ7b9dZssPglKrH2aSi-VDKPemAnvdoXg8dvPPK-vtwwaQS444gLQDc2ETWRPOA37DhFUrLry3ZF-2qMHA2Zh3ZegdfTZbo8TaUkTtb3fMBXMPk33zSRKFwO8usjW970rCqOIcff2Co8KK8khPZbUbNh1DzgGLpCrhM8cpz5Xmjrb4/s1000/20221229_170850.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaqB8gDyboC_0wxMZ7b9dZssPglKrH2aSi-VDKPemAnvdoXg8dvPPK-vtwwaQS444gLQDc2ETWRPOA37DhFUrLry3ZF-2qMHA2Zh3ZegdfTZbo8TaUkTtb3fMBXMPk33zSRKFwO8usjW970rCqOIcff2Co8KK8khPZbUbNh1DzgGLpCrhM8cpz5Xmjrb4/s16000/20221229_170850.jpg"></a></p><p><b>Respecting Wishes</b></p><p>For those who don't know yet. when you visit Club Med, the kids can join the clubs and have fun in the activities. The Baby Club for 4 to 23 months old and Petit Club for 2 to 3 years old come at extra cost but they basically function like a childcare service and parents can feel free to leave the kids there so they can have alone time. The Mini Club is for kids aged 4 to 10 and the Teen Club is for those aged 11 to 17 - these two are already included in your package. </p><p>My kids have joined the Mini Club before and it is fun as you can get to play with kids your age and do things like archery, swimming, craft, movie and games together with the GOs who look after the kids. They have even put on a show before and the girls danced on stage for all the guests who were there. </p><p>This time, Asher and Ariel only wanted to go for a couple of activities with the Mini Club and as always, they prefer to eat lunch with us instead of with the other kids. So I let them choose what they wanted and made sure to pick them up and sign them out on time.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMcAyaRxvW5cX0JhSFxAn_lzUpekqjlE2EmQj4-kdNpMv-P86OWJHtqqyy-cax8ku4u_5_nVJPhrRgqdg4bn7Kr_j9qdABN6tJFglfepqNaaLmORfhK-mmWLYfIGWPk7joUpmzbNuWnAUXzMZQhIOmUAgxAMAFdPSK_eRR36qhSugaXTrcw1enRM_S4lc/s1000/20221228_110643.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMcAyaRxvW5cX0JhSFxAn_lzUpekqjlE2EmQj4-kdNpMv-P86OWJHtqqyy-cax8ku4u_5_nVJPhrRgqdg4bn7Kr_j9qdABN6tJFglfepqNaaLmORfhK-mmWLYfIGWPk7joUpmzbNuWnAUXzMZQhIOmUAgxAMAFdPSK_eRR36qhSugaXTrcw1enRM_S4lc/s16000/20221228_110643.jpg"></a></p><p>As for Angel, she refused to join the Teen Club at all as she felt she would be awkward and she is not exactly the kind who likes to socialise and make new friends. I did ask her to at least try and go take a look before dismissing it totally but she was adamant about it and said she had made up her mind. So I learnt to respect their desires and preferences instead of trying to force my way. All I want is for my kids to have a pleasant trip and if she feels happier staying with me and Ansel 24/7 (I didn't sign him up for the Petit Club as I didn't want to incur the cost and I didn't think he would want to be separated from me too), then so it shall be.</p><p>Angel and I did join a family activity while Ariel and Asher were playing and two of us made a DIY dreamcatcher together. Looks quite pretty, right? I think this is the kind of memory that will stay etched in our minds and hopefully we will all look back on this trip with fondness years down the road.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLzS3_FtEUuFq1l0Rke5nZzJM_Iq5fanyPHrAyXxSRSNXN2mKK50N0VQ-bLTtITFutuJA_80YJpvQ_CDA35_xseDc-PAK_28zhmcX1ybwuS10F7UuusE6X6xJeEiCG6i6u2_-_RHZLIzHqtfr8XO-Gi0qjdrNV95lCclVuk2jd3RFMtD9fiNsvjEpEoho/s1000/20221228_110119.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLzS3_FtEUuFq1l0Rke5nZzJM_Iq5fanyPHrAyXxSRSNXN2mKK50N0VQ-bLTtITFutuJA_80YJpvQ_CDA35_xseDc-PAK_28zhmcX1ybwuS10F7UuusE6X6xJeEiCG6i6u2_-_RHZLIzHqtfr8XO-Gi0qjdrNV95lCclVuk2jd3RFMtD9fiNsvjEpEoho/s16000/20221228_110119.jpg"></a></p><p><b>Venturing Out</b></p><p>We decided to be bold and went for an excursion on our second last day. Yup, we booked a cab to take us to one of our favourite places to visit - Safari Lagoi! I knew this place would delight the kids and since Ansel had never been here, I didn't want to give up on the opportunity to do so. No venture, no gain, right? So I reminded the kids to stay close together and to look out for each other since I only had a pair of eyes and hands.</p><p>One memorable incident was that I lost my ATM card while withdrawing money to pay for the cab. Haha. Oops. It was a blunder on my part as I only remembered to take the cash but forgot to take the card in time and it was 'eaten up' by the machine. The Club Med staff made a check with the bank and I was told that no one would be coming down to the machine before our departure so they would not be able to return it to me. So I had to get my bank to cancel that card and issue a new one but I guess it wasn't that much of a hassle after all. I just wanted us to have a good excursion and be back safely.</p><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAH783F3blDlJS7uoHGXfUEDlLrfiW0E7JmHiLvx6dSJ45bjl0M6e6HgbWrRvqFZfut4CBTSLTNm8hxt98E5UrjX4-_AfePdsoEF_FcdfwbmX7RMIqA2xDSWVRg4Z7P5v09CzQVVJdY-2o6br-x_ZjQAPXd4CET7HQrKcIVmLrcc2zicUVycjF-hNJkKY/s1000/20221229_103336.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAH783F3blDlJS7uoHGXfUEDlLrfiW0E7JmHiLvx6dSJ45bjl0M6e6HgbWrRvqFZfut4CBTSLTNm8hxt98E5UrjX4-_AfePdsoEF_FcdfwbmX7RMIqA2xDSWVRg4Z7P5v09CzQVVJdY-2o6br-x_ZjQAPXd4CET7HQrKcIVmLrcc2zicUVycjF-hNJkKY/s16000/20221229_103336.jpg"></a></div><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1LrfGNX6pi3sbFggfgTrc7H-LfRdd83h84L01r3eSsC3YAqOSIJ-k8DQSo2fdN0vbP1uv62OcNWa9F9hoPTlzah-tLS-tB6jsaQXC7rlP6Wp6JYJiX_gKwP3jP9x_x3vie9d3lJjD9oRm4w7f4Wl4QHcbH17jtcd58cOIgtnQIagn7vqETbMo7Rc_JoU/s1000/20221229_105150.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1LrfGNX6pi3sbFggfgTrc7H-LfRdd83h84L01r3eSsC3YAqOSIJ-k8DQSo2fdN0vbP1uv62OcNWa9F9hoPTlzah-tLS-tB6jsaQXC7rlP6Wp6JYJiX_gKwP3jP9x_x3vie9d3lJjD9oRm4w7f4Wl4QHcbH17jtcd58cOIgtnQIagn7vqETbMo7Rc_JoU/s16000/20221229_105150.jpg"></a></p><p><b>Animal Encounters</b></p><p>The most fun part of Safari Lagoi was that we got to feed the animals! We paid for a basket of food including bananas, carrots, vegetables, pellets and chicken. The kids were very happy and dashed to the rabbit's enclosure because they really love bunnies. So they fed them and even got to pat and carry them too. We also fed the deer who were really tame and allowed us to stroke them on the head too.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_iAYwtiPfvBh7PcsrrMfzRQIQS5DAScE7x2TmMogOJ1h48vdLZKdsqAekUD5XxLqRGVeYpmb_S1AaAj80pSaEKvMSnpaMi-T7vLQhXOOJAgY91OaRi2V-or3PbVbDpgEhoX3wEIo83caI50KkKDAte7hhV90ODoZlfbAmCggvv_L7OcnIcTbSjYyAVzU/s1000/20221229_110401.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_iAYwtiPfvBh7PcsrrMfzRQIQS5DAScE7x2TmMogOJ1h48vdLZKdsqAekUD5XxLqRGVeYpmb_S1AaAj80pSaEKvMSnpaMi-T7vLQhXOOJAgY91OaRi2V-or3PbVbDpgEhoX3wEIo83caI50KkKDAte7hhV90ODoZlfbAmCggvv_L7OcnIcTbSjYyAVzU/s16000/20221229_110401.jpg"></a></div><p><br></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwxZ7H-kzNmdlckx0JZSX-Sauh-H0zUZ8HcragMgjfMgdxVIQuvVcn9r4OBXZMJjg2mSSVlsgbHCNYQ5pgj3nGjOxoSvlUQatFZN40OCa_1IlvoiZwCWYce5k1mewtKRSzxFGA_jZesmfz9v_qVSZE8_MqcJIHnuoVpkCbjRZWY25XoDkYhIDbigvZvPE/s1000/20221229_110507.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwxZ7H-kzNmdlckx0JZSX-Sauh-H0zUZ8HcragMgjfMgdxVIQuvVcn9r4OBXZMJjg2mSSVlsgbHCNYQ5pgj3nGjOxoSvlUQatFZN40OCa_1IlvoiZwCWYce5k1mewtKRSzxFGA_jZesmfz9v_qVSZE8_MqcJIHnuoVpkCbjRZWY25XoDkYhIDbigvZvPE/s16000/20221229_110507.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTBxvM-JDwZ18fPD3BBV-bJhlgew5uH-M2MeNWmrfFKvXDkuxphIrc7ZmZTuUUpKK_HfAz9IIKhomNwd6WMbgEdJ7J-h11jwF0Yxv8jBBGCjX9eiev_qizoF5DS6hisg5Sm27mbNYLz9YdFYjq6wZ7woMOM_zlGkeancrnNGCZ62sqYtHELZOQA4-HlzA/s1000/20221229_111149.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTBxvM-JDwZ18fPD3BBV-bJhlgew5uH-M2MeNWmrfFKvXDkuxphIrc7ZmZTuUUpKK_HfAz9IIKhomNwd6WMbgEdJ7J-h11jwF0Yxv8jBBGCjX9eiev_qizoF5DS6hisg5Sm27mbNYLz9YdFYjq6wZ7woMOM_zlGkeancrnNGCZ62sqYtHELZOQA4-HlzA/s16000/20221229_111149.jpg"></a></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN98b5dwFNHB34qdwQdb6kf0EK4xMs60tURWefIuDNQfJixLuebcNUS4acOcu84UUjyd7Q_0ULgBKOIN0fCoGKplVtzN6fBlhmi_jv9YFiROnJ79twYsZbT0prziEEc247guyD1FHEbEwh3Fy1ZJDaKIpRcyMqrUpRNETOivtthmgbe_E8L6OdddeHZQU/s1000/20221229_113754.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN98b5dwFNHB34qdwQdb6kf0EK4xMs60tURWefIuDNQfJixLuebcNUS4acOcu84UUjyd7Q_0ULgBKOIN0fCoGKplVtzN6fBlhmi_jv9YFiROnJ79twYsZbT0prziEEc247guyD1FHEbEwh3Fy1ZJDaKIpRcyMqrUpRNETOivtthmgbe_E8L6OdddeHZQU/s16000/20221229_113754.jpg"></a></p><p>Moving onto more exotic animals, we also fed a giant tortoise who loved the carrot and a small crocodile who was very swift in biting the piece of chicken we dropped in. These are experiences to remember so I made sure I got it on camera for the kids too - scroll down for the video of our highlights, yeah?</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFxH9egYZ4e9cS2VZXvwBLkBgSqV81Tq6jxQLlQjD5V-ZMlPA1V3p509eM-TnOgzh_9tRyS0yVci4AclZJseF-x1uqHR3dW4IIL022YEaQcSCfz5k8yMqmQeDHGtfGYuUJ2EWtCa_qiV36Yk_BmChvb6KgLGrKb1LfwVuwq-VBOWg3x6jeYiqovHIh10/s1000/20221229_112639.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWFxH9egYZ4e9cS2VZXvwBLkBgSqV81Tq6jxQLlQjD5V-ZMlPA1V3p509eM-TnOgzh_9tRyS0yVci4AclZJseF-x1uqHR3dW4IIL022YEaQcSCfz5k8yMqmQeDHGtfGYuUJ2EWtCa_qiV36Yk_BmChvb6KgLGrKb1LfwVuwq-VBOWg3x6jeYiqovHIh10/s16000/20221229_112639.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58NfR7ukjOvuPrmJAmPNgOQqXkmamtPpu_gyscyQAWr8QnZS1MIIJheZDfFctXqlyj3m8W3-ZoorpOmc2ghgV6EcE70kB8aSh8Ml9Jfc05yGzq-T09ARqKbdYwh8H9hgPpaIL1Rqm_Z4UnOT9gJwWhVdXViP8TDqkGetiNQaS1FVvqsQ6tN1v4NzTXpo/s1000/20221229_120506.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58NfR7ukjOvuPrmJAmPNgOQqXkmamtPpu_gyscyQAWr8QnZS1MIIJheZDfFctXqlyj3m8W3-ZoorpOmc2ghgV6EcE70kB8aSh8Ml9Jfc05yGzq-T09ARqKbdYwh8H9hgPpaIL1Rqm_Z4UnOT9gJwWhVdXViP8TDqkGetiNQaS1FVvqsQ6tN1v4NzTXpo/s16000/20221229_120506.jpg"></a></p><p>The hubby and I brought the kids here a couple of times before and our first visit was when the girls were still young, like aged two and five or so. Time flies and I'm now promoted to a mum of four! Yup, it still feels a little surreal at times but I am so grateful that we are where we are today.</p><p>The park also features a handful of photo taking spots so we made sure we snapped some shots for keepsake. We used to climb up this komodo dragon statue and slid down the grass slope so we did the same thing this time too - and got our pants all dirty. Haha. My favourite is the floral heart shape structure with the Safari Lagoi logo in the background and the kids were kind as to accommodate my request to take a few family shots here.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisMl9gxGB9RoAo69UySS5wMH9ew_3bUphx0Jjs9lPdj-N6New3EMl36DfYBcdnAY098vGBn7fr9_aafroESF8vbwy-aSVJ6QFOCBDetmRAj-wKP_LZ9M3ckQBVFGsBTdy7wfWGg4NG6eCCthyu2UgmSgZ6kzo1zDTQ6Vk9KPlRz4Eri10XKcia8ECdoO4/s1000/20221229_131200.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisMl9gxGB9RoAo69UySS5wMH9ew_3bUphx0Jjs9lPdj-N6New3EMl36DfYBcdnAY098vGBn7fr9_aafroESF8vbwy-aSVJ6QFOCBDetmRAj-wKP_LZ9M3ckQBVFGsBTdy7wfWGg4NG6eCCthyu2UgmSgZ6kzo1zDTQ6Vk9KPlRz4Eri10XKcia8ECdoO4/s16000/20221229_131200.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7xzC6mbCLHXQ2sL0qhlEr_Hl2RX8wNCoxmxTShdprykAG3N7gN65E32513ff9pWgt_ZvGYUQj-rcR6qaM9BYswpzQ1u1XoeWMeFDOMeCh6iUX62D3AxDCUWHdvEzswCsIfSKSze1wsd1NK_paoUR5xljuFxq1pGrGJ-aatlEpkXdBI9951ZkvSrZ5Hvs/s1000/20221229_140227.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7xzC6mbCLHXQ2sL0qhlEr_Hl2RX8wNCoxmxTShdprykAG3N7gN65E32513ff9pWgt_ZvGYUQj-rcR6qaM9BYswpzQ1u1XoeWMeFDOMeCh6iUX62D3AxDCUWHdvEzswCsIfSKSze1wsd1NK_paoUR5xljuFxq1pGrGJ-aatlEpkXdBI9951ZkvSrZ5Hvs/s16000/20221229_140227.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7hB34qTgl1TUZaP8BxCc9CcCZ7VJUrsHcTRXxh8KQF0bvEUdsNEYzwMbr7adaX5flYIiKhTn0xBoQCOrKEXHkSpBgQ0DWv5o8R-PqgLvktMZtDxEYVn8JAx4aCgEZtLtlDuXgmB6QXAnFVH0sJeghBqJfGMzKnB6gamcwRBLEks-fqZolNLtWLy0URWg/s1000/20221229_130659as.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7hB34qTgl1TUZaP8BxCc9CcCZ7VJUrsHcTRXxh8KQF0bvEUdsNEYzwMbr7adaX5flYIiKhTn0xBoQCOrKEXHkSpBgQ0DWv5o8R-PqgLvktMZtDxEYVn8JAx4aCgEZtLtlDuXgmB6QXAnFVH0sJeghBqJfGMzKnB6gamcwRBLEks-fqZolNLtWLy0URWg/s16000/20221229_130659as.jpg"></a></p><p>The highlights of the visit would be how we got to touch and feed an elephant, stroke and caress a python, as well as hold up and and pat an owl. The kids were ecstatic to get to interact and get up close with these animal friends and I know that these were memories that we would hold dear in our hearts. The elephant feeding was included as part of our package when we bought the food and we topped up a a token fee for the owl and python (If I don't remember wrongly, it's about SGD$5 each). What surprised me was that the staff was very helpful in helping us to take the pictures and even helped to video when I requested too. These are really precious memories so thank you very much!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1b1CMk8LJ--Umn1mprGYG8Kcs36IOEw3n4Lqy2zgxPFxLZfo9-MjQhv_AXk7ejckRP0ZD205EoPvkE7za2jQQMTdTcQWPG6oXYOcQmKtptxvecP987AIRmO0xcLxO0YIkqBsMIggQQUorYHbW704ImbOrLZrxdo7sZxXIy1URJE5gtu7f6gFXPYKWUk4/s1000/20221229_124224.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1b1CMk8LJ--Umn1mprGYG8Kcs36IOEw3n4Lqy2zgxPFxLZfo9-MjQhv_AXk7ejckRP0ZD205EoPvkE7za2jQQMTdTcQWPG6oXYOcQmKtptxvecP987AIRmO0xcLxO0YIkqBsMIggQQUorYHbW704ImbOrLZrxdo7sZxXIy1URJE5gtu7f6gFXPYKWUk4/s16000/20221229_124224.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-Z_5IjkYP-ZWJadYYQvqRDVIpX-C5riKIYYD9Qp0v4rTTZPvZeUnXcWeB_4-uJ87CMe1DWYSY1M5tAYyhCf8dPDtAsXeTaoEY1vlwaiBN4atT6GoKD4k3U60cA_aLLBatb6_MNcG_qarBgsdvNZ4Z-7XtOzPBspDQSp7Bcb3PXoEGkt6R-NcPemejmE/s1000/20221229_121105.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-Z_5IjkYP-ZWJadYYQvqRDVIpX-C5riKIYYD9Qp0v4rTTZPvZeUnXcWeB_4-uJ87CMe1DWYSY1M5tAYyhCf8dPDtAsXeTaoEY1vlwaiBN4atT6GoKD4k3U60cA_aLLBatb6_MNcG_qarBgsdvNZ4Z-7XtOzPBspDQSp7Bcb3PXoEGkt6R-NcPemejmE/s16000/20221229_121105.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcWHhwI4YGuMNrwTxYjIQBVJxiUvCZbEOdJq2VgDsgRTiUrwL_jl0EY6Epst_Ju82ZvhfpJodI6E3NFNT7vpcBg2DdQHV9BovjXy5nSDxUqPP1ThiSv8U7A0XPWbqlIn7n3UiCYBfKWS7F6O3s6N-SFf2cr3uO7pCjwnwfRMNByyW4FcOCRK7m9i4djQs/s1000/20221229_121451a.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcWHhwI4YGuMNrwTxYjIQBVJxiUvCZbEOdJq2VgDsgRTiUrwL_jl0EY6Epst_Ju82ZvhfpJodI6E3NFNT7vpcBg2DdQHV9BovjXy5nSDxUqPP1ThiSv8U7A0XPWbqlIn7n3UiCYBfKWS7F6O3s6N-SFf2cr3uO7pCjwnwfRMNByyW4FcOCRK7m9i4djQs/s16000/20221229_121451a.jpg"></a></p><p><b>Spectacular Shows</b></p><p>Back at the resort, we also enjoyed the nightly shows very much and always made sure we got a good seat after the dinner. The show included acrobatics, dance, humour, sports and sometimes kids' performances too. The highlight show for our visit this time round had to be the one at the poolside where the circus team performed feats right above the swimming pool and the rest of the GOs entertained us with lots of dancing and singing too.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNB2b1JFl4_qx0k1XMGOMIDD7ZDGSxNh8aXbfNrIfHCu7X4E0Tp7exV322COzOhU4QQsUcupzBGcHezemwB084HA2grBtGNRXvUptTQ0E97K8_ZKcwblUZaAwR6i4-vebvw3zIIcr-jP1WeZR15jgKC7qMHHe6uk-_VMkQpMNw6_otKDbP_Wvtx8CFdTg/s1000/20221229_203619.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNB2b1JFl4_qx0k1XMGOMIDD7ZDGSxNh8aXbfNrIfHCu7X4E0Tp7exV322COzOhU4QQsUcupzBGcHezemwB084HA2grBtGNRXvUptTQ0E97K8_ZKcwblUZaAwR6i4-vebvw3zIIcr-jP1WeZR15jgKC7qMHHe6uk-_VMkQpMNw6_otKDbP_Wvtx8CFdTg/s16000/20221229_203619.jpg"></a></p><p><b>Family Bonding</b></p><p>A vacation is always a good way for the family to come together to bond. I deeply appreciated being able to spend three nights with my kids away from home and we were together almost every minute of the day. Sure, the sibling bickers are inevitable and I am pretty sure I nagged like a broken record but the truth is we are still a closely-knitted family and the ties that bond us will never be broken or replaced.</p><p>I also loved that the kids got to spend so much time playing and laughing together because the truth is as they grow up, they will spend less time at home as they form their own circle of friends. I want them to be able to pursue that yet I also hope they will always remember to make time for family. So while we can still travel, explore and go sightseeing as a family, I will cherish every trip and try my best to make the most of it.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl95O6jdo4hzPX9l8tFc_RLNilIRZmF4ZyBrEUUFTBZaUjzDkCFAMi3Lb7bAq1AE985b6Is54Xk4hNLStGDeE9s8z5MJRTDohFzo0wnbz2u1cKXXjw4TEU0WaRyrpllbsEnNfpCMpj5DGf_X7EEeebjb_dw32MigwFP_-AwSSKdOI0Lxzx3_fwPZF1ygg/s1000/20221230_093821.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl95O6jdo4hzPX9l8tFc_RLNilIRZmF4ZyBrEUUFTBZaUjzDkCFAMi3Lb7bAq1AE985b6Is54Xk4hNLStGDeE9s8z5MJRTDohFzo0wnbz2u1cKXXjw4TEU0WaRyrpllbsEnNfpCMpj5DGf_X7EEeebjb_dw32MigwFP_-AwSSKdOI0Lxzx3_fwPZF1ygg/s16000/20221230_093821.jpg"></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9oh75LrI0jN8QX-5FNJfhzHMp_3kdZM-xlZQ01hj6Yx1ren3nxEIt2YpV2Iy9-LfXAThLYwOL-5kkcjo51yN_m9xOivgXPYEXgECiLJ9LnirapL1OGDx2sZYGIFKbRKJ6jaoYqzPHC8jRDodl8Dre59XNItoVV2M5NDoDDmrw9X6D-XT1V51NgUosRn0/s1000/20221229_134653a.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9oh75LrI0jN8QX-5FNJfhzHMp_3kdZM-xlZQ01hj6Yx1ren3nxEIt2YpV2Iy9-LfXAThLYwOL-5kkcjo51yN_m9xOivgXPYEXgECiLJ9LnirapL1OGDx2sZYGIFKbRKJ6jaoYqzPHC8jRDodl8Dre59XNItoVV2M5NDoDDmrw9X6D-XT1V51NgUosRn0/s16000/20221229_134653a.jpg"></a></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><b>Go with the Flow</b><div><br><div>Like I mentioned just now, we took things quite spontaneously this time round and it felt kind of fun doing it. For instance, we were swimming in the big pool at Level 1 and I happened to ask a GO if we could go to the kids' pool at the Mini Club. She checked the schedule and said if the club was not using it, we could go ahead and so we made our way there. Indeed, it was empty, woohoo! There was a not-very-slippery slide that we had to push each other down, a wading pool with water toys for Ansel, and a shallow pool where the older kids and I played catching and dodgeball and laughed to our hearts' content. We were the only family there and the kids loved that I got into the pool to play with them, run around and be wild instead of just watching or filming them.</div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha6H71xjVvMUpcE05TR3TW4OcP__63SW1xlEE4ZyC1Ih5Ghwv9eOFYwrqyEsYsGyfr4DS5IOA4AhzyXc9S9_v46OP8EJDAwz_-D7_y-DGA5GlGrNhrrrh7eK2-dqvW0kdI-L5vcqBgPdtdPYQbWQmcveiG6YkQ2PB75m9T4vvYElO93wBhxwP5gjrM7-o/s1000/20221228_122313.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha6H71xjVvMUpcE05TR3TW4OcP__63SW1xlEE4ZyC1Ih5Ghwv9eOFYwrqyEsYsGyfr4DS5IOA4AhzyXc9S9_v46OP8EJDAwz_-D7_y-DGA5GlGrNhrrrh7eK2-dqvW0kdI-L5vcqBgPdtdPYQbWQmcveiG6YkQ2PB75m9T4vvYElO93wBhxwP5gjrM7-o/s16000/20221228_122313.jpg"></a></div><div><br></div><div>We also made our way to the Sports Centre and tried out archery, badminton, basketball, tennis and squash. Yes, a lot of sports, I know! But it was fun to just try them out even if we are not good at the sport and we spent that afternoon getting ourselves all sweaty but happy.<div><div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSi2bliqkrDokFXClN8pmj0f8pSqWfZXYDQFIY_LYGRBL0wz3AgUypy0Yf33MqOXe3MjbPR3SSBAbnSYroRvp6ZAEd7dnfYPAWPsiIukd3tdpxAtMJGFGhZZ8sGkG2NKg0HOmmyiQ4KY-Cr5nfPOKqXahyNQou8cSSMi8B1G8rcYzUq1Mh-Twr4_09cs0/s1000/20221228_153221.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSi2bliqkrDokFXClN8pmj0f8pSqWfZXYDQFIY_LYGRBL0wz3AgUypy0Yf33MqOXe3MjbPR3SSBAbnSYroRvp6ZAEd7dnfYPAWPsiIukd3tdpxAtMJGFGhZZ8sGkG2NKg0HOmmyiQ4KY-Cr5nfPOKqXahyNQou8cSSMi8B1G8rcYzUq1Mh-Twr4_09cs0/s16000/20221228_153221.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We also joined in the all the late night activities including dancing, beach party, a family-friendly 'casino' night with no real money involved, as well as all the games too. Yup, we were always one of the last families to return to our rooms and it seems to have become our family tradition on cruises and in Club Med. But my kids, and myself too, really love a good party and it's nice that we can play games, have fun and enjoy a drink or two before calling it a night. Our last night was spent at a beach party as we danced on the sand, did cartwheels, sang, played limbo rock and just had fun.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAFRmTh9_amydIAipxWliykEA_-OJqEwvgp2_84kkJvu-hTckyAqVTI6knHldhbLh-LpA_ifDMm6-6EnR_XfnMl0lrkCToem8fKyb-96dY-GlDtHQ4wp4guYgrdBprNoUWDNO7zqgDtzjYbtAqy8W5bVglADO4xXJn9ddRuLpxxyaMyn-2pLO2idWjvxQ/s1000/20221227_230138.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAFRmTh9_amydIAipxWliykEA_-OJqEwvgp2_84kkJvu-hTckyAqVTI6knHldhbLh-LpA_ifDMm6-6EnR_XfnMl0lrkCToem8fKyb-96dY-GlDtHQ4wp4guYgrdBprNoUWDNO7zqgDtzjYbtAqy8W5bVglADO4xXJn9ddRuLpxxyaMyn-2pLO2idWjvxQ/s16000/20221227_230138.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our last activity before we left the resort was a game of mini golf! The funny thing is there was no equipment available as the staff had already kept them and it was not time for the next session yet. I couldn't find anyone for me to ask if we could borrow a golf ball and club and anyway, we were rushing for time and had less than half an hour to spare. With a stroke of luck, I remembered that I had a small little ball in my bag as Ansel had put it inside when we left home so all that was missing was a golf club.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was about to go look for a branch or something when suddenly I thought of something better and that was.... my selfie stick! It is a foldable one which can be elongated and guess what, the handle can be opened up so that the stick resembled a club! Haha. Not bad, right? So with our own ball and stick, we had a most fun and unique session of mini golf and it just goes to show that sometimes going with the flow might be a good thing after all.</div><div><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP-iBiy8l12pxdtDRRBCKuVfOtB9_3CYVDdN-K4sY7-YN6qy0XWANSWblGTZbhRaoN2i_lS7ePz_VmzPTaWHqMLk6FDxw7I1jdgAm4r_BXNzelaWcAmHg7tsw6d1b_fqR18SeaAzJgst-R4h2eLNVM9aAsqTPeiphrONqDUChDI03TJ2noyDNavlwcxN4/s1000/20221230_141005.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP-iBiy8l12pxdtDRRBCKuVfOtB9_3CYVDdN-K4sY7-YN6qy0XWANSWblGTZbhRaoN2i_lS7ePz_VmzPTaWHqMLk6FDxw7I1jdgAm4r_BXNzelaWcAmHg7tsw6d1b_fqR18SeaAzJgst-R4h2eLNVM9aAsqTPeiphrONqDUChDI03TJ2noyDNavlwcxN4/s16000/20221230_141005.jpg"></a><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>A Promise To Return</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That marks the end of our fun-filled and most enjoyable 4D3N trip and I must say we were all a little reluctant to return to reality. Haha. The kids and I said that we all hope to come back again someday and I know we will, just that we need to save up the money first. This has been such a lovely and terrific mum-and-kids holiday experience for us and I am so glad we did it. Perhaps we should venture even further the next time round? Well, we'll see. </div><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYUXgS7i5pRMaQ1qY0ckKDhhqJUBwBVrz8mVElrU5eY01mdCBJOnXJkrr8YJb0wm0nag14QwfuLDXbayH0oOrZxd3f5GPwoJ5n-7pYJ53AcVY2SubjRLs7TAzZld815Gkxa7Ufd0a23v8j6UCvZW-jMIm6_kPC_Avqx5zjfKV-sU6oIGkdX9nMU3Y6aeE/s1000/20221230_143749.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYUXgS7i5pRMaQ1qY0ckKDhhqJUBwBVrz8mVElrU5eY01mdCBJOnXJkrr8YJb0wm0nag14QwfuLDXbayH0oOrZxd3f5GPwoJ5n-7pYJ53AcVY2SubjRLs7TAzZld815Gkxa7Ufd0a23v8j6UCvZW-jMIm6_kPC_Avqx5zjfKV-sU6oIGkdX9nMU3Y6aeE/s16000/20221230_143749.jpg"></a></p><i>To my dearest kids, I hope this trip has been as fun for you as it was for me and that you enjoyed every moment of it. It is a blessing to be able to travel, explore and have fun and we are very fortunate that we can do so from time to time, even if it is to nearby countries only. Remember that we need to count our blessings and have a grateful heart in life. Please know that Papa and Mama love you very much, you are our gems and we will always love exploring new places with you, trying out new experiences with you, making fond memories with you and simply being with you. </i><p></p></div></div><div>******</div></div></div></div></div><div>Check out all our activity highlights in Club Med Bintan in the video below. It took me long to compile everything but these are precious memories and I am thankful we have them to look back upon. The kids love watching it these days!</div><div><br></div><div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/d3Jw4hHcxPs" title="YouTube video player" width="640"></iframe></div><div><br></div><div>Till the next trip!</div>~Summer~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478137784353655124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6546965252487257512.post-56931570557538477332023-07-16T00:49:00.018+08:002023-07-19T18:50:53.269+08:00Happiness is... loving the simple days<div>It's been getting a little harder to find time to sit down to blog these days. With the proliferation of social media tools like Instagram and TikTok, it also seems like less and less people are taking the time to blog. I mean, do people even still read blogs or is it getting a little out of touch and seems too long-winded for most people who only have a couple of minutes to spare each day?</div><div><br /></div><div>As the kids grow up, it also seems like I should respect and protect their privacy and not put everything out in public. I face ups and downs in my life as a mum every single day and it seems unfair and untrue if I only write about the happy stuff. So how do I strike a balance and remain true to self?</div><div><br /></div><div>These things have been weighing on my mind and since being a stay-at-home mum of four kids still keeps me pretty much busy 24/7, I haven't been writing as much as I used to. That said, I am not ready to give up on this blog because it has become a part of my life and I always remind myself of why I started it in the first place. It's a place for me to share my thoughts on parenting, for my kids to remember and look back on their growing up years and for us to be reminded of how simple yet happy life can be. </div><div><br /></div><div>Yup, I do think our life is pretty ordinary, straightforward and perhaps even mundane at times. That is because we keep repeating things like going grocery shopping, tackling piles of laundry, nagging at the kids to do their homework, chasing them to bed at night, cooking meals, washing up, watching family-friendly movies, dining out, exploring parks and so on. But the thing is, I love our life the way it is. </div><div><br /></div><div>In this post of <i>"Happiness is..."</i>, it's about loving the simple days.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDvAFBv2MPSdwkAOPaSArglwwo3SzReuGpd-oueEaZS8bOis4HHJS35mUQOCTtTBns41wJg9juLfW7yl3oaNjwGUC686TKB6ClT9_PfvKrLXOaAeYkakLZexgQQDO1NAZfQlj7rAm0Un_5DvpEEEG9qNHxMrOADoW36cQbjMG6SvONkEuABe2-PWRYchg/s1000/20230216_181932.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDvAFBv2MPSdwkAOPaSArglwwo3SzReuGpd-oueEaZS8bOis4HHJS35mUQOCTtTBns41wJg9juLfW7yl3oaNjwGUC686TKB6ClT9_PfvKrLXOaAeYkakLZexgQQDO1NAZfQlj7rAm0Un_5DvpEEEG9qNHxMrOADoW36cQbjMG6SvONkEuABe2-PWRYchg/s16000/20230216_181932.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div>In the month of February, we were still very much in the CNY mood and I must tell you I love lohei very much! On my father-in-law's birthday, we did our last lohei for the year and the kids helped to arrange it in the shape of a cute bunny. The hubby was out of town but I am glad we still came together to do this.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5oebkJ7eV6bXATEPBbiqMRPjDoySJ2t3JZim39i3QfWG9EfkBEbK62FB6snpUdqiCEMr_a1kadEAR3ZmYOxTFZstslnkOKpCCtqmAiIq4lwVU4ICG4DZaJjQKiVYFGWmsGyPnlyRGOtL1g2uNKsoPCW5LWGmPfPuay_RsFDBamDiDzErrUl-egOnrF6c/s1000/20230202_195308(0).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5oebkJ7eV6bXATEPBbiqMRPjDoySJ2t3JZim39i3QfWG9EfkBEbK62FB6snpUdqiCEMr_a1kadEAR3ZmYOxTFZstslnkOKpCCtqmAiIq4lwVU4ICG4DZaJjQKiVYFGWmsGyPnlyRGOtL1g2uNKsoPCW5LWGmPfPuay_RsFDBamDiDzErrUl-egOnrF6c/s16000/20230202_195308(0).jpg" /></a></div>We love going for theatrical productions and are always glad to lend our support to these awesome shows. The kids, even Angel who is now a teen, still like to watch these plays as they are usually very engaging and meaningful.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy6QjyZqBsiTfLh9ofAdtGQaJUqxGvltzAqkxFtQZZJ_K0w4ngYxzfhmW5z4-w_KlVnUAjMaHXlnMi8PP9CXiJTxD-6rL3_LmrAfnLQkZMnOEHJQwi8A8PGMm-mm5NSmY4PfVdRRrI3wxEJwi5jNGt1akOU0PCHGH1L5rU0B_IT32ZEu5PopYt83yY6wM/s1000/20230204_140711.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy6QjyZqBsiTfLh9ofAdtGQaJUqxGvltzAqkxFtQZZJ_K0w4ngYxzfhmW5z4-w_KlVnUAjMaHXlnMi8PP9CXiJTxD-6rL3_LmrAfnLQkZMnOEHJQwi8A8PGMm-mm5NSmY4PfVdRRrI3wxEJwi5jNGt1akOU0PCHGH1L5rU0B_IT32ZEu5PopYt83yY6wM/s16000/20230204_140711.jpg" /></a></div>We watched Fly High at Singapore Repertory Theatre and everyone enjoyed it tremendously, even Ansel. The songs were catchy, the conversations were hilarious, the dance steps were easy to follow and most of all, the message about the power of yet was strong and meaningful. "It's not that I can't do it, I just can't do it <i>yet</i>."</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9N3nbg5cpsH2mMc1Jx-Ph818dQ-Jon9eY-tQJTmry353r9ch6LWFL7Ww4YcFUg5KvFKJGaFohd-0dM3NBEQi1fCCoCeiJguVwX5BZthBBUK5QDKiVGAdlcEJDxyZm53uXLyY4Oy8VFBcbvJiukpsClX0Tgmssudi7IEwTNvlb2kgxD3SIuJqQnWe5HGE/s16000/20230204_150544.jpg" /></div></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-umtIRutg1Hw_lCVrMaFx2yBg-OUiwkFkQfi4yzcxaWLtHOD8uKoqCo70aEyqimwH5XXnW2DzUFzdux41yusscW9hDWQ9NPy8xxeAgSKNF9eJ7N5UafgK6niIrMYKjqws_YuijTwKOPS-skCZjL5sdt7q5NGJB_Y5TtDoZxiL_Njr7jvnYbXy7jI7xaI/s1000/20230204_152016.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-umtIRutg1Hw_lCVrMaFx2yBg-OUiwkFkQfi4yzcxaWLtHOD8uKoqCo70aEyqimwH5XXnW2DzUFzdux41yusscW9hDWQ9NPy8xxeAgSKNF9eJ7N5UafgK6niIrMYKjqws_YuijTwKOPS-skCZjL5sdt7q5NGJB_Y5TtDoZxiL_Njr7jvnYbXy7jI7xaI/s16000/20230204_152016.jpg" /></a></div>Back at home, having a hot steamboat dinner is one of my favourite things to do with the kids because it is so delicious yet so easy to prepare. Looking at their happy faces, it makes it easy to ignore the constant state of mess the house is in, haha, because family bonding and bliss is way more important than that.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJnzS0C3m6WtpFjBhlrZZp6d3s4ki_6RRGuEF6WknbI0PR1JiIMcDm880kh_eKUNTIysyRpIQNNxEj6Qbi62p9yZrmh7bQd4vJXBPt9QItDIvbEUoGkr5pArisp3HicTQojTEAxIJlFXq00j15CoDr96P_LropMp2PKJYlyTAUanQ9XCBJVjLEqBRw0-Q/s1000/20230209_195554.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJnzS0C3m6WtpFjBhlrZZp6d3s4ki_6RRGuEF6WknbI0PR1JiIMcDm880kh_eKUNTIysyRpIQNNxEj6Qbi62p9yZrmh7bQd4vJXBPt9QItDIvbEUoGkr5pArisp3HicTQojTEAxIJlFXq00j15CoDr96P_LropMp2PKJYlyTAUanQ9XCBJVjLEqBRw0-Q/s16000/20230209_195554.jpg" /></a></div>Weekday dinners are usually just the five of us but I hope they grow up to love such moments and hold these memories of warm, home cooked meals in their hearts always.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxuB14ALCnxl_nQbzKAbczsTiWKpcP97QKZmp9XmChKYWM7WQtSWfbLTmvcYP7AyXGeRC936s4Qe2-ytVL0Xfmvb-ID_OS8yQLXf2Vn6Rr9Gv0JJAc-TJEeKi4tRRM-EsfuubnlV_rvYLEje8wxNpX32Tfjn1IZmQBDmRWzwV5QcYiNbCw-5SBNa94i74/s1000/20230209_195707.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxuB14ALCnxl_nQbzKAbczsTiWKpcP97QKZmp9XmChKYWM7WQtSWfbLTmvcYP7AyXGeRC936s4Qe2-ytVL0Xfmvb-ID_OS8yQLXf2Vn6Rr9Gv0JJAc-TJEeKi4tRRM-EsfuubnlV_rvYLEje8wxNpX32Tfjn1IZmQBDmRWzwV5QcYiNbCw-5SBNa94i74/s16000/20230209_195707.jpg" /></a></div>The girls like to try cooking once in a while so I let them too. Well, it is mainly because the big sister needs to practise cooking for her Food and Consumer Education (like our Home Econs) class so she found the motivation to go get the ingredients. I'm not sure when they can whip up an entire meal for the family but for now, I am happy to try out their creations. Just remember to clean up the mess when you are done and not leave it for Mama, okay? You will both be better chefs than me next time!</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUnBz1uMi26OfGjZpUtpufnt-EMDRFKO1tYjo6axWPNH5BGCDdMsW3f_SJMAhE5c7KslMO3AdFLjajuJZnp35VC1xY9prZqEXjm373p4VDY0hSVxs2hp2OxpREnT38QaqVMMw776m6QfTwmqJbvy8VUBJx5QwlMJWL1FFEfDoMuVviGqunRwIvv4pqIV8/s1000/20230212_212920.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUnBz1uMi26OfGjZpUtpufnt-EMDRFKO1tYjo6axWPNH5BGCDdMsW3f_SJMAhE5c7KslMO3AdFLjajuJZnp35VC1xY9prZqEXjm373p4VDY0hSVxs2hp2OxpREnT38QaqVMMw776m6QfTwmqJbvy8VUBJx5QwlMJWL1FFEfDoMuVviGqunRwIvv4pqIV8/s16000/20230212_212920.jpg" /></a></div>Bedtime reading is still a habit in our household for the younger ones and we always come together to read before we go to bed. While Ariel likes to read her own novel, I still read to the boys and Ansel especially enjoys it nowadays. We have a pretty good collection of books in our library and I am glad that the kids are growing up to love reading and see the wonder in books.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwEycFMfAdXg2TvOQ2U854qCIiKOEe70KrdYXJ0Oh8-kGOszKBvUWOpqUifEhet5qTCmK9b3AhWttiI1hjq1uzBF8j4Yx_XW9XqWYBtqj5wI6eRFxpbk-c6PZ1BO5OR4fUvG7i-585vHDm2Re_3AJ1H6hJNAm_dcpp1WLsABk60FFhq3O0GJk5ZQ10X04/s1000/20230212_223828.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwEycFMfAdXg2TvOQ2U854qCIiKOEe70KrdYXJ0Oh8-kGOszKBvUWOpqUifEhet5qTCmK9b3AhWttiI1hjq1uzBF8j4Yx_XW9XqWYBtqj5wI6eRFxpbk-c6PZ1BO5OR4fUvG7i-585vHDm2Re_3AJ1H6hJNAm_dcpp1WLsABk60FFhq3O0GJk5ZQ10X04/s16000/20230212_223828.jpg" /></a></div>Theatre again? Yes, we love KidsFest and this year, we watched Stick Man which was a hit and we enjoyed the show. The songs stayed in our mind and we kept singing them too. I bought a hardcover book for Ansel since he loves the story and we've been reading about the adventures of Stick Man regularly.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_4gcLW7IUfGq-FRJxa_7yUwuz0af0zYTFZ5u1l6C5lU62EQwQHLhrgYZ_gWc1u4GQ3rT0k4fa6DvNxAXMCqtHWAvo_oAI6-_AzMxDb60uc6bPFI9VB3lDpGLG_OaFbbmiCe5zX9M6lJ8dX7QrfXGjncLm1RGzj5zLMAOel8v8iQNCOZmrlP31uFVbRGk/s16000/20230216_163907.jpg" /></div></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHGwDBPTiII7MCJ_mzefHcjH2HpFZ_xPHzRntw-O6UqVewwNJJNWtjwHcMNDV7Not1l-Dw119RPyLOZGb71dRdq2bRda_-xy6fwWJWJezod3JJVJDHEdYkb6PMQA_h5l_01Pi_Rs8QvLBt5cP_7kEgRhhszoJzUS1TICcT0p41fOg58RNbQ49SeCc7JYE/s1000/20230216_164447.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHGwDBPTiII7MCJ_mzefHcjH2HpFZ_xPHzRntw-O6UqVewwNJJNWtjwHcMNDV7Not1l-Dw119RPyLOZGb71dRdq2bRda_-xy6fwWJWJezod3JJVJDHEdYkb6PMQA_h5l_01Pi_Rs8QvLBt5cP_7kEgRhhszoJzUS1TICcT0p41fOg58RNbQ49SeCc7JYE/s16000/20230216_164447.jpg" /></a></div>Some friends tell me that it is my good fortune that the kids still like to hang out together, especially the older ones. They said most of their teenager kids stopped going out with them as time passed and family outings became much scarce. I am not sure how it will be for our family but I am very thankful that Angel still likes to go out with us and a big part of the credit goes to Ansel because she loves to take care and be with him. Family sticks together, always and forever, right?</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3BKcGzib39QrxOZzCQO-cgluCo1fD7mzLaryhvBTznnMbLB4pLKKsiCgGW-Ai3On6oih65Ep_GpDsyYj4dcjSrg1XN55On8wlF0XscMXr3rW2sYrH38sKNZBCMxyMOejHL91pgResbm7xWFYprIHj2weHoVR9Xr3n9NsmoZ10UaPJja3Kd38XXZdX4BU/s16000/20230216_165848.jpg" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVP-FzxU3yzzVoHLSPorPP5izTGvPURMIdBai-RP_qc1Y_lOa3s9z3v6hOXi16Pi0H6oZtnjm_uhD9O8_yZGv2-lYRdkUdJCfLH8UGzBVQ_lF5l3Hv3F87rihgQjmrDIO6wZ3sHVJpoaopICHKqLbbj2HBll7_K7LBaMJAFTj7Cb8OQkaadNZCpJEsKA/s1000/20230216_170309.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVP-FzxU3yzzVoHLSPorPP5izTGvPURMIdBai-RP_qc1Y_lOa3s9z3v6hOXi16Pi0H6oZtnjm_uhD9O8_yZGv2-lYRdkUdJCfLH8UGzBVQ_lF5l3Hv3F87rihgQjmrDIO6wZ3sHVJpoaopICHKqLbbj2HBll7_K7LBaMJAFTj7Cb8OQkaadNZCpJEsKA/s16000/20230216_170309.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Indoor playgrounds are still a favourite and the kids love playing here together. Even though they bicker at times when they play tag, it is still nice that they get to be each other's play mate and are never lonely. Ansel is also getting better at climbing ladders even though he is still a little afraid of tall slides. Way to go, my dear!</div></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoaselZfJQ6WwcsWLlnaH1zZ8LV9GaImapcdM2t-bU0ef1Pa3PwAtLG1IiJnYFAvPrHs4ZMmTgvrpSlxF9oNKSZqPCITERE3-m-n03WmfkDjGzBez0ujqPoO9hB_eEVq0mAz9m_MoPpLZSKm8hAT3LsLgwSeMKAX_IAK-N9DU8arXMYuQZLQS5gNHPH3Y/s1000/20230219_140406.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoaselZfJQ6WwcsWLlnaH1zZ8LV9GaImapcdM2t-bU0ef1Pa3PwAtLG1IiJnYFAvPrHs4ZMmTgvrpSlxF9oNKSZqPCITERE3-m-n03WmfkDjGzBez0ujqPoO9hB_eEVq0mAz9m_MoPpLZSKm8hAT3LsLgwSeMKAX_IAK-N9DU8arXMYuQZLQS5gNHPH3Y/s16000/20230219_140406.jpg" /></a></div>Here's a close up of him and his long hair before it gets trimmed... by me! Yup, I am still his hairdresser and it will probably be so for a couple more years to come. Well, at least he gets less comments on that he is a girl these days because his boyish features are more prominent now. Still my little cutie pie!</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiacc5ocktDUtkuBAKPBkbRDJ6ndxluz9RCgrN4ec9TXmw1dyfNyXzpIvLOPcVotkA9vD-Kbtew1ZFnf6GUtfAq9w5qOAdqLbxxDffWAKi2wkACXf1W8j9S6P2Sma_t9OxcWV3Z7mVonvUvQek_g_xouK-3yB7FhJz6DLshg-NbYn_Cxv7YYXqJvbNiSTg/s1000/20230220_232030.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiacc5ocktDUtkuBAKPBkbRDJ6ndxluz9RCgrN4ec9TXmw1dyfNyXzpIvLOPcVotkA9vD-Kbtew1ZFnf6GUtfAq9w5qOAdqLbxxDffWAKi2wkACXf1W8j9S6P2Sma_t9OxcWV3Z7mVonvUvQek_g_xouK-3yB7FhJz6DLshg-NbYn_Cxv7YYXqJvbNiSTg/s16000/20230220_232030.jpg" /></a></div>The biggest highlight of the month was Ansel's second birthday and how we threw a DIY Cocomelon themed party for him. Read more about it <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2023/07/lets-have-cocomelon-party-ansel-is-2.html" target="_blank">here</a>. He was such a happy boy that day and I am just happy to see him full of smiles, especially how he loves his cardboard Cocomelon house and schoolbus, his Cocomelon figurines and his ice cream cake with rainbow sprinkles.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbDDRX2H3VFNn9m-K0WsRp7HajfnLAkNnS5FrRs0Rn-gZURassThoQXYOhT21eVukBrqjxBs4c0mLlS2tHrGUJf-t33KtcjPM6O6ZfKG4BBJr_K-x8rnlJVlcwviHnbqpe0Fm0gh_9UCpqEdkYlYluK9cCxjHJ2OOxzU6O_Svh04pD1IlpCfPN_IBx27M/s16000/20230223_180536.jpg" /></div></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRhYs11v9z7X2ZCsykQYW94knbBZhM3VFo16ITxuWvxzDwnPeWLpEy5paeUVodrDr_4bStWGwqMlvvJ5UMaC_v-_s2jAHif2Nu-k06f8UcV9in98I4lR7Q6SrzbHxIEdM2DVqgrZNUw70bsE0yJ0Hi89SrlN1_Sgfer_alyeDaQnmMsqegHSnFyJ4uIHU/s1000/20230223_190421.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRhYs11v9z7X2ZCsykQYW94knbBZhM3VFo16ITxuWvxzDwnPeWLpEy5paeUVodrDr_4bStWGwqMlvvJ5UMaC_v-_s2jAHif2Nu-k06f8UcV9in98I4lR7Q6SrzbHxIEdM2DVqgrZNUw70bsE0yJ0Hi89SrlN1_Sgfer_alyeDaQnmMsqegHSnFyJ4uIHU/s16000/20230223_190421.jpg" /></a></div>I love to bring the kids out on my own and that is something that will not change. We headed to the Night Safari on a Friday night and the kids had fun watching the Creatures of the Night show at the newly revamped amphitheatre, seeing the Tasmanian Devils up close, taking the tram ride, exploring on foot and eating fresh strawberries and cut apples that we had brought along.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIXO8jxJwGF3tRUar3K1-PawnZKqRim79E5KqL1tcTikTs9GSLVhFRNFYzm-tJNjLlcAiqoTcLBabHDlFvZ-Cb5hH_lxl1KqIYqdZTGZ4628MpZU6rMhfbN7m6O5LPd8OgryajcKduQRWEwwjNbHvPlnAr_Y5fBMkOUWI5Yeh_CiOR9IqW8JE96Ev2CAY/s16000/20230224_212807.jpg" /></div></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEyJRsOb5okL435nZoSAePz9w1GDVVj_r0MMPtcgkdTg8YAJ9610G9YYx-iS9YG63IC9ke04iaxoVS_Gz8RCq8Yy6YVtV-Nozq06fM4FwyAOF6D122-QLu6ulSPV9hbpNfBrTO458IDdUzv-qzctmT2BL6sApfRaYF_AKKAffyfHzJbh88vN-sHn26KA/s1000/20230224_213251.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWEyJRsOb5okL435nZoSAePz9w1GDVVj_r0MMPtcgkdTg8YAJ9610G9YYx-iS9YG63IC9ke04iaxoVS_Gz8RCq8Yy6YVtV-Nozq06fM4FwyAOF6D122-QLu6ulSPV9hbpNfBrTO458IDdUzv-qzctmT2BL6sApfRaYF_AKKAffyfHzJbh88vN-sHn26KA/s16000/20230224_213251.jpg" /></a></div>The fennec foxes were one of favourites too because they are just too cute! We didn't take too many photos this time because firstly it was too dark and secondly, I just wanted to be more present with the kids and cherish that feeling.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipmnGpqbeB2er83Pl2cuWPcUsVz62FFFoZkGTDFu94foBqD0f21wyqwB55Z-4QpLQLMmbsSDK5AF-W0D-OJtfQuuBm7cWmYB-w1Ax4S0fJkjrZUj1MBTIXjJXAEQ9vy3p2WHMCo0vwHV3WclQxdQtqHp0sVmXbLm_yP9aUB_YQ9x0IjipZ96PLSbuQzvI/s16000/20230224_213516.jpg" /></div></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg47CEozycTJxoEljqKmiTPxAmBrPP9ihuBgt7HW9UYz7pluOXWhfbwayix_rpd9aHJoxRP7yGpO-KrD-Er_2xKNRvhnREFZXqIjTFzw7oIrWCrHRbWXLKmBRw0ESa4fPLl5TG6JdcchGWTCbg22RkhQCw77t6_A2ikPqCdG8eYF34_6qtdDhHOIhLqx8g/s1000/20230224_213940.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg47CEozycTJxoEljqKmiTPxAmBrPP9ihuBgt7HW9UYz7pluOXWhfbwayix_rpd9aHJoxRP7yGpO-KrD-Er_2xKNRvhnREFZXqIjTFzw7oIrWCrHRbWXLKmBRw0ESa4fPLl5TG6JdcchGWTCbg22RkhQCw77t6_A2ikPqCdG8eYF34_6qtdDhHOIhLqx8g/s16000/20230224_213940.jpg" /></a></div>On Ansel's birthday weekend, we had a gathering with the extended family and while the hubby whipped up a nice Teppanyaki dinner for the teenagers and grown ups, the younger ones went for a swim and had a splashing good time.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfDjDhoo37an6qLO8rE9SCPRMmNyjm5dMg9Y65Z6X2QuQ75P0OsnrKrczg9nsD5hyBm7PhhBfDqTVZk1xxzPFxpf8CtF3J-owVrHcqdKAOjvMPLFKjAVbMVYbvsZRwAR52wNgC4B9ZiUts4-xMsm62QitdGgMlf-08SQmWuRLt-ZsO3Id0sdRR1NdL-60/s16000/20230225_190850.jpg" /></div></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-uPOVQ91Bgc1gS9rTT7rDw8gMducl__UFJtuGXXhCgCP6mHNpU7xSz_6ktZlMmhP_P8rynexT9LWK_NkZwOSkAHuo0I79C_kdI_zTb06xrEy3c07CCxfcKc39_OcM2_3QtRc6Lw9065LCSWB-bDsAAUUpQDaf3yFvDFFmitYa801RuZNTL9IBagvvGA/s1000/20230225_191258.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-uPOVQ91Bgc1gS9rTT7rDw8gMducl__UFJtuGXXhCgCP6mHNpU7xSz_6ktZlMmhP_P8rynexT9LWK_NkZwOSkAHuo0I79C_kdI_zTb06xrEy3c07CCxfcKc39_OcM2_3QtRc6Lw9065LCSWB-bDsAAUUpQDaf3yFvDFFmitYa801RuZNTL9IBagvvGA/s16000/20230225_191258.jpg" /></a></div>Last but not least, the kids are still going strong for their Taekwondo lessons and all of them have achieved their green belts already, woohoo! It's nice that they get to attend class together as a trio and they are lucky to get nice coaches too. This has been a learning journey for them and I am excited to see where it brings them next.</div><div><br /></div><div>I do hope that Ansel can join them too but the age gap is too big so he will probably have to learn it himself next time, haha. It's like how he will be in Primary School on his own too while the rest have moved on but it is okay, baby boy, Mama will be here with you every step of the way.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBysIn0jVHhdE5XZjVpr3MEaijqmRo0SY9oMJzZg29spwCsUMkfVIeGU_qviDEy8fCY5VcB6eaLFUdQgDEiqcYh7-xIS52GE7U-n3aaeGM4vyA2xOXlIDQRBFCVjP37rK_13PVpXdncZzh8lV9emTGJXM1jnhmtcUBAB-_kLeQpuqEEQg3ewR3hH42488/s16000/20230228_211432.jpg" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhto4uct9EL1BkLGNkF-uSLyvoFHhSy2v4hcZCgtR767HHHi4yNwjvz1gX3yPv7lNv25vPMWb6Y9SjwenyiIOBD5Fkh5qB789T_PT4TIIOcEItMNUzzAZ91P3RtPPqUhxWkTvy4FVqDBBOmcInDdYp4Mrb8TYcGmuC_1vIH4dTmGMB6GiNk3L6F3i_3HEQ/s1000/20230228_211458.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhto4uct9EL1BkLGNkF-uSLyvoFHhSy2v4hcZCgtR767HHHi4yNwjvz1gX3yPv7lNv25vPMWb6Y9SjwenyiIOBD5Fkh5qB789T_PT4TIIOcEItMNUzzAZ91P3RtPPqUhxWkTvy4FVqDBBOmcInDdYp4Mrb8TYcGmuC_1vIH4dTmGMB6GiNk3L6F3i_3HEQ/s16000/20230228_211458.jpg" /></a></div>That marks the end of our February and we still have so many more family stories, experiences and adventures to share with you so stay tuned. A simple life is a happy life, I truly think so!</div>~Summer~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478137784353655124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6546965252487257512.post-18199973891563133092023-07-10T14:16:00.000+08:002023-07-10T14:16:43.095+08:00Let's have a Cocomelon Party - Ansel is 2!<p>Woohoo! Ansel turned two earlier this year and to celebrate his special day, we kept our tradition of having a simple DIY celebration at home. He is the 小宝贝 of our family and we wanted to make him feel extra happy and loved on this day.</p><p>It was easy to brainstorm for his birthday theme this time round because he has a clear favourite these days and that is...... <i>Cocomelon</i>! Yup, he loves singing their songs, watching the videos and especially adores JJ who is also the cute baby in their family. Once the theme was decided, we proceeded to plan for the decorations, games and activities. I always love being a party planner and it's really awesome that we get to bond, play, have fun and make priceless memories from such experiences.</p><p>Here's sharing all about our fun-filled Cocomelon party!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo-UBHZsivEerqMlCCESC2-Gcudhk7wrY5_blp4LB4W8lP7IiPgiR1znfyPQuWp3-C9nkzJCAFZj4LWoyQS3PP6HDHt-vSmeLMPyNXeY3W_cMvM5P0curQZ2lzlnuGlttDSlqYzUaWqiUtejMJqK_EYZSHeqf_JzTPaKVi0tvUttoPfmqQhgcnkIIDdKA/s1000/20230223_190943(0)a.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo-UBHZsivEerqMlCCESC2-Gcudhk7wrY5_blp4LB4W8lP7IiPgiR1znfyPQuWp3-C9nkzJCAFZj4LWoyQS3PP6HDHt-vSmeLMPyNXeY3W_cMvM5P0curQZ2lzlnuGlttDSlqYzUaWqiUtejMJqK_EYZSHeqf_JzTPaKVi0tvUttoPfmqQhgcnkIIDdKA/s16000/20230223_190943(0)a.jpg" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b><u>DIY Decorations</u></b></p><p>You can tell from the photos that there is one BIG, main higlight decor from our party, right? Yup, that would be our vibrant, colourful Cocomelon house that is made entirely from scratch. Not bad, right? It took me weeks to do it and the idea came about because we just bought a new washing machine. Therefore, we had this ginormous cardboard box lying around and I thought it would be a pity if we didn't repurpose it. Since Ansel's birthday was approaching in a couple of months' time, I decided it would be perfect if I could make it into a house for him to play with his siblings.</p><p>I wrapped the walls with colourful paper, made a roof, cut out doors and windows, used recycled materials for the knobs (can you spot the pouch caps?), printed out pictures of the Cocomelon family and friends, laminated them, and also made personalised banner just for Ansel.</p><p>It turned out to be really awesome and the kids had fun playing inside the house for weeks. The boys would pretend to play shooting out of the windows, the girls played hide and seek with Ansel, and it was just a really nice, cosy play corner for them.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSDbv-moZNyPvcuBIh8m8GhXYCNT75sJLoYDaBtykXVE-W41X8n8sIxGEMZO32NAB9MwciD9fWyr99k0XSEjxN0WpzS_r9HrPu3dvA9kdVCHFKrmW4UgM5uT-CThjVFwp6KcV1ZFdGJAbs25Yv9kgavnin6YvV5_FRhVn63_UphgZmu3cIQLirC2uE79w/s1000/20230223_201524%20-%20Copy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSDbv-moZNyPvcuBIh8m8GhXYCNT75sJLoYDaBtykXVE-W41X8n8sIxGEMZO32NAB9MwciD9fWyr99k0XSEjxN0WpzS_r9HrPu3dvA9kdVCHFKrmW4UgM5uT-CThjVFwp6KcV1ZFdGJAbs25Yv9kgavnin6YvV5_FRhVn63_UphgZmu3cIQLirC2uE79w/s16000/20230223_201524%20-%20Copy.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidsaHhImeU1d91KpebPfg20pE8GehIL6zDQXGDAQWDJVm1icHvPAG65a7Y05RdYkhyDu4s8sgXXhBPFPmVjW2EDssS2F3_NxtrLbWfxfQ3yEMVmsXWHpq-Ih-RMjZAOrfngMHvrfklzNUnPn63qIsZUIN8OuP2MPc4p3S4d7b3H-WnslFNZY-Z6zEbJHQ/s1000/collage245.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidsaHhImeU1d91KpebPfg20pE8GehIL6zDQXGDAQWDJVm1icHvPAG65a7Y05RdYkhyDu4s8sgXXhBPFPmVjW2EDssS2F3_NxtrLbWfxfQ3yEMVmsXWHpq-Ih-RMjZAOrfngMHvrfklzNUnPn63qIsZUIN8OuP2MPc4p3S4d7b3H-WnslFNZY-Z6zEbJHQ/s16000/collage245.jpg" /></a></p><p>We didn't get anything fanciful for his birthday outfit but I did print a personalised Cocomelon T-shirt for the birthday boy. This looked quite cute, didn't it? He loved it the moment he saw it and wanted to keep wearing even though it was a little oversized.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1eRvdVJPLCHnCXdki11DK9ZtdVI7fmFaGBLWWCPc6is-o8eYBtebLhLhqrJRS1Jc1DwmOMpCcBsSl63e5VIyMfZ9clmyuc_SFKmNvhCrZWJo80lfXlOdAxoy35W1TD0m6txGo8-62TwaQWpuQ5kTYmeaToJpZONyLVGm1FIwDQOoRhBfKif1ALkfu78k/s1000/20230223_220103.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1eRvdVJPLCHnCXdki11DK9ZtdVI7fmFaGBLWWCPc6is-o8eYBtebLhLhqrJRS1Jc1DwmOMpCcBsSl63e5VIyMfZ9clmyuc_SFKmNvhCrZWJo80lfXlOdAxoy35W1TD0m6txGo8-62TwaQWpuQ5kTYmeaToJpZONyLVGm1FIwDQOoRhBfKif1ALkfu78k/s16000/20230223_220103.jpg" /></a></p><p>Another main highlight was this DIY yellow school bus that was made specially for Ansel! We used a cardboard box, wrapped it up with yellow paper, cut out the doors and windows, added extra boxes for the front and back, and completed it with details to make it resemble Cocomelon's school as much as possible.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9lg-OBKQwmAr9qv3OM7WA2eQo6VsZulcL82H8xf-2oVLn4G0bhA99jhWayAmg67XWANIbByxu47JqDiqu6RjzvJNU4nB_Nrh3dBKRygMG4753rDsTNifq2SA6yFJoLcWVQzW4g9BRrI8-4VxPYvX4ky0Eo-MfWniy7-rF2S7_b-VFxFdagtxFWtl-ys4/s1000/20230223_151026.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9lg-OBKQwmAr9qv3OM7WA2eQo6VsZulcL82H8xf-2oVLn4G0bhA99jhWayAmg67XWANIbByxu47JqDiqu6RjzvJNU4nB_Nrh3dBKRygMG4753rDsTNifq2SA6yFJoLcWVQzW4g9BRrI8-4VxPYvX4ky0Eo-MfWniy7-rF2S7_b-VFxFdagtxFWtl-ys4/s16000/20230223_151026.jpg" /></a>Do you think the birthday boy is happy? I sure hope so! This was taken on the day of his birthday morning as we awaited for the siblings to get back home from school. He was all eager and feeling super excited too when I told him it was his actual birthday.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUdKwcH8jA6l2kLLAieV6agXx0GSFgIXKYJZTwNg6KBRRkoyMH9zu6q_GGLYomsClh9-HABCHw1wv85ZfHjm5yiT6v3fsQAM5gdcMGs346VF8jp0xrx6HJl_2akTeKBgM5rn7Tf6P67RAcywGXWsib8wYelcp8fPKQBL4u5RPytmLBCk_yIc_kOJiay7g/s1000/20230223_113727.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUdKwcH8jA6l2kLLAieV6agXx0GSFgIXKYJZTwNg6KBRRkoyMH9zu6q_GGLYomsClh9-HABCHw1wv85ZfHjm5yiT6v3fsQAM5gdcMGs346VF8jp0xrx6HJl_2akTeKBgM5rn7Tf6P67RAcywGXWsib8wYelcp8fPKQBL4u5RPytmLBCk_yIc_kOJiay7g/s16000/20230223_113727.jpg" /></a></p><p>This was a message drawn by the siblings just for him to see. Sweet!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqhl-WbqUTGBWuyzq_z7cxTP2Y7fWkt8YFD5DmVurd70rMg64NlVgdtaOHxQ-fYi2UFQySZLI9ZewU0HkJhmVb162l32VLrB9i9P86aSuCQuQM9zA3IVdCv2GTlCXPXn8LVoa7m5z5Ixl2If4GWINrSiLsIdZ4jDiM0cIhdGbD0PFTKzjBl3fJJZdlNQ0/s1000/20230223_175617.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqhl-WbqUTGBWuyzq_z7cxTP2Y7fWkt8YFD5DmVurd70rMg64NlVgdtaOHxQ-fYi2UFQySZLI9ZewU0HkJhmVb162l32VLrB9i9P86aSuCQuQM9zA3IVdCv2GTlCXPXn8LVoa7m5z5Ixl2If4GWINrSiLsIdZ4jDiM0cIhdGbD0PFTKzjBl3fJJZdlNQ0/s16000/20230223_175617.jpg" /></a><b><u>Games and Activities</u></b></p><p>When everyone was all gathered, it was time to begin! Oh, the hubby couldn't join us as he was out of town so it was basically a mum-and-kids party like our <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2022/06/a-baby-shark-party-ansel-is-1.html" target="_blank">Baby Shark</a> one last year. The good thing is we have a handful of kids so it still felt like a merry party! Let's take a look at the things we did that day.</p><p><i>-> Warm-up dance</i></p><p>For our first dance, we chose one of the songs that he loved most and it was time to Looby Loo with JJ and family! Ansel loves this song and I must say it is quite catchy and nice! For the second one, we did Freeze Dance which is really very fun as the kids boogied and froze. Check out our video below for the snippets.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSTVHiQZf-9dh9cAn3CTz81jA3Qyfkw1VcEuCBQGUhHX_3KPO3i80trWBCBvq0yLPtjWveUQTIpG0g9dYEl4XDjmfbt57DvtWnAya_oWp0SIxnoLL7jE-awFdfH6LY2X3mRkCe-DJrVpFRnbp8_6jlb1JPIZmqWLU6vUARa8r60rxMhGB2jy7Qzr6Kfqo/s1000/20230223_182441.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSTVHiQZf-9dh9cAn3CTz81jA3Qyfkw1VcEuCBQGUhHX_3KPO3i80trWBCBvq0yLPtjWveUQTIpG0g9dYEl4XDjmfbt57DvtWnAya_oWp0SIxnoLL7jE-awFdfH6LY2X3mRkCe-DJrVpFRnbp8_6jlb1JPIZmqWLU6vUARa8r60rxMhGB2jy7Qzr6Kfqo/s16000/20230223_182441.jpg" /></a></p><p><i>-> Wheels on the Bus</i></p><p>This was his ultimate favourite song of all time and we've sang it countless times since he was a baby till now. He loves doing all the actions and the siblings are always very sweet to sing and dance along with him too. What made this one so special that day was that Ansel became our bus driver for the day! Yup, he was so proud to put on his car and drive away while the siblings tagged along behind him. He made his way all around the house till the song came to an end and I must say that was a pretty long drive!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIhhhNnCDopa-SdUQR-fwCP0ujd6LJ95yyRLpWagRoHfwYOdcKQ-6V6nhLE1jZqiV77piz9JJX_KQu1LAzoCEFNOtsYSjEe6QT2Lv5H85zAxrYf59TIdvOdLn60HtZJ1-NoTZKmIB6Bhobabw3vwdX0HYJ-uVaMoWNxluyC3JggBzTWHje20UWavj0pew/s1000/20230223_183145.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIhhhNnCDopa-SdUQR-fwCP0ujd6LJ95yyRLpWagRoHfwYOdcKQ-6V6nhLE1jZqiV77piz9JJX_KQu1LAzoCEFNOtsYSjEe6QT2Lv5H85zAxrYf59TIdvOdLn60HtZJ1-NoTZKmIB6Bhobabw3vwdX0HYJ-uVaMoWNxluyC3JggBzTWHje20UWavj0pew/s16000/20230223_183145.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4glllwE42nlmzowwzsQulbkWWubo2bFmKfKBr1GZ_NFMdEbnzJSLfLGvueMHAM7xm_eJmjJslD96vDRJYvW71Kp6AQXERjh_3vwnEm73xuUclOmDUK9avwivBDIDsjR3A-2UZ6NjjUt5fIqh63nAzqUBKvEkXjnNM2OqfxkblWzsnW62dLPs-QMjUuMk/s1000/20230223_183455.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4glllwE42nlmzowwzsQulbkWWubo2bFmKfKBr1GZ_NFMdEbnzJSLfLGvueMHAM7xm_eJmjJslD96vDRJYvW71Kp6AQXERjh_3vwnEm73xuUclOmDUK9avwivBDIDsjR3A-2UZ6NjjUt5fIqh63nAzqUBKvEkXjnNM2OqfxkblWzsnW62dLPs-QMjUuMk/s16000/20230223_183455.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJo33nmgUgKu8bN0mUd-j_DZ4nPcre5CAe_Kz_7N27ZxPU3aG6JyAUpxnAoHZ-WRcmlM5q0u8w8DKL3n5wToxoRoHv85gWxMbPbuT6oF3EIFrdCBXaCoTVSuxKuGvFDuaPQK54PElaRwD2cGdWHTWrAJ5wA6aPYPACVSFfq4l2nI-icuq0I2gVbXo2Plo/s1000/20230223_183536.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJo33nmgUgKu8bN0mUd-j_DZ4nPcre5CAe_Kz_7N27ZxPU3aG6JyAUpxnAoHZ-WRcmlM5q0u8w8DKL3n5wToxoRoHv85gWxMbPbuT6oF3EIFrdCBXaCoTVSuxKuGvFDuaPQK54PElaRwD2cGdWHTWrAJ5wA6aPYPACVSFfq4l2nI-icuq0I2gVbXo2Plo/s16000/20230223_183536.jpg" /></a></p><p><i>-> Musical Chairs</i></p><p>This was a new game to Ansel and while he was initially unsure of what he was supposed to do, he soon got the hang of it and knew that he was supposed to sit on a chair. Judging from how slow and gentle he was, there was no doubt he would have been the first to be eliminated. Haha. Well, thanks to the siblings, all of them gave him the priority to sit down first and even helped to carry him onto the chair. That was really sweet and heartwarming to see. So yes, Ansel, you are the champion for this game!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR4Ltqy0IBGgq3Jj_NhMpPydmvB0zYmSnnnpqRDMXQm1oMjX1aLUq6mi2zGqeTRrN27D_P0aH3KPnuOFGfx8uZ4aey8uJmpIWThPR8CZwRiaD1VE0Nl31-iFD3slSiZPmVWBixBr6wBHzPr466dWbCxQs-kq-RZqVJYTZhJ987gdR4lF38HsH2_dvdNFU/s1000/20230223_182543.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR4Ltqy0IBGgq3Jj_NhMpPydmvB0zYmSnnnpqRDMXQm1oMjX1aLUq6mi2zGqeTRrN27D_P0aH3KPnuOFGfx8uZ4aey8uJmpIWThPR8CZwRiaD1VE0Nl31-iFD3slSiZPmVWBixBr6wBHzPr466dWbCxQs-kq-RZqVJYTZhJ987gdR4lF38HsH2_dvdNFU/s16000/20230223_182543.jpg" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p><i>-> Guess Where is JJ?</i></p><p>For this game, we took turns to hide inside the house and another person would be outside holding a cut-out of JJ. We had three tries to choose which door/window JJ is hiding behind and find out if we got it correct. Such a simple game, I know, but it had the ability to make everyone squeal in delight and Ansel was happy every time he spotted JJ. Yes, the power of simplicity!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOBvhc-ORYBUUOXJSdUV3xWhv64_Uy-c1ZYJpGLx1ayLQaS3v5AAvMkGIRK9miMWhW2AwjwSzzh1iJTCoeim004UOs1XUffI79VlGmqJ5RLBEcUJxGLi44tG6urvoQVUaxVq6Wvm1bLsqdFYdOg2-rdzduNY9Cxqmk5kv3OJaAguAytHsJ13i7_QhOMOU/s1000/20230223_183907.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOBvhc-ORYBUUOXJSdUV3xWhv64_Uy-c1ZYJpGLx1ayLQaS3v5AAvMkGIRK9miMWhW2AwjwSzzh1iJTCoeim004UOs1XUffI79VlGmqJ5RLBEcUJxGLi44tG6urvoQVUaxVq6Wvm1bLsqdFYdOg2-rdzduNY9Cxqmk5kv3OJaAguAytHsJ13i7_QhOMOU/s16000/20230223_183907.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidqp9jKh_oFn3nQWTDlgZB9_gMT9T8zW-DvmVmDTfoyNBx4E7Abd_FmyzE4nJgpzKOiZ6n5-HT4z8PpKSdvvV_dPR51Ns166n-0N8Z5FM4Zoe-vF3fhC-fDD8xPhp2tFrKhcICiFKwGz11bDqYoFK7kpQmdewVb38yN_4ANGnU8RE92iqlbA2WRaGE9KM/s1000/20230223_183840.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidqp9jKh_oFn3nQWTDlgZB9_gMT9T8zW-DvmVmDTfoyNBx4E7Abd_FmyzE4nJgpzKOiZ6n5-HT4z8PpKSdvvV_dPR51Ns166n-0N8Z5FM4Zoe-vF3fhC-fDD8xPhp2tFrKhcICiFKwGz11bDqYoFK7kpQmdewVb38yN_4ANGnU8RE92iqlbA2WRaGE9KM/s16000/20230223_183840.jpg" /></a></p><p><i>-> Cocomelon Family Hunt</i></p><p>This was the activity that the kids enjoyed the most. I had secretly bought a set of Cocomelon figurines from online and hid them around the house for the kids to find by giving them clues. For example, I said <i>"Mama is always doing the laundry", "Papa loves to cook", "Yoyo loves painting", "JJ is a baby and babies sleep a lot", "Grandpa does gardening"</i> and so on. The kids would go around the house to search for each of them and they would let Ansel be the one to take the figurine out. Each time he did, he beamed with such joy and excitement and it was awesome seeing his happy face.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ht_UaFh9bGoLKv5qmYVMVes0NERgDgeYIcJRRa9N6dtXwJcSth0-zMa8KWJYnAMG68OjuI7n39-KuoCqEk0aCLFXy6OBXIj4ZBLH2WJtDJBSCLRZcZ1Ny2agDCoT5nFyUaozqirlJDNBlBGIcPiIqMQupHZXQ5QDhgDmmZN7M_SMLz2RADE1_TsGDJQ/s1000/20230223_184906.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ht_UaFh9bGoLKv5qmYVMVes0NERgDgeYIcJRRa9N6dtXwJcSth0-zMa8KWJYnAMG68OjuI7n39-KuoCqEk0aCLFXy6OBXIj4ZBLH2WJtDJBSCLRZcZ1Ny2agDCoT5nFyUaozqirlJDNBlBGIcPiIqMQupHZXQ5QDhgDmmZN7M_SMLz2RADE1_TsGDJQ/s16000/20230223_184906.jpg" /></a></p><p><i>-> Fossil digging</i></p><p>Ansel enjoyed digging for fossils tremendously when we went to Dinoland and Jurong Bird Park so I thought it would be nice for him to do this at home on his birthday. He has also been asking to play with kinetic sand and while I kept procrastinating over that, I knew today was the day for him to have his wishes granted and to have lots of messy fun. The kids worked together to dig out all the dinosaur fossils and I must say it was pretty fun for them to take turns to dig, knock, scrape, scoop and brush.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq6kcWKo4NM-mjO16ojH81HdFOMT0gG-Tf6FR76ZczEc5d88egtlb2VfWsgQpYezXNz8-gauHkvcY-WLJkyN0UMEKdYrbSH-FuSGo7Q3cGdj1xrQOrQB6woXWMUSWUyjzEWR4Ffhi3f3Ze6l4bZZ__CF5_Plh2OOp_PcXXiElNoNaeVjt5VfeT6q9kKXQ/s1000/20230223_193143.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq6kcWKo4NM-mjO16ojH81HdFOMT0gG-Tf6FR76ZczEc5d88egtlb2VfWsgQpYezXNz8-gauHkvcY-WLJkyN0UMEKdYrbSH-FuSGo7Q3cGdj1xrQOrQB6woXWMUSWUyjzEWR4Ffhi3f3Ze6l4bZZ__CF5_Plh2OOp_PcXXiElNoNaeVjt5VfeT6q9kKXQ/s16000/20230223_193143.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCbbzH0JUXgt8wrlz03jZ_a4f34HeJlIxxKCdaaEpLSZK3HY1SUxokj-t4m10_33kJAWY0NiqTNP0k6nDUQGABrpbV1Q8mo55fT305d7KqqO9c49s2wYZn5ex64yKrYiqoOYS8A2fMDYzyLBWXaSVtD3IwOGOexPwSiIdmrambQuDtD2eKH2IfRnpcBJo/s1000/20230223_194601.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCbbzH0JUXgt8wrlz03jZ_a4f34HeJlIxxKCdaaEpLSZK3HY1SUxokj-t4m10_33kJAWY0NiqTNP0k6nDUQGABrpbV1Q8mo55fT305d7KqqO9c49s2wYZn5ex64yKrYiqoOYS8A2fMDYzyLBWXaSVtD3IwOGOexPwSiIdmrambQuDtD2eKH2IfRnpcBJo/s16000/20230223_194601.jpg" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p><i>-> Catch the Flying Fish</i></p><p>Our last activity was this game where you had to use a net to catch the colourful paper "fish" that would fly out from the fish machine. I bought extra nets from Daiso so that they could each have one and catch together! The fan wasn't as strong as expected so it took some time for the fishes to rise up and fly out of the tube but nonetheless, it was a very fun game.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfSA4DEeV7jEcQeiLbyeaYOCvK6SmYRIsORB9uHne5tm4IXH5cpKuJm5ooAzTaSVcfVlVkoCrzssqZ8OXb9FC5c35ya9sJoEgbcH2vbEFrcyQ6IF-2B882Z-217ZFIvRlR2lnEFxNeQMr5ewiDaN7am8ol3IHlXN29Df_S3oFfYXWtlspia-svTj-GKRo/s1000/20230223_200534.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfSA4DEeV7jEcQeiLbyeaYOCvK6SmYRIsORB9uHne5tm4IXH5cpKuJm5ooAzTaSVcfVlVkoCrzssqZ8OXb9FC5c35ya9sJoEgbcH2vbEFrcyQ6IF-2B882Z-217ZFIvRlR2lnEFxNeQMr5ewiDaN7am8ol3IHlXN29Df_S3oFfYXWtlspia-svTj-GKRo/s16000/20230223_200534.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYEkdtpv07GRtaL6zsMsTBXs_hSpuF-v9M6voqigLCKzE4pvnHCAm7FUklgwj-IwD-2PZEU2j3Gg_yzdOhVMzcd9VFmvKg_DZxlzLb7axQO3qyNb3ejHDmTGxuA_OdW4HUN4_VA8FzY51IoFQc_kbcFKx4v3A6i9uPX7GolD-oP9H6W3LRgGTSHySrRuM/s1000/20230223_200310%20-%20Copy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYEkdtpv07GRtaL6zsMsTBXs_hSpuF-v9M6voqigLCKzE4pvnHCAm7FUklgwj-IwD-2PZEU2j3Gg_yzdOhVMzcd9VFmvKg_DZxlzLb7axQO3qyNb3ejHDmTGxuA_OdW4HUN4_VA8FzY51IoFQc_kbcFKx4v3A6i9uPX7GolD-oP9H6W3LRgGTSHySrRuM/s16000/20230223_200310%20-%20Copy.jpg" /></a></p><p><u><b>The Cake-Cutting Ceremony</b></u></p><p>On the morning of his big day, I brought Ansel out to choose his birthday cake and also spend some one-on-one time with this precious darling of mine. We decided on an ice cream cake from Swensen's and he only took a brief moment to look through the options before choosing this small cake filled with rainbow sprinkles on the side. We used our Cocomelon figurines as toppers and I loved how simple yet pretty the cake looked in the end. The boy was definitely delighted with it!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6lDjkR3L98o-q_KFeghdDKnNpWRvT_vGUDT_GYhyS0bp3ANazP791aE2c8wzQtwU1F6l53ZytPcVQpwjMUvJFQFF4e7lZv7991mDEt8U-d_NDc2y1C1dOZQZtywTgFauMvG34FWNaKVnPjo_X2vrRseNc6_9ntzAuFkmb7WRyw3qcm152w2QPJ_ZJMYE/s1000/20230223_131804.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6lDjkR3L98o-q_KFeghdDKnNpWRvT_vGUDT_GYhyS0bp3ANazP791aE2c8wzQtwU1F6l53ZytPcVQpwjMUvJFQFF4e7lZv7991mDEt8U-d_NDc2y1C1dOZQZtywTgFauMvG34FWNaKVnPjo_X2vrRseNc6_9ntzAuFkmb7WRyw3qcm152w2QPJ_ZJMYE/s16000/20230223_131804.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnsE8R1sM0DQFyRXBy1lcp5oGaAkcWyePGbj80xgleR1ph2Mvzfz0SR7yVcW2Va1qCj_0Ay5BGTHQgLbc9WZNnqkau2ux5CF3g3bqXUis_ySEBjm7si1I7HE2XUUbXIytwx7YNkb3TKVFXZbsF9f1bfMIkh2h1-cMNWIDkCOVLHDLtOXcUIEiqT63fL68/s1000/20230223_190431(0).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnsE8R1sM0DQFyRXBy1lcp5oGaAkcWyePGbj80xgleR1ph2Mvzfz0SR7yVcW2Va1qCj_0Ay5BGTHQgLbc9WZNnqkau2ux5CF3g3bqXUis_ySEBjm7si1I7HE2XUUbXIytwx7YNkb3TKVFXZbsF9f1bfMIkh2h1-cMNWIDkCOVLHDLtOXcUIEiqT63fL68/s16000/20230223_190431(0).jpg" /></a></p><p>What made him even happier was to receive handmade cards from each of the siblings. Watch the video to see the pop-ups and drawings. I hope we will always keep this tradition of making cards for one another because these cards really make a difference - they brighten the day, they bring about surprises, they are a token of love and they serve as priceless keepsakes.</p><p>By the way, Ansel knows how to blow out candles this year and it's really cute seeing him do so! Of course, we couldn't help but shower him with lots of warm hugs and wet kisses too when he blew the candles.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtA0t3GI_ovYrNE5lSg9ELuINI-5vX-w3AqLCADcl78-t1AHUPC_E4uFr4Hd0_zudUe2FEwqQ73YJ2Sgsgk3Bthw9C9SGJqUkzGdBYvOuwOMULEOR3ykUqRpKpbuBv0mUFCBGQBevdMP4IGLHaOL61yHpq_-ZnJ2Y20M7Zlkv8ob94jyD3oSaahfbavpM/s1000/20230223_191242.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtA0t3GI_ovYrNE5lSg9ELuINI-5vX-w3AqLCADcl78-t1AHUPC_E4uFr4Hd0_zudUe2FEwqQ73YJ2Sgsgk3Bthw9C9SGJqUkzGdBYvOuwOMULEOR3ykUqRpKpbuBv0mUFCBGQBevdMP4IGLHaOL61yHpq_-ZnJ2Y20M7Zlkv8ob94jyD3oSaahfbavpM/s16000/20230223_191242.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZgHftcmdUjc1d5u7M1tZt0U3oU2AAVWUarlSkyKyhNTXPd7YRZoLfG0jI0SqssPJjwFAKUTz9cf3sSt4sDmu378hxIGLfiuWx3ZxgTPtNjtaSy0d4IKOmOUllnNlmRzwrnQ1fg_LWDKI_W2LeWElsPmCQk3UqhX7d-hWd-sa-ohfUry1NlU96y9rcJiY/s1000/20230223_191246.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZgHftcmdUjc1d5u7M1tZt0U3oU2AAVWUarlSkyKyhNTXPd7YRZoLfG0jI0SqssPJjwFAKUTz9cf3sSt4sDmu378hxIGLfiuWx3ZxgTPtNjtaSy0d4IKOmOUllnNlmRzwrnQ1fg_LWDKI_W2LeWElsPmCQk3UqhX7d-hWd-sa-ohfUry1NlU96y9rcJiY/s16000/20230223_191246.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqkK6KDTQKfdJDj7fuTBSlzyfol05U-VUhIiLgLmkLd1RJKPQN9_jSPbZ0NUoii6en4Wob7ckFnvTcEFAmgPuZ67sJkk3LmwUTpWcNCRqil_sNZ3hw2spJP71zaf5UYu92kgar50qi4lgpTfBvT2PIuOzode1gF6txDtpnM0m47kCwIcLwAZjz5FZjtW4/s1000/20230223_191323.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqkK6KDTQKfdJDj7fuTBSlzyfol05U-VUhIiLgLmkLd1RJKPQN9_jSPbZ0NUoii6en4Wob7ckFnvTcEFAmgPuZ67sJkk3LmwUTpWcNCRqil_sNZ3hw2spJP71zaf5UYu92kgar50qi4lgpTfBvT2PIuOzode1gF6txDtpnM0m47kCwIcLwAZjz5FZjtW4/s16000/20230223_191323.jpg" /></a></p><p>As for his gift, I got him something that I knew he would definitely like. That is a.... Cocomelon school bus! It could even play<i> "Wheels on the Bus"</i> at the touch of a button and it was perfect for the birthday boy to fit his Cocomelon family figurines.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6JgbomRWVl2U9mmFPOAWOEjL207PRdfJJ_GWWEZQc1ORfhKkYgGXxWMIbayZRMCgqXCXMCYH3EPJbdrR2k3dh9FXqoVAiqcTHVw6sb7e14mQUYeaF1kcFlt7sal6t1oA2VU63QpxSwNp_X8e1oBEos6qVcoRZJnArRcEfBtfl-tX1sPw3IJxe-8bgXwA/s1000/20230223_192313.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6JgbomRWVl2U9mmFPOAWOEjL207PRdfJJ_GWWEZQc1ORfhKkYgGXxWMIbayZRMCgqXCXMCYH3EPJbdrR2k3dh9FXqoVAiqcTHVw6sb7e14mQUYeaF1kcFlt7sal6t1oA2VU63QpxSwNp_X8e1oBEos6qVcoRZJnArRcEfBtfl-tX1sPw3IJxe-8bgXwA/s16000/20230223_192313.jpg" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_fsfjyQBda6o6GgBxdLf6NZILn7H6-ESRDzuLu88g-A_RcfuTBuArSmdG877DIiCIsLsphX5v-A_9jL1JJ2uKAgWGYjDBNcUOgW4cIxnfzGwBTt7Yp0F2jG0MP6QT4WiospiS13zDwAivHBrfd_MPOR0gtG6OKYkilsPN8G1xp-qvvOcUgfRlaxynZQM/s1000/20230223_180535.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_fsfjyQBda6o6GgBxdLf6NZILn7H6-ESRDzuLu88g-A_RcfuTBuArSmdG877DIiCIsLsphX5v-A_9jL1JJ2uKAgWGYjDBNcUOgW4cIxnfzGwBTt7Yp0F2jG0MP6QT4WiospiS13zDwAivHBrfd_MPOR0gtG6OKYkilsPN8G1xp-qvvOcUgfRlaxynZQM/s16000/20230223_180535.jpg" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p>That marks the end of our Cocomelon party and we had so much fun! The birthday boy was truly happy that day and we were happy to see him happy!</p><p>*******</p><p>Of course, we had to find another day to celebrate with the hubby and the two of us brought Ansel out to breakfast one day followed by getting him a small cake. Following our tradition, we also celebrated with the extended family and invited them over for a barbecue. The kids had fun swimming, playing and chatting with their cousins and we ended the night with a rainbow cake for our darling Ansel.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOnyu4OHJKCT2slwHnhmgnL16fIQ1d3Cx1o4EluCP5a8Zoet13Umtq0BemvBYs84JqT08D3yXweK9wzCuhLBrW3z6Yfmv5Chiq7M840IvVjzrDUW6xpr-Ff4GTStbckUt76Bcs6-1PN9RRQlYGTAYgBZvK7kV0PD5q1H_fQsXbK3jpC05G4LPacYNto4E/s1000/20230221_120624.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOnyu4OHJKCT2slwHnhmgnL16fIQ1d3Cx1o4EluCP5a8Zoet13Umtq0BemvBYs84JqT08D3yXweK9wzCuhLBrW3z6Yfmv5Chiq7M840IvVjzrDUW6xpr-Ff4GTStbckUt76Bcs6-1PN9RRQlYGTAYgBZvK7kV0PD5q1H_fQsXbK3jpC05G4LPacYNto4E/s16000/20230221_120624.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYwUE7c__BSMGLFlrhQGS3kDsgVD4il6OW6MuLF9WNKV0Yl3P_I4Fm7fX1lUZoHrzugYt-TfPM7QT3w1h-G4EYE7CboG12fNR109VvH1Fs14qIBI-l_WRWHchEDHUBGeMw6O2HmI99Ow5xjdUpw4-hW23n8BNoxGnLLaYesY18Mk-Zlxap_rsgG434Sw/s1000/20230225_191349.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYwUE7c__BSMGLFlrhQGS3kDsgVD4il6OW6MuLF9WNKV0Yl3P_I4Fm7fX1lUZoHrzugYt-TfPM7QT3w1h-G4EYE7CboG12fNR109VvH1Fs14qIBI-l_WRWHchEDHUBGeMw6O2HmI99Ow5xjdUpw4-hW23n8BNoxGnLLaYesY18Mk-Zlxap_rsgG434Sw/s16000/20230225_191349.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Pex_KU2giHEX5JGrTevgON-Cg51BgQRGlvsePAVSav3sYXdDdNFpv83_yxy_ZMO-lm64IekbvMx9FKNWcnREmCw_AkAaIxLItxpqN6aPn67_ym3qPRdUSrfd_GVeWPVoV7ZhBFtD-yCgFAbORzyxQjkyhePgSMGi1_Zp42nZ70corj7HUUKERo4CV4U/s1000/20230225_221940.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Pex_KU2giHEX5JGrTevgON-Cg51BgQRGlvsePAVSav3sYXdDdNFpv83_yxy_ZMO-lm64IekbvMx9FKNWcnREmCw_AkAaIxLItxpqN6aPn67_ym3qPRdUSrfd_GVeWPVoV7ZhBFtD-yCgFAbORzyxQjkyhePgSMGi1_Zp42nZ70corj7HUUKERo4CV4U/s16000/20230225_221940.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTH5JGz25NT0D40Nzy-ndD58buQ5AVlJikJLLgfTXE5e3VmUzZ5h9wTd2i9zyRDVrG10H3XrdegTwFjMmo6QRmOpV3Ez9NIz7GNY3MIHzJICY-A_0dQhkbQWQqrE6_fQcgucLgmJlc6Necc1k1YTJebWRzTRXeyAkfib2vB4fWUJ_hU8YSotBL2ehkiWA/s1000/20230225_222412(0).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTH5JGz25NT0D40Nzy-ndD58buQ5AVlJikJLLgfTXE5e3VmUzZ5h9wTd2i9zyRDVrG10H3XrdegTwFjMmo6QRmOpV3Ez9NIz7GNY3MIHzJICY-A_0dQhkbQWQqrE6_fQcgucLgmJlc6Necc1k1YTJebWRzTRXeyAkfib2vB4fWUJ_hU8YSotBL2ehkiWA/s16000/20230225_222412(0).jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><i>Dear Ansel, </i></p><p><i>Happy turning TWO! You are our darling little one and we are truly blessed to have you to complete our family of six. Mama is so happy to see you growing up so strong and healthy despite being a preemie like me. </i><i>You bring us so much fun, joy and laughter every day and life is just better with you in it. Thank you for being such an adorable baby, we love you to the moon and back, dearest Ansel! 💗</i></p><p>******</p><p>Here's a video that captures the highlights of our Cocomelon party. Enjoy watching!</p><p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xuP1rUpFUNM" title="YouTube video player" width="640"></iframe></p><p>******</p><p>Read on more Ansel's parties here:</p><p>Ansel is 1 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2022/06/a-baby-shark-party-ansel-is-1.html" target="_blank">Baby Shark Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo</a></p><p></p>~Summer~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478137784353655124noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6546965252487257512.post-16659434110811387072023-05-24T13:17:00.007+08:002023-05-31T12:31:52.924+08:00Happiness is... enjoying a new beginning<p>The start of a new year is always something to rejoice about because it symbolises hope, gives motivation and brings joy.</p><p>While I greatly enjoy Christmas and the festive year end, I also love a new beginning because it gives me another chance to achieve the things that I wish to do and resolve any unfulfilled resolutions I have. By resolve, it doesn't always mean that I succeed in achieving my aim but it means that I make peace with myself if I have any unfulfilled wishes. It doesn't, and shouldn't, stop me in making new resolutions for the new year because our aims in life change as we grow as a parent and as a person.</p><p>2023 marks the year that I turn 40 and that is a huge milestone, isn't it? It's like I am at the halfway mark of my life already, if not more, and it makes you ponder so much about the things you've done with it so far. I shall share more on my birthday thoughts in another long-winded post when I get the chance to write, yeah?</p><p>For now, in this post of <i>"Happiness is..."</i>, it's about enjoying a new beginning and feeling the hope in the air.</p><p>******</p><p>This year. Chinese New Year falls within January so that gave us ample opportunities to gather and celebration with our loved ones in this first month of the year. I don't usually buy new clothes for the kids because I find that their CNY costumes, which are usually hand-me-downs, are rarely used and can last us for a few years till they outgrow them. That said, seeing how the costumes shrink on their bodies year by year, it's a stark reminder that the kids are growing up very fast and time is as usual fleeting.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHvjQU4YkRQi2H--m68nn3860NTgTtpAfG97AkBDeJJtjBVQFFh2pWo3fXw4NFOfADsh-tIPKVA5RkQNmGFs5tNdu3UumET-pdXfjtu3P0H84O0ufiQ5LYXlQiQhqTp4M8cVojYbYjKJUILVolhlN49haaj_GIpw_-k9O5pG54iVjT-ig2niVqeE-/s1000/20230122_105128.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHvjQU4YkRQi2H--m68nn3860NTgTtpAfG97AkBDeJJtjBVQFFh2pWo3fXw4NFOfADsh-tIPKVA5RkQNmGFs5tNdu3UumET-pdXfjtu3P0H84O0ufiQ5LYXlQiQhqTp4M8cVojYbYjKJUILVolhlN49haaj_GIpw_-k9O5pG54iVjT-ig2niVqeE-/s16000/20230122_105128.jpg" /></a>I mean, just look at Ansel! He can fit into Korkor's CNY costume now and he looks kind of grown up here with the cute pigtail, doesn't he? It seems like once our kids pass the baby stage, the years just zoom by and they turn from toddler to preschooler to teenager in the blink of an eye. I know this very well because I already have a teen in the house!</p><p><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8gT84PTW-b7Mo220Ux2HgAnklwgHjVL3QAhS4Ntfg1-lX1w6Fjzj5LH13lI-_K3vI1LutqtR83UEMTMygSZ33Y-L7NfhUOE58u7vgDV25MHyadCR4qngrXp-l_5EYFPk3LsEnTHtZr3ehfURWDJAPprCV9kk9tYXVtnYgzoHGy1q8wzCogDzXSOzd/s16000/20230106_131259.jpg" /></p><p>The best thing about CNY is being able to have reunion meals, gather with our family and bond over good food and chit chat. We had a yummy home cooked lunch with my in-laws and extended family and we went to the coffeeshop to have a <i>lohei</i> dinner with my parents, aunties, uncles and cousins too. While I love a delicious meal, I think the more important thing here is to cherish each other's company and be thankful that we still get to do this year after year. I miss my <i>Popo</i> so much since she's been gone and every CNY, I still put a red packet for her with a handwritten message next to her photos which are displayed in my living room wall. CNY is always about her and it will never be the same for us ever since she left. 好想你哦,婆婆...</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiuL7Io5NX2sEtnvVRMke7FzrkZCq8-XwS1jgEsh7cggq_3-Whvf3mkzOmHs_Av7k1lAs5PDTwrVvNabvo0tVkSM19Tua4DD5HnfmDjSayNvi2g7Ou-WQJ7kvP66tgfeKJucKlow5zgYiO-PU1TkZxxQidXXeIfJTMOGORVcM99XBL4aFVCleH0NlS/s1000/20230121_134526.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiuL7Io5NX2sEtnvVRMke7FzrkZCq8-XwS1jgEsh7cggq_3-Whvf3mkzOmHs_Av7k1lAs5PDTwrVvNabvo0tVkSM19Tua4DD5HnfmDjSayNvi2g7Ou-WQJ7kvP66tgfeKJucKlow5zgYiO-PU1TkZxxQidXXeIfJTMOGORVcM99XBL4aFVCleH0NlS/s16000/20230121_134526.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-bRpdonHUsjK7UvXBLATVjDhwj-jsiL719GzxJwxTUEFW4MNR38_JppbDEdZY-gMcytsXeW_gTAz6tbV_Fapu05n7fk8FOa7Eq_UX8ZRIDLanuSzyxsHAdg8Vt7gU7hYHgFdS8RkVY8opaAf0BZVrGcetM32xeJOHIuMCeYX_rsUMaLNPyzjUnxl/s1000/20230122_144030.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-bRpdonHUsjK7UvXBLATVjDhwj-jsiL719GzxJwxTUEFW4MNR38_JppbDEdZY-gMcytsXeW_gTAz6tbV_Fapu05n7fk8FOa7Eq_UX8ZRIDLanuSzyxsHAdg8Vt7gU7hYHgFdS8RkVY8opaAf0BZVrGcetM32xeJOHIuMCeYX_rsUMaLNPyzjUnxl/s16000/20230122_144030.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF14ssLuZULGsu5PjKXnnsjZ-xX0lBkbRZxNQG3kJ5UXBGXdj3KC5PjRCEdFEVs_KEBeJ8LIs_BtwZy2aAlFlvtHWCbmKJVhdUIml2MQOUyaiHo4VIXhuSCK-kZLN5OUAkjrsJ7mG6T3NJ21EPZAZ0ISyBKOj5DNnPMvC8iHt8Ist0oUpnm0hsA3rW/s1000/20230121_194443.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF14ssLuZULGsu5PjKXnnsjZ-xX0lBkbRZxNQG3kJ5UXBGXdj3KC5PjRCEdFEVs_KEBeJ8LIs_BtwZy2aAlFlvtHWCbmKJVhdUIml2MQOUyaiHo4VIXhuSCK-kZLN5OUAkjrsJ7mG6T3NJ21EPZAZ0ISyBKOj5DNnPMvC8iHt8Ist0oUpnm0hsA3rW/s16000/20230121_194443.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdyTo3mhkI7P1DNn6sN0BYkS0ZsiKR-FVPPinvItXPvQpsSohpW3YYzsF7MOTQg-Nu5nmCJjnuuSS1ZzmodghyjoP0ABWJm695WosVufjRbibd9Nqd9x3ktJv23ZJs-ZR9dORr0Cb4jMSapFhccld7rP8oJOSdaz7mOUyqpk8Ase0u8NyTRujoPm1/s1000/20230121_194412.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdyTo3mhkI7P1DNn6sN0BYkS0ZsiKR-FVPPinvItXPvQpsSohpW3YYzsF7MOTQg-Nu5nmCJjnuuSS1ZzmodghyjoP0ABWJm695WosVufjRbibd9Nqd9x3ktJv23ZJs-ZR9dORr0Cb4jMSapFhccld7rP8oJOSdaz7mOUyqpk8Ase0u8NyTRujoPm1/s16000/20230121_194412.jpg" /></a></p><p>I like to take photos of the kids together and I always remind them that it's a blessing to have siblings and they are lucky to have not one but three! It never fails to amaze me to think about how these four popped out of my womb and I am incredibly, absolutely fortunate to be their mum. Do you think they look alike here? People always comment they do but the funny thing is they will pair them up to say these two look more alike yet the pairing varies and we've gotten too many different views. Haha. That said, they definitely have their own individual characteristics and personal likes and dislikes, and that is how it should be as they grow up.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRZWp37BCz17cGEblNRc-FSLFq5nwUAcwJd-F7n2VSH4S5EEs0qadwrHkS8FGBzOYyyJxhUNgqNq3Y6HZOn-AK4xoCscrUl35saZLmkFYfKDXtTu00lcXDjRfiXMQjtvTGCWxug324uBpIPijlpE4pH1Bgs2frYCw3Eg4o6gv6LeDOcCy7b2KQGFrj/s1000/20230123_224635.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRZWp37BCz17cGEblNRc-FSLFq5nwUAcwJd-F7n2VSH4S5EEs0qadwrHkS8FGBzOYyyJxhUNgqNq3Y6HZOn-AK4xoCscrUl35saZLmkFYfKDXtTu00lcXDjRfiXMQjtvTGCWxug324uBpIPijlpE4pH1Bgs2frYCw3Eg4o6gv6LeDOcCy7b2KQGFrj/s16000/20230123_224635.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW6M3YoY9QT963_Rtgh1zaR3Wrr0wo_xmp7ycPPTPg_l-WCzyLSAcMtSXTBpAviA5WVHno2KtEVaT1rseu3z3KWALtsateiK-LhI8Wa7I7G0vqykyqZdY1YlqlBcVC95JHTATm2B5YafDk1OC-uRsOU4S0OFiEJKFDVmbIZ5z4LQ7-wfb-V2AyJiuJ/s1000/20230123_224511.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW6M3YoY9QT963_Rtgh1zaR3Wrr0wo_xmp7ycPPTPg_l-WCzyLSAcMtSXTBpAviA5WVHno2KtEVaT1rseu3z3KWALtsateiK-LhI8Wa7I7G0vqykyqZdY1YlqlBcVC95JHTATm2B5YafDk1OC-uRsOU4S0OFiEJKFDVmbIZ5z4LQ7-wfb-V2AyJiuJ/s16000/20230123_224511.jpg" /></a></p><p>I also love taking one-on-one pics with the kids and I think I will continue to do so till the day that they refuse to be photographed with me anymore, haha.</p><p><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2vQu-JviWDimzEIYDlsmQXPJ8FxiePlGsJuYAICIh_B6RKvTC1xhmvH9wpjeOggkzMMc37VsMI5US4BjMxMh6Wfh_LRKWvFiNQEz3npuOYsV26Cd18vQpO0L1yYqqjqllmUAnQn0drHHFibosTHCzTH_i4xs_Zy6xvlBcVPJ-3fLfM96bsU8LfxS/s16000/20230122_111415.jpg" /></p><p>We celebrated my father-in-law's birthday during CNY and it's always a cosy affair where we invite the extended family over to have a home cooked meal. Simple celebrations can be the best kind of celebration, right? The kids are always elated to see their cousins and it's nice to know that they love and enjoy each other's company.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRqtP1pKQRQBjbMzAo6USYXZA0GVIITigec7kP15NoqLuNkVq4YOLbIaTO8yibFBQ477R0nC3yfFO3RRnlYAbLxonpG_ll57ZUI9XPS5707McGxmIJBmmlhyeSiNxPTN4-65FHTsJ9Ggu9B2zXe7QuZJ8NVFrSdUS3gE5d7EShwEqHKHVReRuW_DWe/s1000/20230128_221145.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRqtP1pKQRQBjbMzAo6USYXZA0GVIITigec7kP15NoqLuNkVq4YOLbIaTO8yibFBQ477R0nC3yfFO3RRnlYAbLxonpG_ll57ZUI9XPS5707McGxmIJBmmlhyeSiNxPTN4-65FHTsJ9Ggu9B2zXe7QuZJ8NVFrSdUS3gE5d7EShwEqHKHVReRuW_DWe/s16000/20230128_221145.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMxiAD-DG7Yex9yIJE95laEmbN5YD3UTshk1tjvAPtS0PxHvAxlM89FqWyQjY4Vz87DN594Md6cfcVGTIQCYEAFz66HcmLgbsDEo09SxyAX06T_pICinmQsmyZp68oyPMlu0D_oUEnhyUInYNPFDdmc8-nnMc6lyHC2LRQtxH-gch7DA2hriQSSyIY/s1000/20230128_221307.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMxiAD-DG7Yex9yIJE95laEmbN5YD3UTshk1tjvAPtS0PxHvAxlM89FqWyQjY4Vz87DN594Md6cfcVGTIQCYEAFz66HcmLgbsDEo09SxyAX06T_pICinmQsmyZp68oyPMlu0D_oUEnhyUInYNPFDdmc8-nnMc6lyHC2LRQtxH-gch7DA2hriQSSyIY/s16000/20230128_221307.jpg" /></a></p><p>Ansel has a penchant for lion dance these days because we showed him a few videos of it which intrigued him. So when the korkor and jiejies were in school, there happened to be a live lion dance performance in the mall so I made sure I brought him there to catch it. He managed to get a candy from 财神爷 and touch the lion which thrilled him so much.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3E6EDu6P1dpJBABp-t_4GbXO07JV6VDXGe4Sq26Zqnqpimx6yC8mgTo8RFe8jrwH0qq0ufM8U_qWCrv6NGp7EpVWE_2qQ6FKPn5F5SBmMrHDbv15VyA2pO_c6MFJoneb6AVYPJtHMbKYmAtdx6eg8bq-dlUqTOQx9MJgM5cref0umxPdm2rA44moh/s1000/20230130_120551.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3E6EDu6P1dpJBABp-t_4GbXO07JV6VDXGe4Sq26Zqnqpimx6yC8mgTo8RFe8jrwH0qq0ufM8U_qWCrv6NGp7EpVWE_2qQ6FKPn5F5SBmMrHDbv15VyA2pO_c6MFJoneb6AVYPJtHMbKYmAtdx6eg8bq-dlUqTOQx9MJgM5cref0umxPdm2rA44moh/s16000/20230130_120551.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfVX0S1aouyP5SdGcJYJJSH7D_tBxtbsXml58FiD7gTldvt01UeIBUx6dQTX87G2p_pftlaB0LxvQp0MesEbQo9hu30ES07UBVmparGSfFZMrZvdvc_shjjmjubJm0LcwUTXtAYPS7cddCD60kSo3VEDC2oGYuOm3hCg2G5jiq7MuN9EQiYd0Cr2kW/s1000/20230130_122138.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfVX0S1aouyP5SdGcJYJJSH7D_tBxtbsXml58FiD7gTldvt01UeIBUx6dQTX87G2p_pftlaB0LxvQp0MesEbQo9hu30ES07UBVmparGSfFZMrZvdvc_shjjmjubJm0LcwUTXtAYPS7cddCD60kSo3VEDC2oGYuOm3hCg2G5jiq7MuN9EQiYd0Cr2kW/s16000/20230130_122138.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9FgOxvqDAbhlhpwd-K74yY0JqqUo6fFDFdCHh6AMtaWpJ9w2ePUCh-bI8oDy2gG9nqVYEMisgRSlSy4TLYgPEhlBMsf_uUdAkRnwSnPcYGinIm3QmmDtPt_KzUWrHA4CiJxsxy077FtXHHM6BchegrnFEDYBT5N3cXLDYaBru0Pk10fI2j-fblajn/s1000/20230130_122743(0).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9FgOxvqDAbhlhpwd-K74yY0JqqUo6fFDFdCHh6AMtaWpJ9w2ePUCh-bI8oDy2gG9nqVYEMisgRSlSy4TLYgPEhlBMsf_uUdAkRnwSnPcYGinIm3QmmDtPt_KzUWrHA4CiJxsxy077FtXHHM6BchegrnFEDYBT5N3cXLDYaBru0Pk10fI2j-fblajn/s16000/20230130_122743(0).jpg" /></a></p><p>It's been long since I had a gathering with a big bunch of ex-classmates so I am very glad I did this with my JC friends. We had a steamboat, exchanged ang pows and the kids had fun playing together too.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn2gTkFUGojf8tSMtSz_NjplY19rG97Ha6ZXtzoxH1aXaL-3q8hyGe7ceiy4sogZN10n-yYTvg-EWoTqSFsbjMvaQYdVXNqRh0dkBYFVj5RI8nIWFopH_5Lu8ctKZPFDEL58Vq9BibZAAzK4kZpk8WkObvzPpSxwwQ3BHRR7C-81e2veqSEz1auNbW/s1000/20230129_131146.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn2gTkFUGojf8tSMtSz_NjplY19rG97Ha6ZXtzoxH1aXaL-3q8hyGe7ceiy4sogZN10n-yYTvg-EWoTqSFsbjMvaQYdVXNqRh0dkBYFVj5RI8nIWFopH_5Lu8ctKZPFDEL58Vq9BibZAAzK4kZpk8WkObvzPpSxwwQ3BHRR7C-81e2veqSEz1auNbW/s16000/20230129_131146.jpg" /></a></p><p>The kids and I had an outing to S.E.A. Aquarium and we had fun listening to mermaid storytelling session, touching the sea stars, seeing the diverse marine life, completing an activity trail and witnessing a unique dragon underwater dance too.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVicfUgh1NfEK7-xpxocH4J0H-bBW2TdrLvaHn21wb1wx7sp7tBBgzaRS78Tubz5fGoJdl52VvQwdHyqpvvRM-MDwms1DqlJLuqXlu22cqjLQ0efcMexIWaVWLhOLl0xc0r_VMcsaSMBCiHG0Lv_uSUgAVsbOYaXGFlT5Nlobyk8U1whhc22uSRTJ2/s1000/20230128_160416.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVicfUgh1NfEK7-xpxocH4J0H-bBW2TdrLvaHn21wb1wx7sp7tBBgzaRS78Tubz5fGoJdl52VvQwdHyqpvvRM-MDwms1DqlJLuqXlu22cqjLQ0efcMexIWaVWLhOLl0xc0r_VMcsaSMBCiHG0Lv_uSUgAVsbOYaXGFlT5Nlobyk8U1whhc22uSRTJ2/s16000/20230128_160416.jpg" /></a></p><p>We love visiting our airport because there are always so many family-friendly activities there. This month, we celebrate 100 years of Disney and not only did the kids get to take photos with some really cool photo spots from our favourite movies, they got to meet Mickey and Minnie Mouse up close too! Woohoo!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhqFhoS_e78BUUI0yyPpnXcw3x2W1V55EJHqil6bh5cj94437atsRyRkqQY6JI2RaxWTWp40QcGF__4pH2uDkMaXfMAYCjprPPK6sM1b8P_6AGr2DJHGpIhYDLzWduTP-2OwW0qlbS4VAD4nXs5hibgzPP-Wx7qFOlAkJOwmdtgrMNpNE1MXSQL1AC/s1000/20230112_202327(1).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhqFhoS_e78BUUI0yyPpnXcw3x2W1V55EJHqil6bh5cj94437atsRyRkqQY6JI2RaxWTWp40QcGF__4pH2uDkMaXfMAYCjprPPK6sM1b8P_6AGr2DJHGpIhYDLzWduTP-2OwW0qlbS4VAD4nXs5hibgzPP-Wx7qFOlAkJOwmdtgrMNpNE1MXSQL1AC/s16000/20230112_202327(1).jpg" /></a><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfCuXzxJClCcBZLBqOHfUKxIYXzolF-VUg2v-cuszkKAa4QQRoFR5M_Nk5MU--3tcYK-vlLxIOW-uft9EFFFN6oQIEoDduD_Hm6boVqtXIm051qJt-4z-Bws1aBKI0wqhUXDsCemloidVtZBR92cr2I3AvRHWwtTjc4iAcJ0XNq6mwdDzUipPJ_qhw/s1000/20230112_203824.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfCuXzxJClCcBZLBqOHfUKxIYXzolF-VUg2v-cuszkKAa4QQRoFR5M_Nk5MU--3tcYK-vlLxIOW-uft9EFFFN6oQIEoDduD_Hm6boVqtXIm051qJt-4z-Bws1aBKI0wqhUXDsCemloidVtZBR92cr2I3AvRHWwtTjc4iAcJ0XNq6mwdDzUipPJ_qhw/s16000/20230112_203824.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZd_1GgnuqnbM3sl3m41CdpER0xEelcRGY-hlmQFDXjRXiX6eceR6MiFncIMFjwcG24wuIhvr4H3vtbwT1wtGF-Qm3ctnX55QPKL9gW10HG_iIUxp3v6yLljNFLLQekvJP-fwny_iEqNgI2wiOA1hF3ouYv9U-OZsRPC61jSGNh3JdlBRx4f2AoEx5/s1000/20230112_203111.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZd_1GgnuqnbM3sl3m41CdpER0xEelcRGY-hlmQFDXjRXiX6eceR6MiFncIMFjwcG24wuIhvr4H3vtbwT1wtGF-Qm3ctnX55QPKL9gW10HG_iIUxp3v6yLljNFLLQekvJP-fwny_iEqNgI2wiOA1hF3ouYv9U-OZsRPC61jSGNh3JdlBRx4f2AoEx5/s16000/20230112_203111.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Check out my four models! I must say they did quite a good job and were quite cooperative! It's never easy telling them that this is Mama's "job" which require their help but since they enjoy such media events, it's the least they can do to help out. Plus, these photos make such good keepsakes so even if I am not there on invite, I would totally take photos of them too (just not so many)! Haha. But don't get me wrong, there are also days when one or two kids will grumble or have a meltdown and that is when I have to put my coaxing skills and patience to the test. Still, we are very thankful to be invited for any launches or media events.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTckgiIXW-mRplo2C0WsScihO_OWBLwSajl76DeP0Te5kDWUQf-rCj16Dj0jI92kJQh_nnW7bwgDEDXSR-8lpCvs7vyZjGgLvFizBon5bMj7r6Q6OwUQoQB4tCzeargUZaMpahXvXUjxZ1MFqvLAxM4VSAFPYqsbg7UYkfSWKOUQVhVfG8IOUsbhqM/s1000/20230112_190327.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTckgiIXW-mRplo2C0WsScihO_OWBLwSajl76DeP0Te5kDWUQf-rCj16Dj0jI92kJQh_nnW7bwgDEDXSR-8lpCvs7vyZjGgLvFizBon5bMj7r6Q6OwUQoQB4tCzeargUZaMpahXvXUjxZ1MFqvLAxM4VSAFPYqsbg7UYkfSWKOUQVhVfG8IOUsbhqM/s16000/20230112_190327.jpg" /></a><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNskrDwIyCG-xAijEk5XkRXBdgfIouVnsLWZbSl7YCHim5C1JxPWLwUxoJWTCTR4gBby8k3B2R6ojvH9JwyETjyJJ6qyMBJgUTqoeNSF24fIyAAfto1D-uMmwTlwXRSg-6dShr5UEW1lsWNqmQJNWsTJG_BTk27qshxi4zDeOZpFuTl8y57UdYNvTT/s1000/20230112_190021.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNskrDwIyCG-xAijEk5XkRXBdgfIouVnsLWZbSl7YCHim5C1JxPWLwUxoJWTCTR4gBby8k3B2R6ojvH9JwyETjyJJ6qyMBJgUTqoeNSF24fIyAAfto1D-uMmwTlwXRSg-6dShr5UEW1lsWNqmQJNWsTJG_BTk27qshxi4zDeOZpFuTl8y57UdYNvTT/s16000/20230112_190021.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiaL9qnkoSW33JWEwFZJMDviaqk53AdEVoj98r9GcnePubt090uOwfEEmFxrmcoDrqMroTuVk1g-p-0iB3QkAA-C0T0pZJV5F-4me3R2Bf351NJfI7D7rjT0VKK5il2m-ryZuTIcLnGSSqSxC_CrqCKR1qu-gGTSw60cC7-zUA7mRYGcIa4diNMOp8/s1000/20230112_185335.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiaL9qnkoSW33JWEwFZJMDviaqk53AdEVoj98r9GcnePubt090uOwfEEmFxrmcoDrqMroTuVk1g-p-0iB3QkAA-C0T0pZJV5F-4me3R2Bf351NJfI7D7rjT0VKK5il2m-ryZuTIcLnGSSqSxC_CrqCKR1qu-gGTSw60cC7-zUA7mRYGcIa4diNMOp8/s16000/20230112_185335.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpTwvFWDusyH1-XOYJvSZg_1dCQ2mc75Rt0nnEYX2VUSNsFqcvTsoYw-MQ5P4n__g12UNUCfLaKlAdCAZ8iRMdAjx3EGJxJVw5ayfNk6K-DE6iQ6lUaRtgsXQ-Z6dJLSAVUHzoN_6zKndPF5NbzjedPnE1CPO8ZKjF2bt649fE-6-dTUuxhngwoH-1/s1000/20230112_185132.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpTwvFWDusyH1-XOYJvSZg_1dCQ2mc75Rt0nnEYX2VUSNsFqcvTsoYw-MQ5P4n__g12UNUCfLaKlAdCAZ8iRMdAjx3EGJxJVw5ayfNk6K-DE6iQ6lUaRtgsXQ-Z6dJLSAVUHzoN_6zKndPF5NbzjedPnE1CPO8ZKjF2bt649fE-6-dTUuxhngwoH-1/s16000/20230112_185132.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I made a trip back to my alma mater when my ex-classmates told me that there was an alumni reunion. It was my first time back after over two decades and of course, it was the first time the kids set foot in my junior college too. There was a feeling of nostalgic as I brought them around and introduced some of my favourite spots, including the lecture theatres, canteen, field, hall, parade square and so on. There were so many fond moments and it was a very memorable two-year phase of my life.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtpDk6PyScQb6KYE2hvxy2e5Sv7W0V0CfoDn74WWfEznzkV5t6d-d336sE9Yf3ofn_m52gHAgZzXBy2Bne-EAKTqy0ozR_EksRYBhW8OEVQPDrJSjCwh8qocaP9mjup796i39K7Cr95UcmR1BeX31xZDyBEi-V2-00vXVGcYjsbrBG-xijub12ukla/s1000/20230107_132307.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtpDk6PyScQb6KYE2hvxy2e5Sv7W0V0CfoDn74WWfEznzkV5t6d-d336sE9Yf3ofn_m52gHAgZzXBy2Bne-EAKTqy0ozR_EksRYBhW8OEVQPDrJSjCwh8qocaP9mjup796i39K7Cr95UcmR1BeX31xZDyBEi-V2-00vXVGcYjsbrBG-xijub12ukla/s16000/20230107_132307.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCQXpTYsdZyzOptUDoK8-0lcZ_7Zs-FCo2H0DjGifOlrrSUFhv3SckGL2WsfYpyYOIC0ZCkIJceezTRwfy9MvhzuJKfNscd_YZ3-n8c9QuJGgQTK4olbkxo_pV5EAvwwSfG4MyOfi_m0erGlNY7NIECdRRC7YuYfq5oYB2gbWqh0WW24HAruEKDE0L/s1000/20230107_131208.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCQXpTYsdZyzOptUDoK8-0lcZ_7Zs-FCo2H0DjGifOlrrSUFhv3SckGL2WsfYpyYOIC0ZCkIJceezTRwfy9MvhzuJKfNscd_YZ3-n8c9QuJGgQTK4olbkxo_pV5EAvwwSfG4MyOfi_m0erGlNY7NIECdRRC7YuYfq5oYB2gbWqh0WW24HAruEKDE0L/s16000/20230107_131208.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAnLPDaEz65_8vwttpHlyZNSN0s41lQGxUueoPVUtOt2BAdEtljZ0EJ5Z9OOmAp1EWHIgfVQMYwya37Qzcmej8rNGHaTtAaScvWnWdWcbXQ4J_S9BoSjjN3zsUpupM9NClRKOhijk0WVyUVeneoIIv6h--_IUsgOhnan-x7DB1bY6_sWW9eUMEk5G-/s1000/20230107_130623.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAnLPDaEz65_8vwttpHlyZNSN0s41lQGxUueoPVUtOt2BAdEtljZ0EJ5Z9OOmAp1EWHIgfVQMYwya37Qzcmej8rNGHaTtAaScvWnWdWcbXQ4J_S9BoSjjN3zsUpupM9NClRKOhijk0WVyUVeneoIIv6h--_IUsgOhnan-x7DB1bY6_sWW9eUMEk5G-/s16000/20230107_130623.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-dLUuiMjENbkBHE1qODUlHuTRwZ71WHtrTcWqFsNhwgyIxYwbOmClUhq1uHoEqh7_wU46GipGZHrdxa1MX8NJPW-ZbTPHFXTc446rhptj8kH7ufr-y8XoJhTMzuteMDa9W2bITm8EE3Renj93Z4IVLH7LFNloFUrL80lZGVza5EqOk29u40qLvdV/s1000/20230107_130248.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-dLUuiMjENbkBHE1qODUlHuTRwZ71WHtrTcWqFsNhwgyIxYwbOmClUhq1uHoEqh7_wU46GipGZHrdxa1MX8NJPW-ZbTPHFXTc446rhptj8kH7ufr-y8XoJhTMzuteMDa9W2bITm8EE3Renj93Z4IVLH7LFNloFUrL80lZGVza5EqOk29u40qLvdV/s16000/20230107_130248.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Time only goes forward and doesn't rewind, nor will it stop for anything or anyone. Yup. How the years pass us by as we age. I keep telling myself that if decades can fly past so soon, I'd better cherish the days I have with the kids before they reached the adult stage and don't need me to be around them anymore.</div><div><br /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxstH9H1ajizR2dwpr4a_dbCwtDLLjwQGFXunR3NfzgVRyHOa1P5Elu5tfa_2pTtA3DKnd6o_DZkXWpymPXVOn61hU7ZA8BN7fNRs7lGqQiJKOD_VFiX6CoX6yzwGKvLU4yDSALLaddTmsP9kDey1MY-tZc4wt2efKkOHgvJuIoY5nc1W2ObSgIHuD/s1000/20230107_130043.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxstH9H1ajizR2dwpr4a_dbCwtDLLjwQGFXunR3NfzgVRyHOa1P5Elu5tfa_2pTtA3DKnd6o_DZkXWpymPXVOn61hU7ZA8BN7fNRs7lGqQiJKOD_VFiX6CoX6yzwGKvLU4yDSALLaddTmsP9kDey1MY-tZc4wt2efKkOHgvJuIoY5nc1W2ObSgIHuD/s16000/20230107_130043.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0LyFaRgl9KNdWnsjAypdt8SuFXsWB4RuEimfgSeD4su2_ijyUQXIrqcYOIaalhMxt6C7PIL9wbqGlj6yuMBAN9uz8Pr4XmMakblSugVQXAEUJ8xEKSSuzsMQ37Trq8wjNljLqKLKi4NQICad8BXxEeqtAOPlTFJBPAqOVxE8DZfq1K4g_ME40w5W/s1000/20230107_125804.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0LyFaRgl9KNdWnsjAypdt8SuFXsWB4RuEimfgSeD4su2_ijyUQXIrqcYOIaalhMxt6C7PIL9wbqGlj6yuMBAN9uz8Pr4XmMakblSugVQXAEUJ8xEKSSuzsMQ37Trq8wjNljLqKLKi4NQICad8BXxEeqtAOPlTFJBPAqOVxE8DZfq1K4g_ME40w5W/s16000/20230107_125804.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9U5bn6Hpe4MEQCwAYKW6ceT6PzSGfMuv7HwHreSYGjN-TS-bA-d6WYyM8_j1gQrCpzCFLrVhHDDlAw1-fGhljc0My68nFw0Jwq8OJhHZ23zJhulaaHnGC53btDwwkKcO-HeQa2gu46mTa5KJk7WJNjKN608lH5jvPZB3kFryHzITltnR2ad3EQbld/s1000/20230107_123724.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9U5bn6Hpe4MEQCwAYKW6ceT6PzSGfMuv7HwHreSYGjN-TS-bA-d6WYyM8_j1gQrCpzCFLrVhHDDlAw1-fGhljc0My68nFw0Jwq8OJhHZ23zJhulaaHnGC53btDwwkKcO-HeQa2gu46mTa5KJk7WJNjKN608lH5jvPZB3kFryHzITltnR2ad3EQbld/s16000/20230107_123724.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-paSgfKR0z0pVdSMO3Xa7ouoGifIUMbhyOZbmPYyrH5gVrrSv3IZ0gTsyI-h9S1BUPY8NbISQPFcCUFmMskKX2M1XuQ33hp0gjknD7nui_YzjiFR24GgWcyrY2A_pH8VZ-NSxqeibLxl3qcAP-KiRQPt3L8uqxLm5VTmCjLiz2_XLL34l9Y1AJodY/s1000/20230107_120742.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-paSgfKR0z0pVdSMO3Xa7ouoGifIUMbhyOZbmPYyrH5gVrrSv3IZ0gTsyI-h9S1BUPY8NbISQPFcCUFmMskKX2M1XuQ33hp0gjknD7nui_YzjiFR24GgWcyrY2A_pH8VZ-NSxqeibLxl3qcAP-KiRQPt3L8uqxLm5VTmCjLiz2_XLL34l9Y1AJodY/s16000/20230107_120742.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Last but not least, the girls and I went on a mum-and-daughters date and got a haircut! It is our second time doing it together and I think it might become an annual tradition too. They enjoyed getting their hair washed and blown and it's a once a year treat for them. New hair, new hope, new beginning!</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi88FgRdTSDj4aPyMY2tpEA_kir4kU6az4wb0IBG5tAHnTfftacSH76cIHR0gYJhMu8sDs6sMKGxk__I822DKZ4yhezFDmCT-WYo5nc6zlP__tMpPwnFrmmfa8fpGX53l6bWA3Jcb1CUf9kIZc_FLaS5JHTRUWicqRuZd_zOaTiFa7MXi40BE4eCINi/s1000/20230102_181758.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi88FgRdTSDj4aPyMY2tpEA_kir4kU6az4wb0IBG5tAHnTfftacSH76cIHR0gYJhMu8sDs6sMKGxk__I822DKZ4yhezFDmCT-WYo5nc6zlP__tMpPwnFrmmfa8fpGX53l6bWA3Jcb1CUf9kIZc_FLaS5JHTRUWicqRuZd_zOaTiFa7MXi40BE4eCINi/s16000/20230102_181758.jpg" /></a></div><div>Can't wait to share more of our family story in 2023 with you and hope you had a great start to the year too! Till the next post!</div><div><p></p></div>~Summer~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478137784353655124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6546965252487257512.post-87187705765016452432023-05-08T16:02:00.784+08:002023-05-22T12:15:45.235+08:00A long-awaited holiday - Ariel is 10 and Asher is 7!<p>December 2022 was a special time because it marked the birthdays of Ariel and Asher. Despite our tradition of not having lavish parties, I still wanted to make it a special occasion for the two of them.</p><p>I must say the pandemic has totally changed the way we celebrate birthdays in our home. If you recall, I used to host themed parties for the girls every year and would invite a small bunch of their best friends over for fun-filled games and activities. However, when big gatherings and house visits were disallowed, we celebrated as a family instead. Even if they were kept simple, this new way of celebration sufficed to fill their love tanks.</p><p>Usually, I would let the birthday girl/boy choose a place to visit, be it an indoor playground or the zoo. This time, I was the planner for all the kids' birthdays and just like how <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2023/02/a-splashing-good-time-angel-is-13.html" target="_blank">Angel's 13th birthday</a> was kept as a surprise till the very last minute, the kids had no idea what we were gonna do or where we were gonna go. The suspense built up over the weeks was exciting and I had to work very hard to make sure no other adult in the family - including the hubby and our parents who were informed of our plans - let the cat out of the bag.</p><p>Well, it has been three long years since we last travelled as a family and we've never done so as a family of six. So we decided to take the kids to somewhere nearby so we didn't have to spend a bomb yet be able to have a fun-filled retreat. Where better than to head to Legoland Malaysia, a colourful wonderland which would save us on travel cost and is still a place that the kids enjoy and love very much?</p><p>Yes, so Legoland, here we comeeeeee!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfmS_1duSM_WbRL6d6kYrPoAyb6s5QJRoTEuavoTKjWA0mhqogrNtsyqWnAVP_YNAEu4QLntQ0WsuVVU0-dv6f8aFXOkPXRsVeiVCG4LuRVSb1Ut2ZZIdon4PLESviXlAd0gyqh-xDhxNPE0HpYpnPatQuNRUdDTkgAix4dCfJ6i0kWj-ffaXRJgaP/s1000/20221219_180248.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfmS_1duSM_WbRL6d6kYrPoAyb6s5QJRoTEuavoTKjWA0mhqogrNtsyqWnAVP_YNAEu4QLntQ0WsuVVU0-dv6f8aFXOkPXRsVeiVCG4LuRVSb1Ut2ZZIdon4PLESviXlAd0gyqh-xDhxNPE0HpYpnPatQuNRUdDTkgAix4dCfJ6i0kWj-ffaXRJgaP/s16000/20221219_180248.jpg" /></a></p><p><b><u>Legoland Hotel</u></b></p><p>It's been many years since we stayed in Legoland Hotel because we usually opt for a nearby apartment to cut down on accommodation cost. But since we had two birthdays to celebrate this time round and it was Ansel's first visit, we went forth to splurge a little and booked a 3-night stay in Legoland hotel.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjzpYc7_1236o8lW8Gs9-47BdJF_k0XuendHUW0ApZ_9e7Z_bp3kyNVb8do2GjpejX5tjP-htSe6M-ZR4BOoXuanJWgoLcd-DzzY1kDgrc6W0fboC26FNZEKjyZy4Adhq8QZeKaNP_kjD8-q4guhL35wTFsue7K3kT8SygJA2fro1i3vWoBghJAr8T/s1000/20221219_232224.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjzpYc7_1236o8lW8Gs9-47BdJF_k0XuendHUW0ApZ_9e7Z_bp3kyNVb8do2GjpejX5tjP-htSe6M-ZR4BOoXuanJWgoLcd-DzzY1kDgrc6W0fboC26FNZEKjyZy4Adhq8QZeKaNP_kjD8-q4guhL35wTFsue7K3kT8SygJA2fro1i3vWoBghJAr8T/s16000/20221219_232224.jpg" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p>Our Kingdom themed room was a hit with the kids and after letting out lots of "<i>Wahhhh" </i>and <i>"Woooo"</i>, the first thing they did was to debate about who was gonna sleep on which bed since there was a bunk bed as well as a pull out bed.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc12mp1OlsTjtE13wFEb2vM1ZkaCRDqhKQq4X6AYxq9FtWYkQZ9GKzlzz5zY-s39FQ8wfFZoFZK7u7-onPodnHjEdHcBROScKBcvFBaLOYHIqVaVMO39DiYEMtqJQbtvLCTXr0syrjIO2nG2MHwlXbzrGdkysXWb9iRiTERBHORQyD4sgZyVZ4v23b/s1000/Desktop1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc12mp1OlsTjtE13wFEb2vM1ZkaCRDqhKQq4X6AYxq9FtWYkQZ9GKzlzz5zY-s39FQ8wfFZoFZK7u7-onPodnHjEdHcBROScKBcvFBaLOYHIqVaVMO39DiYEMtqJQbtvLCTXr0syrjIO2nG2MHwlXbzrGdkysXWb9iRiTERBHORQyD4sgZyVZ4v23b/s16000/Desktop1.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc8hp5waBNUQdvjFwYutAtwdbNftKcD-cF-3IfQPPH5N7H4V9xCJzL-MTinhADIX9phytEoOPvq3r93ADOtXIpQa3qaFKBbKcbGxm203-0R-LUOvWrJ7dP6BhRLZiG0hYa2w5yqE1aYFsymhe5JKLXKCP-ELIB875EADeMdOm7uzNigPp7RkuQfuoW/s1000/20221221_231707(0).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc8hp5waBNUQdvjFwYutAtwdbNftKcD-cF-3IfQPPH5N7H4V9xCJzL-MTinhADIX9phytEoOPvq3r93ADOtXIpQa3qaFKBbKcbGxm203-0R-LUOvWrJ7dP6BhRLZiG0hYa2w5yqE1aYFsymhe5JKLXKCP-ELIB875EADeMdOm7uzNigPp7RkuQfuoW/s16000/20221221_231707(0).jpg" /></a></p><p>The kids loved hanging out in the lobby because of all the Lego you get to play with. They were free to use their creativity to build anything they liked and these ranged from hearts and flowers to guns and towers. I think they would be contented to stay here for hours - such simple joy is deeply cherished!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnplPXqR5wRAeeQY5Pz1_Yh_zPgMbnkoane20Bq55QtXFBluMdTYv3Y_RDZIwYx2VTK5e0BGm01B7UYRD4G5dc09Y3U6y95Lh9KE2qQLcNH_eDFpt_FhVyimL_hq7OiCkjmB8W9PpJur_SFT1h_pTp1Higk8rLA7Rc69D79wn4us1W4a1osU_gSt5i/s1000/collage244.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnplPXqR5wRAeeQY5Pz1_Yh_zPgMbnkoane20Bq55QtXFBluMdTYv3Y_RDZIwYx2VTK5e0BGm01B7UYRD4G5dc09Y3U6y95Lh9KE2qQLcNH_eDFpt_FhVyimL_hq7OiCkjmB8W9PpJur_SFT1h_pTp1Higk8rLA7Rc69D79wn4us1W4a1osU_gSt5i/s16000/collage244.jpg" /></a></p><p>One of the best parts about staying in the hotel was that we got to feast on a lovely buffet breakfast every morning, woohoo! The kids enjoyed the widespread of yunmy food and I reminded them not to take it for granted because we most likely wouldn't get to indulge again in the near future. Haha.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVqfihOS5vPkm5OrgcvDe6ek6zh1dJUTSCnbKhZCFqTu5a6Aj6fMlw301LtzwpxxK0nOFbxCShROKZozDc7HExmhXkxGR9u4ykqA1N5LRoM4B5lQNZxtlzUHGrcoGMzG2IaYtVrsOtqfzrQenuvdhuaOmhQ4ZGCXZvh4NX1418EIY2aAwAvqJs5oQ/s1000/20221221_095406.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVqfihOS5vPkm5OrgcvDe6ek6zh1dJUTSCnbKhZCFqTu5a6Aj6fMlw301LtzwpxxK0nOFbxCShROKZozDc7HExmhXkxGR9u4ykqA1N5LRoM4B5lQNZxtlzUHGrcoGMzG2IaYtVrsOtqfzrQenuvdhuaOmhQ4ZGCXZvh4NX1418EIY2aAwAvqJs5oQ/s16000/20221221_095406.jpg" /></a></p><p>Back in our room, the kids liked playing the treasure hunt by solving clues to get the number code to open up the safe. Inside, there were a couple of packets of Lego which served as their prizes. We also made use of the safe to safeguard the birthday presents and handmade cards and when it was their birthday, the first thing Ariel and Asher did when they woke up was to dash to the safe to open up their presents. See all the joy and smiles in the video below.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDi3qya8KEcfaD4HzZ6oRW-VNBM_bOcUAqY1BO1sJnC9jgurX7mGmjd26S32X05he-rqy8IYw-El3I5UnJ9_KOQXbvn4k4CFWaWaUf1gEGoqt1j9gNy4CE7QlndXag5uuK5gjO3Im1yZZ5Q_5dRBw49J1SVBa3IGQpVwuVPKjKc2bruJaPan97NQD3/s1000/20221220_092722.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDi3qya8KEcfaD4HzZ6oRW-VNBM_bOcUAqY1BO1sJnC9jgurX7mGmjd26S32X05he-rqy8IYw-El3I5UnJ9_KOQXbvn4k4CFWaWaUf1gEGoqt1j9gNy4CE7QlndXag5uuK5gjO3Im1yZZ5Q_5dRBw49J1SVBa3IGQpVwuVPKjKc2bruJaPan97NQD3/s16000/20221220_092722.jpg" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p><b><u>A Last Minute Scare</u></b></p><p>You know, even though we had planned this trip months ago, it almost couldn't come to fruition at the last minute. This was because just hours before we were supposed to set off, I was packing the luggage in the wee hours and to my horror, I realised that Ariel's passport was only left with three months' validity. Oh dear! How careless of me not to have checked beforehand. </p><p>The hubby and I were deciding on what to do and came up with some alternative plans but I knew it would be a bummer for the kids if we had to split up or in worst case scenario, cancel the trip. Ariel woke up at 5:30am feeling all excited because I had told her we would set off at 6am or so. However, she was greeted with the news that she had to take a photo and I would renew her passport asap and the two us would dash down to ICA the moment it opened to appeal our case.</p><p>I saw this precious darling of mine tear up because she was looking forward to this trip and to celebrating her birthday so she would truly be disapppointed if our plans had to be shelved.</p><p>We reached at around 8:30am and after a long wait to explain our case - we realised many others were in the same predicament too and some even had to miss their flight due to the passport issue - we were given priority since our accommodation was already booked. Lo and behold, we got to talk to an immigration officer by 11am and after reminding me not to let this happen again, she gave us a ticket to return at 1:30pm to collect the new passport. Yayyyyy! </p><p>So we didn't even need to skip any night - initially we thought the renewal might at least take a day - and only ended up arriving late in Legoland at past 4pm. But it also meant we had a nice lunch first, that we skipped the jam nearly entirely and that we didn't need to queue up to renew our park passes - there was no queue at all. Phew.</p><p>It turned out that everything worked out in the end and Ariel and I were so relieved. Yippee, we are so lucky!</p><p><b><u>Ansel's First Overseas Trip</u></b></p><p>The fact that this was Ansel's first time going abroad made this trip all the more special. He is the 小宝贝 of the family and the siblings dote on him very much. I think having him in our lives just makes everything better and every day, we are just so thankful that he is ours.</p><p>Of course, he ended up loving Legoland a lot - which kid doesn't? - and had lots of fun. Actually, there aren't many rides that he can take due to the minimum height requirement. Let's see, for this first visit, he managed to go on Legoland Express which is the train that takes you all around the park, he went on the Duplo Express which is a mini train even though he was still below 90cm tall, he went on the Boating School not once but twice because he enjoyed it very much. Yup, I think that was all. Oh, he also enjoyed the playgrounds, especially the slides, even though he still needed encouragement before he could slide down on his own. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmz7FTzL7tc3ptVrJbb72YTI576X5Xn_FbMJ8Z56FYWX5O4mwLgdQ-hZj7kGBoE7A-9uKCEXPEbcAAgll3qEpUXP-Q7RUSsj68fk1XB5um6JKpyiojJTAadnpU8aLNEWPaW7sN_m-rdDdcJ7ol4V0RBMHrEJPiE4QvQ3UG2na4bGVwiMf8yF1iMFj/s1000/20221220_113737.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmz7FTzL7tc3ptVrJbb72YTI576X5Xn_FbMJ8Z56FYWX5O4mwLgdQ-hZj7kGBoE7A-9uKCEXPEbcAAgll3qEpUXP-Q7RUSsj68fk1XB5um6JKpyiojJTAadnpU8aLNEWPaW7sN_m-rdDdcJ7ol4V0RBMHrEJPiE4QvQ3UG2na4bGVwiMf8yF1iMFj/s16000/20221220_113737.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiV9MK13MCtctaIpwAXEU360IcfUgp-7eA7Ryqkd90YGkG_V9nHLSDiWU2sNbeZNuGvJ92eUzMryoC37WAULn8-Uv_M-OuY7W7W2YY0flY10YUD3Mg_SDlGurdVQCl8UtS2H0JnWjydin5-yAVuQl3owPMQsnp9IsMpW3WtEOJ0GhdnhoXu07Qhnxf/s1000/20221222_182833.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiV9MK13MCtctaIpwAXEU360IcfUgp-7eA7Ryqkd90YGkG_V9nHLSDiWU2sNbeZNuGvJ92eUzMryoC37WAULn8-Uv_M-OuY7W7W2YY0flY10YUD3Mg_SDlGurdVQCl8UtS2H0JnWjydin5-yAVuQl3owPMQsnp9IsMpW3WtEOJ0GhdnhoXu07Qhnxf/s16000/20221222_182833.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI_Y2V18uUGOkHe7-x5zoqUTYBt1PyPSGaHPdb7LKg-h4C7qxPgbwxVZV60BZZWNxf5Xa61jOSodZnL30fXtUOBJQwQZApbaeroo5yH8vQKq2f4beu0jPRKhyhMOOJFf37oVlLUwhb_Su_2mCd7C1xZPW6azN6rQzx6ZaITctKx0nsOJlMT0GFYX9-/s1000/20221219_165124(0)a.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI_Y2V18uUGOkHe7-x5zoqUTYBt1PyPSGaHPdb7LKg-h4C7qxPgbwxVZV60BZZWNxf5Xa61jOSodZnL30fXtUOBJQwQZApbaeroo5yH8vQKq2f4beu0jPRKhyhMOOJFf37oVlLUwhb_Su_2mCd7C1xZPW6azN6rQzx6ZaITctKx0nsOJlMT0GFYX9-/s16000/20221219_165124(0)a.jpg" /></a></p><p>He was a gem while waiting for his siblings and since I usually try to video them on the rides, all he could do was sit beside me but he did it without complaints. <i>Awwww.</i> I love this innocent age where all it takes for them to be happy is to have food, sleep and be with their loved ones. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDJgK0--pHcHOmoRCR745jgR93W03hOMloj6uBzZAKzwuvB-f5DlAZfN_Swj-FQFOX4u35NaRZwWN2wFdXgFwviITRhRigBfgQDxwvoJ07a77I_CAFkcUOro-cEEAFqoRW9DsS-Z0U4k7sGjlKl-mEHZSZR7xjvcLZO9SWPCozOjBcSnHrLNeEdaS/s1000/20221222_180055.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDJgK0--pHcHOmoRCR745jgR93W03hOMloj6uBzZAKzwuvB-f5DlAZfN_Swj-FQFOX4u35NaRZwWN2wFdXgFwviITRhRigBfgQDxwvoJ07a77I_CAFkcUOro-cEEAFqoRW9DsS-Z0U4k7sGjlKl-mEHZSZR7xjvcLZO9SWPCozOjBcSnHrLNeEdaS/s16000/20221222_180055.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7y_KHO99xhlh56dWsXqP74Xfp6FmsOAnMJ8nY6YcE6d6Gz_8VzRnbgOTEuxsxWOMr5nL1aJtqLmnzp7tfP1twssdz2R4kaj3UQ6yAaQk8giECh97aUYNOvxRN_9tYAeesLpLK8xjgmF3SrmG0YyWjW4XbGur4H-3xypHuvjb1RxH7_H_EhLHwLRl8/s1000/20221222_180523.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7y_KHO99xhlh56dWsXqP74Xfp6FmsOAnMJ8nY6YcE6d6Gz_8VzRnbgOTEuxsxWOMr5nL1aJtqLmnzp7tfP1twssdz2R4kaj3UQ6yAaQk8giECh97aUYNOvxRN_9tYAeesLpLK8xjgmF3SrmG0YyWjW4XbGur4H-3xypHuvjb1RxH7_H_EhLHwLRl8/s16000/20221222_180523.jpg" /></a></p><p>One of his most memorable moments during the trip was meeting Mr. Policeman! I included this in my video and printed their photo out as a magnet for him because he would exclaim in joy every time he saw the cute Lego mascot. I am so happy that you finally get to travel at the age of two, my dear.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbbQL4ZaOQKO4xgoeinVhDy8aGLS5cby6d-VUtbl8K1DkaIkTjJ7rSlk8ul8lbz6I_beNoFOhK3F6c2Q6ju4ZYt3S10sREiaHGQ__vGgcmFf3T0nlIeMQvBykAOjpqj66FP9vjB8i3H0q5--VwjMMjNS6e8QTdL5zA8_ZurB8kt0TAouXh9ZYKM9mj/s1000/20221219_175425.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbbQL4ZaOQKO4xgoeinVhDy8aGLS5cby6d-VUtbl8K1DkaIkTjJ7rSlk8ul8lbz6I_beNoFOhK3F6c2Q6ju4ZYt3S10sREiaHGQ__vGgcmFf3T0nlIeMQvBykAOjpqj66FP9vjB8i3H0q5--VwjMMjNS6e8QTdL5zA8_ZurB8kt0TAouXh9ZYKM9mj/s16000/20221219_175425.jpg" /></a></p><p><b><u><br /></u></b></p><p><b><u>Ariel and Asher's Favourite Moments</u></b></p><p>Moving onto the birthday kids, here are some of their favourite moments and rides during our stay.</p><p><i>-> Cotton Candy Time</i></p><p>They were so happy to see this at the park entrance so they each got a cotton candy that was sized bigger than their heads. So sweeeettt!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHMV_Q_gwJefJkTWMQTjQiOUjdGHZ2bgUPYmCgBz2UnDRmjc4rn5nIsQehv73lOAuNt5jPIQLsKEhnlGZuNzXHF_86sY2viqOaD2Q4TsNOVqmjvAW7hYjGfEK3V4evYmxqs2Bq9yORgUvfVWaWBOhefVNOSIp-wfbOyw5TRVf8pzQt9jv6A8v9yHc_/s1000/20221220_110209.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHMV_Q_gwJefJkTWMQTjQiOUjdGHZ2bgUPYmCgBz2UnDRmjc4rn5nIsQehv73lOAuNt5jPIQLsKEhnlGZuNzXHF_86sY2viqOaD2Q4TsNOVqmjvAW7hYjGfEK3V4evYmxqs2Bq9yORgUvfVWaWBOhefVNOSIp-wfbOyw5TRVf8pzQt9jv6A8v9yHc_/s16000/20221220_110209.jpg" /></a></p><p><i>-> A Forever Keepsake</i></p><p>We have three personalised Lego photo brick walls at home because I did one every time our family expanded. Yup, from just a family of three to now a family of six, this latest brick wall is special to me and it is a photo of us taken in the newly opened SEA LIFE (more on that later). I also did a mother-and-daughter shot with Ariel and made it into a keychain for her too because like me, this girl loves mementos and cherishes them deeply.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqX-pDMVFneTVRbw_C8xFoekDoXrDeBk9ere4sMP5r6n1DxKlYh-93D3nI1GXuVhaQjRP6b6lQkOiB0JymdP7VAkVeXcYo3imuujwDle6AwQODZX90YklccsAmmVwRkVqj4YHCOI2e0k2EisPuZC2mJSI0NlgP752NSvwGJYOE_EUasVHprVTZgnv6/s1000/20221222_153847.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqX-pDMVFneTVRbw_C8xFoekDoXrDeBk9ere4sMP5r6n1DxKlYh-93D3nI1GXuVhaQjRP6b6lQkOiB0JymdP7VAkVeXcYo3imuujwDle6AwQODZX90YklccsAmmVwRkVqj4YHCOI2e0k2EisPuZC2mJSI0NlgP752NSvwGJYOE_EUasVHprVTZgnv6/s16000/20221222_153847.jpg" /></a></p><p><i>-> One-on-one time</i></p><p>Knowing how one-on-one time matters and can make a difference, I tried to make the birthday girl/boy feel special on their big day and squeezed in pockets of one-on-one time with them too, even if it was just for five to ten minutes. For most of the rides, especially the roller coasters, I had to sit with Asher because he needed a parent to accompany him due to his height whereas Ariel would usually end up sitting with the big sister on their own.</p><p>To make up for this, I took Ariel to a ride on our own and it was the Kids Power Tower whereby you had to put on gloves and pull yourselves up using the rope before sliding down again, and repeat. It was a test of arm power for the two of us and by the third time or so, we were feeling the exhausting and finding it hard to reach the top, which ended up in us laughing out loud. That was definitely a moment to remember.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM6LBXMoorqS17u4B6mgcKk8WwqDlaHMVSUmhsRdG9rNP40j8JwbKsbqEyzrDhgATTw1M61OwD1WvV-J7HUqfMWGh_XxtDFSyGCzBf3MT3aaAc-4iKcj0ONt4ZC-JeqjgoejQPcC7VJkeGdRFEobBihRhFUwEPEozu1Av6vX5JzFHnnGvZWqEJuGc4/s1000/20221222_184229.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM6LBXMoorqS17u4B6mgcKk8WwqDlaHMVSUmhsRdG9rNP40j8JwbKsbqEyzrDhgATTw1M61OwD1WvV-J7HUqfMWGh_XxtDFSyGCzBf3MT3aaAc-4iKcj0ONt4ZC-JeqjgoejQPcC7VJkeGdRFEobBihRhFUwEPEozu1Av6vX5JzFHnnGvZWqEJuGc4/s16000/20221222_184229.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV2kvQKjORXAxyVt28Ljjtqo61jr0vXAF6GzGJ4-cxTdAqRwAhcYH6tSPHn2zdG8yYWOIGDirI9nTDwJ-W5o4cD6bLflTq6RP-dhIC_k1RaPK8mlqk8iJDd0JuLf1qstiyZJ-H3DbfMztlGpErufYn3xyBnkSFEZGdV5veaT75OmT_W92wqIgaoqfO/s1000/20221222_183934(0).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV2kvQKjORXAxyVt28Ljjtqo61jr0vXAF6GzGJ4-cxTdAqRwAhcYH6tSPHn2zdG8yYWOIGDirI9nTDwJ-W5o4cD6bLflTq6RP-dhIC_k1RaPK8mlqk8iJDd0JuLf1qstiyZJ-H3DbfMztlGpErufYn3xyBnkSFEZGdV5veaT75OmT_W92wqIgaoqfO/s16000/20221222_183934(0).jpg" /></a></p><p><i>-> Let's Drive</i></p><p>The Driving School has always been a hit with the kids because you don't usually get to drive around in a vibrant Lego car, right? Both Ariel and Asher still love this and it's nice that they get to be with each other too - the big sister is too old for this while the littlest is too young. I would always be at the sideline to cheer for them and wave wildly to them whenever they pass me by. Haha. It's just the way I like it.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCfiAgKXFN0JWt5WLKDINU7gkIW6g6NScmbq76XJJmUue5JKmL7HbLnRjbGLuq-fzpDdIJeYjsxx5Jl-sA5tvApC2D1y1gXs2bJRGwi0uF59KGPMoHLUODN57vIvxLMzAoQBLnHfCpbMPEZyURlK4v9GLcIBTDmyUROE_2e-yhBMbUEkg3UZCsPwXR/s1000/20221219_174859a.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCfiAgKXFN0JWt5WLKDINU7gkIW6g6NScmbq76XJJmUue5JKmL7HbLnRjbGLuq-fzpDdIJeYjsxx5Jl-sA5tvApC2D1y1gXs2bJRGwi0uF59KGPMoHLUODN57vIvxLMzAoQBLnHfCpbMPEZyURlK4v9GLcIBTDmyUROE_2e-yhBMbUEkg3UZCsPwXR/s16000/20221219_174859a.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaLhiynCyDHLzT5yLVPb8H5goe8ASB1FLjpy29boHJ2RWUlodRSn62Y9giEisOxRltGRw36bHGkfJADwbUtZqT-W3r6Z1P6JNj7_Uf5z_UzpPiVjSE33WPpP1ticvM3B0HmDoRrqbmodUpWdBW4bVwgbwzRKiF_SS_2LnVs3qfmpkXNTL1lOZWWHt6/s1000/20221219_175001.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaLhiynCyDHLzT5yLVPb8H5goe8ASB1FLjpy29boHJ2RWUlodRSn62Y9giEisOxRltGRw36bHGkfJADwbUtZqT-W3r6Z1P6JNj7_Uf5z_UzpPiVjSE33WPpP1ticvM3B0HmDoRrqbmodUpWdBW4bVwgbwzRKiF_SS_2LnVs3qfmpkXNTL1lOZWWHt6/s16000/20221219_175001.jpg" /></a></p><p><i>-> The Dragon</i></p><p>With all the twists and turns and how it leaves us screaming every time, The Dragon is easily their most favourite ride in the entire park. We must have gone on it at least 5-6 times during the three-night stay and they wished that it would never end! Once, the ride was suspended due to the rain and we were stuck in the queue for over an hour or so. Still, they didn't want to give up and were so happy when the ride resumed.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkMxrWgvH1JbmmdYZ2JA3JLi79_lkpgFcdMoNaH2U0JcpQFTLpKFW14ufeOELMl-oKRsr7x6Zgspd0VawLVF3C4xyQotgZhqDJ3sXiaBJbqZDnbCXO-75j3RnumxuBPuTAPb1b4CioOlCBRMsH9CDKTyCD5hteik1IDKJZnkONIscsZxM2QGVYtX8W/s1000/20221222_174851.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkMxrWgvH1JbmmdYZ2JA3JLi79_lkpgFcdMoNaH2U0JcpQFTLpKFW14ufeOELMl-oKRsr7x6Zgspd0VawLVF3C4xyQotgZhqDJ3sXiaBJbqZDnbCXO-75j3RnumxuBPuTAPb1b4CioOlCBRMsH9CDKTyCD5hteik1IDKJZnkONIscsZxM2QGVYtX8W/s16000/20221222_174851.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhpL-MdwEWTrdYy8-KTgg7A7-e20m6ofVAhBpC6t0-tf8k2fnpRMPxJW2rOoIm-2abmP6NFohiqVt0_NDdNAPojAGOEJ5QxUY1gwnYDnjMWeP3TKJimVAC8C_M7ky9KlVYQqa5FwwOd-dnxk0UMLuInmSLnZ2trfa3TeGxbbt3pAddiki26aPzRr1D/s1000/20221222_180600.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhpL-MdwEWTrdYy8-KTgg7A7-e20m6ofVAhBpC6t0-tf8k2fnpRMPxJW2rOoIm-2abmP6NFohiqVt0_NDdNAPojAGOEJ5QxUY1gwnYDnjMWeP3TKJimVAC8C_M7ky9KlVYQqa5FwwOd-dnxk0UMLuInmSLnZ2trfa3TeGxbbt3pAddiki26aPzRr1D/s16000/20221222_180600.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLsPkopF_ReH9OSyzfSmG14Mr3lb1wa2Y8GzQHmv3mYCkg6cSu2CGKMm-_NPPY1g4KfHwMGbxaCO0WKfbDe5PXNJiqyhBSmHhMxGYlVtfaPlfVXFsg30kyjAR1fHZz3PLRPgT9K5rg6e59QvNpOKCbdDrwon1GxZkWlqsILFMBqjPczWpIyUSX4MOl/s1000/20221222_173142.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLsPkopF_ReH9OSyzfSmG14Mr3lb1wa2Y8GzQHmv3mYCkg6cSu2CGKMm-_NPPY1g4KfHwMGbxaCO0WKfbDe5PXNJiqyhBSmHhMxGYlVtfaPlfVXFsg30kyjAR1fHZz3PLRPgT9K5rg6e59QvNpOKCbdDrwon1GxZkWlqsILFMBqjPczWpIyUSX4MOl/s16000/20221222_173142.jpg" /></a></p><p><i>-> Getting Wet</i></p><p>I took the two birthday kids on the Aquazone Wave Racers and were all prepared to get wet as the rest of the family happily aimed for us and triggered the water bombs. There were a little bit of tears involved at the end because one of us got really wet but I reminded them to soak in the moment - yup, literally and metaphorically - and just let their hair down and have fun. In fact, we made a video saying <i>"We are wet and we love it!"</i> although it was mostly me saying that in a wildly excited way.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghjtCbH9JuEL0MUUbkBt7hHL46pI2_58c3D4rYKEDpT86W-DSJpxFVEz6H1KWWrp1nE0327KNXmsuusGghRZJ7U5GtS7QmqaFtJ-sEv2LwKXRk_F7PkFkXgCORF-ZQ56fbWkT5AexnG5UcuphKul8rJWErtADXK58XaiqFd91ToYxXVaTOTF6QQn2O/s1000/20221222_170528.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghjtCbH9JuEL0MUUbkBt7hHL46pI2_58c3D4rYKEDpT86W-DSJpxFVEz6H1KWWrp1nE0327KNXmsuusGghRZJ7U5GtS7QmqaFtJ-sEv2LwKXRk_F7PkFkXgCORF-ZQ56fbWkT5AexnG5UcuphKul8rJWErtADXK58XaiqFd91ToYxXVaTOTF6QQn2O/s16000/20221222_170528.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ0FuDRNpHWgPSoRul0Eqcr5tz_sfhMSWuT-Kqf8Sj4Uf-xbW5daNXxVdkD2oGdBSBho-DozK7w6mqznXJ1xUQXRw5yXjEi5BMHwzSNrs5KRWe3ZV4WA_ap3dMzBOD2UVLqlEpxN9EGi2_EuZOZulgiLlWL6JH5Bp-QGVHiCX1-aG9bo30V61v8UKf/s1000/20221222_170752.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ0FuDRNpHWgPSoRul0Eqcr5tz_sfhMSWuT-Kqf8Sj4Uf-xbW5daNXxVdkD2oGdBSBho-DozK7w6mqznXJ1xUQXRw5yXjEi5BMHwzSNrs5KRWe3ZV4WA_ap3dMzBOD2UVLqlEpxN9EGi2_EuZOZulgiLlWL6JH5Bp-QGVHiCX1-aG9bo30V61v8UKf/s16000/20221222_170752.jpg" /></a></p><p><i>-> On the Boat</i></p><p>Besides the train ride, this Boating School was the only one where all six of us got to be together even though we were split into pairs. It was Ansel's first ride of all and a memorable one for all of us. The queue wasn't short but we patiently waited for our turn and did not once but twice, once in the day and once a night so we got to enjoy the different scenery and the kids were happy.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgdiJqrcS7XdqCM1aQ_w-5Wg0MkUDIZWyMCWpbCXcgpNl-8p9z1t6WBTWToMITHEhNEqGTYYBQSNuwvJwuk30K4TBsL88vU5TWnQyNkQRSpUngQbZtj81KojakBuZF-CBXDvwhyQMYWLCWGCKjlTMPeOY8XfvmDa5NTusEq3h9aTHzsUjz9pY7w0AR/s1000/20221219_165507.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgdiJqrcS7XdqCM1aQ_w-5Wg0MkUDIZWyMCWpbCXcgpNl-8p9z1t6WBTWToMITHEhNEqGTYYBQSNuwvJwuk30K4TBsL88vU5TWnQyNkQRSpUngQbZtj81KojakBuZF-CBXDvwhyQMYWLCWGCKjlTMPeOY8XfvmDa5NTusEq3h9aTHzsUjz9pY7w0AR/s16000/20221219_165507.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTUEr7VwhAfwcVib0bhuDb8oWh86Cuj3aTAM4r8wkPJHo4HwfLdS077Cdfzl1pDgcgXXFTGF5MMeX4kAbsWZVFG5jvTFzQbdDpkp9AyldkorWeab0wn_UrzRCOB-A1c67N_pv0dOpc-e-_Ux2mHwn04NNelnvDJCF2DgLCloJc6CzN7tFW9-PWTYU0/s1000/20221219_164859.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTUEr7VwhAfwcVib0bhuDb8oWh86Cuj3aTAM4r8wkPJHo4HwfLdS077Cdfzl1pDgcgXXFTGF5MMeX4kAbsWZVFG5jvTFzQbdDpkp9AyldkorWeab0wn_UrzRCOB-A1c67N_pv0dOpc-e-_Ux2mHwn04NNelnvDJCF2DgLCloJc6CzN7tFW9-PWTYU0/s16000/20221219_164859.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7BjJBsTgwMgrlepFEIf7yDeBIY5AqrjpS5QAuN4kuZ6DAryDf8_Zyh3I7ZQykiURKqVSliTp9tll9K1snxzIc4IWdA6Lvqamq_Bge20q83KFaHnje3hCKCBfKfxg7oSxixup2Z3lfNHc0Z6Lcj8FbZX3EPpldyAsCMhfRaQtuJwfvqztbI7yNBuBv/s1000/20221219_165339a.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7BjJBsTgwMgrlepFEIf7yDeBIY5AqrjpS5QAuN4kuZ6DAryDf8_Zyh3I7ZQykiURKqVSliTp9tll9K1snxzIc4IWdA6Lvqamq_Bge20q83KFaHnje3hCKCBfKfxg7oSxixup2Z3lfNHc0Z6Lcj8FbZX3EPpldyAsCMhfRaQtuJwfvqztbI7yNBuBv/s16000/20221219_165339a.jpg" /></a></p><p><i>-> His favourite of all</i></p><p>The boy has been into Ninjago recently so it's not hard to know which is his favourite ride. Every time we come to Legoland, he would be eagerly waiting for the moment that he could go onto this ride. It wasn't about wanting to be the high scorer but more of just enjoying the 'shooting' and taking the bad guys down. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5g846X-uE3hG7FWODhf3_DM0E_OqLRS4But58423k53JmJHrLUrRgUPo6r9_bYdCv_pA776U7kV6VwOHsnE00_vOWmqBBga_X5RclzmmZ7KYO1tyE8laXppoRTOPrvwHTIcWxDe5qwziWH3xO5OancRelp0PReATG325fPbQoN-VZ2aaDxtR7hpX/s1000/20221220_125232.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5g846X-uE3hG7FWODhf3_DM0E_OqLRS4But58423k53JmJHrLUrRgUPo6r9_bYdCv_pA776U7kV6VwOHsnE00_vOWmqBBga_X5RclzmmZ7KYO1tyE8laXppoRTOPrvwHTIcWxDe5qwziWH3xO5OancRelp0PReATG325fPbQoN-VZ2aaDxtR7hpX/s16000/20221220_125232.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiofxJLOgDGsnYi35yr8O0H5U-KkWflVtmpkQ7C_V-kJoJq5wZNIQ0Ir5YiJvuRCpgDuEe8ltehwt1-yHX68v8tkG3mXYXLPbp09Htr4a5Je-napC3rgJM0DlnX6rtuZcYlxN2unkp_SnXW1vIeyK-RXahCcOPARYuZ8uwNAzq-NMqmOHtVHoAlAac6/s1000/20221220_131116.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiofxJLOgDGsnYi35yr8O0H5U-KkWflVtmpkQ7C_V-kJoJq5wZNIQ0Ir5YiJvuRCpgDuEe8ltehwt1-yHX68v8tkG3mXYXLPbp09Htr4a5Je-napC3rgJM0DlnX6rtuZcYlxN2unkp_SnXW1vIeyK-RXahCcOPARYuZ8uwNAzq-NMqmOHtVHoAlAac6/s16000/20221220_131116.jpg" /></a></p><p><i>-> The Great Lego Race</i></p><p>This used to be a VR ride but it seemed like that element had been taken out already. Nonetheless, the kids still enjoy this ride because it has the steepest slope and every time we whizz down, we would be laughing and screaming our heads off. Okay, I think the screaming part is more true for me because the hubby is always very cool and composed. Haha. Yup, we would take turns to accompany the three elder ones so that they get to spend time with both Mama and Papa.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgotw-jvcwXxRXpVpcpiwQ64D1yazBgGs7bOkHWr2ULkhxsbR_sH4y8ymzM3UEBlGqaKNGBSlH09cQZA4d5v_JDt66OUQJWBa6iiK_YApY3X76wsbqR9_JSIlmNt515IpPRGU1lZKEfwA33QpfYwOrUz9Eg_PgWNNRq2UD6axrHA3pfkJB1wHfksI5K/s1000/20221220_180451.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgotw-jvcwXxRXpVpcpiwQ64D1yazBgGs7bOkHWr2ULkhxsbR_sH4y8ymzM3UEBlGqaKNGBSlH09cQZA4d5v_JDt66OUQJWBa6iiK_YApY3X76wsbqR9_JSIlmNt515IpPRGU1lZKEfwA33QpfYwOrUz9Eg_PgWNNRq2UD6axrHA3pfkJB1wHfksI5K/s16000/20221220_180451.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDSFG0HRlkXdqr2uVnlUeLeMHN92vfusQcq3uqn4x02pT79ouZWSFPeW9fo0r_LBgkIe-e5i1dFrgN7cMri_tYlm8krWRsIHN50j905k8gsE32llqN4wS1XWJYYy1YdBkDxoaHcawbofoUfiR8KujPAOYa4iUPw_35EAC4h7EuRy7z59B1X_RsrtAo/s1000/20221222_162907.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDSFG0HRlkXdqr2uVnlUeLeMHN92vfusQcq3uqn4x02pT79ouZWSFPeW9fo0r_LBgkIe-e5i1dFrgN7cMri_tYlm8krWRsIHN50j905k8gsE32llqN4wS1XWJYYy1YdBkDxoaHcawbofoUfiR8KujPAOYa4iUPw_35EAC4h7EuRy7z59B1X_RsrtAo/s16000/20221222_162907.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinPWXJTCJU8F6k4TKmz8jY-GKXF5d9ZKwMB2qYeC2qaEqj3HfE_fNgaPgX5l_Sk4l8twgFqDl64M-zOmGyZFjddjmAjO4DKKKF9A6fQ_xnlRfIWzIMNc2ytGyVkz1i4U1_uqMPo_vmdFHHwsZhCBk4tEmMqA6eIBlaecq1rTzwa2YBZVxVgoE23w4t/s1000/20221220_180045.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinPWXJTCJU8F6k4TKmz8jY-GKXF5d9ZKwMB2qYeC2qaEqj3HfE_fNgaPgX5l_Sk4l8twgFqDl64M-zOmGyZFjddjmAjO4DKKKF9A6fQ_xnlRfIWzIMNc2ytGyVkz1i4U1_uqMPo_vmdFHHwsZhCBk4tEmMqA6eIBlaecq1rTzwa2YBZVxVgoE23w4t/s16000/20221220_180045.jpg" /></a></p><p><i>-> Gallop Gallop</i></p><p>While the big sister thinks this is too kiddy for her already, both Ariel and Asher still enjoy the Royal Joust much and are waiting for the day when Ansel can join them too. It might be a simple ride but it still brings smiles to them especially when they gallop past me and I tell them to make a cool or silly face.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ3ZuZ6TBt3om3RSVW00tlkBkhTZR52pKEelh4rPF-To-y3FbIfmTsx7no0Iba2s5oJAHFKVi8af9zgZ2KPGnVJD2Jt6hKeniwztGu5eGWf9oVOK2NcgtGn-HtQmQ9HFMmTgLgsvoHqJC_2oQIyhpubNMzc3GKvqxdUVbFm6RLWJwtANILhbLg8tf0/s1000/20221220_154405(0).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ3ZuZ6TBt3om3RSVW00tlkBkhTZR52pKEelh4rPF-To-y3FbIfmTsx7no0Iba2s5oJAHFKVi8af9zgZ2KPGnVJD2Jt6hKeniwztGu5eGWf9oVOK2NcgtGn-HtQmQ9HFMmTgLgsvoHqJC_2oQIyhpubNMzc3GKvqxdUVbFm6RLWJwtANILhbLg8tf0/s16000/20221220_154405(0).jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbX_BvT-Ab5UnbQ7xFTlsOS6Oa0rk4eaguxHjGX_wJxDhA6ANrtv026d7OMf1jgJs2dI4C8JE1AVYUEzcIF8eNQJo3tq5q7Cdt6yDcvxX0rSUo2ajtXucY6ezyH8X9LGaHnoicxj73lmLtVRJT6kPK-WTfGA9-uazm5SnyJztYPPSoMuYfVXJmjmvM/s1000/20221220_154428(0).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbX_BvT-Ab5UnbQ7xFTlsOS6Oa0rk4eaguxHjGX_wJxDhA6ANrtv026d7OMf1jgJs2dI4C8JE1AVYUEzcIF8eNQJo3tq5q7Cdt6yDcvxX0rSUo2ajtXucY6ezyH8X9LGaHnoicxj73lmLtVRJT6kPK-WTfGA9-uazm5SnyJztYPPSoMuYfVXJmjmvM/s16000/20221220_154428(0).jpg" /></a></p><p><i>-> Let's Build</i></p><p>This is a welcome retreat from the heat because it takes place indoors as we try to build and test our own Lego car creations. The kids are always excited to make their own personal car and the best part is racing with each other to see who is the winner or letting our cars roll down steep slopes to test if they can remain in one piece.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd0fea0hQHRNg9ae1LFYhPJRNcWDM3-c5NOExhujR4snpjvG17O96GPNXhvLH2fDKXDGV_sx3JulPWKwYxthBTbViUUqHEZZjBn2t54Lmmw-ZriRwI1SmQqyfM-f6RYcA-j2Kyi9p_8TO9TJV1RrDdgpcUOHvqUrPDLlh8VdPOGB_br4nptIsnB0Zd/s1000/20221220_142514.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd0fea0hQHRNg9ae1LFYhPJRNcWDM3-c5NOExhujR4snpjvG17O96GPNXhvLH2fDKXDGV_sx3JulPWKwYxthBTbViUUqHEZZjBn2t54Lmmw-ZriRwI1SmQqyfM-f6RYcA-j2Kyi9p_8TO9TJV1RrDdgpcUOHvqUrPDLlh8VdPOGB_br4nptIsnB0Zd/s16000/20221220_142514.jpg" /></a></p><p><i>-> Hook A Duck</i></p><p>This is a sure win activity that delights the kids! Ansel tried it for the first time here in Legoland and it was nice seeing how the older kids would hold his hand and help him instead of snatching over who got to hook more ducks. We ended up walking away with a really cute brown sloth, much to their delight. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlVtJB8AT652H-s3a35_W1IN5K6G9DAQdKMSwtFaOiKAbl4n_qXpPAiIGZlHn_P9-jbldUv1QbFa-su_im8Ou2xa2DECz_mhZOgAdh58-_1C4zghvgyIlZnM3IxD2WuwAefegjgDb-1QA5W12AQTLN0wzHjFlihSfNnVnVkbr-IJMZHPXCyyfIFtY/s1000/20221220_152003.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlVtJB8AT652H-s3a35_W1IN5K6G9DAQdKMSwtFaOiKAbl4n_qXpPAiIGZlHn_P9-jbldUv1QbFa-su_im8Ou2xa2DECz_mhZOgAdh58-_1C4zghvgyIlZnM3IxD2WuwAefegjgDb-1QA5W12AQTLN0wzHjFlihSfNnVnVkbr-IJMZHPXCyyfIFtY/s16000/20221220_152003.jpg" /></a></p><p><b><u><br /></u></b></p><p><b><u><br /></u></b></p><p><b><u><br /></u></b></p><p><b><u><br /></u></b></p><p><b><u><br /></u></b></p><p><b><u><br /></u></b></p><p><b><u>A Splashing Good Time</u></b></p><p>We would always dedicate a day to visiting the Water Park because the kids never fail to have a splashing good time there. I was initially worried if the girls would find the rides a little too kiddy but it turned out they still loved going down on the slides, floating in the build-a-raft river and soaking in the wave pool.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ZnXgg7tooVPLdV_Ugwffc0xE-ptw4MPB9Jtu2tdDHkkVGqir1xAYcl0eH7SHViGH8mzLeJ-roXXvm6AwJ4HrIx4Rf-JmKe2XqLT4GGgtpiFZJnWWwSlNrLypW486SIv3-505bvjg9KZo-XPzM0WuZXFH1KDTvE4fI3C_nobauRuDcaL0-EwOHKjU/s1000/20221221_145420.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ZnXgg7tooVPLdV_Ugwffc0xE-ptw4MPB9Jtu2tdDHkkVGqir1xAYcl0eH7SHViGH8mzLeJ-roXXvm6AwJ4HrIx4Rf-JmKe2XqLT4GGgtpiFZJnWWwSlNrLypW486SIv3-505bvjg9KZo-XPzM0WuZXFH1KDTvE4fI3C_nobauRuDcaL0-EwOHKjU/s16000/20221221_145420.jpg" /></a></p><p>Now that we have Ansel, they also have an added responsibility of going down the slides with him, holding his hand to go to and fro, and letting him sit on their lap. And they are only too happy to do so because it makes all of them smile too.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqGRPzouCb-K96XJ8gsCfMfwbI4_5rQnxBWj8DlVkhUV9WmwQDpMHTqPiSCfOlYyuVCQ119NbsZNQ2iQjB8HIji5Y9zrftpcIhn8_ZYh1SmqE0OuQo6TYbd9iBdDqju4ub-UhyfuttL5KCWPQzHZNftLF-ygzB8im82ZIGxggDoZ83GYXb1o1gkqg6/s1000/20221221_111957.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqGRPzouCb-K96XJ8gsCfMfwbI4_5rQnxBWj8DlVkhUV9WmwQDpMHTqPiSCfOlYyuVCQ119NbsZNQ2iQjB8HIji5Y9zrftpcIhn8_ZYh1SmqE0OuQo6TYbd9iBdDqju4ub-UhyfuttL5KCWPQzHZNftLF-ygzB8im82ZIGxggDoZ83GYXb1o1gkqg6/s16000/20221221_111957.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv9uWURy13S_Un4Dp6bpRxgmeJ21zepISGrY9lbLCby_51ZC2QbB66yIM8XFhxos1AX1Paoi_Dmt5f-vGs9LUZRvGrJZYp9VGeLr99U0hQfnrzkAmpxj0SRcEPwiT-I3-7fWXKpXNQj4MRBubpiw8VGyA_MDo2eEBFr-MjLv0pmAze86P_IE8KPPq0/s1000/20221221_112438.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv9uWURy13S_Un4Dp6bpRxgmeJ21zepISGrY9lbLCby_51ZC2QbB66yIM8XFhxos1AX1Paoi_Dmt5f-vGs9LUZRvGrJZYp9VGeLr99U0hQfnrzkAmpxj0SRcEPwiT-I3-7fWXKpXNQj4MRBubpiw8VGyA_MDo2eEBFr-MjLv0pmAze86P_IE8KPPq0/s16000/20221221_112438.jpg" /></a></p><p>One particular activity that the four of them enjoyed was the one where you could use Lego blocks to build a boat and then let it sail down the river. We must have played here for at least an hour and the boys especially loved it. They would take turns to push the lever at the starting point and we would chase after our colourful boats to retrieve them at the end.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB048hBTuWwcdFMYpWvcPbXrjLeLW6h8c048l39IJeH4slpItmpYU8gAkgqNX6_sk6PqRxqEwOoyXYZMu1YCJB5YGxZLjKT4wyPOYKKHkw1sui0Me1Z2RyGVSL7gj1qS-sIz6I3KYOlySTpL-Ln2mjMGDcNyNSYwGeMeTa85uIO2hyDagDfJ6mJv8k/s1000/20221221_134721.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB048hBTuWwcdFMYpWvcPbXrjLeLW6h8c048l39IJeH4slpItmpYU8gAkgqNX6_sk6PqRxqEwOoyXYZMu1YCJB5YGxZLjKT4wyPOYKKHkw1sui0Me1Z2RyGVSL7gj1qS-sIz6I3KYOlySTpL-Ln2mjMGDcNyNSYwGeMeTa85uIO2hyDagDfJ6mJv8k/s16000/20221221_134721.jpg" /></a></p><p>Well, he might not be able to go for majority of the thrilling rides yet but check out his huge smiles - I think he was one of the happiest kids in Legoland that day.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3r4Di-VF-QN8WyDW_Ev3k3UYfhmmZVRi9eouTBqn5TpIbgJEHskKb6lSO9yGd1Y2wZ7Mu85HozZYBJcwL9BkzrDd-7Qh8xngcuEO2uCmApAS71kzFd2lctsQ993IjAMIG7acvPUnOys3ZVS5MB74uXiZnnSfI1nlQajOs4fu-Da4iA3U4l24NmA6U/s1000/20221221_125606.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3r4Di-VF-QN8WyDW_Ev3k3UYfhmmZVRi9eouTBqn5TpIbgJEHskKb6lSO9yGd1Y2wZ7Mu85HozZYBJcwL9BkzrDd-7Qh8xngcuEO2uCmApAS71kzFd2lctsQ993IjAMIG7acvPUnOys3ZVS5MB74uXiZnnSfI1nlQajOs4fu-Da4iA3U4l24NmA6U/s16000/20221221_125606.jpg" /></a></p><p>As for the rest, they went on as many rides as we could queue up for and since the hubby was nursing an injured knee, I was with them for all the rides and I pretty much enjoyed the adrenaline rush too. It's just so nice to spend time together as a family, you know.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsO_kUxlCV_IX_BnmhheITbG04D8pBb5AtSZtLKb_3CDj5rCxAfRQ8FAj4g71gzs385dDxl55XPnubVPp2kyVAcYN8TmgxLyVWGMXjXW0_VPnr9A9V--MjjUkpJ-kIUuAlJh2Wn7xqdWKuepPdQfk-4yfZXIs97zPjQ-mPJVKFXLqts_G0XOZWcsx_/s1000/20221221_132636.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsO_kUxlCV_IX_BnmhheITbG04D8pBb5AtSZtLKb_3CDj5rCxAfRQ8FAj4g71gzs385dDxl55XPnubVPp2kyVAcYN8TmgxLyVWGMXjXW0_VPnr9A9V--MjjUkpJ-kIUuAlJh2Wn7xqdWKuepPdQfk-4yfZXIs97zPjQ-mPJVKFXLqts_G0XOZWcsx_/s16000/20221221_132636.jpg" /></a></p><p>The river is always one of most loved places to be in every water park we go and the kids would ask for round after round after round. This one was particularly fun because you get to pick up foam bricks along the way and make your own raft, wall, animal or any structure you desired before dissembling them again and throwing them back into the river.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7Sjg7YaCkA17DhHUgih7BO7ly6MPlE9-Sk-w_wU653yg473vYybzzPiC3GVw-fTpv60-F-Pi_2VT1f3Aopz-q65jecs83a4g9V58YaBHqYfzWsOeEVDYPR7OYxvVVqREsgG9Eg2bfgpeFg9J2gu3fOWv52mG_E6OFhC5kOSk6piw14D6txiEeVkd/s1000/20221221_120734.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7Sjg7YaCkA17DhHUgih7BO7ly6MPlE9-Sk-w_wU653yg473vYybzzPiC3GVw-fTpv60-F-Pi_2VT1f3Aopz-q65jecs83a4g9V58YaBHqYfzWsOeEVDYPR7OYxvVVqREsgG9Eg2bfgpeFg9J2gu3fOWv52mG_E6OFhC5kOSk6piw14D6txiEeVkd/s16000/20221221_120734.jpg" /></a></p><p>This is the place where we always eat where we are in the water park and it has become a tradition for us. The kids loved the fried chicken, cheese sausages, nuggets, and there is also wanton mee and nasi lemak too. Oh, and let's not forget every meal comes with ice cream too, woohoo! Perfect treat on a hot day.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSGb_DgtcKm8W8D4cbkDWrOVYKz352lpnj2qb-C7yoU0F22Y9v9Yt8OTr4ptHPJSMe4KXNEEC7A1Ecbf1beuFiPF7GwUzBrjaYy5Pkf_PShbqLtHkRAYsMF1skyI__oR4Vj9nRUCcLW1fJTXf10GNHgc0iUXvN4aIkijwY4x1IWqWJ9MZpKS6kpV3H/s1000/20221221_140647.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSGb_DgtcKm8W8D4cbkDWrOVYKz352lpnj2qb-C7yoU0F22Y9v9Yt8OTr4ptHPJSMe4KXNEEC7A1Ecbf1beuFiPF7GwUzBrjaYy5Pkf_PShbqLtHkRAYsMF1skyI__oR4Vj9nRUCcLW1fJTXf10GNHgc0iUXvN4aIkijwY4x1IWqWJ9MZpKS6kpV3H/s16000/20221221_140647.jpg" /></a></p><p><b><u>Sibling bonding</u></b></p><p>Even though they still get into bickers every now and then, I think a vacation is wonderful in helping the siblings to bond and have a good time too. We tend to stick together more in a foreign land and I always remind ourselves to put away the phones more and just enjoy each other's company more than anything. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqs48pbcQ52KwWglMwZvM12yHFbfk1ryqBz6pClV71qA-Xet_mpO493N_HvK4vIJC6gmX0CtSMuk-LY96a93wFOJfBhvtqLe2vFzMwHwXZUdR-OWcTBXBgH3X4iS676dlaHQ0lgah1vsmUWUHLPZkcVhAO18yHNPTwFAD7Zrk4yiXjnXlsV22YqUxE/s1000/20221220_111913.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqs48pbcQ52KwWglMwZvM12yHFbfk1ryqBz6pClV71qA-Xet_mpO493N_HvK4vIJC6gmX0CtSMuk-LY96a93wFOJfBhvtqLe2vFzMwHwXZUdR-OWcTBXBgH3X4iS676dlaHQ0lgah1vsmUWUHLPZkcVhAO18yHNPTwFAD7Zrk4yiXjnXlsV22YqUxE/s16000/20221220_111913.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZca1R546VI3fsyUxcp5_CBJYWFDEdzl_0emfJz0ouUB9YX4sLyLqMsGiSUe8jIAVJc8bm2cAxKs5wqdOZyOPdxjdF3mmJwoI6RIrb7wUcuuDWx9_Nnh01zpELoJGkOqs6xMVKXhB36reCbV5t4JOAcWTv-csmmZwEcYd1MQQ0F7TjtZqY9d3RK2p/s1000/20221219_180017a.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyZca1R546VI3fsyUxcp5_CBJYWFDEdzl_0emfJz0ouUB9YX4sLyLqMsGiSUe8jIAVJc8bm2cAxKs5wqdOZyOPdxjdF3mmJwoI6RIrb7wUcuuDWx9_Nnh01zpELoJGkOqs6xMVKXhB36reCbV5t4JOAcWTv-csmmZwEcYd1MQQ0F7TjtZqY9d3RK2p/s16000/20221219_180017a.jpg" /></a></p><p>I think we are very blessed to have a good mixed of both boys and girls and it's nice that the girls are close in age while the boys are not too far apart too. It's like the girls get to have a BFF to share girly secrets and do art and craft with while the boys have each other to play things like racing cars and guns. Wait, I don't mean girls can't like car and guns too but you know what I mean <i>lah</i>. And even though Angel and Ansel are more than 11 years apart, I see how she takes care of him and how he leans towards her like a big sister or even a mini mama too. And it can be really sweet at times.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0P8rPSxbrGapQGx3-JSlIpFu-OmjR126PYKBonqKqfbx4SETt8CZD1TaQLV8FdJWl5Lfj4jE1ThkXYu1ArG_jK-QlNhZIWWSMR8EHAOEjZApqlcC0byB0P3bDKurJiyrLr2M1eA85ZrcJ03LpwCBI_NIcwGA9ArD_1FoI7o7-BCNKR7QC8_CwiqNB/s1000/collage242.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0P8rPSxbrGapQGx3-JSlIpFu-OmjR126PYKBonqKqfbx4SETt8CZD1TaQLV8FdJWl5Lfj4jE1ThkXYu1ArG_jK-QlNhZIWWSMR8EHAOEjZApqlcC0byB0P3bDKurJiyrLr2M1eA85ZrcJ03LpwCBI_NIcwGA9ArD_1FoI7o7-BCNKR7QC8_CwiqNB/s16000/collage242.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9cyhQjasmuWcczHsApi-1cacjiltk7EwcT6M9-e9GFdDNrwGGpICF4rGjB0RE0yuSAagKq2KNe-uMwKqHDjlVTrLUb4TPAvg3OiLCHHUi1LEQtOC7tacsUfXfO3oWEb0J1gCr8zVPmu9oUDq41_ONddZIiBquuoY-3KI1_xdmQ8yQZCd-Soa3OKt/s1000/collage243.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9cyhQjasmuWcczHsApi-1cacjiltk7EwcT6M9-e9GFdDNrwGGpICF4rGjB0RE0yuSAagKq2KNe-uMwKqHDjlVTrLUb4TPAvg3OiLCHHUi1LEQtOC7tacsUfXfO3oWEb0J1gCr8zVPmu9oUDq41_ONddZIiBquuoY-3KI1_xdmQ8yQZCd-Soa3OKt/s16000/collage243.jpg" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p>The thing about the rides is that you need to pair up for most of it so it also gives us time to chat and bond especially during the waiting time when you queue. The girls spent a lot of time together because they can be on their own now and I hope that included some quality, sisterly bonding moments. As for the boys, they always played at the playground together so that was some nice bonding time too!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfPnl0ldq9t0JkCR_a1Tk6P3MzKdsDDcc_AQLgQQydAQqVVECeLQsUeEcEw9AHWnxjk3NU2lsqdU_0BCrNl9GpJLy07RjYaKGGa2hH4mmd_eGONfd3nKvFDes2C0-CpEhZbL1w9pk8rYHNE4oQDqBqw-P-IVI4HNpflKKK3cLEI9ORBwVWjBQXl6s/s1000/20221219_165114.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfPnl0ldq9t0JkCR_a1Tk6P3MzKdsDDcc_AQLgQQydAQqVVECeLQsUeEcEw9AHWnxjk3NU2lsqdU_0BCrNl9GpJLy07RjYaKGGa2hH4mmd_eGONfd3nKvFDes2C0-CpEhZbL1w9pk8rYHNE4oQDqBqw-P-IVI4HNpflKKK3cLEI9ORBwVWjBQXl6s/s16000/20221219_165114.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI57aJJjSN2YMPQ0kY21phCrC1OIBOK2brLT4auJJeNELMS91NXwrCMlX8NoWFxRegjivutFkmpf0ZqPZBYmU3IBPZo6sZekBbXr6AXR-i46wcLrD9y7DAN7jVXCLYzQ-l6S-4qlRteJowmM3_UZ0imJgRX5ajRF9zpztiu14BAv_FSQZTv-BKgv3G/s1000/20221220_134620(0).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI57aJJjSN2YMPQ0kY21phCrC1OIBOK2brLT4auJJeNELMS91NXwrCMlX8NoWFxRegjivutFkmpf0ZqPZBYmU3IBPZo6sZekBbXr6AXR-i46wcLrD9y7DAN7jVXCLYzQ-l6S-4qlRteJowmM3_UZ0imJgRX5ajRF9zpztiu14BAv_FSQZTv-BKgv3G/s16000/20221220_134620(0).jpg" /></a></p><p>I also loved that I got to spend more time with the older three because I'm always stuck to the toddler at home 24/7. With the hubby here with us to take care of him and also since he is not that keen about rides, I got to accompany the kids and we must have spend hours just riding, waiting, talking and making goofy faces.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVUbg4bYqhPLJkXxZ3gJbJdCtxxn6Sk8V6_QZt84ww80QSbLyMisHLqR2xjy5iABfYG8nADFeG6xZYMaSQ1HcrqVwfCdfnRjF1W-e8oDOi1W2SQQoNZmokvmZYZdWnhk12f4aJvTOTFBEvl2MxIBy_WCrpPJ5V5tXl1HXC_pYpcXUtUQS_NcFWDOhJ/s1000/collage241.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVUbg4bYqhPLJkXxZ3gJbJdCtxxn6Sk8V6_QZt84ww80QSbLyMisHLqR2xjy5iABfYG8nADFeG6xZYMaSQ1HcrqVwfCdfnRjF1W-e8oDOi1W2SQQoNZmokvmZYZdWnhk12f4aJvTOTFBEvl2MxIBy_WCrpPJ5V5tXl1HXC_pYpcXUtUQS_NcFWDOhJ/s16000/collage241.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgUAr-m2qK6Z2feIP7RhfjIOo5DJL5742kWtgOu-UPE85DqZrn6o-y89QxVaVgJkLhfh0i1Ltzvlwm5myLGkX0UkwnvEQR0-QHeea8LGKJW_wuv0DVQN76M2RRJj8DINfB8xr3MVjTNxlHhY6kPpqqJpRSRUm4TiYXTUlUV0uhASEsfaBja-WHHTHr/s1000/20221220_163242.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgUAr-m2qK6Z2feIP7RhfjIOo5DJL5742kWtgOu-UPE85DqZrn6o-y89QxVaVgJkLhfh0i1Ltzvlwm5myLGkX0UkwnvEQR0-QHeea8LGKJW_wuv0DVQN76M2RRJj8DINfB8xr3MVjTNxlHhY6kPpqqJpRSRUm4TiYXTUlUV0uhASEsfaBja-WHHTHr/s16000/20221220_163242.jpg" /></a></p><p><b><u><br /></u></b></p><p><b><u>Our First Visit to Sea Life</u></b></p><p>We visited Sea Life for the first time since it opened and it was a pretty good and enjoyable experience - other than the fact that one of the kids had a major meltdown and took us long to settle it, haha.</p><p>It was Ariel's actual birthday so I took a few more individual shots of this pretty girl of mine. Love how she is always smiling sweetly for the camera!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxouK6UbRoI7Fxe2Z1FRIhjtBA7v-5-ltBdrAGrkLRzT07ddF-D4Yqv3wxFkgEEoRcsWczRz617izkGpBWofHr32Zqra5WcHqGW2vVbQl92l-tcP-hwP_BbMeBn869jh4tjAx755pZvSXHn_5m1pds-LLGqWVanwnRhEgX2ruP8Rv7Gm0Gvu3aFY0D/s1000/20221222_141125.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxouK6UbRoI7Fxe2Z1FRIhjtBA7v-5-ltBdrAGrkLRzT07ddF-D4Yqv3wxFkgEEoRcsWczRz617izkGpBWofHr32Zqra5WcHqGW2vVbQl92l-tcP-hwP_BbMeBn869jh4tjAx755pZvSXHn_5m1pds-LLGqWVanwnRhEgX2ruP8Rv7Gm0Gvu3aFY0D/s16000/20221222_141125.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA-8d2ryIgTbEL_WvR6PGV01fHWiF9LGaPfueBTPV0odzzl-xUB5ub0C1Rt_XBLRCRqiSfzeqYll22kn37gDVREmMfcMh-OWgO4BVxziWopgWV2CPLI3UPj-9RxUQc2HYHE6m9ZkwjiHW1PGLj6yRSMo9JqS578w_BbCR-RwvS0vN4621jH8owykV0/s1000/20221222_134754.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA-8d2ryIgTbEL_WvR6PGV01fHWiF9LGaPfueBTPV0odzzl-xUB5ub0C1Rt_XBLRCRqiSfzeqYll22kn37gDVREmMfcMh-OWgO4BVxziWopgWV2CPLI3UPj-9RxUQc2HYHE6m9ZkwjiHW1PGLj6yRSMo9JqS578w_BbCR-RwvS0vN4621jH8owykV0/s16000/20221222_134754.jpg" /></a></p><p>Besides being able to admire these marine life up close and be awed by their beauty, the kids also liked that they got to touch sea stars and watch a show on sting rays.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6xsQFievzZbw9Q11qlGik0fNfCc9pQZHBOWg4Fc-7Q1RH6Cr6OWnlPdWM7y2Mewu8TopVIcqr5upy3eRAj2zCyrzOobDNG5ypVSJgdY8M4UdBx04CWWr1W4R4daMQ8mHjUTm8JZPq4yUehvWVfuyAMvE4ca6AOEuey2KgOmjjjAQiUWQF-5AS61Ks/s1000/20221222_133141.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6xsQFievzZbw9Q11qlGik0fNfCc9pQZHBOWg4Fc-7Q1RH6Cr6OWnlPdWM7y2Mewu8TopVIcqr5upy3eRAj2zCyrzOobDNG5ypVSJgdY8M4UdBx04CWWr1W4R4daMQ8mHjUTm8JZPq4yUehvWVfuyAMvE4ca6AOEuey2KgOmjjjAQiUWQF-5AS61Ks/s16000/20221222_133141.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJDn5Iru3EAElAZifD3LM6g-ZOGLAhJeNx29JsWgBnk0riFaavmaI6SlgNncE7iyvUYAqDPOnfcVPm3y2z1aAG5BEgyW6ZeVvafH0LbmgjIiF-5FGKjx4FvrgPWisZyOisnM-tQkv9JFSleozMiTYR6Ah8_uo5YOxVFbbqv_iFiyZJL8jDfpGKCKIM/s1000/20221222_132741.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJDn5Iru3EAElAZifD3LM6g-ZOGLAhJeNx29JsWgBnk0riFaavmaI6SlgNncE7iyvUYAqDPOnfcVPm3y2z1aAG5BEgyW6ZeVvafH0LbmgjIiF-5FGKjx4FvrgPWisZyOisnM-tQkv9JFSleozMiTYR6Ah8_uo5YOxVFbbqv_iFiyZJL8jDfpGKCKIM/s16000/20221222_132741.jpg" /></a></p><p>There were also interactive games and activities, for instance there was a colouring station where you could be creative to colour your own fish and then see it come to 'life' on the big screen. The kids loved this one lots. There was also a game where you had to move a sea turtle and make sure it did not bump into any rubbish in the ocean, and another where you had to practise fastest fingers and touch as many fish as you can. The kids had fun!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpvC9LoI7NE3o6J9meVMUyiwUYh0dc-4JpM-Bf0n4cvF5bMMRgGWaN-0PNLqVwhE_8_mfPADL5Kuv7SBM8wfrg04Jk2C3K4dMy7Z0qQGbaeYrvq2NPPJzK5DCT9pqmqPZebhSkNupbkCy_IVzmAqnnJaPf996HVM9zu9-zalwiOx4KnSiwp46a5N6V/s1000/20221222_132716.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpvC9LoI7NE3o6J9meVMUyiwUYh0dc-4JpM-Bf0n4cvF5bMMRgGWaN-0PNLqVwhE_8_mfPADL5Kuv7SBM8wfrg04Jk2C3K4dMy7Z0qQGbaeYrvq2NPPJzK5DCT9pqmqPZebhSkNupbkCy_IVzmAqnnJaPf996HVM9zu9-zalwiOx4KnSiwp46a5N6V/s16000/20221222_132716.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JcVvjt7tfq0W4AECdxIpCtqfs0V9bXpkbwfc1gP3MHV65RbYO2BAs0MVhKVqNqegP55ZXRyAvjw6nqGlnIDpgoKRmXggFgMXgmjFdNZ3t8aN-Btczdz_2eg8LWHz9NOOPmg-2aGFC2a0V6euGO8YEaRuBPmo0jh3FcxNQMU1zo2QNZxJTJrA-jmD/s1000/20221222_131817.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8JcVvjt7tfq0W4AECdxIpCtqfs0V9bXpkbwfc1gP3MHV65RbYO2BAs0MVhKVqNqegP55ZXRyAvjw6nqGlnIDpgoKRmXggFgMXgmjFdNZ3t8aN-Btczdz_2eg8LWHz9NOOPmg-2aGFC2a0V6euGO8YEaRuBPmo0jh3FcxNQMU1zo2QNZxJTJrA-jmD/s16000/20221222_131817.jpg" /></a></p><p><b><u>Other Activities</u></b></p><p>Moving out of Legoland since it closed at 6pm every day, we also did some fun activities in the vicinity. </p><p>The kids had fun riding on jeeps and colourful, glowing vehicles, including a train and tanker, at an open space right outside Legoland. We were lucky as this was not always available but our timing coincided this time due to the high traffic during the December festive season.</p><p>It was at an affordable rate too and the kids went for a few rounds as they squealed in delight and drove all around. Ansel was in good hands with his sisters and he was ecstatic while Asher loved being in the jeep.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-dmoC5A2l4cgPHZpgmnL_3sCzQRK0cPMfn3NIWY4ssaL6Aj4CuAimKtvJTCoq21JKWhER2v5WaFKu6ZiFa4YDAsgNYb-MlXVv9YxCsN0mGUqsKWsJj-4W3JW1cJbfRh3tYkEI4duqKP1rHCiIcgbYXGxRFFTfKerlorKo3pcXvPN2oHt8633A9rkp/s1000/20221220_194626.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-dmoC5A2l4cgPHZpgmnL_3sCzQRK0cPMfn3NIWY4ssaL6Aj4CuAimKtvJTCoq21JKWhER2v5WaFKu6ZiFa4YDAsgNYb-MlXVv9YxCsN0mGUqsKWsJj-4W3JW1cJbfRh3tYkEI4duqKP1rHCiIcgbYXGxRFFTfKerlorKo3pcXvPN2oHt8633A9rkp/s16000/20221220_194626.jpg" /></a></p><p>We also had sumptuous meals including a yummy hotpot with lots of different soup and a chicken rice dinner on Asher's birthday as it is one of his favourite food.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNR6aj_bj59DN5yEPlP6PvSmLTON2fIOFNz1lYEQt6gI7tWOoMTdCrdxGPeuMKVhS3orXYpIAapLTNs7aFWTYi2eL1CZ3S0R_HXqASKf62h0qKL38kDht67mHAKbmT8CUNf9d7mWBKKOu5WCuVxnTvx1XpDAtTqimBfyD_3UhfRcIHn6v2R7UmlxsT/s1000/20221221_191357.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNR6aj_bj59DN5yEPlP6PvSmLTON2fIOFNz1lYEQt6gI7tWOoMTdCrdxGPeuMKVhS3orXYpIAapLTNs7aFWTYi2eL1CZ3S0R_HXqASKf62h0qKL38kDht67mHAKbmT8CUNf9d7mWBKKOu5WCuVxnTvx1XpDAtTqimBfyD_3UhfRcIHn6v2R7UmlxsT/s16000/20221221_191357.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJUZlhfRyAymXMAxWW-xmNCra61D77DeHEPTBozquilxnjwFf43vlTgF9YiNx6G6TDCQr5wVMOev9BGDpTUxrYHxkmKzyU_d7aglpd8cdHzihLXs4Rdmn53NXOlXCrO1IFFrl7lIOhb5BZHu0os0zz2AxwPt98mnVki4WO40FlaWEnYD22q_5xnY7N/s1000/20221220_190822.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJUZlhfRyAymXMAxWW-xmNCra61D77DeHEPTBozquilxnjwFf43vlTgF9YiNx6G6TDCQr5wVMOev9BGDpTUxrYHxkmKzyU_d7aglpd8cdHzihLXs4Rdmn53NXOlXCrO1IFFrl7lIOhb5BZHu0os0zz2AxwPt98mnVki4WO40FlaWEnYD22q_5xnY7N/s16000/20221220_190822.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWBlgwMvLdkpdK3bzEKI4-ZzpxJ7oDwlJAXYAAEXUMDZIEL9WgkZCnzlRnEEL4BaPxVTOuLkexk6EE2zSNB85LcNKsuZsZZdrSBhqH985-30Of55kyU13I46L0fwphi4qHHnK9f_PWCEdgUgV8isEUTqYzqeM51l6-0ww6fUBCoLWocPfC5k5H95Qc/s1000/20221220_191519.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWBlgwMvLdkpdK3bzEKI4-ZzpxJ7oDwlJAXYAAEXUMDZIEL9WgkZCnzlRnEEL4BaPxVTOuLkexk6EE2zSNB85LcNKsuZsZZdrSBhqH985-30Of55kyU13I46L0fwphi4qHHnK9f_PWCEdgUgV8isEUTqYzqeM51l6-0ww6fUBCoLWocPfC5k5H95Qc/s16000/20221220_191519.jpg" /></a></p><p>More kiddy rides? Yes please, before the kids totally outgrow them. The firstborn is already past this phase and one by one, my kids are gonna grow bigger and not be able to fit into these cars anymore. So cherish while it lasts, yeah? This was in Aeon Mall where we headed towards for dinner and jalan jalan.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizAG_toYdyuz2Y8FewPNt_DHNSL9vGoc-xTF5CPH-YjJB7KUaNs3gCakfY1TxtEE12zJy0-Gnu2TT8h1s9G7u2AuyaKPhim9nQytrMDxGRZb63noQbYmFxYPVo0LpOmWgM0e654IEhVDumvU_BR5XmKlo7AFBWnurV6fNhQi6C1AW2eiNkrCz7USX3/s1000/20221221_212643.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizAG_toYdyuz2Y8FewPNt_DHNSL9vGoc-xTF5CPH-YjJB7KUaNs3gCakfY1TxtEE12zJy0-Gnu2TT8h1s9G7u2AuyaKPhim9nQytrMDxGRZb63noQbYmFxYPVo0LpOmWgM0e654IEhVDumvU_BR5XmKlo7AFBWnurV6fNhQi6C1AW2eiNkrCz7USX3/s16000/20221221_212643.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo_205dbgEvBhyvkh-dvPbs_gJIeEv-4sf0vFEBhtrON-geHEJKQwIpraVAJHO5_O-tKCPyBm6Rxhvw0LwQc436n1A1zgxSO8ga__f9mUa30T87vkyLlpka9A_z5GJt7Lv0zHhLXrFC8XE5eNqF0IuiJ6eAXtMJNyO00ZG1jJ5dJithbk6IN6awKeX/s1000/collage240.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo_205dbgEvBhyvkh-dvPbs_gJIeEv-4sf0vFEBhtrON-geHEJKQwIpraVAJHO5_O-tKCPyBm6Rxhvw0LwQc436n1A1zgxSO8ga__f9mUa30T87vkyLlpka9A_z5GJt7Lv0zHhLXrFC8XE5eNqF0IuiJ6eAXtMJNyO00ZG1jJ5dJithbk6IN6awKeX/s16000/collage240.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz2pHsYH9qLqDL26g8bzmaDLD9HMwgyV827lG_Igk3jWTWOnv5KpV5TYgpnVInahxkxXzahf7n66cvHwWkXhIVQ2rYI0-LzbXyYwPB6MIEO1bXY51qRRX-SUcrx5FMikAC2oibIcM2O85N9wuJZNOYCw-t-j7S-W9TtTbmTnRMMePlWDYmh4NVhB8d/s1000/20221221_203950.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz2pHsYH9qLqDL26g8bzmaDLD9HMwgyV827lG_Igk3jWTWOnv5KpV5TYgpnVInahxkxXzahf7n66cvHwWkXhIVQ2rYI0-LzbXyYwPB6MIEO1bXY51qRRX-SUcrx5FMikAC2oibIcM2O85N9wuJZNOYCw-t-j7S-W9TtTbmTnRMMePlWDYmh4NVhB8d/s16000/20221221_203950.jpg" /></a></p><p>I must tell you about this newfound love of mine -it is a supermarket called B.I.G. which sits along the stretch of shops in Medini Mall right outside Legoland. It is gigantic, has plenty of fresh food, has a cafe inside, has kids' sized trolleys and there is even a playground right in the middle so that the kids can play while the parents are shopping. How nice, right? I absolutely loved shopping here and bought lots of biscuits and snacks to bring back home for the kids.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLBFxau8FHA5DCbR_W9NjpS60y5McARoW0iBqMLzo-5AladQBT01rSGktFFjh1S-ywk4g11UoUYExaow515332HL42BQWjghwmEZ1kuy1kjbaWB3gbh4tlFqaSA_kLZ6mHXD3Ci-krtXjnHw5tYb1B87MkGdEiVI4vU_ispHtOaFu_K09vW99BlCkt/s1000/20221219_214631.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLBFxau8FHA5DCbR_W9NjpS60y5McARoW0iBqMLzo-5AladQBT01rSGktFFjh1S-ywk4g11UoUYExaow515332HL42BQWjghwmEZ1kuy1kjbaWB3gbh4tlFqaSA_kLZ6mHXD3Ci-krtXjnHw5tYb1B87MkGdEiVI4vU_ispHtOaFu_K09vW99BlCkt/s16000/20221219_214631.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3prqL1JGMNVytngOL-aHlSb1-OIVQvtKY8RN4dSsJfMqB-vWH_fj96AgJihRIStaeDnNXtduiSkmbT7uBROEdTLpqlS1sWc7vDxhPLtek8l5wCGKMEYme7oE_FvaJSF_iuX_Cw7iOtpoAYc_q57jutlH7kUAvzgabkuVShpN-DhuvziG2B32KA_un/s1000/20221219_213038.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3prqL1JGMNVytngOL-aHlSb1-OIVQvtKY8RN4dSsJfMqB-vWH_fj96AgJihRIStaeDnNXtduiSkmbT7uBROEdTLpqlS1sWc7vDxhPLtek8l5wCGKMEYme7oE_FvaJSF_iuX_Cw7iOtpoAYc_q57jutlH7kUAvzgabkuVShpN-DhuvziG2B32KA_un/s16000/20221219_213038.jpg" /></a></p><p>One of our favourite hangouts is FunkieZon in Medini Mall. Yes, we have been coming here a lot of times over the years even though it is just a small, simple unmanned store. This is because the kids love playing with the claw machines here (starts from RM1 per play) and there are also kiddy rides and fun marble games.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSvu4l1rB-eql54dn-MV30TX4g6TQ9SuoI3Kdi_Kbw5uzkbTvhRScjcUkZE9OpgErB6xRjUgsQbrecDA6lr3RyM82PtByjMD7bzTuodK69_9IYe67mqUjgMfNhqcaWvWVA8CTTxRpUufxnV9ircUnfQJyJPPy_2KfZOd0tDt3rrd17m1P5VzeE-1p/s1000/20221222_110517.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSvu4l1rB-eql54dn-MV30TX4g6TQ9SuoI3Kdi_Kbw5uzkbTvhRScjcUkZE9OpgErB6xRjUgsQbrecDA6lr3RyM82PtByjMD7bzTuodK69_9IYe67mqUjgMfNhqcaWvWVA8CTTxRpUufxnV9ircUnfQJyJPPy_2KfZOd0tDt3rrd17m1P5VzeE-1p/s16000/20221222_110517.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNdf9kAqEclfZfZbN1319-yj_cpQE6V1MvF_cz8RxW8m0cPSFKrwVgfJ3V8W0gpSXfAZdXDoBLzPjETrHIozWg3wtkp2h3FlALxjAHUOQBGvzJlo7PQUyp4amySSsVwgmQuA6NaFL5DM9xEhZ6n2Ev5CLrcPVpAzI4ymzLgZio5fMRAUZAzu8vaydQ/s1000/20221219_205806.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNdf9kAqEclfZfZbN1319-yj_cpQE6V1MvF_cz8RxW8m0cPSFKrwVgfJ3V8W0gpSXfAZdXDoBLzPjETrHIozWg3wtkp2h3FlALxjAHUOQBGvzJlo7PQUyp4amySSsVwgmQuA6NaFL5DM9xEhZ6n2Ev5CLrcPVpAzI4ymzLgZio5fMRAUZAzu8vaydQ/s16000/20221219_205806.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgavsQKeyxobYeXdvmmBuo0hMn0XUtL8W0elv4sme9YRBse40uGrlAeJbRBYDRSJpb1KmvkVr8f9Va2SjV7Ff4i7pe239cHA3q1WfuDsn6LXF9HZS__IkDI176qGhzu2bnWq6G9UwkOb0BRwYQeIFmy6zr7gRCn6WBo02pbaQmJ6gUtCdmOBi2QkTG8/s1000/20221219_210820.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgavsQKeyxobYeXdvmmBuo0hMn0XUtL8W0elv4sme9YRBse40uGrlAeJbRBYDRSJpb1KmvkVr8f9Va2SjV7Ff4i7pe239cHA3q1WfuDsn6LXF9HZS__IkDI176qGhzu2bnWq6G9UwkOb0BRwYQeIFmy6zr7gRCn6WBo02pbaQmJ6gUtCdmOBi2QkTG8/s16000/20221219_210820.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvhVLs8OpB7uZP6j98W4_geKfIq0s4e8Du5D4YNTPeuB2j_dlRCV2r3HRyIiIjm0pLBz7IbUrvEol-3maLkzuO0WTfeTbtTYMYWd6eG0CxBeniWq_eESJktzXA-DOLxtTr7K9e_8_JKu4raA4DrXIbuZ_iV94YkXNd-0-MUsUUEbd6JLevE1zrANJ7/s1000/20221220_210834.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvhVLs8OpB7uZP6j98W4_geKfIq0s4e8Du5D4YNTPeuB2j_dlRCV2r3HRyIiIjm0pLBz7IbUrvEol-3maLkzuO0WTfeTbtTYMYWd6eG0CxBeniWq_eESJktzXA-DOLxtTr7K9e_8_JKu4raA4DrXIbuZ_iV94YkXNd-0-MUsUUEbd6JLevE1zrANJ7/s16000/20221220_210834.jpg" /></a></p><p>Since it was a special occasion, the kids all received a present and they each got a squishie ball! Well, it was a cheap one and didn't last very long before breaking but they still had fun while it lasted. Love those smiles and happy looks!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJCl30JZWmo0RhvSr0oXoqXmWTNqu19iq5eXm7SZP9BaKYA0IuAyY1YpSzVJC-6aSV3xTCSbk29rfQE33x9uJUNWbc4unWXnXcYgRlrpbSJSebO887hCIXgy1uCeNL9NDvnIetxSiaMz2A7ggTcYwuUsv08mtpgkH0l4rn7Rm71bPS3c3Hpge_qaD/s1000/20221222_112335.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFJCl30JZWmo0RhvSr0oXoqXmWTNqu19iq5eXm7SZP9BaKYA0IuAyY1YpSzVJC-6aSV3xTCSbk29rfQE33x9uJUNWbc4unWXnXcYgRlrpbSJSebO887hCIXgy1uCeNL9NDvnIetxSiaMz2A7ggTcYwuUsv08mtpgkH0l4rn7Rm71bPS3c3Hpge_qaD/s16000/20221222_112335.jpg" /></a></p><p>We also found a fishing game at one of the shops in Medini Mall and it was a sure-win activity where every kid got to win a prize at the end, be it a small gun or simple puzzle. It was nice seeing the four of them doing it together as they filled up their buckets with fishes and their hearts with warmth.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPUuChI23GRjWxKBuDz1zMmXXd4Z8U3aGuikvbX-1IZH_DVN_ib2ajVHLTED3jnHcNGNiYDnbH30-QY4QtFqQ_rS0OMy_3rjFK0fDCvkmrmNCJexAduEmZ_PL37bqj52w2iFQXYwmRmpX9kArmeFPMhh7KKVDw_1F98K2rrSMEWTq4Tl695vkJh988/s1000/20221220_202455(0).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPUuChI23GRjWxKBuDz1zMmXXd4Z8U3aGuikvbX-1IZH_DVN_ib2ajVHLTED3jnHcNGNiYDnbH30-QY4QtFqQ_rS0OMy_3rjFK0fDCvkmrmNCJexAduEmZ_PL37bqj52w2iFQXYwmRmpX9kArmeFPMhh7KKVDw_1F98K2rrSMEWTq4Tl695vkJh988/s16000/20221220_202455(0).jpg" /></a></p><p>This is one of our go-to places whenever we are in Legoland and that is having a seafood dinner in Chua Kee, which is around a 15-min drive from Legoland. This time round, we played till the park closed at 8pm (it was a Thursday and the park closed slightly later), let the kids had one last try at the claw machines before we made our way here. Dinner commenced at plus 9pm and by the time we drove back to Singapore, it was past midnight already. Well, at least we made full use of our last day here and skipped the jam too!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgZ6IhUMuPHy0N4wPJUEdvKXidrY5IgVNpp-o7c9Sy9KazPx4eDzhZQv1I80f3A1MuAJbbWKLUqwlH8ZjEXR9XENgabi3wL4BM0Gm3azBqnttQCXcOHZRMi334JOMOUslxOMpVOgniFr-HWWzG1SqFMnvEQ2md26OsBbL9ftb4ZKhKzpT1CeT0U4jT/s1000/20221222_220917.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgZ6IhUMuPHy0N4wPJUEdvKXidrY5IgVNpp-o7c9Sy9KazPx4eDzhZQv1I80f3A1MuAJbbWKLUqwlH8ZjEXR9XENgabi3wL4BM0Gm3azBqnttQCXcOHZRMi334JOMOUslxOMpVOgniFr-HWWzG1SqFMnvEQ2md26OsBbL9ftb4ZKhKzpT1CeT0U4jT/s16000/20221222_220917.jpg" /></a></p><p><b><u>A One-of-a-kind Cake Cutting Ceremony</u></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A huge highlight of our stay this time round is the cake cutting ceremony because a birthday ain't complete without it, right? We walked around the shops wondering if we should buy a proper birthday cake but couldn't find a suitable one so the kids and I decided to just make do with what we could find in the supermarket. Yup, thankfully both Asher and Ariel were very receptive to the idea and thought it was quite innovative and creative to do this in the comfort of our hotel room. What was most important was that we were together as a family and the air was filled with lots of love, right?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRSPqgOmfET2NyOYMYh_ExZ9mB2sbCptD4up1WD7ktNHLGfsJd2tmNWmmJPUjKUmvAKraq4qbl27vjEwPo5Q8OaB3P6xg9vRisZ1UgKostqxkQrj1urRgQpSgBQ3pipUVuGHbE6-bSRdBeXRpqPBTkJsafgWU5zKumP0TZrPlnK3Ki1JL-xqVfpLNt/s1000/20221222_114239a.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRSPqgOmfET2NyOYMYh_ExZ9mB2sbCptD4up1WD7ktNHLGfsJd2tmNWmmJPUjKUmvAKraq4qbl27vjEwPo5Q8OaB3P6xg9vRisZ1UgKostqxkQrj1urRgQpSgBQ3pipUVuGHbE6-bSRdBeXRpqPBTkJsafgWU5zKumP0TZrPlnK3Ki1JL-xqVfpLNt/s16000/20221222_114239a.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For Ariel, she loves cheesecake so we had a Sara Lee cheesecake along with Haagen Dazs ice cream. We were initially worried if the flame would trigger off the fire alarm but thankfully, it didn't, haha. I also love how we took out all the presents and handmade cards to decorate around the cake too. Such a simple yet memorable celebration, isn't it?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGflGqAKlo4AkDIBNB-REKC-xImSlWdFlLl-iO6s3IGib4lJWO6Ko-p7oOGJQtOZQ7jXcFrhwJi5eb_B_JZ9U2RUq8bXgeaN4A3m8GXWrAWAnU1K7FBFISa_nzvLvgMRL6D3aU7_SuPtN2X0Nfvu66YNNfuMpJJhqR2OpUYg7Q8S7FW8cU-RLChc_q/s1000/20221222_114804.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGflGqAKlo4AkDIBNB-REKC-xImSlWdFlLl-iO6s3IGib4lJWO6Ko-p7oOGJQtOZQ7jXcFrhwJi5eb_B_JZ9U2RUq8bXgeaN4A3m8GXWrAWAnU1K7FBFISa_nzvLvgMRL6D3aU7_SuPtN2X0Nfvu66YNNfuMpJJhqR2OpUYg7Q8S7FW8cU-RLChc_q/s16000/20221222_114804.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As for Asher, we call him the king of fruits at home because he loves almost every kind of fruit! So his platter was filled with a chocolate cake and lots and lots of fruits! I must say it was really one-of-a-kind, right? I sure hope it sufficed to make him feel loved and special. Judging from his happy smiles, I think it sure did.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUVs7jHdJZDUr8mfSe8RrECnlvMgL897yc3Gnwo7vik2XTIZLXpCV1MfC3v0ppgHoWxUk7NIQOqfPPeIdWAvXLpcKRazxegOCzB1AnmmD09GP0riicQI9LU_-oH6m2ryCeJHrAy91-mkYufvVFn8homhyMHtyNAN6YjLrUqAHmC1Ln42iNMj-zmtWg/s1000/20221220_221431.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUVs7jHdJZDUr8mfSe8RrECnlvMgL897yc3Gnwo7vik2XTIZLXpCV1MfC3v0ppgHoWxUk7NIQOqfPPeIdWAvXLpcKRazxegOCzB1AnmmD09GP0riicQI9LU_-oH6m2ryCeJHrAy91-mkYufvVFn8homhyMHtyNAN6YjLrUqAHmC1Ln42iNMj-zmtWg/s16000/20221220_221431.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I always try to take a one-on-one pic with the birthday boy/girl on his/her birthday so this was no exception either. These memories are extremely precious to me, you know. Can't believe how many years it has been since I became a mum because they are really too fleeting at times. Gotta cherish more before the kids don't like to take any more lovey dovey photos on their big day, haha.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguT08q2KtMUcnO0CxmGkjckUDfQNVX0zGVR8IKzNE1pif3-jL8T0dcAwXpqw8OgKp6KRAm7xsD8Ywo_4gYeEotdq7-g0rHEb0eM_b-6vIkjRx3xG0eC4eoLFRw6Xf695dREkHiCZXeNBpTWjl6DRAOhBgF8_MJzQu2VSZ164HW1lZ94qP4K-EXeZAV/s1000/20221220_221238.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguT08q2KtMUcnO0CxmGkjckUDfQNVX0zGVR8IKzNE1pif3-jL8T0dcAwXpqw8OgKp6KRAm7xsD8Ywo_4gYeEotdq7-g0rHEb0eM_b-6vIkjRx3xG0eC4eoLFRw6Xf695dREkHiCZXeNBpTWjl6DRAOhBgF8_MJzQu2VSZ164HW1lZ94qP4K-EXeZAV/s16000/20221220_221238.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1eTPiSAGzqrQ0lbrzn5Ye1VSYHbF79iH9NlXtJ7tMxZyTiGRknNVWaZhsAADtCsSlbREkWJ9Bxn0yElEp8i2-nRAY27E3_dCvuPARZ-NLtIa8vmTgqmk7AToWf7JnwHyCkdiW92Edd2QbKhADENjYRBZDPTgIhLWk4G_FttK1Fq-ZCPLnuScDni3w/s1000/20221222_114901(0).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1eTPiSAGzqrQ0lbrzn5Ye1VSYHbF79iH9NlXtJ7tMxZyTiGRknNVWaZhsAADtCsSlbREkWJ9Bxn0yElEp8i2-nRAY27E3_dCvuPARZ-NLtIa8vmTgqmk7AToWf7JnwHyCkdiW92Edd2QbKhADENjYRBZDPTgIhLWk4G_FttK1Fq-ZCPLnuScDni3w/s16000/20221222_114901(0).jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Of course, these are the moments while I try to capture the four siblings together too. May you grow up to always love, protect, watch over and care for one another, okay? Sibling bonds are priceless and irreplaceable, you are truly blessed to have each other. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgjUGy91Lsm1ICs3jFG8LGgzRmHjzPc4tgr21fP4J-Bw5eoVnuoEap-r_2xFthA7f7lTY-CavF34ttDQw_UxaXCUrGK3QYdCnFoSJZR_FOdabcGn75ti8sNzPVQBrlU-5V-K3wvOG1aTDFwPhU2sBbJQbGloSHxp5t7_LWE_cWcKoT8ogxuJwEsIzm/s1000/20221222_114617.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgjUGy91Lsm1ICs3jFG8LGgzRmHjzPc4tgr21fP4J-Bw5eoVnuoEap-r_2xFthA7f7lTY-CavF34ttDQw_UxaXCUrGK3QYdCnFoSJZR_FOdabcGn75ti8sNzPVQBrlU-5V-K3wvOG1aTDFwPhU2sBbJQbGloSHxp5t7_LWE_cWcKoT8ogxuJwEsIzm/s16000/20221222_114617.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglOip89AZjgnggQB5K_337ZODORHMnKhSEOC3YgTSK8j41SS1Yi6J-qabOGI21r06A7u9oje3zFYzGny8mk-w_X9XVmhxvvU8UN4VOkqGJOo0T345CFoilt_z72rCpDZgbbe-zBW-SjqAuvO1gVn7MXIhgVsfIq_bkDCvtqfwMfG2C-x1UhVmuKvYk/s1000/20221220_220723.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglOip89AZjgnggQB5K_337ZODORHMnKhSEOC3YgTSK8j41SS1Yi6J-qabOGI21r06A7u9oje3zFYzGny8mk-w_X9XVmhxvvU8UN4VOkqGJOo0T345CFoilt_z72rCpDZgbbe-zBW-SjqAuvO1gVn7MXIhgVsfIq_bkDCvtqfwMfG2C-x1UhVmuKvYk/s16000/20221220_220723.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxGpLtYb0_VQx9ED8gACwvUbsZQljUlQ-NeoWP4khMBd_jXGNhCw6aIb-65mCGd1EtpTtPDHfxkH1H7uqXARP3ZNo7Q3EQ0drTiKgopZKXqDWHgpLa_tYoyGGSTupzvZL9OGF2dmjr6frQaBLR5-wkfzsbLb1NyG9xUFVQNfhVczWBD-J4ukh793kQ/s1000/20221222_114521a.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxGpLtYb0_VQx9ED8gACwvUbsZQljUlQ-NeoWP4khMBd_jXGNhCw6aIb-65mCGd1EtpTtPDHfxkH1H7uqXARP3ZNo7Q3EQ0drTiKgopZKXqDWHgpLa_tYoyGGSTupzvZL9OGF2dmjr6frQaBLR5-wkfzsbLb1NyG9xUFVQNfhVczWBD-J4ukh793kQ/s16000/20221222_114521a.jpg" /></a></div><div><b><u>Precious Memories</u></b></div><div><br /></div><div>So that's about it for this unique birthday celebration and overseas trip we did. We left here with so many precious memories and I hope the kids had a fun, happy time too. I would love for them to remember these fond moments which is why I made a video for them to look back next time.<br /><div><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIi9FT1I4lDOoHMQPuG7iqWfBvgSBaJyiMUeulR4wKW8lpTBvS-vbVRBk4l_kukvMtrSdFiCYak3t9Nl-QQri2DfcNwQgNw0hzUZbHlMf77db0EOKWa9FMf9qfBuatnE6Y6EIM-GtAc8kyW2W3kVkJaELlzregxhwKecr-EOagQWkzxcSAG9ywJ1Ku/s1000/20221222_200758.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIi9FT1I4lDOoHMQPuG7iqWfBvgSBaJyiMUeulR4wKW8lpTBvS-vbVRBk4l_kukvMtrSdFiCYak3t9Nl-QQri2DfcNwQgNw0hzUZbHlMf77db0EOKWa9FMf9qfBuatnE6Y6EIM-GtAc8kyW2W3kVkJaELlzregxhwKecr-EOagQWkzxcSAG9ywJ1Ku/s16000/20221222_200758.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>While they are still okay with taking family photos, I made sure I took some for keepsake. The hubby is definitely not into photo taking as much as I am but thankful he helps out by being the photographer at times. Yup, I don't need luxury goods, I don't need to do facials or mani pedis, but I do need lots of photos and videos to fill up my love tank. Haha.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaW1gVAdv5C_RNVO-eCRxu284wg-uXQ_-fAZPgjNp2bDNjwEV-pJUohPY4MLy6hFa2qt6OumQ_9kRfhQcFfYZvHel-7xSL4pLLHbM1qLzBWsChqO1Z-uKjYuO8Y2BeSgcrGKsTQSup9Xavy-DqSro_WcjWABAzugPxhzPbivcHUsU2ox141c_W_yRS/s1000/20221222_200309.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaW1gVAdv5C_RNVO-eCRxu284wg-uXQ_-fAZPgjNp2bDNjwEV-pJUohPY4MLy6hFa2qt6OumQ_9kRfhQcFfYZvHel-7xSL4pLLHbM1qLzBWsChqO1Z-uKjYuO8Y2BeSgcrGKsTQSup9Xavy-DqSro_WcjWABAzugPxhzPbivcHUsU2ox141c_W_yRS/s16000/20221222_200309.jpg" /></a></div><div>Every overseas trip is deeply cherished because we know it comes at a cost and the bigger our family grows, the more expensive it becomes. We can only dream of visiting faraway places like Europe or even Japan because it will cost a bomb for our family. So for now, we are truly contented with road trips like this because they still bring us lots of joy and laughter. The kids and I also did an epic trip to Club Med Bintan - again, no flight involved - and I will be sharing more on that soon, so stay tuned.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK_nNwmqEX5POTeGLDoEErBZohwUOtIaxDuTYRX6IcYz1tvXRs07H8AcDIq5d-96nmgh8iyZzjdsm6hNBKPTAJKfimRQMOBuSxaLfdDdDUsHh7GwP86U1PT1ycscjR24a_pHFnzT1DhteMx4z0AeyL_heAsjxRzYsK7R6wQMSY0XdKBcH92B78x49P/s1000/20221222_130038.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK_nNwmqEX5POTeGLDoEErBZohwUOtIaxDuTYRX6IcYz1tvXRs07H8AcDIq5d-96nmgh8iyZzjdsm6hNBKPTAJKfimRQMOBuSxaLfdDdDUsHh7GwP86U1PT1ycscjR24a_pHFnzT1DhteMx4z0AeyL_heAsjxRzYsK7R6wQMSY0XdKBcH92B78x49P/s16000/20221222_130038.jpg" /></a></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJXNZSuqxafSAqEOWN8HvZ1-V-epqdHKKLNgLz65fyHktMclnH5G3oxAGsQ6jAYd1Du5Dq3050WOmbLbmMOxzSbH-UnxeLtJdf4BvZMnwqq5CL9IkKooEqg3NEeZYx8JTMTIV55dKMr3k8uh3DJSHroi2EkoYODNdEXMZzxmM4QervnKLoXGFZOWPj/s1000/20221220_220643.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJXNZSuqxafSAqEOWN8HvZ1-V-epqdHKKLNgLz65fyHktMclnH5G3oxAGsQ6jAYd1Du5Dq3050WOmbLbmMOxzSbH-UnxeLtJdf4BvZMnwqq5CL9IkKooEqg3NEeZYx8JTMTIV55dKMr3k8uh3DJSHroi2EkoYODNdEXMZzxmM4QervnKLoXGFZOWPj/s16000/20221220_220643.jpg" /></a></div><div>To my birthday kids Ariel and Asher, happy turning 10 and 7! Please know that Papa and Mama love you very much and we hope you greatly enjoyed this surprise trip and unique celebration that we had planned for you. We already had play dates with your good friends and did a cake cutting for you so this vacation was truly meant for us to enjoy, bond and have fun as a family. It was awesome seeing your big smiles and hearing your happy laughter and I hope you felt extra loved and special on your big day, yeah? Our love for you is unconditional and it will only grow deeper and stronger as the days pass us by. 爸爸妈妈很爱、很爱、很爱你们哦!</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQG3b892Kn1YMVLsi4yqw_DsfbFM7m2NdlGbpRyz-10Q27pkGgAkdG5__WttTedcTZGsqYZGtZXaYmv9mQRbClaSa6-m96t0e_Eo6vXbcg5ecp7HIzO1t85PQgCL2HB410HI1apxdaoBjMPyuJ0G824VWX485J9e40pKbXJYrjRV0MfV_ekG9IAXww/s1000/20221219_215841.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQG3b892Kn1YMVLsi4yqw_DsfbFM7m2NdlGbpRyz-10Q27pkGgAkdG5__WttTedcTZGsqYZGtZXaYmv9mQRbClaSa6-m96t0e_Eo6vXbcg5ecp7HIzO1t85PQgCL2HB410HI1apxdaoBjMPyuJ0G824VWX485J9e40pKbXJYrjRV0MfV_ekG9IAXww/s16000/20221219_215841.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Till our next celebration!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">******</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Check out the highlights of our trip in the video below!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CsA2MwV05aQ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">******</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p><i>Read more on Ariel's birthday parties here:</i></p><i>Ariel is 9 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2022/03/its-feeding-frenzy-ariel-is-9.html" target="_blank">It's a Feeding Frenzy</a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Ariel is 8 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2020/12/abracadabra-its-magic-party.html" target="_blank">It's a MAGIC Party!</a></i><br /><i>Ariel is 7 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2020/03/lets-have-ice-cream-ariel-is-7.html" target="_blank">Let's have ICE CREAM!</a></i><br /><i>Ariel is 6 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2019/01/the-ocean-is-calling-ariel-is-6.html" target="_blank">The Ocean is Calling</a></i><i><br /></i><i>Ariel is 5 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2018/01/its-shopkins-tea-party-ariel-is-5.html" target="_blank">It's a Shopkins Tea Party</a></i><br /><i>Ariel is 4 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2016/12/royal-princess-party-tiara-society.html" target="_blank">A Royal Princess Party</a></i><br /><i>Ariel is 3 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2015/12/princess-sofia-first-birthday-party.html" target="_blank">Sofia the First Birthday Bash</a></i><br /><i>Ariel is 2 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2014/12/frozen-birthday-party-ariel-is-2.html" target="_blank">Let's Get Frozen</a></i><br /><i>Ariel is 1 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2014/01/ariel-turns-one-under-sea.html" target="_blank">Turning One Under the Sea</a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Read more on Asher's birthday parties here:</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Asher is 6 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2022/02/soar-high-and-dive-deep-asher-is-6.html" target="_blank">Soar High and Dive Deep</a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Asher is 5 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2020/12/abracadabra-its-magic-party.html" target="_blank">Abracadabra, it's a MAGIC Party</a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Asher is 4 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2020/02/its-batman-party-asher-is-4.html" target="_blank">It's a Batman Party</a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Asher is 3 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2019/01/its-arcade-party-asher-turns-3.html" target="_blank">Let's have an Arcade Party</a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Asher is 2 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2017/12/just-keep-swimming-asher-is-2.html" target="_blank">Just Keep Swimming</a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Asher is 1 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2017/01/ball-of-time-asher-is-one.html" target="_blank">Having a BALL of a time</a></i></div><p></p></div></div>~Summer~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478137784353655124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6546965252487257512.post-37985028343587765862023-03-30T19:56:00.123+08:002023-04-25T08:53:02.491+08:00Happiness is.... going on epic adventures<p>2022 ended with a big bang for us as we went on fun-filled outings, celebrated milestones and finally travelled as a family. Yes, it has been years since we stepped out of our sunny island and despite owning a passport since he was a couple of months old, Ansel had not had the chance to go on a holiday with us. So can you imagine my excitement when we drove through the customs and he got his first ever stamp? Woohoo!</p><p>Well, we didn't travel far or take the airplane but instead visited our neighbouring countries only. But that sufficed to make all of us super happy! I kept our trip to Legoland Malaysia as a surprise for the kids so they didn't have a clue about it till the day itself. They didn't think that a vacation was possible - we told them travelling as a family of six is very costly - so they were truly over the moon. Moreover, we celebrated Ariel and Asher's birthdays there and made the trip so memorable. Stay tuned for more on that soon.</p><p>Woooo, and I also brought the kids on our first mum-and-kids vacation and it was soooooo awesome! Yup, I took a leap of faith, chose to believe that I could handle it, planned another surprise trip just before the year ended and brought the kids to Club Med Bintan all on my own. And.... we had a blast! You know what the kids said? They hope we can do this every year! Haha. I guess we can always dream, right?</p><p>In this last post of <i>"Happiness is..."</i> for 2022, it's about going on epic adventures and making memories that last.</p><p>******</p><p>We had a freezing cold but fun time in Ice Magic Asia! In case you are wondering why most of us were in shorts, well, it was because we were there on a media invite to Great Bay Fiesta and I thought we were just going to watch the circus and play some carnival rides.</p><p>The icy snow was a surprise bonus for us but the kids were very excited because, well, when do you get to see so much ice and snow in sunny Singapore? So with our bare hands and legs, we braved the cold and tried ice bowling, ice cycling and had an adrenaline rush as we whizzed down slippery, steep slopes on sleds and rubber donuts. I scraped my hand in the process and is now left with a forever scar, but it was all still worthwhile to see their smiles.</p><p><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXLuJ-_r6mBhBzfHbRxvnE2tFm1HLlc1dvRLsiNMenT00YLla2v-FzGoU-QdZdXqwmS5Kz0oZUWCo5QiWV2G-N4Yj5RHJ7KIWG6T2NyYlKD_g0jc65aVYw33Ic_W4-r0C_fofcyE61OnFKCkrcZlnEp-GXMnjscWiSJRDEhFO37eYAsjW6rBlLWYd4/s16000/20221202_153205.jpg"></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVGI8SQFma_ltyYFLF71hZMC7x5Xmt_FrOG8_ZPH6HGE_rWk0mR1vZSYSkILjC2aZcfbeD0nri1ISStTVRWp_QWcCt8n1V9nthkRZrbUl33IiKFDVxbCPFmghNza2dDOApghz6Y1-R0kE0tX_X0vNOWzVWdws-PytoUrzi909UKO_tnVGYPYCVf-Z3/s1000/20221202_154011.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVGI8SQFma_ltyYFLF71hZMC7x5Xmt_FrOG8_ZPH6HGE_rWk0mR1vZSYSkILjC2aZcfbeD0nri1ISStTVRWp_QWcCt8n1V9nthkRZrbUl33IiKFDVxbCPFmghNza2dDOApghz6Y1-R0kE0tX_X0vNOWzVWdws-PytoUrzi909UKO_tnVGYPYCVf-Z3/s16000/20221202_154011.jpg"></a></div><br>See how cute is this penguin pancake? The kids loved it and they liked watching the creation process too. Now that it is the school holidays, I like to take them to try new things, eat new food, see new sights and just bond and have fun. We can never get tired of carnivals and they enjoyed the Uncle Ringo funfair even though they only went on a couple or rides - yes, it can get pretty costly when you have four kids so I always remind them that contentment is bliss and we should count our blessings.<p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8AoaGL4BEo7HhG5H93ElwpS5_0C6hPYGyrqge_I2Fg3i3CeooJ0fkIScBk-ISgpRidEnk6jv3q5_5pQsuc24DXJ1wT_WkHfsK63v-E-W1jtXU6077Aj_7EmwdUAewa1-SzmMm1rfpo4JKFd3jjgTE3vB0iX9f0aBvHhWP9hhDYKPGq8chkoA26Y1B/s1000/20221202_173221.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8AoaGL4BEo7HhG5H93ElwpS5_0C6hPYGyrqge_I2Fg3i3CeooJ0fkIScBk-ISgpRidEnk6jv3q5_5pQsuc24DXJ1wT_WkHfsK63v-E-W1jtXU6077Aj_7EmwdUAewa1-SzmMm1rfpo4JKFd3jjgTE3vB0iX9f0aBvHhWP9hhDYKPGq8chkoA26Y1B/s16000/20221202_173221.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdiL_JTO03rrwjvJInxWHePUvXbGv4t1_m_iCeQqn4F2TGP75al1a4bjYTn7q7EfBO0eFqfhwzbwFVkvEVdLl_v-sAJiJja-HUqYG6b6qrGp9UAFzKcbDQoHJf5A6ElTkveTk5RN9KaOgaY9yS6XXvsWhYvXsBL47LXPKkzHIEnOAt6nQqgiyYqgvE/s1000/20221202_181730(0).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdiL_JTO03rrwjvJInxWHePUvXbGv4t1_m_iCeQqn4F2TGP75al1a4bjYTn7q7EfBO0eFqfhwzbwFVkvEVdLl_v-sAJiJja-HUqYG6b6qrGp9UAFzKcbDQoHJf5A6ElTkveTk5RN9KaOgaY9yS6XXvsWhYvXsBL47LXPKkzHIEnOAt6nQqgiyYqgvE/s16000/20221202_181730(0).jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk3uWaDwE_1mziYtt1goGlRp8AiUdGnBS6cfSDcVjHB9hBXQDtmqNz7aYib9uRXe-KVGeRxpf3zBx-RlPmdB1P8U6cdBTSdtBgiFzPLnUj4ItkcU-TUm4WueXx0kncO0y4Sq60HUUZso4hRg9yMH6RhFhN9hp5kCu8X34d_3Ozl7HUgUsLZY7oFG8m/s1000/20221202_183034.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk3uWaDwE_1mziYtt1goGlRp8AiUdGnBS6cfSDcVjHB9hBXQDtmqNz7aYib9uRXe-KVGeRxpf3zBx-RlPmdB1P8U6cdBTSdtBgiFzPLnUj4ItkcU-TUm4WueXx0kncO0y4Sq60HUUZso4hRg9yMH6RhFhN9hp5kCu8X34d_3Ozl7HUgUsLZY7oFG8m/s16000/20221202_183034.jpg"></a></p><p>Playgrounds are a must visit during the school holidays and we are fortunate to have an abundance of free playgrounds to choose from. We like the one at VivoCity because there are both wet and dry ones and the place feels very spacious too.</p><p>Well, we weren't planning on getting wet because we were going for a Taekwondo class but when the boys said they wanted to play, I let them go ahead and went to buy an extra set of clothes for Asher - Ansel had a spare shirt in my bag already. I hope he appreciates the spontaneity and the freedom to do what he likes. It was nice seeing the two boys playing together and I guess having a 5-year age gap isn't bad too.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3KfnbAMYlcYiUx7uEzUUUj7m6IicTyWT-F7i4h1jQV1Z5ANHspK6fhJoIApR6fY9OxkVS7LheGMsyHB9dRlJTOU2QxMUuPcCb42M4BDDtpLGHQuxDpQP5Ox9x-iPQZlhyXZgaKfsRXYJfe7F1Nkk6OeK3D_ik7BaIopXPekKMm3BkSmibjfRRiP_y/s1000/20221203_161650.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3KfnbAMYlcYiUx7uEzUUUj7m6IicTyWT-F7i4h1jQV1Z5ANHspK6fhJoIApR6fY9OxkVS7LheGMsyHB9dRlJTOU2QxMUuPcCb42M4BDDtpLGHQuxDpQP5Ox9x-iPQZlhyXZgaKfsRXYJfe7F1Nkk6OeK3D_ik7BaIopXPekKMm3BkSmibjfRRiP_y/s16000/20221203_161650.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxkyZCp8lE7WKJDwPJAC4B4EjC9B32MgyryCCO8JQKoe_4SAegQFtPWwlwUlQL_zaB-Z5cvNxyO6a4Xf6s5XBO4t5WCxw1hSYMqG4UNf6_xhztDGhW3ppOEFR3V0IZVvRPfBbmKjhqq-x3Qadgi_yXH05IDMJLGkEhel5t_YgyhtcfmtlhtrmY78I7/s1000/20221203_162032.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxkyZCp8lE7WKJDwPJAC4B4EjC9B32MgyryCCO8JQKoe_4SAegQFtPWwlwUlQL_zaB-Z5cvNxyO6a4Xf6s5XBO4t5WCxw1hSYMqG4UNf6_xhztDGhW3ppOEFR3V0IZVvRPfBbmKjhqq-x3Qadgi_yXH05IDMJLGkEhel5t_YgyhtcfmtlhtrmY78I7/s16000/20221203_162032.jpg"></a></p><p>We love Jurong Bird Park and while we are looking forward to the opening of the new park at Bird Paradise, we are also a little sad to see the old one go. So many memories, so much fun, so thankful for having visited it numerous times during the kids' growing up years. I decided we HAD to go there one last time before it closed so the kids and I went on a mum-and-kids outing to see all the amazing and magnificent birds, as well as the picturesque waterfall.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOKvIARGg-ZKDA_GRlbo-lLYSVPyBKbrjp2htO-4T1C6DS4OYaor8i7EpuHX_G6Ikt90s_o5z033wqw0xYzS6A7kUNSAxI_irXG34ALd7v4aP-d4QY48SNfneURVGlvpTSpbK7_HIp96TSVLWYN8gbF14_BhRSFijUPNv8Wp1sNl7jsHZOhdUHWL0f/s1000/20221215_114137.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOKvIARGg-ZKDA_GRlbo-lLYSVPyBKbrjp2htO-4T1C6DS4OYaor8i7EpuHX_G6Ikt90s_o5z033wqw0xYzS6A7kUNSAxI_irXG34ALd7v4aP-d4QY48SNfneURVGlvpTSpbK7_HIp96TSVLWYN8gbF14_BhRSFijUPNv8Wp1sNl7jsHZOhdUHWL0f/s16000/20221215_114137.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2PhygaqfiWnyuQUJkkYIU7ggZBivpx-IPF4GT9aaY31Rbd8HIbzHOGgXAFWrThg-1-ZMCnipcItfsEDWuRTt5tnU0tmKtZIQdSAKoXxK924Grl8WVRVT9uMQgwUFD4Ylrl_hrCXMzO7OxDLkKAvEIQl83kx-qVpnYL8qpMkVsLwGfCqyO8wd-xFR/s1000/20221215_180633.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2PhygaqfiWnyuQUJkkYIU7ggZBivpx-IPF4GT9aaY31Rbd8HIbzHOGgXAFWrThg-1-ZMCnipcItfsEDWuRTt5tnU0tmKtZIQdSAKoXxK924Grl8WVRVT9uMQgwUFD4Ylrl_hrCXMzO7OxDLkKAvEIQl83kx-qVpnYL8qpMkVsLwGfCqyO8wd-xFR/s16000/20221215_180633.jpg"></a></p><p>Come to think of it, we've celebrated the kids' birthdays here a few times as they really love being here and enjoy the bird feeding sessions too. Those are the moments that we will hold onto for a long time and I am so glad I made videos for the kids to remember too.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy11YQpD5ToX-Qhl1QQxcuaIDdk55-iHoRvZEjStD_pivarDKUeQo1Tamq4LIyH4EAhlUXt3vnrLszYV8FItzRYpjxo_ltUMkCvz3CpKkMTOkVfqSG3T_4zCgpF9WgkSkN3PR9c2D-AEzl5VOPF9uOZmClp9NdfPRX8qEdQwcZe2IG1oUhXXQ1cLla/s1000/20221215_150715.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy11YQpD5ToX-Qhl1QQxcuaIDdk55-iHoRvZEjStD_pivarDKUeQo1Tamq4LIyH4EAhlUXt3vnrLszYV8FItzRYpjxo_ltUMkCvz3CpKkMTOkVfqSG3T_4zCgpF9WgkSkN3PR9c2D-AEzl5VOPF9uOZmClp9NdfPRX8qEdQwcZe2IG1oUhXXQ1cLla/s16000/20221215_150715.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsZ1RYMwxs-xAmh4TIm5Ubla8ECnM1rCaUZRMUCa3tFxVsDy2US-cgo6IoUyPF8NJ_8kT2J1G9rLDnt7BPfoxsOh1iG1CfOGQz2otv2PJ-hJAzrdbNG5cyRrGoHlzfbPkfakeWBIdbK-33b9NbnxJOlfJUPVCweW1Jwrgkur-riE6I1odLgcoCaq6Z/s1000/20221215_182544.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsZ1RYMwxs-xAmh4TIm5Ubla8ECnM1rCaUZRMUCa3tFxVsDy2US-cgo6IoUyPF8NJ_8kT2J1G9rLDnt7BPfoxsOh1iG1CfOGQz2otv2PJ-hJAzrdbNG5cyRrGoHlzfbPkfakeWBIdbK-33b9NbnxJOlfJUPVCweW1Jwrgkur-riE6I1odLgcoCaq6Z/s16000/20221215_182544.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1v11AugfQqiLwuBqezAnGlCZNfE4ukvuUIaFgeQp_XMnx2qjXqNKf_4TJNZT__6Yswxds7owJrn5618WsL4fYUVDk4q0AnWBXSmuc1tBG500sUNAnpbSUFZZzGbD5cCUEPrKUlELZmmjwPmPBZdICuVBVS-kcynvdrpR8F8RmnCqr4YgwoHLPoM6V/s1000/20221215_133111.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1v11AugfQqiLwuBqezAnGlCZNfE4ukvuUIaFgeQp_XMnx2qjXqNKf_4TJNZT__6Yswxds7owJrn5618WsL4fYUVDk4q0AnWBXSmuc1tBG500sUNAnpbSUFZZzGbD5cCUEPrKUlELZmmjwPmPBZdICuVBVS-kcynvdrpR8F8RmnCqr4YgwoHLPoM6V/s16000/20221215_133111.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Y7x4C28xYO6UvNuaAYZihYsiQCZPziElcZd74VNyAh9fZiRHu_Gueja667eM1PFTXQmm0-ZYnPMWw6CMPlC7Rkqb3VzSREKj1fjiVZm1TOwNyGwhpKgWarRx1ymdZdtN2m-Oi5nxobFqTwcLwya9byHzhG3fMtXCnTXZq8DCpu3sEzbP2n0g7Sfx/s1000/20221215_135429.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Y7x4C28xYO6UvNuaAYZihYsiQCZPziElcZd74VNyAh9fZiRHu_Gueja667eM1PFTXQmm0-ZYnPMWw6CMPlC7Rkqb3VzSREKj1fjiVZm1TOwNyGwhpKgWarRx1ymdZdtN2m-Oi5nxobFqTwcLwya9byHzhG3fMtXCnTXZq8DCpu3sEzbP2n0g7Sfx/s16000/20221215_135429.jpg"></a></p><p>A lot of people ask me how do I handle going out with four kids and the answer is practice makes perfect. Don't be afraid to try - even if you fail once or twice and have a disastrous outing - and keep on believing in yourself. </p><p>While I do have the older ones to help me out with the toddler and make sure no harm comes to him, it is <i><u>not</u></i> true to say that they don't give me a headache at times. They still bicker, still complain, still get into childish fights and still engage in backtalking that really drives me up the wall. Yup, actually I think it's easier handling a baby or toddler because they mainly eat, poop, play and sleep. But yes, I am still a mum who is learning every step of the way and I think there is still so, so, so much more for me to experience and learn as my kids grow up even more.</p><p>That said, I truly enjoy our mum-and-kids outings and hope to do more of such trips before they all turn into adults and have their own lives. Even though they might leave me feeling exhausted on some days, they leave me feeling a sense of achievement and joy like no other and I know that my kids will remember all the fun times we had too. They always say I am the most adventurous mums they know - I mean, they probably don't know a lot, haha - and they are very thankful that we get to go out and explore so often.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiumFnbvYi0ZMXacix6PY0_r8XPTKVSkvNyjNXMTAQ7IP0b1Qm8dLLNWFn2xdByhf3HWPdIF3MqflRLB25DlMpoiqHUk6HY8bJBvsDAOKnTianXnC8usicXWxYbP1vgGf01Y6yxCe_bouHd8ImF0JnnrLky72vacNupcyImRU16WwtLbH5o14Qmjs3/s1000/20221215_152757.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiumFnbvYi0ZMXacix6PY0_r8XPTKVSkvNyjNXMTAQ7IP0b1Qm8dLLNWFn2xdByhf3HWPdIF3MqflRLB25DlMpoiqHUk6HY8bJBvsDAOKnTianXnC8usicXWxYbP1vgGf01Y6yxCe_bouHd8ImF0JnnrLky72vacNupcyImRU16WwtLbH5o14Qmjs3/s16000/20221215_152757.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-23Kr_4tpai9v9Kzighr-z5QYiXoMMMVEoiTUjOo8gXoCdkFi0g2EPz20SAxiSVhrEBx8lkTd871dfg2a86IQUAMIeASzPYeTd_Xamqr0nXQ1-w-JReZSdCWqLa3HqPXRVxoWTCRauC0Sz4-V4fBp2F3U046IyVO5fsgt-2Sx79KrdJ4tURRd616/s1000/20221215_143720.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ-23Kr_4tpai9v9Kzighr-z5QYiXoMMMVEoiTUjOo8gXoCdkFi0g2EPz20SAxiSVhrEBx8lkTd871dfg2a86IQUAMIeASzPYeTd_Xamqr0nXQ1-w-JReZSdCWqLa3HqPXRVxoWTCRauC0Sz4-V4fBp2F3U046IyVO5fsgt-2Sx79KrdJ4tURRd616/s16000/20221215_143720.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5_Oa5w88jBfmUMonY0uXR3XjlMs0bh2QBOb1FNmFk34cLlNc_4TxJFDcLWu2DwR5I7m55peIqN5LCv_f8cJTCMWSCFIxanS7i1tMkKvhTo0q2VGvpr-fDRy5w02Xmcb_1xWNo4kDH5tYN7no4iJlXVOb3cwDp1tslId8Hp003pE_A9iYRQAPscpCx/s1000/20221215_181712.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5_Oa5w88jBfmUMonY0uXR3XjlMs0bh2QBOb1FNmFk34cLlNc_4TxJFDcLWu2DwR5I7m55peIqN5LCv_f8cJTCMWSCFIxanS7i1tMkKvhTo0q2VGvpr-fDRy5w02Xmcb_1xWNo4kDH5tYN7no4iJlXVOb3cwDp1tslId8Hp003pE_A9iYRQAPscpCx/s16000/20221215_181712.jpg"></a></p><p>Birdz of Play is one of our all-time favourite wet play areas so we had to come here for a final time before it closed for good. We were patiently waiting for it to reopen after closing for so long during the pandemic and the kids were literally jumping for joy seeing that it was finally opened. </p><p>They wasted no time in changing into their wetsuits and had so much splashing good fun for that couple of hours. What I loved seeing more was that they did not dash off to play on their own but would instead stick together as a team to play. Yup, they even devised a way to slide down with all four of them being interlocked together and they did it over and over and over again, with each time ending in lots of smiles and loud laughter.</p><p>They also loved it when the giant bucket tipped over and gallons of water fell of them - that is such a sight, isn't it? They would hug the toddler to protect him and huddle together as a group while I just did what I always did - film away and turn everything into a clip for them to remember. Yup, I don't like to sit down to relax or enjoy a cuppa but prefer to stay close to them so I can film them in action and take some photos to remember these precious moments. That's just me. I even got myself wet in the process with no extra clothes to change into but it only made me laugh out loud and be thankful for such happy days.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Py8lCKBvM_4Mq0DAscX4GyhigNb2SDbbFSMaoQ08-Ml98VxMAZWB3-V4BCuJds_QFzc_yI8oUvSSEOz14jbVOAETODfsv9lWzwVXHIvq2Tz1ZzxuvPyXvwHCLnCqO9JQqG90tcmpSIajzzFe54lgXl4_3xcJzsfsu_NpY4KPWp4enGX69-3pI80c/s1000/20221215_170335(0).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Py8lCKBvM_4Mq0DAscX4GyhigNb2SDbbFSMaoQ08-Ml98VxMAZWB3-V4BCuJds_QFzc_yI8oUvSSEOz14jbVOAETODfsv9lWzwVXHIvq2Tz1ZzxuvPyXvwHCLnCqO9JQqG90tcmpSIajzzFe54lgXl4_3xcJzsfsu_NpY4KPWp4enGX69-3pI80c/s16000/20221215_170335(0).jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqcaiGMmQ-jXvoLc-6K24EKcwsZn7WTDAX1x4dJWkO0tSsemYnIOTXYOf8MNxWsL0PqZI9-lvHmwedqyrkIlCtA-UH_awDL4zHOyUDVPHo9ZKSTsodR_3epuoKSS5cEiy9i_THq0r4NVRIBQHxsdBLp5pHWC9Bu8ZYOUCBS3Ods4stl1IXqXddhjUl/s1000/20221215_171155.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqcaiGMmQ-jXvoLc-6K24EKcwsZn7WTDAX1x4dJWkO0tSsemYnIOTXYOf8MNxWsL0PqZI9-lvHmwedqyrkIlCtA-UH_awDL4zHOyUDVPHo9ZKSTsodR_3epuoKSS5cEiy9i_THq0r4NVRIBQHxsdBLp5pHWC9Bu8ZYOUCBS3Ods4stl1IXqXddhjUl/s16000/20221215_171155.jpg"></a></p><p>The school holidays also saw us having play dates with friends and it's always nice to come together to have some fun! While I love bringing the kids out myself, it is also important for them to learn to interact, socialise and get along well with others. This is especially so for Ansel who doesn't go to school yet so seeing him on play dates helps him to develop his social skills too. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidy3Trp77f5mLeNHwo0rgDFh_9nGeyDqRP86GaVGbfQkmKEz2VLUHGemZvylLWhFevt1ruKYlpOwUw0jOEkvb2yrKRuvE1xSglvqBJOzAUNgUv-eJiVqFPdu4EHWh9_sVguEKzPvW0IU1qvsgIUn89mIObg3MgVPaqR9XZ9tEkXPfOjnHt7SwmVP0o/s1000/20221226_222915.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidy3Trp77f5mLeNHwo0rgDFh_9nGeyDqRP86GaVGbfQkmKEz2VLUHGemZvylLWhFevt1ruKYlpOwUw0jOEkvb2yrKRuvE1xSglvqBJOzAUNgUv-eJiVqFPdu4EHWh9_sVguEKzPvW0IU1qvsgIUn89mIObg3MgVPaqR9XZ9tEkXPfOjnHt7SwmVP0o/s16000/20221226_222915.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbKzHuWmLlZLccV4l6SU00v7tAXGyeE6gQ0r0Hn9YDWQFiPHFNesJPKC4uKhGDrTY9oQ4aUrN7EVer_5JUzHu20Vaq1k3ozEjSwLKxSojyllIUAXsgVqvWHvvcDd3GrmBq5QCoa2SmkUiYB8uS01fmaaxkttSNVA9g7Zt8gHoLp3bYjn3wmrzeBCn8/s1000/20221211_153720.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbKzHuWmLlZLccV4l6SU00v7tAXGyeE6gQ0r0Hn9YDWQFiPHFNesJPKC4uKhGDrTY9oQ4aUrN7EVer_5JUzHu20Vaq1k3ozEjSwLKxSojyllIUAXsgVqvWHvvcDd3GrmBq5QCoa2SmkUiYB8uS01fmaaxkttSNVA9g7Zt8gHoLp3bYjn3wmrzeBCn8/s16000/20221211_153720.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQaY1LZWEyhYfp-3UjdfacaH5eT4Dg2y9i6Ng_ACkYPAGUak5BXTJZ0_AST34yL3Dchtw0W3ld8mzYmVRWoOw-IB0FRx5UCvs3y-ueixE5tkVyCYnRcPtDoVtBN6MoQyry4ddEZWq8x3rwsHN-odSWTY0WPhBuFHxW85dk3zcLIz7PrzRnmlbxF4w/s1000/20221212_172442.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQaY1LZWEyhYfp-3UjdfacaH5eT4Dg2y9i6Ng_ACkYPAGUak5BXTJZ0_AST34yL3Dchtw0W3ld8mzYmVRWoOw-IB0FRx5UCvs3y-ueixE5tkVyCYnRcPtDoVtBN6MoQyry4ddEZWq8x3rwsHN-odSWTY0WPhBuFHxW85dk3zcLIz7PrzRnmlbxF4w/s16000/20221212_172442.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibVLsol6uRxsGJVpgpGZadYQOBya_mOillL39fHv7zl3i4HquaErIJWu3A_5JfykP7SCVxErEZlXkyDc12dI2REgO2JX-SbIje9NrU3PDaU-UTRALNPNooMIZvzvdHx64JE-Ac4aahf5-mRR1hLxN3EQlDV2lxUsUWYb1BtX4zaSrx-S6d18sj8dt3/s1000/20221212_165758.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibVLsol6uRxsGJVpgpGZadYQOBya_mOillL39fHv7zl3i4HquaErIJWu3A_5JfykP7SCVxErEZlXkyDc12dI2REgO2JX-SbIje9NrU3PDaU-UTRALNPNooMIZvzvdHx64JE-Ac4aahf5-mRR1hLxN3EQlDV2lxUsUWYb1BtX4zaSrx-S6d18sj8dt3/s16000/20221212_165758.jpg"></a></p><p>The eldest had been asking if we could paint our nails and in wanting to save cost, we decided to buy a couple of nail polish home to DIY ourselves. Yup, it was a girly session for the girls and myself and makes me very thankful to have not one, but two daughters to do these stuff with. I also love all our girly talks about BGR, Kpop idols, makeup and even gossip. Haha. Yes, the nice part of having older kids is they feel more like your friend than your kid at times and I am deeply for that. Please let Mama continue to be your BFF so we can share secrets, okay?</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5rLtw9Xky9CsoDsNN1Bh8fzYVxP6Dp52NqcqJs5eOIOr54ZQr8_v_iqDFiS3gYC1PYamIp7xDjRI8BzveEuaRrEwyhzaCymlbh5JddwyNJvfuPBxCeNGYQr8PJ4zESTiRBAKiVRthL1uJMBCfqgtPNrZkts9qIDT2yop1VFF5yZsIu7cLHpVL8wOF/s1000/20221210_210730.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5rLtw9Xky9CsoDsNN1Bh8fzYVxP6Dp52NqcqJs5eOIOr54ZQr8_v_iqDFiS3gYC1PYamIp7xDjRI8BzveEuaRrEwyhzaCymlbh5JddwyNJvfuPBxCeNGYQr8PJ4zESTiRBAKiVRthL1uJMBCfqgtPNrZkts9qIDT2yop1VFF5yZsIu7cLHpVL8wOF/s16000/20221210_210730.jpg"></a></p><p>We love having a bouncing good time so we were excited to visit Funtasia which features lots of giant, fun-filled inflatables including two which had a 10-metre slide that saw us whizzing down at super fast speeds. Even though this was a media invite, I reminded myself that aside from working, I ought to get into action too so there I was, climbing up and down every inflatable - and panting at the steep ones while carrying the toddler, leaping across 'rivers' and jumping into foam pits. It was so fun to play together with the kids instead of just watching them. Never let the child in us die!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVpf8ampGY6tI_BFQ1UN5eVKEg6j0PJQWH_JZz3_zmSFoEErxA-my9V05bSa_5GGb9zdGa59HKw74Akfreyhbv4sWeBgQZelYM7Wwqij7fmPDpt5R13JkoVyW5gQxEYMFd9iV9bGXZ4zSN3NB9SXgJwz1Ugz1rX-T1BhbVBRF4aKBPJED7wZ34wOah/s1000/20221209_111904.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVpf8ampGY6tI_BFQ1UN5eVKEg6j0PJQWH_JZz3_zmSFoEErxA-my9V05bSa_5GGb9zdGa59HKw74Akfreyhbv4sWeBgQZelYM7Wwqij7fmPDpt5R13JkoVyW5gQxEYMFd9iV9bGXZ4zSN3NB9SXgJwz1Ugz1rX-T1BhbVBRF4aKBPJED7wZ34wOah/s16000/20221209_111904.jpg"></a></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZxkS9NQ9dJQpnld2RfqonM-Mdc_SQ87DkjsmgvtlRb-iTk9QFNdIAhXSxG5SVHX3Sz-V5Egl0umRS05-6qyUYtMKBHzGfIu7S1QVnthyAg87w59PCdOqATso5s0i8UEj5uXjZBnpLzOPtUCIGQZbo0NhmxNx1oK8IzpvFO-qsFj7ZCuXIm0KVQy9D/s1000/20221209_113930.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZxkS9NQ9dJQpnld2RfqonM-Mdc_SQ87DkjsmgvtlRb-iTk9QFNdIAhXSxG5SVHX3Sz-V5Egl0umRS05-6qyUYtMKBHzGfIu7S1QVnthyAg87w59PCdOqATso5s0i8UEj5uXjZBnpLzOPtUCIGQZbo0NhmxNx1oK8IzpvFO-qsFj7ZCuXIm0KVQy9D/s16000/20221209_113930.jpg"></a></p><p>Despite watching movies on Netflix more often nowadays so as to save cost, we still love to go to the cinema once in a while. There is just something different about watching it on a big screen and being surrounded by a good sound system, yummy snacks and loved ones. We watched Puss in Boots: The Last Wish this month and the kids enjoyed it thoroughly! Funny and action-packed yet meaningful, it's the kind of show that I like too.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvivpUkFXuLy5Z2BF528SP3FbTEwdh3PB8-jwX8c1Jy8xUw6A-TYsJ6Of2nZIHg-goswjcCbyUkYsDna8COiGZ_PiM0xOod5SDT0v-LneS9Op9TmNI6j1Nws72KmteWMfz9LvVtJkIDE-8zy6bhicVlXm2oLvYrYGqKUlGk9LXohFcXfOGRH2dhxZl/s1000/collage238.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvivpUkFXuLy5Z2BF528SP3FbTEwdh3PB8-jwX8c1Jy8xUw6A-TYsJ6Of2nZIHg-goswjcCbyUkYsDna8COiGZ_PiM0xOod5SDT0v-LneS9Op9TmNI6j1Nws72KmteWMfz9LvVtJkIDE-8zy6bhicVlXm2oLvYrYGqKUlGk9LXohFcXfOGRH2dhxZl/s16000/collage238.jpg"></a></p><p>Christmas is always a time for the family to come together to celebrate and setting up the Christmas tree has become an annual mum-and-kids activity for us. This year, we had yummy Christmas cakes, received presents from Santa Claus (thank you!) and also had a family gathering where we exchanged presents with the extended family, had a delicious teppanyaki dinner and feasted on a delightful ice cream logcake to celebrate Ariel and Asher's birthdays. Yup, the year end is always a busy period for me!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXhhj3Uza4_2FPLxBw3gC6RHeYriaJGbxStZBaPBpM4ZekTdrSzj3IOh1MLiTaQeMVNxXJ5J_JIyu7CyD24sABA_72BzKr1-gY8-Y3PiF_xjei52Tws3nqtQFVo_w8VihWCoKdeEsiGZ1XqwVqWW8JMZd1qoFOecNlG8xGhr0zkhy7DdGXziNc2wr4/s1000/collage239.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXhhj3Uza4_2FPLxBw3gC6RHeYriaJGbxStZBaPBpM4ZekTdrSzj3IOh1MLiTaQeMVNxXJ5J_JIyu7CyD24sABA_72BzKr1-gY8-Y3PiF_xjei52Tws3nqtQFVo_w8VihWCoKdeEsiGZ1XqwVqWW8JMZd1qoFOecNlG8xGhr0zkhy7DdGXziNc2wr4/s16000/collage239.jpg"></a></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikr81vZQXmeDg9uqF6pmBoaWq0SmL5zxR_k4V_vfPyd_oq1PtY5z9Y0ZtoyMNYVl1Wco4EYYRGiUsv_BR_i41GHZkpekF3pp68QYlC_4uzhrZdMlNJckegso96k5JBpp4gkgbH9lSXArmH5ouaArbpzoNNyjJmMdgtMoMEkXB_OYMOnHvjcMsf33CC/s1000/20221202_203609(0).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikr81vZQXmeDg9uqF6pmBoaWq0SmL5zxR_k4V_vfPyd_oq1PtY5z9Y0ZtoyMNYVl1Wco4EYYRGiUsv_BR_i41GHZkpekF3pp68QYlC_4uzhrZdMlNJckegso96k5JBpp4gkgbH9lSXArmH5ouaArbpzoNNyjJmMdgtMoMEkXB_OYMOnHvjcMsf33CC/s16000/20221202_203609(0).jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY2pnK_SoJQSCkp-wwQF7arG5lwomBR8nj_ZePhUxxOSOcFS79ctahaKiiTWpksv6O9ReRLAXuntHtw0I_LjkgizQih3vaYyp0f-caajy2CiWl5G3BZusvAkyCHmYw4423-hbHSiieHf1Tj5egLr5MzHKKGzzQmuKiDolyesbnns9UEcMdjgDXToNh/s16000/20221208_132507.jpg"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioYv1jEbAy8OBwsYLSWZcjVPkPFd2hdbFavPnz1KZKDd3Bgje5wPKCMa0vT-lSP2aMy9HONCVDKW7sr5UTqwYMl5-c-AFSeZQbIkyF9D4KfQ2UiyNzeY4QRtDmO6FHM4VD004Y-IsRlno1BGigBRJirNFDOa9zrQgVD82D4pANzc1jdyqVophdKKPR/s1000/20221224_183841.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioYv1jEbAy8OBwsYLSWZcjVPkPFd2hdbFavPnz1KZKDd3Bgje5wPKCMa0vT-lSP2aMy9HONCVDKW7sr5UTqwYMl5-c-AFSeZQbIkyF9D4KfQ2UiyNzeY4QRtDmO6FHM4VD004Y-IsRlno1BGigBRJirNFDOa9zrQgVD82D4pANzc1jdyqVophdKKPR/s16000/20221224_183841.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicfuPTS7gCBfLsnrKIZx2h5UCEyTbIG4fsuHy5TbWjYzwYeKTWx-h8r6TCwuX8TK_oH87daRx191ZMDE7q-VOji8tQNDGyINYVdFEBOjk6tNWCax82UeReMPpANbsTQio8uo0HMXxYFr6g72ooXSaOV1jlNmLxRrf2CnliBGS183jMUO-Lezssz9LL/s16000/20221224_214617.jpg"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4G2UxcjbZXXuC8TypvnMgQuehUnYxcl_U9H_56Q6YDoE2DC0jLxezSPjHXQGG6fPwqLyjYMpfIjQBDFvEEbGKv-nwqyBzzqKU5v1ExemJGPNIlYImJP_n1kkuAYck0MjSaXLV2YILkkyami0kpy5MxoP3ujmIxsdQmFqNRpDE0yf9fWeU8OAa1TAN/s1000/20221224_214351_001.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4G2UxcjbZXXuC8TypvnMgQuehUnYxcl_U9H_56Q6YDoE2DC0jLxezSPjHXQGG6fPwqLyjYMpfIjQBDFvEEbGKv-nwqyBzzqKU5v1ExemJGPNIlYImJP_n1kkuAYck0MjSaXLV2YILkkyami0kpy5MxoP3ujmIxsdQmFqNRpDE0yf9fWeU8OAa1TAN/s16000/20221224_214351_001.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The kids have been asking for a hamster for a long time ever since our last one passed away. I kept telling them to wait till Ansel is slightly older and I also wanted them to be sure that it wasn't just a fleeting moment of enthusiasm. Now that Ansel is turning two, I think we are ready to welcome a furry pet. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, as part of their Christmas gift for 2022, we made our way to the pet store and bought back this cute little addition to our family. Say hi to Milo! I hope you will lead a charmed and happy life with us, okay?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTAncs1UhSIvSuYFRocn2kbKNmf18_KdFSfYyBd6PpmWHup8S3PfOwO0RTr3i2N-FwcA2VmF44iEBGjqoLiJRB2GoA2C_sF5Gpe0T36J19iv6OKXnV7Dzj37ME8D3m-z8kL7Hba9NXfPxQqyHDQekk--3B1t0BpeSPvw7ClFSkEsYfWesOoX01O02l/s1000/20221231_203643.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTAncs1UhSIvSuYFRocn2kbKNmf18_KdFSfYyBd6PpmWHup8S3PfOwO0RTr3i2N-FwcA2VmF44iEBGjqoLiJRB2GoA2C_sF5Gpe0T36J19iv6OKXnV7Dzj37ME8D3m-z8kL7Hba9NXfPxQqyHDQekk--3B1t0BpeSPvw7ClFSkEsYfWesOoX01O02l/s16000/20221231_203643.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've always wanted to do a mum-and-kids vacation since the hubby is not always free to join us and because I wanna make more fond memories with them while they are still young. Just before the year ended, I finally did it and brought the kids to Club Med Bintan on my own, woohoo! It was truly an epic experience and we enjoyed it thoroughly.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Was it smooth-sailing? Well, it was good but let's face it, it can't be peaceful when you have kids, right? The tantrums, bickers and sibling rivalry are part and parcel of life. Plus, we started off the trip with a seasick toddler who vomitted big time on the ferry and drenched me, himself and our baby carrier in his puke. Yup, eeewwwww. We were smelly and yucky when queueing up at the customs and eventually missed our bus too but hey, the bright side is we made it! I will be sharing more about our trip soon so stay tuned patiently, yeah?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3u-2IRWqrLhLoVK0lFChBY6R0iY0HiyrrQ1VTZ9NHPnijFy24AinyEN66m_T_85Q6_j5OiNNyJoGkVvGFpBycO0gtHPvqZusVgJI76dJbVkn800pentYN54Xk4eM-b-LvpeYNV6tJoRte4nyENASk8pgMiQsf0xNM3MHntQ1wwAEZB7_0BwQscNzS/s1000/20221229_181229.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3u-2IRWqrLhLoVK0lFChBY6R0iY0HiyrrQ1VTZ9NHPnijFy24AinyEN66m_T_85Q6_j5OiNNyJoGkVvGFpBycO0gtHPvqZusVgJI76dJbVkn800pentYN54Xk4eM-b-LvpeYNV6tJoRte4nyENASk8pgMiQsf0xNM3MHntQ1wwAEZB7_0BwQscNzS/s16000/20221229_181229.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Q9EMvHA6Ct2BYwKyLfM3pHhyRlJsiyW50M1zdH7_d6oyII1FUgKES6cyg_veuXTklh_bh5S6wGI4lSPn3Mob_R3nPoxkGS8fCAqN9PrZouiItGBa-fE43WU_RXhKWElG5ezXAfNTGFVOmhfQMGfrcQqr4sd3O84CnSaxhmSJrMXWH5IvMrtr0Btu/s1000/20221229_134653.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Q9EMvHA6Ct2BYwKyLfM3pHhyRlJsiyW50M1zdH7_d6oyII1FUgKES6cyg_veuXTklh_bh5S6wGI4lSPn3Mob_R3nPoxkGS8fCAqN9PrZouiItGBa-fE43WU_RXhKWElG5ezXAfNTGFVOmhfQMGfrcQqr4sd3O84CnSaxhmSJrMXWH5IvMrtr0Btu/s16000/20221229_134653.jpg"></a></div><p>One of my favourite activities in Club Med is the trapeze and I am glad all of us, except for the underaged toddler, got to do it. The kids had their sessions outdoors and all managed to do an upside down pose and back flip while I tried my best to master a few looks-easy-but-actually-very-hard-to-do poses on the stationery trapeze.</p><p>We also played badminton, basketball, squash, archery and had fun catching each other in the Kids Club swimming pool when no one was around. Yup, it was just me and my kids giggling and running after each other and we loved it.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX6Ea-U-ITFvHjDP6Y1WlVyLSA0rM0kGArKWDN1ghCYxvVIvpUXRKZIVlqThG_LRJ4bqxpSQY_QY_rLt7PK07gjyC8V6dZWxVrCMbuzMW32YNzE7ENCDfTTCQynRojUXQug3mQiyP_xhD8P7W8-q0JeFLVjb_wrYGwGyvGMIPx4dlOvWGAqPwuxI3e/s1000/20221229_170848(0).jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX6Ea-U-ITFvHjDP6Y1WlVyLSA0rM0kGArKWDN1ghCYxvVIvpUXRKZIVlqThG_LRJ4bqxpSQY_QY_rLt7PK07gjyC8V6dZWxVrCMbuzMW32YNzE7ENCDfTTCQynRojUXQug3mQiyP_xhD8P7W8-q0JeFLVjb_wrYGwGyvGMIPx4dlOvWGAqPwuxI3e/s16000/20221229_170848(0).jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiASSRRLn_44U_rkY-44atddPs_BfuSKfUkqZ-Z5mgztKRhJUGeVR1klWeCA5iQNNW7J4mA1He4KXDvzUVmhkHoiZJchzIC0_oxyQMRsCAHqc1rIDuul3JuI7wK3pSmf_rIyJ3wKoEoH0aUc9SPREe_Z8gARe1fPmYx5vWZfSAbItT35FWIS1wgxYzZ/s1000/20221229_165346.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiASSRRLn_44U_rkY-44atddPs_BfuSKfUkqZ-Z5mgztKRhJUGeVR1klWeCA5iQNNW7J4mA1He4KXDvzUVmhkHoiZJchzIC0_oxyQMRsCAHqc1rIDuul3JuI7wK3pSmf_rIyJ3wKoEoH0aUc9SPREe_Z8gARe1fPmYx5vWZfSAbItT35FWIS1wgxYzZ/s16000/20221229_165346.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGcj61mirywdtkcu6eWTLI6AdG0wc1MGOYDk0nohPa_xL9Ve1UY0bkGwDNEGR6wRBf5IOhcSw26S4BWiD2J0DuFoQfF2gzBcPLr5YDkfmDLP8Ijjj9R61o3yje1GCRZIvSwjIcpv4BKbeyhZLdMrRNjtdJIlA94urDqA4HACzr5ISIJN9DOUktXS0A/s1000/20221228_093722.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGcj61mirywdtkcu6eWTLI6AdG0wc1MGOYDk0nohPa_xL9Ve1UY0bkGwDNEGR6wRBf5IOhcSw26S4BWiD2J0DuFoQfF2gzBcPLr5YDkfmDLP8Ijjj9R61o3yje1GCRZIvSwjIcpv4BKbeyhZLdMrRNjtdJIlA94urDqA4HACzr5ISIJN9DOUktXS0A/s16000/20221228_093722.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67wFF5DING_cTwN0e-7hOosY5kqKUS8fHpZrT_w8quuwhWEu0vQu6zkMSTMIPSKHqmkkGbQm9auJITmfBbu2Z09ZbLoi6RLi0bxauee2aUlzQzbVni2yWQfU4L9WzThzUUrzvdNLk9VNPtmLLi3PtjuDwafCioiRngFcAIyk9ytfloUVSsTDwBdya/s1000/20221228_154542.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67wFF5DING_cTwN0e-7hOosY5kqKUS8fHpZrT_w8quuwhWEu0vQu6zkMSTMIPSKHqmkkGbQm9auJITmfBbu2Z09ZbLoi6RLi0bxauee2aUlzQzbVni2yWQfU4L9WzThzUUrzvdNLk9VNPtmLLi3PtjuDwafCioiRngFcAIyk9ytfloUVSsTDwBdya/s16000/20221228_154542.jpg"></a></p><p></p><p>In wanting to revisit a place we went and loved previously and also in the spirit of being an adventurous mum, we booked a taxi and made our way to Safari Lagoi, which is around a 30-min drive from Club Med. <br></p><p>The kids absolutely loved it here because they got to see and feed animals like elephants, fish, monkeys, rabbits, deer and even crocodiles too. Yes, they all love animals so going to a safari or zoo is a natural choice when we go abroad. We also took photos with a majestic python and handsome owl too!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ltt-akcRRR6k2bpLHg4oJUNOq0VF8AkD2_EaDqWBVTr69kVzmEuB3pNv6aQiSM6RM97H0hpQxrcJTa-w-pNx87EcNj20QxVkJwl-jLHUPj4gzA1YQzbDcNEwlq9Basb4ezU8_E2PMwWiryvSQzCRtcsUK8nEofSbG1Hm6JXRmIqpet7Uz_G_PFJK/s1000/20221229_130659.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ltt-akcRRR6k2bpLHg4oJUNOq0VF8AkD2_EaDqWBVTr69kVzmEuB3pNv6aQiSM6RM97H0hpQxrcJTa-w-pNx87EcNj20QxVkJwl-jLHUPj4gzA1YQzbDcNEwlq9Basb4ezU8_E2PMwWiryvSQzCRtcsUK8nEofSbG1Hm6JXRmIqpet7Uz_G_PFJK/s16000/20221229_130659.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1J7lM7nxiAK6p-eH04I33fFxs-05vH_UBo0PUjLtgQXm8dbA9k34WvPy5yspR2WnYK82Dg1Z126G6pK2YwDseSbdlRBlC4XbyLpQYLAvZ0-ZAkMKMUHqpO4tBrtIdFu5H2D9mHr-AUqwV1nvjXSxH7W5dEQcrTDpMBJWAd4e2HFYf6CkG8eHHoq5/s1000/20221229_121451.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1J7lM7nxiAK6p-eH04I33fFxs-05vH_UBo0PUjLtgQXm8dbA9k34WvPy5yspR2WnYK82Dg1Z126G6pK2YwDseSbdlRBlC4XbyLpQYLAvZ0-ZAkMKMUHqpO4tBrtIdFu5H2D9mHr-AUqwV1nvjXSxH7W5dEQcrTDpMBJWAd4e2HFYf6CkG8eHHoq5/s16000/20221229_121451.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoNaon-1nqp3HSvvEoTHmGvAjR61RJgzcoywy1yZY2hgofP-CNHefOTY9OuabRlbFRZUbVOMQtM38dEA7YE42Nygf4tX_pf_EkIlObukTRoZJtRDyUFrFlys2ME8K5eHf2z7nTVw_ihH4KA_aLH2UY8tP6n8F_DxH0Vvw9hCT8Inz1iTofSVTmScNw/s1000/20221229_121102.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoNaon-1nqp3HSvvEoTHmGvAjR61RJgzcoywy1yZY2hgofP-CNHefOTY9OuabRlbFRZUbVOMQtM38dEA7YE42Nygf4tX_pf_EkIlObukTRoZJtRDyUFrFlys2ME8K5eHf2z7nTVw_ihH4KA_aLH2UY8tP6n8F_DxH0Vvw9hCT8Inz1iTofSVTmScNw/s16000/20221229_121102.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioEMp_5RLzQwWYE-sX8zDy-Omm6tlk1mTBSgLRHFp_M_JjJ9WRgt36Rh8dN6byKeGbXtRjuJgtAp_AZuQ4k2h1ufrXuCJuJ9EnGhpv4ZHbULqHSPAfJnnT5LQrKK3X6QPW7q0AqFcUyR7j-djHqqQOaD3D1NQBQkZAdctjMdhtomOjFj4O5pE6ro7n/s1000/20221229_124223.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioEMp_5RLzQwWYE-sX8zDy-Omm6tlk1mTBSgLRHFp_M_JjJ9WRgt36Rh8dN6byKeGbXtRjuJgtAp_AZuQ4k2h1ufrXuCJuJ9EnGhpv4ZHbULqHSPAfJnnT5LQrKK3X6QPW7q0AqFcUyR7j-djHqqQOaD3D1NQBQkZAdctjMdhtomOjFj4O5pE6ro7n/s16000/20221229_124223.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Last but not least, we also had a blast in Legoland Malaysia, a place we love but have not visited for years due to the pandemic. The kids made so many happy memories here and I am just thankful that Ansel gets to experience all the fun too now that he is more active and playful.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">He totally loved meeting the Lego policeman and also went on his first theme park rides. This boy was scared of the dark, for instance the Lost Kingdom and Ninjago rides, and preferred to stay in well-lit playgrounds to play with balls. Haha. He loved the boat ride though and because of that, we queued up to take it not once but twice so as to make him happy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1DH21KE2z9Xs7SP-WFOlIlTqYZ8G0XQJJ6LZ9aShF2HHwxGB0ySAaM1Pg5BAvoS3cd-lqgyEhJGFm6K9k9VGn4LSPygKa3vON7M2thxPM-JGFhRTn2ybiAR6oCkDChEECuDQNpj4p_G2mPNRPZm7KEkRZgjrC-xunaMhvpbigWESfdDKzOQ8lcS33/s1000/20221219_180017.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1DH21KE2z9Xs7SP-WFOlIlTqYZ8G0XQJJ6LZ9aShF2HHwxGB0ySAaM1Pg5BAvoS3cd-lqgyEhJGFm6K9k9VGn4LSPygKa3vON7M2thxPM-JGFhRTn2ybiAR6oCkDChEECuDQNpj4p_G2mPNRPZm7KEkRZgjrC-xunaMhvpbigWESfdDKzOQ8lcS33/s16000/20221219_180017.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8pYt0BvMfVfIUOBg5TUR6tqFlSKja1osXEtOYK-92W30MDBNsYXyrsnDtzgODBspOIFw7MGOStP5lO2a1SD2u4VJ6tNt772tn1oUMx9pD65jnPQfxe_dt65oCCnPZ3tugU8ThdB7EPPOg8jSkkIcDWLOVRFAGWYRhtgskGbl0G952y-WDr4aBSBfS/s1000/20221219_175427.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8pYt0BvMfVfIUOBg5TUR6tqFlSKja1osXEtOYK-92W30MDBNsYXyrsnDtzgODBspOIFw7MGOStP5lO2a1SD2u4VJ6tNt772tn1oUMx9pD65jnPQfxe_dt65oCCnPZ3tugU8ThdB7EPPOg8jSkkIcDWLOVRFAGWYRhtgskGbl0G952y-WDr4aBSBfS/s16000/20221219_175427.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The older kids still enjoy majority of the rides too but having a younger sibling to accompany makes it so much more fun. I was wondering if Angel would find Legoland boring now that she is a teenager but she still loved the rides, especially the rolller coasters, so that is a good thing. The water theme park was also fun because we got to go on fun slides, splash in the wave pool, and enjoy the flow in the river.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipRx8KuWnN8qvbjq8dwlUZCZ4mL958-aCQqMxWqPOAlmLir4Qw9eus_TPztxKpPxA_en4uDLeagigo290rsk5QmHwvOi6VsGDmSS0JKJosnMfHa4arGi_Kg877RXKU6smk-HC8WCu36w_xomQXvzk7S0UAJmJaLyJ8OwFUCkOTBgPZZN06MLbNokjl/s1000/20221219_165124(0).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipRx8KuWnN8qvbjq8dwlUZCZ4mL958-aCQqMxWqPOAlmLir4Qw9eus_TPztxKpPxA_en4uDLeagigo290rsk5QmHwvOi6VsGDmSS0JKJosnMfHa4arGi_Kg877RXKU6smk-HC8WCu36w_xomQXvzk7S0UAJmJaLyJ8OwFUCkOTBgPZZN06MLbNokjl/s16000/20221219_165124(0).jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2bwEgoouJG4WsHNI8K6753webmtfqyeDHrU5y8ffNcmIxXX_NMPkJvFy5Bh5QD_Xc-fYm8rqSe5psI4RUnBATajfNXvSZoJZ6rvAcsi1iWPxJmGO3DIexId_rLYh3BDJO_hQLlZwLYaMLRDHJ9YaoR2I4sFclCDAFm9uxfqlFjz9Nl1Oqm0zNAv_/s1000/20221219_174859.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD2bwEgoouJG4WsHNI8K6753webmtfqyeDHrU5y8ffNcmIxXX_NMPkJvFy5Bh5QD_Xc-fYm8rqSe5psI4RUnBATajfNXvSZoJZ6rvAcsi1iWPxJmGO3DIexId_rLYh3BDJO_hQLlZwLYaMLRDHJ9YaoR2I4sFclCDAFm9uxfqlFjz9Nl1Oqm0zNAv_/s16000/20221219_174859.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji66BofIUlj2rAzTcwQBvnO0CgfE5VBz5MMFHOTn5Df3pifH8ysooahAnDMBed2fWB_p9afpPAgBPBiPz2FmxzAWp8JAdyaURrUAnCYvF54A5heq4kzNSFQf1vohZMrskb6_sSQyiBQbDz1obp60C8OZxL-kdRoNHbSQbmlIcpOw06ZzfYMfnMEQJQ/s1000/20221221_112436.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji66BofIUlj2rAzTcwQBvnO0CgfE5VBz5MMFHOTn5Df3pifH8ysooahAnDMBed2fWB_p9afpPAgBPBiPz2FmxzAWp8JAdyaURrUAnCYvF54A5heq4kzNSFQf1vohZMrskb6_sSQyiBQbDz1obp60C8OZxL-kdRoNHbSQbmlIcpOw06ZzfYMfnMEQJQ/s16000/20221221_112436.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I wanna share more about our trip in the next post because it is their birthday post after all but here's a sneak peek at our unique cake cutting ceremonies that were held in the comfort of our hotel room using very simple, frozen cakes bought from the supermarket.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmwJ3ssfIxcjad_qPI2SDZS9DjzAE4f5BlPQaUf8qN2VdhLneBWA3sKtFxuUIjH_t5OICgAq8vJxZ5WhDNCAZpAECeoxpjU4ChY6WCX2jpfOngXcAqDwcF5YNs6EuBys3wgZ_j42Hhk_J5xBxqKRaG9hxCpPXKPBJ19yr3fjTE4xdT1q_agSGsrik/s1000/20221220_220623.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJmwJ3ssfIxcjad_qPI2SDZS9DjzAE4f5BlPQaUf8qN2VdhLneBWA3sKtFxuUIjH_t5OICgAq8vJxZ5WhDNCAZpAECeoxpjU4ChY6WCX2jpfOngXcAqDwcF5YNs6EuBys3wgZ_j42Hhk_J5xBxqKRaG9hxCpPXKPBJ19yr3fjTE4xdT1q_agSGsrik/s16000/20221220_220623.jpg"></a></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwbF13r7FLUVjFVu-DOKnLu7NhIkiatgq-7qfxHQv43H-9WXg9V1IJwHgWMSCG2Ca6uGyP0g0nKta8AH4VneXdETvs3OUjK1hhEQEoqRqn7b5qCbbsQvKrA9uOh-1l3JVPVP4Qi-SF-hVllnzCBG9FnqqUYFKOYYjTezsJcV3tdJRIOW7RGT5hk04A/s1000/20221222_114521.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwbF13r7FLUVjFVu-DOKnLu7NhIkiatgq-7qfxHQv43H-9WXg9V1IJwHgWMSCG2Ca6uGyP0g0nKta8AH4VneXdETvs3OUjK1hhEQEoqRqn7b5qCbbsQvKrA9uOh-1l3JVPVP4Qi-SF-hVllnzCBG9FnqqUYFKOYYjTezsJcV3tdJRIOW7RGT5hk04A/s16000/20221222_114521.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So much love, so much fun, so many precious memories, and so many things to be thankful for. 2022 has been a good year and we look forward to sharing more of our family experiences and the kids' growing up journey with you in the next year.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Till the next post of "Happiness is..."! </div><p></p>~Summer~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478137784353655124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6546965252487257512.post-42915213015610941172023-03-28T13:17:00.006+08:002023-03-28T20:34:26.539+08:00Stay With You - Ansel is 1!This has been a long time in the making but I've finally completed Ansel's 1st year video, woohoo! I know, it is wayyyyy overdue but better late than never, right? At the very least, I am determined to keep making these growing up videos for my kids so that they can hold onto these fond, happy and precious memories.<div>This was done on my phone, which is my new way of making videos, because my laptop has come of age and is unable to run high res videos smoothly despite going for upgrades in the last few months. Since I am not willing to spend money to get a new one, I shall just hang in there for now and do what I can. I am just happy that I finished this at last and Ansel has been very excited to watch it time and again. My apologies for the wait but I hope it was worth it, my dear!</div><div><br></div><div>So, here's a letter for my baby Prince who has brought an abundance of joy and smiles into our lives every day since he was born. We love you so, so much!</div><div><br></div><div>******</div><div><br></div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/96hvXKE_7jo" title="YouTube video player" width="640"></iframe><div><i><br></i></div><div><i>Dearest Ansel,</i></div><div><i><br></i></div><div><i>Happy turning the BIG one! We had such a cosy and fun-filled Baby Shark party to celebrate your big day, didn't we? We set up this huge tub in our balcony, filled it with water, enjoyed a good soak and had so much fun with your Korkor and Jiejies who were excited to play games with you.</i></div><div><i><br></i></div><div><i>Time flies and it's so hard for me to believe that you are a year old already! A year ago, you burst my water bag at 35 weeks and I went through 40 hours without sleep before pushing you out with every ounce of strength I had. It all still feels so vivid in my mind, you know that? All the pain, all the joy, all the relief, all the magic - I still feel it. Seeing your cute, charming face made me know that it was all worthwhile and you have been a gem to us and we all adore you so, so much.</i></div><div><i><br></i></div><div><i>Let's see. You are crawling around the house swiftly on all fours these days and can pull yourself to stand. You love going gai gai with us and is able to sleep peacefully in your pram when you are tired. Many strangers think that you are a girl and call you Xiao Mei Mei because of your thick, beautiful hair but we all love your hairstyle and since I am your hairstylist, I am letting it stay. Hee.</i></div><div><i><br></i></div><div><i>We celebrated Christmas and Chinese New Year with the family and you looked so cute in your oufits. We are blessed to have a closely knitted family and having you with us just makes everything better. The Lo Hei was so fun, right? Well, since I love to eat it and you still drink my milk, that means you got a taste of it too, haha. Yummy!</i></div><div><i><br></i></div><div><i>Your smile is infectious and you are such a smiley, happy baby. It's like even if I am having a rough day, just looking at your smile helps to turn the upside down world back up again. Yes, you have a superpower even though you don't know it! Oh, and you look so cute with your two front teeth! No more toothless grin but still so adorable nonetheless. Sometimes I wonder what I did to deserve a precious little one like you and I can only count my blessings and be so very grateful.</i></div><div><i><br></i></div><div><i>You are a good eater and you love the porridge that I cook for you each day. I would too! There's so much yummy flavours and nutritious food inside and seeing your satisfied look is my motivation to keep cooking for you - we even bring out your porridge when we go out as it is so much healthier than outside food.</i></div><div><i><br></i></div><div><i>Your siblings love you to the moon and back and I think you know that, don't you? They think you are the cutest baby in the world and every day, they would play with you, hug you, kiss you, love you and help me make sure you are well taken care of. Yes, you brighten up all of our days just by being you. They let you join in their dancing too and it's not easy because you need to be carried all the time. Still, it is always great fun being with them, right?</i></div><div><i><br></i></div><div><i>It pained my heart so much when you fell ill and we subsequently realised that you had contracted Covid-19. I know, doing the ART test is such an unpleasant task but you were a trooper throughout the ordeal. Guess what? Your siblings had Covid too, haha, I guess that is how united you are, one for all, all for one! So the four of you spent a week in isolation with me but I must say it wasn't that bad after all cos' we played and did fun activities together. Still, it was a relief when you recovered and were back to your usual smiling self, phew!</i></div><div><i><br></i></div><div><i>I promise to keep these videos of you coming, okay? Pinky promise! You just have to be patient and give me more time because being a mum of four can be really exhausting. Nonetheless, no matter how tired I am, I will always love sitting by your side and watching our videos - these are the moments that remind me how fleeting time is and how lucky I am to be able to stay here with you, witness your every milestone and spend every day with you. </i></div><div><i><br></i></div><div><i>Seeing your sweet face beside me when I wake up every morning, snuggling in bed with you, feeding you and seeing how much you love Mama's milk, feeling your small hand in mine and planting a thousand kisses on you every day makes me sooo happy. Being your mum is a huge blessing and this has been an absolutely amazing journey - and I know it will only get better, right?</i></div><div><i><br></i></div><div><i>Thank you for being you and for making our lives complete. You brought so much laughter and joy to us in the last 365 days and I can't wait to see what life has in store for you as you grow up. Just do it slowly so that I can savour each and every of these moments with you, yeah? </i></div><div><i><br></i></div><div><i>I love you more than you will ever, ever know. Happy 1st birthday, my love!</i></div><div><i><br></i></div><div><i>Love,</i></div><div><i>Mama</i></div>~Summer~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478137784353655124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6546965252487257512.post-11730741564629150862023-03-10T12:50:00.016+08:002023-03-10T13:06:17.342+08:00Happiness is... enjoying a jam-packed holiday<p>We always look forward to the long year end school holidays because of all the exciting activities we can do as a family.</p><p>It's the time when I can turn off the numerous alarms I have on my phone, when we can sleep beyond sunrise and not have to rush in the mornings, when we can sleep late at night and not have to keep chasing everyone to go to bed, when we can be spontaneous and go anywhere we want to, when the kids and I spend so much quality time together on our mum-and-kids outings that I wish it would never end.<br /></p><p>Of course, having all the kids at home also means less peace, more bickers and non-stop nagging. Some days are really tough and take away every bit of sanity and patience I thought I had. Yet, given a choice, I'd still much prefer the holidays to school days and wish the duration of both could be swapped. How about you?</p><p>In this post of <i>"Happiness is..."</i>, I share about what we did in November last year and that was within less than a fortnight of school holidays, woohoo. Let's go!</p><p>******</p><p>We love camping overnight in the airport and this is the second time we joined the "A Night at The Airport" and got to stay over in Changi Experience Studio. Every stayover feels like a vacation to the kids and though we slept on inflatable mattresses placed inside tents, they were very thrilled with the idea and I was just glad that unlike me, they could sleep well through the night. Our tents were right facing the Rain Vortex, how majestic and cool is that, right?</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk0OuQP6Vuqg3fA5cxIpOEBQX7stdzHMSVSwf-22gLQSZRkJhuohXGX5BeV_oWVKT7KYdStYldRu-Zk_7iCP5sbrYgtiunMjEXg_ckXEovLb-8fQ230ji9QhduPeXVIbE85mHEZyUSuZb0RvkNFKWZ6Xs70aGse9yFGgMzHWnNWmWyU0eYLJIjd14M/s1000/20221105_232037.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk0OuQP6Vuqg3fA5cxIpOEBQX7stdzHMSVSwf-22gLQSZRkJhuohXGX5BeV_oWVKT7KYdStYldRu-Zk_7iCP5sbrYgtiunMjEXg_ckXEovLb-8fQ230ji9QhduPeXVIbE85mHEZyUSuZb0RvkNFKWZ6Xs70aGse9yFGgMzHWnNWmWyU0eYLJIjd14M/s16000/20221105_232037.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4NZy4HyXV7JHq8Kf0Okz1cMk6CybgLLkD22eKUYOCZsklLsgFc9Uy-7kVGMArYOmdU4UKXywb7xV_4fZTLw2-e1lGhbtoXKvgmaJHVBcXcPeEx-Vu_s0XjMYq3cDk2TLkjrxzGN4RgPFnxW-nyUs12L43DLeEIp2ZBOFqmj1aelAZU9_cz6i8sCCc/s1000/20221105_212643.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4NZy4HyXV7JHq8Kf0Okz1cMk6CybgLLkD22eKUYOCZsklLsgFc9Uy-7kVGMArYOmdU4UKXywb7xV_4fZTLw2-e1lGhbtoXKvgmaJHVBcXcPeEx-Vu_s0XjMYq3cDk2TLkjrxzGN4RgPFnxW-nyUs12L43DLeEIp2ZBOFqmj1aelAZU9_cz6i8sCCc/s16000/20221105_212643.jpg" /></a></p><p>Since it was nearing Christmas, we also did a craft workshop and built a DIY christmas tree out of cardboard rolls, pom poms, decorative tape, pipe cleaners, cotton wool, sequins and more. It was really a fun and creative way to bond with the older kids and we enjoyed that afternoon very much.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMoS2M3oUG_Yq067Ozan3PQwN8vLFXmpy5I7YWI0zq7P-d9_eJ9ojfxUZxe2KSBUi0BfGBPJBP-RRj-6FPZX7EyI1nTwdsAV-9tflNxzGZnnLZc2Qgd4GDEBqFQT5wEExuwtCSK62lJXUO4GhYv1oXqntAoDu-Sjbi-ks6HyTRTByduLov9OB7sAD/s1000/20221105_154303.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMoS2M3oUG_Yq067Ozan3PQwN8vLFXmpy5I7YWI0zq7P-d9_eJ9ojfxUZxe2KSBUi0BfGBPJBP-RRj-6FPZX7EyI1nTwdsAV-9tflNxzGZnnLZc2Qgd4GDEBqFQT5wEExuwtCSK62lJXUO4GhYv1oXqntAoDu-Sjbi-ks6HyTRTByduLov9OB7sAD/s16000/20221105_154303.jpg" /></a></p><p>The kids love playing and learning in Changi Experience Studio so even though we've been here over half a dozen times already, they still enjoy our time here. Some of their favourite activities including The Amazing Runway where they get to pedal and race and the Smile Challenge where we would flash our pearlies and hope to get a high score.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakaXLN3yyl7QgWN7vgQ1s67Nw2gxVImyL49ZApa9CdntaOlX21IsdvhrR5iZM8_a9iRDy7CgP-ki_KDQP5yIg22jM48Jx8qXwgmUrvBTlpphcxq2nDR6aDukX_1dD7qjZE57ogKZHFLiTwQaktFd0HKtmp6ds7b8CZcL-X7PKRolezbsGcFF7Ytt0/s1000/20221105_125957.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakaXLN3yyl7QgWN7vgQ1s67Nw2gxVImyL49ZApa9CdntaOlX21IsdvhrR5iZM8_a9iRDy7CgP-ki_KDQP5yIg22jM48Jx8qXwgmUrvBTlpphcxq2nDR6aDukX_1dD7qjZE57ogKZHFLiTwQaktFd0HKtmp6ds7b8CZcL-X7PKRolezbsGcFF7Ytt0/s16000/20221105_125957.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nJE95byi-uNHET2d8Hu-x17EnILtyw2YBqjZ5BfWQ7EMzw9GRYmEVsdNZz3CZccWmOqSb5knrgcdmP7EZlROCDblDOAAAFSYVNkeqw2B4QwfpJm-pnO3Pg4K9YuudPAaRd5jH8NtkeDTJ5kqVSzk0AEXPkUBbKzPLmzOhd25h3rpFYEbg_S7wMJg/s1000/20221105_134857.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nJE95byi-uNHET2d8Hu-x17EnILtyw2YBqjZ5BfWQ7EMzw9GRYmEVsdNZz3CZccWmOqSb5knrgcdmP7EZlROCDblDOAAAFSYVNkeqw2B4QwfpJm-pnO3Pg4K9YuudPAaRd5jH8NtkeDTJ5kqVSzk0AEXPkUBbKzPLmzOhd25h3rpFYEbg_S7wMJg/s16000/20221105_134857.jpg" /></a></p><p>The Underground Carnival in Terminal 3 was one of our highlights for this month and we visited not once but twice because the kids had so much fun! We loved most of the games across the three worlds - Great World, Modern World and Future World - and our favourites were the viking, choo choo train, darts, fishing, shooting and bumper cars. Carnival games are always so much fun and we are so thankful we got to play so much of them this year - our <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2023/01/a-skeleton-carnival-happy-halloween-2022.html" target="_blank">Halloween party</a> had a carnival theme too, remember?</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbpxpW2-Eeqs4xREisyZgpg_vJUtoPb6s6JJXfX5wFCgQD9kNNlwI9rFAse7s2zL7ee9ZIQ0hBJ7P1guAX2D7omYTVnIXth86ytRzOnBGU-orRlrLhA1wGxS48yqF48r8p0fCK3yGHtI2ltJE9Xw5ZNuCO3ySPRFxtYyu8dSsm_XvKabOS_5-jMoIb/s1000/20221105_173233.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbpxpW2-Eeqs4xREisyZgpg_vJUtoPb6s6JJXfX5wFCgQD9kNNlwI9rFAse7s2zL7ee9ZIQ0hBJ7P1guAX2D7omYTVnIXth86ytRzOnBGU-orRlrLhA1wGxS48yqF48r8p0fCK3yGHtI2ltJE9Xw5ZNuCO3ySPRFxtYyu8dSsm_XvKabOS_5-jMoIb/s16000/20221105_173233.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijuc9yIiYQhq8SBNz8P-AxlxcO4VmL6yv6psF8y00GyCWZHTWO5kq55kp8-wpTJOhEgFVdQHF2JNdZT7_TdUY4bxDbBTWF78-rf905Ia4Rod3v4XlmVKLg_HVT0ImsGwNDC5Sroqm5ScKWe_AGXQpjtmlTTauB2SN3LZ-MJn8EtaSOK-5YpBFocJ1s/s1000/20221105_181427.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijuc9yIiYQhq8SBNz8P-AxlxcO4VmL6yv6psF8y00GyCWZHTWO5kq55kp8-wpTJOhEgFVdQHF2JNdZT7_TdUY4bxDbBTWF78-rf905Ia4Rod3v4XlmVKLg_HVT0ImsGwNDC5Sroqm5ScKWe_AGXQpjtmlTTauB2SN3LZ-MJn8EtaSOK-5YpBFocJ1s/s16000/20221105_181427.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaRlbcv4SHU9LNd1cnoOsy3MMRrb4Kv8ahrkoSlAyNI6JvmkX_k7ul1tRm-ZETuJu3yJvTgEJnQnr-pDwWPW8Wyzz65epyAqHecrBvB9bvJMJZwpQODYEpnufJOp1OeyfZnDq3pq1bVDTnAKrmWn34ezcd_dBqDSPLIzhoCxGAaao4md7rkD0Ukf26/s1000/20221105_173631.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaRlbcv4SHU9LNd1cnoOsy3MMRrb4Kv8ahrkoSlAyNI6JvmkX_k7ul1tRm-ZETuJu3yJvTgEJnQnr-pDwWPW8Wyzz65epyAqHecrBvB9bvJMJZwpQODYEpnufJOp1OeyfZnDq3pq1bVDTnAKrmWn34ezcd_dBqDSPLIzhoCxGAaao4md7rkD0Ukf26/s16000/20221105_173631.jpg" /></a></p><p>We love hanging out at Jewel and it's a place we frequent. There are so many eateries, sightseeing spots as well as kid-friendly activities here. I truly enjoy our mum-and-kids outings and seeing how fast the kids are growing up, I know this won't last forever and while they are still young, I'd better cherish my time with them and make use of every day we spend together.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF36hgFtCAcVknZYfH6mu-DJQDuapkZ5U0TzVX3m5_5Ul2ZcWcWVk_Z75Wp312GdWXt3EhDY_vbkZIbtOgPMfyp1d8tOqRYPLZr2lG8OZBWlog5FybeZWR4f7_NuxpnkxVfNS3-pwZ9HDltF3z-z7QqQ1OA6rAx69vh6V9ftcjCb5Xy7NJEV7ydd2h/s1000/20221105_121405.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF36hgFtCAcVknZYfH6mu-DJQDuapkZ5U0TzVX3m5_5Ul2ZcWcWVk_Z75Wp312GdWXt3EhDY_vbkZIbtOgPMfyp1d8tOqRYPLZr2lG8OZBWlog5FybeZWR4f7_NuxpnkxVfNS3-pwZ9HDltF3z-z7QqQ1OA6rAx69vh6V9ftcjCb5Xy7NJEV7ydd2h/s16000/20221105_121405.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_yeBJISWnYpzgJ9QN2eHw3qQMVQYGMrbrzLgbF2rLXewPBrM98qarpX5ZTe9JSHxDzBrgzhzbLErJAVdM3ni6Zxv5X_PrA14yTDOnre_oiCYdGsh8x9s05NN5Wl8eED6NovNz072nmVY0YhymcmFvsUmXMUwM5q2K1nI96aEDyquJeGSei2-kpk9/s1000/20221105_102613.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH_yeBJISWnYpzgJ9QN2eHw3qQMVQYGMrbrzLgbF2rLXewPBrM98qarpX5ZTe9JSHxDzBrgzhzbLErJAVdM3ni6Zxv5X_PrA14yTDOnre_oiCYdGsh8x9s05NN5Wl8eED6NovNz072nmVY0YhymcmFvsUmXMUwM5q2K1nI96aEDyquJeGSei2-kpk9/s16000/20221105_102613.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRIpaxbN_ImGTi1f-FGwBcpdXzUEwZ3z14TX7XjiHG5N5A8jgY0ajH_cbenB3AKhSr5MYpYqBFux-AEPFLRQoklP7Ehw5wxKBab9NVrsmnkzaL7lW7TGmx9XVubIZh88Zn6dcEUGNbCBE21-V3ZIa8PfAfIVumNrwABJj2_ID9TwY15nrgo8eU2jPr/s1000/20221105_103505.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRIpaxbN_ImGTi1f-FGwBcpdXzUEwZ3z14TX7XjiHG5N5A8jgY0ajH_cbenB3AKhSr5MYpYqBFux-AEPFLRQoklP7Ehw5wxKBab9NVrsmnkzaL7lW7TGmx9XVubIZh88Zn6dcEUGNbCBE21-V3ZIa8PfAfIVumNrwABJj2_ID9TwY15nrgo8eU2jPr/s16000/20221105_103505.jpg" /></a></p><p>Knowing how they love animals, especially dogs, I surprised them by bringing them to visit a dog cafe called Chow Cute Cafe. While the food wasn't worth the hefty price tag, we enjoyed the patting session with the dogs and spent a good time with them and some other animals like chinchillas and parrots too. Our favourite is Barkley, the gorgeous, fluffy and absolutely friendly Samoyed and I think we were very lucky to be able to meet him.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrSmf25zOyjyBzV9k-qrkAb7aVtg79c5FJRmihMi2TEBuquBrX5NRy3CFT146nJRBJSV0wyVGyfYcVmzfUxLbthEewtJAxaygufwDErt4th4SlkI5pPS1b7bOjveCJYZkAqCeOTaffXtwU7X8Z2AZf6JIIcBH7NNsXO-buNeIsWl4O1oH08LKydmhM/s1000/20221115_151421.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrSmf25zOyjyBzV9k-qrkAb7aVtg79c5FJRmihMi2TEBuquBrX5NRy3CFT146nJRBJSV0wyVGyfYcVmzfUxLbthEewtJAxaygufwDErt4th4SlkI5pPS1b7bOjveCJYZkAqCeOTaffXtwU7X8Z2AZf6JIIcBH7NNsXO-buNeIsWl4O1oH08LKydmhM/s16000/20221115_151421.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJpG4x5ytDvUKKRigY0M6u0rbqAx8IA_a8DfnNsP5yBpw3IXU8Myt_q9h0WVI-2wu01baszjuVfZaN2_1TS_TLxIHZurTB8vl0_fTw55EItC2ccztNovheQHu5ieve00VMAb-eDgspOIPXb5aMAkwUax7qoYw70kkNNdEedP2JhYkd50BM4bnRqANn/s1000/20221115_134528.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJpG4x5ytDvUKKRigY0M6u0rbqAx8IA_a8DfnNsP5yBpw3IXU8Myt_q9h0WVI-2wu01baszjuVfZaN2_1TS_TLxIHZurTB8vl0_fTw55EItC2ccztNovheQHu5ieve00VMAb-eDgspOIPXb5aMAkwUax7qoYw70kkNNdEedP2JhYkd50BM4bnRqANn/s16000/20221115_134528.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH1VvLJUGdAbbdru7XkIO_ZcVUhXjrecDLuxMVs2hdbfY2XNLIOezHkJjW18cyC4tIH4C7FcqdLv-nUGHo_KGtDKQ1lObp5y7JXnD4qfV31mEc0Qqt94Mvn6K57NiUvb30ASMQqzxnedpjMC87W0_C3toBQioKnfxIZ2-xymaICdPRAdDkaHzgoWLo/s1000/20221115_135302.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH1VvLJUGdAbbdru7XkIO_ZcVUhXjrecDLuxMVs2hdbfY2XNLIOezHkJjW18cyC4tIH4C7FcqdLv-nUGHo_KGtDKQ1lObp5y7JXnD4qfV31mEc0Qqt94Mvn6K57NiUvb30ASMQqzxnedpjMC87W0_C3toBQioKnfxIZ2-xymaICdPRAdDkaHzgoWLo/s16000/20221115_135302.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge4QnFZQwyi_XjdlshwzZZJMD5hdytt2ATC0i2B_t44yaubmPObtoGbKc66S-nzEF1Nt75HZHg2cdNjwwEIa0eNJTcQHAMcmPN36jq8MCEKqdBeUtH5s0PE3p0u5YIaP8ZcxGOc0QnfLqYj7W7_bmexU7BvOibUndE4cjX46mLpuzA79YjdA-DowXE/s1000/20221115_161359.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge4QnFZQwyi_XjdlshwzZZJMD5hdytt2ATC0i2B_t44yaubmPObtoGbKc66S-nzEF1Nt75HZHg2cdNjwwEIa0eNJTcQHAMcmPN36jq8MCEKqdBeUtH5s0PE3p0u5YIaP8ZcxGOc0QnfLqYj7W7_bmexU7BvOibUndE4cjX46mLpuzA79YjdA-DowXE/s16000/20221115_161359.jpg" /></a></p><p>Playground visits are always enjoyable for the kids so I made sure we visited some neighbourhood playgrounds during the holidays. It's nice to explore new playgrounds too so I'm always trying to think of where to bring them next. How blessed are we to have some so many fun and free playgrounds in our heartlands, right? </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPKG0W08hHYCQAV2QqnBiJfXOW3Bt420xhDJVWh9gtJbQM4XjCnRGQqpjwMbKoo9KtsCB6u5KywhmwkZNMh6rcucrHMGFAe-4oi66SWiu0vILNtPk9jR0KiKJ2mg7bWEQ1GAX7-EOGbKyyjWLNxqMzfVriomwyjM1ZkPg9WRkRkacvHAkLd56SMYAe/s1000/20221115_165649.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPKG0W08hHYCQAV2QqnBiJfXOW3Bt420xhDJVWh9gtJbQM4XjCnRGQqpjwMbKoo9KtsCB6u5KywhmwkZNMh6rcucrHMGFAe-4oi66SWiu0vILNtPk9jR0KiKJ2mg7bWEQ1GAX7-EOGbKyyjWLNxqMzfVriomwyjM1ZkPg9WRkRkacvHAkLd56SMYAe/s16000/20221115_165649.jpg" /></a></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWqnqBmdSjLT13yDJdSL-7th-ef3NGMJrOLNdoBMGeQH9oqNHL1gAWKE_iC-d5f44StbtgflY1VUr7vqbSvNp_yktXhPRnX3nBKexy1VZgo9PuHKeSjNEZRvaQKH4mZGEIirTbBxsyNU0IX1WuTvFHdNIU4oln9EPTRwo-mJr5ywC7mQRA2OGOWF-k/s1000/20221115_164808.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWqnqBmdSjLT13yDJdSL-7th-ef3NGMJrOLNdoBMGeQH9oqNHL1gAWKE_iC-d5f44StbtgflY1VUr7vqbSvNp_yktXhPRnX3nBKexy1VZgo9PuHKeSjNEZRvaQKH4mZGEIirTbBxsyNU0IX1WuTvFHdNIU4oln9EPTRwo-mJr5ywC7mQRA2OGOWF-k/s16000/20221115_164808.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The only annual pass we own now is the Friends of Wildlife membership and that is because the kids really like visiting the Zoo, Bird Park, River Wonders and Night Safari. We checked out the Festive Wild-erland celebration in the Zoo and the kids made some cute aquariums and learnt a fact or two about monochromatic animals. With a stroke of luck, we came up close with many ring-tailed lemurs that day too and that was pretty awesome!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2w6B7glHjSDN8TxFUSiGlUXmVxpcY72YWWSSrP-GuFKNp_fALlcmB3cxt550H5fqRc-2dyHf2BUz4GtTM7XAuZaHxlT9gS7D5DP8Lk1_MFlmDGREi349WQRvIqzdsOAi8ZrF0xVa_PZjT6xv8Yij3q7gKyj1Ij1Jt8Y7FvzCxyHt7dhKC0ltX_jq/s1000/20221127_125005.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2w6B7glHjSDN8TxFUSiGlUXmVxpcY72YWWSSrP-GuFKNp_fALlcmB3cxt550H5fqRc-2dyHf2BUz4GtTM7XAuZaHxlT9gS7D5DP8Lk1_MFlmDGREi349WQRvIqzdsOAi8ZrF0xVa_PZjT6xv8Yij3q7gKyj1Ij1Jt8Y7FvzCxyHt7dhKC0ltX_jq/s16000/20221127_125005.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYIAfcPz55pTRG3HDCv1zvlBf-Pdh3adwVaik443SzhEvktZebQ8un0wFhLn7qDrnJy7Pw_fhIxy9WqQNwW7XVVCkoZsHDr4T185zras89Dop-7arUk7qMZn9Zzh0CYkOitkm2rt7C4s0a8KfUXve0uYZpC9Mryn5raZY5JVSoSiK-8-jwufsDQxhV/s1000/collage237.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYIAfcPz55pTRG3HDCv1zvlBf-Pdh3adwVaik443SzhEvktZebQ8un0wFhLn7qDrnJy7Pw_fhIxy9WqQNwW7XVVCkoZsHDr4T185zras89Dop-7arUk7qMZn9Zzh0CYkOitkm2rt7C4s0a8KfUXve0uYZpC9Mryn5raZY5JVSoSiK-8-jwufsDQxhV/s16000/collage237.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigtU6b7DZ7eXLQ0D1ZYgbaYsOuCKM1d1BwtRKK2y-NcQv0hHlNGA-_JNo1BZjoPHQWRcRPMi_pFNc2hc0g03Cb3oJpCo1Tn5jiZS3Rsv0f297tFElZ9rj6x9pgl85Rd6bUG4KCFlP72Yr7T2RXtQnxezHQ6MOjl2gMYTHxWjsZzMDVjjqBIF8d7f-1/s1000/20221127_165634.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigtU6b7DZ7eXLQ0D1ZYgbaYsOuCKM1d1BwtRKK2y-NcQv0hHlNGA-_JNo1BZjoPHQWRcRPMi_pFNc2hc0g03Cb3oJpCo1Tn5jiZS3Rsv0f297tFElZ9rj6x9pgl85Rd6bUG4KCFlP72Yr7T2RXtQnxezHQ6MOjl2gMYTHxWjsZzMDVjjqBIF8d7f-1/s16000/20221127_165634.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Movie outings continue to be a part of our life and my family generally enjoys watching movies and appreciate every chance we get to go to the cinema. We had a mum-and-kids outing to Orchard to catch Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile and that was one of the best shows we watched in 2022. The cute choreography, the catchy songs, the inspirational story all combined to make this show a fond one for us and the kids loved it a lot.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We were lucky to be able to bring home a couple of inflatable crocodiles too and guess what, even though it was late at night already, the kids and I still went for supper at McDonalds before we headed home on the public transport with our crocs. The funny thing was it started to pour heavily and we had to walk in the rain on our way home. So the crocs came into good use because we used them to shelter our heads, haha. That was a fun memory that I hope the kids would remember when they grow up.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXQZDR59h23XanMBJF6_psb3W_Kbhj2dWmS0otESEqGF3TjvkB_tFeuHx42GqkyIbsf0F3ffl-RR23YM70uDHcS__Sl-jVUW1uVufELURLtkl9aesw61ohwCR_y2RA_lNrnSm5G_NM2TdcRBYz-6CAgf_mOReGNEL4KT-GtZ5jK-r17uD36-xwpoE4/s1000/20221124_182029.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXQZDR59h23XanMBJF6_psb3W_Kbhj2dWmS0otESEqGF3TjvkB_tFeuHx42GqkyIbsf0F3ffl-RR23YM70uDHcS__Sl-jVUW1uVufELURLtkl9aesw61ohwCR_y2RA_lNrnSm5G_NM2TdcRBYz-6CAgf_mOReGNEL4KT-GtZ5jK-r17uD36-xwpoE4/s16000/20221124_182029.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhar735vKlwcLXfYB4B4PsuJRdGNrm6sTVPZSHVdVrPaJkzxf34Lyu9A-KR5dq1xeZoHcWZU1-IM17le9GCYzbyldO9Tu5IRuKUmiNan4gWEiYbxEb2G5awMhmA0GOjeA5Qc2eaaTNaQXqxWAuVR-3C8S8IbDvYj5Mb-OkApd4QI3YIMK5L1LyOYfRl/s1000/20221124_221604.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhar735vKlwcLXfYB4B4PsuJRdGNrm6sTVPZSHVdVrPaJkzxf34Lyu9A-KR5dq1xeZoHcWZU1-IM17le9GCYzbyldO9Tu5IRuKUmiNan4gWEiYbxEb2G5awMhmA0GOjeA5Qc2eaaTNaQXqxWAuVR-3C8S8IbDvYj5Mb-OkApd4QI3YIMK5L1LyOYfRl/s16000/20221124_221604.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I like to bring the kids for new experiences and it's hard to say no to a chance to know more about the Jurassic era and learn more about extinct creatures like dinosaurs. This wasn't a sponsored trip but I thought it was be worthwhile to pay and bring the kids, so we did on a weekday afternoon, just the five of us.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyOBY99on4j3zLff4FMRH7M9txO-kef4RuMElSFNM7HsA99_pyjN6vLuB_EPdfadwTPxXAP1Iq_3VXd1H9pWvxrh2BAo1dlAt5bIYxjXHfcKFuKrypguHFLPIDhpGLQFsgXNn13PtW0nfgx8Uyu3M6w7nOqu4Y_uukJO-QFKqCtdYAM2bq-c8d4BHf/s1000/20221130_170408.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyOBY99on4j3zLff4FMRH7M9txO-kef4RuMElSFNM7HsA99_pyjN6vLuB_EPdfadwTPxXAP1Iq_3VXd1H9pWvxrh2BAo1dlAt5bIYxjXHfcKFuKrypguHFLPIDhpGLQFsgXNn13PtW0nfgx8Uyu3M6w7nOqu4Y_uukJO-QFKqCtdYAM2bq-c8d4BHf/s16000/20221130_170408.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXa4ZL55z0dvvFGeDgnEmk_Hs-Ly9hNF61ZB-yqQ3tNPKGZYBOPIP3XU26_nsS8noAKOlpeqxFdxokmfaUSfSG-qo64TXXpu6yqC65M99cjNGJNKQy-JQrpsnie1egMgmft8nQxuLT3Qsukgh3alJSg9KOvjvccq-6MXhX3iDrSLrS1JgvcYN7VESg/s1000/20221130_182820.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXa4ZL55z0dvvFGeDgnEmk_Hs-Ly9hNF61ZB-yqQ3tNPKGZYBOPIP3XU26_nsS8noAKOlpeqxFdxokmfaUSfSG-qo64TXXpu6yqC65M99cjNGJNKQy-JQrpsnie1egMgmft8nQxuLT3Qsukgh3alJSg9KOvjvccq-6MXhX3iDrSLrS1JgvcYN7VESg/s16000/20221130_182820.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_1kEtAMbGOCk-4NWe6FhhO41L1u1OdumTs9-f-_Ge6KXVESnBMEiAwbd0y0WK3hw7FHE-CYJTQQOIFaWcRSX1x7d47QmOyir-TdzANqjLc9D4U-_RSGiZTKB3bg0aURJuiFOyGwq1D9_3dkYhmH3_1iy8DVgjS23UTgoNNfxGvY-3On8B-OloU4U/s1000/20221130_180651.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_1kEtAMbGOCk-4NWe6FhhO41L1u1OdumTs9-f-_Ge6KXVESnBMEiAwbd0y0WK3hw7FHE-CYJTQQOIFaWcRSX1x7d47QmOyir-TdzANqjLc9D4U-_RSGiZTKB3bg0aURJuiFOyGwq1D9_3dkYhmH3_1iy8DVgjS23UTgoNNfxGvY-3On8B-OloU4U/s16000/20221130_180651.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was a fun and memorable experience and they enjoyed most of the activities, including having to cross a river, dig for fossils and sit in a minecart. A hilarious incident was that we had a play date with our friend prior to this outing and she told me that I somehow had a big hole in my pants, right at the butt area. It probably ripped when I was bending over and I guess that is the problem of wearing a pair of pant - what's more, a maternity one - for too many years. We laughed our heads off and I borrowed a shawl to tie around my waist so as to cover it up. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We went on with the rest of our day as usual, including travelling to Yishun SAFRA for our Dinoland adventure. We even explored further after that by finding our way in the rain to a bus stop, taking the bus to Northpoint, having Pastamania for dinner followed by playing in the arcade for a couple more hours. Yup, it was a fun-filled day from morning to night and I finally said byebye to my pants at the end of it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiznKXkKrUTKer6sAYRJBla1B5DbhOnB2-BJynSz5xwoKiwhdnyIQvhtQiWkbnIuCH0-doFrIPXwORQAI3lhCVy65W0V44OhPulqr5JglZMipjbHhHbia0L662RmHoskdoGjRVdiZ-n5cPRg9THvPkMLpDYp_V1AKPEKs9zj9YCTH5KQjsgwJWd_oIn/s1000/20221130_173347.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiznKXkKrUTKer6sAYRJBla1B5DbhOnB2-BJynSz5xwoKiwhdnyIQvhtQiWkbnIuCH0-doFrIPXwORQAI3lhCVy65W0V44OhPulqr5JglZMipjbHhHbia0L662RmHoskdoGjRVdiZ-n5cPRg9THvPkMLpDYp_V1AKPEKs9zj9YCTH5KQjsgwJWd_oIn/s16000/20221130_173347.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh53jlDJpWu9Kq-zuXV5so_-3SZohTPnfZj7rW_LYr4XBWep1vMeSIydT329s-HFmkEdiZ5su_SWpgmoQtxPgvsp05deIpQawCuoJGYEuEp-F3OCJ0_8t6ubzQ7b3TY0abraDNLMd1uLLg1btOE9wUtcHuoloMOn9yYXRnGypwpbK-j2RSGJ3U-CTe0/s1000/20221130_181655.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh53jlDJpWu9Kq-zuXV5so_-3SZohTPnfZj7rW_LYr4XBWep1vMeSIydT329s-HFmkEdiZ5su_SWpgmoQtxPgvsp05deIpQawCuoJGYEuEp-F3OCJ0_8t6ubzQ7b3TY0abraDNLMd1uLLg1btOE9wUtcHuoloMOn9yYXRnGypwpbK-j2RSGJ3U-CTe0/s16000/20221130_181655.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On the last day of school, it was dress up day for Ariel and Asher and they had to be characters from one of the storybooks. So off Ariel went in a simple DIY ladybird getup - we pasted black dots on a red shirt and cape and made her feelers out of pipe cleaners and milk carton caps - while Asher was my Prince Charming in the gold crown had a personalised cape.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikJbgGXsJqb3uRjwxGX-1WPOV_PVZVoYTzsA0UGiu8Ek9M4sKIvvBKvDazRxCF6hoT81TqhP0B7JlxOnFc86nMmyK_Tg0O2Zvn9At2c3YDkLjadAlsR03ezon_B0tXcA4EJa_OWw_g78xbdQWgf0koDsjMBA3E5fNeeY4e6RtT9sn4TTo-4paTN-IA/s1000/collage236.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikJbgGXsJqb3uRjwxGX-1WPOV_PVZVoYTzsA0UGiu8Ek9M4sKIvvBKvDazRxCF6hoT81TqhP0B7JlxOnFc86nMmyK_Tg0O2Zvn9At2c3YDkLjadAlsR03ezon_B0tXcA4EJa_OWw_g78xbdQWgf0koDsjMBA3E5fNeeY4e6RtT9sn4TTo-4paTN-IA/s16000/collage236.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Navy Family Day is always an event we look forward to because it presents a rare chance for the kids to experience and understand more about Papa's work. They don't see him around that much and this is a time when they can bond with him and find out what keeps him busy as he does his part to protect our seas. Kudos to the event organisers for doing this year after year, we truly appreciated how we got to on board the ships, take part in family-friendly carnival games and visit the newly revamped Navy Museum this year.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIIH-ziHXzLwpZUxIhVy-m-i6Z6XS6F11nmFwpWqaGX9V6LCOKq7UcI2Bode1TjkyWXEua3YcgToIJ6IV11xM8mt5LfreNvM59s9Xq7pAJnGZ89AfsybxzQT-mZHO6IFKulHCdJBxi_kboNTNeHCZJW2SRJUm1bUrTih6CS6gyzDS33CSL6s-5Amf4/s1000/20221129_180422.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIIH-ziHXzLwpZUxIhVy-m-i6Z6XS6F11nmFwpWqaGX9V6LCOKq7UcI2Bode1TjkyWXEua3YcgToIJ6IV11xM8mt5LfreNvM59s9Xq7pAJnGZ89AfsybxzQT-mZHO6IFKulHCdJBxi_kboNTNeHCZJW2SRJUm1bUrTih6CS6gyzDS33CSL6s-5Amf4/s16000/20221129_180422.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjClfxY42kiE798RBWKvHleNIDWqNmzUD7TFnTKDW_kots7Nb7mHo2EpcYVIjcsXnZW6_X13eaF7yO1pzYm9xBDBEuBS1rjcqdoHpIihjiUUnn6c1ODbfVuvG1qXCq9IWUFQGt-GzBATMV5tyyLCKOLZIQnpS0xZS_lWBCuzkn4mlb4L6lTXJiW3OPi/s1000/20221129_152152.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjClfxY42kiE798RBWKvHleNIDWqNmzUD7TFnTKDW_kots7Nb7mHo2EpcYVIjcsXnZW6_X13eaF7yO1pzYm9xBDBEuBS1rjcqdoHpIihjiUUnn6c1ODbfVuvG1qXCq9IWUFQGt-GzBATMV5tyyLCKOLZIQnpS0xZS_lWBCuzkn4mlb4L6lTXJiW3OPi/s16000/20221129_152152.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIBPqScdnY676ZzfH8JAin4hzw-pYFKHHH2girKqSGBtWK9YAMQhvlllnEGrq2xrijzZJQdXP1GZt9RIMmcxBTpP5On9nWVoy4Ob6S9bVwP8fJeR_X-nRuJtEE9DkKX5AahgYMMl6HZKP1GVQMSuoTnFDiX0YQDS9pV1aw6RyWL5znNEafy8o7L18i/s1000/20221129_145725.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIBPqScdnY676ZzfH8JAin4hzw-pYFKHHH2girKqSGBtWK9YAMQhvlllnEGrq2xrijzZJQdXP1GZt9RIMmcxBTpP5On9nWVoy4Ob6S9bVwP8fJeR_X-nRuJtEE9DkKX5AahgYMMl6HZKP1GVQMSuoTnFDiX0YQDS9pV1aw6RyWL5znNEafy8o7L18i/s16000/20221129_145725.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">To the hubby, thank you for working so hard to support our family and for keeping our country safe. You are the reason why I can continue this dream of being a stay-at-home mum and be there with our kids as they grow up each day. We appreciate you more than we say it out loud and I hope you know that deep down. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxf2OXU9LXksExQMDcTr9ry4njqvWKltHdqHiZeHEDa0kzlWIwWnXKofsmBPyfQjUM9ws68uRkcAvW1anFM9IUoQ5OAEVVky6RKTlkkHcShFI5VeL7oBoBiqEdbxUQv4q-fYiKZUcSctSXx8qrker7MoZwAx3e70nqjXxAN-9ENMjvwu5Nnsa9nbs6/s1000/20221129_122608.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxf2OXU9LXksExQMDcTr9ry4njqvWKltHdqHiZeHEDa0kzlWIwWnXKofsmBPyfQjUM9ws68uRkcAvW1anFM9IUoQ5OAEVVky6RKTlkkHcShFI5VeL7oBoBiqEdbxUQv4q-fYiKZUcSctSXx8qrker7MoZwAx3e70nqjXxAN-9ENMjvwu5Nnsa9nbs6/s16000/20221129_122608.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTjZnBf1SyWrmlq9Bd86F1JNUxr1M28hiILGSwQ0QuFVsXkJg2gjKdZrkjH4P8yyeBabqE9Fm36BGPCsm6XXIJDUh-7BIpbsqaBfdGvqoRyjsHSEKbzRBkKiSFQhNNFDQcYmmzrlCKoWY2SQpFsHQSAOqOvkNUnQmsVI1pHdUhm8MTBIZbHyeEcE0C/s1000/20221129_113307.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTjZnBf1SyWrmlq9Bd86F1JNUxr1M28hiILGSwQ0QuFVsXkJg2gjKdZrkjH4P8yyeBabqE9Fm36BGPCsm6XXIJDUh-7BIpbsqaBfdGvqoRyjsHSEKbzRBkKiSFQhNNFDQcYmmzrlCKoWY2SQpFsHQSAOqOvkNUnQmsVI1pHdUhm8MTBIZbHyeEcE0C/s16000/20221129_113307.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2p8K7xQO4YImBMk4M7aN7uvWRlgTs7UldW0MS5JcaAJ7FNKlj_6tZ343eMxNpk_6Qvuf-F8SSxLegvPHxmI_BHVgjA2wh81iCdz-Tz4y_P3bV9LfXsD6WomOP_95g7_jNFSGKSJCW-UPjQgBXGreAEDxsfuLbHLyeFGtB2SB6EQ3lYjxRIjvZ0x3W/s1000/20221129_130523.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2p8K7xQO4YImBMk4M7aN7uvWRlgTs7UldW0MS5JcaAJ7FNKlj_6tZ343eMxNpk_6Qvuf-F8SSxLegvPHxmI_BHVgjA2wh81iCdz-Tz4y_P3bV9LfXsD6WomOP_95g7_jNFSGKSJCW-UPjQgBXGreAEDxsfuLbHLyeFGtB2SB6EQ3lYjxRIjvZ0x3W/s16000/20221129_130523.jpg" /></a></div>Of course, we also had a fabulous 3D2N stay in D'Resort to celebrate Angel's 13th birthday and I've dedicated a separate post on that, you can read about it <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2023/02/a-splashing-good-time-angel-is-13.html" target="_blank">here</a>. The year end is always a busy period for me because three of my babies' birthdays fall during Nov and December. I shall share more about the rest of our celebrations soon, yeah?<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkdbfs8GX8vuzI-AHjrvCXhQNAXMIZuntAwalHHc3H67gYvyDet_u4iTpIuVbP-o9ENiiHEeBykm0GHuDgxSYlh9HZO1d7W7rmknKtL5dyQRr9_lPapDE_3U-k2oOzoLul0EPvmcr9a3ekJCwGuawPRLbJBRGSET6XdSfat7soH3rMQq7JRpzXTJyR/s1000/20221121_180911a.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkdbfs8GX8vuzI-AHjrvCXhQNAXMIZuntAwalHHc3H67gYvyDet_u4iTpIuVbP-o9ENiiHEeBykm0GHuDgxSYlh9HZO1d7W7rmknKtL5dyQRr9_lPapDE_3U-k2oOzoLul0EPvmcr9a3ekJCwGuawPRLbJBRGSET6XdSfat7soH3rMQq7JRpzXTJyR/s16000/20221121_180911a.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We also went to the arcade and every time I do so, I remind the kids that it's a blessing that they get to play such games which are not cheap in my view. I always look for good deals before I top up our cards and it must be at least a $1 for $2 credit bundle deal before I am wiling to do so. We had saved up our tickets from our previous visits so this time round, we finally used them to exchange for some games and toys since it was the start of the school holidays after all. Woohoo!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA1nTxFhRLQhjqbaCeeOxTyX6FZby-IvcD3lt2_hmlk3IwBM8IrNjNwtxW9u_pi7MTyeFusKPAxlEHfUMnvabJWt_J69915_x5vVTTvkpdK80r-GyrVLJroYILNL0I2JB_oe0fId6f0w2UJ5GULsZDZqZ6QvE69oGWT5tDFnWfm2cbutOOefBRO7T1/s1000/20221117_214642.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA1nTxFhRLQhjqbaCeeOxTyX6FZby-IvcD3lt2_hmlk3IwBM8IrNjNwtxW9u_pi7MTyeFusKPAxlEHfUMnvabJWt_J69915_x5vVTTvkpdK80r-GyrVLJroYILNL0I2JB_oe0fId6f0w2UJ5GULsZDZqZ6QvE69oGWT5tDFnWfm2cbutOOefBRO7T1/s16000/20221117_214642.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Congratulations to Ariel for achieving the Gold Award in swimming! This girl is a fish in the water and she amazes me by how fast and comfortable she is when it comes to swimming. She got her Silver Award not long ago only so it was a surprise when her coach told me she could go for Gold and she even outswam the other boys who took the test with her. So well done to you, Ariel, please know that you are an exceptional girl and I am very proud of you in all you do!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjszNEEvbSj9fZ4szMhU9Q061ajHl20NajnI4u6XW0kem1M2AlWjykZjxMzs2h_M10XwWWUAQQnIkUDSUzm0kd-7TQlvsvrUKKu_LCYpEyQ9XRMPHjPc7wiDK3KIVHWhdkArtV9cXuCUABQoPqfO4bP5Y6h9S6FY3HnSeCCZRdBgcxGSi4NL36IqnV2/s1000/20221119_194115.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjszNEEvbSj9fZ4szMhU9Q061ajHl20NajnI4u6XW0kem1M2AlWjykZjxMzs2h_M10XwWWUAQQnIkUDSUzm0kd-7TQlvsvrUKKu_LCYpEyQ9XRMPHjPc7wiDK3KIVHWhdkArtV9cXuCUABQoPqfO4bP5Y6h9S6FY3HnSeCCZRdBgcxGSi4NL36IqnV2/s16000/20221119_194115.jpg" /></a></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Aq9-88eRly13v-hUFJcJ8vlylrCrmWn3DMz_TH0dvKMz602_bAX6937Io2ceAfbOuhdyVt9IwR3sPSNGahC0ZGH0IhhKCMK1M51NJzswXzhy9-ga179aChsmX3XDjxkKEl6oO-W7Gh3kfDLp4YF94QH01UM85qzeNVb5xhdjogOWanrihgAK03py/s1000/20221119_200520.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Aq9-88eRly13v-hUFJcJ8vlylrCrmWn3DMz_TH0dvKMz602_bAX6937Io2ceAfbOuhdyVt9IwR3sPSNGahC0ZGH0IhhKCMK1M51NJzswXzhy9-ga179aChsmX3XDjxkKEl6oO-W7Gh3kfDLp4YF94QH01UM85qzeNVb5xhdjogOWanrihgAK03py/s16000/20221119_200520.jpg" /></a></div><div></div><div>To celebrate her passing her test, I took the kids for supper after that. Yeap, we took the MRT to explore the surroundings and found ourselves in a McDonalds' outlet in Khatib. We had a nice meal, went to a pasar malam for a walk after that before taking a long bus ride home. These are the kind of days I treasure with the kids and the reason why I love holidays too - it gives us the chance to bond, explore, have fun, sleep late and just be spontaneous.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwstuAR070LqwMfaYvDwH-EBEgE5P5Q8jIPBTnf1R04IMSLyifPef6HSJjY6Eow2w4wppNptx3Z4K7MXg9DKK6wDeDL5HcED3PR9uTEqwONxACKa1a-7ofX9BwzKeAzPszbKgHBKHNN9bJMScnNcsY546H1LFq5E2VRqX7W4JGAknC1BWzflKNIs38/s1000/20221119_211415.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwstuAR070LqwMfaYvDwH-EBEgE5P5Q8jIPBTnf1R04IMSLyifPef6HSJjY6Eow2w4wppNptx3Z4K7MXg9DKK6wDeDL5HcED3PR9uTEqwONxACKa1a-7ofX9BwzKeAzPszbKgHBKHNN9bJMScnNcsY546H1LFq5E2VRqX7W4JGAknC1BWzflKNIs38/s16000/20221119_211415.jpg" /></a><div>For those of you who love reading Ansel's updates, well, he had his first taste of 小笼包 and surprisingly, he loved it and asked for mouth after mouth! Haha. 识货哦. It's so expensive to dine in Ding Tai Fung these days because 一笼小笼包 is not enough for us and we have to end up ordering two, which makes the bill a hefty sum. So we only visit Ding Tai Fung once every 2 to 3 months and it's a treat that we savour and treasure every time we go.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZmke0qpdLTeIcqkiIwSNBaB80aU6sbQLi3an5T123Njyk-dm4M0HoJqAq6LgPBce4yquNjui67cNfBamolRuxb55ZRMm_pP26bXFaAYSpFI6RM877cEob5OQSERn89v8sw_bhCh78GQ5uuFHn3778ErPy-k7otL-ht6f9II6P4JUkiJ_9pB2qxSE0/s1000/20221115_185033.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZmke0qpdLTeIcqkiIwSNBaB80aU6sbQLi3an5T123Njyk-dm4M0HoJqAq6LgPBce4yquNjui67cNfBamolRuxb55ZRMm_pP26bXFaAYSpFI6RM877cEob5OQSERn89v8sw_bhCh78GQ5uuFHn3778ErPy-k7otL-ht6f9II6P4JUkiJ_9pB2qxSE0/s16000/20221115_185033.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>To celebrate the start of the holidays, I also organised a play date for the girls and invited their besties over. It was nice to get to know them better and also let them know our family better too. We played games, swam, ate and chatted. I surprised them by telling them to head to the pool first while I inflated this ginormous, super huge flamingo so that they could all ride together. They were so shocked when they saw it, haha. I also bought two slices of cake so that we could celebrate the girls' birthdays in advance because I thought it would be awesome if they got to do a cake cutting ceremony with their best friends. So glad all of you had fun, my dears!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFeaPPFxn3JFrUKuL3jC2T_Vr4WeJJHoxeCdquBmqqGXC5FG1K-uTNU0oZgTYW7_e_2YWAW-_LFhgxzJuqvPU3A8goidhx04Uc6CvOFkwksuj41LlJiKT42KRilh9sw7_8B0YAuXZbHJo67-Vq-RzOJm_R5cWmK7D-APFuJL-4mPmNznMxUp6S54ud/s1000/20221110_143909.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFeaPPFxn3JFrUKuL3jC2T_Vr4WeJJHoxeCdquBmqqGXC5FG1K-uTNU0oZgTYW7_e_2YWAW-_LFhgxzJuqvPU3A8goidhx04Uc6CvOFkwksuj41LlJiKT42KRilh9sw7_8B0YAuXZbHJo67-Vq-RzOJm_R5cWmK7D-APFuJL-4mPmNznMxUp6S54ud/s16000/20221110_143909.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioiKoPVKEiJfOk8_qn_PbA50hTc6PVioQCP4pbVZAp9rjXw7CFtkh9J2bMJ_1O7uflTFqvnB7S-HDa8Ir4Qjfop15ZMt5cAiSzX65gYA3vluAYvjwg3PrtyKw0-Pazgpi0ZAarI-4_jqmtuem_ovtpdyCpKmyPom6gBUh4roCkKADdaCOFwnjAQztv/s1000/20221110_115128.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioiKoPVKEiJfOk8_qn_PbA50hTc6PVioQCP4pbVZAp9rjXw7CFtkh9J2bMJ_1O7uflTFqvnB7S-HDa8Ir4Qjfop15ZMt5cAiSzX65gYA3vluAYvjwg3PrtyKw0-Pazgpi0ZAarI-4_jqmtuem_ovtpdyCpKmyPom6gBUh4roCkKADdaCOFwnjAQztv/s16000/20221110_115128.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Last but not least, we also had several family gatherings because that's what the year end is all about, right? We gathered to celebrate my mum's birthday, Angel's birthday, Christmas and more and it's always nice to see our parents bonding over beer and good food as they catch up with each other's lives.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsiwAGNbaon1jRTXsNKASLVDGn0-RvFCz7ZOet4A4ELY7NmmvZEIRYUuPBj-3UD4ILgRRV611-lBP1SVGkY72TyzOhh3HW5NkdQixtZoxGB-0M_djbuxvGMDTFBqCgQHyVTDvTpuLK5e-xlhSH5QAoTARDQFn_hfxFsuyAq5phBUZX33QPVwBdC_NL/s1000/20221106_220340.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsiwAGNbaon1jRTXsNKASLVDGn0-RvFCz7ZOet4A4ELY7NmmvZEIRYUuPBj-3UD4ILgRRV611-lBP1SVGkY72TyzOhh3HW5NkdQixtZoxGB-0M_djbuxvGMDTFBqCgQHyVTDvTpuLK5e-xlhSH5QAoTARDQFn_hfxFsuyAq5phBUZX33QPVwBdC_NL/s16000/20221106_220340.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX2RObSmRF_zarOWSxWIl31aw1skwNioVfcJyPw6CMmN1NPCpfweWLRI00hOXP3xAX7g0OyNkrxlVVEZeyLcnRDhUFtNM9XwT9gqGL_ihW1bPZaSKVKixDCrMzbNRuv7phRvYaxlzTQctFlE__7PmMdh5LAXs57lOTOduezYDbEcqLK3UI9426Wzds/s1000/20221106_220626.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX2RObSmRF_zarOWSxWIl31aw1skwNioVfcJyPw6CMmN1NPCpfweWLRI00hOXP3xAX7g0OyNkrxlVVEZeyLcnRDhUFtNM9XwT9gqGL_ihW1bPZaSKVKixDCrMzbNRuv7phRvYaxlzTQctFlE__7PmMdh5LAXs57lOTOduezYDbEcqLK3UI9426Wzds/s16000/20221106_220626.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yup, if that sounds like jam-packed and fun-filled month of November, just wait till you hear all about our December happenings! That's gonna take a while for me to compile and write but trust that I will slowly but surely get there. I still have so many videos that I wanna make for the kids because they are all precious memories to last for a lifetime. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Till the next update, everybody, and thanks for always sharing and reading about our highlights!</div><p></p></div>~Summer~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478137784353655124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6546965252487257512.post-37698852055392430442023-02-27T02:48:00.002+08:002023-05-19T14:15:44.984+08:00A Splashing Good Time - Angel is 13!<p>Turning 13 is a big thing because it means you are officially a teenager. That happened to the big girl last November - yes, how time flies, this blog was started when she was still a baby and we were living in Sweden - and this precious firstborn of mine has now blossomed into a fine young lady. I still remember the first day she came into this world and I will always do, no matter how big she grows.</p><p>Just so you know, I am the kind of mum who loves to surprise my kids. For all of their birthdays last year, I kept our celebration plans a secret and only dropped them hints when the big day was approaching - and I did that only because we needed to pack the luggage, haha. I told them how many nights we were staying but declined to reveal the venue and told them to just go with the flow and follow me. It was easy to see that they were curious and truly excited. I love keeping them in suspense and then shouting <i>"Ta-dah, happy birthday!" </i>at the end of it all.</p><p>For Angel's 13th birthday celebration, I booked a 3D2N stay at D'Resort as I knew they would enjoy a chalet stay in Downtown East very much. Yes, it's like a hotel stay to my kids. It was quite a good deal because being an NTUC member gave us complimentary access to Wild Wild Wet for all three days, woohoo! Here's sharing more about the splashing good times we had.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSAjqsKLPJNyqNFOT5A0RT7GrLfAFAEdIy2Mj6cEL5HMfRnS1hRvsyLvTFsRoP7YU7AjYd0yrTPbfGLRlY10uQ6RLq57aYjeF4RdYAhfs8qbldxWPN-BF_S9H7Iq2UzH8RCxYa1vQExXzVhvy2krlGyr2HyT9MvsTJPtJUycxIbba7y-GywXf0Lfq9/s4000/20221123_114432.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSAjqsKLPJNyqNFOT5A0RT7GrLfAFAEdIy2Mj6cEL5HMfRnS1hRvsyLvTFsRoP7YU7AjYd0yrTPbfGLRlY10uQ6RLq57aYjeF4RdYAhfs8qbldxWPN-BF_S9H7Iq2UzH8RCxYa1vQExXzVhvy2krlGyr2HyT9MvsTJPtJUycxIbba7y-GywXf0Lfq9/s16000/20221123_114432.jpg" /></a></p><p>On the morning of her actual birthday, we took a cab to Downtown East and that was when the kids first began to realise where we were heading - the younger ones were still quite clueless, haha. It was fun to hear their guesses and I loved sensing their enthusiasm. </p><p>Oh by the way, this was basically a mum-and-kids trip for the most part but the hubby did at least manage to join us for dinner on the first night and we were reunited as a family for Angel's cake cutting ceremony. Some of you were asking how I could manage to visit a water park with four kids in tow so I'll try to share more tips below as we go along.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVexh2LyasOVLVW9kaCsPvucUFNbMmC08YB2pzXA0nyTRI9k4PTpnDfEBjbFquqwzRULTmsIB6Ot64vE0VYRVTrms0ykd89gDg-RN0YMv3ULHHkURG3B28Of-aoLkxNhELlzC8IzXcaO6E7jyvHA2bsMNxTsmBy4Pz7SNPaOht1dYWruOvtroLzOC1/s4000/20221123_112803.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVexh2LyasOVLVW9kaCsPvucUFNbMmC08YB2pzXA0nyTRI9k4PTpnDfEBjbFquqwzRULTmsIB6Ot64vE0VYRVTrms0ykd89gDg-RN0YMv3ULHHkURG3B28Of-aoLkxNhELlzC8IzXcaO6E7jyvHA2bsMNxTsmBy4Pz7SNPaOht1dYWruOvtroLzOC1/s16000/20221123_112803.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Lf4EhytAJGiGJeK_uUHeYqmq27cjnbRV-FZjeIUBS2PF0aR334i6-x19Hc6SCvwiUf2KJaV-b9StVP-gzqPRdn2kRSqh08ll0QLkgDurTMMr4urNU3hn7464dXMYXIPsFa0t5ul9M4yazX1xzbOmX81SUgxNHFcL1PhE_Mj7xiFbEPTvGBiJPHC6/s4000/20221122_214053.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Lf4EhytAJGiGJeK_uUHeYqmq27cjnbRV-FZjeIUBS2PF0aR334i6-x19Hc6SCvwiUf2KJaV-b9StVP-gzqPRdn2kRSqh08ll0QLkgDurTMMr4urNU3hn7464dXMYXIPsFa0t5ul9M4yazX1xzbOmX81SUgxNHFcL1PhE_Mj7xiFbEPTvGBiJPHC6/s16000/20221122_214053.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDwRvXeVs4F5YJbtNTZfYHfFoac_QuFmQtQZB_-Kf4QLjNQRFBxb8eTXKVOe4DloANkZIZAtbLRKX4oV7ii8_J70OdOAAi7-1bwdAceeuofJnsnhB2KCCC8MSkfArqkCgb5PbpGY1hWkiRSCBCoLRExt7pKIkhJ6pJKDJl19UjxPfuE0tL-iSvR9ez/s4000/20221121_235907.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDwRvXeVs4F5YJbtNTZfYHfFoac_QuFmQtQZB_-Kf4QLjNQRFBxb8eTXKVOe4DloANkZIZAtbLRKX4oV7ii8_J70OdOAAi7-1bwdAceeuofJnsnhB2KCCC8MSkfArqkCgb5PbpGY1hWkiRSCBCoLRExt7pKIkhJ6pJKDJl19UjxPfuE0tL-iSvR9ez/s16000/20221121_235907.jpg" /></a></p><p><b><u>Enjoying the Simplicity of D'Resort</u></b></p><p>For accommodation, our room was simple but sufficed to meet our needs. We are the kind of folks who don't need a luxurious room and are okay with less space, less amenities or even a less-than-perfectly-clean room. The kids see every staycation as a holiday and are really appreciative of every opportunity we get to sleep elsewhere other than home. </p><p>We combined the two queen sized beds and pushed them towards the wall so that I would sleep at the outermost side and the kids were all protected and wouldn't risk falling off. I love snuggling with the kids on a staycay and it somehow warms my heart - even if the room is freezing cold - and makes me happy and thankful.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9K8z6A204TuFoTH7AbB8ACHlpN_eLdswDcw8r99tHZW_XVZBhg6_vh1HbXBvg0hi1vbPsQCOl6oIKoEpBv9Ek3k6VreDdVl69tllfF-79wbgDWsjiQiDDlHdCGkcGPg3dV4Y6-Gk3vU-bPCNMqve_6iRkHGot_SglJt3boDWsgKLOY7OQoTk196vc/s4000/20221123_122709.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9K8z6A204TuFoTH7AbB8ACHlpN_eLdswDcw8r99tHZW_XVZBhg6_vh1HbXBvg0hi1vbPsQCOl6oIKoEpBv9Ek3k6VreDdVl69tllfF-79wbgDWsjiQiDDlHdCGkcGPg3dV4Y6-Gk3vU-bPCNMqve_6iRkHGot_SglJt3boDWsgKLOY7OQoTk196vc/s16000/20221123_122709.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2jQ967DyM4npUmmXPlyT7vgbHcrECSHsYnb04Wk9fNoG9Mbs9oT-O8mkpKHB2y3bxY2RPxZVmY8ft8dVdKqwHt6zS4gFBNcga6_H82jrMmK9o5sOp03GgD6Rc5Kn4kilQUAzJRCLv7a7B2knamVbDzlC5RpVIJ3I3B1Glv0NqGnpf8EXhKgVTOhuZ/s4000/20221121_130352.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2jQ967DyM4npUmmXPlyT7vgbHcrECSHsYnb04Wk9fNoG9Mbs9oT-O8mkpKHB2y3bxY2RPxZVmY8ft8dVdKqwHt6zS4gFBNcga6_H82jrMmK9o5sOp03GgD6Rc5Kn4kilQUAzJRCLv7a7B2knamVbDzlC5RpVIJ3I3B1Glv0NqGnpf8EXhKgVTOhuZ/s16000/20221121_130352.jpg" /></a></p><p><b><u>Having Exhilarating Fun at Wild Wild Wet</u></b></p><p>The first thing we did when we arrived - it was before check-in time - was to deposit our luggage at D'Resort and make our way straight to Wild Wild Wet! Yeap, not a moment to lose. We arrived on a Monday and since the park closes every Tuesday, that gave us merely two days to play here and we wanted to make the most of it.</p><p>I had packed our swimwear, change of clothes, towels, toiletries and other necessities in separate bags so that it was easy to grab and go after depositing the bulkier luggage. It was also useful that we had a pram because it could contain all our barang barang as we had to walk a short distance to the park.</p><p>We got a little lost the first time and walked into a dead end, haha, so we had to detour and try again. But that was the fun too, being able to explore with the kids and seeing where the road ahead took us. The kids started to grumble a little as the sun was scorching and I had made them walk a long way. But we learned to keep a positive mindset and as long as we kept trying, we would get there one way or another.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4qVKiCvHCyChdf2kogt5VBcc3eBPQJ8j437rnuJxCTQAVCsrDm-RQF9dnWnYozHizrSzXFhkxKUGLydzXKAYrdDmsdnorPs5rHdhhe8oliN65HUPJArKKEyUjggLyyVTYUqoyLuYtLTQwuD6P1komjEu0wOcpD-kilCj5FtRJOAd1_qwLbKhn0tHP/s5184/GOPR0689.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2916" data-original-width="5184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4qVKiCvHCyChdf2kogt5VBcc3eBPQJ8j437rnuJxCTQAVCsrDm-RQF9dnWnYozHizrSzXFhkxKUGLydzXKAYrdDmsdnorPs5rHdhhe8oliN65HUPJArKKEyUjggLyyVTYUqoyLuYtLTQwuD6P1komjEu0wOcpD-kilCj5FtRJOAd1_qwLbKhn0tHP/s16000/GOPR0689.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgktKzmnks4K1_JpqEi2s0V2bRNc_vEGAro1ByNuxpGjcTNs0Ki-Lvo2TUg498kRxi4szKom4GHj_TMV61ndtbvl64mkptmLS8tmvrXVKvYFNlweRVywWnSM3Pe8S8k6a46XZLdrxsmLttdlVRr3cOym86fkGts_ivdgod7ZPsPwDrWAI3S__0dIcgB/s3968/20221121_180014.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2232" data-original-width="3968" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgktKzmnks4K1_JpqEi2s0V2bRNc_vEGAro1ByNuxpGjcTNs0Ki-Lvo2TUg498kRxi4szKom4GHj_TMV61ndtbvl64mkptmLS8tmvrXVKvYFNlweRVywWnSM3Pe8S8k6a46XZLdrxsmLttdlVRr3cOym86fkGts_ivdgod7ZPsPwDrWAI3S__0dIcgB/s16000/20221121_180014.jpg" /></a></p><p>For those of you who have not been to Wild Wild Wet yet, it is a family-friendly park designed to cater to the likes of everyone. With a total of 16 rides, toddlers and young kids will love playing at the Kidz Zone which has mini versions of some of the thrilling rides - this was where Ansel spent the majority of his time and loved it, or simply let the current push you along in Shiok River. </p><p>Older kids can try out the moderate rides like Kraken Racer - a four lane mat racer rider, Ular-Lah - a raft slide for up to 6 pax, or the Tsunami Wave Pool to experience the giant waves.</p><p>Teens and adults can go for the more extreme rides such as Free Fall - a near vertical slide which looks really intimidating, Slide Up - a tube ride for 2 down a four-storey ramp or Torpedo - a 6-storey free fall ride with twists and turns.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0uGT6rBNY_yGoMeacGzZmSgAcDpeM0hBesTRaGngzuIgd5Gn6ueiPRhMEU5uSb1ypzIXjGl_GPurGs7MhxFKJlh2NVizBStnnTxFscCQvFkankSc_6W08M8KWWNbXrtz6vZa9WAM_kzUoQ7W0YAvpSK3gFOU30HhfL4unBx8Y_NmswOfalmF200pX/s5184/GOPR0663.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2916" data-original-width="5184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0uGT6rBNY_yGoMeacGzZmSgAcDpeM0hBesTRaGngzuIgd5Gn6ueiPRhMEU5uSb1ypzIXjGl_GPurGs7MhxFKJlh2NVizBStnnTxFscCQvFkankSc_6W08M8KWWNbXrtz6vZa9WAM_kzUoQ7W0YAvpSK3gFOU30HhfL4unBx8Y_NmswOfalmF200pX/s16000/GOPR0663.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiviZhPyg7dzV6zjHJI0Td6EyKJi1F-dcvlqAA14jS4CZ0_2Sm_CfrnGyTLOuzRJrgbsHnjjtc3Kq4aRdceGm0mWPmvKoDD7KBWBT-4hlbVR3a9FHlUmXBpuIGSJKdqLVDnBbkR8ghLkxuJIeKkGlbBRCtF1zlkOJqU-04iJz_iOnF4OsfPLk5X4IHG/s4000/20221123_171400.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiviZhPyg7dzV6zjHJI0Td6EyKJi1F-dcvlqAA14jS4CZ0_2Sm_CfrnGyTLOuzRJrgbsHnjjtc3Kq4aRdceGm0mWPmvKoDD7KBWBT-4hlbVR3a9FHlUmXBpuIGSJKdqLVDnBbkR8ghLkxuJIeKkGlbBRCtF1zlkOJqU-04iJz_iOnF4OsfPLk5X4IHG/s16000/20221123_171400.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg94soXvWB_JrQx3qDKOTdbSZyz7q9ulCX4sN_AbsI7UX8-ABYMtylpEcnsjIDwKcITDJY0kPeexet9tQS5f2NfMMnerqpoFss-AvcirDBRF15-7485-aYVEnDby9DaZPb5PgzKuz4tioQH2WZHYAOePnBmWTwNZw-xke_aunHWZhnc_T-HUy2uHCDc/s3553/20221121_130847.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3553" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg94soXvWB_JrQx3qDKOTdbSZyz7q9ulCX4sN_AbsI7UX8-ABYMtylpEcnsjIDwKcITDJY0kPeexet9tQS5f2NfMMnerqpoFss-AvcirDBRF15-7485-aYVEnDby9DaZPb5PgzKuz4tioQH2WZHYAOePnBmWTwNZw-xke_aunHWZhnc_T-HUy2uHCDc/s16000/20221121_130847.jpg" /></a></p><p>Having four kids of different ages meant that there would be different likes and preferences when it came to the rides. Some rides like Free Fall and Vortex required a minimum height of 1.22cm so Asher could not qualify. Royal Flush required a minimum weight of 35kg and Ariel had to skip that ride (it was the only one she did not qualify for) while Angel just met the requirement as she was 36kg. </p><p>So I had to juggle the needs and wants of everyone while making sure that there was always someone to accompany and look after Ansel. Having more kids also meant I could task the rest to help out when one of them needed me for parent accompany - some rides have that as a requirement if the child is below a certain height. </p><p>For instance, I left Ansel to Angel while I took the rest on Ular-Lah and then passed him to Ariel when I took Angel on Royal Flush. But for most of the time, he was with me and since I am the type of mum who goes around filming the kids so as to make videos, this toddler is a champ by how he didn't complain but patiently waited for the siblings to whizz down the slides so I could catch them in action.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ga0bpyuew-e0p7y5fcQB5XEQBrYifTjN4nSF2d_iqm65J35w-29fPZ3l_0RtN9MWuNIBEVKqBjopdINjk6ImxoP4rZb4QFeyWbuJoybnugpBo4dAcsJMbhd9jD5F0qRyZ7N6uSqFDuLR1b28kyvlen6yoUv6RAKxQ3dxfwI0NxhN6NLyaWqiRsSy/s4000/20221121_154345.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ga0bpyuew-e0p7y5fcQB5XEQBrYifTjN4nSF2d_iqm65J35w-29fPZ3l_0RtN9MWuNIBEVKqBjopdINjk6ImxoP4rZb4QFeyWbuJoybnugpBo4dAcsJMbhd9jD5F0qRyZ7N6uSqFDuLR1b28kyvlen6yoUv6RAKxQ3dxfwI0NxhN6NLyaWqiRsSy/s16000/20221121_154345.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTaQ5Hz__JGYC-fxvosHRt0LDjYNFhpOSgpffXCbrtBvGVRKYTH8BLcr_57ym3rN64teyG5TJB56WCR6I_b6BFBfNpUWgn95r5h5KCTdbYDurLPaiZPT0PwvrzUKTc9dG9Lom8SCM8QNoMeLB-YvGaE4q3znBhpGtQ95nhQPC8VUjOS0o029Z0S4_U/s4000/20221123_170355.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTaQ5Hz__JGYC-fxvosHRt0LDjYNFhpOSgpffXCbrtBvGVRKYTH8BLcr_57ym3rN64teyG5TJB56WCR6I_b6BFBfNpUWgn95r5h5KCTdbYDurLPaiZPT0PwvrzUKTc9dG9Lom8SCM8QNoMeLB-YvGaE4q3znBhpGtQ95nhQPC8VUjOS0o029Z0S4_U/s16000/20221123_170355.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoNzEmw4BiXuXT57NxSQfFBC7G-0DkLRQ-GkXsag5XdsTFKbuOY_s8voBccYD4DWpYcxqOK10p4vvzALYr4a4vP7r9LdJzq1rL8UjHZpPrjXFHNfr1teoNMopyevo87mhhfwJLo1QfeywHW9gf2li_FdZ9PtlDHIb52aDkoFmB0yAEjCfTn1sDSXNL/s3527/20221121_162937.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1986" data-original-width="3527" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoNzEmw4BiXuXT57NxSQfFBC7G-0DkLRQ-GkXsag5XdsTFKbuOY_s8voBccYD4DWpYcxqOK10p4vvzALYr4a4vP7r9LdJzq1rL8UjHZpPrjXFHNfr1teoNMopyevo87mhhfwJLo1QfeywHW9gf2li_FdZ9PtlDHIb52aDkoFmB0yAEjCfTn1sDSXNL/s16000/20221121_162937.jpg" /></a></p><p>It took some persuasion to get Angel to go on Free Fall - she did it years ago and knew it could be a little scary - but she eventually did it, woohoo. See that long, yellow, almost vertical slide? Yup, that is Free Fall. She also went on Torpedo - the other free fall ride where you enter a capsule and drop down but then twist and turn after - for the first time and that was an achievement for her. Well done, birthday girl!</p><p>As for the daredevil Ariel who loves thrills, she went on Free Fall not once but twice and was the youngest, shortest participant at Torpedo. I was told that everyone clapped for her when it was her turn to go. You go, girl!</p><p>The boys and I stayed in Jaccuzi Pool for a long time while waiting because Asher loved the mini waterfall here and even piggybacked me all around the pool too. Check out our video below.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDq1QLaYE4Lsl80h3q5e66O7fzAN09lLSoXm4DkspRXJzC14lCOxsHW4ESoDo18lCsDXUSYiAan77qgka39BNrXrkIt8kIHXnTn7jZiN4dh0u8hi3Cw277w-MsTpbnCxiQyGGLViUF3EAzpCajTalQTBAMMyiV48MvQYGQzROY0gLW5C7zHGHPPYd/s3968/20221121_150325.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2232" data-original-width="3968" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDq1QLaYE4Lsl80h3q5e66O7fzAN09lLSoXm4DkspRXJzC14lCOxsHW4ESoDo18lCsDXUSYiAan77qgka39BNrXrkIt8kIHXnTn7jZiN4dh0u8hi3Cw277w-MsTpbnCxiQyGGLViUF3EAzpCajTalQTBAMMyiV48MvQYGQzROY0gLW5C7zHGHPPYd/s16000/20221121_150325.jpg" /></a></p><p>Our lunch was settled within Wild Wild Wet and we ordered hotdog buns, nuggets, popcorn chicken ane fries from the food kiosk. There isn't a huge menu selection to choose from but we didn't want to head out so we were very contented to just stay put under the big umbrella and tuck in. Seeing their big smiles made me very happy too and this was a good, memorable and fun-filled mum-and-kids day.</p><p>On the day that we checked out, we also did the same thing - deposited our luggage and came over for another round of play. Yes, must make full use of the complimentary passes! This time, we dined at Pizza Hut which was just outside the park before we headed in.</p><p>We went on the rides once more and the kids said that I screamed the loudest, which is usually the case because I find it fun then to remain quiet, haha, and I do love the adrenaline rush too! What made this day much harder for me was that I had my menses and thus had to put on a tampon - something I am not used to at all - so that I could continue with the water play and not disappoint the kids. The discomfort made me waddle the entire afternoon but I would do it again in a heartbeat if it meant that the kids would be happy. I knew the birthday girl enjoyed herself very much and that was the most important thing to me that day.</p><p><b><u>Building Resilience at Upwall Climbing</u></b></p><p>So what did we do on the second day when Wild Wild Wet was closed? Well, this was Part 2 of my surprise for the kids and I brought them to E!Hub at Downtown East before announcing <i>"Woohoo, you are going indoor climbing!"</i></p><p>Yeap, I had booked tickets to Upwall Climbing when I booked the chalet stay as I knew the three elder kids enjoy this sport and would wanna challenge themselves. We've done indoor climbing several times and I've always found it a good way to build up the confidence, strength, resilience and determination.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFRVxcuSC1d02jE1JATzU3fNexFIGz6mTp62fKWve-aHNPHsIhmcTu1Wmae0BO4qAe-Y_C1pKt-i847VR1rW0i4AnEWGBCHrxngdjLyK46bmWQr4tsRWFOtafjrwcL5h9ar_2o1GSBl68E8P1XjXi7C3BZvemV04HysyNkh2GeNtLgDxhTxwk2aoy/s4000/20221122_150416.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFRVxcuSC1d02jE1JATzU3fNexFIGz6mTp62fKWve-aHNPHsIhmcTu1Wmae0BO4qAe-Y_C1pKt-i847VR1rW0i4AnEWGBCHrxngdjLyK46bmWQr4tsRWFOtafjrwcL5h9ar_2o1GSBl68E8P1XjXi7C3BZvemV04HysyNkh2GeNtLgDxhTxwk2aoy/s16000/20221122_150416.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ugsU2EVhpYQmqM2-Bl8PyzCVUdFIlIDIzLpo1oNJivkYOlXNLooLYBn3fRjKMQLhuY9O3MV9yJx4vRUZjKYlopdWdjw9LQpyUhKupW9VtHm4vrQm7y4wqSFXl_XJiPht-6ez30V-UPAwS8NhK8NgAdI4L2RIkSR5i1RbeF1fb6KZRME5nUPAjoRq/s4000/20221122_145108.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ugsU2EVhpYQmqM2-Bl8PyzCVUdFIlIDIzLpo1oNJivkYOlXNLooLYBn3fRjKMQLhuY9O3MV9yJx4vRUZjKYlopdWdjw9LQpyUhKupW9VtHm4vrQm7y4wqSFXl_XJiPht-6ez30V-UPAwS8NhK8NgAdI4L2RIkSR5i1RbeF1fb6KZRME5nUPAjoRq/s16000/20221122_145108.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Bg5n7wYtuFZ2AhXNktBEw5kdOHp6bnHwyfKJIgXtN8vHQv7KblK1vn1K-9gJZebtPOjnuIAYiH_76WU05iAQWc7BY8hGAb0ZWt8JrxJnGlq7IaWtHZYWY1d7HBQhu0VMBMEFKP4gLX5qFcHTs8NJrZ97bt6ofPFhc6-2ucitk9NZuCEXlV3nPUbP/s4000/20221122_133741.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Bg5n7wYtuFZ2AhXNktBEw5kdOHp6bnHwyfKJIgXtN8vHQv7KblK1vn1K-9gJZebtPOjnuIAYiH_76WU05iAQWc7BY8hGAb0ZWt8JrxJnGlq7IaWtHZYWY1d7HBQhu0VMBMEFKP4gLX5qFcHTs8NJrZ97bt6ofPFhc6-2ucitk9NZuCEXlV3nPUbP/s16000/20221122_133741.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEaC-axLNvOlSrlj0mGYqO-3kQoT_Aj5XsQqmHMJYIVDotafsuFULV_XL-p-VsdgnErHnqOSEzK7acRzvwVZc-1oE6_wCAwKPIWit1KIzTEivQP1iKOa9pHO3L_azZmQ38xJ2oGs1RmovCTxNDu-hYhSVgDHwcAwe8gKuNa14omBQXuaPVXVP-u-GI/s4000/20221122_131927.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEaC-axLNvOlSrlj0mGYqO-3kQoT_Aj5XsQqmHMJYIVDotafsuFULV_XL-p-VsdgnErHnqOSEzK7acRzvwVZc-1oE6_wCAwKPIWit1KIzTEivQP1iKOa9pHO3L_azZmQ38xJ2oGs1RmovCTxNDu-hYhSVgDHwcAwe8gKuNa14omBQXuaPVXVP-u-GI/s16000/20221122_131927.jpg" /></a></p><p>While the two sisters scaled most of the walls with ease, some were more challenging and helped to push them beyond their limits. When they couldn't do it the first time round, they took a break, planned their route and tried again. When they succeeded, that look of accompliment and joy on their faces was plain to see and I cheered for them from below too. Yeap, Mama is always your biggest supporter!</p><p>As for Asher, I guess the difficulty of the walls here was much higher than any of those that he climbed before. Thus, he got stuck on even his first attempt and started to cry halfway. He couldn't move up from where he was yet he didn't want to drop down and give up too - I have to give him credit for the latter because he hung on for a good 20 minutes or so and we all know that it is very taxing and exhausting, not to mention for a preschooler.</p><p>I tried to comfort and assure him by telling him <i>"You can do it, believe in yourself and keep going!"</i>, I tried to guide him on which hand to move and where to step, I gave him incentives like telling him we would go to the arcade if he could reach the top etc. Alas, they didn't work and he was still stuck there, alone and afraid. </p><p>So guess what happened eventually? Well, the big sister scaled the wall beside him so that she could be closer to him, she gave him tips and told him how to move past the obstacle, she climbed with him and didn't give up on him or let him give up on himself. Slowly but surely, he made it to the top of the very wall that got him stuck and made him cry. What a feat! I heard another family who commented <i>"The small boy made it to the top!" </i>because one of their kids gave up halfway, so well done, Asher, and thank you, Angel!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw0aRoIR4URWJxpSJg2mUvhVWz0FiBIaAZwTDtsW-e8OpmyXA5EQH8ExOM-ZqgJEjCwErtvgh3SluQah_ARfq2W3zfjDaNJARkY92KQF1TD6yk5iiIz_zdZJbJ3AJwtM5YkufA-3JSfxI4IxcA9sBoCQdzBx6MozycknkWbg4QNRqzW8h-h4nxA1tP/s4000/20221122_125131.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw0aRoIR4URWJxpSJg2mUvhVWz0FiBIaAZwTDtsW-e8OpmyXA5EQH8ExOM-ZqgJEjCwErtvgh3SluQah_ARfq2W3zfjDaNJARkY92KQF1TD6yk5iiIz_zdZJbJ3AJwtM5YkufA-3JSfxI4IxcA9sBoCQdzBx6MozycknkWbg4QNRqzW8h-h4nxA1tP/s16000/20221122_125131.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Yk-QhtjTZasDbQPnP_SxiCoRMQ8PjQN5pydtyVKLpPru3LWVxEK0c7LbjLc6n4rIdjR4yaGzUizgQyWIPrZGX0LViOo73az5cRi6fxbyqJqsimJ2ILnlQpAak1PCVZ5kDhT2d0Qhsj5NV6pYa77PE6X5EVAU_Ju-U7xAP4aTYkP1qTItw00-MLgG/s4000/20221122_141210.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Yk-QhtjTZasDbQPnP_SxiCoRMQ8PjQN5pydtyVKLpPru3LWVxEK0c7LbjLc6n4rIdjR4yaGzUizgQyWIPrZGX0LViOo73az5cRi6fxbyqJqsimJ2ILnlQpAak1PCVZ5kDhT2d0Qhsj5NV6pYa77PE6X5EVAU_Ju-U7xAP4aTYkP1qTItw00-MLgG/s16000/20221122_141210.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5oY2tqMCrihaZYntbyHS1I16DEhmKi7hDdmY2kaPhHXnWmE0tTCgclEpoagKVJeqwDij1-gXu8swHYbQRLejvcCece6j5Z7FAzcYSC3apKaHxetT0O9K84w_qvqynbQMxRgtwXoZWTaYtoGrTfMHAp3yw_pYjdiBFQXwZqOR_4BT9KzHn18IVft8q/s4000/20221122_125230.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5oY2tqMCrihaZYntbyHS1I16DEhmKi7hDdmY2kaPhHXnWmE0tTCgclEpoagKVJeqwDij1-gXu8swHYbQRLejvcCece6j5Z7FAzcYSC3apKaHxetT0O9K84w_qvqynbQMxRgtwXoZWTaYtoGrTfMHAp3yw_pYjdiBFQXwZqOR_4BT9KzHn18IVft8q/s16000/20221122_125230.jpg" /></a></p><p>How did I entertain the little one while the Korkor and Jiejies were climbing up the walls? Well, thankfully there were some kiddy rides right outside so he was contented to sit and play there. Phew. </p><p>We had prawn noodles after the climb, went shopping at Daiso and then headed to the arcade for some fun too. Frankly speaking, I am thankful that the kids still like to hang out with me. Some friends told me that it's nice that Angel still goes out with us now that she is a teenager, and that not all teens are like that, so I don't take it any of this for granted. I earnestly hope we will continue to do so for many more years - mum-and-kids outings are awesome! - even though I know there will come a day when I will be alone because the kids are all busy with their own social lives. So yup, gotta cherish this while it last.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgODtLkdxwNajTO5NMNLRwnd-2ZJNMEnKOVzmFPFn_IerKRj0Ktj_YTBiQvdsOcOl4LrY7A3LymlWIDUgD2MwP_PNWrE2SksdONJwG1oXk1CcY61olbsojWtvdW1t0I-o6QE9ByGkz3jWJqbsm9B5Wn1zex6Be6H9kwT_v_UyIODL_OpoIAhesnzB_q/s4000/20221122_130655.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgODtLkdxwNajTO5NMNLRwnd-2ZJNMEnKOVzmFPFn_IerKRj0Ktj_YTBiQvdsOcOl4LrY7A3LymlWIDUgD2MwP_PNWrE2SksdONJwG1oXk1CcY61olbsojWtvdW1t0I-o6QE9ByGkz3jWJqbsm9B5Wn1zex6Be6H9kwT_v_UyIODL_OpoIAhesnzB_q/s16000/20221122_130655.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_Wb8eWWfX3ONFukJNw6jHBWrz3P0O6wTEqe-aqmvADb6HzGDLaZxhXuYJuhAbHEIT5R75fWdlcY4IW2cab3mjqPyuxDWkDaiAVQ92dmyjhrlukvWWfELTRWptrwVaSOME53enBHzwqAWt_chbaHvZpmi8bp-QAbimZV7W1VpFP3YM6P86qUOzo83/s4000/20221122_152701.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_Wb8eWWfX3ONFukJNw6jHBWrz3P0O6wTEqe-aqmvADb6HzGDLaZxhXuYJuhAbHEIT5R75fWdlcY4IW2cab3mjqPyuxDWkDaiAVQ92dmyjhrlukvWWfELTRWptrwVaSOME53enBHzwqAWt_chbaHvZpmi8bp-QAbimZV7W1VpFP3YM6P86qUOzo83/s16000/20221122_152701.jpg" /></a></p><p>On her actual birthday, we had dinner at Hai Di Lao together with the hubby who took time off to join us. It's always a treat to dine here because it ain't cheap and the kids know this yummy meal came about because Papa works hard to support the family.</p><p>The kids love eating the handmade noodles and seeing the classic dance by the noodle master. This time, it was made even more special for the birthday girl because they presented her with a gift and did a very entertaining 生日快乐 dance performance that made the kids laugh.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxxyf7jIeiF-7EYWm4u4rJKKza9uihEXLTjBZJHLUMZ4HVr3T6En5zcpDNEYc1XKph53A3nNV07pksUJQ4XV0Ac59oHFq3eFq_1NzngEI-neU7IsezJU-R1ja9PsbrT5_UhcKWHbR_MzsLAr9kpv-KgS1DWkoWJOSl30fiSsU6DtFXuecm5GcOgS7/s4000/20221121_212849.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxxyf7jIeiF-7EYWm4u4rJKKza9uihEXLTjBZJHLUMZ4HVr3T6En5zcpDNEYc1XKph53A3nNV07pksUJQ4XV0Ac59oHFq3eFq_1NzngEI-neU7IsezJU-R1ja9PsbrT5_UhcKWHbR_MzsLAr9kpv-KgS1DWkoWJOSl30fiSsU6DtFXuecm5GcOgS7/s16000/20221121_212849.jpg" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3R4FfYmAaCo6OS6xhK-cie2JQFz3o2c2aH16bBoejPPXXkxE6mT7rJScRhY5X6XZZYeTkG8pD6ukCS3hE4kVSgfqc07ivT79Xcx2pIOYvCJBBxD1GjYKThlf4N2Pz_ivF93oEKDWJjQsxE436w10SbPK06bAKQguvdhYynbM4dd_I74VN29mSRhKE/s3403/20221121_204524.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1916" data-original-width="3403" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3R4FfYmAaCo6OS6xhK-cie2JQFz3o2c2aH16bBoejPPXXkxE6mT7rJScRhY5X6XZZYeTkG8pD6ukCS3hE4kVSgfqc07ivT79Xcx2pIOYvCJBBxD1GjYKThlf4N2Pz_ivF93oEKDWJjQsxE436w10SbPK06bAKQguvdhYynbM4dd_I74VN29mSRhKE/s16000/20221121_204524.jpg" /></a></p><p>At this age, the birthday girl says she doesn't need a big celebration for her special day but is happy so long as the family can get together. Well, I sure hope this chalet stay and all the fun things we did made her feel extra loved and happy. We also had a movie night and watched <i>"Slumberland"</i> when we got back to our room and did some crazy dancing and spontaneous performances too.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzldXbro0RGcXWdQlr1l8qlT_rvZ1DdLE9XzGs3KKoyiKxBJPxT78kGLi2H8ZY8sDqZiUxlD5fgYnbcbDoaLLUhHj9Ktiz_sll8ZGd34YkeyO-mxNWiVKfIs2O3xxUXsnl1AoRsoulMe9RG6yR5eqja7NeklQdN7aqyVIme-UU1YXa8jYOn9W9pQOh/s4000/20221121_212804.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzldXbro0RGcXWdQlr1l8qlT_rvZ1DdLE9XzGs3KKoyiKxBJPxT78kGLi2H8ZY8sDqZiUxlD5fgYnbcbDoaLLUhHj9Ktiz_sll8ZGd34YkeyO-mxNWiVKfIs2O3xxUXsnl1AoRsoulMe9RG6yR5eqja7NeklQdN7aqyVIme-UU1YXa8jYOn9W9pQOh/s16000/20221121_212804.jpg" /></a></p><p><img border="0" data-original-height="1563" data-original-width="2776" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx0ljDNzjrtzJea0HuvmNvPFRPtRPcxV63ehLerOYgJOmirp-EPU47HUaimMCodA2-Ly85rm1bcH2B4JkOyZXA3Urna-phFXRwCc6sYPuzORWJyf6TB-3Y-Wd9YW0ldDSx7cROBoJk3b64zDdph58s7CQQp8yshcpuzTeP-2-lmLpZQf_26NuzCImX/s16000/20221121_215553.jpg" /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjy8F_x28LHXxrtgZW0RuuT7j6SPpeU_AIGFvojUN06iZjuEpMMAmZ61_HNiuQ_XaxFFeIhl4CSMlZbOQfjDsbO2-o--sdRlSJIZB-vzOHMQjCfkdm3N0J5oP9lcB9FkBAFbj1bFTGzWeq9LhD6B5Tcmml2kC-qjub2nVIO6EuWq1ZE4NJVftz5Pz4/s3212/20221121_215636.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1808" data-original-width="3212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjy8F_x28LHXxrtgZW0RuuT7j6SPpeU_AIGFvojUN06iZjuEpMMAmZ61_HNiuQ_XaxFFeIhl4CSMlZbOQfjDsbO2-o--sdRlSJIZB-vzOHMQjCfkdm3N0J5oP9lcB9FkBAFbj1bFTGzWeq9LhD6B5Tcmml2kC-qjub2nVIO6EuWq1ZE4NJVftz5Pz4/s16000/20221121_215636.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8msxyOV0ROvJnOUgrbjHaUDCbDBxV6wG0Nw3Y3nTGTNMwwn6rG4CnPVrZ3g6UI55kEu6JngJspBF9P89OAqTm7PcPA6MSNQdZUdrbZy9Vp998AQQ6s8-sAzjx8QRnQ_5BBUXRpt9sJzYlygISCQHAJmKnjQ1IJBNE_EpxCh6DY-ckz633U4KfDvJf/s2800/20221121_215644.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1576" data-original-width="2800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8msxyOV0ROvJnOUgrbjHaUDCbDBxV6wG0Nw3Y3nTGTNMwwn6rG4CnPVrZ3g6UI55kEu6JngJspBF9P89OAqTm7PcPA6MSNQdZUdrbZy9Vp998AQQ6s8-sAzjx8QRnQ_5BBUXRpt9sJzYlygISCQHAJmKnjQ1IJBNE_EpxCh6DY-ckz633U4KfDvJf/s16000/20221121_215644.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIB5RAXfUQrxxeUJOe6W4U_dEX0qZv2qCMglKRcIwYiWDQ1ApygUYilu2bvWGosY27qUXQsV95SKd-eX5xUQG9I7I3ELscD0jtAqDJyFTbpFL7NwUMcJVjXDeygmZd6XZuBIKh7CTiLicjfm0BK-jzAMOfnjLdjyszuiUbyng0xyPqaVgu27MXhQ-o/s3518/20221121_215903.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1981" data-original-width="3518" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIB5RAXfUQrxxeUJOe6W4U_dEX0qZv2qCMglKRcIwYiWDQ1ApygUYilu2bvWGosY27qUXQsV95SKd-eX5xUQG9I7I3ELscD0jtAqDJyFTbpFL7NwUMcJVjXDeygmZd6XZuBIKh7CTiLicjfm0BK-jzAMOfnjLdjyszuiUbyng0xyPqaVgu27MXhQ-o/s16000/20221121_215903.jpg" /></a></p><p>Back at home, we had a second round of gathering for her because we always celebrate the kids' birthdays with our parents and the extended family too. The hubby and my father-in-law whipped up some home cooked dishes and we also added KFC to spice things up too. The birthday girl loves the crispy chicken - she only ate the original one when she was younger - and it is a sign of her growing up too.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7P9cVbXv5or6hIa7H-toCgP_JWU96tck0h4A2KPY3yNGdSlvXjRb2ktJ8O9TaXGt-S4ehQdYiOFN3GKqfRkyo2_oDJCOXI4P9Lg5ppnPymEt3AZatCXUmvWZVd9B2bdE-bAtJipXcqtomCmQQqwHBNFxJJca71jdqeqcUlWjJgm5iWf_CFsb1l-nT/s4000/20221120_191834.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7P9cVbXv5or6hIa7H-toCgP_JWU96tck0h4A2KPY3yNGdSlvXjRb2ktJ8O9TaXGt-S4ehQdYiOFN3GKqfRkyo2_oDJCOXI4P9Lg5ppnPymEt3AZatCXUmvWZVd9B2bdE-bAtJipXcqtomCmQQqwHBNFxJJca71jdqeqcUlWjJgm5iWf_CFsb1l-nT/s16000/20221120_191834.jpg" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSEakDWylwTEU0MVz1aWwCDX1KF47ouzUxaOedBCk_PFgcxDm93c8qJawib2QYtklOCiTdY9D3WTImcgiQSS3fHEnIotFCeEZXjAvyEQl729Twn-put2MqeQkzv3xFDQ0CNt5VpCrlmR-fSv0yBhbiLR4DFbNS3V-rfg-ejw49-QvDtcVt7mRo0hLf/s4000/20221120_191944.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSEakDWylwTEU0MVz1aWwCDX1KF47ouzUxaOedBCk_PFgcxDm93c8qJawib2QYtklOCiTdY9D3WTImcgiQSS3fHEnIotFCeEZXjAvyEQl729Twn-put2MqeQkzv3xFDQ0CNt5VpCrlmR-fSv0yBhbiLR4DFbNS3V-rfg-ejw49-QvDtcVt7mRo0hLf/s16000/20221120_191944.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: left;"></span></div><div>See the adults vs kids table? Haha. For years and years, I have always been at the kids table because I will have a little one to feed and look after. But I am totally fine with it because it's nice to listen to their stories and it just means we are blessed to have a huge family who can't fit in one dining table.</div><div><br /></div><div>For her birthday cake, we had this super chocolatey cake from Chocolate Origin because this girl loves anything chocolate! We presented her with handmade cards - the sister and brother even bought her small gifts like stationery and squishies - and I gave her something she needed and loves very much - a Sumikko Gurashi wallet.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvvEUy-AJt-4-g-OALUU_HR0eOvw7pziyU11ZsKtTskgTDZwNgZpz0b7kMakPvKQeszQC88HXOXTGwzz0rSVZx8rVyqZe1FcyrmRZntDg3zYfWELqO4RYpXEX4jCZlv9o3eG-B80QGlQRwkkVrIXKI5wZXPUGpPU-na3ggaonJbFhBgDvpingAYSpv/s4000/20221120_213242.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2250" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvvEUy-AJt-4-g-OALUU_HR0eOvw7pziyU11ZsKtTskgTDZwNgZpz0b7kMakPvKQeszQC88HXOXTGwzz0rSVZx8rVyqZe1FcyrmRZntDg3zYfWELqO4RYpXEX4jCZlv9o3eG-B80QGlQRwkkVrIXKI5wZXPUGpPU-na3ggaonJbFhBgDvpingAYSpv/s16000/20221120_213242.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfg2dbVER8beS4INN2QmA8RBnoB9Fr591ilyiYMJVAGHN-ebfcy9XvGxDrgZncR4B68Ro45iZT8UBuDz7tPuYdQRwb7d3yeEaGP6oLWQQVfTsnHS4o3phnmor8WKyF95r_2urd8DAFJHVNnCan7DEw0kP3UatlsFwoFWJpZCnbfE7BDc7e9_bK7FE0/s3544/20221120_212936.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1993" data-original-width="3544" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfg2dbVER8beS4INN2QmA8RBnoB9Fr591ilyiYMJVAGHN-ebfcy9XvGxDrgZncR4B68Ro45iZT8UBuDz7tPuYdQRwb7d3yeEaGP6oLWQQVfTsnHS4o3phnmor8WKyF95r_2urd8DAFJHVNnCan7DEw0kP3UatlsFwoFWJpZCnbfE7BDc7e9_bK7FE0/s16000/20221120_212936.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJGzHQiHIfWvnu_fX7CGhtmeJLEh51hwG9YbrP9iSPytrVLYIcRyQ1d1n788dZH2vqSUY8ICFf7cesNzy7L2fC38_A3yLjZu4MxnHS2wNGOeIrMLtkLOAhz-d1HGSD3iBTG8zVTNxKexqmwGe870OlKyi0OQ_pOaG3xt3SaOFOMAly5hvvtd9xr1jb/s4000/20221120_212723_016.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2252" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJGzHQiHIfWvnu_fX7CGhtmeJLEh51hwG9YbrP9iSPytrVLYIcRyQ1d1n788dZH2vqSUY8ICFf7cesNzy7L2fC38_A3yLjZu4MxnHS2wNGOeIrMLtkLOAhz-d1HGSD3iBTG8zVTNxKexqmwGe870OlKyi0OQ_pOaG3xt3SaOFOMAly5hvvtd9xr1jb/s16000/20221120_212723_016.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Having a big family, to me, is awesome and I don't think our family is that big actually. Four kids seem perfect and ideal for us and I am thankful and glad we are where we are today. It also makes birthday celebrations merry and fun when you have more siblings to play with you, right?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8f6RkKHVUFJgeL-ekfeihiW5W5ZfBuhOGhX5fANRQt_vq8OTiWxXoys3GhRrWakgCNIuOMwoCEmQgYpnt1UbRBuzcQop65JwhN9xU-w1Qq_ZZPYfHS-qjXbBTUttwE7kdv5WbNw9RhIxq6eH78rcig_038ndVmzbSy7Hh-9S-MauD7C1TSMqgKiD/s1000/collage234.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8f6RkKHVUFJgeL-ekfeihiW5W5ZfBuhOGhX5fANRQt_vq8OTiWxXoys3GhRrWakgCNIuOMwoCEmQgYpnt1UbRBuzcQop65JwhN9xU-w1Qq_ZZPYfHS-qjXbBTUttwE7kdv5WbNw9RhIxq6eH78rcig_038ndVmzbSy7Hh-9S-MauD7C1TSMqgKiD/s16000/collage234.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCkgMtcPaswb8kY9wybg1MdghIfH8WIvw9zvGUQMWUE7ol3NCj5nc5DJg3nYX2CpvTcK-jPsdy3CIWtf5Tjq0QtVU6TT3krdhr0vrCjv6816cR6XTf2gqLYUMjbetjh_r0ldEi3dh5Thg00qi6QauiLjtM9HUd1rJtkW5cfYfBpICrbuPUl42K1b9/s16000/collage235.jpg" /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>To the firstborn, happy turning 13 and I hope it's okay that I still call you my baby girl from time to time. That's what you'll always be to me and I hope when you spread your wings to explore the world, you will remember that Mama is always here to look over you, to lift you up when you need a hand and to sit down with you when you need a listening ear.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>It's been a privilege and blessing to be your mum and I can see how you have grown and bloomed in the last few years. It's not easy being the big sister to three others but you've aced it and you continue to amaze me by how much you dote on the toddler and is able to take care of him.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Thank you for being the responsible and independent one who doesn't need me to nag (much) when it comes to academics and for being the one who constantly challenges my limits but makes me wanna strive to be a better mum each day. </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>I love you so much and can't wait to see what life has in store for you as you grow up. Please know that you are very much loved by all of us that that is something that will never ever change.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Hope you enjoyed every bit of your surprise celebration and had fun to the max! I did! Muaks!</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Love you, </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Mama</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">******</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here's a video to remember all the fun times we had and memorable things we did. Happy turning 13, my love!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nhHsGv_YUEA" title="YouTube video player" width="640"></iframe><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">******</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>Read more on Angel's birthday parties here:</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>Angel is 12 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2021/12/a-surprise-staycation-angel-is-12.html" target="_blank">A Surprise Staycation</a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>Angel is 11 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2020/12/abracadabra-its-magic-party.html" target="_blank">It's a Magic Party</a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>Angel is 10 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2020/02/angel-is-10-unicorn-party.html" target="_blank">A Unicorn Party</a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>Angel is 9 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2018/12/angel-is-9-its-spy-party.html" target="_blank">The Case of Angel's 9th Birthday</a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>Angel is 8 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2017/12/its-sylvanian-tea-party-angel-is-8.html" target="_blank">It's a Sylvanian Tea Party</a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>Angel is 7 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2016/12/royal-princess-party-tiara-society.html" target="_blank">A Royal Princess Party</a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>Angel is 6 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2015/12/princess-sofia-first-birthday-party.html" target="_blank">Sofia The First Birthday Bash</a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>Angel is 5 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2014/11/rapunzel-tangled-birthday-party-angel-5.html" target="_blank">Let's Get Tangled with Rapunzel</a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>Angel is 4 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2013/11/dora-birthday-party-angel-is-four.html" target="_blank">Viva La Fiesta with Dora and Friends</a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>Angel is 3 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2012/11/shes-bubbly-bunny-angel-is-3.html" target="_blank">My Bubbly Bunny</a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>Angel is 2 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2011/11/oh-toodles-its-disney-party-angel-is-2.html" target="_blank">Oh Toodles, it's a Disney Party</a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>Angel is 1 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2011/08/angel-turns-1.html" target="_blank">It's a RAINBOW Party</a></i></div></div><div><p style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 14.85px;"></p><p></p></div>~Summer~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478137784353655124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6546965252487257512.post-64550754903759617492023-01-26T13:22:00.007+08:002023-01-26T13:31:59.454+08:00Happiness is... being a fun parent<p>I might be turning 40 this year but 13 years of experience in being a mum tells me that age does not define what I do or how I think in this parenting journey. It certainly should not deter me in being kiddy at times, in being able to let my hair down or dance like no one is watching, or in being a fun parent who doesn't just watch but is enthusiastic to join in the activities too. </p><p>If I can, I will always want to have a child in me. One who reminds me that life is fleeting and things shouldn't be solemn all the time, who tells me to relax, chill and just have some fun every once in a while, who lets me forget my age for a moment and allows me to bond, communicate and interact with my kids thoroughly. </p><p>In this post of <i>"Happiness is..."</i>, it's about being a fun mum, or at the very least, try to be one. <br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTpCd0hSoWhPaM7XWtjv5C_wzPGyi3EZP-ZP7csHLEk3ityFRFXxX2CuBXdOBw2Xp0xPvmNbTIR067m8EitoFxL-geEr0u_NW6_V9AGecSW-kkc_P6HHBJizBUULknrA4FfY-aOCjJaGHcerZbWuBSQOGSQyr5F0_engPqCauUnWDQC1VFBNhvlYNU/s1000/20221006_173107.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTpCd0hSoWhPaM7XWtjv5C_wzPGyi3EZP-ZP7csHLEk3ityFRFXxX2CuBXdOBw2Xp0xPvmNbTIR067m8EitoFxL-geEr0u_NW6_V9AGecSW-kkc_P6HHBJizBUULknrA4FfY-aOCjJaGHcerZbWuBSQOGSQyr5F0_engPqCauUnWDQC1VFBNhvlYNU/s16000/20221006_173107.jpg" /></a> <br /></p><p>It's been a long time since we visited Kiztopia and I am so happy we did. It was Ansel's first visit and he had so much fun with his siblings. He is blessed to have three elder siblings who dote on him very much so they are always there to accompany him, guide him and play with him, like how the sisters pushed him around on the kiddy car and how Korkor took care of him and assured him that he needn't be scared when they went on the train ride.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nTimwa9_hff-2qMgjYm14R8t1ZTtPTXpyRGCXkAcoxi3_ChnB9JR6bkM3QchG7O9DbR6z6mtcPRQYTQ1HsRtPM_gn778GzpnPQLOzQybl7CcLYpZkRLYGuQFpIK5Rn0jpnh9_JDKuAmDBB0cVogGOu3xCsu7PLaxv_1ilCXxO1EQZkIQWY95doVK/s1000/20221006_170312.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nTimwa9_hff-2qMgjYm14R8t1ZTtPTXpyRGCXkAcoxi3_ChnB9JR6bkM3QchG7O9DbR6z6mtcPRQYTQ1HsRtPM_gn778GzpnPQLOzQybl7CcLYpZkRLYGuQFpIK5Rn0jpnh9_JDKuAmDBB0cVogGOu3xCsu7PLaxv_1ilCXxO1EQZkIQWY95doVK/s16000/20221006_170312.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiju4bFqr88kIpMMMuHnxumDnWbFeFsF3UPx4eLhNuCPkQBAf-6CXWLFqELpudp9gPPAMvMtZ42eJAc0Qv2EbSc-jjIVxhwACcGmE7_6Y6EXuCpxNpaLQILtFHorlhCU9OuL0b6SYo0RcqffD2zO2G5F5DJFCX5DFj7UTjmArVl-ogDd36P57wvDjEb/s1000/20221006_174010.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiju4bFqr88kIpMMMuHnxumDnWbFeFsF3UPx4eLhNuCPkQBAf-6CXWLFqELpudp9gPPAMvMtZ42eJAc0Qv2EbSc-jjIVxhwACcGmE7_6Y6EXuCpxNpaLQILtFHorlhCU9OuL0b6SYo0RcqffD2zO2G5F5DJFCX5DFj7UTjmArVl-ogDd36P57wvDjEb/s16000/20221006_174010.jpg" /></a>This orange slide was our favourite because it was so steep and slippery, and because we could ride on it together. Even though I had to take photos and videos for this sponsored visit, I didn't forget to have lots of fun with the kids. We slid and screamed together, we tried to bury each other with the Hinoko cubes, we shot hoops, we jumped on the trampoline and we conquered a Ninja trail together. These are the memories that my kids will hopefully hold onto as part of their happy childhood.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR9TvPJ5obAfQzfgy0Vkbqp0oYqNIGQWxX5DZXbO6F34159p0xV9asCwJWJ-4joPM0E6Z0y3x8EseElXSu8ufYJ2ldV_mZfhz0zWvcx8C5DeeZyhh9STEYWikF_TLgZcU5RXbUXZrb6eFgEe1hA3gDh8-CQ6g5VkpFYn0qAe6vxdR-iQB6SXL2rmOq/s1000/20221006_173704.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR9TvPJ5obAfQzfgy0Vkbqp0oYqNIGQWxX5DZXbO6F34159p0xV9asCwJWJ-4joPM0E6Z0y3x8EseElXSu8ufYJ2ldV_mZfhz0zWvcx8C5DeeZyhh9STEYWikF_TLgZcU5RXbUXZrb6eFgEe1hA3gDh8-CQ6g5VkpFYn0qAe6vxdR-iQB6SXL2rmOq/s16000/20221006_173704.jpg" /></a> We had a belated birthday celebration for my Dad and treated him to a delightful buffet. It is always fun to cook and eat together as a family and we enjoyed the meal very much. We made use of the cake dessert to have a cake cutting ceremony since my Dad doesn't have a sweet tooth and didn't want a big cake. The staff even played the birthday song specially for us and that was a moment to remember.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja7_yPX9WOB5qpy9mdMM67_GHocxlr5ObT5aLOJZkdoRZaoNkwMKBmNynx0ahh-Z3yJWurZrMy3yuxVjV9wfVAgYCSGr3fhubQHB1V3FrLC5d-Xh5mw1B9Jm4y3-nzvyST-ckt8f77XWVzypSwmkQWKC4w_0SsyuoqNPeEGr2gpxaIrJrTEK-ScX_5/s1000/20221001_185451.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja7_yPX9WOB5qpy9mdMM67_GHocxlr5ObT5aLOJZkdoRZaoNkwMKBmNynx0ahh-Z3yJWurZrMy3yuxVjV9wfVAgYCSGr3fhubQHB1V3FrLC5d-Xh5mw1B9Jm4y3-nzvyST-ckt8f77XWVzypSwmkQWKC4w_0SsyuoqNPeEGr2gpxaIrJrTEK-ScX_5/s16000/20221001_185451.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6_NTXuo78aFQYYa3DVMUM56xKrCK303pAxPBk2Q0UDFT32JHnwXQLiKHkxKIxb_h82Z9MJ1YBeIlHbxn7TKtfyyGwVYlqarbzc5mEpKVEYuEj8kgiBaKWVSXzRU699KgwmRaDWVOHWnRfr3n_OSEk2_BA8TCDd_M0cOBdANBFswqmG6fPI3GOIuha/s1000/20221001_211051.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6_NTXuo78aFQYYa3DVMUM56xKrCK303pAxPBk2Q0UDFT32JHnwXQLiKHkxKIxb_h82Z9MJ1YBeIlHbxn7TKtfyyGwVYlqarbzc5mEpKVEYuEj8kgiBaKWVSXzRU699KgwmRaDWVOHWnRfr3n_OSEk2_BA8TCDd_M0cOBdANBFswqmG6fPI3GOIuha/s16000/20221001_211051.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyC_x-OS_o57RXbs2YLTNaLayMaSV7deexghc674e3QKTN_xyP0JaeDjapmMCoTO48s1OdHK4s9b_PU59cRSdhi-ZeBdighlSKtWs8Izzb2yZGLxeImu8xFbufRaqYW-78Y3H5B4tOf1nP_q0AnTFeQmF6cL51BfBG5Ol3zSVr2wp_6ufRyH96L00k/s1000/20221001_211300.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyC_x-OS_o57RXbs2YLTNaLayMaSV7deexghc674e3QKTN_xyP0JaeDjapmMCoTO48s1OdHK4s9b_PU59cRSdhi-ZeBdighlSKtWs8Izzb2yZGLxeImu8xFbufRaqYW-78Y3H5B4tOf1nP_q0AnTFeQmF6cL51BfBG5Ol3zSVr2wp_6ufRyH96L00k/s16000/20221001_211300.jpg" /></a> What made the night even more special was when my Mum suggested to bring us to a newly opened playground in their neighbourhood. Even though it was already 10pm, the kids were naturally thrilled and I just had to let them play for a while. You see, my parents didn't just watch them play, they went on the slides, climbed up the slope and sat on the swing with them too. That is what I aspire to do when I am 70 years old - if I can make it to that ripe age. To be a fun grandparent who brings the grandkids out to play and joins in the fun too!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiojDJKi1hKNmrRiwhIhn-xHkJXrb7bKwhS3lBJiHG_4cNInVuYgjNy4kXzXekdVEiIyCMENsgNV7PgtJKm9l-4dL31_36OIeRl83BT75u5Me6avbWy7F0JQrOFGEMNSmEezBISDBMz26ox9QIpU90Bf_MHsZ3wvDeeGoN6nmT7t-9YOuIv47Jah-Il/s1000/20221001_220337.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiojDJKi1hKNmrRiwhIhn-xHkJXrb7bKwhS3lBJiHG_4cNInVuYgjNy4kXzXekdVEiIyCMENsgNV7PgtJKm9l-4dL31_36OIeRl83BT75u5Me6avbWy7F0JQrOFGEMNSmEezBISDBMz26ox9QIpU90Bf_MHsZ3wvDeeGoN6nmT7t-9YOuIv47Jah-Il/s16000/20221001_220337.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgajfpFYZOQlu1CvqWZnDbmUUbl5961kpvufGuz3kGAFz4LWRz1AUqAMPJVKk3twhJ7FIZuhXSZrsy2vpCS3TuPXZ9BKubf4JwvXVO--Ha06WaYovn7ffCRSXgNXhoqAKRRFmV-OmJTKVhALB8LReGyMc5ZjU9kaqpIZhoqSkRu8zOq6rsWnG53mEoM/s1000/20221001_220131.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgajfpFYZOQlu1CvqWZnDbmUUbl5961kpvufGuz3kGAFz4LWRz1AUqAMPJVKk3twhJ7FIZuhXSZrsy2vpCS3TuPXZ9BKubf4JwvXVO--Ha06WaYovn7ffCRSXgNXhoqAKRRFmV-OmJTKVhALB8LReGyMc5ZjU9kaqpIZhoqSkRu8zOq6rsWnG53mEoM/s16000/20221001_220131.jpg" /></a> We still try our best to have home cooked meals and sometimes I run out of ideas on what to cook. That is when I decide to make it more fun and have a steamboat instead so that the kids can choose their own ingredients and we can all cook together. Since the hubby doesn't come home till the kids are asleep on weekdays, our dinner is mostly a mum-and-kids affair and I actually quite enjoy it. Yes, the washing up and preparation might be tedious but if you think about it, these moments will become rarely in a decade or two when the kids start working and move on with their own separate lives. So yes, let's cherish these growing up years because time truly has wings.</p><p><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQHQTrPt7XoAULudKJ9xXKApk2gVCOX9AObE03b811syjOO7G9XLcPLMG4aj18oTtXrpt7tqwNBGbSB6Efz1kTquNjoMrdhuCmFkdNP3tiNndqVQHvseagWofNkwBOuwSJR4cab6yJeCCNXovt8YrH-FuHWUY1HUn2cgJkHFxPQ0cACkLuCrzgSh4/s16000/20221021_194239.jpg" /></p><p>A major incident that happened this month was that Asher had to go for a tooth extraction! One of his molars was seriously decayed - to quote the dentist, it was dead and 'hopeless' - and we didn't pick it up till it was too late. So we made several visits to HPB and a private dentist, did an X-ray and a few consultations, before making the decision to extract it. </p><p>This brave boy was scared but he mustered his courage and didn't grumble during the whole procedure. I was just glad when it was over and hopefully he learns to abstain from sweet stuff and take care of his teeth better. His first meal after the extraction was having udon soup and chawanmushi at Genki Sushi because he loves it to much. Whatever happens, my dear Asher, remember that Mama is here to support and cheer for you, okay?</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju-7baVnk_6MVZHs7K8gScQm4aJZ8zwDVia25eiNQZqoY--kSLmuxiljgPSd3ODPbLVwvkk5H29fXFmkWa_KoEBU3s1KezVQv9ihV0-6EgCrWWCZLkvj94zFhWLKs9iBfZ4fcJBcyNwQH14xgQZMgL673WIB5hlnVGGnNUxjrqQYTY4XCej2GeWbRE/s1000/20221019_102019.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju-7baVnk_6MVZHs7K8gScQm4aJZ8zwDVia25eiNQZqoY--kSLmuxiljgPSd3ODPbLVwvkk5H29fXFmkWa_KoEBU3s1KezVQv9ihV0-6EgCrWWCZLkvj94zFhWLKs9iBfZ4fcJBcyNwQH14xgQZMgL673WIB5hlnVGGnNUxjrqQYTY4XCej2GeWbRE/s16000/20221019_102019.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7DKA4aLqANZlMDHPOTq-XR99Myg5jbLv1ribkyr5Oo_LaRO3nXgbdY8K5INhdcjzzwLwEu70yZpvrEg6ieCwqTtioVSuw5o45UwvIXQmO_zWN0OH1WJTd4j6phCMLIb6bZZIbIx9spMcrBwCt4MQyX6AzmFll84i8z0kuQ6ZHRyrLZwrZnR0vSldO/s1000/20221019_132336.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7DKA4aLqANZlMDHPOTq-XR99Myg5jbLv1ribkyr5Oo_LaRO3nXgbdY8K5INhdcjzzwLwEu70yZpvrEg6ieCwqTtioVSuw5o45UwvIXQmO_zWN0OH1WJTd4j6phCMLIb6bZZIbIx9spMcrBwCt4MQyX6AzmFll84i8z0kuQ6ZHRyrLZwrZnR0vSldO/s16000/20221019_132336.jpg" /></a></p><p>It's a joy to know that theatrical shows are back and that we get to bring the kids to watch these educational and entertaining live shows once more. I had a one-on-two outing with the eldest and the youngest when the rest were in school and we made our way to Victoria Theatre to catch The Gruffalo, which is one of our favourite tales.</p><p>Then we also had a family outing to Singapore Repertory Theatre to catch The Hare and The Tortoise which was such a fun-filled, meaningful show on friendship. The kids enjoy these shows very much so I hope to keep up with these outings as much as I can before they outgrow them.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr4zJ3uuZdffiZ8d4bOGsnwBI6QzFHUAOCU8I-syIiC6mViud0ZvB647BvPfatrJ1yy8p42kpPic2aBjPE4OEMFBK-LnpTGshLVdubn0iujN3opNvHtifbCsb5X_QMn-EO1SXiG2mgSvKiJfybe_bXpMYEJfYigqjVh17XK6KAqNOOnRYpN2Ri9pQy/s1000/20221014_105238.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr4zJ3uuZdffiZ8d4bOGsnwBI6QzFHUAOCU8I-syIiC6mViud0ZvB647BvPfatrJ1yy8p42kpPic2aBjPE4OEMFBK-LnpTGshLVdubn0iujN3opNvHtifbCsb5X_QMn-EO1SXiG2mgSvKiJfybe_bXpMYEJfYigqjVh17XK6KAqNOOnRYpN2Ri9pQy/s16000/20221014_105238.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj37ep0gURjrE0JDeChiXek-d5M4ygG22KON5hw_27l_1wpdsuFyC7NKbEbK0I2aovt3-8v-zrgZYYLYj4jL0aLLs81gESdjKdlwmNoQ9AzlnBbynK2LuOJ8y5131qQgvw2dFFx2gW-FYf9tGkj6L6CBUxcGqT0Fh6a_AH0Md88VYq4htkRoATN4cz8/s1000/20221030_151728.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj37ep0gURjrE0JDeChiXek-d5M4ygG22KON5hw_27l_1wpdsuFyC7NKbEbK0I2aovt3-8v-zrgZYYLYj4jL0aLLs81gESdjKdlwmNoQ9AzlnBbynK2LuOJ8y5131qQgvw2dFFx2gW-FYf9tGkj6L6CBUxcGqT0Fh6a_AH0Md88VYq4htkRoATN4cz8/s16000/20221030_151728.jpg" /></a></p><p>October is a time to get wild because it's Halloween! It's been way too long since we attended a big party so we were glad to be part of the Halloween celebration held at the newly opened Polliwogs in Clarke Quay. We didn't buy any new outfits but instead made do with what we had and I think we didn't quite okay, right?</p><p>One memorable incident was when we were taking the MRT to the venue, I took out our makeup kit and started drawing on my face, haha. The kids were a little shy and embarrassed, and wanted to procrastinate or give excuses. I told them it was all about being fun, perhaps even a little crazy or over the top, since it was Halloween after all - an annual affair where we get to look scary, ugly and be proud of it. So we did the makeup for each other eventually and I think these formed yet another set of happy, fun and precious memories for keepsake.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5MHPfsLc7H_ZQn0AsPIWpdFJmf5TEAwu1YP-TnvPrFnQdwiELLYJzD2zYxy7Q5VVxJFWsRhItH0VZ0pSN--XRr9DoSxpbYe_GPnrcDaqzEYtPzdzERewa5WGt0On3rMBdk3rokD84SY6SXnz1EskQN7798s6mmzo0kKxdgIlSodJKWRba5NJfY1y/s1000/collage229.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5MHPfsLc7H_ZQn0AsPIWpdFJmf5TEAwu1YP-TnvPrFnQdwiELLYJzD2zYxy7Q5VVxJFWsRhItH0VZ0pSN--XRr9DoSxpbYe_GPnrcDaqzEYtPzdzERewa5WGt0On3rMBdk3rokD84SY6SXnz1EskQN7798s6mmzo0kKxdgIlSodJKWRba5NJfY1y/s16000/collage229.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixAsBW-ZoFOQwDMOFgGlAOxLMhD6ko3_q2JKlI4qr1t92b7FyBIQjgVJa7ULbiQcJELRknt-mZJjghzJohaK-fC3wAc9Kj80TQX2QnEf6g8rYqQSfa8pC52v3dMNgzAIjfqkysqEp3QHOGPXnoPBP_0E5TJR52v9F2wye6jOjTklQCcrNumcWkP6LE/s1000/collage230.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixAsBW-ZoFOQwDMOFgGlAOxLMhD6ko3_q2JKlI4qr1t92b7FyBIQjgVJa7ULbiQcJELRknt-mZJjghzJohaK-fC3wAc9Kj80TQX2QnEf6g8rYqQSfa8pC52v3dMNgzAIjfqkysqEp3QHOGPXnoPBP_0E5TJR52v9F2wye6jOjTklQCcrNumcWkP6LE/s16000/collage230.jpg" /></a> <br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivmdo6CrcPPdr2vEOK1yGVE6VMU8ZNYb-Ah7u5_1Fs2kKsM-FalW_mb3fTK99l1P_trNMyyylbiZKoNlkgLIW2ab4SyGgJn4bSVBTmUWdOQxHvg6mIrx0EkTLU965s1iTYi6sf7MRKZIxbROo-ey5_UVNDi4pWpiW-ZmcFQxAFFsrfPmUdg7mNfhER/s1000/20221028_215553.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivmdo6CrcPPdr2vEOK1yGVE6VMU8ZNYb-Ah7u5_1Fs2kKsM-FalW_mb3fTK99l1P_trNMyyylbiZKoNlkgLIW2ab4SyGgJn4bSVBTmUWdOQxHvg6mIrx0EkTLU965s1iTYi6sf7MRKZIxbROo-ey5_UVNDi4pWpiW-ZmcFQxAFFsrfPmUdg7mNfhER/s16000/20221028_215553.jpg" /></a></p><p>We were at the Botanic Gardens for a photoshoot for our new kicks and when I wanted to take a couple shot of me and the hubby, Ariel said <i>"Do a cute heart pose, don't look so serious."</i> And so we did.<br /></p><p>Indeed, the kids are my constant reminders to tale life easier and just go with the flow or even be a little absurd at times. Don't be fooled by at the nice posed pics we put up sometimes, I assure you we go bananas at times too and that is when we laugh hard together and wish we had more of such carefree moments.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsS6839tRFWhud7eaN3pXBMoEjE6ut1_Qytq0ww5ziHPpCNyv2b9p9LCeeUvaIJZKDuyy26PoV0AkZpl18XDnBbckcJDbHsJvg4TpJ655glmhqjNb9kNIC1fPUa8DZ_jJJA4qpN8zPar_54kYKirKv_6DQInfvu_wjhWyPnamLjPHeFQagTsS4Eump/s1000/collage233.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsS6839tRFWhud7eaN3pXBMoEjE6ut1_Qytq0ww5ziHPpCNyv2b9p9LCeeUvaIJZKDuyy26PoV0AkZpl18XDnBbckcJDbHsJvg4TpJ655glmhqjNb9kNIC1fPUa8DZ_jJJA4qpN8zPar_54kYKirKv_6DQInfvu_wjhWyPnamLjPHeFQagTsS4Eump/s16000/collage233.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvQFl3B1v5h__qbSeD1rus8xa3ZGPgS5AJPB3zj4iYa-NSrDySS72WEi4af-OzSqsOvg_FzD97DjFtRAyPXIJZBBzgcDibB61VAbesuXbu9dTAyuDcb0ix168oDPAvXNGmlHnJ7nKpcLjj6B2XmJxca6I6CRuolVMFYKMVqsJ4I-8UWFbU7E47irut/s1000/collage232.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvQFl3B1v5h__qbSeD1rus8xa3ZGPgS5AJPB3zj4iYa-NSrDySS72WEi4af-OzSqsOvg_FzD97DjFtRAyPXIJZBBzgcDibB61VAbesuXbu9dTAyuDcb0ix168oDPAvXNGmlHnJ7nKpcLjj6B2XmJxca6I6CRuolVMFYKMVqsJ4I-8UWFbU7E47irut/s16000/collage232.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmVjS2BjPokhA_iQ3kABLBXCojEvkDSpoEw8oSocLIzHbsxWTpEO-LW1XvyPVB17u6Viqea1NEeF5E8LnlhH0s5s8JsHjnuuguluirQLtMjdcsJl42XHpCPo9-khfha8bUB3BHCJjhepicVuoZVNMGgDzGSn9k-jjCXpa_Wl1v8NqWLARiOavEqh3g/s1000/collage231.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmVjS2BjPokhA_iQ3kABLBXCojEvkDSpoEw8oSocLIzHbsxWTpEO-LW1XvyPVB17u6Viqea1NEeF5E8LnlhH0s5s8JsHjnuuguluirQLtMjdcsJl42XHpCPo9-khfha8bUB3BHCJjhepicVuoZVNMGgDzGSn9k-jjCXpa_Wl1v8NqWLARiOavEqh3g/s16000/collage231.jpg" /></a></div><p><br />Jewel is one of our favourite places to visit and there is always so much to do and play. After enjoying a delicious meal at Shake Shack, we made our way to the playground, followed by having fun on ZooMoov rides and then plushie catching at Fun Claw. Yup, the hubby and I also joined in the fun at the claw machines and it took a family effort before we caught two very cute penguins to bring home.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXRLtF0w1c4X_WmJUOds9HENHr6Nts2havukFTh1u1X6mkPwa4C1Fb-I4tSdHQ4c3MW5_NMPpSE4CV0GwkeIvLyWg4iZIrTvCaGAZXNqQvnGJgX8mxBo8HeYqC8I52lsLMdZ0D-F3JuVHenjN41pGmbfWQEbOZUhu9YKfURSes1QAQAeRoSQ5yLSh/s1000/20221009_123827.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXRLtF0w1c4X_WmJUOds9HENHr6Nts2havukFTh1u1X6mkPwa4C1Fb-I4tSdHQ4c3MW5_NMPpSE4CV0GwkeIvLyWg4iZIrTvCaGAZXNqQvnGJgX8mxBo8HeYqC8I52lsLMdZ0D-F3JuVHenjN41pGmbfWQEbOZUhu9YKfURSes1QAQAeRoSQ5yLSh/s16000/20221009_123827.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFLGYlOa-rEnlueSdlM6XccZW9KjM1Wxp8PwzRRPMGJ9xIePdrwQsWd3BMdweWtMtcUNk5ped65Yajm7W3NZLi_FeyNTPFDLlfeq3O9XR51x1PAyJtjwC4WR2SsmqixdTxCErsd0A8K7BiuuQwSN5qcwjAaqq9WwxYsmNyM_vZEY37YzkyoEgICMxE/s1000/20221009_124528.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFLGYlOa-rEnlueSdlM6XccZW9KjM1Wxp8PwzRRPMGJ9xIePdrwQsWd3BMdweWtMtcUNk5ped65Yajm7W3NZLi_FeyNTPFDLlfeq3O9XR51x1PAyJtjwC4WR2SsmqixdTxCErsd0A8K7BiuuQwSN5qcwjAaqq9WwxYsmNyM_vZEY37YzkyoEgICMxE/s16000/20221009_124528.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Dining at Hai Di Lao is a luxury that we do not take for granted. I always remind the kids on how they are so fortunate to get to eat at restaurants and enjoy such good food, and to always count their blessings. We love seeing the <b>拉面师父</b> perform his signature dance because it always tickles the kids and makes them laugh.<br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpa1Jgx2AbLuE7jArxnt4SUHIShs7olELc3S4aR2wWZGQjpFT2zpmZfrZahRtjr3ajXdPjX6oBGZ-riwoBiqk_bkO7ru_uxZwk8O-_8kkEQOibkTqfjQZcZQRi5AUDLpUjpDntDmYgc4OKdXmu50S5HbEphA9AB3qOKT-LZZVzJe1IC7PRsbOLDPn/s1000/20221006_202749.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibpa1Jgx2AbLuE7jArxnt4SUHIShs7olELc3S4aR2wWZGQjpFT2zpmZfrZahRtjr3ajXdPjX6oBGZ-riwoBiqk_bkO7ru_uxZwk8O-_8kkEQOibkTqfjQZcZQRi5AUDLpUjpDntDmYgc4OKdXmu50S5HbEphA9AB3qOKT-LZZVzJe1IC7PRsbOLDPn/s16000/20221006_202749.jpg" /></a></p><p>Lastly, you've probably read about our biggest highlight in October and that is our DIY Halloween party themed <i>"A Skeleton Carnival"</i>. If you have not, hop over <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2023/01/a-skeleton-carnival-happy-halloween-2022.html" target="_blank">here</a> and be sure to watch the video because you will laugh with us and even at us, it's okay, I really don't mind. It was an unforgettable night filled with glee, giggles, fun, squeals, play and family bonding, a night where we didn't feel like parents but instead as playful kids who just wanna have a ball of a time. I am so thankful that all my efforts paid off for this party and that it was a roaring success.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiojeAIJkjDPpcIRJl8fVXcIURCy84INY12ysFOlmbLYgESuC6rE4X5IvdnaDfjDZxJkzFGEJvAIAaH6rJjvI4j1OQlsZriWHDc29-dwbo0zuj3KCFdBsSmbiHw-jZjqrIVtU-rLqmLtATNgOIjZcYkMiXt0A5CTIGMlBGhANBTEFOEnwgd5T3h6XTC/s1000/20221028_141454a.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiojeAIJkjDPpcIRJl8fVXcIURCy84INY12ysFOlmbLYgESuC6rE4X5IvdnaDfjDZxJkzFGEJvAIAaH6rJjvI4j1OQlsZriWHDc29-dwbo0zuj3KCFdBsSmbiHw-jZjqrIVtU-rLqmLtATNgOIjZcYkMiXt0A5CTIGMlBGhANBTEFOEnwgd5T3h6XTC/s16000/20221028_141454a.jpg" /></a></div><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJRAlHcChnfkaIAQntnkKhX7NEcz0PRTTWFr8a6ASUWDPS--xNV_3qGmZXyo2dUuQhIAqT6O0lX-M2tRxqhvHaYZBGfjdJ2TNqae_qGN7i9hMiPyWrKyonyURAVO5-XqWRVZLsgSLbShOWsU3cI50DMPOM7L2if4f0QeGT63e-cpXQBpsYMf5vwqw1/s1000/20221029_191514a.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJRAlHcChnfkaIAQntnkKhX7NEcz0PRTTWFr8a6ASUWDPS--xNV_3qGmZXyo2dUuQhIAqT6O0lX-M2tRxqhvHaYZBGfjdJ2TNqae_qGN7i9hMiPyWrKyonyURAVO5-XqWRVZLsgSLbShOWsU3cI50DMPOM7L2if4f0QeGT63e-cpXQBpsYMf5vwqw1/s16000/20221029_191514a.jpg" /></a> <br /></p><p>Yeap, that's the end for now and while my monthly highlights might come a little late, I will keep them coming and I will never give up writing. So thank you for reading all these posts patiently and quietly, and I hope our family experiences will inspire you in one way or another.</p><p>Let's all be fun parents from time to time, yeah? Till the next post!</p><p></p>~Summer~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478137784353655124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6546965252487257512.post-31295189948418389322023-01-12T09:53:00.023+08:002024-03-20T12:10:25.100+08:00A Skeleton Carnival! - Happy Halloween 2022<div><p>Halloween is a special time for our family. Back in 2020, all the parties we usually attended were cancelled due to the pandemic. To bring some cheer to the kids, I did a DIY <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2020/11/diy-halloween-party.html" target="_blank">Spooky Halloween party</a> where we dressed up, played games and went trick-or-treating. The kids said it was the BEST Halloween ever so I knew we had started a fun-filled family tradition and it would be awesome if we could do it year after year.</p></div><p>Then in 2021, we had a <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2021/12/halloween-2021-its-back-to-school-time.html" target="_blank">"Back to School"</a> theme and our characters include the Teacher, Einstein, Bully, Miss Popular, Class Clown and Cutie Pie. We played lots of childhood games including five stones, marbles, zero point, chapteh, blindman bluff and more before we headed out for trick-or-treating and saved our class pet from the Bully. It was Ansel's first ever Halloween celebration and this made it a special one.</p><p>In 2022, I racked my brain weeks before October and decided that we were gonna transform into a skeleton family and and have fun at a carnival held in the comfort of our home. Everyone loves carnivals, right? I chose some of our favourite popular games and began working on the DIY game props, wall banner and decorations. Here's sharing all about the big day and how the kids enjoyed every minute of it.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyjla4vslGVBRfuAG9F2lNEYFhvpKN9A9-nrR7TVu6WJeqA_I_Ouzx40-bi2KOraFcBDxryAPCAddwsHVOSyN5SgNYj6Mzd0tbj8kofBFqTj4IYvn3YO3jYgqyrPM8pgmpkdLjr-3xlz2AOQRooyeG-6nq1Q4tJFoYdnaepT0ZHpOSvU2SppEZKxur/s1000/20221029_182154_002a.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyjla4vslGVBRfuAG9F2lNEYFhvpKN9A9-nrR7TVu6WJeqA_I_Ouzx40-bi2KOraFcBDxryAPCAddwsHVOSyN5SgNYj6Mzd0tbj8kofBFqTj4IYvn3YO3jYgqyrPM8pgmpkdLjr-3xlz2AOQRooyeG-6nq1Q4tJFoYdnaepT0ZHpOSvU2SppEZKxur/s16000/20221029_182154_002a.jpg"></a> <u><b>The Setup</b></u></p><p>As always, I gave out party invitations to the kids days before the party and told them this would be their entry ticket for the party. The invites also revealed the theme so it got them pretty excited even though they didn't know exactly what we were gonna do. It's nice to be able to keep the suspense, right? I love to surprise my kids in every little way.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHzpyCLop_R72Tk8cfBThW7VwPaR5gnPVHBqSb864Ovb6UHRsDLLF9lI40MOjvTTHcjjDeg_5u-JozgI-L9r6PSTTqDpL_nqDNrEyiZH-1oZ-xIK4V6GqhvHrbAAQs7oqmAs98WIyaj2Z9RMLkay3gzI0QwOZ4onU-Ncu8zHpLcV2L4UHe2-nhYaVS/s1000/20221024_120424.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHzpyCLop_R72Tk8cfBThW7VwPaR5gnPVHBqSb864Ovb6UHRsDLLF9lI40MOjvTTHcjjDeg_5u-JozgI-L9r6PSTTqDpL_nqDNrEyiZH-1oZ-xIK4V6GqhvHrbAAQs7oqmAs98WIyaj2Z9RMLkay3gzI0QwOZ4onU-Ncu8zHpLcV2L4UHe2-nhYaVS/s16000/20221024_120424.jpg"></a></p><p>The big girl drew this on the whiteboard and it shows how much they look forward to Halloween. Their happiness is my biggest motivation to keep going. It doesn't have to be a lavish or fanciful party, the kids are actually very happy even if I keep things fairly simple.</p><p><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTUX073Zxx1KaqoCbfmXZNtP-rLI-S7-jXb_O-KY4z02wszUPHOCMKYbzfCm1vf_cD46TPaOlE7e1hNwCl97UVKAzsPg4_99y4BZq-Xf714rx-VwHta2W9q2-BK552qB9vjeDtCrs-q_cLyKnGVin-vKp1Vo0b5S8UXbTmQf49AiKF72NER_7auree/s16000/20221029_183530.jpg"></p><p>This wall was the main highlight of our decorations and it was cool that the kids and I worked together to create it. I downloaded a skeleton font for the letters, printed out the biggest skeleton template I could find, hung up foam skulls we bought from the supermarket, put in place our DIY tombstone, placed skeleton figurines on the ledge, turned on a couple of changing coloured lights in the shape of skulls as well as hung up a scary skeleton - aka the evil Soul Catcher at this party - to complete the whole look. I totally loved the final product and was proud of what we had done.</p><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWrhvn96owTxVYjMeA1ojvpsSf9SWQmzAjSSGrdWf9j9J25lax1QSliRbqdJAIA4qKGc5I3nEW57mfdB3cECwLT1cQ6uBwTHKDTJb8aK8Y8weEXzHXyFEoBPVT8pk6eH7KbO2PO4HBDUy6MuwN_iXx2B04g9x_r6_m7B8MttfLbAcpa4T1RB_mfbQi/s1000/20221028_141454.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWrhvn96owTxVYjMeA1ojvpsSf9SWQmzAjSSGrdWf9j9J25lax1QSliRbqdJAIA4qKGc5I3nEW57mfdB3cECwLT1cQ6uBwTHKDTJb8aK8Y8weEXzHXyFEoBPVT8pk6eH7KbO2PO4HBDUy6MuwN_iXx2B04g9x_r6_m7B8MttfLbAcpa4T1RB_mfbQi/s16000/20221028_141454.jpg"></a></div>Since we had a stash of Halloween decorations from past years, we also put these up around the house to create the ambience. Can you spot our spider, cat and ghosts?<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtaEz2VXYOxYkMhZiqbenJ5WEMcC0Ar5hBSft2ZGSmiXLIQJ1uCC3JXPwUVNgtLPE19Fv6dJ0kGvGm5ZjgTSIAnJZXfBNaRpvLV6uOe2tFbtzY2GM5uqGm-dCslBlivzLhn6s9kYldaJg6UbWLT7Y9bXrLr4Os5jhbYql62iJJy6sJhM6N7yWN3Q37/s1000/20221029_165500.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtaEz2VXYOxYkMhZiqbenJ5WEMcC0Ar5hBSft2ZGSmiXLIQJ1uCC3JXPwUVNgtLPE19Fv6dJ0kGvGm5ZjgTSIAnJZXfBNaRpvLV6uOe2tFbtzY2GM5uqGm-dCslBlivzLhn6s9kYldaJg6UbWLT7Y9bXrLr4Os5jhbYql62iJJy6sJhM6N7yWN3Q37/s16000/20221029_165500.jpg"></a> <br></p><p><u><b> The Characters</b></u></p><p>Check out our skeleton OOTDs! I was stoked to have found all of them online at quite a reasonable price, even the toddler had a romper that fitted him nicely too. Not bad, right? I also added gloves for the elder kids and bought black and white face paint so we could have fun painting and look scary together. The hubby's outfit came with a mask so he was exempted from the face painting, haha. Lucky you. But then again, you missed out on the fun of the whole process.<br></p><p>What I totally did not expect was that Ansel would be game enough to let us paint his face too! He nodded when I asked him if he wanted it too after seeing the siblings do it first, and he stayed still in the process and looked totally adorable. <i>Awww.</i> Check out our makeup process in the video which I'm pretty sure might bring a few giggles.</p><p></p><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMcAPTKWUXqYIH6lLe38_EG1m8nUfFS-Zj-S-AkT0mmMqCPX9nf-k68E8ho3RYmUT9t_1zN4qlrM27Tu9nGe0lZBCaKWB_yw4FKqlN14sPce-XxvGHO0UcpyM_DG8WIPBMxbuHuUmuXoAYCC5oMaoa1W9BvRhGyaayjnDAYnlf-fnx-dR3XyxCBNoc/s1000/PhotoGrid_Site_1672975539352.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMcAPTKWUXqYIH6lLe38_EG1m8nUfFS-Zj-S-AkT0mmMqCPX9nf-k68E8ho3RYmUT9t_1zN4qlrM27Tu9nGe0lZBCaKWB_yw4FKqlN14sPce-XxvGHO0UcpyM_DG8WIPBMxbuHuUmuXoAYCC5oMaoa1W9BvRhGyaayjnDAYnlf-fnx-dR3XyxCBNoc/s16000/PhotoGrid_Site_1672975539352.jpg"></a></div><br><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqLHvGYbZDUVaHGL_ddy-KWatIwXTq396C8XlK6E7Lndo4OgD7Z5DKB669tKio7l8tpViOsH4798WbiphayGLLG0JR8gaw_9ep4cW5e7ItyLOKuTI_D0-Jg4_VV2mUCbwF06NmmNjmivhOsoMezpmRILx9K2TX2gihl1tiQOBBhWUCUj2sGEjbMZsN/s1000/PhotoGrid_Site_1672975393502.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqLHvGYbZDUVaHGL_ddy-KWatIwXTq396C8XlK6E7Lndo4OgD7Z5DKB669tKio7l8tpViOsH4798WbiphayGLLG0JR8gaw_9ep4cW5e7ItyLOKuTI_D0-Jg4_VV2mUCbwF06NmmNjmivhOsoMezpmRILx9K2TX2gihl1tiQOBBhWUCUj2sGEjbMZsN/s16000/PhotoGrid_Site_1672975393502.jpg"></a></div><p><u><b>The Highlights</b></u></p><p>Let the fun begin! The main highlights are always the games because the kids enjoy them the most so once we were done with our makeup, filmed some introductory videos and took some family photos, it was time to party!</p><p>I wrote each game's instructions and scoring system onto cue cards so I could read these to the kids before the start of each game. I must say it was fun planning it and determining how the prizes would be won. Oh yes, that meant I also hunted for prizes beforehand. I made this a candy-less Halloween as Asher just had a tooth extraction and I didn't want to encourage them to eat any sugary stuff. So I opted for things like pens, pencils, notebooks, stickers and other stationery.</p><p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii9168dNpyOY_1kDjI-fd59fDrXXZR7CvZ4NM24hP7Hc4AL-G7hvhuR-vtcSvq2Om8MQRJWgqrctEaObNjaqRUMtQl8ErxJT1c9pU2-fCn3-cSbnYsqGF6SI8oyIKgQ-xY4WsxG-V15K1_LONvfxSZs1aQynfFee1Klq8bsBvK7hAQb6QxAyytiEYB/s1000/20221031_142644.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii9168dNpyOY_1kDjI-fd59fDrXXZR7CvZ4NM24hP7Hc4AL-G7hvhuR-vtcSvq2Om8MQRJWgqrctEaObNjaqRUMtQl8ErxJT1c9pU2-fCn3-cSbnYsqGF6SI8oyIKgQ-xY4WsxG-V15K1_LONvfxSZs1aQynfFee1Klq8bsBvK7hAQb6QxAyytiEYB/s16000/20221031_142644.jpg"></a> <br></p><p><i>1) Can Toss</i></p><p>The first activity was one of the most common carnival games ever and that is Can Toss! I drank plenty of green tea in the days leading up to Halloween so we could have enough cans to build a pyramid. These were individually wrapped with aluminium foil and had a skull printout stuck at the front. Easy and fun! We used beanbags to toss and the aim was to knock as many cans off the table as possible in three tries.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjVrqGvtcl0JSNFLb1zF39LoCDcPV44lIAZ1RYtCD2jqCKXll35vgB6dpqMkzjANUua2jFELmT3AauAXqeQypOtQtWOYTLLetcC7x3vBS3eSE_I7bCBS6VHIXSQ3ZrQwfFKyYziXt4LdNfX5-PnrYAAnkJelqwmw7EHShcrvlx6soDpcN6LLZ2jfn8/s1000/20221029_183221.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjVrqGvtcl0JSNFLb1zF39LoCDcPV44lIAZ1RYtCD2jqCKXll35vgB6dpqMkzjANUua2jFELmT3AauAXqeQypOtQtWOYTLLetcC7x3vBS3eSE_I7bCBS6VHIXSQ3ZrQwfFKyYziXt4LdNfX5-PnrYAAnkJelqwmw7EHShcrvlx6soDpcN6LLZ2jfn8/s16000/20221029_183221.jpg"></a> <br></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr9KaJynN0H1rcp6-nwpC88GH1MwsUVVhGxXGxAdshpSPwx9HPX6GRAYzN-2xzfzUGXqlbbiCJTQgJZh9BmsxWLC43jrtSRmu_2Zb-1ctU29YDOREGgq-sHuMBwmCr6qq-GBKS3hDoUGI1eLb55fsitvxAvoBOw6OfkTKKF8yzAF1_2s9913wqDZsc/s1000/20221029_184128.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr9KaJynN0H1rcp6-nwpC88GH1MwsUVVhGxXGxAdshpSPwx9HPX6GRAYzN-2xzfzUGXqlbbiCJTQgJZh9BmsxWLC43jrtSRmu_2Zb-1ctU29YDOREGgq-sHuMBwmCr6qq-GBKS3hDoUGI1eLb55fsitvxAvoBOw6OfkTKKF8yzAF1_2s9913wqDZsc/s16000/20221029_184128.jpg"></a> <br></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7gbCxxvGvfmoQ7XoCRSxpzx4C3ZR5zEQNWTEiwOJpmgX8FajdR53ESiiJ6PNVVlCimAQDG8eA1t4S00f81D86CBMvxbETLI8db5uhPPKKpJK5hDL4hRkCBJhvXBBOFby7sgArgPigHYdwZjzRcChKGg2_7TwhkOZjF-IovJUCryXkr1JFZQtAvwnQ/s1000/20221029_183626.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7gbCxxvGvfmoQ7XoCRSxpzx4C3ZR5zEQNWTEiwOJpmgX8FajdR53ESiiJ6PNVVlCimAQDG8eA1t4S00f81D86CBMvxbETLI8db5uhPPKKpJK5hDL4hRkCBJhvXBBOFby7sgArgPigHYdwZjzRcChKGg2_7TwhkOZjF-IovJUCryXkr1JFZQtAvwnQ/s16000/20221029_183626.jpg"></a> <br></p><p><i>2) Ring Toss</i></p><p>The next game was Ring Toss and using rings that I bought online, you just had to toss them one by one onto recycled bottles. I used Pocari bottles for this and removed the label to personalise them with our skull printouts on a black paper. I even used a white marker to colour the caps so that the brand logo could not be seen. It's all in the little details, right?</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Y4tY5JF4Wlox9mqW3cVBiVpJSnAUqNi7cjf-5neJUTtNE-LwejZ9y3NcROxy8d9kgxwAjhtNHdIEZKg6ed6o9C2wEo87HgGL5w66320UwEgwdeIIDPsjMmUxTyaeLYdImN2WnuKmzEQZXTu6tBwv-yZWM02jopAl3LRneUQITTBGAcxR81SPKW-e/s1000/20221029_184728.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Y4tY5JF4Wlox9mqW3cVBiVpJSnAUqNi7cjf-5neJUTtNE-LwejZ9y3NcROxy8d9kgxwAjhtNHdIEZKg6ed6o9C2wEo87HgGL5w66320UwEgwdeIIDPsjMmUxTyaeLYdImN2WnuKmzEQZXTu6tBwv-yZWM02jopAl3LRneUQITTBGAcxR81SPKW-e/s16000/20221029_184728.jpg"></a> <br></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZCSLfs6NQrtNP0vVBiie2MCrjZtGPUhutkxzJMk2ANZEYt_cZvSFu_d0sKwTT0Jym5yFhPGBlG22S6Kv90vFIphCzHdG4sWfMRq40AnPXfT_pi0fHAZEfpgzTePsKCPOmgcD8tr7__RiieabnyFDIPVH-ZzwjniDqu0Vou4XtiuwGgTHioun5vC7c/s1000/20221029_185256.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZCSLfs6NQrtNP0vVBiie2MCrjZtGPUhutkxzJMk2ANZEYt_cZvSFu_d0sKwTT0Jym5yFhPGBlG22S6Kv90vFIphCzHdG4sWfMRq40AnPXfT_pi0fHAZEfpgzTePsKCPOmgcD8tr7__RiieabnyFDIPVH-ZzwjniDqu0Vou4XtiuwGgTHioun5vC7c/s16000/20221029_185256.jpg"></a> <br></p><p><i>3) Ball in the Bucket</i></p><p>This was easy to create and all I used were our toy bowling ball, a huge bowl and a cushion for support when you tilt the bowl. Just throw the ball in such a way that it stays inside rather than bouncing or rolling out. It's easier said than done!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNquBDdprT99aJwndTxyTeKhtkZRg3qzh5BwyEGEy3W1Qh1M8LcHEu-C5DMkPOY2v3tIJr8ElPUhahSJQsUQGtcG06vKRdFyQidjQZ1RsneWjrTr8CRPTHfvgwkWSBojj45XOGJ0fG1VXGUwquaZQC2Uyy6gTfYHhhkzPB3A7FKhLeoq8_f4rZAgqF/s1000/20221029_190320.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNquBDdprT99aJwndTxyTeKhtkZRg3qzh5BwyEGEy3W1Qh1M8LcHEu-C5DMkPOY2v3tIJr8ElPUhahSJQsUQGtcG06vKRdFyQidjQZ1RsneWjrTr8CRPTHfvgwkWSBojj45XOGJ0fG1VXGUwquaZQC2Uyy6gTfYHhhkzPB3A7FKhLeoq8_f4rZAgqF/s16000/20221029_190320.jpg"></a> <br></p><p><i>Let's Dance!</i></p><p>We had an interval after three games but instead of resting, we did a skeleton dance as a family instead. Woohoo! It's always fun to dance together and I would wanna keep this as part of our family tradition. This was a simple but fun dance and you can see us grooving to the beat in my video below.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxf2C4ByjSQphcmlaGKqL-bUPJTwG-ZBkdoFzGwbRdiUwtqKzIy4nx3BYtw5nQ3SWD-Cz4dmoxxsAcNXpj2k9f-6OUaE63I7neY5snufWrYaHkafTBNbTakA_MkHew8MrzBN-N4vfDRIjL4Vuvb2-L0lC2dE1AaTnZ985ietMOwjV2wTU7YEdOaIt5/s1000/20221029_191514.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxf2C4ByjSQphcmlaGKqL-bUPJTwG-ZBkdoFzGwbRdiUwtqKzIy4nx3BYtw5nQ3SWD-Cz4dmoxxsAcNXpj2k9f-6OUaE63I7neY5snufWrYaHkafTBNbTakA_MkHew8MrzBN-N4vfDRIjL4Vuvb2-L0lC2dE1AaTnZ985ietMOwjV2wTU7YEdOaIt5/s16000/20221029_191514.jpg"></a>The girls also did an impromptu dance during our free time and it wasn't a surprise that they wanted to dance to BlackPink's songs. Check out the sisters' rendition of "Shut Down" in the video, yeah?</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNwAVSdnfBUw39x-HfjTkiT21I3fqUp0ry-HJzcUAV1MzN2miQd0adX2LL033twlvA3_bnGxZWYNQMM_QsHPLbBu6-jQkS1mxuKJ1adIoXYX6IW75JyjkOEWO1gnOqKC44h6HhQkL9jslNGsWlrkHla1cgNX3tP_a8CzAMzKdv5tAlI9Pia74zBw3S/s1000/20221029_203902.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNwAVSdnfBUw39x-HfjTkiT21I3fqUp0ry-HJzcUAV1MzN2miQd0adX2LL033twlvA3_bnGxZWYNQMM_QsHPLbBu6-jQkS1mxuKJ1adIoXYX6IW75JyjkOEWO1gnOqKC44h6HhQkL9jslNGsWlrkHla1cgNX3tP_a8CzAMzKdv5tAlI9Pia74zBw3S/s16000/20221029_203902.jpg"></a> <br></p><p><i> Dinner Time!</i></p><p>For the third consecutive year, we had McDonalds for dinner! I asked them if they wanted me to order something else but they chose to stick to it instead. I guess some traditions are meant to be kept?</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLvVZS8jgca6CcT9XN-8xMeAoVWC1TqLDZqlkLu6YkOHUufvs_UXYr1iohl38GmC8flDTk7jGJ-CyqLABYwgDjx1T5D_jdmZ4a9G5TjIi7MxP-7k7u5Lp0Zuxap9iXvuuEvlfDS2GCkI46H9Vp074ToimtIaz7oXhqgG9N8UgByC8HZPYTbeTYh_aZ/s1000/20221029_193111.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLvVZS8jgca6CcT9XN-8xMeAoVWC1TqLDZqlkLu6YkOHUufvs_UXYr1iohl38GmC8flDTk7jGJ-CyqLABYwgDjx1T5D_jdmZ4a9G5TjIi7MxP-7k7u5Lp0Zuxap9iXvuuEvlfDS2GCkI46H9Vp074ToimtIaz7oXhqgG9N8UgByC8HZPYTbeTYh_aZ/s16000/20221029_193111.jpg"></a> <br></p><p><i>4) Spin The Wheel</i></p><p>The next game was Spin the Wheel! We did this at a carnival before so I thought it would be fun to let the kids try their luck again. I bought this huge rainbow spinning wheel online and on it, I wrote down what rewards or 'punishments' you would receive when you land on each of the colours. It was a test of my imagination and creativity but I loved it.<br></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JqYYfUGf7iZ-tw6uqCEFYTgw7cTO2h7EKCmLMU2WxLetb7omJKJcMtgcaFRPkWA1U2TGOkj33jojlwwiRLa25UUkYVuOCXqEe26LOPd3EsDTl5l1YJVO2dAVxWwVBUWFpqzH41TsgK29OapnolGJrSGMa0eZridIuIpdYwozfwucFsnLy4ZnlHQY/s1000/20221029_191645.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JqYYfUGf7iZ-tw6uqCEFYTgw7cTO2h7EKCmLMU2WxLetb7omJKJcMtgcaFRPkWA1U2TGOkj33jojlwwiRLa25UUkYVuOCXqEe26LOPd3EsDTl5l1YJVO2dAVxWwVBUWFpqzH41TsgK29OapnolGJrSGMa0eZridIuIpdYwozfwucFsnLy4ZnlHQY/s16000/20221029_191645.jpg"></a> <br></p><p><i>5) Fish a Duck</i></p><p>This game involved water and was one of the kids' favourites since they were young. Yup, let's fish for some ducks! I got a packet of small rubber ducks and used a permanent marker to write a score beneath each of them. The sum of all three ducks each kid picked would determine their final score and what prize they would win.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9PpEwpqYYZT4CHBJyHtH7lvx2Jnq2ozLTAHjKZNTwW-vgO6hTS5oyA2UasKEOxZ61GHzQvs1D7elYKrtri3L_aIqNKKezqKoKkMJSmWbb8dF95r8NHSUT3t42DMaJi_QUMrli8vd8uIKFoHugqqLjf2xgD65sB6t86qxGlhz7kIsEmBJdGZaQHmA9/s1000/20221029_201624.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9PpEwpqYYZT4CHBJyHtH7lvx2Jnq2ozLTAHjKZNTwW-vgO6hTS5oyA2UasKEOxZ61GHzQvs1D7elYKrtri3L_aIqNKKezqKoKkMJSmWbb8dF95r8NHSUT3t42DMaJi_QUMrli8vd8uIKFoHugqqLjf2xgD65sB6t86qxGlhz7kIsEmBJdGZaQHmA9/s16000/20221029_201624.jpg"></a> <br></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJ_p1Q1ZF79_CydnQxqNn9Vfs7aqrtmnMKQ79JsKnbxClwxHHluQkpYZLUtoPuUwpkG5GXDyH-7VhSFbbuvec-vmmpRigWw4T4FhPcEMdwPx2rR9GG52lAOIZnbPf_M8za2g4CAYT1hiveQb5ENezlfz_rjOxM__nbTR4uls6HABlUFq4Rl7pg_LK/s1000/20221029_201233.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJ_p1Q1ZF79_CydnQxqNn9Vfs7aqrtmnMKQ79JsKnbxClwxHHluQkpYZLUtoPuUwpkG5GXDyH-7VhSFbbuvec-vmmpRigWw4T4FhPcEMdwPx2rR9GG52lAOIZnbPf_M8za2g4CAYT1hiveQb5ENezlfz_rjOxM__nbTR4uls6HABlUFq4Rl7pg_LK/s16000/20221029_201233.jpg"></a> <br></p><p><i>6) Shoot the Target</i></p><p>I loved shooting games as a kid and enjoyed the sense of accomplishment that came with hitting the target. My kids, especially the boys, love to shoot too so I had to include this fun game. Using our Nerf guns and 10 bullets each, we just had to shoot down as many skeleton targets as we could. I printed out cute skeletons in different poses and used a stand to support each of them.<br></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRn7hx1uFuLwVdkpCUL2RG2qDA6Y3eiJlNxDUUXJQuu0G4xXTZCQ5rG5w-24uommCvl3NX0yhvnG-k7mo7vUWRojPM3RM3NgCT4io9cbvwZS2j-uLWkATjAxNLstdmEx8F0aDCdwQEpPYZ380KeRCiTiDTwCn0U6cbQ_z39jpVz6J-8pFNKamsnCyX/s1000/20221029_202344.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRn7hx1uFuLwVdkpCUL2RG2qDA6Y3eiJlNxDUUXJQuu0G4xXTZCQ5rG5w-24uommCvl3NX0yhvnG-k7mo7vUWRojPM3RM3NgCT4io9cbvwZS2j-uLWkATjAxNLstdmEx8F0aDCdwQEpPYZ380KeRCiTiDTwCn0U6cbQ_z39jpVz6J-8pFNKamsnCyX/s16000/20221029_202344.jpg"></a> <br></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCuebuEZ-Nt_XnieKF2wVc0v-eKfqcqcLcQZ-NaP-PIf7gInLNWI1iuZAg6F_wZmuSmYIs4j3YYWV7fayPokzB5gBkISHHnZvwXu3i7MhOvqmblkBsQZ8Y0Da8wrtc7hhCeSm_SoXi1MpgwLNX_AageZ2m189DQ3Lgw8Rai9LZnmylc7FyxCBU0c8Q/s1000/20221029_202522.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCuebuEZ-Nt_XnieKF2wVc0v-eKfqcqcLcQZ-NaP-PIf7gInLNWI1iuZAg6F_wZmuSmYIs4j3YYWV7fayPokzB5gBkISHHnZvwXu3i7MhOvqmblkBsQZ8Y0Da8wrtc7hhCeSm_SoXi1MpgwLNX_AageZ2m189DQ3Lgw8Rai9LZnmylc7FyxCBU0c8Q/s16000/20221029_202522.jpg"></a> <br></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyAKI69_3iTR7ADro_zSJ_sWvLlrrkFPtSKzhUppZvDxOT0Tc15V61V5AumFkZJKQ_rZBsrhEI9Dyo-HfIhhrIyKs2CvCFLY21sCXfp_3onx-pO0yYhW9QFjvCrFjbYlT8XwxDul_dQdWELg8y0PklNP_Ni92FuBpUf7wXvmVLkcOVwsIHDWOr8qJC/s1000/20221029_202654.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyAKI69_3iTR7ADro_zSJ_sWvLlrrkFPtSKzhUppZvDxOT0Tc15V61V5AumFkZJKQ_rZBsrhEI9Dyo-HfIhhrIyKs2CvCFLY21sCXfp_3onx-pO0yYhW9QFjvCrFjbYlT8XwxDul_dQdWELg8y0PklNP_Ni92FuBpUf7wXvmVLkcOVwsIHDWOr8qJC/s16000/20221029_202654.jpg"></a> <br></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi_Vjmw12q_eVMMHr9o0cxQsCOn2rRNJd4l08ZoX66UgBNKM929yI5sCu056PKuPP48fSTirgfGAyjJKq36MdHoofFG44NuEnqsMSp-0bSK3oGBaIxSdlUzSsRetGtzzCXWmRdU-2E-h0cE_1F7utt4pWptMXN69FVH7o-PQYlcLymVnkIgA2Ga2RY/s1000/20221029_203312.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi_Vjmw12q_eVMMHr9o0cxQsCOn2rRNJd4l08ZoX66UgBNKM929yI5sCu056PKuPP48fSTirgfGAyjJKq36MdHoofFG44NuEnqsMSp-0bSK3oGBaIxSdlUzSsRetGtzzCXWmRdU-2E-h0cE_1F7utt4pWptMXN69FVH7o-PQYlcLymVnkIgA2Ga2RY/s16000/20221029_203312.jpg"></a> <br></p><p><i>7) Tile Bingo</i></p><p>This is one of the kids' well-loved game whenever we go to a <i>pasar malam</i> but it is always so expensive to play and hard to win. So I thought I would just create our very own version so we can play whenever we want. I printed out numbers to stick onto the mahjong tiles and printed corresponding numbers to place on a piece of corrugated board. </p><p>All you have to do to hit Bingo is form at least a line - horizontally, vertically or diagonally - by picking out 20 tiles.The kids were so ectastic to play this game - check out their squeals of delight in the video. It was made even better with the prize which was a Daiso voucher for them to go shopping and get one favourite item each.<br></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyxZtf2p7KOoDBIjOjua63_Iu8EljzbZvp0ecFwaFGo4hCPJDO9OlUolVsBlqkeNfVMEwjUq-QDFrxhEbcc31_2icnu1xlilx7RPEn3is_mX317bv1mXHmXF6VQZl_c_M10QMYffALCf-bVnjQdt2c_H1-Tu_RFA-6FLtJYes1LYGhllbae1ct97DD/s1000/20221029_205658.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyxZtf2p7KOoDBIjOjua63_Iu8EljzbZvp0ecFwaFGo4hCPJDO9OlUolVsBlqkeNfVMEwjUq-QDFrxhEbcc31_2icnu1xlilx7RPEn3is_mX317bv1mXHmXF6VQZl_c_M10QMYffALCf-bVnjQdt2c_H1-Tu_RFA-6FLtJYes1LYGhllbae1ct97DD/s16000/20221029_205658.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlksmeJ8KuoYMg-3wP51qdinMrVmQ2g1zPqHLH8A3023rdV5cAu259tr3s5MSpviBKy4ErBptPcqqIf7BBUoRhI-9-xnDDSEPdDnroFQwSDrKOeo3hENXddv8tn68ul9SRYvx6LBGPqCF5gxfjAt0yfTL_UsW0wsii2cGMo1koJVmF2TF97j_727LF/s1000/20221029_205043.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlksmeJ8KuoYMg-3wP51qdinMrVmQ2g1zPqHLH8A3023rdV5cAu259tr3s5MSpviBKy4ErBptPcqqIf7BBUoRhI-9-xnDDSEPdDnroFQwSDrKOeo3hENXddv8tn68ul9SRYvx6LBGPqCF5gxfjAt0yfTL_UsW0wsii2cGMo1koJVmF2TF97j_727LF/s16000/20221029_205043.jpg"></a> <br></p><p><i>The Finale</i></p><p>Last but not least, we had a finale where the kids were tasked to hunt for and banish the evil Soul Catcher. Along the way, they needed to look for and gather skull tokens too - yup, no candy this time but hey, this treat is even better because I told them every three skull tokens they collected could be exchanged for a Fun Claw token (my kids are claw machine lovers!). They were over the moon when I announced the prize and I loved seeing all their happy faces.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMfeETLZ0NVmZR0P3rzarCW-V_5VYPw5Nf_VMh4GS9wZTa4-_4kZSzaLpB_OjVeHGk-GxU0sj2dlXHoMTHXlxqp1b0IjmqgTLukcYWREo6KcdDdinWXYR-w7Y0s69lY5wZaj6fkkO23pu6hRN3KOsqPDzLp7xtA3q1-f8kbjtsE_ckQ5Y4pW1B9Ew4/s1000/20221029_211923.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMfeETLZ0NVmZR0P3rzarCW-V_5VYPw5Nf_VMh4GS9wZTa4-_4kZSzaLpB_OjVeHGk-GxU0sj2dlXHoMTHXlxqp1b0IjmqgTLukcYWREo6KcdDdinWXYR-w7Y0s69lY5wZaj6fkkO23pu6hRN3KOsqPDzLp7xtA3q1-f8kbjtsE_ckQ5Y4pW1B9Ew4/s16000/20221029_211923.jpg"></a></p><p><br></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzqKVe0woDJ9G-ZG2U9kkEfLz-x28h31W9Mf0j5Q2eNG6mhJaKv-uEYxO-u0vAwRoX4VUCWr63agMGFJCNhzt5E_1HVLpqhOOyMvVMupSmcDzipd2FTFshzpGAF4HYynCxJlrCdnVcfuaBHTTLlTpea3HupiR3iQVfQkYfxBtpbSK7Nc6KvXdbotG2/s1000/20221029_214458.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzqKVe0woDJ9G-ZG2U9kkEfLz-x28h31W9Mf0j5Q2eNG6mhJaKv-uEYxO-u0vAwRoX4VUCWr63agMGFJCNhzt5E_1HVLpqhOOyMvVMupSmcDzipd2FTFshzpGAF4HYynCxJlrCdnVcfuaBHTTLlTpea3HupiR3iQVfQkYfxBtpbSK7Nc6KvXdbotG2/s16000/20221029_214458.jpg"></a> <br></p><p>After finding the evil Soul Catcher aka the hubby taking a skeleton to fly around, the kids took turns to hit it with their magic ball. It was hilarious when our ball fell into the pool and one of us had to get wet to retrieve it. Guess who?</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyJGilIdUAyVu52B8zhroJ-SxzON-U5bFRNLUyO8E8wbFqwuwNGWriMrhlcyXifXK79DgmpU7is_y87QuYLJSf_5lIylDZh35lhbaQaWjeU2yWKt1CUJ0umnGz_QQX0W2Zc51KfHJlPuNIB3zb8Cs5eSauMO5gGsJfqP64J3A1XJ5vFvzg9eeK5L-i/s1000/20221029_213512.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyJGilIdUAyVu52B8zhroJ-SxzON-U5bFRNLUyO8E8wbFqwuwNGWriMrhlcyXifXK79DgmpU7is_y87QuYLJSf_5lIylDZh35lhbaQaWjeU2yWKt1CUJ0umnGz_QQX0W2Zc51KfHJlPuNIB3zb8Cs5eSauMO5gGsJfqP64J3A1XJ5vFvzg9eeK5L-i/s16000/20221029_213512.jpg"></a> <br></p><p>It took me hours to make these skull tokens because I did them from scratch and printed the design, cut them out (nearly 90 of them!), stuck them onto styrofoam and then cut out each individual token with a penknife. My fingers were red and aching afterward but I was happy to do DIY projects and took pride in that I had kept the cost to a minimum by choosing to make and not buy.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggGm-3LXDy7ORkAnp3uCWTI7C1Dzyuxm5inuke6_Bn8nWRTB8slyldjkeGPS-O2q3OGP137VlCzok51JLgXpJr50Xg2LIo_n0aaGKU4vgPCSbMpUABf-lnmvizJQrHci0Eb0FvUWfecQ7s0nbhVk0Xg9bm_VghDDEOTzILsDgBqFmjMr7scT4iJuqu/s1000/20221029_215334.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggGm-3LXDy7ORkAnp3uCWTI7C1Dzyuxm5inuke6_Bn8nWRTB8slyldjkeGPS-O2q3OGP137VlCzok51JLgXpJr50Xg2LIo_n0aaGKU4vgPCSbMpUABf-lnmvizJQrHci0Eb0FvUWfecQ7s0nbhVk0Xg9bm_VghDDEOTzILsDgBqFmjMr7scT4iJuqu/s16000/20221029_215334.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8doZebPwumQ-Ok9N_k5E9v137UTDL3Lvo4xwj0trbIJPj2NwME0DxBKcnbbY9oo-i53hixvAF732AtT99_ViS717NGrG6Dpt97ug5q2e6lPovjtFVmxSJogethSY6-IfjKSnilVIi71MkhNTnvVkNOOC6EmHiiyqnDkWpvSZx-x7ix9kfoOt3xlcw/s1000/20221029_215403.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8doZebPwumQ-Ok9N_k5E9v137UTDL3Lvo4xwj0trbIJPj2NwME0DxBKcnbbY9oo-i53hixvAF732AtT99_ViS717NGrG6Dpt97ug5q2e6lPovjtFVmxSJogethSY6-IfjKSnilVIi71MkhNTnvVkNOOC6EmHiiyqnDkWpvSZx-x7ix9kfoOt3xlcw/s16000/20221029_215403.jpg"></a></p><p><br>Our exciting, long night finally ended with a movie session and we watched <i>"The Curse of Bridge Hollow"</i>, a funny and entertaining Halloween movie which was just perfect for the occasion. Family movie nights are so precious to us and I hope we can still do this from time to time even when the kids are all grown up.</p><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ-Cj2sIhyltQHFGEkC4ed_nFiINfyFFQc4RXRC_38JiNxaV9FTzF3A8GZhClmyVv_JHdEIP22ZD2K4oSF4SYwg54uI0wKdmSevJdbZLp8dXdt6eMDibWqEPSDfdkDp6OCPO_12Ep5fDCoo9CavkIAjU9zTBewIdjJ3x5VuWZ9ntMFVkZTrA7Kw2sj/s1000/20221029_224408.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ-Cj2sIhyltQHFGEkC4ed_nFiINfyFFQc4RXRC_38JiNxaV9FTzF3A8GZhClmyVv_JHdEIP22ZD2K4oSF4SYwg54uI0wKdmSevJdbZLp8dXdt6eMDibWqEPSDfdkDp6OCPO_12Ep5fDCoo9CavkIAjU9zTBewIdjJ3x5VuWZ9ntMFVkZTrA7Kw2sj/s16000/20221029_224408.jpg"></a></div><br>So that concludes our eventful and unique Halloween celebration! It was such a fun-filled and memorable night which we will look back fondly in years to come. I mean, I highly doubt we will ever dress up as a skeleton family again, right? Okay, I guess you never know for sure but anyway, it was truly so much fun while it lasted!<br><br><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8JACdpT1_my2BEXUQvmrTNMch8xa2_UtMNSL_Fox5yalIaOiUzID7hfI8GU5rNEFB4GjUhZ-0QHkSLCUbFgpVlZ65734NQSLEPq4E9mqfpB-dkCMkVh9QeHJ8_NHUqVrovxKTwRYu6ul4rWayHYkUib_LF1U_9jV9-lNr1O-fhCQN8Zx7tQSgt1I/s1000/20221029_181757.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8JACdpT1_my2BEXUQvmrTNMch8xa2_UtMNSL_Fox5yalIaOiUzID7hfI8GU5rNEFB4GjUhZ-0QHkSLCUbFgpVlZ65734NQSLEPq4E9mqfpB-dkCMkVh9QeHJ8_NHUqVrovxKTwRYu6ul4rWayHYkUib_LF1U_9jV9-lNr1O-fhCQN8Zx7tQSgt1I/s16000/20221029_181757.jpg"></a></div><p><br>****** <br></p><p>I took hundreds of photos and videos that night - yes, I am the event planner, game master, makeup artist, creative director and also official photographer and videographer for our parties! - and here's a final clip for you to take a look at what took place that night. See our hilarious attempts at trying to do transitions, the behind the scenes moments, and all the fun games and activities. This took me long to do but it is well worth it because the kids kept laughing at themselves and ask me to replay it over and over again. When you are happy, I am happy, my dears. Happy watching!</p><div><p><br></p></div><div><br></div><div>******</div><div> </div><div><i>Read about our Halloween parties here:</i></div><div><i><br></i></div><div><i>2021 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2021/12/halloween-2021-its-back-to-school-time.html" target="_blank">It's Back to School!</a></i></div><div><i>2020 - <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2020/11/diy-halloween-party.html" target="_blank">A Spooky Party</a></i></div><div><br></div>~Summer~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478137784353655124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6546965252487257512.post-50500763635491922082022-12-15T09:03:00.001+08:002022-12-15T09:11:51.600+08:00Happiness is... cherishing family time<p>I love school holidays because it means we get to spend more time together as a family. It doesn't matter if we do not travel overseas, all that matters is that we are creating precious memories, spending quality time together, and making the most of what we have.</p><p>This year seemed to have flown by with a baby turning into a toddler in the blink of an eye, a Primary 1 kid who had to adjust to a new school, a upper Primary kid who had to juggle her dance SYF and increased academic workload, and a Secondary 1 kid who made friends in a new environment and experienced the fun and stressfulness of this new phase in life. While the September holidays might be short, it was a good retreat for us. With all the hustle and bustle, we really ought to remind ourselves to take it a little slower in life and see the goodness around us.</p><p>In this post of <i>"Happiness is..."</i>, it's about taking time off in our busy lives - we will always be busy with one thing or another - to spend it with the people who matter and cherishing every such moment.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggXGC0lokel6-7fPS-sjWevucvuOLQVyzYPHnWtmd2uJKC9fwxz-kYHcDmnr-qF99fgLCX1EyQyYGqqgBHPQtAomBe2VgEcQy9cpiSmWRCxjTHguR7xoawqvmo3Vx3Q7v6qIRUcocCLdKtKEKGk6GjJ_ChDRdixbrHAxSdti-dS8rwithvYD1MIQZ1/s1000/20220906_185753.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggXGC0lokel6-7fPS-sjWevucvuOLQVyzYPHnWtmd2uJKC9fwxz-kYHcDmnr-qF99fgLCX1EyQyYGqqgBHPQtAomBe2VgEcQy9cpiSmWRCxjTHguR7xoawqvmo3Vx3Q7v6qIRUcocCLdKtKEKGk6GjJ_ChDRdixbrHAxSdti-dS8rwithvYD1MIQZ1/s16000/20220906_185753.jpg" /></a></p><p>****</p><p>We had booked a chalet getaway months before the September school holidays and I was very much looking forward to it because it meant that the hubby would be taking time off work to be with us and that we would get to indulge in barbecued food and invite our parents over for a gathering.<br /></p><p>Indeed, it was a such a wonderful 3D2N time we had as we took a walk at the beach during sunset, sang karaoke, held a barbecue, played board games and video games, played badminton, watched movie and so much more.</p><p>The hubby was not free on the first night but we had our parents over and it was nice letting the kids bond with their grandparents too. My Dad played games with them while the kids also learnt to operate the karaoke system so they could help the grandparents to <b>点歌</b>. </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpekTUVBZ7CYGaCRI4BMw2xenzoIcYuSKEtxbZWmGN4WLZ3bQJJLhw9irvcXK7UCD4U4fw0XySYlsdFhIypKaepLLhqOXcLHaz0xU9jVbT7PBJA9tNb0gI6XgaLmzXIPDRE2AdDcUxyH7XqkCgvKf2BKSbY8l3gLXRvDM0_X5VYspq1oyKLlWowf3z/s1000/20220906_184015.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpekTUVBZ7CYGaCRI4BMw2xenzoIcYuSKEtxbZWmGN4WLZ3bQJJLhw9irvcXK7UCD4U4fw0XySYlsdFhIypKaepLLhqOXcLHaz0xU9jVbT7PBJA9tNb0gI6XgaLmzXIPDRE2AdDcUxyH7XqkCgvKf2BKSbY8l3gLXRvDM0_X5VYspq1oyKLlWowf3z/s16000/20220906_184015.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheH6Xb9jjymy4TY-AzUFntCkp7uE3zSSrijjCrnzlQTZuWY2yj8IY6c6gOgsznpLHIR40FHk7CAmkCzbk6nLAGUoyCVR0gMhi_9RxVqUvJ7_eLzXEqa2zU0YPTy-Ozwy3GlAAPeB7tzopQetsQti9vNy9HFgS5cCzUGO-M2jPAMa2ZyUrgF1TSKwAf/s1000/20220906_184853.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheH6Xb9jjymy4TY-AzUFntCkp7uE3zSSrijjCrnzlQTZuWY2yj8IY6c6gOgsznpLHIR40FHk7CAmkCzbk6nLAGUoyCVR0gMhi_9RxVqUvJ7_eLzXEqa2zU0YPTy-Ozwy3GlAAPeB7tzopQetsQti9vNy9HFgS5cCzUGO-M2jPAMa2ZyUrgF1TSKwAf/s16000/20220906_184853.jpg" /></a> </p><p>I reminded myself to put my phone away more so that I could be more present when I was with the kids and just savour every moment we had. I told the big girl the same thing too now that she has her own phone and I hope my kids will learn that no electronic device can ever replace the kind of family bonding we have.</p><p>I see them so happy to playing with a balloon and hitting it to one another and it's the kind of simple joy I wanna capture in my heart forever. Hopefully, we will always remember that life can be very simple at times if we learn not to complicate it, and that happiness doesn't have to take much.</p><p><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKI7YXCUUKQdDikKa0gPTxVO-pYFTgVCM9Nca5he4R9JQPMV171kXYO_sqqFqF1jg1ee7IDxrfrWbKFeRFe9hW8Z7OmyUW-N-EcoY5EhEq4Sq0DE4Y45iIGZ4qaeVfFmAMplOxeUeTL7EZ12ODCypNFBUZ4voaFiAA9Xuv9WQveZaoRYYYMUJ1eiJX/s16000/20220905_183907.jpg" /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjimc9s7HcscsMJIpmM8hc5eDNkvoHeRE6BjUdMhqVdbDHZMZeBROzE6KrQ6Wj-2q__0PinzUYe0_dq4qG3tKMnRM1rABjyzUfwzO73aFfpoaqiyURw66A9bHeWtwnzhJQAXvlc4x1Y5Iq7_6nYRDlZYWI8kcw3d2KnL70-Yp4TPCOyBQHXAaU9G4g3/s1000/20220907_101244.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjimc9s7HcscsMJIpmM8hc5eDNkvoHeRE6BjUdMhqVdbDHZMZeBROzE6KrQ6Wj-2q__0PinzUYe0_dq4qG3tKMnRM1rABjyzUfwzO73aFfpoaqiyURw66A9bHeWtwnzhJQAXvlc4x1Y5Iq7_6nYRDlZYWI8kcw3d2KnL70-Yp4TPCOyBQHXAaU9G4g3/s16000/20220907_101244.jpg" /></a></p><p>We also invited the extended family over and the kids are always very happy to gather with their cousins. The kids celebrated one of their cousin's birthday and played with a pinata which ended up spilling skittles all over the floor but it was the fun process that mattered.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI5OypMXOOfP1l7Na5k07INgxv6DxkbF1xshwLVA9g3wkmhvzczX9kDiRWUhCxOWKoI-wtyTwo_MXJhoBo6wh84nCMedzrDV1xwp7QL0jHP4VL7XGMJqcOtGK_PWXLsoBRjFudLeHc8gmRorEBxw2nIQSxU5H72Za7CFX7p3VMTBY22sXc0p2zCh5K/s1000/20220906_213749.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI5OypMXOOfP1l7Na5k07INgxv6DxkbF1xshwLVA9g3wkmhvzczX9kDiRWUhCxOWKoI-wtyTwo_MXJhoBo6wh84nCMedzrDV1xwp7QL0jHP4VL7XGMJqcOtGK_PWXLsoBRjFudLeHc8gmRorEBxw2nIQSxU5H72Za7CFX7p3VMTBY22sXc0p2zCh5K/s16000/20220906_213749.jpg" /></a></p><p>In an effort to make our trip more meaningful, we also armed ourselves with tongs and garbage bags to do a beach clean-up. It was a sunny, hot day but we persevered and we were so appalled by the amount of rubbish we picked up and the kids couldn't comprehend why people had to leave so much litter, especially plastic, along the beach instead of throwing them into rubbish bins. Well, it beats me too but I think we should do this clean-up more often because every little effort counts, right?</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQlLMMbT1_iGWfB9v9cSWCjZToy6iEpu8I3HF0HRObaelPWz60YXW2vw_S089NH4BTr6BbRfj-2f5mk6Tdjzr2eztbfmVLrMg_JhGtpL4kLNcCc1SNqHyMSHgH9uaEL1JsUT8RYbWf9R8yoMxnLxZ-RNy7Yh35xHDGMoFslSpruMExlZpRghGYOuO6/s1000/20220906_111947.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQlLMMbT1_iGWfB9v9cSWCjZToy6iEpu8I3HF0HRObaelPWz60YXW2vw_S089NH4BTr6BbRfj-2f5mk6Tdjzr2eztbfmVLrMg_JhGtpL4kLNcCc1SNqHyMSHgH9uaEL1JsUT8RYbWf9R8yoMxnLxZ-RNy7Yh35xHDGMoFslSpruMExlZpRghGYOuO6/s16000/20220906_111947.jpg" /></a></p><p>We had a last minute staycation at Ibis Styles on Macpherson and the kids were only too happy and grateful to be invited back again. Staycations are a luxury so we never take any of ours for granted and I cherish such review opportunities a lot. I am also thankful that I get to do giveaways every now and then so I can spread some love and joy to my followers too and it's the least I can do to thank you for your support all along.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOeItGHnxk8P_UN8c0MEmy8WdNbt2SKji5FQEyI7IMqxvQu5eYz912qPnur6abvzVY3YyYmgNwNBp_VTKyEaBHHhkoQTOjrcXnrefwgnbZ4U05bFsLYiwb0pTfQ236Q3BshdwI8GwUvzTctiIGdE1imK-22_46g4J5MzowmhsxmIJYTAnXuSsDQbu4/s1000/20220904_131926(0).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOeItGHnxk8P_UN8c0MEmy8WdNbt2SKji5FQEyI7IMqxvQu5eYz912qPnur6abvzVY3YyYmgNwNBp_VTKyEaBHHhkoQTOjrcXnrefwgnbZ4U05bFsLYiwb0pTfQ236Q3BshdwI8GwUvzTctiIGdE1imK-22_46g4J5MzowmhsxmIJYTAnXuSsDQbu4/s16000/20220904_131926(0).jpg" /></a></p><p>We tried out their new hotpot menu and it was nice dining by the pool at Chow Cafe. The place was peaceful and breezy and I enjoyed that meal with the kids even though we had to take turns to look after the toddler who is nowadays very energetic and can hardly sit still.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglfbdawLfWN2LN1j5OD2AlQqAWinzQYVOD2UGWgqF3KfPZ97NKtxvUvq7Rn-6vg2Y9zII0Ap8Aij4GZxw-oDNNZwLQTDhQAW0mYb3fghMetTChv-QKT7fiTMi7kD8pxldM6gqzJnhlPfsDq5iopjR8q63vr9SrFX2SWDJcY4VPlk8rZwVxEea54PWX/s1000/20220903_201318.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglfbdawLfWN2LN1j5OD2AlQqAWinzQYVOD2UGWgqF3KfPZ97NKtxvUvq7Rn-6vg2Y9zII0Ap8Aij4GZxw-oDNNZwLQTDhQAW0mYb3fghMetTChv-QKT7fiTMi7kD8pxldM6gqzJnhlPfsDq5iopjR8q63vr9SrFX2SWDJcY4VPlk8rZwVxEea54PWX/s16000/20220903_201318.jpg" /></a></p><p>The highlight of the stay was a Junior Olympic pool contest and the kids had fun shooting ducks, finding eggs, sliding down and shooting hoops. It's one of our favourite pools so far and we could easily spend the whole afternoon here. The kids were so happy that Papa could be with us and being together as a family made everything so much more enjoyable.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3eKvxDZUzyq7lgYCNUG4IlbPq7x2gkqz5PE0vkRSPTv3S_UV7IiRjDS9Gq2JBMUwtDna4MJjPDclwkiZX7AjGIvsJXqegOS-Yf1feSIQjJCh3eLA2fQW3Lv5_dqCQ-ZuDiLxVPvqxQsaXLl5zRrwsSHXi8HCuHrGEqgTeIfqJvSckIzyadTFNCHqo/s1000/20220903_153238.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3eKvxDZUzyq7lgYCNUG4IlbPq7x2gkqz5PE0vkRSPTv3S_UV7IiRjDS9Gq2JBMUwtDna4MJjPDclwkiZX7AjGIvsJXqegOS-Yf1feSIQjJCh3eLA2fQW3Lv5_dqCQ-ZuDiLxVPvqxQsaXLl5zRrwsSHXi8HCuHrGEqgTeIfqJvSckIzyadTFNCHqo/s16000/20220903_153238.jpg" /></a></p><p>Since this month is about making time for our loved ones, we decided to do something a little special and unique. That is to have a family painting session! We had a good time at Paintblush and spent a good few hours choosing our animals to paint and even added meaningful quotes too. This was a fun experience for the kids and I hope to put our paintings up on our wall soon.</p><p><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAMUJf1YRJ2qZEXNis4RtwNhiH5V4l2mKiDKSLbdPUZ2mfyFHBOME2-Ag66OXcvp_okYhosrea_cN3RRZGzAW6pZpu22grY9lSogX7H8o5Dd9CW9uwrpN48U9-y_hOkOEObLBaA0UuHWt-mgtaXCJub3HEyqXGD5wc-Je6oJYjIoZYVyapHkEgXkO_/s16000/collage228.jpg" /></p><p><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj97K4xRzd75hLE5OTFX3kIDrtmJnmzdye9OSHVVoSzY7SgNt21M0MjJZKrBskzNvSC1JknazCxlagrZcT6FKxbtUCo19rsB1trjKtQbt1Mq6wTcT60RaFFN4R1RYVxtCSEadbYD05gqnQJs_2WBkt1dG9i4ZybYVFrU8R50__XO47o7Om7JEE_s_OI/s16000/20220918_134852.jpg" /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiArGCqH6EUEcUUSMO96QzZiauZKvlgBt5hT4bqAAp025ZC7EUxRACA8Sn8zUb-Wugp_2Ly9JrDgsEezem584_i1ofCEojQ9XxvZcElEI85-8d9xEenLY93YjYa0UXc8wwqf2oIta-aAi5iq8Yn7IOniLWhLuFBYHjxM0itUOGMa014ZZ7vLClcskmv/s1000/20220918_134159.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiArGCqH6EUEcUUSMO96QzZiauZKvlgBt5hT4bqAAp025ZC7EUxRACA8Sn8zUb-Wugp_2Ly9JrDgsEezem584_i1ofCEojQ9XxvZcElEI85-8d9xEenLY93YjYa0UXc8wwqf2oIta-aAi5iq8Yn7IOniLWhLuFBYHjxM0itUOGMa014ZZ7vLClcskmv/s16000/20220918_134159.jpg" /></a></p><p>The kids and I love to dine out sometimes and one of our favourite fast food joints is Jollibee! Yup, we all love the fried chicken and while the kids enjoy their spaghetti, I like the nasi lemak. The youngesr one has started on fries already - it gets harder to stop them from eating junk when there are elder siblings who like to enjoy a treat here and there - and while I try to limit it, I also let him indulge every once in a while.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhve_fNGZ6m_Bi5EVvsFWxEWORZ6aHLvB3BtQRAKOEAEW4kowI0wmIxci8TS3DQkdgqHeE7nA0DCts5-x6L2GVBmZMDZcfSXMv2I80ktpOU-SFynxYqTsOXUcr55_Ugc7V-lsY_gdHAA7AQQHnDjthvHJzE1geplZaiRgXKq7LYUXM7JECtmHhemNxg/s1000/20220901_141355.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhve_fNGZ6m_Bi5EVvsFWxEWORZ6aHLvB3BtQRAKOEAEW4kowI0wmIxci8TS3DQkdgqHeE7nA0DCts5-x6L2GVBmZMDZcfSXMv2I80ktpOU-SFynxYqTsOXUcr55_Ugc7V-lsY_gdHAA7AQQHnDjthvHJzE1geplZaiRgXKq7LYUXM7JECtmHhemNxg/s16000/20220901_141355.jpg" /></a></p><p>In wanting to make the most of our holiday, the kids and I also went for a pasta making workshop at Pastamania. It was an eye opener for us and we loved getting our hands dirty as we made our very own cannelloni, fettucine and spaghetti. The cannelloni was finger licking good and we ate it heartily when we got home. Yummy!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv2PCZA8Ks8gdTKIED_GRcUqs65FqbN0HGups1eo7zWBHj5WNoNHHO4QFEaiR8Vac4Az9u7yRQWTH2YY_mIYZ4Tixkcsl2OoS8tmhoKTAARJ1awGbMXcdIdUFz5h1iLSm2SAebTOA7gM-QseaZ4fdR6S9fc4jMrjTW6joNkHjfrcXyK9cCj0wTaDjs/s1000/collage227.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv2PCZA8Ks8gdTKIED_GRcUqs65FqbN0HGups1eo7zWBHj5WNoNHHO4QFEaiR8Vac4Az9u7yRQWTH2YY_mIYZ4Tixkcsl2OoS8tmhoKTAARJ1awGbMXcdIdUFz5h1iLSm2SAebTOA7gM-QseaZ4fdR6S9fc4jMrjTW6joNkHjfrcXyK9cCj0wTaDjs/s16000/collage227.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLUMRE7OKkbARDOuXAf6rFFFLAVnJVP0NEt0pJQd3Bcn4oBiIesnaold8bb7kD0B6WNo2oE1WPfVzWXxQSIlZKzUOlv6-1rq8VZNmbQISSLY8eBU44B1jbxPwcWZQpdzX6kMzGa-1mlBo6xmgeVYIcQKJMspStW86qrJ385wcjgnUit5hS9rW01U4o/s1000/collage226.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLUMRE7OKkbARDOuXAf6rFFFLAVnJVP0NEt0pJQd3Bcn4oBiIesnaold8bb7kD0B6WNo2oE1WPfVzWXxQSIlZKzUOlv6-1rq8VZNmbQISSLY8eBU44B1jbxPwcWZQpdzX6kMzGa-1mlBo6xmgeVYIcQKJMspStW86qrJ385wcjgnUit5hS9rW01U4o/s16000/collage226.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The little one finally received his final childhood immunisation on at the polyclinic and we are done with needles and syringes for now, woohoo! With him being my last baby, I actually think I will miss this feeling as I enjoy such one-on-one mornings with him because we will go out for breakfast or grocery shopping after. Thank you for being a trooper when you take your jabs, baby Ansel, you don't kick up a fuss and your cries always stop promptly when I carry and<i> sayang</i> you.<p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgflwnxKIlBkDYRgaLL8pib1i1CVG9zzE82_lt925qFf81J0110uzT-yjbD4K3bUTTzZNa9g8dL7FNA1338x0-M0xmM4qvXmpa2W1XtHa4yLfK7qqRfgvsy_GF1M1UAM08qadwYjE5KhPKpYVXwZBeDFcowU-0x6-t12nPCy9i8Jte9FDCKsWoKKDFN/s1000/20220901_103851.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgflwnxKIlBkDYRgaLL8pib1i1CVG9zzE82_lt925qFf81J0110uzT-yjbD4K3bUTTzZNa9g8dL7FNA1338x0-M0xmM4qvXmpa2W1XtHa4yLfK7qqRfgvsy_GF1M1UAM08qadwYjE5KhPKpYVXwZBeDFcowU-0x6-t12nPCy9i8Jte9FDCKsWoKKDFN/s16000/20220901_103851.jpg" /></a></p><p>A less pleasant thing that happened in September was that both Ansel and I struck lottery and were tested positive for Covid. It is his second time already and my heart really ached seeing him in pain. So despite the fact that I was feeling the chills and was super lethargic, I had to care for him and made sure he got well soon. It was a relief that the siblings could all go to school and come home on their own and together, we made it through those that tough, draining week.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp5TmxYQVPOjCPQDR7zpfLjP23IzNePPNgrvO3OP-V3Q0DLtBbIFAaGuLx8HOrpvnHL7nSqfRZEZTUore6drB9zSz57sPY5nm6vRPSAcFlP4xgI9g2n2KNc5xjNLkeAmMLy5aTamATGaxo8TaYyIVIKx3TSVVOSsW9lxOnpFyvTj5e8JZCmMkJ0kwc/s1000/20220921_134519.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp5TmxYQVPOjCPQDR7zpfLjP23IzNePPNgrvO3OP-V3Q0DLtBbIFAaGuLx8HOrpvnHL7nSqfRZEZTUore6drB9zSz57sPY5nm6vRPSAcFlP4xgI9g2n2KNc5xjNLkeAmMLy5aTamATGaxo8TaYyIVIKx3TSVVOSsW9lxOnpFyvTj5e8JZCmMkJ0kwc/s16000/20220921_134519.jpg" /></a></p><p>Looks like a girl, right? Haha. I know, it's the hair but we love his hair and don't intend to cut it too short for now. We still get many comments from passers-by who call him <b>小妹妹 </b>and it always makes us chuckle.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzGmRbCrChLn-VSJqA6Cqhv3ebOO9NWDEReszHaykTNNj36ui36wWPMD78Mnz2rGuggAXTOjDa-fnGNDuEUQ53lLeaqTccIz80UwnzcWSzetCTeW4eQUWEueNX-AiQi5Izjbr0UUn2ESpNhSsIwHOwj8J-D1V6zbm0BmnS9kXaOiQ3EwRxfIwvKDAz/s1000/20220929_182348.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzGmRbCrChLn-VSJqA6Cqhv3ebOO9NWDEReszHaykTNNj36ui36wWPMD78Mnz2rGuggAXTOjDa-fnGNDuEUQ53lLeaqTccIz80UwnzcWSzetCTeW4eQUWEueNX-AiQi5Izjbr0UUn2ESpNhSsIwHOwj8J-D1V6zbm0BmnS9kXaOiQ3EwRxfIwvKDAz/s16000/20220929_182348.jpg" /></a></p><p>I can't describe how relieved and happy I was when I could finally bring him out to gai gai again! It was so nice to be out in the sun once more after being cooped at home for so many days. It was also a load off my shoulder to see that he had recovered and was no longer feeling feverish. It's never easy taking care of a sick child and these ordeals make us stronger as parents. <b>做父母的真的只希望孩子们能健康、茁壮成长。</b></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJpBKkp2ViXCcixg4kd2-95GrrT_1PR4PTi0SAa4-MOODcf-E77eHT_thku2G2wnvDoCZHg_-Ui5nLRD6jUezNMv8pZRS_etjVZH75D2g4DElb128GWXRjfxJThoGz7u3clFUXdbjFrcgXJFu9SMr2vpCo3wScayQvHSVId1LkS6r77JZUkPOmuqL7/s1000/20220928_094500.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJpBKkp2ViXCcixg4kd2-95GrrT_1PR4PTi0SAa4-MOODcf-E77eHT_thku2G2wnvDoCZHg_-Ui5nLRD6jUezNMv8pZRS_etjVZH75D2g4DElb128GWXRjfxJThoGz7u3clFUXdbjFrcgXJFu9SMr2vpCo3wScayQvHSVId1LkS6r77JZUkPOmuqL7/s16000/20220928_094500.jpg" /></a></p><p>September is also a time for us to show our gratitude for our teachers and coaches. The kids worked together to create DIY bookmarks which contained their drawings and personalised message, and we also printed out photos to put into frames for every teacher as a keepsake. I hope they liked our handmade gifts because they are always so much more sincere and heartfelt than store bought ones.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmpqGyppiZ12ysJUCjwvWBEwTmjDCkwp0KA0s1oBYReV3Eci4E_IJjZq-wmMAnvXIdFqy9Fij3zTAKPlbLJGaEOzqB088HThrJEZiHvUTvqAu5_5F7VJWtmqAyyT6-gWwSyoKBMTS8bfIhJmSC7nZNynqC7HXyUB5mvK0PEk3_ObmjjoWWqe5Bddie/s1000/20220901_153535.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmpqGyppiZ12ysJUCjwvWBEwTmjDCkwp0KA0s1oBYReV3Eci4E_IJjZq-wmMAnvXIdFqy9Fij3zTAKPlbLJGaEOzqB088HThrJEZiHvUTvqAu5_5F7VJWtmqAyyT6-gWwSyoKBMTS8bfIhJmSC7nZNynqC7HXyUB5mvK0PEk3_ObmjjoWWqe5Bddie/s16000/20220901_153535.jpg" /></a></p><p>Ansel has been enjoying his weekly Heguru lesson and I love that I get to accompany him for his class every week. It is a form of parent-and-child bonding for us and I get to witness firsthand his development and share his every milestone. The fast-paced activities keep him engaged and I can see his gradual improvement in terms of hand-and-eye coordination, counting, memory and puzzle solving. I will share more of our journey in my IG so do keep a lookout or feel free to DM us if you have any questions too.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZBBJDs4EDvsf2REmuQqyVSHj3yqlvamwuBk80A624GJMYpy_NLQoVtDcIBhtdcsslM9s2H5uhFiqJuoA152fttcwy0kecnGH72BPeO1zIqB2jCuUoIhxyZu-cpILVdWh1QoUDSEyc09d7tg-yTKGDT8IZvd-iDjmdL8L8GVmmh4A9qXoiaJ_Bcc5X/s1000/20220930_174206.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZBBJDs4EDvsf2REmuQqyVSHj3yqlvamwuBk80A624GJMYpy_NLQoVtDcIBhtdcsslM9s2H5uhFiqJuoA152fttcwy0kecnGH72BPeO1zIqB2jCuUoIhxyZu-cpILVdWh1QoUDSEyc09d7tg-yTKGDT8IZvd-iDjmdL8L8GVmmh4A9qXoiaJ_Bcc5X/s16000/20220930_174206.jpg" /></a></p><p>Last but not least, we also celebrated Mid-Autumn Festival this month with our family. Besides having a hearty home cooked dinner and different flavoured mooncakes, we kept our tradition of playing with sparklers and taking lanterns to walk around the neighbourhood. This was especially enjoyable as the kids were with their cousins and it was really a <b>月圆人团圆</b> evening for us. See our DIY lanterns? They have served us so well for so many years and are still going strong - except for a Mickey one that accidentally burnt a couple of years back. Maybe we should do new ones next year already, it would be fun to create something out of nothing with the kids.</p><p><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ftWOUiixiyCuLcXcJAYq7C65KnFAsHGr9nxMafqFPpo6NzSeG4o0o95DBsLEZqoEh-GORERLsy2ZLNjWV4c0oTXfqVlo5gZUv4nxYphiNj5TaQcuz2koJt0sd9IZGejPe-JLHpEM_OXR346YeG19CTLzshTkx2jM_WfHuK4jRboRIUlPcvHmo_fd/s16000/20220910_221641.jpg" /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaXL1mS6F3cVjtLPZs15zgkXyQaxKJyFvtsfGHrQigcA1SPn6rhAX3-NboUxHHnkpQRMiTN3dQsFYdElnit9TeoC2S-ZBQlMMoWTU8JXaYYi1VMixLS2vzn4YKvxMacX9t237vdu4E0VfMuXexLFEgjEFhBHQxTLB9EK-sgLA5xYD5EvbN_2-B6FO9/s1000/20220910_220211.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaXL1mS6F3cVjtLPZs15zgkXyQaxKJyFvtsfGHrQigcA1SPn6rhAX3-NboUxHHnkpQRMiTN3dQsFYdElnit9TeoC2S-ZBQlMMoWTU8JXaYYi1VMixLS2vzn4YKvxMacX9t237vdu4E0VfMuXexLFEgjEFhBHQxTLB9EK-sgLA5xYD5EvbN_2-B6FO9/s16000/20220910_220211.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div>So that marks the end of a fulfilling, fun-filled month of September that was packed with family moments and precious memories. I might be lagging behind in jotting down these<i> "Happiness is..." </i>posts but I will keep them coming so as to document our parenting journey and family life. Thank you for reading and I hope you will have a fabulous time for the rest of 2022, yeah? Till my next post!<p></p>~Summer~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478137784353655124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6546965252487257512.post-85605242263309619362022-12-06T12:47:00.006+08:002022-12-06T13:05:19.674+08:00婆婆,我爱您<span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">亲爱的婆婆,</span></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">在天堂的您,过得好吗? 在那里,您是否穿得暖、睡得好、吃得饱呢? 我希望此刻的您,是面带微笑,幸福开心的。</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">不知不觉,您离开我们已经有一年多了。在这些日子里,我一直好想写下关于您的点点滴滴,但是每当看到您的照片或想起您,眼泪就会不听使唤,夺眶而出。我知道您一定不希望我难过,而是带着笑容地回忆起和您度过的美好回时光,但是,我还总是办不到。想到您,我的心仍然好痛,也好舍不得您。</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOXBMpL3TMuyKqzt6gHDYIL4DtHUWotkADXzYui4RDUIfBFRRNu1c1KeYywDn-dU4sihvnXnqvICzGwDjoarA-u4cWQz_bjKsPyyaDJGwq-msNIdWpV5mFY-7tfEPriFtPURqc84_xPAYoZXFDL0OKy7FCyKKzKNEczlf5jLFMxcp8x6dABaU_2wt1/s1000/scan4.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOXBMpL3TMuyKqzt6gHDYIL4DtHUWotkADXzYui4RDUIfBFRRNu1c1KeYywDn-dU4sihvnXnqvICzGwDjoarA-u4cWQz_bjKsPyyaDJGwq-msNIdWpV5mFY-7tfEPriFtPURqc84_xPAYoZXFDL0OKy7FCyKKzKNEczlf5jLFMxcp8x6dABaU_2wt1/s16000/scan4.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">记得小时候,每当学校放暑假,我就会到您的家住,和您一起吃喝玩乐。我们一起打电动游戏,包括我们最爱的 ice climber, balloon fight 和 battle city, 而且每次都玩得不亦乐乎。我们也会出门逛街,您会带我去吃肯德基,还会趁服务生没注意时,把饮料装得满满的。</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">您会煮热腾腾的云吞汤给我吃,还教我怎么包云吞。我最爱吃您包得肉粽,您做的鸡蛋卷,和您亲手蒸的芋头糕。这一切,都是我童年的美好记忆。就算我再也没有机会尝到这些佳肴,那种味道、那份疼爱、那般温馨,我将永记在心。</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">我从小就认为婆婆您在彩色这方面很擅长。你彩的图案,总会让我刮目相看。是您叫我彩色不能出线,彩色笔要朝同一个方向彩,而且力度要拿捏得好。多才多艺的您,还会缝制衣服呢! 我记得我有一套粉红色的睡衣,就是您量了我的尺寸后,亲手做给我的。还有,那陪伴我多年的百家被,也是您一针一线缝制出来的。</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdGm84mcAdKe0qsyD4xh_IBZQtrbymCWFWax6GrdtMYP2mKjK2ZFKJWVNyZTJbj7fdVHqqBxff-mBQQ43OMIFQH0H5nkWYmkLkvB0BkRHbGY4MgG1G0fIg7DMgyv2UwbsflumanaB2Kt4Fvj2H4C1uf-ozQz2cwBx65Tjli-lRIULuiy32fg7NB-Nk/s1000/IMG_2525.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdGm84mcAdKe0qsyD4xh_IBZQtrbymCWFWax6GrdtMYP2mKjK2ZFKJWVNyZTJbj7fdVHqqBxff-mBQQ43OMIFQH0H5nkWYmkLkvB0BkRHbGY4MgG1G0fIg7DMgyv2UwbsflumanaB2Kt4Fvj2H4C1uf-ozQz2cwBx65Tjli-lRIULuiy32fg7NB-Nk/s16000/IMG_2525.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> 您喜欢打麻将和玩牌,所以到了夜晚,我们两个人会一起玩。是咯,两个人都能玩,而且还玩上几个小时,我们可真厉害吧! 看到您开心,我也开心。您那灿烂无比的笑容,独一无二的笑声,会陪伴我到永久。</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">谢谢您,给了我那么多的美好回忆,也感激您,陪我度过人生的里程碑。我的生日,我的毕业典礼,我的注册仪式,我的婚宴,我的孩子出世,您都在我身边。</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">认识俊威后,他也非常孝敬您,常常陪您打麻将和带您环岛品尝各种美食。您总是被他逗得乐开怀,我也很庆幸我们能常常和您度过愉快的周末。2009年,你和阿姨到了瑞典来探望我们,我们一起住了一个多月。除了打麻将,我们也一起逛街</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">,</span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">跳舞,看电视,甚至一起开车到德国的柏林, 丹麦的哥本哈根和瑞典的马尔墨游玩。我们拍了好多珍贵的照片,而这些照片也成了我宝贵的收藏,每当看到它们,就会想起亲爱的您。</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">您知道吗?农历新年是我最爱的佳节。每逢农历新年,我们在除夕夜都回到您的家吃团圆饭。大年初一,初二和初三,我们全家大小到都会您家拜年,和您共度新年。大伙儿一起吃饭,玩牌,看电视,其乐融融。如今您不在了,以后的新年再也不一样了。婆婆啊,我真的好想您,您知道吗?</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidSC4qNCetHmT7B4tFtHGzdG6oG2-_1BfYxr88y_-KqRdq6MF7nF3x8AJFrLhWteb6ZpxrH4AFU-W42hGflkFZIKbf_01q_Dxk0fxp7efG1N16sygySbgIdvzaGIS4zgzSXy-nF_3dTdID1JoiE3cnJ9Bj1ftnCMb0KchhCJ8N0cZiwEIh5JP-4SWQ/s1000/P6257425.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="555" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidSC4qNCetHmT7B4tFtHGzdG6oG2-_1BfYxr88y_-KqRdq6MF7nF3x8AJFrLhWteb6ZpxrH4AFU-W42hGflkFZIKbf_01q_Dxk0fxp7efG1N16sygySbgIdvzaGIS4zgzSXy-nF_3dTdID1JoiE3cnJ9Bj1ftnCMb0KchhCJ8N0cZiwEIh5JP-4SWQ/s16000/P6257425.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> 若以前有什么让您生气的地方,请您见谅。当自己的孩子越来越多,陪您的时间越来越少,也希望您原谅。我心中的遗憾是您在世的时候,没带凯凯多多去探望您。让我感到安慰的是,至少您曾经抱过他,也参与了他的满月派对。我会好好照顾您的曾孙和曾孙女们,请您别为我们操心。</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">这个视频,是特别献给您的,希望能让我们永远记得您的美,您的好,您的善良。永远爱您,婆婆,也坚信我们总会有重逢的一天。谢谢您,让我有这份福气当你的孙女,来世,我还是要您做我最爱的婆婆。❤️</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">亚双上</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2022年12月6日</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uyeL3uYwOT8" title="YouTube video player" width="640"></iframe></span></span>~Summer~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478137784353655124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6546965252487257512.post-43346780498921061332022-11-18T13:48:00.015+08:002022-11-18T14:01:52.340+08:00Happiness is... cherishing the short days<p>They say that when it comes to motherhood, the days are long but years are short. Judging by how nearly 13 years have passed me by yet I still remember the very first day I became a mum, I can see the truth in that saying and sometimes, I do wish I have the power to make time slow down.</p><p>You see, even the days feel short to me and 24 hours just doesn't seem enough for me to achieve all that I want to. The days, weeks and years seem to fly past me and every time I look back, I wonder where they had all gone to. I guess I will never know but all I hope for is that I had done my best to cherish time while time was still by my side.</p><p>This kind of stay-at-home mum life that I love so much won't last forever, I know. One day, which is sooner than I know, the kids will be moving out of this home to start families of their own. I will be looking through photo albums and our videos filled with baby laughter, kiddy activities and family moments, and I will be missing those times so badly that my heart aches. Yup, I am a very emotional mum but it's not something I wanna change.</p><p>So while the four kids still call <i>"Mama"</i> a dozen times a day, I am more than happy to attend to every of their needs and let them know that I am always here for them. As we busy ourselves with daily chores, school work, play time and enrichment classes, we are also making time for family and building up a bank of memories so that years down the road, we will have tonnes of these happy moments to look back on. In this <i>"Happiness is.."</i> post, it's about treasuring the short days and making sure each of them count.</p><p>******</p><p>I've been cooking a little less because it can get very tiring and cumbersome on some days, especially with all the washing up to do. So whenever I whip up a home cooked meal, there is an immense sense of achievement and the kids are very happy to know that Mama made the effort to cook for them too. These are the flavours, the smells, the moments that stay in our growing up years, right? I still remember what my mum cooked for me as a kid and I hold those memories tight.<br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkEsmJcbZE68XzTOqcDaVhgRNNen-YTLjCSEW_-ekiCLtbv-jYBmDdXxTLNwSBUT38mnDJ8KwrW0q-cjVIRAHL9kQtRPHvFG5jBhMSjOAZh2gJNCy9sVxjoxquM9HhI2IzDbpLvedAWLKusepwmvTsz1H0j0gfm5F7FJwQOtiT5uOPvgdDeDUs7at/s1000/20220804_194118.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkEsmJcbZE68XzTOqcDaVhgRNNen-YTLjCSEW_-ekiCLtbv-jYBmDdXxTLNwSBUT38mnDJ8KwrW0q-cjVIRAHL9kQtRPHvFG5jBhMSjOAZh2gJNCy9sVxjoxquM9HhI2IzDbpLvedAWLKusepwmvTsz1H0j0gfm5F7FJwQOtiT5uOPvgdDeDUs7at/s16000/20220804_194118.jpg" /></a> <br /></p><p>We also like to dine out and one of the kids' favourite eatery is Genki Sushi! We love the food here and of course, the moving train just makes everything so much more fun for them. I saw the four of them talking and playing before the food came and this scene of them placing them hands together to do a <i>whoooosh</i> - you know, like how we cheer before a game - warmed my heart so much, especially when Ansel smiled widely and asked to do it again and again. You are a good team and will always be, my dears, must remember to love, protect and support one another, okay?</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0a365ONRm0m-C33-nIl4Yuzn48kjsrzKIVouYBGT48PgzJ84RWgOW2KLXZfWphNNH5t32T2aqN84CN0uU44HvYud5ZnNu9MkzebIgqi9kQ_IE9c4VurRujJPe8bl9tcNgb0JJddBI6qeeDr4-hhq6QidlJhVGNX2c_M_DVb9nhgebJyR7bIU0LnF3/s1000/20220826_185259.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0a365ONRm0m-C33-nIl4Yuzn48kjsrzKIVouYBGT48PgzJ84RWgOW2KLXZfWphNNH5t32T2aqN84CN0uU44HvYud5ZnNu9MkzebIgqi9kQ_IE9c4VurRujJPe8bl9tcNgb0JJddBI6qeeDr4-hhq6QidlJhVGNX2c_M_DVb9nhgebJyR7bIU0LnF3/s16000/20220826_185259.jpg" /></a> <br /></p><p>Desserts are also very much welcome and the kids can never get enough of frozen yoghurt at Yole. We love to buy two medium cups to share and they always enjoy every mouthful of it. See, even Ansel is starting to like it too! We will just find an empty bench to sit around and these kind of family moments are so simple yet so full of joy, don't you think so?<br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy9t2LSmeU9fZ74NZoaLITgf5_e1es2E_U2yizGAL3Q6xvCYFQ_Gpgg4mX82ntjruAeRDgggFtTsKWStfBr767_hjg34HsIgXkMQ2kbgaLldLeDc9EOnAsApAzwUpNrRDFZA5B_6zQ_iW1M-bSQnmpcuDf-DEOwOEFgXPsCPlbBRtR9d8BLEUErQNq/s1000/20220819_193038.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy9t2LSmeU9fZ74NZoaLITgf5_e1es2E_U2yizGAL3Q6xvCYFQ_Gpgg4mX82ntjruAeRDgggFtTsKWStfBr767_hjg34HsIgXkMQ2kbgaLldLeDc9EOnAsApAzwUpNrRDFZA5B_6zQ_iW1M-bSQnmpcuDf-DEOwOEFgXPsCPlbBRtR9d8BLEUErQNq/s16000/20220819_193038.jpg" /></a></p><p>All of us are very accustomed at taking public transport and the kids love being in a double decker bus, especially if they can get the front seats in the upper deck, they will be very happy because it is like a mini roller coaster ride. Haha. Yup, being <b>知足常乐 </b>will take us far and fill our lives with joy, <b>懂吗</b>? I love taking the bus with you all too, kiddos, even though sometimes I have to stay at the bottom deck alone because of the pram. Seeing, and hearing, you happy makes Mama very happy too.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzIZgtdCY-8bUNIAWfCwV29_xFpXAr-2yML4M9uHhHWZqlYUe0KIxK5sum_cELvIxMwIo2EZ0NijMOekkrIqB2vck9aidSy2Q3NiBOtlDkZJODohZ-mXvbdzSP_0zQ5a5uiyuwNOuCLIGHVC61UEgsxQuFph6n5ADKa6i2mSacygxG2Id3Zaa0f0ax/s1000/20220810_182816.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzIZgtdCY-8bUNIAWfCwV29_xFpXAr-2yML4M9uHhHWZqlYUe0KIxK5sum_cELvIxMwIo2EZ0NijMOekkrIqB2vck9aidSy2Q3NiBOtlDkZJODohZ-mXvbdzSP_0zQ5a5uiyuwNOuCLIGHVC61UEgsxQuFph6n5ADKa6i2mSacygxG2Id3Zaa0f0ax/s16000/20220810_182816.jpg" /></a> <br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Being a mum of four is awesome because I get to witness all the sweet sibling moments. Sure, there are fights and bickers too but if you see beyond that, the bond they form and build up since young will hopefully be something that will last them for life. I see how the three older ones dote on the toddler with all their hearts and it's really something I cherish deeply. This boy also makes us laugh every day with his silly antics and new tricks. It's like, even if we're having a bad day, seeing his happy face just makes everything better. He is our sunshine baby, our light at the end of the tunnel and our rainbow after the rain.<br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1mYWgrZtzX9TEnxkC9GRJ5KLuL2cavJsBxdWRwv1ubSKtOsxQ5L1BT8rspGS-gO0EmyKArYGW_JS-4zoNXOcKXhM1diF8Mwln2xO1n2eAMikvtdINn63HtuU_9uUk1OC2EozQFQWeJWOZGpHTfAm4wtf4Jrf4ROW_v_iiXstGGtDT0Z4xNCQHXDtN/s1000/20220812_180911.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1mYWgrZtzX9TEnxkC9GRJ5KLuL2cavJsBxdWRwv1ubSKtOsxQ5L1BT8rspGS-gO0EmyKArYGW_JS-4zoNXOcKXhM1diF8Mwln2xO1n2eAMikvtdINn63HtuU_9uUk1OC2EozQFQWeJWOZGpHTfAm4wtf4Jrf4ROW_v_iiXstGGtDT0Z4xNCQHXDtN/s16000/20220812_180911.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjbkKe_cLD4z1c0UEubXgKdGwormStyc-y1bAZTzpYw9lG_WwPmLRU64883Cb2h_YMmH8-VKHaC4O4IaXmEnR3BW5E5SHI77Ps80KR2IgT77G5qN2Gd8XQqfSmM9QbOcRDuppp7JZRdCLE3qAPFsOVPk0BjFjPUFYjvkx3195PTTcJFBvG-n3jcdSW/s1000/20220816_232434.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjbkKe_cLD4z1c0UEubXgKdGwormStyc-y1bAZTzpYw9lG_WwPmLRU64883Cb2h_YMmH8-VKHaC4O4IaXmEnR3BW5E5SHI77Ps80KR2IgT77G5qN2Gd8XQqfSmM9QbOcRDuppp7JZRdCLE3qAPFsOVPk0BjFjPUFYjvkx3195PTTcJFBvG-n3jcdSW/s16000/20220816_232434.jpg" /></a> We found this cute Tigger hand-me-down for him and thought he looked so adorable in it! Yup, we are biased, I know. We always say he is the cutest and sweetest baby boy in the world even though other babies are just as adorable too. Haha. Well, <b>那是因为他是我们的宝贝</b> and nothing will ever change that. He is growing so much taller now and getting heavier by the day, so I keep telling the elder ones to carry him more before they can't do it anymore.<br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg81IBqIoRj3gb2344XCFRyhOoLAqQ6OXI6ieYkGNnOMI-4DxQ6RxFby1i14qMUnXAkgUof96xjozYqsXNsWTsaOVaRWnJSVsBO4l57Y_z-Uu3dURrPzeBeKMZ6HXuhSO47kYlcYQuKwF2vXSRiGIw9ChFQgmLfS0GYF_YBGwJDJT5eaa1ZpNj7DRzK/s1000/20220821_154613.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg81IBqIoRj3gb2344XCFRyhOoLAqQ6OXI6ieYkGNnOMI-4DxQ6RxFby1i14qMUnXAkgUof96xjozYqsXNsWTsaOVaRWnJSVsBO4l57Y_z-Uu3dURrPzeBeKMZ6HXuhSO47kYlcYQuKwF2vXSRiGIw9ChFQgmLfS0GYF_YBGwJDJT5eaa1ZpNj7DRzK/s16000/20220821_154613.jpg" /></a> <br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuimOmM96GFv4sGnDNV1NuJGfARBLuj4ua5XOVo87FMuXyB2ga8TfnCud40cIgwUJhFQ7JAbDwEHUdIpyrD1eg7vYKwQsVMh65EywHKkjQ_AahPUDz2Heaydb-9BR2QSLmRD0dkbr3OcOZIWJzVRutaJswPrCRhjgZj-wAm0PdftWl3awO2PJjaFL4/s1000/20220813_205425.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuimOmM96GFv4sGnDNV1NuJGfARBLuj4ua5XOVo87FMuXyB2ga8TfnCud40cIgwUJhFQ7JAbDwEHUdIpyrD1eg7vYKwQsVMh65EywHKkjQ_AahPUDz2Heaydb-9BR2QSLmRD0dkbr3OcOZIWJzVRutaJswPrCRhjgZj-wAm0PdftWl3awO2PJjaFL4/s16000/20220813_205425.jpg" /></a>The kids were having a swim when suddenly they kept laughing and then I realised it was because Ariel looked like incredible Hulk when the air got into her swimming top and inflated it. It was a funny sight and they just kept doing it again and again just to make everyone laugh, and I couldn't help but chuckle too.<i> Awwww</i>, these moments, I heart them so much. Life feels so simple and carefree at this very moment and whatever that comes after, we will deal with it together.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZ5_Rez_CThFmyFmk_5cW1mEa4yjERHDT_QdONO5dEemzHV_XttsHPcezLdqRSzRvTeD_bhT8Vx7hfSwH13afMN-af1c6dzeABZIe6BayqUOMpQfjAgqEa_o1pbxhaJwax7D5ocxijzgJr2UJBQJRzKXHSJMWlJhknbOkCW_nSc-cSSLhPmc3YfKY/s1000/20220821_144106.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZ5_Rez_CThFmyFmk_5cW1mEa4yjERHDT_QdONO5dEemzHV_XttsHPcezLdqRSzRvTeD_bhT8Vx7hfSwH13afMN-af1c6dzeABZIe6BayqUOMpQfjAgqEa_o1pbxhaJwax7D5ocxijzgJr2UJBQJRzKXHSJMWlJhknbOkCW_nSc-cSSLhPmc3YfKY/s16000/20220821_144106.jpg" /></a> <br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-x0l2ycQ_yImrZOXqJsWX-uIZKaF6OJSUQBocnyQQyttB5FDX48vJqE7QWWBqnu8oqsphPtWXyrUlbvMKe0Zks5yrFyfGfqrZwz8oHcf9vNXGWGRtl2KpiL4YIPNfCN3FljIMCADE-ainMZNpYyDUSuOGQ7wwr85ZLS6iFgD_mbbAUCw_q6xfqgEO/s1000/collage224.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-x0l2ycQ_yImrZOXqJsWX-uIZKaF6OJSUQBocnyQQyttB5FDX48vJqE7QWWBqnu8oqsphPtWXyrUlbvMKe0Zks5yrFyfGfqrZwz8oHcf9vNXGWGRtl2KpiL4YIPNfCN3FljIMCADE-ainMZNpYyDUSuOGQ7wwr85ZLS6iFgD_mbbAUCw_q6xfqgEO/s16000/collage224.jpg" /></a> We love exploring new playgrounds too and this was one that we had never been to before. It's lovely that they can form a team and play catching together and I usually don't even need to follow the little one because they will help to lift him, carry him, slide with him or play see-saw with him. Yup, Ansel darling, <b>你很幸福, 有这么多人宠爱你</b>!<br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcxg4ooLqen7SjGm_9qKf0-DrdEvW6GjbXu84HvQQl4Dsks6tf3OZUtz7UGgNewRjptJMzzgp2sIBpfNQo80EM05pp0Mz22IyggiiHU_4Sp_5B5LS9rz1GmvFdWYUwolCq-r0b-qSTbfAb44P8LGvPSqN6S07Q55KW6nEjSZ0Gs3D4QmPjcVI2g9nm/s1000/20220828_114614.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcxg4ooLqen7SjGm_9qKf0-DrdEvW6GjbXu84HvQQl4Dsks6tf3OZUtz7UGgNewRjptJMzzgp2sIBpfNQo80EM05pp0Mz22IyggiiHU_4Sp_5B5LS9rz1GmvFdWYUwolCq-r0b-qSTbfAb44P8LGvPSqN6S07Q55KW6nEjSZ0Gs3D4QmPjcVI2g9nm/s16000/20220828_114614.jpg" /></a></p><br /><p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfaa8Qy7tybWm0bpvnVHO62znh9GxZP2yongXnqn5xNePJPkyfyXs42Br-PlzfXydcsX8utfZO4vOvXJOYhNKa_jrBEIpTD4H56KQTsIPbM7173nUpKH2NMx6exQ_jqnt56YL1nybxJKAZHnu94bzS5tzdIjMn-C_-9DMWMIV02etzI5S9AoSabZMs/s1000/20220828_114824.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfaa8Qy7tybWm0bpvnVHO62znh9GxZP2yongXnqn5xNePJPkyfyXs42Br-PlzfXydcsX8utfZO4vOvXJOYhNKa_jrBEIpTD4H56KQTsIPbM7173nUpKH2NMx6exQ_jqnt56YL1nybxJKAZHnu94bzS5tzdIjMn-C_-9DMWMIV02etzI5S9AoSabZMs/s16000/20220828_114824.jpg" /></a> <br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHXADbxRunBGkoznAnEdeIIx3qCApSE4R29QXIfiQXaSRpOXx1n9RoGto4b3NnSeZNQTHFA73aOJ-Dic0iUSqdOf9exERCJRj0GYBC-NPpwyIgZ1I3-V2YrLykgKJqyhmnTmegsPS6h5eVAKKfIEc9hDJfexYONB5ambhqkR3AtT-Y-9c39btzxTPZ/s1000/20220828_115456.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHXADbxRunBGkoznAnEdeIIx3qCApSE4R29QXIfiQXaSRpOXx1n9RoGto4b3NnSeZNQTHFA73aOJ-Dic0iUSqdOf9exERCJRj0GYBC-NPpwyIgZ1I3-V2YrLykgKJqyhmnTmegsPS6h5eVAKKfIEc9hDJfexYONB5ambhqkR3AtT-Y-9c39btzxTPZ/s16000/20220828_115456.jpg" /></a>If you know me, you will know that I treasure family gatherings a lot and we make it a point to hang out with our parents regularly. We celebrated National Day and watched the parade on TV together - even though we already brought them for the NDP preview previously - and even though the house was rowdy, I guess that is better than being quiet and lonely, right? Celebrations are always so much fun and I cherish these opportunities very much because you never know how many more you can have. I sincerely hope my in-laws and parents will be <b>长命百岁</b> and we can continue our gatherings for many more years.<br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC5-TGztL3UC6-AYAGdd7nHeXVuOdMT_B79gWFHjIarPAZ62jwSQpkjROZcavh4TYNk5wEVE4vrvvR3CT7R5C_Ayy9Tm4B-e7wrq6EvMF7jU7Wbt-HgGiuvvpsfsFrQzaHFXwW-7j4hxGIcEtz5VWOrlQmh7dXSWSfISzUhOjMAU_DCrcKnupv-Nm4/s1000/20220809_205726.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC5-TGztL3UC6-AYAGdd7nHeXVuOdMT_B79gWFHjIarPAZ62jwSQpkjROZcavh4TYNk5wEVE4vrvvR3CT7R5C_Ayy9Tm4B-e7wrq6EvMF7jU7Wbt-HgGiuvvpsfsFrQzaHFXwW-7j4hxGIcEtz5VWOrlQmh7dXSWSfISzUhOjMAU_DCrcKnupv-Nm4/s16000/20220809_205726.jpg" /></a> I cherish my one-on-one time with the kids very much and now that the toddler will be turning two in a few month's time, I especially treasure this very cute and very sweet phase before it's over. He is a joy to be with and I love that we spend some quality mother-and-son time on weekdays when the siblings are all in school. <i>Awwww</i>, I'm gonna miss you so much when you go to nursery, dear Angel, but let's just wait a couple more years before we let that happen, shall we?<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggwsgb1_Mc1PbT1FGxtzRiTw7g7qS-xmV3pt2cRvbC9RJU7390-chZpDIQFa73OD6U-vSZ3SxdjZIKxfVNdYCgcHK_l37q3kkj8Ez1keKEy6eyZTPFi4oDCN4dj-isXPgYaNcGPP7Omj1ynmwAz3UP6zk6OSUyeNa7_Lvvix4uk5Qtb0irMi5Rt-Rs/s1000/collage225.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggwsgb1_Mc1PbT1FGxtzRiTw7g7qS-xmV3pt2cRvbC9RJU7390-chZpDIQFa73OD6U-vSZ3SxdjZIKxfVNdYCgcHK_l37q3kkj8Ez1keKEy6eyZTPFi4oDCN4dj-isXPgYaNcGPP7Omj1ynmwAz3UP6zk6OSUyeNa7_Lvvix4uk5Qtb0irMi5Rt-Rs/s16000/collage225.jpg" /></a></div>One of our highlights this month was visiting River Wonders to celebrate Le Le's first birthday! There were many fun-filled activities and we got to interactive with animals and see the panda mascots too. It's a different experience visiting the park at night and we totally enjoyed the cool night breeze and each other's company.<br /><p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6eCf-fPnJukbDmsn8BwCoBqBT8A74h2JwnVz0k_TnZZZIf8vMDGn1LjnzQOn1ukvVDGy9mv6bX64eQexrZ0-rXj2OVuAYYxuxI7gUR4nfg_NkNtT4e3KeSZmUwcoIshjYfK9_tNcTCUcM-Ek6Q8SdIyJ2AgcOiab7DSkXBChCK2xuTTI2O4j-oX7u/s1000/20220806_210354.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6eCf-fPnJukbDmsn8BwCoBqBT8A74h2JwnVz0k_TnZZZIf8vMDGn1LjnzQOn1ukvVDGy9mv6bX64eQexrZ0-rXj2OVuAYYxuxI7gUR4nfg_NkNtT4e3KeSZmUwcoIshjYfK9_tNcTCUcM-Ek6Q8SdIyJ2AgcOiab7DSkXBChCK2xuTTI2O4j-oX7u/s16000/20220806_210354.jpg" /></a><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMX_4yD0gXthzRxQvd7MNRxF4YxC-iHPrWQzhM6apK-JzEWeFVfEVLtXk4N9DFCwr7TubsoHYeq9E3kRv1IMQmZCM2KIYj2JAL2B0hT9KizKAZoHk-ezBDv9W9cEDO2EWZRwL8YraxwbGnphlc_2Gbotj7yA7vi-qqquPq5RFSLoglI-_FlkSYFUJW/s1000/collage223.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMX_4yD0gXthzRxQvd7MNRxF4YxC-iHPrWQzhM6apK-JzEWeFVfEVLtXk4N9DFCwr7TubsoHYeq9E3kRv1IMQmZCM2KIYj2JAL2B0hT9KizKAZoHk-ezBDv9W9cEDO2EWZRwL8YraxwbGnphlc_2Gbotj7yA7vi-qqquPq5RFSLoglI-_FlkSYFUJW/s16000/collage223.jpg" /></a></div><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58g1wSCgKTB8-FztiofJjUZVX296aURyoNqSnA4Vt4ycIr5G19fop935yVxTp1DjX-MO3sijdpETImSEwTQdMlHsSBh-x9S75Mgrj3Vv0flh42Z4dvE04RlR9MCJGa7oZw3J73AOYmg069ay11h6vTwccGGRBfjopfWQgBPA_f2WGrtmcLLiUnWBT/s1000/20220806_193716.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58g1wSCgKTB8-FztiofJjUZVX296aURyoNqSnA4Vt4ycIr5G19fop935yVxTp1DjX-MO3sijdpETImSEwTQdMlHsSBh-x9S75Mgrj3Vv0flh42Z4dvE04RlR9MCJGa7oZw3J73AOYmg069ay11h6vTwccGGRBfjopfWQgBPA_f2WGrtmcLLiUnWBT/s16000/20220806_193716.jpg" /></a> <br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj053bBndgsOIjbrodOSstLCcAcG44kl6_IzVSJ3bGqF_X08dIiAm1OlrlVeB09S-3bquW-K-v9B6PszJif7FCHtdW7ek_ssZcO8WeaJ3VdS1k0RCPQA9DVXitozxg7ZTxLx9aCupf-mWr_4GLBAZ3hAdmwtlqRnh3OdGgTTZFhx4EichjaVlD7BL5o/s1000/20220806_205333.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj053bBndgsOIjbrodOSstLCcAcG44kl6_IzVSJ3bGqF_X08dIiAm1OlrlVeB09S-3bquW-K-v9B6PszJif7FCHtdW7ek_ssZcO8WeaJ3VdS1k0RCPQA9DVXitozxg7ZTxLx9aCupf-mWr_4GLBAZ3hAdmwtlqRnh3OdGgTTZFhx4EichjaVlD7BL5o/s16000/20220806_205333.jpg" /></a> <br /></p><p>We love the hands-on activities and this included terrarium making, tote bag stamping and creating a one-of-a-kind lightbox. The kids drew Kai Kai, Jia Jia and Le Le to put
inside the lightbox and this happy family portrait speaks volumes to my heart. <br /></p><p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGD4kA9lM5PnZwjSlb1NcnAB3CKtaqyIxoylixnW4kXtWdefmClguOHGd4USQh2_bpveGxomqo1y1YyMI4mxHewkHclnBB6FXJZwfPSU4Y58fXnAREfgeaCJVPoKAj9jxVQHZX1HQY2fq4o7vCDl8o7sTad7NZW0W0Ui9NBe9V_syiTaYuauDkY52S/s1000/20220806_193144.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGD4kA9lM5PnZwjSlb1NcnAB3CKtaqyIxoylixnW4kXtWdefmClguOHGd4USQh2_bpveGxomqo1y1YyMI4mxHewkHclnBB6FXJZwfPSU4Y58fXnAREfgeaCJVPoKAj9jxVQHZX1HQY2fq4o7vCDl8o7sTad7NZW0W0Ui9NBe9V_syiTaYuauDkY52S/s16000/20220806_193144.jpg" /></a></p> <p></p><p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_OXUBff_vu0DjaPSUgom4noX4jGHfo33a2iT0t0zeEj7ZHNy2L801ESZz7P9_qMxVH9ykmS0Lg9iD6-pg_trse5hH8gQwhXexkRPji5Y-JYeaUzAR1dgL-FiElbGdmWN3TU7htu7koxuTQleVw8LyNAdZgDoTQyaPWW2NAA0CIECUUw3OJQtlhjn/s1000/20220806_230400.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_OXUBff_vu0DjaPSUgom4noX4jGHfo33a2iT0t0zeEj7ZHNy2L801ESZz7P9_qMxVH9ykmS0Lg9iD6-pg_trse5hH8gQwhXexkRPji5Y-JYeaUzAR1dgL-FiElbGdmWN3TU7htu7koxuTQleVw8LyNAdZgDoTQyaPWW2NAA0CIECUUw3OJQtlhjn/s16000/20220806_230400.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieB6i795VpFgMvS3-vo8o2K57GzLu7u-LE1_2clN88DReWUBtARVzxwr9MqiCuJf62i6RBCOYFEawpQ3XenMI2aD0NI5rmT6HK48qZiVFV-oeKj9b0k3o3Y9t9jo-FqIS5WrjL4RMKJ0_n0R_8lbR2c5M4D8mdJUgIKfEL6Xrmfw8w3_TEU2I9pOzL/s1000/collage222.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieB6i795VpFgMvS3-vo8o2K57GzLu7u-LE1_2clN88DReWUBtARVzxwr9MqiCuJf62i6RBCOYFEawpQ3XenMI2aD0NI5rmT6HK48qZiVFV-oeKj9b0k3o3Y9t9jo-FqIS5WrjL4RMKJ0_n0R_8lbR2c5M4D8mdJUgIKfEL6Xrmfw8w3_TEU2I9pOzL/s16000/collage222.jpg" /></a></p><p>Movies are very much enjoyed by everyone in our family and the kids have been avid moviegoers since a very young age. We love going for movie previews and are thankful for every opportunity that comes our way. Even though it is easy and convenient to watch movies on Netflix on Disney+ these days, I still love bringing the kids to the cinema every once in a while because it just feels different this way and every movie outing is greatly cherished.<br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE0eDARaKPbWq07JPRO7Y4xF30nvpe7jLw86KA2XpEBtngNKWJd-q7ojCPXA--ienv8-vVTE-WMkgUaB0scMeRgdXCOPnjuYZepbSUUwgoLDuhtZynTf2sgBRg27kjNrywkdgcYbxEoS6Y_23KOr61lmiDzJj1znoSsACRiegEvo593LiuO51a2N7R/s1000/20220824_192751.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE0eDARaKPbWq07JPRO7Y4xF30nvpe7jLw86KA2XpEBtngNKWJd-q7ojCPXA--ienv8-vVTE-WMkgUaB0scMeRgdXCOPnjuYZepbSUUwgoLDuhtZynTf2sgBRg27kjNrywkdgcYbxEoS6Y_23KOr61lmiDzJj1znoSsACRiegEvo593LiuO51a2N7R/s16000/20220824_192751.jpg" /></a> <br /></p><p>With Teacher's Day round the corner, we also started designing, printing, cutting and laminating our own DIY bookmarks. Ariel took charge of this project and spent hours on it, including drawing pictures of her teachers and coaches which really made their day. It's so easy to buy gifts these days but a handmade one can never be replaced and the meaning, love and sincerity it carries is unlike any other.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTDg9J5h-Mni9QgjjUvNGA9cmSUU7_LKDoFmHU7SESAXYr8vdqI-kG0xg3eibwyJip3vP_FKC-ToqT3-Qn3RXk-NfbAnz5MLuDlbGq6NGFousGlThqIXMbo8-UkFNWTfVveSEMqgNHGu97jFAmO4v38wrA6MlgHOOyyTqYFIGsHLvlqmbG35NSjmz4/s1000/20220829_214807.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTDg9J5h-Mni9QgjjUvNGA9cmSUU7_LKDoFmHU7SESAXYr8vdqI-kG0xg3eibwyJip3vP_FKC-ToqT3-Qn3RXk-NfbAnz5MLuDlbGq6NGFousGlThqIXMbo8-UkFNWTfVveSEMqgNHGu97jFAmO4v38wrA6MlgHOOyyTqYFIGsHLvlqmbG35NSjmz4/s16000/20220829_214807.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br />I hope our family dance sessions will continue going strong even though it's seemingly harder to find time to do it as the kids get older. It's still something we enjoy and it's a form of bonding for us so I'm reminding myself to make time for this no matter how busy life gets. Well, I highly doubt the kids will still wanna do this when they are all grown up so while they are loving it, let's just dance on!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4VGfBt-zW5KBFQCyo4rosqOz1hqhlozlqZDjRZ2WVCU9MHjpMZ-n0htQOkJ2hAt2HXGDTyXg9wp_kpDT99vSImdh_m1Kg_-0oxRwdua2-A0Zd_Zmm6FSVci4z6yzCsmYfwy02NYQknTlTzSbmEGn7zT8sTOywe6UIY067RpP5u6IkqP163icsebJx/s1000/20220827_221629.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4VGfBt-zW5KBFQCyo4rosqOz1hqhlozlqZDjRZ2WVCU9MHjpMZ-n0htQOkJ2hAt2HXGDTyXg9wp_kpDT99vSImdh_m1Kg_-0oxRwdua2-A0Zd_Zmm6FSVci4z6yzCsmYfwy02NYQknTlTzSbmEGn7zT8sTOywe6UIY067RpP5u6IkqP163icsebJx/s16000/20220827_221629.jpg" /></a></div><br />Yup, my kids have eaten cup noodles before and they actually love it and see it as a rare treat! Haha. That is because they probably only get to eat once or twice in an entire year and it's usually when we go out for events till near midnight and come home feeling hungry and in the mood for supper. We went to the petrol kiosk to let them take their pick and just check out their big, wide smiles here. I guess it's okay to just close one eye every once in a while, right?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPdy_43cGqHGrDoS5JhMz1ir7dAjzb6hbs0_cPo64d3cNlsoLz1N50anKpq84iTqcUwBpNd84-bBhvBLla127KQ6dMBGCxr12ZpBrS_kQgaqK0YYBaD-IUTVjiwEJ0aNsHbSfJ2lUPL859BXzFPX6fYgF7xZwVgsDrH4pAeP2gf86Qf9hqiL6UzgID/s1000/20220807_002437.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPdy_43cGqHGrDoS5JhMz1ir7dAjzb6hbs0_cPo64d3cNlsoLz1N50anKpq84iTqcUwBpNd84-bBhvBLla127KQ6dMBGCxr12ZpBrS_kQgaqK0YYBaD-IUTVjiwEJ0aNsHbSfJ2lUPL859BXzFPX6fYgF7xZwVgsDrH4pAeP2gf86Qf9hqiL6UzgID/s16000/20220807_002437.jpg" /></a></div><p>I also like to take my kids to the <i>pasar malam</i> because I used to love it as a kid! The yummy food, the loud music, the carnival games - these are things that form a part of my growing up years and I'm happy to see that the kids are loving our visits too. We ate 卤肉饭,Ramly burger, kebab, orh ah mee sua, Taiwanese sausages, tutu kuehs and more! <br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitUiZiZ0MxqdJfYiCHJ7zRawMCKMErCMl1yA8EnVLdSsg1_JUZdMvh2_xBFKzibU9QWn7aA9scGL7akue0ip_hhLY-lSB7XnMZj9zYEihGhy3VyIaDGVpRgo8lpwivXUAJHbTn9WuFWaR6SpIDQHHvO84p7Wq1pQJZeSEHC8uX4wIlhNvfOZ8hnxVF/s1000/20220805_190020.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitUiZiZ0MxqdJfYiCHJ7zRawMCKMErCMl1yA8EnVLdSsg1_JUZdMvh2_xBFKzibU9QWn7aA9scGL7akue0ip_hhLY-lSB7XnMZj9zYEihGhy3VyIaDGVpRgo8lpwivXUAJHbTn9WuFWaR6SpIDQHHvO84p7Wq1pQJZeSEHC8uX4wIlhNvfOZ8hnxVF/s16000/20220805_190020.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Gx3tX5vZG2_vos3Ufyazf0pNeD9qDll7LDy6chd9DHtC_bbgAcgWJ0Gnj4nnN1_NaUVKKxNFg6rrYPqORjPSVKiWdPmMIqCKWa3X_figl0QOIs1RhK5XG9zDnWEfPtY9A3qwDqtWF0kIE5_Y4SFmUMRPfhS3ISBuLeJowGk58Row4VoVgRRZKWOs/s1000/20220805_210254.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Gx3tX5vZG2_vos3Ufyazf0pNeD9qDll7LDy6chd9DHtC_bbgAcgWJ0Gnj4nnN1_NaUVKKxNFg6rrYPqORjPSVKiWdPmMIqCKWa3X_figl0QOIs1RhK5XG9zDnWEfPtY9A3qwDqtWF0kIE5_Y4SFmUMRPfhS3ISBuLeJowGk58Row4VoVgRRZKWOs/s16000/20220805_210254.jpg" /></a></div>Well, we couldn't resist but play a few carnival games too because these are always so much fun - if only they can be cheaper, haha. We had a go at the seemingly impossible ring toss, we played ball games and the younger ones and I even went on a 'jet ski' ride which was so much fun!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsBxZUF7wl6y5L1PYa-3-mBaQ6Ll4ChJn7qs_fWGX6OZAw3YsXRXoEodTfrjXeWj3OZ7Tt7PifLsATZIe4CLSNtrTf9ryXjakdo-e01GTdjyVvWczTPssDqskCiwklaaOQ7bkLywkV4qpww1DNxiEDYOPr8mgQWbDOIP2x7umZxm4Esm69JIrAZDTm/s1000/20220805_201345.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsBxZUF7wl6y5L1PYa-3-mBaQ6Ll4ChJn7qs_fWGX6OZAw3YsXRXoEodTfrjXeWj3OZ7Tt7PifLsATZIe4CLSNtrTf9ryXjakdo-e01GTdjyVvWczTPssDqskCiwklaaOQ7bkLywkV4qpww1DNxiEDYOPr8mgQWbDOIP2x7umZxm4Esm69JIrAZDTm/s16000/20220805_201345.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI8_dHik2Tbplk2sfCrmoVcmZpLnzFlQ7RFJEwt87iVlwWG3hZWBU0VAX6nopb9hvXvk1FyGcFFUXQh7eaSSTsNTSvsAxO6m79rJgu7fBfNm6Ng_-VETo7tNU5xqNnY9xwKYj5kg7txYT9v1piyJC_jihutoLLRplM6q5Fbrsx1RI5NWG3RwL9s1A_/s1000/20220805_201215.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI8_dHik2Tbplk2sfCrmoVcmZpLnzFlQ7RFJEwt87iVlwWG3hZWBU0VAX6nopb9hvXvk1FyGcFFUXQh7eaSSTsNTSvsAxO6m79rJgu7fBfNm6Ng_-VETo7tNU5xqNnY9xwKYj5kg7txYT9v1piyJC_jihutoLLRplM6q5Fbrsx1RI5NWG3RwL9s1A_/s16000/20220805_201215.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /><br /><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4U7tu4FGSxx7xbgzzqSrjlxXD9JfPjApdgVBvKBKsKqyKCVjC8LJg369nN2of3CLeC8Hay60Slh1lCpO7rbMPb5cHU2mx2tU7_94yAuWhpk5Qljq_dyRPhI2U0Ltt9BBqayogr4O1yb_tNnVTFzUnb9oT43LHT-r_GbmZfQPfPtbR_EV6L-8h65Q/s1000/20220805_205625.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4U7tu4FGSxx7xbgzzqSrjlxXD9JfPjApdgVBvKBKsKqyKCVjC8LJg369nN2of3CLeC8Hay60Slh1lCpO7rbMPb5cHU2mx2tU7_94yAuWhpk5Qljq_dyRPhI2U0Ltt9BBqayogr4O1yb_tNnVTFzUnb9oT43LHT-r_GbmZfQPfPtbR_EV6L-8h65Q/s16000/20220805_205625.jpg" /></a> <br /></p><p>When the kids are all grown up and look back someday, I hope they felt my presence and know that Mama was very involved in many of their fun moments. Instead of just watching or filming them like I always do to keep for memories, I also make sure I join them because something tells me that there won't be many more years for me to keep doing this. My kids are gonna grow up into adults before I know it. That is when we will bid farewell to kiddy rides and games and hopefully, the memories we have left behind will last for a lifetime and the joy will always be felt when we reminisce these good old days.</p><p><i>Cherish, just cherish, while we still can.</i></p><p>Till the next update on my simple take on happiness. Have a great school holiday, people!<br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p>~Summer~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478137784353655124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6546965252487257512.post-19490215881002771112022-11-09T16:08:00.003+08:002022-11-09T16:10:09.047+08:00"A Night at the Airport" Family Camp in Changi Experience Studio<p>The airport has always been one of our favourite hangouts because of all the diverse, fun and family-friendly activities you can find there. Ever since Jewel opened in 2019, we visit it regularly because we love admiring the majestic Rain Vortex, the kids like the food options available (A&W, anyone?), and we love that there are many things to see, play and learn as a family.</p><p>One of our most-loved attractions in Jewel is <a href="https://www.jewelchangiairport.com/en/attractions/ces.html" target="_blank">Changi Experience Studio</a> (read our review <a href="http://www.ahappymum.com/2019/07/changi-experience-studio-family-review.html" target="_blank">here</a>) even though we've been there umpteen times already. The kids never fail to have lots of fun and learn a thing or two about the airport as they laugh, play and relax. So when they heard that we were going to have a whole day of fun at the airport and even have a stayover in Changi Experience Studio, you bet they jumped for joy and looked forward to it with much excitement.</p><p>The highly popular <a href="https://www.changiairport.com/en/changifestivevillage/stay/a-night-at-the-airport.html" target="_blank"><i>"A Night at the Airport"</i></a> camp returns for the third year and will take place from 19 November to 23 December. This year, the theme is sustainability which we really love because it teaches the kids the importance of being eco-friendly and recycling whenever we can. Here's a sneak peek into what you can expect at the camp and I've also shared more happenings on my IG reel and highlights so hop over to see more.<br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2jCQHKF1h5CYt6zwZvQ66WswP55_p7Yt21ivZ7fcnIqb6gp0BD3dkniUD8DGdgdEDWkuVGEuKWsG8x8SD83BN3pJAiQ5FI-RVPpWv9APsyuapt7_2EL4-L1ldwtlG1RZYhald11eflqDdWu5HI-vGvVAuoloo-EWTpTtqqePkx29mwZWNSCejaONL/s1000/20221105_212638.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2jCQHKF1h5CYt6zwZvQ66WswP55_p7Yt21ivZ7fcnIqb6gp0BD3dkniUD8DGdgdEDWkuVGEuKWsG8x8SD83BN3pJAiQ5FI-RVPpWv9APsyuapt7_2EL4-L1ldwtlG1RZYhald11eflqDdWu5HI-vGvVAuoloo-EWTpTtqqePkx29mwZWNSCejaONL/s16000/20221105_212638.jpg" /></a> <br /></p><p><u><b>Amazing Sustainable Family Quest</b></u></p><p>Go on a fun and educational quest around the airport and learn about its sustainability efforts to go green! By downloading an app and solving the clues one by one, we made our way around T3 and Jewel and were awed by the facts we learnt. For instance, did you know that old raintrees from the former T1 carpark have been recycled and made into benches? </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge8Gn-B8H31dAl3nEyg4wjShEfILIONsP2vS2kR3ZLRQfQl4LoAM-dnc4HecORBy3Ka4i0muNsJITshUq3v6PPQAAtyqOwaxz42SZMyP0xjyw0tZ4RrJ0BV6giuRAITPfhCMhzFucQlHYozJKsjgfHQYaHbgwQFVb-yH2ZyKhPqP-Glhh6olMgHZ2U/s1000/collage217.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge8Gn-B8H31dAl3nEyg4wjShEfILIONsP2vS2kR3ZLRQfQl4LoAM-dnc4HecORBy3Ka4i0muNsJITshUq3v6PPQAAtyqOwaxz42SZMyP0xjyw0tZ4RrJ0BV6giuRAITPfhCMhzFucQlHYozJKsjgfHQYaHbgwQFVb-yH2ZyKhPqP-Glhh6olMgHZ2U/s16000/collage217.jpg" /></a> <br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJXy-aVwQEp4VhgNpj9loVy97WaZGP3QMMAQgjamDVKfM72Fu3WP9iG1N73OslsDRgPOSoExVU-iU7KnpO9ZdfcK5uHRxTaKzlTOwnO4biee6ZqdmvSU58m2RqszGF1Qp9kJXwEP9pfjPmyeyJNNmwkvwGSA_5WiosvwwGgaRByuzGOAk3stkC14ns/s1000/20221105_110619.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJXy-aVwQEp4VhgNpj9loVy97WaZGP3QMMAQgjamDVKfM72Fu3WP9iG1N73OslsDRgPOSoExVU-iU7KnpO9ZdfcK5uHRxTaKzlTOwnO4biee6ZqdmvSU58m2RqszGF1Qp9kJXwEP9pfjPmyeyJNNmwkvwGSA_5WiosvwwGgaRByuzGOAk3stkC14ns/s16000/20221105_110619.jpg" /></a> <br /></p><p>There are also missions to complete and these include fun tasks like taking a selfie of you drinking water from the Rain Vortex or going on a scavenger hunt to gather colours of the rainbow. We spent a good two hours travelling around, answering questions, picking up new knowledge, and taking photos of the picturesque scenery along the way. It was a truly amazing mum-and-kids quest for us and I know we will remember this unique first experience for a long time.<br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQYUBxZFZPOdu1DzNR5QgpuWekPdEhD9YCYCPNq1KWQakpkwINwkqJYUUwcnXIs_V4x2GlTkikK-Wu6wocbPZvkGTnlSzwgI4UW2S56JVgbCUy8nMbX5t2rvQzKBWJFof8Pzs2r769f9T2m1lInAJ8WxVEcIedSb_YHetAwStbSD6WDmuL3OXQWbP/s1000/20221105_102613.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQYUBxZFZPOdu1DzNR5QgpuWekPdEhD9YCYCPNq1KWQakpkwINwkqJYUUwcnXIs_V4x2GlTkikK-Wu6wocbPZvkGTnlSzwgI4UW2S56JVgbCUy8nMbX5t2rvQzKBWJFof8Pzs2r769f9T2m1lInAJ8WxVEcIedSb_YHetAwStbSD6WDmuL3OXQWbP/s16000/20221105_102613.jpg" /></a> </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgytZxhyey7vZrPJ8RHhpA-8wT6LF0lIU736P5uDhT_NPkvX_dibdG5guIbYn4GlQFIQ39SrmEIVcaFpRm5m6xc5luo53xq9k6C-Mgcuodb2AYS_pxeBJydXDPdzBbjaUy5LSS3zFxFhZ9iEmon0vGzsBTlHgdZ3HlBJtQzuh6l6Lq50jexXWZPW7p8/s1000/20221105_103505.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgytZxhyey7vZrPJ8RHhpA-8wT6LF0lIU736P5uDhT_NPkvX_dibdG5guIbYn4GlQFIQ39SrmEIVcaFpRm5m6xc5luo53xq9k6C-Mgcuodb2AYS_pxeBJydXDPdzBbjaUy5LSS3zFxFhZ9iEmon0vGzsBTlHgdZ3HlBJtQzuh6l6Lq50jexXWZPW7p8/s16000/20221105_103505.jpg" /></a> <br /></p><p><u><b>Sustainable Festive Ornament Workshop</b></u></p><p>With Christmas just around the corner, how about making a one-of-a-kind recycled Christmas tree to decorate your home? We were appalled to learn about the millions of trees that are cut down every Christmas even though we've never had a real tree in our house. The kids were thrilled at the notion of making a DIY tree and seeing the variety of craft supplies laid out on our table made all of us eager to begin.<br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHoU_kXEKzliQzQzh6Kj8eDEaCQDvu8bXLjbKC-s-mRiqarczLRLa1zTuxh45aLMnUaqeMZrz3c6cwiJM7CTI9HgDAsoL7jXZh0VsjoAWaayu487gfI2iR6YswXTIvp_-qBskJ6inBI33uREOUeK3See5fX5LcwY0KCzhzFrRS9-_M69yXP3gNP7_F/s1000/collage215.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHoU_kXEKzliQzQzh6Kj8eDEaCQDvu8bXLjbKC-s-mRiqarczLRLa1zTuxh45aLMnUaqeMZrz3c6cwiJM7CTI9HgDAsoL7jXZh0VsjoAWaayu487gfI2iR6YswXTIvp_-qBskJ6inBI33uREOUeK3See5fX5LcwY0KCzhzFrRS9-_M69yXP3gNP7_F/s16000/collage215.jpg" /></a> <br /></p><p>I was impressed by the different samples of trees crafted out of cardboard, paper and egg cartons and gave my thumbs up to the staff's creativity. We decided on one that we loved most of all and got to work straight away. The kids and I took turns to cut, glue, stick, paint and decorate and seeing the finished product gave us an immense sense of satisfaction.</p><p>With Christmas carols playing in the background and the festive mood in the air, we let our creative juices flow as we work on our tree. This was such a wonderful bonding activity for the three older kids and myself and I appreciate this crafting opportunity very much.<br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhihrXp2hL3INtifMWdgT3Z3NVZAPtqkbhCgzBqIOw5TCjojlBt3vND4Rqg0ucWuUENGQz9-PR7c0GGrLyVHuRQVb_n2IOmQWf35x8l2NxeK7BgEgtdOrXM195qOQNHc8pEfjReLG1-ZD9NtJJrpTHaWMSir1wBnD1WzSMHwB1AAK6SuRmCN96vdw6p/s1000/20221105_142506.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhihrXp2hL3INtifMWdgT3Z3NVZAPtqkbhCgzBqIOw5TCjojlBt3vND4Rqg0ucWuUENGQz9-PR7c0GGrLyVHuRQVb_n2IOmQWf35x8l2NxeK7BgEgtdOrXM195qOQNHc8pEfjReLG1-ZD9NtJJrpTHaWMSir1wBnD1WzSMHwB1AAK6SuRmCN96vdw6p/s16000/20221105_142506.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxbVE3qPaoWk2iFnVQtvJu4Bpy3qZn_vFvrHc6ckPcQUN-EbOU1cRMY9Tvu-sknApWH2Z7iluivt5pakQ8KvCS96aH1j68sxwqzZ6iXEUi7td3qAw7dNXbCNyr_04JymzzUcChgMBAtVKp8YyItJIyCeI9QFlpKEBcWcZHe1tVGlXWM1UC9YoaAf3x/s1000/20221105_154303.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxbVE3qPaoWk2iFnVQtvJu4Bpy3qZn_vFvrHc6ckPcQUN-EbOU1cRMY9Tvu-sknApWH2Z7iluivt5pakQ8KvCS96aH1j68sxwqzZ6iXEUi7td3qAw7dNXbCNyr_04JymzzUcChgMBAtVKp8YyItJIyCeI9QFlpKEBcWcZHe1tVGlXWM1UC9YoaAf3x/s16000/20221105_154303.jpg" /></a> <u><b>Games and Rides at T3 Underground Carnival </b></u></p><p>Everyone loves carnival games, right? Well, it's time to get moving and head out for more fun after the winding down craft session. In case you don't know, T3 has been transformed into a huge underground carnival comprising of three main zones - The Great World, The Modern World and The Future World. There are over 30 fun games and rides waiting the kids to play, including bumper car, viking, ring toss, shooting, basketball, balloon darts, fishing, spinning teacup, carousel, train rides and more.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVlzKTqpGBvHliBWwfo_tPX5oHLlpqxU9mOrRPhjHONcAOeGSAA7OZZsBWpMLf9JtcrxrFOYeqEJic27mat96xwlirKCEmQGxEOIIEVVy65Bkjz93Jb9EvSHTwQk8ANVt-M5Jh5gnY84OpfWDSdR9SXKQ6VqxOkPgnReywePcSJ96t6wRf3REuv_oz/s1000/collage218.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVlzKTqpGBvHliBWwfo_tPX5oHLlpqxU9mOrRPhjHONcAOeGSAA7OZZsBWpMLf9JtcrxrFOYeqEJic27mat96xwlirKCEmQGxEOIIEVVy65Bkjz93Jb9EvSHTwQk8ANVt-M5Jh5gnY84OpfWDSdR9SXKQ6VqxOkPgnReywePcSJ96t6wRf3REuv_oz/s16000/collage218.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVsdJDMhEWn5dzDtD3319d9DOZ1qCY3l_bNk_LK03HZ2n6irpODVYYUbwouh0AJHe5Y_PDj49s9Et-SX6lB56CEKoQwKcoWioRcsLIW7J6dz2SxfAllFfscY6fOBqZvQBllafkLh16uiuak1JFr5XFbkNABTBpcSI-rumUav8FpnvKva9FW6uG5W7g/s1000/20221105_181427.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVsdJDMhEWn5dzDtD3319d9DOZ1qCY3l_bNk_LK03HZ2n6irpODVYYUbwouh0AJHe5Y_PDj49s9Et-SX6lB56CEKoQwKcoWioRcsLIW7J6dz2SxfAllFfscY6fOBqZvQBllafkLh16uiuak1JFr5XFbkNABTBpcSI-rumUav8FpnvKva9FW6uG5W7g/s16000/20221105_181427.jpg" /></a> <br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvUPH5Lgm-KIO9EUcutCBzSypLZvizobJXBQ1scbddBHRyY2hbuk1YK5nWIKIENZkm4BH2a5-TcT4xYHkSyR3nmCuaTX3sMqbloMW-1oLRa5XC1ZxDMU0YmYgPUBzPt2NrWqLe9IYWMJTj3zqiOaxCs2YcXAPZHGHl3jDmmacbzUVHrZ4FqqiD6j6S/s1000/20221105_173458.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvUPH5Lgm-KIO9EUcutCBzSypLZvizobJXBQ1scbddBHRyY2hbuk1YK5nWIKIENZkm4BH2a5-TcT4xYHkSyR3nmCuaTX3sMqbloMW-1oLRa5XC1ZxDMU0YmYgPUBzPt2NrWqLe9IYWMJTj3zqiOaxCs2YcXAPZHGHl3jDmmacbzUVHrZ4FqqiD6j6S/s16000/20221105_173458.jpg" /></a> Some of these games, especially the ones at Great World, are nostalgic, and they evoked so many fun memories of my growing up years. I am glad to see that they brought so many smiles to the kids too and they simply couldn't get enough of all the fun. The games start from $5 and each child will be given $10 credits as part of the camp. You can get extra carnival credits by purchasing on iChangi app or buying a physical card from the ticketing booths.<br /></p><p><i>Important note: The "A Night at the Airport Camp" is recommended for kids aged 5 to 12 and those below the age of 4 will <u>not</u> be accepted. However, the carnival is open to kids of all ages so feel free to let the whole family have some fun together.</i><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrydAbafQwZwK8J5dkei3p5yN9aA82a-vGIw98Nej5hn3JQyYECgwclbB-caIcpT5LIPecajEuVDPSsOxC-y_HX5_PhJnEBY21DrMdGtSAGPQWjUIoLajNC4r6YviwHoAs2l3CgcpDNBVByjVXYJlPp9Y09vvboPert96OLQ0uoEiNx-5mZQAShM_-/s1000/20221105_171635.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrydAbafQwZwK8J5dkei3p5yN9aA82a-vGIw98Nej5hn3JQyYECgwclbB-caIcpT5LIPecajEuVDPSsOxC-y_HX5_PhJnEBY21DrMdGtSAGPQWjUIoLajNC4r6YviwHoAs2l3CgcpDNBVByjVXYJlPp9Y09vvboPert96OLQ0uoEiNx-5mZQAShM_-/s16000/20221105_171635.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGUcZMerGew9BABI_iKoHgScjga1w7XQ3YQA8--bqtjaQx5SOl-cRAJZh8AsLJCANHXhe4soPCKUJXU9WVET4hCd8kqswsAKlYOlTdW9xMq1gruplKJkd_q6qStpXVRKTThS4EBLskAf-3mOgXOAvpMi1b_5RsH2VMhMHyhfjK018Yoc_iRtNZOBp/s1000/collage221.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGUcZMerGew9BABI_iKoHgScjga1w7XQ3YQA8--bqtjaQx5SOl-cRAJZh8AsLJCANHXhe4soPCKUJXU9WVET4hCd8kqswsAKlYOlTdW9xMq1gruplKJkd_q6qStpXVRKTThS4EBLskAf-3mOgXOAvpMi1b_5RsH2VMhMHyhfjK018Yoc_iRtNZOBp/s16000/collage221.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><u><b>Magical Stayover at Changi Experience Studio</b></u></p><p>Now for the highlight of the camp - the stayover, of course! We love that we got to stay in tents which were nicely set up in the Changi Experience Studio when we got back from dinner. Oh, by the way, food is not provided in the camp but there are countless eateries in Jewel that you can head to for lunch, dinner and next day's breakfast.</p><p>Our tent were randomly allocated and we were lucky to be given the ones with an awesome view of the Rain Vortex. I initially assumed that the floor might be quite hard to sleep on but we were given air mattresses that provided cushioning and there was also a rug beneath the tent so that we wouldn't feel cold. We were given instructions to bring along sleeping bags, pillows and comforters and these came in handy too.<br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqOc2OknSBnM1k2fJ4LPWs4FI9bWs93hFk2TN-0OkGv1Ne5KLQd59EExgQAmcr-8FcLzplaqKqM2SsHNS5cx3hXiKad3waY_Mm0LoylZRPAyphNK2CDogjuf6t0n77ptHzGk7c66JnLan4EJIw1Col7Wfv2-uouae8YEPQ4b-fbl3CyxMY4rNp8vxC/s1000/20221105_203932.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqOc2OknSBnM1k2fJ4LPWs4FI9bWs93hFk2TN-0OkGv1Ne5KLQd59EExgQAmcr-8FcLzplaqKqM2SsHNS5cx3hXiKad3waY_Mm0LoylZRPAyphNK2CDogjuf6t0n77ptHzGk7c66JnLan4EJIw1Col7Wfv2-uouae8YEPQ4b-fbl3CyxMY4rNp8vxC/s16000/20221105_203932.jpg" /></a></p><p>At 10pm, we caught the last Rain Vortex Light and Sound Show which was beautiful beyond words. JJ Lin's song <i>"As I Believe"</i> was playing and along with the myriad of pretty colours and majestic waterfall, the sight was simply breathtaking. For that moment, we were totally mesmerised.<br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0f5CxVAwrawrrkye4PB-xV1yrxNxfRm9l1qts07utNS1UNevSVFCmLLNt-_IAE8XpTmgv0mzlvWtRl9UfWXLquHiqGo-yHHXS1Tf5B9klcV1nvs1nhPHxd6tW5lN62gUW2_b2gtJ2-B5bFjdIeaPrFv9Q4PiTNmJDClV6sAVXC8q6D2CIpow04oLJ/s1000/collage214.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0f5CxVAwrawrrkye4PB-xV1yrxNxfRm9l1qts07utNS1UNevSVFCmLLNt-_IAE8XpTmgv0mzlvWtRl9UfWXLquHiqGo-yHHXS1Tf5B9klcV1nvs1nhPHxd6tW5lN62gUW2_b2gtJ2-B5bFjdIeaPrFv9Q4PiTNmJDClV6sAVXC8q6D2CIpow04oLJ/s16000/collage214.jpg" /></a> <br /></p><p>There was this handicraft corner which showcased various recycled Christmas decorations, including a reindeer sleigh, a snowman and Santa Claus, made lovingly by the staff at Changi Experience Studio and I thought these art pieces were creative and brilliant. We put our own Christmas tree right beside our tent that night and it made everything feel extra warm and cosy.<br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvQ0082nuk0Uwls6UYAO7BmuDvfrcoJ-Tt8vjIdzZ7x0lfN5iXWUM2YIF5jOkLgmRkpYy9aMqwesVDCRbkkw3jjnoFI65-Ctq8QIQpZsMZyTQsQ2Dp2hC71H6yFxPRaop0Cbbpy18eIqU_xtI6yIDlRbeeBN5fuJUWU2ZhweFbXVT14rdIJriNVUrV/s1000/collage220.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvQ0082nuk0Uwls6UYAO7BmuDvfrcoJ-Tt8vjIdzZ7x0lfN5iXWUM2YIF5jOkLgmRkpYy9aMqwesVDCRbkkw3jjnoFI65-Ctq8QIQpZsMZyTQsQ2Dp2hC71H6yFxPRaop0Cbbpy18eIqU_xtI6yIDlRbeeBN5fuJUWU2ZhweFbXVT14rdIJriNVUrV/s16000/collage220.jpg" /></a> <br /></p><p><b> > Amenities <br /></b></p><p><i>- Shower</i></p><p>For those who are wondering, we bathed and washed up right inside Changi Experience Studio which has a a spacious and clean toilet. There are two shower cubicles in each of the gents and ladies. After you arrive for the camp, you will be asked to choose and book your 30-min slot. Father and son can share one cubicle while mum and daughter takes another, or if you have more kids, simply just book more slots. If you miss your timing, not to worry, the cubicles are free for use after 10pm so you can still take a shower before bedtime. Do remember to bring along your own towel and toiletries as these are not provided.<br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3mCQBZtB2URY0R26JHUDwmZZDCsga2zhinTJNVI-mRHFZYEo54_p-1SW6ob_4nflackknCnVx0U8CcGP4JhCdC43skPoRAmTx1Ryzxj-1dmnI9FzxW0CTyl7EfhqhyuMh3fpMZXsif918H6HRY_vv2qIe86gHZ1EI3iHMQDh7uMsgljDg4u0IKMoE/s1000/20221105_231204.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3mCQBZtB2URY0R26JHUDwmZZDCsga2zhinTJNVI-mRHFZYEo54_p-1SW6ob_4nflackknCnVx0U8CcGP4JhCdC43skPoRAmTx1Ryzxj-1dmnI9FzxW0CTyl7EfhqhyuMh3fpMZXsif918H6HRY_vv2qIe86gHZ1EI3iHMQDh7uMsgljDg4u0IKMoE/s16000/20221105_231204.jpg" /></a> <br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSd69y4qdqw9dCWfXjoAURCP4I1z9Y7EV4Rb9TW0Kq8bzzxmetqSrqUjJiiifcsazRYLO_B5Eiu0VDHe5cGuMeO8HZMcNmpESfuHHNunADmj_DTVTr-QptwBD_mg8nM7I9sojBOI3P9SHHxtDH-Qnwh3tiNK9id0Nmv7UqF_xNep2_3xxDJRJ6HUvW/s1000/20221105_231718.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSd69y4qdqw9dCWfXjoAURCP4I1z9Y7EV4Rb9TW0Kq8bzzxmetqSrqUjJiiifcsazRYLO_B5Eiu0VDHe5cGuMeO8HZMcNmpESfuHHNunADmj_DTVTr-QptwBD_mg8nM7I9sojBOI3P9SHHxtDH-Qnwh3tiNK9id0Nmv7UqF_xNep2_3xxDJRJ6HUvW/s16000/20221105_231718.jpg" /></a> <br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ytPJPFwLZUfRF7wHDqcpLGLSr0ZHrDiiJYPx1adlHl4vYKHClBHYqGvoN9tHW0zPwXSMnWfm2G5NIFRBV43KugpqU4eInMF9N4GhQ1WBtz2ua_zYNTqsvNrlOWZBOB_oRbc3XglnUJFtM800H7vNQYKRQqcZokJocHscIY-Jd56nDcvNBRIBEPcI/s1000/20221105_231648.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ytPJPFwLZUfRF7wHDqcpLGLSr0ZHrDiiJYPx1adlHl4vYKHClBHYqGvoN9tHW0zPwXSMnWfm2G5NIFRBV43KugpqU4eInMF9N4GhQ1WBtz2ua_zYNTqsvNrlOWZBOB_oRbc3XglnUJFtM800H7vNQYKRQqcZokJocHscIY-Jd56nDcvNBRIBEPcI/s16000/20221105_231648.jpg" /></a> <i>> Board games</i></p><p>For the kids who are still energetic and in the mood for play after dinner, board games are available and you can take your pick. We were so thankful to have the company of <a href="https://www.lifestinymiracles.com/" target="_blank">Life's Tiny Miracles</a> and the kids were happy to play and catch up with one another after not meeting up for so long. Friends can make a world of difference, right? They chose to play Monopoly, Twister and tried out Scrabble for the first time too.<br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglgi4vxW0BY1cLIzYMbvforKkcyQZZZ6AwEavbhsZHSTvCyzHvqPmzY_YjY-Id6hVEOvixwZSMXTmhYBlVubpoz4hjRPXWlYiPqwC0c0wX9gbnAiLxBTFfkAlwb8slnPHdz7nPiAyYxyhYEwm_koz_Fb-l2E1oSpfjJ7BR4MRrU_dz99Y2mwcgNIc1/s1000/20221105_213703.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglgi4vxW0BY1cLIzYMbvforKkcyQZZZ6AwEavbhsZHSTvCyzHvqPmzY_YjY-Id6hVEOvixwZSMXTmhYBlVubpoz4hjRPXWlYiPqwC0c0wX9gbnAiLxBTFfkAlwb8slnPHdz7nPiAyYxyhYEwm_koz_Fb-l2E1oSpfjJ7BR4MRrU_dz99Y2mwcgNIc1/s16000/20221105_213703.jpg" /></a> <br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6qen10PQFN92RJxn1n4dCI_86wwsUPpvcZH9wTma1idhDNes5I-kyqChU867ODhcCdAdfqm16PCBR7579SzdsSb7y6e98KKQk47nQg3T2nqisqpSazCvrSopjNawGzKACjiV8MoUBSdCvPLaEfsG_13K2HnLE8ju03DcVRQyVYl1lRYxo-StAntn9/s1000/20221105_213822.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6qen10PQFN92RJxn1n4dCI_86wwsUPpvcZH9wTma1idhDNes5I-kyqChU867ODhcCdAdfqm16PCBR7579SzdsSb7y6e98KKQk47nQg3T2nqisqpSazCvrSopjNawGzKACjiV8MoUBSdCvPLaEfsG_13K2HnLE8ju03DcVRQyVYl1lRYxo-StAntn9/s16000/20221105_213822.jpg" /></a> <br /></p><p><u><b>Single day tickets to Canopy Park and Changi Experience Studio</b></u></p><p>Tickets to Canopy Park and Changi Experience Studio are provided as part of the camp package. These are valid for the day itself only so do make your way to either of these two places to have some fun during your free pockets of time. Canopy Park closes at 10pm while Changi Experience Studio closes at 8pm to public. However, campers are free to play within Changi Experience Studio till the machines shut down at slightly after 10pm. <br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZPj0mY6fpKTkmfoljX1eH6LchBHi7ayg-6svflYZ_C8Iv8k6ZUF6ReoCPWWWqeEQ2D0bBn5r8NisWacdsb747SrRxcki74ljaHTgRK9I3SHtCshHP2O_Hm94tZxDz-VrDbDPAg5SPkIgGHj_HO5w5ekxOzaXRqGdeWhPIEczarm3n5MNadrxIeavT/s1000/collage216.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZPj0mY6fpKTkmfoljX1eH6LchBHi7ayg-6svflYZ_C8Iv8k6ZUF6ReoCPWWWqeEQ2D0bBn5r8NisWacdsb747SrRxcki74ljaHTgRK9I3SHtCshHP2O_Hm94tZxDz-VrDbDPAg5SPkIgGHj_HO5w5ekxOzaXRqGdeWhPIEczarm3n5MNadrxIeavT/s16000/collage216.jpg" /></a> <br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCE18akahyVV7gqJFVuxu433c_mzRc5g8_vESwKa6lkRZq7ymVNcODlHzBPyU2ua2PL-jpDbbo6iKQu269RcpJMW2EFFgVJsF8KuDePhvQPDX0sSILvsd7oD49A7damxN90DusKXI3ieRhRpLacNInN05TmJTMjFD6utitT02FGM-2uET6gYa8clOV/s1000/collage219.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCE18akahyVV7gqJFVuxu433c_mzRc5g8_vESwKa6lkRZq7ymVNcODlHzBPyU2ua2PL-jpDbbo6iKQu269RcpJMW2EFFgVJsF8KuDePhvQPDX0sSILvsd7oD49A7damxN90DusKXI3ieRhRpLacNInN05TmJTMjFD6utitT02FGM-2uET6gYa8clOV/s16000/collage219.jpg" /></a> <br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiriDKy2LdIO5hk3IWmDzE-B3KThKxf_3M4sNBzih7emYDNmIS5oFiIsqtBboPl0I3BL3mVZ8MxQShtu3V9C2n5B7Yl5cuATbNdpLhqA9XGy5vu-X64Azxqx8yVXZXRj58WB8lnqTjhZKXg9NOOrZ-DL_cFn0oE3x2-FmWzgfd9TrZFCB7gJ5D75EUH/s1000/20221105_132305.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiriDKy2LdIO5hk3IWmDzE-B3KThKxf_3M4sNBzih7emYDNmIS5oFiIsqtBboPl0I3BL3mVZ8MxQShtu3V9C2n5B7Yl5cuATbNdpLhqA9XGy5vu-X64Azxqx8yVXZXRj58WB8lnqTjhZKXg9NOOrZ-DL_cFn0oE3x2-FmWzgfd9TrZFCB7gJ5D75EUH/s16000/20221105_132305.jpg" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgME9w6rl7InM6FG0WWdWEHaE-pRkvIA4-eBzYrskTCnolucW93dPxXSneyJsrqCH0mzgl5CzfQ-pUnwRNt9qPwG3tSnkrPkdqQJkP1PbrY26lA996rQ8dySBtQsPMgcabf4ZFxuXCfEkbKi4qX6SHdlFsRXC7sWuCxHtBSQu9h1hlK0i01IuBe6JHN/s1000/20221105_125958.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgME9w6rl7InM6FG0WWdWEHaE-pRkvIA4-eBzYrskTCnolucW93dPxXSneyJsrqCH0mzgl5CzfQ-pUnwRNt9qPwG3tSnkrPkdqQJkP1PbrY26lA996rQ8dySBtQsPMgcabf4ZFxuXCfEkbKi4qX6SHdlFsRXC7sWuCxHtBSQu9h1hlK0i01IuBe6JHN/s16000/20221105_125958.jpg" /></a></p><p><u><b>Additional Perks</b></u></p><p>Wait, that's not all! You will also get to receive the below when you book the "A Night at the Airport" camp.<br /></p><p><i>> Tickets to Singapore Zoo upon completion of quest</i></p><p>Each member will receive a ticket (worth $48) to the Singapore Zoo after you finish the Amazing Quest. I don't know about you but we love the zoo and thus this is a fabulous prize in our view. <br /></p><p><i>> Premium for every child</i> </p><p>Each kid will also receive a premium when you arrive which will totally make them feel welcome. <br /></p><p><i>> Free parking coupon</i> </p><p>Each group can receive a complimentary parking coupon which is valid till noon the next day.<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p>******</p><p>All in all, this was an amazing experience and we are thankful to have the chance to do it as a family. The kids enjoyed the different activities thoroughly and each brought us much fun and joy. If there is anything we have to nitpick, it will be that there were some renovation works going on till past midnight and we also heard children laughing downstairs in the wee hours. That said, this was out of the organisers' control and we understand that the airport is after all a public space. </p><p>Well, at least my kids didn't seem to be affected as they slept through the night after all that exhaustion. We woke at 7am the next day and went to have toast for breakfast after packing up our stuff and brought home lots of happy, precious memories.<br /></p><p>Will we want to do this again next year? The answer is, without hesitation, <b>YES</b>! I know my kids will be thrilled to spend a night at the airport again for sure. We totally recommend this activity to all families who are looking for some fun this year end holiday.</p><p>Have a wonderful start of the holidays, people!</p><p>****** <br /></p><p><u><b>"A Night at the Airport" Family Camp</b></u><br /><br />Location: Changi Experience Studio, Jewel<br /></p><p>Period: 19 November –23 December 2022</p><p>Timing:
9:00am – 8:00am the following day (meals are not provided)<br /></p><p>Pricing:
S$78 (Adult) | S$88 (Child) </p><p>Recommended Age: Families with kids aged 5-12. Children and babies below 4yo will not be accepted. <br /></p><p>Get S$5 Changi Pay e-Voucher when you book 'A Night at the Airport' camp from 10 November 2022 onwards. T&Cs apply. </p><p>To book, visit <a href="https://www.changiairport.com/en/changifestivevillage/stay/a-night-at-the-airport.html">https://www.changiairport.com/en/changifestivevillage/stay/a-night-at-the-airport.html</a>. <br /></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>Disclosure: This is a sponsored collaboration between A Happy Mum and Changi Experience Studio. We were invited to the media preview and stayed over for a night in writing this review. All photographs and opinions are our own.</i></span></span><br /> </p>~Summer~http://www.blogger.com/profile/07478137784353655124noreply@blogger.com0