Lion dance on 初七

Can't believe what I've done on the seventh day of CNY. For the interest of Jazz, I sourced for a 'Lion' to visit my parents' new home. A lion dance troupe I meant. Jazz loves watching lion dance, so I thought it might be interesting to get one to visit her. I was asking around for market rate and happened to find my colleague doing this as his hobby. He recommended his troupe at an affordable rate of $288. It wasn't the high end kind of performance but good enough for us.

Since last Friday, we've been telling Jazz about lion dance coming to our home on Sunday. Next few days when she woke up, she went,"Mummy, What day is it today?" She has been waiting very anxiously. 

My dad wasn't keen about a lion coming to his place, but we just went ahead and invited our relatives over. I gave on the account that Jazz likes to watch. 

 

The Lion

 

A resting lion

Daddy's lap - Her VIP seat

 

The performance was about 10 to 15 mins. The kids were very focused on the performance, but towards the end, little boy dozed off! This must be a tame lion. The young and old loved it, My grandma called to tell me how much she enjoyed, I'm glad. 

It was an entertaining evening. Only one regret, we forgot to picture with the Lion before he left. How could I have released him! The troupe came in two lorries of people, my husband kidded me if I'm sure it's $288 or $1288.

Chinese New Year - 2012

I would consider this CNY as Jare's second. He popped out on the last day of CNY in 2011, just that this year, he greeted us with two oranges. He really is a boy of surprises, on the eve of CNY, he broke a bottle of cashew nuts! That drove us nuts, we we all worried about the glass bits shattered everywhere. It was a thorough clean up.

There goes our yummy home baked cashew nuts

初一，Jare got so adventurous that he fell and hit the table corner at my grandparents place. That left him a bruise on his left eyelid. Close shave from his eyes. 

His bruise mark

 

初二, Jare was drinking milk on our bed and he merlioned on our new bed. Thank God for mattress protector. That woke all of us up in the midst of our sleep to clean up. What a dragon year this rabbit boy began with. I'm seriously considering a safety helmet for this boy.

Thankful that Jazz isn't as adventurous as his brother. I would go mad if both kids are so hyper. I don't have those octopus hands to handle. 

 

Jazz going for her ang bao

Jare with his mini oranges

 

Greeting from Jazz

 

From us to you and your family, "Happy lunar new year, may this dragon year be of good health, prosperity and smooth sailing!" I guess I got to give up my chance of  having a dragon child, even though I desperately need one to compliment my man's zodiac for "龙马精神. My man's a horse and Jazz's an Ox, together they, "做牛做马." Sounds like a tough life. Well, since dragon is here and over in 2013, there's no more motivating factor for a number three. A loop is 12 years, that isn't possible either.

After a long weekend, I'm glad Jazz is back to school with all smiles. Smooth traffic today, a 20 minutes drive to her school, with ERP of $1.50. Sigh! Still, staying near town is the best of the best.

We have shifted

While everyone is enjoying the long weekend this festive season, we have been busy packing for our new place, my parents home. The kids love this new place even though it's much of a mess now and we've been so tired trying to make sure they're safe in a whole new environment. They really adapt well.

We've officially evacuated our home. To my home, which will be rented out next month, we bid a fond farewell. Till we meet again. It's a place of much memories. My first owned home, the place I got married and build a family of my own. I was almost teary when we shifted our belongings. I supposed, if it weren't for the kids, I would probably stay put at where I am. It's a place of excellent location, with our work places and Jazz's school within short drives. For Jare, I wasn't ready to be a weekend parent and wasn't ready to ferry him to and fro everyday. Jams and long drives can drive us nuts. I guess, it's a better solution to stay with my parents.

 
Pillow shifted with us too, he has a bigger place to roam about now. The kids enjoy playing with him!

Pillow being 'tortured' by the kids

They love playing with  each other

 

It's still more packing and unpacking to go...

Calender - 2012

Finally completed our personalised calender before the first month of 2012 flips over. I did this for 2010, but not 2011. Back doing it for 2012. I love seeing these pictures in my calender over any other commercial calenders. I've also included some of my favourite parenting and family quotes in it.

Next, I need to bind them together for the flip over effect. After which it will be displayed at home or in our offices.

Fishballs

I am on urgent leave today. All because of this:

Fishballs being quartered for kids

 

Jazz is having a CNY steamboat lunch in school today. She was supposed to bring fishballs, but we forgot! I left it in the fridge. We were only reminded when teachers asked about it, I was about to tell them forget it, but her teachers mentioned that she might be upset because everyone brought something and they will be presenting their items individually. Sounds like public speaking skills. They even asked if we could get something from nearby convenience store. Thinking we were near home, we went back to get those fishballs sitting in the fridge. We have been busy packing and cleaning our home, so much so that I've neglected my kids 'academics'.

Teachers and us know Jazz very well, if everyone has something except her, she would be very upset. She has a little of 'show off' character, bad I know, but she's still being moulded. I hope she will gradually dilute this part of trait as she grows. We know she has a strong character.

On our way home to get the fishballs, I texted my boss about taking urgent leave, I was extremely late for work already. I thought to myself, even if my career is at risk for these fishballs, it's worth it. Really! For that smile and memory I could exchange for.

New year resolutions - 2012

I remembered stating Jazz's new year resolutions for 2011. A re-look, I think we're all failures, they didn't come to past and those irritating habits are still part of her. I've countless times of threats with chilli or axe oil, but they just don't work. It's high time to put threats into action. 

Still with those fingers

For Jazz, it's the same resolutions as last year. For Jare, I don't what to expect of him. I just hope he grows well and gain some good weight. He's looking tiny to me for his months.

Things to learn from kids

My best few moments are when we pick Jazz from school and coming home to meet the boy. It's being in a state of euphoria that words can't explain after every long work day. Love is the basic explanation, I guess. We catch up alot during our car ride home, I would ask Jazz about school, what she learned, what she did and who her friends are. We giggle and laugh alot on our way home. One of the days, I watched her laugh and realised there are so many things that I can learn from her and Jare instead of me always being their teacher.

They constantly teach me:
1. To smile and laugh at the simplest things in life - Contentment
2. To forgive and forget easily - Graciousness
3. Not a need to always be in a rush - Quality time
4. To stay simple minded - Innocent
And the key of all:

5. Patience

The kids have also made me realised how love is demonstrated unconditionally. The strongest evidence that love is all about sacrifices! 

Farmers' Market

The farmers' market sounds like a place where farmers get together to sell their produce in a market, but it really isn't what the name explains. It's a place of food - produces, cupcakes, pies, wine, snacks and many more. We visited the  place yesterday, happening only the first Saturday of every month, between 8:30am to 2pm. It was a very hot morning when we went, so warm that I couldn't hang around any longer. I felt that most stuffs are more for the Caucasians or rather for people who appreciates a different taste of food, because of the food nature. They are mostly imported and rarely found in the supermarkets. For myself, I marketed for 3 peaches and a packet of corn chips for Jazz, which was yummy! I wouldn't hesitate to go back for more. It's $4 per pack. Oh, and I saw really beautiful tomatoes and parsnips there.

The highlight for kids was the little playground in there, some swings, slide and a trampoline. A friend of mine recommended trampoline as the highlight for the little children. Jazz went bouncing off her feet on it, but it was so warm that I wrapped up her play in a while. 

 

The little playground

 

A dual swing for the siblings

 

The Trampoline

A glimpse of the market

 

There's a cafe in there, the Pantry cookery school, we didn't check that out, another time perhaps. Instead, we drove off further into Dempsey for lunch at Dome, and little boy got very fussy because he wanted his nap. After lunch, we went to get diapers for the kids at carrefour. With sale, we ended up with 6 boxes of diaper!  

 

Fussy little boy fell alseep

 

Tired little ones

 

Front seat for diapers

 

When life was just between a husband and wife, hatchback car sounds cute and practical, serving the basic needs of driving to and fro locations. When the first kid arrived, the car irritated me with a car seat and a permanently stored stroller in the boot. Now, with the second kid, a booster seat, a car seat and their stroller. There's hardly any room for sitting! I'm desperate for a change of car.

 

Look at the hyperactive boy!

 

My 3 small peaches at $2.50. Yet to taste them

 

Corn chips produced in Spain - Yummy!

 

I guess we would probably go to the famers' market again, if my man will wake up early on that Saturday. I want those chips again, get some beautiful parsnips and try some cupcakes from the cafe. And hopefully get to chance upon the paella, a Spanish dish which I've previously read that it was available in there. And maybe seeing some of Jazz schoolmates, we bumped into 2 of her schoolmates while we were in Dempsey.

Did I mention where the place was? It's at: 75E Loewen Road, within Dempsey hill.

Under One Roof

My parents' new home are almost ready, in weeks time. We've been bringing the kids there occasionally and they really are excited when we're in there. They would climb up and down, walk and run around. Still, my dilemma is still lingering around, should we shift and stay together as a three generations family with different surnames under one roof? My heart and my mind says, 'yes', but I'm not sure how harmonized will we get together.

On the bright side, I love being soaked in the presence of my family. Sometimes, I feel that they don't have enough time for me, instead of the other way round. I'm a big mummy and daddy's girl. Other good reasons include having my household chores taken care of and kids being taken care of when we need help. Hmm, so are good reasons enough to over weigh the bad reasons? I only know I'm in love with the location of our current home.

As much doubts I have, we've got ourselves and the kids rooms ready. Sounds like a decision made.

Js' room with an animal blind that I've chosen

 

My dad is a very wise man. I always think Dads should live their life of good examples for kids, one that their kids can always look up to and respect. Whenever we have squabbles, my dad always tells me, "做人随便一点". Well, I'm trying. And he would tell me to sometimes act "stupid" such that we will be less complaining over people. Sounds practical at times. And my man would say in other words, "Act blur, live longer." I really have the most "随便” men at home.

All smiles for school

Jazz is doing really well in school, teachers are of all praises about her, complimenting that she's able to do everything instructed, independent and helpful. I don't know if they overrated her, but at least it assured me that she's doing well in school. My worry was uncalled for. She's really happy when we send her in daily, with all smiles and excitement. 

My girl has grown, and is still growing!

First day in school

It was Jazz's first day in her new class, at a different premise. We sent her in and picked her out together, Jare came along when we picked her. Looks like she's adaptive to her new place, except for those watery eyes when we bid goodbye. I peeped through the class window, saw her wiping tears away. Even so, I think she did well on this first day. No wailing. Well, it's just the first day, I hope the week will go well, before we can say we're safe to not expect any crying.

I saw some familiar faces crying as they were sent in and while waiting to be picked. I hope they'll all be able to adapt soon. Jazz was really excited about her day, as chatty as before when we picked her. She gave us a "hurray" when we arrived outside the new school and walked into the school all by herself. Ashame to say, she always wanted to be in our arms as she goes and finishes school, at the previous place. She insists!

And since it's new school, with new teachers, I was more diligent in labeling her stuffs, except for clothings. I expect no mixed up in that though. I sew her name on her pillow, please don't laugh at the unrefined artwork. At least I tried.

On her pillow

 

On this first day, I am already black marking her teachers. They missed out wearing her undie beneath her leggings. I was upset. It's hygiene and good habit! Yellow card for them.

On the First day of 2012

On the first day of 2012, our man brought us to Botanic gardens. In there, we had a very very long stroll to Jacob Ballas, children's garden. The weather was in favour, but too warm for us, especially when we were strolling. Jazz was all good, she helped us by walking throughout, taking care and pacifying didi when he got fussy. 

It was seldom of us to take stroll with nature. We walked through the greens, came by a pond with black swans and ducks, and pigeons nearby. Jare kept trying to chase and reach for the pigeons, while Jazz kept asking me what the black swan was. Maybe all kids think swans are beautifully white.   

 

Many pigeons!

Trying to reach for one

 

We finally arrived in Jacob Ballas, I'm already exhausted and felt like heading back home, but I hung on for the kids. Jazz had some fun at the different sections of their play area and her love was the water play. I only brought along an extra tee, and she made play with that. We had a hard time convincing her that it was extra clothing, and that it was fine to get it wet. Jare had little splashes of fun.

Water play always make her laugh

After play, we got really tired, and Jazz didn't nap at all, until bedtime. We had some drinks, fries and ice cream at the kids bar, while the man volunteered to drive the car over. His noble act saved us from that torturing walk back to the car. Thanks man! This is what happens if you plan an impromptu trip, don't know where to go and don't know where to park.

 

With her favourite ribena

 

It was also the day when the new seat belt ruling was announced. Although, I thought all along this ruling has always been in place, maybe traffic department decides to work harder in 2012. I tried getting both into their car seat, hoping car ride will be more pleasant for all of us. Botanic gardens is a very short drive from our place, the to trip wasn't too bad until Jare got a little fussy, then I used my 'magic wand' - ipad! It kept him calmed till we arrived. Bad move I know.

Jazz is pretty good in being a cooperative passenger

Like some cars with movie player in the rear seat, except that ours is manual - my hand!

The return drive was another test of their cooperation. They scored well. Jazz entertained Jare, and they were both laughing and giggling all the way home. I wish they found love in their car seat and booster seat. Car rides can be mad with 2 uncooperative passengers.  

Laughing all the way!

Awesome duos!

What a fun new year day out to hang out with nature. I love you kids!