Winter crossover

The Chinese celebrates the crossing over to a new year and it sounds like "crossing winter". We were invited for dinner at my in-laws place so at about 4pm, we head to AMK hub for some last minute Christmas shopping first. We got some clothes and chocolates for each member of the family. We sure hope they like their gifts. After dinner everyone got their hands dirty making the "tang yuen" and the girls enjoyed themselves very much. Isabelle had a portion of dough and she "played" with it like play-doh. Germaine was able to roll the dough into balls (though not really round) and joelle came out with many different "designer" balls. Well, we made them eat their own creation (except isabelle whose dough hardened up and went into the trash)!

Here is a picture of the cousins together. Next year I'm sure there would be another addition. I wish it is from me! =P

Outdoor in the morning

During the school vacation, we usually spend the nice cool mornings in the playground or the roof garden. Though it can be sunny, it is not scorching hot. I really enjoy the morning outdoor sessions with them. We have the outdoor areas in codes. #1 is the big park near our place, #2 is the smaller playground also near our place and #3 is the roof garden.

"Hello hello can you hear me?" The girls like to talk to each other via the "telephone". And yes, they are usually still in their pyjamas cause they would shower after that. It's usually some morning television program (word-world is really good), breakfast, outdoor, shower then nap for issy and school for joelle. Children like routine so I try to stay close to their routines and they're easier to manage as they know what to expect next. So no buts...

Gigantic walking dolls at malls

Like most parents with young children, we would stop for the shows at the malls during christmas shopping. But unlike most parents, we would not queue for hours to get a "front row" seat for the shows. We would just find a nice comfortable spot and enjoy the view, be it right in front of the gigantic walking dolls or four storeys above them. The girls would not complain. This year we caught four shows.

This is the fourth storey view from the barney's show at plaza singapura.

This is the second storey view from the strawberry shortcake show at white sands.

This is the ground level view from the hello kitty show at tampines mall. Joelle rates this the best show this year.

And this is the front row view from the mr men show at compass point. Joelle is participating in their song and dance.

Issy and her sheep

This is isabelle sharing some intimate moments with shawn serta (that's the name of the sheep). She was initially scare of this sheep as we always pretend to put our fingers in its mouth and scream for help (sadistic parents!!!). But she now knows we are kidding her.

The Chans wishes you a ...

OUR CHRISTMAS PRAYER.
May the good Lord continues to watch over us and the people we care about with kindness and love. And may we learn to be as gracious and selfless as our Lord Jesus in our everyday deeds. We bless and thank God for the wonderful people in our life, for the good and the not-so-good (they make the good, better) events, for the knowledge and understandings gained during our trial and tribulation and for the blessings that our family has been receiving from God. We thank God too for His mother, Mary who, in many occasions showed us her unspoken and unconditioned love. My personal encounter with her "overwhelming" emotion is simply indescribable and it has kept me alive all these years. We bless and thank God for giving us His Mother to be our spiritual mother who never fail to comfort us in our darkest hour and pray for our intercession. Amen.

In our humble lives today, we have nothing to complain about and everything to thank God for. We know deep in our hearts that our lives will be different if we had not believed in Jesus Christ. And that difference is not anything we would wish for.

Have a blessed christmas, everyone! Rejoice.

Crossroad Productions wishes you a ...

Hippy grandma

Joelle and her equally "vain" grandma. Picture taken during the girls birthday party. We thank God for giving the girls such doting grandma. She really spoils the girls to the extend my daughter memorises her mobile number and asks her grandma for everything and anything I refuse to get for her. Most of the time, if the things are within grandma's means, they will get it. Sometimes I get upset when my mum pampers them too much but I know (secretly) that I will also be that kind of a grandma to my girls children in future. I already know that I will spoil my grandchildren rotten and love them so much that I will give them anything (within my financial reach) they desire (it must not be vice-supporting stuff though). I told dave this "secret" and he smiles and says "I know. Look at the way you spoil the girls now." Do I really spoil my girls? Maybe I do ... but I still discipline them. Whereas with my future grandchildren, I will just pamper them as it is their parents duty to discipline them. Ha! Ohhh... Im looking forward to that future now.

Down time for all

For almost two weeks, the chans lived in a virus-filled environment. We didn't go to the garden or the playground for fear of getting infected further and infecting others. Mummy even wore the mask in the house! We did lots of indoor activities like lego, puzzles, marbles, cars and balls (bouncing and rolling it around to each other). The weather was very erratic then so the furthest we go was to the corridor, blowing bubbles and playing with our very own swing! We read alot too.

Joelle was the first one down with gastric flu. She vomited three times over the night and we bolted her to the nearest open clinic the next morning (it was a weekend). Daddy and I (especially) did not get to sleep much as we woke up to clean puke three times through the night. We let mary sleep as she needed her energy to care for the little one. Joelle was like a really sick chid for the next two days. Then daddy and mummy went down too with cough and cold. Saw the doctor together but after two days, mummy changed doctor as the medication did not work. This time mummy saw the doctor with joelle as she caught the cold from us. Two days later both of us went back to the doctor for stronger medication. My throat burns each time I shallow. That's when I was given a $10 per pill antibiotics. I suffered the worst side effect from that antibiotics and went back to the doctor two days later (rotational duty). Miraculously that powerful but frightful medication cleared almost 90% of my germs and I felt like a brand new person with a smooth throat. I was immediately taken off the medication (which I did so myself as the side effect was unbearable) and told to monitor the situation. The next evening, I vomited and really felt better. Joelle impressed me that night with the way she managed her younger sister while I worshipped the toilet bowl (mary was in the showers). She even took care of me by getting a new set of clothes for me to change into and offering comforting words to me and her sister. She kept telling isabelle "it's ok, mummy will be fine, don't worry." and asking me if I'm alright to the extend that isabelle also said "it's ok mom, you alright?". It was a horrible period but it made me realised how grown my girls are now.

By the way, eight days later, isabelle caught the cough and cold bug and she's still coughing now. sigh... ...

Baby Jerelyn

Another new addition to daddy's extended family. It's a girl and her name is jerelyn (her brother is jeremy). We attended the first month celebration and saw the baby for the first time. She has a head full of silky black hair. I envy her lot of hair so much, I kept touching them. I've never seen a baby with so much hair within touching distance so I can't keep my hands away from her hair! Every new baby makes me want to have another baby. I really miss being pregnant (the good part of it) and breastfeeding. How I wish I'm younger and healthier. I feel sorry for dave who has to content himself with just two daughters. I pray that he meant it when he said he's happier to have daughters. Both of us would like to have four children and it really doesn't bother me if they are all girls! At least I know they will crowd the house even after marriage! This is not a "sour-grapes" comment but sons with girlfriend or wife, usually disappears... Ha! no offence to te rare good sons out there.

Donut balls

On the last day of the school term, joelle had a little pot luck party. We brought a box of donut balls coated with sugar and they're yummy. Bought them from a bakery in Buangkok. They are so soft, they melts in the mouth. My girls like them very much so we had to get two boxes. One for the class and another for the girls which makes a total of 100 balls. Joelle eats 10 balls at a seating once. I wish I could make donuts. It's not easy I heard but I would like to try. First I got to know how. Any recipe out there?

Yummy dog's ear

Remember the time when ritz was staying with us? You can read it here. Yes this is the proof of what isabelle did to ritz then. She really sat in a corner and try his long floppy ears but didn't seem to like the taste cause she didn't do it again. I just happened to have my camera with me to have this moment captured. Ha! Can't wait to show her when she gets all grown up.

Joelle says...

Joelle ask me one evening when I was rather preoccupied with my online work.

"mummy what animal do you want me to be?" To stop her from making too much noise and bother me, I replied "FISH". So she started pretending to swim around me like a fish. Frustrated I told her that a fish will die without water and to my surprise she replied "I'm a clever fish. I spit out saliver to make a pool around me to swim." Ah... what can I say?

My hope that joelle would be a doctor is dashed when she announced one evening over dinner "I don't want to be a doctor anymore." So mary asked her what she wants to be if not a doctor and she replied "TEACHER". Oh boy... I wonder if isabelle would still like to be a doctor?

I wrote a note to joelle's class teacher and ask joelle to hand it to her teacher the next day. When she returned from school I expected some kind of response or reply to the note so I asked...

Mummy : did you manage to give the note to teacher juliana?

Joelle : yes.

Mummy : did she say anything?

Joelle : thank you.

I almost burst in my tummy.

I am HAPPY!

It's family first for me. I'm defined a happy person.

My supergirls

Found this picture of my supergirls! My happy supergirls!

They are growing up so fast. I'm so afraid of losing their babyness. I don't know why but I really wish I could cradle them in my arms and rock them gently to sleep with my lullaby every night. Joelle is already a big girl and I mean in all sense of the word. I could hardly lift her off the ground now without her leaping off first. She is rather upset with the fact that I hardly carry her or dance with her like before. I explained that I am but a small size mummy and as she is growing taller and bigger and heavier, mummy is growing older and weaker and thinner. She does understand. She is a sensible child, always has been. I can't blame her for experiencing jealousy. She's a highly sensitive child and seeing mummy carrying and dancing around with isabelle simply doesn't sit well with my earlier explanation. But I'm unable to convince myself not to do so for joelle's sanity as I really could not and would not want to miss this stage with isabelle. Isabelle is the only one now who could still fit snugly in my arms. I made a promise to myself to engrave in my memory the feeling of cradling my two year old and watching her sleep beautifully in my arms. If I could document the peace I feel when I watch her sleep, the satisfaction I feel when I watch her eat, the happiness I feel when I watch her play and the blissfulness I feel when I hear her wanting me, I would. Unfortunately I can't and so I will bask in her love while it's happening and enjoy the now as much as I can.

My girls are growing up fast and as I'm writing this, I am watching them smiling in their dreams. I'm sure they know that mummy will watch over them and they can dream all the princessy dreams they want in their little fairy tale world. Mummy will be here. Always. Sweet dreams my loves.

Priceless care... updated

Joelle's visit to the doctor - S$43.00

Mummy's visit to the doctor - S$55.00

Daddy's visit to the doctor - S$55.00

Joelle's 2nd visit to the doctor - S$20.00

Mummy's 2nd visit to the doctor - S$45.00

Joelle's 3rd visit to the doctor - S$5.00

Mummy's 3rd visit to the doctor - S$31.00

Mary taking care of all of us - Priceless

*isabelle is standing strong too.

Issy's favourite book...

COOL CARS! Everyday without fail, she will bring out this book for mummy to read. She knows the story inside out and she even knows what to say at the end of most sentences. Yes, she knows the last word of each sentence. However she still refuses to tell me the colours of the car. Somehow somewhere deep in me, I know that she knows the colours. For some weird reasons, she simply does not want to tell me. Afterall sometimes she gets them right and sometimes she just points. It's fun getting animated about five friends (cars) having a race to some clearwater lake. They are brenda blue car, olivia orange car, roger red car. peter purple car and glenda green car. Along the way, the cars left the race one after another due to fuel, engines, tire puntual and accidents. When combine with some silly sound effects and expressions, this book can get lots of giggles from the girls. Even joelle gets tickled by the way I read this story. Yup, I can be pretty silly at times.

Raisin cookies

This is simple to make and delicious to eat. The girls like it very much and for someone who doesn't really like cookies, I find myself fishing for more. This raisin cookies are the best! And it taste a little like my favourite butter cookies. I think I must start to keep notes of the successful stuff I produce in angie's kitchen. Most of the time I do not follow the recipe in the books. I work according to what's available in the kitchen and my gut instinct. By the way I do fail many times, which was never recorded. From now on, I will try (to remember) to write down the recipes of successful bakes.

Birthday with the girls...

Dinner @ Bliss

Mummy's birthday

Japanese @ 3pm

Dog and child

Isabelle was waiting with ritz at the chinese doctor's clinic for daddy to finish his "tui-na" session. Daddy hurt his back pretty badly the other day at work when he lifted a heavy stuff the wrong way. Everyone who walked past the clinic looked at the pair in amazement. I mean isabelle is a small child when placed next to ritz yet ritz obediently sat next to her... at her command! He's a good dog, really. He has been very obliging with the girls "requests" and extremely gentle with them. He had biten my parents-in-law as well as my sister-in-law pretty badly before but never once he showed his teeth to the children. Of course I never took that for granted and always kept an eye on them when ritz is around. I want to teach them humanity and how to love and care for animals and I'm glad they are not afraid of the dog.

Candle church

New haircut for...

Balek kampong...

Big red heart...

literally! We found a big red heart in ikea one sunday! Though weekends at ikea are always crowded with long queues for the kid's playroom and restaurant and check-outs and even the hotdog counters! But weekends are more eventful for the children. Balloons, mascot, activities and kids company! Oh well, it's still a nice family friendly place to be on a clueless weekend.

Horses!

Where's Isabelle?

One morning I realised isabelle was not running around the house, or singing some songs, or jumping up and down. It seems rather quiet. I came out of the office and asked mary of her whereabouts and she gave me the "tilt-head-raise-eyebrow" look. I was like "huh?!!" for a second then I saw her. Can you spot her?

Both my girls are not encourage to play hide and seek. They are always taught to response when their names are called. I do not want them to be "missing" children for real one day. So when I ask loudly "where is isabelle?", she will come out or stand up and point to her chest and answer "I'm here". She's just too adorable. I would really miss her babyness when she grows up, which is happening so fast. Too fast!

tattoo

After some practices, I think I can draw pretty neat flowers and butterflies on the girls fidgety hands. I'm getting to enjoy the tattoo set now that it can be much more than just MESS! Best of all, the girls are more ready to appreciate this form of art than just wasting paint on their hands. Joelle is learning to draw with the brush instead of simply using the stamps. You can use more colours with the brush than with the stamps and the stamps have limited designs. I'm sure with practices, joelle will be able to draw cool stuff on herself and her sister. Maybe then I will offer her my arm.