2014 - Week 16

This is a BIG week for the family cause our little prince is celebrating his birthday. This year, we have decided to do away with a birthday party.
Thus to still make it a special day, we will be creating a present hunt in the morning followed by a trip to Adventure Cove.

So while he was asleep, I had to stay up late to hide his presents and do up his clue cards. Since he is turning 7 this year, I have prepared 7 clue cards for him to locate all his presents.

On his birthday morning, he woke up all excited for the present hunt.....he didn't even bother to change out of his pyjamas! Check out some fun moments here. Oh I did something extra for him. I took photos of his presents and pasted it on the back of the cards so he knows what he is looking for.

Thank you Aunt Rachael, Aunt Phoebe, Grandpa, Grandma, Grandaunt, Auntie Michelle and Auntie Susan for his presents. 

Up next a fun afternoon in Adventure Cove! We rented a cabana (which is a swell idea) near the wave pool so that we can easily take breaks when we get tired. Gabriel had so much fun and was reluctant to leave even though we have already been there for more than 6 hours!!

What is a birthday celebration without a cake right? So when we finally settled down for the day, we sang him a birthday song and had some yummy butter cream chocolate cake.

Phew....it has been a long day...glad that he has enjoyed himself so much. I find that spending his birthday this way is so much more meaningful than having a party.

Gotta thing of interesting activities for his birthday next year. Oh Gabriel has already requested to have 8 clue cards next year!

Before I end, amazing fact this week - Gabriel wrote this with a chinese calligraphy brush in school. I thought he did pretty good for a 7yrs old ;) What do you think?

2014 - Week 13 & 14

Haven't been able to find time to update my blog these past 2 weeks. So here's a quick update on what's happening...

Week 13

Quiet week with not much excitement except on Friday when we usually wind down. We went to the i Light show in Marina Bay Sands. It was a show for sustainable lights or intelligent use of lights. Didn't really get a chance to walk the whole thing as we decided to hang around the Esplanade area and we were also on our way to dinner.

Check out this light display....from afar they just look like normal light decors. But refer to the 2nd photo, they are made with the regular mineral water bottles and it's so pretty.

After dinner, we stayed on at the esplanade enjoying some music at the outdoor arena whilst admiring the night view of Singapore. Pardon me on the quality of these photos as they were taken from my mobile phone.

Week 14

According to the Lunar Calendar, 31 March - Monday was Gabriel's Chinese birthday. I totally forgot about it. It was Grand Aunt who came by to drop him a mini birthday cake.

The next day at school, literally on April Fools Day, he had a fall in school while running along the corridor. See our macho boy here with the bandages. I was expecting him to give me a hard time, screaming in the shower as I know it will be painful. But this brave boy did not even make a single sound. So brave huh :)

Before I end Week 14, the happiest person this week may be ME! And why is that so? Well well because my  scrapbook pieces have been featured in an online publication - Life.Paper.Scrapbook!

This is the link if you want to check out the magazine 

http://issuu.com/lifepaperscrapbook/docs/lps_march14

2014 - Week 12

This week the school is having a one week break and we decided to take leave on Thursday and Friday to accompany Gabriel. Didn't do anything much except we went to 2 nostalgic eateries which I wanna share with you all.

~~~~ FIRST STOP ~~~~

Sinpopo - A very local chinese restaurant along Joo Chiat Road (walking distance from 112 Katong Mall). The menu comes in an attendance register which is the exact same copy when my teacher use to take attendance back in Primary School!

     

 The drink menu has localise to Milo "Peng", Teh "Peng" etc and they come in metal mugs :)

        

As I was flipping through the menu, I spotted a dessert that reminds me of the sound "ling ling ling". Those were the days when ice cream man peddle around the HDB flats ringing their bell; getting all the kids excited. Yes yes...when we hear "ling ling ling" we will ask mum for money to buy ice cream with bread. 

I think our kids finds it ridiculous/weird to eat bread with ice cream. But I was like....Oh my gosh! Rainbow bread!!

About the food and drinks, it was nothing to hype about but we were totally absorbed by the ambience. Chinese songs from the good old 70s were playing in the background and it brings back lots of memories.....still remember those days when you could bring your own egg when buying carrot cake so the stall holder charge you lesser? I do :) ...and I truly miss my grandma and her regular treats of Sarsi soda and Kaka snacks.

       

~~~~ SECOND STOP ~~~~

The Coastal Settlement. Another nostalgic restaurant near Changi Village @ 200 Netheravon Road. This is a western restaurant and the 70's and 80's music from the Beach Boys, The Platters etc were their background music. This is not our first visit but we really like this place. It's away from the hustle and bustle and everything feels more relax and at a slower pace.
This visit, we found out that they have a free flow of  flower biscuits which I love as a kid...all nicely pack for customers who walked in. Can't tell you how many packets I had when we were there or I will be ban!

        

After lunch, we switched our seats to a relax corner and did some good reading. So while we read, Gabriel and our helper had fun playing around with the stuffs; finding out how things work back then when computers and ipad are unheard of :)

    

When the 2 of them disappeared for some time, I went out to find them doing this....this must be how flintstone played his "board game".

Leaving The Coastal Settlment, we drove on to Changi beach. Gabriel had a chance to expense all his energy chasing after pigeons, counting planes and picking up sea shells.

             

So before I end this post of the week....amazing facts about Gabriel.

He suddenly decided that he wanted a pet. So daddy said to him....if you can take care of our dog for one whole week, I will consider. 

Gabriel gladly took up the challenge. He has been making great effort to feed the dog and change the newspapers whenever they are soiled and even scrub the area! See how happy he is doing all these chores :)

2014 - Week 10

This week, the haze is back again due to the forest fire in Indonesia. It's time to take out the air cleaner and N95 masks!

This picture is taken from our balcony. On a normal day we could see all the way to Marina Bay Sands. It's now blocked out by the haze.

So when you can't go out to play, these 2 cheeky ones came up with an idea to have a indoor picnic! Thought it was very innovative. Check out the heart shape cups. Look so cute when they are toasting to a great picnic :)

Another noteworthy moment this week, Gabriel had his first tooth extraction. We were not able to get him to fiddle with his loose teeth so that they can drop out in time for the new ones. Thus, Dr Dustin advise to extract it or risk obstructing the growth of his new teeth.

Dr Dustin is so gentle with him that he felt no fear or pain. It was a easy peasy job. Look how comfy he is, flipping through a National Geograhic magazine after he had his 2 bottom teeth extracted. 

Thank you Dr Dustin!

   

On Sunday, he attended a birthday party in Kallang Ice Skating Rink. It's our very first visit to a skating rink and he was so cool.... Multiple falls, getting wet and cold did not stop him from attempting to skate. He got on much quicker than I thought. 

I had a good time hibernating in the Ice Skating Rink too since the weather outside was baking hot! We really do need some rain soon :(

    

     

 So before I end this post...2 things that amazes me this week...

Amazing fact #1: Gabriel created this from his Lego Ninjago and Hero Factory set. I'm impressed by his creativity....maybe my genes?? hahaha

Amazing fact #2:  The contrast of his shoes on Monday and Friday. I have no idea what he does in school to get them so dirty!

Hope your week was not dampen by the haze and thanks for popping by.

2014 - Week 8

Stepping into the 3rd week of February...well Gabriel is starting to feel the stress of school work.

This mummy is also on busy schedule to sit with him for his spelling and and schoolwork in the evenings.English spelling is always easy peasy as Pat's Schoolhouse has given him a very solid foundation...it's the Han Yu Pin Yin that he needs more practice on.

So here's what happens when we are both feeling tired and frustrated after a long day...mummy raising her voice at him to focus and he's not being very cooperative and starts to cry. Sigh... I think it's going to be a regular scene from now on. I totally do not like afternoon session, as it leaves us with only a short window period in the night before he has to go to bed. Can't wait for P3 when the school moves back to the original site and becomes a single session.

On Friday evening, we had a great time at Changi Beach. A walk down the windy beach was what we needed to refresh and breathe!! Great job to darling hubby who drove us to the beach. Gabriel had a great time in the playground followed by some yummy hawker food - chicken wings, sambal sting ray, satay, chicken rice, goreng pisang.....sinful but delicious!

Capture this scene on the bridge when we were walking to the hawker centre from changi beach. 

Such awesome view is a rare find in Singapore. I wonder how long these boats are allowed to dock here before they are told to move way for modern structure. Well at least I now have this photo to reminisce the old charm of Singapore when this place is no longer around.

Before I end my post, let's have some fun.....this picture somehow reminds me of a Stephen Chow movie "Shaolin Football" Lol. What about you??

So that's all folks! Thank you for visiting my blog :)