we drove to Malacca and spent 1 night there, at the Equatorial_ Club rooms.

as always, the hotel service was wonderful, the food delicious, and the afternoon cocktail tea was a feast.  we took a nice long walk down the river and had a meal at a promenade cafe. hubby met us later for a trishaw ride. thek ids went alone in one (which scared me to deah!) whiled h and i shared another. the kids were sooooo excited. after that we took a walk through the new mall to do some window--shopping. kay cdnt keep her hands off he merchandise... a real little lady...

that nite ky slept on his own bed, and kay slept in a cot. she only got out once or twice for milk... so dh and i had a superkingsize bed all to ourselves.... until about 2am that is... when kay spilled half a bottle of water on my side of the bed! she wisely snuggled next to bal as i mopped up the mess_ leaving me to sleep damp on the bottom half.

we took a long drive to Cameron Highlands e next day and stayed at Century Pines for 2 nights. the hotel was a bit dark on the higher levels, so i chose a brighter room with a groundfloor garden, looking out to the front (though the back ones had a lot of privacy and backed on to the jungle, so wd have been even nicer. i loved the morning birdsong very much indeed.)

the room was quite spacious, like Equatorial, but the wooden furniture and flooring showed some scratches (which didnt bother me, but it did the hubby) the kids liked the sliding-door access to the patio and garden.  and again we had a bed and cot for the kids, with kingsize bed for us. 

the hotel was very clean and free of mould and damp, which is what i was after... (some others in the same loacale are not up to the same standard in this respect).  none-the-less, the overall impression is nothing too fancy...more of a business/ conference hotel. however, we did see a lot of small malaysian families though. 

the location to me is it's best asset. just outside the main carpark is a large playground with a range of swings and climbing equipment. what makes it special, is that the paths have been lined with an array of beautiful flowering shrubs and trees. next to this park is a large grassy field, separated by a little stream. there are cute bridges going over the water at different spots, with little wodden seats for u to rest and enjoy the sound of the birds, and the lilting water.

if u follow this stream up past the side of the hotel, it goes up through the trees and comes out at a little waterfall. my 6yr-old cd mange the walk fine, though my 3-yr-old had to be carried some bits where the terrain grew too muddy or steep. (wear long pants and comfy walking shoes. and take water and camera.) we went across the rope bridge which took us a little up the mountain along some steps and over some winding tree-roots. this path comes out at a bridge going over the waterfall... or up ito the mountains for the more intrepid hikers.

just outside of the hotel driveway is a whole row of sundry shops, cafe's and coffee-shop-type eateries. it's far enough away from the hotel for the traffic not to be heard, yet within a 5-10minute walk. further up this road is an open-air market square, which we didnt have time to visit.

we went to a tea plantation and enjoyed some tea and scones at the cafe. (be warned, the cream was not real cream though. it was some white atificial tasteless froth.and the toilets at these stops are rather grim...so get kids to go at the hotel)  at this tea plantation the view was pleasant however, and the breeze rather brisk. (bring yr jackets). we took a little hike down the hill... passing some wonderfully-scented pines. the kids ran most of the way... only taking one or two tumbles!  at the bottom was a little stream, (sadly with rubbish on its banks) .... but it gave us a beautiful vista up into the green-tea-covered hills. the kids were delighted when dh held on to them so they cd get a feel of the icy clear water.  the hike back was good excercise for the adults, but challenging for the little one. the elder one played in the dirt while waiting for us to catch up :)

alas we were not too impressed by the fruit and veg plantations that we passed.  i think we were expecting something like the open fields of the English countryside... but unfortunately all the produce was hidden under ugly white plasic sheeting which was used to make their 'greenhouses'. it was a real eyesore against the hillsides... especally when it covered big swahes of the once-geen land. we didnt even stop. the litter strewn alongside the roads was also much of a turn-off. it was probably this overall dissapointment which led us to leave Cameron 1 day early. (if i came back to these hills i think it wd be only to hike the trails with the kids when they are older. we wdnt visit the fruit and veg farms.)

so off we headed to Sunway Lagoon, Pyramid Hotel, for a 2-nite stay. the room was smaller than th rest and faced a wall. it was also the most expensive. there was no separate bath/shower/toilet. it was all combined, so a bit of a drag if the toilet was occupied. pillows were terribly soft and they had no more to provide us with. not quite value-for-money. the breakfast however was the best we'd had yet on our whole holiday... a wondeful spread of noodles, curries, rice, prata, omelettes, chinese pow, and all the usual hot and cold western fair. i really feel like they catered well to n international palate.

we arrived on a tues and unfortunately the theme park was closed. so we relaxed and explored the shopping mall alongside. we also found time for a movie, Kung Fu Panda... which the kids and i thoroughly enjoyed! then dh treated Ky to a game of ten-pin-bowling. kay tried her hand at it too, but actually had to use 2 hands to get the ball rolling.  they both say its something they'd like to do again...  it cost all of $2.50 (including shoe-hire for kynan... very good value!)

the next day at 11am we were almost 1st-in-line for our tickets, and only left ard 6pm. unfortunately they're very strict aboutt not allowing food and drinks in... not even water...so that was a damper rt at the start. once inside though, it was pretty quiet and we had a fab time in the various pools. dh joined us and later went back to the hotel when we went off to explore the animal park/petting zoo. there the highlight was a little show where the kids got to hold a real live large albino python.... much to my worryy and delight (esp for little kay who chose to follow her big bro... and ended up holding the wriggling head!!!)

trying to buy lunch after was a nightmare...the kids were tired, seats were hard to find, and the serving staff terribly disorganised. (my food kept being given to other people... and for some reason, although i was in one of the queues, others were served ahead of me form the side... just shouting out their orders and thrusting their money forwards... locals perhaps? i actually raised my voice/shouted at staff for the 1st-time in my life. yes i was that exasperated!!! so totally not me!!!... but it finally got the point across)

before calling it a day, we headed up the hill towards the funpark and the kids went on some 'tame' rides. then we headed back across the long overhead bridge and had one last swim before closing time. none of us wanted to go back... it really was with heavy feet... and we all begged dh to let us stay another night. unfortunately finances did not allow...as this was the priciest stop of our journey. but we had plenty of happy memories and lots of photos to look back upon.

that night before leaving, we met with my sil who lives in kl, along with her 2 kids (same age as our 2). it was wonderful to see the kids together. in spite of the time and distance, they clicked immediately, like they'd never been aprt... and it was wonderful to see our 2 youngest girls relating to one-another in such a grown-up manner... holding hands and chit-chatting shyly as they walked along. aaaah! and kynan... of course chasing after the elder girl... happily shrieking and laughing as they went.

we all went to bed ard midnight and were wondering how on earth we'd be up in the morning to drive back to singapore... we felt msierable for it. kynan cdnt wake up, and kay had a rare meltdown... from our room + 30 minutes into breakfast. finally she settled and i was able to eat.  they both slept well in the car due to their late night beofre, so we made brisk time... stopping only twice along the way back to s'pore.

no-one wanted to go back home, so we went to the bishan-hotel instead... unpacked and 3 lots of laundry done in no time! now we nedd to recover :)

the best:

-a lovely big 8-man tent for the 4 of us.... put up by dh while ky looked on.

-a nice spot with long grass to pitch our tent...and a break inbetween the rain.

-dh stayed overnight with us_finally!!!

-he was pleased to inform me that e police-post was just a few metres away :)

-after pitching e tent, he went home for a shower and a rest :)

-he gave me an ear-splitting electronic whistle to be used in an emergency... jic we were attacked by a wild dog or some other wild creature. :) 

-we had time to explore the park, spotting 2 squirrels, a whiptail lizard, a cat, some wild parakeets, and plenty of minorbirds looking for worms. 

-e kids also found some nice low trees  to climb...ant-free to boot!

-some special discoveries were a cluster of canon-ball trees, with large scented flowers and spiky branches..all making for eye-catching photographic splendour. some pinetrees had their fronds withing easy reach for plucking their fragrant needeles... likewise for a eucalyptus. the pods were too high, but e menthol-scented leaves were within reach. for e 1st time, i also noticed it's bark...wonderfully light and papery... the kids were perplexed and took some samples back to the tent with them.

-kayla got her "camping puddles" (she'd prayed for rain, and it miraculously came...after weeks and weeks of dry sunny weather!)

-friends came over, so e kids had some playmates...7 altogether. (kynan was esp pleased abt this!)

-best memory: kids running in e rain, faces bursting with smiles and laughter. little feet tottering, & testing damp sand. bigger feet charging and splashing through grassy puddles. 

-kids' happiness is contagious: inspite of being soaked in e rain, i felt young and carefree all over again!.i actually enjoyed the crunching gritty sand squished between my toes,  then rinsing them in puddles, and feeling the cold prickly grass make way beneath my feet.

the worst:

-we only stayed 2days and 1 nite

-it was only halfway through the nite that i discovered dh had the most comfy spot in the tent! (while i'd been trying to curve my spine in S-shapes around a small anthill and a knobbly root, lying otherwise hidden in long grass.)

-we were so near the main beach walkway that the daylight-bright-bulbs of the lamps caused it to be daybreak inside our tent all night long  (thank you darling dh ;))

-the roar of fishing boat engines resounding near shore at night...scarily similar sound to jets being fired up for battle. 

-on and off through e nite, i heard the resounding boom and echo of large metal coffins falling from e sky...they must have bn abt the size of our bedroom. and occassionally they set off alarms that broke the dawn air with a sound so shrill they cd hv been announcing a prisonbreak! not a good spot for a peaceful night, considering how near the shipyard is!

-discovering after a midday thunderstorm that our comfy new tent leaks....badly!

the future:

-we want to go camping again...but i'd prefer longer.

-never again at west coast park... too noisy at night!

-mb pasir ris, which is where the kids and i still enjoy. (nice n shady in e day, n peaceful at nite)

-we need to find a tent that doesn't leak (2 purchases returned and still no success)

-dh says taman negara mt be nice...mb before he retires :)

today my kids played their 1st-ever April-fool's jokes on me... set up by hubby no less!

they popped over to granny's for an hr while i did some chores, then sneaked back in, quietly.  when they saw me, they doubled over, one clutching her back, the other- his tummy...

"ooh, i've got a big cut on my back/ _tummy!" they cried in unison.  i wasn't fooled though... but thought they were hiding some goodies under there :) as i approched, they both called out: "April Fool!", happily grinning from ear-to-ear.

very sweet, and i'd not even realised the date :(  so i'd lost my chance to fool all of them!

next year!!!

it's become a family tradition for us to celebrate Easter Sunday at our place, with the aunties, uncles and cousins coming over for an Easter egg hunt & tea-party in the afternoon.

this year was no different...*but* i decided to invite the littlies from kay's playgroup along as well, and their older siblings too (who r ky's friends too). so total we had 11 kids and 12 adults. hard to believe there were so many in our ouse, but somehow it didnt seem crowded. e kids started with basket-making when they arrived, using signs of e cross, eggs, hearts, flowers and other spring motifs. they tied them together with ribbons and put some shredded paper inside. (it stopped e eggs falling out laterr ;)) then they dug into e goodies while waiting for their buddies to finish. (the best surprise were some wonderful jelly-coconut cream eggs and number-shapes which Aunty Sh had made...)

when the hunt was abt to begin, they all got in an excitable little line from smallest to biggest... then wasted no time in ransacking e kids 2 bedrooms for their Easter treats. :)  i'd hidden them well, so it took some a while... and it also gave them time to share their finds so that everyone had an equal number. little M was the 1st to munch his down...even while the others were still counting :) when i asked to see how many he had, he pointed to his mouth and tummy... "in there!" :b

after that the kids played in little clusters and pairs, while e adults had some time to chit-chat. as they went off in dribs and drabs, little goody-bags were filled, and thankfully e treats on e table were reduced to a reasonable amount.

by ard 7+pm, e older cousins went off, and we escorted our kids out the door to vivocity for dinner. both were almost falling asleep in the car, and neither wanted to go out at all!... but dh and i were in the mood, so they had no choice! ;)  they brightened up once we got there, and continued playing when they got home. before bed there were plenty of happy stories to share about the day's happenings.

highlights of e day:

-ky was pleased i got his curtains finished on time, so he cd show off his 'new room' to his cousins.

-the memory of kay coming out of her room with 16 eggs in her basket...(even before the hunt had begun!)  "sorry i didnt know", she lamented sadly... as ky and his mate took them back :(

-kay has decided she *really* likes her 2 older cousins, M&K ..."because they played so nicely with me."

-a clean house tonite. no real mess... v few dishes... (thank goodness for disposable cups and plates!)

-a tidy house!  were it not for e party, it wd be such a sight!...so i finally had reason enough to clear-up! :)

-4 little prawns in our fishtank (kindly donated by A&A's papa. _not sure whether we like the bigger one yet...though the little ones are cute!)

-a blessed and happy gathering...

last nite was a rough night for us. no-one got much sleep, esp dh. but this morning i really wanted to go to church. so i got e kids up and let dh continue sleeping. then we quietly snuck out so as not to wake him.

our day got better and better:

-it was communion Sunday, which i ike as it's a longer service :) and there were some beautiful songs and hymns.

-kay and ky were happy too, as Aunty G was there with J & C, whom they've not seen in ages!

-then dh met us after church and we went on to botanic grdns coffee-shop for lunch. J&C and  their mummy and daddy joined us, then we all followed e stream outside, stepping on rocks alongside as we went, (with Kay and C throwing in leaf and flower "boats" along the way.) it was so nice to have e daddies there too, helping e kids cross e bigger gaps between e rocks, and all enjoying their visible excitement. then we all went for a walk ard swan lake, looking out for turtles and fish, and throwing in pebbles and seeds and sticks along e way. later, Kay had just about enough energy to race back with ky and J, and C hurriedly climbed down from his dad's arms to join them all. :) it was very sweet to watch...and they certainly had a lot more energy than us parents! :)

-it was a hot day, but we were in pleasant company, so it was an enjoyable time.  after saying our farewells, dh kindly took us to a nearby mall for an icecream treat. :) we were all in very high spirits after that!

-finally we headed off home. i thought kay wd nap, but she had other plans. she nevr even got as far as e room. (in fact her and ky never even got to remove their shoes!)  ky was trying to chop up a large seed he'd found outside, so she decided to join him. half an hr later i observed him crushing pine needles beneath his rock, "making pine juice" he commented. kay was collecting e pine needle fronds from e potplants where they'd arranged them earlier. as they were so deeply involved, i provided them a little more "eqquipment"....a brick, a mortar and pestle, some dried flowers, fresh flowers, a couple of jelly bowls, spoons and a cup of water. then i left them to it! :)  later on, i noticed that J, our little neighbour, had joined in. it was turning into quite a cookery party, so i passed her some streamers from a party-popper, a few small plates and frying pans. then she came back for a cup of water for herself. they were very sweet, and i realised just now that i never took any photos :(

-dh was itching to go out again... so after an hour or more, e kids packed their bike, skate-scooter and safety-gear, while i grabbed e waterbottles and some sandwiches. even dh fished out his rollerblades! :)   then off we headed for west-coast park. we happily discovered that all the hoardings have bn taken down. they'd obstructed the sea-view for ard 3years! and what do they have to show for it? all we spotted was a new road, and mb a breakwater (or was that there before? ;)) it was pleasant strolling along as e sun set.  some families had pitched tents, while others sat picnic-ing and chatting as they stared out to sea.  our kids raced on ahead. the breeze blew, kites flew high above, and a line of fishermen stood patiently waiting for a catch.  all seemed so right with the world...

-we drove home, pleasantly mellow...e kids contentedly munching on left-overs. bathtime went without a hitch. (which is always good news for any mummy or daddy! :))

-as dh ate dinner i hurriedly changed e kids bedding and sleeping positions... digging to e bottom of e closet for a set of pierot clown bedlinens for kay. these were e same ones i used as a teen in s/africa, and then still while dating dh in e uk. they hv such sentimental value, and one wd hardly believe they're around 20yrs old! (dh looked and said "2" when i asked him to guess ...then he recognised e motif.)  ky likes them very much too! he was just complementing kay on her "nice blankie". :)

i'm sure my mum wd never hv guessed that her pricey investment back then, wd still be seeing so many good days in e future!  thanks mum!   u provided a warm and beautiful end to our beautiful Sunday...

and what a lovely one it's been!

our tree went up before our krabi-trip.  the kids did a wonderful job decorating it... all covered in baubles, blue and silver tinsel, and a hand-made angel having pride of place on top. bits of tinsel and holly gave the rest of the place a festive cheer.

our Christmas dinner this year was had on Chritmas Eve. (so mam cd rest and enjoy festivities on Christmas Day itself ;)) the good thing about this set-up is that i delegated dh and the kids to help me peel and chop vegetables, while i got the turkey all cleaned, preened, and buttered-up. (yes, our 1st-year having turkey!)  i found a 4kg frozen monstrocity that we carted home in kay's stroller. the recipe was a fab fail-proof one off the net...lots of olive oil, butter, garlic powder and herbs. it turned out wonderfully moist and flavoursome, just as was promised. gravy was hardly a necessity, though it ame in handy as a casserole sauce the day after.  i made a celery, onion, mushroom, and carrot stuffing that was a welcome change from the usual bread-stuffing.  and it all came together really nicely with the little roasties thrown in. we all ate so much we didnt have space for dessert!   so with candles still flickering, we finished off the bubbyl grape juice and set about preparing for bed.  Kiddies Christian songs were playing and Christmas lights flashing.... we re-arranged the nativity, set down cookies and bandung beneath the tree, and moved Christmas stockings to the floor. then off to bed with the Chrisams Story, thanks and prayers.

Christmas Day itself was quiet. we opened gifts and went out for a late breakfast. then on to deliver gifts to neighbours and family. i also received a surprise call from my sister in s/africa, (and probably chatted for way too long.) as we fell asleep that night, e kids and i discussed what we cd give away as Boxing Day presents to strangers, friends, and neighbours. the excitement of the last two days caused the kids to fall asleep lickity-split. :)

our trip was entertaining...

here's a qwikkie on our flights/ accom etc, esp for those w kids who may consider going there...

flying:

-we flew with a budget airline booked via internet. it was cheap. we paid an extra $5 per person to pre-select our seats. check-in going there was a breeze. we were the 1st when e counter opened couple hrs b4. no queue. returning, there was a very long queue. desk didnt open til qt late. dh lined up while i t did toilet breaks and sat with hand luggage on e opp side of e terminal. the flights were short. the kids were happy reading magazines.

kay happily chewed on sweets and crisps during landings and take-offs, so no ear trouble. as we descended on e way back, she nursed and fell asleep. ky had headaches all the way from the air pressure and cdnt eat because of it. on e way back he slept most of e way. woke up after we landed with a terrible throbbing headache, bad enough for him to be unable to walk straight, and ended up collapsing on e floor pounding his head with his fists. thoughts of embolism went through my mind. but we prayed. no wheelchairs at e budget terminal, so i ended up carrying his 20kg hulk, while dh settled the hand-luggage. thankfully it passed, but next time i will wake him well before we even start the descent, so hopefully he wont hv such air pressure problems again.

hotels: both were booked online via Asia Rooms.

hotel 1:

Krabi Thai Village Resort. this place was great! lots of space. long corridors for running/ short stairs for climbing/ plenty grass for kicking ball...good excercise.

location: on a small road, slightly uphill from e main stretch of shops and restaurants. an easy walk for the kids in e early evening down to e main stretch. it was cool and quiet. just be careful to keep in single-file well against the curbside and clear of oncoming vehicles which may be speeding.  or take a tuk-tuk there instead. likewise for the return trip. they r cheap and easily available outside e hotel, and parked all along the main stretch. bargain prices down a bit, esp for families.  opposite e resort are a few restaurants. 1 has a beautiful fishpond alongside which is nice for e kids to enjoy, as it has a walkway over e top.  (take mossie repellant at nite) others offer thai, seafood, and an asstmt of western type dishes. on e way to e main stretch is a nice eatery called La Casa. it serves good thin-crust wood-oven fired pizzas and indian curries. it's got a very nice vibe about it. the staff are friendly and it's open for lunch and dinner. if i remember rt, i think they also do pasta. there's another branch of La Casa on the main stretch and it's always packed. i'd rather save the walk and go this one as it's peaceful and airy (read: no smokers!) there's also a graden cafe down a staircase which i never tried, but dh and the kids did. it looks nice for e kids to explore while parents take time over their meals. for drinks and snacks, sunblock, milk etc, there's a small mini-mart just alongside.

reception:

check-in was prompt and friendly. welcome drinks and chilled face towels perked us all up. plenty of staff on hand to carry our luggage. reading books available for loan (adult english and other languages) outing desk was manned almost all hours. bar/ lounge had live singing but was always deserted (prob due to the prices). but we'd wonder down in the evenings after bathtime for popcorn (on sale at e bar) and wd sit on e sofas at reception and let e kids have a bit of a run-ard before bed, while i had some reading-time :) toilets behind reception were always empty and spotless. 

room:

standard delux room, 2nd level. we requested a room far away from e lobby, and not on e ground level. 2queensize beds which we pushed together. kay slept between us. ky slept on a little daybed alongside. we asked for a cot (foc) and used that to store their fun-stuff. the mattress we took out and used to sit on for floor-play/ balcony picnic etc. used the cot sheets/pillows for kynan.  just paid extra for his breakfast as it wasnt included.  nice big room cd still move about easily with all of us. only shower no bath, but we were told we were upgraded to a larger room on e quieter side so we didnt mind.  aircon and fan. both worked well. on aircon fan setting 3 though, a pungent sewer smell crept through the vent, so had to kp reminding dh not to turn it on high when he came back. temp control cd be adjusted to north pole climes so we didnt mind a less blowy fan. the ceiling fan was good when e air was stale. so we cd switch off e aircon, open e doors, and let some  fresh air move through. fridge was slightly drippy inside, so we had to be careful where we placed our drinks or chilled foods.

other nice touches: the traditional wooden decor throughout, and matching colour-scheme, even down to the towels. enough towels were provided w/o us having to ask for them each time. staff were prompt and couteous *always*. 

hotel food:

breakfast was a good selection of everything u cd imagine. noodles and rice with curries and chicken in sauces. usual western stuff like sausages, ham and bacon. egg station for fresh omelettes. good selection of breads and pastries, fresh fruits, fresh cheese and salad ingredients, milk, yoghurt and cereals, including healthier stuff like muesli.

room service was very quick. food was hot considering the long walk. it was quite palatable and well presented with garnish. portions sufficient. our 2 young kids cd easily share 1 serving w/o wastage nor shortfall.

restaurant: we never tried this, but the tables were well-presented each night with fresh linens and canddle-lit. the place was quiet at night (prob because of e selection of cheap foods outside but a stone's throw away.) one night however saw full-house. it was a special weekly thai spread. it came with entertainment. when we passed we saw a beautiful graceful thai dancer on stage, with 3 more immaculately dressed young ladies waiting in the wings, and another group in impressive costume waiting beyond view outside. i dont rrecall the price, but it mt hv bn nice to splash out at least once on something like this...

facilities:

aircon gym which bal used, overlooking the kids' playgrd and garden.  lush garden, spacious green lawns with shrubbery shielding balconies for privacy. quiet young rubber plantations on 2sides provide natural ambience, +butterflies, birds, singing cicadas.  one night we returned to find a gecko the size of a baby crocodile on the wall beside our door. no joke!!! it was at least 6-8cm longer than my palm!!! were it not for the suction pads on it's fingers and toes, i really wd hv thought t was a bb crocodile! it freaked kayla out a little... and thankfully never returned while we were in the vicinity. (some bugs it must hv caught!!!... i'm just glad i never met it's mama!)

3 swimming pools of different depths, and swim-up pool snack-bar. (the bar-pool is what we used the most. it had shallow stair access from 2 sides).  there was also a small kids' slide into the toddler pool. (unfortunately, i wd never advise anyone to use this particular pool after what happened during our stay... over a few days we noticed a powerful vortex in e centre of e pool, originating from a large square suction outlet on the floor of e pool. it was a large-based vortex which cd easily hv fitted a kid up to 10or more years of age/ not-to-mention a tot!) it seemed to start up on occassions when the waterfall and fountain features were switched on at the pool behind, but not every time... so very unpredicatble. after knowing the story of e expat who drowned in a s'pore hotel spa-pool when similar suction vent cracked, it was very worrying. in that case too, the suction was much stronger than it shd hv bn... i doubt that management were even informed of e issue when we were there. the staff seemed amused if anything, and just disappeared into the switch room for a while to fix the problem on the 1st occassion. once was enuff... thereafter my kids were banned!

hotel 2: Vogue Hotel and Spa

location: on the opp side of the main stretch, just as it rounds e bend, and slightly up a hill. wonderful spot. looks busy/ noisy outside, but once inside, none of the road sounds can be heard.  an easy walk to e main stretch. western fastfood joints are v near (McD/ Starbucks etc) with more building work going on. pavements r on both sides of e road and are stroller friendly. (so for us, no need to take tuk-tuk). hair-braiding places nearby, and also places selling nice sports clothing for ladies and guys of all sizes. good selection of restaurants, (but watch out for e creamy sauces, table cheeses and mayo)

this is a small boutique-type hotel. it's beautifully nestled on a hillside, with stairs weaving secret pahways through a lush garden environment.  it' looks back onto the side of a beautiful wild hill. early morning mists, natural sounds and interesting large bugs and beetles add to the exotic feeling of being away from home. much to his distress, dh found a beautiful brown horned climbing tree frog on the keyhole one night when he came back :)) also loads of butterflies, dragonflies and birds.  to the front of the hotel, one can see a massive stone cliff. on our last night there, we were surprised by beautiful booming fireworks coming from a private beach estate on the other side. it was a wonderful treat for ky who was still awake!

reception:

check-in was brisk. we were directed to seating to complete the form. fruit drink and cold towels provided. an internet room opposite reception. (buy an acces card for 1hr minimum. qt cheap. sofas for e kids to read or colour while mum's checking mail)

room:

we got free upgrade to e honeymoon suite. came with a cornerbath ready-filled with rose-petals floating, and flower-petal-heart on the bed. fruit basket included. nice kingsize 4-poster-bed with tie-back sheer curtains which the kids loved. (princess bed :) not much room to move otherwise. payed extra for a mattress for ky on e floor. planned for kay to share our bed, but too squeezy. so got e cot mattress foc, ordered an extra blanket, opened it out large over e mattress, and added a sheet. they also brought a small kiddy quilt and pillow with brown bear, which kayla liked. very nice large balcony overlooking e pool area. obscured from below by palm and coconut trees, so pleasantly private. 2 large wooden seating areas for unwinding or sun-bathing. 

other nice touches: the bathtub has a window through to the room, so u can see e kids while they bath and vice vers. blinds can be closed for privacy when in the toilet.  lit candle burning in the bathroom when we arrived. bath gels smelled wonderfully floral, (bonus of e spa), hairdryer in the room. fridge in good working order.

downside: no coffee-making facilities. poor reading lighting inside. a little too dark even to sort through luggage properly at night.

breakfast:

food is nothing to shout about. (prev place was much much better). eg noodles slightly dry, sauces tasteless, juices not very pleasant. limited spread overall. egg station outside though we never tried it. what's nice is that u can take yr breakfast in a little secluded garden up a few steps from e breakfast hall. it's in e open air, u hear e squawk of parrots, feel a breeze, watch the lanterns above u swing in the breeze. kids loved it. staff not very pro-active, so just go get a tray or 2 from them, and then pass them what u want to be carried out. they fetched us a baby-chair too which pleased kay. (just dodnt sit too near e breakfast hall-side of e garden, as there's a thin strip below that's allocated to smokers, and their cancer-fumes waft up if u dont get a table further away.

room service: we never ordered room service here. the menu was very very limited and nothing appealed.

facilities:

full spa. pricey but looks nice. i ran out of time to try it, though i really wanted to. (dh tried outside, cheaper, but they were so hard they injured his shoulder.)

1 warm shallow toddler pool, and 1 other deep pool with 2 ladder-type steps and 4 squirting elephant statues (which my kids loved!!!).  bring floats for e kids.

small gym overlooking e pool (imm beneath our room in fact). bring sports shoes and proper sports gear. it was quiet mostly.

we only spotted 1 or 2 other kids while we were there. the rest were group singles, and both younger and older couples.  with it being a small place, we found people to be a lot more friendly towards us and the kids. (at e other resort, there were mostly groups of larger families from Sweden, Germany, and they kept to themselves. their kids didnt mix with ours, and were not interested in playing together, even though ky volunteered)  this place is suitable for kids although it mt not look that way at 1st glance. 

on the downside: service is sub-standard in some respects. e baby-cot linens and mattress which we asked for in the morning, was still not there when we returned at night. likewise for e additional towels. (this was after asking 3 times, and having bn promised each time)  communication was poor. most staff dont seem to understand us at all.  even something simple like requesting a face towel. and when we asked very clearly for 2 more pillows, only 1 was sent. this happened on 2 separate occassions.

this is a beautiful place with so much potential. if only the staff were better trained, and more active in fore-seeing the needs of their customers, then it wd be worth coming back to. until e staff and food side improve, i think we wd again only return for no more than 3 nights/ or try somewhere different.

eateries outside:

be careful!

1) glass in the food:  we visited a reputable restaurant opposite our 1st resort: (Carnivore). the icecream that we ordered was served in a tall glass. almos all e way through it, i tried it out and realised that the crunchiness the kids had bn talking about was in-fact glass shards and not ice crystals as i'd thought. we all had received cuts on the insides of our mouths, and had sharp fragments chewed up, crushed and protruding from e cracks of our molars. e restaurant manger commented that they served such daily and no-one had ever complained before. this was *after* her staff had shown me that the side of the glass was badly chipped and had probably been raining glass shavings over e icecream each time the spoon touched against e edge. so much for candle-light...we didnt even see. to rub salt into e wound, they never brought a replacement nor apologised...so kay was left waiting for e rest of her icecream 20minutes later. finally when i mentioned this, they brought me one more scoop (for which they later charged us!!!) 

2) food poisoning:

a) i got really really bad food poisoning from chicken in white wine sauce.  up with vomiting and drh all nite, every 40min-1hr.  cdnt even kp down sips of water. nxt day cdnt even get out of bed. whole body aches, massive headache, chills and hot flushes. only meds cd help. a week later still sensitive to food.

b) parmesan cheese in table-shakers: kayla was ill in a similar manner to myself. vomiting only, but hrly all through the nite. not even bre*stmilk cd stay down. poor thing was even puking up all over herself in her sleep. after 3 changes of clothes left her half-naked wrapped in a towel. an eventful night. it promptly stopped in e morning in time for b/fast of dry bread and water. she didnt need any meds, just breastmilk eventually seemed to do e trick.

c) carbonara sauce: ky kept it down overnight, but was violently ill e next day. both drh and vmtg whole day from early til night. lost count of how many bin bags he filled! but then at least he cd get there in time...so i was spared changing bedding and clothes. we had meds for him but he cdnt keep i down. after a few attempts he eventually refused because of his terrible stomach cramps. poor kid... at one sage he was writhing on the floor in agony, and there was nothing i cd do for the pain except pick him up and cradle him as i prayed and held him. the same happened when he started hitting his head with his fists to try and stop a pounding headache. it was only after 12hrs of such, threatening hospital and drip, that he finally succumbed to keep trying the meds until they stayed down.

d) mayonnaise: dh had a wonderful sandwich on the last day, filled with all sorts of delicious goodies. i had one too, the only difference, which i lamented at the ime, was that mine was missing the garlic-mayo... thank goodness for small mercies though, or i wd have suffered all over again... as poor dh woke up the next morning suffering e same stomach cramps, fever and drh. and he was just as bad at taking his meds as kynan was! :)

so nxt time we'll definatey be eating very simply. plain rice. pasta in tomato-based sauces, pizza, indian breads, and icecreams seem not to be reccomended.

pharmacies:

there r a few and the one we visited was good. the lady pharmacist was sweet, listened well, and prescribed w/o hesitation, giving good instructions and advise in case things did not improve. she cd prescribe a short course of oral antibiotics for kay's ear infection, and something to clear the sinus tubes to help ease e pain, which is something i'd not thought of.   they also have the necc meds for drh and vomiting in kids. (but not e anti-vomiting pessary for bbs and tots/ or for if older kids cant kp e meds down.) though another pharmacist told dh he cd give ky a jab for it if things didnt improve...  i wd hv bn reticent to let my kid experience needles in thailand though, so am glad it didnt come to that or drips)  although my kids never hv tummy upsets, nxt time will certainly bring my own meds for such eventualities, esp e anti-vomiting pessary.

so did we have a good time?

you bet!!!

and wd we go back again?

for sure!!!... must-see/ must-do highlights will follow in e next posting....

ky is signed up for a cycle and run-a-thon at bishan park on e 15th. 

we wd hv just got back ard 1/2am that morning, and registration is 7-8am. i have absolutely noooooo idea how we're going to make it...nor how he's going to hv the energy.... buuuuut he *insists* he wants to do it.

and as this is e 1st one of it's kind, i really dont want to dissapoint him... so i think it's going to be me dragging myself aaaaand everyone else out of bed that morning!  :( 

it's that time of year and we've hardly any time to get around the free musical shows at the malls.

-we've made it to Dora, Island Princess, and Winx Club.

kay loved Dora best.

ky loved Winx Club (prob cos he was invited up on stage & won a prize_ tradg-card album and a comic)

both of them liked Island Princess. (this was mama's fav, esp the singing by the handsome prince ;))

-we've missed Barney and Elmo, and we mistakenly turned up for Mickey Mouse Funhouse at MP_it turned out to be for photo-taking only. a big waste of a stage imo!) 

-both r hoping there'll still be some shows on when we get back from Krabi. (i'm not holding my breath.)

we've just come through a 4-day wedding celebration. there was lots of work going on behind the scenes. add to that some early mornings, full-day events, and late nights, and it makes for a very tiring affair.

with dh being away i had to juggle the kids alone. a rather tireless task, which thankfully i'd not bn totally prepared for (or i wd hv chickened out i think!  :))  the kids hardly had any constructive time with me for the last few days, as i was totally occupied with preparations, and participaing in the ceremony itself.

at the end of it all, the thing that struck me most, was the joy and beauty of spontaneous indian dance.  it was at the dinner on the last night, as i sat with kayla on my knee, watching the young unwed cousins, and the slightly older wed sisters-in-law, twirling and clapping in a sparkling array of colour, that i saw true unfetted joy shining through. and for the 1st time in my life i actually wanted to join them.

were it not for the absence of my hubby, i wd have participated in the same invigorating joy of the moment.  but for that fleeting time, it had to be enough for me simply to observe the rest.

i tapped my feet to the beat, and watched with bated breath as kynan, for the 1st-time, took to the stage with the other little ones... he let go of his inhibitions completely, and boogied the night away, beaming the widest of grins as he performed all his favourite moves.  it was such a joy to see... my little boy finally free!

well i typed a nice long newsy post a few days back but it somehow dissappeared? woo hooo...

are there gremlins in the works?

so here's another version:

-we went on a tour of a big 3-mast ship: the "Rainbow Warrior", owned and operated by Greenpeace. it was an early morning, a really hot day, a wonderful trip, a great get-together of familiar and not-so-familiar faces. a great opportunity to expose the kids to a whole new world!

-playgroup/ swim at yck after was absolutely appreciated! the water was cool and the kids frolicked to their hearts' content! afterwards, the craft activity upstairs was a pleasant surprise!

-deepavali 1: a long lunch at great-grandma's with all the extended family.  an incredible spread of vegetarian food and cakes, yet the kids were content with plain rice...

-deepavali 2: a pleasanat dinner at dadima's. a smaller gathering, with the kids playing non-stop, then amusing us all by singing nonsense at the table.  the highlight of the evening was an array of candles on the dining table, on the balcony, and outside the front door.

-deepavali 3: kids and i went home and took out all our candles and lit up our living room. candles danced on the dining table and from candelabras on the walls. we switched off all the lights in the house.  the kids pulled up chairs and sat side-by-side in the dark, quietly staring into the flickering candle-light. it was mesmerising.

-international night at our church- St Georges: what a fab time! an exotic plethora of cuisine from all over the world. we also had live country and western music, some jazz, japanese songs, and piano classics to entertain us while we ate. the courtyard was really buzzing. i chatted in afrikaans and engish with a dutch family who hv just recently come over. their young daughter opposite cd not yet speak english, so she was amazed that i cd actually understand her... and even reply :)

food was plentiful. it was a bring-and-share arrangement... i'd brought along some koeksisters, biltong, and murrukku, for the south african and indian stalls. kay cdnt stop eating biltong, while ky was happy with a breadroll, pasta and some of that chinese stripey jelly. kay was qt outgoing and willing to try e south african sausage, jelly, pasta, heaps of biltong, and many other things which she wanted to try, but i knew she wdnt hv space for! desserts were overwhelming. i settled on tiramisu, peppermint, caramel  and banana pie,  milktart, pumpkin pie, and some spongecake with maple syrup which i thought the kids wd like. they didnt. they were full. only had spacee for icecream... almost.

when it was dark, we went outside to watch the bamboo-stick/ and country-and-western dancing. afterwhich we made some paper-decorated blown eggs. we hurriedly rushed off for a taxi when i noticed the time drawing well past 8pm. along with us, a crushed egg. a wholemeal cookie, and some wonderful south african bobotie kindly packed up by the minister for the seafarers mission... an old south african from howick, near where i was born and raised...(dh had arrived home weary and hungry, back from a challenging school retreat at ubin.)

-bath farewell; tonight we shifted the candles to the bathroom, and ran a deep, warm bubblebath. then out came the chocolates, marshmallows, lemon-tea, apple juice and ribena (everyone had his or her own preference ;))  the kids got in 1st, and savoured their treats, while i captured their farewell messages on video.  we reminisced about all the fun things we'd done in the bath, snapped a few photo's in the candle-light, then i joined them. we had a giggly last nurse while the two of them held hands behind my back and tickled. :)

-our rooms have shape-shifted... my bathroom goodies have upped and walked to dhl's shower. so his place now looks lovely and homely, while the master-one is completely bare. (for the 1st time since we moved in all those years ago!...and this is our 1st renovation too, all-be-it minor.)  half our master-bedroom is is in the livingroom and playroom, with the other half under dust-sheets where it belongs. the kids' bedroom has become the family bedroom, with ky on the top bunk, dh on e bottom, and kay and i on mattresses on e floor. (knowing kay, she'll likely spend e next few days playing musical beds between dh and myself :)) it looks very cosy. i'm just not prepared for the dirt track that's going to be layed through my house tmw... rt from e front door, through the lounge and master-bedroom, and into the bahroom... add that  to the noise and flying dust from hacking...  aargh... makes me want to shape-shift with the neighbours for the day!  

 *Bird Park - kids loved the mono-rail, walk-in aviaries, (esp the suspension bridges), and the splash-and-climb zone. mum was amazed at the waterfall.

*Zoo - unfortunately the farmyard pool is under renovation, so e kids cdn't have a dip. Sam really loved the dry play-area, and i got some fab photo's. mum was pleased that e animals weren't in cages, and Sam loved the free-ranging orangutans. the fragile forest also went down well... and we all enjoyed the relaxing tram-rides along the way.

*Farms - we visited Bollywood Veggies.  mum was very keen to know more about what types of farms we had here. (she was expecting cows and row-upon-row of crops :))  it was a hot day, but they survived. the highlight for them were the eco-toilets.

*Mac Ritchie Reservoir -  we had a light snack up on the breezy hilltop.  then spotted an iguana digging for grubs in the grass on our way down to the water. it hastened up a tree-trunk as we approached, then quickly dissappeared from sight.  e kids ran ahead to see the turtles, after which we went for a leisurely jungle walk. along e way back we stopped at a sandy bank and spent a long while throwing stones into the water. the setting sun turned us into black silhouettes against a crimson sky. and for just a moment, time stood still.

*Pasir Ris Park - Sam went for a pony ride, then we headed for e beach and went for dinner. there was just enough time to have a run around the playground before it grew completely dark. on our way home i remembered that there were meant to be fireworks going off at AMK hub rooftop as part of the opening ceremony. we made it there just in time. it was a super surprise that ended our day with a bang before bedtime!

*Vivo-City - Dinner on the rooftop, then watched the sun set over the harbour. noisy construction work for sentosa resorts has opened up an awful scar on the landscape. so we averted our eyes to the boats and cable-car lights flashing in colourful fashion beyond.

*Sentosa - Palawan Beach lunch, with waterplay at the artificial stream. kynan loved digging holes in the sand, followed by kayla, his eager student. Sam enjoyed pouring water in containers at the stream, later emerging to share our ice kachang.

*Mount Faber - we got out for a short sroll ard the great ship restaurant and turtle pond. behind the tourist shop is a deserted and spacious look-out spot where one can admire unobstructed views of the busy port to the left, and the sea beyond sentosa island to the right.  

*Esplanade - rooftop walk, and outdoors ramble. then an uderground walk through the city mall, emerging at Marina Shopping Mall for dinner. a beautiful view of the bay from the top-floor coffee-shop, with the spikes of the Esplanade glistening in the setting sun.

*Clarke Quay - we went for a bumboat ride down the river. took an up-close look at the spurting merlion, the esplanade, and some impressive old bridges along the way. boat quay cafes were nicely lit-up as we made our way back to the jetty. large sculpted lunar-lanterns adorned the riverside. favourites were the intricate fishes and dolphins, frolicking in a colourful underworld of lights.

*Little India - a north indian/ Punjabi lunch at Jaggies, Race Course Road.  my mil and an aunt treated us. :)  a delicious meal, not too hot. i ate waaay too much!!! then we had a leisurely stroll to the tekka market area.  i stopped by Sinma and stocked up on colourful hairbands for Sam, as well as some socks, and a cheap plastic watch for each of the munchkins. i wd have explored and spent more time there, but kayla was desperately in need of a nap, so my $ was spared!

*Botanical Gardens - we enjoyed a surprisingly cool jungle walk, and spotted some cheeky squirrels flying through the trees, then running straight for us along the trail!. when we emerged we headed down to the Symphony Lake. the heat was getting to Sam, so we did one circuit of the pond, then went straight for lunch at that posh-nosh place near the entrance. (well the nosh wasnt that posh, but the prices sure were!) 

*Shopping - nothing extravagant or far, because Sam couldnt handle the crowds. so we hung out at Junction 8 sometimes. Sam got a combination of overdue birthday and Christmas presents, returning with a nice bundle of tops and a few pants. she also adopted the cutest little crawling baby Pooh Bear. (which she cuddled and slept with each night, and also took with her on outings)

*Pampering - it was mum's birthday while they were here. she was treated to a pedicure the day before, while Sam and the kids each painted her a sun-catcher as a birthday surprise. on the big day itself, my p/t helper brought over a great lunch that she had prepared especially for their visit. the mutton curry and rice, chicken wings, home-made chilli-sauce, broccoli with sesame seeds, along with fresh vegetable garnishings went down a treat! we went for icecreams afterwards at Swensens, and later that evening, mum blew out all 100 candles on a delicious chocolate mousse cake... while kynan led the singing of 3 different birthday songs to great fanfair!

it's been a super-action-packed month!

my mum and sister came over for a visit from South Africa. it was a wonderful chance to catch up after so many years...here's a quick sampling of what we've been up to.

-we started with a 3-day stay at Pulau Ubin. Sam loved the pool and jacuzzi. she wasn't too impressed when we got caught in a downpour at Ubin Town though. at the end of the stay, as usual, the kids didnt want to go home.

-once we were back, kynan and kayla had their usual montessori class. our guests came along, and Sam enjoyed doing puzzles in particular.

-gym and chinese classes were ongoing. we all went along, dropped kynan, then swam during and after. Sammy was so completely at home in the water. Kay loved throwing balls and water-bombs to her. it was such fun interraction for them. and kynan proudly related all his new achievements to granny and i after...

-a new experience for Sam and mum, was walking considerable distances to get to the classes and back. they found a whole new appreciation for aircon! (and Sam lost some of her waistline in the process...)

-for e 1st week or 2, both were ensconsed in their aircon bedroom while we were home. they really found it veeery hot!  mum seemed to have aclimatised after abt 10days. but Sam only started joining us in the fan-cooled living-room 1 week before she left. :)

-our days were busy as usual. but unlike previous weeks, we mostly had only 1 activity planned per day.  we also had a rest day at home occassionally to catch up. :) none-the-less, they were quite exhausted after each day's happenings, and were usually in bed between 8 and 9pm!

kynan's on his roller-blades again. he has a new-found interest in trying to learn. (so much for "i think i'll put them away until i'm 10 or 11!")

i help him get them on, then he wobbles out the front door, and walk-skates up and down the corridor outside. he's fallen 4 times at last count. though dh and our old neighbour-lady are full of fright and fear, i think he's doing rather well. i don't know how to myself, so he's teaching himself. i leave him to it. he certainly has great persistance. if he wants to i know, he'll eventually succeed. somehow he always does....

a few weeks back he started 2-hr gym classes twice a week here in bishan. it's much more than i'd want, but it's all they offer, so no choice really. he loves it. his favourite bit was trampolening. now he says his best bits are hand-stands. we've put a balance-beam outside for him to practice on. in just 5 lessons i see incredible improvement, and a much sharper attention to detail, (such as the point of the toe, or position of a hand or foot.) he loves it, and even kay is leanring a thing or two!

montessori lessons still provide a very hands-on self-learning experience.  both kids are equally focused, just on differing age-specific activities. ky prefers to do again and again what he knows and likes. kay prefers to do a little of something old, and a little of something new. i find her looking around and asking in directions other than where she shd probably be for her age.  it's a pleasant motivator to kynan this, as he's then inclined to want to try what she's just done! :)

chinese speech and drama classes are ongoing, and they really seem to be a very light-hearted part of his week. he can proudly count to 8 now... or is it 10? i'm not much help unfortunately. kay enjoys a nice treat and a book or 2 with me next to the pool during that time. i thought we might swim again once our ears are properly well. 

we've not been swimming for many weeks because of illness, but we have fitted in an occassional playdate. unfortunately our old /and new  playgroup timings clash with gym and chinese class, so for the time being kay is not seeing much of her "little friends". she's really looking forward to her b'day party this tues though, as she knows she will see them then.

kynan has a movie nite next fri with his big buddies. (i've told him 1 or 2 may sleep over if they like.) it's a milestone for him... having taken good care of his sis for 3 years. he misses his friends who're mostly in school now, so this will be something fun. also, i know he's had a rough time coping with the growing demands of his little toddler sis who's now blossoming into a very-verbal-sparring-partner. so this is a little thank-you gift from me to him for being such a patient and loving big brother. :)

family weekends have been fun with a few late nights watching performances and staying up for fireworks. we're all glad daddy is recovering... and this is a rare priviledge which the kids appreciate.

my new part-timer has started. she is a much-needed pair of hands until i get my op done. i know i cant deny it. i do need help. she needs training, so that takes up quite a lot of time, as i need to be home with her twice a week now, 3hrs each.. i work alongside her for now, as it seems to give her greater confidence, and on my part - i know it gets the job done.  :)

my mum and special-needs sister are coming over to visit in 2weeks time. so having help to get the shelves and fans and behind and under things done, is great, as it's something i've not managed for the longest time. now at least they'll arrive to a homely but less dusty house! :)  they'll be staying 3 weeks which is plenty of time to show them the sites, some nature spots, and hopefully include a short stay on ubin too! the kids are sooooo excited... they have it all planned out!  but i'm sure we'll all need a holiday after it to recover!!!

such a time of flitting about is fun! it gets the adrenaline pumping. better yet, it leaves one with a whole bunch of excitable little butterflies...

just back from a lovely holiday in Koh Samui... but more details another day :)

we went swimming every day. kynan loved it...that and all the beachplay.  by the time we left, he'd progressed from kicking a few metres with his kickboard, to going back and forth across a small paddling pool. it made me think that mb he was ready for some swim lessons, like joining a class where the coach teaches them at the deep-end... he'd certainly built up his strength, and confidence too...

back in s'pore at YCK pool, the slide and fountain were closed for upgrading. so he got busy with his kickboard again.  i challenged him to kick across the width without putting his feet down. he took up the challenge, but after a bit, said he felt like he wasn't moving anywhere. by then he was halfway, so i walked alongside him. he made it to the opp side, exhausted....

he was proud to hear he'd won a $2 prize for his achievement, then promptly said he wanted to try again. i asked him to rest 1st, but he went off again.  looking rather wilted, i knew he wdnt make it.... well, he got halfway and seeing him struggling badly,  i told him it was ok to stop and try again another day... if he wanted to. 

he seemed relieved and stood up. then turned back and said, "it's ok, i'll start all over again." and he did.  he went back to e edge, shook out his arms, then kicked and made it to the end. i cdnt help but reward his great effort again. so another $2!  (e 1st he chose to spend on a snack for him and kay, while e 2nd went in his treasure box) we rarely give money to e kids, except for phenomenal help with chores on occassion. so this was something very special for him. did it stop there? i wish!  :b

2 days later i was poorer yet again!

this time we went to Bishan pool and got in e deep end, ard 1metre or so.  this time he had semi-deflated armbands on, and we played a game where we took turns throwing and racing to retrieve a frisbee.  after a while i told him he'd move faster if he lifted his butt and kicked behind him,  ie instead of tip-toeing about. so he did just that. then he naturally started moving his arms in doggy-paddle, which soon progressed to front-crawl. he kicked well and was actually swimming! i was astounded.

after a bit he asked if he cd try swim across e width. i asked him to wait until nxt time, as he looked exhausted. of course he had other plans though... got halfway across, then with encouragemnt made it to e end. he never put his feet down... so, like b4, i was $2 poorer!  he was so so proud...

now i've told him, "no more prizes until u swim the width with no armbands!...else i'll be bankrupt!" ( with no lessons, i'm thinking it mt happen just b4 he hits P1...)but then i may be wrong.

oh and kayla's progress?

in e shallows she's fine away from me, but in e deep pool, even with armbands on, she'll stick to me like a leech.  this week she taught herself something new:  "look mama, look wot i can do... me blowing bubbles!" and indeed she was...so we all went about e pool, noisily blowing bubbles together. and kay was very amused as they kept going up her nose. :)

well done my chickadees!!! your mama's very proud!

on Sunday we all overslept, so had to miss church :(  when we finally awoke, dmage was already done, so we lazed longer in bed.

e kids got up.  it was kynan who dressed kay and got her her breakfast. very sweet, they were both in their Sunday best and neither was keen to change...  we had a special outing planned for e day...

as we've bn learning abt food and growing produce, we took a trip to e farms. we went to 4 on Sunday: a couple that grew fruit and veg, + e goat dairy, and farmart.

...and what were our organic health food spoils?

-2 sticks of sugarcane that e kids sucked and nibbled on in the car.

-some wholemeal homemade breadbuns with apple, cinnamon and walnut.

-a bottle of chocolate-flavoured goats milk.

-free cooked quail eggs, which both e kids gagged on but i enjoyed.

-1 bag organic brown rice. (of which i'd tried a free sample in a medicinal-tasting chinese soup)

-crunchy fresh battered fish, fried on e spot.

-crunchy fried quail pieces. (dangerous small bones, but kay loved it, so i spent an eternity picking them out for her... she finished e lot! ..."like bacon mum!" :))

-2 cups preservative/ sugar-free icecream. v v v yummy treat to end e day! i had e honey, which was a delicious subtle creamy flavour. while e kids and bal liked e mango which was veeery sweet.

*e highlight of e day for kayla was feeding the goats. we didnt even buy a bag of hay... e kids just picked it up off e floor by scraping it together into little piles. e goats saw  what they were doing and waited hungrily at their feeding troughs.  :)

*e highlight of e day for ky, was holding a little white bunny in his hands, at a farmart petshop. at the same place, i marvelled at some beautiful golden-necked lovebirds... i wd have really bought a couple, but cringed at the thought of vacuming scattered birdseed each day...and oh, they wd look so much better free!

*bal was a star and drove us everywhere willingly, and in spite of the heat.... a big TQ darling!!!

last weekend was wonderful. one of those that make u feel like yr on holiday :)

Sat we spent e whole day at sentosa, palawan beach. we had lunch nxt to e landscaped stream, while e kids played forever in e sand, occassionally taking a dip in e stream to cool down. i'd forgotten how long kids can be entertained in the sand! :b it was nice for bal and i jus to relax in e cool breeze and people-watch while enjoying a meal. later we shifted to e beach under a shady tree, where e kids played some more in e sand. i lay on a mat while bal went off for a long swim. as evening drew nearer, we went across the rope bridge to e little island look-out, and e kids played alongside the calm shallow water, digging holes as deep as they cd go. no-one wanted to go back. it was just one of those nice clear pleasant days, and somehow if we'd closed our eyes we mt hv imagined we were on a desolate island somewhere...

when i got home i realised i'd got a sunburn. and unfortunately i hadnt been in my swimsuit, so hv ended up w sleeve marks across my upper-arms :( the kids thot it looked v amusing!

today we went for a New Zealand fair at Novotel, Clarke Quay. i'd spotted the ad in the paper, and was there more for the Maori dancing.

i wasnt dissapointed, and Bal was sure glad i dragged him along too! :) there were lots of yummy foods to try: super cheeses, unusual soups, fab and not-so-fab wines, light beer, super-hot sauces with delectable tandoori chicken, quiche, superb vanilla and honeycomb icecream...and not-forgetting the crackers and dark chocolate...which the kids couldnt get enough of!

the dancers were great, and performed a number of different pieces, with the hakka last... this is something like a battle warning cry to their enemies... ie "now's your chance to get-the-*-out of here!" it was pretty fierce, with lots of screaming, slapping of thighs, stamping of feet, and wide-eyed glares with tongues sticking-out, which all seemed so primeval amongst us "educated" and fully-dressed city-dwellers. 

the songs were eerily soothing, and the voices were held perfectly with just a guitar for accompaniment.  they had fluid movements and their whole bodies translated the songs and the mood conveyed.  the young maori ladies had chin tattoos and wore simple printed skirts and blouses overlayed with dried reed stalks. the guys were very ehem natural. there chests were bare, adorned simply  with a necklace of whale-bone or shell. a large hawks' feather ear-ring touched the shoulder. their lips were smeared with a purplish tattoo.  a woven waistband held in place dried reeds, which barely covered their butts and bits. on their legs were prominent maori tattoos.  (well, all marker-pen apparently...but no-one cd tell!)

the kids were transfixed. bal watched in wonder.  i was amazed...  it was such an unusaul and beautiful way to spend a Sunday afternoon... and something each one of us really enjoyed immensely! 

the place was a-buzz with foreigners... little kids running and gawking in every direction.  sadly though, barely a local about.. what a sorely missed opportunity! 

had a quick trip away, just dh, myself and the kids. the drive was good, as the kids slept some of the way. both kids hated the stops because of the flies on them & their food. kay started roaring at them, not that it did much good! :) dh bemoaned the hygiene levels at the foodstalls. i noticed however that the toilets were cleaner than most public loos in Singapore.

the hotel equatorial was a welcome respite. we had a club room again, so went straight up, w/o the hassle of check-in queus. the view was lovely this time, one balcony overlooking the pool. the other looked over some older residential homes, with greyish smoke-shrouded hills vanishing behind. we got an extra bed and cot, and the kids n i chilled and unpacked while bal went exploring. we ordered room service for an early dinner, and bal came back with some chilled drinks just in time. then we popped across to explore the shopping centres, ambling in a light rain inbetween buildings. some nice warm goey-choc-marshmallow-cake gave us just enuff energy to make our way back...

across the road, beneath the new shopping-mall, we made our way through a meandering heritage gallery...the usual cheap hand-made/ factory-made curios. while walking, we came upon an iguana on a step-stool, (taking a break from his tourist photography job outside). he was so colourful and beautiful to look at, and tame as can be. the kids touched him, and kay was absolutely fascinated. she stroked him countless times, chuckling as his back-spines tickled her hand. and even more surprised when he turned his head to look at her. "look mama, he moved! look, he's got 2 eyes. look, they're moving!" it was hard to pull her away, and when we caught up with bal and ky, they'd already bought a small iguana squeaky-toy.  kay then spent forever trying to choose a baby crocodile to be it's friend. (the waiting was made a whole lot worse by the unbearable smell of rotten eggs coming from a stall but one foot away!)  i was glad to leave... after that, a short walk past the cannons, and some 200-year-old trees, and an old school...and then we were back at our hotel... then bath, story, and early to bed. for the kids, not us ;)

unfortunately, the next morning we had to request a room-change. our kampong neighbours had been lighting bonfires in the night, and the smoke drifted directly into our room. ky's asthma had worsened, and i was wheezing all night. at breakfast dh was suggesting we just go back early. of course i declined... the kids hadnt yet had their trishaw ride :) and i wanted another piece of that goey choc cake ! ;)

so after sniffing out 2 rooms and 4 balconies on the opposite side of the hotel, we were all set for a more enviro-friendly night. one of the new balconies overlooked the back of a school, where some students had pitched tents for a school-holiday-camp.  the other had us looking over the shiny new rooftop of a shopping cntr opposite, and another construction-site alongside. behind that lay the palace (?) gardens, the fort, and church up on the old hill. while nearer the horizon, the modern city roads met some highway, with the sea as a backdrop, and away beyond that to the right, lay an island not far from the shore. this place is all about contrasts. with the awful pal of smog hanging over the whole area, i wished for a moment to be on that island.

ky was still coughing, but keen to go swimming. so that's what we did. bal went off exploring again, while the kids and i got some sun. the water was chilly, but i got in.  ky didnt care and went from one pool to the other messing about. kay stayed near me, pouring water on the plants, and being girly. bal returned later, played w the kids a bit, then fell asleep on a deck-chair. lunch was at about 3or4pm... pizza, fries and satay for me and the kids, while bal had something light. we attempted to do more window-shopping but didnt get very far...kay was simply too tired, and neither bal nor i had the energy to carry her...

but we managed to stop by a nice little kiddy-store selling educational toys. it's called "elly's". i could have bought so many things there, and the kids were very well occupied. in the end, we settled for 2: a monkey-math balance game, and one of a series of mind-challenge-games...ours being one about pirates (easy guess who chose that ;) then we headed back for a snooze :) bal let us sleep too long though. we really didnt want to go...but we dragged everyone up...with promises of a trishaw ride!

so off we went! the boys went in one and the girls in the other. we had bright lights flashing on ours, while the boys had blaring music. we stopped at the pedestrianised night-market. it was a-buzz with people, and i had to hold the kids tight for fear of losing them. we were slow shoppers so bal went on his way and met up with us later....and just in time too!...i needed the all-important $! ...and what were our spoils?  -2boxes pineapple tarts (1 for me & 1 for mil), a necklace for me (which ky chose), 2 necklaces for my sil's, + a cricket, a grasshopper, a cockroach and a frog (the kids wanted them...imitation of course)

the next morning we did very little, then headed back to singapore. we stopped 4 or 5 times, as dh was sleepy, and i was just all cramps from sitting down! dont think we'll be going back for a while... it was a nice break... you know the feeling...no regular routine, (which for me means no housework, washing-up, cleaning, or daily chores hanging over my head) but i think dh liked it...anything to break the cycle of work, eat, sleep.

perhaps our next break will see us getting some more fresh air from a beach getaway...

Homeschool:

-is going wonderfully! We're all enjoying it.  Kynan just told me tonight that because of it, every day is the best!  Which is a great pat on the back for me :) Kay is a great "sitter" and doesnt need occupying much during leson time. When she's had enuff, she'll just play with whatever manipulatives, puzzles etc are hanging about. So we're covering a nice amt of work, and going beyond what i'd hoped in some areas. Kynan is showing strength in grasping maths concepts, and his writing has improved tremendously. Kay likes singing, and painting, and shows skill in phonics and rhyme. Just from my work with Kynan, she can now recognise small letters a-g. She also picks up new Malay words well, and occasionally says them out-of-the-blue.

Ky's developmnts:

-Night-training has bn put on the back-burner for now, for after 2 mo's of me waking him, he's now showing less will-power than before. As i don't want the effort to be all on my part, we've both agreed to leave it for now, and try again in 6mo's or so.

-His trainer-wheels have just come off his bike and he's had one sesion downstairs with me...hard to kp Kay out the way though while trying to teach him... so i think he's gonna hv to just learn this gradually on his won. He took his bike out and went ard the house today, which i'm ok with, just trying to get his balance w/o peddling. In oticed he was able to take his feet off the floor at times, adn still remain upright, so that's some improvement.

-He's overcome his fear of being left alone at Chinese class. It's only 1.5hrs long, but it was a big milestone for him. Took him abt 2 mo's to settle. Last week it was granny who did the dropping and fetching while i took Kay to the dentist. He was great! He says that now he's 5 he's ok. Since the w/end he's been asking when it's gonna be Friday. (ie his Chinese lesson day :)) And just today i overheard him singing many times over:  "I love to go to Chinese class"... which both Kay and I thought was rather amusing.

-his fav animal has been a horse for the longest while. before that it was foxes. his fav colour rt now is purple. while not so long ago it was black and dark blue.

Kay's developments:

-she talks a lot when home just with the family.

-she's relating well with Kynan, and they can play together for hours, esp if they are both well fed and rested.

-Kay's a night-owl....loves to be up late with mommy. for now i dont mind as she's not too rowdy and helps me get my chores done.

-she's a real daddy's girl.... very sad if he goes out w/o 1st giving her a kiss and a hug! and likewise for coming-home-time!

-she's growing well, eating well, tall but not chubby. but, trying to get her to eat fruit and veg requires a great deal of perseverance!  (she's a meat, dairy and carb fanatic)

-her favourite colour is yellow rt now. so no more pink phew! and she likes pockets!

-her fav animals are cats and "good doggies".

Bal's busyness:

-Bal has been very busy of late...partly because of work, and partly because of a Masters course which he's doing part-time. inbetween that, there's still the usual camps and special school functions which he has to organise...so most nights he's completely tied to his laptop, then the sofa briefly for CSI or Singapore Idol, then bed.  :)

Our weekends are wonderful as we make a point of getting out the house and spending time as a family.  Our usual haunts are the parks, east coast, the zoo, the reservoirs, Esplanade waterfront, church on Sundays, and a visit to Dadima (granny) in the afternoon. if it rains, we mt end up at the airport, Marina, or Suntec Shopping Ctrs. (not my fav, but it gets us out! :))

-Me:

Being a fulltime SAHM (stay-at-home-mum) keeps me rather busy, what with cleaning the house, taking care of my plants, cooking, shopping, playgrounds, playdates with friends, weekly library trips, occassional doctor's aptmts, and of course a little prep and homeschool time thrown in...makes for never-a-boring day! oh and we recently had a couple of visits from a travelling friend, so that got me out-and-about to both unusual and favoured tourist spots.

I enjoy my free-time a lot. there seems to be so much more of it this year. i have more time to just play, or sit and listen to the kids. and of course, my computer time is quite high, but only once everyone's asleep.  :b

I recently had my wallet stollen from my bag at j8 Popular. It infuriated me (and Bal especially!)...and having to settle cards with banks etc is no pleasant task. both our IC'S were lost and still havent turned up, so that's going to be a veeery expensive hole in our pockets!  :(  onc bitten twice shy. we guard our bag now. wherever we go, kynan stays watch if i step one foot away from the stroller. my little guard dog,...i wander ig he'd bite? :b

Not so long ago we had a ladies' nite out. my 1st snce Ky was born. it was great, and nerve-wrecking to leave the kids alone with Bal for the 1st time...thank goodness his mum had off work that nite. Only 1 small grouse...he took them to see the reservoir... instead of to Dadima's for dinner... so the poor kids only ate ard 9+pm, (instead of the usual 6pm)... they were apparently ravenous! They survived though, in fact they were most well-behaved, and Kay didnt even cry... so here's to many more such endeavours in the near future i think!!!

 Chinese New Year has come and gone.... (and thank goodness most of our neighbours' fascination with incense-paper burning has subsided for the time being!...)  Well, we had an invite to go over for dinner at Bal's workmates' rather pleasant landed property. it was nice to actually meet some new people and indulge in totally adult conversation. (the kids played alone just inside the doorway for a few hrs... while e adults had steamboat dinner out on the front lawn beneath the stars.) amongst conversations of politics, neighbouring countries, and families, the guests also spoke of dance-clubs and babysitting arrangements, and family-n-friends lunch get-togethers. this is so unlike Bal and I and where we're at rt now. and although these couples had kids in their late teens, it felt like we were the ones showing our age! but let's see what becomes of it :)