Doing kumon homework

Happy 14th Anniversary!

Awesome gong gong

Happy Blessed Birthday Mr Gong Gong!

A thoughtful, loving and sacrificial  grandfather! 

My heartfelt prayer

Amen!!

My latest hairstyle

Actually I had this same hairstyle when I was 16! 

Movie night: Despicable Me 2

Brought the kids out for our Friday night movie! Can you sense their excitement ??

Sentosa Tradition

We started our annual Sentosa staycation 3 years ago when Gabriel was only 2 years old! Our luggages were like a week's overseas vacation! We had to bring diapers, milk bottles and my emergency first aid kit!  My hubby lamented why did I plan such an exhausting trip then!  But after we started this tradition, we realized it brought us priceless memories and opportunities to bond! We were trapped as a family in one sense, and we were forced to just enjoy each other without other distractions. We had more time looking into each other eyes and hear each other. Indeed , we gained more than we lost!!!  Now I know I can look back with rich memories and i believe those moments had bonded us closer than ever!!! 

Take time to laugh!

Simple joy, rich memories!

Enjoy your children, they will grow up sooner than you think. U will give anything to hear them laugh, whine and to see them play or just do nothing with them. They will be in the home for only so long. Take time to slow down and enjoy the journey with them. Be happily involved , be actively engaged. Be intentional in making meaningful beautiful memories. It takes discipline and training to draw a line and declare I'm slowing down, I may have less but I have more laughter, memories and hands cheering u on when u need them. It is the simple things that truly mean the most. Have simple fun, and make rich memories! 

U dun need to spend big bucks to go for expensive holiday. i love to deliberately trap ourselves in a small island Sentosa for 3D 2N. That forced our family to spend intentional time together meaningfully without other distractions!

Our marriage is like a cactus; strong and resilient

We have created our very own history , story and legacy. Like any other journeys , we had our fair share of ups and downs in those countries that we resided. We rejoiced over the birth of our firstborn, Val but we also mourned over my two miscarriages in Shanghai. Then we had our toughest journey in parenting when Ven and Gab came along after the painful lost. But we took it with stride and perseverance, of course with a pinch of fierce fights! Slowly we build our wonderful intentional family memories together with our three gorgeous children. Now, we truly enjoy our beautiful family that we know we don't deserved. We have so much flaws, weaknesses and inadequacies. Grace is the gift that He has given us! Apart from Him, we can do NOTHING. We went through it together, learning and overcoming each storms with ugly wounds and bruises that healed eventually. Our love deepened gradually, our beliefs and dreams for our family slowly emerged, our unwavering support for each other strengthened as we sailed through those inevitable storms. We have come so far, our relationship is like CACTUS. They are strong and resilient in the toughest environments . Likewise, our marriage is like this cactus. As long as we keep our eyes on Jesus , we will triumph over numerous surprised storms that come our way. Happy and blessed 14th Anniversay my dearest hubby!

Val's handmade clay minion

She is so excited to sell it. I guess she has this strand of entrepreneurship in her......

For my dearest hubby!

I'm using my last ounce of energy to cook your comfort food; silverfish omelette and Sesame Oil Chicken 麻油鸡!!! I know u had a super long day today plus it was an intensive conference ( hmmm so unlike my interesting hands-on homemaker conference). So this is my way to say a big THANK YOU for working so hard for our family being so involved and balancing work and family life!!!

Not in my guilt list....

I realized mummies beat themselves up so much. We feel guilty all the time. I'm guilty for so much things from trivial to complex parenting issues. Hmmm making a list about the opposite, free me from this crippling guilt. I want to be a joyful and confident mummy and I'm going to give Grace to myself and people around me! What isn't on my guilt list as a Mumster.... 

1. Being extremely silly infront of my kids 2. Cooking their favorite meals 

3. Spending on short holidays at sentosa 4. Teaching Val life and study skills 

5. Baking with kids even though it is extremely messy and unpredictable 

6. Hugging and kissing my children a zillion times 

7. Reading and making up my own stories  

8. Praying , memorizing verses and singing praises 

9. Having three kiddos!! But I'm stopping at that number! 

10. Apologizing to my kiddos when I was wrong and when i had my meltdowns.... 11. Not giving up when I had no help when things were rough in the beginning ...

The next Great Baker

Our usual way to bond, to laugh, to just enjoy each other.

Bangkok Homemaker conference June 2013

I have informed my hubby that I signed up for a 3D2N "Homemaker 2013" conference held in Bangkok. This conference offers very hands on experiences that cover difficult topics like 

1. Ad hoc buying vs Strategic planning

2. Cost savings vs cost cutting 

3. Budgeting vs smart decision making 4. 4. Power shopping vs carefree shopping 5. Effective Communication to meet financial targets 

6. Coping strategies and relaxation therapies .

 Performance management and appraisal will be conducted back "home". It will be more effective if homemakers attend such conferences quarterly to feel equipped and trained for their job back home . Hmmmm....I'm pretty sure I will be motivated, adequate and informed after such a conference!

Mummy of 3!

Being a mother of 3, I'm fully convinced that I will never be the perfect or even a super mum. I have my baggages, my inadequacies, my weaknesses, my immense fear, my challenges that I need to overcome daily. But I have given my best shot in this mothering role since day 1, making sacrifices and challenging myself to overcome my own baggages and difficulties. Likewise, I strongly believe my parents have give them best shot in my childhood. They are not perfect either, yet they gave the best they could. Just like what my innocent children claimed that I'm the best mum in the world , I chuckled in my heart how naive they can be. I wish could be as cool as some mummies, or as patient as that mummy down the street, or even as capable as a working mum who handles work and family so well. These endless comparison is only going to make me miserable. I learn that just being the real me, giving my best and creating intentional memories for my family is what I need to do for

I made up my mind before I left for our family Hong Kong trip 2012

I choose sanity this holiday in Hong Kong. I know it will never be a perfect trip, there will be the usual meltdowns , whinnings , inconveniences and hiccups. But we can still enjoy this long awaited trip there. The children are excited and I need to just let my hair down and just have fun with the kids! There are beautiful memories to be created there as a family! Who cares if they are messy , who cares if they are not wearing matching scarfs, hats and jeans... Who cares if we miss the ride, who cares if they whines, I must make a choice to be HAPPY and shake the unhappy moments quickly and return to my 'ready to have fun' mode!!!

Treasure TODAY!!

Sometimes we plan so much about giving our loved ones a better this and that..... Thinking those "things" are the best for them. So we slog, we plan, we give our most precious time away to build the "dream" gift. Then, we are left with little energy everyday for them and soon years go by subtly.......Children grow up faster than we think, our parents grow older sooner than we imagine and by the time we are ready...... Our loved ones do not need it anymore. They do not need extravagant possessions, whatever we "thought" will give them happiness, they just need our undivided attention, our little time and unconditional love. ;)