Happy 2014

Today is the last day in 2013. What have I done?? Juggling between work, 2 kids and home. Hope 2014 will be a bit more relaxing or at least I can handle the juggling better than 2013.

I am off work between Christmas and New Year. Had a bit too much time on hand. I cleared my store rooms hoping to make more space for more stuff later. :)

I took the kids to my parents', Jungle Gym and watch a movie, Frozen, and had a party with the kids' play-dates. I had my shopping fix one day when I was so bored....I came back with 2 pairs of shoes and 2 handbags!

What is my resolution for 2014?? I have stopped making resolution. I will happily forget about it in no time. For a start, I am trying an new hair stylist for a haircut on New Year's day. And this year, we are not painting the town red. We are doing the countdown at home, away from the buzz in the city like the last 2 years.

B-Daman

I pronounce the boys' toy for 2013 is B-Daman. I do not know how and where the fever started, but he has been collecting these and still collecting them. Each time we go shopping, the question is always 'Can I buy a B-Daman?". Once he started selecting, the next question is "Can I buy more than 1?" Looking at his collection and it is growing...

Lucas took this picture himself!

Merry Christmas

This Christmas is quiet and it is good. We had too much time and didn't know what to do...we just go with the flow and it is now almost over. We watched Home Alone. The kids enjoyed it and were laughing so hard especially on the tricks Kevin played on the 2 thieves.

Merry Christmas all.

Chloe has been nagging on me for days to bake ginger bread. We finally managed to find some time on the eve to bake those cookies. They just wanted to decorate the cookies, not so much in making them or eating them.

Lucas's work. The right cookie in red and yellow is supposed to be the gingerbread man in bikini.

 Chloe's work

 

The yearly pose with the grandparents.

Opening presents on the eve at the grandparents'house

Opening presents on their own home on Christmas day.

 

They end their Christmas Day with a White Christmas, ie bubble bath

Penang

After the 2 nights in farmstay, we drove another 2 hours to Penang, a civilised place. See the different activities the kids were doing.

We were visiting Armenian Street, a very arty street to visit. Shying away from the magician.

She is pretending to be surprised

 Barely 5 mins walk, they have to have their ice-cream break



This is a very famous painting on Armenian Street. We have to queue to take this picture.

Some time playing with the sand while waiting for lunch

This is their all time favourite, TV.

Pleased to find her shop

Her face says it all

Farmstay

The kids are on school holiday. We took them to a farmstay, run by a friend and her husband. Trying to introduce nature to the 2 city kids. It was not bad at all. The first day, they were ok with no complaints. On the second day, they were so warm up and were at ease with the animals and cow dungs. The farmstay is about 3 1/2 hour drive on highway and another 20 mins ride on 4 wheel drive. It is quite high up in the mountain and is not accessible by 4 wheel drive. With the altitude, there is no need for fan or air-con. The nature air is just nice. This farmstay has no electricity. It runs on solar and generator during night time. The water is piped in from the nearby stream. This farm used to be a tea plantation...understandably with the high altitude. The tea plantation company has since gone burst. Without electricity, there is no fridge. So, you can't stock up on meat. There is a cooler box which can keep food good for 1 - 2 days. A very good experience for all of us.

This is our farmstay. We were looking the at cactus. The burnt thing on the background is home made charcoal. Nothing goes to waste here. It is naturally almost self sustain.

This is where we slept. This house used to be the manager's house during tea plantation days. It has kitchen and bathroom and toilet with proper sewerage.

 This is the kids' all time favourite activities. This is the Jacuzzi, the stream with clear water and the water is cold too. And near here is where all three of them got the leech bite.

This is the kitchen. It has gas stove and even gas powered oven. Most of the vegetables we ate are grown in the farm.

Our dining table.

This beautiful flower is literally called Çhicken Shit Flower'(Bunga Tahi Ayam)

Walking uphill to see the eucalyptus tree

Preparing food to feed the poultry and rabbits.

The youngest helper also wants to feed.

 

Pushing the food to feed the poultry in a wheelbarrow.

Feeding the chicks

Everybody loves to feed the chicks.

Feeding the rooster and turkeys

Collected the freshly laid eggs

 

  

Chloe's Christmas Play

Chloe's school had a Christmas play before the term ends. She is the bird and the production is made by teachers and children age 4 to 5. The parents made the costumes and the teacher teaches the kids the songs and the play.

Her costumes as the bird

The 'birds' are flocking together

With Daddy after the show

First Trip with Girlfriends

I took a weekend trip to Bali 2 weekends ago with my primary school and secondary school classmates. Friends I've known for more than 30 years!! We sure had lots of fun and vow to take more trips together.

Sunglasses

I always admired aviator sunglasses. I think they are so cool but I could not find a suitable pair. A few weeks ago, I was determined to get a pair, and I found one that fits me!
I bought it and brought home, put it on the table.
Lucas saw it and wear it. I said you look so cool. Let's take a picture. Chloe took the picture.
Then Chloe wore it and Lucas took a picture of her.
They had fun playing with the aviator sunglasses. So, not only I think it is cool, my kids agree with me too!