Settling in...

It's been 10 days since we're here yet hardly a routine has settled in. Too much going on :) !! Nonetheless, girls are getting more comfortable in our 'home' and i'm easing into the cooking - caring - schooling - cooking - cleaning routine. R even helped do some of the chopping for dinner :)

It's only been a few days of cooking and i'm already out of ideas of what to cook ! Bad eh. So all of you out there with easy to cook - throw in a slow cooker, or put straight in oven - type of recipes - please send over ! Desperately NEEDED. Seriously. Thanks Lil - got your link.

I still haven't picked up the guts to drive. Louisa Academy has also yet to fully function ;P (effectively). The wheels are being oiled though so hopefully we'll get there.

These few days have been very much resource gathering - stocking up supplies at the local stationery and crafts store, and building up our reading lists for our curriculum ahead. I think we've accomplished all of 2hrs of sit down work per day (only mon and wed) in the mornings, and that was it !! That's school. Very chiat lat, i know. But, it's a start.

Being totally in the thick of it where the kids' education is concerned is very reassuring yet scary, and altogether a humbling experience. It is a huge responsibility and those who home-school their kids are really such an inspiration to me. I'm flabbergasted by the amount of knowledge, research and work that really has to be done on the parent's part to be able to nurture curious young minds in the most optimal manner.

To ready myself for the role ahead, i spent some time going through some home schooling websites (largely angie's ) and checking out the curriculums used. Ideally, this should have been done prior to my being here - but aiyo - my life was chaotic enough back home.

So back to home-schooling. Gosh, i must say after reading Angie's blog, i'm so hugely embarressed. The amount of thought and effort that goes into nurturing the kids - i fall so far behind, it's not even funny. And everything that we take for granted - such as sending the kids to primary school - is a considered decision, and one that is opted out of in the end. One where many of us would swing the other extreme - joining associations, volunteering and scheming the buying and renting of homes just so as to get our kids into the 'best' schools we think we know to be. Yes, am guilty as charged.

But while i certainly can appreciate the many benefits of home-schooling, the jury is still out for me - largely because i'm not confident i could do a good job. These coming months though, i am committed to be able to handle my brood and nurture them as best i can. (like i say, for sanity, premium outlets are just 20mins away - heh !)

So i took the kids to the Library (again) on Tuesday, by BUS, and hoarded up as i furiously copied down the many recommendations from home-school sites on reading lists the night before. I must have some 50 library books at this moment in my home ! I just kept going back through the shelves for more. By the 3rd time i queued to check out (so 'pai seh' - embarressed - already) i sent my trusty proxy (Rachel) to borrow the books instead :p (heh!)

So right now, the girls are being exposed to poetry (i never did read to them poetry previously), and we're reading Peterkin Papers (about the Peterkin family who complicate even the simplest tasks - written in 1926 tho' so language takes some getting used to - for C at least), Shirley Hughes' Alfie series, and Little House in the Big Woods (which i intend to read aloud to the girls). I myself am trying to set aside some reading time for me and am getting through Howard Pyle's "The Wonder Clock", which a P1 home-schooled child had already completed ;P. Haiz, not sure how far my ambitious plans would get accomplished, especially since we don't even have a timetable as yet, and the girls already want to do craft tomorrow !

Oh well, guess we need some artwork to 'liven' up our little abode anyways and i might even get to do some scrapping (one can hope, ya... hee !) on the side !

sigh... i miss my 'me' time - now realising how spoilt i was previously ;P

Wish me luck as i continue on my sojourn !

ps: do u know i actually hold a military id now.... eeeks !

So jetlagged !

Harro Harro !!

am still sooooo jetlagged. By noon i'm literally falling off my chair ! Today was the worst - i actually caught myself standing in front of the stove while preparing lunch, and waiting for the soup to boil and i was nodding off !!! hahaha !

Yea - have started to settle in and christianed my kitchen with some simple home cooked food. And amazingly EVERYTHING is available here !! There's a chinese supermarket, and i hear even a Jap one. There's even DAISO which i certainly plan on visiting... soon ! So all the Lee Kum Kee sauces and even packet Hainanese Chicken Rice mix is available ! Of cos' all at a price - but then, at least cravings can be satisfied.

House is still very bare but comfortable enough - and girls are just lapping up the experience. Today, I became the proud member of the Public Library too and gosh, you all must hear this.

There is NO LIMIT on the number of books you can borrow !! And R was like .."even up to a hundred, mommy ?" AND the range is just AMAZING ! The girls of cos' had a swell swell time. C couldn't even get past the 'B' shelf cos' there was just so many she wanted to get ! AND DVDs were just 50cents for a week - so really quite spoilt we're gonna be ;p Looks like that's going to be our regular haunt - well, that is once i'm confident enough to start driving !

Well just to show you some shots of how we are living - here's my spartan home.... kids' room is the nicest ;P And we actually have a real live fireplace which is at the moment indispensable cos' still freezing cold in mornings and evenings !

(the 'lame' sofa - in R's words, which we haven't yet got a cover for ;P )the kids' room - which is the nicest part of the entire house - courtesy of hubby's efforts ;P , and their linking vanity and ensuite bathroom.

goodbye - for now !

It's finally quiet and the girls are asleep after an exhilarating cap to R's maiden 2-night dance performance at Victoria Theatre. Guess we are all set to begin our new adventure tomorrow !

This past month has just been crazy and totally memorable to say the least. I've had to tough it out, and learn to plan, balance, juggle like i've never before. There's been much tears, frustration, anger and anxiety, yet, i'm happy to have lived through the process and cherish the memories - the good and the ugly ;P.

All of you, my dear dear friends, sisters and family - thank you. You can't imagine the role you have played in keeping me afloat. I really would have been in pieces if not for your constant support, reassurances, and company to keep me sane, happy and going :P

This past month, I've been simply overwhelmed and touched by your generosity and love. Thank you so much for all the thoughtful presents, love and and well wishes that you have showered on us. We are indeed so blessed and fortunate to have all of you in our lives. R and C are gonna miss their friends so so much. This is my constant nagging guilt at the moment - that i've wrenched them away to be 24hrs cooped up with me !!! poor things - yeeeks !!!

I'm soooo sad to have to miss out on the milestones happening here too - the new babies, the new homes, and all the 'gossip' !! Cannot leave me out just because i'm physically not here ya ! Must send lots of pix and make sure you keep me virtually posted and in the loop on everything !!! I will certainly do my part to update my blog as often as i can so do drop me comments or email me often k ? Sigh... i'm soo gonna miss you all.

Honestly, this virtual channel may be my only other prime pillar of emotional support to keep my sanity intact - the other being those outlet malls 20mins away from my new home (heh ! Heh !!!). So keep those shopping lists coming ya ... donch pai se - i'll be quite happy to be your personal shopper !

So til' you hear from me from American shores.... take care and love you all !

Hugs
L

roller coaster

Hey all,
sorry for the silence. It's been a horrible week for me - one of those you just want to disappear under the covers and not appear for a while, but since that's certainly not an option, you trudge on.

I've experienced deep sadness, anger and plain confusion over the bizarre ways of the world. Yet, through it all, i am so grateful for the love of my family - the wonderful support and steadfastness of hubby, without whom i wouldn't know how to deal with the circumstances; and my girls, who have been mature beyond belief and deserve a medal for their good behavior and for bringing me so much joy and comfort. I appreciate them oh so much...

Needless to say, it's been zero on the scrapping front :( sigh... so want to get into it, but no mood...

To my friends who were there for me, listening to me rant and tear, thank you thank you thank you. The worst is over and i'm on the mend - smiling and happy again. After all, it is the Lunar New Year in 2 days !! It's gonna be a tornado around here in the coming weeks - but it's all good :)

Gong Xi Fa Cai to all my Chinese friends !!

MamaMia! & A-mei*

What a big weekend !

If you've heard enough of Jonas Brothers, Hannah Montana and High School Musical - take kiddos to watch Mama Mia !. It's possibly the corniest show around but so TOTALLY entertaining !! Of cos' it helps buckets if you're an ABBA fan like i am - or otherwise just gawk at Peirce Brosnan who's totally mature and handsome in there.... :)

We took the girls on Saturday, but while they may not understand the total content of the show (which is perfect - some bits way tooo adult) at least the music has rubbed off and now they ask for the ABBA CD to be played (instead of whiny Miley Cyrus) and can mumble the choruses of Dancing Queen and Mama Mia.... Soon, they SHALL master my childhood favs - Chiquitita, I have a Dream and Thank you for the Music.... muahhhahaha!


AND A-mei* - was the most electrifying concert i've ever been to !!!

ok, i haven't been to many, but still - that gal's got the vocal prowess to match Mariah Carey's and after 3 hrs of just blasting hit after hit and all that high-energy dancing - she was simply PITCH perfect, every single note. And listening to her ballads - i couldn't help but have goose bumps and tear. AND having the whole INDOOR stadium sing in unison along with her, was just something i've never ever experienced.

Guess our kids' repertoire is very much the result of our own music tastes. But more than that, I want to give my kids the gift of music - to appreciate first and foremost - as many genres as possible, then to play (if they can and are willing to) an instrument cos' being able to create music for yourself is just magical and simply to enjoy the process of it all. So if you do have kids who take up piano, violin or whatever - please don't pressure them - at the end of the day, it's not the exams they pass or how much money had been spent cultivating this, but the fact that they are able to enjoy music and what emotively it can nurture, help, and heal - that is music's true gift.

So back to A-mei - While i may not have enjoyed as many of her fast and noisy numbers as i did her ballads, the showmanship was just superb. Nonetheless, i do appreciate the technicalities - the really good band she had put together (many of whom are Singaporeans i must add) and the difficulties of putting together a faster, more complicated piece - music-wise.

ANd i've concluded - to be able to move to the beat and hold a note (again, if possible - cos' some can't help themselves and are just tone deaf) is quite important cos' it just makes one more socially and individually complete..

This thought because I had a row of - k.. we shall just call them young girls and boys - girls in micro short shorts and all talking loud - but who ALL wanted to be seen as real cool, but the moment they started clapping and shaking and singing - OMG !!! CANNOT make IT !!

hahaha... lucky R and C can shake their bons well-enough already :P ... now just need to work on the big Man !!! muahhahahaha!!

Enroute to Kindergarten

Today was the K1 information session at C's school. It basically informed parents of what their kids would be learning and equipped with in the year ahead, appropriately starting with the qualification that it was a big leap from nursery to kindergarten, but came the swift reassurance that our kids would manage fine.

All this while, i was getting sweaty palms and rolling my eyes, as slide after slide, the teachers went through how C was going to be taught how to count, add, subtract and introduced to concept of groups (precursor to multiplication and division), write, spell phonetically and read.

I was totally flummoxed !!!! How can C achieve all that from where she is at the moment !! I could not imagine. In my eyes, she was still my little one. I guess i better start snapping out of it soon or i'm just gonna 'do her in'. Achievement is all about setting the standards and motivating one to get there on their own, isn't it ? AND Mandarin - 1st week alone, they would be taught to recognise words like sun, moon, join up pictures to the mandarin characters, and attempt writing them... Oh my, stressed...

To Chiltern House's credit, they were very professional about it all, and made me feel at least curriculum wise, they certainly knew what they were doing. I just hope in execution and delivery, they can fulfil their expectations of what their own curriculum sets out to achieve. Of course, nurturing a kid is never the sole responsibility of the teachers/ school. At least i believe that. So herein comes the inevitable guilt. Sigh... i am just not devoting enough one-on-one time with C, playing with her - and just exploring the world of learning. AND just celebrating the things she can and have mastered like these....

C and friends - drawn on white board.
She dug out magnets from her magnet box randomly
and decorated the pic of her pals --- too sweet

this one is hilarious !!
Check-out the hair-dos !!!
Names written totally do not correspond with the figures
as interpreted by C :)

They just make me smile............ how can i ask for any more ? i must remember to treasure each step as they come... i must...

Drama

We had drama in the house tonight ... yup the chair throwing, yelling, kick dustbin type.... no kidding.

The protagonists - me, papa and R.

The issue - a fat little lie. From R.

The issue (really..) - me getting too emotional about the lie.

The reflections... ok, here we go...

It's getting harder and harder to discipline kids these days. You would think when you confront them over a fault (in this case - THE lie), you would get the eyes lowered, a sheepish, frightened look, head bent cowered in fear. But nooooo..... you get the talk back, the 'but thens' and the 'what ifs' !!!

And all this from one not yet even 7.

Sigh... but here's the clincher.... and who's the bigger culprit of the moment - yup, the mother. For getting all emotional and yelling all sorts of (from the husband's point of view) non-constructive gibberish like 'how can you do this"... "i am so disappointed".... "i'm not going to care anymore ..." But get this, who's the one who did the chair throwing and the dustbin kicking ?? Not me.

Naturally, the discussion gravitated away from the content of the moment (the LIE), to the larger issue of how i actually deal with and handle our elder child. The emotional outbursts from R are admittedly likely provoked by mine - but then again i was brought up in a house where only adults are allowed these outbursts, not kids. Yet, we can't quite bring up kids in the same fashion it seems, likely because we consciously give them tools, encourage and motivate their critical ability. So everytime an 'issue' ignites, it seldom becomes one of complete silence with the authoritarian reigning supreme, but a shared power struggle that mostly (because we 2 girls are so inept at making sense when we get all flustered and angry) degrades into an emotional bloodbath that becomes totally blown out of proportion.

Nonetheless, R has graciously accepted her punishment - 2 days of zero allowance and no computer games for the week, and duly warned that a cane would be bought promptly tomorrow (to which she answers her dad "but you have to work tomorrow what ..."), where she would get the taste of 2 smacks for the next time, if ever, and 5 for the subsequent time (yup, she has never been caned before in her life...).

Guess what was more disturbing was why she needed to lie to me in the first place. While i try not to over-read the situation, it does leave me pondering on the gaps in a seemingly fragile mother-daughter relationship, that has to be constantly nurtured. Sigh... what a way to end a relatively nice week together... But guess that's what makes parenthood challenging ya ? sigh....

Timelessness of Ballerinas

I just returned from the Singapore Ballet Academy's 50th anniversary gala concert, and I was struck at how time has seemed to make no impact on poise and beauty. It was a really significant moment watching the Alumni of SBA, some already in their 60s and 70s, take the stage and perform an item in all the grace and poise that appeared to not have lapsed at all. Dance, in its nature and artform, i guess, calls one to take pride in oneself, and this becomes so much a part of who you are that invariably, one just blooms so beautifully. I am inspired. I would be grateful if i can be just a measure of what these beautiful women i've seen today, 30 years from now. Thankfully, i've started my girls on dance :) :)

I appreciate ...

What started out as a showcase of my scrap works for well meaning friends who were keen to see, has now become a little piece of me and my life. In the process, I have discovered that i very much enjoy penning down my thoughts and aspirations, and sharing the nuggets of information i come across daily.

I just wanted to say a huge Thank You to all of you out there who have been so very kind in posting your comments (very reassuring that at least i've got an audience, ha ha !!), and to all my dear friends who have told me how much they love stopping by 'Memory Trove' - thank you...

Now i am all inspired to continue to put up meaningful posts :)

Hugs !
Louisa