Macaroons

I dunno why I decided to bake today. Very siao! Maybe I'm in jubilation for school term to start.

Finally baked my macaroons (was in my bakelist for a year over). I had recipes from Daniel Tay's book and my 师傅 Hermes. 师傅 Hermes never fail me so I took his recipe.

The kids couldn't wait to eat; I was happy with the look of it.

When everyone took a bite, our eyes litted up. Shiok! Ya hoo! Time to bake another 1 or 2 portions more.

Baking - the 成功 and 失败s. It is 成功!

Aricia

Lately we noticed that mei-mei wants to imitate her sister. If she sees che-che taking a certain shirt; she'll run to the wardrobe and take something identical / almost similar to wear. "I wan to follow like che-che..........."

She sees her che-che put on sunglasses, she follows suit. Wonder when this will end.

The days after Christmas

26th - Saturday

A came by in the late morning to pass us our pressies. Wow! So priviledge hor?? - door delivery.

Came by to see Leather too (oh yah! I forgot to post his pics in my blog.) after they saw him in my FB. You see lah! 'Give face' to the dog not me!!

In the afternoon, brought the kids to Suntec for movie. Mom, 2 kids + me watched Alvin and the Chipmunks whilst hubby watched Avatar.

Our movie ended first, so we had a nice TukTuk dinner without daddy (but he's paying. Heehee!). But I hate to fight/feed/negotiate/tolerate all the nonsense from lil' one when it's her meal time. Mentally strained after that, that I didn't have much appetite. Well on the hindsight, it's good for dieters. We had an hour plus before hubby's show ends but dinner was way too long.. that we managed to bring the kids down to BABW. Lil' one kept telling me "I wan panda..."

when I was feeding her. Despite my numerous attempts to tell her "mummy will buy clothes for Pluto. No more bear." "No!! I dowan bear. I wan panda." *slap head* isn 't that the same thing?? In order to convince her to finish her food, I lied to her that I'd get it for her.
You think my girl forgot? No... she got superbly good memory and very lor-soh too (like old grandma). She ran to to the direction of the escalators and asked to go down to BABW. Actually mummy also gian lah! I also want to buy clothes for them. Che-che selected a Hello Kitty Anniversary Dress (very pretty) for Andrea and a pair of sunglasses too. A dress for Pluto too. Been wanting to get Pluto 2 pairs of paw wheel skaters but think I'd wait.
I love the wardrobe, wan to buy one each for them. No idea if they do sell them. Siao eh..........don't even have space have home still gian on the wardrobe.

Andrea all dressed up for a party
Pluto's being groomed by her owner (who didn't seem pleased with her job)

28th - Monday

Sent Aricia to school, che-che decided to stay home coz' Iggy's coming over. I didn't have time to drive mom back home in the morning coz' I leave the house later during che-che's school hols (don't have to bring mei-mei in so early)
I had time for myself. Yeeha! Had a nice leisurely breakfast then went to get more educational supplies for kids in Toa Payoh. Sigh! Everytime I'm there - I end up blowing up alot of money. Works well if I have a brood of kids (which of course will never happen). Nonetheless, happy and satisfied that those items I bought are beneficial to my kids. Shucks! Make me more tiring!

29th - Tuesday

Mei-mei pontang-ed school. Had arranged for a playdate for the kids & B in the afternoon.

Brought kids out for lunch at Compass Point before proceeding to B's place.
The kids enjoyed themselves. They loved it especially when all 3 kids cycled to the nearby park for play. I see my lil' one 'anyhow chong here and there' - happily cycling around even when I tell her she's cycling towards the wrong direction. She laughs and turns herself back to join the 2 che-ches. I hardly do this with my kids. I'm not the sporting kind; very spoilt. So much so that my kids hesistated when they noticed it was a sandpit playground in the park. (Becoz' mummy didn't want them to play in the sandpit playground before. Bring sand back into the car etc.. and I gotta wash their feet and shoes before stepping into the car) But once I gave the go-ahead they went crazy. Mei-mei stopped her tracks; turned to look at me and shouted to me "mummy.. later I must wash my feet." W, B's mummy, said "you see what you've done to your kids. Let them enjoy themselves first" Heehee!

The kids saw a dog in the park and shouted "mummy... you see. Look like Leather." W asked and I said we're dog-sitting for SIL. She asked if B could see the dog. Of course I'll gladly welcome them but they have to make it to my house the next day coz' I'll be out the whole day on Thursday - the following day and he's suppose to be home on that day or 1st Jan. If not for my overly undue worry, I could have made the playdate at our home instead. I was so worried about them getting allergic reactions etc.. Hmm... (see lah! give face to the dog)

The kids burnt out all their fuel and ate the pizzas I brought. Thanks to B and his wife, W. I received kind hospitality. We had such great time chatting about everything, had laughs over jokes. The kids didn't want to leave; B deliberately stalled time and kept asking che-che to go upstairs etc.. All good things must come to an end, there's always opportunities for the kids to meet.

30th - Wednesday
Honestly I dunno what I did today. Wanted to bake chocolate fondant. Then everything went down the drain. No music lesson today -yay! I like to nuah at home.

31st - Thursday
BORING! BORING!

Che-che followed me out today. She played in TimeZone and then it's time to pick mei-mei up. The kids resumed their lessons after last week's break.
Sigh........what a way to spend my NY's eve.

And when I got back home. Hubby asked me "where did you bring the kids to? Spend the whole day out!" Huh? He don't know this is how his wife survive every Thursdays for this whole year?? He thinks I'm out gai-gai-ing with the kids?!? Ehh... want also must bring KZ lah! Can relax a little mah.
"Ai yah, now want to go for dinner (he means those restaurants with NYs specials) also cannot." Ah doh! like my fault like that!! Makes me more miserable with the way I spend my NY's eve.

We had our dinner in 三盅两件, most shops closed early so we made our way home at 10+.

And how did we usher the New Year??
The new year means we're a year older. And since we're a year closer to being old folks soon, we aren't exactly happy about it. We aren't young as in previous years where we can sit down / lie on bed to watch the Countdown live telecast.
So ....
1) the kids fell asleep
2) the man fell asleep even before 12am
3) the woman (me) was showering at that time. OMG! My shower took me from 2009 to 2010 - long shower siah!
When I heard the youngsters shouting "Happy New Year", they seem so happy like in my heydays. I'm in my mid - 20s this year (heehee). Other than that, everyone's so quiet here.

Mom and myself were so 'gian' to have a NY celebration but we're both so exhausted to do anything. She suggested to have a celebration cum birthday celebration for her but in the end, it was changed to 2nd Jan. I feel awkward for not doing anything this year (for both Xmas and NY, as compare to last year's mad rush) but it does feel good idling around, instead of getting myself busy at the end of the year with so many parties.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

Leather's stay with us

We had a special guest this school hols. SIL's family, hubby's younger sister's family, going for another holiday to Hokkaido and we kindda offered to help her dogsit Leather.

Che-che kept asking us for a dog. Well.......no it's not a trial run for the kids coz' we're not going to get them any dog at all. Can't even take care of themselves; still can take care of dog? And I'm not going to give myself additional job when I'm already so busy with the kids and barely have time for myself. I don't mind doing it for that 10 days since che-che kept asking, saying that she likes Leather etc..

Days before his arrival, I asked dad to come over to help me put up the wire mesh on our gate. SIL gave the assurance that he's rather timid and won't dare to run out. But you know it's not our dog and should any accident happens how are we to answer for it?

On 21st he came with SIL and 2 sons. Leather licked me; allowed me to stroke him but he kept barking and barking. Dogs do sense things, he knows something is not right - he's going to be abandoned.
Mom came by and Leather, who was already out of the cage, ran to her licking her. Jumping on her excitedly. I say coz' my mom still have that dog smell. Heehee! Our last dog was put to sleep in 2002. We were too sentimental and cried over her that we decided that we can't bear with the departure so might as well not have any attachment to any dog in the first place.

When they left about an hour+ later, he barked for a short while before quietening down.

Rather well behaved; loves to bite things.

Night time, he whined and barked for being left alone.

Fast foward 10 days later, on 31st, SIL's family came to pick him up.

Sad to see him go. First we were not used to having a 'detective' around the house - barking everytime we open the door. Then we're not used to having that 'pit stop' gone. The kids would lie down on the floor and see him.


He left some dog cookies for Santa on Xmas eve. Next morning he's checking out his goodies from Santa

Yummy!

SIL bought us some goodies from Japan. Ooh.........I'm having Japanese stuffs overload (from K's goodies to SIL's goodies)

The kids were given a cute Hello Kitty musical box from 小樽オルゴール堂 each and candies. It's their first musical box and were naturally awed by it.



Given to us were boxes of ホワイト レアチョコレート[ナイアガラ] that were simply irrestible

And these ..................

Yums!

I want this!!

I haven't been a good girl this year. I had been screaming/shouting at my children therefore Santa's not giving me anything. But..........I want this!!!

It's not for me - really - coz' I thought it'd be nice to have this to put the girls' hairclips; accessories and what nots.

Christmas Day

The kids were jumping in glee - from what I heard (mei-mei's simply following her elder sister) and said "Santa came last night and gave alot of things". They ran into the room to rouse me up "mummy mummy Santa gave us things."

Che-che was tickled by the letter Santa mummy wrote to her.


She pointed her fingers at me the night before when we asked her if she remembered to buy carrots and apples for the reindeers "mummy... you never remind me.... we go to 7-11 to buy now." She likes it when there's 'alot alot of things' in the stockings. I had to make sure that those things I bought for her cannot be seen in common places eg. NTUC or Cold Storage shelves.
The kids reading the letter over and over again. Aricia mimicking her sister


Then the kids opened their presents. Aha! This year Aricia can finally rip the wrapping papers apart.

Mom, bro and SIL came by in the afternoon to pass them/us our pressies. Stayed for less than 2 hours and left.
We left home, too, for B's place.

In matching dresses
My 'hiao char bor' putting on make up
B and Athena

The party was cosy, we got to know some people and chatted. The kids were tired from lack of nap in the daytime and so we left a few hours later.

Mummy's tired too! Good night everyone