Pokemon GO Wild Area | Team Bonding | Food Playground | PickleBall | Black Harvest | Dead to Rights

Brayden 8Y8M28D

Bevlynn 4Y5M21D

It was almost 3 weeks ago that we went to Harbour Front. 

Hub wanted to bring Brayden around for Pokemon GO Wild Area : Global event. Off they went. 

I had a great time with Bev. We went to the outdoor playground, she was sliding down the slide over and over. After that we headed to the animal store, there we saw some rabbits, dogs, cats, hamsters and fishes. We went to the library next. I asked Bev to choose some books. She walked around and pick one booked at a time. 

Hub called on the phone and we agreed Marche for dinner. Since it was a Sunday, it should be very crowded. I was thinking wouldn't it be nice to be seated near the playground. When Bev and I arrived, it was already our turn to go in and we were led to the seat right in front of the playground. Wow, a seat where just as I wanted it. We enjoyed our salmon crepe and seafood paella.

That same week, my company had a team bonding event. We had colleagues from different countries within the region flew in. In the morning, we were at Food Playground - a cooking class. We were split into 3 different teams. We named our team "Uno", No 1 for Italian. 

We were given instruction cards to cook pumpkin soup, pizza and tiramisu. The theme of the competition is Christmas. 

I was standing right in front of the big bowl of flour for making pizza dough. I just made myself useful with adding some sugar into the flour, the lady host came and told me that the sugar had already been added before. Oops, first mistake! I tried to scoop out as much as possible to reduce damage. Then, I looked over the other side of my table, the two male colleagues were given the task to decorate the pizzas. They were questioning whether they know how to do it. I told them, let's switch. I can surely think up some butterflies, flowers, Christmas tree or Snowman. 

Our pizza took the longest to cook because we had cheese overload and the dough was too thick (a little too greedy with the cheese and ingredients). But We still WON! Our decorations were the most Christmas-like.

While we were waiting for the next activity, a group of us went to Tea Chapter nearby to enjoy some slow tea drinking ceremony. 

Next, came Pickleball. It was a fun 3-hour with the team. I am no good with serving the ball, I still like the game though. It is easy to pick up and less straining than other sports. 

Time to say goodbye to all colleagues.

This week I finished a book, talking about the Great Famine in Ireland. One part of the story described a woman who had to give away a dead baby to get some food at the groceries in order to save the two other surviving children. It is fiction, however, I can sense the great difficulty existing from those hard times. 

I also finished a movie "Dead to Rights" - a movie depicting the Nanjing Massacre during the Japanese Occupation. It was a heavy and emotional movie. The family, hiding and living in fear under a basement was a tough watch. They were a family of 4; with a teenage girl and a baby. The parents tried to protect their children as much they could. With some light of hope to escape, ended up tragically for the family. Only the baby survived (but due to the father's great sacrifice).

Both stories, different timelines; showed families living under stressful and tough conditions. One due to infestation on food and greatly reducing the food supplies; another through the act of war. Both had great number of deaths and casualties, both had people living in fear and suffered, both are now history but it had changed the lives of many. 

We are NOW living in better times.

Northpoint City Playground | West Coast Park | Switch Deleted Games | Mommy Story Telling

Brayden 8Y8M22D

Bevlynn 4Y5M15D

The hot sun these days was scorching and unforgiving. A dip in the water playground at Northpoint City playground can be of help. Bev loved the water slides. Just a few months ago, she was not a big fan of water slides. Now, look at her go down the longest tunnel slide! 

I saw another girl her age who was afraid to go up the slides. I wanted to tell the little girl the same thing I told Bev months ago: "You are one brave girl, and you just need to tell yourself that", same words of affirmation and encouragement. After many trials and tears, Bev overcame her fears. 

It was a fun day playing with friends. 

The next day, we went to West Coast Park. We met J and friends for a short picnic at the sand playground. There were a pair of hornbills on a tree near our picnic area, such a rare sight. 

The children digged a hole and build small sand castles, run around the different play areas, and ride on their bicycles and had a race. Bev was very cute, being the youngest and only girl in the group of children, she was often left out. 

In the competition for the fastest challenge to climb the playground, she had the worst timing among all boys. Then she tried to convinced me to create another game which is her playing level and easier; but then the boys left and ignored her request. Her tears almost began to welled up her eyes and she looked to me. "Aww, it's ok. Mommy will play with you".

Good conversations with Bray and Bev this week: 

1. Bev accidentally deleted Bray's Harvest Moon games on the Switch. Bray was already crying at this point. 

Bray: "Mommy, she deleted my game" 

Bev: "But Mommy, I don't know."

Bray: "Then why do you touch my game"

Bev: kept quite... 

Bray: "and Mommy, she not only deleted my game. She even deleted my backup game. All I see is Bev games overwrite all my games. Worst part is all the games has the same time (timestamp)" 

Mommy couldn't help but laugh at this point. Bray also laughed at the silliness. 

Mommy: "Ok, Brayden go shower, cool down. Mommy talk to Bev"

After sitting down with Bev alone. "Why did you delete gor gor's games"

Bev: "I don't know how I delete it what" Started to pout and looking like she was wrongly judged

"I'm only a baby" Started to cry at this point "I am only 4 years old Mommy, nobody teach me"

Mommy: "Oh no, so it was an accidental mistake and it is not that you wanted to delete it on purpose?"

Bev: "Uh-huh..." 

Mommy: "Aww.. Let's get Daddy to become the judge ok? Let's see what he says"

Bev and Bray sat side by side on the bed, with the pillows as the podium. Mommy the lawyer, Daddy the judge.

Mommy: "Bev, so what happen?" 

Bev: "I delete gor gor's games"

Mommy: "Is it on purpose or accidental"

Bev: "Accidental"

Bray: "No Mommy, it is on purpose." 

Mommy: "Do you admit your mistake?"

Bev: Nod

Hub: "Then I'll need to give punishment"

Mommy: "Gor, what punishment do you think we should give Bev?"

Bray: "No punishment. It's ok Bev."

Bev: "Sorry gor gor, thank you!"

Mommy: "I am so proud of both of you. Bev, dont click and delete gor gor game again ok? Bray you did so good"

 2. Mommy's story-telling 

Mommy loves to tell stories each night. Without books but using the children's imagination. One day will be about the nutcracker prince, another day about the monkey king, next day will be worms. Each one usually has a character which is 4 year old and 8 year old. They loved it because they will often ask, is it me? That's me!

But this night, Mommy decided to try an entirely different story. A story told in 5 different languages; English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Malay, Hokkien. Bray was so frustrated and demanded the story to be told in English, but I told him, during our times Daddy and I, we can converse in different languages and it will end with us if we do not teach it down to our children. Languages represent such beautiful diversity and history, it is part of us.

Bev nod. Bray just fell asleep in between. Mommy was impressed with her story-telling skills (with different languages too, with Hubs help of course). 

 

 

BB Tree Planting | BB Clean-Up | Universal Studios Singapore | Roller Coasters | Halloween & Bukit Batok Movie Night | Night at Genting

Brayden 8Y8M9D

Bevlynn 4Y5M2D

It was Bukit Batok Tree Planting event. There were some tall trees laid on the ground with some gardening diggers, hoes and watering cans. Mr Murali came and give the opening speech. And while he was demonstrating to the children how the planting should be done, he playfully watered the children (with permission from the parents). The children loved the digging and watering. They will remember the day when they planted some trees in the neighbourhood. 

Next day, we joined the Bukit Batok Neighbourhood Clean-up in the morning. 

As soon as the event was over, we made our journey to VivoCity. 

In the past, there were direct bus 188R in front of our house that goes directly into Sentosa Island. But after Covid, this bus route has stopped operating. Now to go to Sentosa, the journey is slightly longer via VivoCity. 

We bought the season pass from Universal Studios Singapore. The season pass is now available again in conjunction to SG60 celebration. It is the first time for Bev to be in USS. She loved every ride and the characters in Halloween costumes made it all the more special for her. We used to bring Bray to USS when he was much younger, but after Covid and having Bev, it was abit difficult. 

We wanted to wait for Bev to be old enough for some of the rides first. Now she can even take the Transformer ride (she went twice), Shrek Enchanted roller coaster and Puss in Boots Giant Journey roller coaster. I was trying to hold her by her chest and little left hand on the ride, but she pushed my hand away. "Mommy, it's safe, see they have holder!" 

A little voice whispered inside myself "Sorry, I wanted to hold you for ME, not you!" The ride started, and the next few seconds was screams and yells from yours truly, of course. Bev was happily shouting Weeeeeeeeeeeeee~, it's fun Mommy! 

My brain was exploding 'What FUN!!" @.@ How this 4 year-old who is afraid to go down a small slide in a swimming pool is so brave to go on a roller coaster, what's the logic for this girl?   

This Mommy needs some days to recover from the overdose of thrill rides. 

We love the performance by the Glitters Trolls Hug Time. But Bev was already napping at that time. 

It is always fun to enjoy Halloween in USS. We went home very very tired that day. 

It was a nice Halloween weekend. 

On Friday night, we had the Bukit Batok Movie Night and more than 100 people mainly families sat on the basketball open court to watch "Minecraft". The children loved the movie, we had some good laughs. I brought a lot of candies to give away to the children. Immediately, I was surrounded by little hands asking for tricks-or-treats. Bev dolled up as a Doctor, while Bray was his all-time favourite Spiderman, the friendly neighbourhood spider. The way she hopped happily in the costume, amused the crowd. So Bev and Bray won the prize for Halloween costumes. At home, Bev cried because she wanted to dress up as a Doctor everyday and not remove her costume. 

That weekend, Hubs was away for business trip in Genting. It was a good trip and I guess it was kinda creepy to be walking alone in Genting, with the thick cold fog at night and with Halloween decorations. The place looked deserted since there were not much crowd on the weekday. 

A very strong law of attraction happened on that Saturday, I finally got two of my wishes came true.  

It happened so quickly and randomly. Sometimes unknown to you, the opportunity for a wish to come true presents itself and you should quickly seize the moment to grab it. If I had walked away, which I almost did, this would have been lost. It was a blessing in disguise.