May I present to you my second handmade skirt!!! This skirt is way simpler to make than the first but in terms of workmanship, I should think this is better :) Don't know if I can make a top next, we shall see (^;^)
Krissa's Tee Shirt Art - 07/11/2009
K proudly wore the tee shirt art she createdI'm so happy with the curriculum in Krissa's art school - Art Loft. The teachers really put in alot of effort in planning the activities for the children. Not only do they try to expose the children to different mediums where they can create art on, many a time, the children will learn precious and useful knowledge along the way too. This time kids learnt that they can create art on cloth using special fabric markers and scraps which can be recycled. In this way, not only do they learn about recycling (of course K is kind of too young to understand but there's no harm in starting them young!), they get to wear the tee shirt they've created too! Hahahha....this tee shirt is meant to be an art apron i.e. to wear on the outside to protect their clothes. Any additional stains in future only serves to make the tee look more interesting!
I Like Company!! - 06/11/2009
Krissa having loads of fun with Dylon gor gor & Racquel jie jieAfter K had finished decorating her shakers, our neighbours came to play. It was K's first time playing with them and boy did she enjoy their company! When they left, K lingered at the door for a long time and asked: "Gor gor where? Jie jie where?" Hmmm.....maybe its high time K has a sibling of her own to play with. I think it would do her good too...hmmm.......
Shakers Fun! - 06/11/2009
K having a great time with her creations!
Our materials to decorate the containers. The green beans and paper clips will each go into a container.
A butterfly glued onto the cover of one of the containers.
K first decorated the yellow wrapper with dot markers,then glued the surface with sequinns.
K puts the paper clips into the first shaker
The beginning of the second shaker
Yes, darling?
Glueing of the poms poms
Filling the second shaker with green beans
Shaker fun!
The finished products!We were told to make at least one shaker and bring it for lesson at Mandeville on Saturday. I managed to dig up two containers at home, so we made two! Both K and me had great fun doing it and apart from decorating the containers, her fine motor skills were reinforced by having to transfer the green beans from the plate into one of the containers and to pincer grip the small sequinns to glue them onto the container. She was able to call out aloud the crayon colours which she wanted on her containers and correctly took them from the crayon tray. We are still on butterfly, so I glued a butterfly onto the cover of one of the containers. It proved to be a hit with K! Finally, when we were done, K had a fun time playing with her new creations!!!
Pretty Girl + Pretty Dress - 01/11/2009
I just have to take this picture and show it to the world! Hahahaha.....I love, love, love the colours on this dress! Erm..actually it is a tunic top but K will wear it as a dress first and when it becomes too short, she can wear this as a top! Another piece of fabulous handmade. Please support handmade!!!Pictures were taken on our way to Caden's 1st month celebration.
Our 2nd Caterpillar Kit - 28/10/2009
Our newly hatched butterfly takes to the skies.
May it stay safe from all her predators.
Life cycle of a butterfly
Having learnt our lesson, we dashed for home after we had bought the kit and immersed the plant in clean water immediately. We had better luck this time :) K liked the caterpillars and would request us to show her the caterpillars every so often. She would say hi and goodbye to them. This real kit was very useful for she was able to associate the caterpillars and chrysalis with the real illustrations in the Busy, Busy Butterfly book. It was a real pity that K did not see the butterfly. Hmmm.....a 3rd kit, maybe?
Leroy's 1st Performance - 29/10/2009
29th October 2009 was a big day for my nephew Leroy for it marked his first time performing on stage! It was not difficult to tell that Leroy was shaken and overwhelmed at the sight of the crowd, so he didn't exactly did what he was taught during the rehearsals and towards the end of the performance, his tears welled up in his eyes and he looked as if he would burst out crying anytime. To sum it up, Leroy had stage fright but it was an experience for him and he will definitely do better in future.
Mommy & Daughter Slippers - 27/10/2009
Tell me these aren't sweet??!!! My happiness was short lived. In fact, it didn't last for 24hrs even! I wore this pair of slippers to my friend's place and it got stolen! All the footwear placed outside the house were stolen and I had to go home barefooted!!!
To the person(s) who had stolen the slippers:
Beware of karma! What goes around, comes around!
Spa Drink - 25/10/2009
Using the mint leaves bought from Oh's Farm and some oranges, I made a jug of this drink which I drank in Remede Spa. Very sweet smelling and refreshing, something different from the usual lemons.
Happy Birthday, Grandpa! - 25/10/2009
My grandpa and grandma.
My grandpa surrounded by his great-grand children!The kids were delighted! Look at the sweet smile on K!!
A very, very happy 79th birthday to my grandpa & K's great grandpa. I wish you longevity and the best of health. You are a VERY VERY IMPORTANT person in my life (I know you knew it too) and I love you as much as you love me (I know you dote on me the most!) and thank you for showering K with your love too!
I LOVE YOU, GRANDPA!! IT IS MY BLESSING AND GOOD FORTUNE TO HAVE YOU AS MY GRANDPA!!!
Visit to the Butterfly Lodge & Hydroponic Farm - 25/10/2009
Very good books on the life cyle of a butterfly for very young children. I especially loved the Busy, Busy Butterfly as it is filled with real and big
illustrations accompanied with concise description of
the insect in its various stages.
A list of the species we may spot in the lodge, courtesy of Joycelyn!
Daddy had the honour of holding one of the newly hatched butterfliesand released it into the lodge.
If you look close enough or zoom into the 1st picture at the top left hand corner,you will spot the butterfly eggs (tiny, white colour spots) on the leaves.
The 2nd picture right next to it shows a hairy caterpillar and the picture with
a few butterflies under them shows the male butterflies engaging in
an activity named "puddling"; we were told that the male butterflies are
absorbing the salt content from the ground which is damp and this will
aid them in increasing their sperm count! Hence, only male butterflies
engaged in this activity. The other 3 pictures show some of the
varieties of butterflies found inside the lodge.
K watches the puddling of the male butterflies.
Daddy showing K a tiny caterpillar,K & Trishelle in the lodge,
Where are you looking at, darling?
Our 1st kit: sadly both caterpillars died.
In front of one of the many hydroponic vegetation plots before it rained.Today is a busy day for us because we have arranged to visit Oh's Farm with Joycelyn and family in the late morning and to attend my maternal grandfather's 79th birthday celebration in the late noon.
I wanted to kickstart the series of "Bubba Bear" lessons with butterfly as Krissa is familiar with this insect. I borrowed and read her books from the library and after trawling the web for more information, I learnt that Oh's Farm has a butterfly lodge where the butterflies are kept in an enclosed area, making the study and observation of these beautiful insects much easier. We were very lucky to have met a member from the Butterfly Circle who acted as a guide during our stay in the lodge. We were also very fortunate to be in time to catch the staff releasing some butterflies just hatched from their chrysalis into the lodge. Really, without the explanation from the member (I cannot remember his name, very sorry!), it would have been just a see-see-look-look kind of field trip. Oh, and Joycelyn was very nice to photocopy the species of butterflies which we may see in the lodge (thanks babe!) for us. We had fun in trying to identify as many species as we can find. Each of us bought a caterpillar kit containing 2 caterpillars in the hope that our girls can learn and witness for themselves the magic of mother nature. Included in the kit was also leaves for us to feed the caterpillars with. Alas, my caterpillar died on the 2nd day because the leaves which we were supposed to feed them with had browned. Caterpillars, being fussy eaters (different breed of caterpillars eat different kinds of leaves), would rather starve to death if the leaves are not fresh which sadly happened in my case as we were late in immersing the roots of the leaves in water. I bought a 2nd kit and managed to successfully have one of the caterpillars hatched into a butterly. I had decided to release the butterfly although Krissa was not home yet as I was afraid the butterfly may die if it was kept inside the container for too long a time. Luckily, with the help of my neighbour, I managed to video the whole freeing process to show Krissa. The butterfly was beautiful, a far cry from the ugly hairy caterpillar it once was. The other caterpillar sadly didn't make it. I guess it must have tried too hard to free itself from its chrysalis that the chrysalis snapped and detached itself from the top of the container where it hung. Yes, once the chrysalis drops, you can pronounced the caterpillar dead.
Alright, coming back to Oh's Farm: this farm specialises in hydroponic vegetation and supplies to local supermarkets. We ran out of good luck when we wanted to tour its hydroponic plots for it started to rain. However, before we left the farm, I bought some hydroponic vegetables from its store. The store is opened to members of the public. Imagine a big packet of butterhead lettuce at only $2.00 while the rest of the many varieties of vegetables and herbs go on sale for only $1.00 per packet!
**Credit must be given to my dearest hubs for clearing all the caterpillars' poo and feeding them with fresh leaves everyday till they turned chrysalis :)
Back Log - Final Instalment For Allie Alligator
I don't know why I have failed to blog this entry....my memory is indeed failing me. I have to ask my mother-in-law to make me more gingko barley with beancurd skin dessert to boost my memory...hahahha!!!
Backlog: 2 Days 1 Night Stay @ The St Regis - 11/10/2009
1st peep into our room & welcome goodies. There were 3 cupcakes but K & hubs gobbled them before
I could take pictures!!
Room & bathroom
K had fun staying indoors!Must watch! Hahah! K's hilarious moves.
BTW, she was "singing" to Little Einsteins!
Breakfast in the hotel
Top left corner shows the Spa. Other pictures show the pool.
Here comes the water babe!!!
K kicked hard!
Daddy threw K up in the air!
K jumped from the edge of the pool! How gutsy!
Daddy booked a room at The St Regis because his Astor Card is to be expired in October and we only a month to utilise the freebies which were tagged with the card. The hotel really lives up to its reputation; it was nothing short of luxurious living. Along with the room, Daddy also booked a massage session for me at the Remede Spa. Yes, I went for spa while he took care of Krissa. How nice!! I thoroughly enjoyed the massage and the spa facilities. I will definitely return for another session soon.
The hotel room and bathroom were very spacious with ample space for Krissa to explore. Apart from the "hardware", the service level of the staff was impeccable. We had requested for someone to check on the airconditioner of our room as it was pretty warm although it had been on for quite a while. In under 5 minutes, the butler came to check and confirmed that the machine was working and explained that it had probably needed more time to cool the room. Nevertheless, he would return to check again in the next 30 minutes. We told him we would not be around but he said it was alright. When we were back about 2 hours later, we were pleasantly greeted with music in the background, bedroom slippers by the side of the bed, remote controls in a tray on our bed etc. and of course, the whole room was cool! Krissa had a great time too! She loves the tub...what else?! Hahaha...and the couch, bed, telephone, controls...hahaha!! How could I forget about the pool? K loves it alot!! Although the pool does not have any slides or even a designated baby pool, it was enough. Just look at the pictures and you will know why.
Both K and I fell in love with this hotel, no joke! Hence, Daddy has renewed his membership for another year. This time, we must make full use of the card!
Backlog: A Big & Warm Welcome to Caden!!
Caden - the latest addition to my big family! He was born on 02nd October 2009 and this goodlooker, my nephew *beam beam*, is son to my younger brother Wei and his wife Annie. Quite difficult for me to digest that my little brother is a daddy already, but I know he will make a great dad!!
Backlog: Kite Flying @ West Coast Park - 04/10/2009
Children's Carnival: Look at the innovative games!
Hahaha!! This picture looked so funny!! Trishelle wasvery friendly but K was not at all appreciative.
Ryan found out how to use the tree to lessen his load. Hahha!!
Ryan setting up the kite & the girls had fun flying it! So funny! They looked like they really knew how to fly a kite!
Kites soaring in the sky. Can you locate our kite?
Kites soaring in the sky. Can you locate our kite?It's the one under the black coloured kite.
The men flying their stunt kite. I especially like the picture of K 
The girls had loads of fun at the sandpit.
K really made herself at home!
The men flying their stunt kite. I especially like the picture of K pointing to the kite which Daddy was flying.
The girls had loads of fun at the sandpit.
K really made herself at home! Notice she walked everywhere barefooted?!
Hehhehe...that's my girl!
It was a bright, cheery Sunday morning. Indeed, it was a good day for flying kites! Letting K have a go at flying a kite has always been on my mind ever since we missed Act 3's Kite Flying Festival a few months back due to bad weather. We were joined by Auntie Joycelyn and family.
We chanced upon a children's carnival at West Coast Park as it was only a couple of days after Children's Day (1st October). I was in awe of the games/attractions at the carnival and can't resist posting some of the pictures here.
There was a kite for each family and we were so embarassed for we do not even know how to piece the kite together! Yes! We know nuts! Luckily a very nice uncle came to our rescue. I think he had probably ran out of patience to see the four of us cracking our brains, trying to figure where exactly should the metal attachments go. Hahhaha!!! My kite had a missing piece so this kite is coined a white elephant :( However, after our kite was setup properly, it was good to go!! As it was a windy day, the kite was literally heading to the skies as soon as the string was tied...quite effortless I should say and it flew pretty high:) The girls love the kite and tried their hands on it but I thought they love the sand pit, which is only a stone's throw away, more. Hubs also brought along his "antique" stunt kite which he bought in Australia ages ago and the men had a good time flying it. After the park, we went for lunch at West Coast Plaza.
I like West Coast Park more than East Coast Park because it has a big sandpit which the girls love and a big open field for flying kites and running about. The human traffic is significantly lesser than its counterpart; I do not have to worry that my girl may get in the way of the roller bladers, cyclist etc.
Backlog: End of Another Term @ Kids' Loft - 03/10/2009
So fast! Another term has gone by...swoosh!! The kiddos are happiest during the last day of each term because that's when they are allowed to indulge, K included:) The children learnt about transportation this term. Guess which is Krissa's favourite mode of transportation? The TRAIN!! Choo! Choo!!! It must be the doing of one of her favourite books "Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo". Apart from reading, I use this book to play "I Spy" with her too!
A Skirt Made of LOVE For My Lil' Gem - 01/10/2009
Krissa wearing my handmade skirt.
Pretty? Must work harder and practice more!
I am so proud of myself!! (**blush**)Happy Children's Day!
The skirt which I have been learning to make for my baby has finally materialised and in time as a Children's Day present!! Yeah!! Quick, give me a cheer!! Hahahah!!! Not too bad for an amateur, right? (^_^)
