What's The Story Morning Glory?

Happenings over the past three months

2010-09-06T20:21:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how I've neglected my blog ever since I started uploading photos onto Facebook. Its just putting up pictures onto Facebook is such a breeze and takes so little time compared to uploading them onto a blog. Nevertheless, there is still that extra expressiveness here that I value, compared to sharing our experiences through photos on FB.

So here is my attempt to cram in updates and happenings over the past three months into one post. I shall only include pictures of the more significant events and trips we made during the past 12 weeks.

Some of the milestones we came across include how Nya started school at Children's House Montessori School, our trip to California and San Diego where we got to visit Disneyland, Seaworld, Legoland, the San Diego Zoo and Knotts Berry Farm. We also visited Las Vegas, Seattle, Oregon, Salt Lake City, Twin Falls and Yellowstone Park to name a few. Here are some of the pictures taken since the last time I posted. Hopefully it won't take me that long to share an update again =)

So proud of Nyx's iniative to help out with the housework

2010-06-07T15:12:00.000-07:00

I cannot agree more about how kids pick up behavioral attributes from parents so quickly. Just yesterday Nyx quietly put away all the folded laundry that was left downstairs into all the appropriate rooms and cupboards upstairs without my knowledge. She only came to tell me that she had done it when her chore was complete. Of course I went to double check, haha! And I was so pleased that she actually did an excellent job. Thank you baby girl. Now I wonder when Nya will start helping out voluntarily too..... =)

Nyx also makes her breakfast sometimes and will help me feed her little sis when she sees that I'm busy.

Summer holidays are here

2010-06-03T18:35:00.000-07:00

This week Nyx doesn't have to go to school as the school is closed for the beginning of Summer break. Although it means we don't have to wake up as early, I actually feel more worn out having to entertain, educate and care for two hyperactive balls of energy 24/7. Today we went to the local animal shelter in town again to visit the residents and also popped by Legacy Park for some R & R.

Settling down in Idaho

2010-03-11T10:26:00.000-08:00

My new car, a Chrysler Town and Country

Since arriving in Mountainhome, Idaho since Sunday we've managed to settle a few things such as getting a car, viewing our new house which we will move into by this Saturday, buying furniture and appliances, opening up bank accounts and getting our military IDs. The weather here is definitely much colder than Singapore but its nothing new to the kids who went through this sort of weather in France so they're adapting very well.

Back in the Land of Freedom

2010-03-08T15:39:00.000-08:00

Nyx and Nya watching some mighty scary stuff on TV

Our New Home located in the airbase

9 years ago Guojun and I lived in America for 2 years just after we got married, and now nearly a decade later we're back again except this time we're here as a party of 4 instead of just the two of us. We flew here on the 6th of March and arrived in LA, staying for a night before reaching Idaho yesterday. The weather here is definitely much colder than Singapore but I'm glad the kids adjusted to it easily as its about the same sort of weather we got in France.

We're now staying in the TLF (Temporary Living Facilty) before moving to our new home by the end of the week. Here are some pictures taken since we arrived.

P.S. To all our family and friends back home, we miss you!!!!!!

Preparing for our next big move.

2010-02-21T18:16:00.000-08:00

Although we've been back in Singapore for less than 9 months, it feels like a long time as we've filled our days here with memorable moments and fun-filled activities with our friends and families. In a short while we will be setting up our new home in America and I'm reviving my blog once again so that I may share our family's experiences and day to day life with people who care about us and want to keep in touch.

To a brand new adventure and a happy new year! Huat ah! =)

Resurfacing again after 3 months

2009-11-24T00:36:00.000-08:00

I feel terrible going MIA on my blog for so long. But its so easy to upload multiple pictures on Facebook in so little time and I have not been able to figure out why I am unable to upload photos onto my blog....... Somehow after fiddling around with my internet settings, I am now once again able to share pictures with everyone on my blog! Oh Joy! So yes, this shall mark my return to blogging yet again =)

First time to Sentosa for my 2 Ns

2009-08-22T05:06:00.000-07:00

This morning Nyx and Nya finally got to visit the island resort known as Sentosa. We had a picnic on Palawan beach and also crossed over the suspension bridge to set foot on the southern most point of the asian continent.
The two girls had loads of fun playing with the sand and frolicking in the sea and wading pool. I had wanted to let them experience close encounters with some animals on exhibit next to the beach but the timing just didn't coincide with the performance schedule. Next time then =)

HFMD in Nyx's school

2009-08-20T01:45:00.000-07:00

For the past two months there had been 4 cases of HFMD in Nyx's school. I allowed her to continue attending classes everyday because these cases occurred in different sessions and classes from her. However, yesterday I was notified by the form teacher that one of her classmates was down with the virus too. I didn't want to expose Nyx or Nya to the virus so till next week she gets to skip school.

Its been a long while.....

2009-08-19T02:13:00.000-07:00

I must admit, since coming back to Singapore I have been really horrible at updating my blog. But I'm back! I'm still having trouble uploading photos and videos to blogspot however......
My two girls have grown so much over the past couple of months since we left France and yesterday I took them for their development assessment at the polyclinic nearby. According to the doctor and the nurses there, both kids are extremely tall and are in the 97th percentile range for their height and weight.

Everyday, Nyx asks me whether I can take her swimming and everyday Nya asks me for seaweed to eat. Oh boy..... They're so hyper and noisey that sometimes the noise doesn't stop ringing in my head even when they're asleep, haha!

Here are a few pictures taken of them recently.

Uncle FeeFee's birthday

2009-07-29T02:30:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday we celebrated my dear ol' uncle's birthday with a buffet lunch. My hubby was the designated photgrapher for the day I must say the food was yum yum yum! I'm still having problems uploading pictures to my blog. Argh...... thus the lack of photos to share. My humble apologies.

Dinner at Asia Grand

2009-07-13T19:26:00.000-07:00

Its been almost 2 months since I last updated my blog and there is just too much backlog to put into one entry so I shall just pick up from the latest happening which was dinner last night at Asia Grand Restaurant with Tammy's family, my family and cousin Amos's family. Everything we ate was super sized! haha...... Other recent happenings worth mentioning include how Nyx got bitten by her classmate as they were fighting for a toy. She didn't cry or scream but hit the boy back instead. He happens to be our neighbour in the same block and is one year older than her. The wound has healed and the two kids are good friends again, phew!

Paying their respects to their late great grandparents

2009-05-28T03:28:00.000-07:00

This morning my relatives went to a temple located in Kembangan to pray to my late grandparents whom I dearly miss. I didn't join them as it was too early and the kiddies would have to dragged out of bed, after which Nyx would have to go to school and visit the dentist to get a cavity filled.

I therefore made a trip there myself along with the two Ns after picking Nyx up from school. Thank goodness I didn't lose my way there since the last time I drove to the temple was almost 3 years ago. We brought some offerings along with us and stayed on till it was time to head to the dentist.

I am so proud of Nyx as she bravely sat through the entire filling process at the dentist's, including the drilling and suction. She didn't flinch or struggle as I told her that we would go blow some bubbles together after she was done with the filling. She did look a little scared though.....

I asked the dentist why he used silver filling for her and he told me that it lasts longer than the aesthetic enamel coloured ones and would be better for her, lasting till her permanent teeth erupt.

Adjusting to life in Singapore

2009-05-25T07:24:00.000-07:00

Wow, its been exactly 3 weeks since I last posted to my blog and it feels like eons......

So much has happened during the two weeks that we've been back to the sunny island and the more significant happenings would include Nyx attending pre nursery classes at Kinderland, Chinese language and computer classes as well. Nya is also now able to stand on her own without support and walks pretty quickly while using one hand to hold onto another adult's hand.

We've been busy spending time with friends and family whom we've missed immensely during our time in France and the girls are definitely enjoying all the attention and affection as well as the food! My girls sure do enjoy the local cuisine and have been busy enjoying outdoor activities despite the heat and humidity.

I've been uploading pictures onto my facebook account but not here as it takes forever to upload photos to my blog. Nevertheless, here are some pictures to show what we've been up to for the past 2 weeks......

I'd also like to give a shout out to friends back in France. You're dearly missed by my two Ns and I! Big hugs!

Cognac with the relatives

2009-05-04T04:57:00.000-07:00

The weather was just amazing during our visit here. The last time we were here we took a tour of Hennessy but this time we didn't as we couldn't make it in time. We visited Remy Martin, Martell as well as Hennessy and bought quite alot of souvenirs (alcoholic and non alcoholic) along the way. My uncles tasted a few glasses of Paradis from Hennessy for 19 euros a glass and I must say, its got to be the strongest alcoholic drink I've ever tasted in my life!

Bordeaux with the relatives

2009-05-04T03:26:00.000-07:00

It so happened that while we were here there was a fair right next to a huge fountain which I've always wanted to visit and never did, till now. We made a trip to 2 churches here and had lunch at La Chapin Fin. I am so glad we made a reservation to this fine restaurant as the food and service was amazing. We've tried coming here for lunch before but its always fully booked...... We also did some shopping along Rue St. Catherine, also known as the "orchard road" of Bordeaux.

St Emillion tours and lunch with the relatives

2009-05-04T02:24:00.000-07:00

We made it to the vineyards of St Emillion really early to meet the owner of Chateau Laniote for a tour of his winery and to do some wine tasting. My relatives bought so much wine from the guy that he gave freebies like DVDs and souveniers. They bought over a thousand euros worth of wine to be shipped back to Singapore. I think it really made the owner very happy......

After the visit to the chateau, we joined a tour to see the monolithic underground church. Unfortunately we were not allowed to take pictures inside the church and its catacombs so we could only snap shots of its exterior.

Following the tour, we took a stroll along the narrow streets of the village center and then had lunch at a fancy french restaurant recommended by the chateau owner called Le Clos Du Roy where we ordered a large platter of foire gras to share on top of our individual menus, tried fried pigs feet, grilled meats and a variety of desserts including canalle, macarons with cream and fresh made ice cream.

Our 3rd trip to Barcelona

2009-05-03T09:41:00.000-07:00

This is the 3rd time Nyx is visiting Barcelona and Nya's 1st. And everytime we come here we have a ball of a time, enjoying ourselves thoroughly with the sights, smells and sounds.

On this trip our stops within the city included La Rambla, Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell and the museum within it, as well as La Roca village - A large shopping outlet on the outskirts of Barcelona.

Carcassonne......a.k.a. The City

2009-05-03T08:20:00.000-07:00

On the way to Barcelona we stopped by the medieval city of Carcassonne. Lunch was in a restaurant within the city walls where we ordered things like cassoulet and varies sausages. We also visited a huge candy store here selling a vast array of pastries, biscuits, lollies, bon bons and chocolates.

The relatives have arrived!

2009-05-03T07:31:00.000-07:00

The very day my aunts and uncles arrived we took them for lunch at a seafood restaurant (Les pavois) just a stone's throw away from my house. Its actually loacated right at the oyster farm and serves awesome seafood and magret de canard.

After a satisfying lunch we headed to Dune du Pyla to see the gigantic sand dune and enjoy the lovely sunny weather. Nyx hitched a ride from my uncle to the top of the sand dune and once she reach the peak she shouted "we did it!" and started throwing sand as if it were snow.

For dinner we went to Cafe Diego in Arcachon for yet another round of yummy seafood.

Sun's out!

2009-04-24T06:34:00.000-07:00

A windy and sunny afternoon, perfect for bubble blowing and riding the bike

I'm pulling her shirt down cos the wind blew it up and you can see her tumtum

Nya so happy sitting on the springy bike

Asking me if she should climb the spiderweb?

Yeeeee Haw! Look! No Spoon!

Oh yes! Its time to frolick in the warm sunshine before it starts raining and turning cold again next week. Here are some pictures the kiddies and I took at a nearby playground and our back porch.

Monkey see, monkey do. Presenting Nyx spOon and Nya spOon)

2009-04-22T23:58:00.000-07:00

I can see that Nya looks up to Nyx as a role model. I see this fact being proven true more and more each day. First it was the keen interest in their toes, then it was drinking milk till they appear drunk, later on Nya started pointing at everything like Nyx used to. And now, Nya has picked up the habit of holding on to a spoon for whatever reason I'm not sure. With Nyx I believe that she's holding onto it for the same reason other kids have, clinging on to a security blanket or a pacifier. Initially Nyx had pacifiers too, then after I weaned her off it, she started looking for things to hold. And this particular item will follow her everywhere, even to bed! It used to be pens, and now its a spoon.

But for Nya, she still has access to pacifiers, so I believe the only reason why she's clinging onto spoons is due to her sister's influence. No they do not eat their meals with these spoons that they hold onto, I have to use seperate spoons for that purpose.

Picnic at Kids Parc

2009-04-22T07:41:00.000-07:00

Nya holding a spoon while taking a ride in the boat and trying to do the "V"

Nya striking a pose while not holding the spoon

Nya holding a spoon and riding in the boat with Gina

Nyx and Matthew in the ball-pen

The bouncy castle that entertained Nyx for a long while

Caterpillar roller coaster

Giant bouncy castle

Nyx holding a spoon and riding on the seahorse

Nyx holding a spoon and riding the boat
Nya holding a spoon and riding in the boat
Nyx holding a spoon about to board the boat
Nya holding a spoon and riding the seahorse

Nyx holding a spoon and fishing for ducks

the birthday cheesecake made by Clari

This afternoon we visited the Kids Parc next to La Coccinelle (the petting zoo) along with several of our friends. The weather was just super! Bright and sunny with a maximum temperature of 25 degrees. I was so afraid that Nya would be cranky as she, Nyx and I had just had our jabs (vaccination against chickenpox) before this outing. Thank goodness she was in a good mood so I didn't feel as stressed. Our main purpose for this outing was to celebrate the birthdays of Karen (24th april) and Nya (today! 22nd april). Clari made the beautiful cheese cake and the rest of us brought sandwiches, macaroni soup, sushi, konyaku jelly, chicken drumlets and chips. Here are the pictures I took from this outing.

Spelling time!

2009-04-20T12:47:00.000-07:00

Recently I have been teaching Nyx to recognize various words on the flashcards I made for her and she's become pretty adept at reading the words I show her. So two days ago I started getting her to spell some of the words she's familiar with. Here's a video of her having a typical short spelling lesson.

Several other words she's able to spell include: eggs, ice-cream, cow, cloud, rat, money, sheep, goat, nose, head, eye and balloon.

I think she had an extra hard time during this session because she was being "attacked" by Nya in her UFO walker. Ever so often we get our toes run over and it really hurts big time! Can't wait for her to graduate from the walker......

Nya's 1st birthday party!

2009-04-19T14:00:00.000-07:00

Our baby minnie mouse Nya had her very first birthday party today! Time really flies..... I still vividly remember the day we were holding a party here to celebrate her turning one month old.
We're glad to have friends here whom we can share our baby girl's special day with, especially since we're so far away from home and our family and close friends. Thank you all who came to celebrate with us =)
In fact, deciding to hold this party was a bit of a last minute decision as we're still in the midst of packing and cleaning. In one week's time my relatives from Singapore shall be arriving in France to escort us home after abit of travelling. So right now we're really trying hard to get everything in order before heading back to the sunny island.

Here are the pictures taken today Nya's party.

Lesson time at 8am

2009-04-17T02:03:00.000-07:00

I cannot wait to go back to the sunny island soon, I seriously need more sleep...... Nya is the sort of baby who's number one enemy is morphius. She absolutely detests sleeping and as a result Nyx and I get deprived of our 40 winks as well. This is what we did this morning at 8am when "people-who-don't-want-to-sleep" woke up the "people-who-still-want-to-sleep".

Am I bonkers yet????

2009-04-15T00:16:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I wonder when I will cross over the threshold and officially become a bonkerhead. In just a little over a week, Nyx and Nya have been extremely "creative" and I'm a regular fixture on the porch blowing bubbles to soothe my nerves.
Last week I was feeding Nyx her lunch and all of a sudden she threw up, all over the chair and her clothes. I placed her bowl of porridge on the table while I hurried to clean up the mess. BIG mistake! Nya was in her UFO walker and she happily trotted over to pull on the tablecloth in order to reach the bowl so in a split second there was porridge all over her head, ufo, clothes and floor. I then used a string to tie her walker to the table leg, "parking" her there and got Nyx to take off her clothes and wait for me in the bathroom while I went to the porch to blow a few bubbles. This is like breathing therapy for me......
After awhile I felt sane enough to go clear up the mess and not feel agitated.

This morning Guojun went to work at 7 plus and just when he left for work Nyx started crying like crazy cos she wanted him to help her pick up a toy which she dropped under the bed. He was running late so he had no time to help her. I was still clinging to my pillow hoping she would just go back to sleep and Nya would stop crawling around the bed too. Fat hope! A funky smell warfed its way to my nasal passages and I reluctantly turned on the bedside lamp. This has got to be the WORST wake up call ever!!!!!!
Nya somehow pooped a humungous load of crap and smeared it all over the bed and pillows. I think I lost my sense of smell for awhile...... thank goodness I didn't lose my sanity. Yup, I am updating my blog after a bout of bubble blowing. However I had to do it in the bathroom after clearing up the huge mess because its raining heavily outside.

Sigh....... motherhood is tough, painful and sometimes, it STINKS! hahaha..... But I love my munchkins nonetheless. I just needed to vent.

Steamboat dinner at Karen's

2009-04-14T07:59:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday eveing we had a sumptuous steamboat dinner at Karen's place. There were so many of us that three electric steamboats had to be used. I had such a surprise when the ladies gave me a beautiful bouquet of orchids and a lovely card to remind me of them. Thank you so much gals!

Morning sunshine!

2009-04-13T01:40:00.000-07:00

Yes yes..... I've been real lazy. Haven't been updating my blog for awhile because I've been busy packing my boxes and cleaning up the house cos we're going back to Singapore soon. Oh yeah!!!
Anyhoo..... here are a few pictures I took of the kiddies this morning just after they woke up.

Swingin' good time.

2009-04-01T06:54:00.000-07:00

Guojun just bought Nya a swing set yesterday as a pre birthday present. And she absolutely loved it to bits! Just check out her grin from ear to ear........

Potty Master! Mua ha ha ha ha........

2009-03-30T10:22:00.000-07:00

Oh its moments like these when I feel that the patience and hard work that I put in pays off. For the past few months I've been encouraging Nyx to answer nature's call in the potty instead of leaving a message in her diaper instead. We do this song and dance kind of like something from broadway which I made up myself whenever she successfully does her business in the potty, and this actually makes her look forward to being "productive" ha ha!

Last weekend we were out shopping in a mall at Begles when she suddenly told me she needed to poop in the potty, and that was the first time she's told me that in public. (Usually she only tells me she wants to go to the potty when we're at home) So I immediately took her to the little girl's room and it marked her debut moment in pooping in a public toilet.

Today, I took her and Nya out to get some groceries and to check out a swing for meimei as a birthday present from her daddyman. Nyx had actually told me she needed the potty when we were still at the supermarket but I told her to wait awhile longer. My bad........ I had actually forgotten all about it and after we were done at the supermarket I drove us to another place where the big toy store was. All in all, it must have been over 2 hours from the time she told me she needed to poop till we finally got home. She rushed into the house after taking off her shoes and peeling off her jacket then ran to the toilet and slammed the door behind her. THAT was when I remembered she had told me about her need. When she shouted to me from the toilet that she was done, I had a shock when I saw how much she had been holding in (her diaper was still dry). I'm not gonna be graphic here, but it was ALOT, hahaha. I felt so guilty...... and yet so happy at the same time. I guess I can say she's now officially potty trained for the day time. Now the next hurdle for her to overcome would be night time potty training.

Sometimes I feel that my little 2 year old is growing up so fast....... I know I'm gonna miss changing diapers for her and singing our little broadway potty song together, sigh........ Too bad I can't share videos of her potty sessions and nakie butt with you all, hehe. I might use them to blackmail her in future when she refuses to go out with me and Guojun when we're old folks though. Muah ha ha ha ha!!!!!!

We have a mouse in the house!!!

2009-03-26T11:54:00.000-07:00

Mei Mei wearing a Mickey Mouse hat
The internet banking device thats bears Nya's bite marks

One of the many wires she has chewed on. This one didn't survive her attack.
My mini mouse and her daddy

This is the first time in my life that I've come across such a destructive mouse. It is relentless, it is noisey, it is always on the prowl for things to gnaw and chew and it cannot be stopped with any form of mouse traps or glue. She has destroyed several wires and toys and even her dad's internet banking device. Her favourite has got to be wires....... Its a full time job trying to make sure she doesn't end up with Albert Einstein's static hairdo.

I guess being born in the year of the rat really does bear some significance huh?

How the kids stay busy while I pack the boxes

2009-03-26T04:56:00.000-07:00

With the house full of boxes now ready to be shipped home to Singapore I had to find a way to get the two muchkins out of my way while I'm packing. These two tents and the tunnel seem to be the solution for now, and they work so well that my two girls can play with each other for very long periods of time while I'm free to sort out and pack our belongings.

Our neighbour's house is on fire!

2009-03-24T00:53:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Guojun was on leave so we decided to spend some time together with the girls in Bordeaux. Just before we were about to go out, Guojun decided to air the house abit so he opened one of the windows and had a huge shock when he saw bellows of smoke and flames licking from one of our neighbour's home.
We were oblivious to all the mayhem outside till we stepped out and saw the fire fighters battling the flames to put out the fire. One of our neighbours living very close to the house on fire was evacuated and mother, infant and father had to wait along the mainroad while the fire fighters did their job.
I was pretty surprised that there were sooooo many fire fighters and policemen lined up outside our house. They did a great job of putting out the fire very quickly, and only then did we set off for our day trip in Bordeaux.

Happy Birthday Shannon!

2009-03-22T10:11:00.000-07:00

Today we attended Shannon's 4th birthday party and my....... I was deeply impressed by the effort that Jasmine and Jason put in to pull off the party for their princess. They got up very early this morning to prepare the feast and decorations. Last year the theme for Shannon's birthday party was Dora and this year its Disney Princess.

Shannon had such lovely outfits to wear for the occassion today and really complimented the theme. Thank you Jas and Jason for inviting us over to celebrate your little girl's special day =)

Morning walk at Arcachon beach

2009-03-21T07:35:00.000-07:00

This morning we took the two Ns for a walk at Arcachon and enjoyed a relaxing lunch at Phoenix while the owner of the restaurant carried Nya throughout our meal, haha! It was indeed relaxing.......

Off to see the boats again

2009-03-20T05:59:00.000-07:00

Whenever I take the girls to Port Larrosse for a stroll, Nyx's focus is always on the boats that line the port.
This morning we set off early to avoid the heat and glare of the afternoon sun and surprisingly it was already crowded with locals taking a morning walk with their pets and kids. There were also several tourists mulling about, either busy being shutterbugs or enjoying a nice platter of fresh oysters.
This is going to be something I shall miss when we're back in Singapore.....

For now I can only try to take more pictures to remind us of our life here in France.

Spring is in the air!

2009-03-19T06:23:00.000-07:00

The weather here has been absolutely splendid of late and flowers are blooming in myriad of colours that is truly a feast for the eyes.
This morning I took my two Ns for a short stroll around the neighbourhood after dropping off a few things at the recycling collection center near our home and I really enjoyed soaking up the warmth from the sun. Here are a few pictures I took today during our walk and at a playground in the vicinity.

a simple conversation

2009-03-19T03:35:00.000-07:00

Besides teaching her manners saying "may I have some ........ please" and "thank you for the......", I've also been trying to engage Nyx in conversations encouraging her to form complete sentences instead of giving me one word answers. Its funny cos sometimes she speaks so quickly like I tend to and it sounds so gibberish that only I can understand her.

Nyx the sleepyhead

2009-03-17T08:48:00.000-07:00

I took this video about 2 mins after Nyx woke up from her nap cos Shirley missed both kids so much and asked me to take a video of them today. Instead of just letting her stone like she does after waking up I asked her to name some bodyparts in mandarin. Lately I've been building up her vocabulary in mandarin and she can tell me things in Chinese like shu(4) dao(3) le(4) - the tree has fallen -, and Mummy kai(1) che(1) - mummy is driving the car. She still prefers to speak in english but I'm putting more effort in encouraging her to speak in mandarin more often.

Trip to Gourette

2009-03-15T03:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we made a trip to this ski resort situated in the French Pyrenees mountains. It took us 4 hours to drive there and Nyx got car sick on the way up the mountains. Eeeks! Thank goodness that didn't happen again on the way down.

Along the drive up the mountain I noticed a number of cyclists training hard and making their way up the steep slopes. That was when I remembered that in 2007 this was the very same route taken by participants of Tour de France.

We had a wonderful time on the snow slopes and the awesome weather made it even better. It was a cool 16 to 17 degrees while we were there and even the windbreakers and jackets we wore had to be taken off as they weren't needed.

How Nyx babysits Nya

2009-03-13T01:45:00.000-07:00

Very often whenever I have to leave Nya alone to do something else or to fetch something, Nyx helps to fill in. In this video I was in the other room getting a fresh set of clothes for Nya while Nyx was watching her little sister on the bed making sure that she doesn't fall off.

I really thank my lucky stars that Nyx is so helpful when it comes to looking after Nya. Just yesterday Nya managed to get her hands on a bottle of spray detergent which I forgot to lock away after cleaning. Nyx saw Nya playing with the bottle then apparently snatched it away from her and placed it high on the dining table. She then went on to tell Nya "no! cannot touch!". It was at that moment when she shouted at Nya that they got my attention. I saw the bottle on the table and had a minor heart attack, then I rushed over to sniff Nya's hands. Thank goodness she didn't get any detergent on her hands or face. Crisis averted thanks to the jie jie.

Independent "women"

2009-03-10T12:17:00.000-07:00

Nya is now 10 months old and my life just got tougher. She now pulls curtains and tablecloths, sofa covers, bedsheets..... basically whatever she can grab so that she can stand up. Once she's on her feet she does a little victory dance, shaking her butt and humming to herself.

On the other hand, Nyx has made my life a little easier as she changes DVDs herself and dresses herself up. How quickly time flies, and how fast my little girls are growing up and maturing..... kekeke. The fake boobies on Nyx are actually two of Nya's balls that Nyx shoved into her jacket herself and kept asking me to see her "neh nehs".

Nyx singing a couple of songs from Hi 5

2009-03-09T10:05:00.003-07:00

Final leg of our trip, back to Nice again

2009-03-08T11:44:00.000-07:00

We arrived back in Nice again towards the end of our roadtrip to stay for one more night and were pleasantly greeted with clear blue skies and warm sunny weather. I felt so happy to see this and so were the girls as they enjoyed themselves on the beaches of Nice. Nyx had a great time picking stones and pebbles and throwing them as far away as she could. Nya had a great time picking stones and pebbles and attempting to eat them. She basically puts EVERYTHING into her mouth these days, oh the horror..... It used to be just wires, now she wants to bite everything.

Cannes

2009-03-08T08:47:00.001-07:00

It was raining when we arrived in Cannes so we only spent a few hours exploring this city. I was very excited to be able to stand on the red carpet right outside the auditorium where the annual Cannes Film Festival is held. Because we arrived here on a Sunday, the stores were all closed except for the huge flower market situated right in the center of town crowded with tourists and locals. Of course it doesn't just sell flowers, one can even find skinned rabbits here. I was really expecting it to be sunny here but it was wet and so cold I even had to wear thermal pants under my jeans! Brrrr!

Venice

2009-03-08T07:52:00.001-07:00

Venice is surrounded by water, and not just in the canals and waterways but from the sky too. The whole time we were in Venice it just rained and rained and rained.....
Ironically it clear blue skies the day checked out from the hotel and had to leave the city. Nevertheless we armed ourselves with umbrellas and a sheltered stroller as we explored the city and all its wonders. I was amazed by the gorgeous Venezian glass art and couldn't help but stop by every single store that displayed these beautiful pieces of work. St. Marco Square was truly a sight to behold despite the rain. It was a pity that Nya was sleeping throughout our walk through the city, haha. She must've been too comfortable in the kangaroo, all bundled up and cosy.

I love Rome!

2009-03-08T05:27:00.000-07:00

This has got to be my favourite european city. The folks here are so warm and friendly you can't help but love everybody!
Throughout our stay here we managed to cover most of the attractions including The Pantheon at Piazza de la Rotonda, The Colosseum, The Palantine Hill (the birthplace of Rome, Via Del Corso The Trevi Fountain, Vatican City (where we visited the Vatican museum, the Sistine chapel and St. Peter's Basilica), St. Peter's Square, The Spanish Steps, Castel Sant Angelo and the Tiber river, and the Vittorio Emanuele Monument.
I would really love to come back to this beautiful city again for a holiday, perhaps when the kiddies are much older and walk on their own, carry their own bags and mine, feed themselves and appreciate the sights and atmosphere.

Beautiful Florence, not just my mother's name

2009-03-08T01:39:00.000-08:00

The hotel we stayed at in Florence was extremely close to the heart of the city. In fact the close proximity allowed us to take a short leisurely stroll to visit the Brunelleschi's Duomo, The Uffizi Museum, the Battistero in Piazza S. Giovanni and the Ponte Vecchio Bridge over the River Arno. I was just honoured to be able to appreciate the world-reknowned dome and savour its magnificence. After all, over 600 years after its completion, it is still the largest dome built in brick and mortar in the world.

Stopover at the leaning tower of Pisa

2009-03-08T00:42:00.001-08:00

This famous bell tower was our third stop during this roadtrip between Nice and Florence. And I must say, despite it's construction beginning in 1173 and taking 200 years to complete, it looked extremely well preserved. Interestingly, although the structure was built in full fidelity to the original blueprint, the identity of the architect still remains a mystery.

Carnival Time in Nice

2009-03-08T00:09:00.000-08:00

Upon our check-in to the hotel in Nice, we were greeted by the owner of the establishment who left such a positive impression on both guojun and I that we went online and wrote a very good review for his hotel. He told us there was huge annual Nice carnival going on right next to the beach which was a 5 minute walk from our hotel and that it was the last day too, before a firework display at night would mark its closure. We made it to the the main square where the carnival was taking place and at first all we could see was a sea of heads. People were throwing confetti everywhere and it was a myriad of colours and loud music. The atmosphere was truly amazing and I felt so lucky to be witness to this festival. The throng of enormous floats and performers marched through the streets from the main square to the beach and back with children and adults dressed in costumes for the event.

Our Road Trip to Italy

2009-03-07T23:58:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday we set off early in the morning for Aix-En-Provence, marking the beginning of our road trip to Italy. There are too many pictures for me to upload onto my blog to share with everyone here so if you'd like you can go see more of them on my facebook account.
Aix is very often referred to as the city of fountains and during our visit we came across a large number of them. One of the more magnificent ones we saw was situated at la Rotonde, the hub of modern Aix. Its basically an enormous fountain built around 1860 with three giants at the top of it representing art, justice and agriculture.

Nyx learning Chinese Poetry

2009-02-27T00:01:00.000-08:00

I had to give Nyx something to do when she got up at 8am and refused to go back to bed, so I chose Chinese poetry. This explains why her hair is still deshevelled, haha. I took this video just after teaching her the poem so the pronunciation isn't spot on yet. She'll still need abit of practice.

Trip to Bilbao, Spain

2009-02-22T01:31:00.000-08:00

We visited the famous Guggenheim museum which was opened in 1997 and also did abit of shopping in a couple of the city's large indoor shopping malls. The near 4 hour drive to Bibao was really worth it as we got to enjoy the warm sunny weather and Nyx had so much fun running around the playgrounds and parks.

While we driving towards Bilbao, Nyx and I got into an arguement. She kept insisting the flyover was really just a big slide. She has this habit of naming things that she sees when she's in the car such as cows, horses, sheep, houses, giant farm sprinklers, factories, clouds, rain, the sun, the moon, cars, trucks, motorbikes, monuments, etc. Here's a video of our little arguement.

Nya loves pointing

2009-02-20T10:58:00.000-08:00

Nya's favourite thing to do nowadays is pointing. She will point at something she wants and shout "AAAAhhhh!!!" or "ah" depending on how fast we react to her demands. So after a few subtle "ah's", if we still don't give her what she wants, it becomes a full-on holler.

Here are two videos I took of her lately. One of them shows Nya pointing at her daddy man and scolding him, the other one shows her pointing at me and saying "Mama!".

Dancing to their favourite cartoons

2009-02-19T13:10:00.001-08:00

Its picture time again! Daddy needs a reason to use his 40D, and of late he's been abit lazy to lug the heavy and delicate toy around with us wherever we go. So this evening he took some pictures of the two babies while they were watching sesame street.

Farewell for Zane and surprise birthday celebration for Gina

2009-02-19T07:27:00.000-08:00

We had a lunch gathering at La Vache (aka the Cow Restaurant) this aftenoon to celebrate Gina's birthday and also as a farewell for Zane. Recently we've been having lots of farewell meals and gatherings it seems that everyone is leaving. There are new faces coming here from Singapore all the time too, its just that we haven't gotten to know them well yet. So here are the pictures taken from this afternoon. We'll miss you Zane! See you in Singapore real soon.

"Yo ho ho! Argh....."

2009-02-18T08:27:00.000-08:00

Today we took the two N's to Bordeaux and what a surprise we had. There were pirates everywhere! And even a huge pirate ship full of looty and a pig roasting over a fire next to it.

It was such a coincidence because before we set off for Bordeaux, I had dressed the girls up along with matching scarves tied around their heads, similar to that of pirate fashion. I meant to use them to cover up the "toot" new hairdo's both girls were sporting as we'd just trimmed both their fringes.

There was even a life-sized crocodile prowling about and Nyx kept wanting to sit on it. Thanks to today's meeting with the pirates, Nyx's new favourite words are "Yo ho ho!" and "Argh!...." and "Shiver me timbers!".

Nyx and Nya learning mandarin

2009-02-16T06:32:00.001-08:00

Here's a video of my two N's learning mandarin from some DVDs which I borrowed from my friend Jessica. And what gems they are! But I find it absolutely neccessary to watch the videos along with them cos as you can see in one of the videos, Nyx kept saying he(2) ma(3) ma(3) instead of he(2) ma(3) for hippopotamus. These videos were taken when the girls were watching the DVDs for the first time so by now Nyx has got it right. Nya was able to pay attention to it quite well and not go wandering off to find something to bite either, so I'm quite happy.

Trip to La Roc St Christophe and Sarlat on Valentine's day

2009-02-15T02:19:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we drove to Sarlat and the prehistoric site of La Roc St-Christophe for some sight-seeing. The scenery at the troglodyte site was absolutely breathtaking and this half mile long structure with its dramatic views was worth the long drive. It dates back to the Mousterian era and has been lived in by successful generations of man. Which is why we saw tools and structures used by man from prehistoric and medieval periods. Nyx was pretty scared of the wax figures in the form of huge bears and cavemen though. Kept shouting "what's that! what's this! Mummy hurry! Mummy be careful!"

No internet connection again since last week

2009-02-10T09:10:00.000-08:00

Nyx trying to look like the goldfishes in the tank

The boat full of sushi and sashimi that we ordered

My favourite picture of the moment, it just cracks me up

I really don't like it when the internet connection is down cos I don't get to keep in touch with friends and family, I can't use the linksys to call home (Singapore) and Nyx can't surf the net and visit several of her favourite educational websites. Which means extra amount of noise ringing in my ears throughout the day from the babies. The awful weather we've been experiencing didn't make it feasible to head out often either, so I've been a hermit with tissue stuffed into my ears surrounded by two miniature hyperactive hermits. Last night we had winds up to 110km and when I went out this afternoon I saw the mess left in its wake. We also had heavy rains and hail again today.... argh...........

Nevertheless, despite the gloomy weather and not having the internet to keep us connected and entertained, we kept busy and had two dinner gatherings to celebrate one group of students here graduating and also the 15th day of Chinese New Year.

How my two N's play with each other

2009-02-05T08:50:00.001-08:00

Here are some pictures and videos I took of the girls playing with each other on days when we're stuck at home.

Cindy is a new mom again!

2009-02-02T09:59:00.000-08:00

Today we went to visit Cindy and her newest addition to the family, a baby boy they've named Braeden. Congrats Cindy and Bruce!

Happy birthday everyone!

2009-02-01T07:56:00.000-08:00

Today happens to be the 7th day of the Chinese New Year which is ren (2) ri (4). So here's wishing all our friends and relatives Happy birthday and may this year bring all of us good fortune and good health.

We had a sumptous potluck spread at a friend's place this afternoon. There was laksa, har cheong gai, fried bee hoon, assam curry fish, beef stew, grilled salmon, sambal eggs, steamed prawns, lots of pastry desserts and kueh kuehs, green bean soup..... To put it plainly, we were stuffed! But happy, hehehe.

Chinese New Year's celebration in France

2009-01-27T11:44:00.000-08:00

Fireworks and Nyx being a little frightened by it

Lion dance

Here are some pictures Guojun took last Friday night at the squadron where our Singaporean community here celebrated CNY along with some French guests. Nya and I stayed home and had to give the dinner party a miss as both of us were having high fevers. We've both recovered already and everyone is well. Unfortunately there are many folks here suffering from the same thing and now there's an outbreak of stomach flu too, I really hope none of us catch the awful virus and that whoever is down with anything gets a speedy recovery.

Back from the stone age......

2009-01-27T10:53:00.000-08:00

A tractor hauling away the chopped up trees

Ever since the strong winds hit us the whole of Saturday with speeds of over 100km/hr. We've had several power failures (extremely inconvenient and frustrating) and we also lost our internet connection as well the phone connection. The mobile network was down for awhile too, even today it was unavailable for sometime

Although the strong winds did its damage and left several uprooted trees (some are really big) and signposts, etc in its wake, we still see a whole big mess out there. Even after several days, the town council is still trying to chop up the fallen trees and clear the area. Roads were blocked, there were floods and debri strewn everywhere. I took some pictures of the friendly neighbourhood trees which were not able to withstand the awful weather three days ago. The heavy rains contributed to their demise too..... I'm really praying this horrible weather stops plagueing us.

Oh and Happy New Year to everyone! Love love!

Not again??

2009-01-21T03:37:00.000-08:00

Ever since the girls started with the phlegmy cough, its been one nonsensical sleep-depriving, nerve wrecking, syringe-wrestling, irritable crying- filled two weeks for me and Guojun. A few days ago Nyx had a high fever due to an ear infection and now Nya is having high fevers (up to 39.9 degrees celcius!) since last night. So much so that we had to rush her to the hospital's A&E at 3 plus this morning because her temperature refused to go down despite the sponging and suppository we had to shove up her butt.

Just to play safe we also brought her to see her pediatrician Higuet this morning at 10am. I really hope to avoid having anyone of us sick again. Guojun and I have become such light sleepers now because we're so afraid of the girls' temperatures rising. Nya even puked thrice this morning and according to her doctor its due to the discomfort she experiences from the viral throat infection when she swallows. He says the fever can also be attributed to the fact that she's teething. She has 4 teeth on the upper palate cutting through, so you can imagine how CRANKY she is. Even Nyx gets so frustrated and keeps shaking her hands and asking "meimei what do you want??!!!!!" "Haiyah!"

Meimei is 8 months and 3 weeks old

2009-01-18T04:36:00.001-08:00

Hitting the winter sale in Spain, San Sebastian

2009-01-18T01:01:00.000-08:00

Our first family picture in San Sebastian

One of my definite stops in SS, the huge triple storey ZARA store

Nyx shopping in Hugo Boss

I think this is the 5th trip for our family to San Sebastian and everytime we come here, shopping is the main objective. Hahaha.....
I wish I had remembered to whip out my camera more often to take pictures of the lovely surroundings while the sun was still shining though. These pictures I took were when it was already sundown, shucks. We drove here together with a bunch our friends, 4 cars in total. And thank goodness the two babies decided to be very cooperative throughout the day despite being confined from morning till night in the carseat and the stroller.

Our last night in France with Lily, Johnny and Asher

2009-01-17T00:34:00.000-08:00

Early this morning at 5am Guojun sent our dear friends off to the airport to catch their flight to Paris and then to Singapore. It must be the most exciting trip they've been looking forward to since arriving here two years ago, because this is the first time they're going back in so long and with an added family member too! I'm sure all their friends and family can't wait to see them =)

Last night we had yet another farewell for our dear friends and godson at a nice French seafood restaurant in Arcachon right at the beachfront, followed by drinks at Cafe de la Plage a few doors down.

Our "playgroup" has grown smaller yet again, but we look forward to rejoining real soon in Singapore. The next "member" to head back to Singapore will be me and the two girls in a couple of months time and I just can't wait! =)

Some of the things I really miss back home......
1)my family and dogssssss
2)the nanny clan
3)my relatives
4)my friends
4)the FOOD
5)the warm balmy weather
6)my Lara Craft (my car)
7)teaching classes

we've all recovered! yay!

2009-01-14T02:18:00.000-08:00

As of today the whole family has recovered fully. My nose has stopped leaking and the girls have stopped coughing, the daddy has also gone back to work. The dry air and freezing temperatures really aren't my cup of tea at all. So here are some pictures of the girls in the household after a bout of the cold (especially for you Tammy). I really can't wait to get back to hot, sweaty, humid Singapore. I'd choose that over this freezing cold anytime manz........

Reunited.......

2009-01-10T02:23:00.000-08:00

Finally the two girls have fully recovered from their cold and I feel that its safe enough to let them kiss and cuddle again. They sure missed holding hands and kissing..... couldn't even stop holding hands in the car yesterday, hahaha.

No more therapy needed!

2009-01-07T06:58:00.000-08:00

This afternoon I took Nya to the therapist's clinic for the 3rd time and I was so happy to hear him say that she didn't need any more sessions!!!! Oh yeah! The past 2 lung massage therapies must have really scared Nya because when she laid her eyes on the therapist's face, she started wailing and screaming and tears started streaming down her face. Thank goodness she didn't have to go through the process again today. Nyx is also recovering and coughing alot less. Both girls have stopped vomitting too as they don't have to cough so hard to try and clear the phlegm anymore, so I'm very relieved.

Dripping noses and cough cough coughing......

2009-01-04T12:10:00.000-08:00

Nya seems be coughing less today which is a good sign. But tomorrow she has to go for the second session of the painful therapy. Nyx is still coughing with alot of phlegm and often wakes up during the night time and her afternoon nap vomitting after a serious bout of coughing to clear the mucus from her system. She was sneezing quite abit today also, which made her look like a rosey-cheeked Rudolph (red nose and cheeks).
Nya has also sprouted another two teeth on the top palate which might explain the fevers a few nights ago. Nyx is also sprouting another set of molars, they're potruding halfway out of her gums. They are growing up so fast....
I also took some pictures of Nyx posing with some stuff her daddy brought back along with him from Singapore. She was so busy helping him unpack all the goodies from his luggage on wednesday when he arrived.

Heartache.........and dilema

2009-01-02T12:24:00.000-08:00

My poor baby Nya had to go for therapy this evening to remove phlegm from her respiratory system. It was her first time having to go through this and according to the doctor she will have to undergo this painful process for a week. When I saw the way the therapist tried to force the mucus out of Nya I almost cried. It was so heartwrenching to see the man pressing down on her ribs and throat such that she started gagging and choking and gasping for air. Her entire face and upper body turned red and I was so afraid she would pass out. She tried to cry but also had to fight for air at the same time. I really couldn't take it...... but I saw that alot of mucus and phlegm was coming out of her mouth and nose each time she gagged. I wanted to stop the therapist so many times.....He even used two syringes to squirt some solution into each of her nostrils to clear them. Finally it was over, after close to 10 minutes. Nya was so tired from this short, painful session that she fell asleep in the car just after we left the clinic. I'm in a dilema because I don't know I want to bring her back there again.

Before we went to this therapy centre, Nyx, Nya and I had to see our doctor as Nyx and Nya were coughing alot, and I mean alot. Everyday they would cough till they vomit, at least once. So for the past few days I've been a very hardworking "janitor", cleaning up puke day and night. All this while having a throat infection.... ouch. So today I finally got myself checked and hopefully the meds will help this infection go away fast. Thank goodness Guojun came back from Singapore the day before so at least now I have some help.

Nya's first attempt at crawling at 7 and a half months

2008-12-27T11:52:00.000-08:00

Guojun wearing a hairband

2008-12-27T07:41:00.000-08:00

I lost count how many people commented that these pictures of Nya look like her daddy wearing a hairband, hahaha. Just had to share it with everyone who's not on facebook yet.

Christmas Potluck party

2008-12-25T02:10:00.000-08:00

Last night we had a very enjoyable Christmas party at Diana and Kevin's place in Cazaux. The gift exchange was reaaly interesting as it was "combat" style so we could snatch gifts we wanted from others though there was a limited number of times a gift could be snatched.
The potluck spread was really awesome too!

One year more "matured"..........

2008-12-20T12:19:00.000-08:00

Ah yes...... nobody likes to be referred to as "getting older" but such is the fact. I am getting older, and next year I'll be pushing the big Three O. Eeks!
Having friends here while being far away from home is so important because they lend a hand when we need it and celebrate special days and moments with us, on top of several other points. Some of my friends here helped organize a surprise party birthday party for me and took me and kiddies out for a nice lunch. I added those photos here too. Thank you gals!
Guojun is flying back to Singapore for almost two weeks tomorrow, so we tried to spend as much time together today as possible. Lunch was at Okinawa restaurant with godma Lily, godpa Johnny and godson Asher followed by a long day in Bordeaux. I took some pictures of the munchkins this morning before heading out and I'm glad I did cos I caught Nyx doing something so cute. She was trying to do a high five with Nya using her foot! Hahaha. She also wished me "Happy birthday mommy!" early this morning so it really made my day =) Can't wait for Meimei to start yakking too........

Christmas Party in the Squadron

2008-12-19T23:31:00.000-08:00

The day before yesterday it was a Christmas celebration along with the French. Last night it was a more cosy gathering just for the Singaporeans. The kids definitely had alot more fun as this time they had games and yummy food to go along.

Christmas celebration at Cazaux Airbase

2008-12-17T11:11:00.000-08:00

In one of these videos you can hear Nya singing along to the performers on stage. There was this French dad who was so amused by meimei whenever she "sang".

NYX AND NYA'S FIRST MINI LIVE CONCERT

SANTA ARRIVING IN A HELICOPTER INSTEAD OF A SLEIGH

The Stowaway.....

2008-12-17T10:19:00.000-08:00

Guess who decided to pack herself into daddy's luggage today? Guojun is flying back to Singapore for a week and a half this Sunday so he got the suitcases out from the garage and almost immediately Nyx plonked herself in and even remembered to put on her "seatbelt" for the journey back to the sunny island as a little stowaway. Tsk tsk.... Her daddy couldn't resist taking a few pictures while she was in the midst of her antics.

The Playpen Invader

2008-12-17T00:08:00.000-08:00

This is how attached Nyx is to Nya. She kept whining and whining and asking to be put in the playpen with Nya till I couldn't stand all that noise and finally relented. Here are two shots I took of the two happy peas in the playpen.

Farewell dinner for our friends and my visit to the dentist

2008-12-14T02:13:00.000-08:00

I had to get two teeth extracted on Friday evening - one wisdom tooth and a molar side by side. It was quite a quick procedure and required quite a few stitches too. An hour after the surgery we went for dinner at a restaurant in Arcachon. I had alot of difficulty eating the food and ended up swallowing most of my food without chewing because of the pain and swelling. Its been two days after the extractions but my left cheek is still very swollen and I cannot close my jaw completely. Next Friday I'll have to return to the dentist again to get the stitches removed. Here are the pictures we took the night of the farewell dinner. You can already see the swelling happening on my left jaw.

Nyx and Nya get their driver's licenses!

2008-12-10T11:08:00.000-08:00

Woohoo! Mommy gets a new Renault Espace, Grandpa Richard gets a Honda arriving soon and Nyx gets a brand spanking new Dora sportcar from godparents Lily and Johnny! But first, she needs to get a license before taking the car out for a spin. Nya got her license at the same time as her jie jie so now both girlies can take turns behind the wheel.

Christmas Market in Bordeaux

2008-12-06T12:34:00.000-08:00

We were shopping around in the heart of Bordeaux today when we came across this Christmas market by surprise. Guojun was a little dissapointed that he didn't have his Canon 40D with him to capture the sights. There was even a horse driven sleigh full of little "elves" (kids).

To St Emillion and Bordeaux with Shirley

2008-12-02T07:40:00.000-08:00

We were so lucky to have the weather on our side today, especially since it was my best friend's last day in Bordeaux before setting off for Geneva. As I drove back towards home after sending her off at the airport, I was missing her alot already. Sniff sniff, in fact I miss everyone back home in Singapore so much!
Last night and this morning Nyx kept asking where Shirley and Yiling were. Gals, I'm sure you know where I told her you went right? Hahaha. Shhhhh............

Fourth Trip to Andorra??????

2008-11-29T00:24:00.000-08:00

This is my fourth trip to Andorra since arriving here in France in 2006. It is such a pity though, that we couldn't ski on this trip as the ski resorts only open for business this weekend, one day after we set off for home.
Along the late drive home we also made a quick stop along Carcassone (The City). This is the first time I visited this medieval castle after sundown. Pretty grand sight actually...... too bad my camera couldn't capture the beauty of it.

Shirley's trip to Arcachon

2008-11-25T07:47:00.000-08:00

I lost count how many times I've been to Arcachon and yet today was the first time I took an elevator to visit a lovely and quaint park situated within this town. From the edge of this park we were able to see the entire bay area and get our faces frozen in the process. It was freezing cold and with the strong wind blowing hard, the insides of my ears started hurting like crazy. We had intended to stop by the ice cream shop here which sells homemade ice cream for a few scoops of the creamy cold stuff, but alas it wasn't open for business.

Shirley my best BSB finally comes to France to visit

2008-11-24T12:58:00.000-08:00

After almost two and a half years of waiting, my best friend Shirley has finally got her butt over here to France for a visit. Here are some pictures we've taken since she arrived last Thursday night.

The Chief of Airforce and the Commander come to visit

2008-11-21T23:44:00.001-08:00

Happy birthday Michelle!

2008-11-19T12:27:00.000-08:00

Ok I promise I'll get Nya to sing her godma a birthday song next year alright? For now she can just offer to share with you her most prized possession, the royal pacifier! hahaha...... Happy birthday babe.

Happy Birthday grandpa Richard!

2008-11-19T12:25:00.000-08:00

Here's a video of Nyx doing her version of a birthday song dedicated to grandpa Richard.

Nyx reciting the alphabet to Meimei

2008-11-14T11:59:00.000-08:00

This morning Nyx went to the pediatrition for her BCG jab and boy did she make me feel like burying my head in the sand. It wasn't because she was screaming and kicking a fuss in the doctor's presence..... She called him "stupid man!" cos he was taking a long time giving her the jab and it must have hurt real bad. The doctor had already told me that this injection would hurt big time and that she will develop a nasty open wound at the site of the jab. I was majorly embarrassed after she scolded him, like really big time...... Thank goodness he didn't react badly to it, phew! Cos I'll have to face him every month. Usually she only calls her dad that, this is the first time she's ever said it to someone else. Guess besides teaching her new things I've also got some "un-teaching" to do huh? oh boy.............

Here's the mini me reciting the alphabet to her little sis.