That Mom Of Four

I always look forward to the weekend mornings because I get to workout with the cutest little distractions ever. Having kids has never made it such that I have no time to get my training done. In fact, they make it way more entertaining sometimes ❤️ . It is true that with children and having to work I don’t have very much ME time left. But when I do make the time to work out no matter how short the session may be, it always helps me feel more energized and infused with those happy hormones.  So to fellow moms, I know it always sounds daunting at first. But with a little time management and creativity, it’s always possible to spend a few minutes a few times each day to fit in some exercise and it’s more than just doing something for ourselves. We’re setting an example for the little ones too.

Each time we celebrate the Chinese New Year, I’m always reminded of how important it is to regularly meet up with our family and relatives. That kampong spirit and sense of belonging never fails to fill my heart with a warm fuzzy feeling each time we go visiting and take turns gathering at one another’s homes. We put in effort to prepare meals and snacks for our visiting relatives and make sure everyone is comfortable and take pride in sprucing up our homes to welcome our guests. I actually think it’s such a great thing to do at least once a year to declutter and maybe change things around in our living space. CNY is also that time of the year when we get to wear our traditional cheongsam and follow certain traditional activities. It’s always such a joy being able to share about our culture and tradition not just with our little ones, but our friends from other cultures as well.  And one of my favorite things about celebrating CNY apart from the fact that we get to spend more time ...

After working for over 2 weeks in a row without a day off, I’m really looking forward to just recovering over this long weekend. . And these Impact Tights from C3fit are just perfect for helping me recover quickly and improving the quality of rest. Of course having a little cherub planting kisses on me throughout the day helps immensely too ☺️❤️. . Even though these compression tights provide the firmest level of support in the series of C3fit tights, the 3D design and 4-way stretch dry mesh material still allows for optimal leg movement and breath ability. . Check out the range of C3fit recovery gear available at @triplefit.sg and soon to be available at @trium.fitness  .

Ever since Large was born, I had always shopped at @mothercaresg for my babies daily needs and apparel. And even up till now I still enjoy shopping here for their clothes because I know the quality is good and the kiddos will be comfortable while wearing them. Now dressing up one daughter and stocking up her closet isn’t exactly a walk in the park. So with four daughters, I do have to make of an effort to ensure that they have comfortable and well-fitted clothes that they can enjoy their activities in and not worry about chafing , seams coming off or some form Olof wardrobe malfunction. . Thank you Mothercare for the beautiful outfits for my four girls that they truly enjoy running and lounging around in. . And it looks like I’m half prepared for the CNY visiting! I just need to get two more red dresses now! 😉. . #mothercaresg #Mothercare #ootd #sgkids #sgmom #fashionsg #bloggermom #momlife #sgfamily #thatmomoffour #kidsofinstagram #daughters #daughterlove #daughtersrock #kidsfa...

A good method to provide good nutrition to my family would be through healthy food! Being a working mom of four, it does become chaotic should any of my kids not feel well. Which is why I always try my best to nourish them and supplement their diets to ensure that their immune systems are rock solid. This means plenty of home-cooked meals that they girls and I enjoy eating such as our favorite pumpkin soup. I’ve even included the simple recipe below. And having nifty gadgets like the Braun Multi Quick9 saves me plenty of time when it comes to preparing meals so I get more play time with the children. As a very hands on mom in the kitchen, I’ve used many other hand blenders over the years but what’s so unique about the Multi Quick9 is the ACTIVEBlade technology that allows it to move up and down and easily blend the hardest foods with 40% less effort. And the flexible shaft results in 250% more active cutting surface to work with.  Anything that saves me time and yet delivers g...

*Media Drop* There are so many things I love about celebrating Chinese New Year. The company of loved ones as we share scrumptious festive meals, dressing up for the festivities, decorating the house to mark this special time of the year, watching the lion dance performances and of course the seasonal snacks!!! There’s all the typical Chinese New Year goodies like pineapple tarts, egg rolls, almond cookies, kueh bangkit, cocktail prawn rolls, love letters.... and the list goes on. But once in awhile, I get introduced some new goodies as we stock up on snacks to entertain family and friends who come to visit. And this year I’m definitely stocking up on treats from Amazin’ Graze!  I got to try out several of the snacks from amazin’ graze recently including their Love Letter Kaya Granola, Miso Szechuan Nut Mix, Haw Berry Brittle, Longan Macadamia Butter and the Tangerine Peanut Granola. What’s so unique about these innovative guilt-free snacks apart from the fact that healthier ingred...

This evening I took the kids along with me to fulfill one of the Christmas wishes of a beneficiary from the Muscular Dystrophy Association Of Singapore (MDAS).  Out of the many wishes collected for the initiative this time round, I adopted three including two meal requests to surprise the family especially the mom who is the main caregiver so that she could have abit more rest and not have to prepare a meal for that day. After some coordinating, speaking to the centre management to get a clearer idea on the families background and mental preparation on my part, I made a trip to visit the first family today along with my 3 older girls and a lot of food. Breaking the ice and surprising the family was the easy part and I got to meet the little girl Xin Lin who was bedridden and hooked up to a machine to help her breathe. She had been diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy since she was an infant and now at 3 years old she can talk a little but it takes so much effort.  The hard part t...

Throwback to New Year’s Eve when my hair was done up by Small here. She’s always been the fashionista among the four of them and enjoys drawing dresses with unique designs on them since she was 3.  As the girls go back to school today, I know they will all be tieing their own hair and wearing their own uniforms as they prep for school (except for Extra Small) and once again I can’t help but feel a little sad that they’re growing up so fast.... I will tie your hair for you for as long as you’ll let me Happy first day back at school my babies ❤️. .

*Media Drop*  As we approach the end of the holidays and prepare our little ones for the new school term, one of the important things we need to gear them up with is their backpack.  . Thank you @moonrockbags.sg for this ergonomic backpack for Miss LaLa! She tried it yesterday and really liked how the convenient magnetic sternum lock and hip belt help keep her bag from slipping and swinging around while she walking or running. And in this humid climate, the breathable hollow chamber foam allowed for active air flow and ventilation around her back. She got really excited when it started drizzling and I used the protective cover that came along with the bag to wrap and shield it. . As a parent I really appreciate some of the unique features of the backpack such as the 5-point support and O-Ring multi-angle strap that provides comprehensive protection for her growing spine. The spinal-shaped ergonomic aluminum allow bar fitted inside the school bag also provides support and ...

As we approach the tail end of the year, I’m sure many like myself will take some time to reflect back on the happenings and learnings from the past year. And 2017 has been an extremely significant one for me since the opening of Trium Fitness and finding a way to manage my family and the business while my husband is stationed overseas. From the time we opened the studio’s doors till this day, I’ve learnt so much and it’s not just about running a business, but also managing relationships and expectations, about handling major stress and anxiety, and understanding the importance of connection.  All too often we’re communicating, but are you truly connecting? As a teacher, I do make an effort to get to know my students and connect with them so they feel comfortable enough to tell me more about themselves and allow me to guide them through their fitness journey more successfully once I know where their weaknesses and strengths lie. As a working mother of four girls, I don’t just call ...

*Media drop* Thank you @honestbeesg for the surprise this afternoon right afternoon my lunchtime class! And you gave me just what I needed to refuel 💪🏻. The freshness of the fruit in the hamper was very much appreciated too!  . As a mother of four and business owner my time is very precious. So the fact that honestbee can now deliver my groceries as fast as the next hour or on the same day, it truly is a very welcome convenience for me.  . Fresh by honestbee is the newest addition to the the honestbee family and was just launched islandwide.  . Download their app to your phone or visit their website at www.honestbee.sg to purchase from Fresh. . #honestbee #freshnyhonestbee #thatmomoffour #fresh #groceryshopping #convenience #bloggermom #sgblogger #sgbloggers #smile #instagood 

Bringing up an army of girls and toughening them up ain’t an easy feat. As a parent I teach them to be hardy and have grit, but I also nurture them to have kindness and love for others in their hearts.  This school holiday I’ve taken them along with me to several charity initiatives where they’ve had to carry heavy groceries and deliver them door to door to the elderly and drop off bags of necessities to the Boy’s Brigade. And today they  got involved in an initiative #bethegift where the wishes of the less privileged children to gift something to their caregiver is fulfilled.   All these involvements open their eyes and hearts to something bigger and I can only hope that they will continue to benefit and bring love and care to the less fortunate when they’re adults. ❤️. #girlarmy #dawnsgirlarmy #girlsquad #daughtersrock

Some of the enchanting things about Christmas include the snow and seeing how our little ones try to catch them before it lands on the ground. There’s also the stories about Christmas and how it came about. Not forgetting the wonderment of telling Santa your wish for this season and seeing the smiles on loved ones when you make their wish come true. Traveling somewhere this season to experience all this may not be possible for some of us but there are still ways to experience all this wonderment and see the faces and spirits of your little ones light up brighter than the lights on a Christmas tree. When we visited the Magical Realm at Velocity, not only did my babies get to listen to Father Christmas and Jack Frost share about the stories of Christmas, the little ones were treated with popcorn and candy floss and they also got to sit in a carriage and take some pictures with a life-size Christmas themed carousel.  What was most special about the visit here was the massive snow glob...

What is your biggest source of purpose for what you do? Is it family, religion or even your work. When we have meaning in what we do it buffers us against burnout and exhaustion.  As a working mother, on most days I only get 4 to 6 hours of sleep but getting to do what I love and having a meaningful impact on those I interact and deal with just energizes me and I feel better able to handle the difficult stuff. And it harder for me while my other half is stationed for years overseas for work. There is more than one way to look at a situation but when you give meaning to what you do, notice how everything changes. No matter how tired I am, the thought of heading out to play with these guys and making memories just works better than 4 cups of espresso. Family is definitely one of my main source of purpose. ❤️

In between taking care of the 4 of them, teaching classes, managing my clients and running a business, there’s not very much time left for myself but at the end of the end of the day I always feel like the luckiest girl on earth. The four of them have taught me so much about life and love and given me so much joy that I could burst. No matter how tired I am there is always enough energy to do stuff together, even if it means I have to be the sofa for the baby. Yes my hands are full and some days I literally crash into bed, but my heart is also filled with so much love and gratitude. And I wouldn’t want it any other way ❤️

This is the first year we got involved in the charity fundraising event Operation Broken Wing which benefits youth across the region through fitness. These youngsters may come from dysfunctional families, have no support to receive schooling or have anti social behaviors.  It was heartwarming indeed to see not just grown ups but also many teens and young kids including my second little girl taking part in #fightforhope , the workout in this movement to help raise funds for the cause. Not only was it inspiring to watch the athletes strive to raise as much funds as possible through the repetitions and weights that they completed and lifted, but the atmosphere with all the supporters cheering on made my heart swell. I’m a proud momma for sure and if the event happens again next year, I’ll be sure to join in too!

Let's face it, long distance relationships are tough to maintain especially when the time difference makes it hard to connect on phone calls and video calls at convenient timings for both parties. And in our case with both of us working as well as our four little ones who go to school and come home at various timings, you can imagine how challenging it can be to get everyone together at the same time to video chat. Nevertheless we've made it work over the years whenever the daddyman or I have to travel overseas for work for weeks, months and in our current situation.... years.  And none of this would have been possible without the help and support from our loved ones especially my mum and dad ❤️. Thank you grandma and grandpa!  They say it takes a village to raise a child and I wouldn't contest that, but with four kids to raise I am nothing short of grateful for the unconditional love and support from our loved ones who have played such an important role in being such great...

What would be the toughest part of this near month-long holiday to see their dad in the USA? Apart from handling the kids alone while flying and transiting....it really was when we had to say goodbye to the man who took such good care of us these past few weeks and pampered us like we were princesses (and a queen).    From the moment I knew we were making this trip to visit their dad in the United States, I already started to worry about how I would manage the four kids alone. Yes a lot of prep work had to be done especially in enrolling the older girls to help with the baby and the luggages. And it's really no joke having to collect our checked-in luggages upon arrival at LA, going through customs, finding our way to the domestic terminal from the international terminal in order to check-in these luggages again and then catching another domestic flight to Idaho. The trip back to Singapore is much of a hassle too but this is was all so worth it considering the memories and exp...

This is the third year that International Yoga Day will be celebrated since its inception in 2015. This day was declared by the United Nations General Assembly and what's so significant about the 21st of June which was chosen as Yoga Day is the fact that it's the longest day of the year. This special signifies Global Peace, Harmony and Health, and celebrates the practice of yoga as well as spreading the awareness and benefits of the practice. It's doesn't matter what physical limitations we have, what age we're at and what style of the practice speaks more to us. Everyone can can benefit from incorporating Yoga into their lifestyle, even if it's just starting off with a small component of it. It doesn't have to be all or nothing :) And what better way to start off International Yoga Day than a practice with my girl army? Yes, puppy included! ❤