Halloween 2009

This is supposed to be posted up half year ago!! But I thought, since there're pictures of Jared and Natalie that Auntie Chloe can see, might as well.

Annually, the residents here will celebrate Halloween by decorating their doors and the children will go round the estate asking for treats from those who wants to participate. Last year, we missed this event because we weren't prepared to dress the kids up and we've just moved in. This year, we managed to get them some props and off they went to collect their treats which I think amounts to a half year's supply.

This would probably be their last time celebrating Halloween here. So for memory sake:

Our "New" Maid

After I posted an entry on the new cleaning equipment we had been using, I got some enquiries on this brand, Enjo. If you guys are interested, you can email or leave a comment in this blog. I've agreed to help the distributor to sell during the poly's school holidays. Since these two months, I'm not really doing anything.

One of the product range that I like was their mop. Which saves me tonnes of water (the amount of water we needed to mop the house TWICE was the full bottle of the spray bottle) and I no longer have to carry buckets of water and squeezing the mop till I get blisters on my fingers. Even Ning was able to help me because the stick was adjustable to her height. And she gladly does it during those days we didn't have a helper. WF saw and he went to take a video of her "professional" cleaning style. I thought it was really funny since she was all so serious doing her cleaning job.



My new maid

Christmas 2009 II

This is so lame... CNY is already here and I'm still stuck with Christmass???!!

I actually did up the slide show some time ago. And there were some rather nice photos taken when our friends and their kids came over to celebrate Christmas with us on various days. So not wanting to waste it and also to share with them on this blog, it is still better to put up.

Of course, it also includes the presents Ning and Zhi received. Looking at the photos of presents just reminds me of how blessed these two kids are. With so many people loving them and caring for them... Ning's present from "Santa" (aka parents) was a jewellery box we bought in Switzerland. And somehow without ever to teach her, she did a pretty good job in organizing her accessories in the various sections and compartments. I guess this must be a girl's instinct? And of coz, for Zhi, its Thomas and more Thomas for him!

Here are the pictures:

Christmas 2009

I have been so lagging in posting my blog that CNY is already round the corner yet I have not put up the posts I had wanted to on Christmas last year.

Oh well... better get this started and I can start on the CNY.

This year, as usual, we had a few gatherings held at our place. And the usual fun and laughter filled the house with an even TALLER Christmas tree. I don't quite understand, every year, we keep getting a tree that is taller and taller even though we've always been browsing at the 8 to 9 feet section. I supposed, the florist just did an estimation for these trees. When the tree arrived, it got stuck at the ceiling and we had to saw the tip off. So much so that I can't put up the stars. Nevertheless, it is still a sweet-smelling tree after all.

Ning's school got the kids to do a lot of Christmas decorations for their art and craft sessions. And she proudly brought them back to decorate the tree. I taken the pictures of her craft work to share in this blog. She's definitely very proud of the Snowman she did and also the Christmas card she wrote for her teachers.

Our New Home Cleaning Equipment - ENJO

Some of you may know, I have been using this set of cleaning equipment from Austria for the past half year. The brand is called Enjo (pronounce as en-yo) and it was recommended by my poly colleagues who had been using for 5 years and one year respectively. They knew about me getting up at 5.30am to do housework and thought this set of cleaning equipments will not only help me save time, but money as well.

The distributor came down to my place and did a demo. And I thought these equipments were simply amazing. Using only little amount of water, I get to clean my entire house, from the floor to the windows. Even the oil stains on the stove were easily removed.

I think the guy who invented Enjo is one genius. It not only help me save water (our water consumption is down by at least 30%), I don't have to buy anymore cleaning detergents and it also saves the environment by not dumping too much toxic waste from the cleaning agents.

I've recommended this to some of my friends and they thought the products were amazing too. Interestingly, one dinner, I had a bad burnt stain (see picture) in my slow cooker base. And if those of you who wash the dishes, you'll know how hard it is to get rid of such stains. And you can't really use a lot of water coz the wire is sticking out of the pot base. WF thought it is a really good time to test the Enjo products and see if it really works. After two wipes and we have a clean and shiny cooker back (see the slide show)! What more can I say?

If any mummies who're tired of cleaning and scrubbing, you can email me if you're interested. Cleaning is so much easier, just ask my maid.

Bento Making - My New "Hobby"

I always tell my friends that I have such short attention span for many interests. First it was baking, well, that lasted pretty long. Until 2009, somehow I lost interest in it. Then for a short while, I self-studied French and that didn't last long coz it was such a lonely journey listening to the CD again and again. Then it was Christmas card making in 2008 and I didn't even do a single card in 2009. Roller-blading... my 2009 New Year's resolution and now 2010, I still can't roller-blade, let alone taking out the blades from the box for the past 6 months!!!

I can't remember what other "hobbies" I have but they definitely didn't sustain my interests for long.

Now I have a new interests and I hope this will carry on for as long as the kids go to school. Its bento making.

My colleague and I got really excited about the idea of packing bentos for our kids to school and inspired by some really pretty pictures posted by friends on Facebook and their blogs, we set about getting all the necessary equipments from Daiso (see pictures) and of course, thinking of creative ideas to "dress up" an otherwise boring rice and vege lunchbox.

I've taken some pictures of my new "adventure" and Ning was all excited about it as well. Whenever possible, she'll helped me punch those seaweed shapes and finished the "hole-y" seaweed for me. Sadly, Zhi didn't take an interest in eating the bento. One look and he was all grumpy. I supposed this is too "girly" for a boy?

Ning the Ballerina

Ning had been asking me to sign her up for ballet classes for the past half year. She gets really envious of the pretty girls in their pink dresses practising the movements every time we walk past the dance studios when she goes for her music classes.

Luckily, Crestar launched a few ballet classes in Jan and one of the class timing suited us. So off she went for her dance classes and she was all so excited when I got her the shoes and skirts. Of course, for memory keepsake, we quicky took out the camera and asked her to strike a pretty pose.

I hope her interest for ballet will last coz those items she's wearing isn't cheap!


Striking a very "un-ballerina" pose