Life Is In The Small Things

2030: Is It Still Home When You Don’t Recognise It?

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I don't know about you, but at the moment, my attention is captivated by the discussion about the White Paper on Population that is the talk of town. I've been reading the parliamentary reports in the newspapers and online, and I've also read the paper itself. It is clear that the pains have been taken to emphasise the Singaporean core (whatever that means), maintaining a high quality of life, and the danger of looming threats, but all I see -- all anyone sees -- is that number. 6.9 ... read more

Behind the Scenes of Absolutely Elly

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If you thought you saw a familiar face while browsing Absolutely Elly, Elly's CNY 2013 collection, well, you thought right. Noey rocking his pensive emo-model-look in the official catalogue photos.Noey got take-two as a model for Elly in their latest collection. He was one of the models for one of their first shoots more than a year ago as a nearly-3-year-old. This time as a 4-year-old, I must say that it was much easier to get him in and out of the clothes, and in the right positions, but it ... read more

ToTT Demo Class

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Some time back I was invited to attend a cooking demo class at ToTT.If you have not heard of ToTT (Tools of the Trade), you're in for a treat. This is THE place for those who love to cook, bake or entertain. 36,000 sqft of dining and kitchenware products to suit every need! I can spend hours just browsing and creating my dream home. The latter only in my head, of course. ToTT also conducts cooking classes in their Cooking Studio. Whether you're a complete newbie in the kitchen or an experienced ... read more

Balancing Out Twice the Joy

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When we were expecting our second child, there were moments when I looked at my precious first born and wondered if it was possible to love another quite as much.I now know that it is. That two children could more than fill your heart beyond its capacity for loving another. And yet, at the same time, I have come to realise that while there is twice the love to go around, there is but only half the time. And it's a constant struggle to keep the balance equal.The truth is, I don't spend as much ... read more

Rise and Shine, It’s Breakfast Time!

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I've had it said to me a million times: "Eat your breakfast! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!"And now that I'm a Mum, I find myself saying the same thing to my little ones.The kids do enjoy their breakfasts, though on weekday mornings, it's usually cereal, bread, fruit, or some bun from the bakery, and a cup/bottle of milk. On other times, I sometimes manage to squeeze out pancakes or sausages or fish fingers, and when once in a while - like today - there's quiche. While I ... read more

How to Use Your iPhone to Read Chinese Books to Your Children

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As I mentioned before, cultivating a love for Chinese in my children is a work in progress.I like to think that our efforts are bearing fruit. Noey is not as resistant when I speak Mandarin to him, though he is still not very comfortable with stringing his own sentences in response. I mostly get one/two word answers, but I'll take that for now! With this book-loving boy of mine, I've found that reading Chinese books to him has been the key. Sometimes he even picks up his Chinese books when it's ... read more

Beef Goulash

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I have a weakness for Beef Stew. There's just something really comforting about a piping hot bowl of beef stew, eaten with crusty bread, especially on a cold day.One of my favourite incarnations of this is the Hungarian Beef Goulash served at The Soup Spoon. So when I was cracking my head over what to do with a big hunk of Christmas roast that I had left over (Angus Prime Rib, no less), I decided to try my hand at making my own Beef Goulash.I was so pleased that it turned out well! Like ... read more

The Work Starts Now

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The moment you realise that it's not fun and games this year -- when your son brings home a whole lot of homework to complete over the weekend.It gave me a bit of a shock when I opened his assignment bag on Thursday and found that in addition to an English and a Chinese reader (which he brought back regularly last year), he had 2 pages of English penmanship homework, 1 page of Chinese writing, and 1 short exercise to complete based on the Chinese reader. In addition, I was also required to pen ... read more

The Art of The Brick

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During the weekend just before Christmas, we went to check out The Art of the Brick at The ArtScience Museum. I would have brought the kids down earlier, but seeing as it was a Lego exhibition after all, I felt it was a bit mean to go without the husband. If you have not heard, The Art of the Brick is a collection of 52 large-scale Lego sculptures by Lego artist Nathan Sawaya. Lego as an art form. You know we had to go see it!"Yellow", one of the signature pieces of the exhibition.I didn't ... read more