tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10720992369374223072012-01-27T17:16:08.024+08:00MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.comBlogger5051100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-71835506161886289002012-01-27T13:18:00.001+08:002012-01-27T13:18:52.001+08:00

Last year, we opted for local yummies like home-made duck soup, popiah and mee siam, and this year we went Nonya instead: Fish head curry.  Slurp! Kueh pie ti.  We had this last year too!  We ordered a whole bunch of dishes from Ivins (including stuff like the ayam goreng rempah, mee siam, ikan kuah nanas), and the food was pretty good.  The service wasn't great though.  And of

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-82097330694195733632012-01-26T09:54:00.000+08:002012-01-26T10:26:50.649+08:00

Hello!  Am back again to share about the party packs we did for the little guests for Junior J's party (details on the decorations here).  He got to choose, and invited three friends.  However, one could not make it, so we only needed to prepare  for three kids.  We started off by decorating plain paper bags, using another idea off Pinterest: Foam stamps!  These were made using cut

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-74980112058512950622012-01-25T11:10:00.001+08:002012-01-25T11:10:19.337+08:00

Hello!  I'm down with a cold with a fuzzy head, so I'm just going to be babbling about the crafty bits of Junior J's birthday party for the rest of the week.  We just had a really tiny gathering this time, since we preferred to take things easy and chat with people.  Having a bigger gathering usually meant we were fluttering crazily around trying to settle everyone.  (I really wish we could

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-54641204628937036882012-01-24T16:36:00.001+08:002012-01-24T22:38:13.647+08:00

It is Chinese New Year.  People visit each other, and feast.  The little ones get hong baos, and eat too much candy.  For most families, it is a time to come together, to remark upon how fast the children grow, to wear new clothes, to take lots of photos.  It is a shiny, happy time, full of red and gold, the loud bang of drums, the festiveness of new blooms and lion dances.  It is another time

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-12521460199022889822012-01-21T17:38:00.001+08:002012-01-21T17:38:54.996+08:00

Hello!  Have been so busy, I've yet to scrap at all this year... However, I found pics of an album I did some time ago for a friend's kid... It was meant to house ultrasound pics, so I left plenty of space for scan pictures... as well as pockets of journalling here and there... This was done using Crate Paper's Brook collection.  Love the cheery colors and nature inspired patterns!

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-26250994818679577422012-01-20T16:02:00.000+08:002012-01-20T16:02:41.821+08:00

We left the hotel Wednesday afternoon and headed home.  We only managed to check out at around one, since we all overslept and then Junior J and the hubby went to the pool.  Baby J threw up for the fourth time, and I ended up trying to pack up with him strapped to me.  Junior J threw a tantrum while we were trying to pack, insisting that we carried him.  Before that, he tried to do a WWF stunt

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-83522224577842346742012-01-18T00:08:00.000+08:002012-01-18T04:11:46.976+08:00

We've been away on an adventure.  We went on this trip to Malaysia to settle Baby J's application for Malaysian citizenship, as well as to collect Junior J's documents for citizenship.  Our first venture overseas as a family of four!  Its been quite a trip... We survived the almost 5 hour drive up to Putrajaya.  We timed it during Junior J's nap, but the brothers took turns waking each other up (

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-31154747102103308622012-01-16T17:12:00.002+08:002012-01-18T04:15:17.600+08:00

Hello!  We're currently in Malaysia settling Baby J's citizenship application, and having a lazy few days hanging out together as a family.  The kids are napping at the same time for a bit... so am just popping by to show you our Chinese New Year decorations for the year: Junior helped with the cutting (for the first part... later he started whining that he was uncomfortable and made me do

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-54189079164528324732012-01-13T22:08:00.000+08:002012-01-13T22:08:41.099+08:00

We've more or less blundered into the world of bento recently.  Junior J has started being finicky about food again, and in my desperation I tried making his bread more interesting by cutting out shapes using cookie cutters.  And that seemed to help, so I paid a trip to Daiso... and well... suffice to say that I had to clear out a kitchen drawer to house some of the tools! Christmas breakfast:

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-17739789923850973672012-01-12T23:57:00.002+08:002012-01-12T23:59:51.277+08:00

"This is Singapore, Daffy duck!" Junior J  has become rather picky about what he wants to learn.  No, he doesn't want to do math puzzles.  Some days he doesn't want to do craftwork, or he gives up quickly if the steps are a little tough (like trying to hold and use a scissors, where he proclaims "I'm uncomfortable, I'm tired! You cut, Mama!").  Certain activities bore him, and he gets

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-66875582077426924042012-01-11T22:58:00.000+08:002012-01-11T22:58:03.053+08:00

I plunged into 2012, raring to go.  This would be the year.  The year we would get to see Europe.  The year we finally get our clutter under control.  The year of with lots of little learning.  The year where things got sorted out.  2012, like any year, held lots of promise.  New routines.  New resolutions.   Then normal life got in the way.  The screaming sessions at night.  The never-ending

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-87444830379469825642012-01-09T01:21:00.001+08:002012-01-09T01:21:20.276+08:00

Wow, just like that, and the first week of the year has zoomed by!  It has been rather quiet on the blog front as we were busy trying to find some rhythm to our days.  2012 started off busy, and is now slowly falling into a more predictable routine.  We're still adjusting though.   Junior J just went through a 2 week phase of waking up 6-7 times a night, due to nightmares (so he claims),

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-15545652543693946152012-01-03T16:36:00.000+08:002012-01-03T16:54:06.638+08:00

Hello 2012!  Its been busy, and the end of 2011 looked like this: Junior J's Christmas present from us: A wooden house. I managed to score a second-hand one in tip-top condition for $30 bucks, and thought Junior J could let his animals stay inside. I didn't know that it came fully furnished, along with wooden dolls too! Now he's getting the furniture bit by bit, and Mama has been secretly

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-72533601886821842792011-12-31T08:00:00.000+08:002011-12-31T08:00:03.633+08:00

Hello!  Nothing new to share on the scrapping front as we've been really busy... but here's my favourite projects for this year: :: Baby album for Junior J (view the pages here and here): :: An altered suitcase for Papermarket: :: A layout for Junior J's 26th month: Happy new year in advance, friends!  I'm excited for 2012!

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-56602048246436283662011-12-28T23:44:00.000+08:002011-12-30T01:37:44.021+08:00

As a new year approaches, I've been looking back at 2011 and reflecting on how much has happened.  So I couldn't resist speed browsing through the year's posts and picking out photos that depicted 2011 for us (warning: photo-heavy post ahead!).   This was the year that the hubby finished his specialist exams and got promoted.  He flew off a couple of times overseas for conferences.  It

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-3799372117839227122011-12-26T15:28:00.001+08:002011-12-27T16:15:22.716+08:00

We don't have any set family Christmas traditions yet, but I've realized making our own little cards has become an annual thing.  Last year, we made these, and this year we tried something similar, but using a different medium.  Junior J got to break out a pack of gel markers (normal markers don't show up well) and got to scribble all over red construction paper.  Then we punched the bell

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-61804497080461333362011-12-25T00:05:00.000+08:002011-12-27T16:45:21.213+08:00

Cheers, from all of us!

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-47432733344501695442011-12-24T16:22:00.002+08:002011-12-24T16:23:31.056+08:00

It was the hubby's birthday yesterday, and we made this little "art piece" for him.  Just our handprints on a little canvas, which I thought would be pretty simple, and I stuck on the words and the heart first on the canvas: The hand-printing part wasn't as easy as expected though.  Junior J got all excited and said he wanted to print all over the canvas, and I had to restrain him and

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-70637861009342888532011-12-23T22:56:00.001+08:002011-12-23T22:56:27.872+08:00

Dearest baby, You just turned 2 months!  The first month was a time of adjustment for all of us, but I must say you were relatively easier to feed, so it came as no surprise to us when you put on quite a bit of weight.  (It's very satisfying to see all those chubby folds on your arms and legs!)  When you are hungry you like to stick out your tongue, or even suck loudly at your little fist,

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-66665855858265439522011-12-21T16:39:00.000+08:002011-12-21T16:45:38.118+08:00

:: You constantly trip over toys and stuff scattered all over the floor.  (Stepping on lego is mighty painful, btw.) :: You find a scorpion lurking next to your computer, and a wombat staring at you in the shower. :: You get a literal breakfast in bed, involving a lumpy pillow because toy fruits have been stuffed under it.  And steak on the bed head. :: You spend half your life washing

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-71376583645399521172011-12-20T17:24:00.000+08:002011-12-20T17:24:26.636+08:00

These days, our life is full.  Each day is busy.  And I'm thankful to God for: :: His Word that gives hope and comfort, and reminds us that our life is complete in Him. :: The hubby, who thoughtfully came back during his break to give me a hand.  I love how we complement each other in terms of our parenting. :: Junior J, who reminds me not to get my plaster wet.  And whose silly antics

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-5970829555136215992011-12-19T16:36:00.000+08:002011-12-19T16:41:22.061+08:00

Hello!  Just popping in to share a little Nativity set I prepared for Junior J over the weekend: Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus Shepherd and animals Wise men Angel These are free printables designed by Marloes de Vries, a designer from the Netherlands.  You can get your copy here (via How about Orange).  There are non-coloured versions too, which you can get your older kids to

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-56830323775044195502011-12-16T15:48:00.001+08:002011-12-16T15:48:16.141+08:00

Here's another lunch favourite around here: Frittatas.  Junior J loves eating eggs in any form, and I love its protein and nutrient content (especially since he isn't too fond of chewing and swallowing meat sometimes).  Its something like an omelette, except that you cook the ingredients and then add the eggs to sorta make everything stick together.  So you just need to crack and beat your eggs

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-23039695893708045472011-12-15T15:40:00.001+08:002011-12-15T16:53:25.186+08:00

I overslept (very tired from the leaky nose).  Woke baby up an hour later than usual, which meant his entire routine was disrupted.  Rushed to cook oatmeal for the big brother since he was coughing badly.  Managed to get Junior J to finish breakfast and baby J to nap.  Thankfully my mum popped by to help to cook lunch as we were sick, and Junior J's godma came by with her sister to pass me

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-32385399137855462582011-12-13T17:07:00.000+08:002011-12-13T17:07:06.601+08:00

We are all down with colds.  Junior J is now coughing and rather cranky, the hubby has a bad sore throat, and my nose is like a leaky faucet.  Thankfully, Baby J has been spared thus far, but he's been rather sticky and needs to be carried during his naps.  There has been a lot of screaming and crying from both boys (tantrums from the cranky older brother, and displeasure from the younger one

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-53920137461274097852011-12-10T23:41:00.001+08:002011-12-15T15:49:19.321+08:00

Just took part in a Christmas swap where we were supposed to make Christmas themed ATCs (artist trading cards, if you're wondering), and we were supposed to use the traditional colour scheme of red, green and gold.  I didn't have much time to prepare all 17 pieces, so I kept it simple, and roped in my trusty helper to crank the handle of the big shot: He loved turning the handle! ... and

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-75248897321193380122011-12-09T22:32:00.001+08:002011-12-09T23:03:24.000+08:00

The past few days have been busy, in a normal, ordinary kind of busy.  You know, like how you go through the day, changing diapers and feeding the kids, cleaning messes, and before you know it, the day is done.  You collapse into bed, do the auto-feed thing through the night, and when you open your eyes, its morning.  Rinse and repeat. Right now, there's still a sink full of dishes to do (Baby

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-55378882748466177892011-12-06T16:45:00.001+08:002011-12-06T17:35:51.981+08:00

I had a blessed time celebrating my birthday yesterday.  We opted to stay in, since we were not sure if Junior J would need to poop (a major cause for concern these days), but it was still a rather lovely day nonetheless.  Am so thankful for: :: God's mercy and love that has brought me through the past 31 years. :: The hubby and Junior J who snuck out in the evening to get me a big bunch of

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-33172857900589630482011-12-05T14:02:00.001+08:002011-12-05T17:02:18.612+08:00

I turn 31 today.  I went back to look at this list written more than a year ago, and realized that I've managed to cross out slightly more than two thirds of the list.  And how about the remaining things?  Well... the habit of having quiet time in the morning is still something I'm trying to do.  The book remains half read.  Taking more photos as a family?  Still something that we have to work on

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-44357028518599757162011-12-03T17:13:00.001+08:002011-12-03T18:41:45.182+08:00

Its been a rainy rainy weekend and a busy one: embassy, doctor's appointment, mexican food, shopping and tea with a friend, wedding, lunch at Ikea and a short visit to another bloggy friend.  Phew.  So I'm just going to bomb this post with photos of the completed baby album (the cover and earlier pages can be viewed here), and make a run for it as Baby J is due for his evening bath...

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-79911370787131435662011-11-29T16:38:00.001+08:002011-11-30T15:50:17.829+08:00

This little boy has been severely constipated.  We've noticed a trend the past few months where he'll start holding his poop in whenever we have someone visiting or when there are changes in routines.  We had one extremely bad case after Baby J came along and the in-laws visited, where things got so bad that he was throwing up after meals as he was so full of poop.  That round, we had to

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-49251181000075344142011-11-28T15:36:00.001+08:002011-11-28T16:23:56.439+08:00

Ok, am back again!  I've mentioned previously that I was involved in designing cards and preparing for a fund-raiser some time ago.  A whole group of ladies from the Breast Cancer Support Group in Tan Tock Seng Hospital got together and spent an entire afternoon making greeting cards (and I'm so grateful that Papermarket kindly sponsored some of the papers), and now these cards are going to be up

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-1523989489721659732011-11-28T15:10:00.001+08:002011-11-28T16:21:43.840+08:00

Just the face to suit the quote on the onesie! The hubby's parents flew down on Friday and an extremely packed weekend ensued, which included: :: Getting the lil boy's bilirubin level's checked.  Poor kid has breast milk jaundice like his brother, and has been getting poked every weekend (no wonder he doesn't look happy!).  Thankfully the levels seem to be finally dropping and is down

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-30257765081898525032011-11-25T16:02:00.001+08:002011-11-25T16:32:30.337+08:00

Nowadays, with baby to mind, lunch has to be something that doesn't require a long time to cook.  There are times where I've had to either carry/nurse a fretting Baby J while cooking, so anything that takes 15 minutes or less to cook is ideal! So on busy days, omelettes are the way to go: Crack eggs and beat (I use 3 eggs for Junior J and myself). Heat olive oil in pan.Pour eggs into

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-27835720200182927402011-11-24T23:36:00.000+08:002011-11-25T01:28:18.862+08:00

:: Junior J turns 34 months.  2 months shy of turning 3!  He has in the past month, "blossomed", if I may use such a term on a boy.  He's started to have a much better appetite, and can feed himself his entire meal on most days.  Looking at him slurping down his meals inspires me to keep trying in the kitchen department.  His soft spot for animals still remains... When I pretend-ate Muggle

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-61582221597443002782011-11-23T01:00:00.001+08:002011-11-23T01:37:02.619+08:00

I woke up this morning, did my quiet time and read this verse: "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." - 1 Corinthians 10:31 The stay home mum and/or homemaker's job is challenging and many a times, a thankless task.  After all, most days, you won't notice how the clothes end up neatly folded or hung in the wardrobe, until the article of

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-33140679435471520862011-11-21T15:00:00.001+08:002011-11-21T15:28:23.408+08:00

I've been intending to complete this little book for Junior J for quite awhile.  Its a book all about him when he was a baby, with pictures and journalling about all the little quirks he had when he was that tiny wee thing... But of course, the preggie tiredness and everything else made it hard for me to get started.  In fact, I had selected and printed the photos out a few days before

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-68474156372731525332011-11-18T00:38:00.001+08:002011-11-18T07:59:08.681+08:00

Yesterday started as per normal.  Waking up at 6 plus to feed and change baby.  Showering and getting breakfast ready, then waking Junior J up and getting him fed.  Everything was running like clockwork until Baby J decided to do a mega poop, and in the midst of my changing him, did another BIG one, which landed all over the cot mattress.  So I tried to clean up as best as I could, cleaned up the

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-47593468442002167992011-11-15T22:13:00.001+08:002011-11-15T23:25:48.046+08:00

I have been feeling rather down lately.  "Stick and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me"?  I've found that words can hurt, and they can break a person.  They can rub raw.  They can nibble at your heart and suck up happiness.  Those "I'm just saying" things, that are said casually, can actually do more harm than criticism meant to help build someone up.  Whatever the case, I'm

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-30903182404305244932011-11-11T23:16:00.000+08:002011-11-11T23:36:33.996+08:00

I don't know about you, but I am so glad that the weekend is here!  Perhaps we'll have picnics and yummy spreads: Junior J inspecting the spread of food that he and his friend, S has "prepared" for their "restaurant",during a recent playdate.  After all the food is ready, they then sit all his animal friends on stools and proceed to feed them! But I know I'll spend most of it being a

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-64643776311932000572011-11-10T08:37:00.000+08:002011-11-12T23:31:45.866+08:00

We've never been really structured about Junior J's learning, and ever since Baby J came along, there has been even less time to plan learning activities for the boy.  So we've been spending a lot of time reading and learning to read, and as usual, the little boy gets plenty of unstructured playtime... The latest creation: A "tall tall tower with piggy pig!". ... as well as time to doodle

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-24326790380420437512011-11-09T15:42:00.003+08:002011-11-09T15:46:49.223+08:00

Ok, enough ranting from yesterday (thank you, dear friends, for your encouragement and prayers!). There are still things to be thankful for every day... so here goes: :: The reminder that I can do all things through God who gives me strength. :: Naps, by both boys, that give you some respite from each day's craziness: :: The hubby, who has been helping out at home and being

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-71130852577051710872011-11-08T23:25:00.001+08:002011-11-08T23:25:34.653+08:00

My mum and I have been at loggerheads with each other for the past two weeks.  I don't know how long more I can hold out.   Firstly, my mum wanted to help out for my confinement like she did the previous time.  We knew that she would throw herself into this cleaning/cooking/"I'm so busy" frenzy, so we offered to hire a confinement nanny to help her.  She said she could manage fine without one,

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-22258089136138694042011-11-04T18:16:00.003+08:002011-11-04T18:16:57.834+08:00

My mum has been cooking our meals these days.  She believes in the traditional confinement diet, so I've been having fish and more fish everyday, doused in loads of sesame oil and garnished with generous helpings of ginger.  I'm more or less ok with her cooking, and I'm sure glad that at least she doesn't believe in the "no baths" rule! This red date tea is what I'm being made to drink

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-61452546261076012272011-11-03T22:35:00.000+08:002011-11-03T22:35:15.329+08:00

We've starting having "mama school" again for the past few days, on days that I can peel open my eyelids in the morning (some days I have no choice, if my mum comes in later and the hubby has to run errands, then I'm left to juggle both boys at the same time).  So I'm slowly getting the hang of taking care of both the kiddoes at the same time, which is what I'll have to do when hubby goes back to

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-30389116682943088392011-11-01T15:58:00.001+08:002011-11-01T15:58:32.979+08:00

Today, I am thankful for:  :: God's providence.  May we keep trusting in Him to provide all that we need. :: Some headway made for our move next year.  The hubby has managed to find some alternatives to Germany, since the arrangements to move there have been met with many glitches thus far.  So we're hoping and praying that all these things will be sorted out soon... :: Simple scenes

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-33241462345100446072011-10-31T07:58:00.002+08:002011-10-31T07:58:46.418+08:00

While Junior J has been having a good time running around with his Ah Kong and Ah Ma at playgrounds, and having a splashing good time at the pool with his Papa... I've been stuck in confinement.  Not that I'm complaining of course, since Baby J has been keeping me up every night.  Whatever the case, its been nice snuggling with our newest family member, and marveling at how tiny those toes are...

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-86582179166780461622011-10-30T00:26:00.001+08:002011-10-30T01:26:26.082+08:00

Its already been 1 week since Baby J arrived!  Time really seems to have zoomed by.  Thought I should pen down his birth story before the post-pregnancy amnesia sinks in... Those of you following this blog would know that the Braxton Hicks contractions for the previous few weeks were pretty strong (and we had a few false alarms too).  I wasn't too sure how to tell if it was going to be the

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-85572863266946857732011-10-25T13:45:00.000+08:002011-10-25T13:45:08.635+08:00

Hello friends!  Baby J decided to join us very late Friday night... There's loads to give thanks for, but right now our brains are fuzzy from lack of sleep, so let's just say we're really thankful a smooth delivery and that the boy is healthy. :)  Thanks for the prayers and well wishes everyone!

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-48464278318885024722011-10-24T09:00:00.000+08:002011-10-24T09:00:02.219+08:00

Hello!  I managed to scrap a little more before I popped (I'm pre-posting this, so chances are baby might already have arrived by the time this post goes live...).  So here's a cheery tag for a lil' girl, with loads of colours to suit the sunny chirpy nature of every toddler! Everyone loves rainbows, right?  The clouds are cut from white cardstock and distressed with blue ink.   Can you

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-22267635865236317432011-10-21T14:30:00.000+08:002011-10-21T14:30:00.097+08:00

I've hit a cooking rut these days, so we've been eating out more often.  Just the idea of having to waddle around the hot kitchen at 38 weeks plus makes me perspire!  However, I did manage to try a recipe out of a Simply Her magazine this week, and loved how quickly this meal could be prepared: Soya and Honey Glazed Prawns with Spaghetti (Adapted from a recipe from Simply Her, which

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-49816428221717840412011-10-20T10:56:00.000+08:002011-10-20T10:56:10.582+08:00

The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: "Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it..." But Jonah ran away from the LORD... and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD. Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up... So they asked him, "What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?"

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-22371425460330377982011-10-19T16:55:00.001+08:002011-10-19T16:55:23.555+08:00

I've been swinging like a pendulum for the past two weeks.  Ping-ponging between the two extremes of feeling extremely tired... and having these crazy bursts of energy where I start these cleaning frenzies in the middle of the night. So since I've not been able to sleep, I've been able to turn this: ... into this. This was our bedroom dresser.  Atrocious, wasn't it?  It used to be

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-79978377077368202452011-10-18T16:41:00.003+08:002011-10-18T23:26:18.974+08:00

Snapped during a trip in Oz. :) Little boy has been waking up the past two nights yelling "MAMA!  MAMA!!!" at the top of his voice.  He tells me he is "scared of a tiger" (we had been making up stories from characters of the Jungle book, and Shere Khan the tiger was one of them)... but after some hugs and a prayer, he tells me he is "not scared anymore" and then goes back to sleep on his

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-13817527557361893802011-10-17T16:18:00.002+08:002011-10-18T23:27:23.417+08:00

This weekend was a busy one.  Even though the hubby had to work on Sunday, we managed to: :: Meet Baby J on the ultrasound screen, followed by a walk in the Botanic Gardens (in the sweltering noon heat!) for lunch. :: Squeeze in some art and craftiness... Junior J helping me to dye pumpkin seeds in preparation for a playdate craft activity. But our attempt failed since the seeds didn't

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-79729282416339229022011-10-15T01:06:00.002+08:002011-10-15T01:06:56.458+08:00

Its been getting harder to cook and wash up since my ginormous belly (everyone is asking when I'm going to pop) is getting in the way.  Once in a while, hubby very nicely helps out with the cooking, and loves to whip up his own version of stuff.  Here's his version of fried noodles, which the little boy also likes (and I like too, since I only have to chop up stuff, and its a one dish meal in

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-14161587823985232072011-10-13T17:08:00.001+08:002011-10-14T20:14:42.167+08:00

After we were done with Trunky the elephant, little boy asked for Muggle Wump the monkey from "The Enormous Crocodile".  That one was pretty easy since we had a Makedo cup critter kit for a monkey (ok, some descriptions say its supposed to be a cow, but then it looked like a monkey to me), so the critter became Muggle Wump.  When Muggle Wump was done, little boy thought long and hard, and

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-79587907390631928842011-10-12T16:28:00.001+08:002011-10-12T16:28:51.595+08:00

Hooray!  We're finally a little more ready, room-wise, for Baby J.  The cot in our room has been cleared of stuff (it used to hold piles of clothes, plus odds and ends), and the baby things we need to use for the first few months have all been dug out and washed.  Now I'm just waiting for a sunny day to sun the mattress, and to figure out what to hang up for this little boy's mobile.  Junior

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-11167531871753269512011-10-11T16:55:00.000+08:002011-10-11T23:51:14.530+08:00

Picture taken in Melbourne, in one of the parks.  I can't remember which though! Saturday came with pretty bad contractions, which were so frequent that we thought it was time to go down to hospital.  So we did more packing... but the contractions went away, so I guess Baby J decided to stay put for awhile (to our relief!).  The exhaustion these days has been pretty bad, and I've been

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-61468982131938422932011-10-07T16:19:00.000+08:002011-10-07T16:39:21.123+08:00

We were so heartened by our success with making Mr Croc that Junior J asked to make "Trunky" next (that's the elephant hero in "The Enormous Crocodile").  It took quite awhile for this fellow to come together.  Firstly, I wanted the elephant to match in size with Mr Croc (so that he can pass as having enough strength to fling the croc to the sun to be "sizzled up like a sausage", yes, I'm anal

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-71731345127084980522011-10-06T17:00:00.000+08:002011-10-06T17:00:09.508+08:00

Junior J's art supplies have finally been packed!  These used to be scattered and stored in various parts of the home, but over the past 2 weeks I've managed to sort them into some semblence of order.  I thought it'd be useful to have them easily at hand, so that we can pull stuff out in a jiffy for a project, especially when we'll be extremely busy when Baby J comes along.   So now, the

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-10787668307754034682011-10-05T15:48:00.002+08:002011-10-05T23:14:39.759+08:00

We went to apply for our visas yesterday.  It turned out to be a complicated affair, that involved alot of waiting and queuing.  We ended up staying at the embassy for almost 3 hours, while having to keep the little boy occupied.  Needless to say, we were exhausted at the end of the whole process... So this week, I'm thankful for the uncomplicated, simple things: :: A chance for tea with the

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-24559355875659471692011-10-03T23:43:00.000+08:002011-10-03T23:47:42.328+08:00

Little boy has never been a good sleeper until some time ago, when we finally managed to get him to sleep on his own in his room (after a period of night-weaning).  For the past few months, there have been some peaceful nights where he would wake once a night, or sometimes none at all, interspersed with some nights where he would wake up a few (or many times!) screaming and crying.  So far, we

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-83900859465625138502011-10-01T22:34:00.002+08:002011-10-01T22:35:15.509+08:00

The nesting instinct has really kicked in and I've been frantically cleaning and decluttering today.  That is, when I'm not feeling like I need a nap, which is about half the time!  Aside from that, there has been some progress on the "Almost 3" album, since the pages for Junior J's 32nd month milestones are done: Am off to pack some more! PS: Little boy has finally accepted that

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-68896833291691886432011-09-30T18:29:00.000+08:002011-09-30T22:31:32.451+08:00

Yup, Mr Croc has a new riverine property: his very own riverbed.  I thought I'd try to make a felt play scene for the boy to go with his new reptile pet (click here to get instructions on how to make your own croc), so I dug out those rolls of felt I had sitting in the cupboard and got to work with a scissors.  Making the playscene is quite straight-forward, you would just need a large piece of

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-23303239222926879122011-09-29T16:54:00.000+08:002011-10-01T21:22:27.689+08:00

Junior J has this certain fascination with crocodiles.  Crocs also seem like a favourite choice for children authors too, so we've read plenty of books starring this creature.  Recently, since the usual paint and paper routine was taking its toll (Will try to update the Art Adventures page when I have time! :p), we decided to make our own toothy green friend.  Here's how: :: Gather

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-87072960082478724982011-09-28T15:54:00.000+08:002011-09-28T15:54:33.286+08:00

Hello!  I won't hang around for long today, since I've loads to pack for baby.  I've finally gotten down to getting the baby clothes out of storage, washed, and the newborn stuff packed into some sort of order (I tried to get Junior J to help today, and was showing him how tiny the baby will be... he was interested at first, but then decided the most fun thing to do would be to fling all my

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-47102746190744769442011-09-27T18:25:00.001+08:002011-09-27T18:25:23.643+08:00

Little boy has been waking up almost every hour for the past two nights.  I'm not sure if he's falling sick again, but I've spent the nights scrunched up next to him so that both of us manage to get a little more sleep.  The days have been spent in mild dis-orientation, with snatched naps on the sofa.  However, I'm glad that the boy's appetite is better now, and he's been quite a good kid in

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-62111748016032754342011-09-26T16:00:00.001+08:002011-09-26T16:02:18.101+08:00

The weekend was one of those busy ones.  There was the breast cancer fund-raiser (where I was glad to see the ladies having fun getting their fingers rather messy with glue).  And my dad's birthday.  And... little boy turned 32 months too!   For those who have been reading this blog for awhile, you would know that I try to make a monthly layout about the little boy, to record down the

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-69660530277533824992011-09-23T16:27:00.001+08:002011-09-25T00:14:48.765+08:00

I like cooking stews.  You dump this whole bunch of stuff into a pot, leave to simmer, and get a nice comforting meal at the end of it.  I used to like using all those Japanese mixes to prepare stews, but ever since Junior J came, I've been trying to make our stews from scratch to avoid adding various additives and MSG.  So here's our own "mish-mash" recipe for beef stew (which my mum turns

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-18776048951764821752011-09-22T16:41:00.001+08:002011-09-22T16:41:55.676+08:00

While we've not been doing much bible-related activities these few months... Junior J and I have been reading stories from the Bible almost every day.  We used to try to read a story or two, plus a Bible passage every morning after he woke up, but that made the whole moving from bed to breakfast table process very long (especially on days the boy woke up grumpy!).  So now this routine has

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-82355811917396524242011-09-20T16:37:00.002+08:002011-09-20T16:37:21.329+08:00

I have been feeling rather apprehensive about number 2.  Yes, I know, the excitement is there, but still, I am quite worried when I recall what we faced the first time round...  The post-natal recovery after Junior J was slow and painful, and I still can remember all  the difficulties we faced in the earlier days.  The house full of people (it was CNY and we didn't manage to finish

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-76931819120353153252011-09-19T16:18:00.002+08:002011-09-19T16:20:15.915+08:00

Over the weekend, I attended a clay-making class by Forever Blooms, that taught you how to make flowers using an air-dry clay known as Claycraft.  It was rare to be able to have to have the time to attend a craft class (ever since Junior J came along, I've only attended one scrapbooking class, and I've yet to finish those layouts!), and I must say it was a good break for me (my in-laws very

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-10711521951134130502011-09-18T15:38:00.003+08:002011-09-18T15:51:38.245+08:00

The adrenaline from the previous two weeks of coping while the hubby was away has worn off.  All of the sudden, the tiredness from baking baby and toting him around has seemed to hit... and the onset of pretty strong Braxton Hicks contractions have been giving us scares off and on.  So I've been trying to rest a little more this week, since the hubby was on leave (to recover from his trip).  His

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-36676130665176112432011-09-16T17:19:00.001+08:002011-09-16T17:20:10.407+08:00

Ever since this pregnancy, I've been loving sour food.  Dishes like pork ribs in black vinegar and anything tomato-sauce based...  Recently, I got hubby to cook these assam prawns when he was home after his trip.  Its a really simple recipe, but really yummy (even Junior J loves them), so I thought I'd share it here: Assam Prawns  (for 2, as a side dish) Ingredients: :: 7 Medium to

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-63960013502955199822011-09-15T17:55:00.002+08:002011-09-15T17:55:48.526+08:00

Most kids have one of these... you know the doodle boards where you can write on, then erase using this little slider at the bottom?  Recently, Junior J has been fascinated with printing on the board using magnets.  He makes patterns with them, and then adds other scribbles using the pen... So if you do have magnets, especially those alphabet ones, how about letting your little one print

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-11462996702034198452011-09-14T16:55:00.000+08:002011-09-14T16:57:48.509+08:00

More packing has been going on, as usual.  One of the areas I've been tackling has been the study, since my craft materials have experienced an explosion (for some reason, most scrappers seem to experience this... scrap stuff seems to take on a life of their own and multiply like mushrooms after a rain!).  Guess its time for another scrappy giveaway soon! Anyway, a problem I've had is

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-16538749229204481922011-09-13T16:50:00.000+08:002011-09-13T16:50:03.314+08:00

We had a mini mooncake party yesterday night after dinner.  The little boy had agreed to keep the mooncake "to share when Papa is back", and we sat around the dining table, all 3 of us (plus Mr Moose, who was Junior J's invited guest) and cut the mooncake with much pomp and celebration.  We finished it all up (Mr Moose got the crumbs), and then got out the little boy's lantern and went for a

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-2692770187820024792011-09-12T16:51:00.000+08:002011-09-20T23:43:02.207+08:00

Hello!  How was your weekend?  Little boy and I managed to squeeze in some more crafting over the weekend and got started on these new craft materials from a little Cup Critter kit sent over from Hocusadabra (all the way from Hong Kong!).  Junior J had a good time examining the different parts and experimenting with how everything fit together... And he was able to help me poke the holes

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-17871501870048538222011-09-10T07:45:00.002+08:002011-09-10T07:45:54.265+08:00

A dear bible study group mate would be flying off to greener pastures today, and we are really going to miss her!  She was one of those who showed love in all the little practical ways, helping to wash up after gatherings, always checking if I needed dinner before Bible study, and would sometimes pop by to play with Junior J as well.  The boy loves her, especially since she brings him to catch

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-11757989707346414832011-09-09T07:55:00.001+08:002011-09-09T16:13:02.190+08:00

Wow, the week has really flown by, and its Friday again!  I love how beans are packed with fibre and protein (great when the kid doesn't like to chew meat), and came across these white beans some time ago when I tried making minestrone soup.  So here's a quick little recipe using cannellini beans (that come in a can): Oops, no picture of the food this round.  Everytime I cook this, I forget

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-3531848640629432722011-09-08T08:00:00.001+08:002011-09-08T08:03:04.763+08:00

Junior J has started trying to tell the time from the clock in the living room.  He would peer at it, and proclaim that it is 5/6/7 o'clock!  (He gets mixed up between the two hands, and just randomly picks one and shouts out the number that the hand is pointing to... haha) Oddly enough, we've also been reading "The Grouchy Ladybug" to him recently (perhaps that is where he started getting

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-39118771888326810102011-09-07T07:36:00.000+08:002011-09-07T07:36:15.675+08:00

I've been using little pockets of time here and there (of 10 minutes or so) to clean and declutter when the hubby is away.  When the in-laws were here last week, they voluntarily helped with some of the kitchen cleaning, and my FIL also helped me to clear up my really messy garden (he's the one with the green fingers).  And finally, I think we're seeing a little bit of progress here and there.  

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-396623421207795192011-09-06T08:10:00.000+08:002011-09-09T16:14:52.225+08:00

Things have slowed down considerably now that I'm taking care of the little boy on my own, as the in-laws went home on Sunday.  Its impossible to rush, not when you have a toddler that retorts "I don't want to come on/hurry up!", when you try to ask him to move faster (this drives my mum nuts when she takes care of him!).  Being one month away from term also adds to the "slowness", and just

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-74637058522327316012011-09-05T08:03:00.000+08:002011-09-05T08:03:46.924+08:00

Children.  They are always changing.  Growing, learning, and becoming.  And I find that idealistic me has a hard time keeping up with the changes, always hoping things will be "just so".  One day, the boy is the sweet little boy, always obedient.  Then the next, its temper tantrum time.  Or he catches some bug and falls sick, and there's the sleepless nights, the crying, the coaxing to eat the

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-24072099591652102622011-09-03T10:01:00.000+08:002011-09-03T10:01:09.782+08:00

Haha, I bet you're rather sick of seeing tags, tags and more tags!  Well, this should be the last one for now, since I have something else up my sleeve, or rather on my craft table (when I do get the time to do it, that is)... So for the last tag made from a CD Rom (the previous ones are here, here and here), I went all sweet and pink, with roses, as well as a butterfly: The butterfly's

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-88474228482033875732011-09-02T16:30:00.000+08:002011-09-02T16:30:27.219+08:00

Little boy really has a fondness for cheese.  He grabs the cheese bits off our salad when we are out, and loves scraping and eating the cream cheese on his toast.  We joke that its because he's born in the year of the mouse (in fact, the tip of the tail of the mouse, since he came along the day before CNY eve... which made me happy, since I made it home in time for reunion dinner!).  Anyway,

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-3065162124330186812011-09-01T17:57:00.000+08:002011-09-02T00:12:21.879+08:00

Ok, I've always been a visual person.  The type that needs to write/type down her summaries, so that I can see them all down on paper... and seeing lovely things and all things related to design make me smile.  So I was rather hesitant to start a Pinterest account, since I was worried it'll just keep me online for longer periods of time! But well, I've succumbed, and I find that having an

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-8056545251576836872011-08-31T18:20:00.001+08:002011-09-09T16:14:52.228+08:00

... the boy's mood varies.  Some days he wakes up all sunshine and smiles, some days he refuses to get up and throws a tantrum.  Whatever the case, we try to read a little bit of the Bible and say a little prayer before we head for breakfast.  Part of the prayer includes thanking God for various things, and the boy always has an interesting list.  Thus far, he's thanked God for: :: Squares,

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-46707795117268386502011-08-30T00:58:00.001+08:002011-08-30T00:58:28.525+08:00

It has been one crazy weekend.  Wedding anniversary dinner (this was months overdue!) and playdate with a church friend.  The hubby's parents coming down for a visit (they are now staying with us for a week).  Packing for the hubby's overseas trip and settling all those last minute things before the trip.  And to top it all off, the boy's constipation decided to flare up again. Its been

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-75842446892143692662011-08-27T08:35:00.000+08:002011-08-27T08:35:04.686+08:00

So its the Presidential elections today, and there has been alot of talk about which Tan to vote for.  Here's a tag for another Tan (one of Junior J's lovely doctors, who has nothing to do with who we're going to vote for!)... ... using happy, yellow, Prima flowers and AC brads: ... loads of distress inks, mists and distress stains: Made the "accidental" discovery that distress stains (

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-48465204454814052942011-08-26T01:00:00.000+08:002011-08-26T16:16:21.320+08:00

We had a chance to eat these really yummy mushrooms over at a birthday party sometime ago.  Our friend A was nice enough to share with me her recipe for them, and I recently tried making them for our mushroom-loving little boy, and they were certainly a hit!  They are really simple to prepare, but pretty nutritious, and make for great finger food especially for toddlers. :) Cheesy Mushrooms

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-59393295252362145632011-08-25T16:27:00.000+08:002011-08-25T16:27:53.801+08:00

One aspect I really love about Waldorf education is the use of natural materials for play.  Kids these days have a tendency to play with quite a lot of artificial materials like plastic (especially since most toys are made from plastic), and I think its nice to provide them with other alternative materials/textures, especially those that come from nature.   With that in mind, I just started

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-9172955988955240252011-08-24T16:30:00.002+08:002011-09-09T16:14:27.347+08:00

We've had a tiring day thus far (with a trip to the National Museum in the morning, where the boy walked alot, and still had to walk all the way to the MRT station after that) and I gotta go and peel a whole bunch of potatoes, so its gonna be a short post today.   Anyway, after reading the great ideas shared by all of you in the previous post on using recyclables for play (thank you for

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-76325358504876422312011-08-23T16:51:00.000+08:002011-08-23T16:51:13.000+08:00

"This is brachiosaurus' city!" We went for one of my regular pregnancy checkups yesterday.  Baby has been growing well, and aside from the usual aches, exhaustion and very frequent trips to the bathroom, I'm glad to say the pregnancy has been smooth sailing.  There was the initial worries due to spotting in the first trimester, followed by a period where the placenta seemed to be rather

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-56432506306691825982011-08-22T16:34:00.000+08:002011-08-22T16:34:05.048+08:00

The hubby has been asking me to make a lil something for some of the doctors we see (such as Junior J's PD), as a small token of thankfulness for all their care and help for the past few years.  I've been putting it off for the longest of time, having not much inspiration on what to make for them... But this weekend, with us being stuck at home (as both boys were sick), I decided to get cracking

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-34144510983575051952011-08-20T16:54:00.001+08:002011-08-20T16:54:38.249+08:00

... for a lil girl's birthday.  Butterflies (love the Jenni Bowlin ones!), lace... A big bloom and teardrops... (Hardly get to use these flowers since I seem to scrap for boys all the time... :p) And tada!  A tag, made from a CD-Rom... :) Hope you're having a blessed Saturday thus far!

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-73447556433872387762011-08-19T16:49:00.003+08:002011-08-19T16:52:10.366+08:00

Hubby has been working late some days, and that usually means I have to cook dinner while minding the toddler at the same time.  Which equates to the simpler the preparation process, the better!  Usually on such days, I resort to cooking pasta (remember the easy chilli tuna pasta recipe that came from mainly cans?). Since the little boy LOVES mushrooms, I like preparing a mock mushroom "

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-19912279418937873222011-08-18T17:17:00.001+08:002011-08-18T22:52:23.361+08:00

Our art and craft sessions have sorta been stuck in a rut.  Usually its been alot of messy painting, where I just let the boy get dirty and experiment with paint, or the usual crayons or colour pencils.  Since most art session occur when I'm washing the dishes after lunch (just before his bath), I've been rather reluctant to give him materials that he might need more help with, such as glue.

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1072099236937422307.post-46554473965426258682011-08-17T16:09:00.001+08:002011-08-17T16:12:41.528+08:00

As most of you would know, we're currently trying to declutter the house, and are trying to throw, donate, or giveaway various things that we have.  While that is happening, we still do try to recycle or repurpose various items  too (remember how toilet rolls can be a fashionable find?).  Some of these things end up being useful for doing craft with Junior J: I find the styrofoam trays that

MamaJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978846571220740500noreply@blogger.com10