OK, so everyone has gone all quiet on me. FINE. You’ll just have to hear my banter.

I am Chinese, and my parents have brought me up to learn that education is the number 1 thing that will drive your success in life. How many As you get will prove how many Zero’s that follow on in your future income…( 7 As…7 Zeros – 10000000) How well you do depicts how you will do in life. Whether this is true or not, I wasn’t given much room to have an opinion. Anyway…

My parents migrated here so that I would have a better education. IT IS THE PRIMARY reason why we migrated, and I would assume so for many asian migrants. So I can understand when many asian parents expect the school to be EDUCATORs. That is, we are there to learn our ABCs, and 123s. But seriously, tell me that as a kid, all you learnt in school was your ABCs and 123s.

You learn more than your ABCs and 123s at school…heck I know I did anyway… like the birds and the bees…how to socialise (can’t learn that from parents! lol)… how to lead, how to be lead, how to deal with conflict… boys.. girls……etc… etc… and mainly, also How to be me…you. AND I think what newly migrated parents lack in understanding this… Or atleast, they have forgotten, or lost perspective. (Heck, don’t get me wrong on this. Not all ASIANs are like this. I think some Aussie parents think this too but more so a high degree of asian parents think this…Anyway, I speak for myself here so don’t bash me).

Anyway…I remember when Missy A was in Montesorri, and one of the parents kicked up a fuss when asked to be involved in the working bee and to help cut fruit. Her response was “What!? Isn’t that what we pay them for?”. I swear I wanted to bitch-slap her. (note: SHE WASN’T Asian! She was Aussie… just to prove my point above….) LALALA… anyway… Ok, maybe not a good comparison, but this is how I see it.

You send your kids to school and in that 12 hours that your kids are awake, 6 hours of that is at school….which kinda works as 1/2 of your kids life. Is it really SO hard to be involved for some part of it… or are you really more than happy for someone else to be responsible for 1/2 of your kids life???

ANYWAY, I think I digress from THE DISCUSSION. What am I talking about again? I don’t remember!

GAaaH! MY CONCLUSION… I understand why some parents only think that a school is where they are taught their ABCs and 123s, and I understand why they don’t get involved with the school….BUT I just think that IT is a fantastic idea that the school is teaching MY kids the IB PYP Learner Profiles because afterall, the school grounds is an environment in which my kids are going to grow and learn to be who they are and would be in the future AND yes their ABCs and 123s as well.

SO… IF parents think that it is the schools responsibility to teach our kids everything without requiring our involvement because that is the service that they are providing as educators…they need to THINK AGAIN.

Get involved with your schooling community because afterall, it is what’s shaping who your child will be.

NOW, darn it… I think I might have just shot myself in the foot because now MY RESOLUTION to this is that I have to get involved my school’s community.

And here’s some pics for those who have just skipped all my banter just to look at pictures of my life and don’t really care what I think.

Ok, so Missy A’s school holds a monthly craft night where like minded parents meet up and get crafty. My first night we made key fob thingies, which I have to take pics of to show off because its such a handy thing to have, and last week, we make fabric flowers as decorative pieces. Previously, I think they made button hair ties , and printed T-Shirts. Cool huh?

I think so. Anyway.

Other than the crafty get together,  I joined the group for a few reasons…

One is really to make more friends with the school parenting community. Afterall, I will be seeing these faces for the next… 7 years… I should get to know them alittle more than a “Hi, how you doing but I really don’t care to wait for your answer” type of relationship right?

It is an amazing thing how one commonality can bond a group of people, and I have to be honest, that I felt right at home when I first met them. What helped more is that one blogs, and the others read blogs, and well, I was honestly just happy for them to even KNOW what a blog is. SO a special HELLO to my new readers!

Anyway, SECONDLY… I joined yes with the hope that we would ‘click’ BUT hoping that it would be a great excuse to escape my little and BIG terrors so that I could go off for a bitching session about anything…. like … kids… and husbands! Maybe even somewhere in there, have a swag of vodka just to get the conversation happening (hahaha…ok no….).

But  what didn’t occur to me is what MORE I would get out of it. Just last week, I learnt a great deal. The meeting itself sets as a platform to bridge the schooling community and parenting community – afterall, one is a teacher at the school, and another is a PTA member. (Hello again!). We even have a teacher from another school (Hi Hi).

ANYWAY (sorry I digress). What I learnt.

There was THIS DISCUSSION of parent involvement in the kids learning. It was brought up that given our school has a strong ‘cultural’ base (being lotsa asians and indians), parents expectations of the school was primarily to teach them… English and Maths. Education, that’s what its called right? And so, while the school is trying to incorporate and encourage the IB PYP learner profiles for students to be “Inquirers, Communicators, Principled….etc…”, the teacher acknowledged that our current parent community cannot see past that “It is the schools responsibility is to educate the kids, rather than for all that to be brought back home and requiring parents to follow through”.

So here then is the downfall on the system. Parents think that it is the responsibility of the school to teach them everything… and Schools, think that parents need to get involved.

I am chinese, and I was brought up in New Zealand and Australia, so I get both sides. I have an opinion on this but I’d like to throw it in to see what you think….

So stay tuned for my conclusion, and resolution… (still in working progess)… OH and pics of the flowers and key fobs too!

Kids are greedy little buggers. They take stuff from you. They throw stuff at you. They puke on you. They poop on you and they eat from you.

Ok, so its not enough that…

• I now have to share Daddy with you
• that my bed has now converted itself into a bunk bed for 4
• that I have to share ME time with YOU making it a YOU time
• that my photo albums are al stocked up with all pictures of YOU
• that my handbag space is divided 94% You, 2% me and 4% food scraps
• that when I shop for clothes, I have to think of what’s practical for you
• that when I shop for shoes, I have to think of what’s practical for you
• that when I’m decorating the house I have to bear in mind what’s good for you
• that the space on the couch between me and Dad is reserved for you…

YOU HAVE TO EAT MY FOOD!!??

The kids just keep eating my food! No, they refuse to eat their own. They have to eat whats on my plate. Its the same stuff!! I thought maybe because they like the ADULT plate that it is on, so I swapped plates/bowls with them. NOPE. They just want to eat off my plate. ERGh.

Mind you. I do love my kids…….

Every morning, I wake up chuckling. I have my beautiful 5 year old sneak into the room and whisper in my ear…” Can I watch TV?”. SERIOUSLY… How sweet. Everytime now that she wants to watch TV, she actually asks ever since I told her …
“that TV was a privilege, a privilege to earn”…. and its just amazing how well she respects that rule. WEIRD.. and VERY cool. I wonder how long this will last.

ALSO, as I peer in to Missy C’s cot, not only does her smile make me H..H..HAPPY but this…

SERIOUSLY… I LOVE IT!

I don’t wanna grow up, I’m a Toys R’ Us kid. A million toys to choose from, that I can play with. From bikes to trikes and video games, its the biggest toy stor there is. GEE WIZ! I don’t wanna grow up, cuz baby if I did….I wouldn’t be a toys r’ us kid!

I haven’t been blogging much because…I have been growing up lately. I now drink coffee because I think its an adult thing to do. I indulge in cheese too because… its just an adult thing to do. Hehehe… ok not really but of late, I do feel like an oldie scouring wineries,I shop for homewares, having a latte in my hand, ordering caeser salad, and carrying hand cream in my handbag.

I’ve shocked everyone with my new do. Atleast my uncles anyway. He calls it the Aunty hair cut…. but others have liked… it??? Or atleast they have all been very polite.

Then I really felt like an Aunty remembering that this white dress WAS my mummy’s.

And now I dream of my next house. It will have a name. YES my house will have its own name.

I’ve been wearing this T-shirt dress for 5 years now. AND it was only TODAY, when taking this outfit post that I realised that the print on it is a…

…ZEBRA! How cool. Allthis while I actually thought that it was a flower! #FAIL. I don’t know how this proves that I am an adult but I thought I’d share an outfit.

I have been dressing like I am going to work…

Or atleast think that its work anyway…

I am probaly spreading myself too thin, and my older bro has just told me that I should do a few things, and DO THEM GOOD, instead of trying to do everything.

I am a stay at home mum at the moment, and looking at options to… well, contribute to the home loan, or atleast some how contribute to my ‘buying more clothes’ fund.

So the past couple of weeks I’ve been looking to buy an acting business…. which did not work out because we couldn’t see the financial figures of the business, and well, I’d like to think that when you’re going to invest a huge chunk of buckeroosss, and sell half your soul, looking at the business financials is um… ESSENTIAL!

Anyway then I looked at starting an art school. I has a friend friend in M’sia who had an art school, and have been looking to have a good chats with her to see what the possibility for that to happen here. OI! I’m coming down to M’sia for 4 days (??) for “training” so yeh… should meets up yah?? You know who you are ….

But you see that will take alot of my time, and well, there’s a chunky investment there too, setting up a studio, and blah blah when it comes to dealing with kids… so this is still working progress on its viability.

I have another thing I am looking at and slowly starting to build which I may reveal later on. Need to concerntrate and getting that going bfore telling everyone, else, I fall on my ass and everyone knows! Like I care but yeh… just being careful here.

THEN there’s this OTHER thing I am doing… just for fun and see what that can take me. Missy A’s school is having a ‘Mother’s day” fair thing, and I was asked by one of the other parents to set up a table to sell stuff. ARGH if only these people would like me clothes! (NO. bad idea) And then I came up with this…

http://abcdiy.wordpress.com/

Have a look around, and let me know what you thinks.

Each week, I will try to come up with a new idea/pack… that is economical for everyone. BEST of all, its all recyclable!! AND BEST BEST OF ALL… I can do it all at home while Missy C and Oscar chews on my ankles…. g..r…e…a…t….

I don’t know what to do. I’m fickle in what I want but I think I understand that I am fickle because most of decisions are prioritised by money. So today, I thought about what I want to do. Ok, not really. I didn’t think too hard about it but if I put MONEY aside, and think about what I would like to do if money was not an issue, what I am passionate about, or atleast what I would like to be passionate about…. it is acting. Weird? I don’t know. It’s something I have always wanted to pursue. Actually, I’ve only just realised this, because I now remember that when I was much much younger, like in kindergarten, I have always wanted to act. Being asian, my parents never encouraged it. Then came Uni, and I wanted to study Performing Arts. Ofcoarse again, my parents said no. Now that I am my own, I want to act. It is the one thing that I get excited about. I get really excited when I’m driving to class – when I get to anyway. I get excited over the opportunity to get act. A sense of accomplishment when I get to , even if its just form a class. I don’t know. Anyway, just a rant. I want to act. In time, I will. So here is my prayer.

Dear God,

I pray that you will open opportunities, doors, and even confirmation that I should act.

Thanks mate… Cheers…

In Jesus name – Amen.

Grace.

Sorry, I’m ranting.

Ok, so Monday. During the day we did heaps of shopping. Singapore is known for its good food and awesome shopping. So SHOP I must. “Dave, I HAVE to shop, otherwise, I wouldn’t be truely experiencing UNIQUELY Singapore!” *wink*

I”ll post up my shopping loot in another post because as you have read the Title of this post, its all about the PAAARRTAAAY. Monday night is a sleepy night for Australia, but Singapore being such a hub for tourism, EVERY night is a party night, and THAT night was no disappointment. Actually, I didn’t really meet any real locals other than the bartenders Rain and Diet and ofcoarse the club Bouncer!

CLUB TIP 1: Be nice to the bouncer because first, you want to get in without any troubles, and make sure your friends are also taken care of AND also at the end of the night, INCASE you are off your face, they may not eject you but instead they may help take care of you, like get you free bottles of water i.e if your friends all ditch you. (THANK YOU HowyD for getting me water!)

My up-side down pic from the hotel lobby at the START of the night.

And the night kicked off again at Clinic. Ok, I’ll be honest. The night started IN the hotel room… by about 4 shots and a beer. *wink*

CLUB TIP 2: If you’re a tight ass like us and you are traveling by cab to your club destination, why start the night only when you arrive. Make sure however that the first drink you order at the club is WATER… You’ll last longer. THIS I learned the hard way… from this night.

Somehow, after Clinic, I stumbled into this bar/club. There was a stage and someone performing, and at the time this photo was taken… I wasn’t quite listening, other than some bird in my ear saying “HEY, you should dance on stage!” This in fact was naughty naughty ChocolateSuZe taking advantage of my alcovulnerability. Luckily it only sounded 80% tempting. Otherwise I may have acted on that prompt… and then… GAME OVER.

So the night went on from there. I paid for one round of drinks, and then the rest… um I’m not too sure (I’m absolutely terrified to receive the credit card bill)

CLUB TIP 3: NEVER bring your credit card. At most, withdraw money that is within your limit, and if you’ve spent it, that’s it… then atleast you know how much you’ve spent … or lost…

CLUB TIP 4: GET TO KNOW YOUR BAR TENDERS! Make it out as though you’re best of buddies and that you guys go WAYYY back. If you have cleavage. GOod for you, but for those like me… um.. use your… charm?? hahaha… I dunno. For me, i just smile lots and the first round you buy, make sure you buy the bartender a drink too, and whisper to them… “I’m really sorry if I get annoying, but can you make a promise??” IF they say, “Uh… ok… yeh sure… what?” Then you flash them a smile… and say ” You have to promise that you’ll take care of me and my friends tonight k?”. THEN make them pinky promise. (Pinky Promises are NEVER broken).Then you should be set for the night. *wink* WINK to them alot, to remind them of your little secret, and well, if your face fails pucker your lips, place your finger over your lips and go “sssshhhhhh”.

Don’t be sluuty about it though. NOT GOOD. Be happy fun, and bubbly about it. They’ll understand it, without expecting any sexual favours after. MUAHAHAHA… Helen… you AAALLLMOOST disappeared from this pic! But no. I GOT ya! Much love.

Those guys up the back are from Ireland. (I think) I think they were like the Hamish and Andy of Ireland. Or something.

CLUB TIP 5: Don’t make any SERIOUS talk. Otherwise you may just disclose info that you didn’t intend to. Stick to lalalalala shallow crap. Its safer. FOR me… I just talk. I have nothing to hide, so no topic to me is off limits whether I am drunk or not. I’m open to whatever and if you have to ask me anything, my answer would be the same drunk or sober. What you see is what you get eh??

CLUB TIP 6: Make friends with EVERYONE. WHY be selective? Party with more the merrier. ALSO if you bump into people acidentally, be honestly sorry. Actually, be slightly OVERLY sorry. People can get numb at clubs and some take a BUMP as a threat, so if you knock em about clasp your hands together, raise the eyebrows, bow your head and apologise profusely…. then scoot. Next time, then maybe you can use it as an excuse to ‘talk’ to them. Like…” OMG, i’m so sorry for bumping into you before…  I hope you’re ok. You having fun??”  AND BE SINCERE about it. Actually, be sincere to everyone. Sincerity has a tendency to open up for being approachable, and well, that way, you can meet and make more friends.

URGH!

CLUB TIP 7: Be warned that if you mix and take pics of good looking people, you’ll be bad. hahaha… I must have been so bad that this poor girl had to help me hold up my arm to take this pic! hehehe… Thank you sexy lady!

CLUB TIP8??: ZOMG, how good looking are these fellas?? Wear a wedding ring so that people don’t misread your intentions. Some people find that there’s a fine line between flirting and being friendly. Either that of just blame the alcohol. Sorry… can’t help you there. I was once told by one of the rappers from a Melbourne hip hop group  (can’t remember their name) that I have friendly eyes… so THANK GOD for my friendly eyes, otherwise I think everyone would think that I’ve been coming on to them. Dudes, I’m just here to PPAARRTAY and have a good time, not here for a shag. That’s what my hubby is here for eh??

OK NEXT – Lastly…

CLUB TIP 9?: Make sure you partay with good friends around you. Because at the end of the day when you’re puking its the company you’re with is what counts. ALSO it is always handy to take pics so that if you forgot what you did you can remember thw night archive it in your memories.

Stay tuned for some Famous Blogger facts from Mr.Gadget, SKM, Michael, Suze, Helen, Howdy, Violet and more!

Love love!

I’ve been trying to be more reflective these days. I think reflection is always a good thing in being able to grow. Whether it is to grow as a person, grow in relationships, happiness and even in love.

So lately I’ve been noting the small things that make me happy. It is always easier to focus on the larger, more obvious things that we think can make us happy ( like more money, a massage or a holiday) but I think that a happy person finds joy in the smallest of things.

For me so far from what I can think of from today is…

Arranging things into order. YES this includes putting my hangers together.

Pairing up socks (the washing machine keeps eating up our socks! Or I swear there is a sock monster that keeps eating our socks!)

The feel of newly vacuumed carpet.

The smell of freshly washed clothes.

Hanging out clothes and making sure I use our pegs as effectively as possible (i.e joining the corners of each garment so that it only needs one peg between garments)

Getting random kisses from Missy A, and hearing her sleepily say “I love you” before she drifts off to bed.

Seeing Missy C smile, and then stick her tongue out straight away.

When Missy C sneezes and farts simultaneously.

Receiving comments on my blog. Go on… make my day.

When Dave calls, just because…

Hearing my sister laugh… and then laugh at her for laughing.

Stacking folded clothes so that the edges are nicely lined up.

Getting wet when Missy C kicks with so much excitement when she is having a bath.

Hearing Missy A randomly try to read words she sees.

Erasing a pencil mistake cleanly.

Sitting on a bed when the doona is folded and put in a corner ( I like the bed to be nice and flat).

Receiving snail mail (espcially if it’s a package from eBay or Etsy – hahaha.. ok this one doesn’t really count).

Wiping off a surface until it is smooth.

Using the car wipers and seeing the rain drain away.

Laying out in the garden, eating outdoors (even if it is just a sandwich).

…oh, I’m sure there’s more, but I need to sleep otherwise I might get too excited!

I’m already smiling just thinking of these, and to think! All of these happen almost everyday. I should remind myself to just slow down, stop, think and remember that JOY can be found everywhere and almost everything I do.

What brings you JOY?

I still can’t fully justify paying for an outfit that I will (hopefully) get to wear for a couple more months… the CHEAPSKATE in me won’t even let ME buy a simple T-shirt, that will last me… a week?? 2 at most? Pants are even worse. My hips and ass just seems to get bigger by the day, and each day is like a BINGO match, all with the anxiety of whether I will get into a pair of pants that I once was able to zip up… just 12 hours ago.

This is me WEEK 25. This Witchery top has been super awesome, perfect in width (to cover up the belly) and length (to cover up my crack).

And ofcoarse… I have to accesorise my head so people don’t just stare are my tummy, or my alien 3rd nipple.

WEEK 29 – This dress too has served me well. When I first bought this from the markets… I honestly didn’t even think it was a maternity dress until I got home and tried it on. It has these elasticated gathers from the bust diagonally down along side of the belly. At THAT time, there was just this gapping drooopy hole thing where my belly was which was not very attractive. BUT NOW… I’ve got a belly to fill it up with .. and its super comfy!

It’s funny too how the hemline keeps getting shorter as time goes with my belly lifting it higher and higher…

(my view from above… yes I cannot see anything past my belly and hence have to rely on the mirror to do up my zips…)

WEEK 30 – If you are ever preggos… INVEST in those kookai tube skirts. I had a few in my wardrobe… size 1… and they still fit! Because I’m abit of a shorty anyway, I always found the hemline alittle long on these skirts, but they serve you well when you are preggos. You have the option of wearing above your belly, and use it as a belly band… or because of its stretch anyway, you can wear it under your hips. The belly band thing has been a GOd send because… NOW that I can’t seem to zip up my pants, I use it as a layered look to cover my unbuttoned pants… and the mishap of flashing my crack when I have to crouch down.

Week 30 – Missy A’s school SPORTS DAY. I couldn’t help myself but to dress to the occasion. Turns out… no parent did. They were all in heels, and their usual day attire, while me, being the only preggo one too… rocked up in my sports gear. Then later to find out… that for safety reasons… I had to be excluded from the mum and dad race. I was so sad. My first sports day… *cough* I mean.. Missy A’s first sports day… and I wasn’t allowed to participate! Come on man! Don’t my adidas shoes shows that I WANNA RUN! .

Well I was also silly enough not to bring the battery for my camera so I didn’t take any pics of the day itself. BUT we managed to get this one! THE ONE THAT COUNTS!!! lol… Missy A.. my little winner! She got a place in all her events!

Lol… Missy A came home, bursting through the front door to find Kong Kong on the couch. She yells out to him!

Missy A: “Kong Kong!! I won! AND I was the fastest in the sacks race”

Kong kong looked puzzled and unsure if he should congratulate her or interrogate her with what she actually meant or where she had learned that from…

HEHEHE.. it also took me a few seconds to realise what she meant (right after I nearly had the heart attack from embarrasment from my potty mounth daughter).

LOL…