This week's pick:

Although the girl and I got up, bathe and were both ready to go yesterday morning, we only left the house at 10ish because we were waiting for the hubs. And to leave the house at 10ish to drive across the causeway is considered late.We usually try to leave earlier in order to avoid the jam. And when we had to drive back home again after a visit to the petrol kiosk because someone forgot to bring the atm card, I was all ready to head back and stay home. The hubs totally spoilt my mood especially since I did tell him earlier in the week about going to JB.

Anyhow, we arrived at the shopping mall that we usually visit when we go JB shopping, just in time for lunch. Famished but fueled up to re-start the day on a better note.

We did our usual grocery shopping and indulging K with rides, which we do not allow her to at all back here. We only allow her to sit on the rides without slotting any money into them but with our exchange rate, we are more willing to indulge her. Besides, we do not want her to have the habit of always wanting to ride on one whenever we see 1 and if we only allow it in Malaysia, it's not going to be so often is it. So she had her rides, had donuts, balloons and I think the 3 of us really enjoyed ourselves. We had early dinner and headed back home at dinner time which the hubs reckons is the best because everyone else will be eating. And yes, the traffic was smooth and clear.

Today was the usual program for us. Lunch with the brothers and family after church and back home. 

After her nap, the girl, with the help of the hubs this time, managed to complete the bracelets we had planned to give her teachers for Teachers' Day. Thankfully, I started this project a lot earlier. First it was for just 8 teachers, then she added 2 more and then some more. In total, she made 12 while the hubs or I knotted them for her. Yesterday, the hubs stepped in and even packed the bracelets in bags I had bought for this. 

I hope the teachers like them. On top of these, she also made 1 for her cousin Esther, her favourite eldest auntie, her sister when she was back last month, 1 for her 3rd auntie and 1 more for her friend whose 10th birthday is coming up.

I'm proud of her. Happy that she has finished off what she started or what I made her start. Lol.

A quaint florist cum cafe at  Lau Pat Sat has a stand outside the shop where they have individual flowers where you can pick up for free. They are packed very nicely with a small water tube so that the flower doesn't thirst. And they are beautiful fresh flowers, not discarded ones that the florist feels does not fit into a bouquet or flower arrangement.

So sweet the gesture...they sure did their bit to brighten up someone else's day. :)

During breakfast with the Victors and Whites on Saturday morning, K was talking to the Victors' youngest girl about Singapore's newly crowned Olympian. The gold medalist happens to stay in the same estate as the Victors and they so happened bump into him recently and took some photos.

On Sunday, the girl was talking about him again and this time to Esther. I did not really listen to the conversation but I know she asked both girls if they know Joseph Schooling.

After school yesterday, K was doing this after I salvaged a round cardboard base from the frozen pizza we popped into the oven for Saturday's lunch. And innocent me even suggested to her that she can use it to draw a big smiley face.

My 4 year old teenager was doing what actual teenagers normally do when their favourite boy band comes to town! And all without prompting! She even said she wants to pass this to someone who can pass it to JS.

I need to ask the teachers what have they been telling the children! Children will gradually learn to idolise at a later age but not now. The Victors indulge their 2 girls with boybands paraphernalia. I was never a 'groupie'...and I do not wish K to become one too. Liking the singer for his song is fine. But really, where did my baby go??

I had my rare seafood fix of Canadian Dungeness crab, scallops, clams, prawns, baby lobsters and more at a appreciation dinner that I was invited to on Friday. I had brought along my colleague who asked if I would have gone ahead if she couldn't come along. I guess I would probably bring the hubs along since I have seen spouses and even clients bringing along their child at events like this.

And early Saturday morning, I had to reluctantly get out of bed because the hubs had arranged to meet the Victors and Whites for 9am breakfast back at Redhill. The bunch of us continued at Tiong Bahru and by the time we split ways, it was 11ish. Reached home, pop a pizza into the oven and then forced the girl to take her afternoon nap because we had another round of activities. 

We left the house about 4ish to the hubs' work place. There was a family day event going on which was primarily targeted at the members but quite a number of his colleagues brought their family along too so I didn't feel out of place.

We were greeted at the start of the family day with a pony ride at the driveway of the club. Thankfully we were there at a good time when there were not so many people yet. According to the hubs, K was beaming throughout the less than 5 minutes ride.

After the ride, we tried our hands at shooting down cardboard clowns and drink bottles but none of our shot even grazed the subjects. Then K and I walked over to a crafting station where she chose to do the coloured sand in a cup with a wick followed by body painting where she chose to have 'Rainbow Dash' painted on her forearm.

And then we watched a ventriloquist in action, followed by a snake charmer and took a motorised boat ride in the pool. While waiting for the hubs to return with dinner, she played at the bouncy castle. The evening ended for us, at the prawning station where the hubs and I caught a large one each.

And after lunch yesterday, we went to check out a travel fair because I wanted to see if I can get more information for our upcoming trip. We had fun there too, taking photos at several booths with props. We even saw a motorised dinosaur walk pass!

Our weekend had been fun. Hope you had a good one as well!

We took it really easy over the weekend. With a triumphant start watching our local boy win gold for swimming in the Olympics. I was screaming throughout which frightened K and she cried. Tsk. Anyhow, I was able to do the girl's laundry, mop the house and made lunch. The 3 of us even took in an afternoon nap, mine being the shortest and the hubs, the longest because he dozed off before us.

When K woke up, we took a bus down to the library because she has been asking to ride on the bus. She has been wanting to sit on the upper deck but the bus that came was a single decker and besides, the library is only 3 bus stops away. We returned all the books she borrowed when Molly the library bus dropped by her school and we borrowed another 4 more. And then we had dinner at a food-court in a nearby mall.

It was the usual church followed by lunch with family on Sunday. While the hubs and the girl took their naps, I started doing some research for our next holiday travels. Am so excited but not saying anything here yet. In the early evening, we went to MBS because I wanted to check out the travel fair but alas we were 1 week too early! The other travel fair that was happening was in the east!

So the 3 of us took a walk through the Helix bridge and then to Millenia for desserts. It was quite a walk and K's shoe started rubbing into her skin and on the walk back to MBS, the hubs had to piggy back her. The water and light show had already started by the time we reached and K was for whatever reasons so frightened that we didn't stay to watch. This girl ah, still so frightened by loud sounds but she said because of the image of the lady appearing in the water. Well, ok, for a 4 year old.

By the time we reached home and settled into bed, it was already 10. But from experience, I don't sweat it anymore because for some reasons again, K always takes a long time to sleep on Sunday nights. -_-

K's childcare had their National Day celebration on Monday and thankfully for the 3rd SIL, who was on leave, the hubs was able to drop K off at their place after her lunch in school. The childcare was operating on 1/2 day that day. After work, we had dinner at Jerry's and then went to the supermarket, with Esther tagging along.

We had invited Ivy's sister for lunch yesterday so Monday's grocery run was really last minute. I couldn't find much at the supermarket near Jerry's because it is so small so we had to drive to a bigger one instead. 

The eldest SIL had text me earlier to say that they will not be staying to watch the NDP because her sister has to catch a really early morning flight back to the States but when they arrived, she told me they've changed her mind. So at the back of my mind, I was frantic, not having anything prepared for dinner.

Nevertheless, this was what we cooked for lunch. Hubs prepared chicken stew, I made minced pork with tofu and button mushrooms, fried naibai and scrambled eggs. Ivy's sis bought the fish cakes. We were filled up.

For dinner, the hubs and my eldest brother went out to buy fish head curry and I asked the 3rd SIL if they wanted to join us since the hubs, K and I couldn't make it for Esther's birthday party. And with the 3rd SIL comes food. She even made tiramisu and brought rockmelon for after desserts! I was so busy in and out of the kitchen that I hardly watched the parade.

But like what Beverly said, we always catch the parade together as a family, plus and minus some at times so it's really nothing like having the family together, celebrating our nation's birthday because we are so proud and blest to be born here. In fact, the hubs and I told Ivy's sister to plan her trips back to Singapore during the same period every year so we can partake the occasion together with good food! This makes us Singaporeans!

We didn't do much on Saturday except meet up with the Victors for dinner at IMM. Kenneth had asked the hubs if we were going out and wanted to do dinner together. But since we've moved to the west, we've been pretty contented to stay at this part of the country instead of going into town. Well, maybe because town is always so congested, parking is expensive and we have everything we need with the 5 big malls this part of the upcoming CBD. 

And yesterday, after church, we had lunch away from church before heading back home. The 3rd SIL, Esther and Bev dropped by our place as they were in our car. The hubs, K and myself changed to home clothes and picked up the beef stew I had made before heading over to Jerry's. 

There was so much food from the pot-luck as we gathered to celebrate M's 77th birthday. 

Come National Day, it'll be my turn to play host but only to Jeremy's family and Ivy's sister, who will be returning back to the States the next day. Although Esther had invited the 3 of us to her birthday celebration at her home that day, I doubt we can make it because they have decided to come over to our home to catch the National Day parade on our tv! Initially I had planned to go over to Jerry's after lunch to join in Esther's birthday celebration but I guess we cannot anymore.

Looks like I'll have to drop by the supermarket later to see what else I can buy for a quick dinner for tomorrow.

I seriously think my feet are meant for heels. Recall my case of the bunion foot? Well, I was monitoring and I realise even when I walk in sneakers for a long period of time, the 'bunion' on my left foot will swell. It even turns red but there's no pain at all. Sneakers are, afterall, supposed to give good support to the feet right? And mine is not even ill-fitting!

So I started monitoring what happens when I put on heels. And the effects are not seen compared to when I wear flats. I love my heels but after wearing flats for an extended period of time, I started getting comfortable with them. But I had no idea it would cause my feet to be uncomfortable because they are probably not used to being flat on the ground? Case in point, the protruding bone on my left foot swelled during my recent trip to Malacca because it was really walk, walk, walk the whole day. And I was wearing my flat sandals then.

The contraption I bought to 'correct' my bunioned foot does help a little but when I continued wearing them flats, it didn't do much. Now that I've made this discovery and have started alternating between my flats and heels instead of wearing flats for the whole week, the protruding bone is not as apparent anymore. Even the redness is not seen anymore!

Yay to heels but hopefully I do not get problems with the ankles next. Urgh.....

The library's mobile bus visited K's childcare yesterday and the girl borrowed 8 books! So many that she was given a recycled bag for the books. Lol. The last time the bus visited the school was last year and I think K, being new to this library on wheels concept only borrowed 2 books. Both Chinese and not exactly meant for her age. I couldn't even recognise some of the words but then again, I am not able to read a lot of chinese words. Hahaha..

This time, she and I agreed that she is no longer so shy and thus, know how to borrow more books. She did not borrow any Chinese books this time and has chosen books that are more age appropriate. We were reading the book on nursery rhymes last night and it made me miss her when she was younger so, so much. The times when I would sing the rhymes to her. This time, she is able to sing along with me. :)