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Piano!

16 Mar 2012 by

I’ll be expecting our first piano tonight! It’s a second handed piano, and there is a deal of leasing it for 2 years, which we can change to any newer or better model at the same monthly payment, and by the 3rd year, we can decide if we will purchase the piano. Not bad huh?

Firstly, I thought of getting the piano after the renovation is completed but then we can’t wait! Justin’s sitting for the exam in 2 months, and he’s doing Fur Elise now, and the keyboard is out of key. :P

But then again, hubby said the piano we will be getting has some chips on the top, but it sounds fine. There are some scratches too, by stainless steel bracelets? Who knows. But since we can change to another model within these 2 years, it shouldn’t be a problem, as long as they can fix the piano in the small lift!!!

Time to clear out a spot for the piano in our tiny living room this evening.

 

Category: Mothering Moments  Comments off

Learning Music

08 Mar 2012 by

Isabelle hasn’t started learning piano or violin. She’s turning 6 soon, so just like her brother, I will enroll her to music class if she’s interested. So far, she loves violin. Some times, she will listen to the clips of guitar prodigy Jung Sung-ha, but she hasn’t mentioned about learning the guitar yet.

I don’t mind her picking it up if she’s really into it. Playing the music is all about fun and building up rhythm and musical sense, and I won’t force the kids to pick up any musical instrument which they found boring. If they are interested in Epiphone guitars, I will let them learn and buy one for them too. Besides that, a guitar is cheaper than buying a piano! LOL!

I would prefer them to learn acoustic guitar though as I can’t take the sound of rock and roll in my small condo. :P

Since Isabelle is still pretty young for guitar, she might have to wait a few more years before picking it up. A violin might be a better fit for her size, and hopefully will be able to instill her interest in music.

Why not the piano? Oh well. I bet that her brother will constantly comparing their performance, and might even tease the sister if she’s not learning as fast as him. So, to avoid any competition, maybe it’s best that she picks up another musical instrument.

So girl, let’s wait for a couple of years before you can learn how to play like Jung. :P

Category: Isabelle  Comments off

Playdate

02 Mar 2012 by

Justin’s invited some friends over to our condo tomorrow, and it’s the first time we are having guest friends at our new place. Before that, hubby’s family members came over to warm up the place, and until now, it’s still not ready. :P But who cares la, I will be hosting the playdate anyway.

I am tempted to try some steak seasoning, prepare some western finger food for kids and cook nasi lemak for the moms, but sadly the kitchen is not ready! So I shall just prepare some simple tea meals.

As for activities….I’m not sure yet. But ipads is out! Maybe we will do origami, some crafts, and simple food decoration. After that, the kids can have their decorated meal.

 

Category: Mothering Moments  One Comment

Family Night

27 Feb 2012 by

The article written by Alonso Kramer

Every Sunday night at our house we try to have Family Night. This is the one night of the week that everyone is supposed to be at home to spend time together. These days our lives are so hectic with everyone going different directions we just about have to set aside time that we can all be together. So every Sunday night we all get together and have a big meal that usually includes cooking something out on the grill. Everyone is expected to chip in and help so one person is not having to do all the cooking. Then after we eat, we all go into the great room and watch a movie together. The movie time has been great lately since we got direct tv specials because we have some free movie channels for three months with an enormous selection to choose from. The guys always want to watch some kind of action movie, but the girls want to watch a love story or drama. So we had to compromise and watch an action movie one week and love story or drama the next week. We usually have dessert while we are watching a movie. Sometimes it is something like homemade ice cream, and other times it can be something as simple as s’mores. My family is not hard to please. I hope one day they will enjoy Family Night with their own children and pass it on to the next generation.

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Her first cavity filling

20 Feb 2012 by

We have ourselves a drama queen at home, and as much as I love and adore my little girl, there are times when I feel like my patience is badly tested and I almost crawl up the wall dealing with her tantrums and nonsense.

Last Saturday, hubby made an appointment with a pedodontist as Isabelle’s first adult tooth is sprouting but the milk tooth is not moving much. In fact, it still stands still. FIL is worried that she will have crooked teeth next time, so we decided to bring her for dental check up. Actually, the same thing happened to Justin, and he had his removed by another pedodontist.

For Isabelle, this pedodontist said we can still wait for the milk tooth to be shaky since it’s an early stage of sprouting. Then she found a decay cavity on a molar, which has been there for more than 2 years. Due to our little girl’s effort in brushing and taking care of her teeth, the decay doesn’t get worse. We brought her to see a dentist previously when she’s about 2 years old for the cavity, but she was too young to stay still for a filling. Thus, it waited until now.

So, the pedodontist took time to explain to her what would be done, and even let her see the reflection with a small mirror. The movie was turned on to distract her attention too, but she was too scared to even let dentist do her job. :P She negotiated with the doc and the nurses for almost 45 minutes!!! She even promised to drink milk and brush her teeth more everyday as long as she doesn’t need to fix her teeth. FYI, my kids aren’t really milk drinkers. :P

Hubby knew that she won’t come again next time, so it’s now or never for that tooth filling. When the pedodontist asked our opinion if we would like to wrap and secure her for the process, we agreed. Actually, it looks very scary for any little kid to be strapped up and wrapped like a “bak chang”.

Hubby even suggested blind folding her but the doc said it’s a big no no. Kids will really freak out if they have no idea what is going on in the dark.

So…

After she’s all wrapped up (of course she screamed and kicked and attracted a lot of attention), she said she has something to tell papa. So the doc said, say it now, it’s ok. And our smart girl told her that, “I will only say after you unstrap me.” O.o Manyak pandai this little fella. LOL! And she refused to open her mouth! When the dentist and nurses tried to open her mouth, she attempted to bite the doc’s finger. OMG…

After a lot of dramas, the filling process started and lasted in 5 minutes. See??? So fast hoh? And no pain hoh?

Hubby kept asking me to snap videos but I didn’t manage to capture the last few exciting scenes, especially the part she’s trying to bite. LOL!

We got her to thank and apologize to the pedodontist and nurses afterwards, and she’s all smiley again and got some stickers.

What a drama queen.

Category: Isabelle  One Comment

Not READY!

20 Feb 2012 by

Ya, my condo is still not ready. Hubby is totally TL with the interior company, and I let him settle with them. Nonetheless, my sinus healed completely since the renovation stopped from CNY.

For the time being, we are getting used to the place, and even bought some more plants for the balcony. It’s such a small balcony and yet we are trying to max it out. LOL! As much as  I wish to have outdoor gazebos but that won’t be possible anymore, unless we have a landed property.

Honestly, I’m not sure if we will be getting a landed property in Thailand anymore, especially since the major flood last year. It’s better to stay in high rise building. :P

Category: Ngam ngam cham cham  Comments off

Busy Monday

13 Feb 2012 by

It’s Monday, and it took me 10 minutes to get out of bed. Firstly, I slept late last night, watching some Taiwanese series of a hot hunk. :P And hubby was out drinking with a friend in the city, so I couldn’t sleep much not knowing that he’s back at home.

So this morning, kids woke up late as well but they should arrive school in time. Hubby will be away for the next couple of days, and I’m going to be very very busy!

FYI, our condo is not completed, YET. I bumped into the reno workers at the lift this morning and they are doing more than 5 units at the time. WTH. Like that when will mine be completed if they can’t come everyday???

Don’t tell me they will take one year to complete my place ok? It’s just the kitchen and some touching up and built-in racks. How long will they take?

Anyway, I have to grab some grocery today and rush home to open the door for another contractor. The road outside my office is blardy congested now, so I better leave early. I have to rush back  to pick the kids and Justin starts Thai tuition at 6pm today onwards. How can today’s schedule be so packed for me as a driver? Sigh…

I better get going now since the traffic looks pretty bad. The only vehicle can go past through will be the one with an emergency patient and  healthcare carts in it, Ya, only ambulance I think! Super crazy traffic out there.

 

Category: Ngam ngam cham cham  One Comment

Bikers

02 Feb 2012 by

I don’t fancy big bikes but I know that most guys do. They would buy a bike as expensive as a car, install some zero gravity windscreens, change some parts of the bike and go biking in a gang. I’m not taking about young men, but old men as well!

Some time ago, I saw a gang of bikers, aged over 60 by estimation, stopping by the rest stop of the highway.  I salute these uncles. By that age, I prefer to be chauffeured around. :P

Category: Ngam ngam cham cham  Comments off

School Activities

27 Jan 2012 by

There are a lot of activities at the kids’ school. Today, it’s back to 80s retro and kids are dressing up for school. They will learn about music and arts of the 60s – 80s, so it’s more like a fun day with dancing and activities for them, instead of the normal academic stuffs. My gal wanted to wear those briolette beads but I only let her pick her pettiskirt and a nice top. I know that she will be running around playing and overdressing might just restrict her movement.

The boy is having his first Hip-Hop dance class after school today. I hope that he will love it. It’s not retro but at least he’s dancing!

 

Category: Fun Time  Comments off

Piano

27 Jan 2012 by

Ever since the flood, Justin hardly practices his piano, and his skill is quite rusty now. We haven’t totally settled down yet, especially since CNY is just over this week, we have been so busy!

Nevertheless, I will try to get back to our old routine by next week. It’s time for the kids to concentrate on their school work and extra activities. So, once the renovation is over, maybe we will get him a bigger keyboard or a digital piano like kawai ep3.  We haven’t decided yet and it’s a bad idea to get one now, especially with all the dust and mess after the workers left.

I just can’t wait for the reno to be over soon.

 

Category: Justin  One Comment
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