Our 1st Real Holiday Day out!

Dear All

As you know, this Jun hols is not really a break for my kids. What with holiday lessons during the 1st week of school plus ccas still on, it's like school is still in session!

Anyway, this afternoon (Wed) we managed to tear ourselves away to have a nice lunch out and catch the show Kung-Fu Panda 2. It's about 1 and 3/4h long. It's a very funny show with witty dialogues sprinkled throughout the show. It is action-packed so you don't free the show is that long. I was practically laughing aloud at certain parts of the show together with the entire audience. There are also some touching moments during the story.

This 2nd series of the KungFu Panda has a good storyline and continues from where it left off in the 1st show. This time, the kungfu team is more cohesive and care for each other.

A recommended show for you kids this June hols....no offensive words, however, there are quite a bit of fighting scenes but hardly any bloodshed.

After the show, we went shopping, lured by the prospect of great savings because of GSS. However, be warned...NOT everything is on sale, or there is a minimum purchase to be made BEFORE you get a discount! Unfortunately, the things the girls like were either the former or latter reasons...hence, we had to jostle with the crowd, Q at the fitting room, all for nothing. We could have easily got the same things without the sale as there's no difference in price, AND minus the crowd!! What a gimmick this GSS!! Makes me wonder if the sale of our rings were really so...they could have just marked up the price and then slash it and say it's a great discount. I know this happens when the trader says the usual price (UP) is$XX (which is the UP before the normal day sale price) and then say it's now discounted 70% this GSS when it's just a couple of dollars cheaper than the normal day "sale" price. Sounds confusing, but I believe the women understand what I mean. Guys shop differently from the ladies :)

We ended the day at the library to stock up on books for the hols. I hope the girls would spend more time reading rather than going on-line or watching TV this hols.

Do you believe it? I have never read the children's classic "Anne of Green Gables" till I borrowed the cartoon version video from the library and loved it! So I borrowed the book and completed it and just loved it! It's part of Feli's reading list for June. I couldn't find the next one which is "Anne of Avonlea" but instead found the one after that, "Anne of Windy Willows". The book is rather lengthy in its description of scenes, but it's the way that Anne spoke (and she's a great chatterbox) that wins your heart.

A recommended read for your kids this holiday too!

Love Theresa

Our Wedding Anniversary

Dear All

Today's our wedding anniversary. It was a memorable weekend of celebration. It started with Bert attending his first The Great Adventure with me on Friday. It's a 24 weeks of video presentation by Jeff Kevins giving an overview of the catholic bible from the Old Testament to the New Testaments. This is a fantastic video...you should register for it if it is screened at your parish.

Next day, we attended our cell group, and then joined Tiff for sunset Mass, as she was on warden attachment duty. As it was the first weekend of the month, the parish priest blessed all wedding anniversary couples at the altar. We are so lucky to be blessed this year, as for the past 2 - 3 years, June couples missed it because it clashes with the parish feast day celebrations.

We then had a yummy dinner at one of our favourite haunts at Changi Airport...it's hotel...only for special occasions lah, otherwise tummy full but pocket empty!

The spread is of better quality, greater variety, and more value for money compared to the Changi Village hotel.

Here's some pictures of the yummy food and happy happy people :)

Buffet spread @ Changi Airport Hotel (Below):

To top it off, we decided to get a anniversary rings for ourselves. We had been discussing this for about 2 - 3 years, as after having kids, I can't wear my original wedding band!! I feel odd not wearing a band over all these years, so Bert also took his off after a while. We are not so "pan-tang" however, my mum isn't supportive of the idea of getting another set of wedding rings. So we decided to get the purple gold rings. That's available at Goldheart (one of my favourite outlets) and it seems at Lee Hwa (and possibly Soo Kee too) as they are all under Asphial Group. The purple gold rings were all the rave some 4-5 years back, however, they don't offer it now...seems purple gold turn out to be too brittle for daily use.

We wanted something comfortable, look somewhat like wedding band, but can also be looked upon as casual wear. Since we both find man look unmanly with diamonds, we decided not to get the same couple ring set, but some feature that was similar to both his and my ring. I liked something different, so we went for rose gold with white gold. Simple design for him, elegant and tiny diamonds suitable for daily wear for me. Both are from the wedding band range, but just not a same couple set. With the Great Singapore Sale on, we got the rings at a steal, however it was way over our budget actually, because we had no idea that rings cost a bomb nowadays!! Mum doesn't know we got it yet, but just to be sure we don't get scolding from her, we searched about and found our original wedding rings!

After a long discussion and viewing of many rings, these were our choice (Below)

We ended our day with a delicious BBQ dinner @ NSRCC with J&J fam & his extended fam, and L&J fam. It was a yummy affair without the smell of BBQ in our hair! It was all catered by J&J with Ramli Burger restaurant....comes with ayam soto, the famous Ramli burgers, satay and chicken wings! I guess it's time to hit the gym, otherwise I can't wear my anniversary present pretty soon :)

Love Theresa

Bought 3 catfish today (14 May 2011 -Sat)

Dear All

It's been 11 months since Bert set up his aquarium, and one of his beloved goldfish died on Friday evening. He's very sad as do you know that goldfish are responsive to being petted? Yup, you heard it right. They go to the surface for him to pet them! They were bought when they were little, like 2 inches long, and have grown to about 4 inches now.

So, we made a trip to a fish wholesaler and bought 3 spotted catfish on Sat. Tiffany caught them with a net. It's quite a steal at $3 each. This is how it looks like. (My camera needs to be upgraded....so the pixs are quite grainy plus the fish darts quite fast!).

(Above) - The catfish on the left and Bert's darling goldfish on the right :)

It's only about 1.5 inches long, but we don't know if it'll grow any bigger. It looked quite big at the shop, but somehow quite small in our aquarium.

Today, Tiffy was at the library and there was a Mother's Day event this morning. The auntie was so sweet, and gave her a henna on her hand! Looks so intricate...really, a work of art, in my opinion. Plus, it's for FREE (she heard it normally cost $5 for a simple design just on one finger!)

The henna hand painted on her hand (above).

Close-up view of the intricate henna pattern (above).

The pattern after the henna dye is washed off (above).

Love Theresa

New Read "The Catholic Warrior"

Dear All

As a Mother's Day treat for myself, I wandered about our Trinity Church bookshop and came upon this little book entitled "The Catholic Warrior" by Robert Abel. It's a bit ex in my opinion at $14.90, but hey, I thought, I should treat myself a little, right? So I got myself the book. Here's how it looks like.

I've only read it a quarter-way, but it's a great book to explain why there's this constant spiritual battle between God and the evil one (I call it the Giant Toad. Don't ask me why, but it's a term I had used with Tiffy when she was very very young, like 2 years old? Just using his actual term scares me and the little ones). It also explains why the serpent tricked Eve and why both Adam and Eve had to leave the garden of Eden.

It quotes the numerous biblical text especially during Jesus' public ministry, where He cast out demons from people. There's a very vivid text about the man at Gerasen who was possessed by about 2000 unclean spirits. Jesus drove them out and into the swines and the whole herd of swines rushed down into the sea and drowned.

The author shared about how our "little" sins can open the door to unclean spirits to dwell within us. We need to go deeper within ourselves (just like what ME workshop couples do) to really identify where this door is, then to seal it with confession with true repentance, and ask Jesus to seal it. Then and only then can the Holy Spirit dwell within us.

The best part is, it's written in simple and plain English that even I can understand :)

A recommended read.

Love

Theresa

Day out with Felicia (last day of exams)

Dear All

Today's the last day of 2 long weeks of exams. Yes, even in primary school nowadays, exams last that long! Started with the compos, orals, etc. Then the main papers this week. Made the poor girl skip choir practices and guitar lessons for exam preparations. P5 is such a BIG jump from P4 and she's feeling the heat! You see, our school had a change of principal, so I guess she's trying to push the students to achieve very high standards! But they are only 10 year olds! Where have their childhood gone?

Anyway, since the che che will be ending her own LONG 2 weeks exams tomorrow, and going out with her friends, I told Feli I'll bring her out for a treat. I feel she's still too young to go out with her friends still, nor go hang out at friends' house!

We went to eat at her choice of eatery (Aijinsen) and her choice of movie (it's between Water for Elephant or Beastly, but Beastly won).

Today is opening day for Beastly with the preview opening over. Here's a snapshot of today's advert for the show:

Feli loved the show immensely. It's follows quite closely to the classic fairytale of Beauty and the Beast, but in a modern day setting. Good morales are taught which is a great way to share with your younger ones. There's some passionate scenes though, so you may not want to bring kindergarten kids to this. A nice show to watch especially if you can get your tickets at a discount. School kids pay $6 whilst adult $8. With passion card @ Shaw cinemas, its $6.50 per ticket. I think it's this discounted rate during weekdays but am not sure :)

Tiffy says her friend recommends Thor...must be good as her friend wants to see it AGAIN! (It happens to be the movie watched by the WP during the day before polling day too...I guess it must have something to do with the "mighty" hammer and superhero theme! Haha!!).

Anyway, holidays are coming. I shall again look out for fun (read as "cheap") activities for the kids and try to share them with you.

Love

Theresa

Recommended Read - FISH! for life

Dear All

I had made a recent post on the book I was reading. Well, now I've completed it.

The ingredients of FISH! which I like to share with you to make your family life refocused midst the business of work are:

1) Play

2) Make your day (for others)

3) Be there

4)Choose your attitude

Play means to make whatever activity especially yucky ones fun by thinking of ways to make it fun. A simple example off my head is making cleaning the house fun by doing chores with music you love. Another is making a game of washing the hamster cage with the kids.

Make your day means to think of ways to make the other person loved, happy and cared for. Something simple could be to just give an encouraging note to your kid when the going is tough, to show you care and understand the stress she's going through.

Be there means when you are with that person, make sure you focus on when she is saying. Don't just be physically there, be totally there for that person. An example would be when talking to my mum either in person or on the phone, really give her my listening ear to what she is saying and sometimes not saying directly (haha, if happens sometimes ya?). Sometimes we are thinking of something else whilst so called talking or listening to that person. People sometimes do sense it you are not there. The important point is, you are choosing not to live in the present by having your mind elsewhere, and the present will not come back.

Choose your attitude. I think we married couples who have gone through the marriage preparation course have heard this one: "Love is a DECISION, not a feeling". Attitude is also different from feelings. An example, you may feel tired and down, which are INTERNAL feelings, but you can choose EXTERNALLY to be supportive to your child or spouse when they are sharing with you their experiences at school or work.

The above 4 ingredients can be applied to sensitive situations like getting an aged parent to stay with you, or difficult colleagues at the office. These kind of situations or problems can be brainstormed in advance with your family or spouse.

The ingredients can also be used in any situation. It's basically living your moments to moments fully.

Another example where you can apply the above ingredients is in starting your exercise regime.

PLAY - get nice exercise attire or shoes, or bring along your favourite songs for your exercise. You can choose to exercise to music, or exercise with the TV on. Just think how to make your exercise more fun. It could be learning a new physical activity like dancing, in-line skating, tai-chi etc.

Make your day - treat yourself a little after a week's or even a day of exercise. Perhaps a massage treat...you know what you like ya? Or it could be inspirational quotations put up in your room to keep you at it.

Be there - This is a tacty one....this is being conscious when you overeat. It may be when you are under stress e.g, hurt, frustrated, anxious. When you are eating, slow down and enjoy the meal. If you are eating but thinking of work, you don't know what you are eating and may overeat. Eat without the TV on and silent your phone. Don't eat whilst reading or texting. Just be there. (Also, have a healthier spread of food lah!)

Choose your attitude - Like what NIKE slogan says, "Just do it". You know you need to exercise for the sake of good health so that you can see your kids grow up, so once you know what you have to do, just do it. When you put on your track shoes, you know you'll be exercising. Just take the 1st step and being your project.

The last part of this short book is about communication with your spouse and the decision to be committed to your spousal relationship...exactly what ME has taught us and is about. These ingredients are just to spice up your relationship with the one you have chosen to live your life with till the day you part. Anything in life that is worth living for should take priority and this tool (FISH!) is just a means to helping us live our priority better.

Hope the above sharing helps. BTW, the book can be bought from Popular bookshop.

Love Theresa

To Live is to Die

Dear All

A friend of mine recently experienced a string of deaths in her family. Her father, a cousin, followed by her uncle.

I've opened the obituary recently and found that an ex-colleague had passed away less than 2 weeks ago. As I looked at his photo, I remembered him as a generous, jovial, easy-going man whose face lights up like a little 5 year-old boy when he smiles or laughs though he's not that young. Calculating backwards from the age listed in the obituary, he must have been about 66 years old when I left my workplace. So he must have been about 52 when I first got to know him. Nice guy.

During Lent, our cell group had a lenten reflection, and one friend mentioned that he's afraid to be close to his spouse and his loved ones because it will be painful for him if they die before him and vice versa. When I heard that, I was kinda sad for him. What does it mean to not live life loving your spouse and your loved ones fully? My immediately reaction internally then was he'll be missing out alot in life and so will his wife. He and has wife have gone through ME, and he conceded that it's not fair to his spouse, so he's trying to overcome this natural protective instinct of his.

Recently, with all the news of death surrounding me, I now see what he means. When I go to sleep and look at Bert beside me, I feel kinda sad knowing that it's a matter of time that I will go, and so will he. As I look at my children, I know one day, they will die too. As long as we are born alive, we will all die one day. That's what the insurance slogan says...there's no certainty in life except the certainty that we will die one day.

It's a sad feeling for me. Makes me wonder what are we doing during the period when we are alive? Why are the kids struggling with studies, bogged down with homework, tuition and exams? Why are we bogged down with the demands and stress of working, deadlines, awful colleagues and demanding bosses? We are all like our pet hamster, locked within it's cage, running on the wheel at top speed but getting nowhere.

I for one, will try to make our family life a little more meaningful. Take time to slow down a little, go smell the roses. The kids are not young forever, nor are we. Don't take health for granted.

Don't keep on saving and being a scrooge. Invest your time and money wisely in creating memories and experiences with your family.

Just reflecting on life, it's meaning to me, and sharing them with you. :)

Love Theresa