Mum in the making

Friday, May 17, 2013

Friday Five: Another random one

So another week has passed! And here's what's been on my mind this week:

:: I've almost forgotten how cute the 1.5 to two years old stage can be. They start picking up words, begin to show they understand when you talk to them, and they do all those cute antics like dancing and feeding you food. But of course, there are those tantrums too. Just yesterday, this little boy had a 20 minute scream fest because he didn't want to sleep, and boy can he yell! Nevertheless, I'm treasuring this stage since it passes so quickly!

:: We've been busy decluttering to prepare for the house renovation. It feels quite therapeutic to actually clear those piles of books, and sell them off to people who are interested to read them! There's still quite alot to clear, but its step by step I guess.

And links-wise, I've been fascinated with:

:: Chalkboard art. I love how chalkboard art can prettify ordinary spaces, and Dana Tanamachi really takes the art to a new level. You can view her works here.

:: Family trees. Some time ago, I spotted these lovely family trees in this post. Makes me want to DIY one to frame up!

:: Alternative kitchen photography. You know how you store a million billion items in your kitchen? We know since we have to start emptying out every.single.thing to pack them away before the reno. Well, photographer Erik Klein Wolterink has managed to photograph those billion and one things in various kitchens in Amsterdam. Click here to view his photos!

Well, here's to a blessed weekend!

PS: Thank you so much for all the comments and concern after my previous post. I'm feeling way much better. Prayer and ice cream does help too!

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Thankful Tuesdays: The day Mama lost it

Today didn't start off too good. The big boy woke up early, and proceeded to wake me and his brother up, so baby J was grumpy and clingy the whole day. Then baby J slipped and knocked his mouth, and ended up dripping blood all over his shirt and the floor. And I started having gastric pains.

Things got slightly better after the kids had their baths and lunches, but just before nap-time Junior J spilled his entire cup of milk all over the sofa. There was milk everywhere, all over Junior J, on me, seeping through the cushions and the sofa itself, a puddle of milk spreading on the floor... so I dashed to get a cloth to wipe everything up. And came back to see baby J (who is allergic to dairy) happily splashing in the puddle of milk. So I had to grab him and wash him down in the tub lest he started rashing up, and thought I could leave him in the tub for a minute to clear the puddle. Which wasn't a good idea because the boy promptly slipped and fell in the tub and started crying. So he ended up being locked in the baby playpen, while crying the whole time, and I tried my best to wipe milk off everything.

I really lost it. I guess it was an accumulation of everything that has happened the past few weeks: Junior J being difficult (they talk about the terrible twos, but the fours can be even more challenging), the onset of terrible twos for baby J, the having to sort out renovation plans, the feeling of living in chaos every single day, the feeling that I can't keep up and can't catch up. I shouted and shouted, then sent the boy to bed without his milk.

So its ironic that its Tuesday and I'm supposed to count my blessings, and encourage you to do so too. I know we're supposed to give thanks in all circumstances, but right now, to be honest, I'm finding it rather hard to do so. I'll just leave you to share yours, and hopefully I'll be in better shape to share mine next week, OK?

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Weekend wanderings: Flea market findings

I simply love flea markets. I love being able to get stuff at cheaper prices. I love digging for kid lit and vintage items amidst all the stuff for sale. And I love the idea that we're helping to do our little bit for earth too. So after blogger Evelyn shared about the SAS PTA White Elephant Sale (you can read her post about the sale last year), we couldn't resist paying a visit this morning.

The hubby wanted to come along too, so we had to bring the kids with us. Between the two of us, we managed to score a whole pile of reads (it was $10 for a big red plastic bag which you could fill with as many books as you wanted):

Some were award winners, some were classics, like those by A.A. Milne, and we scored quite a few nice board books for baby J who has earned about a reputation for being a book wrecker. While some were really old or somewhat bashed up, we were pretty pleased with our haul!

There were lots of other things being sold as well, ranging from toys, board games and puzzles, to furniture and clothes. Some of the nearby homes were also having yard sales (and apparently that's where the best buys are), but we didn't manage to check those out. However, we still managed to snag a set of Dinosaur Monopoly and a dino puzzle for Junior J, as well as a lamp-shade for our study. The boys even got toy cars as presents, from one of the mothers who had finished selling off almost all her stuff!

I think we'll definitely be back next year for the sale!

Linking up with:

Friday, May 10, 2013

Friday Five: This week...

... has been quite a fruitful one in terms of progress. We've managed to make it to the library, the boys and I, and we also had a playdate today. The reno plans are slowly chugging along. Home-learning is still restricted to reading and phonics though, but we're adding in bits of art and craft as our materials slowly surface from our very messy home. All in all, baby steps.

And here's 5 links that have caught my eye or picked at my brain this week:

:: "Children need wild, unlimited hours, but this time is in short supply for many, who are diarised into wall-to-wall activities, scheduled from the moment they wake until the minute they sleep, every hour accounted for by parents whose actions are prompted by the fear their child may fall behind in the rat race that begins in the nursery." I found this article thought-provoking, however, I'm not sure if the methods used by various tribes might work in a society that is no longer a safe place for children to grow up in. What do you think?

:: Child-bearing wrecks havoc on the body, every mother would tell you that. But this post was such a beautiful way to look at the scars that pregnancy leaves.

:: I recently chanced across the works of Justin Gaffrey in this article. I really loved how wonderfully textured his paintings were! You can view more of his works here.

Photo source: My Modern Met

:: Some of these parenting hacks were pretty smart.

:: There are many blogs written by home-schooling mums, and I always wonder how they manage to do it all: clean, cook, homeschool and blog, usually while caring for multiple kids. This honest post is reassuring that they too are normal people, with their bad days and all.

Yup, that's all folks, and here's to a blessed weekend! I hope its one that's filled with sunshine and smiles!

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Thankful Tuesdays: Simple mornings

These days, our mornings are spent simply. Breakfast at home followed by a trip to the market, where Junior J loves looking at the fishes at the aquarium, and would inform the shopkeeper if he spots shrimp that have hopped out of their tank.

Then we hit the playgrounds, and the boys get to run off all their energy. They love the assortment of play structures around our area, from tall slides to swings and all sorts of things to climb.

"Mama, this is the zoo! I am a monkey, and baby J is a rabbit, and you are the zookeeper!"
In the end, the zookeeper was the most tired one of all, after having to chase the runaway rabbit.

I'm thankful for these simple mornings, when we don't need to rush to go anywhere. When the boys can just be boys, and run to their hearts' content.

What about you? What are you thankful for?

Friday, May 3, 2013

Friday Five: The month of May

Goodness, I can't believe that the week has zoomed by and its already Friday. And that we're already in the month of May! Whatever the case, here's what's been on my mind the past week:

:: Yesterday I stepped into our bathroom to find the floor flooded. Our cistern broke and had leaked all over the floor. Which seems to confirm that we are up for a major redo for the toilets, so May's going to be spent sorting out tiles and taps and whatever.

:: Speaking of spaces, I found this peek into these spaces of creative people intriguing. My favourite is Nigella Lawson's, since her's is my idea of a dream study... one that is piled high with books!

Source: Buzzfeed

:: Baby J has started the whole cooking thing, and has been having fun with all the pots and pans and play food. Today, he counted from three to eight, which caused me to nearly fall off the bed in surprise! He's growing up so fast, and time seems to slip away quicker because we're so busy with the two of them. I'm reminding myself to treasure his toddler days before they slip away!

:: Mealtimes have been quite the nightmare, because both the boys haven't been eating well. We seem to have two boys who can survive mainly on air, and I'm hoping to work on more variety for their meals this month. Its a challenge because baby J seems to rash up with so many foods, while Junior J has suddenly decided that he only likes (and eats) things that are fried, crispy or drenched in a whole load of sauce.

:: Finally, some of you might have read this article about letting children be bored because it encourages them to be creative, as well as develop their imagination. I admit I was reassured after reading this, because some days I feel guilty for letting Junior J potter about so much. I sometimes wonder if I should be introducing more structured activities for him, but he seems quite happy just playing with his brother and his toys, and making up his own stories. I guess this other post does have a point, that sometimes "filling time doesn't improve learning, it impedes it". What do you think?

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Thankful Tuesdays: Living in the in between

Our home has been falling apart, bit by bit. It is an old place, and we are actually the third family to have stayed there. When the hubby and I moved in eight years ago, we did very little renovations (since we couldn't afford it), and opted to keep the original fittings in the toilets, as well as some built-in cabinetry and the tiles. We even kept the laminate and parquet flooring to cut on cost!

Fast forward to now, and it comes as no surprise that everything is breaking apart. Ever since we've moved home, the kitchen door has been jammed many times (Junior J has learnt his lesson never to play with the door since he's gotten "locked" into the kitchen a couple of times), the bath door is spoilt, and the kitchen drawers are starting to jam. The tiles are probably more than twenty years old, and are starting to show their age.

Thus far, we've only managed to change the laminate flooring, which was starting to pop out in various places, and that was done when we were still staying in Germany. However, we do see the need to renovate the toilets and kitchen, and a number of furniture pieces need to be replaced. Plus, baby J would be shifting over to join his brother in his room soon, so bunk beds are needed. All in all, quite a few things need to be changed!

I must admit I don't enjoy this in-between stage. Where things need to be done, yet you are scrambling like crazy to find time to get them done. I am unsure of whether to just unpack all our stuff back onto the shelves, or leave them as they are, since we'll need to pack everything up when the walls get painted. Its also quite a pain having to yank the kitchen door off its sliding track just to get Junior J out of the kitchen!

That being said, this really uncomfortable stage reminds me about how we are waiting for heaven:

"For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked."

-2 Corinthians 5:1-3

And in-between discomfort aside, I am still very thankful for this little space we call home. I am grateful for how this place has housed us comfortably, along with many visiting family members. How these four walls have witnessed the arrival of both our boys, and seen them grow up.

I am thankful for our battered dining table, which has hosted countless bible study group meetings, and bore the brunt of little hands banging toys and splatting puree all over it. I give thanks for that old sofa, marked with green and purple crayons, that holds so many memories of good books read together.

I am thankful for the messes and chaos, because it reminds me that this house is a home, and holds people that live and play in it.

(And meanwhile, I'll try to stay away from design blogs and Pinterest, lest I get envious of those pretty spaces!)

What are you thankful for this week?

Monday, April 29, 2013

Zva Creative April DT Blog Hop!

Zva Creative and my fellow Design Team members welcome you to our April blog hop! We are excited happy you are joining us and look forward to sharing our new work with you!

Today's Blog Hop begins at Zva Creative's Facebook page! Be sure head on over to check it out!

Here's a list of participants (in case there is a glitch along the way):

Teri Anderson

Anna Zaprzelska

Irene Tan

Jennifer Snyder

Carole Maurin

Christin Grønnslett

Andrea Ewen

Helen Tilbury

Fabi Ormerod

Jolanda Meurs

Natasha Naranjo Aguirre

As you know, Zva offers many beautiful color groupings for pearls, flowers and crystals. If you like what you see along the hop you can find a list of stores and online retailers that sell Zva here.

Today, I'm sharing a mini-album that I made to store some of this year's memories. I used some of Zva's pretty roses and leaves:

... as well as one of their new pearl flourishes:

I hope to start filling this album up soon with memories!

If you would like to play along with our design team, just follow along the blog path. I am linking to one of the Zva designers and that designer is linking to the next and so on. Be prepared to be inspired along the way!

The Blog Hop starts today, April 29^th and runs through midnight US Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday, April 30^th.

***Prizes***

Hidden on FIVE of the designer's blogs is a Zva Creative prize package! Winners will be randomly chosen after the hop is over. All you need to do is leave a comment on this Blog Hop post... you do not need to leave a comment on each and every designer's blog post to qualify. However, the more times you comment along the blog hop path, the more chances you will have to win.

The 5 winners will be announced on Wednesday, May 1^st on Zva Creative's Facebook page! We will do our best to notify each winner, but it's best if you can pop in to Zva's blog on Wednesday to see if you are a winner!

We also thought it would be more fun to add even more chances to win our blog hop prize! To increase your chances of winning:

* Comment to let us know that you posted on your Facebook page about our hop (link to any of the blog hop posts)

* Comment to let us know that you "tweeted" about our hop (link to any of the blog hop posts)

* Comment to let us know that you asked your local store to carry Zva creative products. If they already do, that's fantastic, maybe you can suggest other products that they don't carry.

*Hop over to Zva's facebook page and "like" our page or leave a comment there to tell us that you stopped by if you already like follow us there!

You've reached the end of the hop, so head back over to the Zva Creative's Facebook page. I hope you've enjoyed hopping along, and thank you for joining us!

P.S. Mark your calendar to join us again on May 27^th for our next Zva blog hop!

Friday, April 26, 2013

Friday Five: Why we book apartments when we travel

Dining area in an apartment in Berlin.

When we were planning our trips about Europe, hubby and I chanced across a website, Wimdu, which allowed you to rent apartments to stay in many locations around the world. These apartments were mainly lived-in ones, where the owners made arrangements to move when you booked their apartment for a stay. The whole idea appealed to us, since we've not too fond of the cookie cutter rooms in hotels, and we found ourselves booking our stays off the site for almost every trip we made. Here's five reasons why:

1. We get to save money.
The cost of renting an apartment can sometimes be cheaper than booking a hotel, more so if you require two or more rooms if you have other family members like grandparents tagging along for the trip. Also, leaving a review on Wimdu for your apartment stay usually means you get a discount code for your next stay!

The room Junior J slept in when we were in Bordeaux, which was actually a room for a little girl!

2. We get more room for our buck.
We had the option of finding apartments that had at least two bedrooms, instead of having to squeeze together in a family hotel room. This was great because it accommodated the two boys' different bedtimes, and ensured that big brother didn't disturb his baby brother when he was napping. Also, more room for the boys to explore was a boon when I had to leave the boys to play on their own, while I prepared meals on days the hubby was not around.

Also, some families that put up their apartment for rental have children, which means the kids can get access to toys...

Junior J was delighted to find a panda amongst the stuffed toys left in his room in Copenhagen.

... and other baby-related items like high chairs, which is a must for feeding our little Mr Active!

3. We have access to a kitchen.
This was really important since I had to cook for baby J on our trips, as well as settle our meals on days that the hubby was out on attachment or attending a conference (I was not confident of bringing both the boys out for meals on my own, since baby J was so hard to feed!).

Another plus point of renting a lived-in apartment was that in most cases, you get a fully equipped kitchen and don't need to drag along your own pots and pans. Also, these kitchens usually had all the condiments needed for cooking, so you wouldn't need to bring your own or buy them.

Trying my hand at cooking fish soup when we were in Bordeaux.

Aside from the kitchen, we always found it handy to have the access to a washing machine (and sometimes dryer). When you have young kids (where puke and pee accidents may happen anytime), a washer is always a big plus. And that also meant I didn't need to pack so much clothes for the trip since we could always do a load when we needed it!

4. We get to sample local produce.
Having access to a kitchen meant that we got to buy local produce and cook our own meals! Hubby and I love browsing and shopping at the local markets, and it was quite a joy buying fresh ingredients for our meals. While I admit I love pigging out at hotel breakfast buffets and it was a little troublesome for hubby to run out in the mornings to buy breakfast, it was a nice experience having freshly baked bread in the mornings, piping hot from a nearby bakery!

Home-cooked mussels in Bordeaux.

5. We get to soak in culture and live like a local.

Most apartment renters would be more than happy to point out nearby amenities as well as other points of attraction. They would usually recommend places to dine, and we enjoyed taking walks about and exploring.

Marketing in the Marche des Capucins, while armed with a baguette.

In a sense, you get to experience how the locals live, shopping at the places they shop, eating at the places they eat, standing in line at the post office. There were some minor inconveniences, like having to figure out how to sort your trash (each country seems to do it differently!), or having to shift all the fragile decor pieces to a safe place before letting the boys loose. However, staying in these apartments was quite an experience.

The view from our apartment in Venice.

What about you? Do you book apartments to stay when you travel?

PS: This is not a sponsored post. We're just sharing since we found this website useful!

Linking up with:

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Wordless Wednesday: Spring

We have been taking peeks at the weather reports for Germany (while bemoaning how hot and humid it is here!), and things seem to be warming up. The cherry blossoms should be out in full force: