Excitement in July

We managed to visit the Happy Valley Theme Park in the suburb of Shanghai . It is huge and full of exciting rides. I am a fan of theme park! Since I was tall enough to get in to a roller coaster, I would rode it like 3 times in a row. The bigger, the scarier it is the better for me . But age ,unfortunately, is NOT just a number in this case! LOL...I got chicken out , and easily to feel dizzy in this age compare to when I was 15 !!! What a bummer! hahaha... Happens also to my sis and even my dh. He is not a fan of something going up and down, and twirling around like me. But also for him , as he gets older, a lot of factor has decreased our guts! Reality hits when we hit a certain age huh? ^_^
But I am fortunate enough to experienced many great rides before ( one of my fave is The Jurassic Park ride at the L.A Universal Studio! and the triple loops at the Sunway Lagoon)

We will sure go back to the theme park , but I am not sure I will got my guts back to try some of the rides! :)
So these are the pics

I also had lunch with friends to meet some old friends during their Shanghai visits and meeting new friends too at the same time .

So how is your July? We will wrap July by a short holiday to Hainan Island , where there are beaches , pools and sand! ^_^ This is our first holiday since last December when we moved back here! My next plan after that is to go back for a bit to Jakarta( with hoping to pop to KK, but the flights seems to be too complicated to do with 2 kids!) .And I am really hoping for our "bigger" ( and exciting holiday ) in January! Finger crossed!!!! Will sure keep you posted :)

Have a great weekend...mine will be doing some packing and digging for my swimsuits! I hope I still can fit in it! LOL

XOXO
S.R

A Perfect Sunday....

My perfect Sunday would be : wake up late ( circa 8 am ), enjoy breakfast with my family ( toasted bread with Nuttella or jam, or pancakes and a cuppa  coffee for me), going to Church , out for light lunch nearby, go home for "Sunday movie" ( normally on HBO, Cinemax  or DVD), while having a bit of treat ( dessert like sweet stuffs like brownies, doughnuts, ice cream since we don't usually have dessert in our home).  And having Barbecue for dinner is a plus!

The setting :) this balcony is on the back of our apartment ( from the girl's bedroom) and mind you the left side is not toilet ok? it is a wash basin :P

We live on the top floor on the building , my husband plans to do the BBQ in our back balcony. I am not sure if the management will allow that !! :D anyway......we did it! :D

It is nice to have busy weekend and exciting one ( which remind me I haven't post about our last week outing to the Theme Park in Shanghai) But it is also nice just to have a down time, relaxing and enjoying our family ( it literately cost nothing but it is priceless!)

Tomorrow is Monday.... so back to routine again , but here it is summer holiday until September. Everything is more quiet , even the church ( International Parish ) is quiet since most of the people are back to their home country. We are stuck at the moment here in the Shanghai heat! But we still have lots to discover this summer, I am thinking more visit to the museums ( insects and children museum ) and library will be nice.

Have a great week and be safe people!

XOXO
S.R

PS : OH tonight is the World Cup Final and since my favourite team ( Italy, duh!) is out and Germany is on the 3rd place.. this time I will root for Spain!
GO SPAIN!!!!!

A day in the park

We just live across the largest park in Shanghai. And it is planned. My husband wants to live here, so the kids can get expose to at least the :"man made" park.

To enter this park , it is not free. But the park is so huge. We went to see the " Mei hua" or plum flowers festival.  And just rent the " bike" . There is small theme park with roller coster, and other rides for kids, pedaling boat and mini boat too. And also picnic area.

We brought panini with us and had a small picnic at the park. The weather is nice and cool ( not cold) and sunny too.

Father and Daughter gateaway

In Dr Sears' book, he mentioned that how important is it the relationship between father and daughter . Girls will get the first "male" impression from their dad.
This is specially for dad with pre teens or even younger girls. And it is important to have " daddy daughter date". And don not talk about school or preaching . The date will need to be just talking or let your girl to talk and laugh. Have fun!
My dh often take Indy to go for ice cream, movie, or just walk in the playground on weekend ( and this is a great excuse for mom to back off and rest) .

So during Father's day weekend , my dh took Indy for 4 days gateaway to Lankayan Island. I've decided not to follow this time, as the cost is rather high for us at the moment and also I think it will be a bit too hot for maya at this time ( mommy is lazy )but mostly just to let Indy had the full attention of her dad and I can give mine to Maya back at home. A few of my friends were pretty surprise that my dh willing to take care Indy for 4 days alone. And I said she is a big girl now. And once in a while dad really need to know how to take care their kids right? :)

Indy enjoyed it so much. She saw baby sharks, star fish, sea cucumber, many many shells, and sea turtle laying their eggs, and releasing the baby turtle back to the sea.
She learn a lot as well. She can name a few different kind of sea creature and fish and she can tell the difference between sea turtle and hawksbill sea turtle.

The Island is just beautiful and lovely. I wish we can go to Mabul and Sipadan on our next family trip! And my dh enjoyed it as well. He managed to do 6 dives in 2 days, which is a lot. She saw sharks, turtles, baracuda , and many others.

The trip to Lankayan island from KK is a flight to Sandakan, then by boat to Lankayan took about 1.5 hours. To come back they still got time to visit Sepilok Orang Utan rehabilitation center

Indy at Sandakan waiting for ferry

Napping on the boat. She will be forever Daddy's lil girl! :)

Lankayan Island

The resort lobby
View from the bungalow




I love this pic.


the roomdine with the other visitors. Indy is the only kid :)
Collapse during dinner ( too much wine?)

She certainly can strike a pose!
At Sepilok
This is my friend!

ta ta for now!!! :) have a great week , peep!

Mother's Day weekend

During Mother's Day weekend,my husband managed to take 2 days off. Sunday and Monday. And we decided to went to Kudat, again. :)

And he got surprise for me , a cake ( not nice because bought last minute in the shop) and the other is : that he will stop to smoke for me! huh.. I was like expecting something more tangible present for my self?

But I think, it is nice for him, to be determined to stop to smoke starting on Mother's Day.
Now it is still too early to tell the result, we see how it goes, I hope it will be permanent !
I will be so proud of him if he really stop to smoke.
After nearly 10 years of marriage I never ask him or persuade him to stop smoking, neither that I encourage him. Because I believe, like anything else, it MUST come from himself, his own will . No matter how much I nag , if he still want to smoke , he can just do it behind my back.
Hmm .... I shall give you all the update about this stop smoking thing later on..Hopefully it is a positive update!

On the way to Kudat, we stopped at Kota Belud Tamu, and here are some of my favorite pictures

One of my childhood 's fave drink: AIR TEBU!

My favorite Malay Cake : Penjaram , We called it kue cucur in Indonesia

Bunnies!!! Mom can we buy one?
Mom said : "NO WAAAY!!!!"

Martabak! My dh likes this one. Do you notice that my dh loves to wear batik? LOL all are fully sponsor by his Father In Law
Finally on the beach ( pantai bak bak) with the Tip of Borneo at the back.
This is their favorite thing to do on the beach! Shells searching.


Posing with papaRun, run.. it is sand time!


Maya the sand digging expert

Priceless , to see them running fre at the beach, without the worry of the cars, or falling down.
The sun were blazing hot but the breeze balanced it down.


Dig , dig, dig....Making sand creams, sand cakes

Ok girls, so now listen to the boss here....
Waiiit !!!

Indy enjoying her self on the beach, here, she was doing her dance.





The monsters in the playground

This is how you catch a Playground's monster

Didn't want to miss the chance to swim
The Marina golf and resort
2nd day on the other side of the tip of Borneo ( sorry forget the name , Pantai Kulambu? something like that) This is where there will be the high end resort Kudat riviera. We think it is still under construction but we can see a few of it luxurious bungalows already.

Playing with new companies

"Pa.. I want to go there...."

You can "walk" to the island.

Dividing their shells

My husband fall in love with the beach there. And the fact that there are not many people in that beach.

Weekend is here again, Enjoy yours!