back in Germany Season 2

It's been more than two years since I made the last entry on this blog.
The pace of life back home, unfortunately, has not allowed me to find ways to keep a blog on the things we've done in the past 2.5 years.
But there will be a second season of bACkinGermany.
So watch this space :)

Happy Father's Day!

I've forgotten how life was like when we were in Germany, when school broke for a couple of months long of summer. Luckily for me, the June holidays are just a mere 4 weeks. And the 2nd one is almost gone. 

I've been reminded gently by the kids what we could do at home other than watching endless shows that are offered on okto - the free kids' channel. 

 

Over the past two days, we've made a doll for Kristin and photo frames for Daddy. Nothing much. But enough to keep the kids still and entertained at the table for a couple of hours. We also did some homework (for piano mainly), Math and writing. How conscientious even during school hols. 

Maybe we should do water painting again. 

Happy Father's Day, Daddy! Yeah, we've been busy working at home. ;) 

pulau ubin - rhino rocks

When we arrived at Pulau Ubin, we were greeted by the ever faithful rhino that stands watch at the bay of the little isle. 

Thanks to Ailei (who organised everything) and to Andrew (who so patiently guided us along each step), we urbanites were getting a tour around Pulau Ubin, trekking along to discover what nature holds for us in this part of the world. Before you think it's a long hike, well no, we've got 9 kids with us and at some point of time, some would want to be carried, fed, pushed along in a buggy or go pee(oh actually, we're quite lucky since it was a hot day, water loss was by another route!), take a break, explore the nature, smell the leaves, touch the rocks or even stare at a spider. So 2 hours were really the maximum that the kids could handle and, we all did it! Lo hicimos! Are you doing a number now? Think Dora! 

The Lipstick Plant

When the seeds are crushed, they give a red stain. A natural food colouring used for butter and cheese, for example, to give the bright yellow.  

A-carrying, an-exploring, a-tasting... 

a-pushing, a-stopping, a-feeding... :) 

a-flicking of rocks to a-burning of jackfruit plant? LOL! 

a-studying of barnacles... 

a-making of lalang arrows and a-fighting... 

a-smiling in front of ermmm... dead coconut leaves? 

a-resting, a-smiling, a-snapping away for the parents... 

Oh.. that's just me, reminiscence of mailboxes and gates I haven't seen for the past 25 years! 

pulau ubin - incy wincy spider...

Let's do a quick recap from Mr Andrew: 

1. This is called a Gold Back Spider, or Batik Back Spider? 

2. This is a female spider. 

3. The female ones are much larger than the male ones. (See orange specks, the tiny male ones,  in one of the photos? No? That's why we so need a macro lens!)

4. I really can't remember a thing! I was too busy trying to do a few manual shot. 

silly snapshots...

Look Mommy, I'm a doggie! 

Look Mommy, I'm a Pharoah! 

Ya right, you can pass off as a samsui woman. 

What's a samsui woman? 

pulau ubin - forging friendship

RK thinks Bryan is funny and No. 1 at singing naughty songs - yep, certainly something I'm gonna be enormously proud of. 

Bryan says RK is his best friend in Singapore, while Ryan Krohne (incidentally also an RK!) is his best friend in Germany. OOOOOOOOh.... RK.... I didn't see that coming! It must be some magic these initials carry with them! 

Of course, Bryan also misses his other best budds like Aidan and Jake. 

I found it real hilarious that my son wants to have the same haircut as RK, while Ad hears the same thing from her son... 

Yep, it's the beginning of a new friendship and here's wishing these guys great adventures through thick and thin! 

P/S. I did tell RK not to stick out his tongue. 

pulau ubin - lalang

In Germany, dandelions are everywhere. 

In Pulau Ubin, we have lalangs. 

And Kristin is just there to help the seeds disperse with a little (more) distance. :) 

ICA Singapore - da best lah!

I was worried that I couldn't get the passports on time for the church camp in mid June. 

Yeah, I waited till it was the last week of May, before I gathered all digital photos and info to make online applications for the kids and me. What took me so long to complete something online within 15 minutes? 

Just three days after I submitted the applications, I was informed via email that the passports were ready for collection from the 1st of June onwards. Efficiency. So I made an appointment to collect the passports last Monday. 

We were in and out of the ICA building within 15 minutes! No waiting, no queues. Just efficiency. It was a breeze compared with those times when my mom had to drag my brother and me to get our passports done during June holidays 25 years ago! Online application - who would have thought of it then? Efficiency.

blueberry cupcakes

I haven't baked for the longest time. 

After we got our oven finally fixed, I managed to bake cupcakes 3 times this week! 

And the best were blueberry cupcakes! My dad has already placed an order for his birthday. 

Yummy... 

The down side about baking right now is that the heat takes a few days to dissipate, given the dry and hot weather now. My kitchen felt like an oven for the whole week too. If only there was a winter... 

sunblock...

A few months ago, my little tub of Biotherm sunblock for face ran out. I was looking around to buy something since the one I was used to was not sold in Asia. I wondered why until I saw shelves and shelves of whitening sunblock/sunscreen in Watson's.

SPF 50!  And what was I covering my face with previously, only a mere SPF 12! Oops! 

But seriously, women here are crazy about whitening creams. All cosmetic companies need to do is to create something that says "whitening"...  Whitening is an endorsement! 

Just take a look here: 

While women here prefer white porcelain skin, women elsewhere love to have a sporty tan of bronze. I've never seen Eucerin and Nivea carrying their white range of products back in their home country. 

At the end of my search, I had to settle for Biotherm UV detox with 50 SPF. And with summer all year long, SPF 50 should theoretically offer more protection. 

knock knock jokes...

Bryan: Knock, knock! 

Me: Who's there? 

Bryan: Knock, knock! 

Me: Knock, knock who? 

Bryan: Knock, knock, why don't you go open the door? 

Bryan: Knock, knock! 

Me: Who's there? 

Bryan: Radio. 

Me: Radio who? 

Bryan: Radio doesn't say "who". It sings a song to you. 

--------------------------------------

Yes, we have been quite our corny selves this weekend and these were two of his funnier ones. 

Kristin was also eager to give knock knock jokes a try too.

Kristin: Knock, knock! 

Me: Who's there? 

Kristin: Toothbrush! 

Me: Toothbrush who? 

Kristin: Toothpaste!

Me: LOL

I had to laugh very hard. Coz every time I asked her for a knock knock joke, it's always the same one. And it was hilarious when she said it. It's like she couldn't make up her mind between toothbrush and toothpaste. Actually, it really isn't that funny. Alan thinks I'm just encouraging her when I roar with laughter. 

Admittedly it's still a long way to go comparing hers with kor-kor's, but it's a knock knock joke for a start. Besides, knock knock jokes are meant to be silly, aren't they? 

Hope your weekend has also been a good one filled with chatter and laughter! 

May Day

Not crying out in distress, but just a little out of nostalgia. 

May First this year falls on a Friday, which means if we had still been bACk in Germany, we would definitely be travelling. It's a wonderfully long weekend, who wouldn't travel with perfect sunny spring weather of about 20 centigrade? Unfortunately, there isn't much to do here. A getaway has to be planned with Alan's and my working schedules. So we had to find contentment in the parks and nature reserves available in Singapore. 

We started the day in a garden. 

After a few rounds of slides, the heat was unbearable. And we retreated to the water play area to cool down. Actually, only the kids had a shower, the parents waited in the hot noon sun, baked! 

Then to avoid crowds in the city, we decided to make a detour to another park to have lunch among the greeneries. Yes, retreating into romanticism :) 

We ended the day with yet another destination into the greeneries.

All in all, we drove quite a substantial distance - peanuts compared with the distance we would have covered in Deutschland, but still we did do a little travelling today. 

The highlights of the day had to be bubbles. Our ever faithful play group decided to have some bubbly fun. What's there to do when the heat is unbearable?That's the only way we can think of to chill out: Kids had fun and adults didn't have to clean up :p 

Don't bubbles make you happy too? 

making childhood memories...

This is the second time we're back on this beach this month. 

Love it! 

Look at the kids, having a whale of a time during our regular play date last week. 

RK and Bryan, setting up a mining company... Notice how these boys only mine in the shade... 

Gabe and Christian, looking for hermit crabs... Can't help but think of the Sharing A Shell song by Julia Donaldson. 

Kristin, ermm, practising Tai-chi? :) 

Oh what carefree life! 

random shots

It has been hot, extremely hot. All over, people are just pushing buttons, yes, just the buttons that will get the fan to oscillate faster or just the buttons that will get the temperature to drop lower in an air-con room and of course, the actual kind of buttons too with all the meltdowns under this unbearable heat. The sweltering heat gives no respite, my flat is turning into a furnace. I could even dry 4 loads of laundry within an afternoon! Who needs a dryer now? 

But it's also days like these we get wonderful shots, no? 

Here are some random shots: 

This is the view from our flat. However, it will be soon gone with 2 blocks of condo and 5 giant HDB flats ready in 2 years' time. 

Our city skyline will be gone soon... buildings are climbing, with an added level each day. Sigh... but at least the hot days have given me some clear skies to quickly snap a couple of shots. See, the condo... no kidding. They are already there. It's like you're watching a street performance and you thought you had the best spot and then someone had to come and squeeze in front of you. Except this time, I can't exactly say, "Hey, I was here first." I reckon we won't be able to see much of NDP's fireworks from this year onwards. 

I'm an aunt!

I was so excited when the phone rang this morning. It's my mom. 

My first question was: So is he here already? 

Yes, we have been waiting for Jon expectantly for months now. And finally, it is time. 

He arrived at around mid-day, weighing in at almost 3 kg. 

We finally got to meet him... 

The feelings are often indescribable and magical whenever one cradles a newborn. The making of a life is such a mystery that we human can never fathom. And it feels... oh the elation this blessing brings. I feel so happy for my brother and sil. And yes, in that tiny moment I was cradling Jon, motherhood was being renewed. I wouldn't deny that, for a fleeting moment - just a twinkling instant that shot past me - it's nice to have another baby again.