A new year - A new beginning

Hi friends, I will be abandoning this blog to this new one.  The reason being that I have accepted another DT position and I have to have a scrapping blog.  Being not tech savvy - I can't maintain too many blogs and hence the change.  See you there....

In the meantime - I will be away from the 23rd till the 27th.  Catch up with you all soon...

Phew....

Yes I know - I have neglecting my blog. Its been a few hectic weeks and I have barely enough time to sleep let alone blog. Things that have happened:

1) Visiting the Orang Asli Community
2) Going on LIVE TV
3) Preparing for the concert for the CADS centre.

The concert was over yesterday. I now can breathe a sigh of relief and we can now relax and enjoy the holidays. Up next would be a trip to Singapore - which I am looking forward to. And a nice cool Xmas in Hong Kong. will blog more later. Have to go Iz to the pet shop. She is way long overdue for her grooming... Naughty mummy has neglected her too...

Journal - Raising social responsible kids

In my bid to raise social responsible kids - our latest venture was the kids doing the Alice Smith bazaar and making cookies in order to raise funds for them.  I personally think that its very important to have a child that realises he/ she is much more fortunate than others are.  This is not done overnight but of course through years of training.

We went to the Kg Tekir on saturday.  It was amazing to see the conditions of the houses and the kids.  Education is not a priority to them and a lot of the kids just while their day away by just playing.  Jessy went in on tuesday to teach the kids this book - "The Hungry caterpillar by Eric Carle".  The kids also learnt about the days of the week,  types of food in there both in Bahasa and English.  I was particularly saddened when I found out that the kids there do not know what is a birthday and what is a birthday cake.  That brought tears to my eyes.

Thanks to another kind friend, Linda - she sponsored 150 cupcakes for us to bring in for the kids.  These kids have not eaten a lot of the fruits that we have taken for granted - like pears,  plums,  some apples and oranges,  strawberries etc.  Nadhrah donated some party packs which the kids squealed and wowed in delight. Thanks so much Nadhrah.  I am sure when you see the happiness that radiated from these kids eyes - you would have teared up.

We were cutting up fruits in a frenzy to serve the kids and they gobbled most of the stuff up.  What a great feeling it was - just serving and doing good.  It was a tiring day but it was all worth it! I am now planning when to go next!

Journal -Paranoid??

I am really totally knackered.  I have been on adrenaline for some time.  I have not returned to my usual lazy self at all.  For an inkling of how I normally operate - just picture GARFIELD.  Yup - thats me!

I have been quite tired and I have also been snapping at people.  A friend called me paranoid with my daughter - I couldn't control myself and I snapped back publicly at her.  That is not my normal self but I think tiredness came into play and some other reasons too.  I kept wondering if I really come across like a paranoid parent?

Like the charity concert that the kids are performing at - of course I nag them everyday to practise their piano.  Would that be considered PARANOID?  I do not think so.  I have faith in the teacher and when it comes to ability - I most often let the teacher decide. Of course I do test out my kids to see if they can do it themselves and most often - they prove to me that they can do better than I have expected them to do. A simple caption - like - Sean Ku Airlines - Delighting you always - puts a smile on my face. No doubt it was copied from Canon but he is only 8 years old and to put 2 and 2 together - I am happy.

The concert is looming and I am still writing the script.  We had the rehearsal today.  I was quite amazed to see that there were not many parents nor kids attending the rehearsal.  PErhaps I am kiasu but I thought that it would be better for the kids to just re-familairise themselves to the surroundings since it has been 2 years since our last charity concert in a hotel.  Perhaps I am wrong thus paranoid.

I am not the type of parent who will let my kids fail.  Its not that I want them to excel but I see no reason for a child to fail if they have tried.  The worst thing is to do their handwriting,  colouring etc for them to save the hassle of telling them to do it.  Perhaps my reluctance to do that does stresses me which eventually I do share to my friends and thus allowing them to brand me paranoid.

Well,  I am coping and doing my best.  All I want is sensible kids.  I want them to be responsible and if they do something wrong - they have to own up.  In no way - I will accept a "I don't know" as I feel that no one is STUPID in this world. It is just up to yourself to accept the knowledge and strive to gain it - that is the most important.  

Enough ramblings - do leave me a note on what you feel.

Layout - FAmily

I know that I haven't been scrapping much.  To get myself back into it,  I have decided to scrap an easy layout of just cut and paste.  This is what I  have come up with.

Made tis lo for the SK Bloodline challenge.

Materials used:

SSF pp,  MM Xmas pp,  CI stickers,  K n Co Chipboard letters and flourish,  Bazzill pp and scallop,  Pearl Bling,  Green gingham ribbon,  MM Paperie clip,  3d pop up dots and zig pen.

TAntrums

Late Night at the bazaar PLUS

Helping out at the Stall PLUS

Jumping up and down on the trampoline PLUS

Helping Mummy carry the bazaar stuff to the car PLUS

Waking up tomorrow for a 2 hour Art exhibition PLUS

Having to finish his food EQUALS to

DISSOLVING INTO TEARS as he is tired.  HE is 8 but still behaving like he is only 3.  Sigh....

My Sloppy Eater

Oops - the photos have been uploaded in the wrong sequence again.  Finally noticing that his rice is everywhere and giving me a smile.

Oh mummy - you mean I have rice on my arm?

well - its ok - Its only rice on my arm.

Notice all the rice spilling everywhere - even on the plate?  Sigh.

Sean is really a sloppy eater and I have decided to to document this.  Gosh - I took these pictured as he was eating his rice and soup.  Sigh... Look at the rice everywhere - even on his FACE!!! Apologise for the yucky lighting and blurred photos.