Sentosa

Pete came for work and he spent the Saturday with us. He has been travelling a lot to Shang Hai in the past few months because of his new job. While it is exciting to work on a new project with new people, he is not adjusting too well. He does not like Shang Hai, the pollution, the people, the pace, the food, and even the flight delay... Just about everything that he could think of something that is wrong.

Nonetheless, he likes Singapore, and hopfully us too!

We took him to Sentosa for a "tropical beach" experience. We ate at Coastes for brunch. Kodi had fun playing sand and dipping in sea water. The sand was clean, the water was light blue green, and the sea breeze was nice. For a short while, we had the illusion that we were away on an Indonesian or Thai island. But, when we took our eyes just a little bit further ahead, the cargo ship loaded with containers reminded us right away that we were still in Singapore!

Pete has never been to Sentosa so we took him around on the monorail. It was a very hot day so we just stopped at the Imbiah height, and the square in front of the Universal Studio. And had some fancy looking ice cream pops.  

We came back and dipped in the swimming pool for a good relief of the heat. Made dumplings from scratch for dinner. It was a total group effort with Kun kneading the dough and pressing the skins, Kodi transported the skins to the table for Pete and me to wrap. All had a great time!

錯過飛機

從北京要回家的那天 發生了有史以來最誇張的旅行烏龍事件

我們一直知道飛機是一點半起飛 但沒有想到是半夜的一點半 而非下午一點半 等我們到了機場才驚覺原本訂的飛機早就飛回新加坡 夫妻兩在機場很無奈又有覺得好笑 我帶著嘉吃冰淇淋 老公打電話詢問解決之道 兩個小時候知道今天可以回家了 於是我們在貴賓室開心的吃喝起來 每次來北京的機場貴賓室 必吃一碗炸醬麵 別的機場沒有喔 配上燕京啤酒更贊！

北京 馬年春節

搬回亞洲的第三年 我們去北京過中國新年

前兩年在台灣 雖然跟家人一起過節很熱鬧有氣氛
但連著兩年都遇上濕冷的天氣 加上過年其間店家休市
窩在家裡一星期 冷颼颼 不是很舒服
希望在北京過年會有不一樣的體驗


今年北京的冬天很乾 目前為止沒有下過一場雪

原本小孩期待能玩雪滑冰堆雪人的願望沒有實現
但這仍然是一趟很棒的旅行

除夕夜到婆婆家 一起享用了她精心準備的一桌團圓飯
豐盛已經無法形容當晚的盛況
只能說這是母親滿溢出來的愛 藉著一盤盤的菜餚 真實地進入我們的胃裡
大多都是阿鯤愛吃的菜  像是臘肉炒蒜苗 虎皮煎椒 紅燒冬筍干 燻豬心豬肝
浮滿了油花的小雞燉鮮菇等等

天氣真的好冷 我當然是懶得穿兩條褲子
所以飯後去放炮竹 我只能在車子裡看看
點燃後出來照各相湊湊熱鬧
冷到骨子裡的寒氣 出奇地舒爽 很想念這樣被凍著的感覺



初一一大早 婆婆的愛心再度展現
冰箱裡放了上百顆的芝麻湯圓
還有特地為兒子準備的
臉盆大糖瓷鍋裡 裝著滿鍋的甜酒
於是我們吃了好多顆芝麻湯圓配甜酒釀
不忍辜負老人家的苦心

初一晚上照例繼續吃喝
大家玩拼圖消磨時間
天氣依舊十分乾冷

初一晚上小孩自願跟叔叔嬸嬸回城裡 sleep over
我們兩夫妻樂得輕鬆
但好像是吃了太多 覺得很疲倦
春晚的重播也還沒看完就睡著了

第二天早上婆婆八點不到就準時報到
張羅我們吃早餐 生怕我們在天冷的地方餓著

當天她有一攤親戚們的餐敘 無法推掉 必須去
但仍然堅持送我們兩去坐地鐵進城 (因為這天要換去城裡的小叔家住)
三人先坐公車 然後再走一小段路

老公有點生氣媽媽這樣兩邊趕
怕她累到 也怕她得罪了親戚
因為我們雖然沒坐過地鐵 但找一找也沒問題
婆婆大概心裡也不是滋味 但仍然笑著說
"你希望媽媽永遠能這樣折騰"
哎 說得也對 看婆婆這樣東奔西跑雖然覺得沒有必要
但表示他仍然身體硬朗
也是母愛的另一種表現


初二到了小叔家後幾乎就沒出門
因為天氣很冷 在家裡包水餃 作烙餅聊天喝茶
看看重播的 騰訊 中國好歌曲
時間也過得很快

初三出門吃了一餐涮羊肉 是走著去的 因為在家附近
吃完涮羊肉逛了逛附近的小公園
小小的湖也沒完全結凍 所以今年天氣不算冷 就是很乾


初四天氣比較不冷去元大都護城河邊走了一趟
看到不少人出來遛彎 遛狗
小孩很開心 廣大的空間可以自由跑跳

五點不到就接近暮色 這種冬天的景象真讓人懷念

初五打道回府 當天我跟小嬸聊過通霄 凌晨五點半才睡

原本是“打算”坐當天下午兩點的飛機

結果很不幸的是我們錯過了飛機 (請看下集)

但也很感謝神 藉著這個徹夜長談的機會跟她分享我們的信仰

4Y6M Mommy I love you mountain fox glacier high!

Kodi has been very interested in comparing things recently. She likes to point out how this condo is shorter or higher than the other, who finishes dinner the fastest and which vehicle runs ahead of us on the road.. 

We just came back from a 2 week trip to New Zealand's picturesque south island and the beautiful mountains there left an impression in her little mind. 

Fox glacier, which we did not visit, is a name she heard over and over while in New Zealand. It is a famous tourist stop because it is one of the most accessible glaciers on earth. However, we saw glaciers while traveling to Milford Sound and driving to Mountain Cook, and from on top of the flight, with the most amazing view of the glaciers. She knows that Fox Glacier stands on top of a tall mountain. 

Here is how the conversation went, a couple days after we came back from the trip. 

"Mommy I love you giant much."

"I love you Taipei 101 high Kodi"

she thought for a second and said,

"Mommy, I love you mountain Fox glacier high"

Clearly, she thinks that Fox glacier is taller than Taipei 101! 

Start of 2014

Happy New Year!

It has been a long time since I posted anything. I miss writing and getting my thoughts organized. However, I just don't seem to spare the time for blogging nowadays.. If I am lucky and efficient, by the end of the week, I would get done the BSF homework, have practiced my Japanese, prepared Sunday school teaching and checked off my exercise plans along with other housework stuff and Kodi's art projects. I feel like that I have more time to myself now that Kodi goes to school full time. Nonetheless, somehow I don't fit enough of time for reading and writing even though I enjoy them.

Here is my grand goal.

Starting at the beginning of 2014, I AM, I AM, going to blog at least once a month! That sounds like a humble goal, doesn't it?  Let's start small and see how I do in the course of the year.

Mommy, I am going to make you a birthday card

with lots and lots and lots of hearts! 

4Y Kodi talks

"Mommy, why did they call a school of fish? does fish go to school?"


"媽咪 你喜歡butternut squash 嗎?"
"是啊"
"但我更~更~更~ 喜歡!" (語氣很誇張 每個"更"都有拉長 強調程度不同)

A rare nap

 

很久不睡午覺的嘉  今天睡了將近三個小時

現在她的作息是每天傍晚七點鐘上床睡覺 早上七點起床

這午覺睡得舒服 媽媽我也樂的清閒

但代價是 晚上摸到九點還睡不著

4Y chopsticks

Yeah! look how well Kodi can eat noodles with a pair of chopsticks! 

4Y2M Kodi talks

Kodi 去上的體操課裡 從去年開始有個金髮小男生Jasper 跟他很要好 兩個人經常在上課的時候自己玩 玩到老師會插手干預 停止他們的互動 今年春天小男生滿四歲後就升級到另一班 Kodi 有一陣子沒見到他 偶爾還會問起 Jasper 還有沒有來上課?

現在他也滿四歲了 也跟Jasper 升到同一個班 兩人許久不見 感情依舊很好 一見面就表現友好  互相擁抱 搔癢 Jasper 拉拉他的小辮子 Kodi 開心的笑 兩個人進了gym 在同一塊墊子上玩翻滾 拉單槓 活動的時候兩個人也形影不離

下課後我問她
"Jasper 好像很喜歡你耶"
Kodi " 對阿"
"那你喜歡Jasper 嗎?"
"我喜歡阿 但我沒有很喜歡他 我很喜歡他 但我沒有非常非常喜歡他"

"那你有非常非常喜歡的人嗎?"
"沒有 我喜歡我自己"
我想了一想 回答她"我有很喜歡的人耶 像是你跟爸爸"
"可是 我比較喜歡你 (媽咪), 因為爸爸很臭"
我幾乎忍不住噗哧笑了一聲 "但爸爸臭臭的我還是很喜歡他呀"


莫名其妙
星期天下午 一家人坐在old town cafe 喝茶吃點心 聊到了某件事情"莫名其妙" 嘉原本在畫畫 塗然抬起頭很開心地說 "我也莫名其妙耶"
我們問她 "你為什麼莫名其妙?"
"因為我很好奇阿!"

"媽咪  我要驚訝你！“