beetle larva

A cluster of beetle eggs have hatched into beetle larva at Rey's kindy. After school, Rey stayed back to help the teachers change the soil, dig out the larva and sift away dungs before putting them back into the tank.

Ultraman test

A difficult task. Rey is going to test me the Ultraman names!

speechless

I: Why didn't you greet the neighbours just now?
R: I wanted to say but the bicycle went by too fast.
I: Why didn't you pack up the toys whenever I tell you to?
R: I did in the end,right?
I: Why do you have so many excuses?
R: But it's only 2 excuses!
I: ...
---
(Coming home)
I: Please wash your hands and feet.
R: (forgot already) Shower, right?
I: Shower *your head*! (meaning not shower, stupid!)
R: Shower my head only?

hiking with grandpa

busy in the kitchen

Broccoli soup

I spent like 3 or more hours standing in the kitchen baking biscuits, cooking broccoli soup and grilling fish. Rey's Biggest favourite vegetable is broccoli and he loves the soup. The other day, I was too lazy to dish out the recipe and cooked my own way and it tasted like...raw broccoli soup. I insisted that Anchan and Rey drink it as 'punishment' for nothing but dumped mine into the sink (secretly). Since then, Rey has pestered me to cooked him 'broccoli soup but the nice one'. So this time I obeyed the recipe. Broccoli soup turned out Marvellous and Rey is all praise for me.

Tell you the recipe:

1) Heat 10g butter in fry pan, add in 1/4 big minced onion.

2a) pour in 250ml of water, plus flavouring like consome

2b) add a whole broccoli (cut up into small pieces) and set to boil

3) Pour soup into a bowl and cool it down with ice water

4) Pour soup into a mixer (I do this twice cuz of the volume, an lastly add a little milk to pour out the remaining soup from the mixer.)

5) Soup goes into a saucepan to boil with MILK 150ml.

6) Add salt, black pepper and unwhipped cream (optional) for extra taste

We had grilled fish for dinner and an incident happened.

R: Mama, I think there's a bone stuck in my throat.

I: (concentrating on washing the dishes) Oh, just eat more rice. you'll be able to push it down.

R: (after many mouthfuls of rice) It's still there.

I: Nevermind, try this bread. (and I had my shower)

-- when I came out, Rey was shining the torch at his throat.

R: I can see the bone!

I: !!!

And then we tried extracting the bone by using tweezers and fingers. 20 of more times of failed attempts followed. Finally, I pushed my fingers down to 'feel' the bone and plucked it out. Rey was speechless (too happy) when I showed him the bone. Full of admiration for his mother, he looked at me like I'm his saviour. "Mama, You saved me! I am so thankful to you! You can do so many things! You took out the bone! You changed the not-nice broccoli soup to the nice one. Today is a good day for me!"

visit

A friend dropped by in Kyoto last week. They look so blissful together.

My favourite food

1: back home from school, thinking of food
2: Rey is eating while crazy mama is stuck under the table.
3. special handle on top right for more food
4. empty plates, clock with no hands

What he wrote about "My favourite food". I was bent on correcting his too simple sentences to flowery sentences, but at the same time was so pleased about sentence #1.

Grilled Sanma (秋刀魚 Autumn Sword Fish)

Recipe

1. Scale the fish .
2. Sprinkle salt on both sides, leave for 5 minutes and dab away excess water (takes away bad odour) Also preheat griller.

3. Make a few slits on 1 side.

4. Sprinkle salt for seasoning.

5. Grill for 6 minutes starting with the unslitted side.

6. Flip and grill the other side for 3 minutes.

small gathering

Rey's usual playmates have moved house early this year. We found the opportunity to meet up when one of them visited Kyoto. An enjoyable time for us to catch up with old friends.

a reminder for parents

"Teaching Your Child Through Play"

I tried to teach my child with books.
He gave me only puzzled looks.
I tried to teach my child with words.
They passed him by often unheard.
Despairingly, I turned aside.
"How shall I teach this child?" I cried.
Into my hand he put the key
"Come," he said, "play with me."

--author unknown

A ride in the Ghost tram

Imagine travelling on a ghost tram with eerie music playing in the background, and watching out for ghosts sneaking up to you? We parents paid for such trips so the kids can have fun (or rather, to sadistically punish the kids for mentally torturing the parents *snigger*) nah, Rey is too mature to be scared of men in ghostly costumes. But you can hear the begging cries of help from other kids admist the evil laughter of adults, while their camera-loving mothers busily snap up photos of the moment.

fishing trip

Enjoying the last few days of summer vacation.
Watch the video on our 'fishing' trip.

Tokyo and Chiba trip

Made a trip down to Chiba especially to support the young Singapore synchronized swimming team where Nana was competiting with other Asian team. We visited the dinosaur exhibition in Makuhari Messe and Ultraman festival too.



Our hotel on the 35th floor at Sunshine City!

Singapore team with bronze medal!

The youngest supporter.

Day trip to Kibune

Acting cute just for this shoot when he actually behaved like a hooligan in the train.

The family took a day trip to Kibune, which is a mountain just north of Kyoto where it is famous for hot springs. In summer, we can enjoy a meal on terraces built along the river. The river was really icy cold when we dipped our feet into the water.

Camp again!

It was forecasted to be very rainy this day but I'm going to pray hard for the clouds to go away. The kids really look forward to playing in the river, campfire and fireworks. This is an optional camp for children who are in the soccer and gymnatics club. Rey will be back at 4pm tomorrow.

hanabi party

Invited friends for a pizza and fireworks party, an excuse for mothers to chit-chat and stay sane during the long summer holidays.

fallen chick

It has been raining rather heavily the past few days. We arrived at the pool entrance and just when I was parking my bicycle, I heard loud chirping from near my feet. It came from a chick which has apparently fallen out of its nest. I saw its mother feeding it and guarding it nearby. The mama bird must be feeling quite helpless. We wanted to help but couldn't spot any nest from the tree above. Sounds cruel but think it's best left to nature to decide the chick's fate.

geometry

Used some straws and playdough and we made a cube, triangular prismsand hexagonal prism.

memoirs of a geisha

I was a late reader of this book but I manage to finish 'Memoirs of a Geisha' in 1 day (read till 3am into the night). It drew me so much into the geisha world that I rented its movie 'Sayuri' to watch the next day, just to enjoy a quick playback of the story. I wouldn't say the movie is that great though with some details twisted, but nevertheless, good acting from its cast. I would have loved a Japanese version of this movie instead.

Rey's 1st Camp

Rey is going for a 2D1N camp with his kindy. I'm gonna going to miss him so much! (sob)

R: Are you going to miss me, mama?

I: yes, dear...(pretend to sob)

R: I know what you're going to do. You will watch your drama all day long, right?

I: yes, dear (peace sign)