Pardon the French, but 2018 had been just that kind of a year for the hubby as well. While I was going through my own health issues, the husband has been having his own too. Sometimes the 'pillar' of our lives who support us silently from the sides, have their own struggles which they may not be so ready to share...until being asked. So this is for all the husbands out there...from mine: HELL of a Year “There’s 40% chance it could be prostate cancer.” my urologist muttered matte … [Read more...]
Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU, Hokkaido 星野リゾート トマム
Hokkaido, Japan boasts one of the world’s best snows in the world! Skiers come from all over the world to experience the pristine ‘Jap Pow – Japanese powder snow every winter. Families too, are drawn to Hokkaido for its amazing scenery and gourmet food. However, not many know that Hokkaido has more to offer than just snow sports. Our recent 4D3N stay at Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU – a popular family resort shows how diverse and memorable a winter vacation in Hokkaido can be. From learning skiing … [Read more...]
WhereTo Eat in Niseko, Hokkaido
In 2016 December (yes Winter), we did our very first free and easy, self-drive trip to Hokkaido with 2 young kids (age 8.5 and 2.5 years old)). As it’s a DIY trip, knowing where to get food is important. Moreover as it’s Winter, where to get WARM cooked food is even more critical. Unlike Singapore, eateries in Niseko are not located near each other and one has to sometimes brave sub-zero temperatures to drive/catch a shuttle bus/walk there. Some eateries require reservations while others wo … [Read more...]
Club Med Bintan: Possibly the best family resort
Angie and I are busy working parents with 2 young kids. Holidays are especially precious to us because our time together is limited. With kids growing up so fast and we growing old even faster (!!), family holidays are moments that we truly look forward and treasure. Yet when we go on a vacations, we occasionally face the the dilemma of balancing couple time versus time with kids and time as a family. When it comes to a short getaway that meets all our needs, none can … [Read more...]
Singapore Heritage Murals: The ever-growing collection by Yip Yew Chong
We first met Yew Chong (Y.C) back last year during an impromptu visit to check out his murals at Everton Road. There he was, unassumingly painting and adding the finishing touches to the Barber mural at Everton Road, under the humid September sun. Take a sneak peek at his murals here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8XS9lN432Y Since meeting the artist himself, we’ve taken quite a liking to his murals. Not only are they exceptionally well-painted, his attention to details and the w … [Read more...]
Penang…with a Penangite
I was born and bred in Penang. Spent 20 of my formative years there before I headed overseas to study. It is no surprise that Penang will always have a special place in my heart even though I've now relocated to Singapore. My family, along with many close friends, in fact, are still there. So what does a Penangite do, where does he eat and go whenever he goes back? Well, here’s taking you on our trip last Dec (Yes! This is a super late post!) when we brought Buddy b … [Read more...]
Life after P1 Registration: Preparing Your Child for Primary 1
Ok, so the annual panic for Primary 1 registration is here again. One year ago, we went thru a nail-biting episode – complete with ‘Toto’ Balls and the monotonous announcer - Yes, we went through the dreaded school balloting! But truth be told, surviving the P1 registration is just the tip of the iceberg. Whether you get the school of your choice or otherwise, your child will be in a school and, from experience, beyond the registration process, there’s a whole host of things you need to do to pre … [Read more...]
He Chose Us…Celebrating Alexander’s 1st Birthday
A year ago today…this tiny little baby chose us. It happened within a day. A phone call, a trip to the hospital and then we began this journey, all over again… It was a regular day, both David and I were at work and the daughter had just returned home from kindergarten. I was in a long-drawn meeting when I received a missed call from an adoption agent whom I had contacted months back. We had prayed for an open door to adopt a sibling for Dana since 4 years ago but it somehow did … [Read more...]
The Learning Lab – Learning for Life, Learning to Thrive
Education is not preparation for life, education is life itself. ~ John Dewey (American Philosopher, 1859-1952) It was rather late in the evening when we finally had the chance to plonk ourselves down on the sofa. Our daughter came prancing from her bedroom, full of energy and enthusiasm, eagerly wanting to show us something. As much as we want to hold our ideals of being attentive parents, it has been a rather long day at work and honestly we were not too eager to listen to one of … [Read more...]
In the stillness – A Mother’s Day Tribute 2015
This post is written by David for the two amazing women in his life. It was late and I didn’t want to wake anyone up. I crept quietly from the bathroom to a room I know all too well – my bedroom, except that I had not stepped into my bedroom for almost 4 years - I was overseas studying and had just returned upon graduation. As the timber floor of my maternal home protested with the all too familiar creaks, I turned to my Mum’s room with a guilty face ready to apologise for waking her up but … [Read more...]