Day 3 2May Phuket trip

Today is a relaxing day no day trips to rush..just go according to the heart... So we woke up later than usual..had long breakfast..and followed by a long dip in the pool... We only left the pool when it's close to lunch hour, back to room and get changed..and get ready for our exploration around patong..

We walked all the way to Jungceylon..but Jared got angry & grouchy along the way, complaining its too hot and he is already sweating....Finally we reached Jungceylon after 10mins walk..had lunch in the foodcourt, we was pretty cheap..but not all the stall are good though..Jared fall asleep after lunch.. Instead of carrying him around, we found a place for massage..

Initially daddy and me were both doing foot massage (half hour for 180baht) but half way I decided to change to thai massage..so I get to do massage in a enclose area while Jared sleeping beside me on the other bed..Good feeling..but my poor bones almost get wrecked w the massage..hehe...

After we finished massage after an hour later, Jared also woke up from his nap..so we went walk around in the mall and carrefour..When its about evening time, we went out of the mall to explore again..and walked thru Bangla road where the pub action is all there..and finally we ended at Patong beach again!.. It was cooling in the evening..stayed there for close to 2 hour while waiting for sunset..Jared enjoyed playing in the sand..and even took off his shoes to walk on the beach..

There were many ppl parasailing..so very nice to watch... The sunset was so beautiful..and daddy went around trying with the camera..and showed me his work even w/o dslr..hehe.. p/s even jared knew i wanted a dslr..waiting for daddy to buy me hehe... Then we walk again to find place for dinner...while walking Jared started to grouch again complaining too hot and tired, but once u carry him, he will be all awake... Found a seafood stall for dinner, ordered some prawns, pineapple rice , steam fish, basil leave w chicken...and finally took the tuk tuk home with the exorbitant rate of 200baht for a short 5mins ride..

When we got down Jared said we should take the tuk tuk to go shopping and come back..hehe.. We took an early flight to home the next day. This was much an enjoyable & relaxing trip as compared to the Tokyo one without bringing Kaylen along..I love phuket v. v. much and hope to go back soon...hehe..

While we swam in the pool, Jared had picnic with the food we brought over..complimentary chips from hotel, seaweed..and more junk food..heh

The elite pool access room..very nice, once u step out of room you're in the pool already..pic taken by our Jared

Back to hotel room..his fav to soak in the bath tub with all the corals & toys..

Me at hotel lobby..so beautiful place...

Walking to Jungceylon

Jungceylon Mall


Jungceylon mall



At the beach again...beautiful! and Jared was so happy

Our feet on the fine sand

Like this pic a lot

Bye bye Patong..bye bye phuket...

suddenly so many ppl came to watch the last glimsp of sun, before it drop into the water! We spent close to 2hr at the beach waiting for this moment..heh

The last dinner at Phuket...we had some seafood..& basil leave with chicken..

Tuk tuk to go back to hotel..Look how happy Jared was!

Reached hotel..

Calling Kaylen..they talked for a while

Phuket trip pics

Day 2 1May Phuket Trip

We got a travel package to Phi-phi island from Charlie at 1500baht each, while Jared is considered infant-free!

Took a quick breakfast and went to wait for the transport to Phiphi island, at 7.45am. After a long ride to the harbour, there was lot of ppl waiting to go Phiphi..

Being the 2nd boat of the day, we arrived Maya island quite early before the crowd...Maya beach which was small, but is very very beautiful with its white sand and blue water..I just cant wait to dip into water when I'm there..but Jared as usual is so scared of the water, so we dump him aside with all his sand toys..where he had great fun...

Daddy and me took quick dip each time, and come back to check on Jared ocasionally..and finally we convince jared to come to the water for a while..heh..
It was a 40mins stop over only...

Then we board the boat again, to viking cave, monkey island & stop for feeding fishes with bread..snorkel at the middle of the sea.

Daddy and me took turn to go down..Jared surprisingly was very excited to see us changing into snorkel gear..and very encouraging for us to do down..

After the snorkelling we went to another island phiphi don for lunch..its a very run down place and lunch was buffet style..By now Jared already very tired, and keep asking to go home..daddy shared story about the speedboat 's motor and what he see while snorkelling to keep him awake...and stuff him with more food...heh..

Finally he fall asleep when we were back on board in the 40mins ride to Khai island. But woke up again at Khai crying to go home again..and feeling uncomfortable with the heat, and his eyes..Took a while to pacify him, and finally we had to keep collecting coral to put in his dump truck to make him happy..hehe..There, again we took turn to snorkel..since we already paid for the fins..hehe..while some english guy made sand castle for jared which spike the day for him. hehe..

Khai island is only 15mins away from harbour..and we reached hotel at 5pm+...after a good wash up...we had Khantuk dinner which was complimentary from hotel..The dinner was with live traditional band performance and thai dancing..and we seemed to be the one booking the whole restaurant al the time..Phuket is really quiet at this time monsoon season plus the bangkok chaos..



Breakfast in hotel..yummy..


Maya bay..The beach

Sand play at the beautiful beach

Sight seeing on speed boat

Finally our tur to take pic on speed boat..all the while a lot of ppl keep posing

Snorkeling...Jared help to take our couple pic..so sweet of him..hehe

after lunch, at phi phi don island..tired & hot!

Reaching Khai island after 40 mins....view from speedboat, need to pay 120baht for 2 sunbed..but finally we took 3 sunbed hehe..

posing by the beach..

Khai island is famous for a lot of small fishes nearby the shore..we bought a full loave of bread to feed. Jared got frighten by the strong wave while feeding...so I brought the remaining 3/4 bread to feed while I snorkel..all the fat fishes came by ..so fun!..only 40baht the full loave of bread.

Jared with his sand castle..made by the guys from England, sitting next to us..

Rest & relax...2hrs was easy to pass...We were there from 2pm to 4pm..Drinks & fruits were free flow..by the tour operator

Complimentary dinner by hotel..the beef curry is the yummiest curry I've ever tried!

again the banana in coconut milk is superb too!

this is a very nice couple pic of me and daddy..hehe

Phuket trip pics

Phuket trip 30Apr-3May, Day 1 30Apr

This yr there's many long weekend..so wanted to avoid stoning at hm..we planned for a trip....Initially wanted to go HK, but after calculating it was way too expensive..so we settled with Phuket..though I know I may hate the sun, just go ahead, cos butt is really itching for a trip already hehe.. And surprisingly we love Phuket a lot!..

Weather was perfect, less humid & windy ..though the sun still so big and shinny! My parents & Kaylen sent us off at airport..waved byebye to kaylen was easier than I thought..hehe.. Jetstar was delayed by 20+mins..and arrived in Phuket at close to 10am..

Board into a airport to city transfer minivan...which cost us 150baht each..along the way they stop at a travel agency..but it was alright about 15mins only.. And finally checked into our small boutique hotel burasari at close to 11am+...along the way the van dropped guest a different and yet much bigger hotel especially the milenium that was attached to jungceylon mall..made us wowow... Luckily our hotel was quite alright too..so beautiful decorated and the pool though small looked so pretty with all the plants.

After left the luggage, we walked to Patong beach..about 3mins walk..I was surprised that Patong beach so quiet and quite nice looking too..though alot of ppl had commented the beach look dirty..but hey, it look fine to me! Since it was lunch time we decided to go find food..and then Charlie the taxi driver found us, and offered 300baht per day to drive us around..He brought us to ulu place for lunch...lunch was so so..then we went to Karon beach, Karon lookout, Kata beach,Elephant ride, the big buddha, and finally shopping at local product to get all the bak hu food home, upon our request. After back in hotel, we still managed to have a fast dip at hotel pool before going out to look for dinner..

Dinner was at somewhere near the OTOP market near hotel..again the market was very quiet...there, I had my best mango with glutonious rice...

p/s these are some pics i didn't upload in FB

Matching pants..daddy's camou bermuda was part of my pressie for him..got it from Cotton on ..had to get it cos its matching to Jared's CK berm. hehe


At patong beach at 12 nooon..Hot!! But very quiet..



Karon lookout

Our elephant and its trainer, coming down to pick us up..

Fun elephant ride..

close up

Feeding the poor elephant w pineapple

dipping in the hotel pool after got back fr trip

Dinner

nutella & banana pancake...so yummy

Tuk tuk outside Mariott Vacation Club

More pics on FB
Phuket trip pics

Happy Birthday Daddy 2010

Actual day 29 Apr, I've brought daddy to a new place for lunch the Vittles at nearby Yishun..which serve free flow yummiest pop corn..and he had lamb shank..very nice too..



The lamb shank...nice!




Lunch at the vittles!

Dinner we had a family celebration with at Sin Tian Ti restaurant along balestier road..and there Jared presented him an angpow written with his good wishes prepared since few wks ago..



Ang pow from Jared

Family pic taken 29 Apr

Daddy's Birthday 2010

Finally I fulfilled my all time wants..bake a cake for birthday!

I've been thinking to bake a cake for daddy or the kids birthday for so many yrs(the last bday cake was baked by daddy for his own bday on 2007, I know nuts about baking then)...and always ended too bz or no mood.

This yr, Jared has grown mature enuff to help..When I told him to quickly bath and get changed to his white clothes(baker), and finish his school work...and he followed suit.

We had a major problem when trying to setup the steamer.. Our cake tin is those that can separate the base, and we do not have a proper steamer..so water easily come into the tin!..After daddy try here & there, we managed to set it up somehow. Jared had a lot of fun seeing stones(from flour/coco powder) fall down into the mixing bowl while sieving them..and get scolded by me for trying to mess up the sifted flour..But he did a good job in mixing all the ingredients..

The recipe called for 45mins steaming..but we actually steamed for full 2hr for it to fully done..
Nevertheless, we had a nice & moist cake in the end. Since I can't do icing, so had gotten the deco sheet from Daiso, Japan...which works perfectly fine deco with some icing sugar...It made the plain black cake looks so beautiful!

Next round I shall put in some chocolate chips to make it more chocolaty..
p/s this is an advance bday...Daddy's actual bday is on coming thur where Jared gonna choose him a cake from bengawan...and then we will go to Phuket for another celebration!

Recipe

Ingredients:

Makes one 9" round



185g butter
180g fine sugar -> Reduce to 150g
200ml evaporated milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
125g all-purpose flour
70g cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla essence



Method:

1. Combine sugar, evaporated milk, vanilla essence and butter in a saucepan.
Stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved and butter has melted. Remove from heat.
2. Add the beaten eggs into the slightly cooled mixture and stir till well mixed.
3. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda into a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs mixture over the flour and stir till well mixed. (Batter should be runny).
4. Heat up the steamer.
5. Lined and grease a 9-inch baking pan
6. Pour the batter into prepared pan and place into the steamer. Cover the top of the pan loosely with a piece of aluminum foil.
7. Steam over medium heat for 45 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a skewer into the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s done. If not, steam for a further 5 minutes.
8. Cool the cake in pan before turning out for further decoration.

- Reading
He has completed daddy's book for primary 1 series..now we are trying to let him start with primary 2 book 1&2.
Peter & Jane: He is at Book 3a

This series is really good, both no story line unlike daddy's book.
but it repeated use of key words like here, that, they...make him finally can remember these words.

Interestingly the most common words he, here, you, that, there, they, are the hardest to go into his mind.

The more difficult ones like cabinet, kissing, belly button, cousin, just need to repeat 2-3x he could remember it..But those in the key(sight) words..are sooo diff.
But with peter& jane, somehow his reading has improved tremendously.
However, we could not make it that he read books, cards everyday..now maybe 1-2x a wk depend on his mood..

-Writing
He has finally completed writing A to Z on the 3 line workbook...
We started him to write phonics words like
mop, top, mat, pat etc
and interestingly he suddenly know phonics..
before this no matter how you teach he got zero knowledge on phonics, and couldnt go into his mind, while daddy & mine knowledge on phonics is zero too.
i guess the school has finally done their part heheh..

-Chinese writing
Finally he could write his chinese name since last mth 4yr 4mth
When I saw him struggling with his yi4, I asked daddy if we could change it to "-" hehehe..
When I don't even know how to write his yi4, I dont really have that expectation he can write lah..but now he can write his name pretty well..

He also proceeded to write, papa mama, nai nai under waipo's guidance
Unexpectedly, his chinese handwriting is far better than english..and of cos far better than mine...

*Lazy mummy has not take a picture of his work, I shall do fast, before meimei tear his book" hah

-Violin
Still very slow, and inconsistense..
sometimes he is playing real well, sometimes he just seemed don't know violin at all..*headache & heartache(fees)*

Because of his slow development, Prof thanh has been teaching him some simples lines with no name?? and refused to teach him little einstein which is played in ensemble class.
So teaching little eintein become his daddy's job..hah.
Feel like giving up sometimes..but luckily he has not requested.

-Abacus
He is going to start abacus class again under his persist request, waipo brought him to enrol at whampoa cc..and since then he has been counting down to the day when classes starts..*faint*
I wished to send him for art class, cos till today he can never color properly...but he refused.

Kaylen is 19mth...

again w/o us realising..

Enrolled her for little step play grp..which she can only start next Mar/Apr when she turned 30mths..

and other than that she didn't go for any enrichment class...since all the bullet are spent on Jared.

But hey, i thought her developments are not bad ..from what I read from forum, those kids who attended many enrichment class...Kaylen is lucky to hv kor kor around to guide her (or she guide koko ?? ) hehe.

1) Talking
She's talking in mandarin about 4 words.
waipo bao liao (full)
bao4 bao4 shui4 jiao4 (carry to sleep)

2) singing
She can sing many many songs now...quite clear the lyrics, especially auld lang sign and a few fav cd in the car.
She can also sing ko ko violin song, DDAA.BB etc hehe.

3) Love waipo...:( more than us
She cried to insist to sleep with waipo everynite, every fri she'll definitely cry so hard not willing to go back Sembawang. Faint..wasted my effort to bf her so long.

4) possesion
Bags belonged to me, must be carried by me..Daddy cannot help to carry.
She would say "Mummy de4"

5) Hate reading
she not only hate reading books she also don't like to see others read..She'll throw away the books , step on the newspaper.

6) Loves eating outside food
when we eat out, she'll never eat her porridge..So at 19mth, she ate kfc 1 drumstick on her own!, la mian, zer chao stall food , bread talk's bak hu bread
anything the koko eat she would want a share...anything we eat too.. Faint!