It's here!

Much to Dan and Sammy's delight, the good ones have finally arrived.

Sarah and Sammy have been Enjoying

The Cat in the Hat Knows a lot about That

Interesting how I found Dr Seuss too quirky for me when I was younger and I think I never ever read one of his books. But it seems like I have been reading lots of it to Sarah and Sammy. Especially Sammy. He loves Cat in the Hat and when I asked him what sort of decorations would he like for his 4th birthday, he said "Cat in the Hat". Haha....I think they will be hard to find.

The new series The Cat in the Hat Knows Alot About that DVD is great - educational, catchy and lots of fun. I have been discovering alot of these at our national library and they seem brand new much to my delight. It serves as a great platform for discussion about wildlife and their behavior. This morning, we started on two topics introduced in the DVD -  The Salmon's Journey and Hibernation. 

As an after lunch activity, we looked at some youtube videos to corroborate what we learnt about Salmons' Upstream Journey and Hibernation. I thought these were quite good. 

Life Cycle of a Salmon [Discovery Channel] http://www.safeshare.tv/v/5DqjsWsY8-g

Hibernation [Sesame Street] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92wRDZLcEs4

We are all enjoying this series. 

Japan - A Three Week Tour Crammed into One

Thanks to the highly unrealistic and ambitious me, our tour to Japan was unbelievably packed much to Daniel's horror. After his conference, he was imagining a relaxing week of exploration and soaking into the culture. Well, we all got more than we bargained for, thanks to me ;) It was great but a feat never to be repeated. Hahaha. 

Our trip to Japan saw us travelling through Tokyo, to Hakone [Mount Fuji] and Kyoto. We usually don't do tour packages because we like to stay at a location for at least 3 nights to a week before moving to another location and everyone knows that tour packages shoo you from one hotel to another. Another reason is that coordination with Dan's schedule that does not allow us to do a tour package...so I have to do it the tedious way. But as Dan always says - you learn more about a country doing the hard way.

I used www.japanican.com to do most of my hotel research and bookings as well as tripadvisor. For Japan, we realized that we needed a guide because we are really foreign to the language and the people. After some googling, I found a company that allows tourist to engage local guides in many parts of the world. www.toursbylocals.com was very useful to us during this trip. We engaged 3 guides for 3 locations. And my children developed a specially infinity towards a certain guide - Sarah loved Auntie Kaoru who brought us around Tokyo and Sammy loved Uncle Kenzo who brought us around Kyoto and our guide in HIde-San was a respectful retiree who brought mommy to a yummy popular store to buy a melt-in-the-mouth chimoto.

Tokyo
We stayed at Keio Plaza in Shinjuku for our days there. Keio is a beautiful hotel that is conveniently located, with surprisingly large rooms and it allows free rental of prams which was great. And there is a free daily shuttle that runs straight to Disneyland [although we had no use of it]. Kaoru, was our guide in Tokyo. I think she is about her early 50s and she is gentle and unassuming. I was initially quite doubtful if she could be an effective guide. But in her quiet and observant ways, she met our requirements and more.

Day One
Our Tokyo guide, Kaoru brought us to the  - International Origami Centre. I was intially puzzled as it  seemed a most unlikely tourist destination. Kaoru chose it because of Sarah and Samuel. But at the end of the trip, all of us enjoyed ourselves tremendously. We saw up close how paper was made and we met the Origami Master [or more aptly magician] who was aged 70 or so. With deft movements, he created many shapes much to the delight of everyone, at the same time maintaining a conversation with us. It was really great fun.

Later that morning, we headed to the famous Asakusa Temple, explored the temple streets that were teeming with souvenir shops and snack shops and we had lunch there. Kaoru overheard Sammy saying that he would like to have udon for lunch and before we knew it, she had us seated at one of the more popular restaurants that served good udon there. That ended our 4 hour tour. A really good day but it wasn't over yet *gulp*

We had a short rest at the hotel before heading to our next activity in the night. I was especially looking forward to this - our home visits. Through googling, I stumbled across a home visit program http://www.nagomikitchen.com/ where the host family would cook a meal and host guests. I thought this was such a wonderful program that would provide for us a quick immersion into the Japanese culture. So in a mouthful, I signed our family up for two home visits - on consecutive days. *double gulp*

Megumi and her family kindly hosted my family to a dinner at their place. Reaching their place was a challenge but we were glad we made it. It is such a comfort to be hosted in someone's home when you are in a foreign country. Megumi's sister and bro-in-law and mom were there to make us feel really welcome. By the time we headed home, it was about 10 pm or so. I think we saw and immersed enough to go home on Day One. Haha.

Day Two
Kaoru waited for us promptly at the hotel lobby for our second day of exploration of Tokyo. This time, we opted  for the Edo-Tokyo Museum to educate us about the history of Tokyo. Lunch was at an interesting restaurant just beside the Museum - it was the Sumo Wrestler Restaurant. And we headed to a Japanese garden after our lunch. I will the pictures do the talking here.

Our second home visit was the Suzuki Family. I was particularly keen as there are 3 kids in this family and I wanted Sarah and Sammy to see how the kids in Japan lived. I also thought that it would be interesting to observe how they would interact with one another. Sarah and Sammy were shy initially but the sight of toys soon open them up. And as the night proceeded, it was so heartwarming to watch the kids interact. Suzuki's kids were folding origami for our kids and the kids communicated using non-verbal cues. It seems like everyone in Japan knows basic origami, even the fathers:) Food was great and company was great too.

That wrapped up our tour in Tokyo. We headed to Mount Fuji/Hakone next. Updates to be continued.

My Fave Photo of the Season

Hannah, Sarah and Sammy

Location: The Millside Restaurant at Lyme Regis

Occasion: Sarah's 5th Birthday Celebration

Sarah's Spiritual Awakening

Before we slept one night, Sarah turned to me with an intense look.

Sarah: "Mommy, can I ask you something"
Mommy: "Sure"
Sarah: "When we all die, will we become alive again?"
Mommy: "Well...the bible says if we believe and trust Jesus and all He did for us, we will be alive in Heaven with Him."
Sarah: "Everyone in this whole wide world?"
Mommy: "Everyone who believes that Jesus is the son of God and that He saved us from our sins.  They will be alive, just like how Jesus became alive after 3 days.
Sarah:" Everyone in this whole wide world?"
Mommy: "Well...for those who do not believe in Jesus, they are alive too but they will be in a place where there is no God"

The conversation continued a little more about what was going to happen to this earth if everyone went somewhere else and Sarah got upset at the thought that this world would one day end...

I never would have guessed that my own daughter would experience the same confusions I had when I was her age. Now that I am three decades wiser and perhaps more enlightened, let me attempt to codify these confusions into words. 

Sarah, like myself was coming to term with two realities that run parallel to one another.

The first reality is the realization that we are made as living and active individuals with a great propensity to question, experiment and learn about the world which we live in. That I witnessed in the lives and minds of Sarah and Samuel from the moment they came into the world. The vigor, zest and enthusiasm to stare, to look, to turn their heads, to put everything their tiny hands could get hold of into their mouths and to their endless 'whys'. This realization [with the proper conditions and nurturing] would manifest into a relentless pursuit of knowledge, and insatiable interest in everything that this world has to offer....until we are confronted with the second reality.

The second reality is the realization that this world and we who are in it, will eventually pass away and die. 'That nothing is permanent nor eternal' would inevitably confront every individual at some point in their lives.

These two realities run parallel to one another and between them, exist a chasm so huge that it is almost impossible to reconcile. These realities attempt to converge and when they do, they cause much confusion to the mind. For what is one to do? What is life about then if all we were taught to learn and embrace seems to come to nothing if this world were to end?

For Sarah, I think coming to terms with these realities has brought much confusion and sadness. But I am rejoicing in my heart because the realization of these realities are the first signs of a spiritual awakening. She will come to understand that this chasm will never be reconciled by anyone or through any effort but by God - Only by God, through Jesus. Only Christ can bridge these two realities and help her understand the true meaning of her life and give her a renewed purpose, mind and life.

May the Lord continue to guide Sarah's heart and mind to the Truth, the Way and the Life - through His Words and through Us.

Sarah: *as if not wanting to hear anymore of the devastating reality, she stuff her head into her pillow and blurted" Mommy, can you tell me the story of Three Little Pigs.

Our [Unintentional] Second Honeymoon

Since we made a decision to travel everywhere as a family [whenever possible] and cherish every moment we have together, I really cannot remember a time when we travelled apart from the kids. Perhaps because there wasn't a time at all:) We have enjoyed every moment lugging our trusty but heavy-as-10 tonnes Phil and Teds and pushing the kids through museums, crowds and climbing the steps in the metros and tubes and heading to family friendly joints. 

But I concede, that there is nothing more precious and refreshing than spending time with Daniel alone in a foreign country. This time, thanks to my in laws and David and Chiao Chyi, I left my kids behind with them in London, hopped onto the train towards St Pancras and boarded the Eurostar to Paris to spend a couple of days with Daniel. It took a total of 5 hours till I finally reached Daniel, but it was well worth it. It almost didn't happen because the night before, Sarah stared at me with the most pitiful eyes and hugged me and pleaded with me not to go. It was pretty heart wrenching but I had to shrug it off and convince myself that they would be just fine, happily playing with their cousins and family. 

It really felt like a second honeymoon and better. We walked down the streets with no itinerary nor deadline but just to soak into the sights, sounds and taste of Paris. Meals were easy affairs of popping into a decent looking restaurants. And thankfully, all were surprisingly satisfying. I especially liked it when we make NO PLANS about our day. A good relief from the daily affairs. 

Vintage art pieces aplenty

Lunch at a boat restaurant docked along the River Seine. It served surprisingly good food. 

And it was great to stumble into great dessert places and have tea. And I love fruit tarts. I think the love is inherited from my Daddy.

Well, strangely, we found ourselves revisiting almost all the places we visited with Sarah and Samuel. The Louvre, the Tulleries, Luxembourg Gardens, a pizza restaurant near the hotel we stayed during our first trip to Paris. Haha...some things run deeper than we can even imagine:)

Outside the Louvre

The Tulleries

We did some planning though...visiting two restaurants. And it was most pleasurable. One was a highly rated Oyster joint - Huitrerie Regis. We were initially baffled at how serving up nature [the freshest oysters ever] could garner this joint its accolades but till today, we can still remember the taste of ocean as we bite into these oysters. It was a pretty gastronomical experience. And it was such a coincidence that in this tiny joint which could only sit about 12-14 people indoors, we met two fellow Singaporeans - a mother and son. We got talking and found out that the son is the owner of Le Bistrot at the Indoor Stadium. They have also come specially to try the much touted oysters here. So, great food and new friends made. I think we will check out Le Bistrot soon:)

2 dozen oysters for both of us. 

For our last day in Paris, we decided to try a Michelin star restaurant before Dan continues his way to South of France and Germany before I return to London. We located one not too far from our hotel and off we went. I love this little restaurant. Service was unobtrusive but detailed. And personal [haha] as we were there early and there was no other at the restaurant so we could finish our meal and catch our trains. 

Dan Appetizer: Foie Gras

 My Appetizer: Quail and quail's egg [done sunny side up] 

- I thought this dish was simply brilliant and very good. 

I am so going to try cooking some quail egg the sunny side up way.
I think Sarah and Sammy would love it. 

 My main: It was the most yummiest delicate fish I have eaten [honestly], 

baked with a crumb topping and set on top of lovely french onion soup.

 Dan's main: Beef [ I think it was good but I can't remember cos my fish was all I remembered]

Desserts: These were ok, not fantastic. Mayb cos my tummy was too full and satisfied by then. 

It was a great weekend getaway - just enough for us to spend lovely time together and just enough time before we started missing our kiddos too much. And guess what, Paris is not too bad. Haha...

Our Precious Daughter is 5

Our dear Sarah has just turned 5 and she is growing up really fast and beautifully. She is truly God's gift to us - especially to Daddy. Sometimes, I think she was made especially for Daddy, to love him, to hug him, to comfort him, to hold his hand as he sleeps:) We praise and thank God for her.

Our little girl has learnt to hold the reins with us in the family and take on our burdens. 

• For one, she is always Sammy's keeper. Watching him when we cross the roads or warning us when he goes astray and always urging us to hold his hand lest he gets lost in the crowd. 
• She is a great travel buddy. Almost highly independent. This trip [sudden trip to London], she heads to the airplane toilet all on her own and cleans the seat and washes her hands because she likes to do it and because she doesn't want mommy to busy herself going up and down for Sammy and her. She even brushed her teeth on her own this trip. But of course, she loves being on the airplane, eating and watching and sleeping. 
• Sarah knows when mommy needs help and would not hesitate to sacrifice her comfort to help mommy. That means lugging some things when mommy's hands are full with other bags. 
• She is our private iphone photographer when Daddy and Mommy want to take those special husband-wife shots and there is no one in sight.
• She would remind the forgetful mommy when she sees mommy leaving things around. 

But, even if she did none of the above, we still love her very much because Sarah is God's special gift to us.  

We love you Sarah.