Our Thankful Journals

A good friend of mine, J, started listing 3 things she is thankful for - on a daily basis. It is amazing to read her gratitude reflections on Facebook at the end of each day. This concept is so simple yet brilliantly beautiful - encouraging us to remember the delightful things of the day, and in the reflection process, try to forget about the unpleasant events that happened. It is very rejuvenating and detoxifying. In doing so, I think we become happier and more optimistic souls, with a stronger ability to see the good in everything...and hopefully, becoming more resilient human beings in the process.

Inspired by J, I started gratitude journals for the Bees and myself - encouraging ourselves to see the silver linings in the billowing clouds of our lives.

We were not able to write daily journals in the hustle and bustle of everyday life in Singapore, although the girls try their best to do so whenever I encourage them to. But on vacations, we would write daily reflections, and the process is so therapeutic because we get to reflect on the affairs of the day. Memories also become more indelible in our minds.

The Bees rolling down a lush hill slope in a Tasmanian winery! 

I am pulling out a couple of pages from the Bees' thankful journals. Enjoy!

Big Bee
20 Dec 2013
Things I am thankful for:

1) Going to Churchill Island!
We took a bus to Phillip Island and our first stop of the day was at Churchill Island. There were long grasses everywhere and even a farm with many different kinds of animals! We saw chickens, ducks, turkeys, cows, dogs, rabbits and even fed and petted a horse whose name was Sophie!

2) Going to the Koala Conservation Centre!
There was a koala boardwalk and we saw loads of koalas but most of them were asleep! We still had a lot of fun taking photos of them though! They were really CUTE!

3) Going to the Noobies (weird name, but never mind)
The Noobies was just so spectacularly overwhelming...there were tons of seagulls EVERYWHERE and a huge massive island rising from the ocean! Also, I heard that there are sharks in the ocean! *screams*

4) Penguin Parade
We saw cute little penguins waddling in to their burrows from the ocean. It was extremely cold there and we all had to wear thick jackets to keep ourselves warm! However, I think we frightened away one penguin from its burrow cuz we were sitting too near it. Still, it was a wonderful experience.

Little Bee
24 December 2013
3 things I love about today:
1) Eating delicious food. So yummy!
2) Taking a very, very good walk. It was so fun.
3) I love the Park Explorer tour! I put my legs near the lake beside Cradle Mountain!

I love today because it is fun!

Stargazing

I had always been fascinated by astronomy and the stars. Those mysterious, twinkling diamonds in the sky constantly beckon to me, taunting me that there is so much more to this universe than the everyday woes and joys we are going through on Earth. Making me feel so much like an infinitesimal speck of insignificant stardust in the limitless universe that knows no boundaries.

And yes, according to some astrophysics' theories, we are all made of stardust - because almost every element on Earth was formed at the heart of a star. Isn't it magical...and almost existential?

Last March, in one of our trips to the Science Centre, I bought a huge telescope as a birthday present for Hubby. It was a long-held dream of mine to gaze regularly into the stars and examine our universe, and thus understanding our world and who we are. And I know it is sneaky of me to buy something I really want for Hubby's birthday!

The telescope is a real beauty. It opens up panoramas that are literally out of this world. We saw - in vivid details - almost every little crater on the moon. We glimpsed into elusive galaxies where clusters of stars reside. We went back in time to look at stars sparkling at us now. It was all so fascinating. My only grouse is that I need to learn to handle the telescope better because I can never focus onto Saturn despite us spotting it gleaming high in the skies. To be able to see Saturn's rings would be a feather in the cap! And oh, the repercussion of nights of viewing is that I ended up with a very tired left eye which I usually kept closed when peering into the telescope with my right eye...and an aching neck!

Enjoy the photos of the moon from the eye of the telescope that I took using my good old mobile phone!

The Edge Of The World (Part 1): Taylor Swift's Concert

It is exactly a month since we embarked on our adventure to Australia. December 2013 seemed like one of the longest and most eventful months since a long time ago - and it is testament to the fact that time is actually luxuriously slow when we relish and enjoy every single moment.

Anyway, I wanted to tell you a little story. Our story in Australia which started with a bet. A bet between a mother and daughter...

After confirming our holiday plans in Melbourne, we realised that Taylor Swift will perform in Melbourne a mere 4 days before our arrival! Of course, Big Bee was quite beside herself, so I cheekily betted with her that I would bring her to Taylor Swift's concert - on the condition that she scored certain targets in her final exams. These targets were set deliberately high (so I could wriggle out of my bet!), and I was confident that Big Bee would not be able to achieve these targets.

However, the carrot that I dangled in front of Big Bee was truly alluring and highly effective. Throughout the months before the exams, Big Bee was diligently burying her nose in revision independently. I had never seen her devote so much zeal nor passion into her studies. And when the results for her final exams were out, she was jumping around, squealing that she would be going to Taylor Swift's concert! And that was when I knew I lost the bet.

We left for Melbourne 4 days before Hubby and Little Bee - which was heartbreaking. The instant our taxi drove off towards the airport, Little Bee called me and sobbed, asking me why we had to leave earlier than them. My heart shattered into a zillion pieces :(

On the positive side, Big Bee and I were like giggling best friends going on holiday together. We took the red-eye flight to Melbourne and were gossiping eagerly on the plane about how we should dress up for the concert.

We arrived in Melbourne, bright and early, full of excited anticipation for a big big day! Big Bee spent a large part of the day brainstorming on how she can get to meet Taylor in Club Red. Essentially, fanatic concert go-ers who are dressed up in all kinds of bizarre costumes are invited for a private session with Taylor after the concert. Of course, one can imagine all the young girls dressing up outlandishly, just to attract Taylor Swift's mother who is usually on the look-out for these creative costumes throughout the concert.

So, here was what Big Bee's outfit looked like, with her home-made posters and hairband :)

When we reached Etihad Stadium 2 hours before the designated time of the concert, there was already a flurry of excitement in the air. There were also lots of mothers with young ladies (and younger girls!) there, and many concert-goers were decked out in brilliant red, fairy lights and self-made posters.

That electrifying sense of anticipation and exhilaration was dense, and Big Bee was totally overwhelmed. It was quite an eye-opener for me as I had never been to a concert where people really decked up in lights and costumes.

These lucky girls were invited into Club Red after the concert, where they could hug and converse with Taylor Swift!

We spent a lot of time people-watching and strolling around the entire stadium. Lots of girly gossips and excited giggling. This stage of parenting - where we can finally be friends with our children and enjoy all sorts of activities together - is truly one of the most fulfilling and rewarding.

Taylor Swift appeared on stage at 8.30pm, and the entire stadium became an intense hive of pure, unadulterated elation. It was a rousing concert where the spectators screamed, sang along to every ounce of lyrics, danced endlessly. The energy was overpowering and invigorating.

Taylor Swift is an admirable public figure - one of the youngest and certainly one of the most wholesome. It was heartening to hear her talk to her fans about life, about respecting yourself, about dispelling emotions positively. All really good values for her devoted fans who are mainly young girls.

Big Bee never sat down throughout the concert - preferring to dance, sing and scream all throughout. Even this mum here sang and revelled in the jubilation of her daughter's adoration. Big Bee was thrilled that her own mum is fast becoming a "Swiftie" just like her!

We ended the memorable night with a midnight train ride home and gushed like good buddies until 2am. What a night indeed!  

The concert merchandise!

Pure Energy

My little darling turned 7 last December! Little Bee, thank you for being such a burst of brilliant sunshine. Thank you for being a sweet, understanding soul who always knows how to comfort me and makes me feel fuzzy, warm and beautiful. And thank you to all her close friends who spent her birthday with her! It was so memorable for her, and she was truly, truly elated!

I had never seen a little girl with such indefatigable spirits and such positive energy. You chatter incessantly and are always in a constant motion of energy. You are fearless - never hesitating to talk to complete strangers, even if they are adults. You have a curious soul, always asking questions endlessly. Most of all, you are always generous with your smiles, oh, how brilliant they are! 

With such energy flowing in Little Bee, it is only natural that she requested for a gym party....right at the same venue where she celebrated her 4th birthday - JWT Kids Gym! I know she relished the perpetual movements of vivacity and felicity - the pure freedom of carefree abandon. And that is just like my baby...sparkling, unfettered and buoyant, with nary a worry in her jubilant mind. 

Around 15 of her classmates celebrated her big day with her. The day that she is officially a big kid at 7 years old! They romped around in gym contraptions that I shudder to be in. 

They showed true physical resilience as their little bodies contorted, jiggled and boogied to loud, rambunctious music. They went through countless obstacle races, showing fine determination in the face of some heart-dropping challenges. Most of all, they giggled, guffawed, squealed and laughed together as if they had known each other forever. 

The goodies for her friends

The rock-climbing wall was a huge hit!

The start of the obstacle courses! 

Finally ended with an exhilarating flying fox to bring the kids to the dining area! 

The latest craze in her class right now...

Bubbles everywhere!!! 

Even Big Bee enjoyed herself thoroughly! 

It was a very gratifying evening for Little Bee indeed. She went home, basking in the warmth of her friendships, grinning ceaselessly. 

Happy 7th birthday to the most radiant angel in my life :) 

The Edge Of The World: An Australian Adventure!

Highly unpredictable weather, sometimes with 4 seasons in a day! Undulating hills and mountains. Endless meadows dotted with hundreds of puffy sheep, elegant horses and grazing cows. Boundless cerulean skies that take our breaths away. This is Tasmania and Victoria, where we spent 2 weeks in December. A gorgeous, untouched land that is teeming with magnificent and rugged wilderness.  

Churchill Island
There were multitudinous new experiences for the family in this trip. We practically lived side by side with wildlife that is so tame because they know naught about the harsh and evil nature of men. We observed thousands of wild penguins at very close range, walking beside them and gazing at how they lovingly feed their chicks after hunting for food all day long. Parental love at its peak. 

We trekked for hours in ancient forests and vast bush lands that are rife with very venomous snakes, wild wombats and wallabies. 

A cute and very tame wombat that is way more ferocious than it looks!

We saw this adorable wallaby that seemed to be communicating with us with its beautiful eyes and tame gestures - right outside the front door of our cabin!

We were farmers for one morning where we picked out succulent cherries, uncommon berries, apricots and strawberries in a fruit farm. We flew in a helicopter high above the stunning coastline of the Great Ocean Road, captivated by the beauty of the 12 Apostles. 

Can you spot where the Bees are? The low, bushy button grass land around them is rife with venomous tiger snakes *gulp*

And we took a roller-coaster adventure boat ride in the tempestuous and freezing Southern Ocean, alongside albatrosses and gleeful dolphins! What an adventure!

But most of all, we enjoyed the company of ourselves as a family, together with another family of close friends, over Christmas - high up in a secluded mountain lodge, without any mobile signals, TV sets or internet connection. A cosy, intimate and heartwarming Christmas! 

I will be updating with more entries (and I know it is crazy, because I had not even completed the blogging of our Europe holidays in June! Terrible me.)

Around The World In 5 Hours!

We meandered through 6 river systems, trudged through a flooded rainforest in the Amazon, and had a close encounter with a panda. No, we did not go on a whirlwind tour around the world. Instead, we experienced all these and more at the River Safari back in October! The kids enjoyed themselves thoroughly, and I am looking forward to going back there again, with the new river cruise that is opened now!

We saw the inhabitants of 6 river systems around the world - and these wildlife was truly amazing!

Some highlights:

1) The Amazonian Flooded Forest
I love discovering new facts with the family, and the fact that the Amazonian rainforest is submerged for months during summer was fascinating.

We admired a colossal tank of submerged man-made tree-trunks where the Amazonian manatees swam enigmatically like mermaids in an ocean. Truly enthralling.

2) Boundless expanse of verdant islets and lakes
Yes, this is Singapore. And yes, this is how beautiful Singapore was...and is...only if we are willing to look hard enough. The stillness of the placid waters and the serenity of the lush greenery are little reminders that nature exists near us in an urban city-state.

3) Sleepy and shy pandas!
I visited the Sichuan Panda Conservation Centre a few years back, and were captivated by the sights of dozens of gregarious pandas. So, I was not very impressed by our 2 pandas here in Singapore - one of which was sleeping throughout the duration of our visit (Kai Kai), and another who was so shy that she wandered out for a few seconds only to escape to the safety of her man-made cave again (Jia Jia). Still, it was eye-opening to see the resources that we had invested for these 2 pandas....pure luxury, compared to their poor counterparts with much smaller spaces in Sichuan!

4) Huge tanks and underwater tunnels
We can just sit in front of the many huge tanks and gaze non-stop at menacing crocodiles, cheeky beavers and exotic fishes. True escapism into another world.

We will be back very soon! 

Emblems of Happiness

The holiday season is descending swiftly unto us. The atmosphere is dense with merrymaking and a general euphoria. As the year winds down, so are people - who are walking with sprightly steps and glowing smiles, revelling in the ubiquitous twinkling lights and sparkling Christmas trees.

We decided not to put up our big Christmas tree this year, but instead, purchased 2 small Christmas trees for the Bees to decorate. We had a fun "Decorate Your Christmas Tree" competition, much to the excitement of the Bees! Using a small budget provided by us, they selected festive decorations and decorated the trees earnestly at home. It was a sight to see their creativity at work!

In the end, we gave out 2 awards - the most stylish tree and most colourful tree! Guess which award goes to whom? :)

The most colourful Christmas tree award - Little Bee's creation

The most stylish Christmas tree award - Big Bee's creation

Travelling Back In Time (Part 5): Munich

Munich was a kaleidoscope of sensations, an explosion of cultures, and a motley mix of multi-faceted textures. We were immersed in German high-technology efficiency in the world-renowned Deutsche Museum, charmed by bucolic products in alluring pastoral markets, fascinated by Gothic architecture from the Middle Ages, and were exposed to sleazy casinos and strip clubs in shady back alleys.

Some of our more memorable moments in Munich were:

1) Living in a big, spacious suite for 4 days, where the Bees felt so at home in. We dined in almost every night, after long arduous days of exploring different parts of the beautiful city. It is so important to have a place that is cosy and homey when we had longer pit stops in a bigger city.

Part of our apartment suite - the living and dining areas

We bought cherries from this roadside stall and feasted on them every night! 

The hotel has a "book" theme, and we were bombarded with titles of classics or quotes from books all around us. We love it!

2) Losing ourselves wandering down the colossal Deutsche Museum, the world's largest museum of science and technology.

The regal facade of the Deutsche Museum

The scale of the museum was mind-boggling. We strolled through the birth of technology, witnessing the creation of flight machines, submarines and trains.

Little Bee sitting on a submarine torpedo! 

The Bees walking into a World War 1 bomber. How cool is that!?

We traipsed together with the first men on the moon and the first machines in space, and were awestruck by the evolution of the written and printed words through the ages.

This is only a small segment of a life-size rocket. It was about 8 storeys high! 

We found this fascinating - the sizes of rockets from different countries. Guess which country has the largest rocket? ;) 

We ended our tour of probably just a quarter of the museum with a gratifying traditional German lunch with a beautiful view of the still-swollen Isar River.

3) Sauntering in meandering alleys overflowing with all kinds of cheese, fresh vibrant flowers, succulent fruits, delectable pastries and all kinds of agrarian products in Viktualienmarkt, a delightful farmers' market right in the centre of Munich.

The Bees playing with a refreshing fountain in the middle of the market

4) Doing crazy star jumps in the Gothic city centre of Marienplatz, in front of the inexplicably beautiful city hall with resplendent and breathtaking architecture.

The Bees were awestruck by the sight of the Gothic city hall when we first chanced upon it

Look what we found, nestled at the side of a cathedral!

5) Witnessing hundreds of Munich residents sunbathing beside rivers and in parks under the long, slanted rays of sunshine that stubbornly resisted sinking down the horizon on long summer evenings.

The famous beer gardens of Germany. This place would look insane during Oktoberfest! 

Life in Munich can be rich, fulfilling and leisurely, and I have a feeling that we will be back for more!