I wish Jill was here...

I mean Jill Stuart, my favourite cosmetic brand. An American brand made good debut in Japan, now it has counters in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Seoul. It has a stream of followers who scour around Asia to get any of its oh-so-romantic products. My favourites are Mix Blush Compact and Eye Palette.

It launches limited edition products from time to time. There are even special coffret sets available only in Taiwan in conjunction with the Republic's famous annual department stores' anniversary sale! Taiwan is also my favourite place to buy Jill Stuart stuff, not only there's 5% VAT refund, the prices in Taiwan are relatively cheaper from the rest of the world, except for a few items in Hong Kong.

Check out Jill Stuart's Christmas 2009 LE set here.

Mid-Autumn Festival & Children's Day Party by the Park

Raeyen's Kindy organised a party yesterday to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival-cum-Children's Day at a park near our place and families were invited. That, was a very nice gesture and a great opportunity for family bonding.

Kids were thrilled, took their Transformers lanterns, picnic mats and snacks. Kieran got to see his ex-classmates and teachers. It was a cloudy day and the moon was not visible, as a result.

During registration, Raeyen saw his favourite teacher, Mrs Rai and took a photo with her. He also joined his schoolmates at the "stage" singing songs that they learned. He really loves performing. Now he and Kieran are into the Wonder Girls' Nobody!

There was a walkabout around the park and some games. Raeyen was busy playing catch with his buddies while Kieran played ball. Both were drenched with sweat in the unbelievable heat! And, I was attacked by the irritating mozzies, arrgh!

We didn't win the make-your-own-lantern by parent-and-child contest and Raeyen could not understand why he didn't get a prize. He persistently asked, "Why Mommy, why I don't have a prize? Where is my prize?"

Raeyen's Lantern Project

This is part of his kindy's parent-and-child project in conjunction with the Mooncake Festival. It is also part of a competition that will be held on 1 October to celebrate Children's Day & the Mooncake Festival.

He helped in sticking the glittering and colourful adhesives while I did the rest. Those little furry balls depict the moon, and yes, many moons. I used 3 different patterned origami papers to "wrap" the orange cylinder and clear plastic strips with the furry balls as frills. All items were bought from Daiso, a great place to hunt for such knick-knacks.

Mini break at Sentosa

We spent this one-week September school holiday at Rasa Sentosa Resort for a night. It was our first and will be the last. Simply because it was not value-for-money and the whole place is rather run-down.

First of. Our room wasn't ready, so we took the kids to the Kids' Club to kill time. BUT, it was closed for lunch - can you believe this? The toddler playroom was pathetically boring for Raeyen. The arcade rooms were lingered with stale air. When the Kids' Club was finally opened, we were told only kids above 5 are allowed! Kieran went in, but came out after 5 minutes because it was "boring". He was expecting at least somewhere along the same standard as what he had experienced at The Westin Bali.

Our so-called half-price package of S$217++ per room per night rate does not come with breakfast. When we got in after collecting our key, we were surprised that the carpet has stains.

When we went to the pool the next morning, the pool bar was not opened even through the afternoon! The sea-sport centre was also not opened until either late morning or noon.

Anyhow, despite all these unpleasantness, we had a blast riding 2-3 times on the luge in the day and night. The kids were happy that we spent some time with them. They blew bubbles at the hotel balcony and were excited when we saw a monitor lizard wondering near the pool. The only thing they were thrilled at the hotel was the kiddie rides by the waddle pool.

This is my one

"This is my one" is often spoken by Singapore kids. I have no idea how this has spun to such extent and that long since my kindergarten days!

I, especially, loathe to hear kids and adults alike exclaiming, "Aiyah, this is not your one, it's his/her one."

Therefore, I am happy that the Speak Good English Movement is a regular affair annually. You can also pick up some post cards bearing funny lines such as "This is my one" and "Why you so like that" from the library.

Feel like a teen again

My friends have been telling me how great Twilight has been. Having watched the movie with hubby & May, which made us feel like teens again, I decided to read it.

My ex-boss' girlfriend lent me the book, boy it was addictive. The way the author wrote about Edward Cullen, it's so beautiful. I am so looking forward to watching it again and to catch its second installment - The Twilight Saga: New Moon, which will be released this November. Before that, I must read New Moon first.

Ooh, how I miss my teenage years!

Kieran's part 2 celebration

We celebrated again on Sunday with our extended family at our home over dinner.

I prepared portobello soup, while my helper cooked sweet & sour chicken, eggs, Indonesian vege rolls and fried vermicelli.

The family arrived with Meg still decked in her sweet ballerina costume. Raeyen was very excited when he saw the pressie from them to Kieran and kept asking when it could be opened.

The kids ate together as they watched a movie from Disney Channel while the adults had theirs at the dining table, chatting from cycling to our home. We had Choya Royal Honey (click here to discover different ways of concocting a nice Choya drink) with lemonade as an aperitif and ended with Crabtree & Evelyn chamomile tea.

The whole clan proceeded to the playroom to reminisce May and our good 'ol days flipping through photo albums from secondary school to our wedding to our European holiday together.

The kids then played the remote-controlled chopper that May bought for Kieran before saying goodbye.

Kieran turned 7!

Hubby and I made plans to bring Kieran out on Thursday and Friday, respectively as a prelude to his birthday, afterall the school was closed on both days due to PSLE Oral exam.

Thursday. Hubby took him for a movie - G I Joe, as the title implies, it's very apt for male bonding. I bought the tickets for them at lunch and the came over to meet me for a quick one before scooting off for the show. They met me again after work. Kieran had evidently enjoyed the movie as he related part of the story to me on our way home by MRT.

Friday. After rushing home from half-day's work, I took Kieran and Raeyen to Orchard Road. Raeyen tagged along as I couldn't bear to leave him home. First stop was Kinokuniya for books; Kieran chose Star Wars while Raeyen had Thomas the Tank Engine. While we were walking to Takashimaya from Wisma Atria, we took a short-cut through Guess and a LBD caught my eyes.... I tried, the boys squealed that it was nice on me.... and yes I bought it. Then we went Bakerzin for desserts before going to Borders for more books. We left Orchard to meet hubby for dinner at Ajisen.

Saturday. We collected Kieran's Raspberry cheesecake from Secret Recipe at Square 2 but it was badly done (as you can see in the photo), even the quality of the cake has gone South. It was disappointing which I have no mood to detail here. Anyway, the kids had fun with their cousins as usual. Joo family even flew in his pressie from Perth - Ben 10 Alien Force swimwear + board shorts. Raeyen also had a new Lightning McQueen suit. Kieran wants Star Wars lego which he has yet found one that he likes because most are bad guys.

New gadget

19 August. Hubby gave me a surprise when he opened the car boot while we waited for Kieran. My new found MacBook Pro 13" sat squarely awaiting for her new owner. Yes, my Mac is a girl, no less.

I was beaming with pride that it didn't cost us much as we signed up for another 2 years with Singnet for its broadband and paid an additional $499 to get the Pro version.

The very night, after the kids went to bed, I was busy exploring this silver beauty. Setting up my own Apple account, Skype, etc. Mac is definitely a class of its own, I am loving it.

Next gadget - Apple iPhone 3G[S].

Amazing Daddy

Background:It's bedtime and I was busy, ie can't read book to the kids.

Here's a conversation between Raeyen and me.

Raeyen: Good night, Mommy!
Me: Good night, Baby! Is Daddy going to read to you (er... hubby rarely reads to them even when I am away)?
Raeyen: Yes, Daddy is going to read to me. Isn't it amazing, Mommy?
Me: *Dumb-founded and burst out laughing*

Raeyen's mishap at Ikea Tampines

It was supposed to be a fun-filled one-hour for the kiddos at Ikea's play facility but only into 45 minutes of play, hubby received a call from Ikea that Raeyen suffered a bump and cut on his left temple.

When he got there to pick him, there were 3 Ikea staff surrounding Raeyen but none offered comforting words nor a hug to our poor boy. Hubby was shocked that the abrasive cut was quite bad and could not believe that the staff kept asking Raeyen what happened. Apparently another boy was involved in a collision with Raeyen but he has left with his parents.

Hubby asked if any of the staff saw what happened but none could help. Truth is, there was no staff stationed at main sections of the play facility to mind the large amount of kids. We were shocked and disappointed with how the kids were treated there.

Ion - the new Icon for all things Fashionable

Ion is a beautiful mall that housed many fashionable labels and refreshingly new food joints (most from Japan).

With my sis and 2 kid in tow, we hit the mall on Saturday morning to avoid the crowd. The kids went "WOW" to the ceiling where silhouette of sea creatures swam past. It was a visual treat.

We had brekkie at Food Opera, another classy brainchild of the Breadtalk chain (in fact I met the owner on Friday, he seems very down to earth). We were pleasantly surprised to see the National Geographic wooden horse installed infront of Fatty Weng's stall. There are many art pieces in the foodcourt to feast one's eyes.

Other food joint operators on Basement 4 are interesting too... especially those hailed from The Rising Sun. While I had tried the tako balls with macha on Friday, we bought some fish pancakes with witty fillings; the kids like chocolate with banana and bacon with egg.

Ion is already my fav haunt, next to Vivocity.

New book release

My fav author of the Shopaholic series, Sophie Kinsella has just launched her new book - Twenties Girl.

Storyline:

Lara Lington has always had an overactive imagination, but suddenly that imagination seems to be in overdrive. Normal professional twenty-something young women don’t get visited by ghosts. Or do they?

When the spirit of Lara’s great-aunt Sadie–a feisty, demanding girl with firm ideas about fashion, love, and the right way to dance–mysteriously appears, she has one last request: Lara must find a missing necklace that had been in Sadie’s possession for more than seventy-five years, and Sadie cannot rest without it. Lara, on the other hand, has a number of ongoing distractions. Her best friend and business partner has run off to Goa, her start-up company is floundering, and she’s just been dumped by the “perfect” man.

Sadie, however, could care less.

Lara and Sadie make a hilarious sparring duo, and at first it seems as though they have nothing in common. But as the mission to find Sadie’s necklace leads to intrigue and a new romance for Lara, these very different “twenties” girls learn some surprising truths from each other along the way. Written with all the irrepressible charm and humor that have made Sophie Kinsella’s books beloved by millions, Twenties Girl is also a deeply moving testament to the transcendent bonds of friendship and family.

There's even an iTune playlist for the book (crikey!) and a videoclip of the same.

Gotta get the book!

A cozy dinner

As part of farewell to Connie & Jamus before they return to Perth, we went to tcc at Marina @ Keppel Bay on Friday evening. We were glad that May & Megan could also join us as we have not been seeing them for quite some time.

The evening was warm with little wind. It was a nice drive along Keppel Bay Drive and we were greeted with calm waters and nice yachts at the marina. tcc is located on the second floor. Dinner was as usual great with unusual coffee concoctions. The company was even better.

After dinner, we walked along the marina and chit-chatted. The place was serene with carpet grass on a small greenfield where the kids roamed and played together.

Another celebration with the family

Celebrated at my mom's place the next evening, as we visit my mom every Saturday. Everyone enjoyed the cakes very much and the food was compliments from my brother, Joo who had so generously footed the bill.

In the afternoon that day, Kieran had his usual swimming lesson with Rachel. I took the opportunity to take some shots of Raeyen's many faces.