Keanu blunder

I was playing badminton with Alyanna and 'counting' from A to Z. Here comes Keanu and offers to be the 'counter'. So here goes:

A-B-C-D-E-F-G of which at this point he suddenly said loudly:

"Mommy, you know how to spell CD?"

Alyanna and I pretended to not know and said:

"No we don't know." "So how do you spell it?"

He stood up and loudly said: "SD"---ooops!

I guess the joke was on my little one...and we all laughed happily ever after. The end.

Lipo or Botox?

Have been working out at least thrice a week with the dire hope that my metabolism is as young as I remember it to be. Turns out it's not and I'd have to suck up the courage to accept that losing weight at this age takes a lot of work, effort and sadly, discipline. Yes, the big D with eating. I love food and no doubt vice-versa that it leaves traces of its love---READ: bulges!

Last night, I was looking at our OLD photo albums with the kids and I had to bear the pain of looking at myself from long long time ago...back in the 90's! My little one's honesty echo's nonstop in my head I feel like having lipo done right now!

"Mom, can you be like that again?" THAT meaning a healthy, crispy 55 kilogram voluptuous woman.

"Hmmm I don't think I'd be like THAT again."

"And Why?"

"Because I'm getting older and my body can't do the activities I used to do like exercising the whole day. Mommy was teaching aerobics before 3x a day so I looked nicer then."

I think my son took that as a self-pity line so he tried to make me feel better.

"It's okay, you still look nice now even if you're OLD." waaahhh!!!!

Caught in the act...

"No artist can paint the images these two can, no writer can write the scripts they naturally articulate and no musician can play the music of their laughter..."

Gotta admit---without their hanky-pankies, the house will be moth-eaten and characterless.

These photos were taken by them and supposedly for their eyes only--until the time I needed to format and re-use the cam :-) kids!

I know they'll scold me one day for this www humiliation BUT (though I don't usually go by this saying)--I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

Keanu-Nanu Time

The afternoon was long and it was time to go home. Keanu and I passed-by the petshop to buy dogfood then we hailed a cab. Keanu was tired and put his head on my lap.

Keanu: Mommy, what did we have for lunch again?

Me: Chicken rice. Why? Are you hungry now?

Keanu: No. I'm just thinking.

Me: What are you thinking my love?

Keanu: Why you smell like fish?

Me: Huh?! What do you mean?

Keanu: Your feet smells like fish, Mommy. When I lay my head on your lap, I smell it.

(at this point, I noticed the cab driver looking at me)

Me: thought in bubble: Que horror! My feet don't stink and quickly, I needed to find what it was.

Seconds later, I realized the dogfood I bought was not Eukanuba or Science Diet but THIS and was proving true to its name.

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I was at the grocery with the little ones and after prowling the place and gathering stuff, I summoned the wolf cubs to stay near as I paid.

tink. tink. tink the scanner went then:

Keanu: Mommy, is it expensive?

Me: I don't know yet but we'll know soon. Why?

Keanu: Do you have enough money?

Me: Yeah, don't worry.

Keanu: Because we don't have to buy so much. Only what we need right?

Cashier glances at him and smiles.

Me: Yeah, Mommy tries to buy what we need so we don't waste food.

Keanu: (in the mood to be teacher continued with)--Because wasting food is not right.

Me: Yes, my love. Good that you know that.

silence...

I paid with the debit card and as we were waiting for the receipt, Keanu said:

Keanu: Mom, you're smart.

Me: Surprised what smart thing I did for once---I asked Why?

Keanu: Because you used the card to pay so that means, you don't lose money. Right?

Me and the cashier laughed and I had to explain.

Me: No Keanu, I still lose money because the card I have is only allowing me to use the money I have. If it's empty then I can't buy with it.

Keanu: Oh...

Thailand hangover

Click on the Mosaic!

Am so looking forward to the weekend. After our Thailand trip last week and our daily never-ending adventures there; all of a sudden I just wanted to STAY home. Another sign of aging I guess haha Add to that the visit from the flu virus for some days and voila, home is the best place to be.

I've been a SAHM (stay at home mom) when the kids were little, not that they're big already and I enjoyed it. Heck I even told myself and others that I would not work and stay the same MomMe that I was in Germany. But, things don't always work the way we want it to and in my case, work, besides family and friends became a sanity saviour when times were rough. Hmm, what's the connection of this part to...

Aaanyway, Thailand was great. The kids being big now are able to enjoy certain adventures with us. Alyanna rode and drove the ATV (with just some slight assistance from a guide), Keanu was able to ride elephants without me panicking that he'd tumble, and Rex had his first motorbike youthful accident--some scratches to chat with friends about. We all went to Patong too, you know, Thailand's red light area. It's not as brutal as I thought. When I saw Alyanna with a questioning look, realistic, compassionate and eye-opening explanations were quickly given. I don't want the kids to think that life IS perfect. (I know what too much shielding does to an individual and my kids have to be stronger)

The food was great! We had the authentic Thai buffet dinner on our first night and it left us with tummies only our mothers could love. I loved the food so much that I'm actually looking around for Thai cooking classes. Yum!

Meet Anna by the way, the resort's gentle, gentle giant.

Day Makers

Nothing can be more delightful in a mother's eyes than seeing her precious kids running around with big smiles of pride and in their fave costumes to boot.

Halloween may be over but my pride lingers...

Nana Croft and Optimus Keanu!

"NATURAL" Heart

Among all our three kids, Alyanna, has always been aware and conscious of the environment. I can proudly squeeze in some tap on my (our) shoulders for successfully raising her in that way. Though she's not yet too keen on going on dirty and squishy places---she accepts its nature.  I love animals as well but her interest in them is much more genuine than mine. Watching National Geographic and Animal Planet is no problem for her and picks the information to be archived. 

We have Jake, the family's dog; Paul, the abandoned turtle; Al and Yanna, the 2 hamsters she woed my sister into buying  (after the first two namely: Batman, who escaped and disappeared; and Gandalf, who one day decided to eternally sleep); last but not least, Puss, a white cat who occasionally visits our house and making innocent attempts on the hamsters. 

For the past year, she has been talking her Dad into getting her a horse. Good God! and when that seem to not be possible due to its size, she has been settling for something smaller----a pony. A Shetland one. Great...

Garfield disliked Mondays

and the Garfield in me, Alyanna and Keanu was too strong to resist on Monday that tears started flowing around 6 in the morning. My princess, being in Primary 4 now has four school days beginning at 8 a.m.

We live in the East area. That said, it means the schoolbus has to pick her up by 6:40 as the first passenger and drive around for the others. Sunrise here is around 7 a.m. so being up before then to be all dressed-up isn't really motivating. Add to that seeing your little brother fast asleep under the covers.---an enviable sight.

I, of course, was up as well to be excited with her for the first school day but instead of doing so, my presence was more to soothe her down. I know 6 isn't that early but still can be better if only we lived nearer the school.

One Bike Day

Biking around our area towards the East Coast Park have become a bonding time for me and the little ones. The times between 5 to 7pm are always looked forward to. My youngest, sitting behind on his little chair and my daughter leading are silently treasured. We share our little observations and shallow jokes to each other and have a laugh.

On the way, we saw huge houses. Some of them quite old and a bit rundown. Sometimes too rundown that my little one would loudly say, "Mommy, is that house haunted?"---at which point the Indian resident of the house would be outside sweeping fallen leaves. My face heats up in embarrassment and I pedal faster to escape. My daughter will then be instructing him to next time just say, "schrecklich" (in German means, horrible) so no one would understand.-----hm, looks like I'm not educating them properly ha ha

*boink*

Mini ME

Hmm, if I can convince my boys to grow their hair, perhaps they'd look like me too(?) ha ha dream on momma

to all the MOMS and MOMS TO BE---

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

On a Pause

It's been two weeks since I began the "pause" from work again. The first days being a full time manager of the household, kids and yourself once more took some adjusting moments but a lot better than full time control, stress and distrust. No need to elaborate. I refuse to trouble the (my) nerves.

As for now, I am enjoying having the ample time I have for everyone. My children, specially Keanu, loves waking up and having breakfast with me before he goes off to kindergarten. Alyanna comes home and I'm readily available to do homework with her. Time and weather permitting, we make a 2-hour bike ride to the East Coast Park and sometimes have some ice cream. I get to walk our dear dog Jake and enjoy some bonding time too. Oddly, I actually missed it. I used to walk him in Germany, sit on a mini hill behind our house and enjoy the peace. *sighs*

I have also been cooking lunch for everyone since 2 weeks. My eldest son and I have time to chat in the mornings until noon, mind you, and laugh on our shallow jokes. Lastly, my gym membership is once again in full use. I get to attend their classes in the mornings once more and also able to join my friend for some Pilates sessions.

Guess I have to redefine "unproductive when at home"...

On the Catwalk

What started out to be a fun offer for our youngest son, turned out to be an offer to all three of them. Twas a good experience for all.

What can I say?-----I'm one Proud Momma!