Q1 craft update

Since its the end of first quarter (Q1) I thought I'd review the year so far. Can you tell I'm in the financial services industry?

Knitting

• Knit baby blanket for Martin (or someone else) - likely to complete
• Did about 7-10 inches. Progress is pretty slow.
  
• Knit Toy, I don't have a specific one picked out - 50/50 chance to complete
• Did one knit zebra puppet at the beginning of the year.
  

Cross-stitch

• Snow family cross-stitch - likely to complete
• Finished.
  
• Teresa Welzer dragon, I doubt I'll work on this - ha ha ha you a crazy lady
• Nothing
• Sea Animals number sampler, I will pull this out again soon, and try to do a little each week. There isn't much to go, only about 25-30% to go. - 50/50 chance to complete
• Good progress. Have finished numbers 5,6,7,8 and half of 9.
  
• Lightening McQueen cross-stitch for Oliver - 50/50 chance to complete
• Nothing
  
• Cross-stitch ornament for Paulina, as she is coming for Christmas this year - likely to complete
• Nothing
• Christmas stocking for Martin, I think this will take 2 years - little chance to complete
• Nothing

Crochet

• Crochet Pooh Bear - ha ha ha you a crazy lady
• Nothing

Photography / videography
I'm going to try and work on this one day a week.

• Website, I will keep if fairly up to date - likely to complete
• Have been fairly consistent. Not great though.
  
• Videos, wonder how many I'll get done after the first one - 50/50 chance to complete
• Nothing. Need to be better
  

Decluttering

• Have done a little bit, but nowhere near what I need to do. Have given away the smallest baby clothes and some infant paraphernalia.
  

Monday Craft update

Had to study for my driver's test this week, so didn't get as much done.

Knitting
Did about 1.5 hours on the blanket as I was talking on the phone.

Cross-stitch
Worked on the French Ocean numbers kit. Finished the "9" in the number 9 about half the seagulls.

Crochet
Read the pattern I want to make and got some internet help. Haven't started yet.

Photography / videography
Nothing.

Decluttering
Nothing.

Sundays in Singapore

On Sunday, the Family Assistant has the day off (well for the ex-pat families, for the locals, she usually works most Sundays). Since we have no one to cook (or more importantly clean up), we've taken to take out. We usually get chicken rice, and eat outside with our neighbours. It's a really nice way to end the weekend, Oliver gets to play outside, we get to relax before the bedtime routine starts, and enjoy chatting with our friends.

Driving license woes

So I went to convert my driver's license today. I passed the theory test and then waited 90 minutes to be served. I had all my paperwork ready. One of the questions is "Do you have any defects in your vision?". I ticked "yes" as I wear glasses. She then asked my if I'm colour blind or have a lazy eye. Well, I have a lazy eye. So now I have to go and get my vision checked out by some specific doctor to say whether I can get a driver's license or not. So freakin' frustrating!!!

Plus it turns out I probably wouldn't have got my license anyways as I don't have a NETS card (a debit card but applicable only for certain banks) or a cash card (which you use in your car and as I don't drive, I don't have a card!).

I was just so frustrated. Joe said that he said "no" for vision defects as he doesn't view wearing glasses as a defect in vision.

So now I have to go to some eye clinic (at least an hour of my time) and then go wait in that freakin' line again. Bah Humbug!!!

Oliver's first trip to the Dentist

Oliver had his first trip to the dentist this week. It went really well, as it lasted all of 5 minutes where he looked at his teeth and proclaimed all was good. He thought the spacing in his teeth was good, but I said, that won't last as genetics are against him. Though Joe never had any work done, so maybe we'll save some money.

We also had doctor checkups. The doctor is really pleased with both boys. She's impressed that Oliver knows his colours so well (I'm surprized by that, he's known them a while) and she said we should start teaching him letters.

She also thought Martin was physically acting more like a 8-9 month old (he's 7 months), she's pleased with his weight gain, and we were both impressed with how little he cried over his shots. The first one, he didn't even cry!

Oliver funny from tonight:
"I have a rubber band. I'm going to put it on". He puts in on his wrist. Then you hear the "snap!". "Ouch! That was painful".

Some of life lessons you need to learn on your own.

Oh that's funny

huh, that's odd. I had written an Easter blog but didn't publish it. I now published it and it's underneath the Monday craft blog, so scroll down for a new blog.

Sorry.

Monday Craft Update

I was addicted to cross-stitch this week. Again.

Knitting
Nothing

Cross-stitch
Worked on the French Ocean numbers kit. Finished stitching 8 and the octopus. Only 2 numbers left. Seagulls for 9 and starfish for 10.

Crochet
Bought a really really cute toy book. Then went and bought yarn. Perhaps $60 worth of yarn and crochet hooks. It's my reward for finishing the French Ocean numbers. Once it's done, I get to do this, before starting another big projects. I think I need more fun small projects.

Photography / videography
Nothing.

Decluttering
Nothing.

Easter party

We had the kids Easter party on Saturday. It was a beautiful day until about 3:30, when the sky started looking ominous. I helped set up and went to hide the eggs for the hunt, but Oliver insisted on coming with me, he kept saying "I like you Mommy" and then all the kids started following me, like I'm the Pied Piper or something.

The party started at 4. We had two craft stations. One with paper eggs to decorate with glue and different shapes and the other my egg dyeing. Oh, let me tell you about the eggs. We bought 50 (they come in packs of 10 - I don't know why either - they are metric I guess), out of that only 30 were good enough to colour. During the cooking process many of them cracked. So not good for colouring but good enough for eating, so I had Basil make Deviled Eggs.

I had elastic bands for the kids to put around the eggs (to get stripes) and they all set out to decorate. They had a lot of fun at both stations. Then it started to really look like it was going to rain, so we sent the kids on the egg hunt. During the egg hunt it did start to rain, so one of the neighbours was generous enough to open her doors, so we all grabbed the food and ran in there.

Inside, I tried to keep the kids occupied, we played "Mack, Mack, Chick Hicks", which is Duck, Duck, Goose but with Cars names, and Little Einsteins (which I made up on the spot also - kind of like I spy).

The rain was a serious cloud burst, and it just "chucked" it down (as the British would say) for a good 90 minutes. Overall though the party was a big success, and everyone had a good time.

That evening the adults came out after dinner for conversation and drinks.

I'm so happy to live where we live. I just love this type of stuff.

Happy Birthday Kate!!!

Happy Birthday Kate!!!!

Today is Kate's birthday. Kate is great for many reasons:

• She's lots and lots of fun
• She can play the violin
• She's good at building things (like bridges)
• She's energetic
• She's funny
• She's smart
• She's a beautiful girl, inside and out.
  

Happy Birthday Kate!! We love you!!

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

It's Mom's birthday today (or today here in Singapore). When she was here a couple of weeks ago we celebrated with an early birthday cake, so that was nice.

We had a really nice day of shopping when she was here, that reminded me of the days we used to go down to Minneapolis for back to school shopping. Though, no turtle necks or cord pants anymore!

Mom has been an excellent role model for not only on how to be a parent but for being a person. Mom always puts her family first, from apparently acting as a make shift toilet when we were young, to sitting on an airplane for too many hours to count to come and see us , to always making s our favorite meals and cooking us picky eaters something separate.

Happy Birthday Mom!!! We love you and miss you.

Thank you Paulina for making the beautiful page for Mom.

Living in Asia

I have to admit, that Singapore is very easy living and I often forget that I'm in Asia. Oh I remember, but often it just feels like I'm in Toronto, with better weather and worse TV.

When it comes home is around Western holidays. Christmas is kind of big but from a shopping point of view. Not many people put trees up in their homes, and Santa doesn't have a big throne in the mall, but Santa's expat friend come and stands in for him.

It's the same for Easter. We are having an Easter party here tomorrow, and I want the kids to dye eggs. Well, there are no Paz kits (or whatever the brand is). But, that's okay, I'll make homemade dye, according to the internet it's not that hard.

I did find an Easter bunny. It's really small and cost $8. But it is Lindst, so that's nice.

Television without Pity

I read a website called www.televisionwithoutpity.com it does synopses of TV shows, mainly reality TV shows but some regular ones as well. It doesn't do comedy shows as they are difficult to recap.

It is a very enjoyable site, and even if I've seen the show, I always like to read what the writers have to say and read the comments on the forum.

Monday Craft Update

I was addicted to cross-stitch this week.

Knitting
Nothing

Cross-stitch
Worked on the French Ocean numbers kit. Finished stitching number 5, and have stitched the number 8 and am about a quarter done the octopus. The end is in sight, so I'm very keen to finish it.

Crochet
Nothing

Photography / videography
Nothing.

Decluttering
Nothing.

More about Martin

Yes, another Martin post. Hey, if you don't like the subject matter, go to a different blog!!

He crawled today. Forwards, traditional crawl method. And is working hard on pulling himself up into a standing position when possible.

Happy 7 month birthday Martin!!

Today Martin is seven months old!! How time flies.

Today, he pulled himself into a standing position in his crib. He's still not really crawling, but can get around.

He's got a very busy social life already. Today his friend William is coming for lunch and then he has Ashley's birthday party tonight. His social life is better than mine.

Happy Birthday Martin!! We love you.

American Idol

Yes, I know, another post about AI. For someone watching it for the first time, I sure think about it a lot.

What is up with their stupid theme song? For a music contest, the theme is pretty lame.

Simon and Paula seem to be in an abusive relationship.

Okay, I'm watching right now. Jim Carey is dressed up as Horton. That poor man.

Update on Oliver and Martin

Oliver

Oliver is doing pretty much the same. He's a pretty sweet guy. The past couple of nights he has helped me bathe Martin, and will rinse him off with the shower hose. He also wanted to read Martin stories one night, which actually meant that Oliver held Martin in the big chair and I sat on the kiddie chair and read stories.

He also got Tiffany and Sofya (9 year old neighbours) to bathe him one night and kept telling them "one at a time!" (He must have learned that at school) and he got both girls to wash his bum!

Martin
Martin is still a pretty happy baby. I haven't seen him crawl yet, but Basil said he did today. He likes to play with his toys on the floor. He isn't sleeping well (he's awake right now, after 3 unsuccessful attempts to put him down), and is waking up multiple times in the night. I really need to dig out the baby book on that one. He's started rice cereal, not sure if he likes it, he cries a lot during feeding, but when you do manage to get the food in him, he seems to like it.

He's still super cute.

Monday Craft Update

Not a great week, as I had a bit of a social life and had to do work one night.

Knitting
Did several rows on the baby blanket. Even when I'm working on it I'm slow....

Cross-stitch
Worked on the French Ocean numbers kit. Working on number 5, did 4 out of 5 fish, and need to do the number. Need to do, 5, 8, 9 and 10.

Crochet
Nothing

Photography / videography
Loaded up new photos and read a bit of the video editor manual.

Decluttering
Got rid of 8 shirts and 1 skirt. About equal to what I brought in from shopping earlier.

Cross-stitch

I've always liked backstitching. It's when the project comes alive for me. I usually save it all for the end, unless it makes sense to do it as you go (i.e. it's a solid block).

There must be people out there who don't like it, as I see patterns in magazines that state "only cross stitches!" and no other types of stitches (like a half cross-stitch is so hard!).

Here is a cross-stitch before the back stitching:

And after. Behold the power of backstitching!

There are now expressions on the snow people, the scarves, mittens, etc, as better defined, and the whole design just pops now.

What a difference one strand of DMC 310 makes.

Summer "vaction" booked

For those that need to know, summer "vacation" is booked. I say "vacation" as 11.5 hours + of flights within Canada doesn't seem like a vacation.

Next year, we'll come over the Pacific, but you have to meet us on the West Coast. We'll rent a place for a couple of weeks and you can join us there. I'm only half kidding. Think of it.

I'm not sure how travel agents will stay in business in the long run. We saved at least 25% by booking the tickets ourselves.

American Idol

So I decided to watch American Idol this season. I've seen pieces of episodes here and there and know how it works (it's not rocket science). What I didn't realize was what a huge time commitment the show is. I mean, it's three hours this week alone! And that is it cutting back. Not sure if I'll be able to convince Joe to watch that much. Think I'll be watching in the bedroom, which means no cross-stitching. But it does mean knitting, so not all is lost.

Happy Birthday Laurie!!

By a fluke, I happened to see on my Treo that it's Laurie's birthday today.

Happy Birthday Laurie!!!!

We'll pretend this is Martin and not Oliver, since I've decided everyone over the age of thirty that I know isn't aging this year (I can't seem to stop the kids from aging though).

Hope it is a great year!! Come visit. Miss you.


P.S. New photos for February, March and Crafts are up.

I always feel like

somebody's watching me! And I ain't go no privacy. Whoa-ooo-ooo.

So due to my recent bout of spam comments, I added a counter, and can now track my stats. It is somewhat interesting, but also a bit hard to understand. Like, it just lists people by their IP address, which frankly means nothing to me. So I still don't know who you are!

Monday Craft Update

Knitting
Nothing.

Cross-stitch
Worked pretty steady on the French Ocean numbers kit. Finished the number 6 and 7. Working on number 5. Need to do, 5, 8, 9 and 10.

Crochet
Read the instructions for the Pooh Bear kit, not sure if I understand it.

Photography / videography
Nothing.

Decluttering
Nothing.

A very nice visit

We had another good weekend. On Saturday, we took it pretty easy, as the weather was bad. Went to Din Ta Fun for lunch, but they ran out of the the won ton's that I like. Most odd. Oliver then played at the playground at Paragon and Mom and I did a spin around Banana Republic.

That night we went to the Night Safari at the zoo. We saw the Creatures of the Night show (which I really wanted to see) and did the tram ride. The Night Safari, is right beside the zoo, but it is a separate zoo. It is really well done, and the deer exhibits have the deer free range.

On Sunday, we went on the Hippo Tour, which is a double decker bus tour of the city. We did the Heritage Tour which went through Chinatown and Little India.

On Monday, Mom, Dad and Joe came downtown and we had dinner at the Fullerton Hotel. It was really nice, it's a beautiful building.

It was a really good visit. Have a great flight back home!!

p.s. Talk Lana, Brent & Marysa into coming!!

Raffles Hotel

Today we (Joe, Mom, Dad and I) went for lunch at the world famous Raffles Hotel. Well, they say it's world famous, I had never heard of it before I started looking into Singapore.

What makes it famous is:

the Singapore Sling. It was created at the Raffles Hotel by Ngiam Tong Boon in the 1910's.

The Raffles Hotel is a landmark hotel, done in British colonial style. During WWII, the recipes for the Singapore Sling and the cook's recipes were locked away for safe keeping.

We ate at the Long Bar Steakhouse, they had a really good lunch buffet with excellent service. It was pricey though, the Singapore Sling was S$21.00. Each. Thanks for lunch Dad!!!

Darn Spam!

I'm now getting spam comments on my blog, so I've changed the security settings. You all can still post a comment, but I have to verify it before it gets posted, as well, there is one of those weird slanty words you need to type in.

Sorry about that!

The past weekend

I thought I'd update you on what we've been doing (besides cross-stitching).

We are having a great visit with Mom & Dad.

I took Friday off, and we went to the zoo. We rode the tram for the first time, it was quite nice. We also rode the elephant! Well, not Mom, Dad and Martin. But the rest of us did. Oliver was not scared at all. I was a little. And in case you don't know, elephants are quite uncomfortable to ride. The head must be more comfy, as that's where the elephant handlers always sit.

Mom and Dad were quite impressed with the zoo and see why we go all the time.

On Saturday, Joe, Oliver and Dad went to the Singapore Air Show. They had a really good time, and Oliver had "good behavior".

Mom and I went shopping at Vivo City, where my two new favorite stores are Zara and G2000. I got three new skirts and four new shirts for work, plus a tshirt and two tank tops. I felt like it was back to school shopping like we used to do in Minneapolis. It was a really good time.

Martin stayed home with Basil. Poor guy.

On Sunday, we went out for Dim Sum with Gary, Linda & Adam, and did a little bit of shopping. We then just hung out at home for rest of the day.

Monday Craft Update

A pretty good week as I finished something!

Knitting
Nothing.

Cross-stitch
Finished the Snow Family! Yay!! Not only done, I even put all the threads away in the thread box. I know - impressive.

And in a fit of finish-itis (the opposite of start-itis), I dug out my Ocean Numbers cross-stitch, I started when pregnant with Oliver. I've completed numbers 1-4 and the number 6. I'd like to get it done before the boys outgrow it.

Crochet
Dragged down the Pooh Bear kit, but did nothing with it.

Photography / videography
Nothing.

Decluttering
Gave Mom the old maternity clothes and some ones that don't fit to take back to Canada. Technically they are still in my house, but I no longer consider it my clutter.

Snow Family

Finished!!! Sure I missed the Christmas deadline, but I'm good for next year. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.

Fabric: Sugar Maple Fabrics, Shimmering Oceanic with silver. Paulina bought it for me. I hope she thinks it was put to good use.

Pattern: Fat Flakes brochure, Snow Family pattern. Jeanette Crew Designs.

Update on Oliver and Martin

Martin can now get himself into a sitting position. He just started that today. He's also very keen to stand, and everyone (but me) is encouraging him standing and walking. He still doesn't crawl forward but he does get around and can crawl backwards. He also is practicing his singing. He's more Chinese Opera than American Idol though.

Oliver is developing quite the sense of humour and is telling jokes. He took Martin's knit zebra puppet and folded it in half, called it a zebra sandwich and pretended to eat it. His potty training is going very well.

He's also learning the power of sucking up. I refused to buy him a book as he didn't behave when we were out but I said that Grandma might. So he started asking her. I said if you hold her hand, you'll have a better chance. Well, didn't he drop Daddy's hand like a hot potato and ran over to Grandma to hold her hand. He also let her read him the stories at home, giving Grandma some cuddle time.

They are both having a great time with Grandma and Grandpa. Tomorrow we are going to the zoo (I've taken the day off).

Field Trip!!

Today I went on my first field trip with Oliver. We went to Jalan Bahar Clay Studios to see the Dragon kiln. A dragon kiln is a large tube like kiln, large enough to walk in, and looks like a reclining dragon. It originates from China, and was built originally to support the rubber industry with making clay pots to gather rubber in.

After seeing the kiln, we made some pottery.

Grandma and Grandpa got to come on the trip as they were in town. They had a good time as well.

Monday Craft Update

Not a bad week.

Knitting
Did about an half an inch on the baby blanket. Still don't know what I'm going to do with it.

Cross-stitch
Snow family cross-stitch - did several hours. Finished all the cross-stitches (except black), just backstitching left. Hopefully the backstitching won't take that long, but I always underestimate how long it does take.

Crochet
Nothing.

Photography / videography
Rearranged the website a bit. Decluttered it you might say.

Decluttering
Decluttered a bit my thread supply. Well, not really declutter as nothing was thrown out, but I organized some of it onto bobbins and into a box. Dad and Sofya helped out. Turns out Dad and I are NOT smarter than a Fourth Grader, as only Sofya could successfully figure out how to use the bobbin threader thingamajig.

Botanical Gardens

We decided to go to the Botanic Gardens today. It was a pretty nice day. For the first time we visited the Orchid Gardens. They were a lot bigger than we thought and they have some beautiful flowers.

Here's a picture minus Joe the photographer.

Here is an orchid. Sorry I don't know the name.

They are here!!!

Mom and Dad arrived last night around 1:30am. They said the flight was good, but very very cold. They were at the exit row. After a beer and a little chit chat they were off to bed.

They got up at 8:00ish to see Oliver and Martin, and of course, give Oliver "Diesel 10". Oliver is currently sleeping with it.

They came downtown to have lunch with me at Boat Quay. We ate an English pub. Very Singaporean. The weather is quite nice right now, not too hot and humid.

Dad's thoughts on Singapore "I like it." Mom, "It's very clean.".

The Amazing Race

Well, Amazing Race and Amazing Race Asia are over. Don't worry I won't spoil the TAR-Asia finale as it just finished minutes ago, and I know some of you are watching it.

Both TAR and TAR-Asia were really good this year, with likable final three teams, so that you don't mind who wins. My favorite teams didn't win for either won, but I really don't mind who did. Unlike the season with Zach and Flo. Man alive, she was awful.

Don't you like it when TV is good?

Leapin' Lizards!!

This weekend, I pulled on the toilet paper and imagine my surprize when a baby gecko was sitting on it! Good thing I looked at the toilet paper before using it!! It then went and hid behind the toilet, so we let it be, as it was too awkward to get at. I saw it later that night on my nightstand, so I got Joe to catch it, but not before it ran across my pillow. Yuck!!

Geckos were common in The Bahamas also. When we first moved it, there was one high up on the wall. Being new to the gecko experience, we were suitably freaked out. Joe got a broom, and gave me a wastepaper basket, with the brilliant idea that he would knock the lizard off the wall, and I would catch it in the basket. I'm like "you are going to flick a lizard at me?!?!" I don't think so. Plus you have all seen my eye-hand coordination skills, it wasn't going to be pretty.

So Joe knocked the lizard down, and he fell straight down the wall. He was lying motionless on the floor, so we walked over to look at it. Once we were standing over it, the lizard felt much better and made a run for it. Well, we decided to run Bugs Bunny style and leaped on top of the bed. Eventually, we did get down from the bed, but not before spraying a bunch of Raid underneath the bed. The lizard either escaped, died, or was mutated into a Komodo Dragon.

Pretty good week.

Knitting

Did about an inch on the baby blanket. Don't know what I'm going to do with it. Martin's now mobile, so it's not like he can lie on it. I'm going to move it out of current rotation and start a new project. This will be picked up when I have 15 - 30 minutes to work, like when watching a movie with Oliver when Martin's napping.

Cross-stitch

Snow family cross-stitch - did several hours.

Crochet

Nothing. I think I'll start the Pooh Bear in the next week or two.

Photography / videography

Added new pictures to the website.

Decluttering

Got Joe to hang up pictures (can you tell Mom & Dad are coming? Yay!!!). Did a little bit (very little) of decluttering. I'm actually a bit stuck now. What do you do with the excess junk, that there is nothing wrong with it? e.g. I found a pair of scissors in a box. Nothing wrong with them. But we already have 3 pairs. Throw/give them away? Or binders. I have these really good binders, been hauling them around for years. I'm never going to use them. Okay, the binders I'll get rid of. But what do I do with the scissors?

I almost bought a book on decluttering - but then isn't the book clutter?

Technical difficulties

We were experiencing problems with email since Friday. It seems better now but we may not have received your emails.

Happy New Year!!!!

It's the Year of the Rat, or as Disney calls is, The Year of the Mouse. In Chinese, the word 鼠 may refer to either the rat or the mouse. Therefore, in this context, Year of the Mouse and Year of the Rat are interchangeable terms, according to Wikipedia. So Disney's in the clear.

I always thought I was a Rat according to menus at Chinese restaurants. But I was born before the new year that year, so I'm a Pig. Like Martin. And Joe and Oliver are monkeys. Actually, Oliver says he's a crocodile.

Here's some info from Wikipedia.

Pig
In Chinese culture, the pig is associated with fertility and virility. To bear children in the year of the boar is considered to be very fortunate, for they will be happy and honest. The Pig type is usually an honest, straightforward and patient person. They are a modest, shy character who prefers to work quietly behind the scenes. When others despair, they are often there to offer support. This type of person is reserved with those they do not know too well, but as time passes and they gain confidence, those around them may discover a lively and warm-hearted person behind that mask of aloofness. Despite those born in the year of pig having a wide circle of friends and acquaintances, they have few close friends who understand them and share their inner thoughts and feelings. It is easy to put trust in pig type; they won't let you down and will never even attempt to do so. Such people simply want to do everything right according to social norms.

It is important to remember that these people are not vengeful creatures. If someone tries to take advantage of them, the pig type tend to withdraw to reflect on the problem and protect themselves. All they need in such situations is a little time to find a constructive way to respond. The people of the pig type are conservative creatures of habit. They dislike being made to travel too far from familiar surroundings, unless it is a trip to the countryside. They love nature and are never happier than when they are out somewhere, far from the city.

There is a tolerant and peaceful side to their character. Such people are never afraid to allow others their freedom of expression; they do not want to cause arguments and if there is any way to avoid arguing, they will probably take this option. However, they are not weak and if the situation forces them to fight these people will rise to the occasion, whether it is to defend themselves or those close to them.

Monkey

The Monkey is the most versatile sign of the Chinese zodiac. Such people are often inventors, plotters, entertainers and the creative geniuses behind anything ingenious, including mischief. They have natural quick-wittedness which enables them to understand what is happening and then make a right decision. Even during a conversation a person born in this year is aware of what is going on around him/her, and then makes a mental note of who said what and stores it away for future reference. In general, with their agile minds and multiple talents, monkey types can master any subject. They are reliable and honest people so that any secret is safe in their hands. These people are also honest in their dealings and are very good at problem-solving: knowing how to listen closely and work out solutions at the same time.

Although these people are trustworthy and unlikely to hurt someone out of spite, they would never let people escape if they have behaved badly or damaged a monkey's reputation. Their stamina and determination to achieve their main goals can make these people appear vain or manipulative. People born under this sign should be careful so they do not damage their friendships. It is important to remember for these persons that it would be wiser sometimes not to pursue their goals and simply let things pass.

Monkeys have flexible principles and serene self-confidence so they are completely content; but they usually manage to complicate the lives of others. After yet another plan or project has gone wrong, they are seldom there to help clean up the disorder and confusion that they leave in their wake. Monkeys can handle that too; with their charm and persuasiveness they can make people believe that just knowing them is a privilege.

Happy Birthday to me!!

Today is my birthday and also Chinese New Year's Eve. That conveniently worked out for me, as today was a half day and Thursday and Friday are holidays.

I went for lunch with Joe and Basil to Din Tai Fung for wonton soup. The best in the city, in my opinion. Then went home and played with Oliver, Martin and Sofya. Oliver had his swimming lesson so we all (including Martin) went swimming before hand. Martin did really well, not crying at all. Oliver's front crawl is also improving.

We then had steak for dinner with roasted garlic. Yummy. Then chocolate cake for my birthday. Then it was gift time. Out came a large box tied with a ribbon. I undid the ribbon and lifted the lid. Just like they open presents on Young and the Restless (Mom and Lana would know what I mean) and inside was the prettiest purse you have ever seen:

The Madeline from Coach. It's from Joe, Oliver, Martin & Mom and Dad. Thank you very much!! I also got a lovely picture with the two cutest boys I've ever had the pleasure to know.

Typical of my life, I was nursing Martin when the cake came out and my hair was still wet from swimming. That didn't stop me from posing with my new Purse (capital "P") like I was on America's Next Top Model.

After getting Martin to bed, I went in to read to Oliver, who said "I love you Mama". All in all, a great birthday.

Update on Oliver & Martin

Martin

Martin continues to charm everyone with his big smile. He is rolling over and crawling backwards, frequently getting stuck under the sofa or backed into the wall. He is trying to move forward and rocks back and forth, but can't seem to figure out how to move forward, except by a full leap. Today, he started practicing getting into a sitting position. He can sit pretty well.

He's had his first trip to the pool and that was a success. We will probably take him in again this weekend.

Oliver
Oliver continues to be a "big boy". His potty training is going really well, except for pooping. At which time, he requests a diaper, so accidents are few and far between. His table manners are improving, and he's using the spoon and fork more and more. He's very interested in the knife, and likes to cut things. The other day, he even used chopsticks! One in each hand to hold up the noodles to eat. He did a pretty good job.

He is also very funny with what he says and how he says it. Conversations with him are a hoot. The other day I was playing with him, and had my leg over him. To which he said "I am not a chair!". He's often telling us to "Say sorry to Oliver" or "Say sorry to the chair" or whatever object he feels that we have wronged.

Monday Craft Update

Not a bad week.

Knitting
Did about an inch on the baby blanket.

Cross-stitch
Snow family cross-stitch - did several hours. I'm about 50% done the snow kid.

Crochet
Nothing.

Photography / videography
Played around with the video editor and learned how to make clips. Added new pictures to the website.

Decluttering
Threw out Oliver's old shoes. I know it's not much, but it still was clutter and now it's gone.

Sightseeing

Joe's cousin Basil arrived yesterday. It's nice as we really haven't spent much time with him, so we will get to know him better.

We were going to go to the Reptile Park today, but Oliver said he wanted to see "Sharks!", so we changed plans and went to Underwater World.

For a change of plans, we took the cable car from Mt. Faber. The cable car is quite nice, once you accept the fact that you are hanging high up in the air from a thin cable. The views from Mt. Faber of Singapore are quite good.
We took the cable car over to Sentosa Island, then took the tourist bus to Underwater World. Oliver got a treat as he got to ride on the top of the "decker-decker" bus. We saw the sharks and "tickled" their bellies (just reach up to the glass and say "tickle, tickle, tickle").

PS New pics up in January & February files.

Money, money, money, moooonnneeeyy

Well, in preparation for our visitors, I thought I'd talk about money. Well, more specifically, currency.

Some interesting things about Singapore currency:

• There is no $20 bill. Most annoying.
• The $2 bill is plastic and has a see through window.
• Bills are different size depending on denomination.
• There is a $1 coin (but not called a loonie).
• There are no pennies in Singapore, all transactions are rounded to the nearest $0.05.
• There is no quarter, but there is a 20 cent coin and a 50 cent coin.
• The 5 cent coin is small and gold in colour.
• The Singapore dollar is pegged to the Brunei dollar.

Random thoughts on motherhood

So I've been a "Mom" for 3 years now. I don't know if I really think of myself as "Mom" yet, as Mom is Mom, if you know what I mean. I'm more "Mommy", still in training.

I really enjoy motherhood (except maybe at 3am, but there's not much I enjoy at 3am except sleeping) and being a family. When I'm not at work, it's pretty much all about the boys while they are awake. I'm lucky in that I don't have to do the mundane life things like shopping, cooking, cleaning, etc, so I can just concentrate on the boys.

There are some things that I do well as a Mom. I'm good at making kids laugh, as I'm a big goof. I'm good at cheering up a screaming boy. I'm good at nursing and pumping. I'm good at putting the kids needs first (most of the time). I'm good at reading stories.

There are some things I'm not so good at. I'm not good at putting kids down for a nap. I thought maybe it was just Oliver, but I'm not good at getting Martin down for a nap either. I'm not that good at playing "bad cop" (though I'm a bit better than Joe). Luckily, Oliver hasn't required much discipline, as he's a pretty good kid.

But overall, I think I'm doing an okay "job". I sure do like it.

Happy 13th Birthday Jules!!!

It is Julia's 13th birthday day! I met Julia just when she turned 4. I gave her a stuffed puppy dog to try and win her over (I'm not above bribery). I think it worked.

I miss the days of visiting her in Waterloo and watching her play Barbie Genie (I never got a turn!). The first person to call me "Aunt Jill", as Kate always called me "Uncle Jill", Julia has been a wonderful edition to my life.

She is a beautiful girl, both inside and out, and I wish you nothing but the best this year and for the future.

Monday Craft Update

Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

I worked, was sick, went on holiday.

Bintan!

We went to Bintan, Indonesia this past weekend. We stayed at the Nirwana Gardens.

We left on Friday afternoon, taking the 60 minute ferry ride over there. The sea was a bit rough, but nothing too bad. We went with our neighbours, Jane, Serge, Sofya (Martin's girlfriend) and Zach. Basil and Eva, the family assistants also came along.

We then arrived in Bintan, and were greeted by an immigration official, who asked how many were in our party. We said "5" (as Jane was seperated from us), he said come with me, took our passports and brought us to the front of the line. Before we knew it, he had taken off with our passports and told us it would be S$20 for the visas (it is normally S$18). It all happened so fast. We watched him the entire time, and we ended up getting our visas and skipping the entire line. But while it was happening, we were kicking ourselves. We normally are more savvy that this, we didn't expect the immigration officer to "hustle us". But it all ended okay. And we ended up waiting anyways, as we had to wait for Jane.

We then took the bus to the hotel. It is a big complex, quite nice, and we were excited to go to the beach. So we all got changed and headed out. We decided not to put Martin in, at that point, as there was a bit of a breeze. Oliver played happily on the beach with his truck. Whenever I tried to convince him to come into the water he said "I'm busy working. I can't right now." So I left him alone. The water was nice and warm, not clear as The Bahamas, but seemed pretty churned up. There was some seaweed and rocks, but nothing too bad.

Then walking around on the beach, I noticed that my feet had some black stuff on them. And so did Oliver. It didn't easily wash off in the water, if you rubbed it, it left a greasy feeling in your hand, plus left your hand dirty. We started getting grossed out, so we headed back to the pools. Joe was taking to the towel guy and then all of a sudden, someone started spraying Oliver. With gasoline! It was to get off the TAR that was on us from the ocean. Apparently, with the North Wind Monsoon, it brings in TAR from the container ships. If we weren't grossed out before, we were then. We scrubbed, and then I ran inside to shower up. We were so happy we didn't take Martin in and that Oliver wasn't interested in the water. I at least didn't dunk my head in, but Joe, Sofya and Zach were full out swimming.

So after that experience (which will last a lifetime - give a hoot, don't pollute!) we went for dinner. Put the kids to bed, had Basil and Eva babysit and went down to the bar for a drink. Serge came in on the 8:00 ferry, so we met up with him then.

The next day, we did some more swimming (at the pool of course!) and went into "town" which really was just a little shopping centre that was built for the tourists. It was a pretty relaxing day. That night, we ate at the BBQ buffet and had some drinks and adult conversation after the kids were in bed. And Martin slept the entire night through! First time ever!!

Today, we took a walk around the grounds, and went and saw their "zoo". They have a huge snake (the biggest snake I've ever seen) and some small crocodiles and birds that the government seized from smugglers. Oliver and Joe did some more swimming and then after lunch we caught the ferry for home.

Oliver had excellent behaviour the entire trip. I don't even think he had one meltdown the entire time (or none that were memorable). He used the toilet pretty consistently the entire time, only using diapers occasionally, but would ask to use the toilet before he had to go (as opposed to telling afterwards). Martin, was his usual charming self.

Bintan felt like Cable Beach in The Bahamas, and if the water had been better, we'd go back, as it is so accessible from Singapore. But we don't consider that we have been to Indonesia, even though my passport might say so.

Heath Ledger died

I'm sure you've already heard the news. He was a young (28) actor. I first noticed him on a short-lived TV show called Roar, that I watched with Laurie back in the day. It only lasted 13 episodes. I just learned that it was created by Shaun Cassidy (!) and was nominated for Emmys (!).

Laurie and I loved that show and another science fiction one called Sliders with Jerry O'Connell. I was going through old VHS tapes and noticed that I had some labeled "Sliders". Okay, loved might be not descriptive enough. We were obsessed with Sliders. Perhaps some letters were written to Fox when it was first canceled (those letters worked, as it did come back). If I remember correctly, we watched the first episode together while hanging curtains in her living room.

Laurie and I lived in the same building, The Robin Hood in Scarborough. It was a good building. My apartment was called "The Maid Marien" and was a spacious 800 square foot apartment with a den. Perfect for studying. We used to talk on the phone for hours, even though we worked together. I don't know why I didn't just go down to her apartment. That seems odd now in hindsight.

Then Prudential got sold, Laurie got a job in Waterloo, I met Joe and the days at The Robin Hood were over. But they were good times.

Pink eye!!

Bah! Humbug! I have pink eye. Well, more like bright red devil eye. It started a little on Saturday with a blood-shot eye, then Sunday turned into full pink eye. I went to the doctor and have these eye drops. They are so thick, they are like a cream.

It looks just terrible. It does hurt a bit, mostly pressure.

I've been doing my best not to touch it, and I'm religious about hand washing so that I don't pass it on.

I'm looking forward to it getting better though.

Monday Craft Update

Okay week.

Knitting
Did about an inch on the baby blanket.

Cross-stitch
Snow family cross-stitch - did several hours.

Crochet
Nothing.

Photography / videography
Loaded up new pictures on the website.

Decluttering
Did about 30 minutes in the bedroom.

Knit Zebra

I mentioned in my craft updates that I had knit a zebra puppet. Here is what is looks like (I always like to take a picture of myself with it when I finish, so that when I look back 10 years from now, I can see how the boys aged me!).

It was a pretty fun project, quite easy. The zebra also has a mane. I guess I could do a solid colour and it would be a horse. Lana, do you think Marysa would like one?

The zebra is from my first knitting pattern that I ever bought, was this little Patons book called "Knit One, Purl too! 8 Fun projects for Beginners". I have made my first knitting project (the blanket for Oliver), and of course, my baby ball pattern is from here. It was the best $3.95 I spent on knitting (besides yarn and needles).

P.S. New pictures up on the website.

Happy Birthday Oliver!!

Today is Oliver's 3rd birthday!! My how time flies, from a newborn baby, to crawling, walking, talking and full out little boy.

We had his birthday party today. It was a lot of fun, semi-organized chaos is how I would describe it. Oliver said he liked it. There were 10 kids in total and 3 babies. We played old school games like Duck, Duck, Goose and truck racing.

Here is a look back over the years:

Birth:


6 months: 1 year:

2 years:


3 years: On his birthday with his new scooter!

Book Review: Who Moved my Blackberry(TM)?

This book is hilarious. It is written as a series of emails and takes about 4-5 hours to read. It follows the life of Martin Lukes for one year. He is a Vice-President of Marketing for some company (we never find out what they do). He is an utterly self-absorbed donkey, who brown noses his way through life, but yet manages to come out ahead.

I highly recommend it if you are looking for a light read about the corporate world, and corporate speech.

I'm smiling at you!

PS. He has his own column!

Monday Craft update

Not the greatest week, as went out Monday (to buy birthday supplies), Friday (with some girlfriends), Saturday (drinks with neighbours by the pool) and Sunday (was sick). Not sure if this will be a good week as I need to prepare things for Oliver's birthday.

Knitting
Nothing except continuing to teach Sofya.

Cross-stitch
Snow family cross-stitch - did several hours. I'm done the head of the snow kid, just need to do his (hers?) body and all the backstitching.

Crochet
Nothing.

Photography / videography
Nothing.

Decluttering
Nothing

Bored

I'm getting bored of my snow family cross-stitch, and I'm so near the end. I just need to finish the snow kid (and I've already done his head) and the backstitching. But I'm just bored. Maybe I'll work on the back stitching to break things up (I usually do it all at the end).

And it's not like I'm that bored of stitching. I'm thinking of other projects I want to do instead. Any one (except the TW Dragon.) will do.

Or maybe start the crochet Pooh Bear, so I have a chance of finishing it while at least one kid is small.

Any encouragement is welcome. I am really quite near the end, and would like to finish it before starting something new, since I didn't get it done in time for Christmas.

The best laid plans...

never turn out.

Tonight I went out for dinner with Jane and Annabelle. The plan was to go after Martin was asleep, usually around 7:30. But this week, his falling asleep time kept creeping back. He seems to be cluster feeding and sleeping for 20 minutes and then waking to feed, but fully asleep by 8:30/9:00 until 3:00 in the morning.

Well, tonight, at 9:00, he was fully awake. Joe graciously agreed to take him. He didn't fall asleep until 11:00!! He got vaccinations today so maybe that threw him off.

So I owe Joe big time. Should I let him buy the laptop or have him play a round of golf on a weekend day?

The Yarn Harlot

One of the blogs I read daily is The Yarn Harlot. She is a Canadian woman who is a Knitter. With a capital K.

She is a very good writer, and has written four books, the latest I just finished reading this week, called "Casts Off!", which is written like a travel book into the land of knitting.

It's funny how she describes a "knitting jag" which is when one knits something over and over again. For me, that has been the knit baby balls that I make. I've made them for pretty much everyone I know who has had a baby in the past 3 years. They are quick to make, easy and because I use different colours, not boring.

Here is Lana showing off the ball I knit for Marysa last year.

Diesel 10

Diesel 10, is a little used engine from the Land of Sodor. His chief features is that he is a diesel engine (who often doesn't get along with the "steamies") and he has a digger claw on top of him.

Well, he is Oliver's latest obsession. Oliver has been asking for him ever since he got his haircut before Christmas, and it came to a head on Sunday. We were at Toys 'R Us (TRU), and Oliver said he wanted Diesel 10. Well, they didn't have the wooden one. For some reason, Thomas toys are now both wooden and made of metal. But of course, the metal ones are slightly smaller (they are called "take along" but they are probably 98% of the size of the wooden ones) so they don't fit on the wood track. It is evil merchandising at its best. So then we went to the TRU at the Forum. But no luck. And no party supplies for Oliver's birthday either. Then we went to Better Toys, where Oliver on the drive kept saying in a pitiful voice "Diesel 10. Diesel 10. I want Diesel 10." But Better Toys didn't have it either.

So last night, Joe and I went to Vivo City to get the birthday party supplies, and yet again no Diesel 10. Now WE are starting to get obsessed about D10. We looked in the big sets to see if he was part of a set. We looked in the bookstore to see if there were any books with him in it. But no luck. This morning, Oliver woke up and came to our room. He stood at the door looking sad and said "Where is my Diesel 10?".

We started to understand where those parents who "over reacted" over Tickle Me Elmo, Cabbage Patch Dolls and other toys were coming from. But those parents didn't have the magic of the internet, so we will order it on the internet, have it sent to Grandma and Grandpa's and they can bring D10 to Oliver, and look like big heroes. Be warned though, Oliver might ask where D10 is before saying hi. Don't take offense.

2008 Craft List

Quick Monday update: finished knit zebra puppet for Martin, worked on baby blanket, and did a bit of cross-stitch on snow family.

I thought I would do my craft resolution list. I'll rank the projects by "likely to complete", "50/50 chance to complete", "little chance to complete" and "ha ha ha you a crazy lady".

Knitting

• Knit baby blanket for Martin (or someone else) - likely to complete
• Knit Toy, I don't have a specific one picked out - 50/50 chance to complete

Cross-stitch

• Snow family cross-stitch - likely to complete
• Teresa Welzer dragon, I doubt I'll work on this - ha ha ha you a crazy lady
• Sea Animals number sampler, I will pull this out again soon, and try to do a little each week. There isn't much to go, only about 25-30% to go. - 50/50 chance to complete
• Lightening McQueen cross-stitch for Oliver - 50/50 chance to complete
• Cross-stitch ornament for Paulina, as she is coming for Christmas this year - likely to complete
• Christmas stocking for Martin, I think this will take 2 years - little chance to complete

Crochet

• Crochet Pooh Bear - ha ha ha you a crazy lady

Photography / videography
I'm going to try and work on this one day a week.

• Website, I will keep if fairly up to date - likely to complete
• Videos, wonder how many I'll get done after the first one - 50/50 chance to complete

Decluttering
Now, this isn't a craft, but it does take away from my craft time. I really hope to do at least 30 minutes a week. I'd say it's a "little chance to complete", but if I have to report on it each week, maybe I'll do something out of guilt. Plus who knows what funny things I'll find. That might make it an interesting blog topic.

Hmm, after reviewing the list, I really should sign up for Paulina's 101 things in 1001 days, or whatever it is called. Well, time to get stitching!

Update on Oliver and Martin

Thought I'd do a quick update on the boys.

Oliver
Oliver is doing really well. Potty training is still pretty hit and miss, though the goal is to have him day trained by February 15th (the date Grandma and Grandpa arrive). Today started off well, as he said he wanted to wear underwear, and did pee in the potty, but asked for a diaper later to do number two and then stayed in a diaper reset of the day. I will admit I have resorted to bribery (using sweets) to get him to use the potty.

He is starting to lift his head when swimming, but his body needs to be more horizontal when he does it. It almost looks like he is treading water.
Martin
Continues to thrive on his all liquid diet. No formula in him yet! Though with the cost of pumping accessories (wipes and storage bags) I'm not convinced it's the cheaper method. Is more convenient though.

He is now rolling over from front to back and back to front, but hasn't done a full 360 at once. Partly due to the fact that he's mostly in his play gym and limited to how far he can roll. He also pivots on his belly.

He is a big flirt, and will smile at you and then look away, then look back with a big smile. Knock on wood, his night sleeping is getting better also.

We've also put him in the exersaucer, which he is loving. He is a very drooly baby and loves to suck on his hands (or yours if you let him).

He is the spitting image of Oliver though. Spooky really.

I've created monsters

Knitting monsters that is.

Sofya (aged 9) seems to be a true convert. We went shopping today for yarn and bought her own needles. She is diligently making a scarf for her teddy in stockinette stitch. Her form is improving. Though it's hard to say what she's done and her mom has done. But she really seems to love it. I hope it lasts for life for her.

Now, the boys are another matter. Lewis (aged 5) came by one night three times wanting to knit. Joe had to turn him away as we were putting the boys away. Today it was pouring rain, so they came over for a knit. He doesn't so much want to knit as have me knit a jumper for his teddy bear. Then Thibeault (aged 7) came also. He's the closest to actually learning.

What amazes me, is how much they want to say they want to do it. And they do persevere for about 15 minutes, but it's difficult to teach a class so big. Especially with trucks and trains around.

In other knitting news, I finished making a knit zebra puppet for Martin.

Expat Living

Today, my friend emailed me a link from the Wall Street Journal, an article called "The Expat Life" by Alan Paul. It exactly sums up our feelings about living abroad.

Hey, I just read that he moved for his wife's job as well - way to go Alan!!

THE EXPAT LIFE
By ALAN PAUL


ABOUT THE EXPAT LIFE

Follow the expat experiences of columnist Alan Paul and his family, who joined the growing ranks of Americans overseas when they moved from New Jersey to China for his wife's job. Alan writes about the challenges and rewards of moving across the globe and taking care of their three children in a different culture. As a senior editor at Guitar World for nearly 15 years, Alan has profiled musicians ranging from B.B. King to Metallica. The Pittsburgh native is also a senior writer at basketball magazine Slam.

Putting Privilege
Into Perspective
January 4, 2008

"THIS. IS. BORING!"

To make sure I got her point, four-year-old Anna flung herself upwards and landed hard back on my lap. We were crammed into the back seat of a cab, with her brothers Jacob and Eli next to us. Her mom -- my wife -- was seated in the front. She heard the outburst and looked back at me.

We exchanged a meaningful glance conveying concern, consternation and confusion about what to do next. It was hard for either of us to grasp how cruising through the French Concession, one of Shanghai's most fabled and beautiful, tree-lined neighborhoods, in search of a park wasn't exciting enough for our pint-sized adrenaline junkie.


How do you make children understand that the expat life -- and the oft-grandiose lifestyle that goes with it -- is not the norm? Share your thoughts.2

Each of the previous three nights had featured stimulating mega events: the Special Olympics opening ceremony, an acrobatics circus and the women's World Cup soccer finals. These thrilling experiences3 made the jaunt through the French Concession seem lame, and Anna wanted something more.

The moment encapsulated a concern I've had since moving to China -- that we are training our kids to expect too much of life with our new, internationally fabulous lifestyle, which includes both frequent travel and a day-to-day existence that is far more grandiose than our lives back in the U.S. or anything Rebecca or I experienced growing up (and it's not like either of us were deprived).

The fake rich lifestyle that we now enjoy includes daily household help, a large house in a gated community, not thinking twice before hiring a driver for the day and a general sense that access to anything is just a phone call away. I am particularly sensitive to this because one of the things I dislike most in a person is a sense of entitlement and I fear watching that grow in my children.

It's a fear I first had when we boarded the plane to move to Beijing from New Jersey. The sight of my three children sitting in oversized first-class seats both amused and horrified me. It was my first and last front-of-the-plane trip -- a fluke resulting from an airline promotion -- and it struck me that they were having this experience awfully early. I had to wait until I was almost 40 to fly first class, but Anna did it at two, her eldest brother at seven. And they haven't forgotten the experience; despite many subsequent coach trips, Jacob often asks, "Are we flying first class?" upon arriving at the airport. It's the type of comment that makes me wonder if their expectations are too high.

Many other expats wrestle with the same issues. "I'm constantly telling my kids, 'This is not normal, it's really special,'" says one Beijing neighbor, an Australian mother of three of my kids' schoolmates. "The problem is, I'm never quite sure how to really convey that, rather than just saying it."

An American friend stood by her side nodding in agreement. "This is something we all deal with," she said.

It is hard to convey the specialness, because this is normal for all of our fortunate kids. I still have that fall Shanghai trip on my mind, even as I am in the midst of another whirlwind journey through America. I don't think my kids will get too spoiled sleeping on relatives' couches and pullout beds, but trips like these are part of their nonstop exciting lives, filled with travel and possibilities. Beijing is where they live, Shanghai is just another place to visit.

We've vacationed throughout Asia, visiting Malaysia and Thailand, and places all over China, from Hong Kong with its shimmering skyline to the soaring mountains of Sichuan. These places continue to astound me every time I step off the plane or train. We've gone out of our way to make sure our kids feel the same sense of wonder by reading up, explaining places we visit and emphasizing what makes each location special. Sometimes it seems to take hold -- they grasped the amazement of feeding sea eagles in a Malaysian mangrove river and riding elephants through a Thai jungle. Other times they whined or begged to play Game Boys on the bus rather than visiting a Tibetan temple or taking in a stunning mountain vista.

When we were discussing whether to move to China a few years ago, I told Rebecca that we had reached a stage in life where we were unlikely to undertake a lot of ambitious travel in the near future without such a bold move. "We can go see China and these places now or wait until we're retired in 25 years," I said.

That desire to get out and see the world factored heavily into our decision to come here, and I think my instincts were spot-on. Hopefully, the travel has opened my kids' minds as much as it has mine, helping them understand that it's a huge, interconnected world, with an endless choice of places to go and people to meet.

I'm thrilled that my kids have a more international outlook and broader understanding of their place in the world than I had as a child. I just don't want them to think it's normal to bang around from one five-star Asian resort to another. These places tend to be much more affordable than they would be in North America, but they are still bastions of luxury.

The easy solution would be to slow down our traveling, but we have a limited window in Asia and fully intend to make the most of it. We try to balance cushier trips with rougher ones into the beautiful and often still-primitive Chinese interior, where we have visited villages and toured homes to see how millions of people live4.

Trips like that are a helpful reminder to all of us just how lucky we are and how unusual this lifestyle actually is. And that, whatever its flaws, IT'S. NEVER. BORING!

The cost of living

So living in Asia-Lite isn't as cheap as living in Asia-proper. Joe can tell you that the cost of electronics isn't as cheap as you would think, though he did get a good deal on an amplifier today.

My biggest pet peeves are the cost of lemon ice tea, called "iced lemon tea", photos and greeting cards.

I have paid as much as S$10 (C$6.95!!) for iced lemon tea and you don't even get refills. I usually only pay that much when I don't see the price before hand, or someone else is picking up the tab. I mean, it's cold water and tea bags, why does it cost so much?

I've been looking into getting a family photo done. All the packages are running at least S$300+ (C$ 210+). Superstore is C$60 and you get a ton of photos. Here the photos are almost like a wedding album. I don't want that, I want a couple of pictures to send to the grandparents and put in my wallet. I think I'll pick a nice day, we will dress up and ask the neighbour to take some pictures. Then when we are back in Canada, we will go to the Superstore.

The other thing is greeting cards. Don't worry, I got an excellent deal on the boxed cards I sent everyone (and thanks to everyone who sent a card back! I really appreciate it). I bought a thank you card today. The price printed on the back is US$ 1.99 or C$2.60. However, I paid S$5.70 (or C$3.69). I actually saw one card for S$7.90. I put that one back. Good thing I don't send cards often. And it's going to be less with those prices.

The first day of the new year

So, 2008 started off as many a non-work day in 2007 went.

Martin woke around 7:00am, full of smiles, he came into bed with us, and Oliver woke around 8:00. We all got up and Joe made us crepes for breakfast.

We then went to the zoo (out of the house by 10:00 - not bad, eh?). Didn't get rained on (which the skies were threatening to do all day, but if you stay home when you think it's going to rain, you'd never do anything). Saw the tortoises, elephants and Oliver played at the splash pad.

We then came home, watched a tape episode of Little Einstein's. Joe put Martin in the baby carrier for a nap and went upstairs to look for mini-vacation ideas to do with my parents. Oliver played with his trains, I pulled out my knitting. Sofya stopped by to see Martin, stayed to play with Oliver, but then wanted to learn to knit. She is a very eager and fast learner.

We then all went outside, Sofya and I bringing our knitting. Oh, and Oliver brought his knitting also, as he wanted to knit too. Then all the kids (which was 3 boys aged 5-7 and 1 girl aged 3) wanted to knit. So I had to go get more needles. The older kids were interested in it, for about 15 minutes, which is 14 more than I thought. Actually, Zach (who is 6) came running up at one point saying "Where's my knitting?", which is a phrase his mother never thought he'd say. Sofya kept at it though, and when one of the adults commented that knitting was boring, she said "Knitting is not boring, it's fun!". So hopefully I have a new convert.

Oliver went swimming in the small pool, I brought Martin in for bed (it's now around 6:30), we had a late dinner of leftovers, and Oliver is now being read stories by Joe (I've done my turn already).

Tonight will be Desperate Housewives and Amazing Race (which I taped yesterday) and knitting. All in all, a good start to the year.

Happy New Year!!! Wishing you must health and happiness!

2007 Craft Update

I thought I would do a year in review craft update. Next week, I'll do a 2008 to do list.

Knitting
I knit a hat for Brent. It was an enjoyable project, but I bought variegated yarn, which turned out to have a big pink stripe. Sorry Brent.

I knit a baby blanket for Lianne's daughter Sophia. That didn't turn out as planned either, as I was sold improper weight (and I don't check gauge on blankets), so it turned out quite small, so it became a car blanket. It was done in a nice blanketweave pattern, which I screwed up numerous times, but to the untrained eye, it looks quite nice.

I did not complete a blanket for Martin. It is a nice green blanket with cables, that I do enjoy, but now where I live and it's so hot, the blanket seems kind of pointless. I might finish it and give it away, but then I feel bad as it is for Martin.

I did finish about half a dozen knit baby balls. These are my signature baby gift. I also make the pumpkin of ineptitude this year for Halloween.

I completed making knit blocks for Martin. Luckily I was able to "borrow" some from Oliver, as I had made him the full alphabet and only had to do 3 more blocks.

I also started (this weekend) a knit zebra puppet for Martin, it is approximately 45% done.

Cross-stitch
I did do a lot this year.

I completed Martin's baby sampler. It was a dull and easy project.

For the first couple of months of the year I worked on the Teresa Welzer dragon. I also worked on this Sea Animals number sampler before we moved and have completed about 75% of it.

My most recent project is the Snow Family, which I did not finish in time for Christmas.

I did complete my cross-stitch ornament for Paulina in time for her to hang on the tree (I'm quite proud of that!).

Crochet
I don't think I did any this year. That's a shame.

Photography / videography
Well, this one is really more Joe. But he found a solution for us in Singapore and got a Joe and Jill website up and running again. He's now got it set up so that I don't have to rely on him to post up the pictures. I'm still behind on comments on the old website, not sure when (if) I'll get around to finishing it, but earlier in the year, I did make some progress.

As for videography, I didn't do anything this year, but still did take video. For Christmas, I got video editing software, all the videos are downstairs, and we have a new large hard drive. I no longer have any more excuses.