Singapore's Largest National Flag

Had to work on Saturday morning for the media coverage on Singapore's Largest National Flag, that was made up of origami hearts. And its for a good charity cause which I was somehow able to relate to - Children.

Glad that I was part of this meaningful event. And took a photo of Gine when I brought her back for her class that afternoon.

Gine was definitely amazed by the gigantic flag and exclaimed, "Singapore Flag". A patriotic Singaporean in the making...

National Day Rally

Every year, in August, the PM will make a 3-hour long speech during the National Day Rally. Guess this is what every Singaporean will look forward and pay attention to, as it is during this Rally that new policies or measures will be announced.

For this year, guess every female (including moi), is looking forward to what the government is going to offer, to help improve the birth rate in Singapore.

6 months paid maternity leave? 1 month of paid paternity leave (Fathers do have to play a part in bringing up the children too!!)? Cheaper and better child care facilities? More understanding and pro-family employers?

Needless to say, every one knows that raising a kid in Singapore is definitely not easy. Stressful educational system, increasing living costs - almost every couple will stop at 2!

On top of that, it is definitely not easy for women to be a multi-tasker - employee at work during the day, mother/wife/daughter-in-law at home during the night and for those without a maid, we have to take on the additional role to do the household chores with whatever spare time and energy that we have, after a hard day at work in the office.

Lots of people have asked me why I stopped at one. Isn't your daughter lonely?

Well, at this moment, I definitely do not have much motivation nor energy to consider having a 2nd one with the current lifestyle and living conditions...unless there is a carrot, dangling in front of me, that is simply hard to resist!!!

Sushi@ the Counter

Haha, "promoted" Gine to the sushi counter last Sunday...See how "professional" she was, enjoying her usual Japanese food - Futomaki sushi, soft shell crab, chawanmushi and agedashi dofu.

Perhaps, I can send her off to Nihon, one fine day...

We met Finally!

All of us have been so bogged down by our work during day and taking care of our kids and housework at night...

It has been quite a while since my siblings managed to meet up and catch up with one another, unlike in the past, when we would meet each other almost every other day at Mum's house. Sigh...sometimes, just wish that Mum and Dad were still around and the happy moments we shared - playing poker cards, family dinners, and the joy on Mum's and Dad's faces as they watched their grandchildren running around their house...

How I wish I can turn back the clock...

Anyway, finally, managed to meet up with Greg's Mummy on National Day though it was just a dinner. Even the kids enjoyed themselves!

Roo roo at the Zoo...

Another usual Sunday morning - Decided to pop by the Singapore Zoological Gardens after our morning breakfast.

Not the first time that we have gone to the Zoo, though. In fact, the Zoo is often the first place that we can think of when we run out of places to visit during the weekends. Sometimes we will just pop by the Zoo for our evening stroll...Well, being Friends of the Zoo is definitely worthwhile for us.

However, it was the first time that we managed to catch the Feeding time for the kangaroos. And Gine was excited and enthusiastic when asked whether she is keen to feed the kangaroos.

On the contrary, Mummy Barney was the one who did not dare feed them...

Changi Airport Terminal 3

Hubby read about the slack business at the newly opened Changi Airport Terminal 3 and was enthusiastic to check out the place. Not fascinating and indeed the crowd was not there.

Pity those retail shop owners and hopefully more Singaporeans and even travellers will patronise the shops there soon...

Check this out...Sakae Sushi at T3 - Needless to say, it's Gine's favourite again.

Unlike other outlets, the menu and ambience are totally different and definitely worth a try!! Nice couches (bean bags) and if seated near the window, you can actually oversee the departure hall...

Am I a Japanese?

Sometimes, Mummy Barney can't help but has an intuition that Gine was previously a Japanese in her last life...

She can get so obsessed with sushi that every time Mummy Barney asks her what she wants for dinner, she will reply, "Sushi," despite enticing her with noodles, fried rice etc etc. (Thanks to Greg's mummy who bought her the cooking toy set which has dummy sushi and Gine will cut it into 2 pieces and serve them to her Papa and Mama bears at home.) Gine is also an expert at the conveyor belt now and will grab her favourite futomaki sushi when she spots it.

Gine also enjoys her Shichida class, especially when the lesson comes to an end, Teacher WT will play some Japanese songs and she will sing along "Hai, hai, hai"

There was even once when Mummy Barney asked Gine about something and she went "yi yeh" (which means no in Japanese). Perhaps, I heard it wrongly...

Anyway, glad that the Sakae Sushi outlet at Sunplaza has a play area for kids while the adults enjoy their meal. And this is where I bring Gine to, for her dinner during weekends...