Fall comes to Holmdel

Another Summer, over.

Children live in the moment and enjoy a Fall romp through the park.

Stargazing

While out shopping for a birthday present for Sydney, Audrey saw a toy planetarium and was smitten. She lobbied hard to buy it as Sydney's present and we acceded.

After the birthday celebrations, it was hard to tell who was more excited when opening presents. Audrey managed to restrain herself throughout but kept hugging the box after Sydney unwrapped it...

It turned out to need a little assembling, and when it was finally ready, Sydney gave the whole family a great star gazing show

Aud-in-a-Box

Audrey's Fourth Birthday

Quiet Times in Singapore

We took a trip to Singapore from April 6th to 29th.
No particular agenda during the trip, just laze around and spend time with family and friends.

The days went by quite quickly.

Singapore Trip 2009

Eye-to-Eye
Marina Barrage

April 2009

Insurgency

We just got back from Singapore last week. Towards the end of our trip, Audrey discovered a phrase that seemed to get everyone around her agitated. Intoxicated by this new found power, she began to use it regularly.

30 minutes into a visit at our friend's home, she hops on the sofa, looks imploringly at mom & dad. "Its so boring..." she says with a sigh. Mom&Dad and friend all look a little pai-seh and try to laugh it off, but in the process, we redirect our conversation and attention to her.

Next friend's place, same thing. TV is not on. "Its so boring..." TV gets turned on, BUT it is ChannelNewsAsia. Within a minute, "Its so boring..." again. At uncle's house the next day, grownups are chatting, she is sizing up the situation, we make eye-contact, she gives a sinister look, and says loudly "Its so boring..."
Again, we get unsettled, immediate responses from the grownups in the room. Such pow-wah !

After a few more incidences, we told her its not a nice thing to say out loud, even if she feels bored. Why ? Because that could put our hosts in an embarrassing situation. What is embarrasing ? Errr.... just don't say those words please. Why ? Its not nice, and that all there is. Threatening look. OK...

Audrey's little power trip. Shortlived, since we are asians after all. Parents rule with iron-fist !

Oh The Things We Do for Fish !

Kiss people, get fish.

First Piano Recital

Today is a very exciting day for the whole family. We are getting ready for Sydney's first piano recital in the Chinese church. Finally this day has come for Sydney to do her first performance in front of other people. She is playing "Prince of Denmark March".

As usual, mommy hope things will go smoothly and that she will not forget her piece. She said with a glee that she is a little nervous. Her piano teacher, Salina, told her not to worry because she will be playing to a hall of strangers.

After lunch, we prepare a tray of bee hoon for potluck after the recital and set off to the church which is a short 6 min drive away. Sydney is the 6th performer and the youngest. She took a bow, sit calmly, posie and compose in her chair and then the beautiful music started.

After the performance, she said she love it and would like to perform again. She said she is not nervous and the Yamaha grand piano make her feel so welcome (like home because she has one upright Yamaha at home). A lady actually came up and said she is very steady.

Too bad her piano teacher has a stomach virus last min and was not able to perform. She would be very proud of Sydney if she was there.

Monets, Picassos and Van Goghs

Strike a Pose
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Dec 2008

We paid a visit to the biggest NYC musuem of them all last weekend. IBM donates to the Met, so we can go straight pass the ticket lines. Have IBM badge will travel !
There was some children's activity and we hurried through lunch at the cafeteria to join up.



It was a guided exploration and discussion of some of the museum's items, with the guide asking the children what they thought about the artifacts that they were looking at. At the end of it, paper was passed out for the kids to sketch any object that piqued their interest.



Sydney and her Urn with horses.

Audrey and her little bowl with a handle

At one point, a couple grabbed Sydney and Audrey and took a photo with them. Some foreigners seem to find little chinese girls irresistibly cute.













We visited some of the popular galleries later. These were in the 19th century room.

Hot and Cold

Winter temperatures here along the Jersey shore varies from a warm 60+ degree F ( about 18 degree C ) to 20 degrees F ( about -7 degree C ). During a warm day in december, one could go for a jog in the park ...

while the next day, if it gets frigid and snows, one could go skiing ...


We end up re-planning family activities quite frequently to take advantage of weather. Good thing that weather forecasts are quite accurate around here.
Also, there is always the museums.

Sometimes, practicing the piano can get tiring.

Audrey Experiments with a Violin

As part of our 'everything also hum-tum' approach to parenting, we rented a mini violin and let Sydney try out some lessons. Seeing her sister play made Audrey quite curious and for a few days, whenever she got the chance, she would swipe the violin and saw away at it all by herself, brows furrowed and her small hands holding bow in a hammer grip.

Thanksgiving Photos by Sydney and Audrey

The girls took on phototaking duties at a thanksgiving party recently.
Some of their shots were quite OK.


Some didn't quite come out right.

Pee Wee Tennis

There is a tennis club not too far from our home that has group lessons for kids.
Sydney tried it out this fall and enjoyed it. But we did not sign up for more since she did not insist on continuing. When spring comes around, Jieh will start playing again and perhaps hit some foam balls with her if she wants to.