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.

Piano Recital Practice

Sydney has been learning the piano for almost a year now. She likes her piano teacher very much, a high school girl who happens to be taking her own lessons from our neighbour. She comes by our house and teaches Sydney right before or after her own lessons. It is a convenient arrangement.

Music teachers here organize periodic recitals or performances for their students.
Here is Sydney practicing for her's.

Fall and Haloween in NYC

We took part in a children's event at the Whitney Museum of American Art this fall.
The focus was on the mobiles and wire work of Alexander Calder.

While the name was unfamiliar, the works weren't. We tried our hand at creating some of the 3 dimensional wire sculptures at the workshop downstairs and came up with a 'man on bicycle' - Siewster and Sydney, 'wearable bee antennae' - Siewster & Audrey, 'racoon face' - Jieh. Here is Sydney with her 'man on bicycle', it is easier to look at the shadow to discern the form.

Following the event, we went for a walk in the city and snapped some photos of the drizzly day.

A dog says 'Hi' to Sydney

Sydney's 6th

For the past 5 years, whenever Sydney's birthday came around, we had been having small parties at home or just baking a simple cake for the four of us to enjoy. This September, we thought we would invite her schoolmates since it was her last year at that pre-school. This means finding a larger venue and more planning. Fortunately, she liked one of the neighbourhood 'party gym' places where a number of her friends had their parties, and while somewhat pricey, we decided it was a good way to have a hassle-free afternoon.

We still baked our own cake though.

Jieh is particularly proud of his muffin Earth and ringed Saturn. Jupiter had a mishap enroute and rolled around a little.

The party itself was mostly kids running around ...

monkeying about the place,

getting a serious hula going...

and bouncing. Lots of bouncing.

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Actual evening of Sydney's birthday,

talking to Grandma on phone

First Wii Boxing

Dug up an old video clip of the kids learning Wii Boxing for the 1st time.

Frozen lake last winter

Holmdel Park

Captured in January 08. Sydney venturing onto a frozen lake on a chilly overcast day.

The joy of discovery

FAO Swartz in New York

Trying something new in front of a large audience.
Me as a kid, would I have felt as comfortable doing this ? If not, why ?

Theres something about a generally supportive environment where kids have greater self confidence, try things and fail or look silly without serious repercussions, grow in maturity to realize that life does not end when you fail, people don't jeer you when you look foolish....

Temple of Warriors
Chichen Itza
Mexico

"El Castilo" Temple of Kukulkan
Yucatan Peninsular
Mexico

Mute structures under an imposing sky bear witness to countless tourists ...

and their goondu poses.

Xelha Park

Sweet Memories

Back in 2006, Sydney was 4 and Audrey was only 1.

08 Summer Recap

Oh what a summer this year ! Time just flew by. Sydney joined the Middletown swim team and that keeps us very busy. She was in several competitions and Audrey started taking swimming lesson from the park too.

We have 2 road trips - Balitmore and Niagara Fall.

Went to Sesame Street, Hurricane Harbour, Camping and USOpen.

To end it all, a final trip to Cancun Mexico.

New Jersey - Toronto - Niagara Falls Express

We decided to make a trip to the Niagara Falls on the 4th July after reading the Geronimo Stilton's "Field Trip To Niagara Falls". It was a brief 4 days road trip where we stayed 2 days in Toronto and 2 days near Niagara Fall.

In Toronto, we were looking forward to some great Chinese foods but since we are not familiar with that place, we did not eat to our heart content. The one place that is most memorable and surprisingly good is a Swatow Restaurant. Jieh said for his Mom's sake, he wanted to try some food where his grand parents come from.





We visited Toronto Island and CN Tower too. They were kind of crowded.

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In Niagara Falls, we did the "Maid of the Mist" and "Cave of the Wind". Both are fantastic waterfall experience. There are endless spray of water droplets and the boat was shaking topsy turvy when it near the water fall. To end it all, walking directly under the waterfall give you first hand the powerful pounding force of the waterfall. Sydney was brave to try it with Jieh.

Getting pounded by water at the 'Cave of the Winds Tour'

WaaAAAAAhh !!

On our first night arriving at Niagara falls, we had a stroll along the river swaddled by the mist. It was quite special.

Sydney and Dad with Piano

Baltimore - The city with More 'Balti'

Perhaps it was memorial day, perhaps it was some other holiday, but we took a short road trip to see the National Aquarium at Baltimore recently. Anything to get out of our house and "Nuu" Jersey.

Whack you first, then say "Sorry" can already

Hotel in the city

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Aquarium with Scary sharks

... and funky frogs

... not to mention dolphins

... and Audrey doing a soap commercial for silky smooth skin

... plus other creatures with buggy eyes

one more stop in Baltimore was a children's museum where Sydney tried her hand at building some electric contraption.