tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37410224439831167822024-03-13T22:03:08.198+08:00Dragonfly Bento BoxA mother asked his boy "Do you like your lunchbox today?" The boy replied "Yes!".
As the boy grows older each day and becomes more vocal, he begins to ask "Can you make Lion, Panda, Dinosaur, Giraffe....etc??". Next, he just asks you to keep it simple or no cute stuff because he has already grown up......Dragonflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09876097856704235841noreply@blogger.comBlogger439125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741022443983116782.post-75298125092990629062019-12-29T17:06:00.001+08:002019-12-29T17:10:25.598+08:00Gingerbread man cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The last time I baked gingerbread man cookies for the little boy was 4 years ago! Gosh, I did not even realise it until I checked my blog. I happened to see some spices available for sale in Redmart (online grocer) and bought it in advance hoping I could bake it again. And I did! I was pleased that I actually baked it in time before Christmas and gifted some cookies to his Grandma and his school friend's family. The big boy, now at 11 years old, was delighted and the cookies were all gone really fast! At tween age, he was pretty hooked with phone games like Pokemon Go, Brawl Stars, Clash Royale, Mobile Legends... etc. When he stopped his phone games and did the icing on the cookies with much enthusiasum, just warmed my heart. </div>
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I like to pen down the new receipe that I had experimented since everyone commented the cookies were so yummy. Instead of using the traditional dark molasses, it was replaced with organic ginger molasses powder from Yee Hup. That saved me some $$ from buying bottled molasses and ground ginger separately which the former usually ended up in the cupboard for many years untouched because I have no idea what to do with it. I bought mine at Penang International Airport. You would get the light brown biscuit colour instead of darker tone. Besides I could use it in the soup base for the tang yuan during the winter solstice. Personally, I like ginger drink due to its health benefits. <br />
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<u>Receipe modified*</u><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">400g plain flour </span></div>
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3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda </span></div>
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1 tsp ground cinnamon (gingerbread powder as shown in the picture below)</span></div>
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½ tsp mixed spice </span></div>
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½ tsp salt </span></div>
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170g unsalted butter, room temperature </span></div>
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110g soft dark brown sugar </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">60g ginger molasses*</span></div>
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1 large egg, lightly</span> beaten</div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Buttercream icing</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">1½ cup icing sugar</span></div>
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2 tbsp. of milk</span></div>
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3 tbsp of butter</span></div>
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Happy New Year! Welcome to 2020!! <br />
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Dragonflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09876097856704235841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741022443983116782.post-41235814657424463602018-09-26T12:41:00.000+08:002018-09-26T12:44:25.736+08:00Animal Snowskin mooncake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Whilst the boy was away P4 camp in August, I signed up a 3D animal snowskin mooncake class at Mold Mart. I had fun learning to sculpt these cute animals from our instructor, Holyrose with different yummy fillings - red bean, black sesame, lotus paste, custard, mugbean and pineapple paste. It took 4 hours to create these adorable animals. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the class and pretty theraputic that I did not even know the time passed so quickly. </div>
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Practice makes perfect! Hence, I put my skill to the test by making some for my neighbour for the Mooncake/Lantern Festival which fell on 24 September 2018. Since my neighbour loves Hello Kitty, I attempted one especially for her. I also made a jade (moon) rabbit which was part of the Mid-Autumn festival legend. All five in two hours! Phew! To achieve the super cute look, it was important to place the eyes close to each other with the exception of Hello Kitty. I was satisfied with my masterpiece, but certainly, have room for improvement :))</div>
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Traditional snowskin mooncake usually made by using the mooncake mould. I purchased mine from Phoon Huat which come in 'shocking pink' colour (no idea why) as shown below. My boy concluded the first pair of jade rabbit apparently looked like mouse. Since Papa does not eat mooncake or pomelo, these petite size snowskin mooncakes are just nice for both of us.</div>
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<br />Dragonflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09876097856704235841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741022443983116782.post-56676961773098768002018-08-26T22:56:00.002+08:002018-08-26T23:04:12.864+08:00Lessons learnt from P4 Camp<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">He was looking forward to his first 3D2N school camp at Labrador Park. Not camping in a tent but slept in the dormitory. Excited and elated! He woke up super early in the morning and went to school for the briefing. One day after he was back home from camp, he was down with fever, cough and running nose that lasted more than 5 days. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">As a result, he was not able to take his CA2 test paper for Chinese that was scheduled after the camping trip. </span>He was not the only one who caught the virus/bateria. There were many other children who fell sick. Some recovered quickly and some did not. From the grapevine, we heard one kid was hospitalised due to high fever There were many questions popped up in mind. How did my boy got the virus? Hygiene issue? Insufficient sleep? Dehydrated? And how to prepare him for the next camping trip, if any, so that he will not fall sick easily? As a parent, it was heartache to see our children cried in pain due to illness. On the other hand, we wanted them to strengthen their immunity system and fight of disease. To keep them indoors? I felt that we need to expose them to dirt and germs to develop a healthy immune system instead of a sterilised enivronment. </span><br />
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LESSONS LEARNT </div>
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The <b>packing list</b> provided by the organiser was exhausive. To adhere to each and every items, we felt he woud have overpacked. For instance, the list indicated to pack extra sport/school shoes as well as track pants. Instead, we reduced to one set each. It turned out that he wore the same hiking pants for 2 days which I have no issue. From the photos taken during the camp, some students did not even wear their track pants. So it was very much dependent on how flexible or strict was the "Mentor" attached to the group. There was no water activities, hence a pair of sport shoe was sufffice in his case.</div>
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The mummies group chat also raised their concern over whether to let the kids bring the <b>sleeping bag </b>or bedsheet on the basis that mattresses were provided inside the dormitory. Teacher advised it was compulsory to bring sleeping bags. For my boy, he brought an extra sleeping bag liner and did not lay his sleeping bag on top of the mattress. He claimed that the mattress was pretty worn out and dark black patches all over it. I suspected he just rolled on the mattress and slept. Without the extra layer protection, the bacteria could have happily found its way into his sweaty and warm body. Moreover, he has sinus every morning and coupled with sneezing and running nose at times even at home. In essence, it was recommended to bring their own sleeping bag regardless the weather was hot and humid. The dormitory was well ventilated; with fans and windows were installed with mosqito net. </div>
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Next, body need to be <b>hydrated</b>! Although he brought along a litre water bottle, I guess he did not drink much in between the activites. Some of the students did not even <b>brush their teeth</b>. That was why he had such a bad breath after the camp.</div>
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Not all the children have the habit to <b>bathe</b> in the morning. But I think it is necessary during their camping trip to cool down their body since they sweat in their sleep due to hot and humid weather. Dirty as well after super and night acitivities. When I discovered that his bath gel and shampoo returned home intact, obviously he did not shower despite his denial. The complaint was he was not given enough time to bathe. I reminded him that he need to act fast and not taking his own sweet time like he always did at home or engrossed talking to his classmates.</div>
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I hope he learnt his lesson well.<br />
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Prescribed with antibiotics, his fever finally subsided. Yipee! His first comfort was vegemite spread on bread in the morning.</div>
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Dragonflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09876097856704235841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741022443983116782.post-77295383791559066462018-07-26T09:30:00.000+08:002018-07-26T09:31:59.245+08:00Not "Ethnic" Enough<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Singapore is a multi-cultural society. It is therefore relevant for our kids to embrace and accept different races and religions of our peers. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">21th July is designated as Racial Harmony Day every year. </span>In fact, children who starts as young as those in the playgroup learnt about racial harmony in the school be it in the simple form of crafting, drawing, tasting of food, games and etc. Children are also encouraged to celebrate the special day by wearing ethnic costume as well. Since it fell on a Saturday this year, my boy's Primary School commemorated Racial Harmony Day two days prior to the actual date. For the past years, he wore traditional Chinese costume without fail. As he grew older, he did not like to wear the traditional type in our humid and hot climate. Therefore, I bought a piece of cotton mandarin-collar shirt in festive triangle print for his Chinese New Year outfit and, was hoping that the shirt could double up as costume for the Racial Harmony Day. Unfortunately, the shirt, according to the teacher, was not "ethnic" enough and not allowed to wear it to school. With a dampen spirit, I guess it sort of "kill" his interest in wearing traditional costume. </span></div>
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<br />Dragonflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09876097856704235841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741022443983116782.post-71968423302949286222018-05-09T10:39:00.001+08:002018-05-09T10:47:02.722+08:00Teddy Bear Mushi-pan (Steamed cake)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Receipe adapted from Little Miss Bento</span></b><br />
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Ingredients </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">150g Morinaga hotcake mix</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">50g sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">100g plain yogurt (no sugar)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 Tbsp oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2 Eggs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 Tsp baking powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 Tbsp cocoa powder</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Super cute teddy bear mushi-pan (or Japanese steamed cake)! I baked it as a treat for my big boy who has been working hard for his SA1 exams. Not too bad even though I forgot to give the cups a tap on the tabletop to remove trapped air bubbles. For the nose and eye, I melted some dark chocolate and applied on its muzzle. </span></div>
Dragonflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09876097856704235841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741022443983116782.post-68807732801932217192018-04-26T22:15:00.002+08:002018-04-26T22:15:35.966+08:00Minimalist Bento<div align="right" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I could not remember the last time I made a bento lunch. But the moment I saw the Chef Bento Contest organised by Bento & Co, I told myself that I must give it a try. It was like a push button that flashed back loads of fond memories in the preparation of many bento lunches for my boy. Interestingly, this year contest required participant to submit a 'before' and 'after' pictures each. Feeling overwhelmed with excitment, I forgot to present the bento box in the 'before' photo. Oops! Nevertheless, it still worth all my effort because my big boy enjoyed eating the bento, including Papa who came home out of the blue for lunch.</div>
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The star of the bento is the tofu chicken patties which I adapted the receipe from Just One Cookbook. Healthy and high in protein. It had become one of our favourite dish on our dining table. It was a simple bento that anyone could assemble. Nothing fancy and hence, the theme was 'Minimalist Bento'.</div>
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<br />Dragonflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09876097856704235841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741022443983116782.post-25613727442722933842018-04-26T16:05:00.003+08:002018-04-26T16:12:41.082+08:00Blueberry Yogurt muffin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I like blueberry muffin a lot! Therefore, I baked it t more often than chocolate muffin especially when blueberry was in season and sold at discounted price at the supermarket. This receipe that I adapted from Baking Tai Tai was moist and soft. I added extra fresh milk to make up the 160g yogurt as required in the receipe because I left with only 133g of Meiji yogurt. The rest of the yogurt had found its way into my big boy's stomach. ;P Because big boy has big appetite, my muffins has increased its size over the years. No longer the petite ones. I tweaked the receipe by including 1/4 teaspoon of vanila essence for more flavour and 2 tablespoon of rolled oats. It turned out tasting so delicious! I reckoned this was the best blueberry muffin receipe I have tried so far.</div>
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<b>Ingredients (Receipe adapted from Baking Tai Tai)</b><br />
<b>(6 big muffins)</b></div>
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2 eggs</div>
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100g caster sugar</div>
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120g oil (I used extra light olive oil)</div>
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70g milk (I use Greenfield fresh milk)</div>
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160g yogurt (I used Meji plain yogurt)</div>
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200g low protein flour (I used Top flour)</div>
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2 tsp baking powder</div>
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1/4 tsp baking soda</div>
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100g blueberry</div>
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(<i>I added 1/4 tsp vanila essence and 2 tbsp rolled oats)</i><br />
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<i></i>Method</div>
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1. Mix all wet ingredients and set aside.</div>
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2. Shift the flour, baking powder and baking soda. </div>
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3. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and gently fold in. Do not overmix. Lumpy is fine Just make sure there is no trace of flour.</div>
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4. Lastly, mix in the blueberry. </div>
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5. The original receipe indicates to preheat the oven 190 degree celcius top heat, 180 degree celcius bottom and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. I knew my old Ariston oven will overbake at 190 degree celcius. Hence, I baked at 180 degrees celcius for 20 minutes (lowest rack). Then, the middle rack for the last 5 minutes to give it a nice golden brown crust.</div>
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Dragonflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09876097856704235841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741022443983116782.post-81067475915878101012018-01-31T22:37:00.000+08:002019-02-14T23:03:11.176+08:00Pineapple tarts (enclosed version)This is the second year I baked pineapple tarts for Chinese New Year. Instead of the open version, I decided to attempt the enclosed ones adapting a different receipe from Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover. Because I used the real butter SCS butter instead of Buttercup, the result was buttery and milky which somewhat overpower the the taste of the pineapple paste. Nevertheless, it was so much tastier than the pineapple tarts I baked last year. On a separate note, I do not reckon the receipe is the melt-in-your-mouth type. Nevertheless, it was yummy and definitely a keeper!<br />
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<i>(Upated 2 Feb 2018: When the tarts were freshly baked straight out of the oven, it actually have the 'melt-in-your-mouth' crust, literally 'pop' on the first bite (if you get what I mean). The next day, it did not have the melty taste. Rather crumbly.)</i><br />
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I baked these 3 weeks before the Chinese New Year so that I could give some to my friend, Hazel to try. I was absolutely grateful for her comments and those from her family members:<br />
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"For me, I like it that it's not so sweet, tastes like a healthy version of those sold outside. However, personally, I thought I taste more cheese in it, or is it juz butter? I'm not sure. I'd prefer less, but that's juz me, my other family members do not feel this way. Also, it would be great if it has more crust on top, ie if the golden yellow part on top would look and taste nicer, also my personal opinion. Otherwise, it's almost perfect!"<br />
Unquote <br />
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Thank you Hazel for her generous and kind words that put me on cloud nine.<br />
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Receipe adapted from Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover<br />
Ingredients<br />
350g butter*<br />
100g condensed milk<br />
2 egg yolks<br />
510g plain flour<br />
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1 egg yolk + 1 tsp milk for egg wash<br />
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700g pineapple fillings**<br />
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* I used unsalted SCS butter<br />
** Store bought Redman pineapple paste (AAA grade) from Phoon Huat which includes the core of pineapple (less sweet)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Store bought pineapple paste (AAA grade) from Phoon Huat</td></tr>
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<u><b>Updated 14 February 2019</b></u><br />
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I baked the same enclosed pineapple tarts in year 2019 using the same receipe with some changes. I combined SCS salted (1 stick = 227g) with unsalted butter (123g) and purchased the REDMAN Kurang manis (less sweet) pineapple paste instead. The store-bought paste, apparently, did not look good as some amount of glucose/sugar could be seen melted inside the package.<br />
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Granny commented it tasted better than the previous year. Another Mommy's friend complimented that it has the melt-in-your mouth crust and she liked it that it was not too sweet. Surprisingly, the Kurang manis type pineapple paste has a subtle sourish taste which I loved too. Feeling accomplished of the baked goodies. Absolutely wonderful receipe I found. Thanks to Sonia.<br />
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<br />Dragonflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09876097856704235841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741022443983116782.post-90111607158806855772017-08-05T13:12:00.000+08:002017-08-05T13:15:41.849+08:0052nd National Day 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Two years ago, Singapore celebrated its jubilee year, 50th birthday, at the Marina Bay platform. The RSAF (Republic of Singapore Air Force) put up a mind blowing aerobatic show featuring F16s fighter plane from the Black Knights. What we were missing was the Red Lions due to bad weather. Two weeks ago, we were back at Marina Bay where we stood at the same place but different spot awaiting for the National Day aerial fly-past. Great weather despite hot and humid. It was awesome sight when the Red Lions parachuting down right above us. In coincide with NS50 (50th year milestone of national service of Singapore), F15s fighter plane were used and flew by NS men pilots. The heart pounding moment was the entire aerial fly-past appeared so close to audience. Fantastic performance indeed! We did not stay for the fireworks as we had two years ago because it was a nightmare getting out of the place at the end of the firework show. </div>
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Happy 52nd birthday, Singapore!</div>
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<br />Dragonflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09876097856704235841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741022443983116782.post-11085172684697202722017-08-02T22:24:00.002+08:002017-08-02T22:24:52.187+08:00Wordless Wednesday<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#399</td></tr>
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Ingredients</div>
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Blanched broccoli floret</div>
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Tamagoyaki</div>
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Dried prune</div>
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Chicken ball</div>
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Steamed pumpkin (seasoned with soya sauce and mirin)</div>
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Carrot flower</div>
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Rice ball</div>
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Itadakimasu!</div>
Dragonflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09876097856704235841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741022443983116782.post-57467559422261209352017-07-26T13:11:00.000+08:002017-07-26T13:11:02.810+08:00Craneberry yogurt chiffon cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I have a soft spot for cotton, fluffy, spongy cake. Whenever I have such craving, I will treat myself with the pandan chiffon cake from Bengawan Solo. But I have never thought of baking one. Last year, whilst I was browsing aimlessly at Phoon Huat shop at Woodlands with my mum, I spotted some 17cm tube pans. I bought it and started experimenting chiffon cakes since. </div>
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I have attempted pandan chiffon, a tea flavor chiffon using TWG fruity tea leaves (gifted by our niece) and also, matcha powder which my hubby bought it in Tokyo during his business trip. The recipe I tried used 3 eggs whites without cream of tartar. And I beat the meringue till soft peak. All of my chiffon cakes failed to raise resulting a rather dense and short cake. </div>
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This craneberry yogurt chiffon cake, however, rose well and was taller than all the previous chiffon that I had baked although I had accidentally mix in additional egg yorlk (4 instead 3). Egg whites was beaten to stiff peak as opposed to soft peak in my previous bakes. The inclusion of rice flour seemed to gives the chiffon cake a really nice soft and spongy texture. I shall be experimenting more with rice flour in the future. </div>
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Receipe adapted from Anncoo Journal's sakura yogurt chiffon cake.</div>
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3 egg yolks</div>
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25g sugar</div>
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40g oil</div>
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100g natural yogurt</div>
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60g cake flour</div>
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20g rice flour</div>
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4 egg whites</div>
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50g sugar</div>
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1/4 tsp cream of tartar</div>
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3/4 tsp vanilla essence</div>
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60g dried craneberry (chopped to small pieces & coat with flour to prevent sinking to the bottom of the cake)</div>
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<br />Dragonflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09876097856704235841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741022443983116782.post-807721455118947102017-07-20T15:52:00.001+08:002017-07-20T15:52:43.985+08:00Fuss free bento<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#398</td></tr>
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A last minute request the night before his bedtime. No elaborate details. Simply a fuss free bento which I rushed home to prepare after a yoga exercise in the mid-morning. After that, I hand delivered to him at the designated school gate.<br />
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The paper baking cup came in handy which could hold two pan-fried gyoza and a small piece of black peppered salmon fillet. Other side were just blanched leafy vegetables (cai xin) and carrot flowers. Soup and udon noodles were packed in the vaccum flask.<br />
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Dragonflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09876097856704235841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741022443983116782.post-91655574507154939602017-07-19T10:20:00.000+08:002017-07-19T10:20:48.946+08:00Wordless Wednesday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drew by my 9yo son</td></tr>
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Our home, our Singapore</div>
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<br />Dragonflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09876097856704235841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741022443983116782.post-80273076273287758952017-05-23T12:04:00.003+08:002017-05-23T12:04:26.870+08:00Mother's day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Do you honor your parents?<br />
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Mother's day is another occasion that is celebrated over a sumptuous meal (in my humble opinion). Chinese restaurants will create a special menu for the parents and grandparents. They do not just honor the mothers but both parents and grandparents (if any) making it like a great union or gathering.<br />
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Two weeks ago, I was literally heart broken when I was told by my dear 9 years old son that 'we do not celebrate Mother's Day in our house'. That moment, I felt that I have failed my duty as a parent! I began to question myself whether I have raised a child who lacks empathy towards parents. Filial Piety, a virtue of respect for parents that I firmly believes begins at home. Have I been too focused academic performance that totally neglected in character building for this little one? What kind a person he will become? Upon reflection on my parenting journey, I come to realise that apart from the teachings in kindergartens and schools, kids learned from parents too. Papa, is the root of the problem. He is brought up in a tradition Chinese family where woman is meant to serve the man and does not have equal status in a household. He is a 'Male Chauvinist Pig' that I guess, has an influence over my son's behavior. I hope to change the mindset of my son (since I am totally helpless with his Papa). <br />
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Despite wrenching heart moment, I cajoled my boy to make a Mother's day card for me instead. Most importantly, I reminded him that there is no need to buy expensive present to pamper your mother now. (He can shower me with gifts when he grows up as a working adult later ;) And I even showed him what he had made/created during his preschool/kindergarten days like a jewellery box made from ice cream stick or a simple card with love message that, some of which, I have kept it. <br />
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I hope there will be some nice surprise from him next year. <br />
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Dragonflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09876097856704235841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741022443983116782.post-70501588929624951902017-04-27T14:58:00.000+08:002017-04-27T14:58:02.540+08:00Peacock<br />
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This was one of the prettiest peacock I ever made. It has become more difficult to prepare a karaben nowadays due to lesser or no bento made for the boy at all. However, I had the opportunity to do so for the month of April because my boy was selected to attend 5 lessons of Science Olympiad after school hours. He requested me to bring lunch for him. And I did for the past weeks. But I realized my bento-ing skill has become rusty and was not able to create a presentable one. As usual, I asked him what would he like to eat for his lunch the night before. Then I kept on suggesting some of his favourite food which came to my mind until my boy stopped me. Unexpectedly, his reply was "Don't tell me, I like surprises!" Feeling motivated and encouraged, I was in such a high spirit making his bento that my creation simply at its best. The peacock is made of thinly sliced (Chinese) flat fish cake, patterned nori/corn kernels with a drop of ketchup (for its feather), carrot (for its beak) and tiny broccoli floret (for its crown). <br />
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In his lunchbox, he has :-<br />
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Fried mee hoon with cabbage, carrot and fishcake<br />
Pan-fried gyoza (homemade)<br />
Boiled broccoli<br />
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A happy belly, a happy boy!Dragonflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09876097856704235841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741022443983116782.post-3093238842415758262017-04-23T16:19:00.000+08:002017-04-23T16:20:44.674+08:00A Bayleef Pokemon Birthday PartyThe boy turned 9 years two weeks ago. He is taller and bigger each year. And heavier too! (on the chubby side). As a Primary 3 student, he has lots more homework to cope with. Initially, he was stressed over Chinese spelling in Term 1 but has since overcome it. Now, he is working hard to hone his composition writing skills, both in English and Chinese. His effort did pay off and I have seen improvement in his composition writing. He hardly have time to play on weekdays due to the fact that he can take up hours to complete his daily homework (a slow writer, his grandma can attest to it) and additional badminton training. As the saying goes, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. I decided to declare one Friday 'free of homework' to celebrate his birthday with his schoolmates after school. <br />
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Pokemon is his favourite cartoon character since the hype over Pokemon Go game which has taken the world by storm last year. His interest remains strong till now. And he has also been drawing the pokemon characters during his free time and sharing his masterpieces with his classmates. Needless to say, his mini birthday party, is all about Pokemon. And he chose Bayleef - a grass pokemon species, for his special day.<br />
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I found a great site where I printed the <a href="http://theecofriendlyfamily.com/?ddownload=7621">Pokeball birthday banner</a> and also the <a href="http://orig13.deviantart.net/4b51/f/2015/297/f/e/pokemon_subspecies__bayleef_by_coolpikachu29-d9e97e1.png">bayleef</a> pokemon iwhich I made for the caketopper as well as for the decorations. Also, I splurged a bit more than last year on a few helium balloons. Since last year, I have delegated the tasks of the planning of goodie bags and party games to the boy. And it would continue as long as he liked it. He used his savings and bought a capsule balls that contained a pokemon from a provision shop. Packed in a brown bag together with some biscuits. Wrote a thank you note and drew some of his favourite pokemons on colourful post-it paper which he pasted on the goodie bag. Papa bought him a large Tri-strike nerf gun for his birthday present at his request. Naturally, the party game, of course, none other than nerf gun shooting game. The boys has a blast with Papa who made it in time home to celebrate their birthdays together. (Father's birthday was one day later).<br />
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Bayleef pokemon</div>
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cake topper</div>
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Some plastic cups to shoot!</div>
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Goodie bags on each side</div>
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We had an eggless mango cake which I purchased from Emicakes shop. Why eggless? He was told that one of his classmate, Mun Xun's little brother is allegic to eggs and walnuts. Hence, he decided to forgo his standard chocolate cake and opt for an eggless one. I was heartened that he has such a big heart at this tender age. <br />
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I was also grateful to his best friend, Shawn's mummy, who baked these lovely chocolate cupcake for his birthday. He was truly blessed!<br />
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His cousin, Christine jie jie, flew down from Malaysia to celebrate his birthday. This made his day even more memorable one. My boy wished for dreamcatcher because he told me that it would trap bad dreams. I have constantly ignored his request. Prior to his birthday, I mentioned to Christine casually if she could fulfill his wish. To my surprise, she took my words seriously and learnt how to handcraft a dreamcatcher for my boy. I was touched and amazed at the intricate design of her creation. Hanging pretty on top of his bed frame (a bunk bed), both had a wonderful time chatting the night away during her short stay in our house. <br />
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That weekend was well spent with dining, shopping and a trip down to River Safari. Due to time constraint, my son was not able to go for 'Beaver Encounter' which I originally planned. He was crestfallen but his mood changed quickly when he was on a boat ride at the Amazon River Quest. Beaming with joy, he was enthralled to see many animal in the evening and excited at the gentle splash along the ride. We enjoyed ourseleves tremendously. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panda Kai Kai</td></tr>
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"It was the best party ever!" he concluded as we walked home from school the other day. I was thankful for the children and parents who came to celebrate his birthday. Dragonflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09876097856704235841noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741022443983116782.post-85428005758519412652017-04-13T16:03:00.000+08:002017-04-13T16:03:46.975+08:00Camping in New South Wales Australia, December 2016 (Part 1)Australia has been destined as our camping trip for our family holiday for many years. This time, we travelled to New South Wales, Australia during the year end school holidays 2016. To accommodate our family of three comfortably, we upgraded to a bigger tent.<br />
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The route covered Blue Mountain, Hunter Valley, Port Stephens and Sydney. We did not pitch a tent on the last leg of the itinerary which was in Sydney city. Instead, we put up at the Market Street Hotel which was near to the train station for the convenience and ease of travelling downtown.<br />
It was summer during December. We planned our 14 days itinerary from 27 Nov 2016 to 10 December 2016 so that it would not coincide with Australian kids school holidays which commenced from mid December 2016 onwards. We spent 4 nights in Katoomba, 2 nights in Hunter Valley, 3 nights Port Stephens 4 nights in Sydney. This trip was supposed to cover some nature trails and at the same time, satisfy Papa's desire to catch 'Kangaskhan' (Pokémon) there.<br />
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<b>Katoomba (Blue Mountain) - Scenic World - Wentworth Falls</b><br />
It was around 4.10pm when we touched down at Sydney International airport after a frustrating delays of our flight with Scoot, not once but twice! It was our maiden flight with Scoot Dreamliner and the last flight probably:(( Although Papa got the business class seats for us which was super spacious, lots of leg room and able to recline comfortably, I have difficulty in getting a good sleep onboard. Because of the delay, we were caught in a traffice jam on the highway heading to Katoomba. There was a light drizzle and mist as we approached Katoomba. Katoomba is a town close to the stunning attractions of Blue Mountains and many more. Our tent site was located at Katoomba Falls Tourist Park which was walking distance to the famous Three Sisters, Scenic World Skyway and Katoomba town. It was cold, wet and misty as we pitched our tent at night. Temper flared as our clumsy son attempted to help Papa. I was irritated by Papa's body language and harch words used towards a child. My son was being elbowed, pushed away and demanded to get out of the way! "Why did Papa push me?" he whispered softly. Feeling hurt, my boy stepped aside and watched quietly till the father finished. Stomach rumbled and the kid was famished. We were lucky that Woolsworth supermarket opened till 10.00pm. I was too tired to cook at the camp kitchen. So, we ate instant noodles we bought from the supermarket. For the first time, I fed my kid with instant noodle. "So yummy!" he commented as he wolfed down the cup noodles. We quickly changed into clean clothes after a nice warm shower and snuggled into our tent, wrapped ourselves with down feathers sleeping bag. Temperature fell to 14 degree celsius outside the tent. The cold crisp air sent us to dreamland almost immediately. <br />
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<b>Scenic World</b><br />
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5ckqOtkOY3s/WO2EYhj1YoI/AAAAAAAAHlw/J2QprS_yvLcCqG0GZyPy1Dfh-nMMiRC4wCLcB/s1600/IMG_0297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>We were grateful for Papa to have the tent pitched despite his obnoxious mannerism. We woke up fresh and energetic after a restful night. And we ventured out to the famous Scenic World Skyway after a simple breakfast; bread spread with peanut butter and chia seeds. Originally, it was a coal mine railway that carried tourists on weekends and holidays. Till the Hammon family bought over and developed into the Scenic Skyway. Getting around was easy. First, we took the the famous giant skyway with a see through glass floor panel. It was a breathtaking sight in the blue mountains surrounded by lush greenery. The stunning Three Sisters was just magnificent where we could see it closer from the giant skyway. Next, we rode the cableway as well as the steepest railway; a remnant of the the area's coal mining days. The young boy loved the 'cliffhanger' thrill of the railway ride so much that we went back a few times. Then, we did the Giant Stairway trail from the Echo point. Lots of steep stairs to climb but we were rewarded with fantastic view. It was absolutely worth it! We made it to the honeymoon bridge leading to the first Sister and did not go beyond because our legs began to wobble.<br />
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*********** Honeymoon Bridge ****************</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Descending</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the bridge</td></tr>
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<b>Wentworth Fall</b></div>
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Next day, we hiked up Wentworth Fall undertaking the National Pass route, a 4.5km loop trail. We began at the Wentworth Falls picnic area and ended at the Conservation Hut. It was the best bushwalks in Australia we ever had and were so proud that we accomplished Grade 4 hike which took us about 4 hours. Despite being slow, we took our time and enjoyed the different landscape endowed with spectacular views; the Grand Stairway, cliff edges, beautiful cascading waterfalls...etc At the Grand Stairway, we were marveled at how the historic Grand Stairway was built by hands using picks and shovels and dynamite in the old days. The commemorative plaques and information panels installed on the claystone provides visitor glimpse of the history and restoration work . <br />
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After descended down many steep stairs, we reached the bottom of Wentworth fall. At this point, we were exhilarated and exclaimed : "We made it!" Be mindful of the slippery rocks because we witnessed a young lady lost her footing and slid right into the freezing water. Luckily, it was shallow and she quickly pulled herself up. The crystal clear icy cold water was inviting. The kid could not wait to dip into water for a splash. Unfortunately, we did not bring extra clothing. Hence, we took some pictures and soaked our bare feets in the water. Soothing and relaxing indeed! <br />
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There was not a single dull moment in the entire trail. We ducked under the overhang clay cliff, walked on the unfenced ledges and slippery rocks. Trying to spot any lyrebirds and water dragon but there were nowhere at sight. Instead, we were greeted with a large black bird that responded enthusiastically to our call. A lighted hearted moment that we found it amusing. We lingered on that spot for a while before moving on when we discovered swarm of mosquito waiting for a feast. The national park was well installed with handrails and some parts, sandstone blocks, making it safe and fun to walk. As we headed back to the Conversation Hut, we passed by Emerald Fall where we saw a few people abseiling down the waterfall. My son was in awe of their adventure. Midway, we also met a hiker who asked for food. We did not carry any food as our plan was to walk back to the café at Conversation Hut for lunch. At the café, locals were having their afternoon tea by the time we arrived. We were daunted at first if we could complete the hike with my 8 years old boy. But I was glad that we did it! It was an awesome hike and I strongly recommended it.<br />
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Later in the afternoon, we drove to Wentworth Fall lake for a stroll. We sat on a bench enjoying the breeze while my boy chased after the ducks with his new found Aussie girlfriend and the latter's baby brother in the park. It was such a pure bliss.<br />
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<b>Govetts Leap - Katoomba Fall</b><br />
On our last day in Katoomba, a thunderstorm was forecasted. Hence, Papa planned for a short hike to Govetts Leap lookout, Blackhealth. There, we sighted a water dragon sun bathing on a rock! Slowly, the sky began to overcast, we hurried back to camp site to collect our washed clothes which we had sun it earlier in the morning. As predicted, torrential rain was pouring cats and dogs by afternoon. We took shelther in Katoomba town and shopped at the camping stores there till the rain stopped. The boys bought Macpac backpack each for themselves. Back at the campsite, we were surprised to see many wild cockatoos around the park, seemingly busy eating. My boy tried to feed them and got bitten on his fingers <br />
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Staying so near to Katoomba Fall, we have yet to explore the area. Because it was wet, muddy and slippery after the rain, we took a stroll down the trail but did not complete it in the evening. Instead, we drove to Echo Point for the last glimpse of the Three Sister. Sunset was beautiful like a perfect orange egg yolk. The night was chilling but the gorgeous Three Sisters glowed like a proud peacock as the spotlight shone on it.<br />
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Till now, my boy is still reminiscing the fond memories of our hikes in Katoomba. Wish we could have stayed longer.<br />
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Stay tune for our next adventure in Part 2.<br />
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<br />Dragonflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09876097856704235841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741022443983116782.post-37657591185183563722017-03-31T22:15:00.000+08:002017-03-31T22:15:03.637+08:00Blossom<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#356</td></tr>
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How nice if I can fly to Taiwan or Japan to view the cherry blossom! It will be a wishful thing at the moment now. Being a full time mum means I only get my holidays the same time as my schooling kid which will only start at the end of May. By that time, the season is over. <br />
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This bento just resonates my sentiments.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
Baked salmon flakes on top of the rice<br />
Boiled carrot flower<br />
Tamagoyaki<br />
Japanese cucumber<br />
Edamame<br />
Green grapes<br />
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My boy has requested for a packed lunch as two of his favourite food stalls in his school has closed. That day, mommy waited patiently at the same school gate hoping to pass the lunch box to him. But he did not turn up because silly boy has forgotten about it after school despite being reminded in the morning. Well, it still ended up in his tummy as dinner later ;)<br />
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<br />Dragonflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09876097856704235841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741022443983116782.post-66814908082779997162017-02-11T11:04:00.000+08:002017-02-11T11:04:11.146+08:00Mandarin oranges<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#355</td></tr>
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Ingredients:</div>
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Salmon rice (onigiri)</div>
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Broccoli</div>
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Carrot</div>
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Steamed Gyoza</div>
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Tamagoyaki (with spring onion)</div>
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Steamed Pumpkin (placed bottom of Gyoza)</div>
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It was a luxury nowadays if I ever made a bento for him. And he still loves it. The salmon onigiri was supposed to shape like a pair of mandarin oranges but looked odd. I should have used tomato sauce instead for a deeper colour. It was mandatory in our Chinese culture to bring a couple of mandarin oranges for house to house visit. </div>
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My boy drew a family portrait using Chinese New Year as the theme. His inspiration came from his experience with the sight and sound of firecrackers and fireworks in Malaysia. Amazingly, he even concluded that Mummy has a round face and Papa got an inverted triangle face. As for himself, how about making a guess? Other details he sketched like Papa was holding ancient Chinese gold nuggets, Mummy with the mandarin oranges and the boy has a handful of red packets. Absolutely adore this picture ! <br />
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We wish everyone 恭喜发财 Gong Xi Fa Cai and a prosperous year!<br />
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<br />Dragonflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09876097856704235841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741022443983116782.post-86900735664286642362017-02-08T10:07:00.000+08:002017-02-08T10:07:06.770+08:00Wordless Wednesday<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#354</td></tr>
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Ingredients:</div>
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Chicken balls</div>
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Broccoli</div>
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Carrot</div>
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Cherry tomato</div>
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Pumpkin soup</div>
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Dragonflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09876097856704235841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741022443983116782.post-46808368274527285972017-02-04T16:01:00.000+08:002017-02-04T16:07:03.280+08:00A Roo-nar New Year 2017We flew back to Malaysia last Friday for reunion and Chinese New Year celebrations over the weekends from 27th to 30th January 2017. Although it was short trip, we were excited especially my boy because we would be staying at his 3rd Uncle's house and he was expecting fireworks and fire crackers to play in Papa's hometown. He missed it last year 2017 because we put up in Eastin hotel, Penang and my boy was quite disappointed. Like a eager beaver, he was looking forward to Malaysia trip. Nothing beats the feeling of being back at 'home'. <br />
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For the first time, my P3 boy would skip the celebration in his school because the eve of Chinese New Year happened to be on a Friday which means children supposed to go to school. And he was more than happier not to attend school. Yeah, he began to feel the pressure from loads of homework given daily and has not been able to enjoy schooling since. On top of which, he has to go for extra badminton training twice a week because he was selected for the school team. By the time, he finished his training, reached home and cleaned up, he was dog-tired and would head straight for an hour of nap. There was a day, he only managed to complete his Chinese composition close to 11pm. It was way way past his normal bedtime which I set at 9.30pm. I am not sure if he could persevere. In spite of the tiredness, he is pretty firm on his decision to be part of the school team. I hope he could cope better in the later part of the school term.<br />
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Since he started his primary school, it was a tradition to bring lanterns that made from Angbo paper (red packets) to decorate his classroom during the festive season. We made two ancient coin lantern. It looked like a numeric 8 which symbolised wealth and lucky number in our Chinese culture. We upcycle last year's lantern and decked it out in our living room. Since it was the year of Rooster according to Chinese Zodiac, it became a yearly affair that we bought a pair of fowls (picture) to welcome the new year!<br />
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I baked some pineapple tarts this year using receipe from the Noobcook together with my son. It was my first attempt. The tarts were crumbly and buttery, almost biscuit like instead of the melt-in-your-mouth type. Also, I did not prepare the pineapple paste. Instead I bought the premium from Bake King which it did not taste so sweet but lacked the 'oomph'. The overall taste was not bad but pale in comparision with those really good home baked pineapple tarts which they cooked their own pineapple paste from scratch. My boy, the Mr Nice Guy, however, thought that mine was nice and even commented "I prefer Mummy's pineapple tarts.". It warmed my heart but I knew he was not telling the truth. <b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />
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<br />Dragonflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09876097856704235841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741022443983116782.post-44781651728924433442016-08-17T23:26:00.000+08:002016-08-17T23:26:12.181+08:00Wordless Wednesday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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What he's up to?</div>
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He's crazy over his new squeaky toy</div>
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that stuck underneath the sofa not once but many times.</div>
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Doesn't it look like "magic carp"?</div>
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Oh, the Pokémon Go craze that got everyone playing!</div>
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So is this furry one!</div>
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And he totally goes bonkers!</div>
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Only in a different ball game.</div>
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<br />Dragonflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09876097856704235841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741022443983116782.post-2212419150274371282016-07-31T14:09:00.000+08:002016-08-12T14:24:02.943+08:00An unforgettable Langkawi and Penang trip (15 to 25 June 2016)The weakened Malaysia Ringgit has led us to another vacation in Langkawi and Penang, during the school holiday in June 2016. The other reason we were back was to offer prayers to our late Ah Ma whom passed away two years ago. This trip was the longest we ever spent there over the Ramadan period (Muslim fasting month). <br />
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This is not the regular chronological itinerary based post. Rather, it focused on our experiences that I wish to pen down.<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Maiden visit to Tanjung Rhu, Langkawi</span></strong> <br />
We have heard about Langkawi for its beautiful beaches and wanted to go so badly. But not for Papa who had visited the island with his friend, Joseph, many years ago and thus, he was not keen. However, I suggested to include Langkawi in our itinerary considering the little one wanted to play sand and swim. We stayed at Tanjong Rhu resort which lives up to its name for its private, peaceful and beautiful beach despite hotel room was dated and seawater was murky due to broken shells and debris afloat. Low season and coupled with some hotel rooms under renovation somewhat contributed to the quietness and serene environment. And the kids' club was closed too. We missed the sand bar whereby by on low tide, you could actually walk across to the other island.<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Sightings and dining experience in Langkawi</span></strong><br />
With relatives staying Penang, we were usually chauffeured around or borrowed a car from them. For the first time, we hired a car for food and sightseeing in Langkwai. Another reason was Tanjong Rhu was pretty far away from the town and major tourist spots. With our own transport zipping around the island freely, there were plenty of things to do and see and here were the highlights.<br />
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<li>The panorama view from the Machincang mountain which we took a cable car ride to its peak was magnificient. It was a spoiler that the skybridge was closed early due to fasting month. </li>
<li>Langkawi is duty free shopping haven for its liquor, chocolates, cigarettes, cookware...etc Kuah town has the most extensive selection and competitive prices. I was pleasantly surprised that a glass of fresh fruit juice was priced the same as a glass of alcohol drink in one of the restaurant.</li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cable car ride to Mount Machincang</td></tr>
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<li>Having awarded the UNESCO Geo Park status in 2007, it was definitely a must visit to the Geo Park. We booked Kilim Geo park Mangrove cruise with JungleWalla because of its close proximity to our hotel at Tanjong Rhu. However, our guide did not turn up at the hotel to pick up us due to some miscommunication. Eventually, they honoured and came in the late morning. Due to the last minute arrangement, we had the whole boat to ourselves and truly enjoyed the 4 hours boat ride. Sighted blue collar kingfisher, pitta snake, mudskippers, coloured mud crabs, brahminy kites, white bellied eagle and macaque monkeys. It also included exploration of a bat cave, a stopover at a fish farm and lastly, ended a cruise in Andaman sea despite it began to rain. The tour was educational, informative and interesting.</li>
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<li>We had a wonderful dinner at The Pia's The Padi, overlooking the lush green padi field with sunset at the background</li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner at The Pia's The Padi</td></tr>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">High Speed Ferry from Langkawi to Penang</span></strong><br />
We took a high speed ferry from Langkawi jetty terminal to Penang (no porter, we carried our luggages onto the ferry). I thought that I would get seasick or even worse, vomit in case of choppy ride because we read some reviews had warned that it felt like 'hell' and most uncomfortable during the 3 hours ride. The journey unexpectedly turned out to be a smooth ride, accompanied by movie 'Ant Man' being showed in a tiny TV as we were seated right in front of it. The weather was kind to us and we arrived safely in Penang. <br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">2 star hotel in Georgetown Penang</span></strong><br />
We had never stayed in a hotel with rating lower than 4 stars in Malaysia. This trip, however, we took the plunge in view of the excellent reviews of B Street Hotel located at the World Heritage Site, Georgetown. A refurbished hotel from old shophouse along Beach Street or Lebuh Pantai. It was clean, stylish and modern, exceeded our expectation. The room was really small in size which reminded me of the our hotel room in Shinjuku Tokyo. But it did not matter because the Delux Quadruple Room we booked has two queen size bed which was comfortable for a good night sleep. The hotel also offered simple Mama style breakfast with store bought white bread, cereals, small cake roll, hardboiled eggs, banana, biscuits, coffee and tea would sure to fill your tummy if you were not too choosy. <br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Clan Jetties (also known as Weld Quay Jetties)</span></strong></div>
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The other reason we chose B Street hotel was because the clan jetties was just a stone away. Each Jetty was named after a Chinese surnames likes Lim, Chew, Tan, Lee...etc. Chew Clan is the largest and famous surname. Houses were built on stilt. A TVB Cantonese drama - OUTBOUND LOVE / 單戀雙城 was previously filmed there. The show somewhat left a deep impression that led us to explore Chew jetty and the rest.</div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Tummy trouble with street food</span></strong></div>
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Penang was a foodie paradise. Papa missed the street food so much that we spent the next 5 days feasting with all kinds of it. That was his plan for this trip. My son was enjoying eating too without much consideration of the hygiene. Tummy trouble hit him on second day but bearable. On the third day, it got worse! Severe stomach pain and diarrhea. We were not prepared because he has never had any problem for all the Malaysia trips. But it has proven too much for his guts. What did he eat? Ice popsicles, gelato, chendol, fried kway teow, fried lor bak, duck/pork innards kway chap, Gingko barley fuzhu dessert, all in one fine day! We took him to Singapore clinic and were prescribed with charcoal capsules and anti-spasm pills. That started his nightmare. He was unable to swallow the whole of charcoal capsules because he was not trained to do so as our doctors in Singapore gave liquid form medicine for children. He teared and chewed it bitterly with a lots of cajoling from the nurses who brought him sweets and Holicks (malted milk beverage) for him. Back in the hotel room, I also bought a loaf of white bread to go with his medicine. Luckily, he recovered well. As for Papa, a happy belly of course! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stomach ache and diarrhea</td></tr>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Home Sweet Home</span></strong><br />
10 days holiday in Malaysia from 15 to 25 June 2016 ended with a beautiful sunset from the airplane as we about to descend at Singapore Changi Airport. <br />
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Dragonflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09876097856704235841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741022443983116782.post-36382001012328524822016-07-21T15:19:00.000+08:002016-07-21T15:20:56.258+08:00Pokemon - Pikachu<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"># 353</td></tr>
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First, we have a pop up Pokémon café at Bugis Junction that created a bee line when it first opened. People were in queue for hours just to have a meal in the café. We went down but decided to give it a miss. So much craze over the pop up café which would only be here in Singapore until the end of July. Now, the 'Pokémon Go' augmented reality mobile game is taking the world by storm. Although it has not been released to Asia yet, Papa has already introduced the new game to my boy. Both were totally excited about it!<br />
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Therefore, I presented here a Pikachu bento which cut out from an egg sheet, imitated crab stick, cheese and seaweed. The pokeball was flavoured with ketchup to create the red hue. On the side, there were baked salmon fillet, stir fried dou miao (pea shoot), cheery tomatoes and Japanese cucumber. I have forgotten to outline his lips and nose. Hence, I touched up his face in my laptop :P Yeah, it has been a long time I have not created a karaben and this Pikachu has taken up a fair amount of time. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before touch up</td></tr>
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Whilst the boys are looking forward to play Pokémon Go, Papa has already started his PS4 game - 'Guns Up' that annoys me the most. He is so engrossed that he can play everyday clocking more than 8 hours/day. My son, of course, cannot resist it but dare not ask to play. He merely watches Papa playing game and talks about the strategies. He has already complained that it is not fair that Papa can play everyday and he is only limited once a week. I am not against it but one cannot be too obsessed over such games to the extent that weekends are burnt and no family outing. It just happened last weekend; Saturday was game time for the whole of afternoon and Sunday, I dragged my son out of the house to the Science Festival at Vivocity to stop him from playing any more games and Papa did not join us. He was glued to the TV! Seeing his father playing games in the living room, he will ran back and forth to find out the outcome/stages of the game while doing his school homework/revision. His mind is in the game! For now, Papa insists and stubbornly declares that he will continue to play :( I hope my boy knows how to control his temptation and stick to his normal routine instead of being slave to the games.<br />
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<br />Dragonflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09876097856704235841noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3741022443983116782.post-6374542586927779972016-07-07T13:07:00.001+08:002016-07-07T13:07:20.206+08:00A surprise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Just before the June holiday, my son wrote a piece of Chinese composition and mailed it to the Thumbs Up Junior 小拇指 magazine and the article was selected and published! <br />
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My son came home exceptionally overjoyed that day. He did not tell me straight away about the publication. Instead, he asked me to close my eyes first and said that he had a surprise for me. When I gently opened my eyes as instructed, he proudly showed me his composition, grinning ear to ear, and said "Mama, look! That's my composition!". "Oh my god! Good job! That's very encouraging." I praised my son. I could not believe my eyes and kept repeatedly saying "Oh my god!" Reason being, he was not fluent in Mandarin and writing a Chinese composition was a daunting task. That particular day, he was in good mood. So I suggested to write a Chinese composition and encouraged him to send to Thumbs Up Junior publication. I also sat down with him and taught him how to write the mailing address. And he did including posting the letter himself. Little did I know that the editor would pick his composition to publish because his piece was really simple and pale in comparison with others. I felt like a proud Mama and he was elated too! Then he continued to narrate how his classmate, Rachel discovered his composition and later brought it up to the attention of his Chinese teacher, Lin Lao Shi. The latter then announced to all the students about my boy's composition being published. One classmate came forward to congratulate and hug him with encouraging words <a href="https://chinese.yabla.com/chinese-english-pinyin-dictionary.php?define=掌"><span style="color: #333333;">掌</span></a><a href="https://chinese.yabla.com/chinese-english-pinyin-dictionary.php?define=声"><span style="color: #333333;">声</span></a>鼓励鼓励! Another criticised the tiger he drew was ugly. Well, he was not affected by the unkind words. He was over the moon! :D<br />
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I hope this feel good experience would boost his confidence in Chinese writing. 加油!<br />
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<br />Dragonflyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09876097856704235841noreply@blogger.com0