Dawn's Blog: 2012

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

London ~ Paris Fun

Hubby went to London to attend a seminar or conference? Anyway, I just tag along:) There's no one to take care of Mei, as i couldn't leave her with grandma for 1 whole week (she'll be so sad!!) so we brought her along....

We couldn't bring the boys, as they have school... Luckily the boys have grown up and they can stay at home... i was rather guilty about it, but instead, the boys seemed quite happy to be "home alone!"

I can feel that if given a choice, they would like to come along as well, but staying at home wasn't too bad as well... Glad that the boys are understanding enough:) :)

In the lobby of the London Hotel... we were so tired due to jet-lag and also due to we just went for a holiday in Japan...

The 2 trips were too close and actually i wasn't able to enjoy this trip... which was a waste...

On my way with just Mei Mei to London OUtlet:)
i have to take a tube and then a train and then a bus to get to the outlet... Its rather convenient, but i have to travel with Mei Mei in her 8kg pram, so it makes me so tired...

I have to carry the pram up and down the stairs, but the people there are rather nice, so most of the time, there are nice people who would offer to help me with it...

One of the bad thing about bringing kids to London... Most of the restaurants sell only bread, biscuits or muffins!?!?

Poor Mei's lunch for that day is only the gingerbread man (2 mouthfuls as she said its spicy, maybe due to the ginger...) and croissant.

Mei Mei is happiest in Hyde Park... we went there early morning after daddy goes to work. Its cooling and mostly importantly, its not Crowded!!

I realize that Mei gets frustrated in over-crowded shopping malls.. i think she is scared...

i saw porridge in the menu, and super happily, i ordered!! to my dismay, its just cereal with honey and fruits. the taste was rather nice, but Mei don't like.. Still i force her to eat some:)

Mei said she wanted egg, and i saw the the set of bread comes with 2 eggs, so i ordered... actually i was quite full already as we just had breakfast an hour ago and i had to eat her share.. Luckily, she ate both eggs:) :)

Super crowded place.. just outside Buckingham Palace... Ok, its a Must Come Place, so i come, take a picture and I left... So crowded! haha....

Mei's Lunch.. Bread again!!!! Arrgh....

My colleague Maggie (thank you, thank you, thank you) told me that Disney products are cheaper in London than in Paris, so i brought Mei here and bought her clothes, a princess and a water bottle... She get to enjoy a show in the shop and played with some toys.. Mei is now a happy princess!

Regent Park... Mei likes to go to parks, so i brought her here... but she fell asleep!!! so i just briskly walk around and left...

i took this picture myself:) Nice lei:)

Thought that shop looks antique, so got Mei to pose and Click!

Tea break, its a very hot day....

Maybe due to the hot weather, Mei was very grouchy, until she saw this ship...

Tower Bridge...

Ha! i saw spaghetti in the menu, and wow, i am so so so happy! I was quite disappointed that the Aglio Olio spaghetti is JUST SPAGHETTI, and there was no other ingredients.. its even tasteless, and i had to add salt and pepper...

For me, i just had beer.. yes, in the afternoon!

After the late lunch, i let Mei played with the water just outside the cafe...

We then met up with daddy, and catch a bus to Big Ben... i didn't expect the building to be so so so beautiful...

Initially i was still hesitating if we should go, as i was so tired then... but upon reaching there, wow, i am glad that i came and was there! its so beautiful!

We finally reached Paris!
I loved the food in Paris:) Mei can have Spaghetti, pasta, pizza...

This restaurant has very nice food:) We came at least twice during our 4 days stay...

2nd time in the nice restaurant... Nice food and beer again...

In Galeries Lafayette... super super crowded place, as its Paris Sale when we were there...

In the fun fair... Mei's the happiest among the 3 of us!

Mei Mei was feeling lonely after a couple of days without her brothers around... She is beginning to miss them, esp. Brice.... So when she won this toy from the fair, it became her virtual friend! She bathed, played and talked to her friend - Ted! This is what she will not do at home!

On our way back to the Hotel, Mei had fallen asleep, so we had a bottle a wine on the way back...

Wine was really cheap in Paris and its pink!

Very old Paris styled restaurant just opp the hotel that we stayed in... Nice food and we are having breakfast, heavy breakfast! haha...

I seldom drink Espresso, but the Espresso in Paris is so nice!

Pont Alexander III

Self made ice-cream selling @ Pont Alexander III... Hubby said its nice!

Effiel Tower!

haha... i told myself that i must drink beer at Effiel Tower... Not many people will have a chance to do that, so i told myself that i must give it a try!!

Erm... nothing special, cos we're not in a cafe and just take away... haha...

Again, we chanced upon this merry go round just opp the effiel tower... Must try!

Nice and simple cake shop just around the corner...

Famed Parisian teahouse Ladurée- i came specially for it:)

Pretty cakes and macrons, but i find it too sweet and very pricey...
i prefer the simple cake shop (above)...
Perhaps its too famous, no pictures allowed! Hmp...

Last Nite in Paris.. This restaurant is cheap and food is tasty!

That simple plate of chicken is very tasty and we almost ordered a second plate, but considering the slow service, we decided not to....

Monday, September 17, 2012

Kayden and Brice

While i must admit that my boys are not the best academically, they are consider rather well-behaved in some ways...

Kayden has improved his bad-temper alot this year, after much nagging from me and after i brought him to praying sessions weekly... Some people may think that i am superstitious, but who cares what people say, as long as i can help my own kid:) Perhaps due to he is not in a very good school, his school work (in terms of marks) has improved alot and he is catching up very well... his self-esteem is also picking up and i am glad that i have made the right choice.

Brice has also improved slightly in his school work (his results dropped tremendously last year and he dropped from the better class to one of the lousiest class for some unknown reasons:(... )
and although his current improvement is slow, i am proud and happy that he has slowly improved in his own pace... i believe that he is also saddened by the sudden drop.... but i think this is also partly caused by our over-confidence... I used to spend more time on Kayden as Brice has always been very good and can study independently...

I brought him to the praying sessions once a while and he seems to be more back to his ownself now...
he has slimmed down now and become better in sports. He used to be very good in sports and had joined many competitions, but since he had grown fat suddenly last year, he dropped out from the competitions. i am glad that he has lost weight now... Can tell that he is very happy about it too:)

Jiayou boys! Mummy is happy with your progress this year and am glad that you boys have made improvements at your very own pace...

Hokkaido Trip (June 2012)

Our trip to Hokkaido was very relaxing and fun and not tiring:) We do not have to wake up at 5 or 6 am every morning, and the food was wonderful, fresh and very tasty....
Everything was just perfect, with minimum hiccups (high expenses)... And i can't wait to go back there again!
And to add, even my dad, super stay at home man, is also very happy during the trip and even had 2 bowls of rice at times!