Back to Badminton

Since we got home to Singapore, we are taking it pretty easy but one of the first things we wanted to get back into was badminton! And this year, Pit has decided to join in too and is doing really, really well. We practise almost every day at the park, wind permitting!

We have also enjoyed some visits with friends and meeting them at the Science Center. Always a good day out with lots of interesting exhibits and an IMAX movie or two. Today we are joining the Geography Club for the first time. The topic is Brazil and all children will prepare a short presentation.

Home schooling in Singapore is definitely lots of fun. We miss Toronto with our family and friends but make the most of our time here too. You have to anywhere you go! We look forward to joining an art club very soon as well.

It is raining very hard while I write this and I am so grateful we don't have to rush out into it! Another joy of home schooling!

Proud of Pit!

We are back into the swing of things in Singers! We got home on Saturday and although very hard hit with jet lag, we managed to make it to badminton today! Actually I think our fun-filled weekend in Dubai really wiped us out what with the Burj Khalifa visit and the all-day water park adventure at Atlantis, the Palm. Great fun!

Our new schedule looks like this;

Math
Spanish
PE
English Language/Literature

We'll be doing a pottery class next week and still enjoy library visits or going to the Times Book store to read instead....like Chapters/Indigo, they don't mind people reading while visiting luckily although they don't sell any F&B.

So why am I so proud of Pit? Well, Pit was apprehensive about going to badminton today and actually playing. Last year, he went but did not want to practise or play with the group. Just on his own and playing with the kids afterwards. But this time he said he might try and then said he would not. I suggested practising in the morning after Spanish and so we went to the park and played a bit. The truth is, he is very good! But he was still unsure so I just told him to relax and see how he felt when he arrived. Well, he got right in there and in the end, was doing wonderful rallies with the instructor, Coach Willy. I am so proud of the little guy!

It was great to catch up with a lot of fun friends even though a few have moved on, moved back and moved away...c'est la vie...the vie of an expat. But let's look at all the silver linings and enjoy! Pit and Frunty sure did just that today!!!

Reading with the McMahons

We met the British McMahon family in Singapore in 2010! Our children went to different local schools and despite being very stretched for time, we managed some fun get togethers: east coast Harry's and coconuts, celebrating the Royal wedding, meeting for coffees to discuss schooling, hiking under the MRT, cake decorating at the mall...just to name a few special moments together. Our karaoke night at Kallang Leisure Center was really hilarious! It was really fun to re-connect with the McMahons in Reading and see how well they are all doing post-Singers.

Chris, Lee, William and Emma- we miss you over there in Singapore but wish you much happiness in your new life back in the UK. Thanks for hosting us and see you next time!

Travelling with Pit!

We like to look at the silver linings. We definitely had a silver lining from the car accident when it came to navigating through the airports from Toronto to Thailand. A painful broken leg is not fun. No one would disagree. However it was fun to ride the many different modes of transportation within the airports in Toronto, Gatwick, Venice and Doha. It was also fun to sail through immigration and not wait in the long line ups! It was also fun to be ungraded to the Hot Seats on Air Asia and be able to start napping right away! Pit- sorry you were in pain for several months. Thanks for finding some fun in your situation though! We also met many very friendly people who were happy to help us! We are very grateful to all of them that helped make our travels easier.

Lots of time with our family and their pets!

Here are some of our favourite photos over the months...and really hard to choose as we took so many! I always share our camera with the boys who take equally amazing shots! (usually of one another, holding a pet!) We really made the most of our time here in Canada from September to January. Thanks so much to Papa for supporting our long adventure and for spending a wonderful month with us in Toronto and in Italy. More photos to come...

See you next time, dear Friends!

In January we had to say "good bye" to our hot tub parties with Brenna and Carys, snowboarding with Kyle, and goofy times with Dondy, who babysat while the Mommy went out for lunch with her girlfriends at a fancy hotel! But we are back again already and looking forward to a seafood bonanza again with the Longstaffs, another hot tub party and climbing the CN Tower with Bella and her kids! And it is still cold and snowy so it is as if we never left!

Here is a photo of Dondy babysitting Frunty and Pit in January. The other night Dondy came over with Sean and we all played Pirate's Cove, our new game, together. Lots of fun!

Our new condo

Our favourite shed in the world! Papa made it for me when Frunty was born and it houses all our treasures and is a great fort for the kids too!

We had an amazing time living on Willow this past winter! It was so fun to be in our own home in our old neighbourhood and to enjoy some snow too! We really made the most of it!

And then we had the exciting joy of living in our new condo for a few days before flying over to meet Papa in Europe. With views of the CN Tower, St. James Cathedral, the St. Lawrence Market and the Flatiron Building, we all felt like we really heat scored on this purchase! Everything fun within walking distance too...a great location and another home in a car-free location! Perfect!

We are now fortunate to stay here an entire month while Papa works nearby and comes home for lunch. The boys are working on their studies beside me. It's a really nice experience.