NH Sec 3 Camp

Nana had been so excited about the camp. She finally got down to packing on Sunday evening. With Popo's instructions, she ended up with many, many plastic bags, like every other shirt/ short is in a plastic bag. I had thought that she is independent enough but apparently not. 

Of course I had to help her. I cannot tahan seeing my daughter going to a school camp with so many plastic bags. We managed to squeeze everything into a big haversack and a backpack (for day activities). If I hadn't helped, I wouldn't be surprised if she ended up with multiple bags too. 

I don't know how she managed to lug the 2 bags to school but she did and claimed that it is the norm (for multiple bags) for school camps. She said that she had seen worse in her seniors previously. Then it was peace and quiet for 3 days. 

It wasn't a big deal for us. Nana is no stranger to sleepover but the parent Sec 3 chat was buzzing non-stop. Having their kid away may be a rare occurrence for some and thus the outpour of anxieties, curiosity and excitement. Then, there are "paparazzis" and "mamarazis" in the chat and there was 1st night update in the chat.

Day 2 morning updates too. 

Night 2 was the campfire and we got more updates. I have no idea how do these resourceful parents get these pictures. 

The final morning. 

Nana is a sucker for such camps. I had imagined her rumbling non-stop once home about how much fun the camp was. 

She was home after lunch. I was right about the fun part but she was exhausted and didn't know where to start in relating the amount of fun. It was way too much. It is OK, I already got the updates from the parents chat. I was also young once and did such camps too. I know. Hoho. 

This morning, I asked if she had a good night sleep on her precious bed. Confirm. No more squeezing with your mates on hard floor (with sleeping bag) and aircon! Lol. 

Mummy Lim

SST Badge Day - This Is Our Call, We Rise Above All

Yday marked the end of Zaky's week long orientation. He came home exhausted on the 1st day and complained that he walked so much. Day 2 was better and he was able to demonstrate the cheer he learnt. On Thursday, he said that it was badge ceremony rehearsal day and it was so boring. Nevertheless, there were games and plenty of cheering and was losing his voice. 

It was fun. He likes SST. Yay!

So what is this Badge Ceremony? 

I figured out that it is the "school badge" presentation day. I do like their school motto. Parents were invited. 

I managed to make it out of the house at about 5pm. Then, I missed bus 185 again. I was barely at the bus stop, at about 5.15pm when Zaky called to ask where I was. He said that most of his classmates' parents had arrived. Wah, they early my fault wor. The invite stated 5.30pm. But I was late of course, arriving at about 6pm. I wasn't the latest. 

Zaky was anxiously waiting for my arrival. I felt so important. Then he nicely collected and served me dinner. We were served bento set in the classroom. While I rushed my dinner, he told me about the CCA fair in the afternoon and that he had indicated his interest for basketbal. He finally met J (Nana's skating mate). J is also the basketball captain. He also pointed out who are the ones whom he usually hung out with, including J (another J), who is also his group mate during the Round 2 selection. 

The parents were invited to the MPSH shortly (not that shortly but bcos I was late). I had to ask Zaky to help me with the bento dinner. The MPSH got aircon! It was such a hot day. 

The Badge Ceremony started with opening speeches. Then the teachers and students marched in class by class. 

Then funny pictures from the camp. It is either the photographer likes Zaky's class or there are too few classes, Zaky made it onto the big screen several times. That's my boy!

As suspected, the students went up the stage one by one to collect the school badge. Zzzz. The whole presentation took about 1 hour. No wonder Zaky complained about the rehearsal being boring. I felt him. Most of the parents were switched off and on their gadget, paying attention only when it was their kid's turn. I was like that and it was a long wait for Zaky, bcos he was in the last class. 

Fortunately the cohort is only about 200 people else 1 hour wouldn't be enough. Each class consists of about 5 to 8 girls out of about 20ish students, which I heard is an improvement already from previous years. 

I luckily brought my laptop and got some work done while waiting. 

Zaky's class received thunderous applause. Not that his class is that popular but we were all glad that the ceremony was over. Lol. The ceremony ended with the school anthem, which I thought was meaningful. I like. 

This is the badge that is so hard earned. 

Daddy Lim and Nana came to pick us up, showed us 2 pictures and asked us to find them. Escape Room ah? 

We found them and celebrated the night with ice cream at Sunset Way. It was my treat to Zaky for accomplishing the mission of making new friends and have recess/ lunch with his new friends. Wasn't too tough a mission apparently. 

I think we made the right choice with SST. While there is no principal talk to tell us how strong SST is academically like what I heard when Nana got into NH, the impressive orientation camp implied that they are "there". I think Zaky will have a lot of fun in SST and I hope that he enjoys SST as much as Nana with NH. Secondary school years are the best years in my opinion. I made friends who stayed with me to date. Can't ask for more from my secondary school years.

Mummy Lim

1st Days of School

I had such contrasting responses from the kids about school reopening. Nana had been excited and looking forward to school reopening while Zaky had been whinning non-stop. I had thought that it should be the opposite since it is a new adventure for Zaky. Apparently not. 

On the last of the school holidays, we made sure that the bags were packed and logistics settled. After dinner and desserts at JP, we headed home for an early night. 

The kids were rushed to bed at 9ish and we started our routine morning rush on the 1st day of school. Zaky commented that it wasn't as bad as he expected to wake up early again. Hmm.. maybe he should assess again at the end of the week. Lol. 

It is the orientation week for Zaky and he gets to report in his PE attire. Like I say, any bigger (in size) and it would be a dress. I don't remember buying such a big size for him actually. Lol. Let's NOT hope that he would grow into them. I would gladly spend and buy a smaller size next year if need be. 

Of course the hair braiding resumes. 2 years done, 2 more years to go. I know, my skills didn't seem to improve much after 2 years. I don't care. Hoho. 

Nana had to perform her council duties and everybody was ready to leave at 6.25am. I had to ask repeatedly for a customary 1st day school picture. 

Nana exclaimed, "it is his shoes!". 

I think it is a "reason" that she can only use for a couple of months more. 

The kids decided to take the train to Clementi together and then different buses to school. Zaky managed his 1st independent journey well, whatsapping us that he has reached school but then telling us that he got lost in school for a while. Lol. The house was very quiet for the rest of the day. The workday was fairly peaceful as well before workload starts picking up. 

Zaky didn't come back until 5ish. He would have long days this orientation week. When Nana was in Sec 1, she came home and so excitedly shared about her orientation - the games, the cheering, the dances... Zaky simply told me how tired he was, that he walked over 13,000 steps, then lamented about the long week ahead. He said that there were games, but he "doesn't remember" what they were. Win le. What he can tell me is how expensive food in SST is. I had to dig information from him on other events of the day and he was happy to go to his games after dinner. 

Nana came home later and went on excitedly about how her day went. Her duties, her new classmates, her netball training and most of all, on and on about the upcoming Sec 3 3D2N school camp. Hmm.. who just started secondary school? So funny. 

God had placed the kids in good schools and is taking good care of them. A wonderful start of the new year!

Mummy Lim

Last Weekend of 2022

Popo went for cruise! Woohoo! She was sailing with my brother's family and my SIL's extended family on the World Resort cruise. Why was I not at all jealous but beaming at the thought of the weekend freedom? FREEDOM! The kids were equally excited and started making plans. Popo needs to go more cruises. It is for everybody's good. I have been very encouraging. 

The 1st program for the long weekend was to JBP. I remembered those days where we signed up as members and would bring the kid(s) in stroller to the BP on weekend morning bcos it is literally a stone throw away. JBP is moving and there is a promotion - $10/ pax. Grab!

We didn't stay long, about 3 hours. Luckily the tickets are at $10 a piece or I would make the kids stay the entire day. Lol. We caught both shows, making our money worth. 

We had to leave after the 2nd show bcos Nana had program in the afternoon and Zaky was just tired.. like any other days. Zzzzz. 

Popo left at about 3pm and Zaky had his friend, B, over for sleepover. The timing was perfect, Popo left and soon after, B appeared. We are well trained. 

Bcos Popo wasn't home, Mochi spent alot of time outside of his cage and terrorising Puffy. 

Then picking whichever spots to nap. Good life. 

Mochi also got to sleep outside his cage for the night, his very 1st. Puffy was moved to the kitchen in case we wake up to a dead hamster. I woke up at 3am for the last RI of CY 22 and found Mochi chilling in the balcony. Nice.. he also didn't break anything or meow the night away. Good kitty.

Oh yes, I did the last 2022 RI with the WWF. The weather forecast said that it would be windy and cool. Then it started drizzling when I left the house at 3.40am, which turned to a light shower. T.T why like that? 

We decided to meet nevertheless and fortunately it lightened to a drizzle again. We rolled off on wet roads and it drizzled for a long time. We decided to go anti-clockwise to escape the rain, my 1st ever anti-clockeise RI. 

The drizzle didn't really stop and up to ECP, I cannot tell if it was the rain or the water splashing from the road. It didn't matter anymore. 

The returning leg was tiring bcos there were too many traffic lights and thus too many stopping and starting. We took turns to pull; whoever that still had energy to do so. I started to 怀疑人生 in Woodlands and it didn't help that Woodlands is like so huge when one is tired and we never seem to get out of it. 

Finally, completed! My longest RI!

Daddy Lim brought all the kids to ECP skatepark. I came home to peace and quiet and a cat. By the time they were home, I had cleaned and lub my bike, cleaned Puffy's cage and Mochi's litter. Accomplishments unlocked! 

I spent the afternoon napping. I cannot. I heard the boys swam and were happy playing games, leaving Daddy Lim and I in search of dinner and to tabao for them. Nana had her friends over in the afternoon. I didn't even see them much. Then she left for a sleepover at her Youth's home. 

Ooo.. I missed Taiwan. 

I don't know what time B left, I was quite wasted and was hiding in the room. Mochi earned another night of sleeping outside of his cage. Did we countdown and with the kopitaim uncles? Of course not lah, only Nana did countdown with her youths. Young people can. Hmm.. the kopitiam uncles also young. 

While we turned in early, sleep was so disturbed. Daddy Lim had a nightmare, I saved his life and woke him. It turned out that I was his nightmare, wearing a white mask and strangling him in his dream. Lol. It was shortly after midnight. Then at 1ish, I was awoken when Daddy Lim yelled "who is that?". Obviously, it was Zaky who went to the toilet and couldn't sleep after that and was loitering at the end of our bed. Zzzz. 

I tucked Zaky back to bed and came back to my own bed at 2ish. Yawn. The next morning, I went bfast with Daddy Lim and again, saw that the happening and "young" kopitiam uncles had an excellent countdown. 

Zaky and I didn't do much for the day, but ensure that we didn't leave evidence of the sleepover before Popo's return. Nana came back in the early afternoon and was beat. Daddy Lim brought the kids to the indoor skatepark for more skating. The highlight of the session must be Daddy Lim and Zaky knocking into each other bcos Zaky was looking only at the camera. 

While Zaky was "bumped off", they both fell and we had a good laugh. Lol. 

Bcos it was New Year's Day, it called for a good dinner. We booked ourselves a table at I'm Kim Korea BBQ, at the very last minute. 

With that, we ended our last weekend of CY2022. May CY2023 will be filled with plenty of love, joy and laughter and be more exciting with traveling back in full force. Hoho. 

Mummy Lim