The Yellow Submarine June 2, 2012

For this season of life I’ve been learning the importance of being a part of people’s lives… Supporting them in what they do… From 8-6 on a regular basis. From going to a friends recital performance… To a friend dj-ing and restaurant gran opening or my roomies Puma trade show…

The importance of supporting and being a part of people’s lives has become a priority in my life.

The hard part for me is to let others be a part of my life… And so I invited a couple of my fav people in shanghai to come to my school’s spring musical.

It was childrens day and a couple of my fav year five students were performing and many of my lil year ones were in the audience with us.

I’m amazed how much love Gd has put in me for my little ones! I’m so proud of them!

PS updating WordPress on iPhone is difficult hah

Happy Children’s Day! June 1, 2012

Ever wish you could go back to neverland…

It’s children’s day, today in china! Do something that makes you feel like a kid again!

The Joys of Being a Queen… November 5, 2011

In my Year 1 (Y1) Class everyday, we focus on phonics sounds,digraphs, blends, onsets & rhymes using chants and motions. It’s proven for English as an Additional Language (EAL) learners, it’s vital to use repetition and motions to learn language.

so every day my 6 year olds stand up get their pretend apples ready and start the chant… (that doesnt want to paste on…

when they get to the Qq letter they see this…

queen

or some sort of card like such.

for the letter Qq, they chant /q/ /q/ /q/ueen… and pretend to put a crown on their head. Recently, my kids instead of just saying “/q/ /q/ /q/ueen…” they say now, /q/ /q/ /q/ueen CHRISTINE. (i did mention it one time… but was completely joking). but Hey it does have a ring to it.

So, it’s Eason’s 6th Birthday this past thursday… (what a cutie!)

and the cutie made his mummy make me this… and said “Miss Christine this is for you!”

Honestly, I saw it and wasnt sure how to respond… Eason’s mum who was standing near eme explains, “it’s a bee.” She continues to tell me the story of what i told you above of how they chant… and she explains further, “So Eason, said that he’s been learning in Science class, that Bee’s make honey. and there’s a Queen Bee that controls all the other honey bee’s. and that Miss Christine is a queen too and so she’s the Queen Bee!”

all this from a 6 year old. Pretty awesome word connection. soo you can call me queen bee. ^__^ or at least thats what Eason calls me now. ^_^

from the photo you cannot tell its handmade soap, olive oil shea butter and lavendar.

fall is here :) October 13, 2011

and because fall is my favorite season… here’s a recipe for us to try.

 

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Ingredients:

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Adjust the oven racks to the upper-and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda,  salt and pumpkin pie spice; set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the egg and beat at medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the pumpkin puree and beat at medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl as needed.
4. Place the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon for rolling in a shallow bowl. Roll a heaping tablespoon of dough into a 1½-inch ball, roll the ball in the sugar mixture, and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the balls about 2 inches apart
5. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, until the edges are set and just beginning to brown but the centers are still soft and puffy, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets about 5 minutes; using a wide metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.

Yields: 4 dozen

Blessed October 10, 2011

From beginning to end, I am blessed.

Back in shanghai after three countries in 6 days! PTL!

Photo shake highlights

The only empty seat on the plane back to Shanghai was next to me! PTL!

Singapura: The Merlion City October 7, 2011

This part of my vacation has been so relaxing and fun. Being able to wake up late, having a chill morning, eating kaya toast, soft boiled egg and teh tarik in the morning… and then just exploring on my own is nice.

The introvertedness of me comes out even when traveling… so the mornings with quality QTs and rest are nice, but its SO great to see good friends like Angela and James. I’m definitely blessed.

Right after I landed, I headed straight to James’ basketball game. It was fun… they won! Here’s Coach Kuang in action.

A couple of weeks ago…. roomie cattie told me that blogs have a theme… and my blog, well.. if you havent noticed, i have an unconcious theme of food.  So im gonna start dedicating my blog entires to the amazing foods i eat.

first night we went to the Esplanade in Marina Sands. The Hawker we went to is called Glutonous Bay, appropriately named. We had Grilled Stingray, Roti, Pineapple Fried Rice, Satay Kong Xin Cai, and I had Calamansi with Plum as well as a Papaya Milk Drink. So good.

The Esplanade/Marina Sands has such a beautiful view and we caught the laser light show.

Next morning, I ventured out to Orchard to get myself some Kaya Toast. Last year, when Andge and I came Hannah taught us the ways of the Singaporeans. and it was definitely JUST as if not EVEN MORE delicious than my memory of it…

I also did some exploring.. and ended up in Chinatown. I swear my Popsicle has brainwashed me to find the Chinatown wherever I go travel… but there’s some nostalgia to that too.

For dinner, we went to Little India. I didnt get to go last year because I remember that we were going to go on a Sunday.. and its not always best to go to Little India on a Sunday afternoon. So we had dinner at The Banana Leaf. It was DELISH. Butter Chicken with Garlic Naan. YES PLEASE!

and we topped it off with ice cream made of soy and chillin’ at james’ place.

Thanks so much to James and Angela!!

Street food in hong kong October 5, 2011

I don’t like seafood. And because of that many say I am not truly cantonese… But I reckon it’s cause I’m a lazy eater… It takes too much effort to pick out bones and crack shells, etc. Not to mention the smellyness of the sea. Lol… But I must say i do enjoy deep fried and bite size things…(not exclusive of each other) Like i can always do fish and chips or fried calamari with lemon and fresh dipping sauce Not to mention canto walnut prawns with mayo sauce which is both deep fried and bite size…. Winner winner chicken dinner also i do like fish balls…and when they’re boiled for days in hk street curry, they become magical.

Sunday afternoon BBQ September 25, 2011

Who woulda thought we’d get to have BBQs in china!

I think I am in like with Brie cheese. Here is my unBRIElievably amazing burger!!

wednesday wonders September 21, 2011

on my bike ride to work today…. i was reminded that i live in china…

a grown man and woman were carrying a squealing pig and put him in a cardboard box and taped it shut… as the pig frantically trying to break out. it was quite a sight and sound for this wednesday morning… all this in front of a Chinese local school.

though i wish i took  a picture, its not really safe to stop in the middle of a bicycle traffic in china…

but it reminded me of this picture:

have a humourously happy hump day.

for jen t. :) September 20, 2011

the term rolling in the benjamins has its competition.

I went to bank of china today… to open up a new account so I can do money exchange and transfer money home easier.

and here i am…

rollin’ in the maozhedongs… ^_^

the amounts of 100rmb bills are crazy.. how pple at the banks wait in lines with their briefcases full of 100bills. CN really needs a larger form of currency. but seems to be working for them