Doing nothing

I don't want the girls having too much screen time - so iPads are only evenings onwards and TV only afternoon onwards.  JE will do reading, painting, playing.  Luckily she's into the Harry Potter franchise now so the interest is there.  The books are thick and she has a fair way to go before finishing them.  

And SE will just lie down doing absolutely NOTHING.  Staring at the ceiling or like this....

Wait for Jojo to play

She knows how to read but just isn't reading.  So will merely wait for JE to play with her - mainly involving running around and the like.  I'd much prefer she do SOMETHING instead... feels to me like this is a pure waste of time.

OOTD for SE

JE had an OOTD post so this is one for SE.  She generally isn't too fussed about clothes and tends to copy what JE likes.  As the younger child, her clothes are mostly hand-me-downs.  I had gotten her new nice clothes a few times.  BUT most of these went utilised.  Either she said they were 'too nice' (for the pretty dresses) or 'too itchy' or some other reason.  After that it was back to hand-me-downs for the little missy.

JE doesn't want to wear sleeveless things so SE also doesn't.  (Pity, coz it's easier not having to bother whether the sleeves are too short/long/puffed up/tight etc) 

JE wanted only dresses at one point so SE also did.

Now JE has abandoned the preference for dresses in favour of T-shirts and pants/skirts.  So the little one is also into them.  And since this is a "new style" as in JE never had this phase, I'm buying new clothes for both.  (A moment of silence for the unfortunate dresses that SE was supposed to inherit, that will now be unused... hahaha)

My new T and denim shorts

My blanket skirt. Nice? Hehehe

 

Take a break

This is SE doing homework.  Yep that's what she looks like more than half of the time.  Work a few minutes then take a break.  Some more the breaks are longer than the time worked.  End up she is spending practically all her free time on homework.  And sometimes still not being able to finish either.

Take a break first

Still on my break

Aiyo what is this girl doing

I'm still on my break!

Standard 3 already and this girl barely understands Chinese.  Her BM is just as bad if not worse.  Giving it one more year.  If she doesn't somehow pick up, will have to change her to an English medium.  Hubby thinks BM would be comparatively easier.   But I'm thinking she would have already wasted 3 years by then so no time to try if her BM could improve dramatically enough to be functional.

The Mop

I call this look "The Mop".  And no, this isn't the back of her head even if it looks like it.  :)

Hello, my name is Mop

Bubble gum

JE finally got it.  :)  I bought the 'panda' bubble gum I was used to from my childhood, as I remember this as being the easiest to blow bubbles with.  It no long has a 'tattoo' to apply and has shrunk so much in size that even I have some difficulty working it round in my mouth to position it properly.

Tadahhh....

New skill!

Very presentable size, no?

Skill, mastered

SE however has to do it like this....

Like this?

Until my dad said not to buy these anymore for hygiene reasons.  Haha.

JE's birthday 2021

JE is 11!  Good thing MCO has ended and we could dine out.  She chose Morganfield's for lunch.  Birthday girl gets to order a drink (usually have to drink water from home hehe). 

Trying non-alcholic apple mojito

Gosh soon she won't qualify for kids' meals anymore.  This time her mac-n-cheese was salty and strongly-cheesy but she finished it.

Yum!

Then the difficult part, choosing a birthday present. This is an awkward age when she's outgrowing toys.  She has a lot of soft toys already.  We also generally buy her whatever she wants in terms of food, books, clothes.  Didn't find anything good in the whole of Toys r us.

Hmm what shall I choose?

Was 90% failing in Hamley's as well when she found some science-based sets.  Ahh luckily she liked these (and we could go home).  Carted back a safe with an alarm, a lamp and some DIY candles.  Hubby helped with the lamp and the safe - not easy.

 

How to build this Papa?

For her birthday cake she chose this dark chocolate one.  Now she is going for black over colourful, pink or pastel shades. 

My cake! Nice?

Whatever, can still eat the cake.  :)  It's a dense chocolate one, not bad.

Happy birthday to me!

Then on the actual day, went out for dinner with my parents.  This time she chose Syrian food and got to order a drink again - lemon mojito this time.  I decided to try new things:  This big lamb shank I saw earlier and some appetisers - hommous, baba ghanoush (or was it brown foul), falafel, samosa etc.  Verdict:  Although not awful, not so much to my taste.  Next time will just order options like grilled chicken wings, chicken sharwarma and other dishes with rice.

Us, and some food

 She said she had a good birthday.  :)

Strettchh

 The moment they get to my parents' place....

STRETTCCHHH

Ahhh

Not the hardworking nor studious type at the moment, these two.