No school

Kiddos are on another unscheduled break from school.  First it was 2 weeks off due to the high cases around the school.  Then came the current Selangor CMCO (Conditional Movement Control Order) so add another 2 days.  Will see how things go once this CMCO ends.  For now, it's back to online classroom learning.

On the one hand, worried also if they have to go to school when cases are high.  It would be impossible to really follow SOPs with such a large group of children.  Also, SOPs also don't guarantee the virus won't spread.

On the other hand, online learning is definitely not as effective.  SE especially finds it very difficult to follow lessons.  At least this round the restrictions aren't so tight.  And we are parking ourselves in our apartment for CMCO, close to my parents who can help with the lessons in Chinese.

Nvm, I play a game first

Ah Mah's birthday 2020

Ah Mah's birthday this year fell in middle of Selangor's CMCO.  Well when you can't go to the food, the food must come to you!  We ordered in steamboat and satay.

Satay is always a popular choice in my family.  And there was plenty of food for the steamboat.  Just like the previous time I ordered, there was enough for another dinner the next day!  The sukiyaki soup option was too sugar-sweet though.    

Bro and sis stuffing face while birthday girl working to pour out satay sauce

The kiddos fared better with their tomato soup option.

Kiddos happily eating

Sis' cake turned out well this time.   

Happy birthday to Ah Mah!

OOTD

Took an 'outfit of the day' photo of the 10-year old.  Kids grow up so fast.... JE has been with me a decade already.  Wow.

Do you like my outfit?

Making Pizza

Finally made pizza after the kids requested multiple times.  The recipe I have requires the dough to be refrigerated overnight so this requires advance planning.  Also slowly accumulated the ingredients.  I bought mozzarella from a supermarket only to find it lots cheaper in a baking supplies shop.

The kids are fussy - don't want pineapple, onion, pepper or garlic.  This time we didn't have broccoli to add colour.  And don't know why couldn't roll decent shapes this time! 

I will only put in things I like

I am making a face pizza 

No pizzas were burnt in the baking (like I did the last time with SE's and she kept reminding me!).  The kids had fun and we had a perfectly edible lunch. :)

Check out the cheese!

Visiting Mole

Since the first time she saw this creature in Toys R Us, SE keeps on visiting it.  She looks for its 'relatives' too.

One! This is a relative of Mole

Two! Big and small

Three! All black and white

Four! Got a grey one

Five! It's a whole family!

This time the original black one was nowhere to be found.  Sold finally?  Or just somewhere around the store still.  I don't think this toy would be popular - it's ugly and expensive.  Well... still to be seen whether SE finally gets it.  She hasn't claimed anything yet for her birthday back in May.  (JE in the meantime has been eyeing all sorts of things)

Mooncake festival

A little belated as I have been busy.  This year's lantern festival coincided with our weekly family dinner so we had been planning for the kids to bring lanterns for an after-dinner walk around the neighbourhood.  The moon was already round and bright since a couple of nights before.  Come the actual day though, it rained cats and dogs, morning and night!  What to do...

First my mother's yummy popiah for dinner.

Popiah, yayy!

Fired up the lanterns anyway.  Walking around the porch is better than nothing!  

Happy mooncake festival!

That weekend we hosted the celebration at our house for hubby's side of the family.  For lunch we had...

Steamboat!

Braised food and a big bowl of lala...

Which was cooked with Chinese wine, ginger, garlic

As was usual it was also non-stop for snacks and alcohol.  And this being hubby's family, they stayed on till dinner (and beyond).

Dinner: Fried chicken, salmon curry, veg, tofu, prawns with rice

 A festival full of food indeed!

Now you see her

Here is SE diligently doing homework.  

Write erase write erase

After a few minutes...

Taking a short break

 

The total break time will end up way more than actual work time.  Needless to say, she has to spend a lot of time on homework.