Willpower

We’ve been spending our Sundays making craft with the kids! Saitaoha’s weekly news topic is a craft task, usually with recyclables like egg cartons or boxes, or something from nature. I like it that the school tasks allow us to have fun family activities together, the kids enjoy it a lot and I do too, but I’m not sure about papa since he has to do the heavy lifting haha.

Necklace made out of our seashells from Busselton.

Our seashells windchime, shells were all painted by the girls but R had to drill holes in the shells which took ages. It was worth the effort though, Saitaoha was so proud of her craft as told me her friends said wow when she showed it to them. My shy little girl doesn’t have much confidence so I want her to feel proud of the things that she’s made.

The girls tell a lovely story about the princess and her unicorn friend with this storybox. This was a combined effort of colouring, painting and storytelling by Saitaoha and Saitaomei.

I asked R whether we were going over the top with these craft tasks. He said probably ‘but that’s the kind of people we are’. He didn’t mean that we are competitive parents or show offs, to be honest that’s the last thing on our minds when we were coming up with ideas with the kids. It does mean that we try our best and try to do a good job with what we’re given, that probably applies at work too.

Speaking of work, I received an invite for my own farewell at work today! It came as a surprise as I didn’t know they were planning anything, it should be a small affair which I’m looking forward to. The team at work took the news really well, and were all sad but very supportive. They are a lovely bunch of colleagues, it’s just unfortunate we are put in such a sad work environment. I will be their biggest cheerleader outside of the team I promised them.

Who knows what the future will bring. It’s been an eventful and full on three years, I am looking forward to the next stage of my career.

Jo was hospitalised yesterday with chest pains but thankfully discharged today. Whenever someone in the family is sick or has a medical condition, I’m always full of fear and apprehension. I wonder how I can help, I lament for not helping sooner, I feel helpless at my lack of capability to change the circumstances. As a family, can we all put our minds together to be healthier and have better lifestyle changes ? I’m guilty of it myself and I am not encouraging a healthier lifestyle for my children, I am not setting a good example.

How can I be better ? How can I have stronger willpower to see things through ? 39 should be the year where I change for the better right ?

Swan Valley long weekend

This Saitaomei. She suddenly came up to me all sad and teary and said ‘what happens if you and papa and Gung Gung and Mah Mah all die and are not there? Who will walk with us to school?’ Then she started crying.

I wonder whether I worried about death when I was young. It sure worries me a lot now, I am always worried about my parents’ health, their ailments, I stress about exhausting them with the kids. My ah pa must have sensed my guilt because the other day he told me to stop worrying about the kids troubling them, he said one way of looking at it is ‘我们陪她们长大’ but I should also think of it as ‘她们陪我们老’. 🥲

We celebrated R’s birthday with a staycation at the Swan Valley vines resort. It was more of a celebration for the kids but R and I enjoyed ourselves too. We were pleasantly surprised by the abundance of kangaroos on the golf course especially at dusk, they looked at us with interest but quickly returned to nibbling the grass.

Kids enjoyed playing mini golf a lot, it was a fun activity and especially fun since their cousins joined us.

The golfing cousins

It was too cold to swim in big pool but luckily the jacuzzi was really big so we had a hot tub session in the morning.

The koi were so big! The girls loved the golden koi best and asked me to take a picture of them with the koi.

My little kangaroos

Birthday boy came in third

We stopped by the Swan Settlers market on our way home and it was such a good idea because the market was fun and interesting.

Mee rebus

We had a lovely brunch outdoors where the kids could play at the playground, the Malaysian food was so yummy I packed some home for Ah ma.

Kids walloped the egg cheese and chicken gozleme, it was freshly made and lovely.

Swan valley

It was a lovely long weekend and the moment I got home I started researching for our next holiday. I guess it’s a reflection of how I feel about my work life now, it’s so miserable that I treasure my family life and weekends so much.

I don’t think I’ve ever hated to go to work so much before but I’m glad to say that I’ve finally drawn a line in the sand and said enough is enough. August will be my end day, who knows what the world will bring after August, for now, I’m just looking forward to the light at the end of the tunnel.