The Most Exciting Thing about a New Home

A few years late, but better late than never. We're about to move into our new home and the most exciting part for me has been how I'm going to organise the children's play room. Yup, it's not the kitchen, or even my bedroom, but the kids' personal play area that's got me all excited. Well, okay, I'm also pretty excited about having my own office - finally!

Now I can finally put out all their stuff in organised areas instead of finding little nooks and crannies where I can stash them all away so they don't get underfoot. That's always been a real bane of mine because how can a child truly play with his toys if he can't get them? Or if they're hidden away half the time (out of sight out of mind)?

And now I can start to focus on the programs I've been wanting to do but haven't really had the space for. Like the Music Software I bought so they could start getting an appreciation for music and learning the keyboard. Since I've not had anywhere to put out the keyboard, it means it has to be packed into some back cupboard and taken out when we specifically mean to play it (which usually means never).

I've got loads of Montessori setup ideas, especially a cooking area in the kitchen for my eldest son who loves to cook. I've been flipping through Tim Seldin's book again to get more ideas and I can't wait to start putting things into action.

Is it bad that everything I want these days relates to the kids? Hubby keeps asking me what I want and I cannot name a single thing that doesn't tie in with the kids in some way.

My Little Musician

Every parent dreams of the genius that their child will present. I am no different. Before my son was born, hubby and I joked that he would be a professional golfer. And then it became obvious that anything sport-like was not going to be his forte. After that, I had high hopes that he could be some music prodigy. Until it became obvious that he wasn't really into music.

Then came his brother. Now he loves music. He gravitates to music and he jives to it. He tries to sing to it even before he figured out his words. And it's adorable to listen to him sing to the soundtrack of Rio, the Signing Time songs, and Science is Real. I have high hopes that he will be keen to learn an instrument. After that, who knows? Perhaps we'll be looking at tascam mixers so he can record his own music! Ah well, a mother can dream, can't she?

There is a Heaven Online

I love online shopping. I buy most things online and I'm sure I would buy just about everything online if I could. I remember watching The Net where Sandra Bullock orders her pizza online and thinking to myself how cool it would be if I could order take out online. I thought that would have to be the ultimate. Until I heard this...

The ultimate would have to be online dessert delivery. I could die for this. And it's available. If you live in the US. Bummer for me, but great if that's where you live. Now if only someone around here would come up with this fantastic idea. Or perhaps they could expand their market globally? Wishingful thinking for now but someday I'm sure...

Teaching the Kids Piano

I have always known that music is a great subject for any child to learn, but after further research on the benefits of learning music, I decided it was time to get the boys cracking. Rather than jump straight to music lessons, I thought I would start them with a home progam first. I figured with my own experience in piano and the help of a structured program, I was confident I could teach them at least the basics. Once they were ready to progress further, I could send them for formal lessons.

I bought a program called Piano Wizard which is a computer software program that teaches children to play piano using a midi keyboard. As usual, at the time when I was searching high and low for a midi keyboard, they were elusive at best and quite dear as well. After I bought my keyboard, I now see them available everywhere and only a fraction of the price I paid. How typical...

Anyway, I got started on the program, but my older son was not keen initially. Recently, he started to demonstrate an interest in learning, so perhaps it's time to dust off my keyboard and install the software onto my laptop again...

Beauty Tips for the Ignoramus

I have never been very particular about my appearance. At least, not since I got over the whole insane teenage need to look good which didn't end after the teenage years were over. But I have to admit that while before, I looked kind of cool in a grunge way, I've gone from cool to just unkempt. So perhaps it's time to start doing something about it... Nothing major because I know I could never keep it up - minimalistic.

I think one of the reasons why I have never really liked the idea of putting on make up is that no matter how you do it, it never feels natural. Perhaps it was because I was using the wrong products? Well, for someone who doesn't spend any time at all with makeup except for formal occasions, I suppose it's not surprising that I don't know anything about it.

That's when websites like besteyelashenhancer.net come in really handy. If you can't make your own judgement on what products to use, then get the expert advice on it.

Technological Mobility

As much as I love the iPad, its convenience and compact size, I still find myself returning to a PC to do most of my online work. I guess I just need a real keyboard and the weighted feeling of pressing down keys when I type. I think it also goes without saying that the number of typos I get from typing on the iPad drives me bonkers. So although the iPad is great to have around, I think I would still want something like the Asus Tablet PC for mobility.

With the QWERTY keyboard docking station, the Asus Tablet PC is not unlike those mini-PCs that were popular up until the tablets took over the market. And the availability of a physical keyboard means greater efficiency when working on articles. I find that I cannot type fast enough to keep up with my thoughts when I have to use the iPad keyboard.

Now all I need to be truly mobile is an online hard drive so my files can be with me wherever I go and whatever computer I logon to.

More Random Reflections in the Night

Sometimes I gotta wonder at the sheer genius of thought that goes into some of things that are done here. For instance, why on Earth do we persist with satellite-dish-type tv antennas for our cable TV when we live in a part of the world that is afflicted with a Monsoon season? Whenever it rains, there's no TV. And when it's Monsoon season, it rains a lot so you can imagine the number of irate individuals in a household where TV entertainment is our no. 1 passtime.

Oh yes, don't bother telling me about how it's much healthier to be outside and that we should spend less time in front of the TV because we already know that.

Here I Go A-Wandering As I Wonder

There's a question on my Mom brain that has been bugging me for a while. It's something I noticed back when I was a child growing up in my parents' home and now I've noticed it again. It's going to sound odd but here it is...

If you're a mother, have you noticed that since having a baby your urine odor has changed? I know, strange and weird question, but there it is.

When I was a child, I noticed this distinct smell to my mother's urine. Now that I am a mother, I have noticed the same smell in my urine and I'm wondering what it is. I have never smelt it before now. And no, it's not a urine infection or anything. It isn't altogether unpleasant, but just distinctive. Perhaps it's hormone-related?

Okay, now I'll go back to pondering other such meaningless thoughts in the middle of the night while my children sleep...

A Mother Whining

I have been pondering lately about the things I have given up to be with the children so I could watch them grow - see their first smiles, take their first steps, hear their first words... It has been enormously rewarding, but I won't lie that it has all been a bed of roses because it hasn't. I won't say that I never looked back at my career and wondered where I would be today if I hadn't given it up. And some days I even wish I could just get away from the kids for a while, even if it meant having to wait at the doctor's for an ecg - yes, even that could infinitely be better than the ankle biting I get at home sometimes.

And of course there is the lack of appreciation. No one to pat you on the back for a job well done. Only criticisms whenever your children play up and misbehave. Oh yes, we're always responsible when that happens, but never the other way around - when they're good. And it isn't even that I want to claim credit for the days when they behave like angels. All I'm asking is why I have to be solely responsible for the days when they aren't?

Yes, there are days when I want want to be a child and just whinge and whine about everything, too...

iPlan Your Wedding

In the past, wedding planners were supposed to help you keep on track with your wedding planning details. These days, there are wedding planning apps for that and they won't cost you an arm and a leg either. Some of
the best wedding planning apps are free, while others cost a couple of dollars - a drop in the ocean compared to the other wedding expenses most couples encounter.

Keep track of your guest list, your wedding budget, count down to the big day, checklist of things to do and more. There are even apps that will help you figure out what type of dress would best suit your style and body type; apps that help you add items to your guest registry simply by taking a photo of the barcode; and apps that serve as a wedding planner. Who needs a wedding planner when you have an app that can guide you to the perfect dress, jewellery and honeymoon package just by keying in your preferences and budget?

With so many readily available resources on hand, planning your own wedding has never been easier.