Snow City and the Science Center

I can not tell you how long Noah has wanted to go to Snow City. Ever since we moved here he has been begging

and begging

and begging.

So we finally picked a date on the calendar and got ourselves some discounted tickets. They didn't allow cameras inside, so I can't show you the boys laying down in the snow to make snow angels, or the snowball fights with Daddy, or hiding in the igloo. And the sledding hill! They loved it. We did have to step outside into the blazing tropical sun to warm up little frozen fingers a minute. But our borrowed snow gear held up pretty well and our hour in the snow was everything Noah was dreaming of.

And since we were at the Science Center we spent the rest of our Saturday there;

pushing buttons in the Discovery Center,

lowering buckets from the tree house out back

and splashing through the water play area.

 

 And of course an ice cream cone is the perfect end to a great Saturday.

Happy Chinese New Year!

 

We hit the town over the Chinese New Year weekend.  And saw an awesome Lion Dance. Can you believe there are 2 people under each lion costume? They jumped so high! Noah was so surprised when they popped the confetti. 

 

The lion dancers ride around to their next performance in these trucks. You see them everywhere and can hear them coming. 

Chinatown was super crowded. and super gorgeous. Extra stalls and shops are set up in the streets for Chinese New Year. 

 

Chopsticks.

Decorations. 

The boys LOVE these Taiwanese jellies. Ever since the happy jelly man gave them a couple strawberry ones for free.

 

We also went down to the River Hong Bao on our way home. 

The God of Fortune was there again this year. Every so often he sprays out gold glitter. If you catch some you will have fortune and wealth in the new year. People stand below him waiting with bated breath. Seriously. They even hold their umbrellas upside down to catch the most. I thought it would be fun for Noah and I to catch some, but we almost got mauled. Trampled and stabbed with umbrellas pokes in the mad dash for the glitter. Luck and Fortune are serious business around here.

Noah and I are both born in the year of the Rooster. He was so happy to take this photo.

Chinatown Tour

I took a tour of Chinatown right before Chinese New Year. It wasn't the tour I expected. We didn't visit the big Buddhist temple or even walk down Pagoda street. Instead the guide took us down these obscure streets and we poked our heads into tiny shops where she knew everyone's names and entire life history.

She told us all these little tidbits like you have to be married to buy a HDB flat. Unless you are over 35 and can join with someone else (like a sister). And how they save heritage trees. And all the gossip about the Tiger Balm Family. And about the Chinese Clans of the 1920s and 30s and what the Chinatown market used to be like.



We ducked into a small Chinese paper shop. Gorgeous stuff. Mostly for burning to their ancestors or to the gods - paper money, or anything else they'll need in the afterlife (clothes, shoes, phones, passport to help you get through hell faster). 



A family owned bakery. We watched them make pineapple tarts and kuey for Chinese New Year. So yummy!



Fortune sticks at the Kuan Yin Temple. A temple for a female goddess. It has turned into a sort of refuge for women and the doorstep is a safe place to leave unwanted baby girls.



Gong Moon Kee medicinal shop with their bottled citronella and eucalyptus oils.

Gorgeous buildings.

Famous duck and rice shop.

The Istana

We went to check out the Istana the other day. They only open it up to the public a few days out of the year. On all the other days of the year if you even slow down or think about taking a peek through the gates the guards will quickly shoo you away.

It is the official residence of the President of Singapore, S.R. Nathan. And it is gorgeous.

We read about its colonial history, its list of high profile visitors and politics. We read about how it was built and loved this small statue to commemorate the builders. We toured the halls, checked out the treasures, played at the kids' playground and snacked an ice cream cone.

Then we toured the grounds. Gorgeous. A statue of Queen Victoria tucked away by the pond, a Japanese Garden by the creek, but most of it was a huge golf course. Dave couldn't get over the golf course. It was that awesome.

(shot by Noah)

School performances

 

Noah and Gage both needed Chinese costumes for their Chinese New Year parties at school. So we went down to Chinatown and picked out something red. 

Noah's class danced and sang at the school assembly. He bounced his way through the first part of 'Xin Yian Kuai Le' and sang 'Gong Xi Ni' loud and clear.  It was awesome. 

Gage's little class danced and sang their little songs together, but when Gage saw Mommy and Daddy watching he came right out to sit in our laps. Such a sweetie.

Ice Skating

Noah's class went ice skating for a field trip, to "experience a new climate." I was so lucky to go with them.

Ice skating kindergartners are Adorable. and Awesome.

We had to dig in the closet and the costume box to find gloves, sleeves and pants.

Noah absolutely loved it. And now talks about living somewhere icy or snowy. Either in Utah or Antarctica.

Chinese Gardens

 

We spent a morning at the Chinese Gardens last week with a friend.

 

 

They are gorgeous. With beautiful touches everywhere. But before I go on I have to tell you about this...

Komodo dragon.

He is still haunting me.

Gage spotted him climbing out of the lake. It was huge and scary. But no one else even batted an eyelash. He crossed the path, crawled into the bushes, and we lost sight of him.

Yikes.

Gage loved feeding the turtles at the Turtle Museum.

and especially in the pond.

Lucky coins?