Ah, it’s that time again… The last book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, will be released on the 21st of July 2007.
List
January 21, 2007 – 8:19 pm
I noticed that it’s already three weeks into a new year. I’m not really into new year resolutions, but here are a few things that I would like to do this year:
Read more books. As a child I used to be a ferocious reader, chomping through books faster than my parents can get me new ones. The habit continued well into my teenage years, although when uni started it kind of dropped off, probably replaced by reading on the Internet. Last year I started reading more books again, and I enjoyed it a lot. I’m hoping I’ll get to read even more books this year.
Plant some herbs. Wouldn’t it be nice, if I can just grab some herbs when I need them, and just the quantity that I need them? Instead of buying a bunch from the vegs shop only to have half of them rotting before I get to use them all.
Make a pizza. I’ve heard that home made pizza can be SO good, and I had just got this book on kids cooking (that’s for kids who’d like to cook — just about right for me I think) which has a recipe that seems easy and looks yummy.
Blog more. Yeah, yeah, I know, nobody is waiting with bated breath for my next blog entry, but I’d still like to blog more. Even if for no other reason than me wanting to be able to still remember these things in the future.
Make a doll. Just got this nice toy sewing book that has a simple doll pattern in it. I think I’ll give it a go and make one for Annette.
Enjoy time with Annette more. That goes without saying. Being a parent, most of the time there are so many things you want to get through in the day — get the kid to eat, get her to nap, go to toilet, change clothes, keep her occupied, etc etc etc — that you don’t get to ‘enjoy the moment’ of being together and spend quality time. I’d like to enjoy the time more. Next year she might be going to preschool — before I know it she’d be all grown up and want to borrow the car.
Get a driver’s license. I don’t think I would be driving much even if I had a license, as most of the places I go to are within walking distance. Petrol is expensive anyway. But I guess it’s handy as an ID.
Get a passport. Ditto, I don’t think I would be going overseas anytime soon (if ever), but it’s handy for ID.
Organise the home better. Oh well, okay, now that’s just wishful thinking.
New Crew
January 15, 2007 – 11:27 pm
Meet Jayne and Mal*.
Jayne is the orange/gold one, and Mal is the red and white one. We got them a couple of weeks ago. They’re special because they’re the first fish that I actually own, having had several babysitting (’fish sitting’??) gigs for other people’s fish in the past. They’re also our first pet, so to speak, although they don’t interact much apart from feeding time. Annette had taken to saying good morning and good night to them every day. In the beginning she wanted to take them out of the fish tank to give them cuddles (awww…) but now she’s content with just giving them food in the mornings.
*) We I named them after Jayne Cobb and Malcolm Reynolds, two of the characters in Firefly TV series that we had been watching on DVDs.
A B C
December 30, 2006 – 8:02 pm
Annette was gifted this new toy by grandpa and grandma for Christmas. It can sing the ABC song, and it has the letters of the alphabets that you can stick in the “letter reader” and read it for you. I’m not one to usually go for “educational” type of toys like this, as I believe children can learn many things from simple and inexpensive toys — things such as creativity and imagination (things that many adults sadly lack). But I must say that I’m quite impressed with this particular toy. Annette has heard the ABC song before this, but after playing with this toy her alphabet knowledge sure has catapulted. It probably helps that the toy can sing the song thirty times in a row if Annette chooses to, whereas I probably would’ve gone kaput.
Play the video below to hear Annette’s version of the ABC song.
Merry Christmas!
December 25, 2006 – 10:11 am
Merry Christmas to you and yours. May you have a wonderful Christmas and a blessed new year.
One of our favourite songs to sing with Annette is this one from A Very, Very Big God CD.
There’s Lots of Fun on Christmas Day
(To the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star)
Lots of fun on Christmas day,
Food to eat and games to play.
Baby Jesus born so small,
He grew up to save us all.
Happy Birthday we can sing,
Jesus born to be our King.
P.S. “Christmas tree” above made with this soft tree pattern, and Annette decorated it with some star-shaped foam stickers.
Artist At Work
November 15, 2006 – 11:08 pm
Annette is really into drawing with crayons lately, ever since we visited Jemima, who lives nearby, and saw her crayons. This is her working at the latest creation. That red/orangey thing in the middle is mine, but the rest is her own doing.
I must say I’m loving the way she uses the colours! She’s been trying to mix the different colours to see what happens. It’s a great start, I’d say. I’m not a very creative person myself, but I’m glad Annette is getting creative influences.
She also likes to draw “people”. She’d draw the face, dots for eyes, then mouth, then hair. Then she discovered that Daddy wears glasses, so now she draws all her “people” with big circle glasses for eyes.
And thanks to Playschool, we have a song to sing along to as we draw and make our artworks.
Red, red, red, who is painting red today?
Red, red, red, who is painting red?
Annette’s painting red today,
Just look at her and you will see.
Red, red, red, Annette’s painting red.
Green, green, green, who is painting green today?
Green, green, green, who is painting green?
Mummy’s painting green today,
Just look at her and you will see.
Green, green, green, Mummy’s painting green.
