Blessed to have 2!

So happy that I got the chance to take care of sweet baby Alyssa this afternoon... Her mum, Selina wasn't feeling well. Falling sick when one is pregnant is a terrible feeling! No medicines to eat! I've been through that before, so I definitely understand how she feels. I'm glad I could help by taking care of her little girl!

Anyway, today, I had Alyssa all to myself, besides my 2 children of course! Usually, when Alyssa is here, Selina, Echo or Ivy would be around. I have taken care of her alone a few times before, but never as long as today...

I could see how happy all 3 kids were! Alyssa just wouldn't nap. She kept smiling and laughing when she looked at Zac & Nana. They too, were excited to have her around in the house. Nana was busy entertaining Alyssa, singing and dancing away! As for Zac, I could see how responsible he was. Everytime I walked away, Zac would come and sit behind her. I think he was trying to protect her from falling backwards. He would also pick up her water bottle and feed her. All this done of his own accord!

My 2 kids have really grown so much! A child Alyssa's age is the best! This is the fun age! And I really miss those times! I wish I could turn back time... On my crazy days, I'll think about the fun that we'll have if a 3rd one come along! Haha.

Though possible, I don't think both me and dear would really want a new addition in our family. Everything is so expensive, and I'm actually stressed about my kids right now. Me and my what ifs yet again! What if they can't cope with their studies, what if they mix with the wrong friends, what if something goes wrong in the future... And many more what ifs...

So, when crazy "3rd child" thoughts come to mind, I'll come up with more "what ifs" to make me feel better! At the present moment, having 2 is already a handful... :)

Fun-filled weekend

Helloooooo everyone! How was your weekend? Sorry for the late update... Can't remember what I was busy with... Or was I just too lazy to do a single thing yet again? Ehmmm...

Anyway, my weekend was wonderful! Went to West Garden Lake to fish on Saturday and to the pumpkin farm on Sunday... All done with great company! Enjoy the following photos... 

Desert West Lake...

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Tolmachoff Farms...

The pumpkin patch kids! Hehe.

Mama & Papa are so proud of you baby! Your brother don't even dare to go near the horse!

Winter is coming!

The usually hot Arizona has been cold since yesterday. Well, at least I know Goodyear is! The sky was dark and it rained when I sent Zac to school yesterday morning. And according to dear, it rained again last night. No wonder I felt so lazy to do anything... just wanted to snuggle up in bed. Hehe.

According to the calendars, autumn / fall began on 23rd September... (The date actually coincides with Zac's birthdate!) But the summer heat can still be felt the last few weeks. Temperature only started to get cooler after yesterday.

Coming from a tropical country where it's hot and humid the entire year, I am always excited each time the season changes. 31st October marks my first year overseas. I was born and raised in Singapore. Therefore, I've never experienced any other climate. And since I've been here, I have only seen 3 season changes... from winter to spring, spring to summer and summer to autumn. So, can you imagine how excited I am to be able to witness the season changing to winter soon?

During summer, the days are longer than nights... 5 plus in the morning here feels like it's 7 a.m in Singapore and it only gets dark at around 8 plus at night. And when I say summer, I mean hot! Really hot! Too hot that no one wants to leave their home! It seems like every other Singaporeans here were hibernating, except for the husbands, as they needed to work. Even the children don't go to school. My goodness! A 3 months break for them! My children almost rotted at home, and I almost went insane!

Now that it's autumn, the sun is rising later, at around 6 plus in the morning and setting earlier everyday, at around 5 plus in the evening.

By the way, I have officially stopped turning on our home aircon! Time to enjoy the cooling autumn and winter air... :)

White Sands National Monument

We head down to White Sands National Monument in Alamogordo after the balloon fiesta. I must say that it is a beautiful place! We really love the colours of the white sand and the clear blue sky! Surprisingly, the sand was very cooling despite the hot sun!

The kids had fun sledding, while we adults, enjoyed the view and of course, writing on the sand!



Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 2010

Phew! Finally I'm done with all the editing and selecting of the photos from the recent trip to New Mexico. We had so much fun those 3 days and kept snapping pictures of everything. Too busy snapping that we didn't realise we actually took almost 300 photos. That was why it took me ages to post them here or on facebook. Hehe.

The journey from our home in Goodyear to Albuquerque was a tiring 7 hours drive. Nope, I didn't drive during the trip. I know some of you out there must be saying "Never drive so cannot complain that you are tired!" But... but... but... just sitting in the car was actually bad enough for me. I can't afford to fall asleep because I have to keep my dear hubby entertained. I worry he might doze off while driving. I know he's worn out, and I really wish I could take over so he could nap, but driving during roadtrips is not within my capability yet. So far, the furthest I have driven to is Lee Lee, an oriental supermarket which is at the most, a half hour drive from my place. 

Anyway, the Balloon Fiesta was a good experience. To be able to see the hot air balloons was really a rare opportunity. Back home in Singapore, this is something that we could only read up on or watch on TV. Now that we are in US, we definitely wouldn't want to miss it. The fiesta is an annual event held in Albuquerque, New Mexico during the first week of October.  

We bought tickets for 2 days since we wanted to see the beauty of the balloons when they light up at night and when they take flight in the morning. Both times were equally awesome. While we were there, we definitely could feel the massive joy everywhere around us. It was super crowded! 

What we saw on Saturday night was breathtaking! The balloons fired their burners and lit up when the sun began to set. The sight was like giant holiday ornaments glowing. We were disappointed though, when there were only a few being lit up, probably around 10. We had expected to see more. This was followed by a spectacular fireworks display. When that took place, it almost felt like we were back home, watching fireworks at Marina on National Day! 

The next morning, we went to the Fiesta again. This time to watch the mass ascension of the balloons. You should see our faces when we saw the balloons take off and sail silently through the blue sky. It was magnificent! We were so excited and got busy with our camera. By the way, did I mention that it was a very, very cold morning? The kids had their winter wear on, but I came unprepared. Just had my normal thin jacket with me. Luckily Echo had a spare jacket, a thick one, to lend me! :) I might have not enjoyed myself as much if not for it...

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta - definitely one which we will never forget!