February has been a good month so far. I love seeing the blue roses in full bloom on the dining table.
I was really touched that this year R made the effort to order blue roses for me this year.
The kids are settling well into their new routine and there is not too much of a hassle getting them up each morning.
Roy is getting better at piano and really enjoys going for lessons. He has been learning for about 3 months now and can read the notes and play by himself.
He loves playing the tunes – Mary has a little lamb and Twinkle Twinkle little star.
Ryan on the other hand is practicing the songs for the upcoming music concert in March. He will be playing Fur Elise and maybe a few other pieces. At present he is polishing up his Radestsky March and Wine, Women and Song.
It’s great to hear them tinkering on the piano after dinner. It’s nice having music in the house that doesn’t just come from the radio or television.
Both the boys are doing well in school. Ryan recently came back beaming as he got full marks on his Chinese Test. Roy on the other hand is able to do simple multiplication and loves playing counting games.
The personal wellness plan which I have just embarked is taking off. I’m doing more exercise around the house with the baby and watching what I eat.
I’ve managed to drop about 1kg and hope to meet my monthly target of shaving 2-3kg off per month.
* This post is also submitted to Alpha Thursday under “S for Stealing Time“
Balance is something very delicate. A slight step right or left would cause you to slip and fall.
It is not easy to find the equilibrium as there are constant changes in our environment and limited resources and time.
There is only so many hours a day which one can juggle with. Discounting the times spend on sleep ( I hardly sleep anyway as the baby still wakes up countless times a night) I have an approximate 16-18 workday each day.
My cut on balance is having time to spend with the kids individually, time as a family, time with hubby and time alone for myself.
It’s not easy running a household and having time to pursue my interests simultaneously. There is always a trade off which has to be made as items and tasks have to be prioritized.
My lifestyle and schedule took a drastic change when #1 was born. Way back then in 2004 my time management skills were still very raw and things were very chaotic.
Fast forward to 2011 and 3 kids later I think I’ve got this balance figured out. I’ve grown really good at stealing seconds and minutes. I guess that being at a job where multitasking and precise planning is essential has been a good training ground for me.
I have set aside time each day for each kids, some for the kids together and scheduled “me minutes” throughout the day.
Mornings are for coaching the eldest, seeing to his homework being done and getting all the chores done before he leaves for afternoon school. In the afternoon, my time is being spent mostly on the baby. She doesn’t sleep much so I get her involved in the household chores by bringing her around the house while getting things done. We do put some time aside for going through storybooks and flashcards.
At night is spending time with the 2nd boy when he returns from school. Supervising his piano practices and homework.
After the kids are all in bed it’s time for me and hubby as we chill out after a long day at work.
The kids are all involved in doing the household chores so that they can be done more effectively and we can have fun together.
I get my ” me minutes” to check my e-mail, take a 5 min power nap, reading the e-books that I have downloaded or post on this blog when the baby is napping or can be put down for awhile.
When the boys are playing with their toys in their room, or when they are seated at their study table doing their homework , I stealminutes to go online or to the kitchen to prepare their meals or bake.
I love cooking and baking and am trying to increase the number of dishes/bakes that I can do. In my “spare” time I search online for the different recipes which I would like to try out.
Another interest I have is graphic designing. I’m self learning how to create my own graphics using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. I’m trying to incorporate time for this by doing tutorials in multiple parts.
