Monthly Archives

June 2012

seriously somewhat serious

City Harvest, My Church

June 28, 2012

By now, everyone seems to have an opinion (or a few) on City Harvest Church, Pastor Kong Hee, the Crossover Project and the legion of brainwashed followers. There are a lot of allegations flying around – the main ones being greed (for the leaders) and stupidity (for the followers).

Yesterday, I walked past the newsstands and this case made the front page for every local newspaper. Last checked, we’ve also made most of the International titles and social media looks like it’s about to explode from all the updates about CHC.

That’s pretty epic.

I’m one of those hardcore followers, if you will.

I’ve been in City Harvest Church for the past 15 years and this church, the Pastors, the friends and family, they’ve changed my life. I know that sounds very cultish so let me try to break it down a little. We don’t worship Pastor Kong or any of the leaders and we have no illusions that they’re deities or saints or demigods. On some level, we’re all just a bunch of Christians who believe in a cause and are trying to make a difference in our community. None of us are perfect but we are trying our best to be better and do better for the people around us.

On that same token, having seen all that the Pastors and leaders have done for us over the past 15 years, it’s hard not to love and respect them the way we do. City Harvest Church members may seem fanatic and possibly a little crazy but if you’d just take the time to chat with them a little and hear their stories, you’d maybe understand why we’re this passionate.

There’s no way I’ll be able to summarize everything in a blog post but suffice to say that without this church and its leaders, I wouldn’t be who or where I am today. They’ve been there for me at the lowest points of my life, shown me love and support without asking for anything in return and believed in me when no one else did. For that, I’ll always be grateful and that’s the reason why we sow our lives and time and money into making a difference in someone else’s life.

Come hell or high water, I’m proud to be a City Harvest Church member.

Now, moving on to the allegations.

First of all, what I don’t understand is the vitriol and venom that’s coming from all the people who’ve never given a single cent to the church. Unlike other charities, the church has never once solicited funds from the public and all the money has come in from church members who believe in a cause and gave out of their own free will. Maybe you’re indignant that we’re dumb enough to be bamboozled into giving our money (which is hardly the case), but even if so, does it warrant this outcry from the angry mob?

I mean, I don’t come into your family and lambaste you for how you’re spending your money. If you decide to build your kids a bowling alley in your basement, that’s your right. Or if you decide to splurge on a Breitling for your dad, or a Prada bag for your second grandaunt’s cousin’s daughter, that’s entirely up to you.

Initially, I got really upset at all the inflammatory attacks and veiled derogatory digs popping up on various social media platforms, but at this point, I’m fine taking the hits. I guess if it gives you a sense of moral and intellectual superiority to post your snide remarks and mean jokes, then it’s your prerogative, post away.

Call us brainwashed, call us fools, call us whatever, that’s ok. Sticks and stones, you know.

That being said, I am incredibly encouraged by the show of solidarity and tenacity among the church members I consider my family. And don’t for one moment mistake this loyalty for blind faith. A lot of these so-called fools are some of the brightest minds I have ever met and we’ve done our due diligence by digesting all the facts and allegations. I’ve gone through the MCYS inquiry multiple times, read the news articles, and amassed as much information as I could from all sides.

Do I know every single detail? No. But I know enough to make an informed decision and here’s my take.

I have absolute trust in the fact that none of the money was embezzled for personal gain. I believe in the Crossover Project and there was certainly no intent to deceive, as had been alleged. Pastor Kong and all the other 4 individuals on trial have not breached the trust of the church members.

I make no apologies for giving every dollar that we gave and we will continue to do so knowing that the funds will not be misused.

City Harvest Church is my family. It has been for the last 15 years and I don’t think anything will ever change that.

UPDATED: City Harvest Church responds to allegations.

UPDATED x2 : Innocent Until Proven Guilty

by
giveaways reviews ads

Pregnancy Teeth Revisited

June 26, 2012

Advertorial

It’s been over 2 weeks since my brutal dentist check up and if there’s anything good that came out of that excruciating experience, it’s an increased sense of dental paranoia awareness. Apparently fear is extremely effective as a deterrent so I’ve been extra diligent with my oral care in the hope that my next check up will be less terrifying.

For starters, I’m brushing and flossing my teeth 3-4 times a day instead of twice. I try to do it after every meal, and if not, at least an extra time in the afternoon.

I’ve also switched from my regular toothbrush to the Colgate SlimSoft toothbrush. This is one product that nailed the name because I was actually quite surprised by how slim and soft (heh!) the bristles are. Each tapered bristle tip is literally 0.01 mm thin and the softness means that it feels a lot less painful on my sensitive pregnant gums. And thinner bristles mean that there’s room for more bristles, which in turn, will be able to touch and clean more teeth.

So the result is a deeper yet gentler clean.

Most noticeably, my gums have stopped bleeding as much. From the start of this pregnancy, my gums have been bleeding almost every day but over the past 2 weeks, I’ve only had 2-3 times of gum bleeding. Which is quite impressive given the increased frequency of brushing.

On the topic of teeth-brushing, I’ve been teaching the kids proper brushing techniques so here’s what they’ve been learning.

And yes, they’ve hijacked my SlimSoft toothbrushes even though it’s a little too big for their baby teeth. I was doing a comparison with their kid toothbrushes and they were like “WOW SO SOFT, IT’S MINE NOW!”

Looks like I’ll be getting a couple more of these babies. And by babies, I mean toothbrushes, not actual babies, aight? Just so we’re clear.

To wrap up, Colgate is having a Finale Party at The Arts House on 30 June and I’ve got 10 invites to give away. It’s a gorgeous venue (incidentally, it’s also the place I got married) and it’ll be a nice, cozy afternoon get-together. If you’d like to get your hands on an invite, just sign up by filling up the form below.

Venue: The Arts House, Living Room
Time: 3-5.30pm
Date: 30 June , Saturday       

This is part 2 of a series of sponsored conversations on behalf of Colgate. All opinions and text are my own.

by
coolest kids ever, milestones & musings, picture perfect, playgrounds!

The Perfect Party

June 25, 2012

You know how kids’ birthday parties are, right? Venue, theme, decor, balloons, streamers, pretty hanging things, party bags, games, activities, cake. OH, THE CAKE. Back in my time, we’re lucky to get a tacky 2-D one with a deformed dinosaur that looked like Barney’s mutated half-cousin. These days, the cakes are jaw-dropping and I won’t be surprised if in another couple of years, kids will be having life-sized cakes that will sing and do cartwheels on cue.

It’s crazy having to put together a party and I’m glad they only come around once a year. Plus we usually make it a combined affair so we only have to go through the madness once.

This year’s birthday bash for the kids happened yesterday and let me just say that I’ve never been to a more awesome party in all my 30 years.

First of all, the venue. Prior to the party, we sourced for over a dozen venues all over Singapore to find a suitable location. We wanted something cosy, chill and preferably outdoors (but not too hot) where the adults could enjoy a nice afternoon tea. But most importantly, we needed a place to contain the mayhem and keep the kids entertained.

So when we visited Seb’s Bistro & The Playhouse at Rochester, we fell in love with the beautiful al fresco dining area with lush surroundings. That there was an entire 2-story air-conditioned playhouse right next to it made it a winner. It was perfect.

Being as aesthetically-challenged as we are, decor usually means going out and buying a bunch of balloons, some banners and taping them randomly to the walls. But we got smart so instead of struggling with the decor and party planning like we usually do, we handed over all the planning to Jen and Van, the lovely ladies from Party Perfect.

Best. Decision. Ever.

All we needed to do was to pick a theme and let them do all the work. The kids are still in their pirate phase so this was a no-brainer…Scallywags and Buccaneers, Ahoy!

When we arrived, it was like stepping into a pirate wonderland, which is the nice kind made for cute little pint-sized pirates. There were gorgeous pirate loot bags, a pirate ship with cut out figurines, personalized pirate cupcakes, pirate hats, a treasure chest, pirate cutlery, pirate balloons, and pretty hanging pirate cloth things.

In addition to the dining area downstairs, The Playhouse also allocated the 2nd-floor party room for the kids to hang out.

The folks at Seb’s Bistro take their parties very seriously so they don’t just leave the kids in the room on their own. They pull out all the stops to make sure the kids are engaged and having fun, which is a tall order considering that we had kids ranging from aged 2 to 10.

Meet Imran, an incredible party host. He conducted the games, sang songs, made them dance, got them to do silly actions and did a spectacular job of keeping the kids entertained.

We also had Queenie from Artybody work her body-painting magic on the kids during the party. Ok, seriously, her work is amazing. Each person she paints is a stunning piece of art and she’s able to do anything from superheroes to sparkly princesses. I’ll never forget her epic Hulk creation during Happee Day almost 2 years ago.

The paints are totally safe for kids as she uses only professional face paints which are U.S. FDA-approved, as well as cosmetic-grade glitter and stickers. They were able to last the entire afternoon and washing off was really easy. We just had to rinse with water and a gentle cleanser, so no painful face scrubbing involved.



Just look at this final product on Tru’s hands. Consider my mind blown.

Kirsten naturally went for a princess look and she was so pleased with her “pretty princess paint”, as she called it for the rest of the afternoon.


Remember how I was saying that the cakes are out of control these days? I’ve seen some unbelievable cake creations in the past couple of years but this, ladies and gentlemen, this masterpiece by The Patissier totally takes the cake.

I’ve heard some really amazing things about The Patissier, like how their head baker and co-owner was trained in the time-honored techniques of the great French patissiers at the Cordon Bleu, London. That their designs are a joy to behold. And that their cakes taste even better than they look.

But nothing prepared me for this cake.

Believe it or not, almost everything is edible. There’s the giant pirate ship made out of brownie and icing sugar, the pair of pirate figurines, the palm trees, the gold-dusted skulls, the gold doubloons, the treasure map, the chest of jewels, the sea animals and shells all on a gorgeous seawater cake board.

Then at the bottom were 5 x 500g mousse cakes made up of 3 separate flavors: Chocolate Dream, Strawberry Delight and Mango Madness. All 3 flavors were ridiculously delicious, which explains why they were all gone in record time.

Here’s Kirsten still admiring the cake while munching on her fries.

We had the most fabulous time and a heartfelt thank you to everyone who made it possible. As well as all the friends and family who took the time to come by.

Till next year, mateys!

by
not feeling so supermom, stuff best described as not safe for parents

Toilet Training – fun times

June 21, 2012

All my life, I’ve always preferred vaginas to penises. Wait, let me clarify that. What I meant was that I’ve always preferred HAVING a vagina than a penis. Not that I’ve ever had a penis for comparison but it’s just that I’ve never wanted to have one.

Like we can sit cross-legged for hours without squashing any sensitive bits. There’s no obstruction when we wear pants. And no need to worry that it’s too big or too small because I’ve never seen women fuss about the size of their lady parts. Also, penises seem to itch a lot more. Why else do dudes always have a need to scratch/adjust/grab their junk in public?

Except for when it comes to toilet training.

Boys have an inherent advantage in the peeing department, so much so that it’s starting to make me a little envious. When boys pee, they just need to follow the 5 Step Rule – whip it out, aim it, fire it, shake it off and put it back.

Girls, on the other hand, are a nightmare to toilet train.

When Kirsten did her first pee in the toilet bowl, she wanted to do it standing “like kor kor”. I told her it was impossible unless she wanted it to end up all over her legs. The only way to do it was to have full-on butt contact with the toilet seat, which is fine at home but very tricky in public toilets.

One time we were at a coffeeshop and the moment she walked into the toilet, she was all “EWWW SO GROSS. Mommy you wash it.”

WHAT?? HELL TO THE NO.

I’d do a lot of things for the kids, like donate a kidney or a retina, but there has to be a line and from where I stand, that line is scrubbing a pee-stained public toilet with my bare hands in preparation for contact with her royal bottom.

We settled on a compromise of a half-squat where I had to prop up her thighs in mid-air and she basically peed all over my hands.

And then there’s the wiping, which is an art form in itself. It has got to be done right – front to back, with a double-folded 2-ply square of toilet paper in order to cover the right amount of surface area. Because you can’t shake dry or air dry a vagina.

So you’d think that after all that trouble, the actual peeing would be a breeze. With Truett, the downside is the aiming issue which does take a bit of target practice to perfect, so I was expecting that Kirsten would at least be able to pee straight into the toilet bowl without any fuss.

Um, not quite.

For some reason, she’s got a special skill which allows her to pee up into the air like a fountain while sitting on the toilet bowl. Instead of going down and in like most regular people, it goes up and out onto the floor. It’s quite a remarkable talent and I couldn’t believe my eyes the first time I witnessed it. I’m just not big on having to wash my toilet several times a day.

Long story short, she’s physically capable of (attempting) to pee in a toilet bowl but I’m reluctant to take her off pull ups because let’s face it, it’s so much easier just changing diapers.

by
travelling

Back in Bangkok

June 19, 2012

I’ve just spent the last two days in Bangkok doing everything a pregnant person shouldn’t do. Most women do a leisurely babymoon somewhere relaxing like Krabi or Maldives but I’m the sort to traipse all over Bangkok with my 30-week pregnant belly. Incidentally, the last time I was in Bangkok was 4 years ago, when I was seven months pregnant with Truett. It’s like a rite of passage every male child I have goes through.

Finn hasn’t been happy with all the commotion the past couple of days and he’s been making his displeasure felt by kicking me in the bladder throughout the night when I’m trying to sleep.

It’s been thoroughly enjoyable though. Great food, fantastic shopping and very satisfying Thai massages.

One of our favorite discoveries this trip was Asiatique, a night market bazaar by the pier that has the ambience of Santa Monica Boulevard. It had a very nice vibe, with a mixture of slightly pricier local designer items and cheap finds.

Being the hardcore shoppers that we are, we’ve been walking for like 10 hours everyday (with maybe 2-3 short breaks in between) so I’ve basically lost all feeling in my feet. But looking at all the stuff we got, totally worth it.

by
stuff best described as not safe for parents

The Talk

June 15, 2012

So far, we’ve managed to get away with not having the “Where Babies Come From” discussion, or what we like to call the awkward sex talk. The kids seemed content to know that there’s a baby in my uterus and didn’t really care much for where he came from.

That all changed today.

I was playing a game with Truett and he suddenly asked the big question.

“Mommy, how did baby Finn get inside your stomach?”

That totally caught me off guard so I said the only thing I could think of. “Go ask daddy.”

The husband was unfazed and he was all “Because I had sex with mommy, that’s how.”

Tru: Is it like magic?

Husband: Yes, sort of like magic. It’s called a miracle.

Tru: Oh, ok.

***

Several minutes later, Tru turned to me and asked “How to have sex?”

Me: Well, it’s when daddy and mommy love each other very much, and um…um…ok so there’s this egg in mommy’s uterus and this other thing called sperm. When they meet, something special happens and we get a baby.

Tru: You show me how.

Me: What? Absolutely not. One day when you’re big, you’ll understand how it all works. For now, let’s just go with the miracle egg theory ok.

I have a feeling this conversation is so not over.

by