I love road trips. We used to go on them frequently with the firstborn in Sweden since we could drive around on weekends and we loved to explore different cities. I remember we took my aunt and grandma on a road trip when they visited us in Scandinavia and a memorable highlight was that we had breakfast in Karlskrona, Sweden, lunch in Copenhagen, Denmark and dinner in Berlin, Germany. Yes, three beautiful cities in three different countries within a day. How cool was that, right? Fast forward to now, travelling as a family of six is harder and not to mention, way more costly. In June 202 ..read more

June is always a happy time as it means that we get an entire month of school holidays and can look forward to late mornings, late nights, family trips, mum-and-kids outings, movies, play dates and lots of other fun activities. It's what all of us need after working hard in the last few months, be it the hubby slogging in the navy, the kids studying hard in school (yes, it's not easy for them too and they totally deserve a good, long break) or me just trying my best to manage the duties of a stay-at-home mum. It gives me great joy to be able to live each day of the holidays spontaneously, to t ..read more

Halloween has always been a special time for me. When we were living in Sweden, the hubby and I would dress up - I remember our first costumes were a witch and wizard, DIY as usual - and go to parties with our friends. Ever since I started our themed parties at home in 2020, it has become a tradition for our family to come together to celebrate Halloween. It is always a cosy affair, with just us and the kids - which expanded in number over the years. I did ask if the kids would wanna venture out or if we should get friends to join but they rejected and said they preferred it to stay as a close ..read more

Many a time, amidst our busy schedules and never ending errands on our to-do list, we find ourselves saying "No time", "我没有空‘’， "I can't do this now", "Sorry I can"t be with you, my love" and so on. It's almost too easy to use a lack of time as a reason, or in some cases, an excuse. I get it, you know. 24 hours a day is really limited and I wish some days are longer too because I seriously can't finish what I wanna do within a short day itself. But then again, we also find ourselves scrolling through social media mindlessly, we still watch dramas on Netflix or on our mobiles, we still have tim ..read more

I've been wanting to write this post for a long time but while there were many thoughts running the back of my mind, I didn't really know how to put them into words. This year has been a challenging one for me, especially on a personal level. I'm not sure if it's the midlife crisis period or if it's just me struggling to find my sense of identity, self worth and wanting to do more with my life. On some days, I try my best to accomplish more, only to take a few steps backward and feel like a fool for making silly choices that lead me nowhere. As for motherhood, well, it never gets easier and no ..read more

I love writing these monthly "Happiness is..." posts because they help me to look back, keep life in perspective and remind me that beyond the challenges and struggles, there is still much around me to be grateful for. Let's see. At this point in writing, my laptop that has accompanied me for nearly a decade is on the verge of shutting down for good and the screen is almost falling off after suffering a fall. But it works for now and I can still type on it so I am going to make it last for as long as it can. The kids keep me busy on my toes day in day out and constantly test my patie ..read more

I've always believed in the importance of having a good, healthy work-life balance. For all the time we spend working hard at our jobs, we should spend the same, if not more, time on doing the things we enjoy and being with our loved ones. Back in Sweden, the hubby usually came home at dinner time when he was not sailing and it was a period of time when we spent lots of family together, including travelling and sightseeing around Scandinavia. Alas, it is not the case now in Singapore and we seldom get to see him at all on weekdays - which is also why weekends are so precious to us.  But t ..read more

40.  I always wonder how it would feel like to turn 40 because it would mean that half of your life has passed. Have the decades been well spent? Did you achieve what you dreamt of as a kid? Are you contented with where you are in life now? What do you want to do in the second half of your life to make it an even more fulfilling one? And the most important one: Are You Happy? As a kid, I had big dreams of becoming an entrepreneur but I also had simpler ones of becoming a mum who loves her kids. I guess having only two years of work experience before moving to Sweden didn't help to achieve ..read more

I love going on mum-and-kids holidays. It makes me feel empowered and gives me a chance to get to spend more time with the kids, deepen my bond with each of them and make memories that will last us for a long time. I was looking for a quick getaway during the PSLE marking period and lo and behold, Genting Dream presented the perfect opportunity as there was a 2-night cruise to Port Klang. A family cruise with a balcony stateroom, sports and entertainment facilities, daily shows, delectable cuisine and thrilling water slides? Say no more, we are hopping on board! Introduction With a length ..read more

I recently read an article that struck home. It says: "75% of the time you'll ever get to spend with your kids is over by the time they turn 12. 90% of your time with them is gone by the time they're 18." Yup, a little shocking but I guess the truth can be a little overwhelming sometimes. Having been a stay-at-home mum for nearly one and a half decades, there are days when I question my choice and wonder if there is more to life for me, and I ponder about what lies ahead as the kids grow up. Yet whenever I think about how this is the time when I can be by their side every day, when I can be th ..read more