Joy-filled Christmas 2013

It’s been a crazily packed December for me, and I have to apologise for the silence on this blog. No excuse, but I’ve been so busy, it must be the busiest month of the year for me. My typical weekday starts with art classes in the morning and afternoon, private tuition and art classes in the early evening and ends with center tuition in the late evening.

The reason for the jam-packed schedule in December is to create a buffer for January – I hope to “buy” more time to help the kids settle into their new schedule. Shanice is starting Primary 1, while Renee and Baby Nat begin a new journey in the Preschool Shanice graduated from.

I couldn’t be more grateful to my mom and helper – my mom for helping up over a couple of weekends when my helper is on leave and my helper for minding the 3 little ones for me while I went about with my schedule. Couldn’t imagine how things would have been without them. I also need to thank all my clients for giving me opportunities to work with them (thank you!), without which, I would have starved (nope, not exaggerated at all!).

Though it’s been a busy month, I’ve been very happy working. I love to work, it’s in my nature. The only downside is missing the time with my children during the day. I know, it’s pretty much like when I was working full-time and it is an irony, cos I quit to have more time with them. But this is necessary, being a self-employed now, I need to be on an “ant-mode”, who knows when would winter come?! The ideal plan and target I am working towards is to work more on weekends and save more time on weekdays to be with the children. If you ask me, working 2 days in a week would be ideal! And, that is possible, if I manage to get more face-painting and balloon sculpting orders which are mostly on weekends.

Now, before you click away, this is STILL a Christmas post. I’ll fill in more on my eventful December another time, In the mood of the festive, here’s sharing some of the little Christmas activities we did in between my work schedule…

Cupcake Sugar Craft
Here’s a little project I did with J (my private art student). I brought the left over sugar dough home and continued to have more fun with it with my little ones.

Here’s what J and I did for one of our lessons in December.

Here’s what we did at home…

Renee was very serious about getting it right

Here’s her Christmas tree. I thought it was perfect!

Shanice was having much fun. She was in a laughing mode, just happy to be doing something together.

From right to left, Smiley and Christmas Tree by Renee and Green Butterfly by Shanice

A prettier picture of the cupcakes we made

The girls gave the cupcakes to our neighbours. And we made more, just for the fun of it!

Snowing Fun-time
If you haven’t been to City Square Mall, here’s a good time to visit. They are ‘snowing’ there till 29 Dec at 8 and 9pm daily.

It was snowing foam and blasting with music and colourful lights!

My girls were having so much fun.

My little boy was amused – admiring the lights and snow.

Renee and her new foam shoes!

The kids in Santa’s house

Hey little ones, these are you (you, you, and you) on December 2013

Christmas Cards
I received a call from home after tution one day. Shanice called and in a hasty voice beckoned me to go home as soon as possible. Naturally, I was worried and quickly asked her what happened. She then told me I should hurry home as she wanted to make Christmas cards. I was almost 8pm and I could understand why, she wanted to make the cards before her bedtime at 9.30pm.

Finger Printed Card by Shanice

She made a list of recipients, but only got a few done that night. Up till now, she has yet to complete the list. I doubt it will happen this year 🙂

Making a card for her friend, Jolin.

While Shanice had a plan, little Renee was more interested in having fun…

painting her hands and stamping them.

Little Nat was more interested in milk and tv 🙂

Apart from the activities we did on our own, we also attended a few parties, and the girls performed in a Christmas Concert. It was Renee’s first performance, and she had so much fun!

The girls, in our family car, on our way to the concert venue.