Happiness is... finding every chance to get together

The older the kids grow, the harder it is for us to get together as a family. This is made even tougher when you have four kids and even when one is missing, we are not in full force anymore. That said, it's something I'm slowly but surely learning to accept because the kids need to have their own social circles and be able to do what they want in their individual lives as they get bigger. 

Some days, even when they are home, they just don't feel like hanging out together and I need to realise that it's fine to give them their own space. Yup, I suppose I've already forgotten about the teenager hormones and how this erratic transitional phase filled with mood swings affected me last time but I'm learning it all over again.

Still, I hope that the kids will always know the importance of family time. Even if we have less time for it now as compared to when they were toddlers and preschoolers, we will still try to make time for each other. In this post of "Happiness is...", it's about finding every chance to get together and making the most of our family moments.

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Night outings are definitely a good way for my kids to get together. Some run, some scoot and it's nice to just spend time together as we work out too. It actually doesn't matter where we go, it's more about the company along the journey.

With only one kid left who can be carried, you have no idea how much I cherish it. So even though he is also getting big and tall, I love how he clings onto me when I bring him to school. He likes to say that his ‘脚坏了’ and that he needs to be carried. Haha. Yes, he still 撒娇 a lot but I am fine with that because I jolly well know that these years will pass in no time and I will miss them when the kids do no depend on me anymore.

Playing board games, word games and building structures are also ways for us to spend some time together. We have a cupboard full of games and will spend time playing with each other when we are free. Well, the big kids don't join in as much these days as they have their devices but we make do with what we have.

Another means to gather the kids is to go for fast food meals! Be it brunch, dinner or supper, they are always elated to hear the words "McDonalds", "Jollibee" and "A&W". Haha. I don't mind giving in to such cravings every once in a while if it means I get to hang out with all the kids and everyone is happy.

This year, we were also very lucky to get tickets to the NDP preview and it's that kind of event that none of us would wanna miss. So yes, family outing again! We love being in the sea of red, watching the exciting parade, singing our familiar NDP songs and admiring our Red Lions and fighter jets.

Oh yes, how can we forget the mesmerising fireworks too! That is always a highlight of NDP for us. And the most important thing is that all six of us get to be together and have a memorable day out, one that is filled with nostalgia, pride and honour. We love you, Singapore!

I also involve my kids in charity walks and am grateful for whoever who chooses to join in. This month, we took part in the Changi Charity Walk and had fun answering trivia, eating quick bites and old school snacks, and having ice cream and a good meal after the walk.

It wasn't always easy getting all of them in the same frame as there would be one or two who walked too fast and complained about the rest being too slow, or another who would wander off to explore. Still, we managed to get a couple of group shots and I was grateful for them.

It was also Ansel's first time visiting Jurassic Mile so we made sure we walked the entire strip, and back again, so he could have a good look at the dinosaurs. Was he happy? You bet.

We've been supporting Skechers for years and are blessed to be a part of the Skechers Friendship Walk. That said, it gets increasingly harder to get the kids to come together for photoshoots like this as some of them just want it to be over and done with while others would complain and throw tantrums. Yeap, it's never as easy or loving as it looks and I do put in lots of effort, and coaxing, to get our shots. Still, I appreciate every sponsorship opportunity that comes our way and will continue to do my best to support worthy brands.

We still keep up with watching movies and will go for a movie treat at the cinema now and then. I love it as it forces the elder ones to put their phones away, albeit for a short while only, and for all of us to sit back, relax and enjoy together.

We also take photos at pop ups for memories and this Smurfs one at Waterway Point was truly well done and creative too. So yeap, I made sure to snap some shots as keepsakes.

Out of the four kids, three are water babies and love swimming and water play. That is when we always join in the annual water carnival held at our place so they can have fun at the obstacle course, play carnival games and enjoy pop corn and candy floss.

This time, there was even ice cream too, yummy! I remember I loved the milk tea flavoured ice cream and had three servings. Haha. Yes, we are all allowed to indulge once in a while, right?

Late night playground visits? Well, I'm game for it as long as the kids would like to go together. Yes, we can literally go out play after 10pm or go for supper near midnight, especially on weekends and public holidays, as I am quite not a strict enforcer of early bedtimes. In fact, I cherish such nights when we get to be night owls and have the whole neighbourhood playground to ourselves. It's kinda crazy and not the usual norm, I know, but we don't do it all the time so I reckon it is fine. And oh yes, we also watch movies till past midnight too on some weekends. They can sleep in late the next day and clock enough sleep anyway, right? So let's just keep one eye closed then when it comes to bedtime.

Lastly, over the years, I made it a point to wish the kids good luck for their major exams like PSLE. So with the eldest starting her 'O' Levels this month, we wrote cards to wish her all the best and also gave her a new pair or earbuds so she can listen to her favourite music, and hopefully study too. She hasn't found the motivation to work hard in the last couple of years and even if I worry for her lots deep down, I want her to feel assured that we will be here for her no matter what happens.

It's also nice to let siblings wish each other good luck and give hugs too (okay, actually the older ones are too big for hugs but they all still love to hug Ansel at least) because I want them to know that beneath the frequent bickers and fights, we are the family who will be there for each other for life.

So yes, I will continue to find opportunties to get the family to come together and spend time with each other, no matter how big the kids grow, no matter how difficult it gets.

A 5D4N Family Escape to VIP Fishing Resort and Desaru

Following our trip to Bali last year, we wanted to plan for another 17-pax family trip during the June holidays too. I mean, we really want to cherish such opportunities while our parents are still able to travel with us and while the kids are still willing to travel with us.

The planning responsibilities falls mainly on my shoulders as well as my sister-in-law's, but it's a good thing we can usually make things work out in the end. Yup, I guess we are still the sandwiched generation for now and it will be the case for many more years to come. So we fork out the expenses, we research, we plan, we book, we liaise, we negotiate, but we also enjoy the fruits of our labour when we see the happy faces on our parents and kids. And that makes it all worthwhile, right?

This time, we eventually decided to do a road trip so as to save cost on flights and since we had 5D4N to spare, we included two destinations - VIP Fishing Resort and Desaru. Here's sharing more about our itinerary and the highlights of our trip.

 Day 1

We drove into JB and had a dim sum breakfast to fill our tummies. Then we made our way to Kong Kong Jetty in Masai, which is approximately 45mins from JB Checkpoint. From the jetty, we took a 15-min boat ride that brought us to VIP Fishing Resort.

It might sound easy and swift, but when you are travelling in a big group, everything takes time. We had to bring the luggage up and down, we had to help the parents to climb on board the boat, we had to account for all the kids and it's a good thing that we now have teens who are strong to help out.

Our resort package was all-inclusive so lunch was served shortly after we arrived. Not bad, there was pepper crab, prawns and steamed fish too. Yay!

Our room consisted of floor mattresses laid side by side and a very simple toilet with just a handheld shower, sink and toilet bowl - check out our video below. But hey, we were there for the kelong experience so no complaints. We did pay an additional fee to upgrade the six elderly to the suites so their rooms had a living area, queen sized beds, a rain shower and a porch that overlooks the sea.

After lunch, it was time to check out the activities. First up, of course we had to try our hand at fishing since we were at a kelong. The kids were enthusiastic about it and thankfully, the hubby was an expert and could guide them along. Surprisingly, we caught quite a handful of fish, Angel even caught them herself and was over the moon.

Besides fishing, we also played video games like Super Mario and Street Fighters. I was so engrossed in Super Mario because I played it lots as a kid and surprised myself by still remembering where the secret lives and mushrooms were hidden.

There was also a pool table to entertain the teenagers, karaoke to keep the elderly happy as well as mahjong tables and dice games for anyone who wanted to play.

There are several instagrammable photo spots around the resort and one of my favourites is this floral couple swing that is set against the vast blue sea.

I was the one who suggested that we should go kayaking and I managed to gather seven of us to try it out. Although the resort owner initially said that there might be jellyfish swimming around, he then decided it was safe enough for us to venture out.

This was the first time my parents tried kayaking and they initially thought it was just paddleboating. Haha. Oh well. My dad can't see well so it was particularly hard for him, like how he couldn't see where was the 'hole' in the kayak for him to sit and ended up stepping into the sea instead. It was also hard for them to synchronise the rowing but they eventually did it and rowed so far and didn't give up before the designated one hour. So proud of you guys!

As for me, I took the boys with me and insisted that Ansel stayed with me instead of with the guide, which he would not want to anyway. Yup, I am that confident of myself because we've done this before and I know that I can manage.

Guess what? Ansel fell sleep in the first 15mins, haha, and I ended up kayaking the whole time with a sleeping toddler. I had to support his head with one arm so it was a little strenuous to do that and row at the same time but we did it in style and I was so happy we did it. Well done to Asher too for not giving up and helping to steer our boat.

For dinner, we had hotpot and also fried fish - the fish that we caught ourselves in the afternoon. I love hotpots and it's simply shiok having it with the family in a kelong on a cool evening with the seabreeze blowing.

The highlight of the night was... FIREWORKS! Yup, we bought a handful of fireworks and let the elderly and kids take turns to release them. It was a beautiful sight as the vibrant fireworks lit up the night sky and these are the lasting memories that will stay in all of our hearts.

Day 2

On the second day morning, Ariel and I woke up to catch the sunrise - just the two of us as she wanted to see the pretty sight. It was totally worthwhile because the scenery was mindblowing and since we were leaving that day, that was our only chance. And I am so glad we did it.

The two of us proceeded to play Super Mario while waiting for the rest of the folks to wake up. I cherish these moments a lot because you never know when your kids outgrow this phase and find hanging out with Mama uncool. It has always been my wish to maintain strong ties and close relationships with each of my kids. But it is so, so difficult, especially once they turn into teenagers. Anyone gets what I mean?

After we had breakfast, we checked out of the fishint resort and made our way to Desaru. Yup, we have been here before with our parents and on our own but this was the first time we were gonna be with a big bunch of people and staying in a bungalow together so it was still very exciting.

We managed to get a place with five bedrooms so the sleeping configuration was: the six older kids would bunk together in the biggest room with three queen beds, the elderly couples would each take a room with two queen beds, that left the hubby, Ansel and myself as well as my brother-in-law and sister-in-law to share  a bedroom with two queen beds. Yup, sandwiched generation like I said so we are the ones who have to make compromises to make the parents and kids happy.

As for dear Ansel, he still wants to stick to Mama during bedtime and I'm more than happy to do that. So it ended up that the hubby chose to sleep in the sofa instead to give us more space.

Back to the house, this two-storey landed property we rented came equipped with everything we needed, including a pool table, Nintendo Switch, karaoke system, mahjong, carrom, poker cards, arcade machine, swimming pool, porch with seating area, small playground for kids, fully functional kitchen and more.

We had many meals together in this cosy home and it was nice seeing how filled the table was. It's such a huge blessing to have a big bunch of loved ones and I can only wish that my kids will see how blessed and fortunate they are to be a part of this family. I didn't get to go on such travels in my younger days and that is why I appreciate every trip we undertake together.

There was no worry about entertainment since there was surely something to keep everyone happy, so we split up and play different things but we were all under the same roof. This was the first time I played mahjong with my niece and nephew, and also tried to teach my own daughter the rules of the game. That, was surely a moment to remember.

As for our parents, they were happy to just keep singing songs and it was nice to see that they were enjoying themselves too. On the day that we arrived, we ordered catering for dinner so that everyone could just enjoy the activities in the house, rest and relax, and just have a nice time bonding with one another.

We did something special after dinner and that was to watch a video of our Bali travel that we did the year before. Yup, this was compiled by yours truly and it was a 37-minute long video that showcased all the highlights and fun moments of our first trip. Seeing the smiles and comments from them, I guess it made all the effort worthwhile because it did take me long to film, edit and compile. My mum's first reaction was "So when will the Desaru and Kelong video be out?" and I could only give a feeble smile because I don't think she understood how long it takes me to do every long video.

Day 3

The next day, we made our way for lunch at Super Lobster Village and even though we didn't order lobsters, it was still a very yummy and sumptuous meal. This restaurant was situated nearby Desaru Mini Zoo, which was our main destination for the day.

Remember how the kids had so much fun petting and feeding the animals at the zoo? Well, we just thought that our parents and the rest of the family would enjoy it too so here we were again.

My parents were happy to feed all the animals and take photographs with them and unlike me, my mum was not afraid to hold any of the reptiles. Yup, I guess that's where my kids' genes come from.

Our favourite was still the petting corner where we spent over an hour just cuddling the small animals like ducklings and chicks and getting up close with reptiles like iguanas and corn snakes.

Ansel also got to go on a pony ride and just look at that beam on his face. He's always happy to go on such rides and while the Jiejies and Korkor have outgrown this phase, we are happy to let him do it for as long as he likes. Yup, we can't shortchange him just cos' he's the youngest, right?

One activity that we were looking forward to was the ATV ride, woohoo! What we didn't expect was that the terrain would be a mountainous one and hard to conquer, so it was really a challenge for some of us, especially my Dad who was ferrying Asher - his ATV almost flipped a couple of times and he was prepared to jump out with Asher, but luckily he still managed to keep it within control.

I made it hard for myself by trying to drive and still film videos at the same time and that was really difficult. My kids don't usually want to do the filming on my behalf because it might seem redundant at the moment, but you know what, those memories of each of them that I put into our video are just too precious and I know I will keep doing this for as long as I can.

Back at the house, it was BBQ night! It happened to be Father's Day so my hubby and my brother-in-law whipped up some delicious food so that the parents and kids could enjoy. It's a little ironic, right? They are fathers themselves yet they didn't get to rest much. Well, that happens when you are a better chef than your wife and I can never accomplish what the hubby does at barbecues. 

We also had some drinks because hey, it's a time to celebrate and party! Then my sister-in-law and I each paired up with our eldest to have a mum-and-daughter tournament at the pool table. That was fun!

Day 4

We headed to Desaru Adventure Waterpark the next day to have a splashing good time. This was our second visit and we kind of knew what to expect yet we were still very much looking forward to it. During our last visit, the highlights was the roller coaster and viking rides so we made sure to head to these two attractions again. In fact, the kids went on a the roller coaster a few times since the queue was short, yay!

One memorable incident was when Ariel accidently scraped her face in Penawar River, which is the lazy river, when she dove in so I had to bring her to get first aid. It was the first time we did so in the water park but we were so much more relieved when the staff helped her to apply antiseptic cream and said that it was still okay to play in the water despite the wound. If not, she would have been very disappointed to be left out of the fun.

For our last dinner in Desaru, we headed to Jade Restaurant which is one of my in-laws' favourite dining places. The hubby treated us to an expensive dinner coupled with lobsters and it was a delightful way to end off our family vacation. Of course, we had to continue the fun back at home with drinks, games, karaoke, and mahjong just to make full use of our short but fantastic getaway.

Day 5

Just before we checked out, of course we had to take a group photo together to remember this wonderful holiday filled with lots of precious memories. Did we go straight home? Nope, actually it was still early so we headed to JB for lunch, shopping, massage and jalan jalan before we finally made our way back to Singapore.



We're hoping to do this kind of family getaway again next year so till more updates then! If you have a huge family too, don't be afraid to travel together and if it's easier, just do a road trip like we did instead of spending a bomb on flights. The main thing is to let the kids and elderly spend some quality time together and for the whole family to bond closer, so the destination and activities really don't matter as much as the company.

Till our next trip!