Easter Break at Peak District : Day 1

We spent our Easter Break last week at the Peak District with some close friends of ours. The journey from London to Peak District takes about 3.5 hours drive. It rained the WHOLE day but we didn't let it dampen our spirits.

Here's the British Countryside, as seen from our car on the M1

Signboards to our destination, exit 26.

We have arrived at Bakewell! A picturesque town nearby to our accomodation. It was still raining when we arrived, and hungry! We quickly found a place (Italian) to eat and that place did not disappoint - the good was good!

I was so hungry after the 4-hour drive that I could eat a horse! 

After a very long wait, my main course finally arrived. We waited a little bit for our starter and this main course. When the starter arrived, we were extremely pleased that it was so good. My main course of Pan Fried Sea Bass Fillet (comes with warm caponata, new
potatoes, gremolata dressing) was extremely good, and matches our expectation after the starter. I guess it was all worth the wait.

 

The kids had ice-cream each after their main course.

 After a satisfying lunch, it's time to head out... let our legs run free! (Afterall, we've been stuck in the car for almost 4 hours)

After a short walk in Bakewell, we drove to Darwin Forest Country Park - our accommodation for the next 4 nights! What an amazing place. We booked a log cabin with 4 rooms. 

This brand new (only 2 months old) lodge with waney edge larch, has oak floorboards throughout the living area and bedrooms. It has two double and two twin bedrooms. One double bedroom features a flatscreen TV. The light airy lounge has full length patio doors. The lounge is beautifully furnished with the latest soft furnishings. It has two modern, fully fitted bathrooms. The contemporary kitchen has stainless steel appliances and all the mod-cons. 

Double bedroom that Meng & I occupied. Views out to the countryside. ♥!

Bathroom #1.

The kids already "choped" this room... see their respective teddies/soft toys occuplying the bed! This was the other double bedroom, but comes with its own flat-screem TV!

We were so smitten by the place.

 

Shean Wenn was smitten by the fireplace.

Beautiful larch (a type of log used to make the cabins in Darwin Forest Country Park) throughout the cabin.

 Outside on the patio.

3 of us outside our rented log cabin : This brand new (only 2 months old) lodge with waney edge larch, has oak floorboards throughout the living area and bedrooms. It has two double and two twin bedrooms. One double bedroom features a flatscreen TV. The light airy lounge has full length patio doors. The lounge is beautifully furnished with the latest soft furnishings. It has two modern, fully fitted bathrooms. The contemporary kitchen has stainless steel appliances and all the mod-cons.

 In the evolution spa, they have a swimming pool & above it, a state-of-the-art gym (much better than MY GYM!).

Kid's playground!!!

Climbing stuff.

A stream runs parellel to our lodge, not too far away. So breathtaking.

The woods area near to our cabin. You can see our cabin in the background if you look hard enough.

At night, Laura made pasta! It had been a great day. Day 2, we explored the Peak District. I'll upload more tomorrow.

Test : Resisting Temptations

Today while I was on the laptop, Shean Wenn came to me asking me to let her watch her favourite youtube channel by Ochikeron on my laptop. Then I decided to test her :

Me : No, go watch it on daddy's iPad.
SW : No I can't! Daddy said I can't play with it today because I played on it yesterday
Me : Don't worry-lah, mummy says you can.. just go play on it.
SW *pauses for 2 secs* : No, he will know and will scold meeee...
Me : Don't worry, he won't know if I don't tell him. You don't tell him too, ok?
SW : No, he said I can't play with it today so I won't, Mummy!

You would agree she did very well on both aspects : Realising the consequences of her actions (or it could be a deep fear of her father!) and being able to resist temptation.

I told Meng about this and he smiled. He said I am terrible to do that to her. But hey, she will get tempted in life, esp when she goes to school later. At least we can be sure for now that she is able to stand firm on her opinion. Actually this is not the first time that I have seen her standing firm - but that is another story for another day.

Diane von Furstenberg for GAP

The DVF range for Gap just launched last week. I saw their e-mail on my inbox on my mobile but didn't pay much attention to it until a friend of mine texted me to say that she has just been to the shops and the range is selling out FAST. That evening, I sat infront of my laptop, glued to it. OMG, I am in awe. With a few clicks, the dent left by it in my wallet has been done. The parcel arrived within 2 days and Shean Wenn tried on the goods - I must say I am so pleased, esp with their signature DVF pattern (the tights and on the flip flops)! Their jacket which I LOVE has already been sold out in the first 3 days. All these designer collaborations with high street retailers is really selling well.

Tell me it's all worth it!

End of Spring Term 2012 : 30 Mar

Shean Wenn's kindergarten held an Easter Day event on their last day of the term it was the usual - circle time, songs singing, meals around the table with home-cooked pastries and fruits & water. The top photo shows Shean Wenn holding the hand-puppet she made during King's Children time. She now also learns sewing (yes, with a real needle) and has sewn a felt daffodil. Will show photo another time.

The highlight of the day was of course the Easter Egg Hunt when, for about 20 mins, the kids ran about in the garden, bathed in warm sunlight (but yet not so hot that it melted the chocolate Easter eggs) searching under bushes, trees and hidden nooks for the hidden eggs.
(Shean Wenn with her basketful of Easter Eggs she found around the garden! Her teacher says she's the "Queen" of Eggs-finder which made her very happy and she has thence repeated the story many times the whole of that day)
After the Easter Day event, I brought the girls home and had lunch. It was such a sunny day that I thought it would be a waste if we stayed in - so I brought them out to the park about 5 mins drive away. I actually meant to bring them further to Canary Wharf but halfway there, I realised I left my mobile phone home and had to make a u-turn to get it. So I wasted about 15minutes doing that and decided to just go nearer home.
The girls get to run about, scoot around and played in the playground for a bit before I told them to head to the cafe. On our way there, I could hear them already hinting me for some ice-cream. Oh, talk about plotting their way!

Their conversation goes like this :

"Oh, it's such a hot and warm day today."
"Yes it is!"
"Do you know what will be good for such a HOOOOT day?"
"I know! Maybe some ice-cream?!"
"Yes, Ice cream is a good idea"

It goes on repeat. I pretended to ignore them and answered with "You can have water" or "We'll see"

So they walked into the cafe, and headed straight to the two ice-cream chillers. Kaye : "Can I have one scoop of chocolate ice-cream and one mint please?"
Shean Wenn : "Can I have one chocolate and one vanilla?"
Me : "NO. You both share. So choose one flavour ONLY"
SW & Kaye : "That's not fair!.... " and starts to protest.
Me : "Then you shall have none!"
SW & Kaye : "Ok then! We'll have chocolate!"

Kids, they do know how to bargain!

The most interesting conversation that day however, was while driving to the park. I overhead the two of them chatting behind.

SW : Kaye, I wonder who laid all the Easter Eggs around the kindergarten just now?
Kaye : I know, it must be my sister!
SW : Your sister?
Kaye : Yes, she's a rooster (born in the year of the Rooster)!
SW : Joyee can't lay eggs?!
Kaye : Yes, she can! She's a rooster. Chickens lay eggs.

I almost laughed out loud when I heard it. They are really an interesting bunch of little people!