Beautiful Owners Beautiful Garden

26.02.2012    Sunday   Partly Cloudy

Pistruan Terrace is a nice walking path. We used to enjoy the housing and nice views along the way to school and back. 

Beautiful flourished plants in sunny Summer and Autumn

Dried and leafless plants in gloomy Winter

There are many small gardens in front of the houses there. The gardens are well-decorated and managed.

Orange-Morning Glory, a convolvulus family member climbing on the wall

 A northern hemisphere Maroon Maple

Beautiful purple-pinky flowers next to Mr.Albert's garden

Met several times with this Little Tiger

Well, there is a garden with little creatures like a castle, a boot of plants, a cat with a cart of flowers attracted Little Nala. She used to visit the garden, at least once, on every school day.

Little Ancient Castle in the garden

A huge working boot of green

Mr.Cat with his cart of plant

On a day when we went to school, we found an additional creature in the garden. It was a Morning-Glory Fairy. She was there to accompany the lonely castle. We guessed that the ancient castle must be contented with her arrival and company.

A beautiful pinky Fairy with the Ancient Castle

While we were looking at and talking about the beautiful Fairy, we heard a sound where a door was opened. We turned around and saw a man was standing in front of the house. We greeted him with smiles. He looked at Nala and said directly to her, "The Fairy is special for you!"

"The Fairy is special for you!"

Then he explained, "I told my wife that a little girl comes to visit our garden every day. My wife suggested that we put a fairy in order to make the garden more friendly to children. Therefore, the fairy is here."
What a nice and beautiful couple they are!
I told my hubby after returning home. We are so grateful with their thoughfulness and kindness!

 Feeling so grateful and happy with the kind people around us! God blessed!

Little Girl, Little Idol

20.02.2012   Monday   Cloudy/ Showers

It was surprised me when Nala drew my attention by saying this, "Mama, am I look like MeiSze or SiQianJin ?".  

MeiSze and SiQianJin were the children album singers years ago. They were well-known and had became the centre and idols of the kids! They produced very nice and charming Chinese New Year digital videos too.

Nala got few VCDs of the children singers from her cousins. The VCDs were her cousins favourite collection during their childhood. Nala used to listen to and watched the VCDs from time to time, regardless of the season. Nala enjoys very much the lively and colourful singing and dancing performances of the girls. Time after time, they became her idols.

She started to imitate her idols yesterday by putting on the soft cushion cover on her hair as a head scarf, just like what the image of the girls for their video performance.

SiQianJin Chinese New Year VCD with their beautiful presentations

Put a soft cushion cover as a head scarf

"Am I look Like MeiSze or SiQianJin?"

"Beautiful or not ?"

This head scarf made me feel good :)

Started to sing happily.. "有一个姑娘，她有一点 。。。"

Nala is just lovely in her own way. Putting on the soft cushion cover as the head scarf was funny, but it wasn't not creative at all !

Meine Klene Nala !

A little girl with her little idols. It is nothing out of extraordinary, it is very normal! We love the way she is. Just wish that she is happy every day, healthy, safe and sound always!

A White Beautiful Morning

19.02.2012   Sunday   Sunny

The snow fall in the afternoon yesterday delighted us. The snow flakes caused great excitement! Well, it was the second snow fall in this winter so far. There wasn't any snow gathered on the ground, except those on the top of the vehicles in the late evening.

There was few snow falls, i guessed during midnight which presents a white beautiful scenery in the next early morning. Most of the creatures were covered a piece white. The green grass land dressed up with elagant white coats, the bricks road cuddled with a soft-white gigantic beautiful blanket and colossal white-coloured roof everywhere!

A piece of white land in front of our flat

Stunning look of white land with the presence of the sunlight

The snow melted slowly in a sunny day

The snow fully melted in the afternoon

Well, an once in a blue moon snow fall on February 18 - 19, has had beautifying this piece of beautiful land. Meanwhile, it had delighted everyone who had longed for the snowing day!

We are just contented with this snow fall in this mild winter !

Once in A Blue Moon Snow Fall

18.02.2012   Saturday   Sunny/Snow

A beautiful sunny Saturday delighted Aberdeen. All of the eople enjoyed the day. It was really a nice day with lots of sunlight and breeze.

In the afternoon, out of a sudden, the sky was cloudy.  It started to rain and followed by the snow at about half past three. Rain and snow poured on this beautiful land for just a very short while. We were enjoying the snow showers on the way home from the town. We were contented with once in a blue moon snowing in this mild winter. We longed for snowing day for a long time,since last November!

At 4:50, it was snowing again. At that moment we were having a late tea break. We were standing at the window enjoying the view of the snow flakes poured on the land. 

An unexpected snow fall has enlighten our day! 

Sunny Weekend

18.02.2012   Saturday   Sunny

The Weather Channel has forecasted on Friday that we are going to have sunny weekend. Yes, the sun is shinning today with 0 - 7 degrees Celcius for today. It will be sunny with 1 - 5 degrees Celcius tomorrow.

Sunshine with clear blue sky in the morning - a view from our window

Beautiful Aberdeen - Lots of sunlight in the City Centre

Stunning look of the old Union Terrace Garden under the sun, Aberdeen City Centre

I am sure most the people surely enjoy this extremely sunny weekend as it is hardly any beautiful Saturday and Sunday with the pour of sunlight in this winter, a mild winter though.

Do have a lovely weekend. Do enjoy these beautiful days to the fullest!
 

Decorating and Embellishment of Muffins

17.02.2012   Friday   Sunny

I was so glad that i baked the Cranberries Cheesecake Muffins again for today's tea break. 

* INGREDIENTS
150g / 5 1/2 oz butter, plus extra for greasing
200g / 7 oz cream cheese
150g / 5 1/2 oz caster sugar
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
300g / 10 1/2 oz self-raising flour
100g / 3 1/2 oz dried cranberries, chopped
icing sugar, for dusting

* METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. Grease a deep 12-cup muffin tin.
2.Melt the butter and leave to cool slightlly. In a large bowl, whisk the cream cheese and sugar together, add the eggs one at a time until well combined and then stir in the melted butter.
3. Mix the flour and cranberries together in a bowl, then stir gently into the batter. Spoon into the prepared muffin tin, filling each hole to about two-thirds full, and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Eat warm or cold, dusted lightly with icing sugar.

Plain, undecorated muffins

Normally, i keep my baking in plain as it is, without any decoration on it. This afternoon, I was out of ordinary and would like to delight my baking with a simple decoration and embellishment. A pot of fresh pasteurised double cream in the fridge mainly provoked me in decorating my baking for the first time.

Muffins topped with Whipped Cream

Round-shaped Muffins & Indulgent Hello Kitty Muffins

I chose the simplest way in using double cream as topping - Creamy background with few dried cranberries in the centre, right on top and surrounding of the domed muffins to create stunning atmosphere. Meanwhile, two indulgent Hello Kitty muffins was embellished directly for my little girl who adores Hello Kitty so much!

Decorating and Embellishment for bakings, like muffins or cupcakes is easy and fun! That was my very wrong perception about this delightful effort. I learned that without experience, skills, proper equipments, practise and patience, the dcoration and embellishment in baking is not as easy as what i have had in my mind. 

My Very FIRST Decoration of Muffins

Look at the decoration and embellishment on the muffins that i have had today, though they looked a bit funny and untidy; after all, they looked nicer than before, when they were plain without any decoration. I was happy with my baking and my family liked the muffins and enjoyed the nice tea break as well. As the result was encouraging, of cause I'll never mind putting in the extra effort for my next baking!

0202-0802 ~ Story Sack 1

16.02.2012   星期四   阴

Story Sack 1 ~ 02.02.2012 - 08.02.2012 

幼儿园保姆实习生，Alex早已在二月初开始了她的原定计划 - 以Story Sacks能促进孩童们的语言进展进行调查。 结果，当天孩子们都各自领了一大包的礼物回家！

Story Sacks里头，到底装了一些什么宝物？可以极度吸引小朋友，并能激发他们的学习！？

孩子拿到的第一袋Story Sack是异型怪兽。。。

Story Sack 1 里的宝物

这配套包含了一本But Martin故事书，习字本，黄色异型娃娃，图形切片，太空漫游以及橙色异型模型游戏。那三眼三指的异型模型，不但不可怕；反而很有趣、可爱！

孩子就是最喜欢那一套可爱的怪兽模型。把袋子拿回家后，第一时间就把它带上来；请妈妈替她拍照留念！

哇，可怕吗？不可怕，是可爱极了！

真好玩！

太可爱了！

除了玩耍，孩子也要写一点点的功课。整本习字本都画满了美丽、可爱的图画，更颜色鲜明；足以吸引孩子动笔去学习生字！

我写、我学，我学、我写！

有好玩的怪兽，学习写字，孩子也开心的太空切图。

万事起头难，一定要耐心，一步一步来

看，完成了。。 只要有恒心，铁棒磨成针！

陪伴孩子学习，其实我也一起学习。But Martin也成为了孩子临睡前的故事。Story Sacks的确促进孩子的语文、智力学习。长年累积的学习更能巩固一个人的智慧。除此之外，在指引孩子的当儿；更提升了亲子的融洽与互动！

The Story Sacks for the Children

15.02.2012   Wednesday   Mostly Cloudy

A Nursery Nurse Student, Alex is carrying out a research in the Nursery as part of her Graded Unit. She has chosen to look into the children language development. She has decided to use the Story Sacks in carrying out her experience.

The Story Sacks has started with the children who have gotten their first one on February 2, 2012. The duration of the research is 5 weeks and it will last on March 7, 2012. The Story Sacks is taken home by the children on every Thursday and handed back on the following Wednesday. All of the sacks include a Storybook and relevant activities which go along with it.

Each of the children receives a booklet together with the first Story Sacks. The booklet consists of 5 sets of feedback reports for the concern of both the parent and child. The booklet needs to be completed and handed in by the last day of the research.

After the 5 weeks research, Alex will observe the language development of the children and she will plan accordingly the relevant activities for the children relating to their development of language. All of these Story Sacks reports and observations will be the evidence of her course.

Wish all the children do enjoy the Story Sacks. Meanwhile, wishing Alex all the best in carrying out her research.
 

三人情人节

14.02.2012   星期二   阴

今年的二月十四日，是我们三个人一起在苏格兰共渡的第二个三人情人节！去年的情人节，孩子不懂得情人节的意义，所以没什么参与。今年的她，比往年进步了；但也还不懂得什么是情人节。再过几年，她就会渐渐明白。

孩子在上个星期四，已经在幼儿园里做好了爱心小甜饼。星期五，又从幼儿园带回了一张爱心贺卡。很明显的，她的杰作就是配合了二月十四日的情人节！孩子说饼干及卡片都是做来送给爸爸和妈妈的。

孩子送给爸爸和妈妈的情人节礼物

两颗香香甜甜的爱心小饼干，是送给妈妈的！

三颗粉红心另加一粒红心巧克力，浪漫的爱心卡是送给爸爸的！

当孩子被我问及，为什么美丽的卡片不是送给妈妈的呢？她笑着对我说，“这张，我先做给爸爸。等改天，我才做给妈妈！”：)

昨天，轮到我做面包。一来，家里的面包吃完了；二来，正逢明天是情人节。所以，就顺理成章的做起面包来啦！自家人吃，也与附近的邻居朋友分享。

这爱心面包是送给外子及孩子，以及近邻朋友。

Fruity-Nutty Sticky Buns

 由于工作的关系，外子得住宿顾客的家以及加班。今天早上九点才回家，十点半又要接班。奈何，我一大清早，又与两位牙医师有约。所以错过了见面！一直到午餐时间一起用餐。午餐后，外子又去上班了！原本约定好的恶二月十四一起出游，被逼取消。

没关系啦，只要大家相处得融洽、相亲相爱，每一天都是情人节！

三人情人节快乐

藉此，既美丽又有意义的一天，我们衷心祝福 : 天下有情人，总成眷属。更重要的是大家 ： 健康、快乐、如意、平安。 情人节快乐，天天、时时、刻刻、分分、秒秒都快乐！

外子的小手术

12.02.2012    星期日   晴

上个星期五，外子到Royal Infirmary Hospital进行了背部小手术。谢天谢地，一切顺利！院方安排他必须在第二天回医院复诊。

星期六，外子依序，也为了配合工作时间，他八点钟就回到了医院。但是，那位手术医生在九点钟才开始上班。由于工作的关系，星期六的复诊不成功。所以，外子又被安排在星期日（今天）的上午十一点钟，到医院洗伤口、换药。

希望今天一切顺利，也祝外子早日痊愈、一切如常！
 

爱心小甜饼

09.02.2012    星期四    阴、雨

很快的，又来到星期四。今天又是Baking Day!  孩子很期待这一天，可以做饼干；又可以吃自己亲自做的小饼干。很有趣！

上学时，就可以看见老师为孩子们准备了做糕饼的用料及器具。 放学时，孩子又领了一包小饼干回家。哈，这一次做的又是什么饼干呢？

原来是。。。 爱心小甜饼 ~

孩子的 N 字母爱心小甜饼

两颗心形小饼干，虽没有太特出的外表，但是所散发出、扑鼻的芬芳香甜味；闻了后，真的很想咬它一、两口！

孩子刚刚请我吃了她的爱心小饼干，真的很美味！

“孩子，希望以后你学习做更多、更好吃的饼干，请妈妈品尝 。”  加油哦，孩子！

蒸鸡肉包子

04.02.2012   星期六   阴天、雨

每当看见或听到朋友说，“这是我做的包子。”时，我会很羡慕及欣赏他们的能干！

昨天，我尝试做包子。带着姑且一试的心态，动手做鸡肉包子。做包子的过程不算太难，但却需要技巧及耐心。

不同体积的鸡肉包子

没想到，第一次蒸出的包子，除了包子的外形不够美观及体积不均，吃起来味道还算不错！

第一次尝试就有这样的成绩，是一种鼓励。我会继续用心，希望以后做出更好的包子！

娜拉小熊饼

03.02.2012   星期五   晴天

Ms.Kathleen 是一位经验丰富及很有爱心的幼儿园保姆。她温和的待人处事是公认的，所以孩子们都很喜欢她。昨天接孩子放学时，Ms.Kathleen 给了我一个袋子，里面装了一个饼干。

原来，昨天孩子在学堂上跟老师一起学习做糕饼。富有创意及耐心的老师，教导孩子制作小熊饼干。烘培出的饼干味道很香甜，样子也很可爱。一个大大的小熊头，还由一支冰淇淋棒子撑着；是一支小熊饼也！老师还笑着对我说，“ 可是，孩子所模造出的究竟是小熊、小狗，还是小猪？！ ”

孩子烹制的小熊饼干

不是盖的，小熊饼干是真的可以入口的！而且，美味可口！昨天，孩子已把小熊的两只耳朵、两粒眼睛以及半张脸吃进肚子里了。

哈哈哈，剩下小熊的大鼻子

今天，继续吃得津津有味。。。

自己做的饼干，特别香甜、特别美味

Byebye, 美味的小熊饼

孩子学习做饼干并品尝其甜果。 孩子还说，往后的每一堂烘培课，她还要向老师学习做其他的小饼干。我感到很欣慰，孩子终于晓得 “一份耕耘、一份收获” 的道理！