2015 photo roundup
With the arrival of the snow (that has er, now melted) I have gone into winter hibernation, hence the lack of posts. Well, there was also the back-to-back trips earlier in the month to Lisbon and London, both of which were amazing and well worth writing about.
I also have been spending hours working on this photo roundup for 2015, which is really late considering we're almost at the end of January, but better late than never. It takes a lot of work to do this sort of post but the end result is worth it because it's great looking at the changes over a year all laid out on one page. I was looking back at 2014's roundup and couldn't believe how teeny Bao was last January, she was almost unrecognisable.
So here we go!
January
We spend winter break going for walks and playing in the snow.
And a brief escape from the cold in Barcelona.
Bao starts her dance obsession; we get public library cards and start visiting every couple of weeks.
I bake (easy) bread for the first time ever.
February
We get quite a lot of good snow, especially compared to the winter we're currently having.
Chinese New Year and one of several batches of pineapple tarts, which are all eaten within 48 hours.
No rest for the wicked.
The Bun starts attending birthday parties on his own; I always reappear in time for cake.
March
We celebrate my birthday in a nice low-key way as usual.
Spring buds.
The burning of Old Man Winter.
Easter celebrations begin.
We mourn the passing of Mr Lee.
April
As the weather warms up, we spend more and more time outdoors.
We spend Easter break in Amsterdam, one of my favourite trips of the year.
May
Right after Amsterdam we head back to Lyon for a long weekend, including a foray into the beautiful Beaujolais wine region.
Everything is growing lusciously.
And finally, the first outdoor ice-cream of the year.
We take the kids to CBeebies Land in England as an early birthday treat for The Bun.
J and I both get some long-awaited treats too - a visit to Old Trafford
and a live Belle & Sebastian gig in Manchester.
Back in France, we attend our first-ever medieval fest - it's a blast!
We spend long afternoons at playdates where the kids run riot and the parents drink bubbly.
June
It's finally hot enough for swimming outdoors! (Two months out of the whole year, pfft.)
The Bun goes on a class trip to Yvoire in France.
We have fun at the WTO's Open Day - free food and a chance to look behind those imposing gates.
J and some tug-of-rope drama at the ASEAN Sports Day.
We also attend The Bun's school sports day.
The end of the school and playgroup year. The summer holidays begin.
July
The record-breaking heatwave begins. We are either indoors or in any available body of water.
On hindsight we still managed to have some fun but I can easily remember how bad 40°C felt.
We take a long road trip to the northeastern border of Switzerland - exploring lake Konstanz,
Liechtenstein, St. Gallen, and more.
Blackberry season arrives and I discover how amazing these taste sun-warmed, fresh off the bush.
The Bun turns six! He has a great day with friends, dinosaurs, a ferris-wheel ride, and lots of sugar.
August
We return to Singapore for two-and-a-half weeks, where the kids are spoiled to pieces by their doting grandparents.
Lots and lots of eating is in order.
And lots of time spent with friends, furry or otherwise.
We all see the dentist and get haircuts.
We play tourist and dip tentative toes into the stress that is apartment-hunting in Singapore.
Back in Geneva, the kids and I are down with a bad tummy bug, but recover enough to spend time with J's family who are staying with us.
Celebrating Singapore's 50th birthday at the Singapore Mission.
Bao starts nursery! (I whoop in joy!)
September
We settle into the new school year and spend time with friends.
Making the most of the early autumn sunshine by going outdoors whenever we can.
Last barbecue of the season; I make my first ever batch of egg tarts.
The Bun starts weekly Chinese lessons. It was bumpy at first but he's doing much better now.
Conker season heralds the arrival of the mooncake festival.
October
We start the month watching the Desalpes procession - a very Swiss experience.
My mother and sister come to visit and we have a lot of quality family time.
My sister and I make a quick trip to Zurich to spend some time together, and to see Cumberbatch play Hamlet (onscreen).
All of us take a roadtrip to Zermatt to see the famous Matterhorn. Definitely a memorable trip.
Shortly after that we all head to London, which graces us with sunshine and good food.
Right after my family leave, we drive to Milan for a long weekend.
The World Expo 2015 in Milan, a great eye-opener in more ways than one.
October was a busy month full of traveling.
November
The autumn colours are out in full force. We spend most weekends doing easy hikes.
It turns out to be an unseasonably warm November and some confused trees begin to bud.
No one's complaining, we take every bit of sunshine we get.
J hits a milestone birthday.
The Bun has fun at Victorian Day in school.
When it starts getting chillier, steamboat is always good with friends.
Bao turns three! I bake and bake and bake. Ironic because the child hardly eats cake.
December
For a few days in the first week of December a cat keeps turning up at our doorstep.
No one seems to know who she belongs to. I fantasise about keeping her, but then she
manages to find her way back to her real home.
We get our Christmas tree really early.
The kids meet Father Christmas at the school Christmas fair.
You can tell from Bao's expression that she's totally into the whole Christmas thing.
J spends ten days in Nairobi for work. The fog is really bad so we spend a lot of time indoors.
The kids perform in their school Christmas shows.
Christmas Day is filled with food, presents, sunshine, and hyperactive children.
A large portion of my free time is devoted to online speculation
about the new Sherlock episode. Great, hilarious fun.
I spend the final week of December potty-training Bao.
Apart from the first two bumpy days, she does really well.
No white (or foggy) Christmas or New Year's Eve for us this year, but this isn't bad either!
I also have been spending hours working on this photo roundup for 2015, which is really late considering we're almost at the end of January, but better late than never. It takes a lot of work to do this sort of post but the end result is worth it because it's great looking at the changes over a year all laid out on one page. I was looking back at 2014's roundup and couldn't believe how teeny Bao was last January, she was almost unrecognisable.
So here we go!
January
We spend winter break going for walks and playing in the snow.
And a brief escape from the cold in Barcelona.
Bao starts her dance obsession; we get public library cards and start visiting every couple of weeks.
I bake (easy) bread for the first time ever.
February
We get quite a lot of good snow, especially compared to the winter we're currently having.
Chinese New Year and one of several batches of pineapple tarts, which are all eaten within 48 hours.
No rest for the wicked.
The Bun starts attending birthday parties on his own; I always reappear in time for cake.
March
We celebrate my birthday in a nice low-key way as usual.
Spring buds.
The burning of Old Man Winter.
Easter celebrations begin.
We mourn the passing of Mr Lee.
April
As the weather warms up, we spend more and more time outdoors.
We spend Easter break in Amsterdam, one of my favourite trips of the year.
May
Right after Amsterdam we head back to Lyon for a long weekend, including a foray into the beautiful Beaujolais wine region.
Everything is growing lusciously.
And finally, the first outdoor ice-cream of the year.
We take the kids to CBeebies Land in England as an early birthday treat for The Bun.
J and I both get some long-awaited treats too - a visit to Old Trafford
and a live Belle & Sebastian gig in Manchester.
Back in France, we attend our first-ever medieval fest - it's a blast!
We spend long afternoons at playdates where the kids run riot and the parents drink bubbly.
June
It's finally hot enough for swimming outdoors! (Two months out of the whole year, pfft.)
The Bun goes on a class trip to Yvoire in France.
We have fun at the WTO's Open Day - free food and a chance to look behind those imposing gates.
J and some tug-of-rope drama at the ASEAN Sports Day.
We also attend The Bun's school sports day.
The end of the school and playgroup year. The summer holidays begin.
July
The record-breaking heatwave begins. We are either indoors or in any available body of water.
On hindsight we still managed to have some fun but I can easily remember how bad 40°C felt.
We take a long road trip to the northeastern border of Switzerland - exploring lake Konstanz,
Liechtenstein, St. Gallen, and more.
Blackberry season arrives and I discover how amazing these taste sun-warmed, fresh off the bush.
The Bun turns six! He has a great day with friends, dinosaurs, a ferris-wheel ride, and lots of sugar.
August
We return to Singapore for two-and-a-half weeks, where the kids are spoiled to pieces by their doting grandparents.
Lots and lots of eating is in order.
And lots of time spent with friends, furry or otherwise.
We all see the dentist and get haircuts.
We play tourist and dip tentative toes into the stress that is apartment-hunting in Singapore.
Back in Geneva, the kids and I are down with a bad tummy bug, but recover enough to spend time with J's family who are staying with us.
Celebrating Singapore's 50th birthday at the Singapore Mission.
Bao starts nursery! (I whoop in joy!)
September
We settle into the new school year and spend time with friends.
Making the most of the early autumn sunshine by going outdoors whenever we can.
Last barbecue of the season; I make my first ever batch of egg tarts.
The Bun starts weekly Chinese lessons. It was bumpy at first but he's doing much better now.
Conker season heralds the arrival of the mooncake festival.
October
We start the month watching the Desalpes procession - a very Swiss experience.
My mother and sister come to visit and we have a lot of quality family time.
My sister and I make a quick trip to Zurich to spend some time together, and to see Cumberbatch play Hamlet (onscreen).
All of us take a roadtrip to Zermatt to see the famous Matterhorn. Definitely a memorable trip.
Shortly after that we all head to London, which graces us with sunshine and good food.
Right after my family leave, we drive to Milan for a long weekend.
The World Expo 2015 in Milan, a great eye-opener in more ways than one.
October was a busy month full of traveling.
November
The autumn colours are out in full force. We spend most weekends doing easy hikes.
It turns out to be an unseasonably warm November and some confused trees begin to bud.
No one's complaining, we take every bit of sunshine we get.
J hits a milestone birthday.
The Bun has fun at Victorian Day in school.
When it starts getting chillier, steamboat is always good with friends.
Bao turns three! I bake and bake and bake. Ironic because the child hardly eats cake.
December
For a few days in the first week of December a cat keeps turning up at our doorstep.
No one seems to know who she belongs to. I fantasise about keeping her, but then she
manages to find her way back to her real home.
We get our Christmas tree really early.
The kids meet Father Christmas at the school Christmas fair.
You can tell from Bao's expression that she's totally into the whole Christmas thing.
J spends ten days in Nairobi for work. The fog is really bad so we spend a lot of time indoors.
The kids perform in their school Christmas shows.
Christmas Day is filled with food, presents, sunshine, and hyperactive children.
A large portion of my free time is devoted to online speculation
about the new Sherlock episode. Great, hilarious fun.
I spend the final week of December potty-training Bao.
Apart from the first two bumpy days, she does really well.
No white (or foggy) Christmas or New Year's Eve for us this year, but this isn't bad either!