Some of the ways I tried to cut corners are documented below. i.e. besides letting them watch one more VCD a day than usual (meaning 3, cos usually each one will choose one). But on Sat when I was baking Titus' birthday cake and then preparing braised pork and eggs (20 eggs!) for church potluck, they were watching VCDs almost the whole day. Very bad, but I hope it is only temporary.

1. I started off cooking 2 dishes for lunch for kids and myself, then changed to another 2 different dishes for dinner for dh and 3 of us. That lasted all but 2 days into this week. I found meal prep time and then the washing up too time-consuming.

I progressed to a 1-dish meal of pasta for lunch for kids and myself, then rice and 2 dishes for dinner. That was middle of the week.

Now, I cook A LOT in a 1-dish meal for lunch, and serve up the same thing for dinner at night. See this fried rice? That's 4 cups of rice.... haha, after I fried it, I looked at the amount and it shocked myself even, so MUCH!!! But then it saved me the time to prep dinner all over again. And I was glad for that. Until dh or the kids complain, I think it will remain status quo for some time.

2. I started off devoting the whole part of the morning just to homeschooling the kids, doing some educational worksheets with Titus, drawing or art and craft with both, and reading stories. I also imposed "strictly-Chinese" periods where Titus can only speak in Mandarin to me, and we will play only CHinese games. Cos his grandma is afraid he will lose his ability to converse in fluent Mandarin and chat with her when we return in future.

Then it got more tiring and there was more cleaning around the house and so on... So I started showing Chinese DVD to replace some of the Chinese activities. I also started playing CDs instead of teaching them music.

Finally I let them play "educational games" by themselves instead of playing with them! I lay on the sofa while they were playing blocks. I set up 2 stations for them using the chairs dh made. And I consoled myself while watching them, that they are also learning A LOT by playing with blocks. I mean, that's creativity and critical thinking skills and architecture, or even engineering they're learning right???!? All by themselves... :-) If you're reading this, no matter what you think, if you have to comment, say something encouraging ok? :-) If not, if you just want to tell me, don't be lazy anymore, please remain silent, k? :-)

3. I stopped showering them diligently also. I filled the tub and let them play awhile and then rinse them up.

4. This week I dressed myself and the kids in clothes that need not be ironed and I wear the clothes for longer than usual. :-)

Ok that's enough of the dirty linen washed in public. Here's random pic of my homemade raisins. I left the seedless red grapes out in the open (under the heater vent) just to see what'll happen. And in 2 days, they became raisins! They're plumper and juicier than Sunmaid's, but taste the same.