End Note for Year 2008

In a day's time, we are moving on to a brand new year.. While the sun still shines on, some feels for global warming... others awaits for more blooms. As the waves continue to splash on our shores, some look out for tsunami... others wow at yet another magnificent sun rise.

This year seems to be a dark year for most with bad things happening one after another. Many are hoping for a better year ahead although forecasts by 'experts' are not very uplifting.

Darkness.. Brightness.. Hottest days... Wettest moments... this year... next year...

My family will only be doing the same... chasing after the sunshine, enjoying the warm while it last.. cuddle close when it lacks.

So our wishes for you is not a "Happy New Year" but..

May you walk into the new year with the choice to have Joy close to your heart!

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Fishing in December

Yah... how could we miss out one of our favourite activities during school hols...

Christmas Day 2008

We headed to West Coast Park to play with Jay's new remote car after having brunch at Ginza. The kids had fun of course and look at some of Jay's naughty acts.

Then we head home for our usual homecook Christmas Dinner. Mark prepared Honey Baked Ham...Wow!!!. I prepared the sides which is Beef Rolled Asparagus and Mushrooms Crosti.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

Christmas Eve 2008

After our Christmas service in church and last round of "Santa Clausing"... we did what we do every year. Have our own family nite party...Our dinner Christmas eve dinner this year consists of Citrus Prawn Salad, Ham Rolled Shimeiji Mushrooms and Grilled Cod fish... and toast off sparkling wine.

Christmas 2008

It's the time for CELEBRATIONS!!!!

Indeed we rejoices for the birth of Baby Jesus thousands of years ago. We join the angels and shepherds in singing and celebrations... We travel and give presents like the 3 wise men. We sparkle like the stars in that very night He was born... yes, even in bad times.

"He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,"

~ Luke 1:14

That's what we did ! We had parties for friends and our family.

More photos at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/ting-family/sets/72157611782225423/

Stepping back to Marina South

Finally we found the time to explore the new place after it had reopen for so long. We went to the pier then to Marina Barrage.

Nice place for couple couple time.. and it is also filled with family giggles... some kite enthusiasts to add more thrills... and dots of wedding couples posing for their future. Am I making it sound like a multi purpose event hall? Maybe the promise of Al Fresco style steamboat will make it more tempting...

It's a nice place lah! See the kids' faces...

Our Fourth Wedding Anniversary

Yeah! Applause... applause... Thank you Thank you!

Indeed I was overjoyed to survive my fourth year as a wife. No one raised an eyebrow when I announced I'm stepping into motherhood.. but perspirations broke out when I say,"I do." I still remember how my aunties loaded me with advices on being tolerating and understanding blah blah blah.. and explaining to my Ils how my living alone since young experiences made me erm... a 'little' difficult to live with.

So I'm proud to announce that not only I managed to live in harmony with 1 man (the most untidy kind of 'pet' I ever seen) but 3 of them. Those who still think its my retributions can jolly well laugh till your jaws cramp and stuck yah...

Anyway... we celebrated the occasion with a night stay at Waterfront Copthorne and a sumptuous Christmas Dinner at Cafe Brio in the most romantic way that we can have... with the kids.

View from our room

Went for a swim before dinner. It rained earlier so the water was freezing cold but the boys insisted on not getting out of the water. See how purple their lips turn into...

We wanted a couple shot... obviously the waiter that we asked felt that the kids come attached.

Yep... we upz the romantic mood by kissing under the big Christmas Tree...

with hugs too of course....

after several attempts of taking a family portrait on self timer... erm, yes.. this is the best we managed to get. It's quite a feat with 2 monsters involve you know.

More photos at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/ting-family/sets/72157611828946786/

Transformer Meet session

Seen and read about how the mummies brought their kids to various characters meeting sessions or play etc during the school hols, somehow guilt gotten into me.

Not that we are lazy to bring them for stage shows, but so far they really don't show much interest.

But like i said, guilt gotten hold of me so I arranged to bring them for a meet up session with Mr. Optimus Prime... it was a mistake. Jem simply refused to go near the mascots! And he fussed so much that I wished to storm off like Bumble Bee if not for the fact that they barricaded the place up.

Oh well... at least it comforts me to know that they will definitely not appreciate having Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck walking up to them at Hong Kong Disneyland for now, so I jolly well can save up on it.

December School Hols

Jerome and I did a few round of baking during the school holidays to pass time. This is one of them that he did mostly on his own. It's a simple brownie recipe which only need to mix all the ingredients in the mixer in easy steps.

Of course he loves the end product cos it's so yummilicious with the marshmallows that was toasted in the oven for a while before serving. Yeap... expect a gooey mess while eating.

High Up on the Singapore Flyer

Jerome had a ticket for the Flyer and it's expiring soon. Last minute we decided to utilise it so Mark took his leave. We wanted to give it a miss initially as we felt the kids will not really enjoy being enclosed in a small place for half an hour. We were wrong... they enjoyed themselves thoroughly though a large part of the reason was the race track for Formula One was still around.

As for us, the adults...hmmm, how to put it? There was a tinge of romantism but being tainted with sights of construction works.. it dissipated pretty fast.

Nice trip... but will be a while that we part those kind of money again.

More photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/ting-family/sets/72157608671613446/

Beachy affair with Tyra

Met up with Tyra one day after her saturday class to play. We waited for her at a teahouse near sixth avenue.. food, not too bad.

We headed over to Playground at Big Splash despite the shower. Not a wrong choice cos the kiddoes had fun.

It's heartwarming to see the kids' blooming friendship as they grow over the years, not forgetting the one between the parents as well. Who knows one day, we will la kopi and watch our grandchildren digging through those same sands...

More photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/ting-family/sets/72157608674548505/

Miles of oceans apart

At this very moment while I typed... Mark and I are miles apart. He is away in Shanghai for an incentive trip.

While many are concerned about how am I coping on my own with the two kids, or how is he coping with the melamine rich food in china, I only have one thought... My husband whom I'm so accustomed to have him walk through the door each night at this time is far away from me.

No, I'm not turning into a depressive maniac nor striked with love sickness... Instead, I'm awed and amazed by love. 10 years of living on my own made me appreciate and adore my freedom, thinking that I will always value those moments of singlehood. Truthfully I had valued and even looked forward to such trips which I can be relieved from my duties as a wife and be myself. Yet on this night, going 4 years into my marriage, I came to understand what the bible meant to have love that binds us together as One. For this very moment, I'm aware that part of me is missing...

You can laugh at the mushiness... or entertaining the thought of puking but I'm still gonna indulge in my infatuation. And I wish that people around me will continue to be swept away by this crazy thing call love.

It's been some time

It sure has been been some time since I have last posted.

The whole family was constantly down with flu, fever and cough for 2 weeks and I had bad bouts of chest pains which the doc can't confirm the cause. But thank God I managed to clear the ECG test.

After that was crazy work schedules...

So here I am... back to my writing days.

I'll start the drum rolling with photos of Jem's haircut sometime back at Vivo City. Doesn't he has the look of a hooligan?

Bowling session at Ehub

Jem really wow at the Ferris Wheel but many had warned me beforehand that it's expensive and nothing much to it... so I just let him gaze till his heart desire and then walk off.

Found this bbq chicken shop with nice pink comfy couches... the popcorn chicken is nicer than those in KFC in my opinion. And it comes in a cup with drink below the chicken... very cute!

Jem's getting better at bowling now and can easily last through 2 games. He had a good time :)