Thank God for christmas and friends.

Christmas with friends is one of the best thing in life. Especially with good friends. 

Lavina, I knew from back in 2008, is a mother of two boys who attended play school with isabelle in kiddy ABC. For two years, we would send our kids to school, say "hi" and "bye" and repeat again when we meet to fetch them home. It was only in the last two years that we contacted more, said more, met more and shared more. It wasn't easy at first. She was working weird hours and I was working even weirder hours. We had common habits and I believe that contributed to our development. Moreover we are pretty laid back and casual in our management of the children. In another word, we're flexible.

Irene, similarly, I knew her from kiddy ABC days and Liana, from the regular playground meets. These ladies are really helpful and caring and what I call great neighbours. Although nothing can be compared to the kampong styled communal living back in the past, these ladies made up for it all. They are so willing and able to help you watch the kids, feed them and entertain them when you need some time off. At times, I know I wouldn't get most of my project work done if not for them. But the most important thing is they cared for me. It's not uncommon for me to need help, with me often being under the weather and all. They brought me food, peak-me-ups, lovely texts and even brought my girls back from classes when I can't. These ladies are just two of the fine neighbours I have. There are many of them I would one day pay tribute to. 

Thank you ladies and the men that supported our circle of trust and friendships.

Thank you God for christmas and friends.

Our christmas 2011

This year, we decided to do christmas MY way and I called subway for their catering menu and happily got their party platter with a selection of beef, ham and tuna. I was not the only one delighted. The younger generation plus my mum, were all delighted with the different food this year. Ok, I did not really prepare any of my christmas "specialty" this year because I was rather tied up the period before. Anyway I got otah and nasi lemak and sharon got satay for me. I totally like the food selection this year though. Anyway, I love christmas and everything that comes with it.

Our christmas tree was themed "all-in-one" this year. This good old tree had been with our family since I was a teenager. It was passed down from my mum to me. It had served us very well year after year. However I know that this might be its last year or two with us as its branches are falling off in succession. Hopefully it can celebrate its last year with us in our "would-be-dearly-miss" punggol resort. 2012 would be the last christmas we celebrate in our first marital home before we move out of this beautiful estate with the wonderful neighbours we've grown to love and care for. Thinking about saddens me really.

Punggol resort is the place where dave and I started our lives together. It is the place we love, and talked, and fought, and struggled, cried, laughed, danced, sang, snuggled, and everything a couple did. Punggol resort is also the place we shared our lives with two precious daughters. We had so much memories together as a family of two, then three and finally four in this blessed place we fondly called HOME. It would be so dearly missed, this safe haven and all the memories created within these walls that protected us and sheltered us for 10 years. Not forgetting the lovely neighbours and wonderful friendships that was formed and beautified here. Gosh! I'm tearing now... Not that I won't be seeing them after I moved. In fact I'm sure that even if I wanted to hide, some of them would fiercely hunt me down and remind me of the immerse blessings their friendships had brought into my life. They are the rainbows in my sky. They are my blessings indeed.

So during this beautiful season of love and friendship, I want to express my deepest and most sincere appreciation to those friends who had painted my sky red and yellow, orange, green, blue and violet. I love the colours of the rainbow in my sky. 

I love the rainbow and I love you guys! I thank God everyday for friends and love. I thank God also for blessing me with a heart full of love and I know that I'm so blessed.

Thank you my friends. Thank you my God.

Merry christmas to one and all!

Our christmas in 2010

Winter crossover 2011

As usual, every year we have the "get our fingers powdered and roll in the balls" event with the family. Well at least the children likes doing it and the adults like eating it.

winter solstice 2009

Our very own winter solstice 

Elephants in Orchard!

Brought my two neighbourhood girls to town for some shopping experience. Sometimes it's nice to ditch the car and take to the comfort of the fast, clean and convenient train. We caught some arty elephants along the road. We're planning our next town shopping already.

Ice cream with Danlin

It's been a long time since we meet up with our friend, Dan and since we can, we decided to go for some ice cream at Dempsey hill. It was great catching up and the girls totally adores her. In fact Dan knew Isabelle from way back in my tummy! I treasure this friendship, a rare one acquired from the workplace. Thanks Dan for everything, then and now.  

Sand play @ Waterway

 

It's been quite a while since these friends get to enjoy some quality play time together. This day, for some reason I can't remember, I have to baby sit them for a while in the afternoon. So I took them to the sand play at the waterway for an hour before I meet their mother for dinner. Though noisy, I think these friends should play together more.

Isabelle's year end party in school

 

My little girl is graduating from K1 and as usual, there is a year end party for that. I got to see most of her friends and talk to some of their mummies. Next year will be so different for us because ryan will be off to primary one and vereen will be attending another pre-school near her house. Anyway, this is life. People come and go. But I'm thankful that we had that wonderful experience of sharing this pre-school journey with each other.

Surprising I'm missing our car-pool routines especially with eileen. I'm missing the lunches, the shopping and the chats after fetching the children. I'm missing it so much. Well, I guess I should not be upset that it's over but thankful that it happened. And we did have so much fun. So much.

11.11.11

On this special day, 11-11-11, I celebrate the last year of my thirties. I'm 39 and getting a little jitters about turning 40 so soon. I was never bothered by my age before but somehow the thought of being 40 frightens me. It's like... I'm OLD. Damned.

Anyway I'm still very much like a child when it comes to birthday celebration. I must have cakes and parties, good food and good friends. I must have love and laughter, songs and families.  A birthday is an important date to me and I'm proud of mine.

My sister bought me a cake and we celebrated at my mum's place. A fantastic crab meal followed. That was the first of many cakes for me this year.

   

For the first time in many years, I met a long time friend for lunch and "forced" him to write me a birthday card. Did I ever mention how particular I am about receiving birthday cards? OK. You can forget about buying me a present but you must NEVER forget to write me a birthday card. And when I say write, I meant write and not just sign on the card. That was what my friend Kent did! He boldly put his signature below a "happy birthday" and gave it to me. I took a look and rejected it in his face. So you see, he had to pull out his pen and write me more words... while I eat my lunch. That's my kind of friend. He would do anything just to make me happy on my birthday. But seriously, he is always willing to do anything to make me happy anyway. Oh, and he got me a gift just in case I demanded for it. =) But truth is... I'll only demand for cards.

 Another highlight of this year's birthday is the surprise I got at my door from a friend I knew at work. This friend is much younger than me and she has given me the zest in many things in life. Her enthusiasm is birthday surprises thrills me because I'm one sucker for it. Her little notes and surprise letters melts my heart because I miss getting them so much. Her "I'll pick (fetch) you anywhere" touches me because I'm always the one fetching people around. Her effort in maintaining our friendship is worth mentioning because our age gap can mean different interest, focus and topics. I have two kids and she's a single. So I'm thankful that we managed to develop a friendship from the three years together at work. I totally appreciate our friendship and look forward to sharing more time together.

 Another friend from work dropped in with her family with a cake for me. It's a chocolate cake from my favourite bakery, awfully chocolate. I still prefers their chocolate fudge cake to chocolate origin. It was so sweet of them to come over with the cake. So touched.

On the night of my special day, a very special friend took me out for a buffet dinner at punggol marina's sakura. We went nuts over the lala and prawns mainly. The beef was not fantastic but we had so much fun that night just enjoying unlimited servings of lala together. She took quite a bit of pictures but I have yet to see it. I should have brought along my camera. After dinner, we head to the jetty for a mini celebration with a cake. I wished I had taken pictures that night but it's alright as I had it all etched out in my memory. My special birthday night with my special friend.

Together with my girls, we had another little celebration at home. This time we got a chocolate cake from chocolate origin to try.

This white wallet was given to me by my daughter. It's simple, ideal and in my favourite white. She bought it with her own savings from school allowance. I like it very much.

 

I'm 38 and proud of it!

It's my birthday and I'll cry if I want to...

Birthday with the girls... 

Birthday Dinner @ Bliss

Mummy's birthday

My Big White

Following my 小白, I went on to get a samsung galaxy S2 in white. I named it 大白.  Now I will be able to experience the strength and weakness of the two phones. Let's see who emerge the winner at the end of the day.


For now, I shall enjoy the phone till the next one comes along.


So far, I have these to share. Currently S2 is in the lead for me.
iPhone 4
- quality apps
- good camera function for low light condition
- inconvenience in file sharing
- complicating ringtone creation



Galaxy S2
- quality of apps questionable
- shutter lapse in camera

- excellent file sharing ability
- easy ringtone creation
- music sharing a breeze
- photo transferring a breeze

Punggol Waterway run 2011

We registered for the punggol waterway run with Eileen and family. The turnout was huge, the weather was great and we had much fun. Free cotton candy, pop corns, goody bags, great musical entertainment, fun rides for the children and best of all, Justin took the children for the run leaving a reliable companion for me. I always enjoy spending time with this friend, just walking with her, cycling with her or simply chatting over dinner with her. We have so much in common, really.

After the walk, we got a friend to buy us dinner from KFC and we had a good picnic dinner together. The event ended with a spectacular display of fireworks. We had a fantastic time and we look forward to more such events where we could meet up with friends from the neighbourhood and have fun together.