Christmas Eve Dinner

It's Christmas eve and this year we had Nanna, Grampy and Also Alan Ku-ku over for a barbecue dinner at home. 

The tree has loads of presents 

My model insisted to have her photo taken

Dinner menu was a simple barbecue. Master chef daddy was very busy.

Chicken 

Australian Wagyu steaks

After the chicken and steaks were done, daddy had a quick shower and then came down to cut the steaks: 

Yummy.. 

Then we all sat down to have dinner:

Our dinner spread for the night  

Next, the salmon was ready and here it is

Oh and a family photo

It was a slow and leisurely dinner, just enjoying good food and drinks and great company. After clearing up, we had dessert:

Stollen and Fruit Pudding

After much persuasion (just to make it difficult for Evan).. we allowed the kids to open their presents.

Ku-ku with his gifts from the kids 

Everyone with their presents 

Artwork for Ku-ku to put on his fridge 

Happy kids with the presents from Ku-ku and Uncle Matthew 

Excited kids with their presents from Ee-ee 

Kids opening presents (shared) from Mummy and Daddy.. PS4 

The Play Station was immediately hooked up to the TV and you both had a good time trying out the game "Overcooked":

Evelyn was in a "Santa mood". So before Christmas she wrapped up presents (she really put a lot of thought in to the presents) and put them under the tree. This is what I got - a handmade card and a present (her own toy.. forgot to take a picture of that):

Merry Christmas.

Winter Solstice Dinner

We had the Phuah's over for dinner and Ah Ma cooked Pohpiah this year. 

Our popiah and also extras (grilled chicken)

Aunty Amy also made the Hainanese dessert usually served during the Winter Solstice "Pua-aat": 

Happy Birthday, Daddy

Ordered a cake in the morning from our favourite cake shop, Mon Delice and asked Ah Ma to help pick it up for me. And of course the moment we got home, Miss Big Mouth loudly announced that there is a cake in the fridge *sigh*...

The yummy mango cake

After dinner and after Kakak had cleaned up the dining table, it was time to bring out the cake and for you kids to bring out the cards you made. 

Daddy's card from Evelyn 

Daddy's card from Evan

We sang the birthday song, blew out and relighted the candle (3 times!!) and then daddy ceremoniously cut the cake with the help from the both of you and it was time to savour the cake. 

 Here is the cards you both made for daddy. Beautiful!

Happy Birthday darling. We love you loads. 

2019 Christmas Charity Performance

The school played host to the Penang State's Christmas Charity Performance this year. And Mei-mei was part of the choir performing. We did not realise it was a state function for the Christian community, thinking it was a school function. Oops.. 

Anyway, we stayed to until the intermission and then headed home as it was a Sunday and you both needed to rest as there was school the next day. 

Mei-mei sneaking a wave at us 

Singing

The school choir sang 3 songs. You also had a leading role to sing with your friend. We're so proud of you. Great job, little girl!!

Wushu Grade 4

It was a busy Sunday for us, especially poor daddy  who had to drive around the whole day. After dropping Mei-mei for rehearsal and returning to school to find out she wasn't ready to go off, we headed to Union Primary school to drop you off for your Wushu test which was to start at 2.15p.m. Too bad I could not hang around with you as I needed to rush off with daddy to pick up Evelyn. 

I left you sitting with your group and to wait for your turn. You were #28 in the list and we were wondering how long it would take before it gets to be your turn. Turned out that the test is taken in groups of 4. So after we picked up Mei-mei and rested for no more than 15 minutes at home, you called to say that you were done.

So off we went again to pick you up. You sounded optimistic on passing. Hopefully so. Then you can move on to the next level for Wushu. Great job, darling.

Christmas Tree Assistants Over the Years

Daddy and I were looking at an old picture of Ko-ko helping to set up the tree. So I dug deep into my archives and found these... 

2013: Evan putting up the decorations. Evelyn was too young to help

 2014: Evelyn is now old enough to help out.. at the lower branches. Evan also has a height limit

 2015: Daddy's two assistants. Helping to set up the branches.

 2016: Kids still need some help to place ornaments on higher branches

 2017: Even Evelyn can reach up to higher branches.. on a stool. We're so worried she falls forward onto the tree!!

 2018: Daddy's job is mainly to set up the tree (with everyone's help) and my job is to place the lights. The rest is left to the both of you. Just a bit of rearranging on our side. 

 2019: Ko-ko is able to reach to the topmost branch. Oh.. and on job remains for daddy to do.. that is to place the angel at the very top of the tree and to set up the extension for the lights. 

This tree that daddy lugged all the way back from Singapore was sure worth it. Over the years we have amassed a lot of ornaments from the places we have visited. This year we got them from Denmark, Sweden, Russia and Estonia. We have also ornaments from Alaska, Japan and even Switzerland (when Ah Kong went on a business trip). Of course we also bought many when we saw new ones in Penang and even in KL. 

Our angel was "murdered" by Ko-ko a few years back and that year when we went to KL, we found the beautiful angel which is now sitting on our tree. 

It's funny how Mei-mei mentioned that it is now a tradition for us: to set up the tree together every year and also to had Christmas music playing in the background while we set up the tree from scratch. Just need to make sure that the tradition includes putting away the tree and ornaments.. that seems to be "traditionally" my job!!

It's a good tradition and I hope that we will continue with this for a long time more. ❤

A Day at Ikea

It's been over 6 months since Ikea opened in Batu Kawan, but we had not stepped into the store (so afraid of the crowds) until this week. Daddy and I had Monday off so we headed there for a quick look around and lunch. 

Then we decided to go again on Sunday as we had spotted several good buys. The whole family went, but we had to take 2 cars as we had checked in advance and knew that the items needed to be carried in the Mazda with the seats put down. 

So off we went. The first thing we did when we arrived was to have lunch.. before the crowd came in. We managed to get a table for the 6 of us and then queued up for our lunch. The lunch was better than what we had on Monday where our Swedish meatballs was disappointingly cold. 

Then while the family started to wander around Ikea, we headed back downstairs as Ikea was having a competition to design a toy (where the winning design would be made into a soft toy sold in Ikea worldwide). Miss Ang in school had told you all about the competition and since we were there at the time of the competition, Evelyn joined in. 

She got a form and had to draw and design the "toy" there and then.

When it was done, she was given a certificate of participation and had her photo taken

Mummy also had to take a photo

Then we joined the family to shop and walk around. This little girl had a great time. 

Checking out the chair (which we bought later on)

"Bravely" posing with the TOY snake

Posing in the "toy house" 

Pretending to have tea under the mosquito netting

Joining the animals for dinner

Having a tea party

After walking for a LONG LONG time, we headed home. Then the boys continued to "work" -- to build the furniture we had bought:

Working on the bench outside

Funnily the thought that Ko-ko has graduated from Lego to Ikea came to mind as he was building this chair

2019 Children's Day Celebrations

It was Children's Day celebrations in school. Your class teacher had requested in advance contributions of food for the class party. But as the items I had bought online for your school birthday party did not arrive on time, we opted to give them out for Children's Day instead.

One of your teachers sent me this picture of you with your friend. The party pack we had packed is the one she is holding. The one you are holding is from another friend who also celebrated her birthday that day.