New Year's Eve Dinner

For the New Year, we had planned on having a quiet dinner at home. Just the 7 of us. But in the end, we had other family joining us.. and then even more. Before we headed to Ipoh, Ah Ma said that Poh Gaik Kor Poh and Joanne Kor-kor would be joining us as they were coming up to Penang with Kok Beng Ah Chek and Jane Ah Chim. So it was initially a plus 2. Then when they arrived, it turned out to be another plus two. 

Luckily, as always, daddy planned to cook A LOT of food. So we could add in Ah Chek and scramble up something meat free for Ah Chim too. In fact we had 3 versions of the carbonara: cheese free, with beef bacon and the works!

Our wines for the night (missing the Prosecco):

Everyone gathered at the table, waiting to eat our appetizer

Daddy's Carbonara

What an adventure!

We decided on the very last minute to head back to Ipoh. Ah Kong and Ah Ma drove back in another car (that was a fortunate decision). 

We were taking a very slow drive and shortly after passing the Kuala Kangsar stop, the car triggered an error:

Daddy immediately signaled to slow down and then another error telling us to totally stop the car!

Gosh. We had to stop at the emergency lane and with the recent reports of accidents on the highway, we were so worried. Daddy asked us to stand on the grass but the grass was too high. So in the end we all sat in the car while we called PLUS, the car service advisor and the insurance for a tow. Ah Kong had driven pass us so he had to turn back after exiting the Ipoh tollgate and also refueling.

PLUS arrived quite quickly. They asked if we could drive to the Sungai Perak rest area, but the car could not start and the error did not allow driving at all. A tow truck arrived, but it was not from our insurance and even the PLUS gentlemen advised daddy to be careful of them. 

In the end, we managed to put the car to neutral and tie a cable to the PLUS vehicle and one of the PLUS person steered with the other pulled us to Sungai Perak R&R. Phew.. we all felt safer then. 

They left us to wait for Ah Kong and the tow. Ah Kong finally arrived and we sat in his comfy cool car while waiting for the tow truck.

The car being loaded to the tuck bed

Daddy had initially planned to follow the truck back to Penang, but in the end he didn't. Which was a good decision, as the drive took nearly 4 hours to reach Penang!!

Then in Ipoh, we had another "adventure". Just as daddy and Yvonne Kor-kor were about to go out to order pizza for the kid's dinner, Chim Poh screamed. A snake had slithered into the house!

It hid under the fridge and then when daddy tried to scare it to come out, it slithered into the store room (even though Chim Poh had covered the gap at the bottom of the door!).

Daddy and Ko-ko had to slowly empty out the store room and they finally managed to kill the snake. It turned out to be a poisonous snake!

What an adventure this trip to Ipoh turned out to be.

Queensbay Christmas Decorations

After having your ears pierced and our bellies filled, we headed to the atrium to take some pictures of the decorations. The malls always have amazing decorations. 

Getting Her Ears Pierced

At long last, we managed to make it to Queensbay for you to have your ears pierced. You had asked for it before MCO, then we didn't really want to bring you out. And with the many lock downs, it just kept getting postponed.

Daddy was worried that you would be afraid. But you said confidently that after having suffered those puss filled boils, you have no fear of pain.

So early today, we headed to Queensbay and headed straight to the jewelry shop. The first shop we went to said they only had a person to do it. Meaning that you will have one side pierced, then the other. You said that you'd prefer to have them done together. So we headed to another shop. 

After confirming that they have two people to do it, you picked the earrings and then sat down to have them done:

All cheerful 

The lady marked the spot to be pierced

They asked that you unhooked your face mask, and just hold it to your face:

And the deed was over in less than 10 seconds!

We headed upstairs to have ramen for lunch. Took this picture of you with your earrings.

We asked you several times, whether it hurt when your ears were pierced. You said you tried to to scream by biting your tongue. Haha.. our brave little girl. 

Christmas 2021

By the time we arrived home it was already 12 midnight and Mei-mei insisted to open presents. So we allowed you to each pick one to open. 

Picking a present

The next morning, you both opened the rest of the presents. 

Mei-mei had made origami to be given to everyone:

Ah Kong receiving his present

Daddy's origami

Happiness to receive the Polly Pockets

For our own Christmas dinner at home, we ordered food from E&O Hotel this year. All we needed to do was to pick up the food. 

This little photo bomber!

Our dinner spread

Daddy carving the duck

Posing with her origamis (which were already distributed out!)

"False background" of a fireplace on our TV

It was a simple affair at home, but I loved the feeling of celebrating it with family and having the delicious spread of food.

Christmas Eve Party

This year Aunty Jamie invited the families to gather at her house for the Christmas Eve party. She had a buffet set up, and on top of that Irene Poh Tou also brought turkey and Uncle Sin Tien made Salmon Bouillabaisse. 

Uncle Sin Jeow even bought a bottle of non-alcoholic sparkling wine. And here is my little one opening the bottle. You can see daddy's hand at the top of the bottle.. just in case the cork pops and breaks something!!

Posing with your "wine":

Look at Ko-ko's expression:

Later on the gifts were distributed:

We also had a family picture taken. Tou-tou wasn't in the picture.. she had already gone to up bed. 

We left before 12am to avoid any possible road blocks on the way home. 

Christmas in Gurney Plaza

We headed to Gurney Plaza with you two kiddies as we needed to get a Christmas present for Ah Kong. And of course you had to have a close look at the Christmas decorations and take some pictures. 

We managed to buy the present as well as some Chinese New Year clothes for you and Ko-ko. Yay! Two birds killed with one stone.
 

2021 Winter Solstice

Today is the Winter Solstice. I had finally found the Hainanese "Buah At" recipe online and planned to make it for dessert tonight. 

Of course, Mei-mei would be making her "chewy-chewy". This year she asked for pink, blue and green. I had to take pictures of her making them:

Daddy attacking her for kisses

My "super model" making her dessert

And this is her end results. There is even a purple one which she made from mixing the colors

As for my "Buah At", yikes.. the recipe yielded too many. I did not ask Ah Ma to help me buy peanuts earlier, so there was none added. Although the recipe noted peanuts as "optional", I think it NEEDS the peanuts to taste like what Tou-Tou used to make. 

Longest in Quarantine

This was a conversation we had a long time back. I think I had forgotten to record this down in our blog.

Evelyn: Mummy, do you know there is someone who is in quarantine longer than us?

Mummy: Who would that be?

Evelyn: Rapunzel

That is so true. It's interesting how you can come up with such observations. 

And I guess if she could last so long in quarantine with not much complain, who are we to complain. Time to reevaluate our lives.. 

Funnily Rapunzel was the fairy tale character you picked last Children's Day

Christmas in Straits Quay

We headed to Straits Quay today as Ko-ko had met up with his friends earlier today since afternoon as we were going to pick him (and his friend) up from Tanjung Bungah. So we planned to have dinner here. 

Shortly after we arrived, Ko-ko messaged to ask us to pick him up later.. Haiyooo...

So we had a slow and leisurely dinner and drinks while enjoying the view of the yachts.

Our pizza

Then we noticed a Santa walking around. While daddy sat at the restaurant, we headed to Santa where you received sweets and even took a picture with him.

School Christmas Celebration

The school swapped today's Chapel with the lesson after so that you can all have lunch together after the Christmas Chapel session.

You requested to have McDonald's for lunch today. Since daddy is in office today, I went to get lunch with Ah Ma. 

As for your costume, you initially wanted to have a headpiece of an elf. So I searched for some ideas and found one. But as usual, you changed your mind halfway while making the headpiece. So the elf hat ended up being Santa's hat. 

And here is what it looks like:

You got to wear your new red dress

Here is a close up of her headpiece

Having lunch with her classmates

Ko-ko finally got to eat his DOUBLE Prosperity burger: