Happy Birthday, Ah Ma

Ah Ma's birthday celebration started over the weekend with the whole family going to E&O Hotel for a buffet dinner. 

On the actual day, it coincidentally fell on a public holiday. So Ko-ko woke up earlier to prepare breakfast for her. It was a fried egg served on one of the English muffin which we brought back from Australia. Mei-mei also played a part in buttering the toasted muffin. 

Here are the both of you posing with the breakfast.

In the evening, we had Abigail, Ian, Aunty Amy and Uncle Sin Chuan join us at home for a chicken rice dinner. We shared the two slices of cakes and sang her the birthday song:

Mei-mei also made Ah Ma a handmade birthday card with Hello Kitty stickers which she had already put aside for a few days and kept them safe in Ko-ko's room (she even gave Ah Ma strict instructions not to go into Ko-ko's room!!).

Pie Face

This was Ko-ko's Christmas present from Ashley Kor-kor.. you guys had fun playing:

Monopoly

It was fun, I was the loser both times we played. Of course, Evelyn has yet to grasp the concept "sore loser" as she got upset also when she had less money than Ko-ko (after excluding the biggest loser -- me!)

Visiting Ah Chor

We went back to BM to visit Nanna and Grampy on Saturday. It's been a while since we visited, as we had visitors in December, Nanna was busy with her many functions.. 

This trip back, we also stopped by to visit Ah Chor. Nanna says that she hasn't been feeling well since her fall in Nov. But on the day that we visited, she seemed quite well and tried to talk. You were both very good to sit and cuddle with her, especially Ko-ko who sat longer with her while Mei-mei ran off to play with the toys there. 

I'm glad that we managed to get a picture of you kids with your great-grandma. After all, she's already 90 years old. 

Hello, Entopia

As Natalie Kor-kor and the visitors did not manage to make it to Entopia when they sat on the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus, it was decided that we'd all visit Entopia also. After all, we live here and have never visited since it re-opened. 

Here we are.... it was lovely and despite the crowd (there were many buses parked outside.. from the cruise ships), it didn't feel too congested inside. 

Highlight of the day was to get the butterflies to land on your hand and for mummy to get a picture of them on your hands.

Daddy trying to pass a butterfly to Mei-mei

Ta-da

Ko-ko trying to get the butterfly to walk to his hand

This one opened to show beautiful colors on the back

Nat Kor-kor and Uncle Ollie also trying to get the butterflies

Ta-da.. finally one which lasted long enough for me to take a picture

Then we went inside where it was cooler but the displays there were mainly creepy crawlies. Here is Mei-mei enjoying the "dome" before looking down and seeing the giant cockroaches! She got such a fright (we visibly saw her jump) and ran out of the dome immediately.

There was a chance to hold the scarab beetles which you both took a turn at:

And of course, the obligatory picture with the big bug outside.. but with our visitors instead of mummy and daddy *fuming*

Explosion

Miss Varghese called me at work yesterday saying that you were complaining of a tummy ache. This is the second time this year. Ah Ma had to go pick you up.

So I decided to bring you in to see the doctor. Unfortunately Dr. Mary was on leave. So we went to see Dr. Khaw. He did a check on you and noted that you had a bloated tummy.

When we went home, this was the conversation you had with Ah Kong:

Ah Kong: So? What did the doctor say was wrong?
Evelyn: My tummy has an explosion.
Ah Kong: Explosion?
Evelyn: Yes, explosion.

You told daddy the same thing when he got back that evening. Not sure where you got the word "explosion" from.. but it was so funny. I hope you don't tell your teacher the same thing today!

First Day of School for Evan

You are even luckier than Mei-mei as you had an extra 3 weeks holiday in total as compared to other children. Of course, you know that the Year 6 will be an express course, so fewer holidays for the year up till August.

Orientation was on Saturday where you collected the remaining of your exercise books and got to know the homeroom teachers and new school (at the temporary location for this Fastrack program).

Today, you carried all your books (grumbling that they were so heavy and requested for another bag to split the weight) to school. And when you came back, all you had were the 2 small exercise books (I reckon you forgot to leave them behind in your locker) and a piece of paper. The rest of the books were left behind in school.

You told us that you had some assessments (the principal only mention English assessment) for them to gauge your English, Mandarin and Mathematics. Other than that, you were still getting acquainted to the school such as the activities and also the teachers.

We decided to cater for the food, so you are provided with snacks and lunch including drinks. Easier for me, otherwise how to crack my head daily to pack both meals??

Here's hoping for a great school year for you in the new school and new syllabus. 

First Day of School for Evelyn

Mei-mei is back to school after a long holiday (2 weeks extra than your friends as we left earlier to go to Australia).

I had asked you if you had a preferred Prep teacher and you told me you would like to go to Miss Ong's class. Worried that you may NOT end up in her class, I had to ask you "But it is ok if you got another teacher, right?" and luckily you responded "Yes.. it's ok".

And you ended up in Miss Varghese's class. She's a nice teacher but she doesn't seem to know you at all. Anyway, here's to a great final year in Tadika Rajawali. 

It’s Time to Say No

Reminder to self to not let you both have everything that you want too easily. Tonight is a lesson to me for allowing that for too long. *sob*

2017 Christmas - The Bans and The Gibbs

It was a fun party with us hosting the Gibbs and also Chek Kong and Chim Poh. I'd say it was well planned in advance and daddy had ample time to fire up the barbecue and cook the food with enough time to sit down with everyone and enjoy the food together. 

Here are some of the things we served:

Cheese and cold cut platter

Adult drinks 

Our place setting

Baked potatoes and cream

Daddy busy with the steaks (*they were delicious)

Uncle Ollie was the barman.. opening the wine

Here's everyone starting dinner by clinking our glass:

Our dinner

 We enjoyed sitting at the table chit chatting and having fun:

Uncle Martin also kept you kids entertained:

Weekend in KL: Shopping, Makan, Meeting Friends

Spent the weekend in KL for a short getaway and also to attend daddy's uni mate's wedding. We left for KL on Friday afternoon. You were both well behaved the whole drive. In fact, I'm proud to say that you are both very good when it comes to long car drives. I guess you're both used to the regular drives to Ipoh. 

We arrived at the hotel and had our room upgraded. Settled in then went off for a walk as we did not really want to go out (and join the traffic jam) to have dinner. Before dinner, we headed to the pool for a swim/splash. So we finally opted to have dinner at the Japanese restaurant at the hotel. But on our way to the restaurant, we saw there was buffet. Took a look at the buffet line and ended up there. 

Daddy then left to have drinks with his friends. We settled down in the room and shortly Ashley Kor-kor and Uncle Dennis came to chat and play with us. 

The next day, we met them for lunch at a restaurant named Fat Olive. Kor-kor had already pre-ordered food as we were more keen on the food from the dinner menu, which they happily obliged. 

Having wefie moment

Ta-da.. our feast

After that Ashley Kor-kor joined us for kai-kai at One Utama as Uncle Dennis had some cycling course to attend. We walked around and found this Honda set up as we were just about to leave. Mei-mei as usual insisted that she wanted a balloon animal. The queue wasn't too long, we while we waited, Ko-ko queued to "race". We'd gotten our balloon but Ko-ko hadn't had his turn yet, so we hung around and played some games:

Mei-mei tried the fruit ninja, but she was too short

Ko-ko finally had his turn

Yup, he came up first place!

Went back and quickly changed to go to the pool for some splashing time. It had to be quick as we had a wedding dinner to make. Quickly went back (after a lot of negotiating with you both) then bathed and changed then hopped into the car to head to Tropicana Golf Resort.

And as we arrived.. the first thing you wanted to do was to take a picture:

Dinner was late and we were all hungry. Later we hitched a ride back with Aunty Karen and her driver as the gentlemen continued their "party" at the bar in the club. Soon we all fell asleep and daddy came back to KO.

Next day, we had breakfast which was provided by the hotel. Daddy wanted to head back to the hotel to rest as he was tired and needed to drive back. I took you both to the pool area where there were bicycles for use:

We rode to the playground area for a little fun too:

All too soon, it was time to head back to the room to shower and get ready to check out. After checking out, we headed to Starling Mall to bid farewell to the uncles.

Mei-mei and the poo poo pen!

She also needed to pose with this snowman

We headed to Ikea for lunch, a little shopping then it was time to drive back to Penang. Phew.. that was a nice getaway.

Balloon Pit in Queensbay

You had seen the balloon pit when we went to Queensbay another time and daddy promised you that he would bring you there. So while mummy worked at home, he brought you to play in the pit. You arrived before they opened. So you and daddy wandered around the mall for a bit before heading back there for your fun in the pit. 

Here are some of the pictures daddy took:

Had the whole pit to yourself

The tickets also came with a ride on the carousel.. which was really slow

Had some videos of you burrowing though the balloons and also of you slumped on the "very fast" carousel.