CNY 2009!

Had 2 reunion dinners on Dan's side and at my grandma's side with my bro, relatives and cousins. Felt wonderful to eat together with loved ones and catch up with one another. Wish my parents could have been there too though! My grandma's helper, replicated my mum's signature lemon chicken so it was comfort food indeed!

Here is Krisa smiling with my handsome brudder....Jono!!!

And another one with Jedi giving his cheekiest face. Giving my bro a taste of handling two kids on his own! Wahahahaha!

First day of new year is always spent at Dan's office. The kids were totally in awe at the lion dance in spite of being deafened by the "dong dong chiang"!

Then its back to Dan's parents' place for a nice home-cooked lunch cum dinner!

Second day was at my grand-aunts' and uncles' place for another round of home-cooked food! super yummy!! Krisa met up with her cousin whose mummy happened to be my primary school classmate in MGS! They began kissing away to the delight of the relatives although the mummies were concerned about gender orientation! Then we continued our eating escapade at my aunt's (dad sis) place for another round again!

All in all it was one of our most hectic new year visits ever! But the food and company were worth it. So were the kiddies ang pows! shhhhhhhhhh!

Is Jesus In My Heart?

Last night as Dan and I were putting Jedi to sleep, we were reflecting on the things that he had done in the day. We had just finsihed praying for him as well. Suddenly he asked us:

"If I cry alot, will Jesus still be in my heart?"

Thinking this was a great opportunity to tell him more about God at his level, we said:

" Yes! Jesus will always be in your heart whether you cry or laugh, whether you are naughty or good. That's how much He loves you."

A meditative silence from Jedi....

I thought it might be helpful to expound on it so I asked Jedi:

" Jedi, your cough is all better now. Do you know who has healed you?"

Jedi shook his head.

" Jesus!"

I went on to ask:

"Jedi you have grown so strong and tall too! Do you know who has helped you?"

Jedi's answer: "Carrots and vegetables!"

Dan and I collapsed into a fit of laughter. Jedi wasn't trying to be cheeky. He was answering honestly from all that he understood about life as a three and a half year old!

Krisalyn's 2nd Birthday!

Our little girl turned 2 on the 7th of Jan this year! Had a small celebration with family and some church friends at our humble abode on 4th Jan. Krisa was thrilled with her Hello Kitty birthday cake and was impatient for a slice to eat. She was a good sport and didn't mind not having had the chance to blow her candles which were puffed out by her cousins and Kor Kor! Thanks everybody for coming and the lovely presents for her. Wished my parents could have been there to celebrate with thier grandaughter too but they sent their well-wishes from Down Under.

Daddy being the thoughtful one bought a little piece of birthday cake for Krisa on her actual day and we had another mini celebration ...just the four of us. Jedi had a slice of cake too so he could enjoy and celebrate his Mei Mei's birthday!

Krisa, Daddy and Mummy pray that you will grow in the grace and beauty of the Lord and learn to walk closely with Him all the days of your life. We are blessed that He has given us the chance to be your parents and to look after you. We love you sweetie pie!

Nothing like family ties!

Dan and I decided to visit my parents in Dec as I was kinda missing my mother's company as she had been in Sing for a month. I thought it would be a good time to visit my Dad too who unfortunately couldn't come back to Sing for the hols as he had to run the pie shop in Perth. Dan was off-peak at work, my aunt was also having her school hols and the kids were in good health too. So we made an impromptu decision to buy the pkane tix and fly down to visit my folks. We were planning to go for 2 weeks but I had a report that I needed to give to my client. Grrrrrrrrr....deadlines!!

For cost-savings we chose the wee hour morning flight. Jedi was a great traveller and slept all the way to Perth for the 5 1/2 hour flight. Krisa was the model passenger according to fellow passengers and flight attendants....but for the wrong reason for me!! She was an energizer bunny....alert, chatting happily, smiling to sleepy passengers and torturing me!!!!!!!!! coz i soooooooo wanted my sleep!!! Which explains ehy she was completely knocked out in the grocery cart at Coles. A fellow shopper asked my aunt in concern if Krisa was alright as before she slept she was lying really still and expressionless!! think her battery was really flat!

We spent out days just catching up with my folks. Those days my mum didn't need to work, she kindly cooked for us breakfast, lunch and dinner. I have sooooooo missed my mummy's cooking. Had a real treat of her fried rice, roast beef, roast chicken, roast lamb, fried beehoon and vege soups!! Nothng like mum's cooking that comforts the soul! Thanks mummy for cooking for us!!! The highlight was the sashimi my dad bought back from a market near thier place. Its so fresh you can just eat it after you buy it fromt he fish monger. Its the BEST sashimi I have ever ever eaten! Smooth, buttery and melting in the mouth....with wasabi and soys sauce adding the extra ooooph!!!

The kids had a great time too! They had all the nonsense and junk their hearts desired. Gummy sweets, cookies, nbacho chips, ice-cream! No wonder Jedi said he didn't want to leave for Singapore at the end of our trip!! My parent's house was a paradise of all the stuff we didn't usually let them indulge in back home! hahahaha!

We had a real treat of pies at my parent's pie shop and these were the times we also could chat and catch up with my dad other than when he came home in the evenings. We loved the pies so much we ordered 3 boxes home! Still indugling in them till now! Also had the fish and chips at Fremantle at Cicerello's. Think the standard dropped....tastes very noraml compared to when we first tried it during our honeymoon...

Well, thanks Papa and Mummy for having us, playing with the kids, feeding our tummies with all the great food and most of all for your love to us. Strangely for me it felt as if I was visiting home although I don't even live in Perth. But often I feel as if I'm the one who migrated as my folks and my bro are in Perth.Guess its family ties that bind. But I am thankful to also be so blessed with my hubby and wonderful kids back in Sing. Hee two homes in two countries?

Hope to see you all soon! Love you very much!

Chicken Pox Blues!

Talk about wrong timing!

Jedi was supposed to be the page boy and Krisa the flower girl for my cuz wedding on sat 15th November. All went well during the rehearsals until Thurs when Jedi woke up with a sore eye. I thought nothing of it and just gave him some eye ointment. Then when he came back froms chool he started gettinglittle red spots on his back. Brought him to a doc and was suspected to be chicken pox esp if more broke out the next day. True enough by Fri more came out. Dan and I still thought we could let Jedi just do his stint for my cuz wedding as where was the couple gonna find a page boy the day before the wedding?? So discussed with my cuz and the plan was to let him walk then fly home!

But.....around midnight on Fri all the little spots began opening into the blisters and the one near his eye burst!!! *OUCH*!! So we had to call SOS to my cuz and tell him Jedi really couldn't go as all his guests would probably run away upon seeing his spotty face. Felt so so bad! But God is good! The couple managed to find a friend whose three sons had just finished being page boys for a wedding the weekend before so they had three page boys to choose from! Praise the Lord!

To cut the long story short, Krisa was a great sport and let the new 'kor kor' pull her in the wagon down the isle. But poor Jedi had to be confined at home and dan kindly looked after him so Krisa and I could still attend the wedding. It was a beautiful wedding and more on that later..

The moral of the story is: Chicken pox vaccines don't always work!!!! BUT the Lord always provides in times of need!

Me and My Fav Bro!

Krisa loves to literally 'disturb' and tease Jedi. He finds her a real laugh at times but also a real agitation too! Now that they are getting older...its nice to see them having fun together and enjoying some bro-sis moments.

Remedy for Kiddie Poop-that-Never-Ends

Whew! Had a tough week battling a bout of tummy flu that Krisa was down with. Wanted to bring her to a doc but by the time I realised she needed to go, it was a little too late as I needed to pick Jedi up from school real soon! So checked the net and really thank the Lord as found an "online remedy" ! Just to share as found it really helpful:

1 satchet of SMECTA (divided into 2 or 3 doses) + 1 satched of Lacteol Forte.

Both of these can be bought off the shelf at the pharmacy. It really worked and she was fine in a few days. Saved a trip to the PD too.

Think I have changed soiled diapers almost 15 times a day during that week! Not to mention washing a soiled butt! EEEEEEEK!! The bains of motherhood!

But at least my sweetie is ok now. :)