Gong Xi Fa Cai! - Happy Niu Year

The year of the Ox caught us by surprise. We realised it was coming only a few days before "chu yi". Daddy has been really busy with work these few weeks while mummy has been nua-ing at home and lost track of calendar days. With Christmas and the Sentosa trip coming so close did not help us in preparing for the coming Ox Year as well.

It is Gwyneth's very 1st CNY! Think she enjoyed herself during the celebrations. She was unusually excited to the extent of refusing milk and her little power naps. She played a good host and smiled and danced with to all who visited Gong Gong's house. We are starting to learn more about our little Gwyneth. She likes people to play with her, talk to her, and play peek-a-boo. She will reward us with a cheeky smile.

With the recent hit serial of Little Nyona, we decided to dress the girls in their traditional costume. And since Daddy has some Peranakan traces in the family so we thought it would be really nice to get the girls dressed in their traditional customes.

Looking back at Megan's first CNY, this little girl has grown so much. We still remember the first photo she took holding the orange. Now she looks like a big girl. So cute!

Our little Cheeky Raeanne enjoyed herself. She went 'wild' this CNY. Ate and ate and ate. During this CNY, we realise a strange 'likings' of little Raeanne. She likes Ginko nuts! Mummy did not like it. Daddy did not like it and neither did Jie Jie Megan. We never ever liked it but strangely Raeanne likes it.
The 2 jie jie's were dressed in their sarong kebayas for the 1st day. Mummy wore Great-Grandmother's Dolly Kabaya as well. Mummy look really really nice in it. Daddy could not get a traditional Baju in time so just took on some left-overs Kong Kong had. Maybe in our next Church Camp to Melacca (don't know when?) we will get ourselves a nice suit.

Here's wishing everyone a happy lunar new year.

Weekend @ Sentosa

We used to take yearly vacations at Sentosa until we discovered Batam (cheaper) and Hong Kong(great shopping). It’s been quite a while since we took a family vacation there. So, with that we decided to book ourselves into a 3 Day 2 Nights Rasa Sentosa package over the weekend. The main objective of the stay in the island was to spend some time with the gals at the beach. We always found it a hassle bringing the girls to the beach and not able to wash them up without proper bathing facilities.

We definitely enjoyed ourselves.

It was Raeanne's first trip to Sentosa and the Beach.

It was also the first time she was taking a Luge Ride.

Daddy spent $44.10 on some silly 'beach toy set' but later found out that it was actually a gardening tool set. Till today, I still feel extremely stupid paying that money. Anyhow we eventually got the beach toy from the hotel giftshop at $9.90 only.

We brought the girls to watch Songs of the Sea after a quick dinner by some weird beach bar serving horrible Chicken Burger. But mummy's Pizza and Megan's Fried Cheezesticks were yummy.

The girls were so tired that they fell asleep early and mummy and daddy had some quiet moments having their room service and enjoying the awesome sea view (which daddy insisted on paying extras for).

The next morning started with a sumptuous breakfast for the girls in the hotel. Mummy and Daddy weren't very impressed with the breakfast though. We were just talking and guessed probably we been 'spoilt' a little for choice.

Well, the 1st highlight of the day was the girls' trip on the Luge Ride. It was Raeanne's first trip on the Luge. We were pretty excited about it. Mummy decided that we should take the duo ride package (which included 2 rounds on the luge and 2 rounds on the skyride). Megan rode with Daddy and Raeanne rode with Mummy. They were so happy and definitely wanted more. Daddy however was freaking out after the first ride on the skyride. Daddy never like heights, so we gave in to the girls and went for Luge ride number 2 without the skyride. The girls really enjoyed themselves.
The 2nd highlight of the day was our trip to the beach and swimming pool. We kept forgetting that our little Raeanne was only 2 years old eventhough she is articulating like a big girl. It was so funny. Raeanne hated the sand and refused to walk on the beach. She kept crying "its so dirty, my feet and hands are diry. How?". Still in her pampers, she started exploring the beach and made it her toyland. She had so much fun.

The 3rd highlight of the day was actually for mummy. Daddy had wanted to bring Mummy to 'The Terrace' for their wedding anniversary but daddy was quite sick during that weekend. We were quite disappointed that 'The Terrace" had already closed. So after looking around we decided to have dinner at Barnacles. Barnacles had beautiful scenery and the ambience was pretty. The girls enjoyed their dinner and mummy and daddy had their yummy steaks. Curious about who the chef was, we realized that the chef was the same chef that used to work at The Terrace. Highly recommended.

Within 1/2 hour upon returning to the room, the girls fell asleep. With that we are pretty sure they had a wonderful day.The trip was really a nice break. We had so much fun and laughters together. The girls enjoyed themselves so much. We are sure to return again.

Thank God for 2008

I was telling mummy at watchnight 2008 service, as we reflected of the year, that actually God has been very good to our family despite some of the challenges we had to undergo. It was a year which saw us undergo adjustments, discouragements, disappointments, challenges, healings and victories in our lives. These blessings outweigh the negatives.

Our Lau Kong went home to be with the Lord in April. While we were sad but we realised this is God's way of healing him. For all our sakes and the love for us, we have to know God cared so much for us that he had extended his life for almost 3 years so that we can all be prepared for his departure one day. During these 3 years, after the liver operation, he had enjoy so much of the family's laughters, parties, great-grandparenthood's joy and the nice warmth of his 2 darlings. He lived a fulfilling and victorious life.

During the year, mummy and I advanced in our careers due solely to the abundant favour of God on our lives. With that we also saw ourselves grow in our respective careers taking on challenges which we would not otherwise have the opportunities to better. While both of us are not fantastically brilliant people, we are very committed and put a honest day's work in all that we do.

This year we also saw the arrival of Gwyneth after some initial scare. Mummy had Chicken Pox in the mid of the year but we saw God's hands of protection on little Gwyneth. How can anything compare to the arrival of our 3rd born? Gwyneth arrived safely with no complication. We cannot thank God enough for the protection and His grace for giving us our youngest little baby. She is growing well and good, rolling over early, chatty and very alert.

Oh wow, God's hand of protection is on our family. Ko Ko, who is currently pregnant, had fell few times and God has been gracious to protect her and baby. Mummy's Daddy (AMK Kong Kong) had a very serious accident reaping the entire front portion of the car with Po Po in the car but God protected both of them and they came out perfectly fine. Daddy had 2 minor knocks this year on his old car and he is fine as well. We saw protection on TS Kong Kong as well. He had twitches in his face originally we feared for brain or nerve problems, but God proved to be the abundant Grace on him. How can we thank Him enough for such protection on our family.

This year we saw the family help up more in church (a little more). Serving now, unlike during our youth-days, where we were able to spend lots of time in Church, we realised that we had other things to take care of as well. Work, family and kids all took on a different perspective. So we try to do our little part in whatever ways we can. And if we can contribute as a family the better it is cos we get to spend family time together as family time is so precious. We hope the little things we do would please God. Mummy supported me whenever we had to take on those small projects or having to teach those morning classes. Praise God for a wonderful wife! I think some of the highlights were seeing mummy and Megan playing at Afternoon Outreach, Christmas and Watchnight services. When we saw so many people getting saved at the Christmas Service, our hearts were all moved.

God is faithful. We sometimes take God’s goodness for granted. It is only when we actually start recollecting that we realised that God is indeed Good. Especially on those little things we take for granted. Many times, these blessings outweigh the negatives. And also that sometimes these negatives were suppose to make us better people.

As a family, we approach the 2009 with some apprehensions especially with the upcoming downturn and the challenges ahead. But somehow, I have a quiet confidence in God that this is going to be a great year and we know God is going to be there to surprise all of us with blessings.
We pray that the year ahead will be one of health, fruitfulness, favour, abundance, unity and victories.