"For the first time in forever"

Our bumper crop of passion fruits have finally arrived. Can't get over the satisfaction...for the first time in forever. On a side note, don't you just love the movie "Frozen" haha

They Just Love Snow...don’t we All:)

While Daddy was away in his meetings in Seoul, mommy took the kids off to tiny adventures. We were really thankful to engage a great travel company that provided a personal guide from start to finish. And the guide, whom we called Uncle Jeff spoke pristine English as he is a translator by profession. But of course, he was a guide, porter, ski trainer, photographer and playmate all rolled up in one. I can’t say enough good things about our guide because we would have been lost in Seoul, not understanding a word of Korean - saved for “Bibimbap” and “Bulgolgi". 

We headed to a lesser known resort, Jisan because it was only 1.5 hours drive from Seoul. We were all poised and excited to start our ski experience [don’t we all look the part]....no one told us it was hard work! From renting our ski clothes, to choosing our shoes and fitting our skis on. And we haven’t even started. We were glad there were only three of us - can’t imagine doing this with an entire busload of people. 

But Uncle Jeff was great - he taught us the basics and we tried our little slopes and it was not too bad:) Sarah is a natural, she was already able to remove her skis and put them on all on her own [even that needed training], make her way up a tiny slope [that was more difficult than I imagine] and come down on her own. 

After two hours, mommy was still diligently trying to master her beginning stages, determined to make the best out of this trip. But the impatience of Sarah and Sammy was very apparent. Sammy started making excuses that his shoes were too tight. Haha...all they wanted to do was to get rid of anything standing in between them and their wonderful soft snow. 

Finally, when they had a chance to yank away all the unnatural equipment, the first thing they did was to fall on their backs and make snow angels. haha! I love that about them. 

Then it was snowballs, snowman, snowball fights.

We did finally end the day with a two full hour of sledding. It would have been longer. Thanks to Uncle Jeff who went back to a store to borrow sleds and found some abandon slopes for them to play. 

It was so blissful just watching Sarah and Samuel climb up the snow slopes with their sleds and laugh and play so uninhibitedly. They did everything imaginable because they knew snow wouldn’t hurt them. Their propensity to enjoy snow to the fullest made me chuckle many times - and I realize it was pretty infectious. That’s what kids do very well. After an hour of their play, many other snow seekers came over with their sleds and joined them. 

The joys of nature and what God has given. So blessed. 

My kids having the snow slopes all to themselves. 

19th year anniversary

Such a cheesy shot [Hado Cape, Kyushu]

First of Dec has always been a busy day for us. For many years, we have been busy with organizing events. Last year, we were flying back from Toronto and this year, we are in KL. But it still remains a significant date for us. It’s been 19 years since we first dated and we are thankful for every year of our lives we have together. Each year to sync - it takes forever you know hahah! But truly sweeter as the years go by.

Looking back, we laugh at the days we had to wait for each other at bus stops as we attended different schools, going for concerts and musicals, planning and organizing events together, and arming ourselves with our passports and heading across the causeway during our uni days... But this is a complete blessing, something that we look back and have no regrets. Absolutely no regrets. Just tons of memories, fond ones [albeit it hugs and quarrels].

Sarah and Samuel, if you eventually read this, you can date early, just let daddy and mommy know cos your date need to pass our 101 obstacle course, no kidding! 

Fly and Drive in Kyushu

Hado Cape, Kyushu Japan

What a trip ... I think we covered like 'two thousand and six’ [Sarah’s fave number for no reason whatsoever] sights and ate two thousand and six kind of food. This was the first trip for a long time that I didn’t spend hours [or days] trawling on the net, reading and planning. It really felt different...but in a good way. Of course, we did have to pay a premium for it. Nonetheless, another unforgettable experience for the mind, soul and tummy.

My dearest daughter grows up

Isn't she cute? 

Friendships Treasured and Reclaimed

Over this past year, I am glad to reclaim friendships that have been crowded out by busyness or have given way for more "noble causes". I thank God for blessing me with precious kinship and friendship - of which I am very proud of. And I am glad my kids have their fair share of this precious gift. 

With sis and friends who go a long long way back (at Jaan) 

University Kakis and our rustic seafood party

Secondary school friends at Iggy's

Cousins and friends at Legoland. 

Sarah and Sammy (I love to see them like that)

Best friends

I like Painting Faces

These faces took up a large part of my morning. But it was fun until they started rubbing it off ...sigh. 

Homegrown

These homegrown sunflowers will mark the start of updates on the go. 

On the home front, kids have been moving along well in their studies, and getting on extremely well in their playtime (haha). 

Cousins and Auntie Chiao Chyi are here which also means lots and lots of play and catching up on lost time. 

My absolute favourite - homegrown lady's fingers. 

I like this blogging on the go:)) 

We did it!

We did it together! Yay! 

Daniel was recovering from a flu that plagued him for a month, and I was feeling the onset of it. Samuel had already developed a cough and Sarah was feeling the blues of flu [you can tell from the picture:)] But we went ahead and ran the race. Haha...it felt really good:)

An memorable way to mark our 11th anniversary.

I am still loving it

I am still loving it - to wake up in the morning and take my morning jogs and have Sarah join me.

I am still loving it - to have my breakfast with my children and asking if they all had a good night’s rest.

I am still loving it - to do our reading and math together.

I am still loving it - to study our human body and pry into the genes in our family tree.

I am still loving it - to have our lunch whilst watching Magic School Bus and Cat in the Hat.

I am still loving it - to head off to a quiet afternoon of books.

I am still loving it - to do our spontaneous cooking sessions. 

I am still loving it - to pop in and out of legoland as we wish.

I am still loving it - to have the kids play along their street with their friends and neighbours.

I am still loving it - to have our dinner and talk about everyone’s day.

I am still loving it - to have our bedtime reading many books and our ESV bible.

I am still loving it and wondering if it would all have to give way to a new chapter....