Mid Autumn Festival 2013

On the day 15 Sept 2013, we invited family and friends to come for a small moon cake party.  I prepared a simple dinner for hubby's family members and moon cakes, chinese tea for the friends.  The children were happily lighting up candles instead of playing lanterns.

CNY 2013

Part 1:
Plan for the CNY 2013 is to relax at home for a week, unfortunately it's became a most busy week.  Mom fell from stairs on 10 Feb 2013, elbow fracture and the ligament torn on the ankle, did an operations on the elbow and spent 3 days 2 nights at Columbia Asia, Balakong.

However, it's blessed to all of us including mom, a senior citizen fell from stairs (10 steps) and eventually lucky that only injured the elbow and ankle.  Thank you Lord for loving all of us all the times...

After a week, back to work on 18 Feb, I gotto wake up at 4am to work till 9pm coz I need to work, cook, laundry, folding shirt, ironing, mopping floor, fetch & pick up sons.  It's sort of torturing... And suddenly I noticed that my hands look like 50 years old... Mom when will you be recovered?

Part 2:
CNY 2013 Activities:

YuChien's 8th Birthday Party-14 Feb 2013

CNY 2013 @ Lim Palace-16 Feb 2013

With Princess Charlize @ 3 mths

18 Feb 2013

X'mas 2012

Mid Autumn Festival 2012

A family gathering by playing lantern, eating moon cakes, drinking chinese tea and celebrating Zyta's 7th Birthday.

CNY 2012

Making "Bing Pi" Mooncake

This's my first time to make "Bing Pi" mooncake.  It was strongly recommended by the lady from Polymart Bakery shop.  I bought a packet of the "Bing Pi" mooncake mix and I've chosen the green tea lotus paste (my favourite).  Besides, I bought a cartoon mooncake mould, it consisted of 6 cartoons (Mickey, 2 Hello Kitty, Doremon, Pooh).  I should buy the seeds to mix with the filling, but I didn't, I just thought of trying only, will definitely put it in next time.

I cannot believe how simple I can make this at home.  A bit of kneading to do (a bit oily and messy).  The experience was really amazing.  Initially, I did not get it right, but since the dough is so flexible, I can always reshape it into a ball (try your best to keep the filling inside) and try to press out again.

Surprisingly, Ian also made it in his kindergarten and brought one home, I'm so impressed... 

Mid-Autumn is around the corner, and thinking of buying few boxes of mooncakes will easily cost more than RM200.  This is really a cost effective way.

Ingredients:

• 1 pack Mooncake premix @ RM9.50
• 1 pack Green Tea Mung Bean Paste @ RM11.50
• 70g shortening
• Some water
• Flavouring – Vanila essence
• Mould – Plastic Bing Pi Mould @ RM8.90

Method: (dough)

1. Add the shortening and water to the premix
2. Knead till you feel it’s elastic
3. Cover and let it rest in fridge for 30 min

Filling:

-roll them into balls.

There is variety of filling/paste to choose

How to shape the mooncake

1. Divide ready cold dough into balls. Press them flat.
2. Wrap the filling with your dough.
3. Shape them into balls before putting them carefully into your mould.
4. Press them out

CNY 2011 (3 - 17 Feb 2011)

I trained Ian to say "Gong Xi Fa Chai" every time when he meets people and anyone give him angpow, to say "thank you".

As for the new clothes, I normally will buy it during Isetan Pre-Sale, I only bought 3 pcs for each of them and Karine, Alveena & Nikko also bought them beautiful shirts...

CNY Eve:
We had reunion dinner at Parents's home, as usual or tradition, my mom-in-law will prepare the food for all of us.  Giving the CNY gifts to each other...

Day 1:
This year is the first CNY in our new home, we prepared a dinner for James's Godmum's family.  I didn't manage to take photos, just too busy on preparing the food and entertaining the guests... I think today it's the most memorable day for Ryan, coz he fell in front of the auto gate and got a small hole on his middle of his forehead,probably knocked on a small stone, bleeding non-stop, luckily we've the sunrider vege wash to stop the bleeding... Thank God...

Ian received a gift from Edmund Sim, guessed what?  A lion dance with the costume...

Day 4:
We visited my 5th Aunty in Kuala Pilah and picked-up my mum. On the way back, we bought cakes from a famous bakery shop for the Eldest Sis' family from Klang who visited us.

Day 11:
There're friends visited, Kelvin's family, Henry's family and Boot's family, the kids were so enjoyed playing with the lion dance... Thereafter, we had dinner in balakong.

Day 13:
Erisca & I visited Layyim and we prepared a pot-luck lunch in her house.  After that, we also visited Kok Seng's in Puchong, a newly renovated house.

Day 15:
The last day of CNY, Teresa & I wore a Cheong Sam to office.  Surprisingly, I still can wear it, I bought it in 2003 for my wedding.

We're invited for a dinner at Jessica's home...

Valentines Day 2011

I always want to plan a trip on this day, but fail to do so... Hopefully I can make it in future.

We celebrated at Pasta Zanmai, Plazamas @ Sri Hartamas with Huan Voon & Macy.  The food is delicious, but I still like the one in Mid Valley.  For the ambience, I think here will be better, spacious... There's a special service, that's the waitress took a photo for us & thereafter emailed to us...

Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 

I Corinthians 13: 4-8

Absolutely true!  It is the key to our happiness, relationships, and truly the greatest gift of all.  When we practice it, give it, we will get it many times over.  That supply is endless, and knowing how to practice it will make our lives and our relationships all the richer!

Prayer:

We thank you Lord for the love you are implanted in our hearts!  Bless our marriage with peace, happiness and make our love fruitful for your Glory and our joy with love and in eternity.  In Jesus name, Amen.

CNY Preparation

Every year not to miss of baking cookies, prepare for all the gifts to be given to relatives & friends.  I'm thinking when can I cross my hands and stop doing so, it's so tiring... Unless, hubby is making a lot of $$$, now don't think so..., No Salary increment, no bonus all the times, and hubby is not giving a single cents for Angpow... :(

Normally I'll bake conflakes cookies, seaweeds crips and this year, I'm learning a new one, almond flakes...

Conflakes Cookies

Spread even & ready to bake...



Cut into desired size



Ingredients



New Year Eve 2010

Since the X'mas gifts and goodies are still under the X'mas tree, we prepared steamboat on the new year eve and at the same time gave away all the gifts...  Moreover, this's the first year to celebrate new year at our new home.

Happy New Year 2011!

X'mas 2010

As usual, during X'mas month, I'll bring Ian to go shopping to see all the nice X'mas decoration in the shopping mall.  On 21 Dec 2010, I brought Ian & Ryan to Mid Valley, tried to take as many as photos I can, but this Ryan was running around, very difficult to take for him at his age...

23 Dec 2010, we were in Bangsar Village, there's a X'mas Tree Lego City, the tallest Lego X'mas tree in Asia and the Lego collection items...

We supposed to have a pot luck party on the X'mas eve, however, James was having fever, so no choice to call off...Ian was very disappointed, because he's helping me to prepared the X'mas gifts and packing the goodies bags for few weeks...

Mid Autumn Festival 2010

Ian & Ryan really enjoyed their Lantern Festival...
Even for few weeks before Lantern Festival, they've been playing lanterns with Grandparents and Dad...

For the lanterns:
Old one, almost spoilt, left over at popo's house, so popo bought him a batman lantern, but didn't buy for Ryan, pity him, though he can share with koko Ian... Initially, I assumed that he cannot hold the lantern himself, surprisingly, he could...

On the day 22 Sept 2010, we invited Jessica to come for a small moon cake party.  She brought her neighbours to celebrate too...