The weekend started with us heading to Chinatown after breakfast to run some errands on Saturday. We banked in K's ang-pow money, which amounted to about $600, almost similar to her takings for last year. Lol. Then I brought my numerous watches to have the batteries changed, dropped by Chan Brothers to check on flight tickets as well as take some brochures, went to People's Park to replenish toiletries, most of which is the hubs' and then we had lunch. by the time we reached home, it was almost 3 and time for K's nap. But unfortunately, she woke up shortly after we laid her down on our bed and ended up with me napping on my own because I've got the dreaded menstrual headache.

After I magic-cleaned and mopped the house when I woke up, we were out again. I requested to go to Phoon Huat and the nearest outlet is at Clementi but thankfully it wasn't just outside the PIL's estate like we thought it was. I finally bought a muffin baking tray to make mac and cheese for the kids at K's birthday party. I bought a squarish mould instead of the conventional round ones. Hopefully, there's no real reason why people tend to buy roundish ones. :p And then we went back home after dinner, with me being very satisfied because I have been looking for the muffin trays since Friday.

We had church lunch after service today because a filipina family were migrating to the States for work. We only had them for a short time and now it's back to the same 4 families excluding Jeremy and the SIL. The filipina family also passed on to us a pink toddler car, which I suppose can entertain K for a while before we pass it on the the 2nd SIL, when her baby comes out.

The windows installer also finally made his appearance on Sunday evening but I won't blame him. It's our idiotic contractor who kept forgetting. I'm glad all the windows are finally fixed, aligned and sprayed with WD40. Since we were told to keep the windows close for 2 hours as the installer put some silicon for us, the 3 of us went out to the shops again! 

Kenneth had asked us earlier to go over to their place but I do not fancy going out on Sundays as we have work and school the next day and the whole morning out at church usually tires us out enough. I enjoyed this weekend with just the 3 of us. 

Few days back, I caught part of a Chinese Daily Affairs program and saw a very simple cooling soup that I could replicate and I had all the ingredients at home. And also, K had asked for vegetables yesterday but unfortunately I had to throw away a pack which had turned yellow. 

Thus today's dinner is really simple. Just reheat the chicken the hubs had brought back from the club and then this soup. I love how fresh the colours are! And thus, our dinner for today.

I have collected the first shipment of my taobao items! Except the inflatable pool that comes with the fishing game is way too shallow and the size is definitely not for the number of fishes that comes with the set. I will let K try playing it from a bathtub that we have kept and hopefully, it'll be good enough when her friends come over next Saturday for her birthday.

Talking about friends, other than 3 confirmed guests, Jazlyn our ex-neighbour, Melsha, a boy who sometimes joins in their playgroup when we were at Redhill and Geraldine from her previous childcare centre, I've invited a boy from her current centre and am still hoping that there is a chance that Geraldine's mom can get hold of the mothers of the other 2 boys from K's previous centre. We're only left a week so I reckon chances are very slim. I've got the goody bags sorted but not yet packed. I've searched for recipes for the food items for the children, decorations and even the birthday cake! 

The hubs who spoke to his mother last night told me that she asked if we were going to have any celebrations and that she wants to attend it. And because of this, the hubs says he wants to do a celebration but I say no. Well, not another one that is. So far, we have not had any elaborate birthday parties for K. Her 1st was at Jeremy's, we brought her back to their place for her 2nd and she celebrated her 3rd with her friends at the previous childcare. 

K's actual birthday falls on a Sunday this year. So, we will be with my 2 brothers and their family but I've yet to decide if we will have anything. But I'll definitely bring some cake to church on that day. I'll let the photos do the talking come next Saturday. :)

We invited the usual bunch of people over for CNY lunch yesterday. There were 9 adults and 5 children, not including my family. Still plenty of space for everyone, although not enough chairs to go around so we had to pull the dining chairs to the living room. And nope, I'm not going to get anymore chairs...life is meant to be uncluttered and simple.

The moment I woke up yesterday morning, I started getting busy because we told the guests to come at 11am. And having woke up at 8am, that leaves us just 3 hours! Thankfully, the hubs did his share and I could quickly squeeze in a bath before I look oily and messy to our guests. I cooked fried rice and pesto pasta while the hubs bought chicken curry and mutton mysore. Gaye brought along her signature shepherd's pie and Sarah brought ah balling dessert and konnyaku jelly. And Gaye made some red velvet cupcakes for a surprise 50th birthday for Tina. At the end of the lunch, there were still pretty much food left over and thankfully, they helped to tapau home some food. 

When the last bunch of people left at about 3ish, I got into action with putting K's laundry to wash, getting the hubs to wash the balcony while I magic-cleaned and mopped the house. K was delegated to tidy up her room which always ends up in a mess when we have so many children over but thankfully, it was not the battle-field we experienced during our 'house-warming'.

In the evening, we brought along some of the balanced fried rice, steamed rice (yes, I had both) and ah ballings to Jerry. It was really too much food for us to keep. I did keep the pesto pasta which I reheated for dinner today though. 

After that, we drove over to Ivy's, my ex-colleague from the family business, new home for their house-warming. There were several pavilions at the condo where they had full bbq equipment and when she brought us up to her home, we fell in love with it! Although it's only a 2 bedder, the view was fantastic! They had an unblocked view of the reservoir and I love how the master bathroom, which was facing the room entrance, has glass walls! There is a step-down to the shower area and amongst so many condos we have seen, it's pretty good space that they have. Which reminds me again, it is always good to declutter. Life is good when it's simple. 

The pavilions, that are lined along the free-form pool, are pretty much well equipped too. The one that they booked actually has a personal jacuzzi! When we were about to leave, Ivy insisted on bringing us up to the sky terrace and again, we were blown away. There was the full view of the reservoir and there were also bbq spots at both ends of the sky terrace and there were jaccuzis up there too! Wow....they have definitely made the right choice but like what I told the hubs, I rather have the cash then end up not being able to stop working just so I can pay the mortgage for a million dollar home.

And after church today, the family trooped down to Jeremy's for our own family lunch. Robin and wife came along too and it was really our full family together minus their 2 kids and James, who was working. I'm wishing more family time like this where we all forgive and forget one another's past mistakes and faults. It's really time to move on.

I was on mc on Wednesday. I felt the flu bug entering my nasal pathway on Tuesday morning and knew it. When I woke up on Wednesday morning, I felt groggy so decided to take mc. I thought I could do some stuff at home like printing out our family photos and displaying them in the many photo frames that we have but nope. Didn't get to do that.

I slept all the way till 10ish in the morning, went down to consult the Dr, came back home, slept again till 2ish. See what lack of sleep does! It makes you susceptible to falling sick. If only K understands this. I started preparing dinner about 5, went to pick K up from school and then it was back to our normal routine on that Wednesday evening. 

With the 15 days of CNY ending, I am now starting to plan for K's 4th birthday mini-celebration. Since I've decided to hold it at home with her friends, I will do away with the school celebration. Saves me the money to buy another cake and goody bags for distribution too. But I've experienced a road block already and that is K's ex-childcare mate's mother is unable to get hold of the 2 boys' mom's mobile number! In a way, they are the 'VIP'! The school administrator is unable to help too as K is no longer part of the school. I really hope my contact is able to get hold of the 2 boys' parents soon so at least I do not have to worry that there will be no surprise for K. I have 3 confirmed guests now and 1 of them, an old-neighbour is also going to be a surprise for K as she has been asking me constantly to bring her to their house.

Next is also to ship my items from China. I've learnt how to shop on taobao and I'm ecstatic! There are so many things you can find there!

Anyhow, I hope my first time organising a birthday party for K will be a success! It is afterall a mini one to begin with.

Met the bestie on Friday and caught up over dinner and drink. On Saturday morning, we had Pauline and her family come over with her chub-sized 6 month old baby girl. K played with her son and I made lunch for all of us. Something really simple and her husband was so kind to even go for 2nd helping! 

While K took her afternoon nap, the hubs went to 1 of their clubhouses to look into something. I thought I could wash the balcony and mopped the floor but he messaged to say that his friend was coming over at 5:30pm and thus I had to put all of K's vehicles back into the balcony. It ended up with the hubs and his friend only reaching downstairs our place about 6ish. We all had dinner at a popular western stall at the market and then came back home. I could have mopped the floor and K could have washed the balcony for me! The balcony isn't all that dirty so I have no qualms letting K brush the balcony floors, just to clear any dust on it.

While the hubs changed to go visit a colleague's open-house, his friend played memory game with K. A simple board game that is handed down from the 3 siblings. And then they left together. And Jerry's family followed almost immediately when they came to pai-nian.

And today, the members of the church gathered at Jeremy's home for CNY after the service. We had lunch there and the kids played while the adults talked. And not surprising, the hubs slept on the sofa for at least a good 1 hour, I reckon. 

Valentine's is just another day although the hubs had wanted to go for a nice dinner. But everywhere was crowded by the time we reached IMM. And besides, I reasoned, we can have good dinner anytime whenever we eat out that is not at a foodcourt. So it's no big deal really.

Our first week of the Lunar New Year and all the festivities ends in 7 days time. And then a couple of weeks after that, make it 2, it will be K's birthday! I hope everything I've planned for in my head, goes according to plan. Lol...

We sent M back to Jerry's after our simple dinner last night. Jerry and his folks came back the night before and had wanted to pick M back yesterday afternoon  but it seems that she didn't want to take the bus. So I told them that we'll send her back together with the mattress that they had brought along on Monday early morning.

And so, we took the opportunity to 'pai nian' as well at Jerry's and gave the 3 siblings their ang-pows. When we had to leave, K cried. Because we were only there for about 40 minutes but thankfully we left when we did because we saw the parking warden at the car park when we were walking towards the car!

Anyway, having M stay over for a night or 2 is fine but as the days became longer, the OCD in me started to get into conflict. The hubs will never understand because I do most of the cleaning up and running the operations in the house. He is mainly delegated to washing the bathrooms. Thankfully, the bathrooms are a lot easier to clean compared to the previous house.

Oh well....

We're back at work, after the long weekend. I managed to wash the curtains in the living room on Saturday itself, after returning home from last minute grocery shopping. The strong wind and the thin material of the drapes allowed the curtain to be air-dried in super-quick time. The hubs cleaned the main door and gate as well as paste the Chinese calligraphy signs on the entrance wall.

When K woke up from her nap, we left for Jerry's for reunion dinner. M wasn't feeling too well with stomach cramps. And slightly less than 10 minutes after we reached home, Jerry called the hubs and he went to pick him and M up and sent them to A&E. Poor Jerry had to wait with M during the long hours of wait at the A&E and thankfully James came back to the west and took over from him. Because Jerry and the family were going off to the 3rd SIL's hometown, the hubs suggested having M stay over at our home for the time being. 

Seems like M had an internal muscle pull due to her coughing and also stomach flu. And so, she's still at my home at this point of entry. Thus, we had my cousins and their families come over to visit our new home this year. 

As usual, we went to the PIL's place on the 1st day of the CNY and this time, the hubs bought lunch and we stayed there for about 2 hours before we came back home so that I can start cooking. On the 2nd day, we visited my godmother with M. 

After sending M back to my place yesterday after the visit to my godbrother's,we went off to the hubs' relative's gathering place. This time round, the hubs was more controlled and did not desert me for the gambling table. By the time we arrived, the pioneer citizens were at their game already. And while at the sofa, I reminded the hubs about my plans to leave for home on my own should I get frustrated. 

Having said that, K did not sleep the whole of yesterday. She must have enjoyed herself playing with the jie-jies, watching tv, snacking on cookies and going up and down the stairs at the hubs' relative's home. Oh well, all fun things must come to and end.

The end of 2 big festivals, that is Christmas and now, the Lunar New Year...and we're back to reality.

As we end the work week and look forward to the long weekend, thanks to the Lunar New Year, here's wishing you a Happy Lunar New Year blest with good health, wealth and love!

We had reunion dinner with the hubs' family yesterday evening. The FIL's Nepali SIL sort of made a self-invite by asking when would the dinner be and thus, we had to invite the 2 families. Although we were all not exactly keen. But what to do. Someone has asked and we can't find a good reason to tell them that they are not invited.

Anyway, after dinner, we went up to the PIL's home and chit-chatted. The youngest SIL and I mainly chatted between ourselves. She'll be bringing the NIL back to her hometown during the entire first week of the Lunar New Year and I dread to even think of the boredom I will face when we visit the relative's home. The hubs will be gamblig away with the oldies and I will be forgotten for that couple of hours. So many times I've thought of leaving and going back on my own. Maybe I should just do that instead of only thinking about it.

My side of the family reunion will be on the eve of Lunar New Year itself and my pot-luck dish will be beef stew.  Which reminds me. I'm left with only 5 more days to spring clean! Urgh...