COOL PICS ... Just for fun!

Daniel Lim - The new face of Armani...

Me  - I don't know... Smiley Face Ambassador?

My dream...

Dreaming on....

Technorati Tags: Cool pictures

Happy 16th (21st actually!) Birthday to JASMINE!!!

Jas turned 21! on 26th Jan. We had a belated birthday celebration for her @ my house last night. I really can't quite believe that my kid sister is officially an ADULT! She doesn't quite behave like one too... HAHA!

Anyway, here are the essentials for a party for Jas...

• Lots of food for dinner - Check.
• Loads of tidbits - Check.
• DVDs - Check.

My mum-in-law upon hearing that my siblings are coming over, offered to cook LAKSA for us for our dinner! She is the BEST mum-in-law I've ever known! Thanks mum!!!

Delicious laksa!

And, we bought yusheng, yam ring, hotplate tofu, vege  and cereal prawns as well! What a feast!!!

After dinner, what happens? The Zzzz monster sets in.

Jas in action! Or rather, Jas in inaction....

Jas wanted to NOT sleep tonight and just watch DVDs... But here she was... first to go lala land...

However, it was the BEST chance for us to surprise her!

Dan the Man preparing her cake....

Let's take a closer look at the birthday greetings on the cake....

BUAHAHAHAHA!

So we laid out the beautiful snacks and cake before her...

With the candles burning in front of her, it looked as if we were engaging in ancestral worship! Jas being the idol!

We couldn't resist this wonderful chance for a family picture! And so....

As of now, Jas does not know about all these above sleeping pics!

So now, we need to awaken the sleeping dragon Beauty... "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU...... GOD IS BLESSING YOU NOWWWWW...!"

 

We bought our beloved sister a bright blue ipod nano with accessories! She loved it!

And last of all.... Family photos!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAS!!! We love you very very very much! U bring soooo much joy to our lives :)

Technorati Tags: Family,Love,Birthday

Monochrome on CNY 2nd day

It's a headache thinking what u can wear for a party happening after CNY visitation. The dresscode: MONOCHROME (black, grey and white).

Jared complained I spent more time staring at my wardrobe than bathing.

I decided against the more hip - ALL black attire. It's CNY after all! So here's what I finally settled for - something with white, black AND grey/silver!

Shimmering white tank top (Castro Trend)

Black tube (Osmose)

Black, polka dot print skirt (H&M)

Silver chain belt (Valerie)

My accessories were...

Silver and black bangles (fr Bangkok)

Silver hoop earrings

French pedicured toenails with white base and glittered purple tips

The best pair of black platforms I've ever had in my life.. so far! From Novo

For my make up, I used eyeshadow (Victoria Secret all the way from USA). I loved the packaging. With a small eyeshadow brush and a mirror and a palette of 4 colors inside!

I used beige as the base, silver over my entire eyelids, and shimmery black on the lower half of my lids. Together with LOTS of waterproof black mascara and black eyeliner... Nice!

I also added a little stroke of silver eyeliner above my black one, at the tip of my eyes.

Introducing my silver eyeliner from Splash, available at Watsons in MANY MANY delightful colors!

I am definitely going to stock up a few more colors of eyeliner from there!

So off I went for my CNY visitation and later, the party!

Technorati Tags: Style tips

My Chinese New Year 2009: Moooo Year

This is the FIRST year I celebrate Chinese New Year with my in-laws. Was feeling rather excited before the 1st day, and now am feeling very stuffed...

Well, Sunday night was reunion night. We had 10 folks over at our place instead of Mother's cos our house is air-conditioned. I had a good time learning oven recipes from Karen (my sis-in-law)!

Here are the pictures of our steamboat dinner. I have never eaten Steamboat during CNY since young (cos my own family cook dishes), but I will probably eat every year from now onwards!

BTW, Jared is a BIG fan of Steamboats...

Last night, we had a gathering with his Mum's side relatives. Jared warned me that every year, they would cook the SAME Hainanese dishes - Mushroom stuffed with meat, stewed duck, Hainan Chicken, roasted pork and we will lo hei as a BIG family. Cool!

Here is the picture of the long long table that accomodated all of us at 1 sitting!

Well, besides reunion dinners, we also had LOTS of...

**Gifts

From Singtel to Ps Derek... He prefers free handphones to free cookies...

** CG fun (Combined Subzone CNY meeting)

** Foodies (aka Junkies!)

I ate continuously yesterday....

**Cute little babies!

** ANGPOW (TERROR)!!!

CNY will NEVER be the same for Jared and me again...

Technorati Tags: Chinese New Year,family

Where the h_ _ _ _ is Matt?

Matt Harding is an ordinary 32 year old who quitted his job to travel around the world.

He videos himself dancing on the spot in all the countries he visits. He can’t dance but he tries to do an elbow-intensive jig instead. Check out his video to see his awkward dance and more importantly, you can see some of the beautiful places he has visited!

Well… my creative colleagues from the Editorial, Graphics and MIS department must be feeling v deprived of holidaying overseas and must be feeling rather bored with their working life… and so here is what they did in their fish tank office….

Chinese New Year!

I am feeling excited with Chinese New Year approaching! I just went shopping for some groceries at Carrefour just now and seeing all the CNY decorations, goodies and hearing the cheena songs made me feel very HAPPY :))!

Do you like Chinese New Year?

I love it!!!

I love it for its longer holidays!

I love it for the new clothes I can wear… now I don’t really bother cos I buy clothes all year round….

I used to love it cos of angpows… now it’s becoming a dislike…!

I love to walk along the crowded streets of Chinatown and soak in the festive atmosphere, colourful sights and sounds!

I love it cos of the goodies I can gorge myself with! The kueh lapis, bah  kwa, fried nian gao, strawberry and chocolate julie love letters (FAVORITE!!!), the peanut cookies, the pineapple tarts, the cashew and almond and whatever nut cookies, the chocolates… DELICIOUS! (By now you know I have a sweet tooth!)

I love it cos of the good food we eat during reunions.

I love it cos I finally meet my relatives!

I can’t wait for Chinese New Year! I need my holiday…

Technorati Tags: Chinese New Year

 

This week...

COOKING

OK... I did not give up... I cooked wanton mee last Monday. :)

Complete with char siew! (this plate was mine... with all the vege!)

and complete with soup...

There was shrimp dumpling, mushroom balls and golden mushroom.

Jared loves mushrooms!

I think my culinary skills are improving! :)

A NEW BIRTH

Anyway, my colleague Wendy suddenly gave birth on Friday! SUDDENLY. Because she was due 2 weeks earlier than planned. Here's a picture of her son.

I think he is a good-looking new born baby. Wendy said she really prayed for every aspect including his looks... The power of specific prayers!

Time really flies... Wendy just gave birth, San's son is turning 1. A few years ago... we were all just single. :o

On Thursday (just before Wen popped!), San, Wen and me were just talking about the importance of living a BALANCED life. Not just a life of chasing after the things of the world, nor a life of just chionging ministry (extreme), nor a life of chasing after fun... but a life of living out God's will in every aspect. Living a fulfilled and balanced life in God.

Like what we learnt in CG this week... When we put God first in our lives, everything will be added to us. As I look back over all these years, that is so so true. Thank God for blessing us with good families, good hubbies, good careers in the House of God, good ministries, good friends!

So this year, I really want to put God first in my life more and more. I want to live a fruitful life in God and I am believing this verse for myself..."Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in ALL things and be in health, just as your soul prospers." 3 john 2 AMEN!

Technorati Tags: babies,food

My interior designer

My house's interior designer, fellow church member (mentor in fact!) - Lillian Cher, appeared in the news again!

So proud of her! She is really a woman of faith who dares to pursue her dreams... so through hard work, and tapping on the creativity of God... Here she is today! :)

Check out the below website for the full article...

http://www.plushasia.com/article/1628

Technorati Tags: Lillian Cher,Area Infinity Interior Design

 

HONOR

Ps John Bevere visited our church last weekend. It is amazing how he could look younger and younger each time we see him! He looked as if he was in his thirtys! (He is really 50 this year!!!) Also, when he first appeared on the stage, I thought I saw Ps Phil!

Anyway yesterday, Ps John Bevere preached a solid message on HONOR. How to give honor, and the lasting rewards of honor.

HONOR = To hold in high respect, esteem. It is the opposite of dishonor

DISHONOR = to treat as COMMON

WOW.

We need to HONOR God, our parents, our spouse, our leaders etc. Do we treat them as COMMON? If yes… maybe we have dishonored them…

I think in our church, in the Asian culture maybe, it’s easier to learn to give honor. However I learnt TRUE godly honor originates from the heart. It’s an attitude. We learnt about the great rewards of honoring but honoring someone comes from deep within… so we can’t fake it or just do the actions.

I believe like what Ps John shared… Honor is honor using not just actions, words but also through the thoughts. So when I do the outward acts of honoring, I got to speak it as well as think it.

Yesterday, I also learnt that honor has to be given to 3 groups of people. I always knew and am conscious to give honor to the 1st group – my leaders (whether the godly or the ungodly). But today I also realized we need to give honor to our peers as well to those entrusted to us!

This really set me thinking… What have I not done and what I should start doing… It’s easy to be so busy in life we neglect people. I am very guilty of it! So this year, I am going to start repenting and ‘open my eyes’ to give honor where honor is due.

Jared and I started our first step by remembering an old friend’s birthday yesterday… :) We are going to buy her a beautiful gift coupled with a dinner date.

Rom 12:10 “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”

Technorati Tags: Ps John Bevere,honor,love,Word of God

Housework Day

Today is Monday. If I do not need to work, Monday=Housework Day. 

I think I was a good housewife today. I was feeling really motivated to clean the house after 2 weeks (due to the Bangkok trip and Leaders' Retreat week)! And I would really like to transform the whole house (actually not that it is very bad la...) before Jared comes back, so that he could 'enjoy' it after a hard day's work! :)))

I packed the house and threw 4 HUGE bags of rubbish. Cleaned all the tables and mirrors. Vacuumed and mopped the floors. I bought a sewing kit...

and sewed a lobang in a cushion!

I even cooked dinner!

It was not an easy thing to plan the menu cos as most of you know, my hubby is anti-vege. The only vege he eats are mushrooms, potatoes and carrots (see the ABC soup) as well as the 'whatever vege' found in popiahs!

Well, I thought of a great idea, to eat all the vege I need for lunch and then cook a non-green dinner for both of us. :) I think my menu was not bad... inspired by my super mum-in-law who managed to feed my hubby for 28 years.

But... a bad thing happened while I was preparing dinner. I was steaming the fish, and I did not have a lid for the saucepan (?!) I used for steaming. I ended up using a metal plate to cover the saucepan. When the fish was steaming, I used a cloth to try to lift up the by then HOT metal plate. My finger accidentally touched the plate. My hands jerked... and moved the saucepan... which caused the boiling water inside to spill on 4 of my fingers!!!

It was really very PAINFUL!!! I ran it over the tap water but I felt like my fingers were on fire! I finally had the brains to take iced water to soak my fingers. When I soaked them in the water, my fingers felt normal again! But when I took them out, the burning sensation returned. It was torturous and lasted for almost 20 minutes...

Yikes! See my burnt fingers...

After about an hour plus, a blister started to form on my 3rd finger!

Gross right???

I wanted to just leave it and let nature takes its course since my wounds are no longer painful.... but Jared managed to persuade me to see the doc. The doc told me that I suffered 2nd degree burns on that particular finger! I almost couldn't believe it! Then he poked it with a needle (painless process) and drained the water out. This poking procedure alone cost $10 (I thought I could do it myself... but Jared warned me if I did it, I risk infection...) Anyway, my finger is healing very well now....

I was thinking I should never cook again... all the pain, time and effort (preparing, cooking, washing and drying). And honestly, it probably wasn't near my mum-in-law's standard... :(((

But one thing my hubby said that made my day... He was amazed at how much I accomplished in one day... He was very proud of me! So, I lovingly told him, I will keep up my good workS and cook... Bak Chor Mee for him next Monday! (I don't know why his eyes grew rounder...! HAHA!) Well, love indeed motivates...

Technorati Tags: Jared,housework,love,food

 

Our Short but Sweet Bangkok Trip

And off we went to BKK on 28th December. Most people who heard my holiday destination would question me on the safety of the place.

Well, I am back in one piece now. :) It had been a very safe trip. Didn't sight any groups wearing red/yellow T-shirts and making loud noises. Everyone was just like us... Shopping and eating! That's Bangkok isn't it?!

Even though we stayed there for 3.5 days, it was a really 'just nice' trip. Jared found a 5-star hotel - Pullman Bangkok King Power, that charged a very affordable rate during this season. The 1st 5-star hotel I've ever stayed in! Here are some pictures!

The exterior of our hotel.

Our deluxe hotel room (mid-range room in the hotel).

On the left, there is a couch and coffee table. Everyday, the housekeeping services will leave 4 pieces of designer chocolates on the coffee table there! Everyday different chocolates somemore! Yums!

On the right, you see a sliding door that reveals the big bathroom! They provide different bath salts beside the bathtub everyday... Heavenly...

In Bangkok, I also enjoyed the Tuk Tuk rides. I honestly think they are faster than the other public transport on the roads! But it can be quite a nerve wrecking and polluted experience...

We are behind Mr Tuk Tuk!

And of course, I love the cheap cheap shopping esp shopping for accessories! Jared and I think if we bring the accessories over to Singapore to sell... we will really make SOME $$.

Let me share with you some treasure I found. ALL costing less than $10 per piece! In Singapore, long necklaces costs at least $12 and above (I think @ Diva).

And this deal (below) here is unbelievable... 3 long beaded necklaces for S$4!

And if you look at the beads close up... pretty cute!

And I bought this o-so-cool red sandals... for Val. Just look at it!

How I love shopping... =)

So all in all, BKK was a pretty good trip (except for my food poisoning on the 1st day). Jared and I concluded that Thailand must be one of the best short holiday destinations in SE Asia - for its shopping, beautiful and fun beaches, massages (this one is for Jared), food etc all at low prices!

We will be back!

Technorati Tags: Holiday,shopping,Thailand