Last Day to Year 2008 & to a new beginning of 2009 ! !

Marking of the last day to Year 2008 & welcoming to the New Year 2009 !

At the Office - a small celebrations started about 10:00am with crackers, fruits cheese, chocolates, fruits and wine !




And an early BD celebrations for me at MOF thanks to my friends ! And it was a pleasant surprise to see Ruth in MOF too !








Watching a movie called "Twilight" with CK at Plaza Singapura later. This is more of a love story than a vampire show. Must thanks for cousin for her movie pre-paid tickets as a Christmas present !

Christmas Party with 1B18 (25 Dec 08)

Ho Ho Ho ... yet another year for Christmas ! One of my favourite times of the year to the nightmare of CK !

Very glad that 1B18 has celebrated Christmas without fail since 1991 ! Let's keep up with this tradition !

I remembered that we used to celebrate Christmas at hotels eating buffet with groups of strangers. Somehow I find that it was more meaningful to celebrate at home with pot-luck style. Now we have improved by adding in cookies-making session! I was thinking that next year, we can do home-made pizzas for tea !

This year, we have also decided to get santa-hats to spice up the mood ! Our theme for this Christmas is either red or green shirts/blouse !

These were some of the memorable photos/videos taken on 25 Dec 08! We have taken about 300 plus photoes so I cannot post every photo here. BTW, I have already burnt the CDs for each family. Will pass to you guys on 3rd Jan 09 !


My cute bro imitating doggie's barking ... the rest of the kiddos were laughing away ... not sure if Jojo might think Ryan is his long-lost brother ? Anyhow, Ryan is our source of joy !


Ah Fang giving detailed gift exchange instructions. This year, we have been revolutionary in trying out this new style of gift-exchange. Dean was totally uninterested as he was so engrossed in his "Xiao Niang Re" show.


The ladies took a photo together. We always do take one together in the recent years.


The scarf is meant for the neck to add in the festive mood but somehow our bundle of joy decided to put it on his face ! Ryan's chances of the "Best-Dressed" of the day is definately reduced.


Oh My Goodness ! Did we just saw a gaint, sleepy, xian xian looking red little riding hood ? (See Kim's expression !)


Oppsss. the Santarina baby and mummy were locked out ! Help !


Wat an agony expressions from Ryan ! I knew wat happen liao ... do you ? It happened to CK many times ! Gosh !


I think Jojo has just committed a "crime" ...


Our 2 great helpers.


LL has brought a really real looking swiss roll. Poor BC, our first victim !


2nd victim ....


3rd victim


Hahaha ! How come you all so easily kena cheated !!! ho ho ho


Andrew must be really sleepy !


The kiddos enjoyed playing the WII FIT so much, including Colette !


Cookies making .... I must say that the Christmas cookies were tasted so-so but the cut-out dough were lovely and attractive. Teh rock-buns were the ones that rocked !


Lol, the threesome still posing very nicely ... when my camera was off them to take Dean playing WII.

Dad's Birthday (celebrated on 21 Dec)

Seems a bit late to post this over-due blog for my Dad's birthday. There were so many events going on that I did not have time to blog down immediately. Therefore, almost every event posted on my blog nowsaday were as late as 3 weeks.

My dad's birthday was on 22 Dec. What a easy date to remember ! It was one month after Esther's birthday on 22 Nov !

We went to fetch my parents and headed for IMM Crystal Jade Dining room for dinner. CK and myself have lunch at Jack Place and we were really not ready for dinner.

Therefore, we have only ordered 3 dishes. One of them was a relatively small steamed fish that set us back by $60.00 ! This was probably the most expensive fish we have ordered so far and we never even thought of asking for the price when we placed the order ! My mum said that for this size, we need to pay about $30.00 if we were to eat at her downstairs coffeeshop's "Zi Cha" ... hee hee.

We bought a handphone for my dad's Birthday. It was a no-frills handphone. Seriously, there is no point buying a sophisicated handphone for older folks because they do not know how to use the functions. Their main objective is to receive calls and to make calls. My dad was very happy to receive the handphone. We immediately removed his SIM card from his old handphone and swtiched over. Dad, Happy Birthday and may you be Happy and in good Health, always !

Christmas with LSCT colleagues (20 Dec 08)

Sweet sweet Huey Shan has came over to be my assistant at about 1pm. We were kind of relaxed and took things a bit easier without realising that we have quite a number of tasks to do before the guests arrived at 5pm.

Before Huey Shan came, I cut the ham, arranged and put them into the fridge. I have also prepared the neccessary ingredients for the fried dumplings. When Huey Shan arrived, she washed the ingredients for salad and prepared the fruits. We have also wrapped the ingredients into the Wanton skins for frying later.

For our vegetarian guest (in fact all of us are quite fond of vegetarian food too), I have ordered 4 dishes of vegetarian food from the well-recommended eatery at Bukit Batok called "Mai Zi Shu". At about 4pm, CK, Huey Shan and myself drove there to pick up the 4 items.

5 minutes before reaching Bt Panjang, Sakae Sushi delivery man called and said that he was just outside our house's door ! This was getting exciting ... we realised we don't have much time left and there were things to do.

While I was busy frying the sausages, the dumplings, fishcakes, nuggets, the guests began to come. I was too busy to greet them from the door.

Anyhow, everyone has managed to make themselves comfortable after half an hour. Some of them were afraid of my doggie and came into the kitchen ... hee hee

It was their first visit for most of my colleagues to our house for the first time, so took this opportunity to show them around our little cottage house. Thankfully it was a windy day and the house was quite airy without any additional fans used. I was still worried that it might be too stuffy for our guests. Jojo as usual was very happy to see so many people in the house.

Sometimes I wish that I could celebrate Christmas with all my good friends but time was was not on my side.


Food for the party ! The "mutton curry" & "cereal prawns are vegetarian dishes.

Congratulations Cheng Cheng & Chris

Dear Cheng and Chris

CONGRATULATIONS for the arrival of baby Xiang !
I'm sure he's the best Christmas present for you, Chris and Xuan.


May he grows strong, handsome & intelligent !

Thanks for posting new updates of both Xuan and Chris regularly.

* Time flies .. he is already 3 weeks old...

Cheesecake recipe

So glad that my friends enjoyed my cheesecake. Here's the recipe if you are interested to try out. Decorate in any ways you like with suitable fruits (strawberries, blackberries, peach etc), oreos or simply just leave the way it is. You can even squeeze 2 tea spoons of lemon juice to get that refreshing taste. Most importantly it's the fun of doing it and even more fun when you get to share with your friends and relatives !



Modified Cheesecake Recipe
(Please bake & put in fridge one day before your party. Or at least for 4 hours)

INGREDIENTS
160 grams (or more if u like more biscuits for the base which is yummy) Mc Vitie's digestive biscuits --> You can replaced with oreo (removed the cream between the oreo biscuits)

80g of melted butter

2 packets of Phildelphia cream cheese

2 eggs

150g of sugar

Vanilla essence (optional but will add on to the fragrance of the cheesecake)

1 or 2 table spoons of lemon juice (optional)


METHOD

Notes:
1. Take out creamcheese & butter to let them soften half an hr earlier
2. Pre-heat your oven 160 degree celsius
3. Get ready a container. Use a squarish or round tray if u like. Use sufficient alumimium paper or baking paper to cover the tray. It'll be easier once the cheesecake is baked and you can just pull the cake which rested on the alumimium paper/baking paper up from the tray.


-- Cheesecake Base --
1. Mesh the biscuits into very fine crumbs. Mix with the melted butter and stirred well.
2. Lay and press the melted butter biscuits into a tray and put in the fridge first.

-- Cheesecake --
1. Get ready a big bowl. Mix the cream cheese, eggs, sugar, sour cream &/or vanilla essence using an electric mixer. (till smooth)

2. Mix them well. Bring out the biscuits base from fridge. Pour the mixture onto the biscuit base.

3. Baked for about 45-50 minutes. Afterwhich, let the cheesecake cool for 1 hour before refrigeration.

4. Decorate the cheesecake as u like with fruits or others. If you are using fruits, recommend to garnish only on the day u wanted to eat. The fruits will look fresher.

Happy trying ...

Jan & Henry's Wedding on 15 Dec 08

My cousin's (affectionately known as "Ah Bee" by our relatives)wedding at Amara's hotel. A good chance for relatives especially cousins who have not met for sometime. Some of my cousins are married with kids so it was harder for us to meet up. I almost could not recognised nieces who I have not seen for 2 years or more. They have grown into young ladies ! Looking at the young ones, it reminded me again how time flies !

Here's wishing my pretty cousin and her handsome bridegroom a blissful and happy marriage ! And thank you for inviting us to your wonderful dinner !





My second eldest cousin's 3 daughters





Ah Bee and Nicholas


My cousins


Cousins and nieces


Beautful settings in the ballroom on the 3rd floor


The "Elders"


Karen, Ah Bee & Sharon


Hubby and me


Eldest nephew & grandmother (Bride's mummy and my "Godmother")


Looking very pretty in pink ! thought Ah Bee looks very princessy in this gorgeous bridal dress !