Trying to get back in writing on my blog again. Since it is Xmas time, I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone of you a safe and happy holiday season.

Close encounter with the Wild

Seeing the seals in the wild is the most fascinating moment.

Event 3 - Breakaway from the girls

Last weekend, both Peter and myself went on our first trip after so many years without having the girls with us. Our last trip was in 2000 - our Europe trip before moving to New Zealand. We did have a fantastic trip apart from me having the "power charge" on the boat and leaving my pair of jean at the motel in Kaikoura.

Peter did all the planning as usual - I just followed. I was trying really hard not to have any fight with him. Hence, I constantly reminding myself to remain silence while he was driving. However, I did make some comments on the way because I just felt he sometimes does not drive to the road condition or perhaps his mind is somewhere while he is driving. Well, we did had a small fight in Kaikoura which lasted for about an hour.

Watching the whale was the highlight of the trip - did I enjoy myself? As a matter of fact, yes! Despite of throwing up for almost 2 hours on the boat, I managed to see the "Sperm Whale - 4th largest whale and the dolphins in the sea and so near to us.

Event No. 2 in 2009

Well! Definitely is the renewal of our marital vows ceremony that took place at Fo Guang Shan Temple New Zealand. OMG! We are married for 18 years.

Trying to get back into my blog. What should I be writing? There are so many moments that I wanted to share with my friends, so where should I begin? Perhaps, the most important moment so far was going back to Singapore beginning of this year and celebrated my mum's 70th birthday as well as the Lunar New Year.

This year, we went to Mt Ruapehu to practise our newly learnt snowboarding and skiing skills. However it was a totally different experience. It was harder than we expected. Anyway we did have a wonderful time. We then stayed at a motel with a geothermal pool for a night. It was cool when we went for an early morning dip in the pool. By the way, we forgot to mention Po Po and Gong Gong came along and also stopped at Rotorua.

The most important event of 2007!!! Uncle Alban's Wedding. Mummy, Kathlynn and I went back to Singapore for 3 weeks. Mummy was the Wedding Coordinator!!! She enjoyed herself taking up this exciting role. She even had this weird thought of being our Wedding planner for both Kathlynn and I!!! Here are some pics.
By Kim

First trial. Elaine's Graduation after 4 years of hardship-endurance, persistancy and a very strong willpower of atttaining the dream of oneself (if other's can do, I can too!). Just to share some common incidents that happened during the last 4 years.
1. Endless takeaways
2. Spending weekends without mummy's presence because she was at the school's library doing her assignment.
3. Her common phase "It's a matter of life and death, please leave the room."
By Kim

Finally, I'm back on track!!! With the help from my personal assistant Kimberley holding a very important portfolio of ICT specialist at the Lee's Family Inc.

More wedding photos

Please bear with my "Lost" of contact with the blogging stuff...

Whoops!

after such a long time...I forgot to attach photos of the wedding...

enjoy and take care!

LUV

Elaine

It has been a long time since last I post anything on my blog cos we had lost our camera. Anyway, we managed to claim back from our insurance last week. However, we did come up with additional money to get a better camera.

Anyway, I have been very very very busy and will still be busy until end of November because of my course. Good news is that I am almost completing my 3 years course ...although the journey had been very tough for me and my family I am glad that I hang on to it until today.

Just attended my husband's cousin wedding (Bride) ...Peter in case you might have forgotten his name. Peter's cousin just got married yesterday at her place. The wedding reception was held at her own backyard. Actually her garden...

Both Peter's uncle and aunt had been very busy keeping the garden neat and tidy. Anyway, we arrived earlier because we had offered to give them our helping hands but the weather was so cold in the morning and poor me had to stand outside arranging the food.

Despite the weather was very cold with the strong wind but it was a beautiful morning. All the guests arrived at about 11 a.m. and the wedding ceremony began at 11.30 a.m. It was a simple ceremony filled with laughter and joy.

Lots of kueh kueh...yum missed them so much. My second job during the wedding ceremony was incharged on making bubbles with my girls and my friend's son. After the reception, we left their place and went home for a good rest.

In the evening, we went to the city for the Wedding Dinner. The dinner started at 7.00 p.m. and finished at 10.20 p.m. It was about 3 hours and guess what? we had a 12 course dinner - no way we could finish the 12 course plus with 3 children at our table... after eating so much I can't even remember what I had eaten all I knew was that I skipped 5 course - lobster, prawn and glutinous rice with lotus leaf, wedding cake and the duck something.

By the time we reached home it was about 11.00 p.m. Good thing was I managed to watch my "24" alone while everyone was in bed. Boy! I regretted so much after having that feast...I really had hard time going to bed and to make thing worst ----"Look! at my photo...I feel I had gained so much weight. I think there might be something wrong with my mirror in the my bathroom. I never realised it until I saw my photo. What puzzle me the most was that I am really under lot of stress with my course and yet I am still gaining weight...

Mission after this Wedding dinner ... is to loose some weight coz there will be two dinners for me during December and I really hope to look "SLIM" Ha! Ha!

Got to watch what I put into my mouth...

Anyway, I need to stop here and will return perhaps soon in November.

LUV from the southern hemisphere

Kathlynn 8th Birthday Celebration


Kathlynn celebrated her 8th Birthday with her friends from school and also two of her personal friends. It was also quite an experience for her grandparent Ah Ma and Ah Gong. Why? no adults were invited. Parents dropped off their children @11.00 a.m. and came back to pick them up @3.00 p.m. So, for some parents it is an opportunty for them to do something on their own without the children "bothering" them. For the lunch, we had sausage sizzles, "fairy bread", nuggets, jelly, juices, etc. The kids love the food. We also made a pinata for the children to hit "with lots of sweets and balloons inside it". The children loved it especially with the lollies.

As usual we also had "passing puzzles". Guess what? Kathlynn cried because she did not have a present....make it the last time before actually turns eight! The children love Kathlynn's birthday cake - lots of m&ms -Kathlynn decorated her birthday's cake by herself. When Kathlynn started to unwrap her presents infront of her friends Ah Gong and Ah Ma suggested it would be better not to do that infront of her friends. With my explanation, it is Kiwi norms to unwrap the presents infront of the person who gave you the present. On contrary, it is rude if you do not open up the present infront them.

Anyway, the outcome of Kathlynn's birthday was good. Not really messy! Ah Gong offer a helping hand with the cleaning that has made a huge different for me.

Hi Everyone

It has been quite some times since I last post something on my Blog.
Anyway, today we had such a wonderful day at the temple. It is the Buddha Birthday Celebration at our Temple. The girls and myself were helping at the event for the fourth time since we arrived in New Zealand.

Kimberley was dressed up as a flower girl, Kathlynn dressed up in Kimono. As for me, last minute stand-in for somebody who did not turn up at the offering. I dressed up in The Korean costume. Very funny and weird of course....

Well, everything went well. Then it started to rain...very heavy It was a blessing that we had just finished the ceremony. So most of us were dry!!!

The temple had also invited different religion to pray for "World Peace" This includes Christian, Muslim, Catholic. Apart from these special guests. We had different monks from different ethnic group - Thai, Korean and also Sri Lankan.

The girls also performed in a dance too. After two months of preparations, humdreds of people helping and those hours people have committed...we are glad it is now over and we are infact looking forward to the next year celebration.

LUV
Elaine