A day of love

Valentine’s Day is 2 weeks from now! Everyone is starting to plan of what to do or give to their loved one. For many people, Valentine’s Day may be the ultimate day for romance, but for other, it is just another day and not a big deal.

Me and hubby consider it as another day, as everyday should be treated special days. We must not only show our affection and love on Valentine’s Day, but should extend to other days too. So, everyday should be treated Valentine’s Day (especially now we are married and once a while we are losing those loving attitudes!).

We seldom buy gifts for each other on Valentine’s Day after we married, as we think it is waste of money! Yes, perception on money changed once we got married. However, this year I have planned to give my hubby a Burberry Brit fragrance which he has been mumbling of buying for few months! Sssshhhh! Keep it a secret *wink*. In addition, we make it a must to have dinner either a day before or after Valentine’s Day. We don’t like to be caught with those lovey-dovey crowds and “throat cut” by price hike on Valentine’s Day.

On the day-to-day basis, we would make it a habit to SMS each other “I love you” or “I miss you”. We may not say the words out aloud but we know we still love each others. ~smile~ Like Ronan Keating sang “you say the best, when you say nothing at all”! So, action is better than words. Like a morning and good night kisses, and a warm hug are simple gesture of love! I don’t want expensive gifts just to know how much my hubby love me, right? Love does not weigh based on money.

Regardless of what your thoughts about Valentine’s Day, here are a few ideas to help make this day special for your spouse and yourself. Remember that Valentine's Day isn't just about giving and receiving gifts. It is also a time to reflect on your love for one another.

1. Say "I love you" to your spouse more often.
2. Think of ways to show your love. Try something different to surprise your spouse.
3. Don't forget food. Dining out or have a romantic dinner together.
4. Write a love letter to your spouse. Or send a nice MMS or SMS with those catchy pictures via mobile phone.

Excite your marriage life

I am not an expert in marriage counseling, but with some reading and personal experience, I have gathered few ideas to ignite the fire in our marriage life. For those that plan to tie the knot soon or feeling bored after many years of marriage, please take note on the following ways:

Get temporary amnesia
When you are out in company and your hubby is telling a joke he has been telling millions of times, pretend you are hearing it for first time. Watch how animatedly he tells his tale – you may see him through new eyes and rekindle your appreciation for him

Get a hobby
Go biking or bowling, or visit a spa – whatever you used to enjoy before you married. Carve out some treats for yourself. You will have more energy for your life and more to talk about with your hubby too

Watch him do what he does best
Grab the kids and watch him while he plays his weekly tennis game, or hang out and admire his karaoke singing. Observing your hubby while he is doing something will give you a thrill as you think “He is good and he is mine!”

Do something unusual
Suggest a camping weekend, or surprise him with a fancy homemade breakfast in bed. He will be impressed.

Right here and then
When the mood strikes, do not hesitate to let him know you are thinking of him – send him a romantic SMS, or call to say how much you appreciate him. It may not look as if he cares, but inside, he is glowing with pride

Little rascal

Last night Little J said to me in the bed, “Ah Ma hit hit, cry cry”. Wow, her sentences are getting longer. I am still trying to get her speak proper sentence minus the repetition of words, but not wanting to put too much pressure on Little J, I let her be for time being. Just getting excited that she can express her feeling better now.

Her Ah Ma was here for few days, and being Ah Ma’s precious grandchild, I was surprised when Little J said those 6 words. Her Ah Ma never hit her. Hmm, wonder why Little J said such things. However I am happy that she knows the consequences of action such as when people hit her, she will cry.

As I have been describing Little J as mischievous little girl most of the time, however she always have a soft heart to her paternal grandmother. When I picked her from baby sister’s house, she will always ask me “Where Ah Ma?”. I have to repeat my answer few things as she keep asking for her knowing Ah Ma is not in Kuching.

When she saw her Ah Ma, she will ask her to hug and carry her. She will stay in her hug quietly, head on Ah Ma’s shoulder. The funny thing is that when we commented about her quiet demeanor, we felt like she is looking and smiling at us in a funny way! Like she has won a battle and showing off to us! Gosh!

1 Year and 9 months old

Wow, how time pass, and now Little J is 1 year 9 months old!! Pretty soon she is going to be 2 year old girl. Photographs taken yesterday during our grocery cum CNY shopping.

She kept helping her parents filling up the shopping cart with some beer cans and slimming tea! Gosh! Maybe she realise her dad need some beer and also slimming tea for those big tummy??

So cool!!

How cool can she get? Attracted a lot of attention from customers and salesgirl

Little J would like to wish everyone an early "Gong Xi Fa Cai"

Where is my ang pow?

Lost!!

Big J's car was stolen yesterday evening, while we were having our dinner at RH Plaza. The incident happened too fast that we couldnt believe it!

We reached the area and parked our car (Land Cruiser Grey Metallic colour) around 6.30pm. My sister-in-law picked up my mother-in-law from airport and reached there around 6.45pm, then my family arrived shortly after that! Big J's car was still there!

We finished our dinner around 7.30pm. It was raining last night so we immediately went back to our respective cars. To our astonishment, our car is missing from the spot! My brother spotted it first as his car parked few space from us. *sob sob*

We went to make police report at the Simpang Tiga Police HQ. I didnt wait for Big J, I get my sis-in-law to send me and Little J home. Big J came home last night around 10pm.

It is really "soi" (unlucky) as Big J is almost finishing his car loan repayment. Only 1 more left!! He paying around RM1700 loan per month for the car for the past 3 years! Sigh! The most unlucky thing is that he already got his green card back from the loan company and kept in his bag in the car! Now the car, green card and bag went missing! So much in a night!! He shouldnt have kept his bag and green card in the car, although numerous nagging from me. He lost his bag previously last year (his new bag that we gave for his birthday after about 3 months using it). He never learnt his lesson. Now the whole car gone! And the thief very lucky to get away with the green card in the car too!

Now we can only pray hard that we can find our car. However we know that is a wish only. It wouldnt be easy to look for a missing car in Sarawak, maybe the car no longer in here, but at neighbouring countries?

We are looking for new car now and need to obtain new loan again! S**t! Just when we thought we finished paying the loan for the car next month, and can concentrate on our house loan and save some for this year trip, this incident just couldnt come at the right time! And poor Big J, not in good mood although he didnt show it, but knowing him, he would miss his first bought car and memories that go with it.

Wedding invitation

It is the time of the year where everyone getting married just before Chinese New Year celebration. Chinese believes in starting the New Year with new family member, and marriage is one of the ways for new addition! LOL!

Newly wed entering the hall

Speech on stage

One of Big J’s drinking buddies was getting married last Saturday and he invited both of us to his wedding dinner in Sarawak Club. Yes, I just went to Sarawak Club one week ago for my company annual dinner and here I am again last Saturday. We missed out on his church wedding as I need to work and Big J got things to attend to in the morning.

It was a very grand wedding with approximately 30 tables full with groom and bride's friends from West Malaysia and overseas. The wedding started off with prayer from Reverend Father, then dinner and slideshow presentation of both newlyweds. The dinner started around 7.30pm and end slightly after 10.00pm. I didnt take any photos of the food after the cold dish, as everyone is hungry and attacking the food. The only comment that I would like to make is that the food serving is pretty slow!

I were having a good time there, meeting some old friends and few colleagues from other subsidiaries company there! Both bride and groom were totally "intoxicated" from too much whiskey and beer......LOL

Cold Dish

How tall the bride is? A professional model and friend of Amber Chia! Wow!

Yam Seng! (or "toast" in English)

With a friend

With Big J

How much to give?

The other night I was talking to Big J on money for red packets (ang pow) for the Chinese New Year. How much do we need to stand by in the notes of RM1, RM5, RM10 and RM50? For the past two years I were the one preparing for the smaller notes but fortunately I were not required to give out ang pow. Reason being that we spent our CNY in my in-law's house in Kapit and my in-laws have asked me not to give to guests' children since they would give out themselves! So besides my family and Big J's family, we didnt give many ang pow at all!

Nevetheless this year I will still prepared the small notes as usual as we are spending our holiday in Kuching. I have few friends with young children, so expecting to give out some ang pows when visiting them.

There is no guidelines on how much to give to children, but usually I would based on how close is my relationship with that person to determine how much I give. Example, if long friend's children, I would give RM50! Too much? For those I am not familiar or Big J's business associates' children, I will give RM10 unless Big J specify the amount first.

Usually I will stand by different ang pow with different amount of money in them, so I would know which ang pow to give when doing the visit.

As for my family and Big J's family, we are spending around RM1500 for the ang pow money! Phew! Talking about festivity, we need to spend much on ang pow! Luckily I am going to receive my yearly bonus early next week. So my ang pow money is taken care of from there! *Laugh*

Walk Walk

Every day after picking Little J from her baby sister's house, Little J would say to me "walk, walk". She wants me to bring her for a walk either to shopping centre, park or out for dinner. As long as she can go out and not stay at home!

Maybe it is at this age, young children love to go outdoor. Like Little J, when someone is leaving the house (such as her aunt and uncle) she will immediately get her shoes from the shoe cabinet and walk out without putting on her shoes first!! She was panic in case someone forget to bring her along. LOL!

If she sees me dress up, she will go very excited and cannot wait to go downstair. One good thing about her is that she will not step out from the house without putting on her shoes first. She has been trained that way. So when she is in a rush or panic, she will put on the wrong shoes on her feet! After that she will cry out "Jin Jin" (I still havent decipher the meaning of that word and dont know what language is that), telling you she wearing wrong shoes and cant take them off herself!

So, everytime she heard we mentioned "walk walk" to her, Little J just barely cant content herself from not going out.