Happy B'day Ayah

For Ayah who loves coffee, we had ordered tiramisu cake (with no alcohol).

As for his birthday gift, we had stumbled upon a perfect one many months before his birthday. So when the actual day came, we were just as excited as Ayah. Hehe…

Ayah was so excited he cut the cake first before blowing out the candles...

Yum yum yum...

Ibu's gift to Ayah...

Lots and lots of shirts and polo-t we bought at the last Robinson sale...

The perfect gift for Ayah...

We took turns to try it out...

Installation...

Relaxing in his new massage chair...

See, he was so happy and excited... It was a perfect gift!

We Finally Found It!

The perfect wedding ring for us. Hehe… It’s simple and sweet.

No pictures yet, let’s keep it as a surprise for now.

Anyway, we are collecting it next week. Next to do would be the engravements which we have sort of decided on.

We have been really busy with work, school and family. There hasn’t been much progress on the wedding preparation for some time now. With the purchase of our wedding ring, the picture of the wedding is slowly coming into focus.

As the big day is drawing near, we will have to put in much more time and effort to finalise the arrangements. So look out for updates…

An Eventful Saturday

It was a relatively relaxed morning of dragon boating simply because there were plenty of new rowers in the boat. If only we get new rowers every week. Hehe… After washing up, we head down to BANQUET at Raffles Place for an organic lunch. It was JK’s suggestion and it’s his treat so we went along with him.

Vin was pretty reluctant as he was neither a fan of vegetables nor healthy food. Sel had only tried Yogi House organic food at Boon Tat Street. Since that experience, she was not really keen either. Having organic food after dragon boating feels so unrewarding! Well, it was a pretty relaxed session so we don’t really deserve to pig out anyway.

There was a variety on menu. JK ordered 4 different dishes to share between the 5 of us and a nutty jelly each for dessert. We came out surprisingly full. Thank you Uncle JK. Hehe…

Then we head down to Vivocity to run some errands at the bank. Vin had been pestering Sel to switch from POSB to UOB because of the instability of the bank currently. Well, after much nagging, she relented and got it done there as both POSB and UOB have an extended hour branch in Vivocity.

With nothing planned after that, we decided to do some window shopping and tried looking for the perfect wedding ring for us. It will not be easy because we both have very different preferences and Sel insist that we get a matching pair. While aimlessly walking around the shopping centre we ended up in Giant. Guess who we bumped into? Fairus and girlfriend! Hehe… That was pretty awkward.

All the walking had made us hungry so we started to hunt for food and stumbled upon The Chicken Rice Shop. The outlook of the shop wasn’t very good, it looked very yellow. Clueless about what to have, we decided to eat there anyway. We ordered the Set B for 2 and added a side dish of fried wanton.

The service was fast. See we only managed to get a few shots of ourselves.

And the food looks good too.

Pai Tee

Fried Wanton

Ipoh Bean Sprouts

Braised Chicken

Grilled Butter Chicken

The picture on the leaflet looks more yummy...

All that we ordered

All of them gone...

It was really YUMMY! Probably the best chicken rice in Singapore. It’s even better than Mackenzie Rex chicken rice. Even the bean sprout which we both dislike tasted good. The price is comparable to Mackenzie Rex as well. It is not cheap but for the quality and quantity, it is definitely value for money.

Must try! Must try!

With our stomach full and our feet aching, we head home beaten. Not because of dragon boating but due to the walking.

Minty Grape Pops

The weather has been really hot these few days. So here’s a recipe for a Popsicle to cool you off. It’s easy, yummy and low in calories!










To be honest, we have not tried it yet. Hehe… But it looks tasty right?

I'm Sorry, Please Forgive Me...

OK, we had a huge quarrel on Sunday. There wasn’t any argument or any form of drama that you will normally find in a disagreement. Vin was being his oblivious self while Sel was giving him the silent treatment. It was so easy to overlook the issue as we were watching DVD together. But Sel wouldn’t let it go.

Don’t want to go into the details over what we were quarrelling over but we did not speak until Wednesday. Actually, Vin was making every effort (call, sms and email) to get to Sel every few minute but she completely blew him off. Well that’s until he dedicated the clip below.

That’s what broke the silent war between us. Plus the constant and repetitive line “I'm sorry, please forgive me”.

So, our relationship is not perfect. But we are trying to make the best out of it. For ourselves. For our parents. For our future.

Well, Vin was incredibly shy about his dedication being posted here. He is a much better guitar player than a singer. However, Sel insisted to do so as part of his punishment. And also, the fact that she didn’t find it bad. Maybe love is not just blind, it is deaf as well. Hehe…

Pak Long Special B'day Gift

We had never celebrated Pak Long’s birthday, what more bought him a birthday gift. But since the holiday to India last month, our families have become much closer. Mama and Aunty Mimah decided that we have to buy him something this year as gesture to thank him for the all expense paid trip last month. And they knew the perfect gift for him.

Pak Long was bargaining to buy an old fleet model in India. However, he didn’t get it in the end because he was looking for something bigger. Thus, Mama, Aunty Mimah and Mami insist that we help them find a big old fleet model for his birthday gift.

After searching high and low with Mama and Mami, Sel finally found one at LIM’S Arts and Living at Parkway Parade. But the old folks think that it’s too small. Thanks to the helpful Branch Manager, we managed to order a bigger one to be delivered directly to Pak Long’s house in Woodlands. Deliver charge was $30 but it would have probably cost more to take a cab to Holland Village from Marine Parade and then back to Yishun. The downside is we didn’t get to see or choose the model. Oh well, it’s much easier that way.

Anyway, Pak Long and his family are very pleased with the gift.

Sorry, this is a really bad picture taken from a handphone.

It was an advance birthday gift because his birthday falls on the 22nd. Happy B'day in advance Pak Long!

PCAP FY2010 Kick-Off

Another financial year is over with a blink of an eye. Here are some of the memories to share…

After the usual meeting and discussion in the morning, there was a teambuilding program C.S.I. in the afternoon and BBQ in the evening. The C.S.I. case was so complicated that Sel got a headache from playing the game. For your information, nobody solved the case. Hehe…

Vin came over the chalet after school for free food. We had so much leftover raw BBQ food. Fortunately, Mami had organized a chalet for Friday and Saturday. So we finished everything by the Saturday night.

We went shopping with Ibu at Tampines IKEA and the John Little sale at the Singapore Expo on Sunday. She and Vin bought pillows to throw out their old ones. Actually, between the 3 of us, Ibu bought the most things that day. Maybe it’s because she seldom goes out shopping.

It was a fantastic weekend! Great BBQ food, swimming, shopping & …

For those of you who don’t know… Mami is Sel’s aunt.

Our Future Home @ Jade Spring

We did not get our favourite unit. It was not even our top 10 choices. Being in the room, sitting in the small cubicle in front of the HDB officer was one of the most emotional experience we both will ever face. Maybe it’s because we had drawn ourselves a picture of our perfect home so clear that the choices left for us were a huge disappointment. It was such a let down that Sel was on the brink of tears.

Don’t get us wrong. We know it’s difficult to get a queue number for BTO flats. We know of many couples who had tried and tried again, only to have wasted their money and precious time. After wasting a few years of hoping, they finally resort to buying resale flats. So we are thankful and grateful to get a queue number. But it was a difficult choice to make (to forego the choices we have at hand and wait for an opening of better choices OR to make best of the choices we have at hand). After much discussion, we decided as a family to go with the latter.

Looking back now, without a doubt, we know we made the right choice. We even felt silly and foolish over how we reacted to the situation then.

Vin seems to have come into terms with reality fast. Shortly after the selection, he sent an invitation to his colleagues.

Note the date sent and the actual house warming date.

The attachment.

Only Vin will get so excited over something due in 2012 to send an invite in 2008! Only Sel will find that silly and adorable at the same time and love him to bits!

April Fools'!

Sel calls Vin after school:

Sel: Dear, I lost my wallet...
Vin: Hah?! Where did you put it? *panick*
Sel: I don't know... How?
Vin: Where are you? *concern*
Sel: I'm at Dhoby Ghaut MRT station.
Vin: How did you take the train without your wallet with you? You mean you lost it during the train ride? So careless! Now what?
Sel: I don't know... Guess I am stranded here.
Vin: Hmmm... Let me think...
Sel: APRIL FOOLS'!!!

It was a classic story of a damsel in distress and he was going play the hero. Although it was just a prank but Vin was a darling.

Meet Vinz's New Target that makes him go GAGA…

Pure Awesomeness... Oh man!!!

Like what he always said, it's achievable... Nothing is impossible if you work for it.

We're heading down to Malayan Motors tomorrow afternoon to check it out up-close and personal after the Marriage Convention 2009...

See you there!

Mafia's Special B'day Gift

A few months back, the 3 of us were eating prata for breakfast at the Raffles Hospital BANQUET. “Are we in Australia, kak?” Mafia asked Sel suddenly. Vin and Sel were baffled by his question. Where did he get that idea from?! He pointed at the topless HiPPO bus that happened to stop at the bus stop, “that’s Australia bus right?” he asked innocently. OMG! It was so hilarious and adorable at the same time.

After explaining to him that we are still in Singapore and that we will need to take a flight to get to Australia, we promised to let him have a taste of taking the HiPPO some time. After thinking about it, we decided that it will be a great birthday gift for him. And wouldn’t it be more fun to ride the DUCK instead? Mafia jumped at the idea.

He was really excited about the ride...

Best?

The views...

The constructions going on...

A bit of history...

The happy faces...

Quack, quack, quack...

Happy 6th B'day Mafia! Glad you like all your presents...

Study smart & play hard!

Our “Candle Light” Dinner

The spot…

The “candles”…

Romantic? Hehe… Not! We took away New York Pizza: Queen set, Cheese fries and Vin's favourite, Spicy Buffalo Wings for dinner.

The food at New York Pizza was never really fantastic. Even so, the standard of the food seem to have dropped anyway. The spicy buffalo wings used to be hot, crispy and spicy. Now, the crispiness and spiciness is below par. They are stingier with the servings of the cheese on the fries. But the biscuit-like crust pizza that Sel doesn’t like still tastes the same.

And the service at New York Pizza is always bad. The last time we went there, we had to wait 45 minutes for our food. How can a fast food joint that long to serve food?! Well, we didn’t have to wait that long his time. But the staffs were so blur that we had to remind them for chili sauce, serviettes and even drinks. Tsk tsk…

Mama Goes to Kerala, India

Mama was so excited about her holiday in India. It will be her first time taking the airplane and her first time in India. As time drew closer to the flight, she confessed that she was nervous of flying. Thus, we gather as many relatives as possible to send her off to give her moral support.

Group photo...

More group photos...

Sel & her sister...

Hunks & Babes? hehe...

Spot the differences...

Mama smiling after all the goodbye tears...

The kids can't get over the temporary goodbye...

After she landed in India that night she messaged Sel, “kecut perut Mama, tapi best”. Then, she was on the train for more than 12 hours from Kochi to Kerala. Hopefully, she has a great time in Kerala.

Sel has taken over the cooking duties while Mama is away. The person who is happiest person with the arrangement is Vin. He is glad that his wife to-be knows how to cook now. Thank god so far, nobody had any diarrhea yet. Hehe...

For those of you who don't know... Mama is Sel's mom.

Declaring March as the Month for H's to get Engage

Haslinda & Hanafia, Hazwani & Hasif… Isn’t it coincidental that their name starts with the letter H? And that they got engage in the same month? Also, considering that both couples are expected to be wed in 2 years time?!

01.03.2009

Haslinda & Hanafia Engagement
We have been so busy with work that we did not have time to prepare anything for them till the night before their engagement ceremony. We went home straight after work to start working on the gifts. Luckily, Ibu and Ayah had gone shopping at Mustafa earlier on to buy goodies and materials to craft.

Despite the lack of time, these are what we managed to come up with that night…

We helped decorate these in the morning before the ceremony began…

The bribe to-be in 2 years or possibly sooner…

07.03.2009

Hazwani & Hasif Engagement
Despite having a tight schedule, we decided to accept JK’s invitation to join him for TPMS weekly dragon boat session. Hence, we only got started to prepare for their gifts the afternoon before their engagement ceremony. It’s as though history had repeated itself.

Nevertheless, we managed to come up with the following…
The bribe to-be in 2 years …

We wish to extend our heartiest congratulations to the 2 couples. Looking forward to your big day…

Dramatic Exercise Sessions with Zana

As usual, everything relating to Zana tends to be dramatic.

Here’s what happened last week…

Sel & Zana was supposed to go jogging but unfortunately, Sel’s running shoes were missing. A pair of shoes kept inside the house went missing! Sounds impossible?! Well, it can only happen if you are about to go jogging with Zana. Hehe… That girl used to be so resistant to the idea of exercising. So the girls end up swimming or rather dipping in the pool (since Sel doesn’t know how to swim).

This week…

Sel found out that her neighbour had “borrowed” her running shoes. That’s why it was missing. Funny! As she was not aware that it was borrowed. Anyway, she tried to get it back but her neighbour wasn’t home. Thus, the girls decided to go for a long walk from home to Yishun Dam.

After a short walk to Yishun Safra, Zana had multiple blisters. With no cash at hand, they had to spend more than $5 in order to use nets at 7-11 and buy plasters. By then, the dark clouds had started to gather but they were not deterred. They went ahead as planned. Before long, it started raining cats and dogs.

Zana & Sel was stranded wet & cold at Block 407 while waiting for the thunderstorm to pass...

Taking another shot to kill time...

When the rain finally subsided, the girls started walking towards home. While walking opposite YJC, Zana finally gave up. She took her shoes off and walked barefooted all the way back home. All the drama just because she did not put on any socks.

Ever since Sel started pairing up with Zana to exercise together at least once a week, poor Vin felt left out as he too needs to lose weight. The conversation went something like this:

Vin: Hah? You are going to exercise with Zana. Then what about me?
Sel: No worries! I can exercise with her in the day time and jog again with you in the evening. Better still, burn more calories. Hehe…
Vin: Not fair!
Sel: Anyway, I jog more rounds than you do in the evening. Makes no difference, as it is, I am burning more calories than you.

Vin's 1st TPMS Paycheque

It’s one of Vin’s proudest moments. One and a half month ago, he felt like he was signing his life away for the salary that he aimed for. Today, he receives his first full paycheque from TPMS. The mountain no longer seems too high and the river no longer seems too wide.

It feels so surreal.

Well, Sel is just glad that he feels motivated. No doubt, that’s only temporary.

Syukur Alhamdulillah