Some 2011 chinese new year photos

Since I had to be away from home for the few most important days during chinese new year this time, meeting up with my family was really a happy thing. It was noisy and full of celebration atmosphere especially when WL and I arrived at my sister place. We saw the nieces jumping and shouting gong xi fa chai! gong xi fai chai! non stop, my parents, my sisters and bro in law.

I seldom post a picture of my sister and I. This is the amazing woman who gave birth to the 2 beautiful babies, works full time as a high profesional career and manages the household that looks like a breeze but in real is really tough. She baked a lot of cookies for cny slipped into her very very tight schedule. The lousy me already complaining not enough time to bake cookies when I have no kid and 2 days weekend off but she can make a dozen while attending to 2 kids, a big house to clean and only 1.5 days weekend. We were not very close as a kid because of the 1 year apart sister syndrome but we chat quite a lot nowadays and update on each other life occasionally.


When I arrived at their home, I straight away hold up my niece and she began manja-ing.



How comfortable is this baby niece sitting on my lap while sucking at her own thumb and watching tv.



I was helping Cheryl to tie up her super long hair , dressing up to visit my grandma.



A photo of myself before we depart to the restaurant for mom's birthday dinner CNY lou sang.



Happy faces when tossing fish salad. THis is the first time my mom ever lou sang in a restaurant. Watch her excitement!



Fireworks seen from our home in Penang.

Flood in Johore

It was a tiring day of CNY.. Anyway, this is what happening in some parts of Johore right now due to the continuous rain 2 days back and probably bad drainage system. Some houses are flooded and as you can see the palm oil trees are also under water, or half under water. Dirty muddy water is in their houses. This must be painful.

My best friend wedding in Alor Setar

I am friend with Her Hau for about 10 years now. I have some best friends at home whom I knew for about 15 years or more but Her Hau is the closest to me geography wise because we both went to same university, been housemates, roommate and working in the same department. Her wedding was held last weekend in her hometown Alor Setar. I went to Alor Setar with her before 4 years ago and stayed a night at her home. I am not sure if her mom still remember me but I do recognise their faces.

It is funny that Tze Yee was our course senior but Her Hau had never seen him before in university and talking about how they get together, the story is not too long or short. It is a clinging super love. lol. Tze Yee sang a song dedicated to his wife and gave some touching speech that night. What a lovely wedding.. everything was perfect.

To Mr & brand new Mrs Sim
Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be shelter for the other. Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth for the other. Now there is no more loneliness, for each of you will be companion for the other. Now you are two persons, but there is only one... life before you. Go now to your dwelling place to begin the days of your life together. May your days together be good and long upon the earth.





Of course, must have my picture as well!


Lastly this is one of the nice picture Weeliem and I have ever took together. It was so hard to get him to pose for a picture where he was reluctant maybe because I am not qualified. But now after I forced and persuaded him, it is easier ;P. Love you Mr Chong!

Pineapple tarts

This is our homemade pineapple tarts. I always got to eat the tarts during chinese new year at home, either made by my mom or eldest sister. I used to help a little when I was still studying because I went back pretty early for the celebration to do spring cleaning. I called my sister numerous times to ask for the recipe and she finally gave to me last 3 weeks ago. I bought pineapples from home because my mom said the pineapples sold there were cheap and SWEEETTT!. Cooked the filling last weekend and kept in fridge until today I finally have some free time to bake the tarts. Of all the efforts, I managed to produce 3 containers, one for myself, one for my in laws and one for my sister/parents, depending on if any of them do not bake this year. Probably is my sister because she is so busy with working and 2 toddlers to take care of.



I had full days since Friday night,sleeping late because I was frying some food and yesterday busy cleaning, cooking, buying groceries and preparing a feast for her hau's bridal shower. At last I can sit down in front of my laptop and going to write all 360 I have. I got a bundle of them! Scary... It is the second time I broke my nailt this week, from house chores

Steamed yam cake

This is the steamed yam cake I made last night. We could not finish everything so I took some to office this morning. Suet Yin said I can add some fried dried shrimp on top, it will be more fragrant. I know that but I did not want to fry something at 11pm at night. I prepared, cut and cooked the ingredients and steamed it for 1 hour. Final product emerged at 12.30am. So I omitted the fied dried shrimp (xia mi) so save some hassle and avoid greasy night. Anyway the people that tasted the cake gave good feedback and I was quite a happy girl.

I used recipe from my sister

Malacca on 1-1-11

Finished writting focal at 10.45pm, I decided to make steamed yam cake because my dad gave me a yam last weekend and he reminded me to must use it within 3 days to preserve it's freshness. I came over to my desk to reply Ailene's IM and overcooked the batter. I felt a bit sad however let's look at the result later in 30 minutes? I used my sister's recipe from her blog. It is steaming for about 30 minutes already and another 30 to go. So, I am here breathing a little bit trying to dig something to update in my long time blog.

The just past weekend was New Year holiday. We went down to Malacca with my family for a short visit because Wee Liem wanted to shoot some photos, hoping to brush his skill in photography. I am very proud of him, really.

3 of us took a quick drive to town to visit St Paul but and could not find A Famosa, epic lol :P It was very jam so the "quick" is not so fast afterall. It took us like 2 hours to get there. Everyone was crowding Malacca during holiday season from all sort of places. We saw car plates from KL, Singapore, Selangor and Johore.


Big wall



@ Jonker street buying earings, RM1 each.


So here, we were at Portugese Settlement on New Year night



With lotsa lights decoration


I bought 3 packets of pop-pop , the lame "fire crackers" that gives you pop sound when you threw it againts hard object, eg floor. The kids were happily playing



The next morning, brother in law took us for dimsum breakfast and later Wee Liem, mom and I drove over to MMU to look around


For lunch, we went for chicken rice balls at Jonker street again and had cendol


Wee Liem took some great photos including this one, pretty.


We left afterward back home.. feeling very tired because for us, we drove 500km to reach there. Anyway, happy trip.

Memorable moments in 2010

Julian wrote about some of his memorable moments in 2010. I do not have a lot, I have a few which I think are some good ones

Our wedding last month topped the list. I am now married to the most patient and nicest man. I do not deny that I was quite frustated on our wedding day on some imperfections that occured once a while but Wee Liem stood out and take care most of them. I am really glad I have lots of sisters because now is the time they shine of all. Yvonne came to Penang earlier 3 weeks for her TOEFL and stayed with me until our wedding day. She was a great help in everything and ran everything according to my order and plan. I already thanked everyone on my previous post about our wedding so I am not going to repeat all over again here. Wee Liem and I promised to walk our life together as long as we live, and we mean it.






I always try to make a trip to oversea annually and this year Wee Liem went along or I should say I went along with him and his friends. We had a freezing yet warm trip to Shanghai and Hangzhou early this year and the memorable moment here is the Wee Liem proposed to me during on the day of our anniversary at night. Wee Liem popped the question on the first day we reached Shanghai at Shanghai Bund




Another memorable moment is the very short period my family spent staying at our new home during chinese new year. I drove them to Penang on second day of chinese new year and back to Klang the day after. It was the first time in my mom life she ever come to Penang. This year she made 2 visits. One during chinese new year and second was on my wedding. My family stayed at our home!


There are some food I made for the first time this year
Tang yuan (glutinuous rice balls)



Lion head meatballs which Wee Liem said its the best food so far



Bak zhang


lemon ice cream and many more...

Glutinous rice balls with peanuts filling

The other night my mom phoned me and informed me that "dong zhi" falls on the next day. I replied innocently asking if it's the "zhong zhi" making time again. Mom was shocked that until today, I still don't know what is "dong zhi" and corrected me that it means it is time to make "tang yuan".

I was rather relieved that I have a packet of glutinous rice flour in my pantry and a container of peanuts in fridge. So on that night itself, I pan roasted some peanuts and grounded them into powder form.


Returning from work on winter solstice festival day, got over with preparing dinner and I began making the glutinous rice dough. After dinner, I wrapped some glutinous rice balls with peanuts filling and cooked in malacca sugar, screw pine leaves and ginger soup.










Finished product

Fried spaghetti fusion style

The other day, I was in my unusual adventurous side, wanting to try doing something different from usual. So I was thinking of cooking pasta chinese way.



First of all, boil pasta in a pot of water until al-dente according to your packet instruction and set aside.

Prepare ingredients:
Cut pork into strips, about 150g in total
4 dried red chilies, cut small pieces
2 tablespoons of dried shrimp, rinse in water
30g carrots cut strips
2 crab sticks, cut small
3 cloves garlics

Saute garlic in 3 tablespoons olive oil in a wok (Chinese way :P)
Add in all other ingredients
Add pinch of salt and stir until pork turns pink
Add in pasta, a lot of basil and parsley flakes, and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce (Chinese way :p)
Cook for about 10 minutes and serve hot.

Something fresh to try, I kind of like it

Random update

I finally had a hair cut after so long waiting. I wanted to cut my hair short since months ago but I have to hold my wish because of wedding. I want a bun for wedding and I don't want to use a fake hair/wig to create it. This is the first photo of my new hair right after I came home from hair cut. I have been getting all sorts of comments related to pregnancy at the first time someone sees me, like : "Why that cutting your hair short is a sign of pregnancy?" , " Why is that cutting hair short is to prepare for pregnancy?". Okay, if I am really is.. I will cut it even shorter. This is like shoulder length, easily grow past shoulder in a month time. -_-


Today I dropped by MNG during lunch hour with Her Hau to see if I can get anything for myself. It is their year end annual sale. I got myself a black dress and a bag. Love to max. They are not very cheap though after discount so I am not sure what I bought them. Maybe because my head keep thinking I really need a black dress. A basic black dress that every girl should own one.


This is the wedding biscuits we ordered from LianBee's bakery for guo-da-li. These packages were given to relatives by my parents to inform them their daughter is getting married!

Three cup squids

I was looking at Rasa Malaysia today and saw three cups squid on the blog. I wanted to eat those squids! So while on groceries, I picked up some squids.

I made the three cup squids based on this:

3 squids cut small
1 lemon grass
1 big onion, sliced
ginger, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced

Heat some oil in wok. stir fry onion, ginger and garlic until fragrant. Add 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, soy sauce, basil leaves and 3 tablespoon shao xing wine. Let simmer for like 2-3 minutes until onion is soft. Add squids and cook for another 2 minutes and serve hot with white rice

Note: Serve 2

Next phase, please!

Our wedding had finally completed. After the wedding ceremony and reception in Penang, we had another wedding luncheon back in Weeliem's hometown on Sunday afternoon to introduce me to his relatives. It was really a long journey to and fro, 16 hours man... I was exhausted in the trips and the past weekend wedding that I slept at 10pm every night. I don't have any mood to work during my 3 days presence in the office last week. There were a little chaos and flaws during the wedding but everything still went thru superb with help from my siblings especially Yee Voan who had been here for the last 3 weeks before my wedding. I am glad that she was around because she typed, planned, remembered and memorized everything so she could direct the others when I was busy on the big day. Now is the time for me to mention a little about some highlights during my wedding.

This is a group picture of my direct family members. They came far away for my big day. Pin and Kevin flew all the way from Australia and returned the day after. Hong had her final sem paper until 6pm on Friday and she took bus directly from hostel and reached Penang at 2am with my mom's best friend Aunty Ying. She had the go back to continue her final exam after my wedding. Yee Voan came for her TOEFL in Penang earlier and stayed with me through my wedding, has been a great help and company in everything I need. Father and mother rushed from finishing their work at 12pm on Friday and drove all the way after that to Penang looking exhausted. My sister picked my grandma on her way up to Penang drove 6-7 hours to reach here. I was so thankful they all made it for ME. I love my family. When I told them about my problem in this event is mainly on transportation, they offered to drive here instead of taking flight. Everyone managed to make it for a dinner together except Hong and Aunty Ying. My dad's aunty family flew all the way from JB but they had their own plans on Friday, they didn't join us.




This is another sharing from the stuff I prepared for my wedding. Pin was holding a basket of items required to be brought over to groom place, teapot set, 5 types of beans, a scissors tied with red string at the end, sewing set and a mirror. I bought a basket and glued lace around the edge so it looks rather lovely. The beans were stacked in an used pepper glass bottle. The basket base was layered using the leftover fabric from the flower ball I made. Forgot to mention, her dress is super pretty. I love it. She bought it to wear especially on my wedding.



Yee Voan and I checked in to hotel on Friday and decorated the place. We already did that to my home earlier on Wednesday with my DIY things ; the flower balls, red pattern cuttings and flowers. This picture showed what we did to the hotel suite.


The next 3 photos are the places where I sticked the pattern cutting I did at my home (read: the groom's place). Note the minnie and mickey mouses on our quilt, I got them from LA Disneyland 3 years ago and kept for this day.





I love this picture , don't know why. I was walking here and there finding the bridal car. Surpringly I was holding the fan beautifully while running left and right.


Less attention was given to my pair of bridal heels during the day. I just want to say I love this pair very much. I searched the perfect heels for a very long time but I can't find any that suits my mood. I found this pair of gold heels in Aldo. They are perfect because so coincidently my actual day morning gown was in champange colour and my dinner gown is gold in colour!



I didn't know it was so hard to get red colour baby bath tub, wash basin and potty in Penang. I went to many places to find and at last I found them at different places. I refused to buy them at the wedding shops because they overpriced them. We didn't have any young litle boy to break the red potty paper so Weeliem got his friend to do it. This was funny.


At last the babies were fed. They came late because my friends had to feed their babies. Baby Matthew and Ting Ting are both 1 year old. We let baby Matthew rolled on the bed first later followed by Ting Ting, Cheryl and Celine


The rest of the pictures are all my 2 nieces. They are very cute and lovely. Our precious gems in the family. I love them being anywhere close to me. They ran, jumped and rolled happily in the hotel suite the night before because there were so many people. This is even better than Chinese New Year because we never had chance to gather everyone together. The last time we had gathering was during our Australia trip.