Bali, Indonesia: 2~5 Dec'13

We made a pact during our honeymoon 5 years ago, to go back to Bali, staying in the same resort.

We also promised to bring our kid(s) if we had any.

For review of the resort we stayed, please read this post.

As I believe, one step ventured, is thousand knowledge (in Bahasa, selangkah perjalanan, seribu pengetahuan).

Each trip we made, IZ would learn something, we would learn something. No matter how big, or how small.

This trip, he saw really big turtle, snakes, starfishes, iguana, boat ride in an open sea, baking pizza, crawling and soaking in a pool!

Our Wood Anniversary!

Today is 03.01.14, mark our 5th anniversary.

We celebrated in Bali a month ago, a pact we made when we had our honeymoon. In the exact same resort, with our little precious.

The Event Manager we engaged in Mandarin Oriental Hotel where we held our solemnisation and lunch reception sent us this message! She's so sweet! She remembers our anniversary every year. I think she's really passionate about her job.



Thanks Bethany for the message.. really sweet of her

 And 5th anniversary is also called "wood anniversary". So I ordered a pair of handmade wooden rings for us. It's only for memento. :-)

Hubby asked what I wanted for our anniversary. I was in between a few things.. like a guzheng.. a piano.. they are made of woods ;-) Ultimately I settled for a rented guzheng instead.


My rented guzheng



Moments captured - pre-wedding photoshoot, pre-wedding dinner, solemnisation and lunch reception!



Past 5 years were not a bed of roses.. we have been in and out, ups and downs.. It is not easy to be celebrating today, both of us put in a lot of effort.

To many more to come.. 

Chinese & Me

"Mommy, what is this word?", my preschooler son asked.

I stared into the workbook. CHINESE!

Frantically, in trembled voice, for the millionth time that week, I told him, I coudn't read CHINESE.

"Mommy, Mommy!", he called out to me again.

"NO NO NO! I HATE CHINESE, I CAN'T READ CHINESE!"

"Mommy, Mommy, wake up!"

I opened my eyes and saw my angelic IZ looking at me. Gosh, I was sure glad it was a dream.

I've imagined that for God knows how long.

When my elder niece, Cherry was a preschooler (more than a decade ago), she shoved a Chinese book to me and asked me to read to her. I had to make up the story by looking at the illustration. She said "that's not the same story Mommy told me". That was the first, as well as the last she ever asked me to read to her.

When my younger niece, Sabrina was a preschooler (about 5-6 years ago), she said "my Mommy said you can't read Chinese, so can you teach me Bahasa?"

I guess IZ's turn is coming up real soon... do I...

1) send him to Chinese class?
2) the heard of Chinese speech & drama class? (do they even learn to write and recognise words there?)
3) give up on his Chinese and let him learn whatever he can in the school?
4) bite the bullet and learn some Chinese myself?

For sure, history will repeat itself if I do not take any action...

Rainbow Fish Puzzles Book

It's an award winning book by Marcus Pfister.

Every page of the book comes with a 4-pc puzzle. At the end of the story, you'll be able to get a big puzzle.

What I did was to read the story on each page, and IZ would fix the 4-pc puzzle for each of the scene. Upon completion of all the 9 scenes, he would fix the 9-pcs into a gigantic puzzle.

And I'll read the story again.

What IZ learnt from this book:
1) lantern fish
2) swordfish
3) jagged fins fish
4) lobster
5) and of course, RAINBOW FISH!

Rainbow Fish is indeed a very pretty fish!

Fixing the smaller 4-pc puzzle for each scene

All the 9 scenes

Fixing the 9-pc into a gigantic puzzle

Almost complete

Pretty puzzle completed!

The pic is not so nice, the rainbow fish scales are actually shimmering

The boy was very happy and accomplished

Well recommended!