After the snow...

After days of snow, it finally stopped (...or paused) for people to shovel and take out some snow out of their houses... The tent on our neighbor's house is almost caving in from the heavy weight of the day's worth of snow. This was a picture taken of our neighbor's roof and his for hire shovellers in an attempt to shovel from atop the shed.

SHOVELLERS FOR HIRE :)

I got one flyer which says that they shovel for $20/hour.... Whoa! With 3 men coming in to shovel it would be a damage of $60/hour from his pockets. PRETTY EXPENSIVE!

Season's Greeting

Eventhough we weren't able to put up a tree this year, we were able to take a picture with the Ching's tree for our Christmas Family Picture :) (... with a little border from the net... VOILA!)

Season's Greeting
From the Chua Family :)

On Christmas day...

For Christmas this year, we attended the Christmas mass at Our Lady of Mercy. The front of the church was decorated with an elaborate poinsetta arrangement and a potted poinsetta hanging every side column from the front to the back of the whole church. Two huge christmas trees stand on each side of the big cross that is the reason for the whole celebration. It was really cold out but the inside of the church was warm and comfortable.

ALTAR OF OUR LADY OF MERCY

Afterwards, we had lunch at Dai Tung Chinese Restaurant for an elaborate lunch to mark the birth of Christ. The whole meal was really good with each dish better than the next and ending with a tasty fried rice to fill up all our tummies.

Dai Tung Chinese Restaurant

Dai Tung Chinese Restaurant

108-1050 Kingsway
Vancouver, BC V5V 3C6

(604) 872-2268

It was finally time to visit Uncle Alfonso and Auntie Felissa's house for their gift opening traditions. The kids tore opened their presents excitedly and immediately tried on their new boots. they also got their favorite Dora toys, not just a doll but a wholed house with seperate furnitures too fill up the whole house. Kimi was already asleep then, exhausted from all the excitement of playing during lunch time. She lay contentedly in her car seat without an inkling that it is Christmas day.

‎

SANTA BABY

On our way home, we spotted a can with a snowman right in the back of their car. i couldn't resist but get a shot of it for here :)

SNOW MAN IN A VEHICLE

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Sledding Action

Winter Walk in the Park... Are you crazy!? YES WE ARE~!

We did the walk in the park until we can't feel our toes from the cold. We did try a shallow slope for the sled that we bought along for the occasion. It was really fun but I wasn't able to last that long outside.... It was really freezing!

CHILDHOOD PLAY MATES...REUNITED!

A LITTLE PULL GOES A LONG WAAAY!

BIRDS LOVE THE WINTER TOO...

NICE VIEW OUTSIE SHADBOLT CENTER

SLED FUN!

GROUP PIC BEFORE WE HEAD BACK TO THE CAR

Dancing Santa Kimi

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

http://www.dancingsantacard.com/?santa=2550662

Snow....Storm?

The snow this year was one of the worst ones in a long time here.... The last pile of snow hasn't melted when another snowy day arrives which adds up to the un-shovelled snow driveway. The Result? Take the public transportation! But... everyone reaches that same conclusion and taking a bus means having to wait for a loooooong time.

Winter Tips?
1. I learn that parking with the back inside and the hood out front makes going out of the driveway easier especially if you are driving a two wheel drive car.
2. Make use of the steel shovel for breaking the ice and use the plastic shovel which is lighter for scooping the snow.

OUR HOME w/ WHITE ROOF

TWO SNOW DWARVES HARD AT WORK :)

KIMI and GRANDPARENTS CHEERING ONFROM ABOVE

ME and MY SNOW HERO!

....I thought winter would mean a break from the gardening chores.... Winter has it's own chores to attend to which is harder than mowing the lawn ;). Where are you spring?!

Gingerbread Man Cookies

Last Sunday, we had lunch at River rock Casino at Richmond to celebrate K's brother, Kendrick and Alanna's arrival.

The Kid's favorite? The Gingerbread Cookies... It doesn't matter that they don't taste that good, they just love the chocolate eyes and buttons decorated on the cookies.

A PLATEFUL OF COOKIES

KIMI IS MORE INTERESTED IN

CAITLYN HEADED GINGERBREAD COOKIE

Frozen Falls

How cold is it here?

Check out the falls....There used to be water here....
and now it's frozen
Taken at River Rock Casino :), Richmond

Candy Bouquet

I missed working with my hands...

So whenever there is any free time that I can enjoy, I try to unwind through doing something by keeping my hands busy to get the stress out of my system :)

My fave chocolates... Ferrero Rocher and some spare cellophane and craft supplies...

VOILA!

CANDY BOUQUET
by: MeL

Facebook

I am trying out facebook :)

If you have a facebook do add me.

Kenny and Alanna

The soon to be married couple has finally arrived for their cold vacation here in Canada :)

We had an all you can eat dinner at Sui Sha Ya, Metrotown. The Oyster Motoyaki was really huge and full of cheese...yummy! It was almost twice as big as the oyster they serve during lunch time. Over all, we had a filling lunch :)

THE GIANT OYSTER MOTOYAKI

POSING BY THE STAIRS :)

Snow...Again

We had snow once again... so i was more prepared this time. I finally found the winter getup that I kept before just for this occassion.

A LITTLE TOO TIGHT ON THE LEGS...

Uh-oh! I didn't realize that buying for another season is also a challenge. You get to use it just once and you have to get the sizing right! Unlike in Manila wherein we can make use of clothes all year round. Here, it's different. The tricky part is if you get the size wrong, you can't use it next season because the baby would have surely outgrew it.

Goodluck to my next shopping!

Church in Winter attire

We went to church before picking up Kendrick and Alanna at the airport. Although it was not snowing that day. It was pretty cold and there were some remnants of snow from the day before. Kimi was all covered up with the hat given to her by Nana Mary. There were some kids playing snowballs by the open field infront of the parking lot. KIMI w PAPA INFRONT OF THE CHURCH

Sophie's Picture

Mommy's got a picture of little Sophie together with a heartwarming card from Ninag Sabrina :)
Now, there is a new picture in my room's colorful cork board.

I miss my atchie sophie...

A glimpse of snow

Finally! it was snowing when Kimi and I woke up. I ran excitedly with Kimi in my arms as I put her on our window ledge so she can watch as snow dropped to our once dark colored backyard. it is my first close encounter with snow and realized that it is not the perfect ball of ice that drops down from the sky but more like small shreds of ice that looks like circles from afar.

A WHITE BACKYARD

...

Yesterday, I got a Christmas Love package from my good friend, Honey. I was so happy to see all the swiss miss with extra marshmallows pack inside that box as well as four pretty tin cans with different swiss miss flavors for me to try... It was perfect timing getting those swiss miss which I am enjoying a hot drink with the snow outside...

KIMI MAKING A CLAIM OF THE PACKAGE

KIMI EXCITEDLY CHECKING OUT WHAT's INSIDE

...

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!

KIMI LOOKING OUT AT THE HOUSES COVERED
WITH SNOW

Poinsettia: The Flower of Christmas Eve. Nana's Plant overlooking the front of the house.

THE PERFECT COMPANION TO A COLD WEATHER

Kimi can't get enough of the sugar puffy balls (marshmallows) inside my hot choco. She really is my daughter. I have to fight to taste some of the marshmallows. Baby has a swet tooth...

Protecting My Child’s Innocence « MrsG’s Other Life

I read a disturbing entry about racism in New Zealand. I hope other mommies won't experience something like this... STOP RACIAL DISCRIMINATION.

Protecting My Child’s Innocence « MrsG’s Other Life

NO FEAR!

Kimi has taken to our center table... she is done standing up and messsing up the floor with what's on the table and have gone down to explore the center table's legs...

Kimi's version of overcoming obstacles... If only adults have this kinds of obstacles to overcome then the world will be an easier place to live he! he!

Wrapping for a cause

Doing your christmas shopping at Metrotown Mall?

Why don't you go up a notch and do something charitable?

Let us wrap your gifts and help a charity

c/o YWCA of Greater Vancouver

I am a Gift wrapping volunteer for the morning of

November 08-09, 2008

at

the gift wrapping booth at Metrotown Mall...

Do come and visit me for your wrapping needs :)

Location: Near HMV Music Store

below Food Court

Asian Delight

To further celebrate Kimi's birthday, we had lunch at one of our favorite restaurants here... Sun Sui Wah, Richmond. It was an Asian feast with dishes greater than the last one.... I love the desserts...

BABY ORDERING

ENOKI MUSHROOM WITH SCALLOP SOUP

LOBSTER SPECIAL!

SPECIALTY DISH

FRESH CABBAGE TO WRAP THE SQUAB

MOM's FAVE DESSERT: MANGO PUDDING

MANGO PANCAKE... Yummy!

TRES MARIAS

MAKING FACES

Kimi turns 1

Alas! The BIG day has arrived...

My little Kimi is finally a year old :)

Daddy and Mommy are more excited than little Kimi as we buy some items to help make the birthday more a little festive..

WHAT WOULD A PARTY BE WITHOUT A BALLOON?!

BIRTHDAY NOODLE FOR LONG HAIR...? Life he!he!

lovingly prepared by Nana

SUSHI TREAT

MY FIRST BIRTHDAY CAKE

LOTTE: ICE CREAM BALLS

Mommy loves this ice cream balls which she used to eat everyday in Shanghai,
this is an additional treat for little Kimi's Birthday

Nana, I want a piece of my cake!

A Baby Changes Things

KIMI DAYS OLD

A baby changes things;They’ll never be the same;

Your life is filled with wonder,Since your little miracle came.

There’s lots of things to do now,But with the new tasks you face,

Your family gains more love,And bonds time will never erase.

...

By Karl and Joanna Fuchs

KIMI @ 12 Months

In becoming a mother, I have learned not just how to be a good mom

but to appreciate my mom and be a better daughter.

Thank you little one for making me a better person.

You bring so much joy in both papa and mama's life

We love you so much

Happy 1st Birthday...