Da Man

Hubba bonding with our kiddos out at sea. Port Dickson, December 2010.


My heart still skips a beat whenever I see him. My husband. How is it possible?

Last weekend, we celebrated Father's Day in advance with a casual dinner as hubs doesn't like us to make a big deal out of it. "Its always the company over anything else", he'd always say... "As long as I have my family and people I love around me, nothing else matters".

He’s been the most wonderful husband and father, and I still love him oh, so very much.

Happy Father’s Day, darling.

Ever mine, ever thine, ever ours.

Of Love and Marriage

These last few days, I've been thinking about my marriage. I always do especially when hubs and me have our occasional tiff. It's like a trademark to have an argument each year before the Christmas week. Don't ask me why. It's just that I've beginning to notice this.

Yes, we've gone through some trying times.

But despite all that, my husband and I, our marriage, it's pretty damn amazing.

Yes, I am crazy in love with this man.

Strong. Loving. Full of laughter. Full of happiness. Full of back and the occasional foot massages. Full of passionate ahem, xxx. Little projects around our home. Big adventures in new places or familiar places. (Does Brewerkz ring a bell honey?) People watching and outfits criticizing. Daily giggles about random silliness. Delicious food and our supper getaways. Long hugs. Quiet moments. Mutual adoration, honesty and support. The highest regard and passion for each other.

Everyday he makes me want to do more for him, our kids and our family.

In terms of our temperaments and personalities, I believe we've are as different as chalk and cheese.

But one thing for sure is that we share the same values, feelings and goals towards many stuff like family, our friends, health, work, money, stress, holidays and our future ahead.

Everyday (except the last couple of days, that's just because I do not give him the chance to) he tells me how much he loves me, why he loves me, why he loves his life with me, how lucky he is to have me as his wife.

Sometimes it's silly, sometimes it's random, sometimes it brings a tear to my eye.

Yes, I am crazy in love with this man. I'll say it again.

It's been 12 years, and you know what? I am one helluva lucky woman.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY BABY! I LOVE YOU...MORE! (you know I'd always say that right?)

Friday Sake Night

Friday evening saw us at EN, our favourite Japanese dining bar for sake and their lovely beef carpaccio and wafu steaks. Hubs' cousins are a merry making bunch and I think if you ask diners at their River Valley branch last evening, I think we were really the loudest and easily without a doubt, the group that ordered sake like there was no tomorrow!

After dinner and umpteenth sake rounds later, we staggered (don't ask me how I did it in my 4-inch platforms!) to Jiak Kim Street about 15 minutes by foot to our favourite club, Velvet Underground where we partied the night away till the early morning. Yes! Hubs was on the dancefloor boogie-ing too!!! Phoo!!! What an incredible night it was! But the time it was for us to go home, we were all birthdayed out!

I'll let the pictures do the talking!!!

Happy Birthday Honey

Today is my husband's birthday! We had a lovely dinner celebration for him and my bro in law, hub's bro (whose birthday falls two days earlier on the 25th) over the weekend - what a crabby affair it was! With Mellben Seafood just a stone's throw away from us, we indulged in Crabs. From the claypot bee hoon version to crabs cooked with salted egg. It was so, SO yummy...and finger licking good. Both birthday boy and the kiddos enjoyed themselves tremendously. Hey, when the kiddos enjoy their food and clean up their palate, its pure joy for both hubs and me!

As for today, frankly, I wasn't actually planning to do anything birthdayish for my darling husband. But as the day ticked by, I just couldn't help myself. It just seemed so wrong to NOT honour someone you love and cherish ever so deeply on their birthday.

So I called the spa, booked us for a nice couple massage, booked tickets for a movie (INCEPTION was just simply great! It totally blew both our minds away). I had also arranged with my mother in law for a home cooked meal of steamboat dinner after our movie so that the kiddos could celebrate with their dad.

I always say that a birthday ain't quite a birthday without a cake! My actually-wanted-a-low-key-celebration-with-just-the-family birthday boy was caught off guard when he realised that they was cake.

Anyway, there were birthday wishes made, lovely toasts all round and we're looking forward to another birthday celebration this Friday....this time with his cousins minus the kiddos. And NO! Nobody is allowed to drive...so you know what that means! ;))))

Bad-*ss Combi

you've got to love a man in a well-cut suit and sneakers! how awesome (:

and at this moment, whilst waiting for hubs to return from the US (not because of my shopping stash ok!), I can just picture him... in a great suit and yummy, edgy sneaks. Irresistible!

ps. lemming for you hon, really LEMMING for you ;)))

Our fuel for the weekend...

The Tan's fuel for the weekend to start our engines cranking!
From bottom left to right :
Ethan's cuppa hot chocolate, Hubba's caffe latte, my skinny extra pipping hot hot chocolate and Belle's Sunrise with a little whipped cream on the top!

A day at Sentosa

Monday, post Christmas weekend saw hubs, me and the kiddos at Sentosa. The skies looked gloomy and at some point it threaten and looked as though it was about to pour big time. Luckily the slight rain that followed after the drizzle was okay and did not really dampen our spirits that much. We thought we had better spend quality time and enjoy with the kiddos before the new school term starts next week.

The kiddos especially Chloe the little beach babe, enjoyed themselves tremendously. We picked seashells, built sandcastles together, swam out on the man-made lagoon, played games on the beach and a little competition even went on between hubs and me with the kiddos as our cheerleaders, had hot chocolate with marshmallows and caesar salad coz we were cold and hungry and needed a little snack, took the skyride and laughed our way up, rode the luge ride down and we took lotsa lotsa photographs too.

Just before sunset that evening, we drove out of Sentosa (the place changed so much btw) and headed to our fave Sushi joint for dinner where the kiddos enjoyed their favourites.

Pictures can be viewed on FB too.

its a holi...HOLIDAY!!

We headed down to Sentosa today and had heaps of fun. Who says you need Mr Sun present at the beach to have a fantabulous time?!

saying i do

We renewed our marital vows today. How apt as we celebrated mass in honour of the Holy Family and since we celebrate our wedding anniversary in the month of December.

Though there were about 32 other couples at the altar with us, hubs and me were in a world of our own, we didn't need the cue cards that were distributed beforehand with the renewal vows for assistance just in case one forgets his/her words. Instead, we were up there, with our hands held tight, locked in embrace and with tears in our eyes and in a world of our own, we said I DO to each other all over again.

It was simply MAGICAL.



9 years of marriage also produced these two lovely grumpy grumps, pouty pouts too!
Wind got in their eyes, you see, hence the face!

our sweet escape

So, this is where we went. It was a six hour drive to the resort and another six back but it was all worth it.

Being monsoon season, the sea was rough with choppy waves which made my surfer-boy-within-hubba moan as he was not able to ride the waves. The sun was shining but the breeze was really cold. I did not get to use my bikini but who cares? We strolled along the beach instead...chatting about how we first met, our future together, the kiddos, how far we've come along...the time spent, the moment shared was so priceless. (If you are reading this, it was so very beautiful and intimate, baby).

Enjoy the pictures peeps! More pics have been uploaded on FB.

and we are back......

what an adventurous and lovely get-away it was! a good break indeed with just quality time spent with just each other. notice the glow on our faces? *winks*

On Honeymoon

Hubs called me a couple of days ago at work and sprang a surprise which totally caught me off-guard.

Over the phone, in advance, he asked me if I would go out on a date with him in the wee hours this coming Saturday morning, packing my resort
get-ups and bringing my passport along.

I was a little hesitant at first...but went "YES!" after hubba mentioned that he had already discussed with his parents and promised that the kiddos would have lots of activities planned in store whilst under their care this weekend during our absence.

It's our wedding anniversary tomorrow. We'll catch up after my dirty weekend with the hubba! *winks*

Goli Game

The inside of the car was literally stripped to the core!
Bare bodied machine!
Hubba with THE CULPRIT!!

For weeks on end, hubba got really agitated each time he started the car. To him, there was this 'clack, clack' sound that was persistent each time he got the engine going. Of course to me though, much as I tried to strain my ears, and believe you me, I tried to ...with all my blood, sweat and tears, to catch the faintest 'clack-clack' sound, I couldn't, really couldn't hear a thing! I dunno...maybe men connect better with their machines!

Anyways, hubba's had it and decided to strip the car to the core to search for the source. And guess what? He DID get the culprit after a whole Sunday afternoon of painstakingly pulling the car apart! (He did look inviting with all that sweat and grime though! But that's another thing altogether! Oh...family blog did you say? Sorry. Sorry.)

It was non other than Scott's marble aka Goli!! Scott has this habit of either bringing a book, his bag of marbles or a HOTWHEEL fave car of the day. He must've drop one of 'em marbles during one of our drives.

Now, the whole family's banned not only from food in the car but toys, hair accessories and even my make-up (ie lipsticks and compacts) were not spared ok!

Look who's a year older!

July is a month of numerous birthdays. Hence the eating and drinking, more eating and endless cake cutting!!! My super duper hubs turns a year older today too! Celebrations started from Friday evening when the brother in law made a sumptious meal (I'm still thinking about the wagyu beef, bro!) and the whole gang stayed till 4am early saturday morning being damn mabuk :))) I'll never forget the topics we covered, my loved ones. And Jenn, can I just say that you were the heroine that night! *winks*.

Saturday saw us dining at the newly re-opened Chilli's restaurant in Tanglin Mall after attending sunset mass. We enjoyed ourselves eating, laughing, poking fun at each other and playing silly finger games at the table during dinner. I am dead sure that my mum would have flipped if she found out that the years of table manners she thought us whilst growing up over the years was nowhere in sight. So terribly sorry mummy. It was really quality family bonding time spent with the kiddos, which the hubs whispered in my ear much later, that he thoroughly enjoys.





Tonite, the kiddos and me had a small and intimate celebration for the birthday ...ahem, boy. Being a week night, I quickly rushed home after work to prepare dinner and bought a strawberry shortcake from Bakerzin along the way as surprise. Of course Ethan couldn't contain the secret and had to "accidentally" spill the beans which made Chloe roll her peepers at him to which he casually remarked "But all birthdays come with a cake what!"

Happy Birthday Hon. Love you loads for now and forever.

ps. At the rate of the sinful amount of birthday cakes consumed this month, I really think I'm gonna have to run for a fortnight NON STOP!

Lost

Removed all jewellery on my fingers and left them in a pouch which went straight into my bag before my manicure session last week.

Only to find everything intact except MY WEDDING BAND! Been searching for it frantically the last 3 days but to no avail. Finally broke the news to hubs yesterday (of coz I had my most pitiful poor lost puppy look ever!) who gave me THE LOOK nonetheless.

You've heard the old wives tale right? Read all about it here.

My Love!

After all these years, Uncle Z still cannot keep his big eyes 'open' each time the camera clicks and paparazzi flashlight that follows thereafter!

Coconut Water Is Good For Your Daughter!

During dinner with the hubs tonight, what with the weather being so hot and humid, I decided to settle down for a fresh young Thai coconut to quench my thirst.

Me : Hon, would you like to have some of my coconut juice? (yeah, i know it sounds real funny when you read it out loud).

Hubs : Huh? ....No. (Who was sooo immersed in his sliced fish soup. Talk about eating healthy).

Me : Sure?

Hubs : Ya, sure.

Me : Why?

Hubs : (cheekily) Because I don't want to get fat.

Me : Wh..at!?! (Almost choked on my shiok cold juice with the bubble-tea-fat straw that came with it).

Hubs : Because I don't want to get fat. (trying hard not to laugh).

Me : @#$%!!!

Of coz I threw my fresh young coconut at him!

Like Father. Like Son.

I have 4 favourite men in my life. Well, one's still a boy....but you get the drift.

Here's 2 of the 4.

Wah, somebody's got flowers!

Here's presenting my first Valentine stalk this year....courtesy of Marina Properties.


And in case you don't already know, this lovely bouquet is from MY Mr Grumps ;)

Guess who received flowers on the eve of Valentine's? Ahem....
It totally caught me off guard. And for some strange reason, I was soppily frustrated because just as much as I love flowers, I don't want him to be ripped off because flowers cost 5 times as much (or more) on Valentine's and that's simply ridiculous. Perhaps maybe its me being older and wiser now and so priorites have changed. Ask me 10 years ago if I'd like a bouquet of flowers from my man, and I'd say YES! AT ALL COST!!! Hee.

I was walking along the main office corridor and was heading to my cube after going to the toilet when this person behind me went :

Delivery-woman : Excuse me, is this #39-02?

Me : Yes. Can I help you? I must admit that I was not looking at her directly in the face but at the beautiful floral arrangement that she was balancing on one hand.

DW : I am looking for Ter.....ter....

Me : Huh?

DW : I am looking for Ter...ter...reeeeza...Su ...Su...

Me : That's ME! I went. No, I actually shouted before she could even finish pronouncing my name. I was suprised and happy and embarassed at the same time. Not because she had problems pronouncing my name but because of the bouquet that was covering 3/4 of her face!

DW : Nah, here! Sign this invoice and Happy Va...Va..Val and before she could finished, in my cloud 9 mood, I cut her short and went, "Ya!!! And to you too!"

ps. I'd say it before and I'll say it again. Love the sweet gesture and lovely flowers, Mr Grumps.

I should be so lucky!!!

When I was on my way back, a wonderful aroma greeted me when the lift door to my home opened last Friday.

Though the main door and gate were closed and the curtains drawn, I could hear romantic, jazz tunes coming from my house as I stood outside struggling and juggling between my shopping bags to dig deep into my bag to look for my house keys.

Then, he opens the door. In a dashing shirt, long pants and choker round his neck, he stole my breath away. Just like he did 11 years ago when we first started dating. As he stood at the door, reaching his hands out to mine with his come hither eyes, he invited me to dinner. All this while, I just could not stop grinning and I could actually feel my face turning red as I started to blush.

Lightings were kept to the minimum, romantic and dim. Music was oh so lovely too. Table was beautifully laid with dinner, all cooked lovingly by him. Judging from the food courses and presentation and the way the house was spick and span, alot of work and effort was put in. Apparently, he had planned this for sometime. He took a half day off from work, dropped the kids off at the in laws, went grocery shopping, came home and prepared the evening's lovely dinner all by himself. He and I had the most lovely and enjoyable evening together.

HE is none other than MY SIGNIFICANT OTHER, MY ROCK AND MY ANCHOR, MY SOULMATE and THE LOVE OF MY LIFE. HE is none other than my hubs. I'll say it again, THANK YOU for everything. You really, really complete me. I'll always remember what you sang to me that night, "I WANNA GROW OLD WITH YOU, TOO".