Dec - a joyous yet exhausting month. More so this year as we're in the heat of our renovation.
This Christmas, presents were only bought for our families. No budget & no time. So comparing to wrapping 40 over pieces last year (& I always make sure that every present we give out is nicely wrapped), this was quite a breeze.
Sis & my niece went on a 9-day holiday in mid Dec so hubby & I were a lil busy shuttling between our temp home & sis' to spend more time with mum. Also stayed over @ sis' that weekend. On 21 Dec, the whole family had the annual reunion dinner for winter solstice, a day in advance as mum had cell group gathering on actual day. On 23 Dec, we brought mum to attend the wake service of SIL's (bro's wife) dad.
Christmas Eve, hubby & I went back to my ex-church with mum in the evening... the first time after all these years. I've never ever thought I'd go back again. But I did, and with hubby. Thank God:) We guessed mum's happy. Many years ago, she had her family (except bro & family) around in church especially daddy who attended all church events with her. Then months before dad was sick, I wasn't there anymore... shortly after, so were sis & family. When daddy became very ill, mum started to go to church on her own & till now. So this Christmas, she had one of her daughters & son-in-law with her again:) And I saw many familiar & welcoming faces... they said: "you're finally back....".
Hubby & I feel very happy that finally I'm able to overcome this hurdle. This Christmas has sure given a new meaning in our lives & our walk with God and was in fact the best Christmas that I've had in the past 20 years. My heart was literally filled with love, peace and joy:)
Christmas Day morning I finished with the rest of the gift wrapping, then had dim sum lunch with my inlaws. We brought them to Tampines. This year's Christmas party was in the evening, without bro & family & no one cooked. We bought lots of good food, all from different parts of Toa Payoh, so much that we couldn't finish! Hubby & I even went back the next day to have the leftovers for dinner & we nearly couldn't finish. Ha!
The week following Christmas, there's a slight change in plan. I didn't take the whole week off, as intended. Just 1.5 day (30th & 31st). Participated in hubby's company team building event. We went Sentosa's Palawan Beach in the afternoon & we had lots of fun.
New Year's Eve we're busy with housing matters for almost the whole day & also met our banker. Then past 8pm, we left for City Hall with our car parked @ hubby's office. Nope, we're not going for any countdown party... but to Robinson's to take a look at the beddings. Seemed like it's become a tradition for us every 2 or 3 years.. remembering the New Year's Eve in 2007 we braved the crowd in Orchard after buying close to $1,000 worth of beddings & pillows from Taka... haha. Not intentionally to make it a practice though. But glad we made the trip as we bought 2 sets of bedsheets... 1 for mum & 1 for ourselves. I love what we bought... been looking for similar fabric & color for so long! And it's cheap after a 50% off.. even cheaper than what I got from Taka just a few days ago which consisted of only a quilt cover & 2 pillow shams.
New Year's Day was a day without agenda. We went wherever we felt like including Ikea (again) to return some items we bought ...
So the start of Year 2010 for us is still all about our new place ;)
This Christmas, presents were only bought for our families. No budget & no time. So comparing to wrapping 40 over pieces last year (& I always make sure that every present we give out is nicely wrapped), this was quite a breeze.
Sis & my niece went on a 9-day holiday in mid Dec so hubby & I were a lil busy shuttling between our temp home & sis' to spend more time with mum. Also stayed over @ sis' that weekend. On 21 Dec, the whole family had the annual reunion dinner for winter solstice, a day in advance as mum had cell group gathering on actual day. On 23 Dec, we brought mum to attend the wake service of SIL's (bro's wife) dad.
Christmas Eve, hubby & I went back to my ex-church with mum in the evening... the first time after all these years. I've never ever thought I'd go back again. But I did, and with hubby. Thank God:) We guessed mum's happy. Many years ago, she had her family (except bro & family) around in church especially daddy who attended all church events with her. Then months before dad was sick, I wasn't there anymore... shortly after, so were sis & family. When daddy became very ill, mum started to go to church on her own & till now. So this Christmas, she had one of her daughters & son-in-law with her again:) And I saw many familiar & welcoming faces... they said: "you're finally back....".
Hubby & I feel very happy that finally I'm able to overcome this hurdle. This Christmas has sure given a new meaning in our lives & our walk with God and was in fact the best Christmas that I've had in the past 20 years. My heart was literally filled with love, peace and joy:)
Christmas Day morning I finished with the rest of the gift wrapping, then had dim sum lunch with my inlaws. We brought them to Tampines. This year's Christmas party was in the evening, without bro & family & no one cooked. We bought lots of good food, all from different parts of Toa Payoh, so much that we couldn't finish! Hubby & I even went back the next day to have the leftovers for dinner & we nearly couldn't finish. Ha!
The week following Christmas, there's a slight change in plan. I didn't take the whole week off, as intended. Just 1.5 day (30th & 31st). Participated in hubby's company team building event. We went Sentosa's Palawan Beach in the afternoon & we had lots of fun.
New Year's Eve we're busy with housing matters for almost the whole day & also met our banker. Then past 8pm, we left for City Hall with our car parked @ hubby's office. Nope, we're not going for any countdown party... but to Robinson's to take a look at the beddings. Seemed like it's become a tradition for us every 2 or 3 years.. remembering the New Year's Eve in 2007 we braved the crowd in Orchard after buying close to $1,000 worth of beddings & pillows from Taka... haha. Not intentionally to make it a practice though. But glad we made the trip as we bought 2 sets of bedsheets... 1 for mum & 1 for ourselves. I love what we bought... been looking for similar fabric & color for so long! And it's cheap after a 50% off.. even cheaper than what I got from Taka just a few days ago which consisted of only a quilt cover & 2 pillow shams.
New Year's Day was a day without agenda. We went wherever we felt like including Ikea (again) to return some items we bought ...
So the start of Year 2010 for us is still all about our new place ;)
