Merry merry Christmas

MERRY XMAS!!!


How did you guys spend your Christmas? Mine was splendid :)
1st xmas I spent abroad, but it was... the best xmas I've had.



If you all dunno yet, my favourite favourite festive season is Christmas. I loveeeee Christmas, so just by listening to xmas songs, looking these xmas decorations/ornaments around Orchard Road can lit me up like a child.







Spent my xmas in Cambodia, where I want to be. I came back on the 26th & the next day, I received a phone call from a cambodia number! I immediately knew it was one of the kids cos I gave them all my SG num. I was so happy! Grinning nonstop. After about 5min of talk time, we switched to Skype.


Look at them!







Cute Kakada above. Parents in Cambodia like to name their children after their birth month. Kakada translate to July. Which means we share the same birth month! :)


And that's a funny photo of Sila below. Sila is one of my favourite students. He is a very smart, pleasant & lovable boy! Really. V inquisitive and willing to learn, pick up things fast, like me! :) He will grow up to be a very fine young man, I'm certain of that.







Thereafter, they've been calling me everyday! Hahaha I should have regular Skype sessions with them & hopefully my Khmer will improve leaps & bounds.






















Merry Christmas.











2012 had been a good year for me. Forged lotsa friendships, volunteered, traveled alone, did things I never would've done, grew sensible, been to BKK twice, Italy, Switzerland, Paris, London, Phuket twice, Cambodia twice, celebrated Christmas with the people I most wanted to spend with, & the last day of the year I'm gonna spend it in SG.

Hope your hearts will be filled with love & joy :) Get off your computer chairs & emails for the work-obsessed, relax! Appreciate everything around you. Laugh with your family, listen to music, feel the love! There are so many more important things in life.


Wishing you all a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Birthdays :)

My camera is as good as retired since I rarely use it these days. Or should I say forced to retire. The girls say photos taken w my camera are as good as gone cos I never upload. So I'm gonna prove them wrong! I just recently uploaded these bdaes pics on my fb, let's start with...




Sis' birthday! In April -.-









 













16 already! How fast time flies! I hope she grows up into a fine young woman :)




My fav photo! Love the colours of this one




Teng Teng's 1st birthday!


My nephew Kyler whom everybody dotes on is having his 1st birthday! :) His grandma (my aunt) being kiasu, booked the NSRCC chalet at Tanah Merah months in advance.




That's my little aunt, always the one in charge of bbq-ing. YUMS





Gosh there's even roasted lamb


And a chef to cut for us. My bdae also not so elaborated






Haha I like this happy photo here. Gonna develop these for them :)

 


What's a Tan family celebration without gambling?







All I know is EAT.

And look at my cute grandma!!

 





Here's the birthday boy, just awake from his slp. Why so grumpy :(






The bbq-ing continues!




Opps. Caught eating. Imma glutton.







Kyler is so naughty he refused to let me carry :(

 





Happy family :)







I actually have a video of everybody singing bdae song, but lazy to upload. After cake cutting, the celebration continues!


Still grumpy.



Here in one corner, my uncle & his friends are drinking.




Inside one of the chalet, the usual mj kakis are at it




And of cos here outside, poker resumes!







Wanted to stay at the chalet but end up didn't. We used to come here every year to celebrate my cousin's bdae, every year without fail. Then the cousins will swim & go to the bowling arena, eat snacks etc. Miss those days :')





 




Forgot what occasion... but it's a celebration at ah ma's house & most of them came, so it must be a significant one like bdae or something.






KFC & pizza hut! My fav fast food!



That's my eldest uncle on the left. He look younger wearing this! And he knows how to use smartphone. I'm impressed! Dad wearing the shirt I bought him on the right.
 


See! Gambling again.



WEEEEEE~~






My grandma's dog, baby. She is superrrrrr superrrrrrrrrrr yang-o. Whenever a stranger comes, unlike bingo who barks like a guarddog, she will whine whine whine until you carry her.

 





Dad's birthday


This is in May. I love this photo of my parents cos it looks so sweet!




 

 


Look how pretty my sis look here :) I look so kiddy beside her wearing this overalls.






Bingo that's not for you!

#okcan


 



Mum's birthday


This is in June. Our birthdays are all in consecutive months.

We brought her to Dozo, cos I love the ambience & I know the service is excellent. And there's this little surprise for birthday girls/boys if you tell the staff in advance :)









Didn't take much food photos cos I don't like to take the same food twice. These are taken from my sis' instagram. For more pictures it's in one of my last yr bdae post.












Back home...






Same place, same angle, same smile


But we still make it a point to celebrate everyone's bdae :)


Show you all this cute collage I made for them. From when they first started dating, to recent years. Look how round my mum's face was omg. LOL. Cute?






Grandma's 80th birthday in Sept



Hello sweetie :)







Grandma's 80th birthday was held at a coffeeshop in Khatib. We've been coming here since we were kids cos my uncle has a mee siam store here. And his mee siam is the BEST!







Everybody were really looking forward to this celebration! No pretenses, no fancy location, just us one big family in our most comfortable clothes eating heartily



First dish: Longevity buns




Second dish: Longevity noodles (abit too salty)




Now here's the star of the night...




Buddha jumps over the wall. And it's not at all cheap! Apparently it's got all the superior goodies inside, so becos of this, one table cost $500. At a coffeeshop! I personally think it's too much + I don't even know how to appreciate.

But I'm not the one paying so..... Haha!














Everyone was so happy & comfortable!

I love gatherings like this! Joke around, beer in hand & laugh your lungs out.





Happy birthday ah ma. I love you :)





Notice my bdae was skipped? Cos I haven't even properly look at the pics! That would take awhile :p Actually I still have alot more birthdays like Jerlyn's which was fun! But that's for another day!


I'm having a sudden flu now :( Haven't been sick in awhile. Pls let me recover! I have a long day tml...