Hello all! Today BHCC is honoured to have a guest speaker and that's me CC!! Blogging is a habit man and obviously, I don't have this habit. Ha Ha. Xmas has just passed and boy, I think I had the busiest Xmas this year man!! This year I hosted 2 mini Xmas gathering at my place. And this is the first time Hubby and I are spending Xmas at our new place!! Lalalalala. Our Xmas celebrations started since the Hari Raya Holidays. And coming up is NEW YEAR 2008!!! Hey Peeps, have you started crafting your NY resolutions?? Better start doing so now!!! As for mine, for many years, it has been the same and that is LOSE WEIGHT!!!

Haha. Merry Xmas Peeps and a Happy New Year!!!

19th Dec – Wednesday
Xiuyun & family, Peifern and Ryan will be coming over my place tomorrow for a mini gathering and gift exchange. First time hosting a gathering at my place. Kinda exciting! Met Hubby at Greatworld City after work to shop for groceries. I am planning to prepare salad and some finger food for my guests tomorrow. Before we went grocery shopping, Hubby treats me to a Jap Food Dinner!! 好吃！

Back home, I quickly wrapped all my pressie for the girls!! Guess age is catching up on me. I used to buy those fanciful, cute stuff for my friends but now, I choose my pressies based on PRACTICALITY. I will make sure the girls will use the stuff that I buy for them. Call me boring but I bought Tupperware (Lock & Lock brand ok….mai pray pray) for Xiuyun (the first time mother) and travel pouches for Peifern (the frequent flyer).

20th Dec – Thursday
Hubby and I were busy cleaning up our house to welcome our guests! Hard work man!! By noon, I was busy preparing my salad so that it will be chill by the time the guests arrive. Thereafter, Hubby set the table while I prepare mushroom and seafood soup for the guests. First to arrive is Peifern! Her job has taught her never be late cos her flights can’t wait! Well Done! Since she was early, she was made my guinea pig for my honey glazed wings and teriyaki chicken! Ha ha. Next to arrive is Xiuyun and Family. The moment Peifern and I saw her baby, we went “WOW, she has grown bigger and cuter”. The last time we saw her baby was only a couple of weeks ago.

Chatting with the girls is always nice cos I like to hear the joys that a baby can bring to a family. Xiuyun was beaming with joy and happiness whenever she mentions her baby. Thou babies can be a hassle at times, but I guess all mothers enjoy their motherhood despite the hardship.

Time for gift exchange!! I got several cups/mugs this time round and I really don’t mind it cos my house is really lacking in cups!! This is what I call practical gifts for a new homeowner like me! Peifern specially bought our gifts from Australia. She bought me MUG with chocolates & marshmallows. My fav is really a simple cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows. Guess she hit the nail man! Xiuyun bought me a pair of couple’s mug (as big as bowls!). Big enough to fill my whole face!! Ha ha After they left, we cleared up the place and stayed home throughout the night! I ate the egg tarts and char siew soh that Xiuyun bought earlier and that’s my dinner. Hubby ate the same thing too but poor Hubby caught a cold. So he went to bed early while I check out FACEBOOK. Didn’t go to bed till 130am!

21th Dec – Friday
Hubby and I took leave today! Morning was breakfast at nearby coffeeshop. Greedy Hubby and me each ordered wanton noodles plus 2 roti prata! Kauz. We can really eat man!! Anyway, we should eat like a king for breakfast so we got the entire day to burn calories. Me today gona abandon Hubby to go Xmas shopping with Cat. Think Hubby will be more than happy that I leave him alone to do his things. Ha ha. And I won't bug him to catch ants with me!!! (Kill Kill Kill!!)

I was supposed to buy my Xmas pressie when out shopping with Cat but I ended up buying clothes for myself. Gosh. My damages for today alone are:

• 1 turquoise toga top from Mango
• 1 shimmering bronze top from Mango
• 1 black blouse from Zara
• 1 gold dress from Osmose
• 1 white cardigan

But Cat didn’t lose out too! She bought her winter wear from Mango (this babe is going Japan for her honeymoon. Lucky her!). She also bought a pair of heels from Schus (Now my fav shoe hunt), a pink top from Far East, a top from Osmose etc. Gosh. Think Anda and my Hubby will ban us from doing our shopping together soon at the rate we are going!

After shopping, we went over to Greatworld City to meet our men for dinner and movie. Dinner was at MY CHEEZECAKE. Food so-so only lar but expensive! Almost $30 per head. We watched “National Treasures – Book of Secrets” at 940pm. The movie was kinda “Kua Zhang” but then again, we learnt something from the movie and that is there are 2 other statues of liberty in France other than the one in New York (one at River Seine and the other at Jardin Du Luxembourg)! Cool!!! This is what you can get from watching crappy movies!!

22th Dec – Saturday
Time to work out man after all the eating lately! I went to Suntec gym with Hubby. I went for my usual body combat class while Hubby did his run on the treadmill. Everywhere is crowded man!! What the heck. These people are streaming to the stores and spending money like nobody’s business! Even ROYCE chocolate has a Q. Siao wan!!

After making my way pass the human jam, we went to meet my mother, uncles and aunts for dinner at Changi Airport. I bought Hubby to check out the airport cafeteria and we had pasta dinner there!! Standard not bad plus CHEAP CHEAP!! The mushroom soup taste yucky thou but the potato salad is FWAH!! Nice. First time eat carb yet so happy. Hee Hee.

Thereafter, we went grocery shopping (again??!!) at the airport. Didn’t buy anything but more like spending time with my mother to check out how she is coping with the maid. Hubby and I took a train ride home after that.

23th Dec – Sunday
Time to do our last minute shopping! Still short of some gifts for my cousins and colleagues. I went for morning breakfast with Hubby at Suntec and had chee cheong fun and nasi lemak. Then we went to check out if there are any good time slots for “The Warlords”. I know my VIOLENT Hubby wants to watch this war movie and so being his gentle, lovable wife, I accompany him lor. Ha ha.

Before the movie, we went to Carrefour to look for pressies. Hubby commented that my pressies aint exciting enough! &#$#&&^*^!#@. Duhz… No need exciting mah. As long practical can liao lor. That Ku Ku bao! Well, again being his gentle, lovable and submissive (read NON S-U-B-M-I-S-S-I-V-E) wife, I of cos listen to him and choose other gifts lor. Those that fail his QC, I asked him to go choose himself. Haha. Eventually the gifts are as follows: -

1. Sesame Street Learning Cards for my nephews
2. Very cute inner wear (from Hush Puppies) for my pretty Sam cousin
3. Cool and hip looking pencil cases for my schooling cousins Cam and Dixon
4. Pouch for my policeman cousin Dexter
5. ELLE towel for Aunt Linda
6. Gift pack nuts for my boss and Aunt Jenny
7. Chocolates for my colleagues (Sheng Chin and Daryl)

Dinner was at Yoshinoya at Marina Square! I had craving for this for the past few days. Finally I get to have my beef bowl. Yummy!!

Backed home, it is wrap pressies time again!! Very bo-eng lei!!

24th Dec – Xmas Eve
Regrets. Should have take leave today also. Early morning wake up to go work for half day. And knowing that most people in office won’t have mood to work also. Duhz. Anyway, I dress myself 美 美 to work, wearing my new gold dress and my glittering earrings. By 11 plus, our MD sent out an email to say that all of us can go home by noon!! Woo hoo!! I went on with my plans to go for cycle class at gym with Cheng and thereafter, I take my own sweet time to shower and make my way home.

Hubby rented a limo (Read L-A-N-C-E-R Ex) for this festive period. So he went collect the car at 330pm. I went home to wait for him before we make our way to my uncle’s place for our Xmas Eve dinner.

Hubby is excited about the cool features of the car but I kinda feel the car is a bit too big and clumsy for my Hubby (*I don’t know who is more clumsy: my Hubby or the car…opps*) Ha Ha. The carpark of my uncle’s old condo is super challenging man, but my Hubby aced it anyway (with me as the additional reverse sensor…=X). We had Turkey, Ribs, Ham, Salad, Bee Hoon, Choco Fondue, Log Cake, Pop Corns etc. My ku ku Hubby came up to me and said “Carol, how long have you been sitting at the dining table??”. Opps kana caught. People come and go by the dining table but my butt just stuck at the dining table, refusing to budge. I just yak and yak with my aunts while munching on the carrots and celery sticks and occasional pieces of ham!

After dinner and gift exchange, Hubby sent mum and Zarlin home before we make our way to Cat’s place to chill. Somehow all my smses to Cat and Anda were delayed or un-replied. I was telling Hubby if we should still make our way there as the host and hostess didn’t reply my sms. Hubby say they must be busy making babies. Ha Ha. But knowing them, I am pretty sure they won’t MIA like that when they are expecting guests to their place. But anyway, we drove slowly to their place while waiting for their reply. Blur sotong me even gave wrong block number to Hubby. Must be the influence from my “other half”. Errhmm. Once we reached their void deck, I gave Cat a call. End up they didn’t receive my sms at all. Darn. That should come to my mind cos the network will be congested at Xmas Eve but cos I received many prompt replies from my aunts and mum, I tot the network jam will only kick in near midnight. It must be the lousy network at HOUGANG to be precise. Ha Ha.

At Cat’s place, we had a nice chat and snacks. I didn’t really view their place when fully furnished. Those times when I was at their place were during their pre-reno times and post reno times with bare furniture. There is a cosy corner in their bedroom, with a pink mao mao carpet (Cat’s fav – Furry stuff). Nice!! We also watched 881 at their place. Boring show. I literally dozed off during the show. Gosh. Too arty farty for me. I prefer horror show. Ha ha. I like to scare myself! After the movie, we slowly made our way home!!

25th Dec – Xmas Day

Woo Hoo Merry Xmas everybody!! Hubby drove me to Plaza Singapore for a fantastic TOAST BOX breakfast. Before I arrive at PS, AS USUAL my hubby will bring me for a jolly ride (opps…*he gona scold me for mentioning this*). Haha. At Toast Box, I had 2 eggs, kaya toast and my teh-o!!! Nice but somehow the egg not as big as Ya Kun Kaya Toast. Guess the chicken from Ya Kun is of a different breed.

After breakfast, we decided to go for groceries shopping at Carrefour AGAIN (our last grocery shopping was on 19th Dec 07..so many things to buy meh..). This time, Hubby gave me a budget and deadline. He said: “We have half an hour, clock $65 worth of groceries then I can use my Carrefour Voucher”. After saying that, I am just like a bird being let out of cage! I comb the entire supermarket, especially the FOOD section which I think I made several rounds. Everytime I see hubby with the trolley in the supermarket, I will ask him: “How much we have clocked??” Si Beh Gan Cheong!!

Once done, we went collect the BIRD (turkey I mean), the honey glazed ham and the calorie laden log cake. Back home, Hubby has to make several trips out to bring his mama’s oven over, buy aluminum foil, buy rice and veg etc. After much struggle, we manage to stuff the BIRD in the oven and get it roasted. My adorable hubby put a stool in front of the oven and watches the BIRD turn brown, while I was on a mission to kill ants and clean the kitchen mess. How CUTE.

First time my parents and sister-in-law came over for an official meal. Opps!! Papa even gave an ang bao to us. So Pai Seh, we have moved in eons ago, but yet only now then officially invite them over. Lunch was great!! The BIRD taste good as well. After lunch, Hubby played 881 for them to watch.

I had a short nap while Hubby went out to return the car. He was upset cos the car had 2 small dents when he returned it. He called himself the dent magnet. Awww. Poor Hubby. It is not you my dear but just the other Ku Ku road users. Pat Pat. We watched the 715pm “I am Legend” at TB Plaza. Movie was OK but what was more exciting was that we didn’t buy any popcorns and nachos to eat! We SNEAKED in our own tibits and drinks. SHIOK. For a first time, I didn’t feel like a carrot cos those tibits sold outside the theatres are so much more expensive. ^&$#$%!^%@$# Coincidentally, we met Jenny, E-po and Sing Gor Gor. So qiao. We are sitting on the same row, 2 seats away from each other. Ha Ha. The first question to came to Hubby’s mind was “E-po can understand the English Movie??” Well, there is such thing known as subtitle. Ku Ku BAO…haha

Back home, I was terrified! Why? Cos I found the HeadQuarters of my Hubby’s pals (the ANTS). GROSS man!! I am having goosebumps as I am writing this. The HQ was at the base of one of the Korean cup noodles. When I lift up the cup and saw MASSIVE number of ants, I almost fell off the stool!! ^&*#%#$@%^ Darn ants. I immediately packed and tied it up. Ready to show my Hubby the CATCH. But he don’t want to see, so he just threw it away. Phew, I hope to see lesser of them (or rather no more of them) now since I got rid of the HQ. Then again, you never know.

How eventful for the past 5 days!!

26th Dec - Boxing Day

Back to work lor! Si Beh Xian. Hubby on leave. Envy Envy.

Till then, watch this space for more posts by guest speaker chio bu CC!! Hahahahaha