Sunday, January 27, 2013

My first Family Art Piece : Jan-13

After drawing on and off for several months, I had finally managed to complete my first art piece on our family cartoon using the art 'Bamboo' pen I brought last year.  I am glad to have finished this, and personally satisfied with myself.  I would leave it to you judge how well I had drawn. :-)


Enen starts art class in NAFA : Jan-13

When we began this blog 5 years ago, Xuan had just started her Art course in NAFA. This year, Enen followed his sister footstep and joined her in enrolling to a class in NAFA too.  We have the good fortune to put her in the same time slot as her sister, in fact, when I submitted her registration form, the administrator told me that that was the only vacancy left for the slot, how lucky.  I am not sure to what level Enen could sustain her interest, but currently she was looking forward to every Saturday and using her art tools which we had purchased.


Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Laogong's Birthday, Special 2013 : Jan-13

A birthday paradox exists in my family, on the two most special guys in my life.

This special birthday falls on a very special day of the year too -- New Year's Day on the modern Gregorian calendar, 1 January.

Initially, everyone is excited as we get to celebrate the special birthday with two persons at the same time.  Over time, one began to lament: "How come I cannot get 100% of everyone's attention on MY special day??"

Hahaa.. somehow, some forces, someone, must have overheard this and decided that 2013 would be a lil' different; depending on what we made of it.  As we went along, there were actually 3 parts to Laogong's birthday celebration!!

Part 1: the un-usual ..
Our usual Saturdays are spent with Xuan's art class in the morning and Qi's ballet in the evening, with whatever we want to do, in-between.  Being the nice and filial people we are, weekends are also the time to visit my Pa and perform some extended-family bonding, especially for the girls with their Yiyi, QQ, Qmama and Qgong.  At least twice a month, we also have our Soka meetings on weekends..  Hence only once in a blue moon do we have an extended period of many hours of solely nuclear-family time without the stress of the girls having to complete their homework or revise for exams.  Well, the Saturday before Laogong's birthday is that very rare blue moon when we can begin his 100% birthday celebration!!

Q: How do you want to celebrate your birthday?
A: I want a picnic!

So a picnic it shall be!  Or a seemingly-picnic it became..
We had a MacDonald's brunch at East Coast.  Hey, I must say I really prefer this new joint much much more than the old one!  This one is really by the sea, and bcoz of the nice breezy weather that morning, it was a very pleasant and enjoyable 'picnic' indeed.  We had everyone's favorite Mac breakfast, and the cool breeze, by the sea!!  For once, east coast Mac wasn't crowded too..


After our brunch, we took a nice long walk along the beach and jetty.. (^_^)































the gigantic x'mas tree ..
.. in ngee ann city !
Acceding to Laogong's wish, we had a refreshing steamboat dinner at Coca, ngee ann city.  Hahaa.. the girls didn't quite like it as dinner was still a rather steamy affair despite the air-conditioned environment.  Well, too bad girls.. it's your papa's birthday dinner and he's the king who had the final say!







Part 2: the usual .. still unusual
Jiun would be overseas.. Even Papa would not be in Singapore on Gregorian New Year itself, so we did our usual double birthday celebration much earlier on 30 Dec, Sunday afternoon, when everyone was still at home!  We had a nice dinner prepared by QQ and Dor.. QQ even bought two duck's drumsticks especially for the birthday boys!
showin off his drumstick!

birthday dads & their cakes ..

Our group picture ..



Talking about birthday paradox, 30 Dec is Victor's father as well as Dor's father's birthday!














Part 3: the usual .. to wrap up the 300%!!
In the wee hours on the first day of 2013, after we did our New Year's gongyo together as a family, Laogong can wait no longer and demanded his birthday presents from all of us!







Later that day, together with my in-laws, we attended the New Year's Gongyo at HQ and went for a nice family dinner thereafter.

Of course the day concluded at home with a birthday song and cake, and all our birthday wishes!! (^_^)/