Weekend Breakaway @ Johor Bahru

Our family spend the weekend at Johor Bahru this week. We drove down yesterday night after school and work. It took almost 4 hours for us to reach here, we checked into Orange Inn Hotel just near Alvin’s branch office in Johor Bahru.

Alvin needs to attend to some urgent issues at his sites at Johor Bahru on this morning, thus he is thinking that we might just follow him down and spent the weekend together.

This morning he need to go to the site together with Ragu, thus I would have to have our own program. I just walked across to the nearest mechanic shop to change the car tyres, the tyres have to change as the conditions are in bad shape. It is indeed the Lord’s blessings that we are able to drive through and reached Johor Bahru safely.

It was almost noon after settled with the tyres, I drove back to the hotel and fetched both Issac and Annabelle for brunch. We just go to the nearest Bukit Indah Aeon Shopping Mall to have our Subway sandwich. We walked around for sometimes, then headed back to hotel to take some rest.

Alvin came back in the afternoon, and we went out for our dinner at Kampung Teluk Jawa, which is more or less half an hour drive from where we stayed. We went for seafood. There are 3 restaurant at Teluk Jawa. We went for Restaurant YX Seafood Village.

This was the restaurant where we came about 4 years ago during our trip to Legoland. We ordered Chili Crab, Salt Baked Fish, Stir Fried 4 Heavenly King, Kam Hiong Clam and Deep Fried Man Tou. It was a lot of dish that Alvin ordered. We managed to finish in the end but really full!

The taste a lot difference from the first time when we were here, a little bit dissapointed with the dishes. And the best part is, we totally forgot to take the photos of the dishes, all were hungry when the food were serve.

Any how, it was a great dinner together with Ragu. We were enjoying the food and chit chatting till late. It is a short trip but it is an awesome one, even though it is really tired!

Mecaje Academy Swimming Session

Mecaje Academy had the swimming sessions for the Primary and Secondary students for last Friday 6 October and today. The school organised it at 3K (Kompleks Kemudahan Kemasyarakatan) Subang Jaya which is located at SS13 Subang Jaya.

Alvin and I had been there before married. We used to go there for badminton games together with the late William on those days. Anyway, 3K had been closed down sometimes ago due to poor maintenance by the private entity whom managed the complex.

The MPSJ took over and revamped the whole complex, and re-opened not long ago last year. This time MPSJ took over and run the complex. All the facilities had been put in place and order, including the swimming pool.

There are 1 big indoor swimming pool and 1 wading pool for the younger children. Here are some of the photos from the sessions. The students were given briefings before jump into the water by their teachers.

All the students were asked to do some warming up exercises first to avoid the body cramp. The girls with long hairs need to put on the swimming caps for safety purposes too.

Here they go into the water and play!

Well… All sure having fun getting splashed and wet for sure!

Breakfast with Kids 9 Oct 2017

We were having steamed glutinous rice and steamed yam cake as our breakfast this morning.

I usually will have breakfast together with the kids at the restaurant near the home school centre before they go up to their class. Then only I will leave to office.

Share Your Talents!

Developing Talents #2 ~ Learn to sing, play, or lead a song from the Children’s Songbook. Teach or share the song in a family home evening or at Primary. Discuss how developing talents helps prepare us from service to Heavenly Father and others.

This would be the first part of lesson that we learned about the Parable of Talents.

Jesus told a story, or parable, about a man who lent some coins to three people who worked for him. Then the man went away.

While he was gone, two of the people worked hard and used their coins to earn more coins to give back to the man.

But one person just buried his coin because he was afraid of losing it.

When the man came back, he gave rewards to those who increased the coins he lent them.

But he took the coin away from the person who hadn’t tried to increase it. (See Matthew 25:14–29.)

Like the man in the parable, Heavenly Father has given each of us some something very valuable—not coins, but special abilities or talents, like singing, showing love, running, or helping others.

Some are good at sports. Some are peacemakers. Some can make people laugh and feel better about themselves.

Some know just when something needs to be done and do it. Some can sing or dance or do gymnastics.

Some are good at math or science or spelling. Some have lots of good ideas for better ways to do things. Some are good with animals.

Later I get each family member share something they are good at, like reading aloud, baking a treat, performing a musical number, telling a joke, doing a somersault, or sharing a happy smile.

As each person finishes sharing a talent, have the other members of the family tell something good they have noticed about that person.

How can we help each other make our talents grow?

Using our talents helps others and shows Heavenly Father our gratitude.

We can always help family members to look for each other’s talents and share a sincere compliment each day.

We will feel happier and help others when we do.

The other part of this lesson would be how Issac and Annabelle grow their talents and share with others!

Issac have joined the keyboard class which organised by the church program, he is practising and attending every week for the class.

Issac would future serves in the church teaching other church members on this talent which he is learning now, or be the pianist during the Sacrament Meeting in the church.

While Annabelle is learning violin which actually she had performed in the Kuala Lumpur District Primary Activity Day earlier this year.

Hopefully after she is getting better, she able to serve in the church as well! That is the way how we practise and grow the talents that Heavenly Father given to us and serve his children!

Birthday Celebration for Bro. Ragu

Alvin had invited Ragu to home for a dinner to celebrate his birthday. His actual birthday is on 9 October which is tomorrow.

We had prepared our signature Fettuccine with Swedish Meatballs and potatoes wedges. It was a simple home dinner.

We have a birthday cake for him too! Ragu can considered a close friend to Alvin. He is our family close friend.

Wishing him loads of blessings and happiness waiting ahead of him from the above!

Learning

Developing Talents #6 ~ Read D&C 88:118. Discuss what it means to “seek learning, even by study and also by faith.” Improve your personal study habits by doing such things as learning how to choose and read good books or being prepared for school each day.

We were discussing and learn the lesson about “Learning” today. From Elder David A. Bednar of Quorum of the Twelve Apostles counsel from a satellite broadcast address to Church Educational System educators given on February 3, 2006 “Seek Learning by Faith”. He quoted,

“As learners, you and I are to act and be doers of the word and not simply hearers who are only acted upon. Are you and I agents who act and seek learning by faith, or are we waiting to be taught and acted upon? …

“… Learning by faith requires spiritual, mental, and physical exertion and not just passive reception. It is in the sincerity and consistency of our faith-inspired action that we indicate to our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, our willingness to learn and receive instruction from the Holy Ghost. …

“… Learning by faith requires both ‘the heart and a willing mind’ (D&C 64:34). Learning by faith is the result of the Holy Ghost carrying the power of the word of God both unto and into the heart. Learning by faith cannot be transferred from an instructor to a student … ; rather, a student must exercise faith and act in order to obtain the knowledge for himself or herself”

We can learn by faith when we actively and prayerfully engage in learning and then act on what we learn.

After the scripture session, we started to talk about School, homework, and studying. We focused on the topic of being prepared for school each day, both children were smiling while we were discussing it. They knew that they did have their own ‘bad habits’.

Here are additional lists from the youth in the Yokota Military Branch, Honshu Japan Military District, on how to study effectively.

• Be organized. Write down the dates your assignments are due and when you will have tests on a calendar or other place where you will be reminded often of your deadlines.

• Turn your homework in on time.

• Get a good night’s sleep before tests.

• After you have studied by yourself, studying with a classmate or group can help you better understand hard concepts. Quiz each other.

• Procrastination is your enemy. Avoid it.

• Study for a set amount of time each weekday.

• Take notes in class and from your textbooks on the most important lesson points. You can also make flash cards to remind yourself of key concepts.

• Use any study guides or hints your teacher has given you.

• Have a positive attitude. Complaining will only make learning harder.

• Pray for help. The Lord will help you if you do your part.

• Exercise. A healthy body will help you be more alert and awake to study.

• If you’re having trouble understanding something, ask the teacher or one of your parents for help.

• Read. Even when it’s not an assignment, reading good books will increase your comprehension and vocabulary.

• Eat breakfast. You’ll need brain food throughout the day.

• Study somewhere you can concentrate. Loud music or a lot of people around you can be distracting.

• Find out what kind of learner you are. Some people learn better when they listen, some when they read or see things, and some when they write things down. Discover a study method, or a combination of methods, that works best for your learning style.

I did prepare some of the lists too, for the children to read them during their spare time on how to choose and read good books.

As nowadays, we are flooded with so much information which need us to choose carefully for our own good.

Books nowadays can be in digital form, rather than the traditional paper back form.

Thus, the children need to choose and pick using their agency to make a wise decision.

We, parents have to educate and nurture them so that they would know how.

Annabelle Birthday 1 Oct 2017

Prior to this day, Annabelle kept on reminding me that her birthday is near. Starting early of September, whenever she stepped into the car and saw the clock and date at the LCD screen, she would said, “Mum, count down XX days!”

Then only I realised that she was counting down her big day ~ 10th Birthday. I know that, I am really a bad Mum that told her, “Ok but I will not remember that!” So she was like not so excited anymore looking forward to her birthday.

Annabelle did tell me that, she would like to have a roller skate few months back, so I told Daddy about this.

Daddy and Issac were preparing her birthday present for at least months ago, for what should give her.

We were thinking of roller blade, but after brought them tried in the shop. Clearly roller blade was too complicated for her, even for Issac too!

Thus, last Sunday while she was at her violin class at Empire Shopping Gallery, Daddy and Issac went to the shop and got one pair of pink roller skates, just hide it behind the car boot.

Then on Saturday during both kids art classes, then only we bought the present paper at the Times Bookstore, then we wrapped the presents and put back into the car again.

After the art class, we went to IOI City Mall for a walk, and bought a Baskin Robbins ice cream cake for her.

She was so happy when she knew about it. As we would celebrate it at the mid night on 1 Oct on dot.

After we went back home, we waited till almost 11.50pm, we brought out the ice cream cake and sang Happy Birthday song for her, and gave her the birthday present.

Her reaction was so priceless! She was so surprise and happy to know that she is getting the roller skate after opened her present. She happily went to sleep on the dawn of her birthday.

On Sunday I know that it is a Sabbath, this past 4 weeks we did not really observe the Sabbath due to Annabelle’s violin replacement class was on Sunday.

After her violin class, we went to Main Place for her birthday dinner which we decided to have it at the newly opened Shell Out Restaurant, which is one of her favourite seafood restaurants. She loves to eat the clam (Lala) there.

We had a complimentary coconut pudding for the birthday girl and the staffs there celebrate her birthday with sing the birthday song to her.

Apparently, there was a lot of people celebrating birthdays at Shell Out, as the birthday songs were sang at least 3 times during our dinner there!

We enjoyed our meals there and of coarse enjoyed the sweet family moments!

Mummy still wish you the same as I wished you one year ago: Happy Birthday my sweet heart! May you be blessed by Heavenly Father always and stay in His Light!