Mum & Daughter Date

Well… today only Annabelle and me at home as both Alvin and Issac had joined the Kuala Lumpur District Young Men Camp. So, we have a mother and daughter date today.

We were going for our movie date then lunch. We were watching the hottest in town - “Crazy Rich Asians”. Crazy Rich Asians is the current big hit in movie theatres right now.

It is a rom-com movie about a guy, Nick Young, who brings home his Asian-American girlfriend to be introduced to his family in Singapore. Only then does the girlfriend, Rachel, realise that her boyfriend is a “crazy rich Asian” and has to keep up with all the glitz and glamour, contend with weird relatives and gossip among envious socialites while trying to win over the heart of his domineering mother.

The movie, adapted from Kevin Kwan’s book by the same title, is directed by Jon M. Chu, and has an all-Asian cast, including Malaysian darlings Henry Golding as Nick Young and Michelle Yeoh as his mother, Eleanor Young.

This is the first time Annabelle and I went out having our movie date without the boys in the house. I bought the twin seats tickets at MBO cinemas Subang Parade. I enjoyed the movie very much. Annabelle experienced her first ever rich love story. We were talking about the scenes from the movie.

After the movie, it was just nice that we can have our Dave’s famous original 1/4 roast chicken and beef rissole at the famous ever Dave’s Deli.

We love the roast chicken very much. Marinated in their special secret recipe of herbs and spices then slow roasted to perfection. It served with mash potatoes, coleslaw, roasted vegetables and topped with their signature gravy. Yummy!

Dave’s signature grilled minced beef patty topped with black pepper mushroom sauce. Serve with mash potatoes, coleslaw and roasted vegetables as well. Nice! We compliment with a plate of loaded cheesy fries!

Both of us were so full that we can hardly breath when we finished our meals portion! We felt so satisfied with our meals! We enjoyed each other today while the boys having their date at the camp site!

Malacca Short Getaway

It’s Hari Raya Haji public holiday, we just have a short getaway to Malacca.

We have been to Malacca a few times and there was nothing much new that we tried this time.

We went to the seaside which near to the town. It is not actually a seaside but a reclamation coast which filled with big and small stones.

I taken a few photos of the children and their dad at work ‘photography’.

Alvin’s Buddies

Here are Alvin’s buddies, and the children’s too.

The big blue guy at the back is Mr. Nerdie aka the Scientist. It is from the Doodle Dolls collection.

Mr. Nerdie is a Leo (7/23 – 8/22). A perfectionist to the core, Mr. Nerdie is a brilliant scientist who invents ingenious devices during the day. At night, however, he dreams of being a superhero that saves the world amidst great adventure!

Dorameon is a famous Japanese cartoon character. A cat robot from 22nd century, was sent by Sewashi Nobi to improve Nobita, a young boy who scores poor grades; frequently bullied by his two classmates, so that his descendants can brush up their lives.

The green stuffy guy is called Om Nom. It is a character from a game that the children played.

Well, these 3 little guys are the one whom accompany Alvin during he is at Johor Bahru.

Kids and I @ Happ the Flower Café

We were at Tropicana Avenue after work as I was attending the coring session for the Shop.Com group.

We were having our dinner at a very special café which combine the flowers, cakes and coffee as their selling point – Happ the Flower Café. We were trying out their hot food instead of their famous cakes.

Annabelle was having the Carbonara with Turkey Ham and Mushroom. It is creamy and a comfort food for her.

Issac was having the local Nasi Lemak. The portion is big as it come with the rendang chicken.

I was having the Crispy Chicken Burger with Chips. The portion is huge too, as I have to cut the burger into two portion.

We have a satisfying meals!

Puchong Branch Young Men & Young Women Dinner & Auction Fundraiser

Our Puchong branch Young Men and Young Women have organised a fundraising for their annual camp which will be happen during National Day.

All the Young Men and Young Women of the branch are required to contribute and use their talents such as baking, drawing, painting or others skills which they have to do a dinner and items to put on for auction.

Brother Kennedy was asking all the young men to think about what they can do about this activity. Issac discussed with me on this. Issac’s strength is painting, so we are thinking of paint on something that can become an item to put up for the auction.

We were taking much considerations from painting a wooden stool which he had done before in his art class, painting on an umbrella, or painting on a bag or stuffs like that. Finally we came to conclusion that we should paint on a T-Shirt because it is quite easy to source for a T-Shirt instead of a wooden stool, canvas bag or others things.

One week prior to the event, we went to the Brands Outlet to get 3 T-Shirts within RM50.00. Another reason being also due to the cost of the items should not be high as it would be exceed most of the people’s budget if they want to auction for it. I choose red colour T-Shirt, grey colour T-shirt and dark blue colour T-shirt.

On Monday Issac started with the dark blue colour as he wanted to paint the Captain America’s shield, and he continued on the next day. It was a holiday the second day and Annabelle and him stayed at home while I was going to work. Issac managed to complete 2 T-shirts including with an Iron Man.

To be honest I am pretty impressed with his talent as he indeed dare to draw and paint Iron Man, for me it is not easy as you need to sketch and straightway draw with the acrylic paint on the soft material like T-shirt cloth.

I WhatsApp to Alvin to show him the T-Shirt and he was very impressed of Issac’s work too. This give Issac the confidence and boasting his mood and continue to draw on the 3rd piece of T-shirt. He painted the Black Panther this time. It end up he took 3 pieces of T-Shirts go to the auction.

This morning during Issac’s art class at Jane Yap Atelier, I asked him to take the 3 pieces of T-shirts to show to his art teachers if there is any extra that he might need to touch up or improve before this evening event.

There are some other items and desserts such as cheese cakes, cupcakes, a handmade teddy bear, framed paintings, books and others to put up for the auction as well.

There were members from the branches came to support the Young Men and Young Women as well! Everyone that want to take part in the auction was given a number to call.

Issac’s T-shirts were quite a success as the first dark blue Captain America T-shirt was auctioned and managed to get by Elder Tan, a Singapore missionary that served in our branch with RM29.00

The second Iron Man T-Shirt goes to his own Daddy Alvin with the price of RM50.00, as Alvin really love Issac’s work and he said, he would want to keep this T-shirt for himself.

And, the third Black Panther T-Shirt drew quite a lot of crowd as everyone love the Black Panther. It was started with RM20.00 and called until the highest RM100.00 by President Teh.

Both Alvin and I were quite surprised as the Black Panther T-shirt drew a huge crowds. We thanked to both President Teh and Sister Annie for their support to Issac for the T-shirt.

Issac indeed feel really happy for the outcome of the T-shirts which he painted. It really give him a lot of encouragement and confidence in his own talent. We are very proud of him as parents as well.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Puchong Branch Primary Activity Day ~ The Museums Adventure

Developing Talents #5 ~ Visit an art museum or attend a concert, play, or other cultural event. Share your experience with your family or activity day group.

It is June and we have another Faith in God Activity Day again for our Valiant children in the Puchong branch.

The date was set early to be today after consideration of the school holiday together with the Hari Raya Aidilfitri public holidays which is going to start this weekend and the week after next.

Some families might have planned to be travelled during these holiday seasons, and the children might not be around.

Issac, Annabelle and I woke up early as we need to complete the household chores before we gone out.

I had prepared some finger foods such as nuggets, cocktail sausages and hard boiled eggs for the group. Sister E Chin helped me last evening as we also bought some sushi from Aeon IOI Mall.

We drove to the Four Points Hotel to fetch Sister Jennifer and Miguel. I stopped by the bus stop in front of IOI Mall to meet with Sister Sylvia and she would followed our car from behind. We headed to the National Museum.

We arrived there around 10.00am. Sister Vivian’s family already there, her husband Brother Earnest gave the opening prayer and blessed the food.

Some of us did not manage to have breakfast before we came, and while waiting for Sister Jing Jing’s family to join us, we were having a little feast at the car park. The children were so brilliant! They just makeshift picnic table near the car park area.

I just brought out the sushi rolls, chicken nuggets, cocktail sausages, and the hard boiled eggs. All the children and adults having some food at the car park, before we went to the museums.

We choose the National Museum because it provides a good overview of the nation’s rich historical and cultural heritage. The children can know more about our country rich heritage through this visit.

Besides National Museum, we would be visiting another 2 small museums which are being in the same compound: Malay-World Ethology Museum and Orang Asli Crafts Museum.

Malay Wold Ethology Museum showcase on the traditional arts, clothing and jewellery, traditional games, etc. Orang Asli Crafts Museum showcase their handicrafts, wood carvings and masks.

We hope by this activity, our children would discover ‘gems’ and gain a better appreciation towards arts and culture which heritage from our forefathers and ancestors.

Here were our 2 priesthood whom watched over us during this activity: Brother Earnest and Brother Adrian.

We first visit the Malay-World Ethology Museum. It is located within the grounds of the National Museum and we can see both with the same ticket together with the Orang Asli Crafts Museum which is on the lower ground floor of the Ethology Museum building.

There are 2 types of admission charges – Malaysians and Foreigners, to visit both Malay World Ethology Museum and Orang Asli Crafts Museum with the same ticket: For Malaysians: Adult RM2.00, Seniors and Disabled Persons RM1.00 and Children under 12 is Free. For Foreigners: Adult RM5.00, Children aged 6 – 12 years RM2.00 and Children below 6 years is Free.

The Malay-World Ethology Museum has some interesting exhibits and the children can learn about the Malay world which might new to them. The gallery focuses on the diversity of Malay society and culture in Malaysia through a highly aesthetic collections of artefacts, such as traditional arts, clothing and jewellery, traditional games and weaponry.

The first thing the children saw once they entered the museum was the making of Wau Bulan by a mannequin. It was so kind of Sister Jing Jing to be tour guide of the day in explaining to the children how the process of the making of the kite.

The Wayang-Kulit or Shadow-Play also one of the attractions to the children too. There are wayang-kulit figures and the theatre too. It looks so fascinating to see a real one, not only for the kids the adults too are excited!

The gallery is portrayed by dioramas of a Malay wedding dais. Among the fascinating collections on display are the Cik Siti Wan Kembang dress and the wedding dais of Perak.

Various crafts, cultural activities, games, handicrafts and cottage industries are explained through the exhibits such as Malay clothing, weaponry ranging from Kris and spears to firearms, wood carving, silver and metal work, congkak, gasing and so on.

We were having group photo at the entrance space with the children. After which we visited to the Orang Asli Crafts Museum just at the lower ground floor.

Orang Asli Craft Museum showcases the arts and handicrafts of the Orang Asli people, the aboriginal communities who dwell mostly in rural areas across the Malaysian Peninsula.

The Orang Asli are famed for their handicrafts, particularly the wood carving skills by the Mah Meri and Jah Hut tribes who like to carve masks and figures and these are highly valued by collectors.

The Orang Asli Crafts Museum is an ethology museum featuring the heritage of the Orang Asli craft in Peninsular, particularly those of the Mah Meri tribe.

Most of collected crafts were valued based on the Orang Asli’s way of life; their culture and beliefs; their myths and legends; as well as crafts with carvings and motifs that have intrinsic meaning.

Our children’s favourite carved statues is ‘The Spirit of Mother and Baby’. They are fascinating with the statues, and want to take photos with the famous wood carving.

Suddenly all the children started to ask funny funny questions to their mothers! It made us feeling funny as well!

In addition to statues and masks, there are small Sepili figures used in the traditional medicine system of the Jah Hut.

Blowpipes and ornate bamboo containers for holding blowpipe darts, hunting and fishing traps.

Containers made from screw pine, rattan baskets and trays, palm leaf ornaments and spiritual decorations.

Musical instruments, native clothing and pouches made from leaves and bamboo.

And the coffins which made from bamboo and hang it on the trees too!

There are so many interesting facts to get to know for the children! This basket design is cool! Annabelle and Issac thought the inspirations must be come from the King of fruits - durian!

Finally the children settled down by sitting on the floor and watching a video clip about the life of Orang Asli in their habitats. Everyone were tired.

We roughly spent around 30 minutes for each museum. At last, we completed the Malay-World Ethology Museum and Orang Asli Crafts Museum.

By the time we came to the National Museum, all the children were restless especially the younger children. The ticket price for the National Museum is the same as the prior both museums.

Basically, we just visited the ground floor galleries which are Prehistory Gallery and The Malay Kingdoms Gallery.

The Prehistory Gallery displays the results of historical research and archaeological excavations.

The Malay Kingdoms Gallery traces the development of early settlements, the emergence of Malay kingdoms and sultanates, the coming of Islam and importance of Malacca as a trading centre.

The younger children were getting restless and tired. As it was approaching 12 noon, we decided to end our museum trip by a closing prayer.

I handed out the assignments – journal to both Miguel and Jeneelyn. They just need to write down what are their feelings after this visit in the worksheets, and they can pass up by the following Sunday.

As for the children that did not manage to attend the outing today, we encourage the parents to bring them out for a date. It is not necessary have to visit these museums that we visited today, but anything that relates to art, concert, play or cultural experiences.

It can be happened during their own family trips, whereby they visit other countries’ museums, attend a cultural dance show, go to cultural village and so on.

For example, if going to Malacca, they can visit Baba & Nyonya Heritage house or Straits Chinese Jewellery Museum; if going to Penang, they can visit Penang Peranakan Museum or Khoo Kongsi; if going to Bali, they can watch a Kecak Dance show which it is only can be seen there. Anything about art and culture…They can plan it out with their kids!

We left the National Museum around 12.30pm. All of the parents and children were having fun and  quite an educative trip for all of us, including the adults too!

Even we miss some of the children whom did not manage to join this activity, it’s considered a big accomplishment to me because this is the first time I am in charge of such a scale of Primary Activity Day Outing!