Chinese New Year getaway

Last Friday, the family had a getaway down the south coast of NSW for a two day one night trip. Eric's dad had arrived from hk for the cny. And it's a family tradition to go away together for a trip during his time here. We did Melbourne trip last year? So this year we are thinking of going down to south coast as I can't take too many holidays from clinic.  

Eric planned a seafood and food harvest trip. Aimed to get fresh oysters from the farm and fesh seafood from the fishing villages. And of course visit some farms to get season fruits and veges. 

We set off at 9.30 am, towards Wollongong. Along the way, we had to go through a national park, with roads so windy, that I got severe car sick. The many snacks that we bought didn't helped much but make it worse. Haha. 

We crossed valleys and mountains.

And finally arrived along the coast!

 

And we drove along the famous sea cliff bridge. It was constructed after the old road was destroyed by landslide. 

Some remains of the old road was visible on the bridge. 

After that, we stop by the first farm to buy some fresh produce. 

Apples! And they do have other things like farm produced wine, honey, ciders, jams....

And we also tried picking raspberries!

Choosing the most dark colored ones.

And pull them out and there it is!

We bought their award winning wine and ciders too, made from the apples and honey collected on their farm. It won the bronze medal! The wine is made from pure honey and yeast, and is a very nice sweet desert wine. 

After loading the car with lots of apples and other produce, we head off to this look out point, which oversees the whole of Wollongong. 

We ended up having lunch at the cafe next to the look out. Good choice!

Look at the big servings of yummy food! We select 4 dishes to share among 5 of us.

Grace chose: Their signature burger with ham off the bone.

Love the real ham which they pan fried like a bacon!

Dad chose the fish meal with mango salsa and salads.

I chose sandwich with ham off the bone. Yumm!

Eric chose the beef chunk pie which comes with super crunchy fries!

Burp!

The inside of the cafe.

The nice window view from our seat.

Thank you for a wonderful meal The Cliff Hanger cafe!

I'll blog about the rest of the journey in the next post. Stay tune!

Kcan

Birthday meal, the simple way

Our simple dinner tonight. 

We wanted to go out for Korean food, but we were too exhausted after church and lunch. So we took a nap till 6pm and boy we were exhausted. 

The summer hot weather affected our appetite quite a bit. And we wanted a light dinner instead of a heavy Korean dinner. So after much tossing and undecessiveness, we opt for a light and easy dinner. 

Dominos pizza, cooked tiger prawns and salad mix. All for just $13!!

And now we are sitting in the living room, watching a movie to go with our food. 

That's the kind of simple dinner we both enjoy. 

Hope you all have a good day too!

Kcan

Happy birthday!

Happy birthday to me!

Thank you dear Lord for softening my heart in my twenties, so I can call you my dear Heavenly Father. Thank you dear Lord for your word, guiding me through the many difficult years, being in the twenties. Thank you for providing my many of your sons and daughters as my family members, while I am far away from my own family. 

Thank you dear Lord for dying on the cross for me, and with your power raise back to life, so I can trust in your promise. 

Thank you dear Lord for Eric, who is my support and leader at home. Pray that we both will continue it encourage each other in our future journey together, grow and serve each other by your word. 

I pray that in my thirties, I will see my family become your followers. For Eric and I to continue to trust in your word and have faith. 

Thank you all my dear brothers and sisters for celebrating valentines day and combine birthday celebration today. (Plus Eric's birthday)

Love you all so much!

Kcan

Painting the living room ceiling

It's quite exciting last week, as we started painting the ceiling of the living room. 

Weather had been quite cooling with two whole days of rain. Much a relief to the usual hot summer weather the week before.  Canberra had the coldest summer January night on record!

That was me rolling the paint onto the ceiling. I did the whole. Ceiling of the living room while Eric did one of the bedroom. Oh how sore my arm and necks were after that!

Later that night, we saw the fruit of our labour. 

Nice even coating!

One small steps to completion. =D

Kcan

January 2015

Time flies and 2015 is almost reaching the end! 

Praise The Lord that we have been busy since the Christmas New Year period. January is also a time where there's lots of catch up after the Christmas as people came back from overseas family trips. 

Here's a birthday high tea that Eric and I attended two weekends ago. It was our leader's birthday and she has a hobby of collecting tea pots!

Thus this birthday high tea was a showcase of her beautiful collection of tea pot and tea cup sets and the wonderful cooking/baking skills she has. All the tiny cakes and cookies and even her birthday cake,was baked by herself! 0.0

Tiny tea pot.

Piggy tea pot

Peacock tea pot

Bird shape teapot

And all the yummy high teas!

Lastly, there's the home made birthday cake!

Two tier!

Beautiful peacock design.

Cake cutting.

The inside of the cake.

Yum!

Hope you all have a good week ahead!

Chinese New Year is coming soon!

Kcan

Christmas dinner 2014

Sorry people, this is a belated Christmas post from 2014.

Last year, we were blessed to be invited to a few fellow brothers and sisters in Christ's home for Christmas celebration. 

We initially did not have any plans for Christmas as Eric's sis is not a church goer and she does not likes having people over at our place. So we just thought we could have a stay at home and do nothing day instead, as most people celebrates Christmas with family. (Eric's parents were both overseas and my parents were in WA). 

However, right after the Christmas service at church, we were invited to spend Christmas lunch with our bible study leader's family. They also invited a few other friends from church who had no family staying in sydney for Christmas lunch. It was so hospitable of them and they had their own family relatives there too! As it was a last minute invitation, they and their relatives prepared all the yummy Christmas food. Sorry, no photo. There were Christmas ham, prawns, curry, sashimi, salads, BBQ chicken, BBQ sausage, and desserts. We had a wonderful time catching up and getting to know one another. 

By the time we left our Christmas lunch, it's already 4pm. We went home for two hours of rest, before going to another church friend's home for Christmas dinner. 

This is the big chef that prepared all the food for Christmas dinner. Cooking is his hobby, and Christmas is the only time he can take out all his 'toys' and whip up a great meal. 

Our only contribution for the dinner: avocado drink, made with fresh avocado and lemonade.

Dinner consist of: Christsmas ham, duck salad, potato bake and yummy Brussels sprout !

Why yummy? Because it's the best Brussels sprout dish I've ever eaten!!

Oh we were sooo full.

But wait, there's desserts!

His first ever home made pavlova. 

And of course, watermelon. 

Thank you for the wonderful Christmas meals!

Hope you all have a great time over Christmas too!

Kcan

Happy new year!!

Eric and I had a simple/lazy new year eve this year. 

Compare to lady year's crowded and chaotic new year eve countdown at the city, we decided to do a quiet one at home in front of the big screen. Karen, our friend from church joined us as well. We had a simple BYO dinner of pasta  with sausages. 

We spent the rest of the evening being entertained by Milkshake. 

Now, who needs toys. The two empty Coles tissue box are like his cat haven. 

We then watch the 9 pm fireworks, and then start watching the movie Amazing Grace. 

This movie is about the man William wilberforce whom started the anti slavery movement in history. 

Highly recommended for a good history lesson of something which the modern world is still facing. 

We paused the movie halfway for the midnight countdown. 

'1 sec to midnight'

It's much more enjoyable and relaxing view of the fireworks. We could actually see the fireworks from the window, behind the trees. 

The sydney fireworks lasted 12 mins. After which we continue the rest of the movie. 

I pray that 2015 will be a safe and harmonious year throughout the world. The latest string of tragedies are really saddening. Our hearts goes out to the families affected. 

Happy new year everyone!

Kcan

Milkshake

This is Milkshake. 

Milkshake is the recent new addition into our house. It belongs to Eric's sis, and she shall have the full responsibility of milkshake. Aka, cleaning and feeding it. 

This is roughly taken a week ago when Milkshakw is about one week old at home. It's a roughly two month old kitten by then. 

We are trying to train him to respond to its name and teaches him the don'ts around the house. Such as chewing on boxes and everything other than food, rough play with biting and scratches, sit before food, no jumping onto the dinning table. 

We have been playing the fluffy stick to help stimulate Milkshake. Oh how he loves them. (Think we will need to get a new stick soon). He's now able to jump and stand on his hind legs (still wobbly) and has very fast reaction to moving objects. He loved to climb to higher grounds but we discourage him. So instead, he now loves to hide behind tight corners and play peekaboo with us.  

He got a 'bed' made of the cardboard tray and a fleece blanket that Eric's sis bought. I love wrapping him in there and made him nice and cozy. It loves scratching and jumping in and out of the tray, catching invisible 'mouse'. 

That's Milkshake getting ready to pounce.

We can see Milkshake is growing up fast during this two weeks. Hope his cute little self won't grow up so quickly!

Kcan

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all readers! 

May the peace of Jesus and the joy He brings keep you all content and well in the new year!

So, how do we celebrate Christmas Eve?

I went to get my Christmas shopping at 10.45 am. Omg, the shops are sooo crowded! People grab things which are sold at ridiculous prices and quality. We are having Christmas dinner at friends place, so I'm not after too much stuff. 

At 4.30pm, Eric and I go out to our usual Christmas discount shopping! Well, the shops will be close for the next two days. So they put every thing on discount at the last few hours. And yes, they are very very cheap!

We bought mainly fruits. Usual price of $3-$4 for a pack of peaches/nectarine, are now $1!!!  You can see me grabbing peaches, nectarines, cherries, and even half price seafood!

Our simple dinner last night:

Spaghetti with tomato basil sauce, roast chicken (oh, another half price item at the shops) and loads of veges. 

Have a good holiday everyone and stay safe!

Kcan

Sad ending to the sydney hostage

The siege from yesterday had ended. All but two hostage did not come out alive. 

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/nsw/sydney-siege-over-as-police-storm-lindt-cafe-20141215-127t9p.html

It's a sad day for Australia. Especially in this festive season, where people go about doing their Christmas shopping and offices finishes their last two week of work, children finishes school, looking forward to the summer holiday, and family planning for a vacation. 

Prayers to the family who's mom had died. Prayers also to the family of the man who lost a son. 

Prayers to all the survivors, the injured and the police force.  Thank God that we know that in times like this, we can seek comfort in you, who cares and protects and in control of the situation. 

Please be safe everyone.

Kcan

Sydney hostage!!!

**Update: There's two other hostage that manage to escape!! Praise the Lord!**

kcan


Omg, this is so shocking!
Catch it live as it unfolds here: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/nsw/lindt-chocolat-cafe-hostage-drama-in-martin-place-sydney-20141215-1278cx.html

At 9.44am, one or even two person enter the Lindt cafe in the middle of Martin place, Sydney, and held the people in the cafe hostage. Just five mins ago, three hostage had escape, but many are still in the cafe. The number are unknown, but they estimate as many as 50 people are in there. 

The three person who escape are two customers and a cafe worker. 

It was such shocking news when I realised it was the Lindt cafe. We quickly txt our friend whom gave us free Lindt cakes to see if that was where she worked or she knows anyone in the situation. The answer was no, it was not her shop, and thankfully, two of her friends who worked there in that Lindt cafe under attacked was not on duty today. 

Please pray that the situation will come to no violence peacefully and that every hostage will be free safely. Also please pray for wisdom for the police force. Pray also that God will continue to soften the hearts of the gunman involved. 

The whole city CBD is under lock down and people evacuated from the city. 

Stay tune and pray!

Kcan

Thunderstorm

Sydney is currently having severe thunderstorm for the last week. And when the thunderstorm hits, it causes flash flooding, strong damaging winds and even hailstones. 

We were out yesterday shopping for our friend's baby shower, and saw this 'Doom day' looking sky...

Looks like as if an alien is invading from space. 

Day time turned to night within a span of 10 mins. We got into the carpark, drove out onto the street, and was attacked by strong wind, strong rain with millions of bean like hail stones.  

It was sooo scary. We quickly took a quick detour and drove into the nearby shopping centre car park to hide from the rain. 

The weather is feeling like tropical region, where it was hot n humid in the day and thunderstorm in the afternoon/evening. I hope this crazy weather will end soon as it's making the roof leak and people getting sick from the hot n cold weather.

Take care everyone!

Kcan