Christmas Holiday

Okay,...ini mungkin cerita last year,..but I want to blog about it juga coz its not easy for my family and Intan's family to get together. Especially with all family members are spread far apart.

Our year end vacation started at around 15th December,... My bro-in- law family flew in from US, Intan's parents and younger bro flew in from Indonesia, and we converged in Singapore. We spent around 5 days there, to relax, catch up,...and shop. Its pretty amazing because three families, from US, Indonesia, and Malaysia, meet up in Singapore for holiday. Not an easy feat considering getting all "required" documents done, like visa's, before getting together.


With Aunty Qing and cousin Justin.(left)

The three cousins,... Justin, Ashley, and Sydney.(right)


Sitting on Orchard Rd with Grandpa & Grandma.(left)

Dea, Intan, Denny, and the kids!.(right)


We even managed to meet up with oom Iwan, tante Yul, and Ika. Uncle Iwan (right)and aunty Yul were already in Singapore earlier, and Ika (left)came to accompany her parents. So it was a pleasant mini Indonesian gathering in Singapore.

In fact, there are other relatives coming to Singapore too for holidays, but unfortunately Intan and I couldn't meet them.

On 21st Dec, we flew back to KK, while Intan's family stayed on in Singapore, to meet up with the KK family! My mom, and sis Didi, fetched us from airport with their brand new Avanza (eisehmen!),...fitting juga lah,...habis banyak luggage kami bawa. She treated us to the newly opened drive-thru McD near UMS. We waited there for Tom to bring Danica & Tabitha, who are anxious to meet Ashley.

The next day. We left Ashley, along with her cousins, to experience life in Daycare. She adapted quickly. Sempat juga jumpa Jeffrey's son, Jordan in Daycare.

With Daycare principal, Aunty Mary. On the right, Jocelyn and Jordan.

Now, I have a new found respect for Daycare teachers. Can you imagine managing 30 kids at a time?!!!

After settling down,.. we had our anticipated Christmas Eve dinner prepared by my sis. Sedaaap. Very well done Didi!


Christmas Eve Dinner and exchanging of gifts.

Ashley got a Barney toy from Aunty Didi...



We continued our vacation by going to Kudat the day after Christmas for some fun and sun. I was excited too coz we get to go to the Tip of Borneo. Pretty amazing experience.

Posing at the Tip of Borneo. I cant help but be at awe.... cool man!

On the left, breakfast time at Kudat Marina. Very hard to get a still pic of all four girls together.



More swimming,.... under the careful eyes of our own "Baywatch" guard.

On the way back, we stopped at one of the Rungus Long House near Kota Marudu. I was very impressed by the enterprising orang kampung. Bought some interesting sourvenirs too.

After a fun filled trip, we went back KK and had some crabs for dinner.

For New Year eve, we went to Nagasaki restaurant for dinner, and went back home after that. We didn't do the dip into the sea ritual to "buang sial", although we had a few humorous stories of it. When we reached home, everyone was beat tired and slept. But Tom and I stayed up to see the Liverpool vs Bolton match on tele.



I think my sister, Pam, went to a countdown party with her friends, coz she wearing the dress & earrings that Intan picked for her for Christmas,...hahahahah! (Looks nice on you by the way)



We hurried back to Singapore via JB on 3rd January, just in time to spend a few more extra days with Intan's family. And then, we sent them back to their respective places.

So, after a hectic time, enjoying each other company, with the shouting and crying of the children, plus the minor sickness like flu that we infect each other.... everybody went back.
Now, as we sit at our JB home,.. we sorta missed the chaotic time we had. Ashley missed her cousins too. Anyway, its always nice to spend time with the family. If God willing, we can get to do this again for 2006.