La Joyeux Bistro

**update on 3Feb2012 - there's a current promo if you want to try...

It may be CNY, but my side of the family has ang moh tummies. So instead of the usual CNY fare, my brother brought us to this pork-elicious place in Taipan USJ. We ordered most of the recommended dishes...
The pork knuckles were really good! Indescribably crispy and yummy!
Forget Tony Roma's. If you can't make the trip down south across the border, come here for real baby back ribs.We were so busy devouring all that porky goodness that we forgot to take a family photo. Nevertheless, everyone (even Ah Chor who claims to eat very little) enjoyed the meal thoroughly.

Earrings for my princess

Two days before CNY, we were back in Seremban already, and while the boys went swimming, Joy went window shopping with me and Tua Um.

As we walked past Poh Kong, I asked her if she wanted to have her ears pierced. She nodded and said ok. (We had talked about this earlier so it wasn't really a spur-of-the-moment-thing).

So we went in, she sat down at picked out the flower-shaped earrings then waited patiently as the gun was prepared. At this point, she started to feel apprehensive and asked me to hold her hands.

I held her hands as the guy sprayed ethyl chloride on her ears and then with another lady (one person, one ear) they held the guns to her ears...one, two, three...bang! And it was done! Very efficient! Joy didn't cry but was rather shocked. She held me tightly and said, "Too pain, mum..." but was quickly comforted by looking in the mirror. When she got home, she happily asked everyone, "Do you notice something different about me????"

Joy turns 4...and other updates

I've been rather slack in updating this blog.

We started the year with a 14-day fast and prayer. I skipped the fasting part because I'm breastfeeding but managed (by God's grace!!) to go for the 5.30am prayer in church for all 14 days....with all 3 kids and the last 5 of those 14 days were without Daalin (who went to India for a work conference).

Every morning for those 2 weeks, Joseph got up cheerfully at 5am and walked while I carried Isabel and Daalin pushed Joy in the stroller. I'm rather pleased with his enthusiasm for waking up early and obedience in going to bed early at night.

Isabel reached her 2-month milestone on the 5th and I did the 'customary' hand and foot print thingy. She's growing well - put on 1kg in the 2nd month compared to merely half a kg the month before.
Joseph is adapting to school slowly. He still doesn't speak because he thinks that everyone speaks chinese and BM except him. As for homework... it's so darn brainless at this point that I get Joy to help him.
Joy celebrated her 4th birthday yesterday. I bought a round vanilla sponge cake, cut it into a no.4 and iced it with the tub of mascarpone cheese that had been in my fridge. She then had fun decorating it.Hui-Wearn very kindly baked her a Rapunzel cake.
She was delighted, and it's just too pretty to be cut.
So now that she's 4-years old, she's agreed to finally ditch the potty and use the toilet.
So Joseph can be relieved of helping me to pour her pee and wash the potty.
Last night, we went for dinner at Halia @ Sime Darby Convention Centre. I bought Groupons so it was RM107 for 4 persons instead of RM68 person.
It was also a celebration for all the January babies - all 4 generations!
Blessed 4th Birthday Joy-Anne!!! We love you lots!!!

Keepsake moments

We did a photoshoot last November when Isabel was 2.5 weeks old. I love every shot that Grace took!

She's great at making my kids feel at ease.

We started off with some shots at our poolside.

Then it started to drizzle so we went back indoors.

This looks like a studio shot...but it's just her wonderful (and ultra compact) props and skill.I'm totally amazed at how she managed to make my scrawny and terribly jaundiced baby look so chubby and pink!

I'm a perfectionist so when the kids don't behave and smile, I get worked up. But Grace just told the kids to play and enjoy.

I'm gonna treasure these photos for years to come. Maybe I should do this on an annual basis....

Bus stop 2011-2012

We're three days into the new calendar year of 2012!

Reflecting on 2011, I'm so thankful for all that God has blessed us with. This was the year God fulfilled His promise to us. Our testimony can be read in the current issue of DUMC's Floodgates (page 7).

We moved onto our new home and found a new CG. Our new location enabled me to have a new job with a much nicer working environment and with a great boss!

I got pregnant in February and we bought a new car to accommodate our bigger family - Isabel arrived in November.

With so many good things in 2011, I am wondering how 2012 will be. How can it get any BETTER?

But God is a great God! He is an awesome God! He's not limited by my imagination nor comprehension. Therefore I trust that this God can and will bring us to greater heights, blessing us with more than we can ever imagine or ask.

What do we do?

We trust. We walk in obedience. God is good...all the time!