Lo Hei

We had our reunion dinner early. Just yesterday.

We did Lo Hei or 'Lau Yu Sheng'. As usual, we were supposed to spout auspicious words from our mouth as we tossed the yu sheng.

As we did it, I said,"Let money come. Money come quickly. Money quick quick come. Quick quick come money. Money hurry up come ..."

My nephew stared at me in disbelief.

After the tossing, he told his youngest aunt,"Second Aunt was talking about money all the time!"

A Quiet and Simple Celebration

Like every other year, I went back to Malaysia with my family for Chinese New Year.

 I was looking forward to eating the home-made 'beehive' crackers and pineapple tarts. Unfortunately, my cousin, the expert who used to make these faithfully every year, was too busy this year apparently. According to her mother, my aunt, she 'had to bother with two ducks fighting at her door too'.

The spread

I have always fancied home-cooked reunion dinner. Yum! 

 Lo Hei

 The fireworks I never got to see

I was nursing a cold and was very sian about my sprained ankle. I was in bed early on New Year's Eve. Although I heard the fire crackers loud and clear, my sprained ankle made it a chore to get out of bed.

 The kids playing with the sparklers right after the reunion dinner

 My tangy wear on the First Day of New Year

More and more kids each year

I can imagine how it was like when we were young - exactly like how it is now.

I am at my mother's stage when she was my age.

My little red riding hood

It was a wet Chinese New Year this year, raining heavily on the First Day.

I didn't manage to capture any fireworks or fire crackers' pictures. The kids didn't get to play much either.

Oh well, it was a safe journey both to and from home.

A Time for Reunion

Every year, I return to my hometown to spend my Chinese New Year, with my kids.

I rarely go back there, but I make it a point to reunite with my relatives once a year.

We don't have any relatives in Singapore. I am born in Malaysia, bred in Singapore. So all my relatives are in Malaysia and all my friends are in Singapore.

The spread for Reunion Dinner

I love home-cooked food. It beats steam-boat anytime. And for some reason, it's true that food in Malaysia tastes better than in Singapore. The meat is usually more tender, especially the chicken.

Our lo-hei

Look at the hands go!

The offerings on Chinese New Year Eve

Our neighbour released a Kong Ming Deng for every possible good wish

First Day of CNY. Isn't Baby cute to join in the lighting of sparklers?

Stepping on 'pop pop'

Happy with sparklers

Coco used to get asthma attacks from sparklers' smoke when she was young. My father would tie the sparklers on the bamboo stick hangers in the kitchen and let her watch it from the living room so that she got the kick out of watching the sparklers yet far enough to avoid getting the smoke into her lungs.

She loves the trike! She rode it in and out of the living room for 2 whole days. Everybody noticed her passion for the trike.

On the 2nd day of CNY

Healthy living as dawn breaks

I can't agree with this message more ever since I saw for myself the cruelty of stroke

When I was young, I used to think it lame for adults to wish each other 'good health' as part of the CNY greetings since everybody would 'inevitably' have good health. Now I include it as MY CNY greetings, especially for adults.

The sleepyheads. And Coco - yet to change out of her CNY outfits

Someone framed this picture up - Coco and her cousin (in the middle) and her uncle (on far left)

9 years later ...

Everybody smiled when they saw the two pictures side by side.

We invited a lion dance troupe to perform at our home

The drum started rolling

This little fiery imp is not afraid of anything!

Inspired by Coco's picture with her cousin and uncle, I tell myself I'll take a picture of these two kiddos year after year

Having their own lion dance

A happy moment

I was on a matching craze. It doesn't matter if the tops are meant for maternity wear.