Oahu Hawaii for a Wedding: Day 7-10

Day 7: Pre wedding dinner and sick baby

Had my hands full taking care of poor sick baby Meili

We still managed to get out to the beach for a little bit.

 Pic below: Jungle girl with extreme bed head attacks mango

The pre wedding dinner, where the families of the bride and groom and the extended American family all met for our first dinner. 

Day 8: Wedding Day

The wedding wasn't until late afternoon so we spent some more time at the beach. Baby's worst day yet. Chest rattling cough and stuffy nose. Super clingy. The beach time was good for her though. 

The wedding

Bowing ceremony

(these pics were taken by Beth, youngmin's big sis). 

We had an incredible dinner at Roys Waikiki that night. I ate too much. 

Day 9: Sea Life Park

The families of the newlyweds left for Korea early morning, and the remaining American family got to hang out with the newlyweds for the day. 

We got six dolphin encounters at $65 (reg $120) thanks to our Makai card, and four admissions at $10 (reg $30). 

The kids, mom and newlyweds were happy about being able to interact with the dolphin. 

Day 10: Move to Kailua Rental

Dropped the family off at the airport for their trip back to pittsburgh brrrr. And checked out of waikiki gateway, checked into a lovely studio rental at Kailua. We got lucky with our flurry of last minute quote requests - were offered a week's stay for $580 all in and grabbed it. We cancelled our slightly pricier waikiki prince reservation for this. So glad to be out of waikiki. No more extra parking expense!

Pic below: yard with picnic table where we had some steak and salad for lunch. 

Kailua beach

Oahu Hawaii for a Wedding: Day 1-6

After months of planning and packing we are finally in Hawaii! It has been an eventful couple days. Of note, a hike up Diamond Head, visit to KCC farmers market, surf lesson on the North Shore, trying to find free parking in Waikiki (and failing), tasting new foods (loco moco, poke, Cuban empanadas), and getting food poisoning. :/

Here are some pics of our adventures so far. 

Surviving a 2 x 5 hr plane journey with our ten month old who currently speed crawls. 

Hiking Diamond Head

first time surfing! That's the ever awesome Matt of Blue Rush Surf School. 

Baby Meili approves of her high chair from Goodwill ($3). 

That brings us to the end of Day 6. Another ten days left to this once in a lifetime trip...

My White Valentine Wedding: Part Two

Note: This is continued from Part One (on how I nearly missed my own wedding).

The day of the wedding was a little... erm... chaotic.

The stately facade of the wedding venue belies the state of controlled chaos within

Mom and Dad, Ma and Pa, Jeff and Spencer were mostly downstairs in the church kitchen and dining area preparing food and decorating the reception venue.

Clockwise from top right: Mom laying out the reception decor; Ma putting together the salad; Pa taking photos of everything; Dad and Jeff taste-testing the lasagna.

The reception looked so beautiful. *sniffle*

The exquisite wedding cake made by Dolores Austin; Ring pillow bearing our engraved titanium rings; Stunning
decoration put together by my crafty Cousin Yoonie.

I was kept busy doing my bridesmaids' (Ariana, Faith and Courtney) make up.

Twenty minutes to the wedding march and I still hadn't changed into my wedding gown yet; Courtney had her hair
professionally styled!; Carver is not liking his bow tie.

Houston We Have a Problem
I was kept so busy in fact, that I didn't have enough time to finish my own make up. I got as far as slapping on some foundation and lipstick, and was applying shadow to my left eyelid, when I was called to 'Get Out There!' and do that walk up the aisle.

Oh dear.

I walked down the aisle with my left eye-shadowed and my right eye bare, a chalk-white face (no time to put blush on my cheeks) and looking generally disheveled. I didn't have time to straighten my hair so it was frizzy and all over the place. Of all the days to have a bad hair day.

Erm, maybe nobody will notice if I hide behind this veil.

The Ceremony
Fortunately, everything else went as rehearsed. My Pa handed me over to Spencer who was waiting up by the altar. Mom read a passage of scripture from the Bible.

Pastor Barbara led us in saying our vows.

I choked up just a bit while saying my part of the vows, looking into Spencer's eyes. Do. Not. Cry.

Then before I knew it, Spencer was lifting my veil back and kissing me. Did I just miss Pastor Howard's "And now I pronounce you man and wife"?  *blur*

Pastors Barbara and Howard Ravenstahl led us through the exchange of vows. 

Post Ceremony
Everyone was invited to partake of holy communion.

Then we all went downstairs for a Chinese Tea Ceremony. This was not very well rehearsed. Actually it wasn't planned at all. But I think everyone found it entertaining enough. Everyone seemed to be serving tea to everyone else, and red 'ang pow' packets of money randomly exchanged hands.

In a Chinese Tea Ceremony, the newlyweds serve tea to their elders in exchange for words of wisdom and red
packets. Then the newlyweds receive tea from the young 'uns and have to dole out red packets too. Clockwise from
top right: John and Janette Clark, David and Dorcas Lim, Ernie and Colleen Armor; and the Newlyweds bestowing
an 'ang pow' to Courtney.

The Food
Thanks to the efforts of Chef Jeff and Mom, the food was delicious and plentiful. No guest left hungry! The deer lasagna was hugely popular but it was good that Jeff also made beef lasagna and veg lasagna for those who did not fancy partaking of bambi.

The Entertainment
Jeff, who was also Spencer's Best Man, gave a heart-warming toast.

The entertainment for the night also included Spencer and I cutting the wedding cake and attempting (but only partly succeeding) to feed each other some of it. I am not posting any photos of that disaster hehe.

Spencer and I also entertained the guests with a dance. Spencer picked an extremely long Malay love song - he didn't realize it was soooo long. We shuffled around on the dance floor for six long, awkward minutes!

Please end. Please end.

After that first dance, everyone got down and partied hard. I can't imagine this sort of thing happening in my church in Malaysia Charis Christian Center.  :O

Dad with my Ma, tearing up the dance floor. Uncle E and Aunt Colleen giving stiff competition behind.

Father and daughter on the dance floor

Carver and I. 

Papa leading Mama in 'The Shuffle' . Wow it's getting hot in here hehe.

Jeff with his girls: Evangeline, Faith, Ariana and Courtney

Farewells
Time flies when you're having fun and all too soon we were bidding our guests goodbye and safe travels. But not before we'd captured photos of us with each and every one of our guests who had made the time and effort to witness and share our happiness, and who gave so generously the lovely gifts that we treasure till this day. We love you all. Thanks so much for coming!

Photos were taken by Andy Mitchell and Papa. Videos (coming soon) taken by Damon Dlubak and Mark Dempster. Thank you!




xoxo Grace and Spencer

Next post: Honeymoon #1

My White Valentine Wedding (that I almost missed!): Part 1

With Jeff and Kim's wedding happening in less than a week, I've been feeling sentimental.

You know, I'm not exactly the sentimental type. 

An auspicious wedding date

Spencer and I decided on a Valentine's Day wedding in 2008 for three reasons: 

1. Because it is an easy date to remember. 
2. He didn't want to wait anymore.
3. So everyone would think we are uber-romantic.

At that point, I'd not seen him for nearly five months. Five months prior, when he visited me in KL to celebrate my September birthday, he also sprung a very romantic proposal that we get married. I guess I said 'yes'.  :)

Invitations

Mom suggested Faith Lutheran Church as our wedding venue. We loved that suggestion and went with it. Spencer invited everyone in the family, all his friends and colleagues, Mom and Dad's friends. Basically anyone he could think of. That came up to about 70 people hehe. Most everyone lived close by. Except Ma, Pa, my side of the family, and myself. :p

Cousin Yoonie designed the beautiful invites.

Behind the Scenes

• Mom ordered the cake, wedding decorations, made cookies, prepped fruit and salad for the wedding and everything. 
• Chef Jeff cooked veg, beef and deer lasagna. He also doubled up as Spencer's Best Man. And he made assorted gourmet chocolates for the wedding favors. 
• Yoonie also designed and hand-crafted stunning boutonnieres, bridesmaid bouquets and the bridal party wedding table centerpieces. She also crafted the wedding favor thank you cards.
• All the family chipped in to help. We couldn't have done this without them. Thank You Family.

Travel Plans

The plan was for me to fly in to Pittsburgh for the wedding, then we both fly to California for our honeymoon (at the same time spend some time with Beth who couldn't make it to the wedding). 

Pa, Ma and Faith would be fly in to Pittsburgh a few days before the wedding. This would be after their tour of the Grand Canyon and their visit with Pastor Ray Johnson and family at Mustard Seed Ranch. 

I missed my flight.

Yep. I wasn't feeling well, thus my brain wasn't working as well as it usually does. Which is to say, it wasn't working at all. I arrived at KLIA at 6 pm to get on plane to the US. But that plane that had left for the US at 6 am that morning. 

Uh oh.

I was in imminent danger of missing my own wedding!

The nice MAS people let me on the first plane out next morning. 

On his end, Spencer had a fine (read: awful) time rebooking my connecting flights. 

It could have all gone horribly awry. 

But we all know it didn't :)

I arrived in Pittsburgh after a 30 hour journey, two days before the wedding.

The Nights Before

We packed the chocolates Jeff made, into boxes for the guests.

The assorted hand-made chocolates included chocolate ganache truffles, coconut clusters, even a curry powder one!

We added ribbons and personalized thank you tags to the wedding favors.

We had a wedding rehearsal at church.

We had a family dinner at Shanghai Tokyo Restaurant.

Up next: The Wedding Day. Some things never go quite as planned!

Jogoya Japanese Buffet Glutton Fest and Engagement Party!

Special occasions call for special makan places. After us kids all veto-ed Mama and Papa (who wanted to eat at home 'Save money mah'), we descended upon Joyoga Japanese Buffet Restaurant at Starhill Gallery for my sis Eirene & Ben's Engagement Party. Most of us hadn't been before, and actually, I haven't been in Starhill before! Like rusa masuk kampung only. I got there at 6 pm, but decided to wait a few minutes before entering the Starhill parking just to make sure I got in after 6 pm (flat rate RM5). I drove nervously down the road behind Starhill - the road itself was marked with arrows going the other way (i.e. one way street) but the Parking Signs were the other way. Confusing!

Baby Z and gang arrived early to get a headstart on the buffet

BBGS Reunion Class of '92: The Ones That Do Not Age

Quickie post! Am on Cloud 9, having just got back from a wonderful reunion for fifteen of us BBGS classmates Class of '92 (and kids!). Hosted by Evelyn Leong at the Go-To place for all your party needs - Party Moo Moo @ Solaris Dutamas.

Everyone literally looks the same! I can barely believe how ageless all you ladies are. In fact, in this pic, Stef looks eleven years old!

FRIM Canopy Walkway & Waterfall Picnic Fun with Kids!

FRIM is where I've worked and played for 12 years. Today I got to spend a few wonderful hours catching up with my BBGS schoolmate Suk, get acquainted with her lovely boys, made a new friend - Claudine - and get to know her beautiful girls. And all this in my 'playground' - FRIM, where the air is fresh and cool, and every breath invigorates me. Can't think of a better way to spend a Saturday morning!

Click to enlarge. More info on entrance fees and attractions HERE

A few days prior, I'd recce'd the trail I figured would be good for the kids (two 7 year-olds and two 9 year-olds). I did that while noting plants and etc along the trail that would be interesting to point out. I love kids and  was really looking forward to giving these 'city kids' a nice first experience jungle hiking.

My first introduction to the kids went something like this:
Suk:         Kids, say hi to Auntie Grace. Auntie Grace, can you tell them what you are?
Me:          Hi! I am a Bug Doctor!
SW:          Isn't that an Entomologist?
Me:          Erm... that too!

(Kids nowadays are so smart. And these ones were

I Love Barbie: Filched my little sister's secret stash!

Last week I messaged Faith on Facebook.

Chair: Faith, do you have any Barbie and Ken dolls? I need them.
Faith: I don't have Ken. I have Snow White, Cinderella, bla bla bla
Chair: OK, I will collect from you next Sunday.
Faith: ??

On Sunday, my little sister obediently handed over a colorful suitcase.

Oooh... I wonder what treasures await me
inside this colorful suitcase?

I played it cool in front of her. Once I got back to my apartment, with trembling fingers

Happy 40th John!

We had a low key birthday celebration for John last week on 12 April 2010. Jess made a beautiful and delicious coconut cake that we all enjoyed. Then we went for a leisurely bike ride at Moraine State Park. It was a gorgeous day - sunny, warm and clear. Dinner was at Rey Azteca's where Dad, Arianna and Carver joined us. Happy Happy Birthday John!

Here's video Spencer and I put together for you bro! John's Bday Video

Peace

P.S. Hey it would be great if you could click on any ad here and I'll get a few cents per click. Thanks!

Assateague Island Holiday

A glorious week (9 - 17 Aug) at the Chincoteague beach where Jeff (Spencer's bro) lifeguards.

Journey to the beach
Spence and I drove 7 hours to Chincoteague, joining the rest of the Clark family who had been staying at Jeff's since the week before. Chincoteague is a little town that connects to the Assateague National Park Island. Jeff has lifeguarded there for over ten years and works for the Park Service. The Clarks holiday at Chincoteague every summer.

The beach
We cycled (about 45 minutes) to the beach most days. This is considered the most beautiful beach on the east coast. Hordes of tourists descend upon its fine white sands every summer. The water was a bit too cold for me (60 deg F = 15 deg C) but it was nice and sunny.

I spent most of my time digging big holes with Courtney.



Carver, Ariana and Courtney were very brave. They boogie-boarded, dove into huge waves and somehow