Ikea Outing

We haven't been to Ikea for a couple of months now, with the house almost ready, we thought it was a good opportunity to revisit the store and try to revisualise our ideas and concept to see if it fit into our budget. So we visited Ikea last saturday.

But there was some slight delay as we wanted to catch Vans interview on TV. She was interviewed by some participants of the Celcom 3G Mobile Apprentice. Basically these people caught her loitering around Sunway (actually she was there to pack lunch for me :p) and asked her whether they could do an interview with her, and transmit the interview via their 3G phone back to Sunway Pyramid, where the judges are.

So left for Ikea rather late, around 4:30pm. We checked out some items that we've been eyeing for some time, some items that we bought not too long ago is now obsolete. We breezed through the entire store in about an hour, considering we know our way around relatively well by now.

On sunday, we sat down to plan for the overview of the living, dining, and kitchen, putting in place some of the furnitures and equipment necessary for each space. We've yet to determine the actual cost, but we will survey a few more furniture and electrical shops to determine the actual pricing for most of the items. Vans told me to keep the sketch of the design. She's blessed with an eye for details, so she's my chief designer. She can envision almost every corner of the house by now, from living to dining, kitchen to guest room, master to kids room its all in her head now. Even the colour of the tiles in the toilet can't escape her attention.

I have just swapped rooms with Eric, since he is getting married in November, so I thought I'd let him have a bigger room now that Jessy is moving in. They too got a couple of items from Ikea, and that got us a bit excited. Passing through their room (my ex-room) yesterday, I could smell the strong scent of new furniture, new bed, new lights, the refreshing scent of new things, that same smell in Ikea.

The House is Ready

The house is finally ready. We went to check the house on our way our 2 weeks ago. We like the way the porch is built, because the gate is end-to-end, and when fully opened 2 cars can go in straight, nicely parked right next to each other. The built up is almost 1,700sq ft, so we are pretty much satisfied with the entire house, except the fact that the is a bump right in front of the house. With a playground literally steps away, a golf course just behind the house (not that I play), Giant supermarket within 1km, and Tesco within 3km, there's nothing to complain.

We now know the address of the house, as the house number and street number are all in place. There are no news yet as to when the keys will be given, as the developer has yet to attain Certificates of Fitness for the houses. Until then no keys will be given out to the house-owners. We are in no hurry for the house to be handed over, because once they hand over the key, I will have to start paying for the house :)

We wanted to show Yen (Vans' sis) the house last week, but road leading to the entire "Taman" was blocked. Well, there's always next time. Anyway we showed her some pictures of the house.

For more pictures of our house, please click here.

Saturday Outing

It was a beautiful saturday. Ken and I decided to bring sis and my two nephews to MidValley. On the way to the mall, we were entertained by Brian's proprietary song:

Row, row, row your boat,
Gently down the stream.
Mawi, mawi, mawi, mawi,
Life is but a dream.

Doe, a deer a female deer,
Ray, a dog of golden sun,
We, a name I call myself,
Far, a long long way to run

(It's really impressive if only it's sung by a two year old kid like him)

Me and sis were scrolling in the ladies dept while Ken and Brandon just looked on. The little Brian was busy weaving in and out. Ken volunteered to look after the two kids while we proceeded to the household dept. This was where the whole lesson about buying the right cooking utensils began. Sis started to comment non-stop on every frying pans and wok they have in Jusco, including the pyrex bowls and plates. She can really do a far better job than the salesgirls there =) However, I told her that i'll bring her along when i need to shop for those utensils, that would avoid a lot of headaches. Then, she started to talk about house decoration, where to buy curtains and stuff. One funny thing I noticed about my sisters is, they seem to be more excited than I am. Rebecca even thought of how to decorate the room already. Thank God for blessing me with such loving sisters.

We had McD for lunch where the boys got free toy from the happy meal. I still couldn't believe we managed to finish that piles of fries, not to mention the calory hehe......

Our main purpose there is to check out the 'Double Happiness" lamp which we had been eyeing. So, this time, we managed to went in the shop to check out the price too. Not very pricey, can be considered.

My next post will be on "Choosing the Right Gown". So girls, watch out for that......

Next 5 Steps for Brides and Groom

6. Set the tone of your event - Pending
This is the time to decide if you're having a formal wedding, a casual affair, or a theme wedding. It's also the time to decide on having a religious or secular ceremony. In short, you need to decide what you want your wedding to feel like. A good way to begin is to sit down with your partner and do some free writing about your ideal wedding. Look at the adjectives that each of you write and use them as a starting point.

Would this be good? Or is this better?

7. Set the budget - Checked
Look at your finances and figure out how much you already have in savings, and how much you can save each month. Talk to each of your parents and ask them if they'd like to contribute to your wedding, and either how much they'd like to give you, or what specific things they'd like to pay for. Lastly, decide how much you feel comfortable going into debt. I strongly advise couples to avoid debt as much as possible. Since married couples fight about money more than anything else, why start marriage with debt on your backs? At this time you may consider opening a new credit card just for the wedding that will earn you airline miles, cash back, or other incentives. It's a good way for you to keep track of wedding expenses, and can help you pay for your honeymoon. Just try to pay it off in full after the wedding.

8. Start Looking for Venues for Ceremony and Reception - Pending
Many venues are booked a year in advance, so the further in advance you start looking, the more likely you are to get the time, date, and cost that you've planned for.

9. Choose your attendants - Pending
As your attendants do a lot more than just stand next to you on the day of the wedding, now is the time to get them involved. While some couples opt not to have any attendants at all, especially if they're having a casual event, most choose between 2 and 12 members of the bridal party. Look over these lists of responsibilities for bridesmaids and groomsmen before you make your final choices. If they live nearby, its nice to ask someone in person, but a phone call is fine for those who live far away.

I don't know about Vans, but I sure have a crazy bunch ready :)

10. Get Support - Pending
The successful bride and groom do not plan their wedding alone - they get help! This may be from professionals, respected publications, or trusted friends who've planned their own weddings.

i) Consider hiring a wedding planner or consultant. Especially if you are a busy person, or just feel a little lost, a professional can be invaluable in putting together your ideal day, and can often save you money.

ii) Have a chat with other engaged couples who've already walked down the aisle, and get some advice especially for the honeymoon, plan that trip of a lifetime.

iii) Use online checklists - they're free, and especially helpful if you're planning with your mother or future spouse in another state.

iv) If you're like most couples, you'll come home from the bookstore with a few thousand dollars of wedding magazines - why not throw in a wedding planning book as well? While the internet offers many useful tools, a book is portable when you visit vendors and can accommodate the many brochures, swatches and other items you'll be collecting. If you are budget conscious, purchase a three ring binder, and build your own planner with printouts from the internet.

First 5 Steps for Brides and Groom

1. Tell your parents - Checked
You should tell your parents of your impending nuptials before anyone else. (Unless of course, you are estranged.) Both of you should be present and ideally you will tell them in person - they'll have a chance to see your happiness up close, look at the rock, and start talking about the wedding. Traditionally the bride's parents know before the groom's do, but any order is really fine. Then share the news with a few close friends - the ones who are likely candidates for maid/matron of honor and best man, or definite attendants in some capacity.

2. Enjoy being engaged - Checked
Kiss each other a thousand times. Jump up and down saying "We're engaged!" Stare at the engagement ring. Take the time to write down in detail how you got engaged. Contemplate the wonderful things ahead of you. Take pictures of yourselves with the engagement ring. Kiss each other a thousand more times.
3. Purchase a journal if you don't already have one - Checked
This will be a time of ten thousand moments you won't want to forget, as well as some frustrating times that you'll need to vent about, and not necessarily to your partner. The journal you keep while planning your wedding will not only help you through this time, but it will be something you cherish for the rest of your life. If you're internet savvy kinds of folks, you may also consider doing this journaling online like what we are doing, a wedding blog.

4. Announce your engagement - Checked
Tell everyone the good news! There are many ways of doing this, and no way is more correct or better than another. Consider:
i) Announcing your engagement in print publications
ii) Mailing announcements to your family and friends
iii) Creating a wedding website

5. Set the date - Pending
One of the most important decisions you will make as you plan your wedding. Not only will it be the first question everyone will ask you, but you'd be surprised how difficult it will be to make any progress on planning your wedding without knowing the date.

Pictures of the Week - Part 1 August 2005

Since starting this blog, I have always attempt to add in pictures into the blog so that whoever that reads it will be able to see and understand the emotions that are being communicated across. I don't know how much success have I had in terms of communicating our thoughts, but we both agree that this blog will serve as a diary to remind us of our journey from the day I proposed to the day we get married.

There were times when I simply cannot find a suitable picture within our own collection of pictures to signify the message within a post, and that is when i delve into the vastness of the internet to discover pictures from photographers. I am always amazed by the eye for the detail, or artistic angle that the photographer are able to conceive, mostly out of thin air to catch the spontaneous moments, and store it eternally in the picture.

I would like to share a few of those pictures that I've found to be beautiful and interesting. I hope it can inspire whoever that sees this, just as it has inspired me. I've chosen 5 pictures of the most well dressed character in a wedding, the BRIDE.

I told Vans the other day that one day I might want to be a wedding photographer, but she just laughed it off. Maybe one day I really want to be a photographer, because I never like being photographed. So much for now, I will post more pictures net week. Just hope that the photographer taking our pictures will be able to do a good job.

Bridal Fair (Part II)

Last week one of Vans' colleague told her about the JW Marriot Wedding Fair over the weekend, so we went over to check it out on Sunday afternoon. The setting is an actual ballroom on Level B3, which we suspect is normally used for wedding reception. One of the reasons I don't like to visit wedding fairs is that the promoters from each exhibitors stalks you endlessly to get you to sign up for their package. We once visited a wedding fair about 2 years ago (out of curiosity) and the promoters literally surround you, pushing brochures and phamplets to your face and inviting you to their booth. We have been cautious about these events since then.

There were only a few exhibitors for this fair, and we are considering acquiring the services of one or two of those companies so this was a good opportunity to find out detailed information about the packages, what is included and what is not, extra charges, and everything else. Of course one can never fully discover the hidden cost until the final bill is produced, but we will try to control the cost of everything. I can help but think that the "Wedding" industry is indeed a good business :)

As I enter the ballroom, the Dave Lab Motion booth caught my eye. I wonder if the guy remembers us from our previous enquiry during a similar event in 1 Utama about a month earlier. He didn't disappoint me, not that I want to him to recognise me, but I do like his work, just that we are actually contemplating whether should we get a event photographer or videographer, should the funds be available for such luxury.

Actually we can with plans in mind, to check out the fashion show of Covershots & The Wedding Shop. Bought the previous session was late so we got a bit of a bonus and manage to catch the collection from Picasso and also Covershots. The collection here was the same one showed during the Bridal Fair in 1 Utama a month ago. This collection will be available in about 5-6 months time, I think the timing is just nice, we should have our wedding by then.
Sometimes I still shudder at the cost of the wedding, not that we are having a spectacular one, even a decent one doesn't come cheap anymore. I just want mine to be memorable, for Vans & I, our family and also our friends. Right now, I think we have had enough of Bridal Fairs, and its time to sit down and make some decisions.

PS : KK was kind enough to provide a link to his friend's online wedding day photo album (click here to view) for us to view and help us to gain a clearer picture of the event photography.

Note : I took a lot of photos during the Bridal Fair.
Click here to view the Covershots collection
Click here to view the Picasso collection

The Skies Are Clear

After my previous post about the haze, I received some responses that I would like to share with everyone. Let me digress a bit from the normal theme of this blog and share some interesting findings about the haze.

CrazyCowterfly News
We interupt this program to bring a special news bulletin. The skies in Klang Valley are finally clear again. Our reporter in Kuching (Chia Yun) has opted to practice her constitutional rights and voted for a change in the National Anthem. She now proposed the new anthem by changed to the following : -

Negaraku
Tanah tumpahnya jerebu
Rakyat hidup sesak dan layu
Rahmat bahgia, penjual topeng muka
Raja kita kena pakai juga Rahmat bahgia,
penjual topeng muka Raja kita kena pakai juga!

Meanwhile in Shah Alam, residents was in a state of unrest after several children went into a state of hysteria after witnessing this man walking around, claiming to be an employee of Digi.

A few senior citizen experienced cardiac arrest, while some aunties exercising in a nearby playground ran for their lives at the sight of this man, dressed in "KaY-X Corp's Anti-Haze Triple K Certified Safety Suit (TM)"


While over in KL, this man got a few stares when he decided to leave home with his scuba gear on. Although the beach was still miles away, his enthusiams and eagerness to display his gear was there for all to see.

Overall, the conditions in Klang Valley has improved tremendously after the downpour last night and this evening. This is Kenneth Tham reporting from Kajang for Crazycowterfly News.

PS: I hope I will not be arrested under the ISA ruling for altering the lyrics of the National Anthem.

Haze

The hazy condition in most part of Klang Valley got me worried. Come to think of it, around this time of the year, the haze are bound to return. But I don't remember the haze being so bad in the last 2 years, and definitely not as long running as this time round. The API reading in Kajang rose from 189 (11/8) to 259 (12/8), while both KL and PJ recorded readings well over 320.

Vans and I will pray hard about this, not only for us, but also for everyone because many have fallen prey to the haze. Let's hope that the skies will be blue again, and the sun will shine through as the rain pours down. I surely hope this hazy condition will not continue for a prolong period.

I can't help but think if the haze returns next year at this time, will it affect our wedding and/or preparations? Only time will tell.

Preparations (About 12 months to go)

OK, now that permission has been granted a lot of things has to get underway now. We are waiting for Vans' dad to confirm the date in Sept 2006 (he is checking the date against our date of birth and confirming the compatability, and stuff like that).I never knew my chinese date or birth, but thank God for the internet. I made use of the Western to Chinese date converter.

After that, we will have to decide on the venue, and do our budgeting again. I think all in we will invite about 200-250 guest for the reception in KL. For those in Kuching, fear not, we will hold a separate reception in Kuching as well (yeah.. I hear some cheers from Chia Yun, Jane, etc) with about 100 guest, but will need to confirm with Vans.

I think our wedding budget will involve these major things :-
1) Dinner reception in KL
2) Dinner reception in Kuching
3) Wedding Photography
4) Bachelor party (the nite before) & wedding day lunch
5) Rental of gown and tux for the receptions
6) Event photography
7) Ang pow & misc

Wow... all these add up to ... A LOT :)
Well I do welcome donations in any form, be it cash or through credit card :Þ

Hhmm, did I miss out anything? If you guys that are married notice anything missing from our list, please do let us know so that we can anticipate the cost.

Thanks, Mum and Dad

Finally, finally, finally, the long waited trip back to Kuching was realised. Eventhough it was just a weekend stop over but it was an meaningful and eventful one.

(Vans & I in the plane and Auntie with Andy)

Hehehe, i still can't stop giggling when i recalled my mum's expression when she saw Kenneth standing in front of her. She was so obsessed with her korean series then. She jumped after i appeared with my nieces few seconds later. We could see that she's both surprised and happy. Thanks to my sister, Rebecca and nieces (Dia Dia and Ann Ann) for keeping this secret from my mum. Mum said that we had been sinful for lying to her so many times (cos this is not the first time we went back to Kuching secretly) , but we told her, it's all for a good cause haha.

There came the most difficult and nervous moment. Mum asked us why only stay for weekends, firstly, i told her b'coz we couldn't manage to apply leaves, secondly, b'coz we have something very important to tell her and to get her approval. As what we had expected, my mum had already know what we planned to tell her. Before Ken gathered enough nerve to tell her, my mum said "ok ok, i know". However, Ken still asked the question which he had been practising for months. Haha... =P

Our hosts (Rebecca with Lydia & Leann), Vans & our flight

It was first very tensed for both of us as we thought my mum will have some comments about us getting married. But my mum was exceptionally cool and straight away asked when is the Big Day. She thought it's going to be in few months time, but she got a bit disappointed as the date we have planned is around one year ahead. However, she said it's good to plan early too and she is happy that she is the first to know about the good news and impressed with our sincerity. At that moment of time, both me and ken could feel the surge of relief, finally we've got both of our parents' blessings.

My dad was not at home, we were supposed to meet up at the restaurant for dinner, that would be a good chance to surprise him too hehe. My brother had reserved two seats for me and ken. Dad could sensed something fishy when he saw Ken coming with my mum while i was hiding behind my mum. He laughed when he saw me then. Mum will eventually tell him about the good news coz he was given the responsibility to check out the good dates.

Me and Ken are grateful as my parents and my siblings have accepted Ken as part of the family. I am sure they will love him as much as they love me. And i will still love them and this will never change, especially my mum and dad. Thanks Mum and Dad!

Meeting Vans' Parents

This is my first post in August, have been a little busy lately. But tomorrow is a BIG day, finally we are going back to Kuching to meet Vans' parents and tell them of our intention. We have been anticipating this for quite a while now, not to mention worrying about the outcome and their reactions.

We decided couple of weeks ago that we would show some sincerity and go back to tell them personally instead of telling them through the phone, which was rather impractical. So now here I am, getting ready and packing my stuff for a weekend stop over in Kuching before returning on Sunday and resuming work on Monday. The1 hour and 45 minutes flight to Kuching tomorrow will be the longest ever :)

Vans with her mum (my future mother in law)

I've been practising the "Auntie Vans & I plan to get married" questions for weeks now, but I guess its no point worrying too much ahead because in due time we will know the outcome.

So its lights out now, I'm gonna hit the bed and there should be some good news here come Monday morning :)