Traditional Chinese Wedding 过大礼/下娉/纳彩

We are in the preparation of my baby sis wedding. My Parents came to me and ask me how and what they need to prepare... Recalling.. Recalling... and flipping my notes...

过大礼 also known as 下娉/纳彩 – the traditional purpose of these gifts is to show the sincerity of the two families and a promise to take good care of the bride. It is a way of showing respect and gratitude to the parents. And the differing traditional items symbolise meanings such as ‘wealth’, ‘abundance of descendants’, ‘sweet and loving marriage’, ‘a good shelter’ and many more.

During my time, which is about 6.5 years ago, my dad requested a 90 yrs old auntie who a very closed old friend of our family to prepare my 过大礼. After my research done online, I brought her to a stall at Chinatown. During that time, there was a temporary market at the greenfield next to MRT station. And these are the items we had gotten as bride family

1. Wedding Ceremony Tea Set ( Deluxe Range ) 孝心茶具
2. Dowry Needle Box Set (includes needle box, 10 colour threads,needle, pin cushion, measuring tape, golden scissor, destiny disc) 百子千孙针线盒
3. A Pair of Premium Prosperity Lamps 添丁床头灯
4. Complete Descendant Pail 5-Piece Set (includes baby bathtub, potty, face washbasin, tray and mug) 子孙桶聚宝盆 
5. Bed Room Slippers ( 2 Pairs )夫妻新拖鞋
6. Face Towel Set 双喜对面巾
7. Lace Red Fan 新娘扇子
8. Prosperity Charcoal 旺炭
9. Table Cloth for Alter 
10. Jewellery Box

on top of these, auntie also gotten 2 double happiness paper bag she says will be useful when returning gifts and many double happiness stickers. My mom also asked me to prepare

11. Bedding - pillows and boosters (2 sets), Comforter Set and Bedsheets

12. New clothes, toiletries and makeup

And my dad prepared me  

13. 4 pcs of diamond jewellery 

And these are the items that groom had to prepared my mother in law prepared everything with JingTai. They even lent us 2 Betrothal Red Baskets:

1. Dragon Candles 1 pair 龙烛一对
2. Phoenix Candle 1 pair风烛一对
3. 4 Treasure Jin Guo x 2 Packets each四京果各两包 (Red Dates, Lily Buds, Dried Longans, Lotus Seeds ) 红枣，百合，桂圆 ，莲子
4. Sweet Ending x 2 Packets each– 甜蜜喜糖各两包 (Rock Sugar & Candied Winter-Melon Strips ） 冰糖 ，蜜饯冬瓜条
5. 5 Colour Auspicious Seeds x 2 Packets 五色豆两包
6. Pig Leg Can x 48 猪脚罐 
7. Mi Lao Biscuits ( Rice ) x 2 Packets 福建米老饼 2包
8. Mi Lao Biscuits ( Sesame ) x 2 Packets 福建麻老饼2包
9. Traditional Peanuts Sugee x 2 Packets 传统福建贡糖
10. Pin Jin Ang Bao 聘金红包 and was wrapped with a red cloth
11. Dragon & Phoenix Tray 龙风托盘
12. Double Happiness Small Stickers x 1 双喜小贴子
13. Hokkien Cake x 48
14. Grandmother's sweet plate for my ah ma. She requested it.

Reference: http://www.chinese-wedding-guide.com/chinese-dowry.html

These are all i can recalled... "Pen" down for future reference....

Renew our marriage?

Today hus suggested that we renew our marriage under Christ. Immediately I said NO.

Feeling guilty now.. He must be very upset. :(

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Ms Nice...

Did a couple of simple things that made them smile and I feel good:

1. Sent out recognition to my colleagues and they returned with thanks and smile on their face.

2. Gave my maid an hour break, seeing her dancing when she heard it.

3. Baked and sent down a specially made cup cake for SIL.. She was so surprise and happy.

4. After all the good feedback in the cupcakes, I'm doing night baking for the children in church Sunday class. :)

These made this realized that to bring joy to a person doesn't cause much. Just a simple gesture and they rejoice. Thank God for the wisdom for me to do these. Lord, more to come please.

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Drama Princess

Today, don't know what's wrong with me.. Comes to me that I need to change my teaching method on Janelle. From love education to fierce education.

I started on stopping her putting her fingers into her mouth. I will raise my voice and give her a very firm NO. After 2 hrs of NO, now when she put her fingers into her mouth, she will cry first before i xsay NO. OMG. Hopefully I can stay firm alittle longer and she will forget and never need to put her fingers into her mouth.

I'm a unless mom don't know how to teach her. I have to try many methods to see which works for her.










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Little surprise

My little surprise from hus this morning:




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Running

People who knows me will know that I'm not an exercise person. During Secondary School time, I'm the one who will comes up with all excuses to skip PE and had never pass 2.4 km run before.

Now i'm trying to pick up running and cycling. Cycling is because of Janelle cos she loves to be on the bike enjoying the breeze. hmmm... and running, is because of my health. Yes, did my annual health check and found out that i'm having high cholesterol. No idea why, maybe runs in my family blood. Doctor recommend me to pick up exercise and watch up my diet.



So, here I go....

Started last week... I woke up at 645am, and starting my run at 7am.

Monday I did my 1st run - 1km run and walk.
Tuesday - rest cos my whole body aches here and there.
Wednesday i did my 2nd run - 1km run and walk + climbing up 11 stories... it was so good, i can feel the sweat running like a water tap.. nice. Thur and Fri - rest
Saturday i did my 3rd run - 1km run and walk with a faster speed + climbing up 11 stories. by the time i reach home, i panting like nobody business and started to feel dizzy then black out and i'm on the floor.

Went to do a research and talked to ppl who likes running, and guess i pushed myself alittle too hard.
Found a planner for beginner runner online http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/become-a-runner, and i will try this out from next run onwards. Taking baby steps at a time.

Havent start to have 4th run yet cos of work. Had been rushing to office this week for workshop + i didnt rest well at night. But i will try to continue to pick up running. Healthy lifestyle :)

PPST>> Punggol indeed is a good place for running.. I enjoyed it very much, especially wintness the morning sun that shine through the place. But one thing i hate most is the DOGS. oh my god. wild dogs are every where... and dont know how many detour i had made to avoid them.

Grandmas

The love from grandmas are greater than a mother can gave. They not only need to bring up their children but also their children's children. Looking at my mom, she had to sacrifice her tai-tai lifestyle aka yum cha, shopping, visiting salon at anytime she wants, to look after the grandchildren. But sad to says, my mom only take care of brothers' children.. she refused and rejected mine cos she says my mother in law still around.

My neighbours and colleagues who mother and mother-in-law travelling down to their house every morning and stay over the daytime and take care of their children till my neighbours returned from work. That kind of family support is great isnt it? at the very least, mommy can get out and do what they wants to do to have sanity mindset with a peace of mind that their children are in good hand who loves their children as they do.

In our time, how many of us are brought up by our grandma and they are doing very well. definitely not me, as my mom is a stay at home mom since the birth of my brother... I salute to full time mom... my girl can drive me to nuts at a lot of times. :X

so, this is to act as a reminded to me that i need to appreciate my mom and mom in law better although they didnt take care of janelle for me, but when i need help.. they will always be the one who supported me through.