That special day she turned 4!

A plan well executed. She already knew months before that it is going to be a Princess Poppy cake and luckily , we found the perfect balloons! Nothing over the top, a simple , all-about-her celeb! I really like how we celebrate our children's bday, we are trending to be low-key and simple. I am proud!

A little party at school is what she wanted.

and she remembered very well that we sang the " Happy Birthday " song , she blew the candle and she cut her cake.  I guess for children they just want the simple things in life and what they actually remember is that feeling of LOVE all the way. 

I am very happy my that children appreciates small and big efforts alike

We did 2 vid sessions for her . The first one a week before she got sick at our backyard and the second one was highlights from her celebration at school surrounded by her friends. A mem'rable one!

We love you Kylene! I can't believe you are now 4!

The South Island experience

Our NZ trip vid is up!
Reliving the moments and wanting to go back again.
I seriously wanna go back.

We love New Zealand! It hurts!

South Coast, why not?

Preparing the loan documents to own one of this lot. We are praying for your guidance Oh, Lord in this major financial decision that we are doing that would change our financial decisions in the long run. To put  forth additional 1,200 monthly to afford this would be a push for us given the seemingly lenient controls we have in place. What I am trying to say is that----we will be motivated to save for this additional mortgage.

Looking back to our financial decisions this past 5 years.  I would say, we did well.


Getting the Richmond Street property back in 2012 - was one heck of acquisition. Well, there is always a first time.  I felt that it consumed so much of our savings back in Singapore. Then moving to Seven Hills 3 years after is a major major breakthrough. Deciding whether to keep Richmond while keeping Seven Hills was easy--- we looked through our money and said,  No , we cannot afford to feel deprived. So, we kept the not risky path.  No regrets.  We did afforded the life we feel we deserve. Mostly short trips with family ( while my parents and sis were here)  and of course NEW ZEALAND.  Then , we fell in love with the Jervis Bay area.  Been  there thrice already and this place never fails to charm me and my family especially the latest visit to Green Patch Beach. Maybe when we retire, maybe? someday we'll know!

2014 Murray Beach
Booderee National Park
Jervis Bay

2016 
Sussex Inlet

2017 Green Patch Beach
Booderee National Park

How 75k Happened?

So, last December ---Chuck and myself made a very simple resolution to list down our expenses just so we know how to plan, and to "purposely live within the means". We 're on 5th year here in Oz and it is good to know where our money went, how to allocate it wisely.

So, the last 6 months spending total to AU$75k. I am actually stoked of where those monies came from.  I feel like God must have blessed us financially to give us all these in the last 6 months. Mind you, we didn't live with the intetion to save, now, i felt that we are actually living lavishly with these expenses.  That sounds really huge to me especially that we are not earning much here. Maybe , our net income combined is around 120k, so,having had to spend that much first half of the year is over the top!

We had 13k for travels ( NZ and tickets to Philippines) and maybe others, 21k for mortgage so the run- rate would be approximately 6.6k /monthly is really huge. The next project is to trim down .  We need to be realistic with our expenses and really stick into it.  I have been planning to save 3k monthly but that hasn't been realized consistently and  a tad bit disappointing.  

So, some resolutions; 

No Coffee buying going to work. The office has free unlimited Coffee! 

Lunch- limit <10 lunches. Else, pack lunch.

Shopping- No MORE

But....we will continue to be generous. To give back . To be available to others when needed. I will continue to provide for my parents, my mum in law, our grannies who are growing old. 

Despite all these huge expenses, our God is Almighty that I am actually in awe of our capacity to have afforded all these. I feel that I am in a Miracle Trap and I refuse to get  out from it. oh, Lord God, how lucky I am to be in your midst. Thank you. 

But wait there's more! Amidst all these huge expenses, I feel that we have been blessed with so much more actually, there was never this feeling of deprivation but rather abundance. I have always been blessed with this perspective of seeing our cups half full! Praise to you , Oh God who is our greatest provider! 

end goal: Slim down expenses to 5,500/month

I am sorry, Cheyenne!

I am sorry that sometimes Mama is harsh like last night. I should have been more patient and kinder to you.

I am sorry that I am not understanding sometimes. Instead, I ended up imposing my ideas to you without giving you time to think and understand where I am coming from. I was too demanding and intrusive and failed to forget that you are a growing individual that sometimes a day's demand can be too taxing.

I am sorry that I close my ears sometimes and not hear you.  I should give you my 100% attention.

So, I know what I am going to do now.

- i will talk to you gently when I feel irritated at you
- i will be very open of how I feel but not intrusive
- i will try very hard to be patient and this last thing will never change
- i will love You endlessly

And incase you forgot, these are the things that I adore about you.

- You are a smart, happy, joyful girl
- You have that mature disposition and I am so proud of how you manage your day to day independently
-  You always look at brighter side of things and certainly would like more of your fun and quirky side.
- And finally, you came from me and you stole my heart completely.  Nothing can ever change that.

I want you to know that I don't desire you to be PERFECT  , so don't work too much on that. I want you to be happy, helpful , independent , strong but gentle. I know these things will sound ironic but the right time will come when you fully understand and you will choose for yourself which road you are going to take. Whatever that choices will be, I will be here all the way.

Forgive me of my shortcomings, Cheyenne.  Mama is not perfect too.

This photo throwback circa 2014, Hunter Valley

i need POSITIVE Diversion

So, i had to knock into my creative energies to give me a breather.

A breather from people I don't want  to associate with. A breather from conversations that make me NUTS! A breather from people who are impatient, immature and have so much confidence in themselves.  Arrogant, RUDE or should I say selfish, too much LOVE for themselves.

There are people coming and going in our workplace due to the restructure. It is such a happy place before but has now generated too much negative energy. Luckily, I will have the job till end this year but I have uncertainties ahead. Oh, yes, I have and is making me unsure of the future moves, plans but will have give me enough time to prepare for indeed a BIG wave of change is COMING!

So here's a result of the creativity that I have been wanting to do since we arrived from NZ trip.

That Day we Landed on Glaciers
Perhaps one of the most epic, expensive and exciting ride of this lifetime!
This by the way is Cheyenne's favorite in all our NZ escapades. Sometimes, It is hard to please this girl. But I won't forget what she told me the moment we landed Queenstown airport in the midst glacier mountain tops.

She said; " I don't believe Changi Airport (Singapore) is the best airport in the world, it is Queenstown Airport. " How naturally , beautiful it is!

I have to agree. What she said is true.  The place is epic , deserving of Middle-Earth!

and when your HEART knows

"when your heart knows , you can't stop it,  can't explain it,  you can only trust it."


when I married this man, I have no idea how our life would turn out.  I could recall, it was the stage that I am insecure , unsure, arrogant, my pretentious self.

I trusted with my whole heart that I love him but I wasn't ready to see his lows, his weakness against my insecurities, my expectations against his growth. There was a span when we were growing apart. Yes, slowly, the idea of separating from him eats me. I was so ready and sure to give him up and live my life alone! I cringe recalling those days, and I apologize for those dramas.

Fast forward-----our life now. I wouldn't exchange for anything. Our life after 13 years of marriage is indeed the only relationship in this lifetime that have rocked my LIFE in a good way. The children along the way made it even more meaningful but above all else, this man is my favorite person----genuinely, the best friend who makes this world worth living and who amidst all arguments and disagreements is a source of inspiration and strength. Always the better half.

Thank you for not giving up. Oh yes, thank you for despite seeing the ugly side of me, you've chosen to stick around.  You believed and therefore you flourished.