Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Merry Christmas from Kuantan






(By multiple demand, this lovely picture of Lauren is now included!)


Whoever you are, and wherever you may be in the world, we wish you a very Merry Christmas from Kuantan and hope you are uplifted and edified in this season of giving and receiving.




Saturday, December 17, 2011

Blog Flashbacks

On Thursday I posted some pictures of our home this Christmas and how we have decorated it accordingly. In this week's Blog Flashbacks, I'm showing you around my home in December 2010:






Back in 2009 around this time we were also decorating the house for Christmas. It's interesting to look back on these things to see how our decorational inclinations have evolved over the years!









Wherever you are, enjoy your Christmas, and the spirit of giving and receiving!

Friday, December 16, 2011

Fidelia's Friday - Lauren's different expressions

Here are pictures of Lauren with different expressions! 

Happy face!

Sad face!

Angry face!

Excited face!

Scary face!

Bored face!

Lauren loves to take pictures. She's good  at modelling!  




Which one is your FAVOURITE expression? Duncan thinks her bored face looks like her Aunty Rachel!





Thursday, December 15, 2011

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree . . .

With Christmas Day just ten days away, I'm sharing some pictures of our house, the Christmas tree being the focal point:

We have a few presents waiting under the tree


What would Christmas mean without a reminder of Jesus Christ, whose birth into the world is the entire reason we celebrate CHRISTmas?



And here is the imposter. I feel a bit strange having a picture of Jesus and a Santa Claus advent calendar almost side-by-side. It is nonetheless a lovely advent calendar. Thanks to my mum for sending that over a few Christmases ago!



And here is Mr. Bean. Mr. Bean however, has nothing to do with Christmas - it's just that Lauren decided to hang him on the tree! Makes it interesting :)



Had to snap a picture of my new favourite ornament - the vase!















A flurry of warm lights on the tree. Oh no, the imposter again!







We started off with one Christmas tree . . . 



Then we went for two . . .




We got a little greedy and had three!






If you are not Christian, do you still celebrate the real reason behind CHRISTmas, or is it just another holiday to you?
If you are Christian, does the pull of Santa distract you from the birth and life of Jesus?


Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Fluctuating weather

Human beings love talking about the weather, and I'm no different. The weather acts as a convenient topic to begin a conversation with either friends or new acquaintances. Do you realise how often you mention the weather in your conversations with others?

In Kuantan, as indeed in all Malaysia, the weather is a 'hot' topic. But during the months of November and December, we have witnessed severely fluctuating weather patterns.

Check out the first example, from November 2011:


I started off cycling from home in clear blue skies. But after just a couple of minutes, the wind really picked up and began blowing in some grey clouds over the convention centre and Putra Zenith . . .


Cycling became suddenly really tough as the gusty winds pushed me back. I looked over my shoulder and saw this:


The beautiful sunny day was quickly turned into a dull, ferociously windy, stormy day. Thankfully I managed to get home before the downpour came!

This picture was taken a couple of days later as the monsoon rains slowly crept their way in to Malaysia - the sound of the rain reverberating on the old tin roofs produces such a heavy din, yet I find it hugely peaceful and calming.



But the rains come and the rains go, and we were about to witness the other end of the weather spectrum . . .

Still in November, we experienced a sudden change to striking heat, as shown on this beautiful day:


Shortly after these gorgeous holiday-weather skies, we sat in the Vistana Hotel gazing out at the pouring rain filling Kuantan with a hazy appearance.



We had four days of continuous monsoon rain last week, and then suddenly on Sunday, the weather changed to this beautiful day with fluffy white clouds against a blue sky. And it was very hot.




How is the weather where you are?