Thursday, December 30, 2010

Merry Christmas 2010!

Ahhh….Christmas, that special time of year when spices smell sweeter and indulgence is okay because, after all, Christmas only comes once a year. Buying new balls for the tree, stockings for the shelf and cinnamon scented candles for the house are all must haves…one cannot have a Happy Christmas without these key elements. And I’ll admit I do love every minute of it…I love Christmas music and bells and twinkling lights. I am a kid at heart…I love Christmas…in fact, a little piece of me still believes that Santa will try and sneak me a present under the tree…(since I have been a very good girl this year!) I also love the gentle, sweet spirit of Christmas…I love how softly I am reminded what this season is really for…and I am very thankful for it.

I also love the festive party vibe of Christmas! It is time for mulled wine and cheese platters…laughs with friends and dancing to rock and roll Christmas tunes. Flutes full of champagne and red Santa hats just go good together…they make sense. Christmas is a time for a little but well earned over indulgence; because we all know what comes next…the dreaded New Years Resolutions where we all feel the pressure to get healthy and lose weight…Christmas is the party before the detox.

This Christmas did not disappoint…we had a fun filled Christmas this year. Every week, actually every day, we had something going on…it will be nice to get a much needed rest for a few days before the New Year’s celebrations begin.

Our Christmas season began at Cameron Highlands with a group of friends (see Cameron Highlands’ Christmas Blog here). We then took our Christmas party on to Singapore to celebrate there with more friends. We also did KL right, with nights out on the town leading up to Christmas Eve’s lovely dinner when we returned for the excellent fare and atmosphere at the Chalet Restaurant in the Equatorial Hotel with carol singers, Santa and all the trimmings. On Christmas morning we met up with Jack and Cindy, donned our Santa hats and hit the pub street for a festive, chilled out day of more turkey, egg nog, mulled wine, movies and card games. We met up with old friends and made new acquaintances…and that is what makes this season so special.

So basically I feel as though we have eaten and drank the entire city of KL and as much as I love the holidays I am glad we get a break now! I have feasted and celebrated until my buttons are bulging…surely that is a sure sign of a good holiday season!
Food, Food and More Food!
 New Birthday/Christmas Hair Cut...like?
Fint making Mulled Wine...tasty!
 Starbuck's Gingerbread Man...mmmm!
 
Santa Clause in KL

Santa left a few trinkets for Fint and I (however, we are saving our “big ticket” gifts for traveling the globe and remodeling our place this year). Will keep everyone updated on those surprises and projects this coming year…yay for 2011!

This year also saw many care packages sent from my family back in the States; yay, and thanks to everyone…we love and need those items that only USA can provide! We will eat and veg out our way through each and every item. Thanks!!!

Having friends to share Christmas with sure takes the sting out of being so far from family for the Holidays. And we sure did miss everyone this Christmas.

Merry Christmas to All and to All a Goodnight!

Photos from Christmas!:

Birthday/Christmas Celebrations with Caroline and Cindy
Little Carolers



Christmas in Singapore...we are now in Wonderland! 
 The Queen of Hearts meets The King of Hearts
Paw and I 
Paw, Noel and I 
Gangsta

Dinner with Friends 
Christmas Eve Day Lunch! ;)  Say "Cheese!"

Christmas Eve Dinner @ The Chalet, Hotel Equatorial 
Caroling

Christmas Day Lunch 

Cloves in Oranges for the Mulled Wine 
Relaxing with mulled wine 
Me being a Silly Elf 
Cindy and I Christmas Day 
Tropical City Snowmobile! 
He never had a chance...

Christmas Magic
Are we too grownup to feel a thrill
As we light the Christmas tree?
Are we immune to cookies,
Christmas cards and Christmas glee?
Are we too adult to "Ooh" and "Aah"
At the Christmas candle's glow?
Are we blasé about our gifts;
Do we shun the mistletoe?
Are we too mature for carols,
For merry or for jolly?
Do the decorations leave us cold,
The ornaments and holly?
Fat chance! We'll never grow too old
To love the Christmas magic.
A year without a Christmas
Would be boring, even tragic.
So bring it on! The candy canes,
The feasting and good cheer;
O Christmas, lovely Christmas,
You're the highlight of the year!
By Joanna Fuchs

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Birthday: Winter Solstice, Full Lunar Eclipse and a Heart Full of Love

This year’s birthday was special for many, many reasons.  I have so much in my life to be thankful for, this last year was amazing…so I am very excited to see what this new year presents to me.

My birthday this year also marks an event that has not been seen since about 450 years ago…the Winter Solstice and a Full Lunar Eclipse. Which means that Newgrange in Ireland saw both, read more about it at the link below:


I was feeling ill on my birthday this year, but the wonderful husband I have made sure it was still one to remember.  He came home with a huge bouquet of flowers, a yummy chocolate cake, pretty little cupcakes and a sweet card.  He also cooked me a tasty bbq dinner….I am one lucky girl!
 Such a pretty and super tasty cake.

Beautiful, colorful flowrs.
 Happy Birthday ;)
 Cupcakes!
Me with Santa and his "helper"

Monday, December 20, 2010

A Cameron Highlands' Christmas

To kick off our Christmas Season celebrations we headed off to Cameron Highlands for the weekend with some friends in search of some Christmas atmosphere and cooler "winter" weather.  We gladly packed our sweaters and warm slippers and headed north for a weekend filled with friends, food, laughter, cozy fireplaces and wild animals.

 Arriving at Ye Olde Smokehouse in Cameron Highlands
 The view from our room
Our cozy room for the weekend
 Dinner with friends
Lovely evenings beside the fireplace...with Christmas music
 
New meets old gramophone
 BOH Tea Plantation
Tea and Scones...mmmm!
Fint writing a postcard home at BOH


Searching for the Sunrise
Wild Monkeys
Coastal Drive


 

Sorry for the blurriness...but this fella moved fast!
Huge snake in water! (Think I will skip a swim)
Street Food in Cameron Highlands