It's been a SUPER long time since I wrote here..
Just decided I should because it's the end of a very very eventful year.

This year started with me being freshly engaged and ends with me being 5 months into marriage.
Quite a crazy progression if you ask me, especially when people around us stay engaged for at least a year before getting married.
It's got it's up and downs.
I think we didn't really have time to savour the 'being engaged' status.
During the seven months of being engaged, I was busy working AND studying.
Managed to complete my Certificate in Autism, which I have always wanted to do :)
We also found a flat within 3 days of looking, bought it, and renovated it without the help of an interior designer (because we didn't have money for one).
That took up a lot of our time.
We also went to all the possible furniture and appliance shows that were available at Expo every weekend in order to grab the best deals available like a true kiasu Singaporean.
On top of that, bought a car, and planned a wedding.
The house and wedding stuff were the craziest.
Looking for florists, contacting caterers, getting the church booked, the guest list done, the invites printed, AND at the same time getting the contractor, meeting him almost every week to tell him what needs to be done or fixed, and squeezing in time to look for furniture and appliances.
CRAZY.
But worth it.

We also had to deal with deaths in both our families this year.
One kinda expected and one very unexpected.
Quen's grandma had been in the hospital since before we got married.
She passed away not long after our wedding and I miss her a lot.
We used to have dinner with her at least once every week even before we got married.
Every time we go to Island Creamery and get a tub of my favourite Bundung ice cream, I remember it was her favourite too.

My family had to deal with an unexpected and very tragic death too. My grandparents were new Christians and I was really scared this would shake their faith. But by the grace of God, it only made it stronger.

This year has been really eventful.
And I really haven't had much time to breathe.
But I'm really thankful for friends who have pulled me out of the chaos once in a while to remind me to relax and have some fun, and for family, new and old.
With everything that has been going on, I haven't been a very good daughter, sister or wife.
I haven't spent as much time as I would like with my family but I'm going to try harder next year.
I also haven't been a good friend..
I miss the people in Toa Payoh quite a bit, but haven't had the time to meet up or talk even though I really wish I did.
I thank God for the close friends Quen and I have, who 'force' their way into our place every two weeks or so to make sure we keep in touch :)
I also thank God for my MG/PJ girls who have made sure I got a good dose of girl time at least once every quarter and reminding me that they've always got my back.

This year has been great.
Here's to 2013 being even more epic!

New things learnt

Haven't blogged in a long long time :(
Haven't had much time to.
The past few months have been life changing..
New status, new house, changes in my job...
Gone through as much change as I possibly can in such a short time.
There are a few new things I've learnt...

1. Housework never ends
2. Marriage isn't easy (yeah.. it's only been 2 months and the honeymoon period is already over.)
3. Always make sure your water heater is in an accessible place. If you can, put it right next to your bed. You'll be thankful in the mornings.
4. Always clear out the trash every night, even if the bin is only half full. Insects are desperate creatures.
5. Before buying a mop, consult the aunties who do housework. They have insider info.
6. Mopping the house without leaving footprints is a skill.
7. Always close the windows when you go out. Birds know when no one is at home.
8. I cannot do everything on my own.
9. Family is always the most dependable.
10. Always remember to pray. It really helps with change.

6 days

6 more days to the big day....
I'm really excited to enter the next chapter of my life...
especially since it'll be with my best friend :)

These past 7 months have been really really tough.
I'm still a little stressed because there is still quite a bit we have yet to do.
The past month has been an eye opener.
So much has happened and it has really showed me who are the friends I can count on when I am in need and who are the ones who create more trouble and cannot be depended upon. 
The next 6 days will be such a rush it might pass in a blink of an eye..
I might just turn into bridezilla...
but I'm going to savour every minute, every tear, every laughter, every frustration and every relief.
Especially since Q and I are on leave for most of the week..
and it'll be the first time in a long time we have this much time together :)

Colour

With the planning of the wedding and renovations, I have been given the challenge of selecting the right colours for different things.
And so my fingers get busy on the computer as I search google images for ideas, inspiration and the perfect shade of grey or blue that is in my tiny little brain.
I was never good at art.
Always a C student.
I remember being so happy when I got a C+ once..hur.
Colours are very confusing things.
When you say 'blue', the blue people picture in their heads may all be different shades of blue.
So when it came to choosing colours, it was really difficult to convey what we wanted.
Even white had different shades of white (I'm not even kidding.)
But there are just some colours that sing a very melodious tune in your heart when you lay your eyes upon them.
And you just HAVE to have them
Take for example grey.
I have an eternal hunger for grey.
I love grey.
But not ALL greys.
This grey, I like.

image via Ikea

I wouldn't mind it if it were slightly lighter, like this: 

Image credits

but not if it were any darker. 

Really wanted my sofa to be this shade of grey but we couldn't find one we really liked :( 

But anyway, the house is really starting to take shape.. 

And it's starting to look a little more like home :) 

Really excited to start cleaning and stocking cupboards and shelves with things! 

6 weeks

We are 6 weeks away and the anxiety is getting to me a bit I think..
I promise I'm not over stressing myself.
And now that my car is back I am much happier and more comfortable.
The past 2 weeks was a real challenge with all the travelling for work, and the added stress of the long commutes got to me.
I really admire the people who do this every day.
Some individuals are just not the least bit considerate and push right into your personal space.
And some people really need help in self grooming..
If you know you are going to squeeze with hundreds of others on the bus or train during rush hour, I would think it common courtesy to at least shower?
Seriously so many people think a night shower is enough to tide them through 6-8 hours in the sack.

Recently I've been feeling like there have been so many things that have been really upsetting.
Maybe it's because I'm more on edge with everything that is happening...
I keep telling myself to not let things get to me but they just do.
Some things I just really don't know how to handle.
Half of me cannot wait for these 6 weeks to be over because I really cannot take this stress anymore...
the other half is genuinely excited because it IS my wedding.
Oh well!
Whatever will be will be! :)

Crazy week

This is a week I would NEVER in my life want to repeat.
Started the week with an accident :(
And I'm still handling paperwork and all with regards to that...
The saga isn't over.
And I have to live without the car for the next week which isn't going to be easy because it's 7 weeks from the big day and there are things to be done!
The house renovations are ongoing but going too slowly for us..
And so we need to constantly chase the contractor to get things done faster.
Q's grandma has been re-admitted into the hospital and doesn't seem to be doing well :( :(
Yesterday we spent half the day just getting stuff for the house and both Q and I were super physically and mentally drained by the end of the day.
We went straight home, showered and slept the moments our heads touched our pillows.
I have not been this drained in a long time.
Next week will be a challenge.
I haven't had to take public transport to get to my client's places for a while..
And travelling from bukit timah to punggol to clementi is not fun.
But yet, I know it is possible because I have done it before.
But I'm praying repairs on my car will be completed very soon so I can at least have the car next weekend!
7 more weeks!

Car accident story

So I got into an accident yesterday and had a terrible night's sleep worrying about how everything was going to turn out today.
Because I didn't have the chance to take photos of the accident and I hit the lady's bumper, if the lady decides to tell lies or hide some truth then I would be quite dead.
So this morning at about 10am, the lady whom I hit called and said I WAS IN THE WRONG.
Excuse me lady but you were coming out from the side and I was coming straight down the road.
I think you were suppose to look out before you decide to forge ahead.
And if you decide to come out then please do it quickly.
Not crawl out at 10km/h and decide that oncoming traffic should slow down and give way to you no matter what.
I only saw her come out when I was about 50 meters away and IN NO WAY with the rain and the slippery roads was I able to stop in time to let her slowly crawl out.
I already slammed my emergency breaks and I still hit her.
She then proceeded with the 'My daughter was in the car so I was driving more carefully. I would never do anything to endanger her.'
I'm sorry but slowly doesn't always mean carefully.
If you really wanted to be careful then you should be driving on the last lane and not try to shoot out to the second lane which I was on.
So now at the 11th hour, she tells me she wants to go the insurance way because she thinks she has a good chance of winning given I hit her from behind.
All I can do now is trust in God and leave it to Him.
It is so difficult though..
But I shall claim the promise that my God will take care of me.
No matter the outcome, I know it'll be the best.

J's works of art.

I love my job because autistic children always amaze me. 

J has an amazing memory and a very very cute internal system. 

She is like a little Sesame street. 

Every session, she has a letter of the day. 

And with that letter of the day, she has an animal or creature of the day. 

And it's not just any letter! 

She remembers which letter she had in the last session (even if her last session was more than a week ago), and knows what the next letter is. 

So as a little reward for working hard at her work, I let her draw and colour her creature of the day...

and here is some of the amazing works of art she has done :) 

One for each session :) 

She only just turned 5 and she's already such an awesome artist.

I want to make them into tiny pieces of wall art and frame them up because they are such great pieces, don't you think? 

Aren't kids just so amazing? :)

So last night we bought our new old hairdryer (I had to say it that way.)
The lady who was serving us chuckled a little when we pointed to the hairdryer and told her we wanted one.
One look at the box and you knew it was really old...
I wonder if my hair would look like that after using the hairdryer ;)

Very muscular Q with the hairdryer

We walked around a little looking at other things like ovens, printers and coffee machines..
We are only 60 days away from our big day and moving into our new home officially!
Tonight, we met the contractor to make final decisions on our wall paint, counter top colours, cupboard laminate colours and a few other design details.
They have fully demolished everything and are in the midst of waterproofing the bathroom and building our kitchen cabinets in their carpentry workshop now!
How exciting! :)
There is still a lot of other things to do in the meantime!
But an optimistic date of completion is some time the first week of June :)
CAN'T WAIT! :D

Renovations in progress

Went down to have a quick peek at the progress of renovations yesterday evening and everything has been demolished and it is well underway.
Kept smsing Q to tell him what the progress was like and all.
Super excited about everything!
Tonight we are going on a mission to fulfil our dream of a retro boxy hotel hairdryer for our master bedroom bathroom.
It is so strange and awesome that we both have the same desire for that hairdryer :)
Just one of the things that remind us how much we are made for each other :)
I'm a bit high now due to the 1.5 cups of coffee I downed this afternoon during lunch.
I shattered a whole bottle of top coat on the floor and spent quite a bit of time cleaning it up.
So maybe all the fumes are also contributing to my rapid heartbeat now.
Can't wait to get our place for real! :)

9 more weeks

9 more weeks to the big day!
We are in the midst of getting our house done up and every weekend, we've been driving to different places to choose laminates, tiles and such for our renovation.
Tomorrow, we are choosing our throne (the toilet bowl).
People have told us to choose a unique one..
The best suggestion so far was one which has fish in it..
But Q would be so freaked out every time he had to go that he might not be able to go at all...
I am also 2 weeks away from finishing my certificate in autism course!
I had my last lecture this evening and just have one last assignment to do and hand in.
Looking forward to striking that off my list of things I have before the wedding!

So, renovations are officially starting this week!
I'm so excited!!
I am really looking forward to actually being able to clean the house and start putting furniture and appliances in their right places and getting the house ready to live in..
But I am most excited to have a little space of our own where we can invite friends over and not worry about bothering parents :)
When I think about our new home, I think about lots of gatherings with friends and pot lucks and brunches and people coming over to just hang out..
It's going to be so much fun!!
Q and I were just talking today and we both realised that in about 2 months, we would cease to stay under our parents' roof.
It's exciting but also a little scary.
There are still a lot of things we have yet to check off the long list, BUT I can't wait!

The start of 10 weeks.

So begins the distribution of invites and the chase for RSVPs.
We got our invites printed yesterday and are now sourcing for envelopes...
We want to thank Koon for being such an awesome friend and helping us to design our very very beautiful wedding invite!
Thank you for taking time despite your busy schedule to work on our invite and even source out an amazing printer for us :)

But anyway,
since this is another milestone.....
I am allowed to release another photo from the photoshoot :)

10 more weeks till the big day!

The build up

This week is going to be pretty busy.
We are going to cross a few hurdles this week as we get closer and closer to the big day..
Something big is happening this weekend!! ;)

Long Weekend

This week, Q and I managed to get Friday off as well so we had a really long weekend.
Plus having labour day on Tuesday gave us 3 full days (so far) to scout for furniture and electronics and all!
Boy did we use it well!
We went to almost every sale and warehouse sale and warehouse location we knew and got a whole list of items!
We also made MAJOR savings which I am very very proud of and happy about :)
The best was the TV.
We were sitting in my living room this evening watching TV when Q got bored and started to flip the papers.
He saw 'COURTS 3 DAY SALE'.
And so we decided there and then to head down to Courts which was actually only a 5 minute drive away.
We first saw the washing machine which was going for 200 bucks less than what it usually went for,
and on top of that LG was giving away NTUC vouchers!
So we decided to get it.
Then we walked around and looked at fridges and cooking hobs and ovens...
At the TV section, Q spotted a $3999 TV that was slashed to $1499!!
He said it was one of the models he was eyeing but didn't fit the $2500 budget we set for the TV.
We talked to the salesperson for a while because we were wondering why it was such a good deal..
but it seemed like Courts just decided to pull the price down.
The only thing left that was kinda in the way was the delivery date.
We needed them to keep it for 2 months but they said they could only hold it for a month at max given that it was on such a huge discount.
But we decided that if we are saving that much money, a little inconvenience is nothing.
So we went to get the invoice done up and were referred to the same nice lady (Jasmine) that helped us do the invoice for our washing machine.
By God's immense blessing, the salesman didn't communicate the earlier delivery date to her and she helped to set the delivery date to the same delivery date as the washing machine!
So in the end, everything fell into place!! :D
SO SO SO satisfying!
It is truly by God's immense blessing that we are getting all these amazing and perfect deals :)

Only by God's power, did we get off our lazy bums and go to the Courts sale.
I'm not kidding.
Most times, going to the kitchen for a glass of water already takes an immense load of willpower.
Super looking forward to the days ahead! :)

overwhelmed.

I'm starting to feel overwhelmed by the things that need to be done within the next 2 months and 3 weeks.
I think all this pressure is also starting to make me very intolerable over certain things..
People being late is one thing that gets on my nerves.
The contractor we met on Sunday was late for 45 minutes.
I really am tired of waiting for people...

And I'm starting to get a little tired of having to go back and forth in order to schedule a meeting.

If you can't bother to keep time and meet me on time, or at least within 5 minutes of the time set, then I won't bother to meet you.

I know I'm starting to get over sensitive too but it's difficult trying to not let it get to me.
I really am turning into a bridezilla.
In 3 months, I'm going to look back on all of this and think how silly I was to get worked up over nothing.

Stomach flu

Been stuck at home with the stomach flu for the past 3 days :(
It's been really boring but I've tried to be useful researching on stuff like washing machines, vacuums, fridges and other appliances.
Haven't been able to keep my food down much but it seems to be getting better!
It's almost the end of april!
Time to buck up and get things done!

We are going to look at our wedding album layout next Wednesday :)
Then we will go shopping for furniture and appliances over the next few weekends.
It's truly a phase in life when we cross a whole lot of milestones all at once.
So excited for the next few months.
And next month I'll finally be a teensy bit less busy with work so I can hopefully catch up with more friends!!
Looking forward to May! :)

Homeowners

Q and I are officially homeowners!!
We got our keys at approximately 4pm this afternoon!
And we went down like eager beavers to measure and inspect every thing to plan our month of renovations..
SO many things to do in the next few weeks!!
But so so so exciting!!
We have crossed yet another milestone together :)
and it's a very teensy bit less than 3 months to the big day!
So excited now for the day the renovations are done and I can start my cleaning frenzy and getting everything in perfect place.
WHEEEE!
It's been a really exciting 4 months and it's going to get even more exciting!! :)

It's too late for an engagement party.. isn't it?

pffft.

Friday the 13th

I am not superstitious but Friday the 13th just gives awful situations a reason to happen.

Woke up this morning to an email that made me really sad.

It is just very sad to see people in my field of work start doing it just for the money.

I am not naive to think that we all don't need money or we all don't want to some day make it big.

But when your job has a greater purpose, it becomes very selfish to only think of yourself and your pocket.

When you focus on your earnings, it becomes very easy and almost inevitable that you lose your 'therapy mojo' as I call it.

I think we already make a comfortable amount that we have the freedom to give in some instances.

But now I see people start counting the pennies and try to squeeze something out from every corner they can, and forget about the greater purpose of giving this children a fighting chance in today's world and society.

I feel really sad to have to write off another therapist friend because friends and co-workers in this field is very hard to come by :(

Great start to Friday the 13th huh?

Jiam Jiam

I learnt a new word from Q today: jiam jiam.

It means sharp/pokey.

hahahaha..

I laughed really hard when he said it because even though I have never heard the word before, the sound of it pretty much explains what it means.

I don't know how it does it though..

It just sounds like what sharp/pokey would sound like..

Q and I are 10 days away from getting the keys to our home.

Things have been really busy lately.

Q has been pretty much drowning in work and I have been busy training and working at the same time on top of planning for the wedding and doing my course for a Certificate in Autism.

I'm glad everything is more or less settled.

We are eagerly waiting for May, when everything will be a little less busy..

And we can legitimately shop for furniture.

We do enjoy pretending to be potential customers in furniture shops though ;)

We are also only a little over 3 months away from our wedding.

THAT I cannot believe.

I am about to begin my transformation into Bridezilla.

Muahahahahahaha... I mean... ROOOOOAAARRRR.

I can't believe it's April so soon!!

Time really does fly.

It is already the FOURTH month of the year..

It feels like christmas just happened last week...

Things are going to get busier from today.

But I am looking forward to the many changes that are to come in the coming months! :)

I am also looking forward to the time I have more time on my hands to meet up with friends I miss so much!

And looking forward to having some time to bake again.

And time to actually blog regularly again.. :P

25

I can't believe it's almost the end of March ALREADY.

It feels like time is passing so quickly, but then it also feels like time is going too slowly.

I'm fickle like that.

We are 4 months away from the big day and everything is slowly coming together.

It's kind of scary to think that in 4 months life is going to be so super different from now.

But I'm excited :)

On Monday, Q and I went to look at our photos from the photoshoot.

The photographer took 300 photos from which we were suppose to choose only 34 shots.

That made us REALLY ANXIOUS.

We thought we were so going to be one of those couples who ended up paying a whole lot for more photos,

BUT by God's grace, we kept to the 34!

Let's just say the photographer didn't do THAT good a job.

Which actually is a blessing in this situation!

I enjoyed the entire process of choosing the photos because Q and I were laughing so hard at how unglam we looked in some of the shots.

The bridal studio stared at us like we were crazy but only because they were jealous that they didn't get the joke ;)

And because we are crazy, we even chose to include some of them in our album..

So you who see them will get to share some of our laughter :D

I haven't been blogging regularly because if I do, it'll just be another post complaining about how much I have on my plate.

Starting next week I have to put in an extra 18-20 hours of work per week for the next month.

NOT looking forward to that.

Just going to have to load up on vitamins and water to keep my body strong.

Although I already have been hit with the flu since last friday :(

ONE MONTH OF CRAZY.

With God's help, it is possible!

on a brighter note:

I am looking forward to finally getting the keys to our new home.

5 more weeks! :)

Photoshoot

Yesterday, Q and I went for our photoshoot.

We thought it would be fun the entire way but it actually is more tiring than anything.

We got to Upper Thomson at 9am for some breakfast then headed to the studio for hair and makeup.

Then it was photoshooting + more hair and makeup till 8 plus at night.

We didn't even have time to eat a proper lunch..

just a small bun to help sustain us a little more.

Toward the end, I was really happy it was too dark to really see any of our faces.

But we were really thankful that God blessed us with really good weather!

If not we would have to reschedule and retake everything!

At the end of the day, the only thing on my mind was a good scrub and shower and some food.

I have never worn so much make up ever in my entire life and I've never had this much hair spray either.

My hair was just a huge tangled mess and I had to load it with conditioner and slowly detangle it.

But in all, it was really awesome because I got to wear my wedding dress while Q was in a nice suit and it felt really close to the real thing :)

Now for a sneak preview ;)

Just 4.5 more months to the real thing!

Errands day

Today was entirely spent running errands for our new life together.

We woke up bright and early even though it was suppose to be our off day,

and even though it was raining soooo nicely outside (boohoo),

and fought the rush hour traffic + jam caused by spoilt traffic light + the heavy rain,

and got to the HDB Hub at 9 ON THE DOT (seriously) just in time for our first appointment.

That began our entire day of running around, signing papers, and slapping of our foreheads for forgetting things or printing out the wrong sheet of paper.

We are now experts in what NOT to do when buying a resale flat.

After that, it was off to the lawyers.

We decided to be thrifty and take public transport,

but being the super clever girl I am, I didn't bring my EZ link card.

And so I had to queue up behind a whole horde of Japanese tourists to buy my single trip ticket :(

But I am really thankful that the weather cleared up by the time we left the HDB Hub so we could walk to our lawyer's office without much of a hassle :)

Q hates lawyers now because our lawyer made the mistake of calling me 'Amanda'.

He even wrote it down on his checklist as 'Amanda'.

We actually planned to get everything done by 2pm so that we had time to enjoy our day off.

but we weren't done with it all till 4 plus :(

So our plans were kinda thwarted.

Today was much much MUCH more tiring than a full day at work.

But I'm really happy to have had the entire day with Q :)

Despite the many glitches in our entire day,

I'm quite content.

I'm still a bit overwhelmed by the seriousness of the things we completed today.

I sometimes still cannot believe that we are moving into our next phase of life together :)

I'm currently really excited,

because today it seems like my company is finally heading in the right direction..

but it's still too early for any celebration.

We have been here before and we had to take a few steps back.

So I'm praying really hard that this time, it's full steam ahead.

It's going to be a really hectic half a year,

but it's not like I didn't expect it to be.

WHEEE! :)

The wedding + house + coursework + work thing is starting to get to me.

Within the course of 6 days, I would have to deal ALL of them.

Sunday: wedding errands + meeting with the florist

Monday: HDB first appointment + meet with lawyers to settle bank loan stuff

Tuesday: Work

Wednesday: Work + meet with photographer

Thursday: Work + more errands

Friday: TEST for my certificate in Autism.

I know we still have about 5 months..

But I never do things at the last minute.

And anyway, I'm a little addicted to being busy :)

I'm not complaining! Life IS exciting :)

24

It's 5 more months to the big day.

I have chosen my dress but I keep falling in love with a whole lot of other dresses that are unlike the dress I chose.

It's really good I'm renting from a shop and that my choices are limited because if I could have any dress in the world, I might end up like Kim K and buy multiple dresses and have 10 changes within the 2 hour ceremony and reception.

Gown by Marchesa

By Rachel Gilbert

By Rachel Gilbert

Best fiancé ever :)

I don't know how to describe the past week.

A TON of heart breaking moments.

Even Valentine's day was somewhat spoiled.

A lot of tears, frustration and pain.

But also a lot of hugs, leaps in trust and faith and love.

But after everything, I have come to a conclusion.

I have the best fiancé ever.

He wins hands down.

And he will win the best husband ever prize in 5 months.

Not because he did something fantastic for Vday.

For the record, we went to watch a bollywood movie (no surprise there).

There was only one other Chinese guy there.

Every one else was Indian.

It wasn't anything special.. but it was very us :)

Which was actually quite nice :)

Anyway, he wins because he has been nothing but supportive, reassuring and loving throughout this terribly frustrating period.

Everything has gone downhill EXCEPT my faith in us as a couple and in him as a husband.

The biggest winning point has to be that he is NOTHING like my dad.

You know how they always say you always marry someone like your dad and their similar habits will annoy you to no end?

I don't know if this means he was meant for someone else.

If he was, I'm sorry but you must already have a really awesome father.

So it's only fair that I steal him for FOREVER ;P

My dream wedding...

Only has about 50 guests.

The weather is 23 deg.

I can have tulips in my bouquet because the weather isn't too hot or humid.

I can walk down the 'aisle' barefoot because it's just going to be soft grass.

No one tells me I need to have a wedding dinner.

We have a nice sit down reception in the middle of a huge field filled with daisies.

Everyone gets an awesome goodie bag at the end of the whole event.

But it sure is a distant dream :(

Boutonnieres

One of the things I think about a lot is the Boutonniere.

I think that people concentrate a bit too much on the bridal bouquet and forget to look at the groom's flowers.

I found a few that I really really like:

(via 100 layer cake)

This is my favourite because it looks like a miniature version of what could be the bridal bouquet.

And almost anything miniature wins instantly.

How they even managed to find roses that size baffles me.

(via stylemepretty)

And then there are the succulents that make that boutonniere a little more unique.

(via greenweddingshoes)

And another example of a very cute succulent boutonniere with the little yellow balls that I absolutely adore.

Of course there is the option of going without so that you have one less thing to think about..

but I would rather the groom have some flowers.

It'll make him look a bit more posh and in the spirit of a wedding ;)

edible bouquets.

I used to tell Q that when we got married I wouldn't want flowers in my bouquet.

I would much rather prefer to have something edible.

But when the real planning came along, it was thrown out because the bridal shop was providing one for me anyway.

But today while browsing blogs, I came across this:

via austinweddingblog

Now I feel like I want an edible bouquet again :P

I've been really moody lately.

Unlike the usual PMS, I've been extremely explosive and sensitive :(

Thank God Q is ultra patient, because I really have been irritable.

Today was just a whole combination of feeling very uncomfortable, horrible horrible drivers and bad things happening one after another.

Allowing myself lose my temper just made it worse because I became upset that I allowed myself to be upset.

Tomorrow, I will be more controlled.

And I will give Q a huge hug for taking everything that I threw at him.

Tomorrow will be better.

I want.

via 100 layer cake

the CIA

Just had my very first session for this new course I am taking in an effort to upgrade my skills.
It's called Certificate in Autism or CIA for short.
SO COOL RIGHT.
I'm in the CIA. hahaha..
It's been very interesting and I have a whole bunch of things I can't wait to try out.
But it'll have to wait till next week..
It's kind of fun to be back at 'school' and yet a little scary.
With all the assessments and assignments think about again, this time on top of work stress..
AND the upcoming nuptials and all..
I hope I won't break down half way through.
It's been quite a day.

23

When people say they are going to attend a marriage preparation course, we usually think: WOAH! They are taking such a HUGE step.
But in my opinion, couples shouldn't wait till they are actually going to get married to go for it.
Things we learnt in the marriage preparation course has helped Q and I get through so many situations I am so very thankful we went for it earlier, giving ourselves enough time to digest and practice what we learnt before taking the next step of getting engaged and preparing for the wedding.
Of course, it was good also because we had really good mentors and everyone there was very ready to share and ask real questions and participate actively.
I remember looking forward to each session where Q and I learnt more about each other and about how to relate better with one another.
It was excellent quality time :)
Looking back, the course prepared us for many situations that are actually happening now.
And I thank God every single day for Q (even when I get upset at him), because he has stepped up time and time again to show me that he means it when he says 'I have your back.'
6 more months till we begin our journey toward being a cute old married couple :)

weird thoughts.

When we think about getting married, we think about flowers, catering. the church, the people...
THE GROOM.
But the one thing that I think about most of the time is what happens when we really need to pee...
or worse, do the big one?
Where does all the skirt go in the tiny cubicle?
I think I might need to wear a diaper.

185

The self inflicted busyness seems to have attacked my health.
I stayed home yesterday due to the flu and I'm taking half of today too because I woke up with a huge headache, a really scratchy throat and a spinning room.

I was just thinking back on the wedding arrangements so far,
and I have to say that even within the first month, a lot of things I envisioned will not be possible.
Partially because parents (both mine and Q's) can be very finicky about some things.
Like my mom insists there is a need for a traditional invite with the chinese words even though she only needs 9 chinese invites.
And WHY does everyone shake their head in disapproval when I tell them I am wearing flip flops when I walk down the aisle?
WHY?
The skirt is so long anyway, so you wont be able to see whatever is underneath.
So I believe in wearing something I feel comfortable walking in,
and something I can use over and over again after the wedding.

It might just be my pounding head that is causing me to be so grumpy.
But I still have 6 months to push for things so I'm going to try my best.
185 days to go.

Dresses

Deciding on dresses must be the most tiring part of wedding preparation:
For the bride and even more so for the groom.
I had 6 outfits to choose and must have tried on almost 30 dresses in 2 hours.
But the best part was that Q was super patient throughout the entire ordeal.
When it came to his turn, he took nothing more than 5 minutes to try on a blazer for size.
According to the bridal studio, he doesn't get to choose his suit.
The photographer will choose for him, based on the dresses I chose :(

With the huge variety of shapes and designs, it really is hard to choose.
It didn't help that my usual get up is a plain black tank top and shorts.
So I really had no idea what fit my body shape and what didn't
And having an idea of what you want doesn't necessarily mean you'll be able to find it.
But thank God I had a really helpful girl helping me with the choosing and that Q was incredibly patient and awesome :)

Something blue? or pink? or maybe green?

Deciding on a colour palette for your wedding has got to be the hardest thing ever.
I love navy blue and am quite adamant about having it in the palette.
I wanted fuchsia gerberas too because they were such a pretty pop of colour.
which made the navy blue and fuchsia combi my very first choice.
BUT now I feel like I'm walking down a whole different path.
I thought I had it down pat then I met the florist.
Then came a whole flood of fantastic and amazing ideas
Which kind of washed my colour palette away
So now I'm back to being very clueless.
SOOO confusing.

THIS for example, is SUCH a pretty sight even though I've never been a pink kinda girl.

(via theperfectpalette)

And.....

(via theperfectpalette)

grey and pink go SO well together.
But I still am not a very pink kind of girl.
I do need to decide soon though!!

Mr Right.

I'm about 6.5 months to my wedding and planning is already overwhelming me a little.
I am feeling the pressure of having to make decisions even though we have absolutely no experience in any of this.
So many things are already not going as planned,
even some things we thought were settled are suddenly unsettling themselves and causing some worry.
I'm just really grateful for Q.
When all our plans started to fall apart, he stepped in supportive and calm and comforting.
And now even if we settle for just an ROM ceremony, I will be happy as long as I marry Q :)

Beautiful Bouquets

(via greenweddingshoes)

I always tell Q NEVER to give me flowers.
Flowers to me are a waste of money because they die so quickly and I have no idea what to do with them when they start shriveling up or their petals start to droop.
But now, I am in love with flowers.
I still don't want Q to ever buy me any, but they are just really really pretty to look at.
And I think it takes a whole lot of skill to pull together a really nice bouquet.

(via Marthastewartweddings)

Paperwork it!

This getting married thing is no joke.
Q and I have been swimming in quite a lot of paperwork lately.
And we have been making very grownup decisions and having to pickup and learn about a whole lot of things in a very short time.
But I am very very thankful that the Lord has been very gracious to us.
We have had a whole lot of help from agents and bank sellers and family and all which has made the whole process much easier to bear.
I have a feeling this whole paperwork thing we all go through is why our moms remember our dads' IC numbers and all.
It's been a really wild ride with getting my accounts in order because I have been so lazy the past year :(
Also thank God for the reduced work load with two of my kids cancelling for the week..
It has given me more time and energy which I really need to see all this through.
If I had a normal work week, I wouldn't be able to stay up so late to get things done and I would be worrying so much about it while I try to sleep.
God's timing is always awesome :D

I kind of wish I daydreamed about my wedding more.
Then I would know exactly what I wanted.
Now, it's just too many choices to make at once.
EVERYTHING looks awesome.
Even flower bouquets which I once thought I would do without.
I had to be insane.

Hello, 2012

Entering the new year as a bride-to-be,
and having a little under 7 months to plan my wedding,
Wedding blogs and magazines will be my main literature for the first half of the year.
So I decided (with the encouragement of Q) that I will re-blog about some of the interesting and beautiful finds I get from all my reading :)

So, starting off this phase of blogging are Sugar Cookie Wedding Cakes!
As I have a teeny passion for baking, these gorgeous cookies strike a very full and beautiful chord in my heart.

If only I had enough time and patience, I would definitely try my hands at these and make them part of my reception.