Happy Birthday Mum
This evening, we celebrated my mum's birthday and I really want to thank Eve for planning the steamboat so well.
Our version of the soup base consists of corn, radish, red dates and soy beans. Yes, we didn't have any meat for the soup base and it's really sweet! And I didn't like those with pork bones as soup base as it gives the oily feeling at my throat. Also, for the ingredients, Eve went to marketing early in the morning. So happy :). Really proud of her to come out with the grocery list too.
This is the grocery list that Eve wrote early in the morning. I'm really so thankful to see the amount of planning she has made. From the soup base, to the ingredients, and also to the healthy beverage that we made for our guests for today!
We prepared toufu, fish balls, sea cucumber, sotong, sea prawns, yam, tempeh, mushrooms, tang-oh and xiao bai cai. I'm really glad that my children enjoyed this steamboat so much!
This really reminded me of Chinese New Year's reunion dinner, just that now, the ingredients bought are much cheaper as the market tends to increase the food price at the festive season. Organizing at our place is much better as compared to eating out because firstly, it's much healthier. Secondly, the whole space is ours and we can take our own sweet time to complete and finish our meals.
Birthday cake time! And my children both love it! They excitedly prepared the candles for their grandmother. And Kate eagerly held onto my mum's hand and cut the cake together. Proud of my children! Oh yes, is this table nice? We actually bought it at Muji and it's really made of great quality wood. Easy to clean and it's an extendable table too.
There's always something magical with birthday cakes and children. And after we sang the birthday song, Josh, Kate and my mum blew the candle together! Don't ask me how come I am the only one looking at the camera. Ha.
Simply love this reunion dinner and birthday celebration. Not only it is a healthy steamboat affair, all of us are very happy! Happiness is definitely priceless when you see the happy faces. Of course, after the steamboat, there is so much washing and cleaning up to do. I actually enjoy washing the dishes and find it's a form of relaxation for myself. So during the washing time, there is mingling between my parents and my aunties and my grandchildren.
Grandparents and grandchildren. When I look at this photo, it made me realize that it's such a wonderful feeling to be grandparents when we are old. Of course, I will be excited to be a grandfather! It's an early statement, but I honestly feel we must love our children with all our hearts!
Gwen and my father. It's really amazing to know that I have three children everyday! And managing and nurturing them is part of our lives. Gwen's looking comfortable there too.
Josh loves cakes and my mum fed Kate the cake. I'm glad that my mum didn't eat much of the cake because it is actually not healthy. It's a once a year event hence it's ok for my children to have the sweet treat too.
Happy smile from the birthday girl. One fact is my mother's birthday is always one week before mine! Hence, coming next week, I will be the birthday boy! :)
Happy 64th birthday to my mum! :) and want to thank my father in law for taking pictures for us! So happy!
