Morning came and Bee shot me an accusing look.  The look of "you're working today aren't you?".  She dislike me going to work.  She would say to me every morning "I love your so much.  Can you stay home with me ?  You stay home now ?".  I told her I have to go to work, to pay for our home, to help people, and so that we can do all the things she likes.  Like clock work, she would say "But I don't want you to.  I want you to stay home with me.  But I love you so much".

Before being a mom, I heard of other mothers telling me how hard it was for them to go to work.  I never fully understood it until recent of late.  Until Bee tells me how much she loves me to stay home with her.  I feel guilty working (not too much, but a bit, and that bit is enough to cause an ache my heart).

So, today, since I have some payroll info. to complete, I decided to take Bee to work with me.  She was so so so happy.  I can see her eyes light up.  She asked me again "I'm coming to work with you ?".  She then snuggled up next to me and whispered "I love you mommy.  You're my best friend" and we just lay there like that for a while, holding on to each other.  It's not out of the norm.  We do that every day.  It's our every morning routine.  She would get out of her bed (located beside our bed) and crawl into ours and ask me "Can you hold me mommy?".  And we would cuddle like for as long as we can until Love wake up and budge in to break us a part.  And even then I hold Love on one side while still holding Bee on the other.   

Bee likes the sky train ride to work.  She asked A LOT of questions (why no one drive the train, how the doors open and close, etc).  I like her inquiring mind.  She's on a good path.

It was nice showing Bee around and watching her shyly telling my colleagues that she's 4.  Once we did our greetings round, I sat her down in my office, gave her some paper and sharpies to draw with and commenced on the work I didn't get to the day before.  She drew me many pictures and we posted them up.  She was proud of her art work as was I.

 

After my work, we went out for Bon (cinnamon bun > we call it Bon :)  followed with a trip to the eye doctor for me, some play time at the mall's water fountain and pennies throwing, and then grocery !  She was such a good sport !  We had so much fun.  She did fell asleep for a bit on the bus home but managed to wake up when we reached our stop !  I told her I can't carry her because I got heavy bags.  She told me her eyes are tired, they're sleepy, but she will try to walk home.  Walk home with me she did. 

Later that day she pulled me close to her and said to me "I love you so much.  Look, I love you this much..." and she stretched out her arms as far back as she could.  Her eyes tell me that her heart is full of love for me and she wanted me to know that.  I know.  I can feel so much love with my heart.

Words cannot express the love and joy my two girls bought me.  Their presence in my life let me have a glimpse of the love my Jesus have for me.  We each are so deeply loved. 

My daughter loves tea party !  I was never a tea party kind of gal (first one was last summer > impromptu garden party) but with my daughter insisting on having a tea party whenever she spotted our tea pot, I decided to throw her not only one but two tea parties over this past long weekend !  It's time consuming to cook, set up and clean up.  But I must say, sipping milk tea and eating a bit of everything is kind of fun and delightful !  My girl knows how to enjoy life.

I got my hubby and baby to join in too and they seems to enjoy it !  Hubby complained the small china cup is too small to hold his coffee though !!! Oh yeah, so to be exact, I'm the only one that had tea !  my daughter had milk in her tea cup and hubby had coffee :)

On Friday, our tea party consisted of thin pan cakes, blueberry muffins (recipe here), finger sandwiches (coco hazelnut butter), and fresh fruits (Bee's favorite > pears and oranges).

On Saturday we had a rather Asian themed tea party, just Bee & I this time around !  hubby and baby Love slept in !  We had some left over muffins from the day before (no way I'm baking a fresh batch back to back !), poached egg, sticky rice balls (Bee's favorite > some with seaweeds and some with grounded sesame seeds), apple slices, and seaweed strips (I don't like them so much but my 2 kids loves loves them).  Oh and yes, those are gummies bears on the tray !!!  Bee asked me to give her 5 bears so that when she finished her breakfast she can eat candies for dessert :)

If you know me at all, once I get into something I get kinda obsessed with it.  So since the beginning of summer til now, I've acquired 5 tea pots, 4 serving plates and a few cream/sugar bowls.  I don't think I need any tea pots, I need more cups !  I have about 8 mismatched set of teacups right now.  How many do I need ?  I don't know...maybe a few more :)  so I can host a tea party for friends !  and we'll wear pretty floral dresses and fancy hats ... it'll be fun !

One of my go-to table top accessories is a pot of plant !  greenery never go out of style in our house.  Twice a year I like to change it my table top for different feel and look.  Right now is a lot of wood on wood and while it's pleasing to the eyes, I like to add some color into the mix, just to jazz it up a bit !  Below are some beautifully styled tables that I looked through for inspiration.  Enjoy !

As I ponder about my week, thinking of all the people I've crossed path with, I've come to the conclusion (again) that we human are so wonderfully made.  We're complicated, simple, strange, unique, tough and fragile.  There's no replica of any of us.  Complex species we are !

People never fail to surprise me of what they're capable of.  The people whom I don't think much of (simply because I don't know them well) most always have some amazing stories to share.  I'm glad I've taken time to get to know them.  That's what I've been doing a lot lately, getting to know people, not just small talks, but ask them questions that allow me to have an idea of who they are and what mattered to them.  I'm trying not to waste my words, but make the best use of them in whatever frame of time I spent with people.  It's been an eye opening journey.

What I learned so far ?  human are capable of many of things, good and bad.  One can never say never and that anything is possible.  And as a Christian, the idea that I'm capable of anything not only makes me all the more humble knowing that I'm was wonderfully made, but it also makes me feel I need to cling more closer to my Lord because I can easily slip if I don't hold tight onto Him.  We are NOT immune to everything. 

I thought I was immune to cheesecake (I have a strong dislike for cheese & sugar > such strange concept) until I tried it.  Now it's all I think about most days.  Strawberry cheesecake.  Such a delightful combination, sweet, rich, creamy, tart...yumo !

I love rummaging through junk (hoping to find treasure :)  If time permits, I would be hitting garage sale, yard sale, estate sale, moving sale, multi families garage sale, flea market, church thrift sale, second hand stores, and any other kind of old used items sale on the weekend !

 

 

I like them old things.  Simply because they reminded me of the past.  They hold so many memories (or not, if they were in storage most of their life, but I like to think they were well used and loved).  Many reminded me of my childhood.  Especially those 4 wheels roller skate. 

Every time I see them, they would transport me back to the first time I learnt to skate.  It was a late 80s' early summer morning.  My mom was sitting on the porch, my grandma was in the kitchen, and I was out side in the garden.  I was wearing a hand-me-down white button up dress with tiny green, yellow and red bouquets of flowers.  I was sitting on the garden's paved walk way, soaking in the sun, breathing in the smell of the fresh cut lawn and getting ready to take my first step on the skate.  I stood up fell flat down !  I don't know why I remember that day so vividly.  Perhaps it was a very good day.  Perhaps because it was my first experience of the west (roller skating)  during my first week in Canada.  I was finally united with my grandma and all my aunts.  I miss my grandma and my aunt Sarah very much.  I wish I can talk to them again, hug them again.  Memories of those who passed on are sweet and painful altogether.

 

So back to vintage stuff !!!  Used, old, items are the things of the past.  They age with time so they're bound to smell a little funky !  Do you notice that ?  or is this just us ?  My husband's sensitive nose can't handle the musty smell.  5 min. in a store and he feels the overwhelming need to rush outside for fresh air.  For him, antique or vintage shop conjures up images of old dead people, corpse to be exact.  Needless to say, he doesn't enjoy this kind of outing very much.  Also because I spend an unreasonably long amount of time (his words) in each of this store.  My husband doesn't understand that I need time to dig through these mountains of stuff.  That's what fun about it !  And I need time to think, to reminisce, to smile at the thought of the life it lived !  ah...look at that vhs player ?  oh and the hand crank egg beater, rotary phone...old times, good times.

 

Here are some pictures of my recent visit to Waterfront Antique Market and Auction in Lynnwood, WA, USA.   Each vendor decorated their own stall and set their own price.  It was very neat, clean and interesting.  You dig and pick out what you want then bring it up to the cash register to pay.  You can't haggle because the vendors aren't there.  Some are cheaper than others so you have to check out each stall.  I wish we have something like this here in BC. 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And so begins my love for all things Royal Albert ! My eyes are loving all the flowers and dots. Wow, are these prints ever beautiful. I've been admiring them on google images and my fellow craigslist's sellers' pictures. I want to buy them. I want to covet them, I do I do I do. However, what do one do once they get them ? they're simply too nice to eat or drink from ! they're nice to look at that's for sure. They make me smile. Ah, pretty dainty little things !

Hubby, Bee and I joined Alpha and we love every bit of it.  We love meeting new people, getting to know them, learning about them, and sharing Christ to them.  We met people from all walks of life, from different life stages, young and old, and they are such a delightful group.  I'm there as a co-host but I feel like I'm the one being transformed week by week.  I've re-discovered my love for God's Words, of His promises.  C & I look forward to the class each week and we feel so renewed after each class.  It's pretty awesome.

Yesterday I volunteered to take the table cloths home for wash.  It's nothing really.  But there's something warm about it.  Like I'm home.  And it's a nice feeling.  We found a home church.

I think we will be ok here.