Richard moving in...

Richard had asked my parents for permission to move in with me shortly after he proposed and just before we headed off to Mexico for "Our First Vacation" together. My dad had said yes, Richard can move in. I was a bit shocked since they were quite adamant before about not allowing any boyfriend to move in, even though my brother had a girlfriend living with us for a while. Guess Richard was different...he's a fiance and not a boyfriend.

Anyways, upon returning from Mexico, we discovered that my parents, with the assistance of my brother, had moved all my stuff & the stuff Richard had at my place, out of the mini suite downstairs, in the front of the house, upstairs into the master bedroom. When mom told us this, we stared at each other and gave us the "oh?" look.

Richard and I were discussing with each other and with Kevin already about Kevin moving back into the mini suite, which use to belong to him, and Richard and I would move in the the private suite downstairs in the back. We didn't want to displace my parents from their place in the house and it's weird to have them not living in the main area of the house.

Mom said it's okay. Dad had been wanting to move downstairs. Since they've been downstairs for the last little while, they have enjoyed it and are happy. So they will be remaining downstairs in the mini suite.

The first night was strange. I couldn't really sleep because it was my parents' bedroom, not mine. Richard felt the same way. The feeling went away....

---------

Richard started moving his stuff in immediately.

First thing we did was pack up everything that was in my old little bedroom upstairs. Richard is converting it into a TV/gaming room.

Everything was pretty much packed up in boxes and bags and piled up in the living room, some in the mini suite downstairs, some in Kevin's living room...

The first few days was hard. I was quite upset. Everything was all boxed up, bagged up and all over the place. I use to have multiple rooms to myself, but now one was being coverted into Richard's TV/gaming room. My personal space was now being shared with Richard. I felt a little closed in...

After a few weeks, things started settling down and I started getting use to having Richard living together with me...

The garage has been stripped and new shelving, storage space and work table has been made by Richard.
We dumped so many things that was stored in the garage.
SOOOO many things.

The living room has a new couch...the old one was damaged and wasn't big enough really for guests.
The little TV/gaming room is set up with the new 42" TV, a couch and my bookshelves.
My office has been cleaned up and there's a crafts table there now.
The bedroom...nothing much else to do since it was set up but to add a dresser for Richard. Sasha has her otehr bed set up there now. The other bed use to be dominated by Coffee and Sasha, since Coffee passed away, hasn't been willing to really use the old bed.

We are still moving things, packing things and storing things away...
We have another 2 weeks to get things settled before the family starts to arrive for February...

Engagement Photos @ Whytecliffe Park - Merry Christmas

We're engaged!

Here are our first engagement photos at Whytecliffe Park, West Vancouver, BC with our dogs Coffee and Sasha!

Our First Vacation Together

For our first vacation together, to celebrate my 30th birthday and to celebrate our engagement, we decided to go to Mexico. Days before departing for Mexico, yes days, Richard and I booked our vacation. We ended up booking the Riu Yucatan Resort in Playa del Carmen, which was located just south of Cancun. We ended up getting our vacation package for 50% off for booking last minute. Talk about lucky!!!

Richard and I had to be at the airport dark and early Saturday morning, after partying the night before for my birthday party. It was hard! I only had an hour nap before we were up and out the door. I used that extra couple of hours after partying and before napping to do some last minute packing. Richard and I decided to travel light and I was trying to be VERY good about not packing too much!

When we go to the airport, check-in was a breeze! We found a nice poorly lit area and Richard crashed for another nap as we waited for our flight. I forgot to take a photo of Richard sprawled across the seats. He drank a lot of wine the night before at Salt...hehehe

Flight was not impressive. The seats were old. There were no individual tv consoles. The only good thing about the flight was that we were near the back and we had all 3 seats to ourselves to stretch out. We were tired, but we just couldn't sleep for any serious length of time on the plane. At least they fed us 2 warm meals, though I can't remember what it was anymore. So at least I know it wasn't bad, even if it's not impressively good. Richard managed to nap!

It was warm when we arrived at the Cancun Airport. Richard was happy it was warm! For me, I wanted it hotter! Since we didn't check our luggage, we headed straight out, ignoring the solicitators, and headed directly to our SunWing Travel group who had arranged for us to be bussed to our resort. Everything was so familiar to me, since I was there just a few years before, except last time we got suckered in by the solicitators for a while. I fell asleep once the bus was on its way to our resort, we were the second last stop, so there was time to nap.

Upon arriving at Riu Yucatan, we were greeted with roses for the ladies and drinks for all. I fell in love with the Coco Cabana drink they served us! Yummie!

Our room was nice and cold. There was a bunny already there to greet us, as we checked out the room.

The mini bar was loaded with all the drinks we'd need for our week there. Too bad that they were a Pepsi resort :( But that is easily corrected...

After a quick glance around the room, we headed straight to the Hacienda Buffet and started pigging out. After being stuffed, we took a stroll around the resort and down to the beach, before heading back to our room to crash. We had to get up early the next morning for an orientation with SunWings.

First morning was hard, we were still very tired from yesterday and probably from Friday too. We took a quick morning stroll to check out what might be available for breakfast, but ran out of time and headed to the orientation area. They gave us more drinks and reminded us that the remedy to everything is a shot of tequilla. And when a shot of Tequilla didn't work, another shot helps!

After the morning orientation and breakfast at Las Margarieta off to the beach we went...though Richard did have a run in with Iggy. Iggy wanted a drink and Richard had one in his hand!

The water was refreshing. The beach was gorgeous fine sand! We spent the rest of our first day and the next couple of days on the beach. Though we did sneak out to Playa del Carmen 5th Avenue to window shop. It was a funny experience. So many pushy vendors who wanted you to come in and check out their wares with an offer of a good deal to "honeymooners", "Canadians", etc.

We did leave the resort and the beach for tourist stuff. We lucked out and got an awesome tour bus and scored the seats with tables!

We ended up going to Chichen Itza, Yucatan, to see the Temple of Kukulkan.

Richard was a smart ass, trouble maker, during the tour, and our tour guide suggested that we sacrafice him. What an interesting idea...hehehe See! That's what happens when you try to climb the temple!!!

The Temple of Kukulkan was amazing! Our tour guide was great. He was so great, that when he offered to tour us further on to the Observatory for another 30 minutes, everyone stayed with him.

After touring around Chichen Itza, we headed to lunch then to a cenote for some swimming. When we purchased the tour package, we were not informed that we would be going swimming, so we were not prepared. Richard and I scrambled around every place that we stopped at to try to pick up a pair of swim trunks for him and I. At lunch, we managed to find a little shop that had swim trunks for both of us! The only problem, we were a little short on cash. Richard made me leave most of my money back in the hotel safe so that we wouldn't spend too much. Luckily, the couple sitting with us on the bus, who would be going home on the same flight with with spotted us a few US$s.

Swimming in the cenote was an awesome experience! loved it! Even though we had to wear these funky green swim trunks...hehehe

The next day, we decided to go parasailing on the resort. Richard really wanted to go parasailing! I wasn't too keen on it seeing how I have a fear of heights. I squee'd and eek'd all the way to the boat and as we launched off the boat. But in the end it was sooo worth it and not so scary at all!

The feeling was amazing because it felt as though you were floating in a swing (the harness was like a swing seat).

We spent the rest of the week on the resort enjoying the beach and ocean. We did sneak off to 5th Avenue in Playa del Carmen to catch a Canucks game and Richard snuck off to the Lobby of the Resort to stream the other Canucks games that we were missing. Oh and we did take a boat ride south to go snorkling for the afternoon.

Did I mention during the time on the beach, we also attempted to catch fish? There were these white fishes that swam around us while we were playing in the water! It was a bit freaky because they kept swimming right up to you!



Mexico was a great trip. We didn't want to have to leave. Till our next trip together!!!

BTW...Richard and I survived a vacation trip together...hehehe

The Proposal

Richard and I, from the start, did everything out of order and not traditionally either...

We had already decided to get married in August 2010.

Apparently, in the middle of the night during the late summer of 2010, I might have also accidentally asked Richard to marry me and he said yes. We had booked the restaurant of our choice in September 2010, Sun Sui Wah on Main Street in Vancouver, British Columbia.



I kind of already knew how my engagement ring was going to look like because Richard had asked me for my opinion and ring preferences. My preference was a Birk's Amorique Engagement Ring. The ring had a cushion cut diamond (similar to a princess cut) and a V (heart) setting. Richard customized my engagement ring using that as a base of the design.



Richard went to Kobe Pearl International, located on West Boulevard (off 41st Avenue) in Kerrisdale, Vancouver, British Columbia, to get my engagement ring made. The jewellery store belong to a long time family friend of my mother. It took a while for Richard to design my engagement ring to suit his taste. He had a lot to consider: the diamond cut, colour, clarity and carats; the setting, the band style and even the band material. He ended up choosing a princess cut E | VVS1 | >1K diamond mounted on a v-setting on a 19K white gold band.

I knew when Richard picked-up the engagement ring, though he would not confirm or deny it when I confronted him. My mother, she can't keep a secret very well, and I managed to trick her into admitting that he did pick it up. Richard wasn't that good at keeping a secret either. I tricked him into admitting it too. It wasn't such a big surprise anyways because he flashed the picture of the engagement ring at me a few times since he picked up the engagement ring. What a meanie! What a tease!

To bug Richard, I kept telling him to "just give me the damn rock"! It bugged him a lot! He said NO! He said he was going to prorpose anytime between now and June next year. Though I already had a feeling it will be before my 30th birthday, since he did ask when I had wanted to be proposed to and I had said since I can't be married before my 30th birthday, being proposed to before my 30th birthday is a great alternative. He denied it, said there's really no rush and can wait till next summer!

Around the time that Richard picked up the engagement ring, he had already made me save in my calendar a few events that we would be attending. Two (2) of those events were a Stephen Hackett party. One early in November for Stephen's birthday and one a weekend later on Bowen Island. I didn't think anything of it, since we've been spending a lot of time with Richard's friends on Bowen Island.

The week of the proposal, I had asked Richard if the party was still happening that weekend because Stephen went to Mexico with his family that week and I didn't think he'd be able to organize a party since he arrives either the day before or the day of the party. Let's admit it, I assumed Stephen would be enjoying tequilla every day on the beach! I suggested that I should call / email Marion Kehoe, Stephen's girlfriend, to see if I can lend her a hand, seeing she's probably organizing everything while Stephen was in Mexico. Richard told me not to worry about it. He said that Marion and a few of Stephen's friends, including himself, were helping out. I didn't know Richard was helping and I told him that I can help too...I know how much work is needed to put together a Murder Mystery party. I asked again if I could help Marion out, Richard said no. He said that it's a surprise for most of the attendees and no additional help is required! Fine, I left it at that, but I was starting to think something was a bit hinky!

Friday, November 12th...

At work, I was thinking about the upcoming weekend plans and mentioned to my co-workers that I think Richard was up to something this coming weekend. Something was a bit off...

That night at home, Richard had brought over the cooler full of food for the weekend on Bowen. Strangely enough, he wouldn't let me see what he packed. He even forbid me to open up the fridge for anything. He said it was a surprise that I was going to really like, so I'm not allowed to spoil it! I tried to peek...

All night I was trying to discuss with Richard about the possibility of me staying home for the weekend. I have been sick for the last few weeks and was still sick. Furthermore, I knew it was going to rain all weekend. I didn't think I would be up for a long weekend on the island in the rain. A weak attempt, but I had to try. Richard pointed out that we had already promised to attend the party and it won't be too bad, since we'll be in the Hackett cabin and I can cozy up in front of the fire place...

I still think something is hinky because I also realised that we were going to miss an Ice hockey game AND potentially miss watching the Canucks vs Maple Leafs game...

Saturday, November 13th...

I woke up that morning early to get my homework done before I had to quickly pack, last minute, so Richard and I can head over to the island. Richard woke up around noon and we went out to brunch before we raced for the ferry. We had Asian french toast and sandwiches at Honolulu Cafe on Main Street in Vancouver, British Columbia. The brunch took a bit longer than I expected. By the time we were on our way to the ferry, Richard was impatient with the traffic and drivers on the road. In the end, we didn't have enough time to catch the 3:30 pm ferry.

Richard and I headed to Horseshoe Bay Village to pick-up drinks from Starbucks. I ordered one of my favourites, Green Tea Frappaccino, and Richard order the seasonal special Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate. Instead of heading into the ferry line up for the 4:30 pm ferry, Richard headed to Whytecliff Park in West Vancouver to kill some time. I was confused, I asked him shouldn't we be heading to the ferry line up since it was only an hour out and we didn't want to miss the next one, especially since missing the first one frustrated him already. He said it was okay, he had to wait for Stephen to call him anyways, since we were suppose to meet up. So off to Whytecliff Park we went.

It was raining when we pulled into Whytecliff Park's parking lot. I asked Richard to park the car where there was a good view of Whyte Islet. Richard didn't. He said we were going to get out and walk down to the water. I voiced a concern since it was raining and I wasn't really in the mood for a walk in the rain...it would be cold. Richard said not to worry and let's go. So down to the water we went. I left my drink in the car, since it was COLD and I didn't want to juggle a cold drink in one hand and my umbrella in the other hand.

I told Richard as we were walking down that I didn't mind the rain at all. Having lived almost my whole life in Vancouver, it's nothing unusual. It was a lot better than snow :) We got down to the shore and watched scuba divers get ready for a dive. Richard asked me if I wanted to head over to Whyte Islet. I said no. I didn't think I would be able to make the trek over or the climb up, especially since it's raining and everything will be very slick. So instead, Richard suggested we hike up the other side, where there were stairs for me to walk up.

Whytecliff Park in West Vancouver, British Columbia has a special spot in both our hearts. It was where Richard took me for our second date, two days after our first date. It was after a BC Lions football game and after dinner at Cactus Club in North Vancouver, British Columbia. We spent another long night enjoying the night light view snuggled together on a bench that was situated on a remote alcove at the edge of the cliff face. Beats me how Richard found it in the pitch dark without a flashlight that night...hehehe

When we got to the top of the cliff face overlooking Whyte Islet, we just hung out there enjoying the view. We chatted about various sports activities I've done over the years. The scuba divers below were the inspiration that started that discussion. Richard asked if I considered taking up scuba diving again. I did consider it, but only if I can find a dive partner. The lack of a diver partner close to my age back then was one of the reasons why I stopped scuba diving.

We weren't alone on the cliff edge. One of the diver's friends was up on the cliff edge with us. He chatted with us for a while before taking off. During that time, I was asking Richard whether or not we should be heading to the ferry, or we'd miss the 4:30 pm ferry. Richard told me not to worry. He had to wait to hear back from Stephen.

Richard made a 'phone' call to Stephen's parents' place. He said Stephen would have crashed at his parents' place after the trip. No answer.

We waited a while longer. Richard kept checking his phone. He said Stephen was suppose to call him back very shortly.

We contiued to talk about how I've tried almost every activity at least once... Richard told me there was still one activity I haven't done. Oh? I asked him what.

"You haven't married me yet."

"Will you marry me?"

I was shocked. My mind was screaming, OMG! I was sobbing. I was speechless. I couldn't believe it was happening! I couldn't believe it was happening then and there! I couldn't move. I just kept starring him holding out the box with my engagement ring!

After all that ran through my head, I finally remembered to say "yes".

Poor Richard, waiting so patiently for my answer to his question...oops!

Richard took the ring out of the box and slipped the ring onto my ring finger...

Richard had the whole thing planned to the date (Saturday, November 13th, 2010) and even to the minute (4:20 PM)

After he proposed, we headed back to the car...

He told me I can start calling everyone...

I started calling everyone...

I wasn't paying attention to where we were heading after started calling everyone...

Grandfather (with mom and relatives at a house party)

Uncle Thanh

Father

Brother

Thao

Julia (took forever to connect with her)

Melanie

Lap & Leanna

Yuan & Jenny

Henry

Koklei

etc.

It took me a while before I started noticing that we were driving on the Sea to Sky Hwy. We were heading north to Whistler, British Columbia.

Richard drove us up to and checked us into Crystal Lodge in Whistler Upper Village.

Oh, Sasha was with us the entire time...which was why I really thought we were all heading to Bowen Island for the weekend. It didn't cross my mind we'd head anywhere else, since I wasn't thinking that we'd be checking into a dog friendly hotel in Whistler.

When we checked in and entered our 2 floor loft suite, Richard unpacked the cooler, but wouldn't let me help...apparently that was part of the surprise for the night.

After he unpacked, while I was still on the phone, he turned on the TV to catch the end of the Vancouver Canucks vs Toronto Maple Leafs game. It was an awesome day...and the night was even better...the Vancouver Canucks dominated the game and the Toronto Maple Leafs went up in flames!

Since it was pouring when he proposed to me on the cliffs of Whytecliff Park, he re-proposed at the hotel, this time getting down on one knee...so sweet...

Dinner was a long affair, so to work up an appetite, Richard, Sasha and I went for a walk around the Village.

=Appetizer=

Butternut Squash Soup

Prosciutto

French Bagette

Brie

White Wine

=Entre=

Rack of Lamb

=Dessert=

Cupcake

Dessert Wine

Dinner lasted over 5 hours. The food was delicious!!

The whole day seems so unreal, but I am so happy. Richard is very happy too!

We are officially engaged!!!

BOOKED: Sun Sui Wah Seafood Restaurant

Richard and I were never one for following the standard order of things.

Even before Richard officially proposed to me, we had already booked our wedding reception venue. We also had to book early because Chinese people are always picky about the day and special days that have 8's are always first to be booked up!

We selected Sun Sui Wah Seafood Restaurant, located on Main Street and 23rd Avenue in Vancouver, BC for Saturday, August 18th, 2012.

Sun Sui Wah is actually one of Richard's favourite Chinese Restaurant and the first Chinese Restuarant he and I went to together for dim sum with some of my friends. We still go there all the time for dim sum on the weekend, either just the two of us, or with family and friends.

Frequent celebrity diner: Tamara Taggart from CTV News. We see her there all the time!

PURCHASED: Chinese Wedding Dress & Shoes

It's tradition for the Chinese bride to wear red and gold for their wedding for good luck.
My mother and I went shopping and found this at the KY Boutique in Chinatown, Vancouver, BC.
It was love and first sight...the deal was sealed when we saw the matching pair of shoes...for $10. Yes, TEN dollars.

The intricate gold embroidery on the vivid red silk is simply gorgeous!

I am lucky to get to wear this outfit for my Engagement Celebration and for the Wedding.