Living and Loving

here i am....

2010-07-20T08:50:00.002+08:00

yess..am back after errr..nearly a year i guess....will try my best to keep u posted with the latest news...ok..so dont forget to drop by!

2009-08-21T09:00:00.003+08:00

i was watching astro oasis last nite around 730pm and they were showing clips of zikir by arwah Ustaz Asri. I felt so touched..moga roh arwah ditempatkan bersama2 mereka yang beramal soleh Insya-Allah. Lately we heard a lot about kematian..setiap hari ada ja kematian semada dr kalangan org yang kita kenal ataupun sebaliknya. H1N1* cases makin hari makin bertambah..ini semua merupa kan satu peringatan jugak buat kita..seperti kata arwah ustaz asri..sejauh mana pun perjalanan kita pengakhirannya pasti kematian..jadi pastikan kita tidak lupa membawa bekalan untuk hari kemudian.

insya-Allah besok kita semua akan menyambut ramadan al-mubarak sekali lagi. Alhamdulillah syukur kerana kita masih lagi berpeluang untuk menjalani ibadah puasa kerana kita tak tahu adakan tahun hadapan kita masih lagi berkesempatan..jadi hayatilah ramadan kali ini seolah2 ianya yang terakhir..

this year haaziq wants to fast..learn to fast to be exact.. as for aqeelah, last year she skipped 4 days due to travelling. and this year she's confident that she'll make it full. and bila mendengarkan kakak nak puasa penuh..haaziq apa lagi..i pun nak la jugak. Hmm we'll see how..knowing him so well..balik sekolah ja terus kedapur menyelongkar peti ais...maybe we'll start with half day and then who knows kalau semangat dia tinggi kan..tambah2 kalau disertakan dengan reward??? i remembered..at haaziq'a age, kakak managed to fast for 11 days..but then again boys n girls are diffrent..some said girls are easier and vice versa..

anyway..its 5pm now..and i still have no idea of what to cook for diner and soq ( kedah slang for sahur) today..need to make something yang org kata boleh membuka selera esp. for the kids..

hopefully the idea will come soon as i do need to prepare it early...

selamat berpuasa everyone..moga2 ibadah kita ini diterima allah SWT ..insya-allah..selamat mengerjakan solat terawih..( dulu i always tersasul terawih with tawarikh:sejarah) n selamat bersahur...

Jangan Bersedih...

2009-08-04T12:44:00.003+08:00

something to share with everyone..kerana masa kita bersedih itu Syaitan* amat suka sekali berdampingan..jadi bila rasanya kita bersedih...ingatlah bahawa:

disebalik kesusahan pasti ada kesenangan...

1.Jangan bersedih, Allah Maha pengampun dan Maha penerima taubat
2.Jangan bersedih, setipa sesuatu telaha da qada dan qadar
3.Janagn bersedih, kerana kelapangan pasti datang
4. Jangan bersedih, kerana rahmat Allah melimpah ruah
5. Jangan bersedih, memaafkan org yg menyakiti itu lebih baik
6. Jangan bersedih, masih banyak lagi nikmat yg ada pada diri kita
7. Jangan bersedih, dunia ini tidak layak ditangisi
8. Jangan bersedih, banyak cara untuk mengusir kesedihan
9. Jangan bersedih, anggaplah celaan org itu sebagai angin yang lalu
10. Jangan bersedih , hinaan tidak selamanya buruk
11. Jangan bersedih, pilihan Allah adalah yang terbaik
12. Jangan bersedih, selagi anda masih boleh berbuat baik kepada org lain
13. Jangan bersedih, keranan banyak lagi jalan untuk meringankan musibah
14. Jangan bersedih, masih ramai org yang menyayangi anda
15. Jangan bersedih, kerana masih ada kehidupan lain
16. Jangan bersedih, tanyalah dirimu tentang hari ini, kemarin dah esok
17. Jangan bersedih, kesedihan boleh merosakkan badan dan akal fikiran
18. Jangan bersedih, kerana hidup ini bukanuntuk bersedih
19. Jangan bersedih, selagi anda beriman kepada Allah
20. Jangan bersedih, segala yg ada didunia ini tidaklah berharga
21. Jangan bersedih, nikmati lah apa yang anda miliki sekarang
22.Jangan bersedih, bolehjadi cubaan ini adalah anugerah
23. Jangan bersedih, kerana anda berbeza dengan orang lain
24. Jangan bersedih, terkadang kesulitan mengandungi manfaat
25. Janagn bersedih, kehidupan ini lebih singkat dari yg kita jangkakan
26. Jangan bersedih, kesedihan akan membuatkan musuh anda gembira
27. Jangan bersedih, hadapilah kenyataan walaupun pedih
28. Janganbersedih, kerana...segalanya akan berakhir..insya-Allah

Peringatan tentang kesedihan:

Mengingati Allah: hati kan menjadi tenang
Solat: ubat yg mujarab menghilangkan kesedihan
Redha

where have i been?

2009-07-27T14:55:00.003+08:00

i ve been very very bad nowadays..u see, am hooked to this FB game Farmto*wn and Restauran*T City..celik je mata..all i could think off.."how's my workers (at restau*rant city) doing? do they need some rest, what do i need to improve my menu?"..or where should i harvest today? can i find more money so i can buy more stuffs for my farm..and the list goes on and on..i started playing like a week or 2 ago..At first its just for fun but as you go one day by day..its like u cant stop..hahah..am so so bad!

that explained why i havent been updating my blog for quite awhile. And why today i blog..it becoz, i cant connect to FB. Been trying for few hrs and yet my explorer cant get in..and yes..its driving me crazy over here..as am writing this i still keep on trying to log into my F*B and still no no...hmmm

better luck in another hour i hope!

From the garden on to the plate....

2009-07-13T09:25:00.002+08:00

Remember my previous entry http://yusriza.blogspot.com/2008/07/riwayat-sepohon-mangga.html...

yes..this is the mango tree and yes...dah berbuah lagi..and this time alhamdulillah..melekat! Our first harvest! and its true..it tastes better when it comes from ur own hardwork..( esp. when it comes from someone who is not really a good planter ;o)) berbudi pada tanah memang tidak merugikan...

here it is..ready to be eaten! memang sedap...its the chokanan mango.. there's more to come..insyallah...

We went to Kuching ( part 2 )

2009-06-11T14:32:00.012+08:00

ok...continue to where we left yesterday..Saturday was the wedding day. This time they had it at a hall near the city ( tak ingat nama apa ) I was quite pelik when told to get ready in the lobby by 930am..jemputan was at 10am..yes 10 in the morning..biar betul???memang betul pun..I was told that in sarawak jemputan majlis memang around that time..therefore by noon semua dah selesai and everyone can go home for zuhur prayer. Hmm something different from here in semenanjung where the reception usually start from 1-4pm..after zuhur. Reached the hall ard 1030 and seated at our "reserved sabah" table. And they started to bring out the food..one at a time...really one...at a time...by 1145 ke baru pengantin sampai..and by that time the only food yg belum dihidang was the rice...perut dah keroncong dok ambik bau lauk pauk...and i guess bau pun dah habis heheh..

so pengantin pun bersanding diatas pelamin...according to our tour guy..here in serawak if you want to know how "kaya" the family you can tell from their wedding ceremony/pelamin..lagi gah ..lagi kaya la org tu..wow...i wonder do we really need all those big big pelamin..but then again..kalau dah mampu mungkin tak ada salahnya kan..my thots..apa2pun moderation is the best.. tak kisah la..majlis org kita cuma tumpang meraikannya. They have what they called upacara nasi temuan..where the pengantin will "suap menyuap" themselves and tgk sapa yg lagi cepat..i donno what's the reason behind it..but i whispered to MD..."awal2 ni suap menyuap la..after years n years..suap diri sediri je la .." heheh..finally when they pengantin is ready..barulah they served the rice....adoi..penat menunggu akhirnya...after dah kenyang..all the guests masing2 make a move...very quick.. memang lain dari sini..tapi good thing is..the family boleh rest after that and guests can proceed with their plans..kalau kat sini kul 4-5 pun belum tentu habis lagi.

so next agenda..the tour bus took us to Sarikin...apa tu..lebih kurang Padang Besar/Bukit Kayu Hitam..la...just no duty free shops...shopping time! Well tak de shopping sakan pun..just bought kain telekung..( quite cheap coz its from seberang-Indonesia)...went back to hotel ard 6..and penat2..kids jumped into the bath tub..and kalau muat dah lama mama join sekali..;o)

Next day..we're flying home. Tapi sempat lagi nak ronda2 and took some pictures. Now..my thots..this is why people called this place Kuching...they have kucing statues at the roundabouts, park..all around Kuching Town...so my model posed for my camera..klik klik!

It was a very interesting trip this one. Short n simple. Get to experience new things; naik bot,bus,sarawak's wedding, etc. I guess i need to come back ..coz i didnt get a chance to eat mee kolok, laksa sarawak and even to meet my dear friend Jamal n family. Next time ya..insyallah. And to Amy n Aleng..congratulations..semoga berkekalan hingga ke akhir hayat!

We went to Kuching (part 1)

2009-06-10T10:47:00.011+08:00

I've never been to Kuching Sarawak. So when MD told us that we're going to attend his cousin's wedding in Kuching..myself n kids were so excited. At first Haaziq was a bit pelik...kenapa nak pergi kuching (read:kucing=cat)..then we explained Kuching is a place ..then he understood!..but he still asked why someone would call a place "kuching"? is it because there a lots of cat there? hmm mama puntak tahu..lets just wait until we get there!

we took air*asia flight and kids as usual busy nak makan itu ini..hmm MD had early preparation by ordering food in the internet..so we had nasi lemak n chicken sandwiches. Suka la budak2 tu. Sampaikan semua benda nak dibeli..amboi..bankrupt la daddy kalau macam ni..:O) We reached kuching around noon..and went straight to the hotel to meet the others. After catching up here and there...we were told to get ready because the nikah ceremony will be held after zohor. So i need to change my attire into proper one. Md changed to his baju melayu ( as usual without sampin..donno why susah sangat dia nak pakai sampin..and as usual his joke will be nanti pakai sampin people will confuse pulak which ones is the pengantin..cishh)..Turun kat lobby..wow..i thought just a few family members ..ropa2nya..satu bas!! yes..around 50 peeps rombongan pengantin lelaki all the way from sandakan. Meriahnya...and my kids were heads over heels dapat naik bas..yes..this was their first time dapat naik bas pesiaran..

arrived at the pengantin house and the nikah ceremony went well as planned. Pengantin both looking so radiant and teringat my wedding day all over again..hmmm..after that we had some refreshment...and then off we go back to the hotel to get some rest!

malam tu..we all went to have our diner at this restaurant/kedai makan/i dont know what to call..anyway to get to there we took a boat ( more like sampan ) ride..again another new experience for the kids. Hehehe..while her brothers were cool n enjoying it, aqeelah on the other hand was..erhhh takut la tak nak la...tapi tak sempat habis pun lagi menangis..dah sampai pun..hahhah the ride was like 5 mins ja..bont*tot pun tak sempat panas..drama je lebih heheh.. we had ayam penyet! the specialty..tapi tak enjoy sangat since ramai sangat org n the food were late plus budak2 dah buat perangai...After that...we went to this place..( kalau tak pergi tempat ni kira tak sah la datang ke Kuching)...apa tu..Kedai Kek Lapis. Yup...macam2 kek lapis ada..with different name n taste..rambang mata n taste buds dok tengok n merasa kek2 ni...so..angkut la a few to bring back home..

What a day..from taxi to airplane to bus to boat! we had it all...and esok sambung lagi..

Full Blossom

2009-06-02T15:03:00.007+08:00

i love to see beautiful things..flowering especially..any sort of flower will do..i love spending my time at the nursery ( and malls too :o) ). Just browsing around..looking at the pots n plants..every morning i would spend my times "membelek" my flowering plants around my house..it is my therapy session..it feels good to look at those beautiful colors ( kalau dia berbunga la..kalau tak..bosan gak..) ..sometimes geram bila ada bunga yg dimakan serangga..hmmm

here are a few flowerings plant from my garden..hope you enjoy it as much as i do!

Books of the Month

2009-05-22T14:56:00.004+08:00

A trip to M*PH bookstore and here what we got! Men's Health magazine for MD to read while doing business in our "small room". No wonder sometimes berjam2 tunggu turn nak masuk heheh. I read it too! nak jugak tahu their thots n ideas kan..like what they want etc..yuo know what i mean :0P and sometimes the articles are quite helpful..

Hadiah Puteri Elina for Aqeelah: so far she's already on page 53...and i wonder whether she reads it because i ask her too..or because she likes it..either one is fine with me..as long as she reads!

Haaziq chose: My Quran Friends. This is his second book of the series. Quran stories and modern-day stories in simple language make it easy for the little ones to understand. What i like about this book is, at the end of every story they have the "talk with me" ( questions to talk about ), "say with me" (quranic verses) and "pray with me" (personal short prayers of children). He reads with MD before sleeps every nite..and will not get off my bed until its done!

For Hafeez, bought him Lift the Flaps:Words. He enjoyed it very much and i hope the book will last longggg...tahu2 lah buku yg ada flap ni..:0)..last but not least...

....this is for me. I didnt buy this..borrowed it from my dear friend; Hidayah. There are lots of creative crafts projects in it and am actually drooling even just looking at it..excited habis and semangat berkobar2..apatah lagi bila tengok other craft blogs! Am going to give a try with the simple one...hehheh tunggu aaa...maybe when the school hols start i will have more free time.

Crab for my MD

2009-05-22T12:15:00.007+08:00

MD been requesting this for quite some time. Its not that i dont want to cook it coz nak masak tu senang n cepat je....besides the price is quite expensive considering isi dia ciput je..me, myself malas kalau nak makan ketam ni habis satu rumah sepah ..nak dapatkan isi tu punya la seksa..usually kalau makan ketam, i will ask him to "kopek"kan for me..not trying to be romantik or manje..just malas nak kopek kulit ketam yg keras tu..anyway since my kids pun suka makan ketam...they love to suck the crab claws..( they love seafood except squids ) and im in a good mood..so ..

before

i bought ketam for him! and decided to cook masak lemak ketam. For the kids, just buat sup ketam...( my kids tak makan pedas). Apa lagi..hingga menjilat jari ler....

after

2009-05-20T10:19:00.003+08:00

exam is over..yeay..mama yeay anak lagilah yeahhaa..alhamdulillah. How was it? According to her.."oklah..mama", "senang kacang..."," ada yg i boleh jawap ada yang tak boleh?? " cemana tu..well we've done our best and let's hope for the best. The first thing she she asked me as soon as the exam finished.." can i watch tv/cartoon after this?"..oh dear.. itu ja yang dia pikir...

Aqeelah, she's a smart girl. It just that sometimes she's too careless. She didn't pay attention to details..and she just wants it the easy way..she needs to be push a little bit. I keep telling her that she needs to focus on whatever she's doing and "jgn grumpy sangat". She has this habit.."ralit"..hmm anak daraku sorang...the other day...bought her a "book"- more like a novel..purposes are..1.to improve her BM vocabulary: you should see her karangan..pi mai2 ayat yang sama je...vocab pun itu je.. 2. so she loves to read. 3. more imaginative..at the moment all she knows is digimon. 4. so she realizes that thare are other things to do rather than watching cartoon all the times...or maybe i should lock all the cartoon channel...tapi kesian la plak..hmm will have to think about other ways to keep them from watching tv too much. Tak productive camtu. Or maybe i'm setting bad example to them?? coz i sure do lurvee watching tv!!..

i wonder n i ponder

2009-05-15T09:37:00.003+08:00

its friday..and i'm listening to Slam at the moments..yes..i'm one of Slam's fan..not fanatic ones just regular fan. Love their songs..and Zama*ni too hahah. Anyway..Hafeez is hooked with TV right now so i better make this entry quick!

mid year exam is here..warghhh..as usual..moms will be the ones panicing. Sibuk making sure that the kids are ready..i mean READY to sit for the exam..make sure she dos all her latihans..check her book to see what's she's been learning. OMG...you wont believe what this kids been learning at the age of 9. Aqeelah now has to do "karangan" for her BM, peribahasa, simpulan bahasa.., Maths..she has to do multiplication and division up to 9, then fraction. Oh dear...i remembered learning all this maybe at the age of 11? nowadays learing system is so competitive. Science pun boleh tahan jugak. They learn about magnets, electricity, plants. Its quite confusing for a 9 years old kid to remember the external features of plants, grouping the plant with similar features..even mama pun tak ingat sangat. Dah le everything in english. ALhamdulillah as far as understanding english aqeelah has no problem..i wonder how the other kids who have problem understanding english...it must be hard for them kan? hmmm

anyway..do you know what she ask us if she get no 1? laptop, iphone,digital watch.. AMBOI
mama pun pakai 2nd hand je..my first computer bought it masa dekat MCC with MAR*A loan years ago....iphone? mak oii i dont even know how to use it..my phone sekarang pun kokak..the iphone she said so that she can play game on it...i see she must got this idea from the adevrtisemant..hmmm tu la budak2 zaman sekarang ni..very advance!..digital watch..ok..this is reasonable..daddy say ok..to ALL..mama just terbeliakkan mata..hmm i wonder?

Haaziq is having teacher's day celebration today at his tadika. So excited to go he showered so early...hehhe..this will be his last year at tadika. Next year, he will be in standard 1...

thats about it for now...have a great weekend everyone!

Mom's Day...

2009-05-13T09:23:00.004+08:00

*it's normal when u're in your 20s, u'll look very mengancam

when u're in your 30s, u begin to behave "bermacam-macam"

when u turn 40s-50s, u 'll feel "terancam"

and when you reach your 60s..orang langsung tak boleh "cam"

Lets hope we'll all maintain mengancam*

******************************************************************

*motherhood is a tough 24hrs job

no pay,no day off, often unappreciated and

yet resignation is impossible!*

*******************************************************************

*a mother has strengths that are so amazing

she handles trouble and carry heavy burdens

she holds happiness, love and opinions

she smiles when she feels like screaming

she sings when she feels like crying

she' s happy and laugh when she's afraid

Her love is unconditional..its just that

sometimes she forgets

what she is worth*

Happy Mom's day to all mothers out there. I know that this tribute for mother's day is kinnda late...its been quite hectic these few days..kids, housechores,classes..and others. Anyway..those are among the smses that i received for mother's day from my dearly friends. Thank you for the thots.

the other day, haaziq was asking us about..syurga. "betulkah..syurga tu ada dekat tapak kaki mama?" I think he read it from magazine Asuh that we bought. " tak nampak pun syurga?" "kenapa ada dekat kaki mama?" those were his questions..MD answered him.." memang tak ada syurga dekat kaki mama..maksudnya..anak2 kena taat dan patuh kepada mama. Kena dengar cakap mama..and whatever you want to do..make sure ur mama redha. kerana redha seorang ibu itu penting. Kalau tak, tak boleh masuk syurga." "u also have to look after ur mama the way she cares about you.""what about daddy?".." mama comes first..then baru daddy.."So kalau i dengar cakap mama..i boleh masuk syurga?" "insyallah"...

that's the best mother's day gift!

The...

2009-05-07T11:54:00.009+08:00

guest of honour

card...

present..

cake...

party planner...

and presenting...

BIRTHDAY GIRL..

Labour Day Weekend ..

2009-05-04T08:51:00.002+08:00

labour day weekend is over...we stayed at home most of the time doing??? hmm MD would call it spring cleaning....."lets make a plan" ( one of his famous quote ) my respond will be..oh no..again!!!..he loves to make a plan and i will always be the one who yade yade yada...

oo by the way..this is my second week of "jogging" trainning heheheh..yes..my personal trainer aka MD is very dedicated in making sure that my new jogging shoes will not end up "berhabuk" inside the shoes cabinet..starting from last weekend, there goes my late weekend morning nap..kids are happy to see their mom in actions..first round.. ok...2-3 rounds still hanging there..4-5 rounds..terasa urat2 dibetis mula menarik..tambahan pulak ada extra weight..Hafeez ..adoi lagilah...yg heran tu..when MD jogs, tak de la plak kids mengacau..hmm anyway, think i succeed in taking small steps towards healthy lifestyle..need to keep it up..and lucky me i have MD!..:O)

next on the agenda...what else shopping cuci mata aka groceries..where to??? kalau tanya MD ..mana lagi Ala*manda la..or Alam+anda...his favourite shoppingmall..tapi saja je sturday morning over breakfast told him..lets go to kl*cc la..i was only kidding ropa2nya dia betul2...tapi tak pergi pun why???Haaziq wasnt feeling well.. demam...being ibu Mithali...almaklumlah mother's day is around the corner kan...we just went to Alaman*da. MD took me to one of the shop there to choose my bday present...jeng jeng jeng...wait aarr will tell later bila dah dapat heheh...

Sunday...stayed home jugak coz everyone except the ibu mithali ( as usual) dah terkena jangkitan dari Haaziq...think its the weather ...dont you think its too hot!! ya allah panas sungguh lately ni kan...the plants semuanya layu kekeringan...except bunga kertas... so we stayed in. and...mood for baking pun datang...noticed that the granny smiths has been in the fridge for few weeks..and i doubt anyone will eat it anymore..so..apa lagi chop chop!! apple crumble pie for tea. Enjoy...and thats how we spend our long weekend...

Shoes for me..

2009-04-24T09:51:00.003+08:00

my newly bought "jogging shoes"...yes..bought it last week with high hopes that it will encourage me to start on my exercise routine..for better n healthy lifestyle...

..not because am feeling "heavy" or the look of my lurve handles bugging me..or my thighs sebesar bagak..bila berjalan they "bump" into each others *sigh*..

its for healthy reason...!

The goal is....err tak de pun goal nya tapi will do my best ..one small step at a time..!

Mak's Birthday

2009-04-14T15:09:00.007+08:00

aqeelah n her baby, mak n baby haaziq in front of our house in Norwich

Mak, Aqeelah, me and London Bridge

Aqeelah (2yrs+),Mak, Haaziq (30+days)

Mak turned 59 yesterday! Happy Birthday to an AWESOME woman... words cant describe how proud i am to be her daughter... Thanks mak for everything..!!

Choc cake for Rainy day..

2009-04-09T17:26:00.005+08:00

what do you do on a rainy afternoon...?? you could watch tv but everybody knows..as*tro suck*s when its raining, sleep..hmm that's a good idea..seronok tidor sejuk2 ni tapi tak productive la plak..read books/magazines?? hmm not in the mood..so ..lets bake!!!

after a bowl of maggi asam laksa..and kids are still sleeping ..am ready to bake my chocolate cake...just a simple plain choc cake using the ingredients i have inside my pantry..

2 hrs later...cakes are ready.. put it in mini cups so that the kids can easily eat it on its own...tak de sempat nak topping2 lagi...

Chicken Pot Pie anyone??

2009-04-04T13:12:00.006+08:00

MD was saying to me the other nite: "tiap2 malam u tengok ni..apa kata u masak macam tu pulak?"

Me: ok..but u makan ke nanti..kalau tak buat penat je..i know you too well..bukan nya suka sangat pun western food

MD: cubalah dulu..

that is how i ended cooking this yesterday. It all started when every nite before n while waiting for Hafeez to doze off..i always watch "Chef at Home" on Asia Food Channel. Honestly i watch it not because i want the recipes. Its more on therapeutic side! Believe it or not..i just love to watch rasa aman ja..hehhe..anyway..sometimes i do want to try the recipes but then as i said earlier..MD ni susah sikit la when it comes to western food. Certains food je yang dia suka..something new is a challenge for me to cook for him n the kids. Since he gave me the green light and i was out of idea of what to cook....walla...

my chicken pot pie...yus style...thanks to my dearest friend Shikin Rahim for the recipe. My first attempt was successful..although there are rooms for improvement. Next time i will remember to use individual serving dish...senang sikit nak serve as its a bit runny. But the taste was ummmmph!

Patient Polly

2009-04-01T12:21:00.006+08:00

Took the "Mommy Style" Quiz on FB and this is the result...

Patient Polly

What a joy to live in your house! Your kids only do activities they enjoy and at their own pace. Work will always be there and you don't stress about your to-do list. Your house isn't spotless, but it doesn't harm anyone if the toys are left out and the dishes are in the sink. You enjoy watching your kids play and time to yourself. Life won't pass you by too quickly!

Am i really a "patient polly"? well at some level its true...but ada kalanya bom jangka ni meletup jugak.. As clearly mentioned above..WORK: read: basuh baju, sidai baju lipat baju, kemas rumah, masak definitely will always be there..tak pernah habis punya...sometimes tak sampai 5 mins pun kemas..then sepah balik. Having 3 not-so-little rascals at home..5 mins is more than enough. However i try my best to train my rascals to be more responsible towards their toys...or else into the garbage bag yahahahah..

Nowadays am trainning my aqeelah to wash her own plate everytime she finishes her meal..and haaziq needs to remember to brings his empty plate/cups to the sink..not just throw them under the sofa...yupp under the sofa..bayangkan..sometime after few days( errr..sometimes je ya..) tak sapu sampah you look under the sofa..ya allah..MACAM MACAM ADA..

i do enjoy watching my kids playing together...but believe me it will only last for maximum 30 mins. After that..mula la.."you ni", "its mine", "semua you nak buat", " this cannot be done" bla bla bla....dengan yg kecik pun sama naik je...his favourite sentence will be "janganla" or "you fireee pom pom.."

most of the time, i dont really have time for myself..kalau ada pun kena curi2 masa...to blog, check my FB, web surfing..in between housechores n kids...However,my kids will always give way to me to watch my fav. TV programme..( more like..dah dah mama nak tengok tv plak hahah). Kalau ikutkan hati tu..there are so many things that i want to do..bila tengok blog org lain macam2 hobi yg ada...tapi itulah..i really need to find "real time" if i want to do all this and strong will..ni tak "hangat2 taik ayam je"...

my 3 rascals memang very demanding or is it me who pampered them too much? Semua mama tolong buatkan. I keep telling them " ni kalau dok nursery habisla"...hahaha..

being a stay at home mom..memang mencabar. You work 24-7, 7 days a week ..on call all the time you name it....therefore patient is a must ( although i recommend once a while kena letupkan juga bom jangka ;o) so you 'll feel better ) ..and i pray to ALLAH SWT everyday berilah hambamu ini hati yang bersih, sabar dalam mengendalikan hari2 yang ada. Insyallah

My MD

2009-03-27T09:27:00.003+08:00

Sometimes we take things for granted. So lets test this to know how much actually you know about your hubby.

He’s sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen?
Discovery Channel

You’re out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad?
No dressing! Usually he'll eat it raw..

What’s one food he doesn’t like?
Petai

You go out to eat and have a drink. What does he order?
Mineral water

Where did he go to high school?
Sabah College

What size shoes does he wear?
9

If he was to collect anything,what would it be?
RC Cars/Helicopter/Aeroplane..

What is his favorite type of sandwich?
Tuna

What would this person eat every day if he could?
Ikan Goreng cicah with sambal kicap...prob is..wifey tak suka sangat ikan...

What is his favorite cereal?
multigrains

What would he never wear?
Swimming trunk...hahaha! and anything yg ketat2 n sendat2..

What is his favorite sports team?
None...he watches sports but just for the sake of watching tak de fanatik sangat

Who did he vote for?
We didnt vote last time..

Who is his best friend?
i like to think ...me!

What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn’t do?
hmm maybe i like to merajuk kut??

What is his heritage?
Arabic from his mom + Indian from his dad

What is his favourite colour?
No specific color..he'll wear anything..he even now considering buying pink shirt

What is his habit?
he sings " woo hoo" when he showers!

Lastly, do you think he will read this?
dont think soo...

My Most Favourite Love Songs

2009-03-24T13:48:00.010+08:00

this entry is actually a tag from KIMI's blog http://mariafaizal-homesweethome.blogspot.com/ . It was interesting therefore i decided to list down my choices of favourite love songs. The songs are in the chronicle order of the events happening throughout my life..ye la masa muda2 dulu masa berchenta la most of it.

1. Kisah Cinta by Ebby Saiful (Azmil Mustafa) n Ogy. This song was in the soundtrack of Suara Kekasih. A very romantic love story and was one of my old time fav. Cinta terhalang oleh darjat kekeluargaan...memang tangkap syahdu bila dengar lagu ni..

2. Please Forgive Me by Bryan Adams. When i was in MCC..i had a big crush on this guy..lets just call him "N"..handsome, sweet guy. He was my senior tapi ye la..tak kesampaian...hehehe..but we remain good friends till now.

3. Hard to say I'm Sorry by Eagles. I was quite close with this guy "AL"..and hmmm lets just say he was more like a brother to me. Sebab tu tak jadi. He gave me a mix tape ( ada la lagu ni and other songs like Miracles by Mariah Carey& Whitney, Heroes by Mariah and Aerosmith songs..dah tak ingat semua) before he left to states.

4. I Swear by All for One. It was summer 1994. And that song memang tengah meletup. Just got back from Tioman Island with the rest of the gang for Summer Development Program..which when i think it back..tak de program apa pun just having lotssafun out in the sun with the coolest peeps!

5. Untukmu by Feminin. Dedicated this song to FR before we both left to States. "kita bersama mengejar mimpi, terpisah sementara kupasti, suatu hari nanti cinta kita bersemi, kembali menerangi mekar ditaman hati"..but the long distance relationship didn't work out. We broke up 4 mths after that.

6. You're not Alone by Michael Jackson. I was stressed with the the long distance relationship with FR at that time and he send me this song.,,jiwang habis la masa tu ;o)

7. One Sweet Day by Boys 11 Men n Mariah Carey. 311 Huntington Ave. CheLat n K.Niza's room..MD n Minah "karaokeing" lagu ni...brings back so much of wonderful memories..

8. Because You Loved Me by Celine Dion. (this is the hightlight of the entry..)Watched Up Close and Personal with MD...."you're my strength when i was weak, you're my voice when i couldnt speak, you're my eyes when i couldnt see.....you say no sky was out of reach..you stood by me and i stood tall..i have your love i had it all.." thanks dear...

9. Unbreak My Heart by Toni Braxton. They played this song over n over again on the radio..ye la masa tu lagu ni memang top..and memang mendayu2 tangkap jiwang gitu..MD n me were on a road trip to Philadelphia together with CheLat, Elin n Leman.

10. Iris by Awie. "Kau masih kucintai sungguh..." told MD this song is for him..he just gelak2...( takde romantika langsung *sigh*)...

Umpan for a stress free travel

2009-03-12T09:04:00.005+08:00

i am having trouble with my mouse..apparently the right click button doesnt work anymore so its a bit annoying when u have to work a bit harder to copy n paste...definitely needs a new mouse..

school hols just around the corner..and we are planning to go to Terengganu n Kelantan this time. Well actually my younger brother nak bertunang. Alang2 dah sampai sana..might as well jalan2 cuci mata kan..will be staying at my brother's for few days then we r heading to cherating. Its going to be a longgg journey..and travelling with 3 "tak reti duduk diam" kids..i have to be fully prepared. Last time we went it tooks us almost 10 hrs...wow at that time Hafeez was still a baby n apa2 hal boleh sumbat nenen. But this time around he's off nenen...yupp proudly to tell you he's 90% off nenen...another 10% tu kadang2 at nite bila susah sangat dia nak tidur or cranky or when he wakes up in the middle of the nite and mama is to mengantuk to entertain him..so sumbat je..

so i really needs a lot of umpan this time...i read this article from baby center :

Best car games for kids (ages 5 to 8) for stress-free travel

Nothing derails a family road trip faster than bored backseat passengers. These parent- and kid-tested car games will help you motor without meltdowns and log some serious miles in peace

A is for...
Are We There Yet?
Automobile 21
Backseat Spelling Bee
I'm Thinking of an Animal
Impressions
Math Madness
Motor Bingo
Name That Tune
Riddles
Rock, Paper, Scissors
Rock, Paper, Scissors
Tall Tales
The Alphabet Game
Tongue Twisters
Travel Scavenger Hunt
Twenty Questions

you can find the instructions on "how to play" at this link http://www.babycenter.com/0_best-car-games-for-kids-ages-5-to-8_1453163.bc?scid=bigkid_20090310:2&pe=cLUolw

hopefuly this will helps besides all the prepared goodies...*sigh* Happy Travelling!!

over the weekend

2009-03-10T18:08:00.004+08:00

just finished cooking dinner for the family...char kwey teow for MD n me, and spagetti bolognese for aqeelah n hafeez..haaziq..he'll eat both coz he is not picky..just like the mother..will try for anything except kayu batu..;o)..my babies are still sleeping and i'm trying to get my post out before they both are up....

anyway..my weekend was hmm oklah..its been raining these few days but we managed to finish our small garden project. We finally put the sleepers and the stones..and the garden looks a bit better now. Next project will be to clean up this one side of the garden and plant it with proper plant..before this..i just "plant-throw" apa2 aje ..and it ends up..sakit mata memandang..tak de konsep langsung..so we are doing it slowly since MD wants to DIY..which i think will be a longggg wait...tapi tak pe...we'll see how the progress goes.

Sunday, went to a friend's house for Aqiqah and House Warmning Kenduri. Food was delicious..beriani with acar buah..and roasted lamb. Met some of my friends whom i only met during special occasion like this..or maybe when someone had a baby or hari raya open houses. Tukar2 cerita..but me ..the housewife apa sangat le nak cerita..so more on listening...when i look at them ( read: career women) and my other friends from college...honestly i felt so "rendah diri"..why..hmmm will blog about this later on..but they are nice peeps.

by the way..do you, husband n wife keeps secret from each other..like ur password to your acct, FB etc?...last nite i was checking my FB when MD wanted to see his. So i logged out and sign in for him..then i asked: ur password? he smiled n said..."am not going to tell you.." what...%$*£?
blah terus from the computer and still cant get over it till now...warghhhh..

Cutie Pies and Cuppies...

2009-03-04T12:34:00.004+08:00

Blueberry Cheese Tart

2009-03-03T13:45:00.005+08:00

Today nak kongsi another recipe which has become one of my family favourite. I got it from a very good friend : Puan Hidayah. The first time i tried memang rasa macam tak menjadi but then sebenarnya it was quite easy and the recipe was so straightforward. I would recommend it to anybody to try it. If you dont like the blueberry, be happy to change to any filling you like..strawberry, chocolate or maybe just cream cheese ..it still taste yummilicious..

Pastry:
170 g butter at room temp
25 g veg shortening
60 g icing sugar
350 all purpose flour
1 medium size egg

Mix flour and sugar. Then rub it with butter and shortening until it form like breadcrumbs. Then add in the egg. Ulikan dough and rest it in the fridge for about 1 hr or more. Canaikan dough dan terapkan dengan acuan bergerigi dan masukkan kedalam acuan tart. Bakar selama 15-20mins. Keluarkan pastry dan sejukkan. You could make the pastry days ahead and keep it in the tupperware yg kedap udara.

Filling:
250 Cream cheese - at room temp
40 g icing sugar
20 g butter
1 medium size egg
Blueberry fruit filling

Beat the cheese together with butter, sugar and egg. Fill in the blueberry filling inside the pastry and pipe in the cream cheese filling on top. You can decorate it if you want.. and bake again for another 10-15 mins. Sejuk kan dalam fridge and its ready !!
With this amount of ingredients you can get approx. 45+ small tartlets. Give a try and you'll be hooked to it..and kids..of course will love it too ;o)

walla....the finished product

Abah's Birthday

2009-03-02T09:33:00.004+08:00

Today is Abah's 65th birthday. All my life he has been a very wonderful abah..Abah doesnt talk much..he's more on serious thingy and sometimes people mistakenly think he is garang. Yupp..he is garang tapi bertempat. Abah is cikgu pencen..as a teacher memang dia garang with his students. But up until now, if he bumps into his students they still call and respect him as cikgu Yunus. Abah tought mathmetics and he is very systematic. His loves listening to classic songs..and a die hard fan of P.Ramlee. He enjoys listening to the classical songs esp. from the 50s n 60s. Abah also very good when it comes to planting trees/flowers. Mostly semua pokok yg dia tanam mesti menjadi...He loves to look after his plants n flowers around the house..dulu masa muda2..he would paints the flower pots and move it here and there...ubahsuai itu ini... That's my abah. Happy Birthday abah..semoga Allah SWT melanjutkan usia abah, dikurniakan kesihatan yang baik dah bahagia selalu.

Muhammad Hafeez is 2 today!!

2009-02-20T08:48:00.002+08:00

Hafeez turn 2 today..yeayyyy...and its going to be another roller coster ride when we start weaning him from breastfeeding...i've been trying to keep it to minimum "nenen bukak" for the last few weeks...and starting from now its going be on full operation! But we'll see la how it goes..kesian jugak tengok dia..especially bila nak tidur malam...we'll give him max. 4-5 mths more...

anyway...he's now cheekier, full of fun sometimes can be quite bossy..hahahah ye la since he's the youngest. His favourite cartoon at the moment is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse..and Digimon and B-Daman ( these twos because his abg n kakak watch it so dia pun tumpang sekaki jerit..Imon tukarrrr or Fireee). He loves helping me in the garden..plucking the flower most of the time and playing with the dirt. His favourite food is nasi lemak..n eggs..Whatever his big sister or brother have..he wants it too!! arghhh bila 3 org tak nak mengalah..mama yg pening kepala..

he is my sweet hafeez. Happy birthday sayang..we; daddy, mama, kakak and abang loves you always..hope you'll grow up to become anak yang soleh..insyallah

Create Fake Magazine Covers with your own picture at MagMyPic.com

hopeless

2009-02-17T13:57:00.003+08:00

a: i am sorry dear...i should have been more understanding
b: no..i'm not sorry because i know i'm always right
c: ok...i'm sorry..are you happy now?
d: whateverlah..you'll get over it sooner or later..

men...to think in 10 years they will be more understanding, no need to tell them what to do, how u feel..hmm hopeless..

3 things about me...

2009-02-04T14:58:00.006+08:00

CheLat forwarded this to me few months ago..didnt get a chance to answer it back then..anyway here are 3 things about me that you might or might not know...

Three jobs I have had in my life: librarian at NEU, clerk at Stop and Shop, Assistant at Massport and Replacement Teacher. After that i sign up for lifetime job.. House & Domestic Manager

Three places I have lived: Bangi, Norwich, Port Elizabeth

Three shows that I watch: Grey's Anatomy: just started to watch this and now am hooked, Friends-my fav. show. I can watch this many2 times without ever feel bored or whatso ever, Cooking & Home Decor programme: i love cooking program but at the end of the day i always cook the same meal hahha..why hmmm maybe because its hard to please MD n kids ... ooo i also like How I Met Your Mother sitcom...

Three places I have been: Boston: belajar n berchenta , Port Elizabeth: first home after getting married, Norwich

Three places I have been this week: Kids School, Pasar, Nursery Plant

Three hobbies or likes: Gardening, Surfing the internet, belek pokok bunga

Three people who e-mail me regularly: usually frens from Egroup..but lately egroup makin sunyi..so tak de sapa la sangat..

Three of my favourite foods: laksa teluk kechai the best laksa in the world ;o), baked pasta, gulai nangka

Three places I'd rather be right now: Spa...memanjakan diri ;o), in a bath tub having bubble bath without any distruption.., having a romantic ...well a peaceful diner with MD...where i dont have to worry about my kids making a mess..hahahha

Three things I am looking forward to this year: my 10th yr anniversary, hari raya: because this yr balik kedah heheheh and ............................still in progress

Mama Chicken Rice..

2009-02-04T13:52:00.008+08:00

you see..i am not a kitchen goddess..i can cook but not that very good ones sebab tu kut MD makin hari makin kurus sigh....sometimes menjadik some times..not so menjadi :o( nevertheless i still have to cook 5+1 days per week..weekdays memang masak, wkend the kitchen is close..+1 tu sometimes i cook special on wkend..anyway..my kids love my cooking heheh have to la kan kalau tak nak makan sudah..but this one menu memang a must to them..Mama Chicken Rice..ingat L*inda O*nn je ka ada chicken rice... just a simple chicken rice..i guess semua org pun tahu cemana nak buat kan..tapi tak pe la just wanna share the recipe

Chicken Rice - Yus's Style!

Nasi

2 cawan beras (i use basmathi)

3 cawan air rebusan ayam ( i use bahagian yg bertulang macam tulang rangka/leher di rebus dengan halia and sedikit garam)
3 ulas bawang putih

pinch of garam
1 tbs butter/minyak sapi

sedikit minyak masak

daun pandan

1.Bersih beras dan toskan 2.Panaskan butter & minyak (i mix it because kalau butter saje cepat hangus) masuk bawang putih dan goreng hingga wangi and masukkan daun pandan. 3. Masuk beras, goreng sebentar, masuk air rebusan ayam dan masukkan dalam rice cooker hingga masak.

Ayam Goreng Berempah

Terdapat bermacam2 style orang masak ayam untuk dimakan dengan nasi ayam. My style..kisarkan beberapa batang halia ( agak2 la untuk berapa ketul ayam..) selalunya i will use lebey kurang 4-5 batang serai untuk half chicken, halia tak tahu berapa inci tapi sebesar ibu jari tangan :0)..kisar kasar2 ..then mix it with garam,kunyit, sedikit black peper and ayam. Perapkan lebeh kurang sejam then goreng dalam minyak panas..serbuk2 bahan yang dikisar tu pun goreng sekali..and last sekali tabur daun sup dlm minyak panas goreng sekejab and campur dalam ayam tadi.

Sup

I always use lebihan air rebusan ayam untuk nasi tadi. Just tambah air then letakkan kiub pati ayam. Potong bawang besar and tambahkan carrot. Garam secukup rasa. Tabur daun sup bila nak makan

Sos Kicap

1 sudu besar sos tiram

1 sudu besar kicap manis

3 sudu besar air rebusan ayam ( lebih pun tak apa )

Mix it well.

Sos Cili
3 atau 4 biji cili merah

2 ulas bawang putih

1 inci halia

1 sudu besar sos cili

garam gula

air rebusan ayam 3-4 sudu

Kisar semua dalam blender sampai hancur.

Ulaman Salad, Timun, Tomato

Selamat Mencuba..

Time after time..timeless..TIMEX

2009-02-03T09:49:00.005+08:00

after weeks of searching, from shops to shops.. finally

its TIMEX..although am not very keen on this design..me like another design lor..yg stainless steel and not digital..but knowing him..very particular person..so bayar je lar..as long as he is happy..me happy too...

2009-01-30T09:25:00.011+08:00

its friday already..and its the last week of january 09..time flies..and yet we are still doing the same things day by day. Last week, we celebrated MD birthday..had a nice dinner at S*ecret R*ecipe..on me of course ;o).. Then did some window shopping..MD still havent decided what he wants for his birthday..better be quick daddy..you're running out of time..heheh.

February will be my Hafeez birthday. He's turning 2 on the 20th..Speaking of 2...is he into the "teribble two" phase?... He definitely getting there i guess..dah makin pandai in making himself "the boss". Last nite, when everyone else was trying to sleep...he on the other hand was still jumping up and down..on his sister and brother..after few warnings ...i quickly catched him and open the door...and yeah..who's the boss now...!!Finally everyone in peace...

Kakak..has gone up another level in her Kumon. Well done dear. She was so excited about it and i hope she will continue to do well. She told me that her ustazah choose her to enter a "reading quran and singing (nasyid kut)" competition..She loves taking part in competition and always wants to win..very competitive anak dara sorang ni...kerja nak menang je..

Haaziq came home from kindy yesterday with smiley face...am going to a water park next week!! errr..who said so? teacher...all the 6 yrs old kids will go to water park..but..you're not 6 yet..you're still 5...saje ja mengusik hehehh.. bergaduh2 la on the way home..ok..if u r 6 or going to be 6..then u must act like a 6 yrs old boy..no more crying over toys that Hafeez took from you etc..mama ambik peluang la nak suruh macam2 ..Ok mama...so the whole day and maybe whole week..mama will play the 6yrs old card game...;o)...

by the way..think i need to get some facial la...my face is so kusam..hmmm

Flawed & fabulous moms

2009-01-24T09:18:00.002+08:00

i dont remember where i read this article..i've had it for quite some time in my folders...its a good one to read..whenever you're feeling down with yourself..or whenever you need someone to tell you that you are doing fine..infact a very well done job with your kids...enjoy and have a good weekend everyone...

A good mother… What does it really mean? This phrase itself sparks enthusiasm, hope, the glow of positive intentions. After all, we moms by our very nature are driven to do right by our kids.

So what is a "good mother" — how much flexibility have we got in there? Is there an official scorecard? Am I "the best mom I can be"? Raising kids isn't like trying to make a 4.0 or win a race. Unfortunately, in too many minds "good mother" means "perfect mother”. There's a lot of pressure to have your child be exposed to as many learning and growth opportunities as possible — make them a good child by being a good parent. It is unrealistic to think that you can work full time and at the same time spend lots of quality time with your kid, birthday parties, and sports games, cook healthy dinners and help them with homework. Whatever you're doing, it feels like it is still not enough.

As our society becomes more child-centred, parents feel more and more in the service of their children — and more pressured to do everything right. There's a pervasive sense of blame that tells us, no matter how your kid turns out, all his flaws point back to you: The wrong kind of discipline, the wrong foods, and the wrong reading materials, even what you eat during pregnancy will affect your child. Is it any wonder why we want to be "perfect"? We want to stay off the firing range. There's also a sense that modern life is competitive, expensive, and more difficult and we have to give our kids every advantage to succeed. So is it any wonder that more and more experts are weighing in on exactly the right way to parenting — and yupp..we're eating it up.

It's not just external forces putting pressure on moms, though. Unfortunately, we also constantly criticized and judge each other. Moms who work look down on moms who don't and vice versa. I heard people saying, “Why didn't you breastfeed longer?” “Why is he in day care already?” These kinds of questions will never stop. Why this, why that! As hard as it looks, we actually need to appreciate people's different ways of raising their kids. You have to do what is true to your heart, and that is good parenting. Everyone will have opinions on what is right and wrong, and there's nothing to say what you're doing is right or wrong, but we're all giving it our best. We've got to lighten up on ourselves.

Many moms feel guilty about taking time for themselves. But moms do need breaks! We need to nurture ourselves so that we can be better moms. Being a good mother also means taking care of yourself so you can give more of yourself to your children.
Indeed, it won't actually do your kids any good if you're stressed about being the perfect parent.

Just remember:
-We all have guilt — just don't let it take hold.
-Sharing makes you realize you're not alone. Seek out support whenever needed.
-Your instincts are just fine. Good parenting comes from the heart and gut.
- Parenting is a learning process.
-Taking care of yourself is important. "Do one thing each day that nurtures you, even if it's only for a few minutes.
- You are doing your best and God willing, your kids will be okay too!

P.S.: Parenting advice books can be a wonderful resource — if you don't take them too seriously ;o)

his pride and joy

2009-01-20T09:42:00.006+08:00

...his very first car; red honda civic coupe.

Banyak berjasa jugak kereta merah ni..it took us to so many memorable places..threfore it was kindda sad to part from it..but cant afford to bring it home at that time..He had to let it go before we left Boston..

RC car..his first love ...if i'm not mistaken this is his first RC..and then many more to come after that. Used to spend hours and hours "membelek" his toys..

when we were in South Africa..he tried RC plane..bought two of them..and then he bought RC helicopter...

but now he's been so busy with works n kids.., all the toys are left inside the store room...maybe one day..the kids can play them??..

helluuu..anybody home? home???

2009-01-19T12:44:00.004+08:00

Agak lama tak meng"update" kan blog ni..sometimes i wonder if there are any readers stopping by..no need to give any reasons why its been a lonnng time...coz it just same ol same ol reasons...but am here now...and hope this spirit will last long...where have i been? no where. Its just that since joining FB and due to high demand at home..i simply cant find enough time to sit down and just write. I envy those bloggers who writes regulary without fail...ada ja idea. Most of my bloggers friends pun dah slowing down with their entries..semuanya terjangkit penyakit FB la...
Ok...today is MD's birthday. He's 34 today yeay! I'm still thinking what to get for him.. ( he's away in Beijing till Wednesday..)..i bought him a watch the fisrt time we celebrate his birthday together, followed with...hmm i simply cant remember ( sign of aging..huhuhu)..but adalah belikan CD Celine Dion, CD player, Clothing,..hmm mostly clothing..dulu2 i will just surprised him with birthday gifts..nowadays...will ask him prior to his birthday..hehehh so that i can budget..well me just housewife maaa..so tis year dah tanya what he wants..and he still thinking..and told him..kalau lama sangat pikir kira burned aja hadiah tu hahaha...so will see when he comes back on wednesday..
at the moment my head is thinking of what to cook for diner...everyday is such a challenge..susah wooo..hmm maybe i'll cook eggs with coconot sauce, fried lady's finger with udang kering n ????

Riwayat sepohon mangga

2008-07-02T10:09:00.002+08:00

our very own pokok mangga aka pokok pelam

We planted it when we moved to our new house.The day we brought it home, it was as high as my knee..although some people keep saying.."macam hidup segan mati tak mau" ja..but alhamdulillah sekarang dah setinggi pagar rumah. And last few months it started to grow the flower buds..we were so excited. We watched the flower buds grow into small manggo..and till the end..only one survived. Tapi itu pun tak lama...maybe it gets lonely on its own..and last week, i saw the manggo on the ground..:o( maka berakhirnya riwayat buah mangga itu...

Layang layang terbang melayang...

2008-06-17T13:41:00.003+08:00

it was a windy afternoon ..and its time to try out the new kites MD bought when he was in China a few weeks ago. The kites are made from a very delicate paper..macam tissue paper and they are attach to each other (about 10 small kites). Kids enjoyed it very much!

My Journey..so far

2008-05-06T15:01:00.008+08:00

I am 16 going on 17...ergghh YA WISH!! its more like this I am 16 + 17 hahahha..yupp celebrate my double 3 today. What do i feel? rasanya tak de yang special sangat pun. My day just like every other days...busy with the kids, masak, housechores etc. rasanya at this stage element of surprise dah tak ada lagi kut. MD asked what i want for my birthday...hmmm i said..apa2 pun tak apa. Surprised me..but as i wrote earlier, nowadays..donno la is it because we are getting older or dah malas nak bagi kezuttan..so jawapnya he took me to the shop last weekend and ask me to choose myself a gift. At least my daughter still want to surprise me..she told her daddy why you took mama to buy her gift..nanti dia tahulah...sempat lagi bisik2 to get me a card..by the way she bought me a card from school yesterday..and gave it to me..As for her daddy am still hoping his spontaneous/romantic gesture ada lagi tak banyak sikit pun jadilah..justto spice things up ...why not ? takkan la masa bercinta dulu je kan heheh..is it too much to ask? Above all that...i am thankful to Allah SWT for all the precious gifts in my life..my health, my family, my friends...and many more. Happy Birthday to me!!

Awana Kijal, Terengganu

2008-04-28T16:00:00.001+08:00

Check out my FunPix!

2008-04-23T11:56:00.001+08:00

Beautiful Tulips

2008-04-21T14:26:00.003+08:00

Flowers has always been one of my favourite things. They are soft, beautiful,nice to look at and smells good too. Tulips especially reminds me of one story. Back in Boston 1998, MD as always (dululah..now dah kurengg) being a very romantic person surprised me with a bunch of tulips on my birthday. What makes it more dramatic and unforgettable..he actually "stole" the tulips from all over the place around Northeastern Univ. : the Quad, in front of Video Smith, Lane Health Center, Snell Engineering Building and Willis Halll. hehehe..sapa yang tak cair kan...snow pun cair!!! hmmmm

My Little Princess

2008-04-08T13:20:00.005+08:00

sekangkang kera

2008-02-05T15:32:00.003+08:00

yes...this is my "sekangkang kera" kitchen garden. Although the area is a bit small..but i managed to squeeze enough plant to make it work. From right we have lemongrass, lychee, papaya, kacang botol, pandan and tumeric plant (underneath kacang botol), guava, lime and last but not least pokok misai kucing...Lychee and guava baru nak membesar..harap2 dapat la merasa hasilnya nanti..hmm give it another year or two?? But the kacang botol tu memang lebat. I even gave some to my neighbours and friends. Most of the time we eat it raws..buat ulam...sometimes kalau rajin i'll fry it with eggs and dried shrimp.. My lime tree..hmmm.. let say dah di overshadow by the kacang botol...still there just growing very slowwwly...good things is the ulat is no longer eating the leaves..kalau tak every time new leaves comes out...ulat pun sibukla jugak.... I use the tumeric, lemongrass and pandan in my cooking everytime...very useful. Although am not a very good gardener..cukuplah sekangkang kera ni tu fullfill me...berbudi pada tanah sememangnya tak merugikan!..

kacang botol fresh from the garden

2008-01-21T13:47:00.005+08:00

the cake MD and kids

MD turned 33 last saturday..and we had just a small birthday celebration...Happy birthday dear! Wish you all the best and may all you wish for come true. We love you always!

birthday wishes from the kids

The Little Mermaid

2008-01-21T13:42:00.000+08:00

another masterpiece by Aqeelah

school holidays pictures

2008-01-09T10:12:00.001+08:00

Selamat Menyambut Maal Hijrah

2008-01-09T09:31:00.000+08:00

My dearest friends...just want to wish all muslim around the world..Happy New Hijrah Year 1429 (10 January 2008). May Allah SWT bless us all with good health and peace. Moga kita ditingkatkan keimanan dah dimurahkan rezeki olehNYA.

MUHARAM adalah bulan pertama dalam tahun Islam (Hijrah). Sebelum Rasulullah berhijrah dari Makkah ke Yathrib, kiraan bulan dibuat mengikut tahun Masihi. Hijrah Rasulullah memberi kesan besar kepada Islam sama ada dari sudut dakwah Rasulullah, ukhuwwah dan syiar Islam itu sendiri.Pada asasnya, Muharam membawa maksud 'diharamkan' atau 'dipantang', iaitu Allah SWT melarang melakukan peperangan atau pertumpahan darah. Namun demikian larangan ini ditamatkan setelah pembukaan Makkah (Al Baqarah: 91). Sejak pemansuhan itu, umat Islam boleh melaksanakan tugas dan ibadat harian tanpa terikat lagi dengan larangan berkenaan.

Doa akhir tahun dibaca 3 kali pada akhir waktu Asar atau sebelum masuk waktu Maghrib pada akhir bulan Zulhijjah.

Doa awal tahun dibaca 3 kali apabila masuk waktu Maghrib pada awal bulan Muharram. Sesiapa yang membaca doa ini, syaitan berkata: "Kesusahan bagiku dan sia-sialah pekerjaanku menggoda anak Adam pada setahun ini dan Allah binasakan aku satu saat jua. Dengan sebab membaca doa ini, Allah ampunkan dosanya setahun."

Peristiwa-peristiwa penting yang berlaku di bulan Muharram:

1 Muharam - Khalifah Umar Al-Khattab mula membuat penetapan kiraan bulan dalam Hijrah.

10 Muharam - Dinamakan juga hari 'Asyura'. Pada hari itu banyak terjadi peristiwa penting yang mencerminkan kegemilangan bagi perjuangan yang gigih dan tabah bagi menegakkan keadilah dan kebenaran.

Pada 10 Muharam juga telah berlaku:
1.Nabi Adam bertaubat kepada Allah.
2.Nabi Idris diangkat oleh Allah ke langit.
3.Nabi Nuh diselamatkan Allah keluar dari perahunya sesudah bumi ditenggelamkan selama enam bulan.
4.Nabi Ibrahim diselamatkan Allah dari pembakaran Raja Namrud.
5.Allah menurunkan kitab Taurat kepada Nabi Musa.
6.Nabi Yusuf dibebaskan dari penjara.
7.Penglihatan Nabi Yaakob yang kabur dipulihkkan Allah.
8.Nabi Ayub dipulihkan Allah dari penyakit kulit yang dideritainya.
9.Nabi Yunus selamat keluar dari perut ikan paus setelah berada di dalamnya selama 40 hari 40 malam.
10.Laut Merah terbelah dua untuk menyelamatkan Nabi Musa dan pengikutnya dari tentera Firaun.
11.Kesalahan Nabi Daud diampuni Allah.
12.Nabi Sulaiman dikurniakan Allah kerajaan yang besar.

Hari pertama Allah menciptakan alam.
Hari Pertama Allah menurunkan rahmat.
Hari pertama Allah menurunkan hujan.
Allah menjadikan 'Arasy.
Allah menjadikan Luh Mahfuz.
Allah menjadikan alam.
Allah menjadikan Malaikat Jibril.
Nabi Isa diangkat ke langit.

oleh itu sama-samalah kita menghayati bulan muharram ini dah jangan lupa berdoa di hujung dan awal tahun semoga buku amalan kita ditutup dan dibuka semula dengan amalan2 yang terpuji. Insyallah.

Welcome 2008

2007-12-31T20:56:00.000+08:00

Dear Friends..
Just want to wish all of you a very "happy new year". May 2008 brings us more happy moments and luck. New year wont be complete without new resolutions..yeah..as for me, am hoping for good health for myself and family. Also i'll try to be a better person ( actually this should be our everyday resolution kan..) to my dearest MD,my parents n inlaws,my kids, my siblings, my friends and all human beings. There are few thing i want to achive..one of it will be...i will try to update my blog more frequently ( yeah..i've been a little bit malas lately..not that i did not try..tapi ada ja halangannya cewahhh) and the rest of it i will be posting in in my blog troughout the year. Okay..enough of this..have a wonderful year ahead to everyone..and may god be with us wherever we are. Happy New Year!

ps: the pics was taken at the Northeastern T stop on 31 Dec 1995. We were waiting for the T to go Boston Harbour for the 1996 New Year Firework show.That was the day when we decided to go steady ...by the way please ignore my big eyeglasses ..what was i thinking?*??@

Suara Kekasih

2007-11-05T09:47:00.001+08:00

i am not a big fan of Ogy..but do enjoyed her old movies masa zaman2 ali setan, suara kekasih and azura. Last nite they aired Suara Kekasih at Channel 9. It was so touching love story..even though i watched it for thousand times, the feel is still there. Cinta tak semestinya bersatu..

RAYA 2007

2007-10-31T12:53:00.001+08:00

Selamat Hari Raya

2007-10-23T09:36:00.000+08:00

Sempena bulan Syawal yang mulia ni harap2 masih belum terlambat untuk kami sekeluarga ucapkan "Selamat Hari Raya, Maaf Zahir Batin". Jemputlah ke rumah kalau nak rasa kuih raya ...ada kuih tunjuk ada kuih buat sendiri hehehe..Tahun ni turn raya kat my hometown Alor Setar. Seronok la...alhamdulillah dapat jumpa semua sanak saudara...plan nak jumpa kawan2 pulak terbantut sebab banyak masalah teknikal..tak ada rezeki nak jumpa..insyallah lain kali no. Gambar raya kali ni banyak yang tak cukup syarat..pasalnya budak2 dua orang tu berebut nak jadi cameraman/woman..jadi adalah gambar yg senget situ sini..gambar yg tak da kepala...dan macam2 lagi. Anyway..nanti i will upload a few more buat tatapan semua. Selamat Hari Raya!

Cerita di bulan ramadan

2007-09-27T10:04:00.000+08:00

Assalamualaikum...diam tak diam dah masuk hari yang ke 15 kita di bulan ramadan ni. Cepat sungguh masa berlalu. Harap2 tu kita semua telah memperolehi sedikit sebanyak keberkatan dari bulan yang mulia ini. Sepanjang bulan ramadan ini, alhamdulillah segala urusan telah berjalan dengan lancar. Jika tahun lepas, aqeelah berjaya berpuasa selama 11 hari tahun ini dia berazam untuk berpuasa sebanyak yang mungkin. Setakat hari ini, alhamduliilah baru 2 hari dia ponteng. Haaziq..buat masa ni tak lagi puasa...dia baru 4 tahun ...bagi dia lagi 2 tahun insyallah mungkin masa umurnya 6 tahun bolehlah dia bermula berlatih puasa. Tapi dialah yang yang paling sibuk tiap kali waktu berbuka. Selalunya kami akan buka siaran TV1 untuk mendengar azan maghrib...dan Haaziq akan menjerit-jerit bagitau " dah azan dah azan....". Hafeez pun nak jugak menyibuk...
anyway..bulan puasa ni memang selalu teingatkan masakan mak. hmmm favourite sekali mesti cucuq udang, kanji, cara berlauk, laksa...and banyak lagi. Actually bukan tak boleh buat sendiri or beli cuma tak sama la rasanya. Contohnya cucuq udang..kalau kat sini org cicah dengan sos cili ja..kalau mak buat mesti ada kuah kacang..ada taukua (tauhu) goreng, timun and sengkuang..., laksa plak..kat kedah ada laksa teluk kecai...tapi kat sini..konon orang selalu cakap laksa utara..tapi amatlah jauuuh bezanya...hmm kalau sahur mak selalu masak daging goreng kering.. dah try buat tapi tak jugak jadi/rasa cam tu ...heheh itulah magic ayaq tangan mak kan...
ingat lagi masa dulu2..kalau mak buat kuih berbuka mesti buat lebih ..lepas tu pukul 6-630ptg mulalah berhantar kat jiran sebelah menyebelah..ada la kat 5 buah rumah kami berhantar..seronok masa tu..nanti mesti dapat balas macam2 kuih.. yang syoknya tu kuih yang orang hantar macam sedap sangat padahal sebenarnya biasa ja hehehe...masa duduk rumahs ewa dulu..kejiranan tu ok la juagk ada jugak yang masih berhantar..masa hari cuti ka..tapi kawasan rumah baru ni..nampaknya macam tak ada pun jiran yang sebegitu. ada pun sorang je..yang lelain tu bayang pun tak nampak...semuanya sibuk..hmm agaknya nanti masa2 depan zaman anak cucu kita tah ada ke tak lagi hantar menghantar makanan masa bulan puasa kan..
Dalam bulan ramadan jugak yang menyeronokkan adalah sembahyang terawih. Seronok tengok orang ramai2 pergi sembahyang terawih. . Pengalaman yang paling tak boleh lupa masa terawih kat Slim River. Masa tu tengah buat kursus english kat CML...kami semua tinggal kat rumah kedai..dibawah tu petang2 ada pasar ramadan...senang la nak membeli belah. Malam pi terawih kat masjid slim river yang letaknya kat tepi jalan. Kelakar bila tengok sorang2 ngan telekung jalan tepi jalan raya besar nak pi sembahyang terawih..Sekarang kalau nak terawih pun kat rumah saja..sebab Hafeez kecik lagi tak de org nak jaga....
Hmm..seronok kenang zaman dulu2 berpuasa..lain dari sekarang bila dah berkeluarga..rindu pun ada bila pikir2kan masa2 tu..Moga-moga kita semua memperolehi keberkatan dari NYA dibulan yang mulia ini....selamat meneruskan ibadah puasa!

8 years ago....

2007-09-13T14:39:00.000+08:00

September 4, 1999 ...time flies but our love stays! Happy Anniversary Dear. Looking forward for more wonderful years ahead.

mak oii banyaknya labuci..tak percaya i pakai that wedding dress..tapi at that time itu ja yang ada and within my budget. MD cakap sebelum akad nikah tu, tuk imam ada tanya dia makna perkataan "muhasabah" ka "muzakarah"...and he could not answer it. Nasib tuk imam baik hati terangkan kat dia heheh. Alhamdulillah dengan satu lafaz dah selamat kami diijabkabulkan. Doakan jodoh ini berkekalan hingga ke akhir hayat

updates!!

2007-09-11T14:39:00.000+08:00

mak oiii dah berabuk n bersawang nya this blog..mintak maaf banyak2 la ya to those yg drop by this past few months..nak kata busy, tak ada masa ..hmm tak la jugak...tak de idea?? ya la jugak..insyallah will try my best to update the blog..tunggu naa

what will be will be

2007-06-21T08:06:00.000+08:00

"Que sera sera

What will be will be"

Exactly 9 years ago i graduated from Northeastern University in Boston. It was such a wonderful day. Graduated with Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management, i had so many plans at that time. If you had ask me that very moment, where do i see myself in 9-10 years ? My answers would be happily married with kids, nice home and working (read:careerwoman). Alhamdulillah...all my dreams come true except one. Yupp you got it right..it has never cross my mind 9 years ago that, i will be a full time housewife. The least that i thought i would be, kerja few years then after a while maybe in the 40s i would retire...i had to put up (pekak kan telinga) with lots of comments especially with close relatives and people i met when i told them am a fulltime housewife with degree. Regret? No ...not at all. But tipulah if i said i never think about it at all. There were days when i would imagine how's life would be the other way around...tapi Allah SWT lebih mengetahui. Maybe this is my path..kita hanya boleh merancang tapi hanya dengan ketentuanNYA barulah ia tercapai..

Anyway,..before i go on and on...just want to wish my dearest friend Aminah...( in the 2nd pic with MD and me) happy birthday...her birthday is on June 20 same day with our commencement. Hope she is well..coz lately dia senyap je..keeping low profile??

By the way...i graduated that day not only with an honor degree but with MD on my side too! 2 dalam 1.

"now i have children of my own

they ask their mama what would they be?"

will i be pretty, will i be rich

i tell them tenderly"

que sera sera...what will be will be.."

you're the one that i want

2007-06-18T16:42:00.001+08:00

2007-04-20T16:11:00.000+08:00

My brothers came down for a visit and spent the weekend at my place. Kids surely had lots..tonnes of fun splashing in the big really BIG swimming pool (we did not fill up the water though...coz it will take forever..)..then we went to see Eye on Malaysia..Haaziq, being the only boy (kid) ropa2nya yg paling penakut. He refused to go onto the carrier. It was fun afer all. I remembered 4 yrs ago, we went to see Eye of London(EOL)..Haaziq was 1 mths old at time time..(yupp tak habis lagi pantang tapi stil pergi jalan)..we did not ride the EOL because there were too many people..estimated time of queing was about 1-2 hrs..It is similar to EOM just that EOL much..much bigger..i bet the view must be fantastic from up there..well maybe next time la..

the birth of Muhammad Hafeez

2007-04-17T08:57:00.000+08:00

Alhamdulillah..thank you to Allah SWT, everything went well on the day Muhammad Hafeez was born. I had mild contractions that morning and furthermore my doctor wanted me to check in that day so we went to the hospital around 930am. Settling down in my room while entertaining the kids as well as the contractions every 30 mins apart. MD decided to sent kids home for lunch and Aqeelah cried because she wanted to stay with me..it was quite sad to see them like that but they had to go home. MD came back after that and stayed with me until the baby came out. Around 330pm, the contractions became closer and sakkkkiiitt..the nurse asked me whether I wanted to take any pain relief like epidural or pethadine. Cehh ngan machonya..am still ok..will let u know if I cant hold it any longer. 15 mins after that, told MD to call the nurse and asked her how long is gonna be? She said lambat lagi la..WITHOUT checking my opening pun.. I was like..ok..if that the case, then I need my jab right now!!!..10 mins after that, Dr. Fatimah came in, very calm n sweet la this doctor, and she was telling me about epidural bla bla bla..then suddenly she said..Ma..i think u can forget about epidural now..coz the baby is coming..and yes after 1 big push at 4.07..Muhammad Hafeez was safely born weighed at 3.35kg.. slightly smaller than abg Haaziq. I was given 2 small stitches. Went home the day after that and am so glad that my parents were there to help me with the kids. Hafeez settled quite well, just couple of nites yg dia buat hal tak nak tidur malam..apart from that, alhamdulillah he’s been a good boy. As for me, I got enough bed rest, and yes this time around the stitches was not that bad. Cuma badan ja rasa letih2 n lenguh2..maybe because my body dah aging kut heheh..after 3 days of urut-mengurut session..felt much better. As usual, my confinement will last up until 44 days..where am not allowed to eat certain foods like yang sejuk2, berangin,pedas2.. no cold drinks, bertungku etc.
To sum up, it was not so bad experience giving birth n pantang this time and who knows I might give it another go ..;o) but not in the near future..maybe 3-4 yrs lagi insyallah..Hafeez will be 2 mths old in few days. He's already smiling and adapting well with his busy body kakak n abang. He loves taking his bath and being mummy's co-pilot in the car. Last n not least, thank you for all your warm wishes and for visiting Hafeez n me.

Muhammad Hafeez Mazlan

2007-03-24T18:03:00.000+08:00

funny n silly

2007-02-14T15:46:00.000+08:00

MD bought them the practical jokes set...and here they are posing it for mummy's blog!

belum sampai masa

2007-02-08T08:07:00.000+08:00

what would you do or feel when the opportunity you've been waiting for so long is just a step away but.... you have to let it go??..They called me last Tuesday to ask whether am still interested with KPLI. Apparently...i was choosen for the second intake session which start last Monday...I was speechless for a few minutes then reality struck me...i cant...am about to pop in few more days ( to be exact lagi 10 hari)..yg menambahkan kesedihan..the teaching institute is just around the corner of Bangi..approx. 10 mins from home..memang very-very convienence for me. If i have to go somewhere else far, maybe i wont feel that bad to let it go...it really wasnt meant to be...MD pun rasa a bit sedih but then he reminded me that insyallah there will be a better opportunity for me waiting in the future.

As for now..am a bit anxious and nervous as the EDD is just few days away. Haaziq and Aqeelah are excited that every day they asked about the baby...semua preparation dah siap..actually there are not much to prepare since aqeelah and haaziq baby's stuffs banyak..just little bit here and there yg nak kena tambah. I had diferent birth experience with my two kids. Aqeelah was born in Kedah Medical Center, Alor Setar..( coz i was too afraid of giving birth in South Africa-- yup MD)..she was induced and the labour was not that long..tapiii sakitt woo kena induced. Haaziq on the other hand, arrived right on the due date and this time the nurses at Norwich and Norfolk University Hopsital, UK said..let nature do it course..no induced what so ever. The first stage of labour was about 6 hrs but as soon as my water bag burst..Haaziq dah selamat keluar. He weighed 3.515kg. Aqeelah was a bit smaller..2.95kg. And for my third baby...doctor said it's going to be around 3kg +. My belly is huge..--well that's what i think..but most people who see me will said.."keciknya perut..baru berapa bulan" heheheh....kecik...macam ikan paus adalah..hahah..anyway...wish me luck..doakan semuanya berjalan dengan mudah dah lancar..

….i just want to salammm

2007-01-26T10:05:00.000+08:00

the other day we went to parkson..saja jalan2 cuci mata..haaziq as usual like to run here and there exploring this and that..but once a while he will check up to see where his mama..and same goes with me. Anyway..i was looking at this nice handbags..pompuan..pi mana2 pun handbags jugak yg dia suka tengok..tetiba..tak dengar suara haaziq. I looked around and saw him holding the mannequin hand…tak gerak2..hmmm something’s wrong…tetiba..dia jerit..mama..help..help..his hand was still holding the mannequin..asked him..what’s wrong? Terus dia nangis and said..his hand come out..rupa2nya..tangan mannequin tu tercabut dari pergelangan tangan..agaknya haaziq mesti dah pusing2 kan tangan tu..sekali tercabut and he was so scared. It was so hilariously when I saw his face..and siap usik2 lagi dia…agaknya dia makin takut and terus lepaskan tangan tu ..sampai sakit perut ketawakan dia. In the end, helped him put back the hand and he was so scared after that terus ajak balik..hehhe..Asked him later..what are you trying to do boy? He said..” I just want to salammm”..Haaziq..Haaziq…puas kena gelak ngan mama

..into her independent world

2007-01-17T09:28:00.000+08:00

this is Aqeelah 3rd week at school. Alhamdulillah she is settling very well. I dont have to wait for her during recess time anymore. She made lots of new friends and seems to enjoy herself very much. Her schedule is quite tight with her KAFA in the morning and school session in the afternoon. She looks tired though and sometimes has hard time to wake up in the morning..well who could blame her..memang memenatkan..but she'll get used to it just like any other kids. On the other hand....her mummy felt so sunyi now that she's no longer at home. Am so used to have her around ...and now she'e no longer here. The house seems so empty. I used to complain before this that i dont have enough "me time"..and now when i do have the "me time" rasa macam something missing ...i miss my kids..hmm macam2 la jadi mummy ni kan..and there's no way i could stop them from growing up..especially when they are growing to become a better person.

Alahai anak omak...

2007-01-15T10:38:00.000+08:00

Between anak perempuan and lelaki yg mana satu lagi manja? Hmm myself have both girl and boy ..and I think my boy, Haaziq lagi manja compare to his sister. This is not new. I’ve been told by few people about “kemanjaan” Haaziq. At the age of 3-4 he still sleeps with us while kakak on the other hand dah master sleeping on her own . Kakak managed herself very well the first time we sent her to playschool ..but Haaziq..siap peluk2 mummy lagi …he even gave in his sweeties just to stay home with me..And whenever he lost in any games..tak kira la..apa2 pun for example: Kakak finished her food first..he will cry saying “ me want to finish fisrt” when all the while bukan nya dia makan pun…asyik tengok tv ja.

Yesterday, MD had to attend his team building camp for 3 days 2 nite. So we all sent him to his bus. And this konon “big boy” cried when he saw his daddy went on the bus. Menangis teresak2.. “me want daddy home!!!” all the way home…puas la si kakak memujuk…macam2 la dijanjikan…nak pergi kedai la, nak beli toy la..satu pun tak jadi. Kakak herself, nampak bergenang jugak air mata tu, but she controlled it well.Hmm I wonder..what if mummy yang kena pergi kursus for few days?...

Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Adha

2006-12-29T13:25:00.000+08:00

This very important Muslim holiday is celebrated at the end of Hajj, which is an annual pilgrimage to Mecca. The ‘Festival of Sacrifice’ is followed by a ‘Feast of Sacrifice’, which pays homage to the prophet Ibrahim AS unselfish act of sacrificing his son, prophet Ismail AS to Allah SWT. In turn, Allah SWT spared the prophet Ismail's life and instead substituted a sheep. Now in remembrance, people sacrifice a lamb, goat, or other animal, and give the meat to family, friends, relatives, and most importantly, the poor.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Adha from Yus and family.

mama's office

2006-12-26T16:23:00.000+08:00

the other day..while i was in the kitchen..my 3 yrs old boy came to me and..

"mama..why you like kitchen so much?"

"hmmm..because i have to cook."

"why you have too cook?"

"if i don't cook, then we have nothing to eat."

"so... kitchen is your office?"

"hmmm ya...?!???"

"okie dokie..bye mama."

hmm nampak gayanya macam tu la...for the past 7 years..and for many more years to come. Eventhough am not really good at it, but the most important thing is my kids love my cooking...like Aqeelah..she prefers my laksa, nasi lemak to others..she said..mama masak sedap tak pedas sangat..and Haaziq pun..well he eats most everything...as for MD..he's not that choosy tapi org katakan..air tangan isteri tu pengikat kebahagian rumahtangga....so office pun office lah...!!!

mixed feeling..

2006-12-26T08:37:00.000+08:00

Abah was a very dedicated teacher...even mak used to be a teacher before she got married. And even my inlaws were teachers ...so i guess the teacher's blood runs in my blood. Sometimes, strangers, whom i met at functions, or other places often said.."you look like a teacher"..donno whether they just trying to be nice or really meant what they said..Anyway..feeling that i do have the passion and "the blood", might as well i applied for it. Earlier in my previous post, i wrote about the test i took, Mtest, and then i went to the final interview in August. The result was out last Friday. Seems like "looks alone is not enough"... harap maaf, nama anda tiada dalam senarai tawaran kami. Although if do get the offer i would not be able to go..my edd is in feb but knowing that they rejected you because you are not qualified was far more frustrating when you feel that you did quite well in the interview. Try again next year? hmmm i dont know..maybe not. Kept telling myself that, there are others that really i mean really really need the offer/job than me...and then maybe its a good thing jugak..i can spend my time concentrating on my kids..especially next year Aqeelah is going to standard 1. All things happen for a reason. I should be thankful..

New Superheroes in town

2006-12-12T11:19:00.000+08:00

Watch out Cicak man! New superheroes in town! MD was home yesterday so he entertained kids with his so call art skills - topeng for superheroes. It was Aqeelah's idea actually. She found some left over paper plate (clean ones ) and asked daddy to draw her a mask. The other day we made ladybug for haaziq n butterfly for aqeelah from paper plate too. These are the things too keep them from fighting all day long -school holiday maa...sepanjang hari kat rumah..penat nak melayan..need to find activities /craft to keep them quiet for a while. Anyway they enjoyed it so much zooming here and there. Pretending to be superheroes saving people and catching the bad guys. So watch out Cicak man!

Fairy Princess Aqeelah

2006-11-29T15:27:00.000+08:00

MD bought her a new set of Fairy Princess dress complete with wings and magical wand. This is her fourth princess/fairy dress. MD told her this is her present for getting good results in her previous exam and there will be more presents for her in the future if she keeps up the good work! Even Haaziq was being supportive by calling her "princess Qeela"..seronok sakan la...well she deserved it....eventhough the dress ketat sikit coz itu utk 3+ punya age but it did not stop her from enjoying it to its fullest...bangun pagi ja terus capai dress tu..kalau boleh nak tidur pun pakai baju tu tapi takut terkoyak..terpaksalah tukar pakai pyjamas...

2006-11-23T13:50:00.000+08:00

Last week i bumped into my old "buah hati" or more like big crush...along with his wife n 2 kids. It happened that we now live in the same area. What a small world! Anyway...i must admit he still looks the same since the day we left college..gemuk sikit la kut..but still friendly as he can be..his wife is ok too..a bit shy though. Then i remembered my conversation with a friend recently. I was at one of the open house where i met with her ex. And as soon as i told her about it, the first question she asked, "sapa cantik lagi..kita ka bini dia?" and myself being so jahat...answered, "mestilah kita yg lawa lagi heheh" and the conversation keep going on and on until finally i gave her the answer she's been waiting for.. "ya la...memang hang la yg cantik lagi....memang rugi la si-ex tu ". Am not trying to tease her or what by bringing up this story (sorry byk2 ye mek) but its true..women.. we like comparing things. The same thing happened to me that day. When MD stood there talking to him, i was telling myself those two were so different in so many ways. One..whom i had crush for so many years.. memang crush habis-habisan la..sekampung pulak tu..am willing to help him in any ways..assignment, $$ ..on the other hand MD..a sabahan ( dulu i was so strict about not having boyfriend other than org utara so that senang nak balik raya ) willing to do anything for me..believe it or not according to him i am his first love... Alhamdulillah..i make the right choice. Although now i have to take turn everytime hari raya comes :o( ..tapi its alright. MD gives me more than that. Moral of the story tak kisahlah sapa cantik or what..the most important is the choices we make. Make the best out of it and let bygones be bygones!

ps: at the end of the day..think moi cantik lagi compare to my old crush punya wife tu hehehhe jahatnya!!!

...my girl

2006-11-22T11:30:00.000+08:00

My baby girl is growing up so fast. Could not imagine she's going to standard one next year..she seems excited about it and could not wait to meet new friends. Last few weeks we attended her first convocation. It was held at Dewan Anwar, UKM. Yeah 6 years old and she already had had convocation..i had to wait until 24 years old to wear that convo gown.. anyway..as excited as she was to receive her kindy certificate..she was far more excited to perform. She's been rehearsing her part as a ladybird for weeks..even Haaziq could memorized her line pretty well. She just loved to perform..think she got it from me...back in my schooling years..i took part in various art performance..such as singing, nasyid, dancing ( tarian asli lagi ), musical play and many more.

Anyway...for all her hardwork, she managed to get no 2 in her class...which is very good for her considering she had problem understanding malay. We were proud of her so MD decided to buy her a present to encourage her to do better in her next coming exam...sometimes rasa macam kesian plak kat budak2 ni..they just entering standard 1 and dah di pressurekan ngan exam...bagi dapat no 1 etc. masa zaman kita sekolah dulu..entering darjah satu baru nak mengenal abc, 123...tapi budak2 sekarang dah siap belajar plus minus with 2 digits..and dah boleh membaca dengan lancar...some parents even hantar anak pergi tutuion class..the pressure is not only on the kids but the parents too. Maybe we are too hard on them...since they just kids..but then its the education system that makes us like this ...hehe as usual blame it to the system. Nak tak nak just have to follow the flow or else we will be left behind ..but we try no to push her too hard...we still encourage her to do what she like for example, she likes art much so we decided to enroll her to art class n also swimming class..hopefully it will balance it up.

Raya in KK

2006-11-15T14:35:00.000+08:00

As i said earlier, this year we spent our raya holiday in MD's hometown, Kota Kinabalu. Although it was a little bit diffrent from here in semenanjung but we did enjoy it very much. We even went to Tawau to attend a wedding. It was my first time in Tawau. Didn't really get to go sightseeing tough coz the schedule was too tight. Maybe some other time. Here are some of the photos taken there. Enjoy!

Cousins Enjoying the fireworks

Morning of Hari Raya with "gemuuk"

at the wedding

SELAMAT HARI RAYA & MAAF ZAHIR BATIN

2006-11-02T08:42:00.000+08:00

Salam to everyone...its been a while since i last update this blog. Been very busy recently and alhamdulillah am back for more tips n tots. Hope its not too late to wish everybody SELAMAT HARI RAYA AIDILFITRI & MAAF ZAHIR BATIN. This year we celebrated hari raya in Sabah..MD's hometown. It was fun though a bit different from semenanjung ..Kids enjoyed it very much playing with nenek's cats..my inlaws really fond with cat..they have 7 cats..takut kucing2 tu bila haaziq ada..even dah kena cakar pun still nak jugak main.. ok..will update more later...

Permata (Untuk Isteriku)

2006-07-26T18:20:00.000+08:00

Telah ku siapkan satu daerah paling sunyi

Dalam hati ini untuk kau isi sebagai isteri

Untuk kau penuhi dengan kemuliaan seorang wanita

Untuk kau beri erti dengan kelembutan

Untuk kau hargai dengan kasih sayang

Ku ingin kau jadi wanita mulia

Yang tahu harga budi dan hati

Seorang lelaki bernama suami

Kerana engkau isteri

Ku ingin kau mengerti bahawa hidup ini

Tak semudah yang kita janjikan

Yang kita janjikan

Kerana kau isteriku

This song is by Kopratasa, one of the famous group artist who like to sing "puisi" songs. Hubby made me listened to this song - sort of he dedicated it to me lah- and i would like to share it with all the wifes out there. My fav. part is " hidup ini tak semudah yang kita janjikan "..which is so very true..married life requires more than just understanding.

...and he is 3 !!

2006-07-26T18:12:00.000+08:00

My baby boy turned 3 on July 1,2006. My goodness how fast time flies. I still can remembered the day we went to Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital. At 3.51pm, Muhammad Haaziq was born right on his due date. Alhamdulillah everything went well. He was a good boy and sister, Aqeelah adores him so much. He was quite big at birth, 3.50kg and we could see that tru out his growing years. Just like other boys, he is so lasak. He loves to play rough n tumble. But what i love so much is when he plays "cat" with aqeelah. He would sniffs, crawls and be like a cat..so manja. He still sleeps with us but now that he's getting bigger n tidur pun ala2 komando tendang sana sini, its time to train him to sleep on his own. So far he's doing ok, but then i have to sacrifice my hand as he needs to hold on to it until he falls asleep. I do miss having him with me on my bed because he always cuddle and sleep so close to me...but then bila part dia buat komando in the middle of the nite..itu yang tak tahan...He is growing so fast and yet he still my baby boy..my Haaziq comelll ( his answer everytime we ask; haaziq what?haaziq comelll)

a few days after he was born

on his 1st Birthday with his first car

2nd Birthday

3rd Birthday

2006-07-07T18:28:00.000+08:00

My girl loves to draw. She draws almost everything but her passions is towards princesses and the tale of "happy ever after". She showed me this pic one day and told me this is how her wedding will be like - hmm baru 6 yrs old tapi dah pandai cakap pasal wedding.. anyway am speechless! Her pic was so detailed and am impressed but at the same time am a bit worried.. it's too mat saleh (one of my friends said that too about my kids) She asked me one day why i covered my hair at my wedding and she said she's not going to do that and she's going to wear that "berkemban" wedding dress. Ask her why? With her innocent looks she said, sebab cantiklah! Hmm should i be worried now or just let her play with her imagination and explain it to her slowly until finally one day she will understand it clearly?

Landskap tumbuhan dapur

2006-06-30T09:08:00.000+08:00

I found this article in Berita Harian a while ago and decided to post it here. There are some interesting tips if we want to have this "tumbuhan dapur" in our backyard. They not only work as kitchen landscape but very useful in the kitchen too.

Selain tanaman hiasan, anda sebenarnya boleh menghiasi halaman rumah (sama ada di hadapan atau belakang) dengan tumbuhan seperti sayur-sayuran dan ulam yang boleh dimakan. Jika orang lain memilih tumbuhan berbunga, tiada salahnya anda menimbulkan kelainan dengan menanam pelbagai jenis ‘tumbuhan bahan dapur'.

Tanaman itu bukan saja boleh menyuburkan tanah dan mencantikkan halaman, malah boleh dijadikan sumber makanan dan menjimatkan belanja pasar. Konsep menanam tumbuhan boleh makan dipanggil hiasan landskap boleh makan.Anda boleh membentuk kebun dapur anda sendiri, sama ada menanamnya di halaman depan atau belakang rumah. Kelebihan membuat kebun dapur ialah anda berpeluang mendapat sayur atau ulam yang lebih segar, bersih dan terjamin kerana anda menanamnya sendiri.Tidak perlu risau soal sisa racun serangga perosak kerana anda boleh menggunakan bahan semula jadi atau barang dapur untuk mengawal serangan serangga.Serangga perosak boleh dikawal dengan menyembur campuran air sabun dan bawang putih pada pokok yang diserang terutama kucai dan serai wangi daripada cacing nematoda, kutu daun dan semut.Cara itu lebih murah, senang dan tidak membahayakan. Lebih penting tanaman itu segar dan boleh dimakan segera.

Pastikan tanaman tidak ditanam terlalu dalam atau cetek. Padat dan ratakan tanah sekeliling pokok sebelum disiram.Kadar kekerapan siraman bergantung kepada jenis pokok. Pokok yang mengandungi banyak air seperti lidah buaya tidak memerlukan siraman kerap.Satu langkah memastikan kelembapan mencukupi adalah dengan memancang kayu pada tapak tanaman. Cabut kayu pemancang dan lihat pangkalnya. Jika tanah yang melekat itu lembap, ia bermakna tanaman cukup air dan tidak perlu disiram.Tumbuhan yang boleh dimakan atau untuk tujuan masakan seperti limau kasturi, cili, bayam, pandan, serai dan halia juga boleh ditanam dalam pasu besar. Ada pokok yang perlu dicantas dan ada yang perlu dicabut setelah satu musim terutama pokok bermusim seperti ulam raja.Pokok jenis herba naungan seperti selom dan kesum perlu dicantas supaya dapat mengeluarkan daun lebih sihat dan bercabang.Pokok herbasaka seperti kunyit, serai, halia, lengkuas dan temu seeloknya digali umbinya, dibelah dan ditanam semula setiap dua atau tiga tahun.Pokok jenis kayu seperti limau nipis, kasturi dan purut perlu dicantas apabila terlalu tinggi. Selain memudahkan, cantasan dapat mengekalkan bentuk, konsep dan kecantikan landskap dapur.

2006-06-29T11:55:00.000+08:00

Nearly 2 weeks tak blooging..is it a matter of no idea or malas? Hmm idea tu ada ..so it must the laziness..lately am really not in the mood of writing. Lots of wonderful things happened this past few weeks…Our dearest friend Heizam a.k.a Cik Lat is officially Mrs Clark now. After 6 yrs of waiting, finally they got married on June 16, 2006. CL looked so happy and berseri-seri in her white dress. How I wish I could be there…opps forgot to mention that she got married in Boston. Arghh Boston…I had so many memorable thoughts about that special place..but..not going into details right now..tersasar kejab..because this entry is not about me..It’s about CL. Am wishing her the very best of luck and may happiness be with her always.

Last week was also my dear friend’s birthday. What a lovely date 20.06.2006. Amin gadis Comel..who could ever forget her. She’s the bubbliest and yet very sensitive. I’ve known her since my high school yr back in MRSM Beseri. But we were not that close back then..until we became roommate in Boston. We had our ups and downs but at the end of the day I still adore her and enjoy our friendships very much. Happy Birthday Minah…moga2 panjang umur dan dimurahkan rezeki selalu.

Forever Charmed

2006-06-14T12:43:00.000+08:00

I watched the ever last episode of Charmed last nite and I would say it was a perfect ending. An ending that am sure everybody would be happy to see. After 8 years (could you believe it) of battling with the so-called-demons.., trying to have a normal life as mortals, losing one sister (though it actually because the cast could not stand her attitude so they had to “killed” her) they finally found their destiny. Piper, Phoebe and Paige, the 3 witches or should I say the Charmed one will always be our favourite witches. Although am not really their best fan... I do watch it (sort of keeping it up to date) whenever I …hmm let say when I feel like watching it... ( I do have other things to do too)..because sometimes the story line was too much.. mengarut n seksi sangat..the truth is...I missed Prue...yupp the sister that “died” played by Shannen Doherty. I started watching her in BH90210 as Brenda Walsh..(she only stayed till season 2 or 3? again..problems with other casts). At that time she was so young and fresh. She got a lot of talents but sad to say she has the kind of attitude that pissed out a lot of people. Too bad...sayang sekali...muka comei perangai tak comei..for me comei la walaupun hubby keeps telling me muka dia slightly herot ya ke?
Anyway, what am trying to say here, last nite in the final episode, I was a little bit “terkilan” when the scene where old Piper and old Leo walked up the hall of fame” stairs, there was no pictures of Prue. Despite all the bad things she had done, I think they should have her on the hall of fame since she was one of the sisters. However, when Piper’s granddaughter end it up by closing the door the way Prue used to do it.. I know everything is alrite. Perfecto! That’s it!

p.s: semalam tengok "ungu violet"..ala yg Dian Sastro from Indonesia tu berlakon ..aduss..sedih bangat...meleleh airmata..

How long can i take it?

2006-06-12T12:03:00.000+08:00

Weekend was alrite. Went to my swimming class as usual. Am learning the free style swimming right now. And it's been almost 4 lessons and yet i still can't do it. Am at the phase of giving up already. So frustrated. Why is it so easy for those kids ( age around 9-11) to do it..it only took them 1-2 lessons and they will be swimming like pros. And moi? Still terkial2 nak buat breathing. Moan it to hubby about it and as usual he keeps on encouraging me. It's a learning process he said n bla bla bla. The kids obviously just being kids. They are known as fast learners. Hmmm i just hope he is right because i don't know how long can i take it.

Back at home, am having such a problem or more like annoyed with the next door bibik. I know that am only renting and did not really use my backyard specifically the fence.but it doesnt give her the right to hang her washing there. Seriously..if we shared the fence then am ok with that but we don't and it's bugging me...Whenever i open the kitchen window (which i do most of the time) i can see such a beautiful view..yupp the washing...bibik tu plak dengan selambanya senyum..tumpang sidai rumah mak aqeelah ya.. My God! sabag ajalah kalau lawa tak pe jugak..;-p.. Hubby said just hang in there..we'll be moving soon..hmmm again..hope he is right..hope we will be moving soon coz..i don't know how long can i take it.

ps: the pic got nothing to do with my ventings..just that i feel calm when i look at it... sejuk mata memandang. Does it mean am opening my soft spots for cats? Still NO!

the first attempt

2006-06-08T14:50:00.000+08:00

I found out yesterday that i had to sit for the Mtest ( Malaysian Teacher Selection Test) today - i was so unaware of the date, lucky me my dear friend Ida called. Anyway..i thought it was just another test..therefore i dont really bother to prepare or more like donno what to study. The test consist of 5 components which are: Quantitative ( Maths), Engish, Verbal (BM), Analytical and INSAK ( inventori sahsiah keguruan)...There were 25-30 question for each components except INSAK (135 yes-no answers) and 30 mins to answer for each components...wowie..it was hard...especially the maths and bm part..yupp you hear me correctly..BM..susah bangat..except the kefahaman. Maths pulak after so many years ...the skills makin berkarat. dah la tu ..no calculator allowed...I just dont understand why we have to go thru all this test. I mean, really, if you give this test to other teachers, i bet some, not all, will struggle to answer all questions correctly in given times. Hubby said..this is one of the way to narrow down the numbers of candidates ( must be more than 20,000 appllications - 1 pusat ada dlm 150-200 calon imagine kalau ada 100 pusat all over malaysia..)..and more over hubby said..this is one of the way to make sure they have the very best among the best teacher candidates. And hopefully with better teacher we will have better education plan..hmmm ya la tu.. anyway..I have done my best and hopefully my first attempt to Mtest will not be a bummer

Again talking about the first attempt, yesterday i made "puding caramel". Back in Boston, if am not mistaken, Minah was the one who promised us her puding caramel..and i think she still owes me that...betul tak minah? And whenever i attend birthday parties,ceremonies or even during ramadan..puding caramel is among the popular dessert. I always want to try it at home since people keep saying that it is an easy peasy pud but never had the chance or keberanian until yesterday. My verdict, for a first-timer, the pud was ok. Not that bad. I think i burnt the caramel a little bit..heheh..there's room for improvement! Most of it i enjoyed it very much and next time am sure the pud will be much-much better...until then..

Secret of Decorating

2006-06-02T13:33:00.000+08:00

A truly elegant home is not a copy of something seen elsewhere. It has an individual feel, effortlessly combining everyday objects with treasured items. The key to establishing your own style is to make the most of the things you love. Here are some tricks for you to try out at home.

1. Try to arrange furniture so that it’s conducive to conversation. Hubby said, it is a must to have the telly at the living room in order to avoid awkward moments like when suddenly nobody is talking or whenever you run out of words. Although for me..having telly surrounded with soft and comfortable sofa mean tendency to become “couch potatoes” are most likely very high..contoh paling bagus…myself..ayaks..bagai di pam-pam, again blaming the sofa n the telly..

2. Item displayed on their own can be lost. For greater impact, cluster them together. For example: different shapes of picture frames or fragrant candles – I love candles. Don’t really use it for the fragrance but very handy during blackout. Nowadays it comes with cute shapes and colour.

3. I love colour co-ordination. But watch out! Do not co-ordinate too much – it loses contrived. Aim for a healthy balance between matching and contrasting colours. Again dear hubby likes it all white/magnolia… but I think splash of red will add some spice to a plain magnolia. I also like a pinch of green..more like hijau pucuk pisang or I always refer it as hijau Ziana Zain because she wore this colour on her wedding day. It is refreshing and make the items stand out.

4. Use light to soothe, stimulate and even decorate – not just illuminate. There are lots of trendy lights in the market.

5. Display something beautiful in front of a window to draw the eye to the view. However, before you do that, make sure that the view is something you want to show it to your guest, in other word, nice to look at. You definitely do not want to draw people attention to your washing lines or to a messy backyard. It does not have to be fancy just simple and again.. sedap mata memandang!

6. Display objects with emotional significance where they can be touched and appreciated. Photos albums are great entertainment. It brings back all the memories and a good laugh too!But remember to keep your most personal things, including letters and most importantly your BILLs, tucked away, not left out on view. You can always take them out in quiet moments.

7. Plain walls aren’t boring – they provide the perfect backdrop. You can add some picture frames on the wall. Try to be as creative as you can when you arrange the pictures. It does not have to be in a straight order. Be adventureous! Just do not go overboard! Too much of it will make the wall overcrowded.

2006-05-30T17:42:00.000+08:00

Mr. and Mrs. Mazlan

2006-05-25T08:57:00.000+08:00

I bought myself SAJI-a cooking magazine yesterday.Cost me RM10 because this month issue is a special super bumper issue..as usual rambang mata tengok resepi . It features Siti Nurhaliza on the front page talking about how we need to have basic knowledge about cooking before we enter married life. Is it a hint that she is ready to get married? Apa2lah Siti.. since she said..Biarlah rahsia....so let it be..Anyway...back to my SAJI... i love buying magazines especially cooking magazines..in fact i love everything about cooking. I can spend hours watching the cooking programs eventhough i've seen them so many times. I love Nigella Lawson, Jamie Oliver ( believe it even Hazziq recognizes Jamie's show) and many more. Back in UK i love watching Ready Steady Cook program. I just enjoyed watching them. But honestly..i've never tried any of the recipes except one from Jamie Oliver. Its called Sheila's Pudding. Hubby always tease me about this...how i spend time and money over all this cooking stuffs but at the end of the day..i will cook almost the same thing over and over again. I dont blame him for that because it is true. I donno why i never tried all those recipes..maybe because of i had bad experience with it or simply because the ingredients are so well explained but yet so complicated. I remembered trying to bake cookies for last hari raya. I followed exactly according to the recipe but i tossed nearly half of it into the bin! Failed! People said..dont follow the recipes too much you have to improvise it...hmm what's the point of having the recipe if you cant follow it right! Nowadays i only follow recipes i get from my mom, friends. Why ? Because i 've seen them cook it and taste it therefore..boleh di percayai. Others are just for my entertainment only...well maybe i will try one or two recipes ...trying to be more adventureos la konon hahah.. infact i did find some interesting recipes that i want to try in my new SAJI.. Wish me luck!

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

2006-05-18T18:43:00.000+08:00

I remembered watching ER, the episode where Anthony Edwards a.k.a Dr. Mark Greene died because of brain cancer. The episode was so touching that i cried upon hearing the song they played.

Somewhere over the rainbow

Way up high,

There's a land that I heard of

Once in a lullaby.

Somewhere over the rainbow

Skies are blue,

And the dreams that you dare to dream

Really do come true.

Someday I'll wish upon a star

And wake up where the clouds are far behind me.

Where troubles melt like lemon drops

Away above the chimney tops

That's where you'll find me.

Somewhere over the rainbow

Bluebirds fly.

Birds fly over the rainbow.

Why then, oh why can't I?

If happy little bluebirds fly

Beyond the rainbow

Why, oh why can't I?

music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by E.Y. Harburg

Flawed & Fabulous moms

2006-05-18T08:57:00.000+08:00

A good mother… What does it really mean? This phrase itself sparks enthusiasm, hope, the glow of positive intentions. After all, we moms by our very nature are driven to do right by our kids.

So what is a "good mother" — how much flexibility have we got in there? Is there an official scorecard? Am I "the best mom I can be"? Raising kids isn't like trying to make a 4.0 or win a race. Unfortunately, in too many minds "good mother" means "perfect mother”. There's a lot of pressure to have your child be exposed to as many learning and growth opportunities as possible — make them a good child by being a good parent. It is unrealistic to think that you can work full time and at the same time spend lots of quality time with your kid, birthday parties, and sports games, cook healthy dinners and help them with homework. Whatever you're doing, it feels like it is still not enough.

As our society becomes more child-centred, parents feel more and more in the service of their children — and more pressured to do everything right. There's a pervasive sense of blame that tells us, no matter how your kid turns out, all his flaws point back to you: The wrong kind of discipline, the wrong foods, and the wrong reading materials, even what you eat during pregnancy will affect your child. Is it any wonder why we want to be "perfect"? We want to stay off the firing range. There's also a sense that modern life is competitive, expensive, and more difficult and we have to give our kids every advantage to succeed. So is it any wonder that more and more experts are weighing in on exactly the right way to parenting — and yupp..we're eating it up.

It's not just external forces putting pressure on moms, though. Unfortunately, we also constantly criticized and judge each other. Moms who work look down on moms who don't and vice versa. I heard people saying, “Why didn't you breastfeed longer?” “Why is he in day care already?” These kinds of questions will never stop. Why this, why that! As hard as it looks, we actually need to appreciate people's different ways of raising their kids. You have to do what is true to your heart, and that is good parenting. Everyone will have opinions on what is right and wrong, and there's nothing to say what you're doing is right or wrong, but we're all giving it our best. We've got to lighten up on ourselves.

Many moms feel guilty about taking time for themselves. But moms do need breaks! We need to nurture ourselves so that we can be better moms. Being a good mother also means taking care of yourself so you can give more of yourself to your children. Indeed, it won't actually do your kids any good if you're stressed about being the perfect parent.

Just remember:
-We all have guilt — just don't let it take hold.
-Sharing makes you realize you're not alone. Seek out support whenever needed.
-Your instincts are just fine. Good parenting comes from the heart and gut.
- Parenting is a learning process.
-Taking care of yourself is important. "Do one thing each day that nurtures you, even if it's only for a few minutes.
- You are doing your best and God willing, your kids will be okay too!

Happy Mother’s Day!

P.S.: Parenting advice books can be a wonderful resource — if you don't take them too seriously ;o)

Children Tots

2006-05-04T12:06:00.000+08:00

Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands
- Anne Frank

Children require guidance and sympathy far more than instruction - Annie Sullivan

You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance
- Franklin P. Jones

Don't limit a child to your own learning, for he was born in another time.

May is Here

2006-05-03T08:48:00.000+08:00

Pejam Celik Pejam Celik...May is here. Time flies! Am turning 31 in a few more days. Do i feel old or slightly matured? Is my body getting too much "fat" nowadays? Although hubby said he does not mind all those extra "tyres", but..ada juga but if i lose all those "tyres" i definitely will look much better. Trying to deny it by putting the blame on the shrinking pants/jeans duhhh.. but reality bites! As i look at myself in the mirror, i know that am not as young as 10 yrs ago. Aqeelah sometimes ask me to put on my make up whenever we go out because she said i look old without it! hmmm even my own daughter complaint now :o( I definitely will have to make some improvement about it. And it will be one of my birthday wish list. Speaking of birthday..happy birthday to Amy (3 may) , Elin (9 may), my niece Ayin and Safwa, maksu (22 may)

Your Birth Month is May

Unique and creative, you seek your own path in life.You love change and are able to adapt to any situation.
Your soul reflects: Sweetness, joy, and a complete life.
Your gemstone: Emerald
Your flower: Lily of the Valley
Your colors: Yellow, red, and green

What Does Your Birth Month Mean?

Say "Yes"

2006-04-21T16:12:00.000+08:00

Forty years ago, the average of someone’s first serious depression was almost 30. Now it’s 14. This should be a wake-up call that happiness needs to make an urgent comeback. When your first reaction is to shake your head and think bad thoughts, take a look at this simple little “yes to a better life” ways to put smile back on your face.

Yes, I will get moving. Whether a brisk walk aerobics or badminton for just 20 minutes, 3 times a week -has are remarkable impact on lifting depression.

Yes, I will join. Teaming up is the single most useful thing we can do to increase our stock of happiness. Social clubs, shared hobbies and neighbourhood schemes all serve to bring us together with other like-minded people.

Yes, I will keep busy. Optimists involve themselves more in the world because they think their enthusiastic activity will pay off. The more goal we take on, the greater likelihood of success.

Yes, I will move on. Do not dwell on the past unless its to savour the good times.

Yes, I will turn off the tv. Less tv and more activity is probably the least appreciated yet easiest, difference we can make in our lives. Go out have a picnics.

Yes, I will be more flexible. Remain flexible in how you plan for the future and respond to life. We are at out most vulnerable when we’re stuck in our ways and closed-off to learning and new experience.

Yes, I will laugh more. Humour has been prove to be one of the most important ingredients in a healthy and happy life. Laughter keeps the mind flexible and releases tension

Yes, I will settle for “good enough”. Do not be overwhelmed by the number of petty and irrelevant choices we are asked to make these days. Sometimes, good enough is good enough, Just because there are hundreds of possibilities, sometimes the clever choice is to settle for the first one that fits your minimum criteria

Yes, I will see the bigger picture. Maturity has to be earned and does not always come automatically with age. It’s distinguished by being able to step back and see the bigger picture, rather than getting caught up in the detail – particularly with situations that seem like set-backs or disappointments.

Yes, I will give of myself. A sense of purpose in life – the feeling that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. Giving to ourselves to another person – whether as a life partner, mother or volunteer is one of the most reliable ways to achieve this feeling

Make this the day you realise that today is a gift – that is why it’s called “the present”. Have a lovely week everyone!

2006-04-20T08:03:00.000+08:00

Its been raining for the past few days especially in the evening. My flower garden in particular the bougainvillea are not "doing well". The flowers are like hidup segan luruh tak mahu. As we all know, bougainvillea needs lots of sunlight. And maybe some pruning will help too to encourage new growth. A rule of thumb is to prune, once the blooming is over, for example, if the growth where the blooming occurs has grown out 6", prune off the old blooms cluster plus 3" of the stem after blooming. Also pinching the tips of your bougainville encourages new growth and flower. I have been a little bit busy these past few weeks and been neglecting my garden. And am feeling so bad about it.

Last weekend we all went to Ipoh, again. Hubby had to attend the Educamp Program at Tronoh. This time we just stayed at the hotel and enjoyed the pool as hubby had to work until midnight. I did not get a chance to swim since i had to look afterHaaziq. But Aqeelah really enjoyed herself with the pools. By the way, do you know that Ipoh is known as Bougainvillea city? Unfortunately, hubby took the camera with him. Therefore there were neither pics of the kids nor the bougainville taken. Am a little bit frustrated, however,I did snaped some pics with my camera phone but silly me donno how to upload it into the PC 8-( .

So this week i need to spend some quality time with my flowers. Believe it or not, i talk to my plant hahahhaha.

Man vs Woman : Explained

2006-04-17T13:00:00.000+08:00

my dear hubby email me this "Man vs Woman" thingy this morning. As much as i want to deny it, after a loooong and very very deep thought..in general..you are right, yang. To all ladies out there..any comment?

Domestic Goddess - Ways to speed through chores

2006-04-10T13:20:00.001+08:00

Do you wake up in the morning and thinking about your unfinished chores ...more or less your never-ending-routine-chores? Are you getting tired with the same routine every day? Washing the dishes, cleaning the house, ironing, vacumming, cooking, pick up kids from school ..the lists will go on and on. Who ever said being a housewife is an easy job..are sooo very wrong. In spite of this, there are some tips you can follow ( it works for me) in order to hurry things up (meaning extra free time for you) and turning you into a domestic goddess in no sweat.

Helping Hand – minimise the minutes you spend going to and fro for cleaning supplies by carrying them with you. Put dusters, spray, bleach in a bucket so you have everything to hand.

Double Up – you can't dust and vacuum at the same time, but you can shower and sponging downs tile walls, fold laundry while watching your favourite soap or AF, and dust the phone while chatting to your mum.

Use the right Products – do not waste time scrubbing unnecessarily by using the wrong products. Kitchen cleaning products are acidic to cut through grease, while bathroom ones are alkaline to deal with lime scale.

Button Up – ask your family to undo buttons and zips, and turn jeans inside out before putting their dirty clothes in the laundry basket ( still need to remind my dear hubby to do this every time ..believe me it helps)

Basket Case – save yourself multiple tidying up trips by carrying a large basket from room to room, filing it as you go with everything that isn’t in its correct place.

Play a Game – when it comes to toys, it is better to get your child involvement. It’s better to teach a fisherman to fish rather than giving it to them. Play a tidying game like who can put the bricks faster back in the box. It may takes some time to clear all the toys but in the long run your child will be able to tidy up their toys without your help!

End of the Day Clean Up - as for me this last tip really make my life easier for the next day. Although I feel tired or worn-out at the end of the day, I try not to go to sleep before i finish clearing up the living room and the kitchen. So that when I wake up tomorrow morning, I will have a good start!

Give it a try and let me know how it works for you.

I wish..i wish..i wish...

2006-04-06T09:24:00.000+08:00

I found this cartoon in one of the blogs and it captures my eyes on the spot! As a full time housewife and "devoted" mother to 2 wonderful kids, there are times when i do wish i have a wishing well. However...as time goes by i realize that there are reasons why things are just the way they are..and trying to change it will not make any different. We just have to accept it and try to make the best out of it. God Willing , we all will be fine!

April Fool Weekend 2

2006-04-05T09:41:00.000+08:00

Sunday, 2nd April was Aqeelah’s sports day. She was looking forward for this day ever since they started practicing. We arrived a little bit late and missed the marching ceremony. Well we’re not the only parents who were late ..seems like other parents had the same thought like us which was “last year we were early but they only started the events after an hour of waiting”.So this year we decided..or more like hubby decided not be among the early birds. Unfortunately this year they actually did start on time. Thank god we were not that late or else Aqeelah will missed her events. Aqeelah went straight away to her Yellow team. She was excited though earlier she kept complaining to me why they put her into the yellow team..instead of red..because yellow is Haaziq's colour not hers. Its true yellow was not her colour but the facts that her best friends were not in her team made all the differences. But kids being kids, they just overcome it in the knick of times.

She was supposed to take part in 2 events; running with ball and running with bean bag on your head but the teachers decided to put her on the reserve list for the second event. Last year she did not win any trophy (they only gave trophy for the winner..others only get “saguhati” like cheap pencil case) so this year she was all into it. And thank god she won! Or else we have to go to the souvenir shop and buy her a trophy instead. She was so excited receiving the trophy and we of course were very proud of her. Although I don’t think she’s going to be a good athlete (neither me nor hubby are sportsman hehe) but seeing her big smile posing with her first trophy was more than enough. We stayed until they finished the lucky draw where we were among the lucky ones and then went home. It’s the end of another sports day and am sure there are many more to comes.

Ps: Later, Aqeelah found herself a piece of cloth and been polishing her trophy every single minutes.

April Fool Weekend 1

2006-04-03T13:50:00.000+08:00

Started of the April Fool weekend with the cancellation of my swimming class. I was actually looking forward to practice my swimming (sort of addicted hahaha) ever since I made it to swim the whole laps. Yupp it was such a big deal to someone like me to be able to do that. Am a bit frustrated, after all I drove all the way just to know they cancelled the class and Aqeelah kept asking why and why they need to clean the pool when its already clean etc…but am still in a happy mood because now I don’t have to rush home to get ready for my first outing with my “zebra” face (my sun block don’t really do the work ..berbelang2 muka after swimming).

Yes..my first outing without kids. It has been almost 6 years and am kindda looking forward to it. However Aqeelah really made a big fuss over it. She kept asking me why she wasn’t invited? Why am not going to bring her or Haaziq? When are you coming back? Why this why that. And am like, my dear why you are “concern” of me going out when you never bother when daddy go somewhere? She gave me her long face and went off. Haaziq on the other hand, doesn’t even care since he was too occupied with the Bubble gums. Hubby was supportive though because he knew that I do need some “time out” after many many years. The party was actually a going away party for our dear friend CL. It was the longest lunch ever at Cyberjaya Lodge Restaurant – the Verandah. Though am not really satisfied with the food I ordered, but the company of good old friends makes all the differences. It is nice to catch up with everybody and reminiscence the good times we had back there in Boston. Too bad Ain could not make it because her son, Aqin, was admitted due to asthma and not to forget Minah. Maybe next time..How about during CL’s wedding everyone? God Willing.

Back from left: Angah, Suriyati, Effie, Denn, Me. Front from left:Suriyati's boy-Ammar,KakNiza, CL

Hubby came to pick me up later. Kids were all showered and in their pyjamas. Who said hubby could not look after the kids.. Maybe next time I could have more “time out”? What do you reckon Yang? By the way, thanks again to Denna, Effie and CL for keeping me company. And again thanks for a wonderful day everyone and CL good luck to your new life.

Not a good day!

2006-03-31T15:03:00.002+08:00

It has not been a good day for me today. It started out pretty ok until the cashier at McD took someone else order before me! Didn't she see me standing there with 2 loud kids running here and there? and didn't the other person whom being served before me saw me standing there just slightly next to her? I wanted to complaint to the manager but NO i choose not to do that. Maybe this is another way to test my level of patience. Finally, we had our lunch and kids were enjoying themselves as the rain started to pour..i mean really really pouring! The only thing that crossed my mind at that time was..my washing! I hang it outsides before we left. Another misfortune. We left McD after the rain stopped and I took the longer route home just because I needed to stop at the ATM machine for some cash. I could not believed my eyes when i saw a sign "close from 1.20pm until 2.20pm due to Friday prayer" and I was like 10 minutes late! There are women workers in there and I asked politely if they could just let me in for the ATM..but NOPE! SOO frustrating. Worst to it..I have been trying to upload pics for my previous post but keep getting the same thing " file contain no data" or "could not connect to blogger.com, test your connection". Can somebody or anybody help me? Arghhhh

Bougainville aka Bunga Kertas

2006-03-29T12:04:00.001+08:00

Women and flower are like two things that are meant to be together. I lovesss flower. No specific one though. Roses, Jasmine, Petunia, Orchid, Tulips and many more. I love waking in the morning and smell the jasmine or admiring the splashing color of bougainvillea in a sunny day. They are like part of my life. Today I want to share some facts about bougainvillea or known as “bunga kertas”.
Bougainvillea is a genus of plant named after a French navigator, Louise Antoine de Bougainville . It is a thorny, woody, flowering vine native to the Amazonian Rain Forest of South Africa. Bougainvillea are popular plants grown extensively in the tropical or warm climates. It is an evergreen vine which is just as happy spreading horizontally or hanging downwards as it is climbing upwards, it makes itself at home in almost any situation. It can be grown as a hedge, groomed as a ground cover, pruned as an espalier, trained as a tree or contained in a pot in a variety of shapes. Its trunk tends to be gnarled. The actual flower of the plant is small and generally white, but each cluster of three flowers is surrounded by three or six showy bracts that sport the bright colors associated with the plant, including pink, magenta, purple, red, orange, white or yellow. Bougainvillea are sometimes referred to as "paper flowers" because the bracts are thin and papery. Single and double flower forms are available. Double forms tend to carry their blooms near the end of the stems rather than distributing them evenly over the plant. The colourful, papery "blooms" are not flowers; they are bracts. The true flower is white, trumpet shaped and almost unnoticeable within the bracts. Bougainvilleas are available in a variety of species, each having its unique characteristics. The bloom cycles are typically four to six weeks. Bougainvillea generally blooms on new growth, each branch. As blooms begin to fade, it should be cut back to a point somewhat shorter than the desired length to encourage new growth. Bougainvillea grow best in very bright full sun and with frequent fertilization, but the plant requires little water to flower. If overwatered, it will not flower and may lose leaves or wilt. When you water Bougainvillea, it is better to thoroughly water them on occasion, rather than water them frequently with a light amount. The reason? Deep watering promotes the growth of deeper roots, which help hold the plants in the ground.Oppositely, light, frequent watering promotes the growth of shallow roots, which will not help hold the plants in the ground. Bougainvillea are relatively pest-free plants, but may suffer from worms and aphids.

ps: i've been trying to upload the photos since morning, but none of them seems to go thru. so will try again later

ps: thanks to my dear hubby, finally the pics are here. These beautiful bougenville are from my own small garden.

The road to clutter is paved with good intentions

2006-03-23T17:52:00.000+08:00

When you walk around your home do you feel relaxed, in control and surrounded by things you love and that reflect your life today? If not, then probably your home is being taken over by clutter. Imagine being the caterpillar inside of its cocoon. It is cramped, dark, gloomy, hot, and overwhelming. Clutter is just that. You feel cramped and overwhelmed. Every clutter intends to get organized. BUT...there is never enough time, isn’t it?

I would categorize clutter into 4 main categories:
- Things you do not use or love i.e.: your outdated tudung
- Things that are untidy or disorganized i.e.: magazines, paper cutting
- Too many things in too small place i.e.: free tiny toys
- Anything unfinished i.e.: old DIY project

How do you deal with clutter? Do you simply ignore it or take action one day at a time? How much stuff do you have that you need? What can you give away and allow to be used by someone else? Set priorities. This is how I manage my clutters and i hope this will help you to take the first step to de-clutter.

- First and foremost, don’t panic. You are not alone when it comes to clutter. Start today. Remember that procrastination is the major obstacle to decluttering.
- Choose a small area to start and keep up the momentum. If you feel energized then keep going. But always work on one area at a time and finish it before you start somewhere else.
- Next, remember that one person’s clutter is another person’s treasure so get the rest of your family involved in sorting out their stuff. This is the hardest part for me, letting go of old stuffs. Believe it or not I still keep some of my high school “love letters” :o)
- Once you have decided to let things go, it’s crucial to get them out of the house as soon as possible. Unwanted items can be given to charity, friends or family or recycled. Or you could sell them at a car boot sale or second hand clothes shop or advertise in your local newspaper.
- Last but not least, once you have decluttered and decided what to keep, then it’s time to look at storage.
To maintain a clutter free home it is essential that everything has a home. Find or create a home for every item in the home and store related items together.

Happy de-cluttering!

311 Huntington Ave

2006-03-21T12:43:00.000+08:00

courtesy of ART Harun

From left: the most caring and understanding - Cik Lat, healthy concious beauty queen - KNiza, cute and adorable - Minah, Myself, tall serious and funny - Elin and last but not least Beckham no. 1 girl - Angah

Remember our early years in Boston, those were among the fondest memories in my book of life. Having a chance to share the yellowish fall foliage, cold and snowy winter, colorful spring tulips and hot summer day with all of you makes life even more beautiful. We've been thru lots of things...happy, sad, misrable you name it but those were the things that made us who we are today. Kniza is a proud owner of She's Fit, Elin with her Gymboree, Angah and Cik Lat doing great in their Financial Industry while myself and Minah at this moment are happy looking after our little family at home.

in front of Museum of Fine Arts T-station

We've grown so much from the day we landed our feet in Boston. Could not believed my eyes every time i flipped thru my old photo albums. It that really us...hahahah so funny. The way we dressed, we posed at almost every single place.. even with the policeman hahaha. Gosh really missed those day. And of course i miss all of you too!