Part II

The kids enjoyed getting the melted candle wax and it reminds me of my childhood days when I use to do that also. While we were busy chitchatting, my son discover new things..





Aden showed Elijah and Matthais this type of weed..which amazed these 2 kids so much...they giggled when they saw it...

He ran to his dad and anxiously told the dad what happen..

He stompped his feets of the weed..again and again and again and again

When he was satisfied, he stopped, posed with a smile..and said 'nadai agi ya Aden'..

then, his nenek who saw what he did, laughed and said, 'rumput semalu nya uchu..'

MONTHLY RECAP

September 13, Saturday

Part I


Around 1 pm we went to the cemetery to visit the tomb of my father-in-law. 1st Anniversary—13 September. He was an incredible man. He was a devoted husband to my mother-in-law. They were married for over 55 years. He had 9 children (2 deceased), sixteen grandchildren and two great-grandchild. He loved his family, and seemed to get more loving every day.

As for me, it was a joy to watch him held and cuddled my kids. I didn't regret much for throughout his life, we spent ample time with him. The kids were attached to him. He would look forward for weekends and that's where sets of families would gather accompanied with foods. He would be the 1st to greet us at the front door with his loving smile. He asked what's in the bag or container and ushered us to the kitchen where the aroma of his unsweetened coffee awaited. He sat there waited patiently for the freshment to be served. He would sip his coffee with a remark "a'aahh nadai asai kopi tuk..., uji meri ku gula mimit Indai sha.." He would ask for 1/2 teaspoon but I would put 2 teaspoons..I knew he liked it that way and he knew I knew that..so, when it's coffee time..his eyes would search for me ..(no one knew till that day)

The weather was gloomy but at least it did not rain.


From left: Elijah, me, Dara (my sis-in-law), Indai win

Elisha and I..and of course, Dara

With my mother-in-law...

Hubby..always stand by her mom..

How time flies....

Hello all, wazz up?
I've been busy this days because as you all know I have sat for my exams ..thank god, it's over now. I am also NOW quite busy with my upcoming presentation this early December, I am very thankful though that I have such a great team.

Remember Christmas is coming and all of us need money to buy gifts for our loved ones. I have also started my Christmas list that I will buy if it is possible next week as tomorrow is PAY DAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY, can't wait to shop again!
Hmmm, the kids are excited too, which remind me that we still need to put some decors on my office to have a Christmas spirit here. I will only be using old decors for new ones are expensive to buy.

Went for window shopping last weekend and what i enjoyed most was we don't have to depend on the radio as we have two xmas carol at the backseat singing their lungs out! That's the spirit kids!!

After all that hard work (of singing..most of the time..off key) they end up so quite..when i turn my head, I saw them fast... asleep

LOL LOL LOL LOL...

Toothache Remedy..

I had a molar that the filling has fallen out of.
I HATE going to the dentist!
Beleive if or not, I had been in pain for years..yup, you read it right..YEARS..to be exact 7 YEARS!!! (So, Pat, if you read this..let me correct the figure ok) and the only thing I have used is oragel (benzocaine)it numbs it for awhile but when it wares off its worse.
I have been very good in making excuses to myself or even my dentist (TOT I WAS SMART).. I hate going to the DENTIST!! I REALLY DO. Hence, I was really suffering all these years!

I had no choice last weekend but to go to that damned dentist..Yeah, thanks to my hubby and bro-in-laws and my sis-in-laws for supporting me in making my steps to the clinic..
I tried my best to convinced my siblings and love ones that I was fine..but how can i..when the size of my left cheeks was at its abnormal size!!!

On Holy Sunday afternoon, I made my brave steps to the staircase of Shin, Wey Dental at MJC, accompanied by my hubby (tucked his arm on mine..juz in case i might ran away..), followed by Indai Win and Apai Win (nonstop muttering nice things...such as 'you'll be fine', 'we are here', don't be nervous...) DONT BE NERVOUS? Every step that I made, I could feel I wee-weed in my pants..(thanks to stayfree...pantyliner...purposely worn them double!!)

When we finally reached the reception counter, my mind was blurred. I lost my visions. I was sat on the so called 'comfy sofa' but to me it felt like an electric-chair..It was Sunday and the clinic wAS EMPTY..no way for me to get myself comfortable...raya songs was on the air..(as if teasing me..) Indai Win rubbed my hands..and saw my hubby's smile!! I knOW that smILE..
A few minutes later I was brought to the 'dungeon' and was greeted by my doctor (with her mask on!! and a syringe on her left hand...)

I couldn't hear my heart no more...i felt dizzy...and the last thing I knew I was looking up the ceiling...Dr. Wee explained to me the procedure "Ok, sue..first I am going to rub this....then, I will inj@#$%%%............45 mins later I came out the dungeon A LIVE!!!
It was 70% successful ..what happen to the other 30%? Well, I need to extract the other root in 2 days to come....
Jesus, it was painFUL!!!!!!!! It was a day of horrific toothache.
This pain was proper bang your head against a wall to distract your brain from the actual pain kinda toooth ache. I can't properly describe how all encompassing this pain was.

Wish I could get hold of Chill and her Vodka would take off my mind off it --nope, sorer than anything..

Baking with loving hands

Daddy was away for the weekend and the kids seemed to miss daddy...so, back from church, I decided to bake cupcakes ..well, the intention is juz to make the kids busy...



Shasha is good with the handmixer now. Nanang helped us with the flour..
now, the best ever moment........

Hot cupcakes!! hot cupcakes!!!
"yess, we made it mom!!"

Snapshots of these memorable moments with my kids are engraved in my heart. They have a bittersweet edge to them too. They always make me so conscious of the limited time I have with them before they grow a few years and will be beyond that stage with me. They will have their friends and their adolescence and will be looking outwards for independence, other horizons and new friends.
These precious moments have been carelessly allotted just a tiny corner or slot of time in our humming lives. It is so hard to find time free between play-dates,school and our busy work schedules for doing simple old-fashioned activities that bring more joy than anything else in the world. Our time is being manipulated more and more, day-by-day practically, by the television, cell phones and computers.
During moments of retrospection, I rue the fact that I am not making a conscious effort to include simple pleasures and activities in our lives before it is too late. That is what memories are made of. They are not made of the times you played Free Cell on your computer or watched Desperate Housewives on DVD or sorted your emails.
Memories are made of the family dinners together at home. Memories are made of playing catch-the-ball with your father. Or baking a cake with your mom. Walking to the ice cream shop. Strolling along the shopping arcades, park or better yet, the seasides.

Dear all,
The pressures of modern life are robbing our lives of so many sentimental moments, sucking away the Technicolor. They are stealing away our memories before they are even born, making our lives bland and monochromatic like a Palm Pilot screen.

Those thoughts were the inspiration behind a special bit of time planning I did for my kids and for myself. I consciously drew up a list simple things missing in our lives and am attempting to squeeze them in.

Funnily enough, if you make a conscious effort to pencil them in, you do find the time. Focusing on them actually makes these activities possible.

The result: my kids are over the moon. And my regrets have lessened.

Let me share my list with you and why don't you try them with your kids and tell me how they work for you?

• 
  Take your child to the park at least once a week for half an hour and spend time talking to them. I am thinking of taking them for a ‘sampan’ ride (plan it with hubby this Raya)
• Do gardening with your kids. Every two or three weeks, plant a few seeds in small pots on your windowsill and see what pops out.
  
• Cook, bake and barbecue with your children. Kids love to cook. And they are good at it. Bit by bit, teach them how to do simple kitchen tasks..such as toasting the bread or mixing their on drinks
• Read to them ..every nite
• Watch a special television programme on National Geographic or Animal Planet. (this would amaze them...)
• Do a craft activity with your child. Help them cut, paste and create baskets or mobiles or hats or bookmarks or whatever strikes their fancy. Teach them to craft their own gifts for cousins or grandmas or grandpas for Christmas or birthdays.
• Take your child to the market to buy vegetables and fruits.
• Plan spontaneous, fun outings
• Teach them to write letters and draw cards for their friend's, cousin's, grandparent's birthdays.
• At birthdays and festivals make sweets/ Christmas cake/ gingerbread men/ cupcakes with them. (Those cupcakes were for Nico's 14th Bday...)
• Do household tasks with your children. Dust, sweep or clean together. Teach them to tidy their toys and books or clothes' cupboards.
• Read the newspaper/ magazines with your child.
• Plan the occasional picnic with your kids.
• From time to time, take the day off to be with your kids.

Our Garden

Ever since I was a little girl I helped my mom plant flowers, and now she helps me. When I first bought our house I knew little to nothing about planting flowers, what grows when, how much to plant, etc. For the past three years, my mom has become my mentor..she helps me plant my flowers and some veggies.
It's fun to spend time doing something like this together. I hope in the years to come my daughter and I will be planting, too. My mom knows what looks right, and how and where to plant everything.
It makes me look up to my mom. She is one of the smartest people I know and makes everything fun. Spend as much time with your daughters as possible. You can have fun, sharing good times with your family..
Last Saturday morning, when I looked out the kitchen window at our garden, I saw this panorama I envisioned when we first moved in. To me, it means so much...I saw my mum and my little girl. I won't forget my mom's chuckle as she accepts another fistful of long beans from that little hands....
"mommy, look at that...."
" see mommy, nenek's longbeans...."
"do want one, mommy?'"

PART I: Seminar cum Majlis berbuka puasa

The majlis berbuka puasa was held last saturday at Grand Cont. Hotel. It was solely organized by our Part 4 students.

frm left: shima (now Head of Programme for Tourism, Om and son, PA (now prof. Madya) and me...
Dr. Halimaton(ex-dean of Faculty of Office Management), "an ounce of Mother is worth a ton of school.."
some of the lauk-pauk ...
Me: dek, come let's take photo..

Dek: tot u never ask (smile).

Me: *wink*

it's FRIDAY..........

and What do YOU do?

i AM LOOKING FORWARD FOR fRIDAY..ALWAYS and who doesn't?
According to Mildred B. Vermont, "Being a mom (if all of you agree with her but I do) is one of the highest salaried jobs..since the payment is pure love.. "

Before I left for work this morning, my gurl, gave me 1 full list ..Her 'to-do list' apparently, is a mom and daughter kind of thing...
a. baking time (she wants to help me with the buns)
b. 'i wash your hair and you wash mine' time..( i loVEEEEEEEEE this as i got free head massage from that tiny little fingers...i got to know she is such a storyteller...)
c. 'art attack'...Will do 'bird house' this time...
d. house chores...she loves mopping..or rather flooding our living room (hope daddy brings nanang marketing or else..)
e. take a nice afternoon nap after that reading aloud session..(she loves to read her 'cinderella book' ..don't be surprise where you would overhear two or three iban words....(ahaks)

Sharing a bowl of Happiness

Last Tuesday, 10:30 a.m.

No news from Chill. No news means bad news. Went to see her sulu and I was informed that she was not feeling well.. what a pity!! hungry, worried and alone, I had my salad all by myself..Hate that feeling. ok ok let me be frank, my salad tasted insipid without her presence..

Last week we both shared those recipes (pictured). It was a 'sharing a bowl of Hapiness' kind of thing.

Wednesday, 10:00 a.m.

busy with markings..no time for lunch..Chill was still in bad shape.

Today, 10:00 a.m.

Had tea break with Dune over a bowl of kolo mee. That was nice...I got to learn this, too: 'someone' is no longer my 'cup of tea'..and I just can't wait to share it with Chill.

5:00 p.m.

I am done for the day. (sigh) Can't wait for tomorrow. Weekend is just around the corner.
I'll be attending 'berbuka puasa' event. Will share it this Monday.

The Nature of Friendship

For most of us, friends are important. Friends help us pass time, figure out problems, grow personally, celebrate moments of joy, and get through the trials and tribulations of everyday life.
You would agree with me that friendship is a unique relaltionship. Unexpected one....It's like when you fall in love..if there is a chemistry, in a split seconds you find that you are attached to someone whom you later call 'my friend'. Unlike most relationships, friendship is voluntary. Across differences in race, gender, class or evern sex orientation, most of us expect friends to provide intimacy, acceptance, trust, practical assistance, and support.

I don't know what I'd do without my dearest Chill. More than once she held me together when I went through tribulations in life. When something good happens, it is not quite real until I share it especially with her. (she is forever my 'bridesmaid')...I don't think I could be happy without HER!!

The thing I like about her is that we can just do stuff togehter without a lot of talk. Others would expect us to talk about every feeling we have as if that's required to be real. I'm tight with this friend of mine, but we don't have to talk about feelings all the time.
so, what are we having for lunch today, Chill? I prepared salad for us..of course a healthy one..green apple salad with mayonis!!! no chicken this time...not to worry..

You are my rolls of Sushi...

my VBF, Chill, brought all these right at my doorstep!! such a sweety..we really enjoyed every roll and spiced them with gosips, too heheehee

continued my work and chill proceed to her sanctuary!! (did her homework which is organizing a raya trip to Lundu)..

Love on Trials...

Dearest,
Kind words can be short and Easy to speak, But their echoes are truly endless....

Message in a bottle

I was forced to do this..........or else she won't be friended me.
Anyway, thanks (you know who you are)..i think I gonna like this..
so, you will be my no.1 silent reader?