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On Leave! Dating! Shopping! love

2012-02-16T22:07:00.020+08:00

Took leave. Went dating.
We held hands. We ate. We laughed. We shopped.

Where else. MidValley. The venue we frequent since our dating days. We still date anyway. So I re-phrase it as since our bujang days.

Went back home some $$$ poorer. But definately and certainly happy. And kenyang too.

View from where I sat. Depan Cititel. Traffic clear. Working days so it was expected. We sat at a comfy corner with cushioned settee on one side and two dining chairs on the other side. We both picked the cushioned spot. Ended up like baca berita :D

2 small plates of a kind of sambal each. They were first to arrive.

Hers.
Hot Lemon Tea.
Refreshing.
I don't do ice much these days. In fact, it's been almost 11 years that ice been striked out from my favourite drinks.

His. I think it was lemonade. I didn't taste it.

Garoupa in Tom Yam. Of course that's not the name on the menu. I can't remember what since the name sounded so Siamese :D Deep fried fish with texture to our liking. Not too dry. In Tom Yam broth. When you order this, you don't need to order anything soupy anymore. At first we were thinking to take grilled garoupa but they only do seabass for grilling.

Part of our menu. Grilled Squid hasn't arrived yet this time :D Yes, I tend to eat a lot when dining with Tebby. Back in Tebby's hometown, we celebrate visitors with food. In our case, we also celebrate ourselves with food.

Kailan in Salted Fish. Sedap. I'have always love Kailan Ikan Masin anyway. This one was crunchy and the proportion of taste was just right. At least to my tastebud.

Omelette. Too oily. You don't have to chew this cause it literally slipped down our throat. Too much oil. Tekak cepat rasa meloya. We only ate 1/2 of it.

Lookie! Lookie! Look who held the sauce for us..

BBQ Grilled Squid. I can't remember the exact name but that summarises the sotong lah. A far cry from gambar dalam menu. I expected something juicier. Something fairer and softer. A little too dry and a bit rubbery too. I prefer the one that En Tebby did masa our own BBQ at home.

Amarin gave us this. Yeah, 2012.. please be kind to me!

In collaboration with Citibank anyway. Bayar cash pun still dapat.

We did a little shopping before and after Amarin. Tebby bought many things, much to his own surprise. Of course he splurged after I coaxed him to.
Alaaaaaaaaaa... bukan selalu you beli baju.
Alaaaaaa.... selalu you berkenan tak saiz, now semua ada size.
Alaaaaaaaa... beli aje lah 3, every color each.
*mata kelip kelip*

His.
Nampak tu gemuk beg Metrojaya itu.
Office shirts, pants, shoes.

Hers.
Hari Ini Dalam Sejarah. My shopping bag lagi kurus than his.

Ours.
2 boxes of Popeyes and a bagful of buns.

Balik rumah, jenuh kena investigate dengan anak-anak. Alaaaaa... bukan selalu Ummi Abah dapat spend time together alone lama-lama macam ni *mata Ummi kelip-kelip*

Thanks Yang for the good time and good food. Ai lebiu!

Why Do When You Can Outsource Your Cleaning Woes?

2012-02-15T22:07:00.009+08:00

To be frank I admit I rely on cleaning service for my household cleanliness and hygienne. It goes back as far as 2004 when I first used such service. The there was a 'break' - during the time I had lived-in maids from 2009 to 2011. And now it commenced back. My first maid ran away after we renewed her permit, second maid ran away after barely two days (after eating a big plate of nasi and sambal sotong PLUS took away my kids duit belanja sekolah) and my third maid quit due to family problems. I don't want to start on the maids in this entry since it deserves a very lengthy one on its own :P

Now back to the original topic, you can call me pemalas or whatever but I'd rather spend the free time with En Tebby and the kids than spending it scrubbing the toilets and climbing to wipe all windows. To us (me and Tebby), time is very precious. It is precious. To add to that, it is something you can't pay to get. But you can, when it comes to outsourcing your cleaning woes.

The first cleaning service I ever subscribed to was Kak Wan. It was not a proper company and her girls came and went. It was mid 2004, I was heavily pregnant with Iman. It worked well between us and I had the longest 'friendship' with a cleaning team, up to 2009. 5 years. Over that period, she charged us only RM70 per session. Not taking into consideration of the time taken. Janji siap satu rumah. She'd leave her girls (usually 2 persons, sometimes 3) and later came back about the time the girls finished cleaning up. Sometimes she joined the girls doing their chores. Sorry, I lost her contact number during many transitions of many handphone :P

Thing was, during that time, it was hard to find such service. With K Wan most of the times I needed to book a month ahead. And sometimes when the time came, I had other unforseen things to attend to. In between I used another small company service. They came only once. To me, when you are providing cleaning services, you must know what to do and do not have to rely on me to tell you EVERYTHING. That was my shortest 'friendship'. Once only.

When we were back maidless in 2011, and that I have lost Kak Wan's contact number, I started scouting around again. Remember when I wrote this? With the tittle 'Sapa Mau Tolong Kak Mon Cuci Rumah?'

Merrymaid (http://www.merrymaids.com.my/) & Parttimemaid (http://www.parttimemaid.com/) - They did not reply my enquiry. Maybe their financial situation is merry enough already.

Mynie informed me about Cinta Alam. Thanks Mynie.

Cinta Alam will do what they call 'initial cleaning', and they charged RM270 for that. 4 hours with 4 workers. I was told that it is called 'initial cleaning' as they'd clean your house inside out. Sadly though, it was not up to my expectation. The workers dilly-dally on many things. But then, beggars can't be choosers right? I called up again after two weeks to get subsequent cleaning. Not available. And the week after and the next. Always not available that I gave up. And they don't work on Sunday. And their Saturdays were always fully booked. Funny thing was, they called my up few months later offering yet another 'initial cleaning'. WTH? Okay, I don't cinta Cinta Alam. We were just not meant for each other, we broke up. In fact, they tried to resminiscence by calling me up again yesterday. Sorry, I am so terribly brokenhearted with you guys.

Then I discovered Lee Power Clean (http://www.lkspowerclean.com/) The first time, I booked a 7.00am slot. By 6.15 am they called me up to tell me they were coming (*yawn*) and by 6.30 am, a girl stood waiting at my front gate! She left her bag outside the front door and came in empty handed. She gave me a booklet containing the do's and don'ts, the warnings and whatnots. This is the kind of service I expected. They charged RM60 per cleaner for 4 hours. They have many packages and variation, please check their web okay. I usually take their 4 hours-1 cleaner. Puas hati okay. All work done in 4 hours by 1 person, which was better that what have been done by 4 persons by Cinta Alam. Why pay RM270 when you can do with RM60? Betul tak. Sila call dan book sekarang :D You need to book a week ahead.

In the spirit of 'trying', after one time using Lee Power Clean, I hired Embun Daun cleaning service. They charge RM90 for 2 persons for 4 hours. That is the most minimum. Since I also send my clothes for ironing at laundry shop (average of RM50 for 2 weeks load), I thought I'll get one cleaner to do ironing and the other to clean the house. My calculation - I saved up RM50 from the outsourced ironing, so I only used RM40 for the cleaning. One cleaner was competent enough to do the ironing. Too bad, she's also the one that was good in cleaning. The other one kept on yapping away talking. When the other one is ironing, she kept close holding the clothes. When the other one is scrubbing the toilet, she would also want to be in the toilet. By their 2nd visit, she started telling me bad things about her employer. Adoilah. I forgot to mention they did not sweep under the dining table and under the bed during their first visit. Like I said, when you are providing cleaning service, I expect you to know what and how to clean. Letih okay...... letihhhh!!! Oh lupa. On their 2nd visit, they were an hour LATE.

I first got to know about Embun Daun from this tiang!

Having written all that, I am sure you can guess already which company I am subscribed to. But then again, please be reminded this is solely based on my personal experience k...

Virgin Visit to Herbaline

2012-02-13T23:34:00.008+08:00

This entry is based on my personal experience. What works for me maynot work for you. And vice versa.

Sepanjang bernafas di muka bumi hampir tiga puluh delapan tahun, tak pernah buat facial. Until 1st February 2012 aritu. Fes taim. Syok jugak eh. No wonder some people do it routinely.

Since yang nak dibayar bukanlah berbelas ringgit, maka haruslah buat homework dulu. Di mana, brand apa, salon cap apa kan. After skimming through feedbacks, testimonies and whatnots, I opted for Herbaline. Reason - reliable products, good service and of course most importantly yang tak harass customer suh sign-up for package that cost thousands of RM. Unless kalau pokok bunga kemboja depan rumah ni berbunga duit, barulah buleh sign package :D Location pun cukup convenience. I basically just need to lepaskan handbrake and put the gear in D and let my little car roll down the hill. Tak sampai 5 minit dah ada kat tangga Herbaline nun. Kalau nak ikutkan there's another one salon yang buleh buat facial. Kat dalam AEON Cheras Selatan. But I heard some of its branches so pushy suruh customer ambik package, so I scrapped that one out too.

Anyway..........

Do I like it or do I like it? I can't comment on the effectiveness, nor can I compare since that was my first time ever buat facial. But the experience was oh-so-good. If not, I wouldn't be snoring away eh.. ops!

After deciding for Herbaline, but before to actually going, I made some research as to what treatment to take. There's for ageing, there's for dullness, there's for hydration. My skin is a combination of all those. Basically I didn't know which to pick so I let the lady there to decide and suggest.

There's fine liness there miss. Oso dullness. But your T-zone is oily. The rest is dry.. yada yada yada. Oh there's pigmentation starting to show yada yada yada. Oso pimples scar yada yada yada...

See what I meant.

Bertabahlah :D

After explaining, she suggested me Face Lightening & Active Cell Treatment.

Lepas ini muka you akan jadi terang. Kalau you nampak semua yang muka terang-terang itu, mereka itu selalu buat facial.

I take it that terang meant glowing. No? I kept on imagining lights being switched on in a dark room.

OK, whatever.

Then she introduced the beautician that was assigned to me. My.. she's flawless. The beautician. Memula sekali adalah acara cuci kaki. Aik.. I was coming for a facial pastu main basuh-basuh kaki plak. Tapi suhu airnya sungguh tak friendly. Panas ok. Kalau rendam bayam, konfem after few minutes buleh makan bayam celur cicah sambal belacan. Lepas tambah air biasa sampai jadi suam, tabur sedikit garam then basuh lah kaki anda sesuka hati.

Then I was ushered to 3rd Floor. Oh ya, ini kedai cuma shop lot. I know there's opther branches yang guna rumah corner lot as salon. This Herbaline occupies 2nd and 3rd Floor. Sampai je kat 3rd Floor, ada periuk bertutup. Bila dibukak aje, tu dia.. wap beraroma lavender. Sila tarik nafasss... lepas kan. Tarik nafassss... lepaskan... Untuk calming katanya.

Pastu masuklah ke partition yang disediakan. In between partition adalah dinding. Tapi bukan dinding simen lah. Maknanya kalau berdengur, konfem orang sebelah dengar. Pastu each partition ditutup oleh langsir. I changed into sarong. Berkemban babe, macam perempuan melayu terakhir.

Then the journey begins. Memula cuci muka. Pastu kasi buang dead cell. For someone tak pernah buat facial, konfemlah banyak dead cell melekatkan. Bunyi cam cropper rambut kat kedai amoi gunting rambut my boys, only perlahan sikit bunyinya. Pastu cuci. Pastu stim muka. Syiokkk.. sampai tidur. Snoring somemore heh heh. Pastu buang black/white head. Adoi.. yang ini sakit. Bila amoi tu tanya, manjang tak sakit walhalkan meleleh air mata :D pastu pakai mask. Syiok. Rasanya asik ter doze off je kerjanya. While the mask was plastered to my face, itu amoi buat shoulder massage. Syiok weh. Pastu cuci muka.

Pastu siap. Pastu tengok cermin. Eh, apsal macam sama je dengan sebelum buat tadi? Should I be expecting obvious difference? Or kena pegi few sessions baru nampak kesannya? Oh ya, terpaling nyata, my black/white head sume licin.

Before making payment, of course lah ada promosi skincare kan. I tried few items. Cuci mukalah, moisturiser la.. aloe gel la (aloe gel ni ramai kasi +ve review), sunscreen laaa.. layan. Nasib dia tak pushy suruh beli macam-macam. I ended up membeli Purifying Milky Lotion dan Sunscreen Lightening Cream. Purifying Milky Lotion tu sebenarnya ialah cleanser. It's non foaming. Tapi sama je perasaannya dengan guna Kiehl's or Cetaphil. But I lurveee its Suncreen Lightening. So far masih belum light (baru nak light, pegi berendam kat PD.. howlah?). Very light, tak sticky. Absorbs well. I have used Kieh's and L'oreal before, those were good but Herbaline's better.

At the payment counter.. tett tettt tettt tettt.. RM276.00.. kachinggg!! I asked for RM6 discount. Aiyohh... kedekut okay. She gave an angpow containing a voucher worth RM12 instead. Pandailah yer, haruslah datang lagi kan nak redeem :D

RM12 voucher, expiring 31st March 2012. Bolehlah redeem for next round of facial.

My bill. The facial alone is RM128. That was not a basic facial. For basic facial it's around RM76, which my friends kata okaylah, tak mahal mana.

If you ask if I am going again.. my answer is DEFINATELY. Lagipun voucher RM12 tu rugilah kalau tak pakai kan?

2 additional items. Milky cleanser and a sunscreen. I lurve that suncreen.

Nota:

website Herbaline - www.herbaline.com.my

Iman The Darling

2012-02-09T21:54:00.006+08:00

Iman is such a darling these days.

I FB-ed last week on how he woke up at 1.37am only to kiss me goodnight.
KENAPA ABANG?
Tadi semasa saya nak tidur saya lupa nak cakap goodnight.
Though he almost make me fainted sebab terkejut, I went to bed smiling.

Yesterday, he bought 'air plastik'. (the one in tube macam aiskrim Malaysia tu)
He bought two, normally he'd just buy one.
WHY TWO ABANG?
Satu saya punya. Saya belikan untuk Adam juga.

Iman bought something for Adam? THAT, must be recorded at the back of my mind. Because Iman and Adam rarely in sync together.

Today we had dinner outside.
The elder two ordered Nasi Goreng that came with a slice of keropok in each plate.
He took his and gave it to Adam.
Awww sweetieee..
(he later took Kakak's for his own consumption anyway!)

Each time when he asked me to do something for him, I always get a warm 'THANK YOU UMMI'

This is him on our last day at Lexis PD. He finally has the gut to get into the adult pool (with ummi's very, very, very.................. very close supervision). Albeit with the float, I am glad he has conquered his fear. I asked him to race me from one end to another. Of course we both had floats, he in his swim ring, and I, a kick-board. In the beginning I was leading. Then suddenly I heard him saying, 'UMMI SAYA PERGI DULU YA' and swam on, leaving me behind by some metres.

How can my heart not melt :D *beam proudly* <-- walaupun kalah acara berenang dengan pelampung hi hi

4-feet Lunch

2012-02-08T16:21:00.004+08:00

Setelah 4 hari bertenang-tenang tak datang ofis...
Setelah spend time dari 4 Feb sampai 6 Feb kat Port Dickson...
Setelah cuba bertenang-tenang di rumah pada 7 Feb dalam longgokan kain baju x berbasuh...

Hari ni 8 Feb datang kerja.

Only to be invited (requested,.. or mandatorily demanded) to join a meeting secara adhoc. I wasn't prepared. For the meeting agenda. For the fact that meeting tu dengan VP and orang lain paling-paling pun adalah berpangkat GM. As well as the fact that it ended at 2.10pm! Laparssss!!

I put aside my original plan for nasi putih+lauk pauk. At 2.10pm yang tinggal mungkin hanya tray ajer. Kalau nasib baik sikit, adalah tinggal sekor bawal-yang-besar-gedabak-takde-sapa-nak-ambik. Atau kuah telur itik masak lemak dengan beberapa cebisan telur. So....quickest and easist was Penn Station at neighbouring office tower. Asked for Savory Lamb Sandwich (ala... tak spicy ponnn) and a Banana Walnut Muffin.

Tett tett tettt.. (bunyi cash register, in case you're wondering)

'RM11.60 Kak'.

That could've paid my 2 days lunch. Beggars can't be choosers so hantam sajalah. Makan nasi putih dengan ikan bawal-yang-besar-gedabak-tekde-sapa-nak-ambik tu pun mau tujuh lapan ringgit kat latip. Tu belum kira ambik kuah telur itik masak lemak nun. Apapun nasib sandwich kambing tu sedap. Alhamdulillah.

Coincidently, this is how my sandwich looked like.. with 4 feet and a tail! tee hee hee..

Moroccon Rose - I'm In Love!

2012-02-03T09:34:00.002+08:00

My relationship with BodyShop goes a loooooonnggggg way. Sadly tho, we're not engaged :D It's a casual relationship I'd say. On off. As and when.

Since my virgin visit to Hammam Bangsar (read here), I fell in love with roses smell. Not that potpourri kinda smell. Soft and lingering but not to obvious, as if you're smelling the real roses.

So, here's my first collection of BodyShop Moroccan Rose range. Body milk with spray pump. Spray spray spray. Dab dab dab. Rub Rub Rub. Syiok!

I went overboard (what's new?) with Body Mist. To be sprayed after shower the SG said. I went even further by spraying onto pillows and linens heh heh.

Do I like them? Indeed. I have no complaint on the Body Milk. Absorped well. Smells good. No sticky feeling afterwards. It's a kinda thin tho. Maybe I sould get their Moroccon Rose bodybutter for night use and use this Body Milk during the day. Bodybutter and me don't go along well during hot sunny day despite me having dry skin.

For these, I got a RM20 cash rebate for my next purchase. Loike!

One Demanding Play-Schooler!

2012-01-30T14:00:00.001+08:00

Adam, play-schooler in the house, been complaining, nagging, whining for dayssssss *eyes roll* that he he's been improperly dressed for school everyday. Well okay. Maybe Ultraman Tiga, Ultraman Mebius are way too unsuitable. But he includes Angry Bird, Transformers and all as well.

He charmed us out (via endless pleading, hundreds of 'please' and whatnots) for proper school uniform 'baju putih sekolah macam abang tu.... yang kecikkkkkkkkk je' dengan 'seluar panjang biru yang kecccciiiikkkkkkkk tu'.

Thing is, his kindy will provide uniforms, we ordered 2 sets to be exact. But that little boy just got too impatient to wait. No wanting to dampen his spirit for school, few days back we made a pit-stop at Jusco and bought what we thought as the closest resemblance to his definition of baju sekolah..

White tee Trudy&Trendy. Mahal ya amat, RM29.00 untuk sehelai baju yang asalnya mungkin tak sampai 1m kain pon! Tapi budak SG tu kata, 'ni dah murahhh Kakk.. dah best buy neh'. Sebenarnya kami dah cari yang brand Jusco, Alpha, Kiko, sumer xde size dia. Layann. Pants cap Pooh. Sungguh tak rock la Adik heh heh. Janji ada kanss. Ni plak RM22 selai pas diskaun 50%. Pehal baju budak2 dah nak sama harga dengan baju mak pak nih? Tapi sebab dah lewat (singgah after work), beli kan ajer. Tak larat nak tadah telinga mamat kenit tu merengek-rengek. Dia ni kalau merengek ala-ala over. Dengan muka inesen, mata bulat berkaca-kaca. Mulut plak tak renti-renti bercakap. Cair okay. Cair. Sindrom anak bongsu?

One happy boy that he is now eh?.. All smiles. Despite Iman's 'alaaaa tak cantik punnnnn' Iman, you're one sour-grape there okay.

Namun...

Few days later.. Adam kembali bersuara 'Saya nak kasut putih macam Abang tuuu... yang keccciiiiikkkkkkk jerrr' *muka inesen* *mata bulat berkaca-kaca* *mulut tak renti-renti bercakap* Adoilah...

Innalillah..

2012-01-18T15:45:00.003+08:00

My FIL passed away early morning 7th January 2012. About a week after we parted for KL having spent the week earlier in Tgg.

Thanks to those who sent condolences via sms, fb.

We were shocked indeed. Tebby was broken for a while before he could collect himself and later we sped off to Tgg. I wished I had known how to drive his car then. How stressful it was having to face the death of a very close family member and at the same time having to drive all the way from KL to Tgg.

To cut things short, syukur, semua berjalan lancar. Semua anak-anak arwah dan menantu sempat tengok arwah sebelum dikebumikan. Semua cucu-cucu kecuali 2 orang sempat menatap arwah. I remember how cold he was when I kissed his forehead. But I didn't make it to the grave for burial. My MIL was not able to go due to her health so we waited at home and received visitors.

How fragile life is. My MIL was unexpectedly calm and composed. But she broke away when we salam and parted for KL, after 8 days in Tgg. Sesungguhnya kalau keadaan membenarkan, I'll be most willing to bring us to stay with us. Whatmore when Tebby is an only son. But she has her own thinking and for now we'll just let her do things her way.

Moga arwah FIL, Haji Ismail b Awang ditempatkan bersama orang-orang beriman di sana. Moga Allah permudahkan urusan harian MIL di kampung.

This is the 3rd consecutive years that death of close family members occured. Mid 2010, my nenek passed away. After Eid 2011, my uncle passed away. And early 2012, my FIL. Yes, we broke down in the beginning, absorbed in our feelings. Later we carried on and moved on. Not to say we forget, we never do. But life itself needs us to move on.

Al-Fatihah to all those that has passed away.

Kakak - Big Cat Series

2012-01-06T00:05:00.000+08:00

Yang bawah ni pulak drawing si Adam, banana katanya. Hurmpp.. bagus Dik, ada gak la rupa pisang :)

Adam the Kindergarten-er

2012-01-05T22:43:00.003+08:00

Adam mula tadika hari ni. Same tadika that Kakak and Iman went to. Dia sangat excited. Dari pagi dok check beg sekolah dia :D That's the spirit Adam! And that makes semua my children bersekolah already. Kakak in Primary 5, Iman Primary 2 and Adam in kindy.

Unlike last time when my elder two was small, kindy tak banyak choice in this area. Kindy yang femes pun was CEC. Few years later ada Krista and Smart Reader. For convenience sake, all my children, kami hantar pegi Aftal Excel. There's Genius Aulad, BBIM and few more but all requires Adam to travel. He's only 4. I won't risk it. Atfal Excel charges RM200 monthly fee. Masa Kakak it was RM150, then Iman RM170 and now already RM200.

Yang tak pakai uniform tu either newcomers or 4yo. You one lucky boy Adam, tu ada gegirl comel lote tu. Kalau tanya Ummi, the one in scarf tu yek hihi.

When I picked him up, adoilah. Banyak betul cerita dia. He insisted that he had homework to do and scolded me for not putting exercis books and whatnots (macam Kakak and Iman) dalam school bag dia. He grows too fast :D

Sewn With Love

2012-01-05T00:14:00.002+08:00

Hand sewn with love (and hope).

Hers.
Pretty straight forward to sew.

His.
A bit more complicated as it is sewn on pockets. You don't want to stitch the pocket opening as well. Name tag is sewn on top of badge. Relatively easy. Just that it is thick, I really need to push the needle to get the thread through.

Anyway.

Kakak started her Primary 5 yesterday and Iman, Primary 2. It's gonna be another 3 years for another Primary 1 drama :D Had it not been a paranoid-me, things would've been much easier. For Kakak, we did not worry too much. She's Primary 5, she's gonna be 11 soon.

Iman, on the other hand, lined up in the wrong class to begin with. Then somehow he parted ways with the teacher who brought them up to their class after assembly. We saw him asked another teacher for direction. That's my boy. Smart and getting independent.

When they came back from school, I was relieved to see happy faces. They had homework, which was a surprise. On first day? Really?

Asked Iman how he was doing. Went eating alone in the canteen. OK. Independent but please make friends with others. He couldn't find his class after recess but he told me he kept on looking until he found it. Persistent.

Kakak made new friend with a newcomer in Aftal Sayang. Same age. I am glad since she's very much a loner actually.

1st day went smoothly. Alhamdulillah.

If you are interested in what happened in 2011 and 2008, continue reading..

Read how emotionally drained I was with the school thingy here.
Read Iman's Orientation Day here.
Read my heartfeeling on Iman's first 2 weeks in school here.

Read my thougth wayyyy back in January 2008 when Kakak started Primary 1, here.

Adam and His Way of Gardening

2012-01-04T12:02:00.003+08:00

Few days back, we, me and Adam planted seeds in this planter above. Iya, itu adalah bekas telur. I mean ex bekas telur. There's timun jepun in a section. Sweet pea in another. And cili padi as well. Adam insisted he put the seeds so we ended up doing that process for a good 15 minutes *sigh*

And the next day, Adam saw this. Can you imagine how excited and ecstatic he was? Dia ingatkan those seeds has bloomed up into these :P

'ABAHHH!! ABAH!!! ABAHH!!, Semalam saya tanam bijik. Hari ni, ni pokok dia!!'

Balik Kampung Losong..

2012-01-02T14:21:00.005+08:00

I have tried to spice up my wardrobe. More vibrant, more happy colors, But I am always drawn to kinds like this. Earth tone, soft and pastels. Photo below adalah kain dibeli di Pasar Payang.

Almost everytime balik kampung, I'd come to Pasar Payang. Each time balik kampung, almost always ada orang kirim barang. Kaftan usually. Some buah tangan for my parents, kain batik, kain pelikat, tudung etc. There's a shop selling cheap kiddy t-shirt - Ultraman, Ben 10, Superman, and the latest hit, Angry Bird of course. Those are blessings in disguise as I can chip mine in as well :D I love silk. Delicate, soft and individual.

Some people ask why I do not buy extra. I dare not. Chances are, I'd be buying those extra, from me for myself :D :D But I am thinking of buying silks in bulk and re-sell. One fine day, insyaAllah.

The kids while waiting. Iman was actually goofing around with Adam. Adam dah lari, tak masuk dalam gambar.

Look at the back. Hasil selepas memilih. Thing is each kain I touched, budak tu sure bukak and gayakan. Each kaftan, each kain batik. How could I not buy eh?

Tingkat bawah Pasar Payang. Food section. Divided into dry products and wet area. Dry products for keropok (abundant of them! macam bukit!), kuih kapit, sagun and fruits as well. Wet area pulak ada very-wet-area, tempat jual hasil tangkapan laut. Not-very-wet pulak jual sayur-sayur, kampung products, ikan masin, budu etc. Photo above adalah gambar not-very-wet area. Belakang tembok simen tu adalah very-wet-area which we did not go to sebab the kids tagged along and two of them adalah tak boleh diam :D

Varieties of ikan masin. We bought ikan gelama jeruk. Sangat sedap ok. Makan nasi berlaukkan itu saja sudah cukup. It reminds me those time zaman-zaman banjir kat kampung when I was small. My father would stock up ikan masin. Makan dengan nasi or ubi kayu. Those were the days..

Swiss Garden Resot & Spa 24th-26th December 2011

2012-01-01T23:06:00.012+08:00

En-route to Kuala Terengganu, pit-stopped 3d2n at Swiss Garden Resort & Spa (SGRS) Kuantan. The kids were ecstatic. How would they not, they love swimming pool. Beach would be an added bonus.

Booked ourselves a Studio Room. The biggest that we could afford. There was a sitting area with sofa set. Which later turned into goofing area for the kids during the day and their sleeping area during the night. Me and Tebby occupied the bed ;P In our defense, we wouldn't want any of them fall from the bed and hit the floor, which was not carpeted.

We asked for extra blankets and pillows for the kids. Pushed aside the sofa and coffee table. Luas kan. Roomy and comfy enough for the five of us. Plus, unlike One World Hotel, One Utama, we could control the temperature. No one shivered under the duvet this time around :D (Read out brrr-ing time in One World OU, here)

Morning kids!! Bangun solat jom! Selimut tu sendiri punya. Very nostalgic hihi. So yesteryears punya corak. The one Iman was in used to be my selimut during my STF's days.

First trip to the beach. Equipped with buckets, shovels and what nots. The kids decided to hunt for seashells. The waves were kind enough that we did not hesitate to wait and dip our feet. Sand was very fine. The weather was not too cooperative. Cloudy and windy. It didn't rain heavily sepanjang we all kat sana. The kids still got their fair chance of going to the beach and had fun in the pool.

First dip in the pool. Hey, look kids, sharks! Not one, but two! :D It was so cold and pool was not heated. I was shivering just by looking. But look at these kids :D It rained a bit a little later, everyone rushed and got out, as though not to get wet from the rain! Hi hi!

Iman sea-horsing Kakak. You're one mean boy Iman..

Second trip to the beach. SGRS coast guard warned us against going near the water. Ombak besar. The boys played with the sand instead. Kakak and Tebby went hunting for more seashells.

My boys. Iman is mini-me. Adam has striking resemblance of Tebby. Some say the boys look the same. Perhaps me and Tebby lived together long enough that we replicate one another?

Their last dip before checking out. It was C.O.L.D. Adam gave up later and both of us went back to the room. The elder two 'pruned' themselves in the pool. Suka hati koranglah ye anak-anak sekelian.

Back in the room. Adam in his little H.E.A.T.E.D swimming pool - bath tub!

While we were at the room, Iman found a crab in the children pool. Perhaps it wandered a tad bit too far and found a home in the pool. Tebby thought Iman was imagining things but the truth was, the crab, big enough for chilli crab, was there all along. Nasib baik takde sapa-sapa punya ***** yang kena sepit!

Our room during our short stay. Put aside its buffet breakfast and small bathroom cum toilet, I put my highest vote for SGRS (with comparison to Impiana (read here about our stay in Impiana) and Holiday Villa Cherating)

Info can be found and booking can be done here.. http://www.swissgarden.com

Welcoming 2012

2011-12-31T23:04:00.003+08:00

Melabuhkan tirai 2011 dengan trip KL-Kuantan-Kuala Terengganu-Temerloh-KL. Kebetulan, balik semula ke KL on last day of 2011.

InsyaAllah, tahun 2012, kami genap 38 tahun. Kalau ikutkan, cuma dua tahun saja penentu cita-cita menunaikan haji sebelum usia 40. Apapun, andai belum ditakdirkan menjadi tetamu Allah musim haji, mudah-mudahan ada rezeki menunaikan umrah terlebih dulu.

Kakak akan genap 11 tahun in August. That would make me officially a mother of a teenager. Moga dipermudahkan melalui usia belasan tahun - usia mencari identiti. Usia di mana dunia kanak-kanaknya beranjak pergi. Usia di mana dia akan sedar bahawa dunia ini amat luas! Usia di mana dia akan tahu Umminya bukanlah sehebat yang dia sangkakan.

Iman pula bakal menginjak usia 8 tahun in November. Alhamdulillah, walaupun permulaan perjalanan hidupnya agak sukar, dia sekarang semakin bijak! Harapan kami momentum itu kekal. With improvements of course. Dah dipesan awal-awal, tahun 2012, abang sudah Tahun 2. Dah tak boleh menangis cari Ummi di sekolah. Dah tak boleh banyak main-main macam Tahun 1 dulu.

Adam, anak yang petah, banyak akal (dan auta!). Saya masih belum memutuskan untuk menghantarnya ke tadika atau tidak pada 2012. Saya berat untuk menghantar. Bukan harapkan sangat dia boleh membaca seusia 4 tahun. Bagi saya, usia 4 tahun ialah playschool. But if he can, alhamdulillah, itu bonus. Adam pula akan menyambut hari lahir ke-4 pada bulan Mei 2012.

Azam saya? Secara spiritualnya, mahu lebih komited dengan tuntutan agama. Yang lewat dicepatkan, yang singkat dilabuhkan, yang lebih tak berpatutan itu dikurangkan. Dan insyaAllah ingin lebih menyumbang kepada masyarakat.

Moga 365 hari yang mendatang lebih bermakna kepada kita semua. Moga 365 hari itu sentiasa diberkati Allah.

Color Coding Books

2011-12-23T13:34:00.001+08:00

When Iman started Year 1 earlier this year, he had difficulties accomodating to the new routines. So had I. Maybe I was even worse off than Iman!

One of the things was, books. He had BM, BI, Science, Math, Bahasa Arab, Agama, Pendidikan Kesihatan, among others. Most subject came with 2 books - Text & Activity. And also buku tulis and rampaian. And he couldn't tell which is which and couldn't 'find' the books in his bag. And mistakenly 'exchanged' with his classmates.

Sound fimiliar eh?

I devised my own way then. I labelled each subject with stickers - different color for different subject. And all books with same color need to be together in the bag as they belong as a family. Like us. We stay together. No one in the family gets left behind or stay with other family.

Well, let's just say, in the beginning we had so much of a family problems :D Members of families jumbled up with other members of other families. As long as they were in the same 'kampung' (I mean, school bag), it was still okay as we could still locate and re-group.

Later, we had problems with family member escaping mysteriously into another kampung! And some other books, which were not his, were inside his bag instead. Luckily I knew who that boy was and his mother.

Next day we met to exchange. His mom also color coded his son's books, exactly like I did! Sticker of same color and same shape for same subject! She must've thought that it was supposed to be done that way. I explained to her and we both laughed.

Nevertheless, after few weeks in school, Iman finally got the hang of it. How to arrange his books. Red will always stay with red. Green will always stay with green. In his bag, the books were arranged according to timetable. First subject at the front-most. After first subject ended, put the books behind all other books.

After he recognized and could differentiate between one teacher to another, I mentioned any random name and asked him what subject did he/she teach and which group of books should be brought out during that period. He tought that was a game and cooperated very well hi hi.

Solved his problem. For me, less headache.

Dressed Me Down Days

2011-12-22T09:22:00.004+08:00

When I first started working wayyy back in 1997 (has it been THAT long? really?), we had 6 working days in a week. Years later we worked every alternate Saturday in a month. Then it was just 5 working days in a week. Fewer days but longer office hours. I heart that. Because 6 working days means 12 traffic jams, 5 working days is 10 traffic jams. Here in KL, traffic jams can be very-very mean.

Last few years the company introduced Casual Friday. Dressed Down Friday or whatever the name is. Apparently we take it overboard, the mood spills to Monday and Tuesday. And Wednesday. Thursday is no exception :D

I rarely see people is suits these days. If there is, those are consultants. Or people of higher rank going for meetings with the company's VVIPs.

80% to 90% of the time I am usually in baju kurung. When I am not, I no longer wear those pin-stripe shirts, crisp pants or my long formal skirt.

Example of me today.

Mustard cotton tunic(eh siap ada bulu bulu kain tak trim tu ha.. hihi) that was bought online ('online-shopping' is my middle name currently). Very light brown cotton pants that was bought during one of those bazaar days in Menara T*. Pair of Everbest flats courtesy of Tebby. And very-very colorful and rugged looking cotton-leather-suede Fossil Isla, also courtesy of Tebby.

Life's good!

One World, One Utama

2011-12-21T23:32:00.000+08:00

We have foreseen that it was going to be busy year-end for Tebby (he always is anyway but at least we got to see him everyday) and nowhere much we could bring the kids for school holidays. At least until almost the end of it when we go balik kampung in Tgg.

Decided that a breakaway right after 2011 school-term ended. In OU! Ha ha.. something is better than nothing.

One World it was then. It never occured to me there is actually a hotel adjoined with OU. Sometime after I made the booking, we passed by OU en-route to IKEA. Wahhh.. not a pleasant looking hotel from outside. But the kids were super-excited. Who wouldn't? Kids love pool. At least mine do.

Afternoon to you too. Always tukang book who gets the greetings :P Room was good. Room service was even better. My only complaint would be on the air-cond. Uncomfortably cold. Dah switch off pun still sejuk. I slept in bathrobes, under layers of selimut.

A pool is like a bonus, a slide is an additional GCEO Merit or GLT award! (org T* tau lah apa maksud ni kan)

Adam bugged us for days (or was it weeks?) for new swim suits. And yet he never get into the pool at all. He cedok air from the pool and mandi macam dalam bilik air kat rumah. Nampak tak pokok-pokok seberang pool tu? Adam watered them with loads of loves and cares.

Iman. Way to go young man. Almost can swim already. About a year back, he wouldn't even masuk air sampai lutut pun.

Kakak.. Ratu Kolam. Kalau boleh dari rumah lagi nak pakai swim suit dah..

Room - Best except the air-cond.
Food (buffet breakfast) - I love!!! Spread banyak and sedap. I don't think I'd mind sitting for hours.
Pool - Best. The kids love it.
Plus point - Adjoined to OU. Amat senang nak pegi makan.

Recommended for weekend getaway, I'd say.

Hammam Bangsar

2011-12-20T15:34:00.003+08:00

Went there 09122011. Courtesy of Tebby. Thanks Yang.

Took My Favourite Concubine package (with a litle twist and a bit cheaper btw). I got someone to bathe me, scrub my dead skin cells off, washed my hair and finally a malay-style massage (the after effect of massage adalah sangat best, as if all knotted veins and muscles let loose).

I was smelling like roses for days after that.

Website here www.hammambaths.com

Tolong! Angry Bird!

2011-11-30T10:12:00.002+08:00

Tolong!

Tolong sajes kedai online yang ai buleh beli underwear tema angry bird. Adam is almost 95% diaper free. But he wears only angry birds nyer suar dalam. I have only 6 of those. Bought those at a temporary booth weeks back.

Who-ever knows, let me know ya. Kedai online jer taw.

Brightheart & Stripey

2011-11-24T11:45:00.002+08:00

Iman @HUKM 23/11/2011

2011-11-23T12:04:00.005+08:00

Hari ni bawak Iman jumpa psychiatrist kat HUKM. His second last appointment at HUKM for the year (he has 4 venues for appointment in HUKM alone! what can I say, the more the merrier hi hi) The last one will be on 8th December with his Occupational Therapist, Fida.

Since mem-parking kereta adalah mencabar di HUKM and since for psychiatrist appointment, it's on first-come-first serve basis, we hit the road like any other normal working days. Registered him and we got no 2. Jumpa doktor, the usual development-related questions, how Iman is at school - academically and socially. How Iman is doing with his other siblings (that... I have a lot to say Dr!). His speech, his concentration and all.

Academically, he is doing okay. Not to say cemerlang la (cemerlang these days refer to 100% average). He scored 80% with 2 extremes, majority with flying colors. But one subject, flew downwards steeply :D Both Tebby and I decided we are satisfied, given all his limitations. But that doesn't mean we won't grill and drill you young man!

Socially, he is OKAY. He makes friends, he has good friends, he has not so good friends. On some days he would be eating alone during break. On other days, he'd be muching with his friends and later hit the field for some running to vent his energy until, most of the time, he vomits afterwards. Doctor said physical activities in order to vent out adalah bagusss. Tapi sampai muntah Iman?

Speech-wise, still not up to his age though he can get his message across and can comprehend what others are communicating to him. But doing comprehension test in Bahasa is something different altogether :D He still lacks eye contact especially with newly-met people. I am not sure if he is shy or that's autistic trait playing its part.

Attention span is still short (unless it is something he's interested in). He gets frustrated easily when he can't get things done BUT he's very persistent and will do it repeatedly while wailing and crying and the likes until that thing is done. That's my boy. With much lower decibel of wailing and crying, will ya?

By far, the last Psychiatrist we just saw this morning is the best among the 3. We've seen 3 different Psychiatrists in HUKM so far, 2 females and 1 male. Paling tak best doktor lelaki tu. Heartless, stone, not the type yang pandai engage with children. Just hurmpp.. hemmm, hammmpp. Tu aje lah. But Iman has soft spot for female gender so I would't put the blame 100% on that male doctor tho! Kalau perempuan, kena pulak yang lawa-lawa.. lagilah dia suka. Boys will be boys *eyes roll*

Next appointment with Psychiatrist will be in March 2012.

vital stats for today, good number too!
234 and 123!

Brotherly Love?

2011-11-22T13:50:00.001+08:00

Rare moments indeed.

My boys, it's a love-hate relationship between them (contohnya, read here). They giggle. They fight. They laugh. They scream at each other. Of course, Iman being the elder has to mengalah (he's been winning for almost 6 years anyway! Winnning over Kakak and Adam). Pretty easy for Adam eh. Adam was the one who has been 'mengalah' for some years until few month back, he decided not to anymore. He has discovered that me, Tebby and tears can actually be used as weapons against Iman :D

Being bongsu does has its priviledges. Getting that little extra leeways from the parents for one. Just blink his eyes and we went 'okay'. Just give me a wet little kiss and I said 'bolehhh'. It has disadvantages too. Hand-me-down's! But still, Adam was (and still is!) lucky. I had given away all those babies' things after Iman's birth because we thought 2 was enough. So he got all new mittens and booties, botol susu, blankets, towels and whatnots. Since Adam is a good 4 years younger than Iman, I don't see the point of keeping Iman's clothes for 4 years until Adam can fit in. Adam, despite being 3.74kg at birth, he is now a small boy. Or at least we think that way.

Phew.. panjangnya menceceh. Actually I wanted to write about this photo..

When they held hands (because they don't hold hands, they just don't), something inside me melted until ................................................ Adam came running 'Abang kata hari ni boleh beli mainan?' *slaps forehead* (The deal was not to buy any toys that weekend) If Adam uses me, Tebby and tears against Iman, Iman uses Adam against us. Being pregnant with Iman whilst Tebby was serving the company's Corporate Strategy, proven to have effect on Iman :D :D Strategize! If you can't get something this way, there's always other ways.

Nevertheless both of them didn't get the toys pada hari tersebut. Sekian.

Mudahnya Dapat Pahala

2011-11-17T09:08:00.002+08:00

When I started back working back in July, I had mixed feelings. Hati lebih berat kepada nak resign terus. I must say when I stayed home, insyaAllah all domestic matters were better better managed. My husband could expect full-fledge dinner on the table. All dried clothes were pressed, folded and put away. Everything was in place. Everyone was happy. (And I tabik to those who can do that, even as a working mom because it is not easy).

In addition to that, now the kids are, from time to time, asking
Kenapa Ummi kena kerja? - Iman
Why can't we be like before? - Kakak
Can you come back at noon and pick us up? - Kakak
Saya tak nak pegi taska. Saya nak duduk rumah - Adam

And today I found this.

Pernah sahabat nabi merungut apabila melihat seorang yang badannya kasar kerana kuat bekerja dan berkata:
"Alangkah baiknya jika dia menggunakan kekuatan tubuhnya itu untuk berjihad pada jalan Allah"

Mendengar itu Rasulullah s.a.w pun bersabda
"Jika dia bekerja mencari nafkah untuk anak-anaknya yang kecil adalah fi sabilillah, jika dia bekerja untuk kedua-dua orang tuanya pun fisabilillah, jika dia bekerja mencari nafkah untuk dirinya sendiri juga dikira fisabilillah, tetapi jika dia bekerja dengan tujuan menunjuk-nunjuk dan riak, maka itu adalah fisabili syaitan (pada jalan syaitan)."

Riwayat Bukhari&Muslim dan Tarmidzi

MasyaAllah. Sebagai ibu dan isteri, mudahnya kita nak cari pahala. Duduk di rumah menguruskan anak-anak, suami dan urusan rumahtangga, dapat pahala. Keluar bekerja pun dapat pahala, as long as bukan menunjuk-nunjuk (as in ayat di atas). Of course we have our preference but either way, pahala.

Kakak, Iman dan Adam - susah untuk Ummi terangkan sekarang. But this is untuk keberlangsungan hidup kita semua. Satu hari nanti kalian pasti faham.

Wudhuk

2011-11-11T08:00:00.003+08:00

Sila ambil maklum entry ini adalah edisi 'the bad side of Kak Mon'. Edisi 'the bad side of Kak Mon' ni siri entry penuh nonsense dan ntah apa-apa. Be forewarned.

Semalam went dating. Haaaa.. dating ajelah kerjanya yer. Dinamakan dating tapi sebenarnya edisi membeli-kasut-dan-meminta-suami-membayarnya.

Pegi lepas office hour. Since I had a late Asar prayer, I had meant to keep the wudhu' for Maghrib as well.

As we strutted around, tetiba En Tebby pegang tangan ai. (Baca dengan nada-nada romantik ye) Tak kan nak tepis. Berdosa woo. Padahal sebelum sebelum tu dalam hati dok tertanya-tanya bilalah si dia ni nak pegang tangan ai jenjalan. *blush*

Later I asked.

Suami pegang tangan isteri batal wudhuk tak?
I tak de wuduk so takde apa-apa nak batal time I pegang tangan you.
I am asking in generallah Yang. Sebab I tadi ada wudhuk. Now that you held my hand just now. Sebab I've read kalau pegang gitu-gitu je between suami isteri wudhuk tak batal. Unless affectionately.
It was an affection.

Ai pun kononnya senyum malu-malu.

Sebenarnya perut ai waktu itu adalah kembung dan sebu berangin.... I leave the rest to your imagination.

But seriously, care to share your knowledge on wudhuk k. <-- this is 'the good side of Kak Mon' asking..

Of Life and Death

2011-11-10T10:20:00.005+08:00

When we were celebrating Eid recently kat kampung, my mother repeatedly said ntah-ntah ni raya last dia. ntah-ntah tak sempat next raya dah. I jokingly said Raya Cina tak lama dah.. kejap je lagi. There she was, frail and could barely stand up straight. She looked as if she aged by few years since the last time I saw her, which was about just 3 weeks before. And yet demi anak-anak dan cucu-cucu, she cooked all the usual delicacies we usually have on Aidil Fitri. But for Aidil Adha. She told me not to buy lemang or rendang. We were to prepare like we normally do for Aidil Fitri. Despite all her sakit urat and whatnots, we had the spread ready by morning of Aidil Adha.

As muslims, kita percaya mati tu pasti. Cuma masa yang kita tak tau. No one can guarantee he/she will live for another more minute pun. Kun faya kun. Saya ingat suatu masa tu saya bertangguh-tangguh bertudung. Kiranya saya mula pun agak lewat, I was about 18-19yo time tu. Kalau diingat-ingat balik, katakan tak sempat berhijrah, nyawa ditarik balik. Nauzubillah. I have to admit dalam mencuba untuk betul betul berhijab dalam ertikata sebenar, banyak cabarannya. Sehingga sekarang pun saya masih terus mencuba.

Many years ago, my sister passed away in a tragic accident. She was not even 30, and had been married for only 2-3 years. I can still remember my mother said how sad it was for a mother untuk mengkebumikan anak. It should've been the other way around.

Ayah saudara saya, he passed away on 5th Syawal this year. He battled colon cancer for quite sometime. He survived for years through series of chemo and whatnots, and suddenly he gave up. Soon after, he passed away. He was my mom's youngest sibling, in mid-40's, and yet the first that passed away.

Last Tuesday, Tebby's cousin passed away. Even after post-mortem, cause of death was uncertain. I think he was in his late 40's or early 50's. His father (Tebby's uncle) masih ada. Uzur, diabetic (has had his toe removed due to that).

Life goes on. Through happiness of births and sadness of deaths. We all moved on. We need to carry on.

I remember when I was in my early 20's. I saw engagements, weddings, people fell in love with each other. Later I saw some friends' marriage fell apart and they got divorced. And some now in their second marriage. And now I am seeing deaths of close relatives.

When the time comes, bersediakah kita? Cukupkan amal-ibadat? Anak-anak kita sudah cukup terdidik kah? Bila ajal datang, sedetik pun tak tertangguh.

Kepada Mak saya, sesungguhnya mati itu pasti. Siapa yang pergi dulu, hanya Allah maha mengetahui.

SKYNET - Servis Courier Ala Siput.

2011-11-09T17:08:00.004+08:00

Sila ambil perhatian ini adalah entry edisi CEKAK PINGGANG.

SKYNET COURIER SERVICE adalah sangat tak boleh diharap. My package which was sent on 4th November dari Kelantan tak nampak bayang sampai ke saat ini (5.19pm 9/11/2011). Okay bersangka baik, mungkin 4 dengan 5 November sebok nak cuti raya. Bila call tanya status, manjang la nak call back tapi har** takde nak call back pun. Okay sebelum tu memang ada kesilapan address. Dah dibetulkan semalam dan dah berjanji setia benda tu sampai today before 5.30pm. Takkan dari where-ever your place is (tapi sangat sure in KL), nak sampai ke Bangsar pun sampai 2-3 hari? Ni korang ikat pakej tu kat siput ke?

And today, 9th November, banyak lah alasan. Rider takde lah. Rider barulah. Dah nak baliklah. Tak sempatlah. Ofis haku jauhlah.

Halloo!! Dah tulis kat address tu kan? Ikut je lah address tu. Dah bayar pun, bukannya free. Nak meniaga buat cara nak meniaga. Ni meniaga ikut pesen dia. Bukan ikut apa yang dijanjikan dengan customer.

Untuk makluman, after all those 'barang dah kluar' (kalau dah kluar pesal nak tanya barang tu besar mana? you should know better barang tu besar mana), nanti saya call balik (but never called back..), you think I want to believe semua alasan tu? Even so, it's not my problem okay. Kalau janji benda tu sampai today, ianya should sampai today. Rider mogok, not my problem. Rider malas, not my problem. Benda tu sebesar meja kopi sekalipun, not my problem. Sebab it is a promise already to get my thing from there to here.

I am giving sampai kol 6.00 ptg only. This is the latest janji ntah apa-apa from SKYNET. Ntah kan sampai ntah tidak tu kang. Atau kalau hantar ke langit je yang sampai? SKYNET la katakannn... Atau manusia-manusia kat SKYNET tengah merancang nak bagi alasan apa pulak lepas ni..

Sapa keje kat SKYNET? Apa komen anda?

Selamat Ulang Tahun ke-7 Muhammad Iman

2011-11-04T14:40:00.003+08:00

Semalam, 7 tahun lepas. Jam 1.37 petang.

Saya melahirkan seorang bayi lelaki seberat 3.3kg. Mungkin dia tak sabar-sabar nak ke dunia koporat. Pakai tali pusat di leher. Macam pakai neck-tie. Bezanya, pakai neck-tie sekali lilit di leher. Dia ada 3 lilitan tali pusat di leher! Macam-macam teori orang tua-tua yang kami diberitahu termasuk teori gantung tuala di leher dan teori kain pelikat. Korang tanya lah orang tua-tuan because I'm not telling them. Tapi, the truth is semua teori itu tak kena langsung!

Muhammad Iman.

Nama yang Abah pilih. Muhammad itu memang wajib. Itu nazar saya. Kalau lelaki anak kedua ini, Muhammad lah sebahagian namanya. Muhammad itu Yang Terpuji. Why not? Semua orang mahu anak-anaknya menjadi Yang Terpuji. Hatta anak perempuan pun harus bersifat yang terpuji. Cuma jangan diberi nama Muhammad pulak yer. Iman itu Abahnya yang pilih (Sebenarnya nama semua anak pun Abah yang pilih. Sukahati dia lah. Anak dia pun. Janji maknanya baik-baik ajer. Plus harus simple saja) Even dengan nama mudah macam tu pun saya tersasul-sasul. Contohnya pagi tadi saya memberi arahan bak komandor waktu turun kereta dalam renyai-renyai hujan.

'Iman dengan Abang turun dulu'

'Eh silap..'
'Adam dengan Adik turun dulu'

'Eh silap lagi!'
'Boyssss!!!! Turun berdua, share payung'
Tapi ini bukan sebab-musabab nama.. ini tanda-tanda age is catching up bukan?

Mungkin itu jugak ditakdirkan anak-anak saya ada 3 orang ajer! Bertukor bimbor bak kata orang Terengganu.

Dalam demam-demam tu sempat lagi acara 'ketuk-ketuk'. Mulanya nak potong kek di rumah ajer. Dah alang-alang nak balik kampung Raya Korban nanti, kami cadangkan potong kek di kampung saja, sama Atok, sama Wan. Iman setuju.

Tapi, lepas tu dia nak potong kek dengan kawan-kawan di taska pula. Okay takpe. Layankan ajer. Dapat jugak pahala belanja anak-anak kecik makan walaupun cuma 2 biji kek besar.

Tapi, katanya kek yang nak potong di kampung tu pun dia nak juga! Adoi..

Layan.

Apapun, dia sangat gembira semalam. Katanya 'Saya tak tiup lilin sebab tak ada lilin. Tapi mata saya kelip-kelip macam ni' sambil buat mata kelip-kelip macam malu-malu.

Apa-apa sajalah Muhammad Iman.

Selamat Hari Jadi ke-7 buat Iman. Moga seluruh kehidupan akan diberkati Allah. Jadilah anak yang soleh sepanjang hidupmu.

ps - Di sekolah dia baru belajar rukun iman. Dia pelik sebab sama dengan namanya. Beriman kepada Allah, iaitu percaya kepada Allah. Beriman kepada Rasul, iaitu percaya kepada Rasul. So forth and so on. Dan anakanda Iman, membuatkan saya percaya kepada banyak perkara. Percaya bahawa kasih itu tiada sempadannya. Percaya bahawa mimpi-mimpi juga boleh jadi realiti!

tapi Iman belum jugak hafal-hafal rukun iman itu :P..

Bila Terpaksa Memilih

2011-11-02T08:56:00.003+08:00

Kalau boleh memang tak mau.
Tapi terpaksa.

Iman is not doing well, health-wise. He's been sick on-off for quite sometime. Measles la, demam la, batuk la, selsema la. He's asthmatic, thus he's prone to sickness. Especially when the weather is not being kind. Last week, baru je baik demam and semalam he was 39d!

It is not that we've been saved from all these all these while. When he was about 1-3 years, he was always sick. In fact those phases were more difficult than what we're facing now. Imagine being admitted in hospital for 4-5 times a year and each time, it was for a period of 2 weeks, on the average. And it was always both of them (Iman dengan Kakak, Adam takde lagi masa tu).

But when he begged us to stay home together, I could feel I was breaking into pieces. He hit me just at the right place. How more cruel can a mother be when she leaves for work while her child is sick? What more when the child begs to stay home?

Iman, to you, I may seem to put my work before you but it is not. It never was and insyaAllah will never be. You don't know how hard it is for me to stay in the office while every second I remember you're being sick. But life isn't always like we want it to be. We may plan things the way we want them to be but how they will turn out, it is always Allah's decision. After all these years, I have learnt apa yang Allah takdirkan upon us, are exactly the things we need, no matter how hard or sore things were in the beginning.

Rest assured Ummi dan Abah sayang Iman, Kakak dan Adam, so much more than you all could ever imagined.

Iman, I miss the happy-go-lucky you. I miss my little chatterbox. I miss those sparks in your eyes and the cheeky smile. Please get well soon.

Steam Garoupa Hong Kong Style

2011-10-17T11:17:00.005+08:00

Memula sekali nak ucapkan terima kasih banyak-banyak kat MIL ai yang mendidik anak lelaki dia ni tak berat tulang memasak kat dapur. But these days rasanya memasak dah tak sinonim dengan kaum wanita je. Chef pun ramai kaum lelaki. Para suami pun dah ramai yang pandai memasak.

Sebenarnya lepas balik cuti raya aritu, hidup kami kat rumah cam tak terurus sikit. Barang dapur (barang basah) pun tak stock up... until last 2 weekends. En Tebby pegi pasar beli lauk pauk mentah sama sayur. Among all, dia beli ikan kerapu. Nasib baik muat pengukus tu Yang. Kalo idak haruslah kena cantas muncung atau ekor ikan ni.

Kerapu stim ala Hong Kong katanya. Ai donno sebab waktu you pegi Hong Kong you tak bawak ai (baca dengan nada merajuk <--- motif nak merajuk lepas 2 tahun?) so I can't compare. Apapun, without comparison pun, ini adalah terbaek. Sedap sehingga menjilat jari. Serius Yangg, ni bukan bodek you belikan ai gelang emas.. ops!

Oh ya, kalau agak-agak susah nak kasi belah ikan sampai terkangkang cam tu sekali (ikan terkangkang? apakah??), masa beli kat pasar tu cakap ajer kat tokei ikan suruh siang untuk stim. Tau lah depa nak mengerjakan ikan tu nanti.

Kan ai dah cakap sedap tadi. Ni buktinya. Tinggal tulang belakang jer. Lepas sesi foto ni, kuah-kuah semua habis kena hirup. Oh ya, pinggan tu hadiah dari kawan-kawan MTP5 waktu walimatulurus kami 11 tahun lepas.

Ni adalah bukan pinggan ai he he.

Moga Berjaya Anak-anak Ku

2011-10-17T10:26:00.003+08:00

Moga Allah permudahkan anak-anakku menjalani sesi peperiksaan akhir tahun 2011. Moga boleh recall apa yang diajar di dalam kelas. Moga boleh faham soalan dan arahan dengan baik. Moga dielakkan kesilapan.

Kak Mon's Cheesy Story

2011-10-13T09:15:00.004+08:00

Masa Kak Mon kekecik dulu, tak tau pun wujudnya benda yang bernama cheese ni. The closest I got to dairy products was susu cap junjung (gambar atas). Masa kat sekolah rendah, ada gomen bagi bantuan makanan, termasuklah dapat susu kotak from time to time (apart from daily free lunch and sometimes dapat free berus gigi dengan ubat gigi). Suka sangat. Kadang-kadang dapat yang kotak besar tu (1 liter). I have always like plain white milk. I can take chocolate and coffee flavour as well but my preference was and still is plain white milk. I can't drink strawberry flavour. If not, kejap aje cerry-berry okay. Strange kan. I can eat strawberries without the same reaction tho.

My children love cheese. Maybe as much as I love plain white milk. Cheese slice. Cheese stick. Cheese wedges. These are not cheap (by my standard). Anak-anak suka, layan je lah. It's a good source of calcium anyway. Try shoving into their mount calcium tablets, buleh? I bet tak berjaya. Cheese is your solution to giving doses of calcium to your children, in tender loving ways :D Tak payah main kejar-kejar pastu kepit anak kat kaki pasal nak kasi makan vitamins and whatnots.

My children especially love Kraft Cheese Wedges. Tebby once bought that expensive cheese hak bulat tu. The one that you need to manually slice. It has a red skin which we can peel off. Kakak, Iman, Adam, makan sikit je. They don't like the taste. In a way, it was a good thing. Jimatss heh heh. This Kraft Cheese Wedges, it has 8 wedges in a box. Harga dalam RM7-RM9 la lebih kurang.

But semalam, I found an alternative to Kraft. Ada jualan kat Menara and this thing seolah-olah melambai-lambai mintak dibeli (ahhhh.. Kak Mon.. what's new *eyes roll*). I bought not one, but two. Nasib baik, SEDAPPPP!!! It is softer that Kraft wedges and stiffer than cream cheese. You can hold it in your hands but not for long. Ngapp terus. Lebih lemak berkrimmm.. I loike. It also has 8 wedges (Saudia branded it as triangles, not wedges), sold at RM5 per box. Murah kan.

I got a problem tho. Adam, is allergic to cow's milk (lactose intolerant). He can consume tapi tak boleh banyak-banyak. Disebabkan triangle ni sedap, he almost had 4 of them last night alone! Sampai kena umpan dengan chocolate cake baru dia stop. Bacakan kisah kami berkejar ke A&E KPJ Kajang sebab allergic lactose di sini.

Having ngapp-ed a triangle semalam, think am gonna buy some more today. Frens, if you are in Menara and terliur with this entry, should you go and buy some, please leave a box or two for me ya..

Adam..

2011-10-12T22:00:00.003+08:00

Sebuas-buas abang dia yang ADHD tu,

.. tak pernah pecahkan gelas kat kedai makan

.. tak pernah lompat atas tilam pastu jatuh berdebum kena bucu night stand lalu terkoyak kulit kepala

.. tak pernah berlarian dalam kedai pastu tersambar botol kicap, terpelanting dan pecah berderai.

.. tak pernah main lastik-lastik pastu terlastik muka sendiri sampai berdarah-darah

Tapi yang sorang ni, setakat umur 3+ tahun, semua dia dah cover.

Balik kampung di Tgg, mak sedara dia, Mak Ngah kata kat En Tebby
'Lek lek mung masa kecek' - sebiji sebijun macam abah dia masa abahnya kekecik dulu.
Tokmi (my MIL) pulak kata
'Ni dok bbuah mmana nihhh. Aboh yer lagi nelang tak mboh diangg' - ni tak buas mana pun ni. Abah dia lagilah na**l tak reti diam

Phew. That saves me from all accusation where genetic is concerned hihi. Walaupun sebenarnya masa kekecik dulu boleh tahan hebat panjat pokok manggis belakang rumah Wan (my nenek), walaupun main air sungai Pahang (tapi sampai laaa tak reti-reti berenang), walaupun main dalam semak samun cari buah jambu, pastu terserempak dengan cik bab*, lari lintang pukang sampai calar-calar peha (masa tu pakaian rasmi adalah tshirt dan short. time tu ustazah pun pakai selendang nampak jambul, so a mini short for girl my age that time was a normal thing).

Apapun, among the 3, Adam ni senyum simpulnya paling mencairkan hati. Dari baby lagi dia pandai bawak diri. Boleh main sendiri. Tak banyak kerenah. Kerenah-kerenah yang buat Ummi dengan Abah tak keruan, semua Iman dah bolot. Dah besar sikit ni je dia membuas. Tu hasil kreativiti sendiri campur dengan tunjuk ajar si Iman.

Teringat waktu dia mula-mula menjengah dunia, putih pucat sebab kurang oksigen. Terus masuk incubator. Tak sempat Abah nak potong tali pusat sebab Dr Ashar dengan tangkasnya dah buat dulu (Kakak dengan Iman, En Tebby yang potong tali pusat). Lepas diazankan, terus tolak ke masuk incubator. Esoknya masuk NICU. Terus start antibiotik. 5 hari warded baru boleh balik rumah jumpa Kakak dengan Abang Iman. Abang Iman tak sedar pun kewujudan adik dia for the first 2 weeks. Hari ke 15 baru dia stopped from running around and cakap 'Eh.. baby! Baby! Baby!'

Setakat umur 3 tahun ni alhamdulillah dah kenal almost all colors. Cuma putih/white tu dia dok kata 'warna susu'. Buku Iqra' baru nak masuk page 2, tapi boleh lahh. A, I, U manjang asik lupa which is which. Dah boleh kira 1,2,3 tapi nombor belum kenal. Dah pandai ikut solat. Dah pandai baca doa makan. Tapi baca lepas dah suap makanan, tangan berlemoih dengan nasi, siap baca doa, dia pun raup tangan penuh nasi ke muka. Bila ditegur, cepat aje dia menjawab 'saya baca doa makan la niiii....' Sambil jeling tak-puas-hati-sebab-kena-tegur.

Kalau dengan Iman, it's a love-hate thingy. One second they're happily laughing and giggling together, and the next siap berguling-guling gaduh. Most of the time over one very same thing. Contohnya berebut mainan. Ada berpuluh-puluh robot dalam tong mainan, hak yang satu itulah jugak jadi isu. And sometimes they fight over something both of them don't want.

Iman - Ni saya tak nak.
Adam - Ni saya pun tak nak.
Iman - Saya tak nak! Saya tak nak!
Adam - Saya pun tak nakk! Tak nak!!!!
*Gaduh*

Adoi. Kalau ingat-ingat balik, cam kelakar. Rebut benda bergaduh, taknak pun nak gaduh jugak.

Apapun, we love you Adam!

Tengok Adam dalam gambar-gambar kat bawah ni.. semuanya senyummm je kan..

Muhasabah Diri

2011-10-10T10:43:00.006+08:00

Last week ofis sejuk amat.
Last week VP pesan pakai uniform CS* every Monday. Tak kiralah uniform unit mana pun (banyak unit bawah CS* ni).

Hari ni pakai uniform seperti diarahkan. Uniform Kutip-Hutang. Dapat masa kat unit lama, CMD. Agak tebal. Kaler hitam with a bit of white and orange.

Hari ni jugak ofis aircond nya amat selow.
Panas okay.
Berpeluh-peluh.

Rasa nak roll-up the sleeves.

Nampak tangan. Walaupun tak gebu, still.... Haram okay.

I am ashamed I even have that thought *sigh*
This is nothing kalau dibandingkan dengan api neraka..

Sharing..
(Dipopularkan oleh Raihan satu masa dulu)
I'tiraf
Wahai Tuhan ku tak layak ke syurga Mu
Namun tak pula aku sanggup ke neraka Mu

Ampunkan dosa ku terimalah taubat ku
Sesungguhnya Engkaulah Pengampun dosa-dosa besar

(arabic verse)
Ila hilis tu lilfirdausi ahla
Wala aqwa alnnaril jahim
Fahabblitau batau wafir zunubi
Fainnakarob firul zanbi azim

Dosa-dosaku bagaikan pepasir di pantai
Dengan rahmat Mu ampunkan daku Oh Tuhan ku

Wahai Tuhan selamatkan kami ini
Dari segala kejahatan dan kecelakaan

Kami takut kami harap kepada Mu
Suburkanlah cinta kami kepada Mu

Akulah hamba yang mengharap belas dari Mu

Apa tu?

2011-10-06T14:51:00.000+08:00

cer teka!
cer teka!

Lagi Terlewat!! Happy Belated Birthday & Anniversary..

2011-10-06T11:40:00.015+08:00

Ini adalah beg duit Kak Mon yang En Tebby hadiahkan sempena birthday Kak Mon ke-37.

Hari ni alhamdulillah genap 37 tahun, 1 bulan dan 6 hari bernafas di bumi Allah.

Hari ni juga alhamdulillah genap 11 tahun, 1 bulan dan 6 hari bergelar isteri En Tebby.

Thanks Yang. Terima kasih hadiah pepel wallet ni walaupun sebenarnya I yang pilih sendiri apa cap nya dan kaler dan segala-galanya.

Thanks Yang. Sudi melamar I jadi isteri you.

Thanks Yang. Sudi jadi suami I dan bapa anak-anak kita.

Thanks Yang. For all those wonderful years.

May we have a blessed life ahead.

Nota: -
Ni bukan edisi menunjuk yer. I am keeping this blog as my life journal so apapun yang ditempel dan ditulis di sini adalah untuk kenang-kenangan jua. I am actually the very the down-to-earth. Mungkin kalut-kalut jugak. Ai pernah terjatuh bedebuk bebetul depan entrance parking lot di waktu orang ramai lalu lalang nak ke ofis. Malu Kak Mon taww.

Muka depan :P
Background tu ialah loose tunic from SNUUS (carik kat fb yer). Very comfy. Wear it with long skirt, I'm off to office. Wear it with a pair of jeans, I'm off to berjimba-jimba with my family. Tetiba iklan, motif?

Purple zip-around. Muka belakang. Normally I'd go for brown/black. Ntah apa rasuk Kak Mon hari tu, I picked this one. Another one yang Kak Mon suka was brown tp takde zip-around tu. Siap ada ekor okay. I have some reservation kat ekor tu tp dah wallet tu dtg dgn ekor, takkan nak gunting pulak kan.

gegedik yang terjuntai kat zipper luar.

Sila sumbat kad-kad and more cardss. Kad kredit, kad bank, kad pengenalan, kad nikah. Penting untuk membeli belah, mengeluarkan duit dan mengelakkan dari kena tangkap basah :P

Pandangan dalam.

Ni gegedik zip dalam untuk coins pocket tu. Kalau korang amat-amati, kat bola tu boleh nampak Kak Mon heh heh.

Kak Mon - Beg gedik takpe. Jangan tuan beg menggedik. Tak sesuai okay.

Edisi Cotton

2011-10-04T12:05:00.006+08:00

Orang dah berzaman pakai baju kain cotton, Kak Mon baru nak berjinak-jinak dalam bidang cotton-mengotton ni. Ambik kau, 4 lai terus.

Semua beli online. Semua from blog Cik Hammie ni. Dalam banyak-banyak online outlets, blog si Hammie ni never fail to excite me with her collections. Hak femes now adalah polka dot but I personally thinks polka dot just don't go along well with a 37yo.

Sebenarnya cotton ni kiranya making a comeback jugaklah. Dulu pernah femes gak tapi paling-paling tua pun budak sekolah menengah je yang pakai. Pastu jenis kain pun tak banyak. Kalau sebut cotton, hak sejenis tu je lah. Design pun banyak yang bunga kekecik je. Takpun belang-belang. Belang-belang tu limited orang buat sarung bantal atau pijama. Now, japanese cotton got, swiss cotton got, cotton silk got. Everything cotton also got lahhh. And now even mak-mak yang ada anak bersekolah menengah pun also pakai cotton.

Ni cotton kasa rubiah katanya. Kena buat lining yer dek non-dek non sekelian. Kejarangan.

I loveeee this one. Lightweight and soft. 2 kali si Hammi tu re-stock, both times I missed. Sokmo dapat kat orang lain.

Yang ni cotton silk katanya. Kalau pegang memang syok. Licin dan lembut. I loike.

Hak ni pulak swiss cotton katanya. Merahnya Mak Ngah, macam zaman dulu. Statement Mak Ngah ni anak-anak zaman kelahiran 70-an je yang tau rasanya. Iklan BSN kalau tak silap.

Perbarisan kain Kak Mon. No 2 dari kiri dah hantar tailor. 3 beradik tak seiras tu belum. Kang pokai pulak nak bayar upah jahit.

Walau apapun jenis kain, tak kira how lasak or how soft it is, for baju kurung I normally put them on delicate cycle (mesin lah, tak koser nak handwash okay, banyak lagi benda lain nak buat), guna detergent for wool or lingerie, and never ever dry directly under matahari. Always under shade. I have one pair of silk baju kurung which still look like new even after 11 years!

Kak Mon - dia dah nak mula lah tu...

Edisi Terlewat..

2011-10-03T18:51:00.002+08:00

errr...

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri
Maaf Zahir Batin

adik baju merah tu, boleh tolong duduk tak?

Macaroons!

2011-10-03T09:16:00.002+08:00

Sesungguhnya makan lepat pisang adalah lebih nikmat!
Udoh le mahalllllll.. RM3.00 sebiji. Tamak, beli pulak 6 biji ^_^
fa alif dal nun mim wau kaf!

Punyalah berzaman berangan nak makan macaroon. Dok baca kat blog/fb orang lain makan macam sedappppp la sangat. Siap posing makan-makan kat Harrods KLCC tu. Ala-ala high-tea. Kak Mon takde jadual high-tea beb. Agak-agak nak makan tu, tea time ke, lunch time ke, dinner ke, supper ke.. bila-bila pun buleh.

I've been hinting En Tebby tapi nampaknya he didn't get it. Dia kata nampak macam tak sedap so dia tak beli kan. (Atau dia pura-pura tak dapat hint?)

Verdict? As I mentioned above, makan lepat pisang, sotong celup tepung, cokodok adalah lebih nikmat. Ni according to tekak Kak Mon la yer. Kang ada pulak peminat tegar macaroon marah Kak Mon..

And yes, my husband knows me like the back of his hand. Dia nyer komen, I don't think you'll like it', selalunya adalah benar...

Duit Raya Apa Bikin?

2011-10-02T21:48:00.012+08:00

uiks.. kuku panjang.. lupa nak potong
So, apa jadi kat duit raya anak-anak tahun ni? Tahun-tahun lepas Kak Mon masukkan dalam akaun Tabung Haji masing-masing. Alhamdulillah budak-budak ni lepas pantang ajer Kak Mon bukak kan akaun TH. Tak banyak, bolehlah menabung sikit-sikit. Tahun ni Kak Mon dan En Tebby kasi can depa belanjakan duit raya. Nak kasi they ol feel belanja duit. Dan selamattt poket Ummi dan Abah :D

The boys macam biasalah. Awal-awal lagi dah tempah nak beli toys. Transformers. Tak sudah-sudah. Sampaikan tong besar kat rumah tu dah melimpah-limpah. Adam memang dah aim 'Megatron daun'. Dah lama dah dia nak tapi tak dapat-dapat. Benda tu RM100++. Sila guna duit raya ye Dik. Iman pulak takde anything specific in mind.

Memula terjah kat Toys R Us MidValley. Belek punya belek. Tengok punya tengok. Takde pulak 'Megatron daun'. Daun tu sebenarnya cam selimut Megatron tu. Rupanya kalau sekali pandang memang macam daun buruk. So carik kat Metrojaya pulak.

Yey.. Megatron daun!

Tengoklah senyuman puas hati dia tu..

Uiks.. cepat sikit la Iman. Sempat lagi posing ala-ala Transformers.

Still browsing... punyalah lama dia memilih.

Kenot decide. Cam apak dia lah. Kalau memilih punya lama...

Si Kakak pulak beli buku kat MPH. Now dia collect siri Charmseeker pulak. Pastu siri Enid Blyton. Dulu dok kumpul siri Geronimo Stilton. Hobi yang ni Kak Mon takmau berkisah sangat. Yang penting dia suka membaca.

Ni lah buku-bukunya..

Ni pulak hasil belian fasa 2 (sebab duit raya ada belen lagik). 2 ni dirembat di Isetan KLCC. Belah kanan tu Iman punya. Megatron. Bukan Megatron daun. Punya banyak suku sakat Megatron. Buat modal kempiskan poket Abah jer. Yang kiri tu Adam punya. Apatah namanya. Punyalah susah nak transform, jenuh Ummi belek instruction. Pastu Iman buat cepat je.. tayah tengok instruction ponnnnn....

To date nyer duit raya..
Kakak - guna 60% je. pandai jimat anak dara Kak Mon ni. Tak macam Ummi dia..
Iman - ada belen RM10
Adam - budak ni siap hutang Abah dia RM10 sbb tak cukup duit!

Kak Mon - dulu kekecik takde duit2 raya ni semua. membesar di kampung yang hampir semua serba sederhana. malah ada yang serba kekurangan. tapi ziarah tetap meriah

Half Moon & Tutti Frutti

2011-09-22T00:30:00.000+08:00

So, apa bikin during the long weekend? We had planned for getaway actually tapi due to some reasons, it was cancelled. Nasib baik gak kensel sebab the boys were not too well. Kalau pegi mana-mana hotel alamatnya harus berendam mandi kolam kan.

Since dah lama tak dine in makan Nasi Arab, we ols pegi ke Half Moon. Tak femes kot kedai ni. It's either you know it or you don't. Kedainya kat Seri Kembangan. Coincidently sebelah dengan klinik Rose Peng (Iman's ex psychiatrist). Pekerjanya mostly berbangsa Arab. Tak fasih BM or BI tapi cukup lah to get messages through. Customer pun ramai set-set Arab. Service laju je. Lagi murah dari Saba'. Dan lagi sedap.

Ahad lepas we ols order nasi for 2. Selalu tengok orang Arab ni makan dalam dulang kan. Konon nak merasa. Ambik kau,.. punya banyak nasi macam nak makan 4 orang! Pulak tu si Adam demand nak makan roti Arab. Hambik.. amat lebau. Tapi sedappp. Ni ai share 2 keping gambar. Takleh nak posing-posing makanan banyak-banyak pasal sorang nak pi toilet, sorang heboh pasal air Coke dia tak sampai-sampai, 2 orang gaduh berebut nak tengok Transformers kat henfon. Tak nyempat maknya nak beraksi memfoto lauk-pauk. Ya, hidup ai memang meriah. Alhamdulillah. The more the merrier bak kata orang ni. Eh, takdelah, no more coming.

Kalau set-set diet tu, mau 7-8 orang kongsi makan ni. Lauknya khabsah lamb sama dengan roast chicken. Ada salad which consisted of kubis+ tomato, sambal cili and soup. Semuanya very light, unlike nasi beriyani. Tapi kalau makan 2-3 pinggan pun sama je macam makan nasi beriyani kot kan.

Roti Arab. Crispy kat luar, dalam lembut. Ai selalu order dengan fried liver. Fried liver ai prefer Saba' nyer. Lagi sedap.

After Half Moon, ke Tutti Frutti pulak. Sebenarnya I was full and it was raining tapi dah janji dengan anak-anak and they were so excited about it, ku gagahkan jua. Tu pun tunggu 5 minit dalam kereta pasal hujan lebat sangat. It's frozen yoghurt pastu tabur-tabur lah topping segala. Harga adalah by weight. Kalau tamat letak macam-macam, siap sedia lah membayar yer. We took 3 cups kaler green. Budak-budak ni makan few scoop pastu sebok main pulak. Dah tu mak pak le kena habihkan. As someone yang akan minum teh-o suam even on sunny days, it was a shivering and freezing experience for me. Tambah pulak huja lebat masa tu. I literally shivered my way out!

Bergotong royong makan frozen yoghurt. We took the green cup. Masa tu ada pink and green only. Rasanya pink tu paling besar kot. The smallest orange takde. Kalau ada haruslah ai suruh budak-budak ni ambik yang oren je hihi.

Secara negatif nya pula, poket adalah cepat kempis kalau selalu sangat buat lawatan ke Tutti Frutti ni. Tengok resit ni ha.. Lebih RM10 semangkuk beb. RM37 kalau layan Baskin Robbin lagi syiok. Tapi takpelah... tak salah mencuba. En Tebby suka pasal rasanya light. Unlike me, I like something yang lemak berkrim.

My opinion?
Bronze medal goes to Tutti Fruitti
Silver medal goes to Baskin Robbin
Gold medal goes to Mc D's sundae cone - sedap okay. lemak berkrim. murah pulak tu..

Bright Not Broken

2011-09-21T09:22:00.005+08:00

image credit to www.amazon.com

Yezza.. Kak Mon dah mula galak ber-blog semula :D

This is my current read. This may appeal to just some of us. Having gone through a bit of experience raising a mild-ADHD, this is an inspiring book.

I urge all of us to take action when your detect a delayed milestone (which is not in normal range. as I said in my older entries, don't be pressured if your 3yo can't read yet when your neighbour's can) Early intervention is very very very important. Ini permulaan penting yang akan membentuk masa depan anak-anak. Even for normal children. What more children with special needs.

I bought my copy from Kinokuniya KLCC for RM76.00.

Written by Diane M. Kennedy, Rebecca S. Bass and contibutions by Temple Grandin

Here's an excerpt from the book. Credit to http://www.josseybass.com/

The future of our society depends on our gifted children—the population in which we’ll find our next Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, or Virginia Woolf. Yet the gifts and talents of some of our most brilliant kids may never be recognized because these children fall into a group known as twice exceptional, or “2e.” Twice exceptional kids are both gifted and diagnosed with a disability—often ADHD or an Autism Spectrum Disorder—leading teachers and parents to overlook the child’s talents and focus solely on his weaknesses. Too often, these children get lost in an endless cycle of chasing diagnostic labels and are never given the tools to fully realize their own potential.

Bright Not Broken sheds new light on this vibrant population by identifying who twice exceptional children are and taking an unflinching look at why they’re stuck. The first work to boldly examine the widespread misdiagnosis and controversies that arise from our current diagnostic system, it serves as a wake-up call for parents and professionals to question why our mental health and education systems are failing our brightest children.

Most importantly, the authors show what we can do to help 2e children, providing a whole child model for parents and educators to strengthen and develop a child’s innate gifts while also intervening to support the deficits. Drawing on painstaking research and personal experience, Bright Not Broken offers groundbreaking insight and practical strategies to those seeking to help 2e kids achieve their full potential

Bebelan Kak Mon on Interview

2011-09-20T08:56:00.006+08:00

Adoilah..

Nanti-nanti kalau korang nampak blog ni senyap sunyi dan sepi, sila tanya 'Kak Mon tak mau tutup blog ke?' Laju pulak mem-blog ha ha.

Anyway, ni pun one of my vent-out session. Stress okay.

For the past 3-4 years (diskaun setahun cuti, jadilah 2-3 tahun yer), my job requires me, at times, to be panel of interview for new recruitment, rectuitment after upgrading and whatnots. Bukan peringkat tertinggi yer pasal ai pun level-level gitu-gitu ajer. Takkan lah level-level ai nak interview orang yang nak jadi GM pulak kan.

There's a few things that bothers me. Why? Interview is very much like a first impression. Cam korang nak jumpa bakal mertua. Takkan nak pakai jeans ketat walaupun memang everyday itulah pakaian u ols kan. Kenalah sopan santun penuh adab. Unless your bakal inlaws pun memang pakai jeans sendat, I can't say much la kan. Ingat tau pepatah 'first impression is often lasting'.

Off track?

Okay, back to the topic.

Ai agak kecewa dengan calon-calon yang datang interview. I am participating as a panel for few times now and I feel banyak calon yang fail to pay attention to the details. Contohnya, kalau borang yang very straight forward pun tak boleh nak isi betul-betul, how can we entrust you dengan kerja-kerja pejabat yang jauh lebih kompleks? Or when you klik-klik kat online form, silalah klik betul-betul. I just can't accept 'eh silap laaaaa' pastu senyum-senyum gelak gelak. Grow up peeps *eyes roll*

Meh ai listkan..

1. Isi borang dengan betul dan lengkap. For that, it is good to bring your alatulis. Bukannya nak suruh bawak gunting lurus, gunting bengkok, pensil warna pun. Pen, liquid paper, pencil, gam.. cukup. Gam? Kot nak tampal gambar kat borang kang senang. Gambar bukan cam setem boleh jilat-jilat kasi lekat. Kadang-kadang CGPA pun tak tulis, language literacy pun tak tulis,.. jantina pun tak tulis. Semalam I asked a candidate apa jantina dia. Obviously dia tu lelaki. He was perplexed. Told him borang dia takde catitan jantina.

2. Kalau isi anything online, klik betul-betul kat tempat sepatutnya. Ini keje kat A, klik kat B. Level C, klik D. Adoi. Those are basics. Kalau itupun tak leh nak comply, apalagi yang lain-lain.

3. Gambar tu tolonglah buat proper gambar. Tak kisahlah nak senyum nampak gigi ke, nak senyum sikit ke, nak posing senget ke.. janji gambar yang proper for isi borang and terkini. Ni ai tengok gambar kat borang muka lonjong dan kurus, tup-tup yang masuk muka bulat pulak. And Konfius ai taw. And pleaselah jangan letak gambar dengan background ala-ala sambutan hari raya or the likes.

4. CV and documents and certifications. Have one proper specific folder for the interview. Have documents organised secara kronologi terbalik. I dunno what's the term. I mean kalau kelulusan tertinggi is degree level, letakkan degree dulu, pastu baru letak diploma kalau ada, pastu sijik-sijik sekolah menengah and so on. Ni jadi satu kerja pulak panel nak belek-belek folder you all tu mencari documents. Pastu jangan lah campur sekali dengan EPF statement, surat mintak keje, loan statement and whatnots... Ni semua common sense

5. Dressing tu biar bertempat. I don't expect you to come in power suit lorr. Pakaian yang sesuai je. Pants and shirt pun okay. Baju kurung pun ok. Just don't overdo sampai macam nak pegi dinner.. kelip kelap. Or too underdress macam nak pegi Carrefour beli roti Gardenia pukul 9.30 malam (eh, bunyi macam ai je tu, I mean pegi Carrefour beli roti). Atau seksi tak ingat pakai spaghetti strap atau sleeveless.

Sekian yer Kak Mon membebel (lagi). Hari ni berapa haribulan? 20hb? Owh, excuse my PMS.

Tonggek??

2011-09-15T12:39:00.002+08:00

I know I know.
Konon nak tutup blog, tup tup buat entry balik.

Nak luahkan jugak hati dan perasaan ai nih.

I'm okay with people wearing and selling all this trim and slim corset or whatever yang sewaktu dengannya. Sebab ai pun pakai. Tapi ai tak jual.

Tapi perlukan ayat-ayat motivasi seperti..

'Nanti boleh pakai kebaya ketat, slim fit jeans yang dan 6 tahun tak muat or kemeja pendek dah 7 tahun tak muat tu pegi ofis'

Atau gambar motivasi seperti ini.. eh gambar takde.. korang imagine je lah ek..

Gambar before - berbaju kurung, bertudung tutup dada. Tutup aurat lah senang cerita. Posing ala malu-malu.
Gambar after - baju kebaya kecik, kain batik ketat belah depan, tudung pendek. Posing tonggek-tonggek okeh.

Pastu kalau nak ajak ai join bisnes tu agak-agak lah.. anda pun baru pakai semalam, belum tau kesannya, dah ajak ai join. I have my own principle. Ai cuba dulu, kalau berkesan mungkin ai akan promote. Kalau tak berkesan, I am gonna be veryyyyyyy frank.

Pastu nak promote kat orang-orang macam ai ni, tengok-tengoklah sikit. Nak suruh aku lose weight lagi ke bendanya?? I am only 48kg taw. Nanti tak nampak terus ai kat ofis nih pasal dah kecik halus kurus amat. I need to lose inches, not weight. Toksah sebok nak suruh lose weight. Kalau cerita pasal hilangkan flab tu, ada lah jugak my interest kat situ.

Boleh tak korang positionkan promotion benda ni lain sikit? Ni macam mensajes and menteliurkan orang lain untuk buka aurat je. Nak position cemana? Pandai-pandai lah korang pikir sendiri.

Ni tak semua okay. Segelintir only.

Kepada yang dah bersuami tu, berhiaslah by all means, untuk suami anda. Feel nice about yourself in good and rightful ways. Nak mendada ke, nak punggung padat ke.. dadalah, padatlah. Tayang kat suami aje yer.

Ni posing tonggek-tonggek ni, kesian akaun cik abe tu.. Kalau cik abe sendiri suker u ols posing tonggek-tonggek di khalayak ramai, I dunno what to say anymore lah.

Ganas kah entry ni? Kalau you all kenal ai, ai ni sebenarnya malu-malu kucen orangnya ... auwwww!! *buat mata kelip-kelip*

Gone...

2011-09-13T10:43:00.001+08:00

Mood mem-blog dah ke laut. Bakal ditutup. Tapi saya ada di FB yer.

ADHD - Where What & How (Pengalam Kami) Part 2

2011-08-17T10:24:00.003+08:00

Wotehmeyon.. I had difficulties introducing this fella to Iman as he rarely saw one in real life. I encourage you to bring your children out to pasar or gerai yang jual buah. Show them how the fruits/vege really look like.

Moving on dari entry saya terdahulu (baca di sini ya) .. ni sambungannya. In my last entry, I am glad Hanis left a short comment and Oren also. I am no millionaire to donate much in monetary term. I can only share what we've been and still are going through. I am glad and thankful, even if there's only a single person can benefit from it.

Again, please be reminded that what we've done (and still are doing), may and maynot work with other children. But no harm trying right. Please don't come and tell me 'hey, why you tell this and that and it didn't work with my child' This is solely based on our experience. It work on Iman so far. It may work for other children. And it may also not. Kawan, tiada yang pasti 100% dalam dunia ni.

Okay, continue.

Saya diberikan contact number Pn Sariah Amirin. Siapa beliau? She's the Presiden of Persatuan Dyslexia Malaysia. Selepas a phone call, cerita ceriti serba sedikit, kami putuskan untuk mencuba hantar Iman to one of its centers. Testimoni dari seorang ibu yang anaknya sama-sama di taska dengan Iman, memberikan sedikit sebanyak 'light at the end of the tunnel'. Benar, Iman tidak dyslexic. At least at that point, he was not diagnosed for dyslexia. We were assured that they also take in children like Iman, non-dyslexic albeit the name 'Persatuan Dysleksia Malaysia)

Bacakan perasaan 'lega' saya dalam entry ini. Lega akhirnya ada satu benda baru untuk dicuba. Waktu ini saya baru setkan appointment dengan Pn Sariah untuk buat assessment. Assessment di buat di PDM (Persatuan Dyslexia Malaysia) Center Titiwangsa. Bacakan kisahnya dan finding-nya di sini. Semua ni berlaku dalam bukan February 2011. Mulanya kami nak tempatkan Iman cepat-cepat tapi banyak urusan cuti dan sebagainya yang belum selesai. Oh ya, PDM buat short courses 3 bulan untuk ajar membaca in BM and BI dan Math. It is not a taska so takde lah kelas Fardhu Ain, kelas ngaji dan sebagainya. In fact, it caters for all regardless the age. Ia lebih melihat kepada keupayaan, bukannya umur. Jadi jangan terkejut jika kelas 'beginner' adalah campuran anak-anak berumur 4, 7, 9 dan 10 tahun. Kesimpulannya, kami dapat tempat untuk Iman bermula Julai 2010 untuk 3 bulan i.e. Julai-September 2010. Kelasnya 5-days-a-week (Monday-Friday), 8.30am-12.30pm. Paling senang dan terdekat dengan kami ialah PDM Ampang Hilir. Paling dekat, bukan bererti dekat. Ampang Hilir dengan Cheras berjarak 20km. Mengharung traffic jam pagi-pagi hari bukanlah perkara yang best kawan-kawan, 20km tu makan masa paling cepat 45min (peak hour) Paling lama pernah tersangkut, lebih 1 jam! Kawan, hidup perlu berkorban. Faktor masa dan keadaan kami yang dua-dua bekerja 9-5 menjadi satu isu. Setelah berbincang, salah seorang kami perlu bercuti untuk menguruskan Iman. Tak perlu fikir panjang-panjang, saya calon terpaling amat sesuai.

Setelah benar-benar pasti Iman dapat masuk PDM Ampang Hilir bermula Julai 2011, saya jumpa GM dan menyatakan hasrat untuk bercuti panjang. Alhamdulillah dia faham dan akhirnya pada 7 May 2011, beliau telah menurunkan tandatangan keramatnya (chewah), pada borang permohonan CTG (Cuti Tanpa Gaji, bukan Cardio Toco Graph yer). Baca entry saya pasal tu kat sini dan bagaimana borang saya terhilang dalam entry ini. On 1st June 2010, application saya diluluskan. Alhamdulillah.

Isnin, 5 Julai 2010, bermulalah kelas Iman di PDM Ampang Hilir. He was in group 'beginner' and was assigned under Teacher Sharifah. In PDM, kelasnya tak ramai student. Satu kelas cuma 4-5 orang saja. That explains kenapa anak-anak kita kena Q untuk masuk kelas di PDM. Smaller class, tumpuan juga lebih. Bayaran pendaftaran RM50, yuran bulanan RM450 termasuk sekali makan. Buku-buku kalau tak silap ingatan, dalam RM30. Bacakan kisah 1st daynya di sini dan 2nd daynya di sini. Not forgetting to mention Iman's first crush dengan Sofea, his classmate. Read here. Jatuh cinta sebab Sofea bagi dia sticker gambar burung.. hurmpp.

While Iman was attending PDM Ampang Hilir, I got to talk to other parents. Ada yang dah lama kat situ, ada yang 2nd time hantar. Ada yang anak berumur 5 tahun, ada yang mencecah belasan tahun. It was an eye-opener experience. Kawan, jika berasa kita susah, sebenarnya ada orang yang lebih susah dari kita. Ada one parent, mungkin ketiadaan kenderaan, atau mungkin tidak boleh memandu, saban hari menghantar dan menjemput anaknya dengan teksi. Kawan sekelas Iman (beginner) ada yang berumur 9 tahun. One particular fren, bought a 2nd hand Kancil and hired a driver untuk tujuan hantar-jemput. As I was sending one child, some parents were sending 2 of their children. Bersyukurlah (bukan bermakna kita perlu riak sebab kita kurang masalah) Of course there's people who walked around in LV one day and Gucci the next day!

Anyway, hasil dari conversation, we were advised to pindahkan kes Iman dari private practices ke goverment hospitals. Katanya it'll be easier to deal with other government agencies in future (with Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat, Kementerian Pelajaran etc, if need be) if we have proper documentation (Psychiatrist's findings, diagnosis, recommendations etc) from government hospital. Since we're in KL, we were told the best 2 options are HKL and HUKM. HKL is the best but after considering factors as queueing time, location HKL di tengah-tengah KL, we opted for HUKM. Shorter q-ing time and much nearer to where we live. Yang ini, I'll continue in other entry on how to go about registering your child at HUKM.

Let me share how I taught Iman about colors. When he was 5 or 6, he still didn't know colors. Yellow, green, red.. let alone other colors like pink, light blue, deep red etc. I bought many books on colors but back then he was not a book-person. More of action-learning type.

Here's a box of basic color pencils that I've used to teach him yellow, red, green, blue and purple. I associate every each color with something. Yellow with kubah surau nearby our house, green with leaf, blue with one of his toys and purple with grapes. First mula-mula memang limited to that 5 colors and 5 that things. Later, yellow as in potted flowers that we had back then, green with bakul kain or his little underwear, purple like his favourite yoghurt drink blueberry flavour and my tudung. I didn't use book, I used this color pencils. Ambik satu warna and ask where did he see that color. I started small. 5 colors only. I gave him few weeks to digest.

those are red, green, purple and yellow. and my desk is beautifully conteng-ed!

Later on bila dia dah grasp that 5 colors, I bought him this Kumon book Let's Color. Slowly his vocab and knowledge berkembang to black, white, orange, pink etc.

this is actually book no 2 under the same tittle

red like apple. cili.

And later on when I noticed dia ni (and Kakak and Adam too) suka menconteng, mewarna and melukis, I bought them more crayons, color pencils, color pens, water color. Of course at times Adam went overboard and conteng dinding, kerusi, langsir, meja etc (pengsan?) In a way that encourages skills as well (part mewarna, bukan skill membuat mural kat dinding) like the right way to hold a pencil and we can teach them to draw circle, square, oval and whatnots. See, we're already talking about shapes!

colors!

more colors!

some more!!

Just my one note of hope to parents out there with child of similar case - Jangan terlalu banyak beralasan. Takde masa, takde duit, takde pengetahuan. Takde masa, cuba chip in 10-15 minutes only a day. Sekejap tapi konsisten. Takde duit takpe, kita boleh buat teaching-material sendiri, tak perlu beli. Takde pengetahuan, boleh google info di alam maya. Jangan serahkan 100% kepada cikgu tadika or whoever teacher. Chip in your effort as well.

Cincin Kerawang for Sale

2011-08-10T13:59:00.000+08:00

For sale jugak.. 4.26gm. Saiz tak ingat tp boleh tengok gambar bawah ni untuk agak-agak berapa diameter.

Cincin Cantik for Sale

2011-08-10T11:19:00.005+08:00

For sale. Harga emas today is RM190/gram. Am selling it tad bit lower than current market price. Interested? Email me aa.rozilawati[at]gmail[dot]com

Oh ya, saiz 13 ya.

Selamat Hari Jadi ke-10

2011-08-08T08:08:00.005+08:00

birthday cake

birthday girl

Hari ni birthday Kakak ke-10. Big One-Owh! Big girl she is now. I now have to prepare myself for the next phase, teens!

We had small celebration last Saturday tho her birthday is today. Al-maklum lah working days ni tak boleh jamin balik rumah cepat kan. On Saturday, we had ample time. Beli cake from Secret Recipe, apa nama tah, tak ingat. The one that has stawberry layer between slices of cakes.

Iman dah order cakes for himself and keeps on asking if November is still along way to go (his birthday is in November) while Adam pulak kept on singing Happy Birthday to You for 2 days kat Kakak dia.

Happy Birthday Kakak. May you have blessed life ahead.

Edisi Terima Kasih

2011-08-05T09:38:00.016+08:00

:: Thank you to CMC - for the farewell gifts (and makan-makan-do!)
CMC is my previous office. Lama jugaklah kat sana, since July 2004 sampaiiilahh July 2011. When I first reported duty, I was pregnant with Iman. That time ofis kat Bukit Mahkamah. The in 2005/2006 CMC moved to Menara and later in 2007 we moved again to Annexe. Not taking a year leave into calculation, 6 years I was in CMC. I had 2 GMs and 3 immediate supervisors. In CMC, it was a love-hate situation but let's not dwell on what supposedly be a history by now. I met greats people there, whom later turn to be friends until now.

Thanks for the Ariani. I would not go and buy any Ariani myself! The color is soo me, I'd say. And thank you for that Happy Birthday frame (eventho on my birthday, I am no longer in CMC). Flaming red, sangat matching dengan dinding my cubicle. It now sits proudly on the table. I made sure the date is well visible to everyone hi hi.

:: Thank you Achik - for the souvenirs from China
Achik is my SIL. She was the first Tebby's siblings that I met before we got married. Achik is always kind enough to get every each of us something whenever she goes anywhere. While I might just buy one thing for one family! She went to China and got us these..

:: Thank you my ex GM En Salam - for this kurma Safia Yusuf Taiyoob.
En Salam was my ex GM in CMC. He's the one who approved my one year leave. I am indebted to him as not many bosses are willing to grant such approval. When he asked me if I was to be posted elsewhere, I felt obliged to accept.

Sapa Mau Tolong Kak Mon Cuci Rumah?

2011-08-04T14:07:00.014+08:00

my first maid was like this in the beginning.. cergas. pastu cergas jugak cha-alip-but..

I am looking for weekly weekend cleaning-service. Harap-harap ada yang sudi servis sampai area ai. Address ai tu walaupun 'Bandar', pada hakikatnya adalah agak kawasan kampung jua.

So far dah jumpa 2 ajer..
1. http://www.merrymaids.com.my/ - dah hantar email mintak quotation
2. http://www.parttimemaid.com/ - RM250 for 4 kali seminggu, 4 jam sekali datang

Actually I'd prefer bayaran per trip dari yang hourly. Kalau caj for 4 hours, dapat lak yang datang tu lemah gemalai nyer jenis, mau 2 jam baru siap cuci toilet aje kan. Kalau per trip ni, kelentung kelentang la sampai siap. Dengan keadaan my house sekarang, mau depa nangis dulu depan pintu sebelum masuk :D

Anymore other than that 2? Let me know ya. Kalau boleh yang buat ironing sekali. Kalau tak iron pun takpelah. Ai kasi En Dobi kedai kat depan nun ironkan. RM1 selai. Kalau baju sekolah 80sen ajer. Ai know sebab ai dah mula memunggah baju sekolah anak-anak ke kedai tersebut jua :D Ada capping bajet.. maksima RM20 a week. Dalam 20 lai. Ada certain things ai admit ai cerry-wet, this is one of them. Apart from the usual shirts, blouse, baju kurung, pants, ai pun akan meng-iron sluar sukan, tshirt, saputangan dan sebagainya. Kalau kain baju kurung tu, sila jangan main tipu iron belah bawah je, belah atas tak iron. Semua mahu licin okay. Gigih tak gigih, sampai button temperature control iron ai telah tercabut. Tu nasib baik ai dah berenti iron sarung bantal.

Iya, ai admit ai malas nak buat semua tu. I'd rather spend some money outsourcing all those and have more time dengan my family than having to mop, scrub (and nag).

Hidup perlukan pengorbanan kawan. Terserah kepada kita nak korbankan yang mana.

New Office & Iftar 2nd Ramadhan 1432H

2011-08-03T10:38:00.011+08:00

As some you of might have known, Kak Mon dah bertukar (rather ditukarkan) ke unit baru. This new unit is among the many units under the same division. I am still doing more-or-less the same scope of work but still meeting and dealing with fimiliar faces, some of whom I've known as far back as 7 years. One or two that I've met on my first day reporting duty (That's 14 years ago!)

my new cubicle. flaming red, still. pretty clear for someone who's been working for 14 years eh?

'virgin'-calculator yang masih berbungkus. i am using veryyyyy much less of it now. no more billions

I am now dealing with HR matters, which makes me getting hundreds of emails each day. It is much simpler and easier than my previous tasks but.. well. Here's the analogy. Previously I need to cook a full spread of nasi minyak. Nasi minyak, with its gulai, sambal and acar, for 10 people. Now, I am trusted to just cook nasi minyak, without its gulai, sambal and acar but for 500 people! Analogy also revolves around food? Pinch me! Thinking back, somehow this is like having my prayers answered, 18 years later! When I did my degree, I got a scholarship from T*. I had wanted to majoring in HR but T* directed me to do majoring in Marketing. When I took a year leave last year, I thought it'd be nice to do HR after I came back. If you ask, I still do not know if I like it here or not. Still too soon to tell. But it is sure not as cold as my office back in Tingkat 14.

Now back to puasa thingy, yesterday, we took off from the office at almost 6.00pm. Fetched the kids, beli mi kat kedai depan nun, sampai rumah at 6.45pm. In the nick of time nak azan Maghrib, barulah siap Mi Goreng and Chicken Wing ala India. Washed down with a pot of Teh O panas and cold apple and orange juice. Simple aje kan.

It is stressful that this year, on 3rd Ramadan, we have came to the point 'tak tau lah nak berbuka dengan apa' - despite all the excitement and plans we had. Maybe it's the age factor (older people eat lesser food? No?) or maybe in all the other months tu, nafsu makan adalah godaan syaitan semata-mata? And now that all the godaans are not here, we are left with just our own nafsu. Kot? This pre-dawn tadi, me and Tebby had roti canai segera, Iman had megi with telur (dari semalam mintak) and Kakak had Mi Sedap. Not good tapi itu ajelah yang membuka selera. Hurmpp.. Hope to see a more vibrant ensemble on my dining table after this.

1st Ramadhan 1432H

2011-08-02T11:10:00.018+08:00

Salam Ramadan! Alhamdulillah masih ada rezeki kita berpuasa bulan Ramadan tahun ni. Jom tambah amal ibadat. Jangan culas-culas ber-terawikh. Kalau rasa liat bangun prepare sahur tu, ingat-ingat pahala yang menanti. Uruskan rumahtangga pun ibadat jua..

Unlike the past 2 years, this year takde bibik. Domestic helper, yilek. Means I have to carefully plan and manage my time. And unlike last year, this year I am back working. Means, limited time to spend kelentung-kelentang kat dapur for iftar. And probably very simple sahur as well sebab pas sahur nak bersiap-siap ke ofis pulak. No time to scrub many pots and pans. (I will not leave things dalam sinki before going out, other than 1 or 2 small things like sudu or cawan).

Apalagi la kan, wiken lepas giat betul mengupas, menyiang, memotong, memerap (perap makanan yer, bukan memerap tidoq), memblend, merebus dan sebagainya. Ini semua bagi mengelakkan huru-hara kat rumah nanti. Punyalah bergiat kat dapur, sampai lupa basuh kasut sekolah anak ha ha. En Suami went to Pasar Kajang on Sunday, katanya ramaiii lah sangat orang. As if esok-esok dah takde jual ikan. Cakap orang, we all pun sama heh heh.

I did few thing in prepation untuk seminggu nyer iftar/sahur. Marinate ayam 3 jenis (ala Cina, ala India, ala Melayu <-- i tak racist taw.. memang dalam buku resepi tulih gitu) and one type of beef marinate. Ikan tak perap, just apportioned them into one serving in each bekas. Also potong-potong ayam and daging, ready as perencah nasi or mee goreng.

gigih melabel bagai ha ha

As for sayur, we stock up timun, incase tak sempat masak sayur. Kalau ada masa, we'll do sawi and kailan. Sayur ni pun selalunya maknya aje yang makan (despite all ceramah kepentingan makan sayur :P). En Suami is very selective when it comes to sayur. In fact he is selective of his food. Unlike wifenya yang mengketedarah je apa jua asalkan halal.

Baru je bagitau En Suami that I would not blog so much about food bulan-bulan puasa ni. See.. bad bad me.

Anyway, since Iman is 7 this year, we've been coaxing him to fast. In fact for the last one or two weeks, we've been orientating him on the importance of fasting and what to expect should one fasts. Semalam was his first day. Thank God, Alhamdulillah, getting him up for sahur was easy peasy. Getting him to eat his sahur was also easy peasy. Part yang susah ialah menahan si Adam dari menayang-nayang makanan depan Iman. Semalam, at 11.45am, he succumbed to hunger and break-fast. Boleh lah kot, as a first-timer kan. It could've been much later should Adam tak makan aiskrim keladi depan Iman *sigh*. And today, on the way to Atfal Sayang (taska) he announced 'hari ini saya cuba bertahan' tak boleh tahan ayat si Iman ni hi hi. Gambar bawah ni masa sahur around 5.00am. Gambar lagi bawaaah tu pulak 'buka poser' jam 11.45am :D

Semalam was a very simple iftar of Ikan Bawal Putih Goreng, Snow Pea+Egg Tofu and Mushroom Crisp (cendawan goreng guna tepung tempura, tapi nama cam kelasssss la konon kannnn).

Err... food again? Someone please spank me..

Gaji!

2011-07-25T17:07:00.002+08:00

Owwwwwwwww.... yesssssss!!

Kching!

Sepertinya macam first gaji pulak hihi!

ADHD - Where, What and How to Start (Pengalaman Kami)

2011-07-21T14:00:00.004+08:00

Orang kata, jangan mengeluh awan yang hitam. Siapa tahu selepas hujan reda, ada pelangi indah menanti kita.

Saya ada menerima beberapa email dan beberapa soalan (dan perkongsian) di forum. Rasa terpanggil untuk berkongsi pengalaman kami.

First and foremost ampun maaf saya pinta. I am not a doctor, nor a therapist. I can't give expert opinion nor can conclude anything based on apa jua cerita anda sekelian. Saya cuma seorang ibu yang Allah kurniakan dengan 3 orang anak, salah seorangnya mild ADHD, GDD dengan sedikit traits autistic. What I can share is solely based on our experience. Pendekatan kita masing-masing berbeza. Saya cuma berkongsi, moga-moga ada yang dapat manafaat.

Perjalanan kami sudah agak jauh. Bagi saya it's a lifelong journey. Membesarkan anak-anak, mendidik anak-anak, takkan ada penamatnya. Sudah jauh kami lalui, masih terlalu jauh juga selebihnya.

Kebanyakan (bukan semua) persoalan yang saya terima ialah 'what to do, where to go, how to start'. Maknanya selepas kita mengesyaki anak-anak kita ada masalah atau selepas doktor-doktor di klinik-klinik memaklumkan anak-anak kita ketinggalan berbanding anak-anak lain, apa perlu kita buat? Dunia semakin luas with internet. Borderless bak kata orang ni. Untuk mengetahui normal milestones anak-anak, boleh google berbagai-bagai fakta yang ada. Cuma bila tengok anak jiran kita umur 3 tahun dah membaca, jangan pula kita menyangkakan anak kita yang 3 tahun itu sudah ketinggalan!

Selepas paed di Ampang Puteri memaklumkan Iman banyak tertinggal berbanding milestone sepatutnya, terutama dari segi speech (dia juga lambat mula meniarap, merangkak dan berjalan), kami direfer untuk berjumpa dengan Child Psychiatrist dan buat hearing test. Pilihan swasta atau kerajaan ada. Pada waktu itu kami memilih swasta. Berjumpa dengan Dr Aminudin Saim di Ampang Puteri, lalu direfer kepada Innovative Hearing. Hearing test - normal. Child Psychiatrist pulak, Dr Rose Peng. Walaupun dia ada office di Ampang Puteri, we were advised ke her own practise in Serdang. Bawa semua surat menyurat, findings yang ada sebagai rujukan. Bukan kerja ofis saja perlukan fail. Untuk anak-anak pun sama. Maka saya pun membuka satu file. Putih, ketebalan 1.5inci. Ditepinya saya tandakan 'IMAN'.

First one or two sessions dengan Dr Rose, saya dan suami menjawab bermacam-macam soalan. dari proses kelahiran, pembesaran, perkembangan pertuturan dan bermacam-macam lagi. Sesi dengan Iman pulak, Dr Rose observe dia sendiri. After few sessions barulah she concluded, that at that time, ADHD, GDD, few autistic features came into picture. Dia sajes 2 therapies i.e. speech theraphy (lepas ni saya tulis as ST) dan occupational therapy (lepas ni saya tulis OT). Options given, in Gleneagles Intan or Prince Court (lepas ni saya tulis GIMC dan PC saja ya). We opted for GIMC.

The advantage of doing those in private hospital is obviously the time. Queue pendek. Every week ada theraphy. The disadvantage pulak, obviously, the cost. ST is charged at RM102 per session of 45minutes-1hour. OT pulak RM108 for the same duration. Simple math (RM102+RM108) x 4weeks. Thanks to T* yang mensponsor semua itu. Dan alhamdulillah, kemudiannya En Tebby dipinjamkan ke Fibre**mm, the costs semuanya ditanggung.

Dr. Rose Peng pulak, exorbitant! First time datang, it was around RM200-RM300. The amount keep on inceasing. Sampai last visit, it was RM2.00 lesser than RM600. Masa tu dalam beg duit ada RM600, I was left with a mere RM2. Yang ini kena bayar sendiri. Bayaran ni termasuk session dengan dia and ubat-ubatan. Time tu Iman ambik Nootropil dengan Ritalin. That was the closest that we got to this 'designer' thingy.. designer drug. Ritalin.

Long story cut short.. tahun 2010, Iman 6 tahun. Cikgu tadika dah give up. Taktau macamana lagi nak buat (Iman started kindy at 4yo). Cikgu tadika bagi satu nama dengan nombor phone. Sekeping kertas yang mengakibatkan an 'educational turnpoint' berlaku.

eh... dah hampir jam 2, saya kena kerja. Nanti saya sambung ya. Konklusinya, kalau nak ke hospital swasta, beginilah lebih kurang aliran prosesnya.

Oh ya, untuk entry lain yang berkaitan..
1. Referral for hearing test, here.
2. The hearing test itself, here.
3. His first few words, here.
4. Psychiatrist's charges, here.
5. His diagnosis, here.
6. His first therapies, here.

Ada masa saya sambung kemudian k.

Quotable Quotes - Cinta di Dalam Gelas

2011-07-20T08:25:00.007+08:00

'Habis air mataku, lunas sudah kesedihan itu. Hidup mesti diteruskan. Tentangan ada di depan. Masih banyak yang dapat disyukuri'

kata-kata Enong @ Maryamah Zamzani, dalam novel Cinta di Dalam Gelas
Karya Andrea Hirata

Tidak Tergenggam

2011-07-19T08:26:00.003+08:00

Cinta ditabur dari langit
Lelaki dan wanita menengadahkan tangan
Berebut-rebut menangkapnya
Banyak yang mendapat secupak
Banyak yang mendapat segantang
Semakin banyak
Semakin tidak tergenggam

petikan novel Cinta di Dalam Gelas
karya Andrea Hirata

Ofis Baru

2011-07-18T10:01:00.003+08:00

my ex flaming-red cubicle

Things are not always what it seems (baca entry saya dengan tajuk La Tahzan di sini) At times what we want most is not what we need. At times what we don't want most (but got it anyway) turns out to be the best thing.

Alhamdulillah. Efektif 16 Julai 2011, saya melapor diri di tempat kerja baru (masih di syarikat yang sama). InsyaAllah apa yang ditakdirkan akan elok-elok belaka. Manapun simpang yang diambil, tetap menjanjikan suka dan duka. Selama bernama manusia, itulah kehidupan yang harus ditempuh.

Moga perjalanan selepas ini lebih bermakna dan indah-indah dari yang lepas-lepas.

Jom Kari!

2011-07-11T09:36:00.006+08:00

Semangat makan waktu di rumah full-time memang lain kalau dibandingkan dengan semangat makan waktu bekerja. Contrary to the popular belief, di rumah kadang-kadang lagi huru hara, nak makan bersedap-sedapan tak berapa nak sempat. Kadang-kadang nak breakfast tapi sebok dengan anak nak mandinya, nak ceboknya, bergaduhnya etc, terus jadi brunch. Kadang-kadang cadang nak lunch lepas hantar anak pi sekolah.. tup-tup balik rumah terlelap, terus tak lunch. Masak dinner terus. I lost 5 kg during that one year.

Waktu dipejabat, anda ada proper timing untuk makan dan minum. Sampai ofis jam 7.30 pagi, boleh minum kopi dengan nasi lemak (tanpa perlu berhenti untuk mencebok anak yang poo-poo), waktu rehat tengahari boleh makan dengan aman kat kedai Latip (tanpa perlu tension-tension anak-anak bergaduh sampai tertepis air manis kat meja makan lalu tumpah..) Kalau ada masa lebih-lebih, boleh makan pisang goreng pulak. Paling buat saya ‘terharu’, ofis saya menyediakan spot ala-ala ‘kantin’ menjual jajan! Siap dengan premix hot drinks. Heaven bukan.

Ni saya bagi satu contoh lunch last week. Lunch dengan En Suami di Bangsar. Sapa tak tau kari-kepala-ikan-bawah-pokok? I bet most of us yang kerja kat T* Menara / Annexe sure tau. Sedapnya hingga ramai yang sanggup ambik risiko kena berak burung (it’s an open air gerai, banyak pulak pokok-pokok kat situ, termasuk beburung yang dok kat pokok-pokok tu) termasuk saya :D

Ni adalah kari kepala ikan. Ikan merah. Malangnya pada hari kejadian takde yang kecik. Yang ni lebih kurang sebesar kertas A4. Eh, malang ke? Habis kena bedal sampai tinggal tulang aje. Walaupun upon its arrival, terus aje ‘kalau tak habis, kita bungkus’. Ya lah tu.. bungkus lah sangat.. bungkus dalam perut.

Kepala ni RM50.00. In addition to that, kami order sotong goreng 2 ekor, ikan cencaru goreng 2 ekor, sepinggan taugeh, 3 pinggan nasi (saya makan sepinggan ajer, sila tuduh orang lain) dan 2 gelas teh-o-ais-limau.

hah, siap gigi lagik tu

aip.. tunggulah ai ambik gambar jap (merujuk kepada tangan yang sedang merobek ikan)

sotong goreng terbaekkk!

Puas hati. Sedap. Kenyang. Tangan pun bau kari sampai ke malam despite dibasuh dengan sabun 2-3 kali. Total lunch hari tu was RM65. En Suami hulur 2 keping no RM50. Tokey kata takpelah, bayar RM50 ajer pasal dia takde small change. Lain-lain halaaaaaaaaalll! Maknanya kami cuma bayar kari kepala ikan tu aje, the rest FOC! Moga Allah murahkan lagi rezeki mereka.

ps - tak kena berak burung, alhamdulillah..

Nasi or Noodle?

2011-07-10T22:17:00.009+08:00

We need to eat to stay alive. Some prefers nasi. Some prefers noodles. It's just a matter of choice and preference. The objective - to stay alive.

Setahun menguruskan keluarga cukup melunakkan naluri keibuan saya. Senyuman Adam selepas menggunting langsir buat saya lupa kerenahnya. 'Good night Ummi, I love you' dari Iman sebelum tidur membuat saya rasa segar setelah bertungkus lumus membantunya ulangkaji. 'Ummi tau tak, spots pada cheetah is called rosette?' maklumat dari Kakak buat saya sedar saya tak perlu mengeluh bila dia minta dibelikan buku-buku.

Jika boleh saya mahu detik-detik itu berterusan. Saya manusia biasa, akur dengan takdir. Saya mungkin memilih nasi tetapi jika sudah rezeki saya noodle.. alhamdulillah. Saya tak mau kufur nikmat. Sepanjang setahun saya bercuti, ramai yang saya jumpa mengeluh tidak punya pekerjaan. Sedangkan saya, pada standard saya, I am well paid. (standard saya - kereta jenama Cik Vivi, tiada beg tangan kos empat-angka atau baju jenama pelik-pelik sampai tak reti nak sebut)

Jumaat lepas, kebetulan En Tebby bercuti menghantar Iman ke 2 sesi terapi di HUKM. Sejak saya masuk pejabat balik, urusan itu perlu digiliri. Abah, Ummi, Abah, Ummi. Jika En Tebby bercuti, maknanya saya akan solo-driving ke ofis. Maknanya lagi, right on time saya akan clock out dan terus menuju ke Cheras.

Alhamdulillah, saya dapat jemput Iman di sekolah, seperti mana waktu-waktu lalu dan kemudiannya menjemput Kakak dan Adam di taska sebelum jam 6.30 petang. Saya tunggu Iman di spot yang sama dengan Nor (*pengasuh di taska) menjemput anak-anak yang di bawah jagaannya. Loceng berbunyi, anak-anak meluru keluar (awas, don't ever stand in their way, harus dilanggar saja nanti!). Saya nampak Iman, dia tak nampak saya. Saya hairan dia tak terus ke tempat Nor sebaliknya dia pergi to the spot I used to wait for him, and then baru berpusing ke tempat Nor. Saya pandang Iman, dia nampak saya. Saya senyum, dia senyum dan berlari ke arah saya.

Hati senang. Saya lupa soal perkara-perkara di pejabat yang membeban fikiran saya. Saya lupa soal nasi atau noodle. Saya tahu saya ibu yang bertuah.

Khamis 30 June 2011, hari terakhir TSAHM saya. Iman dan Hazim (sepupunya). Iman in blue.

tak pernah menolak kalau disuruh posing

kelas pertama hari tersebut, JQAF yang dibuat di dalam surau sekolah

permandangan biasa di akhir waktu sesi persekolahan petang. anak-anak yang tak sabar untuk pulang

*Taska ni, where my kids go ni betul-betul berdepan dengan sekolah kebangsaan yang dihadiri oleh Kakak dan Iman. Sorang pengasuh will send and fetch anak-anak sekelian to and fro pada setiap sesi persekolahan. Atas alasan itu saya hantar anak-anak saya ke sana walaupun bayarannya lebih mahal berbanding beberapa taska lain di sekitaran rumah saya. Bukan saya punya banyak duit, tapi soal praktikaliti dilebih diutamakan. Nor, pengasuh yang saya kenali sejak lebih 6 tahun lepas. Anak-anak saya sangat manja dengan Nor.

Go With the Flow

2011-07-04T14:38:00.002+08:00

4th July 2011 - 2nd day kat office. Decided to just go with the flow. Anyway, I just had to pen this down. Somehow rasa funny.

When I was away, there's this mamat occupies my cubicle. Since I was just on leave, tak lah clearkan semua benda. Cam files, booklets, training materials semua ada lah kat meja tu. When I came back, I got to know he had packed things up.. not his but mine!

I am now sitting and making myself comfy at one quite corner. 5s-ing 3 big boxes of God-Knows-What. I didn't know I had so many things. In fact too many things! Oh btw, I don't have a fixed phone yet. Call/sms my mobile k.

Anyway, it's a little boring for the past 2 working days. My close frens tau lah apsal. I am overly overpaid, I'd say. But let's just savor the moment for now.

Oit, today is 4th July eh? Happy 4th Birthday to Vivi! Lagi 3 tahun nak habih loan :D

Life Goes On

2011-07-01T00:59:00.000+08:00

Life goes on. I must move on.

Menoktahkan satu fasa perjalanan hidup yang amat bermakna buat diriku. Pada hari Jumaat yang penuh berkat ini, perjalanan selanjutnya bermula. Moga yang mendatang indah-indah belaka.

Giveaway 1 - Result

2011-06-30T23:59:00.002+08:00

This post is gonna stick until 30th Jun 2011. Scroll down for my usual ramblings.

UPDATE ~ PN OREN, PN ASU DAN PN AINI, I NEED YOUR ADDRESSES PLEASE. PN OREN NYER EMAIL KAK MON X DAPAT.. BOLEH TOLONG SEND LAGI SEKALI? THANKS.

Hurmpp... finally. I can now reply to my first giveaway read here). Habislah lepas ni takde orang nak join dah. Kak Mon yang lembapss okay. Janji 2nd week May, ni dah nak masuk June weii. From the deepest of my heart ya, so sorry. My life has been so kelamkabut since si Bibik Murni left (I'll blog about this later, tapi ntah bilalah later nye tu..).

Oh okay, I got only 8 persons commenting. Orang lain buat giveaways sure berpuluh-puluh or ada yang beratus-ratus feedback kan. Owh, tak glamnya Kak Mon. Tapi, TERIMA KASIH BANYAK-BANYAK kepada 8 orang yang bagi feedback. Kak Mon amatlah menghargainya.

Kak Ina (whom I first virtually met in Forum Cari)
1. Thanks For The Memories by Cecilia Ahern
2. The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffeneger
Thanks K Ina for suggesting, first person pulak tu. Anyway, I have both books already. Thanks for The Memories tu belum baca. I read quarterway thru a novel by the same author (Ahern), If You Could See Me Now. I decided er... I favor Jodi Picoult writing to Cecilia Ahern. The second book, The Time Traveller's Wife, sudahpun dibaca dengan jayanya. I loike.

Asu Bahiyah (ni pun geng Forum Cari)
1. Surat Ungu Untuk Nuha
2. Jaja & Din
Both ni Kak Mon takde and both belum baca. First book's tittle tu appealing enough for me to go and buy it (boleh ke alasan macam nih?). Jaja & Din tu pulak my frens back in the office memang dok baca. They suggested me to read that also. Tapikan, my frens tu late 20's or early 30's and I am approaching 40 oredi in a very-few-years time. Kadang-kadang pembacaan pun berkadar terus dengan age. Girls, put me in your list peminjam buku ni yek.

Bubbles of Dream
Thank you Bubbles for giving me the list of books! Appreciate that. And also thanks for reading my blog, right up to the archives!
1. Kite Runner by Khalid Hossein
2. Shopaholics by Sophie Kinsella
3. A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah
4. How Starbuck Saved My Life by Micheal Gates Gill
5. Books by Sandra Brown (thriller)
6. My True Story by Mende Nazer
I have tried reading the Shopaholic series but nampaknya tak appeal to me. I have read The Kite Runner and absolutely love it. And I have read A Long Way Gone too. Rasanya Bubbles and me ada similarities in our bahan bacaan. I may be getting book no 4 and no 6. It suprises me slavery still exist during this time.

Ummu Auni
Whom I first met virtually in blogger's world lepas tu jumpa face-to-face. We're working for the same company.
1. Do They Hear You When You Cry by Fauziya Kassindja
2. A Walk To Remember by Nicholas Spark
3. Trilogy Makrifat Cinta Taufiqurrahman al-Azizy
First and third book sound appealing enough, I maybe buying those. I have read another book by Nicholas Spark, The Last Song. Sadly tho, his kind of writing is not my cup of tea.

Aida
Ummu Auni's twin. Dah nama kembar kan, komen pun one after another. She suggested BAWAL by DBP. Kak Mon dah menggugel sana-sini, nampaknya tak berhasil mencari orang menjual buku ni :(

Oren
Oren sajes 2 buku. Both islamic. Thanks ya Oren. Ni pun macam best jer..
1. Travelog Syahadah by Muhammad Rashidi Abdullah
2. Magnet Rezeki dengan Solat Dhuha
We all know salah satu cara untuk dimurahkan rezeki ialah dengan menunaikan solat Dhuha. Tapi rata-rata 'tau tapi tak buat' Kak Mon pun sama. Moga Allah merahmati kita semua.

Mynie
Dia pernah pinjam buku-buku Kak Mon. Sharing is caring bak kata orang sekarang ni.
1. To Kill A Mocking Bird by Harper Lee
2. A Curious Incident of The Dog in The Night Time by Mark Haddon
Book 1 tu cam ala-ala class reader when I was in secondary school rasanya. And book 2, sudah di beli! Yes!

Nieta
Nieta ni pun mula-mula kenal thru cyber world. We also work for the same company.
1. Ayuh, Lari Ke Pulau Harapan by Noor Suraya
2. Kelab Sarjana - Misteri Rumah Asap di Ladang Seri Taming by Noor Suraya
Thanks Nieta. I'll try to coax Kakak into reading this. La ni dia nyer inclination banyak sangat ke siri Geronimo Stilton dengan adiknya si Thea Stilton.

I hope jangan ada pulak sapa-sapa terasa if I wrote that I don't favor certain books or certain authors. Even so, you all nyer feedback banyak membantu Kak Mon okay and again, I really appreciate that.

So, who's the winner?
1. Oren
2. Aini
3. Asu

Tahniah yer.. Mintak tolong emailkan address you all to aa.rozilawati at gmail dot com ya.

La Tahzan..

2011-06-22T00:52:00.002+08:00

Things aren’t always as they seem. Musa's mother was told to throw her son in the river, Yusuf was left for dead in a well, Maryam delivered a child alone, Aisyah was accused of a terrible sin, Yunus was swallowed by a whale, Ibrahim was thrown in the fire, Muhammad (saw) lost the love of his life Khadijah. Yet look at how it turned out for them in the end. So don’t worry, Allah has a plan for you

Tidak ada kesusahan (atau bala bencana) yang menimpa (seseorang) melainkan dengan izin Allah dan sesiapa yang beriman kepada Allah, Allah akan memimpin hatinya (untuk menerima apa yang telah berlaku itu dengan tenang dan sabar) dan (ingatlah), Allah Maha Mengetahui akan tiap-tiap sesuatu. At-Taghabun ayat 11

Wahai hati, la tahzan.. Allah has better plans for us all InsyaAllah.

20 Hari Lagi

2011-06-10T00:20:00.004+08:00

Tik tok! Tik tok! The counter shows only 20 more days before I end my TSAHM period. How time really flies (when I'm having fun)! If you ask, I'd rather stay home like I do now. But, life goes on. Harap-harap apa jua yang mendatang akan ditempuhi dengan penuh kebahagiaan.

That, also contibutes kepada kemalasan untuk menulis blog. I keep thinking on how kesian to leave the kids. On how sad it's going to be not being able to do home-tuition anymore. On not being able to do so many things together with the children. But, alhamdulillah, we mothers can make easy pahala actually. Stay at home and mind your children and house-affairs - dapat pahala. Kerja membantu ekonomi rumahtangga - dapat pahala. Bapaknya pulak dah sah-sah kena cari nafkah kan.

Sebenarnya, usul untuk hantar resignation letter tu memang dah dibentangkan. Setelah ditimbang-timbangkan, dikira-kira, direnung-renung.. keputusan diambil ialah Kak Mon harus kembali bekerja. Sementelah, alhamdulillah objektif percutian (eh, macam bercuti naik kapal la pulak bunyinya!) hampir tercapai. Tho I think I could've done more. (FYI at times my middle name is Procrastinate) Anak-anak? Setakat ni masing-masing buat muka masam bila tahu Ummi akan kembali bekerja. Iman tanya 'Oh, nanti Ummi balik malam lagi lah ya?' Ya nak, mungkin itu akan terjadi tapi Ummi janji, within my effort Ummi akan cuba balik on time, seboleh-bolehnya. Ummi janji akan tetap tengok homework anak-anak sekelian dan belajar sama-sama dengan kalian walaupun masanya akan jauh lebih singkat berbanding sekarang.

Ya Allah, sebagaimana Engkau permudahkan transitionku dari bekerja kepada TSAHM, maka mohon Engkau permudahkan juga transitionku dari TSAHM kepada bekerja. Permudahkanlah keadaan terutamanya bagi anak-anakku yang amat dikasihi.

*sob*

Adam is T.H.R.E.E

2011-05-11T12:25:00.001+08:00

Today Adam turns 3. How time flies. Macam baru je rasa terkejut sebab terpregnant heh heh. Now the baby is 3yo oredi. Sungguh banyak kerenah and aktiviti dia sampai rasa everyday ada ajer my blood goes upstairs hu hu.

Kami takde buat apa-apa celebration pun today. Semua orang pun sibuk dari pagi sampai ke malam. Adam pun sama sibuk jugak, sibuk dan menyibuk. Orang sibuk bersiap nak ke sekolah, dialah orang paling kecoh cari bag, pakai kasut etc. Orang sibuk masak kat dapur, dialah yang paling kecoh memunggah periuk, senduk, sudip. Not to forgetting to mention, tukang tambah gula, garam etc sampai pernah kena buang nasi goreng sebab dia pi tabur garam.

Hadiah pun kami tak beli untuk dia. Pasal apa? Pasal every week dia memang pulun beli ultraman. Segala suku sakat dia dah beli. Yang paling bahayanya, koleksi dia masih belum lengkap! Besar kemungkinan dia akan terus menge-pow abahnya heh heh.

Apapun, walaupun kelahiran dia tak dirancang, walaupun kadang-kadang penat emosi dibuatnya, Adam tetap menceriakan hidup kami dengan keletahnya.

Happy 3rd Birthday Adam. We love you. Jangan nakal-nakallll!!

:: Entry terkejut sebab terpregnant back in 2007, baca di sini.
:: Kisah kelahiran si Adam, baca di sini. Sungguhpun si Adam baby paling berat (3.74kg) ai pernah beranak, pengalaman di bilik bersalin tak se ngeri bersalinkan si Iman, baby ai paling ringan (3.3kg).
:: Cerita 1st birthdaynya di sini, dan yang 2nd nya di sini.

Sorry..

2011-05-10T18:38:00.003+08:00

Assalamualaikum semua.

To those yang left comments for my Giveaway, I am truly sorry belum bagi feedback. I am maidless now and the bb connection doesn't really being friendly with me lately. I'll get back on this soonest I can, promise.

Thanks and sorry again.

Kak Mon's First Giveaway 2011

2011-04-30T23:59:00.001+08:00

THIS POST IS GONNA STICK UNTIL 30th APRIL 2011. PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR MY USUAL RAMBLINGS.

Orang buat giveaway, Kak Mon pun nak buat giveaway jugak :D

I just need suggestions on three things but before that, here's the list of prizes.. To be frank, I do not buy these items just for this Giveaway but I (dengan agak keliru juga) happen to have bought extra. How come extra? I oso donno. I have 2 when I just need to have 1. So I guess by doing this, it's a win-win thingy. Winners get the prize, I get the info I need.

PRIZE NO 1 Novel by Tere Liye - REMBULAN TENGGELAM DI WAJAHMU Brand new. Takde tanda apa-apa pun lagi. Usually I'd stamp my name rightaway lepas beli tapi yang ini tak.

PRIZE NO 2 Novel by Chiew-Siah Teh - LITTLE HUT OF LEAPING FISHES Not so brand new. Still dalam cling-wrap lagi.

PRIZE NO 3 Body Lotion by The Skinfood - FRESH JUICE BODY CREAM

You'll will have to suggest me..

EITHER

:: 2 books to read (in Bahasa Melayu or English only) Bear in mind I am a mother of 3, the eldest is attending Year 4. I am more than mid-30's. Please go through the list of books I have read so far at the right hand side of this blog, jangan sajes mana-mana dari yang itu okay. Anything from novel to biography, on humanity right up those yang se-genre dengan Diary of A Wimpy Kid.

OR..

:: 2 children books (preferably pembacaan bersiri) in Bahasa Melayu for my 10 yo girl. I need to build up her writing skills.

OR..

:: 2 children books (preferably pembacaan bersiri) for my 7 yo boy. Do provide links so I can read the summary/review on the books k.

So how do I pick up the winner? I'll do it randomly. Yes, I'll close my eyes and point blindly on the computer screen. As easy as that. So the winner may or maynot be the one who suggested the books I am going to read or buy for my daughter / son. But, in case only 3 persons left their suggestions.. here's how I'm gonna do it

:: If there's only 1 person, that 1 person will get all those 3.

:: If there's 2 or 3, one person will get one prize. What to give to who, will be solely under my jurisdiction.

LEAVE YOUR SUGGESTIONS UNDER COMMENTS IN THIS ENTRY YA.

Oh ya, do leave your email address / web url. Closing date will be end of April 2011. I'll send the prize 2nd week of May 2011 InsyaAllah.

NOTA PENTING - GIVEN MY CURRENT FINANCIAL STATUS, I CAN ONLY SEND THE PRIZES TO MALAYSIA, INDONESIA AND SINGAPORE ONLY (tu pun kalau ada peserta luar :P)

Congratulations!

2011-04-28T08:29:00.002+08:00

To My Other Half

ps - Have a look at your paper and have a thought on my proposal yesterday. Letme know your answer next week ya.

It's A Twin!

2011-04-20T14:24:00.004+08:00

It's a twin!!!
.

Bukan yang ini yer...

After our 2nd child, En Suami dah bagi hint cukup lah 2 orang anak. Tapi lepas tu Kak Mon mengandung lagi waktu Iman umur 3 tahun. Lepas Adam lahir, we decided cukuplah 3 anak kami. Pastu mengandung lagi kali ke-4 waktu Adam umur setahun!! :D Lepas tu setelah perbahasan dibuat, mengambilkira tahap umur dan kekangan masa, rasanya cukup setakat 3. Kalau Allah murahkan rezeki lagi, kami tetap bersyukur...

Merepek dah kan.

Sebenarnya nak tunjuk yang ini..
Waktu pecahkan telur buat egg benjo last weekend, tup-tup dapat sikembar ni ha.
Nasib baik sempat rampas sudip dari Adam, kalau idak tak dapat ambik gambar sikembar ni.
Tu pun dah pecah sebelah.

Serial Anak-Anak Mamak

2011-04-18T21:55:00.004+08:00

Jangan pernah membenci Mamak kau. Karena kalau kau tahu sedikit saja apa yang telah seorang ibu lakukan untukmu, maka yang kau tahu itu sejatinya bahkan belum sepersepuluh dari pengorbanan, rasa cinta, serta rasa sayangnya kepada kalian. (my favorite phrase from the novels)

3 daripada 4 buku dalam serial 'Anak-anak Mamak', karya penulis seberang, Tere-Liye. Kisah kehidupan sederhana yang dituliskan dengan indah. Buku ke-4, Amelia diterbitkan di Indonesia sekitar Februari 2011 dan saya masih belum dapat membelinya.

Teringinnya saya menjadi seperti Mamak, tegas tapi penuh rasa sayang..

Birthday Dinner @Sekincan Ikan Bakar

2011-04-15T23:26:00.000+08:00

It is customary for me and Tebby to have a dinner/lunch outside to celebrate each other's birthday. Just the two of us. The kids will get their turn later on. This year, it's a bit awkward. If I were to belanja him, I'd still be using the money he gives. Macam ni lah konsepnya, 'Boleh mintak duit lebih sikit sebab I nak belanja you makan?' Weird huh. Anyway, yesterday his officemates held a suprise birthday-do. Siap potong-potong kek lagik. Kalau kat rumah takde maknanya.. ramai tukang potong lain ada :D

And today, kononnya nak selebrate dengan quiet dinner, last-last takde quiet-nya. Pegi makan kat Sekincan Ikan Bakar kat Dutamas, Cheras. Bunyi macam jauh je kan. You see, my house atas bukit, Dutamas tu bawah bukit. Naik keta tak dan 5 minit dah sampai. We ordered ikan pari, ikan jenahak, sotong, kerang, ulam-ulam dengan nasi putih. Tanak tercekik, order 2 nescafe-o panas sama 1 teh-o ais. Semua RM77.20. I tell you semua licin. Except tinggal kacang panjang (ulam 2,3 kerat). Rasanya orang yang nak belanja tu makan lagi banyak dari orang yang diraikan. Masa menunggu 30 minit. While waiting, tengok meja sebelah siap ada ikan merah sebesar alam, ketam etc. Takleh tengok lama-lama, kang kena pelangkung pulak. Yang nyata, diorang sebok makan sampai tak bercakap langsung! Tak sampai 30 minit, hidangan kami sampai. Lepas 15 minit makan, En Tebby tegur 'aik, sampai tak bercakap langsung sebok makan?' Heh, heh.. only then I knew kenapa meja sebelah senyap sunyi waktu makan. Sedap you all. Hidangan sederhana untuk orang-orang sesederhana kami. Lazat amat, alhamdulillah)

Apapun, kepada En Tebby, again, Happy 37th Birthday. Your next birthday, it'll be really on me he he. Jom layan gambar. Sikit aje gambarnya. Sebok nak makan.

oh ya.. sila melawat www.sekinchanikanbakar.com

Happy 37th Birthday

2011-04-14T16:17:00.002+08:00

Kepada Suami yang dikasihi,

SELAMAT ULANG TAHUN KE 37

Moga seluruh usia mendapat keberkatan dari Allah.

Maaf tahun ini ai tak boleh nak sediakan hadiah yang bagus-bagus.
Apapun, I hope you'll like what I got you for your birthday.

loads of love,
your wife.

Al Kisah Spek... Pet Pet, Bawang dan Ikan Bilis..

2011-04-07T22:14:00.015+08:00

Hari ni Kak Mon kulu kilir. Translate dari bahasa Pahang ialah 'ke hulu ke hilir'. Kata orang Terengganu pulak 'gi mari gi mari' atau 'mmusing ketang'. Biasanya pun memanglah kulu kilir, gi mari gi mari atau mmusing ketang tapi hari ni extra sikit. Sampai 2 kali menjengah Carrefour. Pagi-pagi tu Bibik inform diapers Adam tinggal 3 keping lagi. Adoi. Kenapalah tak cakap masa ada belen lagi 10 keping? Terpaksa lah tergedik-gedik pegi membeli. Adam pulak pagi tu sembelit sampai nangis-nangis nak keluarkan poop dia tapi tak berjaya. Mengukuhkan lagi lawatan ke Carrefour sebab nak beli prune juice. Dan oh ya, London Swiss Roll budak 2 beradik tu dah sapu licin. Kena top-up. Dan tambahannya lagik, nak membeli spek Adam. Lepas hantar Iman kat sekolah, gedebuk gedebak membeli, bukan takat Pet Pet, Heinz Prune Juice dengan London Swiss Roll aje dalam troli.. kepek, chips, air 100Plus, roti, drummet etc. Typical huh? Benda dalam list tapi tak beli ialah spek Adam. Benda penting tu.

You ols taukan my elder two tu kena pakai spek kan (baca sini dan sini juga) Speknya siap dah lama tapi sebab sebok ntah apa-apa, Rabu baru ni baru ambik kat HUKM JRMA. Mana boleh 2 orang pakai spek, sorang lagi tidak kan? Bagi mengelakkan perang saudara, makanya spek yang 2 orang tu belum lagik dipakai. Tak boleh pakai selagi Adam takde spek. Meh Kak Mon tayang sikit spek budak dua orang tu. Kos semua-semuanya RM620 untuk 2 spek ni.

Ni spek Kakak. Purple. Kat kaki (ke tangkai? ke tangan?) ada floral prints. Sesuailah untuk gegirl macam dia.

Mata kanan - distance Sph pl, Cyl -4.00, Axis 170, V/A 6/12.

Mata kiri - distance Sph pl, Cyl -4.50, Axis 175, V/A 6/12.

Apa nih?? Kak Mon pun tatau jugek. Yang cyl tu merujuk kepada astig rasanya. Lagi satu, takde rabun. Expert, sila clarify.

Kat bawah ni pulak spek Iman. Dah Kakak pepel, dia pun nak pepel jugak. Metrosexual sungguh spek ini kan :D

Mata kanan - Sph +1.25, Cyl -3.00, Axis 180, V/A 6/9

Mata kiri - Sph +1.75, Cyl -3.00, Axis 180, VA 6/9

Oh ya, berbalik kepada cerita asal, petang tadi waktu nak siapkan bahan-bahan Nasi Goreng Lobster (sila ambik perhatian, ni isi lobster kering je, bukan fresh lobster lengkap dengan kaki, ekor, cengkerang tu semua okay), rupanya bawang kecik dah takde. Jengah fridge, bawang kisar pun dah sikit. Daaaaaahhh kena buat misi beli bawang pulak. Dikuatkan lagi dengan nak membeli spek Adam. Sebelum ambik Iman kat sekolah tadi, pegi lagi sekali ke Carrefour. Lama-lama sok boleh jadi duta Carrefour kalau gini. Belilah 3 jenis bawang tu, bawang merah, bawang besar, bawang putih. Tengok spek budak-budak, gi** mahal! RM20++. Letak balik. Beli bawang je. Turun bawah, tengok ada kedai sepit-sepit rambut tu jual spek mainan. Angkat satu, RM5.00 je. Kaler mestilah pepel jugakkan. Kang tercetus perang saudara, susah.

Ni spek Adam. Rawk!! Belasah je lah. Buat syarat.

Takde gambar spek dengan tuan punya spek. Semua orang dah tidur time sesi fotografi spek ni dibuat.

Dah sebok cerita pasal bawang, ni lah bawang-bawang yang Kak Mon beli tadi. Pathetic sungguh ha ha.

Spek settle, bawang settle. Baru teringat ikan bilis baru habis semalam.. isk...

Iqra'.. Bacalah..

2011-04-06T20:46:00.005+08:00

Alhamdulillah. Syukur. Our niat tertunggak akhirnya terlaksana jua. Finally Kakak and Iman are sent for kelas mengaji. Kakak attends kelas KAFA, one of the subject is Iqra' so we are a bit relief. Iman pulak kami tak hantar kelas KAFA atas beberapa sebab musabab. Ada satu cawangan CIC di sini ada kelas mengaji every Saturday tapi Saturday pulak Kakak ada tuition kat sekolah and Iman ada kelas kat Ampang Hilir (tough being kids these days huh?) So cari punya cari, jumpa this Tadika/Taska Nor Rehan yang ada kelas mengaji lepas Maghrib every night from Monday to Friday. Fee is RM40 per month per child. That makes RM80 per month. The taska in within our housing phase means tak perlu keluar ke jalan besar untuk ke sana. Since we're sending Iman, might as well we sent Kakak jugak kan.

I told the kids memula Ummi hantar tapi nanti dah tau cemana, boleh jalan sendiri. First day try jalan kaki. Mak aih.. jauh jugak rupanya. In the end, on the way balik, En Tebby kena dukung Muhammad Iman bertuah tu. Second day Ummi hantar naik kereta. Iman kata, kalau naik kereta dekat sikit :D Nampaknya until they get their own bicyles and can ride around safely, I will have to hantar them everyday. Bukan apa, now that I am still on leave bolehlah kan. Nanti dah keje faham-faham ajelah pukul berapa baru sampai rumah. Besides mengaji, the kids need to finish off their homework as well.

Iman is especially excited. Nak nak pulak lepas he got his own buku Iqra' and his own kopiah. Plus, dia dah kenal alif ba ta, lagilah dia suka. As if to test his newly acquired knowledge. Kakak pulak, tho dah 3 tahun attend KAFA, she still reads Iqra'. Belum baca Al-Quran. InsyaAllah. I am not complaining. Every kid has his/her own pace. Now we're trying to push he a bit faster.

kakak and Iman, on their first day nak pegi mengaji

Adam insyaAllah tahun depan boleh start. kena stop pakai diapers yer kalau nak ngaji...

I remember my own experience mengaji. Masa tu zaman-zaman Juz Amma. Similar with Iqra' sekarang tapi pendekatannya berbeza. Mula-mula kena kenal alif sampai ya. Pastu alif atas a, alif bawah i, alif depan u. Dah terer tu baru masuk baris dua pulak. An In Un.. and so on. Cikgu mengaji was arwah Wan Chu (al-fatihah). She was soft but firm. She was my close relative jugaklah. Dia tak mintak apa-apa bayaran pun. I think it was normal during those days back in kampung-kampung. Cukup membalas jasa dengan sekilo dua gula, setin dua susu atau biskut barang sepeket dua. I am not complaining about the fee nowadays because we all faham ajelah dulu dengan sekarang tak sama. Plus that was way back so many years ago in a remote kampung and now we're talking about Kuala Lumpur.

Back to my mengaji days, I cycled to get to her house. Cucu-cucu dia pulak ramai yang around my age so we had fun after mengaji session. The bonus nya pulak, rumah dia dekat sangat dengan tali air. So you can guess what we did lepas mengaji lah kan. Sometimes I slept over at her house. I miss those times. Tapi apa hal dah tua-tua nak main kat tali air kan. Anyway, back to my arwah Wan Chu ni, she's a very thankful person. Kalau kita bawak apa-apa buah tangan, she just couldn't stop thanking. She'd recite doa mohon murahkan rezeki and all. Soft but loud enough for us to hear. Sweet kan.

Back to Kakak and Iman, harap-harap semuanya berjalan lancar. InsyaAllah.

Ke Mana Tumpahnya Kuah..

2011-04-03T22:34:00.010+08:00

My boys have things in common. Dah nama pun adik beradik kan, apa lah Kak Mon ni kan. They both cling to me. I am one proud mom when they quarrel over who should sit beside me during lunch. Other than that, they both looveeee to help around in the kitchen while I cook or while I prepare to cook.

This is Iman He'd do as told. Mintak tolong potong, dia potong. Mintak tolong basuh, dia basuh. Mintak tolong kacau, dia kacau. Kalau mintak tolong keluar jangan sebok kat dapur, dia tak layan.

Yang ini pulak Mat Kacau :D Pembantu yang amat tegar. He does as he's told and also does things he's told not to do and things I don't even mention for him to do. Pusing kejap aje, dia tambah garam. Pusing kejap aje, dia bubuh gula. Pusing kejap aje, dia masukkan air. Kreatip yer budak ni. Sampai ada resepi 'Nasi Goreng Garam'. So, those are my boys. Both me and Tebby suka masak (suka masak tak semestinya sedap okay :D), maybe ni kuah dah tumpah la kat 2 pinggan nasi ni. Mana Kakak while these two staging their commotion kat dapur??

Hurmph... Obviously ni kuah dari Ummi ni. Kecik-kecik dulu jejak dapur nak makan jer. But she's helpful when in comes to dishing out the meals, prepares great teh-o and does her red lemonade to perfection.

Jumaat Kelam Kelibut

2011-04-03T15:22:00.006+08:00

-gambar hiasan aje- credit to duniasepi.blogspot.com

Jumaat baru ni merupakan hari kelam kelibut. Nak gugur jantung rasanya. Darah rasa cam habis semua turun kat kaki pun ada. Gara-gara si Kakak tertinggal van.

Petang Jumaat lepas, macam petang-petang Jumaat sebelum ni, Kak Mon akan keluar jam 5.30pm. Iman habis sekolah jam 6.00pm. Jarak rumah ke sekolah dekat aje tapi sebab takmo parking jauh-jauh, makanya keluar awal. Si Kakak, walaupun Kak Mon tak keje sekarang ni, dia tetap naik van pegi balik sekolah kebangsaan dengan sekolah agama. Kadang-kadang aje Kak Mon hantar jemput dia.

Berbalik kepada peristiwa tu, elok aje parking tepi jalan, henfon berbunyi. Ada nombor Makcik Sabariah (driver van). Katanya Kakak takde dalam van. Waktu tu dia dah jalan dah. Beg Kakak ada dalam van tapi Kakak takde. Berderau rasanya. Pastu Makcik Sabariah kata dia dah round semula cari kat sekolah agama, kawan-kawan Kakak dan carik kat kedai-kedai (sekolah tu occupy lot kedai) tapi tak jumpa. Dahhh... luruh jantung rasanya.

Terus pesan dekat Mokja (adik ipar yang rumahnya sederet dengan rumah Kak Mon) mintak ambikkan Iman. Kak Mon terus drive menuju ke sekolah. Dalam hati Allah aje tahu apa rasa masa tu. Desperate. Hopeless. In mere seconds rasa kaki tangan dah sejuk dah. Tup-tup nampak Kakak dengan kawan dia berjalan kat seberang jalan nun. Nampak aje dia, I broke into tears.

Rupanya lepas dia letak beg dalam van, dia keluar balik untuk beli air. Keluar dari kedai van dah takde. Nasib baik dia dengan kawan dia. Buatnya dia sorang-sorang. Or anak sapa sapa aje for that matter. Dia jalan kaki ke sekolah Iman sebab she knew time tu I may be there untuk pick up Iman. That was why Makcik Sabariah tak jumpa dia when she turned back and searched. Nak kata jauh tu taklah tapi as a protective mom (I can be such a mother hen okay), plus a paranoid one as well, macam-macam terlintas kat fikiran ni. Zaman-zaman sekarang ni bukan boleh buat main-main soal keselamatan anak-anak. Alhamdulillah waktu tu belum jam 6.00pm plus cuaca baik. Dan Kak Mon pulak masih belum bekerja so I could search for her there and then. Kalau dari Bangsar nak balik Cheras.. dah berapa lama tu? Time orang balik keje pulak. Nauzubillah.

I have my own 'safety procedure' tapi hari tu, Kakak macam 'stunt'. Agaknya dia panik bila tengok van dah takde.

1. Hafal phone number Ummi, Abah dan driver van by heart. Ni memang dia ingat.

2. Kalau tertinggal van, masuk ke pejabat sekolah dan pinjam telefon. Telefon Ummi, Abah atau driver van. Stay put. Jangan merayau tempat lain. 3. Kalau pejabat sekolah dah tutup, pegi ke kedai-kedai yang Kakak dah biasa beli barang. Mintak pinjam telefon orang kedai untuk call Ummi, Abah atau driver van. JANGAN mintak pinjam dari orang Kakak tak kenal.

4. Pesan pada maid (kalau ada maid) atau pengasuh kat taska (kalau transit), kalau anak-anak lewat aje balik, terus call. Jangan tunggu 20-30 minit baru nak call. Especially kalau yang naik bas. Almaklumlah kalau bas ni populasi penumpangnya ramai. Mungkin driver bas tak cam muka setiap sorang.

Sepanjang masa dari Kak Mon nampak dia berjalan kat tepi jalan tu sampailah kat rumah, dia senyap aje. Mungkin dia terkedu. Mungkin terkejut. Mungkin panik tak habis lagi. Takpelah Kakak, jadikanlah ni pengajaran. Lepas tu Kak Mon ambik Iman (selesai kejadian tu, Iman masih belum habis sekolah). Masuk kereta, berjaya lepas kesesakan, tengok-tengok bag lukisan Iman tertinggal kat sekolah. Dahhh.. masuk semula sekolah cari bag. Pastu jalan lagik, tengok-tengok botol air pulak tercicir. Haihh. Mulalah rasa nak bukak ceramah sesi kedua pulak. Tengok muka anak-anak kat seat belakang, kesian pulak. Kakak senyap terkedu, Iman pulak merah padam kepanasan dengan haus. Terus berenti kat Petronas beli air sebotol sorang. Botol air yang tercicir tu tak pegi ambik pun. Takpelah, botol tu pun dah buruk.

Kak Mon ada cerita kat atas yang Kakak senyap sunyi sampai lah tiba kat rumah kan. Sampai aje kat rumah, terus berambat pegi padang like takde apa-apa terjadi jap tadi :P Kak Mon pulak, malam tu terus pegi dinner kat luar. Tensi. Stress. Makan dengan En Tebby nasi berhidang kat Q-Thai. Nasi, Dancing Fish, Dry Butter Prawn, Prawn Omelette, Tomyam Seafood, Kangkung Belacan. Licin. Hambik. RM100++ makan berdua.

Oh ya, Iman pun dah dapat botol air baru.

Dan Kakak kena dengar ceramah kedua dari Abahnya pulak...

My Thots on Pensel Warna

2011-03-27T23:14:00.015+08:00

permandangan pensil warna Iman. gigih tak Ummi dia melabel every each :P

Kalau pensil warna anak-anak anda dah tak cukup ahli kumpulan, atau lagi banyak yang kontot dari yang panjang, jangan buang baki ahli-ahli tu. Get a small container and simpan. I did that for years sejak anak-anak mula berminat nak mewarna (termasuk dinding, kosi depa kerjakan :P). Itu kira tak apa-apa sangat kalau dibandingkan dengan si Adam yang pantang jumpa gunting. Sila jangan terlelap kalau dia tengah bizi menggunting. Bahaya. Bahaya kat dia pun iya. Kat kita pun iya. Silap-silap bangun tidur, rambut dah fesyen lain.

Now that I have schoolgoing children yang selalu hilangkan sebatang dua pensil warna beberapa kali dalam seminggu (especially Iman la kan), Kak Mon tak perlu ganti the whole set. Just ambik dari container aje as ganti. Plus, kalau ke mana-mana, boleh bawak container tu. Tak perlu rebut-rebut dah pasal dalam tu ada banyakkkkk! Anak-anak Kak Mon ni kalau pegi bercuti outstation 2 hari pun depa akan bawak kertas dengan pensil warna. Ni tabiat mak dia lah ni yang tak reti nak travel light. Semua nak bawak.

Sekian tips pendek dari Kak Mon. Korang pun dah buat benda ni kan, lagi nak bagi tips konon :P

after 3 bulan mula Tahun 1, Ummi nya masih gigih melabel segala harta benda anaknya. tu punnnnnn, hilanggggg jugakkkkk

ni lah reservoir pensil warna. buleh ambik untuk ganti mana-mana yang kena cilok atau misplace.

Anyway, based on my personal experience having 3 anak and 2 of them dah mula bersekolah, I prefer stationeries Faber-Castell. Not just pensil warna but pensil biasa, eraser, sharpener etc. Kalau pensil warna tu, Luna pun okay. For crayon, my vote goes for Buncho. Oh ya, pensil warna yang 'dual' usage tu.. ala... yang boleh buat ala-ala water color tu, lagi best. They glide easily and hasilnya smoother.

KL Bird Park - 19 March 2011

2011-03-26T22:45:00.020+08:00

Last Saturday kami ke KL Bird Park (link http://www.klbirdpark.com/). Saban wiken ke shopping complex bosan juga. Asalnya nak tengok pesta belon panas tapi kensel di saat-saat akhir. Last-last ke Taman Burung.

Waktu sampai tu cuaca agak mendung. Tapi kira okaylah sebab tak panas. Tak sampai setengah perjalanan, hujan turun. Oh ya, tiketnya agak pricey to me. Adult RM20 sorang, kanak-kanak 3-12 tahun RM10 sorang. Adam tak kena caj. So untuk Kak Mon, En Tebby, Kakak dan Iman, semuanya RM60. Dah sampai kat situ kan, anak-anak pulak dah excited sangat, takkan nak kensel. Masuk jugaklah. Dari luar dah dengar suara si merak. Kuat betul bunyinya. Show off betul :D

Tak banyak sangat ambik gambar sebab hujan. Yang ada pun tak cantik sebab cuaca mendung. (Kalau tak mendung pun bukannya cantik he he) Apapun, jom layan ajelah koleksi yang ada..

apples of my eyes

ni lah yang bising tak henti-henti. ni jaring atas kepala kami. depa buat serkup, kalau idak habis semua burung terbang tah ke mana

Adam sedang menghalau burung. Dia dengki betul tengok burung lepak-lepak

waktu ni singgah kat wakaf.. hujan. senyum manjang dapat keluar.

Iman pulak dapat kawan while waiting hujan berenti

depan tu kawasan flamingo. tak dapat pegi dekat sebab hujan and kami tak bawak payung

smelly, these guys :P

Usai aktiviti di Bird Park, kami ke Masjid Negara untuk solat Zohor. Dah lama sangat tak solat kat masjid. So serene. The boys, pantang jumpa tempat luas, terus ajelah buat larian marathon ulang alik.

sambil bergambar, sambil tu kaki dok main air pancut

berlari aje kerjanya budak berdua ni. off they go

datang balik kat Ummi

off they go again

datang balik, again

Lepas solat, kami ke Pantai Dalam for lunch. More like nak masuk teatime dah time tu. Tak dan nak bergambar apa2 dah.. lapar...

Apapun, anak-anak happy, alhamdulillah.

Pelangi Itu Indah!

2011-03-23T22:23:00.006+08:00

photo credit to danielisfunky.blogspot.com

Orang kata, jangan mengeluh awan yang hitam. Siapa tahu selepas hujan reda, ada pelangi indah menanti kita.

Remember when I wrote this some years ago?

Alhamdulillah. We're thankful beyond words. Iman brought back 4 of 5 of his exam papers, which made me almost cried with thankfulness. I have never given up hope on him but neither do I expect so much from him. Hope for the best, be prepared for the worst nonetheless. I remember the first day dia exam. I asked how was it going. Katanya he just did muka depan dengan belakang aje! *ummi faint* Second day dia kata dia buat sikit je sebab penat nak kira (Math) and third day I asked how was Science, he looked at me blankly and said 'Mana ada periksa Sains? Tak ada!' *ummi faint again!* Nevertheless, he got 92% for English, average of 82% for Bahasa Malaysia, 90% for Pendidikan Islam & Moral and 75% for Math. Paper Sains belum dapat. MasyaAllah. Kun Faya Kun. Dengan izin Allah.

Mungkin anak-anak anda semua score 100%. Tak mengapa jika nukilan saya ini sekadar picisan di mata anda semua. Saya tidak membandingkan Iman dengan anak-anak lain. Jika he's at par, alhamdulillah. But when looking at him, now and then, a huge leap from then to now. Alhamdulillah. Tahniah Iman.

Dengan menulis ini, saya sama sekali tidak berniat untuk riak atau sebagainya. Sekadar nukilan hati seorang ibu yang penuh kesyukuran. Jika ada yang mendapat inspirasi, alhamdulillah. Segalanya berkemungkinan. Waktu saya mula-mula bercuti panjang, itulah juga yang saya ingatkan diri saya. Ianya mungkin berhasil. Ianya mungkin tidak. Tapi tak salah mencuba kan?

Kepada Iman, tahniah Ummi ucapkan. Walau perkataan 'tahniah' itu sendiri sangat asing bagi Iman. Walau Iman mungkin tidak sedar betapa gembiranya Ummi dan Abah dengan pencapaian Iman. Walau Iman sekadar bertanya 'Hari ni Iman periksa lagi ke?' bila mana Ummi bagitahu betapa bersyukurnya Ummi.

Kepada diri saya sendiri, ini bukanlah satu titik penamat. Semua ini satu perjalanan, bukan satu destinasi. Ini, saya ambil sebagai titik permulaan. Moga Allah kekalkan momentum ini. Iman, dan saya juga. Moga Allah permudahkan segalanya.

Apapun, saya ingin mengucapkan terima kasih tak terhingga kepada..

1) Suami saya, Is**** Is**** yang sentiasa memberikan sokongan moral dan emosi (dan financial support!). Yang sanggup mencuba dan terus mencuba demi Iman.

2) Saudara mara terdekat terutamanya Atok (ayah saya) yang terus menerus menyokong usaha-usaha kami. Terima kasih atas pengertian itu.

3) Pengurus Besar saya, En Salam Abdul Wahab yang akhirnya bersetuju menandatangani surat kelulusan Cuti Tanpa Gaji dan melepaskan saya dari pejabat selama setahun. Terima kasih Bos, jasamu dikenang.

4) Penolong Pengurus Besar saya (which I directly reported to), En Abdullah Abu Hassan.

5) Colleague saya, Nurul Azima Abdul Hamid, yang mengambil alih tugas-tugas di pejabat selama saya bercuti. Terima kasih Ima, from the deepest part of my heart. Dan tahniah juga!

6) Rakan-rakan sama ada yang rapat, tak begitu rapat atau cuma bertegur sapa di alam maya, yang bertanya khabar, yang mengambil tahu. Terima kasih. Walau mungkin kalian merasa ianya cuma 'bertanya khabar', saya amat menghargai ingatan itu.

Ehh.. dah macam ucapan terima award pulak! Tak perlu tunggu hari istimewa untuk ucap penghargaan kan?

Dan sesungguhnya pelangi itu indah, terutama selepas mendung!

Syukran Ya Allah.

HUKM JRMA - Muzium Negara - MidValley

2011-03-18T15:27:00.000+08:00

My friends suggested that I start thinking on writing books. I'll stick with my blog for now, thank you. Which I rarely do these days anyway. Alamat kalau nak tulis buku, mungkin first 5 pages aje kot. Lepas tu on long hiatus then I'll start again setiap kali bulan mengambang, boleh? *howling*

Oh ya. There's a correction I want to make. Semalam En. Tebby cuti and we brought the elder two to HUKM JRMA untuk buat specs. Kakak cuma astig ya kawan-kawan. High one, about 4++ both eyes. Tak rabun. Yang rabun is Iman. 1.25 and 1.75 with 3.0 astig. Both picked purple frames. Mula-mula lenses for Kakak is Essilor (spelling tak sure) and Iman, Hoya. Sampai kat kaunter nak bayar, depa kata ada local lenses, which are cheaper. Apalagi, grab the cheaper ones. Save by hundreds jugaklah. Final cost for both kids is about RM700. For transition lenses (which I am aiming for), about RM1,000 - RM1,300. Not so much difference. They informed me that transition lenses ni macam barang harga terkawal. Likewise gula lah. Kena jual RM1.45 sekilo. So mana-mana pegi pun lebih kurang je harganya. Apapun, jagalah mata anda. Once dah merabun cam Kak Mon ni ha, it is never a cheap thing.

btw, before ke JRMA, singgah McD for breakfast. they're having this 'beli apa2 minimum RM5 and you'll get big breakfast free. not 1 but 2. worth RM13.00++. ramai gi** orang.

After HUKM, kami pegi Muzium Negara. Ol' skoolll kan. I gave them few options - Pusat Sains, Planetarium, Bird Park and Muzium Negara. Kakak nak pegi muzium (since one of her cita-cita is to be an archeologist, other than veterinar). Eh, kat muzium ni boleh ambik gambar ke idak sebenarnya? I saw some people selamba je took photos. Jom layan cerita bergambar okay.

ececee.. siap felok-felok bahu lagik

Iman!!

ni kat luar. ada vehicles from various years. dari yang tak berenjin sampailah yang berenjin. latest kat situ is Proton Saga, our first national car.

fire engine zaman dulu y'all

Bayaran masuk RM2.00 untuk dewasa. Kanak-kanak dengan warga emas, FOC. Untuk warga asing, bayarannya berbeza. RM4.00 untuk dewasa kalau tak silap. Ada ramai jugak foreigners yang melawat. Sempat sorang tu tahan Kak Mon sebab nak tanya Kak Mon beli tudung kat mana! Kak Mon mulanya nak pakai shawl tapi tak sempat nak keringkan rambut, pakailah tudung instant tu. Airy sikit than shawl sebab tak perlu pakai anak tudung. Eh, cerita tudung pulak he he.

Exhibition kat Muzium Negara dibahagikan into 4 halls, bermula dari zaman manusia belum bertamadun sampailah kepada sepertimana kita sekarang. Ada gambar current PM, besar woo. Kat Galeri D. The kids mula-mula very interested sebab dapat tengok skull, tulang, and things that are very much from the past. Sampai kat Galeri C, depa dah lost interest. En Suami Kak Mon, yang memang gemarkan kisah-kisah sejarah ni, was last to emerge out from Galeri D. By then, Kak Mon dah duduk kat bench sambil urut betis. Adoi, belum lagi 40-an dah tak fit. Padahalkan bukan besar mana pun muzium tu.

Ni lah urutan exhibition hall yang ada..

Galeri A - Sejarah awal i.e. Zaman Perm, Zaman Prasejarah, Zaman Proto Sejarah. Ni dari zaman guna batu nak hidupkan api sampailah ke zaman manusia mula buat candi cam kat Lembah Bujang nun. Time ni yang fomfuan mula guna cengkerang siput sebagai perhiasan. Ada jugak manik-manik.

Galeri B - Kerajaan-kerajaan Melayu. Kisah-kisah kesultanan negeri-negeri Tanah Melayu. Kedatangan Parameswara.

Galeri C - Era Kolonial. Ni zaman Tanah Melayu dijajah i.e. by Portugis, then Belanda, British, Jepun and kisah pejuang-pejuang kemerdekaan.

Galeri D - Malaysia kini. Starts off with kebangkitan kesedaran, kemudian kemerdekaan, darurat, pembentukan Malaysia and last but not least, 1Malaysia. Owh, baru Kak Mon tau yang zaman-zaman Kak Mon sekolah rendah sekitar tahun 80-an, masih ada lagi komunis.

After Galeri D, kami ke Museum Shop. Kakak beli beg. Kak Mon beli frigde magnet. I collect those these days. Mana-mana pegi, cari fridge magnet as momento. So far banyak lagi space kat fridge tu.. nampak sangat kurang berjalan kan he he. Kalau yang from oversea mostly Tebby beli masa he travel frequently dulu and yang kawan-kawan bagi. Yang local tu adalah pekerjaan Kak Mon. Belum rezeki nak berjalan jauh.

Oh ya, kat luar muzium tu ada few stalls selling souvenirs, berjenis-jenis kacang, and ada satu tu buleh bergambar dengan few parrots and an iguana. Geli weh dengan iguana tu eventho Kak Mon tengok budak-budak dok usap macam usap kucing je. One boy siap picit macam nak rasa buah dah masak ke belum! Iman sebok nak ambik gambar dengan parrot. Kakak temankan. Bila uncle tu letak parrot tu kat tangan dia, dia geli (dia pakai short sleeve). Sudahnya semua parrot lekat dekat si Kakak! 3 ekor. Sekor kat bahu, 2 kat tangan. Iman pulak pelakon pembantu tersengih je kat sebelah tu. Ada another stall buleh ambik gambar dengan ular. I dare nottt!! Oh ya, untuk bergambar dengan parrot tu, RM10, dapat sekeping gambar 4R. Uncle tu kasi ambik guna kamera sendiri pastu tapi burung tinggal 2 ekor je.

parrot yang biru tu namanya Soni, yang sebelah tu kaler hijau tu Koko. Koko boleh cakap few words. tapi mata asik pejam je. uncle tu panggil pun dia buat dek je.

tutup mulut Iman! gigi depan dia baru tercabut. rongak.

Lepas bye bye kat parrots, sempat tengok Istana Satu, which is originally from Terengganu. Built within compound of Istana Maziah and now dok sebelah Muzium Negara. Sempatlah naik. Kakak was puzzled sebab banyak sangat set congkak kat rumah tu. Orang dedolu mana le ada TV, itu ajelah entertainment depa Kakak oi. I personally like rumah kayu. Klasik. Dah nama dok KL ni, syukur aje lah dok rumah batu bersimen. Unless ada rezeki boleh beli tanah and buat rumah sendiri.

Iman kata ni rumah Kak Limah!!

Ada dua lagi tempat boleh visit, Mizium Etnologi dengan Muzium Orang Asli. Tak singgah sebab perut dan nyanyi-nyanyi. Iman pun komplen dia dah penat. Singgah lunch kat Midvalley. Pastu pegi Metrojaya nak perabih voucher RM100. Sampai rumah jam 3.00 pm. Fenattt!!!

Check Mata @HUKM JRMA

2011-03-14T15:52:00.005+08:00

Lemme just pen this down before I futher forget.

You see, we've just became the patrons of HUKM. Loyal ones too! It began with Iman few months back. So far he has 4 files in HUKM Cheras, 1 for consultation with Child Psychiatrist, 1 for Jabatan Oftalmology and another 2 for his therapy sessions (Occupational and Speech). Last month he opened another file in Jabatan Optometri HUKM in Jalan Raja Muda Aziz (pasni ai letak JRMA okay, panjang amat nak tulis) (near Kg Baru). And earlier today Kakak followed suit. If I were to compile their files in various clinics in various states, I may have to do it in volumes!

Anyway.

Today we went to HUKM JRMA, second time for Iman and first for Kakak.

The first time we went there, it was 24th February 2011. Just Iman. Due to his conditions, we have to have him thoroughly checked. Ears and audio checked. And we were advised to check his eyes and vision as well. Furthermore, he's been complaining he can't see what's written on the whiteboard at school. The initial step was bringing him to Jabatan Oftalmology HUKM Cheras. Then we were referred to Jabatan Optometri HUKM JRMA. In Kakak's case, we just book an appointment right awat at HUKM JRMA.

Before I stori mori about today, let me just recap what happened the first time we were there, 24th February 2011. It was our first time there and I was (still am!!) not fimiliar the way around that area, Tebby took a day leave. We were a little lost and I gave them a call. Rupanya the gate was just a few metres away. You all tau le around KL ni, silap ambik simpang aje can cause you tersangkut jem berjam-jam lamanya. Tebby dropped me dekat entrance and he went to park the car. Oh ya, please bring your smallest car possible because likewise HUKM Cheras, this HUKM punya parking lot juga adalah kena rebut-rebut.

We spent almost 3 hours there! Tapi still not conclusive. We knew Iman kena pakai spek tapi tak dapat concluded necessary readings. Mula-mula tu dia okay. Pastu dah lama-lama (eh, tak lama mana pun he he) he got distracted and started experimenting with the alat-alat inside the room. He adjusted the chair himself, up and down, up and down. When lenses were put, he took them away and shoved them in any way he fancied inside that spek gajah tu (spek yang guna untuk check mata tu la). He occasionally complaint about how boring the visuals used were. He asked where the cafe was and if the food was good. Amazing, isn't he? For someone who just started talking at 5 yo! He sure is a chatterbox nowadays.

They did a thorough checking. I've been wearing specs for the past 15-17 years and have been checking my eyes in banyak kedai specs but some of the instruments used when they checked Iman, I haven't seen them. And those really added the excitement for Iman. Oh btw, since Iman is just 7, they put an eyedrop in his eyes. Something to do with his eyes's muscle. Padan le depa tanya tanya tahap kesihatan and the related history in details. Especially asthma and heart problem. Lepas letak ubat tu, the next day Iman ada simptom-simptom asthma attack. Dr in Klinik Kita confirmed that those could be the side-effects ubat tu. Ever wonder why kedai-kedai specs biasanya takmo ambik cases budak-budak? Well, this could be one of the reasons and risks they don't want to take.

Since Iman's checking was not conclusive, we have another appointment scheduled. Which, on that day, he was still experiencing coughing, runny nose and a bit of fever. Last-last kensel and I booked today, 14th March sebab kebetulan cuti sekolah, boleh bawak Kakak sekali.

So, now we continue dengan cerita hari ni pulak ye.

Hari ni En Suami tak boleh cuti. Eh, cuti sekolah pun gigih lagi nak bermeeting bagai? Kenot complaint maa. For the past 8-9 months, dia sorang-sorang je gigih menyara hidup kami 5 beranak. Siap dengan Bibik lagi tu. Tima kasih Yang. Lagipun dah memang cuti panjang nak uruskan anak-anak, ambikkkkkk.. uruskan le sepuas-puasnya he he.

Eh side track. Back to cerita hari ni. Hari ni a little after 7 dah bergerak dari rumah. Dah syak dah jalan akan agak selesa sebab cuti sekolah. Kalo idak, haruslah jam 6.45 dah kluar mengadap jem kan. Sampai tol batu 9 best giler. Boleh drive 90km/j. I took MRR2, pon selesa. Takde masa kereta berenti statik. Pastu ambik Jalan Ampang. Ni kenalah ada statik pasal ada traffic light kan. Pastu belok kanan menghala ke Bulatan Pahang. Jalan terus sampai jumpa traffic light memula, masuk kiri. Tempat yang dituju adalah pagar kedua. Masuk dan silalah berinteraksi dengan Pak Guard kat situ and pastu cariklah tempat parking kereta. Ai bawak si kecik aje, senang nak park. Eh, macam le reti bawak keta besar ha ha.

Sampai tu jam 8.15am. Walopun traffic agak clear, sejam jugaklah nak sampai sana. Bayangkan makcik dengan spek tebal bawak ViVa sambil tercangak-cangak cuba nak ingat simpang kat mana. Bayangkan makcik yang drive dengan keadaan tak relax sebab hampir-hampir macam nak peluk stereng aje ha ha. Anyway, masih buleh park keta dengan selesa. Masih ada dalam 10 empty lots so boleh lah ngengada nak park masuk buntut dulu. Pastu bawak anak-anak pi makan kat cafe dulu. Food, okaylah. Tak banyak pilihan tapi yang anak-anak suka makan ada, so on je lah kan. Tengah mengadap tu, Iman tetiba muntah atas meja. Alamak. Kenalah ai mencuci meja kat cafe pulak. Sebab sebok bersihkan meja, dah terlewat for appointment. Patutnya jam 8.30. Ni jam 8.40 masih gigih mengelap meja. Teruslah dapat reminder call. Bagus jugak depa ni kan. A day before appointment pun depa hantar SMS reminder.

Hari ni cam havoc sikit pasal both Kakak dengan Iman nak check mata and I couldn't be at two places at the same time kan. Memula ensure Kakak dah comfortable and I have given all the details they wanted. This time a big NO-NO to eye drop. Kakak pun ada history asthma and I don't want her to get the attack again. Then kena attend to Iman.g at This time yang check dia orang lain, fomfuan. Iman ni pulak, kalau fomfuan dia memang cooperate lebih sikit :D. Dalam a little more than an hour dan conclude his reading. Right eye 1.25, left 1.75. Astig both eyes 3.00, which is high. Astig ni in layman term, we call it 'silau'. From my pemahaman tadi, it is due to keadaan lengkungan mata yang tak sama. Supposedly lengkungan mata (tak ingat bahagian mana) melintang sama dengan lengkungan mata secara menegak. Bila astig tinggi, difference between the two is high. Bila tengok something, they don't see it as one whole thing. Maybe nampak atas aje or bawah aje, or kanan aje or kiri aje. Hence the term 'silau'. Bayangkan kita tengok TV pastu ada silau matahari, kan tak nampak sebahagian TV tu kan. Anyway, Opto kata mungkin masa kecik budak-budak suka gosok-gosok mata secara keterlaluan, tu yang shape mata jadi gitu. Or budak kuat nangis, sapu-sapu air mata kuat-kuat or yang allergik debu, mata gatal.

As for Kakak pulak, I owe her big time. I am so sorry Kakak. The Opto said our eyes stop growing at the age of 8 (approximately) so at 10 (Kakak is 10 this year), her eyes will give minimal respond to whatever stimulants (specs, eye therapy). Macam Iman, he's 7 so there's still time. She has first complaints tak nampak when she's 8 or 9 camtu. All I did was mintak cikgu letakkan dia kat depan. Then I went to kedai specs untuk check mata dia, semua refused and mintak pegi ke hospital, which I have been procrastinating, until today. Yes, I do feel bad about it. And now there's nothing much we can do about it. But whatever left that can be done, will be done. That Ummi janji to Kakak.

Ai forgot to ask for the latest reading tadi. But initially I was informed hers were 4.00+ for both right and left eyes and he astig is even more higher than Iman! Itu 4.00 is my reading at 35yo! While waiting untuk buat specs, we now have to do therapy (Ummi lepas ni boleh ambik kursus jadi therapist) for her eyes. Cover one eye, use the other to do activities like reading, writing, drawing, coloring for an hour. Then alternate with the other eye, also for an hour. Do just a cycle a day.

Since tadi both Kakak dengan Iman were there, and both have high astig, they cross-checked my kids' files and concluded that Adam should also undergo eye/vision checking when he's older but no more than 5yo.

Since tadi En Suami a.k.a En Banker was not with us, makanya specs tak buat lagi. Khamis ni we'll go again untuk buat specs pulak. Welcome to the club kids! Now Abah has 2 more persons to nag.. letak spek elok2, jangan main sental je lense tu, jangan tido pakai spek. Ha, sapa tido pakai spek? Maknya lerr.

I'd like to share some points about this whole 'mata-xperience'..

1) Don't hesitate to bring your child if diorang komplen tak nampak, pastu kalau balik sekolah asik pening kepala for no reasons. No harm to just check. At HUKM JRMA, untuk check, adalah free aje okay. Remember that our eyes grow sampai umur kita 8 tahun ajer (ni I quote opto okay)

2) Be mindful that in HUKM JRMA, checking akan dibuat oleh student med kita. Ada supervisor diorang nevertheless. Like Kakak's case tadi, since rabun dia agak teruk, supervisor took over. And be mindful HUKM is a government hospital. Bagi yang rasa-rasa jatuh standard or rasa-rasa tak tasty langsung government hospital ni, silalah ke hospital swasta okay.

3) Contrary to the popular belief, the waiting time is so short. In fact masa I called up the first time, I was told to come the very next day.

4) The checking will be a thorough one so it takes time. Do bring toys, snacks, water to occupy your kids. And for you, bawak le buku cerita and for the net-savvy, selamat ber-fb while waiting.

5) To ensure kesihatan mata, do eats loads of vege and fruits. Take vitamin A if you must but through diet lagi bagus. Practise eye-hygiene i.e. tengok TV dengan jarak yang betul, baca buku with enough light, don't tenyeh2 mata.

I don't know if we can get cheaper frames/lenses there in HUKM JRMA (ada kedai specs siap kat dalam tu) since budak2 ni tak buat specs lagik. Nanti come Thursday, we'll know. Even so, I plan to also have my eyes checked there.

So peeps, take care of your eyes okay.

Argan Oil - Acik Tak Jual Okay...

2011-03-07T11:46:00.007+08:00

Since ada yang sms, send pm tanyakan whether or not argan oil that I am using is effective, I'll story here. (Lagipun takde idea apa dah nak update blog ni)

Sebelum I go on, please be warned. I am not at all a head-turner. I don't naturally have flawless, super smooth, silk-like skin. I have oily facial skin but dry body skin. I have a bit of open pores (hence kulit berminyak), parut jerawat, uneven skin tone and since I am not young anymore, I have fine lines. I also have occasional breakouts especially at that time of the month.

Menjawab soalan. It is effective to certain extend. I am using it for only a lil more than a week so I don't have much and I don't expect much. Furthermore I am not using pure argan oil. I am using Kiehl's Superbly Restorative Dry Argan Oil. As opposed to Pure Oil Series (which claims 100% argan oil, korang gugel lah, ramai orang jual online, rata-rata RM75 for 15ml), Kiehl's is a mixture of apricot oil, argan oil, sesame oil, jojoba oil, avocado oil, olive oil, eucalyptus oil.. among others. As the name implies, it is a dry oil, means it absorbs fast in your skin, leaving no oily feeling or oil residue. I am religiously using it everyday for my face and body and every other day for my hair. The immediate after feeling is oh-so-good. I'll tell again of other effects (if any!) after 3 months okay.

Oh ya, Kiehl's is a fairly-traded argan oil.

Argan oil is actually from Morocco. Moroccan have been using it in their hammam (ala, tempat mandi tu). Ingat tak pernah keluar kat suratkhabar pasal mamat yang kawin dengan minah Morocco tu? Dia kata Moroccan women kulit memang super smooth pasal guna this argan oil. Well, maybe kalau dari kecik memang akan super smooth la. Cam ai ni, penderita stretch-mark 1st degree, kulit kering etc, lambat sikit la kot. This oil is also edible. Boleh cicah dengan roti. But then, kalau Pure Oil Series menjual 15ml for RM75, sanggup korang nak cicah roti bagai??

Kiehl's. Ai pakai yang ini.

Ai teringin yang ini. Belum ada bajet.

So what happened to me after a week? Firstly my body skin sudah tidak kering lagi. Dulu kalau kena kuku, haruslah ada garisan putih. Now no more. Facial skin moist (I still pakai face cream ada sunscreen tho). Parut still ada, open pores still there, skin tone still uneven. Takpe, istiqomah. Istiqomah. Apa lagi?? Oh ya.. rambut. Smoother, much less flyaways, senang nak sikat and less hair-loss (I also use tea-bag recipe for hair-loss so can't say if it's just argan nyer effect).

Conclusion. I loikeee. Suka sangat. I bought Kiehls RM110 for 125ml. Relatively cheaper. That's why I don't hesitate to dab on my body, rambut, campur dalam body scrub (I buat homemade sekarang, jimat duit babe) Kalau ada bajet, nak beli yang Pure Oil Series jugak. Just for my face.

So jom kawan-kawan, membelai muka dan badan untuk diri sendiri, untuk suami tercinta. Semakin berumur tak bermakna kita boleh take for granted aje apa yang berlaku kepada kita kan. Ala, kalau suami tak komen apa-apa kita tak menjaga diri, it doesn't mean dia okay. Kalau dia tak komen apa-apa kalau kita makin cun, it doesn't mean dia tak suka. Always try to read between the lines. As for me, lagi 3 tahun ai akan berumur 40. Aging is unevitable but I want to go thru the process gracefully.

Okay, ada soalan lagi?

ps - having said that, sila amalkan diet yang seimbang okay. Air cukup 2-3l sehari, ambik supplement dan bersenam. Takat tempek macam-macam, tak jadi okay.

March Oredi??

2011-03-01T10:08:00.002+08:00

Wahhhh.. dah masuk March ye kawan-kawan. Another 4 more months to go before ai masuk keje balik. Yep, ai masuk keje semula. Segala proposal VSS dan resign telah ditolak buat sementara waktu ni atas beberapa sebab musabab. Thing is, kerja semula, maybe for 1 or 2 years and see how it goes. One step at a time, lepas tu fikir apa nak buat. Nak jadi SAHM terus, or terus bekerja dengan T* atau cari keje dekat-dekat dengan rumah.

March ni bulan appointment. Iman ada 4 appointments.
2/3 - check mata kat HUKM dekat-dekat HKL
3/3 - speech therapy
23/3 - occupational therapy
30/3 - check mata kat HUKM Cheras

Maybe cuti sekolah nanti nak slot in check mata Kakak jugak kat HUKM. Few suggested we go here or we go there but for now we stick to HUKM. Jimat kos babe. Checking FOC ajer. Nak buat cermin mata tak sure berapa kosnya lagi sebab belum sudah-sudah check mata si Iman. He gets restless easily. Tak dan nak check betul-betul, dia nak turun dari kosi la, lapar la, nak kenc*** la etc. He even asked for gambar lain to look kalau dia rasa gambar-gambar yang ada for the test tu membosankan dia.

And sebelum cuti sekolah, anak-anak yang berdua tu, si Kakak dengan Iman ada exam Fasa 1. 8-11 March 2011. Berdebar Ummi tau. Iman first time exam. Kadang-kadang dia tau jawapan tapi sebab dia cepat bosan, dia buat sikit, the rest dia tinggalkan (contohnya kerja sekolah or kerja rumah). Whatmore nak transfer jawapan a,b,c to kertas yang kena hitamkan tu.

Si Kakak pulak dah peringkat kedua sekolah rendah. Dah Tahun 4. More subjects, more things to remember, to practise etc. Yang buat ai risau (among all) is penulisan in both BM and BI. Tahun lepas she did quite well sampai boleh lompat 2 kelas ke depan. When she's in better class, more competition kan. Apapun I hope both will do their best.

We have decided cuti sekolah ni tak kemana-mana. Abahnya sibuk. Maybe just go anywhere within KL je. Bird Park ke, Pusat Sains ke, Butterfly Farm ke, Kuala Gandah Elephant Santuary ke.. Cam Adam tu memang kena bawak dia keluar to vent out. Of late, that boy is a ball of energy. When we are out, rasanya I need to use that harness thingy lah. He's everwhere! Btw, cuti pun seminggu aje. That leaves me thinking and planning on activities. Else, they'll irritate me 24-7 he he!

HUKM Lagi!

2011-02-22T11:05:00.005+08:00

Owh.. buat seketika ai lupa ai ada blog! Sila salahkan the other rangkaian sosial - mukabuku! Sebenarnya di mukabuku pun ai tak le rajin update bagai. Hidup pun biasa-biasa je. Nak kata sibuk sangat, tak jugak. For a while, takde mood nak update blog. Oh, mungkin ai boleh salahkan PMS kot.

So many things happened, I don't know where to start. Hurmpp. Let's start with what just recently happended la kot. Semalam (yang hangat).

Semalam 21st Februari hari ai bawak Iman pegi his OT (Occupational Therapy). Like usual, dek sebab nak berjuang dalam jem plus HUKM memang susah nak dapat parking spot (even for tiny miny car like mine), I hit the road at 7.15am. Appointment jam 9.00am. A little before 8.00 ai dah sampai. Iman merengek nak breakfast. Kena hantar appointment card dulu ye Iman. Sampai kat kaunter, the girl checked in their system and I was told nama Iman takde dalam list appointment hari tu. Hangat. Yes I was. Bertambah lagi dengan peristiwa minggu sebelum tu yang buat ai hilang sabar.

Jom backtrack kisah minggu sebelum tu, hari Rabu 16 Februari 2011.

Iman ada 2 appointment hari tu. Mula-mula ST (Speech Therapy) jam 9.00 then jumpa Psychiatrist jam 10.00am. Macam biasa, sebelum jam 8.00 ai dengan Iman dah sampai. Did all the usual drill i.e. hantar appointment card, ambik slip hantar kat kaunter. Then pegi breakfast. Around 8.50am kami dah menunggu nama Iman di panggil. Jam 9.15am belum panggil so ai tanya kat kaunter. Katanya tunggu kejap. Tunggu sampai jam 9.30am. Ai dah hilang sabar. Kalau jam 9.30 belum start, berapa minit je nak buat ST sebab jam 10.00am dah ada nama orang lain. Ai dengan penuh kehangatan pi tanya what really happened. Bila di bagitau yang si Cik Terapist pegi jumpa doktor, lagilah ai naik angin. Hellooo!!! Awak dah tau ada patient tunggu, yang ***** pegi jumpa doktor tu buat apa? Tak boleh ke buat time awak free? Ai datang awal-awal ikut time awak tau, bukan time ai. Pastu suka suki awak je nak jumpa doktor la, apa la. Apa jenis attitude macam ni? Ai ingatkan zaman-zaman sekarang serba moden ni dah takde orang perangai gini. Adeh. Ai mintak dia turun. Tau dia kata apa? Tak boleh turun, nanti turn dia hilang. Hello!!! Aku tunggu kau ni apa weh? Selfish punya worang. Dia mintak jumpa ST lain. Cik Terapist, kalau ada therapist lain memang ai nak tukar aje terus taw. Tapi malangnya dengan sistem yang rigid, ai kena jugak ngadap muka awak tu. So, apa jadi? Appointment kensel and next Iman jumpa dia will be on 3rd March. Bazir masa taw. Nak kena tunggu another few weeks baru boleh jumpa. Bazir masa ai menunggu on that particular day. Ai paling hangat dengan attitude dia yang endah tak endah tu. Hello.. memang lah ai tak directly bayar gaji awak tapi ai ni taxpayer taw. Okaylah, tahun lepas tax ai sikit je pasal ai keje 1/2 tahun. Hasben ai bayar tax banyak taw. Tolonglah. Wake up.

End of cerita on Rabu, 16th February 2011.

Oh, remind me to tell her that on 3rd March ya peeps.

Anyway, semalam turned out as a BIG ok. Dalam sistem takde tapi dalam buku appointment si Ayu (OT), nama Iman ada. So ai tak jadi nak men-singa-kan diri ai. Ayu, is a pleasantly looking young lady and my son ni ada some spot for ladies as such. Ayu panggil aje nama dia, cepat aje dia sarung selipar ikut di Ayu masuk bilik. I was there in the beginning. Mula-mula main-main dulu. Iya, main-main is a form of therapy. Naik jambatan gantung, then naik 'buaian' pulak. Panjat tangga, lalu titi. Lari dalam gelung-gelung then masukkan bean bag dalam basket. And oh yes, he loves jumping on that trampoline. Iman had tremendous fun. Masa di GIMC, kalau time dia OT, cuma dia sorang-sorang. Di HUKM, ada budak-budak lain. Dia kan suka berkawan. Lepas tu pindah bilik lain for Visual Perception activity (korang gugel lah ye apa benda tu). Semalam dia buat 2 items under Visual Perception i.e. Visual Discrimination (VD) dengan Visual Memory (VM). Mothers, even if anak-anak you all takde masalah apa-apa, it's good to jog their brain. From my observation, for VD Iman was asked to identify 2 same objects/shapes. Mula-mula shape tu simple-simpe aje like tanda +, -, X and the likes. Pastu mula jadi complicated. For VM, he was shown a shape then dia kena identify from another sheet. Ni nak jog ingatan dia. For VD he scored 16/20 and for VM 13/20. Ayu kata attention span Iman just 10 minutes. Kalau ikut chronological age dia, he should be able to focus for around 20 minutes.

Next appointment dengan si Ayu yang cantik molek will be on 23rd March 2011.

Penat tak jadi ai? Kadang-kadang penat jugak. But then there's always new things. That's what makes it interesting. My son may be 10% or 20% lag behind his peers but I always tell myself I can and will give my 110% or 120% to cover that, insyaAllah. Even 140% or 160% pun insyaAllah ai sanggup! Who knows he'll exceed his peers in years to come?

Here's some photos. Masa ni Iman sorang-sorang je.

swinging on the vestibulator. he first did that masa kat GIMC, sampai termuntah-muntah :D

up and down, up and down on the trampoline

Madras on Rainy Days

2011-02-11T17:18:00.004+08:00

Sudah selesai membaca Benarkah Iskandar Bukan Zulqarnain, tulisan Afareez Abd Razak Al-Hafiz. Jika didasarkan kepada hujah-hujah yang diberi, benarlah. Namun, seperti ayat di pengakhiran buku ini, tentu sekali, Allah lebih Mengetahui.

Sepertimana komen Aini dalam entry saya sebelum ini, kisahnya agak berbelit-belit. Bukan salah penulis, saya meletakkannya kerana kecetekan ilmu pengetahuan saya. Namun, jika dibuat rajah salahsilah atau jadual perbandingan, mungkin ianya akan lebih jelas.

Buku ini dibeli oleh suami saya dengan harga RM17.50. Dah lama menghuni rak buku, bahkan tetamu yang datang pun dah khatam membaca. Baru sekarang saya tergerak nak baca.

Selanjutnya saya sedang memabaca Madras On Rainy Days, karya Samina Ali. Ringkasan berdasarkan sinopsis kulit belakang novel, ianya berkisar tentang seorang perempuan yang terperangkap antara peranan dan tanggungjawabnya sebagai seorang muslim, dengan kebebasan yang ditawarkan oleh kehidupan di Amerika. Saya belum betul-betul membacanya. Namun saya tak hairan jika pengakhiran novel ini menyamai novel Mayada Daughter of Iraq karya Jean Sasson dan juga Burned Alive karya Souad. We'll see.

Benarkah Iskandar Bukan Zulqarnain?

2011-02-10T00:06:00.000+08:00

Buku ini telah lama dibeli. Sekitar Februari 2010. Harganya RM24.50. Baru beberapa hari lepas terdetik untuk membaca.

Selesai membaca Kembara Atiq Wazif semalam. Saya dapat rasakan saudara Hasan Suyut menulis buku ini dari lubuk hatinya (bak lirik lagu dendangan Search.. lubuk hati yang paling dalam). Sangat mengesankan dan saya amat mengesyorkan anda semua membacanya, tak kiralah anda punya anak istimiwa ataupun tidak.

Buku berkisar tentang kehidupan sebuah keluarga yang mana salah seorangnya anak istimewa. Walaupun berkisah tentang kesusahan, kepayahan yang terpaksa dilalui demi Atiq Wazif, buku ini ditulis dengan nada santai, ada kalanya lucu. Begitulah, kalau hati sudah redha dengan dugaan Allah, sudah mampu berlapang dada, semuanya akan lebih mudah dan.

Jauh kembara Atiq Wazif. Di negara bertuah sendiri, ke China dan akhirnya ke Florida seterusnya terus menetap di sana. Ada beberapa tempat lain yang turut dilawati untuk rawatan Atiq Wazif tapi yang dihuraikan dengan panjang ialah China dan Florida.

Bacalah. Pasti anda insaf dan bersyukur dengan apa yang ada.

Dan sekarang saya sedang membaca buku ini, Benarkah Iskandar Bukan Zulqarnain tulisan Afareez Abd Razak Al-Hafiz. Sebagai seorang yang cetek ilmu sejarah-sejarah dan tokoh-tokoh islam, saya sedikit terkeliru dan kadang-kadang terpaksa membelek mukasurat-mukasurat sebelumnya untuk lebih faham. Tidak boleh mengomel panjang sebab belum pun sampai 100 mukasurat yang saya baca!

Port Dickson 31st Jan - 2nd Feb 2011 Part 2 - The Pools & The Beach

2011-02-09T09:09:00.001+08:00

'Syarat sah' bercuti di fikiran anak-anak Kak Mon ada 2 perkara: -

1. Tempat itu mustilah ada swimming pool yang selesa. Especially children's pool. Senang diorang nak practice skill swimming yang baru nak berkembang tu. In addition to that, haruslah ada wadding pool sebab Adam masih terlalu rendah nak masuk children's pool. Corus has children pool yang agak besar berbanding Avillion and Corus ada wadding pool, but not Avillion. Score - Corus 2 against Avillion 0.

ni kolam kanak-kanak. kedalaman 0.75m. taken on Monday. lengang!

pandangan sisi dari side kolam dewasa. kedalaman 1.2m

2. Tempat itu mustilah berdekatan dengan pantai. Kakak punya hobi ialah mengutip dan mengumpul seashell while the boys boleh main pasir, building volcanoes, castle and main air laut. So semua orang gumbira. Anak gumbira, mak pak pun gumbira sebab anak-anak tak bergaduh2. Nak berebut pasir? Mungkin tidak. Nak berebut air laut? Mungkin jugak tidak kan. Seashell? Tak kot sebab Kakak aje suka kutip, the boys don't. Pantai Corus faaaaarrrrrr way better dan bersih from that overrated Blue Lagoon (which is muddy, banyak sampah and banyak batu) Score Corus 1, Blue Lagoon 0. It's a tie between Corus and Avillion. Maybe kalau hotel's private beach ni terjaga sikit. Blue Lagoon tu all people can access so that explains why tempat tu kotor kot? Ada tong sampah pun, nak jugak buang sampah merata.(adakah masyarakat kita ni pengotor??)

sun down on Tuesday. it was near Maghrib that time. kalau arwah atuk tau ni, harus dia hambat balik. memang pantang besar dia kalau dekat2 Maghrib masih di luar.

sunrise on Tuesday. it was barely after 7am that time.

On the day we arrived, sebaik saja settled in, my kids terus aje terkam 'tong baju swimming'. I have this tong in which I dump in swimsuits, goggles, sunscreen, caps and 'baju tuala' (ala, robe yang cam tuala tu, hapa ke nama ntah).

Kakak dah boleh berenang but not for long. That's why Kak Mon tak berapa bagi dia masuk pool dewasa unless under 100% close supervision abahnya. Dah pun abahnya sibuk nak berenang sama, she ended up most of the time dalam children's pool. Abah boleh berenang, Ummi x perlu risau.

all smile. kalau jumpa pool memang sengih manjang lah dia.

Iman masih belum boleh berenang. He's making progress in the sense that sudah berani menyelam kepala for few seconds. Fully submerged. So keje dia adalah ulang alik from tebing to tebing then menyelam sambil buat aksi-aksi shark. To normal kids it may looks like nothing but for special child, keberanian untuk menyelam is a big milestone.

sedang cuba buat aksi berenang (tengok kakinya)

Adam pulak kat wadding pool. Maybe sebab dia sorang je kat situ, he was not that excited. Main kejap-kejap aje. Tu pun dok 'berenang' kat tangga je.

Lewat petang, me and Tebby menangguk budak tiga beradik from pool. Dah masuk bilik, mandi semua, menggelupur lapar. Tadi time berenang, berendam riang tak ingat nak makan. Nasib Ummi bawak bekal.. lapik perut sementara Abah pegi cari nasi.

Oh ya, Iman sibuk nak 'kelangkung'. In fact dari masa kami menginap di Ulek Beach Resort lagi dia dah merengek nakkan 'kelangkung'. Lagi tak dapat, lagi tu lah dia mengongoi 'nak kelangkung, nak kelangkung' Nasib baik nak, Ummi takde ilmu 'pelangkung' :D. So lepas melawat PD Ostrich Farm (ni Kak Mon stori mai in Part 3 k), we made a pit-stop near Sri Intan (fimiliar?). Dah tak jadi pulak nakkan kelangkung, dia tengok Kakak beli kick-board, dia pun nakkan kick-board. Adam yang beli kelangkung. Lepas tu tapau nasi ayam. With my kids, adalah lebih aman untuk makan di bilik atau di bawah pokok daripada makan di kedai.

Jom tengok foto-foto berenang edisi Selasa pulak.

eldest two. taking off with their kick-board

coming back. see, how happy they are.

see that girl in yellow kelangkung? Iman dok berkawan dengan dia. sorang cakap melayu, sorang cakap mandarin (muslim I think, mak dia bertudung litup and dok panggil this girl 'Azma') After the girl changed and nak balik, she came back, called up Iman and waved goodbye. Adoiyai Iman.. ni kalau nak meminang kena ke Tanah Besar nih :D But I am glad he's making friends easily.

Adam (he, he). Masa kami semua ke pool dia nap. Dia bangun aje terus melalak. Sampai kat pool melalak lagi. Hantar balik bilik pun melalak lagi.

Kalau dah ke pantai, haruslah bersuka ria di pantai jugakkan. Kakak sibuk kutip seashell. Dah berkotak-kotak dah kat rumah, dia pi kutippp lagi. Sebagai ibu, Kak Mon sokong aje minat dia as long as benda yang dia buat tu tak salah dan tak menyusahkan orang lain (eh, tiba-tiba ayat skema). As I've said, pantai kat Corus tu lebih bersih dari Blue Lagoon. Cuma pantainya pendek aje. I'd rather pantai pendek from having to move around litter di pantai yang panjang. Jom layan gambar.

the kids. main kat tepi lagoon. ni directly depan bilik. convenience kan. but here no beach.

this beach is on the left side of the resort (our rooms belah kanan).

Acara mengutip air laut (bila nak habis Iman??)

Acara mengutip pasir (again, bila nak habis Adam??) Sampai termuncung-muncung mulut tu :D

Iman, writing his name in the sand

Sedap-sedap aje mengata Avillion lah, Blue Lagoon la, jom tengok Kak Mon punya stori masa pegi piknik kat Blue Lagoon di sini and bercuti di Avillion di sini. Kalau nak tau cerita pasal Ulek Beach Resort, sila ke sini ye dek non dek non sekelian.

Temporarily Interframing

2011-02-08T19:07:00.002+08:00

Yang, pse print this photo for Kakak's homework.

Port Dickson 31st Jan - 2nd Feb 2011

2011-02-07T22:28:00.011+08:00

We went to Port Dickson last week, right before people swarmed in sempena cuti CNY. From 31st Jan - 2nd Feb. First day tu cuaca tak berapa cantik, tho it wasn't raining, agak mendung (mendung tak beerti hujann, yakinlah itu satu cobaan.. la la la). Another 2 days cuaca sangat baik. In fact ada masanya cam terlalu panas. Kalau hujan kena stay indoor kan. Tapi kalau panas still boleh keluar mandi-manda or melawat-lawat.

I booked a Junior Suite at Corus Paradise, which I thought would be perfect for us. Ground floor, facing the lagoon. Don't be fooled by the lagoon in the website. It is not as blue green as it seems. Murky that it even crossed my mind dalam tu got buaya. I tried to get a 2-rooms-apartment tapi dah last-last minute, wherelah got anymore available kan. Except those yang ratenya more than RM500 semalaman. Plus I need apartment yang ada buffet breakfast. And no homestay please sebab kadang-kadang saya nak orang kemaskan katil dan bilik. Kalau homestay kena buat sendiri kan? Eksyen eh? Kena berjimat since there's quite a dent after budak-budak masuk sekolah plus baru ambik maid. But not willing to forgo the convenience and comfort. Howlah?

our bilik yang ada baju mandi bersidai kat balcony plus the other room to the left

Once I got in the room (103), I was suprised that how small it was. Well, kalau nak cramp together, bolehlah but to pegi cuti-cuti is to santai-santai kan. Dalam gambar kan main lagi cam besarnya. It has a seperated living area but TV only got dalam bilik. They should've put another one in the living I think. Yang besar dan selesa is bilik air but berapa lama sangat spend masa dalam bilik air kan? Before my kids ruin the bed or use the sabun or minum air dalam fridge, I requested for connecting rooms. Bilik sebelah, 104 is connected to room 105. So we took them. 104 has a king bed and 105 has 2 queen beds. Perfect for the 6 of us. Me and Tebby and Adam would sleep in 104 while Iman and Kakak would sleep with Bibik in 105. Last-last Adam and Iman slept with me and Tebby in 104 (kacau daun betul..) and Kakak shared a bed with Bibik. The lodging cost sudahnya more than kalau we ols pegi kat that RM500-semalaman room.

Anyway, the tap water, even after boiling it, rasanya sangat tak sedap. Macam sesuatu. Do bring your own air minum. Setakat 2 botol kecik dalam fridge tu, sorang pun tak cukup kan.

Oh ya, I got sarcastic with one of the staffs barely 1/2 hour being day. Balcony was dirty, muddy with sand and even cigarette butts. A lady came and told us, memanglah kotor sebab baru lepas hujan. With an irritated face. I went like ' oh, i didn't know it rains puntung rokok over here'. She went and cleaned the balcony quietly. Maybe she cursed me but I didn't know that. I should've also added 'sand' and 'mud' to the 'puntung rokok' in my first ever sarcastic ayat for the year.

the room, to the left is the connecting door to bilik sebelah

to the right is tempat beradu the king and queen (and the knights) *sigh*

Albeit being too small and ancient (sila tatap gambar, tempat itu nampak berusia kan?), the best part about our (rented) rooms were, they open directly to the beach and sea. Sangat sesuai for families with small kids. Pagi-pagi depa keluar main pasir depan tu, petang-petang makan-makan kat situ. And we watched them from the balcony. That, I like. And direct access to the swimming pool. That, the kids like. Bibik pun santai-santai depan tu sambil teringat kampung halaman (agaknya la). Plus, we can sidai our baju berenang kat balcony tu.

korek pasir tepi lagoon depan bilik. Kakak kata, kalau kita kaya kita boleh buat rumah macam ni.

anak-anak yang kelaparan sedang makan kat bench, again tepi lagoon, depan bilik.

Adoiyai, Kak Mon ngantuk pulak. Sambung esok la yer. Pegi PD pun ada Part 1, Part 2 and ntah-ntah Part 3, kalau ke oversea alamatnya boleh tulis buku barang 2,3 volume kot he he.

Bergelut Dengan Takdir, Berkejar Dengan Masa..

2011-02-07T19:31:00.003+08:00

Families have secrets they hide even from themselves

I am done reading The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards. I'll give it 3.6 star (out of 5, with 5 being the best). It's about how fragile life is and things are not always turn out to be the way we want them to be. Reading the first chapter, I went 'how could he? how could he?' and my 'how could he' lingered on until the father died. How, a birth that supposedly brings a family together, had contrarily tore them apart. I am touched by her novel but not as deep as the way Jodi Picoult's writing in My Sister's Keeper (which had me cried for days!)

Taken from the book - Phoebe might struggle more, go slower, but like any child she'd learn.

bergelut dengan takdir dan berkejar dengan masa demi anak istimewanya

And now I am my 3rd book Kembara Atiq Wazif karya bapa Atiq Wazif sendiri, Hassan Suyut. Harap saya tak menangis dari mula hingga akhir!

Yang Terfikir... Itu Ada!

2011-02-03T00:05:00.006+08:00

apa yang terfikir... itu ada!

Info:

Harga - RM19.90 (Beli di Popular, ada kad Popular dapat diskaun 10%. Sila sign up segera :D)

Rayyan Fantasi. Tulisan Ramlee Awang Murshid (semak link ini untuk novel lainnya) Buku pertama 2011! First book bought and first book read this year.

First half buku agak slow dan hambar. Second half, makin rancak tapi sebaik tahu asal-usul Rayyan, novel ini menjadi terlalu boleh dijangka.

Saya agak kecewa dengan cara penceritaan. Novel-novel karya Ramlee Awang Murshid sebelum ini banyak yang berjaya 'membawa' saya ke dalam cerita tetapi tidak Rayyan Fantasi.

Walau bagaimanapun, saya akan tetap menunggu Sutera Bidadari, sambungan dari novel Cinta Sang Ratu. Harap tidak menghampakan.

Usai membaca Rayyan Fantasi semalam. Dan sekarang saya sedang membaca The Memory Keeper's Daughter karya Kim Edwards. Baru menjengah muka surat 56. And I am hooked! Buku ni beli dah lama, sekitar Julai 2010, waktu saya mula bercuti panjang. Better late than never kan.

Oh ya. Azam 2011, pertaining to books. Of course cuba membeli minima RM1,000 worth of books. And to read at least 3 books a month. That makes 36 books a year. (And already I am 2 books behind!) Last year I did 34 books. 2 aje peningkatan? Well, since I have a Year 1 that needs extra attention, loads of my time is spent reading his text books, so to speak! Nope, those don't count in as part of 36.

Education Fun Fair @ Dyslexia Center Ampang Hilir

2011-01-29T00:01:00.028+08:00

Phew! It's been a week and only now I have the inpiration and time and idea to make an entry on this event. Actually we were just filling in some slots as some of current students of Persatuan Dyslexia Malaysia could not make it. We had fun nonetheless.

The event was held in collaboration with Deutsche Bank (Asia Pacific region if am not mistaken). They had sponsored PDM for 2 years straight as part of their community service. Their management took the trouble to come from different countries to the event. Eventho yang datang tu berpangkat-pangkat, it was obvious they know siapa yang diraikan dan siapa yang meraikan. Speeches were kept short, almost no protocol yang memeningkan, no kerusi bereben-reben, no bunga-bunga kembang setaman etc. The kids tak sempat sangat nak restless menunggu. I loike. Takdelah macam kononnya nak raikan anak-anak yatim, pastu tukang rasmi lewat barang sejam dua sedangkan budak-budak dah tunggu 2 jam awal. Pastu ucapan panjang berjela. Meja makan dialah yang berbunga lebat, siap berhidang bagai. Anak-anak yatim pulak ala kadar aje layanan. Dah terbalik pulak, siapa nak raikan siapa. Contohhhh........

Bila lah agaknya companyku nan tercinta nak fokus lebih kepada aktiviti sebegini?

Among those who attended. Lunch and tea were by Felda Catering. I loike the fish and that jelly dessert. Yummeh. Takde gambar tho, I was busy makan and berborak. At such event we can share our experience, ask others and do some networking. Iman had serving after serving of fried chicken and sandwich. I don't like sayur, je said. Referring to the sayur dalam sandwich.

The children were divided into 4 groups, Blue (Iman is in this team), Red, Yellow and Green. They sat and eat at their designated table with other team mates. Since most are from the current session (Jan-Mac 2011), Iman, as an ex student (his session was July-Sept 2010) had difficulties mingling around in the beginning. But alhamdulillah, he got on well later.

With his team-mates. Waiting for the games to begin.

Outdoor Game 1, Iman complained katanya sudu ni tak basuh! Ada-ada ajelah dia ni. Kena lari with a golf ball in a spoon and kat tengah-tengah tu ada beam that they had to walk on. Beam walking was one form of occupational therapy Iman had gone through before so dia berjaya berjalan atas tu without so much problem.

It's not everyday I got snapped in a photo! Me, seen in photo giving support to Iman while he waved on. See that man in red ferrari tshirt? That's En Tebby as he looked on. Anyway, we went not in red ferrari but my silver viva :D

Outdoor Game 2, Lari Dalam Guni. Not so graceful start. Rupanya dalam guni tu ada sebelah kasut budak sebelum Iman tercicir! While he was at it, Iman tergolek sekali. I thought he was going to cry. He got up and continue. That's my boy. Oh btw, the lady with Iman dalam gambar above, Teacher Sharifah used to be his class teacher while he was in Ampang Hilir July-Sep 2010 and later his tutor from September 2011 onwards.

Outdoor Game 3. Yang ni complicated sikit. Memula lari half way, pecahkan belon. Then the other half, golekkan bola dengan hoolahoop (benda gelung tu, itu kah nama omputihnya?). Iman memula cam hesitated sebab dia sangat tak suka bunyi yang kuat, contohnya beloh meletup. Walaupun sebenarnya kalau dia menangis or gelak, memang rasanya jiran selang 2 pintu pun senang-senang ajer boleh dengar! But he did that anyway. Sampai je kat seberang sana, terus aje dia annouce 'i am winner, i am winner'

Outdoor Game 4. Acara tarik tali between teams. Blue team won the first round but lost in final round. Just look at my son. Gaya mesti ada! Kelakar pun ada nengok gelagat budak-budak ni. Sampai tercabut kasut pun ada.

The boy in blue, Imran, is PDM's VP's child. The other boy is the brother of one student there. The boy's mother told us that he learned to read on his own at the age of 4! Talk about gifted people. When his brother having some learning difficulties, his parents of course are worried. Who wouldn't right?

You cheeky boy! Having some helping hands while making his way on the monkey bars. This is not one of the outdoor games tho. Must be hard for the lady.. he's around 26-27kg now.

1st indoor game. T-Shirt painting. The theme was 1 Malaysia. Too complex for Iman to digest. He told everyone he was going to draw a fish! Lucky thing, this was what he did. Apparently someone had explained to him that a fish has got almost nothing to do with 1 Malaysia.

2nd indoor game. Rhyming words. This frustrated him so much. He can read but not as fast as the others. Bila kawan jawab dulu, he got all tensed up and stressed! At one time he got the written word but the matching picture was not there, lagilah dia marah. Sabar ye nak...

3rd indoor game. Music activity. As seen in this photo, he was already tired, muka berlemoih and had to be coaxed to participate. This, in fact this was the last game he participated in.

While the 4th indoor game was going on, Iman refused to participate anymore. For someone with ADHD, prominently Attention Deficit, it didn't suprised me at all. In fact I was more suprised he could get along with all 4 outdoor games and later 3 indoor games. While waiting for closing ceremony, he made few things using the center's toys. I managed to snap only one. Robot, he said. While these toys look like nothing to some, they help your child's development. Hand-eye coordination, motor skill and enhancing one's creativity and attention span.

Iman - Yayy, my team won 2nd place. Means I got 2nd biggest prize :D
On top of that, each student (in Iman's case, ex-student) got a backpack. Black is rather too dull for you Iman and I think it can fit my laptop jussstttt fiiineeee! *hint* *hint*

Majlis diakhiri dengan nyanyian lagu 'We Are The World'. Everyone (well, almost) held hands with one another. All the kids went back with prizes and goodies.

Thanks to Deutsch Bank for the moral and monetary support.

And for Persatuan Dyslexia Malaysia, I just can't thank them enough. How can I not be so indebted when my son's turning point in life made possible while he was attending classes at PDM's Ampang Hilir Center.

Syukran Ya Allah. Kerana memakbulkan harapan dan usaha hambaMu ini, despite kekhilafan diri tanpa henti. Perjalanan saya masih panjang. Moga dipermudahkan.

if you feel like asking me anything pertaining to my experience, do not hesitate to leave comments or email me at aa.rozilawati@gmail.com .

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On Leave! Dating! Shopping! *love*