A Merdeka Entry - Why Merdeka Means A Lot To Me

After few days of silence, I finally got the chance to do an entry, and this one is not an autopublish entry. While typing this, my better half is sitting next to me watching Demi Moore in action in the movie Indescent Proposal, one of her best acting.

Yup, we have just entered the Merdeka Day and let me share why Merdeka Day means a lot to me.

Merdeka Day......

This is my parents wedding anniversary. They were married 40 years ago on that day. Very convenient, so every years celebration, no need to apply leave, a celebration is totally guaranteed.

This year, we have to delay the dinner bit later, since it's Ramadhan and my dad don't really like to eat out or even eat that much during iftar cause he don't want to miss even a day of Terawih. So, perhas we'll have a good celebration later.

Merdeka Day also marked the 1st year we moved to our new house. A very easy date to remember....

And my real Merdeka, was back in 2003, when all the loans we have were settled and we lived for 5 years debt free until 2008, when we bought our new humble home and the new car, that was done after long hard thought.

So, Merdeka don't have to be 31st August, it can happen to us everyday....Just that whether we are willing to look hard enough for it.

With that said, Selamat Menyambut Hari Merdeka and Have a good time with your family....

Kasih seorang anak kepada ibu

My hero got a muffin from school and he was really excited to share this with me. He knew how much I love muffin especially the chocolate one. It's been quite a while since I had one and he knew that as well due to my diet.

I told him he don't have to leave any for me. But, he was quite persistent.

He then, cut the muffin into 2 and wanted me to have one. Actually, he insisted I eat the half....

I am very touched with his gesture and I know he loves me very much. He tells me everything that goes on in his life like a best friend do.

My prayers...for this relationship to continue even when he enter his adult hood.

Mom's birthday celebration

Ever since I was very small, I remembered we will always have a double celebration for Mother's Day. Why? Cause my mom's birthday falls some where around Mother's Day.

This year was not exception. However, it was not a big celebration like before because my elder brother who is in Malacca couldn't make it and Iwan has to work late. Never mind, we shall have another celebration when everyone is around.

We brought mom to Swensen at Subang Parade. My dad is quite paranoid with this halal issue. Whenever we need to take him out for dinner, we have to do our research to ensure the place is halal place. Halal by definition with the halal certification. I know he meant well as he always reminds me if we ever consumed non-halal food, it will blackened our heart and later cause lots of harm to the body.

We ordered a little bit of everything in the menu. From pasta to pizza to salad and some snack like chicken wings and fried mushroom. Dad had fish and chips which he complained was not that tender and the crumb was too hard. Did I mention to you he was a chef hence he loves to criticised whenever we eat out.

The cuties love this place. I love this place too. The service is excellent and the food is simply delicious.

We wanted to order Earthquake but everyone was too full. But, what's a trip to Swensen without having the ice cream. So, I ordered the sticky chocolate ice cream, my favourite! Actually, that was the only food I had, did not want to have too much cause I have plan to have supper with my better half. Nak dating lah!

To mom, happy birthday and love you sooooo much. Thanks for everything that you have done and that definitely make me a better person. And Happy Mother's Day too!!

What the cuties did for Mother's Day

The cuties were really prepared for this year's Mother's Day. They were doing this secret project and did not allow me to enter their rooms. Entah apa lah keje they all nie.

I was also told not to do any house work on that day. Just to be upstairs and watch TV. I wanted to fold clothes while watching TV, but they told me NO!!!

I was actually getting pretty bored considering I always have many things to do on Sunday. Laundry, cleaning, cooking, folding, ironing and many other activities which falls under the house chores categories. So, I watched all the shows on TV and after some time fell a sleep on the couch, something that hasn't happened for many years.

When I woke up, I was getting worried. Dah nak dekat tengahari nie, and we have yet to have breakfast. Are they really cooking breakfast or trying to figure out how to....Perut dah lapar. Then only I was told to go down as the breakfast is served! And it was my favourite mee rebus!!! I LIKE!!!! And they made me this magic wand so that when I point to one direction, all the work habis...

It was a good Mother's Day celebration. My wishes are for my family to stay united and for the cuties to find happiness and joy in whatever they do.

And I finally knew, a mother's job is never done!

The wedding - Making parents happy

It was Mother's Day and I think it is mandatory for me to make my mom happy especially on Mother's Day. She wanted to go to this wedding in Keramat and from the tone of her vioce plus the way my dad was asking for direction to that place, it's pretty clear they wanted me to take them there.

My mom came over to our house after her kelas mengaji and we told her let's attend the kenduri at our front door neighbour first before we proceed to Keramat and my parents agreed to that. Takkan jiran depan rumah kenduri anak bertunang and have invited us about 3 weeks ago, kitaorang buat selamba jer keluar rumah. Sunggu tak reti bermasyarakat kan.

Keramat is never our territory so we asked for directions from Tipah as that area is totally her area. Alhamdulilah, reached the place without getting lost even for a second. That's a major achievement.

This wedding was the wedding of my mom's cousin's daughter, whom she have not seen for ages. Both of them were in tears when they saw each other. My mom told me they have been through many difficulties in life together including the death of her other daughter due to cancer. How tragic!

It felt so good making my mom happy, that would just be a priceless gift.

What's cooking

My parents are staying in my house today and through out the weekend. But, that is no excuse for me not to cook. They come here for a break so it's only fair for me to do the cooking.

Last night dinner were cekodok bawang dip in sambal sardin(dip tu, sound so kelas kan?)

For the cuties lunch today, kuah pindang (my princess requested for this) and sambal tumis udang.

My dad has a project to plant more trees around my house. He just love doing that.

Let's see the result once I come back from work today!

Food for the cuties

My parents are kind enough to take care of my hero after he went through this. They knwo it's difficult for me and my better half to take leave considering we will need to be on leave again during the start of the year to arrange for the cuties schooling needs.

But, I don't like to burden my parents. For me, their willingness to stay with me and take care of the cuties are good enough. Now, I woke up extra early (usually at 5.30am, now change to 5am) to cook before I leave the house. By doing this, my mom don't have to do the cooking. Nanti mami penat pulok!

Since my hero is on the pantang mode, I have to cook 2 sets of meal...

Set one, kuah pindang ikan cencaru for my hero

Set two, ikan selar masak kicap for the rest...

And another dish, vegetable soup which can be consumed by all...

We also went to Giant earlier to stock up food in the kitchen and fridge just in case my mom want to cook something else...

Cepat ler my hero baik, kesian seeing him not having appetite to eat...

My parents trip tp Sabah aka what you get when your parents has your digital camera ;)

My parents love travelling. Since my dad used to work for MAS until he retires about 6 years ago(he worked there for about 35 years, so everytime when I was about to quit my job for a new job, there goes the lecture about company loyalty and all, sigh!), he still enjoy the cheap fligh rate as part of the retirement package. Fyi, this only applies if you joined MAS during their government body years. So, jgn dok berangan yer.

They have travelled all around the world. Even when I was younger and not married, we used to travel abroad once a year. So, this time around, my parents went to Sabah. They spent 3 days there.

My dad is quite skeptical about investing in a digital camera. He felt he is more comfortable using the old Kodak inserting camera. However, while we were about to reach KLIA, my dad realised he left his precious camera on the car(please note, not in but on). Hence, not wanting him not being able to capture moments during their trip, I loaned my dad my cheap digital camera.

My hero gave Atok a quick tutorial on how to use the camera. First picture taken, ok ler tu!

Enjoy some of the picture taken during the trip.

Since today is my dad's birthday, perhaps I should get him a digital camera for him....what say you??

Momma's birthday

I didn't know what to get my mom for her birthday. I have bought for her many things for her birthdays, anniversaries and other festivities like when I got a nice salary raised or a big fat bonus. Hence, I am out of ideas...

Then, I got this pamplet about a promotion by a beauty centre, A mother's day package spa and facial, and I quickly made the phone call, that would be a cool present, A Spa Package...

I drove my mom and told her that I will pick her up in 3 hours, that's how long the package took.

While waiting for her to be pampered, I was preparing a party at home. We planned to have a BBQ birthday party, a close one, just attended by my youngest brother and wifey and my cousin's family. My eldest brother could not attend due to work commitment.

We started after Isya' and had many spead on the menu. From chicken wings, to lamb, crab, burger, hot dog. I prepared nasi lemak with sambal tumis udang.

We watched AF together while enjoying the meals. During one of the commercial break, we took out the birthday cake and started singing the birthday song. Noticed my mom not standing caused she sprained her leg while walking down the stairs after completed the Spa session. Kesian mami...Her response was, the body felt so light after the massage, felt like walking on air, that explains the fall....

I just have to publish this. This is Shahiz, my nephew and he is Toi number one fan. Can you imagine that, TOI???He was very adamant and still insists Toi is the AF champion...

I really really hope NOT!!!

Mother's Day Special

I know some may say it's too late to have this kind of entry. Well, this is a special entry, hence it requires a lot of thought into it.

I'm going to tell you something about my mom. My mom is a great lady. That is such a cliche statement but it's my mom and that's how I want to describe her.

Why is she different? The fact that she raised her kids well and all that stuff that a mom is supposed to do, she carried an extra responsibility.

My mom has a mentally challenge elder brother. Pak Alang, is what he is fondly known as, was staying with my arwah grandma till the day she passed away, that was about 12 years ago. And being the only daughter, my mom took over the responsibility to take care of Pak Alang.

Not that other sibblings do not want to carry the weight together, but I guess my Pak Alang prefers to stay with my mom. She takes care of him really well. From his food needs, to his clothing and also other needs as well. Whenever she goes for holiday, as much as possible she would bring him along. She never cares about how people are looking at her, the weird kind of look. To her, he ain't heavy, his my brother....

That is why she is so special...

Happy Mother's Day Mummy and also Happy Birthday to you too(16th May that is)...

I love and adore you sooo much and I know we have our differences in the past, but that thought me to be wiser. Having children on my own made me realise the kind of horror feeling that I made you go through and I am sooo sorry for that....

May Allah reward you with all the kindness and happiness in the world....

2 mothers

We had our usual Friday lunch spree. At first, we wanted to go to Quality Hotel KL to enjoy the buffet spread of dim sum since Cik Puan Ambang dok mengidam nak berdim sum. However, the weather did not permit us to do so but the cravings for Cik Puan Ambang was still there. So, we went to the nearest dim bum outlet, Spring Garden, KLCC. I have few favourite choices there namely the deep fried yam dumpling, turnip cake and steamed bbq chicken. We also had chinese fried rice to compliment that.

But what's interesting was the after lunch event. Cik Puan Ambang wanted to look for her youngest and only daughter birthday present and she wanted to get her a teddy bear. We then went to Lovely Lace and bought one for her. Cute giler and I still insists that's a second hand teddy bear, Cik Puan Ambang dah dok gomol the bear before it gets to the birthday girl. GTL can verify that.

While Ms Money Matters bought something out of ordinary, a rubber made centipede for her son. Well, not for her son to play with but more to be placed in the fridge so that her son will stay away from opening the fridge and start to consume things which may make him fall ill. Creative giler...But jangan mak bapak more tekejut than the anak dah ler...

Well, the morale of the story...

Different mothers have different ways showing love and affections but they mean well..

Feelings

Today's entry will not involve any pictures or what I did for the past few days, but today's entry is to capture the feelings part of me. Yes, I am like other human beings, I do have feelings.

Ilham was sick for the past 5 days and I took 2 days off to take care of him.

As much as a modern person I am, I am a true believer of what you give, you'll get back. And how I treat and behave in front of my kids will be the reflection on how I will b treated later in future. If I don't spend enough time with them, they will be doing the same to me when I am old and if I neglect them, I will be neglected too. That is why if need be, I will leave everything I am doing to be with my kids, that include work, study or whatever commitment. No offence for others, but that is my personal feelings. If I don't take care of them, they won't take care of me...So, when he is sick, I just felt obligated to be with him though my mom told him, she can take care of this, but I am the mother, not my mom. Imagine when I am old and he decided to "outsource" to other people to take care of me!!!

I have more to share and will update later