yummymummy

Eid Mubarak - UAE Revisited

2011-11-14T21:37:00.001+03:00

Happy Eid everyone and Selamat Hari Raya Haji.

We're lucky this year to have cave,an parents and my in laws for hari raya, although we didn't have any ketupat, rendang or kuih muih but we had each other and were together and of course that made me miss my family too...sob..sob..sob.

The arrived from KL and we met up with them in Dubai to spent a few days visiting Dubai and Abu Dhabi before heading back to Dtown.

The 1st time i was in Dubai was back in 2003 and the last time was sometime in May for a very quick trip...we drove all the way from Dtown to Dubai ( took us 9hr with immigration etc.. ) just to grab a few things from IKEA and to test the car....and we sure did test the car though....we ran out of fuel between UAE and Saudi border....another loooonnng story....

On this trip, we did all the touristic activities and we enjoyed it and my favourite has always been the Old Dubai, its amazing. It was unfortunate that most shops was close the day we were there due to eid but the was still buzzing as always but the highlight for me was the trip Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi.

It was truly majestic and magnificient. Never had I visited a mosque so emmaculate in my live. I knew this mosque was a mega structure but having to be there myself, it was breath-taking. Everything was well built, well designed and flawless.

The only thing that i wish i had that day was some sunlight! it had been raining in the UAE during the eid and as we were driving to Abu Dhabi it was pouring! :). With some sunlight, it would had been glimmering from the white white marbles.

If your are every there, its worth to take the free tour the mosque conduct daily. We took the 1st tour, wise choice not too many tourist at the time but the later tour is jam packed!

White domes of the mosque

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Abu Dhabi

Hand weaven carpet from Iran ( its one piece carpet covering the main hall)

Egyptian inspired minarets

North Entrance Arcade - where the tour starts

The passage leading to the tomb

Doha Tea Party :)

2011-11-05T21:02:00.000+03:00

Love bday's...esp when its not mine and I haven't thrown any since the April babies bday so when it was two of my good frens in Doha birthday was coming up...i saw an oppurtunity!!! a few days a part...i managed to convinced their hubbies and our friends to a suprise 'Tea party'.

( Birthday girls with girl pals :))

I have never been to a tea party before but read and watched it too many time and I always like the idea of a tea party although I'm coffee lover. One of the bday girl did mentioned that she always wanted to have a tea party but never had an occasion or a reason to. Everyone was onboard and got together for this party. Since it was a 'suprise' party, I was being very notty...telling lots of tales all week to the bday gals.Babes...please forgive me, it was all for the party :D.

Ms.N grinning at my not soo sconey scones,these must be the good batches coz these actually do look good :).

Birthday Girl 1 - Ms.S and hubs Mr. N

Birthday 2- Ms. N with hubs Mr.Z

Although there were sticks and bumps along the way plus it happened to be a very busy week at school and it was also the last weekend before the Eid hols, and I was on a verge of getting sick but thanks to advil and strepsil I managed to keep it at bay. Everybody contributed...from the food, the deco, the cake and the hosting. The husbands given a task on what to get and do and they were super!!! .They came well ahead of time with all the things they were asked to bring and help to decorate for the party while me and Ms.S was busy getting everything ready in the kitchen with our own little disaster!. Originally I wanted to have traditional english tea party but it was way too much to do in a week plus I don't have enuff tea set for everyone ( reminder - must get a tea set for keeps ) so I had to tweak a little and rebrand it to an 'Oriental Tea Party'. I got this floral tissue paper and got totally inspired and everything else was coordinated to this piece of tissue paper ( i also went crazy making tissue peonies til 2am !!! ).

So we had mini chicken shawerma ( which i must say was pretty damn good, probably beginner's luck !) , chicken wings , blueberry cheesecake, tea sandwiches , of course we had to have scones and clotted cream ( unfortunately some of them was a bit burnt and turn out to be like rock cakes instead but nonetheless was still yummy, but Ms.N was heading to London for the hols, so i told her to get the real deal in over there :D ) , chocolate cuppies with chocolate and raspberry frosting, chips & dips , grapes, sparkling ruby orange drink and hot earl grey tea. Cake was made my Ms.E and Ms.Z lent us this beautiful white table cover which was exactly what i wanted!. We missed you at the party.

We had planned a game too 'Charades" but that never happened, we just sat and stuff ourself again and again :). My camera decided to go dead 1/2 way thru so didn't take much pictures Mr.N had all of the photos on his camera, these photos here are probably the best i got on mine. The girls was pleasantly suprised and they seemed happy :) soo mission accomplished and a pat on the back for everyone that made this party happened.

Thanks guys....me love u lots ....xoxo

Til next birthday....Happy Eid Everyone!!!

125 million

2011-10-11T21:53:00.006+03:00

If your wandering what this figure is....don't be jealous its not the balances from my bank account :p ( i sooo wish is it !!! ). It is actually the number off people worldwide that has psoriasis and I am included in this millions.

I found out today that the 29th Oct is the World Psoriasis Day and the National Psoriasis Foundation in the USA, are looking for 500o signature to get the President to proclaim this day. This is a super afford.I do believe pll should know more about this disease and i hope they get this number. I have had it since i was 18 and I've been lucky so far, its been good and bad. Last year after moving to D town, it got bad, probably the worst flare up i had in those 13yrs but alhamdullilah I'm getting better, im not cleared but its been improving.

Having psoriasis is a challenge.

It hard for me to answer pll when then ask me what i have, coz most of them have no clue what it is, some have never even heard about it and of course some are scared when they see my skin but I'm soo use to it by now that their reaction doesn't effect me but of course, I'm only human and this is what i tell myself everyday - as long as my family except me for who I am and what I have, I'm happy and I know that what I have doesn't kill and that there are pll that are in worst situation then me and this is from Allah S.W.T. This makes me feel better about my P. Unfortunately there is no cure for this illness there are only ways to control it and for each individual its different because its effected by their autoimmune system, yes psoriasis is a auto immune system disease but it is not "AIDS"..so don't worry and also it is not contagious, it is however hereditary. My fear is that my girls will inherite this from me and I hope they don't. But if they do....it will be a way of life...just like me. My girls love me even when my skin is red, sore and ugly and i will love them all the same.

Hopefully with a official day like this that pll have more of awareness of this disease, because its not had bad as it seems although it can be quite daunting and difficult of the suffer to handle at time, physically and emotionally. Psoriasis suffer needs loads of support and i do hope that with the afford that the pll with psoriasis are doing will open up the public eye. To my dear family and friends whose been supporting me and my p...thank you very much :D

Staying positive....a psoriasis sufferer.

Kueh oh Kueh

2011-10-09T20:30:00.001+03:00

Since we moved to Doha, I must say my culinary skill has improved esp on cooking asian/malaysian dishes...for example, I made lompat tikam before the summer hols! I know now that its not rocket science to make this yummy desert,but nonetheless its an accomplishment to me :D.

What makes it more motivating is that when you cook and you have friends to eat it...good or bad! What we usually do, we gather over the weekend and cook up something for lunch and we all would bring and share a dish and enjoy a great lunch. It's a good way to spend a weekend when there is limited activities to do here esp during the hot summer season.

So last weekend we got invited to a friend's house for lunch and I had some sweet potatoes in the fridge that will go bad if I didn't use them up soon. I usually fried them like goreng pisang but Ms.N suggested that I make kueh keria instead. Hmmm....tricky one. Never made this before, so I googled a recipe and tried.

(Gorgeous Sweet potatoes)

It was suprisingly easy..

Kueh Keria

500g sweet potatoes ( diced , boiled til soft and mashed )

100g plain flour

30g rice flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp sugar ( i had very sweet sweet potatoes so didn't need much sugar )

a pinch of salt

oil ( for frying )

For the sugar coating

1/2 icing sugar ,a pinch oh cinnamon and nutmeg. Seive them all together.

(I change the frosting on this one just to see how it would taste like and they turn out good but a traditional kueh keria is coated with sugar glazed.)

Ok here goes,

Add everything ( flour, rice flour, baking powder,salt and sugar ) to the mashed up sweet potatoes. Knead well till everything is even and you are able to mould to balls. It will be a bit sticky but don't worry even i panic for a moment there, so all you need to do is to put some flour on your hands while making them balls, then flatten them a little and a make a hole in the middle. I cheated a little and used a donut cutter (must be powdered with flour too ) mama gave me and make life easy :D. Next fry them til they are golden brown, on low heat preferbly coz you want the inside to cook thru. Once it is all done, powder all of them with your sugar coating front and back.

( ready for frying )

( Powdered with sugar mix )

There you go...my first timer kueh keria :D

Our 1st Family Tree

2011-10-04T09:07:00.004+03:00

I'm still getting used to bubbles having homework this year and so far i've bee on track with her reminding me whenever she has homework. Last week Adek was down with fever and it was abit kalam kabut for me and i totaly forgot that she need to do a family tree due on the 2nd Oct.

Last saturday we had lunch at Ms Z's house who daughter is in bubbles class and she asked me if we have done the family tree.....and im like...ohhhh buggers...i forgot!!! and just then bubbles came in the kitchen with her friend's tree and asked me why haven't we done ours??? ohh dear...

So we came home after lunch...after all of us had good nap from a good lunch ( Ms. Z tres leches is the killer :)) we started on our family tree, luckily i still have leftovers from the girls party..papers, stickers, etc.

We had a strawberry tree family tree, it was her choice of fav fruit. Mummy help with the drawing and cutting, she did most of the coloring and sticking, daddy did the big tree and Adek was just mocking about with everything...sticking everything everywhere! It took us a good 1 hr 30 mins to finish it up and as a result, our 1st ever family tree.....tadahhhhh!!!

( Nur Safeia's Family Tree )

The proud owner of a great family tree, she was soo happy with it that she kept looking and complimenting it hahaha. I kept it in her bag so that we wont forget it in the morning and just before bed time, i saw her opening her bag and admiring her tree. Her very special tree :D.

Of course if kakak had a picture with it Adek must have one too....:).

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

2011-09-28T20:48:00.009+03:00

Today..me and adek baked! ( ohh bubbles would be soo jealous if she knew !! )

She was not feeling too good last couple of days and had to stay home with mummy. So this is what we did!!! We made cupcakes :D and we loved it!

( Adek with the whisk )

( After a trip in the oven for 20 mins )

I have been helping out Ms.E with some baking and the last couple of weeks and my oven has been baking cupcakes. Chocolate cuppie are not my fav things to bake, as I can remember the last time I baked them was in Cairo..long time ago and it didn't turn out soo good and since then I stopped and only baked vanilla, lemons everything else beside chocolate cuppies. This time I was requested to make both vanilla and chocolate ones...hmmm...feeling quite nervous I ,did it. This time I used a recipe from a very cute cupcake book I have by Elinor Klivans and they turned out fantastic! well..Ms E was happy and so was her client and im a happy camper...hooray!

( A little dressing )

( All ready !! )

So I had some leftover sour cream in the fridge from last week baking and I thot if didn't use them up this week they will be bad...and sour cream are not cheap. I knew I wanted to make chocolate cuppies but I didn't want to make the same one again, i looked up on the internet and found these ones....Dark Chocolate Cupcakes (www.browneyedbaker.com) and frost it with the basic american buttercream frosting.

It was a really easy recipe and I didn't even have to take my mixer out. This recipe makes 12 dark yummy chocolate cupcake, I gobble up 2 before i could frost it although I promise myself that i would wait! ,bubbles had two in one sitting and for my little baker Adek..she just likes the process of making it and the licking the whisk part...she didn't have any, but she sure make my cleaning up much easier with all her licking!!

( A proud baker/helper )

the babies at 6 months

2011-09-23T22:37:00.005+03:00

I was posting some pictures of zafir on my FB and 1 particular picture caught my eye, and i thought didn't i took the same picture of bubbles on this same bed and sheets? hmm so i went looking to the archived and there it was...it was taken on the eve of Eid 2006, she was 6 months old. Same place, same props and same pose...i did look for a picture of adek...but nada, the picture i had of her was taken in our old flat in cairo at 6 months...same pose though :)

Looks like they are all spot on the milestone :D

(bubbles)

(adek)

(baby zafir)

My new baby boy

2011-09-23T22:10:00.005+03:00

(Zafir and Mak Na)

Dont be jumping now....hahaha...nooo.....i did not have a new baby. the baby i was referring to is my lil ahmad zafir...my lil brother and sil son....my new nephew. Why am i not called Mak long? Well we did try for a few days but some how it doesn't sound rite when i refer myself as Mak long so we decided that i am Mak Na...but caveman is Pak Long hehehehe...( he didn't have a choice!)

Ain't he cute? Mashallah....this one is happy one and very generous with his smiles...geram sangat!

Bubbles said that I am his aunty mummy, and that we are not now 2 but 3, zafir is our lil brother :D...very sweet rite and visa versa my sil and lil bro also has 2 girls now...bubbles and adek :D.

We miss him alot! we wish we could take him back with us but of course that would not be fair to his parents and grans. I'm glad now my mum has someone to play with at home, although he keeps her on her toes, he also makes her very happy.

Zafir makes everyone smiles..

Its the end of the world as we know it...and i feel fine!! goodbye REM

2011-09-22T09:03:00.005+03:00

music to me are memories and inspirations, im sure to many of us out there. there are songs that has significant impact and when u listen to it, it just takes u right there at that moment in time, that particular incident, that special mood that comes with it. although i must say that not every song does that to you...some you just cant live without...

this morning while having my morning breakfast the newscaster on BBC announced that REM is calling quits! im like...Oh man!!!! not them,and all of the sudden all their song flooded my head and the memories came back.

i 1st heard REM when i was 12 and thats as the start of me listening to music of this genre and it hasn't stopped. they had always been and will always be one of my ultimate band. its sad that my girls don't get hear music of this kind growing up instead they listen to Lady Gaga and the sorts, that are just noise to my ears.

they are a great band, but after 3 decade they have made their mark and their song will live on like many other great songs.

i would luv to post all of their vid here but i will not....:D.

these are just some of the songs that will embedded in me for always..

there will not be another REM but im glad that there was once a band called REM.

I heart you REM

Selamat Hari Raya

2011-08-30T22:27:00.002+03:00

Selamat Hari Raya and Maaf Zahir dan Batin to all of beloved family and friends near and far.

Happy Holidays

Cafe Lui - Hulu Langat Little Treasure

2011-07-31T20:55:00.001+03:00

I love coming to this place, its beautiful...the air is fresher.. its calmer and its one place where i know the food is always fab, its my fav kind of food and i grew eating them. This little weekend cafe is run by my aunt and her family and it is also a a sanctuary for ikan kelah, yes big healthy ikan kelah.

Because we balik kampung soo close to ramadhan, we had to cramp everything in 2 weeks..the trips with the atok's and auny and uncles, visiting my aunts, uncles and frens and haunting our fav eateries, it was pretty hectic. I'm glad i get to bring the kids to Cafe Lui for some "kampung" feel and they absolutely love it everytime we come here...of course they like the pool and the company of their cousins the most.

So we went....a few days before ramadan,early one saturday morning to catch the morning mist and fresh air.We packed the kids and baby...drove up to Hulu Langat via Ampang/Bukit Belacan...up the hill and straight to bt. 20. Picked up 20 packed of nasik lemak bungkus in a warung just before the bridge in bt.18 and they were very good...1.20 bucks well spent! :D. It was a fantastic breakfast...great coffee, i had my fav soto ayam of course, the kids had fries and fish and chips and but most of all i get to see my aunt and her family.

It was very unfortunate that me and the girls couldnt stay longer ( we had a dim sum lunch to go too---- ohh delish!!! ) , coz later i heard that there were durian and manggis on the table and they had asam pedas too...demmit i missed it again but we will come back..insyallah and next time we stay longer :D.

( the owners and my parents )
( having breakfast and chatting away )
( lil miss aliya )
( a lil romantic nookie )
( where it all started...kopi oh kopi )
( adek and her mak pa )

For more pictures of Cafe Lui>>>>>>click here

2011 Summer Vac - Singapore

2011-07-21T12:04:00.005+03:00

I had always have fond memories of Singapore. When we younger living in JB a trip to Sg is a big treat and t something we all look forward too. I remember i always get my barbie dolls in Sg and shoes too for some weird reason and once all of us, uncles , aunties and cousin when to Sg on a trip and it was lots of fun. Then I went a few times for work and many airport transits but the last time we went on a hols to Sg was 4 yrs go, when bubbles was only 16 month. We did the zoo...the duck ride..the nite safari and visited caveman's aunt and uncle. This time around...we thot it be nice to take the kids to Universal Studio for some fun just before we start ramadhan and we really enjoyed it and we saw some more of Singapore.

We were lucky to watch the National Day rehearsal fireworks at MBS ( Marina Bay Sands ). It was spectacular!

View of Clarke Quay from the boat we took ( the hippotour ). Excellent way to see Singapore in a glance. Goes all the way to MBS and back to Clarke Quay for a drop off.

The majestic Fullerton Hotel and Marina Bay Sands.

Clarke Quay Promenade , is one of my fav places to go. I love how they had retained the old buildings and gave them a new facelift, very exciting. This little fountain in the middle is super cool and useful on hot humid days, i was having a hard time trying to stop Adek from getting herself wet!

The famous murtabak singapura....finally had it fresh from the plate!!!

We also get to meet up with caveman aunt,uncle and their lovely grown up boys now and my bestie Poe with her adorable kids!! soo cute....and also our dear family in Doha....Aunty Sarimah and Danish that came to the airport to send us off back to KL. Thank you soo much for having us over, the girls and i really enjoyed it.

Click here for more of Singapore

Balik Kampung!!!

2011-07-16T11:29:00.001+03:00

Its that favourite time of the year again...time to balik kampung! this time we will be home for ramadhan and eid...hooorraaayyy

We are all very excited...it's been almost a year since we last went home and this time its special...we finally get to meet our new family member...Ahmad Zafir in person! i hear that he is very lovable and generous with his smiles, ohh i love him already.

The not to good news is that we will be going home without daddy this time, daddy will only be joining us 2 weeks before eid but daddy get to go on a special trip that mummy is soo want to go too!!!!

We hope daddy don't miss us to much but we sure will miss daddy in KL!!

So before we leave....Selamat berpuasa and selamat hari raya to our friends and loved ones! \

See ya in September!

Gabbie and Livvy farewell

2011-07-14T00:55:00.000+03:00

( a sweet farewell )
( Adek and Livvy )
( Bubbles and Gabbie )

This summer we had to say farewell to one of Bubbles and Adek's fav fren...Gabbie and her lil sister Olivia.

To the Penry's safe journey and good luck in you new home!

Bubbles 1st ballet recital

2011-06-19T00:28:00.004+03:00

(Our lil pirate!)
(The Pirates >>>>> click here for the show! )
(Guest of honor :D)
(Backstage shot before the show)
(Mummy and bubbles)

I mentioned sometime ago that Bubbles has been taking ballet lesson with her group of little friends and is really enjoying it rite...so just after school ended, their super sweet teacher Ms. Tove made a lil ballet recital for all of her students..there were about 70 girls all together.

She put on a fantastic recital and the girls are just amazing. Two thumbs up for Ms.Tova and her little ballerinas!! Each class had a different story line . Bubbles was a pirate, she and the other pirates found a box of treasures in the Arabian gulf and brought it to shore. When they opened it they found sparkling diamonds!!!! and becoz there were too much of it, they decided to share it to everyone in Qatar ...:)

Home Remedy

2011-05-29T21:46:00.004+03:00

Its flaring up again...angryier, bigger and starting to hurt more now. Im talking about my P,its not a good time now, the last couple of weeks it really starting to effect me and my lifestyle. The sun is suppose to help but in my case, its seems to make it worst esp the dust ....aduihai..sangat itchy.

Today a friend recommended a home remedy, she read it in a herb book and she remembered reading something about a home remedy for P. So we looked it up and found that there 3 things that could help my P. They were turmeric, flaxseed and chickweed. I have taken turmeric capsule and flaxseed capsule before but didn't follow thru hence..didn't see any great results. Pills are like nitemare for me...i always forget which is why I'm never on the other P either :).

Since the the doctor appointments are not happening any time soon, i decided to give this home remedy a go. Its said in the book that i should continue drink and use the oral paster for at least 4 weeks to see some results so i'm gonna try to stick to it and see if its any good :) and oh yeah i'm also substituting a meal with raw food or green smoothies for now and keeping note of what i'm eating to find the trigger for my P. I know for sure....it's milk, oranges, red meat and tomatoes and i'm sure there's more.

Keeping it positive and staying calm......and let see how it goes.

Is the Mac dying on me??

2011-05-26T14:21:00.004+03:00

I love my iMac..it's the best computer I have ever had to date and it was probably the best purchase we got from Cairo...it didn't break!. Lately its been acting up a litte...getting a bit under speed and hanging on some occasion...now...my mac never use to hang...never! so its abit worrying as we do not have any back up. It the computer decided to just end it , thats it all our stuff will go down it it esp my pictures..ohhh tidak!!!

So i think this mac need to see a doctor tooo and soon!!!

tup tup...its thursday already

2011-05-26T13:32:00.008+03:00

Today i woke up and thot to myself....'ohh today got ballet'.. it is Thursday already? ohh nooo takkan laaa its soo cepat, what did i do this week? Then its the weekend and the another week and bubbles has school hols and it summer break til Sept. I wish sometimes that time will tick a little slower so that you take your time and appreciate. As a mother I wish I can control time coz I'm always...always....running for time! :).

I kept a fren company at the hospital today which was very nice and she is doing much much better and going home today...:) and im sure her family is going to very happy esp the lil one. Lately, I've been hearing about of my friends that are medically not well...and most of them are in their 30ties...like me. Alhamdulilah so far, i never really been sick except for the regular flu bug, sakit kepala etc, having to hear all this make me worry a little. I'm very bad when it comes to going to the doctor. I tell everyone to go to the doctor but not me. I'm not scared or anything , I just cant be bothered too...I always have excuses and most of the time its it becouse I don't have time...which is really not an excuse. I know and caveman is very upset that I take this doctor visits lightly but thats just me...degilkan..:P

Today when i was talking to my dear fren, I realise that its time that I change my outlook on all this, I'm not in 20ties anymore and not getting any younger either and have long line of family history of illnesses, I know its all in God's hand and will but He also said that we need to 'bertawakal' and from my experiences, most of the illnesses is time related. The earlier we detected it, there is the more chance of curing it. Like they always say....timing is everything.

I'm no superwoman and im definately not immortal like the vampires :). I 'm just a regular gal, who's very much loved by her family and friends and I would like to be there from them as long as Allah swt allows. So to that, I from now on, will take time,not ditch my doctor visit and most importantly take care of myself for the sake of my loved ones. If there is anyone who is reading this, please take time and check yourself up if you haven't done that already, you never know what lurking inside your body until you do.

My 2 dinars for the day.....Have a nice weekend!

My little mermaids

2011-05-18T00:03:00.000+03:00

The best way to kill off the special Qatari summer heat is to have a dip in the pool and we are in it almost everyday this summer. the girls are like fishes in the pool esp bubbles. This summer she had gain allot of confident in the pool that she doesn't require any floaties anymore..brazo! as for baby lulu a.k.a adek however still have along way to go :D.

(adek mermaid)

(and kakak mermaid)

Summer is officially here!

2011-05-16T23:33:00.005+03:00

Its here..no doubt about it. A constant 45degC everyday with the high of 50degC on some days.

Its hot! in school is red flag day everyday, its indoor games for the kids these days. My plants are all kerepot and some did not survive...due to lack of water ( its too hot to go out to water them ) and heatstroke. I keep telling myself that its not that bad and just deal with it and today while i was washing dishes the tap water was boiling! it was seriously hot. Even to wash the kids i need to constantly check the water temperature. In Doha, one need a water chiller instead of a water heater. When we 1st moved in the house it was in Oct and even then the water was warm, so i complained, why doesn't the water get cold when i turn the tap to green and the answer was, ma'am the house doesn't have a chiller and the water that comes from the pipe is of this temperature....say what!. Ok fine...then winter came and we were ok, but now its just too hot and it when a cold shower is soo essential. Today we asked the handyman to turn of the water heater at the tank,technically now when we turn the water tap to red, it should give us somewhat warm water instead of boiling water. Its yet to be tested as we need to finish the water in the tank 1st. Lets see if it works....i pray that it does.

The Melbourne Shuffle

2011-05-16T22:55:00.006+03:00

I was going thru some Malaysia food blog and stumbled across this blog...who is also a foodie, a lawyer and a Melbourne shuffler. Originated from Melbourne..hence the name, shuffling was really big during my uni years during...MOS...Godskitchen era and its one think I did not master...my feet coordination was just terrible when it come to doing this. I remember bestie Elise was trying to teach some moves. The Melbourne shuffle is a skill!

So when I was reading his blog I came across this video of a 9 yrs old girl doing the shuffle and she is pretty good too although the choice of music could be better :S

I wish i know what she is saying...very curious and check out the pants! hehehehehe classic!

and then i saw this other video...ok its very bad but I couldn't stop laughing watching it. Maybe its just me. I'm not trying to make the abangs in uniform look bad...but I just had to put it here....here goes..

Ok for the real deal...Shuffling is not dead.

'Everyday I'm shuffling'

The hospital trip to the derm clinic

2011-05-15T23:56:00.000+03:00

We have a health card here, you pay a 100 QAR per year and you get free medical services at the general hospital which is a pretty good hopsital...well equiped. So i got a referral letter from a dr to go see a derma of course i was suppose to go about 1 months ago...but never gotten around to actually go until yesterday. Feeling very positive and looking forward to what the dr gonna say about my skin ( they always say the same thing but im still curious maybe one of them will cure me....who knows kan? ) drove to the hospital,parked the car and walk to the derm building only to be given an appointment in June!!! at 1st i saw my paper, it says 930am...so i thot wow pretty good i get an appointment right away but i knew it was too good to be true and i ask the lady behind the counter ( who was more interested in her iphone then me of course ) 'excuse me this is for today'...dia tak faham....i asked again..' i see dr today? '....still not looking at me...'excuse me , is my appointment for today at 930? '....NO!...June! ....im like ohhh ok.....abit shocked. Now i wish i had gone a month ago and i would have seen the dr now...demmit noreena! So looks like its going to be June then. I did found another dr that is treating pll like me...it looks legit but im not sure if its any good...but ill give a try next week.

precious little card

2011-05-08T13:44:00.003+03:00

Bubbles came back with this today...a little card for Mother's day!

Precious!

Farewell & Beriyani

2011-05-07T13:08:00.011+03:00

( tukang masak beriyani )

Yesterday we had a little feast for our dear friend's mother who was going back to Malaysia after staying here for 3 month. During her stay here the kids exp my girls have warmed up and abselutely love her...i guess it made them feel like she was thier grannies too. Even for me, seeing her around make me miss my mommy too :(. So it was really nice all around for us.

( tetamu terhormat )

So caveman decided to make Ayah's beriyani for lunch yesterday.He was soo semangat and even went to the souq to get a stove to cook and a little paddle to go with it. My dad's beriyani is really easy to cook...like he always said ..."tersusah campak campak jer dalam periuk..." but the prep is alot....esp the bawang goreng part. If you have super tiny bawang goreng like we do here in Doha, 1 kg will take you at least 2 hrs of peeling, slicing and frying. Tak percaya??...cuba la but if you screw this up..habis la. Then comes the rice selection..which of course we didnt do. opppsss dont tell my dad yea :). If you have all this sorted out...you will soon have you nasi beriyani johor in a jiffy. Hands down..this is the best beriyani made my caveman to date...the closest version to the masterchef. Clap...Clap...Clap !

To accompany i the beriyani, i made sambal udang and ayam madu ( i was trying to make the ayam madu in restaurant Samudera in Lumut, not quite there yet but i found this recipe on the net from a Malaysian in Dublin, its pretty good and super easy and the we had acar , papadom and air bangung from our dear friends...terima kasih..me lap you all :) and my fav mango sago dessert.

We all enjoyed the lunch/company, and we're glad our "tetamu terhomat" was pleased and full :)

Selamat Jalan Opah...hope to see you soon!

Silly policies

2011-05-05T21:47:00.004+03:00

I hate policies. I agree that we do need them but some are just plain silly.

One of my dear friend wanted to come over for a visit next month from Cairo and we all super excited rite, then 2 days back she found out that she needs to get a visa to come here...fair enuff we all need visa sometimes..true? but to come to Qatar,she needs to get a visa from a hotel and pay the hotel a minimum 1 nite stay plus the visa fees before she could come here? which comes up around 700 QAR in totaly in a 2 star hotel not even at the Ritz, does that makes any sense? its completely insane to me and truly disappointing for the both of us.

I understand that the country doesn't want to have any immigrant issues...fine and they don't need any money from tourism ( nothing touristic here anyway ! ) but what they are doing here is very restricted. For us Malaysian...yes, no problem..you pay 100 QAR at the airport and you get 1 month stay easy and hassle free but for those who needs visa and for visiting purposes ( unless u are related and can prove that you are related ) the rules above apply , sigh!!

It should be a case by case basis noo?

My little fairies...

2011-05-02T22:27:00.003+03:00

It has been Dupped!

2011-05-02T21:42:00.006+03:00

The dress has been duplicated! sungguh cepat in 6 hrs...of course it will never be the same as her's, it was perfect on her and fits like a glove. I missed the wedding last Friday, had SLB family day and a fairy invited us for a birthday ( how can I say no to that!! :) ) I was hoping that I get to see the dress tapi tak sempat...I only got to see our Agung and Permaisuri walked in the Abbey with a big smile...how lucky!

When we got home..I finally saw the dress...sangat cantik although I did expect it to be a bit more grandiose being it a royal wedding after 30yrs and after all the comparison that the public made about her and Princess D, I glad she made it her wedding...I love them driving away in the open top car with balloons dangling, it was just like in a movies,how cute :)

Well done Will and Kate...:)

i need new sunnies

2011-04-26T23:14:00.006+03:00

Summer is here and im leftw ithout any sunnies arghhhh....somedays i cant hardly open my eyes while im driving.

Over the years,i have collected a few sunnies but to this day i have none, the last 2 fav pair that i have is gone. I dropped one of them somewhere and broke a handle on the other one...demmit!

i know shades are super ex here and there is no way i could afford one unless i save all my this month pocket money but i thot look couldnt hurt rite? so thats what i did....and i fell in love with Tom Ford Sonja...but...there is always a but...it was 1k plus for a sunnies....aduhai :(. Its a perfect fit and its a very ' Im a celebrity sunnies'. Looks like someone gotta start saving up for Sonja!

Wonder if it would be cheaper in Msia? hmmmmm

Goodbye Picasa....Hello Picnik!

2011-04-24T01:52:00.004+03:00

I've found a good place to sort out my photos for my blog, Picnik!....enuff with this Picasa business is driving me mental!!

Miss N and her burkini

2011-04-24T01:05:00.006+03:00

I just had to blog this...1st of all I think pll should be able to wear anything they want and however ways they want. Unfortunately for Miss N and her burkini has became a worldwide news, poor Miss N. When I 1st read it I thot it was hilarious....these newspapers are just so nasty, I mean here's a woman who's trying to enjoy the beach without getting skin cancer!..come on give her a break but then again she is a celebrity so I guess its unavoidable.

Miss N and her burkini is pretty much the same as the those ordinary women in niqab and burqa in France. These women are denied to wear what they believe in. Both woman choose to wear this becoz they feel its rite for them but one becomes a laughing matters and the other may be arrested if she continues to wear them. Funnykan?

When I 1st moved to Doha, I must admit I was a bit intimidated by the women in burqa and niqab and im Muslim myself. I remember going to a pediatric hospital and all the women behind the counter was in full black niqab/burqa and I remember feeling a bit uneasy at first. Thinking where do I look..I can't see her eyes... is she looking at me?...would she be able to hear me ? ...etc etc..it needs some getting use to I must admit.

We all need some getting use too...and I hope those women in France will one day get that freedom to be able to wear what they believe in just as much as I hope Miss N will be able to wear her burkini again and not get slammed at :D.

I myself do not own a burkini yet and honestly, I don't find it very flattering...having said that I haven't tried on yet so please slap me!!!. I still prefer my wetsuit for now and maybe one day I will find the perfect burkini for me ;) *winks*

Birthdays overload

2011-04-23T22:30:00.013+03:00

April is always a busy month for me every year...its a birthday month. I have been eating cake and baking almost every week this months and i've got one more birthday party next weekend! I think ill rest the tummy from eating cakes next month...cake overload!!

My girls and caveman are all born in April one week after another. The good thing about this is that we have one big bash for all 3 of them but they have to be major! of course kids rules so the party is always about them. Last year it was a princess party and we had a great rainbow party for the girls this year...

With the bouncing dino pit, face painting, ice cream treats , yummy foodies, fireworks and poppers too!! Unlike last year, i left the birthday cake duty to a good fren and she delivered oh boy she did. She made us a cake that i would have baked myself if i had the will and skills to do it, like it was straight from my brain to hers. Thank you very much Nish!. But this year i did make my own food and decorations ( the Domino's excluded, i would have collapse in the kitchen kneeding the dough!!) chicken puffs, cream puff with lemon cream custard ( well this was not fully sucessfull, but it tasted yumss), choc dip strawberries, sugar cookies and brownies. I would not lie..it's hard work and i almost cried in the process of getting everything done but i'm proud and i've learn allot thru this process too. I am however very lucky to have wonderful frens that was helping with everything...Thank you soo much!!. I had fun...and my girls had a blast. Although it was time consuming, i'd do it again..esp for the kids and u see them smile...suddenly it all seems worthed!

Of course we had to have one in school too, i made these little rainbow cuppies and some treats to school. The kids in bubbles class was quite fascinated with the rainbow colored cuppies and it went down very well :D !!

Caveman bday will be on Tuesday but he is away for the week...*boringg.....*. Still looking for a pressie after he bought the Kinect that i wanted to get for him...demmit!! Why is it so hard to shop for a man??? why....anyways April is almost over and it was greatttttt month for us alhamdulillah..... :D

Happy birthday to my April babies!!!!!!

Muahsssssss

I fell in love with Istanbul

2011-04-20T23:00:00.016+03:00

I was soo wrong about Turkey esp Istanbul, it was not how i imagined it to be and i fell in love with it! Theres soo much to tell and to show, so much history and culture. I'd recommend Istanbul to anyone.

We were in Istanbul during spring break and it was one of the best hols we've had so far and i can tell you even the girls enjoyed themselves which is super! 9 days in Istanbul is just rite if u have small children...we spent 6 days pretty much sightseeing and getting familiar with the city and the last 2 day of just revisiting and strolling around town. My lonely planet was put to good use :D

The weather could have been better, we got 3 days of sun out of 6....and some rain too. It was really cold some days the lowest was 7 degC and the highest was 14 degC. It was a nice change of weather coming from Doha ( its gettin hot in here! ) and i loved it and bubbles was soo fascinated with the smoke coming out of her mouth when she speaks!!

There was soo much too see, do and eat!. All we did was jalan..makan...jalan lagi..makan lagi. Our friends that came with us said that they have lost some weight from all the walking but we on the other hand came back with kebaps cheeks :@ oh dear. If you are a carpet lover...you have come to the rite place, anywhere you go u see carpets even in the mosques the carpets are beautiful and heated ( how cool! ). I love carpets, unfortunately the want i wanted was way way way expensive ,but ohh soo lovely and you will need some super haggling skills coz its completely overpriced. I brought back a glass ball and im happy.

We were lucky that we get to see the tulips bloomed. It was the annual Tulip festival in Turkey and you can see all sort of types and colors of tulip being planted around the city esp in Gulhane Park and the Sultanhamet area. The 1st day we arrived they were still small and close but after a week...they bloomed and was gorgeous. Apparently tulips originated from Turkey and was then brought to Europe so i was told.

The turks has preserved their antiquities well and its amazing how so much detail and work has been done on each one of them. Im impressed! I was super amazed at the Dolmabahce Palace, everything is in its original piece and still looks pretty new. I remember walking into the palace telling caveman man that i wouldn't mind living here hehehehe...he of course said...no way! it was very luxurious...it has a 4.5 tonnes one of the biggest in the world. It was a bit sad that we could take any photos inside coz it was beautiful. Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque was just magnificent. There is no words to describe it, it was all that you hear from those who has been there...a beautiful piece of work.

Would i go to Istanbul again? hmmm....i would but until i have visited the rest of it, i would love to go to Antolia...Cappadocia...Izmir...Ankara

It was a week well spent! Im a happy camper :D

Magnolia Bakery Red Velvet

2011-04-20T22:36:00.005+03:00

This was meant to be for my book club girls which was cancelled last minute, which leaves me with 36 cuppies and we're leaving the next day! I was gonna be away for 9 days and didn't want to leave it n the freezer so i had to go around town and distribute the cuppies, this little scarlet jewel in paper cup!!

This cupcake is to die for..i have made a red velvet before and i guess now i can chuck the rest and just keep this recipe because its just heavenly.

Of course i have not taste the real Magnolia cuppies ( i did has caveman to get some when he was in Dubai but he didn't have a clue what it was..instead i got a box of Laduree macaroons...yummms) So i can't tell you if its suppose to taste like it did but nonetheless....it was delish!

Singing Dunes

2011-03-13T13:44:00.011+03:00

This place has been our favourite hangout place on Saturday afternoon....a late minang lunch, a walk about to clear the tummy and off we go to the singing dunes with a bag of Dorritos and watch the sun set over the dunes!

Why its called a singing dunes? strange enuff when you slide down these soft soft dust like sand it make a huge sound ...almost bass like. The 1st time we went...we weren't not very smart we started climbing from the middle of the dunes....it was impossible, a unfit person like me i could only go 1/2 way , caveman all the way up in multiple stops, bubbles 1/4 way and lulu didn't even try :P. Then we saw another family, obviously with some experince started climbing from the lowest point and walk up the dunes....then we felt ohhh how silly are we...ding dongs!! sooo we did...we started again from the end and walked up the dunes and it was amazing to be on the top, bit errie with the dusty skyline. When the wind blows the sand looks like fairy dust, shimmering gold.

Yesterday, being pros...bubbles just ran up the dunes and beat all of us, unfortunely lulu was abit cranky and wanted to be carried all the way, so caveman had a good work out yesterday.

I didnt bring my camera up the dunes coz i didn't want to carry any excess but next time ill try

Some studies have been done but still no one can really explain it. Leave it to nature i'd say.

Zekreet

2011-03-07T21:22:00.009+03:00

I must say that since we moved to Doha, I'm slowly embracing it. The weather at the moment is really nice chilly but not hot ,sunny but not humid. It doesn't last very long so we are taking full advantage of it. I know soon I'm gonna start whine and whine when the summer comes justwait and as a part of embracing the new location and taking advantage of the the no tax and cheap fuelhere in Doha, we got ourself a desert car as bubbles calls, its not a monster car but i really luv it and since we got it caveman have been dying to take it out to the desert to have do its job.

So in early Feb we took the girls to Zekreet and it was beautiful although i was not feeling to good ( it was actually the start of my gut bug ) the girls was really excited to go so no choice...we go to Zekreet. It was only about 1hr drive from the house, there was not much signboard on where to go but caveman had found the coordinate and we plug that in the GPS

and voila!

We drove along the coast and it was a perfect day blue skies,turquoise sea and whitish yellowish desert rocks. It was almost like a mini white cliff of Dover but in the desert and it was almost empty. You'll see a few car parked along the beach but very few so its pretty much your beach and your desert.

We headed to the mystery village, why its a mystery?? haven't got a clue. There are some little house and holes in the limestone hills that have been craved in by time and wind. Its a perfect camping site i would say, some shades and protection from the wind and breathtaking view of the sea.

We stop by the beach and had a little nap and snack, the girls washed their feet in th

e water and played around. The water was still a bit chilly to swim maybe in a few weeks time it will be warm and it would be really nice. We didn't stay for very long, i had to be the party popper and asked to go home, coz i was beginning to feel really sick even vomited on the way back.

Although the day didn't end that well, we still has fun esp the girls. Since then we have gotten some camping gears so maybe next time we will sleep over in Zekreet. Im sure it would be an experience.

Tag Along

2011-03-07T20:52:00.004+03:00

Its been awhile i did a tag questionnaire, so here goes.

25 Question Tag

1. Where were you 3 hours ago? – At home feeding the girls dinner

2. Is there anything pink within 10 feet of you? – A pink Barbie microphone

3. What are you wearing right now? – A purple top and checks pants

4. What are the colours of your bedroom walls? – Off white

5. Who is the last person you sent a message or comment /BBM? – Poethegreat

6. What does your last text message say? – Meant for someone else

7. Can You Taste The Difference Between Pepsi And Coke? – Yeap, Coke rocks!!

8. Is your hair curly or straight? – Its like a wave really

9. Which is the hardest thing you ever had to do?- To give birth to the baby lulu

10. Favorite 2 color combination? – Purple and grey

11. What is your favorite accessory?- My new teardrop necklace

12.Which current celebrity’s style do you admire most? – None, but a big fan of upper east side girls

13. What is your favorite fashion store/shop? – H&M

14. When was the last time you drove out of town? – Haven't done any out of town driving in Doha, but drove back to Sitiawan last year to see Poethegreat and lilmisskechik.

15. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear? – The fridge

16. What was the last thing you bought? – Lonely Planet- Istanbul city guide

17. What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning? – What am im going to pack the girls for lunch today.

18. Favorite Food? – Noodles...and more noodles!

19. Biggest turn off? – Snobs

20. What do you always have on you/wear? – Doedorant

21. What does your screen name mean/ how did you come up with it? – A yummymummy...from a book i read a few years back

22. Favorite style of top/blouse? – Tunics

23. Favourite tv show? – Its a strong fight between Greys Anatomy and Gossip Girl

24. What is a favorite TV show from your childhood? -Doogie Howser M.D ??

25. What does your dream bedroom look like? – White sheets, curtains, walls and a beautifuly colored Afgan carpet.

( This tag came from fieran, feel free to tag along :) )

We turn 6!!!

2011-03-06T09:48:00.008+03:00

Happy Anniversary Sayang!

We turn 6 last Thursday on the 3rd March and it was pretty special, we got to spend it with our fav little and big pll :) . We had our date nite with the kids at Johnny Rockets on Thursday and a super dinner treat at Pampano's at the PEARL on Friday ( great choice of place by caveman and thanks Marie and Meshary for the treat ) and late drive thru by Dairy Queen.

It was unfortunate that my camera batt has died just before the food came coz the food was pretty amazing esp the "The tower" the oyster tasted like sea candy i kid you not!!

Reza and Ed's Junior has arrived!

2011-03-04T09:38:00.003+03:00

Im an Aunt!!!!

My dear brother and Dear SIL gave birth to a healthy and cute baby boy on Friday morning 4th March 2011. The girls are estatic and daddy Sharizal is also very happy the 1st nephew in the family. Unfortunately i do not have picture on the Mac to post in here only on the bb but he is adorable...as bubbles said it..he is soooo cuttteeeeee acu baby!

To Adek and Ed, I wish im at home to join in the fun guys but i shall see you in the summer insyallah kisses to Junior and big hugs to you two proud parents...welcome to parenthood!!!

Our 1st visitor to Doha

2011-03-04T08:53:00.002+03:00

Feb started with a challenge and ended with a blast!

Crappy weather....everyone was very feeling very ill esp me, a whole week of being on the bed and struggling to manage the kids and everything else, alas i decided ok its time...this is not the usual flu bug, its something else...its a 'gut bug' the Dr said a commom bug going around DOha this time of the year....nausea, vomiting, suffication, loose stool..the works. After a painless

injection in the buttocks ( the nurse was really good i didnt feel a thing!!!) and a good nite

sleep...im good again and then as things started to get better and email from marie in Jeddah, they are coming here!!! wooootttttt....i of course get supper excited and the kids are over the moon. 1st visitor in Doha.The screaming started from the airport and lasted for a week....bubbles was late to school for most days last week and baby lulu was very happy that there was another baby younger then her...so she gets to play big sister to Hamzah. Hamzah is mashallah the cutest baby and very popular.

(A week with the Al-Ayed's)

We took them around Doha, Souq Wakif, the Islamic Museum, Aspire park, shopping spree in Villagio, various of our fav food joints, Katara Culture Village, The Pearl and ride on the dhow

and ASD for the Friendship festival where i lost the car keys on the field...thank god for the P.A system and good samaritan it was found...silly me.

( ASD field for Friendship festival )

It was a busy week but very good indeed....we really enjoyed their company of course it would have been better if the baba Meshary came earlier but a day is better then nothing :).

They left yesterday and sob...sob...sob. I miss them already, this morning was less drama.I didnt mind if the drama lasted for a little longer to be honest, it was really nice to have them around.

To the Al-Ayed family....we miss you dearly and we hope to see you soon!!!!

Rainbow it is!

2011-02-09T00:05:00.006+03:00

Looks like its going to be a rainbow party this year! It is 2 months away but if i have to do everything DIY...planning is important! Found some super cute ideas while waiting for the water to come in...and what i thot was impossible is now possible....

Getting excited now and gotta get to work soon :)

My only complain is....

2011-02-08T23:48:00.006+03:00

i love our house here in Doha though its a pain to clean but its fits us well but my only complain is that the water pumps is always going off hence every few days or more like every other day we will have to reset the pumps. We do this daily before we go to bed but sometimes when we forget...our morning will be hell...you will find husband in the toilet 1/2 soaped up with no water and kids doing funky businesses with nothing to wash with and ....we will end up with a fiasco! I hate morning fiasco!

I was just about to do my laundry and there i no water again....dammit!! and Ive been waiting for 1 hr for it to come...and its slowing coming in...sampai bila ...I'm sleepy! URGGGHHHH.

Its been fixed and re fixed but still the same i used to get the watchman to come reset it for us but we have learn to do it our self now but its still a pain.

Backyard playtime

2011-02-04T01:17:00.002+03:00

House of Sand and Fog

2011-02-04T00:30:00.006+03:00

i have watched this movie more then 3 times in my life but i have never completed it until tonite and i didn't even know the title but it had touched my heart. Its a simple story with a big ending.

Every time i watch this, it made me think of my parents the sacrifice they make and the things they hide from you just so could have what you want and be happy without knowing how it happened. This is a story of a father who came to America from Iran to give his family a better life and worked super hard day and nite to fulfil a dream that ends in complete disappointment and sadness and on the other hand a lady who has it all but just let it go away until it was too late. Two pll with the same goal from different perspective.

The movie was based from the book, since i haven't read the book i cant really tell how the movies compared to the book but if the movie made me cried the book will most likely make me wept.

A potential book club candidate.

Cleaning Frenzy at midnite

2011-02-04T00:12:00.006+03:00

I missed cleaning today and the house floor has a layers of soft sands everywhere. The weather lately has be erratic some days are warm and some are just crappy. Caveman is off in Dubai spending sometime with a good fren and i must admit its abit lonely..silly me so what else is there to do?I washed the sofa covers, hoovered, mopped dust and watched 2 movies while doing this and I'm blogging becoz the covers are still drying in the dryer...1 hr to go.

Today i joined a book club :). Never been to one before but i keep hearing about pll joining a book club and so on...and of course O has a big book club too doesn't she? The reason i joined becoz i want to get back into my reading. I still have unread books that i got when we moved to Cairo....still unread after 4yrs and also i don't know what book to read anymore. So hopefully by joining this book club i would finally read my book and expand my horizon on books!

This month we will be reading ' Say you're one of them' looking forward to a good read and i need to finish it by 31 March....still along way to go...but we shall see :@

The samurai is still asia no.1

2011-01-31T23:27:00.010+03:00

(the gang)

(Fireworks!!!)

(Honda - Most Valuable Player)

(The stadium)

( a samurai supporter)

Honda rocks and Lee is the samurai!!! it was quite an experience to have watch this game live . I must say after watching 2 games live i think my knowledge of football has gone one level up :).

The samurai blue deserved to win, the started abit messy but in the end, the final scores that matters. Australia played hard too, and it was a very tight match. Better luck next time socceroos...the next AFC will be in Australia.

I wish i had better lenses so i can get close up pictures but i would say even if i did, i wouldn't have time to take any pictures..with the games going on and trying to keep the little one to calm down it was madness, i had krispy kreme glaze on my jumper and chippy oil on my pants and we had to change her at the seat too...hows that?? but bubbles enjoyed it...the cheered, sang, shouted and ate and the fireworks made her happy. Qatar love burning fireworks...and im sure they spend thousands on it...it was spectacular. It was soo bright bubbles asked me why is there daylight mummy??? ...yes that bright.

It was a packed stadium, unfortunately allot of pll didn't get in even with a ticket...allot of angry fan outside apparently. We know of a family that came all the way from another town for the game and wasn't allot to enter...how BS is that?...

I guess this AFC is a good training ground before the WC in 2022, allot needed to be improved but they have time and money so I'm sure it will be amazing.

Egypt Unrest

2011-01-31T23:01:00.005+03:00

I'm glad to find out today that our frens are at the airport waiting to get on the plane to Dubai. With all that is happening in at the moment, the situation is worrying. I'm still worried with my Egyptian frens that are still at home....some scared to death and other are protesting....its a mix feeling going on there.

After 7 days of protest...waters being cutoff...no one is making bread...and Tahrir Sq is still burning with protesters. This use to be one of my fave places in Cairo....my Downtown is now a different sight....i could have never imagine there will be tanks in Tahrir Sq.

They say tomorrow will be the big march to the Presidential Palace....1 million pll is said to be marching. I hope they come in peace and he leaves in peace.

Egypt still have a special spot in my heart, bubbles was very upset to see Cairo burning. This is a pic i took a few years back, a historical coffee shop that use to be a place popular hangout back in the days. Today i saw many backdrops of this cafe on TV with protesters around.

For whats it worth...i really hope it was worthed.

Indecent Encounter

2011-01-24T22:08:00.007+03:00

Being flashed at is not fun at ALL!

Pll should learn to keep their bits in their pants argghhhh!!!

Gotta find a different route for

my morning

walk now.

Menyusahkan org jer.

Bear Cookie Pops

2011-01-09T23:56:00.011+03:00

Ive been hearing this all week since bubbles been on vac. The 1st 2 weeks was very busy for her....she pretty much went to work...leaving at 730am coming back from lunch and out again til 6pm...where to? around the compund with her frens...her frens that all will be leaving by new year.

It was pretty sad, i mean i felt sad for her. They only new each other for a few months but its as if they been frens for ages!

So since all her frens are gone now, ive been trying to find things for her to do, painting, writing etc..but everyday she would bug me about the bear cookie pop, im like what is that bubbles??? apparently she had seen in on youtube, bizzare rite...she even know whats the ingredient and how to make it.

So last week i gave in. She was being a doll and i told

her ok, we will make some cookies.

I almost never make cookie except from maybe that one raya, so lucky i had my Chef Wan book to copy a recipe from hahahaha.

It was actually a recipe for biskut cornflakes rangup but i modified it to what we had.

Bear Cookie Pops

1 stick of butter

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup fine sugar

3/4 self raising flour, sifted

100 grm special K

1/2 cup cranberries chopped

Beat sugar and butter til light and creamy, add the egg yolk and mix well. Add in the cornflakes and cranberries, flour and mix well. Roll them out or spoon them out as you like and bake for about 20 mins depending on their sizes at 170 degC.

Make 18 big fat cookies!

Let them cool and eat em all !!!...these cookies are super yummy

Dissapointed

2011-01-09T23:18:00.007+03:00

( FANAR ‘Qatar Islamic Cultural Center’ )

Having lived in a arabic speaking country for 3 1/2 yrs, and since ive been a newbie in Doha, a fav question when i meet a new person is..." ohh u lived in Egypt, so do u speak Arabic??? " and my question is..." uhmmm unfortunately i do not, i could go by small words but that's about it".Malu kan...but the truth is that i never really made the afford and its a shame.

Before i left Cairo, i told my frens, i will learn Arabic in Doha and they all laughed but of course, one does not need to know any Arabic to live at all as majority are expats but i still wanted too and i was ready to learn. So today, i got up all excited to go and enroll myself for the course even convinced a fren to come along drove all the was to the Islamic Center, made 2 rounds looking for a parking, only to find out that the information that i was told over the phone was as all bogus!!! Can u imagine the frustration, apparently they decided to change the time table over the weekend, we were not the only ones, i could see a few other pissed off faces and i must say the lady at the counter wasn't much help either...PMS possibly..so rude and unwelcoming. We were told to come on Monday and Wednesday which of course i cant since lulu will be at home on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Crushed!!! that's all i can say...there are other centers but must of them are held during the evening and on days that i cant come, hadn't they change the time table...it would have been perfect.

Its a good thing N was with me and Souq Wakif is just across the street, some window shopping and breakie with a morning hubbly i felt a bit better,the morning wasn't completely gone but i was still annoyed.

Tried some abayas....not bad looking too :)

So long 2010...Hello 2011

2011-01-02T00:42:00.001+03:00

Happy New Year peeps....resolutions...soo old fashion :)

xoxo...

XOXO

2010-12-25T05:00:00.002+03:00

soo gonna suffer tomorrow.....its 5am and i still on it!

its soo addictive

Merry Xmas Everyone!

2010-12-25T02:41:00.002+03:00

To my dearest frens who are celebrating this festive season.....

Merry Christmas and Happy Hols....:)

Datenite

2010-12-25T01:19:00.010+03:00

We tried on a sitter last Thursday so that me and caveman could have a date nite and the girls loved her which makes things easier for us. Since it was the 1st time with the sitter, we didn't want to leave them for too long. We ended up watching a movie at a nearby mall.

What did we watch??? something i wouldn't recommend to anyone ' The Las

t Exorcism '. The movie sucked big time...although i was a little freaked out but it was not

worth 35 QAR and plus..it was the worst movie experience i have ever had. I was actually

surprised that i would get a ticket coz it was busy....there was 3 seat left and they were good seats. So we went in and as we walked in we were both shocked at the audience 1st of all we

were the only no arabic speaker and most of them were kids....i mean this was a 18 rated movie! so we thot OK...maybe the kids here are super brave. As soon as the movie started....the whole theater was like a market place...pll talking...mobile phones ringing...bb beeping...foot on the

chairs....comments flying around every time there was a scary part or some skin showing...alot of wooo...booo....etc. It was insane. The pll behind us was talking nonstop despite of our constance stares and shhhhh.I even wonder why are they here in the 1st place...i mean go to a coffee shop and blab all you want. At the end of the movie, we came out completely annoyed and i actually felt cheated. Some pll need to learn some cinema attics coz i am soo not payi

ng another 35 QAR to seat and watch a movie with a bunch of bozoo!

Then we had supper at Dean Delluca which was nice with some entertainment...people

watching :D. Thursday nite is always good for pll watching u will see all sorts of fashion. Yes a strange conversation to have with a man but it was unavoidable. You see, what we noticed over here and middle east, the ladies in abayas...will always be in super killer heels and look super elegant and underneath that black cloak its always a mystery. I get very

fascinated and always try to peek and see what shoes and clothed they have underneath like a peeping tommie hahaha sometimes when they glide (yes these women don't walk but they glide) you can catch a glimpse. Where else the men, always in their 'dishdash' and platform slipper so that they don't get their white crisp 'dishdash' dirty and they look very nice too....some very charismatic mbut that nite what we

noticed was that some of them left their national clothes for some modern fashion and boy oh boy...all i can say is that they should just stick to the 'dishdash' ,i wanted to take some pictures but i didn't want to be too obvious.There were bold colors,prints and big huge brand names in every peice of clothes from the cap to the shoes.Brand overkill!.

Neither me nor caveman are fashion gurus but lastnite ppl watching was alot of fun :) It would be interesting to see how we both look like in abayas and the 'dishdash' :).

In the end it was goodnite out...minus the movie of course, but with 30 QAR per hr for the sitter...we have to choose our datenite well and make it worth while.

Bizzaro

2010-12-19T23:15:00.003+03:00

Everyone who knows me well...knows that i luv ghostly things....i don't love ghost, but i luv hearing ghost stories, paranormal things and horror movies. We ( we as and my bro and my other cousins) grew up hearing them and watching since we were young. But since I've been a mother I've been a little scared....i still want to watch or hear them but i get very very takut.

The last movie i watched was Paranormal Activity 2 and it totally freaked me out....like for real..i probably only watched only 75 percent of it and almost lost my voice over it...never again !!!!!

Last nite, i came across a blog..a blog belonging to Uncle Seekers...i think most pll in Msia will know who this person is. In short he is like a paranormal person and he likes to seek the truth ...so he say and he also has a paranormal TV shows and i remember there was one eps that totaly freaked me out!

I didn't want to read his blog coz i was scared to find something that would freak me out but as i was glancing there was a posting of him with a former queen. Intriguing. I read on and it got more intriguing, enough to keep me reading for hours.

Although after all that reading, I'm still not sure whats the whole story behind it, there is a missing link.

Whatever it is...it was an interesting Saturday nite read :).

Qatar National Day - We missed every bit of it :(

2010-12-18T23:24:00.004+03:00

We are not big on parades...esp caveman, but sometimes we give in for the kids, events like this will make them happy and its good to get out of the house tooo.

Qatar has allot to celebrate this month....winning the bid, supplying 77 mil tonnes on gas this year so this year national day celebration was a huge affair. For weeks now they have been preparing for today...road shows, air shows, banners etc.

Unfortunately for us this year, we missed every bit of it...well we saw some bits of it on telly and heard the jets flying over our roof but that was it. Caveman was in bed all day.....he think he might have eaten something bad last nite....nope it was not from my food fortunately, he had dinner at the Marriot. Bubbles wanted to see the fireworks tonite but looks like daddy is not fit to go and me...well i could have taken them but with all the traffic, didn't feel like driving downtown. We could hear the firework all the way to the house...but I'm sure its massive!!!!

Being a lazy mummy , i felt quite bad, so i made them popcorn and we watched Tinkerbell today...twice! So i hope she forgot about the fireworks tomorrow.

Well done Qatar!!!....maybe next year we will turun padang :) honk!! honk!! honk!!

p/s : Qatar beat Egypt on a frenlies on Friday nite.

Expect Amazing - Qatar for 2022.

2010-12-04T22:54:00.003+03:00

Having only lived here for 2 month now, i still find it hard to call home. Sometimes it feels like a temp place. Although with my things arriving last week and the house is finally looking like a proper house, it beginning to feel more like home.

But that didn't stop us...well me actually ( caveman was banking on Australia ) to feel proud and excited that Qatar has won the bidding for FIFA 2022 world cup. Congrats Qatar for being the 1st Arab country to host such a prestigious game. I'm excited to see how they will full this off with the soaring gulf temp in June and July, it will be biggest challenge and latest news from FIFA that they might even change the game to January due to the heat. But im sure they have got this all planned out and with the budget of billion allocated for the Cup, i guess you should expect amazing.

Adek told us that we need to stay here til 2022 so he can come over and watch the game..hahahaha...12 yrs here will be along time away from home, but who knows :)

Sweet Tooth.

2010-12-04T22:21:00.007+03:00

I love vanilla ice cream...esp vanilla ice cream that coated with frosted chocolate, divine! when i go home to KL, I gotta have a chocotop from McD almost everyday hehehe...apparently not all McD have it, they didnt have it in Cairo and not in Doha either, but i have found a sub :). Its even better....Dairy Queen Dilly Bar and Dipped Cones!! ohh sangat sedap.

They come in small, medium and large. I've gone as far as medium but large will be a challenge and i think i will need a partner to finish it off :).Fav weekly treat...for 10 qar its too pricey to have it everyday...hahaha though i wish i could :D

Coming Home

2010-12-01T23:46:00.006+03:00

Ive decided to comeback home....rindu!

When i think about it,i still go back here too read for my frens blogs, my links and check on old recipes...it was my handbook for 3 yrs!

So im home again....blogging from the gulf.

More of my bad writing and nonsense @ http://yummymummyinsunnydoha.tumblr.com/

a new home

2010-02-09T04:06:00.003+03:00

Spiderwebs.....this blog is full of it. I feel awful that i haven't written anything here for the longest time. I just couldnt anymore but i sure will miss it, my 1st ever blog kekeke.

Well i have a new home now...dont know for how long, ill try to stay as faithful as can this time...

read on at http://ayummymummyhandbook.tumblr.com/

goodnight my cairo...

Modified Laksa Kedah Samira

2009-10-07T23:32:00.007+03:00

Samira...i miss you !!!!!

A few months back...we had a laksa fever...well samira did and it got to me. We were eating laksa almost every other day..if its not at her's and its at mine. Of course the laksa is not as good as those back home, but considering where we are and our degree of laziness of skinning the fish, i think its pretty yumss..
I open my cupboard today and i saw stacks and stacks of mackerel in brine and i immediately thot of.. samira, i can still here her voice " ambik reena..ambik semua, yang nie sudah dapat nanti camner nak buat laksa "..so i took all that they had on the shelf, crazy women!

Samira is not here anymore and everyday when i take my girls for a walk and pass they old flat i get very emotional..bubbles will say " thats hanna's house but hanna goes on the aeroplane already" sedih tak..the dumonts are more like a family then friends to us and we miss them dearly...we even have to look for a new Monoloply partner...unless we can convince Marie and Meshary to play! :).

So before i forget the recipe...i better keep it here :-

1.
4 medium size red onions
2 handful cili kering
belacan
a few cili padi

blend all this together with water enough to cover the ingredients.

2.
6 cans of mackerel in brine
Put everything in the blender with some water and blend.
what i did was blend 3 can til smooth and 3 can abit coarse

3. Then in a pot put the blended cili paste and the blended fish and mix well. Once everything is mixed add water about 3 litre or as u desire kalau nak pekat u can kurangkan the air.Cook in low heat and add a few stalk of daum kesum and bunga kantan ( which is didnt put since i didnt have any in cairo...so what i substitute with a few stalk of mint ) also add a few assam keping.let its boil til cooked.

4. for the toppings - timun, cabbage, red onions, lime, egss all sliced and i also make some crispy kerepek ( 2 tsp plain flour + 1 tsp rice flour + water = mix and fry in hot oil )

This will easily feed 8 to 10 hungry peeps..:)

The danger of crocs

2009-10-04T12:19:00.009+03:00

U know how in Malaysia, they put up sign of no crocs by the escalators and how they can be very dangerous? Well they are!!...it almost caught my foot last Friday. Mind you if my crocs was slightly smaller then they were, my foot is probably crushed and bandaged now. I was lucky that they were a little bit big for me.

This is how it happen. I was standing on the escalator and when i was about to step up, my cros got caught and it got caught on the inside of the escalator, i tried to get it out but it was completely stuck. The escalator continued to move till the end and it stop. It was quite embarrassing when everyone had to walk up..hahaha..so i when i finally took my shoes off...this is how it looks like!!...

scary innit...my bubbles wears this shoes everywhere...

completely chewed up..

I was completely freaked out..i was imagining blood spurting out everywhere...it was close. Do be careful when u wear these shoes..i love them they are great to walk and very comfy but they are not for the escalators...the beach...a walk in the park..excellent...escalators..please think twice. Like many of you...i didn't believe it before but just look at the picture...horridkan..

I need a new shoes...:)

Its been a long time since..

2009-10-04T10:56:00.008+03:00

Looking at my last entree ...I'm ashamed of myself. Its been 4 months since i wrote anything here and that 4 months passes by like a bee...this year is almost gone. This year by far being the most traumatic year of my life so far. This year i have been tested in different ways..from the promotions,pregnancy,caveman,baby lulu,bubbles and then the job cut...i have 2 months to go in this year and I'm wondering...whats next?could i handle another test? insyallah...

Yes..i have been laid off from work..5 days before hari raya..awesome innit? completely throw my raya off..and if it was not for my family, i think raya will probably be me sleeping it off. It took me a while to realise that i no longer had a job...a job that i love doing despite of the pll i work with..a job that i spend more time with then my own family...a job that i had for almost 7 years almost all of my friends are from the company and i meet caveman through the company...all that is gone when they decided that i was too much of a cost to bear..is this fair? then again...in business its all about the cost isn't it? For days i keep asking myself...didn't i work hard enough?? what could i have done to secure my job?? Was it becoz i was on maternity leave and had a baby?? I don't know, or maybe it was time to move on, maybe it was sign for me to look for something new or change my life since my life seems to have been revolving around work and not the other way around. i believe in faith and if this is where faith takes me...then i accept.

So i have decided that i will take a year off evaluate life and nurture what i have.

I hope its not to late " Selamat Hari Raya & Maaf Zahir Batin " to my love ones..

Baby lulu's 1st meal...

2009-10-01T12:14:00.000+03:00

Oct 1, 2009

Baby lulu's 1st solid meal...yumms

happy children

2009-06-26T01:55:00.009+03:00

Bubbles has been acting up since baby lulu was born, i asked around and everyone seems to be tell me that its ok..its normal for them to behave like that when the 2nd one comes and that it will be ok soon....my question how soon?

Anyone who knows my daughther, knows that eventhough she is very attached to me..she is also very independent. Since the new baby, she has been very very atttached and very dependent on me and it breaks my heart when i cant give her the time coz i have to sort the lil one. She now merajuk more..sulks..screams more the before and of course it drives me crazy and i get mad and then she gets upsets bla bla bla..i hate to do this...i feel like im nasty mother and it makes me feel very urgggsss..:(.

I was about to go to bed when i saw this email from the baby center pop in my mailbox..: " How to raise a happy child "..just what i needed. before i know bubbles was very very happy now days..i think she feels about sad and sometimes she even says that " im not too happy anymore" can u imagine when your baby says that...i get very sad. Being 3 im not entirely sure is she knows the whole meaning of not so happy but for a 3 yrs old to even utter these words..means something atleast to me that is.

Dont know how this artical will help but im gonna read it and see if i can get something out of it...i really do hope that things will get better.I just hope that she knows how much i love her always and forever..

Saya ingat dah dilupa

2009-06-26T00:18:00.006+03:00

Sejak kebelakangan nie sayang jarang ada masa untuk diri saya...terutama menulis dalam blog yang yang sudah lamer mengumpul habuk. Di sebabkan esok hari jumaat dan suami saya cuti..boleh la saya lepak sikitkan, saya pun membaca blog kawan kawan saya....meraka semua telah ditag oleh khemy
ya heran kenapa saya tak ditag sekali adakan saya sudah dilupa kan..takkan!!! jadi saya pun memeriksa la khemy punya blog...nasib nama saya ada..dan saya belom die lupa kan..:). Sudah lamer saya tak di tag..kadang kadang saya malas jugak tapi yang ni adalah sangat kelakar...terutama poe punya jawapan no 1. hahahaha..kalau bapak mertua saya dah tido tadi memang saya terguling guling atas karpet saya....control ayu la kan.. chesss..

ini ada lah tag saya..

TAG 1

1. Bekas kekasih saya adalah : saya ada beberapa...semuaya telah habis tarikh luput

2. Saya sedang mendengar : suara org org dlm tv serita pasal rumah

3. Mungkin saya patut: tido sekarang sebab anak sayang boleh bangun bila bila masa lagi

4. Saya suka : tido

5. Sahabat-sahabat baik saya : adalah mereka yang tau bahawa mereka adalah sahabat baik saya

6. Saya tak paham : kenapa org arab suka menekan hon kerata

7. Saya kehilangan : gelang tiffany saya

8. Ramai yang berkata : anak kedua saya rupa macam saya

9. Makna nama saya : cahaya...reena???

10. Cinta itu adalah : buta...?

11. Di suatu tempat, seseorang sedang : makan kebab?

12. Saya akan cuba : untuk membuat tau foo fah minggu ini

13. Ayat SELAMANYA membawa maksud : sampai bila bila

14. Telefon bimbit saya : baru saya dpt hadiah dari suami saya tapi i saya tak reti guna lagi

15. Bila saya terjaga dari tidur : i tgk periksa sama ada anak sayang ok ker tidak pastu saya tido balik

16. Saya paling meluat apabila : di tipu oleh org org kat sini

17. Pesta/Parti adalah : adalah masa masa ketika saya di universiti di england..hari hari adalah pesta

18. Haiwan yang paling comel yang saya pernah temui ialah : anak kucing yang suami saya taknak beli untuk saya

19. Peringkat umur yang paling menyeronokkan bagi saya ialah : semua seronok kecuali ketika saya die utm semarak

20. Hari ini : adalah hari jumaat

21. Malam ini saya akan : tido lambat

22. Esok pula saya akan : bangun awal...lagi

23. Saya betul-betul inginkan : sebuah rumah kecik die tepi pantai

24. Ketika anda lihat wajah anda di hadapan cermin pagi ini : saya tak sempat nak fikir apa apa...anak sayang sedang melalak nak susu

25. Pusat membeli-belah atau arked permainan : kegemaran anak saya

26. Makanan Barat atau Jepun : jepun..saya kempunan

27. Bilik yang terang atau gelap: terang, saya benci menda yang malap malap terutama masa makan.

28. Makanan segera adalah : sesuatu yang saya dah lamer tak makan.

29. Ayat terakhir yang anda katakan pada seseorang : meh tido sini sayang..

Letih saya....ada satu lagi...

TAG 2

1. Apakah perasaan anda sekarang? mengantuk

2. Saya nak makan? sayang masih kenyang

3. Saya tak suka? semua jenis ular

4. Impian saya? anak anak saya menjadi org yang lebih baik dah sempurna dari saya

5. Haiwan yang saya tak suka? semua jenis ular

6. Saya harapkan? saya menjadi anak yang solehah, ibu yang mithali dan isteri yang power hahahaha...ohh dan safeia baik dari batuk

7. Jika boleh putarkan masa? saya takkan ubah apa apa..semua memang sudah ditakdir kan tuhan

8. Saya pada 10 tahun akan datang? entah la..saya tak fikir lagi...

9. Handphone saya adalah sebuah? beban pada saya...kalau boleh saya taknak gune handphone

10. Saya pernah bercinta sebanyak? sekali....kuikuikui

11. Kawan-kawan saya? org paling penting bagi saya selepas keluarga saya

12. Pernah dikhianati? hmmm...belom pernah lagi saya rase

13. Apa yang hendak anda lakukan terhadap orang yang mengkhianati anda? saya akan cakap..terima kasih semoga awak bahagia.

selamat malam......

time is precious

2009-06-25T01:11:00.001+03:00

Im sort of having a write's block these days....i actually have alot of things to say but when im on my laptop...its either its not coming out rite or im writting 1/2 way and i gotta run and when i comeback..i dont remember what to write anymore...heres my attempt.

Since ive been back here..time seems to be something very precious..a normal day for me starts at 530 am and ends when everyone goes to bed. Luckily baby lulu usually sleeps a good 5 hrs almost everyday...so thats the only that i have for myself. With bubbles on my tail, baby lulu on my nipss and everything else...my hands are pretty much full the whole day..i even take the laptop to the toilet to check my emails :). The very little time i have..i try to catch up the other things.Thats just with 2 kids...those mothers with 3 , 4 or 6 kids..are truely super mums! Salut...

Life for me since..has been different. These days i look at things alittle differently.. Since i've been married...alhamdulilah things was always good.Everything seems to be fall into places and i pretty much dont have much to complaint about...which made me forget sometimes that things could go bad... Then..out of the blue..bam..something happen and it was a shock for all of us. Of course..all that happenned has all been written in the books..and it was just waiting for its time to drop by.

Now...i believe that everything is possible, the good and the bad is possible. Not that i didnt believe it before, i do..but i strongly believe it. The series of episode that we have been thru in the last 3 months has made me think about life..about my life. Life for me is abit different now...with a recovering husband...a toddlers whos craving for attention and a lil one thats fully depending on me 24hrs its very full on...they are my precious and if the time that i have are all gone for them..then im happy.

Life is precious and what i want to say is probably not coming out rite here coz im bloodly sleeply.

So good nite and sleep tight dont let the bed bugs bite!

Couch Potato...

2009-05-03T11:27:00.005+03:00

I so dread confinement period...and i have 26 days to go! i know..i know..its for my own good but...sigh..not that i hate staying at home..i quite like it but when ure put on a restriction its just bugs me and makes me wanna go out even more..im sure u know that feeling rite?

So what do u do at home for 45 days besides...BF ( breast feeding ) ? well for the last 2 weeks i had a confinement lady over...it was pretty nice to have someone at your feet..well not literally but that's what she is there for..i was only suppose to sit and relax...can i do that??...nope..i just cant.I mean one can only relax so much true? but i do like having massages every other day, that's nice and she was a very good too, she'll put some rose water patches on my eyes..and i just go into la la land. and she does keep me occupied..with the tungku in the morning and in the afternoon then the barut which pretty much restrict your movement hahaha and then the herbal bath etc..so for the last 2 weeks that was my regime and now that she is gone...my afternoon is pretty much free so i have turn to the telly for solitude!!

I've been a total couch potato flipping to astro channel by channel..yes baby lulu in one hand and the remote control in the other. Telly has never been so interesting. In Cairo,i hardly get to watch any TV esp in the last few months so I'm completely lost with the TV programs, these days i get excited with the telly..i even plan my day by it...crazy innit?although i know soon i will get bored of it as the programs starts to rotates again...and then i have to find another fave pass time to kill that 26 days..i think i get caveman to get me some reading materials..hmm any suggestions???

Beauty Shots @ 14 days

2009-04-29T19:19:00.005+03:00

( mummy woke me up for this shot )

( Me luv sleeping during the day and waking up at nite....:) )

( finally i got my arms out )

( stretch..stretch )

My take on breast feeding

2009-04-29T07:13:00.005+03:00

Just like how I wanted to normal delivery for my 1st born, I wanted the same to be able to breast feed her exclusively. However things took a different twist and I had an unplanned c-section and failed at breast feeding...yup...bubbles was fed with formula since she was at the hospital nurses and PMC being a hardcore breast feeding hospital caveman had to sign a consent paper to allow the nurses to give our hungry baby milk.

I did try...I think I tried very hard but it was not happening for me there was no milk but I still continued to give her my breast alternating with the bottle at every feed until she was 4 months when I surrender and she was exclusively on formula. Those 4 months when anyone asked me what is bubbles on...I would cringe and tell them she is on both formulas and breast then I would get the follow up questions...like ohh why are u giving her formula...u takde susu ke...etc..The worst was...u have big boobs im surprise u don’t have enough milk… urgggghhh when I think of it now...it’s kinda funny but back then it was very depressing, yes naturally a mother should be able to feed her babies naturally but there are some that aren’t so lucky but I was lucky I had a mother that was very understanding and supported me. Thanks ma!

This time around...I did have a normal delivery with the help of the epidural...yes I have totally under estimated normal delivery and yes it was very painful...after 4 hrs of pain I surrendered to the pain reliever...so Salut! to all the mothers that goes thru it without any help :D u are all champions!!!!. After the delivery, I was anxious to put my boobs to the test again, I didn’t put I hopes to high as I knew what happen the last time. This time, I didn’t put lulu on the breast until after 6 hrs after delivery and when I finally get to feed her the pressure was on...Alhamdulillah she seems to like my boobs more the her sister and I got some help from the nurses at the hospital who constantly comes and check on the breast feeding...I was feeling more comfortable and relaxed...the 3rd day I was ecstatic when I saw milk dots coming out woohooo!!!...I had a good feeling about this....

now 2 weeks after the delivery, still not a latching pro yet,im glad that I have been able to breast feed lulu and she seems quite happy. Although my production is not as big as big as others and I have to give her more feed to keep her full im grateful on how things are going so far and I hope it will continue to free flow..and I have found a few helping aid to help me pass the time while nursing...watch Grey's Anatomy...ANTM season 12 and listening to the Quran recital on caveman iPhone ( the iPhone is useful after all ) like they say kill to birds with one stone...:D.

So yeah…breast feeding is not easy ,everyday when i have to wake up at 3 am…and again at 5 am…and my nipples hurts like hell….times like this I get very tempted to just give her the bottle…temptations ..temptations temptations

12 Keys to Successful Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is a process that must be learned by both mother and child. Here are some tips that will help make nursing work for you and your baby:

Breastfeeding is Best

With rare exceptions, breastfeeding is the ideal method of feeding all infants and should continue through the first year of life or longer, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The benefits of breastfeeding over formula feeding include:

• lower rates of gastrointestinal disturbances

• fewer inner-ear infections

• fewer respiratory infections

• fewer urinary tract infections

• lower incidence of chronic childhood diseases, such as diabetes and cancer.

1. Begin breastfeeding as soon as possible after birth, preferably within an hour. The substance emitted from a mom’s breasts during the first few days following birth (colostrum) is rich in protein and other substances that help fight infection.

2. Try different positions when breastfeeding. Avoid leaning over the baby. Instead, sit back and bring the baby up to breast level. Use pillows for support.

3. Have your baby suckle on as much of the areola as possible.

4. Alternate the breast your baby begins with each time to reduce some of the soreness you may feel.

5. Seek an evaluation of your breastfeeding technique by a trained professional during the first 24 to 48 hours after birth.

6. Feed your baby whenever she shows signs of hunger. It is crucial that infants be fed on demand.

7. Nurse until your baby is satisfied. The fat content of breast milk increases during the suckling session. Let your baby finish the first breast (about 10 to 15 minutes) before offering the second.

8. Burp your baby once or twice during and after each feeding.

9. Avoid pacifiers until breastfeeding has been well established.

10. If possible, breastfeed exclusively during the first six months. Breastfeeding is ideal for your baby’s growth and development.

11. Do not give supplements (water, glucose water, formula, etc.) to your breastfed newborn unless a clear medical reason exists.

12. Your diet plays a crucial role in the success of breastfeeding. A diet based on the four basic food groups is recommended.

Happy Birthday Sayang

2009-04-26T18:40:00.001+03:00

( Daddy's princesses

Yes...whenever there is a birthday ..its her's too my lil fairy princess )

April is a very big month for me...i have heaps of fave peeps that have birthdays on this month...from my FIL...SIL..our two princess..bestie lis...lil niece and of course my darling caveman too...turn a year older last Sunday and for 4 months every year we we get to be the same age :D.

Since I'm on confinement a.k.a house arrest we had his family for lunch...a kari kepala ikan lunch! i haven't had that in while too..yummy.

Happy Birthday Sayang.....Luv Always.

Introducing Nur Arissa Mohammad Sharizal

2009-04-23T09:57:00.009+03:00

( Fresh from the oven )

( mummy and baby lulu moment )

( leaving the hospital )

( nur arissa @ 7 days )

For the last 7 days we have been bombard with the same question by everybody that came to visit the new born..." So whats the baby's name"... " She doesnt have a name yet... we call her baby lulu for now " and 2 days back i got a call from a dear fren in Germany, as we talked the same question came up..." So whats her name? " i said we dont yet..and she laugh..she said its funny how u now have a baby and dont have a name yet where else i who do not have a baby yet already have a name for my future baby..:). When i think about it...thats quite true...alot of pll i know have their baby names set even before they are born...some even before they are married, i think even i did once upon a time...hahahaha...but i dont remember it anymore.
For me at least..its always been difficult to name my babies i always prefer to see them 1st and call them with the name to see if its fits. This time caveman and i had shortlisted 3 names...layla...arissa and iman for baby lulu although eveyone has been calling her lulu ( which i think will stick ! ) we wanted to wait on the 7th day before official naming her at the registra.

So our little buttercup is now called...Nur Arissa Mohammad Sharizal a.k.a baby lulu...

Thank you..

2009-04-17T12:19:00.006+03:00

Dear all

Thank you for all the warm wishes, pressies and visits, it was really thoughtful and generous.

Alhamdulillah...we have welcomed a new addition to our family....the arrival of a healthy baby girl...baby lulu ( for now :D ) on the 14th April 2009 weighting at 3.38kg and 51 cm long delivered at Pantai Medical Center in room 223 by Dr Wong Sum Keong.

We are all back in my parents house to nest for the next 30 days...unfortunately i do not have an official picture of her yet...i don't even know where is my camera at the moment...once we get settled down...the pictures will be up..and hopefully she will have an official name too..

Thanks Poe for being my super spoke person....:).

Muahsss...

EDD : 11 April 2009...count down begins

2009-04-10T19:58:00.005+03:00

Its been awhile...yes i know. Too much happened and too much to tell....so I'm gonna leave it at that for now.

The present.....

Alhamdulilah today, we received some good news from the caveman doctor, which lifted a huge load of our shoulder and i reach my full term pregnancy 40 weeks...and where is the baby....???? still in my belly..well as of 1 am 11 April 2009. I guess baby lulu is very comfy in my belly, although im starting to feel her trying to maneuver herself in position and that kinda hurts a little but i was told that the real thing hurts even more...:O. My doctor gave me one more week from today and if she still wants to stay in her mummy's belly...the Dr will have to induce me...on the 18Th April...yep..on bubbles birthday. It will be great to have both my girls on the same way...but i don't know how well bubbles will take it..she is all big on birthdays and having to share it with her sista...hmmmm...we might have a situation :). i guess we shall see......:).

I think there is a blessing in disguised that baby lulu is still in my belly..there is a few things that we need to do before she comes..like getting her bed ready, her bathing stuff and preparing her room alittle. This time i swap my wicked purple walls to a calmer shade of brown so that it will look bigger...my not soo big room will now have to room 4 peeps now...:). I know...alot of you must be thinking that all this should be done by now.. to be honest, the last 3 weeks was has been very busy,i feel bad myself for not having it done so this time it has to be done in the next few days..no more excuse mummy!!!

So the count down begins........will keep it posted!

to print or not to print....

2009-03-10T12:32:00.007+03:00

Before bubbles was born, i told myself that i will take loads of pictures and print them instead of having them on digital copy. But that never happened...having everything digital these days makes it easy to just store on a hard disk and then u forget to print them. She is almost 3 nows and i haven't printed any of her pictures...so u can imagine how many pictures and albums i need...sigh!.

So lastnite out of boredom, bubbles sleeping..and the rig is not drilling yet. I opened all the folders that has her pictures in it and begin to classify them, she had a lot of pictures...even then, i still didn't think i took enuff esp when she was a baby ...shame on me.

After 3 hrs of looking at her pictures...i managed to come down to 980 pictures that i want to print, that is allot to print innit?...if each copy is $1...then i will need to pay $980 ...crap!. I mean...if it was done regular like how it was suppose to be..I'm sure it will not feel allot but now...that's seems like a lot of money to spend on.

I wonder how much they charge here for a copy hmmmm......i remember in sitiawan it use to be 0.45 cent a piece....dead cheap!.

I should do it anyway...its long over due, and hopefully now i will have time to print the regular...for bubbles and her adek...:D.

What do you guys do....??...do u print your pictures these days???

Times...like this i which there is no digital camera...just plain oldskool...manual camera!

Recap...

2009-03-10T11:52:00.005+03:00

After my last entree....nothing much happened, i managed to get a few things sorted out, the girls furniture is ordered, clothes for donation is ready...(although not being delivered yet )...the floor pll completely scrubbed my floor ( ...if u didn't know...we had a floor issue and they had to take everything and put everything back in and polish it off..conclusion...my house is a dust state!!! ).

Caveman left for Malaysia truly Asia on Sunday...and i miss him terribly. I wish i was home with him..

One of my bestie is coming to tomorrow...Yup!...Eddie and his mum will flying in tomorrow to accompany me and bubbles while daddy is away....appreciate it babe!!! really do....waiting for that assam! for the other two bestie....next time it will be your turn!!! Caveman is worried that i might pop while is gone!

My almost 9 moths belly..is huge and heavy...and my belly has a fan...Mashael she's been very fascinated with my belly and constantly kissing and wanting you lift my shirt up to feel it...so cute, i wonder how she would react when the baby comes out??

Bubbles...has a name for the baby....adek's name is baby Lulu...where she gets this from..beats me! i have 4 names shortlisted so far..

Still not sleeping well...except from yesterday, slept like a baby from 12 to 6 am...must be Marie's delis lamb shank that did the trick!!

And yes.....Thursday will me my last day at work.....off for my maternity leave!!! ....phewwwwwwww..don't be hating.....:D

insomnia...

2009-02-25T06:18:00.005+03:00

I haven't been able to sleep since yesterday....and its 5am now. I went to bed at 1040 feeling really tired but when i close my eyes...they just don't wanna go to sleep...arghhhhh!!!!!...this been going on for 2 days now...today was the worst. I have tired everything....every possible position...every pillow i can get around the house...even tried to sleep in front of the telly...didn't help much.

Why?? why?? why??...when i finally i have no more reason to stay up...i cant sleep!!

feeling...really tired now.....:(

its over..."doing the chicken dance"

2009-02-23T06:26:00.001+03:00

finally....i ended my months of misery yesterday at 330pm.

I finally presented my project to the bosses and got a thumbs up!!...yippee. Although i thot i would be more ecstatic after it was done...the feeling was just slumber. Of course i was happy but i think i was more relieved then happy and it still haven't hit me yet that I'm am finally the so-called "General Field Engineer" after years of trying to put it off, i cant believe i stayed this long in the company never thot i will get to this stage....alhamdulilah...maybe rezeki anak.

Since August, i was working on it, loads of sleepless nites...loads or headache and flu's and not to forget arguments..its finally done in one afternoon...doesn't seems to balance does it...well i guess it never does. Now, i can concentrate on the "nunu" (that's what they call babies here..nunu) and prepare myself for the big day...mind u i still have a list of things that i haven't done from my " list of things to do before April".

now...its time to trash all the papers away...i managed to collect a lot of paper during since August..and its taking over my bookshelf...and yes..i can read again...super!

Monster in my room..mummy

2009-02-14T11:18:00.008+03:00

Nope...this is not a valentines entree, IM not a valentines fan plus..caveman thot that valentine's day was on the 8th Feb..heheheh and he still thinks its on the 8th...its hilarious..so to those who does celebrate the over-rated Valentine's day...Happy valentine's day...:)

so whats with the title...hmmm..this is the story. Bubbles has been sleeping on her own in her room for ages now...no problems..tuck her in..read a book...tepuk sikit..and she is in dreamland...sometimes she does wakes up in the middle of the night to drink, its very dry here, but after that she goes back to bed and wakes up around 7nish. Lately, esp since we have been back from KL she hasn't been sleeping well...its was ok for the 1st one week ( she was probably too tired and still recuperating from the vacation ) but then it started....screaming for me around 2 to 3am in the morning and refuse to go back to bed. She would get off her bed and jump to our room and sleep...soundly till morning and she doesn't even asked for milk or water.

lastnite...i had a terrible cough and back ache...and really cant be asked to wake up in the morning, just wanted to have a good nite sleep til morning. Unfortunately...just as i was about to sleep...i heard bubbles...calling me. I waited for almost 15 mins...but didn't seems to stop her. So i went to her room and asked her whats wrong..she said..' I want to sleep in mummy's room..I'm scared'..'scared of what safeia'...'I'm scared of monster'...' there is no monster...go back to sleep..'..'nooo..i want to sleep with you'...to tired to argue, i picked her up and put her to sleep besides me...and of course i cant get any sleep coz bubbles tido sangat buas...i have to watch her legs all the time.

This morning,i asked her again..where was the monster? she said the monster has gone home..hmmm...funny innit? she had a similar incident when we were in Samira's and Hadrien's place in Sart...apparently she had befriended a fren in the room we were staying..but she was not scared or anything..in fact she was quite happy talking etc...and her fren never leaves the room...he stays under the sink in the room....maybe it was casper's cousin.:)..freaked out samira alittle..:P.

To be honest, im not that worried..i think its normal for kids to go thru with a phase like this since i have asked a few parents...but whats disturbing is that...bubbles jumping in on our bed everrynite...and me having to fight with her legs everynite...sigh!!!..i need to sleep....

Craving...

2009-02-10T11:31:00.055+03:00

i have been craving for ..guess what?....air sirap? funny innit, now i know how it feels to really crave on something.On monday, i was at home..resting..i ate...i drank..and i finished a tub of baskin robbins ice cream a whole tub!...after all that i was still not satisfied..no matter how much i ate and drank, i feel that something is not right, somehow i sort of forgotten about it until i was about to sleep....then i had this weird taste on my mouth...of sirap! BANG!!!...i knew that was i was missing today....i really wanted a big cawan of air sirap. I told caveman...of course he laugh his head off...what kind of craving is this...

- the conversation...

me: sayang...i want air sirap, please...
caveman: what?? maner nak dpt malam malam buta nie...esok i carik k?
me :..noooooo...u tak boleh carik here..u have to make it. i did it before...
caveman : huh...how to buat?
me : u letak air, gula, daun pandan and red coloring...
caveman : issshkk...thats like minum air gula..nanti u diabetic nanti how...?
me : but i want!!!!..i want ..i want it!!...i need it.
caveman : hahahahahahahaha....noooo im not gonna make u any.

( and he was out of the room and then i few mins later i heard the him talking in malay to someone...i presume samira..asking her about the air sirap...and then my front door was open and shut....5 mins later..it was open again..and pots and spoon bangin....hehhee...me sleeping in bed with a smile..i think im gonna get my sirap..:)...then i heard him walking to the room....me: pretending to sleep ...:))

caveman : sayang..wake up..nie air sirap you..
me: still pretending to be sleepy with a big smile...yeay!!....u love me dont u...hehehehe...but...hmm..i want it in a big cawan..my blue cawan with alot of ice.
caveman : but u sakit u cannot drink ice..
me:..sulking...( he walked back to the kitchen and fix it )
caveman : nah...happy?
me : glup...glup....happy. Terima kasih sayang....i lap you
caveman : 'kiss' ... thats it no more ok...nanti diabetic kang.
me : :)

i woke up in the morning with tainted red lips...happy...and big pot of air sirap! hahahahaha...and u know what i didnt want any of it anymore...:)

meeting expectation....

2009-02-09T18:12:00.006+03:00

i have been off work for 2 days now...was under the weather, the cough and flu finally brought me down+ bubbles also had fever+ my maid apparently was hit by a car......hows thats!...anyway..things are looking better today,still coughing did some studying + bubbles is up and running and back in kinder & maid is returning to work tomorrow and same goes to me. Since Sunday i haven't checked my office mails, and today i had a feeling that there will be an email about my appraisals...yes its the appraisal time of the year, and since caveman told me about his today...i had a strong feeling that mine will be in the email...and true enough my "meeting expectation" appraisal is in waiting for my comment by 13Th of Feb.

Am i satisfied with " meeting expectation" hmmm..generally and in normal circumstances i don't give a "toot", since school, i hate the grading system, A, B, C, D..are just evil letters that are used to categorise ppl. So to me coz a grade is a grade, in school u can be an A person but been given a F becoz u screw up in one exam! and at work your bosses never really know what u do anyway but expected something out of this world with very little support and resources but this year appraisal hit me hard why becoz, i think i worked hard and harder then i should, to deserve "meeting expectation" and the fact that two bosses that wrote me the appraisal cant even spell out my name properly makes me wander, if they don't even know how my name is spelt correctly after all the emails that they have been getting for me which i usually don't get any reply until 2 or 3 emails, would they know i did at work and how is my performance evaluated?...my direct boss doesn't even shows up til 3pm on a good day ( on a bad day...u can't even see him for days ) and i do 1/2 of this work most of the time plus I'm getting everything sorted for him like a little secretary...i work long hours to make sure things are OK...i was working 7 days a week for 4 months before he actually consider giving me a day off a week ( excuse was ..." ohh i didn't know u were working 7 days a week"..are u out of your "tooting mind" )...with all this sacrifices, and in end am a " meeting expectation" without a reasonable reason? sigh.......

So my comment to this appraisal is ......Terima Kasih.

10 things i need to do by April...

2009-01-27T01:12:00.011+03:00

this is what happens when ure stuck on the graveyard shift with nothing to do, your mind started to wonder and u come up with silly things. Usually i do my shifts from home esp when there is no operations running, but today we have 3 rigs working...however they all idle tonite...but i still have to be here...bummer!.I was here since 3pm today, was suppose to go home and come back for my shift at 9 pm, when imy driver left me...arghhh! to make things less complicated i decided that i will just stay on til 9pm.
its 00:00am...and i still have 8 hrs to go of nothingness...how happening can this be...ohh so very happening!! i just spend 5 hrs googling for bedroom ideas for bubbles and the baby, reading nonsense on the net, update my blog, walking around in my tiny little office to stretch my legs..its too cold to go outside, ate 1/2 of my not soo yummy dinner and i have come up with a list of things that i need to do befor April....

1. spring clean my wardrobe - this is long over due, i still have stuff that i had since like 10 yrs ago like tops that are way to small...bras and undies that need to be trash along time ago..jeans that i cant even put my thighs in ( i soo love my jeans....i think ill keep them ..:O) and stuff that i know shouldnt be in my wardrobe anymore. A fren told me that she was collecting clothes to donate to the GAZA , i think its just perfect timing to do this now. It will be hard...but i think its time to depart besides...it gives me more space for some new clothes..hahahaha

2. Get on with my so called promotion - elaborate..NOT!

3. Learn how to make Sugee Cake - i had this during deepavali at my BIL's frens house...and it was delis..how can i not know this cake exist??...anyone have a good recipe for this cake....hand it over please :)

4. Choose paint,furniture and decorate the kids room - i just found out that the carpenter needs at least 2 months to get it done...arghhhh need to finalize what i need and order them soon!!!...

check this out :http://www.potterybarnkids.com/room/rom/romgir/romgirpuk/index.cfm

5. Looked for bubbles baby clothes and put them a side for the new baby.

6. Make a list of things to buy list for the baby

7. Start the walking regime daily for 30 mins - i think one of the reason im having such terrible back pain is due of lack of exercise.When i was carrying bubbles, i was walking and going up and down the stairs at work while now, im just sitting on my bum all day for 12 hrs and plus i swam everyday til i was 8 months....which i think help in a way.

8. Read Skinny Bitch - Bun in the Oven

9. Find a name for the baby - any suggestions are welcome....thank you very much! :)

10. Get some rest while trying to finish all of the above in time.................:)

Skinny Bitch - Bun in the Oven

2009-01-26T22:48:00.001+03:00

My darling...actually got this book for me..suprise suprise!never would i imagine that he would get me a book, 1st...he doesn't browse in bookstores looking for books except from the travel section...2nd...doesnt care much for books....3rd...hates reading books except the newspapers ( totaly the opposite of me..i hate the papers !! ).

So when he told me he got me a present yesterday, i was estatic..and when he told me it was a book...i was over the moon and scared, in my head.." i wonder what book he got me" coz im pretty sure he hasnt got a clue what books i read.

Guess what he got me..a pregnancy book...awwww soo sweet, i haven't never heard about this book before its like a series of book called " Skinny Bitch" the one i got is " Skinny Bitch - Bun in the oven"

I have yet to read but checking out in amazon.com, this book has mix reviews...some luv it and some thinks its a horrible to be reading while being pregnant!... lets just hope ill finish it off before the baby comes :)

Thanks sweatheart...it was very thotful...Muahsss

They are back!!

2009-01-26T21:33:00.050+03:00

Took the day off yesterday to pick up bubbles and caveman from the airport...one week without them seems soo long and im glad they are back.I can see that bubbles misses me, i need to be with her all the time, when she doesnt sees me, she will come looking for me which is soo sweet...mummy..mummy..where are you?..i abseloutely love it when she says this..so for one day, it was only mummy..mummy that..mummy this..:)...bliss!

unfortunately i had to work nights again til next week and today i only saw a bubbles for a few hours sigh...missing her again...belom habis rindu lagi. I called caveman awhile ago to check on her...she's already in bed, i guess 1st day at school after a super long break knock her off. Even im little tired today,i woke up at 2am this morning to pee and i had this terrible pain on my back and i couldnt go back to sleep,had to wake caveman up to rub my back which help alittle and i finally snooze off again and by 6am i was up again, coz bubbles hd gotten up already.

Im finding it hard to sleep these days, its funny sometimes i find my leg numb from being under my other leg...huge hippo legs..:). I read that the best position to sleep in during pregnancy is by sleeping on your left side, its good for you and the baby. I usually try to sleep this was but im such a flipper that when i wake up in the morning im never on the same position hehehhehe, sometimes even on my back which is not the recommended position..so i was told.I know this will not get any better as i get bigger and bigger...need to find a way to sleep and yeah...the gums are bleeding again...sigh!! 2 more months to go....

10 Pregnancy Sleep Tips

Drink up! Drink plenty of fluids during the day, but cut down before bedtime to minimize frequent nighttime urination.

Keep moving. Exercise regularly for optimum health, and to improve circulation (thus reducing nighttime leg cramps). Avoid exercising late in the day--exercise releases adrenaline into your body which can keep you awake at night.

Reduce stress and anxiety. Stress and anxiety are key culprits in preventing a good night's sleep. Remember that worrying won't help you, but talking about your problems will. Find a friend or a professional who can listen and help you if there are issues in your life that are causing you to worry or feel upset.

Get into a routine. If you establish a consistent, soothing, and comforting evening routine you'll be able to relax and drift off to sleep with more ease. As bedtime approaches try a few soothing rituals like drinking a cup of caffeine-free tea or hot milk, reading a chapter of a pleasant book, taking a warm shower using fragrant shower gel, getting a shoulder massage, or having your hair gently brushed.

Get into position. During the third trimester, sleep on your left side to allow for the best blood flow to the fetus and to your uterus and kidneys. Avoid lying flat on your back for a long period of time.

Keep heartburn at bay. To prevent heartburn, don't recline until 1-2 hours after a meal. If heartburn is a problem, sleep with your head elevated on pillows. Also, avoid spicy, acidic (such as tomato products), or fried foods as they may worsen symptoms.

Nap during the day. If you're not getting enough rest at night, take a nap to help reduce fatigue. Find a quiet spot, and relax even if only for a half-hour nap.

Support your body. Use a special pregnancy body pillow or a regular pillow to support your body. For comfort, try sleeping on your side with one pillow under your knee and another under your belly.

Watch your diet. Completely eliminate caffeine and alcohol to prevent insomnia. If nausea is a problem for you, try eating frequent bland snacks (like crackers) throughout the day. Keeping your stomach slightly full helps keep nausea at bay. Eat a well-balanced diet. Not only is this crucial for you and your baby's health, but getting the necessary nutrients will help keep you feeling satisfied and less prone to major nighttime "snack attacks" that may contribute to restlessness and insomnia when you go to sleep.

Get help. See your doctor for advice if insomnia persists. Now more than ever it's important to get the rest you need!

2 1/2 months and counting....

2009-01-19T10:45:00.011+03:00

Many still are clueless about me currently expecting our 2nd baby.The last trip back home, has stirred some confusion and shocked a few....is she fat??...is she pregnant??? how come we didn't know..? questions questions questions .It was not our intention to keep is hush hush...why would we but due to the fact that i was ' lost in space' for the last 5 months i guess we did forget to spread the news to the world...:).To those who still probably did not know....yes we are expecting and I'm currently in my 26 weeks..how time flies. It seems like it was only yesterday, when i was sitting on the loo nervously peeing waiting for the lines on the stick between my legs to appear. Voila...two pink lines....suddenly the same rush of happiness and shock i felt 3 yrs ago when i found out that i was pregnant with bubbles on the rig. Nonetheless....we are very grateful and excited, even bubbles is excited with her 'adek' in my belly.After having bubbles, this time i wanted to try to put on the minimal weight a pregnant should....but guess what after being on vac for 5 weeks..it was all down hill...from the chocolaty crepe du nutella and bread in Paris and the delis Belgian waffle plus the food in KL...i packed up 4 kilo in 5 weeks...just when i thot i was doing so well, anyway as long as the baby is grown fine that's all that matters...mummy will just have to pay a visit to Dr.Kurus again...hehehehehe...i honestly do not know how some women can just stay so fit and only gain the weight on the belly and stay stretch marks free...some women are just lucky that way...I'm a victim of stretch marks...this time around as much as i buttered my belly with cream...i still have them...and i have given up..!!! just trying to maintain it as it is.....the joy of being pregnant aye...:)

Bubbles never had a baby room, she didn't even have a own crib...it was a loan from my dear cuz. This time around we want to make it proper..a proper baby room and I'm pretty excited about that. I haven't bought anything yet for the newcomer, bubbles still have some stuff that we be use esp her baby clothes and toys.Apparently setting up a baby room is not easy, there is themes...color schemes etc....i wish there is IKEA in Cairo. I think IKEA has excellent stuff to the kids at affordable price..i esp like the tots bed that can expand as they grow and the sheets are so cute!

Have to start putting my thinking caps soon!!!!

flying solo

2009-01-18T17:52:00.007+03:00

yesterday, i had to leave KL to comeback to Cairo after 5 weeks of being away...but this time it was allot harder as i had to leave caveman and my dearest bubbles behind. She handled it pretty well...much better then what i had expected, i expected that she will want to cling to me and want to come and say....'mummy...i want to come with you' like she always say when i want to go out..but last night...it was as if she knew it will be hard for me to leave her she put her best behaviour for me..thank you sayang for making it easy for mummy...:).
being with her for the last 5 weeks was superb, in 5 weeks i watch my bubbles grow up...from barney to princess and Barbie Mariposa....yes Mariposa is her thing now..and everything must be pink...typical!.Thanks to her Tokma for getting her the Mariposa dress..this is one dress she doesn't want to take off!. She is up with new tricks and getting cheekier day by day and she could eat 3 j&co donuts in one sitting....even i can't!

I had a blast with her...this one week without her will not be easy. I walked in the flat this morning alone..and it feels so sad and when i saw her bedroom with her books and toys, it was not easy..sigh!..6 more days.....i cant wait to see them again, this is one deal i don't want to do again.

miss you sayang....

yummymummy revisited

2009-01-18T16:46:00.002+03:00

After laying low for the last 5 months...i have decided to revisit my abandon blog & keep blogging. To be honest the last 5 months was me being lost in space with things that which i now realize could wait and didn't have to be too stressful...silly me, anyway this year im gonna try to relax a little and not get too worked up with the unnecessary.

Happy New Year Everyone....hope its not to late..

So yes, for 2009 i do have my own resolution..will i live up to it? we shall see insyallah. going back to work after a 5 weeks break will not be easy but work is work and 5 weeks has been generous and wonderful...spending time with the family was great.

However, one day before coming back to Cairo, i got a call from bestie in Sitiawan with the news that 'Mak' has passed away, it was just hours ago that i called her to check on her condition. I know how much she means to you and she will be missed, hang in there babe...insyallah arwah akan di tempatkan di kalangan orang orang yang beriman, al fatihah..

When you least expected....

2008-08-15T16:05:00.009+03:00

i love birthdays,but when it comes to mine its just an ordinary day.I guess since im an adult i expect less on birthdays,not like when we were kids. My parents use to give us super birthday parties and we all have alot of fun!...but that was along time ago.

But this year,when i least expected, i had the best birthday in along time,although i wished caveman was here to celebrate it with me, i had my fav frens to celebrate it with. All of them got together threw a suprise party for me......and yes i was super suprise....:).

So touched..i couldnt stop crying...yes it was not very pretty but i was just soo touched. I wished i could have dresses better to my party and slap some make up on my face, i had just come back from work. They had a very good idea of diverting me and the instant phone calls pressuring me to comeback...i really had no idea...When the door open..i just went speechless and u know when u dont want to cry but u cant help it and how your face gets all funny...i can feel my face doing exactly that and all i see what flashed or lights from the camera. Then i knew they got me!!!

Everyone i wanted to see was there...food was great..the cakes...yumms...Samira baked me her famous chocolate cake..( picture above ). Then i call home coz ayah and mama wanted to see and mama,ayah and adek sang to me...told me what i got for my birthday...priceless..:). I miss them more now.

It was a good nite and good birthday.

Too all of you, who was at my birthday party last tuesday and also to tho

se who couldn't come but deeply wanted too :)...Thank YOU sooo much...life in Cairo would not be the same without all of you and your friendship makes living here bearable and enjoyable.I heart you all.....:). Thank you.....

Then 2 days back...a parcel came from Malaysia..,i remembered KakPa sent me something, It was wrap is a plan brown paper...but the inside was full of drawing from my neices on the wrapping paper, very cute and very creative with a very touching card...yes pagi pagi dah buat i nagis...sigh..emo tak tentu pasal...but it was very touching.When i finally open the box...hehhe i got a cupcake stand...what more do i need....!!! probably time to make the cupcakes..:).

Pressie this year...1 cupcake stand,7 palestine potteries,1 gorgeous bag, 2 super cool clutch, a glamourous bracelate and a sexy perfume...like samira said...all i need is a hot date....:).

smiles......

Pictures stolen from tukang photo except from the cake..teehee

here it comes again..

2008-08-06T22:22:00.006+03:00

my company wants me to get a promotion, where else me...im quite happy to be where i am rite now, i despite the workload, i cant really complain about the pay infact i am very much thankful.

This, i have be running from since last year..and i guess this time i cant run anymore, it has finally cought up with me and i think i am finally ready for it.Please dont get me wrong, who doesnt want a promotion everyone does..but this one is a different kind if promotion..its take afford, time and support...alot of it. I have to do a project and do like 7 interviews to get the promotion...and we all have to go thru it, caveman did it, samira did it, bassically all of my SLB frens did it..im probbaly the last one to get on the bandwagon.

my boss that has been supporting me since i started work here is moving to KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) and a new guy has arrived to take his place, which makes me abit shaky...alot of things ran thru my head today...and when i finally sat down with them to give an overview of my project and where i stand, i was abit relieve to know that he is keen on supporting me and will work together to help me get this promotion on time...when is on time..they have a target of Oct...the lasted Nov.Sigh..isnt it like 3 months to go..sigh..

So today i've made up my mind...this will be my last week to slack off..and after this week...come sunday i will dedicate myself to getting it done in the next 3 month before i can be a free woman! :)

wish me luck ladies! deep breath.......

Possing with my measles..

2008-08-02T22:57:00.007+03:00

This is me, 5 days after i was diagnosed with German Measles,my mummy insisted that we take a picture of me and my measles, so that she can cherish them when i grown up or maybe even make fun with it in front of my future BF !! la..la..la...la..
despite of having calamyn lotion on my face i still managed to strike a post for my fans :D......can you see my spots...maybe not becoz they are covered by the lotion my crazy parents covered me with...

my measles was not to bad, the Dr said that it was becoz i had the vaccination when i was a wee baby, if not i will be like a wee lobster...yes mummy showed me the pictures of other babies who had them...red red red. It wasn't pleasent, i have very high fever for 3 days and i was very weak. Thanks to mummy and daddy who nursed me day & nite, i am feeling alot better now, i even ate some pasta today..mummy was very happy!

i have 2 more days to go...missing school...missing my wee frens..wid, mashael, hanna and karam and of course Tisha my partner in crime...i cant wait to go out and play with them and my parents are driving me cookoo...they have been feeding me this pink medicine which they claims to be SWEET...and today mummy also made me eat cod liver oil and claim that SWEET too...hmmm, i am not easily fooled mummy.i know what SWEET taste like...they are yummy...hehehehe...but i know she and my daddy wants me to get better...so to make them happy,ate them happily and i get a thumbs up "Good Job" every time i finish a spoon full without fail from daddy and mummy.

2 more days.....:D

Selamat Hari Jadi Mama

2008-08-02T11:55:00.009+03:00

hari nie..56 tahun lalu,seorang wanita yang saya amat sayangi and rindui telah melahirkan seorang anak perempuan yang sempurna. Saya sangat berterima kasih kepada wanita itu yang saya panggil atuk, arwah atok saya dan anak yang dilahirkan itu adalah mama kepada saya and adek saya. We love you mama...i miss you muahsss
so, semalam i pun tepon la mama, sebab semalam adalah ulang tahun perkahwinan mama dan ayah juga, tahun ini adalah tahun ker-30 mereka bersama..ahlamdulilah, which means, i will be 30 next year..wuhaaaaaaa!!! keke..anyway, mama saya boleh terlupa esok bday die as always :). Tapi kali nie die lupa sebab, die sedang risaau memikirkan tentang sepupu safiea yang masuk ker ICU akibat pendarahan dlm otak. Alhamdulilah die sudah sedar sekarang dah boleh bergerak and dah pun di pindahkan semula kere Ipoh and ahdamdulilah die tidak perlu melakukan operation yang high risk itu. Saya harap harap Ilman akan sihat seperti sedia kala...adek Ilham saya nie baru 10 tahun...kesian die. Saya jugak harap mama tak bergitu risau..nanti mama pulak yang sakit..

Pagi tadi, saya call mama lagi...mama saya sedang sibuk memilih hadiah ulang tahun dan hari jadi nie die KLCC...i wonder what she got! hmmmm...tapi she sounds very happy...and saya harap ayah and adek will make today a special day for mama, sebab mama sayang deserve it all..mama kami bukan seorang yang suka meminta..tetapi die suka diingati...who doesntkan? we all do..now i wish i was at home...:(.

kepada mama...

Selamat Hari Jadi Mama...semoga Allah murah kan rezeki and panjangkan umur,insyallah

Hmmm....this makes me wonder...kalau mama punyer birthday hari nie...makne nyer saya punye birthday lagi 10 hari..hehheh...*evil grin*

Part II: Paris Je'taime

2008-07-30T22:16:00.005+03:00

im watchin this movie called " Paris Je'taime " and it reminded me about pending entree..Part II...Paris..the city or light...and the city for lovers...:D. Watching the movie made me miss Paris..it is a beautiful city and at nite...Paris is magical..:D

So where to i begin, ok here goes...we advanterously took the bus...Roissy 350 from CDG to Gare du Nord, the trip was..pleasent but was a trip, stopping at almost every stop until we got to the highway, caveman was abit worried coz we had to pass everything single ghetto...from the african quarters to chinatown to french bombay to finally...Gare du nord, and from here...we walked 20 mins to get to out little hotel..Libertel Canal St Martin. The 1st day was great...the 2nd day the lift stop working and Shilme and family had a problem with the room..and from there it was down hill...imagine carrying a 2 yrs old baby, a 5 kg stroller and of course shopping bag up 5 flights of stairs after having walking for hours????..i tell you we build some buns of steel that week..would reccommend it..nope, never..find another hotel please madame.

sampai sampai hotel, letak bags and we are off...i was excited to show my darlings Paris, 1st stop..Champs-Élysées, not the shopping but for Arc de Triomphe, caveman was stunt..having seeing it on telly to see such super monument in front of his eyes...just makes me smiles. I was suprise that i still remember the way to get to Eiffel from thre...and when he finally saw Eiffel Tower..i knew Paris has got him big time!!...we decided to go up to the verry top...and it took us 4 hours from queueing getting upthere and coming down..was it worth it..difinately...will i do it again...phewww maybe not. Once u get up there it was a really chilly nite...cold to be exact but the sight was significant, i wish i had a tripod with me..dang! By the time we got down it was 12:00am...and the last metro was at 12:40am and luckily we got the last train back..

Sigh....just in one day there is alot to write...and to go thru 6 days...i think ill stay up all nite. To cut the story short , the rest of the week was just spent going a round town and we spend one day at Disneyland.With Shilme and family, we had a blast..and i think even bubbles enjoyed it, innit cool for her, to go on holiday with a fren at 2...i think it pretty awesome! theres too much to write about Paris..i could go on and on..but it will never end and it wont be as good as me telling it in person..besides pictures tells a million stories...:D

http://www.flickr.com/photos/reenaribena

Paris Je'taime

bedtime story

2008-07-30T10:10:00.034+03:00

sleeping time for bubbles..sometimes can be a peice of cake but sometimes can be a nitemare. With bubbles, i kene tido dgn die until she dooze off sebab she has to fiddle with my ears...her little habits since she was a baby.." mummy...nak ears"..kalau tak dapat the rite place pun marah gak..salah telinger pun salah gak...its always the left ear for me.

i salut my frens that can put their kids in bed by 8pm and they go willingly...although bubbles now goes to bed at 9pm max 10pm, im still struggling. I got this newletter from babycenter. I have tried a few off them...but what i think works the best is sticking to the same bedtime!...even on weekends when its the hardest coz u might be out and about..but its worth the try! bubbles was doing very well with this method until...we went on hols and her timing was haywire...well...can really blame it on her...her crazy parents is to blame...so sekarang nie, i kene start all over again with her timing...

bubbles wakes up happy after a 10 hrs sleep.....dont we all :D

Big Story: The best sleep advice you've never heard

Toddlers and preschoolers: Just when you thought it couldn't get worse

It's hard to believe, but by the time your child celebrates his second birthday, he has spent more time asleep than awake. On average, toddlers need 12 to 14 hours of sleep a day, including naps. (Preschoolers do fine on 11 to 13 hours.) Don't be alarmed if your child vetoes the two-nap routine. At around 18 months, it's not unusual for a child to wean himself from two naps to one. But cutting his siestas in half means nighttime sleep gets promoted to highest priority.

Keep the sleep routine short and sweet
An elaborate, multifaceted variety show — a bath, three books, two songs, and a back rub — can stretch on ad nauseam. "Before you know it, your well-intentioned sleep routine turns from transition time to playtime for your child," says Mary Ann LoFrumento, a pediatrician and author of Simply Parenting: Understanding Your Newborn and Infant. If your child fights bedtime, keep the focus on sleep and don't let your child call all the shots.

LoFrumento suggests that parents of troubled sleepers keep the routine no longer than 15 minutes. (Longer is fine if your child falls asleep easily.) Fifteen minutes should be all it takes to put on pajamas, read two short books, and say goodnight, she says.

Connect the dots
"One of the biggest mistakes parents make is not connecting a child's sleep and his daytime behavior," says Pantley. She attributes many of the behaviors labeled as terrible twos to signs of sleep deprivation. "Fussiness, whininess, fighting with siblings — all have their root in the lack of a good night's sleep." Her advice? Move up bedtime. (See our next tip, "Take back the night.")
(bubbles fav bedtime book)
Take back the night
Exert control and set an early bedtime, preferably between 7 and 8 p.m., Pantley says. "These kids aren't looking at the clock to see what time it is. They're simply waiting for someone to tell them it's time for bed." So pick a time and stick to it.

Practice climate control
Sure, 72 degrees Fahrenheit sounds comfy for a bedroom. And that's true — when you're awake. But the ideal sleeping temperature is between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. That's because sleep follows on the heels of a sharp drop in body temperature, which is also why a bath before bed helps kids nod off faster. The bath gets your child nice and toasty and then the cool room causes his
So, nudge the thermostat down at least an hour before bedtime. If you're forgetful, install an automatic thermostat. Program it to drop in the evening and rise in the morning, and your child just might follow suit.

Wake kids at the same time every day
A consistent wake-up routine is just as important as a regular bedtime. Children should get up at roughly the same time every day (give or take 30 minutes). Fight the urge to let them sleep in on weekends, says Pantley. "What we are doing is asking our children to live in two different time zones — a weekday zone and a weekend zone," she says. "As a result, they get perpetual jet lag."

Just because kids don't benefit from a little extra shut-eye on the weekends doesn't mean you won't. If weekend mornings are your only time to make up lost sleep, trade morning duty with your partner so that your child stays on track.

binge eating junkies!

2008-07-29T16:59:00.019+03:00

i spent the whole day eating junks today!!
i feel bloated!!
i cant believe i finished a whole bar of 100 g Milka chocolate on my own!!
what is wrong with me..
yet i am still hungry..

and i still want my ayam goreng mcd and also big tasty

takkan...!!!
I dont feel soo good in my tummy now...

urghhhhhhh......its PMS im tell ya!!

saya nak makan ayam goreng McD and ribena!

2008-07-28T23:45:00.003+03:00

lilmisskechik..have been craving for these yummies...and today she had the nerves to tell me that she ate them again....uwaaa..dah la org puase today...dugaan betul!

I miss ayam goreng McD..esp the pedas one..and of course ribena, tapi ribena dah lepas kan rindu kat london..:D. I wanted to bring back one botol but terforgot.

sigh...if only egypt mcd have em....i will have them rite now!!!...

its that time again..PMS is kicking in..:O! need junks..and need sugar....!!!

sian anak mummy..

2008-07-28T16:58:00.005+03:00

poor bubbles has been attacked by the german measles a.k.a rubella despite of the vaccination she was givin. it started off with a fever early saturday morning after coming back from hanna's house,the parents had a crazy game of "Charade". The battle between the wives vs the hubbies.

balik balik rumah..the temp was almost 39degC..kasik her fav cherry panadol and put her to sleep. In the morning she woke up as always..jumping and bouncing around satu hari non-stop. This is our baby, she is like a bottle of fizzy drink...always bubbly! come sundown...suddenly her fever naik sampai 39.5 degC again...alittle panic...we checked her body and ader little tiny tiny red spots,penuh kat her tummy and some around her mouth. hmm..what could it be...isnt she to tiny to have chicken pox or measles...lagi pun she had her vaccination already.Unlike in KL whre u can just pop to a dr anytime of the day...here in cairo....its almost impossible to see adr without an apoointment made in advance...frustating you ask...yes very! esp in times like this. We got an appointment for Sunday at 6pm...the wait was not very pleasent..the whole sunday her temp was like a yo yo...going as high as 40degC, her kepala was constantly soaked in chilled water and damp towel.

got to the dr and he said she has the possibility to have german measles..a milder version of measles..and its pretty common to have it a young as bubbles...phewwww what a relieve alhamdulilah nothing serious...we cant do much with the measles jut have to control the fever and must be quarantine for a week or soo...and no contact with a preggie woman!

So this morning...fever still the same and red spot is more visible esp kat muke die, unfortunately we both had to go to work today,sian anak mummy...i can feel that she is lighter than a few days ago too dah kurus sikit, tried to take pictures of her spots but it was covered by calymyl lotion :D.I just put her to bed awhile and her temp was 37degC..almost normal...i hope it stays that way..insyallah...

next check up : Wednesday.

German Measles ( Rubella )

What is German measles?

If a pregnant woman is infected with German measles there is a risk of damage to the unborn child.

German measles (rubella) is an illness caused by a virus. Epidemics tend to break out every three to four years, although the illness is less contagious than measles and chickenpox.
While most children have measles in their early childhood, a lot do not get German measles until they are quite a bit older: 10 to 20 per cent of 20 to 25-year-olds have never had the disease. In fact, a lot of people have German measles in such a mild form that it is never diagnosed.

Today, only very few children get German measles, as most of them are vaccinated (MMR vaccine).

How do you get German measles?

German measles has a 'droplet spread'. That is, microscopic drops from the breath of an infected person are carried through the air to a healthy person. The droplets carrying the virus reach the mouth, throat and nose, from where they spread to the rest of the body.

What are the signs of German measles?

The patient develops a rash. This typically starts around the ears from where it spreads all over the body in tiny pink spots. The rash changes almost from hour to hour, and will disappear again after about two to three days, requiring no treatment.
Before the rash appears, the patient can suffer a light cold and/or swelling in the neck and base of the skull (due to the enlargement of the lymph nodes).

The period between the time of infection and the actual outbreak of German measles (the incubation period) is usually quite long - between two and three weeks.

How is German measles treated?

German measles does not require any special treatment - except perhaps for a few days' rest in bed. However, you will have to consider the fact that the disease is infectious, and can easily spread to other members of the household.
The infection period usually lasts from a week before the rash starts to one week after it has disappeared, but is at its worst when the rash is at its peak. Because of the risks to pregnant women associated with the disease (see below), it is an advantage for girls to acquire immunity before puberty.

What risks are associated with German measles?

If a pregnant woman is infected with German measles there is a risk of damage to the unborn child. In some cases, the dangers are so high that an abortion is recommended. Fortunately, this is very rare today as most young women have been vaccinated against German measles.

Who should be vaccinated?

All girls should be vaccinated against German measles to prevent problems during an eventual pregnancy. Today, all children between 12 and 15 months are offered the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR II or Priorix) which protects them from rubella.
It is impossible to know for sure if you have had German measles because many people do not even notice the disease. Girls who are vaccinated against German measles are advised not to start a pregnancy until three months after the vaccination.
If you are in any doubt as to whether or not you have had the illness, an examination of antibodies in the blood will provide the answer. If required, your doctor can give you a vaccination.

Part 1: Nice

2008-07-26T13:29:00.000+03:00

Yes, we had a great holiday...and now we are back to reality again..I wanted to blogged about our trip before we left but i just didnt have the time and the energy too but im glad everything turns out brilliantly.....So here goes...its gonna be trip on this one :). The pictures are being upload to flickr..it was a clicking frenzy!

Part 1:
nice was nice, it was not what i had expect. Never in my life had i imagine that i would go to nice. The impression i had of the french riviera was for the rich and famous not for regular. With the big yacth, expensive car and beautiful scenery and nice ppl...nice is a place for everyone and im glad we went.

I was abit jakun, got in CDG in the morning and when the lift took us to the boarding area...it opened to the shopping mall...ohh tidak...i havent seens such beautiful things since our last vac in KL...my tahap ker jakunan was unbearable..but still controllable :). It was a 1.15mins flight to Nice...waited for our luggages...annd bubbles bag never came...ohh nooo!!..it was left it Paris! was abit panic..but we werent the only family with missing luggages...one family didnt get any of their bags...dreadful, we were told that it will come tonite and we will have it before tomorrow...alhamdulilah...if not lukcy bubbles will have a brand new set of clothes!

Since i have never booked thru the internet...i was nervous about our hotel..but once we got in town, i was just stunt by the scenery..its like what u see in postcards...everything was soo unreal. :). the hotel turned out to be great and located in the perfect area. We took the hop on and off buss to get around for one day..and it a great way to see nice in whole...then when u know whehre everything is..u can just go on foot and take your time....yes in nice...time seems to pass by really slowly...." times goes by soo slowly".

The weather was ....hot sunny days with chilly winds. The sea water was cold but very refeshing, i wasted one day not going in the waters coz i was chicken of the cool, then the next day i realise how silly of me...i just wanted to be in the water...our beaches are better....coz its sanding..their beaches are pebblly and and not frenly to the bottoms..hehehe.Breakfast was everyday the same...from different shops...croissant, pain au chocolat and pain au raisin..was delis...and yeah we put on 2kg since we have been back....

unfortunately my mission failed...haha what was the mission....to locate brad pitt and the gang. Everyday i tell caveman .."ok today we have to go look for brad pitt" and everyday mission not accomplish!..but i guess this superstars have some special secret hiding place...one week after we left,..she gave birth in Nice.

Recommended Hotel : Hotel Ellington - top notch for reasonable price...and great service and big room..plus point when travelling with todds. 5 mins walk to anywhere...

Top 10 things to do :

1. Cours Saleya Flower MarketNice's famous Flower Market is one of the best attractions in the whole city. The edges are lined with cafés and souvenir shops, and the stands themselves are packed with amazing produce and myriad flowers. It operates six days a week, replaced on Mondays by a flea and antiques market.

2. Matisse MuseumThe lovely and innovative art of Henri Matisse was inspired by the fresh colors and lines of Nice. Just take a look at any of his art peering out of balcony windows, and you will surely see the Riviera shoreline. This vast museum shows Matisse's works from his more traditional early days to the end of his career. There are also some of his personal effects here. The museum gift shop features prints of the artist's works.

3. Vieux Nice, or Old NiceOld Nice is downright dripping with atmosphere. Its narrow streets are a one-stop shop for take-home finds, such as Provençal wares, household items, wine, gourmet gifts, hip clothing and more. There are numerous restaurants in the area, as well as several fun bars and nightclubs. Be sure to stop off for a delicious ice cream in this neighborhood.

4. Le ChateauThe best reason to visit the chateau is for the spectacular panoramic view of the city and sea. You won't actually see much of a castle (only a few sections of it remain). You can take the elevator up for a nominal price or hike up the stairs for free to the park atop the hill. Be sure to bring your camera.

5. Promenade des AnglaisFew spots epitomize Nice -- or, in fact, the joie de vivre of the French Riviera in general -- than the inviting Promenade des Anglais. It is always bustling with humanity.There are tourists relaxing in the royal blue chairs lining the shore. There are locals roller blading, biking or jogging along it. Vendors sell crepes and drinks on it. Best of all, there are delightful (if over-priced) seaside restaurants. Splurge on a chaise lounge, and let waiters bring you cocktails and appetizers.

6. Rue de France Pedestrian ZoneThe Nice pedestrian zone, or "zone pietonne," is a hub of activity. This is the place if you need to load up on souvenirs. Street entertainers frequent this area. There are gourmet shops, clothing shops, news stands, bookstores and more. (Check out the Ducs de Gascogne store for some real finds). Grab a café au lait and watch the world go by, nibble on a crepe, or visit in the evening for a robust meal with an Italian accent. This is just a lively spot!

7. Theatre de la Photographie et de l'ImageThis homage to the photographic arts is housed in a lovely renovated building a couple blocks off the busy Boulevard Jean Medicine thoroughfare. The museum typically hosts exhibits of universal appeal, such as a show dedicated to portraits of Hollywood celebrities over the decades and an exhibition on American Indians. Entry is free.

8. Russian CathedralWhat a juxtaposition: the traditional Russian onion towers in the background, and the tropical palm trees in the foreground. As odd a pairing as the two seem, the Russian Cathedral is just one of many Russian attractions in the city. The Russian aristocracy used Nice as a balmy getaway, and left their indelable mark on the Riviera city. The cathedral is the finest example, and provides a rare opportunity to experience the former U.S.S.R. on the Cote d'Azur.

9. Nice Archaeology Museum and Roman RuinsThe Russians weren't the first to succumb to the allure of Nice. The ancient Romans also called the area home, and to this day visitors can see the ruins of a Roman arena and bathhouses at (or next to) this museum in the Nice Cimiez neighborhood (right next to the Matisse Museum). Inside, the archaeology museum houses an interesting mix of historic and archeological exhibits on the area.

10. Nice PortThe Nice Port area is one frequently overlooked by tourists, but it shouldn't be. Just around the corner from Old Nice and the Quai des Etats Unis, this is a great spot to watch the Corsica ferries lift off. There are also some of the city's hippest nightclubs here.

There is more to do in nice beside the 10 things...but u will need at least 2 weeks...to exlpore the mountains and the country side.

All i can say is that, Nice is a dream and i would go there again anytime....http://www.flickr.com/photos/reenaribena/

a new start to an old beginning

2008-07-24T12:36:00.001+03:00

after a bad month and a great 2 weeks break from the chaos. I have decided to change my views alittle.I need to set my new objectives, i know its 1/2 way thru the year...but is thre any time limit for us to set out on objectives?? i dont think soo..i hate setting goals, i prefer to live life as it is..and live it thru day by day, am i being irreponsible maybe but this is me. I cant say life is bad...alhamdulilah so far everything had been great and we are all thankful for that..i feel like its gone abit messy since ive started work..having to juggle work, family, and life was not easy esp with the kind of work i do...its a riot, but somehow i waded thru it. But now i feel like i need to be more organized so that i can do the maximum with mininum time...equals more time with the family. How do i do this????

Plan...organize...execute.

I do not have a 5 yrs plan..i realise this 3 weeks back when my boss asked me what i wanted in 5 yrs? i laughed and he was amazed...it got me thinking was i suppose to have this 5yrs plan...do u have one? what about my 5 yrs plan for life...and family...sigh....i dont have one...and im not sure about caveman either.

hmmm....wondering... Am i organize...i think i do...but not well enuff i suppose..

when it comes to work,despite of getting good feedback from the boss about my work for the last 4 months...he reckons that i need some kind of planning so that i reach my goals. I have thot about it...and i guess he is rite in some point although i dont like the idea of it , i figured, I dont have to do it for 5yrs...but i can at least set some goals for this year...so that i dont go astray.

i have set some goals now its not fun but i had to be done...what are they....its a secret!..but i will try my best to stick to it and get it done one step at a time...lets see how effective it is!

a month of emptiness

2008-07-24T10:34:00.052+03:00

when i opened my blog yesterday, i realised that i havent blogged for a month now..thats probbaly the longest i have neglected my lil blog,had alot to say....but somehow it only stayed on my head and it didnt want to be blogged. The last mont was probbaly the busiest for me...working like a donkey...planning for the trip..worrying if we could make it for the trip...missing bestie elise's wedding...it was nuts. I was loosing my mind and just as it was about to happen...we boarded the plane and off we go to the land of crepes de nutella...

It was a hard month for all of us...caveman was depressed...probbaly for the 1st time...poor him...and i got agitated coz of that..then i was loaded with work...which didnt help things...arguements arguement arguements...I woke up everyday..feeling feverish but it was only in my head, but i guess we all have to pull thru one way or another,we both was very close to sending the R letter and packing our bags and ship ourself back to homeland..:D which was not a bad thing but then again..with the recession and inflations news in flying around...with our morgages...i think not..at least not for now.
Then came the big day for my dearest elise..i guess most of you probably knows, my bestest fren had her wedding 3 weeks back...although i was not there to witness it...her pictures tells it all. It was probably the most beautiful wedding...i would have attended. She was a picture perfect, i know now that she cannot complain anything about it coz she just looked amazing...and her smiles makes me happy. I knew then that she got everything she wanted....and im glad that it was Ivan..coz i knew he will treat her like a queen...always and he of course is super! i dont think i was brave enuff to have blogged about them before i left...i was down down down..lil miss knows it...and now i fear that i might miss yet another bestie wedding...it was the 1st time...2nd time...should it easier...i think not. I heard rumours that my lil coz is getting engaged too...sigh...and for me to miss that too...sigh!

I guess..this are the kind of ordeals that we have to deal with when living far from home..missing loved ones..missing special occasions...not being there for pll who needs you...etc. Its actually very lonely....if i didnt have the little family that i have here...and the great bunch for frens that i now call my family...i dont think we would have survived living here...and im grateful for that.

For those who had to bear with with our nonsenseness for the last month....we owe u and thanks alot.

"Sometimes, people tend to forget the one thing that could bring happiness in life"

2008-06-25T00:42:00.000+03:00

caveman and i, dont wanna go to work anymore...we just wanna get on that plane and be on vacation already!12 days still seems to be far far away...sigh...anyway..last week i was knackered...didnt have the energy to anything and morale was very close to zero, early PMS..possible..spoke lilmisskechik...she is also having the same bug..PMS bug..

to make things worst..i watched "CINTA" and "Jangan Pandang Belakang" alone..so i was scared and sad simultaneously..besides Yasmin Ahmad movies, which i think are great...CINTA is pretty good. Its like the malayu version of "Love Actually" sometimes , i rase that it was cut and paste only tukar language jer...esp the flipchart thingie....its exactly, nonetheless...it was still good...although im sure we are capable of making something different and still make a good movie. What made me sad in this movie was dian & dhani story and the cikgu and cik rubi...sedih!. The same director made another movie that came out this year..(i only knew this after i googled him) called "Sepi" by Khabir Bhatia. Im a movie fan...and kalau boleh i would like to see more malay movies..but its always about love love love..and sangat jiwang...esp abang haslam's movies...i just cannot take it..arghhh...but im glad that malaysian movie makers takin it to the level and producing good movies these days...the latest movie we watched here was "Anak Halal"...though it was a bad...very bad copy..i enjoyed it..id say it has a pretty good story line..its funny to see maya karin cakap rempits..:).

to mr & mrs yeo

2008-06-24T00:06:00.000+03:00

last sunday...i got a mms while i was driving around maadi, it was from bestie i couldnt opened it coz i didnt have the mms thing..so i had to go home and logged in to the website...then i remember..ahh yes today was her registration day...she and ivan are officially married...:).

To Lis and Ivan,

Congratulations...we hope that you'll find married life as blissful and as fulfilling as we did. It can be overwhelming but you will get the hang of it...its takes time...even we are still trying to work it out :D. Well wishes...wish we could be there to witness this day and attend the wedding on the hills, im sure everything will be just perfect for the two of you...

Luv ya..

yummymummy,caveman and bubbles..Muahssss