Celebrating Riyan's last day in Hanis

Top L to R: Syami, Elfie, Irfan, Riyan, Mustafa. Bottom L to R: Ifah, Hani, Tasnym, Shazlyn, Nazira

Teacher Shidah (pink), Mudarissah Afifah (black), Teacher Linda (seated)

Today marked the last day Riyan wore his Hanis school uniform. It had been four great years for him there. And today marked the end of 6 years of sending and fetching my kids from Hanis Montessori. Started off at Harvey Ave with Nurul, to Telok Kurau Lor M, to Telok Kurau Lor K to another one in Telok Kurau and finally Enterprise One. Five relocations of Hanis within 6 years. The Islamic school was having a bad time finding a suitable location to educate the young Muslims. 

I know Riyan will miss his friends... especially his best friend Irfan. But he doesn't want to admit it. I fast forwarded his birthday one month earlier so he can celebrate it with his school friends... some he knew since his playgroup days in Hanis Montessori when he was 1yr plus. Now he's 6 yrs old. I watched his friends grow up. Even the Teachers and Mudarissah. Watched them got married and having kids. Time really flies. 

Really grateful to Teacher Linda. Someone whom Riyan opened up to during his final year in Hanis. She was so glad that he started conversations with her without being prompted. Took her a year for him to open up to her. She gave me a big hug earlier today. She was happy to have Riyan as her student and that Riyan made so much improvement in school and in his social skills.

He was so shy when they sang and wished him a happy birthday. I think he almost cried! Riyan, he always thinks that no one likes him, no one loves him and always hits himself when he thinks that he has done something wrong. And he always sits in one corner when he sulks. It's disturbing me. Makes me sad when he thinks likewise. I've to keep ressuring him that everybody loves him and so that he will not have a low self esteem.  :( 

Mama always loves you, Yayan! Anyway, i packed

I'm 35!

Year-end is many months of celebrations! Birthday ceberations, festive celebrations. Makes me don't wanna work.

There was a weird scare of one of my aunt was 'nazak' the evening before my birthday... or maybe some people were just over-reacting and not able to decide on what to do?? But if you were in their shoes, would you not behave the same?

I still went ahead with wanting to have dinner at Seoul Garden, Tampines Mall for my birthday. Been craving for that. Since i couldn't make it to Korea to meet Mr Bae, having a Korean meal setting worked just fine.

Headed to Changi for some 'fishing' and relaxing with some of my cousins and aunts before that. 

Now, 10 things i want to fulfill before i turn 37:

1. Change job (hehehehhe....)... equates to full time wearing tudung

2. Go umrah (mini haj)... equates to full time wearing tudung

3. Visit Japan in winter!... yeay-ness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! never used that many exclamations before.

4. Less raising of voice

5. NO bringing home work stuff!!!

6. Cook on weekends

7. ....

Shucks! Only 6. 

I don't dream big. Either that or i know i would'nt have the time to do them... 

Nurul is 8 and my mom is 65!

We don't practise having a yearly birthday party for the kids. Real glad that i did this time round cos i just found out that Nurul would not be in the same calss as her Malay classmates anymore in P3. They partially streamed the cohort... so sad...

Mutton steak Indian style

I love Mio. I love Mio not. Mio drives me crazy sometimes. Always hangs when the good part on a movie or series came on. What an anti-climax! I got to watch a couple of days free Astro preview last week. Watched Malaysia's version of The Masterchef. Best giler! Like watching a sappy drama serial. Loads of tears (from the contestants lerrr). But i shared with Pa that i thought they wasted lots of food. They had to go through this perfecting of skills like seperating egg whites using the correct method of breaking the shell. Any trace of egg yolk and they gotta discard the bowlful of egg white into the bin. Oh Malaysia, think of all the needy who don't even have the luxury of consuming eggs! 

Anyway, that show was inspiring. Junior Masterchef Australia was even more inspiring! I WANT TO BE A CHEF! i went to Sheing Shiong to get Nurul's birthday soto paste. Bought the brand Dessa as recommended by Lala... then i saw this bone steak paste. Thought this paste should do the trick to get me to produce some fantastic cullinary skills!

 Taa daa...!!!!!! The result Riyan loved it. What about Pa? He'd better!

Supposedly Indian mutton chop. But turned out to be mutton bine-less steak Indian style.

Our Hari Raya cookies

ehehehehhe totally forgot that i took some shot of our cookie making during Hari Raya.

Thought it would be a great raya favour for little kiddies or guests. Went to Phoon Huat to get a heart shaped and bear cookie cutters. Cheap stuff. Got them at less than ten dollars. Got some icing sugar too. Wanted to make cute 'boy-bears' and 'girl-bears'.

I got both kids to help me out. First we used  Phoon Huat biscuit mix to make the cookies. Easy and fast method of making successful cookies. Rolled the dough. Got them into shape and piped in the icing.

When all was done, Nurul turned to me and said, "Ma, your bears have no nose."

No wonder i thought there was something weird about them.

 

Ahah!!!!!

I know what you did that nite...

The Pink Walk - In support of Breast Cancer foundation

From left: Intan, Naf, Nurul, Nad and me....

Almost every one knows someone who has or survived breast cancer. I do. And it happened to the person closest to me. And it was more than 10 years ago. Alhamdulillah all went well...

When the girls suggested to take on the Pink Ribbon Walk, i was absolutely game for it. For the first time in my life i wore a shocking pink t-shirt that came with the 'race' bag. Initially i thought it was U-G-L-Y. But when i wore it last Sat, i loved it! And for the first time in her life, Nurul participated in the 'marathon'. She had been bugging me to sign her up for a real marathon or i should say walkathon. This walk was a good start.

It was FUN!!! We came early for the so-called carnival. Nurul got her hand painted with the Pink Ribbon and got free balloons. Met Raf, Nad, Naf and Intan when the walkathon started. Was supposed to meet them at the MRT but since Pa drove us there for the carnival we hung aroung there and at MBS while waiting for them.

Photos courtesy of Pa's iPhone.

Hand painted Pink Ribbon

 

Learn to let go... even the simplest of things

Anyway, while we took our leisurely walk, Pa and Riyan chose to soak in the evening sun and breathe in cool river breeze on the River Cruise! The boat trip cost him $4 per person per trip. Trip was from Marina Bay Sand to Esplanade and they took the return trip.

I didn't tell Nurul the real reason behind my participation. The funny thing is i broke the truth at the dinner after the marathon. We followed the girls for dinner at busy Serangoon (yesss..... didn't realise that it would be packed that sat since it'd be Deepavali...) and while waiting for Pa to get our food, i told her why i took up the walkathon. Her response was: 

Nurul: " Why didn't you tell me earlier?" 

Me: "I dunno, i suddenly felt now that i thought you should know what happeneded last time..."

Nurul: "Great(very the-unenthusiastic)... and you chose to tell me in a noisy eating place at Little India."

Me:   -.-

Sarah's 8!

We were all invited to Sarah's birthday party cum Hari Raya open house. Kids were excited, even Riyan too. Tasnym (Sarah's sister) who is Riyan's classmate kept reminding him of the event. With all the reminders we still forgot to get the birthday present till the day before the event.

Ezrina ordered the birthday cake from us. A Nutella crunch with Happy Birthday Sarah texts. Good choice of cake! Delicious plus no freezing required. Riyan had 2 helpings of the cake!!!!

Thought of helping to collect the cake for them. Cos i know how busy hosts could be for such events. Inivitation was at 1pm. But like normal, we were late... was it because of me?? Rushed to get the cake and managed to reach only 15 minutes late. The good thing was, we were the first to arrive. Phew!!! Because we were with the cake, I'd feel bad if many people came before us.

Kids played together while waiting for the food to be ready. Food was great but i didn't eat much... cos i think i had too much of Hari Raya food for the entire month. We got cute little door gifts... it was something that can be expanded to a large bag... mine was a zipped watermelon... the kids' were zipped cats. Pa didn't get any... hehehehhee

I didn't bring my camera so photos were taken using Pa's iPhone...

Chey dey bah... macam abang-abang...

Nurul with Tasnym (centre) and Dania (right)

My lil sweetie pie... why the crooked smile?

Riyan's groccery list

We're training Riyan to list the groccery items. It'll help him to remember and also test his spelling skills... he spelt all those himself. Good job Yayan!!!! very good effort in trying to spell 'peanut'... 

Correcting his spelling

Wallpaper magazine

It's been a long time since i bought the Wallpaper magazine. About 8 years??? Yesss... that was how long it had been. I threw quite a bit of the previous editions that i subscribed. Hundreds of dollars woth of them... due to space constraints at home. Still have a few of my favourites that i still chuck at work  :(

Now that i have new shelvings, i can go back to subscribing them again!!!! Yayyyy!!!!! An all-in-one designer mag!

I'm actually a freak. Not Shrek kinda freak. I am easily conned or to be politically correct, convinced into getting something out of a magazine. Price comes later. Looks come first. So I myself am quite afraid of getting hold of magazines that brings out the evil side of me. I'd either use my hard earned money to get it or some kind soul would get them for me...  ;p

I got some ideas and bought some designer items from Wallpaper. My best buy or rather, gifts, were the carafe bottle and thermos from Eva Solo. I love the clean and drip free look. It's Scandinavian... why must all good designer things come only from there? Their designs are sleek, clean distinct lines and  very minimalist. Eva Solo products are nothing out of the ordinary but it's the little thought they put into the designs that make them appealing and very, very functional. Just what i love. Although i didn't manage to get them online, my friend got them for me when she was in Sydney wayyyy back in 2002??... Thanks Jiahui!!!! Eva Solo was not available at all in SG then. Now The Touch - House of Design and Art carries them plus a range of other Scandinavian designer items.