Raya 2015

Raya dah habis. Baru nak upload.
Maaf zahir dan batin, all.

Raya 2013

Every year, my husband will be the one who cook all kind of Raya meals (I know, I know, I am lucky :p). (Raya prep in 2009 - here). During Raya eve, he was not feeling well, so for the first time, I am preparing his Malay-Java Raya dishes on my own.

I started to cook at 1 am, right after we came back from my parent's. I made chicken ungkep (Javanese version of chicken cooked in spices), kuah kacang (roasted peanut gravy), nasi himpit, ketupat, beef rendang and lodeh. My husband woke up at 4 am to perform some quality checks. I passed :)

After my husband and Nabil came back from Solat Sunat Aidilfitri, we sent some food over to my neighbour's house, then we had a family Raya breakfast.

Then we went to my parent's to Raya2 with my family. This is the best family photo captured by my brother so far. Six of us.

Watch and learn

Baby Nazmi loves watching me perform my solat.

Cooking Oil Recycling Programme

This event happened long time ago. I just found the photos today.

My excolleague, Zumaira, has organised a CSR programme at Pertubuhan Rumah Amal Cahaya Tengku Ampuan Rahimah (RACTAR), Subang Jaya in collaboration with Persatuan Helwani Ampang. It is a programme to promote used cooking oil recycling and RACTAR was chosen to be the collection centre for used cooking oil in Subang Jaya.

I was trusted by Zumaira to officiate the event :)

...because I am a huge fan of GOING GREEN.

Two experience speakers were invited to share their views with the audience. It was a very successful event and I am glad to be part of it. I went there with my whole family. I love to expose my kids with anything good related to the environment.

Me. I should've wear something green.

The launching gimmick. Zumaira in green hijab.

Kudos to Zumaira and her family for their effort to make this event a success. Anyone who has A LOT OF used cooking oil and didnt know what to do with it, google RACTAR and you can send your used oil there. Save the environment!!!

OF COURSE you can dressed up while pregnant!

When I posted my photos on baby bumps (here), (here), (here), (here) and (here), and in my fb, my pregnant friends said they never thought maternity wear could be that 'normal' and cute (important to note that the attire is cute, not me). They, in other hand, refused to wear maternity wear because what they have in mind is only the old-fashioned unattractive maternity maxi dress with 3/4 sleeves. That's why they tried their best to squeeze in their baju kurung although their bumps are HUGE.

Now I understand. I am glad my blog posts are able to make you guys realise that you can be comfortable, stylish and look cute while pregnant. Put aside your tight baju kurung for a while and go shopping for cool maternity wear this weekend! 

BUT, you dont have to shop at maternity boutique saja - it is costly, I know - you can buy anything stretchable - palazzo, skirt, dress and tops - as long as it is comfortable. You can wear it after you safely delivered your baby later.

More baby bump photos:

Red & blue day

I purposely put different title so I will not bore you with another entry purely on baby bump. I love colour blocking so I decided to wear red-blue attire to work.

I was smiling the whole day because as I walked around the office, I found A LOT OF things that have red-blue combination, in which I didnt realised before.

When my husband picked me up in the evening, I told him about the table cloth & banquet chair, the carpet & dustbin, the fire extinguisher and everything red & blue around the office. And before we went home, I snapped our photo at the lobby.

34 weeks and counting

My bump at 33 and 34 weeks.

Yes RS, my baby has turned :)
I am looking forward for normal delivery. Good boy!

Photoshoot at FRIM

This morning, we went to Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) with Nabil right after attending Canteen Day at his school. We are participating in a photography competition by FRIM - which ends tomorrow. The lady at the registration counter was so surprised since everyone went there today to submit their entries, but we went there to obtain the free permit (to take photos) and to collect the entry forms (read = we were just started).

I assured her that we will submit it on time tomorrow. We are just doing this for fun - as usual - because we know a lot of professional photographers are participating. 

Nabil was the most excited. He loves photography, he loves nature, he loves forest. Just like us. We gave him a DLSR and let him capture anything he wants. 

We went home later in the evening (after the photoshoot at FRIM, we attended a birthday party in Shah Alam). We spent some time to choose the best photos and rush to the photo shop to have them printed. We have just finished pasting all photos (5 each) on the mounting boards and burned the CDs.

My entries:

My husband's entries:

I need a rest. Exploring a forest while you are 5 months pregnant is not a good idea. It is freakin tiring.

We won : Photojournalism Competition for World Habitat Day 2012

WE WON. Thanks for your prayers, readers!

This is my previous entry (click here) on our effort to participate in this competition. And a bit on our submission.

These are what I received yesterday (via fax) :

Korang.... I nak kad yg original....

My husband got the 1st prize. I am the 2nd runner up. Alhamdulillah.

Sekian, terima kasih.

On Photojournalism Competition

Me and my husband spent a few days during Raya holiday, looking around the true meaning of the theme "Changing Cities, Building Opportunites" around Kuala Lumpur, specifically in Lebuh Ampang and Bukit Bintang. It is the theme for a Photojournalism Competition for World Habitat Day 2012. We planned to submit a few entries, for fun. Just to make the secretariat happy. LOL. 

We move around KL on motorcycle, so it is easier for us to stop and capture photos from awkward angles, road side, traffic light and bus stop.

This is the cameraman in action.

The cameraman didnt capture my photo in action, to prove that I was also working hard (more of stare at the buildings and think HARD about the best concept for our presentation boards). 

It is nice to spend time together doing unusual stuff once in a while, although we were soaking wet on the way back due to a heavy downpour, carrying thick stack of books everywhere for a week, went through sleepless nights to agree on the concept and to actually finish the boards, facing problem at the printing shop and lots more. It was all started FOR FUN but it become more serious towards the end. LOL.

It would be nicer if one of us win the contest.

My entry. I printed it on A4 paper for proof-read before we headed to printing shop.

My husband's entry. Love his concept. Love his presentation.

My old laptop

I love my old laptop. Now I have no laptop.

Family : Port Dickson, July 2011

We let the kids play with the sand by the beach at night, in their pyjamas. But, Nazran hates SANDY beach. He hates sand. We dont know why.

He clinged to me like a joey (read - baby koala).

He refuse to stand on the sand at all. Everytime I put him down, he will stand on my Crocs.

Until I gave him a pen and ask him to draw a cat on the sand. Using the pen.

At last! Phew!

The next day, it happened all over again. He refuse to took off his pair of slippers. He doesnt want leave the grassy area. I have to go through the same battle with the baby koala again... Oh, Nazran!

Dating

It felt so good to be able to hang out once in a while, sipping our favourite cappucino (frappe & italiano) and talk for hours at Cafe Barbera, KLIA. Just the two of us.