A Touch of Splendour to the Blue Sky

I'm not sure about your area but here in Puchong the in thing is kite flying. For someone who is new with this experience, I do get a little bit extra excited than the girls... ;-D Ever since last week, I had made up my mind on which kite to get for MYSELF!! There are various types, shapes, characters, colours of kites to choose from... but my heart fell for only one.

This one belongs to Yasmin - a fish.

Disney characters of Donald, Daisy, Mickey, a kite chosen by HB for Balqis. Sorry, not so clear. Hers was the highest amongst us & the easiest to handle...

Wardah declared to share my kite. Sure... HB made her use the old kite as recently she carelessly let go of the thread of one big kite he bought for all the girls. And... she misplaced our old kite on that day too! Balqis saw the person who took it. We chose not to approach as it was really Wardah's fault for leaving it on the grass as if the whole field was her big playroom!!

Ready to see my kite?? Jeng... Jeng... Jeng... It's the mermaid kite!!! Wooohooo!!

We were... OK,OK, I was so eager to fly our kites at an open area. Many other kite lovers were there too. It was really amazing. Almost looked like an invasion of the aliens!

The hot sun at half past five did not stop us. Especially me in my many failing attempts making a mermaid fly. Seriously, at one point I felt like throwing her into the nearest lake. Better off in the water than up in the sky!!

HB then was busy with the other kites & his girls. I was the last one he attended to! With the help of Wardah, they tried teaching a mermaid to fly.

After almost successful, the mermaid made a loop in the air & headed for the ground...

The two planning for their next attempt. HB realised that the mermaid's torso was not proportionate. He made an adjustment to make it balance.

It worked!

My mermaid was flying!!

Other interesting looking kites I shot.

This little girl was helping her dad...

These boys were sure creative using the fishing rod to control their thread ;-)

Yasmin, spreading out for a better space.

Balqis had no problem at all with hers.

Tired, she simply sat on the grass ;-D

Mine was the only mermaid flying until this man came. He flew her on his first try! Must be his lucky day...

That was a real aircraft... not a kite that one.

The sun was almost resting but the kites were multiplying.

We were about to leave when the girls saw a crowd. Remote control cars tried to steal the moment away.

The controller

We finally called it a day.... It was a remarkable experience! Next time around I will definitely include Nadeen. She was napping when we left. But if she were around, I would be the one flying to run after her. =D

Teacher's Day Gifts

The girls are done with exams. Not only Yasmin & Wardah but Balqis too. I was not aware of it until the final day. Felt rather bad of course. Yes, I know Balqis is my 3rd girl but I do not treat her as the 3rd best... Never!

Later I found out from her principal that the kindie did that on purpose. Didn't want to acknowledge parents about the evaluation as definitely we would make a 5-year-old or even a 4-year-old-plus like Balqis work on the alphabet & numbers. Hmmm... As the principal put it... "We don't want the children to be stressful, you know?" OK... Yasmin, Wardah you both are no kindie level. It was OK for me to stress you out!! ;-D

I'm so glad they sat for the mid-term exams before the break. I knew a few other schools would only start with the exams after the term holiday. How stressful! Yes, stressful... Word of the day.

Next week, besides getting their results it will also be like a honeymoon week for them. One programme planned for these students is a Teacher's Day celebration.

The actual date was a week ago. Balqis came home last Friday telling me that it was Teacher's Day. A friend brought something for her teacher but she didn't. I remembered going to Shah Alam that day & she made me promise to come home with flowers for her teachers.

I bought some plastic roses & a roll of matching ribbon. 4 red roses tied in bows & I arranged all bouquets in a decorated basket ( a recycle frm my sibling's wedding...). Balqis couldn't be happier looking at her mom's touch. Hehehe... She gave each bouquet to all her teachers on Monday & of course I had to inform one of the teachers upon sending her to kindie, "I'd like to have the basket back please..." ;-D

It is very not me for not sharing you the picture. Very, very unlike me either... to forget snapping a picture!! Grrrr...! Maybe the thought of both her sisters too wanting the same flowers arrangement for their teachers, made the less effort of me to take out my Canon frm the camera bag. What more when Wardah wanted the exact colour.

Last night, I was supposed to get the flowers. The shop is very near to their UCMAS centre. But coming home yesterday evening, the 2 girls saw some wrapped gifts in purple on the dining table.

Y - "Mama, what are these for?"

Me -"A friend ordered. Gifts for Teacher's Day."

W- "Cantiiiik.... What do you have inside? Cookies?"

Y- "How many in each?"

Me - "5"

Y - "Banyaknye...!"

Me - "Banyak?"

W - " I don't want flowers anymore. Wardah nak bagi teachers ni..."

Y - "Yes, me too. Please mama...."

Great!! Now, I can't share with you the photo of those flowers. Instead, I've got to bake more of those cookies...

Here are the gifts my friend ordered. This is the first time, I accepted orders to be given as gifts. Normally, I sell in a container of 50 pieces. You know, I quite like what I did ;-) Those gifts are to be given to all the teachers in her school. Each package comes with 5 homemade choc chips cookies (mine have no nuts).

If you happen to like what you see, I do take orders =D You may acknowledge me in the comment box. I will not publish your orders if instructed & will get back to you. Thanks. Now, I've got to continue with more wrappings... Still down with 70 packages!

Something Old, Something New, Nothing Borrowed & Neither Blue

Recently I reintroduced my fingers to the thread & needle. A department that I am pretty lousy at. But don't get any ideas yet... Not that I am into sewing my own clothes. Far from making a handmade bag like Kak Ezza. Was merely doing some accessorizing. You know, seaming here, gluing there... =)

HB's auntie hosted a wedding reception last weekend. Just like before, she requested my girls to be the flower girls. Again as always they were very much delighted with the idea.This is the first time I'm blogging about it. Before, I was not into blogging & furthermore my creative touch was not involved... Hehehe.

The plan was only for Wardah & Balqis as flower girls. I was quite sure that at 10, Yasmin has passed the stage. HB anyhow, advised me to reconfirm with her. I did. She didn't sound interested. But, I purposely provoked.

"What if I get you a new attire? Not the usual dress which you have obviously outgrown"

"A kebaya? "

"Yes, lace perhaps..."

"Nak!"

So, that was how we ended up with 3 flower girls.

The dresses I bought for them were way in 2004. The advantage of having all girls for us, parents is of course the pleasure of doing the hand- me- downs ;-D Wardah could fit Yasmin's & Balqis could wear Wardah's. I somehow made an attempt to change the headgear this time. Wardah wanted to look different. Not the same old look in the same old attire. I couldn't agree more.

The old dress

My girls in their first assignment way in 2004 (Wardah, 2nd frm left at 3 & Yasmin, 3rd frm left at 5 - why do I have the feeling that someone won't like the idea of me sharing this... hehehe!)

Yasmin's new kebaya before my makeover (no! I did not sew her kebaya...!)

The kebaya after the work of my magic needle ;-)

The headgear - sewed the tiny roses onto the ribbon too

These little flowers which I bought for 30sen each would be cheaper if I were to make them myself. Look pretty easy...

The basket - really made full use of the 13m ribbon ;-)

The 2 bows did the trick. Didn't want to overcrowd the basket...

The flower girls

With the bride

In no time, you will be joining your sisters... ;-)

For those interested, please place your booking fast. These girls are pretty busy this year. Next reception will be in 3 weeks time! ;-D

New Zealand - Day 9

The truth, this travel journal has started to bore me. Seriously! If it were not for some friends who insisted me to update, I might simply put a stop to it. Perhaps I shouldn't have gone on a daily basis. But, those who know me in person would understand pretty well my problem. When I tell a story, I go from A to Z. I don't start from A & jump to H. Neither do I begin with A & stop at X. It is just not me, not highlighting the details. And my dear readers, I am also the type who will finish up what I started ... ;-)

Before I continue with Day 9, I'd love to share something. Maybe some of my readers have read this but I'm sure a lot have not. A few days back, after over a week I posted Day 8 & was having no intention at all to edit & upload photos for the next entry of the journal, I received a mail in my inbox. A comment from my blog reader, waiting for my finger to click publish. Reading it almost made me choke the choc bar I was snacking.

This comment sort of gave me a boost to start typing on Day 9. To Sakinah, I really do appreciate it. It was so sweet of you! At one point I almost pictured myself as Bree Hodge of Desperate Housewives ( she is one of the housewives & now a successful entrepreneur after having her cooking book published). See, my imagination can go that far! ;-)

Dear Ja,

I've been reading your travelogue since your Day 1 and I tell you that it is worth reading. Thanks for spending time to write and share this with us. Your writing is beneficial not just to you and your family, but to others which could be used as a reference to those who intent to travel to NZ, me included.

Everytime after reading your travelogue, I would brief my hubby about your journey. We do have plan to visit NZ when our children are much bigger. I've been there a few times but without the family.

May I suggest that you publish this travelogue to NZ and other travelogue of yours as a book so that your children especially could use as a reference in the future? I would definitely buy the book and get your autograph!

Can't wait to read your 2 other entries.

Am still smiling here... You know Sakinah, the main idea of me finding the time to write this is definitely for the girls. Nadeen at her young age will not remember a thing, I'm sure. Yasmin, at 10 might forget but I'm sure reading the posts all over again will make her remember the fresh scent of Milford Sounds, the cold breeze of Kirra Beach, Dunedin, the bitter disappointment in Hastings & how rejoicing it was at Agrodome, Rotorua. However, publishing & sharing it here in my blog is ample. A book? I think that is rather too much... ;-) Thank you for your thoughtfulness. Now, here we go. Day 9....

Woke that morning to the sounds of the girls' & Zu's kids blended together. They got on with each other in no time. Zu's eldest, Amyra & second, Ariff were schooling that day. Yasmin & Wardah had the chance to send them to school with Khairul (Zu's hubby). Not only sending actually. According to Yasmin, they went to the classroom & even looked around the school. They just loved it. Too bad, the cameras were all with me... They couldn't stop talking about the school even when we were back in Malaysia. In fact Wardah asked me this question which left me dumbfounded.

" Mama, don't you want to continue your studies in New Zealand? Boleh Wardah sekolah dekat sana... "

Errr... To further my studies? Errr... (a pause) errrr.... =D

That morning after, we started off at 10am. HB went out with Khairul after sending his kids to school. Needed to do the dumping business again!! Hehehe... The plan that morning was to Otorohanga, to shop & give NZ national bird a visit.

The small town. I simply fell in love with it.

In front of the shop

Zu & Khairul recommended us this place. Pretty cheap with various choices of CCC products.

Seriously these men were really into it. HB & opposite him, Khairul ;-D

The girls had each other to entertain themselves whilst their dads indulged themselves in something quite rare ;-)

Spent about 45 mins at Haddad's & we made a move to the Kiwi House. None of us had been there except for Zu & her 2 elder kids. Khairul was only recently joined his wife with their youngest to NZ. He started his Master's programme last March.

At the entrance with a replica of the bird & sorry to inform that this is the only photo of the kiwi =) We were not allowed to take photos of their species inside. Kiwis are nocturnal animals.

The Kiwi House was not only the home to the kiwis but also other native birds. Its aviary was the largest in NZ. But the girls were more tempted with the ducks! Couldn't really blame them as that was the only animal they were allowed to feed.

Quack! Quack!

Wardah, showing off her skill to the little one.

They saw more ducks ahead & made a move before us.

... and started on their mission quacking away to attract more ducks.

I was holding my breath, taking this shot. Wardah was overdoing it & got a scolding from HB.

A friendlier feeding spot.

This girls just could not resist the water!

Ouch!!

Unlike at Agrodome, here Balqis enjoyed feeding these animals which were not bigger than her size ;-)

We didn't give the duck food to Nadeen as it might end up in her mouth. From her expression here, could she be annoyed for not allowed to feed or for not being fed?? Hahaha...

Papa's girls...

With Zu. The last time I met her was during our graduation. Who would have thought, we were to meet again, in NZ?

To the wetland birds

One species of bird

It was in NZ that Nadeen really practised on her walk.

This is how the kiwi eel looked like... ;-)

Curious with the sun clock

We reached Zu's place just on time to fetch her kids from school. Had our lunch at her place & then only I realised that we only had a couple of hours left before the shops closed at 5pm. There was a problem though. My dear HB was having a nap... I was in dilemma! Hehehe...

Zu understood the situation. She came out with a plan. Amyra had her ballet class that afternoon. So, we girls hopped in her MPV to drop Amyra off & after that to the mall. The boys (with Balqis & Amily) would join us later. Marvellous!

The time showed half past 4. Zu, on the way to the ballet class dropped me off at a mall first. Yasmin & Wardah wanted to stay with Amyra. So, there I was with Nadeen alone at a big mall. Loved it! I knew what I wanted to get. Walked straight inside the store & enquired about the model I wanted. They had a lot of stocks & also a good news. The shop would only close at 6pm. Just my day!!

I made an appoint to get back to the store later with HB. At the meanwhile, I still had an hour to spare & look around. Found a Pumpkin Patch Boutique & it was on sale!! Was quite a pressure really... I had 4 attires to shop for, all in 2 pieces each or more, Nadeen was already restless in the stroller & all must be done in less that half an hour! I tell you, it was nothing of a retail therapy.

When there's a will, there's a way... I managed that in record time. Woohoo! Thanks to HB who came to rescue cranky Nadeen. She hated the idea of an immobile stroller. HB took her cruising outside PP store.

Next, was to the first shop I went to. HB was not supposed to purchase anything. He had no intention at all but he did exactly otherwise. It was in fact, a good bargain. Way cheaper in NZ compared to Malaysia & furthermore, they were legally unlocked. Having holding it in my hand was a dream comes true... I am now an owner of a smartphone! (so what if I'm not smart enough for it?hah!) Not only that I own a smartphone but THE smartphone!! I just love this toy. Really, really adore it! Nope! HB didn't get the same model. He chose the rival to mine...

My precious toy....

I was all smiling like an idiot walking out of the shop. Hahaha! Wardah requested for ice cream & I was in the happiest mood not to agree. Unfortunately, most of the shops at 6pm had called it a day. Zu managed to get some at a hypermarket instead & we headed back to her place.

The girls enjoying their Cadbury ice cream at Zu's.

That night, Zu made pasta for dinner. HB & I were busy packing up. We were flying back home the next day. With the many luggage that accompanied us, the packing took like forever. I didn't even have the chance to play with my toy. Instead, asked Khairul a favour to give it a check. Thanks, appreciate it ;-)

The girls with the young hostess right before they hit the sack.

Thanks a million Zu for such hospitality. You really took the trouble & I was not much of a help... We have to meet up in KL. Yasmin & Wardah sometimes still mention Amyra. I'm pretty sure too that your son will not forget Uncle & Auntie Ben 10 (he was referring to the Britz). How cute...

*to be continued