Amboi! Wardah....

This month I chose to fetch Wardah from her mengaji class. She would normally take a van that I assigned but since the school term is at its end, I have ample time to the ferrying.

Yesterday, as usual I waited for her in front of the centre. She, unlike other kids chatting away walking towards their respective transports, would focus only on me. Maybe she loves the idea of me fetching her instead of that "aunty garang" cum van driver. As she was entering the car, her bag fell down & off scattered its contents. She clumsily picked up all her belongings. Arranged everything on the car seat first before transferring them into her bag. That was when I saw something which caught my eyes...

OK, this is her mengaji bag. Used to be Yasmin's. If I'm not mistaken a birthday present from my sister. Yasmin was 4... wow! OK, that explains such ancient looking bag!

And these are her exercise books with her Qiraati book (they don't use Iqra') & her pencil box.

This was what I found together with her books. A picture of our very own national astronaut!

Front

Back

Hahaha! Seriously, I never knew that she was a fan of DSM. I'm yet to share this piece of news with HB! When asked, she said that her friend was a BIG fan of him. Unlike her, merely a fan... ;-D

*Wardah will only turn 8 this January.

She did it again!

She who? My first born princess. Dear, dear Yasmin. Want to know what she did? Something pretty much like the Merdeka Episode last August. Only that this time around I... well OK, we are given more or less half a week to prepare.

Her Mengaji Centre is having this Hari Anugerah this Saturday night. When I received the invitation card, I didn't really take note of the date & time. Come to think of it we had never attend any of the Centre Hari Anugerah because there was really nothing to dianugerahkan... (Except for last year, Wardah surprised me with 2nd place but we were at my parents' instead. My confinement with Nadeen. If the Ustaz or Ustazah cared to at least ring me up to inform, sebab diorang ponteng bila exams habis. I could make some arrangements for Wardah to be there..)

Well... anyway. Yasmin came home yesterday from mengaji & announced that she volunteered to tell a story during the event. Again... (budak lain tak de ke nak volunteer??) I then realised that HB & I had a wedding reception to attend to that same night. When I told Yasmin about it, she was so cool suggesting our neighbour to send her off since their daughters are both attending.

Rang HB up to discuss & we opted not to attend the wedding... (Frustlah jugak. Baru berangan nak dress up ;-D). I noticed Yasmin brought along her Kisah Nabi book to mengaji this afternoon. I was sure that she wanted to show the story she chose to her ustaz & the ustaz will of course guide her. Right?

Wrong! She came home today telling me that her ustaz said the story was rather too long. And guess what she answered? That she would be able to shorten it... very certain young lady? I checked the story she chose. Interesting but I doubt she would be able to tell such long story. Editing was strongly needed & who do you think had to do it? Mama jugak...

Now, this is the edited version. What do you think? She read out loud to me just now. It was not bad at all. That girl sure can tell a story. I told her to practise telling the story not reading out the story... 3 days to do that. I guess time is on our side this time ;-)

Assalamualaikum… Saya, Amirah Yasmin akan berkongsi cerita tentang kisah

BURUNG HUD-HUD PERISIK NABI SULAIMAN

Nabi Sulaiman merupakan seorang Nabi yang diberi keistimewaan boleh bercakap dan memahami bahasa jin dan haiwan. Baginda juga mempunyai bala tentera yang besar terdiri daripada golongan manusia, jin dan haiwan.

Suatu pagi, Nabi Sulaiman memeriksa burung-burungnya dan didapati burung Hud-hud tiada.

“Mengapa beta tak nampak burung Hud-hud pagi ini?” Tanya Nabi Sulaiman kepada semua burung di situ.

Semuanya diam membisu seribu bahasa. Nabi Sulaiman mundar mandir ke kiri, ke kanan sambil berfikir dan bersuara.

“Beta akan menghukumnya apabila dia balik nanti kecuali dia dapat memberi alasan yang bernas.”

Tidak lama kemudian tiba-tiba Hud-hud muncul dalam keadaan tercungap-cungap.

“Ke manakah kamu pergi?” Tanya Nabi Sulaiman.

“Hamba pergi ke suatu tempat dan ingin melaporkan sesuatu perkara penting yang belum Tuanku ketahui.” Terang Hud-hud.

“Apakah perkara tersebut?” Tanya Nabi Sulaiman.

“Hamba dari negeri Saba. Di situ kerajaannya diperintah oleh seorang permaisuri bernama Ratu Balqis. Malangnya baginda dan pengikutnya tidak menyembah Allah tetapi menyembah matahari.”. jelas Hud-hud.

Setelah mendengar laporan daripada Hud-hud, Nabi Sulaiman berkata.

“Baiklah, beta akan fikirkan dengan penuh teliti.”

Selang beberapa hari, Hud-hud dititahkan oleh Nabi Sulaiman supaya pergi ke negeri Saba.

“Campakkan surat ini kepada mereka, kemudian sembunyikan diri. Tetapi, perhatikan apa yang dilakukan oleh mereka selepas membaca surat ini.”

Tanpa berlengah lagi, Hud-hud terbang ke negeri Saba bersama surat di paruhnya. Sampai di jendela istana Ratu Balqis, Hud-hud menjatuhkan surat tersebut. Ratu Balqis yang sedang berehat terkejut lalu membacanya.

Hud-hud yang bersembunyi mendengar dengan tekun hasrat Ratu Balqis untuk memberi hadiah kepada Nabi Sulaiman. Berita itu disampaikan kepada baginda. Dan beberapa hari kemudian, tibalah utusan Ratu Balqis bersama hadia-hadiah yang berharga.

Nabi Sulaiman sedikit pun tidak hairan dengan harta duniawi. Baginda mengarahkan supaya utusan itu pulang dan memberi amaran akan menyerang negeri Saba jika masih menyembah matahari dan bukan Allah.

Dengan dakwah Nabi Sulaiman itu, Ratu Balqis mengaku kelemahan diri dan segera beriman kepada Allah. Begitu juga pengikutnya.

Hud-hud yang menjadi perisik kepada Nabi Sulaiman amat bersyukur dan berazam akan menambahkan usahanya membantu ke jalan Allah.

Sekian, terima kasih.

I was once a teacher

To those who frequent my blog are pretty much aware that I am a Supermom. Well, at least for 3 solid weeks I was... (sometime in Ramadhan). Now Alhamdulillah my helper is back & I don't consider me a supermom any more, a stay-at-home mom yes.

Before I submitted myself solely to HB & my girls, I was once a teacher. A secondary school teacher of sub-urban Lembah Keramat. I served 4 years at SMK Lembah Keramat & before that a couple of months as a trainee in the same old school.

I have so many things to be grateful for. One of those is my workplace. It is not everyday that someone gets the chance to be in the same school for practical & posting. What more when the school is merely a 10 minutes drive from the written address on my application paper ( I used my parents').

Besides the distance, another bonus factor of a workplace is of course the people. My ex-colleagues are truly the most wonderful people I have known. I sort of grew up with them which I'm pretty sure they doubt me of actually grown up (Hehehe... that's the trick of what you call awet muda -stay youthful). The students? Well... I consider them the challenge ;-D.

To sum up, an almost perfect workplace is having marvellous people to work with, a lax drive to work & some challenges. Why merely an almost perfect? A perfect includes a better pay mah... ;-O

Last night, I had the chance in meeting my good old buddies again. It had been years. The last time I met the whole of them I was still a mom of 2. I tell you being a mom of 4 does make a little difference. Perhaps slightly more than little. Hahaha!

The school organised a charity dinner which I was more overwhelmed of the reunion idea.. :-) I hate admitting this but I was kind of nervous once I stepped into the hotel lobby. But that did not last. The 1st to greet me (or was it me greeting instead..) was Kak Nuri. A senior teacher whom I can't recall ever working together with but she recognised me. That I tell you was a good sign! It was either I still maintain the figure which most of them predicted I would fail upon quiting or I exactly like they thought never did grow up in my chirpy kind of way! Hehehe...

As I was being glided up the escalator to the hall, a man was focusing a video camera to whomever reached the top of the moving stairway. I let him be. The minute I saw a familiar face, I rushed towards. The hugging & kissing episode started. I met Patvinder, Kak Sham, Kak Nora, Kak Norly, Kak Aishah, Kak Solehah... so many kakaks! The man with the video cam like a paparazzi was busy at his work shooting such memorable event. He was none other than Zakiman, an extinct species in the school. Somehow came his insulting remark "Berapa kilo kau naik ni?" (How much have you put on weight?). %$#@! Need I elaborate further why I was so longing for their company?? Hahaha!

In the ballroom, I was playing treasure hunt. Hunting for my treasured friends. Again the same episode continued. Hugging, kissing, laughing, talking endlessly. My... I so missed them so much & the sparkle in their eyes upon seeing me, well just admit it! You people missed me too!! Perhaps more... hahaha. I slept smiling last night recalling each one of you!

Enjoy these photos. Eventhough these are only still images, I bet you can feel the love. To my dearest friends well done! After all these years you did not fail being such out-of-this-world companies to me. Mmmmuah!

This is Ain. She was posted when I was having this idea to quit. Didn't really have the chance to get to know her better. But we had a great time last night, didn't we?

My Kak Ru. I heard she obtained another Cemerlang (Excellent) recognition this year. Congratulations & thanks a bunch for the tips & tricks in teaching. You rock!!

With Kak Bahiyah, Kak Ru & Ain.

That's Kak Bahiyah checking on the menu of what she ate... hehehe.

Zakiman, that night was incharged of video shooting. Not sure whether he was really assigned or a voluntarily basis. I never knew he was ever good with gadgets!

Posing with Kak Ru & Cikgu Fauzi (the former Afternoon Supervisor, now the PK HEM - 2nd after the Principal). We had one big row right Cikgu Fauzi but if it was not for the challenge I caused, you might not be able to handle the students as a respected PK HEM as you are now;-D)

Here is Kak Laila. Very loud ( used to be the Head of Disciplinary Teacher) but with the heart of gold...

This is my lovely Patvinder. Though you can sometimes be an old school (sorry Pat... muah muah muah), you have always been the apple of my eye!

Kak Nora is my silent blog reader. This time around you have to drop your maiden comment. Sorry about this pic though. Don't blame my HB's point & shoot but blame it on that nyonya! She can't sit still even at snapping a photo... :-D

This is the nyonya whom I was talking about. My happy-go-lucky Lim. Life is never dull with her around. Full of laughters & laughters & more laughters...

Now, this used to be my partner in crime, Kak Rus. Just look at both of us in the middle of the ballroom. What was that pose really Kak Rus? More like a dance to me... ;-D

Purple was the theme for teachers that night. It was rather easy for me to hunt them down ;-)

With Kak Siti. I'm sure that you have forgotten this but it was really you who gave me the piece of advice on inner health & beauty. Hahaha! You don't look 40ish at all & I look in my early 20ish myself. No? :-D The guy next to me used to be my student. I taught Khaliq when he was in his Form 4 back in 1997. Was a trainee then. Now look at him. Married with 2 kids & an entrepeneur.

With another student of mine (the one on my right).

I have to thank Kak B. Not only for acknowledging me about this event also for updating me with such sensational stories of my one & only workplace, SMK Lembah Keramat.

Exam's over!

I was busy last week helping out the girls getting ready for their finals. Yes finals! No more exam to monitor until next year... yippeee! I know that I am not the only mom out there who makes a fuss over the children's preparation for the exams. Some choose to trust the tuition centre, others a private tutor but me, I rather do it myself.. as for now. Come on, they are only in year 2 & 3... what?

The girls however takes me for granted, I think. Me, the mama who is hardly sick (Alhamdulillah..), the iron lady standing by them rain or shine. Every time when the exam week is nearing we will have this same old conversation. It goes something like this..

Yasmin: Mama, have you prepared the time table for us to study?

Not that I really follow. It is just that to make sure that I manage to touch on every subject..

Me: Not yet. Will do that today.

Wardah: Mama dah beli revision books? (Have you bought the revision books?)

This is how I teach them. They do the worksheets I bought for them & through that we discuss the questions. From here I can pick what are the things they are weak at.

My girls are so used to this pattern that every time there is an exam, the almost similar dialogue is heard. It's not that I'm complaining. Just that, what will happen if suddenly I decide not to bother about their studies. Can they cope?

I remember then when I was younger. Both of my parents, they used to work. There was no time table sticked onto the fridge. No discipline teacher at home to monitor the whereabouts. No dietitian to babble about a balanced diet crap - "Finish up your vegetables!". I was free to do whatever I wanted. So did my siblings. On top of that.. I was still an A student (primary level..;-))

Guess, the competition is tough now. At 5 some kids can already read! I still remember at 7, I was still doing the ba..BA, be.. BE, bi.. BE, bo.. BO, bu.. BU. Reading was out of the story. And... at 8, I read & pronounced "knife" without the silent K... hehehe!

Do you know why a sandwich is called sandwich? Once, there was this man called Mr. Sandwich. He was always on the go & didn't even have time to eat. During one of his rushing days, he took a slice of bread put some vege, beef patty & sauce on top. Covered the food with another slice of bread & that was his meal. From that day onward, his simple & fast lunch is called - Sandwich.

Where did I get that from? My Yasmin... She read this somewhere & shared with us over dinner. And she is only 9. When I was 9, I was reading only books with large prints!

Need I elaborate more? Children nowadays are moving further in comparison to us their age. Time has changed. If we don't bother about them, they will slip through the climb to success. Wherever that is...

My Nadeen the xylophonist

I realise it's been awhile since I last uploaded a video on my chubby cheeked sunshine. She is very lasak (close to hyperactive) now. The play centre behind her in the 1st video is merely another decoration in my house. Thought of disassembling it but at times she doesn't mind being a captive to this hand-me-down toy of her sisters'. Not for long of course!

Yesterday, as I was checking on Wardah's worksheet (both my elder girls' finals start today), Nadeen voluntarily played her xylophone all by herself. Of course, you can see Wardah in the video... She couldn't be happier. Having a break from doing revision once she saw I grabbed HB's Powershot.

I know... it was rather too brief. Right? Did a few editing as the original carried such a big memory. Took me almost forever to upload. I don't have the time & especially the patience!

Did you see how illogical Nadeen's mom was in the video? Why on earth should Nadeen wave at her when none of them was going anywhere? But you knowlah mothers! Always get excited over the kids' achievement.... hehehe. Nadeen recently understood the hand gesture that goes along with the phrase "Bye Bye". Which explains her mom non-stopped efforts.

Later in the evening, her sister (Hey! That's Wardah's dress... You again?? Weren't you supposed to hit the books girl??) was pushing her on the push car when she agreed to wave at me. That was more like it, wasn't it?

Hahaha! Did you hear the spirt? She's into that lately...

Balqis took turn pushing Nadeen. Not that Wardah was tired... Balqis of course wanted the cam's attention too ;-) I mentioned about Balqis's lisp in one of my posts. She is still pelat but far better than before. However, I did not get what she was saying to Nadeen in this video at first. Do you? Thanks to Wardah for interpreting though ;-)

Our Blanco & a friend

Blanco is close to 5 months. A healthy lad I must say... The girls love him dearly. They are very responsible with their pet too. When my helper was on leave, they did help me. Yasmin was in charged to get rid of the poops. Wardah with the food & Balqis with water.Even HB never failed bathing him whenever necessary. Blanco was also a help. He was an entertainer to Nadeen whenever she was outside in her stroller (Nadeen loves watching Blanco playing by its own). That was the time I got busy doing the house chores outdoor.

You know, I too am slowly showing affection towards Blanco. He is such a dear. I enjoy watching the girls playing with him. Even Balqis is no longer afraid of him.

Believe it or not it was me who took the trouble getting him a cage & a basket for him to sleep in. He has completed his treatment for worms & fungal infections (Remember? He was a stray kitten when we found him. You can read here). He is due for his 2nd vaccination next week...

HB & I are rather particular about Blanco's vaccination. Not merely for his health but our main concerns are the girls'. They get daily contacts with Blanco. Of course we want to make sure that he is disease free.

Here is Blanco now.

Blanco with his scratcher cum toy.

A fortnight back during one of Blanco's weekly visits to the vet, the girls came across a kitten in a cage with "Please Take Me Home" written on a piece of paper. I saw the girls inquiring their papa & shortly after that little feet of 6 pitter-pattered towards me... begging, pleading, whining to bring the kitten home. I eyed HB who gave me an approval smile. I stared at him with wide-eyes! Another pet??? In the end, I lost. Hey, it was an unfair battle... 4 against 1!

To make the story short, we adopted that poor little kitten but with 1 condition. It is allowed home only after my helper is back. As most of you know, my helper safely made it home last week & the very next day the girls reminded us to bring the kitten home.

The kitten was taken to the clinic at a week old. She (yes, it's a she...) spent most of her time confined in a cage. On her first day home, she was shocked adapting to loud sounds, cheerful children & even to her own species.

Blanco was extremely thrilled having a friend to play with...

The response from his new buddy was not comparable to his excitement though ;-)

After a while... even Blanco gave up. Hahaha! Here is the best pose of them both.

She was too busy adapting to her new surrounding.

Checking out this & that. She totally ignored Blanco, the girls & even my lens...

That night Blanco was being a real gentleman. He sacrificed the luxury of his comfy basket & made do sleeping in the toilet. But this new member of the family turned a little violent the following day. Blanco could not even go near her. She made this defensive snarl & was ready to attack. We separated them.

Later in the evening I found them playing together. We almost wanted to give away the new kitten which of course would cause a dramatic crying scene in my household! Now, Blanco has a play mate which I'm sure will soon be the mother to his future kittens. Like Yasmin put it last night...

"Mama, are you aware that if Blanco has anak (kids) you will be a grandmother!"... Errrk!

I've never digested it that way...! Hahaha! HB named the new kitten Bonita which means beautiful in Spanish. Reminded me of my fav song... La Isla Bonita by Madonna.

A recent pic of our Bonita

Thanks little fishies!

I've heard so much of this latest spa done by little fishies but never had the time & opportunity to try. Yesterday however, after doing some groceries at Giant hypermarket, I came across a kiosk for this talked bout Fish Spa. Of course, didn't miss the chance...

We were there during office hours hence the place was empty. Once HB dipped his feet into the water, the little fish speed swam towards him. Hahaha! Check this out...

It sure was ticklish at first...

But you kind of get used to it & after a while, enjoying it. It is quite cheap really. RM12 for 20 mins & RM18 for half an hour.

This is yours truly's feet.

Compare that with HB's.

And HB's

And HB's.. hahaha! I have a strong feeling somebody won't agree to my posting these. ;-)

Balqis was with us & wondering what on earth were her parents doing. The girl in charged was so sweet for allowing Balqis to test her curiosity. Unfortunately, not even 1 fish nibbled on Balqis's feet..

According to the staff, the name of the fish is Garra Rufa. Never heard of it but once, I watched Ian Wright did the same spa in Globe Trekker, somewhere in Turkey if I'm not mistaken. Give it a try if you have the chance... ;-)

* sorry that the images are not sharp. My only toy at that moment was only my SonyEricsson 2mpeg cam phone .