Food Galore

Best Chocolate Cake EVER

I turned sweet 41 last week and I am blessed that I have friends who wants to celebrate with me. I dont know why but birthdays are always a big things for us makchics. 

My birthday celebration started a week before my birthday in Alexis. It was really unexpected as I thought we were there to celebrate a girlfriend's birthday but it turned out to be a double celebration. Food was good as always. I'm a pasta girl and I ordered my usual seafood spaghetti. I was loaded with carbs!

A week after my birthday, my best friends took me out for lunch. Again, it was a double celebration as there were 2 of us celebrating birthdays in September. Food was good and company was even better. We were there for hours. If it werent because we got kicked out (the table we sat for was booked at 4pm), we would have stayed longer. These girls have been my friends from school days. They know my taste very well and ordered this glorious cake. My ultimate favourite. Chocolate cake with chocolate cream cheese. It was wonderful.

Ficus in TTDI

Next celebration was with my kakaks. My soul sisters who are always there for me. Sometimes I wonder why they put up with me because I am always in need of a kick in the butt with them for being so lazy. I got a lovely birthday gift from them too. Some art tools and demanded that I paint for them. 

BV

This week, I had another glorious birthday lunch. We opted for Indian food. Food was so so good I dont know what else to say.

Tasty Chapati

 

So I think with this, I am wrapping up my birthday celebration this year. I couldnt be happier. My real birthday gift is arriving in October (according to my husband and kids). I know what it is and although it has been months since we decided on it, I am so so excited!!!! 

Thank you Allah for all the blessings in my life. I am a simple girl. I dont need much to make me happy, really but yet the abundance of things I am getting in my life - my good health, my family and their wellbeing and friendships I have, I am so so grateful. Alhamdulillah.

Covid Situation in Malaysia

 Malaysia started our Restricted Movement Order on the 18th March this year and things have never been the same. Ever since then, things have gotten somewhat better but we are still in Covid days and still waiting for it to be over. Alhamdulillah, unlike many other countries, we are handling it pretty well. Kudos to Tan Sri Noor Hisham and his team for their excellent hardwork in fighting covid-19. The SOPs that are in place in most places are pretty good. In school, for example, things are running pretty smoothly with the SOPs set up by the MOH and by the school. I couldnt be happier that the kids are back in school. Being at home for this long isnt healthy and they really need to get back out there!

Our numbers are rising this past few weeks. This is quite worrying. There's also an election coming up in Sabah and that is also something that will definitely increase the numbers. People are traveling to Sabah and bringing back the virus to Semenanjung. It is already starting to see that. 

My advice to all Malaysians is please be responsible. If you are coming from states that are in the red zone, please self quarantine yourself and your family. Yes you are free to travel anywhere within Malaysia but just be a responsible citizen. 

1. Wear a mask at all times (except when you are dining)

2. Practice social distancing. This is obviously not happening in Sabah at the moment as they are busy campaigning! It is scary especially when some dont even wear masks 

3. Practice good hygiene. Wash your hands!! 

With just these 3 simple things, we can do so much better in keeping the numbers low. We've done so well, let's not get locked down again! I cant handle staying home for too long!

Come on Malaysians, be responsible!

Sweet 41

 Early this week, I celebrated my 41st birthday. It is so hard to believe that I am 41. It was a special day indeed but I didnt do anything special. 

My morning started as usual, sending my kids to school. After dropping them off in school, my husband and I went for breakfast in Common Man in TTDI. We had the big breakfast.

Every birthday, I try to splurge on skincare products on myself. This year was no different. I went to KLCC and spent some time exploring Sephora. It is so hard to shop for makeup these days as we are not allowed to try the products. I was annoyed that the salesgirl kept following me around despite me telling her that I am only here to look around. (why do they do that?! it is annoying!!) I bought some stuff there and left. I went shopping for other stuff too and ended breaking my bank account. But it felt good because I generally hate shopping.

I had lunch at House&CO and had my usual favourite meal - Their Nasi Lemak Sotong. It was so good and by far, the best Nasi Lemak in town for me.  

In the evening, I received some gifts and flowers from friends and family, which was very nice. Every year, I will order myself my favourite birthday cake and this year was no different. It was da bomb of a cake.

 

My husband came home with balloons and a gift too, which is really unexpected and totally made my day. We then had some cake and my kids prepared some performances for me. That was the highlight of my day. My daughter's singing is just out of this world (I am bias of course, but she's really really good!)

My day ended with me raising both my hands to illahi thanking God for such a nice wonderful chilled out day.Alhamdulillah for blessing me with a wonderful 41 years of life. For blessing me with wonderful friends and family. I am thankful for everything in my life. 

Thank you for being part of my birthday.

Selamat Hari Malaysia 2020

 16 September 2020

Today, we celebrate Malaysia Day. What does this mean to you? To me, it goes back to my childhood memories of growing up in this beautiful country.

I had a wonderful childhood and it wont be the same without all my friends from different backgrounds, culture and religion. All living together harmoniously. This is what I love about Malaysia. 

We are faced with a global pandemic and I am so happy that I am Malaysian because we are doing really well fighting this pandemic together.

For Malaysia Day, I want to wish all of us a very Happy Malaysia Day. May our country continue to prosper. I love you Malaysia. 

#sayaanakMalaysia

Pst: Do you like my artwork for Malaysia Day?

Countdown to 41

In a few days time, I will officially be 41. Are you kidding me? Am I really 41??? I don’t feel it, honestly. I am very young at heart. Or maybe I’m just in denial.

Being 41 years young, all I can say is Alhamdulillah for all the blessings in my life. I actually listed it down and deleted it. I feel almost guilty having all that in my life when I know there are so many out there who aren’t so lucky. I am blessed, indeed. Alhamdulillah I am so grateful for what I have.

Life humbles you when you are at this age. I realize that nothing else matters as long as my family is with me and we are healthy. Looking back when I was younger, I made lots of mistakes. Some I learn from and some I just cringe at how stupid I was.

Material things don’t motivate me anymore. Sure if you throw them at me I will take it with open arms but if you ask me to work for it, nah!!! It’s not worth it to me anymore. Happiness is something money can’t buy.

For my 41st birthday, I listed down all the things I wanted and then I felt so silly. How would that particular item make me feel better? It doesn’t. Since it doesn’t make me happier, I don’t really want it anymore.

I just want good health for myself and my family. Both mental and physical health. Not just for myself, but for my family as well. And when I think deeper, I don’t just want that for my family, I want it for all of us.

Happy 41st Birthday to me. I come with lots of flaws. Still plenty to learn and so many things I can improve on. I hope I will live long enough to be that better version of myself that I so want to be. Pray for me. Amin!

Best oils for wrinkles

 I'm turning 41 next week (cries!) and I'm at that age where I am starting to look like a makcik. I dont mind look like a makchic but not makcik! There's a difference, ok!

I swear to God, everything changes once you hit the 4-0! I remember at 39.5 years of age, my body, mind and soul is completely different to when I hit 40. I dont know what changed, but something did and I dont like it.

I started googling oils that are good for wrinkles and I found a good recipe. I have all the oils at home and I shall try this religiously. I have a week before I turn 41. It is never too late to start something good!

The recipe is 1 drop of Lavender + 1 drop of Lemon + 1 drop of Frankincense and mix it and apply it around your eyes or wherever there is wrinkles on your face. 

Lemon is known for its vitamin C content. Lemon is known to help prevent sun damage which can lead to wrinkles. But dont wear it out during the day because it is also known to be an oil that is photosensitive. Do this ritual at night before you go to bed.

On another note, my brother is back from London. He was there for a year to do his masters in LSE and now he's back with his family. They moved to a new place and commissioned me to do a painting for him. I only asked for colour scheme and he said purple. 

Tada!!!! This will look nice in his living room, dont you think!!? I love it. I feel like keeping it for my living room.

New Normal : Back to School

My kids went back to school 2 weeks ago. It is the start of their new academic year. One in Year 6 and another one in Year 4. How time flies. I still cannot believe that my kids are growing up so fast.

The start of an academic year is always a busy time. We would have to get new school uniforms, new pair of shoes, new books, new school bags, new pencil box and stationeries, wrapping books, labelling items and all the rest of it. It is probably one of the busiest time for moms like me. But this time, it was different.

No school books to get. No books to label. 

School bags from the last academic year still looks brand new (because they didnt go to school for so long!). We didnt want to waste money by getting new bags for them this year.

No new pencil boxes and stationeries. 

All we needed to get was new uniforms, shoes and socks.

In the new normal, we also needed to get face masks, hand sanitizers and face shields. All this is certainly new to me. 

In case you are wondering why we didnt need books and stationeries, it is actually because this year, my kids started a new school. This new school will provide all the writing materials and books. All nicely labelled and kept in school. I am loving this!!!

It has been quite an emotional journey thus far for us with the move. Initially, we thought we'd have time to say a proper goodbye to all our friends and teachers who has been with us since my daughter was in Year 1 but due to Covid-19, we werent allowed to do that. In a way, it was for the best because leaving our old school wasnt easy. 

My daughter is missing her friends so much but hopefully this new school is a good move and better for my children. I know for me, it is. I'm enjoying the fact that it is stress free where learning can be fun. 

Wish us luck!!!