zara'scafe

My Monday

2011-07-18T10:24:00.000-07:00

Salam..

Alhamdulillah, I've managed to ganti puasa and now ready for Ramadhan to be here.

It wasn't that bad for fasting in the summer . The sahur ends at 430am and berbuka starts at 830pm. Santa Rosa isn't as hot as Indiana, the breeze is cold. One thing i love about living here is it offers mild weather. Not like those 4 season state, kalo sejuk, sejuk sgt! kalo panas, memang takleh nak kluar rumah. Kalo kol 5pm the temperature drops drastically to 60+F...and roses are everywhere here coz of the welcoming weather.

And today house chores resume per usual Monday. Housewife pon Monday's blues too!

Weekend jalan and hubby is around, so kemalasan memang tahap 90%..memang rumah kalo weekend tunggang langgang..

But when Monday arrives, everything has to be done, from vacuum the house to iron all the baju...and now done!

I'm still on the process of potty train Zara. Yes, it's pretty late.

Zara is diaperless today and takut sgt sbb rumah ni carpeted the whole area.

Memang every 30 minutes duk tanyer Zara if she wants to potty.

I need to make sure that she's potty train before I enroll her to preschool.

InsyaAllah.

Safe and sound in Santa Rosa

2011-07-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

Assalamualaikum

The couple of weeks were very hectic.

Adjusting to the new home, new environment, new schedule (full time housewife, jgn jeles), new weather.

I do miss Purdue, sometimes. But to go back, knowing the people that I used to hang around, to play basketball with, to share my tears and lough, is not there anymore.It will be no point to be there.

Now, it's time to spread the wings. Build my own nest. I've been waiting for this time to come.

Be able to plan for the future, without the black-hole that stop us.

Zara has grown up pretty fast. She has able to request in a proper sentence. She too shows her tantrums sometimes. But, overall, Zara such a good girl. Not fussy with the moving. Sometimes, I feel sorry for her, for not be able to stay in a place for a long time. I bet she used to it. She is born as a traveller. I was 8 months pregnant when we moved to KL and when she was 7 months old, we moved to Purdue. So, she start early in adjusting herself huh?

Yes, I found a good school for her. Probably we will enrol her in preschool this September to keep her busy and surrounded by other kids. She was excited when we had the tour at the center the other day.

I'll wrote more later...about my life in Santa Rosa

Elmo and Barney

2010-11-04T18:35:00.000-07:00

Zara has learned a lot of new words.
She even can say..
" Hi, how are you doing?" and she replies " Good " with her pointing finger up..She is learning to get her thumb up, but I guess it just the matter of time.
I did not teach her this. She learns it from Elmo world.
She pretty fast picking up sentence from movies nowadays.
We do not have TV cable in our house. The only channel of entertainment is through DVD.
I've been going religiously to the library to rent DVDs everyweek so that we wont get bored at home. Renting is free and I like the fact that we can rent for a week.
Zara watches a lot of Elmo and Barneys series since we move here.

Speaking of which, I met an Indian mom today at the library during our story time.
She has 2 lovely daughters who are 4 and 5 years old.
I heard the girls talking to her mom with the American accent.
I was impressed and asked the mom which school that she's sending them.
To my surprise, they learn it from watching TV..

This is one good thing that I find out about letting your children watch TV.
But there is always cons too.

My 22 months old Zara

2010-10-29T06:18:00.000-07:00

I've been in hiatus for a while.
I have no interest on writing for the past couple of months.

Now, I'm back.
I will just give some quick update.

Life has been interesting nowadays.
Zara has came to the bubbly phase of toddlerhood.

This morning when she was looking for me, I heard she said
" Mimmy, where are you?" clear and precise OK!

The other day, she said " Hi, how you doing "

Everyday, rase nak gomol2 je Zara ni...

Ramadhan

2010-08-19T02:56:00.000-07:00

This year is my 6th year of celebrating Ramadhan in West Lafayette.
Not like previous years, I feel different this time.
I'm not really miss home that much.
I'm setting some goals to achieve by the end of Ramadhan.
From ibadah, to loose weight, to cook Malay traditional kuih and manymore in my list..

Alhamdulillah..the other day, Farahee and I were craving for Nasi Kerabu..
We decided to try it out..and tadaaaaaa.....yummylicious USA Nasi Kerabu..

28 months ago

2010-08-02T19:20:00.000-07:00

When I knew I was pregnant, I really freak out!
Gosh, what had I done to myself? What did I get into?
I was crying like a mad woman..I know what are you thinking..
You think I'm crazy woman who never bersyukur for the great gift from Allah.
I could not accept that I was pregnant at that age.
I wasn't ready. I just got married like 2 months.
I wasn't prepare to be a mother. I wanted more honeymoon time with hubby.
I wasn't sure I could take the responsible to feed and care for her. I was just about to learn how to be a wife and tada, the next phase of life just 9 months ahead of me..

28 months later..
Here I am.
Alhamdulillah, I'm grateful to have a lovely daughter and very supportive husband.
I know the journey just started, but I'm pretty satisfy with the effort and the hard work we've poured into making the journey smooth and easy.
This is the best gift.
It challenges me to be at the next level of life.
It teaches me how to control emotion.
I love being a mother.
I enjoy every minutes that I have with her.

Zara

2010-07-30T21:38:00.000-07:00

Before I lost track of how much has Zara improved these couple of weeks, I should write it here so that I can remember it later...

Her vocab has increased.
She says milk everytime she wants to drink the bottle milk.
She says bum bum and sleep when she wants us to sleep.
She says shoes everytime I say jom. Oh, she will grab her shoes and ask me/hubby to put them on her.
If she likes to eat something, for example wild berry near our parking lot, she will say nyum nyum..sgt comel ini budak kecik..
Most of the time when she wakes up from her nap or sleep, she will show her boo boo to us, boo boo means bruises...yeah she has alot..sbb asyik pakai skirt and jatuh.
Alhamdulillah, she jarang nangis if bangun..she's very talkative bile bangun tido.. kadang2 tu trus amik 'book' and show it to us...she knows how to say book.
She can say 'air' if she wants water.
Other words so far eat, sit, nose, hair, eyes, mouth, teeth, ear, cheek.
Oh today, she was asking us to wash her hands by saying sha...I dont know how she get the sha words from...
She loves to piggyback..and she will say baiekk..comel nyer anak dara Zara ni...

Nowadays, die suke kiss and salam. If dengar lagu barney i love you, sure duk kiss and hug mummy die..

Ok, itu je laporan hari ni..i think there are more, but I cant remember them.

Celebration

2010-07-30T21:24:00.001-07:00

Sorry for being away for these couple of days.
I wasn't in the mood of writing.
I owe you guys the birthday celebration of puan shida story here.

We had a small tea party back on my yard. (can't afford to make a grand celebration, budget constraint).
Basically, I didnt do much cooking this time.
Since I'm into baking, it was my first attempt of making sausage bun.
Alhamdulillah it turns out good. I can't say it is perfect yet, I need to polish my mixturing skills.
Then, I was trying to make soy milk and taufufa.
Taufufa was the 4th attempt so far, and this time I could say the texture about to resemble those in pasar malam. Again another thing to be improved soon.
I was scared that the food wasnt enough for them, so we decided to add pizza.
And I made banana bread. Dont be surprise, I'm just adding the ingedients according to the manual and campak them in the breadmaker.
Easy lizzy lemon squizzy!!
But, on that evening, mostly adik2 ni very kind.
They brought puding, cookies, tapioca bubble tea, jelly, and even karipap ok..
Thanks to all, I really appreciate it! Terharu! Dont you guys love the Purdue Community?
Oh, the best part was they brought present.
Walaupon dah tua, I still get present.
Sangat terharu

Most the present is something that I wish for.
You guys can read my mind.

Weekend

2010-07-19T21:06:00.000-07:00

Weekend was awesome.
Full of activity.
Love it.

We were at Indiana Dunes enjoying the warm weather.
Zara loves it.
How I wish my house just like minutes away from the beach.
I could just bring Zara every morning for a walk.

So, Sunday came in a glimpse.
I just about to enjoy the day and it ended very soon.
Hubby and I went cycling around campus and the trail.
It is more to dating I can say..... inexpensive and healthy outing.
Glad that Farahee was willing to babysit Zara.
We could have the 2 hours by ourselves....

I wish I can do this weekly..

2 days of disaster diet.

2010-07-15T21:28:00.000-07:00

Wednesday:
We had water ground work done in front of our house.
Because of that, there was no water for about 2 hours.
So, we decided to dine out instead of home meal.
And again, we tried to find a place that worth every penny. Duit dah takde time time summer ni.
Guess where did we dine??
Khana Kazana Buffet.
Since it is all you-can-eat, we tried to fill up empty rooms in our tummy.
I played basketball to compensate the pleasure of buffet dining..

Thursday:
We had big lunch.
Level of cholesterol is at optimum.
We had ketam masak lemak cili api (left over ketam from Chicago trip last month).
The santan and ketam just the best combination of producing fatty me..
So, again,,I cant just sit and relax at home.
We decided to hit the gym and join the group exercise.
It was good to sweat.
I feel good..do you?

29 days to go

2010-07-13T20:38:00.000-07:00

I weight myself today and suprisingly it reduces for another 0.5kg..yeah yeah!!!

My target: to fit in my wedding gown before Raya.
Reason: I dont have baju raya. So probably I'm going to wear it again..finger cross..

Workout for today:
Oklah, I did some walking from home to PEFCU this morning.
And in the evening, played basketball with the guys.
Ni tak kira sgt coz main kejap2..lepas tu dah sub ngan org lain..

Diet:
As usual, lunch with nasi and masak kurma semalam.
And I made white bread today. We had bread and mushroom soup for dinner.

Tomorrow's plan:
Walk in the morning, probably jog in the evening.
I wish I can cycle with hubby.
Oh well, we have not get the child carrier yet. Say no no to cycling...until we find a cheaper carrier..

30 days to go

2010-07-12T20:40:00.000-07:00

Today, I ran aka jog for about 15 minutes.
And I did pretty good job coz I didnt walk at all until the finishing line.

I'm trying to loose weight by not cutting up my food.
This is dangerous diet for nursing mom.
I need food to produce Zara's food.
My food consumption is still the same as before.
But I'm trying my best to take less sugar.
In other words sodas. This is my biggest enemy so far. Irresistable.
But, I'm pretty sure when there is a will, there is a way...
Good luck to me!

On the other note, I made my own homemade banana bread. Clap2

Rusty

2010-07-11T07:28:00.000-07:00

Hey all..
I've been away for quite sometime.
And the blog is getting rusty ya'll..

Summer is full of activity.
I like it though!!

I'm trying to blog about my losing weight process from now onwards.

As I told you before, I gained quite a lot during my pregnancy period.
I was 73 kg 2 weeks before Zara was born. And only God knows how much I gained.Sigh.
Then I manage to loose around 15kg after that...and I'm trying to loose the rest eversince.

Summer just a good start to shed some weight. Good weather and plenty of time.
So, the past weeks, I've been playing basketball and volleyball.
But, the games have come to the point that everyone very malas nak turun.
I decided to start morning walk at least 4 times a week...morning means around 830am, just the right time for Zara. Not too early not too late.
I know by this time, the sun has just risen above my shoulder..

So today, I successfully power walk from my home to Payless, which took me about 75minutes walk...awesome and I'm proud of my achievement..

And I measure my weight ... and Ive lost around 1.5 kg since summer start... isnt it awesome?????

Carters

2010-05-27T17:36:00.000-07:00

The weather here is like what we have in Malaysia.
Pretty hot! I dont think it is comfortable for Zara to wear long pants and jeans anymore.
So I decided to get her a few pairs of short.
While I was in Chicago getting my periuk and stove for Midwest Games, we did some shopping at Gurney Mills.
We are really on tight budget and I decided to get her very cheap shorts since it can only be wore for the next 3 months
It will be a waste if we spend a lot for shorts.
So, we found one nice short at Carters' and it was 70% off. The tag price was USD16.
We calculated the final price and it should be less than USD5.
But, when I was at the counter to pay for the short, the cashier was telling me that the final price was USD6+. I was shocked. I asked her isnt it 70% off? She said yes.
It puzzled me.
When I was outside the shop, I asked hubby that the short wasnt the price that we thought it should be. We calculated again and nah, it is still the same.
Then we found out that the cashier rip off the tag . It is very suspicous indeed.
I really frustrated to know that I got cheated by a very well establisd store.
Even thought it just USD1 difference, we came back to the store and asked for our money.
The discount board it just a scam by the marketing dept.

Life: Weight

2010-04-24T17:55:00.000-07:00

Well, I set a goal that I believe it should be easily achived by the end of April.
It was set a month ago in my home calendar.
I positively belived that I could do it coz I had done it before.
And now 6 more days to go and I come to realize that I was far away from that goal.
Instead of losing 2kg, I AM now GAIN 2kg.
WONDERFUL!!!

I know the root cause.
I've been taking naps after lunch almost everyday.
I've been telling myself not to fall asleep, but Zara wont take her nap until I do.
Sometimes, I sleep before her. Haahahahaha

The only way to balance the 'guilty' nap is by doing exercise more
I try to go to corec often at nite. (After Zara asleep)
If not, I will just jog around the neighbourhood alone. (When hubby is willing to take care of Zara)

Today, I wont be alone anymore.
Zara will be my jogging buddy onwards.
Coz I just bought a jogger stroller :) at garrage sale today!
Love it! I can jog anytime I want without worrying who is going to take care of Zara.
Yahooo..

Now, we have 3 strollers at home.
And they are not fully utilized (mind you, i'm an industrial engineer. i need everything to be optimized).
Should I get rid the old one?

Life: My new handbag

2010-04-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

I bought a tote yesterday from TJMAXX.

Me: Cantik tak? Lawa kan if bawak gi office (berangan di kala naik lrt bersama handbag baru)
Hubby: Banyak nya bag nak pakai?
Me: Mane ade banyak! dulu mase undergrad lagi banyak. ni ade 3 je.
Hubby: Habis tu nak pakai 3 skali ke? Satu sling bag, satu baby bag, satu tote...
Me: Alaaaaaaaaaaaaa tak kan asyik nak pakai bag same? (nada sedih sbb mcm kene return kan balik je, but i love the design)

Yes, I only have 3 bags in total now and I always carry my sling bag and baby bag along (it is a must). I used to have more than 10 handbags while I was in undergrad.
I have became more practical person since I have Zara. No more small hobo or clutch. Coz it's definitely no no for mommy!
I can say all the bags I'm having now is functional because they suit the purpose.
Neither for glitters nor glamorous .

My baby bag is light. That's good coz I can fill it up with Zara's stuff, camera (mind you, the heavy dslr), video camera, food and sometimes Zara's toys! You can imagine how heavy it is!
Since the baby bag is usually full and messy, I could not find my phone whenever I dump it in the bag.
So, I decided to get myself a sling bag where I can place my phone and purse in it. It's practical right? Sling bag is the best coz it is small and I will not easily leave them behind ( i always forget most of the thing when i'm out alone with Zara).

Now, I'm not sure whether I should keep the new handbag or let it go.

If anyone interested of having this bag, I will let it go for RM150.

Saya dah awak

2010-04-10T06:30:00.000-07:00

When addressing my hubby in front of others, I would call him hubby or bi (in short terms) and and he calls me wifey.
And the rest of the conversation will be as 'saya' and 'awak'.
We have been using the terms since we are together back then.
I know it sounds so high school..but it sticks in the blood. I could not change it, so do him.
We are so accustom to it.
However, recently, Zara has picked up the terms easily.
She starts to adress us AWAK!
The other day, while I was driving..she shouted from the back of her seat.. AWAK!!and kept babling..
Another incident, she just woke up and heard her dad in the living room, she yelled..AWAK..and dadddyyy...
Oh my, what should we do?
Should we start calling each other mommy and daddy so that Zara knows the right words to address us!!!
I dont know, but hubby heard in one of the ceramah, telling us not to call each other by mommy and daddy..it puzzles me a bit.. is it true? what is the reason behind it?
Can someone tell me the reasons please?

Life : Randoms

2010-03-29T15:07:00.000-07:00

1. I feel disconcerted reading the news today about the "Christian militia". Why not calling them Christian Terrorist instead? Why we Muslim always label as terrorist? I still could not understand why American has to invade other countries looking for their enemies, whereas, it is obvious that the enemies are hiding under their own skin....they do not admit it. Country full of conspiracy. They creates their own enemy!

2. I feel contented and proud when I know a few Malay parents can afford sending their children to US universities without getting funding from Malaysian government. I'm impressed on their willingness to spend money on education rather than building huge house, whereas in the end none of their kids will live with them. To those parents, I salute you. I know the Chinese has been in this position long time ago, investing their money in child education. I hope one day I can afford Zara's education.

3. It's getting warmer in West Lafayette, around 70ish Farenheit this week. I should make plans for Zara. Probably take her to the park and some gardening.

Life: Good Mistakes

2010-03-24T21:16:00.000-07:00

I think I have done something good but bad.
Something that stands in the middle.
I do not know how to put it into words.
Anyhow, what I means by this is that I have done some good mistakes in my marriage.

Firstly, I have unintentionally blunted my husband cooking skills . He admits it. Back in college, he used to be a good cook. What do I mean by good cook is that he can prepare decent Malay dishes. Name it, from scezhuan chicken, chicken curry, chicken kurma to sate..all could be prepared by him easily..And he was consistent in terms of cooking frequency in a week. But, that era has passed. Since we got married, no no..since we MOVE to the State, he seldom get his hands on the raw chicken or even blending the onion. I'm not complaining by the way. I know he has no time to do this and since I'm around, it is my duty to prepare the meal for the entire house. But it is ironic on how people can change over time and how someone can be so dependent on you. What would happen when you wont be around anymore? Will he get back in the kitchen or will he get someone else to replace you? hmmmmmm...I opt not for the number 2..ahahhahaha.... Anyhow, I'm doing a good job right for making my husband looses his cooking skill.

Secondly, I can't remember when was his last time making the bed voluntarily..I repeat voluntarily. Hmm pretty sure it was long time ago..Oppsss...i cant blame him coz i will always be the last person to get up in the morning..kikiki. yeah yeah..zara wake up ealier than me :P

Hmm, there are more things that my hubby and I have changed over time. We always compensate with each other. For example, I hate to do laundry eventhough I know it's easy..just load them in the washer and push the button. That's it. But the fact that I have to go down to the basement just make me think twice. I would prefer to fold them though it takes longer time :P

So, what I am trying to convey here is that marriage does change people even a tiny part of your life!

Life: Post-spring break

2010-03-23T11:08:00.000-07:00

It was a nice break.
Went to Chi-town again.
This time, trying out new activity besides SHOPPING.
The weather was nice and welcoming.
So, we headed to Lincoln Park Zoo. Mind you, it's FREE admission.
The animals and conditions were not that bad at all.
Definitely hitting it again in the summer, when trees are green and animals are happy sun-bathing.

Zara has started to show her interest in gardening.
So we bought the kids tools for gardening.Look how happy and focus she is ...

Life: malam

2010-03-07T20:50:00.000-08:00

zara and hubby off to sleep

and i'm hugry

need food

open fridge

get cream cheese

take bagel

eat them..

now, sleepy and full :)

Life: My own recession

2010-03-03T19:46:00.000-08:00

I searched wikipedia for the meaning of recession and it tells me that recession is the general slowdown in economic activity over period of time.

Yeah, pretty much of what i'm in now. I want to put it into my own definition here.

The general slow down: Less time spending at mall, less time queuing at the cashier counter, less time dragging Zara to the mall, less time trying clothes and shoes and the most important thing is less time swiping credit card and counting my cash!

Economic activity: I can say as my shopping and money spending activity for luxury stuff.

Over period of time: Hmmm, this has been awhile since I got married and hopefully it will end another 2 or 3 years.

Yup, it has been years since I spend my own penny without feeling guilty.

There are so much psychological affects of recession in my life.

1) I'm getting more stingy and calculative. For example, if I ever go to Walmart, I willl try to find cheap and discounted stuff. If we love to eat dessert for the weekend, we would normally go for the "Manager's special". Which means you buy it today, you have to finish it up by the tomorrow. Hahahaha...but, it's cheap though. Almost 50% discount.

2) I become very comparative. Let say if I badly wanted to buy a cup of Starbuck Frappucino for a USD4. I start to compare with what I can get with same amount of money. I could get 1 big bottle of Arizona Green Tea or I can get 2 bottles of juices. Sometimes getting a cup of tapioca milk tea can be distressing coz I'm so accustom to comparing stuff. Even the price is as low as USD4. Dont ask about higher price. It will takes me 1 week to think of whether to buy it or not.

3) I start to shop at second hand shop like Goodwill. Dont be surpised, sometimes I could get nice shirt like really new one for USD2.

4) And finally, I know how to appreciate every single penny that I have. :P.

Even though living under poverty line in US (yup, we receive the food stamp), I'm grateful that I still have my loves one around me. And I'm thankful to Allah for giving me this lesson of life.

Life: Weight

2010-02-28T19:30:00.000-08:00

I'm battling with my inconsistent weight since I was high school.I'm not saying that I was overweight or obese (konon), but I did exceed my ideal weight when I was 18!

KYS (my high school) was a perfect place to accumulate and grow the white flabby fat. The school fed me with Nasi Ayam for lunch, Nasi Lemak for breakfast and Ramli Burger for supper back then. The best food that every student wishes for! We just could not get enought of it! 6 meals a day just inevitably welcoming this so called, Mr Fat (My BFF). But back then, Mr Fat was silently hiding under my skin. Even though he was eager to introduce himself to the world, I could still control his appearance since I was really active in school activities.

Having a part time job at fast food restaurant was the biggest mistake after high school. I worked at KFC and I was showered with mash potatoes, original recipe chicken, burgers, fries and so forth everyday. My daily meals were fried in a big oily pan. I know Mr Fat was happy coz he could adopt more fatty kids, fatty grandkids and fatty grand-grandkids accompany him along under my skin. Guess what, my weight was 65kg! I could not simply get into my jeans. And it was frustrating!

When I was in college, I was far away from "good" food. I mean Malaysian food. Yup, I could easily control my food consumption. My weight was around 53kg. If you can see, I lost a lot of weight. I felt good though. Feel light and young.But, Mr.Fat was not happy.

In 2008, I'm married and pregnant. I ate not for two but three. Even though I vomitted in the morning, I will simply eat my brunch double of my breakfast. So , you can imagine how much weight I gained. The doctor was telling me that I need to control my food. The ideal gain is suppose to be between 10 kg to 15 kg for pregnant lady, but I was 18kg.

Nah, now I'm carrying the extra 2 kg in me now. I should be grateful coz I managed to reduce it to 55kg and manage to fit in into my old jeans. But, I wish I can have loose the other extra and feel young again!

photo1 : I was 7 months pregnant!
photo2: college days. I was light and young!

Life: I'm dying for hair cut

2010-02-26T15:17:00.000-08:00

I know I know.
The last time when I had my hair cut was a month after Zara was born.

And yeah, what year was that? 2008.

And what year is now? 2010

I am deeply, desperately and s**tly need a hair cut.

Call me cheapskate. I wont mad at all. But, the truth is yes I AM.

Going to hair salon would definitely cost me USD20 at min.

That means I have to sell 10 pax of my nasi.

Which translated to the whole week of profit :(.

Sad, sad and sad.

Is there anyone out there who would like to enhance her hair cutting skill and in need of guinea pig?

I'm more than willing to volunteer here.

Life: Madagascar

2010-02-25T16:00:00.000-08:00

Zara has been watching Madagascar for 100th time. And has not given up yet.

OMG, she's very excited when there is a scene that shows the "clapping and shouting" of people. She understands the emotion. Great!

She dances when she hears the " i like to move it" song.

One movie that would definitely help me while i'm in the kitchen...

Food: Menu for Thursday

2010-02-24T19:44:00.001-08:00

Orange Chicken + Veggie + Rice (USD4)

Food: Menu for Wednesday

2010-02-23T17:15:00.000-08:00

Rice + Chicken Kurma + Bak Choi (USD4)

Food : Menu for Thursday

2010-02-17T18:11:00.001-08:00

Nasi Lemak + Ayam goreng rempah + Sambal (USD5)

Food: Menu for Tuesday

2010-02-15T14:17:00.000-08:00

Rice + Mushroom Chicken + Veggie (USD4)

Please text or fb for ordering.

Menu for Thursday

2010-02-10T19:02:00.000-08:00

Rice + Ayam Percik + Veggie
(USD 4)

Call or text before 9am (thursday)

Life: Anniversary

2010-02-08T20:56:00.000-08:00

02.08.2008
Our wedding date.
And now it has been 2 years since we got married.
And now we are not the duo anymore.
We are triple.

I'm blessed to have my dearest hubby by myside.
I'm grateful to have my loveliest daughter on my arms.
I'm happy to have my own nucleus family that never fails to make me smile and cry.
You are the most precious gifts that Allah bestow upon me.
I should cherish every moments and every seconds of my life with my love ones.

Food: Menu for Tuesday

2010-02-08T18:20:00.000-08:00

Nasi Ayam
(USD4)

Please email shahida.mansor@gmail.com or text at 765 464 9191

Food: Menu for Friday

2010-02-04T17:57:00.001-08:00

Menu : Nasi Tomato (USD5)

Please email/sms for ordering

Life: Playgroup

2010-02-04T13:45:00.000-08:00

Yup, we attended the playgroup today.

Zara is the eldest among all.
The babies are mostly 6 to 10 months old and they are just either started rolling or standing.
And Zara on the other hand, busy climbing up the stairs and running around the house. She is like the leader of all these big babies.
Mind you, even Zara is 13 months, she is just as big as that 7 months old Paul.

Being around American Mom sometimes feels different.
They talk softly and always gentle to their babies.
They communicate a lot with their babies and they praise whenever the babies are doing a good job.
Something that I should learn about.
Yeah, being typical Asian, we are very strict.
No means NO...

We are going to meet up again next week.
InsyaAllah..

Food: Menu for Wednesday

2010-02-02T16:59:00.000-08:00

Menu:
Rice + Chicken Curry + Veggie (USD4)

Please email or text or fb for ordering

Life: GLAMs

2010-02-01T19:10:00.000-08:00

Yup, this semester gonna be full of events.

I have just joined GLAMs (Greater Lafayette Area Moms)
They organized alots and lots of events.
I hope Zara and I can make new friends and do a lots of stuff with those moms.

Food: Menu for Monday

2010-01-31T20:18:00.000-08:00

Menu
Chicken Mushroom + Rice + Veggie (USD4)

Please text/fb/call for ordering.

Life: Boring Saturday

2010-01-30T07:54:00.001-08:00

(the photo was taken when zara was a few days old)

I do not know how many more Saturdays to come.
But, I do know that today is the boring one.
I can't go out. It's too cold.

I called home this morning.
All my girls except my eldest sis were there. Heard all the laugh (miss them).
Having 5 sisters just cant get enough silence in the house! We just love to talk and talk till wee hours.
The big news of Nora's pregnancy was the main topic of conversation (mind you, she just got married in December).
We were laughing about how the little one eager to engange in her tummy while her mom's henna still brightly red.ahahhaa
Miss you guys a lot!!!

Well, Zara is in her lalaland.
Hubby off to campus.
I'm still thinking of today'e menu...
Hmm, a simple one..
Nasi Goreng? Speghetti?
I opt for the first one. Easy.

Life : ATM card

2010-01-27T19:35:00.000-08:00

A story that worth to share.

Last 2 nite, I was at walmart. Buat groceries.
After I did the payment at the counter, I just remember that I need to withdraw money from may Maybank account and later transfer it to PEFCU account.
Normally, I prefer to use the National Bank ATM machine due to lower transaction charge (actually it is 50 cents different pon dari PEFCU). But knowing me, yg memang kalo boleh takmo loose even a cent pon. The 50 cents does matter to me.
So, this ATM Machine is different from PEFCU.
Kalo PEFCU, the first step, the machine will ask to insert the card and quickly remove it from the slot. Then continue with the pin number and so forth..
But, this particular machine will hold your card until the end of the steps, which is after received the money and receipt..then the card will eject out from the slot.
Ape yg terjadi was I forgot to claim the card after I got the receipt. I think it happens all the time to others too...ye la seronok dah dapat duit..mane nak ingat the card.
And plus, before tu, hubby call suruh balik cepat.
Knowing me yg memang slalu kelam kabut and gelabah.. I trus bawak walmart cart tu laju2 and drive balik rumah.
So the next day, I was trying to withdraw all the money left in my maybank account dekat PEFCU and trus ingat nak deposit the money to PEFCU account.
I was trying to search for my maybank card and guess what..
I just realized I didnt have it with me..menggelabah di buat nya.. mane tak nyer..
After 12 hours missing..my mind was blank...
Cuak gile ok!!
I trus gi walmart check with the bank ..mane la tahu the machine eject in the card after a long perid..unlucky, the card wasnt there..
Lagi I menggelabah. I was with Zara at the time.. dlm hati, mati la aku...
Then, the guy suggested me to refer to walmart customer service...
Pegi la situ..so that nice lady asked my name so she can check the cards that they keep in the office. Wasnt there.. bertambah menggelabah..
Then, I showed her my hubby's maybank card. She went back to the office and brought all the cards with her.
Patutlah she could not find my card. There was no name on it...
Nasib jumpe card tu...
After all, it was a BIG relief for me.

Moral of the story..jangan menggelabah mase kluar duit walaupon duit anda takde la sebanyak mane pon.

Food: Menu for Thursday

2010-01-27T19:17:00.000-08:00

Menu:
Nasi Lemak + Ayam Goreng Rempah + Sambal + Salad
(USD5)

Email/txt/fb for ordering

Food: Menu for Wednesday

2010-01-26T16:24:00.000-08:00

Menu:
Rendang Ayam + Veggie + Rice (USD 4)

Text/Fb/Email for ordering

Food: Menu for Tuesday

2010-01-25T16:30:00.000-08:00

Menu:
Ayam masak lemak cili api with rebung + rice + veggie (USD4)

Email or fb for ordering.

Food: Menu for Monday

2010-01-24T15:23:00.000-08:00

Menu:
Mushroom Chicken + Veggie + Rice
(USD4)

Please email/sms/fb for ordering

Life: Updates

2010-01-23T22:43:00.000-08:00

It's has been ages since my last entry about life.
Hubby has started his 2nd semester, which means no more mommy-zara-hubby 24 hours time.
Business has resumed as usual, quite a slow start i would say.
But, i'm optimist that by the end of the semester, zara piggy's bank should be half full.

Speaking of her piggy's bank, i have made a promise. For every food pack that i can sell, i will donate USD1 to her piggy's bank. This is actually mommy and daddy promise, nak bawak zara pegi Disney in Florida for winter break. I know lame lagi...but definitely consume alot of money...and since we have never been far away fron west lafayette, paling jauh pon chicago..this is something that we look forward to.
Flight tickets, Car rental, theme park ticket, food, hotels...not for one person. We are talking about 3 people here...so kene la berjimat cermat...demi trip to disney!

Oh, Zara has turned 1 in December.
We had a big party for her birthday. Full house. Ramai gile org datang..she is a celebrity kat purdue ni...she received a lots of presents.. and now, die tak tahu nak choose which toys to play with...lucky zara kan! kakak2 and abg2 purdue sgt awesome!! even yesterday, she received another belated birthday present all the way from Disney! my girl telah di spoil kan oleh mereka! But, anyway, thank you for coming and for the gifts too...

Zara now dah boleh say 'nak' for something that she wants. And she can geleng for something that she doesnt want. So, it makes much easier for us to understand what she wants/dislikes.
She loves to dance too. Kalo bukak baby einstein tu, sure menari pusing2 nyer. She loves to see cat, dog and tiger. She will immitate the sound 'miaaaaaaaaaaau' and 'wolf-wolf' and 'auuummmm'.. cute tau... we plan to bring her to Indiana Zoo when it's get warmer here. Most probably in May la kan...terkurung je la zara for the next 2 months ni.

This is my updates for now.

Menu for Friday

2010-01-21T15:23:00.001-08:00

Menu :
Nasi Ayam (USD4)

Email or sms for ordering.

Food: Menu for Wednesday

2010-01-19T08:13:00.000-08:00

Menu:
Rice+ Ayam Kurma (homemade spices)+Veggie.
(USD4)

Hi all,
Please let me know if u would like to order by email/text.

Food: Wednesday's Menu

2010-01-12T13:00:00.000-08:00

Menu:
Nasi Minyak + Ayam kurma (homemade spices all the way from Malaysia) + Salad + Cucumber
USD5

Please call/txt/fb to order.

Food: Nasi Lemak

2010-01-10T15:33:00.000-08:00

Monday Menu:

Nasi Lemak + Ayam Goreng Rempah + Sambal

(USD 5)

Please call/sms/text/fb to order.

Delivery at 130pm

Life: Winter Wonderland

2009-12-16T15:35:00.000-08:00

Hubby is off to library, leaving me and zara in this tiny little house.
Tomorrow will be his last paper and will be done with this semester.
Another 1.5 years to go.

Winter break just around the corner.
During those days,we couldnt wait till finals were over.
There were always plans that waiting ahead.
We would rush home to pack our stuff and ready to be on board to warmer places.

But this year, will be different.
Travelling is not our priority at the moment.
Plus, we have been to most of the places in the states.

We are going to spend our lovely winter break in this tiny little house and spend time as much as possible with little Zara who's going to turn 1 soon!!

People, remember. It's 26th!!!

Food: Menu for Final Exam Week

2009-12-13T15:26:00.000-08:00

Monday
Ayam Masak Lemak Cili Api with rebung + cabbage + rice (USD4)

Tuesday
Chicken Curry + Bak Choy + rice (USD5)

Wednesday
Nasi Ayam (USD4)

Thursday
Nasi Tomato + Ayam goreng msak merah + salad (USD5)

Friday
No business

Saturday
Upon request

Sunday
Upon request

Life: My Sister

2009-12-12T18:35:00.000-08:00

I'm homesick.
I've been calling home every single day since early of this week.

I can't hide my feeling, it's eating me up inside.

Today her BIG day.

I'm sad coz i can't be there, to be her big sister.

I cant be there to praise her glowing face and her pretty dress.

I cant be there to henna her. (She told me no one helping her out to henna her hands)

I cant be there to see her in gowns and costumes during her berinai.

I cant be there to tease her pluffy eyes. (She said she could not get enough sleep last nite)

I cant be there to calm her when she is waiting for the akad. (She can be very clumsy when she's nervous)

I cant be there to hug her when she is pronounced his wife.

I cant be there to see her happy face when everything runs smoothly.

I cant be there to be in her eternal wedding photo.

I cant be there to let her hug me when everything is over.

Nora,

I'm sorry coz I could not be there.

I pray for your long and happy marriage.

Love,

Your sister.

Food: Friday's Menu Change

2009-12-10T17:47:00.000-08:00

Hi All,

I've done slight change on tomorrow's menu.

There will be ayam goreng kicap and kacang masak lemak. As usual, price is USD4.

Regards,
Zara's mommy

Food: Dead Week Menu

2009-12-03T16:31:00.000-08:00

Monday:
Plain Rice + Chicken Rendang + Fried Green Beans (USD5)

Tuesday:
Nasi Ayam (USD4)

Wednesday:
Plain Rice + Szechuan Chicken + Cabbage (USD4)

Thursday:
Plain Rice + Ayam Masak Merah + Tauge Masak Lemak (USD4)

Friday:
Nasi Tomato + Ayam Masak Madu + Salad (USD4)

Saturday
Plain rice + Ayam Percik and veggie (USD4)

Sunday
Plain rice + Ayam masak lemak and rebung + veggie (USD 4)

Menu will be revised if there is any shortage of ingredients.
Feel free to call me or msg me on FB for any orders.

And upon request, we do sell lauk without rice for USD3.50/3.00

Food: Announcement

2009-12-02T07:20:00.000-08:00

Hi my loyal customer,

Food business is off tomorrow. I'm taking Zara to Health Care Center in the morning. If anyone insist to buy, I still can cook after the appointment. But, I dont promise the delivery time, it could be around 2ish. If we finish earlier, I can start cooking early. I will definitely give you a call for any updates.

By the way, I have decided to have everydays menu for dead week and final week. I understand that pressure and hunger are your best friends during these 2 weeks. And you need to stuff yourself with lots and lots of food!! Oh, plus the weather, it doesnt feel good to starve yourself from having something to eat. In any case, if you feel really hungry, you know where you can order your food from..just check the menu ok!! I'm trying to figure out the menu by this weekend.....

Food: Sale on Tuesday

2009-11-30T16:25:00.000-08:00

Menu: Rice + Cabbage + Szechuan Chicken
USD (4)

Please order before 10 am. Delivery provided at 130pm and 530pm

Food: Sale on Thursday

2009-11-18T17:10:00.000-08:00

Menu:
Nasi Lemak + Sambal + Chicken

Price:
USD4

Please order before 10 am tomorrow (Nov19)

Food: Sale on Tuesday

2009-11-16T14:10:00.000-08:00

Menu:
Honey Soy Broiled Salmon + Sayur Masak Lemak Cili Api + Rice

Price:
USD5 per pax. (because of Salmon)

Please order before 10 am tomorrow (Nov 17).
In future, I will try to spice up the menu a little bit. Maybe western food like macharoni or etc.

What is the price to be a MOM?

2009-11-10T18:12:00.000-08:00

Simple, it's priceless.
I'm not going to talk about myself as a mom in this entry.
I'm gonna share with you my thoughts and experience as a daughter.

This gonna be a LONG (note: hubby is at the library and zara is off to her lalaland)entry and for those who think it is not worth to read, click on the x button on top of the window.

This entry is dedicated to my MOM.
November is her month, so i've decided to write something about her.

Life was pretty hard back then. Memang susah.
We used to live in a kampung where electricity and water had not reach us.
That time, mom was a housewife. She couldnt find a single job. Small town.
So, everything we ate was farmed and planted by mom. (Very organic)
If you guys watch upin and ipin, that's exactly how my life looked like back then. But worst.

Then, when she carried my youngest sister, we move to my mom hometown.
Life was better.
Mom could find a job since we were going to have additional member.
Dad's earning would not be enough to support us.
So my mom took a job as operator. Double shift.
Yup, it was tough for her to live us all alone at home.
Dad was working 1 hour away. He came back late at night.
So, my atuk and nenek took care of us (Mind u, they also took care another 2 of my cousins and they have warung kopi to take care of too)
Basically our lunch and dinner were prepared by mom before she off to work.

Once the youngest one born, dad adviced mom to stay home.
But, his salary would not be enough for our living.

Mom decided to start selling nasi lemak and kuih-muih to help out.

At first she just sent to kedai2 kopi. But after awhile, she bought herself a bicycle and modified it to suit her small business. She put a big aluminium container at the back.

I know, this was the toughest moment in her life.

Why?

Just imagine, despite doing other mom's job, she had to wake up early in the morning (4am) to cook. You know what time she went to bed? 10pm
At that time too she had a small baby. So, basically she didnt have exactly 6 hours of sleep.
I cant imagine myself in her shoes. Even now, I always complain that I do not have enough sleep.

Normally, she prepare at least 5 kinds of kuih-muih, more than 80 packs of nasi lemak and around 50 packs of mee.
Worst thing was she had to sell it by herself. What i mean here is she had to carry this heavy load on the bicycle.

The route was challenging. (I did try to follow her during school holiday, i tell you, it was damn tiring. Note: There was nothing on my bicycle).
There was one taman, where mom had to push the bicycle up the hill because the road was very steep.
On top of that, she did not use any bell or sound to annouce her arrival.
She used her own voice to sell those kuih.
Ok, dah la penat kayuh basikal. Pastu kene jerit plak....satu taman boleh dengar she's there..oh tgh terik panas matahari lagi...and imagine during puasa, she still did that)

I salute her energy and determination to raise us.
She went through this hard life without complain and regret.
I know she wants the best for us.
Even she was ill, she still did the business to ensure that we have enough food at home and school allowance. She always put ourselve first before her.
She never fail to ensure that we have new clothes for raya even she had none.

Till now, I do not how to repay her. She sacrifice alot of her life.
Her time, her looks.. yeah she was pretty when she was young. But the sun eats her skin.
Even all the hard work, she is the happiest mom of all..no matter what challenges in front of her, she keeps smiling (awek muda).

Our life mcm drama dulu2...

Yesterday, I called her.
I told her that I'm just like her.
Run a small business to support our life here.
And you know what she said back, " do you want mak to send u some money".
I almost cried when she offers to help.
See, walau susah mane pon, she still wants to help!!!!

Mom, i know u wont read this blog.
But, at the bottom of my heart u are my star, my idol and my love!
What i have now is because of you, your words is powerful that change my life.
It's still fresh in my memory.
You never ask me to study hard, not even angry when i get a D.
But those words just fire, which spark my motivation to be a better person, to get good grades and finish school.

I love u and miss u mak!

Sale: Tudung

2009-11-08T06:30:00.000-08:00

Hi All,
I have a few inventory of nice printed and plane tudung ekin.
I'm selling it for USD12.
I in love with these pieces because it is easy to wear and you dont have to iron them. Guarantee you will not be late to school.
If you are interested on buying, email me at shahida.mansor@gmail.com
I'm trying to get Zara to be my model but she is too pricey!!! She wants to be on her clothing line only! What to do, the poor mom has to be what she has to be (cakap berbelit2)

Happy browsing.

001
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007
008
009
010
011
012
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016
017
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Coming soon....brooch on sale!

Project: Muffin 101

2009-11-07T09:00:00.000-08:00

Morning sunshine,

Some of you may see the extreme change in this blog.
From short entry in the early days to 'real' blogging.

Blame the exam (i takleh blame hubby, coz he is always right kan kan :) )

When i'm alone and zara is asleep, whoelse should i talk to other than this white screen kan?

I think i'm going crazy la..cakap ngan screen pulak!

Baking 101.

Last nite was our (me and farahee) first attempt baking.

We plan to make cupcakes..but in the end it turn out to be vanilla rice muffin.

Not bad la kan..for first timer..ni consider achievement..life achievement actually!

Previously, we planned to bake semperit..end up jadi biskut ape tah...

Next baking time, we wont tell the name of the cake sbb takut jadi bende lain in the end.

Project: Crochet Baby Hat

2009-11-06T11:04:00.006-08:00

Finally, my first crochet project completed. Zara is wearing it now!

Oh, Zara is having stye (ketumbit) on her upper lower lid.

Pity her.

Went to the doctor the other, yet he only prescribed home remedial (tuam ngan air panas).

Zara seems doesnt like the hot towel.

Arghh she has to live a few days more with that 2 red bumps on her eyes.

Lets shout 'stye, stye go away..come again another day!'.

Back to the project.

What's next?

Should I try the sweater?

Project: Crochet (Baby hat)

2009-11-05T13:00:00.000-08:00

Currently, I'm working on my baby hat crochet.
I learn to crochet since I was primary school.
Yeah, my mom always has the needle with her at home (basically when she has nothing to do, she just crochet..from the table top to sofa crochet).
Even my wedding 'bunga telur', she crocheted the bekas...you can even see her fingers look a little bit bended due to excessive and overusing her fingers.

So, this pattern that i'm doing, i learn it thru youtube (if years back ade youtube, definitely i crochet banyak2 winter hat. takyah nak beli mahal2).
Amazing.
I dont need to buy the book (very the mahal, higher than my nasi lemak) to learn the pattern. Awesomekan, when you can easily type the pattern and in a blink dah ade depan mate.....

After my baby hat complete, I wanna check the sewing machine in the basement. Maybe I can sew bags and sell it here..

I need to keep on telling myself that I AM ENTREPRENEUR!

Food: Thursday (Pajri Nenas and Ayam Kicap Madu)

2009-11-04T12:10:00.000-08:00

My loyal customers (u know who u are :) ),

Tomorrow, madam chef would love to try pajri nenas (i have the recipe from betty saw) and ayam kicap madu ( i love this recipe, got it from my aunt).

Normally ayam kicap madu taste better with baby drumstick and wing..but, i only have 'mother' drumstick in my stock! Hopefully it turns out well...

Please leave ur order in my fb or vis sms.

On the other note, yesterday was awesome. I repeat, AWESOME! u may wonder why.
It simply because I have my OWN debit card. U know what I mean. All these while I was a cash slave. Dont get me wrong. Bringing cash is not that bad at all, u know what left in ur purse instantly (wait .. not in a sec la, i still have to bring it out and calculate it one by one and sum it up). But paying cash over USD400 purchase at the store will make the cashier suspicious of me, thinking that it might be from black money. And thanksgiving is coming. which means shopping spree...sadly not for me la..orders from back home! Now, i can simply swipe my card without asking hubby to sign the receipt :)

Second best thing, we can extend our lease contract for the next 6 months..awesome (how many awesome la i gune ni)...cheaper rent, big house, and big yard..boleh main tanam2... takyah nak main farmville (dont be surprise, i never play this game and i dont even know what is all about)..

Before i end, again, my lovely customers, order before 10am.

Food: Tuesday (Nasi Ayam)

2009-11-02T17:40:00.000-08:00

I dont have any idea what to cook.

Not to waste my time as well as yours, lets just make nasi ayam for tomorrow (3rd Nov). Thinking what to cook is harder than cooking itself.

If you guys have any ideas or any recipe that you love me to try on, let me know.

Oooo i may try to cook pajeri nenas (bought it from Walmart) this coming Thursday. Stay tune for next entry yalllss..

Some random thoughts.

Hubby is having 3 exams till the end of next week. I'm getting bored being a lazy bum, should i say a lazy mom! I should push my *** out of the house. Do volunteer work or go to any social gathering.

Oh, please, weather...is it me or is it u that make my life so dull!!?

Oh, wait, I shouldnt complain. I should occupy myself with Zara.

Nasi Lemak fro Thursday. Anyone?

2009-10-28T17:18:00.000-07:00

It's been ages since the last nasi lemak sale.

My cooking skill has deteriorated since fall arrive. Blame the weather. Yeah, I prefer to be under the blanket rather than making noise in the kitchen. I bet u all love too.

Oh well,

Tomorrow will be the day. The menu is as follows:

Nasi Lemak + Sambal ikan bilis + Cucumber + Rendang kacang, asparagus plus chicken.

I never cook rendang asparagus before. But, worth to try. I know kacang (peas) goes well with chicken liver. Sadly, we dont have it here.

Guys,

There will be a fix delivery time from now onwards. There will be 2 session; one around 1-130pm and another one in the evening around 530pm.

Sorry, i have to change it due to the gas prices. It increases tremendously. I can't bare to drive a few times to campus. I know the sighing (is this a word? whutever) but i keep the food price as USD4 per pax :)!

If you love to try my rendang asparagus, msg or fb ur order. Oh, oh...if you like my food, spread the words around too!

Love,

Mommy Zara

October 22nd, 2009

2009-10-21T16:21:00.000-07:00

Menu:
Chicken Rice + 5 Spices Chicken + Veggie (USD 4)

Taking orders now till 11 am (Thursday)

Ayam Percik

2009-10-18T15:53:00.000-07:00

Monday, Oct 19th, 2009

Menu: Nasi + Ayam Percik + Veggie

USD 4
please order before 11am.

October 7th, Wednesday

2009-10-06T18:53:00.000-07:00

Menu:
5 chinese spices chicken + nasi ayam + salad

USD 4

6th October 2009, Tuesday Menu

2009-10-05T13:01:00.000-07:00

Menu:

Ayam Schizuan Chicken + Rice + Cabbage
USD 4.00

Please order before 11 am as usual!

Tuesday, 29th September

2009-09-28T09:49:00.001-07:00

Menu:

Nasi Ayam + Roasted Chicken + Salad + Soup

(USD4.00)

Please order before 11am.

Friday ,September 25th

2009-09-24T10:35:00.000-07:00

Menu:

Ayam Percik + Plain Rice + Potato Garlic

(USD 4.00)

Please order before 11 am. Serve for LUNCH only.

September 24th, Nasi Tomato

2009-09-23T11:53:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

Tomorrow's menu will be :

Nasi Tomato + Ayam Masak Merah + Salad.

Please call at 765-464 9191 or email at shahida.mansor@gmail.com.

THURSDAY 27 AUGUST 2009

2009-08-27T07:18:00.000-07:00

MENU FOR TODAY:

NASI LEMAK

SAMBAL IKAN BILIS

AYAM REMPAH

HALF BOILED EGG

SLICES OF CUCUMBER

PEANUTS

$4.50

p/s: Please leave ur message to order

MENU FOR FRIDAY 28 AUGUST 2009

NASI BIASA

AYAM RENDANG

SAYUR CAMPUR

$3.50