CONGRATULATIONS TO ADLINA!!

CONGRATULATIONS to our princess Adlina for getting 5As in her UPSR Exam!! Papa and Mama are soooo proud of you darling!! Woohoo!! You beat Bang Long & Hakim!! Girls Rule!! You Go Gal!!

Syukur Alhamdulillah... (^_^)

Happy Anniversary to Apak & Mak

Wishing Apak and Mak a very Happy Anniversary.. After 49 years, they still hold hands while sitting next to each other whilst having a conversation with me, Eda & Win that evening. It brought a tear in my eye being in the presence of so much love... To Apak & Mak: Thank you so much for everything that you have taught me, for all your sacrifices, for your unconditional love and understanding. I am who I am today primarily because of you, and for that I'm eternally grateful.. I love you so much, Apak & Mak.. Happy Anniversary!!

8.1.11 is Adlina's 12th Birthday

Adlina's Party Pinata

(Beaten to death by everyone!)

Adlina + Cousins

Happy Birthday to my darling princess, Adlina who just turned 12. I can't believe how much Adlina has grown from a cute baby, to an adorable little girl, and now to a beautiful young lady. Adlina is a real blessing in my life and every single day I thank Allah for giving her to me.

As she grows, I see more and more of me in her. Adlina is truly Mini Mama, only she will be better than me in every way, I'm sure of that.

To Adlina: I love you so much sayang.. Happy 12th Birthday darling!

1.1.11

The first day of every year is always special to me as it marks the anniversary of my marriage to AZ. We have been together for 17 years and I am so thankful to Allah for giving me the blessing of a soulmate. Alhamdulillah..

When you start your life together with someone, you always pray for the best but you never know where the relationship will take you. In my field, I have seen so many marriages crumble and end in bitter divorces and separations. I have seen friends who were so in love with each other but after a few years of living together, prefer to live separate lives. In a world full of distractions and temptations, lasting meaningful relationships are becoming less and less of a norm.

In the past 2 years, I've been called to speak at several seminars to advice women on their rights in law. I met many women in sad, abusive relationships. Some women are in unhappy relationships but have chosen to stay married for the sake of their children. Others stay married although they know of their husband's infidelities as they feel that they have no other options. For some, being married is just a matter of convenience.

And this is why I am so thankful to be with AZ. He accepts me as I am (fat + fluff included!). He understands me so well. He amuses me when I'm down. He shares in my joy and achievements. He supports me in all my endeavours. AZ completes me. He is my companion, my strength. AZ is my life.

We have both grown so much in this relationship. We have changed and evolved over these 17 years. And we are lucky that these changes have brought us together and not apart. Every day I love and respect him more and more. I never believed this could be possible.

To AZ: Happy Anniversary, darling. Thank you for everything that you are to me. I am really blessed to have you and our lovely children in my life. Alhamdulillah..

To everyone out there: Wishing all of you a Very Special New Year full of happy surprises, unexpected opportunities and wonderful achievements! Let's all resolve to be a better person this year (^_^)

Adlan's PMR Results

Congratulations to Adlan for getting 5As & 3Bs in his PMR. Bs for BM, Sejarah & Agama is a real achievement for Adlan who normally scores Cs in his past exams for those subjects...

Well Done, darling! Mama and Papa are mighty proud of you!

PS: Adlan missed an A to guarantee him a set of Roland Drums that he's been pining for all year long. Papa and Mama are now in process of reviewing this requirement based on VERY VERY good behaviour (^_^)

WANITA - December 2010

Thank you to the team members of Majalah Wanita for featuring our family in the December 2010 issue. Special thanks to the Chief Editor of the magazine, Kak Normala for such wonderful write up. It is our hope that the article will inspire more and more families to stay close together and aim for excellence in life.

Wishing everyone a most productive last month of the year (^_^)

PS: Since I don't have any pictures, here's a link about this in Hasanah's blog.. Thanks Hasanah!

Happy Birthday Anas

Happy 8th Birthday to our darling Anas. He's a real joy in the Danau Kaseh household - although Adlan & Hakim may disagree to this sometimes :D

Anas asked for a camera for his birthday (Aiyo! Budak-budak sekarang ni demanding betul!). Thinking back, I think I got my first camera when I was in University!! Times have changed tremendously.. Sigh..

To Anas: Happy Birthday sayang. Mama & Papa love you LOTS. Don't forget to share the camera with BaLong, Nyanyah & Chakchik!

Eda's Spiritual Journey

My sister Emilda and her husband Aswad are flying off tonight to perform their Hajj. They will be away for 44 days. Waving Eda off about an hour ago was somehow so difficult for me.. I tried so hard not to cry, but I just couldn't help myself. I know how Eda must feel to leave her children for over a month to go on this spiritual journey..

I love all my 6 sisters very much, but I must admit that Eda and Win are the closest to me. Apart from AZ, they are always the first people I turn to whenever I need help or seek an opinion on something. We share our joys and pains together, we laugh and cry, we support each other. Through thick and thin. You can't choose your family but you can choose your friends. I'm one of those lucky few who have my sisters as my best friends.

Last week, Eda came to my office and gave me a sealed envelope with instructions to open it only if something happens to her and Aswad. We were both overcome with emotions. Amidst sobs and tears, I told Eda that we will open the envelope together when she comes home safely from Mekah in December. I wouldn't want to even think otherwise.

To my darling sister, Eda the Buttercup: Wishing you and Aswad a safe passage to Mekah and back home. Semoga Allah sentiasa melindungi dan merahmati setiap ibadat dan Akak doakan Eda & Aswad mendapat Haji yang mabrur dan terbaik. Take care of each other (^_^)

Hari Raya 2010

The residents of Danau Kaseh had a wonderful family time on 1st Syawal! This year, 1st day of Hari Raya was celebrated in Melaka and here are some pictures of the Celebration of Love and Life:-

All 42 of us: Boria Kampung Pinang!

The residents of Danau Kaseh -

Kids have grown tremendously!

Raya Eve: Exchange of Gifts & Duit Raya

Mak + Apak

Anas + his cousins

Anak2 Mak + Apak :-)

Thanks to Mak & Apak for instilling in all of us the importance of staying close. What better time than during Hari Raya to reinforce our ties and celebrate the abundance of love and precious family bond. Thank you so much to everyone for making our Hari Raya very, very special.

Wishing everyone well for the rest of Syawal. Happy visiting families & friends!

Note to self: Beware of the temptations of Food Glorious Food at the upcoming Openhouses (gulp!) (^_^)

Salam Syawal 1431

Wishing everyone a blessed Hari Raya surrounded by loved ones.

Biggest Loser

The residents of Danau Kaseh are in the running for the Nordin family's Ramadhan's Biggest Loser contest!! This is Kak Long's brainchild of course (she's the most creative member of the family when it comes to team building!). So, whoever loses the most weight wins!

Status so far: Papa: less 2kg; Mama: Less 2kg; Adlan: less 2kg; Hakim: less 2kg; Adlina: less 1.5kg; Anas: less 2kg.

This is rather average la.. Some members of the family have lost 4-5kg so far!! I was hoping to lose more weight this year but unfortunately same as last year: First week down by 2kg, then maintain for the rest of the fasting month!! Worse still, after 3 days of Raya, the 2kg will be back on with an extra 1kg to spare!! Yikes!!

Happy fasting people (^_^)

Happy Father's Day

Wishing AZ a very Happy Father's Day!! Thank you for being such a wonderful father to the kids. We LOVE you, Papa... We celebrated the evening together last night at the movies watching Toy Story 3 in 3D. What a great movie about friendship (I cried twice!).

To Apak, Happy Father's day and Thank you for everything that you have done for me and you are to me. I love you, Apak..

Getting Old & Sensitive

It's true what they say. As you get older, you become more and more sensitive.

I didn't give much thought about this before. Until recently. When I started feeling so sensitive and emotional about little things. I guess it's a clear sign of me getting old! Sigh...

Adlina and Anas stayed over at Mak's house for 2 nights over last weekend as their cousins from KL were around. They must have been having so much fun that they didn't bother to call home (read: Me!). I felt so emotional about this and started to think that it would come to this eventually when they leave home to go to college or university. Is this an indication of how it would be like? No calls to Mama when the children are away? Sedihnya!! Ok, ok, they are only 11 and 8 now and won't be going away until they are 18. But it hurts to think that they are no longer dependant on me and didn't need my daily hugs and kisses.. Double Sigh...

I AM getting old & over-sensitive!! Aiyoh..

Well, that explains why all 4 of them have been camping in our room on the floor the past 2 nights. The excuse of wanting to watch World Cup together is such a farce. The truth is, I just love having my kids close to me.. It's just so hard to let go...

Now I can imagine what it must have been like for Mak to let 8 of us go. Note to Self: Must make a point to call Mak more often.

Call up your mom today, folks (^_^)

Prince of Persia - The Sands of Time

Saw this movie yesterday evening with my kids. In one word: It was AWESOME. I would even go as far as saying that this is the best movie that I've seen in the last 5 years. Great story, Beautiful settings, Terrific adventures, Thrilling fighting scenes, Fantastic Special Effects, And a Dashing Hero ;) (Reese Witherspoon must be nuts to let this guy go!).

3 other things that I love about this movie:-

1. The Heroin was smart & courageous. Not a wimpy-damsel-in-distress stereotype. A great character and a good role model for young ladies;

2. The ending was soooo unpredictable! I couldn't believe how good the ending was! It could not have ended better.

3. The movie stressed on the importance of family staying close. The King said to Dastan: "The Bond of Brothers is the sword that will save the Empire". Wow.

For those who haven't seen this movie yet, may I suggest that you make it a family outing during this school holiday? Your kids will love it!

Have fun (^_^)

Celebration of Life and Love

The whole family

Chinese character "Ai" means LOVE

Just had the most WONDERFUL weekend with my family, celebrating life and love. Our plan to celebrate Apak's 76th birthday and Mak+Apak's 48th Anniversary turned out to be so much more for all of us. There were so many special moments over the weekened, but my favourite part was when we gathered for the concert by the kids and watched the video prepared by Andy about how Mak + Apak bonded our family with love. I cried watching the video. Kak Ngah's girls made a video too and it was hilarious! Kudos to all the talented people in the family!

I look forward to every family gathering we have. As the family is so big (all 42 of us!), we find it hard to synchronize everyone's schedule and gather. So, when we do meet, we will try our best to make it special. This time, Kak Long came up with the theme: Celebrate Life & Love. And it fitted so well with the mood that we were in.

Thank you so much to everyone for the precious time. Thank you to Eda + Aswad for hosting the event in their lovely home. I love you all soooo much..

Here are some snapshots...

1, 2 Go: Splashing Fun!

Venue: Eda+Aswad's lovely home
(Please don't feel SERIK to host us next time!)

CLL:2010 - Happy Anniversary to Mak & Apak,
the BEST Parents in the World!

Anas (in the middle) with his cousins

Take time to pick up the phone and call your mom and dad, just to say Hello and to tell them how much they are loved and appreciated. Meet up with your sister or brother for coffee, cake and bonding. Tell your spouse and children that you love them every opportunity you have. Life is short. Fill it with the people you love, doing the things that you love. Make every day count.

Go celebrate your life, with love (^_^)

Mystical Bali

Gunung Agung

Beautiful Paddy terraces

A snapshot with the Kecak dancers

Danau team + me

The residents of Danau Kaseh were in Bali a few weeks ago with AZ's Danau team, making it the 3rd year we travelled together. We all had a blast!

We only had 3 days to spend in Bali, so our diary was packed!

Day 1: Explored Kuta

Bali is a beautiful island filled with myths and legends. The serene lives of the locals are bound by magical folklores and pagan rituals. The Balinese are very polite and hospitable, always the perfect hosts, ready with friendly smiles.

Unfortunately, the lives of these simple people, is simple no more. This is especially felt in Kuta as the city is swarmed by tourists, primarily from Australia. Jalan Pantai Kuta is dominated by international franchises and restaurants: Starbucks, Hard Rock Cafe, Pizzahut and MacDonalds, to name a few. The stores lining Jalan Legian prominantly display the brandnames of Levi's, Crocs, Reebok and Nike.

Prices in markets and stalls are not cheap, clearly catering for the foreigners who are their main customers..

Day 2: Gunung Agung volcano, Paddy Terraces and Kecak Dance

Our 2nd day was full. A trip to the volcano was made memorable by the group of relentless peddlars who hassled us incessantly after our lunch, blocking our way to the van. Anas and Adlina were scared.

A word of advice: despite their aggressive approach, you will find the best prices and bargains from these peddlars. Anas bought 25 keychains for Rp50,000 (RM16). Unfortunately, the more you buy, the more they hassle you!

Our next stop was the Pasar Ubud which was overflowing with touristy products and souvenirs. I thought the prices were reasonable but found out later that the prices in Denpasar Market was even cheaper! Bought loads of beautifully carved wooden trinket boxes.

The Kecak dance is not to be missed if you are in Bali. It completes the mystical experience that is Bali. The dance is very intense and dramatic featuring a hypnotic chorus of chanting and grunting simulating the sounds of a gamelan orchestra. It's an awesome experience.

Adlina + Mama

Wina Holiday Villa Courtyard
(The hotel serves Halal food)

Papa + the Boys

Day 3: Bali is a Shopping Heaven

Bali is a true shopping heaven. There are so many interesting souvenirs to bring home, all at under RM10. From Batik shirts to Wooden boxes to Mengkuang Bags to beaded slippers! Just bring extra Rupiahs!!

Check out the Denpasar Market. It's so much cheaper than the market in Ubud. Just wish we had more time to spend shopping in Denpasar. Most things are cheaper by more than 50% compared to Ubud or Kuta.

The day ended with the kids riding the waves with Hasanah, Thony, Azim and Shida. Azie was taking photos from the beach and me and AZ were just lazing under the shade! Hasanah and I finished off the evening with a full body massage and lulur which was heavenly...

In the van going places!

Can't wait for our next trip together. Thanks everyone for a great time!

Postscript: Had a BAD sunburn due to the intense heat. Wear a big hat in Bali, ladies (^_^)

My Big Sista

Kak Long - post op

My eldest sister Marlin is very special. We call her Kak Long. She is a very positive and loving person who always look at the brighter side of everything and the good side of everyone. Kak Long loves to give us presents, not just for special occasions, but for no occasion at all - except to remind us how special our relationship is.

I now realize that Kak Long has been such a huge influence in my life. As we grew up, it was Kak Long and Kak Ngah who reminded us time and again to always study hard and excel, and to show Apak that girls are just as good as boys, if not better (Apak always wanted a boy - and he had 7 girls before finally getting his only son, my brother Andy). Both of them used to round us up (there were only 5 of us then) and motivate us. Kak Long was such a big motivator. She still is.

When Mak followed Apak to London for a whole year and we were left in the care of Nenek, Kak Long and Kak Ngah held the fort for us and made sure that we stayed close together. I was only 5 then. But I can vividly remember the 5 of us holding hands when we went to sleep. Thinking about those times can still bring tears to my eyes.

Kak Long, Kak Ngah and Kak Mas were exemplary. They taught us by example. They all obtained scholarships to study in America, Australia and England respectively. I remember Kak Long never forgets birthdays and special occasions. She used to send cards and little presents by mail for birthdays and good luck cards prior to big exams. This taught me to always remember birthdays and special occasions. To always remember to celebrate special occasions and remind the people you love how much they are loved. And for this important lesson, I am truly grateful.

When Kak Long informed us 10 days ago that she had a tumor in her pituitary gland and needed a surgery to remove it, I was shocked and shaken. I cried and felt so scared. I realized that I have not been spending enough time with my Kak Long and I just wished that we stayed closer together. I have been taking our relationship for granted, thinking that she will always be there for me. It's really true how crisis and hurdles make you look back, think and reflect on things that go on with your life, make you appreciate what you have more.

Alhamdulillah, Kak Long's surgery went well last Tuesday and she is now in recovery. I have vowed to always remind her how much I love her and to try my level best to spend as much time as possible with her and my other sistas who are living in KL.

To Kak Long: I thank Allah for having you as my sister. You are so special and precious. You are such an inspiration to me. Thank you so much for everything that you are to me. I truly love you.

Hakim's UPSR

Congratulations to our precious Hakim for getting 4As 1B in his UPSR. Hakim's BM Pemahaman is his weakness, and we are thankful that he got a B for it! Alhamdulillah.. We are going to have a special family lunch to celebrate later today.. 

To Hakim: Papa and Mama are so proud of you, darling! Keep up the good work (^_^)

Happy Birthday Anas

Mama's fatty boom-boom

Anas is 7 today!

I can't believe our little baby is seven!! He is a real joy in the household of Danau Kaseh. Anas is chubby & adorable. He is smart & knows how to get things going his way. He speaks well and you can have a decent conversation with him about a lot of things. He is so mischievious, he is constantly irritating Adlan & Hakim. Most fights at home are caused by Anas, unfortunately. His best friend is his only sister, Adlina. They love doing art projects together, converting big boxes into tables & buildings; medium-sized boxes into cars & trucks, & little boxes into handphones. Anas adores Adlina & Adlina lets her little brother (who is heavier than she is!) sleep in her bed with her sometimes. She reads to him.

Anas sleeps in his own bed now, but most nights he still walks over to our bedroom in the middle of the night to snuggle in with papa & mama. We let him because he is still our little baby (although he takes up so much space, sometimes he kicks me out of my own bed!).

And today, our little baby is little no more. To Anas: Papa & Mama love you SO MUCH. Happy 7th Birthday darling.. (^_^)

Adlina the Blog-Buster

The background of my blog has totally been changed by Adlina (the Blog-buster!). She said that my previous blog background was too boring.. And for that, I allowed her to pick a background for me. & just for today, she is allowed to write something here..

This is Adlina's note:

So what do you think about mama's new blog?
If it sucks, Please comment! (Seriously do not comment if it looks bad to you.. (>___<)
But i think that it is very nice + suitable for mama..
I'm not saying she is old... (I never said that!)
btw: I found it at the cuttest blog on the block! Which is why mama's blog looks cute! Well, I guess... ?

PERFECT!!