Outdoors

Syukur alhamdulillah. Thank you for your kind prayers.

Bean'sTalk: Little Rhino Says No!

Bean is now 2 years and 4 months young. One of his favourite hallmark words to say is "no".

Anecdotes:

Mummy: Please come with me. Let's shower you.

Bean: No!

Mummy: Please come with me. Let's change your diaper. 

Bean: No!

Being cheeky parents, we turn the table sometimes, just to see his priceless reaction.

Anecdotes:

At supper time:

Bean: Peace give me chocky I scream. (read as "Please give me chocolate ice-cream.")

Mummy: No.

Bean: Say yes, Mummy! Say yes!

Mummy: No.

*Bean cries*

As we were leaving home for a busy day out:

Bean: Peace play Teh-Row (Bean was referring to Toy Stories Terror DVD)

Mummy: No.

Bean: Say yes, Mummy! Say yes!

Mummy: No.

*Bean cries*

Mind you, he cries to get things in his favor or his way, not because we let him or enjoy seeing him cry. It is a mock cry, with no tears, mouth wide open for me to count his 20 pearlies. Mock cry to the tune of the baby crying in "Wheels of the bus" ever looping melodious song.

Such a little drama king. 

Budget Friday

Have a blessed Friday, my lovelies! Will you be following the updates on Budget 2016?

I first tuned in to Budget Friday in 1992 but that does not count because it was not until 1998 that I truly understood its impact on my prospect and career.

1998. It was the year I graduated with my first degree and felt grown up enough to follow what the then Finance Minister and EPU had planned for financial crisis recovery and onward prosperity towards Vision 2020.

Now, Budget 2016 is about to be announced and the optimism I used to have in me has dwindled. I love Malaysia but it is beginning to feel like unrequited love.

Let's give it the benefit of the doubt and tune in after zuhur prayers. This will be the first time The Other Half is genuinely interested in what is in store for us all.

Bismillah hirrahmah nirrahim. Please let it be a good Budget 2016.

The Incidental Homeschoolers

How are you, my lovelies?

Please pardon my rant of frustration here over the polluted environment blanketing over Malaysia at the moment. I am sorry my sentences start to rhyme, I have been coaching lessons for 5 and 2 year olds for about a week now. Occupation hazard.

The haze has turned our little family into, amongst others, incidental homeschoolers, as both kids are kept indoors. Their worksheets and lessons have been pouring in over the week and it would seem to head for gusto/presto speed now onwards.

Yes, I am now also an official "teacher".

It has been...exhausting. Both of the little ones are happy to have their parents 24/7 but they occasionally go bonkers from being kept indoors for too long. Gosh, even The Other Half and I are getting anxious and claustrophobic from being sealed in.

Further updates as of 22 October 2015:

On top of that, my patience is wearing thin trying to sit Girl down to complete her work when Bean is having his own party playing with toys or watching DVD. This may be premature to conclude, but I can safely assume that I do not make a very suitable candidate as a homeschool teacher. If it weren't for a kind mother of Girl's classmate making the homework checklist today, we would have missed out a few worksheets.

Thankfully, school resumes tomorrow. Alas, not all our worksheets have been perfected. Good news is, Girl is getting her first MacBook Pro because I simply cannot afford to have her hogging my work horse! Double trouble for me as I am back to bento duty too, and Bean decides to stay up late.

I am going to end this vent with a prayer for myself, my family and everyone in general.

May Allah swt deliver us from this misery of haze. Thank You for this opportunity to turn to You for everything. For everything that is going wrong, we acknowledge Your innumerable blessings upon us. Please forgive us our wrongs and sins. May your Hidayah be upon those with the power and authority to do the right thing.

Amin.

Sunday Blues Redefined

We dread Sunday evenings that come with announcement of school closure due to haze. 

No,  it is not the stop-go pace with the syllabus and activities. 

Many students have their important exams right around the corner and could really use the extra revision time at home.

No, it is not the inconvenience of having to postpone my appointments and meetings. 

Thousands of other working mums (like myself) have it worse than I do (because I have the freedom and flexibility to plan around raising my family duty first before my job) and I feel for them (so tough!).

No, it is not the hassle of finding suitable indoor activities for 5+ and 2+ year olds. Nearly every single week, we bake and cook using simple recipes from Tip Hero and Just One Cookbook you would think our full-time job is to verify those recipes! Our other full time job is to play, read, sing and craft. Everything except the great outdoors for swimming, playground and just run.

It is this: 

The irresponsible act of destructing the environment solely for profits.

In the end, environmental, social, economic, political cost do not justify meagre profits, does it? 

Are the stakeholders really proud of their achievements and dividend? 

How do they sleep easy? 

Snippets: Shahadah

The most beautiful recitation before Girl goes to sleep now includes the Shahadah. 

The first and most important pillars in Islam, and we have been discussing it at her level so she can understand and appreciate its meaning.

"AshaduAllah Ilaha illAllah, wa ashadu anna Muhammadar rasullulah."

There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His Messager.

She is coming to terms with monotheism concept and is curious as to the character of our beloved Prophet Muhammad saw, as well as Angels and other known Prophets.

SubhanAllah I have to refresh my knowledge and present them in an engaging manner without getting her too excited at bedtime. Some of the books we have in storage will make their way to her as soon as her bedroom lights are fixed, inshaAllah. May Allah swt increase me in every way so that I can raise her (and Bean) well. Amin.

Syukur alhamdulillah. May her (and Bean's) path remain straight and guided by His Mercy. Amin.

Easy Peasy Recipe: Chocolate Fudge

1 cup condensed milk: 3 cups chocolate chips. 

Microwave for 2 minutes on high.

Mix until well combined.

Chill for 2-3 hours.

Slice to preferred size.

Syukur alhamdulillah, this batch was shared with our neighbour and Kia Peng Mummy. Both women are running their respective households full time, with husband(s) travelling 90% of the time. The haze has kept them indoors with their active offsprings with nowhere to burn all that energy. Certainly took a toll on the health, sanity and happiness of these 2 wonderful ladies.

If a few slices of chocolate fudge can put a smile on their faces, I would present them with this little treat again, in a heartbeat.

(This is our mini chocolate fudge in tin foil sprinkled with sugar rice, better portion control.)

May Allah swt send them His blessings to see them through this tough period and bring ease into their lives. Amin.