A Piece of My Paradise On Earth

I've been longing for a proper kitchen set for a very long..long..time

This is my next room in the house that's out of the renovating touch..

And the thing is I'm a moody person when it comes to cooking..

When I don't feel like it, I don't cook at all..

But most of the time, I love cooking...

I love cooking so much,

I'd stock them!

Because I kept on cooking..and cooking..and cooking..

I would cook for breakfast, lunch, dinner..

and everything in between..brunch, snacks, supper..

Up until there's no more room for any food left..

so stocking it up will do..

When I'm in that mood..

Now, that is when I really long for a nice place to accommodate my mood..

hahaha..

Well, I do just fine with my existing kitchen though..

My kids and friends love my cooking..

But, I bet I'd do much more better if I did it in a kitchen that I've been longing for..

The style would be as simple as possible though..

But still, it would be a simple me!

A hint of ethnic..

A dash of bling..

Sassy!!

Let's go through this one by one..

or well at least..let's imagine this one by one..

Ok, Dreaming begin..

First thing first..The Counter top!

Granite would be out of my league..

Synthetic granite...could be a dream, hope it would come true..

But I have my heart on Solid Wood!!

So material wise, it's a combination of Wood and Natural Stone!!

So, what goes more perfectly with wood and stone than

White and Flowy..

Perfectly Natural..

It's so Obvious what I want!

Balinese style..

Everything from there is down hill..

Let it flow..

I love the idea of placing the food on ethnically dishes..

Potteries, bamboo plates, stone bowls..

And how everything in the dish use the natural herbs or ingredients to garnish them..

Sereh, banana leaves,..

And all the completion of the design would make it Amazing..

Dimmed lightings would be wonderful..

Uuuu..and Candle lights are delightful..

Some touches of greens would definitely make a statement of Bali..

and it's not Bali if there's no kamboja flower tree..

So, I can pull some plants in potteries here and there..

Let's get totally Balinese crazy..

and make space for some..

Balinese umbrellas?..

somewhere..

hahaha..maybe just a miniature of them?

Well, or maybe just a painting of them...

A girl can dream..can they..

Dreaming of Morocco

I've been dying to decorate my bedroom

I've lived in about 6 different bedrooms since ive got married

my bedroom is never a part of the house that's

prioritized to be decorated

its the last thinkable thing to do..

But not have been decorating it,

didn't mean I didn't think about it..

More than that,

Being so long..

The concept kept on changing..

and I've been collecting

many ideas for it

So, first

it was simple sweet classic

And then

Came the Indian concept

After that,

I went through a very long pause

of getting tired thinking that it's not going to happen soon..

But these last weeks,

I've fallen in love with..

Moroccan style..

I love all the elements..

I love the colorful stained glass

on windows..

on lanterns..

I adore the colorful mozaic ceramic tiles that are all over the places

on buildings; walls, floors, ceilings..

on potteries..

on tables..

on everything..

Despite all the lovely materials that is used..

I heart all the ornaments that's common in Moroccan style..

..the low height tables

the lanterns..

the potteries..

the rugs..

the cushions..

the dishes..

No to deny that they are amazingly colorful..

they feel so comfortably down to earth.

And the best,

In my opinion would be..

The lanterns..

Beautiful!!!

The overall look and atmosphere is PASSIONATELYAMAZING!!!

Being Practical

I'm a very practical person.

The more I think about it, the more I know it's true..

The more I go through obstacles throughout my life, the more I know how practical I am..

And somehow, I ended up..

InsyaAllah,

Spending my whole life with my dear husband, who is very practical as well..

Our practicality just attracts one another, I guess

Hopefully, it means we're meant to be with each other...Amin

I've been dating him for 6 years before we got married..

Through those years, when most of people sometimes want their couple to be more romantic, more sensitive, and all..

I don't feel the need for that..

And he doesn't have a single romantic nor sensitive bone in his body..

And I'm good with that

I'm really comfortable with the way things have been going..

Still am.. and hope will always be..

Sometimes, I even get a bit annoyed when he does something merely romantic..

Now, after being married for more than 12 years..

The practicality really works well in the household..

He really get things done..

We do quite good in sharing errands, sharing on taking care of the kids, sharing on having our each own me time..

And the best thing is, most of the time, I don't have to say a single thing, or at least I don't have to say it to his face..

The most common thing that I'd do is..I mumble by myself about stuffs..

And he knows..he gets the hints..

But we ladies, have always have our sensitive moments, don't we

And it just gets me at the heart..

every time he does or says things..

That, maybe, he doesn't realize at all

That, maybe, he does them just for practicality sake..

But he just did or said the right thing at the right time..

And maybe for others it's nothing..

For me, knowing him as this practical person that he is, means a whole lot..

These are some of my favorites..

Going out with 4 kids, 11-7-5s..takes out all off the energy of my 36 years of mommy age..

I'd be exhausted every time I arrived home..

The minute we entered the house, he'd be taking all the kids upstairs to their room..

And leave me taking my time to relax by myself downstairs..

That means the world to me..

When my kids get sick.

Usually, I'll do all the taking care of them..

Which I don't mind at all..

But, every now and then I have the time between all those taking care off stuffs..

He'll just go over me, says nothing and gives me like a really serious massage from head to toe..

That feels heavenly..

When we go together out on a shopping purpose..

I don't get the time to go to places I really want to..

I've got 4 boys plus one..

So, boys places and shops are the places that we go to..

I really don't mind anyway..

I prefer to do my shopping by myself, alone..

when the kids are at school and my hubby is at the office.

I do it peacefully, without any rush from them..

But every now and then,

I notice he often disappears

Usually when the kids are taking a break at the end of our shopping time, eating donuts, having drinks, or others..

And he'll just show up, carrying a shopping bag, which can be anything..

A dress, shoes, a book,..anything..

And he really knows my taste, besides off his good taste on stuffs as well..

How nice is that..

And every now and then..

He just says the nicest thing..

One time, we were talking about every day stuffs..

Kids, house, friends, work..

We share opinions on everything..

we have good discussions..which means debating on stuff..

Which is fun..

So, one time, at the end of a discussion, I concluded..

Well, maybe it's just not meant to be then..Just accept it..

It was like one out of hundreds of our usual discussion..

But he commented,

How lucky I am to have a wife that's understanding..

Isn't that sweet..

The latest one was this..

It was the twins birthday party..

When it was quiz time, the MC threw a question to the guests..

How much does the twins mommy's weigh..

A very rude question, isn't it..

But every one was having fun with answering silly answers..

When it was time for me to give the right answer, I rejected to answer..

So, the MC went to my husband for the answer..

He answered a silly answer as well,

She only weighs 25 kgs, the rest is inner beauty..

If that's not the sweetest thing a husband can ever say..

Hahahaha..

Love you with all my heart..

Just the way you are..

The Twins on Kartini

Of all the heroine of Indonesia, she's the famous amongst all..

For one, she is the one who made a breakthrough for woman emancipation..

But, most of all, it's due to the things that we do on Kartini's Day..

On the 21st of April, every year

The school make their students to dress up in traditional costumes from all over this diverse country..

Which, for me, is nothing even near to the link of woman emancipation

Not festive enough,

they'll show it off by having a fashion show or fashion parade

Which, for me, I've always done it for my kids all the way..because, that's just the way I do stuffs..

For that reason, has caused 2 out of 4 of my boys have been collecting 3 trophies for those occasions..

That's another thing I feel bad for.. the fact that my boys winning trophies for Kartini's Day..

Isn't it supposed to be a woman thing..

Caused by that, for me, Kartini's Day has been just another costume party

So, it was a huge surprise for me

When the twins got back from kindergarten, on our way home..in the car..

They passionately talked about Kartini:

Bu, did you know..

Back then, the time when Ibu Kartini lived..

Girls are not allowed to go to school..

They're not allowed to go to work either..

Only boys are allowed to do those things..

Girls have to stay home, and take care of the children, the daddy, the house..

They're just allowed to sew, to cook, and other house's stuffs

Catching the moment,

I jumped right away..

Yes, and now because of Ibu Kartini's effort,

girls have the same chance to be as good as boys, even better..

Girls now can go to schools as high as they want to..

Girls now can work at any positions, as anything as they will..

Girls can be doctors, dentist, architects, teachers..like me..

Maybe, lost of interest..

Or tired of school..

But surely, it was one of those smart stuffs that they like to come up with..

and definitely, it's one of those sweet things that they like to think off..

They immediately cut me off..

Bu..imagine, if we lived at the same time when Ibu Kartini lived..

Ibu, you don't have to go to work..

You can stay home the whole day with us..

That'll be cool..

Wow, Dear God..

Maybe for some people, feeling as deep as I felt is such a drama Queen thing

But for me..

I paused, took a good look at them..

my eyes started to get wet, hugged and kissed them..

Love you boys, with all my heart..

Happily Married..

Being married..

Almost 12 years now..*hopefully getting stronger each and everytime..*

and had been going out with him since 6 years before

Baby steps..if you're looking it from my parents', most of my aunts' and uncles', or my parents in law's point of view..

My respect for all of them..

Have been learning a lot from them..

Still am..

I can't say that I'm not the optimisstic type..

I just think myself as the realistic type..

I don't buy the princess who mets the prince and live happily ever after stuff..

That's kids' dream..

where everything has to have a happy ending..

In real life? You have to work for it..

It needs effort to get happiness..

and, it doesn't always ends happy..

But that's the art of it..

It's impossible to be happy all the time..

It won't be a special feeling anymore then..

Me, myself feel the happiest..after all the ups and downs, all the bumpy paths, rain, wether its a drizzle or storm, that I've got to get through..and it comes to a stop..

doesn't matter if the result is bad or good..

as long as you know that you have done your best,

that you have done everything that you can possibly do..

so, you don't look back in regrets..

that's what matters the most..

That's true happiness..

If it ended well, Thank God..

If it doesn't, Maybe it's not the end yet..continue trying, don't give up..

Just stay in God's path and believe in It..

You've been experiencing that all your life, haven't you?..

Well, don't you expect it to change to a different way when you get married..

Your spouse is one of the first new important aspect in your married life

So, he will also brings all the colors in your life now..bright and not so bright ones..

Not to mention, all the we-thought-small-stuffs that comes along with the fact that you're being married..

I know mine for 7 years, before we got married..

Of course, having to know him for 7 years in advance has it benefits..

For me, it definitely gives a whole lot information about him..attitudes, behaviour, habits..

I had never planned to change those..

as I said it before, it's just information..

IMHO, people can't change, they just compromise, they adapt, they tolerate..

and the older they get, with more experience in their life, they'll get wiser..

and hopefully they're able to compromise more, they're more adaptable, more tolerable..

but never change..

so, the moment I decided that he's the one that I'm going to spend my whole life with..

that's the moment I was willing to accept him, all the good and especially all the bad..

But still, everytime I thought I know everything about him *come on..7 years!!*,

he'll 'surprise' me.. in good ways..and not so good ones

Up until now..

OK.. So, hmm..actually what do you get from being married?

For me.. You'll get someone you can rely on, depend on..

You'll get someone you can share your thoughts to, someone who stands by you, someone who trusts you..

You'll get someone who loves you..

Even though sometime, he doesn't show it..

but you know, just by being there.. being responsible.. spending his whole life with you

and eventually..

You'll get your children..

they're the jewels in your life..

the ones responsible for you not falling apart in life..

the essence of your life..

You'll do everthing for them..

You're estatic when they're happy..

You're devastated when they're sad..

the best thing that ever happened in your life..

the reason that you're here..

So, don't sweat on the small unhappy parts..

concentrate on all the happy stuff..no matter how small it is..

Be greatfull, thankfull for all the simplest joy in life..

You'll live to be the happiest person in life..

A Proud Mom..

Last Sunday, is one of those days that I was really proud of my boys..

My husband always says, that my kids inherit my balance..

which is not a good thing.. Despite of sucking in all that involves balancing..

the simplest thing, that I get embarassed the most is.. my ability in riding a bicycle..

When I was younger, the age when you really wanted and started to learn how to ride a 2 wheeled bike, I wasn't that eager to do it..

I lean on my helping wheels, until it bent..

and when it was already bent, I stopped riding it..

Up until, it were my sisters' time to learn.. I was already in high school *OMG..*

My fear of falling from the bike had gone long time ago..

My embarassement out of doing something stupid

while I was learning doesn't matter at all..

So, those were all out of the way..

But still, that doesn't mean my balance became better..

I ended up, wobbly and couldn't ride slowly..*because it's easier to keep your balance when you're speeding..hihihi*..

and mainly, I couldn't make a turn..*What a disgrace..ck..ck..ck..hahaha*

Well, I thought..I didn't need to ride a bike anyway..

Until it's time my first son's time to learn how to ride a bike..

OK, Ayah..it's your responsibility to teach him!

But, you know dads..their time for the kids is not as much as mommies'..

So, my first kid learned it late as well..

Eventually, in the second grade, he's able to ride it, though he had his bike since he was in the first grade..

But, he's more into his skateboard..

so, I rarely see him ride his bike..

The same thing happened to my second son..

It also took him a year, to have the guts to ride his..

It was just a couple of days ago..*lol*

he's so motivated, because the twins has already able to ride a bike..

Luckily..the twins love to ride their 4 wheels bike since they're in playgroup..

A year later, the helping wheels are all bent..and didn't function.

and by that time, the youngest of them has been able to ride 2 wheeled..*YEAY!!*

the other one is still struggling with 1 bent helping wheel..but he's almost there..

So, well done with the kids..

They just have to smooth it up..

Well, my hubby has been in the biking mood for quite sometime now..

He rides together with his cousin every Saturday..

And they've been pushing me to come along..

No Way!!

And then, my brother in law had this brilliant idea to have his daughter's birthday party at Tony Jack's Thamrin on last Sunday..

But to get there, we had to ride our bikes from Senayan..

because Sunday, in Sudirman is car free day..

Perfect plan..

It's all set up..

with all the uniform t-shirt and buggies for the babies..everything..

Well, not a chance I'm joining that!!

I'm just going to meet them up there..by Trans Jakarta..

The kids were so anxious..

I was worried first, because of my doubt on their ability riding a bike.

and then..their mood along that long way..

to add that condition, we're 10 minutes late.. everyone had started before..

But, nothing's going to put my ass on a bike..

So, I walked behind them..

My husband up front..4 kids..and me, walking..

although, almost on 2/3 way the twins and Raihan lost hope..

and we ended up calling my mother in law's driver to pick us up..

But on the way back from Tony Jack's..

They got really excited, because they're able to start together with the others..

I offered them to ride the Trans Jakarta with me..

but they didn't want to..

They all rode their bike..

Only Tama, lost hope and rode on the back seat of his granny's..

The others, arrived safely..even Rizqi was one of the first to arrived..

For Raihan and Dika, they arrived the latest..

But everyone was very proud of them all..

Great Job Kids!! Proud of You All!!

For me..Off course!! Trans Jakarta..