A surprise birthday party of Ayah - 28 July 2012

Mummy was cracking Mummy's head trying to think of a good birthday present to give to Ayah this year. Somehow buying stuff as a gift is no longer meaningful to Mummy. Mummy decided that maybe a better gift to give to Ayah is to have all his children celebrating his birthday together.

To execute that, Mummy started a WhatsApp chat group with everybody minus Ayah. The group was called Izani's Family - Izani. We have another chat group with him in the group. So Mummy was praying hard that everybody will remember to use the correct chat group to discuss about this surprise birthday plan. And Alhamdulillah everybody did! We started to discuss about what to do a week before.

At the beginning everybody said they are ok to attend the Iftar and then the birthday party, except for Wahid who has to work till 11 pm. Mummy told Wahid to just come here after his shift ended and we can have supper together. At least Ayah will still have all his children together on his birthday. Alhamdulillah a few days before the event, Wahid said that he has exchanged his off day with his friend, so he can join us for the Iftar after all. Mummy was so happy to have the complete group for Iftar. 

Mummy went to order the cake from Secret Recipe Taman Tun so that the kids could bring the cake with them. It would be difficult for Mummy to bring back the cake before Iftar time without Ayah suspecting something. It was tough not being able to share stories of what happened when Mummy went to order the cake with Ayah. Trying to find parking in TTDI was murder! Of course eventually Mummy managed to park and was able to make the order and paid for the cake. After sharing every stories with Ayah everyday when Mummy come home from work, having to keep these secrets was no fun at all! Telling Ayah what happened during the day from the time we parted till the time we met again in the evening have been our routine. It made Mummy realised how much Mummy miss sharing stories with Ayah. 

At the beginning Mummy asked the kids to buy Beriyani from Ismail's from Taman Tun too for the Iftar food.  Emma has agreed to do that. Mummy even plan to transfer the money to Emma's account so that she could pay for the food without having to fork out her own money. Then later part of the week , after having to organize for Iftar for Mummy's company, Mummy decided to go for Wadi Hadramawt's food after discovering that they can deliver. 

The kids took care of their plan of getting the card and present and the balloon for Ayah. Iman lost her card for Ayah on the eve of the birthday. She got so upset about it and refused to go to bed until the card was found. Luckily Mummy managed to find the card back again and Iman gave the card at midnight of Ayah's birthday. 

Iman, do u remember being so excited and everyday you would be jumping on the bed and jumping around anticipating the excitement of making Ayah surprise and of course, the icing on the cake was having all the siblings here. Mummy had to keep reminding Iman that this is a secret that Iman must keep. I know, the anticipation was so overwhelming for you. You almost blew it when you kept coming to me to whisper questions related to the plan in front of Ayah. Lucky thing Ayah didn't suspect anything out of the ordinary. Alhamdulillah you rose to the occasion and managed to keep the secret.

The whole of Saturday 28 July 2012, Mummy was scheming in my brain on the plan. Wadi Hadramawt didn't allow me to order earlier (on Friday when Mummy was in the office) coz they were worried that they might lose my order. They told Mummy to order to Saturday. Ok.. fine... Come Saturday, when Ayah offered to go and fetch Iman from Mental Arithmetic class at 11.30 a.m., Mummy seized the moment to make the call to order the food. The phone on the other end rang and rang and rang... but nobody picked it up. Mummy's heart sank! Oh no! Are they closed on Saturday for some reason? Oh no! So Mummy called En. Syafie (the Catering guy at Wadi that Mummy have been contacting for the office's Iftar coordination) and he told Mummy that they only open at 2 pm during Ramadhan! Phew!! 

Ayah was home all day. How do Mummy make the call without Ayah listening? Hmm.. Mummy decided that Mummy would have to go out so that Mummy could make the call from outside. At the beginning Mummy thought of going to the Salon to henna Mummy's hair so that Mummy could make the call at that time. But the ironing Mummy was doing took Mummy a bit too long. By the time Mummy was done ironing, it was already about 3 pm. So Mummy decided to just make the call from inside the room while having the door closed. Not something Mummy use to do coz Mummy don't usually keep secrets from Ayah. The order was successfully made! Wadi said they would send the order at about 5 - 5:30 pm. Oh no!! Mummy quickly WhatsApp the kids to inform them to be here before the food is delivered. And Mummy had to cancel Mummy's plan to go to the salon just in case the food get delivered before Mummy get home. 

The kids were already on the way. Mummy really thought they would be here before the food is delivered. Mummy's luck ran out! The food got delivered at about 5:45 pm! Ayah was puzzled to see so much for food and insisted to see the receipt. He thought that Wadi made a mistake and sent too much! Mummy had to quickly told a white lie about wanting to give some of the food to Aunty Yie, our neighbour, who was also Mummy's junior from SSP. That made Ayah stopped asking and Ayah said "That's good to give some to her." Phew!! OK.. another issue handled.

By now Mummy got a message from Emma saying that they were 5 minutes away. Mummy told them to park their cars behind our block, near the Rubbish bin. While Mummy and Iman were at the balcony trying to signal to them where to park, Ayah saw us frantically signaling to someone. He got suspicious about it and came to the balcony. He asked "Who are you talking to? Your friend?" By then he saw Wahid's car and was trying to figure out. Suddenly everything fall into places and Ayah finally figured out! It was still good to be able to make Ayah surprise with all the arrangement. Mummy was just glad to see Ayah so happy to see all of the people he loves together celebrating his special day. Mummy think that this must have been the best gift Mummy have ever given Ayah. High five to Iman and Mummy and Wahid, Emma, Aina, Kirra and Baim for pulling this surprise!!

Here's the pictures from the surprise iftar and party.

The food for Iftar:

Lamb Madghout

Chicken Mandy

Lamb Kabsa

   

After we solat Isya' and Terawih together (without Baim who was having diarrhoea problem), we had Ayah's Birthday Party.

  

The food for Moreh and Birthday Party:

 

 

Pictures of the Birthday "boy" with anak-anak:

 

 

Now, Mummy's turn to take picture with the Birthday Boy:
 

 

 

 

Ayah with all the children after the party:

 

Ayah's balloon:

  

Being Thankful

Mummy attended a parenting class and the trainer told us that he was taught by an Ustaz that it is not enough to say Alhamdulillah. He said that when we start to list down the things we are thankful for, it will be quite an experience.

Mummy want to start listing things that Mummy are thankful for and will continue the list as we go along. Mummy hope Iman will also list down the things Iman is thankful for.

I am thankful and feeling blessed that :

1. Iman a loving daughter. 
2. Iman a  thoughtful daughter
3. Iman a beautiful daughter
4. Iman a wonderful daughter
5. Iman a disciplined daughter
6. Iman an obedient daughter.
7. Iman a bright daughter with many potential.
8. I have changed into a better person after I have Iman in my life.
9. Ayah Iman is a loving husband.
10. Ayah Iman is a sporting husband
11. Ayah Iman is a supporting husband.
12. Ayah Iman is a very helpful husband.
13. Ayah Iman is a funny man.
14. I have a nice blue bathroom that Ayah has painted after waiting for almost 10 years. :-) 
15. I have a rain shower that Ayah has fixed   
16. I have lots of "me" time.
17. I have many opportunities to travel for holidays.
18. I have a nice house.. eventhough it is not a big one.
19. I have a nice car
20. I have a job
21. I have a job that allows me to have some flexible time.
22. I have good bosses.
23. I have many great friends.
24. I have many great travelling buddies.
25. I still have parents.
26. I have mental and physical health.
27. I have more patience than I used to.
28. I am wiser now.
29. I am kinder now.
30. I am given many opportunities to do good things.
31. I have air-con in the bedroom that I can turn-on anytime I need to.
32. I always have food on my table.
33. I always have roof over my head.
34. I can always buy things for Iman.
35. 
    

A tribute to Nemo - Alang's cat

Nemo - 8th of April 2002 - 18th of July 2012

Alang took Nemo and Mukhriz from Kuala Krai on 8th April 2002. About 2 months ago, Nemo started to have problem. She started to lose weight and when Alang brought her to see the vet, she was informed that Nemo has arthritis or something due to the kind of food she was taking. So Alang changed her food and she seemed to improve. However a few days before 18th July, Nemo's health started to deteriorate and that morning of 18 July, when Alang brought Nemo to the vet, Alang was informed that Nemo has no hope as she is suffering from renal failure. The vet suggested that Nemo has to be put to sleep on 18 July itself. The vet was allowing Alang to bring Nemo home that morning to spend the last few hours with her and say good bye. Alang was supposed to bring Nemo back to the vet to put her to sleep that evening. While we were discussing about Alang should go with someone when Nemo was to be put to sleep. All of a sudden Alang told us that Nemo was "going" and then after Alang said "she's gone.."

Rest in peace Nemo!  

When Nemo was still well

Nemo on 18 July 2012

Mukhriz accompanying the sick Nemo

Nemo taking her last few breaths

It broke Mummy's heart to see Iman cry when Iman watched the movie of Nemo taking her last breaths. Iman was asking Mummy "why did Nemo has to die today?" and Mummy seized the opportunity to explain about death and how everybody and every animal will die eventually. Nothing ever last forever.

Mummy-Iman Time watching Brave

Iman has been looking forward to watch Brave since seeing the advertisement of TV. Since Ayah had other commitment, Mummy decided, why waste a Sunday.. let's just go with Iman and make it a Mummy-Iman! It was indeed a good decision. Both of us enjoyed it tremendously. Mummy can't wait to buy the VCD or DVD so that we can watch it again and again together.

It was a good movie! There were many good scenes which are very close to home. Mother and daughter with different personalities will always be not see eye-to-eye. Most of the time the daughter doesn't understand the reason behind what a mother wants the daughter to do. One very important message that Mummy got from the movie and Mummy agree whole-heartedly was that a mother would do anything to save her child even if it meant she would be killed. Mummy know that is what Mummy would do for Iman.

Here's the plot of the movie as copied from wikipedia.

In Scotland, King Fergus of Clan DunBroch presents his young daughter Merida with a bow for her birthday. 

Adventure runs in the family

While practicing with the bow, Merida briefly encounters a will-o'-the-wisp as a giant demon bear named Mor'du attacks the family. Merida escapes along with her mother Queen Elinor while Fergus fights off the bear alongside his men at the cost of his left leg. 

There are few who are Brave enough to drink from the Fire Falls on their day off.

Years later, Elinor has since given birth to identical triplet boys, and Merida has become a free-spirited and adventurous teenager. One night, her mother informs her she is to be betrothed to one of her father's allied clans: Dingwall, Macintosh, or MacGuffin. Oblivious to her mother's attempts to appease her by telling her a legend of a power-hungry prince who broke off from his duty and caused the ruin of a kingdom, Merida is dissatisfied with the arranged marriage.

Challenging tradition requires one to be Brave.

The clans arrive with their first-born sons to compete in the Highland Games for Merida's hand, and the princess chooses archery as the main event. 

During the competition, Lord Dingwall's son wins by accident. Merida hides herself in a cloak, announces that as the first-born of the clan DunBroch, she will compete for her own hand. She hits the center of every target, and later has a falling-out with Elinor. When Merida damages a tapestry depicting her family and Elinor burns her bow, Merida flees to the forest. While there, the will-o'-the-wisps lead her to the hut of an elderly witch who insists she is a wood carver.

After some bargaining, the witch agrees to give Merida a spell, in the form of a cake, to change her mother. Merida returns to the castle and gives Elinor the cake, transforming her into a bear. With the help of her brothers, Merida helps Elinor escape from the castle. 


The pair return to the witch's cottage, finding the witch gone for the season. Through a potion-controlled automated message, Merida discovers that the spell will be permanent unless undone by the second sunrise. The witch leaves Merida a riddle, mentioning that she must "mend the bond torn by pride." 

The next morning, Merida and her mother begin to reconcile their relationship while gathering fish and playing in a nearby river. However, Merida observes the spell to be slowly becoming permanent, transforming Elinor into a wild bear. 


The next day, Elinor gives Merida a new bow from which she crafted by hand, the pair encounters the wisps again and follows them to ancient ruins, learning that Mor'du was once the prince of Elinor's legend, and received the same spell from the witch. 

 

After fleeing an attack from Mor'du, Merida theorizes that the repair of the tapestry will turn her mother human again and prevent her from becoming like Mor'du.

The tapestry that Merida's damaged

At the castle, the clans are on the verge of war because of Merida's actions, but the princess quells their fighting and declares that the children should be allowed to get married in their own time. Her suitors second her and the lords agree. 

Merida then sneaks into the tapestry room with Elinor, who once again loses her humanity for a few minutes. Fergus goes to his bedchambers to find Elinor, but mistakes her to be dead after seeing the room destroyed. Elinor attacks both Merida and Fergus when he steps into their room. Upon regaining human consciousness, she races out of the castle in desperation. Thinking that Elinor is Mor'du, Fergus detains Merida and follows Elinor. With the help of her brothers, now transformed into cubs from eating the cake, Merida races after her father while fixing the tapestry. As the clan members and Fergus capture Elinor, Merida intervenes but is thrown aside by Fergus and restrained by Lord Macintosh; however, Mor'du attacks Merida, Fergus and the clan members. Elinor kills Mor'du by luring him under a falling masonry, setting the spirit of the prince free.

Merida places the tapestry over Elinor, professes her love for her mother and reconciles. Elinor is transformed back along with the triplets, and the family is reunited once again. A few days later, the clans depart for their respective lands and Merida and Elinor ride their horses together, sharing a closer relationship than before.

Here's the trailer: