Berkhatan 2018: Goodie bag preparation

I have only 2 boys who are 3 years apart. So bila Kasyif nak berkhatan, baik sekali kan dengan adik dia Lutfi. So renyahnya sekali saja. Tarikh dioghang sunat ialah sehari selepas kenduri kahwin Nurul, 3 Dec 2018.

This is a milestone for them so I feel obligated to celebrate their achievement. In Perlis, circumcision is highly regarded and celebrated. They hold a kenduri after the ordeal as a sign of gratefulness to Allah SWT. Kenduri is not a norm in Johor so this will be a good experience for me as the mother.

I plan to give out doorgift to visitors. As usual I did the budget and suggest to my sis in law (his son, same age as Kasyif is joining). Originally she just wanted to order butter biscuits (macam Danish butter cookies) but I think where's the fun? That is too simple...haha!

So I work out what would I get with the same amount of budget. Based on my research:

1. Homemade cornflake cookies (5 pcs)
2. Sweets
3. Small calendar which I think so appropriate since we are getting to new year 2019

I don't do flashy plastic bags because I like simplicity and I'm working on a specific budget. I bought them from Shopee costing less than RM100.

Fresh cookies are definitely better than old cookies. Made with love and affection, hopefully people will feel the same when eating my cookies! Haha! I pushed myself to make them. There might be no other opportunity for me to display my love for them. That was the hardest bit. Packaging were done by my kids.

This cost less than RM1

Cookies for adult

I think I made roughly about 700 cookies in 5 non consecutive days (when I'm free)

Production line

Sweets for kids

This was right after they had the surgery

Lutfi slept after facing the ordeal

A clever way to ensure the kain will not drop, a 20 sen coin!

The boys laid here during the kenduri

Lutfi felt the pain....

Things I've made

Terjumpa pics ni masa scroll gambar-gambar lama. Nampak sedap... I'm amazed with myself....gigihnya! Haha! I have this problem of keep forgetting my achievements. It's bad when it does nothing or even worsen the insecurity in me... anyway, I want to remind myself on what I've cooked for the family....

Pulled garlic bread 2017

Pizza guna base frozen parata 2018

Shepard's pie 2017

Meatball/ bergedil 2017

Udang sambal telur kot 2017

Roti John 2017

Lutfi: Standard One 2018

This is a throwback. Didn't get to blog about his 1st day in 2018 but I found these pics.

Pagi pegi KAFA

Kakak before joining SGS

Lutfi is matured to me for a Standard 1. Smart IQ definitely taught him how to handle his emotion.

Baru-baru ni aku tersentak sebab Lutfi ingat his 1st day at school, dia expect aku datang tengok dia waktu rehat tapi aku tak datang. Sedihnya! So ingat in 2020, aku nak pegi jumpa dia waktu rehat untuk cover balik kesalahan aku in 2018. Agak-agak boleh cover tak?

Kemas rumah

Semalam cuti Christmas, sempat jugak aku kemas rak buku kat ruang tamu. Lama dah aku nak buat. Lepas balik KOREA, aku memang nak kemas rumah. Berhabuknya alahai!...Aku buat sikit-sikit dari hari Isnin. Asalnya aku rasa tak best tengok ruang tamu aku. Kerusi Fella tu dah out of shape, sofa cover IKEA dah lusuh, barang bersepah, not a good sight at all. Memula tu aku plan nak beli itu ini tapi bila tengok rumah aku, barang dah banyak sebenarnya. Better aku sort barang aku dulu macam buku, baju and toys. Dah sort barang, reimagine the purpose of existing furniture. Boleh relocate saja... tapi aku memang nak update langsir dengan sofa. Pastu nak beli katil!!!!

Dua hari sebelum, anak-anak dah sort buku memasing. Aku suh asingkan mana yang nak buang, nak derma, nak simpan. So semalam, aku all out. Kuarkan non school books from Billyand lap shelf. Berabuknya Ya Allah! Aku teringatkan bibik... patutla dia rasa dia dah tak larat kerja. Aku rasa rumah aku takda lah susah sangat nak jaga tapi sebenarnya bibik Lasmi memang buat kerja dia termasuk lap all the shelves. Aku tak nampak sebab dia buat masa orang pegi keje, pegi sekolah. Aku tahu sebab rumah aku habuk tak nampak pun masa bibik ada. Dulu aku rajin membeli, tak perasan nak rumah lawa, kena sentiasa maintain kebersihan. Dulu kan bibik ada nak bersihkan rumah. Terima kasih bibik sebab ajar aku apa makna BERSIH. Habuk kena lap ya!

Dari pukul 5.30 pagi aku mengemas sampai husband aku tolong pukul 11.00 pagi. Then mintak tolong anak dara aku vacum sebab aku nak naik mandi. Masa tu dah pukul 2.00 petang. Aku rasa penat lepas mandi, aku amik quick nap.

Alhamdulillah, mana-mana yang tak pakai dah kuarkan. Beri ruang untuk Kasyif dan Lutfi pula. Irdina pun dah tak sekolah menengah, boleh la kuarkan buku-buku dia.

Somehow aku rasa puas sebab berjaya clearkan Billy tu. Next task? Bawah tangga atau toys?

Baru teringat, ada cat lebih masa cat kat tingkat atas tahun 2018. Boleh la retouch balik cat kat ruang tamu.

Pastu kalo aku nak tukar sofa, langsir... aku nak buat konsep apa?

Start taking Vitamin C

Dah 2 hari aku start amik Vitamin C. Beli kat Guardian sebab ada sale. Aku perasan aku membuang dan berat aku turun, back to before aku pegi KOREA. Kalo tak makin lama makin naik sebab aku tak jaga carbo intake.

So what does Vitamin C do to my body? Aku tak sure. Malas pulak nak google....

Meniti hari-hari terakhir 2019: Looking back

As I was completing my work KPI for 2019, I glanced through what have I done in 2019. I remember wanting to beat 2016 post counts, now I'm skeptic I can achieve that.

Office
2019 was a busy year for me. By right kerja patutnya tak busy and boleh focus at my core function tapi with new management and all, it's busier than ever been. We have to do things differently and with reduced number of staff in Finance, things were not as I hoped for. 2 colleagues resigned without replacement so ada internal restructure. I used to have a subordinate to do my operational work but starting June, I have to take them back....sigh...

Bulan Feb sampai bulan Apr ada rilek sikit sebab boss aku cuti. Rilek sebab boleh balik awal tapi nerve wrecking sebab kena ganti dia dalam meetings. Aku buat senyap je sebab tak mau salah cakap...kuang2x

My dear colleague who I remember as the 1st person to greet me on my 1st day at work also resigned because she was getting married. This is like a wish come true for her and I totally agree with her decision to quit her job and balik kampung.

For 2020, I want to do something new. I want to

1. Revamp the reports
2. Leverage on Linkedin trainings and be really good at financials. 
3. I want to get into the numbers. I have to be the master of what I do...
4. Improve my communication skills in terms of convincing people. I must not make introvert in me as an excuse not to master the art of communicating and presenting. 

Family
Ni pun busy jugak. Tahun ni la adik nak kahwin, tahun ni la 3 orang anak aku ada exam besar (SPM, PT3 dan UPKK). Sempat jugak buat makeover untuk rumah mak di BP (bilik depan dan bilik tengah) masa awal tahun. Project complete before kenduri kahwin Radhi in Sept. Sempat jugak pegi KOREA bulan Nov. Pening kepala den nak pikir untuk 23 orang! So bila pegi tu macam dah jadi tour guide, kena pastikan sume tak sesat! Alhamdulillah, ramai yang bantu tapi aku memang tak puas hati sebab gambo aku cam tak senonoh jek. Orang lain punya cantik je. Isk...aku kena master the art of posing for the camera!

Alhamdulillah, Kasyif dapat 8A and Jasmin 8A 1B (considering format baru PT3, asyik jadi guinea pig dioghang ni...kesian). Jasmin pergi tak asrama tahun depan atau remain kat JESS? (result PT3 JESS is better than SGS. Wow!)

Husband ada ajak jugak pegi Dublin in June 2020...tapi sorang jek. Bebudak tak ikut... Wow! Nak ikut tapi kesian kat budak-budak. Then I just said to myself, 2020 would be my 20 year wedding anniversary so why not just the 2 of us...
Dalam hati, husband aku ni intentionally ke unintentionally ajak aku sorang ni? Sebab nak celebrate anniversary ke sebab takde budget, boleh bawak sorang jek? Haha! Aku dah check calendar, 2 minggu sebelum tarikh tu ialah Hari Raya. Tarikh 7 - 11 Jun pun bukan masa cuti sekolah.... camne??? Nanti la pikir, tak tahu la jadi ikut ke tidak...

In sumaary:

Jan - Aug: BP makeover
Aug: Kenduri rumah Mia
Sep: Kenduri rumah BP, Kuna kahwin, Jasmin PT3, Kasyif UPKK,
Nov: Irdina SPM
Dec: Korea

Personal
Alhamdulillah, aku dah start belajar mengaji dengan Al Baghdadi. Kelas hari Khamis 8.30 - 10.30 malam. Aku enjoy pegi kelas (bila dah masuk kelas lah, tapi kalo sebelum tu memang setan kacau jek niat murni aku ni! Ahaks!)..

Alhamdulillah, berat badan aku turun dari 72kg (hari ni baru masuk 68.5kg). Without Herbalife, without Mayfair and strict dieting. Aku follow Keto diet (low carbo consumption).Selalunya, bila hujung tahun x boleh maintain berat, mesti naik sebab alasan Raya dan cuti... Mission aku, reduce fat % with improvement in food choice, attitude towards food and consistent exercise.  Sekarang aku monitor fat % saja. Sebelum ni 41%, sekarang dah turun about 2.5% jadi 38.5%. Target 35%, for Phase 2 in 2020. Food wise, I'm hooked on avocado and cheese. Other KETO friendly include dark chocolate > 70%, eggs, greens, mayonnaise. Aku rasa tercabar sebab akak ipar aku yang dulunya bam-bam dah lagi kurus daripada aku....haha!

For 2020,

1. Nak master posing depan camera. Outfit pun nak update sikit-sikit
2. Nak lebih attentive dengan SARANA JEPS
3. Monitor food intake kids. Nak improve quality of food that I feed them
4. Start homestay EVO? Tanda soal sebab tak boleh imagine lagi camne nak buat, bergantung kepada masa senggang aku, ada ke tidak!
5. Start yoga balik? Tanda soal sebab sama macam no. 4
6. Start bayar bahagian faraid adik-beradik dari 2 Jan 2020 until 2 Jun 2021. Balance bayar bulan July 2021. Hopefully simpanan meningkat untuk cover payment ni
7. Achieve 35% fat percentage

Alhamdulillah, thank you Allah!

KOREA: OOTD

Tak nak spend banyak-banyak on baju sebab bukan selalu pakai pun...tapi memang dah travel in winter, nak tak nak...memang kena spend beli baju winter....

Bundle
Kebetulan ada Jalan Jalan Japan kat Centre Point Seremban. Sebelum confirm pegi Korea aku memang ada usha tapi tak tengok la baju winter, dok tengok beg and kasut kot-kot jumpa yang branded. Bila dah beli tiket bulan Jun, aku terus survey coat winter. Pergi beberapa trip jugak la, everytime visit Kakak mesti singgah. 1st thing aku cari winter coat dulu untuk anak-anak sebab aku punya tak jumpa. Dapat coat untuk kakak ngan Lutfi. Harga antara RM20-RM30 sahaja tapi design OK. Kakak dapat parka Uniqlo warna coklat. Pastu grab dua mafla harga RM1. Rugi tak amik banyak-banyak sebab tak terpikir nak belikan untuk mak ngan aunty. Until now tak jumpa dah bargain camtu....

Next trip, cari baju Lutfi pulak sebab banyak pilihan. Lutfi dapat Heattech inner, long sleeve T-Shirt ngan pullover. Range harga RM3-RM5. Aku pun jumpa la coat untuk aku. Tak beli yang parka sebab kaler terang benderang tak ada. Tapi jumpa wool coat yang aku rasa best sangat. Made from 100% wool and ringan. Dulu masa zaman belajar tak termampu nak beli wool coat. Aku confident coat tu boleh maintain haba. Harga pun RM20 saja, I just couldn't resist it! Aku pikir nanti kalo nak pakai parka, tukar-tukar la ngan anak dara aku.

Jasmin and Kasyif punya tak beli kat JJJ. Jasmin dapat purple parka, beli from my colleague (RM50 untuk 2 item!) while Kasyif punya paling mahal RM50 tapi dapat brand Kangol, beli kat Bundle Preloved Bukit Jalil lepas kenduri Mia 31 Aug aritu.

Pastu aku ada la beli cardigan kat Sasuke Bangi, 1 untuk aku (RM15) and 2 untuk mak (RM20 each).

Selalu pening kalo nak beli untuk Kasyif sebab badan dia besar. End up beli seluar dia kat Save & Save Preloved Outlet. Beli saiz dewasa pinggang 32 pastu antar potong. Ada offer amik 2 fleece checked shirt harga RM19 saja tapi dapat 1 jek sbb yang lain saiz terlalu besar untuk Kasyif. Then cari kat Samurai Seksyen 8. Kasyif dapat pullover ala design askar 1 (RM11.90), zipped fleece purple (RM17) and kelabu (RM25.20). Harga lepas tolak diskaun 10%-15%.

Last sekali bundle yang aku pegi is JBR Bundle kat Sri Damansara. Besar gila tempat dia. Nasib baik banyak menda dah beli. So aku fokus jek apa yang aku patut beli. Niat nak cari winter skirt and kasut for the kids. Dapat la 2 skirt (RM5 each), 4 muffles (RM5 each), kasut Kasyif (RM80) and Lutfi (RM60) plus 3 tops for Kasyif (RM30). Total RM180 sumenya yang aku rasa kalo beli baru mau harga cecah RM1,000. Truly a bargain!

OK ke baju bundle?
Balik rumah, baju-baju yang beli ni, aku celup-celup dalam air + softener bagi wangi sikit. Bila dah basuh, elok je nampak cam baru! Ahaks!

Aku rasa OK je beli bundle tapi kalo boleh belilah kat bundle yang properly gantung and simpan items dioghang kalo malas nak basuh, tak yah pegi bundle yang main letak atas lantai jek.

Bundle sekarang tak macam dulu. Condition memang tip top kalau bundle yang proper. Bundle sekarang pun from developed countries macam Japan and US. I guess depa banyak duit, baju pun pakai 2-3 kali pastu tukar baru. Brand pun memang dari sana so mestilah murah daripada beli brand dia kat sini. Material memang superior. Untuk winter clothes memang aku cari yang wool saja sebab baru la berbaloi beli bundle.

Ada orang geli pakai baju yang orang dah pakai. Aku OK ja sebab biasalah, macam kita pinjam baju orang...