It's past midnight...

and I am still awake.. I'm sleepy but awake..
Living in a neighborhood where you are the minority certainly has paid it's toll on us. Ever since New year we have been bombarded with fireworks war. That house trying to outdo this house is no longer an expression. It a way of life. They are trying very hard to outdo each others flashy and loud fire crackers that none of them even gave a slightest thought of people with babies and children who get scared easily by extra loud exploding sound. Alhamdulillah my kids managed to sleep soundly even when the fireworks are lit just right in front of our house. I'm not talking about those firecrackers we played during Ramadhan and Eidufiltri. I'm talking about gigantic fireworks.
I thought fireworks and firecrackers has been illegal for years. So how did these people got hold of the license or permission to blow up these fancy bombs? I just want my peaceful night back!!! I have to get up early and brace through idiots on wheels!!!!!

1, 2, 3 4, 5

Once I caught a fish alive...

Imran has been singing lots of kids as well as adult songs. But it took me quite a while to figure out which song he's trying to sing. Especially when he was enjoying himself singing 'So What by Pink'. I could opnly make out the 'So, so what.. blablabl... rockstar' As for Hani she tries very hard to say the words, but could only come up with.. 'oohh.. oohh..' Good enough for me.
Last weekend we spent 2 nights at A Famosa Resorts in Melaka. Overall the security was good but the service? Bad!! Hubby's aunt wanted to have late lunch at their clubhouse cafe and ended up waited half an hour for nothing! No apology or anything that resembles their regret but somehow came up with an arrogant excuse of they only have one kitchen to serve 2 restaurants and they have members to serve. Well, they were in for a shock because Hubby's aunty just gave them one look and said ' That's not my problem! I ordered 1 Mee Curry and 2 plates of fired rice. And you came with 1 mee curry and 1 fried rice. If you can't handle that simple order then maybe you should re consider the tasks. Just because we're not one for your club members doesn't mean we're not paying customers!' That's not her exat words.. but how I wish it is. She did bambooed them for the bad service.
Durign the stay we decided to go for the Safari World, but had it cancelled due to drizzling rain. However we ended up in the 4-feet deep swimming pool in the rain! Hahah.. Oh, I forgot to mention we stayed in one of the villas which provided a not-so private pool. Imagine how happy the kids were when they saw the pool right beside the car porch. Imran's cousin was cheeky enough to wonder why can't they spent swimming in the pool until night time? Surrounded with 6 kids below 6 was priceless...
Sad to say even the cowboy world trip had to be canceled. It didn't matter though. They already planned to get up early to have the first dip in the pool. Ad this time Imran has finally found the courage to get into the pool. He got himself those round floaties and started to paddle all around the pool Guess he was phobic of not being able to keep his face out of the water with his arm-floaties.
I'll see if I can post some photos of the trip. Right now I have to wake Hubby up becasue we have to go out for grocery shopping. I hope I can persuade him to do some window shopping but he got his sinus problem again. So not so sure whether he would be in his usual grumpy mood or the good side. Hahaha.. Either way, after the long and enlightening chat with a someone, I have come to conclusion to stop being jelous of others happiness. Just be happy with what I already and about to have. Amin.....

After the grueling days at work..

I finally found my way to my ever so loyal PC. Hahaha... It wasn't that grueling at all actually. I sat there staring at my two monitored PC doing training module one after another. And watching my new-found colleagues answering phone calls and ever so expertly looking for information on the monitor while making sure the previous task which was interrupted by the call is not lost. With all the datas that needed to be entered and validate, phone cals to answer, queries to handle, there was one things that hit me. The place is somehow silent. After few hours I realized, the keyboard was not making so much noise. I remember back in my data centre day, we had complaint about the loud sound we're making just by hitting the keyboard. Gosh.. I really missed them.
To make matters worse, I realized that I did not miss my kids. Does that make me a bad mother? I don't believe so. Apart from I don't call to ask whether they're alright with MIL, I don't even talk about them. Well, the part where I don't talk about them would probably because I'm the only one with 2 kids. There's another lady with 1-year-old son but we haven't had time to chit-chat yet. The rest of the team? One word. YOUNG! Hehehe.. Imran has gotten used of me going to work. But it'll take Hani some time and loads of distraction to keep her occupied enough just to stop looking for me. She's getting along just fine with Hubby.
What can I say about Hubby, he's my guardian angel. These 2 days has shown me how dedicated he can be to support me. He has successfully managed to shower both kids before sending them off to MIL. Went to work and came back home and starts to prepapre for dinner! I have definitely underestimated him! He even help out to do laundry. Not that he never did before. But I know how exhausted he is when he came back from work, but somehow he also understood that it would take me some time to adapt myself to the routine.
If only I can get my pay earlier... Sad to say I won't be getting my salary until end of February. So I guess I have to get a belated birthday present for him. Hahaha.... Or an early anniversary celebration? Hmm..

Last weekend...

as a stay-at-home mother will be spent in Jengka with my mom. Dad is stuck in CH because his chauffeur, my ever-busy sis had to work on Saturday. Besides I still have last minutes shopping to do. Wait, did I say shopping? It's more of grabbing whatever I can have from my mom's collections. Hehehe.. I've already got loads of office attire. But still yet to accessorize. Handbags and shoes are on top of the list. And where else can I get them other than my mom. Don't be surprised, she can actually have some very interesting collection of handbags and shoes. For a close-to-retirement-age lady. Huhu... Sorry mom!
Apart from that, I'm still wondering about make-up. Face powder and lipstick. I really need a good compact powder because I tend to shine by noon. Hahah.. As for liptsick, well.. to give colors to my face? Hehe... As for eyeliner, blusher or whatever other people use, I suck at it. Seriously. Eyeliner.. poked my eyes. Blusher... what cheekbone? The rest..? Come on. Give it up already. Just how much product can you put on your face. Okay, I'll take that back. I can still remember how heavy my make-up was on my wedding day. Gave my mom a shock because that lady destroyed my eyebrows! Hahaha...

Killing time....

while waiting to pick up the kids...
Today is the fourth day MIL has been taking care of Imran and Hani. Let me summarize the event...

Day 1 - Send around 10 o'clock. Imran was alright.. Hani was looking for me all over the house. Toilets, rooms, kitchen, including under the stairs.. Picked them up around 2.30 because Hubby has to go to work.

Day 2 - Send around 9.30. I left and stayed at home. Around 4.20 pm MIL called saying Imran is crying and screaming he wants to "B.A.L.I.K". Arrived at MIL's to find he's sleeping soundly in her Sorento and Hani was messing with all the buttons and dials on the dashboard. She was a excited to see for like 5 seconds then went back to her gadgets.

Day 3 - We went to Puching to donate things for an orphanage. MIL wanted to borror Hilux cause she has promised to give bags of rice to them. So, no issue from both kids. And we bought tricycle for Hani which made her cry all the way back home.

Day 4 - I set up Imran's V.smile game console and left both Imran's bike and Hani's trcycle at MIL. So far no emergency call. I'm waiting until 6 to go pick them up.

Tomorrow will be another day of training. Next I'll start work and hopefull I can come back on time. I have been warned about the flexible hours. But until I can get a reliable maid to help, I would really want to get home by 7 pm.

Does that sound like a wishful thinking? I really hope not.

The value of money

Hubby and I went scouting for maid agencies today. We were shocked to learn that the initial cost has gone up to RM8k. And the monthly pay has increased to RM550 a month. Some even charge more for younger maids. If it's not for Hubby's tie-breaker, I would have opt for nurseries.
I can't believe the cost of hiring a maid has gone up so much within 4 years. I read in random forums that people used to pay RM350 a month and the initial cost of booking and processing documents was around RM 4k. That was few years back. With fuel price fluctuating, cost of living has definitely gone up higher than average. Maybe there will come a point where people can't afford to have savings due to a lot have been spent on daily needs. Food, clothing, basic needs which require an average of 80% of your monthly pay.
I worry about the future. Sounds a little cliche? Of course. I'm already preparing my kids for the future. I want them to be able to enjoy themselves without the financial burden. But how can I guarantee the financial freedom when all that we see is financial debt increased within seconds. I'm not a financial expert. Obviously! Hehe.. But I do know the difference between the 'want' and the 'need'. I want that so-called slimming program but what I need is to spend 30 minutes on the treadmill. FYI, Hubby bought a treadmill and it has been unused for few months now. I used to run 30 minutes a day. And Hubby saw the change. But somehow I got tired of the regime and quit! Hahahaha... But that's another story.

Cause we are
Living in a material world
And I am a material girl
You know that we are living in a material world
And I am a material girl
- Madonna's Material Girl lyrics...

Can anyone please

share with me the experience on the process of getting a maid? Or perhaps recommend agencies for it?
We have decided to go for foreign maid but since neither of our parents nor us have had long term experience with hiring full-time live-in maid, we have to get help. Hehehe..