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Happy 2 Months old Baby C

2011-10-04T13:00:00.003+07:00

When she was only 1 month old

2 months old

What she can do now :

Smile
She can see us now
She drinks well and finish her milk in 25 mins (it used to be 45 mins)
She sleeps very well
She can react back to us
She is 5.3kg now!! (everyone is amazed with her speed growth)

It's really nice to know when Baby C can smile back at us :)

And I am lucky to know she has a good nanny whom now I can trust her (even though she has only been with us for 2 weeks ; but my cue tells me she is the right one for Baby C)

3 more weeks and I am done with my maternity leave :( I wish I have another 3 more months. Not ready to commute back and fro jakarta-bandung yet.

Motherhood

2011-09-28T16:15:00.002+07:00

Totally enjoying every bit of my maternity leave :)

Didn't expect that I can get used to the new life easily too..

42 things that change when u have a baby

2011-09-22T20:26:00.000+07:00

1. You finally stop to smell the roses, because your baby is in your arms.

2. Where you once believed you were fearless, you now find yourself afraid. [See a reader's perspective in #22, below.]

3. The sacrifices you thought you made to have a child no longer seem like sacrifices.

4. You respect your body ... finally.

5. You respect your parents and love them in a new way.

6. You find that your baby's pain feels much worse than your own.

7. You believe once again in the things you believed in as a child.

8. You lose touch with the people in your life whom you should have banished years ago.

9. Your heart breaks much more easily.

10. You think of someone else 234,836,178,976 times a day.

11. Every day is a surprise.

12. Bodily functions are no longer repulsive. In fact, they please you. (Hooray for poop!)

13. You look at your baby in the mirror instead of yourself.

14. You become a morning person.

15. Your love becomes limitless, a superhuman power.

And from our readers...

1. "You discover how much there is to say about one tooth." — Ashley's mom

2. "You finally realize that true joy doesn't come from material wealth." — Anonymous

3. "You now know where the sun comes from." — Charlotte

4. "You'd rather buy a plastic tricycle than those shoes that you've been dying to have." — Sophie's mom

5. "You realize that although sticky, lollipops have magical powers." — Roxanne

6. "You don't mind going to bed at 9 p.m. on Friday night." — Kellye

7. "Silence? What's that?" — Anonymous

8. "You realize that the 15 pounds you can't seem to get rid of are totally worth having." — Brenda

9. "You discover an inner strength you never thought you had." — Ronin and Brookie's mom

10. "You no longer rely on a clock — your baby now sets your schedule." — Thomas' mom

11. "You give parents with a screaming child an 'I-know-the-feeling' look instead of a 'Can't-they-shut-him-up?' one." — Jaidyn's mom

12. "Your dog — who used to be your 'baby' — becomes just a dog." — Kara

[Many readers begged to differ, saying things like, " I disagree with number 12. My dogs are my additional children," "Nothing about previous babies, whether two- or four-legged, changes when a new miracle comes along," "My dog will never be 'just a dog," and "This is sad to me. My dog is still my baby too."]

13. "You take the time for one more hug and kiss even if it means you'll be late." — Tracey

14. "You learn that taking a shower is a luxury." — Jayden's mom

15. "You realize that you can love a complete stranger." — Dezarae's mom

16. You find yourself wanting to make this world a better place. — Arizona

17. If you didn’t believe in love at first sight before, now you do! — Ciara

18. You start to appreciate Sesame Street for its intellectual contribution. — Anon.

19. You have to quit watching the news because you see every story from a mother's perspective and it breaks your heart. — Brooke&Boys

20. You just plain love life more - everything comes together and becomes better because of one tiny person and your love for them. — Anon.

21. You finally find out the real reason you have those breasts. — Anon.

22. In response to #2 [above], I'd say that where you were once afraid, you're now fearless. I was always very timid and shy and let myself get walked all over … but now where my kid's concerned, I'll speak my mind and really connect with my inner "b"! — gummismom

23. The support you get from other people surprises you, because the people giving it are not always the ones you'd expect. — japanese_macaque

24. Nothing is just yours any longer. You share EVERYTHING! — DylanLsMom

25. No matter what you've accomplished in life, you look at your child and think, "I've done a GREAT job!" — Anon.

26. You want to take better care of yourself for your child. — Treasor

27. You can have the most wonderful conversation using only vowel sounds like "ahhh" and "oooo." — littlehulk2008

Dilemma

2011-09-12T17:04:00.002+07:00

In big dilemma on being a working mother. Daughter will be in Bandung, while I need to work in Tangerang (Tangerang - Bandung is 4-5 hours drive).

Helpers shortage!!

2011-09-09T10:41:00.002+07:00

Hari Raya holiday is coming to an end soon. For a housewife and mom like me is a nightmare because as recently there is a shortage for nannies and maids. It's not happening to me only, but also to a few friends of mine. Peeking over their blackberry status, Facebook status, they are all complaining the same thing.

A close friend declares that the war on looking for nannies will begin next week. Sounds scary? It is indeed a battlefield and it's not easy to find a good nanny. The good ones are usually taken fast or their previous owner won't let them go by increasing their pay. Some friends even have strategies to get their choice of nanny. I believe this kind of situation only happens in Indonesia. We are so used to have helpers in the house to do everything, and now we are so dependable of having helpers to take care of a child. Pampered? Absolutely however Unavoidable.

As for me, I haven't got one either. I don't have any strategies like them. Am I scared and worried? Well a bit, the fact I really need to get one before I can go back to work. But on the other hand I am learning to take care of the baby by my own, in case I didn't get any nanny at all!

Confinement Lady

2011-09-03T10:00:00.005+07:00

Caroline and Auntie Ah Mei

Yea!! finally I got a green light from the doctor to go fly back home. Life is too bored here. I am so used with my busy life before that I often dazed around when there is nothing to do. (beside helping my confinement lady around).

I am so blessed that I have a good, kind and helpful confinement lady. Her name is Auntie Ah Mei. Beside helping me taking care of the baby (that includes bathing, feeding, and accompanying Caroline sleep), she cooks for me too. And most of the time, she is the one who accompany when I am bored. She tells me stories of her working experience, teaching me how to take care of Caroline, but I think I depend her too much. She is going to stay with till early October, and after that I need to find a nanny to take care of Caroline; knowing that it is not an easy task anymore to find a good nanny in Indonesia, I was hoping Auntie Ah Mei will keep staying with us until Caroline gets older.

In case still wondering what exactly a confinement lady does...I got some information about confinement from a website..so here it goes:

Many ethnic Chinese women in Malaysia hire a pui yuet (literally "companion for the month" in Cantonese) to help out in the postnatal period immediately after birth. Also known as a confinement nanny or confinement lady, a pui yuet is usually an older woman experienced in caring for the special needs of a new mum and newborn baby according to the traditional confinement practices of the Chinese. Usually, she is an acknowledged expert in Chinese postnatal practices.

Although some women find confinement nannies or confinement ladies to be old-fashioned in their approach to the dos and don'ts of the postnatal period, they can be particularly helpful to a first-time mum who may not be familiar with various aspects ofcaring for a newborn baby.

What will she do?

Traditionally, the pui yuet's duties include:

• Bathing baby daily.

• Feeding baby (once breastfeeding is well-established, you can express breastmilk so that she can take over one or more night feeds).

• Generally caring for the baby so that the new mother can rest.

• Cook special confinement dishes such as traditional chicken soup which are considered extra-nutritious. In smaller households (especially if it is just you and your husband), it is not unreasonable to ask the pui yuet to cook all the regular meals.

• Wash the baby and the new mother's clothes (if you prefer to just toss everything into the machine, that is acceptable too).

Few confinement ladies or confinement nannies these days are expected to do other household chores - though they should always clean up the kitchen and dishes after meals. The older and more traditional ladies will be used to doing some light housework.

Hunger; Hungry; Laperrr

2011-09-01T12:39:00.002+07:00

They said breastfeeding always makes the mother feel hungry all the time; I totally agree. I never feel fully satisfied. Especially after pumping out all the milk, always leave me with the feeling of hungry yet tired too.

Another thing is my weight seems to keep going down. I know for some women this is a good news, shedding off all the post-pregnancy weight. Well, luckily for me, I did not have any problem in loosing any weight, as I did not gain much during pregnancy, and when the baby is out, I only have to shed 3kg more to my normal weight. Currently, I have another 1kg to go, however, the downside for me is whether I am totally healthy. I am drinking chicken essence every night, eating all the good food, yet the weight keep going down.

Is it because of the post-operation appendix? All the doctors said I am fine, but there are time I still feel the soreness in my stomach :( and I am hungry all the time!!!

I am a mom now :)

2011-08-31T12:38:00.003+07:00

Sorry readers for not updating my blog. It’s not that I am too busy; it’s just that I am too lazy to type. So a quick update on my life. Now I am a mom to a 1 month 5 days Baby C! I still cannot believe that I am a mom now either, maybe because nothing has really change about myself after Baby C is being delivered. I am still who I am, and maybe because I am so used to taking care of my own family member, so when Baby C is finally here, I felt it’s my another big responsibility to make sure she feels safe, warmth and I promised myself I will bring her up to become humble, wise and kind person. About her being smart and successful, well I think that is God’s given, and I believe God loves Baby C J

For the past few weeks, I have been going through a lot with my own body. Starting from sudden announcement from Prof Chen that I have a weak placenta, which force me to have caesarean operation on my 38^th week and then a week after that I have an acute appendix which has burst, caused a very bad infection around my intestine, leaving the doctors with no choice but to do an immediate operation to cut the bad appendix and wash my intestine. After the major operation (it was 3 hours!!!) I have to go bed rest for almost 8 days with several tubes poking into my body (the tubing makes me suffer very badly).

Well at first I did not know how bad my body condition was, until my father-in-law explained to me that I almost lost my life. I really thank God for giving me another chance to live my life well. I cried every night in the hospital, because I was so worried that if I am really gone, what is going to happen to Baby C and A. I promised myself that I will be taking good care of my own body for the sake of my family, I can’t afford to loose them, and they can’t afford to loose me either.

Right now I am back to breastfeeding baby C after the absenting for 2 weeks because I was under heavy medication, and going back to breastfeeding makes me feel happier knowing that Baby C is eating well.

To me Baby C is a miracle gift from God. Even though she is born small (when she came out; she was only 2.236kg), but she is very strong baby. When she is hungry, she will cried out so loud that the whole house will go panicking. When she feels bored, she will talk to herself very loudly and makes everyone of us wonder what is she trying to say to us J The doctor calls her Chilli Padi, meaning small yet so strong.

She is still 1month 5 days old, and yet I feel the time flies by fast. I keep telling myself to enjoy every moment with her, as I don’t want to miss anything, and I know by the time she is a teen, I doubt Baby C will want her mommy to be with her all the time :p

what does it feels like

2011-07-10T23:14:00.002+07:00

When the doctor told me that I will be giving birth anytime soon, my heart goes fluttered. Then he asked me do I know what I should be looking for..Water coming out, or patches of blood..or tummy-ache..my reaction to him was nothing but a blur face..and then he says.."well you will know it when the time comes.."

So when it is going to be? today? tomorrow? or now? What makes me nervous is that I don't know what i will expect, the experience that I will go through, what makes me look forward is to finally meet baby C. It's like telling myself finally I am meeting someone who is going to be the most precious, most protected..someone whom I am willing to sacrifice my life unconditionally..well words cannot describe that kind of feeling. Once she is here, everything is going to change. I will never be alone, Alvin can go and travel for work but I am not going to be alone anymore. There will always be her by my side :)

And everyone is actually looking forward to meet her too..my parents n in-laws are the most excited one, checking on me everyday, making sure I am all right..somehow the moms are hoping they will be here on time to witness the birth of baby C!!

I hope baby C don't come out too fast, well at least she should wait for Alvin to come this wednesday :D

Counting down

2011-06-27T17:20:00.003+07:00

2 More days and I am leaving everything and everyone behind and get ready for delivery. Well I am glad that I chose to give birth in Singapore, even though it's very troublesome...but if I don't force myself to go far away to give birth, I would not have enough time for me and C. I have been feeling guilty that all these while I have been ignoring my pregnancy. C sometimes remind me though by giving me a kick here and there...and she always moves around just to let me know "hey mommy...get a rest!!"

So I will have at least a month to have a our mother-daughter time before she sees this world and everyone will want to be with her.

Erin is so excited of being a big sister...she has been talking to C almost every night, acting as if she is the nanny asking whether C is drinking her milk or she has taken her evening bath. I like it most when Erin will approach me while I am lying down and she will be stroking my tummy and asking everyone else to shut up...I think Erin is so ready to C soon!!

Two important people

2011-06-13T17:24:00.003+07:00

These two most important people in my life has been looking forward to the arrival of Baby C. During my pregnancy period till now, they have been very supportive and has been reminding me on becoming a good mom to Baby C. I guess I will miss being a daddy's girl as he has two additional little princess in his life now.

Mom is also looking forward of having another granddaughter. She loves playing a grandma role to these little princess (coz she loves to dress them up with her style!)

Two more weeks I will be moving permanently to Singapore..not sure whether I am looking forward to that period, coz I have to leave so many things behind for a while. I am quite worried about leaving the house, A and many things...I am such a worrier..sigh :( Beside that I will miss out a lot of events too and friends

A has been talking Baby C almost every night...even though it's a very short conversation, I can see that he is looking forward to meet Baby C and he has tons of things to teach her (Sing and Dance is his fav activities for her :p )

A lot of things happens to the family this year. Good and Bad all come at once. But I feel glad that all these happen to the family, we all learn the importance of family values, building closer bond between siblings and parents. It's something money can't buy.

Insomania..

2011-06-08T22:29:00.002+07:00

Urghh..it's back again. The "I can't sleep" habit is back again!!! I have been sleeping for 3 hours for the past 4 days, and I don't feel sleepy during the day though, but my eyes gets really tired and heavy, but I still can't sleep.

And I just realized I have 2 months left before C comes to this world. Time pass too fast, I have not really enjoy my pregnancy moment yet coz I was too busy with work and house. But think about it, I am glad this pregnancy period is going to be over soon. I want my sashimi and white wine back!!

I am a snail..

2011-05-23T15:23:00.002+07:00

I feel like a snail. Constantly on the move to a new place.

We have settled down in Bandung...finally (last week)...even though there are still some minor work to be done. My nursery is totally 0% not done yet, and is not because of me who are not making any progress...I have started the nursery project 2 months earlier...but as I expected, people here work too slow. They promised you 2 weeks and it turn out to be a month or more.

(A lesson to learn : never custom made anything...buy things that are ready to be deliver)

Currently, our office is also undergoing major renovation, and we are forced to move to the new site by next week. Sigh...and by end of this year, our house in Karawaci will be done..and we have to move again from my parents current house.

Baby is coming along soon too. I am in my 3rd trimester..the last stage of the motherhood soon to be marathon!!!

However, I am counted to be very lucky. My sister-in-law is helping me on the nursery now....my best friend is helping to do some baby shopping too...my mom is helping me on the karawaci house...and my mother in law is helping me to settle in Bandung too...extra help is always appreciated :)

24-Hour is ain't enough

2011-05-12T23:12:00.000+07:00

24 hours a day is not enough for me. Especially nowadays, when I have to go to the office and take half day off to do some shopping for the new house in Bandung, and then going for meetings with the architect and contractors for the new house in Karawaci...a day is never enough. Not forgetting that I have a husband to take care of too, however, most of the time I tend to forget that I am in my third trimester now. Well, the lucky thing about me is that my tummy is not that big, hence I am still acting like any other normal girl walking fast, climbing stairs, picking up things, running a few errands here and there, bending up and down...

Just did my check up too last week, the doctor said the baby is growing very healthy inside me, and myself is very fine even though I have a very busy daily life.

I still have tons of unfinished errands before July arrive. After that I have to move temporarily to Singapore, deliver baby and rest for a month. So I have to leave home for 3 months!

I wish Indonesia has a good medical facility and doctor so that I did not have to go Singapore to deliver. It's a bit troublesome though, but thinking about safety, I have no choice.

I wish for more than 24 hours a day now, so that I can get things done, apparently, this means I need to learn to organize my time wisely...

If I am not pregnant

2011-04-27T22:46:00.003+07:00

If I am not pregnant...

I want fresh sashimi!!
Fresh oyster
A glass of cold white wine
Smoked Salmon for breakfast
Half boiled egg dipped with toasted bread
Wanna go to SF and stop by Sixflag and play all the rides
I want to shop for new clothes.
Wear heels
Carry around my niece
Will have more energy to do more things at the same time

Well, I surely miss a lot of things, but I feel time passes by so quick and hope that I am still in my first trimester (minus off the throwing part).

Ever since I am married, I realized that I seldom have time for myself. It's all about the two house, pregnancy, and a bits of work. More responsibility, but I am enjoying my time as a wife, working woman and mom-to-be...and I am thankful that my parents at least understand my situation now and my mom has been helping me a lot in building the new house and dad has taken off some of my work responsibility off my shoulder for now. Of course, I hope I will be back active working in BT and at the same time enjoying motherhood and wifehood.

Soon...

2011-04-12T11:47:00.003+07:00

Soon, our house in Bandung will be done. A lot of final touch need to be done, and both of us are so looking forward to move in asap, and we are planning to held a small cocktail party for our close friends and family. I should have given all the credit of this house to Alvin as he is the one who has been planning and designing the whole house making sure it is ready on time (however the whole project got delayed for 3 months++ due to suppliers' not being able to supply the materials on time).

On the other hand, I am focusing on designing our baby's nursery. Hopefully we will stick to our budget and making sure the whole room is going to be comfortable for C.

I hope that I will be able to settle down before my birthday, coz I have to fly to Singapore on early July to get enough rest in Singapore before welcoming C to our home. My parents and in-laws are already counting down the days...but truthfully, time passed so fast that sometimes I forget that I was pregnant, maybe because I was too active in my daily life.

I hope everything will go smoothly during and after the delivery. I just wish C is going to be a healthy little one...her first day in my tummy has already brought me and Alvin a lot of joy. And I am very excited for Erin too...she is going to the big sister in the family soon. And she is looking forward to see C as she has been rubbing on my tummy and taught her how to sing already!! How cute :)

Eating well :)

2011-04-06T21:48:00.003+07:00

Ever since my mom knows the gender of the baby, she has been diligently making me fresh soya milk. Yes..it is fresh and homemade. She rather not buy from the supermarket even though it is more convenient. And of course the taste is so much better than those sold outside. It is neither too sweet or too bland. I can really taste the soya and the best thing is it's always warm.

If I am at my in-laws house, I get the same treatment too hehehehhe..well lucky me, my in-laws love me very much. So does my sister-in-law. My MIL always get me a fresh coconut everyday from the wet market and have been feeding with a lot of fruits. Since she knows I like mango, she always try to get the best mango in town, or sometimes she even has to go down to the orchard at her sister's house just to get mangoes.

Thanks to both mom..I have been eating very well ever since I am pregnant. They never let me go hungry and keep feeding me with all the healthy stuff. I guess because of them, I never have any unhealthy cravings. I never asked for late night snacks either. This is why my doctor told me I am gaining healthy weight. No going to be overweight nor underweight and the baby is growing at the right pace :)

4 months to go

2011-04-01T12:19:00.002+07:00

4 months to go before I enter motherhood...I did not realized that time will pass by this fast! I did not have the chance to blog as often as last time because I did not have internet access all the time in Bandung and also has been busying with a lot of things in the house. I just hope that I can get all the renovations for both house done ASAP, and focus on my pregnancy and family.

And I have been neglecting work too, but I guess this the time I need to learn to let go of my role as a career woman and try to focus more on the husband n household. Som/;;etimes, I still carry this guilty feeling when I am in Bandung, while the others are working hard in BT :(

So far I have not prepare anything for my deliveries yet. There are time I feel lost, not knowing where to start. Sometimes, I even forget I am pregnant (because I have a small bump). People may not even take notice that I am pregnant!!

I am also quite anxious too as I have opted for normal delivery. As a first time mother, I have so many questions that I don't think answers from other mothers will satisfy me, as I have to go through it myself to be able to understand everything.

I guess everything takes time.

I am happy enough

2011-03-16T12:08:00.003+07:00

So after the big tragedy in Japan, have we come to our senses yet? I did, well not the first time, but God kept reminding me learn to appreciate your family members, stop thinking of what can I do to make myself happy and ignore what others say and think.

Last month, A and I was still planning where to go for a quick short trip before we step in to parenthood. We have decided to go Tokyo for 5 days. But after the big Japan earthquake, we decided not to go anywhere. Why should we go for a short trip when staying near our family members alone can make us happy? Will going to Japan make us happier? I told A I would rather stay home and spend more time planning for the nursery room. That will make me happier.

Even now, without having to go abroad, I am happy enough. Staying in Bandung, accompanying my MIL to her shop, then to Alvin's grandma and meet A's aunt and cousins, I am happy already.

Going back to Jakarta and spend a week at my parent's and have Erin to accompany make me feel happy too. Having to sit down and eat dinner everyday with my family is the most wonderful thing for me. So I guess why do I have to make myself worry "where to go for a quick short break"

I want to Complain...

2011-03-02T13:22:00.002+07:00

A few things that I want to say out:

I think Soekarno-Hatta has to be removed totally from this earth. It's not even worth to be call International Airport. So ashamed that Indonesia has been awarded to be the host for ASEAN this year, yet we have a slumpy Airport. Shame on...well whoever is leading the country now.
I hate Singapore taxi driver. I wonder how they can pass their driving test when they don't even know how to drive properly. What is worse is they like to go round and round so they can charge me extra S$3!!
I can't find a good noodle restaurant in Singapore or Indonesia. Mom's Ya Mien is so far still the best! Anyone can recommend me??
I hate my kitchen contractor. Always pushing me to pay when he has not done his part yet!
I hate my current and soon to be ex driver. You have no sense of responsibility towards your work. And stop using your wife or children as an excuses for your plain laziness. Liar! Well lucky me...husband's driver who has been around him for more than 10 years has decided to follow us.
Hate the fact that Airline nowadays are serving bad foods. If they have no intention to serve economy passanger food, then don't throw rubbish into our plate. Might as well don't serve and you can reduce our airticket.
I hate the fact that the internet provider at my parent's house insisted that we have wi-fi at home..but the wi-fi did not work because the internet in Indonesia is bad. He told us to stop comparing with Singapore service. Well..then don't sell wi-fi package to us!!! Stop tricking the consumers!
I hate pple calling in the middle of the day to offer credit card or fast loan! When I politely declined, they pest me with questions...and force me to hang up on them! Where is the ethics nowadays??

Argghhh...I hate complaining..

Cheezzzeeee

2011-02-19T23:14:00.002+07:00

So this pregnant thing got me weird. I never like cheese. But ever since I was pregnant, I like cheese so much. Well it is a good thing that I don't reject cheese because I am not drinking milk and eating cheese is helping me to boost up my calcium intake.

I have been eating my bread with Kraft Cheese, eat my pasta with grated cheese and now here in the middle of the night while writing my short blog...I am eating a small good looking cheesecake that I have bought from Marquies Cheesecake from a Japanese confectionary. This is very unusual because I never eat late-night snack, and I don't eat dessert after dinner. So I guess this is what they say CRAVING.

Am I feeling guilty? Nope...I am enjoying every bite of it .....nyummmmmmm :)

Never Easy for both of us

2011-02-16T14:34:00.002+07:00

Being a full-time housewife and yet having to commit myself to work too, commuting between Bandung and Jakarta, leaving husband and in-laws for more than a week has never been easy for me nor my husband. We know it's just a temporary parting, but each time, it was not easy. I have to fight with my own inner guilty feelings.

A friend of mine has been telling me that i should find balance..well actually my barometer should go heavier on my husband and family, otherwise what is the purpose of getting married. I totally agree with her.

Both sides have to make sacrifices, I don't mind if I have to be the one to make the first step.

But, well the husband make the first move. He decided to move to Jakarta so that I can still work and yet be a full time wife n mom. And I know it is not an easy decision for him. And my in-laws are so supportive too of the decision we have made.

And so I hope I will learn to find a good balance for my family and work too. Of course, (well I don't make any promise as this is not an obligation) I will prioritize and give up anything as long as I can have enough time for my husband and children :)

So in May, husband and I will have to move ourselves again. It is tiring to keep on moving, but currently we are both working hard trying to figure out what is best for both of us and the children in the future. And if we are going to stay in Jakarta permanently, I told my mother-in-law that she has nothing to worry about because i enjoy my time in Bandung all these while with her and father -in-law and Boci (alvin's sister), and will always travel to Bandung to visit her.

So in conclusion : we will still be always commuting between Bandung and Jakarta. Has never been easy, but because we are slowly getting used to it and we have the people we loved so much at both cities, that at least make my traveling and packing easier and enjoyable :)

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR 2011

2011-02-01T11:03:00.002+07:00

Have always been looking forward to Chinese New Year :) Even though this year I will be in Bandung spending the New Year with husband's family, my in-laws are doing so much for me so that I will not be homesick. The house is already filled with baskets of fruits and cakes ( I wonder how are we going to finish all these)

My family will be spending theirs in Singapore..well it's a bit sad though that I will not be able to join them this year..

So this year will be the Rabbit year ...the year for me and Alvin. We will be having our own little rabbit this coming Aug.. :) :) :)

So for this new year...my hope is that we will have our own small little happy family..everyone will be healthy always..husband career to be better than last year..and and hopefully we all can get through this year peacefully.

It has never been easy

2011-01-31T08:24:00.002+07:00

This pregnancy journey has never been easy for me, as I feel that all my energy and mind are being too focus on it. There are times when I feel frustrated and sad because I feel sick almost everyday, till it comes to a point where I don't feel like a pregnant lady, but more like a sick person.

I can only relate all these to my close friend - Junie. She has go through the same thing with me, and for her it was even worse. She has been feeling bad for the whole 9 months.

When I feel frustrated, she told me that it was not only me who is feeling uneasy, the little rabbit is not feeling comfortable either inside my tummy, hence I should stay stronger..sigh now I feel guilty for little rabbit.

In the upcoming weeks and months, my life is going to be busier. We are not sure when the house is going to get ready. We have confirmed that we will be settling down in Jakarta but the house in Jakarta will not be ready before October...I can't do much shopping either because I am still staying with my parents in Jakarta!!!!

However, I kept reminding myself each day that I am still blessed that our parents from both of us has been so supportive and give us the best thing. That is why we ended up with 2 houses :)

Craving

2011-01-22T11:04:00.002+07:00

When I got pregnant, I was so afraid that I got cravings for food that is out from my reach. And today I got that. Suddenly, I was craving for baby carrots, Celery sticks with hummus dipping. I knew there is no such food here or in Singapore. The only place that has these kind of food is in the US. And it is so easily available there in any supermarket.

Sigh...guess I can only enjoy it visually :(

All I want is

2011-01-20T21:51:00.002+07:00

All I want to do is sleep and sleep and sleep..Night has become my fav time of the day. And sleeping has become my most precious activity. They said the baby has begun taking my vitamins, and that is what makes me feel so tired and sleepy all the time. I wonder what it will be like when the baby inside me gets bigger?

Oh well...I just want to sleep..

Night readers

Lesson in life

2011-01-18T09:01:00.002+07:00

So yesterday I got a big lesson tip-off from dad. Well I totally agree with him. He told me if there is a problem in your work or life, never point fingers and blame others. Never blame on your colleagues, never blame on your supervisor, never blame on your friends or family...blame no one.

Blame it on yourself because it is your problem. Instead of complaining and blame on others, we need to find solutions immediately.

Dear Dad, I totally agree with you. I guess I still have more things to learn about life.

Weddings

2011-01-17T11:52:00.002+07:00

We have two weddings to attend last week. One was an old friend of Alvin. We enjoy the short night coz we get to meet up with old friends. I told Alvin I like going to friends' wedding because that is the only time you get to meet with old classmates at the same time.

The other wedding we have to attend was a family wedding. Ely's youngest brother - Lukas and Ita Wedding in Surabaya. It was one of the most extravagent wedding I have ever seen in my life. We did enjoy our short stay in Surabaya as we get to eat the famous local food - Ayam Penyet ( I heard from Dorothy and Joseph that Ayam penyet is so famous now in Singapore, but I still think Surabaya's has the best ayam penyet). And the best part of this trip was I got to meet with Erin. Spent 2 full days with her was fun. I really miss the little princess alot. She is growing so fast and she is starting to talk now in her own language.

So while attending both weddings, I got a lot of congrats from friends and families. I feel like I am part of the wedding hahahaha.

This week I will be staying in Jakarta!!! And is really happy about it coz I get to spend more time at home n also friends. Next week will be leaving for Singapore for a quick check-up and a short visit to Erin again :)

Random Thoughts right now:

Current Dilemma: Where to give birth???

Current Craving : NONE

Currently eating for lunch : Bread with Kraft Cheese and Nutella Chocolate Spread + big glass of water

Looking forward to : Tonight Dinner with Santi and Junie

Motivated to : Save up lots and lots of $$ :)

What stressed me : Houses not done yet

Fav Tv Show : Next Top Model ; MT - 16 and Pregnant ; Nanny Challenge on TLC

Changes...

2011-01-10T15:28:00.002+07:00

It's only my first trimester, but a lot of things change inside and outside me such as:

I hate food. I hope this doesn't last long.
I don't watch food channel anymore.
I don't like to read magazine nor newspaper. Nothing interest me anymore. The mind was too focused on how to make this nauseous goes away.
My body size has not changed though. Old clothes still fits well, some of them were even looser..but I still prefer wearing looser clothes such as my pajamas.
My fav time of the day used to be daytime. Now, I look forward to bedtime.
Only one word to describe how I feel every second: restless, restless and restless.
I hate making conversation nowadays. I prefer listening to others talk.
My fav place is nowhere but home. It is either my in-laws house or my parents.
I hate anything taste sweet. Yucks
I hate fish or seafood.

I really hope when it's my 2nd trimester, I can start to list down what I like.

No Food or Drink please

2011-01-07T16:34:00.003+07:00

People said it is a joy to get pregnant. Well, I am going to disagree for this moment, well at least for the first trimester ( i hope it's going to be only the first three month). My day usually start with a very bad morning sickness, usually right after i ate my folic acid. I will throw up my first water of the day. Well I don't mind throwing up, coz only after that, I can really sit down and eat, otherwise it is so difficult to choke down a piece of bread.

If the day start bad, it usually means the whole day will be very bad. The good thing this nauseous takes place in alternate day. So if today is going to be bad, it means tomorrow is going to be a good day :)

Not only I cannot eat, I can't even stand the sight of food, the smell of food, smell of cooking and I can't even watch any cooking show.

This is getting so frustrated, I just wish to get my appetite back. God please help me!!!

NEW YEAR

2011-01-06T11:39:00.002+07:00

Hi readers...I am so sorry for not updating my blog for such a long time. Here is a quick update of me. Basically after I came back from my honeymoon trip, I was feeling restless and tired all the time. And was still travelling back and fro Jakarta-Bandung. So, most of the time I was either working, or I was in Bandung trying to figure out this new city, trying to catch up with some new friends in Bandung too. And towards end of December, A and I went for another 2 weeks trip of Bali and Singapore. Well because I was sick all the time, I didn't feel like it was another holiday. All i want to do was to lie down in bed and sleep.

So why was I restless and tired all the time...I was pregnant!!! Currently I am at my 8 weeks 8 days. I was shocked myself because I did not expect that this is going to be so soon. Anyway, both families welcome this good news, both are so happy that my shockness is replaced by their happiness. Well I am happy, but currently i am still adjusting to changes that are taking place inside my body.

One of the biggest challenge for me right now is to handle this naseous feeling. It's happening 24 hours 7 days!! I can't stand it that I have to force myself to vomitt so that I can start eating normal again. Otherwise, the sight of food makes me want to puke!

So the Doctor told us that the baby is very healthy. We can see its heartbeat and blood flowing inside it. We can the legs, arms and head forming too.

Am I stressed? Yes a bit. Thinking that I need to move into a new house soon (2x moving) and have to settle down asap so that we can prepare for the baby before May.

I always think back to vicky's email...Relax and don't stressed out :)

Onde-Onde

2010-12-21T21:10:00.003+07:00

I didn't know we have to eat Onde today until Junie invited me and Santy to her house to make Onde :) I feel so lucky to have at least a good friend whom I can count on..someone who always remind me on small yet meaningful event. I told her that her mother-in-law should feel lucky to have a daughter like her who always take the extra effort to do something for the family and friends.

Anyway, thanks to both of them too that I have finally realized my craving for BAKMIE!!! I have been craving for mie keriting ayam since last week. And today they brought me to two different noodle shop and I knew they were already full yet still accompany to eat mie..we have two bowls each..well actuall it's me who ate two bowls of noodle..(psstt...the serving is really small!!)

This year Christmas we are going to spend on our separate ways. We have been spending Christmas together for the past 3 years. And I am bit sad too that my New Year is not going to be with them either. But we still make the effort to do gift exchange.

So dear Junie and Santi...

Thanks for always being in my life. My ups and downs are always shared among you both because between us there is no judgement and we always think the best for each other. By the way, I just realized the last time we took pics together was during my wedding!!

Anyway..love u girls may our friendship to be sticky like the onde we made today!

Hiks...

2010-12-17T16:04:00.003+07:00

Today I just received a quick preview of my wedding trailer...and gosh what a cry baby I am...From the beginning of the clip towards, I was already flooding myself. And I did not realized that our parents were crying so much on our wedding day. My mother in law told me that she was touched and sad whenever she saw my dad's face. I guess I do have a very strong bond with my dad. During my wedding day, we didn't talk much coz my dad was so afraid that talking too much to me might make him feel sadder.

On the other my mom, she was crying since morning till end of reception. And she blamed me the next day that her eyes look like a goldfish.

I want to share the short trailer here, but I have no clue how to upload the video in my blog.

I guess all brides share the same experience as me.

Christmas is around the corner so is New Year. I guess time flies so fast, as I have always thought we are still at the beginning of the year. This year was one of the most memorable year for me and Alvin. So is next year :) new home..well (bukan mau mamer) it's two homes actually for us and having a new companion to our home...well at first we want to have a dog...but turn out, we decided to have a rabbit :p

French Onion Soup

2010-12-16T09:42:00.004+07:00

A has been craving for this soup after our Paris trip. I have been searching a good French Restaurant in Jakarta who served this soup, but well search result NIL. So I decided to cook this soup (once our new house is ready). While browsing for the perfect recipes, it turn out that this soup is quite easy to make. It's all about the cheese and and the fresh onion. So for those who are a big fan of French food like us, I am sharing the recipes here with everyone:

French Onion Soup Cheese

Gruyere cheese is used in classic French onion soup recipes but you can use another kind of cheese if you prefer it or if you do not like gruyere. Gruyere cheese is a hard yellow cheese from Switzerland. It is sweet and slightly salty.

Some French onion soup recipes use mozzarella, cheddar, Jack cheese or even parmesan and the sharpness of cheese contrasts well with the natural sweetness of onion. For traditional French onion soup, cheese is a necessary topping but you can use your favorite cheese if you are not fond of Gruyere or if you cannot find it.

French Onion Soup Recipe

INGREDIENTS

6 large red or yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced.
Olive oil
1/4 teaspoon of sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups of beef stock, chicken stock, or a combination of the two (traditionally the soup is made with beef stock)
1/2 cup of dry vermouth or dry white wine
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon of dry thyme
Salt and pepper
8 slices of toasted French bread
1 1/2 cups of grated Swiss Gruyere with a little grated Parmesan cheese

METHOD

1 In a large saucepan, sauté the onions in the olive oil on medium high heat until well browned, but not burned, about 30-40 minutes (or longer). Add the sugar about 10 minutes into the process to help with the carmelization.

2 Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the stock, vermouth or wine, bay leaf, and thyme. Cover partially and simmer until the flavors are well blended, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Discard the bay leaf.

3 To serve you can either use individual oven-proof soup bowls or one large casserole dish. Ladle the soup into the bowls or casserole dish. Cover with the toast and sprinkle with cheese. Put into the broiler for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F, or until the cheese bubbles and is slightly browned. Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6.

What's up with me?

2010-12-16T09:22:00.002+07:00

Why have I not been writing my blog:

Busy commuting back and fro Jakarta - Bandung
Still trying to settle down and adapt to the new town. I know I have been married for more than 2 months, but I have never been staying in Bandung for more than a week. I am breaking my record this month, trying to stay in here for more than a week.
Have not been feeling good.
Preparing for a short christmas and new year holiday gateway. Yupp...we are going to Bali to enjoy the sun and food and stopping a few days and hit off the new year in Singapore with the parents.
Still deciding whether I should ditch this blog and start a new blog focusing more on household issues.
And still struggling to whether or not to other tons of stuffs.
And looking forward so much to the new house which is expected to be ready in early feb. I hope by that time we can do a small housewarming party for our family and friends.

Working vs Household

2010-12-06T12:48:00.002+07:00

Which one is harder? Handling work or household ? In term of riks, both share the same risk. In term of being tired, well I think handling household is more tiring coz it's like a 24 hour job however more satisfying and I am much happier when I am at home coz I have more freedom to control. However, recently I have been talking to alot of friends and cousins who are married, they all have a common problem at their home ...Maid and Nanny problem. No doubt I will face the same problem. It's not easy to find a housetaker or a nanny who can adapt well in our home. Well, husband kept telling me that it will better to find someone who is very young and inexperience but honest and innocent. Having a housetaker is like a marriage. There need to be trust and understanding from both side. Once failed, the whole system breaks and this is happening alot to most of my friends.
So the hunt for the right houstaker started now. I kept my finger crossed that I will hit the jackpot once, so that I don't need to keep changing houstakers. So what do i want for my christmas present?? I want good houstakers, driver and nanny!!!

Ping-Pong

2010-12-04T23:03:00.002+07:00

I dread of settling down in one place. Just one home. Instead of moving here and there every weekend. I hate when my things get so cluttered, my stuffs are everywhere. In my parent's old house, their new house, at the apartment and at my in-laws house.

Well, not trying to be thankful that in a few month, we will be moving to our new house in Bandung, which is currently still under a major renovation, and also another new house near my parents. But still that means I will have 2 house which means I need to have two for everything...the simple thing would be having 2 hairdryer, which is a bit irritating coz I am so used to my current hairdryer.

I don't want to be a ping-pong ball.

Venice

2010-12-02T17:21:00.004+07:00

My first impression of Venice was...Romantic...when we step out of the train station, the first thing we saw was a small city filled with water and boats. Now this is what I call Europe. It didn't make me feel like I am suffocated with the traffics (you don't see many cars), the people are friendly (well alvin said that is because Venice is meant for tourists).

But the problem with Venice is indeed the transport, the water taxi is not cheap so not the public boat (they call it the water bus).

Walking along the small road inside the city is took most of our time there. There is actually not much of things to do beside walking and enjoying the old city and food :) Seafood in Venice is worth to try. Did i mention I finished a big pot of boiled mussel (30 of them)...

Milano

2010-12-02T16:52:00.003+07:00

The Duomo shopping arena. It was filled with all the branded store :)

DUOMO

Our first trip stop was Milan. Before I step my foot in Milan, I only know that Milan is known for being one of the most fashionable city.

After a long 12 hour flight, we finally reached Milan at 5am. The weather was freezing cold, and unfortunately raining lasted the whole day.

Anyway, we stayed in a small hotel which is 1 hour train ride away from the main city. At first we were quite lost about where to take the train ...where to go...

Luckily, Alvin "loves" to read maps. So I told him for the rest of the trip, I will just follow wherever he goes ..hehehehe..well not because I don't know how to read maps...but rather having two heads reading and micro-scoping the streets, I might as well be the one watching out for the local eateries.

After our 2 days visit in Milan, I didn't really feel the city is really that fashionable. It's almost the same as Singapore, but they have a very nice and magnificent catholic church call the DUOMO. It was really breathtaking.

2 days in Milan was enough for us. We did a bit of shopping and we were so happy to finally eat the real italian pizza and pasta. The taste is incredibly delicious. Boiled pasta drizzled with olive oil and dressed with roasted vegetables is more than enough for me. Not forgetting a glass of white wine :) Blessed

Well...in this city we learnt fast about the Italiano culture and we were being confused by the whole train system as we got lost...but we learnt fast :)

We checked out on the 3rd day and took the city train to Venice. And in that train station, I tasted the best hot chocolate ever. If you think hot chocolate is like milk chocolate, well then you are wrong....The real good cup of hot chocolate is thick, bitter-sweet (but not too sweet, as the sweetness naturally comes from the roasted cocoa nibs), and it's pure cocoa with no milk. A butter cookie goes perfectly with that.

And i really love the train ride too...the scenery is too beautiful. It's a 2 hour ride, but with the view, I feel time passed so fast.

Alohaaa...

2010-11-30T14:46:00.002+07:00

Hellow everyone...I am back at lasstt....I have been missing home during my 3rd week in Europe. I told Alvin that a month of holiday is way over too long. And also my mind kept thinking about the work, house moving and other stuffs. I have deep guilty feeling too all along taking this long break while the others are working hard. So being back here makes me feel good.

Anyway I can't write much now, as I have alot of things to catch up esp my work and house, and will promise to upload the photos once I have the chance this week.

There is nothing i really missed about Europe though ..only the food...THE FOOD THERE ARE TOTALLY GREAT!!! :)

Going to the bakery itself is so much fun. I always ended up of not knowing what to choose, if God allows me to have a bigger stomach, I hope to try all the dessert and breads behind those tables...

Ciao..will update more on my trips soon...

Shop and Chop

2010-10-28T13:26:00.002+07:00

It's 3 more days to my longest holiday trip ever. I have promised myself that I will enjoy this trip as much as I can before I settle down to become a real housewife and a mom
(Crossfinger: we are currently not planning anything yet; we are still trying to enjoy our time together and since we have not settled down yet...so baby planning will just leave it to God)
Well the total number of days I will be away to Europe is officially 27 days and 2 days in flight so basically it's almost a month...

Beside doing sight-seeing, I am planning to bring some gourmet food of Europe back to Indonesia such as teas, cookies and cheese & Wine. I am not a cheese-lover but the last time I went to Brussel, I tasted the best cheese ever. With this we are really travelling light. Can you believe that in 28 days we are only bringing 5 set of clothing??? I doubt if we are going to survive with that much of clothing BUT i am not planning to shop any clothes that either..not willing to spend extra money on winter clothing.

This trip is going to be the free and easy one..we are not joining any tour group and preparing ourselve to get lost in Europe..well I hope we can communicate well with the locals..and of course enjoy the food in Europe..Wohooooooo!!!!

Reminder

2010-10-26T20:32:00.002+07:00

So three big disaster hit Indonesia today: Earthquake, Tsunami and Volcanic Erupt. Neither me nor my family or friends are affected. But I feel scared the fact that it's a reminder for me to feel blessed that I still sitting here with my husband watching TV...doing nothing...just enjoying our time together. I still can enjoy my wonderful dinner with my parents-in-law. My dad just text me in the evening telling me to be careful on my way to jakarta tomorrow as the traffic in capital city is really very bad.

It's a reminder from God that this world is full of sin that people has to come to their sense that if today we still can eat and sleep well...please say Thank You in your heart. I can't imagine if I am hit by a disaster..where will I sleep tonight...what about my livelihood tomorrow?

Rather than talking about other people's bad thing..sometimes it's better for us to improve our own attitude in this world :)

Guilty...

2010-10-23T23:56:00.002+07:00

I have been eating alot of "guilt" lately. Just today, while I was in the movie theater, mom calls and asked if I am coming back to eat dinner..and I said no coz I have promised to eat-out with friends (well since I am back in jakarta for the weekend, so Saturday is the best time to hang out with friends), and then she said with a soft voice (trust me...my mom has the loudest voice ever) "oh..okey..coz I cooked your fav shrimp dish".....Dengggggg...well actually she don't mind that I am eating out. But I mind the fact that she specially cooked my fav dish coz she knew I will be back in Jkt for the weekend, yet I can't make it for dinner. And I can't enjoy the rest of the movie after taking her call because I was eating my "guilt"

And guess what?? She didn't cook the shrimp. She told me that she will freeze the raw shrimp and planned to cook it next wednesday when I am back from Bandung. And tonight she spend a few hours in the kitchen to cook bird nest soup for the family....well, fortunately my husband is a very filial son-in-law. He said we should get home earlier today and keep our parent in company at home instead of going to the jazz club.

So..I hope one day if I have a daughter (hahhahaha) she will be like me...well at least keep parents in our mind each day. Being thankful for their presence and unconditional love to us. Not only that, I am thankful too for my parents-in-law who are very nice and warmth just like my parents towards me. And because of them who loves us so much, we never mind if we have to spend our weekend at home with them. At times we may get irritated by their "over-react" attitude...but most of the time we enjoy spending time talking from A to Z topic with them, as they are so open to us that they are willing to share their experience (be it good or bad) with us and do not mind if we laugh at their flaws, and dare to admit their mistake to us if they are wrong...(well they don't tend to say Sorry to us directly; but they have their way to say sorry to us even though we never mind and will always treat them as our role model in our life)

Say me lucky...I am indeed lucky to have 2 set of parents who love me and Alvin so much that we feel only by spending quality time with them can express how much we feel gratitude for their love towards us. We never get bored around them...and of course I hope they never feel bored having us beside them every other day :)

Dolce Far Niente ~ The Art of Doing Nothing

2010-10-19T09:52:00.003+07:00

I am trying to learn Dolce Far Niente. Truthfully, for my husband it's a peanut meditation, well for me, it's a pain in the ass meditation.

When I was born, I have always been educated by my parents that we need to work hard! Nothing comes free. And never be lazy. It means there is no such thing as laying back at this time of the day (it's 10 am and it's tuesday...yes working week!!). I am supposed to be at the office now and not sitting in my rented apartment doing nothing and feeling guilty.

A friend of mine told me that she and her husband can just load off everything and go for a holiday for a month..she said "make time". Well it's not easy for me to make time for myself to just go and have holiday. The responsibility that I bear does not allow me to do that.

Because I feel guilty, that is why i am back in Jakarta tommorrow till Sunday. And when I am in Jakarta, I will feel guilty for not taking care of my husband.

We are leaving in 2 weeks for our 28 days honeymoon. And me and him are so much looking forward to the trip. We think it will be our last trip together before we decided to have our first child next year. So during that trip, I will try to master Dolce Far Niente without feeling a bit of guiltiness...coz I deserve a break :)

My Nomadic Life

2010-10-14T15:07:00.003+07:00

11 Oct 2010 : Hyatt Bandung move to Aston Braga
12 Oct 2010 : Bandung - Jakarta
13 Oct 2010 : Jakarta - Bandung
15 Oct 2010: Bandung - Jakarta
17 Oct 2010: Jakarta - Bandung
20 Oct 2010: Bandung - Jakarta

and..the list of Bandung - Jakarta - Bandung will keep going on...my mom has given me a new nick : Tugas Jasa Marga...
Anyway...I am married now, and I miss my old home a lot. Even though I am still going back to jakarta often, but the feeling is so different now. And surprisingly, the person who miss me most is my mom..Since Monday, she has been texting me...updating on her activities..sigh..actually since young I am closest to my mom most even though we argue most too hahaha ironic but it's true. When I was studying abroad, she would call me everyday for the whole week just to share her stories with me. When we start staying under one roof, we are so close that we often argue over minor things. And now we are separated agai, she feels like last time again..
And for the record, she kept crying on my wedding day.. the whole day :(

It's not a single scoop anymore but double

2010-10-08T22:03:00.001+07:00

Feeling a bit weird..here I am laying down on my single bed knowing this would be my last night sleeping in this bed as not married yet girl. The next time I come back here, I am someone's else wife...it's like my whole life is going to change. Well my sister in law has not been able to sleep as she feels so excited and nervous about me getting married. Coz it remind of her when she has to move from Surabaya to Jakarta. It's not easy she said...how do u feel when u have to leave your old life and step into a new phase .....fas for me, I feel excited and clueless...only hoping that for the next 90 years , it's going to be an adventures yet happy life.

Dear God, please bless my new family with joy, happiness and good health. Please always remind me my duty as a loving wife and a caring mother. As for other matter,let things takes it's nature course. Amin

Jakarta is growing to drown

2010-10-07T22:56:00.002+07:00

Yes..drown by vehicles. I just realized that whenever it started to rain, Jakarta traffic turns hell. When normally you would take 30 mins to reach some destination, raining time will take you at least 3 hours to reach there. Yes 3 Hours!!!! That is crazy. I wonder what the government is thinking. Oh well, the government or the president would not face this problem as when they are on road, they will usually use a group of policeman to clear off the road for them first. Basically, they don't really know the meaning of getting stuck in a traffic.

Dear Mr President, you really got to do something quick about the city's traffic before this city goes down the drain.

Honesty is the Best Policy

2010-10-05T11:46:00.003+07:00

I didn't expect that someone close to me is not being honest..well the funny thing is that she is trying to text msg from her cellphone to another friend of us..and she text wrongly to me...and so I read the long the msg..which I think she is trying to refer to me. Anyway..it's sad to know that all these while the person whom you respect most and look up upon to is not being sincere to you.

Well, as Alvin said "that's life". When you respect someone, you don't really expect the same respect back. When you are good to someone, you also don't expect the same good thing back from them. Dissapointment happens every now and then...but from today incident it's really a blessing in disguise. A lesson to learn.

Sometimes, I really blamed myself for being too open when I get very comfortable with a person. And that does not mean the person has the same comfort level with me.

The D-day is getting nearer now..it's 5 days away from a big step of a new life. No more turning back, as I am not plan to as I have prepared myself mentally for all these.

The girls :)

2010-10-03T18:31:00.001+07:00

DSC01347, originally uploaded by JuJuL.

The Bridesmaid to-be

2010-10-03T18:30:00.001+07:00

DSC01352, originally uploaded by JuJuL.

A Hen's Party

2010-10-03T18:29:00.001+07:00

DSC01326, originally uploaded by JuJuL.

Well..in a nice we call it the Bachelorette party...specially created by my two crazy and creative bridesmaid to-be...I really have a great time last friday so do the rest of the girls..We played crazy games..and they make me did all the embarrassing stuff...well but we all have a good laugh..

The good thing about this party is they manage to gather all the girls together..these girls all come from different backgrounds. Even though we don't grow up together but it seems we have something in common, not sure what is the best word to describe that something in common that make us feel very comfortable around each other.

I never expect any bachelorette party, therefore this is really a good surprise for me...thanks girls for the great night and laughter..see you all again next week!!!!

2010-09-26T22:25:00.002+07:00

Mix feeling...worry...confused...about how am I going to cope with my work after I moved to a new city... traveling back and forth Jakarta - Bandung and having to cope with 2 household at the same time..in exactly 2 weeks I have to move and yet I am confused what to pack into my luggage since staying in the rented apartment is only going to be a month, and then we will be leaving for Europe for almost a month...and we will be homeless for 2 days...coz we can only check -in back to our new apt on the 1st of Dec...and will continue to stay there for another 2 months before finally settling down at our new house. I feel a bit like a nomad now..moving around here and there not knowing when exactly I will be settling down.

Sigh...I am still in a middle of making un-important decision... "what clothes should I bring during this nomad journey..."

Dalton Tanonaka: Tips for Making the Most of Your Time on This Planet

2010-09-24T14:44:00.002+07:00

You’ve had a bad week. Your favorite, and most expensive, shirt came back from the laundry a size smaller. Your driver told you he may have hit a small animal. You lost your mobile phone with the photo you told your girlfriend you had already deleted but didn’t.

It could be worse. Imagine being trapped 2,300 feet underground for nearly two months in a collapsed mine shaft and being told, “We hope to have you out by Christmas.”
The 33 Chilean miners look remarkably happy in video feeds from their subterranean prison below the Atacama Desert. Their first request was for cigarettes. Maybe they are now able to define what’s important in life after coming so close to death. And that’s something we can all take away from the experience of getting a personal wake-up call from the spiritual operator. So amid the anxiety of religious violence and the despair of endemic corruption, I offer the following ways to squeeze the most out of our time on this planet.

Enjoying life is:

Getting out of the city to see the stars.
Try the rooftop bar at Bandung’s Paris Von Java.
Climbing a tree. Even if you’re 50.
Going out with a person with a “wild” reputation and finding out they deserve it.
Laughing with your elderly mom now instead of crying at her funeral later.
Feeling the sand under your feet. Come on, take off those shoes when you’re walking on the beach.
Flying out on a moment’s notice for a lovers’ weekend.
Swimming frantically away from a poisonous sea snake but thinking unagi sushi.
Never asking for a date on Facebook. Get real.
A chilled glass for your cold beer.
Getting up to sing with the band at Paulaner Brauhaus. ]
Knowing not to get up and sing with the band at Paulaner Brauhaus because you suck and you want to keep your friends.
Ordering something different from the menu next time.
Always remembering what you never want to forget.
Still going swimming even if you forgot your swimsuit.
Giving your woman a La Perla item you came across at the 90 percent off going out of business sale.
Her wearing it that night. Yes, for you!
Having scenic sunset cocktails at the Amanusa Bar in the hills overlooking Bali’s resort center.
Wearing new red heels you know are hot, and having both men and women tell you so.
Taking a Silver Bird taxi every now and then.
Speaking Bahasa Indonesia well enough to order a pizza over the phone. Hey President Obama, there’s a Domino’s here!
Finding out that a 24-hour supermarket opened in the building next door. And going there at 2 a.m. for coffee and a night owl conversation.
Sitting in the upper section at CJ’s nightclub in Hotel Mulia because of the dark privacy and complimentary teddy bear.
Coming up with a monster drive out of nowhere to leave you with a short chip to the green.
Holding your daughter’s hand no matter how old she is.
Having a great boss, or having your workers say you are a great boss.
Meeting revenue projections in tough times, and exceeding revenue projections in good times.
Loving the way your partner smells. With or without cologne.
Getting your stereo repaired for a fraction of the cost compared with just about anywhere else in the world.
Knowing where to buy the best kimchi.
And the winner has to be the new Lotte Mart in Gandaria City.
Not worrying about past mistakes, but thinking about the good times to come.

Taken from : THE JAKARTA GLOBE

Lang-Ling-Lung

2010-09-24T13:07:00.002+07:00

Alot of bad things happen right off after my engagement in Bali..a few things went missing from my drawer...anyway I learnt a very expensive lesson after that and has not been feeling good this week...and then follow by my parent creating a very mellow mood at home.. anyway the whole situation is not making me feel comfortable or at ease. Maybe if I don't have to move away to a different city, will I feel better? But then as people said as a woman, you have to follow where the husband goes. On the other side, it's good though if I move, i will learnt to appreciate my parents more and learnt to be more independent.

I also feel people surrounding me are getting more excited and looking forward to the big day rather than myself..I guess it's because people are curious how I would look in a white gown and also how my parents will react that day..esp my dad

A few more to go...

2010-09-20T14:14:00.002+07:00

Back from my engagement in Bali...feels so tired yet I can't slow down my pace. It seems now everything is going faster. More to prepare for the wedding day and moving day and on the other hand I am still working full time. So now I felt a bit overwhelmed..

Actually, i dread of the moving process. I am still wondering how to move all my stuffs to the new place...

So a bit of update on my engagement party...The party was a blast...I love the decoration of the ballroom done by Yucien of Lotus...he is really an inspiration..his ideas are beyond what I can think of...

I wore a chongsam pink full lace mermaid gown...and everybody like my dress so much..and since it's a chongsam dress, my hairstylist Ibu Wawa decided that I will look elegant if i do my hair in Shanghai style..

Alvin sang "you look wonderful tonight" that night and I made a thank you speech in 2 language (Phewww!!)

I hope to post the pic soon in this blog to share it with my cousin vicky ...as promised :)

Mom and Me

2010-09-13T23:23:00.001+07:00

Things I Love Thursdays: Just because.., originally uploaded by Niki :D.

So we have been talking and gossiping for the past few nights. Well mom was so busy this year that she didn't realized that in a few weeks, I am not going to be in this house anymore and have her felling asleep at my bed just because we talk too much and forget the time.
I am going to definitely miss her a lot.

My mom is a very stubborn, yet one the most kind human being I have ever known. She is one of those who will sacrifice anything for her own children, and sometimes she is willing to be the "bad guy" in the family so that we as her children will wake up from our "wrongdoing".

My mom and I have our endless arguments, we seldom agree on things and hence we have our own issues all the time, but at the end of the day, I will still look upon her because she is my mom who give me the best yet sometimes painful advice which will never harm me but in return letting me to be a better person.

When Alvin's family get to know me for the first time, they all have a good impression about me. Well i didn't really realized this until someone told me what I have become today, the value that was instill in me is all because my mom. She is a strict mom to me because i am her only daughter and the last thing my mom ever wanted is I am not a well-respected young woman. Hence, if someone praise me because of who I am, ...dear mom..thank you, you have indeed become a fine young woman :) And you will continue to inspire me on how to become a good mom and good wife like you :)

Whatever you have been telling these past few nights, those are one of the best advice that anybody have ever given to me :)

counting my days...

2010-09-07T23:59:00.001+07:00

KINO4063, originally uploaded by JuJuL.

I am leaving for Bali on the 15th...and today is my last day of work..and will return to again to the office on the 20th.. And I have 5 days to take a break from work and everything else..before my engagement party in Bali.
Anyway, I just want to say a Big Thank You to my parents, my colleagues who will be helping me and alvin in making this event happen...

:)

Finding Balance

2010-08-31T21:41:00.001+07:00

Vintage Scale, originally uploaded by Andrea McClain.

I am trying to find balance in my life now...work, family, wedding, house, traveling, and try to settle down....i am so far away to from settling in, and that make me a bit of stress lately...hik

It's a few more days to a long holiday

2010-08-30T14:58:00.003+07:00

We have one more working week and after that it's our official holiday work off!!! Finally, a week of break and followed by the party in Bali..Since I have been cleaning up my room bit by bit last week, therefore I can have my whole week watching DVD till late night, wake up a bit later...more shopping to be done ( I hope the stores are open during the Hari Raya holiday) and will do some visiting to friends' house (lucky me..a few good friends will be in Jakarta during the holiday too). The guys are planning to have golf activities while I was suggesting to the wives that we should wine down in spa centers...

Lately, I have been eating so much..i was crossing my finger that I won't gain a kg..and so last saturday I went to do my fittings again...PHEW!!...the gowns seems to grow bigger or I am growing slimmer hihihihihi..anyway..I am glad I am healthy, not tired, and not too stressed on anything Yet..(hopefully it will stay like this for next few weeks)..

So..I guess my early planning and "never hold back on getting work done" is paying off...there are no last minute tasks that need to me run crazy...everything seems to be under controlled...and as my dad said..whatever happens on the D-day..let it go..and let it be :)

Hypocrite

2010-08-25T14:38:00.003+07:00

I have been wanting to write this post...but has been holding it back because at first I was afraid that I might offend some people..but well I feel that I should write and post them in public.

I am a person with a religion...but I am not very fanatic about it. I believe there is only one God, and that our God..I can understand in this soceity we have different religion but we all have a common thing and that is beliving in the good and not the evil. I respect other religion alot..and I can accept them very well in my life too...

However, there are times i feel so dissapointed with this religion thing...because many people used them just to defend their selfish act..or people can ben religious in their mouth but their action proven otherwise, and I have met alot of these people..and some bear close relationship with me...

It comes to a point when I felt that I have lost my respect for them even though they are my elders..of course I don't show to them how I feel, but I become less engaged with them, which is a sad situation of course. I hope that since they are my elders, I hope they do what they have been preaching to me all these while about religion...

On the other hand, I feel disgusted with myself too when I have to face a situation with them...i was hoping i have more courage and approach them..and tell them straight to their face to start doing the right thing...

We all miss him

2010-08-24T14:56:00.003+07:00

Last weekend, we went to see Akung..he was cremated and his ashes is located in a temple at Puncak (Mountain Area)..I like that place because the weather is so cool and refreshing and the the surrounding are all natures...no traffics..no crowds..and you would hear peaceful hymns of the monks

Everytime we visit Akung, it feels sad, because he left us so suddenly and during that time most of us are living abroad...Only dad was around that time..and I felt that only Dad has the biggest impact when realizing Akung has left this world.

Actually I am very proud of my dad how he is so fillial to his parents, a good husband to my mom, and the best dad that I can ever ask for to me and my brothers.

So..last week when we were there...dad just stood in front of Akung's photo and kept silence for sometimes...as if he is there to talk to Akung..asking how his doing..and telling him what's has been going in in the family..and finally telling Akung...I am getting married soon and seek for his blessing ^^

Throw out the old one..bring in the new one

2010-08-24T10:22:00.002+07:00

I have been dragging the "clean up my wardrobe" schedule to end of this month. First, I don't know where I should start packing...I don't have many clothes, but I have a lot of old clothes..clothes that I wear since my college days and till today I am still wearing them. So, I guess now will be the right time to clean my wardrobe and force myself to give these clothes away and make out for new clothes. I guess I am just too lazy to shop for new clothes because it's not easy for me to find my right clothes. It's either too big or too small..too short..too long..too sexy...but never too plain...I prefer to wear something laid back and loves to knee-length skirt (and not mini-skirt)..short pants is a must...not a big fan of tight t-shirt. If I have to describe the right clothes brand for me..it would be - J-Crew and GAPS and sadly to say..there is no J-crew in Indonesia nor singapore...we have Gaps store here but they are just too expensive here compare to Gaps USA.

Btw, even my pyjamas are over 10 years old..hahahha..they are so old but still comfortable to wear..my mom has been complaining to me that I should throw and buy a new one...see even buying the perfect pyjamas is not an easy task for me...i find the pyjamas nowadays that are sold in branded stores are too expensive, not that comfortable to wear either..

I guess I am just too picky for clothes..and food :)

My Dad, My Boss

2010-08-18T20:52:00.001+07:00

DSC01218, originally uploaded by JuJuL.

Mom preaching about ....

2010-08-18T20:51:00.001+07:00

DSC01203, originally uploaded by JuJuL.

The A-Team

2010-08-18T20:50:00.001+07:00

DSC01191, originally uploaded by JuJuL.

I will miss this

2010-08-18T20:49:00.001+07:00

DSC01183, originally uploaded by JuJuL.

I will definitely miss this moment..whereby I can fly to Bali for 2 days..just to prepare my big day...It was tiring but I actually enjoyed every second of it...Anyway...first I would like to say THANK YOU to my dad...he actually took off the time to come down to Bali with me...and also thanks to Yeni (boss secretary), Ibu Ribka, Pak Sandy who has been helping me with all the Bali prep...and Mom who is always reminding alot of small details...and Pak Yopie..who is always there to help me solve "irritating" problem...well I am indeed a lucky girl..who gets the helps from all these lovely people...looking forward to Bali party..it's exactly one month from now...

Yesterday, I spent the whole independence day with my parents...they kind of telling me that they hope I can spend more time with them from today onwards..since I will be gone after the 10th of oct...and there is no way we can turn back time...I feel a bit sad too..but mom dad...I am living a new life soon...don't worry about me...your daughter is growing up..and soon i will understand more about why all these time you are so protective about me (sometimes I feel unfair because my bros got more freedom than me)..but see as my wedding day gets nearer...the relationship between the three of us is getting warmer..and i get a bit more understanding about these parenthood thing...
This saturday I am going to visit the place where my grandpa is buried..in puncak...with alvin n my parents... we all kind of miss him :)

Cousins..

2010-08-11T19:36:00.001+07:00

IMG_1442, originally uploaded by JuJuL.

Cousins from mom and dad...well a lot are missing out as the rest are scattered around the world..

He is missing out again!!

2010-08-11T19:34:00.001+07:00

IMG_1444, originally uploaded by JuJuL.

Alvin always miss out family pic... :(

A New Set of Family

2010-08-11T19:33:00.001+07:00

IMG_1450, originally uploaded by JuJuL.

This is my new extended family from Bandung...well there are a few important people missing in this pic..such as my in-laws, Alvin, Oyen (she is going to give birth soon!!!), Finfin (she was sick that day), and then Big Uncle and Aunt (they are in Australia i guess)...Some cousins (they are busy with the new house)...and few more...

Sanjit day

2010-08-10T20:19:00.002+07:00

IMG_1377, originally uploaded by JuJuL.

Last Sunday was another big event for me, my family and best friends...it was the Sangjit Day...the day where his family will come to our house with baskets of fruits and other traditional stuff to present it to my parents.
Well, it was really a pity that Alvin himself was not able to be present for the ceremony as the night before he got some virus attack and has to be admitted to the hospital.

The sanjit ceremony was held at my parent's new house...(which is basically done but not furnished yet) and the best part of the sanjit ceremony is of course the food...All I can say the food is extremely delicious. I have to thank my dad for helping me to prepare everything...mom to get the new house cleaned up on time and the hotel crew for setting up a lovely luncheon :) and not forgetting my two best friends who were there so early to get my make up done...

More photos to be posted when The Wagyu Story (visit their blog!!!)team has finished with the photos...I am looking forward to their work :) Thanks En2 and Ta2....

icecream!

2010-08-06T15:06:00.001+07:00

icecream!, originally uploaded by hello naomi.

I love this cards...it says I scream, you scream, we all scream, for ice creams!!!!!
I was reading my cousin's blog...she said that she don't like food afterall...well not all food...she chose what to eat..and she prefers sleeping over eating...heheheheh well I am the opposite of her....I live to eat good food....if I am at a new place, the first thing that pops up to my brain is what is the best local food to eat...did I mention I adores French food...I love the hummus dipping in Greek too...I love the roasted chicken with spices in indian restaurant...red clam chowder served in sourdough bread bowl at fisherman wharf San fransisco...Oden soup in Japanese restaurant...I just knew shisamo fish egg taste so nice when grilled ...WELL..you can see..I am indeed a hungry girl who is always searching for new food... (btw, I don't really like macrons coz they are too sweet..)
Going to the supermarket has also become a hobby..to look for new ingredient..new snacks..and to smell the freshly baked bread ( you can only find this kind supermarket in USA).....owes how I miss Costco now...
P.S: I prefer gelato to ice cream.....

2010-08-05T21:38:00.002+07:00

My Life in One Set by je m'appelle Cameron featuring Chanel

At this point I've got to choose, nothing to lose. by je m'appelle Cameron featuring Chanel

Grace Kelly. by TheLittleBrownie. featuring Giuseppe Zanotti shoes

2010-08-04T21:02:00.002+07:00

Leighton Meester by ♥ annestya ♥ featuring Adam dresses

Leighton Meester by ♔ Maria Lovett ♔ featuring J Crew sweaters

Wohooo

2010-08-02T20:42:00.001+07:00

passports rubber stamp sheet, originally uploaded by Traci Bunkers.

Finally got all my visas done for the november trip. Being an Indonesian and holding on to an Indonesian passport is indeed a challenge esp when traveling to countries like USA and EU. The applying for visas procedures is very grueling...a lot of documents need to be prepare...they would even want you to get your latest bank record, making sure that there is at least USD10k inside ur acct...well birth cert is still consider standard requirement...but usually they will ask the company you are working for to write a sponsor letter..they will even ask to prepare the company's registration...which is so irrelevant about me applying visa for holiday...well anyway...we did engage in travel agent to prepare us but at the end of the day, you have to make the appointment with the embassy and going there early in the morning and queue up for hours just to hand in our documents...and worse part..the attitude of the visa officers sucks!!!!

So today I went to the Italy embassy and queue up..and I thought I was one of the earliest however I was considered late...there are so many people who has been there a few hours before us! The main reason why the embassy was packed was because many people has been planning for their holiday during Lebaran. But I think I considered more "kiasu" because I am travelling in early nov but here I am already applying for my visa x______x ....thanks to Alvin...he hates last minute..

Well the main thing I want to point out here is...when I was queueing up...I noticed most of them are Chinese Indonesian couples..wearing high expensive heels ..carrying their branded bags..and they all have the same complains "WHY DO WE HAVE TO QUEUE UP...!!"
That's how all the Chinese Indonesian usually react when they are told to queue up..more than half an hour?? It's really making them crazy...well when they got their visa they will feel it's all worth going through this stupid procedures!..

In their heart.. "Hermes, Chanel here I Come!!" (No offense..I am planning to shop there too :P)

Phew

2010-08-01T22:46:00.002+07:00

I am typing this blog as slow as I can so that I won't wake the baby up :) Last weekend was another hectic one. It started off with my another trip to Bandung to take care some of my wedding prep there..One of the most fun and unforgettable memory will be testing food menu for the wedding reception. At first I thought the participants would be his parents and sister...turn out there are over 10 people who shows up...it was like having a family feast ..it was fun and exciting because it's not about testing the food, but we sat down in a long table together..everyone was talking about their past experience in getting married...and some shares their funny moments during their wedding day...anyway..all of us ended up liking the dessert so much that we asked the chef to prepare us another serving (hahahaha it was a test menu...it was free..kapan lagi??!!)

I told Alvin that he should be glad he has a very big and close-knitted family, who often organize gathering ..I used to have that last time when my grandpa was still alive..but ever since he past away, the family seldom do gathering unless there is wedding then we will have a family gathering.

Next week, is going to be another busy week...for both family. Sunday (8th of Aug 2010) will be our sangjit day. Sangjit is the day where his family will come over with baskets of stuffs (each basket symbolize good meanings for our marriage) to present it to my family. And on that same day, my parents are having a house warming party too...so another weekend to look forward :) I have a friend from Wagyu Story to help me document-ate the event..coz I feel this kind of event will only happen once in a lifetime..so..good documentation is worth it ...I hope to share some of the pic later with my family who can't attend this special event.

Challenge

2010-07-27T11:13:00.002+07:00

I am taking a 5 day challenge volunteering myself to help my sister-in-law to take care of Erin..take care means these 5 days i will become a full-time mom since Ely has to go back to Singapore for a few days since she and lukas are going to move into their new house.

What does a full-time mom do everyday?? The day will start by sleeping with her..and then waking up earlier than her to prepare her morning ritual...making sure she drank her milk, eat her medication, then play with her. Before she takes her bath, she will need to eat her porrigde (this part will be quite difficult for me, coz I know don't like to eat her bland and tasteless porridge hahaha). After the messy breakfast, she needs to have her bath. And only after that, I can go to the office.

No more going out after office hour, straight to home to accompany her...make sure when I am home she has taken her bath and eat her dinner. Then the rest of the night will be playing making sure she is not bored at all..this part is quite challenging for me...as I am not good at entertaining babies..

I just hope when Ely comes back ..Erin is still in one piece hahahahha...

26 July 2010

2010-07-26T09:49:00.002+07:00

The reason why I have not been blogging is because the internet at home has not been working since Wednesday!!! I called Fastnet every night tell them to restart my server and i think the customer service has been badly irritated by me. Well that's how things work here...if you don't call them everyday, they will ignore you! And till today..the internet is still not working..sigh...

My Erin is here this weekend and will be here for next 4 weeks!!! She is getting bigger now and every of her actions are so cute hahahaha..and when she start to babbles in her own language, it cracks everyone in the house.

Last weekend I got a very lovely surprise from my bestfriends. Feels touched and I guess when I move to Bandung later I will really missed them alot :( it's not easy to find friends whom u can treat them like your own sisters. Feeling comfortable with them and acknowledging them as your soulmate because you feel so connected in terms of everything. All of us have different character and that is why we feel that because of their presence in our life, it seems they complete part of you.

Talking about moving to Bandung, I hate the part where i have to find new maids. All my life, I have never handled maids. And I just realized it is not easy to find maids for your own household. How can I judged a stanger from the first impression and said "okey you are the right candidate to help me to run this household" How can I trust them? That is why there is thing call trial for 3 months. And after 3 months or even 1 week you feel they are not suitable you have to let them go and then go through the whole process again for replacement. My sister-in-law has been going thru this gruelling process for more than a year already. And soon it's going to be my turn.

.i love pink.

2010-07-22T10:40:00.001+07:00

.i love pink., originally uploaded by polkadotandplaid.

WHy is this week so slow?? I guessed that's because i am in the office from 9-5 and it becomes bored.
Confession: I hate to say this, pink (all kind of pink) happens to be the most dominant color for my stuffs. When people asked, what is my fav color, i will usually said...all colors are my fav, depending on what it is being applied to...for instance if you are asking me my fav color for bag...pink would not be on my list. For a coat, black and red will be my fav color...when painting my room, i would not paint it in pink! That will be a disaster...I will not buy a pink color car either..feels so "girly"...
So...will my engagement and wedding gown be pink?? hahahah that will be something for you guys to guess...hint: none of my gowns are white..i am not a traditional brides when it comes to choosing color :)

"Life never becomes a habit to me. It's always a marvel."

2010-07-18T20:34:00.001+07:00

"Life never becomes a habit to me. It's always a marvel.", originally uploaded by polkadotandplaid.

I guess i am the type of person who can't stand of being alone. There are times where I need to have my own time but it would not last more than 2 hours. hahahaha well i guess it's part of being a Gemini, we like to be in the crowd of friends and family.

For instance now...it's sunday evening and I am at home enjoying my personal space. Finally, i can watch my fav tv program without having to fight over the remote with my mom. The parents is away for their friends' wedding. Most friends are spending their time with their family. Alvin has to go back Bandung earlier. And I am alone. At first it feels nice, but 2 hours later I felt bored.
My mind begin to search for unfinished business...went to my agenda to oversee my next week schedule (Hectic as usual)...went over the checklist list...and have this dreading feeling of how to get all these lists checked. I am a lazy person, and i want to be lazy at times, but I can't ... My parents has taught me (the hard way) the consequences i have to face of being a lazy person...

I am so looking forward for my dear niece to come back to Indonesia to visit me...the last time I met her was February? Ely has been updating me with her pics and voice recording...I think she is growing way too fast...and i felt that i missed out a lot of things

Dinner

2010-07-15T23:43:00.002+07:00

Had a very very long days this week, and more long days ahead. urggghh....can't wait to get over it. I have a good dinner though today with a dear cousin of mine...well mostly listening to his stories in workplace and marriage life. This guy has been growing up with me, and basically we know and understand each other too well and sometimes he don't have to finish his sentence and I already know what he is thinking. We like to think ourselves to be the same character and same type just because we are born on the same year. And we are proud to have our chinese zodiac as DOG.

So we did talk a lot...Basically he said this will be our last dinner before i get married..he said the next time he meets me it will be in Bali and I won't have anytime by then...it was quite sad to hear that..hahahhaha..well but I agree with him. When you are married your role will change and I am not sure either if I have any chance to be able to eat with him. And we both like Korean foods :)

I only hope that he will built his career well in his new workplace which I believe he will be one day a great businessman :)

A French Affair

2010-07-13T21:19:00.001+07:00

delightful. {for things i love thursdays}, originally uploaded by polkadotandplaid.

I need a teacher who can teach me how to make macaroon...in French style of course :)

floating mind...a lost soul..

2010-07-13T12:40:00.002+07:00

Well, don't be too surprised with the tittle. It just reflect how I feel now! Don't worry I am not having any major or life crisis..it's just with the recent amount of work, house, weddings and everything else, I felt a bit overwhelmed and cranky. I hate the fact that I can't let myself to trust other people to do the job for me.

A few months before, I read a friend's Facebook status saying.."hate the feeling of being alone to face all these crap". She was getting married that time, so I asked her what kind of crap are u facing..she told me it was the wedding prep...alot of friends families told her that she should at least enjoy the process of it...well she told me it is not enjoyable when you have to do it everything alone...who should she turn to?? Parents? Like me, parents are supporting us financially, but when it comes to the prep, they leave it to us. ( I was hoping my mom to contribute a bit here...well she can't coz she keeps telling me she is busy with her new house and that sucks!). U can't depend on your friends too she said...they have their own busy schedule ( I agree)..how about the future husband...well let me give u a statistic...99% of the wedding prep are mostly handled by the bride herself..(well alvin helps in the Bandung wedding prep...but I am still overwhelmed...I am working full-time here too..and there are other things i need to attend myself...I am not going to list out what those are...coz I don't want to be a complain queen)

Well in all...just to conclude..a friend msg me and told me she is glad that she is still busy..it means she still have work to do and not jobless..and it also means people still trust her ...with her words..it kind of comfort myself a bit...with all the things i am facing now..it means..my boss trust me with work so much...my family trust me that I can organize all the wedding prep by myself..and I need to proof to them they are right about me :)

The heat is starting now...

2010-07-11T20:39:00.001+07:00

Details, originally uploaded by AshleyMariePh~.

Every time I met my wedding organizer, and every time the wedding day is coming (not forgetting before that we have a few family traditions to be held next month), I felt the pressures already.
Actually I am not worried what will happen on the big day, there are no worries...the stress is apparently because of the prep...there are tons of details that I have to pay attention to...making sure making no offense to anyone, especially the family members. And the fact Chinese Indonesian are still very traditional, therefore (believe it or not) there are ceremonies that we still have to carry out...

People said..."enjoy the prep...it's once in a lifetime" ...trust me the prep are fun but not all...I only like some but not all...for instance choosing cake, choosing photos, decorations...but not a big fan of going for gown fittings coz i am so worried about whether the gown is still going to fit me or more alterations to be done??? I hate testing make up and hairdo...I hate when I have to make sure the invitations card are going to be printed in right colors...updating the guests list again and again..which seems never-ending revision has to be made making sure no one is left out....and deciding whether we should invite this person or not???

I rather care more for the days after 10th Oct 2010. :) In whatever it is, I am thankful and blessful that God is good to me

The weird way...

2010-07-08T09:59:00.003+07:00

This is very funny...but it is real...The World Cup fans are now turning to this octopus as he can predict the winning team, and so far this 2 year old octopus has predicted right and has never missed a game. And what cracks me up is when he predicted right, the opponent fans will threaten to kill and cook him hahahha...yesterday he was right again..he chose Spain and Spain won!!!!! And this is how he makes his prediction (by the way Paul is a Germany..)

The method his owners use at Aquarium Sea Life is simple.
They lower two containers of mussels into his tank, one emblazoned with the flag of Germany, the other with the flag of their football opponent.
The container Paul chooses first is taken to be his prediction.

Here are some funny excerpt i got from the news...from angry opponents:

Following the quarter-final prediction in which Paul correctly guessed Argentina would lose to Germany, the Argentinians threatened to kill the octopus and put it in a paella.
The newspaper El Diaeven printed this recipe for anyone daring to capture Paul: "All you need is four normal potatoes, olive oil for taste and a little pepper."
Argentinan chef Nicolas Bedorrou has suggested on Facebook a far more simplistic and brutal way to cook the octopus.
"We will chase him and put him on some paper. We will then beat him [but correctly!] in order to keep the meat tender and then put it in boiling water."

According to Der Western daily paper, there have been "a host of comments on Facebook, Twitter ... suggesting Paul should be fried, barbecued or turned into a seafood salad or paella".
"Others wanted to throw him into the shark tank," the paper wrote on its website.

Anyway...Spain vs Netherland...who is going to win Mr Paul??

Where are you going Mr Clock?

2010-07-04T22:28:00.001+07:00

Capricho 1095, originally uploaded by miss Capricho.

Unbelievable... It's another one day passing by in just a wink. Sometimes the time is passing so fast that I lost grip of myself, not knowing what i did for the day...most of the time feeling guilty hoping that I should use my time for a better reason.

I wen to watch CHLOE today...a lesson to learn for all married couples, never let yourself feels lonely and empty. Once you are in that stage it's so easy to let strangers to enter into your life and without you knowing it the presence of a third party which eventually ruin your married life...The rule of the game which I believe is being able to trust and communicate with each other. Once you sense something is wrong, Say it to your partner...sometimes it may ended up to argument, but at least both are trying to solve the problem and not hiding them and lying each other about the feelings that has changed...

Anyway...Good Night readers....tomorrow is going to be another short "long" day...Hopefully i get my UK visa tomorrow. Mr Harrods I am coming to visit you soon!!!!!

Three-agreeable

2010-07-02T22:09:00.001+07:00

Things I Love Thursday- Vintage Cameras, originally uploaded by greenwatermelon.

For the first time (is it the first time??) Dad, Mom and me.. agreed that the pre-wedding photos is really beautiful. Never in my life we enjoy this moment of agreeing. There is no argument, no disappointment...only sharing quiet moment together enjoying those un-edited pre-wedding photos. Un-Edited...ehmmmm so will be the Edited more perfect...??

Mom is so excited on choosing which to be framed..of course I am giving her the privilege of choosing...well since we are discussing this peacefully...(usually there are arguments involved...and when things get heated up..dad would say world war 3 is on its way). Anyway..I still love my mom dearly...and of course adore most on my dad.

I can't wait to share these photos actually....but I promised not to show it till our engagement and wedding days...hahahha so if you are happen to be invited to our big day...please come!!!

the past...a beautiful thing.

2010-07-01T20:03:00.001+07:00

the past...a beautiful thing., originally uploaded by polkadotandplaid.

So today I went to Axioo office to choose my pre-wedding photos...Well I can say that I am very satisfied with the photos!!! Actually I can't wait to share it with my friends and family. Even Alvin himself has not seen it. Looking over thousands of photos and I have to narrow them down to 1hundred was actually quite difficult. Anyway I learnt something from Axioo...actually what makes me like Axioo is that they are able to capture your natural expression. Natural expression does not have to be Pretty..or "perfect" but natural...you show your true feeling during that moment.
I am quite a picky photo-seeker...coz the photos that I chose I hope will always bring back good memories and it will become my timeless treasures. Therefore, I am going to request for a vintage box from Axioo :) It will be going to be my dream come true treasure box fills with memories of love :)

Mirco-looking at me??

2010-06-30T22:46:00.001+07:00

TILT {inspired by beauty}, originally uploaded by polkadotandplaid.

I hate when to be the center of attention. So last monday I met up with my make-up artist. Well she is a nice lady so is her brother..they are both famous person among Indonesian models and designer. The first time I met them, I didn't really connected well with them because I can't communicate with people from their industry. So last monday i have to meet up with her to discuss on my make up and hairdo for the bali and D-day. And suddenly when they start to look at my face in details...as in micro-scoping at every features on my face...there is a lot of "ooohhh...woooowww...ehmmmmm...." and violaaaaa..."CLASSIC..TIMELESS" are the two words that came out from their mouth. Yes..that is how they describe my face features. They said I have this classic face...and within themselves and their assistant they kept talking and discussing about me...And seriously..every second feels like an hour to me. I don't feel comfortable when people start to comment on my look.
Anyway...what does the word classic mean to my face?? That I look Old? or I look ancient? as in old-fashion??

Well..anyway..i like her and the brother...they are actually nice people and in the end what makes us connect well??Being a Hakka and to have passion for food...turn out they are Hakka just like me. And they both feels because we are Hakka, therefore we share the same family and culture values..which I agree. But..i still don't like when they start to observe my face...i don't like to be the center of attention....

Above is just some random pic that i got from Flickr...Happy Thursday!

How to make hot cocoa...

2010-06-29T20:52:00.001+07:00

spiced chocolate bisque, originally uploaded by cannelle-vanille.

I don't know about this either. But I know I like my hot cocoa to be pure cocoa meaning no milk added. Pure cocoa liquor and a bit of sugar cooked over boiling water and whisk it till they become thick. Yes..a good hot cocoa should be thick and not watery. So where is the best hot cocoa i have ever tasted??? Surprisingly the best hot cocoa is right at my workplace hahaha yup...BT Cocoa powder indeed make a good hot cocoa...suit my taste. But...I am thinking of ways to improvise the taste. Hopefully later when i have my own kitchen, I will whisk the best hot cocoa :)

Tat-Tat

2010-06-28T17:26:00.001+07:00

IMG_1309, originally uploaded by JuJuL.

I ordered these small fruit tarts today...just because I am so curious about the taste...and..surprisingly they are good, as she used all the freshest and quality ingredients to bake these darlings.
So...to bake a good dessert, fresh and good quality ingredients do matters. I like to bake...but my mom always told me this "why do you have to go through all those hassles just to bake a cake..when you can just buy it from the stores???"
It's different mom...when you bake your own dessert, you tend to choose the best and freshest ingredients...believe me the food that we made ourselves taste different. It taste home....
Anyway..Ster...ur fruit tarts is two thumb up :)

The little things

2010-06-27T19:55:00.002+07:00

I have been wanting to write since last friday, as I have been so many attentions to the little things happening around me. Starting from world cup to food.

Well world cup fever did take place in my home. My parents don't watch or follow them but Thomas and Alvin has been following every game every day...what else will make them feel the

excitement of these games??? Yes..you are right!!! (hahaha i don't have to spell them out here)

Anyway, it's just a game, but there are people who treat these games very seriously and when they get drunk and their fav team lost, things can go ugly such as not paying for their drinking bills and scratching cars in carpark. Loosers!!

Last Saturday went out dinner with some friends and ended up talking about "me"...I can't really talk what the topic in details...tapi intinya jealousy sometimes will ended up hurting yourself and I agree to that.

Talking about food....my dad has this sudden craving for hakka food and so this afternoon we went to one of his fav hakka resto in Batu ceper..call Li Yen. Seriously they served nothing but PORK...urgghhh i really hate all the food there, they are all covered with oil and it smells very pork-y.

And right over dinner, my parents were discussing about when I should get start to do my packing up to Bandung. Sigh...I am not ready to do any packing...I mean I am going to move out from the house for good..not just for a short holiday. Sometimes I look forward to move to Bandung...sometimes I feel a bit scared as this is moving out for real..for good..and having my own house. I felt like holding a pandora box, not knowing what is going to happen in the future. Dorothy asked if I believe in getting my hand read by a fortune teller. Well actually I used to do it for fun. But I am always afraid that the fortune teller may say something that has already taken place and it's not good and what can I do?? I told her I rather let things take its nature course. Whatever is going to happen be it bad or good..I have to face it anyway.

I always argued with my mom over alot of things. And i just realized the only thing that we can talk nicely and politely is either about dogs or clothes/shoes and bags ...oww and pearls. We both are fans of pearls...with a bit of diamond of course hahahha....And now we are discussing about how to get another female beagle and bulldog for our male dogs at home....she suggested to get another pair from US....but who want to get it for us???

Tea pouring away troubles

2010-06-25T11:55:00.001+07:00

18:25, originally uploaded by Giuliana S..

Have been thinking alot on organizing a small tea-party with my girlfriends! But I can't find the right time to do it yet..Sometimes it is so difficult to organize an event because everybody is so busy with their work and family. Unlike in the past, when we were all still in college...there are nothing to worry..besides homeworks and exams only..life is so much simplier those days.

Now? I can list endless of worries here..which i prefer not to ..alias nyari masalah yang belum terjadi...capek deh...

The weather is so cold today...feels like I am in USA again :)

Weekend again??!!!

2010-06-24T16:57:00.001+07:00

DSC01133, originally uploaded by JuJuL.

I can't believe it's almost Friday again! Next week is end of June! Sometimes I feel a bit freaked out when time goes so fast and without realizing it one month has just gone by. What have I not done this year? That's a lot. I have not gone for a good short trip with my parents yet..yes I feel i really need to go before I get married. I have not been cutting my hair, which I am going to cut it once the wedding is over.
I have not been exercising because of my hectic schedule and that's explain to my restless state of mind and my insomania problem.
I have not been reading enough books because I have received so many gadgets this year that most of my reading time are allocated to playing games online hahaha!
I have not been a good daughter to my parents because the time i spent with them is not much. Mum is always busy with her new house, my dad well half-retired is busy with his ever-expanding projects and myself has been running here and there everyday just to get things done on time!
I have not been doing social work either...have not visited Singapore as much often as last year...
But this year is my most travelling year. Went to Europe and will be going back there soon!!! And planning to go Hongkong and Macau for Christmas and New Year.. Anybody care to join along?? :)

What if I have all that time

2010-06-22T15:49:00.001+07:00

*To the sweetest, [AK]!, originally uploaded by Bítter Sweet.

After the conversation i have with the gals yesterday, my mind wanders ...after I asked myself what if i am like her?? Yes her who has the time she has, no work obligations, only need to take care of her baby which of course assisted by a nanny ohh..maybe housework that has been well taken care of by the maid...and then have the remaining 16 hours of free time (8 hours for sleep)..so i heard that this person is so bored that she does not what to do??!!! Ahaaa...I wish i am in that situation..coz I have a long list of things that I would like to do if I am so free and does not need to work in the office:

1) I will BAKE almost everyday. Oww maybe the husband does not like sweet stuffs..I will be the kindest neighbour to give away free dessert almost everyday

2) Learn how to sew.

3) Learn about food photography

4) Decorate the house

5) Cook for the husband breakfast, lunch and dinner

6) Plan weekend gateaway for the family

7) Once in a while organize a small tea-party with the girlfriends

8) Upgrade my knowledge on blogging

9) Learn a new language

10) Read more books

11) Play my fav computer games

12) Join new groups...meaning socialize more..i am thinking of joining the Mom/Wife groups

13) Clean the house, organize my wardrobes and kitchens

14) Do small catering business

15) Do my own mani and pedicure. Since i have all the time, I will saved up the money from going to salon.

16) Yoga everyday

Do you get what I mean. If I have all that time, I guess I am happy and willing to do all these "handmde" activities. And will not be worrying about being "bored" :)

My fav season

2010-06-21T23:31:00.001+07:00

Bowlful of, originally uploaded by yoshiko314.

My fav season of the year will be between Summer and Fall. The weather feels just right and most impt of all...it's the cherry season. When I was still in SF, we used to go to the countryside and do cherry-picking. And because cherry-picking is free when you picked right off from the tree and eat it there right away...I always stuffed myself with cherries till I full. Of course we will bought back a few boxes and for the next few days I would skip lunches so that I can nibble on more cherries.
There are a few type of cherries but my fav will be the dark red bing cherry...I actually got to eat them this year as my in-laws manage to get it for me in Singapore. And they are so royal that they will give me a big box of it and well you can say that 90% of that are eaten by myself!!!

Do you??

2010-06-21T21:48:00.001+07:00

DSC01063, originally uploaded by JuJuL.

Have you watched Sex n the City series in HBO?
Have you watched Sex n the City 1 movie?
Do you have ur fav girlfriends?
Are they fun?
if YES are the answers...U SHOULD WATCH THIS MOVIE WITH THEM...just like the three of us :)

Bacon Sandwich

2010-06-21T21:44:00.001+07:00

IMG_1267, originally uploaded by JuJuL.

The bread tasted so good and crusty.

Fried Zucchini served with Rucola and pine nuts

2010-06-21T21:43:00.003+07:00

IMG_1266, originally uploaded by JuJuL.

Karma Kandara

2010-06-21T21:43:00.001+07:00

IMG_1264, originally uploaded by JuJuL.

Karma Kandara used to be my fav cafe..hehhehe well not anymore coz the service is so bad and the people there are a bit unfriendly and has no tolerance when we asked permission from them nicely to let us have a few prewed photoshoot. They even have securities to send us out x___x

Happy 28th Birthday to Me!!

2010-06-21T21:41:00.001+07:00

DSC01151, originally uploaded by JuJuL.

Had my last dinner at Metis...one of my fav french rest in Bali. I had lobster ravioli and warm dark chocolate soufflé served with caramel ice cream and alvin has his well done steak served with asparagus and mushroom sauce. The food there is incredibly delicious so is the ambience.