Family Breakfast

Pagi ahad baru, seperti yg dirancang oleh mommies in the English Playgroup, we had the family breakfast at the Familienbildung, Sachsenhausen. Tapi walaupun family, sorang ayah pon xde. Cuma mommies n kids. Pd asalnya, mommies sepatutnya bawa suami masing2 tp ramai yg x boleh so ada 2 saja yg kata akan dtg bersama2 suami (oh, sy tidak tersenarai, for some reasons, cik HB tidak mau turut serta). Tp kemudiannya, sorang suami terpaksa bekerja, maka seorg suami lg terpaksa la tidak dtg. Kalau x, mati kutu la dia...dia sorang ja lelaki di situ kan....

2 org budak yg sanggup bgn pagi2 utk pegi breakfast

Aku bawa mee goreng dan bubur kacang hijau, Maha bawa cucur bawang, potato curry puff n payasam, Hisae with pumpkin cake, Alex pon ngan potato puff, Meita with sate, Darshana with french toast. One mommy, I just met that day and couldn't remember her name, brought pretzels.

See my mee goreng there? walaupun kaler adalah pucat dan sedikit pedas, tetap mendapat sambutan hangat.

So, kitorg just lepak2 sambil mkn dan sembang2. Budak2 bermain sesama sendiri. Good to know these mommies, citer pasal motherhood, citer pasal hidup di Germany dan segala citer la. Biasa la...pompuan kan mmg byk citer!

Kami semua pulang by noon time. Tu pon sbb ada suami2 yg telah dtg menjemput, maka terpaksa la beredar.

And the other week we will plan for mommies dine out. Just mommies ok!

Going Private

I´m one cranky lady at the moment. Well, let´s just blame it on the hormone ok!

And one of the things caused by this crankiness - I want to make this blog a private.

No, I don´t receive hate comments or anything like that, ok...well there was once or twice I did, when some anons said my blog is boring and I probably plagiarized some movie reviews I wrote...but NO, I am not affected by those. I´m not trying to impress anybody!

When I first started this blog about 2 years ago, it was simply because I wanted to have a blog, I wanted to write something. Then it became a medium for me to release my stress over the works when I used to be a subordinate to an impossible superior. I considered blogging as some sort of therapy.When I moved to Germany, it becomes a way of communication with my family and friends. I didn´t bother whoever been reading my blog, regardless I know them or not and besides I actually made some new friends by blogging.

It´s just that suddenly I am feeling uncomfortable not knowing who´s been reading my blog. Like my life is very open to the public and I am a bit freak out to think that any strangers could know me and my family through this blog. It happened several times before, when somebody greeted me and said they knew me because they´ve been reading my blog. It probably nothing wrong with that, it was just I didn´t know how to react...it was a mixed feelings, like I felt embarrassed and blank!

I don´t want people I don´t know - know me through blog. In the world of Internet, when the information is just at your fingertip, and all you have to do is just Google, I just want to be cautious.

Recently I have noticed some of the bloggers I know have chosen to make their blog a private - for various reasons I guess. Some who don´t, blog less...and I wonder why.

My personal view - it feels like when more people are reading your blog, the more you feel restricted to blurt out how you feel, and what you do. You may never know who may feel offended by what you write.

So I´m going to set The Rose Garden a private blog soon, at least for the time being. Anyway, as I know there are some people out there who alway frequent my blog and if you are still interested in reading , I am welcoming you to keep visiting my blog. Feel free to drop your email at the shout box on the right side of this blog. And for those silent readers (if you are exist!), even if I do not know you, you are welcome too. It´s time we get to know each other.

Another Session

Monday: I made it to another English Playgroup I've mentioned before. I was late actually. Maha called me the previous night to tell me that they were going to have a birthday party for one of the kid there so the playgroup was going to start half an hour earlier than the normal time.

But I didn't check the train connection properly, so I waited and waited for that one particular train that going to the place without knowing that there are some other connections going there as well. Silly me! And we arrived half an hour late than promised!

It was just my good luck that when we arrived, they were about to cut the birthday cake. I apologized profusely to my new friends and to Maha especially for not being on time. It is such a bad attitude, huh? I try to avoid it in the future, ok?

Well, this playgroup consists of more mommies and kids than the previous playgroup I went in Hoescht. This time, I met 2 Indonesian moms, 1 Japanese, I Turkish, 1 Indian, 1 German and 1 from Australia. And by the way, I forgot my camera so I can't share any pictures from the event.

Maha arranged for official registration for the twins to join this playgroup. And it seems the mommies of this playgroup are most posh and stylish (do you imagine Victoria Beckham?) , which makes me a bit insecure about how I look. But hey, this is kids playgroup ok? Why would I be concern kan?

It appears that mommies of this group have more activities outside the playgroup time. This coming Sunday, there will be a family breakfast session and we are all welcomed to bring along the whole family. Then the mommies are already planning for dinner without kids and husband sometime before the playgroup ends in mid of December.

Oh, on a different note, we received a call from the kindergarten we have applied for the twins and they said the twins are accepted into the kindergarten and we have to go there next Monday to work on the documentation. I am happy about this, because the kindergarten is just near my house and we waited quite sometime to get places for the twins.

Cik HB feels that since the twins are going to kindergarten, maybe I shoud quit the playgroup. Which I said, no...it's not nice to do that when you already committed to go. Maha has made an effort to get me into the playgroup, and I just couldn't walk away from it. Besides the playgroup only has 4 more sessions to go and the twins enjoy the activities there.

So yes, I'll stick to it until the end of it. But somehow for the next upcoming sessions, I'll have to think it about it.

Cooking with the Twins

I know it's a bit early to start teaching twins how to cook but they always like to have some hands-on experience. So occasionally, when I see it fits, I would let them help me cooking. And they enjoy it.

Making potato cakes

Making keropok from karipap dough using animals cutter

My wish that, hopefully they would always love to help me out with cooking and other domestic chores as they grow up. Jangan bila dah besar, malas la pulak kan!

English Playgroup

Last Monday, I received a call from my friend, Maha - the playgroup teacher, saying that the English Playgroup she had planned for age group 4-6 years, which shall include the twins - unfortunately had to be called off. Reason being, she couldn't get enough participants, therefore her boss said there's no way she could proceed now. The programme shall be introduced again in February next year.

However, Maha felt sorry for the twins for not being able to join the playgroup so she asked me whether I'm interested to join another playgroup which involves children from age 2-3 years and I said yes. It doesn't matter what age the group is, as long as the twins have the opportunity to mingle around and have some activities.

So last Thursday, Maha invited me to go to the playgroup session near her house in Frankfurt Hoescht. So there I met another 5 mommies - 1 from Malaysia, 2 from India, 1 from Ireland and another one is a German. The one from Malaysia, Mira is not actually a mother but a babysitter to her relative's children. I met her before several time during some occasions but we hardly talk those time. So at the playgroup, I had the chance to know Mira better.

The playgroup began by singing ´How are you´song and then some other children´s songs that sang with some acts and imitations which the children enjoyed so much. Then Maha gathered all mommies and children on the table and by using flash cards, she introduced vegetables and fruits to the children. And this week, mommies were requested to bring some real fruits and vegetables so the children can have hands-on experience and be able to identify them.

Flash cards session

Then the children were allowed to play with the toys together while mommies were having tea break. Although we mommies tried to have some conversation while the kids playing, it was darn difficult as it was so noisy and some mommies trying to control their kids from dangerous acts or fighting.

After that, we all worked on the craft project. It was making the lion using the painted palm but as the twins had done this when they went to the open day last weekend, Maha gave them another project - making snake.

Twins working diligently on the snake project

Mommies working on the craft

Our snakes done!!!

After craft, we cleaned up everything and we had another game. The children were to stand on one side of the room and mommies sat across them. Then by the count of 3, the children were to run to their respective mummy. And boy, did they love this! Because they can run and scream at the same time!

And then we had another round of singing and then saying good bye to each other.

After class, Maha invited me to her house, which was just a walking distant from the Familienbildung centre. She wanted to pass some of the children books she got from the Book Fair last month and coffee from Malaysia. She´s very nice. and I really appreciate the books because English books are expensive here. I spent an hour at her house, sipping coffee, talking stuffs and admiring her house´s interior - looks vey much like IKEA showrooms!

Books from Maha

There is another playgroup Maha wanted me to go on next Monday. It belongs to another group of mommies and being held in Sachsenhausen. So Maha said after I´ve tried both groups, I can decide which group I would like to join. But the one in Hoescht is actually going to finish soon, with only 2 sessions left. The one in Sachsenhausen at least has 5 more sessions to go.

I´ll see how is it...

Majlis Cukur Jambul Liya Raihany

Sebenarnya ni event dah 2 minggu dah...tp masa weekend event ni, I was not well, so that was why terlupa nak buat entry pasal ni.Walaupun dah lama tp rasa perlu jugak di journal, buat kenangan di masa depan. Ye la, majlis cukur jambul kat Germany kan....bukannya selalu boleh buat.

Majlis ni mmg harapan Mat & Liza yg plan nak buat before masa Liza belum bersalin lg. Mengambil sunnah Nabi, bg nama baby pd hari ke-7 dan cukur jambul. Mat sebenarnya ada juga ura2 nak buat aqiqah sekali tp memandang situasi x berapa sesuai, maka memadai lah ngan majlis kecil2an memberi nama dan bercukur jambul. Xpe kan Mat, balik Mesia nanti buat la aqiqah utk sikecil tu.

Perancangan agak last minute, decided nak buat ptg hari sebelum majlis. Tp dgn kecekapan Kak Liza dan Cik Dee, Mat dan pembantu mcm sy ni (ehemm...sibuk gak nak dpt nama ;)), kami berjaya memasak juadah utk jamuan esok hari mlm sebelumnya, walaupun dragged hingga ke pukul 3 pg. Kami masak pulut kuning, kari kambing dan sup daging.

Merewang...
Chef of the day

Pulut kuning & kari kambing

Esok paginya pulak sebelum majlis bermula, sambung pulak buat agar2 pandan bersantan dan celur bihun. And pg tu aku dah rasa kepala mcm senoneng2 aje, tekak pon sakit. Ingat sbb x cukup tido.

Antara juadah majlis

Majlis bermula pukul 11.00 tghari, dgn cik Mat memberi kata2 aluan dan mengumumkan nama anak daranya yg comel itu, Liya Raihany binti Mohd. Razif. Kemudian membaca yasin beramai2 dan membaca doa selamat, mendoakan kesejahteraan baby dan juga mendoakan keberangkatan parents Mat ke Mekah, sehari selepas majlis. Lepas tu baby di beri air zam-zam, madu dan kurma. Kemudian berselawat ke atas Nabi dan tetamu mula menggunting sedikit rambut baby. Kalau kat Mesia ni org2 tua saja yg selalu buat tp kat sini yg muda2 pon berkesempatan nak buat. Though ada yg takut2 nak buat, tp kami insisted je mereka2 ni buat...hahaha.

Bacaan yasin

Liya minum air zam-zam

Alhamdulilah, majlis berlancar dgn sgt lancar dan meriah. Rasa terharu sbb mereka2 ini terasa seperti kaum keluarga sendiri.

By the time majlis abis, aku mmg rasa x larat langsung so terpaksa excuse kan diri nak membaringkan diri kat bilik. Mmg x boleh bukak mata sbb kalau bukak mata, terasa seluruh dunia berpusing2 dan siap muntah2 lg. So walaupun the rest of the day dok kat rumah mat, x tau pon apa yg terjadi. Kesian kat Kak Liza n tuan rumah sbb x cukup pembantu dah :(.

Malam tu balik rumah, mmg sambung passed out lg sampai the next day. Turned out sy adalah mendapat selsema dan batuk. Tp skrg dah ok!

Photo courtesy: Zul Conti & Liza Razif

The Weekend

I had a great weekend last week. Friday, I received guests at my house. Iu and her family from Homburg came to my house for the first time. Although we only met once before, we always talk thru YM, and had repeatedly arranged to visit each other but it was never a success. Until that Friday, Iu came as she had another business to do in Frankfurt. Thanks Iu for coming :) . Nanti kitorg pegi Homburg pulak ok!

Me, Iu and her cute little girl, Izzah

The twins and Iu's boys....cepat je ngam!

Then Saturday, we went to Frankfurt to attend an open day which was related to the English Playgroup I've recently signed up for the twins. I came to know about this playgroup when I met an Indian-Malaysian lady, her nama is Maha during the Consulate's Raya event. Maha informed me that she's involved running the English Playgroup under the Familienbildung and asked whether I'm interested to join. Which I think a great opportunity since the twins have yet to get a place at the kindergarten and at their age, they need something educational and fun to occupy the time. Besides, the fee is considerably cheap. And Maha is such a good companion, she keeps calling me since the day we met. Not only to get me updated on the English Playgroup thing, but we talk on general stuffs too.

When I arrived at the Familienbildung centre, there were many people around. But they actually attended another event. On Maha's side, the twins were the only kids turned up....poor thing for Maha. She's been hoping she can get more kids to join the playgroup. If she manages to get 1o kids, then the playgroup can start as soon as possible.

Anyway, since the twins were the only kids there, they got exclusive attention from Maha. We sat down working on the crafts. First, we made lion out of painted palm pasted on the card and some paper cut-out. Then the twins worked on making necklace out of pasta. Then finally they made some art by using coloured papers. The twins said they liked it so much working on the projects, so we are looking forward to attend more sessions.

The girls working with Maha

Lions done!

Nabilah and her pasta necklace

Sunday, I invited Kak Liza n Cik Dee for lunch at my house as I made nasi kerabu and I know Cik dee just loves eating nasi kerabu. Then after lunch, suddenly Kak Liza came out with the idea to go to the fest in Hochheim - a neighbouring town about 10 minutes drive from my house. We agreed to go later in the evening.

Actually, last year Kak Liza, the twins and I went to this same fest but it was such a bad experience as we didn't remember where we parked the car and we lost our way in the big crowd. I remember running around the town looking for the car and unfortunately all the buildings looked the same to me. By the time I found the car, it almost got towed away by the police because it was parked on the private parking. But this year Kak Liza said she has learned the lesson and she parked somewhere safe and less risk and easy to remember. Only thing was, we had to walk such a long distance from the parking lot to the fest area.

The twins enjoyed themselves enormously . They got a ride on the dragon thing, did pony riding, driving the bumper car. Then we all got ourselves ticket to ride the ferris wheel. It was quite challenging as the cradle did not have enclosure and it swung too! Takut ok! And cold because it was so windy up there.

Bumper cars

Pony ride

The dragon ride
The cuppy ride

Us on Eye of Hochheim

Apfel-schoko

Chili- schoko

But generally we had fun at the fair. There were so many things to see and buy, and I bought a miniature house which can serve as a light deco if you put candle inside it.

Nice, nice outing....