Swim Like A Shark!

Having the opportunity to be in Malaysia during this summer holiday, I have planned ahead some must-do-activities that hope will occupy our stay here. One of it is to get Lana started with her swimming class. She's already five years old now and i guess it will be just right to send her off now. Yes I know that you can actually start to introduce swimming basic to kids a lot more younger as in when they are still babies - but I dont know why, somehow i miss this part :)

I started my research on swimming class availables nearby my hometown when i still in Saudi. There are couple availables however the one look promising from the website perspective is the one i'm enrolling her now. I have enrolled her to supersharkz class in pandamaran MPK swimming complex (this place has a very disgusting changing room which i dont think they even bother to maintain. Im wondering whether this MPK agency really doing they work or not) Luckily Lana is still small and we never need to get into the changing room after her class is over.

So far Lana is progressing well with the class. She now enjoys get herself under water and make bubbles a.k.a breath-out and float herself slowly. However she's still not confident enough to do the jump-into-water routine yet as I can see she looks like crying when she need to do that. And another thing she's a bit reluctant everytime she needs to start lesson with the trainer. Some sort of stranger-phobia crisis is still there. But if she arrives the pool early and the trainer is not around, she would be the happiest kid on the block!

Being ATTACKED!!

Alhamdulillah.... our laptop is back. Yes, I was internetless for a couple of days ago due to 'Major' virus attack, I presume. I was blog-hopping at that time when suddenly i got this Win 7 Security 2011 message on my screen and of course I was horrified! First, because my dear husband not around. Secondly, that was my first encounter with virus attack all this while.

Initially i thought i would never get our laptop back to normal. I rushed to nearby computer centre and got myself a pack of kaspersky (being instructed remotely by En Husband). Tried to load the program and too bad it didnt work at all. The virus blocked any connection to the internet too! Despite of this emergency situation (I somehow cannot live without the laptop, as we use this for video conference with daddy who is now is Saudi), I can see some hint of rainbow somewhere- maybe it's time to get new MacBook hik hik... :)

Anyway, due to En Husband didn't send the same brainwave on the Macbook thing :(, i brought the laptop to one computer service centre nearby. Luckily they managed to bring back the laptop to its normal state and now it is back to service.. Alhamdulillah.

Morals of the story, please ensure your pc or notebook is equipped with a 'paid' anti-virus if your on windows. I guess this doesnt apply to Mac User.

It's Our Twins 2nd Birthday

Happy 2nd Birthday Twins!!

Mummy and the Twins at Playground in Fanateer, Saudi

Today, 2nd July 2011 marks the 2nd birthday of our adorable miracle twins , Erfan Rayyan and Eryna Sophia.  Both are magnificent gifts from Allah to Mummy and Daddy and Lana.   I have never ever thought of having a set of twins as my children but there it is, time really flies and there are already 2 years old... Alhamdulillah..

This past one year  has really seen a dramatic changes in our life episode, including the twins.  Despite being twins, they are really two different kids with different characteristics..

My boy, Erfan Rayyan, which is my  first boy in our family (tak tau lah kalo dapat lagih sorang boy ker  tidak.... hahahha...  ) is really really manja with his mummy and daddy.  He has a beautiful set of cute and romantic  eyes that is really sweet , according to Kak Ita, a friend of mummy here..  I must admit that my relationship with Erfan has strengthens million times since we moved here to Saudi. Alhamdulillah...,kalo kat mesia dulu, dia asyik nak berkeit dgn bibik saja dia...langsung tak nak ngan daddy... I guess because daddy pon very very busy and tak serious sgt nak jaga dia sebab ader bibik kat rumah.... Well, itulah hikmahnya yang daddy realised... It is totally different when mummy stays at home compared when mummy works.... Syukur, Erfan or Boboy or  Pumpkin is a healthy and joyful kid with a big loud voice yang tak reti  dok diam.  He is the "sound system" of our family.... Bila daddy bawak kereta naik bump or pusing kat selekoh tajam, he will produce the sound effect  "woooooaaaahhh", following the turning....  Lagu nasyid Maher Zain + Raihan pon dah humming2  everytime we go out in the car. Skarang dah pandai sambung hafal surah Al kauthar and baca doa tido and selawat ke atas Rasulullah...Oh ya, he loves French Fries  and Trucks and Cars!

My little princess, Eryna Sophia is another joy to our life. She likes to draw and conteng2 like her elder sister Elana. Habis sofa and carpet di belasahnyer... hehe... She has a very powerful energetic voice when she cries (tapi pitch lower than Erfan's) .  Sangat2 lah suka mandi and main air and main bubble... Tak kisah kalo baju dia basah ker ape ker... , which is totally different behaviour from daddy... heheh.. 

She has a very cute round belly like her daddy and likes to eat intitially.... Tapi skarang dah kurang makan dah.... Sophie or "bam-bam" or honeybun  is a playful girl but with a very very serious face. A lot of people say that she follows daddy's characteristics...But once she smiles, cairrr daddy and mummy.. Unlike Erfan,  Sophie tak tahan kalo dia pooo - pooo. She wants her diapers to be cleaned immediately, pembersih like her daddy kot.. Sophie likes to play with  toys while talking  to herself... just like Elana. I guess her imagination capability is very high like Elana's. She likes SHOES..! like her mummy of course... :) ..Tapi Sophie suka mengelamunnn ....Ape yang Sophie pikir ntah... :)

Well, what can I say... I am here in Saudi this year and cannot be there with my wife and kids to celebrate their 2nd birthday. Of course, thanks to my wife + Atuk + Nenek for organizing a small family celebration for the birthday one week before daddy took off to Saudi. Really appreciate it even though the birthday cake  from "Lavender Bakery" did not meet the expectation.  Insyallah, next year let's have  ice cream cake pulak .

Elana and her Twins reading books, wearing Crowns that Mummy Made Exclusively

Time really flies and there are sooooo many things happened. The twins presence really adds sooo much joy to everyone of us in the family, especially to Elana Jasmine... She has adik two adiks to play at the same time ..! Isn't that wonderful ?  One of the key things is having Erfan to scream "Daddy" everytime daddy gets back to work.  Daddy enjoys showering the twins everyday during the evening session and not to forget  Playing horseride with daddy... Went to the playground with mummy and daddy,  Atuk + Nenek's visit to Saudi.... Cooking together with Mummy.... Went to Umrah + Ziarah together with my wife and kids ...Went to Dubai for our nice sweet and sweaty summer vacation ,  Going out to Shopping at Dhahran Mall/ Khobar almost every month and many2 more. 

The Twins Thinking About the Future , at the World's Tallest Building, Burj Khalifa Dubai.

My dearest Twins, Insyaallah, when you grow up later on and when u can read this post, (I don't know whether this website will still exist or not) , Daddy wants both of you to know that Daddy & Mummy loves you guys sooo much! Both of you are the miracles  and pure blessings from Allah to the life of  Daddy & Mummy.  Both of you must be good to Mummy and must grow to become good Khalifah Allah in this world, Insyallah. Both of you must really thank and love your Mummy for being the best mother in the world, who endured every single pain and hardships to nurture you both to be the best Khalifah dalam dunia nih yang sementara . Jasa and segala pergorbanan Mummy takkan dapat terbalas. Hormatilah ibu dan ayah kamu sentiasa.  Daddy pray that always hope that both of you will know the meaning and purpose of life and become excellent Khalifah, like what Rasulullah taught us. Daddy doakan moga kamu berdua berjaya di dunia dan di akhirat , InsyaAllah.

Happy 2nd Birthday Boboy + Bambam !! 

From Daddy with Loads of Love.

Sepagi Di Pulau Indah :)

Sudah nak masuk tiga minggu kami sekeluarga tiba di malaysia terchenta :) cepat je rasanya masa berlalu. En Husband pon dah selamat balik ke Jubail Jumaat lepas. Dua minggu dirasakan bagai dua minit... bley tak? Sekarang Cik Shikin dan anak2 duduk menetap di kampung tercinta, Pulau Indah. Sesungguhnya pulau ini tidaklah seindah mana :) dah agak tercalar dengan pembangunan kilang2 dan pelabuhan yg makin menyesakkan dan menghilangkan kedamaian sebuah kampung.

Ok, sebenarnya hati Cik Shikin dah start rindu kat rumah Andalus nun hujung di Jubail sana.. bley tak? Or maybe rindukan Cik Husband yg membuatkan makan tak kenyang, mandi tak basah dan segala lah. Tapi apa2 pon sepatutnya bersyukur sebab diberi peluang untuk bersama2 dgn keluarga tercinta... ok Cik Shikin jgn tak bersyukur ok...

Bila ditanya apa je program Cik Shikin balik malaysia nih? Of course nak jumpa sedara mara n kawan n tak lupa juga drive keta sendirik heheheh.... eventhough Cik Shikin rembat je keta sapa2 yg available kat msia nih. Jalan2 cari makan?? tadela sangat, masa En Husband ada hari tuh semangat la jugak.

Insya Allah Sabtu nih nak start hantar Elana ke swimming class. Walaupon hanya sempat hantar Lana untuk 2 bulan jer, hopefully she can know basic in swimming, especially floating and moving around the water. Mak Lana pon terasa mcm nak ke swimming class jugak. Selama nih tau swimming secara tak sengaja, tak penah pegi pon formal classess.... at least we can learn the right way to swim :) tadela hentam keromo je.

We LOVE it! Cheesecake

and the name was given by hubby. This is actually Nigella's London Cheesecake. The taste is really good and I can say that this is the best cheesecake recipe I've ever tried. Ok, not that I have tried dozens of recipe.. but this is simply delicious and not too difficult for beginner.

You can get the recipe from this link > http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/london-cheesecake-147

Bon Apetit!

MORTCO Compound, Jubail Saudi Arabia

This was the place when we first arrived Jubail. Hubby requested company housing before the rest of the family moved there. Ibn-Zahr have several housing companies that located in the royal commission (RC) areas and in the Jubail town areas. We were hoping to get one in the RC however there were all full house at that time. Instead, we were given one nearby jubail town.

This compound is located nearby several other big compounds that consisted mostly the westerners namely Golden Sand compound, Jude Village and Bajrai Garden. Our compound residents are mainly from India. I did met one South African Lady, however she is going back for good in a few weeks time when I met her.

Facilities available in the compound are gym room, tennis court, playground, hall and if im not mistaken a swimming pool (i dont have a chance to visit the pool when we were there!) When we were there weather was pretty cold and we didnt walk around that much. However ladies can walk around in the compound without wearing abaya and can even drive within the small area :)

The house is pretty small, simple rectangular shape. And you can clearly hear your neighbour's TV if it is on high volume :( Water tap supply can be salty sometime. Road entering to the compound area pretty dodgy to me and heavily guarded. You will see sort of small army tanker and men with machine gun all time guarding the area. And we are not allowed to take pictures. I guess this must be typical in the westerner compound area in saudi.

We only stayed there for about 2 months before moving to the RC sometime in Jan 2011.

Our house door

View from our unit

Big satellite dishes

My kids going to Mia's house

The Living Hall

The kitchen

Torta Alla Gianduia...

Or can also be called as ‘Nutella Cake’. When I first saw the recipe from my Nigella’s Book, I can’t resist the temptation to try out this recipe. Mainly because of the look of the cake plus the ingredients itself. Yes, I am a big fan of Nutella Spread and Hazelnut.

It turned out ok, but a bit sweet. Maybe the sweetness of the cake cake be reduced with better selection of dark chocolate I guess.  And the hazelnut was a bit overtoasted.  Should try again next time.