Lots of things happened this year.

It brought me to be wiser and happier.
Mostly, I am so blessed for what I have, especially blessed to have a wonderful family, wonderful husband, wonderful kids, and wonderful life. I have great friends, and I do lots of stuff I really like.

Miss Andrea, our baby sitter and our house keeper, Angie have been really big help in my life. They are so wonderful and I can't ask for more.

I got bad things happened recently, I crushed my car and crushed other people's car, but what a blessing, everything came and resolved so fast. Within 2 hours I got my rent a car, police reports, insurance appraisals, and rent a car. This won't happened that fast if Ammar didn't come right away, instead of keep driving to work, but came after me and drove me out to insurance office, and the auto body shop where my car towed to this store and got my rent a car within 15 minutes. I am sorry that his patients had to wait until he came to work.
It was not my fault so I got everything under control, the insurance was so fast and informed me about the car, now it's being repaired and within couple of weeks I should get my car back.

I also lost my dearest brother. Until now, I still can't overcome my sadness of losing him at the very young age.

Those 2 incidents made me realized how fragile our life is and how much I appreciate what I got, what I have and I can't thank God enough for all the best things happened in my life, especially my family in my country, my children, and mostly Ammar.

Happy New Year 2010.

It's Christmas, and we had a lazy day.

I woke up in the morning with 2 projects on my bedside, from Nadia. She made me a pine tree and a rose from lego. She came to my bed and said : "mommy, I made something for you. It's rose and christmas tree"

It's a nice thing to start my day!

She also played 3 different games while the boys took the nap.
I can't believe how big my girl is.

She grows up to be a very sweet little girl (I really am not making it up. She is really sweet!), especially to me... every time Ammar made fun of me, she would jump and said :"No Daddy, mommy is good, she is the best... I love her so much" and came to give me a big hug and kisses..

I

It's thanksgiving. My friend from my old dental school in Indonesia who lived in Chicago came to visit with his family.
We also had other 3 families over to give thanks with us with the yummiest turkey dinner and the turkey "little daughter" (humongous chicken).
I managed to sit every one on the table and had a formal dinner. The kids are all in the different table and the adults sit on our formal dining room.
Nadia and Aidan had a blast playing with the other kids. I put Aidan to bed at 10 pm and he went down again knowing that Nadia was still playing with Nicholas and Darian downstairs. The kids ended up sleeping at 12 midnight while me and two friends did our first time crazy shopping, leaving at 1 am and came back at 5 am, leaving the husbands with kids at home. On the top of it, I have them all last minute sleep over. It was really fun, the kids had blasts, and we continued the fun for having lunch together at the yummiest dimsum restaurant in town.

My friends from Chicago stayed until Sunday, and we really had a wonderful time together with their little girl, Vivian, who is 1.5 year old. The fun was that she was so happy playing outside in our yard with Nadia's teddy bear cozy and warm costume. She looked so cute in it and she had fun touching the grass and walked on the huge empty space while Nadia and Aidan drove the car around the yard. The last hour before they left, I set up the studio lights and took pictures of them and my kids for Christmas card.

Today is Aidan's babysitter's birthday, Miss Andrea.

She has been having lots of trouble in her life, money-wise.
Her car broke down, and she doesn't have health insurance. In every situation, she is a wonderful baby sitter. She used to work at my kids' old school, now I take her to be Aidan's babysitter. She is a hard worker, never complains, and my kids love her so much.

Sometimes she got in my mind, I wish I have the whole money I could spend to help her up, I could only do so much, ...

Today is her birthday, finally with help from everyone, she could fix her car, and had it back working 3 days ago, slowly things get better for her.

I took her out for nice lunch at Olive Garden, with the kids. Nadia is off school today, so Nadia stayed with Aidan and Miss Andrea in the morning while I ran around going the thanksgiving dinner shopping for our guests tomorrow. We met at the restaurant, and we all had a great time. That's the least I could do to make her happy on her birthday.

Happy birthday, Miss Andrea, we love you so much!

The digital era is a blessing, but it also swamps you. I have never imagine myself having to take pictures endlessly, hundreds of pictures every day, and not to worry to buy anymore rolls of films.

I love taking pictures, but boy, now I realize it is really time consuming to organize all the pictures. I am buried under miles and miles of photos above me, and it drives me nuts, but I can't stop taking pictures especially at this season, it's just simply beautiful. Everywhere you drive, you see winding roads and beautiful colorful scenery around you, beautiful colors, and beautiful people around.

Loved it!

I have a friend who is so sweet. She is a super mom I call her. She home schools her son, a sweet boy named Brendan, and she is an awesome cook.
I haven't seen her so much lately although our houses are quite near, 5 minutes away.

Today, I came to her house, Aidan had fun playing with Brendan, and she taught me how to make bread. I tried making bread myself, and it didn't come even close to what she made. She generously taught me how to make bread from A - Z, she even gave me all the tools I need to make a loaf of bread, on the top of it, she brought me home the bread we cooked today.

I drove home and the first thing I did when we got home was slicing the bread, ate it, and wow! That was the best whole wheat bread I have ever tasted.

Thank you, Sue. I love you!! Thanks so much. You are amazing!

Everything happens for a reason.
If God loves you, things happen for the better.
All you need to do is believe in God and pray.

I believe God gives blesses for individual who gives blesses.
If you are a giver, God will give you more.

Blessed, hope our family is given blessings.
Amin.

It's raining all day long and it's cold. This weather makes me feeling blue. I am not supposed to feel that blue, it happens anyway.
Although today I picked up Indonesian dishes, my favorite, the only one I can't make it my own, satay padang, at my bestfriend's house who just launched he catering business, Lemongrazz, came home, send Aidan for nap, and slowly eating my lunch, enjoying every bite of the delicious meal, I feel so blessed. Even though we don't have Indonesian restaurant around, now I can eat my favorite food of all. Thank you, ibu ibu Lemongrazz!
Your catering business made my homesick gone away, I used to miss living back in New York City, going to the asian friendly grocery, finding lots of Indonesian spices, blue band (my favorite), kaffir lime leaves, etc, and going to the Padang Restaurant, just a subway away. It was heaven!

Now that I have kids, I don't miss living in Manhattan, I love living in a quieter place, little town which still have the high family value, wonderful school, and low crime rate.

Life is busy, reading all my friend fb who has nannies, and during Eid Mubarak they have to live without nanny for 2 weeks, makes me think, yes, I am so busy, but boy, I am so proud to be a mommy who really takes care of my children in every count, cook, clean, out for fun with them, preparing their lunches, and you go to bed exhausted, but it makes me feel that life is so short, it is a bless that you can spend the most of your time, loving them, and all you got back is more loves from them to their own mommy, not their nannies.

The kids are getting big, and I am blessed that I am invited to 2 postgraduate school interviews, hopefully I get accepted and could give more to my family and my kids. Leaving tomorrow night for wednesday all day interview. Wish me best of luck.

It feels like he has never gone.
It feels like he is still alive
It feels like he is around
It feels like he is still in facebook

I left a wall post for him today, and it brought so much tears, realizing he is no longer alive.

Farewell my love, farewell my greatest big brother...

I love you so much, just in case I have never told you how I feel about you.

(picture of my brother and my grandpa)

Summer is almost over, the kids are crazy about water.
I confirmed with Ammar that I would go ahead, joining the club in town, today.
We went and the kids had the fun time in their life, going swimming indoor.
Nadia tried her brand new snorkel sets, and Aidan loved his new goggles and dipped his head in the water all the time and hold his breath.

They ate all the lunch I packed for them, and come home happily.

One great decision I made for our family, on our anniversary day.

Happy anniversary, hope by joining this club, we all are going to exercise, and live healthy dan happily.

My 7th happy Wedding Anniversary, 9/1/02 - 9/1/09

We had gone through the best part of the life, and also the disappointments in life, we went through it together, as a husband and wife, in good, and bad times, in healthy and sickness time.
All those 7 years we hold hands, side by side, supporting each other, reminding each other, and loving each other, sharing our home, sharing our 2 beautiful kids.

I always say that he was the answer of my prayers. Knowing him for the last 9.5 years, I have known every details, I know when something is bothering him, I know what makes him happy, and I know all about his dreams, what will light up his eyes, and what will not.

He is a great daddy, when he works a lot, he tried to make it up at night, he always put the kids to bed every single night, cuddle with them every time he has time. The kids are so fond of him, they run and chase him from the garage door every day he comes back from work... I do that, too.. chasing him with the kids and give him a big warm hug.

Our marriage is not perfect, but we could make certain others jealous just to look at how happy and well balanced our family is. Although we know about it, we are hoping that we are blessed with everything God will give our family, also others.

Our family has grown to be bigger, closer, loving and full of laughter and hugs. If you spend the time with our family, you will see how much we love each other.

This anniversary is something that we cherish, especially at the holy month of fasting, we are going to celebrate it.. celebrate the happiest 7 years in our life.

Thank you God Almighty for your blessings and your gifts to me, especially, thank you for giving me the chance to be part of Ammar's family and his children.

Thank you for your blessings.

Random pictures on our last vacation in Indonesia.
Happy Anniversary, my love. You are the greatest Dad and husband.

It's going to be our 7th anniversary.

Those are wonderful 7 years in my life, living with a smart, loving, goofball guy, that is.

Those kids, a boy and a girl make our family complete.... thank you for your generousity, God.

What a great weekend!

On Saturday, we had Ammar for our own selves. No work, only for us. Yay!
We achieved lots of stuff :
1. Arranging fire truck bed for Aidan who is graduating to a toddler bed from the crib.
2. Setting up a big bed for Nadia's room and clean up her room.
3. On going rooms decorating for Nadia and Aidan's. Aidan's theme will be firetruck and transportation, Nadia's theme will be pink and princessy!
4. Swimming, it's the last day of the summer session. Nadia graduated from tadpole's class and Aidan graduated from frog's class.
5. Went to go shoes shopping, we got really cute shoes for Aidan and Nadia at the mall, couldn't fix Ammar's watch which is broken.
6. Had dinner right after
7. Cuddle up in Nadia's room before bed.

Sunday :
Ammar played tennis all morning while the kids had blast in our whirlpool bath, and ate waffle I made like crazy....
1. Finally after 3 stores, we found Nadia's first 2 wheels bike, still with the training wheel but we loved it.
2. Straight from the store to the park, beautiful park and Ammar coached Nadia how to ride a bike along the path, while Aidan was playing in the playground with me.
3. Had to run all the way back to the car because it was thunderstorm.
4. Kid had chicken nuggets in the car on the way back home and feeling so excited.
5. Cuddling together in the living room, Ammar and I ate dinner peacefully with the kids.
6. Ammar put the kids in bed and read book Nadia so interested in right now : Human body.

Lots was achieved, Nadia is so happy, Aidan got a new car, and I really had good time with my husband this weekend.... what a blessing week end.
Thank you God.

I am back from Indonesia after the mentally exhausting travel, I am back to see my kids whom I left with Ammar for the first time in my life, for 8 full days.

I am so happy to see him and the kids.

I am so happy to have my wonderful husband, who loves me so much, who hugs me a long time during my sadness, who supports whatever decisions I made, a very responsible guy.
God, am I glad I met him and have him to be in my life.
God, am I glad that I can have kids with him, kids who love him so much, waving good byes, and ran after him every time he comes from work.
Daddy, who always make them milk and my coco milk in the morning in our bed.
Daddy, who always put them to bed and the one who checks on the kids if they have bad dreams
Husband who always call from work just to check on us.
A very good friend who always give wise suggestions in life.
A family member who really loves his family and my family
A father, a husband whom we adore, who is so precious in our life.

I love you so much.

I have been playing a lot on facebook, that's how I see my very old friends.

I have been 'friends' with my exs sometimes we chat and sometimes we just kind off cool off. I am a type of a person who think past is the past, I will be friends with my exes, sometimes I got burnt because the significant others could not accept the friendship.

Yesterday, I chatted with one, just because he put my favorite song in his shout out, we ended up chatting, and he asked about my brother who is really ill at the hospital right now. Then it came to asking me if I sometimes misses him.

This is really something that I have never asked anyone before... so I answered honestly... no... I don't miss him.

This is the truth. I am very happy with my life, I have a wonderful ex boyfriend, whom I adore as my beloved husband, who whispers in my ears when I slept earlier than him before he goes to bed to tell me how much he loves me, 2 beautiful kids who really steals my heart, and a good life, God is gracious. I am so thankful for God who has been really nice to our life and our family.

Yes, I am still friends with my ex-boyfriends, but it's just a friend. I have had some accusations that I was still really into them, but not. I got phone calls from them, at the same time I call them if I needed something.

Oh well, this is just randomize thoughts, not for a specific person, but for the whole.

Happy 4th of July and we are leaving for a week vacation with my beloved family.

2 days before Valentine's Day, I noticed there was a long big box in the patio. Hm.... someone sent flower.. I wonder, must be from my husband...

Well, I was right. I shared 2 roses for my little girl, put them in the separate vase, side by side. Loved it and it really made my day, not only the flower, more by the note came with the flower :

"Thank you for the wonderful nine years we had together. I still love you more than ever, Happy Valentine..."

I always tell myself, I would rather have electronic gadgets than jewelry or flower, but this.... this is different... Thanks much!!!

I am so blessed with my life. Thank you God.

Nadia had a wonderful playdate today. We met Riley, her playdate at Tree House when we were trying to get 2 kids out from the house while Daddy played tennis, she ended up meeting a new friend and got 'stuck' together. The girls requested us to exchange phone numbers to play again. This is our first playdate!