APEC Long Weekend
Today's Public Holiday in Sydney! Bush & other world leaders are here for APEC & for the past week Sydney's been busy preparing the streets & policemen to ensure top security. They even put up fences around most venues in the city! So havoc! A bit like prison or warzone like that.. Last few days going to work, police everywhere, helicopters, road closures etc...BIG BIG deal..I was supposed to work today cos our client wants someone in cos they didnt get public hols & cos im under contract & don't get paid for public holidays, my boss asked if i could come, but 1/2 hr before i left work yesterday, i was told that i don't hafta come...bit disappointing, cos i don't mind coming in to get paid & practically doing nothing cos no one else's in office, should be sweeeeeet..BUT, who doesnt love a holiday! Plus, im a bit paranoid bout the whole bomb scare during APEC & being my office is quite close to the venue of the meetings...scared lah! Michael has to work tho, cos his office's away from the city, so not affected. He's NOT happy bout that..:p
Lots happening. Sad news is, my mom's in hospital right now..For those who know about her, yea, it's her normal illness getting a bit worse..But she's now in KL hospital where my brothers & sisters are close by to look after her and my siblings especially Wa have been visiting her everyday and assured me that everything should be ok. Getting updates from them helped and Wa would always calm me & ensure that all is ok & would let me know if any drama's going on..I can't wait to get back!! Michael kept asking if i wanna go home right now..i DO!!! but i can't rite now..we're going back raya, and i can't afford to take time off work from now till raya!!...urghh....5 weeks to go!!!!!!!!!!
We're really looking forward to Ramadan! Last two Mondays we've been going to this Ramadan preparation class for new muslims.. We love it! Small class with some new muslims and even non-muslims interested in converting and fasting. Brother Sayid, the teacher, is excellent! He goes thru everything step by step. It still amazes me s'times that we muslims around the world, with the different cultures and backgrounds and everything, but when it comes to being muslims, we're just exactly the same! At the start of class, we introduced ourselves & talked about our experience fasting. There's only about 3-4 (me included) born muslims in the class, and ALL of us started to fast at the age of around 7, doing kinda like practice fast, half day fast kinda thing that our parents would encourage but not force upon.
Some of our cultures are similar to each other, like how we would shop like crazy a week before Eid Raya for baju raya, kuih raya, food stuff for big feast during raya etc...It's happening everywhere else too! hehhehe...Brother Sayid didn't encourage that...he said the last 10 days should be more important in offering prayers & read Quran & charity & ibadah etc.. and advised us to shop before Ramadan so that we can concentrate on accumulating good deeds during the whole month...Which is why we're going to Paddy's Market this weekend to shop for stuff to take back home! (anyone nak pesan anything, let me know now oraits), besides the fact that i don't wanna go shop when i can't eat especially where good food is all around..it's soooo hard! :p The class finishes this Monday tho...then we start to FAST lah!
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WEDDING WEEKEND 25-26TH AUGUST
The whole Laidler family went down the coast (about 2 hour drive) for Michael's cousin's wedding that we've been looking forward to for a very very long time! We got the invitation way back in December after OUR wedding!! We've been so excited about it more because of the fact that it's like a mini holiday for the whole family, an excuse to getaway - all of us. Jake's parents (also the owner of the granny flat that we're staying in now) have a holiday beach house close to the wedding venue and let us use it for that weekend. The place is fabulous! Fits about 11 people, beach just across the road from the house.
The wedding was so very simple yet just absolutely lovely...I think everyone was just blown away when the bride & bridesmaids arrived in BIG TRUCKS instead of the normal limousines & classic cars. It was just so exciting!! Kids LOVED it..The ceremony was held outdoor..it was so simple and quick! The bride (and other ladies, yeah yeah, me included :p) cried during the vows and after that they went for a photo session while the guests waited in the hall & snacked on cheese platter & biccies and waited for the reception. Dinner was again, so simple but just so satisfying! Buffet style all you can eat, food overload, different kinds of salad, potatoes, bread, sauces..HALAL chicken (WOOHOOOHOOOO!!) and mouthwatering desserts - pavlovas & chocolate cakes.
The Laidler Clan
Mr & Mrs Laidler
Mr & Mrs Laidler #2..hhehehe
Does this look like we've been stalked by papparazzi or what?? hehehe gotta read less NW & Woman's Day mags..hahaha
Everyone had such a good time, and for us as a family, it was such a great fun time bonding, laughing till the late nites playing QUIDDLER (like scrabble but with cards, VERY addictive game) It was wonderful seeing Michael with his family & how much he enjoyed spending time with them (made me a tiny bit homesick of course :p) but yeah, it was really great. Michael's family has been sooooo wonderful to me. Each & every one of them..and i love them all!
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1ST WEDDING ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND! 1ST-2ND SEPTEMBER
It's been a year already!! So quick man! Im so glad that we made it this far, alhamdullillah! We celebrated the whole weekend..hehe.. Friday nite, Michael got home early from work and prepared nice candle lit BBQ dinner for me..hehe...Saturday, he took me to the city and went to the Art Gallery for an Islamic exhibition...then just walk around the Botanic Garden, Opera House, all the way to the Markets at The Rocks! Ive never been to the Rocks b4..it's pretty cool...bit expensive than Paddy's but s'thing different. Had Pancakes on the Rock, then to Newtown for dinner and had Murtabak & rendang & milo ais!! woohoo!! So can't wait for JB murtabak lah....Sunday we stayed in a bit, nice breakfast..we decided earlier not to do gifts during anniversaries & just taking turns organising something every year and Michael started this year. I reckon we should have TWO anniversaries per year, one for M'sia & one for OZ..hehehe..more excuses for surprises & celebrations... Anyways, so i know we're not doing gifts but i can't help it :p 1st year is paper and i decided to buy him a book that he's been talking about (i know, so unexciting) ...APRIL FOOL'S DAY, by Bryce Courtenay.
I remembered him talking about the book and how he's so blown away & touched by it and would wanna read it again..So me, being curious to read the book as well, got the gift for him (also actually for me lah :p) It's a true modern love story and that morning, he read to me the first few pages of the book and we were both bawling our eyes out...so sad mah... Can't wait to read it but at the mo, im all wrapped up in this book,
Michael got me this book few weeks ago when we're at a Lounge Around screening (http://www.loungearound.com.au/) This is because at about this time, i started to go GA-GA over one of Australia's best goalkicker in footy (i dunno how i got myself into the whole footy thingy) - Hazem El Masri....He's a Lebanese Australian Muslim footy player for the BULLDOGS team and not only is he such a cutie, he's really good on the field too!
AAAAAANYWAYS, later that afternoon, we went to Jess' for her partner, Adam's 40th birthday celebration and also to celebrate Father's day there. We got there just in time for dessert! Chocolate fountain with strawberries & truffles & honeycomb that Jess made herself..SOO GOOD!
Father's Day wish & Jess with the chocolate fountain
Adam made the cake himself!! IT WAS SOO YUMMMM! I thought it's Tiramisu but it's something Torte, im not sure! :p
The Happy Couple
We then left for dinner at Jake & Thea's. Haven't seen them for a while now...We had 2 kilos of Chicken Wings dipped with Satay Sauce & Hot Mango Chilli Sauce that we bought at The Rock's Market. That was pretty good too!
Tonite is Games Nite at Loftus (Michael's parents place) Sausages & onions & mushrooms on the barbie.. should be GOOOOOOD. Not sure what we're gonna be playing tho..I know QUIDDLER is one..maybe Pictionary & Trivial Pursuits..dunno...Lots of people gonna be there, so it's gonna be very competitive im sure..It's gonna be fun!
Lots happening. Sad news is, my mom's in hospital right now..For those who know about her, yea, it's her normal illness getting a bit worse..But she's now in KL hospital where my brothers & sisters are close by to look after her and my siblings especially Wa have been visiting her everyday and assured me that everything should be ok. Getting updates from them helped and Wa would always calm me & ensure that all is ok & would let me know if any drama's going on..I can't wait to get back!! Michael kept asking if i wanna go home right now..i DO!!! but i can't rite now..we're going back raya, and i can't afford to take time off work from now till raya!!...urghh....5 weeks to go!!!!!!!!!!
We're really looking forward to Ramadan! Last two Mondays we've been going to this Ramadan preparation class for new muslims.. We love it! Small class with some new muslims and even non-muslims interested in converting and fasting. Brother Sayid, the teacher, is excellent! He goes thru everything step by step. It still amazes me s'times that we muslims around the world, with the different cultures and backgrounds and everything, but when it comes to being muslims, we're just exactly the same! At the start of class, we introduced ourselves & talked about our experience fasting. There's only about 3-4 (me included) born muslims in the class, and ALL of us started to fast at the age of around 7, doing kinda like practice fast, half day fast kinda thing that our parents would encourage but not force upon.
Some of our cultures are similar to each other, like how we would shop like crazy a week before Eid Raya for baju raya, kuih raya, food stuff for big feast during raya etc...It's happening everywhere else too! hehhehe...Brother Sayid didn't encourage that...he said the last 10 days should be more important in offering prayers & read Quran & charity & ibadah etc.. and advised us to shop before Ramadan so that we can concentrate on accumulating good deeds during the whole month...Which is why we're going to Paddy's Market this weekend to shop for stuff to take back home! (anyone nak pesan anything, let me know now oraits), besides the fact that i don't wanna go shop when i can't eat especially where good food is all around..it's soooo hard! :p The class finishes this Monday tho...then we start to FAST lah!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
WEDDING WEEKEND 25-26TH AUGUST
The whole Laidler family went down the coast (about 2 hour drive) for Michael's cousin's wedding that we've been looking forward to for a very very long time! We got the invitation way back in December after OUR wedding!! We've been so excited about it more because of the fact that it's like a mini holiday for the whole family, an excuse to getaway - all of us. Jake's parents (also the owner of the granny flat that we're staying in now) have a holiday beach house close to the wedding venue and let us use it for that weekend. The place is fabulous! Fits about 11 people, beach just across the road from the house.
The wedding was so very simple yet just absolutely lovely...I think everyone was just blown away when the bride & bridesmaids arrived in BIG TRUCKS instead of the normal limousines & classic cars. It was just so exciting!! Kids LOVED it..The ceremony was held outdoor..it was so simple and quick! The bride (and other ladies, yeah yeah, me included :p) cried during the vows and after that they went for a photo session while the guests waited in the hall & snacked on cheese platter & biccies and waited for the reception. Dinner was again, so simple but just so satisfying! Buffet style all you can eat, food overload, different kinds of salad, potatoes, bread, sauces..HALAL chicken (WOOHOOOHOOOO!!) and mouthwatering desserts - pavlovas & chocolate cakes.
The Laidler Clan
Mr & Mrs Laidler
Mr & Mrs Laidler #2..hhehehe
Does this look like we've been stalked by papparazzi or what?? hehehe gotta read less NW & Woman's Day mags..hahaha
Everyone had such a good time, and for us as a family, it was such a great fun time bonding, laughing till the late nites playing QUIDDLER (like scrabble but with cards, VERY addictive game) It was wonderful seeing Michael with his family & how much he enjoyed spending time with them (made me a tiny bit homesick of course :p) but yeah, it was really great. Michael's family has been sooooo wonderful to me. Each & every one of them..and i love them all!
--------------------------------------------------------------------
1ST WEDDING ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND! 1ST-2ND SEPTEMBER
It's been a year already!! So quick man! Im so glad that we made it this far, alhamdullillah! We celebrated the whole weekend..hehe.. Friday nite, Michael got home early from work and prepared nice candle lit BBQ dinner for me..hehe...Saturday, he took me to the city and went to the Art Gallery for an Islamic exhibition...then just walk around the Botanic Garden, Opera House, all the way to the Markets at The Rocks! Ive never been to the Rocks b4..it's pretty cool...bit expensive than Paddy's but s'thing different. Had Pancakes on the Rock, then to Newtown for dinner and had Murtabak & rendang & milo ais!! woohoo!! So can't wait for JB murtabak lah....Sunday we stayed in a bit, nice breakfast..we decided earlier not to do gifts during anniversaries & just taking turns organising something every year and Michael started this year. I reckon we should have TWO anniversaries per year, one for M'sia & one for OZ..hehehe..more excuses for surprises & celebrations... Anyways, so i know we're not doing gifts but i can't help it :p 1st year is paper and i decided to buy him a book that he's been talking about (i know, so unexciting) ...APRIL FOOL'S DAY, by Bryce Courtenay.
I remembered him talking about the book and how he's so blown away & touched by it and would wanna read it again..So me, being curious to read the book as well, got the gift for him (also actually for me lah :p) It's a true modern love story and that morning, he read to me the first few pages of the book and we were both bawling our eyes out...so sad mah... Can't wait to read it but at the mo, im all wrapped up in this book,
Michael got me this book few weeks ago when we're at a Lounge Around screening (http://www.loungearound.com.au/) This is because at about this time, i started to go GA-GA over one of Australia's best goalkicker in footy (i dunno how i got myself into the whole footy thingy) - Hazem El Masri....He's a Lebanese Australian Muslim footy player for the BULLDOGS team and not only is he such a cutie, he's really good on the field too!
AAAAAANYWAYS, later that afternoon, we went to Jess' for her partner, Adam's 40th birthday celebration and also to celebrate Father's day there. We got there just in time for dessert! Chocolate fountain with strawberries & truffles & honeycomb that Jess made herself..SOO GOOD!
Father's Day wish & Jess with the chocolate fountain
Adam made the cake himself!! IT WAS SOO YUMMMM! I thought it's Tiramisu but it's something Torte, im not sure! :p
The Happy Couple
We then left for dinner at Jake & Thea's. Haven't seen them for a while now...We had 2 kilos of Chicken Wings dipped with Satay Sauce & Hot Mango Chilli Sauce that we bought at The Rock's Market. That was pretty good too!
Tonite is Games Nite at Loftus (Michael's parents place) Sausages & onions & mushrooms on the barbie.. should be GOOOOOOD. Not sure what we're gonna be playing tho..I know QUIDDLER is one..maybe Pictionary & Trivial Pursuits..dunno...Lots of people gonna be there, so it's gonna be very competitive im sure..It's gonna be fun!
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