Mama(n)datory

My Ramadhan was mediocre. The mood and the tensed situation I was having throughout the month got me into stressful tears a couple of times. My imbalanced hormone and rounds of almost-blackouts worsen the situation.

It's almost Syawal, 4 more days to it.

Husband gotten his new baju melayu. I forced myself to scout for the girls' baju kurung yesterday and today, but still hasn't got any that caught my interest. My baju kurung? I'm recycling last year's batik skirt with my sister's 4-5 years ago blouse. Whatever goes.

The vibe isn't there.

I am even forcing myself to commit raya in Terengganu.
I ordered only 2 types of raya cookies, and couple of instant raya food paste, just in case.
I didn't even bother about duit raya, which I normally is in charge annually.

Syawal vibe is stuck and lost somewhere.

We'll see if it changes once I get the rendang come Raya morning.

There's a saying that goes "They'll only once a baby. Once they've grown up and starting to distant a little, you'll wish they'd stay a baby forever."

Disclaimer : Photos are pixelated in the post, I have no idea why. Kindly click on the photo link to have a clearer view of the image. 

We threw a superhero party for Mayesa's 5th birthday last May. She personally picked the theme just because she was so into Wonder Woman then. Not a die-hard stan, just a random temporary interest when the Gal Gadot's movie was released.

She initially picked Shimmer and Shine though, and I've bought few party decors fit for the theme. It's all in my craft bags and boxes in the back room downstairs, waiting to be used for the next upcoming party for Sofia - in December.

It wasn't a toughie to throw a superhero themed party, to be honest. Sources are out there in almost every party shop; aplenty. But being a crafty (well, not-so-crafty actually) mama, I commit myself to do some hands-on party thingamajig.

First task : Party invitation
I didn't create it from scratch, but used canva instead. The party vibe hasn't kicked in, so a simple quick one will do.

Next up : Print-outs

Welcome sign

Masks. Take a mask.

Fun kids corner. Printed the sign, and the cotton candy's sticker, using Canva's template.

Some cut-outs for balloons. I didn't take a photo of the balloons though; these were pasted onto each balloons so that the balloons are some-what superhero-themed. Cheapo diy!

Coloring sheets printed of Google

Mayesa personally chose to become Wonderwoman on her birthday, so I brought her to scout for her desired outfit, from One Utama to GM Klang, Sunway Pyramid, Subang Parade and finally back to One Utama. Fussy little girl, just like her mama. x. More to fickle-minded, actually.

Cut out an old white t-shirt into stars, and sew it all over her skirt.

The Final Outfit

Wonderwoman t-shirt from Parkson OU; d-i-y white stars sewn on her favorite blue skirt previously bought from H&M; gold headband used as a belt; Wonderwoman's headpiece from McDonald's Happy Meal; arm cuffs made out of kitchen roll's card tubes - covered with kitchen foil and red stars felt cut-outs; Mr. DIY's craft rope as lasso.

Superman t-shirt from Parkson Subang Parade; red skirt from H&M; headband from McDonald's Happy Meal; cape from an old red t-shirt cut-out.

I drew city skyscrapers on a chalk-board canvas, borrowed from my sister-in-law.

Cake, cookies, candies and desserts

Both cake and sugar cookies baked by my sister, Aishah. Not pictured : Kuihs sponsored by dad; Superhero lollies and cotton candies bought from a supplier in Kampung Subang - I've lost the number.

Literally.

Although I have yet to replace my 10days of last year's puasa but as I type this, I can now confirmed that

1. We (as in Mayesa and I) will be donning black; Sofia and papa will be wearing purple. Guess who decides on the theme? Yes, Mayesa. She's been wanting to get a black peplum with a bling waist ever since she saw a girl who wore that at one of the event we went to. So we'll see if it's going to be half and half or if all of us will be donning black.
2. It's our turn to go back to Muar, dad's hometown for raya. Since mom is travelling to Perth for raya with four of her grandchildren, the rest of us are still pretty much undecided. Of course dad wants us in Muar, I want to go back to Muar. But seems like my husband vetoed on this one pulling our little family of 4 to most probably just raya in town, and only to travel down South a month later to Universal Studios. Of course the girls agreed, Mayesa especially like d'oh, so I have to give in too.. I guess? (My lontong, nasi bryani, on first day of raya..*sobs*) Raya in Klang? Urghhh aiyooo.
3. I have no plan to organize any open house at the moment, but all are welcome any day. Ikut nasib lah datang hari yang ada raya food atau cuma ada kuih je ;p
4. Mayesa's already listing down her raya shopping, from head-to-toe. That girl is growing too fast.
5. I on the other hand, don't intend to shop for raya (like every other year). Lagi pula kalau raya in town je, where we don't really go anywhere - no raya visits at all, so why bother getting new outfits? Just the morning of raya, and that's that.
6. Cakes and cookies? Maybe, just maybe I'll do a recipe or two just to liven up the raya spirit with my two girls. They'd love that, I'm sure. The rest, beli je lah kalau perlu.

   Semperit (custard cookies) is a must for me during raya; and pineapple tarts. They just melt in your mouth!! Source: Lisa's Lemony Kitchen
7. House decoration? Maybe some flower pots and our family pictures or some abstract paintings to fill up the empty walls. I don't intend to spend much for the house this year, we've done quite a renovation just in time for last year's raya.

I brought the girls over to one of their baby cousin's birthday-do a week ago. It was held on a Friday afternoon, in Wangsa Maju.

Banker2Baker Instagram : @banker2baker 34, Jalan Wangsa Delima, Pusat Bandar Wangsa Maju 016-4474006

Friday? Wangsa Maju?

It was a Hello Kitty x Unicorn themed party, a Kittycorn?!

On first thought, obviously I had no intention to brave the traffic going there and especially on the journey back home. But Mayesa insisted to go, and I succumbed to her wants just because I noticed nobody else (in my family) is responding to attend the party. Kira wakilkan yang lain lah - anak buah dah buat birthday party, aunties and uncles semua tak attend macam alahai tak sampai hati. Not like I have any other good plans on that day anyway.

Wangsa Maju is foreign to me. I've only been there twice - once for work-related, the other was to meet up with my husband's friends. So I took the easy route in and out, via DUKE. Thankfully it was a smooth journey to and fro despite it being on a Friday afternoon, with minor usual traffic in Duta (like, where else? D'oh).

Cake and dessert spread were nice. Butter-y and not too sweet, very much to my liking.

I admit, going to a well-decorated birthday party made me want to throw one too. Sofia still hasn't gotten any proper birthday-do thrown for her, unlike her sister who's had a couple of bash.

This year, Sofia.
I promise.
I'll throw you a big do this year-end.
Inshaa Allah.

I've been seeing quite a number of posts of this festival Arts & Lights on my Instagram feed since the month of November but just couldn't bother to check what the hype is all about. My guess was 'oh just another one of the instagrammable hipster location for the cool kids'. Beautiful pictures, nevertheless.

Pictures are from their website

Excuse me for neglecting my blog for more than a week now. I just didn't get the privilege to use my laptop to blog since the girls have been hogging on to it to watch their shows almost every single day now. On other times, I'll mostly be on my feet doing chores and stuff. So tell me how do I blog more often now? Yoga even. I've left my mat for 3 days now and only managed to squeeze in a little stretching in between settling whatever I have to settle with.

I am beat.
Definitely.

Thus, no party for Sofia.

Yes, my second daughter - Sofia, just turned two few days ago. We first thought of organizing a birthday-do for her since we didn't throw one for her first birthday, unlike her sister who's had quite a big-do for her first.

Plan didn't fall through.

We instead had an impromptu dinner with (almost) everyone in my family and a cake cutting session at the end of it. Two nights over at my parents for the girls get-together with their cousins, and that was it.

No, that's not all of it.

We decided to bring the two girls to Johor Bahru this weekend. In conjunction with my cousin's wedding reception there on Saturday, we thought of extending our stay as a little holiday treat for some fun in the sun (precisely the swimming pool) and good food.

Yes, she gets to go on trips instead on her birthday. Birthday in Krabi last year, and birthday in Johor Bahru this year. Don't get me started on where we'll be heading to for her third birthday next year. 0_o

And I just realized that we started our 2017 with a trip down South to Johor Bahru, and ending the year with a final trip again to the same destination. Three, or was it four trips to Johor Bahru altogether this year alone.

Oh, how time flies. We are already reaching towards the end of the year. What a journey it was this year, a little of ups and downs of everything. I shall next do a recap of my year and a list of what to expect in 2018, yes?

Till then. Have a great weekend to all! I'm going to start packing for our trip and hopefully manage to fit in a session back on to my yoga mat in the evening. Ahhh my body is stiff as a log now.