Fabulous Finds

This is the closest thing that we can get to a real 'pasar'. i LOVE the market! we get our supplies of fresh fish almost every saturday, and i normally get our fresh flowers to add some colour to our home whenever we're at one.

There's tonnes you can find at the market. i love to scout for rare finds (most of the time i'm unsuccessful). but i get some kind of a thrill from just browsing!

Just when people back home in malaysia are sighing and complaining of the rise of the oil prices and everything else, over here, i am so thankful that we can still afford to buy a great bunch for just 5 euros! just look at the the veges and fresh fruits! and what this particular store was offering was:

2 avocados

2 boxes of roma tomatoes

2 papayas

2 sweet mangoes

1 gala melon

1kg mandarin

2 whole salads

FOR just 5Euros! yes! 5 euros for all the above!

... and this was what i found recently! hortensia cards and envelope set of 5 brand new and some crochets and handkerchiefs for my crafts! what luck!

This is it for now guys, we're now at Czech Republic, our last holiday for this summer! there's simply too much to share and write, i wish i have more time!! take care everyone!

A common sight.. and something a little bit uncommon..

In summer, this is a common sight on the roads in the netherlands. i think almost 45% of the dutch owns a caravan and almost 99.9% owns a bike. the facilities for holiday makers with caravans and bikes are endless here in holland. we have yet to try it though!

Oh, and see if you can find anything odd in these pictures! guess where!

True

Remember i wrote about how frustrated i was, not being able to meet my bestest of best friend yoyo in Barcelona? well, we did meet! we managed to meet up after we got back from our Barcelona trip, and after yoyo's done with her tour of Spain. we met during her transit back to Malaysia at Schiphol airport, Amsterdam.

Everytime i talk about her, speak to her, she'd bring tears to my eyes. i honestly miss her. we've come a long long way. she knows me in and out, through and fro. she defines a true friend and in her i find so much sincerity and love. she's the type of friend who'll be there for you, regardless, she's the type of friend who cares simply too much, she's the type of friend who's willing to sacrifice her time to just make you happy.. and if there's one pair of shoes left at the store (we're the same size) or if there's only one handbag left and we both love it, and we both want the exact same one so so badly, she's the type of friend who's willing to let go and let you have it! the list goes on and on. she never questions you, she never bring things up, she gossips (when needed!), she looks at the bright side of things, she calms me down, she balance me off, we're simply ourselves when we're together.. she's trully amazing.

I was in a very bad state once, very very bad state. she (of course alongside others), was there for me. let me say it again - she was REALLY there for me. she listened to every whining, every moaning patiently. as much as she wants me to get better, she allowed me to be myself and just simply do the things that i wanted to do. she held strong and stayed positive for me. we've been through thick and thin together and i can never repay her for that.

Having someone like her in my life makes me even more complete. yeah, of course the distance is there, we dont call or text each other every day, but deep down, we both know the bond is still there and will always be there. nothing has changed apart from both living on different parts of the world.

Now that you have a child, you wish for only the best for him. i pray and hope Aidan will be surrounded with sincere people. sincere people who will make him into a better person. Aidan would be extremely lucky if he has a good friend like mine! i hope he will know the real meaning of a friend.

At the end of the day, it doesnt matter how many friends you have, but what matters most is what kind of friends you have. i trully love yoyo to bits and i trust her with all my life.


After almost 3 years of not seeing each other, that day, we met for only 4 hours. how i wish it could have been longer. but 4 hours of giggles, hugs, catching up was worth the 4 hours journey to and from our home. we sobbed uncontrollably at the gates as we waived goodbye and i was quiet half the journey back to Sittard.

I love hear dearly, and i miss her every single day... and if i can have one wish right now, i wish she could have all the best things in life, for she trully deserves it!

I hope we dont have to wait for another 3 more years to see each other! anyway, i'm gonna wipe off my tears and call it a day now... another day where i wish my close, best friend's here...


Z

Bit by Bit... and it's Bijna Klaar!

I kept mentioning about our garden, and how i enjoy being in my garden since early spring. it all started when the sun came out and some our plants started to shoot out with buds. i then started clearing out the 'jungle' (part of it looked like a little jungle, well at least for Aidan). later, slowly pulled out some weeds and some sharp plants we had, just so Aidan wont hurt himself when outside playing.. and then, i saw the need to tidy up the back garden a bit since mum and dad are coming... and now that they're here, and we're still in the mood of things... we got carried away!

I'm honestly not into gardening, but i somehow love pulling out weeds! i dont grow well, so i might just stick to artificial flowers. but in this kind of weather, you cant help but to love growing, love planting, and love everything in the garden centre! before mum and dad arrived, Hardy and i bought a garden set. the next step was to lay out the slabs. over here, there are no such things as calling "tukang kebun" (a gardener) to do it for you (well actually you can if you're mighty rich). otherwise, you'll have to do everything youself! and that's just what we did!

We bought and carried everything from slabs to sand. the car carried 50 slabs each weighing 10kgs and almost 10 bags of sand each weighing 25kgs each! you do the maths! of course not all in one go... but still!

Bit by bit, and easy does it... bijna klaar (almost ready), we're getting there...
Well done boys!

June 2006 - 2 weeks after we bought the house

July 2006 - a month and a half before Aidan came into the world (yes i know, we're crazy! long story)

June 2007 - see told you it was like a little jungle!

June 2008 - Aidan in his pool in the garden

July 2008 - Aidan helping out Oma pulling out some unwanted plants

Men at work

The boys responsible for the entire garden. Well done boys! Thank you for making it all possible! (as for we girls, we're responsible for buying the flowers and chosing the furniture, as well as making sure they (boys and plants) are well fed, hydrated and motivated!)

August 2008

And look what our garden planner (dad) did last night... a layout plan for our garden... nope, it's still not done yet!

.... to be continued..... (hopefully very soon!)

Z

I'm Staying...

Thank you all for the birthday wishes for my nephew Ferran. we had a brilliant time all of us together. a couple of weeks went by so incredibly fast, especially when we were enjoying ourselves. after thousands of miles travelled, they went back to the UK with their car packed full of toys, wet-wipes (they're much much cheaper here), loads of new clothes and almost 3 thousand shots of photos taken from 3 cameras!

What a holiday!

I must apologize for not updating on our stories and journeys. i feel the need to say this. i've been thinking and thinking very hard lately.. what is my main reason for blogging. Hardy and i first started blogging since we were dating, we then moved on, and moved away and got married and now have a new life with our son Aidan here, away from Malaysia. at first, we blog to share our stories and experiences with our closest and dearest families and friends. little did we know that we'll be making friends all around the globe! i'm extremely grateful to have made new ones, definitely! some, without them knowing, are very dear to me. i'm fortunate enough not to be bombarded with nasty comments, i suppose there are quite a bunch of nice people in here. but on the other hand, by writing and making our blog 'public', anyone can find us in here and read our thoughts and stories.

I am aware by putting every word i type on the net makes people know even more of our life here. i am extremely careful with what i chose to write and how i write. i dont really write on intimate and those personal stuff and most of our writings are mainly on our son, how we're handling him, our travelling bits and how we're coping living here in the Netherlands. but whenever we write, it comes straight from the heart.

Hardy and i had a good talk over retiring from blogging. i came this close (i wish you could see how close my thumb and my pointer finger are!) to deleting our entire blog last week. we had our reasons.

But after listening to a few wise opinions, after they've made me see the other side of things, i then decided to hung on. and as Hardy puts it - "we dont have control over actions by others and what they think. but we can decide for ourselves."

I enjoy writing (despite the wrong spellings, grammar etc), i enjoy my time infront of the computer to share our stories (it's like having a 'me' time), i enjoy reading the comments made by others (those who leaves a word or two normally makes my day!). i enjoy making new friends in here. i write for a reason, i share for a reason. so there..

There's always a reason for everything. i am staying true to myself and true to what i share and write. my feet are firmly on the ground and i am grateful and thankful that some might find our writings a pleasure to read.

As of now, i'm staying.

Our 4th of July - Ferran's 1st Birthday

We woke up early that morning when Ferran turned 1. and after a good hearty breakfast, we all showered the birthday boy with all his presents. the look on Ferran's face was just as cool and calm like any ordinary day... but the look on both his mummy and daddy's faces, priceless! both their jaws wide opened - stunned. and the first thing they said was - "how on earth are we going to bring all these back home! it wont fit the car!". (told you to make space! not our fault!)

We brought out the cake after Ferran got up from his nap. then we had a tiny little cake party outside in the garden with lots and lots of shots taken. gosh! i tell you, it was tough to get Aidan to stay still with the cake infront of him... just look at the expression on both Ferran and Aidan's faces! here are some photos to share..

Aidan: "eh ferran, still plenty of cake lah! lets dive in! you sapu right, i sapu left"

Ferran: "mmmmmmmmmmmm.. but left got more aidan!"

Everyone else kept calling "Aidan!! Ferran!! Aidan!! Ferran!! look at the camera!!"

The grandparents are posing..

Aidan: "tak kisah lah... but ferran, wait, i try my luck with my papa and see dapat lagi ke tak! papaaaaa.... nak lagi sikit please..."

Ferran eyes are still on the cake!

The grandparents are STILL posing...

Aidan: "aaaaaaaaaaaaaa...."

Ferran: "ha ah la... it worked! dapat lah!"

Aidan: "see! i told you! you just have to put on a sad face and a sad tone, sure dapat! your birthday what! you try!"

Ferran: "eh, ye ke? ok.. ok..."

Ferran: "please.. someone, anyone... tok mum... i want some more cake..."

Tok mum: "alahai kesiannya cucu aku... che ferran nak cake eh, nah.. nah.. nah.."

Aidan: "see, told you! we have to be smart and act a bit!

Finally, one good shot of the grandparents and their cucus on Ferran's 1st Birthday last Friday the 4th of July!

Ferran then gets to enjoy the rest of his birthday cake with his mummy and daddy. we hope you've had a good one Ferran! and we hope you'll enjoy the rest of your stay with us! we love you very much!

My Nephew is One Today!

Twinkle twinkle little star, do you know how loved you are?

Happy 1st Birthday Ferran!

I wish and pray you will have a good life, be filled with love, will share tonnes of laughters, be blessed with good health and all the good things in life. we want you to know that you are very very much loved!

Have a very happy 1st birthday Ferran. hope you'll enjoy yourself here with all of us.



Congratulations kakak and redza! God works in mysterious ways eh? just when you thought you couldnt conceive, there you go! and look at him now and how much he has grown. he's happy, chirpy, lovely, bubbly and bouncy!

Just thought i'd share this with you - A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankrolls smaller, homes happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten and the future worth living for.... and guys, now that you're here, we'll make sure you'll put on some weight! hehe ;)

We hope you'll have a wonderful time here with us!

The Spoiling Begins....

Oma and Opa are here! i now have 4 extra hands and eyes! i long for the days when i can craft the whole day, or just sit infront of the computer the whole morning and read other blogs (i havent had time to read and comments on other's blogs for a long time!)... i long for dad's cookings and mum's ironing (the selfish side of me), but mostly, i long to see my son laugh with his Opa and Oma!

I now, cook slightly lesser than before, iron slightly lesser than before, i cry lesser when Hardy goes out of the country (gi la Barcelona, Antartika, Moscow or Krakow.. kita dok rumah... tak kisah... :P) now that i have company.... and i can now (i hope) to sit back for a bit, go out for a movie with Hardy, have a quiet dinner just me and my dear husband... although i must say there were a couple of times since mum and dad are here, when it was just Hardy and i in the car, it felt rather strange not having Aidan in his seat blabbering!

Wait.. there's more... my sister Fifi and her boys are coming tomorrow!! it's going to be my nephew Ferran's 1st Birthday this Friday 4th of July! there's still tonnes to do, and tomorrow's the day to finish up everything before another 3 special guests arrive!

I am one happy soul!

Happy Birthday Hardy!

It's Hardy's birthday today and i was up on my feet the whole day yesterday! i didnt even sit down till it was dinner time!

I was cracking my head on what to give him for his birthday for the past couple of weeks. he could do with a golf set but it requires him to try them out, some gadgets? he knows best (i dont even know there's an mp4!!), i even went on the net to look for some ideas, one was tempting, an acre of the moon for GBP20! it is so difficult to get guys a present! they are either way too expensive or just irrelevant! no, he doesnt need another watch, no he doesnt need another perfume, and so i decided not to give him something material (since i'm not a material girl! hehe, neither is he!). so i pledge to him, that i'll be a better wife, an improved better half, will take good care of him and today, his wishes are my command!

I've just spoke to my mum in law on the phone just now and thanked her for giving birth to my wonderful husband 34 years ago. we share some wonderful news, nice heartwarming stories, lots of laughters and shared some of our experiences. i miss mama...

It was all worth it. the look on his face and the thankfulness in him.. every tired bone and muscles are all now gone.

Anyway, i'm not gonna write any lovey dovey stuff for Hardy in here, i shall leave it between the 2 of us! so here's to you H, wishing you lots and lots of happiness, and hellava happy birthday! hope you like the cheesecake Aidan and i made! we love you more and more each day!

The Bond

I've got way too much things to do lately. and i'm almost panicking! i have at least 15 cards to finish by the beginning of next month, birthday parties to plan, birthday presents to get, a logo to design, the whole house to clean (we're expecting some special guests!), emails and comments to reply, clothes to iron (thank God the washing's all done!), a 21 month old boy to juggle and blogs to write (see how much i love you guys!)... and when you have a 21 month old boy wanting to "help" with almost everything, it doesnt make it much easier and quicker! Hardy was away the last few days and i'm handling the house and our son alone, and when Aidan goes to bed at night, i feel like tucking myself to bed as well! there, there you have it - reasons why i have been quiet for the past week or so.

But Hardy's back from Helsinki! yeay! and i'm a little bit relaxed, but not for long i guess! i still have tonnes to do!

Anyway, it was Father's Day last Sunday. Hardy woke up with our son on the bed, all washed and cleaned, with a couple of presents and a colourful card. i dont think i could top what he did for me on Mother's Day, but hopefully he knows how much we love him! the boys then continued to mess the entire bed , shared a few loud giggles and tickles ... and then this...

I love to see the bond between the two, they are extremely close. i love watching them make silly moves and say silly things. i love looking at Aidan on Hardy's shoulders, i love listening to them giggling away. i love looking at them holding hands, i love it when Hardy teaches Aidan how to swing a golf club or kick a ball, i love it when they play at the sand pit, i love it when they talk to each other eventhough they might not get what each other's trying to say, i just love it when Aidan calls Hardy "papa" with his own tune (gives me time to at least relax a bit.. haha)... i simply love the dad in Hardy. and the best bit is when Hardy gets back from his trips, the voice, the tone, the expressions, the actions and reactions are even greater!

I know Aidan looks up to his dad. i also know how much they both adore each other. it's really nice to see the 2 of them together... it's just pure bliss! (plus the fact that i get to be on my own! hehe)

We all love our dads, deeply. we all have different ways of showing how much we love them. but the bottom line is still the same, we simply adore and love them.

Z

That One Moment

It was honestly oh-so-beautiful. I love Barcelona more because of its beach! the life they have there is so laid back, just like Holland, but more with a beach! the locals here in the Netherlands love to cycle, i noticed the locals there love to run. they do cycle as well, and the bicycle lanes are organized, but slightly less than here, i musy say ;) holland is defintiely a fiets paradise!


Stephan, Hardy, Aidan and i walked from the centre to the beach. took us about a good 20 mins walk. the view was just breathtaking, and the fine warm sand, the cool water and not to mention the sound of the waves makes us just want to plant our feet in them and just be taken away by the beauty of it all. the beach was surprisingly clean, it's almost unbelievable!

And as Hardy and Stephan decided to stroll along the beach to find some good restaurants for dinner, Aidan and i headed straight to the water!

Aidan had his first taste of the beach in Barcelona.

And as i was sitting on the sand, watching him enjoying himself and, i looked to other happy faces on the beach, and i felt blessed. looking at the coastlines and the movements of everything else on the beach, i suddenly felt too overwhelmed. how is it possible for me, an ordinary girl to be here, at this part of the world to witness all these! its amazing!

My mind then went back to those days, where i went through too much at one particular time, having lost all hope and faith in love, having had little money when business was tough... to name a few. as i sat there looking at my son, i then kept saying ya allah, syukur probably a hundred of times everytime i think of those difficult times.

Most of us go through some kind of hardship, difficult patches along the journey of life, some are more complicated than others, some are life changing, some with a permanant disability, some just dramatic drastic changes, while some are fortunate enough, born with a silver spoon, born brainy and beautiful, born having everything sugar coated and probably own a line of posh cars. but i am so glad that all those "cuts, burises, hurtful, difficult challenging times" happed to me. i wouldnt appreciate life like how i appreciate life now, if i was born with a silver spoon. honestly, i strongly believe all the hard knocks happened for a reason. you might not be able to see it now, but eventually you will.

The best thing when you come out of the dark hole is when you can say, "hey, i did it!" sometimes i still cant believe that i'm here, with 2 amazing, wonderful boys to which i am married to one, and the other one is a result of being married! and the best thing is, to be absolute honest with each other. what i normally do when the past keeps on creeping is i tend to just brush it off, and sometimes laugh it off. i'm glad it all happened, pleased and very proud on how i handled things and thankful that all worked for the best for me.

I trully believe that everything happens for a reason, and that God is fair, He knows and hears everything. only He knows whats best. you really cant help it but tho think of all these when you're staring at the beautiful big blue ocean, with blue skies on the background... how small we are..

I think God sent us here, this part of the world, for a reason. syukur alhamdulillah. everytime when i'm in a different place, everytime when i witness different things, everytime when i look up to buildings and monuments in a different country i feel so grateful. it is just beyond words. and like what most of you said, i am absolutely lucky indeed. i do realise and acknowledge it. rezeki. i just wish i could share this, in real life with all of you, but i cant. so the closest i get is by blogging, sharing it here, through pictures and stories.

Aidan then sat on me and we played with the sand. and i thought to myself, i've never felt so content. i whispered to him- we're so lucky Dan. so so lucky. we sat on the beach for almost an hour before Hardy came to get us for dinner, just me and my son.

I am positive somewhere along the way, Aidan will face some hardships, knocks. bumps and will probably fall. there will be cuts and scars but its how you get yourself back up again, and learn how to walk, recover from all the bitterness and move on with your life that counts. i will be there for my son, just like how my parents were there for me. i hope he has good friends, just like what i had, i will be a good friend to him, just like my good friends were to me.... come to think of it, it's kindda scarry eh... but i've got Hardy by my side to put me into perspectives (on occations when i'm not!).

I've come quite a long way, and each of us have our stories. but i'd say the best bit for me was how i managed to get myself back up again. (to those of you who knows what i've been through, you know what i'm talking about!).

Life is a journey, not a destination. it is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way. and happiness is not a state to arrive at, but rather a manner of travelling.

I had that one special moment with my son on the beach. it will always, always be in my heart.

I'm glad we've travelled the distance. we shall continue to travel! i just pray, no matter where we are, we'll always be this thankful, grateful and happy.

Z