my momma taught me.

now that I am a mother of two myself, this cannot be any more truer than true.

i love you, Mum, though i never said it often.

think about it.

introduction to (new) cakes

one of the many cake-making and decorating class by Zanstreats.

An introduction to Cakes.
well, not quite for me. but its definitely an introduction to the sponge cake, butter cake and chocolate ganache! all that I wanted to learn.

of baking, cooling, layering, coating and piping cakes. 

end result #1 - vanilla sponge cake layered and coated with vanilla smbc and raspberries fillings 

end result #2 - chocolate butter cake layered and coated with chocolate ganache

all in a day's work

a line a day, all day, every day.

I found this journal by chance at Typo, and I was actually contemplating if I should get it. Glad I did buy it! 

I mean, why shouldnt I?

There's a question for every day for 365 days, for three years! Although the questions were repeated, I'm sure it beats having writer's block at any day.

I'm such a sucka for pretty things. Hahahh. 

And the questions.. oh the questions! Some are rather close to the heart, some makes me think, and some are just triggers the emotions. You know? 

The daily questions are: 

1)        What inspired you the most today?

2)        What do you love most about the weekend?

3)        Where and when was your last selfie?

4)        Sometimes when I’m alone, I like to …

5)        What is your favorite song now?

6)        What makes you unique?

7)        What makes the perfect Friday night?

8)        What was the last film you saw?

9)        What’s in your fridge right now?

10)       … is a total babe.

11)       Pssst, tell me a secret!

12)       What was the last compliment you were given?

13)       Describe your day in 3 words.

14)       What are you most proud about this week? (Well done, you!)

15)       If you could go anywhere right now, where would it be?

16)       What makes you happy?

17)       Write down some advice to your younger self.

18)       Whats your guilty pleasure?

19)       If you had a million dollars, whats the first thing you'd buy?

20)       What did you wear today?

21)       Whats your happiest memory?

22)       What do you love most where you live?

23)       What do you love most where you live?

24)       What did you dream about this week?

25)       What do you love most where you live?

26)       What is your favourite website/blog?

27)       What was the last book you read?

28)       If you could have any super power, what would it be?

29)       Make a wish!

30)       What did you eat for lunch today?

31)       What are you most looking forward to? 

Wont you agree the questions make you think, like THHHiinnkk? 

I mean, if you were to compare, now and later, your answers may even be different in three months. What more a year, or three years down the line. 

Your favorite song may change, your happiest memory could change. You may not read the same book which you had procrastinate since six months ago. What you want to buy with a million dollars would change too. You know, that kinda thing. Because humans change constantly and so does their feelings and needs and wants. Thats a constant. 

Some require a little more emotion and thought - like what do you actually do when you are alone? Or what was that last compliment you were given? I definitely cannot recall the last. 

Who knows, these could be topic starters for when you have writer's block to blog! Lol.

I skipped January 2018 entries because I only had the book in Feb and could only recall as far as Feb events. January was a so-called trial for the new year so it doesn't really count. It only counts because its my birthday month. 

So far so good; Ive been updating diligently. I dont want to forget the recent happenings and I do not want to forget my constant train of thoughts either. So I reckon this journal book is actually a good kick-starter for me to pen something. 

Its supposed to be a line per day. Some days i wrote a paragraph! Its actually nice to write a short entry, noting the reasons and emotions behind it. That would make the entry all the more meaningful, isnt it? 

A line a day for three years, thats not bad ey. 

needs unsatisfied.

Nope, I still admire people with luxuries.
Inner peace cant pay my bills, unfortunately.

Without luxuries, I cannot pay my bills. Without my bills totally cleared, I cannot have inner peace.

So yes, luxuries are equally important.

birthday registry

Regardless how old I am, or at least for as long as I will remember, I will have a birthday wishlist. I mean, isn’t it easier to tell people what you want, instead of them guessing and sometimes getting stuffs you may not want and don’t use? Quite wasteful, right?

Its like a registry, so you can keep track of what was gifted. In fact, I actually purchased some items myself, as part of my resolution to care for myself better.

Actually its an ongoing list lah.

This year, I aim to have the following items:

1)      Too Faced White Chocolate Bar eyeshadow

2)      Too Faced White Peach eyeshadow

3)      Too Faced Just Peachy Mattes eyeshadow

4)      Too Faced Sweet Peach eyeshadow

5)      Bodyshop Peppermint Feet Care

6)      Sand & Sky Pink Clay mask

7)      Laneige Sleeping Mask

8)      Benefit Bad Girl Mascara

9)    SF Egyptian Dress Blue

10)  Lulu Al Hadad Kaftan

11)  Nusheennura Marble Long Dress

12)  Desigual Bag

13)  Unicorn cake

14)  Mermaid cake

15)  Ondeh-Ondeh cake

16)  Teh Tarik cake

17)  Macaron

18)  HP

19)  Laptop

20)  Fossil Rose-Gold watch

21)  Lang Leav - Love & Misadventure // Lullabies // Memories // The Universe Of Us // Sad Girls // Sea of Strangers

22)  Rupi Kaur – Milk & Honey // The Sun and Her Flowers

23)  Jojo Moyes – Honeymoon in Paris // The Girl You Left Behind // The One Plus One // Paris for One

24)  Cecilia Ahern - One Hundred Names // How to Fall in Love // The Year I Met You // The Marble Collector

25)  #88lovelife – Volumes 1 + 2 + 3

26)  Origami books/kits

27)  Hand Lettering books/kits

Of course there’s other stuffs I bought that’s not in this wishlist, like the UD All Nighter Spray and Australis Primer. I hope I could stick to this list and get these collections.

Else, there's always next year's wishlist, insya Allah ;p 

Self-Me First.

This year I started my iG with my #birthdaybuys from Times Bookstore.

Gosh that place is becoming a puaka place. I went there pretty much every day after sending Sara to school. Its like my heaven on earth.

Ok I digressed.

For this year’s resolutions, I sort of decided on many themes, one being Self Care. It means I want to attempt stuffs that I never did before and try to care for myself more than previous years. While I love my family and home, I realized I also needed to find time for myself. It doesn’t matter if I do not turn out as a professional. I want to at least be able to say, “Oh yes, Ive tried that”. 
Self Care is also about caring more and better for my skin and health, hopefully. Lately Ive gotten dry sensitive skin etc. I thought I should at least care for my body; its the only Ive got. 

So I started with a Creative Lettering and Origami kit sets. Like I captioned, I would like to think that I have time. Lol. Who are we kidding right.

Below are my 2018 Resolutions/To Attempt List of things to do:

1)      Creative Hand Lettering/Modern Calligraphy
I got my kits from Times Bookstore. Initially I just wanted to own the kits, but as time went by, I realized that typography skills and service is increasing in the market. Hence why not try my hand at it? I also printed some free printouts from online to enhance my go at letterings. I would love to go professional with it. But that’s unlikely to happen as there’s a lot in the market now. I might just do for my own people and events. We’ll just go along.

2)      Origami/Paper Quilling/Paper folding
One of my childhood dreams is to bond over origami with my children. Lets see how that goes. My girl cant even sit still for five minutes. Hahahh. Well at least I have a couple of books to guide me, and I can try to fold more that just the number cube.
I hadn’t tried quilling though. Still searching for books or online guides for me to kick off this craft. Given that I already have a few kits in hand, quilling may even be brought forward to next year. Hehh.

3)      Coloring
My #semangatlimaminit hobby then. It was so sad I stopped coloring in 2016, partly due to health. The books are almost turning yellow! I had to dust and sun them. Now I’m bringing this hobby back into my life.

4)      Art Jamming
I am reserving this session with my dear friend for our belated birthdays. I hope this materialises. We hadn’t met for a while and I miss her. And I want to spend time with her by doing something, instead of just chatting our money at Coffee Bean or something. I saw a few coupons on Fave, and found more online. So we’ll wait for this to really happen.
 

5)      Blog

I’m trying! It’s hard with two kids and trying to post something. The most is I usually pen groceries and bills lists. When I tried to write something, Sara would come over and insist to sit on my laps and write something too. That girl! Hahahh. So far I think I’m not bad for a #motheroftwo. Some blogs that I used to frequent or either dead or inactive. Chet!

6)      Baking
I did this last year. I stopped after being pregnant with Adam. Yes, I do want to start again, once again at my availability. This time I wanted to be specific with what I want to bake or attend class. I have a few on my mind, it’s just a matter of finding time and having excess money to pay for the baking courses.

7)      3-Year Reflections and Thoughts
I bought the diary from Typo. The best evuhh! It’s a journal of 365 days with 30 questions repeated for every month, for three years! And you get to read what happened last year when you do this year’s entry! How cool is that. It’s like FB Memories, on paper.

8)      Exercise
Oh why am I so ambitious. I am upset that the stomach is still flabby! So upset that I pinterested flat abs exercises (damn you, planks!) and some celebs with abs for motivation. Yes, Britney is one of them. I need to go down to my pre pregnancy weight, but its taking a long time because I am in no hurry to flatten the stomach and I still enjoy junk foods around.

9)      Memorise 4 Qul + Yasin + Doa Qunut Im not a preacher, don’t intend to be one. I don’t impose. Im not a good Muslimah, yet I always try to be one. I memorised Al-Ikhlas, Al Falaq and An Nas, so Im left with Al Kafirun. I know I have to push myself to memorize Yasin and Qunut properly. Its about being a good example to my children. Pray for me on this one.



10)   Proper Use of Make Up
Suddenly there's a interest in cosmetics. Hahahh. Not that I want to smack my face with thick make ups, but at least I want to learn to apply proper make up. You know, primer, highlighter, concealer, etc. At least make my face up properly. Hehh. I sorta have the tools, but I have no idea how to use them. So yeah, learning and applying, slowly.


11)   Homeschooling
No, I don’t mean to quit my job to homeschool the children. Heck we may not even study. I mean I want to teach the kids when I’m with them, on weekends or long holidays. Maybe print early childhood learning guides for them to learn through playing. So far I have printed alphabets, shapes, numbers and animal flashcards for Sara. Just needed to find some corner in the house as a noticeboard.

Now that I have listed the resolutions, it felt like a lot! Im really being ambitious. Hahahha.

Of course I don’t expect instant ability or professional work coming out of me. I would like to pace myself, gradually upgrade myself as time goes by. Its only February anyway! I have a whole year for these, right?

The list hadn’t include my #kitchengoals. Or #livingroomgoals. Or #bookshelfgoals. Or any other #goals. And I already think it’s a lot.

#prayforme lol

eight pieces of CCC

since I made a mess in the kitchen. 

and i made caramel chocolate cupcakes for my neighbour for her CNY. 

gave her eight pieces, because, well, lucky number. received a text after that, her telling me how it tastes sedap. makes me all fuzzywarm inside. nobody died from my cupcakes. hahaha. 

Caramel Chocolate cupcakes, with crushed Lotus biscuits in the centre and topped with Caramel SMBC. gold pearls, because wealth.

CAROUSELLING: Sterilizer, Bottle Warmer + Nursing Pillow

[CAROUSELLING] 

heyaaa peeps,
im letting go these three items.

rarely used, only took up space in my storeroom.
please spread the word. thank you!

:)

item #1: Philips Avent 3-in-1 Electric Steam Sterilizer

comes with: box and a free bottle

warranty availability: NA/expired

- never used before 

- bought in 2016 at S$159.00 at Baby Fair 

- selling at S$100.00

item #2: Philips Avent Bottle Warmer
comes with: box
warranty availability: NA/expired

- used only for one month
- bought in 2016 at S$70.00 at Baby Fair
- selling at S$50.00

item #3: Nursing/Breastfeeding Pillow
comes with: plastic cover
warranty availability: NA/expired

- used only for one month
- selling at S$50.00

Self Collection only - meet up at Punggol Waterway Cascadia or Waterway Point/MRT Tanjong Pagar/NEL Chinatown (subjected to seller's availability)

for more product details, email: shyafreidah.am@gmail.com 

Thank you in advance! :)

in a nutshell: 2017

so I am a little too late for a happy New Year! or a Happy 2018! entry.
what was I up to on NYE? 

sleeping. 

because, #motheroftwo. 

wild lah sangat kan. 

what new goals, what reflections, what dietttt. sleep wins, hands down, anytime. 

so 2017 came, and passed by us, as the past years had. same old, same old. everyone was in the reflective mood, reminiscence mode etc. so let me do this too.

2017, in a nutshell. 

• Jan 2017 - My Birthday Staycay  
• Feb 2017 - Doha's Winter Trip with Sara 
• March 2017 - Division USS Trip (while suspected of being pregnant) 
• April 2017 - Confirmation of Baby No 2 
• May 2017 - Baby No 2 First Scan
• May 2017 - Sara Turns One + Family Iftar 
• June 2017 - Full Squad Family Outing at USS + Eldest Sister's 15th Wedding Anni Dinner
• August 2017 - Bro got hitched
• Sept 2017 - Abz Bdae Dinner 
• Sept 2017 - Kek Lapis Class with Mum 
• Oct 2017 - Registration for Sara Childcare Centre  
• Oct 2017 - #metime at SEA with Sara
• Nov 2017 - Grand Entrance of Baby No 2  
• Nov 2017 - Confinement
• Dec 2017 - BIL + CIL Wedding 

I may or may not have blogged about these. the likelihood is very low. but these are pretty much the highlights of my 2017. i better save the images before  my LG goes kapoot on me.

of course, these events do not show the emotions i had while going through the phases. i would like to think that i am a pretty much an open book. i wear my feelings on my sleeves, as much as i can. it would be pretty obvious when im faking my emotions. so yeah. i'll blog about them.... someday.

meanwhile, January 2018 is gone now. just like that.
Happy 2018, you guys.
brace yourselves for another year of ups and downs, losses and gains, miracles and blessings.
hugs.