Penang, finally...

We made it to Penang. For an extremely short vacation. It was even shorter than our normal KL vacation. At least for KL, we didn't have to checkout that early. We could take our time to do last min shopping at Masjid India the morning before we checked out. But the flight was full for the afternoon and we had to settle for the 1015hrs return flight. Nevertheless, we had a great time! Especially at the Unesco Heritage Sites for me...

Manja kids and thier Nyai who i think spoilt them...  hmmm...

I love CGA's orchid and Koi garden. Wonder how much is being paid to maintain this.

Cool me before take off... and the totally opposite Pa.

Riyan pretending....

... and Nurul cool like cucumber.

This was one of the rare day flights that we ever took and seated next to the window. I enjoyed every moment of the flight cos of the clear skies but i didn't like Silkair. It was rather disappointing. Booked SQ but as it was a co-shared flight with Silkair, we flew on the latter. Nad electronics they had. The TV malfunctioned for a while during the take-off instructions video. OK, i should stop comparing.

Nearing Penang... didn't know what land was below... but the meandering river was a pretty sight.

 

We reached Penang after lunch. Took a cab ride from airport to Traders Hotel. Planned to take a Rapid Penang bus, which would cost us only RM$2 but my mo thought it would be a bad idea. If i were alone, yes, maybe. But with elderly and kids, no. ok, so we rode off at RM$44 to our destination. Clear skies, new condos much like in SG but sooooo many cars! It was amazing for a 1.6m population, seemed that everyone owned a car!

Some sights along the way... I didn;t take shots of the more expensive properties and hotels along Gurvey Drive... But the hotels are beautiful there. Maybe we'll try G Hotel next, k Pa?

K, i'll continue later...

We are going... somewhere....

Finally it's been decided. Penang it shall be!

So what's good in Penang? I seriously don't know. The last i went there was when i was like, 7? Or 6 maybe? As it's very last minute, i have to really step on the peddle full steam ahead to check out Penang sites and book hotel accomodation. hmmm... any suggestions?

And speaking of somehere... it's been approved! My Vetassess, that is. It's a mind boggling thing to think about if we should or should not move and what the long terms and short term plans are... *whoooa! I sounded like i was discussing work plans!* 

Ok, the pros:
--> kids can get a more relaxed lifestyle, but is that what we all want?
--> school may be better for them there, i dunno but i presume so..?
--> Nurul can don the hijab to school... Thats is really a PLUS PLUS PLUS point!
--> good weather and the cold is what i enjoy most

Now for the cons:
--> who's gonna look after our flat here in SG?
--> how long are we gonna be there and what about accomodation?
--> will the accomodation be rented? ie. Dead money?
--> will it be purchased? ie. must SUPER SAVE up on the money...

We need to think thoroughly, Pa....

... bits n pieces of our Umrah trip...

The ever beautiful Masjid Nabawi, Madinah. Love going there!

If Riyan could tell a story about this, he'd narrate that a guy died in the explosion next to this barber shop. ahahah...!!! The truth is there was an explosion. But the guy didn't die... only scalded.  :)

Advertising for Hilton Makkah.

Our favourite gate... King Fadh Gate.

Cik Yah being harassed by a beggar.

Sweetie-pies! Thank you for fully completing all the 3 umrahs and hiking up Mount Nur with zest.

Doraemon!

Family potrait up in Mount Nur.

Trongs and trongs of people flood the Masjid for Friday prayers. We had to sit with the congregation outside the Masjid.

The beast that was a mode of transportation for Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.

Time to reflect

Alhamdulillah we went and came back safely from our Umrah trip. The kids got off school for a week for this amazing trip. It was a planned trip but i didn't realise that this trip, which was by far the most wonderful and undescribable one, slowly changed me for the better. In Shaa Allah, I hope to maintain all that is good and be an even better person in the eyes of Allah. 

I'll post photos of my trip soon. I'm now compiling a hard cover Photobook, hoping to get it in 2 weeks time... till then, he's a sneak preview of our Umrah trip.

A new phase of our lives

We'll be beginning a new chapter in a new home come early 2013.

Allah answered my prayers for things to reveal one at a time. Enough for me to handle... and this led me to make a decision to sell my first home. Though it may be small and close to a Hindu temple, it is still our first home after we got married.

With the help of my good buddy cum agent, we finally got our dream house. It's a little out of our initial budget but it is everything that i had wanted and hoped for in a house. Alhamdulillah, the Muslim owner wanted to sell to a Muslim. I pray that we get the same barakah living in the house as much as the currentbfamily does.  :)

Now our home loan is in the process of approval while i flipped through one of my favourite mags, IKEA!!

Till then, i'll slowly update the ongoings... welcome back, Mama!!!!

I'm BACKKK!!!!!!! With good news!

Muahahahahahahaha..!

Seems like i'm playing hide and seek with my blogspot... truth is, i've been extremely busy... at work and at home.

Good news to share... and i mean really good news.... :

1. Nurul got through the first GEP exams!!!! Alhamdulillah... it was unexpected... i kinda forgotten that she went through it in August. Then she returned home with the letter for the second GEP exams. She's one of the 7 in her class to receive it. *beaming mode* I mean, I'm terribly excited and proud of this... cos i know that i'm not smart and for her to get through this stage was a great blessing. I wish you all the best, sweetie! 

It's ok if you can't get through the second round... no pressure... (ahahah she was acrtually worried if she were to pass i'd send her to a different school... i told her not to think so far and take a step at a time...)

2. We are thinking of moving. Both locally and internationally. We submitted the forms for the first step to migration, that is, getting the qualifications accessed. Paid about $900 for the assesment including the certification by the lawyer. So now is waiting time...

Another waiting game is the ballotting for flat... we're hoping to move either to a larger house or a house nearer to the kids' school... resale or new. Gonna pray hard for this... results in Nov.

Orite fellas, till the next post.... i'm gonna watch Exorcism on Emily Rose on MIO....  :)

10th Anniversary at Amara

I said we should plan something for our 10th Anniversary... so I told Pa to to in-charge of this. He sure did!

He told me to pack some clothes but i told him to surprise me by packing so i couldn't second guess where we were headed to... On the day itself, he fetched, had lunch at Bedok Corner and taa-daaaaaa....! "Ma, we're not going home tonite...!" "Whueehh? Dun understand..." " We're gonna have a short time away from the kids...!"  :)

And so Amara Sanctuary it was. One night stay at its suite. Lovely Hotel.... used to be the brittish army barrack during the war. Tropical and very private setting... our suite came with a private jaccuzzi at the backyard. We got complimentary fruit pallate.... very sweet berries.

And so the photos speak for themselves....