What People Think

A friend from the very old old days contacted me today, out of the blue. A little awkward conversation at first not only because the wifi connection was in a poor quality but also because the last conversation we had probably about 20 years ago !! However of course we are friends on my "not very active" FB and recently he found me on instagram.

After a while the conversation flowed a little bit better. Interesting to know how he is after all this time. He told me that my voice sounded the same, always have a fun and happy vibrant. That I always looked happy, sounds cheerful, seems never have any problem or burden in life.  And that my photos on instagram were beautiful, representing my happiness and calmness.

It is not true, of course, because there is no perfect life where a person can be happy all the time.  But it is not surprising. I am not a person who like to update my status on socmed very often, or share what I feel and what I am doing every second to the world. I also very reluctant to share my problem and pour my heart to people I barely know. Having to say that this old friend does not really know me, but it is good to know that people think I am a happy person - which I always wanted to be. And it feels good to know that other people can feel happy when they look at my pictures !

I will continue to be who i am. 😊

Bug Jar

Just recently bought this for Evan. A bug jar. :)

I am not a fan of bugs, but the jar is very cute and has a lady bug on the lid, I couldn't resist it.  And of course it would be interesting to shoot the bug closely from the jug later on for my macro photo practice.

Now we have it ready in the house, ready for a new home for any bug that would be lucky enough move to this lovely jar.

Evan was actually fond to lizards, and want a small lizard to be put in the jar !!
Big No No, of course ! :)

We tried to find lady bug or little cricket yesterday but had no luck. It's the weather, i guess. Seems is very hard to find bugs lately.

We'll see what we can find and hopefully I'll brave enough to put it in the jar. :)

Full Time

Now it's finally the time, ... when I have to go back to work full time!

Now I know how it feels to be a full-working mum. Even though I was on casual in the last 6 months, working full time is nothing like casual. It means more responsibility, more work hours, more work to do, more 'real work', but also means more pay.

It seemed hard to find time for myself when I was a stay home mum, and you can imagine, now is even harder. The biggest dilemma was sending Evan to school and day care all day, 5 day a week. I only see him in the morning between 7-8.30, and in the evening between 5pm-8.30pm. So little time. And most of the time when I see him is for rushing to go out the house, or rushing to have dinner and then bed. Not a very quality time at all. Like most people said, I'm lucky if I could spend time with my kid. I understand it now. If I didn't work, at least I can spend time with Evan after he finish school.

But opportunity to work full time doesn't come anytime. I have the chance to take it now, and it might be the time for me to take another step. The workplace is family friendly and so far they understand when I have to run around for Evan.

In a way is good. I enjoyed the work, colleagues, gained new experience, knowledge, and skills.  Hope will be good for my future career when we are moving back to the mainland.

But in the other way, it's hard to make time for myself and family. Life is so busy and always in a rush. House chores is always waiting, never have enough time to do everything. Hard to be active in social media anymore. :D I almost give up Instagram, just have no time to edit photos. Photography also neglected. My everyday photo project for this year is not doing good. Too many days has gone without me documented it. Not to mention my other passion like reading, painting, crocheting, etc etc...

It's been a month since I started full time work (started 2 April). And I still have to get used to the rhythm. Trying hard to juggle my time between work, house chores, spend times with the boys, keep in touch with family and friends, and trying to still exist in Blog, Path, Facebook, Instagram. :D:D. 24 hours is not enough!!  But I still believe that things happened for a reason. So I'll be hanging here, working hard, trying hard, and treasure every little moment I have.

Little Thing

This little thing has finally arrived today !!

They said it's a smart phone who is very user friendly. This little thing is so smart it can do anything, and supposed to make our life easier.

But OMG ! After using nokia for so long, may take a while until I mastering the use of this little thing!

Totally excited. I'm sure this little thing will slowly change my daily routine. To be better I hope.

Can't wait !

little corner

My poor old laptop is working hard since its screen fixed and my 'shooting' become more frequent than ever. However the poor battery didn't last long and its now broken again. So poor sitobi has to be plugged to the electricity socket to make it alive. Not too convenient to work with sitobi on my laps with adapter and cable attached. Sometimes it sits on the dining table, and it got a little food and drink spill.

Recently hubby brought home a small display table, that he think I can use! It is not a perfect desk, but it actually suit Sitobi well, and good enough for me to do my 'silly' work while Evan is playing near. Finally I have my own 'work' space, and of course this simple-little corner become my favorite spot in the house. :)

work!

First day at work. To my surprise, it feels normal. Things look familiar. Boring meeting, computer, work email, data base, pile of paperwork, all were slowly get back to my mind. Day one, as usual, not many things to do. I just tried to get on to the system, and absorb people's names, the places to get this and that, and all the information and knowledge about my work. So far so good.

It is so close to home, so that I could come home for lunch.

My boss vaguely asked if I wanted to do more hours. I am not sure, it's too sudden if I do it everyday. To shocking. Maybe too tiring as I will need to do house chores too.

I'll see how I go and feel next week.

something new

OMG,.... I just got a job!

It's quite a shock! I didn't expect to get the job this quick, so I am now still startle in disbelief.
The process was rather unique too. I went to the church alone last Sunday. I had a chance to talk with the Brother, Father, and other people. One of them was the lady who apparently a finance Manager and looking for assistant. It was just out of the blue she gave me her name card and said to email her my contact details. So I did. She replied by saying to email her my resume, which then I did. I met her and her director today, and that's it. I got hired!

I have mix feeling about this. Mostly excited. But also a little nervous thinking that I've been absence from work force for 4 years, my brain full of what to cook today, photos, IG, and Evan's songs! And I got the feeling they have high expectation on me (*oh no!) Also thinking how will I juggle my time between work and house work, taking care Evan, and doing my own thing (photos taking, IG, blog, etc) without getting too tired and irritated.

It will be only 2 days a week, the days when Evan is in the childcare. So I will not have 'peaceful' time when doing house chores anymore. And it will be in a finance department, the area I never officially worked for, even though I might worked on some of the finance work in the past. So things will be interesting, new, and challenging.

I'll start next week, wish me luck!

Today

Had a quiet morning when the boys off the house for work and daycare. Got the books out of the boxes - finally! Tidy and washed the dishes, IG-ing, and it was suddenly 11am! And I had plenty more to do!

So I got out the house, walked down to the main street. Nice and cool breeze. I walked as I also chatted to my mum on my mobile! :) She said I should be healthier that I am now walk more, which probably right. I went to chemist to get antihistamine, went to 3 stores to find floating ring for Evan. Walked back, got in to a butcher shop, got out with 3 kg chicken and bacon. I walked up the hill back to the house, exhausted and hungry. It was 12 pm.

Made my lunch : double portion of Mie Sedap with diced tomatoes and celery.
Had my lunch whilst checking and replying emails and (of course)IG-ing. An hour past, I washed the dishes and back hit the road - walked down to the supermaket. Brought back milk and juice - total 4 litre, and fruits and vegies with total 4 kg. I walked up to the house totally worn out.

Then I harvested basil leaves from the garden for dinner tonight. I suddenly feel a bit fresh from the freshness and the smell of the leaves.

I sat down in from of Sitobi, wrote this blog, chatted away on YM, and it's 3pm. Maybe it's my time to had my nana nap! Or no, I better sweep the floor, made up Evan's bed, have shower, and cook dinner! (*sigh*)

And the work continues when the boys come home. Never never ending....

Got to Start!

Omg!! I miss writing ! It feels like years since i wrote something worth reading! Been a long time since i poured my heart to the world !

Life been busy, like always. But my recent addiction to this tiny apps on the ipod is not helping at all. Yes, Instagram, has taken almost all of my spare time, which we are all now, I have not much spare time.

It invades my life just like that. From morning till i lay down in bed again at night. I took pictures whenever - wherever i go, obsessed to get magical n amazing shots, uploaded and edited them (this take up most of the time), posted them, checked the likes, replied comments, checked other people feeds, likes them, commented on their post, and so on and so on, ....... never ending. Pheeuwwhhh...

In the other hand and perspective, hubby doesn't mind if it keeps me feel happy. And I do look happier, he said. I didn't really care much and stress about house chores, which is good for him :D How amazing is it ?!

Mind you I'm not too popular in instagram world. I meant I don't have thousands of follower or get more than 200 likes every time. I just like to take picture, share, and maybe curious of what people might think. Just for fun.

However, though, I realize there's lot of other thing need to be done. I didn't do much since I got back from my 6 weeks holiday in Jakarta. I need to go back in the right track. It's like go back to my book, my crochet, my blog, concentrate on things to do for moving out and the most important thing is make an effort to toilet training my boy!! Its been delayed, not only because he doesn't show that he is ready, but also maybe I'm not ready too. But it's important that he is off nappy before we move out in july.

So i got to start .. basically, now!!

First thing first : reduce tapping instagram apps on my ipod :(

*sigh....*

*cayooo* :D :D

erhhm....btw, here is my instagram feed ;p ;p

Hello from Jakarta

There's so many things I wanted to write, but as usual, doesn't have enough time and energy! I don't mean to make this blog to be a photo blog with simple one or two words each posting, but this is what I can do at least to keep the memories going and recorded. I still believe it's better than nothing. One day I will still be able to see what has happened and gain the memories back from those photos and tell my son the stories behind the photos. But I'm sure I will be back in writing lots of words one day.

I am now in Jakarta with Evan until early March. We are surely have a great fun. Evan got spoiled with all the attention, toys, train, food, and malls. I got spoiled by doesn't have to cook for the whole 6 weeks, went to salon, meeting old friends, and eat all great Indonesian food.
I need to make the best to not spend too much in the mall, which is quite hard to do!

The only thing I missed the most from Perth is the big boy.... See u in March, dear ! :)

Recap 2010

Accomplishment and the highlight of year 2010 :

i started crafting again. Learned crochet, made a little amigurumi, and determine to finish the blanket. Still working on it, slowly but surely.

Started watch more movies and read book.

Watched a lot of movies on dvds and sbs tv channel.

Read one book (only!)

has survived all seasons in Perth.

Despite of the bugs for months in winter,

we were officially lived in our new house for one year last october,

and still alive.

Did not travel this year.

Instead, hosted lots of guests since april. Parents, parents in law, liam, sister, and a friend.

Has joined a multicultural women's group and gained bit of more knowledge eventhough i rarey attend the meeting

had finally meet indonesian people live in the neigbourhood. They are many of them!

started to make time just for the two of us. Me and Hubby.

It was just started since November. Hope to become a monthly routine.

Evan started childcare.

Despite all the bugs he gets from the childcare, he also gets a lot of improvement in any skills which I am happy about.

I posted 12 more blogs in 2010 than in 2009

Blessed 2011

It's a new year again.
as usual, i don't have any resolution.

But I have a lot of wishes

that life is going to be easier
that i will have some time for myself
that i can be more creative
that i can make some dollars
that i can make friends
that everybody in the family are well, healthy, and happy
that i can be a better wife and mum

may all of my wishes for this year come true

coincidence or what ?

it's hard to believe... but it happened.

Yesterday I found a $20 note on the ground, lying nicely between plants at the corner of our front yard.

Last weekend, hubby found $20 note on the front yard when he was mowing the lawn.

It's very strange considering we never experience things like this before.

Is it by coincidence these notes flew to my front lawn because of the 'king money frog' i bought two weeks ago???


let's hope more dollars coming to our door from now on :)

Sigh

Just when I told the whole world that i would make my ME time more happily and freely as the little one was happy to go to school,... it happened again. My ME time is gone, not happening. It's a false alarm! The series of sickness came back and didn't stop. And so the old story linger. Sleepless nights, lots of laundry (from vomits), lots of medicines, lots of doctor trips, plus the boy had to not go to school. I was drained and exhausted again.

The boy was diagnosed as having pneumonia about a month ago, after series of flu he had. The doctor confirm he had mid pneumonia after he had his chest x-ray taken. Since then he had lots and lots of antibiotics. The pneumonia has completely gone now. The last chest x-ray taken last week made sure it's clear.

However, somehow he keeps getting bugs. I guess that's his favourite activity at the moment. Collecting bugs from others (*sigh*)... Doctor trips is most common thing in our daily life now. We visited doctor almost twice a week in the last 3 months.

Doctors and many people said that it's very common that toddler get sick all the time once they go to childcare/school. It's actually good to expose them to all the germ and bugs at this age, so they will build their immune system by the time they go to real school. Doctor said I should expect the boy to get sick for a year. Let him get to know to all the bugs in every season. Once he get one bug he will be immune from the same bug. And that I should keep taking him to childcare.

The thought that he would build the immune system was good. But to see him sick, it was heart breaking. And the most sadness thing is that I still can not find my freely happily ME time.

At the moment the boy is down with diarrhea. Just after his thrush and cold vanished. What a hard world I live in now...... (*long long sigh*)

So you all now know why I dont blog as often as before, and that I still had to put down all my plan (*another long sigh*)

Happy Evan, Happy Me

Evan has been attending "school" for almost a month now. In between, he had to absence twice due to illness. For the first two weeks he held my hands so tight and I had to stay with him a while before I said goodbye and left. Of course then he cried.

The next two weeks he seems started to understand that I was going to leave him there. Although he seemed happy to go to school, never have trouble in getting him inside, he still held my hands tight. I tried to not stay too long. When I said that I need to leave now and will be back and pick him up in the afternoon, he cried, but released my hand!

So he always in tears everytime I left him, which breaks my hearts, even though the teachers said he got easily calmed down. At first I picked him up around 3pm, then gradually longer and longer, and last time I picked him up at 5pm.

But this week, on Tuesday, I took him to the outdoor area where the other children already there and played. He went straight to a ball and kicked it, he wasn't holding my hand! I talked to a teacher for while, then I said to Evan, "bye, Evan".. and surprisingly, he looked at me for one second, then waved bye bye, then ran off to the playground!!!!

Oh my oh my....I amazed!

And it happened again today.

I know that he is happy to be at school now. He must like the place, the teachers, the toys, the acticity, etc. I am very happy to see him happy. His tears might be the cause of me not being too comfortable doing things while he is at school. Deep down in my mind I was a liiiiiitle bit worried about him. Now that I know he is happy there, I am also ready to do other things happily while he is at school as my mind would be a little bit in peace. I have a few plans in mind. ;p

notes: the picture was made in the "school" for Father's Day.

sicko

It finally got me. I was being so confident when Evan was sick last week that I kindly accepting all of his sloppy snotsy kisses. Completely forgot about all the germs that might got into me, and didn't bother to take vitamins. Btw, he likes to kiss my lips recently! (Don't know where that coming from...) Then one day I woke up with terrible sore throat. Yes, the flu was finally got me, and I must got it from the little boy! I've heard lots of stories that you can get sick from your sick kids. But that never happened to me until last week. and this time the flu is really really bad. I didn't remember when the last time i felt this sick. Within a day my voice started to break and had runny nose. The next day i couldn't talk at all. I lost my voice. The next day my voice was better then I started coughing... and coughing... and coughing. It was terrible!!! Antibiotics seems to work very slow in my body. The day I couldn't talk, had no choice but to whisper. By no means, Evan started copying me, then hubby did the same. So we are all whispering to each other! One lesson to learn : stay away from the kid when he is sick! which of course I can't! So another lesson to learn : do not forget to boost myself with vitamin C and plenty of good night sleep when Evan is sick.

Update 1 september 2010
Both evan and i still sick. Evan's cough got worse last weekend so i had to take him to doctor and he is on antibiotic now. So sad seeing him coughing so hard and unable to sleep well. :( sadly of course it effecting me too. I have to give him full attention 24 hours, alas, me too had sleepless night and overly tired during the day. Not helping my recovery at all. I had visited 2 doctors and swallowed 2 different antibiotics for 3 weeks, still not getting better. Starting to get upset!!! I'm so sick of being sick. I need to be well to take care the boys!! And the little boy need to get well too for crying out loud.....

This and That

Lately....

* I finally finished Mao's Last Dancer, amazed with the author's life journey, I am now longing to watch the movie.

* started to read Perahu Kertas - and fall in love once again with Dee and indonesian 'sastra' world. I read until 3am last night and can't wait to read again tonight. Yes, have to wait to read because it's on my ipod. As you know, I can't use my ipod when the little Evan is around (*sigh*)

* still making squares.... it comes to 14 squares now...

* i baked cookies for the first time since we are back in australia

* went to salon to have a hair cut. Last hair cut was in Jakarta, a year ago.

* i made two new chicken dishes that were successfully accepted by the boys. They were chicken grill and tom yum sauce chicken.

* I got a 'me' time in the middle of the week and on the first day of the week.... that was because hubby was at home... not working on work days...

* I and Evan have spent more times with hubby around, since he had day off work for the whole week, which was great.

* evan like to ask for tissues to wipe everything he thinks are dirty. His own hands, mouth, table, and the other night he couldn't stop wiped his dad's face, tried to get rid of the unshaven beard. He thinks it was dirt!

* i started to read Evan a book before bed. He loves this new routine. sometimes he wants to read two books.:)

* Evan is getting better in building Lego and blocks. He made lots of interesting building. Photos to come.

* Evan was saying grace before dinner. Well, not exactly... but he followed what i and hubby doing, close eyes and close our hands together. He did it with smile, sometimes he close his eyes too, sometimes looking at us and smile whilst his hand holded together in front of his chest... ;p We didn't asked him to do that, he just followed what we did ! Soooo cute :)

* Has been telling Evan over and over, that he is going to school every Tuesday and Thursday... and that he will have fun playing with new toys with friends and teachers, and that I will not always be there, but always will be back and pick him up in the afternoon. Not sure if he understand....

* Evan started to sleep through the night ... finally! So I was able to sleep through the night too, but alas, still have not enough sleep, as I was too excited to read a book or crochet-ing, or ipod-ing.

* i think my little boy is the cutest boy in the world.

* almost fed up with winter.

* just realised that today-last year was the day we landed our feet in Aussie. We were in Sydney, though.

Si Ipin

Introducing si Ipin, my new toy.

It is no doubt fun and addictive. Enough to distract me from reading, blogging, crocheting, and cleaning! Even little Evan got his eye on it all the time. It's quite amazing to see how he use it. He knows how to unlock, find his games folder, and play his games one by one over and over, at his age!

Although i still have to use my multitasking E71 most of the time, mainly because I cant use it peacefully when Evan is around, this new toy has brighten our family's day. So, thank you, mr Bams, for the nice surprising gift. :)

Little Treat Of The Day

My sister in Jakarta told me about a korean children cartoon series called Pororo, which she said it's cute and funny. Her 12 months' son likes it, then she bought one for Evan. Unfortunately it can't be played on our dvd player. So he didn't watched it until about 3 weeks ago when I found out it can be played on our computer.

By surprise, he loves it! He can sit and watch for more than half hour. More surprisingly he can laugh, squeal, yell and point while watching. He was really watching, with full attention and emotions! Another milestone, yet another problem and dilemma.

Lately he went straight to computer room after bed, and turn the computer on by himself, then insisted to sit there watching pororo. If he gets restless and difficult I'll say 'you can watch pororo after this' , and he will settle down.

Not that I like him to sit in front of computer monitor for hours, but I can have lot of things done during those peaceful time. When everything's done, I can sit with him and browse the internet on the other window - in peace as well. He didn't let me type on the keyboard, but it's fine!

Misery

Bad back pain, bad waist pain, bad headache, nausea, bloated tummy, sore tummy, lack of energy, over exhausted, swing mood. Unfortunately I have to face this every 2 weeks, about a week before the 'M' day.

All of those changes in my body practically will lead to my daily activities, because basically I wouldn't feel well and my stamina gradually dropped. I would not be interested in doing anything, very easy to get angry, would get furious from simple little problem, everybody - everything seems to be annoying, everything seems wrong.

I don't choose to feel like that. The truth is I really really hate it. I hate women's hormones and how it can cause me misery. But maybe people surround me hating me more for my bad mood and attitude during those period.

Poor Evan have to deal with me during this period, of course he doesn't stop annoying me. Anybody, better leave me alone. don't annoy me!