Get Glowing

My mother recently commented that my kulit muka ada nampak 'glowing' akhir2 ini. Saya berasa happy (sedikit, tak banyak) dengan komen itu kerana saya agak risau dengan complexion saya dua tiga menjak ini. Saya bukanlah seperti kebanyakkan wanita lain seusia yang pergi menjalani sesi 'facial' dan rawatan kecantikan wajah di salon2. Ini kerana kulit muka sensitif saya ini tidak boleh menerima sembarangan produk. Bila saya sebut sembarangan janganlah anda fikir saya nak yang mahal2 saja. I mean that my skin is mostly allergic to certain ingredients yang ada pada produk kecantikan. Tak kira lah mahal ke murah. Saya kelihatan seperti memakai topeng tebal usai setiap sesi facial. Kerana kulit muka saya akan membengkak dengan hebatnya dan terasa panas banget. Oleh itu, tak semua products saya dapat cuba try test. Tak kira lah mahal atau murah, kalau tersalah pakai azab jawabnya.

But it doesn't help my skin lah kan, jadinya kulit saya semakin hari semakin kusam, tak bermaya dah tak 'cun' langsung lah kiranya. Tetapi, sebulan yang lepas saya ada mencuba product jenama Dermalogica. I decided to try it out oleh kerana tak tahan dengan kondisi kulit saya. Sebelum ini saya tak terdetik mahu mencubanya, tetapi sebulan lalu saya tekad. Alhamdulillah, my skin reacted well to the products. At first ada sedikit rengsaan selepas pemakaian mask tetapi setelah seminggu apabila kulit mula 'hydrated', tiada masalah lagi.

Here's a pic of me. Abaikan eyebrow yang semak tak terurus. I will have to make a date with my sis babes to head to that threading salon in Bangsar (anda tahu tempat yang lebih dekat kawasan Shah Alam or Subang, do tell me ya).

Inilah hasil pemakaian Dermalogica after a month. Maaflah, tiada gambar yang lebih molek. Gambar makeupless ini sahaja yg ada. Bolehlah ye.

Thank you Dermalogica. I am using the Special Cleansing Gel, Daily Microfoliant, Soothing Protection Spray, Skin Smoothing Cream, Multivitamin Power Recovery Mask dan Solar Defence Booster spf 30. Oh, I need to find eye serum tapi kena hati2 beli yang tidak akan menyebabkan mata saya bengkak. Susah lah sensitive skin ni kan.

Haiihhh, dah masuk mid thirties ni we actually have to work on looking good. Bothersome but well..... apa nak buat. Kalau tak nanti mengadap cermin rasa menyampah pula ;p

Pantai Teluk Lipat

Pantai Teluk Lipat locality is in Sura Hujung, Dungun Terengganu. It has more than 7km of pristine white sand beach. Though it is not recommended for swimming (u go to Teluk Bidara for that), it is a good place for sea fishing. However, the panorama and breezy peacefulness makes it a perfect spot for relaxing, enjoying nature's bounty or a picnic. The beachfront is clean and there are also dedicated space to play beach volleyball. The area has been spruced up much to my delight. Let's menjamu mata with some piccies I took of the beach loved by the folks of Dungun.

The kiddos enjoying the open air and the ocean breeze.

Baby Azan was ecstatic under the shade of casuarina trees, with the wind whistling sweetly.

Hunting for 'treasure' perhaps?

The G.E.N.G. The A Team. Ammar, Alissa, Azfar & Adam. 3 remaining members not depicted, Airil, Amirul and Azan of course.

Mr. Ako at peace with the sea, away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Away from stress and deadlines and endless meetings. A little escapade back to his hometown seem to lift up his spirits several notches.

Coudn't take them swimming as it's Ramadhan, but they make do with the visits to the beach where they get to play a little with the sand and run around carefree.

My Adam enjoys his own company, he's like his Mummy that way ;)

The stretch of beach of Pantai Teluk Lipat, the blue sea and sky yonder brings tranquility to the weary soul.

Beach volleyball anyone? No takers huh during Ramadhan.

Fishing boats passes frequently along the shores lending a picturesque image that etched to one's memory.

Kalau bukan musim puasa, sambil beriadah di Pantai Teluk Lipat, anda boleh menikmati keropok lekor, sata, otak-otak dan gorengan yang lain yang banyak terdapat di sini. Seronok kan? Ha, apa lagi.... JOm ke DungUn ;p

Terengganu is Cool, If u say No then u r a Fool :p

The superheroes were ecstatic when they hear about the trip back to Terengganu. They were eager be back in their Aki and Nenek's home. Eager to breathe in the salty air by the beaches, to feel the breeze in their faces. Excited at the prospect of immeasurable amount of play time open to them in the vast expanse of Aki's front yard. Oh there were many reasons indeed why they were happy to head back. Let me show you the chronology of events they enjoyed in the last trip back east.

First,

they could step down to Aki's front yard the moment they wake up from sleep and be greeted by the positive aura that radiates from the sun rising up from the horizons.

Second,

come nighttime, they were happy to play with paper lanterns, which Mommy then helped put up in the trees so they have a sort of Xmas tree

Third,

as it's Ramadhan, Daddy brought them to Bazaars around town and also as far as Chabang Tiga in Kuala Terengganu where there were bountiful of yummy east coast delicacies and sweet dessert treats

Fourth,

they get to rest and relax by the pool in some new boutique hotel resorts, even when they did not check in into the hotel :p

Fifth,

they get to play by the beachfront of the clean and beautifully serene Pantai Teluk Lipat which is just a stone throw's away from their Aki's house

Sixth,

they get to 'pau' Daddy to buy 'em toys from Toys 'R' Us even though it's a balik kampung trip, at Mesra Mall Kemasik which is near to Kerteh where Daddy first met Mummy ;p

Seventh,

they get to ponteng puasa and eat at Burger King Mesra Mall, where they wallop burgers and fries and drink icy drinks in front of Abg Q who puasa without fail, but did not marah them for eating in front of him

Eighth,

they get to visit the breathtakingly beautiful Pantai Kemasik and pose with Mommy under the blazing sun but tak panas because there was a strong breeze going on

Ninth,

they get to test out the cool new play area constructed at the recreation park by Kemasik Beach under the blazing sun where Mommy didn't mind at all as there was a strong breeze going on :D

Tenth,

they get to ride on the scooter with Aki where they take turns zooming zippily around while shrieking their heads off every other time.

Okay, those are just 10 reasons. There were many others that make them happy but I think the happiest reason is that they get to play with their cousins and spent time with their grandparents at the place where Daddy grew up in. Na na na na na Teranung Kite!!!

Selamat Pagi, Wotcha Doing?

Good Morning! Third day of Puasa and this is the day when your body had adjusted to the new dining time. Also the day when the body feel energized instead of lethargic. The day when you say Let's Go! instead of Go Slow! Ngeehhhhh.... kan?

I was practically hopping around like an Energizer Bunny, and snapped the kiddos pics just as they woken up from sleep. Haaa... buat apa lepas bangun tido pagi2 ni boys???

Adam dok berguling atas katil, cuddling dgn daddy dia. Ish, manja tak habis Abg Chik ni.

BabyAzan sebok dok godek computer daddy kat atas side table tepi katil. Dia nak blogging kot?

Q serious lagi pepagi, bangun terus main PS2. Game Harry Potter kot. Abg Long tak nak mandi dulu ke?

Ammar pun serious main Nintendo DS. Ish Ish, boys and their gadgets and games. Neverending. Abg Ngah, jom la mandi. Kita nak balik kampung hari ni......

Okies folks. We will be off to Terengganu today! Will get online from time to time ok. Have a great day ahead ya ;)

To the sea to the sea

To the sea we shall be

Cozy

Oh tee hee hee.

My honey is back :D

Kids are asleep.

Yayyy, we have some rare alone time.

But we are watching dvd lah, don't get me wrong ;)

So nice.

Dari Anjung Belakang Pn. Ros

Buka Puasa at my parents' place last night minus the hubster... sob sob. He He. Tonight pun tak dapat berbuka with Mr. Ako as he will only be arriving at the airport around 10 pm. Sigh... Well, work is work is work I guess. Nevertheless, it was a fun affair @ my mom's! We had dinner at the back patio, so it was open air and nice and breezy and we could hear the Azan berkumandang loud and clear from the nearby mosque :)

First day of Buka Pose tak boleh beli from Bazaar Ramadhan. That's my mom's rule dari dulu. All home cooked lah. Tak ada masaalah di situ sebab semua orang pun suka masakan emak kan? And next week we will be heading back to my hubby's hometown, so merasalah masakan bonda hubby pulak. Best best. Masakan saya bilakah? Alah, tak ada apa yang istimewa - nanti saya akan fikirkan menu masa turn saya host buka pose nnt. Wanna join?

Ammar, my sis babes and Q waiting patiently (impatiently) for Iftar. Q tu dah siap senduk nasik tu... but he's a good boy. Started fasting since he was 5 and I never had a problem waking him up for Sahur/Sehri/Suhoor. My Ammar pulak a different story. He had been talking about 'nak puasa' for months and when the time comes, nak bangun sahur pun tak nak! Tapi masa siang hari he makes a conscious effort not to makan sampai noon. But bab minum dia tak boleh tahan. Tak apa, will take it slow with him. We will continue to pujuk him. Mmg betul orang bilang, lain anak lain perangainya ;)

Alhamdulillah ke atas rezeki! And thanks Mom for the lauk pauk yang sedap2. Hari ni kami datang lagi okay... Oh hari ni boleh beli kat Bazaar Ramadhan ;) Nak cari Kueh apa ye today?

Very yummy pudding, but saya tak sempat jamah. Perut the very kenyang and I am making the effort to eat moderately ;) Okay folks, ta raa for now luvvies......

Kickin' Shrimp, Ribs To Die For & My Boyfriend Edward Cullen

Sorry peeps, supposedly I meant to post this entry last night after enjoying a girls' day out with my sis Babes, but I was distracted. Nak tau distracted kerana apa? Edward Cullen. Ha ha ha.... I forced my sister to watch Twilight as it's utterly ridiculous that she restrained herself from watching it. Refusing, as she claimed, to be sucked in the Twilight frenzy. I mean, for heaven's sake, NEW MOON is coming out in November. That soon. And she tak tgk Twilight lagi. Yeah, I know. Utterly Ridiculous. Sebab tu last night I told her, "Babes, you and I must meet Edward Cullen tonight. We have a date with him". Ngeeehhhh. And when all the kiddos were asleep, we put on the cd. And what do you think? Yeah, of course she was hooked!!! Malas la nak cakap I Told Ya, kan?

And yes, we had a great outing. We enjoyed a last lunch together before Ramadhan @ Tony Roma's.

The Awesome Kickin' Shrimp. Makan appetizer je dah kenyang. Cemana la tu?

Babes had the Bountiful Ribs. She loved it. Check out Babes wearing Tony Roma's Bib. Well, as I am trying to lose weight (please, give me motivation folks!), I had the chicken salad (not featured here).

Oh oh, Mr. Ako will be off to KT soon :( Tak dapat berbuka puasa sama2 on the first of Ramadhan this year. Takpelah, redha. Will be breaking fast @ my parents' InsyaAllah. Selamat Menjalankan Ibadah Berpuasa to all my Muslim readers. Semoga bulan ini kita manfaatkan sepenuhnya, InsyaAllah.

Pssstttt... dah fikir ke nak berbuka apa hari ni? ;)

N95 For RM5

Managed to get the N95 masks for RM 5 each at Be Pharmacy Taman Subang Perdana U6 Shah Alam.

As can be seen from the picture above, my Q wears his N95 mask even when he is reading the newspaper in the car. Talk about being 'skema'. Have u gotten your masks? I'm sure you have. Ok peeps, I'm off to pay some bills, with my N95 mask fitted on my face. I look like an Optimus Prime wannabe, but no matter ;-)

Makang Tupak Sutong Seperiuk, That's Ma Hubble Bubble

Ketupat Sotong, or fondly known as Tupak Sutong is an east-coast delicacy loved by many. Mr. AKo is partial of this dish. Kalau nak tengok dia makan seperiuk, give him Tupak Sutong. After many hints by him, I finally summoned enough 'vitamin rajin' to prepare him this dish. Have you ever tried it?

You would need to rendam the beras pulut for about half an hour and then you must kukus the pulut separuh masak. Then you need to mix it well with santan with a dash of salt.

You would need them squids obviously. Clean them and buang the kulit. After that, sumbat the pulut dalam the sotong about three quarters penuh. Semat the hujung with lidi so the pulut will not terburai keluar. Masak the sotong sumbat with more santan.

Aaaannnnddd, don't forget to put in the bawang, halia and halba.

Haaaa.... like this lah rupa dia tengah masak atas dapur. Bau dia sedap, creamy la kan plus bau halba tu. Don't forget a sprinkle of salt okay.

Ta Daaaa..... dah siap untuk dihidangkan. And I'm not kidding you, memang Mr AKo makan habis seperiuk Tupak Sutong tu :)

This is how we look when we dine out - RAMAI

Kasi tempek gambar makanan sikit, bagi nafsu naik. Ha ha. Ramadhan is just around the corner guys, peeping at us. Tak lama lagi ada Bazaar Ramadhan merata. Ayam Percik, Popia Basah, Bubur Lambuk, Kuih Pelita, Lamb Kebab dan macam macam lagi akan menghiasi our dining table masa berbuka puasa. Buffet Ramadhan sana sini. Moreh di masjid lagi. Wah wah wah... Takpe takpe, asalkan amalan-amalan kebaikan juga kita usaha lipatgandakan, ye dak? As long as there's balance people... heh heh!

Pasta Al-Fungi

Aglio Olio

That's us that's us... me and ma boys and Suadah @ PastaMania Aeon Bukit Tinggi yesterday.

While we were eatin' and drinkin' an bein' merry, Baby Azan was happily playing with a bottle of mineral water. Ahhhh, good boy. Perangai yang tidak complex beginilah yang Mommy suka... Ala la la shayang busyukk... Lain kali boleh bawak pegi majlis ;)

For The Love Of Shoes

A woman can't have too many shoes. Ah-Hah. Absolutely true, don't you think? I have yet to find a woman who doesn't care much about shoes. Maybe they care a little less, but not entirely so. I mean, who can resist really, with all the drool-worthy shoes on display, rows upon glorious rows? It's enough to get us girls salivating.

These shoes shown here are my favourites. What makes them worthy of that title? Let's find out why shall we....

My black velvet Bally pumps with diamante chain. This is a favourite because it's my HANTARAN shoes folks! I used to be a size 5 so I cannot wear them anymore. My feet expanded to a size 6 when I was pregnant with my eldest and stayed a size 6 until now. I remembered walking along Oxford Street in London with my hubby (then boyfriend) hunting for the perfect shoes for hantaran purposes. And walllaaaa..... I love this shoes even now. Mmmuaahhhsss

My Italian sweetheart, I love you so my darling. How can I explain my love affair with this pair? My super sexy super comfy Bruno Magli. Bought when hubby and I were in Milan for business (plus pleasure) trip. It was love at first sight and even more love when I slipped my feet into it, fits like a glove.

View from the back

Side view.. ha ha ha... melampau I ni kan ;) But memang nothing can beat Italian shoes la.

Oh how can I ever stop loving this shiny hot pink peep toe wedgies? The colour, the cut and style I love to death. Even more memorable because I bought it at Stradivarious in Dubai while I was holidaying with my sister ;) This honey is fun and oh so very girly.

Current favourite when I'm out on a hot date (ha ha ha) with Mr Ako. Red patent peep toe sling backs that I bought on a discount! The colour is seriously sexy. So I feel sexier lah when I'm out on those hot dates with Mr Ako! *LOL LOL*

These two babies I have never worn before but they take pride of place in my favourite section also. I bought these from my sister's e-boutique (Not Frumpy, now known as SuperBaby e-boutique) when I was pregnant with BabyAzan thinking of wearing them after my confinement period. But alas, I found that they were a tad loose by the time I was finished with my confinement. I love them as I have bought 'em from my lil sis so I will keep them safe in their respective boxes forever.

This one here my friends, I bought from a shoe shop called Summit in Aeon Bukit Tinggi. Dirt cheap too! They have a really nice collection of shoes there at very affordable prices. I doubt that this will be kept for long by me. Bila habis I lenjan, Bye bye lah yang ni but for now - it is one of my current favourites. Selesa lah pulak and I like that it is super berkilat!!

I love shoes! I know you love them too!