'Cooking lesson'

Last FridayI was invited to give a simple 'cooking lesson' to Iki's class. Miss Desy said they were interested to Iki's lunch boxes. (Oh yes, I have to prepare simple healthy snack for Iki to bring to school, and papa-chan said that eventhough we live in Indonesia, I still have to make 'attractive' obento for Iki).

I taught the kids how to make cute shaped simple sandwich that day. Well, what else could I think of a preschooler could make easily in 30 minutes?!

I gave each kid two slices of bread and a wooden knife. I told them to cut off the bread's crust and they didn't find it difficult to do that.

Then they could spread some strawberry jam or peanut butter on their bread.

And made some shape. This part was fun. They got really excited and unfortunatelly almost everyone wanted to make heart and star shape sandwich with Thomas stamp on it. And those cute preschoolers were not patient enough to take turn. Some of them even ate their bread already haha!

Not bad, huh? They gave some of the sandwiches to the older students and the other teachers later on during the snack time. 

And here is the preschoolers with their 'cute' sandwiches

And this one is with their 'cute' Imoet :))

Make it Wednesday: Simple Mini Dress

At last I made my own dress for the 1960 - 1970's themed birthday party. It was the biggest sewing project for me so far! For a beginner like me, I really found it difficult to make even such a simple dress. I simply didn't have enough patience (>.<). During my dancing that night, I could feel some thread hanging from my lovely first hand made dress haha!! Oh well....

Valentine's Day

Iki had his first Valentine's celebration at school yesterday. He had to make cards for all the students at school. I helped him cutting the heart shapes colorful papers, he sticked some together and drew something on them. When he got home, he happily showed me his red box full of valentine's cards from the other children with some sweets too!

So when we got home, he wanted me to draw one big heart on a piece of paper. He said that he wanted to make something for papa. So I helped him cutting small paper hearts, and he did the rest of the job. He said that he didn't want to draw faces on that card, but wanted to write names, so I helped him writing what he wanted. 

Look at this. Isn't it beautiful? Papa-chan was really touched that he almost cried last night when Iki handed the paper to him.......

Meanwhile I baked this marsmallow chocolate cookie for everyone.

And this morning, Iki wanted me to cut a big heart shape paper. Then he was busy in his room and I was not allowed to enter it. He ended up bringing this with a very wide smile. "Happy Valentine, Mommy", he said. Oh God....I cried while hugging him. This is my very first card from my little boy too!!!! And he added, "I wrote 'I love Mommy, yo!" while pointing the bottom of the card. Isn't it very sweet???

This is the best Valentine's day, and I hope yours is as beautiful as mine too. Happy Valentine's day!

Make it Wednesday: Tissue box cover

Now that Iki goes to school three times a week, I have plenty of time for myself. I'm glad that I can join more activities here without feeling guilty of leaving Iki at home!

I decided that at least once a week, Wednesday, I will make something productive. Not only doing exercise, chatting and browsing the internet!

So this was what I made on my first 'free' Wednesday. Tissue box cover. It was very easy, and I could finish it just before it was time to pick Iki up at school!





Special thanks for Tomomi who sent me the fabrics and instructions!!

The Party

Last Saturday was the party. The birthday celebration for three of our friends, Jeff, Mike and Geoff. Thank you for the ideas, at last I came to the party with my handmade simple (not so) mini dress. I found the old fabric among my collections, must be from my mother in law. It is a very old fabric. I believe it was really from the 1960's from the smell hahaha!. I don't have boots, so I just wore my pink shoes. I used driving gloves (long ones, to slower my tanning process haha!) as an accesorries, plus a super hot pink wig I borrowed from Bobbie, Iki's school principal, at the last minute! Too bad I forgot my too big sunglasses, but I was pretty satisfied with my outfit :))

I don't have a picture of myself!! I can't believe it! Grrhh!! But I believe someone has, so I will post the picture later on.

But this is my lovely husband hahaha. We decided his costumes just 15 minutes before we left for the party. At first he wanted to go as a hippie with a borrowed red afro wig, but then he thought it would just be an ordinary outfit, so I offered him to wear my yukata. Indeed he was one of the center of attention that night, and he enjoyed it!!!

And these are the birthday boys:

And the audiences:

My pretty hubby then got wild and started to dance with the ladies. He surprisingly caught up with the steps pretty quick. Everyone laughed out loud and there were at least ten people asking me if he was too drunk already. He thought papa-chan was a serious person because he barely talk with everyone!! (ehm, he actually doesn't really talk because of his English level hihihi)

When he was getting hotter, he opened the top part of his yukata and dancing around. At the coffee morning this morning, the wives told me that they were enjoying the 'Geisha Porn' show that night LOL.

He also tried my pink wig

And Margie's hippie wig

He arrogantly challenged Matt

But (of course) was lost within 10 seconds

And still dared enough for a Judo. You could clearly see who the winner was!!

It was a great party. I never thought there would be such party in this far-away Sorowako. Everyone dressed up, and they all did look awesome!


Look, even little Iki also wanted to feel the party eventhough he must stay at home with 'bibik' :p





Thank you for the party ideas. Tomorrow I will ask little Iki to pick up the winner (^___^)

Nervous

Tomorrow will be Iki's first day at school. I've been nervous for the whole week, and today the feeling almost blew me out. Alright, I might be overreacting about this school thing, but I just can't help it. I keep thinking if Iki would be alright at school. Until now he's still a very shy and sensitive boy, eventhough he knows some of other kids he will see at the school later on. I'm so so worried of him (>.<).

Actually there's a school bus picking up all the children, but tomorrow I will send him to school by myself. I know my son, and he will definitely cry his lung out if I just send him off to the bus at his very first day. Anyway we talked a lot about school these past few weeks, about the fun he would find there, about the friends he will meet, the teacher, the toys. He seemed understand but at the end he always insisted that he wanted me to be there too (@_@).

I just finished preparing his backpack, and checked it again and again for at least three times. I baked mini muffins together with him today and he put some himself into his lunch box. I trained him a lot not to talk in Japanese to the teacher, to tell the teacher whenever he needs to go to the restroom, how to open and close his lunch box, where I put his clothes, sandals, etc etc etc etc ETC. Arggghhhhh I'm such a noisy mother!!! (>.<)

Tonight between my long speech to him about school during dinner time, he hugged me tightly, kissed my lips, and said "You are my Mommy, my taisetsu mono (my very important thing)". It was the sweetest thing my 3 years old son has ever said to me.



I'm very proud though, that this baby has grown up, was able to say such things, and will start going to school tomorrow. Yet I'm still nervous haha!

I don't think I could sleep peacefully tonight.....

60's or 70's fashion ideas

I NEED HELP!!!!!!

There will be this birthday party coming on Feb 7. Everyone coming must wear 60's or 70's costume!

Please give me some advices, considering we're living in this jungle, and buying things is impossible. I might have to sew the dress on my own, but I just can't think of any good ideas.

I have something for you who gives the best creative yet easy to make idea, which I will use to come to the party. I will send away MY handmade goodie (^_^)!! But since I'm running out of time, I could only wait for your ideas until Sunday, Jan 25.

So hurry up, think of something unique to help US, and to get my handmade goodie (^___^)v

In search of a good maid :p

I got a new maid now. She started working this morning. How did I manage to find a new maid within one week?!

I brought Iki last Wednesday to the routine boxercise with the wives neighborhood. and they asked me why. I explained them that I fired my maid and there was nobody taking care of him while I was away. Since then the news spread all over "maid network" and everyday some women came over to look for a job. I thought It would be difficult to find a new maid, but I was wrong!

I chose Christina to fill in the job. She is not young anymore, experienced, can cook well, great with children, speaks a little English (just in case Hiro wants to communicate with her), and can stay with us here.

I spent this whole day teaching her the way she should do the house chores here. Hopefully she could adapt well within few days.

I do hope I chose the right person :)

Not my day...

I got my left tummy ache in these past 4 days. The pain come and go so I didn't really pay attention on it. I was thinking to go to a doctor but I don't have maid now, and going to a hospital bringing Iki wouldn't be a good idea.

But yesterday evening the pain got worse. I told Hiro but then because I didn't cook, we went to Wet Monyet anyway for dinner. To my surprise, the pain was getting worse, and I couldn't walk anymore as we arrived home. Hiro was upset because I should have gone to the hospital earlier, for he's afraid if it was my appendices.

So he made me called the expat doctor at 9.30 pm yesterday, and he met me at the hospital not long after that. He checked me up, did some tests (vaginal, urine and pregnancy), and came to a conclusion that it was not my appendices (thank God), but that there's infection inside. He gave me antibiotics and pain killer, and asked me to give him a call in the morning again.

I felt better then. I still could feel the pain but it is not as painful as last night. I called the doctor and he said that I must finish the whole strip of the antibiotics and take a good rest for few days to recover from the bugs. The thing is, I don't have maid now. I had to do the house chores and cooking and I couldn't take a minute rest with my active son bugging me around the whole day. I told him that I'm sick and need to lay down to reduce my pain, but he kept jumping on my damn stomach. I was so upset but I also pity him. I know he's alone and wanted me to play with him. He didn't have nap today and I didn't have any power to make him so that he was so grumpy in the evening. I was so exhausted that I was really waiting forward for Hiro's coming to help me out taking care of him. But Hiro suddenly called me that he had something to do at the camp and would go home very late. It's now 9.40 pm, and he just left the camp. Which means he would arrive here in another hour. He hasn't had his dinner yet, poor papa-chan; so I'll have to cook for him again after this - and cleaning up, poor me. I guess having a maid these few months spoilt me a lot (>.<)

Hhhhh today is just not my day!

I'd better take a short rest now. Feel so good to be able to ramble again here, after 3 months!!

Bye bye Mina-chan

Yesterday morning I fired Mina-chan. After I got a phone call from her telling me (not asking me) that she's not coming because of sick (again!). Lately it happened every week. And Hiro already had long list of complaints about her job. And i'm so tired listening to his complaints. And I'm also tired telling her what to do over the same things every single day. And I just can't stand it anymore whenever she ruined my plan because she couldn't stay until night after her quarrel with her boyfriend. And I'm bored already with the food she cooked.And...and...and....anyway she was fired already :p

I felt good afterwards though a bit sad, especially when Iki cried (yeah...Iki likes her). Learning from this experience, I think I will make a printed "rules and to do list" for my next maid hahaha!

Hope I could get a better maid. Soon. Bye bye Mina-chan

Beauty and the beast ;-)

Leftover piece from our trip to Bali last October.

Imoet, the beauty. And Carla, the beast (^_-)v



Thanks for the great time, baby!

Rafting

One weekend after Christmas we shared a rented boat with my friend, Nira to bring our family around Matano Lake (my parents and sister were visiting, and Nira's sister's family was here too).



At first we asked the driver to bring us to an underwater cave. Hiro jumped into the water as we arrived and said that the view from the cave was amazing. Exactly like Capri in Italy. Iki and I got ready to join him swimming into the lake, but then we found there were some bees buzzing around the lake's entrance. Too bad......we just didn't want the risk to get stung by a bee at the beginning of the trip so at last we passed it :(



Then we went to some small islands there to swim.





And then we went to Nuha village for some "shopping". The villagers there made and sell rattan souvenirs. I bought one small basket and one very big one to put our dirty laundry in.



It was raining very hard on the way home. It was my first time feeling cold in the afternoon in Sorowako haha. I mean, seriously cold that I was shivering!

We enjoyed the trip. I'd like to go around Matano lake again someday. Matano Lake is breathtaking :). As the world's second deepest lake, it has amazingly clear water. I'd definitely like to go rafting there again someday

Happy?

Bed time is always a fight between me and Iki. He always tries to find
a thousand and one reason to postpone his sleeping time, and that
attitudes really drive me crazy. So every night I have to talk to him
in a very high tone to send him to bed :(.

And last night he asked me after I lost my patience,

"Mommy, are you angry again? how to make you happy?"

Which made me teary......

I gave him a huge cuddle. He always makes me happy, but he also drives
me crazy at the same time :p

Our Christmas

I know it's late. As what happened to the Christmas cards we sent to our friends too. Thanks to Indonesian Custom department and post office who charged us 40 USD for receiving blank personalized Christmas cards from Japan. And then when we finally got (and paid) them, the local post office didn't have enough stamps for the whole cards so they had to send them to the other city's post office AFTER CHRISTMAS.

Well anyway, we had a nice Christmas. My parents and my sister
here visiting us. So let me share our happiness with all of you...

We spent the Christmas eve at the expat bar, Wet Monyet. Iki met Santa Claus but was scared of him. He cried when I wanted to take his picture on Santa's lap.

Iki was a "good boy" so he got a lot of Christmas presents from Santa Claus this year. He excitedly opened them all and were really happy to find some cars inside.

We had special Christmas menu this year. Special because my mom cooked everything I missed, though for Hiro those food are not supposed to be Christmas food haha!

There were several events here too. There's Christmas concert from the Children of the International school. And some women from Boxercise and Fun Golf got together for a coffee after their exercises.

It was a nice Christmas after all, hope you had a nice one too ;-)

Japanese Dinner Party

Last Saturday we invited some friends to come for a Japanese dinner at our place. At first I only planned a small party, but at the end we invited 10 people!! We don't have enough plates so Hiro had to borrow some from his company, and I had to buy some more fork just in case some of them couldn't use chopsticks haha.

We prepared Takoyaki, Tenpura, Temakizushi, Inarizushi, Kinpira, Umekyuri, Chikuwa and cheese, Soft Tofu, and Chawan Mushi. Everyone enjoyed the meal, thank God. I cooked the tenpura almost all the time with some help from Nira so that I could have dinner too. It was our first time to invite such amount of people coming over to our place so I was really panic. Japanese food must be served fresh and hot so it was kind of hectic. Luckily Iki was busy playing with some guests that he didn't disturb me. I was really glad that finally I could made it. Hopefully we could do better for the next dinner(s) ;-)



Iki and I wore Yukata at that night. Which impressed the guests LOL



I was exhausted at the end of the day. I couldn't remember how many hours did I stand to prepare and cook all the food. But I was really satisfied (^___^)

Happy New Year

So it's 2009 now. How time fled away. Iki had his very first New Year Party and birthday party in the afternoon with the other kids at the Wet Monyet bar, and then Hiro and I spent the New Year eve drinking and dancing at the same place with other expatriates living here (like where else could we do that?)
Last year was a great year. We never thought that we would spend new year in a small city in the middle of nowhere in Indonesia. But I am glad that we are here together and more than ready to start this coming year. Hopefully this would be a better year for us, and for you too.
Happy New Year!

New House

We moved in last week. It was exhausting but I'm very happy with this place. It's bigger with much better environment. We are close to our friends so we have more chance to hang out and play together.
This would be our home for the next 3 (or 4!?) years (^_^)

Christmas present

This is my biggest Christmas present ever haha!

Moving again?!

I just finished unpacking our luggage LAST WEEK.
I just waxed the whole floor LAST WEEK.
I just finished arranging my kitchen.
I was about to start our new life here with our complete "gadgets".

BUT now we (probably) are moving to Salonsa area.
We checked the house out yesterday. It was not much bigger than the
house we are living in now. But it is located at Salonsa, where
expatriates mostly live. There's school bus pick up service for Iki too
if we live there, and the most important thing is that it is
(hopefully) much safer than Old camp area (where we live now). I hope
there would be no motorbike racing in front of our house anymore, I
hope there would be no one knocking our doors almost everyday asking
for job at Hiro's office. And I hope Hiro won't lose anything from his
car anymore :p

Ah well.....I just don't know when and where to start packing AGAIN
(>.<)

pre-school

Iki is accepted at the international pre-school! Thanks God, he will
start on January 28, next year. *YAY*

The admission process is not difficult, but it did take time. They have
to go through Iki's documents to find if Iki is eligible or not for the
international school. Only KITAS holder could enter it, and once INCO's
expatriate administration approved Iki's documents, we could arrange
meeting with the principal.

The introduction meeting was at a bar named Wet Monyet LOL. Every
wednesday the expats in this small town gather there for a theme dinner
and drinking together. I was already drunk when we were introduced to
the principal hahaha.

And yesterday we were invited to the school. They explained everything
about the school and the program, and I found it really good. I could
see the teaching materials and had a talk with Iki's teacher about
their teaching goals and methods. I was a teacher so I'd like to know
about those information too ;-). Iki loved the place. Ehm, of course
because there are lots of toys there haha! But I think he would be
alright there. He already knew his classmates too before and didn't get
problem getting along with them. I feel confident with the school, the
teacher, and everything. Anyway, this international school is surely
the best pre-school in town (^_^).