Mom's Time Out - Lifestyle Asia

I always dreamed to be a perfect mother and wife.

Having to have the kid(s) surrounds me, driving them around for their activities, preparing breakfast / lunch / dinner, hugs and kisses husband and son before they off to work / school at the house door, then quickly rush to boil the water, picking up the clothes on the floor and wash the clothes, ironing, swiping off the dust, waking up before them and sleeping after them (with endless house chores).. It sounds so perfect, easy to do but

YES, difficult to achieve. 

As a career woman, it is not easy to juggle between family and career. Of cos the best thing that you can gain at the end of the day is to see their smiles. Yes, we do feel exhausted but it's all worth it, what more when  you do not own a maid (salute to all mothers out there)

but at times, after your hardwork, somehow i think all mothers deserve a time out.. 

a.k.a your own private time..

So, the question is what happens when the woman in the household disappears and the man takes over? 

LIFETIME’s 1st Asian Production presents MOM’S TIME OUT - a social experiment that explores modern gender roles by doing just that. Frazzled mothers from 3 families across Asia go on an all-expenses-paid 5-day-getaway and leave their husbands in charge. Witness the men being fished out of water as they learn to take on their newfound roles and be completely surprised by the work that entails.

The First Episode premiers on 28 August 2014 on Thursday 9pm on LIFETIME Asia.

3 mothers from Singapore, Manila and Kuala Lumpur bid farewell to their families as they leave for a luxury getaway. As the social experiment begins, Singaporean father Christopher is anxious about taking their 3 sons to a fine-dining restaurant while Malaysian dad Jason attempts to cook for the first time in his life. Left with a crying toddler on his own, Filipino father Kenneth gets close to tipping point after 24 hours without a wink of sleep.

Sounds cool right.. 

By the way, let me introduce you to the family

#ThePangs 

Christopher & Julie Pang, with Marcus (12yo), Michael (8yo) & Matthew (4yo)

From Singapore, meet the Pangs… Dad Christopher and Mom Julie run a successful boutique real-estate company and have 3 boys (12-year-old Marcus, 8-year-old Michael and 4-year-old Matthew). Christopher and Julie often quarrel about their differing parenting principles – Dad is more for corporal punishment while Mom is all about positive reinforcement. What will happen then when Mom is away?

#TheJasons 

Jason & Leishia Kalaichelvams, with Arianna (4yo) & Olivia (2.5yo)

From Malaysia, meet the Jasons... Dad Jason is a motivational speaker who is a self-confessed workaholic who totally loves his job and probably often prioritizes it above his family. Mom Leishia is a homemaker and freelance writer who cares for their two daughters (4-year-old Arianna and 2.5-year-old Olivia). Will things spiral out of control when Mom is not around?


#TheBaileys 

Kenneth & Emerald, with Briah (2.5yo)

From the Philippines, meet the Baileys… Dad Kenneth and stay-at-home Mom Emerald have a 2.5-year-old daughter Briah who is adorable but can be quite a handful! With Dad being the sole breadwinner of the family working night shifts since Briah was born, he now has to take on one of the toughest challenges of his life to care for his daughter while Mom is away. Will he be able to handle it?

To celebrate the premier of this real life episode, Stand to WIN a 3D2N stay at Angsana Lang Co, Central Vietnam when you download the ScanAd app on your Apple & Android devices (im done :)). Open the app & scan it while watching the show to access more content on Mom’s Time Out. You can also share & learn opinions from other parents when you take part in the weekly discussion on the app.

For more information, feel free to visit http://www.lifetimeasia.com/show/moms-time-out-s1

Once you are into this program, don't forget to tag

#MomsTimeOut

on Hobbies and something like that

It takes two to tango. 

Dalam hidup, masing-masing ada hobi. Ada orang hobi dia pelik, ada orang hobi dia sama dengan hobi keluarga dia atau kawan-kawan terdekat. Untuk saya, semua orang perlukan hobi. Hobi buat kita rasa dunia ni manis. Hobi juga boleh buat kita lari sekejap dari masalah. Ada orang sangat bernasib baik yang dapat menjadikan hobi sebagai punca pendapatan harian dan pulak dapat sokongan dari orang terdekat.

Hobi saya tak berapa banyak dan saya jarang tukar-tukar hobi. Selalunya saya hanya stick kepada satu hobi saje. Lepas dah boring baru saya bertukar. Saya sampai sekarang masih ingat dengan jelas apaaa hobi saya.. 

Masa kecik saya suke kumpul setem. Mungkin budaya kumpul setem ni dah jarang kita nampak dekat budak-budak zaman sekarang. Saya ingat lagi, saya cukup bangga bila pakcik saya yang juga pengumpul setem masa zaman sekolah dia "hands down" his stamp books to me. Buku tu saya masih simpan lagi sampai sekarang. Saya bangga sebab dalam buku tu ada banyak setem yang betul-betul zaman dahulu kala. Andai kata saya nak jual setem tu sekarang, ntah ntah dah beribu-ribu kot harga setem tu.

Kadang-kadang saya tukar setem dengan kawan saya. Buku stamp pertama dibelikan oleh ayah saya pada tahun 1986 (nanti kalau saya retrieve buku tu balik, saya pos dekat sini untuk kenangan) dan akhir sekali saya mempunyai 5 buku setem sampailah saya dah boring kumpul setem.

Kemudian hobi saya bace buku Sweet Valley. Ini semua pengaruh rakan sebaya. Masa tu kawan-kawan saya banyak yang matured cepat sangat. By the time saya umur 12 tahun, saya rasa perangai saya dan kawan-kawan saya dah macam budak sekolah menengah.  I think one of the reason, most of us are the eldest in the family, jadi gaya perwatakan tu memang dah berangan macam orang besar. 

Alhamdulillah, masa tu Baba Mama mampu belikan buku-buku ini untuk saya. I still remember, last time the book was only RM7.90 for Sweet Valley Twins, RM8.90 for Sweet Valley High and RM11.90 for Sweet Valley University.  I have rows and rows and rows of Sweet Valley Books at my house. Ada antaranya saya dah bagi dekat orang, dan ada lagi masih berada di simpanan dekat rumah mak saya. Saya dan kawan saya berlumba-lumba sape dapat bace dulu episod baru.. 

Then saya ada hobi pelik. Kumpul tisu. Like seriously kumpul tisu. Perasan tak kadang-kadang tisu tu ada cap nama restoren tu, i tak tau when it started, tahu tahu, saya letak semua tisu-tisu tu dalam album. Kadang-kadang bila fikir balik macam tak percaya sebab masa kegilaan saya kumpul tisu tu, saya sampai tak malu keluar masuk restoren just nak mintak tisu especially bila dapat kumpul tisu dari restoren mahal-mahal. Memang syok habis..

Untuk hobi ntah ape-ape ni, saya dapatlah jugak kumpul sampai dua album. Tapi album tu tak tau dah kat mana. Sayang kan.. Ye lah kumpul tisu ni, orang lain anggap macam sampah tapi saya rasa macam cukup berharga.

Sekarang bila dah kerja, saya suke melancong. tengok dunia tengok orang luar, tengok ape orang tu buat. tengok ape orang ni buat. I love to be in the hotel. Ye lah, bila u dalam hotel, maksudnya u pergi berjalan-jalan. Tapi biasalah bila mula bekerja kita ada banyak kesempitan wang, nak nak saya ni kahwin awal, tak sempat simpan duit, terus ada komitmen as husband and wife.. :) Saya tak mengeluh, cume cerite kenapa banyak tak boleh berjalan-jalan.

Impian saya banyak.. konon-konon nak merasa pergi tengok luar daripada Malaysia setahun sekali. Tapi ye lah, tak semua impian boleh tercapai. Kadang-kadang duit kita dah ada, fizikal dah boleh pergi , anak pun dah besar, tapi mungkin faktor lain yang menghalang kita untuk tengok dunia luar.

Saat ini, sumpah hati saya macam terpanggil terpanggil untuk be on a jetplane not because of work. Sebenarnya dah lama, tapi saya simpan rasa tu. Malas nak fikir. Tapi itulah bahana ada nya social media, Facebook Instagram, kawan-kawan dok update ke sane sini, hati ni lagiii lah macam kene ketuk suruh pergi.

But not all you think is what people think. and not what you want, is what people want. some dreams are good to be just a dream. I dream and i think that's the only right thing to do despite the fact that i may regret twenty years from now not to do things that i think i can do. 

So, what i can say is.. i am a dream traveler... ok la tu kan..

daaa.... malam ni i teringin nak pergi Prague :)

-- ok sambung kene buat keje, kene wajib siap  by tomorrow morning --

Husband new hobby: Calligraphy / Canvas / Tulisan Khat

It's a fact that my husband loves to switch hobbies from one another. It started with photography.. Different categories of photography technique.. from landscape, small insects then it moves to mountain climbing, he went for numerous hiking activities and conquered many of famous mountains in Indonesia (despite the physical doesn't look like one :p)..

and now he ventures into new exciting hobby -- 

art calligraphy.. tulisan khat dan sewaktu dengannya.. 

ok, he once attended khat class in Kota Kemuning three years back, but at that time, it was merely to learn and master the art of khat. 

But this year like many other years, I was not sure how it started, but Mr. Husband tends to buy all art stuff, "visiting" all art shops that he knows and yada yada he is now producing many watercolor artwork.

Yada yada, and the "addiction" even worst when he won the first prize painting competition in Pahang (should blog about this one fine day). What I like most of this new hobby is, -- now Mr. Husband starts to think of generating some cash out of his hobbies .. oh ya, dont you know that marriage is like a workshop. The man works and the woman shops :) 

But when it comes to real painting, we found out that there is only a niche market in Malaysia and not many of us are interested in buying some real painting.. and i admit that. At it even more difficult when Mr. Husband is a newcomer in this industry. 

I'm not forcing him, but he is turning back to his calligraphy skill and wahla it works.. 

Alhamdulillah. Trust me, Mr. Husband is the type of person who doesn't care the value of his artwork. To him, he is more appreciating those who can value the hardwork . But when his "Ministry of Finance" comes into play, so there you go.. im turning this into cash :p

Why not kan.. Takkan nak simpan semua dekat rumah..

From one canvas to another, we are surprised with the response.. Alhamdulillah.. so, here are some of the painting for your view. Let me start with the painting that i like most.. 

and we go to the only available painting at home. Ada sape nak, i can sell this at much cheaper cheaper price. Size 4' x 3'. Besar.

and the below (green 1000 dinar painting), insyaAllah will be in Doha :) 

Bila ambil gambar nak macam lusuh.. but honestly it is a nice painting

This is all from his 10 fingers, no digital artwork is needed.

below is Ayat Qursi but when the picture was taken it was not 100% completed. 

and let me ends with this syok sendiri photo from Mr. Husband. All of his artwork below are taken except one that i mentioned above

Oh, so long you contact us directly, we are selling at much much cheaper price (many of our clients are shocked with our pricing :p - katenyer kesian husband saye).. but once husband's painting joined any gallery.. habis.. harga jadi lainnnnnnnnn 

Iftar - Seri Pacific

Kalau ikutkan ingat dah tak de harapan dah makan buffet dekat hotel untuk keluarga kecik kami memandangkan untuk kami-kami ni nak belanjakan diri makan buffet dekat hotel dengan harga more than RM50++ seorang adalah rasa sangat membazir.

Sekali dua hari sebelum raya, my mum bagi message dekat Whatsapp group kata pak sedara saya Pak Jang ajak semua keturunan arwah Hj Abu Hassan (atok saya) dekat Seri Pacific Hotel. Memang orang kata pucuk dicita ulam mendatang.

Pak Jang saya yang kopiah putih tu

Bersama suami saya yang masih lagi belum trim janggut untuk raya dan saya bersama baju dan tudung favorite saya masa ni.. bile belek balik, banyak betul gambar-gambar yang saya ambik dengan baju and tudung ni.. kalau dah suke tu memang sentiasalah berulang-ulang..

Emir sengaja tutup mata lepas lense camera ditujukan straight dekat muke dia.

Ayah saya bersama sebahagian sepupu-sepupu laki. tak semua yang berjaya datang sebab ada yang dah pulang ke keluarga mertua. dalam family belah mak saya ni, saya cucu sulung, cucu-cucu semua ada 30 orang. Emir memang banyaklah "pakcik" "makcik" yang ada lagi muda pada dia.. and he kind of "amazeee" tak percaya auntie lagi baby pada dia

with one of my cousins - Balqis

Bersama half of sepupu sepapat.. ada yang dapat balik ada yang tak dapat balik. yang rambut panjang tu rambut macam Sunsilk, lembut sungguh.. katanya UK nak potong rambut mahal :p

with all of us except yours truly yang jadi cameraman.. 

Alhamdulillah, terima kasih Pak Jang.. sebab makanan sedap sangat, dan sebab banyak sangat nak cerita, makanya saya tak ambik satu pun gambar makanan.. :p

tapi yang pasti, semua orang cakap 

"the best buffet spread for iftar"

so think about it :)

Selamat Hari Raya: Raya with our Cermin ajaib

Alhamdulillah segala puji  bagi Allah. Segala suka duka, dapat juga kami ketemu dengan Raya 2014 - BERTIGA... yer masih bertiga. and I cant deny, I am more sarcastic this year.. sapa tanya soalan maut (bila nak tambah) memang susah la nak dengar i cakap insyaAllah.. i know lagi afdal orang doakan.. cuma, what's wrong with our people who know very well yang i memang takkan tolak rezeki kalau dapat anak lagi, still post the same question.

and susah jugak untuk tak jadi sensitif. I've tried and i'm done :) the "pain" is also equals to the statement "si A sama umur dengan u dah anak 3 - 4" .. i bagi tahu bagi pihak untuk orang yang susah untuk tambah cahaya mata. I know its even harder for the couple yang masih tidak dikurniakan lagi cahaya mata. insyaAllah rezeki kita mungkin di tempat lain.. Allah knows best.

Ok back to our family picture, once again, we managed to secure the cermin ajaib at Mak Lang's house on 3rd day of Hari Raya. Since it was already the 3rd day, I couldn't remember to put on Emir's songkok.

The theme color for this year is chosen by Emir and the mother approved. and being on the yellow theme, of cos, tahun ni punya gambar nampak lah terang berderang sikit.. tinggal si pemakai je yang ada color contra kecuali Emir.

and as you can see, seiring dengan perjalanan hobi-hobi husband saya.. camera tidak lagi secanggih dulu. in fact, tak bawak kamera pun grrr... husband dah sampai peringkat "janji ada gambar".. dulu masa time dia tengah asyik kusyuk dengan camera, setting kene betul lah, ISO kene balance lah, this lah and that lah.. satu gambar kekadang sampai berminit-minit tunggu sampailah dia dapat apa yang dia nak.. La ni.. gambar goyang pun jalan huhu..

itulah serba sedikit cerita keluarga saya.. i pun dah start malas nak update blog ni.. how how.. 

By the way, tahniah untuk kawan saya Suzi yang selamat melahirkan anak yang ketiga hari Ahad lepas. Tak sabar nak bau baby. One thing about me, i love to cium cium bau baby! Kene start cium bau baby Ayu Rafikah dulu. tu pun tak jenguk lagi.. 

p/s apa punya kawan daaa