Previously… Day Three Postscript: Port Dickson Before heading up to KL, we took photos at the A Famosa fort (from a distance), the submarine museum (just the exterior), and stopped for some keria which were super delicious when still warm. Especially in the rain-cooled air. As we headed north for Kuala Lumpur, we passed the Melaka Zoo! That was a delightful surprise. However, we did not stop. When Irfan took the wheel once more, I fell asleep when we entered the PLUS Highway. Apparently I was asleep for almost an hour. When I woke up we were back on the Federal road somewhere in the sticks in the state of Negeri Sembilan. Ain and Irfan were navigating their way towards Port Dickson. It was touch and go because we were running out of fuel. Suddenly a Shell station revealed itself, which we found to be located at the southern end […]
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Work Excursion to Melaka
Previously… I was invited by the English Department of Pay Fong Middle School in Melaka to run RPGs and give a talk during their English Week programme. With my RPG gear in tow and Ain and Irfan as my support team, I was ready to for the events in the next few days on behalf of UniMAP. Day One: Year Zero Mini (2023-07-27) Because we were due be at the school after lunch, it allowed us time to recuperate from the drive the previous day. The storefronts along the beachfront road were closed except for one Indian Muslim restaurant, so we had lunch there. After Zuhur/Asar jama’ prayers, we headed there to meet with my contact there, the English teacher Kelvin. Thankfully, school traffic was not as jammed as the previous day. We easily found a parking spot. Then we went to the school’s language lab, where I ran Year […]
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Build-Up To Melaka Work Excursion
Before the Storm The last weekend we made an officially sanctioned work excursion to Melaka. Gray of KakiTabletop initiated a communication with Pay Fong Middle School in Melaka. From there the school sent me a formal invitation via the workplace. I had been invited to run some TTRPG sessions for the secondary school students for their English Language Week. And Saturday Morning, I was slated to give a talk about the benefits of TTRPGs in language education. Melaka is even further south than Kuala Lumpur, which gave me pause. After a quick discussion with the home team, we figured that we could pull it off. Plus it would be a new experience for me. The last time I ran games for secondary school students was back in the 1990s. However, because of personal reasons Gray was not able to make it with me, so it would just be Irfan, Ain […]
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A Northern Route Back to Kelantan
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED. Yesterday, we travelled out of the country as a family for the first time. Granted it was only over the border into Thailand, but it was something that all this while was out of our ability to do for fiscal reasons. It was almost time for Aidilfitri and we drove from Padang Besar to Rantau Panjang via Thailand to reach Tok Bah and Tok Ma’s home in Pasir Mas! Ain did a lot of legwork done beforehand, getting the Thailand vehicle insurance and such, days before we departed. We mulled over acquiring some Thai currency although we did not plan on stopping anywhere to buy anything. However, we stopped at a currency exchange and converted some ringgits into bahts. It was lucky that we decided on it as we had to pay some sort of vehicle tax at the border. We used the phone’s Map app to navigate. […]
Continue readingScenic Silver Springs
While we were in Ocala, Florida on a work trip, the local colleagues recommended that we visit Silver Springs, Florida and try out the glass bottom boats. So that is what we did! It was not far from our hotel (one town over) and quite convenient, and as it turned out, it was really really amazing! We all loved it! So here are some pictures. [[image:2015_silversprings_36.jpg:Silver Springs State Park:center:0]] OK, here are a lot of pictures! We weren’t there more than a few hours but it really was very cool. We would definitely go again if we had the chance, to experience the glass bottom boat again. * Mouse over the pictures for captions We start with some photos that we took while waiting for the next glass bottom boat tour to begin. [[image:2015_silversprings_01.jpg:Hanging out on a bench:center:0]] [[image:2015_silversprings_02.jpg:Bit bundled up as although it was sunny it was in the […]
Continue reading78 Months
And so, the girl is six and a half years old! 78 months of Yaya! [[image:2015-yaya78month-09.jpg:In the sun:center:0]] * Mouse over the pictures for captions January turned out to be a crazy busy month! I started a new project at work and had my first solo trip away from Vin and the kids (to California!) so that was exciting, thrilling, scary, dramatic, disturbing and in the end, not as painful as we anticipated! In the end, the kids are getting older and do not need their Mama around 24/7 any more. However, it was quite an adjustment for everyone. But on top of this, we had Adik’s birthday party, and we spent almost 2 weeks in Ocala, Florida for the new project with side trips to Silver Springs and St. Augustine Beach. So it was a very busy month and also a fun month! Food status – sadly, due to […]
Continue reading76 Months
76 months of Yaya! [[image:2014-yaya76month-01.jpg:Bloooooooooooood:center:0]] * Mouse over the pictures for captions OK since it is almost January as I sit to write this entry, I feel like I can barely remember what November was like. It was busy. We spent two weeks in Tampa, Florida (including another quick Clearwater Beach getaway), then it was Thanksgiving and we had a houseguest and went to Elkhart, Indiana. So it was a busy busy month. Reading status: no change. Still the same. We are still trying to gently encourage her. She does like it when we read to her. It will come together for her, inshallah. Food status: Yaya tried a few more things in November. This includes:* croissants (she’d tried this before but for breakfast at the Hilton Clearwater Beach, she ate them like crazy, dipped in butter)* fresh juiced orange juice (Becky has a juicer and Yaya helped prepare the […]
Continue readingClearwater Beach – October 2014
We spent a short weekend at Clearwater Beach in mid-October. It was quiet, relaxing and warm. Just the perfect beach vacation. We were here in March for almost a week but I totally did not have time to blog about it. We had lots of fun then though. It is fortunate that my current project is in Tampa so it was only an hour’s drive to Clearwater Beach. [[image:2014_octclearwater_01.jpg:Me and the kids are watching pelicans divebomb for fish at sunset:center:0]] * Mouse over the pictures for captions This entry will mostly be beach photos with few remarks. I miss the warm and the sunshine as I’m sitting here writing this in Ohio (in December!). Ah well. We arrived on Friday evening and went straight to the beach to enjoy the water and the sunset. [[image:2014_octclearwater_02.jpg:Pelican on a pole:center:0]] [[image:2014_octclearwater_18.jpg:Look how clear the water is:center:0]] [[image:2014_octclearwater_19.jpg:Running and playing:center:0]] [[image:2014_octclearwater_20.jpg:Adik embraces the […]
Continue readingRafe’s 28 Month Birthday
28 months old! [[image:2014-adik28month-24.jpg:Yaya is holding my eaw!:center:0]] Caveat: this entry (for April) was written in June. Thank goodness for backdated entries! Also, we kind of forgot to take pictures of the boy to document his day any of those days in April. So this month’s entry will be a roundup of my favorite pictures taken in the last month. * Mouse over the pictures for captions Speech status: Still advanced. He is expressing ideas in full sentences, and is very obsessed with AC/DC’s TNT. I know. So appropriate for a two year old. 😉 Bedtimes: back to a better schedule of going to bed between 9:30-10 PM with no naps. If he does accidentally get in a nap, the bedtime is definitely pushed back almost two hours, despite it only being a 30-minute nap. So from my point of view (being the one who has to get him to […]
Continue readingReturn to Orange Beach – The Other Stuff
So now that we are done with the beach pictures and the pool pictures, here are some of the other fun pictures taken during our trip to Orange Beach. [[image:2013_sep_orangebeach56.jpg:Peanut buttery baby:center:0]] * Mouse over the pictures for captions One of the good things about vacation is the opportunity for all of us to sit and have breakfast together without the need to rush anywhere. It is always a fun time. The following is a compilation of photos taken at breakfast (on different days, obviously) in Orange Beach: [[image:2013_sep_orangebeach02.jpg:Adik loved to feed himself peanut butter from the single-serving peanut butter container:center:0]] [[image:2013_sep_orangebeach13.jpg:Yaya always helps Papa put sugar and cream in his coffee:center:0]] [[image:2013_sep_orangebeach14.jpg:The siblings are finding each other’s “bee-bo” (belly button):center:0]] Adik learnt that Yaya does not want to eat peanut butter and starts to tease her with it: [[image:2013_sep_orangebeach24.jpg:Have some peanut butter, Yaya!:center:0]] [[image:2013_sep_orangebeach25.jpg:Yaya stays far away from the […]
Continue readingReturn to Orange Beach – The Pool
So the beach pictures are done. Now for some pictures of the fun we had at the hotel pool in Orange Beach, AL. [[image:2013_sep_orangebeach01.jpg:Love this shot of Adik:center:0]] * Mouse over the pictures for captions We got new water wings for Yaya and a little boat for Adik at the Publix across the way: [[image:2013_sep_orangebeach09.jpg:Adik enjoying his boat:center:0]] [[image:2013_sep_orangebeach10.jpg:Splashed himself all wet:center:0]] [[image:2013_sep_orangebeach11.jpg:Yaya loves her new water wings:center:0]] [[image:2013_sep_orangebeach12.jpg:Yaya gives Adik a tow:center:0]] [[image:2013_sep_orangebeach22.jpg:Dangerously pushing Adik forwards while he gerams the water (she can tip his face right into the water this way):center:0]] [[image:2013_sep_orangebeach23.jpg:Keeping his head area dry:center:0]] [[image:2013_sep_orangebeach38.jpg:Obsessing with pouring water in and out of the toy while Yaya practises her swimming moves:center:0]] [[image:2013_sep_orangebeach39.jpg:Papa and Adik:center:0]] The pool was our way of getting the kids off the beach. And it was also nice to hang out in the pool in the evening after the lunch/rest/naptime. We had an excellent […]
Continue readingReturn to Orange Beach – The Beach
Contrary to popular belief, the beach in Orange Beach, AL is actually not orange. In fact, the sand was beautiful, white, fine sand. Wheee! We loved it so much when we went there in April that we decided to go back there for a longer almost week-long vacation there in September. At the time of this entry, it has been almost a month since we were there, but given my track record it’s a wonder it’s only been delayed a few weeks. Hehe [[image:2013_sep_orangebeach35.jpg:The kids playing on the beach:center:0]] We chose to go after the Labor Day weekend, so not only was it fairly quiet, and we had the beach mostly to ourselves, but it was still hot and summery. And with off-season rates, well, it was icing on the cake. We drove down to Alabama in a 2-day road trip (each way), arriving on Sunday September 8th and leaving […]
Continue reading62 Months
Sixty-two months since the girl was born! [[image:2013-yaya62month-02.jpg:Artsy Yaya in her tent-fort:center:0]] The hat was a gift from Pak Yope and Wan Yong way back in 2010. 🙂 * Mouse over the pictures for captions As I mentioned in the sixty-one month entry, I’m continuing with Yaya’s monthly posts but minimizing the chatter. We have pretty much been maintaining the status quo. No new foods were eaten, steady progress on reading, writing and arithmetic. Lot of artwork done in the house. All good things. Yaya now travels with an entourage of “imaginary friends”, all of whom are cartoon characters from her favorite tv shows. New ones keep popping up. She even made paper teddy bears for imaginary Peep, Chirp and Quack to sleep with and some of her imaginary friends sleep with real stuffed animals. Yaya is a good big sister and plays with her brother all the time. She […]
Continue reading59 Months
One more month till Yaya hits the half decade mark! Woohooo! [[image:2013-yaya59month-01.jpg:Poster child for barrettes?:center:0]] Note: Mouse over the pictures for captions It has been a busy month of June. We started off at the end of May going to Maryland to visit the family, and then working in New Jersey and Pennsylvania before returning home at the end of the first week of June. I think we are all still recovering from that long and crazy ride! But everyone did well, and we made it home and back to our usual routine. Food status: No change. What can I say? The child is strong willed. We were never able to get her to do anything she wasn’t ready to do (e.g., talking, potty training) and we just have to keep being patient I guess. One day, she will snap out of this and start eating normally again, inshallah. Yaya […]
Continue readingRafe’s 17 Month Birthday
And so, another month has passed by and the little guy is now 17 months old. He’ll be a year and a half soon! Wheeee! [[image:2013_0529_rafe15.jpg:Pleased as punch:center:0]] * Mouse over the pictures for captions Adik can now pretty easily climb the sofa. He doesn’t need help or a boost, he can do it all by himself. He has trouble and needs help if he’s carrying something in his hands while he does the climbing but if he has his hands free, boom, he’s on the sofa before you know it! He enjoys sitting on the sofa, playing with his gadgets or reading a book. The bad thing is, he still doesn’t quite understand that jumping face-first off the sofa might not be the greatest idea. So we have sit with him and monitor him and make sure he doesn’t accidentally hurt himself. Adik is still quite obsessed with brushing […]
Continue readingChicago: The Children’s Museum
So on the second day in Chicago, it was freezing cold (high of 38 F / 4 C – in May!!!!) so we decided to do something indoors. We went to the Children’s Museum which conveniently, was a short (and cold and windy) walk away from the hotel. As it turned out, it was one of the best things ever! Yaya had a fabulous time and still talks about it. [[image:2013_may_chicago23.jpg:Hard-hat Yaya:center:0]] * Mouse over the pictures for captions At the museum, Vin and I pretty much had to separate. One of us stayed with Yaya and the other with Adik, and at some points we switched up. So there aren’t very many pictures of the kids together. However there are plenty of pictures: [[image:2013_may_chicago24.jpg:On a CTA Bus:center:0]] [[image:2013_may_chicago25.jpg:At a treehouse:center:0]] [[image:2013_may_chicago26.jpg:Fishing for toy fishies:center:0]] [[image:2013_may_chicago27.jpg:Adik and Vin at the cushioned baby play area:center:0]] [[image:2013_may_chicago28.jpg:Telescoping for Mama:center:0]] [[image:2013_may_chicago29.jpg:Look at all […]
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