Kami di USA

Notes: BM version :), sorry to anyone who don't understand BM...Have a good day!

Apa yang lain di USA bila dibandingkan dengan cara hidup kami di Malaysia?

Intro: Kami menetap di sini dah setahun dah, macam2 perkara yang kami lalui sepanjang kami di sini. Banyak masalah yang timbul dihadapi dengan hati yang sabar. Dengan masalah ni la kita banyak belajar tentag kehidupan.

[1] 4 musim

• Kami berpeluang merasai hidup dalam negara yang 4 musim!

• mula2 kami datang setahun lepas, ngah musim panas, tapi masa tu, rasa sejuk sampai buatkan kami menggigil2, hehhe siap pakai jacket yang tebal2.. segan aje ngan mat saleh, diaorang pakai tshirt n seluar pendek aje, hahha

• Bila mula2 merasai salji tu, memang excited sangat. Kebetulan salji turun masa aliya lahir, pas pantang baru boleh main2, tu pon main kejap aje sebab segan takde orang lain yang join, hehhe Musim sejuk membuatkan kami dok kat umah ajela, nak kuar ngan kete bahaya, jalan licin, waktu siang pon pendek aje, subuh lambat then isyak seawal 6petang, apa lagi memang waktu berhibernasi aje la... :)

• Musim bunga dan luruh kejap aje, tak banyak dapat kuar umah sebab selalu gak hujan...Musim yang paling ditunggu2, musim panas, sekarang la ni, start bulan 5... bunga2 pon banyak , panas dan waktu siang yang panjang, memang sesuai untuk jejalan...lagipon musim panas lah rasa cam kat malaysia skit..hehhe kat sini walaupon panas, tapi angin dia sejuk....kalau sejuk2 tu, kami dah dapat biasakan diri dah skang ni, alhamdulillah.

[2] Waktu sembahyang

• Waktu solat kat sini memang selalu berubah2 ikut musim, waktu sejuk subuh lambat then isyak cepat, macam skang ni, musim panas, so, subuh cepat (kul 3pagi) then isyak memang lambat, kul 11malam! Best jugak dapat merasai waktu yang pelbagai ni... :)

[3] Makanan

• Makan kat sini susah sikit, sikit aje susah, kalau memang tak memilih sangat tu memang takde masalah.. Kat sini pon kami makan nasi, lauk2 masak, pastu kebetulan ada kedai Vietnam yang ada juga jual barang2 halal, dari Malaysia dan Indonesia... Alhamdulillah sangat.

• Kalau memang teringin nak makan kat fast food or restaurant memang tak merasalah, kecuali kami boleh makan pizza hut, tu pon satu jenis pizza aje yang halal, ni pon kira ok sangat. Kat sini memang banyak sangat kedai fast food..

• Telur ayam kat sini kaler putih tak macam kat malaysia, kaler koko, hehhe...

• Sayur-sayuran kat sini pon berlainan, cili pon susah nak dapatkan yang kaler merah, asyik2 hijau aje....jalepeno! Apapon makan kat sini, kami ok je setakat ni, Alhamdulillah, masih dikurniakan rezeki dari Allah.

• A ah, orang kat sini memang minum air bergas banyak, kalau kami g supermarket, memang berkarton2 diaorang beli air gas..

[4] Orang

• For sure lah orang kat sini mat saleh, hehhe setakat kami tinggal kat sini, penduduk kat sini ramah2 aje, takde masalah sangat macam bandar besar USA, yang ada kes pulau orang2 Islam, Alhamdulillah, kami dijauhi dengan perkara2 camni, dan harap sangat takkan ada masalah di masa depan.

• Orang Islam kat sini, rata2 ngan datang bekerja dan student kat South Dakota State University, kalau local tu , ada satu family yang kami jumpa, mat saleh beragama Islam :). Kalau tak ramai Muslim dari negara Bangladesh, Mesir, Arab.

Apapon perbezaan yang kami rasa kat sini, hati tetap di Malaysia, hehhe rindu yang amat kat Ma, keluarga dan kawan2 memang tak tertanggung, hanya dengan sabar kami dapat bertahan. Alhamdulillah atas segala yang diberikan Allah. :)

Kami sepanjang minggu ni....

• I have no plan for outdoors outing this weekend. Papa only want to stay at home because the world cup fever has just started!

• I decided to cook Nasi Kerabu today. Then I realize that we had port luck this afternoon at Surau. So, If there any chance, I will cook the Nasi Kerabu tomorrow. I have craving to eat this nasi for along time.

• In these few days, nothing much happens to us. I spent almost my time at home. The weather is not good, rainy and wet.

• Last Monday and Tuesday, I manage to sew a green cute blouse. I took the pattern from this link. This blouse was very easy to make but it was very complicated to measure (Maybe I don't have any experience before).

• Aliya is in good health and I really hope she is fine after she fell from our mattress yesterday! So far she looks okay.

Notes: We are looking forward for England and USA game this afternoon. Papa seems to be England fan so do I. Go England go!!!

A day with my Canon

• Last Sunday, we went to Mc' Crory Garden. It has been a while because I was very busy finishing my sewing project. I really miss the garden so much.

• I took this opportunity to take various beautiful flowers with my Canon camera. My photography technique seems to be a little bit off. Sewing make my shooting skills rusty. Huhu

• Thanks to Papa for accompanying me although it was only for 15 minutes. Aliya limited my movement but I still felt very happy that day!

Notes: [1] Check out my Photoblog for my new photos. :)

[2] I started my new sewing project's today. I will let you know soon when it is done. :) I can't wait to see the result!!

Dermatologist

• We went to Sioux Falls last Tuesday to meet Dr. Wanna, Aliya's dermatologist at Avera Dermatology & Laser Center. The dermatologists are specialize in the health and diseases of skin, hair and nails.

• Dr. Wanna took some skin cell for bacteria test.

• The doctor said, Aliya's eczema is normal but need to take care properly before it getting worse. She gave a prescription for eczema cream and recommend a bath soap for sensitive skin.

• Aliya's face look much better after 3 days when we put the cream and bathing Aliya with slimy bath soap. Alhamdulillah. We hope Aliya will get well soon.

• Thanks for your praying. Alhamdulillah. :)

My first handmade "baju kurung"

I spend about one month to finish my messy stitches Baju Kurung. I sew it without using sewing machine...hahha I hope it will last long and the stitches not loose.

Introduction to Baju kurung

by: simple Malaysia

Baju Kurung is the traditional dress for the Muslim ladies in Malaysia.It is simple and graceful,and covers most part of the wearer's body in complaince of the Islamic teaching.

While maintaining its simplicity in cutting,the varities of colour and designs are amazingly wide.
Malaysian office ladies,including Muslims, wear western dresses to work, the baju kurung is reserved for special occassions like festivals,weddings and official functions.

However,they will go to the office in Baju Kurung on Fridyas,some non Muslim ladies like Chinese and Indians do the same too; for the simple reason that it is graceful and comfy.Therefore don't assume that a lady in baju kurung is a always a Muslim.

We will moving out soon...

We will moving out from our current apartment to university's family housing on the end of July... Alhamdulillah, praise to Allah for everything we got.

We wait for a year to get the house. We hope everything will be fine.

Here comes summer, make me warmer!

Hot and bright summer has come! The weather is so warm, lucky for us because the breezy winds can cold us down.

Below are some photos taken at Falls Park. The hot weather make us uncomfortable and sweaty.

Seasonal changes

Have you ever wondered why you wake up and see snow on the ground one morning and then beautiful blooming another morning?

The reason that you do not see the same weather conditions every day is because the Earth has seasons.

Fun Facts about four seasons:

-Rowena Bennett

• Spring time is a green time, when seedlings start their growing. (March to May).
• Summer time is a rainbow time, when many blooms are blowing. (May to September).
• Autumn time is a brown time, when seeds are ripe for sowing. (September to November).
• Winter time is a white time, when starts of frost are glowing! (November to March).

Fun fact about Mushroom

I love to eat mushroom so much. It is simple to cook and it does taste good.

Did you know...

Mushroom have their own taste, not sweet, sour, bitter or salty but it taste called as UMAMI. This fifth taste was discovered in 1906 at Tokyo, Japan.

UMAMI characteristics:

• Softens sour, masks bitter, extends finish, improves palatability, triggers salivations, and contribute to mouth feel, creates sense of well being.

Mushroom contain a rich mixture of natural compounds such as glutamate, free nucleic (amino), acid and ribonucleotides that contributes to that savory umami taste sensation.

In general, the more mature a food, the higher its level of free amino acids and it will higher the umami rating.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

• Mushrooms have been successfully used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years to treat many different types of health conditions. Western science and medicine are finally beginning to recognize and utilize some of the medicinally active compounds in mushrooms and elucidate their modes of action.

• Just like humans, Mushrooms can produce Vitamin D upon exposure to sunlight and UV radiation. UV light is utilized in the production of these mushrooms. For example, a four-ounce (112 grams) serving of Maitake mushrooms produced by the Hokto-patented methodology contains 85% of the Daily RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for Vitamin D. Many people today are deficient in Vitamin D and there is evidence that Vitamin D deficiencies may be linked to cancer and other disease states.

Reference: http://www.foodreference.com/html/a-mushrooms-ff0408.html

Aliya is 6 months old today

6 months baby development!

(Ages and stages book for South Dakota Children)

• Sits with assistance or may sit alone
• Reaches for and grasps toys with one hand
• Can eat solid food from a spoon
• Former cooing now sounds like clear voicing or several syllables
• Talks to toys
• May try to imitate adult behaviors (if an adult coos, the baby may coo back)
• Turns her head toward sounds or to an adult when they are talking to him
• Enjoys being sociable- laughs
• Feel happy, sad or uncomfortable
• Reaches out to be picked up

Is it necessary BLUE is for boys and PINK is for girls?

This image was taken here

• I love blue color. I wore blue dresses on my engagement and wedding day. My husband is a blue lover's too!
• Since I have Aliya, I bought pink clothes for her because she is a girl. Sometimes I mixed up with blue and other color's too.
• When I put blue outfits on her, everyone who we met at Walmart will called her with name as 'little guy' instead of 'little princess' when she wearing pink dresses.

Aliya with blue outfits. We bought her a pink hat to show that she is a baby girl!

This photo was taken at Avera Clinic this morning. Aliya had her 3rd immune shots today.

Why is the Color Blue Used For Boys and Pink for Girls?

About the reason why the color blue is used for boys and pink for girls, history of the tradition.

R. BRASCH'S 9 BEST ODDITIES

• Why Is the Color Blue Used for Boys and Pink for Girls? Since babies look alike, it was long ago decided to identify their sexes through use of different colors.
• In ancient times, it was believed that evil spirits menaced the well-being of infants.
• It was also believed that evil spirits were allergic to certain colors, especially to blue.
• According to Dr. Brasch: "It was considered that the association of blue with the heavenly sky rendered satanic forces powerless and drove them away.
• Even in our own time Arabs in the Middle East continue to paint the doors of their homes blue to frighten away demons.
• Thus, the display of blue on a young child was not merely an adornment but a necessary precaution."

On the other hand, since female babies were considered inferior, it was felt they required no special color to protect them. In later times, parents became very much-conscious of the neglect of girls and introduced for them the new "pink" look.