Zoe's birthday is HERE!

I was so thrilled to organize Zoe's birthday. It's her very first birthday, henceforth I want to make things memorable for her. She might not understand it for the time being. But, she will when she sees the pictures in the future. Here's I have put some pictures to show you the detail preparations I have done for Zoe's birthday.

1. Birthday Invitation Card

I browsed the internet, looking for an idea for the birthday card. Well, instead of buying a normal birthday invitation card. To make it more personal, I made it. I created the invitation card as if Zoe's were a cover girl, print it and laminate it. The card received an excellent respond.

2. The theme

No special theme, however I picked purple as an overall theme. From the decoration, invitation card, cake, birthday favor, the pinata, and of course Zoe's dress....all has purple factor.

3. Goodie bags

For I invited many kids in range ages, I set two different kinds of goodie bags. For babies, and for bigger kids.

For baby, a simple ratle, and a baby biscuit. For big kids, few kinds of sweets.Simple, but nice touch. Well, no birthday party without goodie bags! Kids just love to receive one, it doesnt matter what the inside really are. You can see from the picture how those kids so excited to receive the goodie bags

4. Pinata

Above picture: I was making a centre piece pinata Number 1..While making and once it's done.

I like the idea of having pinata. My first attempt to make my very own pinata. I picked up a bunny rabbit balloon, and turned it a mickey mouse pinata...Fill it in with lots of candies.

Apparently, the pinata I made so thick. The kids found it hard to break it. Until, my neighbor came to the rescue and brought a baseball stick. Only then, the pinata able to break....hehe, sorry kids!

5. Decorations


Balloon is always great for birthday. Not so much costly but did a marvelous touch for the ambience. I engaged a balloon decorator & picked up few color, white, few kinds of purple color and silver. They were made a great combination.

6. Ice breaker

Kids love games,..with the bigger kids included in the birthday guest list. I can't NOT have the birthday party without the games. With the help of my neighbor, again! I had a "Where's the tail?" game. Put the clifford dog picture on the wall, and the kids have to place the tail. Whoever got the closest to the tail, win away a present.
Another two games, I prepared was to blast the baloon with the their bottom and also to insert the pencil into the bottle. It's bunch of fun!
Another fun added was with the presence of "grandpa", a.k.a my dad who did the magic show. He really Wowwed the kids and guests. He could turn the tea in the bottle into white color. Played with cards, and bent the spoon, etc. Don't ask me how he did it, I had no clue. But, what I knew was he spent much effort for the grandchild's birthday party. Kids was so thrilled, and keep asking him, how he did the magic....FUN, FUN, FUN!!!
7. Zoe's Birthday Cake


Initially, I asked my neighbor to make me a birthday cake. Since I knew he's good..However, one night before, he said he had something on in the morning. Hence, unable to make a birthday cake. So, the next early morning, I made the cake my self. I think home-made cake is always the best. The look is not so much of a nice cake, but all the guest love the taste...EHm, EHm....am happy. For the wording, I wrote.. " Happy 1-derful b-day, Zoey" (read: Happy wonderful birthday Zoey), Hey, It's her 1st birthday rite?White color base and purple color touch up for the wording and the border...
8. Food

Not many foods I prepared, but just nice size and nice amount. - So-on (means: longevity)
- Siomay ( received, a huge hits)
- Chicken feet ( well, apparently only Indonesian and chinese eat these )
- Brocolli salad ( thanks to the cooking class I attended recently)
- Vegetable pie ( thanks to my mom's recipe,...and hands of course..hehe)
- Nuggets
- Creamy Prawns
- Lychee drinks
- Souffle
Kids' food ---> pizza, sausages, juices, ice cream
I think all the hardwork was paid off, kids seemed to have a wonderful time, they enjoyed every second of it. Everybody also happy. Finally after two weeks, I could sleep well.......:o)

Am Busyyyyy

I've been very extremely busy lately.. Don't trust me?
Let me explain it more detail.. Busy means, no time for me to order a gas for my bath-tub. No time to cook for family, and not even to play with my little kiddo.
Yes, that's my busy am talking about. And why?? Because...
1. My arisan day coming up this saturday...busy in ordering stuffs...and bought ingredients to cook...
2. My baby group coming up this monday ( which i heard today, it's postpone to another one week)...sigh....
3. Zoe's birthday party next saturday. Have already prepared two weeks in advance for the goodie bags, made the invitation letter, distribute it...and made my mom, critized..saying I was like having a wedding affair. Sending a birthday invitation card, way to fast....Hey, am busy remember?????
4. Just joining an association that put me into newsletter coordinator, and taking so much of my last one week wrapping the issue, made me glued the whole day to my compie....and thanks God, it's done today.. and ready to published today too.

Some of you maybe frowning reading this, and saying...i just exaggerate...maybe it sounds like i do. But, i never felt like this...for so long....I mean this busyness.. I am happy though, I overwhelmed, feeling like am useful..haha....yeah, honestly speaking. I sort of feel that way for quite sometimes. I wrote this, not because am complaining...I wrote this, because.. I AM HAPPY, that I AM BUSY!!!!!

Note: will post another blog on zoe's birthday party......just wait..

Brownies Cheesecake

Woww..that's the only word to describe this cake. This is beyond my expectation how this cake would turn out. For I made it little bit different from its original recipe due to the absence of some ingredients. I told myself, what the heck..if this cake din turn out good, let it be. I wanna bake as i wanna to, without being restricted by the recipes..hehe..I guess, I was little bit piss off of the last cheesecake that I made, came out unsatisfactory with the fact I followed the recipe precisely!

I had these cheesecream from philladelphia and yummy lying in my fridge, ready to be used..I bought the philly cheesecream, due it was on Sale 75% disc!!! and nope, it's yet to be expired!! Go Hero Go!!!!!

My review for the taste, Excellent!! It's scrumptious, it's divine, it's moist, it's dense, it's eyeful, it's cushy...wow, so many words to define the taste.

However, Don't believe me, til you taste it yourself!!!!

Brownies Cheesecake

100g Dark Cooking Chocolate

1/2cup butter/margarine

2cup sugar, divided

4eggs, divided (2for brownies, 2for cheesecake)

1/4cup of milk

2tsp of vanilla

1cup of flour

1/2tsp of salt

350gr of creamcheese

1/2cup of whipcream

30g maizena

1. Preheat oven 325F, Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH for 2 minutes, or until the butter melt. Stir until chocolate is completely mixed. Add 1cup of sugar, well mixed.

2. Add 2eggs, one at a time. Mix on low speed, til all well blended. Add milk, and 1tsp of vanilla, mix well. Combine flour and salt. Gradually add to the chocolate mix, mixing after each addition until just blended. Spread evenly into greased and floured 22cm spring form pan. Bake 25min.

3. Beat cream cheese, remaining half sugar and remaining 1tsp. vanilla in large bowl with the electric mixer on medium speed until just blended. Add whip cream, mix well. Add remaining two eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed til all just blended. Add the maizena, mix well.

Pour over the brownies layer in the pan

4. Bake for 30-35mins, or til centre is almost set. Run knife or spatula around the rim of pan to loosen the cake. Cool before removing from pan. Refridgerate 4hours, cool 30mins in room temperature before serving.

Lemon sourcream cake

I guess the three weeks holiday made my drive and mood to bake and cook back to its path again. That is so true, when I was away and didn touch any of this baking and cooking utensils really made me long for them. I just wished to come home earlier, so I could cook, and bake some of my fave cakes..and when the holiday over, I already put all my heart and soul back. Told my self, "oh..yeah, today AM GONNA COOK!!!, How I miss it". Well, I may be not a top one chef, not even a master in creating glamour dessert...but, I could proudly say that my cakes rarely fail to please my husband tounge...eeerrrhhmm...i may be saying little lie here..Ok Ok, my baking failed sometimes...but, who cares?? I love baking! and today, am gonna make this LEMON SOURCREAM CAKE...been telling myself to make this longggg before holiday but never materialized..til today!!

The sour cream, made the texture is moist...yeah, that's why I love this cake and give two thumbs up of the taste..

I imagine eating this cake for an elegant afternoon tea break....that'd be perfect!

Lemon Sourcream Cake

source: cakes & muffins

1 1/4cup sugar

250g pot sourcream

3 eggs

2 tsp grated lemon rind

50g butter

11/2 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1tsp baking soda

icing sugar

1. Place sugar, sour cream, eggs and lemon rind in a mixer bowl. Melt butter and add to the bowl. Beat to combine. Sift flour, baking powder and baking soda into the bowl. Beat on low speed until ingredients are combined. Increase speed to medium and beat for 3 minutes.

2. Pour mixture into a baking paper-lined 20cm round cake tin. Bake at 180c for 35 to 45mins or until cake springs back when lightly touched.

3. Leave in tin for 5minutes before turning on to a cooling rack. when cold, dust with sifted icing sugar.

Zoey turned into 9months today! 4-07-07

Kalau bisa flash back 9 bulan lalu, ketika zoey terlahir dan the hectic schedule began. Aku selalu bertanya-tanya. Kapan ini anak besar? kog kayaknya kecil mulu. Lama banget gedenya. Tapi hari ini kulihat Zoey, dan aku ingat2 9 bulan lalu...aku berkata, wah...time has flown by so fast. Sekarang my baby sudah 9bulan, gak kerasa! (haha...how it oppose to what i said last time...funny!)

Selama 9bulan, Zoey has shown very healthy and rapid development. Kuintip catatan ku, kulihat oret-oretan tanggal yang memperlihatkan perkembangan Zoey yang "pertama kali", seperti pertama kali Zoey travelling naek pesawat untuk ngurus passport, 1.5bulan, pertawa kali ketawa ngakak..umur 2,5bulan..dan stop for quite sometimes...sekali itu kudengar...dan sebulan kemudian baru mulai ngakak lagi.

Tertulis disitu juga, Zoey membalikan badan sendiri..umur 5bulan...hmm.. not bad.

Lagi, Zoey belajar duduk, umur 6bulan.....

Lalu, Zoey belajar merangkak, umur 7bulan...tapi belum sempurna..

Zoey, akhirnya bisa duduk sendiri dari posisi terlentang...7,5bulan..

Merangkak dengan sempurna, 8bulan....Belajar berdiri sendiri, 8bulan 1minggu....

Tumbuh gigi pertama kali juga di 8bulan 1minggu...I remember, many progress in a week time.

8,5bulan, udah mulai keluar suaranya mmmmaammmaa..babbbaabbbaaa.....so cute sounds.

Dan, sekarang mulai merembet2 jalan sambil pegangan tangan...ah...pengen cepet2 liat dia bisa jalan...pasti lucu....arrrghh..time moves so fast, like a blink of eye!

Bad hair day!!!!!

Today I seemed to make a mistake, choosing a wrong option. Instead of go ahead with my initial plan, which was to perm my hair, I straightened my hair. It really turned out very bad, below my expectation. The thing that made me so 'sakit hati' was that I had to pay fortune for this....gosh!
When my hubby picked me up at the hairdresser, to see his face looked so bitter that sounded like "what the heck they've done to my wife???!!, made it feel even worse.
This new fringe reminiscent me of my old time ' kanak-kanak' hairdo which looked like a half of coconut shell...gosh...can you imagine how i

look now?

Loosing little bit of confidence now, even when i went out from the saloon to get into the car....OH NOOOO!!!!
I can't seem able to face the world now....exaggerating? no, am telling you the truth.
Back home, my baby was stil sleeping..She heard my voice talking to my self to the mirror in the room, complaining of my hair, and she woke up.
and you noe what she did?? She looked at me, frowning at my new fringe for quite long time...and showed her wide grin showing her approval! I think I have my new fan (could be the only one for now).

Mudik part 1

Sebenernya udah lama pengen post ini tapi karena rada malas en recently lost mood to blog jadinya udah ampir 2bulan gak kepost juga deh.

Ini perjalanan mudik kekampung ku di semarang berdua dengan my baby Zoey bulan mei kemaren, yang banyak suka dukanya..cie..segitu banget neh. Sukanya karena ya itu, cuman berdua..Kebayang gak sih travelling berdua tok ama bayi, repotnya itu lho. Dan waktu itu zoey yang lagi sakit pilek berat, bikin tambah repot.

Tapi ternyata waktu perjalanan berangkat ke Semarang gak terlalu merepotkan, karena mungkin pesawatnya pagi. Yang ada si zoeynya banyak tidur sepanjang perjalanan. Yang melelahkan adalah waktu suruh nunggu 3jam transit di Surabaya, dia mulai sedikit rewel.

Sedikit maksa pengen balik kampung karena pengen menghadiri acara kawinan paman paling terakhir, jadi deh dibela-belain.

DiSemarang, kami sebentar aja cuman 10hari (kurang dari 2minggu, aku bilang sebentar)..aku sempetin ketempat yang aku pengen kunjungin...nyam nyam nyam..makan kodok..hehe...

Udah lama banget gak makan ini swieke. Papaku bilang ada tempat yang enak, dan perjalanan untuk makan si froggy ini harus kami tempuh selama kurang lebih satu jam dari semarang. Ih, niat banget gak sih? ya biar aja...abis udah jauh2 dari balikpapan, aku niatin pergi.

Begitu sampai ditempat ini, aku rada ragu..abis jauh dari yang kubayangkan tempatnya. Tempatnya cuman mirip gubuk, tapi bersih..dan, gak kuliat ada pembeli disana. Tempatnya bersebelahan dengan sungai..hmmm..Ternyata, ditempat ini kalau ada pembeli, mereka baru masak. Mr. froggy pun juga belum dipotong...wah wah...aku sempet melihat si froggy meloncat2 didalam karung..iyuuuuuu..!

The green froggynya keliatan yang emang ndut2. Setelah menunggu 1/2jam, barulah si kodok goreng en swieke kodok keluar.. Wah, they look so heavenly delicious..hehehe...mungkin karena faktor laper juga sih...but really! Kodok gorengnya crispy banget, en berdaging, dan telurnya itu lho yang gak kuatin banyak banget. Kuah dari swiekenya kerasa banget, tapi mungkin sedikit kurang meresap didaging kodoknya. Bisa jadi karena baru dimasak. But stil, it tasted heavenly in my mouth. Ohh craving aku terbayar!

Setelah makan ini mouth watering meal, kami berencana untuk langsung antar pulang adikku si helen ke salatiga, tempat dia belajar sekarang ini.

Tapi dalam perjalanan kesana, kami lewati perhentian "Kampoeng Kopi Banaran", hmmm....the place look crowded en green... Jadinya, kami stop untuk sekedar mencicipi pisang goreng mereka yang terkenal dan minum kopi.

En, yes, I ordered this banana coffee! This luscious drink gave me inspiration to make it in balikpapan later. ..It's just so refreshing, and dun worry for you who dont like banana. Cause, it's only hint of the banana smell...so mild, so fragrant, almost can't tell it contents of banana.. Wuenak tenan! Banana fritternya juga enak, karena masak pohon, jadi manis banget. Nothing special though dengan penggorengannya.

Setelah selesai coffee break, kami mengitari tempat ini dan menemukan ternyata tempat ini juga terdapat perkebunan kopi juga. Dan ditempat ini disediakan trem yang bisa disewa untuk mengitari perkebunan kopi. Murah, dapat diisi 5orang dewasa seharga 40rb sekitar 45menit. My baby zoe menikmati sekali perjalanan di perkebunan kopi ini, karena udaranya yang sejuk. Sebagai informasi, si zoe sangat gak tahan udara panas..dia gampang sekali berkeringat... Jadi ditempat ini, nyaman banget buat dia.

Seselesainya berkeliling dia langsung tertidur, saking enaknya kali udaranya. Lalu, perjalanan dilanjutkan ke salatiga. Sesampai disalatiga, kita pergi sebentar ke Larasati hotel, pengen liat2 aja. Setelah berfoto di telur raksasa yang terbuat dari botol aqua (konon, telur yg dibuat untuk merayakan paskah ini masuk MURI lho.)

Setelah selesai keliling2, mengantar helen pulang. Kembalilah kita ke Semarang.

It was indeed an uxpected relaxing trip. Yang tadinya cuman pengen makan kodok, eh malah jadi keliling kota deh... Seneng, seneng banget! Pengen balik ke semarang lagi neh, pengen napak tilas perjalanan yang sama.....aaahhhhh

Kampoeng Kopi Banaran

Jl. Rya Semarang-Solo KM35

Bawen-Kab. Semarang Jateng

Tel 0298-7101770

Fax 0298-7101789

Something for my baby...

There is no LOVE enough for me to give you

There is no love enough for me to give you.

However much I feel, there should be more.

All the love an angel choir might sing you.

Never makes it halfway up that shore.

Know that I would burst my willing heart.

Your life to fill with pleasure overflowing,

Or if I had the genius and the art,

Undertake to paint your spirit glowing.

More beautiful than all the summer fields Or

all the cornucopias of fall,

The wish my insufficient passion yields

Holds me with a vastness I recall.

Even as your love became my sea,

Remember that the same is yours from me.



by Nicholas Gordon

Blogging is addictive

Percaya atau gak, I am one of the living proof..kalau nge-blog itu bikin orang keranjingan..for so many reasons I believe. Aku dulu gak nyangka kalau aku bakal ketagihan buat blog. Karena yang namanya menulis itu adalah sesuatu yang aku paling gak suka. Well..aku ngrasa tulisan ku jelek banget, baik bentuk tulisannya sendiri sampe isi tulisannya. Gak menarik lah.. Makanya waktu jaman-jaman sekolah dulu, pelajaran yang aku sebel adalah pelajaran bahasa Indonesia karena selalu ada pelajaran mengarang bebas.. ih..capek deh..
Lalu friendster ngenalin blog kepada membernya, mulailah aku sering terima email mengenai temen temen yang selalu update blog-nya. Saat itu aku berpikir, ih..ini orang-orang kog bisa-an ya bikin blog bagus-bagus..tulisannya juga pada menarik. Then, i was thinking, should i try to post something too? aaahhh..forget it, am too shy. No one want to read mine..not gonna be an interesting topic. Setiap mereka terima info i update my blog, pasti di skip deh...hehe..gitu pikiran aku..
Sampe akhirnya, aku melahirkan anak pertamaku..aku merasa,..well, i think i have a good topic to write. And..this way, I could let my friends know wherever they are that I have delivered a baby..yeah..that would work.. :o)
Beneran deh, bikin post mengenai kelahiran anakku, lalu mulai dapet komen dari temen-temen..wah, senengnya..berarti tulisanku ini gak jelek-jelek amir..ada juga yang baca..
Sejak itu, aku mulai kecanduan. Selalu dalam pikiranku ini untuk selalu menulis blog, dan cari topik yang menarik. Ada aja yang mau ku-post diblog, dari resep sampe cerita mengenai zoey anakku. Sampai-sampai suamiku rada bosen ngliat aku didepan komputer mulu, katanya, " Hari-hari Blog, hari-hari blog...!" Haha.. Well, kilahku..aku kan pengangguran sekarang, gak apa dong nge-blog..daripada gak ada yang dilakuin..Temenku yuli yang jauh lebih suka nulis dari aku, justru encourage aku. Dia bilang, menulis bagus..supaya otak gak macet..
Bener juga katanya..aku mulai berpikir. Sebenernya apa sih yang bikin aku kecanduan blog selain kecanduan kopi? Kenapa aku rasanya sakau kalau gak nge-post? :oP

Akhirnya aku berkesimpulan:
1. Blog salah satu cara untuk mengekpresikan diri, dan menumpah ruahkan uneg-uneg dikepalaku ini.
2. Nge-blog gak bikin otak dodol, malah lebih kreatif, terutama buat ibu rumah tangga yang ga ada gawe kayak aku ini. (bener juga, aku banyak belajar tentang internet n nulis disini)
3. Senengnya dapet komen dari orang-orang..serasa dapet penggemar...haha.. ada kepuasan tersendiri deh.
4. Mau membuktikan pada diri sendiri, kalau tulisan ku sebenernya gak jelek-jelek amir..bisa kog dinikmatin.

well..already come to the end...one post finish..phewff...gotta think another topic to talk again..

Introduction

Entah sejak kapan aku mulai minum kopi..Coba kuingat-ingat..hmm.., agak-agaknya sudah sejak aku kuliah..berarti udah sekitar 10tahunan, lama juga yee (baru nyadar :O) ). Sebenarnya kalo musti nginget-nginget berapa kalsiumku yang udah diserap ama sang kafein rada ngeri sih, tapi kog susah banget ya ngilanginnya. Apalagi belakangan ini yang semakin menjadi-jadi, no days passed without a sip of coffee. Aku teringat banget waktu aku hamil tahun lalu, dan aku bener-bener yang gak berani minum kopi sedikitpun. Wah, rada tersiksa ngrasainnya. Ngliat orang yang lagi minum kopi, kog menderita betul..Buntut-buntutnya, setiap ada yang minum kopi aku deket-deket dia supaya kecium bau kopinya.. well, sekadar ngilangin sakau gitu lho.
So..setelah 9bulan berlalu, aku tau pasti apa yang musti kulakuin.. Aku balas dendam dengan langsung mencari si instan 3in1 coffee-ku...ditambahkan susu kental manis sedikit...ditaruh di cup kecil putihku-supaya ngrasa selaksa di cafe ( :o) )...dan kuminumlah si kopi dengan penuh kelegaan..aaarrhh..akhirnya..penantian ku berakhir.
Saking cintanya aku dengan si kopi, makanya blog-ku ini kunamakan

A Cuppa Coffee - sumber inspirasiku. Apapun yang akan kutulis, semuanya karena adanya energi yang kudapatkan dari si kopi...
so here my cofffee- a blog dedicated to you.....slurp...arrrgghhh....am in heaven..