nikon academy

hear ye! hear ye! all ye nikon enthusiasts!

i thought i'd share this with nikon newbies (like meself) who have yet to stumble upon nikonian academy & nikonian academy forum. i find these sites very informative & practical, be it for a point & shoot or dslr camera. interested in photography classes, workshops or seminars? you'd get all the current updates on nikonian academy. most unfortunate for the shutterbugs of borneo, all classes are conducted in the peninsular (lucky yous). as for super handy tips, there are oodles of those obtainable from the lively nikonian academy forum. be sure to register yourself as a member today & gain so much more from the seasoned pros! yup, that's free advertisement coming from a budding nikonian :o)

* this post is for you otta. haha!

from ta66y's ark with love

GOD be thanked for that
good & perfect gift,
the gift unspeakable:
HIS life, HIS love,
HIS very self in Christ Jesus.

maltbie d. babcock

zen garden resort 19-21 december 2008

we loved the zen-ness of last year's trip
that we came back for more & stayed for 2 nights.
what bliss!

the lodges were all taken this time round,
so we settled in one of the iris suites which is as comfy.

i feel zenned when i'm here :o)

woke up at 6am to capture these shots.
it pays to get up when all is calm.
love the natural lighting of the early morn.

ahh...peace & quiet...

if you're not looking to go far for meals,
the restaurant provides pretty decent food.

a quick glimpse of the beautiful mount kinabalu
on our 1st morning before it got all foggy again.

we made our very 1st visit to the sabah tea plantation.
funny how sometimes we take our own places of interest for granted.
i know i do! cuti-cuti sabah here we come!

mayesha loves the camera & the camera loves her back
that's for sure :o)

we also visited 'tagal' sungai moroli, kampung luanti, ranau,
known for its fish massage & cleansing properties.
hubs & the kids didn't go for a dip as it was drizzling quite a fair bit.
one of the places to return to next year!

besides chilling out, i turned my boys into models.
not an easy task as they get restless easily!

an kept asking, 'mommy are you done yet?'
i'd have to give them an A each for at least trying.
haha! poor boys!

'ok, look up! smile! no, DON'T move or else...!!!'

han would occasionally poke at the lens or turn it this way & that.
i'm sure he thinks mommy is no fun at all
especially when she always has that thing pointing right at his face.

hooded han in da house!

they'd much prefer to wrestle, whenever & wherever. sigh!

hello mellow yellow!

'mirror mirror on the pond, who's the fairest of them all?'

'o where art thou my prince charming?'

it rained the 2nd morning, thus producing lovely rain droplets.

i like the matching bin & textured stone wall.
keep clean & keep green :o)

photography workshop

the 2nd photography workshop was held on 6-7 of this month
& a group of 30 very eager participants headed to the
scenic kudat golf & marina resort for the weekend.
the 1st workshop took place at the
monsopiad cultural village sabah which i missed!

before arriving at our destination, we were already
given our 1st assignment which was to take 3 shots
that'd reflect kampung gombizau, a bee farm in matunggung.
the shots submitted by all 30 participants were used
for discussion the next day.
i, for one made my 1st mistake in taking a cliché shot,
a typical shot that everyone would attempt to take
in showing that they've been to a particular place
by taking the picture of the sign!
i failed my 1st mission terribly but with lots more hope & heart
to better myself :o)

the above picture was cropped to show a closer view of the bees.
again, it wasn't done correctly.
i should've focused on an interesting looking bee
(one with a sense of humour i.e.) instead of the swarm.
ok, noted!
nah, i didn't submit a 3rd shot for this assignment
as the rest of it were super irrelevant.
after the bees, i happily clicked on other stuff. haha!

our 2nd assignment focused on the resort upon our arrival there.
this came out not too bad before it rained non-stop
for the period of our stay there.
yes, never make weather an excuse - that was what we were taught!
i so LOVE clouds & a clear horizon!

this is one of my favourite shots.

i couldn't resist taking another cliché shot. sorry!

on the 2nd day of our workshop,
we left the sheltered resort for a rather wet assignment outdoors.
i'd say we're a good bunch cos despite the gloomy weather, our spirits ran high.
you should've seen the flashes go off all over kudat's dry market,
giving light to the darkness on an overcast day.
it was definitely a bright burst of energy coming from everyone.
we were also taught to communicate with our subject/s
& not simply shoot at anyone without their permission,
therefore avoid becoming rude & annoying photographers.
i met liana, a bubbly 6 year old adorned with a cute tiara.
she's a princess alright :o)

this wasn't an easy shot to take as many waited for their desiccated coconut.
this poor guy kept going as his customers in line were endless.

shelves full of seashells from the seashore.

adi, a friendly fish monger indeed.
i asked him permission to photograph his fishes
& he started to pose for me instead. haha!
we need more characters like him!

i love the red in the fish...

as well as the greenish blue in this one.
it's so goth this fish!

ulai, my roommate & the newest appointed nikon coolpix model!
what did she do on this trip?
the pictures below are testimony to what she has learnt/gained(?)
in the photography workshop. hmmm...

she has turned into a paparazzi that's for sure!

need i say more?

most of her pictures are taken this way -
she's the photographer as well as the subject. go figure!

again, need i say more?

aha! she finally got this group picture right!
at least her head was nowhere near to be seen in this shot!
you're so funnylah ulai!
next time i'll tie you to me at the next workshop
so that you'll not escape from sitting right at the back.
i bet you're thinking, "what next workshop?"

p.s. dear anne in red, why weren't you facing the camera?

i personally enjoyed myself & look forward to the next.
thanks anne & flo for organizing the workshop & showing us all a wonderful time!
ulai was just tagging along kan?

end of school term

a couple of hours more to go before an's kindy grad day & i've got mixed emotions! i'm happy that he has completed his kindy without so much of a hitch & at the same time i can't believe/don't want to believe that he's starting primary school next year. i know that 6 years will indeed fly by & then it'll be high school too soon! is it selfish of me to want him to stay this way a lil longer, just for now? haha!

speaking of growing up, i think kids these days do it too fast. not that they want to but times are definitely changing & they're expected to know a whole lot more than we were at their age in our time. a good example would be the education system. i remembered my kindy days being carefree & full of play. the more serious stuff only came in primary school which is quite the reverse for an. his homework can be baffling sometimes & i'm in the process of relearning a whole lot of new things from their text books just to keep up with his school work. so when he does his homework, i do mine as well :o)

on a happier note, we can't wait for the school hols to begin. yay! mommy also needs a break from text books & homework! i hope i can finally sit down & organise the folders of pics taken over a period of 8 months. it has been pretty busy lately with school concerts, functions & year end activities. both boys were involved in their school concert. han & his very cute friends did a number called the penguin dance, oh so adorable! an was on the drums for his class choir & played 2 songs. i was nervous for him when the curtains opened. it was as if i was the one having stage fright! he got through the 2 songs with gusto & i silently uttered my thank you prayer. hubs & i were applauding like crazy, signalling to him on stage with our 2 thumbs up. hehe!

i'm feeling poetry in my veins right now, so i'm going to leave you with a poem by w. h. davies entitled leisure which we were made to memorise in high school. i remember it to this day cos truly what's life if it's all consumed by worries. this poem is my reminder. enjoy...

WHAT is this life if, full of care,
we have no time to stand & stare?—

no time to stand beneath the boughs,
and stare as long as sheep & cows:

no time to see, when woods we pass,
where squirrels hide their nuts in grass:

no time to see, in broad daylight,
streams full of stars, like skies at night:

no time to turn at Beauty's glance,
& watch her feet, how they can dance:

no time to wait till her mouth can
enrich that smile her eyes began?

a poor life this if, full of care,
we have no time to stand and stare.

back on the blog

it sure feels g-r-e-a-t to be BACK here! i do miss the feel of a keyboard under my fingers, weird as it may sound. i'd love to write more once i get my notebook sorted out. YAY & thanks for dropping by!

in memory of our angel

we love you baby
even before you were born.
we saw you in ultrasounds
& felt your lil' moves.

we love you baby
but SOMEONE loves you more.
HE was the one that made you
& HE has brought you home.

we love you baby
we always will.
though you're no longer with us
you remain in our hearts forevermore.

last day @ work

it was honestly the last place i thought we'd hang out for lunch! thanks so much for this experience & boy did we sing our lungs out, except jurra who's still recovering from a bad throat (you poor thing!). i was actually having my 1st bout of morning sickness today. i kept telling myself that it's mind over matter & that i shouldn't think too much about it even though my stomach was feeling gassier than usual. anyway, our trip to kbox has proven successful! i eventually got over the morning sickness & was having the greatest, funnest lunch hour of my life! thank you ulai, alice, joyce, jurra & neneth for showing me a fabulous time! you girls ROCK big time! yeah yeah! also, i'd like to thank jo & lorna for your very thoughtful gifts! love it! we'll stay in touch that's for sure! i'm praying & hoping to get my new notebook soonest (*hinting hubs dearest).

again, thank you all for your friendship during my time here! GOD bless :o)

quality time

han was extra whiny around me last night. i was trying to fold the laundry which was piled sky-high in the basket & at the same time doing my best to entertain this lil boy by putting on his favourite cds one after another. it didn't work, not one bit. he walked back & forth, went up & down the stairs, cried when i put a stop to his cd & turned on star world to watch american idol. he looked at me & demanded for fun song factory to be played again. i put down the t-shirt that i was folding & pushed the laundry basket aside. i told him to come to me & gave him a hug. his face lit up with a smile & his mood changed immediately. he went on to sit on my lap, making himself comfortable. his lil hands held onto mine with a soft grip, not letting go. sometimes he'd face me & give me one of his biggest, sweetest smile. he didn't mind that we were watching american idol. he was contented with the way things were. my lil boy only wanted to have me & my time. i should've known.

election campaign

election posters, banners, flags & billboards have sprung up overnight with the upcoming election. what caught an's attention this morning as hubs drove him to school was the democratic action party's symbol on the left. he gazed with more interest at the display of coloured flags situated at a busy junction. the mini flags, looking ever so festive were strung together to form a circle with the support of wooden posts.

an casually asked, 'is it rocket day?'

wet, wetter, wettest!

that's what happens when i let them have a soapy good time.
they go from wet to wetter in a split second,
then wettest when they start splashing each other
with lil buckets of water! tsk tsk tsk!
to scold or not to scold? that's the question! haha!
nah, i'd usually let them go overboard once in a blue moon.
who says getting wet isn't fun?
i'd my days with water & it sure was heaps fun!

one of the boys started calling this outdoor activity soapy time.
so whenever i give them the green light,
they'll run out to the backyard gleefully
shouting at the top of their voices
's...o...a...p...y
t...i...m...eeeeeeeeeeee!!!'

2 boys + water + soap + household brushes + lil buckets
+ splashing + getting wet = soapy time

an actually does a thorough job in washing
his broken excavator & tricycle that are kept outside.
they look really clean after he washes 'em.
he gets to help with the cars sometimes
which really excites him.
i'm definitely looking forward to the day
when he's old enough to be assigned
with this chore :o)

posing for soapy time!

stomach microscope

...is the latest technology
in place of the ultrasound scan!
believe it or
not!

an:
is baby a boy or a girl? (while placing his hand on my tummy)
me:
when baby has grown bigger in mommy's tummy, then doctor will be able to see if it's a boy or a girl.
an:
do they use the er...er...stomach...mi...mi...what's it again mommy? the one scientist use...
me:
you mean microscope?
an:
yes yes the stomach mi...tro...top...
me:
mi-cro-scope. the microscope is used in a lab to see very small things. the stomach microscope is called the ultrasound.
an:
ul-tra-sound
me:
yes, the doctor will use the ultrasound scan on mommy's tummy to see baby.
an:
(deep in thoughts)

on a another note,
what would you tell your child
if you were asked
where babies make their exit?

an:
mommy, where will baby come out from?
me:
(taken by surprised by his question, so i kept mum)
an:
i don't want the doctor to operate you & cut you. (not liking the sight of blood)
me:
(wanting to reassure him) the doctor will not cut mommy.
an:
so baby comes out from your leg. (pointing at his right leg)
me:
no, baby doesn't come out from there.
an:
your belly button? (pointing at my belly button)
me:
uhm, yes...(bleep! wrong answer! but that'll do for now. sigh!)

sahm

that's what i'll be starting 1st march, a sahm. hubs wants me to fully concentrate on the kids & i'm ok with that. i'd certainly miss work, the things i get to do (i'd be lying if i said otherwise) & my wonderful colleagues whom i've shared most of my lunch hours with at some time or another & are great friends. it'll be hectic days ahead (any mommies can attest to that i'm sure) but worthwhile. my new occupation includes being a full time driver, a housemaid & occasionally a cook (which i'm lousy at). it's hard work & there are mommies who do all that on top of a full time job (phew!). but i also believe that when GOD grants us the title of motherhood, He'll armour us with a bigger heart & the right tools so that we're mom the builder & handy mommy - 'can mommy fix it, yes she can!' or 'hola! handy mommy’s repair shop. you break it, she fixes it!' now that's a good reminder when i find meself at my wits' end. haha!

with a happy & joyful heart, i'm here to announce that i'm expecting baby no. 3! hubs must've prayed real hard for the past months for our angel. i still remember one of our conversations we'd during our courting days about how many kids we'll have. he said 5 (he comes from a family of 5) & i stubbornly said 1. he settled for 3 cos it's in between 1 & 5. i thought to meself then that 2 should be just right. by end of october, i'd have to deal with 3 - like they always say, 'the more the merrier!' i'm still at the earliest stage - coming to the 4th week. i've only felt the change in my body when i got tired more often & completely lost appetite for food. the 1st test came out negative & i waited another 3 days to do the next test with a very reliable wh accu test which came out positive. AMEN! i pray for a good pregnancy & definitely a smooth delivery. we're now getting the boys ready for their baby bro/sis, so before bedtime last night, they both hugged & kissed my belly & spoke to baby which was touchingly sweet!

p.s. a special thanks to a dear friend for getting me the pregnancy kit when i needed it the most. you know who you are :o)

ah ma's birthday

dad surprised mom with a beautiful bouquet of roses!
he'd a kinda shy look on his face when i asked him, 'is that for mom?'
she was truly touched by dad's gesture as she held them.
but when we were alone in the kitchen she asked me,
'did u make daddy buy the flowers for me?'
of course i said 'no!' & told her i was surprised myself. haha!
dad at 66 & mom, who just turned 63 make such a loving couple!

i teased dad by demanding to know how much he paid for it
which i know can be a bomb on valentine's day.
he smiled & wouldn't tell me. awww so cute!

pretty in pink

hubs did get up early to buy crabs
cos there was no supply from lahad datu.
he went all the way to tuaran for 'em.
we'd baked cheese crabs!

beautiful crab roe from the tuaran crabs

then we'd crabs from donggongon market
courtesy of my FIL, who btw is a great cook!
hubs learnt to cook from him & yes, i'm very blest.
the fierce looking donggongon crabs
soon turned into chili crabs by hubs' skillful hands.

juicy & yummy butter prawns, last dish prepared by hubs.
we were all spoilt rotten on valentine's day big thanks to him :o)