Lil Things that matter

Really, Mr E and I feel immensely grateful to the organisers of "Aku Nak Kahwin" Symposium for inviting the both of us as speakers because we truly had a blast reminiscing ol times.
It's just amazing how quickly one 'forgets' the very early stages of our romance during the courtship. Truth be told, the 'butterflies in the tummy' kinda feeling is no longer there :( BUT essence of love is still very much alive in both of us.

Been reading up alot on marriage and then I came across a page which asks "How well do you know your spouse?"
Now, we often assume that we know our partners really well.

So during his lunchtime, Mr E and I have been exchanging emails about our favourite things.

Mr E: Like sitting for a test like that...
Me: No la...It's sharing and learning time.

Mr E's top 10 Favourite Things

Here are MY answers!
(Words in green=corrections/input by him!)

Food: Malay Dishes
Beverage: Coffee
Dessert: Chocolate (The more nuts, the better...That's why he's nuts!)
TV Show: V
Actor: Jalaluddin Hassan :p (MORGAN FREEMAN)
Actress: Renee Zellweger (MICHALE PHIFER) --------Oi! At least, get the spelling of her name right leh!
Singer/Group: Jon Bon Jovi
Sport: Soccer
Team: Manchester United
Hobby: Scratch feet (AND fart at Nyla's face) -____________-

NURA's SCORE: 8/10

Nura's top 10 Favourite Things

Here are HIS answers!
(My input in green!)

Food: Western /Jap Food
Beverage: Green Tea
Dessert: Ice Kachang (No dairy) (AND esp, NO KACANGS!)---1/2 mark.
TV Show: Whatever on E channel
Actor: That hunk from Twilight, Robert Petterson. (It's ROBERT PATTINSON!)....but now, I like Josh Duhamel..
Actress: Julia Roberts
Singer/Group: American Idol winner- forgot his name but he's a nyah. (lol! ADAM LAMBERT ler!)
Sport: Finger exercise pressing IPhone (lol! Wrong! I like running.)
Team: better be Manchester United
Hobby: Twitter 24/7 (;PPPPP)

MR E's SCORE: 8 1/2 out of 10

So where are we getting it?
Sometimes, it's the little things that matter because they say "I'm thinking about you, my lup!"
Example, I'll surely smile if I see an Iced Green Tea on the table. (Without asking you to buy it for me, Mr E. Auto k!)
Let's rock the marriage thingy at Republic Poly tomorrow, partner!
Ok Go!

My PSLE

My PSLE results were considered devastating (NO) thanks to my elder brother who set such a high standard that I knew even before sitting for my PSLE, I couldn't beat his aggregate score of 269.

That's my Bah with his wife, Net (also damn smart!) and my one and only Rooqs.

I was right about not being able to beat his aggregate score.
Although I made it to the Express Stream, it just wasn't good enough.

My friends whose aggregate scores were more or less similar as mine cried tears of joy and their parents were very happy.

A total opposite reaction from my family's. Again, no thanks to my Bah.

The ONLY person jubilant about my 'poor' results was my younger brother, Jambi who thanked me for 'lowering the standard' and remarked that he just had to beat my aggregate and all would be fine.

He sat for his PSLE 3 years later and yes, he beat my PSLE score. DAMMIT!

My parents were of course satisfied with his results. (beat my score mah, so he's in 'safe' zone.)

POST PSLE RESULTS 'era' was just shitty.

Being compared just SUCKED because if you don't 'reach the bar', you sort of get 'slammed' by relatives.

Mean words like 'Eh Kin tak macam abangnya eh?' were overheard, especially during Hari Raya visiting/kenduris.

Bleargh.

Looking back, I realised that THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG AT ALL WITH MY PSLE RESULTS lor! My parents had absolutely no reason to feel sad because:

one, I cleared my PSLE and moved on to secondary school (heng ah, no need to repeat)

two, I made it to the Express stream

Aren't these reasons enough to call for a celebration?

Now, that wasn't the end of my 'nightmare' hokay.

During my time (I feel old), we chose our secondary schools before we got our results.

My brother went to Raffles Institution so it was only right (plus a sweet dream come true for my parents) that his sister here would go Raffles Girls' School. Matching mah.

My (as well as parents') list of chosen schools were all girls' schools.

During the release of the school posting results, the family suffered from yet another heartbreak.

Damn I felt like a loser. :(

I was "thrown"/dicampak into a school NOT of my choice: Jin Tai Secondary School. (now defunct)

Now, this school did not have that great of a reputation and my dad was convinced I would end up pregnant at 16. (By the way, that shool's got reallllyyyyy good looking boys and hotttttt girls though. Slurps...Heee!)

Papa J (a fellow YISS alumni) transferred me to Yusof Ishak Secondary School (YISS) just because he knew the principal and teachers there.

Furthermore, YISS 'emerged' as the top value added school (Express) in the 1994 GCE O level exam.

I was sad to leave my fun bunch of Jin Tai-ans but am eternally grateful to my parents for switching my school because 'parents do know what's best for their child.'

I tell you, when I first stepped into the school, I wasn't impressed!

The school which was located along AYE was freaking old I felt so sad for myself. :((((

The classrooms had no doors... open concept gituk...

Broken window panes in the toilets that I bet passengers on the upper deck of SBS buses could see the students pee.

My dad, on the other hand, felt an immense sense of pride, showing off to me...

"Ah you see this classroom, this was mine!"

"Wah the canteen still looks the same after all these years..."

NEVER HAVE I FELT SO TRAPPED IN HISTORY!

Anyway, despite the 'poor conditions', I would have to say that years spent at YISS was ABSOLUTELY AWESOME! The teachers were superb! Soooooooooo dedicated.

I made close friends who knew how to play AND work hard and together, we aced the O level exams.

Hence, morale of the story here is: Neighbourhood schools do not suck. They ROCK. Big time.

1998 was the year I sat for my 'O' levels.

Studied real hard for it and the hard work paid off.

I even beat my elder bro's O level score yo. I beat a Rafflesian! WOOTS! What a morale booster!

Well because he was an outstanding hockey player and all, he proceeded to RJC.

His sister wanted a JC close to home and since I was staying at Jurong, yeah you guessed it JJC for me! Heeee!

It has been a very long but definitely fulfilling journey for me.

I came from a neighbourhood secondary school and a neighbourhood JC, yet, I still get to be what I dreamt to be when I was a child: a teacher.

I became so passionate about lower ability pupils who struggle in their studies that I decided to leave the civil service in 2009 to set up The Bottoms Up Club which is specially catered to children who take subjects at Foundation level. (Eg: Foundation English...Foundation Maths...)

Not trying to be racist (Hey I am a Malay as well) but majority of children in the tail end classes (based on my experience) are Malays.

Sorry to also say this but other races are very 'kiasu' about their kids sending their children for enrichment classes.

Pada dorang, investment untuk masa depan anak.

Orang Melayu kita pulak lokek sikit.

They feel that spending on education is 'a waste of money'

Bang, beli rokok tiap hari tak mahal?

It's time we 'invest' in our children's education, mommies and daddies and put aside our wants for now.

Here I would like to take my hats off to 2 parents of my tutees.

One is a single mother. Another is a single father who works as a cleaner.

Masyallah. How touching is this?

I'll do what I can, Maam and Sir and take your children out from the vicious cycle of poverty.

Alhamdullilah, both their kids made it to secondary schools.

Last Thursday , I was a proud educator because ALL of my Primary Six tutees cleared their PSLEs.

No "U" grade for their core English and Maths subjects.

Special mention to my most challenging tutee, Ezz.

When he first came to me, he didn't know how to read but overtime with a lot of practise, he became more fluent in reading.

With him, I focused alot on reading because reading is very important.

How is he going to tackle comprehension questions if he doesn't know how to read?
How is he going to solve problem sums if he doesn't know how to read?

And to be able to sucessfully enter secondary school, he will need to score more than 30 marks for his English and Maths.

Teachers reading my blog, you would understand how excruciating it would be for a kid to increase their marks from, say, 25 to 30.

What more from say, single digit 9 to 30?

To improve by 21 points is a not an easy task for these kids.

Ezz's mommy had a heart to heart talk with me when she expressed interest in enrolling Ezz under my care.

"Mdm Nura, help him get to secondary school. I just don't want him to get a "U" grade. I'm worried for his Maths."

This boy attended my classes religiously and I worked on his strengths.

He is an imaginative boy so naturally, his composition stories are interesting. :)

Dearest Ezzqandar, I am *blardy* proud of you, my boy! You totally deserve to be featured. An inspiration to other struggling kids that with effort, everything is possible.

IMPOSSIBLE just means I'M POSSIBLE, right Ezz?

My sincerest thanks to Norman for the feature and Abang Tukiman for the photos. :)

Ezz, I must thank you.

You made MY parents beam with pride too when they saw this article.

So I thank you for that, my dear.

Lustmonday, thank you for sponsoring my outfit!

Lustmonday will be launching their 42nd collection at 4.20pm later ladies!

Congratulations also to another Bottoms Upper, Zayma.

She was the top Foundation pupil in her school in 2009...got posted to the normal academic stream.

I am proud to share great news that she has made the switch to the Express Stream at YISS (yeah my alma matar!)

Well done Zayma!

Mdm Nura will continue to help you and the other Bottoms Uppers soar to greater heights, insyallah!

And how can I not thank my family for always spurring me to reach greater heights?

My parents, husband, brothers, in laws and Nyla, thanks for your empowering love.

Allah, Thank You for answering my prayers.

Alhamdullilah.

The EXCLUZIF dresses

Lustmonday is launching their new arrivals very soon ladies.....
Loved every outfit I modelled yesterday during the photoshoot.


Especially love this.
I'm so gonna wear this for later's event at Park Royal.
Thanks sweet Boss!

Let me also introduce to you Lustmonday's orang kuat.
Coincidentally, both their names begin with 'L'.


With Lynn, Lustmonday's make up artiste.
She is truly a wonderful friend who always pampers those close to her heart.
I am very fortunate indeed.


With Lawrence, Lustmonday's photographer. Thank you for snapping my Toga shots. Appreciate it.
Forever smiling and he is welcoming his daughter soon! Congrats bro. :)

I also took the opportunity to model my EXCLUZIF togas......
It's been about a month and I hereby announce that:

ORDERS ARE NOW OPEN for MINI TOGAS!
WOOTS!

4 new colours ladies.


"Vanilla Ice Cream" Mini Toga


"Strawberry Milkshake" Mini Toga
(Lynn Maharet! This one's on the way baby!)


"Ocean" Mini Toga
(Joy, you want? winks!)

Another colour just came in and Nyla got a little too excited because she got reminded of Nutella.

Yeap you guessed it.

"Nutella Brown" shall be the code. Heeee.

And how can I not bring back my two BESTSELLING colours:


"Rose Maroon" Mini Toga


"Midnight Navy Blue" Mini Toga

A MINI TOGA COSTS $50 per piece and fits S to L, my ladies.

Presently, I have ready stock of 2 Toga maxi dresses.

1 is "Strawberry Milkshake" Maxi Toga.


and the other, "Canary Yellow" Maxi Toga


A MAXI TOGA DRESS COSTS $75 per piece and fits S-L.

I've always enjoyed my conversations with Papa J, a successful businessman who has been in the shipping business for more than 30 years. Till today, the shipping company he founded is still going on strong. I love the way he thinks and I especially admire his fearless nature.

"Kin, when you do business, you need to diversify. You need to explore new areas of business."

Explored I did, dad. Thank you for your words of wisdom.

Besides we heard this phrase :'change is the only constant' so many times.

So let's all give a warm welcome to a new range of EXCLUZIF dresses: Evening wear.

I have engaged a very talented seamstress for this and Faridah is also terrific!

Nyla mentioned this: "Oh I know! Your dresses all start from the letter T!

T for togas...T for turtlenecks...."

Cool observation there babe.

Without further ado, I present you THREE reaalllllllllllly "EXCLUZIF" evening wear kind of dresses.

I am only selling 1 of each design.

Rest assured you'll be the only LONE RANGER wearing it. This I promise.

The dresses below fit S/M my ladies.

My hijab wearing ladies will like this. Winks!
This classic- looking tangerine dress costs $189.




This elegant black and gold dress is my personal favourite.
It costs $180.

Cream and gold dress here is also very pretty.

Also selling at $180.

TGIF!!!

That plus BONUS is also coming in. WOOOOTTTTS!

You know what to do dearies! Shop awayyyyyyy. Heeee.

Just email me at nuraesman@gmail.com if you are interested to purchase the mini togas and the evening wear.

MWACCKS and I thank all of you in advance for the support.

HUGS and have a wonderful, wonderful weekend.

Waxing and Eyebrow Shaping at Harnies Beauty

Made the babe tag along to Harnies Beauty last week for my waxing appointment, much to her delight.

She was going on and on telling me how fickle I am because "sometimes you shave...sometimes you wax..." which gave me the opportunity to tell her the difference between shaving and waxing.

How shaving will always leave my poor legs with itchy red dots. Damn those razor bumps.

How hair will instantly grow within an hour after shaving and my legs will feel like a cactus a few days later.

So sharp one...

How waxing is probably the longest lasting temporary hair removal method.

How waxing not only pulls out the hairs from the roots but at the same time, removes dead skin cells leaving the skin smooth.

So while waiting for the temperature of the wax to be' just nice' kind of hot, me and my mini BFF snapped photos.

Aiya..upside down pulak!

Lerrrr. Blurred pulak!

Nyla, you look good here. I look like Daisy Duck.

Then it's waxing time! Wooots!

I've kept those leg hairs for 2 weeks and God knows how unwanted those hairs were lor.

Hair needs to be long-ish before a waxing procedure mah.

Say the ideal length would be: half of your thumbnail....NOT half of your thumb k.

If you keep your hair that long, don't blame your partner for leaving you. Heeeee!

A cloth is pressed on top and ripped off with a rapid movement in the direction of hair growth.

Bye Bye unwanted hair!


My thighs are not hairy so I opted for the half leg waxing.

Half leg waxing at Harnies Beauty costs $40.

Iza also shaped my eyebrows that day! Thanks babe!

Awesome shot Nyla! Tak sia sia bawak dia...

Eyebrow grooming at Harnies Beauty costs $10.

Anyway, are you AND your bestie/sister/mom/aunty/grandma keen on the Exclusive Hari Raya Haji promotion?

It is supposed to end tomorrow but due to EXTREMELY popular demand, Harnie decided to extend the promotion to 15 December!

Kapoh-ed this Berita Harian ad from Harnie's facebook! Heee!

Interested in waxing, massage, facial or the above promotion, click HERE or call 6392 0623.

Go and pamper yourselves my ladies.

Nyla E _____

Nyla: So your name is Nura J Esman huh..........
How come you make Tok Daddy's name short ah?

I just kept quiet the whole time.....

And she continued.....

Like that, when I get married, my name will be Nyla E Shaun... Or Nyla E Luke... Or Nyla E Syamirul..

-__________-

Or Nyla E Bieber, babe?

Heeeeeee! *Thanks Wana!*

AKU NAK KAHWIN (I WANNA MARRY) Symposium

Mr E and I have been invited to speak at a marriage symposium organised by Darussalam Mosque, Just Parenting Association and Adam Association.

The last time both of us 'combined powers' to speak was some 8 months ago at the "Parenting in the New Infocomm Age Seminar" organised by IDA and UFamily. Together, we shared with the audience how we use new infocomm tools to interact with Nyla.

So, what are we going to share on the 4th December at Republic Poly Cultural Centre?

Hmmmmm. We will definitely share some personal bits of our six and a half year marriage.

Some mistakes and what we have learnt.

An example:

So many couples save up a huge sum of money for the mak andam la...catering la.....deco la.....

Aiyooooo so unnecessary lor!

NOTE NUMBER 1: Now that we can look back and reflect, our advice to you eager couplings: SCRAP the idea and instead use the money buy your own house.

Mr E and I spent close to 2 years living under our parents' roofs and now that we have our own house, what were we thinking back then man?

Staying on our own is bliss. On top of that, it teaches us both to be independent and maintain family harmony.

While we were discussing on what to speak at the symposium, Mr E suddenly took the time capsule and travelled back to 2004 (the year we got married)

Mr E: Eh you remember when we just got married, you served me those mini croissants AND coffee..Now only coffee. Slack sia you.

Me: What to do? GIANT no longer sells them what...

Mr E: Last time when my feet were real itchy, you would fill the bucket with warm water, put dettol and I would soak my feet in it leh. How come you no longer do that for me now? *while scratching his feet*

Me: Tipah tertipu hokay. I thought it was going to be a one time thingy and your feet would be cured. Didn't know that the itch on your feet would last like....forever...

Then, I decided to join him in his flashback time capsule and 'revisited' year 2005 (the year Nyla was born)

I was one kancheong spider who had this phobia of giving birth at home.

So the moment I reached 38 weeks and experienced discomfort, I was convinced I was going into labour.

On that very day, it was Mr E's important day at work.

Me: I think it's today.

Him: No la. Cannot be. Pls don't sabo me.

Me: Really. I ain't kidding.

So Mr E put on his masam face and sent me to hospital. And then when the doctor confirmed that I was indeed having contractions, he felt sorry. Yak dussssshhhh!

Now, I was also scared of the delivery so I took ALL types of pain relief: pethidine......gas...... and epidural and I still remember what Mr E said: Oooooiiiii, relack ah shopping.

Obviously, I didn't care and just 'shopped'. Nyla came out pretty much 'stoned'. Sorry babe!

Till today, Mr E found the epidural part scary. He teared when he saw me all curled up. He was extremely worried about the risks involved in the administration of anaesthesia. (esp the part when the needle enters the spinal column)

I,on the other hand, was at the other spectrum of emotions, just glad that there wasn't anymore pain! Woots!

POST DELIVERY

Me: You remember when I was pumping milk in the middle of the night and you said,"Can't you wait and do this when the sun rises?"

You think I WANT TO WAKE UP AT 3AM TO EXPRESS MILK?!

Mr E: Sorry la. The electric pump was so noisy. Disturbed my sleep you know....

Then there were some hilarious moments.

Wahlau, post delivery just sucked big time for me, especially the boobies part!

The breasts were really engorged and I read on the Internet that cabbage leaves could help ease the engorgement. Mr E bought the vege for me and his eyes just widened when I laid them on the breasts.

Mr E: Nice bra. Going green huh.

I just kept quiet. Too in pain to laugh.

Now, obviously he wanted a reaction so he continued...

Mr E: Later I take thousand island k ....then can eat salad together- gether on the bed.

WAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAH!

Super irritating right this fellow?!!!!

Funny how Mr E and I couldn't wait for Nyla to be 4 months (the age babies grow out of colic) when she was a wailing and sleepless newborn and she's 5 years old now. Oh how time flies.

NOTE NUMBER 2 to you eager couplings: HAVING A BABY WILL TURN YOUR LIVES UPSIDE DOWN.

HEEEEEYYYYYUGE RESPONSIBILITY yo.

Then we 'fast forwarded'to 2006, the year we got our own place at Bukit Timah, our very first home.

Sweeeeeettttttt. :)

Mr E: Remember I had to go to Doha for 3 months and you couldn't stop crying?

Me: Yeah. You also cried what. But so touching when you came back on my birthday.

Mr E: I was so sad to leave you and Nyla behind....If I were to go again now, would you cry like how you did then?

Me: Of course.....NOT. Heeeeeee!

Yeapppp, we truly had a great time reminiscing the good

and also the bad ol times.

I'd be lying if I say Mr E and I never faced issues. We do have our long running arguments.

Which couple doesn't go through a rocky patch at some point in their relationship, man?

If you raise your hand, don't bulls&*%$ la you.

Arguing doesn't mean that your relationship is in trouble.

The relationship just needs a little tune-up in which us, 2 very different people seek resolution and solution, processes which entwine respect, growth and rekindled love. We need to be very committed.

So young peeps, whether or not you intend to get married or are already married with kids or no kids, do pop by Republic Polytechnic Cultural Centre on 4th December 2010 (Saturday) from 2pm to 5pm.
You may want to log on to Facebook (Darussalam Mosque) or call 67770028 for more details and tickets!

See ya!

Miss Hula Hoop

When Nyla was about three years old, she watched a hula hoop competition at Jurong Point and was amazed. Then she kept pestering Mr E and I to get her a pink hula hoop and she just practised on her own every single day because both her parents were hopeless hula hoopers.

We can't hula hoop for more than 3 seconds.

Nyla was really persistent that she eventually mastered the art of hula hooping on her own. Now she's trying with multiple hula hoops. Next year, we enter Okto's 1 minute of fame k babe! Heeeeee!