Showing posts with label #Obi@NYC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #Obi@NYC. Show all posts

Astoria Park in January


One snowy day is all it needs to get us out and have fun!
NYC has been bombarded by snow lately, although it usually is followed by rain so all the pretty white snow is washed away.

But last weekend, we have extra as it started snowing in the middle of the night until around 5 PM! And we all had one thing in mind: Astoria Park!




Last year, we had Jonas storm coming in January and yes, we went out to the same spot and took pictures. I even wrote that we had to do after the storm.

Snowy, windy and cold day apparently did not stop us from heading to Astoria Park, having fun with the snow and taking pictures :). The sky was grey and gloomy but hey, it's the winter sky!




enjoying the cold, kiddos?



So, do enjoy the snow as much as we do as well?

all white and grey, even the sky..

Stay warm, everyone!

Join us on Skywatch Friday and get lost with the  sky from all over the world



Wonderful Wednesday with Oh My Heartsie Girls

Can you imagine it's the last week of June already?

July is waiting in the corner :)
Time surely flies, when you have fun ..or not.
Last weekend we had busy days, with Ifthar and birthday parties to attend to.
Obi has a lovely Sunday with her friends at Bounce n' Play.

having fun at Bounce n' Play

On Saturday, we all went to Al-Hikmah Mosque for the Indonesian Muslim Community in NY for ifthar.

preparing for ifthar...

It was a wonderful gathering indeed. Something that I miss dearly from home whenever we observe the holy month of Ramadhan.

cheers...

Then on Sunday, we had a short visit at Astoria Park Carnival. Boy, it was so crowded and the kids were having fun as well. Bo tried his luck in ball games and Obi rode her pony on the carousel. It was a merry night.


at the carnival

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Stepping Up Ceremony

"Mama, can the first grade student eat candy?" 
"Am I a big girl now?"
"When am I going to be 6?"



As always, my daughter Obi bombarded me with questions. That morning we were rushing to one of the highlights of her days in Kindergarten.
After almost a year learning and enjoying her days in kindergarten, here comes the day when she will be ready to be the 1st grader.
Or as abang Bo said, to be "the real student."



The Stepping Up ceremony started at 8.30 AM.
Early? Not really.
If only you saw the queue that morning.
Well, the invitation said so but we had to line up outside in order to get into the hall. And what a queue we had that morning! I started lining up at 8.10 and already I was way in the back >_<. Some might start lining up at 7 or 7.30.

the lining up..

At 8.45, parents and all invitees were filling up the room. The Hall is big but everyone was trying to get the best spot to witness this important milestone. Surely not easy to decide one until you were there in the room, stucked in the middle of squirming and screaming, super-excited parents and grandparents. But we managed to sit happily in the middle row :).

the invitation

We waited for a while before the students entered the room. The Auditorium had been transformed into a big stage which will accommodate 8 kindergarten classes. And while waiting, the assistant principal had reminded parents to stay at their seats and not to move forward to the stage during the performance as it will make the kids nervous and surely disturb others. We would get plenty opportunity to take pictures later after the ceremony.

before the ceremony..


So we sat tightly on our seats, enjoying the performance. After the processional march (the theme song chosen for this is You've got a friend in me from Toy Story.. Love it 💜), we have the opening part which included salute to the US flag while singing along America the Beautiful and God Bless the USA. Then a short welcoming remarks was given by Ms. Anna Prea, the Assistant Principal.

Then there came the performances.
Lovely to hear the performances of all the kids singing some of their favorite, beautiful tunes like Hello to all the children of the world; All we're meant to be; Big,big dreams; This little light of mine (one of my fave!); Who do we appreciate (2,4,6,8... Who do we appreciate? You..:)); Everybody has music inside; Sing and a wonderful rearrangement of the famous New York, New York, First grade, First Grade.
Such a wonderful song itinerary.
And Mrs. Robinson, the music teacher, surely has done fantastic jobs in preparing the kids for the performances.
Kuddos!

Nadine, in the middle of her classmates..

After the ceremony in the auditorium, all students (and parents) were invited to join the presentation of the certificate in the school yard. It was crowded but beautiful. 

in the schoolyard..
The certificate was presented by Ms. Honahan to all the kids and it was really a bittersweet moment. All the kids love Ms. Honahan and we will surely miss her. We can't thank her enough for helping Nadine exploring her passion and learning a great deal of fun at school. Thank you so much, Mrs. Honey.


Our dearest Mrs. Honahan..


Then there came the ice cream!
Yaaaay.. Ice cream, as the kids screamed with joy.
Surely the ice cream was only for the kids as we were fasting as well.

Nadine was spending some times with her girl friends before we were heading home. It was so touchy to see all those smiley faces, Nadine, Zoe, Daphne and her twin, Eleni. And how fast they have grown up! I feel like crying again :).

the girls :)

So Nadine, ready for the 1st grade?
I bet you are!

How do you feel when you see your kids' graduation?

WW: Brooklyn Bridge with love

This is truly the season of joy and love..
To stay blessed and be grateful :)


And Brooklyn Bridge is a perfect place to share precious time with your loved ones :)


one of the latest addition to NYC;s landmarks :)

 Really thank my hubby, Rudi Frakarsa,  for immortalizing these moments for us :)





Come on link up with me and have a lovely bloghopping in this blessed Wednesday :)


WW: Boo.. Getting scary with Bo et Obi




Alrite..

Halloween has just left us ;).
And we had fun..
Yes, we really enjoyed preparing the costumes and the make-up for that yearly event ;).

This is our second Halloween here in NYC. And the kids have been waiting for it excitedly.
Halloween Last year I was in the middle of my chemotherapy when Halloween hitthe street with kids screaming trick or treat in front of our door.

Well, last year I just put on my feather Boa and sat on the porch with the kids and a bucket full of chocolate and sweets.

This year, we went out trick or treating around the blocks, met some friends and gave out chocolate and candies as well.

Obi et Isabella :)


Bo was dressed as silver cobra ninja and Obi chose Rainbow Dash from My Little Pony this time.

the three of us :)

aaarrrgh....



And I? I became a witch..



Or a vampire?
Or Hulk? Lol...

My hubby just teased me as I painted my face all green and put some blood red lipstick plus fangs, but look awfully full in my costume like Hulk :)
happily posing before going out for trick or treat :)


it's getting dark in here...


Halloween in Astoria is fun for sure..

Boooo....

How's the Halloween night in your place?




Kaastengels a la Obi :)


yummy kaastengels

Cooking with kids can be fun!

Well, the kitchen might be messy but the joy of tossing the ingredients, stirring the dough and cracking the eggs is so overwhelming...
At least in my case :)...




Saya seneeeng bangeeet masak dengan anak-anak. 
Soalnya seruuu...dan mereka memang benar-benar bisa membantu lho. 
Walaupun resikonya adalah dapur jadi amburadul, waktu memasak relatif lebih lama dan seringkali hasilnya jadi tidak seperti yang kita harapkan hehehe.
Tapi melihat Bo et Obi antusias memecahkan dan mengocok telur, menakar tepung, atau menambahkan coklat lagi dan lagi ke dalam adonan kue, rasanya mengharukan hehehe. Bahagia melihat muka celemotan dengan tepung dan meja makan yang meriah dengan hasil karya mereka :). Belum lagi kehebohan dengan pernak-pernik memasaknya, mulai dari apron alias celemek sampai cetakan kue yang lucu-lucu :).

Yang pasti, anak-anak bisa membantu memasak dengan tetap memperhatikan keamanan. Safety first...
Jadi jika mereka membantu, ekstra hati-hati dengan benda panas, tajam dan yang berbahaya lainnya, seperti pisau, baki panggangan yang panas, api kompor atau oven dan sejenisnya.

Dan kali ini, kita mau share pengalaman waktu masak kue keju alias kaastengel.
I know..baru juga mulai puasa tapi boleeeh yaaah share resep favorit kami sekeluarga :).


My family really enjoys hearty meals and yummy munchies. As I need to be careful with sugar and preservatives, I usually cook myself. Well, if I arrive from the office a bit late, Bo et Obi can be very handy in the kitchen. But we usually cook a lot during weekends. And sometimes, Bo et Obi know exactly what they want, so mommy has to stand ready :p.

One of our favorite munchies is kaastengel. 
Cheesy cookies..or some might say, cheese stick. 
Kaas means cheese in Dutch and Kaastengel is quite popular in Indonesia, especially for Eid ul Fitr or Christmas.

But since we love them sooo much, we don't always wait for those special moments. 
We just bake them regularly...enjoying the cooking time with my kiddos.
Including now, as we are about to welcome Ramadhan, the holy month..


I was simply laughing out loud as they started measuring the flour and counting the eggs just like the professional chef. Let alone when they start rolling the dough and sprinkle more and more chocolate or spill the butter. 

For sure the kitchen will be a bit messy but we can always clean it :). But the joy of laughing and creating something together is beyond words. 

But don't forget to make sure everything is safe for them. 
Watch out for sharp, hot, and dangerous objects while cooking with the kids.

So, as Kaastengeel or the cheese cookies are ou favorite, we decided to bake them :).

And here's our simple recipe for Kaastengel from Nenek Lilies, my mom :).
Perfect for any ocassion, particularly Eid Fitr, after the holy month of Ramadhan.
Or even now, for your Ifthar or any occassions you like.

Oh my, we haven't even finished fasting for the first day yet :) 

Ingredients : 



Flour 400 gram (or as needed)
Cheese 250 gram or more, grated 

I usually have Swiss Gruyere, Edam and/or Parmesan...you can also use Gauda et Cheddar of course, whatever you love :). I love the matured cheese because it tas really good and smell wonderfully.
Egg yolks 4
Butter 350 gr 

I usually mix Wijsman, the Dutch canned butter that my mom loves to use soooo much, with margarine or buttery spread, such as I Can't Believe It's not Butter :))
Milk powder 200 gram 
If you like..to add the creamy taste) 
Corn starch 100 gram 
For extra crunchy cookies..

For garnish:
Grated cheese 150 gram or more, depending how generous you are garnishing the cookies
2 Egg yolks, whisked and mixed with butter (2 spoonfull)
Clean brush

You will need baking trays, dough roller, cookie cutters and parchment paper.

How to cook 

Here comes the fun :)

Mix the butter and egg yolks well using mixer, then add the grated cheese. Mix them well.
Then knead the mixture with flour and cornstarch, gradually, until they all mix well and become soft, well-blended dough. The best way of doing it is using our clean hands, so you can really feel it. But of course you can always use the spatula or wooden spoon.







Then roll the dough and cut them using cookie cutter you like.

The traditional shape is rectangles but as you can see, we choose the heart-shaped cookie cutters for this.

Place them onto the greased baking trays.



Then preheat the oven to 420 degree F while you brush the cookies with whisked egg yolks and butter and sprinkle the grated cheese on top. Some extra sprinkles will be fun :)

Once everything is ready, put the trays  and bake till they are beautifully done for around 20 minutes.

Oh my, it looks yummy indeed :).


What's your favorite family recipe? Do you like cooking it with your kids as well?



Obi and her drawings..

"Okaaay...this is mama..then Bapak. And these are me and abang Bo..."
Pagi-pagi ada yang udah sibuk sendiri gambar family pictures, complete with party hats :).. alriteee..
Obi, Abang Bo, Mama et Bapak..

special hearts for mother's day from Obi :)
Obi memang demeeen banget gambar dan mewarnai judulnya. Rumah penuuuh dengan kertas coretan dan cerita lucunya, belum lagi spidol, krayon, pensil, pensil warna, pulpen, cat air, kuas dan segala perlengkapan perangnya  :). Hampir setiap hari ada yang digambar dan diwarnai. 


Biasanya Obi suka gambar sendiri. 
Kalau ada gambar yang dia tidak bisa buat, baru minta tolong Abang Bo, mama or Bapak untuk memberi contoh.  Then she will copy it and try to draw them again and again so she can make one by herself.

Yang paling sering dibuat Obi adalah gambar orang, mostly trying to imitate the princesses complete with their glamorous dresses, complete with the jewelries and  shoes:). Her attention to those details amaze me most of the time :)


purple pony...yaaay..
And lately, Obi also loves to draw and color My Little Pony, especially Rainbow Dash, Pinky Pie and Sunset Shimmer. Well, you know how most of kids love this cartoon series and Obi definitely falls in love with it as well. There are many characters in this series and 

Obi juga suka gambar stick figure, seperti foto di  atas. Biasanya selesai menggambar Obi akan perlihatkan karyanya kepada kita semua dan mulai bercerita sesuai dengan gambar yang dibuat. Dan imajinasi anak-anak memang luar biasa ya...bebas tanpa batas dan seringkali kita dibuat tertawa karenanya. Misalnya ada cerita Sponge Bob naik kuda pakai sepatu Barbie dan makan nasi goreng :). Pokoknya terhibur banget deeh :).

Obi et tante Nona..selesai gambar princess et Pinky Pie..
Awalnya, saya suka senewan kalau Obi mulai menggambar. Bukan karena menggambarnya, tapi lebih karena berantakannya :). Plus takut tembok terkena curahan karya neng Obi dan jadi warna-warni. Maklum, di sini yang punya rumah dan agen rumah lebih cerewet dan strict sekali dengan kondisi rumah sehingga tidak segan-segan mendenda kita atau memotong uang jaminan yang kita berikan di awal kalau rumah tidak dijaga. Lumayan juga lho ... kan mendingan uangnya untuk yang lain :). Tapi setelah diajari, diwanti-wanti dan diberi contoh kalau menggambar baiknya di kertas atau buku gambar, Obi tidak pernah lagi bereksperimen menggambar atau coret-coret krayonnya di lantai kayu maupun di tembok. 

Kalau soal rumah berantakan, saya juga perlu waktu untuk mengajari Bo et Obi untuk membantu membereskan perlengkapan mewarnai mereka. Biasanya kalau sudah selesai menggambar, awalnya mereka suka tinggalkan begitu saja dan langsung ganti main yang lain. Akibatnya rumah asli kayak kapal pecah :). Belum lagi kalau sudah bertebaran di sana sini, barang-barang ini bisa hilang, keinjak dan  jadi rusak kan. Pernah saat buru-buru mau berangkat ke kantor, saya hampir terpeleset karena tidak sengaja menginjak krayon yang terserak. Aduh..bener-bener bikin lemes. That's why, again and again, saya bilang  ke anak-anak untuk selalu membereskan mainan dan perlengkapan menggambarnya. Selain memang mereka bertanggung jawab, juga untuk menghindari hal-hal yang tidak diinginkan. Untungnya Obi dan Bo mau membereskan mainnya, meskipun sambil dibantuin mamanya seringkali . Well, at least that's the startNgga papa ya nak, yang penting now you can explore your passion. 




Teman-teman suka menghadapi hal yang sama? do you kids love drawings, too:

#weekend#boetobi #blessful #astoria #astoriaqueens #NYC