Hari Whatta?

Hari Raya is a Muslim celebration that occurs after the month long fasting of Ramadan. During the month of Ramadan the Muslims devote their time to worship, charitable deeds, and acts of compassion. They practice fasting from food and drink during the day to purify their souls and body. The more devoted (not to say all aren't devoted to their religion) will not even swallow their saliva, won't smoke or even chew gum. Its super hot here so that's a huge sacrifice on their parts. The nurse in me worries about dehydration! Haha! I'm sure that is the least of their concern though! 

During the fast each night, families come together to break fast with prayers and family meals. There were food stands and vendors set up everywhere during the whole month. More so than usual. Although they fast during the day, it is my understanding that eating is definitely a huge part of this holiday. Traditional foods are served and when Hari Raya arrives the men and women will dress in a more traditional manner with matching colors to signify their unity. 

Hari Raya is a HUGE BIG deal! I can only equate it with our traditional Christmas...although they celebrate much longer! Three days of eating, family time, and celebrating their love for their god. Some of the men Cody works with took up to 6+ days off! Apparently here, Johor Bahru and Kuala Lumpur are the 2 major metropolis's in the country. Many people had to travel very far to go home to their families to celebrate. They put their celebration above everything...including work. 

Seeing how basically the whole country "shuts down" for this celebration, Cody had some extra time off that weekend. So we did what any American would do, and celebrated too! Of course we didn't have a Hari Raya celebration. We cooked out and invited what seemed like the majority of our complex to the festivities! Haha! 

A trip to the grocery store to stock up and start preparing some yummy traditional American cookout food!

We had brats, baked beans, Mac & (velvetta) cheese, and corn on the cob! 

Enjoying the dinner and company! 

The kids played in the pool and used a lounge chair to eat on! 

This adorable little girl is one of Cody's coworkers nieces! She was a little shy!

After waiting 30 minutes to get back in the pool....

Ok...they didn't really wait! There was too much fun to be had! 

I'm sure these 3 were talking shop. They always do!

I made some desserts...potato candy and fruit loops crispies. I had to improvise, no rice crispies to be found! I think Marcus liked it. He was trying to hide it to take with him! 

Why these kids love playing with ice, I'll never know! 

Idle chit chat...Tatum and Olivia love accents. They get a kick out of listening to anyone from another country talk. And then complain because they don't have a cool accent. A country accent apparently isn't cool?!?!

This man absolutely adores his wife. He has pictures of them together all over his apartment. It's soooooo sweet. 

Goofy girls! Man, they are so beautiful...when did they grow up so much?

I'm a good friend...I picked the best picture of Marlena to post. Ain't nobody wants a bad pic of themselves floating around the www! 

This little bottle of liquid courage came from Germany. It smelled like Jäger....nasty. I DID NOT partake in it! Ugh! 

After a drink or three...there's the love! 

We had a fabulous evening! The kids were worn out, the adults were worn out and most of the food was eaten! 

*this post was meant with no disrespect towards the Muslim people or their religion...I am completely admitting ignorance regarding it. If any information is incorrect, I apologize in advance!

Happy Feet

A pedicure. Oh how I miss pedicures. And damn, I needed one!  Flip flops every single day, bare foot most of the time, running in crappy tennis shoes?!?! My feet were begging for some attention. 

Last weekend we went to a mall that Tatum and I discovered awhile back and it was ON! Momma found a place to get a pedicure...cheap! 35 ringgit cheap. :) That's $10.68. Looks like I'll be taking the girls and we will have a "girls day out soon!" 

Pick a color...any color! And this was just a few of the choices of colors and designs they had. All those cool nail designs you see on Pinterest? Ya gotta come to South East Asia to get them done! ;o)

Callouses be gone!

Look who I talked into joining in on the action? HaHa!

 

 Oh, maybe he doesn't like it?? Although the girl did tell him he has nice feet! lol

Those 2 Indian chicks were cracking up laughing at Cody cursing under his breath and wincing when she cut his nails! We may have all gotten a kick out of it.

Uhm, I don't know if I'll talk him into this EVER again. Look at that face!

And now he relaxes...

 

Cody didn't want to get his toenails painted a pretty color...I just can't figure out why? Hehe! It' all good though because now we both have happy feet! :)

 

P.S. I am still trying to get the kiddos to clean their rooms good so I can continue our apartment tour with you. :o)

Better homes and gardens. Part 1

Welcome to our temporary home, come on in!  I don't think we'll make the next issue of Better Homes and Gardens, but hey, we try! ;o)

 

 

Let me give you a tour...it's not much but we are making the most of it! When you walk in this is the view straight down the hallway. You see into the kids bathroom. Our bedroom is off to the left, the kids is to the right.

The kitchen...to your immediate left when you walk in.

 

The door into the kitchen is to the left of the big fridge.

The door opens and behind it sits the microwave and water heater. There is NO hot water in the kitchen. Only in the bathrooms. We have to use that little pitcher thing to heat up water to wash dishes and stuff.

This is the view in the kitchen door. To the left is the fridge and wall from the pic above.

Behind that little half wall is our washing machine.

 Those 2 doors...they are rooms for our non-existent maid.  :o(

Why no maid Cody???

 

The maid's bathroom. It WILL NOT come clean. I've used bleach and every other cleaner I can find/think of. Those stains are gross and stuck. We don't typically use this bathroom except for emergencies!

The would-be maids quarters. We call it storage! There is the dryer we RARELY use because clothes literally dry faster outside!

The Dining room...

To the right of this  picture is our front door. Where y'all came in! :o)

 

 

And into the living room...

 

Laundry on the clothes line...keeping it real! At least I took down our unmentionables! HAHA!

 

I hate sitting on that couch! It's pleather and you literally have to peal yourself off of it. WHO thought it was a good idea to use pleather furniture in this hot, humid country? SMH!

And tile floor throughout? Uhm, NO! Not the smartest idea anyone ever had. I miss carpeting!

 

 

The kids bathroom. I'd say guest bathroom, but we have no guests! :(

It has a nice peachy/puke and blue color scheme. So beautiful...NOT!

I'm sure y'all are loved the yellow color scheme throughout the rest of the place though. We sure are. <insert sarcasm here>

 

It's definitely not Bedford, KY, but I will tell you we've been here long enough now that when we go out of town and come back...it sure feels like home!

 

I will continue the home tour in my next post with the bedrooms and our master "blue" bathroom! Gotta get the kiddos to clean their rooms up first!

Randomness

Breakfast....uh, no...lets go straight to lunch. 

Coffee. THE BEST THING SINCE SLICED BREAD! 

 

Laundry hanging on the clothes line here dries faster than it does in the dryer.

Getting in a car here is like playing a real life race car game...you sit down, buckle up and pray. 

Is the reason these people aren't so fat because fresh fruits and veggies are DIRT cheap?

Where do they grow all this stuff?

If Las Vegas is the city that never sleeps, Malaysia is the country that never sleeps. EVER.

HOW does anyone eat a fish when it's cold dead eyes are straring back at you? Yuck! 

Convection ovens? Not for me! 

How can the Islam religion possibly think its healthy to fast (not even drinking water) in this heat?

Where does the dirt and grime come from that accumulates in our house so quickly? 

(Image courtesy of google searches....ours aren't that bad, but they feel that way)

I never knew it was possible to sweat THIS much. And to sweat without even moving a muscle! 

Go home skinny Asian girl...you were born done! 

Those shoes are not gym appropriate. 

No matter how much weight you lose, you're always going to be the fat girl in a gym full of Asian women! 

Cody's boxers make excellent lounge shorts. :)

Teaching kids to play card games is out of my "scope of practice." My experience ends at Go Fish. 

Gozell...YouTube. Go find her. She's funny as all get out! 

Tucker is still a cheater when playing games. And gets mad when he loses. 

Can some one please get me some ice water, I live in hell! Hahahahaha!