hello 2013!

Too bad the holidays have ended... but the new year has come! That means, it's a new start to plan all those little things you never got to do in the last year. Note to self. Last year of course was one of the best as baby Mikaela arrived and that just doesn't beat anything. Even our long-planned-booked-flights family vacation got threw out the window since I was 8 months pregnant by the time the departure date came and obviously was not allowed to fly. You see, I didn't know I was pregnant when I booked the non-refundable flight tickets. No regrets though, we can do it this year!

Anyway, we spent the last days of 2012 at Sentul, West Java - a lush green area just before Bogor that wasn't just a refreshment to the eyes but also the soul. We stayed at a resort on new years eve and spent the first day of the new year entertaining my first child - riding horses included. Here's some of the pictures if you'd like to see. I hope you too spent new years with your loved ones.

meet mikaela

Our newest member of the family. We welcomed a healthy baby girl last November and named her Mikaela. She weighed 2,7 kilos and measured 48cm at birth. She is everything we imagined. Now at 1 month, she's already cooing and starting to smile in response to us. It's a whole new experience again, like I almost forgot how it is having a baby. I and husband and Fabian are thrilled to have her and can't get enough of her. Grow happy, healthy, and wise, Mikaela. We love you!

Big brother loves little sister :)

season greetings

 So it's Christmas! Happy holidays and season greetings from me here to those who celebrate. I hope you had a merry one with laughter, family, and friends. I'm having fun enjoying the holidays with my family chillin' and adapting with our newest member of the family. Love.

ullen sentalu

 

 

  Lush gardens in between areas of display at the museum

 The View from Beukenhof Resto

 

 Classic colonial interior at the Beukenhof Resto

The holidays are here and many of us in Indonesia tend to spend them at their home town. Mine is Jogja. So, incase you plan to head there, please do visit this place - a museum of Javanese art and culture, named Ullen Sentalu. The museum is located far north in the tourist area of Kaliurang where it holds carefully chosen eclectic artifacts. A tour guide will lead your group and explain the wonderful display. The building itself is like a castle and is dominated by the beautiful architecture that aims to harmonize human with nature. At the end of this tour, you will also reach Beukenhof Restaurant that is also located in the area where visitors can dine in a building designed in the style of colonial architecture. Also their boutique selling a variety of beautiful batik clothing and other lovely ornaments and handcrafts. 

This was my second time to visit the museum and was surprised by how the area has expanded since the last time. I personally think this is a great place to visit with family. Even my toddler enjoyed it! The ticket entrance for adults is IDR25.000 and free for children under 5 years. Seriously, highly recommended. Above are a few pictures of only areas we were allowed to capture at the museum.

hello, i'm still here!

Alive and breathing. So it's obvious I've been blog blocked for months now but finally back to blog land. Reaching the end of this year, many things have happened since my last post (including welcoming that cutie in my left arm) and I have many posts on hold at the back of my head.

Meanwhile, I want to shout out a Happy Mothers Day, as it is here in Indonesia, to all you awesome moms out there. I myself couldn't be happier to be the mother of these two darlings of mine.

cisco's smart device

  I replaced my old Wi-Fi Router to the Cisco Linksys EA4500 by recommendation of a friend. It’s only been up and running for a week now but I can already tell you how charming it is.

First of all, the sleek design is pretty made to be shown off and be part of interior decoration. That’s why it sits nicely on my new desk rather than hidden underneath a shelve.

Secondly, it really is super easy to setup – even for a novice like me. Honestly, it didn’t take more than 15 minutes to setup.  

Third, and the best…other than router settings is the Cisco Connect Cloud solution it offers. This concept offers a great set of features and a completely new home networking experience. So, once you are connected to your router, simply sign in for an account at www.ciscoconnectcloud.com to enable you to use the Apps to your home network using your laptop, mobile device, or iPad. Better yet, you are then able to manage and change settings to all these customized features from anywhere you are aka when not at home. Fancy, eh?!

Long put short, the Connect Cloud allows you to 'play God' in your home network as you can monitor and filter traffic. As paranoid as it sounds, it actually has a plus. I can now limit guests who want to share the network at my home. Then, I can use the Parental Controls App to block certain websites I don’t want my kid to be seeing later on. Right now, my kid is only three years old and can’t access the internet yet, so I’m safe for a while. I can also set speed priority to streaming sites or real-time media services, on any device I chose to use, for best performance using the Media Prioritization App. Cool? I know!

Now, what more can I say? All I know is that I’m happy with this change and the connect cloud is a right on real solution for home networking. Go here for more info on this smart device. It’s a keeper! 

Photo: TheJotPot

 

orilly cookies

Look what I ordered for a sweet treat. Oatmeal Dark Chocolate cookies from Orilly Desserts made by an old colleague of mine. They are dead delicious! Other than oatmeal cookies, Corry, the baker, also makes chocolate chip cookies. I personally am in love with the oatmeal cookies. They come in milk, white, and dark chocolate for your choice.

 

I ordered the medium jar, but they do come in mini jars and hampers. Willing to try for yourself? Order at orillydesserts@gmail.com. I guarantee you won't regret it's scrumptious taste!

Photos: TheJotPot