Paper Towel - free

I'm not sure when it started exactly, but one day I got a little nagging feeling that my paper towel habit was kind of wasteful and frivolous. It probably happened as I was wiping down the kitchen counter. My mind started to wander, and I tried to imagine a simpler time. A time when people had less stuff, less space, and less waste. The paper towel just wasn't fitting into that picture. I had gotten used to it being a fixture in my life. The roll even had a special stand just for it to call home! Any spill or spot, and voila, I'd just whip off a sheet faster than you could blink. But I knew I had to let it go. I started thinking of the millions of rolls of thinly wrapped paper that are produced worldwide, and we just use them quickly and throw them out. Millions and millions of sheets a day, I imagine. So I wondered if I could handle it. Could I knock the habit of reaching for the paper towel each time trouble arose? Spills did happen often in my home, after all, and they're great for finishing off the kitchen counter after all the dishes have been washed. Well, I would give it a try.

So I used my last roll, and then I decided it was now or never. "Paper Towels" didn't make it on the next week's Costco list. I was going for it. I armed the kitchen drawers with some handy white rags. They're kinda like bar rags or whatever those are called. So once I was done washing dishes, I just used the white rag to wipe down counters and the table. It was cool. I decided not to feel stingy with white rags; use 'em as much and as often as I like. I also put a few in a lower cabinet for the kids to easily reach in case they needed to clean up any spills (that happens often). And it's worked out great! I use one rag, then it goes to the laundry. I never reuse one. I can't stand that concept of the wet rag sitting around the sink. And now we're all used to it! No more paper towels!!! Every once in a while my husband will ask something like 'why don't we have any paper towels?', but honestly, he's not in the kitchen that often, so it's not a big deal! I put a white rag in his hand and tell him to use that instead.

Isn't this how diapers used to be as well? Well, I gave cloth diapering a try once, a long long time ago. It didnt' last for too long. After my 6 week trial period, I was sure it wasn't for me. I know, I do realize the long term effects of disposible diaper usage are infinitely worse than paper towel usage, but I picked a concession I could live with! It's a small step, but I do hope to continue to eliminate unhealthy habits in the home and to increase more earth-friendly ways of living.

Weekly Menu

Sunday night!

Here's what's cookin' for the week, insha'Allah (God Willing)

* Broccoli Chicken Casserole
* Shakrieh (cooked yogurt with beef stew, served with rice)
* American meatloaf
* Lentil Soup
* Baked drumsticks.

Garden pic from 2007

Weekly Menu

Late for the weekly menu!

This week:
Chicken dish called Tharedeh I think (I will post the recipe, I LOVED it)
Chili w/ homemade cornbread
Spaghetti w/ sauce
Broccoli , chicken, and rice casserole
Rack of Lamb

Extra:
Homemade Butternut Squash Bread
Breakfast Muffins
Baked potatoes

Garden pic of yesteryear:

Oh my poor Tilly!

My brother and his wife got me a tillandsia plant (aka airplant) back when I moved to my new house. It's really neat how its roots do not go in soil, rather it lives in the air. I've been spraying it with a water mister, but apparently not often enough. I finally did more in-depth research today and I feel so bad! I've been doing my Tilly wrong. Sorry, Tilly. I promise to submerge you in water 2-3 times a week so you feel like you went through a rainfall. Here's how Tilly looks today, and I'll update you in a few weeks with an 'after' shot. I read, too, that they will grow 'pups', meaning a long, colorful bloom. (all that brown part is not supposed to be there)

Composting Progress

I've had my composter for a few weeks now, and things are moving along, just a little slowly. But that's ok. I put leaves, of which there was no shortage, and kitchen scraps also of which there was no shortage. A small bucket of chicken poop made it in, too, but that's about it. I was dreaming of collecting all sorts of stuff to put in there, like wood ashes, more animal manure, and maybe some hay or straw. I'll still get the desired end result, though. It will take longer since I'm not putting 'hot' items in there, and also now that it's freezing outside it will slow down the process. My last attempt at composting was done under similar conditions, and by spring I had beautiful, rich, dark soil. My biggest obstacle has been dealing with the fruit flies. Oh my. I opened the lid one day to a swarm of maybe 10 million fruit flies exiting the bin. It was awful. I learned a trick, though, to line my container (in the kitchen) with newspaper before I fill it with the scraps. Then, I can fold it over and drop in the bin keeping the gnat-attracting food covered. It's worked great.

So, is it bad manners to show the inside of your compost bin? Hehehe... here's what it looks like today.

Wheat/Oat Bread

I tried a different homemade bread recipe yesterday, and boyyy was it delicious! Thanks to my step-sister for the recipe, I was able to have 2 fresh loaves of bread for dinnertime with no stress! It uses instant yeast and has only 1 30-minute rise, then you bake it. Now, I was uneducated on the differences in yeast and used regular active dry yeast. No no no... you need *instant* yeast. Apparently, bread machine yeast is also instant yeast, and what a shame that the jar of bread machine yeast was right next to the jar of active dry yeast because I picked the wrong one. The bread tasted fabulous, but due to the yeast problem it was too dense and not fluffy enough. I'll tr it again tomorrow though. I use the dough hook on my mixer on speed 2 for 8 minutes, shaped the loaves, then let them rise. Give it a try:

2 cups warm water
1/4 cup oil
1 cup oats
3 T honey
2 tsp salt
5 cups whole wheat flour
4 tsp instant yeast
* mix in mixer 8 minutes
* grease 2 bread pans and split dough between them
* rise 30 minutes covered in 80-degree oven (I put oven on lowest temp then turn off. Cover my bowl with dough with dishtowel.)
* Bake at 350 for 30 minutes

Weekly Menu

Sunday's here... recipe box is open.
Here's what's up for this week:

Kafta Balls in a tray with veggies (kafta=meatloaf)
Malfoof (rolled, stuffed cabbage leaves)
Lentil Soup
(possibly) roasted leg of lamb
Sweet Potato & Cauliflower Curry w/ brown rice
Mom's Cabbage Salad

Extra's: I'd like to try a new homemade bread recipe. I did make a new bran muffin recipe this morning and I loved it, so I'll make more for breakfast throughout the week insha'Allah. Probably no more cakes or cookies this week as I am burned out from the baking I did last week.

Mom's Cabbage Salad (Great for lunch!!)
Chopped Cabbage
Chopped almonds
Chopped apple
Handful of Craisins
Dresing: 1/2 cup plain yogurt, 2-3 Tbsp orange juice, 1Tbsp maple syrup
Refrigerate.

Where has the dignity of women gone??  For crying out loud, I get more and more fired up about this subject with each passing day it seems.  What’s happened? How did we go from a people, a humanity, who treated women like property to being one who supposedly liberated them when we still accept atrocious standards?  My big problem is not so much with the long ago history of women so much as women of today.  Supposedly a movement came about to liberate women from their boring life in the home to the world of working out of the house.  This spiraled into something that is so confusing that I wonder what state our families will be in in about 40 years.  You know, it might be true that society didn’t appreciate the work women did in their homes and for their families.  Is that what made them want to go be “equal” to men and work like them, keep the same hours as them, and all?  Because to me, that’s not being equal, that’s wanting to be like them.  Equal is accepting that each side has something valuable to add to LIFE.  Did God create men and women the same? NO!  We ARE different people, so why did women chase after being like them?  Anyhow, to me, the benefit of that revolution is peanuts compared to what was lost in the process.  I am proud to be doing my job (that most men could not do), and to be doing it well.  I use skills that professionals use to make their jobs successful, too.  Time management, quality control, punctuality, respect, continuing education, and more.  Why not put their type of effort into raising a healthy family? 
I’m not saying that no woman should work at a job, and I’m not saying all women should stay home.  I appreciate the fact that I can see a female doctor, have female school teachers, and that a husband and wife can choose which arrangement works best for them.  What I am not for is leaving no one behind to hold down the fort, so to speak. 
Anyhow… I didn’t really mean to go on about women in the workplace.  It’s a huge subject that has many sides.  I’m glad the option is there, but I believe it should be used as a last resort instead of a means to support one’s wants and desires to ‘have more’ and stuff like that.  I think we could all downsize the lifestyles we live for one of better quality (quality in child-rearing, eating, and general health).
About the dignity… two things are grating on my nerves today.  One being how women just throw out, delete, erase the name they were born with and raised by for the sake of a man.  You marry a man, not turn into his property or offspring.  Why should you take his identity? You have one.  What happens if you divorce, or if he dies, and you remarry.  You change it back to your old one?  Then you marry again and you change it to the new one?  So who are you?  What are you known by?  How can anyone find you or know who you are without going into the details?  When someone I meet says “I ran into Jane Jones the other day”, but I knew her as Jane Smith, the heck am I supposed to know who she’s talking about?  I just makes no sense to me, and I find I am so annoyed by it. (I think I’m getting cranky in my old age)  I know many of my readers probably did change their names, and I’m sure you had your reasons, but I just couldn’t imagine it.  Take no offense, this is just my opinion.
The second thing is: why oh why do we still let women be used as symbols to sell products?  How CHEAP is that???  Look at this lovely lady and buy our product.  Barf.  We’re still just as backwards as we were when women had no other rights b/c that’s just as degrading, if not more degrading.  It’s using a woman’s body to peddle.  In the Quran you will find Allah, our CREATOR, telling us “.. and do not display yourselves like that of the times of ignorance,” (33:33) and He tells us not to reveal our adornments except to those certain relatives like our husbands, dad,brothers, father in law, etc..  I’m just so irked b/c I saw a woman standing in the window of a store being a ‘live’ model.  No, i don’t think that’s clever.  I think it’s awful.  She’s on display up in that window, all dressed up, for all passers-by to see.  It goes against my principles. 
I have to go now, as my little Aisha is scooting around now and getting into trouble much faster than she used to.  Glad to get this out there.  Feel free to comment.

Thursday is the Day of Arafah for Muslims this year

The day before the big Eid al Adha is called The Day of Arafah. It is such a special day in the sight of Allah, and we know this because several significant things happened on this day:
* “This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” [5:3]. ‘Umar said, “We know on which day and in which place that was revealed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). It was when he was standing in ‘Arafaah on a Friday.”
* Fasting on this day is an expiation for two years.
* It is the day on which Allaah took the covenant from the progeny of Adam.
It was reported that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah took the covenant from the loins of Adam in Na’maan, i.e., ‘Arafaah. He brought forth from his loins all his offspring and spread them before Him, then He addressed them, and said: ‘Am I not your Lord? They said, ‘Yes, we testify,’ lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection: ‘Verily, we have been unaware of this.’ Or lest you should say: ‘It was only our fathers aforetime who took others as partners in worship along with Allaah, and we were (merely their) descendents after them; will You then destroy us because of the deeds of men who practised Al-Baatil (i.e., ploytheism and committing crimes and sins, invoking and worshipping others besides Allaah)?’ [al-A’raaf 7:172-173]
* It is the day of forgiveness of sins, freedom from the Fire and pride in the people who are there.

Insha'Allah myself and my family will be fasting Thursday. I'm encouraging Heba to fast as much as she can tomorrow. She did a few hours back in Ramadan. Musa has been able to fast since two years ago, so I don't think he'll have any trouble tomorrow. I'm so happy for such a blessed day to be upon us, and it makes celebrating Eid even more fulfilling. For me, as a Muslim, doing acts of worhip (like fasting, praying, helping needy) are acts that make the holidays just so much more meaningful. Celebrating the feast is not just about *me* or about my kids. It is always tied in with an act of worship that you do for the sake of Allah only. Then the Eid day feels like a true reward for you, and you feel like you gave something as well. May Allah guide us and keep us steadfast.

a perspective on tragedy

I didn't post anything here about the Ft. Hood shootings. I almost did when, about 5 days after, I heard a radio show that was talking about Muslims in such a horrific way that it really shook me up and made me feel like throwing up. The speaker was so off base it was soooo sad, yet he was preaching to a very large audience who would probably not question his facts. I seriously almost was beside myself, and I was driving at the time. But I still didn't and don't want to get into it here.

Anyhow... a person in our community wrote an interesting little email about this, and I want to share it here. His name is Abdullah Mikail, and here is his perspective:

As salaamu alaikum wa rahmat allahu wa barakatu,

Dear Brs. & Srs.,

Recent tragedies in our society have inspired enemies of our Muslim community to unjustly target us once again with smear campaigns.

Allah SWT does not throw His people into trials and tribulations for no reason. There is a wisdom beyond human comprehension.

Recall the story of Musa AS [prophet Moses] when he was in fear in Egypt. He did not ask, “Why did this happen to me?” When he had to flee to Midian.

Not in anger, or self pity, or rebellion, but in humility and searching for what Allah SWT had in store for him Musa AS reacted, after doing good and giving sadaqa to the family of Shoaib in watering their flocks, he made the doa, “…I am needy of any good You can send down.”.

Musa AS [Moses] was moved, by design, away from the disbelieving people into the service of good people who were in need of him where he found a Nabi to learn from and train under, Shoaib AS.

Allah SWT planned for tragedy in the life of Musa AS, and thus moved him by design to be trained as a Nabi under Shoaib AS, and once his training was complete Musa AS was sent on his mission.


And recall the best example, Mohammad SAW and the first thirteen years of the message and how they were ordered to espouse Islam and be peaceful not even fighting back to defend themselves, but rather peacefully spreading the message and being tolerant of the aggression of others.

And the result, the signal victory of the Treaty of Hudaibiya and the peace that followed, and the strength of unity and faith that brought all the believers together and increased salaam and brought about justice in the later years.

So be patient under the assaults from the ignorant who may not even realize why they are goaded into attacking us as they are lead by the nose ring of the press and the media into insulting us on the street…they do not know the truth and it is still our burden to deliver the message, regardless…so increase in the spreading of salaam and be forgiving…remember the signal victory.

This is the way of Allah SWT with His people…nothing we suffer in life is pointless, it all as meaning and wisdom that is beyond our comprehension. So, each time we are tested with tragedy, the loss of a job, the loss of a family member, the loss of a wife, husband, or child, react the way Musa AS did, and seek the guidance and the mercy of Allah SWT.

We are being prepared for the future by the circumstances of today, and Allah SWT will never suffer his people to be out cast…we have the Firmest Handhold that Never Breaks, do not let go of faith even if you have to go to the mountains and cling to it as you would a root with your teeth.

My Sweet Potato Casserole

If you don't like sweet potatoes, you will LOVE this anyway. I read over a few recipes and came up with my own version that has less fat and less sugar. It was great.

3cups sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed (about 3 big potatoes)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 stick butter
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 T vanilla
Topping:
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts if you don't have/like pecans)

Mix the first set of ingredients together until well incorporated, then spread in a large baking dish (9*12). Mix the topping up in a bowl (with your fingers) and top the potatoes.
Bake 35-40minutes at 350 degrees.

Special Ten Days

Assalamu alaikom

Today is the first day of the Islamic month called Dhul Hijjah. It's the last month of the year, and it's the month when Hajj is performed. The Hajj is a series of religious rites performed in Mecca that carry historical and spiritual value. It's a trip that a Muslim should try to do at least once in her life.

The first ten days of this month are the most blessed of *days* in the sight of Allah as far as doing extra acts of worship and good deeds. It was narrated from Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "There are no days on which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allaah than these ten days." It is a time to step back from your daily grind and try to get closer to God spiritually. How can you do this? It's actually quite simple and doesn't require you to hole up in your room! You can just be more aware, and use your spare 'thinking' time to remember God:

1. Fasting these 10 days
2. Giving more charity during these 10 days
3. Say the "Eid" Takbeers loudly wherever you go. (Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar. Laa ilaaha illa Allah. Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar. Walillaahil hamd.)

4. Try to pray more prayers in the Masjid
5. Increase ties of kinship (visit family, say kind words to them, etc.)
6. Perform more voluntary prayers at home
7. Read more Quran, contemplating the meanings
8. Do more Dhikr (remembrance of Allah)
9. Ask for forgiveness more frequently

Also, I’ll be thinking about Eid preparations. Eid will be Friday the 27th, and the kids are already looking forward. I won’t be having a big party like I did for the last Eid two months ago, but we’ll have a special day nonetheless, insha’Allah. We’ll wake up and pray at the mosque in the morning, and then we’ll have a brunch or something. I’ll think of something for the kids during the day, and then we’ll have a nice family dinner in the evening. I hope we can visit some relatives and friends as well over the following days. Alrighty.. that’s it for today!

weekly menu

Assalamu alaikom

Here's what's planned for this week:

Dinners:
Beef Stroganoff (crock pot) with noodles
Musaka
Memaw's Casserole (definitely lasts two days)
Homemade Chicken Nuggets
Beef and Noodle Casserole

backup: Broccoli Chicken Casserole

Picture of Memaw's casserole

"And glorify Him morning and evening" [33:42]

I look at my baby girl. It's like I'm looking at a baby for the first time. How Allah creates us in the way He does is awesome. How we are born and how we exist that first year is awesome. It is so large that all we can do is smile, giggle, make noises, and faces to this little creature that is so different from the being it will be in a few short months. I look at her and feel sad for her vulnerability. She will not survive without the help of another. She cannot express many things. She doesn't know how to reach and get that one object she's eyeing. I wonder if her brain processes that the way mine would, or if her brain really doesn't care one way or another just yet.

I look at my baby girl and wonder when I will die. Why am I thinking of death when presented with this new life in front of me? Because it is a stark reminder of the Power of Allah. He creates, He takes. "To every People is a term appointed: When their term is reached, not an hour can they cause delay, Nor (an hour) can they advance (in anticipation)." [7:34] I don't wonder when I will die because I wish I knew the actual time, but I just wonder if I will be old, if my children will be young, and stuff like that. I remind myself that it could be any time, and that my family will have to move on regardless. I remind myself of my duties to my Lord and not to put to much importance on the 'things' of this life. "The material things which you are given are but the conveniences of this life and the glitter thereof; But that which is with God is better and more enduring: Will you not then be wise?" [28:60]

So I count my blessings, and I renew my faith. I will strive to do better. I will need reminder after reminder, as we all do. I will turn to my sisters for support, encouragement, and comfort. I will enjoy my children, my husband, and what I do have in this life right now. May Allah protect us from the tempation of the devil, may He make us content with what we have, and may He guide us to the right path.

Morning Rant

I have such a huge pet peeve, and it happens almost daily, so I have to just unload about it here today. There is a line of parking spots *right* across from the front door to my daughter's preschool. There are always free spots available, and most mornings there are near ten open parking spots for parents to park in. We take out kids in, sign them in on the sheet, and walk out. 2-5 minutes max. Ok, so far so good. Here's the problem. So many parents just CANNOT bring themselves to pull INTO a parking spot, and instead, they just pull up right in front of the door. They get out with their child, go in, sign out, etc.. All the while, their car is parked right where it would block (or nearly block) the two or three cars who parked in a spot. Like, why can't they just whip into that free spot RIGHT THERE in front of them? There is a sign on the front door that asks parents kindly not to park in that fire lane in front of the door, rather, to park in a spot. So why can't they just do that??? How many times have I had to come back in to find the person who is blocking me from reversing out? I mean, if there were a parking problem I might be able to make an excuse, but there is ample and convenient parking there so there is really no good reason for selfish people to just do as they please during a high traffic time of day.
It happens almost every time I am there dropping or picking up, and it just bugs me. I know, it's not a big problem, but maybe I'm easily irritated! I feel better now.

This Week’s Menu

This week we'll have my mom's husband staying over for a few days. He is a big meat guy, so keep that in mind when you see what's for dinner this week!

~ Hamburgers

~ Chili w/ toppings

~ Memaw's Casserole

~ Vegetable Curry w/ Rice (I will make this to have around in case I start to feel too meat saturated!)

Lunches: Pimiento Cheese; Veggie Burgers, Tuna sandwiches.

Weekend WrapUp

Oh my. One of the best Saturdays I've ever had was yesterday. After a lovely morning with coffee in bed, I assembled my new composter. It was super easy, and Maryam helped me. It's now started with leaves and kitchen scraps. I came home with about 15 pounds of coffee grinds today from the coffee shop! I've also found people to let me take their wood ashes and chicken poop. Hehehe… I'll be driving around the countryside pretty soon with a bucket and shovel.

Once I finished in the garden (I did dig up a liriope bush and scooch it over to make room for the bin), I went to the kitchen. Did not come out til about five hours later. I cooked for two meals, made homemade butternut squash bread (thanks Cara!), and a tray of brownies. My legs were so sore, but I couldn't stop! I must've washed 50 dishes. Well, more like the same 10 dishes five times each maybe. So, that was so rewarding, and the bread turned out great. It was my first time to try homemade yeast bread… mashaAllah it really wasn't that hard and it turned out delicious! It motivated me to try bread that has black olives in it because Abed said he'd like bread with olives. It was really so easy that I wonder why I was always so scared of making homemade bread.

My dad came over for a few hours, and we ended up sitting outside the front door watching the girls ride bikes and stuff. Shortly after he left, my brother Ziad and his wife Laila came over for the rest of the night. It was so much fun! We improvised for dinner and ended up with delicious breakfast tacos! They had eggs, potato, black beans, green chilis, shredded cheese all on corn tortillas. Yum. Coffee and brownies for dessert!

I've checked out several books on gardening and on backyard livestock. I haven't had much free time since I brought the books home, so I hope to read more tonight, but I did read Let It Rot! It is a fabulous quick intro to composting. I don't have much good land to garden on, so I'm exploring my options. An elevated bed is the best idea so far, but my biggest obstacle is finding the right place. The side of the house is the best spot, but I'm not so excited to have it there. It's out of sight (read: out of mind) and requires me to go to the hottest ugliest part of the house. The A/C units are there, too, and in the summer they just blow out hot air all day long. Oh ya… the biggest problem is probably the rabbits! There are millions of little bunnies all over the place here, and they'd knock out any glimmer of a garden as soon as I put it in the ground! So, I'll keep reading and see how or if I'll go for it.

So, about the backyard livestock… I'm thinking of raising hens. J Apparently it isn't hard at all, and they don't need too much room. I'm reading about them. I think the city of Plano still doesn't allow for it, so I'll need to do a little more research. I know you can do it in Dallas. I suspect some people in Plano do it. They prefer that the home be on some land instead of how these homes are all close together. I'll just plan for the future! Insha'Allah after we're done with this house we'll finally move and settle into a nice one level home on a couple of acres of land. Abed wants land to build bike jumps, and I want land to do some agriculture on!

It's heeeeeeeere!

I can't believe the composter arrived this evening!!!

I'll be assembling and filling tomorrow insha'Allah!!! (God willing)

Stay tuned :)

So so so excited fo rmy composter. Yay!
I was so busy yesterday that I skipped walking this morning so that Aisha could nap and so that I could catch up on the debris of yesterday's tornado in my home! I got stuff done already, and am now enjoying a homemade double shot cappucino while browing my favorite sites. I am really giddy over my composter, I don't know why it's this much LOL I will collect anyone's food scraps and yard waste to put in there! Maybe I can get my brother to collect their food waste and they can put it in my bin.

I've been using this toothpaste from Tom's of Maine (and their deoderant as well b/c it is free of aluminum) http://www.tomsofmaine.com/products/default.aspx that is SLS free, but it feels kind of weird. Obviously it doesn't foam like Crest or Colgate, but I think it does the job. SLS= sodium laurel sulphate. Those sulphates and sulphites are bad for the envirnoment, and another reason i quit wanting to use regular shampoo on my hair.

I drove up to Georgia' Farmer's Market in old Plano (on E15th) curious to see what they were about. Well, kinda boring. It was a regular fruit and veggie stand in an old garage. They had some local honey which is great, and I might go buy from there when I need more. But that's about it. Their prices weren't better than Sprouts, for those of you familiar with them. Sprouts is right across the street from my house, so I can get healthy foods there.

Well, back to work.

I ordered a composting bin!!

I found a really neat wood composter. The wood has had the moisture taken out of it in a slow process called Torrification, and so it will not rot with moisture. Isn't that great! I really like the idea that it is made of wood and not plastic, even though the plastic ones are recycled plastic. Anyhow... I can't wait to get started. Seriously, this totally makes my day. I just cannot stand throwing away kitchen scraps, and now with all the fall leaves on the ground, I couldn't bear it! Alhamdulilaah, I'm so thankful!!! It will take a good 7-10 days to get here, so I will anxiously await its arrival!

It feels so good to do this, and in turn, we send less garbage to the landfills. Masha'Allah, in recent years we have cut down our trash a lot. The bin that gets collected once a week now usually has 2 kitchen trash bags a week, and the recycling bin is overflowing. Add a few small bags full of diapers (ok, that's a huge guilt trip right there), and that's the total trash we send out. What else can we do to reduce waste?

A wee bit irritated

I'm a little irked tonight by more than one thing (!)


First of all, I've found a really great sounding CSA (community supported agriculture) FINALLY here in DFW. Only to find out I have to pick up the produce myself from their farm 30 MILES SOUTH OF DALLAS!!! No thank you. I live about 30 miles NORTH of Dallas, so ya. That stinks. How fabulous of the farms in the Seattle area to provide such convenient ways to support them. I'd buy shares into a farm, and once a week pick up a box FULL of produce, herbs, and flowers from a local resident. The farmers would have drop spots in the major cities, and you'd go pick up from the nearest location to you. I'll keep my eyes open, but so far it hasn't trickled into the big city yet. :(


Second thing is this 'heritage project' my 3rd grader has to do. He's to put his family name on this small poster as the title. Then, he is to design the poster with things that represent his family's heritage. He can't print and glue stuff from the internet. That's fine. But he has to do it on his own and know everything on there so that he can present it well to the class. So I told him to make a sketch (on a separate paper) of what he thinks he'd like to put on it. We talked about Arabic words, clothes, food, etc. Next thing I know he says he's done. He used markers and drew on his poster! He used tiny letter, crossed out spelling mistakes, and in the middle drew a huge picture of palestine and israel fighting. :(


And finally... ever since moving to this house I've been wanting to set up my composter. I had one at my old house, and I really dislike throwing fruit and vegetable rinds in the trash. What is irking me to no end is the cost of composting bins these days!!! Up to $250!!! $400!!! We're talking a heavy, plastic container with a secure lid to compose waste in. There seem to still be a few $50 or maybe $75 ones out there, but that is still a lot for a 'bad' one. I started collecting my food scraps yesterday, so I will find a solution. I just can't stand throwing it all out anymore, and there's nothing better than knowing that you are putting back in to the earth from what you took out. I know I won't make a lot of compost in the end, but that's ok b/c I don't have a lot of land to use it on. The point is: I don't want to throw out the food scraps anymore. So if you have any ideas please share!

And now it's bedtime.... for the kids.

Monday's Over!

Assalamu alaikom!

What a day. Monday is housecleaning day, and thankfully, I'm not the one doing most of it. Anita comes over at 8am and we both get to work. So much laundry! That's the first order of business. Then I usually run a few errands after dropping Maryam off. What's nice about having Anita here is that I can put Aisha down for a nap and then leave the house! Woohoo! So, ya, got a lot done today, but I was in the car way more hours than I wanted to be.

I finished up some food shopping that we didn't get to yesterday (Sunday), which leads me to this week's menu!!!!

Today: Roast Chicken w/ Potato and Garlic, mashed potatoes for Heba, salad
Rest of the week's menu cards:
American Meatloaf (as opposed to Arabic meatloaf!)
BBQ Chicken Strips (will probably do them in the oven instead of on the barby)
Laban, Rice (Arabic dish, cooked yogurt with beef cubes served with rice)
Kafta Balls w/ veggies in the oven (kafte=arabic meatloaf)

I made a pecan pie yesterday, but it's almost gone. I don't want to bake more b/c it is too tempting for me! I do end up eating more than I should, so I think I'll take a baking break this week. If you want any of the dinner recipes, just ask and I'll put 'em up here. Tonight's chicken was great... everyone really loved it.

On a little heavier note, I have a PSA (public service announcement). Look out for you kids. Hehehe, yes seems obvious, but I just want to urge you to spend some one on one time with each child, especially as they pass new milestones, and see how they're feeling and see how they perceive themselves and their role in the family. With the oldest child, you don't want to fall into old habits and keep treating him/her like a child or like the younger children. He/she will want some element of control in his/her life, and will want to feel different from the younger siblings. I know this from my own experience as the eldest of 3, and now having my oldest child change out of the 'young kid' stage. He's been feeling frustrated and wishing he were a 'grown-up' so that he could move out and do what he wants. *gasp* I was shocked when he talked like that, and that was my flag to really get to the bottom of his feelings. I remembered our old pediatrician and some advice she gave me a few years ago. I found a way for Musa to have more control. I asked him what things he wanted to change, we discussed them, and we came to new decisions. He was so happy that he thanked me the next morning for a nice talk!

This situation is only a precurser to teen years, which I just pray and pray about all the time. So, ya... stay connected to your kids!

Autumn

Assalamu alaikom; peace.

I've been walking for exercise. I started when the kids started back to school. After I dropped off Maryam at 8:30, I'd come home and go straight out to the trail by my house. I even increased the liklihood of me walking by wearing my walking clothes and shoes before leaving the house. My hurdle was not so much my laziness, but my hesitance to mess up Aisha's morning nap. She normally would fall asleep right after we'd get home from dropping off Maryam and then sleep 2 hours. But this time block was my only chance during the day to get out on the trail. So, I tried it out. I'd put her in the stroller and off we'd go. Most of the time she'd fall asleep, but would wake up shortly after getting home. That reduced her nap time to, like, 25 minutes, instead of 2 hours. I didn't like that at all, but I still did it most mornings.

Then, the weather started up. Windy, cool mornings made it hard to walk with the baby. I knew we had a plastic stroller cover, but hadn't bothered to know how to use it. So, anyway, I did my pilates dvd on the days I didn't walk. This morning was beautiful, though, and I really felt the need to get out there and WALK! So I figured out how to put the plastic on the stroller, and off we went. It was really really beautiful. One of those fall days. Crisp, fresh air. Clear skies, bright sunshine. Little critters along the path, birds chirping, and leaves falling. We even crunched some acorns along the sidewalk. I collected a few leaves from the ubiquitous Bradford Pear trees. They turn some wicked designs and colors!

I'm thankful to my friend who gave me a swift kick in the behind back in August. She said I had to get out there and work it. Walk, run, sweat, whatever it takes. She said I HAD to make that hour for myself, and I would be and feel better. She was right. May Allah reward you habibti and give you good health, too. When I go for one of my walks, I remember her and her great advice. I make sure to praise God often (which is easy to do when you're out in nature). I come back feeling physically and mentally renewed. Here is a verse from the Holy Quran, Chapter 7 Verses 57 and 58:

" And it is He Who sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings, going before His Mercy (rain). Till when they have carried a heavy-laden cloud, We drive it to a land that is dead, then We cause water (rain) to descend thereon. Then We produce every kind of fruit therewith. Similarly, We shall raise up the dead, so that you may remember or take heed. The vegetation of a good land comes forth (easily) by the Permission of its Lord; and that which is bad, brings forth nothing but (a little) with difficulty. Thus do We explain variously the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses) for a people who give thanks."

To Be Or Not To Be

Assalamu alaikom; peace :)

So, Facebook has turned out to be a funny, unique arena for one to express herself and to see into others' lives. It's actually close to blogging. You share how you feel, what you're reading, who you saw, and where you're going. We find out what you had for dinner last night, and which groceries you forgot while at the store today. Your car broke down, you ran into George W on the elevator at work, or your kids are all throwing up. It's brilliant, really. No one really has to answer. And what's easier is the 'Like' button. How great is that! You don't even have to think of anything to say... just "LIKE".

But here's the catch about facebook; there is no "dislike". It's kind of an unwritten rule. You cannot dislike, disagree, or 'dis' in general anyone's status or pic. Someone puts up a crazy drunk picture of herself, and you feel it is out of line. Have you ever read any comment that said "you look terrible" or "why on Earth would you publish this on the net"? I never have. And I've seen pictures from "friends" that have made me cringe. I've read status updates with some colorful words that have made me cringe. And what did I do? Scroll, scroll, scroll. What else is there to do? More than once I clicked to 'comment' but just couldn't. Because how rude and judgmental would that sound! So, ya, facebook is like the place where everyone will reinforce whatever you just said. "Cute!" "Great!" etc.. If you really don't like what you read, chances are you'll never say it, and you'll never know who agrees with you!

Hence, my blog.

This is one reason I was motivated to start it. I actually set up this account a few months ago, but I never started the actual blogging. Recently, I've felt that I've had to suppress what I really believe and really think to spare the feelings of those who read my Facebook. I know, it's kinda weird, but I see all sorts of things that over the course of the day end up bugging me b/c I never get the chance to speak my mind. Now, I'm not going to come here and backbite or gossip about who said what on FB!!! LOL, nope, but I will get to write about the beliefs I am passionate about and the way of life I love. It is kind of conservative, so that is one reason why the general masses on FB bother me. See, as a practicing Muslim, I try to do things that are going to please my Creator. I want to stay away from the doubtful, from the disliked, and from the things that will take me away from the remembrance of Him. When I see or read things that go against my beliefs, I recognize that that is someone else's choice, but to not say anything about it is what brings me down. The hardest part is when I see other Muslims doing those things, because we supposedly share the same beliefs and I want for them what I want for myself.

What I see coming up in this blog is an outlet for me to share the joys of my faith. I want to increase my faith, not let it get run down. I want to, once again, remember Allah in all of my actions and to purify my intentions. It should be for His sake alone. That is where the joy is...and I want to share that! I know a lot my friends and readers are not Muslims, but I hope you will keep checking back here even after this long blog today. You will see how alike we are, how alike our beliefs are. You will have to muddle through (or skip over) the Arabic words I stick in here or there :) But please please please do feel free to ask me anything. I am comfortable and happy to try to answer any questions you might have. And for my fellow Muslim sisters who are following, I hope to be, if anything, a bit of encouragement in your day :) Thanks for reading if you've made it this far!

 

Monday's Menu

Saturday I planned out what we'll be having for dinner this week, so I will share.
Mon-Tue; Spaghetti and meatsauce, salad
Wed; Vegetable curry with rice
Thurs/Fri; Chicken Paprika w/ rice; leftover veggie curry
Desserts: pecan pie, pound cake (when time permits..)

Briefly before bed...

If you like the taste of mexican food, here is a quick family dinner you can make (and alter) easily:
5-6 chicken breasts, cubed
1 cup salsa
1 pkg taco seasoning (I don't use that,so I put chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and 1T or 2T tomato paste.)
2 cups water
1 can black beans (optional)
Cooked rice

In a large skillet, cook chicken in about 1 T oil til it's white.
Sprinkle with seasonings, add salsa, water. Bring to boil, reduce and simmer, covered for 15-20 minutes. You can add the beans towards the end.

I serve with cooked rice, but another way is to put some minute rice in the skillet and let it cook with it. Top with cheese if you like.

On the menu for the next few days:
Homemade Hamburgers
Fasulieh (Arabic dish with green beans and cubed beef)
Chicken Paprika
Maybe a grilled something or other on the weekend.

Cluck Cluck

Assalamu alaikom, peace!

No, that's not the sound of me getting clucky, as in I am wanting another baby.. nooo nooo nooooo. It's the sound of the little hens I want to raise making their presence known in my head. Yes, I've been hearing them clucking away for a year or two now. Ever since we lived in Redmond with that gorgeous back yard, I've dreamt of having a few little egg laying chickens. Sure, they're messy and stinky. And noisy. But I thought it would be fun. Then I got pregnant with this last one, and I told them to be quiet in there b/c I wasn't going to happen soon.



Fast forward to my new house in Plano, and it seems it's become a craze now people raising their own chickens! What is this!!! The city of Dallas has made it legal to raise them in your backyard in the city, but Plano has not yet, at leat not on homes on small lots. They are getting pressured to, but it hasn't happened yet. In the meantime, I've met a lady who lives in McKinney who not only has chickens but a bunch of other animals. Ok, they live on some acrage, but I was curious. I love asking her about them. Then, I hear of these teeny tiny chicks that people are buying specifically for the backyard b/c they are sooo tiny that they're a breeze to take care of! And their eggs are tiny AND colored! Cute! How much more Dallas can you get? My husband commented today that I've been talking chicken a lot lately, and that he feels like I might be moving some in. I laughed. Yes, it's been a fantasy, but for now I'll stick to raising my 4 little monkeys :)

my life: meal planning

Assalamu alaikom and peace to you all!
Today being Sunday, I naturally wander to that place in mind called "What's For Dinner". Yes, there's a whole section in my head for this. It has to be there. I have hungry tummies to feed, masha'Allah, and I better not drop the ball! Years of experience have finally brought me to a very comfortable place where meal planning is no longer maddening. After reading countless blogs, website, and talking to friends about it, I've come to terms with this daunting part of my job. Basically, I have collected 30 main dish recipes that we all love to have for dinner. Well, it's almost at 30, I'm not far off and it takes a special meal to please all of us! So all of these meals have earned a spot in my card box. I've laminated them. Unsuccessfully. What? I used those laminating pages you buy at the office supply stores, but they peeled back and came off the next day!!! Ok, so now I have almost 30 sticky recipe cards, but they are THE top recipes in my life,right? So all i have to do is pick out about 4 or 5 cards that look good for the upcoming week and make sure I've got all the ingredients necessary. Voila. We do our grocery shopping on the weekend (Costco, Safeway, Halal butcher) I cook whichever one I want whenever it is convenient for me. Problem solved! This system has seriously worked wonders for me~ thanks to the ladies at http://littlenannygoat.blogspot.com/2009/05/what-heck-it-30-meal-plan.html

Boy do Sundays stink

Assalamu alaikom and peace to you all,
As far back as I can remember, I hated Sundays. Mom and I concluded it was the lack of structure to the day. Other theories come and go, but they all include feelings of sadness, boredom, disappointment, and blah-dom. So here I am, pushing 35, and I still don't do well on Sundays. Having children keeps me busy, busier than I ever was in the past, so I don't get as down on Sundays as before. Still, it's like something great should happen, and then it just doesn't. It's ok, I will deal with it. I just hope I don't pass it along to my kids!

On this particular Sunday, some negative feelings I've been pushing to the back of my head really made their way to the front. So I'm trying to learn how and when to just accept people for who they are and not let parts of their personality bother me. Once I accept that they are like this no matter what, then I realize, sadly, that we're not as close I wished we could have been. It's like this; I have to say 'ok, you are this way, and I cannot change you, but... because of this I cannot be close to you'. Does this make sense? Kind of dark for any day, much less a Sunday. So, ya, that's part of my stinky sunday. I feel this is a side effect of getting old. You are not so close with people. We get to where we just cannot just roll with it when people do things against our ideals and beliefs. That might be a good thing, a type of self preservation, but it doesn't do much for the social calendar!

For now, my kids are sitting on the floor playing a board game. I thank God for all my blessings, and pray for guidance and patience. Here's to a better Monday.

I'm here! Come on in :)

Assalamu alaikom and Peace to all of you!
I've had this blog page for ages but have never set it up. I finally got the urge to finish it up, and here we are!
It's a gorgeouos fall day here in Plano. 54 degrees right now and sunny. Perfect for a day at a pumpkin patch! We'll be heading out to Flower Mound in a little bit once Aisha wakes up and gets fed. This place has hay pyramids, tractor rides, pumpkin chunkin (lol), and pumpkins or course. I can't remember if they have barnyard animals or not, but they should! We went each year to this type of place back in Redmond, so I'm happy to have found something similar here.

I'll leave you with something sweet today:

Here's a great dessert I made yesterday that you layer into a long pyrex:
graham cracker crust (2cups crushed crackers mixed w/ 1 stick melted butter,bake 8min 350)
beat 8oz cream cheese w/ 2cups powdered sugar, spread over crust
slice 4 bananas, toss with juice of one lemon, spread over cream cheese
spread 1 can crushed pineapple over the bananas
cover with a tub (8oz) of whipped topping (cool whip)
top with maraschino cherries if you like, then freeze. pull out a few minutes before serving.