I used to be different

I used to be different. Did you know me then?
I wasn't old.  I was young.  I was pretty thin.  I had free time.  I used to feel bored, sometimes. 
I loved learning French.  I loved it so much I majored in it.  I loved it so much I spent 5 months studying abroad soaking in everything I possibly could. 
I used to listen to music really loud in my room.  Sometimes the same song over and over and over.  Sometimes I would write down words to my own songs in my spiral notebook.  Or poems. 
I used to be different.  Did you know me then?
I used to rearrange my bedroom furniture at night, and if it was too late, I'd sketch out how I would do it the next day.  In my spiral notebook.
I'd make cakes and brownies for my parents and brothers.  I used make cakes to take to school in junior high after band competitions.
My best friend and I would take a pan of brownies to my room and eat practically the whole thing.  We had an agreement. She got the outsides, I got the middle.
I used to be different. Did you know me then?
I used to ride my bike around the block, go the movies, and hang out with my friends for hours.
I didn't like crafts, I didn't like to shop, and I didn't read much for fun.
I hadn't thought much about the world, about politics, about education, or about the purpose of life.
I am thankful for where I am today.  I am happy where I am today. But I used to different. I am happy there are people around who knew me then.

Beginning of December

Assalamu alaikom wa rahmatullah,

We've got one week left of our first trimester of homeschooling.  It's come along really well, alhamdullah, and we're all looking forward to a break ( in a good way, not because we're sick of school).  I'm still giddy each time a new perk of homeschooling comes my way.  They keep rolling in!  In general, the attitudes are improving, stress is decreasing, enthusiasm for learning for the sake of learning is growing.  They're finding teachable moments on their own and are acting out on what they learn. Masha'Allah, it's been an eye opener for me because I had never given education this much thought before.  To suddenly have taken matters into my own hands has widened my scope of knowledge about learning, about my own children, and about how things can/will work out in life.  And all of that blends perfectly with something I've learned about myself in the past few years.  I've learned that I enjoy questioning why we do things or follow any given trend, and I've felt liberated by realizing I don't have to follow the expected or 'normal' way.  The beginning of that was when I looked into my faith and decided to start practicing.  I learned about the true religion and learned how to set old cultural habits aside.  The religion is pure, culture is not.  And now with education, family, growing, shaping, learning. It's great.  It feels more natural.

I was expecting a period of 'detoxing' from the old way we were used to doing school. Happily, we didn't have any rocky moments.  I think we transitioned into homeschooling easily, and they're eager to work in the mornings, alhamdullah. 

I'm also very appreciative of 'quality' toys and books that have been gifted to us over the years (many from Mom; thanks Mom!).  Wooden blocks, wooden puzzles, classic readers, and hand puppets are on such a different level than the commonplace plastic out there.  I can say this with confidence after 4 children and 10 years of experience.  I now refuse to get 'junk' books for the littles to read and opt for quality storylines and language.  Sure, an occasional one comes home from the library, but I will not buy them. 

We've added two huge items to our homeschool.  The first is a set of bookcases I've been dying to have for almost 10 years.  We bought three of them and lined them up in our schoolroom.  Books are organized by age level including a whole section for preschool activites (like the wooden puzzles, lacing blocks, board books, and hand puppets).  There's a whole shelf for library books since we bring home about 30 each week.  The Arabic reader books are visible and look more inviting than being tucked away in someone's room.  Maryam has even pulled some out and started to read them! Great addition to our Arabic curriculum.

The second item is a Listening Center I set up.  We've had this CD player with speakers (looks like an old fashinoned tape player, but it's not) for years, and I've used it off an on, mostly in the kitchen.  Well it took up a lot of counter space so I banished it to a storage cabinet for a few months.  Till yesterday!  I set it up in the corner of our TV room that has the lounge seat and side table.  It is easy to use and has a remote.  We brought home about 5 Audio Books (books with accompanying CD) from the library and set them up there.  The girls fell in love with the idea!  They can now sit down with a book and CD and follow along!  It is downstairs which is away from the schoolroom  in case anyone wants to use it during the day (which Maryam will).  I don't forsee any conflict with having the TV in the same room b/c we only watch the TV for one hour a day.  So I'm looking forward to using the Listening Center! (I wish I did school sitting on the couch under a blanket!)

Thanks for reading!

Peace and Blessings this Eid!

Assalamu alaikom

Tuesday, November 16, 2010, is Eid ul Adha.  It's the holiday signifying the strong faith and commitment that Prophet Abraham, peace be on him, had to our Lord.  He was willing to sacrifice anything God asked him to.  For his strong faith, Allah gave him a ram to slaughter, and that is one reason we do that on Eid.  The meat is distributed and shared with families who need it, and only some is usually kept for the family who had it slaughtered.

At this time, millions of Muslims are in Makkah performing Hajj.  It's a trip we all want to take at least once in our lifetime.  It's a blessing for them to make it, as it cleanses their sins and gives them a fresh start in life. 

Over here we tried to increase our worship the last few days.  I shared a lot of history and stories with the kiddles about the significance of this time of year.  They got some presents, I put up some festive decorations,and we all look forward to an early morning prayer service followed by BRUNCH!

Cute Muslim Mamma Images

Assalamu alaikom

Some friends of mine started a website Easel And Ink where women from around the world put their graphic art on display.  They've come up with cuuuute stuff! Here are a few:

Little Homeschooling Update

Assalamu alaikom

End of the week :)  We've settled into a nice routine here at home, alhamdulilaah (have my non Muslim readers figured out my Arabic words yet; this one means 'all praise is due to God'=thank God).  Even little Aisha isn't as crazed anymore.  She's taken to sitting on the floor nearby and playing with coins, that was her favorite activity this past week.  She won't put them in her mouth, so I feel safe letting her fill and empty the bucket with the coins. She also moves them from one pile to another.  Once I finish up my morning chores and sit down at the table is when I feel that the kids also buckle down and start their work for real.  Otherwise they might be kind here and there, but not really working.  And that IS my routine.. to sit down at the table by 8:30 (ok sometimes it is 8:45) and get started for the day.  We normally work til 11:45 or noon (they take a little snack break in the middle).  After lunch we meet back for Science/History depending on the day, and then we do our activities (tennis, football, gymnastics, Quran class).

My goals for the begining of this venture were multi-faceted:
1. to give us all time to unprogram our brains from what we thought 'school' looked like
2. to give the kids leeway in general to adjust to our new way of life
3.  to focus mostly on the 'core' of education (reading, writing, arithmatic) and not to panic if I didn't get a lot more things done, at least for the first few months.  i do have science and history in the plans, and so far those are going on schedule, too
4.  to not let myself get carried away compaing myself to other homeschoolers b/c there really is so much you can do out there
5.  to incorporate those religious elements into their lives like i had originally dreamed of doing

So I think I've done pretty good at pacing myself.  I've wondered if I were doing enough, and then sometimes if it were too much, but all in all they're getting work done, retaining it, and the best part.. regurgitating it!!! Unprompted, too! Yippeee!!! It's working :) 

I had to think long and hard about one little subject though, and that was Arabic language.  We don't speak it much at home since my husband and I have always spoken English as our first language.  The kids do read Arabic in the Quran, but they don't know its meaning nor can they have a conversation.  After much thinking I am now confident that they must learn it as best as I can teach it to them.  It's their heritage and it is the language of their holy book.  A lot gets lost in the translation, so it will only benefit them to know it.  I settled on a program to use, and have sent the company an email asking if i can get the 'teacher discount' :)  (which, by the way, Staples gave me their teacher discount card b/c i'm a homeschooler.. yay Staples!)  So pray for me please.. I will be adding one more subject to our curriculum. 

Ok, so that leads me to the other 'religious element' I mentioned in the goals up above.  After I felt confident after a couple of weeks of homeschooling I realized I didn't really have a fixed time for Islamic Studies.  Okie dokie...ruffled through many old books the older kids used back in Seattle at the Islamic School.  I wasn't sure which curriculum to use (there were two good ones, at least), and I wasn't sure what levels I should start the kids at.  Grrr, I didn't like this.  Well, subhanAllah, when you just ask your lord for help He surely won't fail you.  Somehow, one morning, I had one of those books in my hand and I was at the breakfast table.  Somehow we all ended up at breakfast at the same time.  Somehow I opened the book and started reading from the begining, and the story was so interesting that I found 4 pairs of eyes staring at me!  (ok, well, maybe not Aisha's)  The older 3 loved it, and I suddenly figured out how and when we would cover our Islamic Studies.  This week's breakfast time was awesome.  I would read from that textbook which has verses, hadith (sayings of prophet muhammand, peace be upon him), skits, and stories from the quran.  It's had a tremendous impact on them already, as I can see their awareness of their faith grow, just from talking about it for a few short minutes in the morning.  Masha'Allah, what a blessing. 

I've learned that 'learning' looks different now that we are free of the schedule of public school.  Reading about our religion together at breakfast is an awesome way to make it a natural part of our family instead of a boring class they have to go to on the weekend.  We also do some read-alouds at night (a fiction book like currently The Adventures of Tom Sawyer), and none of this could have happened during public school time.  They used to come home so ready to turn their brains off that it was like pulling teeth to get them to read, to pray, or to talk about anything learning-related.  And now, suddenly, we are learning ALL the time and they are happy with it! I am so so grateful to have been shown this path and to be on this adventure.  Life looks different to me in regards to my children, my future, and their future. 

So we're half way through our first trimester.  I'm glad things are moving along well, and I am glad I didn't stress over the extra subjects that I had wanted to cover but hadn't gotten to yet.  I know it'll all work out in the end, and alhamdulilaah, so far it's been great.  May Allah keep us successful and guide us to please Him.  Now that we're half way done we can start the countdown to our first official family roadtrip to visit my mom in Mississippi!!!  We'll be taking one month off from mid December through mid January. :)

Thanks for reading and I welcome your comments!
Love
Zein

Green Smoothies!

Assalamu alaikom y'all!

I stumbled across a link to green smoothies and their benefits the other day.  I was hooked instantly!  I ran out and bought some fresh greens, a few extra fruits, and borrowed a blender (b/c I don't have one).  I'm hooked, and I can't wait to try a new combination each day :)

The ideas is to drink your greens if you're having a hard time getting enough fresh fruits and veggies each day (which I know I am).  You put about 60% fruit and 40% greens.  It is not very overpowering that way, especially if you include banana or avocado.  Those tend to 'cream' up the smoothie.  And I use water: no milk, no juice.  The calories are low, the fiber is high, and the overall benefits are fantastic!

I'm going to put some of the article below with a link at the end:

Green Smoothies?


Yes – these are simply smoothies that are made with fresh organic greens blended in to them with a a fruit or two and a couple other tasty ingredients.

Green smoothies provide a concentrated amount of fresh greens in quick and convenient drink. Plus blending greens and fruits together breaks down the cells of these plants which improves digestibility and makes it easier for your body to assimilate.
What Exactly Are Greens?
“Greens” are Leafy greens, the green leaves of edible plants. Some of these leafy greens are grown specifically for the leaf itself like lettuce, spinach, kale and parsley. While found as the green leafy tops of root vegetables like carrots greens, beets and turnips.

The Most Popular Greens For Smoothies

- Baby Spinach

- Kale

- Collard greens

- Mustard greens

- Dandelion greens

- Turnip greens

- Beat greens

- Parsley

- Arugula

- Romaine lettuce

Benefits Of Green Smoothies

This is what you can expect if you drink just one smoothie a day.

1. Increased Energy
Powerful boost of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients without bogging down your digestive system. Drinking your greens in the most optimum form for your digestibility and nutrient absorption leaves you feeling more energized.

2. Mental Clarity and Focus
With a healthier foods come greater mental clarity, focus, alertness and the ability to better handle stress and reduce anxiety.

3. Increased Fiber Intake
While juicing can also give you a powerful punch, it just cannot give you the whole fruit and vegetable like green smoothies can. Fiber is essential for good colon health and keeps you regular.

4. Clearer Skin
High in fiber which allows your body to eliminate toxins the right way instead of through your skin. Plus you are getting that concentrated source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that fight the aging process!

5. Reduced Cravings
Easily fight those cravings for junk foods, unhealthy sweets, salt and fats. When your body receives adequate nutrition, you no longer feel hungry from a lack of nutrients in the typical, dead processed food. You will find that after a couple short weeks of drinking green smoothies, you will crave healthier foods such as fruits, vegetables and greens.
6. Rich With Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll is like the blood of the vegetable which natural health experts state enhances the immune system, purifies the blood and rejuvenates the body.
7. Alkalizing
Fruits and vegetables are alkaline foods and many natural health experts claim that consuming these foods helps maintain a proper alkaline balance in the body. Cancer does not grow in an alkaline body. In fact, most disease grows in an acid environment.
~ Bonus Benefits ~
Green Smoothies are EASY to MAKE and are a Natural Source of Fat Loss.

Read the whole article for recipes, and more information!

http://www.getfitandyummy.com/green-smoothies-rock/

 

slightly deep thoughts!

Assalamu alaikom

I saw the following verse from the Quran in a friend's email signature the other day.  I literally just stopped what I was doing and had a light bulb moment.  "Oh." I think to myself.  "It's been right there all along."  I read it, and I reread it, and I wonder why we (rather, why "I") couldn't embody this sentiment:
 And they who say: O our Lord! grant us in our wives and our offspring the joy of our eyes, and make us guides to those who guard (against evil).  
(  سورة الفرقان  , Al-Furqan, Chapter #25, Verse #74)

Allah, our Creator, our Lord has blessed us with verses that guide our hearts.  THIS is how we want to perceive our spouses.  THIS is how we want to perceive our children. As a joy. 

Let me start with the children part.  This could be taken to mean that our children are so great that all they do is bring joy into our lives. I personally don't think this is what the verse is about.  We all come with our ups and downs, so no person is going to be 100% a joy to someone all the time.  My toddler got into 5 dangerous things within a minute and thirty seconds today.  She is running my nerves to the wire.  However, I think I could slow down and either put more things out of her reach and/or spend the time to give her direction calmly.  This would establish a healthy ground of communication. 

We have to change how our hearts feel towards children.  This will revolutionize our lives, I think.  The answer to our stress and frustration is right there, straight from God Himself.  They are JOY.  So that means I must be doing it wrong when I don't see them as a JOY.  When I'm mad that milk spilled for the 3rd time in 24 hours all over the table, chairs, and floor, I need to turn to Allah and ask HIM to help me through it.  Don't get mad at the child.  Don't wish they weren't so bothersome or messy.  Don't say "why can't my house look perfectly neat and clean all the time".  You know how they say fashion models and fashion magazines lower teen girls' self-esteem and create unhealthy expectations in them?  Today I realized that society, magazines, and stores do that to ME when it comes to my house.  I feel there is a certain level of how tidy or matchy my house should be.  Then along walks the family into the house and that image doesn't exist.  I don't want to define my expectation by a magazine's image, but to an extent I think we all do.  This materialistic disease takes us away from being thankful to Allah, from praising Him, and from seeing the 'messy' parts of our life as a joy.

So my goal is to keep reminding myself of this verse and to feel joyful with my children.  Whatever is difficult is a reminder that Allah is there for me to ask, and He will run to my aid. 

The part about the spouse is a good topic for a different day, but wow... look at your spouse as a person who gives you JOY, and you will see him/her in a different light.  And hopefully we can be that joy for them as well.

Catching up at home, making soap and butter

Assalamu alaikom

I'm so grateful to have someone come do the big cleaning in my house once a week, and that helps so much especially now with homeschooling.  Of course the dishes and the kids' clutter is a never ending cycle, but that is OK and comes with the territory.  So today the house is clean, sheets, towels, and floors are clean too, so I decided to make a new batch of laundry soap.  Thankfully, that takes all of 10 minutes, so that is done.  That batch of soap will last me about 2 or 3 months, and it cost only $2 to make. I'll post the recipe below.  I used the recipe on the Duggar's website, but I made half since the thought of 10 gallons of laundry soap sitting around didn't sound good.  5 gallons of laundry soap should get used up in 2 or 3 months, I think.

Right now as I type the kids are shaking jars filled with cream to make butter.  I'm planning making some homemade bread after this, so insha'Allah we can enjoy some homemade bread and butter today!!!
Fun times :)

Laundry Soap Recipe:

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap- Front or top load machine- best value

4  Cups - hot tap water
1  Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda*
½ Cup Borax

- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.

-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.

-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)

-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

*Arm & Hammer "Super Washing Soda" - in some stores or may be purchased online here (at Meijer.com). Baking Soda will not work, nor will Arm & Hammer Detergent - It must be sodium carbonate!!

my favorite month!

Assalamu alaikom

I think I'm going to have to declare October my favorite month.  It's so great. What's not to love? The weather is lovely as we start to get quite cool in the evening and early mornings.  The sun still shines, and it still warms up to the 80's during the day (at least here in TX it does).  The days shorten to a nice length: not too short and not too long.  And then there's the shift in nature: the trees, leaves, vegetables, and general change of the cycle.  I just love it.  I feel like it's the perfect weather to 'live' in.  I also just really got burned out this summer with the incapacitating heat.  We didn't handle it well, we didn't have much to do to pass our time, and it felt like punishment from the beginning of July through the beginning of September.  So, I'm truly happy to be done with Summer.

My decision to homeschool in a trimester system was partially influenced by the dread of next summer.  So we will 'school' for three months and then take one month off.  This way we'll have something useful to do during 2 of the summer months, and then we can do all the fun stuff in the 3rd month.  Also, this way we can enjoy some of each season without having to worry about missing school days.  I'd much rather go to the zoo, to trails, hikes, and lakes during December or April rather than in June/July/August.  So, I do hope next summer won't be as bad.

Enjoy!

time flies.. is that a good thing?

So we're getting done with our homeschool work remarkably easily and quickly.  It is making me wonder if  we're doing enough.  After reading some homeschooling forums and comparing our curriculum with that of others, I do think we are on track.  We're covering all the major subjects, so maybe just that it's only 3 of us it's getting done quickly.  Today I found a nice little Writing workbook (by grade level) that I picked up for Musa.  It will help him sort ideas and practice writing.  I think he could use that enrichment.   What I've gathered from all my reading is that it is an ongoing process.  You're constantly tweaking and looking for the next thing.  That sounds right to me... you do have to keep doing that.  Eventually you learn how each child learns and what specific things they learn best from. 
So, for any homeschoolers out there or for whoever is interested, here is what we are up to:

Musa (4th Grade): Saxon Math 5/4, Learning Language Arts Through Literature Orange Book, GUM Drops Grammar, LLATL Spelling, REAL Science (Life), The History of the World, Vol I, Quran Classes, Islamic Studies, Spectrum Writing Grade 4, Arabic language

Heba (3rd Grade): Saxon Math Grade 3, Learning Language Arts Through Literature Yellow Book, GUM Drops Grammar, LLATL Spelling, REAL Science (Life), The History of the World, Vol I, Quran Classes, Islamic Studies, Arabic language.

Maryam (KG): Saxon Math KG, Horizons (Alpha Omega) Phonics KG, Quran Classes, Arabic language, and lots of library books and nature study.

Finally, we do spend time outside plus in some sporting activities.  The kids are already showing more eagerness in learning things on their own and in playing better together.  Looking forward to a nice fall, insha'Allah.

I am sooo over gardening!

Ha!
Yes, I said it.
Most of what I brought home last year is no longer alive. Some plants are, and some aren't.  Was it too little water, was it the critters, was it just a bad plant from the nursery?  I don't know, and frankly, I am not interested in finding out.  Because of that, I am out!  No more new plants, bushes, flowers, or bulbs.  Whatever is here can grow, and I will water it, but I don't want to keep spending money and time on things that will just die.  And to be honest, I have a million other things going on right now which deserve my time more than those plants.  I might get a few mums for fall, but that is not really gardening, that's just bringing home a potted plant! 

My composter is not going to die out, though.  I have too few 'green' additions (meaning not much grass or leaves), so as I do collect some of that material, I will add food waste. Otherwise, the food waste is too much and makes an awful smell, creates millions of fuitflies, and attracts rats.  I'll still compost, insha'Allah, because that doesn't require work (or an investment!).

So, for now, it'll be about homeschooling and other green things of interest!
Thanks for reading and feel free to comment :)

I love these!

Assalamu alaikom

I can't stop browing Etsy for resusable snack bags.  The fabrics are so darn cute for kids and grown ups alike.  I want to buy like a hundred of them! They're ideal for packing school lunches in, but I don't have to do that anymore.  However, we do go to parks and outings.  Aisha likes crackers, and we like to pack fruits, too.  What do you think??? :)
Here is what some of them look like.

first week of homeschooling

Assalamu alaikom

Alhamdulilaah (all praises due to God) I am so happy that we started homeschooling and that we made it through our first week so well. Musa and Heba were very ready to start school. Their time off was getting boring, finally, 3 months into it! I, too, am feeling very happy with the way things are turning out and that I am part of something called 'homeschooling'. I'm now meeting other homeschoolers, reading their blogs and discussion boards, and am feeling stronger and happier about the prospective advantages my children will have due to it.

I'm basically covering 4 core subjects: Math, Language, Science, and History. The books I have chosen for this year cover all the details included under each major subject (grammar, writing, spelling, labs, geography, timelines, etc..) We're also doing some Quran and Islamic Studies (well, I need to figure in the Islamic Studies part but they're going to a private tutor for Quran reading and memorization). They're all in some type of sport, plus we have that Gymnastics every Thursday if we want to go. All in all, I think it's a great start. I am not overwhelmed. I know I can add to our core if I want to, and I probably will sometime, just not now.

I've also decided to work in trimesters, so we'll go from mid-September through mid-December, then take one month off. I like that b/c we can enjoy the cooler months here in TX and go to the zoo and other field trips.

As I expected, I have to run now and get lunch ready... at least I got some blogging in! Thanks for reading.

Pink and Green Homeschooling

Assalamu alaikom
MissPink has turned so Green that she is now a homeschooler! No, I'm not homeschooling because I think it is good for the environment haha, but I'm sure I could find some arguments for the case :)

I wish I could make an awesome blog that is organized and full of printables, links, and articles like other cool homeschoolers, but I just don't know how and don't feel like learning how right now. Any free time I have is spent poring awesome homeschooling resources, saving them, printing them, or figuring out how to use them.

I've spent Ramadan teaching Islamic Studies, Quran, and Salah (praying), to the kids. It's been a great transition for all of us. They are getting used to sitting at our table and doing work. I am getting used to my new role, and little Aisha is getting used to seeing us busy in a new way. She will be the biggest challenge, I think, because she wants me all for herself, but I hope with time she will get used to our daily routine.

Our first day of school will be Tuesday September 14, insha'Allah. I have all the books lined up and have lesson planned for a month ahead. I am impressed with how the Math books are designed to complete one lesson a day. Each lesson builds on the previous one. All the subjects have a similar logical approach. This makes it easier for the child to pick up and start rather than wait for Mom to sit and talk talk talk.

I'm learing about various local businesses who have special programs for homeschoolers. Canyon Creek Gymnastics has a 2 hour class for homeschooler every Thursday. You pay $5 per child and they get to play with an instructor. The kids loved it yesterday when we went for the first time. It was also fun to be in a room full of other homeschoolers!!! I found out about other similar places, so next Thursday we'll be going to the Heritage Farmstead Museum to learn about pioneer living!

Hopefully I'll be able to come and blog about our new adventure. I would love to link up all the resources I've been using. I'd love to talk about curriculum and stuff like that... we'll see how much time I'll have!

New adventures

Assalamu alaikom

I tried something new this past weekend. I canned figs. I tried three different recipes, and they are all good. My favorite is the third one I tried, otherwise known as "Batch C". I was always afraid of the process of canning as each time I read a recipe I felt like it too much of a fuss. But somehow, this past weekend, I felt like I could handle it. Perhaps it was the 200 fresh figs sitting in my fridge that needing tending to? I don't know, but I knew I couldn't eat them all! It was fun, and I"ll do it again if the fruit and time are both right. Just not for a while, probably!

I'm trying something else 'new', and that is homeschooling my children. 3 of the 4 will be in school this year, so I have done my research, ordered my materials, and now just need to figure out the scheduling. So many things lead up to this decision, and now looking back it seems more and more reasons add up for it. And, you know, I won't go into those details here because, really, it is a very personal decision to make and those reasons I might list could easily sound petty or insignificant to some. But all together, combined, and multiplied by 4 (are you doing the math now?) it made sense for my family. And I do intend for it to go on for a long time, hopefully all the way through graduation. But.. if for some reason one or all of them ended up back in public school, I would (try) to be OK with that, too. Currently, though, I feel very strongly about teaching them in the home, together, with our values, our rhythm, and our expectations of behavior and character. They are so different when they don't go to school every day. Compared to their attitudes during the school year, their summer time selves are sooo much nicer to live with. They are more relaxed, they play together, and they don't seem as cranky or stressed. So that's about all there is to that. I feel it's just another natural extension of my philosophy of parenting, and I pray it will be beneficial to me and to them.

I'm starting to check out what is good to plant in July for a fall harvest.

What's next

Assalamu alaikom
I still love my wooden garden box I got earlier this year. The crops I planted in it this spring didn't turn out well, but I think I can improve the situation for next time. For starters, I can block the air ducts where some parent birds set up house. I think they did the most damage to the new little seedlings. Secondly, I can make sure they get tons of water as I suspect I might not have given them enough at first. Third, I don't have a third. I'll just try, try again! I think July is actually a good time to put in seeds for fall crop, so I will get to researching that insha'Allah.

I also still love my wooden composting box I got earlier this year (or was it end of last year?) I filled it and it sure stank, but it finally turned into good ol' black gold. The only thing holding me back from starting it anew is that I'm afraid I don't have enough materials besides kitchen scrap, and that will cause more stink and more fruitflies. I noticed my neighbor has a lot of cut grass heaping up in piles in his yard! His grass got really long, and it looks like he had a hard time cutting it b/c he only cut some of it. And what he did cut is sitting there in piles. If I could guarantee that kind of stuff regularly I wouldn't hesitate, but I don't have that kind of grass.

Soooo.... I do have on big fat confession. Coming back from our (almost) 4 weeks in Jordan, I found it hard to cope being the sole grown-up with 4 young children. During the trip I had my mom and my husband with me at all times, and at my inlaws house I had my MIL and their maid around as well. So when I found myself alone with the kids the following Monday morning after getting back I felt like there surely was no way I could go back to doing it solo. What's the confession you ask... I buckled and let my husband buy paper towels again to make clean-ups a little easier. *gasp* I know, it's shocking. LOL I said 'yes' and then 'no', and then I said 'fine just get them'. He said to me: "You're really struggling with this aren't you". Yes!!! It's the principle of it!!!! So now I *sparingly* use the paper towels, and I hope it's something I won't buy more of in the future.

Till next time....
Z

Oh where did my garden go?

Assalamu alaikom dear readers,

I have a love/hate relationship with blogging. At times I think about many topics I'd like to blog about and share. Other times I wonder why on earth I ever created this thing. That's why you don't find me updating it very often. Sometimes I feel too busy with Life, and other times I am eager to share the busy-ness of Life. So.... this afternoon I'm excited to update about my compost situation. I started it a few months ago as many of you know. We went through some tough times. Odors, fruitflies, odors, and stagnation. No progress seemed to be in the future. I finally stopped adding to the pile and prayed that it would just rot on its own. A couple of months later I was overjoyed to peek inside and find a whole bunch of dirt! I stirred it some more and decided to let it sit a few more weeks just be sure everything got all rotted out just the same. Last night I emptied the contents over most of my garden area, and I finished spreading it over the front garden this morning. The bin was hardly half way full after all was said and done, and it yielded about a whole 20gallon garbage can. I will probably try for another pile later, but I want to be sure I have more than just kitchen scraps to put in there.

We have a gorgeous sunflower growing by the front door thanks to Maryam's preK class. They put sunflower seeds in a little soil back in March. The kids brought the little plastic cups with the seedlings in them home in May. I put Maryam's in the front garden and watched it grow. We were out of town for a month and were shocked to see the growth it had made in that time! I will hopefully post a picture.

The vegetables didn't turn out so well. Most were eaten by birds as seedlings. The ones that made it were probably not watered enough and were in too much sun. I will try again for some fall crops insha'Allah.

Alright, well, it's taken me about 3 hours to type up this short entry, so I will wrap it up now. hopefully I'll get pictures up soon. Thanks for reading!

May 1st Update

Assalamu alaikom wa rahmatullah

Well, the garden definitely has taken some unexpected turns! First, after I planted my little seedlings, I watered them and put up supports for them to grow on. My heart sank a few days later when I peeked outside to find most of them gone! Eaten all the way down. Cucumber, tomato, peppers, and lettuces. A couple were left. Then, a few days later, half of the basil leaves were eaten off! Shoot!!! I put a little pinwheel in the garden box, but would you believe that when I went to check on it the next morning, the birds had picked out one of the 'petals' of the flower pinwheel! These birds mean business. So, I have less things growing than I had hoped for. Each time my green pepper flowers it gets eaten off, so I guess it will never grow a pepper.

It's ok. I will possibly set up some tall stakes and put netting over it. Once we get back from our summer trip I can look to making the next growing season more successful. For now I'm not starting anything new since I'm getting ready for our trip.

My peace lillies are doing exactly what I had hoped! I repotted them into smaller pots after reading they like to be slightly rootbound. I then cut off all the browned and burned-looking leaves. Very quickly after that new, healthy leaves have been growing without turning brown. Success!

Back in January I blogged about talking to my children in a softer voice and about praising them more than correcting them. I just want to bring this issue back up for myself and for my readers. Anger provokes more anger, so I'm renewing my goal to guide them and teach them in a more positive way. Praise goes a lot further than rage! LOL

Okie dokie....that's all for today.

Oops plus a parenting tangent

Assalamu alaikom and peace to you lovely folks reading my blog!

I'm a bad bad blogger. I've been gardening and not taking pictures. I know. I'm sorry. Things are growing, and you're missing it. Ha! How will you ever move on? I will go find my camera and snap a few pics insha'Allah (God willing) tomorrow. I've already eaten from my green onions, and tonight use parsely in the dinner. I don't know how fast parsely grows back, so this is an experiment for me because I chopped off the entire bunch growing. No more parsley for a while! lol

I did get a pink 'knockout rose' for the front yard, but you'll get to see all that soon enough. I'm sure you drying to know what parenting topic is on my mind tonight.

Ok, so you know how people can have pretty strong opinions when it comes to how big (or small) a family should be. I've even been one of those people who has said it wouldn't be right to have a 4th child because of how the older 3 would surely not get the attention they need. (and I'm talking about families with children close in age, not spaced out like 5 years apart) I get the concern. But now that I have 4 children age 9 and under, I feel confident in this conclusion I've drawn.

I feel that everyone gets a lot more love and attention with the bigger family. There are more people for you to talk to or who will want to talk to you (not just parents, but sibling to sibling). This is great for playtime, afterschool, weekend mornings when mom and dad want to sleep in. It's perfect for after-dinner goofing off, having a helper while cooking, gardening, and folding laundry. And when you feel a little lonely, it's not long before someone will come around with something to talk about or do.

Also, a little parenting can go a long way, so you don't actually need to spend 4X the energy/effort just because you have 4 children (or 5 or 6). Actually, the trickle down theory works great here because the law of the land is already established and they often keep one another in check (except for the times they all encourage each other to be naughty!). Once the hard work is done with the first one or two, the rest of the family will follow suit. Of course, each child does still need some one on one time, but it's not as much as with the first child b/c a lot of the work has already been done.

Another nice thing is how much help you can get if you set the plan up right. I get so much help with household jobs, homework helping, and just with them playing together. Helping one child with homework is easier when the second child has a third and fourth child to play with instead of sitting there being jealous and wanting your attention. Telling 3 or 4 kids to go play outside has way more chances of happening than telling one kid to go outside and play (without you)

My point for this whole thing is not to say one way is better than the other, but to point out that having more children doesn't necessarily mean they will each lack in attention and love from the parent. They will feel all of that love because it has manifested itself into the entire structure that is called the family. They'll still get the attention they need, and maybe it is not as much as the other way, but who is to say that that is wrong or bad. And as a result they will have gained a lot of siblings!

Thanks for reading, and I didn't mean to offend anyone. Just realizing that my original fear of not having enough to go around isn't really the case. And the biggest disclaimer of all is that none of the above applies to the first year if you have a baby! But if you can survive that, then you'll be home free.

My Peace Lilly

Salam,

I had a very large peace lily plant with great big green leaves, and it hasn't flowered in almost a whole year now. A few months ago, I thought to split the plant in half and make two plants out of one. I did so, successfully, and bought nice looking indoor pots to put them in. Since then, the leaves have been getting brown and crunchy. They're not dying off or anything, just looking like someone put a match to the edges. New leaves come in nice and green, then turn brown at the tips later on.

Well, I did a search on this and learned that peace lily's like to be slightly root bound! I figured that when I separted the large plant into two smaller ones that the new pots were way too big for the roots. So this weekend I put the two smaller plants into smaller pots in an effort to make the roots nice and cozy.

I'll report back in a few weeks with an update. I'm hoping the leaves will stay healthy and that I'll get some nice white flowers out of them!

Here's a picture of a plant.

After the freeze

Assalamu alaikom

The average last freeze date for this city is March 15. Wouldn't ya know on March 20 we got a record 8 inches of snow in Plano! My tulips seemed to come out ok, but the little radish seedlings are all yellow now. I will see how they do this week, and either way, i will plant another row b/c it's been two weeks since the first planting.

I brought into the garage the little lettuce seedlings that just recently popped out of the dirt, and they are fine now. My onions are already well established (and almost ready to be pulled), so they're good to go.

In a couple of weeks once it's a bit warmer I will check around the nursery for my tomatoes, peppers, and cukes.

The compost bin is almost done turning. I have quit adding to it for a week or so now to give it a chance to finish up. Once I take out the current compost and distribute it in my yard I will reconsider if I want to have a pile going during the hot months (smell, fruitflies, etc..)

garden update

Assalamu alaikom

Two days ago I planted some seeds. I usually garden using transplants (the plant has already been grown to a healthy 6 inches tall), but this year I want to try a few of my items from seed. I planted basil and lettuce from seed. It's so funny b/c the seed is the size of half a crumb, and it just disappears into the dirt. Insha'Allah they'll grow!

I will probably buy the rest of my garden items as transplants: tomato, pepper, cucumber. Oh yes, I have seeds for parsley and radishes, but that's it.

The daffodils are so pretty, and the tulip greens are starting to come up too. I'll try to get some pictures together.

Did it!

Man, what a productive week. I'm getting the hang of things like they were in the old days. I haven't been like this since before I got pregnant with Aisha! Starting last week I keep Maryam in PreK til 3pm instead of picking her up at 11:30. Man. What a difference. I have cleaned closets, reorganzied toys and book shelves, and have cooked 5 freezer meals! Having that block of free time is amazing, and to top it off, little Aisha now sleeps for a good midday nap unlike before.

So I split a lasange recipe into two 8*8 pans and put them in the freezer today. I also just make two meatloaves (2lbs each), cooked them, sliced them, and then froze them. I have spaghetti sauce divided up for some jumbo shells and for a spaghetti dinner. Oh ya I also made a King Ranch Casserole last week :)

The toys were in a state of chaos. In the bottom of the buckets I found clothing, socks, hair accessories, gameboy games, and long lost puzzle pieces. Now that I have a toddler (sort of), I arranged a spot for those toys so that she could take advantage of 'em. For the older kids, well, they're very low on toys (which is good), so it was easy to put them into a few tubs. They don't play with 'toys' so much. They mostly 'misuse' something else in the house and make it into their latest passtime.

doing some freezer cooking

I'm ready to do all sorts of cooking and freezing just for the heck of it.

I'll use ground beef. 6 pounds.

2 pounds into a spaghetti sauce. This makes a large pot. I will use 4-5 cups of the sauce for a lasagne for the freezer (instead of one large dish i will use two smaller square tins).

the other 4 pounds i will make into meatloaf, shaped into two loaves on a cookie sheet. i will cook them, then slice them into slices, and freeze those portions. i think those would be good for my husband to take to work or for me to pull out for lunches. or i can keep one in a 2lb loaf as a dinner.

and what i'm really waiting to cook and eat (same day) is my friend Cara's beef stew that i saw on her blog! Check it out on her blog http://homespunkitchen.blogspot.com/2010/01/beef-stew.html

Of marriage and other things

I realized something today, and I am actually very happy to come to find this out. It's something I think I took for granted. Not so much because I meant to, but because it was just part of the background. It took an encounter with someone who was the complete opposite of it to make realize what 'it' was. So what is 'it'?

It is something that my husband and I have in common, and it kind of sets the tone for our life. We are both pretty laid back about most things, or at least about the same things. And our outlook on things is very similar to the other's. I know that if one of us were not like this, it would seriously complicate all major decisions in our life. If both of us were not like this, then we'd probably be fine, but my point is that I am so thankful that we are both of the same mindset. This is really a blessing, and like I said, I didn't really give it much of a second thought (well, I probably did think about it before we got married, but not since then) because it is just there and it works well.

To add, we both strongly believe that Allah's will will be, and there's not much you can do about it if it is meant to be. We pray about things and ask for guidance, and then we just go for it. Mostly I'm referring to things like having children, where to live, and similar 'big' family decisions. Alhamdulilaah, thank God, our decision making times have not been of a clashing kind. We have an idea of what we would like, we try to get it, and when we do we are thankful, and when we don't we are also thankful.

This hit me today as I remembered a conversation. The people I was talking to were surprised that we kept having children without seriously thinking it over, making lists of pro's and con's, and discussing this major life changing event. I told them we just would feel like it was time for another baby, and if I suggested it my husband would say 'Sure!'. They couldn't believe it was that easy. I couldn't believe they suggested a list of pro's and con's!!! So after that, I thought, man, am I fortunate to have a husband who is similar to me in this aspect. We believe each child brings his own sustenance/provision and not to worry about the money part of having a baby. We both felt comfortable having a large family, and we both also understood that if one of us felt it was time to say 'no' that the other would take that seriously.

So yay for finding a huge *positive* detail in my married life! It's always fun to come across those :) I know I don't normally post about my too-personal life, but this was such a big deal that I had to share it! Maybe you can find something similar to be thankful for. And if my dear husband is reading (since I caught him reading this the other day), then thank you habibi :)

garden update

Assalamu alaikom

Quick update that my onions are sprouting! I just put them in the ground about 2 weeks ago (I think), and suddenly I saw tiny little green shoots coming up out of the dirt yesterday :) What an exciting feeling... I mean it's as if I wasn't expecting it to happen.

I know you can't see it, but there is a little green shoot somewhere in there. I took this yesterday, and today there are lots more and they're taller.

I planted another pot of onion sets and garlic cloves as well.

And that cedar planter garden is on its way to my house!!! I think it'll be here next week. I plan on mostly a 'salad garden' for that planter.

Tied up with a thing called Life

Blogging will be on hold for a short bit. When it rains it pours.

To 'poo or not to 'poo (shampoo, that is)

Assalamu alaikom friends! Peace!

A few months ago I ventured into a new world free of shampoo. I put my shampoo bottles away and pulled out some baking soda and apple cider vinegar. I wasn't so happy with my hair using my then-current shampoo, and I wondered about the effects of dousing my head with chemicals each time I went for a wash. I'm also more aware these days of the fact that we (in general) are trying to 'fix' and 'improve' things that don't really need fixing or improving! So I was willing to try a very old method of cleaning one's hair and scalp, and that was with the baking soda rinse followed by a vinegar rinse.

Well the results were really interesting. Some of the time I loved it, other times it seemed still dirty, and other times it was just fine. I kept it up, washing my hair about twice a week with the solution, for a few months. And then, I felt like my scalp was just building up with lots of gunk. My hairbrush would be caked with stuff; dead skin I presume. I waited it out a bit, but then I just felt like I needed a good, soapy washing!!! So i did. I washed with shampoo for a couple of weeks, and enjoyed the fresh feeling. But then the same issues came back of my hair getting greasy and limp.

I've now decided to compromise and alternate between the baking soda and a more natural shampoo from the JASON brand. We'll see how that goes, and I'll let you know!

small steps

Assalamu alaikom wa rahmatullah,

Thank you to those of you who pop in and read my blog. I don't know how many people view it or read, but I hope it provides something positive for those of you who do come read!

My thought for this morning is about spirituality.
Since I've moved away from my Muslim community in Seattle, I've definitely felt a void. I miss being around other women who share my deep interest in striving for the sake of Allah, to raise my children knowing Allah and wanting to live by His law. And for those of you who aren't so familiar with it, it's about worshipping One God, praying daily (for guidance, among other things), adopting healthy habits that strengthen your character and body, and being kind and merciful. Yep, sounds familiar; it's all the good things you want in life, right? :) My friends who are practicing Christians have similar goals for themselves and their families, and it's been a common interest for us.

The things is, no matter what your faith, it's not easy to find people who are fervent about practicing their religion in their day-in and day-out. And this is what I DID have back in Redmond that I have yet to find here. Being reminded about God's mercy and plan, being encouraged to start certain habits in my home, and gathering for the sake of remembering God are all things I miss. Sure, I theoretically 'know' what I 'should' be doing, but having friends nudge you along helps. And I do the same for them, too. It's a two way street.

I have a new plan that I shared with my husband and hope to start in our home. After all, you can't change the people around you, so it's best to start with yourself. I am going to start speaking in a softer voice and try to limit outbursts. I know (and can see it) that it makes my childen edgier and more nervous when I act out in anger (even just shouting). They take it more personally than I mean for it to be, and that's because they are little. Next thing is to come up with a few (2-4) short family 'rules'. These will be positive actions that we all agree on that will help us improve our character and our remembrance of God. I want short and simple. And I want it to be something easy to remember and easy to embody. Lastly, I want to praise them more each day for their good decisions, actions, and behavior.

Thanks for reading this far! If you feel the same or have started something like this, I'd love to hear how it's worked out for you.

try, try again

Assalamu alaikom wa rahmatullah,

I've been wanting to sit and blog for days now. I keep getting ideas to blog about, but things keep coming up. And now.... my sick little Maryam just woke up and popped up behind me and scared me to death. Blogging will wait... she is hungry for oatmeal.

This Week's Menu

Hmmmm.... I am behind :0

I didn't really plan out this week's food, but I am pretty well stocked, alhlamdulilaah, so I just need to figure it out real quick (like right now).
Tonight: bonus* a friend took a whole meal to my dad and his wife, but they can't eat it, so voila!
Tuesday: rolled (stuffed) cabbage leaves (in arabic it's called Malfoof which means 'wrapped')
Wednesday: kafta (meatballs) with veggies in the oven in tomato sauce
Thursday: leftovers!
Friday: fattet jajj. it's a layered dish starting with fried bread pieces, topped with shredded chicken, topped with white rice, topped with broth, topped with yogurt w/ garlic, topped with browned pine nuts. YUM.

Lunches and sides:
I have a huge bag of spinach that we are enjoying as a straight-up salad w/ a bit of feta cheese, a few black olives, and a simple lemon juice/ olive oil dressing. Kids love it, so do I.

Craving a chicken salad for lunch, the kind with apples and nuts in it.

Baked homemade bread, so will have that for some sides or breakfast, or with that chicken salad.

Alhamdulilaah for our blessings and food and good health!!!!

Current Kid Activity

Hey guys, assalamu alaikom

We're collecting all sorts of small drink lids. (milk, oj, soft drink)
Heba is tracing it on a paper, decorating the circle, then cutting out and pressing into the inside of the lid. Not sure if these will become necklaces or get glued onto construction paper, but it's the latest 'fun' over here.