Lacrosse Season 2016 Beginning

It's funny to think that the last time I was actively posting we didn't even know what lacrosse was, and now we are like the poster family for the sport!  So in the spring of 2014 Musa started playing lacrosse for the team as a 7th grader.  We all quickly loved the sport, attended the games, and even formed nice friendships with the team families.  8th grade was another fun season, and now in 9th grade, it continues.  Musa is on the JV team as a defender (the position he's played since 7th grade).  He's really into the sport.  He learned it so quickly and improved his skills quite rapidly as well.  It's so fun to watch him play.  They play 5 days a week.  Here are a few pictures of him in action this year.  Pictures are taken by some team moms with amazing skills!!!  He's number 17.

Quite unfortunately, there are not ANY team moms on Heba's team to spoil us with such professional quality action shots!  Heba started playing last year as a 7th grader and is enjoying it even more this year in 8th grade.  They practice 3 nights a week and have weekend games.  She's been playing on the offense this year as Attack and has scored a few goals!  Therefore.... I have only a couple of 'homemade' shots of her, and obviously, she's the one wearing the hijab :D

And last but not least, our youngest monkey Aisha has started her lacrosse journey this year as a 1st grader!  She's had a couple of weeks of practice and they're hoping to line up a couple of games for this age group. She LOVES it even though it's girls' lacrosse and not boys' lacrosse.  She got so used to playing with Musa the past two years that she was hoping to play on his team when she got to first grade :D How cute.  I'm going to wait for a better picture of her than the one I have right now.  Hopefully I'll remember to post it.

Thanks for reading this far!

Spring Planting

Assalamu alaikom

Coming out of winter always takes me some extra getting used to.  While most people around me are so excited for the longer days with more sunshine, I get a touch of anxiety adjusting to that feeling that I have to be more productive and have to deal with heat, sun, longer work hours.  I realize that's totally a personal perception, but I get those feelings especially in late February and early March when the time moves forward an hour.  It happens so fast here in Seattle that the days go from being from 8am-4:15pm to being from 6:30am-7:00pm.  I'd be happy to get rid of Daylight Saving Time! That would definitely help ease that seasonal adjustment; plus, sunsets after 9pm are just too late!

Now that it's April, I'm on board with spring and have started my garden.  My level of gardening varies year to year, but when I have a  younger school aged kid I like to give them a lot of exposure, and this year my youngest is 7 years old which is great for involvement AND learning!  This year we are planting from seed, from store-bought starts, and we're putting in flowers and herbs in addition to veggies.  

below: lavender with snapdragon flowers in back

 oregano and rosemary sharing a pot with snapdragons

 mint from last year

My friend scored some lemon balm from a community facebook page for free, and she kindly shared a bunch with me after I told her I wanted lemon balm to repel mosquitoes on our deck.  I potted some of those transplants: 

The pot on the right is lemon balm. Spearmint on the left

in the center is lemon balm. looks dinky but will be rockin in a few weeks insha'Allah

I went ahead and clipped my tulips to make a bouquet for inside (plus, I'm ready to use the pots for the herbs without those tulips shadowing over the little starts)

And finally, here's a look at the Mammoth sunflower seeds we're starting indoors in hopes of repeating our 8 foot tall sunflower from two years ago!

I'll post about my actual vegetable garden another time!

"And it is He who sends down rain from the sky, and We produce thereby the growth of all things. We produce from it greenery from which We produce grains arranged in layers. And from the palm trees - of its emerging fruit are clusters hanging low. And [We produce] gardens of grapevines and olives and pomegranates, similar yet varied. Look at [each of] its fruit when it yields and [at] its ripening. Indeed in that are signs for a people who believe." (Qur'an, 6:99)

meal plan

Assalamu alaikom.  I know it's been ages since I've posted anything, but I'm just going to jump in and start posting stuff.

With lacrosse season in full swing I've been better at meal planning.  By full swing I mean that Musa plays 5 days a week, Heba plays 4 days a week, and Aisha play 2 days a week.  Lots of extra driving around on top of regular errands and homeschooling classes.

Normally I pull out my recipe box on Sunday (or Saturday) morning and plan what I need from the grocery store for the week in addition to the regular items that always rotate on our grocery lists.  I pretty much sort the meals in my mind as to which days would be better to prepare each one depending on how my 'at home' time looks.  About my recipe box: a few years ago I wrote down even the meals I prepare by memory so that when I meal plan I can pull that card out and keep it on the counter for the week.  It's not always used as a recipe card, but more like a name card.

We're on spring break this week!  This week's plan:

Meatloaf  (some kids put the sliced meatloaf in burger buns); Mixed veggies that were already cooked like sauteed cabbage, roasted brussels sprouts.

Roast chicken with potatoes and garlic;  (roasted at 450 degrees.. wow!)

Grilled chicken skewers

Mejaddara (lentils cooked in rice)

Sloppy Joes

Friday: invited out.