So, I've been wondering for some time how to make this a more interesting and readable blog, but I haven't really put forth much effort. I have read some fascinating blogs in the past few years and I think those bloggers must devote a lot of time to them. Time is a luxury that I sort of have. I can't say that I don't. In this day and age, we all devote portions of time to so many things that we spread ourselves thin and appear to be busier than we really are. For example, I have posted maybe ten times on this blog. Whooptido. Ten times is probably what I should have done in the first month. It's not like I'm not on the internet. Before school and after school I find the time to sneak on. I am regularly seen on www.flickr.com as well as a couple of other sites, so it's not that I don't have the time. I was very hesitant about setting up a blog because you have to give the public a bit of your self. I am pretty private - a. I'm a niqabi so few people know how I look in the first place. b. I am active online more so than in real life; I have three small children so they take up quite a bit of my day (and night). c. I don't really feel like taking the time to weed out the garbage one is bound to get on a blog in the comments (not that I have any readers, lol). So, chalk it up to shyness, busyness and a bit of laziness too.
Anyway. My daughter is doing surprisingly and exceptionally well. Her uncle is five and he's in public kindergarten. He's up to "E" in the alphabet and I'm pretty sure he can't spell his name yet. It's December and we have just about finished the curriculum. She's reading first and second grade books (and everything around the house: cans, bottles, boxes, etc.). I am quite proud of her success and pray that InshaALLAH she keeps at it. I myself feel burnt out from time to time because it takes lots of patience to sit back and watch a child learn. You start itching to "help". That's part of the whole fast-paced society thing, I guess. It's training for the adult to learn how to sit still and let things happen as they may.
It looks like Eid-ul-Adha is going to be on Wednesday, InshaALLAH so I have to prepare for that. We will be adding balloons and such like last Eid so the kids should really get a kick out of that. I think they will be getting some puzzles and books mostly - especially something from the Melissa and Doug collection. Their stuff is expensive but it rocks. We got their abacus for the kids and it is quite handy . Read More...

Television?

As salaamu 'alaikum.

How do you feel about television? Is public t.v. alright? Islamic movies only? I think I want to cut it out altogether. My kids are little and really have no business in front of the tube and I know that they will gladly sit there until I turn it off. They do other things as well, but I would like for them to feel that t.v. is a luxury, not a right. I stopped watching it so long ago (we don't have cable) but I admit that I miss cable network news and all the home/d.i.y. networks. Read More...

Time to shift gears

Salaam,

It's been quite a while since I last blogged and it's time to shake the cobwebs from my head. Now that Ramadan is over we are trying to pick up the pieces and plow ahead in the curriculum. It was tough to focus toward the end of the fast. My daughter is quite ahead and I need to sort of regroup and figure out new activities for her to do so that we don't skip any important details.
We celebrated Eid on Friday, October 12 but it looks like the local celebration was on the 13th. We did our gift exchanging
and attended the salat on Friday but also went to the Eid celebration downtown on Saturday.
There was quite a turnout which made the wait extremely long for the rides. Sadly, the bazaar wasn't all that spectacular, yet I managed to purchase a tiny dishdasha for my son for about ten dollars. I hope they have Eid ul Adha in a different place because it was so humid! Humidity is hard on a niqabi!
The cool thing about this Eid is that I met a sister from the States! I haven't seen any African American sisters who live in Canada since I got here. The bonus is that her family attends the local mosque. I also met another African American sister from Florida who is a motivational speaker. She and her husband were here at our local mosque trying to assist with organizing halaqa's and other general social events. We also met a family on Friday's Eid prayer who invited us over for breakfast and we ended up staying the whole day, AlhamduLILLAH. May Allah grant mercy and peace to all the wonderful Muslims we met and the ones that we did not have the opportunity to meet. Ameen.
If you knit, there is a website which you may or may not have heard of called ravelry. It is a good place to organize and show off your knitting and there is even a group for Muslim knitters! Read More...

Ramadan is coming to an end

So, I have been fasting for what seems like forever. I have never had trouble with fasting until this Ramadan. Also, I don't think I have ever been so busy! I have been teaching every day - including a couple of times on the weekend. My daughter is doing quite well and has progressed in ways that I hadn't foreseen.

She's reading early reader phonics books and can sound out words slowly on her own. She's also really good at mathematics - especially abstract concepts.



I need to stop by the local mosque bookstore, InshaALLAH, and pick up a set of Islamic curriculum books by Good Word like these. They sell the whole set at cost so it's $15.

This should, InshaALLAH be a good Eid for the kids because the older they get, the more excited they get. I like to watch them open their gifts, I get a real kick out of that. Read More...