A Muslim Princess

I can't imagine why but I am still getting visitors to my page.
I do miss blogging, but life is busy Alhamdulillah.
So I might as well send you somewhere else ....
I wrote a children's book, so please pop around to the website or join the facebook fan page.
www.amuslimprincess.com

Arevaderce

As life settles down somewhat and DD settles in at her new school. New routines are created and as the days warm up, they are filled with more time spent outdoors.

For a while now I've wanted to stop blogging, but I suppose I've always felt I had one more thing to say or to vent about.
But Algamdulillah - this is it. It's been very therapeutic and thanks to the those who dropped by to read whatever I typed, and double thanks to those who left a comment.

So long, farewell and all the best.

Please keep us in your duahs

Love and Regards

Carimah

Reflections

As Ramadaan nears it's end, one can only reflect on the month .... but I had a few other reflections too .....

I read a few of my older posts, and the first thing that struck me was that it's still cold ! Last November I complained about no summer. I've been feeling that it's been a bit long that I've layered my clothing and I am not mistaken ! I think I need to move closer to the equator. Electricity restrictions doesn't go well with cold weather !

Secondly, DD has changed !! She is no longer a helpful little person in my life. DS still messes when he eats, but now he cleans too! Perhaps being helpful is a phase they go through.

Thirdly, I still can't keep a hand on a tidy house! I have a lady cleaning twice a week and a dishwasher. The level seems unchanged whether DD is home or not. All I can deduce is that DH's absence is giving me more, so I think it is time to delegate .....

Finally Ramadaan reflections..... all I can say is Algamdulillah that my heart aches that it is coming to an end.

Eid Mubarak everyone !

What's new ?!

So here's my "later" post.
DD was home and I didn't know what I was supposed to do with her!
It was all so sudden and feeling like DH dumped her education on me.
Algamdulillah a few good friends guided me and I did NOTHING ! I decided to slow things down. It was getting out of hand with her EXPECTING me to occupy her ALL day and the kind of things that DS couldn't partake in so that caused major upheaval.
But she wanted to be kept busy - so following Home schooling resources we created a lap book . How fantastic ! It's like scrap booking meets school projects ! Our theme was Ramadaan and I tried to keep it low key for her level. (Yes, I could take pictures and post them to show you, but I have a workshop and outreach iftaar tonite and have fruit platters to prepare after the workshop so I'm not going to.)
So the basics of what we covered for this lap book

• Ramadaan is the 9th month of the Islamic calendar
• phases of the moon
• do's and don'ts in Ramadaan
• Cave of Hira and revelation of Surah
• Laylatul Qadr
• Ramadaan Quizz
  
• Ramadaan Duas
• Eid maze
• Information about Eid

A few of these were found online at other blogs.

But as you have read in the other post I was so busy keeping her busy I didn't get time for me.
So I took charge - I really shouldn't - I should leave things for DH, but he's not efficient... or at least not efficient enough for me !
So I called up this Hifz school that a dear friend has been telling me about and I really liked the sales pitch. ( I say that as many people can sell a product, it's only once you use it do you agree or not. ) It's a big decision as the commitment comes from more than just the child. I prayed and prayed but didn't seem content. I then arranged to meet with another school. unfortunately I couldn't make the meeting and DH went. I arranged to meet at the school later that week so as I get more of a clue and I LOVED it ! I love the idea of learner centered and going at your own pace. But how would this all tie together ?
After more praying and more duahs it clicked. DD is 5 and "technically" only needs to be registered at school in 2011 when she is 7. That gives us a year's grace.
Insha'Alalh the plan is for her to attend the Hifz school. I am hoping to do a teaching program with HLL school and home school her during her hifz period. And then we'll take it from there.
So why is she at school now ?
The Hifz school requires her to do a 2 week assessment and once we decided on this plan we let her start immediately. And she LOVES it !
Algamdulillah

15th of Ramadaan

I can't believe it's half way already ! :-(
I decided to be different this year. Not set goals I couldn't achieve and beat myself up. It's been a tough few months and the past few weeks had more than enough change to throw me out of sync with schedules. I like my ducks in a row, but every now and then they can change direction.
For some or other reason I just couldn't find my Ramadaan groove. Having DD at home was great, I did alot with her - she did a wonderful Ramadaan lapbook (more on that next time). Having the 2 kids and the usual busy house schedule with DH coming home 10 minutes before iftar has been a challenge and tiring. Initially I tried doing taraweeg and tahajud and witr - but I felt exhausted. And would crash after Thur salaah. DD started school (more on that later ;-) ) and I thought freeing me up would help, but still not. This is my off time, and funny how it is, when you can't do something you want it more....
THAT's my groove - I usually have a 2 day break, but this month I'm onto 5 ! I MISS salaah, I WANT to read Quran, and I want to spend my time doing THAT. As disappointed as I felt that it's 5 days, I realise Allah's Wisdom in answering my duah to get the Ramadaan feeling. I have been going through the motions with loads of things - the kids, the house, ibaadah. And having the extended, unexpected break, jolted me and made me grateful. Insha'Allah now that I have realised the lesson - I can get back to partaking in the joys of the month!
If anyone else has been feeling off track - take advantage while you can.
I pray that I live to see another Ramadaan, so that I may continue to enjoy it's blessings.

Life lessons and big decisions

What a week ! I am so emotionally drained today! Well, I DID cry quite a bit. Some days it's not easy being a parent.
Let me take you through the long process that led me here.
Algamdulillah we decided we wanted DD to study the Quran full time. Though a simple enough decision, we had a few things to decide mainly WHEN. After chatting to NUMEROUS people this was our conclusion : she starts next year and includes academic studies. There aren't many places that offer it. Dh spoke to a few sheikhs and concluded that I do the academic syllabus and get a tutor for the Quran lessons. Everything was gong well. (Remember my post about BIG changes in our family ? ) She'd complete the rest of the year and I'd get a curriculum and find a tutor etc.
And then .... then the darn swine came ! H1N1 hit the school and we decided to keep her home. Personally I think DH enjoyed not having to travel to the school in the morning and battle with traffic back to work, and announced that we should keep her at home and start the program now. I was unsettled. I wasn't ready and felt confused. I don't like sudden changes that change almost everything! It has been an odd 10 days, one day I want her back at school and he doesn't, then he says ok she goes back and then I realise his point and decide to keep her. In all of this SHE was very confused! And THAT was the worst feeling for me ! She missed her classmates and even though she wanted this, she didn't know how to get both.
When making this decision, I thought the hardest thing I'd have to face is our parents, but after dealing with my, DD, and Dh's emotions, dealing with my dad was easy!
By this morning I was still unsure. Yes we had decided to keep her home and there seemed to be hurdles in the path - like with any decision. We decided to contact the school - Aasiyah had a few things there and wanted to collect them. I think I was more emotional than her. We chatted to the teachers and a few of her classmates, but she was great. She seemed to have found her contentment with the decision Algamdulillah.
Someone commented recently : what can we learn from children ? We can learn about LIFE in it's purest form!
May Allah guide us on this path. May our intentions stay pure and solely to win His pleasure. Aameen.

Some more advertising

OK, so I know I said I probably won't be blogging before Ramadaan, but things change. Like the outbreak of H1N1 at DD's school. If that was a test of faith, I failed - I very quickly opted to keep her home rather. Having a healthy kid at home for a few days is better than a sick kid for 2 weeks!
But that's another story - my house cleaning saga continues!
I thought I had settled on good enough, but I suppose after a few weeks of the same dust bunnies hoping around my house, I got fed up. So I got rid of yet another domestic worker. I decided to commit to an agency - yes it's more pricey, but definitely value for money!
Nadia, has her own agency called The Dream Team. If you want her number you'll have to mail me. Today was the second time I had one of her cleaners at my house, my home is "show house" quality clean!
Now let me give you an idea of all previous workers. On day one at my house they complete ALL tasks around 5pm. After a few weeks they slowly drop to 3pm and then 2pm. I'm a get-done-and-leave kinda employer. The Dream team, worked from 8:15 to 12:15 just in the bedrooms ! She left at 6pm and that didn't include ironing! She was THAT thorough! She is the FLYLADY!! She did everything that I would spread out over weeks - like wiping down walls, and dusting door frames!
Basically, even at this rate, if she slacked, it would still be an outstanding clean!
Algamdulillah