LIFE GOES ON

MY first grandson's graduation

2009-06-26T01:49:00.001-07:00

My eldest grandson just graduated from KG to first grade...he invited me and his aunt along with his mom and we had a blast...never thought I'd cry on seeing grandkids graduate but I did ....oh he was so cute mashallah:)

Here is his graduation cake with a photo of his class...his mom will post the real
good shots on her blog:
http://moonface1211.blogspot.com/

Makkah

2009-04-08T04:42:00.000-07:00

The most beautiful thing happened to me this month(actually end of March)my best friend from school-haven't seen her for thirty years- called saying she was coming for umrah and it just so happens I needed a break...we met finally and where?in Makkah,after thirty years each having loads of news and stories.
Alhamdulillah we both performed umrah and prayed many prayers in the Haram...I haven't enjoyed the sight of the Kaaba and the pilgrims(mo3tamereen) there for years we always just go perform Umrah and go to Jeddah to visit the family...this time it was a leisurely trip to the Holy land with lots of crying and lots of duas may Allah accept our good deeds!!

School time!!

2009-03-17T13:26:00.000-07:00

This is a photo of my younger brother's class!!

By the way that lady teacher on the left side is our science teacher Miss Layla!!

Imagine all of them are grown ups now...some fathers and mothers....

Long time no see

2009-03-13T00:23:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in my blog for a long time...I really have no special news to share and alhamdulillah life is going on and my grandkids are growing mashalla and I am enjoying them.
My shop isnt really going well and my customers are reduced to a mere monthly two or three...so I am thinking seriuosly of closing shop!!

What's new is my old friends from school(that was a long time ago)alhamdulillah are appearing slowly but surely and I am sooooooooooo happy to catch up with their news after all these years....wallah this internet is useful...I couldn't have tracked them otherwise!!

MY school.....

Little rascals

2008-10-31T00:24:00.000-07:00

One driver!!

And a passenger....

You're too young to drive I'll take over!!

Change of drivers!!

The eldest drives best...

Is there place for a third ??

Aha....this is better nobody's left out....

Look around you

2008-10-22T19:29:00.001-07:00

Look around...... and tell me do you really really know the people around you??

You're family,your neighbors,your friends??

You'll be surprised,believe me you will find that many of them say things they never mean,and many give promises they can never fulfill,and worst of all some of them don't even have the right value for you.

Look around and review your relations perhaps you will wake up and do something for yourself this time instead of being the one giving all the time thinking that all the people really know the value of your relation or friendship!!

Eid has come and gone as do all beautiful days

2008-10-06T11:12:00.000-07:00

Alhamdulillah,alhamdulillah,alhamdulillah
Allah has given us the ability and health to fast the month of Ramadan,and I hope He will accept our fasting and our prayers and Qiyam,ameen.
The eid was beautiful and we had breakfast at my place wher the grandkids received their gifts,

Then we spent the evening at greatgrandmother's house

,on the third day all my kids and grandkids came to my house.

Ramadan the month of repentance

2008-09-08T15:00:00.000-07:00

So fast.......as all happy days......Ramadan is moving so fast, already 8 of Ramadan and we have been waiting all year for it to come.
Well,its the month for repentance and much Mercy and Forgiveness from Allah,may He forgive us all.
During Ramadan we read Quran and pray Taraweeh and during the last ten nights we pray Qiyam after midnight.....all this extra prayers and QURAN to get us charged for the rest of the year,and of course to get as much good deeds as possible in this very special time!
More about Ramadan

Gifts for newlyweds...gifts for Eid

2008-08-10T02:04:00.000-07:00

Newlyweds can be given gifts from my giftshop not for free of course I have assembled some beautiful gifts for newlyweds and they are very affordable too.

I did meet this problem of not finding wide enough giftbags to carry these large giftboxes and finally I have found the solution:
Just cut the gift bags from both sides stick some ribbon on both sides for re-enforcement ........and voila you have a nice gift-holder!!''I also have some nice gifts for eid Ramadan perfume(six per box)in a very presentable felt or velvet box:)

The first is JOY and I have other kinds(COLORS,STYLISH)all women perfumes:

For men Gallant...all double strength perfume:

Giftwrapping

2008-07-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

My neighbor called yesterday for a surprise party for her three daughters and she asked me to giftwrap their presents I had to giftwrap them identical(because of the envy between the girls) yet different so I decided to use different colors according to each girl's preferance....

Finally....clutter away

2008-07-14T14:16:00.000-07:00

well most of it at least.I also organised all my craft stuff in containers,and I hope soon I will be able to satrt making new stuff for my shop....I did some cute giftwrapping today waiting for moonface to send the photos :)

Summer clean-up!!

2008-06-29T00:52:00.000-07:00

I couldn't have chosen a more unappropriate time to do this but I need more space and since I am a hoarder I have so much junk thta needs to be sorted and most will be sent where some people can make use of it and the rest to the garbage.
I did ask a very neat friend of mine a long time ago how she kept her house so tidy and she said:"throw away everything you are not using."
Should've litened to her :)

Mom going away!!

2008-06-14T04:51:00.000-07:00

My mom is leaving for a month or two,she is going to Jeddah but I have an empty feeling although its for a short time she has grown so attached to us but I feel she needs the change .She hasn't seen her sister and brother and her other grandchildren and I feel its better for her to leave for a short while and have a change of scenery.She had always loved being in Jeddah and hated Alkhobar,but with old age place doesn't matter anymore...
People are picky when young but seems as we get older the choices are limited for a number of reasons!
I really hope she has a nice time there and I really hope I can finish some noisy tasks I need to do to make some adjustments to the house.
Happy journey mom,love you!!

The garbage truck

2008-05-26T05:15:00.000-07:00

This afternoon a friend of mine sent me this e-mail and I thought many can benefit from it ....so true!!

I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly.

So I asked, "Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!" This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, "The Law of the Garbage Truck."

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you.

Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets. The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so "Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't."

Frail...feeble

2008-05-25T23:47:00.000-07:00

I have always read the words feeble and frail in stories I used to read...but never did I fully understand the terms until I looked at my mom recently she is getting very frail(although she has two sisters who are very near her age) one two years older and one two years younger!
When I hold her hand it is so light,her shoulders are so small but really when I hold her hands or try to embrace her I feel she is so frail.
Subhanllah you never know the full meaning of some words until you actually see for real.

In Quran there is an ayah about strength after weakness and weakness after strength....it is so real when you look at helpless baies who have grown into men and women...and men and women who have grown into old ,tired ,frail individuals.

I wonder how old we will get and how will we end up,I do hope we can help our parents in their old age,before its too late!!

Old enough to play with the gang

2008-05-24T00:32:00.000-07:00

We went on a trip and during the day with the hot sun in Saudi Arabia we couldn't go out so we had to keep the kids busy with some activities and the baby felt it was time he joined the gang!!

Lesson missed

2008-05-20T23:57:00.000-07:00

Well her dad came home early and passed by and took them back home...so this time no cookie lesson for Hala....but all the same my daughter went on and made some cookies for the kids cause Monday is grandma visit day and boy did they like the cookies!!

Kids...aren't what you think they are

2008-05-18T09:16:00.000-07:00

My daughter stayed over for few days ,she has been telling me during her visits that her daughter was giving her a hard time...but when they stayed over for a few days I said may Allah help her with her,she really is a head-ache!!
The new baby is really making her feel forgotten so she does all she can to attract attention even if that ends in getting some sort of punishment....

Poor girl ,we did have some fun though ,this afternoon we made some spinach pies and she had her own wooden roller and kept showing me how she was good at rolling dough...maybe tomorrow we should make some cookies together...it's so much fun being a granny...you see her mom has to do all the cleaning up for her after our adventures LOL!!

Icing disaster

2008-05-11T21:54:00.000-07:00

I decided to cheer up some people so I went into the kitchen to make some cinnamon rolls...I did and they turned out nice(forgot to take a photo),then when it came time to make the icing I apparently used the wrong utensil...or am I just too hasty as my daughter says!!
TAKE I:
I have this Braun mixer where the cup you use is not stabilised by anything and I put some kiri cheese squares(the cause of the disaster) plus icing sugar and some milk,during the mixing process I kinda lost my hold on the cup and ooooops some of the icing went flying away (everywhere),alhamdulillah I have a maid I called the poor lady and asked her to clean up while I presented the first batch of cinnamon rolls to my cousin.

TAKE II:
My grandkids came in the afternoon and since I had already ran out of icing sugar in the morning I asked my daughter to get some with her,to make more icing for the second batch...that is when I decided to play the role of a real grandma ...you know the nice kind one that makes sweets for her grandkids and allows them into the kitchen with her to watch!??
My granddaughter was asking me:" why don't you add eggs to the mix?" so I turned my head just for a split second to answer when the whole cup just swerved and the foil cover I made for it moved and this time with the cup full half of the icing just flew all over covering my appliances,myself and the poor little girl in the back,I called my daughters for help and when i turned my back the poor girl's hair and her new blouse were covered with icing and she had this funny face her mom usherd her to the bathroom quickly to wash her up(sadly we didnt catch the moment but here she is after being washed up!!

Moral of the story??well I turned up to look like a very bad baking granny(although I am very good cook and baker)!!

Happiness

2008-05-09T23:22:00.000-07:00

What is happiness??

Happiness is the ability to give...it is the ability to cope with what you have and the ability to thank our Creator for all the bounties He has given us.

Happiness is very delicate term because it is the way you look at it...some people think happiness is money and others think its happiness to be carefree,others think simply to roam from place to place is happiness......but did you ever see the hard-working poor people....they are happy just to finish the work and get some rest...

Happiness is very difficult to define!!

Photos

2008-05-04T20:03:00.000-07:00

I was looking through some recent photos and this came up: my granddaughter and my cousin's granddaughter who happen to be also cousins...lol

I started thiking what will their lives be like in say 20 years??Will they still stay friends as their mothers still are?Will they live in the same city??How will their characters evolve??

We don't chose our fates but we sure can make a difference by putting some effort into our own children's upbringing...trying to make them into strong responsible human beings... and the rest??Well that is left to what their fate is!!

Jade,turquoise...and corals

2008-04-17T04:57:00.000-07:00

Well...the latest sets I have are jade...and turquoise sets...they are all really beautiful...I wish I had one of each but i bought them to trade in 'em...so may the people who buy them enjoy them lol!!

Corals and pearls yummy

2008-04-14T23:39:00.000-07:00

I have ordered more coral sets and some beautiful thing in Turqouise but the latter was so huge I am returning it for some good size stuff...prices??well per set from 170-200 I guess should cover up my expenses and the little profit I am seeking lol!!

The sting

2008-04-07T23:41:00.001-07:00

Amazing what some people whom you think are closest to you could do for their own personal gain.......I am flabergasted(moved with a jolt)but then again I have been told by my hubby to be ready for ANY move from ANYBODY and to be wary....but I am very down-to-earth person I really take things for what they are worth and words for their direct meaning......

Looks like you never know when the next sting will come from?!

We have an arabic saying to beware of your foe once and to be ware of your friend TWICE....well....didn't know it could also be beware of your relatives twice!???The nearest relatives??

Life is a school we learn everyday until we die actually...

Life is all about patience

2008-03-21T23:18:00.000-07:00

Everyday we learn new things but a lot of times this learning comes with a lot of hurt..
The thing is to know that you have to pay attention to certain words that are being said during these times cause they sure are loaded,with information that will help you understand things that have been up to that point unclear!!

My new catalog

2008-03-14T21:32:00.000-07:00

Well,I decided at last to make a page cataloging most of the stuff I sell,I hope I can sell more lol!!

http://Gamar0Gamary.jeeran.com

More pearls...this time with swarovsky crystals

2008-03-14T00:31:00.000-07:00

Ahh..... pearls they are lovely and my friend sent me this beautiful bracelet that has pink swarovsky crystals its a beaute!!

As for these cuties,well they are coral believe it or not,but I don'
t know if they will sell here in KSA...maybe next time I'll try to get a couple :)

Pearls

2008-03-03T04:08:00.000-08:00

My new interest is pearls......OOh I wish I had a shop full of those wonderful pearls...freshwater pearls but still lovely,and the nice thing about them is they are affordable :)

Gift-wrapping corner

2008-02-17T21:35:00.000-08:00

WEll....the gift-wrapping corner is about ready and here is what it looks like:

I have wrapped about 9 gifts so far but the funny thing is the baby-girl gifts
are less than the baby-boys gifts
although we get more baby girls usually in my neighborhood!

Shop at home

2008-02-13T02:45:00.000-08:00

My venture in making a bag and accessories shop failed drastically as the location of the shop was a poor choice,also considering I couldn't find someone to stay there fulltime...so we decided to join shops,so now its a toy and gift shop...

I had to transfer most of my merchandise back home where I made my own gift shop...a lot of organising and work was involved until it looked like presentable still got a lot of work going so I will post a picture of it when I am through with it inshallah.
I turned it into a real gift shop meaning I will wrap gifts for any client besides having my own ready-wrapped newborn gifts...

Eventually I will also have ready wrapped gifts for young girls and teens inshallah.

The sea....and loneliness

2008-01-22T03:53:00.000-08:00

We were enjoying the seaside when this guy and his daughter came and stood right in front of us...I felt the girl was very lonely and many stories came to my head as I looked at the two...

Is her mom recently seperated?was she hospitalised?was she deceased??many questions went through my head and I couldn't help but take a shot of the two of them...

The dad was really very patient while the girl played alone...throwing rocks in the sea..running..but believe me although they weren't that close to us ..... I did get sad vibes from where they stood.

The dad stood by his girl while she played, in between mobile phone calls and cigarettes....
I do hope her mom is ok ad that this is only a short lonely trip....very lonely indeed!!

Masculine versus feminine

2008-01-04T19:12:00.000-08:00

A friend posted this on facebook oh it's sooooo funny and sooooo true!!

Masculine -vs- Feminine
A Spanish teacher was explaining to her class that in Spanish, unlike English, nouns are designated as either masculine or feminine.

"House" for instance, is feminine: "la casa."

"Pencil," however, is masculine: "el lapiz."

A student asked, "What gender is a 'computer'?"

Instead of giving the answer, the teacher split the class into two groups, male and female, and asked them to decide for themselves whether "computer" should be a masculine or a feminine noun.

Each group was asked to give four reasons for its recommendation.

The men's group decided that "computer" should definitely be of the feminine gender ("la computadora"), because:

1. No one but their creator understands their internal logic;

2. The native language they use to communicate with other computers is incomprehensible to everyone else;

3. Even the smallest mistakes are stored in long term memory for possible later retrieval; and

4. As soon as you make a commitment to one, you find yourself spending half your paycheck on accessories for it.

(THIS GETS BETTER!)

The women's group, however, concluded that computers should be Masculine ("el computador"), because:

1. In order to do anything with them, you have to turn them on;

2. They have a lot of data but still can't think for themselves;

3. They are supposed to help you solve problems, but half the time they ARE the problem; and

4. As soon as you commit to one, you realize that if you had waited a little longer, you could have gotten a better model.

The women won.

A time to reflect on old relationships

2007-12-28T23:27:00.000-08:00

We attended a reception for a newlywed bride and it was a chance to meet many of the groom's family who happened to be our in-laws from two sides.the bride was cute and so were her mom and sisters.

The biggest surprise was seeing the groom's sister ,a person I value and respect,she was in Europe with her husband(business 2 year trip) and was due to come in a couple of weeks.My next surprise was seeing my uncle's ex-wife,a woman I love so much,still as graceful as ever and as funny as ever,she sat next to me practically the whole evening.Of course my neighbors were there too.

Upon meeting about twenty to thirty family members I knew personally(or thought I knew)I found out that my knowledge was in reality a very superficial one.You know you visit people on occasions and you talk and discuss some issues and you keep meeting them in family parties and get-togethers,you laugh with some and have arguments with some...then you see : I know so-and-so,she is so sweet and the other one is alttle uptight,so-and -so is a very flexible person,the others are very or too formal...etc......taking in mind that I do have a very bad judgement when coming to character.

I really do take people at face value...if they are cordial and amiable,usually that is enough for me.Apparently it doesn't work that way, there are other things to consider and think about.

The funny thing though(or is it the sad thing)is that even if I get hurt I tend to forget and still be friends with some or think that some are nice but misunderstood,or didn't have a cahnce to show the good side..

In the end I always get hurt by the ones I get attached to emotionally or by those I have done good to.So yesterday after saying hi's and hellos and how-do-you-do's I sat back in my seat chatting some with my auntie and one of my neighbors,and noticing things about some people i THOUGHT I knew and thinking of how far i would go to help and be there for...the people I have thought for the past ten years to have been people of special status whether relations or friends...I have been cheated again and again...I have been robbed of my feelings,I have been swindled of my time,time I could have used for my immediate family .

My problem is that when i give...I give and when I like somebody I give with heart and soul....and some people are just there to take and take and take...I mean all I expected in return to my goodness was some care and some asking about when down,to remember me when they have happy times...
No,only in their sorrows and when they need a shoulder to cry on,only during their needs and otherwise you are but a fleeting memory!!

I will give you two of the ten examples I have seen in this one night:
1)I invited to my daughter's wedding some in-laws of ours, 7 women from the same family because they love to attend weddings and parties together(close-knit family),in doing this I had to(not invite) some of my neighbors,since the number I was inviting was according to the number of seats that were reserved at the wedding hall,so far so good?They held two weddings during the past year,and neglected to invite me,yesterday what was their apology??Oh sorry we completely forgot about you!!Notice when they have a newborn I run with my gift and say congratulations,if they are in sorrow I go and visit to give my condolences...etc
2)Another relative was sitting nearby,we haven't seen each other for over a year,she was sick and I did all the visiting,also I was there in all her griefs and happiness,she invited me to sit at her table,but I couldn't leave my aunt nor my neighbors and I am OLDER than my relative ,so I invited her to my table since I had a free seat nearby,she just looked at me and her stare went blank,and for the next two hours we each sat at our tables busy or acting busy lol!!

*Of course other people(relatives)in the wedding did some more stupid UNINTENTIONAL mistakes and disrespect...and now I have the proof that some of my neighbors are the best in the world...they have been my friends for 20 years for good and bad :)

Just spilling out my feelings here,sorry!!

Eid is over!!

2007-12-24T00:11:00.000-08:00

This year Eid was very nice...my mom was here,my kids were all here(one studies abroad),my aunt returned just in time from Jeddah,and alhamdulillah everybody is in good health.We had a newcomer (my cousin's sister-in-law)very nice lady...new blood...lol!

Cold came suddenly right after the Eid Dinner I gave on the third day.
Everybody enjoyed the food...at last nearly everything was homemade...the trend here is to get food from restaurants for every invite...but this year we decided to do our cooking at home..there were eleven men and fifteen women in all, and of course four lovely children.
I did an easy menu so I could cope...the men's roast leg of lamb turned out beautifully,

(this isn't mine its from the internet but mine was very close to this :) )

there was also roasted chicken,russian salad,folded pizzaz(my daughter),two chocolate cakes and a fruit cake(my cousin's),macaroni with becahmel....and other yummy things!!
Anyway that is all and I hope all the eids will be nice and quiet...we do tend to have some stir in some Eids by some stir-loving people...lol!!

Happy Eid

2007-12-19T12:38:00.000-08:00

My children came and had Eid breakfast with us and these are the grandkidos with their Eid clothes....

After breakfast we went outside and the kids had fun playing
bumper cars.

Life goes on!!

2007-12-18T07:40:00.000-08:00

This is the building ,owned by my in-laws,I have lived for four years there, and had two of my kids(one 29 and the other 26,mashallah),I have seen good and bad days but c'est la vie!!

Well I guess nothing lasts in this world...here it is being destroyed because of lack of maintenance and the great salt content in the area...you see this land was originally part of the sea and was buried to be used for building!!

What makes me feel good is that the new building behind is getting a lot more sunshine now!!

New car.........

2007-12-17T12:36:00.000-08:00

Azouz received his first real car...it goes forwards and in reverse too....and it has a radio with five channels, wow just like dad's....

You should see how happy he was when he received it..as soon as he got on he said where is my brother call him?!

I love his love of sharing mashallah even when we give him candy he says where are Hala and Aboudy's candies?!
Sorry!!The pics were not so clear as he received the present at night and since they were too excited to stop long enough for me to catch the photo!!

At Laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaast

2007-12-16T14:19:00.000-08:00

I finished Azouz's hat on the same day and we all went out to the garden and the kids played with the swings and slide!!

Winter hath come

2007-12-14T00:00:00.000-08:00

I have promised my grandchildren winter hats .....and I have finished two and a half so far.The older one of them(poor thing) is the one who was so enthused about the hat and until now his, is only halfway done!!
Today inshallah I am taking the half-finished product with me downstairs and will inshallah finish it today in front of him.....If I don't deliver??well he won't believe me any more :(

Characteristics in people is a mistery

2007-12-03T21:20:00.000-08:00

I don't understand human nature any more...
You make friends during your life ...you take them into your heart,your home...you help them ...you nurture their love and give them care...but always those you give most hurt you most!!

I remember my uncle's saying now!!
No,I won't say it for fear of returning the hurt......

Not to be so sad...mom always said to do good and throw it in the sea...it will come back...true from not the same people you did good to but Allah will give it back through others...not that I waited for the return for whatever I did....

I helped many friends throughout my life and did get rewarded with bad from them but on the other hand Allah sent me others to whom I have never helped...in fact I barely knew them and they stood by me during my bad days...

Ella chavez .......this post is for you...I know you have been hurt by the nearest and the ones you helped most,but don't worry my dear u will get other people who will stand by you and return your good !!

Barbecue

2007-11-29T18:19:00.000-08:00

My cousin invited us to a wonderful barbeque yesterday...we stayed outside with three of those kids and I told them not to run around for fear of one of them falling in the huge empty swimming pool and the poor guys just felt soooo bored so I told my cousin's daughter to play a game with them its called "my sheep" translation of "ya ghnamaty"...she would walk in front of them and they ,in single file follow whilst she calls (oh my sheep) and the should answer baa baaa but that was in vain they did follow but no baa baas were coming except from me!!My aunt said they were walking in a silent protest lol!!

In the afternoon we had tea ,pastries and some nuts ,then some coffee and a beautiful date coffee-cake (home-made),in the garden,I was feeling so depressed that day but mashllah with all the hardwork my cousin was doing to keep everybody happy,one couldn't help but feel better all the time.
All in all we had fun ,my cousin as always made lovely food for dinner,her barbecue mix was amazing and the grand finale was the most beautiful cake adorned with nuts and fruits,maaashalla she outdid hereself this time!!

In the end it was time to go home and the kids doned their winter caps for the night was cold!!

Long time no see!!

2007-11-22T23:30:00.000-08:00

I haven't been blogging for the past week ,trying to find a way to write an arabic blog I tried to on blogspot but the words and the sentences sometimes did funny things so I found this new arabic blog site and I have been working on it recently,its about marriage and how to make it succeed...I have started from the roots of the problem which is why do we marry..I hope I can go on and complete this project cause its important to all the new generation!!

New arabic blog

Friendship of a lifetime

2007-11-12T22:05:00.000-08:00

My dad and my father-in-law have been friends since they attended school in Madeenah munawarah ages ago,then they married two sisters which made their relationship even stronger ,then a couple their children married, resulting in having joint grandkids....to make a long story short ,these faithful brothers stayed in touch and with old age it was hard for them to see each other that often-one living in theEast and the other in the West!!
So my dad being the younger of the two decided to pay his brother (who was suffering from a stroke lately)a surprise visit....

Mashallah between them they have four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren and of course each has more grandchildren from their other off-spring!!

Camels.... camels.... camels!!

2007-10-21T21:27:00.000-07:00

These camels we passed by as we returned from jeddah its the camel souq on Makkah road!!

White camels somewhere between Tayef and Riyadh.....

Black camels between Riyadh and Alkhobar.....

Old buildings in Jeddah!!

2007-10-21T20:55:00.000-07:00

OLD and NEW!!
New cars...old houses in Jeddah,and in the back a building of a more modern version!!

Beautiful door.....this woodwork isn't appreciated any more in the modern society!!

This photo is of the old jeddah...the windows used to have these beautiful lattice wooden frames so women can observe the street without having to wear hijab....

Baby's first visit to the sea

2007-09-02T06:51:00.000-07:00

Thanks,Rosy pink dreams,this is me

2007-08-25T00:32:00.000-07:00

Which Disney Princess Are You?
	You are part Ariel. You are beautiful but impaired. At times you are naïve. Still, your innocence and good heart make you sought after and loved.
	You are part Cinderella. You are hard-working and never complain, however, your trust is sometimes misplaced and people sometimes take advantage of you. Still, you are beautiful inside and out, and one day you will realize it and find true love.
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

Gloomy.....after the baby and mom went home :(

2007-08-25T00:22:00.000-07:00

Well,everything has an end, and my daughter left to her house yesterday taking the baby and his sister,to go back to her husband and her own apartment.
It's too quiet now in my house...I miss them sooooooooo,especialy the sound of the baby crying..I think I must pay them a visit this afternoon(just to check how things are going...heheheheh).

Net catch!!

2007-08-19T04:05:00.000-07:00

Isn't this beautiful!!

Sea treasures

2007-08-12T02:08:00.000-07:00

We spent the weekend on a new beach and since the sea there was very deep we found a lot of driftwood,shells and dry sea creatures......

On the first day the weather was beautiful,the next day there was a storm and so the waves were very high,my kids had a very bad experience with the high waves,my son had to take the fishing-net with his father in to the deep and the waves were overwhelming.My daughter went in to swim with her father and the high waves really got her and she nearly drowned,but alhamdulillah they got out and swam in the mini pool.

Educated kids!!

2007-08-04T11:13:00.000-07:00

We were all sitting and talking last Friday after lunch...when the kids really started making so much noise we couldn't hear each other so I got them their tiny books and asked them to read a little....hehehehe READ!!
Couldn't let this pass without showing it off :)

The big event....shaving the baby's head!!

2007-08-04T11:01:00.000-07:00

In Islam it is one of the sunnahs(doings of the Prophet,peace be upon him) that the newborn have his hair shaved,and the weight of the hair in silver be given to the poor.So the uncle shaved the hair and the father will take it to the goldsmith to be weighed.

More about the newborn in Islam:
http://www.geocities.com/widwidwid/newborns_in_islam.html

Busy with potty training!

2007-08-02T12:51:00.000-07:00

My nearly three-year-old grandaughter is having a hard time dealing with the new baby and potty-training simultaneously.......
So her mom and I did a search and google and we found this:
exactly her behaviour :)

Q

My three-year-old will have nothing to do with the potty. She's in pull-ups but treats them like diapers. I think we goofed because for two days we put her in panties and she only had two wet accidents. But she was afraid to have a b.m. When she finally did, it was in her panties and she was obviously ashamed. We weren't angry, but frustrated and she knew it. Now she will only go on the potty when she feels like having a candy, which we give her as a prize. I don't want to force her to try. She just cries. Can you help?

to see the rest read here:
http://www.wholefamily.com/aboutyourkids/child/toilet_training_8_qa.html

Baby's first visit to the doctor

2007-07-21T13:04:00.000-07:00

All dressed up and ready to go see the doctor.......alhamdulillah he returned from his visit and the doctor said all is well.

I bought a cute baby doll with diaper,potty,bottle,pacifier,pyjamas and socks..it laughs and cries....Hala was sooo happy with it...but as you see the jealousy is still there!!

More about the newcomer!!

2007-07-18T04:49:00.000-07:00

Well this baby arrived at 9:45 pm,Wednesday 11/7/2007being so gracious as to wait for his Grandpa to arrive from Alexandria,you see this baby is a cancer and seems to like to have a grandoise entrance!!
During his delivery his grandma was with him(moi)and his grandpa and great-aunt(who was also inside for two hours giving the mother moral support)then she joined grandpa and zee proud dad waiting outside,joined later by zee great-uncle of the same sign (cancer)!!
His mother asked me to take a picture of his feet this is how baby chose the picture to be!!

After his first bath,he was so happy and slept for so long!!

Very happy sister with new brother...did I say ..ehem happy?
Well she was sick all day while her mother was having the pains...and when she saw the baby she stayed three days not wanting food,poor thing and she couldn't bear her mom's smell,everytime she got near her she would say:"I don't like the way you smell!!"
Of course not, she smelled of fresh baby's scent!!.. heheheh that's life my dears!!

Newcomer......welcome..ahlan wasahlan

2007-07-18T04:32:00.000-07:00

We have a very welcome and long-awaited for newcomer...mr Bilal,new grandson,here you see him the moment he arrived and then the first formal picture,he looks so much like his sister.

Weather progress in our trip!!

2007-07-08T03:52:00.001-07:00

What started as an innocent ordinary rainstorm....

Turned into this fullscale sandstorm and rainstorm simultaneously!!
Which caused us to run for cover...ther were tens of trucks and cars with us in this gas station...under the trees here you can see the actual movement of the trees that is why the picture is so blurry we weren't even driving we were waiting by the fence and trees...what you see is the movement caused by the strong winds...because of the darkness the sand waves on the road didnt show here!!

Stormy trip

2007-07-08T00:58:00.000-07:00

My sister came from abroad to visit and had no time to come over to Alkhobar, she only had ten days and wanted to do Umrah ,go to Madeenah munawarah and visit with mom and dad ,and the whole family lives in Jeddah,so I went to see her and the whole clan.
The trip was sandy from the day we set forth from Alkhobar through a sandstorm and as we returned we were caught in a rainstorm ,including lightening and....surprise a sandstorm as well!!I mean have you ever been through such a weird thing??SubhanAllah,it was raining and we could see the lightening at the same time on the road in front of us we could see the sand in waves...the cars became red with sand the front windows were all wet,the side windows were all covered with sand!!
we had to stop at a gas station for fear of being carried away by the storm...it was a minnie hurricane in fact, and it was in the middle of no-man's land
500 kilometers from Tayif and 500KM away from Riyadh at a place called Thulam(darkness)!!

Crocheting and then some!!

2007-06-22T23:07:00.001-07:00

I found this great filet spread and the nice thing is the explanation is in arabic!!
http://www.wahatulislam.com/ar_crochet/

Crocheting...again?!

2007-06-13T19:00:00.000-07:00

I have registered in this arabic forum and I was writing somethings about how I learned crochet and all the ladies there kept asking to see my work...I did post a picture of my previuos creations...but thye wanted some new stuff plus step-by-step photos....seems I will finally start to make something for my grand kids...never did make them any thing in crochet...hmmmmmm....may I need to go shopping for some nice colorful yarn.
The stuff in the photo belongs to my kids they still have them as keepsakes:)

Our shop on the internet

2007-06-10T04:48:00.000-07:00

Since our shop is in not a very shopping area...we decided my son and I to make some internet selling so we made a couple of advertisements on some known forums and inshallah we will be getting some more business.
Looks like the internet is really the way to do anything you need,buy,sell,get to know people...etc.
I've noticed the younger generation are the ones who really are reaping the benefits of the internet...I'm not doing bad either....chuckle!!

MY love for the sea......

2007-06-05T19:18:00.000-07:00

Flamingoes..I love them standing,I love them flying showing off their beautiful red wings,and I love them drifting away casually when you try to get close....

My favourite place, a small area on Abqaiq road called Gurayah,I love the color of the sea there and the solitude...

No wonder I love the sea.....I was born in a sea-side town,Alkhobar...my childhood was spent an Alkhobar and Beirut,both great sea-side cities.

The fishermen were getting their wire-nets (gargour,in arabic)ready for fishing but were held back by the fog...lucky me,just in time to catch this nice photo!!

MY next favourite sea-side spot is a small town called dareen half-an-hour drive from Dammam,this I took at lowtide......

Some seagulls hitch-hiking in the fog in Dammam...

Flamingoes in Alkhobar corniche:

The marina in Kuwait city:

Sunrise:

Dareen again...hi-tide...

A letter from my friend Ella Chavez

2007-06-05T19:06:00.000-07:00

Planting Small Souls

Raising children is arguably one of the most complex and profound challenges that we face. From the innocent days of infancy through the complicated chaos of the teenage years, childrearing is fraught with questions and uncertainty.

Like a freshly germinating seed, each newborn requires a certain set of conditions to thrive. Tender, loving care, understanding and patience are some of the basics. Just as some varieties of foliage crave more sun and water than others, so too do our children have different needs. Even siblings born of the same parents can be found to have diverse temperaments and emotional requirements.

When a child is born and when a seed is planted a profound process has begun. A flower will not bloom faster by watering it more often or exposing it to additional sunlight. Neither a child’s nor a plant’s development can be rushed; patience is essential as we tend to the fledgling souls.

A story is told of a space shuttle mission to Mars that was cancelled at the last moment. Politicians were furious to learn that the cancellation was due to an error in the direction of the rocket of one-millionth of an inch! “For such a miniscule amount, the entire mission had to be cancelled?!”

The wise astronauts answered, “Although the difference from the correct course is only a millionth of an inch here on Earth, in space the distance will be magnified exponentially. Had we proceeded with this launching, the shuttle would not have reached Mars- it would have landed on Jupiter!”

And although a small difference in our attitude towards integrity, responsibility, or patience may seem relatively insignificant in our everyday lives, the shifts will be magnified with each future generation within our family.

Although you may be in the midst of a hot, long, tiring day, when you take that superhuman deep breath and respond with patience- rather than anger- to your child’s clumsiness, a more tranquil and emotionally secure home will await you and your family for generations to come.

Waking up several minutes earlier may seem like a small change in your present schedule, yet the effect of calm and happy mornings will linger beyond the visible day-to-day outcome of that change.

So, give yourself a hearty pat on the back for the seemingly small things- which are can have momentous effects on your child’s happiness and confidence.

As trees and children mature, the weather will change and a serene sunny day may suddenly be replaced by a dark and stormy night. What was effective yesterday may no longer be adequate today, and we parents search for answers anew amid the changing circumstances.

Parenting, like planting, is a journey- not a destination. Let’s go down the road together and strengthen one another with insightful tips and advice.

HI...anybody miss me?!

2007-06-02T05:12:00.001-07:00

Alhamdulillah I am feeling a bit better,so I can actually write with a clear mind.
My niece complains that I don't write often in my blog and that I don't say all I think about,on the contrary I think I am boring everyone with the smallest details.The weather this year seems to be hotter than ever we're only at the beginning of June and the heat is like 46 degrees centigrade,I mean astaghfurullah what will it be like in August!!!Yikes,may Allah have mercy on us.AS for us we really don't suffer that much from the heat since we do live in air-conditioned homes and have air-conditioned cars.The ones I feel sorry for are the poor workers and builders who have to work out in the sun all day long...oh and the poor policemen and guards and security men...wallah I really pray for them standing outside there in the scorching heat.
It makes you think if this is the heat of the sun through the ozone layer and we are millions of miles away from it....what will it be like on the day of judgement when the sun is so close....we really need to upsize our good deeds because then nothing will be useful except Allah's mercy.

Flu!!

2007-05-27T21:12:00.000-07:00

Well when your guard is down you dont have any strength to ward off anything.I am the kind of person who alhamdulillah gets a cold every three four years ,its stays on for two days and I shoo it away by ,being positive sickness cannot prevail.
This time around I was caught off guard,and I actually let my negative feelings get the best of me and here I am for the second week feeling really lousy and ill,from fever to bone-aches and now this terrible terrible cough.Its awful to feel weak and its worse to feel helpless,of course in illness,you know your real worth,but also alhamdulillah it is counted against your bad account quota.It goes like this any sickness or pain you feel you are getting rid of a lot of bad marks you got from bad conduct some time ago.
So here I am sipping my cinnamon tea (for cleansing the throat)and writing about my pain...If I were you I would've signed a comment saying: come on lady wakey wakey ,life is good stop seeing the negative things,we need to read some fresh new ideas to help us get along in life!!!

So I give you this beautiful scene of the sea as a compensation sorry all!!

My colour is.....surprised!!

2007-05-24T12:14:00.000-07:00

BLUE

You give your love and friendship unconditionally. You enjoy long, thoughtful conversations rich in philosophy and spirituality. You are very loyal and intuitive.

Find out your color at QuizMeme.com!

On a more happier note....

2007-05-23T11:09:00.000-07:00

I have decided to make a blog about my grandkids first words and first everything in fact..of ourse I had to get the help of their parents and aunties to collec these first words....
I think maybe in a couple of years they can enjoy reading the blog with me and laugh at their own attempts to label things :)

Last chance!!

2007-05-22T00:45:00.001-07:00

So, so you think you can tell Heaven from Hell,
blue skies from pain.
Can you tell a green field from a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?
And did they get you to trade your heroes for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage?
How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have you found? The same old fears.
Wish you were here!!

Nice song,nice lyrics too....very apropriate for my new post too!!
Well,here it is:
You know how you always get new chances to renew and re-inforce your relations with your relatives.
Well, there was this lady in the land of far far away,she had beautiful grandchildren whom she never really cared about,,they never had the chance to feel her care and love,and they grew up really missing on her kindness and care.
The days passed and the chance came again for her to show some care and love to those same grandchildren.now grown and with children themselves....but noooo she still couldn't take all that love and nurture it she started trying to get rid of the only reunion left for the family ,her being the eldest mother in the family.
End of story...enter dragon...exit great-grandma!!

Relationships

2007-05-20T05:26:00.000-07:00

Friends..and close relatives,not close as regards to nearest of kin but close in feelings and special treatment.
I have had many friends and many of them were relatives,sometimes we take things for granted but the worse is when we,ourselves are taken for granted by others we have special ties to.
You do good things,you go the extra mile for these poeple,they also do good things and stand by you in your troubled times,I'm a fair person and I always admit the good that has been done to me.
One day you notice that it was really one-sided and they were only returning favor for favor,but nothing really genuine.You spill your feelings all over,you do things out of love,but from the other side its just return (tit for tat).
What happened to me this month really threw me off balance,one of my closest and best friends(so I thought)and one of my closest relatives(again so I thought)both chose this month to reveal what their insides were made of,I mean how much could a person take??
Since I am the kind of person who feels strongly about people and relations ,to see what the way people acted towards me , was just a real bummer.

Engagement...

2007-05-18T00:44:00.000-07:00

MY neighbor invited me to her son's engagement,it was so nice to meet old aquaintances some I haven't seen for over a year.
The mother of the groom was happier than the mother of the bride I know both ladies ,but the groom's mom lives across from my home.We have known each other for more than 20 years,she is the sweetest good-hearted person you can imagine.

The sisters of the groom were ravishingly beautiful with their special dresses,two of these girls were born and grew up in this community and they are like daughters to me.
I am so happy for her,I hope the wedding goes as well too.

Graduation...

2007-05-14T23:38:00.000-07:00

At last my son graduated with a Bsc. in Marketing management,he never wanted to really study his always wanted to work and he always fancied having some trade.Well,now he can have both inshallah.
He already has two beautiful sons,one four and one two,so he really has a handful!!

His wife made a small party at home and we all had so much fun,above all I was really happy he got over with it all.
This was the graduation cake it was an ice-cream cake,the heat was scorching that day ,so the ice cream cake was very welcome :)

These are the cute graduates my daughter-in-law made to decorate the table:

Trip to Al-ahsaa

2007-05-07T00:03:00.000-07:00

We went on a trip to Al-Ahsaa region this weekend and it started well and ended in disaster....we had a kind of mis-understanding...you see we got lost in the Eastern villages and kept going in circles for hours and do we stop to get directions???Nooooooooo,we just kept on going in circles and the weather was really hot,but in the end we managed to find our way out of the maze of small palm-fringed villages,and reached civilisation!!

We really wanted to do some shopping but the shops weren't open and it was already 9:30 AM so I asked to go see the mount of Gara,AlAhsaa's known tourist attraction,and that is where disaster struck!!We took one small wrong turn and ended up in the villages where there were no signs whatsoever!

Even when we came back to town most of the shops were ready to close for the afternoon prayer,but do you knnow what,I noticed that many didn't open anyway...well I know why,it was the heat,probably they don't open till evening when the weather is cool.

My daughter's baby shower

2007-05-05T04:02:00.000-07:00

MY niece organised this sweet baby shower and she has actually taken care of everything,all I had to do was participate in the games and fun and make the arabic coffee.She even had gifts for the contests and really organised the most beautiful party, we all had loads of fun....especially me on account I was depressed.You can see here the assorted nuts she put in baby bottles for our non-participants to munch on until their turn came!!
The worst part though was when it was my turn to drink water form a baby's bottle to the amazement of my grandbabies....they kept staring at me and ask me what are you doing grandma?what are you doing??...a bit humilating....Then we made them drink water from the baby's bottles too,so there,we were all equal!!

These are two of the happy participants they had their own contests and fun in putting all their efforts in disarranging everything my niece was arranging on the table!!

These are the party favors my niece gave out,she made everything herself mashallah!!

My advertisement for the shop

2007-04-29T23:22:00.000-07:00

New Shop : we're open!!

2007-04-23T00:44:00.000-07:00

We opened our new shop,this is the logo for it.The customers are a few I know its because we didnt have enough advertising but people are curious and come in to see our merchandise.
We bought a lot of stuff but mashallah the place is big and when you go in you feel it lacks something so we need to add some counters 'n stuff.
Well,its our first venture and we don't really have much experience,but I guess we'll learn on the way.
If you live in Alkhobar please drop by our address is South Alkhobar, Mish'ab street junction 14,we sell accessories,watches,wallets,keychains,girls schoolbags,ladies bags,gifts for men and all you might need for gift-wrapping too.

Plumbers....urghhhhh!!

2007-04-19T14:33:00.001-07:00

Hi,couldn't really get to write in the blog for the past few days.......
I had a problem(major)with my plumbing in the upstairs bathroom...water dropped from the ceiling of the bathroom downstairs.We got the contractor who always fixed things around the house and did odd jobs like fixing a hole in the wall,painting the whole house.He brought a plumber along and they removed the whole floor and renewed all the pipes in the upstairs bathroom.next thing we knew the lower bathroom started leaking from three more places!!
The guy said it'll take a few days and dry up and everything will be fine and dandy,well its been three days now and it's still dropping big drops!!
What more can we do ...changing all the plumbing and putting down new floor tiles??isn't that all enough.....

Setting shop.......

2007-04-13T00:32:00.000-07:00

I have started to set the shop ready it's name is "Moon'n Doves" but of course in arabic,the name was my older daughter's idea,the logo was done by my older son who will be running the shop inshallah.My younger daughter of course was my helper in labeling ,pricing and making sure all the merchandise was in good condition.My niece will be in charge of making beautiful cards and gift tags you can see her work here:
http://rosy-pink-dreams.blogspot.com

What you see in the photo is the "Gift-Wrapping-needs" corner...where one will be able to find all that is needed to wrap ones gifts.
At the left side of the photo you will notice part of a counter,it is at the center of the shop, where we'll be displaying an assortment of wallets,sunglasses,make-up pouches,watches,accessories and keychains,anything that would be suitable as a gift or souvenir.

Hmmm New York??

2007-04-12T14:53:00.000-07:00

You Belong in New York City

You're the energetic, ambitious type.And only NYC is fast enough for you.Maybe you'll set yourself up with a killer careerOr simply take in all the city has to offer.

http://www.blogthings.com/whatcitydoyoubelonginquiz/

Thanks Reem,another nice test.

What Flower are You

2007-04-12T08:09:00.000-07:00

My niece found this cute site what flower are you and here is what I found out about me:

"You stand up for what you believe in, even if it gets in the way of what other people think. You are proud of yourself and your accomplishments and you enjoy letting people know that."

I am a
Canna

What Flower
Are You?

Playhouse

2007-04-11T12:34:00.000-07:00

My grandchildren started to play make believe and they needed their own place so I bought them this little playhouse,and the little oven of course which made them sooooo happy.

I wonder if I will live long enough to see them in their real houses........

What??me worry??

2007-04-07T13:24:00.000-07:00

Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but doesn't get you anywhere. - Anonymous

I like this saying....and I am aworry bug...so to all you worry bugs heed this saying,t'is wise!!

Grandma visits......

2007-04-06T01:37:00.000-07:00

I went to visit my son this weekend and the kids tidied up their room just for me,as soon as I entered their apartment the older one shouted jaddah(grandma)come see my room!!

They even posed on one of their beds,oh they look so cute!!The little one was there for the show...he did help a lot with the tidying up his dad says(with a little pressure of course).

Fifteen minutes later their cousin walked in and of course they had to impress her too....but to impress her they had to do something............ childish....right?!

They simply overturned the toyboxes,and suddenly all the hard work turned into havoc,and they even called me in to watch their favourite deed of turning the room into a mess in five minutes.

A bike-race ,a mini-sandstorm and more flamingoes

2007-04-03T23:02:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was particularily windy and we sometimes go on top of this sand dune to get a nice view of the seaside-can you imagine it? Sand dune on one side and the sea on the other?welcome to saudi arabia.Well ,apparently they were holding some sort of a school bicycle race, poor guys in all that wind!!

This time before we went on top we noticed the mini-sandstorm atop!!

On the same day we passed by this shore near our home but I still couldn't help taking more and more pictures of flamingoes,seems I'm stuck on them!!

I particularily took this shot cause there were two pairs of flamingoes one red-winged and the other pair black-winged!!

I think I can actually make a gallery with my flamingo photos.........

My exercise room.....

2007-03-31T08:30:00.000-07:00

Since I am really trying hard to get rid of the extra weight I'm carrying around ,my husband decided to encourage me by setting up a room specially for all my exercise stuff,he even bought us a nice new treadmill.

I spend an hour to an hour and a half depending on my exrcise sessions,not daily though ,but about five days a week.I showed the photos to my cousin and she recommended giving the room anice paint job to make it more inviting so I will have to call in the family decor and paint expert my niece: http://rosy-pink-dreams.blogspot.com

Personal concepts about weight....

2007-03-29T06:03:00.000-07:00

I just remembered something my aunt told me once,when I was asking about my older son's not liking food (like the rest of our family)...he gave me a hard time when he was young at mealtime.She said that she herself hated the sight of overweight people and hence never did really like to eat much,and that perhaps my son was like that.Sure enough he is the leanest of us all and he still doesn't eat much.

This also reminded me of two of my maids,they hated to be fat, as soon as one of them gained a few pounds they went automatically on diet,although they came from very poor countries and the good variety of food they ate here was a novelty to them!!

So fat is not a matter of having food as it is a concept within a person's mind and in what shape that person likes to be percieved.However this concept does change with some changes in life such as depression...many people I know (me being one)have always hated fat people and always took care of their ideal weight and gradually as certain degrees of depression progress,the aim to look good seems to waver and the emotional eating takes its place....

Not that I am finding an excuse,but just thinking out loud.Exercise instead of emotional eating and changing the eating habits from sweet and loaded with fat to veggies and fruits would have been ideal.

Gift shop ........

2007-03-27T12:29:00.000-07:00

We have this new family project,it's a gift shop...I have been shopping for the past week for nice things suitable as gifts:
sunglasses,bracelets, trinkets ,keychains,rings,watches,jewelry sets,rosaries,bags,wallets.......etc.

Next week inshalla we start shopping for the wrapping stuff,like boxes,foam,tissue paper,ribbons and cards.

I'm really excited about it I hope it works..what I hate about it is the paper work and book-keeping,its avery small business but it has to be organised for easy tracking of inventory and stuff.

As soon as we have the shop organised I will post a pic here for you to see inshallah.

Birds...again

2007-03-23T01:54:00.000-07:00

My love of birds is unsurpassed...they are so immersed in their own feathery world...but sea-side birds...hmmm that's another story:

They have this serenity and poise when searching for something to eat.

If only I could spend more time watching them...

Hair ...crown of women.....

2007-03-22T23:57:00.000-07:00

I have been highlighting and dying and straightening my hair and blow-drying it for ages ....now I am having SERIOUS problems with my hair!!

Brittle,dry,dull......you name it I have it..

So I decided to use the advertised shampoos, you know when the girl has looooong silky hair after she used a certain product or when she is suffering from dull hair or difficult to manage hair,and suddenly after she uses that product her hair is super manageable and super straight!!

I mean I have been using different kinds of shampoo ,specially made for dry colored hair, for the past ten years,I have used many oils and different oil baths.....I have five different brand names cause I have been told to change the kind of shampoo from time to time .

Help , anybody??

Dieting and exercising

2007-03-20T23:56:00.000-07:00

My cousin told me about this nice site(arabic)about losing weight.The site belongs to a doctor who performs operations to help ultimately obese people lose weight.Its got lots of good exercise and advice.

I think it will help me in my quest for losing some of the excess baggage I am carrying around!!I have also taken some advice from http://sparkspeople.com really great stuff over there too.

I know it needs a change from within,may allah help me get that strength to go on,cause the duration for my dieting and exercising never did get further than three months-this is my second month and I have already lost 5 kilograms of ugliness .

Helping others

2007-03-19T07:18:00.000-07:00

I have dedicated my life to helping others alhamdullah but somehow on the way I seem to have neglected helping me.

Doing good is great and very self-rewarding especially if you have the means, whether they are bodily , material or spiritual.

Good deeds have rewards in this world and in the hereafter,but neglecting oneself is dangerous since it could backfire in the longrun.

So,it is advisable to have some ((me time)) from time to time in order to be able to give others as much as possible.

Weighty matters

2007-03-17T11:25:00.000-07:00

I have been quite slender (60-63 kgs,168cms)until i got married and started to get children.....
I was quite active,walking,running up and down four flights of stairs 3-4 times a day,exercising...etc

Then....I started accumulating weight,of course having changed my lifestyle to a very sedentary one,but didnt really change my eating habits..

Every few months I would go on a strict diet ,exercise and lose 7-8 kilos,then I binge again and ..voila!!The weight is there again...and then some!!

So, by doing some arithmeatic I gained more than I lost, in the end still being obese..

Did I mention that I am a chocoholic??

Again,for the twentieth time,I'm dieting and exercising...this time because of health problems,the old ticker couldn't take all this weight,neither could the joints,inshallah this time it will work,and I will keep the weight off,for once and for all!!

Clutter

2007-03-16T23:22:00.000-07:00

I am a very clutterful person..my life is full of clutter my desk, my computer...such an unorganised person I have seen only on tv on talkshows where they taught people how to get rid of clutter.

It has always been my problem, I kinda accumulate things, for a hobby then I would buy all the stuff I need for it,but soon get interested in another hobby!!

Lately(too late?)...........................I have asked my cousin(a very well-organised person mashallah)to come over and help me get organised..and well, her help really did me a lot of good..I feel I can breathe freely believe it or not...you see it's as if all that clutter has been on my chest all those years.

Not that I have finished yet...but many areas in my home are let's say: comfy now (wide smile).

The moral of the story:
Clutterful people have also unorganised lives and unorganised aims...hmmmm(poor me).

Introduction

2007-03-16T13:42:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody...
I am a mother of four and a grandmother of three ,alhamdulillah.
I have many hobbies one of which is writing.I have made some websites and decided to try blogging as my niece keeps telling me how much fun she is having reading other people's blogs.

I do hope I can manage to keep my blog interesting and inshallah(God willing)it will be of some use to somebody somewhere.