Keeping Occupied

All sorts of different things have been keeping me occupied at the moment...

...I hardly ever get to see my best friend, but I got to spend two alternate Saturdays with her and her beautiful little boy - eating, joking and playing with the kids, we never seem to have enough time together. Her little boy is just delicious and my kids are crazy about him.

This rowdy bunch are keeping me busy, including the ton of homework they seem to get every week (and this year Little Lady's teacher is keeping tabs on homework and even telling me off!).

I can't get over how big this one is getting. I have been making lots of cuddle-time for the kids, you are never too old to be held by your mum.

We have been eating sugar cane, sticks like the one's in the picture below. They are absolutely delicious and I was over the moon when one of the local grocers started selling little bags of these. I used to eat these as a kid on trips to Pakistan. You bite off a chunk, chew on it until the juice is sucked out and then spit out the husk. Probably best to do this when no-one is looking.

image source

I have been getting all happy over my gift of a new abaya from a very sweet friend in California. My best friend is Moroccan and loved this saying it was the in-thing right now. My mum-in-law also has her eye on it!

Personally I love the colours of the embroidery which I found very attractive.

I have also found myself back in my card-making groove. This is a bunch I am making with retro prints and bright colours.

I have also started a load of wedding congratulation cards with two main themes: pastel pinks and classic gold and ivory colours.

I am also trying to get organised - doctor's appointments, dentist and optician, parents evenings, mother-in-laws hospital appointments, visiting the haji's as they get ready (aunty, uncle, cousin, best friends family this time insh'Allah, and maybe hubby insh'Allah but not sure yet). I gifted myself a new diary, which is even bigger than the one I have with a massive to-do list which I have placed right at the front.

I haven't been blogging much for various reasons; one is my promise to myself that I will blog only when my husband is not around (he deserves my full attention) and my kids have had their needs taken care of and I am not neglecting my ibadat (worship) which is too easily done. Another reason is that I have been struggling to get into a routine for a while which allows me to post. At the moment, fajr (dawn prayer) is getting later again, so I am able to stay up and have time in the morning to do things, this seems to be the best time for me to write as well and leaves me free in the evening to craft if the kids are in bed and hubby is working (You should see me with a big mug of milky coffee in the evening and my craft stuff all around me on the floor. I usually have nasheeds or talks on on my laptop and the kids sneak up and gather round one by one, as good as gold, so they don't get chucked out).

Our routine is set to change again soon as mum-in-law goes back to Pakistan at the end of this month. Both my brothers-in-law are going back with her to get married insh'Allah. We don't have any plans to go, but knowing my spontaneous other half - who knows we might suddenly find ourselves there unplanned and unprepared.